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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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Ridg'ing-ly, adv. p. 1139In a ridgy manner; so as to form ridges.Ridg'y, a. p. 1139Having a ridge or ridges; rising in a ridge. “Lifted on a ridgy wave.” Pope.Rid'i-cūle, n. p. 1139The expression of laughter, especially when mingled with contempt; contemptuous derision. We have in great measure restricted the meaning of ridicule, which would properly extend over the whole…Rid'i-cūle, v. t. p. 1139To laugh at with expressions of contempt; to deride; to awaken ridicule toward or respecting. I've known the young, who ridiculed his rage, Love's humblest vassals when oppressed with age. Goldsmith.…Rid'i-cūle, a. p. 1139Ridiculous. [Obs.]Rid'i-cūl'er, n. p. 1139One who ridicules.Ri-dĭc'ŭ-līze, v. t. p. 1139To make ridiculous; to ridicule. [Obs.] Chapman.Rĭ-dĭc'ū-lōŭs, a. p. 1139Fitted to excite ridicule; contemptible and laughable; as, a ridiculous dress; ridiculous behavior. Agricola, discerning that those little targets and unwieldy glaives, ill pointed, would soon become…Ri-dĭc'ŭ-lōus-ly, adv. p. 1139In a ridiculous manner; as, a man ridiculously vain.Ri-dĭc'ŭ-lōus-ness, n. p. 1139The quality of being ridiculous.Rid'ing, a. p. 1139Employed to travel on any occasion. No suffragan bishop shall have more than one riding apparitor. Ayliffe. 2. Suitable for riding on; as, a riding-horse. ☞ Riding is often used in the formation of…Rid'ing, n. p. 1139The act of one who is carried upon the back of an animal or in a carriage. 2. A road cut in a wood or through a ground, for the diversion of riding therein. Sidney. 3. A district visited by an…Rīd'ing-clērk, n. p. 1139One of the six clerks in chancery. [Eng.] Ash.Rid'ing-days, n. pl. p. 1139Days when hostile excursions or attacks are made by horsemen. W. Scott.Rid'ing-hōōd, n. p. 1139A hood used by females when they ride; a kind of cloak with a hood.Rid'ing-house, n. p. 1139A building within which the art of riding is taught or practiced.Rid'ing-mās'ter, n. p. 1139A man who instructs in the art of riding.Rid'ing-mis'tress, n. p. 1139A woman who instructs in the art of riding.Rid'ing-school, n. p. 1139A school or place where the art of riding is taught.Rĭ-dŏt'to, n. p. 1139A favorite Italian public entertainment, consisting of music and dancing;—held generally on fast eves. Twice a week there are to be ridottos at guinea tickets. H. Walpole.Ri-dōt'to, v. i. p. 1139To frequent ridottos. [Rare.]Rīe, n. p. 1139See RYE.