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Rung vs Stairs - What's the difference?

rung | stairs |

As nouns the difference between rung and stairs

is that rung is a crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round while stairs is a contiguous set of steps connecting two floors.

As a verb rung

is past participle of lang=en (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.

    stairs

    English

    Noun

    (head)
  • (label) A contiguous set of steps connecting two floors.
  • * '>citation
  • *, chapter=13
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=We tiptoed into the house, up the stairs and along the hall into the room where the Professor had been spending so much of his time.}}
  • Synonyms

    * (contiguous set of steps ): stairway, staircase

    Anagrams

    * * English plurals