• (British, America) IPA: /ɹaɪp/, /ɹaːɪp/

ripe (comparative riper, superlative ripest)

1. (of fruits, vegetables, seeds etc.) Ready for reaping or gathering; having attained perfection; mature

   ripe grain

   ripe apples

   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

     So mayst thou live, till, like ripe fruit, thou drop / Into thy mother's lap.

2. (of foods) Advanced to the state of fitness for use; mellow

   ripe cheese

   ripe wine

3. (figuratively) Having attained its full development; mature; perfected

   Synonyms: consummate

   • 1895, Henry James, The Altar of the Dead

     She was a feature of that piety, but even at the ripe stage of acquaintance in which they occasionally arranged to meet at a concert or to go together to an exhibition she was not a feature of anything else.

4. (archaic) Maturated or suppurated; ready to discharge; -- said of sores, tumors, etc.
5. Ready for action or effect; prepared.
   • 1988, Queensrÿche, Revolution Calling

     But the time is ripe for changes. There's a growing feeling. That taking a chance on a new kind of vision is due

   • 1705 (revised 1718), Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy

     while things were just ripe for a war

   • I am not ripe to pass sentence on the gravest public bodies.

6. Like ripened fruit in ruddiness and plumpness.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Those happy smilets, / That played on her ripe lip.

7. (obsolete) Intoxicated.
   • 1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act V, Scene 1,

     Alonso: And Trinculo is reeling-ripe: where should they / Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them? / How cam'st thou in this pickle?

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:drunk
8. (law) Of a conflict between parties, having developed to a stage where the conflict may be reviewed by a court of law.
9. Smelly: having a disagreeable odor.

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:malodorous

• unripe

• French: mûr, mûre
• German: reif
• Italian: maturo, matura
• Portuguese: maduro
• Russian: зре́лый
• Spanish: maduro, madura

• Italian: maturato
• Portuguese: maduro
• Russian: вы́держанный
• Spanish: madurado

• French: accompli, accomplie
• Italian: maturo
• Portuguese: maduro, maturo
• Russian: зре́лый

• French: mûr, mûre

• French: mûr, mûre
• Italian: pronto

ripe (plural ripes)

1. (agriculture) A fruit or vegetable which has ripened.

ripe (ripes, present participle riping; past and past participle riped)

1. To ripen or mature
   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act II Scene 8

     [...] he [Antonio] answer'd, "Do not so;

     Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,

     But stay the very riping of the time;

• Italian: maturare
• Spanish: madurar

ripe (plural ripes)

1. The bank of a river.

• riparian

ripe (ripes, present participle riping; past and past participle riped)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To search; to rummage.

• rip