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An arrow for a crossbow; -- so named because it commonly had a square head. [Obs.] To shoot with arrows and quarrel. Sir J. Mandeville. Two arblasts, . . . with windlaces and quarrels. Sir W. Scott.

A long and stout staff formerly used as a weapon of defense and offense; -- so called because in holding it one hand was placed in the middle, and the other between the middle and the end.

The four aces, kings, queens, knaves, or tens, in the game of piquet; -- so called because quatorze counts as fourteen points.

Calcium oxide; unslacked lime; -- so called because when wet it develops great heat. See 4th Lime, 2.

school for poor children, where they are taught and in part fed; -- a name given at first because they came in their common clothing. [Eng.] -- Rag"ged*ly, adv. -- Rag"ged*ness, n.

ease, attended with ravenous hunger, not uncommon in Sweden and Germany. It was so called because supposed to be caused by eating corn with which seeds of jointed charlock (Raphanus raphanistrum) had been mixed, but the condition is now known to be a form of ergotism.

the discoverer, W. C. Röntgen. -- X ray, the Röntgen ray; -- so called by its discoverer because of its enigmatical character, x being an algebraic symbol for an unknown quantity.

Ratio; proportion. [Obs.] Barrow. By reason of, by means of; on account of; because of. "Spain is thin sown of people, partly by reason of the sterility of the soil." Bacon. In reason, In all reason, in justice; with rational ground; in a right view. When anything is proved by as good arguments as a thing of that kind…

third has to the reciprocal of the fourth. Thus, 2:5: :20:8 form a reciprocal proportion, because 2:5: :1/20:1/8. -- Reciprocal quantities (Math.), any two quantities which produce unity when multiplied together. -- Reciprocal ratio (Math.), the ratio between the reciprocals of two quantities; as, the reciprocal rati…

The terminal part of the large intestine; -- so named because supposed by the old anatomists to be straight. See Illust. under Digestive.

A monk of an order founded in 1197; -- so called because the order was especially devoted to the redemption of Christians held in captivity by the Mohammedans. Called also Trinitarian.

The inward impulses; the affections and passions; -- so called because formerly supposed to have their seat in the part of the body where the kidneys are. My reins rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Prov. xxiii. 16. I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts. Rev. ii. 23. Reins of a vault (Arch.), the parts b…

haughtily or harshly; to repudiate. That golden scepter which thou didst reject. Milton. Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me. Hog. iv. 6.

relish for whatever was excelent in arts. Macaulay. I have a relish for moderate praise, because it bids fair to be jCowper.

Remaining; yet left. [R.] "Because of the remnant dregs of his disease." Fuller. And quiet dedicate her remnant life To the just duties of an humble wife. Prior.

rd purity or fineness; disallowed; rejected. [Obs.] Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Jer. vi. 30.

A method of notation for all spoken sounds, proposed by Mr. Sweet; -- so called because it is based on the common Roman-letter alphabet. It is like the palæotype of Mr. Ellis in the general plan, but simpler.

ity which when multiplied into itself will produce that quantity; thus, 3 is a root of 9, because 3 multiplied into itself produces 9; 3 is the cube root of 27.

A fleshy-leaved herb (Rhodiola rosea); rosewort; -- so called because the roots have the odor of roses.

he forum where orations, pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; -- so called because after the Latin war, it was adorned with the beaks of captured vessels; later, applied also to other platforms erected in Rome for the use of public orators.