rhyme

[ rahym ]

noun

1. identity in sound of some part, especially the end, of words or lines of verse.
2. a word agreeing with another in terminal sound: Find is a rhyme for mind and womankind.
3. verse or poetry having correspondence in the terminal sounds of the lines.
4. a poem or piece of verse having such correspondence.
5. verse ¹( def 4 ).

verb (used with object)

, rhymed, rhym·ing.

1. to treat in rhyme, as a subject; turn into rhyme, as something in prose.
2. to compose (verse or the like) in metrical form with rhymes.
3. to use (a word) as a rhyme to another word; use (words) as rhymes.

verb (used without object)

, rhymed, rhym·ing.

1. to make rhyme or verse; versify.
2. to use rhyme in writing verse.
3. to form a rhyme, as one word or line with another:

   a word that rhymes with orange.

4. to be composed in metrical form with rhymes, as verse:

   poetry that rhymes.

rhyme

/ raɪm /

noun

1. identity of the terminal sounds in lines of verse or in words
2. a word that is identical to another in its terminal sound

   ``while'' is a rhyme for ``mile''

3. a verse or piece of poetry having corresponding sounds at the ends of the lines

   the boy made up a rhyme about his teacher

4. any verse or piece of poetry
5. rhyme or reason
   sense, logic, or meaning

   this proposal has no rhyme or reason

verb

1. to use (a word) or (of a word) to be used so as to form a rhyme; be or make identical in sound
2. to render (a subject) into rhyme
3. to compose (verse) in a metrical structure

rhyme

1. A similarity of sound between words, such as moon , spoon , croon , tune , and June . Rhyme is often employed in verse .

Derived Forms

• ˈrhymeless, adjective

Other Words From

• rhymer noun
• inter·rhyme verb (used without object) interrhymed interrhyming
• mis·rhymed adjective
• non·rhyme noun
• non·rhymed adjective
• non·rhyming adjective
• outrhyme verb (used with object) outrhymed outrhyming
• un·rhyme verb (used with object) unrhymed unrhyming
• well-rhymed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhyme¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English rime, from Old French, derivative of rimer “to rhyme,” from unattested Gallo-Romance rimāre “to put in a row,” ultimately derived from Old High German rīm “series, row”; probably not connected with Latin rhythmus “rhythm,” although current spelling (from about 1600) is apparently by association with this word

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhyme¹

C12: from Old French rime , from rimer to rhyme, from Old High German rīm a number; spelling influenced by rhythm

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. rhyme or reason, logic, sense, or plan:

   There was no rhyme or reason for what they did.

Example Sentences

And President Joe Biden said he was "a musical genius who transformed the soul of America – one beat, one rhythm, and one rhyme at a time".

From BBC

And as entertaining as I was, I drove my poor husband from the room, his ears sick of what amounted to an elocution of poorly remembered, high school French verb conjugation delivered in rhyme and interspersed with outbursts of les poissons, les poissons!

From Salon

“We're starting to just send stuff up there just because we can. There's no sort of rhyme or reason anymore,” says Michelle Hanlon, a space lawyer and founder of For All Moonkind, an organisation that seeks to protect the Apollo landing sites.

From BBC

In the Harris-Emhoff family, the obvious rhyme asserted itself, so her family name is certainly clever.

From Salon

As the GOP rallies behind Donald Trump for president, despite his 34 felony convictions, there appears to be no rhyme or reason to what Republicans consider a bridge too far.

From Salon

Related Words

• cadence
• poem
• poetry
• rhythm
• tune
• verse