ring out

ring out — phrasal verb

  • ring outbase form
  • rings out3rd person singular
  • ringing out-ing form
  • rang outpast simple
  • rung outpast participle

1. When a sound such as a bell or a voice travels loudly and clearly through the ai

1.片語動詞不及物B2
釋義

When a sound such as a bell or a voice travels loudly and clearly through the air so that everyone nearby can hear it.

例句

The church bells rang out across the quiet valley on Christmas morning.

subject = bell + prepositional phrase (across…)

A loud scream rang out from the house next door in the dead of night.

同義詞
  • echo

    Emphasises the sound reflecting off surfaces rather than originating

  • resonate

    More formal; suggests the sound continues or vibrates

  • reverberate

    More formal; suggests the sound repeats or bounces multiple times

反義詞
  • fade away

    The sound becomes gradually quieter

  • die down

    The sound becomes gradually weaker

文法句型

ring out + adverb/prepositional phrase

用法筆記

Subject is a single sound source (bell, voice, gun, alarm) or the sound itself. Frequently used in narrative or descriptive writing to create a sense of atmosphere.

常見錯誤

❌She rang out the bell to call the students.
✅The bell rang out across the schoolyard.
💡The phrasal verb 'ring out' is intransitive; the bell makes the sound by itself, not by someone’s action.
❌He rang out a warning to the crowd.
✅His warning voice rang out across the crowd.
💡'Ring out' cannot take a direct object; the subject is the sound or its source.

2. When bells are rung to mark the closing of a significant time, most commonly the

2.片語動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

When bells are rung to mark the closing of a significant time, most commonly the old year on New Year’s Eve.

例句

The bells rang out the old year at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

transitive: ring out + the old year

Every year, the temple rings out the old year with its ancient bronze bell.

同義詞
  • bid farewell to

    More general; not specific to bells or ringing

  • usher out

    Similar ceremonial tone; also used for year-end occasions

反義詞
  • ring in

    The opposite: celebrating the start of something by ringing bells, e.g. 'ring in the new year'

文法句型

ring out + noun phrase (the old year / the end of [event])

ring out + adverb

用法筆記

Often used in the set phrase 'ring out the old year' as part of New Year celebrations. The object is the time period or event that is ending. This sense is more traditional and ceremonial than everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌We rang out with bells the old year.
✅We rang out the old year with bells.
💡The object (the old year) comes directly after 'rang out', not after a preposition.
❌They rang out at midnight.
✅They rang out the old year at midnight.
💡Without an object, the sentence means sense 1 (sound loudly), not celebrating the year’s end.

3. When a bell is rung to tell people about something important — for instance, chu

3.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

When a bell is rung to tell people about something important — for instance, church bells announce that a wedding has taken place or that a ceremony is starting.

例句

The church bells rang out the news that the war had finally ended.

object = announcement (news of the victory)

The school bell rang out the end of the final lesson for the term.

同義詞
  • proclaim

    More general; not specific to bells

  • herald

    Also about announcing with a sound or sign; slightly literary

文法句型

ring out + noun phrase (news/event/arrival)

用法筆記

Subject is a bell or bell ringer. This sense has a historical or traditional tone — modern announcements are rarely made by ringing bells alone.

常見錯誤

❌The bell rang out, announcing the news.
✅The bell rang out the news of the arrival.
💡In sense 3, the object (the news) follows 'rang out' directly; a separate clause using 'announcing' switches to sense 1.
❌She rang out the announcement over the loudspeaker.
✅She rang the bell to announce the news.
💡The phrasal verb 'ring out' is for bells and their sound, not for electronic speakers.