Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RAD'I-CLE, n. [L. radicula, from radix.]

1. That part of the seed of a plant which upon vegetating becomes the root. – Encyc.
2. The fibrous parts of a root which are renewed every year, and which are the parts that absorb the nutriment from the earth.

RA'DI-O-LITES, n.

A genus of fossil shells, the inferior valve in the shape of a reversed cone, the superior valve convex. Brande.

RA-DI-OM'E-TER, n. [L. radius, rod, and Gr. μετρον, measure.]

The forestaff, an instrument for taking the altitudes of celestial bodies. – Ash.

RAD'ISH, n. [Sax. rædic; D. radys; G. radiess; Corn. rydhik; Ir. raidis; W. rhuzygyl, from rhuzyg, red. See Ruddy.]

A plant of the genus Raphanus, the root of which is eaten raw. Horse-radish is of the genus Cochlearia. Water-radish is of the genus Sisymbrium.

RA'DI-US, n. [L. id, a ray, a rod, a beam, a spoke, that is, a shoot; radio, to shine, that is, to dart beams. See Ray.]

1. In geometry, a right line drawn or extending from the center of a circle to the periphery, and hence the semidiameter of the circle. In trigonometry, the radius is the whole sine, or sine of 90°.
2. In anatomy, the exterior bone of the fore arm, descending along with the ulna from the elbow to the wrist.
3. In botany, a ray; the outer part or circumference of a compound radiate flower, or radiated discous flower. – Martyn.

RA'DIX, n. [L. a root.]

1. In etymology, a primitive word from which spring other words.
2. In logarithms, the base of any system of logarithms, or that number whose logarithm is unity. Thus in Briggs's, or the common system of logarithms, the radix is 10; in Napier's it is 2.7182818284. All other numbers are considered as some powers or roots, of the radix, the exponents of which powers or roots, constitute the logarithms of those numbers respectively.
3. In algebra, radix sometimes denotes the root of a finite expression, from which a series is derived. – Hutton.

RAFF, n.

1. The sweepings of society; the rabble; the mob, [colluvies.] This is used chiefly in the compound or duplicate, riffraff. [Pers. رُفْتَه roftah, L. quisquiliae, sweepings.]
2. A promiscuous heap or collection; a jumble. – Barrow.

RAFF, v.t. [G. raffen, to sweep, to seize or snatch. It seems to be from the root of Sax. reafian, L. rapio; Ch. Syr. and Heb. גרף, Ar. جَرَفَ jarafa, to sweep away; Pers. رُفْتَنْ roftan, id.]

To sweep; to snatch, draw or huddle together; to take by a promiscuous sweep. [Obs.] Their causes and effects I thus raff up together. – Carew.

RAF'FLE, n.

A game of chance, or lottery in which several persons deposit a part of the value of the thing, in consideration of the chance of gaining it. The successful thrower of the dice takes or sweeps the whole.

RAF'FLE, v.i. [Fr. rafler, to sweep away, to sweep stakes; D. ryffelen; Sp. rifar, to raffle, and to strive, to quarrel, to dispute, and to rive, to split a sail; Port. rifa, a set of cards of the same color, and a raffle or raffling, also a craggy or steep place; rifar, to neigh, as a mettlesome horse; probably from riving, opening with a burst of sound, or as we say, to rip out (an oath.) The Sp. rifar, to strive, is precisely the Heb. רוב, to strive; Syr. to make a tumult or clamor; all from driving or violence. See Class Rb, No. 4, 12, 19, Pers. رُفْتَنْ roftan, to sweep, to clean the teeth. See Raff.]

To cast dice for a prize, for which each person concerned in the game lays down a stake, or hazards a part of the value as, to raffle for a watch.

RAF'FLER, n.

One who raffles.

RAF'FLING, ppr.

Throwing dice for a prize staked by number.

RAFF'-MER-CHANT, n.

A lumber merchant. [Local.]

RAFT, n. [in Dan. raft is a rack for hay; in Sax. reafian is the L. rapio; qu. from floating, sweeping along, or Gr. ῥαπτω to sew, that is, to fasten together, and allied to reeve; or Gr. ερεφω whence οροφη, a flooring. See Rafter and Roof.]

An assemblage of boards, planks or pieces of timber fastened together horizontally and floated down a stream; a float. – Shak. Pope.

RAFT, pp. [Sax. reafian, to seize, L. rapio; bereafian, to snatch away, to bereave.]

Torn; rent; severed. [Obs.] – Spenser.

RAFT, v.t.

To transport on a raft.

RAFT'ED, pp.

Floated down a stream, as planks or pieces of timber fastened together.

RAFT-ER, n. [Sax. ræfter; Gr. ερεφω, to cover; οροφη, a roof; Russ. strop, a roof.]

A roof timber; a piece of timber that extends from the plate of a building to the ridge, and serves to support the covering of the roof. – Milton. Pope.

RAFT-ER-ED, a.

Built or furnished with rafters.

RAFT-ING, n.

The business of floating rafts.

RAFT'ING, ppr.

Floating rafts.

RAFTS-MAN, n.

A man who manages a raft.

RAFT-Y, a.

Damp; musty. [Local.] – Robinson.

RAG, n. [Sax. hracod, torn, ragged; racian, to rake; Dan. rager, to rake; ragerie, old clothes; Sw. raka, to shave, ragg, rough hair; Gr. ῥακος, a torn garment, ῥακοω, to tear, ῥαγας, a rupture, a rock, a crag; ῥαγοω, to tear asunder; W. rhwygaw, to rend; Arm. roga, id. The Spanish has the word in the compounds andrajo, a rag, andrajoso, rugged; It. straccio, a rent, a rag; stracciare, to tear; Ar. خَرَقَ charaka or garaka, to tear. Class Rg, No. 34.]

1. Any piece of cloth torn from the rest; a tattered cloth torn or worn till its texture is destroyed. Linen and cotton rags are the chief materials of paper.
2. Garments worn out; proverbially, mean dress. Drowsiness shall clothe a man with rage. – Prov. xxiii. And virtue, though in rags, will keep me warm. – Dryden.
3. A fragment of dress. – Hudibras.

RAG, v.t. [Qu. Sax. wregian, to accuse; or from the root of rage. The sense is to break or burst forth.]

To scold; to rail. [Local.] – Pegge.