Etymology : Middle English rime, from Old French
Pronunciation : rIm
Function : noun
Date : 13th century
1. similarity of sound at the end of words or lines of poetry; word that ends with a sound similar to that of another word. compose rhymes, write words or lines of poetry that end in similar sounds; be similar in sound, sound alike or identical. rhyme\rhyme\ , n. [oe. ryme, rime, as. rīm number; akin to ohg. rīm number, succession, series, g. reim rhyme. the modern sense is due to the influence of f. rime, which is of german origin, and originally the same word.] [the old english spelling rime is becoming again common. see:
note under prime.].
2. an expression of thought in numbers, measure, or verse; a composition in verse; a rhymed tale; poetry; harmony of language. "railing rhymes." a ryme i learned long ago. he knew himself to sing, and build the lofty rime.
3. (pros.) correspondence of sound in the terminating words or syllables of two or more verses, one succeeding another immediately or at no great distance. the words or syllables so used must not begin with the same consonant, or if one begins with a vowel the other must begin with a consonant. the vowel sounds and accents must be the same, as also the sounds of the final consonants if there be any. for rhyme with reason may dispense, and sound has right to govern sense.
4. verses, usually two, having this correspondence with each other; a couplet; a poem containing rhymes.
5. a word answering in sound to another word.
6. An expression of thought in numbers, measure, or verse; a composition in verse; a rhymed tale; poetry; harmony of language.
7. Correspondence of sound in the terminating words or syllables of two or more verses, one succeeding another immediately or at no great distance.
8. The words or syllables so used must not begin with the same consonant, or if one begins with a vowel the other must begin with a consonant.
9. The vowel sounds and accents must be the same, as also the sounds of the final consonants if there be any.
10. Verses, usually two, having this correspondence with each other; a couplet; a poem containing rhymes.
11. A word answering in sound to another word.
12. To make rhymes, or verses.
13. To accord in rhyme or sound.
14. To put into rhyme.
15. To influence by rhyme. correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines compose rhymes be similar in sound, especially with respect to the last syllable; "hat and cat rhyme".
16. 1. If one word rhymes with another or if two words rhyme, they have a very similar sound. Words that rhyme with each other are often used in poems. June always rhymes with moon in old love songs. the sort of people who give their children names that rhyme: Donnie, Ronnie, Connie. a singer rhyming `eyes' with `realise'. rhymed couplets.
17. If a poem or song rhymes, the lines end with words that have very similar sounds. In his efforts to make it rhyme he seems to have chosen the first word that comes into his head. rhyming couplets.
18. A rhyme is a word which rhymes with another word, or a set of lines which rhyme. The one rhyme for passion is fashion.
19. A rhyme is a short poem which has rhyming words at the ends of its lines. He was teaching Helen a little rhyme. see also:
nursery rhyme = verse.
20. Rhyme is the use of rhyming words as a technique in poetry. If something is written in rhyme, it is written as a poem in which the lines rhyme. The plays are in rhyme.
21. If something happens or is done without rhyme or reason, there seems to be no logical reason for it to happen or be done. He picked people on a whim, without rhyme or reason. Type of echoing produced by the close placement of two or more words with similarly sounding final syllables. Rhyme is used in poetry (and occasionally in prose) to produce sounds that appeal to the ear and to unify and establish a poem's stanzaic form. End rhyme (i.e., rhyme used at the end of a line to echo the end of another line) is most common, but internal rhyme (occurring before the end of a line) is frequently used as an embellishment. Types of "true rhyme" include masculine rhyme, in which the two words end with the same vowel-consonant combination (stand/land); feminine rhyme (or double rhyme), in which two syllables rhyme (profession/discretion); and trisyllabic rhyme, in which three syllables rhyme (patinate/latinate).