Chapter CCCLXXXI: Prologue (32)

Defn: A black flag with white skull and crossbones, formerly used by pirates; -- called also Jolly Roger.

ROGUE Rogue, n. Etym: [F. rogue proud, haughty, supercilious; cf. Icel. hr a rook, croaker (cf. Rook a bird), or Armor. rok, rog, proud, arogant.]

1. (Eng.Law)

Defn: A vagrant; an idle, sturdy beggar; a vagabond; a tramp.

Note: The phrase rogues and vagabonds is applied to a large class of wandering, disorderly, or dissolute persons. They were formerly punished by being whipped and having the gristle of the right ear bored with a hot iron.

2. A deliberately dishonest person; a knave; a cheat. The rogue and fool by fits is fair and wise. Pope.

3. One who is pleasantly mischievous or frolicsome; hence, often used as a term of endearment. Ah, you sweet little rogue, you! Shak.

4. An elephant that has separated from a herd and roams about alone, in which state it is very savage.

5. (Hort.)

Defn: A worthless plant occuring among seedlings of some choice variety. Rogues' gallery, a collection of portraits of rogues or criminals, for the use of the police authorities. -- Rogue's march, derisive music performed in driving away a person under popular indignation or official sentence, as when a soldier is drummed out of a regiment. -- Rogue's yarn, yarn of a different twist and color from the rest, inserted into the cordage of the British navy, to identify it if stolen, or for the purpose of tracing the maker in case of defect. Different makers are required to use yarns of different colors.

ROGUE Rogue, v. i.

Defn: To wander; to play the vagabond; to play knavish tricks. [Obs.] Spenser.

ROGUE Rogue, v. t.

1. To give the name or designation of rogue to; to decry. [Obs.] Cudworth.

2. (Hort.)

Defn: To destroy (plants that do not come up to a required standard).

ROGUERY Rogu"er*y, n.

1. The life of a vargant. [Obs.]

2. The practices of a rogue; knavish tricks; cheating; fraud; dishonest practices. 'Tis no scandal grown, For debt and roguery to quit the town. Dryden.

3. Arch tricks; mischievousness.

ROGUESHIP Rogue"ship, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being a rogue. [Jocose] "Your rogueship." Dryden.

ROGUISH Rogu"ish, a.

1. Vagrant. [Obs.] Spenser. His roguish madness Allows itself to anything. Shak.

2. Resembling, or characteristic of, a rogue; knavish.

3. Pleasantly mischievous; waggish; arch. The most bewitching leer with her eyes, the most roguish cast. Dryden. -- Rogu"ish*ly, adv. -- Rogu"ish*ness, n.

ROGUY Rogu"y, a.

Defn: Roguish. [Obs.] L'Estrange.

ROHOB Ro"hob, n.

Defn: An inspissated juice. See Rob.

ROIAL Roi"al, a.

Defn: Royal. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ROIL Roil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Roiling.] Etym: [Cf. OE. roilen to wander; possibly fr. OF. roeler to roll, equiv. to F. rouler. See Roll, v., and cf. Rile.]

1. To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment of; as, to roil wine, cider, etc. , in casks or bottles; to roil a spring.

2. To disturb, as the temper; to ruffle the temper of; to rouse the passion of resentment in; to perplex. That his friends should believe it, was what roiled him [Judge Jeffreys] exceedingly. R. North.

Note: Provincial in England and colloquial in the United States. A commoner, but less approved, form is rile.

ROIL Roil, v. i.

1. To wander; to roam. [Obs.]

2. To romp. [Prov.Eng.] Halliwell.

ROILY Roil"y, a.

Defn: Turbid; as, roily water.

ROIN Roin, v. t.

Defn: See Royne. [Obs.]

ROIN Roin, n. Etym: [F. rogne. See Roynish.]

Defn: A scab; a scurf, or scurfy spot. [Obs.]

ROINISH Roin"ish, a.

Defn: See Roynish. [Obs.]

ROINT Roint, interj.

Defn: See Aroint.

ROIST Roist, v. i.

Defn: See Roister.

ROISTER Roist"er, v. i. Etym: [Probably fr. F. rustre boor, a clown, clownish, fr. L. rustucus rustic. See Rustic.]

Defn: To bluster; to swagger; to bully; to be bold, noisy, vaunting, or turbulent. I have a roisting challenge sent amongst The dull and factious nobles of the Greeks. Shak.

ROISTER Roist"er, n.

Defn: See Roisterer.

ROISTERER Roist"er*er, n.

Defn: A blustering, turbulent fellow. If two roisterers met, they cocked their hats in each other faces. Macaulay.

ROISTERLY Roist"er*ly, a.

Defn: Blustering; violent. [R.]

ROISTERLY Roist"er*ly, adv.

Defn: In a roistering manner. [R.]

ROKAMBOLE Rok"am*bole, n.

Defn: See Rocambole.

ROKE Roke, n. Etym: [See Reek.]

1. Mist; smoke; damp [Prov.Eng.] [Written also roak, rook, and rouk.]

2. A vein of ore. [Pov.Eng.] Halliwell.

ROKEAGE; ROKEE Roke"age, Rok"ee, n. Etym: [Cf. Nocake.]

Defn: Parched Indian corn, pounded up and mixed with sugar; -- called also yokeage. [Local, U.S.]

ROKELAY Rok"e*lay, n. Etym: [Cf. Roquelaure.]

Defn: A short cloak. [Written also rockelay, rocklay, etc.] [Scot.]

ROKY Rok"y, a. Etym: [See Roke.]

Defn: Misty; foggy; cloudy. [Prov. Eng.] Ray.

ROLE Rôle, n. Etym: [F. See Roll.]

Defn: A part, or character, performed by an actor in a drama; hence, a part of function taken or assumed by any one; as, he has now taken the rôle of philanthropist. Title rôle, the part, or character, which gives the title to a play, as the part of Hamlet in the play of that name.

ROLL Roll, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rolled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rolling.] Etym: [OF. roeler, roler, F. rouler, LL. rotulare, fr. L. royulus, rotula, a little wheel, dim. of rota wheel; akin to G. rad, and to Skr. ratha car, chariot. Cf. Control, Roll, n., Rotary.]

1. To cause to revolve by turning over and over; to move by turning on an axis; to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a supporting surface; as, to roll a wheel, a ball, or a barrel.

2. To wrap round on itself; to form into a spherical or cylindrical body by causing to turn over and over; as, to roll a sheet of paper; to roll parchment; to roll clay or putty into a ball.

3. To bind or involve by winding, as in a bandage; to inwrap; -- often with up; as, to roll up a parcel.

4. To drive or impel forward with an easy motion, as of rolling; as, a river rolls its waters to the ocean. The flood of Catholic reaction was rolled over Europe. J. A. Symonds.

5. To utter copiously, esp. with sounding words; to utter with a deep sound; -- often with forth, or out; as, to roll forth some one's praises; to roll out sentences. Who roll'd the psalm to wintry skies. Tennyson.

6. To press or level with a roller; to spread or form with a roll, roller, or rollers; as, to roll a field; to roll paste; to roll steel rails, etc.

7. To move, or cause to be moved, upon, or by means of, rollers or small wheels.

8. To beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum; to sound a roll upon.

9. (Geom.)

Defn: To apply (one line or surface) to another without slipping; to bring all the parts of (one line or surface) into successive contact with another, in suck manner that at every instant the parts that have been in contact are equal.

10. To turn over in one's mind; to revolve. Full oft in heart he rolleth up and down The beauty of these florins new and bright. Chaucer. To roll one's self, to wallow. -- To roll the eye, to direct its axis hither and thither in quick succession. -- To roll one's r's, to utter the letter r with a trill. [Colloq.]

ROLL Roll, v. i.

1. To move, as a curved object may, along a surface by rotation without sliding; to revolve upon an axis; to turn over and over; as, a ball or wheel rolls on the earth; a body rolls on an inclined plane. And her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rolls, and rolls, and rolls. Shak.

2. To move on wheels; as, the carriage rolls along the street. "The rolling chair." Dryden.

3. To be wound or formed into a cylinder or ball; as, the cloth rolls unevenly; the snow rolls well.

4. To fall or tumble; -- with over; as, a stream rolls over a precipice.

5. To perform a periodical revolution; to move onward as with a revolution; as, the rolling year; ages roll away.

6. To turn; to move circularly. And his red eyeballs roll with living fire. Dryden.

7. To move, as waves or billows, with alternate swell and depression. What different sorrows did within thee roll. Prior.

8. To incline first to one side, then to the other; to rock; as, there is a great difference in ships about rolling; in a general semse, to be tossed about. Twice ten tempestuous nights I rolled. Pope.

9. To turn over, or from side to side, while lying down; to wallow; as, a horse rolls.

10. To spread under a roller or rolling-pin; as, the paste rolls well.

11. To beat a drum with strokes so rapid that they can scarcely be distinguished by the ear.

12. To make a loud or heavy rumbling noise; as, the thunder rolls. To roll about, to gad abroad. [Obs.] Man shall not suffer his wife go roll about. Chaucer.

ROLL Roll, n. Etym: [F. rôle a roll (in sense 3), fr. L. rotulus little wheel, LL., a roll, dim. of L. rota a wheel. See Roll, v., and cf. Rôle, Rouleau, Roulette.]

1. The act of rolling, or state of being rolled; as, the roll of a ball; the roll of waves.

2. That which rolls; a roller. Specifically: (a) A heavy cylinder used to break clods. Mortimer. (b) One of a set of revolving cylinders, or rollers, between which metal is pressed, formed, or smoothed, as in a rolling mill; as, to pass rails through the rolls.

3. That which is rolled up; as, a roll of fat, of wool, paper, cloth, etc. Specifically: (a) A document written on a piece of parchment, paper, or other materials which may be rolled up; a scroll. Busy angels spread The lasting roll, recording what we say. Prior.

(b) Hence, an official or public document; a register; a record; also, a catalogue; a list. The rolls of Parliament, the entry of the petitions, answers, and transactions in Parliament, are extant. Sir M. Hale. The roll and list of that army doth remain. Sir J. Davies.

(c) A quantity of cloth wound into a cylindrical form; as, a roll of carpeting; a roll of ribbon. (d) A cylindrical twist of tobacco.

4. A kind of shortened raised biscuit or bread, often rolled or doubled upon itself.

5. (Naut.)

Defn: The oscillating movement of a vessel from side to side, in sea way, as distinguished from the alternate rise and fall of bow and stern called pitching.

6. A heavy, reverberatory sound; as, the roll of cannon, or of thunder.

7. The uniform beating of a drum with strokes so rapid as scarcely to be distinguished by the ear.

8. Part; office; duty; rôle. [Obs.] L'Estrange. Long roll (Mil.), a prolonged roll of the drums, as the signal of an attack by the enemy, and for the troops to arrange themselves in line. -- Master of the rolls. See under Master. -- Roll call, the act, or the time, of calling over a list names, as among soldiers. -- Rolls of court, of parliament (or of any public body), the parchments or rolls on which the acts and proceedings of that body are engrossed by the proper officer, and which constitute the records of such public body. -- To call the roll, to call off or recite a list or roll of names of persons belonging to an organization, in order to ascertain who are present or to obtain responses from those present.

Syn. -- List; schedule; catalogue; register; inventory. See List.

ROLLABLE Roll"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being rolled.

ROLLER Roll"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, rolls; especially, a cylinder, sometimes grooved, of wood, stone, metal, etc., used in husbandry and the arts.

2. A bandage; a fillet; properly, a long and broad bandage used in surgery.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: One of series of long, heavy waves which roll in upon a coast, sometimes in calm weather.

4. A long, belt-formed towel, to be suspended on a rolling cylinder; -- called also roller towel.

5. (Print.)

Defn: A cylinder coated with a composition made principally of glue and molassess, with which forms of type are inked previously to taking an impression from them. W. Savage.

6. A long cylinder on which something is rolled up; as, the roller of a man.

7. A small wheel, as of a caster, a roller skate, etc.

8. (Zoöl.)

Defn: ANy insect whose larva rolls up leaves; a leaf roller. see Tortrix.

9. Etym: [CF. F. rollier.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of Old World picarian birds of the family Coraciadæ. The name alludes to their habit of suddenly turning over or "tumbling" in flight.

Note: Many of the species are brilliantly colored. The common European species (Coracias garrula) has the head, neck, and under parts light blue varied with green, the scapulars chestnut brown, and the tail blue, green, and black. The broad-billed rollers of India and Africa belong to the genus Eurystomus, as the oriental roller (E. orientalis), and the Australian roller, or dollar bird (E. Pacificus). The latter is dark brown on the head and neck, sea green on the back, and bright blue on the throat, base of the tail, and parts of the wings. It has a silvery-white spot on the middle of each wing.

10. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of small ground snakes of the family Tortricidæ. Ground roller (Zoöl.), any one of several species of Madagascar rollers belonging to Atelornis and allied genera. They are nocturnal birds, and feed on the ground. -- Roller bolt, the bar in a carriage to which the traces are attached; a whiffletree. [Eng.] -- Roller gin, a cotton gin inn which rolls are used for separating the seeds from the fiber. -- Roller mill. See under Mill. -- Roller skate, a skate which has small wheels in the place of the metallic runner; -- designed for use in skating upon a smooth, hard surface, other than ice.

ROLLER BEARING Roll"er bear"ing. (Mach.)

Defn: A bearing containing friction rollers.

ROLLER COASTER Roller coaster.

Defn: An amusement railroad in which cars coast by gravity over a long winding track, with steep pitches and ascents.

ROLLEY Rol"ley, n. Etym: [Probably fr. roll.]

Defn: A small wagon used for the underground work of a mine. Tomlison.

ROLLIC Rol"lic, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rollicked ; p. pr. & vb. n. Rollicking.] Etym: [Corrupt. fr. frolic, under the influence of roll.]

Defn: To move or play in a careless, swaggering manner, with a frolicsome air; to frolic; to sport; commonly in the form rollicking. [Colloq.] He described his friends as rollicking blades. T. Hook.

ROLLICHE; ROLLEJEE; ROLLICHIE Rol"li*che, n. [Also Rol"le*jee, Rol"li*chie.] [D. rolletje a little roll.]

Defn: A kind of sausage, made in a bag of tripe, sliced and fried, famous among the Dutch of New Amsterdam and still known, esp. in New Jersey.

ROLLING Roll"ing, a.

1. Rotating on an axis, or moving along a surface by rotation; turning over and over as if on an axis or a pivot; as, a rolling wheel or ball.

2. Moving on wheels or rollers, or as if on wheels or rollers; as, a rolling chair.

3. Having gradual, rounded undulations of surface; as, a rolling country; rolling land. [U.S.] Rolling bridge. See the Note under Drawbridge. -- Rolling circle of a paddle wheel, the circle described by the point whose velocity equals the velocity of the ship. J. Bourne. -- Rolling fire (Mil.), a discharge of firearms by soldiers in line, in quick succession, and in the order in which they stand. -- Rolling friction, that resistance to motion experienced by one body rolling upon another which arises from the roughness or other quality of the surfaces in contact. -- Rolling mill, a mill furnished with heavy rolls, between which heated metal is passed, to form it into sheets, rails, etc. -- Rolling press. (a) A machine for calendering cloth by pressure between revolving rollers. (b) A printing press with a roller, used in copperplate printing. -- Rolling stock, or Rolling plant, the locomotives and vehicles of a railway. -- Rolling tackle (Naut.), tackle used to steady the yards when the ship rolls heavily. R. H. Dana, Jr.

ROLLING-PIN Roll"ing-pin`, n.

Defn: A cylindrical piece of wood or other material, with which paste or dough may be rolled out and reduced to a proper thickness.

ROLLWAY Roll"way`, n.

Defn: A place prepared for rolling logs into a stream.

ROLLY-POLY Roll"y-po`ly, n.

Defn: A kind of pudding made of paste spread with fruit, rolled into a cylindrical form, and boiled or steamed. -- a.

Defn: Shaped like a rolly-poly; short and stout. [Written also roly- poly.]

ROLLY-POOLY Roll"y-pool`y, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A game in which a ball, rolling into a certain place, wins. [Written also rouly-pouly.]

ROLY-POLY Ro"ly-po`ly, n. & a.

Defn: Rolly-poly.

ROMAGE Rom"age, n. & v.

Defn: See Rummage. [Obs.] Shak.

ROMAIC Ro*ma"ic, a. Etym: [NGr. romaïque. See Roman.]

Defn: Of or relating to modern Greece, and especially to its language. -- n.

Defn: The modern Greek language, now usually called by the Greeks Hellenic or Neo-Hellenic.

Note: The Greeks at the time of the capture of Constantinople were proud of being "Romai^oi, or Romans . . . Hence the term Romaic was the name given to the popular language. . . . The Greek language is now spoken of as the Hellenic language. Encyc. Brit.

ROMAJIKAI Ro"ma*ji*ka`i, n. [Jap. romajikai.]

Defn: An association, including both Japanese and Europeans, having for its object the changing of the Japanese method of writing by substituting Roman letters for Japanese characters.

ROMAN Ro"man, a. Etym: [L. Romanus, fr. Roma Rome: cf. F. romain. Cf. Romaic, Romance, Romantic.]

1. Of or pertaining to Rome, or the Roman people; like or characteristic of Rome, the Roman people, or things done by Romans; as, Roman fortitude; a Roman aqueduct; Roman art.

2. Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that religion.

3. (Print.) (a) Upright; erect; -- said of the letters or kind of type ordinarily used, as distinguished from Italic characters. (b) Expressed in letters, not in figures, as I., IV., i., iv., etc.; -- said of numerals, as distinguished from the Arabic numerals, 1, 4, etc. Roman alum (Chem.), a cubical potassium alum formerly obtained in large quantities from Italian alunite, and highly valued by dyers on account of its freedom from iron. -- Roman balance, a form of balance nearly resembling the modern steelyard. See the Note under Balance, n., 1. -- Roman candle, a kind of firework (generally held in the hand), characterized by the continued emission of shower of sparks, and the ejection, at intervals, of brilliant balls or stars of fire which are thrown upward as they become ignited. -- Roman Catholic, of, pertaining to, or the religion of that church of which the pope is the spiritual head; as, a Roman Catholic priest; the Roman Catholic Church. -- Roman cement, a cement having the property of hardening under water; a species of hydraulic cement. -- Roman law. See under Law. -- Roman nose, a nose somewhat aquiline. -- Roman ocher, a deep, rich orange color, transparent and durable, used by artists. Ure. -- Roman order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite, a., 2.

ROMAN Ro"man, n.

1. A native, or permanent resident, of Rome; a citizen of Rome, or one upon whom certain rights and privileges of a Roman citizen were conferred.

2. Roman type, letters, or print, collectively; -- in distinction from Italics.

ROMAN CALENDAR Roman calendar.

Defn: The calendar of the ancient Romans, from which our modern calendars are derived. It is said to have consisted originally of ten months, Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December, having a total of 304 days. Numa added two months, Januarius at the beginning of the year, and Februarius at the end, making in all 355 days. He also ordered an intercalary month, Mercedinus, to be inserted every second year. Later the order of the months was changed so that January should come before February. Through abuse of power by the pontiffs to whose care it was committed, this calendar fell into confusion. It was replaced by the Julian calendar. In designating the days of the month, the Romans reckoned backward from three fixed points, the calends, the nones, and the ides. The calends were always the first day of the month. The ides fell on the 15th in March, May, July (Quintilis), and October, and on the 13th in other months. The nones came on the eighth day (the ninth, counting the ides) before the ides. Thus, Jan. 13 was called the ides of January, Jan. 12, the day before the ides, and Jan. 11, the third day before the ides (since the ides count as one), while Jan. 14 was the 19th day before the calends of February.

ROMANCE Ro*mance", n. Etym: [OE. romance, romant, romaunt, OF. romanz, romans, romant, roman, F. roman, romance, fr. LL. Romanice in the Roman language, in the vulgar tongue, i. e., in the vulgar language which sprang from Latin, the language of the Romans, and hence applied to fictitious compositions written in this vulgar tongue; fr. L. Romanicus Roman, fr. Romanus. See Roman, and cf. Romanic, Romaunt, Romansch, Romanza.]

1. A species of fictitious writing, originally composed in meter in the Romance dialects, and afterward in prose, such as the tales of the court of Arthur, and of Amadis of Gaul; hence, any fictitious and wonderful tale; a sort of novel, especially one which treats of surprising adventures usually befalling a hero or a heroine; a tale of extravagant adventures, of love, and the like. "Romances that been royal." Chaucer. Upon these three columns -- chivalry, gallantry, and religion -- repose the fictions of the Middle Ages, especially those known as romances. These, such as we now know them, and such as display the characteristics above mentioned, were originally metrical, and chiefly written by nations of the north of France. Hallam.

2. An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those narrated in romances; as, his courtship, or his life, was a romance.

3. A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is real; as, a girl full of romance.

4. The languages, or rather the several dialects, which were originally forms of popular or vulgar Latin, and have now developed into Italian. Spanish, French, etc. (called the Romanic languages).

5. (Mus.)

Defn: A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental piece in ballad style; a romanza.

Syn. -- Fable; novel; fiction; tale.

ROMANCE Ro*mance", a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the language or dialects known as Romance.

ROMANCE Ro*mance", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Romanced; p. pr. & vb. n. Romancing.]

Defn: To write or tell romances; to indulge in extravagant stories. A very brave officer, but apt to romance. Walpole.

ROMANCER Ro*man"cer, n.

Defn: One who romances.

ROMANCIST Ro*man"cist, n.

Defn: A romancer. [R.]

ROMANCY Ro*man"cy, a.

Defn: Romantic. [R.]

ROMANESQUE Ro`man*esque", a. Etym: [F. romanesque; cf. It. romanesco.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: Somewhat resembling the Roman; -- applied sometimes to the debased style of the later Roman empire, but esp. to the more developed architecture prevailing from the 8th century to the 12th.

2. Of or pertaining to romance or fable; fanciful. Romanesque style (Arch.), that which grew up from the attempts of barbarous people to copy Roman architecture and apply it to their own purposes. This term is loosely applied to all the styles of Western Europe, from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the appearance of Gothic architecture.

ROMANESQUE Ro`man*esque", n.

Defn: Romanesque style.

ROMANIC Ro*man"ic, a. Etym: [L. Romanicus. See Romance, n.]

1. Of or pertaining to Rome or its people.

2. Of or pertaining to any or all of the various languages which, during the Middle Ages, sprung out of the old Roman, or popular form of Latin, as the Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Provencal, etc.

3. Related to the Roman people by descent; -- said especially of races and nations speaking any of the Romanic tongues. Romanic spelling, spelling by means of the letters of the Roman alphabet, as in English; -- contrasted with phonetic spelling.

ROMANISH Ro"man*ish, a.

Defn: Pertaining to Romanism.

ROMANISM Ro"man*ism, n.

Defn: The tenets of the Church of Rome; the Roman Catholic religion.

ROMANIST Ro"man*ist, n.

Defn: One who adheres to Romanism.

ROMANIZE Ro"man*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Romanized; p. pr. & vb. n. Romanizing.]

1. To Latinize; to fill with Latin words or idioms. [R.] Dryden.

2. To convert to the Roman Catholic religion.

ROMANIZE Ro"man*ize, v. i.

1. To use Latin words and idioms. "Apishly Romanizing." Milton.

2. To conform to Roman Catholic opinions, customs, or modes of speech.

ROMANIZER Ro"man*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who Romanizes.

ROMANSCH Ro*mansch", n. Etym: [Grisons rumansch, rumonsch, romonsch. See Romance.]

Defn: The language of the Grisons in Switzerland, a corruption of the Latin. [Written also Romansch, and Rumonsch.]

ROMANT Ro*mant", n.

Defn: A romaunt. [Obs.]

ROMANTIC Ro*man"tic, a. Etym: [F. romantique, fr. OF. romant. See Romance.]

1. Of or pertaining to romance; involving or resembling romance; hence, fanciful; marvelous; extravagant; unreal; as, a romantic tale; a romantic notion; a romantic undertaking. Can anything in nature be imagined more profane and impious, more absurd, and undeed romantic, than such a persuasion South. Zeal for the good of one's country a party of men have represented as chimerical and romantic. Addison.

2. Entertaining ideas and expectations suited to a romance; as, a romantic person; a romantic mind.

3. Of or pertaining to the style of the Christian and popular literature of the Middle Ages, as opposed to the classical antique; of the nature of, or appropriate to, that style; as, the romantic school of poets.

4. Characterized by strangeness or variety; suggestive of adventure; suited to romance; wild; picturesque; -- applied to scenery; as, a romantic landscape.

Syn. -- Sentimental; fanciful; fantastic; fictitious; extravagant; wild; chimerical. See Sentimental. The romantic drama. See under Drama.

ROMANTICAL Ro*man"tic*al, a.

Defn: Romantic.

ROMANTICALY Ro*man"tic*al*y, adv.

Defn: In a romantic manner.

ROMANTICISM Ro*man"ti*cism, n. Etym: [CF. It. romanticismo, F. romantisme, romanticisme.]

Defn: A fondness for romantic characteristics or peculiarities; specifically, in modern literature, an aiming at romantic effects; -- applied to the productions of a school of writers who sought to revive certain medi He [Lessing] may be said to have begun the revolt from pseudo- classicism in poetry, and to have been thus unconsciously the founder of romanticism. Lowell.

ROMANTICIST Ro*man"ti*cist, n.

Defn: One who advocates romanticism in modern literature. J. R. Seeley.

ROMANTICLY Ro*man"tic*ly, adv.

Defn: Romantically. [R.] Strype.

ROMANTICNESS Ro*man"tic*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being romantic; widness; fancifulness. Richardson.

ROMANY Rom"a*ny, n. Etym: [Gypsy romano, romani, adj., gypsy; cf. rom husband.]

1. A gypsy.

2. The language spoken among themselves by the gypsies. [Written also Rommany.]

ROMANZA Ro*man"za, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: See Romance,5.

ROMAUNT Ro*maunt", n. Etym: [See Romance.]

Defn: A romantic story in verse; as, the "Romaunt of the Rose." O, hearken, loving hearts and bold, Unto my wild romaunt. Mrs. Browning.

ROMBLE Rom"ble, v.& n.

Defn: Rumble. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ROMBOWLINE Rom*bow"line, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.)

Defn: Old, condemned canvas, rope, etc., unfit for use except in chafing gear. [Written also rumbowline.]

ROMEINE; ROMEITE Ro"me*ine, Ro"me*ite, n. Etym: [F. roméine. So calledafter the French mineralogist Romé L'Isle.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of a hyacinth or honey-yellow color, occuring in square octahedrons. It is an antimonate of calcium.

ROMEKIN Rome"kin, n. Etym: [CF. Rummer.]

Defn: A drinking cup. [Written also romkin.] [Obs.] Halliwell.

ROME PENNY; ROME SCOT Rome" pen`ny, or; Rome" scot`.

Defn: See Peter pence, under Peter.

ROMEWARD Rome"ward, adv.

Defn: Toward Rome, or toward the Roman Catholic Church.

ROMEWARD Rome"ward, a.

Defn: Tending or directed toward Rome, or toward the Roman Catholic Church. To analyze the crisis in its Anglican rather than in its Romeward aspect. Gladstone.

ROMIC Rom"ic, n.

Defn: A method of notation for all spoken sounds, proposed by Mr. Sweet; -- so called because it is based on the common Roman-letter alphabet. It is like the palæotype of Mr. Ellis in the general plan, but simpler.

ROMISH Rom"ish, a.

Defn: Belonging or relating to Rome, or to the Roman Catholic Church; -- frequently used in a disparaging sense; as, the Romish church; the Romish religion, ritual, or ceremonies.

ROMIST Rom"ist, n.

Defn: A Roman Catholic. [R.] South.

ROMP Romp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Romped; p. pr. & vb. n. Romping.] Etym: [A variant of ramp. See Ramp to leap, Rampallian.]

Defn: To play rudely and boisterously; to leap and frisk about in play.

ROMP Romp, n.

1. A girl who indulges in boisterous play.

2. Rude, boisterous play or frolic; rough sport. While romp-loving miss Is hauled about in gallantry robust. Thomson.

ROMPING Romp"ing, a.

Defn: Inclined to romp; indulging in romps. A little romping girl from boarding school. W. Irving.

ROMPINGLY Romp"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a romping manner.

ROMPISH Romp"ish, a.

Defn: Given to rude play; inclined to romp. --- Romp"ish, adv. -- Romp"ish*ness, n.

ROMPU Rom"pu, a. Etym: [F. rompu, p. p. of rompre to breeak, L. rumpere. See Rupture.] (Her.)

Defn: Broken, as an ordinary; cut off, or broken at the top, as a chevron, a bend, or the like.

RONCADOR Ron`ca*dor", n. Etym: [Sp., a snorer, fr. roncar to snore. So called in allusion to the grunting noise made by them on being taken from the water. ] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of California sciænoid food fishes, especially Roncador Stearnsi, which is an excellent market fish, and the red roncador (Corvina, or Johnius, saturna).

RONCHIL Ron"chil, n. Etym: [Cf. Sp. ronquillo slightly hoarse.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American marine food fish (Bathymaster signatus) of the North Pacific coast, allied to the tilefish. [Written also ronquil.]

RONCO Ron"co, n. Etym: [Sp. ronco hoarse.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Croaker, n., 2. (a). [Texas]

RONDACHE Ron`dache", n. Etym: [F.] (Anc. Armor.)

Defn: A circular shield carried by foot soldiers.

RONDE Ronde, n. Etym: [F.] (Print.)

Defn: A kind of script in which the heavy strokes are nearly upright, giving the characters when taken together a round look.

RONDEAU Ron*deau", n. Etym: [F. See Roundel.] [Written also rondo.]

1. A species of lyric poetry so composed as to contain a refrain or repetition which recurs according to a fixed law, and a limited number of rhymes recurring also by rule.

Note: When the rondeau was called the rondel it was mostly written in fourteen octosyllabic lines of two rhymes, as in the rondels of Charles d'Orleans. . . . In the 17th century the approved form of the rondeau was a structure of thirteen verses with a refrain. Encyc. Brit.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: See Rondo,1.

RONDEL Ron"del, n. Etym: [Cf. Rondeau, Roundel.]

1. (Fort.)

Defn: A small round tower erected at the foot of a bastion. [Obs.]

2. Etym: [F.] (a) Same as Rondeau. (b) Specifically, a particular form of rondeau containing fourteen lines in two rhymes, the refrain being a repetition of the first and second lines as the seventh and eighth, and again as the thirteenth and fourteenth. E. W. Gosse.

RONDELETIA Ron`de*le"ti*a, n. Etym: [NL. So named after William Rondelet, a French naturalist.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tropical genus of rubiaceous shrubs which often have brilliant flowers.

RONDLE Ron"dle, n. Etym: [Cf. Rondel.]

1. A rondeau. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. A round mass, plate, or disk; especially (Metal.), the crust or scale which forms upon the surface of molten metal in the crucible.

RONDO Ron"do, n. Etym: [It. rondò, fr. F. rondeau. See Rondeau.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: A composition, vocal or instrumental, commonly of a lively, cheerful character, in which the first strain recurs after each of the other strains. "The Rondo-form was the earliest and most frequent definite mold for musical construction." Grove.

2. (Poetry)

Defn: See Rondeau, 1.

RONDURE Ron"dure, n. Etym: [Cf. F. rondeur roundness.]

1. A round; a circle. [Obs.] Shak.

2. Roundness; plumpness. [R.] High-kirtled for the chase, and what was shown Of maiden rondure, like the rose half-blown. Lowell.

RONG Rong, obs.

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Ring. Chaucer.

RONG Rong, n.

Defn: Rung (of a ladder). [Obs.] Chaucer.

RONGEUR Ron`geur", n. Etym: [F., fr. ronger to gnaw.] (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for removing small rough portions of bone.

RONIN Ro"nin", n. [Jap. ro-nin, fr. Chin. lang profligate, lawless + jên (old sound nin) man.]

Defn: In Japan, under the feudal system, a samurai who had renounced his clan or who had been discharged or ostracized and had become a wanderer without a lord; an outcast; an outlaw.

RONION; RONYON Ron"ion, Ron"yon, n. Etym: [F. rogne scab, mange.]

Defn: A mangy or scabby creature. "Aroint thee, with!" the rump-fed ronyon cries. Shak.

RONNE; RONNEN Ron"ne,

Defn: obs. imp. pl., and Ron"nen (,

Defn: obs. p. p. of Renne, to run. Chaucer.

RONT Ront, n. Etym: [See Runt.]

Defn: A runt. [Obs.] Spenser.

RONTGEN Rönt"gen, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the German physicist Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen, or the rays discovered by him; as, Röntgen apparatus.

RONTGENIZE Rönt"gen*ize, v. t. (Physics)

Defn: To render (air or other gas) conducting by the passage of Röntgen rays.

RONTGEN RAY Röntgen ray. (Physics)

Defn: Any of the rays produced when cathode rays strike upon surface of a solid (as the wall of the vacuum tube). Röntgen rays are noted for their penetration of many opaque substances, as wood and flesh, their action on photographic plates, and their fluorescent effects. They were called X rays by their discoverer, W. K. Röntgen. They also ionize gases, but cannot be reflected, or polarized, or deflected by a magnetic field. They are regarded as nonperiodic, transverse pulses in the ether. They are used in examining opaque objects, as for locating fractures or bullets in the human body.

ROOD Rood, n. Etym: [AS. rr, D. roede rod, G. ruthe, rute, OHG. ruota. CF. Rod a measure.]

1. A representation in sculpture or in painting of the cross with Christ hanging on it.

Note: Generally, the Trinity is represented, the Father as an elderly man fully clothed, with a nimbus around his head, and holding the cross on which the Son is represented as crucified, the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove near the Son's head. Figures of the Virgin Mary and of St. John are often placed near the principal figures. Savior, in thine image seen Bleeding on that precious rood. Wordsworth.

2. A measure of five and a half yards in length; a red; a perch; a pole. [Prov.Eng.]

3. The fourth part of an acre, or forty square rods. By the rood, by the cross; -- a phrase formerly used in swearing. "No, by the road, not so." Shak. -- Rood beam (Arch.), a beam across the chancel of a church, supporting the road. -- Rood loft (Arch.), a loft or gallery, in a church, on which the rood and its appendagess were set up to view. Gwilt. -- Rood screen (Arch.), a screen, between the choir and the body of the church, over which the rood was placed. Fairholt. -- Rood tower (Arch.), a tower at the intersection of the nave and transept of a church; -- when crowned with a spire it was called also rood steeple. Weale. -- Rood tree, the cross. [Obs.] "Died upon the rood tree." Gower.

ROODEBOK Roo"de*bok, n. Etym: [D. rood red + bok buck.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The pallah.

ROODY Rood"y, a.

Defn: Rank in growth. [Prov.Eng.]

ROOF Roof, n. Etym: [OE. rof, AS. hr top, roof; akin to D. roef cabin, Icel. hr a shed under which ships are built or kept; cf. OS. hr roof, Goth. hr. Cf. Roost.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: The cover of any building, including the roofing (see Roofing) and all the materials and construction necessary to carry and maintain the same upon the walls or other uprights. In the case of a building with vaulted ceilings protected by an outer roof, some writers call the vault the roof, and the outer protection the roof mask. It is better, however, to consider the vault as the ceiling only, in cases where it has farther covering.

2. That which resembles, or corresponds to, the covering or the ceiling of a house; as, the roof of a cavern; the roof of the mouth. The flowery roof Showered roses, which the morn repaired. Milton.

3. (Mining.)

Defn: The surface or bed of rock immediately overlying a bed of coal or a flat vein. Bell roof, French roof, etc. (Arch.) See under Bell, French, etc. -- Flat roof. (Arch.) (a) A roof actually horizontal and level, as in some Oriental buildings. (b) A roof nearly horizontal, constructed of such material as allows the water to run off freely from a very slight inclination. -- Roof plate. (Arch.) See Plate, n., 10.

ROOF Roof, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roofed; p. pr. & vb. n. Roofing.]

1. To cover with a roof. I have not seen the remains of any Roman buildings that have not been roofed with vaults or arches. Addison.

2. To inclose in a house; figuratively, to shelter. Here had we now our country's honor roofed. Shak.

ROOFER Roof"er, n.

Defn: One who puts on roofs.

ROOFING Roof"ing, n.

1. The act of covering with a roof.

2. The materials of which a roof is composed; materials for a roof. Gwilt.

3. Hence, the roof itself; figuratively, shelter. "Fit roofing gave." Southey.

4. (Mining)

Defn: The wedging, as of a horse or car, against the top of an underground passage. Raymond.

ROOFLESS Roof"less, a.

1. Having no roof; as, a roofless house.

2. Having no house or home; shelterless; homeless.

ROOFLET Roof"let, n.

Defn: A small roof, covering, or shelter.

ROOFTREE Roof"tree`, n.

Defn: The beam in the angle of a roof; hence, the roof itself. Now for me the woods may wither, now for me the rooftree fall. Tennyson.

ROOFY Roof`y, a.

Defn: Having roofs. [R.] Dryden.

ROOK Rook, n.

Defn: Mist; fog. See Roke. [Obs.]

ROOK Rook, v. i.

Defn: To squat; to ruck. [Obs.] Shak.

ROOK Rook, n. Etym: [F. roc (cf. Sp. roque), fr. Per. & Ar. rokh, or rukh, the rook or castle at chess, also the bird roc (in this sense pehaps a different word); cf. Hind. rath a war chariot, the castle at chess, Skr. ratha a car, a war car. Cf. Roll.] (Chess)

Defn: One of the four pieces placed on the corner squares of the board; a castle.

ROOK Rook, n. Etym: [AS. hr; akin to OHG. hruoh, ruoh, ruoho, Icel. hr, Sw. roka, Dan. raage; cf. Goth. hrukjan to crow.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A European bird (Corvus frugilegus) resembling the crow, but smaller. It is black, with purple and violet reflections. The base of the beak and the region around it are covered with a rough, scabrous skin, which in old birds is whitish. It is gregarious in its habits. The name is also applied to related Asiatic species. The rook . . . should be treated as the farmer's friend. Pennant.

2. A trickish, rapacious fellow; a cheat; a sharper. Wycherley.

ROOK Rook, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Rooked; p. pr. & vb. n. Rooking.]

Defn: To cheat; to defraud by cheating. "A band of rooking officials." Milton.

ROOKERY Rook"er*y, n.; pl. Rookeries (.

1. The breeding place of a colony of rooks; also, the birds themselves. Tennyson.

2. A breeding place of other gregarious birds, as of herons, penguins, etc.

3. The breeding ground of seals, esp. of the fur seals.

4. A dilapidated building with many rooms and occupants; a cluster of dilapidated or mean buildings.

5. A brothel. [Low]

ROOKY Rook"y, a. Etym: [See Roky.]

Defn: Misty; gloomy. [Obs.] Light thickens, and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood. Shak.

Note: Some make this Shakespearean word mean "abounding in rooks."

ROOM Room, n. Etym: [OE. roum, rum, space, AS. rum; akin to OS., OFries. & Icel. rum, D. ruim, G. raum, OHG. rum, Sw. & Dan. rum, Goth. rums, and to AS. rum, adj., spacious, D. ruim, Icel. rumr, Goth. rums; and prob. to L. rus country (cf. Rural), Zend ravanh wide, free, open, ravan a plain.]

1. Unobstructed spase; space which may be occupied by or devoted to any object; compass; extent of place, great or small; as, there is not room for a house; the table takes up too much room. Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. Luke xiv. 22. There was no room for them in the inn. Luke ii. 7.

2. A particular portion of space appropriated for occupancy; a place to sit, stand, or lie; a seat. If he have but twelve pence in his purse, he will give it for the best room in a playhouse. Overbury. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room. Luke xiv. 8.

3. Especially, space in a building or ship inclosed or set apart by a partition; an apartment or chamber. I found the prince in the next room. Shak.

4. Place or position in society; office; rank; post; station; also, a place or station once belonging to, or occupied by, another, and vacated. [Obs.] When he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod. Matt. ii. 22. Neither that I look for a higher room in heaven. Tyndale. Let Bianca take her sister's room. Shak.

5. Possibility of admission; ability to admit; opportunity to act; fit occasion; as, to leave room for hope. There was no prince in the empire who had room for such an alliance. Addison. Room and space (Shipbuilding), the distance from one side of a rib to the corresponding side of the next rib; space being the distance between two ribs, in the clear, and room the width of a rib. -- To give room, to withdraw; to leave or provide space unoccupied for others to pass or to be seated. -- To make room, to open a space, way, or passage; to remove obstructions; to give room. Make room, and let him stand before our face. Shak.

Syn. -- Space; compass; scope; latitude.

ROOM Room, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Roomed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rooming.]

Defn: To occupy a room or rooms; to lodge; as, they arranged to room together.

ROOM Room, a. Etym: [AS. rum.]

Defn: Spacious; roomy. [Obs.] No roomer harbour in the place. Chaucer.

ROOMAGE Room"age, n. Etym: [From Room. CF. Rummage.]

Defn: Space; place; room. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

ROOMER Room"er, n.

Defn: A lodger. [Colloq.]

ROOMER Room"er, adv. Etym: [See Room, a.]

Defn: At a greater distance; farther off. [Obs.] Sir J. Harrington.

ROOMFUL Room"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding with room or rooms; roomy. "A roomful house." [R.] Donne.

ROOMFUL Room"ful, n.; pl. Roomfuls (.

Defn: As much or many as a room will hold; as, a roomful of men. Swift.

ROOMILY Room"i*ly, adv.

Defn: Spaciously.

ROOMINESS Room"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being roomy; spaciousness; as, the roominess of a hall.

ROOMLESS Room"less, a.

Defn: Being without room or rooms. Udall.

ROOMMATE Room"mate`, n.

Defn: One of twe or more occupying the same room or rooms; one who shares the occupancy of a room or rooms; a chum.

ROOMSOME Room"some, a.

Defn: Roomy. [Obs.] Evelyn.

ROOMTH Roomth, n.

Defn: Room; space. [Obs.] Drayton.

ROOMTHY Roomth"y, a.

Defn: Roomy; spacious. [Obs.] Fuller.

ROOMY Room"y, a.

Defn: Having ample room; spacious; large; as, a roomy mansion; a roomy deck. Dryden.

ROON Roon, a. & n.

Defn: Vermilion red; red. [R.] Her face was like the lily roon. J. R. Drake.

ROOP Roop, n.

Defn: See Roup. [Prov. Eng.]

ROORBACK; ROORBACH Roor"back, Roor"bach, n.

Defn: A defamatory forgery or falsehood published for purposes of political intrigue. [U.S.]

Note: The word originated in the election canvass of 1844, when such a forgery was published, to the detriment of James K. Polk, a candidate for President, purporting to be an extract from the "Travels of Baron Roorbach."

ROOSA OIL Roo"sa oil`.

Defn: The East Indian name for grass oil. See under Grass.

ROOST Roost, n.

Defn: Roast. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ROOST Roost, v. t.

Defn: See Roust, v. t.

ROOST Roost, n. Etym: [AS. hrost; akin to OD. roest roost, roesten to roost, and probably to E. roof. Cf. Roof.]

1. The pole or other support on which fowls rest at night; a perch. He clapped his wings upon his roost. Dryden.

2. A collection of fowls roosting together. At roost, on a perch or roost; hence, retired to rest.

ROOST Roost, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Roosted; p. pr. & vb. n. Roosting.]

1. To sit, rest, or sleep, as fowls on a pole, limb of a tree, etc.; to perch. Wordsworth.

2. Fig.; To lodge; to rest; to sleep. O, let me where thy roof my soul hath hid, O, let me roost and nestle there. Herbert.

ROOSTCOCK Roost"cock`, n.

Defn: The male of the domestic fowl; a cock. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

ROOSTER Roost"er, n.

Defn: The male of the domestic fowl; a cock. [U.S.] Nor, when they [the Skinners and Cow Boys] wrung the neck of a rooster, did they trouble their heads whether he crowed for Congress or King George. W. Irving.

ROOT Root, v. i. Etym: [AS. wrotan; akin to wrot a snout, trunk, D. wroeten to root, G. rüssel snout, trunk, proboscis, Icel. rota to root, and perhaps to L. rodere to gnaw (E. rodent) or to E. root, n.]

1. To turn up the earth with the snout, as swine.

2. Hence, to seek for favor or advancement by low arts or groveling servility; to fawn servilely.

ROOT Root, v. t.

Defn: To turn up or to dig out with the snout; as, the swine roots the earth.

ROOT Root, n. Etym: [Icel. rot (for vrot); akin to E. wort, and perhaps to root to turn up the earth. See Wort.]

1. (Bot.) (a) The underground portion of a plant, whether a true root or a tuber, a bulb or rootstock, as in the potato, the onion, or the sweet flag. (b) The descending, and commonly branching, axis of a plant, increasing in length by growth at its extremity only, not divided into joints, leafless and without buds, and having for its offices to fix the plant in the earth, to supply it with moisture and soluble matters, and sometimes to serve as a reservoir of nutriment for future growth. A true root, however, may never reach the ground, but may be attached to a wall, etc., as in the ivy, or may hang loosely in the air, as in some epiphytic orchids.

2. An edible or esculent root, especially of such plants as produce a single root, as the beet, carrot, etc.; as, the root crop.

3. That which resembles a root in position or function, esp. as a source of nourishment or support; that from which anything proceeds as if by growth or development; as, the root of a tooth, a nail, a cancer, and the like. Specifically: (a) An ancestor or progenitor; and hence, an early race; a stem. They were the roots out of which sprang two distinct people. Locke.

(b) A primitive form of speech; one of the earliest terms employed in language; a word from which other words are formed; a radix, or radical. (c) The cause or occasion by which anything is brought about; the source. "She herself . . . is root of bounty." Chaucer. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 1 Tim. vi. 10 (rev. Ver. ) (d) (Math.)

Defn: That factor of a quantity which when multiplied into itself will produce that quantity; thus, 3 is a root of 9, because 3 multiplied into itself produces 9; 3 is the cube root of 27. (e) (Mus.) The fundamental tone of any chord; the tone from whose harmonics, or overtones, a chord is composed. Busby. (f) The lowest place, position, or part. "Deep to the roots of hell." Milton. "The roots of the mountains." Southey.

4. (Astrol.)

Defn: The time which to reckon in making calculations. When a root is of a birth yknowe [known]. Chaucer. Aërial roots. (Bot.) (a) Small roots emitted from the stem of a plant in the open air, which, attaching themselves to the bark of trees, etc., serve to support the plant. (b) Large roots growing from the stem, etc., which descend and establish themselves in the soil. See Illust. of Mangrove. -- Multiple primary root (Bot.), a name given to the numerous roots emitted from the radicle in many plants, as the squash. -- Primary root (Bot.), the central, first-formed, main root, from which the rootlets are given off. -- Root and branch, every part; wholly; completely; as, to destroy an error root and branch. -- Root-and-branch men, radical reformers; -- a designation applied to the English Independents (1641). See Citation under Radical, n., 2. -- Root barnacle (Zoöl.), one of the Rhizocephala. -- Root hair (Bot.), one of the slender, hairlike fibers found on the surface of fresh roots. They are prolongations of the superficial cells of the root into minute tubes. Gray. -- Root leaf (Bot.), a radical leaf. See Radical, a., 3 (b). -- Root louse (Zoöl.), any plant louse, or aphid, which lives on the roots of plants, as the Phylloxera of the grapevine. See Phylloxera. -- Root of an equation (Alg.), that value which, substituted for the unknown quantity in an equation, satisfies the equation. -- Root of a nail (Anat.), the part of a nail which is covered by the skin. -- Root of a tooth (Anat.), the part of a tooth contained in the socket and consisting of one or more fangs. -- Secondary roots (Bot.), roots emitted from any part of the plant above the radicle. -- To strike root, To take root, to send forth roots; to become fixed in the earth, etc., by a root; hence, in general, to become planted, fixed, or established; to increase and spread; as, an opinion takes root. "The bended twigs take root." Milton.

ROOT Root, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rooted; p. pr. & vb. n. Rooting.]

1. To fix the root; to enter the earth, as roots; to take root and begin to grow. In deep grounds the weeds root deeper. Mortimer.

2. To be firmly fixed; to be established. If any irregularity chanced to intervene and to cause misappehensions, he gave them not leave to root and fasten by concealment. Bp. Fell.

ROOT Root, v. t.

1. To plant and fix deeply in the earth, or as in the earth; to implant firmly; hence, to make deep or radical; to establish; -- used chiefly in the participle; as, rooted trees or forests; rooted dislike.

2. To tear up by the root; to eradicate; to extirpate; -- with up, out, or away. "I will go root away the noisome weeds." Shak. The Lord rooted them out of their land . . . and cast them into another land. Deut. xxix. 28.

ROOTCAP Root"cap`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A mass of parenchym

ROOTED Root"ed, a.

Defn: Having taken root; firmly implanted; fixed in the heart. "A rooted sorrow." Shak. -- Root"*ed*ly, adv. -- Root"ed*ness, n.

ROOTER Rooter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, roots; one that tears up by the roots.

ROOTERY Root"er*y, n.

Defn: A pile of roots, set with plants, mosses, etc., and used as an ornamental object in gardening.

ROOTLESS Root"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of roots.

ROOTLET Root"let, n.

Defn: A radicle; a little root.

ROOTSTOCK Root"stock`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A perennial underground stem, producing leafly s

ROOTY Root"y, a.

Defn: Full of roots; as, rooty ground.

ROPALIC Ro*pal"ic, a.

Defn: See Rhopalic.

ROPE Rope, n. Etym: [AS. rap; akin to D. reep, G. reif ring hoop, Icel. reip rope, Sw. rep, Dan. reb, reeb Goth. skaudaraip latchet.]

1. A large, stout cord, usually one not less than an inch in circumference, made of strands twisted or braided together. It differs from cord, line, and string, only in its size. See Cordage.

2. A row or string consisting of a number of things united, as by braiding, twining, etc.; as, a rope of onions.

3. pl.

Defn: The small intestines; as, the ropes of birds. Rope ladder, a ladder made of ropes. -- Rope mat., a mat made of cordage, or strands of old rope. -- Rope of sand, something of no cohession or fiber; a feeble union or tie; something not to be relied upon. -- Rope pump, a pump in which a rapidly running endless rope raises water by the momentum communicated to the water by its adhesion to the rope. -- Rope transmission (Mach.), a method of transmitting power, as between distant places, by means of endless ropes running over grooved pulleys. -- Rope's end, a piece of rope; especially, one used as a lash in inflicting punishment. -- To give one rope, to give one liberty or license; to let one go at will uncheked.

ROPE Rope, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Roped; p. pr. & vb. n. Roping.]

Defn: To be formed into rope; to draw out or extend into a filament or thread, as by means of any glutinous or adhesive quality. Let us not hang like ropingicicles Upon our houses' thatch. Shak.

ROPE Rope, v. t.