Chapter Ramee to Rand of R by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

enceinte or entire main embankment or wall which surrounds it. The term bulwark is now applied to peculiarly strong outworks which project for the defense of the rampart, or main work. A single bastion is a bulwark. In using these words figuratively, rampart is properly applied to that which protects by walling out; bulwark to that which stands in the forefront of danger, to meet and repel it. Hence, we speak of a distinguished individual as the bulwark, not the rampart, of the state. This distinction, however, is often disregarded.

Rampart
(Ram"part), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ramparted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ramparting.] To surround or protect with, or as with, a rampart or ramparts.

Those grassy hills, those glittering dells,
Proudly ramparted with rocks.

Coleridge.

Rampart gun (Fort.), a cannon or large gun for use on a rampart and not as a fieldpiece.

Rampe
(Rampe) n. [In allusion to its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. See Ramp.] (Bot.) The cuckoopint.

Rampier
(Ram"pier) n. See Rampart. [Obs.]

Rampion
(Ram"pi*on) n. [Cf. F. raiponce, Sp. ruiponce, reponche, L. raperonzo, NL. rapuntium, fr. L. rapum, rapa, a turnip, rape. Cf. Rape a plant.] (Bot.) A plant (Campanula Rapunculus) of the Bellflower family, with a tuberous esculent root; — also called ramps.

The name is sometimes given to plants of the genus Phyteuma, herbs of the Bellflower family, and to the American evening primrose which has run wild in some parts of Europe.

Rampire
(Ram"pire) n. A rampart. [Archaic]

The Trojans round the place a rampire cast.

Dryden.

Rampire
(Ram"pire), v. t. To fortify with a rampire; to form into a rampire. [Archaic] Chapman. "Rampired walls of gold." R. Browning.

Rampler
(Ram"pler) n. A rambler.

Rampler
(Ram"pler), a. Roving; rambling. [Scot.]

Ramrod
(Ram"rod`) n. The rod used in ramming home the charge in a muzzle-loading firearm.

Ramshackle
(Ram"shac*kle) a. [Etymol. uncertain.] Loose; disjointed; falling to pieces; out of repair.

There came . . . my lord the cardinal, in his ramshackle coach.

Thackeray.

Ramshackle
(Ram"shac*kle), v. t. To search or ransack; to rummage. [Prov. Eng.]

Ramson
(Ram"son) n. [AS. hramsan, pl., akin to G. rams, Sw. rams, ramslök; cf. Gr. kro`myon onion.] (Bot.) A broad-leaved species of garlic common in European gardens; — called also buckram.

Ramsted
(Ram"sted) n. (Bot.) A yellow-flowered weed; — so named from a Mr. Ramsted who introduced it into Pennsylvania. See Toad flax. Called also Ramsted weed.

Ramulose
(Ram"u*lose`) a. [L. ramulosus, fr. ramulus, dim. of ramus a branch.] (Nat. Hist.) Having many small branches, or ramuli.

Ramulous
(Ram"u*lous) a. (Nat. Hist.) Ramulose.

Ramulus
(||Ram"u*lus) n.; pl. Ramuli (Zoöl.) A small branch, or branchlet, of corals, hydroids, and similar organisms.