A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

rag (n.) --- c.1310, probably from O.N. rogg "shaggy tuft," earlier raggw-, or possibly from O.Dan. rag (see rug), or a back-formation from ragged (c.1300), which is from O.N. raggaðr "shaggy," via O.E. raggig "rag-like." It also may represent an unrecorded O.E. cognate of O.N. rogg. As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734; slang for "tampon, sanitary napkin" is attested from 1930s. Rags "personal clothing" is from 1855, Amer.Eng. Rags-to-riches "rise from poverty to wealth" is attested from 1947. Ragtop "convertible car" is from 1955. Raghead, insulting term for "South Asian or Middle Eastern person," first attested 1921.

rag (v.) --- scold, 1739, of unknown origin; perhaps related to Dan. dialectal rag "grudge."

raga --- 1788, from Skt. raga-s "harmony, melody, mode in music," lit. "color, mood," related to rajyati "it is dyed."

ragamuffin --- 1344, from M.E. raggi "ragged" + fanciful ending (or else second element is M.Du. muffe "mitten"). Ragged was used of the devil from c.1300 in ref. to "shaggy" appearance. Used by Langland as the name of a demon (cf. O.Fr. Ragamoffyn, name of a demon in a mystery play); sense of "dirty, disreputable boy" is from 1581.

rag-bag --- 1820, from rag (n.) + bag. Fig. sense of "motley collection" is first recorded 1864.

rage (n.) --- 1297, from O.Fr. raige (11c.), from M.L. rabia, from L. rabies "madness, rage, fury," related to rabere "be mad, rave." Related to rabies, of which this is the original sense. Similarly, Welsh (cynddaredd) and Breton (kounnar) words for "rage, fury" originally meant "hydrophobia" and are compounds based on the word for "dog" (Welsh ci, plural cwn; Breton ki). The verb is c.1250, originally "to play, romp;" meaning "be furious" first recorded c.1300. The rage "fashion, vogue" dates from 1785.

ragged --- rough, shaggy, c.1300, from rag (n.), but earliest use is not directly from the main sense of that word and may reflect a broader, older meaning. Of clothes, c.1325; of persons, c.1375. Raggedy Ann doll first attested 1918.

Ragnarok --- in Norse mythology, the last battle of the world, in which gods and men will be destroyed by monsters and darkness, 1770, from O.N. ragna, gen. of regin "the gods" + rök "destined end" or rökr "twilight."

ragout --- 1656, from Fr. ragoût (1642), from M.Fr. ragoûter "awaken the appetite," from O.Fr. re- "back" + à "to" + goût "taste," from L. gustum (nom. gustus); see gusto.

ragtag --- 1820, from rag (n.) + tag; originally in expression rag-tag and bobtail "the rabble" (tag-rag and bobtail is found in 1659), from bobtail "cur," 1619. Tag and rag was "very common in 16-17th c." [OED]

ragtime --- syncopated, jazzy piano music, 1897 (in song title "Mississippi Rag" by W.H. Krell), from rag "dance ball (1895, Amer.Eng. dialect), possibly a shortening of ragged, in reference to the rhythmic imbalance.

ragweed --- 1790, from ragged (q.v.), so called from shape of the leaves. Applied to a different plant, ragwort, from 1658. Ragwort itself is attested from c.1450.

rah --- in cheers, 1870, a shortening of hurrah. Adjective rah-rah is attested from 1914, originally indicating college life generally, later enthusiastic cheerleading.

Rahab --- name of a Biblical monster, from Heb. rahab, lit. "storming, against, impetuous," from rahabh "he stormed against" (cf. Arabic rahiba "he feared, was alarmed").

raid --- c.1425, "military expedition on horseback," Scottish and northern English form of rade "a riding, journey," from O.E. rad "a riding" (see road). The word died out by 17c., but was revived by Scott, 1805 ("The Lay of the Last Minstrel") and 1818 ("Rob Roy"), with extended sense of "attack, foray." The verb is from 1865.

rail (n.1) --- bar, c.1320, from O.Fr. reille, from V.L. *regla, from L. regula "straight stick," dim. form related to regere "to straighten, guide" (see right). Used figuratively for "thinness" from 1872. Technically, railings (1471) are horizontal, palings are vertical.

rail (n.2) --- small bird, c.1450, from O.Fr. raale (13c.), related to râler "to rattle," of unknown origin, perhaps imitative.

rail (v.) --- complain, 1460, from M.Fr. railler "to tease or joke" (15c.), perhaps from O.Prov. ralhar "scoff, to chat, to joke," from V.L. *ragulare "to bray" (cf. It. ragghiare "to bray"), from L.L. ragere "to roar," probably of imitative origin. See rally (2). Raillery "good-humored ridicule" is from 1653.

raillery --- 1653, from Fr. raillerie, from M.Fr. railler "to tease" (see rail (v.)).

railroad (n.) --- 1757, from rail (n.1) + road. Originally "road laid with rails for heavy wagons (in mining)." The system itself seems to have been in use by late 17c. Application to passenger and freight trains dates from 1825, though tending to be replaced in this sense in England by railway (1812). The verb meaning "to convict quickly and perhaps unjustly" is from 1884.

raiment --- c.1440, shortening of arayment "clothing," from Anglo-Fr. araiement, from O.Fr. areement, from areer "to array" (see array).

rain --- O.E. regn, from P.Gmc. *regna- (cf. O.S. regan, O.N. regn, O.Fris. rein, M.Du. reghen, Ger. regen, Goth. rign "rain"), with no certain cognates outside Gmc., unless it is from a presumed PIE *reg- "moist, wet," which may be the source of L. rigare "to wet, moisten" (cf. irrigate). The verb is O.E. regnian, usually contracted to rinan. Transf. and fig. use of other things that fall as rain (blessings, tears, etc.) is recorded from c.1200. Rainbow is O.E. renboga (common Gmc. compound, cf. O.N. regnbogi, Du. regenboog, see bow (n.)). Raindrop is O.E. rendropa; first record of raincheck is from 1884, originally of tickets to rained-out baseball games. Raincoat attested from 1830. Rainmaker first recorded 1775, in ref. to tribal magicians. Phrase to rain cats and dogs is attested from 1738 (variation rain dogs and polecats is from 1652), of unknown origin, despite intense speculation. One of the more idiotic assertions is that it refers to pets sliding off sod roofs when the sod got too wet during a rainstorm. Ever see a cat react to a rainstorm by climbing up on an exposed roof? To rain on (someone's) parade is attested from 1941.

rain forest --- 1903, apparently a loan-translation of Ger. Regenwald, coined by A.F.W. Schimper for his 1898 work "Pflanzengeographie," and used first in the Eng. translation of it.

raise (v.) --- c.1200, from O.N. reisa "to raise," from P.Gmc. *raizjan (cf. Goth. ur-raisjan, O.E. ræran "to rear," see rear (v.)), causative of base *ris- "to rise" (see rise). At first sharing many senses with native rear (v.). Used in most of the varied modern senses since M.E.; some later evolutions include "to bring up" (a child), 1744; "to elevate" (the consciousness), 1970. The noun is first recorded 1500 in sense of "a levy;" meaning "increase in amount or value" is from 1728, specific sense in poker is from 1821. Meaning "increase in salary or wages" is from 1898, chiefly Amer.Eng. (British preferring rise).

raisin --- c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. raycin (1278), O.Fr. raisin "grape, raisin," from V.L. *racimus, alteration of L. racemus "cluster of grapes or berries," probably from the same ancient lost Mediterranean language as Gk. rhax (gen. rhagos) "grape, berry."

raison d'être --- 1864, first recorded in letter of J.S. Mill, from Fr., lit. "rational grounds for existence."

rajah --- 1555, from Hindi, from Skt. rajan "king," cognate with L. rex, O.Ir. rig "king." Related to raj "kingdom, kingship" (used from 1859 in ref. to the British dominion in India). Rajput "member of the ruling caste in northern India" (1598) is from Skt. rajaputrah "prince," lit. "king's son," from putrah "son, boy" (cf. puerile).

rake (n.1) --- toothed tool, O.E. raca "rake," earlier ræce, from P.Gmc. *rak- "gather, heap up" (cf. O.N. reka "spade, shovel," O.H.G. rehho, Ger. Rechen "rake," Goth. rikan "to heap up, collect"). The verb is attested from c.1250; of gunfire from c.1630.

rake (n.2) --- debauchee, 1653, shortening of rakehell (1547), possibly an alteration (by association with rake (1) and Hell) of M.E. rakel (adj.) "hasty, rash, headstrong," probably from raken "to go, proceed," from O.E. racian, of unknown origin. Rakish first recorded 1706.

rally (1) --- bring together, 1603, from Fr. rallier, from O.Fr. ralier "reassemble, unite again," from re- "again" + alier "unite" (see ally). The noun is first recorded 1651, originally in the military sense of "regroup for renewed action after a repulse." Sense of "mass meeting to arouse group support" first attested 1840, Amer.Eng. Sense of "gathering of automobile enthusiasts" is from 1932, from Fr. Sports sense of "long series of hits" in tennis, etc., is from 1887. Rally round the flag (1862) is a line from popular Amer. Civil War song "Battle Cry of Freedom."

rally (2) --- make fun of, tease, 1668, from Fr. railler "to rail, reproach," from M.Fr. (see rail (v.)).

Ralph --- masc. proper name, shortened from Radulf, from O.N. Raðulfr (O.E. Rædwulf), lit. "wolf-counsel," from rað "counsel" + ulfr "wolf."

RAM --- abbreviation for "random access memory" (computerese) first recorded 1957 (see random).

ram --- O.E. ramm "male sheep," also "battering ram," earlier rom "male sheep," a W.Gmc. word (cf. M.L.G., M.Du., Du., O.H.G. ram), of unknown origin. Perhaps connected with O.N. rammr "strong," O.C.S. ramenu "impetuous, violent." The verb meaning "to beat with a heavy implement" is first recorded c.1330. Rammy is attested from 1607.

-rama --- noun suffix meaning "spectacular display or instance of," 1824, abstracted from panorama, ultimately from Gk. horama "sight."

Rama --- incarnation of Vishnu, from Skt. Ramah, lit. "lovely," from stem of ramate "stands still, rests, is pleased."

ramada --- 1869, from Amer.Sp. ramada "tent, shelter," from Sp. ramada "an arbor," from rama "branch," from V.L. *rama, collective of L. ramus "branch."

Ramadan --- ninth month of the Muslim year, 1595, from Arabic Ramadan (Turk. and Pers. ramazan), originally "the hot month," from ramida "be burnt, scorched" (cf. Heb. remetz "hot ashes, embers"). Due to the Islamic lunar calendar, it passes through all seasons in a cycle of about 33 years, but evidently originally it was a summer month.

ramble (v.) --- c.1443, perhaps frequentative of romen "to walk, go" (see roam), perhaps via romblen (c.1378) "to ramble." The vowel change probably by infl. of M.Du. rammelen, a derivative of rammen "copulate," "used of the night wanderings of the amorous cat" [Weekley]. Meaning "to talk or write incoherently" is from 1640.

Rambo --- used allusively from 1985, in ref. to John Rambo, hero of David Morrell's novel "First Blood" (1972), popularized as portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in Hollywood movie version (1982), a U.S. Vietnam veteran, macho and self-sufficient, intent on vengeance. The family name is an old one in N.J. and Pennsylvania colonies of the U.S., originally Swedish, sometimes said to represent Swed. place name Ramberget, or to be from Fr. Huguenots who took refuge in Sweden.

rambunctious --- 1830, probably altered (by influence of ram) from rumbustious (1778), itself an arbitrary formation perhaps suggested by rum and boisterous, robustious, bumptious, etc.

ramify --- 1541, "branch out," from M.Fr. ramifier (1314), from M.L. ramificare, from L. ramus "branch" (related to radix "root;" see radish) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Ramification in literal sense is first recorded 1677, from Fr.; transf. sense of "outgrowth, consequence" first recorded 1755.

ramjet --- 1942. from ram (v.) + jet.

ramp --- 1778, "slope," from Fr. rampe, back-formation from O.Fr. verb ramper "to climb, creep" (12c.), perhaps from Frank. *rampon "to contract oneself" (cf. O.H.G. rimpfan "to wrinkle," O.E. hrimpan "to fold, wrinkle"

rampage (v.) --- 1715, in Scottish, probably from M.E. verb ramp "rave, rush wildly about" (c.1300), esp. of beasts rearing on their hind legs, as if climbing, from O.Fr. ramper (see ramp, also cf. rampant). The noun is first recorded 1861, from the verb.

rampant --- 1382, "standing on the hind legs" (as a heraldic lion often does), thus, later, "fierce, ravenous" (1387), from O.Fr. rampant, prp. of ramper "to creep, climb" (see rampage). Sense of "growing without check" (in running rampant), first recorded 1619, preserves the O.Fr. sense.

rampart --- 1583, from M.Fr. rempart, from remparer "to fortify," from re- "again" + emparer "fortify, take possession of," from O.Prov. amparer, from V.L. *anteparare "prepare," prop. "to make preparations beforehand," from L. ante- "before" (see ante) + parare "prepare" (see pare).

ramrod --- 1797, lit. "a rod used in ramming," from ram (v.) + rod. The verb is 1948, from the noun. Used figuratively for straightness or stiffness from 1939.

ramshackle --- 1830, back-formation from ramshackled, earlier ranshackled (1675), alteration of ransackled, pp. of ransackle (see ransack).

ranch --- 1808, "country house," from Amer.Sp. rancho "small farm, group of farm huts," from Sp. rancho, originally, "group of people who eat together," from ranchear "to lodge or station," from O.Fr. ranger "install in position," from rang "row, line" (see rank (n.)). Sense of "large cattle-breeding estate" is from 1831. Meaning "single-story split-level house" is from 1960. Ranchero "one employed on a ranch" is from 1826.

rancid --- 1646, from L. rancidus "rank, stinking, offensive," from rancere "be spoiled or rotten," of unknown origin.

rancor --- c.1225, from O.Fr. rancor, from L. rancorem "rancidness, grudge, bitterness," from L. rancere "to stink" (see rancid). Rancorous is from 1590.

Randal --- masc. proper name, shortened from O.E. Randwulf, from rand "shield" + wulf "wolf." Cognate of Randolph (q.v.).

Randolph --- masc. proper name, from O.N. Rannulfr "shield-wolf" and Frank. *Rannulf "raven-wolf," both brought to England by the Normans.

random --- having no definite aim or purpose, 1655, from at random (1565), "at great speed" (thus, "carelessly, haphazardly"), alteration of M.E. randon "impetuosity, speed" (c.1305), from O.Fr. randon "rush, disorder, force, impetuosity," from randir "to run fast," from Frankish *rant "a running," from P.Gmc. *randa (cf. O.H.G. rennen "to run," O.E. rinnan "to flow, to run"). In 1980s college student slang, it began to acquire a sense of "inferior, undesirable." Random access in ref. to computer memory is recorded from 1953.

randy --- 1698, Scottish, "aggressive, boisterous," originally of beggars, later especially of women, probably from rand "to rave" (see rant). Sense of "lewd, lustful" first recorded 1847.

range (n.) --- c.1300, "row or line of persons" (esp. hunters or soldiers), from O.Fr. range "range, rank," from rangier "to place in a row, arrange," from reng "row, line" (see rank (n.)). Meaning "row of mountains" is from 1705. Meaning "scope, extent" first recorded 1666; that of "area over which animals seek food" is from 1626, from the verb meaning "move over a large area" (1477). Specific U.S. sense of "series of townships six miles in width" is from 1785. Sense of "distance a gun can send a bullet" is recorded from 1591; meaning "place used for shooting practice" is from 1862. The verb sense of "to arrange in rows" is recorded from 1375. The cooking appliance so called since 1446, for unknown reasons. Rangy is 1868, "adapted for ranging;" the meaning "having a long, slender form" (as an animal suited to ranging) is from 1876.

ranger --- 1388, "gameskeeper," from range (n.)). Attested from 1670 in sense of "man (often mounted) who polices an area." Modern military sense of "member of an elite U.S. combat unit" is attested from 1942 (organized 1941).

rank (adj.) --- O.E. ranc "proud, overbearing, showy," from P.Gmc. *rankaz (cf. Dan. rank "right, upright," Ger. rank "slender," O.N. rakkr "straight, erect"), perhaps from PIE *reg- "to stretch, straighten" (see right). In ref. to plant growth, "vigorous, luxuriant," it is recorded from c.1250. Sense evolved in M.E. to "large and coarse" (c.1300), then, via notion of "excessive and unpleasant," to "having a strong bad smell" (1529). Much used 16c. as a pejorative intensive (cf. rank folly). This is possibly the source of the verb meaning "to reveal another's guilt" (1929, underworld slang), and that of "to harass, abuse," 1934, U.S. black dialect, though this also may be from the role of the activity in establishing social hierarchy (from rank (n.)).

rank (n.) --- early 14c., from O.Fr. ranc, from Frankish *hring (cf. O.H.G. hring "circle, ring"), from P.Gmc. *khrengaz "circle, ring" (see ring). Meaning "social position" is from c.1430; the verb sense of "put in order, classify" is from 1592. Rank and file is 1598, in reference to soldiers marching in formation, generalized to "common soldiers" (1796) and "common people" (1860). The verb meaning "to arrange things in order" is from 1590.

rankle --- c.1320, from O.Fr. rancler, from draoncle "abscess, festering sore," from L. dracunculus "little snake," dim. of draco (gen. draconis) "serpent, dragon." The notion is of an ulcer caused by a snake's bite.

ransack --- c.1250, from O.N. rannsaka "to pillage," lit. "search the house" (especially legally, for stolen goods), from rann "house," from P.Gmc. *rasnan (c.f. Goth. razn, O.E. ærn "house") + saka "to search," related to O.N. soekja "seek" (see seek). Sense influenced by sack (v.).

ransom (n.) --- c.1225, "sum paid for the release of a prisoner or captured man," from O.Fr. ranson (Fr. rançon), earlier raenson "ransom, redemption," from L. redemptionem (nom. redemptio) "a redeeming," from redimere (see redeem). The verb is first recorded c.1300.

rant (v.) --- 1598, from Du. randten "talk foolishly, rave," of unknown origin (cf. Ger. rantzen "to frolic, spring about"). The noun is first attested 1649, from the verb. Ranters "antinomian sect which arose in England c.1645" is attested from 1651; applied 1823 to early Methodists. A 1700 slang dictionary has rantipole "a rude wild Boy or Girl."

rap (n.) --- quick, light blow, c.1340, native or borrowed from a Scandinavian source (cf. Dan. rap, Swed. rapp "light blow"); either way probably of imitative origin (cf. slap, clap). The verb is attested from 1377. Slang noun meaning "rebuke, blame, responsibility" is from 1777; specific meaning "criminal indictment" (cf. rap sheet, 1960) is from 1903. To rap (someone's) knuckles "give light punishment" is from 1749.

rap (v.) --- talk informally, first recorded 1929, popularized c.1965 in Black English, possibly first in Caribbean English, from British slang meaning "say, utter" (1879), originally "to utter a sudden oath" (1541), from rap (n.). Meaning "music with improvised words" first in New York City slang, 1979.

rapacity --- 1543, from M.Fr. rapacité (16c.), from L. rapacitatem (nom. rapacitas) "greediness," from rapax "grasping" (gen. rapacis) "plundering," from rapere "seize" (see rapid). Rapacious first attested 1651.

rape (n.) --- kind of plant (Brassica napus), c.1390, from O.Fr. rape, from L. rapa, rapum "turnip," from PIE *rap- (cf. Gk. hrapys "rape," O.C.S. repa, Lith. rope, M.Du. roeve, O.H.G. ruoba, Ger. Rübe "rape, turnip"). Usually grown for sheep, an oil is made from it.

rape (v.) --- c.1386, "seize prey, take by force," from Anglo-Fr. raper, O.Fr. raper "to seize, abduct," a legal term, from L. rapere "seize, carry off by force, abduct" (see rapid). L. rapere was used for "sexual violation," but only very rarely; the usual L. word being stuprum, lit. "disgrace." Sense of "sexual violation or ravishing of a woman" first recorded in Eng. as a noun, 1481 (the noun sense of "taking anything -- including a woman -- away by force" is from c.1400). The verb in this sense is from 1577. Rapist is from 1883.

Raphael --- masc. proper name, Biblical archangel (Apocrypha), from L.L., from Gk. Hraphael, from Heb. Rephael, lit. "God has healed," from rapha "he healed" + el "God." Raphaelesque (1832) is in ref. to painter Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520). See Pre-Raphaelite.

rapid --- 1634, from L. rapidus "hasty, snatching," from rapere "hurry away, carry off, seize, plunder," from PIE base *rep- "to snatch" (cf. Gk. ereptomai "devour," harpazein "snatch away"). Rapids is 1765, from Fr. rapides, applied by Fr. voyagers to North American rivers. Rapid-transit first attested 1873; rapid eye movement is from 1916.

rapier --- 1553, from M.Fr. rapière, from O.Fr. espee rapiere "long, pointed two-edged sword" (1474), in which the adj. is of uncertain origin, perhaps from derisive use of raspiere "poker, scraper."

rapine --- c.1412, from M.Fr. rapine (12c.), from L. rapina "robbery, plunder," from rapere "seize, carry off, rob" (see rapid).

rapparee --- Irish freebooter, 1690, originally "pikeman," from Ir. rapairidhe, pl. of rapaire "half-pike." Kind of soldier prominent in the war of 1688-92.

rappel --- 1931, "mountaineering technique for descending steep faces," from Fr. rappel, lit. "recall," from O.Fr. rapel, from rapeler "to recall, summon" (see repeal). The verb is first recorded 1957. The same word had been borrowed earlier (1848) to mean "a drum roll to summon soldiers."

rapport --- 1661, "reference, relationship," from Fr. rapport, back-formation from rapporter "bring back," from re- "again" + apporter "to bring," from L. apportare "to bring," from ad- "to" + portare "to carry" (see port (1)). Psychological meaning "intense harmonious accord," as between therapist and patient, is first attested 1894, though the word had been used in a very similar sense with ref. to mesmerism from 1845 (first recorded in E.A. Poe).

rapprochement --- 1809, from Fr. rapprochement "reunion, reconciliation," from rapprocher "bring near," from O.Fr. re- "back, again" + aprochier (see approach).

rapscallion --- 1699, alteration of rascallion (1649), a fanciful elaboration of rascal (q.v.). It is the parallel term of now-extinct rampallion (1593), from M.E. ramp (n.) "ill-behaved woman" (c.1450), which is probably connected to the definition of romp in Johnson's Dictionary (1755) as "a rude, awkward, boisterous, untaught girl."

rapt --- c.1400, "carried away" (in an ecstatic trance), from L. raptus, pp. of rapere "seize, carry off" (see rapid). Sense of "engrossed" first recorded 1509. As a pp. adj. in Eng., the back-formed verb rap "to affect with rapture" was common c.1600-1750. The fig. sense is from the notion of "carried up into Heaven (bodily or in a dream)," as in a saint's vision.

raptorial --- predatory, 1825, from L. raptor "robber," from rapt-, pp. stem of rapere "seize" (see rapid). Raptor in ornithology is first attested 1873.

rapture --- 1600, "act of carrying off," from M.Fr. rapture, from M.L. raptura "seizure, rape, kidnapping," from L. raptus "a carrying off" (see rapt). Originally of women and cognate with rape (v.). Sense of "spiritual ecstasy" first recorded 1629.

rara avis --- 1607, "peculiar person," from L. (Juvenal, Persius), lit. "strange bird," from rara, fem. of rarus "rare" + avis "bird." Latin pl. is raræ aves.

rare (adj.1) --- unusual, c.1420, originally "few in number and widely separated," from O.Fr. rere "sparse" (14c.), from L. rarus "thinly sown, having a loose texture," from PIE *er-, *ere- "to loose, split, separate" (cf. Skt. rte "besides, except," viralah "distant, tight, rare;" O.C.S. oriti "to dissolve, destroy;" Lith. irti "to dissolve;" O.C.S. rediku "rare;" Gk. eremos "solitary"). "Few in number," hence, "unusual" (1542). Rarity is attested from 1560, from M.Fr. rarité (16c.), from L. raritas "thinness, fewness," from rarus. In chemistry, rare earth is from 1875.

rare (adj.2) --- undercooked, 1655, variant of M.E. rere, from O.E. hrer "lightly cooked," probably related to hreran "to stir, move." Originally of eggs, not recorded in reference to meat until 1784, and according to OED, in this sense "formerly often regarded as an Americanism, although it was current in many English dialects ...."