Chapter Ravana to Reader of R by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Ravenglass (Cumberland). A corruption of Afon-glass (Blue river).

Ravenstone The stone gibbet of Germany; so called from the ravens which are wont to perch on it. (German rabenstein.)

“Do you think
I'll honour you so much as save your throat
From the Ravenstone, by choking you myself?”
Byron: Werner, ii. 2.

Ravenswood (Allan, Lord of). A decayed Scotch nobleman of the Royalist party.
   Master Edgar Ravenswood. His son, who falls in love with Lucy Ashton, daughter of Sir William Ashton, Lord-Keeper of Scotland. The lovers plight their troth at the Mermaid's Fountain, but Lucy is compelled to marry Frank Hayston, laird of Bucklaw. The bride, in a fit of insanity, attempts to murder the bridegroom and dies in convulsions. Bucklaw recovers, and goes abroad. Colonel Ashton, seeing Edgar at the funeral of Lucy, appoints a hostile meeting; and Edgar, on his way to the place appointed, is lost in the quicksands of Kelpies-flow. (Sir Walter Scott: Bride of Lammermoor.)
   In Donizetti's opera of Lucia di Lammermoor, Bucklaw dies of the wound inflicted by the bride, and Edgar, heart-broken, comes on the stage and kills himself, that “his marriage with Lucy, forbidden on earth, may be consummated in heaven.”

Raw To touch one on the raw. To mention something that makes a person wince, like touching a horse on a raw place in cleaning him.

Raw Lobster (A). A policeman. Lobsters before they are boiled are a dark blue. A soldier dressed in scarlet is a lobster; a policeman, or sort of soldier, dressed in dark blue is a raw lobster. The name was given to the new force by the Weekly Dispatch newspaper, which tried to write it down.

Rawhead and Bloody-Bones A bogie at one time the terror of children.

“Servants awe children and keep them in subjection by telling them of Rawhead and Bloody-bones.”- Locke.

Raymond (in Jerusalem Delivered). Master of 4,000 infantry, Count of Toulouse, equal to Godfrey in the “wisdom of cool debate” (bk. iii.). This Nestor of the Crusaders slew Aladine, the king of Jerusalem, and planted the Christian standard upon the tower of David (bk. xx.).

Rayne or Raine (Essex). Go and say your prayers at Raine. The old church of Raine, built in the time of Henry II., famous for its altar to the Virgin, and much frequented at one time by pregnant women, who went to implore the Virgin to give them safe deliverance.

Razed Shoes referred to in Hamlet, are slashed shoes.

“Would not this, sir ... with two Provencal roses on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir?”- Act iii. 2.

Razee (raz-za). A ship of war cut down to a smaller size, as a seventy-four reduced to a frigate. (French, raser.)

Razor Hewing blocks with a razor. Livy relates how Tarquinius Priscus, defying the power of Attus Navius, the augur, said to him, “Tell me, if you are so wise, whether I can do what I am now thinking about.” “Yes,” said Navius. “Ha! ha!” cried the king; “I was thinking whether I could cut in twain that whetstone with a razor.” “Cut boldly!” answered the augur, and the king cleft it in twain at one blow.

Razzia An incursion made by the military into an enemy's country, for the purpose of carrying off cattle or slaves, or for enforcing tribute. It is an Arabic word much employed in connection with Algerine affairs.

“War is a razzia rather than an art to the ... merciless Pelissier.”- The Standard.

Re (Latin). Respecting; in reference to; as, “re Brown,” in reference to the case of Brown.

Reach of a river. The part which lies between two points or bends; so called because it reaches from point to point.

“When he drew near them he would turn from each,
And loudly whistle till he passed the Reach.”
Crabbe: Borough.

Read between the Lines (See under Lines .)