Thomas Davidson

“ Rail, rāl, n. a bar of timber or metal extending from one support to another, as in fences, staircases, &c.: one of those steel bars used on the permanent way of a railway, generally of that form known as the T-rail: a barrier: the railway as a means of travel or transport: (archit.) the horizontal part of a frame and panel: (naut.) the forecastle-rail, poop-rail, and top-rail are bars across the forecastle, &c.—v.t. ”

“ Rack′-stick, a stick for stretching a rope; Rack′-tail, a bent arm in a repeating clock connected with the striking mechanism; Rack′work, a strong bar with cogs to correspond with similar cogs on a wheel, which either moves or is moved by the bar.—Live at rack and manger, to live sumptuously and wastefully; On the rack, stretched upon it: tortured by anxiety; Put to the rack, to put to the torture of the rack: to subject to keen suffering. [The radical sense is to stretch, closely allied to reach (q.v.) ; cf. Ice. rakkr, straight, Ger. rack, a rail, recken, to stretch.] ”

“ Ratch, rach, n. a rack or bar with teeth into which a click drops: the wheel which makes a clock strike: a white mark on the face of a horse.—v.t. to stretch: to streak.—v.i. to sail by tacks.—ns. Ratch′et, a bar acting on the teeth of a ratchet-wheel: a click or pall; Ratch′et-coup′ling, a device for uncoupling machinery in the event of a sudden stoppage; Ratch′et-drill, a tool for drilling holes, the bit mounted in a stock and rotated by a ratchet-wheel and lever; Ratch′et-jack, a form of screw-jack; Ratch′et-lē′ver, a lever fitted round a ratchet-wheel ”

“ Rat, rat, n. an animal of the genus Mus, larger and more destructive than the mouse: a renegade, turncoat: a workman who accepts lower than the authorised wages, who declines to join in a strike, or who takes a striker's work: a roll of anything used to puff out the hair which is turned over it.—v.i. (coll.) to desert one's party and join their opponents for gain or power: to take lower than current wages, to refuse to join in a strike, to take a striker's place:—pr.p. ”

“ Rank′er, one who arranges or disposes in ranks: an officer who has risen from the ranks.—Rank and file, the whole body of common soldiers.—Take rank of, to have the right to take a higher place than; Take rank with, to take the same rank as; The ranks, the order of common soldiers. [O. Fr. renc (Fr. rang) —Old High Ger. hring or hrinc, Eng. ring.]
Rank, rangk, adj. growing high and luxuriantly: coarse from excessive growth: raised to a high degree: excessive: very fertile: strong-scented: strong-tasted: rancid: utter, as rank nonsense: coarse: indecent: (Shak.) ”

“ Rag′gery, rags collectively; Rag′ging, the first rough separation of the ore from dross; Rag′-man, a man who collects or deals in rags; Rag′-mon′ey (slang) , paper money; Rag′-pick′er, one who collects rags, &c., from ash-heaps, dung-hills, &c.: a machine for tearing old rags, &c., to pieces; Rag′-shop, a shop where rag-pickers dispose of their finds; Rag′-sort′er, one who sorts out rags for paper-making; Rag′-stone, Ragg, an impure limestone, consisting chiefly of lime and silica; Rag′-tag, the rabble; Rag′weed, any plant of the composite genus Ambrosia ”

“ Rail, rāl, n. a genus of wading-birds with a harsh cry.—n. Rail′-bird, the Carolina rail.—Golden rail, a rail snipe. [O. Fr. rasle (Fr. râle) —Old Dut. ratelen, to rattle.]
Rail, rāl, v.i. (Spens.) to flow or pour down.
Rail, rāl, n. a robe—now only in Night-rail.
Raiment, rā′ment, n. that in which one is dressed: clothing in general. [For arraiment. Cf. Array.]
Rain, rān, n. water from the clouds in drops: a shower: a fall of any substance through the atmosphere in the manner of rain.—v.i. to fall from the clouds: to drop like rain.—v.t. to pour like rain.—ns. ”

“ A variant of rail (v.i.) .]
Ralph, ralf, n. (slang) the imp of mischief in a printing-house: a raven.
Ram, ram, n. a male sheep, a tup: (astron.) Aries (q.v.) , one of the signs of the zodiac: an engine of war for battering, with a head like that of a ram: a hydraulic engine, called water-ram: a ship-of-war armed with a heavy iron beak for running down a hostile vessel.—v.t. to thrust with violence, as a ram with its head: to force together: to drive hard down:—pr.p. ram′ming; pa.t. and pa.p. rammed.—n. Ram′-head, an iron lever for raising great stones: a cuckold. [A.S. ram, rom; Ger. ramm.] ”

“ Race′-cup, a piece of plate forming a prize at a race; Race′horse, a horse bred for racing; Race′-meet′ing, a meeting for purposes of horse-racing; Rā′cer, one who races: a racehorse; Race′-way, a mill-race; Rā′cing, the running of races; Rā′cing-bit, a light jointed ring-bit; Consolā′tion-race (see Consolation) ; Flat′-race, a horse-race over level or clear ground—opp. to a Hurdle-race or Steeplechase, which are called generally Obstacle-races.—Racing calendar, a full list of races to be run. [A.S. rǽs, stream; Ice. rás, rapid course.]
Race, rās, n. (Shak.) a root.—n. ”

“ Rail′-bend′er, a screw-press for straightening rails; Rail′-bor′er, a hand-drill for rails; Rail′-chair, an iron block by which the rails are secured to the sleepers; Rail′-clamp, a wedge for clamping a rail firmly; Rail′-coup′ling, a bar by which the opposite rails of a railway are connected at curves, switches, &c.; Rail′-guard, a guard-rail before a front wheel; Rail′ing, a fence of posts and rails: material for rails; Rail′-punch, a machine for punching holes in the webs of rails; Rail′road, Rail′way, a road or way laid with iron rails on which carriages run.—v.t. ”

“ Rafter, raft′ėr, n. an inclined beam supporting the roof of a house.—v.t. to furnish with rafters.—n. Raft′er-bird, the spotted fly-catcher.—Principal rafter, a main timber in supporting the weight of a roof. [A.S. ræfter, a beam; Ice. raptr (raftr) , a beam; Dan. raft, a pole.]
Rag, rag, n. a fragment of cloth: a rock having a rough irregular surface: a remnant, scrap: a beggarly person: anything rent or worn out.—adj. made of rags.—v.t. to make ragged.—v.i. to become ragged, to fray: (U.S. slang) to dress (out) .—ns. ”

“ Radiant heat, heat proceeding in rays or direct lines from a centre. [L. radians, -antis, pr.p. of radiāre, -ātum, to radiate—radius.]
Radiata, rā-di-ā′ta, n.pl. the lowest of Cuvier's four great divisions of the animal kingdom—the organs of sense and motion disposed as rays round a centre.
Radiate, rā′di-āt, v.i. to emit rays of light: to shine: to proceed in direct lines from any point or surface.—v.t. to send out in rays: to furnish with rays.—adjs. Rā′diāte, -d, formed of rays diverging from a centre: (bot.) consisting of a disc in which the florets are tubular: (min.) ”

“ Raised embroidery, that in which the pattern is raised in relief from the ground; Raised work, in lace-making, work having the edge or some other part of the pattern raised in relief; Raise money on, to get money by pawning something ”

“ Rais′ing-bee, a gathering of neighbours to help in raising the frame of a house, &c.; Rais′ing-board, a ribbed board by which to raise the grain of leather; Rais′ing-gig, a machine for raising a nap on cloth; Rais′ing-piece, a piece of timber laid on a brick wall, or on a frame, to carry a beam or beams; Rais′ing-plate, a horizontal timber supporting the heels of rafters.—Raise a siege, to relinquish a siege, or cause this to be done; Raise bread, to make it light, as by yeast or leaven; Raise Cain, the devil, hell, the mischief, &c., to create confusion or riot ”

“ Rain′y, abounding with rain: showery.—Rain cats and dogs (see Cat) .—A rainy day (fig.) , a time of need or hardship: future want or need; The former and the latter rain, Palestine, the rain in spring and in autumn: rain in its season. [A.S. regn, rén, rain; Dut. and Ger. regen, Ice. regn.]
Raindeer. Same as Reindeer.
Raise, rāz, v.t. to cause to rise: to lift up: to hoist: to set upright: to originate or produce: to bring together: to cause to grow or breed: to produce: to give rise to: to exalt: to increase the strength of: to excite: to collect: muster: (Scot.) ”

“ Rack′eter.—adj. Rack′ety.—v.t. and v.i. Rack′le (prov.) , to rattle.—n. noisy talk. [Gael. racaid—rac, to cackle.]
Raconteur, ra-kong-tėr′, n. a story-teller. [Fr.]
Racoon. See Raccoon.
Racovian, ra-kō′vi-an, n. a 17th-cent. Polish Socinian—their seminary being at Rakow.
Racy, rā′si, adj. having a strong flavour imparted by the soil, as wine: exciting to the mind by strongly characteristic thought or language: spirited: pungent, as a racy story: peculiar to the race.—adv. Rā′cily.—n. Rā′ciness. [Race, a family.] ”

“ Rat′-tail, an excrescence growing on a horse's leg.—adj. Rat′-tailed, having a tail like a rat.—ns. Rat′ter, a terrier which catches rats; Rat′tery, apostasy; Rat′ting, deserting one's principles: working for less than the usual prices: setting a dog to kill rats in a pit; Rat′-trap, a trap for catching rats.—Rat-tailed larva, the larva of certain syrphid flies.—Smell a rat, to have a suspicion. [A.S. ræt; Ger. ratte.]
Rata, rä′ta, n. a New Zealand tree related to various species of Ironwood, its wood once much used for making clubs, and valuable for shipbuilding. ”

“ Ratch′et-punch, a punch worked by means of a ratchet-lever; Ratch′et-wheel, a wheel having teeth against which a ratchet abuts, for changing a reciprocating into a rotatory motion, &c.; Ratch′et-wrench, a ratchet bed-key wrench.—adj. Ratch′ety, jerky.—n. Ratch′ment (archit.) , a flying buttress springing from corner principals. [Rack.]
Ratchel, rach′el, n. (prov.) broken-stone, hard-pan.—Also Ratch′il.
Rate, rāt, n. a ratio or proportion: allowance: standard: value: price: the class of a ship and of seamen: movement, as fast or slow: a tax.—v.t. ”

“ Rādiophon′ics, Rā′diophony, the production of sound by radiant heat; Rā′dium, a rare element whose radiations act upon photographic plates and have properties like the X-rays.
Radical, rad′i-kal, adj. pertaining to the root or origin: original: fundamental: intrinsic: primitive: implanted by nature: not derived: serving to originate: (bot.) proceeding immediately from the root: (politics) ultra-liberal, democratic.—n. a root: a primitive word or letter: one who advocates radical reform, an uncompromising democratic politician: (chem.) ”

“ Rā′dio-ul′nar, pertaining to the radius and the ulna.—Radial artery, the smaller of the branches of the branchial artery at the elbow.
Radian, rā′di-an, n. the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc equal to the radius.
Radiant, rā′di-ant, adj. emitting rays of light or heat: issuing in rays: beaming with light: shining: (her.) edged with rays.—n. (opt.) the luminous point from which light emanates: (astron.) the centre point from which meteoric showers proceed: (geom.) a straight line from a point about which it is conceived to revolve.—ns. ”

“ Ratt′lesnake, a poisonous snake having a number of hard, bony rings loosely jointed at the end of the tail, which make a rattling noise; Ratt′lesnake-grass, an American grass; Ratt′lesnake-mas′ter, -root, an American plant reputed to cure the bite of a rattlesnake; Ratt′lesnake-weed, a hawk-weed of the United States; Ratt′le-trap, a rickety vehicle; Ratt′lewort, a plant of genus Crotalaria; Ratt′ling, a clattering: railing.—adj. making a rattle: smart, lively: (coll.) ”

“ Rampart, ram′part, n. that which defends from assault or danger: (fort.) a mound or wall surrounding a fortified place.—v.t. to fortify with ramparts, to strengthen. [O. Fr. rempart (orig. rempar) —remparer, to defend—re, again, em, to (=en) , in, parer, to defend—L. parāre, to prepare.]
Rampick, ram′pik, n. any dead tree—also Ram′pike.—adj. Ram′picked. [Prob. ran, as in roan-tree, rantle-tree, and pick or pike.]
Rampion, ram′pi-on, n. a perennial plant with esculent root. [Prob. through It. and Low L. forms from L. rapum, rapa, a turnip.]
Rampire, ram′pīr, n.=Rampart.—adj. Ram′pired. ”

“ Range′-find′er, an instrument for determining the range of an object by sight.—n.pl. Range′-lights, lights placed in line, usually at or near a lighthouse, so as to direct the course of a ship through a channel: lights on board ship so placed as to give a ready indication of changes of course to other vessels.—n. ”

“ Ram′pāge, or Rampāge′, a state of passion or excitement.—v.i. to storm or prance violently.—adj. Rampā′geous, unruly: boisterous: glaring.—ns. Rampā′geousness; Rampall′ian (Shak.) , a mean wretch; Ramp′er, a ruffian who infests race-courses; Ramps′man (slang) , a highway robber. [Fr. ramper, to creep, to clamber; from the Teut.; cf. Low Ger. rappen, to snatch, Ger. raffen.]
Rampant, ramp′ant, adj. overgrowing usual bounds: rank in growth: overleaping restraint: (her.) standing on the hind-legs.—n. ”