Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Re-flēct'ing, p. a. p. 1105Throwing back light, heat, &c., as a mirror or other surface. 2. Given to reflection or serious consideration; reflective; as, a reflecting mind. Reflecting circle, an astronomical instrument for…Re-flēct'ing-ly, adv. p. 1105With reflection; also, with censure. Swift.Re-flēc'tion, n. p. 1105The act of reflecting, or turning or sending back, or the state of being reflected; as, (a.) The return of rays, beams, sound, or the like, from a surface. The eye sees not itself, But by reflection…Re-flēct'ive, a. p. 1105Throwing back images; as, a reflective mirror. In the reflective stream the sighing bride, Viewing her charms impaired. Prior. 2. Capable of exercising thought or judgment; as, reflective reason.…Re-flĕct'ive-ly, adv. p. 1105By reflection; reflexively.Re-flĕct'ive-ness, n. p. 1105The state or quality of being reflective.Re-flēct'or, n. p. 1105One who, or that which, reflects. Boyle. 2. (Physics.) (a.) Something having a polished surface for reflecting light or heat, as a mirror, a speculum, and the like. (b.) A reflecting telescope.Rē'flex, a. p. 1105Directed back; attended by reflection; retro-active; introspective. “A reflex act of the soul, or the turning of the intellectual eye inward upon its own actions.” Hale. 2. Produced in reaction, in…Re-flĕx', n. p. 1105Reflection. [Rare.] Yon gray is not the morning's eye; 'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow. Shak. On the depths of death there swims The reflex of a human face. Tennyson. 2. The light…Re-flēx', v. t. p. 1105To reflect. Shak. 2. To bend back; to turn back. [Rare.] Gregory.Re-flĕxed’, a. p. 1105(Bot.) Bent downward or backward. Gray.Re-flēx'/i-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1105The quality of being reflexible, or capable of being reflected; as, the reflexibility of the rays of light. Newton.Re-flĕx′ĭ-ble, a. p. 1105Capable of being reflected or thrown back. The light of the sun consists of rays differently refrangible and reflexible. Cheyne.Re-flēx'ion, n. p. 1105See REFLECTION.Re-flĕx'i-ty, n. p. 1105Capacity of being reflected.Re-flĕx'ive, a. p. 1105[Fr. réflexif, Pr. reflexiu.] Bending or turned backward; reflective; having respect to something past. Assurance reflexive can not be a divine faith. Hammond. 2. (Gram.) Having for its direct object…Re-flĕx'ive-ly, adv. p. 1105In a reflexive manner; in a direction backward. Gov. of Tongue. 2. (Gram.) After the manner of a reflexive verb.Re-flĕx'ive-ness, n. p. 1105The state or quality of being reflexive.Re-flĕx'ly, adv. p. 1105In a reflex manner.Rē'flōat, n. p. 1105Reflux; ebb; a flowing back. [Obs.] Bacon.Rē'flo-rēs'cençe, n. p. 1105A blossoming anew.Rē-flour'ish, v. i. p. 1105To flourish anew.Re-flōw', v. i. p. 1105To flow back; to ebb.Re-flūct'ū-ā'tion, n. p. 1105A flowing back.Rēf'lu-ence or Rēf'lu-en-cy, n. p. 1105A flowing back. Mountague.Rĕf'lu-ent, a. p. 1105Flowing back; returning; ebbing. And refluent through the pass of fear The battle's tide was poured. W. Scott.Rē'flux, a. p. 1105Returning or flowing back; reflex; as, reflux action.Rē'flux, n. p. 1105A flowing back, as the return of a fluid; ebb; as, the flux and reflux of the tides. All from one Shall with a fierce reflux on me redound. Milton.Re-fŏç'il-lāte, v. t. p. 1105To give new vigor to; to refresh; to revive. [Obs.] Aubrey.Re-fōç'il-lā'tion, n. p. 1105The act of refreshing or giving new vigor; restoration of strength by refreshment. [Obs.] Middleton.Rē-fōld', v. t. p. 1105To fold again.Rē'-fo-mēnt', v. t. p. 1105To foment anew; to warm or cherish again. 2. To excite anew.Rē-fōrge', v. t. p. 1106To forge again or anew; hence, to fashion or fabricate anew; to make over again. Udal.Rē-fōr'ger, n. p. 1106One who reforges.Re-fōrm', v. t. p. 1106To form again; to create or shape anew. 2. Especially, to put into a new and improved form or condition; to restore to a former good state, or bring from bad to good; to change from worse to better…Re-fōrm', v. i. p. 1106To return to a good state; to be amended or corrected; as, a man of settled habits of vice will seldom reform.Re-fōrm’, n. p. 1106Amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved; reformation; as, reform of parliamentary elections; reform of government. Syn.—Reformation; amendment; rectification; correction. See…Rē-fôrm’, v. t. p. 1106To form anew or a second time; to give a new form to.Rēf'or-māde', n. p. 1106A reformado. [Obs.] Cotton.Rēf'or-mā'do, n. p. 1106A monk who adheres to the reformation of his order; a monk of a reformed order. Weaver. 2. An officer who, for some disgrace, is deprived of his command, but retains his rank, and perhaps his pay.…Rēf'or-mā'do, a. p. 1106Of, pertaining to, or in the condition of, a reformado; hence, degraded; inferior. 2. Intent upon reformation; penitent; contrite.Re-fōrm'al-īze, v. i. p. 1106To affect reformation; to pretend to correctness. [Obs.] Lee.Rĕf'or-mā'tion, n. p. 1106The act of reforming, or the state of being reformed; change from worse to better; correction or amendment of life, manners, or of any thing vicious or corrupt; as, the reformation of manners…Rē/fŏr-mā'tion, n. p. 1106The act of forming anew; a second forming in order; as, the reformation of a column of troops into a hollow square. Milford.Re-fōrm'a-tive, a. p. 1106Forming again; having the quality of renewing form; reformatory. (Good.)Re-fōrm'a-to-ry, a. p. 1106Tending to produce reformation; reformative.Re-fōrm'a-to-ry, n. p. 1106An institution for promoting the reformation of offenders. Magistrates may send juvenile offenders to reformatories instead of to prisons. Eng. Cyc.Re-fōrmed', p. a. p. 1106Corrected; amended; restored to purity or excellence; said, specifically, of the church formed as the result of the Reformation, and of the members of that church; also, in a more restricted sense…Re-fōrm'er, n. p. 1106One who effects a reformation or amendment; as, a reformer of manners, or of abuses. 2. (Eccl. Hist.) One of those who commenced the reformation of religion in the sixteenth century, as Luther…Re-fôrm’ist, n. p. 1106One who is of the reformed religion. Howell. 2. One who proposes or favors a political reform.Rē-fôr'ti-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 1106A fortifying anew, or a second time. Mitford.Rē-fôr'ti-fy, v. t. p. 1106To fortify anew.Re-fōs'sion, n. p. 1106The act of digging up. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Rē-found', v. t. p. 1106To found or cast anew. Warton. 2. To found or establish again; to re-establish.Rē-found'er, n. p. 1106One who refounds.Re-frāct′, v. t. p. 1106To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off. 2. (Opt.) To break the natural course of, as rays of light; to cause to deviate from a direct course; as, a dense medium refracts the rays of light as…Re-frăct'ed, p. a. p. 1106(Opt.) Turned from a direct course; as, refracted rays of light. 2. (Bot. & Conch.) Bent back at an acute angle; bent suddenly as if broken; as, a refracted corolla. Martyn. Humble.Re-frāct'ing, p. a. p. 1106Serving or tending to refract; as, a refracting medium. Refracting dial, a dial in which the hour is shown by means of some transparent refracting fluid. Hutton.—Refracting telescope. See TELESCOPE.Re-frac'tion, n. p. 1106The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted. 2. (Opt.) The change in the direction of a ray of light, heat, or the like, when it enters obliquely a medium of a different density from that…Re-frăct′ive, a. p. 1106Serving or having power to refract or turn from a direct course; pertaining to refraction; as, refractive powers. Refractive index, or index of refraction, of a substance, the ratio of the sine of…