Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Rāy, n. p. 1090One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of six rays. 2. (Bot.) A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal florets of…Rāy, v. t. p. 1090To mark with long lines; to streak. [Obs.] And the clean waves with purple gore did ray. Spenser. 2. To defile or disfigure; to foul. [Obs.] From his soft eyes the tears he wiped away, And from his…Rāy, v. t. p. 1090To array. [Obs.]Rāy, n. p. 1090(Ichth.) A fish of the Linnaean genus Raia, including the skate, the thornback, and the torpedo.Rāy, n. p. 1090Array; order; arrangement; dress. [Obs.] “And spoiling all her goodly ray.” Spenser.Rā'gah or Rā'yah, n. p. 1090A person not a Mohammedan, who pays the capitation tax. [Turkey.] Brande.Rāy'-grāss, n. p. 1090(Bot.) A plant of the genus Lolium (L. perenne); rye-grass.Rāy'less, a. p. 1090Destitute of light; dark; not illuminated. Young.Rāy'on, n. p. 1090Ray. [Obs.] Spenser.Rāy'on-nānt, a. p. 1090(Her.) Darting forth rays, as the sun when it shines out. Cross-rayonnant (Her.), a cross having rays of glory behind it darting out from the center to all parts of the escutcheon. Wright.Rāze, n. p. 1090A root. See RACE. ☞ By some this word has been supposed to mean a bale or package; but this seems doubtful.Rāze, v. t. p. 1090To erase; to efface; to obliterate; to extirpate. “Razing the characters of your renown.” Shak. “And raze their factions and their family.” Shak. 2. To subvert from the foundation; to lay level with…Ra-zee’,, n. p. 1090(Naut.) An armed ship having her upper deck cut down, and thus reduced to the next inferior rate, as a seventy-four cut down to a frigate. Totten.Ra-zee′, v. t. p. 1090To cut down to an inferior rate or class, as a ship; hence, to prune or abridge by cutting off or retrenching parts; as, to razee a book, or an article.Rā'zor, n. p. 1090An instrument for removing the beard or hair; a very keen-bladed knife of a peculiar form used for shaving the person. Razors of a boar, a boar's tusks.Rā'zor-a-ble, a. p. 1090Ready for the razor; fit to be shaved. [Rare.] Shak.Rā′zor-băck, n. p. 1090(Zoöl.) A species of whale found in the North Sea; Physalus (or Balæna) antiquorum. It is remarkable for its size, attaining the length of one hundred feet. Baird.Rā'zor-bill, n. p. 1090(Ornith.) An aquatic fowl, common in the arctic regions; the common auk; Alca torda.Rā'zored, a. p. 1090Formed like a razor.Rā'zor-fish, n. p. 1090(Ichth.) A small fish of the Mediterranean (Coryphæna novacula), prized for the table. Booth. 2. (Zoöl.) The razor-shell; Solen ensis. Kirby.Rā'zor-shell, n. p. 1090(Zoöl.) A bivalve shell-fish (Solen ensis), having a shell long and narrow like the handle of a razor. It is sometimes used as food.Rā'zor-stōne, n. p. 1090The same as NOVACULITE, q. v.Rā'zor-strōp, n. p. 1090A strop for sharpening razors.Rāz'ūre, n. p. 1090The act of erasing or effacing; obliteration. See RASURE. 2. That which is razed; erasure. There were many razures in the book of the treasury. Burnet.Rāz'zi-ā, n. p. 1090A plundering and destructive incursion.Rē. p. 1090A prefix or inseparable particle in the composition of words, denoting return, repetition, iteration. It is abbreviated from red, which the Latins retained in words beginning with a vowel, as in…Rē p. 1090A syllable applied in solmization to the second tone of the diatonic scale.Rē'-ab-sōrb', v. t. p. 1090To absorb again; to draw in or imbibe again what has been effused, extravasated, or thrown off; to swallow up again; as, to reabsorb chyle, lymph, &c.;—used of fluids.Rē'-ab-sôr'p'tion, n. p. 1090The act or process of reabsorbing; the swallowing a second time.Rē'-ae-cĕss', n. p. 1090A second access or approach; a visit renewed. Hakewill.Rē'-ac-cūse', v. t. p. 1090To accuse again.Reach, v. t. p. 1090To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like. Reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side. John xx. 27. Trees reached too far their…Reach, v. i. p. 1091To stretch out the hand. Goddess humane, reach, then, and freely taste. Milton. 2. To strain after something; to make efforts at attainment. Reaching above our nature does no good. Dryden. 3. To be…Rēach, n. p. 1091The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held. 2. The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like…Rēach'a-ble, a. p. 1091Within reach.Rēach'er, n. p. 1091One who reaches or extends; one who delivers by extending the arm.Rēach'ing-pōst, n. p. 1091(Rope-making.) A post at the lower end of a rope-walk. Wright.Rēach'less, a. p. 1091Beyond reach; lofty. “Unto a reachless pitch of praises hight.” Bp. Hall.Re-āct', v. t. p. 1091To act or perform a second time; to do over again; as, to react a play; the same scenes were reacted at Rome.Re-ăct’, v. i. p. 1091To return an impulse or impression; to resist the action of another body by an opposite force; as, every body reacts on the body that impels it from its natural state. 2. To act upon each other; to…Re-ăc'tion, n. p. 1091Any action in resisting other action or power; counter tendency; movement in a contrary direction; reverse action. 2. (Chem.) The mutual or reciprocal action of chemical agents upon each other; the…Reaction-wheel p. 1091a water-wheel driven by the reaction of water, which, entering it centrally, escapes at its periphery in a direction opposite to that of its motion by orifices at right angles to its radii.Re-ăc'tion-a-ry, a. p. 1091For, or implying, reaction; as, reactionary movements.Re-ăc'tion-a-ry, n. p. 1091One who favors reaction, or seeks to undo political progress or revolution.Re-äc'tion-ist, n. p. 1091A reactionary. C. Kingsley.Re-ăct′ive, a. p. 1091Having power to react; tending to reaction.Re-ăc'tive-ly, adv. p. 1091By reaction.Re-ăc'tive-ness, n. p. 1091The quality of being reactive.Read, n. p. 1091Saying; sentence; hence, word; advice; decision; counsel; rede. [Obs.] Who dares dissent from this my read. Spenser.Read, v. t. p. 1091To advise; to rede. [Obs.] Therefore, I read thee, get thee to God's word, and thereby try all doctrine. Tyndale.Read, v. t. p. 1091To go over, as characters or words, and utter aloud, or recite to one's self inaudibly; to take in the sense of, as of language, whether written, printed, engraved, or the like; to peruse; as, to…Read, v. i. p. 1091To perform the act of reading; to peruse a book or other like document. So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense. Neb. viii. 8. 2. To be studious; to practice much…Read, a. p. 1091Instructed or knowing by reading; versed in books; learned. “A poet well read in Longinus.” Addison.Read'a-ble, a. p. 1091Capable of being read; fit, legible, or suitable to be read; worth reading.Read'a-ble-ness, n. p. 1091The state of being readable.Read'a-bly, adv. p. 1091In a readable or legible manner.Rē'-ad-drēss', v. t. p. 1091To address a second time; — often used reflexively. “He re-addressed himself to her.” Boyle.Re'-a-dĕpt', v. t. p. 1091To regain; to recover. [Obs.]Rē'-a-dĕp'tion, n. p. 1091A regaining; recovery of something lost. [Obs.] Bacon.Rēad'er, n. p. 1091One who reads; any person who peruses or studies what is written; specifically, (a.) One whose distinctive office is to read prayers in a church. (b.) (University of Oxford, Eng.) One who reads…