ringers
ringers — noun
- ringerssingular
- ringersesplural
1. the telephone component that produces a noise when a call arrives, or any device
the telephone component that produces a noise when a call arrives, or any device that alerts people by creating a ringing tone.
Felix turned up his phone's ringer so he could hear it from the kitchen.
collocation: turn up the ringer
Ishaan's phone ringer went off during the exam, and everyone turned to stare.
collocation: ringer goes off
Anong checked her phone and saw three missed calls because the ringer was too low.
Valentina set her phone ringer to a gentle piano melody instead of a loud beep.
The old desk phone had a mechanical ringer that made a loud, harsh bell sound.
- ringtone
more specific — the chosen melody or sound, not the device
文法句型
ringer + verb (go off / sound)
用法筆記
Frequently used with phone-related verbs: 'turn up/down the ringer', 'the ringer went off'. The ringer is the mechanism itself, not the call — compare with 'ringtone' (the melody or sound file chosen by the user).
常見錯誤
2. someone whose job or activity is to operate bells, especially large church bells
someone whose job or activity is to operate bells, especially large church bells, by pulling ropes or using a mechanical system.
Piotr has been a bell ringer at Saint Mary's Church for over twenty years.
collocation: bell ringer at [church]
The bell ringer pulled the thick rope, and the deep sound filled the square.
Chidi's grandfather was the village bell ringer who called everyone to Sunday service.
Gabriel trained as a bell ringer at the old cathedral in Krakow.
A skilled bell ringer makes bells play a full tune, not just a single note.
- campanologist
formal term for someone who studies or practises bell ringing
文法句型
ringer + of + [place]
用法筆記
Often used with a place name or role description ('bell ringer at X', 'village bell ringer'). The activity is called 'bell ringing' and people who do it as a hobby are often called 'campanologists' in formal contexts.
常見錯誤
3. a competitor who secretly uses a false identity or fake papers to take part in a
a competitor who secretly uses a false identity or fake papers to take part in a contest or race, gaining an unfair advantage.
The team was disqualified for using a ringer in the final match.
passive: used a ringer in [event]
Roya suspected the unknown player was a ringer — that player had scored five goals.
The racing officials checked every horse's papers carefully to make sure no ringers were entered.
Felipe was banned for bringing a ringer to play under his teammate's name.
- legitimate player
an eligible, properly registered competitor
文法句型
ringer + in + [competition]
a ringer for + [person/horse]
用法筆記
Usually implies deception — the ringer is someone who is secretly much better than they appear. Commonly used in amateur sports, horse racing, and pub games. The related phrase 'ring in' means to substitute fraudulently.
常見錯誤
4. in games such as horseshoes, a successful throw that wraps the shoe around the m
in games such as horseshoes, a successful throw that wraps the shoe around the middle stake and earns the player points.
Ignacio threw a perfect ringer in the last round and won the horseshoe tournament.
collocation: throw a perfect ringer
The player scored three ringers in a row as the crowd cheered each throw.
Minho practised for months before he could throw a ringer from the full distance.
In horseshoes, a ringer counts as three points if it lands cleanly around the stake.
- pitch
general term for a throw in horseshoes, not specifically a scoring throw
文法句型
throw/get/make a ringer
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in horseshoes and quoits. A ringer is distinguished from a 'leaner' (the shoe touches the peg but does not encircle it) and a 'close shoe' (near the peg but not touching).
常見錯誤
5. a person or thing that looks extremely similar to another person or thing, so th
a person or thing that looks extremely similar to another person or thing, so that they could be mistaken for each other.
Rachel is a dead ringer for her older sister; people often mistake them for twins.
pattern: a dead ringer for [person]
A young actor, a ringer for the young president, got the film role.
Roya laughed at the painting — it was a dead ringer for her grandmother's kitchen.
That new electric car is a ringer for the classic model from the nineteen sixties.
Gabriel showed us his great-grandfather's photo; cousin Ignacio was a dead ringer for him.
- lookalike
neutral term for someone who resembles another, without the 'dead' intensifier
- spitting image
stronger, more informal phrase with the same meaning
- opposite
someone or something that is completely different in appearance
文法句型
a ringer for + [person/thing]
be a dead ringer for + [person/thing]
用法筆記
Almost always used with the adjective 'dead' for emphasis ('dead ringer'). The 'dead' here acts as an intensifier meaning 'exact' or 'complete', not related to death. Can be used for both people and objects.
常見錯誤
6. a vehicle whose registration plates have been changed to hide its real identity,
a vehicle whose registration plates have been changed to hide its real identity, typically used in illegal activities.
The police found a ringer parked behind the warehouse with plates from a stolen car.
context: police finding a ringer vehicle
Detectives believe the robbers used a ringer to escape the scene without being traced.
Customs officers stopped the lorry and found it was a ringer carrying smuggled goods.
The car dealer was arrested for selling ringers — cars with false plates and fake paperwork.
- clone vehicle
a car with copied plates from an identical model, same concept
- hot car
a stolen car; broader term not limited to false plates
文法句型
ringer + vehicle
用法筆記
Primarily British English slang, used in police reports and crime news. The vehicle itself is called a 'ringer' regardless of what kind of vehicle it is (car, van, lorry).