An admiral is standing by a candy machine at the Naval Academy in Annapolis when he stops a plebe walking by.
- "Sailor, do you have change for a dollar?"
- "Sure, buddy," - says the plebe, rooting around his pocket.
- "That"s no way to address an officer! Now let"s try it again. Do you have change for a dollar?"
The plebe snaps to attention and barks,
- "No, sir!"
—adj. - of or like country people or country life.
- unsophisticated.
- of rude or rough workmanship.
- made of untrimmed branches or rough timber (rustic bench).
- archit. With a roughened or rough-hewn surface. —n. Country person, peasant. rusticity n. [latin rus the country]
RUSTLE
—v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) make a gentle sound as of dry blown leaves.
- (also absol.) Steal (cattle or horses). —n. Rustling sound. rustle up colloq. Produce at short notice. rustler n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [imitative]
RACCOON
var. Of *racoon.
RACQUET
var. Of *racket1.
RADIANT
heat n. Heat transmitted by radiation.
- —adj. - emitting rays of light.
- (of eyes or looks) beaming with joy, hope, or love.
- (of beauty) splendid or dazzling.
- (of light) issuing in rays. —n. Point or object from which light or heat radiates. radiance n. Radiantly adv.
RADIATE
—v. (-ting) 1 a emit rays of light, heat, etc. B (of light or heat) be emitted in rays.
- emit (light, heat, etc.) From a centre.
- transmit or demonstrate (joy etc.).
- diverge or spread from a centre. —adj. Having divergent rays or parts radially arranged.
RADICAL
—adj. - fundamental (a radical error).
- far-reaching; thorough (radical change).
- advocating thorough reform; holding extreme political views; revolutionary.
- forming the basis; primary.
- of the root of a number or quantity.
- (of surgery etc.) Seeking to ensure the removal of all diseased tissue.
- of the roots of words.
- bot. Of the root. —n. - person holding radical views or belonging to a radical party.
- chem. A = *free radical. B atom or a group of these normally forming part of a compound and remaining unaltered during the compound's ordinary chemical changes.
- root of a word.
- math. Quantity forming or expressed as the root of another. radicalism n. Radically adv. [latin: related to *radix]
RADICLE
n. Part of a plant embryo that develops into the primary root; rootlet. [latin: related to *radix]
