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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

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.

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  1. Rhē'o-trōpe, n.p. 1136(Physics.) An instrument for reversing the direction of an electric current. [Written also reotrope.]
  2. Rhē'ti-an, a.p. 1136(Geog.) Pertaining to the ancient Rhæti, or to Rhætia, their country; as, the Rhætian Alps, now the country of Tyrol and the Grisons.
  3. Rhē'ti-zīte, n.p. 1136The same as RHÆTIZITE.
  4. Rhē'tor, n.p. 1136A rhetorician. [Obs.] Hammond.}
  5. Rhēt'o-ric, n.p. 1136The art of composition; especially the art of elegant and accurate composition in prose. 2. The science of oratory; the art of speaking with propriety, elegance, and force. Locke. 3. Hence…
  6. Rhe-tŏr'ic-al, a.p. 1136Of, pertaining to, or involving, rhetoric; oratorical; as, the rhetorical art; a rhetorical treatise; a rhetorical flourish. They permit him to leave their poetical taste ungratified, provided that…
  7. Rhe-tŏr'ic-al-ly, adv.p. 1136In a rhetorical manner; according to the rules of rhetoric; as, to treat a subject rhetorically; a discourse rhetorically delivered.
  8. Rhe-tōr'ic-al-ness, n.p. 1136The state or quality of being rhetorical.
  9. Rhe-tŏr'ic-āte, v. i.p. 1136To play the orator. [Obs.] A person ready to sink under his wants has neither time nor heart to rhetoricate, or make flourishes. South.
  10. Rhe-tōr'i-cā'tion, n.p. 1136Rhetorical amplification. [Obs.] Waterland.
  11. Rhēt'o-rī'cian, n.p. 1136One well versed in the rules and principles of rhetoric. The “understanding” is that by which a man becomes a mere logician, and a mere rhetorician. F. W. Robertson. 2. One who teaches the art of…
  12. Rhĕt'o-rĭ'cian, a.p. 1136Suiting a master of rhetoric. [Obs.] Blackmore.
  13. Rhĕt'o-rīze, v. i.p. 1136To play the orator. Cotgr.
  14. Rhĕt'o-rīze, v. t.p. 1136To represent by a figure of oratory. Milton.
  15. Rhē'um, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A genus of plants, the fleshy, acid stalks of some species of which are used in cookery, while the roots of other species afford a valuable cathartic medicine; rhubarb.
  16. Rheum, n.p. 1136An increased action of the excretory vessels of any organ;—applied especially to the increased action of the mucous membrane, attended with increased discharge and an altered state of the excreted…
  17. Rheu-măt'ic, a.p. 1136Pertaining to rheumatism, or partaking of its nature; as, rheumatic pains or affections. Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, Pale in her anger, washes all the air, That rheumatic diseases…
  18. Rheu'ma-tism, n.p. 1136(Med.) A painful inflammation affecting muscles and joints of the human body, chiefly the larger joints, as the hips, knees, shoulders, &c.
  19. Rheum'y, a.p. 1136Pertaining to, abounding in, or causing, rheum; affected with, or full of, rheum. His head and rheumy eyes distill in showers. Dryden. And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air To add unto his sickness.…
  20. Rhīme, n.p. 1136See RHYME.
  21. Rhī'nal, a.p. 1136Pertaining to the nose.
  22. Rhī-năn'thus, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A genus of annual plants having yellow flowers; yellow-rattle;—so called from the beaked upper lip of the corolla, resembling a snout, in some species formerly included in this genus. Gray.
  23. Rhīne, n.p. 1136A water-course or ditch. [Written also rean.] Macaulay.
  24. Rhī'no, n.p. 1136Gold and silver, or money. [Cant.] Wagstaffe.
  25. Rhī'no-çē'ri-al or Rhī'no-çĕr'ic-al, a.p. 1136Of, or pertaining to, the rhinoceros; resembling the rhinoceros. Tatler.
  26. Rhī-nŏç'e-rŏs, n.p. 1136(Zool.) A pachydermatous mammal,—nearly allied to the elephant, the hippopotamus, the tapir, &c., and characterized by having one or two very strong horns upon the nose. It is of great size, and very…
  27. Rhī-nŏç'e-rŏs-bīrd, n.p. 1136A bird of the genus Buceros, a species of hornbill (B. rhinoceros), found in the East Indies and Indian Islands, having a curved horn on the forehead, joined to the upper mandible. P. Cyc.
  28. Rhī-nŏl'o-phŭs, n.p. 1136(Zoöl.) A genus of bats characterized by having the nose surmounted by membranous crests, the upper one of which is lanceolate and erect, while the lower one is shaped like a horse-shoe.
  29. Rhī'no-plăs'tic, a.p. 1136Forming a nose. Rhinoplastic operation (Surg.), an operation which renews the nose, or supplies a substitute for a natural nose.
  30. Rhī'no-plās-ty, n.p. 1136(Surg.) The process of forming an artificial nose, sometimes called the Taliacotian operation. It consists in bringing down a piece of flesh from the forehead, and causing it to adhere to the…
  31. Rhī-pē'an, a.p. 1136See RIPHEAN.
  32. Rhī-pip’ter, n.p. 1136(Entom.) One of an order of insects having wings which fold like a fan; a strepsipter. See STREPSIPTER.
  33. Rhi-pip'ter-ā, n. pl.p. 1136(Entom.) One of the rhipipters. See RHIPIPTER.
  34. Rhī-pip'ter-an, n.p. 1136(Entom.) One of the Rhipiptera.
  35. Rhiz'o-dōnt, n.p. 1136(Zoöl.) A reptile whose teeth are planted in sockets, as the crocodile. Dana.
  36. Rhī-zō'mā, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A creeping stem or branch growing beneath the surface of the soil, and partly covered by it; a root-stock. Gray.
  37. Rhīzō-mōr'phē, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A genus of fungi resembling the root of a tree, found in damp cellars, on decayed wood, in mines, and similar places. One species (R. subterranea), found in the coal mines of Dresden, is…
  38. Rhī-zōph'a-goūs, a.p. 1136Feeding on roots.
  39. Rhī-zōph'o-rā, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A genus of tropical plants, including the mangrove. They root in the mud, and form a dense thicket down to the verge of the water.
  40. Rhiz'o-pōd, n.p. 1136(Zoöl.) One of the protozoans, having usually a calcareous shell consisting of one or more minute cells, and often arranged in regular forms. Some of them extend out fiber-like processes through the…
  41. Rhō'di-an, a.p. 1136(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Rhodes, an isle of the Mediterranean; as, Rhodian laws.
  42. Rhō'di-an, n.p. 1136(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Rhodes.
  43. Rhō'di-ūm, n.p. 1136(Chem.) A metal discovered by Wollaston, in 1803, among grains of crude platinum. It is of a white color and metallic luster, is extremely hard and brittle, and has a specific gravity of about 11. It…
  44. Rhōd'i-zite, n.p. 1136(Min.) A mineral, supposed to be a lime boracite, found in minute crystals on red tourmalines from Siberia; — so called from its communicating a red color to flame. Dana.
  45. Rhō'do-dēn'drŏn, n.p. 1136(Bot.) A genus of shrubs or small trees having handsome evergreen leaves, and remarkable for the beauty of their rose-colored or purple flowers; rose-bay. Gray.
  46. Rhōd'o-mon-tāde', n.p. 1136The same as RODOMONTADE.
  47. Rhŏd'/o-mon-tād'er, n.p. 1137The same as RODOMON-TADER.
  48. Rhŏ'dōn-ite, n.p. 1137(Min.) Manganese spar, or silicate of manganese. Dana.
  49. Rhōmb, n.p. 1137(Geom.) An oblique-angled equilateral parallelogram, or a quadrilateral figure whose sides are equal and the opposite sides parallel, but the angles unequal, two of the angles being obtuse and two…
  50. Rhōm'bic, a.p. 1137Having the figure of a rhomb. Grew.
  51. Rhōm'bo-hē'dral, a.p. 1137(Geom. & Crystallog.) Related to the rhombohedron; presenting forms derivable from a rhombohedron; relating to a system of forms including the rhombohedron and hexagonal prism. Dana.
  52. Rhōm'bo-hē'dron, n.p. 1137(Geom. & Crystallog.) A solid contained by six equal rhombic planes.
  53. Rhōm'boid, n.p. 1137(Geom.) An oblique-angled parallelogram like a rhomb, but having only the opposite sides equal, the length and width being different. Hutton.
  54. Rhōm’boid, a.p. 1137The same as RHOM-BOIDAL. Rhomboid muscle (Anat.), a muscle, so called from its shape, which arises in the spine, and is inserted into the posterior or inner edge of the scapula.
  55. Rhom-boid'al, a.p. 1137Having the shape of a rhomboid. Woodward.
  56. Rhom-boid'ēs, n.p. 1137A rhomboid. [Rare.] Milton.
  57. Rhōmb'-spār, n.p. 1137A mineral resembling calc-spar in luster and crystallization, consisting of the carbonates of lime and magnesia, with some carbonate of iron. Owing to the latter, it usually turns brown on exposure.…
  58. Rhŏm'bus, n.p. 1137The same as RHOMB.
  59. Rhon-chīs'o-nant, a.p. 1137Making a snorting noise; snorting. [Rare.]
  60. Rhu'bärb, n.p. 1137A plant of the genus Rheum, of several species. R. rhaponticum is the common species, the fleshy and acid stalks of which are much used in cookery. The roots of several other species furnish a…