Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RICH, a. [Fr. riche; Sp. rico; It. ricco; Sax. ric, rice, ricca; D. ryk; G. reich; Sw. rik; Dan. rig, riig. This word in Saxon signifies great, noble, powerful, as well as rich. It is probable therefore it is connected with ric, dominion, L. rego, regnum, Eng. reach, region, from extending.]

1. Wealthy; opulent; possessing a large portion of land, goods or money, or a larger portion than is common to other men or to men of like rank. A farmer may be rich with property which would not make a nobleman rich. An annual income of £500 sterling would make a rich vicar, but not a rich bishop. Men more willingly acknowledge others to be richer, than to be wiser than themselves. Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold. – Gen. xiii.
2. Splendid; costly; valuable; precious; sumptuous; as, a rich dress; a rich border; a rich silk; rich furniture; a rich present.
3. Abundant in materials; yielding great quantities of any thing valuable; as, a rich mine; rich ore.
4. Abounding in valuable ingredients or qualities; as, a rich odor or flavor; rich spices. – Waller. Baker. So we say, a rich description; a discourse, rich in ideas.
5. Full of valuable achievements or works. Each minute shall be rich in some great action. – Rowe.
6. Fertile; fruitful, capable of producing large crops or quantities; as, a rich soil; rich land; rich mold. Philips.
7. Abundant; large; as, a rich crop.
8. Abundant; affording abundance; plentiful. The gorgeous East with richest hand / Pours on her sons barbaric pearl and gold. – Milton.
9. Full of beautiful scenery; as, a rich landscape; a rich prospect.
10. Abounding with elegant colors; as, a rich picture.
11. Plentifully stocked; as, pasture rich in flocks.
12. Strong; vivid; perfect; as, a rich color.
13. Having something precious; as, a grove of rich trees. – Milton.
14. Abounding with nutritious qualities; as, a rich diet.
15. Highly seasoned; as, rich paste; a rich dish of food.
16. Abounding with a variety of delicious food; as, a rich table or entertainment.
17. Containing abundance beyond wants; as, a rich treasury.
18. In music, full of sweet or harmonious sounds.
19. In Scripture, abounding; highly endowed with spiritual gifts, as, rich in faith. – James ii.
20. Placing confidence in outward prosperity. – Matth. xix.
21. Self-righteous; abounding, in one's own opinion, with spiritual graces. – Rev. iii. Rich in mercy, spoken of God, full of mercy, and ready to bestow good things on sinful men. – Eph. ii. Rom. x. The rich, used as a noun, denotes a rich man or person, or more frequently in the plural, rich men or persons. The rich hath many friends. – Prov. xiv.