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The act of one who reads; perusal; also, printed or written matter to be read.

or against; to examine or discuss by arguments; to debate or discuss; as, I reasoned the matter with my friend. When they are clearly discovered, well digested, and well reasoned in every part, there is beauty in such a theory. T. Burnet.

The answer of a defendant in matter of fact to a plaintiff's surrejoinder.

An intercellular cavity containing oil or resin or other matters.

The formal statement, or setting forth, of some matter of fact in any deed or writing in order to explain the reasons on which the transaction is founded; the statement of matter in pleading introductory to some positive allegation. Burn.

ord, as upon a judgment or a cognizance. -- Trial by record, a trial which is had when a matter of record is pleaded, and the opposite party pleads that there is no such record. In this case the trial is by inspection of the record itself, no other evidence being admissible. Blackstone. -- To beat, or break, the reco…

troke. Common recovery (Law), a species of common assurance or mode of conveying lands by matter of record, through the forms of an action at law, formerly in frequent use, but now abolished or obsolete, both in England and America. Burrill. Warren.

Superfluous matter separated from that which is useful; dross; scoria; as, the recrement of ore.

A person who refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in matters of religion; as, a Roman Catholic recusant, who acknowledges the supremacy of the pope. Brande & C.

To reduce to form, as literary matter; to digest and put in shape (matter for publication); to edit.

One who redacts; one who prepares matter for publication; an editor. Carlyle.

Restoration of a mixed body or matter to its former nature and state. [Achaic.] Coxe.

author; to refer a beggar to an officer; to refer a bill to a committee; a court refers a matter of fact to a commissioner for investigation, or refers a question of law to a superior tribunal.

One to whom a thing is referred; a person to whom a matter in dispute has been referred, in order that he may settle it.

The act of submitting a matter in dispute to the judgment of one or more persons for decision. (b) (Equity)

plomatic agent's note asking for instructions from his government concerning a particular matter or point.

state; to free from impurities; to free from dross or alloy; to separate 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.

That which is refused or rejected as useless; waste or worthless matter.

Matter for conssideration; account; condition. [Obs.] "Reason full of good regard." Shak.

g the space between pages in a chase, and also for spacing out title-pages and other open matter. It is graded to different sizes, and designated by the name of the type that it matches; as, nonpareil reglet, pica reglet, and the like.