Rung Is a Ladder Step and Also the Past of Ring
A rung is a crossbar on a ladder. The same spelling is the past participle of ring.
A rung is a crossbar forming a step on a ladder, and figuratively a level in a hierarchy. It is also the past participle of *ring*, from an entirely separate word — the bell has rung, and you climb a rung. The overlap is pure accident, since the ladder word is Old English *hrung*, a rod or crossbar. The ladder sense gives *the bottom rung* and *a rung on the ladder*, among the most common metaphors in English for career progress.
- A ladder step. *The top rung.*
- A level. *A rung on the ladder.*
- Past participle of ring. *The bell has rung.*
- Crossbar. *A chair rung.*
- Old English — *hrung*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | rung | A rung. |
| Plural | rungs | Rungs. |
| Participle | rung | Has rung. |
| Related | ring | To ring. |
| German | Runge | A stake. |
- He climbed the next rung.Ladder.
- The bell has rung.Verb.
- The bottom rung of the ladder.Metaphor.
Accidental homographs
- Rung — a ladder step and the past of ring
- Bear — the animal and to carry
- Bank — a riverside and a financial institution
- Lie — to recline and to speak falsely
- Each pair comes from separate roots
Old English *hrung*, a rod or crossbar, of Germanic origin, unrelated to the verb *ring*.
Is a ladder rung related to the past of ring?
No. The ladder word is Old English hrung, a crossbar; the verb form comes from a separate word entirely.
What is a chair rung?
A crossbar joining the legs of a chair, using the same word for a horizontal supporting rod.