| Words | Parts of Speech | Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
|---|---|---|
| ratted | imp. & past participle | of Rat |
| ratany | noun | Same as Rhatany. |
| rating | present participle & vb. noun | of Rate |
| rather | adjective | Prior; earlier; former., Earlier; sooner; before., More readily or willingly; preferably., On the other hand; to the contrary of what was said or suggested; instead., Of two alternatives conceived of, this by preference to, or as more likely than, the other; somewhat., More properly; more correctly speaking., In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is rather damp. |
| ratify | noun | To approve and sanction; to make valid; to confirm; to establish; to settle; especially, to give sanction to, as something done by an agent or servant; as, to ratify an agreement, treaty, or contract; to ratify a nomination. |
| ration | noun | A fixed daily allowance of provisions assigned to a soldier in the army, or a sailor in the navy, for his subsistence., Hence, a certain portion or fixed amount dealt out; an allowance; an allotment., To supply with rations, as a regiment. |
| ratite | adjective | Of or pertaining to the Ratitae., One of the Ratitae. |
| ratoon | noun | Same as Rattoon, n., A rattan cane., Same as Rattoon, v. i. |
| rattan | noun | One of the long slender flexible stems of several species of palms of the genus Calamus, mostly East Indian, though some are African and Australian. They are exceedingly tough, and are used for walking sticks, wickerwork, chairs and seats of chairs, cords and cordage, and many other purposes. |
| ratten | verb t. | To deprive feloniously of the tools used in one’s employment (as by breaking or stealing them), for the purpose of annoying; as, to ratten a mechanic who works during a strike. |
| ratter | noun | One who, or that which, rats, as one who deserts his party., Anything which catches rats; esp., a dog trained to catch rats; a rat terrier. See Terrier. |
| rattle | verb i. | To make a quick succession of sharp, inharmonious noises, as by the collision of hard and not very sonorous bodies shaken together; to clatter., To drive or ride briskly, so as to make a clattering; as, we rattled along for a couple of miles., To make a clatter with the voice; to talk rapidly and idly; to clatter; — with on or away; as, she rattled on for an hour., To cause to make a rattling or clattering sound; as, to rattle a chain., To assail, annoy, or stun with a rattling noise., Hence, to disconcert; to confuse; as, to rattle one’s judgment; to rattle a player in a game., To scold; to rail at., A rapid succession of sharp, clattering sounds; as, the rattle of a drum., Noisy, rapid talk., An instrument with which a rattling sound is made; especially, a child’s toy that rattles when shaken., A noisy, senseless talker; a jabberer., A scolding; a sharp rebuke., Any organ of an animal having a structure adapted to produce a rattling sound., The noise in the throat produced by the air in passing through mucus which the lungs are unable to expel; — chiefly observable at the approach of death, when it is called the death rattle. See R/le. |