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Very swift or quick; moving with celerity; fast; as, a rapid stream; a rapid flight; a rapid motion. Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels. Milton.

humorous disparagement, without implication of dishonesty. Our rascally porter is fallen fast asleep. Swift.

f heat. "An ancient but reduced family." Sir W. Scott. Nothing so excellent but a man may fasten upon something belonging to it, to reduce it. Tillotson. Having reduced Their foe to misery beneath their fears. Milton. Hester Prynne was shocked at the condition to which she found the clergyman reduced. Hawthorne.…

uce the extent of (as a sail) by roiling or folding a certain portion of it and making it fast to the yard or spar. Totten. To reef the paddles, to move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.

The strap of a bridle, fastened to the curb or snaffle on each side, by which the rider or driver governs the horse. This knight laid hold upon his reyne. Chaucer.

tained; succor; alleviation; comfort; ease; redress. He seec the dire contagion spread so fast, That, where it seizes, all relief is vain. Dryden.

reprove faults. He neither reproved the ordinance of John, neither plainly condemned the fastings of the other men. Udall.

cue seamen from destruction. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, I would have been a breakfast to the best, Rather than have false Proteus rescue me. Shak.

l or steadying the work. He made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house. 1 Kings vi. 6.

to dispatch; to finish. [R.] "Willingness rids way." Shak. Mirth will make us rid ground faster than if thieves were at our tails. J. Webster. To be rid of, to be free or delivered from. -- To get rid of, to get deliverance from; to free one's self from.

rt a rider, as a horse; to move under the saddle; as, a horse rides easy or hard, slow or fast. To ride easy (Naut.), to lie at anchor without violent pitching or straining at the cables. -- To ride hard (Naut.), to pitch violently. -- To ride out. (a) To go upon a military expedition. [Obs.] Chaucer. (b) To ride in…

orite Italian public entertainment, consisting of music and dancing, -- held generally on fast eves. Brande & C. There are to be ridottos at guinea tickets. Walpole.

To fasten with a rivet, or with rivets; as, to rivet two pieces of iron.

. Butt riveting, riveting in which the ends or edges of plates form a butt joint, and are fastened together by being riveted to a narrow strip which covers the joint. -- Chain riveting, riveting in which the rivets, in two or more rows along the seam, are set one behind the other. -- Crossed riveting, riveting in whi…

illed with a composition of combustible ingredients, as niter, charcoal, and sulphur, and fastened to a guiding stick. The rocket is projected through the air by the force arising from the expansion of the gases liberated by combustion of the composition. Rockets are used as projectiles for various purposes, for signal…

ity chanced to intervene and to cause misappehensions, he gave them not leave to root and fasten by concealment. Bp. Fell.

To bind, fasten, or tie with a rope or cord; as, to rope a bale of goods. Hence: --

A small piece of spun yarn or marline, used to fasten the head of the sail to the spar. [Written also roband, and robbin.]

A rudder. Rother nail, a nail with a very full head, used for fastening the rudder irons of ships; -- so called by shipwrights.

n in motion. It is a broad and flat blade made of wood or iron, with a long shank, and is fastened in an upright position, usually by one edge, to the sternpost of the vessel in such a way that it can be turned from side to side in the water by means of a tiller, wheel, or other attachment.