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The institution and carrying on of a suit in a court of law or equity, to obtain some right, or to redress and punish some wrong; the carrying on of a judicial proceeding in behalf of a complaining party, as distinguished from defense.

A carrying forward, as of a final letter, to a following word; as, for example, a nickname for an ekename.

The act of purging; the act of clearing, cleansing, or putifying, by separating and carrying off impurities, or whatever is superfluous; the evacuation of the bowels.

To cleanse, clear, or purify by separating and carrying off whatever is impure, heterogeneous, foreign, or superfluous. "Till fire purge all things new." Milton.

To take or carry away for one's self; hence, to steal; to take by theft; to filch. Had from his wakeful custody purloined The guarded gold. Milton. when did the muse from Fletcher scenes purloin Dryden.

A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie. Chaucer. Who steals my purse steals trash. Shak.

A cycle for carrying four riders, so arranged that all the reders can assist in the propulsion.

One who makes it his business to seek after relics and carry them about for sale.

To carry through; to go through to the end. [Obs.] Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown. Daniel.

Furnished with, or carrying, a quiver. "Like a quivered nymph with arrows keen." Milton.

A small sloop-rigged racing yacht carrying about six hundred square feet of sail, distinguished from a knockabout by having a short bowsprit.

A frame fitted to a wagon for carrying hay, straw, or grain on the stalk, or other bulky loads.

of a steam war vessel for piercing or cutting down the vessel of an enemy; also, a vessel carrying such a beak.

(Gun.), to find the angle at which the piece must be raised to reach (the object) without carrying beyond.

The act of seizing and carrying away by force; violent seizure; robbery. And ruined orphans of thy rapes complain. Sandys.

The act of plundering; the seizing and carrying away of things by force; spoliation; pillage; plunder. Men who were impelled to war quite as much by the desire of rapine as by the desire of glory. Macaulay.

A wild Irish plunderer, esp. one of the 17th century; -- so called from his carrying a half-pike, called a rapary. [Written also raparee.]

To carry away by force. [Obs.] Daniel.

Ratchet drill, a portable machine for working a drill by hand, consisting of a hand lever carrying at one end a drill holder which is revolved by means of a ratchet wheel and pawl, by swinging the lever back and forth. -- Ratchet wheel (Mach.), a circular wheel having teeth, usually angular, with which a reciprocating…

To seize and carry away by violence; to snatch by force. These hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin Will quicken, and accuse thee. Shak. This hand shall ravish thy pretended right. Dryden.