ripping

Everyday

1. Present participle of «rip»: tearing quickly and roughly. tree →
2. adjective (UK, old-fashioned, informal) Wonderful, excellent: «a ripping adventure». tree →
3. (informal) Moving very fast or strongly: «a ripping current». tree →
4. ripping off (slang) Cheating someone by charging too much; also copying. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: ripping paper, ripping open presents. In old British children's books «a ripping time» means a great time. At the beach, a «rip» current is dangerous. Phrases: «ripping open», «ripping yarn», «ripping someone off».

Examples

• He was ripping open his birthday presents. tree →
• The dog is ripping up the newspaper. tree →
• "What a ripping adventure!" said Jack in the old story. tree →
• Stop ripping pages out of your book! tree →
• That shop is ripping people off with high prices. tree →
• The wind was ripping through the trees. tree →
• John said “How ripping,” but decided to have tea first. tree →

Note

Double «p» before «-ing»: rip, ripped, ripping. The «wonderful» sense is old-fashioned British, mostly in old books. «Rip-off» (slang) means something overpriced.