RICH, a. [L. rego, regnum, Eng. reach, region, from extending.]

1. Wealthy; opulent; possessing a large portion of land, goods or money, or a larger portion than is common to other men or to men of like rank. A farmer may be rich with property which would not make a nobleman rich. An annual income of £500 sterling would make a rich vicar, but not a rich bishop. Men more willingly acknowledge others to be richer, than to be wiser than themselves. Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold. – Gen. xiii.
2. Splendid; costly; valuable; precious; sumptuous; as, a rich dress; a rich border; a rich silk; rich furniture; a rich present.
3. Abundant in materials; yielding great quantities of any thing valuable; as, a rich mine; rich ore.
4. Abounding in valuable ingredients or qualities; as, a rich odor or flavor; rich spices. – Waller. Baker. So we say, a rich description; a discourse, rich in ideas.
5. Full of valuable achievements or works. Each minute shall be rich in some great action. – Rowe.
6. Fertile; fruitful, capable of producing large crops or quantities; as, a rich soil; rich land; rich mold. Philips.
7. Abundant; large; as, a rich crop.
8. Abundant; affording abundance; plentiful. The gorgeous East with richest hand / Pours on her sons barbaric pearl and gold. – Milton.
9. Full of beautiful scenery; as, a rich landscape; a rich prospect.
10. Abounding with elegant colors; as, a rich picture.
11. Plentifully stocked; as, pasture rich in flocks.
12. Strong; vivid; perfect; as, a rich color.
13. Having something precious; as, a grove of rich trees. – Milton.
14. Abounding with nutritious qualities; as, a rich diet.
15. Highly seasoned; as, rich paste; a rich dish of food.
16. Abounding with a variety of delicious food; as, a rich table or entertainment.
17. Containing abundance beyond wants; as, a rich treasury.
18. In music, full of sweet or harmonious sounds.
19. In Scripture, abounding; highly endowed with spiritual gifts, as, rich in faith. – James ii.
20. Placing confidence in outward prosperity. – Matth. xix.
21. Self-righteous; abounding, in one's own opinion, with spiritual graces. – Rev. iii. Rich in mercy, spoken of God, full of mercy, and ready to bestow good things on sinful men. – Eph. ii. Rom. x. The rich, used as a noun, denotes a rich man or person, or more frequently in the plural, rich men or persons. The rich hath many friends. – Prov. xiv.

To enrich. [Not used. See Enrich.] – Gower.

1. Having an abundance of material possessions; possessed of a large amount of property; well supplied with land, goods, or money; wealthy; opulent; affluent; -- opposed to poor.
   
   
   "Rich merchants." Chaucer.

   The rich [person] hath many friends. Prov. xiv. 20.

   As a thief, bent to unhoard the cash
   Of some rich burgher. Milton.

2. To enrich.
   
   
   [Obs.] Gower.
3. Hence, in general, well supplied; abounding; abundant; copious; bountiful; as, a rich treasury; a rich entertainment; a rich crop.
   
   

   If life be short, it shall be glorious;
   Each minute shall be rich in some great action. Rowe.

   The gorgeous East with richest hand
   Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. Milton.

4. Yielding large returns; productive or fertile; fruitful; as, rich soil or land; a rich mine.
5. Composed of valuable or costly materials or ingredients; procured at great outlay; highly valued; precious; sumptuous; costly; as, a rich dress; rich silk or fur; rich presents.
   
   

   Like to rich and various gems. Milton.

6. Abounding in agreeable or nutritive qualities; -- especially applied to articles of food or drink which are high-seasoned or abound in oleaginous ingredients, or are sweet, luscious, and high-flavored; as, a rich dish; rich cream or soup; rich pastry; rich wine or fruit.
   
   

   Sauces and rich spices are fetched from India. Baker.

7. Not faint or delicate; vivid; as, a rich color.
8. Full of sweet and harmonius sounds; as, a rich voice; rich music.
9. Abounding in beauty; gorgeous; as, a rich landscape; rich scenery.
10. Abounding in humor; exciting amusement; entertaining; as, the scene was a rich one; a rich incident or character.
    
    
    [Colloq.] Thackeray.

    * Rich is sometimes used in the formation of self- explaining compounds; as, rich-fleeced, rich-jeweled, rich-laden, rich-stained.

    Syn. -- Wealthy; affluent; opulent; ample; copious; abundant; plentiful; fruitful; costly; sumptuous; precious; generous; luscious.