Etymology From Middle English ripe, rype, from Old English rīpe (“ripe, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīpī, from Proto-Germanic *rīpijaz, *rīpiz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyb- (“to snatch”). Cognate with West Frisian ryp (“ripe”), Dutch rijp (“ripe”), German reif (“ripe”). Related to reap.
Of a fruit, vegetable, seed, etc., ready for reaping or gathering; having attained perfection; mature.
ripe grain
ripe apples
2 more examples
So mayst thou live, till, like ripe fruit, thou drop / Into thy mother's lap.1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, […]. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new mutations, or they can be existing ones that are neutral—or are even selected against—in a wild population. A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal, leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe.2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
2
Of a food, advanced to the state of fitness for use; mellow.
ripe cheese
ripe wine
3
Figuratively Having attained its full development; mature; perfected.
He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one.1623, William Shakespeare, The Life of King Henry the Eighth:
And so may Place retain us still, And he the much-beloved again, A lord of large experience, train To riper growth the mind and will: […]1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 64:
2 more examples
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.1895, Henry James, The Altar of the Dead:
When you're ripe You'll bleed out of control2001, “Elite”, performed by Deftones:
4
Archaic Of a sore, tumor, etc., maturated or suppurated; ready to discharge.
5
Ready for action or effect; prepared.
while things were just ripe for a war1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
I am not ripe to pass sentence on the gravest public bodies.1775, Edmund Burke, Conciliation with America:
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nor was the doom / of guilty deed, but of a hapless wight / to sudden madness stung, ere ripe to die, / therefore the Queen of Hades had not shorn / the fair tress from her forehead, nor assigned / that soul to Stygian dark.1910, Theodore C. Williams, The Aeneid, translation of Aeneis by Virgil, Book IV Chapter 28:
But the time is ripe for changes. There's a growing feeling. That taking a chance on a new kind of vision is due1988, Queensrÿche, Revolution Calling:
I'm starting somethin' myself. I'm ripe to fight. It's this country air!1927, Bartlett Cormack, The Racket (play):
7
Like ripened fruit in ruddiness and plumpness.
Those happy smilets, / That played on her ripe lip.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
He looked back once at the waving hands, the mother's glowing, ripe cheeks.1981, Daniel Curzon, Human Warmth & Other Stories, →ISBN, page 18:
Alonso: And Trinculo is reeling-ripe: where should they / Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them? / How cam'st thou in this pickle?1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
9
Law Of a conflict between parties, having developed to a stage where the conflict may be reviewed by a court of law.
Problems emerge in judging whether a case is ripe, however, when contested general agency directives are issued that are not aimed at specific parties.2004, Kenneth F. Warren, Administrative Law in the Political System, →ISBN, page 427:
10
Smelly: having a disagreeable odor.
His Majesty [a purple emperor butterfly] has rather peculiar tastes for so elegant a being. You just hang a piece of decidedly ripe meat anywhere near.1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
Dolores, giving her a bath yesterday, said she was a bit ripe under the armpits.2004, Colum McCann, Fishing the Sloe-Black River, →ISBN, page 141:
Etymology From Middle English ripe, rype, from Old English rīpe (“ripe, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīpī, from Proto-Germanic *rīpijaz, *rīpiz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyb- (“to snatch”). Cognate with West Frisian ryp (“ripe”), Dutch rijp (“ripe”), German reif (“ripe”). Related to reap.
1
To ripen or mature.
[…] he answer'd, "Do not so; / Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio, / But stay the very riping of the time; / […]c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene viii]:
RIPE
noun
1
A tuberculosis treatment regimen consisting of rifampicin (R), isoniazid (I), pyrazinamide (P), and ethambutol (E).
Etymology From Middle English ripe, rype, from Old English rīpe (“ripe, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīpī, from Proto-Germanic *rīpijaz, *rīpiz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyb- (“to snatch”). Cognate with West Frisian ryp (“ripe”), Dutch rijp (“ripe”), German reif (“ripe”). Related to reap.
When he realized that the ripes would not make it back to Selma, Zemurray offered a free bunch of bananas to any telegraph operator who notified local grocers that he was coming through with a shipment of bananas.1993, Paul J. Dosal, Doing Business with the Dictators, →ISBN, page 76:
The current state of the tech industry is ripe with danger and poses an existential threat, he believes.2022 November 27, Edward Helmore, “‘Extinction is on the table’: Jaron Lanier warns of tech’s existential threat to humanity”, in The Guardian :
ripe
noun
Etymology From Middle English ripe, from Latin ripa.