| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| referendum | noun | A diplomatic agent’s note asking for instructions from his government concerning a particular matter or point., The right to approve or reject by popular vote a meassure passed upon by a legislature. |
| referrible | adjective | Referable. |
| refinement | noun | The act of refining, or the state of being refined; as, the refinement or metals; refinement of ideas., That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess; an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic. |
| refineries | plural | of Refinery |
| reflecting | present participle & vb. noun | of Reflect, Throwing back light, heat, etc., as a mirror or other surface., Given to reflection or serious consideration; reflective; contemplative; as, a reflecting mind. |
| reflectent | adjective | Bending or flying back; reflected., Reflecting; as, a reflectent body. |
| reflection | noun | The act of reflecting, or turning or sending back, or the state of being reflected., The return of rays, beams, sound, or the like, from a surface. See Angle of reflection, below., The reverting of the mind to that which has already occupied it; continued consideration; meditation; contemplation; hence, also, that operation or power of the mind by which it is conscious of its own acts or states; the capacity for judging rationally, especially in view of a moral rule or standard., Shining; brightness, as of the sun., That which is produced by reflection., An image given back from a reflecting surface; a reflected counterpart., A part reflected, or turned back, at an angle; as, the reflection of a membrane., Result of meditation; thought or opinion after attentive consideration or contemplation; especially, thoughts suggested by truth., Censure; reproach cast., The transference of an excitement from one nerve fiber to another by means of the nerve cells, as in reflex action. See Reflex action, under Reflex. |
| reflective | adjective | Throwing back images; as, a reflective mirror., Capable of exercising thought or judgment; as, reflective reason., Addicted to introspective or meditative habits; as, a reflective person., Reflexive; reciprocal. |
| reflexible | adjective | Capable of being reflected, or thrown back. |
| reflourish | verb t. & i. | To flourish again. |
| reformable | adjective | Capable of being reformed. |
| refracting | present participle & vb. noun | of Refract, Serving or tending to refract; as, a refracting medium. |
| refraction | noun | The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted., The change in the direction of ray of light, heat, or the like, when it enters obliquely a medium of a different density from that through which it has previously moved., The change in the direction of a ray of light, and, consequently, in the apparent position of a heavenly body from which it emanates, arising from its passage through the earth’s atmosphere; — hence distinguished as atmospheric refraction, or astronomical refraction., The correction which is to be deducted from the apparent altitude of a heavenly body on account of atmospheric refraction, in order to obtain the true altitude. |
| refractive | adjective | Serving or having power to refract, or turn from a direct course; pertaining to refraction; as, refractive surfaces; refractive powers. |
| refractory | adjective | Obstinate in disobedience; contumacious; stubborn; unmanageable; as, a refractory child; a refractory beast., Resisting ordinary treatment; difficult of fusion, reduction, or the like; — said especially of metals and the like, which do not readily yield to heat, or to the hammer; as, a refractory ore., A refractory person., Refractoriness., OPottery) A piece of ware covered with a vaporable flux and placed in a kiln, to communicate a glaze to the other articles. |
| refracture | noun | A second breaking (as of a badly set bone) by the surgeon., To break again, as a bone. |
| refragable | adjective | Capable of being refuted; refutable. |
| refraining | present participle & vb/ noun | of Refrain |
| refreshing | present participle & vb. noun | of Refresh, Reviving; reanimating. |
| refreshful | adjective | Full of power to refresh; refreshing. |
| refringent | adjective | Pertaining to, or possessing, refringency; refractive; refracting; as, a refringent prism of spar. |
| refulgence | noun | Alt. of Refulgency |
| refulgency | noun | The quality of being refulgent; brilliancy; splender; radiance. |
| refundment | noun | The act of refunding; also, that which is refunded. |
| refutation | noun | The act or process of refuting or disproving, or the state of being refuted; proof of falsehood or error; the overthrowing of an argument, opinion, testimony, doctrine, or theory, by argument or countervailing proof. |
| refutatory | adjective | Tending tu refute; refuting. |