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ringer

[ ring-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person or thing that encircles, rings, etc.
a quoit or horseshoe so thrown as to encircle the peg.
the throw itself.
Also ��Բ�İ��. Also called ring taw. Marbles. a game in which players place marbles in a cross marked in the center of a circle, the object being to knock as many marbles as possible outside the circle by using another marble shooter.
Australian. a highly skilled sheep shearer.

ringer

[ ring-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a person or thing that rings or makes a ringing noise:
a ringer of bells;
a bell that is a loud ringer.
dead ringer ( def ).
Synonyms: , , , ,
Slang.
1. a racehorse, athlete, or the like entered in a competition under false representation as to identity or ability.
2. a student paid by another to take an exam.
3. any person or thing that is fraudulent; fake or impostor.
4. a substitute or addition, as a professional musician hired to strengthen a school orchestra:
  We hired three ringers for the commencement concert.

ringer

/ ˈ��ɪŋə /

noun

a person or thing that rings a bell
slang.
Also calleddead ringer a person or thing that is almost identical to another
slang.
a stolen vehicle the identity of which has been changed by the use of the licence plate, serial number, etc, of another, usually disused, vehicle
a contestant, esp a horse, entered in a competition under false representations of identity, record, or ability
the fastest shearer in a shed
informal.
the fastest or best at anything
a quoit thrown so as to encircle a peg
such a throw

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ringer¹

First recorded in 1815–25; ring ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of ringer²

First recorded in 1375–1425; ring ² + -er ¹( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They’re pretty much dead ringers for each other, especially when they showed up to Augusta National this week wearing the same gray quarter-zip pullovers.

From

Could he be a ringer in Duke intramural basketball?

From

Tom Hollander is a dead ringer for Capote, while Naomi Watts’ Babe Paley is stunning and tragic.

From

"I think he's literally gone through the ringer," she said.

From

Forman’s comical look at the decathlon is scored with bell ringers and yodelers, while Schlesinger’s intense “The Longest” intermixes the marathon with the attack by Palestinian terrorists on the Israeli quarters in the Olympic Village.

From

ringent Ringer's solution

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