ringing the changes
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Properly, producing continual changes on a set of bells without repetition, changes being variations— accord- ing to certain rules— from the regular striking order.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “ringing the changes” mean?
Properly, producing continual changes on a set of bells without repetition, changes being variations— accord- ing to certain rules— from the regular striking order.
Is “ringing the changes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.