What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Rung vs Rune - What's the difference?

rung | rune |

As nouns the difference between rung and rune

is that rung is a crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round while rune is air-hole (of a chimney).

As a verb rung

is (only in senses related to a bell — etymology 2) .

rung

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) hrung.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round.
  • A crosspiece between legs of a chair.
  • (nautical, dated) A floor timber in a ship.
  • (dated) One of the stakes of a cart; a spar; a heavy staff.
  • (engineering, dated) One of the radial handles projecting from the rim of a steering wheel.
  • (engineering, dated) One of the pins or trundles of a lantern wheel.
  • Etymology 2

    From the verb ring . (en)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (only in senses related to a bell — etymology 2)
  • (chiefly, dialectal) (ring)
  • *1723 , Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury , VI:
  • *:With ecchoing Shouts the vaulted Chamber rung , / Belle Chuck'' was now the ''TOAST of ev'ry Tongue.
  • * {{quote-journal, journals=Report of State Officers, Board and Committees to the General ..., page=229,
  • books.google.com/books?id=YHYbAQAAIAAJ, South Carolina. General Assembly, year=1906, passage=Mr. Seibels, in his testimony, said I rung' him up to see about labels. He is very much mistaken. I ' rung him up to see about bottles.}}
  • *
  • *
  • Usage notes

    "Rang" and "rung" are incorrect for the past of "ring" in the sense of encircle. "Rung" as a simple past is usually considered incorrect.

    rune

    English

    (runes)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A letter, or character, belonging to the written language of various ancient Germanic peoples, especially the Scandinavians and the Anglo-Saxons.
  • A Finnish poem, or a division of one, especially a division of the Kalevala.
  • Any verse or song, especially one with mystical or mysterious overtones; an incantation.
  • * 1891 , Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country , Nebraska 2005, page 15:
  • the fiddle sang and sang as ceaselessly as the chanting cicada without, and the frogs intoning their sylvan runes by the waterside.
  • (obsolete) A roun.
  • Derived terms

    * runecraft * runelore * runester * runology, runologist

    Anagrams

    * ----