rung

rung
    n 1: a crosspiece between the legs of a chair [syn: {rung},
         {round}, {stave}]
    2: one of the crosspieces that form the steps of a ladder [syn:
       {rundle}, {spoke}, {rung}]
    

Rung \Rung\,
   imp. & p. p. of {Ring}.
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Rung \Rung\, n. [OE. ronge, AS. hrung, a staff, rod, pole; akin
   to G. runge a short, thick piece of iron or wood, OD. ronghe
   a prop, support, Icel. r["o]ng a rib in a ship, Goth. Hrugga
   a staff.]
   1. (Shipbuilding) A floor timber in a ship.
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   2. One of the rounds of a ladder.
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   3. One of the stakes of a cart; a spar; a heavy staff.
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   4. (Mach.) One of the radial handles projecting from the rim
      of a steering wheel; also, one of the pins or trundles of
      a lantern wheel.
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Ring \Ring\ (r[i^]ng), v. t. [imp. {Rang} (r[a^]ng) or {Rung}
   (r[u^]ng); p. p. {Rung}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ringing}.] [AS.
   hringan; akin to Icel. hringja, Sw. ringa, Dan. ringe, OD.
   ringhen, ringkelen. [root]19.]
   1. To cause to sound, especially by striking, as a metallic
      body; as, to ring a bell.
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   2. To make (a sound), as by ringing a bell; to sound.
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            The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums,
            Hath rung night's yawning peal.       --Shak.
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   3. To repeat often, loudly, or earnestly.
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   {To ring a peal}, to ring a set of changes on a chime of
      bells.

   {To ring the changes upon}. See under {Change}.

   {To ring in} or {To ring out}, to usher, attend on, or
      celebrate, by the ringing of bells; as, to ring out the
      old year and ring in the new. --Tennyson.

   {To ring the bells backward}, to sound the chimes, reversing
      the common order; -- formerly done as a signal of alarm or
      danger. --Sir W. Scott.
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50 Moby Thesaurus words for "rung":
      amount, caliber, compass, cut, degree, doorstep, extent, footrest,
      footstep, grade, height, interval, leap, level, mark, measure,
      notch, nuance, pas, peg, period, pitch, plane, plateau, point,
      proportion, range, ratio, reach, remove, rest, riser, round,
      rundle, scale, scope, shade, shadow, space, spoke, stage, stair,
      standard, stave, step, step stool, stepping-stone, stint, string,
      tread