- rich
- richW2S2 [rıtʃ] adj comparative richer superlative richest▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(wealthy)¦2¦(large amount)¦3¦(full of interest)¦4¦(food)¦5¦(smell/flavour)¦6¦(colour)¦7¦(sound)¦8¦(soil)¦9¦(cloth)¦10 that's rich (coming from him/you etc)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[: Old English; Origin: rice]1.) ¦(WEALTHY)¦a) someone who is rich has a lot of money and valuable possessions≠ ↑poor▪ one of the richest women in America▪ She found herself a rich husband.▪ He thought this was the easiest way to get rich .▪ the rich nations of the worldfabulously rich BrE▪ She was both beautiful and fabulously rich.▪ His brother's stinking rich (=very rich, in a way that you do not approve of) .b) the rich [plural]people who are rich▪ houses belonging to the rich and famous2.) ¦(LARGE AMOUNT)¦containing a lot of somethingrich in▪ Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C.oxygen-rich/nutrient-rich/protein-rich etc▪ Pregnant women should eat protein-rich foods.▪ Rich mineral deposits have been found in the sea bed.▪ Red meat is a rich source of iron.3.) ¦(FULL OF INTEREST)¦full of interesting or important facts, events, or ideas▪ the rich literary tradition of England▪ The area has a very rich history.rich in▪ a story that was rich in detail4.) ¦(FOOD)¦rich food contains a lot of butter, cream, or eggs, which make you feel full very quickly≠ ↑light▪ a rich fruit cake▪ The sauce was very rich.5.) ¦(SMELL/FLAVOUR)¦a rich smell or flavour is strong and pleasant▪ the rich scent of the pine trees▪ meat with a wonderfully rich flavour▪ a rich, fruity wine6.) ¦(COLOUR)¦a rich colour is strong and attractive▪ a rich dark brown colour7.) ¦(SOUND)¦a rich sound is low and pleasant▪ the rich tone of a cello▪ He laughed with a rich, throaty chuckle.8.) ¦(SOIL)¦rich soil is good for growing plants in≠ ↑poor▪ Vegetables grow well in the rich, black soil.9.) ¦(CLOTH)¦rich cloth is expensive and beautiful▪ She stroked the rich velvet of the dress enviously.10.) that's rich (coming from him/you etc)BrE spoken used to say that what someone has said is unreasonable and that they are criticizing you for doing something that they do themselves▪ He accused me of being dishonest, which was a bit rich coming from him.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬WORD CHOICE: rich, well-off, wealthy, affluent, prosperousRich is a very direct way of saying that someone has a lot of money and possessions : one of the richest women in AmericaWell-off means fairly rich, so you can buy most things. People are more likely to describe themselves as 'well-off' than 'rich' : My parents were pretty well-off.Wealthy is a slightly more formal word meaning rich, especially over a long period of time : He came from a wealthy family.Affluent and prosperous are fairly formal words, often used to describe societies where the economy is successful and the standard of living is good.Affluent means rich enough to have things like expensive cars and holidays : People are becoming increasingly affluent.Prosperous means rich and successful : the more prosperous regions of the country▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.
