English Words in Action, Group R

The age at which workers generally are no longer required to work for a living; especially, the age at which a pension is payable: The union contract for the agency stipulates an open retirement age for union members; in other words, there is no mandatory age for retirement.

A system for saving money for use during the time when a person is no longer working: Dale's employer is offering a very good retirement plan.

1. A person who is quiet and shy: Shanna is a timid and retiring young woman.
2. Someone who is withdrawn, uncommunicative, or unsocial: Harry's brother is a rascal with a deceptively more retiring manner.
3. The time when a person determines no longer to be working: Mrs. Williams thinks that 65 is a good retiring age for her so she can spend more time with her grand children.

1. To change the way things are done in order to spend less money: When the company sold fewer products, it was forced to retrench or to economize.
2. Etymology: from French retrenchier, "to cut down, to reduce"; from re-, "again"+ trenchier, "to cut." © ALL rights are reserved.

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To make something better by improving the way it functions by making significant changes to it: This lexicon is being revamped to meet higher standards for definitions and sentences that illustrate the usages of the definitions for greater clarity and understanding.

1. Someone who has returned; especially, from the dead: A ghost is one example of a revenant who comes back after passing away from this living world.
2. Etymology: from Latin, "revenire "to return"; from re-, "back" + venire, "to come" and from French reviner, "to return." © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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A reference to indulging in vulgar or lewd talk or humor: Victor's ribald or indecent jokes were not acceptable by most of the people who were at the party.

Sometimes on a TV talk show, a person will use a ribald expression which usually results in a noise, or beep, that obliterates what he or she says.

© ALL rights are reserved.
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© ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A reference to something that is existing in a widespread or frequent manner: Poverty is rife in too many areas of the world.
2. Descriptive of being numerous in great quantities: The local marshlands are still rife or swarming with pesky mosquitoes. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A firearm which has a long barrel and that is held against a person's shoulder when he or she is shooting it: Hunters around the world use rifles to kill various "wild-game animals" to be used for food or for a so-called "sport".

Brenda's father took his rifle out to go hunting for deer.

2. A BB gun that uses compressed air or gas to fire small pellets: Lucinda's young brother took his air rifle to shoot at some cans lined up on a fence.
3. A weapon that can shoot many bullets quickly and which is designed for use by the military: A unit of soldiers were armed with assault rifles and they were having target practice with these weapons.

1. To rob, to strip, or to ransack: The burglar was caught as he was rifling the company's safe.
2. To search urgently: Tony was rifling through the kitchen drawer looking for a knife to cut the meat that he was going to fry for dinner.
3. To look through something quickly and not very closely: A man was seen who was rifling through a woman's purse while she was trying on a new dress in the booth.
4. To throw or to hit a ball with a great deal of speed and force: The baseball player in left field successfully rifled the baseball to the catcher to get the batter out.

1. A cleft or fissure in the earth, in a rock, etc.: While Richard was hiking in the mountain, he saw many rifts in its surface.
2. An opening or break in the clouds or mist: Adam and his family could see some stars and the moon through the rifts in night sky.
3. A situation in which two people, groups, etc., no longer have a friendly relationship: Greg, the marriage counselor, told Andy, "The lack of harmony and devotion will only increase the rift between you and your wife."
4. Etymology: from Scandinavian ript, meanng "breach" and pronounced "rift." © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A long confused, rambling, or incoherent discourse; nonsensical or silly talk or writing: The politician's speech was filled with a lot of rigmaroles which contained meaningless and contradictory statements.
2. Etymology: an alteration of the words, ragman's roll. In 1291, the Scottish nobles were forced to sign pledges of allegiance to Edward I. These signatures came in bundles of mixed papers and documents. © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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1. Jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal, often set with jewels, worn on the finger: Mildred was wearing rings on every finger of both hands.
2. Something which is shaped like a circle: The smoker was blowing smoke rings into the air.

Patricia put her keys on a new key ring.

3. An area which is used for putting on shows and may be surrounded by ropes or some other outer restrictions: Examples of show rings include: a circus ring, a rodeo ring, a boxing ring, a wrestling ring, etc.
4. A group of people who are involved in some kind of illegal or dishonest activities: The police broke up two drug rings and a Mexican smuggling ring last week.

1. To cause a device or an object; such as, a bell to make sounds: The hotel clerk rang a bell at the desk to get the attention of someone to carry the customer's baggage to the room.

When Jillian went to visit her friends, she rang the door bell so they would let her in.

2. To make a sound as a signal of an event or a specific time: The church bells rang early on Sunday to summon people to the religious service.
3. To fill a place or an area with sound: The cheers were ringing through the gym as the school team won the championship.
4. To appear to have a particular quality or character: Jim's excuse for getting home late didn't ring true with his parents.
5. To form a circle around or to surround something or a person: Small cottages are ringing the lake.

1. A public act of violence by a crowd or an unruly mob: The police tried to quell or overcome the riot caused by the protestors.
2. A situation where there is disorder involving group violence: There was a riot after the soccer game as the opposing fans attacked each other.