' The beam over the fire on which pots, kettles, &;c.
' The beam over the fire on which pots, kettles, &;c. are hung. Cai.', Rxb. (Jam.) Cf. randle, sb.
Joseph Wright, English Dialect Dictionary (1898–1905)
"Ran-Tree" means: ' The beam over the fire on which pots, kettles, &;c. are hung. Cai.', Rxb. (Jam.) Cf. randle, sb.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "Ran-Tree".
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with R.
(Scotland) A beam built into the gable of a cottage.
(UK, dialect, obsolete) The horizontal bar in an open chimney on which cooking vessels are hung.
(UK, _, dialectal, Northern England) A chain or bar drilled with holes to accommodate pot-hooks from which cooking vessels can be suspended over a fire; a pot-hook.
(architecture, UK, regional, archaic) A rood beam.
(US) A hat rack; hatstand.