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.
Rib'bon-īsm, n. p. 1137The principles of a secret association of the Irish for purposes of violence.Rĭb'-grăss, n. p. 1138(Bot.) A species of plantain; rib-wort; ripple-grass.Rīb'ībe, n. p. 1138A sort of stringed instrument; a rebec. Nares. 2. A bawd; a prostitute. B. Jonson.Rĭb'ĭ-ble, n. p. 1138A small, three-stringed viol; a rebec. Moore.Rĭb'less, a. p. 1138Having no ribs.Rib'roast, v. t. p. 1138To beat soundly;—a burlesque word.Rĭb'-sup-pōrt'ed, a. p. 1138Supported by ribs.Rĭb'wort, n. p. 1138(Bot.) A species of plantain; Plantago lanceolata.Rīc p. 1138A termination signifying jurisdiction, or a district over which government is exercised, as in biskopric. It is the Goth. reiki, dominion, A-S. rice or ric; from the same root as Lat. rego, to rule…Rice, n. p. 1138(Bot.) A plant of the genus Oryza, and its seed. There is only one species. This plant is cultivated in all warm climates, and the grain forms a large portion of the food of the inhabitants. In…Rice'-bird, n. p. 1138(Ornith.) (a.) A beautiful Asiatic bird of the finch family, so named from its depredations in rice-fields. It is the Amadina (Loxia) oryzivora, of a rich, bloomy lead color, and is called also…Rīce'-bŭnt'ing, n. p. 1138The same as RICE-BIRD.Rīc̄e'-mĭlk, n. p. 1138Milk boiled up and thickened with rice.Rīce'-pā'per, n. p. 1138A kind of thin, delicate paper, brought from China, and used for painting upon, and for the manufacture of fancy articles. It is said to be made from the pith of a plant, the Aralia papyrifera.…Rice'-wee'vil, n. p. 1138(Entom.) An insect resembling the common wheat-weevil; the Calandra oryzae. It attacks rice and Indian corn in the Southern States. Harris.Rich, a. p. 1138Abounding in material possessions; possessed of an unusually large amount of property; well supplied with land, goods, or money; wealthy; opulent; not poor. As a thief bent to unhoard the cash Of…Rich, v. t. p. 1138To enrich. [Obs.] Gower.Rich'es, n. pl. p. 1138That which makes one rich; an abundance of land, goods, money, or other property; wealth; opulence; affluence. Riches do not consist in having more gold and silver, but in having more in proportion…Rich'ly, adv. p. 1138In a rich manner; as, (a.) With abundance of goods or estate; with ample funds; as, a hospital richly endowed. In Belmont is a lady richly left. Shak. (b.) Gayly; splendidly; magnificently; as…Rich'ness, n. p. 1138The state of being rich. 2. That which constitutes any thing rich; any good quality existing in abundance; as, (a.) Opulence; wealth; as, a man noted for richness. (b.) Abundance; fullness of supply…Rī-ci'n'ic, a. p. 1138(Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, castor-oil; as, ricinic acid. Craig.Rĭc'in-ōl'ē-ine, n. p. 1138(Chem.) A fatty substance obtained from castor-oil, of which it is the chief constituent. Gregory.Rĭç/i-nŏl'ic, a. p. 1138(Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, castor-oil; as, ricinolic acid. Gregory.Rick, n. p. 1138A heap or pile of grain or hay in the field or open air, sheltered with a covering of some kind. 2. A small pile of hay or grain in the field. [Prov. Eng.] Mortimer.Rick, v. t. p. 1138To heap up in ricks, as hay, &c.Rick'-cloth, n. p. 1138A tarpaulin or canvas cloth to defend ricks from rain, &c. Simmonds.Rick'et-ish, a. p. 1138Rickety. [Obs.] Fuller.Rick'ets, n. pl. p. 1138(Med.) A disease which affects children, and which is characterized by a bulky head, a crooked spine, depressed ribs, enlarged and spongy articular epiphyses, tumid abdomen, short stature, flabby and…Rick'et-y, a. p. 1138Affected with rickets. Arbuthnot. 2. Feeble in the joints; imperfect; weak.Rick'-ständ, n. p. 1138See STACK-STAND.Ricochet, n. p. 1138Rebound or skipping, as of a ball fired at a low angle of elevation. 2. (Gun.) The firing of guns, or howitzers, usually with small charges, and elevated a few degrees, so as to cause the balls or…Ric-o-chêt’, v. t. p. 1138To operate upon by ricochet firing. See RICOCHET, n. [Rare.]Rict'ūre, n. p. 1138A gaping. [Obs.]Rid, v. t. p. 1138To free; to deliver; to clear; to disencumber. “Resolved at once to rid himself of pain.” Dryden. I never ridded myself of an overmastering and brooding sense of some great calamity traveling toward…Rid'dance, n. p. 1138The act of ridding or freeing; deliverance; a cleaning up or out. Thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field. Lev. xxiii. 22. 2. The state of being rid or free; freedom; escape.…Rid'den, p. p. p. 1138of ride.Rid'der, n. p. 1138One who, or that which, rids.Rid'dle, n. p. 1138A sieve with coarse meshes, usually of wire, for separating coarser materials from finer, as chaff from grain, cinders from ashes, gravel from sand, and the like.Rid'dle, v. t. p. 1138To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; as, to riddle wheat. 2. To perforate with balls so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot.Rid'dle, n. p. 1138Something proposed for conjecture, or that is to be solved by conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma. To wring from me and tell to them my secret, That solved the riddle…Rid'dle, v. t. p. 1138To solve; to explain; to unriddle. Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. Dryden.Rid'dle, v. i. p. 1138To speak ambiguously, obscurely, or enigmatically. Lysander riddles very prettily. Shak.Rid'dler, n. p. 1138One who speaks in riddles, or ambiguously or obscurely. Horne.Rid'dling-ly, adv. p. 1138In the manner of a riddle; secretly. Donne.Ride, v. i. p. 1138To be carried on the back of any animal, as a horse. 2. To be borne in a carriage; as, to ride in a coach, in a car, and the like. 3. To be borne on or in a fluid. Men once walked where ships at…Ride, v. t. p. 1139To sit on, so as to be carried; as, to ride a horse. They ride the air in whirlwind. Milton. 2. To manage insolently at will. The nobility could no longer endure to be ridden by bakers, cobblers, and…Ride, n. p. 1139An excursion on horseback or in a vehicle. 2. A saddle horse. [Prov. Eng.] Grose. 3. A road cut in a wood, or through a ground, for the amusement of riding; a riding.Rĭ-deau', n. p. 1139A small mound of earth.Rīd'er, n. p. 1139One who rides, or is borne on a horse or other beast, or in a vehicle. 2. Hence, a clerk or agent who goes out with samples of goods to obtain orders. [Eng.] 3. One who breaks or manages a horse.…Rid'er-less, a. p. 1139Having no rider.Ridge (rĭj), n. p. 1139The back, or top of the back. Hudibras. 2. A long or continued range of hills or mountains; or the upper part of such a range; a steep elevation, eminence, or protuberance. “The frozen ridges of the…Ridge, v. t. p. 1139To form a ridge of; to make into a ridge or ridges. Bristles ranged like those that ridge the back Of chafed wild boar. Milton. 2. (Agric.) To form into ridges with the plow, as land. 3. To wrinkle.…Ridge'-bănd, n. p. 1139The part of a harness which passes over the saddle on a horse's back, and serves to support the shafts of a cart;—called also ridge-rope, ridge-stay, and ridger. Halliwell.Ridge'-bōne, n. p. 1139The back-bone. [Obs.] “Blood . . . lying cluttered about the ridge-bone.” Holland.Ridg'el, n. p. 1139The same as RIDGIL.Ridge'let, n. p. 1139A little ridge.Ridge'-pōle, n. p. 1139(Arch.) The timber or board forming the ridge of a roof, and into which the rafters are secured; — called also ridge-plate or ridge-piece.Ridge'-rōpe, n. p. 1139(Naut.) A rope along the bulwarks, or in like places, to prevent persons from falling, or to secure an awning to. Totten.Ridge'-tile, n. p. 1139A tile on the ridge of a roof.Ridg'il or Ridg'ling, n. p. 1139The male of any beast half gelt. Dryden.