Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RIV'ER-PLAIN, n.

A plain by a river.

RIV'ER-WA-TER, n.

The water of a river, as distinguished from rain-water.

RIV'ET, n.

A pin of iron or other metal with a head, driven through a piece of timber or metal, and the point bent or spread and beat down fast, to prevent its being drawn out; or a pin or bolt clinched at both ends.

RIV'ET, v.t. [It. ribadire; Port. rebitar. These are compounds of a verb with re for a prefix. The Spanish has roblar. The French river, and Arm. riva or rinva, would seem to be the Heb. רוב, to drive.]

1. To fasten with a rivet or with rivets; as, to rivet two pieces of iron.
2. To clinch; as, to rivet a pin or bolt. – Moxon.
3. To fasten firmly; to make firm, strong or immovable; as, to rivet friendship or affection. – Atterbury. Rivet and nail me where I stand, ye pow'rs. – Congreve.

RIV'ET-ED, pp.

Clinched; made fast.

RIV'ET-ING, ppr.

Clinching; fastening firmly.

RIV-ING, ppr.

Splitting; bursting asunder.

RI-VOSE, a. [L. rivus.]

In zoology, marked with furrows sinuate and irregular.

RIV'U-LET, n. [L. rivulus.]

A small stream or brook; a streamlet. By fountain or by shady rivulet, / He sought them. – Milton.

RIX-A'TION, n. [L. rixatio, from rixor, to brawl or quarrel.]

A brawl or quarrel. [Not in use.]

RIX-DOL'LAR, n. [G. reichsthaler; D. ryksdaalder; Sw. riksdaler; Dan. rigsdaler; the dollar of the realm.]

A silver coin of Germany, Denmark and Sweden, of different value in different places. In Hamburg and some other parts of Germany, its value is the same as the American dollar, or 4s. 6d. sterling. In other parts of Germany, its value is 3s. 6d. sterling, or about 78 cents.

ROACH, n. [Sax. reohche, hreoce; G. roche; Dan. rokke; Sw. rocka; Fr. rouget, from the root of rouge, red.]

A fish of the genus Cyprinus, found in fresh water, easily caught and tolerably good for food. As sound as a roach, is a phrase supposed to have been originally, as sound as a rock. [Fr. roche.]

ROAD, n. [Sax. rad, rade, a ride, a passing or traveling or horseback, a way, a road, corresponding with the G. reise, D. reis, Dan. rejse, Sw. resa; but in the sense of a place for anchoring ships, the Fr. has rade, Sp. rada, G. and D. reede, Sw. redd, Dan. rede, reed. In the sense of way, the Spanish has rauta, W. rhawd, all connected with ride, W. rhedu, to run, and L. gradior, W. rhodiaw, to walk or go. The Slavonic has brud, and the Bohemian brod, a way. See Grade.]

1. An open way or public passage; ground appropriated for travel, forming a communication between one city, town, or place and another. The word is generally applied to highways, and as a generic term it includes highway, street and lane. The military roads of the Romans were paved with stone, or formed of gravel or pebbles, and some of them remain to this day entire.
2. A place where ships may ride at anchor at some distance from the shore; sometimes called roadstead, that is, a place, for riding, meaning at anchor.
3. A journey. – Milton. [Not used, but we still use ride as a noun; as, a long ride; a short ride; the same word differently written.]
4. An inroad; incursion of an enemy. [Not in use.] – Shak. On the road, passing; traveling. – Law.

ROAD-ER, or ROAD-STER, n.

1. Among seamen, a vessel riding at anchor in a road or bay. – Mar. Dict.
2. A traveling horse.

ROAD-STEAD, n. [See ROAD.]

ROAD-WAY, n.

A highway. [Tautological.] – Med. Shak.

ROAM, v.i. [If m is radical, this word seems to be connected with ramble, L. ramus. In W. rhamu is to rise over, to soar, to vault; whence rhamant, a rising boldly, romance; rhem, rhum, something projecting; rhim, rim, the exterior part of a thing; Ar. رَامَ, to exceed, to depart. Class Rm, No. 5. See also No. 9, and 23.]

To wander; to ramble; to rove; to walk or move about from place to place without any certain purpose or direction. The wolf and the savage roam in the forest. Daphne roaming through a thorny wood. – Shak.

ROAM, v.t.

To range; to wander over; as, to roam the woods; but the phrase is elliptical. – Milton.

ROAM-ED, pp.

Ranged; wandered over.

ROAM-ER, n.

A wanderer; a rover; a rambler; a vagrant.

ROAM-ING, n.

The act of wandering.

ROAM-ING, ppr.

Wandering; roving.

ROAN, a. [F. rouan.]

A roan horse is one that is of a bay, sorrel or dark color, with spots of gray or white thickly interspersed. – Far. Dict.

ROAN-TREE, n.

A tree of the genus Sorbus or Pyrus; the mountain ash. – Lee.

ROAR, n.

1. A full loud sound of some continuance; the cry of a beast; as, the roar of a lion or bull.
2. The loud cry of a child or person in distress.
3. Clamor; outcry of joy or mirth; as, a roar of laughter. He set the company in a roar.
4. The loud continued sound of the sea in a storm, or the howling of a tempest. – Philips.
5. Any loud sound of some continuance; as, the roar of cannon.