empire) p.

of silver, gold, 500 piastres, 10,000

piastres ; bag-like natural or other receptacle.
pouch,cyst,&c.;j).-oearer,one who has charge of
another's or a company's money, official carrying Great Seal before Lord Chancellor in p. ; p.net, bag-shaped net for catching rabbits Sec,
mouth of which can be closed with cords; p.proud, puffed up by wealth; p.-seine, p.-net
for fishing ; p.-strings, strings for closing mouth
of p., holdthep.-s., have control of expenditure,
tighten, loosen, the p.-s., be sparing, generous,
of money. Hence pup'seFUL n., pup'seLESS
a. [OE purs prob. f. LL bursa purse f. Gk
bursa hide]
purse 2 , v.t. & i. Contract (lips, brow, often
up) in wrinkles ; become wrinkled ; (rare) put
(often up) into one's purse, [f. prec]
pur'sep, n. Officer on ship who keeps accounts & usu. has charge of provisions. Hence
pup'sepsHip n. [f. purse 1 + -er j ]
pup'slane (-In), n. Low succulent herb used
in salads & pickled, [f. OF porcelaine altered
f. L porcillaca, portulaca, on porcelain]
pupsu'ance, n. Carrying out, pursuing,
(of plan, object, idea, &c), esp. in p. of. [as
foil., see -ance]
pupsu'ant, a. & adv. Pursuing ; (adv.) conformably to (the Act &c), whence pupsu'*
antLY 2 adv. [f. OF porsuiant part, as foil.]
pursue* (-u), v.t. & i. Follow with intent to
capture or kill ; (fig., of consequences, penalty,
disease, &c.) persistently attend, stick to ; seek
after, aim at, (pleasure &c, one's object); proceed in compliance with (plan &c); proceed
along, continue, (road, inquiry, conduct); follow
(studies, profession); goin pursuit (after or abs.).
Hence pupsu'able a. [f. AF ruRshver f. OF

PURSUER

675

PUT

porsievre, f. L VRO(sequere, -ire, pop. varr. of

sequi follow))
pupsu'ep, n. In vbl senses, also : (Civil &
Sc. Law) prosecutor, [-ek ] J
pupsui't (-ut), n. Pursuing, esp. in p. of (animal, person, otie's object); profession, employment, recreation, that one follows. If. AF pukseute, fern. p.p. & n. as pursue]
pursuivant (-sw-), n. Officer of College of
Armsbelow herald ; (poet.) follower, attendant,
[f. OF porsivant (as pursue, see -ant)]
pup'sy i, a. Short-winded, puffy ; corpulent.
Hence pur*sL\Ess n. (earlier -ive f. OF polsif
{polser breathe with labour as pulsate)]
pur'sy 2 , a. Puckered, [f. purse j + -v 2 ]
DUP'tenance, n. (archaic). Inwards, pluck,
of animal. | earlier form of pertinence]
pur'ulent, a. Of, full of, discharging, pus.
Hence or cogn.pup*ulENCE,-ENCV,nn.,pup'ulentLY 2 adv. [f. L purulentus (pus, see -lest)]
purvey* (-va), v.t. & i. Provide, supply, (articles of food) as one's business ; make provision,
act as purveyor, (for person, army, &c). [f. AF
ruRveier provide]
purveyance, n. Purveying; rightof crown
to provisions &c. at fixed price & to use of
horses &c. If. OF porveance, as providence]
purveyor, n. One whose business it is to
supply articles of food, esp. dinners &c. on large
scale, as P. to the Royal Household', (Hist.)
officer making purveyance for sovereign, (f.
AF purveour (as PURVEY, see -or 2 )]
pur'view(-vu), n. Enacting clauses of statute ; scope, intention, range (of act, document,
scheme, book, occupation. &c.) ; range of physical or mental vision. If. AF purveu provided,
p.p. as purvey]
pus, n. Yellowish viscid matter produced by
suppuration. [L, gen. pur is]
Pu'seyism (-zi), n. (Hostile term for) tractarianism. So Pu'seyiTE i n. [E. B. Pusey
d. 1882 + -ism]
push 1 (poo-), v.t. & i. Exert upon (body) force
tending to move it away ; move (body tip,
down, away, back, &c.) thus ; exert such pressure, as do not p. against the fence ; (Billiards)
make push-stroke ; (of person in boat) p. off, p.
against bank with oar to get boat out into
stream &c; (bibl.) butt (t. & i.) with the horns;
(cause to) project, thrust out, forth, &c, as
plants p. out new roots, cape pushes out into
sea ; make one's way forcibly or persistently,
force (one's tcay) thus; exert oneself esp. to
surpass others or succeed in one's business &c,
whence pu'shiNG 2 a., pu'shingLY 2 adv.;
urge, impel, (often on, to do, to effort &c.) ; follow \ip, prosecute, (claim &c. , often on) ; engage

actively in making (one's fortune); extend (one's

conquests &c); p. (matter) through, bring it to
a conclusion ; press the adoption, use, sale, &c.
of (goods &c.) esp. by advertisement ; press (person) hard, as do not wish to p. him for payment,
esp. in pass., as am pushed for (can scarcely
find) time, money, p. -pin, a child's game. Hence
pu'shER Ml, 2) n. [f. F pousser as pulsate]
push 2 , n. Act of pushing, shove, thrust ;
(Billiards) stroke in which ball is pushed, not
struck ; exertion of influence to promote person's advancement ; thrust of weapon or of
beast's horn ; vigorous effort, as must make a
p. to get it done, for home ; continuous pressure
of arch &c; pressure of affairs, crisis, pinch ;
enterprise, determination to get on, self-assertion, whence pu'shFUL a. ; (slang) gang of
thieves, convicts, &c. [f. prec]
pu'shtoo, -tu (-oo), n. Afghan language.
If. Pers. pashto]
pusilla'nimous, a. Faint-hearted, mean-

spirited. Hence or cogn. pusillani'miTV n..

pusilla'nimousLY 2 adv. [f. eccl. L pusillanimis (pusillus petty + animus soul) + -ous]
puss (pdbs), n. Cat (esp. as call-name); (quasiproper name for) hare, tiger ; (colloq.) girl, as
alyp>', p. -moth, large European moth. [cf. Du.
poes, Norw. puse, perh. orig. a call]
pu'ssy, n. (nursery). P.(-cat), cat ; (nursery)
soft furry thing, e. g. hazel catkin, [-v 3]
pu'stulate, v.t. & i. Form into pustules.
So pu'stulATE 2 (at) a., pustulA'Tiox n. [f.
LL pustulare, as foil.]
pu'stule, n. Pimple; malignant p., disease
caused by anthrax bacillus ; (Bot., Zool.) wart,
wart-like excrescence. Hence or cogn. pu*stulAR^pu'stulous, aa. [f. Lpustula (pus)]
put 1 (pobt), v.t. & i. (put). 1. Propel, hurl,
(the weight, stone) from hand placed close to
shoulder as athletic exercise ; thrust (weapon),
send (missile), as p. a knife into, stab, pxit a
bullet through, shoot; (Naut.) proceed, take
one's course, back, forth, in (to harbour &c),
out, in ship; move (thing &c, lit. & fig.) so
as to place it in some situation, as p. it in your
pocket, on the table, up the chimney, down the
well, p. (mark, write) a tick against his name,
your signature to it, p. the horse to (the cart),
harness him, p. bull to cow or cow to bull (for
breeding), p. (convey) him across the river, p.
the children to bed, p. him in prison, cannot p.
(deliver) Russian stock at present prices, has p.
(infused) new life into him, will p. (present) the
matter clearly before her, p. a spoke in his
wheel, p. the words into his mouth l , p. one's
foot 1 in it, one's shoulder to the wheel, hand

to the plough l ; (with less or no idea of physical motion in space) bring into some relation or
state, as p. yourself, the matter, in(to)my hands,
time he was p. (began to go habitually ) to school,
p. it to (offer it for) sale, on the market, p. Othello on (the stage), produce it, p. (add) milk to
your tea, should p. (price) it at 2/6, puts (estimates) the circulation at 60,000, p. (translate) it
into DuU h, ca nnotp. it into (express it in ) words,
what a way you have of putting things !, puts
(sets) no value on my advice, I p. (base) my decision on the grounds stated, p. (apply) it to a
good use, p. (imagine) yourself in his place, p.
(substitute) the will forthe deed, p. a good face 1
on it, p. an end, period, stop, to it, stop it, p. a
check ovstopjier on it, a veto on it, check it, forbid it, p. an end to (destroyed) himself or his
life, p. (stake) money on a horse, p. his money
into (invested it in) land, p. (submit) the case
to him, to the vote, I p. it (appeal) to yon, I p. it
to you (invite you to acknowledge) that you
were after no good, dues were p. (imposed) on
cattle, every insult teas p. (inflicted) on him,
don't be p. upon (victimized) 6?/ him, p. (lay)
the blame on me, p. him (caused him to be) at
his ease, in fear of his life, out of temper, on
his guard, on his mettle, p. him (make him
speak) on (his) oath, p. the servants on (allow
them) board wages, p. the proposal into shape,
p. his nose 1 out of joint, a feiv words will p.
(make) the matter right, ahcays manages to p.
me (make me appear) in the wrong, p. out of
countenance 1 , must have p. (made) the clock
fast (by advancing hands), p. (subject) them to
death, torture, ransom, expense, inconvenience,
the test or trial, the rack, the sword, confusion,
shame, land was p. into or under (sown with)
turnips, p. (set) him to mind the furnace, what
has p. him on meddling (induced him to meddle)?, on this wild scheme ?, p. my horse to or
at (invited him to jump) the fence, (of horse &
fig. of person) must be p. through (made to perform) his paces, p. /iii (make him read) through

PUT

676

PYLORUS

<> book of Livy, was p. (forced, driven) to flight,

to his shifts, to the blush 2 , was p. to (forced to

play) his trumps, surprising xohat he can do

when he's p. to it (pressed), was hard p. to it to
(could scarcely) keep them off. 2. Special senses
with advv. P. about: lay (sailing vessel) on
opposite tack, cause (horse, body of men) to
turn round, (of vessel) go about; (chiefly Sc.)
trouble, distress. P. away : (archaic) divorce ;
lay by (money &c.) for future use ; (slang) consume (food, drink) ; (slang) imprison ; (slang)
pawn. P. back : check the advance of, retard ;
move back the hands of (clock) ; restore to former place. P. by : evade (question, argument) ;
p. off (person) with evasion ; lay aside esp. for
future use. P. down: suppress by force or
authority ; take down, snub, put to silence ;
cease to maintain (expensive thing) ; account,
reckon, as I p. him doivn for nine years old, at
nine, as a fool, for a fool; attribute, as p. it
down to his nervousness ; p. one's foot 1 down.
P. forth', exert (strength, effort, eloquence);
p. in circulation; (of plant) send out (buds,
leaves, or abs.). P. forward: thrust (oneself
Sec.) into prominence; ad vance,set forth, (theory
&c). P. in: install in office &c, asp. in a caretaker, bailiff, (hence) distress, execution ; present formally (document, evidence, plea, claim,
hail) as in law court ; p. in (make) a n appearance; make a claim (for election &c); interpose (blow, shot, remark, quoted words), p. in
one's oar ; throw in (additional thing) ; perform
(piece of work) as part of a whole ; (colloq.)pass,
spend, (time). P. off: postpone; postpone engagement with (person); evade(person, demand,
often with excuse, compromise) ; hinder, dissuade, from; foist (thing upon person); remove,
take off, (clothes) ; p.-offn., evasion, postponement. P. on: clothe oneself or another with ;
(colloq.) p. it on, overcharge, simulate exaggerated emotion, suffering, &c; assume, take on,
(character, appearance); develop additional
(flesh, weight); add (so much to price, runs &c.
to score) ; stake (money upon horse &c.) ; advance the hands of (clock) ; bring into action,
exert, (force,pressure, speed, STKAM,the screw);
appoint, arrange for, (person) to bowl &c, train
to run &c. P. out: dislocate (shoulder &c);
(Crick.) cause (batsman) to be out; extinguish
(candle, gas, fire, &c); disconcert, confuse;
annoy, irritate ; p. to inconvenience ; exert
(strength &c); lend (money) at interest, invest ;
give (work) to be done off the premises. P.
through: carry out (task); place (person) in
telephonic connexion with (to) another through
exchange(s). P. together: form (whole) by combination of parts; p. two <- two together; (Crick.)
compile (score). P. up : p. person's back up, enrage him; p. one's hair up ; employ (person) as
jockey ; produce (play) on stage ; cause (game)
to rise from cover ; raise (price) ; offer (prayer),
present(petition) ; propose for election; publish

jbanns); offer for sale by auction or for competition ; pack up in parcel, place in receptacle
for safe keeping ; sheathe (sword); lodge & entertain (man, horse) ; take up one's lodging (at
inn &c.) ; p. up with (archaic p. up) submit to,
tolerate, (insult, annoying person or thing); p.
(person) up to, inform him of, instruct him in,
(also) instigate him (to do, to doing or action) ;
construct, build ; concoct (underhand piece of
work); p. -up a., fraudulently concocted. Hence
pu'ttER 1 n. [OE putian (late), potian (late),
pf/tan, cf. Da. putte]
put 2 (pdbt), n. Throw, cast, of the weight or
stone; option of delivering fixed amount of a
^toek at fixed price within fixed time. [f. prec]
put 3 , putt, v.i. & t, & n. (putted). Strike

golf-ball, strike (golf-ball) gently with club to

get itinto hole on smooth piece of ground called
putting-green; (n.) such stroke. Hence pu'ttERMl, 2) n. [differentiated f. put 1 - 2 ]
pu'tative, a. Reputed, supposed, as his p.
father. Hence pu'tativeLY 2 adv. [f. LLputativus (putare think, see -ative)]
pute, a. (archaic). Pure (&) p., mere. [f. L
putus in phr. purus ac putus)
pu'teal, n. (Rom. ant.). Stone curb round
mouth of well. [L (puteus well, see -al)]
pu'tlog, -lock, n. Short horizontal timber
on which scaffold-boards rest. [?]
pu'trefy, v.i. & t. Become putrid, rot, go
bad ; fester, suppurate ; become morally corrupt ; (rare) cause to p. So putpeFA - CTiox n.,
putpefa'etiVE a. If. F putrefier f. L put rejacere (putrere be rotten, see -FY)]
putpe'seent, a. In process of rotting ; of,
accompanying, this process. Hence putPe'scexce n.\ putre'seiBLE a. [f. L putrescere
incept, of putrere rot, see -ent]
pu'tpid, a. Decomposed, rotten ; foul, noxious; (fig.) corrupt ; p. fever, typhus; p. sore
throat, gangrenous pharyngitis, diphtheria.
Hence putpi'diTY, pu'tpidNESS, nn., pu p tPidLY 2 adv. [f. L putridus {putrere rot, -id *)]
putt. See put 3 .
pu'ttee, n. Long strip of cloth wound spirally round leg from ankle to knee for protection & support, [f. Hind, patti bandage]

putty, n., & v.t. (Also jewellers' p.) powder

of calcined tin (& lead) for polishing glass or
metal; (also plasterers' p.) fine mortar of lime
& waterwithoutsand; (also glaziers'p.) cement
of whiting, raw linseed oil, &c, for fixing panes
of glass, filling up holes in woodwork, &c; (v.t.)
cover, fix, join, fill up, with p. [f. F potee lit.
POTful, see -Y 4 ]
puy (pwe), n. Small volcanic cone esp. in
Auvergne. [F]
pu'zzle *, n. Bewilderment, perplexity ; perplexing question, enigma ; problem, toy, contrived to exercise ingenuity & patience, as
Chinese p.; p.-head(ed), -pate(d), (person) with
confused ideas ; p.-peg, piece of wood so fixed
to dog's lower jaw as to prevent him from putting nose close to ground. [?]
pu'zzle 2 , v.t. & i. Perplex; be perplexed
(about, over, problem &c); make out (solution
of problem &c); moxkey-p. Hence pu'zzleDOM, pU'ZZleMEXT, pU'ZZlER 1 , lin., pU'ZZling"LY 2 adv. [?]
puzzolana. See pozzolana.
pyaemia, n. Blood-poisoning marked by
formation of pus-foci. Hence pyae'mic a.
[f. Gk puon pus + haima blood + -ia 2 ]
pyeno- in comb. = Gk puknos thick, dense,
as -style a. & n., (building) with close arrangement of columns, i.e. at interval of one diameter
& a half.
pygmy, pi-, n. & a. One of a diminutive
race of men said to have inhabited parts of
Ethiopia or India; the Pp., a dwarf race in
equatorial Africa ; dwarf (fig. of intellectual
inferiority &c); elf, pixy; (adj.) of the pp.,
dwarf. So pygmae'A.v a. [f. L f. Gk pugma ios (pvgme length from elbow to knuckles)]
pyja'mas, pa-, (-jah-), n. pi. Loose silk or
cotton trousers tied round waist, worn by both
sexes among Mohammedans & adopted esp. for
night wear by Europeans ; sleeping suit of
loose trousers & jacket, [f. Pers. pae jamah
(pae, pay, foot, leg, + jamah clothing)]
py'lon, n. Gateway esp. of Egyptian temple,
[f. Gk pulon (ptde gate)]
pylop'us, n. (anat.). Opening from stomach
into duodenum ; part of stomach where this is.

PYO-

677

QUACK

Hence pyld'Pic a. [LL, f. Gk puloros gatekeeper (pule gate + oiiros warder)]

pyo- in comb. = Gk puon pus, as -genesis formation of pus. So py'oiD a.
pyp'aeanth, n. Evergreen thorny shrub
with white flowers & scarlet berries, [f. L f.
Gk purakant ha, etym. dub.]
py'pamid, n. Monumental (esp. ancient
Egyptian) structui'e of stone &c. with polygonal or (usu.) square base, & sloping sides
meeting at apex ; solid of this shape with base
of three or more sides ; p. -shaped thing or pile
of things ; fruit-tree trained in p. shape ; poem
successive lines of which increase or decrease
in length ; (Billiards, pi.) game played with
(usu. 15) coloured balls & one cue-ball. Hence
or cogn. pyra'midAL a., pyra'midalLV 2 ,
pyramid wise, advv. [f. L f . Gk p^lramis
idos, perh. of Egypt, orig. ]
pypamidist, n. Student of structure &
history of Egyptian pyramids. [-1ST]
pyre, n. Heap of combustible material, esp.
funeral pile for burning corpse, [f. L f. Gkpwa
{pur fire)]
pyre'thrum, n. Genus of composite plants,
feverfew. [L, f. Gk purethron]
pyre'tie (or pi-), a. Of, for, or producing
fever, [f. Gk puretos fever + -ic]
pype'xia, n. (path.). Fever. Hence pyre'xiAL, pype*xic(AL), aa. [f. Gkpurexis (puresso
be feverish, as prec.)]
pyrhelio'meter (per-), n. Instrument for
measuring heat given off by sun. [f. Gk pur
fire + helios sun + -meter]
pyp'idine (or pi-), n. (chem.). A volatile
liquid alkaloid from dry distillation of bone-oil,

used for asthma, [f. Gkp?trfire + -iD 4 + -iNE 5 ]

pypi'tes, n. (Also iron p.) either of two sulphides of iron ; copper p., double sulphide of
copper & iron. Hence pyri'tic, pypiti'FERous, pyp'itous, aa., pyp'itizE v.t. [L, f. Gk
purites of fire (pur, see -ite 1 )]
pypo. See pv nogallic.
pypo- in comb. = Gk pur fire, as: 'ele'etric,
-electri'city, (property of) becoming electrically
polar when heated ; -ga'llic acid (abbr. pyro),
acid used as reducing agent in photography
&c.; -genetic, productive of heat, esp. in the
body, or (also -ge'nic) of fever ; -genous, (of rock)
igneous, (of substance) produced by combustion
of another; -graphy, = POKE^-icork, so -graph
v.i., -grapher, -graphist, nn. ,' -gra'phic a.; -gravure', piece of poker-work; -latry, fire-worship;
-li'gneous, produced by action of fire or heat on
wood, as p. acid; -ma'nia, incendiary mania,
so -ma'niac n., mani'acal a. ; -meter, instrument
for measuring high temperatures, so -metric(al)
aa., -metrically adv., -metry n.; -phorus, substance that takes fire spontaneously on exposure
to air, so -pho'ric, -phorous, aa. ; -rho'tograph,
one burnt in on glass or porcelain, so -photogra'phic a., -photo'graphy n. Also in scientific wds
denoting (Chem.) new substance fornfed from
another by destructive distillation &c, (Min.)
minerals &c. showing some property or change
under action of heat, or having fiery red or
yellow colour.
pyp'ope, n. A deep-red garnet. [f. OF
pirope f. L f. Gk puropos gold-bronze, lit. fieryeyed (pur fire 4- ops eye)]
pypote'ehnie, a. & n. Of (the nature of)
fireworks, as p. display ; (fig., of wit &c.) brilliant, sensational; (n. pi.) art of making, display of, fireworks (lit. & fig.). Hence or cogn.
pypote'ehnie At a., pypote'ehniealLv 2
adv., pypote'ehnisT, pyp'oteehnY 1 , nn.
[f. pyro- + Gk tekhnikos (tekhne art, see -ic)j
pypo'xylin, n. Kinds of explosive, includ-

ing gun-cotton, produced by treating vegetable

fibre with nitric acid &c. Hence pypoxy'lic
a. If. pyro- + Gk xulon wood + -in]
Pypphie *, p-, n. & a. P. (dance), war dance
of ancient Greeks; the metrical foot uu ; (adj.)
consisting of such feet, [(in pros, sense f. L f.
Gk purrhikhios) f. purrhikhe, said to be named
f. Purrhikhos, the inventor]

Pypphie 2 , a. P. victory (gained at too great

cost, like that of Pyrrhus king of Epirus over
the Romans at Asculum). [f. Gk purrhikos
(Purrhos Pyrrhus, see -IC)]
Pypphonism, n. Sceptic philosophy of
Pyrrho of Elis (c. 300 B.C.), doctrine that certainty of knowledge is unattainable; scepticism, philosophic doubt. Hence or cogn. Pyppho*niAN, Pypphd'nic, aa. & nn., Pypphonisr n. [f. Gk Purrhon Pyrrho -f -ism]
pyp'us, n. Genus of rosaceous trees & shrubs
including pear & apple, esp. P. japonica, scarlet
p. Jmed.L, = hpirus pear-tree]
Pythag-ope'an, a. & n. (Follower) of Pythagoras, philosopher of Samos (6th c. B.C.) said to
have believed in transmigration of souls ; P.
proposition, Euclid 1.47. [f. L f. Gk Puthagoreios + -an]
Pythian, a. & n. Of (Apollo's oracle &
priestess at) Delphi; the P., Apollo, his priestess
at Delphi, [f. L f. Gk Pidhios (Pidho, older
name of Delphi) + -an]
python 1 , n. (Gk Myth.) huge serpent or
monster slain near Delphi by Apollo; large
snake that crushes its prey. So pytho'nie L
[-ic] a. If. L f. Gk Ptdhon]
python 2 , n. Familiar spirit ; person possessed by this. Hence or cogn. pythonESS !
n pytho-nie2 [-ic] a. [f. LL (o) f. N. T. Gk
puthon; connexion w. prec. unexpl.]
pyx, n., & v.t. (Eccl.) vessel in which consecrated bread is kept; box at Royal Mint in
which specimen gold & silver coins are deposited to be tested at the annual trial of the p.
by jury of Goldsmiths' Company ; (v.t.) deposit
(coin) in p., test (coin) by weight & assay, [(vb
f. n.) f. pyxis]
pyxi'dium, n. (bot,, pi. -ia). Capsule of
which the top comes off like lid of box. [f. Gk
puxidion, dim. as foil. ]
pyxis, n. Small box, casket ; = prec. [L, f .
Gk puxis f . puxos box-tree]

Q (ku), letter (pi. Qz, Q's). (Skating) change

of edge followed by turn (reverse Q, turn followed by change of edge) ; mind one's Ps <'
Qs, see p.
Abbreviations (1) : Q : quarter, Q.M.(-master), Q.M.G.(-master-general) ; Queen's, Q.C.
(Counsel); quod, Q.E.D., Q.E.F., Q.E.I., (see
quod) : q. : quantum, q.l., q.p., q.s., (see
quantum) ; quod, q.v. (see quod).
Abbreviations (2) : qr, quarter ; q.t. (slang),
quiet (on the strict q.t., privately, avoiding
notice); qu.(asi) ; Que.(bec) ; qu.(eryoraere).
qua, conj. As, in the capacity of, (objects to
the Church not q. Church, but q. Establishment).
[L, abl. fern. sing, of qui rel. pron.]
quack l , v.i., & n. (Utter) harsh sound made
by ducks; talk loudly & foolishly; q.-q. (nursery), duck, [imit.; cf. Du. kwakken, G quacken]
quack 2 , n., & v.i. & t. Ignorant pretender to
skill esp. in medicine or surgery, one who offers
wonderful remedies ordevices, charlatan,(often
attrib., as q. doctor, remedies) ; hence qua'ekery(4) n., qua'ckiSH l a. (Vb) play the q.;
talk pretentiously ; puff or advertise (cure &c).
[abbr. of foil.]

QUACKSALVER

678

QUAIL

qua'eksal vep, n. (Orig. form, now rare, of)

QUACK 2 n. [Du. (QUACK 1 , SALVE, -ER 1 )]
quad (-6d), n. See quadrangle, quadrat.
qua'dpable (-6d-), a. (math.). Capable of
being represented by an equivalent square or
expressed in finite number of algebraic terms.
[as QUADRATE ^^BLE]
quadragenarian (-6d-), a. & n. (Person)
forty years old. [f. L quadragenarius (quadrageni distrib. of quadraginta forty, -ary 1 )]

Quadrag-e'sima (-6d-), n. (Also Q. Sunday)

first Sunday in Lent. [med.L (earlier sense, the
forty lays of Lent), fern, of L quadragesimus
fortieth (quadraginta forty)]
quadrag-e'simal, a. Lasting forty days (of
fast, esp. Lent); Lenten, [f. LL quadragesimalis (prec., -al)]
qua'drangle (-6d-),n. Four-sided figure, esp.
square or rectangle ; so quadra'ngrulAR x a.,
quadpa'ngulaPLY 2 adv.; (also quad) foursided court (partly) enclosed by parts of large
building, such court with buildings round it.
[F, f. LL quadrangulum (quadri-, angle)]
qua'drant (-6d-), n. Quarter of circle's circumference ; plane figure enclosed by two radii
of circle at right angles & arc cut off by them ;
quarter of sphere ; thing, esp. graduated strip
of metal, -shaped like quarter-circle, instrument properly so shaped & graduated for taking angular measurements. Hence quadra'ntAL a. [f. L quadrans -antis (quadri-)J
qua'drat (-6d-), n. (Also quad) small metal
block used by printers in spacing (em q., en q.,
broader, narrower, size), [var. of foil.]
qua'drate x (-at), a. & n. Square, rectangular,
(chiefly in anat. names, as q. bone in birds' &
reptiles' heads, q. muscle in loins, thigh, forearm, &c). (X.) rectangular block or plate
(rare) ; q. bone or muscle, [f. L quadrat us
(foil., -ATE 2)]
quadra'te 2 (or kwo*-), v.t. & i. (rare). Make
square ; (Math.) square (circle &c); correspond
or conform (with, or abs. of pi. subj.); make
conform with or to or abs. [f. L quadrare
(QUADRI-), -ATE 3 ]
quadpa'tic, a. & n. Square (rare) ; (Math.)
involving second & no higher power of unknown quantity or variable (esp. q. equation).
(N.) q. equation ; (pi.) branch of algebra dealing
with these, [quadrate 1 , -ic]
qua'dpatupe (-6d-, -tsher, -tur), n. (Math.)
finding of square with area precisely equal to
that of figure bounded by curve (esp. <j. of the
circle); (Astron.) one of two points in space
or time at which moon is 90 from sun, position
of heavenly body in relation to another 90
away. [f. L quadratura (quadrate 2 , -ure)]
quadrennial, a. Occurring every, lasting,
four years, [(incorrectly) f. L quadrienmum
four-year period (foil., annus year), -al]

quadri- (-6d-), L comb, form = four-, in a

few L words (quadriduum period of four days,
quadripartitus quadripartite), & in many of
later L & mod. formation, esp. in scientific use :
qua'dpifid, a., cleft into four divisions or
lobes ; quadrilateral, a. & n., four-sided
(figure or area; the Q., four fortresses in N.
Italy & district protected by them) ; quadrili'ng*ual, a., using, in, four languages ; quadrillion, n., fourth power of million (1 followed
by 21 ciphers), (U.S.) fifth power of a thousand
(cf. billion) ; quadpind'mial, a., consisting
of four algebraic terms ; quadpipap'tite, a.,
consisting of four parts, shared by or involving four parties ; qua'dpipeme, ancient galley with four banks of oars ; quadrisylla*bie, a., four-syllabled ; quadrisyllable, n.,
word of four syllables ; quadpi'valent, a.

(chem.), capable of combining with four univalent atoms; quadri* vium,n. (hist.), medieval
university course of arithmetic, geometry,
astronomy, & music (cf. trivium).
quadri'ga, n. (pi. -ae). Ancient chariot
drawn by four horses abreast, esp. as seen in
sculpture or on coins. [L (pTec.,jugum yoke)]
quadri'lle l (as foil.), n. Fashionable 18th-c.
game for four persons with forty cards. [F,
perh. f. Sp. cuartillo w. assim. to foil.]
quadri'lle 2 (ka-, kwa-), n. Square dance for
four couples & containing five figures (also set
ofqq.); piece of music for such dance. [F, f.
Sp. cuadrilla (cuadra square) squadron, band]
quadroo*n,*n. Offspring of white & mulatto,
person of quarter-negro blood ; hybrid of similarly proportioned descent between other human, animal, or vegetable stocks, [f. Sp. cuarteron (cuarto fourth) w. assim. to quadri-]
quadpu'manous (-roo-), a. Four-handed,
belonging to the order Quadrumana of mammals with opposable digit on all four limbs,
[after foil. f. L manus hand]
qua'druped (-6d-), n. & a. Four-footed animal, esp. four-footed mammal ; so quadru'pedAL (-roo-)a.; (adj.) four-footed, [f. L quadrupes -pedis a. & n. (quadru- form of quadrisomet. used before p-, pes foot]
qua'druple (-6d-), a., n., & v.t. & i. Fourfold, consisting of four parts or involving four
parties, (q. algebra, using four independent

units ; q. rhythm or time, with four beats to a

measure; q. alliance &c); amounting to four
times the amount or number of, equivalent to
fourfold the amount of, superior by four times
in amount or number to, (has a light &heat q.,
or q. of or to, that of the earth); hence qua'dpupLY 2 adv. (N.) number or amount four times
greater than another (esp. the q. of). (Vb) multiply (t. & i.) by four. [F, f. L quadruplets
(prec, -phis as in duplus double)]
qua*dpuplet,n. (PI.) four children at a birth;
four things working together ; bicycle for four,
[f. prec. after triplet]
quadruplicate l (-roo-, -at), a. & n. Fourfold, four times repeated or copied ; (n.)in q., in
four exactly similar examples or copies ; (pi.)
four such copies, [f. L quadruplicare (quaclruplex fourfold, cf. quadruped, duplex),
-ATE 2 ]
quadruplicate 2 , v.t. Multiply by four ;
make in q. HencequadPuplieATiONn. [as
prec, -ate 3 ]
quadpupli'eity, n. Fourfold nature, being
fourfold, [f. lA-tas), as prec, -ty]
quaere (kwer'D.v.t. imperat., &n.(abbr. qu.).
Inquire (imperat.), it is a question, I should like
to know, (most interesting, no doubt ; but q., is
it true ?); (n.) a question, query. [L, imperat.
of quaerere ask]
quae'stop, n. Ancient-Roman official, statetreasurer, paymaster, &c Hence or cogn.
quaestop*iALa.,quae*stopsHipn. [h(quaerere quaesit- seek, -or 2 )]
quaff, v.i. & t. Drink (t. & i.), drain (cup &c),
in copious or long draughts. [?]
quag*, n. Marshy or boggy spot, quaking bog.
Hence qua'ggy l a. [imit. ; cf. wag, swag]
qua'gga, n. S.-Afr. quadruped related to
ass & zebra, less striped than latter ; Burchell's
zebra. [S.-Afr.]
qua'gmire, n. Quaking bog, fen, marsh,
slough (lit. & fig.), [prob. f. quag, mire]
quail ', n. Kinds of migratory bird allied to
partridge esteemed as food ; q.-call, q.-pipe,
whistle with note like q.'s for luring. Hence
quai*lERY(3) n. [f. OF qttaille prob. f. Teut.,
cf. OHG quatala prob. imit.]

QUAIL

679

QUARE IMPEDIT

quail 2 , v.i. & t. (Of person, or his heart,

courage, spirit, or eyes) flinch, be cowed, give
way before or to ; (rare) cow, daunt, [etym.
dub.; from 1410; common 1520-60 ; then disappears till revived prob. by Scott]
quaint, a. Attractive or piquant in virtue
of unfamiliar, esp. old-fashioned, appearance,
ornamentation, manners, &c, daintily odd.
Hence quai'ntLY 2 adv., quai'ntNESS n.
[earlier senses wise, cunning, ingenious ; f. OF
cointe f. L cognitus pp. of cognoscere learn]
quake, v.i. Shake, tremble, rock to & fro,
(of earth with earthquake, person usu. for or
with fear or cold, bog when trodden on, &c);
quaking-grass, kinds with slender foot-stalks
trembling in wind. Hence qua'kingxy 2 adv.
[OE cwaeian cf. quag]
Qua'ker, n. (Outsiders' name for) member
of Society of Friends founded by George Fox
1618-50, & devoted to peace principles, plainness
of dress (esp. the use of drab or grey), simplicity
of speech (esp. the use of thee & avoidance of
titles & words, such as the names of the days,
suggestive of paganism), & peculiar priestless
religious meetings ; (also q.-bird, -moth) kinds
of plain-coloured bird & moth ; q., or q.'s, -meeting, religious meeting of Friends, silent till
some member is moved by the spirit, (transf.)
silent meeting, company in which conversation flags. Hence qua'kePDOM, qua'kePESs 1 ,
qua*kepiSM(3,4), nn., qua'kerisn l , qua'kePLV J , aa. [name given 1650 w. ref. to ' quaking at the Word of the Lord ' ; -er j ]
qualification (-61-), n. Modification, recognition of contingency, restricting or limiting
circumstance, detraction from completeness or
absoluteness, (statement with many qq. ; hedged
about u'ith qq. ; requires q. ; his delight had one
q.); quality fitting person or thing ( for post &c,
or abs.); condition that must be fulfilled before
right can be acquired or office held (the q. for
citizenship may be a certain income), document

attesting such fulfilment ; attribution of quality

(the q. of his policy as opportunist is unfair).
So qua'lificatORY a. [r. med.L qualificatio
(foil., -FICATION)]
qua'lify (-61), v.t. & i. Attribute some quality
to, describe as, (q. documents as heretical, person as a scoundrel, proposal as iniquitous;
adjectives q. nouns); invest or provide with the
necessary qualities, make competent, fit, or
legally entitled, (for being or doing, to be or do,
for post or sphere, or abs. ; qualifying examination, to ascertain that candidates are not below a fixed standard, often followed by competitive), (intr.) fulfil some condition, esp. pass
examination or take oath, to make oneself eligible (for office, or abs.); modify (statement,
opinion), make less absolute or sweeping, subject to reservations or limitation ; moderate,
mitigate, make less complete or pleasing orunpleasing; diminish strength or flavour of (spirit
Sec. with water, also facet, water with spirit).
[f. med.L qualificare (L qualis such as, -FY)]
qualitative (-61-), a. Concerned with, depending on, quality (opp. quantitative ; esp.
q. analysis), [f. LL qualitativus (foil., -ative)]
qua'lity (-61-), n. Degree of excellence, relative nature or kind or character, (opp. quantity ; of good, high, poor, &c, q.; is made
in three qq.; q. matters more than quantity),
general excellence (has q. , is excellent) ; faculty,
skill, accomplishment, characteristic trait, mental or moral attribute, (give a taste of one's q.,
show what one can do ; has many good qq.,the
defects of his qq., the qq. of a rider, the q. of
inspiring confidence or of courage); (archaic or
vulg.) high rank or social standing {people of,

the, q., the upper classes); (Log.; of proposition)

being affirmative or negative ; (of sound, voice,
&c.) distinctive character apart from pitch &
loudness, timbre, [f. F qualiU f. L qualitatem
(qualis of what kind, -ty)]
qualm (-ahm, -awm), n. Momentary faint or
sick feeling, queasiness ; misgiving, sinking of
heart ; scruple of conscience, doubt of one's own
rectitude in some matter. Hence qual'miSH 1
a. [cf. G qiialm vapour (dial, swoon)]
quandary (-on-; also kwo'ndari), n. A state
of perplexity, difficult situation, practical dilemma, (am in a q.). [from 1580 ; etym. dub.]
quand meme (F), adv. Despite conse-

quences, even so, all the same.

quant (-6-), n., & v.t. & i. Punting-pole with
disk to prevent its sinking in mud used by E.coast bargemen &c; (vb) propel (boat), propel
boat, with q. [perh. f. L f. Gk kontos]
qua'ntic (-on-), n. (math.). Rational integral
homogeneous f unction'of two or more variables,
[f. L quantus how much, -ic]
qua'ntify, v.t. .(Log.) define application of
(term, proposition) by use of all, some, &c. ; determine quantity of, measure, express as quantity. Hence qua'ntifiABLE a., quantiFiCA'tion n. [f. med.L quantxficare (prec, -fy)]
quantitative (or -ta-), a. Measured or measurable by, concerned with, quantity (opp. qualitative ; esp. q. analysis) ; of, based on, the
quantity of vowels (q. accent, scansion, verse,
Sec). Hence qua'ntitativeLY 2 adv. [f. med.L
qxiantitativus (quantity, -ative)]
qua'ntitive, a. = prec. (rare), [foil., -ive]
qua'ntity (-on-), n. The property of things
that is estimable by some sort of measure, the
having of size, extension, weight, amount, or
number, (mathematics is the science of pure q.;
stated in terms of q. ; the q. of a surface is its
area); amount, sum, (the q. of the current depends on the size of the plates) ; specified or
considerable portion or number or amount of
something, the amount of something present,
(a small q. of blood ; a q. of baskets ; biiys in
large qq. ; the q. of heat in an animal body), (pi. )
large amounts or numbers, abundance,( isjound
in qq. on the shore); (Pros.) length or shortness
of vowel sounds (see long 1 ; q.-mark, put over
vowel to indicate q. ; false q.); (Log.) extension
given to subject of proposition ; (Math.) thing
having q., figure or symbol representing it, (incommensurable qq. have no aliquot parts ; unknoxon q. transf., person or thing whose action
cannot be foreseen ; negligible q. transf., person
&c. that need notbe reckoned with), [f. OFquantite f. L quantitatem (quantus how much, -ty)]
quanti'va lenee (-on-, -an-), n. (chem.). Extent to which one of element's atoms can hold
other atoms in combination, [f. L quantus how
much, after equivalence see equivalent]
qua'ntum (-on-, in L j:hrr. -an-, -on-), n. (pi.
-a, rare). Amount ; share, portion ; required,
desired, or allowed amount; q. libet or placet,
abbr. q.l., q.p., as much as is desired (in prescriptions) ; q. sufficit, abbr. quant, sujf. or q. s.,
as much as suffices (in prescriptions), (gen. ) suffi-

cient quantity, to sufficient extent. [L, neut.

of quantus how much, as much as]
quaquavep'sal (-av-), a. (geol.). Pointing
in every direction, [f. LL quaquaversus (quaqua wheresoever, versus towards)]
quarantine (kwoTanten), n., & v.t. (Period
of) isolation imposed on voyagers, travellers,
sick persons, or infected ship, that might spread
contagious disease ; (vb) impose such isolation
on, put in q. [prob. f. It. quarantina (quaranta
f. L quadraginta forty (days)]
quar'e irnpedit, n. Writ issued in cases of

QUARENDEN

680

QUARTERING

disputed presentation to benefice against objector, f L, = why does he hinder?]

* qua'penden, -der, (kwo-). Kind of Devonshire & Somerset apple. [?]
qua'rrel 1 (kwo-), n. (hist.). Short heavy
arrow or bolt used in crossbow or arbalest. [OF,
cf. It. quadrello dim. of quadro a square (LL
quadras a.)]
qua'rrel 2 (kwo-), n. Occasion of complaint
against person or his actions (have no q. against
or with him ; pick a q., invent or eagerly avail
oneself of such occasion to commence hostilities ; espouse one's q., fight one's qq.for him,
assist him in get ting redress ; in a good q. .justly
taken up); violent contention or altercation between persons, rupture of friendly relations.
Hence qua'rrelso.ME a., qua'rrelsomeLY 2
adv., qua'rrelsomeNESS n. If. OF querele
f. L querela complaint (queri complain)]
qua'rrel 3 , v.i. (-11-). Take exception, find
fault with {I never q. with Providence ; q. with
one's bread & butter, abandon employment by
which one lives) ; contend violently (with person, about or for thing), fall out, have dispute,
break off friendly relations, [f . prec. ]
qua'rry 1 (-6-), n. Object of pursuit by bird
of prey, hounds, hunters, &c; intended victim
or prey. [f. OF curee (cuir skin f. L corium,
-y 4 ), orig. sense, parts of deer placed on hide &

given to hounds]
qua'rry 2 (-6-), n., & v.t. & i. Excavation
made by taking stone for building &c. from its
bed, place whence stone, or fig. information &c,
may be extracted ; qua'rryman, worker in q.;
(vb) extract (stone) from q.; extract (facts &c.)
laboriously from books &c. ; -expend toil in
searching documents &c. (quarrying in the
Harleian MSS.). If. med.Lquareia,quad?'aria,
(L quadrare to square)]
quart 1 (-ort), n. Measure of capacity, quarter
of gallon or two pints (put q. into pint pot, make
less contain greater); pot or bottle containing
this amount ; (abs. for) q. of beer (still takes his
q.) ; q.-pot. [F, f. neut. of L quartus fourth]
quart 2 (kart), n., & v.i. & t. A position in
fencing, carte, (q. & tierce, fencing-practice);
sequence of four cards in piquet &c. (q. major,
ace, king, queen, knave). ( Vb) use the position
q.; drawback (head & shoulders) in doing this.
If. F quarte f. fern. L as prec]
quar'tan (-or-), a. & n. (Ague or fever) with
paroxysm every third (by inclusive reckoning
fourth) day. [f. F (fievre) quartaine f. L (febris)
quartana {quartus fourth, -an)]
quarta'tion (-or-), n. Combining of three
parts of silver with one of gold as preliminary
in purifying gold. [L quartus fourth, -ation]
quar'ter J (-or-), n. Fourth part, one of four
equal or corresponding parts, fourth part of,
(divide the apples into qq.; q. of a century, any
period of 25 years ; second &c. q. of the century,
26th to 50th &c. years of it ; q. of an hour, any
consecutive 15 minutes ; bad q. of an hour,
short unpleasant experience ; can get it at the
stores for a q. the or of the, or for q. the, price ;
is not a q. as good as it should be, q.-mile,
-yard, &c, q. of a mile &c.) ; one of four parts,
each including leg or arm, into which beast's
or bird's carcase is divided (of beast, often fore,
hind, -q.), (pi.) similar parts of traitor quartered
after execution, (usu. in pi., often hind-qq.)
haunch(es) of living animal or man, (sing. ) either
side of ship aft of main-chains (on the q., between astern & on beam); (Herald.) one of four
divisions of quartered shield (dexter & sinister
chief, dexter & sinister base), charge occupying
q. placed in chief; grain-measure of eight
bushels, used in stating large quantities, prices,

&c; (abbr. q?') fourth of cwt, 281b.; fourth of

fathom (& a q. Jive, ok fathoms ; a q. less Jive,
Ij); fourth of year for which payments become
due on q.-day, instalment of allowance &c. for
the q., (now chiefly Sc.) school term ; fourth of
lunar period, moon's position between first &

second or third & fourth of these ; point of time

15' before or after any hour o'clock (at a q. to,
past, six; it is not the q. yet; strikes the hours,
half -hours, & qq.', it has gone the q., clock has
sounded for it); (Channel I.) unit of property or
income, reckoned as 25, for assessment of taxes
&c; (region lying about) point of compass, direction, district, locality, source of supply or
help or information, (wind blows from all four
qq. at once ; what q. is the wind in ? lit., & fig.
how are things going? &c; Jlocked in from all
qq.; no help to be looked for in that q.; had the
newsfrom a good q.); division of town, esp. one
appropriated to or occupied by special class
(the Jewish, manufactiiring, residential, &c,
q. ); (pi. ) lodgings, abode, esp. place where troopsare lodged or stationed (UKXD-qq.; winter-qq.<
occupied, esp. by troops, for winter; take up
one's qq., lodge in, with, &c; beat 1 up qq. of;
beat to qq. naut., summon crew to appointed
stationsasforaction; oiCLOSEigg.Kexemption
from death offered or granted to enemy in bat
tie who will surrender (give, receive, q.; ask for
or cry q.; no q. to be given); quarter-mile race
or running-distance (won the q. ; has done the
q. in 50"). Q.-bell, sounding the q. -hours; q.binding of book, with narrow leather at back
& none at corners, so q.-bound a. ; q.-butt in
billiards, cue shorter than half-butt; q.-day, on
which quarterly payments are due, tenancies
begin & end, &c. (Lady Day 25 Mar., Midsummer Day 24 June, Michaelmas 29 Sep., & Christmas 25 Dec); q.-deck, part of upper deck between stern & after-mast, used by superior
officers & cabin passengers; q.-ill, cattle &
sheep disease causing putrefaction in one or
more of the qq. ; q.-left, -right, (mil.), q. of a
right angle to left, right; q.-light, window in
body of closed carriage apart from door-window;
q.-line (naut.), disposition in which bow of each
ship is abaft beam of one in front ; quartermaster, (naut.) petty officer in charge of steering, binnacle, signals, hold-stowing, &c, (mil.,
abbr. Q.M.) regimental officer with duties of
assigning qq., laying out camp, & looking after
rations, ammunition, &c (Q.-m.-gen-ral, abbr.
Q.M.G., staff officer at head of department controlling quartering, equipment, &c); q.-miler,
runner whose distance is the q. ; q. -plate,
photographic plate 3i in. x 4|. photograph produced from it ; g. -sessions, court of limited,
criminal & civil jurisdiction & of appeal held
quarterly by justices of peace in counties & by
recorder in boroughs ; quar'terstaff, stout pole
6-8 ft long formerly used by peasantry as weapon ; q.-tone (mus.), half a semitone; q.-wind,
blowing on ship's q. (most favourable sailing
wind). [OF, f. L quartarius fourth part (of a
measure) f. quartus fourth, see -er 2 (2)]

quar'ter 2 , v.t. Divide into four equal parts,

divide (traitor's body) into qq.; (Herald.) place
or bear (charges or coats of arms) quarterly on
shield, add (another's coat) to one's hereditary
arms, place in alternate qq. with, divide (shield)
into qq. or into divisions formed by vertical &
horizontal lines; put (esp. soldiers) into qq.,
station or lodge in specified place ; (of dogs)
range or traverse (ground) in every direction,
[f. precl
quar'teraare (ij), n. Quarterly payment, a
quarter's wages, allowance, pension, &c. [-age]
quar'tering", n. In vbl senses ; esp. (herald.,

QUARTERLY

681

QUEER

pi.) coats marshalled on shield to denote alliances of family with heiresses of others, [-ing j ]
quarterly, a., n., & adv. Occurring every
quarter of a year ; (n.) q. review or magazine ;
(adv.) once every quarter of a year; (Herald.)
in the four, or in two diagonally opposite, quarters of shield (q.-quartered, with one or more
quarters divided in four). [-LY * 2 ]
quar'tern ( ort-), n. (Also q.-loaf) four- pound
loaf. [f. OF quarlron quarter ; orig. sense,
quarter of stone or peck]
quarte*t(te) (or-), n. Musical composition
for four voices or instruments, players or singers rendering this; set of four. [F (-te), f. It.
quartetto (quarto fourth f. L quartus, -et 1 ]
quar'to (-or-), n. (also written 4to, 4). Size
given by folding sheet of paper twice ; book
consisting of sheets so folded ; q. -paper, so folded. [L (in) quarto (in) fourth (of sheet) ; abl. of
quartus fourth]
quartz (-orts), n. Kinds of mineral, massive
or crystallizing in hexagonal prisms, consisting
in pure form of silica or silicon dioxide, & often
containing gold. [f. G quarz etym. dub.]

quash (-6-), v.t. Annul, make void, rejectas

not valid, put an end to, (esp. by legal procedure
or authority), [f. OF quasser (now cause?-) f. L
quassare frequent, of quatere shake]
Qua'shee (-6-), n. Negro (as national nickname), [f. Ashantee or Fantee Kwasi common
personal name]
qua'si, conj. & pref. (Introducing etymological explanation, abbr. <?*/.) that is to say, as if
it were, (Earls of Wilbraham, q. Wild boar
ham) ; (hyphened esp. to noun or adj.) seeming(ly), not real(ly), practical(ly), half-, almost, (engaged in a q.-war ; the q.-art of making enemies',
has a q. episcopal position). [L, = as if]
qua'ssia (or -asha, -osha), n. S.-Amer., esp.
Surinam, tree; (wood, bark, or root of this &
other trees, yielding) bitter medicinal decoction.
If. name of negro (cf. quashee) who discovered
its virtues 1761]
quater-eente'nary, n. Four-hundredth
anniversary. IL quater four times]
quaternary, a. & n. Having four parts,
esp. compounded of four chemical elements or
radicals; concerned with the number four;
(Geol.) belonging to most recent period, subsequent to Tertiary. (N.) set of four things ; the
number four; the Pythagorean q., 1+2 + 3 + 4
= 10, with mystic significance in Pythagoreanism, [f. L quaternarius (quaterni distrib. of
quatuor four, -ary l )]
quater'nion, n. Set of four ; quire of four
sheets folded in two ; Pythagorean quaternary,
mystic number 4 or 10 (see prec.) ; (Math.) quotient of two vectors or operator that changes
one vector into another (named as depending
on four geometrical elements), (pi.) form of calculus of vectors in which this operator is used,
[f. LL quaternio (prec.)]
quater'nity, n. Set of four, being four, (esp.
as analogous to Trinity, in describing heresies
&c). (f. LL quaternitas (quaternary, -tv)]
quatorzain (ka'terzan), n. Fourteen-line
poem, irregular sonnet, [f. F quatorzaine
(quatorze fourteen f. L quatuordecim]
qua'train (-6t-), n. Stanza of four lines usu.
with alternate rhymes. [F (quatre four f. L
quatuor)]
qua'tre (ate?'), n. = cater'.
qua'trefoil (katre-, kater-), n. Four-cusped

figure, esp. as opening in architectural tracery,

resembling symmetrical four-lobed leaf or
flower, [f. OF quatre (quatrain), foil 1 ]
quattroee'ntist, n. & a. (Artist &c.) of the
quattrocento, [-ist]

quattroce'nto (ah-, -tshe), n. Fifteenth

century as period in Italian art. [It., lit. 400,
but used = 1400]
qua'ver >, v.i. & t. Vibrate, shake, tremble,
(esp. of voice or musical sound) ; use trills in
singing; sing (note, song) with trills, say (usu.
out) in trembling tones. Hence qua'veringly 2 adv. [f. obs. quave cogn. w. quake, quiver -,+-er 5 ]
qua'veP 2 , n. Trill in singing; tremulousness in speech, whence qua'vePYU.; (Mus.)
note equal in length to half crotchet, [f. prec]
quay (ke), n. Solid stationary artificial landing-place usu. of stone or iron lying along or projecting into water for (un)loading ships. Hence
quay'AGE(M) n. [earlier & OF kay, cf. Sp. cayo
shoal, W cae hedge, w. assim. to F quai)
quean, n. Impudentor ill-behaved girl, jade,
hussy. [OE cwene woman, cf. Du. kween barren
cow ; cogn. w. Gk gune woman & w. queen]
quea'sy (zl), a. (Of food) unsettling the
stomach, causing or tending to sickness, fulsome ; (of person, his stomach, orhis conscience)
easily upset, weak of digestion, overscrupulous
or tender or delicate, in fastidious condition.
Hence quea'siNESS n. [earlier coisy ; etym,
dub.; cf. OF coisier hurt]
queen 1 , n. King's wife (also q.-consort for
distinction from next sense ; q.-doicager, wife
of late king; q.-mother, q. -dowager who is
mother of sovereign, & see next sense; also prefixed as title, as Q. Alexandra)', female sovereign of kingdom (q.-mother, q. having child or
children ; also prefixed as title, as Q. Victoria ;
Q.'s counsel 1 , abbr. Q.C.; Q. Anne isdead, retort to stale news; Q.Anne's bounty; Q.-Anne,
in the architectural or decorative style of Q.
Anne's time; Q. of Scots, Mary Stuart) ; adored
female, e.g. the Virgin Mary (Q. oj grace &c),
ancient goddess (Q. of heaven, Juno, of love,
Venus, of night, Diana, &c), person's sweetheart or wife or mistress ; majestic woman ;
belle, mock-sovereign, on some occasion (Q. of
the may 3 &c); personified best example of anything that can be regarded as fern, (the q. of

watering x>la.ces, roses, nurses) ; person, country, &c, regarded as ruling over some sphere
(<?. of hearts, any beautiful woman ; q. of the
Adriatic, Venice ; q. of the seas, Gt Britain ;
q. of the meadows, meadowsweet) ; (also<?.-bee,
-tuasp, -ant) perfect female of bee &c; piece in
chess (q.'s bishop, knight, pawn, &c, those
placed nearest q. at start; q. s gambit) ; one of
court-cards in each suit; q.-cake, small soft
currant cake often heart-shaped ; q.-posts, two
upright timbers between tie-beam & rafters of
roof(cf. KiNG-posty, q.'s colours, one of regimental pair of colours.royal colours; q.'s pincushion,
flower of guelder-rose; q.'s pipe, furnace formerly used for destroying confiscated tobacco ;
q.'s shilling ; q.-stitch, fancy-stitch in embroidery; q.'s-ware, cream-coloured Wedgwood;
q.'s weather, sunshine. Hence quee'nDOM,
quee'nHOOD, quee'nsHip, nn., quee'nLESS,
quee'nLiKE, aa. [OE cwfn, cf. ON kvxn;
cogn. w. quean]
queen 2 , v.t. & i. Make (woman) q.; q. it,
play the q.; (Chess) advance (pawn) to opponent's end of board & have it converted to q. or
other piece, (intr., of pawn) be converted thus.
If. prec]
queening 1 , n. Kind of apple, [-ing 3 ]
quee'nly, a. Fit for, appropriate to, queen ;
majestic, queenlike. Hence quee'nliNESS n.
1-lv 1 ]
queer, a. , & v. t. (slang). Strange, odd, eccentric; of questionable character, shady, suspect;
out of sorts, giddy, faint, (esp. feel q.) ; (slang)
22*

QUELL

682

QUICK

drunk ; in Q. street (slang), in a difficulty, in

debt or trouble or disrepute ; hence queep'iSH 1
a., queep'LY a adv., queep'NESS n. (Vb)
spoil, put out of order, (esp. q. the pitch for
one, spoil his chance beforehand by secret dealings); make feel q. [perh. f. G quer crosswise]

quell, v.t. (poet. & rhet.). Suppress, forcibly

put an end to, crush, overcome, reduce to submission, (fear, opposition, rebellion, rebels,
&c). Hence (-)que'llER 1 n. [OEcwellan, cf.
G qudlen]
quench, v.t. Extinguish (fire, light, eyesight ;
chiefly poet, or rhet.) ; cool, esp. with water
(heat, heated thing ; poet, or rhet.) ; stifle, suppress, (desire, speed, motion ; poet, or rhet.) ;
slake (thirst); (slang) reduce to silence, shut up,
(opponent). Hence que'nehABLE, que'nehless, aa. [cf. Fris. kwinka]
que'neher, n. In vbl senses ; esp. (slang)
something to drink (usu. a modest q.). [-er 1 ]
quene'lle (ke-), n. Seasoned ball of fish or
rueatreduced to paste. [F, etym. dub.]
queP'ist, n. Person who asks question, [f.
L quaerere ask, -ist]
quern, n. Hand-mill for grinding corn ;
small hand-mill for pepper &c. ; q.-stone, millstone. [OE cweorn, cf. Du. kweern. Da. kvaern]
que'PUlous (-rod-), a. Complaining, peevish.
Hence que'PulousLY 2 adv., que'pulousness n. [f. LL querulosus (L querulus f. queri
complain, -ose ')]
quep'y, n., & v.t. & i. (Used abs. to introduce
question ; abbr. qu.) pray, one would like to
know, (Query, or qu., ivas the money ever
paid ?) ; a question, esp. of the nature of objection {was prepared to suppress all qq.);
mark of interrogation or the word query or qu.
written against statement, or the word query
interjected in speech, to question accuracy.
(Vb) ask, inquire, (whether, if, &c.) ; put a
question ; call (thing) in question in speech or
writing, question accuracy of. [anglicized
form of quaere]
quest *, n. Official inquiry or jury &c. making it (now only in vulg. crowner's q., coroner's
inquest) ; seeking or thing sought by inquiry
or search, esp. object of medieval knight's pursuit (in q. of, seeking), [f. OF queste f. pop. L p.p.
of quaerere seek]
quest 2 , v.i. & t. (Of dogs &c.) search for game
(often about)-, go (about) in search of something; (poet.) search for, seek out. [f. OF
quester (prec.)]
que'stion 1 (-stshon), n. Sentence adapted
by order of words, use of interrogative pronoun

or stop, or other means, to elicit answer, interrogative sentence, (put a q. to one, ask him
something; q. & answer, alternation of qq.
& answers, catechetic procedure; leading 2 ,
rhetorical, q.; indirect, oblique, q., made into
dependent clause; q.-mark or -stop, mark of
interrogation) ; (raising of) doubt about or objection to thing's truth, credibility, advisability,
&c. (allowed it without q.; beyond all or beyond, out of, past, without, q., certainly, undoubtedly ; call in q., raise objections to ; make
no q. of fact &c, but that it is so &c, admit it ;
there is no q. but that. . .), whence que'stionless adv. & a.; problem requiring solution,
matter or concern depending on conditions of,
(eastern q.; a difficult q.; beg the q.; success
is merely a q. of time, will certainly come, but
may come sooner or later ; it is only a question
of putting enough coffee in) ; subject being discussed or for discussion, thing to be voted on,
(the person in q., that we are referring to;
come into q., be discussed, become of practical
importance; that is not the q., is irrelevant; '

the q. is, introducing or recalling exact matter

of debate ; Q.! in public assemblies, used to recall speaker from digression ; the previous
q.; out of the q., too impracticable to be worth
discussing ; put the q., require supporters &
opponents of proposal to record their votes,
divide meeting &c; open q.); (archaic) torture to elicit confession (was put to the q.).
[OF, f. L quaestionem (quaerere seek, -tion)]
que'stion 2 , v.t. Ask qq. of, interrogate,
subject to examination, (person); seek information from study of (phenomena, facts) ; call in
q., throw doubt upon, raise objections to, (q.
the honesty, accuracy, fitness, &c, o/; it cannot
be questioned but that or but, it is certain that),
whence que'stionABLE a., que'stionabLY 2
adv. Hence que*stioning-Lv 2 adv. [f. OF
questionner (prec.)]
que'tzal, n. Beautiful Central- Amer. bird.
[Sp., f. Aztec quetzalli the bird's tail-feather]
queue (ku), n., & v.i. Hanging plaited tail of
hair or wig, pigtail ; line of persons, vehicles,
&c, awaiting their turn to be attended to or
proceed. (Vb) dress (hair) in q.; (of persons
&c.) form up in q. [F, f. L Cauda tail]
qui'bble, n., & v.i. Play on words, pun ;
equivocation, evasion, unsubstantial or purely
verbal argument &c. esp. one depending on
ambiguity of word ; (vb) use qq.; hence qui'bblER i n., qui'bbliNG 2 a. [perh. dim. of obs.

quib f. L quibus abl. pi. of qui who (familiar f.

use in legal documents)]
quick, a., n., & adv. Living, alive, (archaic;
esp. the q. & the dead, go down q. into hell ; q.
with child, orig. with q. child, at stage of pregnancy when motion has been felt) ; vigorous,
lively, ready, sensitive, prompt to act, perceive,
be affected, learn, think, or invent, (a q. child,
intelligent; q. temper, easily irritated, whence
quiektempePED 2 a.; q. sight, acute or alert,
whence quicksightnu -a.; has a q. eye, ear,
&c, whence quiek-eyED 2 , quiek-eaPED 2 ,
aa. ; is q. to take offence ; has q. toils, is ready
at grasping situation, making repartees, &c,
whence quick- wittED 2 a.; N.B. these compounds have quick stressed when attrib., unstressed when pred.) ; moving rapidly, rapid,
swift, done in short time or with little interval,
(q. succession; at a q. trot ; a q. way of doing
it ; his q. growth ; be q., make haste ; did a q.
mile ; was followed by q. vengeance), whence
qui'ekLY 2 adv.; q.-change (of actor &c),
quickly changing costume or appearance to
play another part; qui'ckLiME 1 ; q. march
(mil.), march in q. time (see below ; esp. as word
of command for starting at usual pace) ; qui'cksand, (bed oQ loose wet sand readily swallowing up ships, animals, &c; qui'ckset, (adj., of
hedge) formed of living plants esp. hawthorn,
(n.) live slips of plants esp. hawthorn set in
ground to grow, hedge formed of these ; qui'cksilver, (n.) mercury, (fig.) mobility of temperament or mood, (v.t.) coat (mirror-glass) with
amalgam of tin ; q. step, step used in q. time
(mil.), rate of marching reckoned at 128 paces
of 33 in. to the minute or four miles an hour,
the usual British-army rate. (N.) tender or
sensitive flesh below skin or esp. nails, tender
part of wound or sore where healthy tissue
begins, seat of feeling or emotion, (bites his
nails to the q. ; probed it to the q. ; the insult
stung him to the q. ; is a Tory to the q., through
& through) ; =quickset a. & n. (Adv., with
compar. -er, -est, always after vb) at rapid rate,
in comparatively short time, (ran as q. as I
could ; who will be there quickest ?) ; (ellipt. for
imperat. of go, come, be, q.) make haste; quick(prefixed to partt. esp. in -ing) quickly, soon*

QUICKEN

683

QUINT

(q.-fadinq. -forgotten, &c; q.-firing gun, or

quiek-fip'ER 1 n., gun with special mechanism for firing shots in q. succession). [Aryan ;
OE ciuicu, cf. Du. kwik, G keck pert, Skr.jivd,
L vivus, Gk bios life]
qui'cken, v.t. & i. Give or restore natural
or spiritual life or vigour to, animate, stimulate, rouse, inspire, kindle, whence qui'ekeniNG 2 a.; receive, come to, life; (of woman or
embryo) reach quick stage in pregnancy ; accelerate, make or (of pace, motion, &c.) become
quicker, [-ex 6 ]
qui'ckness, n. Readiness or acuteness of
perception or apprehension ; speed, rapidity,
suddenness, (rare ; esp. of single gesture or
motion); hastiness of temper, [-ness]
quid 1 , n. (slang; pi. quid). A sovereign, 1,
(at two q. a week). [?]
quid 2 , n. Lump of tobacco held in mouth &
chewed, [var. of cud]
qui'ddity, n. Essence of a thing, what
makes a thing what it is ; quibble, captious
subtlety, [f. med.L quidditas (L quid what,
-ITY)J
qui'dnune, n. Newsmonger, person given
to gossip, [f. L quid what, nunc now]
quid pro quo, n. Blunder made by using
or putting one thing for another (now rare) ;
compensation, return made, consideration,
(must get, must find him, a q. p. q.). [f. L quid
something pro for quo something]
quiescent (snt), a. Motionless, inert, silent,
dormant. Hence or cogn. quie'seENCE, quie'seEXCY, nn., quie'seentLY 2 adv. [f. L
quiescere (quies quiet 1 , -escent)]
quret 1 (-et), n. Undisturbed political condition, public tranquillity ; silence, stillness ;
being free from disturbance or agitation or
urgent tasks, rest, repose, peace of mind ; unruffled deportment, calm. [f. L quies -etis]
qui'et 2 (-et), a. "With no or slight or gentle
sound or motion ; of gentle or inactive disposition ; (of colour, dress, &c.) unobtrusive,
not showy ; not overt, private, disguised, (q.
resentment ; had a q. dig at him ; esp. on the

q., or slang abbr. on the q.t., secretly) ; undisturbed, not interfered with or interrupted,
free or far from strife or uproar ; enjoyed in
q.; tranquil, not anxious or remorseful. Hence
qui'etLY 2 adv., qui'etNESs, qui'exuDE, nn.
[f. L quietus p.p. (quiescent)]
qui'et 3 (-et), v.t., & i. Reduce to quietness,
soothe, calm ; become q. (rare ; usu. q. down).
[f. med.L quietare (prec.)]
qui'eten, v.t. & i. =prec. (vulg.). [-en 6 ]
qui'etism, n. Passive attitude towards life
withdevotional contemplation & abandonment
of the will as form of religious mysticism, nonresistance principles. So qui*etiST(2) n. & a.,
quieti'stic a. [f. It. quietismo (quiet 2 , -ism)]
quie'tus, n. Acquittance, receipt, given on
payment of account &c. (now rare) ; release
from life, death, extinction, final riddance,
(got, gave him, his q.). [f. med.L quietus (est he
is) quit (quiet 2 ) used as receipt form]
quill 1 , n. Hollow stem of feather, (also q.feather) whole large feather of wing or tail ;
pen (also q.-pen), plectrum, fishing-float, or
toothpick, made of this ; one of porcupine's
spines ; bobbin of hollow reed, any bobbin ;
musical pipe made of hollow stem ; curled-up
piece of cinnamon or cinchona bark ; q.-coverts,
feathers covering base of q.-feathers ; q.-driver,
clerk or journalist or author, [etyni. dub.; cf.
LG quiele, G kiel]
quill 2 , v.t. & i. Form into q.-like folds, goffer,
whence qui*lliNG 1 (2) n.; wind thread or yarn
on bobbin, [f. prec]

qui'llet, n. Quibble, nice distinction, [perh.

abbr. of obs. quillity perh. corrupt, of quiddity]
quilt, n., & v.t. Bed-coverlet made of padding enclosed between two layers of linen &c.
& kept in place by cross lines of stitching; any
coverlet or counterpane (PATCK-icork q.\. (Vb)
cover with padded material ; make or join together after the manner of a q. ; sew up (coin,
letters, &c.) between two layers of garment &c. ;
compile (literary work) out of extracts or borrowed ideas ; (slang) thrash. Hence qui'lting^I, 3) n. [f. OF cuilte f. L culcita cushion]
qui'nary, a. Of the number five ; consisting
of five things, [f. L quinarius (quini distrib.
of quinque five, -ary *)]

qurnate (-at), a. (bot.). (Of leaf) composed

of five leaflets, [f. L quini (prec), -ate 2 ]
quince, n. Hard acid yellowish pear-shaped
fruit used as preserve or jam-flavouring, tree
bearing it. [orig. pi. of obs. quint, coyn, f. OF
cooin f. L cotonetim var. of cydonium neut. of
Cydonius of Cydonia in CreteJ
quincentenary, irreg. for quing 1 -.
qui'ncunx, n. (Arrangement of) Ave objects
set so that four are at corners of square or rectangle & the other at its centre (e. g. the Ave on
dice or cards ; plantation is laid out in quincunxes, in the diagonal cross lines given by
combining qq.). So quincu'ncial (-shl) a.,
quincu*neialLY 2 adv. [L,=5/12 (quinque Ave,
uncia ounce), also q. pattern]
quing-ente'nary (or -je'n-), a. & n. Of, in,
500th year ; (n.) 500th anniversary, [f. L quingenti 500 after centenary]
qui'nia, n. (med.). = quinine, [f. Sp. quina f.
Peruv. kina bark]
quini'ne (-en, -in), n. Alkaloid found esp. in
cinchona bark & used as febrifuge, tonic, & antiperiodic; (pop.) sulphate of q., the usu. form
in which q. is taken. Soqui'niZE(l) v.t.,qurnism(5) n. [as prec, -ine 5 ]
quinquagenarian, a. & n. (Person) fifty
years old. [f. L guinquagenarius (quinquageni distrib. of quinquaginta fifty, -ary 1 ), -an]
quinquage'nary (or-kwa - j-),a. & n. =prec
a. & n.; fiftieth anniversary, [prec]
quinquage'sima, n. (Also Q. Sunday)
Sunday before Lent. [f. med.L q. (dies) lit. 50th
(day), so called either as 50th day before Easter
by incl. reckoning, or loosely (cf. scxagesima,
septiiagesima) as before Quadragesima]
quinqu(e)-, comb, form of L quinque five,
in some wds taken f. L, & in many mod., esp. bot.
& zool., formations. So quinqua'ng-ular
five-angled ; quinqueco'state five-ribbed ;
quinque'nniad, quinque'nnium (pi. -a),
five-year period ; quinque'nnial five-yearlong, five-yearly, whence quinque'nnialLY 2
adv.; quinquela'teral a. & n., five-sided
(figure or object); quinquelo'batefive-lobed;
quinquepar'tite divided into, consisting of,
five parts ; qui'nquereme ancient galley
with five banks of oars ; quinqueva'lvular
five-valved ; qui'nquifid cleft in five ; quinquivalent capable of combining with five

univalent atoms.
quinqui'na(kinke'-, kwinkwl - -), n. (Kinds of
tree producing) Peruvian bark yielding quinine
& other febrifuge alkaloids, [f. Peruv. kinkina
redupl. form as quinia]
qui'nsy (-zi), n. Inflammation of throat, suppuration of tonsils. Hence qui*nsiED 2 a. [f.
med.L quinancia f. Gk kunagkhe (kun- dog,
agkho throttle)]
quint (in piquet usu. klnt), n. Musical interval of fifth ; organ-stop of tone one-Af th
above normal ; (Piquet) sequence of Ave of
same suit (q. major, of ace to ten ; q. minor y

QUINTAIN

684

QUONDAM

of knave to seven), [f. F quinte f. L fern, of

quintus fifth]
qui'ntain (tin), n. (hist). (Medieval military exercise of tilting at) post set up as mark
& often provided with sandbag to swing round
& strike unskilful tilter. [f. OF quintaine perh.
f. L quint ana {quintus fifth) camp market]
qui'ntal, n. 1001b.; 1121b. or hundredweight;
100 kilograms. [OF, f. Arab, qintar]
qui'ntan, a. & n. (Ague or fever) with paroxysm every fourth (by incl. reckoning fifth)
day. [f. L (febris) quintana (quintus fifth, -an)
fifth-day (fever)]
quinte (as F), n. Fifth fencing thrust or
parry, [as quint]
quintessence, n. (Ancient philos.) fifth
substance, apart from four elements, composing the heavenly bodies entirely & latent in all
things ; most essential part of any substance,
refined extract ; purest & most perfect form,
manifestation, or embodiment, o/some quality
or class. Hencequintesse'ntiALa. [f. med.L
quinta essentia]

quinte*t(te), n. (Performers of) piece for five

voices or instruments ; set of five. [F (-te), f.
It. quintetto (quinto fifth f. L quintus)]
quinti'llion, n. Fifth power of million (1
with 30 ciphers). [L quintus fifth, billion]
quintuple, a., n., & v.t. & i., qui'ntuply,
adv., qui'ntuplet, n., quintu'plicate (at),
a. & n., (at), v.t., quintupiica'tion, n. Fivefold &c. (for detailed senses see quadruple &
wds in quadimpl-, substituting five for four),
[uple F, f. L quintus fifth, after quadruple]
quip, n. Sarcastic remark, clever hit, smart
saying, verbal conceit; equivocation, quibble,
[var. of obs. quippy perh. f. L quippe forsooth]
quipu (ke'pdb, kwe), n. Ancient-Peruvian
substitute for writing by variously knotting
threads of various colours. [Peruv., = knotl
quire 1 (ii), n. Four sheets of paper &c. folded to form eight leaves as in medieval MSS.;
any collection of leaves one within another in
MS. or book [in qq., unbound, in sheets); 21
sheets of writing-paper, [f. OF quaer, now cahier (L quaterni see quaternary)]
quire' 2 , n., & v.t. & i. See choir.
quirk, n. Quibble, quip; trick of action or
behaviour; twist or flourish in drawing or
writing ; (Arch.) acute hollow between convex
part of moulding & soffit or fillet, [etym. dub. ;
from 16th c]
quit \ pred. a. Free, clear, absolved, (archaic ;
the others can go q.; teas q. for a clucking, got
off with that); rid of (glad to be q. of the trouble);
qui'tclaim, (n.) renunciation of right, (v.t.) renounce claim to, give up (thing) to ; qui'trent,
lusu. small) rent paid by freeholder or copyholder in lieu of service, [f. OF quit(t)e L *L
quietus quiet 2 ]
quit 2 , v.t. (quitted, rarely quit). Rid oneself
of (archaic) ; (refl., usu. w. archaic refl. pron.
without self) behave, acquit, conduct, oneself
well &c. (esp. q. you like men ; archaic) ; give
up, let go, abandon, (q. hold of, loose ; q. office
&c.); depart from, leave, (place, person, &c;
quitted Paris at midnight ; quitted him in
anger), (abs., of tenant) leave occupied premises (esp. give, have, &c, notice to q.); (poet.)
requite, repay, clear off, (q. love with hate;
death quits all scores), [f. OF quit(t)er quiet 3 ]
qui tarn, n. (legal). (Action brought by) informer. [L, = who as well (for the King as for

himself sues)]
quitch, n. (Also q. -grass) co\icn s -grass.
[OE cwice, cf. Du. kweck, G queeke]
quite, adv. Completely, wholly, entirely, altogether, to the utmost extent, nothing short

of, in the fullest sense, positively, absolutely,

(q. covers it; teas q. by myself; q. other, very
different; q. another, a very different; is q. a
hero, disappointment, good thing ; 1 q. like
him ; is q. too delightful colloq., i.e. to be done
justice to in words ; isq. the thing, fashionable;
not q. proper, rather improper), [f. obs. quite
a. = quit 1 ]
quits, pred. a. On even terms by retaliation
or repayment (will be quits with him yet, will
have revenge ; now we are q.; cry q acknowledge that things are now even, agree not to
proceed further in quarrel &c; double 2 or q.).
[perh. abbr. of med.L quittus = quietus quit l ;
or = QUIT 1 +-ES]
quittance, n. (archaic, poet.). Release/rowi
something ; acknowledgment of payment, receipt, (omittance is no q., debt is not annulled
by not being pressed) ; requital, reprisal. If.
OF quitance (quiter quit 2 )]
qui'ver ', n. Case for holding arrows (have
an arrow, shaft, left in one's q., not be resourceless ; q. full of children, large family, see Ps.
exxvii. 5). Hence qui*vePFUL(2) n. [f. OF
quivre f. Teut. (OE cocer, cf. G kocher)]
qui'ver 2 , v.i. & t., & n. Tremble or vibrate
with slight rapid motion (of person, leaf, wing,
voice, light, &c); (of birds, esp. skylark) make
(wings) q.; hence qui'veringLV 2 adv. (N.)
quivering motion or sound, [prob. imit.; cf.
quaver]
qui vive (ke vev). On the q. v., en the alert,
watching for something to happen. [F. = lit.
(long) live who ?, i.e. on whose side are you ?,
as sentinel's challenge]
Qui'xote (-ot), n. Enthusiastic visionary, pursuer of lofty but impracticable ideals, person
utterly regardless of his material interests in
comparison with honour or devotion. Hence
quixo'tic a. (quixotics n. pi., quixotic sentiments), quixo'tiCALLV adv., qui*xotiSM(2),
qui'xotRV(l), nn., qui*xotiZE(2, 3) v.t & i.
[hero of Cervantes's Don Q.\

quiz, n., & v.t. Odd or eccentric person, person of ridiculous appearance, (now rare) ; person given to quizzing; hoax, ridicule, thing
done to expose or burlesque another's oddities,
(now rare) ; hence qui'zzicAL a., qui'zzically 2 adv. (Vb) make sport of (person or his
ways), whence qui'zzABLE a.; regard with
mocking air; look curiously at, observe the
ways or oddities of, survey through an eye-glass
or (now va.vo)quizzing-glass ; hence qui'zzing*LY 2 adv. [?1
quo'ad, prep. As regards ; q. hoc, in this respect, so far as thisgoes. [ L (quo whither, ad to)]
qudd 1 , n., & v.t. (slang). Prison [in, out of,
q.) ; (vb) imprison. [?]
quod 2 , neut. of L qui which (q. erat demonstrandum abbr. Q.E.I)., q. erat faciendum abbr.
Q. E. F. , q. erat inveniend um abbr. Q. E. T. , which
was the thing to be proved, made or done, found;
formulae in geometrical demonstrations, &, esp.
Q. E. D., in gen. use ; quod vide, abbr. q.v., which
see, in cross & other references).
quoin (koin), n., & v.t. External angle of
building ; stone or brick forming angle, cornerstone, whence quoi'niNG 1 ^) n.; internal corner
of room; wedge for locking type in form, raising
level of gun, keeping barrel from rolling, &c;
(vb) secure or raise with qq. [var. of coin]
quoit (koit), n., & v.t. Heavy flattish sharpedged iron ring thrown to encircle iron peg or
to stick in ground near it iti game of qq.; (vb;
rare) fling like q. [?]
quo'ndam, adj. That once had but no longer
has the specified character, sometime, former,
(a q. friend of mine). [L, = formerly]

QUORUM

685

RACEME

quor'um, n. Fixed number of members tbat

must be present to make proceedings of assembly or society or board valid. [L, = of whom (we

will that you &c. be)]

quo'ta, n. Share that individual person or
company is bound to contribute to or entitled
to receive from a total, [f. L quota (pars) how
great (a part) ; fern, of quotas how-manyeth
(quot how many)]
quota'tion, n. (Print.) quadrat used for filling up blanks ; quoting, passage quoted ; amount stated as current price of stocks or commodities ; q.-marks, inverted commas & apostrophes, single or double, used to mark beginning & end of quoted passage, [f. med.L quotatiO (QUOTE, -ATION)]
qud'tative, a. Of quoting ; given to quotation. If oil., -ativeJ a
quote, v.t., & n. Cite or appeal to (author,
book) in confirmation of some view, repeat or
copy out passage(s) from ; repeat or copy out
(borrowed passage) usu. with indication that it
is borrowed, (abs.) make quotations, {from author, book, speech, &c); adduce or cite as;
state price of (usu. at figure); hence quo'tABLE,
quo'tewoRTHY, aa. (N.; colloq.) passage quoted ; (usu. pl.)quotation-mark(s). [earliersense
mark with numbers,!. med.L quotare (quota)]
quoth, v.t. 1st & 3rd pel's, past indie. Said I,
he, she, & rarely ive or they (placed amidst,
after, or before the words quoted ; quotha archaic for quoth he, used in quoting contemptuously = forsooth), [past of obs. quethe, OE
cwethan cf. OHG quedan]
quoti'dian, a. & n. Daily, of every day, (q.
fever, ague, recurring every day) ; commonplace, trivial ; (n.) q. ague or fever, [f. L quotidianus (quotidie daily, -AN)]
quo'tient (-shnt), n. Result given by dividing one quantity by another, [erron. f. L quotients how many times, by confusion w. -ent]

R (ar), letter (pi. Rs, R's). TJie r months, those

with r in their names (Sep.-Ap.) as season for
oysters; the three R.s\ reading, (w)riting, &
(a)rithmetic, as basis of elementary education.
Abbreviations (1) : R.: railway, R.S.O. (suboffice); R.(eaumur) ; R.(egina) ; religious,

R.T.S. (tract society) ; repondez. R.S.V.P.

{s'il vous plait) ; requiesca(n)t, R.I.P. {in pace);
resident, R.M.(agistrate) ; revised, R.V.(ersion) ; R.(fx) ; Rhode, R.I.(sland) ; Roman,
R.C.(atholic) ; Royal, as R.A. (academy or
academician ; artillery), R.E.(ngineers), R.I.C.
(Irish constabulary), R.M.(arines), R.M.A.
(military academv), R.M.C. (military college),
R.N.(avy), R.S.P.C.A. (society for prevention
of cruelty to animals) : r.: r.(ight).
Abbreviations (2) : Rev.(elation) ; Rev.(erend) ; Roffen., Bishop of Rochester ; Rom.(ans) ; Rs, rupees ; Rx, tens of rupees.
ra'bbet, n., & v.t. Groove or slot cut along
edge or face or projecting angle of wood &c.
usu. to receive edge or tongue of another piece
(vb, join or fix with i\, make r. in) ; elastic beam
arranged to give rebound to hammer striking
it in ascent, [f. OF rabat abatement, recess,
(rabattre rebate ] )]
pa'bbi, n. Jewish doctor of the law (as form
of address by itself or prefixed to name, or as
ordinary noun), esp. one authorized by ordination to deal with law & ritual & perform certain functions. [L, f. Gk f. Heb.=my master
(rabh master + pronom. suf.)]
pa'bbin, n. Rabbi (usu. the rr., chief Jewish

authorities on law & doctrine, most of them

between 2nd & 13th cc). Hence pa'bbin ate 1
pa*bbiniSM(3),pa , bbiniST(2,3),nn.,pabbrnical a., pabbi'nicalLY 2 adv. [F (prec); -n
perh. originated as supposed Heb. pi. term.]
pa'bbit 1 , n., & v.i. Burrowing rodent of
hare family, brownish-grey in natural state,
also black or white or pied in domestication ;
r. -hutch, -warren; welsh 1 ?*.; hence pa*bbitY 2 a.; (vb) hunt rr. [cf. "Walloon robctt,
Flem. robbe]
pa'bbit 2 , v.t. (vulg.). Odd r. it &c, form of
imprecation, [perh. alteration of -rat in drat]
pa'bble J , n. Disorderly crowd, mob ; contemptible or inferior set of people ; the lower
part of the populace, [etym. dub.; earliersense
pack or string of animals &c]
pa'bble 2 , n. Iron bar with bent end for stirring molten metal, [f. F rdble f. L rutabulum
{ruere, rut- rake up) fire-shovel]
pa'bblement, n. (now rare). (Tumult as of)
a rabble, [-ment]
Rabelai'sian, -aesian, (z), a. & n. Of,
like, Rabelais or his writings, marked by ex-

uberant imagination & language & coarse humour & satire; (n.) admirer or student of
Rabelais. [Rabelais, French humorist, -ian]
pa'bid, a. Furious, violent, (r. hate) ; unreasoning, insensate, headstrong, (r. democrat) :
(esp. of dog) affected with rabies, mad ; of
rabies. Hence pabi'diTY, pa'bidxESS, nn.,
pajbidL y 2 adv. If. L rabidus (rabere rave)]
pa'bies (-z), n. Canine madness, hydrophobia. [L (prec.)]
pace l , n. Onward sweep or movement, esp.
strong current in sea or river (tide set with a
strong r.; the R. of Aldemey &c.) ; course of
sun or moon, course of life, (ere he had run half
his r.) ; channel of stream (esp. in comb., as
mill-r.) ; channel along which shuttle moves ;
contest of speed between runners, ships, horses,
&c, or persons doing anything, (pi.) series of
these for horses at fixed time on regular course
(SELLmf/ r.) ; r. ball, dance held in connexion
with rr. ; r.-card, programme of rr. ; ra'cecourse,
ground for horse-racing; ra'cehorse, bred or
kept for racing ; r. -meeting, horse-racing fixture, [f. ON rds, cf. OE raes swift motion]
pace 2 , v.i. & t. Compete in speed with; indulge in horse-racing (a racing man ; the racing
world, the turf) ; go at full speed, (of propeller,
paddle-wheel, &c.) work violently from diminished resistance when out of the water ; have
r. with, try to surpass in speed ; cause (horse
&c. ) to r. (raced his bicycle against a motor-car).
make (person, thing) move at full speed (raced
me along at five miles an hour ; raced the Bill
through the House); fling (fortune &c.) away
on horse-racing, [f. prec]
pace 1 ', n. Group of persons or animals or
plants connected by common descent, posterity
of (person), house, family, tribe or nation regarded as of common stock, distinct ethnical
stock (the Caucasian, Mongolian, &c, ? .), genus
or species or breed or variety of animals or
plants, any great division of living creatures
(the human, feathered, four-footed, finny. &c,
r.); descent, kindred, (of noble. Oriental, &c.
r. ; separate in language & r.) ; class of persons &c. with some common feature (the r. of
poets, dandies, &c). [F, f. It, razza etym. dub.]
pace 4 , n. Root (of ginger), [f. OF rais f. L
radicem nom. -ix root]
paee'me, n. (bot.). Flower-cluster with the
separate flowers attached by short equal stalks
at equal distances along central stem. Hence
pa'eemosE 1 a. (bot., also anat. of compound
glands), [f. L racemus grape-bunch]

RACER

686

RADICLE

pa*eer, n. In vbl senses ; esp., racehorse ;

yacht, bicycle, &c. used for racing, [-er l ]
pa'ehis, rha-, (-k-), n. (pi. -ides). Stem of
grasses &c. bearing flower-stalks at short intervals ; axis of pinnately compound leaf or frond ;
vertebral column or cord from which it develops, whence pachi(o)- comb, form; feathershaft, esp. the part that bears the barbs, [f . Gk
rhakhis spine ; the E pi. -ides is irreg.]
pachi'tis, n. (Learned form for) rickets.
[f. Gk rhakhitis (prec, -ins)]
pa'cial (-shl), a. Of, in regard to, due to,
race. Hence pa'eialLY 2 adv. [race 3 , -ial]
pack 1 , n., & v.i. 1. Driving clouds ; (vb ; of
clouds) drive before wind. 2. Destruction (usu.
go to r. & ruin), [with sense 1 cf. Norvv. & Sw.
dial, rak wreckage ; sense 2 perh. var. of
wrack, wreck]
pack 2 , n., & v.i. & t. Fixed or movable frame
of wooden or metal bars for holding fodder ;
framework with rails, bars, pegs, or shelves,
for keeping articles on or in (plate, hat, tool,
pipe, &c, -?*.) ; cogged or indented bar or rail
gearing with wheel or pinion or worm, or serving with pegs &c. to adjust position of something; r.-railway, with cogged rail between
bearing rails ; r.-wheel, cog-wheel. (Vb) fill up
stable-r. with hay or straw for the night (also
trans., r. up horse, provide it thus) ; fasten
(horse) up to r.; place in or on r. [prob. f. MDu.
rec (Du. rek, cf. G reck) rail &c. (recken stretch)]
pack 3, v.i, & n. Stretch joints of (person) by
pulling esp. with instrument of torture made
for the purpose ; (of disease or bodily or mental
agony) inflict torture on (a racking headache) ;
shake violently, injure by straining, task
severely, (cough that seemed to r. his whole
body; r. one's brains for something to say,
a plan, &c.) ; exact utmost possible amount of
(rent), oppress (tenants) with excessive rent,
exhaust (land) with excessive use ; r.-rent n.,
extortionate rent equal or nearly equal to full
value of land, v.t., exact this from (tenant) or

for (land) ; r. -renter, tenant paying or landlord

exacting r.-rent. (N.) instrument of torture, a
frame with roller at each end to which victim's
wrists& ankles were tied so that his joints were
stretched when rollers were turned (on the r.,
being racked, lit., or fig. of person in distress or
under strain), [prob. f. MDu. recken stretch]
pack 4 , n. Arrack (esp. r.-punch). [for arrack]
pack 5 , n., & v.i. Horse's gait between trot
be canter, both legs of one side being lifted
almost at once, & all four feet being off ground
togetner at moments ; (vb) progress thus. [?]
pack 6 , v.t. Draw off (wine &c.) from the
lees (often off), [f. Pr. arracar (raca stems &
husks of grapes, dregs)]
pa'cket 1 , pa'cquet (-kit), n. Cat-gutted
bat used in tennis, rackets, &c; (pi.) ball-game
for two or four persons played in plain fourwalled court with rr.; snowshoe resembling r.;
r.-ball, small hard kid-covered ball of cork &
string ; r.-press, for keeping rr. taut & in shape;
r.-tail, kinds of small bird with i\ -shaped tail.
[f. F raguette etym. dub.]
pa'cket 2 , n., & v.i. Disturbance, uproar, din ;
social excitement, gaiety, dissipation ; (slang)
dodge, game, line of business, lay ; ordeal, trying experience, (stand the r., come successfully
through test, face consequences of action);
hence pa'eketY 2 a. ( Vb) live gay life (often
about), move about noisily, [prob. imit.]
raconteur (F), n. (fern. -euse). Teller of anecdotes (usu. good, skilful, &c., r.).
pacCc^o'ii (ra-), n. Greyish-brown furry
bushy-tailed sharp-snouted American nocturnal carnivore. [Algonquin]

pa'cy, a. Having the qualities that characterize the kind in high degree (esp. r. flavour);
of distinctive quality or vigour, not smoothed
into sameness or commonness, retaining traces
of origin (esp. r. of the soil, of homely directness, spirited, lively, piquant). Hence pa'eiLY. 2
adv., pa'eiNESS n. [race 3 , -y 2 ]
pad. See radical, n.
pa'ddle, n., & v.t. Red ochre. (Vb) paint
with r. ; plaster with rouge, [var. of ruddle]
pa'dial, a. & n. Of, in, rays ; arranged like
rays or radii, having position or direction of a

radius (r. axle, maintaining such direction to

curve of track as car &c. travels round it); having spokes or radiating lines, whence pa'dialized a. , padializa'tion n. ; acting or moving
along lines that diverge from a centre ; of radium ; of the radius of the forearm (r. artery,
vein, nerve); hence pa'dialLY 2 adv. (N.) r.
nerve or artery, [radius, radium, -al]
pa'dian, n. Angle at centre of circle subtending arc whose length is equal to the radius.
[radius, -an]
pa'diant, a. & n. Emitting rays of light, (of
eyes or looks) beaming with joy or hope or love,
(of light) issuing in rays, (of beauty) splendid or
dazzling, whence or cogn. pa'diANCE, pa'diancy (rare), nn., pa'diantLY 2 adv.; operating
radially (esp. r. heat); (Bot. &c.) extending radially, radiating ; r. point, from which rays or
radii proceed, (Astron.) apparent focal point of
meteoric shower. (N.) point or object from
which light or heat radiates ; (Astron.) r. point,
[f. L radiare (radius), -ant]
pa'diate 1 (-at), a. Having divergent rays
or parts radially arranged; radially arranged.
Hence pa'diateLY 2 ad v. [as foil., -ate 2 ]
pa'diate 2 , v.i. & t. Emit rays of light or
heat, (of light or heat) issue in rays ; diverge or
spread from central point ; emit (light or heat)
from centre; disseminate (life, love, joy, &c).
Hence or cogn. padiA'TiON n., pa'diATiVE a.
[f. L radiare (radius), -ate 3 ]
pa*diatop,n. In vblsenses; esp., small chamber heated with hot air or otherwise & radiating warmth into room &c. [-OR 2 ]
pa'dical, a. & n. Of the root(s) ; naturally
inherent, essential, fundamental, (r. humour,
heat, &c, in medieval philos. & still joe, moisture, heat, &c, essential to life ; a r. ei'ror; the
r. rottenness of human nature) ; forming the
basis, primary, (the r. idea or principles of a
system); affecting the foundation, going to the
root, root-&-branch, (r. change, cure, reform),
(of politicians) desiring such reforms, belonging to extreme section of Liberal party, (of measures &c.) advanced by or according to principles of r. politicians, whence pa*dicaliSM(2)
n., pa*diealizE(3) v.t. & i., padicaliZA'TioN
n.; (Math.) of the root of a number or quantity
(r. sign, */, ty, fy , Sec, indicating that square,
cube, fourth, &c. root of number folio wing is to
be extracted ; (Philol.) of the roots of words (r.
word, not analysable into root & other known
element); (Mus.) belonging to the root of a
chord ; (Bot.) of, springing direct from, the

root or the main stem close to it ; hence pa'diealLY 2 adv. (N.): (Philol.) root; fundamental
principle; (Math.) quantity forming or expressed as root of another, also the r. sign ;
(Chem.) element or atom, or group of these,
forming base of compound & remaining unaltered during compound's ordinary chemical
changes ; (Pol.; also colloq. rad) person holding
r. views or belonging to r. party, [f. LL radicalis (radix -ids root, -al)]
pa'dicle, n. Part of plant embryo that develops into primary root ; rootlet ; (Anat.) root-

RADIO-

687

RAIL

like subdivision of nerve or vein. Hence radi'eulAR J a. [f. L radicula (prec., -ule)]
radio-, comb, form of L radius & E radium,
w. sense of the radius, of rays or radiation, of
radium, as -car'pal, of radius & wrist ; -a'ctive,
capable of affecting electrometer &c. by radiation, (of radium, uranium, polonium, &c.) having power of emitting invisible rays that penetrate opaque matter & produce electrical effects,
so -activity ; -graph, instrument recording intensity & duration of sunshine, also image on
sensitive plate given by Rontgen rays, (vb) secure such image of, & so radio 'graphy, radiographic, radiographically; -meter, instrument
illustrating conversion of radiant energy into
mechanical force ; -phony, production of sound
by radiant light or heat ; -scopy, examination
by Rontgen rays ; -telegram, message by wireless telegraphy.
ra'dish, n. (Cruciferous plant with) fleshy
pungent root eaten raw as relish or in salads.
[f. F radis f. L radicem nom. -ix root]
pa'dium, n. Metal resembling barium, yielded by pitch-blende, discovered 1898 & named
from its RADio-active power, [-ium]
pa'dius, n. (pi. -ii). Thicker & shorter bone
of fore-arm in man, corresponding bone in
beast's foreleg or bird's wing ; (Math.) straight

line from centre to circumference of circle or

sphere, radial line from focus to any point of
curve (r. vector, variable line drawn to curve
from fixed point, esp. in Astron. from sun or
planet to path of satellite); any of a set of lines
diverging from a point like rr. of circle, object
of this kind, e.g. spoke ; circular area as measured by its r. (knows everyone within a r. of
%0 miles; the four-mile r., that of which Charing Cross is centre, outside which cab-fares are
higher); (Bot.) outer rim of composite flowerhead, e.g. daisy, also radiating branch of umbel. tL,= staff, spoke, ray]
ra'dix, n. (pi. ra'dices, radi'ces). Number
or symbol used as basis of numeration scale (ten
is the r. of decimal numeration, db of common
logarithms); source or origin of. [L,=root]
raff. = RIFF-RAFF.
Raffaelesque. = raphaelesque.
pa'ffia, n. Kind of palm ; fibre from its leaves
used for tying up plants. [Malagasy]
pa'ffish, a. Disreputable, dissipated, fastlooking. Hence pa'ffishLY 2 adv., pa'ffishness n. [-ISH ] ]
pa'ffle \ n., & v.i. & t. Sale of article by taking entrance-fee from any number of persons
& assigning it by lot to one of them. (Vb) enter
one's name in r. for article ; sell by r. [earlier
sense kind of dice-game f. F rafie etym. dub.]
pa'ffle 2 , n. Rubbish, refuse, lumber, debris.
Icf. OF rifle ou raHe anything whatever]
raft, n., & v.t. & i. Collection of logs, casks,
&c, fastened together in the water for transportation ; flat floating structure of timber or
other materials for conveying persons or things,
esp. as substitute for boat in emergencies ; floating accumulation of trees, ice, &c. ; raftsman,
worker on r. (Vb) transport as or on r.; form
into a r. ; cross (water) on raft(s); work r. [f.
ON raptr rafter 2 ]
pa'ftep \ n. Man who rafts timber, [-er J ]
pa'ftep 2 , n., & v.t. One of the sloping beams
forming framework on which slates &c. of roof
are upheld. (Vb) : (usu; in p.p.) provide with
rr. ; plough (land) so that contents of furrow
are turned over on same breadth of unploughed
ground next it, half-plough. [OF rsefter, cf.
MLG rafter, ON raptr]
pag \ n. Torn or frayed piece of woven ma-

terial, one of the irregular scraps to which cloth

&c. is reduced by wear & tear (in rr., torn), (pi.)

tattered clothes (in rr., in old clothes), (usu.
with neg.) smallest scrap of cloth or sail (not a
r. to cover him; spread every r. of sail); (collect.)
rr. used as material for paper, stuffing, &c;
remnant, odd scrap, irregular piece, (jlying rr.
of cloud; cooked to rr., till it falls to pieces;
not a r. of evidence); (contempt.) flag, handkerchief, curtain, newspaper, &c; jagged projection (rare); r.-baby, doll made of rr.; r.-bag, in
which scraps of linen &c. are kept for use ; r.bolt n., with barbs to keep it tight when driven
in, v.t. join together with these ; r.fair, oldclothes sale held in Houndsditch; r.-paper,
made of rr.; ragtag, ragtag & bobtail, the riffraff, ragged or low or disreputable people; r.wheel, with projections catching in links of
chain that passes over it, sprocket-wheel ; ragwort, yellow-flowered ragged-leaved plant, [f.
ON rogg tuft of fur]
rag 2 , n. Large coarse roofing-slate ; kinds of
hard coarse stone breaking up in thick slabs
(esp. coral- r., Kentish, Rowley, r.). [?]
pag 3 , v.t. & i., & n., (slang). Scold, reprove
severely ; tease, torment, play rough jokes upon, disarrange (person's room &c.) by way of
practical joke ; engage in ballyragging, be noisy
& riotous; (n.) noisy disorderly conduct, [cf.
ballyrag]
ra'gamuffln, n. Ragged dirty fellow.
Hence pagamu'ffinLY l a. [prob. f. rag l w.
fancy termination]
rage \ n. (Fit of) violent anger ; violent
operation of some natural force or some sentiment (the r. of the wind, of faction) ; vehement desire or passion for (has a r. for, or
for collecting, first editions), object of widespread temporary enthusiasm or fashion (M7-s
Siddons, the open-air cure, is the or all the r.) ;
poetic or prophetic or martial ardour. [F, f. LL
rabia f. L rabies]
page 2 , v.i. & refl. Rave, storm, speak madly
or furiously, (at, against, or abs.), be full of anger ; (of wind, sea, passion, feeling, battle, pain,
disease, &c.) be violent, be at the height, operate unchecked, prevail, be violent, whence
pa'gingLY 2 adv.; (refl., esp. of storm &c.) r.
itself out, cease raging, [f. F rager (prec.)]
pa'gged, a. Rough, shaggy, hanging in tufts;
of broken jagged outline or surf ace, full of rough

or sharp projections ; faulty,imperfect, wanting

finish or smoothness or uniformity, (r. rhymes,
time in rowing, &c.) ; rent, torn, frayed, (of persons) in r. clothes ; r. robin, crimson-flowered
wild plant ; r. school, free school for poor children. Hence pa'ggedL y 2 ad v. , ra'ggedNESS
n. [rag 1 , -ed 2 ; cf. Norw. ragget shaggy]
ragout* (-00), n., & v.t. Meat in small pieces
stewed with vegetables & highly seasoned ; (vb)
cook thus. [f. F ragoid (ragotdtr revive taste
of, see RE-, gust)]
paid, n., & v.i. & t. Military expedition esp.
of mounted men, predatory incursion in which
surprise & rapidity are usu. relied upon, foray,
inroad ; sudden descent of police &c. upon suspected premises or illicit goods. (Vb) make r.
into &c; make r. on (person, place, cattle);
hence pai'dER 1 n. [Sc. form of OE rod road]
pail 1 , n., & v.t. & i. Horizontal or inclined
bar or continuous series of bars of wood or metal used to hang things on, as top of banisters,
as part of fence, as protection against contact
or falling over, or for similar purpose ; iron bar
or continuous line of bars laid on ground as one
side or half of railway track (off the rr., disorganized, out of order, not working right ; by r.,
by railway), (pi.; St. Exch.) railway shares ; r.chair, iron holder, attached to sleeper, in which

RAIL

688

RAKE

railway r. rests ; railroad, railway (esp. now

in U.S.) ; railway, road laid with ri\ for heavy
horse-carts, track or set of tracks of iron or
steel rr. for passage of trains of cars drawn by
locomotive engine & conveying passengers &
goods, (also railway line) the tracks of this
kind worked by single company or the whole of
the organization & persons required for their
working, (attrib. in many phrr., as railway
accident-, railway act, regulating duties &
rights of railway companies ; railway bill, proposal in Parliament esp. for constructing new
railway ; railway bridge, carriage, company,
contractor, director, engine, journey, shares ;

at railway speed, very quickly ; railway suboffice, abbr. R.S.O., place on r.-w. with postoffice subordinate to that of another place ; railway rug, station, stock, systemfrainfravelling,
tunnel), whence rai'lwayLESsa., railway v.i.,
travel by r. ; hence pai'lLESS a. ( Vb) furnish or
enclose (place) with r. (often in, off), provide
(bench &c.)withr., whence pai'lingr 1 [-ing^,!)]
n.; lay (railway route) with rr.; convey (goods),
travel, by r. [f. OF reille (L regula rule)]
pail 2 , n. Kinds of bird, esp. land h\, waterr. [f. F rale etym. dub.]
pail 3 , v.i. Use abusive language (usu. at or
against, or archaic upon). Hence pai'lER 1 n.,
pai'ling 2 [-ingMI)] n., railing" 3 [ing 2 ] a.,
pai'lingLY 2 adv. [f. F railler etym. dub.]
pai'llepy, n. (Piece of) good-humoured ridicule, rallying, [f. F raillerie (prec, -ery)]
rai'ment, n. (poet. & rhet.). Clothing, dress,
apparel, [f. obs. arrayment (array 1 , -ment)]
pain 2 , n. Condensed moisture of atmosphere
falling visibly in separate drops, fall of such
drops (r. or shine, whether it rains or not), (pi.)
showers of r., esp. the rr., rainy season in tropical countries, (Xaut.) the Rr., rainy region of
Atlantic 4-10 N. lat.; (r.-like descent of) falling
liquid or solid particles or bodies (a r. of ashes,
frogs, pearls, rice, fire ; also fig. a r. of melody,
kisses, congratidations) ; r.-bird, kinds of bird,
esp. Green Woodpecker; r.-box, theatre contrivance imitating sound of r.; r.-doctor, producer of r. by incantations ; rai'ndrop, single
drop of r.; rai'nfall, shower, quantity of r. falling within given area in given time (usu. reckoned by inches of depth per annum) ; r.-gauge,
instrument measuring rainfall; r.-glass, barometer ; r.-water, collected from r., not got from
wells &c.; r.-xoorm, common earthworm. Hence
pai'nLESS. pai'nPROOF 2 , pai'nriGHT, aa.
[com.-Teut.; OE regn, rin, cf. Du. & G regen]
pain 2 , v.i. & t. It raiixs, r. comes down (it
rained blood, frogs, invitations, tracts, &c,
there was a shower of them ; it rains cats &
dogs, violently ; it never rains but it pours,
events usu. happen several together ; it rains
in r. penetrates house &c; it has rained itself
out, r. has ceased) ; God, the sky, the clouds, r.,
send down r.; fall or send down in showers or
like r. (flowers rained from their hands ; tears
rained down her cheeks ; blows r. upon him ;
his eyesr. tears ; r. influence ; he rained benefits
upon us). [OE regivian (prec.)]
rai'nbow (-6), n. Arch showing prismatic

colours in their order formed in sky (or across

cataract &c.) opposite sun by reflection, double
refraction, & dispersion, of sun's rays in falling
dropsof rain (lunar r., similar effect from moon's
rays, rarely seen ; sea r formed on sea spray ;
secondary r., additional arch with colours in
reverse order formed inside or outside of r. by
double reflection & double refraction ; all the
colours of the r., many colours) ; (attrib.) manycoloured ; r. -trout, Calif ornian kind. [OE rbnboga (rain 1 , bow 1 )]

pai'ny, a. In or on which rain is falling or

much rain usually falls (r. weather, climate,
day, month, county, &c; r. day fig., time of
esp. pecuniary need, as provide against a r. d.);
(of clouds, wind, &c.) laden with, bringing, r.
Hence pai'niLY 2 adv., pai'niNESS n. [-y 2 J
raise (-z), v.t. (often followed by up in most
senses). Set upright, make stand up, restore to
or towards vertical position, rouse, (raised him
from his knees ; r. the standard of revolt ; raised
pastry, pie, &c, standing without support of
dish at sides ; r. one from the dead, restore him
to life ; r. the country, city, &c, rouse inhabitants in some emergency, often against or upon
enemy &c. ; tlie danger raised his spirits ; r. the
wind fig., procure money for some purpose ; r.
a dust, lit., & fig. cause turmoil, also obscure
the truth) ; build up, construct, create, produce, breed, utter, make audible, start, give
occasion for, elicit, set up, advance, (r. palace,
large family, blister, one's own vegetables,
storm, shout, hymn, controversy, prejudice,
claim, demand, objection, question; a deliverer
was raised up, caused by Providence to appear ; r. a laugh, cause others to laugh ; no one
raised his voice, spoke) ; elevate, put or take into higher position, extract from earth, direct
upwards, promote to higher rank, make higher
or nobler, cause to ascend, make (voice) louder
or shriller, (Naut.) come in sight of (land, ship),
increase amount of, heighten level of, (r. one's
hat, bow; r. one's glass to, drink health of;
thousands of tons of coal were raised ; r. one's
eyes, look upwards ; raised him to the see of
York ; trying to r. a degraded class ; undertook
to r. the spirit of King Solomon, cf. lay ; r.
Cain, hell, the devil, the mischief, &c, make
disturbance ; their voices were raised as in anger ; r. income-tax from 6d. to 9d.\ r. cloth, make
nap on it; r. bread, cause it to rise with yeast;
r. one's rep utation, add to it; the price of the
Ub. loaf is raised a penny ; r. colour in dyeing,
brighten it) ; levy, collect, bring together, procure, manage to get, (r. tax, loan, subscrijrtion,
money, army, fleet) ; relinquish, cause enemy

to relinquish, (siege, blockade), [f. OX reisa ;

causative of rise 1 , cf. bait 1 , bite 1 ]
pai'sin (-zn), n. Partially dried grape, [f. OF
raizin f. L as raceme]
raison d'etre (F), n. Purpose &c. that accounts for or justifies or originally caused
thing's existence.
pait. See ret.
paj (rahj), n. (Anglo-Ind.). Sovereignty (the
British r. in India). [Hind.]
pa*ja(h) (rah-), n. Indian king or prince (also
as title of petty dignitary or noble in India, or of
Malay or Javanese chief). Hence pa'jansHii*
n. [Hind, (a), f. raj to reign]
Rajpoot, -put, (rah'jpoot), n. Member of
Hindu soldier caste claiming descent from
Kshatriyas. [Hind, (-ut), f. prec, putra son]
pake *, n. Implement consisting of pole with
cross-bar toothed like comb at end for drawingtogether hay &c. or smoothing loose soil or
gravel, wheeled implement drawn by horse for
same purpose ; kinds of implement resembling
r. used for other purposes. [OE raca, cf. Du.
raak, G rechen, (also Goth, rikan heap up)]
pake 2 , v. t. & i. Collect, draw together, gather
up, pull out, clear off, (as) with r. (r. out the
fire ; r. up or together all possible charges ; r.
off the leaves) ; clean or smooth with r.; search
(as) with r., ransack, (has raked all history for
proofs) ; m&kelevel, clean, &c, with r.; scratch,
scrape ; sweep with shot, enfilade, send shot
along (ship) from stem to stern, sweep with the
eyes, (of window &c.) have commanding view

RAKE

689

RANCOUR

of ; use r., search as with r. (have been raking

among or in or into old records), [f. ON raka
cogn. w. prec.]

pake 3 , n. Dissipated or immoral man of fashion, [for rakehell]

pake 4 , v.i. & t., & n. (Of ship or its bow or
stern) project at upper part of bow or stern
beyond keel ; (of masts or funnels) incline from
perpendicular towards stern ; give backward
inclination to (bicycle's front forks are raked);
(n.) amount to which thing rakes, raking position or build. [?]
pa'kehell, n. (archaic). =rake 3 . Hence
pa*kehelly 2 a. (archaic), [rake 2 , hell]
pa'kish 1 , a. (As) of, like, a rake 3 . Hence
pa*kishLV 2 adv., pa'kishNESS n. [-ish l ]
pa'kish 2 , a. (Of ship) smart & fast looking,
seeming built for speed & therefore open to suspicion of piracy, [perh. = prec. with extra association of raking masts (rake 4 )]
pale (rahl), n. (path.). Sound additional to
that of respiration heard in auscultation of unhealthy lungs. [F, f. rdler to rattle, etym. dub.J
ra/lentct'ndo, mus. direction. Gradually
slower. [It. |
ralli eap(t), n. Light two-wheeled drivingtrap for four. [Ralli, first purchaser, 1885]
pa'lly 1 , v.t. & i., & n. Reassemble, get together again, (t. & i.; esp. of army or company)
after rout or dispersion, (cause to) renew conflict ; bring or come together as support or for
concentrated action (rallied his party, his
party rallied, round or to him); revive (faculty
&c.) by effort of will, pull oneself together, assume or rouse to fresn energy, throw off prostration of illness or fear. (N.) act of rallying
(intr.), reunion for fresh effort; recovery of
energy after or in the middle of exhaustion or
illness ; (in tennis, rackets, &c.) strokes quickly
exchanged, [n. f. vb, f. F rallier (re-, ally 1 )]
pa'lly 2 , v.t. Banter, chaff. Hence pa'llyingLY 2 adv. [as rail 3 ]
ram ] , n. Uncastrated male sheep, tup ; (R-)
zodiacal sign Aries ; = BATTEKing-r. ; (battleship with) projecting beak at bow for charging
side of other ships; falling weight of piledriving machine; rammer; hydraulic waterraising or lifting machine ; piston of hydrosta
tic press ; plunger of force-pump ; r.'s-horn, lit.,
also scroll ornament imitated from r.'s head &
horns. [OE, also Du. & OHG ; perh. cogn. w.
ON rammr strong]

ram 2 , v.t. Beat down (soil &c.) into solidity

with wooden block &c, (abs.) use rammer, make
(post, plant, &c.) firm by ramming soil round
it; drive (pile &c.) down, in, into, by heavy
blows; force (charge) home, pack (gun) tight,
with ramrod ; squeeze or force into place by
pressure (rammed his clothes into a bag, his
hat down on his head ; had the list rammed
into me by repetition ; r. the argument home,
lay sufficient stress on it) ; cram with stuffing
&c; (of ship) strike with r.; dash or violently
impel (thing) against, at, on, or into (rammed
his head againstthe wall, his horse at a fence);
ra'mrod, for ramming home charge of muzzleloader. Hence pa'mmER M2) n. [perh. f. prec]
pam 3 , n. (naut). Boat's length over all. [?]
Ramada'n, n. Ninth month of Mohammedan year,duringalldaylighthoursof which rigid
fasting is observed. [Arab, (ramada be hot) ;
perh. orig. one of hot months, now passing
through all seasons owing to lunar reckoning]
ra'mal, a. (bot.). Of, proceeding from, a
branch, [f. L ramus branch, -al]
pa'mble, v.i., & n. Walk (v. & n.) for pleasure & without definite route ; wander in discourse, talk or write disconnectedly. [?J

pa'mblep, n. In vbl senses ; also, kinds of

climbing rose, esp. the Crimson R. [-er i]
ra'mfoling-, a. Peripatetic, wandering ; disconnected, desultory, incoherent; (of plants)
straggling, climbing ; (of house, street, &c.) irregularly planned. Hence ra'mbling-LY 2 adv.
l-ING 2 ]
ramekin, -quin (-kin), n. Small quantity
of cheese with bread-crumbs, eggs, &c, baked
in small mould. [F (-quin), etym. dub.]
ramification, n. Ramifying, (arrangement
of) tree's branches; subdivision of complex
structure comparable to tree's branches (the rr.
of a river, society, frade, plot, inquiry, &c).
I foil., -ation]
ra'mify, v.i. & t. Form branches or subdivisions or offshoots, branch out; (usu. pass.)
cause to branch out, arrange in branching manner (railways were ramified over the country).
[f. F ramifier f. med.L ramificare (L ramus
branch, -i-, -FY)]

ra*mmish,a. Rank-smelling, [ram 1 , -ish 1 ]

ramo'se, a. Branched, branching, [f. L ramosus (ramus branch, -ose 1 )]
ramp *, n. Slope, inclined plane joining two
levels of ground esp. in fortification, or of wallcoping; difference in level between opposite
abutments of rampant arch ; upward bend in
stair-rail. [f. F rampe (foil.)]
ramp 2 , v.i. & t. (Chiefly of lion) stand on
hind-legs with fore-paws in air, assume or be in
threatening posture; (now usu. facet.) storm,
rage, rush about; (Archit., of -wall) ascend or
descend to different level ; (Archit., Mil.) furnish or build with r. [f. OF ramper etym. dub.]
rampa'ge, v.i., & n. Behave violently, storm,
rage, rush about; (n.) violent behaviour (esp.
be on the r.). Hence rampa'geous (-jus) a.,
rampa'geousLY 2 adv., rampa'geousness n. [perh. f. prec]
ra'mpant, a. (Chiefly of lion, esp. in Herald. )
ramping (in Herald., & in allusive imitations,
placed after nouns, as lion r., the snob r.); violent or extravagant in action or opinion, arrant,
aggressive, unchecked, prevailing, (is a r. theorist; popery is r. among us); rank, luxuriant,
(a rich soil makes nasturtiums too r.); (of arch
&c)havingone abutment higher than theother,
climbing. Hence ra'mpANC y n., ra'mpantly 2 adv. [F (ramp 2 , -ant)]
pa'mpart, n., & v.t, Broad-topped & usu.
stone-parapeted defensive mound of earth, (fig. )
defence, protection ; (vb) fortify or protect (as)
with r. [f. F rempart (remparer fortify, f. re-,
emparer take, possession of, f. L ante before,
parare secure)]
ra'mpion, n. Kind of bell-flower with white
tuberous roots used as salad, [cf. F raiponce,
It. ramponzolo, etym. dub.]
ra'mpire, n., & v.t. (Archaic for) rampart.
ra'mshackle, a. Tumbledown, crazy,
rickety, (usu. of house or vehicle), [earlier -ed,
perh. p.p. of obs. ransackle ransack]
ra'mson (-sn), n. (Root, eaten as relish, of)
broad-leaved garlic, [prop. pi. in -en of OE
hramsa, cf. G rams, Gk kromuon onion]
pan i, n. A certain length of twine. [?]
pan 2 . See run 1 .

ranee, n. Kind of red marble with blue &

white veins & spots. [?]
ranch (-tsh), n., & v.i. Cattle-breeding establishment in U.S.; (vb) conduct r. [f. Sp.
rancho mess, persons feeding together]
ra'neid,a. Smelling or tasting like rank stale
fat. Hence panei'diTY, pa'neidNESS, nn. [f.
L rancidus stinking]
pa'neoup (-ngk-), n. Inveterate bitterness,
malignant hate, spitef ulness. Hence pa'neor-

RAND

690

RAPACIOUS

ous a., pa'ncorousLY 2 adv. [OF, f. L rancorem nom. -or (prec, -OR 1 )]
rand, n. Strip of leather between heel & shoe
or boot; (S.-Afr.) highlands on either side of
river valley (the R., Johannesburg). [OE& Du.,
=bank, rim esp. of shield]
panda'n, n. Style of rowing for three men,
the middle using sculls & the others oars ; boat
for such use. [?]
pa'ndem, adv. & n. "With three horses
harnessed tandem ; (n.) carriage or team so
driven, [prob. formed on random & tandem]
random (-om), n. & a. At r., at haphazard,
without aim or purpose or principle, heedlessly.
(Adj.) made, done, &c, at r.; (of masonry) with
stones of irregular size & shape ; hence pa*ndomLY 2 adv. (rare), [orig. sense great speed ; f.
OF randon {randir gallop); for -m cf. ransom]
pa'ndy, a. Loud-tongued, boisterous, lusty,
(Sc); (of cattle &c; dial.) wild, restive ; lustful,
in lustful mood. Hence pa'ndiXESS n. [prob.
f. obs. rand var. of rant, -y 2 ]
ra'nee (rah-), n. Hindu queen, [f. Hind, rani
f. Skr. rajni fern, of rajah]
pang". See ri ng 2 .

pange 1 (-j), v.t. & i. Place or arrange in a

row or ranks or in specified situation or order
or company (usu. pass, or refl. ; ranged their
troops ; ranged themselves on each side ; was
ranged against, among, on the side of, with,
&c. ; trees ranged in an ascending scale of
height ; r. oneseZ/imit. F, take up definite position in society, 'settle down, e.g. by marrying);
run in a line, reach, lie spread out, extend, be
found or occur over specified district (often
from . . . to), vary between limits, (ranges north
'& south, along the sea; nightingaleranges from
the Channel to Warwickshire); be level (with ;
a 12mo does not r. well with a folio), rank or
find right place with or among (ranges with the
great writers) ; rove, wander, (often over, along,
through, &c, district or coast ; his thoughts r.
over past, present, & future ; ranging fancy,
inconstant affections); (of gun) throw projectile
over, (of projectile) traverse, (distance; ranges
over a mile); go all about (place), sail along or
about (coast, sea), [f. OF ranger (rang rank l )]
range 2 , n. Row, line, tier, or series of things,
esp. of buildings or mountains ; lie, direction,
(the r. of the strata is east & west ; keep the two
buoys in r. with the lighthouse); stretch of grazing or hunting ground ; piece of ground with
targets for shooting ; area over which plant &c.
is distributed, area included in or concerned
with something, sphere, scope, compass, register, limits of variation, limited scale or series,
distance attainable by gun or projectile, distance between gun &c. & objective, (gives the
rr. of all species ; the thorniest question in the
whole r. of politics ; the r. of her voice is astonishing ; his reading is of very wide r. ; the r.
of the barometer readings is about % in. ; Hebrew is out of my r. ; there is a lower r. of prices
today ; the enemy are out ofr., have found the
r. of our camp) ; cooking fireplace usu. with
oven(s), boiler(s), & iron top plate with openings for saucepans &c; r. -finder, instrument
for estimating distance of object to be shot at.
[OF, = row, rank, (prec.)]
pa'ngep, n. In vbl senses ; also : keeper of a
royal park, whence pa'ngepsHiP n.; (pi.) body
of mounted troops (esp. the Connaught Rr., a
British regiment), [-er l ]
rank *, n. Row, line, queue, (now chiefly of
cabs standing in line); nurnberof soldiers drawn
up in single line abreast (usu. one r. behind another, called front, rear, r. ; the rr. were broken,
could not keep the formation ; the rr. or the r.

d: file, comxnon soldiers, i. e. privates & corporals,

& transf. lower classes or ordinary undistinguished people ; rise from the rr., said of common soldier or sergeant who is given commission, or of selfmade man); order, array, (keepr.,
bi*eak r., remain, fail to remain, in line); distinct social class, grade of dignity, station, high
station, (people of all rr.; persons of r., members of nobility ; r. & fashion, high society ;
the p^ride ofr.) ; place in a scale (the first r. rmist
be given to the rose), [f. obs. F ranc (now rang),
perh. f. OHG hrinc ring ] ]
pank 2 , v.t. & i. Arrange (esp. soldiers) in r.;
classify, give certain grade to ; have r. or place
(ranks among the Oreat Powers, next to the
king, &c); (Mil.) march past or off. [f. prec]
pank 3 , a. Too luxuriant, gross, coarse, overproductive, choked with or apt to produce
weeds, (looses are growing r., running too much
to leaf ; land toor. to grow corn); foul-smelling,
offensive, rancid ; loathsome, indecent, corrupt;
strongly marked, unmistakable, flagrant, viru*
lent, gross, (r. treason, pedanh^y, poison, nonsense). Hence pa'nkLY 2 adv., pa'nkNESS
n. [OE ranc, cf. LG rank long & thin, ON rakkr
slender, bold]
pa'nkep, n. (Commissioned officer who has
been) a soldier in the ranks, [-er 1 ]
pa'nkle, v.i. (Of wound, sore, &c.) fester,
continue painful, (archaic); (of envy, disappointment, &c, or their cause) be bitter, give
intermittent or constant pain. [f. OF rancler
(r ancle, drancle, draoncle, festering sore =
med.L dracunculus dim. of draco serpent)]
ra'nsack, v.t. Thoroughly search (place,
receptacle, person's pockets, one's conscience,
&c); pillage, plunder, (house, country, &c). [f.
ON rannsaka (rami house, sxkja seek]
ra'nsom, n., & v.t. (Liberation of prisoner
of war in consideration of) sum of money or
value paid for release (hold one to r be willing
to release him for such consideration); blackmail, sum &c. exacted in return for privilege
or immunity, (graduated income-tax & deathduties are no more than a fair r. paid by the
rich) ; r.-bill, -bond, undertaking, esp. on part
of captured ship, to pay r. ; hence ra'nsomless a. (Vb) redeem, buy freedom or restoration of ; atone for, expiate ; hold to r., release
for a r. ; exact r. from. [f. OF ranso7i(ner) f. L
redemptionem redemption]
pant, v.i. & t., & n. Use bombastic language;
declaim, recite theatrically ; preach noisily,

whence (esp. of Primitive Methodists) pa'ntER 1

n. (N.) piece of ranting, tirade ; empty turgid
talk. [f. obs. Du. randten rave, cf. G ranzen to
frolic]
ranu'nculus (ra-), n. (pi. -luses, -li). Genus
of plants including the buttercups, crowfoot.
[L, orig. dim. of rana frog]
ranz-des-vaches (F), n. Swiss herdsmen's
melody made of harmonic notes of Alpine horn.
[Swiss dial.]
pap 1 , n., & v.t. & i. Smart slight blow (a r.
on the knuckles, punishment inflicted on child,
also fig. reproof); sound made by knocker on
door &c, or by some agency on table or floor in
spiritualistic stances. ( Vb) strike (esp. person's
knuckles) smartly ; make the sound called a r.
(rapped at the door, on the table, &c); r. out
(oath, pan, &c), utter abruptly or on the spur
of the moment; (of spirits) r. out (message,
word), express by rr. [prob. imit.]
pap 2 , n. Skein of 120 yds of yarn. [?]
pap 3 , n. An atom, the least bit, (don't care
a r.). [earlier sense 18th-c. Irish counterfeit
halfpenny ; etym. dub.]
rapa'cious, a. Grasping, extortionate, pre-

RAPE

691

RATCHET

datory. Hence or cogn. papa'eiousLY 2 adv.,

papa'eiTYn. [f. Lrapax (rapere seize.-ACious)]
rape 1 , v.t., &n. Take by force (poet.); ravish,
force, violate, (woman). (N.) carrying off by
force (poet.); ravishing or violation of a woman,
[prob. f. L rapere seize]
rape 2 , n. Any of six administrative divisions
of Sussex, [from 1086; etym. dub.]
rape 3 , n. Plant grown as food for sheep;
plant cultivated for its seed from which oil is
made, coleseed; tuild r., charlock; r.-cake, r.-

seed pressed into flat shape after extraction of

oil& used as manure ; r.-oil, made from r.-seed
& used as lubricant & in making soap & indiarubber, [f. L rapum turnip]
pape 4 , n. Refuse of grapes after wine-making
used in making vinegar ; vessel used in vinegarmaking, [f. F rape, cf. Pr. raspa, It. raspo]
Raphaele'sque (k), Raff-, a. In style of
Raphael. [Raphael (It. Raffaello), -esque]
pa'pid, a. & n. Speedy, quick, swift; acting
or completed in short time ; (of slope) descending steeply ; hence or cogn. papi'dirv n., ra*pidLY 2 adv. (N.) steep descent in river-bed,
with swift current, [f. Lrapidus {rapere seize)]
pa'piep, n. Light slender sword for thrusting
only, small-sword, (r. -thrust, often fig. of delicate or witty repartee), [f. F rapiere etym. dub.]
pa'pine, n. (rhet.). Plundering, robbery, [f.
L rapina (rapere seize, -ine 4 )]
pappapee*, n. (hist.). 17th-c. Irish irregular
soldier or freebooter, [f. Ir. rapaire short pike]
rappee', n. Coarse kind of snuff, [f. F (tabac)
rdpi, RASPecZ (tobacco)]
pappor't (or rapor*), n. Communication, relationship, connexion, (be in, or F en, come into,
or F en, r. with). [F (rapporter f. re-, ap-, porter f. L port are carry)]
rapprochement (F), n. Re-establishment
or recommencement of harmonious relations,
esp. between States.
papsca'llion, n. Rascal, scamp, rogue, [earlier rascallion, prob. f. rascal]
papt, p.p., & a. Snatched away bodily or carried away in spirit from earth, from life, from
consciousness, or from ordinary thoughts & perceptions (often away, up, &c); absorbed, enraptured, intent, (esp. listen with r. attention).
[f. L raptus p.p. of rapere seize]
paptop*ial, a. & n. (zool.). (Member) of the
Raptores, an order of birds of prey ; predatory,
(as) of predatory birds or animals, [f. L raptor
(prec., -or 2 ) plunderer + -ial]
pa'ptupe (-tsher), n. Mental transport, ecstatic delight, (be in, go into, rr., be enthusiastic,
talk enthusiastically; rr., vehement pleasure
or the expression of it). Hence pa'ptupous a.,
pa*ptupousLY 2 adv. [f. rapt -f -ure]

pa'ptured, a. Enraptured, in ecstasy, [f.

obs^rapture vb (prec), -ed 1 ]
rar'a a'vis, n. Rarity, kind of person or thing
rarely encountered. [L, = rare bird]
pape, a. Of loosely packed substance, not
dense, (the r. atviosphere of the mountain
tops); few & far between, uncommon, unusual,
exceptional, seldom found or occurring, (it is r.
for person &c. to do, or it is rarely that he &c.
does) ; of uncommon excellence, remarkably
good, very amusing, (a miracle ofr. device ; had
r.funwith him). Hence pare'L y 2 adv. , pape*ness n. [f. L rams]
pape'bit, n. See welsh rabbit
pap*ee-show, n. Show carried about in a
box ; any show or spectacle, [perh. rare show
as pronounced by Savoyard showmen]
pap'efy, v.t. & i. Lessen density or solidity
of (esp. air); purify, refine, (person's nature &c);
make (idea &c.) subtle ; become less dense. So

rareFA'CTiON, pareFiCA'TiON, nn., pap*efaeti ve a. [f. L rarefacere (iovrarifacere perh.

on anal, of arefacere) f. rams rare Jacere make]
pap'ity, n. Rareness (see rare); uncommon
thing, thing valued as being rare. [f. L raritas
(RARE, -TY)J
pa'seal, n. & a. Rogue, knave, scamp, (often
playfully to child &c. ; you lucky r.!)\ (adj.) belonging to the rabble (archaic ; the r. rout, the
common people). Hence pa'scalDOiM, pa*sealiSM(2), pasea'liTY nn., pa'scalLY 1 a. [f.
OF rascaille rabble, etym. dub.]
rase. See raze.
pash 1 , n. Eruption of the skin in spots or
patches, [cf. OF rache scurf, It. raschia itch ;
from 18th c. only]
pash 2 , a. Hasty, impetuous, overbold, reckless, acting or done without due consideration.
Hence pa'shLY 2 adv., pa'shxESS n. [cf. Du.
& G rasch quick]
pa'sher, n. Thin slice of bacon or ham.
[perh. f. obs. rash to slice, prob. var. of raze]
rasp, v.t. & i., & n. (Scrape with) coarse
kind of file having separate teeth raised with

pointed punch ; scrape roughly ; grate upon

(person or his feelings), irritate ; scrape off or
away ; make grating sound, [f. OF raspe(r),
now rdpe(r), perh. f. Teut., cf. OHG rasp&n
scrape together]
pa'spatopy, n. Rasp used in surgery, [f.
med.L raspatorium (raspare rasp, -tory)]
pa'spbeppy (zb), n. (Plant bearing) white,
yellow, or usu. red subacid fruit of many small
juicy grains arranged on conical receptacle ;
r.-canes, the plants ; r.-xinegar, kind of syrup,
[f. rasp (now Sc. & north.), raspis, etym. dub.]
passe (ra'si, ras), n. Kind of civet-cat. [f. Javanese rase]
pat ! , n., & v.i. Rodent of some larger species
of the mouse kind (musk, water, -?.; black or
old-English r., variety now nearly ousted by
common grey, brown, or Norway r.; smell a r.,
have suspicions ; like a drowned r., said of person wet through; Rats! slang, nonsense!, incredible!, &c); (Pol.) person who deserts his
party in difficulties as rr. desert doomed house
or ship, turncoat ; workman who refuses to
join strike, takes striker's place, or accepts less
than trade-union wages; r. -catcher, person who
makes living by ridding houses of rr.; ra'tsbane,
r.-poison (now only in literary fig. use); r.'stail, thing shaped like r.'s tail, e.g. kind of file ;
r.-tail, (horse with) hairless horse's tail, whence
pa't-tailED 2 a. (r.-t. spoon, with tail-like prolongation of handle along back of bowl) ; r.trap, lit., also (cycle pedal) made of two parallel
iron plates with teeth ; hence pa'tty 2 a. (Vb)
hunt or kill rr. (of person or dog) ; play the r. in
politics ; hence pa'ttER 1 n. [OE rxt, cf. Du.
rat, G ratz, also F rat, etym. dub.]
pat 2 , v.t. 3rd sing. pres. subj. (vulg.). =drat.
pa'ta, n. Large handsome New-Zealand tree
with crimson flowers & hard red wood. [Maori]
pa'table, a. Proportional (archaic) ; liable
to payment of municipal rates, whence patabi'lity n. Hence pa'tabLY 2 adv. [rate 2 ,
-able]
patafra (-ea), -fee*, n. Liqueur flavoured
with almonds or kernels of peach, apricot, or
cherry ; kind of biscuit similarly flavoured ;
kind of cherry. [F (-ia), etym. dub.]
ra'tal, n. Amount on which rates are assessed (also attrib., as the r. qualification for
vestries), [f. rate *, prob. after rental]

patapla'n, n., & v.t. & i. (-nn-). Drumming

sound. ( Vb) play (as) on drum; make r. [F, imit.]
pa'tehet, patch, nn., & vv.t. Set of teeth
on edge of bar or wheel by which in combina-

RATE

692

RATTLE

tion with a catch motion in one direction may

be prevented while possible in the other ; (also
r.-wheel) wheel with rim so toothed; (vb) provide with r., give r. form to. [f. F rochet kind
of lance-head, cf. rocket 2 ]
pate l t n. Statement of numerical proportion
prevailing or to prevail between two sets of
things either or both of which may be unspecified, amount &c. mentioned in one case for
application to all similar ones, standard or way
of reckoning, (measure of) value, tariff charge,
cost, relative speed, (going at the r. of six miles
an hour; can have them at the r. of 11- a
thousand ; the death-r. xoas 19permille ; the r.
of interest, wages, &c, is to be regulated ; the
high rr. charged by the railways ; at that r.
colloq., if this is a fair specimen, if this assumption is true, &c; at any r., in either or any
possible case, even if a stronger statement is
doubtfully true, &c; the low r. at which you
value it ; sell at a high r.; win success at an
easy r. ; went off at a great r. , speed ; pauperism
increases at a fearfxd r.) ; assessment levied by
local authorities for local purposes (rr. & taxes ;
a Id. r. is raised for the free library) ; class
(archaic except in first, third, &c, -r.) ; ratepayer, person liable to have municipal rr. exacted from him. [OF, f. med.L rata (L pro rata parte according to the proportional share, f.
ratus p.p. of reri reckon]
pate 2 , v.t. & i. Estimate worth or value of,
(I do not r. his merits high; each offence is
rated at a fixed sum by way of penalty ; esp. in
over-r., under-r.), assign fixed value to (coin,
metals) in relation to monetary standard (the
copper coinage is rated much above its real
value) ; consider, regard as, (Ir. him among my
benefactors); (usu. in pass.) subject to payment

of a local r., value for purpose of assessing rr.

on, (ive are highly rated for education, have to
pay a high r.; houses are rated at a sum smaller than the rent, the sum on which rr. are
charged is less) ; r. up, impose higher insurance
1*. on (persons &c, liable to exceptional risks) ;
(Naut.) class under a certain rating 1 , (intr.)
rank or be rated as. [f. prec]
pate 3 , v.t. & i. Scold (trans.) angrily ; (rare)
storm at. [?]
pate 4 . See i-;et.
ra'tel, n. S.-Afr. carnivorous quadruped,
honey-badger. [Cape-Du., etym. dub.]
-pa'tep, n. Racing yacht of specified tonnage
(10-r., 2\-r., &c). [rate l, -er 1 ]
rathe (-dh), a. (poet.). Coming, blooming,
&c, early in the year or day ; r.-ripe, rathripe
(-th-), ripening early, precocious, (n.) early kinds
of pea, apple, &c. [f. obs. rathe adv., OE hrathe
(hrad quick)]
pa'thep (rahdh-), adv. More truly, to a greater extent, as a more accurate description or
preferable account of the matter, or to be more
precise, (Isr. good than bad. Derived r. from
imagination than reason. Orderliness is not
the result of law ; r. it is the cause of it. Late
last night, or r. early this morning), the r. that,
so much the more because ; in a modified way,
to some extent, slightly, somewhat, (/ r. think
you know him ; the performance was r. a failure, was r. good, fell r. flat) ; by preference, for
choice, sooner, as an alternative chosen sooner
than another of same grammatical form or
than to (would much r. not go ; he vjould r.
nave died than refused ; use soft water r. than
hard ; the desire to seem clever r. than honest ;
he resigned r. than stifle his conscience ; also
with had, as / had r. err with Plato than be
right with Horace) ; (colloq., in answers) most
emphatically, yes without doubt, assuredly,

(Have you been here before ? Rather !). [compar. of obs. rathe adv., see prec]
pa'tify, v.t. Confirm or make valid (compact
made in one's name) by formal consent, signature, &c. So patiFiCA'TiON n. [f. Fratifier f.
med.L ratificare (rate 1 , -fv>]
pa'ting \ n. In vbl senses of rate 2 ; also or
esp.: amount fixed as municipal rate ; (Naut.)
person's position or class on ship's books, (col-

lect.) all persons of a particular r.; any of the

classes into which racing yachts are distributed
by tonnage, [rate 2 , -ing j ]
pa'ting-^n. Angry reprimand, [rate 3 , -ing 1 ]
pa'tio (-shio), n.(pl. -os). Quantitative relation
between two similar magnitudes determined by
the number of times one contains the other integrally or fractionally (are in the r. of three to
two or 3 : 2 ; the rr. 1:5 &20 : 100 are the same).
IL (RATE 1 , -ION)]
pa'tid'einate (or -shi-), v.i. Go through logical processes, reason formally, use syllogisms.
So patioeinATiON n., patio'einATiVE a. [f.
L rjitiocinari (prec), -ate 3 ]
pa'tion(-shn), n., & v.t. Fixed daily allowance
of food served out for man or animal esp. in
army or navy ; single portion of provisions,
fuel, &c; (pi.) provisions; (vb) limit (persons,
food) to fixed r. [f. L ratio]
pactional (-sho-), a. & n. Endowed with reason, reasoning ; sensible, sane, moderate, not
foolish or absurd or extreme ; of, based on,
reasoning or reason, rejecting what is unreasonable or cannot be tested by reason in religion
or custom, (r. dress, esp. of knickerbockers worn
by women instead of skirts ; has r. leanings in
religion, has doubts about the truth of revelation, the possibility of miracles, &c) ; (Math.,
of quantity or ratio) expressible without radical signs (opp. surd) ; hence or cogn. rationa'liTV n., pa*tionalLY 2 adv. (N., pi.) r. dress.
[f. L rationalis (prec, -al)]
rationale, n. Reasoned exposition, statement of reasons, (now rare) ; fundamental reason, logical basis, of. [L, neut. as prec]
rationalism, n. Practice of explaining the
supernatural in religion in a way consonant with
reason, or of treating reason as the ultimate
authority in religion as elsewhere ; theory that
reason is the foundation of certainty in knowledge (opp. empiricism, sensationalism). So
pa*tionaliST(2) n. & a., pationali'stic a.,
pationali'stiCALLY adv. [-ism]
rationalize, v.t. & i. Explain, explain
away, by rationalism, bring into conformity
with reason ; be or act as a rationalist ;
(Math.) clear from irrational quantities. [-izej
pa'tite, a.(ornith.). Belonging to the Ratitae,
a genus of birds, including ostrich, emu, cassowary, &c, with keelless breastbone (opp.CARix-

\te). [f. L ratis raft, -ite 2 ]

pa'tlin(e), -ling", n. (usu. pi. ). (One of) small
lines fastened across ship's shrouds like ladderrungs, [cf. OF raalingue small cordage strengthening saihedge]
patoo'n, n., & v.i. New shoot springing from
sugar-cane root after cropping ; ( vb) send up rr.
[f. Sp. retono sproutl
pat(t)a*n, n. Kinds of E.-Indian climbing
palm with long thin many-jointed pliable
stems ; piece of r. stem used as cane or for other
fmrposes ; rr. used as a material in building &c
f. Malay rotan (rant pare)]
pat-ta't, patata't, pa*t-tat-ta*t, n. Rapping sound, esp. of knocker on door, [imit.]
pa'tten, v.t. Molest (workman or employer)
by abstracting or injuring tools or machinery
&c in trade-union or similar disputes. [?]
pa'ttle ] , v.i. & t. Give out rapid succession

RATTLE

693

RAZE

of short sharp hard sounds, cause such sounds

by shaking something (he rattled at the door) ;
talk in lively thoughtless way (often on, away,
along) ; move or fall with rattling noise, drive
vehicle or ride or run briskly, (usu. down, along,
past, &c); (part.) brisk, vigorous, (a rattling
ivind, pace), (preceding good &c.) remarkably
(had a rattling good run, dinner, &c.) ; make
(chain, window, crockery, &c.) r.; say or recite
(verses, stories, lists, oaths) rapidly (usu. off,
out, over, away, Sec); stir up from dullness;
make move quickly (r. fox, hunt it close ; r. up
the anchor; r. bill through the House). [ME
& Du. ratelen, cf. G rasseln, prob. imit.]
pa'ttle 2 , n. Instrument or plaything made to
r. esp. in order to give alarm or to amuse babies ;
set of horny rings in rattlesnake's tail ; kinds
of plant with seeds that r. in their cases when
ripe (esp. Yellow, Red, r.) ; rattling sound, uproar, bustle, Koisy gaiety, racket, (death-r.,
such sound in throat immediately before death ;

the rr., croup) ; noisy flow of words, empty

chatter, trivial talk ; lively incessant talker ;
r.-bag, -bladder, -box, rr. constructed of bag
&c. with objects inside to r.; r.-brain, -head,
pate, (person with) empty brain &c, whence
pa'ttlebrainED 2 , pa'ttleheadED 2 , ra*ttlepatiio '-, aa.; rattlesnake, venomous American snake with rattling apparatus in tail ;
rattletrap n. & a., rickety (vehicle &c), (pi.)
curiosities, odds & ends. If. prec]
pa'ttler, n. In vbl senses; esp., remarkably
good specimen of anything. 1-er 1 ]
pair eo us, a. Hoarse, harsh-sounding. Hence
pau'cousLV 2 adv. [f. L raumcs, -ous]
raug-hty. See rorty.
pauque(-k),a. (rare). Raucous. [F(raucous)]
pa'vage ( -ij), v.t. & i., & n. Devastate,
plunder, (t. & i.), make havoc ; (n.) devastation,
damage, (esp. pi.) destructive effects of. [f. F
ravage(r), vb f. n., (ravir ravish, -age)]
pave 1 , n. Rail of cart; (pi.) permanent or
removable framework added to sides of cart to
increase capacity, [also rathe dial. ; etym. dub.]
pave 2 , v.i. & t., & n. Talk wildly or furiously (as) in delirium (often about, against, at, of,
for; raving mad, uncontrollably, so as tor.);
(of sea, wind, &c.) howl, roar; speak with rap
turous admiration about or of, go into raptures ;
utter with ravings (r. one's grief &c.) ; r. oneself hoarse, to sleep, &c; storm raves itself
out, to an end ; hence (often pi.) pa'viNG Ml) n.
(N.) raving sound of wind &c. [perh. f. OF
raver var. of rever dream (reverie)]
pa'vel, v.t. & i. (-11-), & n. Entangle or become entangled, confuse, complicate, (thread
&c, or fig. question, problem ; esp. in p.p., as
the ravelled skein of life); fray (i. & t.) out,
whence pa'velliNG '(2) n.; disentangle, unravel, distinguish the separate threads or subdivisions of, (often out). (N.) entanglement,
knot, complication ; frayed or loose end. [prob.
f. Du. ravelen]
pa'velin (-vl), n. (fortif.). Outwork of two
faces forming salient angle outside main ditch
before curtain. [F, f. It. ravellino etym. dub.]
ra'ven l , n. & a. Large black-plumaged
hoarse-voiced bird of crow kind feeding chiefly
on flesh, often kept tame, & popularly held of
evil omen ; (adj.) of glossy black (esp. r. locks,
black hair). [com.-Teut.; OE hrxfn, cf. Du.

raaf, G rabe]
ra'ven 2 , v.i. & t. Plunder (intr.), go plundering about, seek after prey or booty, prowl for
Erey; eat or devour (t. & abs.) voraciously;
ave ravenous appetite for, be ravenous, [f.
OF raviner ravage (L rapina rapine)]
p&'venous, a. Rapacious (now rare); vo-

racious (esp. r. hunger, eagerness, &c.) ; famished, very hungry. Hence ra'venousLY 2
adv., pa'venousNESS n. (rare), [f. OF ravineux (prec, -ous)]
pa'vin, n. (poet., rhet.). Robberv, rapine;
seizing & devouring of prey (beast of r., of
prey); spoil. If. F ravine (now obs. in this
sense) f. L rapina rapine]
pavi'ne (-en), n. Deep narrow gorge, mountain-cleft. Hence pavi'nED 2 a. [F,= violent
rush, ravine, (prec.)J
pa'vish, v.t. Carry off (person, thing) by
force (now rare) ; (of death, circumstances, &c.)
take from life or from sight ; commit rape
upon, violate, (woman), whence pa'vishER 1
n.; enrapture, charm, entrance, fill with delight, whence pa'vishiNG 2 a., ra'vishing-ly 2 adv., so pa'vishMENT n. If. F ravir (L
rapere seize), -ish 2 ]
paw, a., n., & v.t. Uncooked (r. cream, got
without scalding of milk; r^brick, not hardened by fire) ; in un wrought state, not or not completely manufactured, (r. silk, as reeled from
cocoons ; r. cloth, unfulled ; r. hide, untanned
leather, also rope or whip of this ; r. spirit, undiluted ; r. grain, unmalted ; r. material, that
out of which any process of manufacture makes
the articles it produces, as the finished product
of one industry is the r. material of another,
the r. material of an army is men) ; artistically
crude ; inexperienced, untrained, unskilled,
fresh to anything, (is a r. lad ; r. recruits) ;
stripped of skin, having the flesh exposed, excoriated, sensitive to a touch from being so
exposed ; (of atmosphere, Avind, day, &c.) damp
& chilly ; r. -boned, w r ith bones almost exposed,
gaunt ; r. head & bloody bones, nursery bugbear, death's-head & cross-bones, (attrib., of
narrative style &c.) crudely horrible; hence
pawiSH '(2) a., paw'NESs n. (N.) r. place on
person's or esp. horse's skin ; touch one on the
r., wound his feelings on the point on which he
is sensitive. (Vb) rub (esp. horse's back) into
rawness. [com.-Teut.; OE hriaiv, cf. Du. rauw,

G roh ; cogn. w. L cruor blood, Gk Ureas flesh]

pay l , n. Single line or narrow beam of light,
(in scientific use) straight line in which radiant
energy capable of producing sensation of light
is propagated to given point (Rontgen, pr. runtyen or as G, or X, -rr., form of radiation penetrating many substances impervious to ordinary light ; Becquerel rr., rr. emitted by radioactive bodies) ; analogous propagation-line of
heat or other non-luininous physical energy,
(fig.) remnant or beginning of enlightening or
cheering influence (ar., notar., of hope, truth,
genius, &c.) ; radius of circle (rare), any of the
lines forming a pencil or set of straight lines
passing through one point, any of a set of
radiating lines or parts or things; (Bot.) marginal part of composite flower, as daisy ; radial
division of starfish. Hence payED 2 , pay*less, aa., pay 'let n. [f. OF rai (nom. rais f.
L RADIUS)]
pay 2 , v.i. & t. (Of light &c, or fig. of thought,
hope, &c.) issue, come forth, or o^Tor out, in rr. ;
radiate (t. & i.; poet.), [f. prec]
pay 3 , n. Kinds of large sea-fish allied to
shark, with broad flat body, used as food, esp.
the skate, [f. F raie f. L raia\
Rayah (ri-), n. Non-Mohammedan Turkish
subject, [f. Arab, ra'iyah flock (ra'a feed)]
raze, rase (-z), v.t. Wound slightly, graze,
(rare) ; erase, scratch out, (rare exc fig. as r.
person's name from remembrance); completely
destroy, level with the ground, (town, house,
walls, &c; usu. to the ground), [f. F raser f.
pop, L frequent, of L radere ras- scrape]

RAZEE

694

RE-

razee*, n., & v.t. Ship reduced in height hy

removal of upper deck(s) ; (vb) turn into a r. [f.
F rasee fern. p.p. as prec.]
pa'ZOP, n., & v.t. Instrument used in shav-

ing hair from skin {safety r., kinds with guard

to obviate risk of gashing skin) ; r.-back, back
sharp as r.'s edge (often attrib., as r.-b. whale
or rorqual, r.-b. hill, &c), whence pa'zorbaekED 2 a.; r.-bill, kinds of bird with r. bill
or bill shaped like r., whence ra'zor-billED' 2
a.; r.-edge, keen edge, sharp mountain ridge,
critical situation, sharp line of division (keep
on the r.-e. of orthodoxy ; be on a r.-e. or r. s
edge imit. Gk, be in great danger) ; r.-Jish,
-shell, kinds of bivalve with shell like handle
of ordinary r.; r.-grinder, lit., also kinds of
bird ; r.-strop. ( Vb ; rare) use r. upon, shave,
cut down close, [f. OF rasor (prec, -or 2 )]
ra'zzia (z), n. Raid, plundering or slavecollecting expedition, esp. as carried out by
African Mohammedans. [F, f. Arab, ghazwah
(ghasw make war)]
pa'zzle-dazzle, n. (slang). Excitement,
bustle, stir, spree, [redupl. of dazzle]
pe 1 (ra), n. Second note of octave; (rare) note
D, the second in natural scale of C major, [see
gamut]
re 2 , abl. of res. (As prep.) in the matter of
(chiefly in legal & business use as first word of
head-line stating matter to be dealt with ; also
vulg. as substitute for about, concerning, in ordinary use); re infe'ctd, without having accomplished one's object (esp. return r. i.)
pe- (see * Pronunciation, ** Hyphen, below),
pref. f. L re-, red-, again, back, un-. Re- both
forms part of large numbers of already compounded words borrowed f. L or Rom., & is
treated as a living pref. In the latter capacity
it may be prefixed for the occasion to any vb or
vbl derivative ; this is esp. common in such
phrr. as traverse & re-traverse = traverse again
& again, reckoning & re-reckoning, translation
& re-translation ; but many vbs &c. that originated as nonce- wds have become established,
often with restriction to one or some only of
the simple word's senses ; the more common or
important words of this class, & others whose
simplicity of meaningallows them to be grouped
with it, are given with any necessary information under senses 8, 9, below. Those senses are
the simple ones, found also in many of the wds
compounded before being adopted by E; but
in others of the pre-E compds the sense of the
pref. has been so developed as to be obscure or
unrecognizable. & senses 1-7 are given as a
rough classification.
* Pronunciation : re in all wds (esp. all given
under senses 8, 9) that arc historically, or are

capable of being taken for, simple modifications of existing E wds by one of those senses
(even when a similarly spelt compd exists in
senses not capable of being so regarded ; so recover = cover again, cf. recover 1 , recount =
count again, cf. recount 1 , recreation second
or new creation, cf. recreation in recreate );
re before vowels, and before h (exc. in rehearse);
re also in reflex, regress n., rescript, retail n.;
re also in recalesce, recrudesce, regelate, Sc their
derivv., & recantation, retardation, retractation, retractility : elsewhere, ri when the next
syllable bears the word-accent (reflect, repo'sitory), & otherwise re (recollect, revocable).
** Hyphen : The hyphen is often used when
a writer wishes to mark the factthathe is using
not a well-known compd vb, but re- as a living
J)refix (senses 8, 9) attached to a simple vb
re-pair = pair again, cf. repair mend) ; also
usu. before e {re-emerge), & sometimes before

other vowels (re-assure, usu. reassure) ; also

when the idea of repetition is to be emphasized,
esp. in such phrr. as make & re-make.
1-7: Special senses chiefly in pre-E compds.
1. In return, mutual(ly) : react, reciprocal, recompense, recrimination, rejoinder, remunerate,repartee, repay, requite, result, revenge, &c.
2. Opposition : rebel, recalcitrant, recusant,
reluctance, remonstrate, repugnant, resist, revolt. Sec.
3. Behind, after : relic, relinquish, relish, remain, remorse, rest 3 > 4 , &c.
4. Retirement, secrecy : recluse, recondite, recourse, refuge, remote, repository, reticent, &c.
5. Off, away, down : rebate, relax, release, relegate, remiss, renounce, repress, repudiate,
rescind, reside, resolve, retail, &c.
6. Frequentative or intensive: redolent, redouble, redoubtable, redound, reduplicate, refine,refulgent, regard, rejoice, remark, renown,
repine, repute, research, respect, resplendent,
revere, revile, revolve, &c.
7. Negative, un-: reproach, reproof, reprobate, resign, reveal.
8, 9: Ordinary senses as living prefix.

8. Once more, again, anew, afresh, repeated,

(often with implication that previous doing &c.
was deficient or erroneous or now requires
alteration or improvement or renewal ; many
wds may be classed indifferently under 8 or 9) :
readdre'ss v.t., change address of (letter) ; readjwst v.t. ; so readjustment n.; reaffir'mv.t.;
so reaffirmation n.; reappa'rel v.t.; rear'm v.i.
& t., esp. provide (troops) with arms of new
pattern ; so rear'mament n. ; rearrange v.t. ;
so rearrangement n. ; reasser't v.t. ; so reasser'tion n.; reassess v.t.; so reassessment n.; reassig'nv.t.; rebapti'ze v.t., lit., & fig. give new
name to; soreba'ptism n.; rebir'th n., esp. fresh
incarnation ; so rebor'n p.p.; rebi'te v.t., (defective parts of etched &c. plate with acid);
rebui'ld v.t.; recapitulate v.t., go over headings of, summarize, go quickly through again ;
so recapitxda'tion n. (spec, in Biol., reproduction in embryos of successive type-forms in
line of development), recapitulative, recapi'tulat ory, aa. ;reca*s v. t.,&n., (put into) newshape,
improve(d) arrangement &c. (of); rechri'sten
v.t., = rebaptize above ; reclo'the, v.t.; recoa'l
v.t.; recoa't v.t., put new coat of paint on ; recoin v.t.; so recoi'nage n.; reco'lonize v.t.; so
recoloniza'tion n. ; reco'lour v.t.; recombine
v.t. ; so recombina lion n. ; recommence v.t. & i. ;
so recommencement n.; recommi't v.t., esp. refer back (bill &c.) for further consideration to
committee; so recommitment, recommittal,
mi.; recompo'se v.t.; recompou'nd v.t,; reconsider v.t. ; so reconsideration n.; reconsti'tuent a. & n., (remedy) that builds up strength or
tissue anew; reconstitute v.t., esp. piece together (past events) into an intelligible whole ;
so reconstitu'tion n. ; reconstruct v.t. ; so reconstru'etion n., reconstructive a.; recount
v.t., (esp. votes at election as security against
error), &see recount '; so re-cou'ntn.; re-co'ver
v.t., (esp. umbrellas &c), & see recover 1 ; recreate v.t., create over again, & see recreate 1 ;
so recreation, & see in recreate 1 ; redirect
v.t., esp. = readdress above ; soredirection n.;
redistribute v.t.; so redistribution n., esp. of
seats in Parliament or voting-power in elections, rcdistri'butive a.; redivi'de v.t.; so redivi'sion n.; redo' v.t.; redye v.t.; re-edit v.t.;
sore-edi'tionn.; re-engine v.t., supply(ship&c.)
with new engines ; re-exa'mine v.t., esp. of
opening side's second examination of witness
after opponents' cross-examination ; so re-examina'tion n. ; refa'ce v.t., put new facing on

RE-

695

REACH

(building); refa'shion v.t.; so refa'shionment

n.; refi't v.t. & i., restore (ship) by, (of ship) undergo, renewal & repairs ; so refi't, refi'tment,
nn.; refoo't v.t., supply new foot to (stocking) ;
refur'nish v.t.; rege'nesis n. ; regrou'p v.t.;
reha'ndle v.t., esp. = recast above ; reha'ng v.t.,
(esp. pictures); reha'sh v.t., & n., (put) stale
materials esp. of literary kind in new shape ;
rehear' v.t., (case in lawcourt) ; so rehear'ing
n.; rehou'se v.t., provide with new house(s) ;
reincar'nate v.t. ; so reincarna'tion n., reincar'nate (at) a.; rei'nk v.t.; reinsure' v.i. & t.,
(esp. of underwriter &c. devolving risk upon
another) ; so reinsur'ance n.; reinter' v.t.; reinve'st 1 (see also sense 9) v.t., shift (money) to
other investment ; so reinvestment n.; rei'ssue
v.t.; so rei'ssuable a. (esp. of bills or notes), rei'ssue n., esp. part of already published edition
to be sold with change of form or price ; rei'terate v.t., say or do over again or several
times, repeat ; so reitera'tion n., rei'terative a.;
rela'bel v.t. ; reli've, v.i. & t.; reloa'd v.t.; rema'ke v.t.; rema'n 1 (see also sense 9) v.t., equip
with fresh men ; remar'ginv.t., (esp. of secondhand booksellerrepairing worn book); rema'rry
v.i. & t. ; so rema'rriage n.; rema'st v.t.; remi'ntv.t.;remo'del\\t.;remou'ldx.t.;remownt
(see also remount 2 ) v.t., esp. provide with
fresh horse &c; remou'nt n., supply of fresh
horses for regiment &c, fresh horse; rena'me
v.t.; renu'mber v.t., esp. change numbers of
series &c. ; rcor'ganize v.t. ; so reorganization,
reor'ganizer, nn. ; repa'per v.t. ; repartition
v.t.; reperu'se v.t.; so rcperu'sal n.; repla'nt
v.t.; so replantation n.; repo't v.t. (esp. plant
into larger pot); repri'nt v.t.; re'printu., hook,
article, &c, reprinted ; reproduce v.t. &i., esp.
(trans.) produce copy or representation of,(intr.)
multiply by generation ; so reproduction n.,
reprodu'ceable, reprodu'cible, reprodu'ctive,
aa,, reprodu'ctively adv., reprodu'ctiveness n.;
reprovi'sion v.t.; repu'blish v.t. (esp. book&c);
so republication n.; rerea'd v.t.; resea't v.t.,
esp. provide church, theatre, &c, with fresh
seats ; resee'k v.t.; rese't v.t. (esp. gems); resettle v.t.; so resettlement n.; resha'pe v.t. ; reshufflexX. (esp. cards); reso'le xX.;respe'll v.t.,
esp. spell phonetically; resta'mp v.t.; restar t
v.t. & i., & n.; resta'te v.t., esp. put into more
intelligible or convincing words ; so restatement n.; resto'ck v.t. & i., provide with or take
in fresh stock; resu'mmons n., renewed legal

summons ; re survey v.t.; so resur'vey n.; reta'ste- v.t.; rete'll v.t.; retou'eh v.t. (esp. composition, picture, &c), & n.; rer*niv.t.; retry
x.t.=rehear above; so retri'al n.; retur'f v.t. ;
reur'ge v.t. ; reva'ceinate v.t. ; so revaccina'tion
n.; revalue v.t., assess value of anew; so revalua'tionw.; revic'tual v.t.; revi'sit (often ri)
v.t.; reicor'd v.t., change wording of ; rewri'te
v.t.
9. Back, with return to previous state after
lapse or cessation or occurrence of opposite
state or action, (often corresponding to compounds in dis- or UN-; many words may be assigned indifferently to 9 or 8): reaffo'rest v.t.;
so reafforesta'tion n.; rea'nimate v.t.; so reanimation n.; reappear' v.i.; soreappear'ance
n.; reappoi'nt v.t.; so reappointment n.; reari'se v.i.; rearou'se v.t.; reasce'nd v.i. & t.;
reassemble v.i. & t.; reassu'me v.t. (now rare,
ousted by resume); so reasswmption n.; 7*easswre* v.t., restore to confidence, dispel apprehensions of; so reassur'ing a. (of words, manner, &c), reassnr'rngty adv.; rebar'barize v.t.;
rebi'nd v.t., (esp. book); reca'pture v.t., & n.;

rcchar'ge v.t.; rechar'ge n., amount of substance used in recharging; reci'vilize v.t.; so
reciviliza'tion n.; reco'mfort v.t.; reco??dn.'c
v.t.; reconquer v.t.; so reco'nquest n.; reconvert v.t.; so reconver'sion n. ; rccro'ss v.t.;
redescend v.i. & t.; redisco'ver v.t. ; so redisco'very n.; re-ele'ct v.t.; so re-election n.; reeligible a.; re-embar'k v.i. & t. ; so re-embarka'tion n.; re-emer'ge v.i.; so re-emer'gence n.,
re-emer'gent a.; re-ena'ble v.t.; re-ena'ct v.t.;
sore-ena'ctment n. ; re-enter v. i. & t. (part, sometimes = re-entrant); re-e'ntrance, re-entry,
nn.; re-esta'blish v.t.; so re-esta'blishment n.:
reexi'st v.i.; re-export v.t.; re-export n., commodity imported & then exported esp. without,
further manufacture; so re-exportation, n.; re./t -7 7 v.t.; refill n.,=recharge above; re/?oa*tv.t.,
(stranded ship); reflux n., backward flow; refo'rest v.t., turn into forest again ; so reforesta'tionn.; refur'bish v.t.; reger'minate v.i.; so
regermina'tionx\.;regildxX.;rehabi'litatexX.,
restore to privileges, reputation, or proper condition ; so rehabilita'tion n.; rehu'manize v.t.;
reigni'te v.t. & i.; reimpor I v.t., import (same
goods) after exporting ; so rei'mport n.; reimpo'sexX.; so reimposi'tion n.; reincorporate
v.t.; reingra'tiate v.t.; reinsert v.t.; so rein ser'tion n.; reinre's^ 2 (see also sense 8) v.t., replace in office, wirA, privilege ; so reinvestiture
n.; reinvi'gorate v.t.; so reinvigora'tioxin.; reki'ndle v.t. & i.; reli'ne v.t., renew lining of

(esp. garment) ; re??ia*n 2 (see also sense 8) v.t.,

restore to manhood or courage ; remigra'te v.i.,
esp. return after migrating ; so remigra'tion n. ;
reo'ecupy v.t.; so reoccupa'tion n.; reo'pen v.t.
& i. ; repa'ganize v.t.; repai'nt v.t., restore
paint or colouring of ; repa'ss v.t. & i., esp. pass
again on way back ; so repa'ssage n.; repeo'ple
v.t.; repercu'ssion a., echo, sound flung back,
rebound, recoil after impact; so repercu'ssive
a.; repiece v.t., put pieces of together again,
reconstruct ; repoi'nt v.t., (joints of masonry);
repo'lishxX.; repo'pulate v.t.; repossess v.t.;
so repossession n.; repurchase v.t., & n.; repur'ify v.t. ; requi'eken v.t. ; resa'ddle v.t. &
abs. ; resa'le n., esp. sale of thing bought; so
resa'lable a.; resei'ze v.t.; so resei'zure n.; resets v.t., esp. sell after buying ; reshi'p v.t. & i.,
put, go, on board ship again ; so reshi'pment
ri.; restu'ff v.t. ; reta'kc v.t.; retransfer' v.t.;
so retra'iisfer n.; retransfor'm v.t.; retranslate v.t., (esp. back into the original language);
so retransla'tion n.; retrea'd v.t.; reuni'te v.t.
&i.; revi'talize v.t.; rewri"nv.t.
reach ', v.t. & i. Stretch out, extend, (t. & i.;
often ont &c; reached out his hand, its
branches ; a dominion reaching from the Ebro
to the Carpathians) ; stretch out the hand &c,
make reaching motion or effort lit. or fig., (yon
niitsi r. oid further ', mind reaches forward to
an ideal ; s&ip reaches ahead in race) ; get as
far as, attain to, arrive at, (specified point or
object or destination ; also abs.), succeed in affecting, either simply or with the hand or instrument or missile or missive or influence (r.
bottom ! ; reached land ; could not r. his enemy,
esp. in fencing, boxing ; 7ior is Tier conscience
to be reached?; libels that the ordinary law
reaches ; the steps by which you r. the entrance ;
your letter reached me today ; every syllable
reached the audience ; has reached middle age.
its eighth edition; cannot r. so high, far enough,
down, up to it. Sec. ; as far as eye coxdd r. ; my
income will not r. to it) ; hand, pass or take with
outstretched hand, (reached him the book ;
reached down his hat) ; rea'ch-me-down a. &

For pronunciation & hyphening of re- see re- ; for words in re- not given see re
- 8, 9.

REACH

696

READY

u., ready-made (garment). Hence rea'ehABLE

a. [OE rxcan, cf. Du. reiken, G reichen]
peach 2 , n. Act of reaching out; extent to
which hand &c. can be reached out, influence
be exerted, motion be carried out. or mental
powers be used, range, scope, compass, (within,
above, out of, beyond, one's r possible, impossible, of attainment or performance; has a wide
r.\ within easy r. of the railway ; no help was
within r.); continuous extent, esp. part of river
that can be looked along at once between two
bends, [f. prec]
rea*et, v.i. Produce reciprocal or responsive
effect, act upon the agent, [they r. upon each
other ; tyranny reacts upon the tyrant, has
effects upon him as well as upon his victims),
(Chem., of substance applied to another) call
out activity, cause manifestation, (nitrous
oxide reacts upon the metal) ; respond to stimulus, undergo change due to some influence ; be
actuated by repulsion against, tend in reverse
or backward direction. Hence rea'etiVE a.,
reaeti'viTY n. [he- 1]
rea'etion, n. Responsive or reciprocal action
(esp. action & r.) ; (Chem.) action set up by one
substance in another ; response of organ &c. to
external stimulus ; return of previous condition
after interval of opposite (e.g. glow felt after
cold bath, depression after excitement) ; retrograde tendency esp. in politics, whence rea'ctionAKY 1 a. & ( = reactionary person) n.,
pea*etioniST(2) n. & a. [re- 1]
read (red), v.t. & i. (read, pr. red), &n. Interpret mentally, declare interpretation or
coming development of, divine, (r. dream,
riddle, omen, futurity, men's hearts or thoughts
or faces; r. person's hand, as palmist; r. the
sky, as astrologist or meteorologist) ; (be able
to) convert into the intended words ormeaning
(written or printed or other symbols or things
expressed by their means, or abs. ; reads or can
r. hieroglyphs, shoi'thand, the clock, the Morse
system, music, several languages ; does not r.
or write); reproduce mentally or (often aloud,
out, off. &c, or with'ind. obj.) vocally, while
following their symbols with eyes or fingers,
the words of (author, book, tale, letter, &c, or
abs.; often over, through, advv.; reads well,
with good intonation &c, expressively ; was
reading Plato ; r. me off the list ; r. it through
six times ; does he preach extempore or r. ? ;
have no time to r.; the bible is the most r. of
all books ; r. one a lesson, admonish him ; the

Bill icas r. for the first &c. time, was allowed

its first &c. reading; invalid is r. to for
several hours daily; seldom reads French,
anything written in it) ; study (t. & i.) by reading (often up ; is reading law ; shall not r. for
honours ; reading man, who devotes most of
his time to study ; has r. much), (p.p. in active
sense as adj. with well, deeply, slightly, little,
&c.) versed in subject by reading, acquainted
with literature ; find (thing) stated, find statement, in print &c. (revenge, we r., is wild justice; I have r. somewhere that.. . , have r. of
it); interpret (statement, action) in certain
sense (may be read several ivays ; my silence is
not to be r. as consent) ; assume as intended in
or deducible from writer's words, find implications, (you r. too much into the text; in their
pleas for reform Ir. Protection; r. between the
lines, search for or discover hidden meanings) ;
(of editor) give as the word(s) probably used by
author (Bentley reads peraeque ; also facet, in
correcting statements, as for white read black,
c* the account may be accepted) ; bring into

specified state by reading (r. me to sleep, himself stupid, hoarse, &c; r. oneself in of incumbent, enter upon office by public reading of
xxxix articles &c); (of recording instrument)
present (figure &c.) to one reading it (thermometer reads 33) ; sound or affect hearer or
reader well, ill, &c, when r. (play reads better
than it acts ; reads like a threat, translation,
&c). (N.) time spent in reading (have a short,
long, good, quiet, r.). [com.-Teut.; OE rxdan
consider, discern, cf. Du. raden, G rathen ;
cogn. w. Skr. radh- accomplishj
pea'dable, a. Interestingly written ; (rare)
legible. Hence peadaBi"LiTY, rea'dableness, nn., pea'dabLY 2 adv. [-able]
readdress. See re- 8.
rea'der, n. In vbl senses ; also or esp.: person employed by publisher to read & report on
offered MSS.; printer's proof corrector ; person
appointed to read aloud, esp. (often lay-r.) parts
of service in church ; lecturer in some universities &c. (r. in Roman law &c.) ; book of
selections for use by students of a language &c.
Hence rea'dersmp n. [-er *]
rea'dily (red), adv. Without showing reluctance, willingly; without difficulty (the
facts may r. be ascertained), [ready,- -ly 2 ]
pea'diness (red-), n. Prompt compliance,
willingness ; facility, prompt resourcefulness,
quickness in argument or action ; ready or pre-*
pared state (all is in r.). [ready, -nessJ
rea'ding, n. In vbl senses; also or esp.:
literary knowledge (a man of vast r.); first,
second, third, r successive occasions on which

Bill must have been presented for acceptance

to each House before it is ready for royal
assent (first r., permitting introduction; second,
approving general principle ; third, accepting
details as amended in committee) ; entertainment at which something is read to audience
(penny r., for poor of parish &c); word(s) read
or given by an editor or found in MS. in text
of a passage (the right, true, best, MS., &c, r.\
various rr.) ; (specified quality of) matter to be
read [is good, dull, r. ; there is plenty ofr. in it);
figure &c. shown by graduated instrument
(ko difference between day & night rr.) ; interpretation, view taken^rendering, (what is your
r. of the facts ? ; hisfr. of Iago was generally
condemned) ; r.-desf/, for supporting book &c,
lectern ; r.-room, in club &c. for persons wishing to read. [-ING 1 )
readjust &c. See re- 8.
peady (re'di), a., adv., n., & v.t. With preparations complete, iuJitLsJtate, with resolution
nerved, willing, apt, inclined, about to, prompt,
quick, facile, provided beforehand, within
reach, easily secured, unreluctant, easy, fit for
immediate use, (Are you r.l Go!, formula for
starting race; Ready, present, fire, successive
orders, the first = make rifle r.; dinner is r.; are
r. to march ; am r. to risk my life ; is too r. to
suspect; wasr. to swear with rage ; a bud just
r. to burst ; is r. for death ; the r. ministers of
vengeance ; is very r. at excuses ; has a r. pen,
wit, whence ready- wittED 2 a., &c; gave a
r. consent ; found r. acceptance ; its r. solubility
in water ; found an instrument r. to hand, ar.
source of revenue; the readiest way to do it;
make r., prepare i. & t., as they made r. for the
attempt or to fight, or made everything r.; r.
money, actual coin, also payment on the spot);
r. reckoner, book of r. -reckoned (see adv.) computations of kind commonly wanted in business.
(Adv.; chiefly with p.p., usu. hyphened, prop,
a pred. use of adj.) beforehand, so as not to re-

For pronunciation & hyphening of re- see re- ; for words in re- not given see re
- 8, 9.

REAFFIRM

697

REASON

quire doing when the time comes, (please pack

everything r. ; boxes are r. packed or packed r. ;
r. -built houses ; r.-made clothes, made in standard shapes & sizes, not to customer's individual
measure ; r.-made shop, selling these) ; (rare
exc. in conip. & superl.) quickly {the child
that answers readiest). (N.) position in which
rifle is held before the present (co?e to the r.
Scc.)\ (slang) r. money (planked down the r.).
(Vb; racing slang) qualify (horse) for good
handicap in race by preventing its winning in
another. [MKrxdig-pevh. f. Ok, gerxde --MH.G
gereit, cf. G bereit + -v 2 on false anal.]
reaffirm &c, see re- 8; reafforest &c,
re- 9.
rea'greney, n. Reactive power or operation
(see REACT).
pea'gent, n. (Chem.) substance used to detect presence of another by reaction ; reactive
substance or force (see react).
re'al 1 (re-, ra-), n. Silver coin & money of
account (about 6i<f.) still used in some Spanishspeaking countries ; present Spanish monetary
unit (about 2kd.), quarter of peseta. [Sp., n.
use of adj. f. L rcgalis regal]
re'al 2 , a. Actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact, objective, genuine, rightly so
called, natural, sincere, not merely apparent
or nominal or supposed or pretended or artificial
or hypocritical or affected, (r. money, coin,
cash ; the r. presence, of Christ's body & blood
in the Eucharist as disputed by theologians ; a
r. object & its image ; r. & paper roses ; effected
a r. cure ; should tike a r. fine day ; r. lije, that
lived by actual people, opp. fictitious & dramatic imitations; there is no ?-. doubt about it;
who is the r. manager ?;isa r. man, unaffected,
also worthy of the name ; the r. thing, not a
makeshift or inferior article) ; (Law ; cf. personal) consisting of immovable property such
as lands or houses (esp. r. estate) ; (Philos.)
having an absolute & necessary & not merely
contingent existence; (abs.) the r., what is r.,
esp. opp. the ideal (also rarely as n. with pi. =r.
thing, as / deal only with rr.). [f. LL realis
(res thing, -al)]
pea'lgap, n. Disulphide of arsenic, red
arsenic, red orpiment, used as pigment & in
fireworks. [med.L, f. Arab, rehj algahr powder of the cave]
realism, n. Scholastic doctrine that \vc\\versals or general ideas have objective existence (cf. nominalism, conceptualism) ; belief
that matter as object of perception has real

existence (cf. idealism) ; practice of regarding

things in their true nature & dealing with them
as they are, freedom from prejudice & convention, practical views & policy, (cf. idealism) ;
fidelity of representation, truth to nature, insistence upon details. So re*aliST(2) n. & a.,
reali'stic a., reali'stiCALLY adv. [-ism]
rea'lity, n. Property of being real ; resemblance to original (reproduced with startling
r.) ; real existence, what is real, what underlies
appearances, (in r., in fact, opp. in words, in
appearance, Sue.) ; existent thing ; real nature
of. [f. med.L realitas (real 2 , -ty)]
re'alize, v.t. Convert (hope, plan, &c.) into
fact (usu. pass.) ; give apparent reality to,
make realistic, present as real, (these details
help to r. the scene) ; conceive as real, apprehend
clearly or in detail (noun, that, how, &c.) ; convert (securities, property) into money (often
abs.,=sell one's property); amass (fortune,
specified profit) : fetch as price. Hence re'alIzable a., realiZATiON n. [-ize]
really (reril), adv. In fact, in reality, (often
r. & truly) ; positively, indeed, I assure you, I

mean what I say, I protest ; r.?, do vou mean

it ?, is that so ?. [-ly 2 J
realm (relm), n. Kingdom (chief! v rhet., &
in some legal phrr., as the laws of the r., persons who are out of the r.) ; sphere, province,
domain, (the rr. of fancy, pottry, Sec), [f. OF
reaume f. pop. L *regalimen (regal, -men)]
re*alty,n. Real estate (cf. personalty). [-ty]
ream 1 , n. Twenty quires or 480 sheets of
paper (often 500, to allow for waste ; printers'
r., 516); (often pi.) large quantity of paper
(wrote rr. & rr. of verse), [ult. f. Arab, rizmah
bundle, cf. Du. mem, OF revime, It. risma]
ream 2 , v.t. Widen (hole in metal) with
borer or pea'mER ) (2) n.; turn over edge of
(cartridge-case &c); (Naut.) open (seam) for
caulking. [OE ryman (room), cf. G rawm]
reanimate &c. See re- 9.
reap, v.i. & t. Cut (grain or similar crop),
cut grain &c, with sickle in harvest; gather
in thus or with machine or fig. as harvest (r. as
one has soum, soio wind & r. whirlwind, r. the
fruits of, take consequences of one's actions ;
r. where one has not sown, profit by others'
toil) ; harvest crop of (field &c.) ; reaping-hook,
sickle; reaping-machine, for cutting grain &
often binding sheaves without manual labour.

Hence rea'pER HI, 2) n. [OE ripan, excl. E]

reapparel, see re- 8 ; reappear &c, reappoint &c, re- 9.
rear 1 , n. Hindmost part of army or fleet
(hang on the r. of, follow with view to attacking) ; back of, space behind, position at back
of, army or camp or person (bring, close, up
the r., come last ; take enemy in r., attack from
behind; saw them far in ther., behind ; was
sent to the r. for safety) ; back part of anything
(at the r. of, behind) ; rear-, r. attrib., hinder,
back-; so rear'MOST a.; r.-admiral, flagofficer below vice-admiral ; r.-guard, body of
troops detached to protect r. esp. in retreats
(r.-g. action, engagement between r.-g. &
enemy); rearward n. [f. A F rerewarde = rearguard], rear (esp. in prep, phrr., as to rearward
of, in the rearward)', rearward a. & adv.,
rearwards adv., towards the rear [-ward(s)].
[shortened f. arrear]
rear 2 , v.t. & i. Raise, set upright, build, uplift, hold upwards, (rhet.; r. a pillar, cathedral,
Sec; reared his mighty stature ; r. one's head.
one's voice, a hand, Sec); raise, bring up, breed,
foster, nourish, educate, cultivate, grow, (cattle, game, children, crops, &c); (of horse &c;
intr. & rarely refl.) rise, raise itself, on hind
feet. Hence rear'ER l n. [OE rxran, native
form corresp. to & largely ousted by raise]
rear*-areh, rere-, n. Inner arch of window
or door opening when of different size &c. from
the outer, [f. F arriere see arrear]
rearise, see re- 9 ; rearm &c, re- 8 ; rearouse, re- 9 ; rearrange &c, re- 8.
rear'-vault, n. Vaulted space connecting
arched window or door head with arch in inner
face of wall, [as rear-arch]
reascend. See re- 9.
reason * (re'zn), n. (Fact adduced or serving
as) argument, motive, cause, or justification
(give rr. for; prove with rr.; the woman's r..
repetition of fact as its own explanation, as in /
Zore him because I love him ; for no other reason than that I forgot, but this ; there is no r.
to sxippose ; r. of State, political justification
esp. for immoral proceeding ; the r. of your
isolation, of eclipses, is that
; failed by r.
of its bad organization ; there was r. to believe ;
I savj r. to suspect him ; he complains with r.,
not unjustifiably); (Log.) one of premisses of
syllogism, esp. minor premiss when given after

REASON

693

RECEDE

conclusion ; the intellectual faculty characteristic esp. of human beings by which conclusions
are drawn from premisses {whether dogs have
r. is really a question of definition ; there can
be no opposition between r. & common sense) ;
intellect personified {God & r. are identical) ;
(as transl. of G Vemunft in Kant) faculty transcending the understanding ( Verstand) & providingapWori principles, intuition ; sanity {has
lost his, is restored to, r.) ; sense, sensible conduct, what is right or practical or practicable,
moderation, (without rhyme or r.; bring to r.,
induce to cease from vain resistance ; will do
anything in r., within the bounds of moderation ; it stands to r., cannot be denied without
paradox, would be generally admitted ; hear
or listen to r., suffer oneself to be persuaded ;
as r. was, as good sense bade ; have r. archaic
or transl. of F, be right; there is r. in xchat you
say). Hence rea'sonLESS a. [f. OF raisun f.
L rationem (reri rat- consider, -ion)]
pea'son 2 , v.i. & t. Use argument with person by way of persuasion ; form or try to reach
conclusions by connected thought silent or expressed (fi'om premisses ; about, of, upon, subject), whence pea'sonER 1 n.; discuss what,
whether, why, Sec; conclude, assume as step
in argument, say by way of argument, that (or
parenth.) ; express in logical or argumentative
form (areasonedexposition, manifesto, article);
persuade by argument out of, into (tried to r.
him out of his fears ; reasoned himself into
perplexity) ; think out (consequences &c).
Hence rea'soniNG 1 (1) n. [f. OF raisoner f. LL
rationare (prec.)]
reasonable, a. Endowed with reason,
reasoning, (rare); sound of judgment, sensible,
moderate, not expecting too much, ready to
listen to reason; agreeable to reason, not absurd, within the limits of reason, not greatly
less or more than might be expected, inexpensive, not extortionate, tolerable, fair. Hence
rea'sonablexESS n., pea'sonabLY 2 adv.
[f. OF raisonable (reason 1 , -able)]

reassemble, see re- 9; reassert, reassess &c, reassign, re- 8; reassume

Sec, reassure &c, re- 9.
Reaumur (F), name of French physicist appended (abbr. R.) to readings of the thermometer introduced by him with freezing-point
0 & boiling-point 80 (a temperature of more
than 55 R. or Reaumur).
reave, reive, (rev), v.i. & t, (archaic, poet.;
reft). Commit ravages (usu. reiv-), whence
rei'VER 1 n.; forcibly deprive of (esp. in p.p.) ;
take by force, carry off, {away, from), [com.Teut.; OE r&afian, cf. Du. rooven, G rauben]
rebaptize &c, see re- 8; rebarbarize,
RE- 9.
reba'te 1 , v.t. (archaic). Diminish, reduce
force or effect of ; blunt, dull. [f. OF rabattre
(re- 5, ABATE)]
reba'te 2 , n. Deduction from sum to be paid,
discount, drawback, [f. F rabat (prec.)]
rebate 3 (ra'bit, riba't), n., & v.t. = rabbet.
re'beek, n. Medieval three-stringed instrument, early form of fiddle, [f. F rebec var. of
OF \rehebel. Arab, rebab]
re'bel l , n. Person who rises in arms against,
resists, or refuses allegiance to, "the established
government; person or thing that resists authority or control ; (attrib.) rebellious, of rr., in
rebellion, [orig. a. & n.; the pred. a. use now
obs. ; f. F rebelle f. L rebellis (re- 2, bellum war)]
rebe'l 2 , v.i. (-11-). Act as r. (against); feel or
manifest repugnance to some custom &c. (a-

gainst). [f. F rebeller f. L RE-2(be?Zare make

war) revolt]
rebellion, n. Organized armed resistance
to established government (the Great R., period
of English history 1642-60) ; open resistance to
any authority, [f. F rebellion f. L rebellionem
(rebel 1 , -ion)]
rebellious (-ys), a. In rebellion, disposed
to rebel, insubordinate, defying lawful authority ; (of diseases, things) diiii<*ult to treat, unmanageable, refractory. Hence i-ooe'lliously 2 adv., rebe'lliousNEss n. las rebel 1 or

prec. + -ous]
rebe'llow, v.i. & t. Re-echo loudly, [re- 6 ;
after L RE-6(6oare bellow) j
rebind, see re- 9; rebirth &c, rebite,
RE- 8.
re'boant, a. (poet.). Rebellowing, resounding, re-echoing, [f. L reboare rebellow, -ant]
rebou'nd 1 , v.i. Spring back after impact;
have reactive effect, recoil upon agent, (our
evil example will r. upon ourselves), [f. OF
rebonder (re- 1, bound 3 )]
rebou'nd 2 , n. Act of rebounding, recoil;
reaction after emotion (take one on or at the r.,
utilize such reaction to persuade him to contrary action &c). [f. prec]
rebu'fT, n., & v.t. Check given to one who
makes advances, proffers help or sympathy,
shows interest or curiosity, makes request, &c.,
repulse, snub ; (vb) give r. to. [f. obs. F rebuffed) f. It. ribuffo, ribuffare, (re-2, buffo puff)]
rebuild. See re- 8.
rebu'ke, v.t., & n. Reprove, reprimand,
censure authoritatively ; hence rebu'kingly 2 adv. ( Vb) rebuking or being rebuked ; a
reproof, [f. ONF re- 5(buker - OF bucher beat)]
re*bus,n. Enigmatic representation of name,
word, &c, by pictures &c. suggesting its syllables, [prob. =abl. pi. of L res thing ; origin of
sense (in F & E) doubtful]
rebu't, v.t. (-tt-). Force or turn back, give
check to ; refute, disprove, (evidence, charge),
whence rebu*ttAL(2), rebu'tMENT, rebu'ttER 4 , nn. [f. OF re- 9{buter butt 4 )]
reea'leitrate, v.i. Kick against or at rules
&c, refuse compliance, be refractory. So reea'leitrANT(l) a. & n., reea'leitrANCE, reCaleitrA'TiON, nn. [f. L re- 2(cal~itrare strike
with heel f. calx -cis heel), -ate 3 ]
reeale'see (-es), v.i. Grow hot again (esp.
in techn. use of iron allowed to cool from white
heat, which recovers heat at certain point for
short time). Hence reeale'seENCE^n. [f. L
RE-9(ca/e.9ce?'e grow hot)]
reea'll 1 (-awl), v.t. Summon back from a
place or from different occupation, inattention,
digression, &c; cancel appointment of (official

sent to distance, esp. overseas) ; bring back to

memory, serve as reminder of, recollect, remember; revive, resuscitate; revoke, annul,
(action, decision), take back (gift). Hence reea'llABLE a. [re- 9]
reea'll 2 , n. Summons to come back; cancelling of appointment abroad ; signal to ship
&c. to return ; possibility of recalling esp. in
sense of an nulling (esp. beyond, past, r.). [re- 9]
reea'nt, v.t. & i. Withdraw & renounce
(opinion, statement, &c.) as erroneous or heretical ; disavoAv former opinion, esp. with public
confession of error. Hence reeantA'TioN n.
[f. L re- Kcantare sing) revoke]
recapitulate &c, see re- 8; recapture,
re- 9 ; recast, re- 8.
reee'de, v.i. Go or shrink back or further
off ; be left by observer's motion at increasing

For pronunciation & hyphening of re- see re- ; for words in re- not given see re
- 8, 9.

RECEIPT

699

RECIPROCATE

distance ; slope backwards ; withdraw (from

engagement, opinion, &c); decline in character
or value, [f. L KE-5(cedere go)]
peeeip't (-et), n., & v.t. = recipe ; amount of
money received ; fact or action of receiving or
being received into person's hands or possession
(on r. of a postal order for 1/- the goods tm.ll be
sent ; beg to acknowledge r. of your book ; entrusted uith the r. of subscriptions), written
acknowledgment of such r. esp. of payment of
sum due ; (archaic) place where money is officially received, esp. r. of custom, custom-house ;
(vb) write or print *r. on (bill). [ME receit f.
ONF receite f. L recepta fern. p.p. of recipere
receive w. -p- inserted on L]