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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



539 words match “CHIEFLY”

RAPID-FIRE; RAPID-FIRING a.
States army, designating such a gun, whether using fixed or separate ammunition, designed chiefly for use in coast batteries against torpedo vessels and the lightly armored batteries or other war vessels and for the protection of defensive mine fields; -- not distinguished from quick-fire. (3)
RATTLE n.
roat produced by the air in passing through mucus which the lungs are unable to expel; -- chiefly observable at the approach of death, when it is called the death rattle. See Râle. To spring a rattle, to cause it to sound. -- Yellow rattle (Bot.), a yellow-flowered herb (Rhinanthus Crista- galli), the ripe seeds of wh…
RED DOG FLOUR; RED-DOG FLOUR n.
or embryo and adjacent parts, and contains a relatively high percentage of protein. It is chiefly useful as feed for farm animals.
REEVE n.
an officer, steward, bailiff, or governor; -- used chiefly in compounds; as, shirereeve, now written sheriff; portreeve, etc. Chaucer. Piers Plowman.
REEXPORT n.
Any commodity reëxported; -- chiefly in the ptural.
REFLECTING a.
flection of light from two plane mirrors which it carries, and differing from the sextant chiefly in having an entire circle. -- Reflecting galvanometer, a galvanometer in which the deflections of the needle are read by means of a mirror attached to it, which reflects a ray of light or the image of a scale; -- called…
REGIE n.
Any kind of government monopoly (tobacco, salt, etc.) used chiefly as a means of taxation. Such monopolies are largely employed in Austria, Italy, France, and Spain.
REGLET n.
A flat, narrow molding, used chiefly to separate the parts or members of compartments or panels from one another, or doubled, turned, and interlaced so as to form knots, frets, or other ornaments. See Illust. (12) of Column.
REGULAR n.
A soldier belonging to a permanent or standing army; -- chiefly used in the plural.
REMAIN n.
That which is left; relic; remainder; -- chiefly in the plural. "The remains of old Rome." Addison. When this remain of horror has entirely subsided. Burke.
RESIANT a.
Resident; present in a place. [Obs.] In which her kingdom's throne is chiefly resiant. Spenser.
RETRIEVER n.
A dor, or a breed of dogs, chiefly employed to retrieve, or to find and recover game birds that have been killed or wounded.
RIBALDRY n.
The talk of a ribald; low, vulgar language; indecency; obscenity; lewdness; -- now chiefly applied to indecent language, but formerly, as by Chaucer, also to indecent acts or conduct. The ribaldry of his conversation moved Macaulay.
RICE n.
, and the grain forms a large portion of the food of the inhabitants. In America it grows chiefly on low, moist land, which can be overflowed. Ant rice. (Bot.) See under Ant. -- French rice. (Bot.) See Amelcorn. -- Indian rice., a tall reedlike water grass (Zizania aquatica), bearing panicles of a long, slender grain…
RIGHT-HAND a.
Chiefly relied on; almost indispensable. Mr. Alexander Truncheon, who is their right-hand man in the troop. Addison. Right-hand rope, a rope which is laid up and twisted with the sun, that is, in the same direction as plain-laid rope. See Illust. of Cordage.
ROMANCE n.
m, and such as display the characteristics above mentioned, were originally metrical, and chiefly written by nations of the north of France. Hallam.
ROOT v.
as in the earth; to implant firmly; hence, to make deep or radical; to establish; -- used chiefly in the participle; as, rooted trees or forests; rooted dislike.
ROUND a. 2 definitions
base upward, and usually having a conical cap or roof, which crowns the summit, -- found chiefly in Ireland. They are of great antiquity, and vary in heigh from thirty-five to one hundred and thiry feet. -- Round trot, one in which the horse throws out his feet roundly; a full, brisk, quick trot. Addison. -- Round t…
RUBY n.
em.), a glassy substance of a red color and a variable composition, but always consisting chiefly of the disulphide of arsenic; -- called also ruby sulphur. -- Ruby of zinc (Min.), zinc sulphide; the mineral zinc blende or sphalerite. -- Ruby silver (Min.), red silver. See under Red.
RULE v.
To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; -- used chiefly in the passive. I think she will be ruled In all respects by me. Shak.
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