The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (34 page)

rabid
(RAB-id)
adjective

1. fanatical.

2. raging, violently intense.

3. affected with rabies.

Related words:
rabidity
(r
e
-BID-i-tee) and
rabidness
(RAB-id-nis)
both nouns
,
rabidly
adverb
.

raconteur
(
RAK
-
e
n-TUR)
noun

a person skilled in telling stories and anecdotes.

Related word:
raconteuse
(
RAK
-
e
n-TUZ)
noun
, a woman thus skilled.

raffish
(RAF-ish)
adjective

1. gaudily vulgar or cheap, tawdry.

2. engagingly nonconformist.

3. flashy, rakish.

Related words:
raffishly
adverb
,
raffishness
noun
.

raillery
(RAY-l
e
-ree)
noun, plural
railleries

good-humored joking or teasing; banter.

rakish
(RAY-kish)
adjective

1. immoral or debauched.

2. debonair and jaunty in appearance or manner.

rale
(rahl)
noun

an abnormal sound perceived in the chest, indicating disease or congestion of the lungs.

rancor
(RANG-k
e
r)
noun

1. bitter resentment, ill will.

2. hatred, malice.

Related words:
rancorous
(RANG-k
e
r-
e
s)
adjective
,
rancorously
adverb
,
rancorousness
noun
.

randy
(RAN-dee)
adjective

lustful; eager for sexual gratification; lecherous.

Related word:
randiness
noun
.

rankle
(RANG-k
e
l)
verb

cause lasting and bitter annoyance or resentment.

Related word:
ranklingly
adverb
.

rapacious
(r
e
-PAY-sh
e
s)
adjective

1. greedy and grasping, especially for money.

2. given to plundering and robbing others.

Related words:
rapaciously
adverb
,
rapacity
(r
e
-PAS-i-tee) and
rapaciousness
(r
e
-PAY-sh
e
s-nis)
both nouns
.

rapine
(RAP-in)
noun

1. plunder; pillage.

2. robbery.

rapprochement
(
RA
-prohsh-MAH
N
)
noun

the reestablishment of harmonious relations.

rara avis
(RAIR-
e
AY-vis)

a person or thing rarely encountered; a rarity.

ratiocination
(
RASH
-ee-
OS
-
e
-NAY-sh
e
n)
noun

the use of logical processes and formal reasoning.

Related words:
ratiocinate
(
RASH
-ee-OS-
e
-
NAYT
)
verb
,
ratiocinative
(
RASH
-ee-OS-i-
NAY
-tiv)
adjective
,
ratiocinator
(
RASH
-ee-OS-i-
NAY
-t
e
r)
noun
.

rationale
(
RASH
-
e
-NAL)
noun

1. a fundamental reason.

2. the logical basis of something.

3. a reasoned explanation of something.

raze
(rayz)
verb

1. destroy completely.

2. tear down to the ground.

Related word:
razer
noun
.

rebarbative
(ree-BAHR-b
e
-tiv)
adjective

causing aversion or irritation; repellent.

recension
(ri-SEN-sh
e
n)
noun

1. an editorial revision of a literary work.

2. a work that has been editorially revised.

Related word:
recensionist
noun
.

recherché
(r
e
-shair-SHAY)
adjective

1. devised or selected with great care.

2. very rare.

3. choice, precious; pretentious.

recidivist
(ri-SID-
e
-vist)
noun

a person who continually commits crime and seems unable to be cured of criminal tendencies; a persistent offender.

Related words:
recidivism
(ri-SID-
e
-
VIZ
-
e
m)
noun
,
recidivistic
(ri-
SID
-
e
-VIS-tik) and
recidivous
(ri-SID-
e
-v
e
s)
both adjectives
.

réclame
(ray-KLAHM)
noun

1. publicity.

2. notoriety.

3. public acclaim.

recondite
(REK-
e
n-
D
I
T
)
adjective

1. of a subject, obscure.

2. of an author, writing about an obscure subject.

Related words:
reconditely
adverb
,
reconditeness
noun
.

recreant
(REK-ree-
e
nt)
noun

1. a coward.

2. a traitor.

Related words:
recreant
adjective
,
recreantly
adverb
,
recreance
and
recreancy
both nouns
.

recriminate
(ri-KRIM-
e
-
NAYT
)
verb

1. indulge in countercharges.

2. accuse in return.

Related words:
recrimination
(ri-
KRIM
-
e
-NAY-sh
e
n) and
recriminator
(ri-KRIM-
e
-
NAY
-t
e
r)
both nouns
,
recriminative
(ri-KRIM-
e
-
NAY
-tiv) and
recriminatory
(ri-KRIM-
e
-n
e
-
TOR
-ee)
both adjectives
.

recrudesce
(
REE
-kroo-DES)
verb

of a disease or sore or hostile feeling, break out again.

Related words:
recrudescence
(
REE
-kroo-DES-
e
ns) and
recrudescency
both nouns
,
recrudescent
adjective
.

recumbent
(ri-KUM-b
e
nt)
adjective

1. lying down.

2. reclining.

Related words:
recumbence
and
recumbency
both nouns
,
recumbently
adverb
.

redact
(ri-DAKT)
verb

put into suitable literary form; edit.

Related words:
redaction
and
redactor
both nouns
,
redactional
(ri-DAK-sh
e
n-
e
l)
adjective
.

redintegrate
(red-IN-t
e
-
GRAYT
)
verb

1. make whole again.

2. reestablish in a perfect state; renew.

Related words:
redintegration
(red-
IN
-t
e
-GRAY-sh
e
n)
noun
,
redintegrative
(red-IN-t
e
-
GRAY
-tiv)
adjective
.