1.ripe可指水果以及谷物果实的自然成熟,达到了可以收获食用的程度; 也可表示奶酪、酒之类的东西,经自然醇化或发酵而成熟; 还可指某项计划已有充分准备,而到时机成熟的阶段。用于人时,既可指“年事已高”,也可指“老练”。
2.ripe用于非正式用语中含有贬义,表示“粗鄙的,荒唐的”,在句中可用作定语,也可用作表语。
3.ripe常跟介词for连用。
4.ripe在句中用作表语时,其后所接的动词不定式的主动形式可表示被动意义。

ripe for
时机成熟,准备就绪 ready; fit; prepared
The rice is ripe for harvest.稻子熟了,可以收割了。
Time was ripe for a challenge to the power of the government.革命的时机已成熟。
This land is ripe for industrial development.这块土地具备了发展工业的条件。
The time was ripe for a challenge to the power of the government.条件已经成熟,可以向政府权力提出挑战。
The nation was ripe for collapse.这个国家很可能要瓦解。

用作定语
▲～+n.
A ripe lemon is yellow.熟了的柠檬是黄色的。
He likes to drink repe wine.他喜欢喝醇酒。
Her husband died in ripe years.她的丈夫正值壮年就去世了。
The book bears all the signs of being the product of a ripe scholar.这本书里到处呈现着成熟学者的练达。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
 These apples aren't ripe, they'll give you indigestion.这些苹果不熟,吃了会消化不良的。
When cheese is ripe, it will develop a strong flavour and be ready to be eaten.奶酪熟了,就会发出一股浓烈味并可食用。
Revolution can only occur at a time when both internal and external conditions of a country are ripe enough.一个国家的革命只有在它的国内与国外的条件成熟的时候,才能发生。
He smelt rather ripe ,and Thomas moved away from him.他散发出一股臭味,托马斯躲开了他。
▲S+be+～+prep.-phrase
 He is ripe in judgement.他的判断力强。
▲S+be+～+to-v
 The cherries are not ripe enough to eat.这些樱桃还不熟,不能吃。

ripe, mature, mellow
这组词的共同意思是“成熟”,其区别在于:
1.ripe和mellow都可表示“成熟可供食用”, ripe可用于水果、谷物、酒、奶酪等,而mellow只用于水果,不用于谷物。用于水果时, ripe侧重可供食用,而mellow侧重其成熟甘甜而引人喜爱。例如:
Apples are at their best in the autumn when they are at their fattest and most mellow.秋天,苹果最好吃,长得最大、最甜。
2.ripe, mature和mellow都可用于修饰人, mature指人生理上的成熟,而ripe和mellow指人思想、心理、感情、行为上的成熟老练; mellow只用于褒义,而ripe不仅可以用于褒义,还可用于贬义,指“老朽,粗俗”。例如:
A marriage contracted in mature years often turns out best.成熟年龄阶段结合的婚姻通常证明是最佳婚姻。
I've seen him grow more mellow over the years.我看他这些年来渐渐成熟起来。
That joke was rather ripe.那个笑话太粗俗了。

［派生词］ ripely adv. 成熟地‖ripeness n. 成熟度
［同义词］   accomplished, complete, right, developed, grown, mature, ready
［反义词］   immature, unripe, untimely
［词源］  ＜古英语ripe(成熟的)