- 1
Of a fruit, vegetable, seed, etc., ready for reaping or gathering; having attained perfection; mature.
- ripe grain
- ripe apples
- 2
Of a food, advanced to the state of fitness for use; mellow.
- ripe cheese
- ripe wine
- 3
Having attained its full development; mature; perfected.figuratively
- He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one.
- And so may Place retain us still, And he the much-beloved again, A lord of large experience, train To riper growth the mind and will: […]
- 4
Of a sore, tumor, etc., maturated or suppurated; ready to discharge.archaic
- 5
Ready for action or effect; prepared.
- while things were just ripe for a war
- I am not ripe to pass sentence on the gravest public bodies.
- 6
Of a person, ready, willing, eager.colloquial
- I'm starting somethin' myself. I'm ripe to fight. It's this country air!
- 7
Like ripened fruit in ruddiness and plumpness.
- Those happy smilets, / That played on her ripe lip.
- He looked back once at the waving hands, the mother's glowing, ripe cheeks.
- 8
Intoxicated.obsolete
- Alonso: And Trinculo is reeling-ripe: where should they / Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them? / How cam'st thou in this pickle?
- 9
Of a conflict between parties, having developed to a stage where the conflict may be reviewed by a court of law.
- Problems emerge in judging whether a case is ripe, however, when contested general agency directives are issued that are not aimed at specific parties.
- 10
Smelly: having a disagreeable odor.
- His Majesty [a purple emperor butterfly] has rather peculiar tastes for so elegant a being. You just hang a piece of decidedly ripe meat anywhere near.
- Dolores, giving her a bath yesterday, said she was a bit ripe under the armpits.
ant. unripe