The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section R
Chapter 18
Re`ëx*pel" (r?`?ks*p?l"), v. t. To expel again.
Re`ëx*pe"ri*ence (-p?`r?-ens), n. A renewed or repeated experience.
Re`ëx*port" (-p?rt"), v. t. To export again, as what has been imported.
Re*ëx"port (r?*?ks"p?rt), n. Any commodity reëxported; -- chiefly in the plural.
Re*ëx`por*ta"tion (-p?r*t?"sh?n), n. The act of reëxporting, or of exporting an import. A. Smith.
Re`ëx*pul"sion (r?`?ks*p?l"sh?n), n. Renewed or repeated expulsion. Fuller.
Reezed (rzd), a. Grown rank; rancid; rusty. [Obs.] "Reezed bacon." Marston.
Re*fac"tion (r?*f?k"sh?n), n. [See Refection.] Recompense; atonement; retribution. [Obs.] Howell.
Re*far" (r?*f?r"), v. t. [Cf. F. refaire to do over again.] To go over again; to repeat. [Obs.]
To him therefore this wonder done refar.
Fairfax.
Re*fash"ion (r?*f?sh"?n), v. t. To fashion anew; to form or mold into shape a second time. MacKnight.
Re*fash"ion*ment (-ment), n. The act of refashioning, or the state of being refashioned. [R.] Leigh Hunt.
Re*fas"ten (r?*f?s"'n), v. t. To fasten again.
Re*fect" (r?*f?kt), v. t. [L. refectus, p. p. of reficere; pref. re- re- + facere to make.] To restore after hunger or fatigue; to refresh. [Archaic] Sir T. Browne.
Re*fec"tion (r?*f?k"sh?n), n. [L. refectio: cf. F. réfection. See Refect, Fact.] Refreshment after hunger or fatigue; a repast; a lunch.
[His] feeble spirit inly felt refection.
Spenser.
Those Attic nights, and those refections of the gods.
Curran.
Re*fec"tive (r?*f?k"t?v), a. Refreshing; restoring.
Re*fec"tive, n. That which refreshes.
Re*fec"to*ry (-t*r), n.; pl.; Refectories (-r&?;z). [LL. refectorium: cf. F. réfectoire. See Refection.] A room for refreshment; originally, a dining hall in monasteries or convents.
Sometimes pronounced rf"k*t*r, especially when signifying the eating room in monasteries.
Re*fel" (r?*f?l"), v. t. [L. refellere; pref. re- re- + fallere to deceive.] To refute; to disprove; as, to refel the tricks of a sophister. [Obs.]
How he refelled me, and how I replied.
Shak.
Re*fer" (r*fr"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Referred (-frd); p. pr. & vb. n. Referring.] [F. référer, L. referre; pref. re- re- + ferre to bear. See Bear to carry.] 1. To carry or send back. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. Hence: To send or direct away; to send or direct elsewhere, as for treatment, aid, information, decision, etc.; to make over, or pass over, to another; as, to refer a student to an author; to refer a beggar to an officer; to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a question of law to a superior tribunal.
3. To place in or under by a mental or rational process; to assign to, as a class, a cause, source, a motive, reason, or ground of explanation; as, he referred the phenomena to electrical disturbances.
To refer one's self, to have recourse; to betake one's self; to make application; to appeal. [Obs.]
I'll refer me to all things sense.
Shak.
Re*fer", v. i. 1. To have recourse; to apply; to appeal; to betake one's self; as, to refer to a dictionary.
In suits . . . it is to refer to some friend of trust.
Bacon.
2. To have relation or reference; to relate; to point; as, the figure refers to a footnote.
Of those places that refer to the shutting and opening the abyss, I take notice of that in Job.
Bp. Burnet.
3. To carry the mind or thought; to direct attention; as, the preacher referred to the late election.
4. To direct inquiry for information or a guarantee of any kind, as in respect to one's integrity, capacity, pecuniary ability, and the like; as, I referred to his employer for the truth of his story.
Syn. -- To allude; advert; suggest; appeal. Refer, Allude, Advert. We refer to a thing by specifically and distinctly introducing it into our discourse. We allude to it by introducing it indirectly or indefinitely, as by something collaterally allied to it. We advert to it by turning off somewhat abruptly to consider it more at large. Thus, Macaulay refers to the early condition of England at the opening of his history; he alludes to these statements from time to time; and adverts, in the progress of his work, to various circumstances of peculiar interest, on which for a time he dwells. "But to do good is . . . that that Solomon chiefly refers to in the text." Sharp. "This, I doubt not, was that artificial structure here alluded to." T. Burnet.
Now to the universal whole advert: The earth regard as of that whole a part.
Blackmore.
Ref"er*a*ble (r?f"?r*?*b'l), a. Capable of being referred, or considered in relation to something else; assignable; ascribable. [Written also referrible.]
It is a question among philosophers, whether all the attractions which obtain between bodies are referable to one general cause.
W. Nicholson.
Ref`er*ee" (-&?;), n. One to whom a thing is referred; a person to whom a matter in dispute has been referred, in order that he may settle it.
Syn. -- Judge; arbitrator; umpire. See Judge.
Ref"er*ence (r?f"?r-ens), n. [See Refer.] 1. The act of referring, or the state of being referred; as, reference to a chart for guidance.
2. That which refers to something; a specific direction of the attention; as, a reference in a text- book.
3. Relation; regard; respect.
Something that hath a reference to my state.
Shak.
4. One who, or that which, is referred to. Specifically; (a) One of whom inquires can be made as to the integrity, capacity, and the like, of another. (b) A work, or a passage in a work, to which one is referred.
5. (Law) (a) The act of submitting a matter in dispute to the judgment of one or more persons for decision. (b) (Equity) The process of sending any matter, for inquiry in a cause, to a master or other officer, in order that he may ascertain facts and report to the court.
6. Appeal. [R.] "Make your full reference." Shak.
Reference Bible, a Bible in which brief explanations, and references to parallel passages, are printed in the margin of the text.
Ref`er*en"da*ry (r?f`?r*?n"d?*r?), n. [LL. referendarius, fr. L. referendus to be referred, gerundive of referre: cf. F. référendaire. See Refer.] 1. One to whose decision a cause is referred; a referee. [Obs.] Bacon.
2. An officer who delivered the royal answer to petitions. "Referendaries, or masters of request." Harmar.
3. Formerly, an officer of state charged with the duty of procuring and dispatching diplomas and decrees.
||Ref`er*en"dum (r?f`?r*?n"d?m), n. [Gerundive fr. L. referre. See ||Refer.] 1. A diplomatic agent's note asking for instructions from his ||government concerning a particular matter or point.
2. The right to approve or reject by popular vote a meassure passed upon by a legislature.
Ref`er*en"tial (-shal), a. Containing a reference; pointing to something out of itself; as, notes for referential use. -- Ref`er*en"tial*ly, adv.
Re*fer"ment (r?*f?r"ment), n. The act of referring; reference. Laud.
<! p. 1207 !>
Re`-fer*ment" (r&?;`f&?;r*m&?;nt"), v. t. & i. To ferment, or cause to ferment, again. Blackmore.
Re*fer"rer (r?*f?r"r?r), n. One who refers.
Re*fer"ri*ble (-r?*b'l), a. Referable. Hallam.
Re*fig"ure (r?*f?g"?r), v. t. To figure again. Shak.
Re*fill" (r?*f?l"), v. t. & i. To fill, or become full, again.
Re*find" (r?*f?nd), v. t. To find again; to get or experience again. Sandys.
Re*fine" (r?*f?n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refined (-find"); p. pr. & vb. n. Refining.] [Pref. re- + fine to make fine: cf. F. raffiner.] 1. To reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from impurities; to free from dross or alloy; to separate from extraneous matter; to purify; to defecate; as, to refine gold or silver; to refine iron; to refine wine or sugar.
I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined.
Zech. xiii. 9.
2. To purify from what is gross, coarse, vulgar, inelegant, low, and the like; to make elegant or exellent; to polish; as, to refine the manners, the language, the style, the taste, the intellect, or the moral feelings.
Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges.
Milton.
Syn. -- To purify; clarify; polish; ennoble.
Re*fine", v. i. 1. To become pure; to be cleared of feculent matter.
So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains, Works itself clear, and, as it runs, refines.
Addison.
2. To improve in accuracy, delicacy, or excellence.
Chaucer refined on Boccace, and mended his stories.
Dryden.
But let a lord once own the happy lines, How the wit brightens! How the style refines!
Pope.
3. To affect nicety or subtilty in thought or language. "He makes another paragraph about our refining in controversy." Atterbury.
Re*fined" (-f?nd"), a. Freed from impurities or alloy; purifed; polished; cultured; delicate; as; refined gold; refined language; refined sentiments.
Refined wits who honored poesy with their pens.
Peacham.
-- Re*fin"ed*ly (r&?;*f&?;n"&?;d*l&?;), adv. -- Re*fin"ed*ness, n.
Re*fine"ment (r?*f?n"ment), n. [Cf. F. raffinement.] 1. The act of refining, or the state of being refined; as, the refinement or metals; refinement of ideas.
The more bodies are of kin to spirit in subtilty and refinement, the more diffusive are they.
Norris.
From the civil war to this time, I doubt whether the corruptions in our language have not equaled its refinements.
Swift.
2. That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess; an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic. "The refinements of irregular cunning." Rogers.
Syn. -- Purification; polish; politeness; gentility; elegance; cultivation; civilization.
Re*fin"er (-f?n"?r), n. One who, or that which, refines.
Re*fin"er*y (-?), n.; pl. Refineries (-&?;z). [Cf. F. raffinerie.] 1. The building and apparatus for refining or purifying, esp. metals and sugar.
2. A furnace in which cast iron is refined by the action of a blast on the molten metal.
Re*fit" (r?*f?t"), v. t. 1. To fit or prepare for use again; to repair; to restore after damage or decay; as, to refit a garment; to refit ships of war. Macaulay.
2. To fit out or supply a second time.
Re*fit", v. i. To obtain repairs or supplies; as, the fleet returned to refit.
Re*fit"ment (-ment), n. The act of refitting, or the state of being refitted.
Re*fix" (r?*f?ks"), v. t. To fix again or anew; to establish anew. Fuller.
Re*flame" (r?*fl?m"), v. i. To kindle again into flame.
Re*flect" (r?*fl?kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reflected; p. pr. & vb. n. Reflecting.] [L. reflectere, reflexum; pref. re- re- + flectere to bend or turn. See Flexible, and cf. Reflex, v.] 1. To bend back; to give a backwa&?;d turn to; to throw back; especially, to cause to return after striking upon any surface; as, a mirror reflects rays of light; polished metals reflect heat.
Let me mind the reader to reflect his eye on our quotations.
Fuller.
Bodies close together reflect their own color.
Dryden.
2. To give back an image or likeness of; to mirror.
Nature is the glass reflecting God, As by the sea reflected is the sun.
Young.
Re*flect" v. i. 1. To throw back light, heat, or the like; to return rays or beams.
2. To be sent back; to rebound as from a surface; to revert; to return.
Whose virtues will, I hope, Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth.
Shak.
3. To throw or turn back the thoughts upon anything; to contemplate. Specifically: To attend earnestly to what passes within the mind; to attend to the facts or phenomena of consciousness; to use attention or earnest thought; to meditate; especially, to think in relation to moral truth or rules.
We can not be said to reflect upon any external object, except so far as that object has been previously perceived, and its image become part and parcel of our intellectual furniture.
Sir W. Hamilton.
All men are concious of the operations of their own minds, at all times, while they are awake, but there few who reflect upon them, or make them objects of thought.
Reid.
As I much reflected, much I mourned.
Prior.
4. To cast reproach; to cause censure or dishonor.
Errors of wives reflect on husbands still.
Dryden.
Neither do I reflect in the least upon the memory of his late majesty.
Swift.
Syn. -- To consider; think; cogitate; mediate; contemplate; ponder; muse; ruminate.
Re*flect"ed, a. 1. Thrown back after striking a surface; as, reflected light, heat, sound, etc.
2. Hence: Not one's own; received from another; as, his glory was reflected glory.
3. Bent backward or outward; reflexed.
Re*flect"ent (r?*fl?kt"ent), a. [L. reflectens, p. pr. of reflectere. See Reflect.] 1. Bending or flying back; reflected. "The ray descendent, and the ray reflectent flying with so great a speed." Sir K. Digby.
2. Reflecting; as, a reflectent body. Sir K. Digby.
Re*flect"i*ble (-?*b'l), a. Capable of being reflected, or thrown back; reflexible.
Re*flect"ing, a. 1. Throwing back light, heat, etc., as a mirror or other surface.
2. Given to reflection or serious consideration; reflective; contemplative; as, a reflecting mind.
Reflecting circle, an astronomical instrument for measuring angless, like the sextant or Hadley's quadrant, by the reflection of light from two plane mirrors which it carries, and differing from the sextant chiefly in having an entire circle. -- Reflecting galvanometer, a galvanometer in which the deflections of the needle are read by means of a mirror attached to it, which reflects a ray of light or the image of a scale; -- called also mirror galvanometer. -- Reflecting goniometer. See under Goniometer. -- Reflecting telescope. See under Telescope.
Re*flect"ing*ly, adv. With reflection; also, with censure; reproachfully. Swift.
Re*flec"tion (r?*fl?k"sh?n), n. [L. reflexio: cf. F. réflexion. See Riflect.] [Written also reflexion.] 1. The act of reflecting, or turning or sending back, or the state of being reflected. Specifically: (a) The return of rays, beams, sound, or the like, from a surface. See Angle of reflection, below.
The eye sees not itself, But by reflection, by some other things.
Shak.
(b) The reverting of the mind to that which has already occupied it; continued consideration; meditation; contemplation; hence, also, that operation or power of the mind by which it is conscious of its own acts or states; the capacity for judging rationally, especially in view of a moral rule or standard.
By reflection, . . . I would be understood to mean, that notice which the mind takes of its own operations, and the manner of them, by reason whereof there come to be ideas of these operations in the understanding.
Locke.
This delight grows and improves under thought and reflection.
South.
2. Shining; brightness, as of the sun. [Obs.] Shak.
3. That which is produced by reflection. Specifically: (a) An image given back from a reflecting surface; a reflected counterpart.
As the sun water we can bear, Yet not the sun, but his reflection, there.
Dryden.
(b) A part reflected, or turned back, at an angle; as, the reflection of a membrane. (c) Result of meditation; thought or opinion after attentive consideration or contemplation; especially, thoughts suggested by truth.
Job's reflections on his once flourishing estate did at the same time afflict and encourage him.
Atterbury.
4. Censure; reproach cast.
He died; and oh! may no reflection shed Its poisonous venom on the royal dead.
Prior.
5. (Physiol.) The transference of an excitement from one nerve fiber to another by means of the nerve cells, as in reflex action. See Reflex action, under Reflex.
Angle of reflection, the angle which anything, as a ray of light, on leaving a reflecting surface, makes with the perpendicular to the surface. -- Angle of total reflection. (Opt.) Same as Critical angle, under Critical.
Syn. -- Meditation; contemplation; rumination; cogitation; consideration; musing; thinking.
Re*flect"ive (r?*fl?kt"?v), a. [Cf. F. réflectif. Cf. Reflexive.] 1. Throwing back images; as, a reflective mirror.
In the reflective stream the sighing bride, viewing her charms.
Prior.
2. Capable of exercising thought or judgment; as, reflective reason. Prior.
His perceptive and reflective faculties . . . thus acquired a precocious and extraordinary development.
Motley.
3. Addicted to introspective or meditative habits; as, a reflective person.
4. (Gram.) Reflexive; reciprocal.
-- Re*flect"ive*ly, adv. -- Re*flect"ive*ness, n. "Reflectiveness of manner." J. C. Shairp.
Re*flect"or (-r), n. [Cf. F. réflecteur.] 1. One who, or that which, reflects. Boyle.
2. (Physics) (a) Something having a polished surface for reflecting light or heat, as a mirror, a speculum, etc. (b) A reflecting telescope. (c) A device for reflecting sound.
Re"flex (r?"fl?ks), a. [L. reflexus, p. p. of reflectere: cf. F. réflexe. See Reflect.] 1. Directed back; attended by reflection; retroactive; introspective.
The reflex act of the soul, or the turning of the intellectual eye inward upon its own actions.
Sir M. Hale.
2. Produced in reaction, in resistance, or in return.
3. (Physiol.) Of, pertaining to, or produced by, stimulus or excitation without the necessary intervention of consciousness.
Reflex action (Physiol.), any action performed involuntarily in consequence of an impulse or impression transmitted along afferent nerves to a nerve center, from which it is reflected to an efferent nerve, and so calls into action certain muscles, organs, or cells. -- Reflex nerve (Physiol.), an excito-motory nerve. See Exito- motory.
Re"flex (r?"fl?ks; formerly r?*fl?ks"), n. [L. reflexus a bending back. See Reflect.] 1. Reflection; the light reflected from an illuminated surface to one in shade.
Yon gray is not the morning's eye, 'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow.
Shak.
On the depths of death there swims The reflex of a human face.
Tennyson.
2. (Physiol.) An involuntary movement produced by reflex action.
Patellar reflex. See Knee jerk, under Knee.
Re*flex" (r?*fl?ks"), v. t. [L. reflexus, p. p. of reflectere. See Reflect.] 1. To reflect. [Obs.] Shak.
2. To bend back; to turn back. J. Gregory.
Re*flexed" (r?*fl?kst"), a. Bent backward or outward.
Re*flex`i*bil"i*ty (r?*fl?ks`?*b?l"?*t?), n. [Cf. F. réflexibilité.] The quality or capability of being reflexible; as, the reflexibility of the rays of light. Sir I. Newton.
Re*flex"i*ble (r?*fl?ks"?*b'l), a. [CF. F. réflexible.] Capable of being reflected, or thrown back.
The light of the sun consists of rays differently refrangible and reflexible.
Cheyne.
Re*flex"ion (-fl?k"sh?n), n. See Reflection. Chaucer.
Re*flex"i*ty (r?*fl?ks"?*t?), n. The state or condition of being reflected. [R.]
Re*flex"ive (-?v), a. 1. [Cf. F. réflexif.] Bending or turned backward; reflective; having respect to something past.
Assurance reflexive can not be a divine faith.
Hammond.
2. Implying censure. [Obs.] "What man does not resent an ugly reflexive word?" South.
3. (Gram.) Having for its direct object a pronoun which refers to the agent or subject as its antecedent; -- said of certain verbs; as, the witness perjured himself; I bethought myself. Applied also to pronouns of this class; reciprocal; reflective.
-- Re*flex"ive*ly, adv. -- Re*flex"ive*ness, n.
Re*flex"ly, adv. In a reflex manner; reflectively.
Re"float (r?"fl?t), n. Reflux; ebb. [Obs.] Bacon.
Re`flo*res"cence (r?`fl?*r?s"sens), n. (Bot.) A blossoming anew of a plant after it has apparently ceased blossoming for the season.
Re*flour"ish (r?*fl?r"?sh), v. t. & i. To flourish again.
Re*flow" (r?*fl?"), v. i. To flow back; to ebb.
Re*flow"er (r*flou"r), v. i. & t. To flower, or cause to flower, again. Sylvester.
Re*fluc`tu*a"tion (r?*fl?k`t?*?"sh?n; 135), n. A flowing back; refluence.
{ Ref"lu*ence (r?f"l?-ens), Ref"lu*en*cy (-en*s?), } n. The quality of being refluent; a flowing back.
Ref"lu*ent (-ent), a. [L. refluens, p. pr. of refluere to flow back; pref. re- re- + fluere to flow. See Flurent.] Flowing back; returning; ebbing. Cowper.
And refluent through the pass of fear The battle's tide was poured.
Sir W. Scott.
Ref"lu*eus (-?s), a. [L. refluus.] Refluent. [Obs.]
Re"flux` (r?"fl?ks`), a. Returning, or flowing back; reflex; as, reflux action.
Re"flux`, n. [F. reflux. See Refluent, Flux.] A flowing back, as the return of a fluid; ebb; reaction; as, the flux and reflux of the tides.
All from me Shall with a fierce reflux on me redound.
Milton.
Re*foc"il*late (r?*f?s"?l*l?t), v. t. [L. refocillatus, p. p. of refocillare; pref. re- re- + focillare to revive by warmth.] To refresh; to revive. [Obs.] Aubrey.
Re*foc`il*la"tion (-l?"sh?n), n. Restoration of strength by refreshment. [Obs.] Middleton.
Re*fold" (r?*f?ld"), v. t. To fold again.
Re`fo*ment" (r?`f?*m?nt"), v. t. To foment anew.
Re*for`est*i*za`tion (r?*f?r`?st*?*z?"sh?n), n. The act or process of reforestizing.
Re*for"est*ize (r?*f?r"?st*?z), v. t. To convert again into a forest; to plant again with trees.
Re*forge" (r?*f?rj"), v. t. [Pref. re- + forge: cf. F. reforger.] To forge again or anew; hence, to fashion or fabricate anew; to make over. Udall.
Re*for"ger (r?*f?r"j?r), n. One who reforges.
Re*form" (r?*f?rm"), v. t. [F. réformer, L. reformare; pref. re- re- + formare to form, from forma form. See Form.] To put into a new and improved form or condition; to restore to a former good state, or bring from bad to good; to change from worse to better; to amend; to correct; as, to reform a profligate man; to reform corrupt manners or morals.
The example alone of a vicious prince will corrupt an age; but that of a good one will not reform it.
Swift.
Syn. -- To amend; correct; emend; rectify; mend; repair; better; improve; restore; reclaim.
Re*form", v. i. To return to a good state; to amend or correct one's own character or habits; as, a man of settled habits of vice will seldom reform.
Re*form", n. [F. réforme.] Amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved; reformation; as, reform of elections; reform of government.
Civil service reform. See under Civil. -- Reform acts (Eng. Politics), acts of Parliament passed in 1832, 1867, 1884, 1885, extending and equalizing popular representation in Parliament. -- Reform school, a school established by a state or city government, for the confinement, instruction, and reformation of juvenile offenders, and of young persons of idle, vicious, and vagrant habits. [U. S.]
Syn. -- Reformation; amendment; rectification; correction. See Reformation.
Re-form" (r?*f?rm"), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Re-formed (-f?rmd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Re-forming.] To give a new form to; to form anew; to take form again, or to take a new form; as, to re- form the line after a charge.
Re*form"a*ble (r?*f?rm"?*b'l), a. Capable of being reformed. Foxe.
Ref`or*made" (r?f`?r*m?d"), n. A reformado. [Obs.]
Ref`or*ma"do (-m?"d?), n. [Sp., fr. reformar, L. reformare. SEe Reform, v. t.] 1. A monk of a reformed order. [Obs.] Weever.
2. An officer who, in disgrace, is deprived of his command, but retains his rank, and sometimes his pay. [Obs.]
Re*form"al*ize (r?*f?rm"al*?z), v. i. To affect reformation; to pretend to correctness. [R.]
Ref`or*ma"tion (r?f`?r*m?"sh?n), n. [F. réformation, L. reformatio.] 1. The act of reforming, or the state of being reformed; change from worse to better; correction or amendment of life, manners, or of anything vicious or corrupt; as, the reformation of manners; reformation of the age; reformation of abuses.
Satire lashes vice into reformation.
Dryden.
<! p. 1208 !>
2. Specifically (Eccl. Hist.), the important religious movement commenced by Luther early in the sixteenth century, which resulted in the formation of the various Protestant churches.