re = /(?<\n]*[\)\]`])[^()\n]*)big/m
str = 'Should Match:
I like `xx` big `xx` cakes
I like big cakes
I like `big cakes
I like big` cakes
I like xx big xx cakes
I like ` xx big xx cakes
I like xx big xx` cakes
I like `xx` big `xx` cakes
I like big cakes
I like ]big cakes
I like big] cakes
I like xx big xx cakes
I like ] xx big xx cakes
I like xx big xx] cakes
I like ]xx] big ]xx] cakes
I like big cakes
I like (big cakes
I like big) cakes
I like xx big xx cakes
I like ( xx big xx cakes
I like xx big xx) cakes
I like (xx) big (xx) cakes
Should not Match:
I like (big) cakes
I like (xx big xx) cakes'
# Print the match result
str.scan(re) do |match|
puts match.to_s
end
Please keep in mind that these code samples are automatically generated and are not guaranteed to work. If you find any syntax errors, feel free to submit a bug report. For a full regex reference for Ruby, please visit: http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.0/Regexp.html