Reascent Re`as·cent" (-sĕnt") noun A returning ascent or ascension; acclivity. Cowper.

Reason Rea"son (rē"z'n) noun [ Middle English resoun , French raison , from Latin ratio (akin to Goth. raþjō number, account, ga raþjan to count, German rede speech, reden to speak), from reri , ratus , to reckon, believe, think. Confer Arraign , Rate , Ratio , Ration .] 1. A thought or a consideration offered in support of a determination or an opinion; a just ground for a conclusion or an action; that which is offered or accepted as an explanation; the efficient cause of an occurrence or a phenomenon; a motive for an action or a determination; proof, more or less decisive, for an opinion or a conclusion; principle; efficient cause; final cause; ground of argument.

I 'll give him reasons for it.

Shak.

The reason of the motion of the balance in a wheel watch is by the motion of the next wheel.

Sir M. Hale.

This reason did the ancient fathers render, why the church was called "catholic."

Bp. Pearson.

Virtue and vice are not arbitrary things; but there is a natural and eternal reason for that goodness and virtue, and against vice and wickedness.

Tillotson.

2. The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals; the higher as distinguished from the lower cognitive faculties, sense, imagination, and memory, and in contrast to the feelings and desires. Reason comprises conception, judgment, reasoning, and the intuitional faculty. Specifically, it is the intuitional faculty, or the faculty of first truths, as distinguished from the understanding, which is called the discursive or ratiocinative faculty.

We have no other faculties of perceiving or knowing anything divine or human, but by our five senses and our reason .

P. Browne.

In common and popular discourse, reason denotes that power by which we distinguish truth from falsehood, and right from wrong, and by which we are enabled to combine means for the attainment of particular ends.

Stewart.

Reason is used sometimes to express the whole of those powers which elevate man above the brutes, and constitute his rational nature, more especially, perhaps, his intellectual powers; sometimes to express the power of deduction or argumentation.

Stewart.

By the pure reason I mean the power by which we become possessed of principles.

Coleridge.

The sense perceives; the understanding, in its own peculiar operation, conceives; the reason , or rationalized understanding, comprehends.

Coleridge.

3. Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.

I was promised, on a time,
To have reason for my rhyme.

Spenser.

But law in a free nation hath been ever public reason ; the enacted reason of a parliament, which he denying to enact, denies to govern us by that which ought to be our law; interposing his own private reason , which to us is no law.

Milton.

The most probable way of bringing France to reason would be by the making an attempt on the Spanish West Indies.

Addison.

4. (Math.) Ratio; proportion. [ Obsolete] Barrow.

By reason of , by means of; on account of; because of. "Spain is thin sown of people, partly by reason of the sterility of the soil." Bacon. -- In reason , In all reason , in justice; with rational ground; in a right view.

When anything is proved by as good arguments as a thing of that kind is capable of, we ought not, in reason , to doubt of its existence.

Tillotson.

-- It is reason , it is reasonable; it is right. [ Obsolete]

Yet it were great reason , that those that have children should have greatest care of future times.

Bacon.

Syn. -- Motive; argument; ground; consideration; principle; sake; account; object; purpose; design. See Motive , Sense .

Reason Rea"son (rē"z'n) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Reasoned (-z'nd); present participle & verbal noun Reasoning .] [ Confer French raisonner . See Reason , noun ] 1. To exercise the rational faculty; to deduce inferences from premises; to perform the process of deduction or of induction; to ratiocinate; to reach conclusions by a systematic comparison of facts.

2. Hence: To carry on a process of deduction or of induction, in order to convince or to confute; to formulate and set forth propositions and the inferences from them; to argue.

Stand still, that I may reason with you, before the Lord, of all the righteous acts of the Lord.

1 Sam. xii. 7.

3. To converse; to compare opinions. Shak.

Reason Rea"son transitive verb 1. To arrange and present the reasons for or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend.

When they are clearly discovered, well digested, and well reasoned in every part, there is beauty in such a theory.

T. Burnet.

2. To support with reasons, as a request. [ R.] Shak.

3. To persuade by reasoning or argument; as, to reason one into a belief; to reason one out of his plan.

Men that will not be reasoned into their senses.

L'Estrange.

4. To overcome or conquer by adducing reasons; -- with down ; as, to reason down a passion.

5. To find by logical processes; to explain or justify by reason or argument; -- usually with out ; as, to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.

Reasonable Rea"son·a·ble (-ȧ*b'l) adjective [ Middle English resonable , French raisonnable , from Latin rationabilis . See Reason , noun ] 1. Having the faculty of reason; endued with reason; rational; as, a reasonable being.

2. Governed by reason; being under the influence of reason; thinking, speaking, or acting rationally, or according to the dictates of reason; agreeable to reason; just; rational; as, the measure must satisfy all reasonable men.

By indubitable certainty, I mean that which doth not admit of any reasonable cause of doubting.

Bp. Wilkins.

Men have no right to what is not reasonable .

Burke.

3. Not excessive or immoderate; within due limits; proper; as, a reasonable demand, amount, price.

Let . . . all things be thought upon
That may, with reasonable swiftness, add
More feathers to our wings.

Shak.

Syn. -- Rational; just; honest; equitable; fair; suitable; moderate; tolerable. See Rational .

Reasonable Rea"son·a·ble adverb Reasonably; tolerably. [ Obsolete]

I have a reasonable good ear in music.

Shak.

Reasonableness Rea"son·a·ble·ness noun Quality of being reasonable.

Reasonably Rea"son·a·bly adverb 1. In a reasonable manner.

2. Moderately; tolerably. " Reasonably perfect in the language." Holder.

Reasoner Rea"son·er (-ẽr) noun One who reasons or argues; as, a fair reasoner ; a close reasoner ; a logical reasoner .

Reasoning Rea"son·ing noun 1. The act or process of adducing a reason or reasons; manner of presenting one's reasons.

2. That which is offered in argument; proofs or reasons when arranged and developed; course of argument.

His reasoning was sufficiently profound.

Macaulay.

Syn. -- Argumentation; argument. -- Reasoning , Argumentation . Few words are more interchanged than these; and yet, technically, there is a difference between them. Reasoning is the broader term, including both deduction and induction. Argumentation denotes simply the former, and descends from the whole to some included part; while reasoning embraces also the latter, and ascends from the parts to a whole. See Induction . Reasoning is occupied with ideas and their relations; argumentation has to do with the forms of logic. A thesis is set down: you attack, I defend it; you insist, I reply; you deny, I prove; you distinguish, I destroy your distinctions; my replies balance or overturn your objections. Such is argumentation . It supposes that there are two sides, and that both agree to the same rules. Reasoning , on the other hand, is often a natural process, by which we form, from the general analogy of nature, or special presumptions in the case, conclusions which have greater or less degrees of force, and which may be strengthened or weakened by subsequent experience.

Reasonist Rea"son·ist noun A rationalist. [ Obsolete]

Such persons are now commonly called " reasonists " and "rationalists," to distinguish them from true reasoners and rational inquirers.

Waterland.

Reasonless Rea"son·less adjective 1. Destitute of reason; as, a reasonless man or mind. Shak.

2. Void of reason; not warranted or supported by reason; unreasonable.

This proffer is absurd and reasonless .

Shak.

Reassemblage Re`as·sem"blage (rē`ăs*sĕm"blaj) noun Assemblage a second time or again.

Reassemble Re`as·sem"ble (-b'l) transitive verb & i. To assemble again.

Reassert Re`as·sert" (-sẽrt") transitive verb To assert again or anew; to maintain after an omission to do so.

Let us hope . . . we may have a body of authors who will reassert our claim to respectability in literature.

Walsh.

Reassertion Re`as·ser"tion (-sẽr"shŭn) noun A second or renewed assertion of the same thing.

Reassessment Re`as·sess"ment (-sĕs"m e nt) noun A renewed or second assessment.

Reassign Re`as·sign" (-sīn") transitive verb To assign back or again; to transfer back what has been assigned.

Reassignment Re`as·sign"ment (-m e nt) noun The act of reassigning.

Reassimilate Re`as·sim"i·late (-sĭm"ĭ*lāt) transitive verb & i. To assimilate again. -- Re`as*sim`i*la"tion (-lā"shŭn) noun

Reassociate Re`as·so"ci·ate (-sō"shĭ*āt) transitive verb & i. To associate again; to bring again into close relations.

Reassume Re`as·sume" (-sūm") transitive verb To assume again or anew; to resume. -- Re`as*sump"tion (- sŭmp"shŭn) noun

Reassurance Re`as·sur"ance (rē`ȧ*shur" a ns) noun 1. Assurance or confirmation renewed or repeated. Prynne.

2. (Law) Same as Reinsurance .

Reassure Re`as·sure" (rē`ȧ*shur") transitive verb 1. To assure anew; to restore confidence to; to free from fear or terror.

They rose with fear, . . .
Till dauntless Pallas reassured the rest.

Dryden.

2. To reinsure.

Reassurer Re`as·sur"er (-ẽr) noun One who reassures.

Reasty Reas"ty (rēs"tȳ) adjective [ Etymol. uncertain.] Rusty and rancid; -- applied to salt meat. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.] Tusser. -- Reas"ti*ness (-tĭ*nĕs) noun [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]

Reata Re·a"ta (ra*ä"tȧ) noun [ Spanish ] A lariat.

Reattach Re`at·tach" (rē`ăt*tăch") transitive verb To attach again.

Reattachment Re`at·tach"ment (-m e nt) noun The act of reattaching; a second attachment.

Reattain Re`at·tain" (-tān") transitive verb To attain again.

Reattainment Re`at·tain"ment (-m e nt) noun The act of reattaining.

Reattempt Re`at·tempt" (-tĕmt"; 215) transitive verb To attempt again.

Reaume Re"aume (rē"am) noun Realm. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Réaumur Ré`au`mur" (ra`ō`mur") adjective Of or pertaining to René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur ; conformed to the scale adopted by Réaumur in graduating the thermometer he invented. -- noun A Réaumur thermometer or scale.

» The Réaumur thermometer is so graduated that 0° marks the freezing point and 80° the boiling point of water. Frequently indicated by R. Confer Centigrade , and Fahrenheit . See Illust. of Thermometer .

Reave Reave (rēv) transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Reaved (rēvd), Reft (rĕft), or Raft (rȧft) (obs.); present participle & verbal noun Reaving .] [ Anglo-Saxon reáfian , from reáf spoil, plunder, clothing, reófan to break (cf. bireófan to deprive of); akin to German rauben to rob, Icelandic raufa to rob, rjūfa to break, violate, Goth. biráubōn to despoil, Latin rumpere to break; confer Sanskrit lup to break. √114. Confer Bereave , Rob , transitive verb , Robe , Rove , intransitive verb , Rupture .] To take away by violence or by stealth; to snatch away; to rob; to despoil; to bereave. [ Archaic] "To reave his life." Spenser.

He golden apples raft of the dragon.

Chaucer.

If the wooers reave
By privy stratagem my life at home.

Chapman.

To reave the orphan of his patrimony.

Shak.

The heathen caught and reft him of his tongue.

Tennyson.

Reaver Reav"er (rēv"ẽr) noun One who reaves. [ Archaic]

Reawake Re`a·wake" (rē`ȧ*wāk") intransitive verb To awake again.

Rebanish Re·ban"ish (rē*băn"ĭsh) transitive verb To banish again.

Rebaptism Re·bap"tism (rē*băp"tĭz'm) noun A second baptism.

Rebaptization Re·bap`ti·za"tion (-tĭ*zā"shŭn) noun [ Confer French rebaptisation .] A second baptism. [ Obsolete] Hooker.

Rebaptize Re`bap·tize" (rē`băp*tīz") transitive verb [ Prefix re- + baptize : confer French rebaptiser , Latin rebaptizare .] To baptize again or a second time.

Rebaptizer Re`bap·tiz"er (-tīz"ẽr) noun One who rebaptizes.

Rebarbarize Re·bar"ba·rize (rē*bär"bȧ*rīz) transitive verb To reduce again to barbarism. -- Re*bar`ba*ri*za"tion (-rĭ*zā"shŭn) noun

Germany . . . rebarbarized by polemical theology and religious wars.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Rebate Re·bate" (re*bāt") transitive verb [ French rebattre to beat again; prefix re- re- + battre to beat, Latin batuere to beat, strike. See Abate .] 1. To beat to obtuseness; to deprive of keenness; to blunt; to turn back the point of, as a lance used for exercise.

But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge.

Shak.

2. To deduct from; to make a discount from, as interest due, or customs duties. Blount.

Rebated cross , a cross which has the extremities of the arms bent back at right angles, as in the fylfot.

Rebate Re·bate" intransitive verb To abate; to withdraw. [ Obsolete] Foxe.

Rebate Re·bate" noun 1. Diminution.

2. (Com.) Deduction; abatement; as, a rebate of interest for immediate payment; a rebate of importation duties. Bouvier.

Rebate Re·bate" noun [ See Rabbet .] 1. (Architecture) A rectangular longitudinal recess or groove, cut in the corner or edge of any body; a rabbet. See Rabbet .

2. A piece of wood hafted into a long stick, and serving to beat out mortar. Elmes.

3. An iron tool sharpened something like a chisel, and used for dressing and polishing wood. Elmes.

4. [ Perhaps a different word.] A kind of hard freestone used in making pavements. [ R.] Elmes.

Rebate Re·bate" transitive verb To cut a rebate in. See Rabbet , v.

Rebatement Re·bate"ment (-m e nt) noun [ Confer Old French rabatement , from rabatre to diminish, French rabattre .] Same as 3d Rebate .

Rebato Re·ba"to (re*bā"to) noun Same as Rabato . Burton.

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