English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

raptor

noun

A bird that hunts other animals, such as an eagle or hawk.

raptorial

adj

Relating to birds of prey, or behaving like one by seizing or hunting other creatures.

rapture

noun

A feeling of intense joy or delight, often so strong it feels overwhelming.

Rapunzel

name

The heroine of a German fairy tale who is locked in a tower and lets down her extremely long hair so a prince can climb up to rescue her.

Raquel

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, a Spanish form of Rachel.

rare

adj

Not common; found or happening only occasionally.

rarefaction

noun

A decrease in how densely packed a substance is, especially a gas or liquid.

rarefied

adj

Belonging to a small, select group and cut off from the concerns of ordinary people.

rarely

adv

Not often; seldom.

rareness

noun

The fact of being uncommon or hard to find.

raresome

adj

Notably unusual or scarce.

raring

adj

Extremely eager and ready to do something, almost impatient to start.

rarity

noun

The quality of being uncommon or scarce.

ras

noun

A title given to an Ethiopian prince, governor, or high-ranking noble.

rasa

noun

In Indian aesthetics, the dominant emotional flavor or mood that a work of art, dance, or drama is designed to evoke in its audience.

rascal

noun

A dishonest or badly behaved person, especially in a way that can seem mischievous rather than truly dangerous.

rascality

noun

Rascals as a group, or ordinary common people viewed together.

rase

verb

To be extremely angry; to rage; specifically, of a dog or wolf: to snarl in rage.

rash

adj

Acting too quickly without thinking through the consequences.

Rashad

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "wisdom" or "right guidance"; also used as a surname.

Rasheed

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, a variant of Rashid meaning "rightly guided."

rasher

noun

A thin slice of bacon.

Rashid

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, meaning roughly "rightly guided" or "wise."

rashly

adv

In a hasty way, without properly thinking things through.

Rashmi

name

A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, used in India, meaning "ray of light."

rashness

noun

The tendency to act too hastily, without thinking things through.

Rasmussen

name

A Danish and Norwegian surname, originating as a patronymic meaning "son of Rasmus."

rasp

noun

A coarse metal file with rough, pointed teeth, used to shape or smooth wood or other materials.

raspberry

noun

A small, soft red or black fruit made up of tiny juicy segments, growing on a thorny bush.

rasping

adj

Harsh and grating, especially describing a voice or sound.

Rasputin

noun

By extension from the historical figure, any manipulative advisor or insider who gains excessive, often sinister influence over a powerful person.

raspy

adj

Having a rough, grating quality, especially describing a voice.

Rasta

noun

Informal short form of "Rastafarian," a follower of the Rastafari movement, a religious and cultural movement that began in Jamaica.

rastafarian

noun

A follower of the Rastafari religious movement.

rat

noun

A rodent similar to a mouse but larger, often considered a pest.

rataplan

noun

A steady, repeated drumming sound, like galloping hooves or rapid gunfire.

ratatouille

noun

A French vegetable stew made mainly from tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and herbs.

ratch

noun

A wheel fitted with a ratchet mechanism.

ratchet

verb

To increase or escalate something, usually in a series of small steps, especially so it can't easily go back down.

rate

noun

A measure of how fast something happens, or how one quantity compares to another.

rated

adj

Assigned an official classification or score, such as an age suitability rating or a technical performance limit.

ratepayer

noun

Someone who pays for a public utility or service.

ratfink

noun

Someone who betrays others by informing on them or spying, a traitor.

rath

noun

An ancient circular earthen fort or enclosure found in Ireland, dating from the Iron Age or early medieval period.

rather

adv

Used to show a preference for one thing over another.

rather than

conjunction

Used to introduce the option that is not being chosen, in place of another that is.

Rathod

name

A surname found in India, common among certain Rajput and other communities.

rathole

noun

A hole that rats or mice use as the entrance to their burrow.

Rathore

name

A surname of Hindi origin, associated with a Rajput clan of northern India.

ratification

noun

The process of officially approving something, or the state of having been approved.

ratifier

noun

A person or body that formally approves something, making it official.

ratify

verb

To give official approval to something, making it formally valid.

rating

noun

A score or ranking showing how good, popular, or capable something is.

ratio

noun

A comparison between two amounts, showing how many times one contains the other.

ratiocination

noun

The process of thinking something through carefully and drawing logical conclusions.

ration

noun

A fixed, limited amount of something, especially food, given out to each person.

rational

adj

Based on clear reasoning and logic rather than emotion.

rationale

noun

The set of reasons or logical basis behind a decision or action.

rationalise

verb

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of rationalize.

rationalism

noun

The idea that reason alone can give us knowledge, and that it ranks above what our senses tell us.

rationality

noun

The quality of thinking and acting based on reason and sound judgment.

rationalization

noun

The act of explaining something in logical terms, or the explanation that results.

rationalize

verb

To make something rational, logical, or more efficient — often by removing unnecessary parts.

rationally

adverb

In a way that is based on reason and logic rather than emotion.

rationalness

noun

The quality of being sensible and guided by reason.

rationing

noun

A fixed, controlled share of something limited, especially food or fuel, handed out during shortages.

ratite

adj

Relating to flightless, fast-running birds whose breastbones lack a keel, in contrast to carinate birds.

ratlike

adj

Looking like a rat, or showing qualities linked to rats, such as slyness, cowardice or disloyalty.

rato

noun

A take-off that is helped along by a device of this kind.

Raton

name

A city in New Mexico, United States, the county seat of Colfax County.

rats

interjection

A mild exclamation of annoyance or disappointment.

ratsbane

noun

Poison used to kill rats, typically white arsenic.

rattan

noun

Any of a number of climbing palm species belonging to the genus Calamus.

ratted

adjective

British slang for extremely drunk.

ratter

noun

Something that catches rats, particularly a dog trained for that purpose.

ratting

noun

The practice of using a terrier or other dog to kill rats, sometimes as a timed contest.

rattle

verb

To make a rapid series of short, sharp knocking sounds by shaking or being shaken.

rattler

noun

Informal American term for a rattlesnake.

rattlesnake

noun

A venomous American snake that shakes a rattle-like structure on its tail as a warning.

rattling

adjective

Lively and brisk, especially of speech or pace.

rattrap

noun

A device designed to trap rats.

ratty

adjective

Shabby, worn out, or in poor condition.

raucous

adjective

Harsh-sounding, loud, and rough, especially of a voice or laughter.

Raul

name

A masculine given name of Spanish origin, an anglicized form of Raúl.

raunch

noun

Poor quality or a lack of refinement; inferiority.

raunchy

adjective

Crude or sexually explicit in a way that can be humorous or shocking.

ravage

verb

To cause severe damage or destruction to something.

ravages

noun

Severe, lasting damage caused by something destructive, such as time, war, or disease.

Ravana

name

In Hindu mythology, the demon king of Lanka who was slain by Rama in the epic Ramayana.

rave

noun

An enthusiastically positive review.

ravel

verb

To tangle or complicate something.

raven

noun

A large, glossy black bird in the crow family, known for its deep call and intelligence.

ravening

adj

Extremely hungry and greedy for food.

Ravenna

name

A historic coastal city in northern Italy, capital of the Ravenna province, known for its Byzantine mosaics.

ravenous

adjective

Extremely hungry.

ravenousness

noun

The state of being extremely hungry.

Ravi

name

A masculine given name used in India, from Sanskrit meaning "sun."

ravine

noun

A deep, narrow valley cut into the land, usually by running water.

raving

adjective

Talking wildly or incoherently, often out of madness or extreme emotion.

ravioli

noun

Small square pockets of pasta stuffed with a filling such as meat, cheese or spinach.

ravish

verb

To fill someone with intense delight or joy.

ravishing

adjective

Extremely beautiful or attractive.

raw

adjective

Not cooked.

Rawdon

name

An English surname, also a village in West Yorkshire, England.

rawhide

noun

Animal hide that has not been tanned.

Rawley

name

An English surname.

Rawlings

name

An English surname, a patronymic derived from the given name Rawlin, a diminutive of Ralph.

Rawlins

name

An English surname, also the name of a city in Wyoming, United States, named after John Aaron Rawlins.

Rawls

name

An English surname, a patronymic from a medieval form of the name Ralph; notably borne by the philosopher John Rawls.

rawness

noun

The state of being raw.

rawr

interjection

A playful imitation of a roar, often used to express affection or attraction.

ray

noun

A narrow beam of light or other radiation.

raya

noun

A historical district under direct Ottoman rule, distinct from the semi-autonomous principalities nearby.

Rayburn

noun

A traditional British range cooker that stays on continuously, similar to an Aga.

rayciss

adj

A pronunciation spelling of racist.

Raylan

name

A masculine given name of modern coinage, based on the name Ray.

rayleigh

noun

A unit that measures how bright the night sky is, equal to 10¹⁰/4π photons emitted per square metre each second in every steradian.

Raymond

name

A masculine given name of Germanic origin, meaning roughly "wise protector"; also a common surname and place name.

Rayna

name

A feminine given name.

Rayne

name

A feminine given name and surname, a variant of Raine.

Raza

name

A masculine given name and surname used among Persian- and Urdu-speaking communities, a variant of Riza.

raze

verb

To tear a building, town, or structure down completely, leaving nothing standing.

razed

adjective

Having a striped or slashed decorative pattern, especially on fabric or leather.

razer

noun

Someone or something that razes, or tears down, a structure.

razor

noun

A sharp-bladed tool used for shaving hair from the skin.

razorbill

noun

A large black and white auk of the north Atlantic, with a thick, blade-like bill.

razz

noun

A form of seven-card stud poker in which the lowest hand wins, also known as lowball.

razzle

verb

To dazzle or confuse someone, often through showy or flashy display.

RBF

noun

Resting bitch face: a naturally neutral facial expression that other people read as angry, bored or unimpressed even when the person feels nothing of the kind.

RDX

noun

A powerful high explosive used in military munitions and industrial blasting.

re

prep

Concerning or with reference to something, commonly used to introduce the subject of a letter, email, or document.

Rea

name

A feminine given name and surname, also the name of several rivers in England, including one flowing through Birmingham.

reach

verb

To stretch out an arm or hand toward something in order to touch or grasp it.

reachability

noun

The state of being reachable.

reachable

adj

Able to be reached, contacted, or arrived at.

reached

verb

Past tense and past participle of reach: arrived at a place, point or level.

reacher

noun

A tool with a long handle and gripping end used to grab objects that are otherwise out of reach.

reaches

noun

The furthest limits or extent of something, especially a river or an area.

reaching

noun

The act of stretching out to grasp or touch something.

react

verb

To act, respond, or behave in a particular way because of something that has happened.

reaction

noun

A response, in words, feelings, or actions, to something that has happened.

reactionary

adj

Strongly opposed to political or social change, and favouring a return to how things used to be.

reactivate

verb

To make something active or operational again after it has been switched off or suspended.

reactive

adj

Responding to events after they happen rather than planning ahead for them.

reactor

noun

A structure or device that produces energy through a controlled nuclear reaction.

read

verb

To look at written words or symbols and understand their meaning.

readable

adj

Clear enough to be read or worked out.

readapt

verb

To adjust something again, often for a different use.

Reade

name

An English surname, a spelling variant of Reid.

reader

noun

A person who reads, especially someone who reads a particular publication or type of book.