Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ring in v.1

[ext. ring v. (1b)]

1. (also wring in) to substitute fraudulently, e.g. one racehorse for another.

[Aus]Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 262: ringing, or ringing-in: to ring is to exchange; ringing the changes, is a fraud practised by smashers, who when they receive good money in change of a guinea, &c., ring-in one or more pieces of base with great dexterity, and then request the party to change them.
[US]Wkly Rake (NY) 24 Sept. n.p.: ‘Well, you can make something out of him, he’s green yet! Ain’t he, Jack?’ ‘Yes, I worked the strippers on him for fifty.’ ‘And I [...] wrung in two of three packs on him’.
[US]Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 4 Jan. n.p.: Changing packs or wringing in ‘cold decks’ is practiced [...] to a great extent.
[UK]R. Nicholson Rogue’s Progress (1966) 55: Many a [casino] bank has been cleaned out by strangers ‘ringing’ in false dice.
[US]B. Harte Luck of Roaring Camp (1873) 8: ‘Besides,’ said Tom Ryder, ‘them fellows at Red Dog would swap it, and ring in somebody else on us.’.
[US]Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 3 Nov. 3/2: The Sheeneys have rung in Harry Callender on him as deputy manager.
[Aus]Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Jan. 11/1: If any prince over there wants something handy with a broom and with a 500 h.p voice we think we can fix things. He is at liberty to ‘palm’ the ivories all he knows, and even should he desire to ring in the ‘tail grey,’ we shouldn’t grumble. [Ibid.] 14 Feb. 9/2: He was an attractive little ruffian, who enjoyed a harmless little liaison, and when funds were low, could ‘ring in the tail grey’ with the best of them.
[UK]Sporting Times 30 Jan. 1/2: ‘Had you squared the marker?’ ‘Of course I had [but] they rang in a new one, and I was beaten by two points’.
[US]Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 27 Nov. 14/2: He is now mingling with the boys, with the expectation of wringing in on some [...] club as an unknown phenomenal.
[US]F. Francis Jr Saddle and Mocassin 225: To ‘ring in a cold deck’ is to order in and substitute a fresh pack, in which the cards are prearranged.
[NZ]Wanganui Chronicle (NZ) 23 Sept. 2: The inquiry into the alleged ‘ringing in’ [...] was concluded last night when it was decided to disqualify from training and coursing J. Forward of Christchurch, and also the bitch Kathleen Mavourneen, otherwise Lady Linton.
[Aus]Truth (Sydney) 10 Mar. 3/4: Mr Gould rung in a dark ’un, named Maitland, for the Public Pensioners’ stakes.
[UK]Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 255: Marci’s own brother rang in a fifth and quite superfluous ace, and Marci kicked like a steer about it.
[US]Ade Fables in Sl. (1902) 74: The Pew-Holders didn’t even admit among themselves that the Preacher had rung in some New Ones.
[US]Capricorn (Rockhampton, Qld) 31 Aug. 26/4: He did not tell Constable Esplin that he knew the cheque was stolen, but that Green, seeing that he was ‘shiggared’ rung it in on him.
[UK]A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 125: The night we played the semi-final they rang in a new [billiard] marker.
[Aus]Sun. Times (Perth) 17 Jan. 12/4: Someone had ‘rung in’ cronk coin on them.
[Aus]Aus. Town & Country Jrnl (Sydney) 27 Sept. 53/1: Ringing in or switching a marked or cold deck is easily accomplished.
[Aus]Sun. Times (Perth) 6 Mar. 2nd sect. 10/5: In our issue of February 13 we made mention of a Westralian pedestrian named Bennett, who was ‘rung in’ at Mt. Gambier, South Australia, under the name of Boas.
[US]Van Loan ‘By a Hair’ in Old Man Curry 70: Squeaking Henry [...] rung in some marked cards – on my deal.
[US]N.Y. Tribune 9 May 7/1: One of the players [...] alleges that Krohnberg ‘rang in’ marked cards, known as ‘readers’.
[Aus](con. WWI) A.G. Pretty Gloss. Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: ring in. Surreptitiously introduce.
[Aus]Advertiser (Adelaide) 4 May n.p.: The race mare ‘Greenie’ was alleged to have been ‘rung in’.
[US]H. Asbury Sucker’s Progress 243: Devol was adept at dice and short cards, especially when it came to ringing in cold decks and ‘laying the bottom stock’.
[UK]Wodehouse Mating Season 81: The last thing one wants [...] is to have a changeling ring himself in on you.
[US]Goldin et al. DAUL 179/1: Ring in. 1. To make any substitution in a game, without the knowledge of one’s opponents, as to substitute crooked dice or marked cards; to bring an expert swindler into a game with unsuspecting adversaries; to pass off a master as an amateur; to enter a horse in a race after altering his identification marks in order to fake the odds.
[US]J. Scarne Complete Guide to Gambling 689: Ring In – to introduce crooked gaming equipment into a game.
[Aus]J. Holledge Great Aust. Gamble 143: Gentleman Jim and Harvest Home were not supposed to race, but Grafter [...] successfully rang them in at scores of outback meetings where neither they nor himself were known.
[Aus]G.W. Turner Eng. Lang. in Aus. and N.Z. 107: The list of items valid in both countries is a long one and would include [...] ring in ‘something inferior worked in surreptitiously or in an underhand way’.
[Aus]R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 41: Ring in the Jack Put the double headed penny into play at two-up.

2. (US) to gain admission, to force one’s way in, to impose; thus ringer-inone who obtains admission without paying or invitation.

[US]Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 19 Nov. n.p.: Cid and I were the only two [...] that forked up door money, the rest were ringers in and bearders.
[US]Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 23 Aug. n.p.: Imagine the consternation I produced as I ‘rung in’ amongst them.
[US]B. Harte Luck of Roaring Camp 10: It’s playing it pretty low down on this yer baby to ring in fun on him that he ain’t going to understand.
[US]J. London ‘Flush of Gold’ Complete Short Stories (1993) 1298: Everybody crowded round, the captain of the steamboat, very prominent, trying to ring in on the wine.
[US]St Louis Post-Despatch 16 Jan. 25/3: They’ve been rung in on me, and they’re causing half the trouble.
[US]J. Scarne Complete Guide to Gambling 689: Ring In – to muscle in.

3. to tell lies, to deceive.

[Aus]Truth (Sydney) 10 Mar. 3/4: The referee then called upon a bald-headed, snappy man named Storey, and some nice fairy tales he tried to ring in.
[UK]C. Rook Hooligan Nights 57: I rang in my tale to the slavey ’ow my muvver was starvin’ in a garret.
[Aus]Kia Ora Coo-ee 15 Apr. 18/1: The night was dark, and our chances of roping in ‘Abdul’ were about as good as those of a chap who tries to ring in a tale on our Q.M.
[US]Ade Hand-made Fables 124: He was so Buffaloed that he made no further effort to Ring In.

4. (Aus.) to interpolate, e.g. an idea, a piece of information.

[Aus]Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 12 Oct. 3/5: She ‘rang in’ this drivel whenever she could, / Let the subject be virtue or vice.

5. (Aus./US, also ring on) to involve someone in something fraudulent; to subject someone to fraudulent acts.

[US]W. Irwin Confessions of a Con Man 49: The house had rung in another cheater on him [i.e. a card cheat] [...] and had taken away all his winnings.
[US]S. Ford Shorty McCabe on the Job 84: Unless some of my Wall Street customers break office rules and try to ring you in on a margin deal.
[US]Van Loan ‘Spotted Sheep’ in Taking the Count 100: You don’t mean to tell me that you can ring him in on a thing like this?
[Aus]C.J. Dennis ‘Nocturne’ in Rose of Spadgers 54: But, strike, it ’urt me pride to think that ’e / Would try to ring that old, old dope on me.
[US]P.J. Wolfson Bodies are Dust (2019) [ebook] ‘If we ring you in—and mind you, I’m not saying anything—what then?’.
[US]J. Scarne Complete Guide to Gambling 689: Ring In – to force someone into another’s plans.
[US]A.S. Fleischman Venetian Blonde (2006) 145: A money man called Charlie Braque had rung me in and bankrolled me.
[US]L. Shecter On the Pad 306: [H]e demanded the address of witnesses Keenan seemed to be ringing in on him.

6. to involve.

[US]S. Ford Shorty McCabe 74: About that time I got wise to the fact that the Boss and her Ladyship were ringin’ me into their talk, and I was gettin’ curious.
[US]H.G. Van Campen ‘Woes of Two Workers’ in McClure’s Mag. Aug. 197/1: The press agent, Mr. Schader, is a-goin’ to ring me into the story when he gits it wrote.