What does "rich" mean?
Rich: As a thief, bent to unhoard the cash Of some rich burgher. Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.Hence, in general, well supplied; abounding; abundant; copious; bountiful; as, a rich treasury; a rich entertainment; a rich crop. If life be short, it shall be glorious; Each minute shall be rich in some great action. Rowe. The gorgeous East with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. Milton.
- 3.Yielding large returns; productive or fertile; fruitful; as, rich soil or land; a rich mine.
- 4.Composed of valuable or costly materials or ingredients; procured at great outlay; highly valued; precious; sumptuous; costly; as, a rich dress; rich silk or fur; rich presents. Like to rich and various gems. Milton.
- 5.Abounding in agreeable or nutritive qualities; -- especially applied to articles of food or drink which are high-seasoned or abound in oleaginous ingredients, or are sweet, luscious, and high- flavored; as, a rich dish; rich cream or soup; rich pastry; rich wine or fruit. Sauces and rich spices are fetched from India. Baker.
- 6.Not faint or delicate; vivid; as, a rich color.
- 7.Full of sweet and harmonius sounds; as, a rich voice; rich music.
- 8.Abounding in beauty; gorgeous; as, a rich landscape; rich scenery.
- 9.Abounding in humor; exciting amusement; entertaining; as, the scene was a rich one; a rich incident or character. [Colloq.] Thackeray. Note: Rich is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rich-fleeced, rich-jeweled, rich-laden, rich-stained.
- 10.To enrich. [Obs.] Gower.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17 · Modified: 2026-07-17