Radius vector to Raid
Radius vector
(||Ra"di*us vec"tor)
1. (Math.) A straight line (or the length of such line) connecting any point, as of a curve, with a fixed
point, or pole, round which the straight line turns, and to which it serves to refer the successive points of
a curve, in a system of polar coördinates. See Coördinate, n.
2. (Astron.) An ideal straight line joining the center of an attracting body with that of a body describing
an orbit around it, as a line joining the sun and a planet or comet, or a planet and its satellite.
Radix
(Ra"dix) n.; pl. L. Radices E. Radixes [L. radix, -icis, root. See Radish.]
1. (Philol.) A primitive word, from which spring other words; a radical; a root; an etymon.
2. (Math.) (a) A number or quantity which is arbitrarily made the fundamental number of any system; a
base. Thus, 10 is the radix, or base, of the common system of logarithms, and also of the decimal
system of numeration. (b) (Alg.) A finite expression, from which a series is derived. [R.] Hutton.
3. (Bot.) The root of a plant.
Radula
(||Rad"u*la) n.; pl. Radulæ (- le). [L., a scraper, fr. radere to scrape.] (Zoöl.) The chitinous
ribbon bearing the teeth of mollusks; — called also lingual ribbon, and tongue. See Odontophore.
Raduliform
(Ra*du"li*form) a. [L. radula a scraper + -form.] Rasplike; as, raduliform teeth.
Raff
(Raff) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Raffed (raft); p. pr. & vb. n. Raffing.] [OF. raffer, of German origin; cf.
G. raffen; akin to E. rap to snatch. See Rap, and cf. Riffraff, Rip to tear.] To sweep, snatch, draw,
or huddle together; to take by a promiscuous sweep. [Obs.]
Causes and effects which I thus raff up together.
Carew. Raff
(Raff), n.
1. A promiscuous heap; a jumble; a large quantity; lumber; refuse. "A raff of errors." Barrow.
2. The sweepings of society; the rabble; the mob; — chiefly used in the compound or duplicate, riffraff.
3. A low fellow; a churl.
Raff merchant, a dealer in lumber and odd refuse. [Prov. Eng.]
Raffaelesque
(Raf`fa*el*esque") a. Raphaelesque.
Raffia
(Raf"fi*a) n. (Bot.) A fibrous material used for tying plants, said to come from the leaves of a
palm tree of the genus Raphia. J. Smith
Raffinose
(Raf"fi*nose`) n. [F. raffiner to refine.] (Chem.) A colorless crystalline slightly sweet substance
obtained from the molasses of the sugar beet.
Raffish
(Raff"ish) a. Resembling, or having the character of, raff, or a raff; worthless; low.
A sad, raffish, disreputable character.
Thackeray. Raffle
(Raf"fle) n. [F. rafle; faire rafle to sweep stakes, fr. rafler to carry or sweep away, rafler tout to
sweep stakes; of German origin; cf. G. raffeln to snatch up, to rake. See Raff, v.]
1. A kind of lottery, in which several persons pay, in shares, the value of something put up as a stake,
and then determine by chance (as by casting dice) which one of them shall become the sole possessor.
