ripper

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪpə/
• (US) enPR: rĭpʹər, IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪpɚ/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪpə(r)

rip +‎ -er; originated 1605–15.

ripper (plural rippers)

1. Something that rips something else.
2. Someone who rips something.
3. A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.
4. A murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade or similar sharp weapon.
5. (mining) A hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.
6. (mining) A person employed to tear away ore, rock, etc. to make a passage for material to be carried to the surface.
7. (Britain, Australia, slang) Something that is an excellent example of its kind.
   • 2001, Filton Hebbard, Memories of Kalgoorlie: Tales from the Australian Outback (page 334)

     Martin walked around the vehicle, viewing it from all angles and giggling as he did so. “She's a ripper, Bert, a real ripper!”

8. (computing) Software that extracts content from files or storage media.
9. (agriculture) A tool or plant used to reduce soil compaction.
10. (US, New Jersey, slang) A hot dog deep-fried in oil until the casing bursts.
11. A foghorn.

• radish ripper

• “ripper” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
• “ripper” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• "ripper" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.

Compare rip (“a basket”), or riparian (“relating to a river bank”).

• ripler
• rippier

ripper (plural rippers)

1. (obsolete) One who brings fish from the seacoast to markets in inland towns.
   • Beaumont and Fletcher

     But what's the action we are for now? Robbing a ripper of his fish.