Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RING, n.¹ [Sax. ring or hring; D. ring or kring; G. D. and Sw. ring, a circle; Sw. kring, about, around. This coincides with ring, to sound, and with wring, to twist; G. ringen, to ring or sound, and to wrestle. The sense is to strain or stretch, and n is probably not radical. The root then belongs to Class Rg.]

1. A circle, or a circular line, or any thing in the form of a circular line or hoop. Thus we say of men, they formed themselves into a ring, to see a wrestling match. Rings of gold were made for the ark. Exod. xxv. Rings of gold or other material are worn on the fingers and sometimes in the ears, as ornaments.
2. A circular course. Place me, O place me in the dusty ring, / Where youthful charioteers contend for glory. – Smith.