Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. One that rips.
- n. One who commits murder with a knife or similar sharp object.
- n. Slang One that is an excellent example of its kind.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. One who or that which rips, tears, or cuts open; a ripping-tool. A tool used in shaping roofing-slates.
- n. A very efficient person or thing; one who does great execution: as, he is a regular ripper.
- n. A robber. Halliwell (in the form ripier). See rip, transitive verb, 5.
- n. One who brings fish inland from the coast to market.
- n. A fog-horn. Also called lipper.
- n. A rip-saw.
- n. A double-ripper.
Wiktionary
- n. Something that rips (something).
- n. Someone who rips (something).
- n. A legislative bill or act that transfers powers of appointment from the usual holders to a chief executive or a board of officials.
- n. A murderer who kills and often mutilates victims with a blade or similar sharp weapon.
- n. A hook-like tool used to tear away ore, rock, etc.
- n. Something that is an excellent example of its kind.
- n. Software that extracts content from files or storage media.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. One who, or that which, rips; a ripping tool.
- n. A tool for trimming the edges of roofing slates.
- n. Anything huge, extreme, startling, etc.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a murderer who slashes the victims with a knife
Examples
“Operation arrowhead ripper is consistent with what Sir Robert thompson termed the four stages of clearing, holding, winning and won.”
“The second goal came on a 30-foot ripper from the right wing circle that screamed past Roy, and the final goal was a rebound goal that was lifted high into the net.”
USATODAY.com - McCarty hat trick drives Wings to victory in opener
“The problem I'm having is that the built-in subtitle ripper doesn't get the times right on some movies.”
“Rash of murders has England fearing another 'ripper' - Los Angeles Times: Rash of murders has England fearing another 'ripper”
“Hollywood in showdown over DVD 'ripper' - Hollywood calls it "rent, rip and return" and contends it's one of the biggest technological threats to the movie industry's ...”
“Hollywood in showdown over DVD 'ripper' - AP - Hollywood calls it "rent, rip and return" and contends it's one of the biggest technological threats to the movie industry's annual $20 billion DVD market � software that allows you to copy a film without paying for it.”
“Hollywood in showdown over DVD 'ripper' - Hollywood calls it "rent, rip and return" and contends it's one of the biggest technological threats to the movie industry's annual $20 billion DVD market - software that allows you to copy a film without paying for it.”
“I use the awl as a kind of crude seam ripper, which is what I think it was intended to be.”
“What are we to do if the ripper is my antithesis?" asked the man in the yellow suit.”
An East Wind Coming
“The plasma cutter is a tool, the line gun is a tool, the ripper is a tool, etc.”
Lists
‘ripper’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.

djp72 this word is a positive exclaimation: "good one" - it can be used for a person, place, thing, event, anything. as in "you little ripper!" or "the party was a ripper" Dec 10, 2006