From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishribrib1 /rɪb/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 
HBHHBAone of the 12 pairs of curved bones that surround your chest She was taken to hospital with a broken arm and ribs. He was punched and kicked in the ribs.2 DFa piece of meat that includes an animal’s rib a rib of beef barbecued ribs → spare ribs3 TBCa curved piece of wood, metal etc that is used as part of the structure of something such as a boat or building
HBHHBAone of the 12 pairs of curved bones that surround your chest She was taken to hospital with a broken arm and ribs. He was punched and kicked in the ribs.2 DFa piece of meat that includes an animal’s rib a rib of beef barbecued ribs → spare ribs3 TBCa curved piece of wood, metal etc that is used as part of the structure of something such as a boat or buildingExamples from the Corpus
rib• A bruised rib sent Shaw out of the game.• Some brachiopods are smooth, but many became corrugated or ornamented with course or fine ribs.• Right on her rib was a circle and a cross burnt right in the skin.• I picked him off Newbury racecourse after he had broken most of his ribs under the flying hooves of his competitors.• On the staircase, Ried's hand can be seen again in the rib vaulting of c.1500.• Bobby poked him in the ribs.• Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until ribs are tender, about 1 hour.ribrib2 verb (ribbed, ribbing) [transitive] informalJOKE to make jokes and laugh at someone so that you embarrass them, but in a friendly way SYN tease→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
rib• The achenes of Sagittaria species differ from those of Echinodorus species by not being ribbed.• The sand under his feet had been crusty at first, ribbed, but now it was turning smooth, soft, unmarked.• Jose's teammates ribbed him about the flowers he got.• The outside of the shoe was constructed from woven fabric and metal with a ribbed silicon rubber tread.• Only the most daredevil gentlemen will choose the flannel shorts or fitted velvet trousers worn with a body-hugging ribbed sweater.• The vaulting is ribbed throughout, lofty and well-proportioned.Origin rib1 Old English 