| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| ra- | A prefix, from the Latin re and ad combined, coming to us through the French and Italian. See Re-, and Ad-. | |
| rab | noun | A rod or stick used by masons in mixing hair with mortar. |
| rad | imp. & p. p. of Read, Rede. | |
| rag | verb t. | To scold or rail at; to rate; to tease; to torment; to banter., A piece of cloth torn off; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred; a tatter; a fragment., Hence, mean or tattered attire; worn-out dress., A shabby, beggarly fellow; a ragamuffin., A coarse kind of rock, somewhat cellular in texture., A ragged edge., A sail, or any piece of canvas., To become tattered., To break (ore) into lumps for sorting., To cut or dress roughly, as a grindstone. |
| raj | noun | Reign; rule. |
| ram | noun | The male of the sheep and allied animals. In some parts of England a ram is called a tup., Aries, the sign of the zodiac which the sun enters about the 21st of March., The constellation Aries, which does not now, as formerly, occupy the sign of the same name., An engine of war used for butting or battering., In ancient warfare, a long beam suspended by slings in a framework, and used for battering the walls of cities; a battering-ram., A heavy steel or iron beak attached to the prow of a steam war vessel for piercing or cutting down the vessel of an enemy; also, a vessel carrying such a beak., A hydraulic ram. See under Hydraulic., The weight which strikes the blow, in a pile driver, steam hammer, stamp mill, or the like., The plunger of a hydraulic press., To butt or strike against; to drive a ram against or through; to thrust or drive with violence; to force in; to drive together; to cram; as, to ram an enemy’s vessel; to ram piles, cartridges, etc., To fill or compact by pounding or driving. |
| ran | imp. of Run., Open robbery., Yarns coiled on a spun-yarn winch., of Run | |
| rap | noun | A lay or skein containing 120 yards of yarn., To strike with a quick, sharp blow; to knock; as, to rap on the door., To strike with a quick blow; to knock on., To free (a pattern) in a mold by light blows on the pattern, so as to facilitate its removal., A quick, smart blow; a knock., To snatch away; to seize and hurry off., To hasten., To seize and bear away, as the mind or thoughts; to transport out of one’s self; to affect with ecstasy or rapture; as, rapt into admiration., To exchange; to truck., A popular name for any of the tokens that passed current for a half-penny in Ireland in the early part of the eighteenth century; any coin of trifling value. |
| ras | noun | See 2d Reis. |
| rat | noun | One of several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. decumanus), the black rat (M. rattus), and the roof rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into America from the Old World., A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material, used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their natural hair., One who deserts his party or associates; hence, in the trades, one who works for lower wages than those prescribed by a trades union., In English politics, to desert one’s party from interested motives; to forsake one’s associates for one’s own advantage; in the trades, to work for less wages, or on other conditions, than those established by a trades union., To catch or kill rats. |
| raw | superl. | Not altered from its natural state; not prepared by the action of heat; as, raw sienna; specifically, not cooked; not changed by heat to a state suitable for eating; not done; as, raw meat., Hence: Unprepared for use or enjoyment; immature; unripe; unseasoned; inexperienced; unpracticed; untried; as, raw soldiers; a raw recruit., Not worked in due form; in the natural state; untouched by art; unwrought., Not distilled; as, raw water, Not spun or twisted; as, raw silk or cotton, Not mixed or diluted; as, raw spirits, Not tried; not melted and strained; as, raw tallow, Not tanned; as, raw hides, Not trimmed, covered, or folded under; as, the raw edge of a piece of metal or of cloth., Not covered; bare., Bald., Deprived of skin; galled; as, a raw sore., Sore, as if by being galled., Disagreeably damp or cold; chilly; bleak; as, a raw wind., A raw, sore, or galled place; a sensitive spot; as, to touch one on the raw. |
| ray | verb t. | To array., To mark, stain, or soil; to streak; to defile., Array; order; arrangement; dress., One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of six rays., A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal florets of a compound flower, as an aster or a sunflower; one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower cluster; radius. See Radius., One of the radiating spines, or cartilages, supporting the fins of fishes., One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran., A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or reflecting point; a single element of light or heat propagated continuously; as, a solar ray; a polarized ray., One of the component elements of the total radiation from a body; any definite or limited portion of the spectrum; as, the red ray; the violet ray. See Illust. under Light., Sight; perception; vision; — from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen., One of a system of diverging lines passing through a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions. See Half-ray., To mark with long lines; to streak., To send forth or shoot out; to cause to shine out; as, to ray smiles., To shine, as with rays., Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order Raiae, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc., In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat, narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See Skate. |
| re- | A prefix signifying back, against, again, anew; as, recline, to lean back; recall, to call back; recede; remove; reclaim, to call out against; repugn, to fight against; recognition, a knowing again; rejoin, to join again; reiterate; reassure. Combinations containing the prefix re- are readily formed, and are for the most part of obvious signification. | |
| red | . imp. & p. p. of Read., To put on order; to make tidy; also, to free from entanglement or embarrassement; — generally with up; as, to red up a house., Of the color of blood, or of a tint resembling that color; of the hue of that part of the rainbow, or of the solar spectrum, which is furthest from the violet part., The color of blood, or of that part of the spectrum farthest from violet, or a tint resembling these., A red pigment., An abbreviation for Red Republican. See under Red, a., The menses. | |
| ree | noun | See Rei., To riddle; to sift; to separate or throw off. |
| rei | noun | A portuguese money of account, in value about one tenth of a cent. |
| ren | verb t. & i. | See Renne., A run. |
| rep | noun | A fabric made of silk or wool, or of silk and wool, and having a transversely corded or ribbed surface., Formed with a surface closely corded, or ribbed transversely; — applied to textile fabrics of silk or wool; as, rep silk. |
| res | plural | of Res, A thing; the particular thing; a matter; a point. |
| ret | verb t. | See Aret., To prepare for use, as flax, by separating the fibers from the woody part by process of soaking, macerating, and other treatment. |
| rew | noun | A row. |
| rex | noun | A king. |
| rib | noun | One of the curved bones attached to the vertebral column and supporting the lateral walls of the thorax., That which resembles a rib in form or use., One of the timbers, or bars of iron or steel, that branch outward and upward from the keel, to support the skin or planking, and give shape and strength to the vessel., A ridge, fin, or wing, as on a plate, cylinder, beam, etc., to strengthen or stiffen it., One of the rods on which the cover of an umbrella is extended., A prominent line or ridge, as in cloth., A longitudinal strip of metal uniting the barrels of a double-barreled gun., The chief nerve, or one of the chief nerves, of a leaf., Any longitudinal ridge in a plant., In Gothic vaulting, one of the primary members of the vault. These are strong arches, meeting and crossing one another, dividing the whole space into triangles, which are then filled by vaulted construction of lighter material. Hence, an imitation of one of these in wood, plaster, or the like., A projecting mold, or group of moldings, forming with others a pattern, as on a ceiling, ornamental door, or the like., Solid coal on the side of a gallery; solid ore in a vein., An elongated pillar of ore or coal left as a support., A wife; — in allusion to Eve, as made out of Adam’s rib., To furnish with ribs; to form with rising lines and channels; as, to rib cloth., To inclose, as with ribs, and protect; to shut in. |
| rid | imp. & p. p. of Ride, v. i., of Rid, To save; to rescue; to deliver; — with out of., To free; to clear; to disencumber; — followed by of., To drive away; to remove by effort or violence; to make away with; to destroy., To get over; to dispose of; to dispatch; to finish., of Ride, of Ride | |
| rie | noun | See Rye. |
| rig | noun | A ridge., To furnish with apparatus or gear; to fit with tackling., To dress; to equip; to clothe, especially in an odd or fanciful manner; — commonly followed by out., The peculiar fitting in shape, number, and arrangement of sails and masts, by which different types of vessels are distinguished; as, schooner rig, ship rig, etc. See Illustration in Appendix., Dress; esp., odd or fanciful clothing., A romp; a wanton; one given to unbecoming conduct., A sportive or unbecoming trick; a frolic., A blast of wind., To play the wanton; to act in an unbecoming manner; to play tricks., To make free with; hence, to steal; to pilfer. |
| rim | noun | The border, edge, or margin of a thing, usually of something circular or curving; as, the rim of a kettle or basin., The lower part of the abdomen., To furnish with a rim; to border. |
| rip | noun | A wicker fish basket., To divide or separate the parts of, by cutting or tearing; to tear or cut open or off; to tear off or out by violence; as, to rip a garment by cutting the stitches; to rip off the skin of a beast; to rip up a floor; — commonly used with up, open, off., To get by, or as by, cutting or tearing., To tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration; to search to the bottom; to discover; to disclose; — usually with up., To saw (wood) lengthwise of the grain or fiber., A rent made by ripping, esp. by a seam giving way; a tear; a place torn; laceration., A term applied to a mean, worthless thing or person, as to a scamp, a debauchee, or a prostitute, or a worn-out horse., A body of water made rough by the meeting of opposing tides or currents. |
| ris | noun | A bough or branch; a twig. |
| rit | 3d pers. sing. pres. of Ride, contracted from rideth. | |
| rob | noun | The inspissated juice of ripe fruit, obtained by evaporation of the juice over a fire till it acquires the consistence of a sirup. It is sometimes mixed with honey or sugar., To take (something) away from by force; to strip by stealing; to plunder; to pillage; to steal from., To take the property of (any one) from his person, or in his presence, feloniously, and against his will, by violence or by putting him in fear., To deprive of, or withhold from, unjustly or injuriously; to defraud; as, to rob one of his rest, or of his good name; a tree robs the plants near it of sunlight., To take that which belongs to another, without right or permission, esp. by violence. |
| roc | noun | A monstrous bird of Arabian mythology. |
| rod | noun | A straight and slender stick; a wand; hence, any slender bar, as of wood or metal (applied to various purposes)., An instrument of punishment or correction; figuratively, chastisement., A kind of sceptor, or badge of office; hence, figuratively, power; authority; tyranny; oppression., A support for a fishing line; a fish pole., A member used in tension, as for sustaining a suspended weight, or in tension and compression, as for transmitting reciprocating motion, etc.; a connecting bar., An instrument for measuring., A measure of length containing sixteen and a half feet; — called also perch, and pole. |
| roe | noun | A roebuck. See Roebuck., The female of any species of deer., The ova or spawn of fishes and amphibians, especially when still inclosed in the ovarian membranes. Sometimes applied, loosely, to the sperm and the testes of the male., A mottled appearance of light and shade in wood, especially in mahogany. |
| rot | verb i. | To undergo a process common to organic substances by which they lose the cohesion of their parts and pass through certain chemical changes, giving off usually in some stages of the process more or less offensive odors; to become decomposed by a natural process; to putrefy; to decay., Figuratively: To perish slowly; to decay; to die; to become corrupt., To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural processes; as, to rot vegetable fiber., To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret., Process of rotting; decay; putrefaction., A disease or decay in fruits, leaves, or wood, supposed to be caused by minute fungi. See Bitter rot, Black rot, etc., below., A fatal distemper which attacks sheep and sometimes other animals. It is due to the presence of a parasitic worm in the liver or gall bladder. See 1st Fluke, 2. |
| row | adjective & adverb | Rough; stern; angry., A noisy, turbulent quarrel or disturbance; a brawl., A series of persons or things arranged in a continued line; a line; a rank; a file; as, a row of trees; a row of houses or columns., To propel with oars, as a boat or vessel, along the surface of water; as, to row a boat., To transport in a boat propelled with oars; as, to row the captain ashore in his barge., To use the oar; as, to row well., To be moved by oars; as, the boat rows easily., The act of rowing; excursion in a rowboat. |
| roy | noun | A king., Royal. |
| rub | verb t. | To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper., To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground., To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body., To spread a substance thinly over; to smear., To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; — often with up or over; as, to rub up silver., To hinder; to cross; to thwart., To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost., To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore., To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world., The act of rubbing; friction., That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch., Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness., Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub., Imperfection; failing; fault., A chance., A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; — called also rubstone. |
| rud | noun | Redness; blush., Ruddle; red ocher., The rudd., To make red. |
| rue | noun | A perennial suffrutescent plant (Ruta graveolens), having a strong, heavy odor and a bitter taste; herb of grace. It is used in medicine., Fig.: Bitterness; disappointment; grief; regret., To lament; to regret extremely; to grieve for or over., To cause to grieve; to afflict., To repent of, and withdraw from, as a bargain; to get released from., To have compassion., To feel sorrow and regret; to repent., Sorrow; repetance. |
| rug | adjective | A kind of coarse, heavy frieze, formerly used for garments., A piece of thick, nappy fabric, commonly made of wool, — used for various purposes, as for covering and ornamenting part of a bare floor, for hanging in a doorway as a potiere, for protecting a portion of carpet, for a wrap to protect the legs from cold, etc., A rough, woolly, or shaggy dog., To pull roughly or hastily; to plunder; to spoil; to tear. |
| rum | noun | A kind of intoxicating liquor distilled from cane juice, or from the scummings of the boiled juice, or from treacle or molasses, or from the lees of former distillations. Also, sometimes used colloquially as a generic or a collective name for intoxicating liquor., Old-fashioned; queer; odd; as, a rum idea; a rum fellow., A queer or odd person or thing; a country parson. |
| run | of Run, of Run, To move, proceed, advance, pass, go, come, etc., swiftly, smoothly, or with quick action; — said of things animate or inanimate. Hence, to flow, glide, or roll onward, as a stream, a snake, a wagon, etc.; to move by quicker action than in walking, as a person, a horse, a dog., To go swiftly; to pass at a swift pace; to hasten., To flee, as from fear or danger., To steal off; to depart secretly., To contend in a race; hence, to enter into a contest; to become a candidate; as, to run for Congress., To pass from one state or condition to another; to come into a certain condition; — often with in or into; as, to run into evil practices; to run in debt., To exert continuous activity; to proceed; as, to run through life; to run in a circle., To pass or go quickly in thought or conversation; as, to run from one subject to another., To discuss; to continue to think or speak about something; — with on., To make numerous drafts or demands for payment, as upon a bank; — with on., To creep, as serpents., To flow, as a liquid; to ascend or descend; to course; as, rivers run to the sea; sap runs up in the spring; her blood ran cold., To proceed along a surface; to extend; to spread., To become fluid; to melt; to fuse., To turn, as a wheel; to revolve on an axis or pivot; as, a wheel runs swiftly round., To travel; to make progress; to be moved by mechanical means; to go; as, the steamboat runs regularly to Albany; the train runs to Chicago., To extend; to reach; as, the road runs from Philadelphia to New York; the memory of man runneth not to the contrary., To go back and forth from place to place; to ply; as, the stage runs between the hotel and the station., To make progress; to proceed; to pass., To continue in operation; to be kept in action or motion; as, this engine runs night and day; the mill runs six days in the week., To have a course or direction; as, a line runs east and west., To be in form thus, as a combination of words., To be popularly known; to be generally received., To have growth or development; as, boys and girls run up rapidly., To tend, as to an effect or consequence; to incline., To spread and blend together; to unite; as, colors run in washing., To have a legal course; to be attached; to continue in force, effect, or operation; to follow; to go in company; as, certain covenants run with the land., To continue without falling due; to hold good; as, a note has thirty days to run., To discharge pus or other matter; as, an ulcer runs., To be played on the stage a number of successive days or nights; as, the piece ran for six months., To sail before the wind, in distinction from reaching or sailing closehauled; — said of vessels., Specifically, of a horse: To move rapidly in a gait in which each leg acts in turn as a propeller and a supporter, and in which for an instant all the limbs are gathered in the air under the body., To move rapidly by springing steps so that there is an instant in each step when neither foot touches the ground; — so distinguished from walking in athletic competition., To cause to run (in the various senses of Run, v. i.); as, to run a horse; to run a stage; to run a machine; to run a rope through a block., To pursue in thought; to carry in contemplation., To cause to enter; to thrust; as, to run a sword into or through the body; to run a nail into the foot., To drive or force; to cause, or permit, to be driven., To fuse; to shape; to mold; to cast; as, to run bullets, and the like., To cause to be drawn; to mark out; to indicate; to determine; as, to run a line., To cause to pass, or evade, offical restrictions; to smuggle; — said of contraband or dutiable goods., To go through or accomplish by running; as, to run a race; to run a certain career., To cause to stand as a candidate for office; to support for office; as, to run some one for Congress., To encounter or incur, as a danger or risk; as, to run the risk of losing one’s life. See To run the chances, below., To put at hazard; to venture; to risk., To discharge; to emit; to give forth copiously; to be bathed with; as, the pipe or faucet runs hot water., To be charged with, or to contain much of, while flowing; as, the rivers ran blood., To conduct; to manage; to carry on; as, to run a factory or a hotel., To tease with sarcasms and ridicule., To sew, as a seam, by passing the needle through material in a continuous line, generally taking a series of stitches on the needle at the same time., To migrate or move in schools; — said of fish; esp., to ascend a river in order to spawn., The act of running; as, a long run; a good run; a quick run; to go on the run., A small stream; a brook; a creek., That which runs or flows in the course of a certain operation, or during a certain time; as, a run of must in wine making; the first run of sap in a maple orchard., A course; a series; that which continues in a certain course or series; as, a run of good or bad luck., State of being current; currency; popularity., Continued repetition on the stage; — said of a play; as, to have a run of a hundred successive nights., A continuing urgent demand; especially, a pressure on a bank or treasury for payment of its notes., A range or extent of ground for feeding stock; as, a sheep run., The aftermost part of a vessel’s hull where it narrows toward the stern, under the quarter., The distance sailed by a ship; as, a good run; a run of fifty miles., A voyage; as, a run to China., A pleasure excursion; a trip., The horizontal distance to which a drift may be carried, either by license of the proprietor of a mine or by the nature of the formation; also, the direction which a vein of ore or other substance takes., A roulade, or series of running tones., The greatest degree of swiftness in marching. It is executed upon the same principles as the double-quick, but with greater speed., The act of migrating, or ascending a river to spawn; — said of fish; also, an assemblage or school of fishes which migrate, or ascend a river for the purpose of spawning., In baseball, a complete circuit of the bases made by a player, which enables him to score one; in cricket, a passing from one wicket to the other, by which one point is scored; as, a player made three runs; the side went out with two hundred runs., A pair or set of millstones., Melted, or made from molten material; cast in a mold; as, run butter; run iron or lead., Smuggled; as, run goods. | |
| rut | noun | Sexual desire or oestrus of deer, cattle, and various other mammals; heat; also, the period during which the oestrus exists., Roaring, as of waves breaking upon the shore; rote. See Rote., To have a strong sexual impulse at the reproductive period; — said of deer, cattle, etc., To cover in copulation., A track worn by a wheel or by habitual passage of anything; a groove in which anything runs. Also used figuratively., To make a rut or ruts in; — chiefly used as a past participle or a participial adj.; as, a rutted road. |
| rye | noun | A grain yielded by a hardy cereal grass (Secale cereale), closely allied to wheat; also, the plant itself. Rye constitutes a large portion of the breadstuff used by man., A disease in a hawk. |
| rys | noun | A branch. |