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found in wet places. -- Reed babbler. See Reedbird. -- Reed bunting (Zoöl.) A European sparrow (Emberiza schoeniclus) which frequents marshy places; -- called also reed sparrow, ring bunting. (b) Reedling. -- Reed canary grass (Bot.), a tall wild grass (Phalaris arundinacea). -- Reed grass. (Bot.) (a) The common r…

s 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.

To break the natural course of, as rays of light orr heat, when passing from one transparent medium to another of different density; to cause to deviate from a direct course by an action distinct from reflection; as, a dense medium refrcts the rays of light as they pass into it from a rare medium.

taining to, or possessing, refringency; refractive; refracting; as, a refringent prism of spar. Nichol.

To light again; to cause to shine anew; to relume; to reillumine. "Thou must reillume its spark." J. R. Drake.

er; so like unto him that we report the reader to the character of King Almeric, and will spare the repeating his description. Fuller.

To regard; to consider; to deem. [Obs.] To whom my father gave this name of Gaspar, And as his own respected him to death. B. Jonson.

lace or privacy or safety; a refuge; an asylum. He built his son a house of pleasure, and spared no cost to make a delicious retreat. L'Estrange. That pleasing shade they sought, a soft retreat From sudden April showers, a shelter from the heat. Dryden.

Minute transparent, often needlle-shaped, crystals found in the tissues of plants. [Written also raphides.]

Manganese spar, or silicate of manganese, a mineral occuring crystallised and in rose-red masses. It is often used as an ornamental stone.

The Java sparrow.

A stout pole for use in making a rick, or for a spar to a boat.

er with a degree of contempt; wit of that species which provokes contemptuous laughter; disparagement by making a person an object of laughter; banter; -- a term lighter than derision. We have in great measure restricted the meaning of ridicule, which would properly extend over whole region of the ridiculous, -- the la…

DRess; tackle; especially (Naut.), the ropes, chains, etc., that support the masts and spars of a vessel, and serve as purchases for adjusting the sails, etc. See Illustr. of Ship and Sails. Running rigging (Naut.), all those ropes used in bracing the yards, making and shortening sail, etc., such as braces, sheets, hal…

yong the leech of a boom-and-gaff sail; -- called also ringsail. Ringtail boom (Naut.), a spar which is rigged on a boom for setting a ringtail.

the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook. Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is delightful to drink as they flow. Macaulay.

(Min.), a kind of clay having a smooth, greasy feel, and adhering to the tongue. -- Rock sparrow. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of Old World sparrows of the genus Petronia, as P. stulla, of Europe. (b) A North American sparrow (Pucæa ruficeps). -- Rock tar, petroleum. -- Rock thrush (Zoöl.), any Old World t…

An instrument of punishment or correction; figuratively, chastisement. He that spareth his rod hateth his son. Prov. xiii. 24.

rework (generally held in the hand), characterized by the continued emission of shower of sparks, and the ejection, at intervals, of brilliant balls or stars of fire which are thrown upward as they become ignited. -- Roman Catholic, of, pertaining to, or the religion of that church of which the pope is the spiritual h…

Belonging or relating to Rome, or to the Roman Catholic Church; -- frequently used in a disparaging sense; as, the Romish church; the Romish religion, ritual, or ceremonies.