Chapter CCCLXXIX: Prologue (30)

5. The outward or most finished surface, as of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc. At all right, at all points; in all respects. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- Bill of rights, a list of rights; a paper containing a declaration of rights, or the declaration itself. See under Bill. -- By right, By rights, or By good rights, rightly; properly; correctly. He should himself use it by right. Chaucer. I should have been a woman by right. Shak. -- Divine right, or Divine right of kings, a name given to the patriarchal theory of government, especially to the doctrine that no misconduct and no dispossession can forfeit the right of a monarch or his heirs to the throne, and to the obedience of the people. -- To rights. (a) In a direct line; straight. [R.] Woodward. (b) At once; directly. [Obs. or Colloq.] Swift. -- To set to rights, To put to rights, to put in good order; to adjust; to regulate, as what is out of order. -- Writ of right (Law), a writ which lay to recover lands in fee simple, unjustly withheld from the true owner. Blackstone.

RIGHT Right, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Righted; p. pr. & vb. n. Righting.] Etym: [AS. rihtan. See Right, a.]

1. To bring or restore to the proper or natural position; to set upright; to make right or straight (that which has been wrong or crooked); to correct.

2. To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of; as, to right the oppressed; to right one's self; also, to vindicate. So just is God, to right the innocent. Shak. All experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. Jefferson. To right a vessel (Naut.), to restore her to an upright position after careening. -- To right the helm (Naut.), to place it in line with the keel.

RIGHT Right, v. i.

1. To recover the proper or natural condition or position; to become upright.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: Hence, to regain an upright position, as a ship or boat, after careening.

RIGHT-ABOUT Right"-a*bout`, n. Etym: [Right, adv. + about, adv.]

Defn: A turning directly about by the right, so as to face in the opposite direction; also, the quarter directly opposite; as, to turn to the right-about. To send to the right-about, to cause to turn toward the opposite point or quarter; -- hence, of troops, to cause to turn and retreat. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott.

RIGHT-ANGLED Right"-an`gled, a.

Defn: Containing a right angle or right angles; as, a right-angled triangle.

RIGHTEN Right"en, v. t.

Defn: To do justice to. [Obs.] Relieve [marginal reading, righten] the opressed. Isa. i. 17.

RIGHTEOUS Right"eous, a. Etym: [OE. rightways, rightwise, AS.rightwis; riht right + wis wise, having wisdom, prudent. See Right, a., Wise, a.]

Defn: Doing, or according with, that which is right; yielding to all their due; just; equitable; especially, free from wrong, guilt, or sin; holy; as, a righteous man or act; a righteous retribution. Fearless in his righteous cause. Milton.

Syn. -- Upright; just; godly; holy; uncorrupt; virtuous; honest; equitable; rightful.

RIGHTEOUSED Right"eoused, a.

Defn: Made righteous. [Obs.]

RIGHTEOUSLY Right"eous*ly, adv. Etym: [AS. rightwislice.]

Defn: In a righteous manner; as, to judge righteously.

RIGHTEOUSNESS Right"eous*ness, n. Etym: [AS. rihtwisnes.]

1. The quality or state of being righteous; holiness; purity; uprightness; rectitude.

Note: Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it chiefly occurs, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law.

2. A righteous act, or righteous quality. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isa. lxiv. 6.

3. The act or conduct of one who is righteous. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth right at all times. Ps. cvi. 3.

4. (Theol.)

Defn: The state of being right with God; justification; the work of Christ, which is the ground justification. There are two kinds of Christian righteousness: the one without us, which we have by imputation; the other in us, which consisteth of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues. Hooker. Only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Westminster Catechism.

Syn. -- Uprightness; holiness; godliness; equity; justice; rightfulness; integryty; honesty; faithfulness.

RIGHTER Right"er, n.

Defn: One who sets right; one who does justice or redresses wrong. Shelton.

RIGHTFUL Right"ful, a.

1. Righteous; upright; just; good; -- said of persons. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Consonant to justice; just; as, a rightful cause.

3. Having the right or just claim according to established laws; being or holding by right; as, the rightful heir to a throne or an estate; a rightful king.

4. Belonging, held, or possessed by right, or by just claim; as, a rightful inheritance; rightful authority.

Syn. -- Just; lawful; true; honest; equitable; proper.

RIGHTFULLY Right"ful*ly, adv.

Defn: According to right or justice.

RIGHTFULNESS Right"ful*ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being rightful; accordance with right and justice.

2. Moral rectitude; righteousness. [Obs.] Wyclif. We fail of perfect rightfulness. Sir P. Sidney.

RIGHT-HAND Right"-hand`, a.

1. Situated or being on the right; nearer the right hand than the left; as, the right-hand side, room, or road.

2. Chiefly relied on; almost indispensable. Mr. Alexander Truncheon, who is their right-hand man in the troop. Addison. Right-hand rope, a rope which is laid up and twisted with the sun, that is, in the same direction as plain-laid rope. See Illust. of Cordage.

RIGHT-HANDED Right"-*hand`ed, a.

1. Using the right hand habitually, or more easily than the left.

2. Having the same direction or course as the movement of the hands of a watch seen in front; -- said of the motion of a revolving object looked at from a given direction.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the whorls rising from left to right; dextral; -- said of spiral shells. See Illust. of Scalaria. Right-handed screw, a screw, the threads of which, like those of a common wood screw, wind spirally in such a direction that screw advances away from the observer when turned with a right-handed movement in a fixed nut.

RIGHT-HANDEDNESS Right"-hand`ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being right-handed; hence, skill; dexterity.

RIGHT-HEARTED Right"-heart`ed, a.

Defn: Having a right heart or disposition. -- Right"-heart`ed*ness, n.

RIGHTLESS Right"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of right. Sylvester.

RIGHT-LINED Right"-lined`, a.

Defn: Formed by right lines; rectilineal; as, a right-lined angle.

RIGHTLY Right"ly, adv. Etym: [AS. richtlice.]

1. Straightly; directly; in front. [Obs.] Shak.

2. According to justice; according to the divine will or moral rectitude; uprightly; as, duty rightly performed.

3. Properly; fitly; suitably; appropriately. Eve rightly called, Mother of all mankind. Milton.

4. According to truth or fact; correctly; not erroneously; exactly. "I can not rightly say." Shak. Thou didst not rightly see. Dryden.

RIGHT-MINDED Right"-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Having a right or honest mind. -- Right"-mind`ed*ness, n.

RIGHTNESS Right"ness, n. Etym: [AS. richtnes.] .

Defn: Straightness; as, the rightness of a line. Bacon.

2. The quality or state of being right; right relation. The craving for rightness with God. J. C. Shairp.

RIGHT-RUNNING Right"-run`ning, a.

Defn: Straight; direct.

RIGHTWARD Right"ward, adv.

Defn: Toward the right. Rightward and leftward rise the rocks. Southey.

RIGHT WHALE Right" whale`. (Zoöl.) (a) The bowhead, Arctic, or Greenland whale (Balæna mysticetus), from whose mouth the best whalebone is obtained. (b) Any other whale that produces valuable whalebone, as the Atlantic, or Biscay, right whale (Balæna cisarctica), and the Pacific right whale (B. Sieboldii); a bone whale. Pygmy right whale (Zoöl.), a small New Zealand whale (Neobalæna marginata) which is only about sixteen feet long. It produces short, but very elastic and tough, whalebone.

RIGHTWISE Right"wise`, a.

Defn: Righteous. [Obs.] Wyclif.

RIGHTWISE Right"wise`, v. t.

Defn: To make righteous. [Obs.]

RIGHTWISELY Right"wise`ly, adv.

Defn: Righteously. [Obs.]

RIGHTWISENESS Right"wise`ness, n.

Defn: Righteousness. [Obs.] In doom and eke in rightwisnesse. Chaucer.

RIGID Rig"id, a. Etym: [L. rigidus, fr. rigere to be stiff or numb: cf. F. rigide. Cf. Rigor. ]

1. Firm; stiff; unyielding; not pliant; not flexible. Upright beams innumerable Of rigid spears. Milton.

2. Hence, not lax or indulgent; severe; inflexible; strict; as, a rigid father or master; rigid discipline; rigid criticism; a rigid sentence. The more rigid order of principles in religion and government. Hawthorne.

Syn. -- Stiff; unpliant; inflexible; unyielding; strict; exact; severe; austere; stern; rigorous; unmitigated.

RIGIDITY Ri*gid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. rigiditas: cf. F. rigidité. See Rigid.]

1. The quality or state of being rigid; want of pliability; the quality of resisting change of from; the amount of resistance with which a body opposes change of form; -- opposed to flexibility, ductility, malleability, and softness.

2. Stiffness of appearance or manner; want of ease or elegance. Sir H. Wotton.

3. Severity; rigor. [Obs. orR.] Bp. Burnet.

Syn. -- Stiffness; rigidness; inflexibility.

RIGIDLY Rig"id*ly, v.

Defn: In a rigid manner; stiffly.

RIGIDNESS Rig"id*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being rigid.

RIGIDULOUS Ri*gid"u*lous, a. Etym: [Dim. from rigid.] (Bot.)

Defn: Somewhat rigid or stiff; as, a rigidulous bristle.

RIGLET Rig"let, n. (Print.)

Defn: See Reglet.

RIGMAROLE Rig"ma*role, n. Etym: [For ragman roll. See Ragman's roll.]

Defn: A succession of confused or nonsencial statements; foolish talk; nonsense. [Colloq.] Often one's dear friend talks something which one scruples to call rigmarole. De Quincey.

RIGMAROLE Rig"ma*role, a.

Defn: Consisting of rigmarole; frovolous; nonsensical; foolish.

RIGOL Rig"ol, n. Etym: [OE. also ringol. Cf. Ring.]

Defn: A circle; hence, a diadem. [Obs.] Shak.

RIGOLETTE Rig`o*lette", n. [Prob. fr. Rigolette, name of a girl in Eugene Sue's novel "Mystères de Paris."]

Defn: A woman's light scarflike head covering, usually knit or crocheted of wool.

RIGOLL Rig"oll, n. Etym: [Corruupted fr. regal.]

Defn: A musical instrument formerly in use, consisting of several sticks bound together, but separated by beads, and played with a stick with a ball at its end. Moore (Encyc. of Music. ).

RIGOR Ri"gor, n. Etym: [L. See Rigor., below.]

1. Rigidity; stiffness.

2. (ed.)

Defn: A sense of chilliness, with contraction of the skin; a convulsive shuddering or tremor, as in the chill preceeding a fever. Rigor caloris ( Etym: [L., rigor of heat] (Physiol.), a form of rigor mortis induced by heat, as when the muscle of a mammal is heated to about 50ºC. -- Rigor mortis ( Etym: [L. , rigor of death] , death stiffening; the rigidity of the muscles that occurs at death and lasts till decomposition sets in. It is due to the formation of myosin by the coagulation of the contents of the individual muscle fibers.

RIGOR Rig"or, n. Etym: [OE. rigour, OF. rigour, F. rigueur, from L. rigor, fr. rigere to be stiff. See Rigid.] [Written also rigour.]

1. The becoming stiff or rigid; the state of being rigid; rigidity; stiffness; hardness. The rest his look Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move. Milton.

2. (Med.)

Defn: See 1st Rigor, 2.

3. Severity of climate or season; inclemency; as, the rigor of the storm; the rigors of winter.

4. Stiffness of opinion or temper; rugged sternness; hardness; relentless severity; hard-heartedness; cruelty. All his rigor is turned to grief and pity. Denham. If I shall be condemn'd Upon surmises, . . . I tell you 'T is rigor and not law. Shak.

5. Exactness without allowance, deviation, or indulgence; strictness; as, the rigor of criticism; to execute a law with rigor; to enforce moral duties with rigor; -- opposed to Ant: lenity.

6. Severity of life; austerity; voluntary submission to pain, abstinence, or mortification. The prince lived in this convent with all the rigor and austerity of a capuchin. Addison.

7. Violence; force; fury. [Obs.] Whose raging rigor neither steel nor brass could stay. Spenser.

Syn. -- Stiffness; rigidness; inflexibility; severity; austerity; sternness; harshness; strictness; exactness.

RIGORISM Rig"or*ism, n.

1. Rigidity in principle or practice; strictness; -- opposed to laxity.

2. Severity, as of style, or the like. Jefferson.

RIGORIST Rig"or*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. rigoriste.]

Defn: One who is rigorous; -- sometimes applied to an extreme Jansenist.

RIGOROUS Rig"or*ous, a. Etym: [F. rigoureux, LL. rigorosus. See Rigor.]

1. Manifesting, exercising, or favoring rigor; allowing no abatement or mitigation; scrupulously accurate; exact; strict; severe; relentless; as, a rigorous officer of justice; a rigorous execution of law; a rigorous definition or demonstration. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian Rock With rigorous hands. Shak. We do not connect the scattered phenomena into their rigorous unity. De Quincey.

2. Severe; intense; inclement; as, a rigorous winter.

3. Violent. [Obs.] "Rigorous uproar." Spenser.

Syn. -- Rigid; inflexible; unyielding; stiff; severe; austere; stern; harsh; strict; exact. -- Rig"or*ous*ly, adv. -- Rig"or*ous*ness, n.

RIGSDAG Rigs"dag, n. [Dan. Cf. Reichstag.]

Defn: See Legislature, Denmark.

RIGSDALER Rigs"da`ler, n. Etym: [Dan. See Rix-dollar.]

Defn: A Danish coin worth about fifty-four cents. It was former unit of value in Denmark.

RIG-VEDA Rig`-Ve"da.

Defn: See Veda.

RIKSDALER Riks"da`ler, n. Etym: [Sw. See Rix-dollar.]

Defn: A Swedish coin worth about twenty-seven cents. It was formerly the unit of value in Sweden.

RILE Rile, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Riled; p. pr. & vb. n. Riling.] Etym: [See Roil.]

1. To render turbid or muddy; to stir up; to roil.

2. To stir up in feelings; to make angry; to vex.

Note: In both senses provincial in England and colloquial in the United States.

RILIEVO Ri*lie"vo, n.Etym: [It. See Relief.] (Sculp. & Arch.)

Defn: Same as Relief, n.,5.

RILL Rill, n. Etym: [Cf. LG. rille a small channel or brook, a furrow, a chamfer, OE. rigol a small brook, F. rigole a trench or furrow for water, W. rhill a row, rhigol a little ditch. sq. root11.]

1. A very small brook; a streamlet.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: See Rille.

RILL Rill, v. i.

Defn: To run a small stream. [R.] Prior.

RILLE Rille, n. Etym: [G. rille a furrow.] (Astron.)

Defn: One of certain narrow, crooked valleys seen, by aid of the telescope, on the surface of the moon.

RILLET Rill"et, n.

Defn: A little rill. Burton.

RILY Ri"ly, a.

Defn: Roily. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.]

RIM Rim, n. Etym: [As. rima, reoma, edge; cf. W. rhim, rhimp, a rim, edge, boundary, termination, Armor, rim. Cf. Rind.]

1. The border, edge, or margin of a thing, usually of something circular or curving; as, the rim of a kettle or basin.

2. The lower part of the abdomen. [Obs.] Shak. Arch rim (Phonetics), the line between the gums and the palate. -- Rim-fire cartridge. (Mil.) See under Cartridge. -- Rim lock. See under Lock.

RIM Rim, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rimmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rimming.]

Defn: To furnish with a rim; to border.

RIMA Ri"ma, n.; pl. Rimæ. Etym: [L.] (Anat.)

Defn: A narrow and elongated aperture; a cleft; a fissure.

RIMAU DAHAN Ri"mau da"han. Etym: [From the native Oriental name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The clouded tiger cat (Felis marmorata) of Southern Asia and the East Indies.

RIMBASE Rim"base`, n. (Mil.)

Defn: A short cylinder connecting a trunnion with the body of a cannon. See Illust. of Cannon.

RIME Rime, n. Etym: [L. rima.]

Defn: A rent or long aperture; a chink; a fissure; a crack. Sir T. Browne.

RIME Rime, n. Etym: [AS. hrim; akin to D. rijm, Icel. hrim, Dan. rim, Sw. rim; cf. D. rijp, G. reif, OHG. rifo, hrifo.]

Defn: White frost; hoarfrost; congealed dew or vapor. The trees were now covered with rime. De Quincey.

RIME Rime, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Riming.]

Defn: To freeze or congeal into hoarfrost.

RIME Rime, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A step or round of a ladder; a rung.

RIME Rime, n.

Defn: Rhyme. See Rhyme. Coleridge. Landor.

Note: This spelling, which is etymologically preferable, is coming into use again.

RIME Rime, v. i. & t.

Defn: To rhyme. See Rhyme.

RIMER Rim"er, n.

Defn: A rhymer; a versifier.

RIMER Rim"er, n.

Defn: A tool for shaping the rimes of a ladder.

RIMEY Rim"ey, v. t. Etym: [Cf. OF. rimoier. See Ryime.]

Defn: To compose in rhyme; to versify. [Obs.] [Lays] rimeyed in their first Breton tongue. Chaucer.

RIM-FIRE Rim"-fire`, a.

Defn: Having the percussion fulminate in a rim surrounding the base, distinguished from center-fire; -- said of cartridges; also, using rim-fire cartridges; as, a rim-fire gun. Such cartridges are now little used.

RIMMER Rim"mer, n.

Defn: An implement for cutting, trimming, or ornamenting the rim of anything, as the edges of pies, etc.; also, a reamer. Knight.

RIMOSE Ri*mose", a. Etym: [L. rimosus, fr. rima a chink: cf. F. rimeux.]

1. Full of rimes, fissures, or chinks.

2. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Having long and nearly parallel clefts or chinks, like those in the bark of trees.

RIMOSELY Ri*mose"ly, adv.

Defn: In a rimose manner.

RIMOSITY Ri*mos"i*ty, n.

Defn: State of being rimose.

RIMOUS Rim"ous, a.

Defn: Rimose.

RIMPLE Rim"ple, n. Etym: [AS. hrimpele, or rimpel. See Rumple.]

Defn: A fold or wrinkle. See Rumple.

RIMPLE Rim"ple, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Rimpled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rimpling.]

Defn: To rumple; to wrinkle.

RIMY Rim"y, a.

Defn: Abounding with rime; frosty.

RINCON Rin*con", n.; pl. Rincones (#). [Sp. rincón.]

Defn: An interior corner; a nook; hence, an angular recess or hollow bend in a mountain, river, cliff, or the like. [Western & Southern U. S.] D. S. Jordan.

RIND Rind, n. Etym: [AS. rind bark, crust of bread; akin rinta, G. rinde, and probably to E. rand, rim; cf. Skr. ram to end, rest.]

Defn: The external covering or coat, as of flesh, fruit, trees, etc.; skin; hide; bark; peel; shell. Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind With all thy charms, although this corporal rind Thou hast immanacled. Milton. Sweetest nurind. Shak.

RIND Rind, v. t.

Defn: To remove the rind of; to bark. [R.]

RINDERPEST Rin"der*pest, n. Etym: [G., fr. rind, pl. rinder, cattle + pest pest, plague.]

Defn: A highly contagious distemper or murrain, affecting neat cattle, and less commonly sheep and goats; -- called also cattle plague, Russian cattle plague, and steppe murrain.

RINDLE Rin"dle, n. Etym: [AS. rynele. sq. root11. See Run.]

Defn: A small water course or gutter. Ash.

RINDLESS Rind"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of a rind.

RINDY Rind"y, a.

Defn: Having a rind or skin. Ash.

RINE Rine, n.

Defn: See Rind. [Obs.] Spenser.

RINED Rined, a.

Defn: Having a rind [Obs.] Milton.

RINFORZANDO Rin`for*zan"do, a. Etym: [It., fr. rinfor to reënforce, strengthen.] (Mus.)

Defn: Increasing; strengthening; -- a direction indicating a sudden increase of force (abbreviated rf., rfz.) Cf. Forzando, and Sforzando.

RING Ring, v. t. [imp. Rang or Rung (; p. p. Rung; p. pr. & vb. n. Ringing.] Etym: [AS. hringan; akin to Icel. hringja, Sw. ringa, Dan. ringe, OD. ringhen, ringkelen. sq. root19.]

1. To cause to sound, especially by striking, as a metallic body; as, to ring a bell.

2. To make (a sound), as by ringing a bell; to sound. The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal. Shak.

3. To repeat often, loudly, or earnestly. To ring a peal, to ring a set of changes on a chime of bells. -- To ring the changes upon. See under Change. -- To ring in or out, to usher, attend on, or celebrate, by the ringing of bells; as, to ring out the old year and ring in the new. Tennyson. -- To ring the bells backward, to sound the chimes, reversing the common order; -- formerly done as a signal of alarm or danger. Sir W. Scott.

RING Ring, v. i.

1. To sound, as a bell or other sonorous body, particularly a metallic one. Now ringen trompes loud and clarion. Chaucer. Why ring not out the bells Shak.

2. To practice making music with bells. Holder.

3. To sound loud; to resound; to be filled with a With sweeter notes each rising temple rung. Pope. The hall with harp and carol rang. Tennyson. My ears still ring with noise. Dryden.

4. To continue to sound or vibrate; to resound. The assertion is still ringing in our ears. Burke.

5. To be filled with report or talk; as, the whole town rings with his fame.

RING Ring, n.

1. A sound; especially, the sound of vibrating metals; as, the ring of a bell.

2. Any loud sound; the sound of numerous voices; a sound continued, repeated, or reverberated. The ring of acclamations fresh in his ears. Bacon

3. A chime, or set of bells harmonically tuned. As great and tunable a ring of bells as any in the world. Fuller.

RING Ring, n. Etym: [AS. hring, hrinc; akin to Fries. hring, D. & G. ring, OHG. ring, hring, Icel. hringr, DAn. & SW. ring; cf. Russ. krug'. Cf. Harangue, Rank a row,Rink.]

Defn: A circle, or a circular line, or anything in the form of a circular line or hoop.

2. Specifically, a circular ornament of gold or other precious material worn on the finger, or attached to the ear, the nose, or some other part of the person; as, a wedding ring. Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring. Chaucer. The dearest ring in Venice will I give you. Shak.

3. A circular area in which races are or run or other sports are performed; an arena. Place me. O, place me in the dusty ring, Where youthful charioteers contened for glory. E. Smith.

4. An inclosed space in which pugilists fight; hence, figuratively, prize fighting. "The road was an institution, the ring was an institution." Thackeray.

5. A circular group of persons. And hears the Muses in a Aye round about Jove's alter sing. Milton.

6. (Geom.) (a) The plane figure included between the circumferences of two concentric circles. (b) The solid generated by the revolution of a circle, or other figure, about an exterior straight line (as an axis) lying in the same plane as the circle or other figure.

7. (Astron. & Navigation)

Defn: An instrument, formerly used for taking the sun's altitude, consisting of a brass ring suspended by a swivel, with a hole at one side through which a solar ray entering indicated the altitude on the graduated inner surface opposite.

8. (Bot.)

Defn: An elastic band partly or wholly encircling the spore cases of ferns. See Illust. of Sporangium.

9. A clique; an exclusive combination of persons for a selfish purpose, as to control the market, distribute offices, obtain contracts, etc. The ruling ring at Constantinople. E. A. Freeman. Ring armor, armor composed of rings of metal. See Ring mail, below, and Chain mail, under Chain. -- Ring blackbird (Zoöl.), the ring ousel. -- Ring canal (Zoöl.), the circular water tube which surrounds the esophagus of echinoderms. -- Ring dotterel, or Ringed dotterel. (Zoöl.) See Dotterel, and Illust. of Pressiroster. -- Ring dropper, a sharper who pretends to have found a ring (dropped by himself), and tries to induce another to buy it as valuable, it being worthless. -- Ring fence. See under Fence. -- Ring finger, the third finger of the left hand, or the next the little finger, on which the ring is placed in marriage. -- Ring formula (Chem.), a graphic formula in the shape of a closed ring, as in the case of benzene, pyridine, etc. See Illust. under Benzene. -- Ring mail, a kind of mail made of small steel rings sewed upon a garment of leather or of cloth. -- Ring micrometer. (Astron.) See Circular micrometer, under Micrometer. -- Saturn's rings. See Saturn. -- Ring ousel. (Zoöl.) See Ousel. -- Ring parrot (Zoöl.), any one of several species of Old World parrakeets having a red ring around the neck, especially Palæornis torquatus, common in India, and P. Alexandri of Java. -- Ring plover. (Zoöl.) (a) The ringed dotterel. (b) Any one of several small American plovers having a dark ring around the neck, as the semipalmated plover (Ægialitis semipalmata). -- Ring snake (Zoöl.), a small harmless American snake (Diadophis punctatus) having a white ring around the neck. The back is ash- colored, or sage green, the belly of an orange red. -- Ring stopper. (Naut.) See under Stopper. -- Ring thrush (Zoöl.), the ring ousel. -- The prize ring, the ring in which prize fighters contend; prize fighters, collectively. -- The ring. (a) The body of sporting men who bet on horse races. [Eng.] (b) The prize ring.

RING Ring, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ringed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ringing.]

1. To surround with a ring, or as with a ring; to encircle. "Ring these fingers." Shak.

2. (Hort.)

Defn: To make a ring around by cutting away the bark; to girdle; as, to ring branches or roots.

3. To fit with a ring or with rings, as the fingers, or a swine's snout.

RING Ring, v. i. (Falconry)

Defn: To rise in the air spirally.

RING ARMATURE Ring armature. (Elec.)

Defn: An armature for a dynamo or motor having the conductors wound on a ring.

RINGBILL Ring"bill`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ring-necked scaup duck; -- called also ring-billed blackhead. See Scaup.

RINGBIRD Ring"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The reed bunting. It has a collar of white feathers. Called also ring bunting.

RINGBOLT Ring"bolt`, n.

Defn: An eyebolt having a ring through the eye.

RINGBONE Ring"bone`, n. (Far.)

Defn: A morbid growth or deposit of bony matter between or on the small pastern and the great pastern bones. J. H. Walsh.

RINGDOVE Ring"dove`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A European wild pigeon (Columba palumbus) having a white crescent on each side of the neck, whence the name. Called also wood pigeon, and cushat.

RINGED Ringed, a.

1. Encircled or marked with, or as with, a ring or rings.

2. Wearning a wedding ring; hence, lawfully wedded. "A ringed wife." Tennyson. Ringed seal (Zoöl.), a North Pacific seal (Phoca foetida) having ringlike spots on the body. -- Ringed snake (Zoöl.), a harmless European snake (Tropidonotus natrix) common in England. -- Ringed worm (Zoöl.), an annelid.

RINGENT Rin"gent, a. Etym: [L. ringens, -entis, p. pr. of ringi to open wide the mouth: cf. F. ringent.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the lips widely separated and gaping like an open mouth; as a ringent bilabiate corolla.

RINGER Ring"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, rings; especially, one who rings chimes on bells.

2. (Mining)

Defn: A crowbar. Simmonds.

RINGER Ring"er, n. (Horse Racing)

Defn: A horse that is not entitled to take part in a race, but is fraudulently got into it.

RINGHEAD Ring"head`, n. (Cloth Manuf.)

Defn: An instrument used for stretching woolen cloth.

RINGING Ring"ing,

Defn: a & n. from Ring, v. Ringing engine, a simple form of pile driver in which the monkey is lifted by men pulling on ropes.

RINGINGLY Ring"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a ringing manner.

RINGLEADER Ring"lead`er, n.

1. The leader of a circle of dancers; hence, the leader of a number of persons acting together; the leader of a herd of animals. A primacy of order, such an one as the ringleader hath in a dance. Barrow.

2. Opprobriously, a leader of a body of men engaged in the violation of law or in an illegal enterprise, as rioters, mutineers, or the like. The ringleaders were apprehended, tried, fined, and imprisoned. Macaulay.

RINGLESTONE Ring"le*stone`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ringed dotterel, or ring plover. [Prov.Eng.]

RINGLET Ring"let, n. Etym: [Ring + -let.]

1. A small ring; a small circle; specifically, a fairy ring. You demi-puppets, that By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe not bites. Shak.

2. A curl; especially, a curl of hair. [Her golden tresses] in wanton ringlets waved. Milton.

RINGMAN Ring"man, n.; pl. Ringmen (.

Defn: The ring finger. [Obs.] Ascham

RINGMASTER Ring"mas`ter, n.

Defn: One in charge of the performances (as of horses) within the ring in a circus.

RINGNECK Ring"neck`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of small plovers of the genus Ægialitis, having a ring around the neck. The ring is black in summer, but becomes brown or gray in winter. The semipalmated plover (Æ. semipalmata) and the piping plover (Æ. meloda) are common North American species. Called also ring plover, and ring-necked plover.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ring-necked duck.

RING-NECKED Ring"-necked`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a well defined ring of color around the neck. Ring- necked duck (Zool.), an American scaup duck (Aythya collaris). The head, neck, and breast of the adult male are black, and a narrow, but conspicuous, red ring encircles the neck. This ring is absent in the female. Called also ring-neck, ring-necked blackhead, ringbill, tufted duck, and black jack.

RINGSAIL Ring"sail`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: See Ringtail,2.

RINGSTRAKED Ring"straked`, a.

Defn: Ring-streaked. Cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. Gen. xxx. 39.

RING-STREAKED Ring"-streaked`, a.

Defn: Having circular streaks or lines on the body; as, ring-streaked goats.

RINGTAIL Ring"tail`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird having a distinct band of color across the tail, as the hen harrier.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A light sail set abaft and beyong the leech of a boom-and-gaff sail; -- called also ringsail. Ringtail boom (Naut.), a spar which is rigged on a boom for setting a ringtail.

RING-TAILED Ring"-tailed`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the tail crossed by conspicuous bands of color. Ring- tailed cat (Zoöl.), the cacomixle. -- Ring-tailed eagle (Zoöl.), a young golden eagle.

RINGTOSS Ring"toss`, n.

Defn: A game in which the object is to toss a ring so that it will catch upon an upright stick.

RING WINDING Ring winding. (Elec.)

Defn: Armature winding in which the wire is wound round the outer and inner surfaces alternately of an annular or cylindrical core.

RINGWORM Ring"worm", n. (Med.)

Defn: A contagious affection of the skin due to the presence of a vegetable parasite, and forming ring-shaped discolored patches covered with vesicles or powdery scales. It occurs either on the body, the face, or the scalp. Different varieties are distinguished as Tinea circinata, Tinea tonsurans, etc., but all are caused by the same parasite (a species of Trichophyton).

RINK Rink, n. Etym: [Scot. renk, rink, rynk, a course, a race; probably fr. AS. hring a ring. See Ring.]

1. The smooth and level extent of ice marked off for the game of curling.

2. An artificial sheet of ice, generally under cover, used for skating; also, a floor prepared for skating on with roller skates, or a building with such a floor.

RINKER Rink"er, n.

Defn: One who skates at a rink. [Colloq.]

RINKING Rink"ing, n.

Defn: Skating in a rink. [Colloq.]

RINSE Rinse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rinsed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rinsing.] Etym: [OE., fr. OF. rincer, rimser, reinser, raïncier, F. rincer; of uncertain origin.]

1. To wash lightly; to cleanse with a second or repeated application of water after washing.

2. To cleancse by the introduction of water; -- applied especially to hollow vessels; as, to rinse a bottle. "Like a glass did break i' the rinsing." Shak.

RINSE Rinse, n.

Defn: The act of rinsing.

RINSER Rins"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, rinses.

RIOT Ri"ot, n. Etym: [OF. riote, of uncertain origin; cf. OD. revot, ravot.]

1. Wanton or unrestrained behavior; uproar; tumult. His headstrong riot hath no curb. Shak.

2. Excessive and exxpensive feasting; wild and loose festivity; revelry. Venus loveth riot and dispense. Chaucer. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day. Pope.

3. (Law)

Defn: The tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by an unlawful assembly of three or more persons in the execution of some private object. To run riot, to act wantonly or without restraint.

RIOT Ri"ot, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rioted; p. pr. & vb. n. Rioting.] Etym: [OF. rioter; cf. OD. ravotten.]

1. To engage in riot; to act in an unrestrained or wanton manner; to indulge in excess of luxury, feasting, or the like; to revel; to run riot; to go to excess. Now he exact of all, wastes in delight, Riots in pleasure, and neglects the law. Daniel. No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows. Pope.

2. (Law)

Defn: To disturb the peace; to raise an uproar or sedition. See Riot, n., 3. Johnson.

RIOT Ri"ot, v. t.

Defn: To spend or pass in riot. [He] had rioted his life out. Tennyson.

RIOTER Ri"ot*er, n.

1. One who riots; a reveler; a roisterer. Chaucer.

2. (Law)

Defn: One who engages in a riot. See Riot, n., 3.

RIOTISE Ri"ot*ise, n.

Defn: Excess; tumult; revelry. [Obs.] His life he led in lawless riotise. Spenser.

RIOTOUR Ri"ot*our (-oor), n.

Defn: A rioter. [Obs.] Chaucer.

RIOTOUS Ri"ot*ous, a. Etym: [OF. rioteux.]

1. Involving, or engaging in, riot; wanton; unrestrained; luxurious. The younger son . . . took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. Luke xv. 13.

2. Partaking of the nature of an unlawful assembly or its acts; seditious. -- Ri"ot*ous*ly, adv. -- Ri"ot*ous*ness, n.

RIOTRY Ri"ot*ry, n.

Defn: The act or practice of rioting; riot. "Electioneering riotry." Walpole.

RIP Rip, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. hrip a box or basket; perhaps akin to E. corb. Cf. Ripier.]

Defn: A wicker fish basket.

RIP Rip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ripped; p. pr. & vb. n. Ripping.] Etym: [Cf. AS. rypan, also Sw. repa to ripple flax, D. repelen, G. reffen, riffeln, and E. raff, raffle. Cf. Raff, Ripple of flax.]

1. To divide or separate the parts of, by cutting or tearing; to tear or cut open or off; to tear off or out by violence; as, to rip a garment by cutting the stitches; to rip off the skin of a beast; to rip up a floor; -- commonly used with up, open, off.

2. To get by, or as by, cutting or tearing. He 'll rip the fatal secret from her heart. Granville.

3. To tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration; to search to the bottom; to discover; to disclose; -- usually with up. They ripped up all that had been done from the beginning of the rebellion. Clarendon. For brethern to debate and rip up their falling out in the ear of a common enemy . . . is neither wise nor comely. Milton.

4. To saw (wood) lengthwise of the grain or fiber. Ripping chisel (Carp.), a crooked chisel for cleaning out mortises. Knight. -- Ripping iron. (Shipbuilding) Same as Ravehook. -- Ripping saw. (Carp.) See Ripsaw. -- To rip out, to rap out, to utter hastily and violently; as, to rip out an oath. [Colloq.] See To rap out, under Rap, v. t.

RIP Rip, n.

1. A rent made by ripping, esp. by a seam giving way; a tear; a place torn; laceration.

2. Etym: [Perh. a corruption of the first syllable of reprobate.]

Defn: A term applied to a mean, worthless thing or person, as to a scamp, a debauchee, or a prostitute, or a worn-out horse. [Slang.]

3. A body of water made rough by the meeting of opposing tides or currents.

RIPARIAN Ri*pa"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. riparius, fr. ripa a bank. See River, and cf. Arrive.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the bank of a river; as, riparian rights.

RIPARIOUS Ri*pa"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. riparius.]

Defn: Growing along the banks of rivers; riparian.

RIP CORD Rip cord. (Aëronautics)

Defn: A cord by which the gas bag of a balloon may be ripped open for a limited distance to release the gas quickly and so cause immediate descent.

RIPE Ripe, n. Etym: [L. ripa.]

Defn: The bank of a river. [Obs.]

RIPE Ripe, a. [Compar. Riper; superl. Ripest.] Etym: [AS. ripe; akin to OS. ripi, D. rijp, G. rief, OHG. rift; cf. AS. rip harvest, ripan to reap. Cf. Reap.]

1. Ready for reaping or gathering; having attained perfection; mature; -- said of fruits, seeds, etc.; as, ripe grain. So mayst thou live, till, like ripe fruit, thou drop Into thy mother's lap. Milton.

2. Advanced to the state of fitness for use; mellow; as, ripe cheese; ripe wine.

3. Having attained its full development; mature; perfected; consummate. "Ripe courage." Chaucer. He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one. Shak.

4. Maturated or suppurated; ready to discharge; -- said of sores, tumors, etc.

5. Ready for action or effect; prepared. While things were just ripe for a war. Addison. I am not ripe to pass sentence on the gravest public bodies. Burke.

6. Like ripened fruit in ruddiness and plumpness. Those happy smilets, That played on her ripe lip. Shak.

7. Intoxicated. [Obs.] "Reeling ripe." Shak.

Syn. -- Mature; complete; finished. See Mature.

RIPE Ripe, v. i. Etym: [AS. ripian.]

Defn: To ripen; to grow ripe. [Obs.]

RIPE Ripe, v. t.

Defn: To mature; to ripen. [Obs.] Shak.

RIPELY Ripe"ly, adv.

Defn: Maturely; at the fit time. Shak.

RIPEN Rip"en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ripened;p. pr. & vb. n. Ripening.]

1. To grow ripe; to become mature, as grain, fruit, flowers, and the like; as, grapes ripen in the sun.

2. To approach or come to perfection.

RIPEN Rip"en, v. t.

1. To cause to mature; to make ripe; as, the warm days ripened the corn.

2. To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection; as, to ripen the judgment. When faith and love, which parted from thee never, Had ripined thy iust soul to dwell with God. Milton.

RIPENESS Ripe"ness, n. Etym: [AS. ripness.]

Defn: The state or quality of being ripe; maturity;; completeness; perfection; as, the ripeness of grain; ripeness of manhood; ripeness of judgment. Time, which made them their fame outlive, To Cowley scarce did ripeness give. Denham.

RIPIDOLITE Ri*pid"o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.] (Min.)

Defn: A translucent mineral of a green color and micaceous structure, belonging to the chlorite group; a hydrous silicate of alumina, magnesia, and iron; -- called also clinochlore.

RIPIENIST Ri*pi*e"nist, n. (Mus.)

Defn: A player in the ripieno portion of an orchestra. See Ripieno.

RIPIENO Ri*pi*e"no, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Filling up; supplementary; supernumerary; -- a term applied to those instruments which only swell the mass or tutti of an orchestra, but are not obbligato.

RIPLER; RIPPER Rip"ler, Rip"per, n. Etym: [Cf. Rip a basket, or Riparian.] (O.E. Law)

Defn: One who brings fish from the seacoast to markets in inland towns. [Obs.] But what's the action we are for now Robbing a ripper of his fish. Beau & Fl.

RIPOST Ri*post", n. Etym: [F. riposte.]

1. In fencing, a return thrust after a parry.

2. A quick and sharp refort; a repartee. J. Morley.

RIPPER Rip"per, n.

1. One who, or that which, rips; a ripping tool.

2. A tool for trimming the edges of roofing slates.

3. Anything huge, extreme, startling, etc. [Slang.]

RIPPER ACT; RIPPER BILL Rip"per act or bill.

Defn: An act or a bill conferring upon a chief executive, as a governor or mayor, large powers of appointment and removal of heads of departments or other subordinate officials. [Polit. Cant, U. S.]

RIPPING CORD Rip"ping cord. (Aëronautics)

Defn: = Rip cord.

RIPPING PANEL Ripping panel. (Aëronautics)

Defn: A long patch, on a balloon, to be ripped off, by the rip cord, at landing, in order to allow the immediate escape of gas and instant deflation of the bag.

RIPPING STRIP Ripping strip.

Defn: = Ripping panel.

RIPPLE Rip"ple, n. Etym: [FRom Rip, v.]

Defn: An implement, with teeth like those of a comb, for removing the seeds and seed vessels from flax, broom corn, etc.

RIPPLE Rip"ple, v. t.

1. To remove the seeds from (the stalks of flax, etc.), by means of a ripple.

2. Hence, to scratch or tear. Holland.

RIPPLE Rip"ple, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rippled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rippling.] Etym: [Cf. Rimple, Rumple.]

1. To become fretted or dimpled on the surface, as water when agitated or running over a rough bottom; to be covered with small waves or undulations, as a field of grain.

2. To make a sound as of water running gently over a rough bottom, or the breaking of ripples on the shore.

RIPPLE Rip"ple, v. t.

Defn: To fret or dimple, as the surface of running water; to cover with small waves or undulations; as, the breeze rippled the lake.

RIPPLE Rip"ple, n.

1. The fretting or dimpling of the surface, as of running water; little curling waves.

2. A little wave or undulation; a sound such as is made by little waves; as, a ripple of laughter. Ripple grass. (Bot.) See Ribwort. -- Ripple marks, a system of parallel ridges on sand, produced by wind, by the current of a steam, or by the agitation of wind waves; also (Geol.), a system of parallel ridges on the surface of a sandstone stratum.

RIPPLE-MARKED Rip"ple-marked`, a.

Defn: HAving ripple marks.

RIPPLET Rip"plet, n.

Defn: A small ripple.

RIPPLINGLY Rip"pling*ly, adv.

Defn: In a rippling manner.

RIPPLY Rip"ply, a.

Defn: Having ripples; as, ripply water; hence, resembling the sound of rippling water; as, ripply laughter; a ripply cove. Keats.

RIPRAP Rip"rap`, n. Etym: [Cf. Rap.] (Masonry)

Defn: A foundation or sustaining wall of stones thrown together without order, as in deep water or on a soft bottom.

RIPRAP Rip"rap`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Riprapped; p. pr. & vb. n. Riprapping.]

Defn: To form a riprap in or upon.

RIPSAW Rip"saw`, Etym: [See Rip, v. t., 4.] (Carp.)

Defn: A handsaw with coarse teeth which have but a slight set, used for cutting wood in the direction of the fiber; -- called also ripping saw.

RIPTOWEL Rip"tow*el, n. Etym: [AS. rip. harvest + a word of uncertain etymology.] (Feud. Law)

Defn: A gratuity given to tenants after they had reaped their lord's corn. [Obs.]

RIS Ris, n. Etym: [AS. hris; akin to D. rils, G. reis, OHG. hris.]

Defn: A bough or branch; a twig. [Obs.] As white as is the blossom upon the ris. Chaucer.

RISE Rise, v. i. [imp. Rose; p. p. Risen; p. pr. & vb. n. Rising.] Etym: [AS. risan; akin to OS. risan, D. rijzen, OHG. risan to rise, fall, Icel. risa, Goth. urreisan, G. reise journey. CF. Arise, Raise, Rear, v.]

1. To move from a lower position to a higher; to ascend; to mount up. Specifically: -- (a) To go upward by walking, climbing, flying, or any other voluntary motion; as, a bird rises in the air; a fish rises to the bait. (b) To ascend or float in a fluid, as gases or vapors in air, cork in water, and the like. (c) To move upward under the influence of a projecting force; as, a bullet rises in the air. (d) To grow upward; to attain a certain heght; as, this elm rises to the height of seventy feet. (e) To reach a higher level by increase of quantity or bulk; to swell; as, a river rises in its bed; the mercury rises in the thermometer. (f) To become erect; to assume an upright position; as, to rise from a chair or from a fall. (g) To leave one's bed; to arise; as, to rise early. He that would thrive, must rise by five. Old Proverb.

(h) To tower up; to be heaved up; as, the Alps rise far above the sea. (i) To slope upward; as, a path, a line, or surface rises in this direction. "A rising ground." Dryden. (j) To retire; to give up a siege. He, rising with small honor from Gunza, . . . was gone. Knolles.

(k) To swell or puff up in the process of fermentation; to become light, as dough, and the like.

2. To have the aspect or the effect of rising. Specifically: -- (a) To appear above the horizont, as the sun, moon, stars, and the like. "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good." Matt. v. 45. (b) To become apparent; to emerge into sight; to come forth; to appear; as, an eruption rises on the skin; the land rises to view to one sailing toward the shore. (c) To become perceptible to other senses than sight; as, a noise rose on the air; odor rises from the flower. (d) To have a beginning; to proceed; to originate; as, rivers rise in lakes or springs. A scepter shall rise out of Israel. Num. xxiv. 17. Honor and shame from no condition rise. Pope.

3. To increase in size, force, or value; to proceed toward a climax. Specifically: -- (a) To increase in power or fury; -- said of wind or a storm, and hence, of passion. "High winde . . . began to rise, high passions -- anger, hate." Milton. (b) To become of higher value; to increase in price. Bullion is risen to six shillings . . . the ounce. Locke.

(c) To become larger; to swell; -- said of a boil, tumor, and the like. (d) To increase in intensity; -- said of heat. (e) To become louder, or higher in pitch, as the voice. (f) To increase in amount; to enlarge; as, his expenses rose beyond his expectations.

4. In various figurative senses. Specifically: -- (a) To become excited, opposed, or hostile; to go to war; to take up arms; to rebel. At our heels all hell should rise With blackest insurrection. Milton. No more shall nation against nation rise. Pope.

(b) To attain to a better social position; to be promoted; to excel; to succeed. Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall. Shak.

(c) To become more and more dignified or forcible; to increase in interest or power; -- said of style, thought, or discourse; as, to rise in force of expression; to rise in eloquence; a story rises in interest. (d) To come to mind; to be suggested; to occur. A thought rose in me, which often perplexes men of contemplative natures. Spectator.

(e) To come; to offer itself. There chanced to the prince's hand to rise An ancient book. Spenser.

5. To ascend from the grave; to come to life. But now is Christ risen from the dead. 1. Cor. xv. 20.

6. To terminate an official sitting; to adjourn; as, the committee rose after agreeing to the report. It was near nine . . . before the House rose. Macaulay.

7. To ascend on a musical scale; to take a higher pith; as, to rise a tone or semitone.

8. (Print.)

Defn: To be lifted, or to admit of being lifted, from the imposing stone without dropping any of the type; -- said of a form.

Syn. -- To arise; mount; ascend; climb; scale. -- Rise, Appreciate. Some in America use the word appreciate for "rise in value;" as, stocks appreciate, money appreciates, etc. This use is not unknown in England, but it is less common there. It is undesirable, because rise sufficiently expresses the idea, and appreciate has its own distinctive meaning, which ought not to be confused with one so entirely different.

RISE Rise, n.

1. The act of rising, or the state of being risen.

2. The distance through which anything rises; as, the rise of the thermometer was ten degrees; the rise of the river was six feet; the rise of an arch or of a step.

3. Land which is somewhat higher than the rest; as, the house stood on a rise of land. [Colloq.]

4. Spring; source; origin; as, the rise of a stream. All wickednes taketh its rise from the heart. R. Nelson.

5. Appearance above the horizon; as, the rise of the sun or of a planet. Shak.

6. Increase; advance; augmentation, as of price, value, rank, property, fame, and the like. The rise or fall that may happen in his constant revenue by a Spanish war. Sir W. Temple.

7. Increase of sound; a swelling of the voice. The ordinary rises and falls of the voice. Bacon.

8. Elevation or ascent of the voice; upward change of key; as, a rise of a tone or semitone.

9. The spring of a fish to seize food (as a fly) near the surface of the water.

RISEN Ris"en.

1. p. p. & a. from Rise. "Her risen Son and Lord." Keble.

2. Obs. imp. pl. of Rise. Chaucer.

RISER Ris"er, n.

1. One who rises; as, an early riser.

2. (Arch.) (a) The upright piece of a step, from tread to tread. Hence: (b) Any small upright face, as of a seat, platform, veranda, or the like.

3. (Mining)

Defn: A shaft excavated from below upward.

4. (Founding)

Defn: A feed head. See under Feed, n.

RISH Rish, n.

Defn: A rush (the plant). [Obs.] Chaucer.

RISIBILITY Ris`i*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [CF. F. risibilité.]

Defn: The quality of being risible; as, risibility is peculiar to the human species. A strong and obvious disposition to risibility. Sir W. Scott.

RISIBLE Ris"i*ble, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. risibilis, fr. ridere, risum, to laugh. Cf. Ridiculous.]

1. Having the faculty or power of laughing; disposed to laugh. Laughing is our busines, . . . it has been made the definition of man that he is risible. Dr. H. More.

2. Exciting laughter; worthy to be laughed at; amusing. "Risible absurdities." Johnson. I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance. Sir W. Scott.

3. Used in, or expressing, laughter; as, risible muscles.

Note: Risible is sometimes used as a noun, in the plural, for the feeling of amusement and for the muscles and other organs used in laughing, collectively; as, unable to control one's risibles.

Syn. -- Ludicrous; laughable; amusing; ridiculous -- Risible, Ludicrous, Ridiculous. Risible differs from ludicrous as species from genus; ludicrous expressing that which is playful and sportive; risible, that which may excite laughter. Risible differs from ridiculous, as the latter implies something contemptuous, and risible does not.

--Ris"i*ble*ness(#), n. -- Ris"i*bly, adv.

RISING Ris"ing, a.

1. Attaining a higher place; taking, or moving in, an upward direction; appearing above the horizon; ascending; as, the rising moon.

2. Increasing in wealth, power, or distinction; as, a rising state; a rising character. Among the rising theologians of Germany. Hare.

3. Growing; advancing to adult years and to the state of active life; as, the rising generation.

RISING Ris"ing, prep.

Defn: More than; exceeding; upwards of; as, a horse rising six years of age. [Colloq. & Low, U.S.]

RISING Ris"ing, n.

1. The act of one who, or that which, rises (in any sense).

2. That which rises; a tumor; a boil. Lev. xiii. 10. Rising main (Waterworks), the pipe through which water from an engine is delivered to an elevated reservoir.

RISK Risk, n. Etym: [F. risque; cf. It. risco, risico, rischio, Pg. risco, Sp. riesgo, and also Sp. risco a steep rock; all probably fr. L. resceare to cut off; pref. re- re- + secare to cut; -- the word having been probably first used among sailors. See Section.]

1. Hazard; danger; peril; exposure to loss, injury, or destruction. The imminent and constant risk of assassination, a risk which has shaken very strong nerves. Macaulay.

2. (Com.)

Defn: Hazard of loss; liabillity to loss in property. To run a risk, to incur hazard; to encounter danger.

Syn. -- Danger; hazard; peril; jeopardy; exposure. See Danger.

RISK Risk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Risked; p. pr. & vb. n. Risking.] Etym: [CF. F. risquer. See Risk, n.]

1. To expose to risk, hazard, or peril; to venture; as, to risk goods on board of a ship; to risk one's person in battle; to risk one's fame by a publication.

2. To incur the risk or danger of; as, to risk a battle.

Syn. -- To hazard; peril; endanger; jeopard.

RISKER Risk"er, n.

Defn: One who risks or hazards. Hudibras.

RISKFUL Risk"ful, a.

Defn: Risky. [R.] Geddes.

RISKY Risk"y, a.

Defn: Attended with risk or danger; hazardous. "A risky matter." W. Collins. Generalization are always risky. Lowell.

RISORIAL Ri*so"ri*al, a.Etym: [L. ridere, risum, to laugh.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or producing, laughter; as, the risorial muscles.

RISOTTO Ri*sot"to, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A kind of pottage.

RISQUE; RISQUEE Ris`qué", a. masc., Ris`quée", a. fem.,. [F., p.p. of risquer to risk.]

Defn: Hazardous; risky; esp., fig., verging upon impropriety; dangerously close to, or suggestive of, what is indecent or of doubtful morality; as, a risqué story. Henry Austin.

RISSE Risse, obs.

Defn: imp. of Rise. B. Jonson.

RISSOID Ris"soid, n. Etym: [NL. Rissoa, the typical genus ( fr. A.Risso, an Italian naturalist) + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of very numerous species of small spiral gastropods of the genus Rissoa, or family Rissoidæ, found both in fresh and salt water.

RISSOLE Ris`sole", n. Etym: [F., fr. rissoler to fry meat till it is brown.] (Cookery)

Defn: A small ball of rich minced meat or fish, covered with pastry and fried.

RIST Rist, obs.

Defn: 3d pers. sing. pres. of Rise, contracted from riseth. Chaucer.

RIT Rit, obs.

Defn: 3d pers. ssing. pres. of Ride, contracted from rideth. Chaucer.

RITARDANDO Ri`tar*dan"do, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Retarding; -- a direction for slower time; rallentado.

RITE Rite, n. Etym: [L. ritus; cf. Skr. riti a stream, a running, way, manner, ri to flow: cf. F. rit, rite. CF. Rivulet.]

Defn: The act of performing divine or solemn service, as established by law, precept, or custom; a formal act of religion or other solemn duty; a solemn observance; a ceremony; as, the rites of freemasonry. He looked with indifference on rites, names, and forms of ecclesiastical polity. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Form; ceremony; observance; ordinance.

RITENUTO Ri`te*nu"to, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Held back; holding back; ritardando.

RITORNELLE; RITORNELLO Rit`or*nelle", Ri`tor*nel"lo, n. Etym: [It. ritornello, dim. of ritorno return, fr. ritornare to return: cf. F. ritournelle.] (Mus.) (a) A short return or repetition; a concluding symphony to an air, often consisting of the burden of the song. (a) A short intermediate symphony, or instrumental passage, in the course of a vocal piece; an interlude.

RITRATTO Ri*trat"to, n.Etym: [It.]