Search the Dictionary

e quality or state of being rare; rareness; thinness; as, the rarity (contrasted with the density) of gases.

The quality of state of being rash. We offend . . . by rashness, which is an affirming or denying, before we have sufficiently informed ourselves. South.

A small Spanish silver coin; also, a denomination of money of account, formerly the unit of the Spanish monetary system.

One who believes in realism; esp., one who maintains that generals, or the terms used to denote the genera and species of things, represent real existences, and are not mere names, as maintained by the nominalists.

but by our five senses and our reason. P. Browne. In common and popular discourse, reason denotes that power by which we distinguish truth from falsehood, and right from wrong, and by which we are enabled to combine means for the attainment of particular ends. Stewart. Reason is used sometimes to express the whole of t…

Used to denote different kinds of mutual relation; often with reference to the substitution of reciprocals for given quantities. See the Phrases below. Reciprocal equation (Math.), one which remains unchanged in form when the reciprocal of the unknown quantity is substituted for that quantity. -- Reciprocal figures (G…

Used to denote a case where a set-off pleaded by the defendant is met by a set-off pleaded by the plaintiff.

Refusing; denying; negative. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

The American redpoll warbler (Dendroica palmarum).

To change, as numbers, from one denomination into another without altering their value, or from one denomination into others of the same value; as, to reduce pounds, shillings, and pence to pence, or to reduce pence to pounds; to reduce days and hours to minutes, or minutes to days and hours.

ascending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a lower into others of a higher denomination, as cents to dollars. -- Reduction descending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a higher into others of a lower denomination, as dollars to cents.

Luster; special brilliancy of surface; -- used esp. in ceramics to denote the peculiar metallic brilliancy seen in lustered pottery such as majolica; as, silver reflet; gold reflet.

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.

tion of ray of light, heat, or the like, when it enters obliquely a medium of a different density from that through which it has previously moved. Refraction out of the rarer medium into the denser, is made towards the perpendicular. Sir I. Newton.

Shelter or protection from danger or distress. Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these Find place or refuge. Milton. We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Heb. vi. 18.

The act of refusing; denial of anything demanded, solicited, or offered for acceptance. Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels, On my refusal, to distress me more Milton.

To deny, as a request, demand, invitation, or command; to decline to do or grant. That never yet refused your hest. Chaucer.

To deny; to disown. [Obs.]

A denial. [R.] "Absolute renegation of Christ." Milman.

To deny; to disown. [Obs.] Shak. All Europe high (all sorts of rights reneged) Against the trith and thee unholy leagued. Sylvester.