Even your father's house

Shall not be free from ransack, F. Webster. Ransom (ran'sum), n. [Fr. rançon, O.Fr. raenson, raanson, &c., from L. redemptio, redemptionis, a redeeming, redemption, from redimo-re, back, and emo, to buy. The word is therefore redemption in another form.] 1. Release from captivity, bondage, or the possession of an enemy by payment; as, they were unable to procure the ransom of the prisoners.-2. The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner, captive, or slave, or for goods captured by an enemy; that which procures the release of a prisoner or captive, or of captured property, and restores the one to liberty and the other to the original owner; payment for liberation from restraint, penalty, or punishment.

616

I hae a good conscience, except it be about a rant amang the lasses, or a splore at a fair. Sir W. Scott. 3. An old kind of country-dance, and the tune to which the dance was performed. [Scotch.]

Ran-tan (ranʼtan), n. Same as Ran-dan, a drinking fit.

Ranter (rant'èr), n. 1. One who rants; a noisy talker; a boisterous preacher.-2. A name given by way of reproach to one of a denomination of Christians which sprang up in 1645. They called themselves Seekers, their members maintaining that they were seeking for the true church and its ordinances, and the Scriptures, which were lost. The name Ranters is also vulgarly applied to the Primitive Methodists, who formed themselves into a society in 1810, although the founders had separated from the old Methodist society some years before, the ground of disagreement being that the new body was in favour of street preaching, campmeetings for religious purposes, as also of females being permitted to preach.-3. A merry, roving fellow. 'Rob the Ranter.' Scotch song. [Scotch.]

Ranterism (rant'èr-izm), n. The practice or tenets of Ranters.

Rantingly (rant'ing-li), adv. In a ranting manner; as, (a) with sounding empty speech; bombastically. (b) With boisterous jollity; frolicsomely. Burns. [From rant, Rantipole (rant'i-põl), a. ranty, and pole, poll, the head.] Wild; roving; rakish.

ment.

Even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark x. 45

5.† Atonement; expiation. 'If hearty sorrow be a sufficient ransom for offence.' Shak.

Ransom (ran'sum), v.t. [See the noun. ] 1. To redeem from captivity, bondage, forfeit, or punishment by paying an equivalent; to buy out of servitude or penalty; to regain by paying what is deemed an equivalent.

For him was I exchanged and ransomed. Shak. 2. To redeem from the bondage of sin and from the punishment to which sinners are subjected by the divine law.

Walk your dim cloister, and distribute dole
To poor sick people, richer in his eyes
Who ransom'd us, and haler too than I. Tennyson.

3. To redeem; to rescue; to deliver.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Hos. xiii. 14. 4. To hold at ransom; to demand or accept a ransom for; to exact payment on.

All such lands as he had rule of he ransomed them so grievously, and would tax the men two or three times a year. Berners.

5. † To atone for. Shak. Ransom-bill (ran'sum-bil), n. A war-contract by which it is agreed to pay money for the ransom of property captured at sea and for its safe-conduct into port. Such a contract is valid by the law of nations. Ransomer (ran'sum-ér), n. One who ransoms or redeems.

Ransom-free (ran'sum-frē), a. Free from ransom; ransomless.

Till the fair slave be rendered to her sire,

And ransom-free restored to his abode. Dryden. Ransomless (ran'sum-les), a. Free from ransom; without the payment of ransom. Deliver him

Up to his pleasure ransomless and free. Shak. Rant (rant), v.i. [Closely allied to O.D. ranten, to be enraged, G. ranten, ranzen, to make a noise, to move noisily, South G. rant, noisy mirth; comp. also Gael. and Ir. ran, to make a noise.] 1. To rave in violent, high-sounding, or extravagant language without correspondent dignity of thought; to be noisy and boisterous in words or declamation; as, a ranting preacher.

Nay, an thou'lt mouth, I'll rant as well as thou. Shak. 2. To be jovial or jolly in a noisy way; to make noisy mirth. [Scotch.] Rant (rant), n. 1. High-sounding language without much meaning or dignity of thought; boisterous, empty declamation; bombast; as, the rant of fanatics.

This is stoical rant, without any foundation in the nature of man or reason of things. Atterbury. 2. The act of frolicking;.a frolic; a boisterous merry-meeting, generally accompanied with dancing. [Scotch.]

What! at years of discretion, and comport yourself at this rantipole rate. Congreve.

boy or girl.

What strange, awkward rantipole was that I saw thee speaking to? F. Baillie. Rantipole (rant'i-põl), v.i. To run about wildly.

The elder was a termagant, imperious wench; she used to rantipole about the house, pinch the children, kick the servants, and torture the cats and dogs. Arbuthnot. [Gr. rantismos, a sprinkling, from raino, to sprinkle. ] A sprinkling; a small number; a handful. 'We, but a handful to their heap, a rantism to their baptism.' Bp. Andrews. [Rare.] Rantism (rant'izm), n. The practice or tenets of Ranters. Johnson.

Rantism (rantʼizm), n.

Rantle-tree, Randle-tree (ran'tl-tre, ran'dl-tre), n. [Scotch.] [Perhaps from Icel. rann, a house, and tjálgr, a prong, a fork.] 1. The beam running from back to front of the chimney, and from which the crook is suspended.-2. A tree chosen with two branches, which are cut short, and left somewhat in the form of the letter Y, set close to or built into the gable of a cottage to support one end of the roof-tree.-3. Fig. A tall, rawboned person.

If ever I see that auld randie-tree of a wife again I'll gie her something to buy tobacco. Sir W. Scott. Rantree, Rantry-tree (rän'trē, rän'tritre), n. The mountain-ash. Also called Rowan-tree. [Scotch.]

Ranty (rant'i), a. Wild; noisy; boisterous. Ranula (ran'u-la), n. [L., from rana, a frog, to which it has been said to bear some resemblance.] A small, soft, fluctuating, and semi-transparent humour which forms under the tongue owing to the accumulation of saliva in the duct of the sub-maxillary gland. Dunglison.

Ranunculaceae (ra-nun'kū-lā”sē-ē), n. pl. [Ranunculus, one of the genera.] A nat. order of exogenous polypetalous plants, in almost all cases herbaceous, inhabiting the colder parts of the world, and unknown in hot countries except at considerable elevations. They have radical or alternate leaves (opposite in Clematis), regular or irregular, often large and handsome flowers, and fruits consisting of one-seeded achenes or manyseeded follicles. There are about thirty genera and 500 species. They have usually poisonous qualities, as evinced by aconite and hellebore in particular, the roots of several species of which are drastic purgatives. Some of them are objects of beauty, as the larkspurs, ranunculus, anemone, and

RAP

A genus of herbaceous plants, the type of the nat. order Ranunculaceae. They have entire, lobed, or compound leaves, and usually panicled, white or yellow flowers. The species are numerous, and almost exclusively inhabit the northern hemi

Ranunculus Ficaria.

sphere. Almost all the species are acrid and caustic, and poi

sonous when taken internally, and, when externally ap plied, will raise blisters, which are followed by deep ulcerations if left too long. The various species found wild in Britain are known chiefly by the common names of crowfoot and spear

wort. R. flammula and sceleratus are powerful epispastics, and are used as such in the Hebrides, producing a blister in about an hour and a half. Beggars use them for the purpose of forming artificial ulcers to excite the compassion of the public. R. Ficaria (also called Ficaria ranunculoides) is the lesser celandine. R. aquatilis is the water crowfoot, a nutritive food for cattle. R asiaticus yields numerous cultivated varieties. The white flowers of R. aconitifolius have gained it the name of white bachelors' buttons; while yellow bachelors' buttons is a name for a double variety of R. acris. Ranz-des-vaches (ränz-da-väsh). [Fr., lit the ranks or rows of the cows, because on hearing the musical call of their keeper they move towards him in a row.] The name of certain simple melodies of the Swiss mountaineers, commonly played on a long trumpet called the alpine horn. They consist of a few simple intervals, and have a beautiful effect in the echoes of the mountains. It is said that when the natives of Switzerland hear the ranz-des-vaches played in a foreign land, they are seized with an irresistible longing to return to their native country.

Rap (rap), v. i. pret. & pp. rapped; ppr. rapping. [Sw.rapp, a blow, a stroke; Dan. rap, a rap. Imitative of sound made by a blow; comp. pat, tap.] To strike with a quick sharp blow; to knock.

Comes a dun in the morning and raps at the door. Shenstone. Rap (rap), v.t. To strike with a quick blow; to knock; as, to rap one's knuckles.

She rapp'd'em o' the coxcombs with a stick. Shak With one great peal they rap the door. Prier. -To rap out, to utter with sudden violence; as, to rap out a secret.

He was provoked in the spirit of magistracy upon discovering a judge who rapped out a great oath at his footman.

Addison,

Rap (rap), n. A quick smart blow; a knock; as, a rap on the knuckles.

Bolus arrived, and gave a doubtful tap, Between a single and a double rap. Colman the younger. Rap (rap), v.t. pret. & pp. rapped or rapt; ppr. rapping. [A Scandinavian word; Św. rappa, Dan. rappe, to snatch away; Prov. G. rappen, to snatch; Dan. rap, Sw. rapp, quick, brisk. The participle rapt was no doubt often confounded with L. raptus, from rapio, to seize; comp. rapture. Rape is closely allied.] 1. To transport out of one's self; to affect with ecstasy or rapture; to carry away; to absorb.

Shak.

What, dear sir, Thus raps you? Are you well? I'm rapt with joy to see my Marcia's tears. Addison. Pope. Rapt into future times the bard begun. 2. To snatch or hurry away; to seize by violence. Rapt in a chariot drawn by flery steeds.' Milton.

Adult'rous Jour, the king of Mambrant, rapp'd
Fair Josian his dear love.
Drayton.

3. To exchange; to truck. [Low and obsolete.]-To rap and rend (more properly rape and ren), to seize and strip; to fall on and plunder; to snatch by violence.

Their husbands robb'd, and made hard shifts
To administer unto their gifts,

All they could rap and rend and pilfer,
To scraps and ends of gold and silver.

Hudibras.

RAP

Rap (rap), n. [A contr. for rapparee, an Irish plunderer.] A counterfeit Irish coin of the time of George I., which, from the scarcity of small coin in Ireland for change, passed current for a halfpenny, although intrinsically worth not more than half a farthing. Hence the phrase, not worth a rap, of no value, worthless, when applied to things; moneyless, extremely poor, when applied to persons.

It having been many years since copper halfpence or farthings were last coined in this kingdom, they have been for some time very scarce, and many counterfeits passed about under the name of raps. Swift. Rapaces (ra-pā'sēz), n. pl. In zool. same as Raptores.

Rapacious (ra-pa'shus), a. [L. rapax, rapacis, from rapio, to seize (whence also rapine, rapture).] 1. Given to plunder; disposed or accustomed to seize by violence; seizing by force. The brutal soldier's rude rapacious hand.' Rowe.

Well may then thy Lord, appeased, Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim. Milton.

2. Accustomed to seize for food; subsisting on prey or animals seized by violence; as, a rapacious animal; rapacious birds.-3. Avaricious; grasping; excessively greedy.

There are two sorts of avarice; the one is but of a bastard kind and that is the rapacious appetite of gain. Cowley.

SYN. Greedy, ravenous, voracious. Rapaciously (ra-pa'shus-li), adv. In a rapacious manner; by rapine; by violent robbery or seizure.

Rapaciousness (ra-pā'shus-nes), n. The quality of being rapacious; disposition to plunder or to exact by oppression.

One day they plundered, and the next they founded monasteries, as their rapaciousness or their scruples chanced to predominate.

Burke.

Rapacity (ra-pas′i-ti), n. [Fr. rapacité; L. rapacitas, from rapax, rapacis. See RAPACIOUS.] The quality of being rapacious; as, (a) addictedness to plunder; the exercise of plunder; the act or practice of seizing by force; as, the rapacity of a conquering army; the rapacity of pirates. (b) Ravenousness; as, the rapacity of animals. (c) The act or practice of extorting or exacting by oppressive injustice; exorbitant greediness of gain; as, the rapacity of a Turkish pasha; the rapacity of extortioners. Our wild profusion, the source of insatiable rapacity.' Bolingbroke.

Rapadura (rap-a-dö'ra), n. [Pg.] A kind of coarse unclarified sugar, made in some parts of South America, and cast into moulds.

Raparee (rap-a-rē ́), n. Same as Rapparee. Rape (rap), n. [From rap, to seize, to snatch, the meaning being influenced by L. rapio, raptum, to seize. See RAP, to seize.] 1. The act of snatching by force; seizing and carrying away by force or violence, whether persons or things; as, the rape of Proserpine; the rape of the Sabine women.

2. In law, the carnal knowledge of a woman forcibly and against her will. By the English law this crime is felony, and is punishable with penal servitude for life. Carnal connection with a girl under the age of ten years is felony and punishable like rape; with a girl between the age of ten and twelve years it is a misdemeanour, and punishable with penal servitude for three years. Consent in these last two cases is not material. By the law of Scotland rape may still be punished with death.-3. Something taken or seized and carried away.

Where now are all my hopes? oh, never more Shall they revive, nor death her rapes restore. Sandys. 4. Haste. Chaucer.-Rape of the forest, in law, trespass committed in the forest by violence.

Rape (rap), v.i. To commit rape. Heywood. Rapet (rap), v.t. [See RAPE and RAP.] 1. To take captive; to affect with rapture; to carry

617

Rape (rap), n. [O.Fr. rape.] Fruit plucked from the cluster.

The juice of grapes is drawn as well from the rape, or whole grapes plucked from the cluster, and wine poured upon them in a vessel, as from a vat, where they are bruised. Ray.

Rape (rap), n. [Icel. hreppr, a district, from hreppa, to catch, to obtain.] A division of the county of Sussex; an intermediate division between a hundred and a shire, and containing three or four hundreds. Sussex is divided into six rapes, every one of which, besides its hundreds, has a castle, a river, and a forest belonging to it. The like parts in other counties are called tithings, lathes, or wapentakes.

Rape (rap), n. [From L. rapa, rapum, a turnip, whence also rampion.] Brassica Napus, a plant of the cabbage family, cultivated like cole or colza for its seeds, from which oil is extracted by grinding and pressure. It is also extensively cultivated in England for the succulent food which its thick and fleshy stem and leaves supply to sheep when other fodder is scarce. The oil

obtained from the seed is used for various economical purposes, for making green soap, for burning in lamps, for lubricating machinery, by clothiers and others; also in medicine, &c. The broom-rape is of the genus Orobanche. Rape-cake (rāp'kāk), n. A hard cake formed of the residue of the seed and husks of rape after the oil has been expressed. This is used for feeding oxen and sheep, but it is inferior to linseed-cake and some other kinds of oil-cakes; it is also used as a rich manure, and for this purpose it is imported in large quantities. Rapefult (rap'ful), a. Given to the violent indulgence of lust. Chapman. Rape-oil (rap'oil), n. A thick yellow oil expressed from rape-seeds. Rape-root (rap'röt), n. The root of the rape plant or the plant itself. Rape-seed (rāp'sēd), n. Brassica Napus, or the rape from which oil is expressed. See RAPE. Rape-wine (rāp'win), n. [See RAPE, fruit.] A poor thin wine from the last dregs of raisins which have been pressed. Simmonds. Raphaelism (raf'a-el-izm), n. In the fine arts, those principles of art introduced by Raphael (Raffaelle), the celebrated Italian painter (1483-1520)." Raphael was the first great painter to idealize art.

The seed of the

Raphaelite (raf'a-el-it), n. In the fine arts, one who adopts the principles of Raphael. Raphania (ra-fa'ni-a), n. A disease attended with spasm of the joints, trembling, &c., not uncommon in Germany and Sweden, and said to arise from eating the seeds of Raphanus Raphanistrum, or field radish, which often get mixed up with corn. Raphanus (raf'a-nus), n. [Gr. raphanos, radish.] A genus of cruciferous plants, only remarkable for containing the common radish (R. sativus). This plant is unknown in a wild state, but has been cultivated in this country since 1548. The tender leaves are used as a salad in early spring, the green pods are used as a pickle, and the succulent roots are much esteemed. Sea radish (R. maritimus) and field radish (R. Raphanistrum) are British plants.

Raphe (rā'fe), n. [Gr. raphe, a seam or suture, also a needle or pin.] 1. In bot. the vascular cord communicating between the nucleus of an ovule and the placenta, when the base of the former is removed from the base of the ovulum. Spelled also Rhaphe.-2. In anat. a term applied to parts which look as if they had been sewed or joined together; specifically, the superficial line or seam extending from the anterior part of the anus to the extremity of the penis. Dunglison. Raphides (raf'i-dēz), n. pl. [Pl. of Gr. raphis, a needle.] In bot. a word originally used to designate crystals of an acicular or needlelike form, collected in bundles in the cells of plants. The term is now extended to all crystalline formations occurring in plantcells. They consist of oxalate, carbonate, sulphate, or phosphate of lime. Raphidia (ra-fid'i-a), n. [Gr. raphis, raphidos, a needle.] A genus of neuropterous insects belonging to Latreille's section Planipennes, and popularly known by the name of snake-fly. This genus is the type of a family, Raphidiida. See SNAKE-FLY. Raphidiferous (raf-i-dif'èr-us), a. In bot. containing raphides.

Raphilite (raf'i-līt), n. [Gr. raphis, a needle, and lithos, a stone.] An asbestiform variety

RAPPEE

of tremolite. It is a silicate of magnesia and lime, and occurs at Perth, Upper Canada. Raphiosaurus (raf'i-ō-są′′rus), n. [Gr. raphion, dim. of raphis, a needle, and sauros, a lizard.] A genus of fossil lizards, occurring in the lower cretaceous system: so called from the acicular form of the teeth. Rapid (rap'id), a. [Fr. rapide, from L. rapidus, rapid, from rapio, to seize and carry, or hurry away. Rapine, rapacious, ravish, rapThe ture, &c., are from the same L. stem. word does not occur in Shakspere, but appears to have been introduced about his time.] 1. Very swift or quick; moving with celerity; as, a rapid stream; a rapid flight; a rapid motion.

Part shun the goal with rapid wheels. Milton. 2. Advancing with haste or speed; speedy in progression; as, rapid growth; rapid improvement. "The rapid decline which is now wasting my powers.' Farrar.-3. Quick or swift in performance; as, a rapid speaker or writer. SYN. Swift, quick, fast, fleet, expeditious, speedy, hasty, hurried. Rapid (rap'id), n. A swift current in a river, where the channel is descending; the part of a river where the current runs with more than its ordinary celerity; a sudden descent of the surface of a stream without actual cataract or cascade. 'As the rapid of life shoots to the fall.' Tennyson.

Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past.
Moore.

Rapidity (ra-pid'i-ti), n. [Fr. rapidité, L. rapiditas. See RAPID.] The state or quality of being rapid; as, (a) swiftness; celerity; velocity; as, the rapidity of a current; the rapidity of motion of any kind. (b) Haste in utterance; as, the rapidity of speech.

Where the words are not monosyllables, we make them so by our rapidity of pronunciation. Addison. (c) Quickness of progression or advance; as, rapidity of growth or improvement.-SYN. Rapidness, haste, speed, celerity, velocity, swiftness, fleetness, agility.

Rapidly (rap'id-li), adv. In a rapid manner; as, (a) with great speed, celerity, or velocity; swiftly; with quick progression; as, to run rapidly; to grow or improve rapidly.

They were sold so rapidly that the printers could not supply the public with copies. T. Warton. (b) With quick utterance; as, to speak rapidly. The state or Rapidness (rap'id-nes), n. quality of being rapid; swiftness; speed; celerity; rapidity.

Rapier (ra'pi-ér), n. [Fr. rapière, supposed to have come from Spain, and to mean lit. a rasper, from Sp. raspar, to rasp, to scrape.] A small sword used only in thrusting.

And I will turn thy falsehood to thy heart Where it was forged, with my rapier's point. Shak. Rapier-fish (rā'pi-èr-fish), n. The swordfish. Rapil, Rapillo (rap'il, ra-pil'lo), n. [It. rapillo.] Pulverized volcanic substances. Rapine (rap'in), n. [Fr., from L. rapina, from rapio, to seize.] 1. The act of plundering; the seizing and carrying away of things by force. Blood and rapine.' Dr. H. More. 'Men who were impelled to war quite as much by the desire of rapine as by the desire of glory.' Macaulay.-2.1 Violence; force. Milton.

Rapinet (rap'in), v.t. To plunder. Sir G. Buck.

Raping (rap'ing), a. In her. a term applied to any ravenous animal borne devouring its prey.

Rapinoust (rap'in-us), a. Rapacious. Chap

man.

Raplach (rap'lach), n. Same as Raploch. Raploch, Raplock (raploch, rap'lok), n. [Perhaps from rap, to snatch, and lock; made of wool not selected.] Coarse woollen cloth, made from the worst kind of wool, homespun, and not dyed.

Raploch (rap'loch), a. Unkempt; rough;
coarse. Burns. [Scotch.]
Rappt (rap), v. t. To transport. See RAP.
B. Jonson.

Rapparee (rap-a-rē'), n. [Ir. rapaire, a
noisy fellow, rapach, noisy, slovenly.] A
wild Irish plunderer; a worthless runagate.
Sir W. Scott. Spelled also Raparee.
Rappe (rap), n. A Swiss denomination of
money equivalent to the French centime,
100 of which make a franc.
Rappee (rap-pë'), n. [Fr. râpé, ppr. of
raper, to rasp. 'J'ai du bon tabac dans ma
tabatière; J'en ai du fin et du rápé.' Lat-
taignant, quoted by Littré.] A strong kind

RAPPEL

of snuff, of either a black or brown colour, made from the darker and ranker kinds of tobacco leaves.

Rappel (rap-el), n. [Fr., recall, from L. re, back, and appello, to call.] The roll or beat of the drum to call soldiers to arms.-Rappel of a medal, a decision declaring an exhibitioner to be worthy of the medal though he cannot obtain it in consequence of having obtained an equal or superior reward in a former exhibition.

Rapper (rap'èr), n. 1. One who raps or knocks.-2. The knocker of a door.-3.† An oath or a lie (lit. what is rapped out).

Bravely sworn! though this is no flower of the sun, yet I am sure it is something that deserves to be called a rapper. Bp. Parker.

Rappite, Rappist (rap'it, rap'ist), n. [From George Rapp, the founder of the sect.] The same as Harmonist. See HARMONIST, 2. Rapport (rap-port'), n. [Fr., from rapporter, to bring back, to refer-re, again, and apporter, L. apportare-ad, to, and portare, to carry.] A resemblance; a correspondence; an accord or agreement; harmony; affinity. Sir W. Temple.

It did not then occur to me that perhaps our idio.

syncracies were such as not to require even the music of the ballad to produce rapport between our minds, and generate in the brain of the one the vision present in the brain of the other. Cornhill Mag. Rapscallion (rap-skal'yun), n. [A modified form of rascallion.] A rascal; a rascallion. Howitt.

Rapscallionry (rap-skal'yun-ri), n. Rascals collectively. Cornhill Mag.

Rapt (rapt), p. and a. [From rap, to snatch, there being a certain confusion with L. raptus, seized, from rapio. See RAPTURE.] 1. Transported; enraptured; entirely absorbed. Shak. Sometimes so rapt as he would answer me quite from the purpose. B. Jonson. 'So tranced, so rapt in ecstasies." Tennyson.-2. Snatched or carried away. 'Rapt from the fickle and the frail.' Tennyson.

Rapti (rapt), v.t. [See above.] 1. To transport or ravish. 'Rapted with my wealth and beauties.' Drayton.-2. To carry away by violence. Chapman.

Daniel.

The Libyan lion... Out-rushing from his den rapts all away. Raptt (rapt), n. 1. An ecstasy; a trance. 'An extraordinary rapt and act of prophesying.' Bp. Morton.-2. Rapidity. Sir T. Browne.

Rapter, Raptort (rap'tèr, rap'tor), n. [L. raptor. A ravisher; a plunderer. Drayton. Raptores (rap-to'rēz), n. pl. [Pl. of L. raptor, a robber.] Birds of prey; an order of birds called Accipitres by Linnæus and Cuvier, including those which live on other

Raptores.

a. Head and Foot of Gerfalcon. b, Head and Foot of Orange-legged Falcon.

birds and animals, and are characterized by a strong, curved, sharp-edged, and sharppointed beak, and robust short legs, with three toes before and one behind, armed with long, strong, and crooked talons. The eagles, vultures, and falcons are examples. Raptorial (rap-to'ri-al), a. 1. Of or pertaining to the Raptores or birds of prey; living by rapine or prey.-2. Adapted to the seizing of prey, as the legs of certain insects. Mantides, with their great raptorial front legs.' H. A. Nicholson.

The

Raptorial (rap-to'ri-al), n. A bird of prey; one of the Raptores.

Raptorious (rap-to'ri-us), a. Raptorial. Kirby.

You grow correct, that once with rapture writ. Pope. 5. A fit; a syncope.

Your prattling nurse
Into a rapture lets her baby cry.

Shak. 6.† Delirium; disorder of mind. 'Brain-sick raptures.' Shak. SYN. Bliss, ecstasy, transport, delight, exultation. Rapture (rap'tür), v. t. To inspire with rapture; to transport; to enrapture. 'Raptured I stood.' Pope. His raptured thought.' Thomson.

Rapturist (rap'tūr-ist), n. An enthusiast. 'Swarms of prophets and rapturists.' Dr. Spencer. [Rare.]

Rapturize (rap'tür-iz), v.t. To put into a state of rapture; to enrapture. [Rare.] Rapturize (rap'tür-iz), v.i. To become enraptured; to be transported. [Rare.] Rapturous (rap'tür-us), a. Ecstatic; transporting; ravishing; as, rapturous joy, pleasure, or delight. Rapturous exultation.' Young.

Rapturously (rap'tür-us-li), adv. In a rapturous manner; with rapture; ecstatically. Rara avis (ra'ra a'vis), n. [L] A rare bird; a prodigy; an unusual person; an uncommon object.

Rare (rar), a. [Fr. rare, from L. rarus, thin, rare, whence also G. Dan. and Sw. rar, D. raar, rare.] 1. Thinly scattered; sparse. "Those rare and solitary, these in flocks.' Milton.

He left the barren-beaten thoroughfare.
Chose the green path that show'd the rarer foot.
Tennyson.

2. Thin; porous; not dense; as, a rare and attenuate substance. Rare, in physics, is a relative term, the reverse of dense; being used to denote a considerable porosity or vacuity between the particles of a body, as the word dense implies a contiguity or closeness of the particles.

Water is nineteen times lighter and by consequence nineteen times rarer than gold. Newton.

3. Uncommon; not frequent; as, a rare event; a rare phenomenon.

She calls me proud, and that she could not love me, Were man as rare as phoenix. Shak.

4. Possessing qualities seldom to be met with; especially excellent or valuable to a degree seldom found: said of persons or things. 'Orare Ben Jonson!' Epitaph on Jonson's Tomb. Rare work, all fill'd with terror and delight.' Cowley.

Above the rest I judge one beauty rare. Dryden. SYN. Scarce, infrequent, unusual, uncommon, singular, extraordinary, incomparable. Rare (rar), a. [A. Sax. hrer, raw.] Nearly raw; imperfectly roasted or boiled; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton. Written also Rear.

New-laid eggs..

Turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare. Dryden. Rarebit (rar'bit), n. [A word made by etymologists to account for the expression 'Welsh rabbit." See under RABBIT.] A dainty morsel; a Welsh rabbit. Rareeshow (ra're-sho), n. [Rare and show.] A peep-show; a show carried about in a box. As these shows were chiefly exhibited by foreigners, they received the name raree from the mode in which the exhibitors pronounced the word rare.

RASCAL

or rarefaction is an augmentation of the intervals between the particles of matter, whereby the same number of particles occupy a larger space. The term is chiefly used in speaking of the aëriform fluids, the terms dilatation and expansion being applied in speaking of solids and liquids. Rarefaction is opposed to condensation. Rarefiable (ra-re-fi'a-bl or rar-e-fi'a-bl), a. Capable of being rarefied.

Rarefy (ra're-fi or rare-fi), v. t. pret. & pp. rarefied; ppr. rarefying. [Fr. raréfier; L rarefacio-rarus, rare, and facio, to make.] To make rare, thin, porous, or less dense; to expand or enlarge a body without adding to it any new portion of its own matter: opposed to condense.

Rarefy (ra're-fi or rar'e-fi), v.i. To become rare, that is not dense or less dense. Earth rarefies to dew; expanded more, The subtil dew in air begins to soar. Dryden. Rarely (rar'li), adv. In a rare degree or manner: (a) seldom; not often; as, things rarely seen; (b) finely; excellently. "The person who played so rarely on the flageolet.' Sir W. Scott.

I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat Shak in, to make all split. Rareness (rar'nes), n. 1. The state of being rare; (a) the state of being scarce, or of happening seldom; uncommonness; infrequency. My state, Seldom but sumptuous, showed like a feast Shak And won by rareness such solemnity. And let the rareness the small gift commend. Dryden. (b) Thinness; tenuity; as, the rareness of air or vapour.-2. Value arising from scarcity. Bacon.

Rareripe (rar'rip), a. [Probably a form of rathripe.] Early ripe; ripe before others, or before the usual season. Rareripe (rar'rip), n. An early fruit, particularly a kind of peach which ripens early. Rarity (ra'ri-ti), n. [Fr. rareté; L. raritas. See RARE.] 1. The state or quality of being rare: (a) uncommonness; infrequency. Alas, for the rarity Of Christian charity, Under the sun!

Hood.

(b) Thinness; tenuity; rareness: opposed to density; as, the rarity of air.

This I do... only that I may better demonstrate the great rarity and tenuity of their imaginary chaos. Bentley. 2. That which is rare or uncommon; a thing valued for its scarcity or excellence.

But the rarity of it is-which is indeed almost beyond credit-As many vouched rarities are. Shak.

I saw three rarities of different kinds, which pleased me more than any other shows in the place. Addison. Ras (ras), n. 1. An Arabic word signifying head, prefixed to the names of promontories or capes on the Arabian and African coasts,

&c.-2. Same as Reis.

Rasant, Rasante (rä-zon, rä-zofit), a. [Fr., ppr. of raser, to shave.] Applied to a style of fortification in which the command of the works over the country is kept very low, so that the shot may scour or sweep the ground with more effect. Rascal (ras'kal), n. [Lit., scrapings or refuse of anything; O.E. rascall, rascayle, the rabble, also refuse beasts, especially a worthless lean deer; from a L.L. rasicare, from L. rado, rasum, to shave or scrape, whence also Sp. rascar, It. rascare, to scrape. Fr. racaille, the rascality or rascal sort, seems in like manner to come from Fr. racler (for rascler), to scrape.] 1. A lean beast: especially a lean deer, not fit to hunt or kill.

Horns? even so; poor men alone? No, no, the noblest deer hath them as huge as the rascal. Shak

2. A plebeian; one of the common people. 3. A mean fellow; a scoundrel; a trickish dishonest fellow; a rogue: particularly applied to men and boys guilty of the minor offences, and sometimes used in pretended displeasure merely. 'Coney-catching rascals.' Shak. 'Cowardly rascals.' Shak. Shak

Hang him, dishonest rascal!

I have sense to serve my turn in store, And he's a rascal who pretends to more. Dryden. Shall a rascal, because he has read books, talk pertly to me? Cibber. Rascal (ras'kal), a. 1. Worthless; lean; as, a rascal deer.-2. Mean; low; pitiful; paltry;

Rascallion (ras-kal'yun), n. [From rascal.
See RASCAL.] A low mean wretch. A base
rascallion.' Hudibras.
Rascally (ras'kal-li), a.

Like a rascal;

meanly trickish or dishonest; vile; base; worthless. 'Our rascally porter.' Swift. Rase (raz), v.t. pret. & pp. rased; ppr. rasing. [Fr. raser, from L.L. rasare, freq. of L. rado, rasum, to scrape (whence razor, and also rascal).] 1. To touch superficially in passing; to rub along the surface of; to graze.

Might not the bullet which rased his cheek, have gone into his head? South.

2. To erase; to scratch or rub out; or to blot out; to cancel. To rase quite out their native language.' Milton. [In this sense erase is generally used.]-3. To level with the ground; to overthrow; to destroy. 'Battering engines bent to rase some capital city.' Milton. [In this sense raze is generally used; rase may therefore be considered as nearly obsolete.]-SYN. To erase, efface, obliterate, expunge, cancel, raze, level, prostrate, overthrow, subvert, destroy, demolish, ruin.

Raset (raz), n. 1. A cancel; erasure.-2. A slight wound. "The least rase of a needle point.' Hooker.

Rased (razd). See RAZED.

Rash (rash), a. [From a Scandinavian or
Low German source; L. G. Dan. and Sw. rask,
Icel. röskr, D. and G. rasch, rash.] 1. Hasty
in council or action; precipitate; resolving
or entering on a project or measure without
due deliberation and caution; as, a rash
statesman or minister; a rash commander.
For though I am not splenetive and rash,
Yet have I in me something dangerous. Shak.
2. Uttered, formed, or undertaken with too
much haste or too little reflection; as, rash
words; rash measures. 'Rash were my
judgment then.' Tennyson.-3. † Requiring
haste; urgent.

I scarce have leisure to salute you,
My matter is so rash.

Shak.

4. Quick; sudden; hasty. 'Aconitum or rash gunpowder.' Shak. "The reason of this rash alarm to know.' Shak. Used adverbially.

Why do you speak so startingly and rash! Shak. -Rash, Foolhardy, Reckless. A rash man is one who undergoes risk from natural impulsiveness and without counting the cost. A rash man may be, and often is, a coward when confronted with the consequences of his rashness. A foolhardy man incurs danger out of mere wantonness and in defiance of all consequences. Reckless is nearly allied to rash, but more directly indicates absence of care for, or regard to consequences. The reckless man is generally bold enough, but often with a kind of insensate boldness.SYN. Precipitate, headlong, headstrong, foolhardy, hasty, indiscreet, heedless, thoughtless, inconsiderate, careless, incautious, unwary.

Rasht (rash), v.t. To put together hurriedly; to prepare with haste.

In my former edition of Acts and Monuments, so hastely rashed up at that present, in such shortness of time. Foxe.

Rash (rash), n. [Icel. röskr, ripe, mature.] Corn in the straw, so dry as to fall out with handling. [Local.]

Rash (rash), n. [It. rascia, with same sense.] A kind of inferior silk or silk and stuff manufacture.

It

Rash (rash), n. [0. Fr. rasche, rash, scurf, itch; same origin as rascal (which see).] An eruption or efflorescence on the skin. consists of red patches on the skin, diffused irregularly over the body.

Rasht (rash), v. t. [From O. Fr. esracer, Mod. Fr. arracher, to tear up or away, from L. exradicare-ex, out, and radix, a root.] 1. To tear or pull violently; to tear asunder.-2. To slice; to cut into pieces; to hack; to divide. [Said by Mr. Steevens to be parti

619

cularly applied to the stroke made by the wild boar with his tusks.]

Sir, I miss'd my purpose in his arm, rash'd his doublet-sleeve, ran him close by the left cheek, and through his hair. B. Jonson. Rasher (rash'èr), n. [Either a piece hastily cooked, from rash, a.; or rather a piece sliced off, from above verb.] In cookery, a slice of bacon for frying or broiling. Rashfult (rash'ful), a. Rash; hasty; precipitate. Turberville. Rashling+ (rash'ling), n.

A rash person.

What rashlings doth delight, that sober men despise. Sylvester. Rashly (rashli), adv. In a rash manner; with precipitation; hastily; without due deliberation; inconsiderately; at a venture. He that doth any thing rashly, must do it willingly. Sir R. L'Estrange. 1. The quality of Rashness (rash'nes), n. being rash; too much haste in resolving on or in undertaking a measure; precipitation; inconsiderate readiness or promptness to decide or act, implying disregard of consequences or contempt of danger.

We offend by rashness, which is an affirming or denying before we have sufficiently informed ourselves. South.

2. A rash act; a reckless or foolhardy deed. Why not set forth, if I should do

This rashness, that which might ensue With this old soul in organs new. Tennyson. Rasing (raz'ing), n. In ship-building, the act of marking by the edges of moulds any figure upon timber, &c., with a rasingknife, or with the points of compasses.Rasing-iron, a kind of caulking-iron for clearing the pitch and oakum out of a vessel's seams, in order that they may be caulked afresh.-Rasing-knife, a small edgetool fixed in a handle, and hooked at its point, used for making particular marks on timber, lead, tin, &c.

Raskaile,t n. [No doubt from an O. Fr. rascaille. See RASCAL.] A pack of rascals. Chaucer.

Raskolnik (ras-kol'nik), n. [Rus., from raskolo, a division.] The name given to a dissenter from the Greek Church in the Russian dominions.

Rasoo (ra-so), n. The native Indian name of a flying squirrel of India. Rasores (ra-so'rēz), n. pl. [From L. rado, rasum, to scrape.] Gallinaceous birds or scratchers, an order of birds comprising the sub-orders Gallinacei and Columbacei. The common domestic fowl may be regarded as the type of the order. They are characterized by the toes terminating in strong claws, for scratching up seeds, &c., and

ᎡᎪᎢ

Pertaining to the

Rasorial (ra-so'ri-al), a. rasores. See RASORES. Rasp (rasp), v.t. [O.Fr. rasper, Mod. Fr. raper, to scrape or rasp, like Sp. raspar, It. raspare, to scrape, grate, rasp, from 0.H.G. raspón, to scrape together (D. raspen, Dan. raspe, Sw. raspa).] 1. To rub against with some rough implement; to file with a rasp: to rub or grate with a rough file; as, to rasp wood to make it smooth; to rasp bones to powder. Hence-2. To grate harshly upon; to offend by coarse or rough treatment or language. Goodrich.

Rasp (rasp), n. [O. Fr. raspe, Mod. Fr. rape, a rasp or file; from the verb. The fruit no doubt received its name from its rough outside.] 1. A coarse species of file, but having, instead of chisel-cut teeth, its surface dotted with separate protruding teeth, formed by the indentations of a pointed punch.-2. A raspberry (which see). Figs in fruit, rasps, vines.' Bacon. [Old and provincial.]

Now will the Corinths, now the rasps supply Delicious draughts. 7. Philips. Rasp (rasp), v. i. 1. To rub or grate; as, the vessel rasped against the quay.-2. [As to this meaning comp. G. räuspern, to hawk or clear the throat.] To belch; to eject wind from the stomach. Bp. Hall. [Old and provincial.]

Raspatory (ras'pa-to-ri), n. A surgeon's rasp; an instrument for scraping bones. Wiseman.

Raspberry (raz'be-ri), n. [Rasp and berry: so named from the roughness of the fruit. Comp. G. kratzbeere-kratzen, to scratch, and beere.] The well-known fruit of a plant of the genus Rubus, the R. Idæus, a native of Britain, and also of various other parts of Europe. The fruit of the raspberry is extensively used in a variety of ways both by the cook and the confectioner, and also in the preparation of cordial spirituous liquors. Raspberry-bush (raz'be-ri-bush), n. Rubus Idaus, the bramble producing raspberries. Raspberry-vinegar (raz'be-ri-vin'e-gér), n. A pleasant acidulous drink made from the juice of raspberries.

Rasper (rasp'èr), n. 1. One who or that which rasps; a scraper.-2. In fox-hunting, a difficult fence, probably from its rasping the horse as it leaps over it. Lever. Rasping (rasp'ing), a. 1. Characterized by grating or scraping; as, a rasping sound.-2. In fox-hunting, said of a fence difficult to take. Lever. 'A rasping fence." Rasping-milf (rasp'ing-mil), n. saw-mill. Raspist (ras'pis), n. The raspberry. Ger

arde.

A kind of

Rasse (ras), n. [Javanese rasa, a sensation of the palate or nostrils.] A carnivorous quadruped of the genus Viverra (V. Malaccensis), closely allied to the civet, spread over a great extent in Asia, including Java, various parts of India, Singapore, Nepal, and other localities. Its perfume, called by the natives dedes, which is secreted in a double pouch like that of the civet, is much valued by the Javanese, For its sake the animal is often kept in captivity. It is savage and irritable, and on account of its long teeth can inflict a very severe bite. The dedes is removed by putting the animal into a long and very narrow box, so that it cannot turn, when it is scooped out with a spoon with impunity.

Rastrites (ras-tri'těz), n. [L. rastrum, a rake.] A genus of extinct Silurian zoophytes, otherwise named Graptolites.

Rasure (rā'zhür), n. [L. rasura, from rado, rasum, to scrape. See RASE.] 1. The act of scraping or shaving; the act of erasing. 2. The mark by which a letter, word, or any part of a writing is erased, effaced, or obliterated; an erasure.

Rat (rat), n. [A word common to the Teutonic and Celtic families; A. Sax. ræt, D. rat, G. ratte, ratze, O.H.G. rato, L.G. and Dan. rotte, Gael. radan, Armor. raz, rat. The Fr. rat, Sp. and Pg. rato, are derived forms from Teutonic. The root is probably in L. rodo, to gnaw.] 1. A genus of rodent mammalia (Mus, Linn.), one or other of the species of which is familiar to every one, and they are among the greatest animal pests in dwellings, ships, storehouses, and magazines of provisions. Two species are found in habitations in Britain and in most temperate countries, the black rat (M. rattus) and the brown rat (M. decumanus). The first is the oldest inhabitant of this country; the other, which was intro