Rampant Ramp"ant (rămp" a nt) adjective [ French, present participle of ramper to creep. See Ramp , v. ] 1. Ramping; leaping; springing; rearing upon the hind legs; hence, raging; furious.

The fierce lion in his kind
Which goeth rampant after his prey.

Gower.

[ The] lion . . . rampant shakes his brinded mane.

Milton.

2. Ascending; climbing; rank in growth; exuberant.

The rampant stalk is of unusual altitude.

I. Taylor.

3. (Her.) Rising with fore paws in the air as if attacking; -- said of a beast of prey, especially a lion. The right fore leg and right hind leg should be raised higher than the left.

Rampant arch . (a) An arch which has one abutment higher than the other . (b) Same as Rampant vault , below. -- Rampant gardant (Her.) , rampant, but with the face turned to the front. -- Rampant regardant , rampant, but looking backward. -- Rampant vault (Architecture) , a continuous wagon vault, or cradle vault, whose two abutments are located on an inclined plane, such as the vault supporting a stairway, or forming the ceiling of a stairway.

Rampantly Ramp"ant·ly adverb In a rampant manner.

Rampart Ram"part (răm"pärt) noun [ French rempart , Old French rempar , from remparer to fortify, se remparer to fence or intrench one's self; prefix re- re- + prefix en- (L. in ) + parer to defend, parry, prepare, Latin parare to prepare. See Pare .]

1. That which fortifies and defends from assault; that which secures safety; a defense or bulwark.

2. (Fort.) A broad embankment of earth round a place, upon which the parapet is raised. It forms the substratum of every permanent fortification. Mahan.

Syn. -- Bulwark; fence; security; guard. -- Rampart , Bulwark . These words were formerly interchanged; but in modern usage a distinction has sprung up between them. The rampart of a fortified place is the enceinte or entire main embankment or wall which surrounds it. The term bulwark is now applied to peculiarly strong outworks which project for the defense of the rampart , or main work. A single bastion is a bulwark . In using these words figuratively, rampart is properly applied to that which protects by walling out; bulwark to that which stands in the forefront of danger, to meet and repel it. Hence, we speak of a distinguished individual as the bulwark , not the rampart , of the state. This distinction, however, is often disregarded.

Rampart Ram"part transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Ramparted ; present participle & verbal noun Ramparting .] To surround or protect with, or as with, a rampart or ramparts.

Those grassy hills, those glittering dells,
Proudly ramparted with rocks.

Coleridge.

Rampart gun (Fort.) , a cannon or large gun for use on a rampart and not as a fieldpiece.

Rampe Rampe (rămp) noun [ In allusion to its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. See Ramp .] (Botany) The cuckoopint.

Rampier Ram"pier (răm"pēr) noun See Rampart . [ Obsolete]

Rampion Ram"pi·on (răm"pĭ*ŭn) noun [ Confer French raiponce , Spanish ruiponce , reponche , Latin raperonzo , New Latin rapuntium , from Latin rapum , rapa , a turnip, rape. Confer Rape a plant.] (Botany) A plant ( Campanula Rapunculus ) of the Bellflower family, with a tuberous esculent root; -- also called ramps .

» The name is sometimes given to plants of the genus Phyteuma , herbs of the Bellflower family, and to the American evening primrose ( Œnothera biennis ), which has run wild in some parts of Europe.

Rampire Ram"pire (-pīr) noun A rampart. [ Archaic]

The Trojans round the place a rampire cast.

Dryden.

Rampire Ram"pire transitive verb To fortify with a rampire; to form into a rampire. [ Archaic] Chapman. " Rampired walls of gold." R. Browning.

Rampler Ram"pler (răm"plẽr) noun A rambler.

Rampler Ram"pler adjective Roving; rambling. [ Scot.]

Ramrod Ram"rod` (-rŏd`) noun The rod used in ramming home the charge in a muzzle-loading firearm.

Ramshackle Ram"shac·kle (-shăk*k'l) adjective [ Etymol. uncertain.] Loose; disjointed; falling to pieces; out of repair.

There came . . . my lord the cardinal, in his ramshackle coach.

Thackeray.

Ramshackle Ram"shac·kle transitive verb To search or ransack; to rummage. [ Prov. Eng.]

Ramson Ram"son (-z'n) noun [ Anglo-Saxon hramsan , plural, akin to German rams , Swedish rams , rams lök; confer Greek kro`myon onion.] (Botany) A broad-leaved species of garlic ( Allium ursinum ), common in European gardens; -- called also buckram .

Ramsted Ram"sted (-stĕd) noun (Botany) A yellow-flowered weed; -- so named from a Mr. Ramsted who introduced it into Pennsylvania. See Toad flax . Called also Ramsted weed .

Ramtil Ram"til noun [ Bengali ram- til .] A tropical African asteraceous shrub ( Guizotia abyssinica ) cultivated for its seeds (called ramtil, or niger , seeds ) which yield a valuable oil used for food and as an illuminant.

Ramulose Ram"u·lose` (-u*lōs`) adjective [ Latin ramulosus , from ramulus , dim. of ramus a branch.] (Nat. Hist.) Having many small branches, or ramuli.

Ramulous Ram"u·lous (-lŭs) adjective (Nat. Hist.) Ramulose.

Ramulus Ram"u·lus (-lŭs) noun ; plural Ramuli (-lī). (Zoology) A small branch, or branchlet, of corals, hydroids, and similar organisms.

Ramus Ra"mus (rā"mŭs) noun ; plural Rami (-mī). (Nat. Hist.) A branch; a projecting part or prominent process; a ramification.

Ramuscule Ra·mus"cule (rȧ*mŭs"kul) noun [ Latin ramusculus .] (Nat. Hist.) A small ramus, or branch.

Ran Ran (răn), imperfect of Run .

Ran Ran noun [ Anglo-Saxon rān .] Open robbery. [ Obsolete] Lambarde.

Ran Ran noun (Nautical) Yarns coiled on a spun-yarn winch.

Rana Ra"na (rā"nȧ) noun [ Latin , a frog.] (Zoology) A genus of anurous batrachians, including the common frogs.

Ranal Ra"nal (rā"n a l) adjective (Botany) Having a general affinity to ranunculaceous plants.

Ranal alliance (Botany) , a name proposed by Lindley for a group of natural orders, including Ranunculaceæ, Magnoliaceæ, Papaveraceæ, and others related to them.

Rance Rance (răns) noun [ Etymol. uncertain.] 1. A prop or shore. [ Scot.]

2. A round between the legs of a chair.

Rancescent Ran·ces"cent (răn*sĕs"s e nt) adjective [ Latin rancescens , present participle of rancescere , v. incho. from rancere to be rancid.] Becoming rancid or sour.

Ranch Ranch (rănch) transitive verb [ Written also raunch .] [ Confer Wrench .] To wrench; to tear; to sprain; to injure by violent straining or contortion. [ R.] Dryden. "Hasting to raunch the arrow out." Spenser.

Ranch Ranch noun [ See Rancho .] A tract of land used for grazing and the rearing of horses, cattle, or sheep. See Rancho , 2. [ Western U. S.]

Rancheria Ran`che·ri"a noun [ Spanish rancheria .] 1. A dwelling place of a ranchero.

2. A small settlement or collection of ranchos, or rude huts, esp. for Indians. [ Spanish Amer. & Southern U. S.]

3. Formerly, in the Philippines, a political division of the pagan tribes.

Ranchero Ran·che"ro (răn*chā"ro) noun ; plural Rancheros (- rōz). [ Spanish ] [ Mexico & Western U. S.] 1. A herdsman; a peasant employed on a ranch or rancho.

2. The owner and occupant of a ranch or rancho.

Ranchman Ranch"man (rănch"m a n) noun ; plural Ranchmen (-m e n). An owner or occupant of, or laborer on, a ranch; a herdsman. [ Western U. S.]

Rancho Ran"cho (răn"cho) noun ; plural Ranchos (-chōz). [ Spanish , properly, a mess, mess room. Confer 2d Ranch .] 1. A rude hut, as of posts, covered with branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm laborers may live or lodge at night.

2. A large grazing farm where horses and cattle are raised; -- distinguished from hacienda , a cultivated farm or plantation. [ Mexico & California] Bartlett.

Rancid Ran"cid (răn"sĭd) adjective [ Latin rancidus , from rancere to be rancid or rank.] Having a rank smell or taste, from chemical change or decomposition; musty; as, rancid oil or butter.

Rancidity Ran·cid"i·ty (răn*sĭd"ĭ*tȳ) noun [ Confer French rancidité .] The quality or state of being rancid; a rancid scent or flavor, as of old oil. Ure.

Rancidly Ran"cid·ly (răn"sĭd*lȳ) adverb In a rancid manner.

Rancidness Ran"cid·ness noun The quality of being rancid.

Rancor Ran"cor (răn"kẽr) noun [ Written also rancour .] [ Middle English rancour , Old French rancor , rancur , French rancune , from Latin rancor rancidity, rankness; tropically, an old grudge, rancor, from rancere to be rank or rancid.] The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated enmity or malice; inveterate hatred. "To stint rancour and dissencioun." Chaucer.

It would not be easy to conceive the passion, rancor , and malice of their tongues and hearts.

Burke.

Syn. -- Enmity; hatred; ill will; malice; spite; grudge; animosity; malignity. -- Rancor , Enmity . Enmity and rancor both describe hostile feelings; but enmity may be generous and open, while rancor implies personal malice of the worst and most enduring nature, and is the strongest word in our language to express hostile feelings.

Rancor will out; proud prelate, in thy face
I see thy fury.

Shak.

Rancor is that degree of malice which preys upon the possessor.

Cogan.

Rancorous Ran"cor·ous (-ŭs) adjective [ Old French rancuros .] Full of rancor; evincing, or caused by, rancor; deeply malignant; implacably spiteful or malicious; intensely virulent.

So flamed his eyes with rage and rancorous ire.

Spenser.

Rancorously Ran"cor·ous·ly adverb In a rancorous manner.

Rand Rand (rănd) noun [ Anglo-Saxon rand , rond ; akin to D., Dan., Swedish , & German rand , Icelandic rönd , and probably to English rind .]

1. A border; edge; margin. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng.]

2. A long, fleshy piece, as of beef, cut from the flank or leg; a sort of steak. Beau. & Fl.

3. A thin inner sole for a shoe; also, a leveling slip of leather applied to the sole before attaching the heel.

Rand Rand intransitive verb [ See Rant .] To rant; to storm. [ Obsolete]

I wept, . . . and raved, and randed , and railed.

J. Webster.

Rand Rand noun [ D.] ( D. pron. ...) Rim; egde; border. [ South Africa]

The Rand , a rocky gold-bearing ridge in South Africa, about thirty miles long, on which Johannesburg is situated; also, the gold-mining district including this ridge.

Randall grass Ran"dall grass` (răn"d a l grȧs`). (Botany) The meadow fescue ( Festuca elatior ). See under Grass .

Randan Ran"dan (-dăn) noun The product of a second sifting of meal; the finest part of the bran. [ Prov. Eng.]

Randan Ran"dan noun A boat propelled by three rowers with four oars, the middle rower pulling two.

Randing Rand"ing (rănd"ĭng) noun 1. (Shoemaking) The act or process of making and applying rands for shoes.

2. (Mil.) A kind of basket work used in gabions.

Random Ran"dom (răn"dŭm) noun [ Middle English randon , Old French randon force, violence, rapidity, à randon , de randon , violently, suddenly, rapidly, probably of German origin; confer German rand edge, border, Old High German rant shield, edge of a shield, akin to English rand , noun See Rand , noun ] 1. Force; violence. [ Obsolete]

For courageously the two kings newly fought with great random and force.

E. Hall.

2. A roving motion; course without definite direction; want of direction, rule, or method; hazard; chance; -- commonly used in the phrase at random , that is, without a settled point of direction; at hazard.

Counsels, when they fly
At random , sometimes hit most happily.

Herrick.

O, many a shaft, at random sent,
Finds mark the archer little meant!

Sir W. Scott.

3. Distance to which a missile is cast; range; reach; as, the random of a rifle ball. Sir K. Digby.

4. (Mining) The direction of a rake- vein. Raymond.

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