roach ['rōch] -n
- a silver-green European freshwater cyprinid fish ( Rutilus rutilus)
- any of various related fishes (as some shiners)
- any of several American freshwater sunfishes (family Centrarchidae)
- a curved cut in the edge of a sail to prevent chafing or to secure a better fit
- a roll of hair brushed straight back from the forehead or side of the head
- to cut (as a horse's mane) so that the remainder stands upright
- to cause to arch
- to brush (the hair) in a roach often used with up
- cockroach
- the butt of a marijuana cigarette
roach back -n
- an arched back (as of a dog)
roach clip -n
- a metal clip that resembles tweezers and is used by marijuana smokers to hold a roach
road ['rōd] -n, adj
- roadstead often used in pl.
- an open way for vehicles, persons, and animals
- one lying outside of an urban district : highway
- roadbed
- a route or way to an end, conclusion, or circumstance
- railway
- a series of scheduled visits or appearances (as games or performances) in several locations or the travel necessary to make these visits
- on tour with the musical's road company
road·abil·i·ty [,rō-də-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- the qualities (as steadiness and balance) desirable in an automobile on the road
road agent -n
- a highwayman who formerly operated esp. on stage routes in unsettled districts
road·bed ['rōd-,bed] -n
- the bed on which the ties, rails, and ballast of a railroad rest
- the ballast or the upper surface of the ballast on which the ties rest
- the earth foundation of a road prepared for surfacing
- the part of the surface of a road traveled by vehicles
road·block [-,bläk] -n, vt
- a barricade often with traps or mines for holding up an enemy at a point on a road covered by fire
- a road barricade set up esp. by law enforcement officers
- an obstruction in a road
- something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective
road hog -n
- a driver of an automotive vehicle who obstructs others esp. by occupying part of another's traffic lane
road·hold·ing ['rōd-,hōl-diŋ] -n
- the qualities of an automobile that tend to make it respond precisely to the driver's steering
road·house ['rōd-,hau̇s] -n
- an inn or tavern usu. outside city limits providing liquor and usu. meals, dancing, and often gambling
road·ie ['rō-dē] -n
- a person who works (as by moving heavy equipment) for traveling entertainers
road·kill ['rōd-,kil] -n, adj
- the remains of an animal that has been killed on a road by a motor vehicle
- one that falls victim to intense competition
road map -n
- a map showing roads esp. for automobile travel
- a detailed plan to guide progress toward a goal
- a detailed explanation
road metal -n
- broken stone or cinders used in making and repairing roads or ballasting railroads
road racing -n
- racing over public roads
- automobile racing over roads or over a closed course designed to simulate public roads
road rage -n
- a motorist's uncontrolled anger that is usu. provoked by another motorist's irritating act and is expressed in aggressive or violent behavior
road roller -n
- one that rolls roadways
- a machine with heavy wide smooth rollers for compacting roadbeds
road·run·ner ['rōd-,rə-nər] -n
- a largely terrestrial bird ( Geococcyx californianus) of the cuckoo family that has a long tail and a crest, is a speedy runner, and inhabits arid regions from the southwestern U.S. to Mexico
- a closely related bird ( G. velox) of Mexico and Central America
road show -n
- a theatrical performance given by a troupe on tour
- a special engagement of a new motion picture usu. at increased prices
- a promotional presentation or meeting conducted in a series of locations
road·side ['rōd-,sīd] -n, adj
- the strip of land along a road : the side of a road
road·stead ['rōd-,sted] -n
- a place less enclosed than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor
road·ster ['rōd-stər] -n
- a horse suitable for riding or driving on roads
- a utility saddle horse of the hackney type
- a light carriage : buggy
- an automobile with an open body that seats two and has a folding fabric top and often a luggage compartment or rumble seat in the rear
road test -n, vt
- a test of a vehicle under practical operating conditions on the road
- a test on the road of a person's driving ability as a requirement for a driver's license
road trip -n, vi
- a trip taken by a sports team to play one or more away games
- an extended trip in a motor vehicle
road warrior -n
- a person who travels frequently esp. on business
road·way ['rōd-,wā] -n
- the strip of land over which a road passes
- road
- roadbed
- the part of a bridge used by vehicles
road·work [-,wərk] -n
- work done in constructing or repairing roads
- conditioning for an athletic contest (as a boxing match) consisting mainly of long runs
road·wor·thy [-,wər-thē] -adj, n
- fit for use on the road
roam ['rōm] -vb, n
- to go from place to place without purpose or direction : wander
- to travel purposefully unhindered through a wide area
- cattle roam ing in search of water
- to use a cellular phone outside one's local calling area
- to range or wander over
roan ['rōn also 'rō-ən] -adj
- having the base color (as red, black, or brown) muted and lightened by admixture of white hairs
- an animal (as a horse) with a roan coat usu. used of a red roan when unqualified
- the color of a roan horse used esp. when the base color is red
- sheepskin tanned with sumac and colored and finished to imitate morocco
roar ['rȯr] -vb
- to utter or emit a full loud prolonged sound
- to sing or shout with full force
- to make or emit a loud confused sound (as background reverberation or rumbling)
- to laugh loudly
- to be boisterous or disorderly
- to proceed or rush with great noise or commotion
- to make a loud noise during inhalation (as that of a horse affected with roaring)
- to utter or proclaim with a roar
- to cause to roar
- the deep cry of a wild animal (as a lion)
- a loud deep cry (as of pain or anger)
- a loud continuous confused sound
- a boisterous outcry
roar·er ['rȯr-ər] -n
- one that roars
- a horse subject to roaring
roar·ing ['rȯr-iŋ] -adj, adv
- making or characterized by a sound resembling a roar : loud
- marked by prosperity esp. of a temporary nature : booming
- great in intensity or degree
roaring -adv
- extremely
- was roaring hungry -- Herman Wouk
- noisy inhalation in a horse esp. upon exercising that is caused by paralysis and muscular atrophy of part of the larynx
roaring boy -n
- a noisy street bully esp. of Elizabethan and Jacobean England who intimidated passersby
roaring forties -n
- a tract of ocean between roughly 40 and 50 degrees latitude south characterized by strong westerly winds and rough seas
- these winds
roast ['rōst] -vb
- to cook by exposing to dry heat (as in an oven or before a fire) or by surrounding with hot embers, sand, or stones
- to dry and parch by exposure to heat
- to heat (inorganic material) with access of air and without fusing to effect change (as expulsion of volatile matter, oxidation, or removal of sulfur from sulfide ores)
- to heat to excess
- roast ed by the summer sun
- to subject to severe criticism or ridicule
- films have been roast ed by most critics -- H. J. Seldes
- to honor (a person) at a roast
- to cook food by heat
- to undergo being roasted
- a piece of meat suitable for roasting
- a gathering at which food is roasted before an open fire or in hot ashes or sand
- an act or process of roasting
- severe banter or criticism
- a banquet honoring a person (as a celebrity) who is subjected to humorous tongue-in-cheek ridicule by friends
- that has been roasted
roast·er ['rōs-tər] -n
- one that roasts
- a device for roasting
- : something adapted to roasting: as
- a suckling pig
- a bird fit for roasting
- a young chicken larger than a broiler
roast·ing ear ['rōs-tiŋ-,ir, sense 2 usu 'rō-sᵊn-,ir or 'rōs-,nir] -n
- an ear of young corn roasted or suitable for roasting usu. in the husk
- an ear of corn suitable for boiling or steaming
rob ['räb] -vb, n
- to take something away from by force : steal from
- to take personal property from by violence or threat
- to remove valuables without right from (a place)
- to take the contents of (a receptacle)
- to take away as loot : steal
- to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
- to withhold unjustly or injuriously
- to commit robbery
ro·ba·lo [rō-'bä-(,)lō] -n
- snook
ro·band ['rō-,band, -bənd] -n
- a piece of spun yarn or marline used to fasten the head of a sail to a spar
robber baron -n
- an American capitalist of the latter part of the 19th century who became wealthy through exploitation (as of natural resources, governmental influence, or low wage scales)
- a business owner or executive who acquires wealth through ethically questionable tactics
robber fly -n
- any of a family (Asilidae) of predaceous dipteran flies including some resembling bumblebees
rob·bery ['rä-b(ə-)rē] -n
- the act or practice of robbing
- larceny from the person or presence of another by violence or threat
robe ['rōb] -n
- a long flowing outer garment
- one used for ceremonial occasions or as a symbol of office or profession
- a loose garment (as a bathrobe) for informal wear esp. at home
- covering, mantle
- peaks on the axis of the range in their robe s of snow and light -- John Muir
- a covering of pelts or fabric for the lower body used while driving or at outdoor events
- to clothe or cover with or as if with a robe
- to put on a robe
- dress
robe de cham·bre [,rōb-də-'shäⁿbrᵊ, -'shäm-brə] -n
- dressing gown
rob·in ['rä-bən] -n
- a small chiefly European thrush ( Erithacus rubecula) resembling a warbler and having a brownish-olive back and orangish face and breast
- any of various Old World songbirds that are related to or resemble the European robin
- a large No. American thrush ( Turdus migratorius) with olivaceous to slate-gray upperparts, blackish head and tail, black and whitish streaked throat, and dull reddish breast and underparts
Rob·in Good·fel·low ['rä-bən-'gu̇d-,fe-(,)lō] -n
- a mischievous sprite in English folklore
Robin Hood [-,hu̇d] -n
- a person or group likened to a heroic outlaw
- one that robs the rich and gives to the poor
robin red·breast [-'red-,brest] -n
- robin
Rob·in·son Cru·soe ['rä-bə(n)-sən-'krü-(,)sō] -n
- a shipwrecked sailor in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoewho lives for many years on a desert island
Rob·in·son projection ['rä-bən-sən-] -n
- a compromise map projection showing the poles as lines rather than points and more accurately portraying high latitude lands and water to land ratio
ro·ble ['rō-(,)blā] -n
- any of several oaks of California and Mexico
ro·bot ['rō-,bät, -bət] -n
- a machine that looks like a human being and performs various complex acts (as walking or talking) of a human being
- a similar but fictional machine whose lack of capacity for human emotions is often emphasized
- an efficient insensitive person who functions automatically
- a device that automatically performs complicated often repetitive tasks
- a mechanism guided by automatic controls
ro·bot·ic [rō-'bä-tik, rə-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to mechanical robots
- having the characteristics of a robot
- performs with robotic consistency
ro·bot·ics [rō-'bä-tiks] -n pl but sing in constr, n
- technology dealing with the design, construction, and operation of robots in automation
ro·bot·i·za·tion [,rō-,bä-tə-'zā-shən, -bə-] -n
- automation
- the process of turning a human being into a robot
ro·bot·ize ['rō-,bä-,tīz, -bə-] -vt
- to make automatic : equip with robots
- to turn (a human being) into a robot
Rob Roy ['räb-'rȯi] -n
- a manhattan made with Scotch whisky
ro·bust [rō-'bəst, 'rō-(,)bəst] -adj, adv, n
- having or exhibiting strength or vigorous health
- having or showing vigor, strength, or firmness
- strongly formed or constructed : sturdy
- capable of performing without failure under a wide range of conditions
- rough, rude
- stories...laden with robust, down-home imagery -- Playboy
- requiring strength or vigor
- full-bodied
- hearty
- of, relating to, resembling, or being a relatively large, heavyset australopithecine (esp. Australopithecus robustusand A. boisei) characterized esp. by heavy molars and small incisors adapted to a vegetarian diet
ro·bus·ta [rō-'bəs-tə] -n
- a hardy shrub or tree ( Coffea canephora) that is indigenous to central Africa but has been introduced elsewhere (as in Java) and yields seeds that form a usu. lower quality coffee of commerce than that of arabica
- the seeds of robusta esp. roasted and often ground
ro·bus·tious [rō-'bəs-chəs] -adj, adv, n
- robust
- vigorous in a rough or unrefined way : boisterous
roc ['räk] -n
- a legendary bird of great size and strength believed to inhabit the Indian Ocean area
ROC -abbr
- Republic of China (Taiwan)
ro·caille [rō-'kī, rä-] -n
- a style of ornament developed in the 18th century and characterized by sinuous foliate forms
- rococo
Roche limit ['rȯsh-, 'rōsh-] -n
- the distance from a planet's center within which a satellite can neither approach nor reside without becoming disrupted by tidal forces
Ro·chelle salt [rō-'shel-] -n
- a crystalline salt KNaC 4H 4O 64H 2O that is a mild purgative
roche mou·ton·nee ['rȯsh-,mü-tə-'nā, 'rōsh-] -n
- an elongate rounded ice-sculptured hillock of bedrock
roch·et ['rä-chət] -n
- a white linen vestment resembling a surplice with close-fitting sleeves worn esp. by bishops and privileged prelates
rock ['räk] -vb
- to move back and forth in or as if in a cradle
- to cause to sway back and forth
- a boat rock ed by the waves
- to cause to shake violently
- to daze with or as if with a vigorous blow
- a hard right rock ed the contender
- to astonish or disturb greatly
- the scandal rock ed the community
- to rouse to excitement (as by performing rock music)
- to become moved backward and forward under often violent impact
- to move gently back and forth
- to move forward at a steady pace
- to move forward at a high speed
- the train rock ed through the countryside
- to sing, dance to, or play rock music
- to be extremely enjoyable, pleasing, or effective
- a rocking movement
- popular music usu. played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repetition of simple phrases, and often country, folk, and blues elements
- distaff
- the wool or flax on a distaff
- a large mass of stone forming a cliff, promontory, or peak
- a concreted mass of stony material
- broken pieces of such masses
- consolidated or unconsolidated solid mineral matter
- a particular mass of it
- : something like a rock in firmness:
- foundation, support
- refuge
- a rock of independent thought...in an ocean of parochialism -- Thomas Molnar
- something that threatens or causes disaster often used in pl.
- a flavored stick candy with color running through
- rock candy
- gem
- diamond
- a small crystallized mass of crack cocaine
- crack
- the ball used in basketball
rock·a·bil·ly ['rä-kə-,bi-lē] -n
- popular music marked by features of rock and country music
rock and roll -n, adj
- rock
rock and roller -n
- rocker
rock·a·way ['rä-kə-,wā] -n
- a light low four-wheel carriage with a fixed top and open sides
rock bass -n
- a brown spotted sunfish ( Ambloplites rupestris) found esp. in the upper Mississippi River valley and Great Lakes region
rockbottom -adj
- being the very lowest
- fundamental
rock bottom -n
- the lowest or most fundamental part or level
rock·bound ['räk-,bau̇nd] -adj
- fringed, surrounded, or covered with rocks : rocky
rock brake -n
- any of several ferns that grow chiefly on or among rocks
rock candy -n
- boiled sugar crystallized in large masses on string
- rock
rock climbing -n, vi
- mountain climbing on rocky cliffs
rock cod -n
- rockfish
Rock Cornish hen -n
- a crossbred domestic chicken produced by interbreeding Cornish and white Plymouth Rock chickens and used esp. for small roasters called also Rock Cornish Rock Cornish game hen
rock crystal -n
- crystal
rock dove -n
- a bluish-gray dove ( Columba livia) that is indigenous to Eurasia but has been widely established elsewhere including most of No. America and that is the ancestor of many domesticated pigeons and of the feral pigeons found in cities and towns throughout most of the world called also rock pigeon
rock·er ['rä-kər] -n
- either of two curving pieces of wood or metal on which an object (as a cradle) rocks
- any of various objects (as a rocking chair or an infant's toy having a seat placed between side pieces) that rock on rockers
- any of various objects in the form of a rocker or with parts resembling a rocker (as a skate with a curved blade)
- any of the curved stripes at the lower part of a chevron worn by a noncommissioned officer above the rank of sergeant
- the curved stripe at the upper part of a chevron worn by a chief petty officer
- any of various devices that work with a rocking motion
- a rock performer, song, or enthusiast
rocker arm -n
- a center-pivoted lever actuated by a cam to push an automotive engine valve down
rocker panel -n
- the portion of the body paneling of a vehicle that is situated below the doorsills of the passenger compartment
rock·ery ['rä-k(ə-)rē] -n
- rock garden
rock·et ['rä-kət, rä-'ket] -n
- : any of several plants of the mustard family: as
- arugula
- dame's rocket
- a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion
- a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line)
- a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used esp. for the propulsion of a missile (as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (as an airplane)
- a rocket-propelled bomb, missile, projectile, or vehicle
- to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket
- to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force
- rocket ed to the top of the list
- to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket
rock·e·teer [,rä-kə-'tir] -n
- one who fires, pilots, or rides in a rocket
- a scientist who specializes in rocketry
rocket plane -n
- an airplane propelled by rockets
rock·et·ry ['rä-kə-trē] -n
- the study of, experimentation with, or use of rockets
rocket ship -n
- a rocket-propelled spaceship
rocket sled -n
- a rocket-propelled vehicle that runs usu. on a single rail and that is used esp. in aeronautical experimentation
rock·fall ['räk-,fȯl] -n
- a mass of falling or fallen rocks
rock·fish [-,fish] -n
- : any of various fishes that live among rocks or on rocky bottoms: as
- any of a genus ( Sebastes) of scorpaenid fishes including many important food fishes
- striped bass
- any of several groupers
rock garden -n
- a garden laid out among rocks or decorated with rocks and adapted for the growth of particular kinds of plants (as alpines)
rock hind -n
- a red-spotted tan to olive-brown grouper ( Epinephelus adscensionis) of the western Atlantic esp. from Massachusetts to southeastern Brazil
rock·hop·per ['räk-,hä-pər] -n
- a small penguin ( Eudyptes chrysocome) with a short thick bill and a yellow crest
rock hound ['räk-,hau̇n-diŋ] -n
- a specialist in geology
- an amateur rock and mineral collector
rock·i·ness ['rä-kē-nəs] -n
- the quality or state of being rocky
rocking chair -n
- a chair mounted on rockers
rocking horse -n
- a toy horse mounted on rockers called also hobbyhorse
rock·ling ['rä-kliŋ] -n
- any of several small rather elongate marine bony fishes (esp. genera Enchelyopusand Gaidropsarus) of the cod family
rock lobster -n
- spiny lobster
rock maple -n
- sugar maple
rock 'n' roll -n, adj
(variant of rock and roll)
- rock
rock oil -n
- petroleum
rock pigeon -n
- rock dove
rock rabbit -n
- hyrax
- pika
rockribbed ['räk-'ribd] -adj
- rocky
- firm and inflexible in doctrine or integrity
- a rockribbed conservative community -- John Hale
rock·rose ['räk-,rōz] -n
- any of a genus ( Cistusof the family Cistaceae, the rockrose family) of shrubs or woody herbs of the Mediterranean region with simple entire leaves, roselike flowers, and a capsular fruit
rock salt -n
- common salt occurring in solid form as a mineral
- salt artificially prepared in large crystals or masses
rock·shaft ['räk-,shaft] -n
- a shaft that oscillates on its journals instead of revolving
rock shrimp -n
- any of several hard-shelled warm-water shrimp (genus Sicyonia,esp. S. brevirostris) that are harvested chiefly in the Gulf of Mexico and widely sold as food
rock tripe -n
- any of various dark leathery umbilicate foliose lichens (as of the genus Umbilicaria) that are widely distributed on rocks in boreal and alpine areas and are sometimes used as food
rock wallaby -n
- any of various medium-sized kangaroos (genus Petrogale) having a gray or brown coat usu. with distinctive markings
rock·weed ['räk-,wēd] -n
- any of various coarse brown algae (order Fucales, esp. genera Fucus, Ascophyllum,and Sargassum) growing in marine environments free-floating or attached to rocks
rock wool -n
- mineral wool made by blowing a jet of steam through molten rock (as limestone or siliceous rock) or through slag and used chiefly for heat and sound insulation
rocky ['rä-kē] -adj
- abounding in or consisting of rocks
- difficult to impress or affect : insensitive
- firmly held : steadfast
- unstable, wobbly
- physically upset or mentally confused (as from drinking excessively)
- marked by obstacles or problems : difficult, rough
- a financially rocky year -- Michael Murray
Rocky Mountain sheep -n
- bighorn sheep
Rocky Mountain spotted fever -n
- an acute disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red to purple eruption and that is caused by a rickettsia ( Rickettsia rickettsii) usu. transmitted by an ixodid tick and esp. either the American dog tick or a wood tick ( Dermacentor andersoni)
ro·co·co [rə-'kō-(,)kō, rō-kə-'kō] -n
- rococo work or style
rococo -adj
- of or relating to an artistic style esp. of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation
- of or relating to an 18th century musical style marked by light gay ornamentation and departure from thorough-bass and polyphony
- excessively ornate or intricate
rod ['räd] -n, adj
- a straight slender stick growing on or cut from a tree or bush
- osier
- a stick or bundle of twigs used to punish
- punishment
- a shepherd's cudgel
- a pole with a line and usu. a reel attached for fishing
- a slender bar (as of wood or metal)
- a bar or staff for measuring
- scepter
- a wand or staff carried as a badge of office (as of marshal)
- a unit of length
- a square rod
- any of the long rod-shaped photosensitive receptors in the retina responsive to faint light
- a rod-shaped bacterium
- handgun
rode ['rīd] -vb, adj
(variant of ride)
- to sit and travel on the back of an animal that one directs
- to travel in or on a conveyance
- to travel as if on a conveyance : be borne
- rode on a wave of popularity
- to lie moored or anchored
- sail
- to move like a floating object
- to become supported on a point or surface
- to travel over a surface
- to move on the body
- to continue without interference
- to be contingent : depend
- plans on which the future ride s
- to become bet
- a lot of money riding on the favorite
- to travel on
- to move with like a rider
- to traverse by conveyance
- to ride a horse in
- survive, outlast usu. used with out
- to traverse on horseback to inspect or maintain
- to mount in copulation used of a male animal
- obsess, oppress
- to harass persistently : nag
- tease, rib
- carry, convey
- to project over : overlap
- to give with (a punch) to soften the impact
- to keep in partial engagement by resting a foot continuously on the pedal
- an act of riding
- a trip on horseback or by vehicle
- a way (as a road or path) suitable for riding
- any of various mechanical devices (as at an amusement park) for riding on
- a trip on which gangsters take a victim to murder him
- something likened to such a trip
- take the taxpayers for a ride
- a means of transportation
- the qualities of travel comfort in a vehicle
ro·dent ['rō-dᵊnt] -n, adj
- any of an order (Rodentia) of relatively small gnawing mammals (as a mouse, squirrel, or beaver) that have in both jaws a single pair of incisors with a chisel-shaped edge
- a small mammal (as a rabbit or a shrew) other than a true rodent
ro·den·ti·cide [rō-'den-tə-,sīd] -n
- an agent that kills, repels, or controls rodents
rodent ulcer -n
- a chronic persisting ulcer of the exposed skin and esp. of the face that is destructive locally, spreads slowly, and is usu. a carcinoma derived from basal cells
ro·deo ['rō-dē-,ō, rə-'dā-(,)ō] -n
- roundup
- a public performance featuring bronco riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and Brahma bull riding
- a contest resembling a rodeo
rodeo -vi
- to participate in a rodeo
rod·man ['räd-mən, -,man] -n
- a surveyor's assistant who holds the leveling rod
ro·do·mon·tade [,rä-də-mən-'tād, ,rō-, -'täd] -n
- a bragging speech
- vain boasting or bluster : rant
roe ['rō] -n
- doe
- the eggs of a fish esp. when still enclosed in the ovarian membrane
- the eggs or ovaries of an invertebrate (as the coral of a lobster)
roe·buck ['rō-,bək] -n
- roe deer
- the male roe deer
roe deer -n
- either of two small European or Asian deer ( Capreolus capreolusand C. pygarus) that have short erect antlers forked at the summit, are reddish-brown in summer and grayish in winter, have a white rump patch, and are noted for their nimbleness and grace
roent·gen ['rent-gən, 'rənt-, -jən, -shən] -adj
- of or relating to X-rays
roentgen -n
- the international unit of x-radiation or gamma radiation equal to the amount of radiation that produces in one cubic centimeter of dry air at 0C and standard atmospheric pressure ionization of either sign equal to one electrostatic unit of charge
roent·gen·i·um [rent-'ge-nē-əm, rənt-, -'je-] -n
- a short-lived radioactive element produced artificially
roent·gen·o·gram ['rent-gə-nə-,gram, 'rənt-, -jə-, -shə-] -n
- radiograph
roent·gen·og·ra·phy [,rent-gə-'nä-grə-fē, ,rənt-, -jə-, -shə-] -n, adj, adv
- radiography
roent·gen·ol·o·gy [-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj, adv
- radiology
roentgen ray -n
- x-ray
ro·ga·tion [rō-'gā-shən] -n
- litany, supplication
- the religious observance of the Rogation Days often used in pl.
Rogation Day -n
- any of the days of prayer esp. for the harvest observed on the three days before Ascension Day and by Roman Catholics also on April 25
rog·er ['rä-jər] -interj, vt
- used esp. in radio and signaling to indicate that a message has been received and understood
rogue ['rōg] -n, adj, adv
- vagrant, tramp
- a dishonest or worthless person : scoundrel
- a mischievous person : scamp
- a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
- an individual exhibiting a chance and usu. inferior biological variation
- to weed out inferior, diseased, or nontypical individuals from a crop plant or a field
- resembling or suggesting a rogue elephant esp. in being isolated, aberrant, dangerous, or uncontrollable
- corrupt, dishonest
- of or being a nation whose leaders defy international law or norms of international behavior
rogue elephant -n
- a vicious elephant that separates from the herd and roams alone
- one whose behavior resembles that of a rogue elephant in being aberrant or independent
rogu·ery ['rō-g(ə-)rē] -n
- an act or behavior characteristic of a rogue
- mischievous play
rogues' gallery -n
- a collection of pictures of persons arrested as criminals
- a collection or list likened to a rogues' gallery
ROI -abbr
- return on investment
roil ['rȯi(-ə)l, vt 2 is also 'rī(-ə)l] -vb
- to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of
- to stir up : disturb, disorder
- rile
- to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation
- conflicting emotions roil ing inside her
roily ['rȯi-lē] -adj
- full of sediment or dregs : muddy
- turbulent
rois·ter ['rȯi-stər] -n
- one that roisters : roisterer
roister [-st(ə-)riŋ] -vi, n, adj, adv
- to engage in noisy revelry : carouse
ROK -abbr
- Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Ro·land ['rō-lənd] -n
- a stalwart defender of the Christians against the Saracens in the Charlemagne legends who is killed at Roncesvalles
role ['rōl] -n
- a character assigned or assumed
- had to take on the role of both father and mother
- a socially expected behavior pattern usu. determined by an individual's status in a particular society
- a part played by an actor or singer
- a function or part performed esp. in a particular operation or process
- played a major role in the negotiations
role model -n
- a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others
roleplay ['rōl-,plā, -'plā] -vt
- to act out the role of
- to represent in action
- students were asked to roleplay the thoughts and feelings of each character -- R. G. Lambert
- to play a role
rolf ['rȯlf also 'rȯf] -vt, n
- to practice Rolfing on
Rolf·ing ['rȯl-fiŋ also 'rȯ-] -service mark
- used for a system of muscle massage intended to serve as both physical and emotional therapy
roll ['rōl] -n
- a written document that may be rolled up : scroll
- a document containing an official or formal record
- a manuscript book
- a list of names or related items : catalog
- : an official list: as
- muster roll
- a list of members of a school or class or of members of a legislative body
- : something that is rolled up into a cylinder or ball or rounded as if rolled: as
- a quantity (as of fabric or paper) rolled up to form a single package
- a hairdo in which some or all of the hair is rolled or curled up or under
- any of various food preparations rolled up for cooking or serving
- a small piece of baked yeast dough
- a cylindrical twist of tobacco
- a roll of paper on which music for a player piano is recorded in perforations which actuate the keys
- a flexible case (as of leather) in which articles may be rolled and fastened by straps or clasps
- paper money folded or rolled into a wad
- bankroll
- : something that performs a rolling action or movement : roller
- a wheel for making decorative lines on book covers
- a design impressed by such a tool
- to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a surface
- to cause to revolve by turning over and over on or as if on an axis
- to cause to move in a circular manner
- they roll ed their eyes at the absurdity
- to form into a mass by turning over and over
- to impel forward with an easy continuous motion
- to cause to move in a given direction by or as if by turning a crank
- to put a wrapping around : enfold, envelop
- to wrap round on itself : shape into a ball or roll
- to produce by such shaping
- roll ed his own cigarettes
- to press, spread, or level with a roller : make smooth, even, or compact often used with out
- to move on rollers or wheels
- roll ed the patient into the operating room
- to cause to begin operating or moving
- to sound with a full reverberating tone
- to make a continuous beating sound upon : sound a roll upon
- to utter with a trill
- to play (a chord) in arpeggio style
- to combine so as to comprise one entity usu. used in the phrase rolled into one
- a shopping center, amusement park, and nightclub all roll ed into one
- to rob (a drunk, sleeping, or unconscious person) usu. by going through the pockets
- rob
- bowl
- to move along a surface by rotation without sliding
- to turn over and over
- the children roll ed in the grass
- to luxuriate in an abundant supply : wallow
- to move onward or around as if by completing a revolution : elapse, pass
- to shift the gaze continually
- to revolve on an axis
- to move about : roam, wander
- to go forward in an easy, gentle, or undulating manner
- to flow in a continuous stream : pour
- to flow as part of a stream of words or sounds
- the names roll off your tongue
- to have an undulating contour
- to lie extended : stretch
- to travel in a vehicle
- roll ing north on the highway
- to become carried on a stream
- to move on wheels
- to make a deep reverberating sound
- trill
- to swing from side to side
- the ship heaved and roll ed
- to walk with a swinging gait : sway
- to take the form of a cylinder or ball
- to respond to rolling in a specified way
- to get under way : begin to move or operate
- to move forward : develop and maintain impetus
- the project finally got roll ing
- to proceed or progress with notable ease or success
- to execute a somersault
- to run toward one flank usu. parallel to the line of scrimmage esp. before throwing a pass often used with out
- a sound produced by rapid strokes on a drum
- a sonorous and often rhythmical flow of speech
- a heavy reverberatory sound
- : a rolling movement or an action or process involving such movement
- an airplane's takeoff roll
: as - a swaying movement of the body
- a side-to-side movement (as of a ship or train)
- a flight maneuver in which a complete revolution about the longitudinal axis of an airplane is made with the horizontal direction of flight being approximately maintained
- the motion of an aircraft or spacecraft about its longitudinal axis
- a somersault executed in contact with the ground
roll·back ['rōl-,bak] -n
- the act or an instance of rolling back
- a government-ordered rollback of gasoline prices
roll back -vt
- to reduce (as a commodity price) to or toward a previous level on a national scale
- to cause to retreat or withdraw : push back
- rescind
- attempted to roll back antipollution standards
roll bar -n
- an overhead metal bar on an automobile that is designed to protect the occupant in case of a rollover
roll cage -n
- a protective framework of metal bars encasing the driver of a vehicle (as a racing car)
roll call -n
- the act or an instance of calling off a list of names (as for checking attendance)
- a time for a roll call
- list
roll·er ['rō-lər] -n
- a revolving cylinder over or on which something is moved or which is used to press, shape, spread, or smooth something
- a cylinder or rod on which something (as a shade) is rolled up
- a long heavy ocean wave
- tumbler
- one that rolls or performs a rolling operation
- a slowly rolling ground ball
rol·ler ['rō-lər] -n
- any of various mostly brightly colored nonpasserine Old World birds (family Coraciidae) that perform rolling aerial dives during courtship displays
- a canary having a song in which the notes are soft and run together
roller bearing -n
- a bearing in which the journal rotates in peripheral contact with a number of rollers usu. contained in a cage
Roll·er·blade ['rō-lər-,blād] -trademark
- used for an in-line skate
roll·ercoast·er ['rō-lər-,kō-stər, 'rō-lə-,kō-] -adj
- marked by numerous ups and downs
- an entertainer's rollercoaster career
roll·er coast·er ['rō-lər-,kō-stər, 'rō-lē-,kō-] -n
- an elevated railway (as in an amusement park) constructed with sharp curves and steep inclines on which cars roll
- something resembling a roller coaster
- behavior, events, or experiences characterized by sudden and extreme changes
- an emotional roller coaster
Roller Derby -service mark
- used for an entertainment involving a contest between two roller-skating teams on an oval track
roller rink -n
- rink
roller skate -n, vi
- a shoe with a set of wheels attached for skating over a flat surface
- a metal frame with wheels attached that can be fitted to the sole of a shoe
roller towel -n
- an endless towel hung from a roller
Rolle's theorem ['rȯlz-, 'rōlz-] -n
- a theorem in mathematics: if a curve is continuous, crosses the x-axis at two points, and has a tangent at every point between the two intercepts, its tangent is parallel to the x-axis at some point between the intercepts
roll film -n
- a strip of film for still camera use wound on a spool
rol·lick ['rä-lik] -vi, n
- to move or behave in a carefree joyous manner : frolic
rol·lick·ing ['rä-li-kiŋ] -adj
- boisterously carefree, joyful, or high-spirited
- a rollicking adventure film
rolling hitch -n
- a hitch knot for fastening a line to a spar or to the standing part of another line that will not slip when the pull is parallel to the spar or line
rolling mill -n
- an establishment where metal is rolled into plates and bars
rolling pin -n
- a long cylinder for rolling out dough
rolling stock -n
- the wheeled vehicles owned and used by a railroad or motor carrier
rollneck ['rōl-,nek] -n, adj
- turtleneck
rolloff ['rōl-,ȯf] -n
- a play-off match in bowling
roll·out ['rōl-,au̇t] -n
- the public introduction of a new aircraft
- the widespread public introduction of a new product
- a football play in which the quarterback rolls to the left or right
roll out -vi
- to get out of bed
- to introduce (as a new product) esp. for widespread sale to the public
roll·over ['rōl-,ō-vər] -n
- the act or process of rolling over
- a motor vehicle accident in which the vehicle overturns
roll over -vt
- to defer payment of (an obligation)
- to renegotiate the terms of (a financial agreement)
- to place (invested funds) in a new investment of the same kind
rollover arm -n
- a fully upholstered chair or sofa arm curving outward from the seat
roll·top desk ['rōl-'täp-] -n
- a writing desk with a sliding cover often of parallel slats fastened to a flexible backing
roll up -vt
- to increase or acquire by successive accumulations : accumulate
- rolled up a large majority
- to become larger by successive accumulations
- to arrive in a vehicle
ro·lypo·ly [,rō-lē-'pō-lē] -adj
- being short and pudgy : rotund
rolypoly -n
- a roly-poly person or thing
- a sweet dough spread with a filling, rolled, and baked or steamed called also roly-poly pudding
Rom ['rōm] -n
- gypsy
- Romania
- Romans
ROM ['räm] -n
- a usu. small computer memory that contains special-purpose information (as a program) which cannot be altered
Ro·ma·ic [rō-'mā-ik] -n, adj
- the modern Greek vernacular
ro·maine [rō-'mān, 'rō-,] -n
- a lettuce that belongs to a cultivar of garden lettuce ( Lactuca sativa) and has long crisp leaves and columnar heads called also cos lettuce
ro·man [rō-'mäⁿ] -n
- a metrical romance
Ro·man ['rō-mən] -n
- a native or resident of Rome
- a citizen of ancient Rome or of the Roman Empire
- roman catholic
- roman letters or type
Roman -adj
- of or relating to Rome or the people of Rome
- characteristic of the ancient Romans
- latin
- of or relating to the Latin alphabet
- of or relating to a type style with upright characters
- of or relating to the see of Rome or the Roman Catholic Church
- having a semicircular intrados
- having a prominent slightly aquiline bridge
ro·man a clef [rō-,mä(ⁿ)n-(,)ä-'klā] -n
- a novel in which real persons or actual events figure under disguise
Roman candle -n
- a cylindrical firework that discharges at intervals balls or stars of fire
Roman Catholic -n
- a member of the Roman Catholic Church
- of, relating to, or being a Christian church having a hierarchy of priests and bishops under the pope, a liturgy centered in the Mass, veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints, clerical celibacy, and a body of dogma including transubstantiation and papal infallibility
Roman Catholicism -n
- the faith, doctrine, or polity of the Roman Catholic Church
ro·mance [rō-'man(t)s, rə-; 'rō-,] -n
- a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural
- a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usu. heroic, adventurous, or mysterious
- a love story esp. in the form of a novel
- a class of such literature
- something (as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact
- an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an esp. heroic era, adventure, or activity
- love affair
- the Romance languages
romance -vb
- to exaggerate or invent detail or incident
- to entertain romantic thoughts or ideas
- to try to influence or curry favor with esp. by lavishing personal attention, gifts, or flattery
- to carry on a love affair with
- a short instrumental piece in ballad style
Ro·mance [rō-'man(t)s, rə-; 'rō-,] -adj
- of, relating to, or being any of the languages developed from Latin (as Italian, French, and Spanish)
ro·manc·er [rō-'man(t)-sər, rə-; 'rō-,] -n
- a writer of romance
- one that romances
Roman collar -n
- clerical collar
Ro·man·esque [,rō-mə-'nesk] -adj, n
- of or relating to a style of architecture developed in Italy and western Europe between the Roman and the Gothic styles and characterized in its development after 1000 by the use of the round arch and vault, substitution of piers for columns, decorative use of arcades, and profuse ornament
ro·manfleuve [rō-,mäⁿ-'flœv, -'flə(r)v] -n
- a novel in the form of a long usu. easygoing chronicle of a social group (as a family or a community)
Roman holiday -n
- a time of debauchery or of sadistic enjoyment
- a destructive or tumultuous disturbance : riot
Ro·ma·nian [ru̇-'mā-nē-ən, rō-, -nyən] -n, adj
- a native or inhabitant of Romania
- the Romance language of the Romanians
Ro·man·ic [rō-'ma-nik] -adj, n
- romance
ro·man·ise ['rō-mə-,nīz] -vt, n
(variant of romanize)
- to make Roman in character
- to write or print (as a language) in the Latin alphabet
- to convert to Roman Catholicism
- to give a Roman Catholic character to
Ro·man·ism ['rō-mə-,ni-zəm] -n
- roman catholicism
Ro·man·ist [-nist] -n, adj
- roman catholic
- a specialist in the language, culture, or law of ancient Rome
ro·man·ize ['rō-mə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to make Roman in character
- to write or print (as a language) in the Latin alphabet
- to convert to Roman Catholicism
- to give a Roman Catholic character to
roman law -n
- the legal system of the ancient Romans that includes written and unwritten law, is based on the traditional law and the legislation of the city of Rome, and in form comprises legislation of the assemblies, resolves of the senate, enactments of the emperors, edicts of the praetors, writings of the jurisconsults, and the codes of the later emperors
Roman numeral -n
- a numeral in a system of notation that is based on the ancient Roman system
Ro·ma·no [rə-'mä-(,)nō, rō-] -n
- a hard sharp cheese of Italian origin that is often served grated
Ro·mans ['rō-mənz] -n pl but sing in constr
- a letter on doctrine written by St. Paul to the Christians of Rome and included as a book in the New Testament
Ro·mansh [rō-'mänch, -'manch] -n
- the Rhaeto-Romance dialects spoken in the Grisons, Switzerland
ro·man·tic [rō-'man-tik, rə-] -adj, adv
- consisting of or resembling a romance
- having no basis in fact : imaginary
- impractical in conception or plan : visionary
- marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of romanticism
- of or relating to music of the 19th century characterized by an emphasis on subjective emotional qualities and freedom of form
- of or relating to a composer of this music
- having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous
- marked by expressions of love or affection
- conducive to or suitable for lovemaking
- of, relating to, or constituting the part of the hero esp. in a light comedy
romantic -n
- a romantic person, trait, or component
- a romantic writer, artist, or composer
ro·man·ti·cise [-'man-tə-,sīz] -vb, n
(variant of romanticize)
- to make romantic : treat as idealized or heroic
- to hold romantic ideas
- to present details, incidents, or people in a romantic way
ro·man·ti·cism [rō-'man-tə-,si-zəm, rə-] -n
- a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and marked esp. in English literature by sensibility and the use of autobiographical material, an exaltation of the primitive and the common man, an appreciation of external nature, an interest in the remote, a predilection for melancholy, and the use in poetry of older verse forms
- an aspect of romanticism
- adherence to a romantic attitude or style
- the quality or state of being romantic
ro·man·ti·cize [-'man-tə-,sīz] -vb, n
- to make romantic : treat as idealized or heroic
- to hold romantic ideas
- to present details, incidents, or people in a romantic way
Ro·ma·ny ['rä-mə-nē, 'rō-] -n, adj
- gypsy
- the Indo-Aryan language of the Gypsies
ro·maunt [rō-'mȯnt, -'mänt] -n
- romance
Rome Beauty ['rōm-] -n
- a round red apple that has firm slightly tart flesh and is used esp. for baking called also Rome
rom·el·dale ['rä-məl-,dāl] -n
- any of a U.S. breed of sheep yielding a heavy fleece of fine wool and producing a quickly maturing high-grade market lamb
Ro·meo ['rō-mē-,ō, in Shak also 'rōm-(,)yō] -n
- the hero of Shakespeare's Romeo and Julietwho dies for love of Juliet
- a male lover
Romeo
- a communications code word for the letter r
Rom·ish ['rō-mish] -adj, adv, n
- roman catholic
Rom·ney ['räm-nē, 'rəm-] -n
- any of a British breed of hardy long-wooled sheep esp. adapted to damp or marshy regions and raised for both mutton and wool called also Romney Marsh
romp ['rämp, 'rȯmp] -n
- one that romps
- a romping girl or woman
- high-spirited, carefree, and boisterous play
- : something suggestive of such play: as
- a light fast-paced narrative, dramatic, or musical work usu. in a comic mood
- an episode of lovemaking
- an easy winning pace
- runaway
- to run or play in a lively, carefree, or boisterous manner
- to move or proceed in a brisk, easy, or playful manner
- to win a contest easily
romp·er ['räm-pər, 'rȯm-] -n
- one that romps
- jumpsuit
- a jumpsuit for infants often used in pl.
Rom·u·lus ['räm-yə-ləs] -n
- a son of Mars and legendary founder of Rome
ron·deau ['rän-(,)dō, rän-'dō] -n
- a fixed form of verse based on two rhyme sounds and consisting usu. of 13 lines in three stanzas with the opening words of the first line of the first stanza used as an independent refrain after the second and third stanzas
- a poem in this form
- a monophonic trouvere song with a 2-part refrain
ron·del ['rän-dᵊl, rän-'del] -n
- a circular object
- a circular jewel or jeweled ring
- a fixed form of verse based on two rhyme sounds and consisting usu. of 14 lines in three stanzas in which the first two lines of the first stanza are repeated as the refrain of the second and third stanzas
- a poem in this form
- rondeau
ron·de·let [,rän-də-'let, -'lā] -n
- a modified rondeau consisting usu. of seven lines in which the first line of four syllables is repeated as the third line and as the final line or refrain and the remaining lines are made up of eight syllables each
ron·do ['rän-(,)dō, rän-'dō] -n
- an instrumental composition typically with a refrain recurring four times in the tonic and with three couplets in contrasting keys
- the musical form of a rondo used esp. for a movement in a concerto or sonata
ron·dure ['rän-jər, -(,)dyu̇r, -(,)du̇r] -n
- round
- gracefully rounded curvature
ron·yon ['rən-yən, 'rän-] -n
- a mangy or scabby creature
rood ['rüd] -n
- a cross or crucifix symbolizing the cross on which Jesus Christ died
- a large crucifix on a beam or screen at the entrance to the chancel of a church
- any of various units of land area
- a British unit equal to acre
- any of various units of length
- a British unit equal to seven or eight yards or sometimes a rod
roof ['rüf, 'ru̇f] -n, adj
- the cover of a building
- material used for a roof : roofing
- the roof of a dwelling conventionally designating the home itself
- didn't have a roof over my head
- the highest point : summit
- an upper limit : ceiling
- the vaulted upper boundary of the mouth
- a covering structure of any of various parts of the body
- : something suggesting a roof: as
- a canopy of leaves and branches
- the top over the passenger section of a vehicle
- to cover with or as if with a roof
- to provide with a particular kind of roof or roofing often used in combination
- to constitute a roof over
roof garden -n
- a restaurant or nightclub at the top of a building often in connection with or decorated to suggest an outdoor garden
roof·ie ['rü-fē] -n
- a tablet of a powerful benzodiazepine sedative and hypnotic drug C 16H 12FN 3O 3that is not licensed for medical use in the U.S. but is used illicitly
roof·ing ['rü-fiŋ, 'ru̇-] -n
- material for a roof
roof·line ['rüf-,līn, 'ru̇f-] -n
- the profile of a roof (as of a house)
roof·top [-,täp] -n
- roof
- the outer surface of a roof
roof·tree ['rüf-,trē, 'ru̇f-] -n
- ridgepole
rook ['ru̇k] -n
- a common Old World gregarious crow ( Corvus frugilegus) that nests and roosts in usu. treetop colonies
- to defraud by cheating or swindling
- either of two pieces of each color in a set of chessmen having the power to move along the ranks or files across any number of unoccupied squares called also castle
- rookie
rook·ery ['ru̇-kə-rē] -n
- the nests or breeding place of a colony of rooks
- a colony of rooks
- a breeding ground or haunt esp. of gregarious birds or mammals (as penguins or seals)
- a colony of such birds or mammals
- a crowded dilapidated tenement or group of dwellings
rook·ie ['ru̇-kē] -n
- recruit
- novice
- a first-year participant in a major professional sport
rooky ['ru̇-kē] -adj
- full of or containing rooks
room ['rüm, 'ru̇m] -n, adj
- an extent of space occupied by or sufficient or available for something
- an appropriate or designated position, post, or station
- place, stead
- in whose room I am now assuming the pen -- Sir Walter Scott
- a partitioned part of the inside of a building
- such a part used as a lodging
- the people in a room
- a suitable or fit occasion or opportunity : chance
- to occupy or share a room esp. as a lodger
- to accommodate with lodgings
room and board -n
- lodging and food usu. furnished for a set price or as part of wages
room·er ['rü-mər, 'ru̇-] -n
- one who occupies a rented room in another's house
room·ette [rü-'met, ru̇-] -n
- a small private single room on a railroad sleeping car
room·ful ['rüm-,fu̇l, 'ru̇m-] -n
- as much or as many as a room will hold
- the persons or objects in a room
room·ing house ['rü-miŋ-, 'ru̇-] -n
- a house where lodgings are provided for rent
roomingin ['rü-miŋ-'in, 'ru̇-] -n
- an arrangement in a hospital whereby a newborn infant is kept in a crib at the mother's bedside instead of in a nursery
room·mate ['rüm-,māt, 'ru̇m-] -n
- one of two or more persons sharing the same room or living quarters called also room*ie ru-me, r-
room service -n
- service provided to hotel guests in their rooms
- the hotel department responsible for such service
- ordered a meal from room service
roomy ['rü-mē, 'ru̇-] -adj, n
- having ample room : spacious
- having a large or well-proportioned body suited for breeding
roor·back ['ru̇r-,bak] -n
- a defamatory falsehood published for political effect
roose ['rüz] -vt
- praise
roost ['rüst] -n
- a support on which birds rest
- a place where winged animals and esp. birds customarily roost
- a group of birds roosting together
- to settle down for rest or sleep : perch
- to settle oneself as if on a roost
- to supply a roost for or put to roost
roost·er ['rüs-tər also 'ru̇s-] -n
- an adult male domestic chicken : cock
- an adult male of various birds other than the domestic chicken
- a cocky or vain man
rooster tail -n
- a high arching spray (as of water, dust, or snow) thrown up behind a fast-moving motorboat, motor vehicle, or skier
root ['rüt, 'ru̇t] -n, adj
- the usu. underground part of a seed plant body that originates usu. from the hypocotyl, functions as an organ of absorption, aeration, and food storage or as a means of anchorage and support, and differs from a stem esp. in lacking nodes, buds, and leaves
- any subterranean plant part (as a true root or a bulb, tuber, rootstock, or other modified stem) esp. when fleshy and edible
- the part of a tooth within the socket
- any of the processes into which this part is often divided
- the enlarged basal part of a hair within the skin
- the proximal end of a nerve
- the part of an organ or physical structure by which it is attached to the body
- something that is an origin or source (as of a condition or quality)
- the love of money is the root of all evil -- 1 Tim 6:10(AV)
- one or more progenitors of a group of descendants usu. used in pl.
- an underlying support : basis
- the essential core : heart often used in the phrase at root
- close relationship with an environment : tie usu. used in pl.
- they put down root s in a farming community
- a quantity taken an indicated number of times as an equal factor
- a number that reduces an equation to an identity when it is substituted for one variable
- the lower part : base
- the part by which an object is attached to something else
- the simple element inferred as the basis from which a word is derived by phonetic change or by extension (as composition or the addition of an affix or inflectional ending)
- the lowest tone of a chord (as C in a C minor chord) when the tones are arranged in ascending thirds
- to furnish with or enable to develop roots
- to fix or implant by or as if by roots
- to remove altogether by or as if by pulling out by the roots usu. used with out
- to grow roots or take root
- to have an origin or base
- to turn up or dig in the earth with the snout : grub
- to poke or dig about
- to turn over, dig up, or discover and bring to light usu. used with out
- root out the cause of the problem
- to noisily applaud or encourage a contestant or team : cheer
- to wish the success of or lend support to someone or something
root·age ['rü-tij, 'ru̇-] -n
- a developed system of roots
- root
root ball ['rüt-,bȯl also 'ru̇t-] -n
- the compact mass of roots and soil formed by a plant esp. in a container
root beer -n
- a sweetened carbonated beverage flavored with extracts of roots (as sarsaparilla) and herbs
rootbound ['rüt-,bau̇nd also 'ru̇t-] -adj
- pot-bound
root canal -n
- the part of the pulp cavity lying in the root of a tooth
- a dental operation to save a tooth by removing the contents of its root canal and filling the cavity with a protective substance
root cap -n
- a protective cap of parenchyma cells that covers the terminal meristem in most root tips
root cellar -n
- a pit used for the storage esp. of root crops
root crop -n
- a crop (as turnips) grown for its enlarged roots
root hair -n
- a filamentous extension of an epidermal cell near the tip of a rootlet that functions in absorption of water and minerals
root·hold ['rüt-,hōld, 'ru̇t-] -n
- the anchorage of a plant to soil through the growing and spreading of roots
- a place where plants may obtain a roothold
root knot -n
- a plant disease caused by nematodes that produce enlargements on the roots and stunt the growth of the plant
rootknot nematode -n
- any of several small plant-parasitic nematodes (genus Meloidogyne) that cause root knot
roo·tle ['rü-tᵊl] -vi
- root
root·let ['rüt-lət, 'ru̇t-] -n
- a small root
rootmeansquare -n
- the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of a set of numbers
root pressure -n
- the chiefly osmotic pressure by which water rises into the stems of plants from the roots
root rot -n
- any of various plant diseases characterized by decay of the roots and caused esp. by fungi
root·stock ['rüt-,stäk, 'ru̇t-] -n
- a rhizomatous underground part of a plant
- a stock for grafting consisting of a root or a piece of root
- stock
rooty ['rü-tē, 'ru̇-] -adj
- full or consisting of roots
rope ['rōp] -n, adj
- a large stout cord of strands of fibers or wire twisted or braided together
- a long slender strip of material used as rope
- a hangman's noose
- lariat
- a row or string consisting of things united by or as if by braiding, twining, or threading
- special or basic techniques or procedures
- line drive
- to bind, fasten, or tie with a rope or cord
- to partition, separate, or divide by a rope
- lasso
- to draw as if with a rope : lure
- to take the form of or twist in the manner of rope
rope·danc·er ['rōp-,dan(t)-sər] -n
- one that dances, walks, or performs acrobatic feats on a rope high in the air
rop·ery ['rō-p(ə-)rē] -n
- roguish tricks or banter
rope tow -n
- ski tow
rope·walk ['rōp-,wȯk] -n
- a long covered walk, building, or room where ropes are manufactured
rope·walk·er [-,wȯ-kər] -n
- an acrobat who walks on a rope high in the air
rope·way [-,wā] -n
- an endless aerial cable moved by a stationary engine and used to transport freight (as logs and ore)
- a fixed cable or a pair of fixed cables between supporting towers serving as a track for suspended passenger or freight carriers
ropy ['rō-pē] -adj, n
- capable of being drawn into a thread : viscous
- tending to adhere in stringy masses
- having a gelatinous or slimy quality from bacterial or fungal contamination
- resembling rope
- muscular, sinewy
- poor, lousy
roque ['rōk] -n
- croquet played on a hard-surfaced court with a raised border
Roque·fort ['rōk-fərt] -trademark
- used for a pungent French blue cheese made from sheep's milk
ro·que·laure [,rō-kə-'lȯr, ,rä-] -n
- a knee-length cloak worn esp. in the 18th and 19th centuries
ro·quette [rō-'ket] -n
- arugula
ror·qual ['rȯr-kwəl, -,kwȯl] -n
- any of a family (Balaenopteridae) of large baleen whales (as a blue whale or humpback whale) having the skin of the throat marked with deep longitudinal furrows
RoRo ['rō-,rō] -n
- a ship designed and equipped to allow vehicles (as automobiles or tanks) to be driven on or off
Ror·schach ['rȯr-,shäk] -adj
- of, relating to, used in connection with, or resulting from the Rorschach test
Rorschach test -n
- a personality and intelligence test in which a subject interprets inkblot designs in terms that reveal intellectual and emotional factors called also Rorschach Rorschach inkblot test
ro·sa·cea [rō-'zā-sh(ē-)ə] -n
- a chronic inflammatory disorder involving esp. the skin of the nose, forehead, and cheeks that is characterized by congestion, flushing, telangiectasia, and marked nodular swelling of tissues esp. of the nose called also acne rosacea
ro·sa·ceous [rō-'zā-shəs] -adj
- of or relating to roses or the rose family
ro·sar·i·an [rō-'zer-ē-ən] -n
- a cultivator of roses
ro·sa·ry ['rō-zə-rē, 'rōz-rē] -n
- a Roman Catholic devotion consisting of meditation on usu. five sacred mysteries during recitation of five decades of Hail Marys of which each begins with an Our Father and ends with a Gloria Patri
- a string of beads used in counting prayers esp. of the Roman Catholic rosary
rosary pea -n
- a tropical twining herb ( Abrus precatorius) of the legume family that bears jequirity beans and has a root used as a substitute for licorice called also Indian licorice jequirity bean
- jequirity bean
ros·coe ['räs-(,)kō] -n
- handgun
rose ['rīz] -vi
(variant of rise)
- to assume an upright position esp. from lying, kneeling, or sitting
- to get up from sleep or from one's bed
- to return from death
- to take up arms
- to respond warmly : applaud usu. used with to
- the audience rose to her verve and wit
- to end a session : adjourn
- to appear above the horizon
- to move upward : ascend
- to increase in height, size, volume, or pitch
- to extend above other objects
- mountain peaks rose to the west
- to become heartened or elated
- to increase in fervor or intensity
- my anger rose as I thought about the insult
- to attain a higher level or rank
- officers who rose from the ranks
- to increase in quantity or number
- to take place : happen
- to come into being : originate
- to follow as a consequence : result
- to exert oneself to meet a challenge
- a spot higher than surrounding ground : hilltop
- an upward slope
- : an act of rising or a state of being risen: as
- a movement upward : ascent
- emergence (as of the sun) above the horizon
- the upward movement of a fish to seize food or bait
- beginning, origin
- the river had its rise in the mountain
- the distance or elevation of one point above another
- an increase esp. in amount, number, or volume
- raise
- an increase in price, value, rate, or sum
- a rise in the cost of living
- an angry reaction
- the distance from the crotch to the waistline on pants
ro·se [rō-'zā] -n
- a light pink table wine made from red grapes by removing the skins after fermentation has begun
ro·se·ate ['rō-zē-ət, -zē-,āt] -adj, adv
- resembling a rose esp. in color
- overly optimistic : viewed favorably
roseate spoonbill -n
- a spoonbill ( Ajaia ajaja) that is found from the southern U.S. to Patagonia and has chiefly pink plumage
roseate tern -n
- a medium-sized tern ( Sterna dougallii) that is widespread at sea and in coastal areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and that has a faint roseate tinge to the breast in the breeding season
rose·bay ['rōz-,bā] -n
- rhododendron
- great laurel
- fireweed
rosebay rhododendron -n
- great laurel
rosebreast·ed grosbeak ['rōz-,bres-təd-] -n
- a grosbeak ( Pheucticus ludovicianus) chiefly of eastern No. America that is related to the cardinal and in the male is chiefly black and white with a rose-red breast and in the female is grayish brown with a streaked breast
rose·bud ['rōz-,bəd] -n
- the bud of a rose
rose·bush [-,bu̇sh] -n
- a shrub that produces roses
rose chafer -n
- a common No. American scarab beetle ( Macrodactylus subspinosus) that feeds on plant roots as a larva and on leaves and flowers (as of rose or grapevines) as an adult called also rose bug
rosecol·ored ['rōz-,kə-lərd] -adj
- having a rose color
- seeing or seen in a promising light : optimistic
rosecolored glasses -n pl
- favorably disposed opinions : optimistic eyes
- views the world through rose-colored glasses
rose cut -n, adj
- a form in which gems (as diamonds) are cut that usu. has a flat circular base and facets in two ranges rising to a point
rose fever -n
- hay fever occurring in the spring or early summer called also rose cold
rose·fish ['rōz-,fish] -n
- redfish
rose geranium -n
- any of several pelargoniums grown for their fragrant 3- to 5-lobed leaves and small pink flowers
rose hip -n
- the ripened usu. red or orange accessory fruit of a rose that consists of a fleshy receptacle enclosing numerous achenes
ro·se·ma·ling ['rō-zə-,mä-liŋ, -sə-] -n
- painted or sometimes carved decoration (as on furniture, walls, or wooden dinnerware) in Scandinavian peasant style that consists esp. of floral designs and inscriptions
rose mallow -n
- any of several hibiscuses with large usu. rose-colored flowers
- a showy perennial ( Hibiscus moscheutos) of the salt marshes of the eastern U.S.
rose·mary ['rōz-,mer-ē] -n
- a fragrant shrubby Mediterranean mint ( Rosmarinus officinalis) having grayish-green needlelike leaves used as a seasoning
- the leaves of rosemary
rose of Jer·i·cho [-'jer-i-,kō]
- an annual herb ( Anastatica hierochuntica) of the mustard family found from northern Africa to Iran that rolls up when dry and expands when moistened
rose of Shar·on [-'sher-ən]
- a commonly cultivated Asian shrub or small tree ( Hibiscus syriacus) having showy bell-shaped rose, purple, or white flowers
rose oil -n
- a fragrant essential oil obtained from roses and used chiefly in perfumery and in flavoring
ro·se·o·la [,rō-zē-'ō-lə, rō-'zē-ə-lə] -n, adj
- a rose-colored eruption in spots or a disease marked by such an eruption
- roseola infantum
roseola in·fan·tum [-in-'fan-təm] -n
- a mild virus disease of infants and children marked by fever lasting usu. three days followed by an eruption of rose-colored spots and caused by a herpesvirus (species Human herpesvirus 6of the genus Roseolovirus)
rose pink -n
- a moderate pink
rose slug -n
- the green larva of either of two sawflies ( Cladius difformisand Endelomyia aethiops) that feed on the parenchyma of and skeletonize the leaves of roses
ro·set ['rō-zət] -n
- resin
Ro·set·ta stone [rō-'ze-tə-] -n
- a black basalt stone found in 1799 that bears an inscription in hieroglyphics, demotic characters, and Greek and is celebrated for having given the first clue to the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphics
- one that gives a clue to understanding
ro·sette [rō-'zet] -n
- an ornament usu. made of material gathered or pleated so as to resemble a rose and worn as a badge of office, as evidence of having won a decoration (as the Medal of Honor), or as trimming
- a disk of foliage or a floral design usu. in relief used as a decorative motif
- a structure or color marking on an animal suggestive of a rosette
- one of the groups of spots on a leopard
- a cluster of leaves in crowded circles or spirals arising basally from a crown (as in the dandelion) or apically from an axis with greatly shortened internodes (as in many tropical palms)
- a food decoration or garnish in the shape of a rose
rose·wa·ter ['rōz-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -adj
- affectedly nice or delicate
- having the odor of rose water
rose water -n
- a watery solution of the odoriferous constituents of the rose used as a perfume or a flavoring
rose window -n
- a circular window filled with tracery
rose·wood ['rōz-,wu̇d] -n
- any of various tropical trees (esp. genus Dalbergia) yielding valuable cabinet woods of a usu. dark red or purplish color streaked and variegated with black
- the wood
Rosh Ha·sha·nah [,räsh-(h)ə-'shä-nə, ,rōsh-, -'shō-] -n
- the Jewish New Year observed on the first day and by Orthodox and Conservative Jews also on the second day of Tishri
Ro·si·cru·cian [,rō-zə-'krü-shən, ,rä-] -n, adj
- an adherent of a 17th and 18th century movement professing esoteric and occult wisdom with emphasis on mysticism and spiritual enlightenment
- a member of one of several organizations held to be descended from the Rosicrucians
ros·i·ly ['rō-zə-lē] -adv
- in an optimistic manner
- with a rosy color or tinge
ros·in ['rä-zᵊn, 'rȯ-, dial 'rȯ-zəm] -n
- a translucent amber-colored to almost black brittle friable resin that is obtained from the oleoresin or deadwood of pine trees or from tall oil and used esp. in making varnish
rosin ['räz-niŋ, 'rȯz-; 'rä-zᵊn-iŋ, 'rȯ-] -vt
- to rub or treat (as the bow of a violin) with rosin
ros·in·weed ['rä-zᵊn-,wēd, 'rȯ-] -n
- any of several American plants (as the compass plant) having resinous foliage or a resinous odor
ros·tel·lum [rä-'ste-ləm] -n, adj
- : a small process resembling a beak : a diminutive rostrum: as
- an extension of the stigma of an orchid flower
- an anterior prolongation of the head of a tapeworm bearing hooks
ros·ter ['räs-tər also 'rȯs- or 'rōs-] -n
- a roll or list of personnel
- such a list giving the order in which a duty is to be performed
- the persons listed on a roster
- an itemized list
ros·tral ['räs-trəl also 'rȯs-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to a rostrum
- : situated toward the oral or nasal region: as
- superior
- anterior, ventral
ros·trate ['räs-,trāt, -trət also 'rȯs-] -adj
- having a rostrum
ros·trum ['räs-trəm also 'rȯs-] -n
- an ancient Roman platform for public orators
- a stage for public speaking
- a raised platform on a stage
- the curved end of a ship's prow
- the beak of a war galley
- : a bodily part or process suggesting a bird's bill: as
- the beak, snout, or proboscis of any of various insects or arachnids
- the often spinelike anterior median prolongation of the carapace of a crustacean (as a crayfish or lobster)
rosy ['rō-zē] -adj, n
- of the color rose
- having a pinkish usu. healthy-looking complexion : blooming
- marked by blushes
- characterized by or tending to promote optimism
rosy periwinkle -n
- a commonly cultivated subshrub ( Catharanthus roseussyn. Vinca rosea) of the dogbane family that is native to the Old World tropics and is the source of several antineoplastic drugs called also Madagascar periwinkle periwinkle
rot ['rät] -vb
- to undergo decomposition from the action of bacteria or fungi
- to become unsound or weak (as from use or chemical action)
- to go to ruin : deteriorate
- to become morally corrupt : degenerate
- to cause to decompose or deteriorate with or as if with rot
- the process of rotting : the state of being rotten : decay
- something rotten or rotting
- a wasting putrescent disease
- any of several parasitic diseases esp. of sheep marked by necrosis and wasting
- plant disease marked by breakdown of tissues and caused esp. by fungi or bacteria
- nonsense often used interjectionally
ro·ta ['rō-tə] -n
- a tribunal of the papal curia exercising jurisdiction esp. in matrimonial cases appealed from diocesan courts
- a fixed order of rotation (as of persons or duties)
- a roll or list of persons : roster
ro·ta·me·ter ['rō-tə-,mē-tər, rō-'ta-mə-tər] -n
- a gauge that consists of a graduated glass tube containing a free float for measuring the flow of a fluid
Ro·tar·i·an [rō-'ter-ē-ən] -n
- a member of a major national and international service club
ro·ta·ry ['rō-tə-rē] -adj
- turning on an axis like a wheel
- taking place about an axis
- having an important part that turns on an axis
- characterized by rotation
- of, relating to, or being a press in which paper is printed by rotation in contact with a curved printing surface attached to a cylinder
rotary -n
- a rotary machine
- a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only called also circle traffic circle
rotary cultivator -n
- rototiller
rotary engine -n
- any of various engines (as a turbine) in which power is applied to vanes or similar parts constrained to move in a circular path
- a radial engine in which the cylinders revolve about a stationary crankshaft
rotarywing aircraft -n
- rotorcraft
- helicopter usu. used in pl.
ro·tate ['rō-,tāt] -adj
- having the parts flat and spreading or radiating like the spokes of a wheel
- to perform an act, function, or operation in turn
- to pass or alternate in a series
- to turn about an axis or a center : revolve
- to move in such a way that all particles follow circles with a common angular velocity about a common axis
- to cause to turn or move about an axis or a center
- to cause (a plane region or line) to sweep out a volume or surface by moving around an axis so that each of its points remains at a constant distance from the axis
- generate a torus by rotating a circle about an external line
- to cause to grow in rotation
- to cause to pass or act in a series : alternate
- to exchange (individuals or units) with others
ro·ta·tion [rō-'tā-shən] -n, adj
- the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center
- the act or an instance of rotating something
- one complete turn : the angular displacement required to return a rotating body or figure to its original orientation
- return or succession in a series
- crop rotation
- the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot
- a game of pool in which all 15 object balls are shot in numerical order
- the series of pitchers on a baseball team who regularly start successive games in turn
ro·ta·tive ['rō-,tā-tiv also rō-'] -adj, adv
- turning like a wheel : rotary
- relating to, occurring in, or characterized by rotation
ro·ta·tor ['rō-,tā-tər also rō-'] -n
- one that rotates or causes rotation
- a muscle that partially rotates a part on its axis
rotator cuff -n
- a supporting and strengthening structure of the shoulder joint that is made up of the capsule of the shoulder joint blended with tendons and muscles as they pass to the capsule or across it to insert on the head of the humerus
ro·ta·to·ry ['rō-tə-,tȯr-ē, Brit -t(ə-)ri also rō-'tā-tə-ri] -adj
- of, relating to, or producing rotation
- occurring in rotation
ro·ta·vi·rus ['rō-tə-,vī-rəs] -n
- any of a genus ( Rotavirus) of reoviruses that have a three-layered protein capsid with no outer lipid envelope when mature and that include one (species Rotavirus A) causing epidemics of severe and sometimes fatal diarrhea in infants and young children
ROTC -abbr
- Reserve Officers' Training Corps
rote ['rōt] -n
- crowd
- the use of memory usu. with little intelligence
- mechanical or unthinking routine or repetition
- a joyless sense of order, rote, and commercial hustle -- L. L. King
- learned or memorized by rote
- mechanical
- the noise of surf on the shore
ro·te·none ['rō-tə-,nōn] -n
- a crystalline insecticide C 23H 22O 6obtained from the roots of several tropical plants (as a derris) that is highly toxic to fish but is of low toxicity to warm-blooded animals and is used esp. in home gardens
rot·gut ['rät-,gət] -n
- cheap or inferior liquor
ro·ti ['rō-tē] -n
- a round soft flat unleavened bread
- such a bread wrapped around a filling and eaten as a sandwich
ro·ti·fer ['rō-tə-fər] -n
- any of a class (Rotifera of the phylum Aschelminthes) of minute usu. microscopic but many-celled chiefly freshwater aquatic invertebrates having the anterior end modified into a retractile disk bearing circles of strong cilia that often give the appearance of rapidly revolving wheels
ro·tis·ser·ie [rō-'tis-rē, -'ti-sə-] -n
- a restaurant specializing in broiled and barbecued meats
- an appliance fitted with a spit on which food is rotated before or over a source of heat
rotisserie -adj
- of, relating to, or being a sports league consisting of imaginary teams whose performance is based on the statistics of actual players
- a rotisserie baseball league
ro·to ['rō-(,)tō] -n
- rotogravure
ro·to·gra·vure [,rō-tə-grə-'vyu̇r] -n
- photogravure
- a section of a newspaper devoted to rotogravure pictures
ro·tor ['rō-tər] -n
- a part that revolves in a stationary part
- the rotating member of an electrical machine
- an assembly of rotating blades that supplies lift or stability for a rotorcraft
ro·tor·craft [-,kraft] -n
- an aircraft (as a helicopter) whose lift is derived principally from rotating airfoils
ro·to·till ['rō-tə-,til] -vt
- to till or plow (soil) with a rototiller
ro·to·till·er [-,ti-lər] -n
- a landscaping implement with engine-powered rotating blades used to lift and turn over soil
rot·ten ['rä-tᵊn] -adj, adv, n
- having rotted : putrid
- morally corrupt
- extremely unpleasant or inferior
- very uncomfortable
- of very poor quality : lousy, abominable
rotten -adv
- to an extreme degree
rotten borough -n
- an election district that has many fewer inhabitants than other election districts with the same voting power
rot·ten·stone ['rä-tᵊn-,stōn] -n
- a decomposed siliceous limestone used for polishing
rot·ter ['rä-tər] -n
- a thoroughly objectionable person
rott·wei·ler ['rät-,wī-lər, 'rȯt-,vī-] -n
- any of a breed of tall powerful black-and-tan short-haired dogs of German origin that are commonly used as guard dogs
ro·tund [rō-'tənd, 'rō-,] -adj, n, adv
- marked by roundness : rounded
- marked by fullness of sound or cadence : orotund, sonorous
- a master of rotund diction
- notably plump : chubby
ro·tun·da [rō-'tən-də] -n
- a round building
- one covered by a dome
- a large round room
- a large central area (as in a hotel)
ro·tu·ri·er [rō-'tu̇r-ē-,ā, -'tyu̇r-] -n
- a person not of noble birth
roue [rü-'ā] -n
- a man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure : rake
rouge ['rüzh, esp Southern 'rüj] -n
- any of various cosmetics for coloring the cheeks or lips red
- a red powder consisting essentially of ferric oxide used in polishing glass, metal, or gems and as a pigment
- to apply rouge to
- to cause to redden
- to use rouge
rough ['rəf] -adj, n
- marked by inequalities, ridges, or projections on the surface : coarse
- covered with or made up of coarse and often shaggy hair
- having a broken, uneven, or bumpy surface
- difficult to travel through or penetrate : wild
- into the rough woods -- P. B. Shelley
- turbulent, tempestuous
- characterized by harshness, violence, or force
- presenting a challenge : difficult
- rough to deal with -- R. M. McAlmon
- : coarse or rugged in character or appearance: as
- harsh to the ear
- crude in style or expression
- indelicate
- marked by a lack of refinement or grace : uncouth
- crude, unfinished
- executed or ventured hastily, tentatively, or imperfectly
- approximate
- roughly
- without usual conveniences
- without proper shelter
- become homeless and have to sleep rough -- London Times
- uneven ground covered with high grass, brush, and stones
- such ground bordering a golf fairway
- the rugged or disagreeable side or aspect
- hiking-camping admirers of nature in the rough -- Eleanor Stirling
- something in a crude, unfinished, or preliminary state
- broad outline : general terms
- the question...has been discussed in rough -- Manchester Guardian Weekly
- a hasty preliminary drawing or layout
- rowdy
- roughen
- to subject to abuse : manhandle, beat usu. used with up
- to subject to unnecessary and intentional violence in a sport
- a penalty for rough ing the passer
- shell used with up
- was rough ed up for six runs
- to calk or otherwise roughen (a horse's shoes) to prevent slipping
- to shape, make, or dress in a rough or preliminary way
- to indicate the chief lines of
- rough out the structure of a building
rough·age ['rə-fij] -n
- fiber
- food containing much indigestible material acting as fiber
roughandready [,rə-fən-'re-dē] -adj
- crude in nature, method, or manner but effective in action or use
roughandtum·ble [-'təm-bəl] -n
- rough disorderly unrestrained fighting or struggling
- infighting
roughandtumble -adj
- marked by rough-and-tumble
- grew up in a roughandtumble atmosphere -- E. J. Kahn
- rough-and-ready
- put together haphazardly : makeshift
rough bluegrass -n
- a forage grass ( Poa trivialis) of Eurasia and northern Africa that is naturalized in No. America
rough breathing -n
- a mark used in Greek over some initial vowels to show that they are aspirated or over to show that it is voiceless
- the sound indicated by a mark over a Greek vowel or
rough·cast ['rəf-,kast, for 2 also -'kast] -vt
- to plaster (as a wall) with roughcast
- to shape or form roughly
- a rough model
- a plaster of lime mixed with shells or pebbles used for covering buildings
- a rough surface finish (as of a plaster wall)
rough cut -n
- a print of an incompletely edited motion picture
roughdry ['rəf-'drī] -vt
- to dry (laundry) without smoothing or ironing
- being dry after laundering but not ironed or smoothed over
roughedged ['rəf-'ejd] -adj
- lacking refinement or polish
- a roughedged writing style
rough·en ['rə-fən] -vb
- to make rough or rougher
- her hands were roughen ed by work -- Ellen Glasgow
- to become rough
rough endoplasmic reticulum -n
- endoplasmic reticulum studded with ribosomes
rough fish -n
- a usu. freshwater fish (as a buffalo or freshwater drum) considered undesirable as a food or sport fish and often viewed as a competitor of more desirable fishes
roughhew ['rəf-'hyü] -vt
- to hew (as timber) coarsely without smoothing or finishing
- to form crudely
roughhewn [-'hyün] -adj
- being in a rough, unsmoothed, or unfinished state : crudely formed
- lacking refinement
- he was rather attractive, in a roughhewn kind of way -- Jan Speas
rough·house ['rəf-,hau̇s] -n
- violence or rough boisterous play
- to treat in a boisterously rough manner
- to engage in roughhouse
rough·leg ['rəf-,leg, -,lāg] -n
- rough-legged hawk
roughlegged hawk -n
- a large circumpolar arctic hawk ( Buteo lagopus) that winters southward and typically has a white tail with a wide black band or bands at the tip
rough lemon -n
- a hybrid lemon that forms a large spreading thorny tree, bears rough-skinned fruit, and is important chiefly as a rootstock for other citrus trees
- the fruit of a rough lemon
rough·ly ['rə-flē] -adv
- : in a rough manner: as
- with harshness or violence
- treated the prisoner roughly
- in crude fashion : imperfectly
- without completeness or exactness : approximately
rough·neck ['rəf-,nek] -n
- a rough or uncouth person
- rowdy, tough
- a worker of an oil-well-drilling crew other than the driller
roughneck -adj
- having the characteristics of or suitable for a roughneck
rough·ri·der ['rəf-'rī-dər] -n
- one who is accustomed to riding unbroken or little-trained horses
- a member of the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry regiment in the Spanish-American War commanded by Theodore Roosevelt
rough·shod [-,shäd] -adj
- shod with calked shoes
- marked by tyrannical force
roughshod -adv
- in a roughly forceful manner
- rode roughshod over the opposition
rough trade -n
- male homosexuals who are or affect to be rugged and potentially violent
- such a homosexual
rouille ['rü-ē] -n
- a peppery garlic sauce
rou·lade [rü-'läd] -n
- a florid vocal embellishment sung to one syllable
- a slice of usu. stuffed meat that is rolled, browned, and steamed or braised
rou·leau [rü-'lō] -n
- a little roll
- a roll of coins put up in paper
rou·lette [rü-'let] -n
- a gambling game in which players bet on which compartment of a revolving wheel a small ball will come to rest in
- something involving a high degree of chance and unpredictability
- any of various toothed wheels or disks (as for producing rows of dots on engraved plates or for making short consecutive incisions in paper to facilitate subsequent division)
- tiny slits between rows of stamps in a sheet that are made by a roulette and serve as an aid in separation
roulette -vt
- to make roulettes in
round [rau̇nd] -adj, n
- having every part of the surface or circumference equidistant from the center
- cylindrical
- approximately round
- well filled out : plump, shapely
- complete, full
- approximately correct
- exact only to a specific decimal or place
- use the round number 1400 for the exact figure 1411
- substantial in amount : ample
- a good round price -- T. B. Costain
- direct in utterance : outspoken
- moving in or forming a circle
- brought to completion or perfection : finished
- presented with lifelike fullness or vividness
- delivered with a swing of the arm
- having full or unimpeded resonance or tone : sonorous
- pronounced with rounded lips : labialized
- of or relating to handwriting predominantly curved rather than angular
- around
- something (as a circle, globe, or ring) that is round
- a knot of people
- a circle of things
- round dance
- a musical canon in which each part begins on the same note and is continuously repeated
- a rung of a ladder or a chair
- a rounded molding
- a circling or circuitous path or course
- motion in a circle or a curving path
- a route or circuit habitually covered (as by a security guard or police officer)
- a series of similar or customary calls or stops
- making the round s of his friends -- Current Biog.
- a series of regularly scheduled professional calls on hospital patients made by a doctor or nurse usu. used in pl.
- a drink of liquor apiece served at one time to each person in a group
- a sequence of recurring routine or repetitive actions or events
- went about my round of chores
- the newest round of talks
- a period of time that recurs in a fixed pattern
- one shot fired by a weapon or by each man in a military unit
- a unit of ammunition consisting of the parts necessary to fire one shot
- a unit of action in a contest or game which comprises a stated period, covers a prescribed distance, includes a specified number of plays, or gives each player one turn
- a division of a tournament in which each contestant plays an opponent
- a prolonged burst (as of applause)
- a cut of meat (as beef) esp. between the rump and the lower leg
- a slice of food
- a rounded or curved part
- to make round
- to make (the lips) round and protruded (as in the pronunciation of u)
- to pronounce with lip rounding : labialize
- go around
- to pass part of the way around
- encircle, encompass
- to bring to completion or perfection often used with off or out
- to express as a round number often used with off
- 11.3572 round ed off to two decimal places becomes 11.36
- to become round, plump, or shapely
- to reach fullness or completion
- to follow a winding course : bend
- around
- all during : throughout
- whisper
- to speak to in a whisper
round·about ['rau̇n-də-,bau̇t] -adj, n
- circuitous, indirect
- had to take a roundabout route
roundabout -n
- a circuitous route : detour
- merry-go-round
- a short close-fitting jacket worn by men and boys esp. in the 19th century
- rotary
round angle -n
- an angle of 360 or 2 radians
round·ball ['rau̇nd-,bȯl] -n
- basketball
round clam -n
- quahog
round dance -n
- a folk dance in which participants form a ring and move in a prescribed direction
- a ballroom dance in which couples progress around the room
- a series of movements performed by a bee to indicate that a source of food is nearby
round·ed ['rau̇n-dəd] -adj, n
- made round : flowing rather than jagged or angular
- fully developed
roun·del ['rau̇n-dᵊl] -n
- a round figure or object (as a circular panel, window, or niche)
- rondel
- an English modified rondeau
roun·de·lay ['rau̇n-də-,lā] -n
- a simple song with a refrain
- a poem with a refrain recurring frequently or at fixed intervals as in a rondel
round·er ['rau̇n-dər] -n
- a game of English origin that is played with ball and bat and that somewhat resembles baseball
- a dissolute person : wastrel
- one that rounds by hand or by machine
- a boxing match lasting a specified number of rounds usu. used in combination
Round·head ['rau̇nd-,hed] -n
- a member of the parliamentary party in England at the time of Charles I and Oliver Cromwell
- puritan
round·head·ed [-'he-dəd] -adj
- having a round head
round·house ['rau̇nd-,hau̇s] -n, adj
- lockup
- a circular building for housing and repairing locomotives
- a blow delivered with a wide swing
round·ish ['rau̇n-dish] -adj
- somewhat round
round lot -n
- the standard unit of trading in a security market usu. amounting to 100 shares of stock
round·ly ['rau̇n(d)-lē] -adv
- in a complete or thorough manner : thoroughly
- by nearly everyone : widely
- in a plainspoken manner : bluntly
- told them roundly they would get no help
- with vigor or asperity
- roundly attacked the plan
roundrob·in ['rau̇nd-,rä-bən] -n
- a written petition, memorial, or protest to which the signatures are affixed in a circle so as not to indicate who signed first
- a statement signed by several persons
- something (as a letter) sent in turn to the members of a group each of whom signs and forwards it sometimes after adding comment
- round table
- a tournament in which every contestant meets every other contestant in turn
- series, round
roundshoul·dered ['rau̇n(d)-,shōl-dərd] -adj
- having the shoulders stooping or rounded
rounds·man ['rau̇n(d)z-mən] -n
- one that makes rounds
- a supervisory police officer of the grade of sergeant or just below
round steak -n
- a steak cut from the round of beef
round ta·ble ['rau̇n(d)-,tā-bəl] -n
- the large circular table of King Arthur and his knights
- the knights of King Arthur
- a conference for discussion or deliberation by several participants
- the participants in such a conference
roundtheclock -adj
- around-the-clock
roundtrip ['rau̇n(d)-,trip] -n
- a trip to a place and back usu. over the same route
round·up ['rau̇nd-,əp] -n
- the act or process of collecting animals (as cattle) by riding around them and driving them in
- the cowboys and ranch personnel engaged in a cattle roundup
- a gathering in of scattered persons or things
- a roundup of all suspects
- a summary of information
round up -vt
- to collect (as cattle) by means of a roundup
- to gather in or bring together from various quarters
round window -n
- a round opening between the middle ear and the cochlea
round·wood ['rau̇nd-,wu̇d] -n
- timber used (as for poles) without being squared by sawing or hewing
round·worm ['rau̇nd-,wərm] -n
- nematode
- a related round-bodied unsegmented worm (as a spiny-headed worm) as distinguished from a flatworm
roup ['rüp, 'rau̇p] -n
- any of various respiratory disorders of poultry
rouse ['rau̇z] -vb, n
- to cause to break from cover
- to stir up : excite
- to arouse from or as if from sleep or repose : awaken
- to become aroused : awaken
- to become stirred
- an act or instance of rousing
- an excited stir
- drink, toast
- carousal
rouse·about ['rau̇-zə-,bau̇t] -n
- an unskilled worker
rousing -adj, adv
- giving rise to excitement : stirring
- brisk, lively
- exceptional, superlative
Rous sarcoma ['rau̇s-] -n
- a sarcoma of chickens caused by a retrovirus (species Rous sarcoma virusof the genus Alpharetrovirus)
Rous·seau·ism [ru̇-'sō-,i-zəm] -n, adj
- the philosophical, educational, and political doctrines of Jean Jacques Rousseau
- the return to or glorification of a simpler and more primitive way of life
roust ['rau̇st] -vt
- to drive (as from bed) roughly or unceremoniously
roust·about ['rau̇s-tə-,bau̇t] -n
- deckhand
- longshoreman
- an unskilled or semiskilled laborer esp. in an oil field or refinery
- a circus worker who erects and dismantles tents, cares for the grounds, and handles animals and equipment
- a person with no permanent home or regular occupation
- one who stirs up trouble
roust·er ['rau̇s-tər] -n
- deckhand
- longshoreman
rout ['rau̇t] -n
- a crowd of people : throng
- rabble
- disturbance
- fuss
- a fashionable gathering
- to low loudly : bellow used of cattle
- to poke around with the snout : root
- pigs rout ing in the earth
- to search haphazardly
- to dig up with the snout
- to gouge out or make a furrow in (as wood or metal)
- to force out as if by digging usu. used with out
- to cause to emerge esp. from bed
- to come up with : uncover
- scouts...rout ing out new talent -- Carrie Donovan
- a state of wild confusion or disorderly retreat
- a disastrous defeat : debacle
- a precipitate flight
- to disorganize completely : demoralize
- to put to precipitate flight
- to defeat decisively or disastrously
- the discomfiture of seeing their party rout ed at the polls -- A. N. Holcombe
- to drive out : dispel
route ['rüt, 'rau̇t] -n
- a traveled way : highway
- a means of access : channel
- the route to social mobility -- T. F. O'Dea
- a line of travel : course
- an established or selected course of travel or action
- an assigned territory to be systematically covered
- to send by a selected route : direct
- was routed along the scenic shore road
- to divert in a specified direction
route·man ['rüt-mən, 'rau̇t-,man] -n
- a person who is responsible for making sales or deliveries on an assigned route
rout·er ['rau̇-tər] -n
- : one that routs: as
- a routing plane
- a machine with a revolving vertical spindle and cutter for milling out the surface of wood or metal
- one that routes
- a device that mediates the transmission routes of data packets over an electronic communications network (as the Internet)
- a horse trained for distance races
route step -n
- a style of marching in which troops maintain prescribed intervals but are not required to keep in step or to maintain silence called also route march
route·way ['rüt-,wā, 'rau̇t-] -n
- route
routh ['rau̇th, 'rüth] -n
- plenty
rou·tine [rü-'tēn] -n
- a regular course of procedure
- if resort to legal action becomes a campus routine -- J. A. Perkins
- habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure
- the routine of factory work
- a reiterated speech or formula
- the old After you routine -- Ray Russell
- a worked-out part (as of an entertainment or sports contest) that may be often repeated
- a theatrical number
- a sequence of computer instructions for performing a particular task
- of a commonplace or repetitious character : ordinary
- of, relating to, or being in accordance with established procedure
rou·tin·ize [rü-'tē-,nīz, 'rü-tə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to discipline in or reduce to a routine
roux ['rü] -n
- a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce
rove ['rōv] -vb
- to move aimlessly : roam
- to wander through or over
- an act or instance of wandering
rove ['rēv] -n
(variant of reeve)
- a local administrative agent of an Anglo-Saxon king
- a medieval English manor officer responsible chiefly for overseeing the discharge of feudal obligations
- the council president in some Canadian municipalities
- a local official charged with enforcement of specific regulations
- to pass (as a rope) through a hole or opening
- to fasten by passing through a hole or around something
- to pass a rope through
- to pass through a block or similar device
- the female of the ruff (sandpiper)
rove beetle -n
- any of a family (Staphylinidae) of often predatory active beetles having a long body and very short wing covers beneath which the wings are folded transversely called also staphylinid
ro·ver ['rō-vər] -n
- pirate
rov·er ['rō-vər] -n
- a random or long-distance mark in archery usu. used in pl.
- wanderer, roamer
- a player who is not assigned to a specific position on a team and who plays wherever needed
- a vehicle for exploring the surface of an extraterrestrial body (as the moon or Mars)
roving -adj
- not restricted as to location or area of concern
- capable of being shifted from place to place : mobile
- inclined to ramble or stray
- a slightly twisted roll or strand of usu. textile fibers
row ['rō] -vb, n
- to propel a boat by means of oars
- to move by or as if by the propulsion of oars
- to propel with or as if with oars
- to participate in (a rowing match)
- to compete against in rowing
- to pull (an oar) in a crew
- to transport in an oar-propelled boat
- an act or instance of rowing
- a number of objects arranged in a usu. straight line
- the line along which such objects are arranged
- planted the corn in parallel row s
- way, street
- a street or area dominated by a specific kind of enterprise or occupancy
- twelve-tone row
- a continuous strip usu. running horizontally or parallel to a baseline
- a horizontal arrangement of items
- to form into rows
- a noisy disturbance or quarrel
- to engage in a row : have a quarrel
row·an ['rau̇-ən, 'rō-ən] -n
- : either of two mountain ashes with flat corymbs of white flowers followed by small red pomes:
- one ( Sorbus aucuparia) native to Eurasia that has become naturalized in the U.S. and Canada
- one ( S. americana) native to the eastern U.S and Canada
- the fruit of a rowan
row·an·ber·ry [-,ber-ē] -n
- rowan
row·boat ['rō-,bōt] -n
- a small boat designed to be rowed
row·dy ['rau̇-dē] -adj, adv, n
- coarse or boisterous in behavior : rough
- characterized by such behavior
rowdy -n
- a rowdy person : tough
row·dy·ism ['rau̇-dē-,i-zəm] -n
- rowdy character or behavior
row·el ['rau̇(-ə)l] -n
- a revolving disk with sharp marginal points at the end of a spur
rowel -vt
- to goad with or as if with a rowel
- vex, trouble
row·en ['rau̇-ən] -n
- aftermath
row house ['rō-] -n
- one of a series of houses connected by common sidewalls and forming a continuous group
row·ing ['rō-iŋ] -n
- the propelling of a boat by means of oars : the action of one that rows
- the sport of racing in shells
rowing boat -n
- rowboat
rowing machine -n
- an exercise machine that simulates the action of rowing
row·lock ['rä-lək, 'rə-; 'rō-,läk] -n
- oarlock
roy·al ['rȯi(-ə)l] -adj, adv
- of kingly ancestry
- of, relating to, or subject to the crown
- being in the crown's service
- suitable for royalty : magnificent
- requiring no exertion : easy
- there is no royal road to logic -- Justus Buchler
- of superior size, magnitude, or quality
- a patronage of royal dimensions -- J. H. Plumb
often used as an intensive - established or chartered by the crown
- of, relating to, or being a part (as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant
royal -n
- a person of royal blood
- a small sail on the royal mast immediately above the topgallant sail
- a stag of 8 years or more having antlers with at least 12 points
royal antler -n
- the third tine above the base of a stag's antler
royal blue -n
- a vivid purplish blue
royal flush -n
- a straight flush having an ace as the highest card
roy·al·ism ['rȯi-ə-,li-zəm] -n
- monarchism
roy·al·ist [-list] -n, adj
- : an adherent of a king or of monarchical government: as
- cavalier
- tory
- a reactionary business tycoon
royal jelly -n
- a highly nutritious secretion of the pharyngeal glands of the honeybee that is fed to the very young larvae in a colony and to all queen larvae
royal palm -n
- any of a genus ( Roystonea) of palms chiefly of the Caribbean region
- a tall graceful pinnate-leaved palm ( R. regia) native to Cuba that is widely planted for ornament
royal poinciana -n
- a showy Madagascan tree ( Delonix regiasyn. Poinciana regia) widely planted for its immense racemes of scarlet and orange flowers called also flamboyant peacock flower
royal purple -n
- a dark reddish purple
roy·al·ty ['rȯi(-ə)l-tē] -n
- royal status or power : sovereignty
- a right or perquisite of a sovereign (as a percentage paid to the crown of gold or silver taken from mines)
- regal character or bearing : nobility
- persons of royal lineage
- a person of royal rank
- how to address royalties -- George Santayana
- an elite class
- a right of jurisdiction granted to an individual or corporation by a sovereign
- a share of the product or profit reserved by the grantor esp. of an oil or mining lease
- a payment to an author or composer for each copy of a work sold or to an inventor for each item sold under a patent
roz·zer ['rä-zər] -n
- police officer