Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Rām'ble, v. i. p. 1084To walk, ride, or sail from place to place, without any determinate object in view; to visit many places; to range carelessly or irregularly; to rove; to wander; as, to ramble about the city; to…Răm'ble, n. p. 1084A going or moving from place to place without any determinate business or object; an excursion for recreation with no definite object or direction. Coming home, after a short Christmas ramble, I…Răm'bler, n. p. 1084One who rambles; a rover; a wanderer.Rām'bling-ly, adv. p. 1084In a rambling manner.Rām'bōoze or Rām'būse, n. p. 1084Formerly, at Cambridge, Eng., a beverage made of wine, ale, eggs, and sugar in winter, or of wine, milk, sugar, and rose-water in summer. Blount.Rā'me-al, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Of, or pertaining to, a branch. Gray.Rā'me-an, n. p. 1084A ramist. See RAMIST.Rām'e-kīn or Rām'e-quīn (kin), n. p. 1084(Cookery.) A small slice of bread covered with a farce of cheese and eggs. Bailey.Răm'en-tā'ceoŭs, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Covered with weak, shriveled, brown, scale-like processes, as the leaves of many ferns. Lindley.Rām'ent, n. p. 1084A scraping; shaving. [Obs.] 2. (pl.) (Bot.) Loose scales on the stems of plants; ramenta.Ra-mēn’tā, n. pl. p. 1084(Bot.) Thin, brown, foliaceous, scale-like processes upon the leaves or young shoots of some plants, especially upon the petioles and leaves of ferns.Rā'me-oŭs, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Belonging to a branch; growing on or shooting from a branch. Lee.Răm'i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 1084The process of branching, or shooting branches from a stem, or the mode of their arrangement. 2. A small division proceeding from a main stock or channel; a subordinate branch; as, the ramifications…Răm'i-fôrm, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Resembling a branch. Henslow.Răm'i-fȳ, v. t. p. 1084To divide into branches or parts; as, to ramify an art, a subject, or scheme. Boyle.Răm'i-fȳ, v. i. p. 1084To shoot into branches, as the stem of a plant. When the asparagus begins to ramify. Arbuthnot. 2. To be divided or subdivided, as a main subject or scheme.Rā'mist, n. p. 1084A follower of Pierre Ramé, better known as Ramus, a celebrated French scholar, who was professor of rhetoric and philosophy at Paris in the reign of Henry II. Brande.Rām'line, n. p. 1084A line used, in mast-making, to get a straight middle line on a spar. Dana.Rām'mel, n. p. 1084Refuse matter. [Obs.] “Fill'd with rubbish, rammel, and broken stones.”—Holland.Răm'mer, n. p. 1084One who, or that which, rams or drives; as, (a.) An instrument for driving any thing with force; as, a rammer for driving stones or piles, or for beating the earth to more solidity. (b.) A rod for…Rām'mish, a. p. 1084Ram-like; rank; strong-scented.Rām'mish-ness, n. p. 1084Rankness of scent.Rām'my, a. p. 1084Like a ram; strong-scented; rammish. Burton.Rām'ol-lĕs'cence, n. p. 1084A softening or mollifying. [Rare.] Caldwell.Ra-moon', n. p. 1084(Bot.) A small West Indian tree of the genus Trophis, whose leaves and twigs are used as fodder for cattle. P. Cyc.Ra-mōse' or Rā'mōūs, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Branched, as a stem or root; having lateral divisions; consisting of branches; full of branches; branchy.Rāmp, v. i. p. 1084To climb, as a plant; to creep up. Plants furnished with tendrils catch hold, and so ramping on trees, they mount to a great height. Ray. 2. To spring; to leap; to bound; to prance; to frolic; to…Rāmp, n. p. 1084A leap; a spring; a bound. The bold Ascalonite Fled from his lion ramp. Milton. 2. A highwayman; a robber. [Prov. Eng.] 3. A ramping woman; a prostitute. [Low.] Nares. 4. (Arch.) A concave bend or…Rām'p'age, v. i. p. 1084To scour up and down; to prance about in a riotous manner. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Răm'pāge, n. p. 1084Violent or riotous behavior; a state of excitement or passion; as, to be on the rampage. [Prov. Eng.] Dickens.Ram-pāl'ian, n. p. 1084A mean wretch. [Obs.] Shak.Răm'p'an-cy, n. p. 1084The quality or state of being rampant; excessive growth or practice; excessive prevalence; exuberance; extravagance. “This height and rampancy of vice.” South.Rām'p'ant, a. p. 1084Springing or climbing unchecked; leaping; ramping; overgrowing the usual bounds; rank in growth; exuberant. The rampant stalk is of unusual altitude. I. Taylor. 2. Overleaping restraint. The lion…Răm'p'ant-ly, adv. p. 1084In a rampant manner.Rām'pārt, n. p. 1084That which fortifies and defends from assault; that which secures safety. 2. (Fort.) An elevation or mound of earth round a place, upon which the parapet is raised. Mahan. Syn. — Bulwark; fence…Rām'pārt, v. t. p. 1084To fortify with ramparts. These grassy hills, those glittering dells, Proudly ramparted with rocks. Coleridge. Rampart gun (Fort.), a cannon or large gun fitted for rampart use, and not used for…Rām'piēr, n. p. 1084The same as RAMPART.Rām'pi-on, n. p. 1084(Bot.) A plant of the genus Campanula (C. rapunculus), having an esculent root somewhat resembling a small turnip. Eng. Cyc. Crested rampion, a species of Lobelia. — Horned rampion, a species of…Rām'pīre, n. p. 1084The same as RAMPART; — seldom used except in poetry. The Trojans round the place a rampire cast. Dryden.Rām′pīre, v. t. p. 1084To fortify with a rampire: to form into a rampire. [Obs.] Chapman.Rām'rŏd, n. p. 1084The rod used in ramming down the charge in a musket, pistol, or other fire-arm.Rām’shăck-le, a. p. 1084Loose; old; falling to pieces. [Prov. Eng.] “A squeezed house with a ramshackle bowed front.” Dickens.Răm’shăck-le, v. t. p. 1084To search or ransack. [Prov. Eng.]Rām'son, n. p. 1084(Bot.) A species of garlic (Allium ursinum), formerly cultivated in gardens. P. Cyc.Rām'ū-lōse or Rām'ū-lōus, a. p. 1084(Bot.) Having many small branches.Rān, imp. p. 1084of run. See RUN.Rām, n. p. 1084Open robbery. [Obs.] Lombard.Rā'na, n. p. 1084(Zoöl.) A genus of tailless batrachians; the frog.Ran-çēs'cent, a. p. 1084Becoming rancid or sour.Rānch, v. t. p. 1084To sprain; to wrench; to injure by violent straining or contortion. [Rare.] Dryden.Rānch, n. p. 1084The same as RANCHO.Ran-chē'ro, n. p. 1084A herdsman; a peasant employed on a rancho. [Mexico.]Rānch'o, n. p. 1084A rude hut, as of posts, covered with branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm-laborers may live or lodge at night; also, a large farming establishment on which are many ranchos; especially, an…Rān'çid, a. p. 1084Having a rank smell; strong-scented; sour; musty; as, rancid oil or butter.Ran-cid'i-ty, n. p. 1085The quality of being rancid; a strong, sour scent, as of old oil. The rancidity of oils may be analogous to the oxidation of metals. Ure.Răn'çid-ly, adv. p. 1085With a strong scent; mustily.Răn'çid-ness, n. p. 1085The quality of being rancid; rancidity.Răn'cor, n. p. 1085The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated and malignant enmity; inveterate hatred. It would not be easy to conceive the passion, rancor, and malice of their tongues and hearts. Burke. Syn.—Enmity…Răn'cor-ous, a. p. 1085Full of rancor; evincing rancor; deeply malignant; implacably spiteful or malicious; intensely virulent. So flamed his eyes with rage and rancorous ire. Spencer. Syn.—Malignant; malicious; bitter…Răn'cor-ous-ly, adv. p. 1085In a rancorous manner; with deep malignity or spiteful malice.