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e from extraneous matter; to purify; to defecate; as, to refine gold or silver; to refine iron; to refine wine or sugar. I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined. Zech. xiii. 9.

A furnace in which cast iron is refined by the action of a blast on the molten metal.

, in which the incoming air or gas is heated by being brought into contact with masses of iron, brick, etc., which have been previously heated by the outgoing, or escaping, hot air or gas.

n a body that has little coercive force after the magnetizing force is withdrawn, as soft iron; -- called also residual magnetism.

Having power to retain; as, a retentive memory. Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit. Shak.

o enter a receiver for general chemical operations, or a cylinder or semicylinder of cast iron for the manufacture of gas in gas works. Tubulated retort (Chem.), a retort having a tubulure for the introduction or removal of the substances which are to be acted upon.

relating to a system of forms including the rhombohedron and scalenohedron. Rhombohedral iron ore (Min.) See Hematite. -- Rhombohedral system (Crystallog.), a division of the hexagonal system embracing the rhombohedron, scalenohedron, etc.

. Ripping chisel (Carp.), a crooked chisel for cleaning out mortises. Knight. -- Ripping iron. (Shipbuilding) Same as Ravehook. -- Ripping saw. (Carp.) See Ripsaw. -- To rip out, to rap out, to utter hastily and violently; as, to rip out an oath. [Colloq.] See To rap out, under Rap, v. t.

structure, belonging to the chlorite group; a hydrous silicate of alumina, magnesia, and iron; -- called also clinochlore.

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

uantities from Italian alunite, and highly valued by dyers on account of its freedom from iron. -- Roman balance, a form of balance nearly resembling the modern steelyard. See the Note under Balance, n., 1. -- Roman candle, a kind of firework (generally held in the hand), characterized by the continued emission of sh…

sh slowly; to decay; to die; to become corrupt. Four of the sufferers were left to rot in irons. Macaulay. Rot, poor bachelor, in your club. Thackeray.

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

ut a carving, a sketch. Roughing rolls, rolls for reducing, in a rough manner, a bloom of iron to bars. -- To rough it, to endure hard conditions of living; to live without ordinary comforts.

in laundry work, to dry without smoothing or ironing.

A little flat ring or wheel on horses' bits. The iron rowels into frothy foam he bit. Spenser.

, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone. Rub iron, an iron guard on a wagon body, against which a wheel rubs when cramped too much.

Having the appearance or color of iron rust; rusty-looking.

vessel is guided or steered when 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 attachme…

A species of red earth colored by iron sesquioxide; red ocher.