ripe

Universal Words adjective (riper, ripest) 1 (of fruit or crops) fully grown and ready to be eaten: Pick the tomatoes before they get too ripe. OPPUNRIPE 2 (of cheese or wine) having a flavour that has fully developed SYNMATURE 3 (of a smell) strong and unpleasant 4 ~ (for sth) ready or suitable for sth to happen: This land is ripe for development. * The conditions were ripe for social change. * Reforms were promised when the time was ripe. ripeness noun [U] IDIOMS a / the ripe old age (of...) an age that is considered to be very old: He lived to the ripe old age of 91.