Upon waking, a woman said to her husband, "I just dreamt that you gave me a necklace of pearls. What do you think it means?"
The man smiled and kissed his wife. "Youll know tonight," he softly whispered.
That evening, the man came home with a small package which he gave to his wife. She jumped up and embraced him, and then settled on the couch to slowly and delicately unwrap the package.
It contained a book entitled, "The Meaning of Dreams".
abbr. (in an invitation etc.) Please answer. [french repondez s'il vous plaît]
RUBY
wedding n. Fortieth wedding anniversary.
- —n. (pl. -ies) 1 rare precious stone varying in colour from deep crimson to pale rose.
- deep red colour. —adj. Of this colour. [latin rubeus red]
RUCK
n. - (prec. By the) main body of competitors not likely to overtake the leaders.
- undistinguished crowd or group.
- rugby loose scrum. [apparently scandinavian]
- —v. (often foll. By up) make or become creased or wrinkled. —n. Crease or wrinkle. [old norse]
RUDE
adj. - impolite or offensive.
- roughly made or done; crude (rude plough).
- primitive or uneducated (rude simplicity).
- abrupt, sudden, startling (rude awakening).
- colloq. Indecent, lewd (rude joke).
- vigorous or hearty (rude health). rudely adv. Rudeness n. [latin rudis]
RUFF
n. - projecting starched frill worn round the neck, esp. In the 16th c.
- projecting or coloured ring of feathers or hair round a bird's or animal's neck.
- domestic pigeon.
- (fem. Reeve) wading bird with a ruff. [perhaps = *rough]
- —v. Trump at cards. —n. Trumping. [french ro(u)ffle]
RUIN
—n. - destroyed, wrecked, or spoiled state.
- downfall or elimination (ruin of my hopes).
- complete loss of one's property or position (bring to ruin).
- (in sing. Or pl.) Remains of a building etc. That has suffered ruin.
- cause of ruin (the ruin of us). —v. - a bring to ruin (extravagance has ruined me). B spoil, damage.
- (esp. As ruined adj.) Reduce to ruins. in ruins completely wrecked (hopes were in ruins). [latin ruo fall]
RULE
of thumb n. Rule based on experience or practice rather than theory.
- —n. - compulsory principle governing action.
- prevailing custom or standard; normal state of things.
- government or dominion (under british rule).
- graduated straight measure; ruler.
- code of discipline of a religious order.
- order made by a judge or court with reference to a particular case only.
- printing thin line or dash. —v. (-ling) 1 dominate; keep under control.
- (often foll. By over) have sovereign control of (rules over a vast kingdom).
- (often foll. By that) pronounce authoritatively.
- a make parallel lines across (paper). B make (a straight line) with a ruler etc. as a rule usually. Rule out exclude; pronounce irrelevant or ineligible. Rule the roost be in control. [latin regula]
RUMP
n. - hind part of a mammal or bird, esp. The buttocks.
- remnant of a parliament etc. [probably scandinavian]
- steak n. Cut of beef from the rump.
RUNE
n. - letter of the earliest germanic alphabet.
- similar mark of mysterious or magic significance. runic adj. [old norse]
RUNG
n. - step of a ladder.
- strengthening crosspiece in a chair etc. [old english]
