Ruddle Rud"dle noun A riddle or sieve. [ Obsolete] Holland.

Ruddle Rud"dle noun [ See Rud ; confer Reddle .] (Min.) A species of red earth colored by iron sesquioxide; red ocher.

Ruddle Rud"dle transitive verb To mark with ruddle; to raddle; to rouge. "Their ruddled cheeks." Thackeray.

A fair sheep newly ruddled .

Lady M. W. Montagu.

Ruddock Rud"dock noun [ Anglo-Saxon ruddic ; confer W. rhuddog the redbreast. √113. See Rud , noun ] [ Written also raddock .] 1. (Zoology) The European robin. "The tame ruddock and the coward kite." Chaucer.

2. A piece of gold money; -- probably because the gold of coins was often reddened by copper alloy. Called also red ruddock , and golden ruddock . [ Obsolete]

Great pieces of gold . . . red ruddocks .

Florio.

Ruddy Rud"dy adjective [ Compar. Ruddier ; superl. Ruddiest .] [ Anglo-Saxon rudig . See Rud , noun ] 1. Of a red color; red, or reddish; as, a ruddy sky; a ruddy flame. Milton.

They were more ruddy in body than rubies.

Lam. iv. 7.

2. Of a lively flesh color, or the color of the human skin in high health; as, ruddy cheeks or lips. Dryden.

Ruddy duck (Zoology) , an American duck ( Erismatura rubida ) having a broad bill and a wedge-shaped tail composed of stiff, sharp feathers. The adult male is rich brownish red on the back, sides, and neck, black on the top of the head, nape, wings, and tail, and white on the cheeks. The female and young male are dull brown mixed with blackish on the back; grayish below. Called also dunbird , dundiver , ruddy diver , stifftail , spinetail , hardhead , sleepy duck , fool duck , spoonbill , etc. -- Ruddy plover (Zoology) the sanderling.

Ruddy Rud"dy transitive verb To make ruddy. [ R.] Sir W. Scott.

Rude Rude adjective [ Compar. Ruder ; superl. Rudest .] [ French, from Latin rudis .] 1. Characterized by roughness; umpolished; raw; lacking delicacy or refinement; coarse.

Such gardening tools as art, yet rude , . . . had formed.

Milton.

2. Hence, specifically: (a) Unformed by taste or skill; not nicely finished; not smoothed or polished; -- said especially of material things; as, rude workmanship. " Rude was the cloth." Chaucer.

Rude and unpolished stones.

Bp. Stillingfleet.

The heaven-born child
All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies.

Milton.

(b) Of untaught manners; unpolished; of low rank; uncivil; clownish; ignorant; raw; unskillful; -- said of persons, or of conduct, skill, and the like. "Mine ancestors were rude ." Chaucer.

He was but rude in the profession of arms.

Sir H. Wotton.

the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.

Gray.

(c) Violent; tumultuous; boisterous; inclement; harsh; severe; -- said of the weather, of storms, and the like; as, the rude winter.

[ Clouds] pushed with winds, rude in their shock.

Milton.

The rude agitation [ of water] breaks it into foam.

Boyle.

(d) Barbarous; fierce; bloody; impetuous; -- said of war, conflict, and the like; as, the rude shock of armies. (e) Not finished or complete; inelegant; lacking chasteness or elegance; not in good taste; unsatisfactory in mode of treatment; -- said of literature, language, style, and the like. "The rude Irish books." Spenser.

Rude am I in my speech.

Shak.

Unblemished by my rude translation.

Dryden.

Syn. -- Impertinent; rough; uneven; shapeless; unfashioned; rugged; artless; unpolished; uncouth; inelegant; rustic; coarse; vulgar; clownish; raw; unskillful; untaught; illiterate; ignorant; uncivil; impolite; saucy; impudent; insolent; surly; currish; churlish; brutal; uncivilized; barbarous; savage; violent; fierce; tumultuous; turbulent; impetuous; boisterous; harsh; inclement; severe. See Impertiment .

-- Rude"ly adverb -- Rude"ness , noun

Rudenture Ru"den·ture noun [ French, from Latin rudens a rope.] (Architecture) Cabling. See Cabling . gwilt.

Ruderary Ru"de·ra·ry adjective [ Latin ruderarius , from rudus , ruderis , stones crushed and mixed with lime, old rubbish.] Of or pertaining to rubbish.. [ Obsolete] Bailey.

Rudesby Rudes"by noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] An uncivil, turbulent fellow. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Rudiment Ru"di·ment noun [ Latin rudimentum , from rudis unwrought, ignorant, rude: confer French rudiment . See Rude .] 1. That which is unformed or undeveloped; the principle which lies at the bottom of any development; an unfinished beginning.

but I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit
Those rudiments , and see before thine eyes
The monarchies of the earth.

Milton.

the single leaf is the rudiment of beauty in landscape.

I. Taylor.

2. Hence, an element or first principle of any art or science; a beginning of any knowledge; a first step.

This boy is forest-born,
And hath been tutored in the rudiments
of many desperate studies.

Shak.

There he shall first lay down the rudiments
Of his great warfare.

Milton.

3. (Biol.) An imperfect organ or part, or one which is never developed.

Rudiment Ru"di·ment transitive verb To furnish with first principles or rules; to insrtuct in the rudiments. Gayton.

Rudimental Ru`di·men"tal adjective Rudimentary. Addison.

Rudimentary Ru`di·men"ta·ry adjective [ Confer French rudimentaire .] 1. Of or pertaining to rudiments; consisting in first principles; elementary; initial; as, rudimental essays.

2. (Biol.) Very imperfectly developed; in an early stage of development; embryonic.

Rudish Rud"ish adjective Somewhat rude. Foote.

Rudistes Ru·dis"tes noun plural [ New Latin , from Latin rudis rough.] (Paleon.) An extinct order or suborder of bivalve mollusks characteristic of the Cretaceous period; -- called also Rudista . See Illust. under Hippurite .

Rudity Ru"di·ty noun [ Latin ruditas ignorance, from rudis rude, illiterate.] Rudeness; ignorance. [ R.]

Rudmasday Rud"mas·day noun [ See Rood , Mass , Day .] (R.C.Ch.) Either of the feasts of the Holy Cross, occuring on May 3 and September 14, annually.

Rudolphine Ru·dolph"ine adjective Pertaining to, or designating, a set of astronomical tables computed by Kepler, and founded on the observations of Tycho Brahe; -- so named from Rudolph II., emperor of Germany.

Rue Rue noun [ French rue , Latin ruta , akin to Greek ...; confer Anglo-Saxon r...de .] 1. (Botany) A perennial suffrutescent plant ( Ruta graveolens ), having a strong, heavy odor and a bitter taste; herb of grace. It is used in medicine.

Then purged with euphrasy and rue
The visual nerve, for he had much to see.

Milton.

They [ the exorcists] are to try the devil by holy water, incense, sulphur, rue , which from thence, as we suppose, came to be called herb of grace.

Jer. Taylor.

2. Fig.: Bitterness; disappointment; grief; regret.

Goat's rue . See under Goat . -- Rue anemone , a pretty springtime flower ( Thalictrum anemonides ) common in the United States. -- Wall rue , a little fern ( Asplenium Ruta- muraria ) common on walls in Europe.

Rue Rue transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Rued ; present participle & verbal noun Ruing .] [ Middle English rewen , reouwen , to grive, make sorry, Anglo-Saxon hreówan ; akin to Old Saxon hrewan , Dutch rouwen , Old High German hriuwan , German reun , Icelandic hruggr grieved, hrugð sorrow. √ 18. Confer Ruth .] 1. To lament; to regret extremely; to grieve for or over. Chaucer.

I wept to see, and rued it from my heart.

Chapmen.

Thy will
Chose freely what it now so justly rues .

Milton.

2. To cause to grieve; to afflict. [ Obsolete] "God wot, it rueth me." Chaucer.

3. To repent of, and withdraw from, as a bargain; to get released from. [ Prov. Eng.]

Rue Rue intransitive verb 1. To have compassion. [ Obsolete]

God so wisly [ i. e. , truly] on my soul rue .

Chaucer.

Which stirred men's hearts to rue upon them.

Ridley.

2. To feel sorrow and regret; to repent.

Work by counsel and thou shalt not rue .

Chaucer.

Old year, we'll dearly rue for you.

Tennyson.

Rue Rue noun [ Anglo-Saxon hreów . See Rue , transitive verb ] Sorrow; repetance. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Rueful Rue"ful adjective 1. Causing one to rue or lament; woeful; mournful; sorrowful.

2. Expressing sorrow. " Rueful faces." Dryden.

Two rueful figures, with long black cloaks.

Sir W. Scott.

-- Rue"ful*ly , adverb -- Rue"ful*ness , noun

Ruell bone Ru"ell bone` See rewel bone . [ Obsolete]

Ruelle Ru·elle" noun [ French ruelle a narrow street, a lan..., ruelle, from rue a street.] A private circle or assembly at a private house; a circle. [ Obsolete] Dryden.

Rufescent Ru·fes"cent adjective [ Latin rufescens , present participle of rufescere to become reddish, from rufus red: confer French rufescent .] Reddish; tinged with red.

Ruff Ruff noun [ French ronfle ; confer Italian ronfa , Portuguese rufa , rifa .] (Card Playing) (a) A game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it. Nares.

(b) The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of the suit led.

Ruff Ruff intransitive verb & t. (Card Playing) To trump.

Ruff Ruff noun [ Of uncertain origin: confer Icelandic r...finn rough, uncombed, Pr. ruf rude, rough, Spanish rufo frizzed, crisp, curled, German raufen to pluck, fight, rupfen to pluck, pull, English rough . √18. Confer Ruffle to wrinkle.] 1. A muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn formerly by both sexes, now only by women and children.

Here to-morrow with his best ruff on.

Shak.

His gravity is much lessened since the late proclamation came out against ruffs ; . . . they were come to that height of excess herein, that twenty shillings were used to be paid for starching of a ruff .

Howell.

2. Something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar of this name.

I reared this flower; . . .
Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread.

Pope.

3. An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.

How many princes . . . in the ruff of all their glory, have been taken down from the head of a conquering army to the wheel of the victor's chariot!

L'Estrange.

4. Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct. [ Obsolete]

To ruffle it out in a riotous ruff .

Latimer.

5. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; a ruffle.

6. (Machinery) A collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent endwise motion. See Illust. of Collar .

7. (Zoology) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.

8. (Zoology) (a) A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia ( Pavoncella, or Philommachus, pugnax ) allied to the sandpipers. The males during the breeding season have a large ruff of erectile feathers, variable in their colors, on the neck, and yellowish naked tubercles on the face. They are polygamous, and are noted for their pugnacity in the breeding season. The female is called reeve , or rheeve . (b) A variety of the domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its neck.

Ruff Ruff transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Ruffed ; present participle & verbal noun Ruffing .] 1. To ruffle; to disorder. Spenser.

2. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.

3. (Hawking) To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.

Ruff, Ruffe Ruff, Ruffe noun [ Middle English ruffe .] (Zoology) A small freshwater European perch ( Acerina vulgaris ); -- called also pope , blacktail , and stone, or striped, perch .

Ruffed Ruffed adjective Furnished with a ruff.

Ruffed grouse (Zoology) , a North American grouse ( Bonasa umbellus ) common in the wooded districts of the Northern United States. The male has a ruff of brown or black feathers on each side of the neck, and is noted for the loud drumming sound he makes during the breeding season. Called also tippet grouse , partridge , birch partridge , pheasant , drummer , and white-flesher . -- ruffed lemur (Zoology) , a species of lemur ( lemur varius ) having a conspicuous ruff on the sides of the head. Its color is varied with black and white. Called also ruffed maucaco .

Ruffian Ruf"fian noun [ French rufien , Old French ruffen , ruffian , pimp. libertine, ake; confer pr. & Spanish rufian , Italian ruffiano ; all perhaps of German or Dutch origin; confer German raufen to pluck, scuffle, fight, OD. roffen to pander. Confer Ruffle to grow urbulent .] 1. A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour. [ Obsolete]

he [ her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, reveling with her ruffians .

Bp. Reynolds.

2. A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat.

Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian ?

Shak.

Ruffian Ruf"fian adjective brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.

Ruffian Ruf"fian intransitive verb To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [ R.] Shak.

Ruffianage Ruf"fian·age noun Ruffians, collectively; a body of ruffians. "The vilest ruffianage ." Sir F. Palgrave.

Ruffianish Ruf"fian·ish adjective Having the qualities or manners of a ruffian; ruffianly.

Ruffianlike Ruf"fian·like` adjective Ruffianly. Fulke.

Ruffianly Ruf"fian·ly adjective Like a ruffian; bold in crimes; characteristic of a ruffian; violent; brutal.

Ruffianous Ruf"fian·ous adjective Ruffianly. [ Obsolete] Chapman.

Ruffin Ruf"fin adjective [ See Ruffian .] Disordered. [ Obsolete]

His ruffin rainment all was stained with blood.

Spenser.

Ruffle Ruf"fle transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Ruffled ; present participle & verbal noun Ruffling .] [ From Ruff a plaited collar, a drum beat, a tumult: confer OD. ruyffelen to wrinkle.] 1. To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.

2. To furnish with ruffles; as, to ruffle a shirt.

3. To oughen or disturb the surface of; to make uneven by agitation or commotion.

The fantastic revelries . . . that so often ruffled the placid bosom of the Nile.

I. Taylor.

She smoothed the ruffled seas.

Dryden.

4. To erect in a ruff, as feathers.

[ the swan] ruffles her pure cold plume.

Tennyson.

5. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.

6. To discompose; to agitate; to disturb.

These ruffle the tranquillity of the mind.

Sir W. Hamilton.

But, ever after, the small violence done
Rankled in him and ruffled all his heart.

Tennyson.

7. To throw into disorder or confusion.

Where best
He might the ruffled foe infest.

Hudibras.

8. To throw together in a disorderly manner. [ R.]

I ruffled up falen leaves in heap.

Chapman

To ruffle the feathers of , to exite the resentment of; to irritate.

Ruffle Ruf"fle intransitive verb [ Perhaps of different origin from ruffle to wrinkle; confer OD. roffeln , roffen , to pander, LG. raffein , Danish ruffer a pimp. Confer Rufflan .] 1. To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent. [ R.]

The night comes on, and the bleak winds
Do sorely ruffle .

Shak.

2. To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.

On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined,
Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind.

Dryden.

3. To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.

They would ruffle with jurors.

Bacon.

Gallants who ruffled in silk and embroidery.

Sir W. Scott.

Ruffle Ruf"fle noun [ See Ruffle , transitive verb & i. ] 1. That which is ruffled; specifically, a strip of lace, cambric, or other fine cloth, plaited or gathered on one edge or in the middle, and used as a trimming; a frill.

2. A state of being ruffled or disturbed; disturbance; agitation; commotion; as, to put the mind in a ruffle .

3. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; -- called also ruff . H. Latin Scott.

4. (Zoology) The connected series of large egg capsules, or oöthecæ, of any one of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur . See Oötheca .

Ruffle of a boot , the top turned down, and scalloped or plaited. Halliwell.

Ruffleless Ruf"fle·less adjective Having no ruffle.

Rufflement Ruf"fle·ment noun The act of ruffling. [ R.]

Ruffler Ruf"fler noun 1. One who ruffles; a swaggerer; a bully; a ruffian.

Assaults, if not murders, done at his own doors by that crew of rufflers .

Milton.

2. That which ruffles; specifically, a sewing machine attachment for making ruffles.

Rufigallic Ru`fi·gal"lic adjective [ Rufi opin + gallic .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid which is obtained from gallic acid as a brown or red crystalline substance, and is related to rufiopin and anthracene.

Rufiopin Ru`fi·o"pin noun [ Latin rufus reddish + op ianic.] (Chemistry) A yellowish red crystalline substance related to anthracene, and obtained from opianic acid.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter R > Page 102 of 108.
« Previous ¦94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 ¦ Next »