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.
Rē'/tro-dūc'tion, n. p. 1131A leading or bringing back.Rē'tro-flĕx or Rĕ'tro-flĕx or Rē'tro-flĕxed or Rĕ'tro-flĕxed, a. p. 1131(Bot.) Suddenly bent backward. Lindley.Rē'tro-frāct or Rĕt'ro-frāct or Rē'tro-frāct'ed or Rĕt'ro-frāct'ed, a. p. 1131(Bot.) Bent backward, as it were by force, so as to appear as if broken; refracted; as, a retrofract peduncle.Ré'tro-gén'er-a-tive or Rĕt'ro-gĕn'er-a-tive, a. p. 1131Begetting young by retrocopulation, as most animals.Rĕ'tro-gra-dā'tion or Rĕt'ro-gra-dā'tion, n. p. 1131The act of retrograding or moving backward. 2. (Astron.) The apparent motion of the planets contrary to the order of the signs, that is, from east to west. Hutton. 3. The state of being retrograded…Rē'tro-grāde or Rēt'ro-grāde, a. p. 1131Tending or serving to move in a backward or contrary direction; contrary. It is most retrograde to our desire. Shak. 2. Going or moving backward; declining from a better to a worse state. Bacon. 3.…Rē'tro-grāde or Rēt'ro-grāde, v. i. p. 1131To go or move backward.Rē'tro-grād'ing-ly or Rēt'ro-grād'ing-ly, adv. p. 1131By retrograding; so as to retrograde.Rē'tro-grēs'sion or Rēt'ro-grēs'sion, n. p. 1131The act of going backward; retrogradation.Rē'tro-grĕs'sive or Rĕt'ro-grĕs'sive, a. p. 1131Going or moving backward; declining from a more perfect to a less perfect state. Geography is at times retrogressive. Pinkerton.Rē'tro-grēs'sive-ly or Rēt'ro-grēs'sive-ly, adv. p. 1131In a retrogressive manner.Rē'tro-mīn'gen-cy or Rēt'ro-mīn'gen-cy, n. p. 1131The act or quality of being retromingent. Browne.Rē'tro-mĭn'gent or Rēt'ro-mĭn'gent, a. p. 1131Organized so as to discharge the urine backward.Rē'tro-min'gent or Rēt'ro-min'gent, n. p. 1131(Zool.) An animal that discharges its urine backward. ☞ The retromingents are a division of animals whose characteristic is, that they discharge their urine backward, both male and female.Rē'tro-pūl'sive or Rēt'ro-pūl'sive, a. p. 1131Driving back; repelling.Re-trôrse', a. p. 1131Bent in a backward direction.Re-trôrse'ly, adv. p. 1131In a retrorse manner; with a backward direction; as, a stem retrorsely aculeate.Rĕt'ro-spēct or Rēt'ro-spēct, v. i. p. 1131To look back; to affect what is past.Rĕt'ro-spĕct or Rēt'ro-spĕct, n. p. 1131A looking back on things past; view or contemplation of something past. We may introduce a song without retrospect to the old comedy. Landor. Syn.—Review; survey; resurvey; re-examination.Rē'tro-spēc'tion or Rēt'ro-spēc'tion, n. p. 1131The act of looking back on things past. 2. The faculty of looking back on past things.Rē'tro-spēct'ive or Rĕt'ro-spēct'ive, a. p. 1131Tending or fitted to look back; looking back; as, retrospective view. “The sage, with retrospective eye.” Pope. 2. Having reference to what is past; affecting things past. “A scruple about inflicting…Rē'tro-spĕct'ive-ly or Rēt'ro-spĕct'ive-ly, adv. p. 1131In a retrospective manner; by way of retrospect.Rē'tro-vēr'sion or Rēt'ro-vēr'sion, n. p. 1131A turning or falling backward; as, the retroversion of the uterus.Rĕ'tro-vĕrt or Rĕt'ro-vĕrt, v. t. p. 1131To turn back.Re-trūde', v. t. p. 1131To thrust back. [Rare.] More.Re-tru'se', a. p. 1131Hidden; abstruse. [Obs.] Something of so retruse a nature that I want a name for it, unless I should venture to term it “divine sagacity.” H. More.Re-tru'sion, n. p. 1131The act of being retruded. “In virtue of an endless re-motion or retrusion of the constituent cause.” Coleridge.Rē-try', v. t. p. 1131To try again; to put on trial a second time. Atlantic Monthly.Rēt'ter-y, n. p. 1131A place or establishment where flax is retted. See RET. Ure.Rĕt'ting, n. p. 1131The act or process of preparing flax for use by soaking, maceration, and kindred processes. See RET. Ure. 2. A place where the operation of retting flax is carried on; a rettery. Ure.Re-tŭnd’, v. t. p. 1132To blunt; to turn, as an edge; to dull; as, to retund the edge of a weapon. Ray.Re-tŭrn′, v. i. p. 1132To turn back; to go or come again to the same place or condition. On their embattled ranks the waves return. Milton. 2. Hence, to come again, as a visitor. Thou to mankind Be good and friendly still…Re-tŭrn’, v. t. p. 1132To bring, carry, or send back; as, to return a borrowed book; to return a hired horse. 2. To repay; as, to return borrowed money. 3. To requite or recompense. The Lord shall return thy wickedness…Re-tûrn', n. p. 1132The act of returning (intransitive) or coming back to the same place or condition; as, the return of one long absent; the return of health; the return of the seasons, or of an anniversary. At the…Rē-tûrn', v. t. p. 1132To turn again, or in the contrary direction; to reverse. Bulwer.Re-tûrn'a-ble, a. p. 1132Capable of being returned or restored. 2. (Law.) Legally required to be returned, delivered, given, or rendered; as, a writ or precept returnable at a certain day; a verdict returnable to the court.Re-tûrn'-dāy, n. p. 1132The day when the defendant is to appear in court, and the sheriff is to return the writ and his proceedings.Re-tûrn'er, n. p. 1132One who returns; one who repays or remits money.Re-tûrn'less, a. p. 1132Admitting no return. [Obs.] Chapman.Re-tūse', a. p. 1132(Bot.) Terminating in a round end, the center of which is somewhat indented; as, a retuse leaf.Rē-ūn'ion, n. p. 1132A second union; union formed anew after separation or discord; as, a reunion of parts or particles of matter; a reunion of parties or sects. 2. An assemblage or assembly of familiar friends; a…Re-ū-nite', v. t. p. 1132To unite again; to join after separation or variance. Shak.Rē-ū-nīte', v. i. p. 1132To be united again; to join and cohere again.Rē-ū-nit'ed-ly, adv. p. 1132In a reunited manner.Rē-ū-ni'tion, n. p. 1132A second uniting; reunion. [Obs.]Rē-urge′, v. t. p. 1132To urge again.Reuss'in, n. p. 1132(Min.) A sulphate of soda and magnesia, found in the form of a mealy efflorescence, sometimes crystallized in flat, six-sided prisms, and in acicular crystals. Ure.Reuss'ite, n. p. 1132(Min.) Native sulphate of soda; Glauber's-salt.Re-văc'ci-nāte, v. t. p. 1132To vaccinate a second time.Rē-văc'ci-nā'tion, n. p. 1132A second vaccination.Rĕv'a-lĕs'cence, n. p. 1132The state of being revalescent. Would this prove that the patient's revalescence had been independent of the medicines given him? Coleridge.Rĕv/a-lĕs'/cent, a. p. 1132Beginning to grow well.Rē-văl/u-ā'tion, n. p. 1132A second valuation.Rēve, n. p. 1132An officer, steward, or governor. [Usually written reeve.]Re-vēal', v. t. p. 1132To make known after having been concealed; to unveil; to disclose; to show. Light was the wound, the prince's care unknown; She might not, would not yet, reveal her own. Waller. 2. Specifically, to…Re-vēal', n. p. 1132A revealing; disclosure. [Obs.] 2. (Arch.) The side of an opening for a window, doorway, or the like, between the framework and the outer surface of the wall. [Written also revel.]Re-vēal/a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 1132The possibility or capacity of being revealed; revealableness. Coleridge.Re-vēal'a-ble, a. p. 1132Capable of being revealed.Re-vēal'a-ble-ness, n. p. 1132The state of being revealable; revealability.Re-vēal'er, n. p. 1132One who, or that which, reveals.