Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - ripe

~ adj 1 ripe fruit or crops are fully grown and ready to eat  (Those apples aren't ripe yet.)  (- opposite unripe) 2 be ripe for to be in a suitable condition for something, especially for some kind of change  (The land was ripe for industrial development.) 3 the time is ripe (for) used to say it is a very suitable time for something to happen  (The time was ripe for a challenge to the government.) 4 ripe old age if you live to a ripe old age, you are very old when you die  (Grandad lived to the ripe old age of 94.) 5 ripe cheese has developed a strong taste and is ready to eat 6 a ripe smell is strong and unpleasant  (The office was so hot that we all smelled rather ripe by the end of the day.) 7 BrE informal rude but amusing  (I thought his language was a bit ripe.) - ripeness n