- My father had two horses that looked so much alike that he measured them so he could tell them apart.
- Did that help?
- It sure did. He found that the white one was 6 inches shorter than the black one.
adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 lively and vigorous in style.
- risque.
- of distinctive quality (a racy wine). raciness n. [from *race2]
RADA
abbr. Royal academy of dramatic art.
RAFT
n. Flat floating structure of timber or other materials for conveying persons or things. [old norse]
RAGE
—n. - fierce or violent anger.
- fit of this.
- violent action of a natural force. —v. (-ging) 1 be full of anger.
- (often foll. By at, against) speak furiously or madly.
- (of wind, battle, etc.) Be violent; be at its height.
- (as raging adj.) Extreme, very painful (raging thirst; raging headache). all the rage very popular, fashionable. [latin *rabies]
RAID
—n. - rapid surprise attack, esp.: a in warfare. B in order to commit a crime, steal, or do harm.
- surprise attack by police etc. To arrest suspected persons or seize illicit goods. —v. Make a raid on. raider n. [scots form of *road]
RAIL
—n. - level or sloping bar or series of bars: a used to hang things on. B as the top of banisters. C forming part of a fence or barrier as protection.
- steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground, usu. As a railway.
- (often attrib.) Railway. —v. - furnish with a rail or rails.
- (usu. Foll. By in, off) enclose with rails. off the rails disorganized; out of order; deranged. [french reille from latin regula *rule]
- v. (often foll. By at, against) complain or protest strongly; rant. [french railler]
- n. Wading bird often inhabiting marshes. [french]
RAIN
check n. Esp. Us ticket given for later use when an outdoor event is interrupted or postponed by rain. take a rain check on reserve the right not to take up (an offer) until convenient.
- —n. - a condensed atmospheric moisture falling in drops. B fall of such drops.
- (in pl.) A (prec. By the) rainy season. B rainfalls.
- a falling liquid or solid particles or objects. B rainlike descent of these. —v. - (prec. By it as subject) rain falls.
- a fall like rain. B (prec. By it as subject) send in large quantities.
- send down like rain; lavishly bestow (rained blows upon him).
- (of the sky, clouds, etc.) Send down rain. rain off (or us out) (esp.
RAJA
n. (also rajah) hist. - indian king or prince.
- petty dignitary or noble in india. [hindi from sanskrit]
RAKE
—n. - implement consisting of a pole with a toothed crossbar at the end for drawing together hay etc. Or smoothing loose soil or gravel.
- similar implement used (e.g.) To draw in money at a gaming-table. —v. (-king) 1 collect or gather with or as with a rake.
- make tidy or smooth with a rake.
- use a rake.
- search thoroughly, ransack.
- direct gunfire along (a line) from end to end.
- scratch or scrape. rake in colloq. Amass (profits etc.). Rake up revive the (unwelcome) memory of. [old english]
- n. Dissolute man of fashion. [rakehell: related to *rake1, *hell]
- —v. (-king) 1 set or be set at a sloping angle.
- (of a mast or funnel) incline from the perpendicular towards the stern. —n. - raking position or build.
