rung

Meanings

1. A crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round.
2. A crosspiece between legs of a chair.
3. A position in a hierarchy.
4. A floor timber in a ship.
5. One of the stakes of a cart; a spar; a heavy staff.
6. One of the radial handles projecting from the rim of a steering wheel.
7. One of the pins or trundles of a lantern wheel.

1. past participle of ring (only in senses related to a bell)
2. simple past of ring

1. Of a pig: having a ring through the nose.

1. A surname.

Etymology

From Middle English rung, from Old English hrung, from Proto-West Germanic *hrungu, from Proto-Germanic *hrungō. Cognate with Dutch rong (“pole, stanchion”), German Runge (“stake, pole, stanchion”), Gothic 𐌷𐍂𐌿𐌲𐌲𐌰 (hrugga, “a staff”).