# Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/R Ravage

fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.
the eighteenth letter in our alphabet, belonging to the class of liquids—the 'dog's letter' (littera canina), from the trilling or vibration of the tip of the tongue: as a medieval numeral=80; R=80,000.—The three R's, a humorous term for reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Ra, rä, n. the supreme sun-god of the Memphite system of ancient Egyptian mythology.
Rabanna, ra-ban′a, n. matting made from the fibre of the raffia, in Madagascar. [Malagasy.]
Rabat, ra-bä′, n. a neck-band with flaps worn by French ecclesiastics: a turned-down collar or ruff—(obs.) Rab′atine, Rabā′to. [Fr.]
Rabate, ra-bāt′, v.t. to beat down.—n. abatement. [Fr. rabattre, to beat down—re-, again, abattre—L. ad, to, batuĕre, to beat.]
Rabbet, rab′et, n. a groove cut in the edge of a plank so that another may fit into it.—v.t. to groove a plank thus.—ns. Rabb′eting-machine′, -plane, -saw, for ploughing and cutting grooves; Rabb′et-joint, a joint formed by fitting together timber with rabbets. [O. Fr. raboter, to plane—rabouter—re-, again, aboter, abouter, to thrust against.]
Rabbi, rab′i, or rab′ī, Rabbin, rab′in, n. Jewish title of a doctor or expounder of the law:—pl. Rabbis (rab′īz), Rabb′ins.—ns. Rabb′an ('our master'), a title of greater honour than rabbi; Rabb′inate, the dignity of a rabbi.—adjs. Rabbin′ic, -al, pertaining to the rabbis or to their opinions, learning, and language.—n. Rabbin′ic, the later Hebrew.—adv. Rabbin′ically.—ns. Rabb′inism, the doctrine or teaching of the rabbis: a rabbinical peculiarity of expression: the late Jewish belief which esteemed the oral law equally with the written law of God; Rabb′inist, Rabb′inite, one who adheres to the Talmud and traditions of the rabbis; Rabbō′ni, my great master. [Gr.,—Heb. rabbí—rab, great, master—rābab, to be great. Cf. Ar. rabb, master, the Lord.]
Rabbit, rab′it, n. a small rodent burrowing animal of the hare family: a cony: any member of the hare family.—v.i. to hunt rabbits.—ns. Rabb′it-brush, a North American composite plant; Rabb′it-ear, a long slender oyster; Rabb′iter, one who hunts rabbits; Rabb′it-fish, the 'king of the herrings;' Rabb′it-hutch, a box for the rearing of rabbits; Rabb′it-moth, a moth in United States of a furry appearance; Rabb′it-mouth, harelip; Rabb′it-root, the wild sarsaparilla; Rabb′itry, a rabbit-warren; Rabb′it-squirr′el, a chincha, a South American rodent; Rabb′it-suck′er (Shak.), a sucking rabbit; Rabb′it-warr′en, a place where rabbits are kept and bred.—Snow-shoe rabbit, an American hare found in the Rocky Mountains which turns white in winter; Welsh rabbit, melted cheese with a little ale poured over a slice of hot toast—sometimes written 'Welsh rarebit' by wiseacres. [M. E. rabet, dim. of a form seen in Old Dut. robbe.]
Rabbit, rab′it, v.t. an interjectional expression, like confound. [Perh. a corr. of rabate.]
Rabble, rab′l, n. a disorderly, noisy crowd: a mob: the lowest class of people.—adj. disorderly.—v.i. to utter nonsense.—v.t. (Scot.) to mob.—ns. Rabb′lement, a tumultuous crowd of low people; Rabb′ling (Scot.), the act of assaulting in a disorderly manner, mobbing. [Allied to Old Dut. rabbelen, to gabble, Prov. Ger. rabbeln.]
Rabble, rab′l, n. an iron bar used in puddling.—v.t. to stir with a rabble.—n. Rabb′ler. [O. Fr. roable (Fr. râble)—L. rutabulum, a poker.]
Rabdomancy. Same as Rhabdomancy.
Rabelaisian, rab-e-lā′zi-an, n. characteristic of Rabelais (1490-1553), broadly humorous, coarse.
Rabi, rab′i, n. the great grain crop of Hindustan.
Rabid, rab′id, adj. furious: mad: affected with rabies, as a dog: foolishly intense.—adj. Rab′ic, pertaining to rabies.—adv. Rab′idly.—ns. Rab′idness; Rā′bies, the disease (esp. of dogs) from which hydrophobia is communicated: canine madness.—adjs. Rābiet′ic, resembling madness; Rābif′ic, communicating hydrophobia; Rā′bious, raging. [L. rabidus—rabĕre, to rave.]
Rabot, rab′ot, n. a rubber used in polishing marble.
Raca, rā′ka, adj. worthless—a term of contempt used by the Jews of Christ's day; cf. Matt. v. 22. [Chaldee rēkā, worthless; perh. conn. with raq, to spit (Ar. rīq), or with rīqā, empty.]
Raccahout, rak′a-hōōt, n. an Eastern dish made from the edible acorns of the oak. [Fr.,—Ar. rāquat, rāqaout, a nourishing starch.]
Raccoon, Racoon, ra-kōōn′, n. a genus of the bear family of North America, valuable for its fur.—ns. Raccoon′-berr′y, the May apple of the United States; Raccoon′-oys′ter, an oyster growing on the shores of the sea in United States. [Amer. Ind.]
Race, rās, n. the human family: the descendants of a common ancestor: a breed or variety: a tribal or national stock: a line of persons, as of statesmen, or of animals, as the feline race: a herd: peculiar flavour, as of wine, by which its origin may be recognised: (Shak.) intrinsic character, vigour. [Fr.,—Old High Ger. reiza, a line.]
Race, rās, n. rapid motion: trial of speed: progress: course of action: a strong and rapid current: a canal to a water-wheel: a competitive trial of speed in running, walking, &c.: a horse-race, as the Ascot races.—v.i. to run swiftly: to contend in running.—v.t. to cause to race, as steamers, horses, &c.—ns. Race′-card, a card containing information about races; Race′-course, -ground, -track, the course over which races are run; Race′-cup, a piece of plate forming a prize at a race; Race′horse, a horse bred for racing; Race′-meet′ing, a meeting for purposes of horse-racing; Rā′cer, one who races: a racehorse; Race′-way, a mill-race; Rā′cing, the running of races; Rā′cing-bit, a light jointed ring-bit; Consolā′tion-race (see Consolation); Flat′-race, a horse-race over level or clear ground—opp. to a Hurdle-race or Steeplechase, which are called generally Obstacle-races.—Racing calendar, a full list of races to be run. [A.S. rǽs, stream; Ice. rás, rapid course.]
Race, rās, n. (Shak.) a root.—n. Race′-gin′ger, unpulverised ginger. [O. Fr. rais—L. radix, a root.]
Race, rās, v.t. (obs.)=Raze.—adj. Raced.
Raceme, ra-sēm′, n. a cluster: a flower-cluster, as in the currant.—adjs. Racemed′, having racemes; Racem′ic, pertaining to, or obtained from, grapes: an acid obtained from a certain kind of grape; Racemif′erous, bearing racemes; Rac′emōse, Rac′emous, growing in, or resembling, a raceme.—n. Rac′emūle, a small raceme.—adj. Racem′ulōse, bearing small racemes. [Fr.,—L. racemus.]
Rach, Ratch, rach, n. a dog that hunts by scent. [A.S. ræcc, a dog; Ice. rakki.]
Rachianectes, ra-ki-an-ek′tez, n. the gray whale of the North Pacific. [Gr. rhachia, a rocky shore, nēktēs, a swimmer.]
Rachis, rā′kis, n. the spine: (bot.) a branch or axis of inflorescence which proceeds in nearly a straight line from the base to the apex:—pl. Rā′chidēs.—n. Rāchial′gia, pain in the spine.—adjs. Rāchial′gic; Rāchid′ial, Rāchid′ian.—n. Rāchil′la, a secondary rachis in a compound inflorescence.—adj. Rāchit′ic, rickety.—ns. Rāchī′tis, rickets in children (see Rickets): (bot.) a disease which produces abortion in the fruit; Rāch′itome, an anatomical instrument for opening the spinal canal. [Gr. rachis, the spine.]
Racial, rā′si-al, adj. relating to lineage, peculiar to a race.—adv. Rā′cially.
Rack, rak, n. an instrument for racking or extending: an engine for stretching the body in order to extort a confession, hence (fig.) extreme pain, anxiety, or doubt: a framework on which articles are arranged, as hat-rack, plate-rack, letter-rack, &c.: the grating above a manger for hay: (mech.) a straight bar with teeth to work into those of a wheel, pinion, or endless screw, for converting a circular into a rectilinear motion, or vice versâ: (Scot.) the course in curling.—v.t. to stretch forcibly: to strain: to stretch on the rack or wheel: to torture: to exhaust: to worry, agitate: to wrest, overstrain: to practise rapacity: to extort: to place in a rack or frame: (naut.) to seize together with cross-turns, as two ropes.—n. Rack′er, one who tortures.—adj. Rack′ing, tormenting.—ns. Rack′-rail, a railway having cogs which work into similar cogs on a locomotive; Rack′-rent, an annual rent stretched to the utmost value of the thing rented, exorbitant rent.—v.t. to subject to such rents.—ns. Rack′-rent′er, one who exacts or pays rack-rent; Rack′-stick, a stick for stretching a rope; Rack′-tail, a bent arm in a repeating clock connected with the striking mechanism; Rack′work, a strong bar with cogs to correspond with similar cogs on a wheel, which either moves or is moved by the bar.—Live at rack and manger, to live sumptuously and wastefully; On the rack, stretched upon it: tortured by anxiety; Put to the rack, to put to the torture of the rack: to subject to keen suffering. [The radical sense is to stretch, closely allied to reach (q.v.); cf. Ice. rakkr, straight, Ger. rack, a rail, recken, to stretch.]
Rack, rak, n. same as Wrack=Wreck—now used only in the phrases Go to rack, Go to rack and ruin. [Cf. the next word.]
Rack, rak, n. thin or broken clouds drifting across the sky.—v.i. to drift, to drive. [Wrack; cf. Ice. rek.]
Rack, rak, v.t. to strain or draw off from the lees, as wine.—ns. Rack′ing-can, a vessel from which wine can be drawn without disturbing the lees; Rack′ing-cock, -fau′cet, a cock used in drawing off liquour from a cask; Rack′ing-pump, a pump for the transfer of liquor to casks. [O. Fr. raquer, vin raqué; prob. cog. with Sp. rascar, to scrape.]
Rack, rak, n. (prov.) the neck and spine of a fore-quarter of veal or mutton: the neck of mutton or pork.
Rack, rak, n. the gait of a horse between a trot and a gallop.—n. Rack′er, a horse that moves in this gait. [Perh. rack, to drift, or rock.]
Rack, rak, n. same as Arrack.—Rack punch, a punch made with arrack.
Rack, rak, n. a young rabbit. [Orig. unknown.]
Rackabones, rak′a-bōnz, n. (Amer.) a very lean person or animal.
Rackarock, rak′a-rok, n. an explosive of potassium chlorate and nitro-benzol.—Also Rend′rock.
Racket, Racquet, rak′et, n. a bat for playing tennis: a snow-shoe: an organ-stop: a 17th-cent. musical instrument: (pl.) a modern variety of the old game of tennis.—v.t. to strike, as with a racket.—ns. Rack′et-, Racq′uet-court, -ground, a court for playing rackets: a tennis-court; Rack′et-tail, a humming-bird with two feathers like rackets.—adj. Rack′et-tailed. [O. Fr. rachete (Fr. raquette)—Sp. raqueta—Ar. rāhat, the palm of the hand.]
Racket, rak′et, n. a clattering noise: hurly-burly.—v.i. to make a clattering noise: to engage in racket of any kind: to be dissipated.—n. Rack′eter.—adj. Rack′ety.—v.t. and v.i. Rack′le (prov.), to rattle.—n. noisy talk. [Gael. racaid—rac, to cackle.]
Raconteur, ra-kong-tėr′, n. a story-teller. [Fr.]
Racoon. See Raccoon.
Racovian, ra-kō′vi-an, n. a 17th-cent. Polish Socinian—their seminary being at Rakow.
Racy, rā′si, adj. having a strong flavour imparted by the soil, as wine: exciting to the mind by strongly characteristic thought or language: spirited: pungent, as a racy story: peculiar to the race.—adv. Rā′cily.—n. Rā′ciness. [Race, a family.]
Rad, rad (Spens.), pa.t. of read and ride.
Rad, rad, adj. (Scot.) afraid.
Rad, rad, n. short for radical.
Raddle, rad′l, v.t. to interweave: to beat.—n. a hedge formed by interweaving the branches of trees: a hurdle: split wood like laths: a wooden bar used in domestic weaving. [Perh. a transposed form of hurdle; or perh. formed from wreathe, or writhe, and confused with hurdle.]
Raddle, rad′l, n. a layer of red pigment—also Redd′le.—v.t. to colour coarsely, as with raddle: to do work in a slovenly way. [Ruddle.]
Rade, rād, old form of rode.
Radial, rā′di-al, adj. shooting out like a ray or radius: pertaining to the radius of the forearm: (bot.) developing uniformly on all sides.—ns. Rādiā′le, the radiocarpal bone:—pl. Rādiā′lia; Rādiā′lis, a radial muscle, artery, or nerve:—pl. Rādiā′les; Rādialisā′tion, arrangement in radiating forms.—v.t. Rā′dialise, to make ray-like: to cause to radiate.—n. Rādial′ity, radial symmetry.—adv. Rā′dially, in the manner of a radius or of rays.—adjs. Rā′diocar′pal, pertaining to the wrist or carpus; Rā′diomus′cular, pertaining to the radius and to muscles; Rā′dio-ul′nar, pertaining to the radius and the ulna.—Radial artery, the smaller of the branches of the branchial artery at the elbow.
Radian, rā′di-an, n. the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc equal to the radius.
Radiant, rā′di-ant, adj. emitting rays of light or heat: issuing in rays: beaming with light: shining: (her.) edged with rays.—n. (opt.) the luminous point from which light emanates: (astron.) the centre point from which meteoric showers proceed: (geom.) a straight line from a point about which it is conceived to revolve.—ns. Rā′diance, Rā′diancy, quality of being radiant: brilliancy: splendour.—adv. Rā′diantly.—adj. Rā′dious (obs.), radiant.—Radiant energy, energy in the form of light or radiant heat; Radiant heat, heat proceeding in rays or direct lines from a centre. [L. radians, -antis, pr.p. of radiāre, -ātum, to radiate—radius.]
Radiata, rā-di-ā′ta, n.pl. the lowest of Cuvier's four great divisions of the animal kingdom—the organs of sense and motion disposed as rays round a centre.
Radiate, rā′di-āt, v.i. to emit rays of light: to shine: to proceed in direct lines from any point or surface.—v.t. to send out in rays: to furnish with rays.—adjs. Rā′diāte, -d, formed of rays diverging from a centre: (bot.) consisting of a disc in which the florets are tubular: (min.) having crystals diverging from a centre: belonging to the Radiata: in coins, represented with rays proceeding from a centre, as a head or bust.—adv. Rā′diately, in a radiate manner: with radiation from a centre.—adj. Rādiā′tiform, having the appearance of being radiate.—adv. Rā′diatingly.—n. Rādiā′tion, act of radiating: the emission and diffusion of rays of light or heat.—adj. Rā′diative.—n. Rā′diator, a body which radiates or emits rays of light or heat: a part of a heating apparatus for a room.—adj. Rā′diatory.—ns. Rādioflagell′ata, marine animalcules; Rā′diograph, an instrument by which solar radiation is measured.—adj. Rādiolā′rian, pertaining to the ooze at the bottom of the sea, composed of the shells of Radiolā′rians, a class of marine rhizopod Protozoa, so called from their having thread-like processes of living matter radiating outwards on all sides.—ns. Rādī′olus, one of the barbules of the main shaft of a feather; Rādiom′eter, an instrument consisting of four horizontal arms of very fine glass, carefully poised so as to revolve easily on a point, the whole contained in a glass vessel almost exhausted of air—the arms move round under light or heat, more or less swiftly according to the strength of the rays.—adj. Rādiomet′ric.—ns. Rādiomicrom′eter, an instrument for measuring very small amounts of heat; Rā′diophone, an instrument for producing or transmitting sound by heat-rays.—adj. Rādiophon′ic.—ns. Rādiophon′ics, Rā′diophony, the production of sound by radiant heat; Rā′dium, a rare element whose radiations act upon photographic plates and have properties like the X-rays.
Radical, rad′i-kal, adj. pertaining to the root or origin: original: fundamental: intrinsic: primitive: implanted by nature: not derived: serving to originate: (bot.) proceeding immediately from the root: (politics) ultra-liberal, democratic.—n. a root: a primitive word or letter: one who advocates radical reform, an uncompromising democratic politician: (chem.) the base of a compound.—v.t. Rad′icalise, to make radical.—v.i. to become radical, adopt radical political principles.—n. Rad′icalism, the principles or spirit of a radical or democrat.—adv. Rad′ically.—n. Rad′icalness. [Radix.]
Radicate, rad′i-kāt, adj. deeply rooted: firmly established: (zool.) fixed at the bottom as if rooted: (conch.) adhering like a limpet.—v.t. to root: to plant or fix deeply and firmly:—pr.p. rad′icāting; pa.p. rad′icāted.—adjs. Rad′icant (bot.), sending out roots from the stem above the ground; Radicā′rian, relating to roots; Rad′icated, rooted.—ns. Radicā′tion, the act or process of radicating or taking root deeply: (bot.) the disposition of the root with respect to the ascending or descending stem; Rad′icel, a rootlet.—adjs. Radicic′olous, Radic′olous, living on roots, pertaining to the root-form of the phylloxera; Radiciflō′rous, flowering from the root; Radic′iform, like a root.—n. Rad′icle, a little root: the part of a seed which in growing becomes the root.—adjs. Rad′icōse, having a large root; Radic′ūlar, pertaining to a radicle.—n. Rad′icūle (bot.), that end of the embryo which is opposite to the cotyledons.—adj. Radic′ūlōse (bot.), covered with rootlets: radicose, having a large root. [L. radicāri, -ātus, to take root—radix, a root.]
Radish, rad′ish, n. an annual whose succulent pungent root is eaten raw as a salad.—ns. Rad′ish-fly, an American insect; Sea′side-rad′ish, the wild radish. [Fr. radis—Prov. raditz—L. radix, radicis, a root.]
Radius, rā′di-us, n. (geom.) a straight line from the centre to the circumference of a circle: anything like a radius, as the spoke of a wheel: a ray: (anat.) the exterior bone of the arm: (bot.) the ray of a flower: the movable arm of a sextant: one of the radiating lines of a geometrical spider's web:—pl. Rā′dii (ī).—ns. Rā′dius-bar, -rod, in a steam-engine, a rod pivoted at one end and connected at the other with a concentrically moving part at a fixed distance.—Radius vector (pl. Radii vectores), the distance from a fixed origin to any point of a curve. [L., a rod.]
Radix, rā′diks, n. a root: primitive source: a primitive word from which other words are formed: the base of a system of logarithms:—pl. Radices (rā-dī′sēz). [L. radix, radic-is.]
Radoub, ra-dōōb′, n. the refitting of a ship. [Fr., radouber, to mend. Cf. Redub.]
Radula, rad′ū-la, n. the tongue or lingual ribbon of a mollusc.—adjs. Rad′ūlar; Rad′ūlāte; Radūlif′erous, bearing a radula; Rad′ūliform, rasp-like: like a file. [L.,—radĕre, to scrape.]
Raff, raf, n. the sweepings of society, the rabble: the riff-raff: rubbish: a low worthless fellow, a rowdy.—v.t. (obs.) to snatch, to sweep off.—adj. Raff′ish, worthless. [O. Fr. raffer, to catch; cog. with Ger. raffen, to snatch; cf. Riff-raff.]
Raff, Raffe, raf, n. (naut.) a three-cornered sail set on a schooner when before the wind.—Also Raff′ie.
Raffia. Same as Raphia.
Raffle, raf′l, n. a kind of sale by chance or lottery in which the price is subscribed equally by all who hope to win.—v.i. to try a raffle.—n. Raff′ler. [Fr. rafle, a certain game of dice—rafler, to sweep away—Ger. raffeln, freq. of raffen (A.S. reafian), to seize.]
Raffle, raf′l, n. lumber, rubbish. [Cf. Raff (1).]
Raffled, raf′ld, adj. having the edge finely notched.
Rafflesia, raf-lē′zi-a, n. a remarkable genus of apetalous parasitic plants, named after Sir T. Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), British governor in Sumatra (1818).
Raft, raft, n. (U.S.) a miscellaneous or promiscuous lot. [A variant of Raff (1).]
Raft, raft, n. a collection of pieces of timber fastened together for a support on the water: planks conveyed by water.—v.t. to transport on a raft: to form into a raft.—v.i. to manage a raft, travel by raft.—ns. Raft′-bridge, a bridge supported on rafts; Raft′-dog, an iron bar fitted for securing logs in a raft; Raft′-duck, the black-head duck of the United States; Raft′-port, a square hole in some ships for convenience in loading and unloading timber; Raft′-rope, a rope used in whaling-vessels for stringing blubber; Rafts′man, one who guides a raft. [Ice. raptr (pron. raftr), a rafter—ráf, ræfr, a roof; cf. Old High Ger. rāfo, a spar.]
Rafter, raft′ėr, n. an inclined beam supporting the roof of a house.—v.t. to furnish with rafters.—n. Raft′er-bird, the spotted fly-catcher.—Principal rafter, a main timber in supporting the weight of a roof. [A.S. ræfter, a beam; Ice. raptr (raftr), a beam; Dan. raft, a pole.]
Rag, rag, n. a fragment of cloth: a rock having a rough irregular surface: a remnant, scrap: a beggarly person: anything rent or worn out.—adj. made of rags.—v.t. to make ragged.—v.i. to become ragged, to fray: (U.S. slang) to dress (out).—ns. Rag′abash, a low fellow; Rag′amuffin, a low, disreputable person.—adj. Rag′amuffinly.—ns. Rag′-bush, in some heathen countries, a bush dedicated to some deity and decorated with rags torn from the clothes of pilgrims; Rag′-dust, the refuse of rags used by dyers; Rag′-fair, a fair or market for rags, old clothes, &c.; Rag′gery, rags collectively; Rag′ging, the first rough separation of the ore from dross; Rag′-man, a man who collects or deals in rags; Rag′-mon′ey (slang), paper money; Rag′-pick′er, one who collects rags, &c., from ash-heaps, dung-hills, &c.: a machine for tearing old rags, &c., to pieces; Rag′-shop, a shop where rag-pickers dispose of their finds; Rag′-sort′er, one who sorts out rags for paper-making; Rag′-stone, Ragg, an impure limestone, consisting chiefly of lime and silica; Rag′-tag, the rabble; Rag′weed, any plant of the composite genus Ambrosia; Rag′wheel, a wheel with teeth or cogs on the rim, which fit into the links of a chain or into rackwork: a cutlass polishing-wheel; Rag′-wool, shoddy; Rag′work, mason-work built of small stones about the size of bricks: a manufacture from strips of rag.—Rag-tag and bobtail, a rabble. [Ice. rögg, shagginess.]
Rag, rag, v.t. to banter, torment.—Also n. [Perh. from the previous word; others refer to Ice. rægja, to calumniate; cog. with A.S. wrégan, to accuse.]
Ragbolt, rag′bōlt, n. an iron pin with barbed shank.
Rage, rāj, n. violent excitement: enthusiasm: rapture: furious anger: intensity: any object much sought after, the fashion.—v.i. to be furious with anger: to exercise fury: to prevail fatally, as a disease: to be violently agitated, as the waves.—v.t. to enrage.—adjs. Rage′ful, full of rage, furious; Rā′ging, acting with rage, violence, or fury.—adv. Rā′gingly.—All the rage (coll.), quite the fashion. [Fr.,—L. rabies—rabĕre, to rave.]
Ragg, rag, n. (geol.)=Ragstone. See under Rag (1).
Ragged, rag′ed, adj. torn or worn into rags: having a rough edge: ruggedly uneven, jagged: wearing ragged clothes: shabby.—adv. Ragg′edly.—ns. Ragg′edness; Ragg′ed-rob′in, the cuckoo flower; Ragg′ed-sail′or, the prince's feather-plant; Ragg′ed-school, a school for the destitute; Ragg′ed-staff (her.), a knotted stick with short stumps of branches on each side. [Cf. Rag.]
Raggee, rag′ē, n. a species of millet, grown in Southern India. [Hind.]
Raggle, rag′l, v.t. to notch irregularly.—n. a ragged piece. [Freq. of rag.]
Raglan, rag′lan, n. a loose, wide-sleeved overcoat. [From Lord Raglan (1788-1855), commander of the English forces in the Crimea.]
Ragman-roll, rag′man-rōl, n. a parchment roll with pendent seals, any important document, esp. the collection of instruments by which the Scotch nobles subscribed allegiance to Edward I. of England, 1291-2-6, and at the parliament of Berwick: a vague story (cf. Rigmarole). [Prob. Ice. ragmenni, a craven—ragr, cowardly (A.S. earg), madhr, man.]
Ragnarök, rag′na-rōōk′, n. the end of the world when the gods (Odin, Thor, &c.) shall be overcome by their enemies and the world burnt up. [Ice. ragna rökr, twilight of the gods—rögn, régin, the gods, rökr, darkness; but orig. ragna rök, the history of the gods—rök, reason, judgment.]
Ragout, ra-gōō′, n. a stew of meat with kitchen herbs, the French equivalent of Irish stew: any spicy mixture or combination, even of persons. [Fr.,—ragoûter, to restore the appetite—L. re, again, Fr. à (=ad), to, goût—L. gustus, taste.]
Raguly, rag′ū-li, adj. (her.) ragged or notched at the edges.—Also Rag′uled.
Ragwort, rag′wurt, n. any one of several herbs of genus Senecio: a large coarse weed with a yellow flower.—Golden ragwort, a North American plant; Woolly ragwort, a plant from one to three feet high, found in the United States, and covered with hoary wool. [Rag, and A.S. wyrt, a plant.]
Rahu, rä′hōō, n. in Hindu mythology, the demon who causes eclipses of sun and moon.
Raible, rā′bl, v.t. and v.i. a Scotch form of rabble.
Raid, rād, n. a hostile or predatory invasion: a sudden onset: an irruption, as if for assault or seizure.—v.t. to make a sudden attack.—n. Raid′er, one who makes a raid.—Raid the market, to derange prices by a panic. [A.S. rád, a riding; Ice. reidh.]
Rail, rāl, n. a bar of timber or metal extending from one support to another, as in fences, staircases, &c.: one of those steel bars used on the permanent way of a railway, generally of that form known as the T-rail: a barrier: the railway as a means of travel or transport: (archit.) the horizontal part of a frame and panel: (naut.) the forecastle-rail, poop-rail, and top-rail are bars across the forecastle, &c.—v.t. to enclose with rails: to furnish with rails.—ns. Rail′-bend′er, a screw-press for straightening rails; Rail′-bor′er, a hand-drill for rails; Rail′-chair, an iron block by which the rails are secured to the sleepers; Rail′-clamp, a wedge for clamping a rail firmly; Rail′-coup′ling, a bar by which the opposite rails of a railway are connected at curves, switches, &c.; Rail′-guard, a guard-rail before a front wheel; Rail′ing, a fence of posts and rails: material for rails; Rail′-punch, a machine for punching holes in the webs of rails; Rail′road, Rail′way, a road or way laid with iron rails on which carriages run.—v.t. Rail′road (U.S.), to push forward fast.—ns. Rail′roader, one employed about a railway; Rail′road-worm, the apple maggot; Rail′-saw, a portable machine for sawing off metal rails; Rail′-split′ter (U.S.), one who splits logs into rails for a fence; Rail′way-car, a vehicle for the transportation of passengers and goods; Rail′way-carr′iage, a carriage for the conveyance of passengers; Rail′way-cross′ing, an intersection of railway-lines: an intersection of an ordinary road with a railroad; Rail′way-slide, a turn-table; Rail′way-stitch, a loose and rapid stitch in knitting or crochet-work; Rail′way-train (see Train).—Railway company, a stock company formed for the construction and working of a railway, usually organised by a legislative enactment.—Elevated railway, an elevated bridge-like structure used for railway purposes, to avoid obstruction of surface roadways; Military railway, a railway equipped for military service, the locomotives being armoured, and the carriages armour-plated and provided with portholes for rifles; Portable railway, a light railway made in detachable sections, and so suited for carrying easily from place to place. [Low Ger. regel, prob. through O. Fr. reille; cf. Ger. riegel, a bar. Some refer to L. regula through O. Fr. reille.]
Rail, rāl, v.i. to brawl: to use insolent language.—v.t. to scoff at, affect by railing.—n. Rail′er, one who rails: one who insults or defames by opprobrious language.—adj. Rail′ing, reproachful, insulting.—n. reproachful and insulting language.—adv. Rail′ingly, in a railing manner: scoffingly: insultingly.—n. Raillery (rāl′ėr-i, or ral′-), railing or mockery: banter: good-humoured irony. [Fr. railler—L. rallum, a hoe—radĕre, to scrape.]
Rail, rāl, n. a genus of wading-birds with a harsh cry.—n. Rail′-bird, the Carolina rail.—Golden rail, a rail snipe. [O. Fr. rasle (Fr. râle)—Old Dut. ratelen, to rattle.]
Rail, rāl, v.i. (Spens.) to flow or pour down.
Rail, rāl, n. a robe—now only in Night-rail.
Raiment, rā′ment, n. that in which one is dressed: clothing in general. [For arraiment. Cf. Array.]
Rain, rān, n. water from the clouds in drops: a shower: a fall of any substance through the atmosphere in the manner of rain.—v.i. to fall from the clouds: to drop like rain.—v.t. to pour like rain.—ns. Rain′band, a dark band in the solar spectrum; Rain′-bird, a bird, like the Rain′-crow, supposed to foretell rain by its cries and actions; Rain′bow, the brilliant-coloured bow or arch seen when rain is falling opposite the sun, called lunar rainbow when formed by the moon; Rain′bow-dart′er, the soldier-fish.—adjs. Rain′bowed, formed with, or like, a rainbow; Rain′bow-tint′ed, having tints like those of a rainbow: iridescent.—ns. Rain′bow-trout, a variety of the Californian salmon; Rain′-cham′ber, an attachment to a furnace in which the fumes of any metal are condensed; Rain′-chart, -map, a chart giving information as to the distribution of rain in any part of the world; Rain′-cloud, a cloud in meteorology called nimbus; Rain′drop, a drop of rain; Rain′fall, a fall of rain: the amount of water that falls in a given time in the form of rain; Rain′-gauge, an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain that falls; Rain′iness, the state of being rainy.—adj. Rain′less, without rain.—ns. Rain′-mak′er, -doc′tor, a sorcerer, as those of Africa, professing to bring rain; Rain′-pour, a heavy rainfall; Rain′-print, one of the small pits seen on the surfaces of some argillaceous rocks, and believed to be the impressions of raindrops.—adjs. Rain′-proof, -tight, impervious to rain.—ns. Rain′storm; Rain′-tree, the genisaro of South America; Rain′-wa′ter, water which falls in rain from the clouds.—adj. Rain′y, abounding with rain: showery.—Rain cats and dogs (see Cat).—A rainy day (fig.), a time of need or hardship: future want or need; The former and the latter rain, Palestine, the rain in spring and in autumn: rain in its season. [A.S. regn, rén, rain; Dut. and Ger. regen, Ice. regn.]
Raindeer. Same as Reindeer.
Raise, rāz, v.t. to cause to rise: to lift up: to hoist: to set upright: to originate or produce: to bring together: to cause to grow or breed: to produce: to give rise to: to exalt: to increase the strength of: to excite: to collect: muster: (Scot.) to rouse, inflame: to recall from death: to cause to swell, as dough: to extol: to bring up: to remove, take off, as a blockade: to collect, as to raise a company: to give rise to, as to raise a laugh.—n. an ascent, a cairn: (coll.) an enlargement, increase.—adj. Rais′able, capable of being raised.—ns. Rais′er, one who, or that which, raises a building, &c.: (archit.) the upright board on the front of a step in a flight of steps; Rais′ing, the act of lifting: the embossing of sheet-metal by hammering or stamping: the process of deepening colours in dyeing: that with which bread is raised; Rais′ing-bee, a gathering of neighbours to help in raising the frame of a house, &c.; Rais′ing-board, a ribbed board by which to raise the grain of leather; Rais′ing-gig, a machine for raising a nap on cloth; Rais′ing-piece, a piece of timber laid on a brick wall, or on a frame, to carry a beam or beams; Rais′ing-plate, a horizontal timber supporting the heels of rafters.—Raise a siege, to relinquish a siege, or cause this to be done; Raise bread, to make it light, as by yeast or leaven; Raise Cain, the devil, hell, the mischief, &c., to create confusion or riot; Raised beach (geol.), a terrace of gravel, &c., marking the margin of an ancient sea; Raised embroidery, that in which the pattern is raised in relief from the ground; Raised work, in lace-making, work having the edge or some other part of the pattern raised in relief; Raise money on, to get money by pawning something; Raise one's dander (see Dander); Raise the market upon (coll.), to charge more than the regular price; Raise the wind, to obtain money by any shift. [M. E. reisen—Ice. reisa, causal of rísa, to rise. Cf. Rise.]
Raisin, rā′zn, n. a dried ripe grape.—Raisin wine, wine made from dried grapes. [Fr.,—L. racemus, a bunch of grapes.]
Raison d'être, rā-zong′ dā′tr, n. reason or excuse for being: rational ground for existence.—adj. Raisonné (rā-zo-nā′), reasoned out, systematic, as in 'catalogue raisonné.' [Fr. raison, reason, de, of, être, to be.]
Rajah, Raja, rä′ja, n. a native prince or king in Hindustan.—ns. Raj (räj), rule; Ra′jahship, the dignity or principality of a rajah; Rajpoot, Rajput (räj-poot′), a member of various tribes in India, descended either from the old royal races of the Hindus or from the warrior caste. [Sans. rājan, a king, cog. with L. rex; Sans. putra, a son.]
Rake, rāk, n. an instrument with teeth or pins for smoothing earth, &c.: any tool consisting of a flat blade at right angles to a long handle.—v.t. to scrape with something toothed: to draw together: to gather with difficulty: to level with a rake: to search diligently: to pass over violently and swiftly: (naut.) to fire into, as a ship, lengthwise: to inter or hide, as by raking earth over a body.—v.i. to work with a rake: to search minutely.—ns. Rā′ker; Rā′king, the act or operation of using a rake: the space raked at once: the quantity collected at once with a rake: sharp criticism.—adj. such as to rake, as a raking fire.—Rake hell, to search even hell to find a person equally bad; Rake up, to cover with material raked or scraped together: to draw from oblivion, to revive. [A.S. raca, a rake; Ger. rechen, Ice. reka, a shovel.]
Rake, rāk, n. [Contr. of rakehell.]
Rake, rāk, n. (naut.) the projection of the stem and stern of a ship beyond the extremities of the keel: the inclination of a mast from the perpendicular.—v.i. to incline from the perpendicular or the horizontal.—v.t. to cause to incline or slope.—adj. Rā′kish, having a rake or inclination of the masts.—adv. Rā′kishly. [Scand., Sw. raka, to reach.]
Rake, rāk, n. a dissolute person: a libertine.—v.i. to lead a debauched life, esp. to make a practice of lechery.—n. Rake′hell, a rascal or villain: a debauchee.—adjs. Rake′hell, -y, dissolute.—ns. Rakehellō′nian, a rakehell; Rā′kery, dissoluteness; Rake′shame (Milt.), a base, dissolute wretch.—adj. Rā′kish, like a rake: dissolute: debauched.—adv. Rā′kishly.—n. Rā′kishness, dissoluteness: the state of being rakish or dissolute: dissolute practices. [Corr. of M. E. rakel, corr. into rakehell, shortened to rake; Scand., as Sw. rakkel, a vagabond, Ice. reikall, unsettled—reika, to wander.]
Rake, rāk, v.i. (prov.) to wander, to take a course, proceed: (hunting) of a hawk, to fly wide of the game: of a dog, to follow a wrong course.—Rake about (Scot.), to gad or wander about. [M. E. raken—A.S. racian, to run; confused with M. E. raiken—Ice. reika, to wander.]
Raki, rak′ē, n. a spirituous liquor used in the Levant and Greece.—Also Rak′ee. [Turk.]
Rakshas, -a, rak′shas, -ä, n. in Hindu mythology, one of a class of evil spirits or genii, generally hideous, frequenting cemeteries.
Râle, räl, n. (path.) an abnormal sound heard on auscultation of the lungs. [Fr.,—râler, to rattle—Low Ger. ratelen, to rattle.]
Rallentando, ral-len-tan′dō, adj. (mus.) becoming slower.—Also Rallenta′to, and abbrev. Rall. [It., rallentare, to slacken.]
Rallier, ral′i-ėr, n. one who rallies.
Rallus, ral′us, n. a genus containing the true rails, water-rails, and marsh-hens.—adjs. Rall′iform; Rall′ine. [Rail.]
Rally, ral′i, v.t. to gather again: to collect and arrange, as troops in confusion: to recover.—v.i. to reassemble, esp. after confusion: to recover wasted strength:—pa.t. and pa.p. rallied (ral′id).—n. act of rallying: a mêlée of pantomimists, as at the end of a transformation scene: recovery of order: recovery of prices: the return of the ball in tennis, playing frequently from one side to the other.—n. Rall′ying-point, a place or person at or about whom people come together for action. [O. Fr. rallier—L. re-, again, ad, to, ligāre, to bind. Cf. Ally.]
Rally, ral′i, v.t. to attack with raillery: to banter.—v.i. to exercise raillery:—pa.t. and pa.p. rall′ied.—n. satirical merriment.—adv. Rall′yingly. [Fr. railler. A variant of rail (v.i.).]
Ralph, ralf, n. (slang) the imp of mischief in a printing-house: a raven.
Ram, ram, n. a male sheep, a tup: (astron.) Aries (q.v.), one of the signs of the zodiac: an engine of war for battering, with a head like that of a ram: a hydraulic engine, called water-ram: a ship-of-war armed with a heavy iron beak for running down a hostile vessel.—v.t. to thrust with violence, as a ram with its head: to force together: to drive hard down:—pr.p. ram′ming; pa.t. and pa.p. rammed.—n. Ram′-head, an iron lever for raising great stones: a cuckold. [A.S. ram, rom; Ger. ramm.]
Ram, ram, adj. strong-scented: (used as a prefix) very.—n. Ram′-cat, a tom-cat.—adj. Ram′mish, strong-scented: lewd.—n. Ram′mishness.—adj. Ram′my. [Ice. ramr, strong, as Ice. ramliga, strongly.]
Ramadan, Ramadhan, ram-a-dan′, n. the ninth month of the Mohammedan year, throughout which the faithful are required to fast from dawn to sunset—prop. Ramazan′. [Ar.,—ramed, to be hot.]
Ramal. See Ramus.
Ramayana, rä-mä′ya-nä, n. one of the two great epic poems of ancient India—the history of Rama.
Rambade, ram′bād, n. the elevated platform built across the prow of a vessel for boarding. [Fr.]
Ramble, ram′bl, v.i. to go from place to place without object: to visit many places: to be desultory, as in discourse.—n. a roving about: an irregular excursion: a place in which to ramble.—n. Ram′bler.—adj. Ram′bling, moving about irregularly: desultory.—adv. Ram′blingly, in a rambling manner. [Freq. of M. E. ramen, to roam.]
Rambustious, ram-bus′tyus, adj. (slang) boisterous.
Rambutan, ram-bōō′tan, n. the edible fruit of a lofty Malaysian tree (Nephelium lappaceum).—Also Rambōō′tan, Rambost′an. [Malay.]
Ramé, ra-mā′, adj. (her.) attired. [O. Fr., 'branched.']
Rameal, rā′mē-al, adj.; Ramify, &c. See under Ramus.
Ramed, ramd, adj. framed on the stocks, and adjusted by the Ram′-line, a small rope or line used for setting the frames fair, helping to form the sheer of the ship, &c. [Fr. rame, a branch—L. ramus.]
Ramekin, ram′e-kin, n. toasted cheese and bread. [Fr. ramequin—Old Flem. rammeken.]
Rament, rā-ment′, n. (bot.) a bristle-shaped leaflet in the angle of a petiole:—pl. Rāmen′ta, loose foliaceous scales on plants, esp. on the petioles and leaves of ferns.—adj. Rāmentā′ceous (bot.), covered with ramenta. [L. ramenta, scrapings, pl. of ramentum—radĕre, to scrape.]
Ramfeezle, ram-fē′zl, v.t. (Scot.) to weary out.
Ramgunshock, ram-gun′shok, adj. (Scot.) rough.
Ramicorn, rā′mi-korn, n. the horny sheath of the side of the lower mandible in birds.—adj. possessing ramified antennæ. [L. ramus, branch, cornu, horn.]
Ramie, Ramee, ram′ē, n. China-grass, Bœhmeria nivea, or its fibre, long used in the East for ropes and cordage, and for cloth in China and Japan.—Also Rhea and China-grass. [Malay.]
Ramify, Ramification, &c. See under Ramus.
Ramilie, ram′il-ē, n. a name applied to various 18th-cent. articles or fashions of dress, in honour of Marlborough's victory over the French at Ramillies in Belgium in 1706—esp. to a form of cocked hat, and to a wig with a long plaited tail.
Ramism, rā′mizm, n. the system of logic of Peter Ramus (1515-72).
Ram-line, ram′-līn. See under Ramed.
Rammel, ram′el, n. refuse wood.—v.i. to turn to rubbish. [Through Fr. and Low L. forms from L. ramus, a branch.]
Rammer, ram′ėr, n. one who, or that which, rams or drives: an instrument used by founders and pavers for ramming, also by gunners.
Ramollescence, ram-o-les′ens, n. softening, mollifying.—n. Ramollisse′ment, a morbid softening of some organ or tissue of the body.
Ramoon, ra-mōōn′, n. a West Indian mulberry. [Sp.,—L. ramus, a branch.]
Ramose, rā′mōs, adj. branching, much-branched: (bot.) branched as a stem or root.—adv. Rā′mosely.—adj. Rā′mous, branched, branchy.
Ramp, ramp, v.i. to climb or creep up, as a plant: to leap or bound: to adapt a piece of iron to the woodwork of a gate.—n. a leap or bound: a gradual slope or inclined plane between one level and another: a concave bend at the top or cap of a railing, wall, or coping: a romp.—adj. Rampā′cious=Rampageous (q.v.).—ns. Rampā′dgeon, a furious fellow; Ram′pāge, or Rampāge′, a state of passion or excitement.—v.i. to storm or prance violently.—adj. Rampā′geous, unruly: boisterous: glaring.—ns. Rampā′geousness; Rampall′ian (Shak.), a mean wretch; Ramp′er, a ruffian who infests race-courses; Ramps′man (slang), a highway robber. [Fr. ramper, to creep, to clamber; from the Teut.; cf. Low Ger. rappen, to snatch, Ger. raffen.]
Rampant, ramp′ant, adj. overgrowing usual bounds: rank in growth: overleaping restraint: (her.) standing on the hind-legs.—n. Ramp′ancy, state of being rampant.—adv. Ramp′antly.—Rampant arch, an arch whose abutments are not on the same level.
Rampart, ram′part, n. that which defends from assault or danger: (fort.) a mound or wall surrounding a fortified place.—v.t. to fortify with ramparts, to strengthen. [O. Fr. rempart (orig. rempar)—remparer, to defend—re, again, em, to (=en), in, parer, to defend—L. parāre, to prepare.]
Rampick, ram′pik, n. any dead tree—also Ram′pike.—adj. Ram′picked. [Prob. ran, as in roan-tree, rantle-tree, and pick or pike.]
Rampion, ram′pi-on, n. a perennial plant with esculent root. [Prob. through It. and Low L. forms from L. rapum, rapa, a turnip.]
Rampire, ram′pīr, n.=Rampart.—adj. Ram′pired.
Rampler, ramp′lėr, n. (Scot.) a roving fellow.
Ramrod, ram′rod, n. a rod used in ramming down the charge in a gun.—n. Ram′rod-bay′onet.—adj. Ram′roddy, stiff like a ramrod.
Ramshackle, ram′shak′l, adj. tumble-down: ill-made: out of repair—also Ram′shackled.—n. (Scot.) a careless fellow.—adj. Ram′shackly. [Ice. ramskakkr, quite wrong—ramr, strong, very, skakkr, wry, unequal.]
Ramshackle, ram′shak′l, v.t.=Ransack.
Ramshorn, ramz′horn, n. a semicircular work of low profile in the ditch of a fortified place: an ammonite: a fossil cephalopod.
Ramskin, ram′skin, n. a cake made of dough mixed with grated cheese. [Prob. Ramekin.]
Ramsons, ram′zonz, n.pl. broad-leaved garlic. [A.S. hramsan (pl.), with pl. -s added.]
Ramstam, ram′stam, adj. reckless: (Scot.) forward.—adv. headlong.—n. a headstrong, giddy person. [Ram, intens. pfx., stam, a form of stamp.]
Ramus, rā′mus, n. a small spray or twig.—adjs. Rā′mal, Rā′meal, pertaining to a branch; Rā′mēous (bot.), belonging to, or growing on, a branch.—n. Ramificā′tion, division or separation into branches: a branch: a division or subdivision: (bot.) manner of producing branches.—adjs. Ram′ified, branched; Ramiflō′rous, flowering on the branches; Rā′miform (bot.), resembling a branch.—v.t. Ram′ify, to make or divide into branches.—v.i. to shoot into branches: to be divided or spread out:—pa.t. and pa.p. ram′ifīed.—adj. Ramip′arous, producing branches.—ns. Ram′ule, Ram′ulus, a small branch or artery.—adjs. Ramūlif′erous, Ram′ūlose, Ram′ūlous, having small branches.—n. Ramus′cūle, a branchlet. [L. ramus, a branch.]
Ran, pa.t. of run.
Rana, rā′na, n. the genus of the frogs.—n. Ranā′rium, a place where frogs are reared. [L., 'a frog.']
Rana, rä′nä, n. prince or chief in Rajputana. [Hind.]
Rance, rans, n. a prop, as for the support of a congreve-rocket. [O. Fr. ranche—L. ramex, -icis, a staff—ramus, a branch.]
Ranch, ranch, n. a stock farm in the west part of the United States.—v.i. to manage or work upon a ranch—also Ranche, Ranch′o.—ns. Ranch′er, Ranchero (ran-chā′rō), Ranch′man, one employed in ranching; Rancheria (ran-chā-rē′a), a herdsman's hut: a village of herdsmen: a settlement of Indians; Ranch′ing, the business of cattle-breeding. [Sp. rancho, prop. 'mess' or 'mess-room;' in Mexico, a herdsman's hut, a grazing-farm.]
Ranch, ransh, v.t. (Dryden) to tear, wound. [Wrench.]
Rancid, ran′sid, adj. partially decomposed (used of oil or any greasy substance): sour: disgusting.—adj. Rances′cent, becoming rancid.—adv. Ran′cidly.—ns. Ran′cidness, Rancid′ity, the quality of being rancid. [L. rancidus, putrid.]
Rancour, rang′kur, n. deep-seated enmity: spite: virulence: (Shak.) sourness.—adjs. (obs.) Ranck=Rank; Ran′corous, malicious: virulent.—adv. Ran′corously. [Fr.,—L. rancor, an old grudge—rancere, to be rancid.]
Rand, rand, n. a strip of flesh or of leather: one of the slips beneath the heel of the shoe, called the heel-rand: a margin, border, edge, of a stream: a territory, as the Rand in the Transvaal.—ns. Rand′ing-machine′, a machine for fitting rands to heel-blanks; Rand′ing-tool, a tool for cutting out rands for shoes. [A.S. rand, rond, border.]
Rand, rand, v.i. an old form of rant.
Randall-grass, ran′dal-gras, n. the meadow fescue.
Randan, ran′dan, n. a noise or uproar: a spree—in phrase, 'On the randan:' the finest part of the bran of wheat: a boat impelled by three oarsmen—also Randan gig. [Prob. from rand, a variant of rant.]
Randle-bar, ran′dl-bar, n. the horizontal bar in an open chimney on which cooking-vessels are hung.—Also Ran′dle-balk.
Randle-tree. See Rantle-tree.
Random, ran′dum, adj. done or uttered at haphazard: left to chance: aimless—(obs.) Ran′don.—n. something done without aim, chance—now only in phrase, At random, haphazard.—adv. Ran′domly, without direction: by chance. [O. Fr. randon, urgency, haste; from Teut.; Ger. rand, a brim.]
Randy, ran′di, n. a virago: (Scot.) a romping girl: a violent beggar. [Rand, rant.]
Ranee. See Rani.
Rang, rang, pa.t. of ring.
Range, rānj, v.t. to rank or set in a row: to place in proper order: to rove or pass over: to sail in a direction parallel to.—v.i. to be placed in order: to lie in a particular direction: to have range or direction: to rove at large: to beat about, as for game: to sail or pass near: to be on a level: to extend.—n. a row or rank: a class or order: a wandering: room for passing to and fro: space occupied by anything moving: capacity of mind: extent of acquirements: the horizontal distance to which a shot is carried: a space through which a body moves, as the range of a thermometer: the long cooking-stove of a kitchen: a fire-grate.—adj. Rangé (her.), arranged in order, said of small bearings set in a row fessewise.—n. Range′-find′er, an instrument for determining the range of an object by sight.—n.pl. Range′-lights, lights placed in line, usually at or near a lighthouse, so as to direct the course of a ship through a channel: lights on board ship so placed as to give a ready indication of changes of course to other vessels.—n. Rang′er, a rover: a dog that beats the ground: an officer who superintends a forest or park.—n.pl. Rang′ers, a body of mounted troops: a name sometimes taken by clubs of football players, &c.—ns. Rang′ership; Range′-stove, a portable cooking-range.—adj. Ran′gy, disposed to roam: roomy. [Fr. ranger, to range—rang, a rank.]
Rangia, ran′ji-a, n. a family of bivalves. [From Rang, a French conchologist.]
Rangifer, ran′ji-fer, n. a genus of Cervidæ, to which the reindeer belongs.—adjs. Ran′gerine, Rangif′erine. [O. Fr. rangier, a reindeer, most prob. the Ice. hreinn, reindeer, L. fera, a wild beast.]
Rani, Ranee, ran′ē, n. the wife of a rajah. [Hind. rānī—Sans. rājñi, queen, fem. of rājan.]
Ranidæ, ran′i-dē, n.pl. the largest family of batrachians, including about 250 species, of several genera.—adjs. Ran′iform, frog-like; Rā′nine, pertaining to frogs; Rāniv′orous, frog-eating. [L. rana, a frog.]
Rank, rangk, n. a row or line, esp. of soldiers standing side by side: class or order: grade or degree: station: high social position or standing.—v.t. to place in a line: to range in a particular class: to place methodically: to take rank over.—v.i. to be placed in a rank or class: to have a certain degree of distinction: to be admitted as a claim against the property of a bankrupt.—n. Rank′er, one who arranges or disposes in ranks: an officer who has risen from the ranks.—Rank and file, the whole body of common soldiers.—Take rank of, to have the right to take a higher place than; Take rank with, to take the same rank as; The ranks, the order of common soldiers. [O. Fr. renc (Fr. rang)—Old High Ger. hring or hrinc, Eng. ring.]
Rank, rangk, adj. growing high and luxuriantly: coarse from excessive growth: raised to a high degree: excessive: very fertile: strong-scented: strong-tasted: rancid: utter, as rank nonsense: coarse: indecent: (Shak.) ruttish: (slang) eager: (law) excessive: (mech.) cutting deeply.—adv. (Spens.) rankly, fiercely.—v.i. Rank′le, to be inflamed: to fester: to be a source of disquietude or excitement: to rage.—v.t. to irritate.—adv. Rank′ly, offensively: to an inordinate degree.—n. Rank′ness, exuberant growth: (Shak.) insolence.—adjs. Rank′-rī′ding, hard-riding; Rank′-scent′ed (Shak.), strong-scented: rancid. [A.S. ranc, fruitful, rank; Ice. rakkr, bold, Dan. rank, lank, slender.]
Ransack, ran′sak, v.t. to search thoroughly: to plunder: to pillage.—n. eager search.—n. Ran′sacker. [Scand. rannsaka—rann, a house, sak (sækja), Eng. seek.]
Ransom, ran′sum, n. price paid for redemption from captivity or punishment: release from captivity: atonement: expiation.—v.t. to redeem from captivity, punishment, or ownership: (Shak.) to set free for a price: (Shak.) to expiate.—adj. Ran′somable.—n. Ran′somer.—adj. Ran′somless, without ransom: incapable of being ransomed. [Fr. rançon—L. redemptio; cf. Redemption.]
Rant, rant, v.i. to use extravagant language: to be noisy in words: to be noisily merry.—n. empty declamation: bombast: (Scot.) a frolic.—ns. Rant′er, a noisy talker: a jovial fellow: a boisterous preacher: a byname for the Primitive Methodists: a nickname applied to the members of a sect of the Commonwealth time; Rant′erism.—adv. Rant′ingly, boisterously.—adj. Rant′ipole, wild.—n. a reckless fellow. [Old Dut. ranten, to rave; Low Ger. randen, Ger. ranzen.]
Rantle-tree, ran′tl-trē, n. (Scot.) a beam built into the gable of a cottage.
Ranula, ran′ū-la, n. a tumour on the tongue of cattle.—adj. Ran′ūlar. [L.]
Ranunculus, rā-nung′kū-lus, n. a genus of plants, including the crowfoot, buttercup, &c.:—pl. Rānun′culī, Rānun′culuses.—adj. Rānunculā′ceous, pertaining to, or resembling, plants of the order of which the ranunculus is the typical genus. [L., a dim. of rana, a frog.]
Ranz-des-vaches, rong′-dā-väsh′, n. a melody of the Swiss, played on the alpenhorn. [Swiss Fr., either 'the lowing of the cows' or 'the line of cows.' Vaches, pl. of vache—L. vacca, a cow; ranz, either Swiss dial. ranz (cf. Ger. ranzen), or for rangs, pl. of rang, a line.]
Rap, rap, n. a sharp blow: a knock, or a sound made by knocking: a counterfeit coin current in Ireland for a halfpenny in the time of George I.—hence, 'Not worth a rap.'—v.t. and v.i. to strike with a quick blow: to knock: to utter sharply, as to rap out a lie: to swear falsely:—pr.p. rap′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. rapped.—n. Rap′per, one who raps: a door-knocker. [Scand., as Dan. rap; imit.]
Rap, rap, v.t. to seize and carry off: to transport out of one's self: to affect with rapture:—pr.p. rap′ping; pa.p. rapped or rapt. [Scand., as Ice. hrapa, to rush headlong, cog. with Ger. raffen, to snatch.]
Rapacious, ra-pā′shus, adj. seizing by violence: given to plunder: ravenous: greedy of gain.—n. Rapā′ces, the beasts and birds of prey.—adv. Rapā′ciously.—ns. Rapā′ciousness, Rapac′ity, the quality of being rapacious: ravenousness: extortion. [L. rapax, rapacis—rapĕre, raptum, to seize and carry off.]
Rape, rāp, n. the act of seizing and carrying away by force: carnal knowledge of a woman without her consent.—adj. Rape′ful, given to violence or lust. [M. E. rapen, to haste, a variant of rappen, to seize, confused with L. rapĕre, to snatch.]
Rape, rāp, n. a division of the county of Sussex, greater than the hundred. [Ice. hreppr, district.]
Rape, rāp, n. a plant nearly allied to the turnip, cultivated for its herbage and oil-producing seeds: cole-seed.—ns. Rape′-cake, cake made of the refuse, after the oil has been expressed from the rape-seed; Rape′-oil, oil obtained from rape-seed; Rape′-seed, the seed of the rape, cole-seed. [Through Fr. from L. rapa, rapum, a turnip; cog. with Gr. rhapys.]
Rape, rāp, n. the stalk and skin of grapes.
Rap-full, rap′-fool, adj. full of wind—of sails when close-hauled.—n. a sail full of wind.
Raphaelesque, raf-ā-el-esk′, adj. in the manner of the great Italian painter Raphael, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520).—ns. Raph′āelism, the principles of art of Raphael; Raph′āelite, one who follows the principles of Raphael; Raph′āelitism.
Raphania, raf-ā′ni-a, n. ergotism, a disease occurring in two forms, a spasmodic and a gangrenous, due to the use of rye, wheat, rice, &c., in which a poisonous fungus has developed.—n. Raph′anus, a genus of Cruciferæ, the radish family.
Raphe, rā′fē, n. (anat.) a seam-like union of two lateral halves, either a median septum of connective tissue or a longitudinal ridge: the fibro-vascular cord joining the hilum of an anatropous or amphitropous ovule or seed with the chalaza: a line or rib connecting the nodules on a diatom-valve. [Gr. rhaphē, a seam.]
Raphia, rā′fi-a, n. a genus of handsome pinnately-leaved palms. [Malagasy.]
Raphides, raf′i-dēz, n.pl. crystals found in the interior of the cells of plants:—sing. Rā′phis.—adjs. Rāphid′ian, Raphidif′erous. [Gr. rhaphis, rhaphidos, a needle—rhaptein, to sew.]
Raphigraph, raf′i-graf, n. a kind of typewriter for the blind, pricking characters in paper by needle-points. [Gr. rhaphis, a needle, graphein, to write.]
Rapid, rap′id, adj. hurrying along: very swift: speedy.—n. that part of a river where the current is most rapid (gen. in pl.).—n. Rapid′ity, quickness of motion or utterance: swiftness: velocity.—adv. Rap′idly.—n. Rap′idness. [Fr. rapide—L. rapidus—rapĕre, to seize.]
Rapidamente, ra-pē-dä-men′te, adv. (mus.) rapidly.—adv. Rap′ido, with rapidity. [It.]
Rapier, rā′pi-ėr, n. a light, highly tempered, edgeless, thrusting weapon, finely pointed, and about 3 feet in length, long the favourite weapon in duelling.—n. Rā′pier-fish, a swordfish. [Fr. rapière, prob. from Sp. raspadera—raspar, rapar, to rasp.]
Rapine, rap′in, n. act of seizing and carrying away forcibly: plunder: violence. [Fr.,—L. rapina—rapĕre, to seize.]
Raping, rā′ping, adj. (her.) tearing its prey: (obs.) transporting, ravishing.
Raploch, rap′loh, n. and adj. (Scot.) homespun.
Rapparee, rap-ar-ē′, n. a wild Irish plunderer: a vagabond. [Ir. rapaire, a robber.]
Rappee, ra-pē′, n. a coarse, strong-flavoured snuff. [Fr. râpé, rasped, grated—râper, to rasp.]
Rappel, ra-pel′, n. the beat of the drum to call soldiers to arms. [Fr.]
Rapper, rap′ėr, n. one who raps, esp. a spiritualistic medium: a swinging knocker for making signals at the mouth of a shaft: a loud oath or bold lie.—adj. Rap′ping (prov.), remarkably large.
Rapport, ra-pōr′, n. accord, as in the French phrase, 'en rapport,' in harmony. [Fr.]
Rapprochement, ra-prōsh′mong, n. reunion. [Fr.]
Rapscallion, rap-skal′yun, n. a rascal: a wretch. [Rascallion.]
Rapt, rapt, adj. raised to rapture: transported: ravished:—pa.t. and pa.p. of rap (2).—v.t. (obs.) to grasp or carry off.—n. Rap′tor, a ravisher. [Rap, to seize, influenced by L. rapĕre, to snatch.]
Raptores, rap-tō′rēz, n.pl. an order of birds of prey distinguished by a hooked bill and sharp claws, and including the vultures, falcons, and owls—also Raptatō′res.—adjs. Raptō′rial, seizing by violence, as a bird of prey; Raptō′rious. [L. raptor, a plunderer—rapĕre, to seize.]
Rapture, rap′tūr, n. a seizing and carrying away: extreme delight: transport: ecstasy.—adj. Rap′tūred.—n. Rap′tūrist (Spens.), one filled with rapture.—adj. Rap′tūrous, seizing and carrying away: ecstatic.—adv. Rap′tūrously.
Rara avis, rā′ra ā′vis, n. a rare bird: a remarkable person:—pl. Rā′ræ ā′ves. [L.]
Rare, rār, adj. (comp. Rā′rer; superl. Rā′rest) thin: not dense, as rarefied atmosphere: sparse: seldom met with: uncommon: excellent: especially good: extraordinary.—ns. Rāre′bit, an erroneous form of Welsh-rabbit; Rarefac′tion, act of rarefying: expansion of aëriform bodies.—adj. Rar′efiable, capable of being rarefied.—v.t. Rarefy (rar′e-fī, or rā′re-fī), to make rare, thin, or less dense: to expand a body.—v.i. to become less dense:—pa.t. and pa.p. rar′efied.—adv. Rāre′ly, seldom: remarkably well.—ns. Rāre′ness, tenuity: scarcity; Rarity (rar′i-ti), state of being rare: thinness: subtilty: something valued for its scarcity: uncommonness. [Fr.,—L. rārus.]
Rare, rār, adj. underdone—of meat. [A.S. hrēr.]
Raree-show, rar′ē-shō, n. a show carried about in a box: a peep-show. [A corr. of rarity-show.]
Rareripe, rār′rīp, adj. early ripe. [Rathripe.]
Ras, ras, n. the chief vizier in Abyssinia: a headland, cape. [Ar., 'head.']
Rasant, rā′zant, adj. (fort.) sweeping or flanking, applied to fire. [Fr.]
Rascal, ras′kal, n. a dishonest fellow: a knave, rogue, scamp.—adj. worthless: mean.—ns. Ras′caldom, the class of rascals; Ras′calism, Rascal′ity, mean trickery or dishonesty: fraud: villainy: the rabble.—adj. Ras′calliest (Shak., superl. of Rascally).—n. Rascall′ion, a rascal: one of the lowest people: a low, mean wretch.—adjs. Ras′cally, Ras′cal-like, mean: vile: base. [Fr. racaille, scum of the people, through Low L. forms from L. radĕre, rasum, to scrape.]
Rase, rāz, v.t. to scratch or blot out: to efface: to cancel: to level with the ground, demolish, or ruin (in this sense raze is generally used).—n. a slight wound.—ns. Rā′sing, in shipbuilding, the act of marking figures upon timber; Rā′sing-ī′ron, a caulking-iron for cleaning the pitch, &c., from a vessel's seams; Rā′sing-knife, an edged tool for making marks on timber, &c.; Rā′sion, a scraping: rasure; Rā′sure, act of scraping, shaving, or erasing: obliterating: an erasure. [Fr. raser—L. radĕre, rasum, to scrape.]
Rash, rash, adj. (comp. Rash′er; superl. Rash′est) hasty: headstrong: incautious.—adj. Rash′-embraced′ (Shak.), rashly undertaken.—ns. Rash′er, a thin slice of broiled bacon, perh. because quickly roasted; Rash′ling, a rash person.—adv. Rash′ly, precipitately.—n. Rash′ness. [Dan. and Sw. rask; Ger. rasch, rapid.]
Rash, rash, n. a slight eruption on the skin. [O. Fr. rasche (Fr. rache)—L. radĕre, to scratch.]
Rash, rash, v.t. (obs.) to tear, to lacerate. [Fr. arracher, to uproot.]
Raskolnik, ras-kol′nik, n. in Russia, a schismatic, a dissenter from the orthodox or Greek Church.
Rasorial, ra-sō′ri-al, adj. belonging to an order of birds which scrape the ground for their food, as the hen.—n.pl. Rasō′res, the Gallinæ. [Rase.]
Rasp, rasp, v.t. to rub with a coarse file: to utter in a grating manner.—v.i. to have a grating effect.—n. a coarse file.—ns. Rasp′atory, a surgeon's rasp; Rasp′er, that which rasps: (coll.) a difficult fence; Rasp′-house, a place where wood is reduced to powder for dyeing; Rasp′ing, a filing.—adj. exasperating.—adv. Rasp′ingly.—ns. Rasp′ing-machine′, a bark-cutting machine; Rasp′ing-mill; Rasp′-punch, a tool for cutting the teeth of rasps.—adj. Rasp′y, rough. [O. Fr. rasper (Fr. râper)—Old High Ger. raspōn, whence Ger. raspeln, to rasp.]
Raspberry, raz′ber-i, n. the fruit of several plants of genus Rubus, the plant producing it—also Rasp.—n. Rasp′berry-bush, the shrub which yields the raspberry.—Raspberry borer, the larvæ of one of the clear-winged sphinxes; Raspberry vinegar, a drink of raspberry juice, vinegar, and sugar.
Rastrum, ras′trum, n. a music-pen. [Rase.]
Rat, rat, n. an animal of the genus Mus, larger and more destructive than the mouse: a renegade, turncoat: a workman who accepts lower than the authorised wages, who declines to join in a strike, or who takes a striker's work: a roll of anything used to puff out the hair which is turned over it.—v.i. (coll.) to desert one's party and join their opponents for gain or power: to take lower than current wages, to refuse to join in a strike, to take a striker's place:—pr.p. rat′ting; pa.p. and pa.t. rat′ted.—ns. Rat′-catch′er, one whose business it is to catch rats; Rat′-catch′ing; Rat′-hole (print.), a pigeon-hole; Rat′-pit, an enclosure where rats are killed; Rat′-poi′son, a preparation of arsenic; Rat's′-bane, poison for rats: arsenious acid; Rat′-tail, an excrescence growing on a horse's leg.—adj. Rat′-tailed, having a tail like a rat.—ns. Rat′ter, a terrier which catches rats; Rat′tery, apostasy; Rat′ting, deserting one's principles: working for less than the usual prices: setting a dog to kill rats in a pit; Rat′-trap, a trap for catching rats.—Rat-tailed larva, the larva of certain syrphid flies.—Smell a rat, to have a suspicion. [A.S. ræt; Ger. ratte.]
Rata, rä′ta, n. a New Zealand tree related to various species of Ironwood, its wood once much used for making clubs, and valuable for shipbuilding.
Ratable, Rateable, rā′ta-bl, adj. See Rate.
Ratafia, rat-a-fē′a, n. a flavouring essence made with the essential oil of almonds: a fancy cake. [Fr.,—Malay araqtáfía, from Ar. ‛araq, Malay táfía, rum.]
Ratan, ra-tan′, n. Same as Rattan.
Ratany, rat′a-ni, n. a perennial procumbent shrub, yielding the medicinal ratany root. [Peruv.]
Rataplan, rat-a-plong′, n. the sound or rattle of the military drum, a tattoo. [Fr.; imit.]
Rat-a-tat, rat′-a-tat′, n. sound of repeated knocks, as of a drumstick.—Also Rat′-tat. [Imit.]
Ratch, rach, n. a rack or bar with teeth into which a click drops: the wheel which makes a clock strike: a white mark on the face of a horse.—v.t. to stretch: to streak.—v.i. to sail by tacks.—ns. Ratch′et, a bar acting on the teeth of a ratchet-wheel: a click or pall; Ratch′et-coup′ling, a device for uncoupling machinery in the event of a sudden stoppage; Ratch′et-drill, a tool for drilling holes, the bit mounted in a stock and rotated by a ratchet-wheel and lever; Ratch′et-jack, a form of screw-jack; Ratch′et-lē′ver, a lever fitted round a ratchet-wheel; Ratch′et-punch, a punch worked by means of a ratchet-lever; Ratch′et-wheel, a wheel having teeth against which a ratchet abuts, for changing a reciprocating into a rotatory motion, &c.; Ratch′et-wrench, a ratchet bed-key wrench.—adj. Ratch′ety, jerky.—n. Ratch′ment (archit.), a flying buttress springing from corner principals. [Rack.]
Ratchel, rach′el, n. (prov.) broken-stone, hard-pan.—Also Ratch′il.
Rate, rāt, n. a ratio or proportion: allowance: standard: value: price: the class of a ship and of seamen: movement, as fast or slow: a tax.—v.t. to calculate: to estimate: to settle the relative rank, scale, or position of.—v.i. to make an estimate: to be placed in a certain class: to ratify.—ns. Rātabil′ity, Rā′tableness, quality of being ratable.—adj. Rā′table, Rā′teable, that may be rated or set at a certain value: subject to taxation.—adv. Rā′tably.—ns. Rāte′-book, a book of valuations; Rāte′payer, one who pays a local tax.—adj. Rāte′paying, paying, or relating to, an assessed local tax.—ns. Rā′ter, one who makes an estimate; Rāte′-tithe, a tithe paid for sheep and cattle; Rā′ting, a fixing of rates: classification according to rank or grade.—At any rate, by any means; By no rate, by no means. [O. Fr.,—Low L. rata, rate—L. rēri, ratus, to think.]
Rate, rāt, v.t. to tax: to scold: to chide: to reprove. [M. E. raten, acc. to Skeat, from O. Fr. aretter, to impute—L. ad, to, reputāre, to count. Others explain as Scand., Sw. rata, to reject.]
Ratel, rā′tel, n. a genus of quadrupeds of the bear family, nearly allied to the gluttons, and very like the badgers. [Fr., dim. of rat.]
Rat-goose, rat′-gōōs, n. the brent or brant goose.
Rath, räth, adj. early, soon—also Rathe.—adv. Rath (arch.), early, soon.—adj. Rath′erest (Shak.), superl. of Rath.—adv. Rath′ly, suddenly.—adj. Rath′ripe, early ripe. [A.S. hræth, quickly; Ice. hradhr, swift, Mid. High Ger. hrad, quick.]
Rath, rath, n. a prehistoric hill-fort. [Ir.]
Rath, rät, n. a name given to some Indian rock-cut Buddhist temples.
Rath, rät, n. a Burmese state-carriage.
Rather, räth′ėr, adv. more willingly: in preference: especially: more so than otherwise: on the contrary: somewhat, in some degree: more properly: (coll.) considerably, very much.—adj. Rath′erish, to a slight degree, somewhat.—Rather better than, somewhat in excess of.—The rather, by so much the more. [A.S. hrathor, comp. of hrathe, early.]
Ratify, rat′i-fī, v.t. to approve and sanction: to settle:—pa.t. and pa.p. rat′ified.—ns. Ratificā′tion, act of ratifying or confirming: confirmation; Rat′ifier, one who, or that which, ratifies or sanctions. [Fr. ratifier—L. ratus, fixed by calculation—rēri, ratus, to think, facĕre, to make.]
Ratio, rā′shi-o, n. the relation or the proportion of one thing to another: reason, cause: (mus.) the relation between the vibration-numbers of two tones. [L. ratio, reason—rēri, ratus, to think.]
Ratiocinate, rash-i-os′i-nāt, v.i. to reason:—pr.p. ratioc′inating; pa.p. ratioc′inated.—n. Ratiocinā′tion, the process of reasoning: deduction from premises.—adjs. Ratioc′inātive, Ratioc′inātory. [L. ratiocināri, -ātus—ratio, reason.]
Ration, rā′shon, n. the quantity of provisions distributed to a soldier or sailor daily: an allowance.—n. Rā′tion-mon′ey, money paid as commutation for rations. [Fr.,—L. ratio.]
Rational, rash′on-al, adj. pertaining to the reason: endowed with reason: agreeable to reason: sane: intelligent: judicious: (arith., alg.) noting a quantity which can be exactly expressed by numbers.—n. Rationabil′ity, the possession of reason.—adj. Rat′ionable, reasonable.—ns. Rationā′le, a rational account of anything, with reasons for its existence: a theoretical explanation or solution; Rationalisā′tion, subjection to rational principles.—v.t. Rat′ionalise, to interpret like a rationalist: to think for one's self.—v.i. to rely entirely or unduly on reason.—ns. Rat′ionalism, the religious system or doctrines of a rationalist; Rat′ionalist, one who believes himself guided in his opinions solely by reason, independently of authority, esp. in regard to religion—denying supernatural revelation.—adjs. Rationalist′ic, -al, pertaining to, or in accordance with, the principles of rationalism.—adv. Rationalist′ically, in a rationalistic manner.—n. Rational′ity, quality of being rational: the possession or due exercise of reason: reasonableness.—adv. Rat′ionally, reasonably.—n. Rat′ionalness.—n.pl. Rat′ionals, dress for women convenient for bicycling, &c.—breeches instead of skirts.
Rational, rash′on-al, n. the breast-plate of the Jewish high-priest: a pectoral worn by a bishop. [L. rationale, a mistaken rendering in the Vulgate of the Gr. logion, oracle.]
Ratitæ, rā-tī′tē, n. a division of birds, including the ostriches, cassowaries, emus, and kiwis.—n. Rā′tite, Rat′itate, raft-breasted, as a bird.
Ratiuncule, rā-shi-ung′kūl, n. a ratio very near unity. [Dim. of L. ratio.]
Ratline, Ratlin, rat′lin, n. one of the small lines or ropes traversing the shrouds and forming the steps of the rigging of ships—also Rat′ling, Ratt′ling.—n. Rat′line-stuff (naut.), a tarred rope from which ratlines are made. [Prob. rat-lines.]
Ratoon, ra-tōōn′, n. a new shoot from the root of a sugar-cane.—v.i. to send up new shoots from the root after cropping. [Hind. ratun.]
Rattan, rat-an′, n. a genus of palms having a smooth, reed-like stem several hundreds of feet in length: a walking-stick made of rattan: stems of rattan palm used as a raft. [Malay rótan.]
Rattan, ra-tan′, n. the continuous beat of a drum.
Ratteen, rat-tēn′, n. a thick woollen stuff. [Fr.]
Ratten, rat′n, v.t. to break or take away a workman's tools, &c., for disobeying the trades-union—the loss being ironically attributed to rats.
Rattinet, rat-ti-net′, n. a thin variety of ratteen.
Ratting. See Rat.
Rattle, rat′l, v.i. to clatter: to move along rapidly, with a clattering noise: to speak eagerly and noisily.—v.t. to cause to make a clatter: to stun with noise: to speak rapidly: to scold loudly.—n. a sharp noise rapidly repeated, as the death-rattle: a clatter: loud empty talk: loud scolding: a toy or instrument for rattling: a brisk jabberer: an annual meadow herb: a lousewort.—adjs. Ratt′le-brained, -head′ed, -pat′ed, noisy: giddy: unsteady.—ns. Ratt′le-mouse, a bat; Ratt′lepate, a noisy chatterer; Ratt′ler, a loud, inconsiderate talker: (coll.) a stunning blow: (coll.) an impudent lie; Ratt′lesnake, a poisonous snake having a number of hard, bony rings loosely jointed at the end of the tail, which make a rattling noise; Ratt′lesnake-grass, an American grass; Ratt′lesnake-mas′ter, -root, an American plant reputed to cure the bite of a rattlesnake; Ratt′lesnake-weed, a hawk-weed of the United States; Ratt′le-trap, a rickety vehicle; Ratt′lewort, a plant of genus Crotalaria; Ratt′ling, a clattering: railing.—adj. making a rattle: smart, lively: (coll.) strikingly great. [A.S. hrætele, hratele, a plant—from the rattling of the seeds in the capsules; Ger. rasseln, Dut. ratelen, to rattle.]
Rattling, rat′ling, n. Same as Ratline.
Raucity, raws′i-ti, n. hoarseness: harshness of sound.—adjs. Rauc′id, Raucous (raw′kus), hoarse.—adv. Rauc′ously. [L. raucus, hoarse.]
Raucle, rawk′l, adj. (Scot.) rough: fearless.
Raught, rawt (Spens.)—(obs.) pa.t. of reach.
Ravage, rav′āj, v.t. to lay waste: to destroy: to pillage.—n. devastation: ruin.—n. Rav′ager. [Fr.,—ravir, to carry off by force—L. rapĕre.]