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

ream (v.) --- to enlarge a hole, 1815, probably a S.W. England dialect survival from M.E. reme "to make room, open up," from O.E. ryman "widen, extend, enlarge," from P.Gmc. *rumijanan (cf. O.S. rumian, O.N. ryma, O.Fris. rema, O.H.G. rumen "to make room, widen"), from *rumaz "spacious" (see room). Slang meaning "to cheat, swindle" first recorded 1914; anal sex sense is from 1942. To ream (someone) out "scold, reprimand" is recorded from 1950.

reanimate --- 1611, in spiritual and physical sense, from re- "back, again" + animate (v.) "to endow with life."

reap --- to cut grain with a hook or sickle, O.E. reopan, Mercian form of ripan "to reap," related to O.E. ripe "ripe" (see ripe). Reaper is O.E. ripere, in compound hripemann. Meaning "personification of death" is recorded from 1839.

reappear --- 1611, from re- "back, again" + appear (q.v.).

rear (n.) --- hindmost part, c.1600, abstracted from rerewarde "rear guard" (c.1300), from Anglo-Fr. rerewarde, O.Fr. rieregarde, from O.Fr. riere (from L. retro "back, behind") + O.Fr. garde (see guard). Or the word may be an aphetic form of arrear (see arrears). Military sense of "hindmost part" of an army or fleet is recorded from 1606. As a euphemism for "buttocks" it is attested from 1796 (rear end in this sense recorded from 1937). Rear admiral is first attested 1587, apparently so called from ranking "behind" an admiral proper. Rear-view (mirror) is recorded from 1926.

rear (v.) --- O.E. ræran "to raise, build up, set on end," from P.Gmc. *raizijanau "to raise," causative of *risanan "to rise" (see raise). Meaning "bring into being, bring up" (as a child) is recorded from c.1420; that of "raise up on the hind legs" is first recorded 1375.

rearm --- 1870, from re- "back, again" + arm (v.) "to supply with arms."

rearrange --- 1824, from re- "back, again" + arrange (q.v.).

reason (n.) --- c.1225, "statement in an argument," also "intellectual faculty that adopts actions to ends," from Anglo-Fr. resoun, O.Fr. raison, from L. rationem (nom. ratio) "reckoning, understanding, motive, cause," from ratus, pp. of reri "to reckon, think," from PIE base *rei- "to reason, count" (cf. O.E. rædan "to advise; see read). Meaning "sanity" is recorded from, c.1380. The verb (c.1300) is from O.Fr. raisoner, from L.L. rationare "to discourse." Originally "to question (someone)," sense of "employ reasoning (with someone)" is from 1847, and that of "to think in a logical manner" is from 1593. Phrase it stands to reason is from 1632. Age of Reason "the Enlightenment" is first recorded 1794, as the title of Tom Paine's book.

reasonable --- 1303, "having sound judgment, sane, rational," from O.Fr. raisonable, from L. rationabilis, from ratio (see ratio).

reassure --- restore (someone) to confidence, 1598, from re- "back, again" + assure (q.v.).

reb --- abbreviation of rebel (n.), 1862, in Amer. Civil War context.

re-bar --- steel reinforcing rod in concrete, 1961, from re(inforced) bar.

rebate (v.) --- 1427, "to deduct, subtract," from O.Fr. rabattre "beat down, drive back," also "deduct," from re- "repeatedly" + abattre "beat down" (see abate). Meaning "to pay back (a sum) as a rebate" is from 1957. The noun is 1656, from the verb.

rebbe --- 1881, from Yiddish, from Heb. rabbi (see rabbi).

rebec --- medieval stringed musical instrument, 1509, from Fr. rebec, an unexplained alteration of O.Fr. ribabe (perhaps somehow infl. by bec "beak"), ultimately from Arabic rebab (cf. O.Prov. rebec, It. ribeca). It has three strings and is played with a bow.

Rebecca --- fem. proper name, biblical wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau, from L.L. Rebecca, from Gk. Rhebekka, from Heb. Ribhqeh, lit. "connection" (cf. ribhqah "team"), from Semitic base r-b-q "to tie, couple, join" (cf. Arabic rabaqa "he tied fast"). Rebekah, form of the name in Authorized Version, was taken as the name of a society of women (founded 1851 in Indiana, U.S.) as a complement to the Odd Fellows.

rebel (adj.) --- 1297, from O.Fr. rebelle (12c.), from L. rebellis "insurgent, rebellious," from rebellare "to rebel, wage war against," from re- "opposite, against," or perhaps "again" + bellare "wage war," from bellum "war." The noun is attested from c.1400. Meaning "supporter of the American cause in the War of Independence" is from 1775; sense of "supporter of the Southern cause in the American Civil War" is attested from April 15, 1861.

rebop --- see bebop.

reborn --- 1598, from re- "back, again" + born, past tense of birth (q.v.). Rebirth is attested from 1837.

reborrow --- 1631, from re- "back, again" + borrow (q.v.).

rebound (v.) --- c.1300, "to spring, leap," also "return to afflict" (1412), from O.Fr. rebondir "leap back, resound," from re- "back" + bondir "leap, bound" (see bound (v.)). Sense of "to spring back from force of impact" is recorded from 1398. Sports use probably first in tennis; basketball sense is attested from 1954. The noun is first recorded 1530.

rebuff (v.) --- 1586, from obs. Fr. rebuffer "to check, snub," from It. ribuffare "to check, chide, snide," from ribuffo "a snub," from ri- "back" (from L. re-) + buffo "a puff," of imitative origin (cf. buffet (v.)). The noun is first recorded 1611.

rebuild --- 1611, from re- "back, again" + build (q.v.).

rebuke (v.) --- c.1325, from Anglo-Fr. rebuker "to repel, beat back," O.Fr. rebuchier, from re- "back" + buschier "to strike, chop wood," from busche (Fr. bûche) "wood," from P.Gmc. *busk- (see bush). The noun is first attested c.1430.

rebus --- 1605, from L. rebus "by means of objects," ablative plural of res "thing, object," perhaps principally from the phrase de rebus quæ geruntur "of things which are going on," in reference to the satirical pieces composed by Picardy clerks at carnivals, subtle satires of current events using pictures to suggest words, phrases or things. Or it may be from the representations being non verbis sed rebus "not by words, but by things."

rebut --- c.1300, from O.Fr. rebuter "to thrust back," from re- "back" + boter "to thrust, hit" (see butt (v.)). Sense of "try to disprove, refute" is from 1817. Rebuttal first recorded 1830.

recalcitrant --- 1843, from Fr. récalcitrant, lit. "kicking back" (17c.-18c.), pp. of recalcitrare "to kick back," from re- "back" + L. calcitrare "to kick," from calx (gen. calcis) "heel." Verb recalcitrate "to kick out" is attested from 1623; sense of "resist obstinately" is from 1759.

recall (v.) --- 1582, "to bring back by calling upon," from re- "back, again" + call (q.v.); in some cases a loan-translation of M.Fr. rappeler (see repeal) or L. revocare (see revoke). Sense of "bring back to memory" is from 1611. U.S. political sense of "removal of an elected official" is recorded from 1902. The noun is first recorded 1611.

recant --- 1535, from L. recantare "recall, revoke," from re- "back" + cantare "to chant" (see cant (1)). A word from the Reformation. Loan-translation of Gk. palinoidein "recant," from palin "back" + oeidein "to sing."

recap --- put a strip of rubber on the tread of a tire, 1856. Used of automobile tires 1920s. As a shortened form of recapitulate, it dates from 1920s (see recapitulation).

recapitulation --- 1388, "a summarizing," from O.Fr. recapitulacion (13c.), from L.L. recapitulationem (nom. recapitulatio), from recapitulatus, pp. of recapitulare "go over the main points of a thing again," lit. "restate by heads or chapters," from re- "again" + capitulum "main part" (see chapter).

recapture --- 1752 (n.), 1799 (v.), from re- "back, again" + capture (q.v.).

recede --- 1480, from M.Fr. receder, from L. recedere "to go back, withdraw," from re- "back" + cedere "to go" (see cede).

receipt --- c.1386, "statement of ingredients in a potion or medicine," from Anglo-Fr. or O.N.Fr. receite "receipt, recipe" (1304), altered (by influence of receit "he receives," from V.L. *recipit) from O.Fr. recete, from L. recepta "received," fem. pp. of recipere (see receive). Meaning "written acknowledgment of money or goods received" is from 1602.

receive --- c.1300, from O.N.Fr. receivre (O.Fr. recoivre), from L. recipere "regain, take back," from re- "back" + -cipere, comb. form of capere "to take" (see capable). Radio and television sense is attested from 1908. Receiver as a telephone apparatus is from 1877; in ref. to a radio unit it is recorded from 1891; in U.S. football sense it dates from 1897. Receptive is attested from 1547.

recent --- 1533, from L. recentem (nom. recens) "lately done or made, new, fresh," from re- + PIE base *ken- "fresh, new, young" (cf. Gk. kainos "new;" Skt. kanina- "young;" O.Ir. cetu- "first;" O.C.S. na-cino "to begin," koni "beginning.").

receptacle --- 1412, from O.Fr. receptacle (14c.), from L. receptaculum "place to receive and store things," from receptare, frequentative of recipere "to hold, contain" (see receive).

reception --- 1390, in astrology, "effect of two planets on each other;" sense of "act of receiving" is recorded from c.1489, from L. receptionem (nom. receptio) "a receiving," from receptus, pp. of recipere (see receive). Sense of "ceremonial gathering" is 1882, from French. Receptionist "person hired to receive clients in an office" is recorded from 1901.

recess --- 1531, "act of receding," from L. recessus "a going back, retreat," from recessum, pp. of recedere "to recede" (see recede). Meaning "hidden or remote part" first recorded 1616; that of "period of stopping from usual work" is from 1620, probably from parliamentary notion of "recessing" into private chambers. The verb is from 1809.

recession --- temporary decline in economic activity, 1929, from recess (q.v.):

recharge (v.) --- 1432, "to reload" (a vessel), from re- "again, back" + charge "load" (q.v.); modeled on M.Fr. rechargier (13c.). Meaning "re-power a battery" is from 1876. The noun is recorded from 1611.

recherche --- 1722, from Fr. recherché "carefully sought out," pp. of rechercher "to seek out." Commonly used 19c. of food, styles, etc., to denote obscure excellence.

recidivist --- 1880, "relapsed criminal," from Fr. récidiviste, from récidiver "to fall back, relapse," from M.L. recidivare "to relapse into sin," from L. recidivus "falling back," from recidere "fall back," from re- "back, again" + comb. form of caedere "to fall" (see concise). Recidivation in the spiritual sense is attested from c.1420, was very common 17c.

recipe --- 1584, "medical prescription," from M.Fr. récipé, from L. recipe "take!," imperative of recipere "to take" (see receive); word written by physicians at the head of prescriptions. Meaning "instructions for preparing food" first recorded 1743. The original sense survives only in the pharmacist's abbreviation Rx.

recipient --- 1558, from M.Fr. récipient (16c.), from L. recipientem (nom. recipiens), prp. of recipere (see receive).

reciprocal --- 1570, from L. reciprocus "returning the same way, alternating," from pre-L. *reco-proco-, from *recus (from re- "back" + -cus, adjective formation) + *procus (from pro- "forward" + -cus, adjective formation). The verb reciprocate "to return, requite" is recorded from 1820.

reciprocation --- 1530, from L. reciprocationem (nom. reciprocatio) "retrogression, alternation, ebb," from reciprocatus, pp. of reciprocare "move back and forth," from reciprocus (see reciprocal).

recitative --- 1645, from It. recitativo, from recitato, pp. of recitare, from L. recitare (see recite). Style of musical declamation intermediate between speech and singing. The It. form of the word was used in Eng. from 1617.

recite --- 1430, from L. recitare "read aloud, repeat from memory," from re- "back, again" + citare "to summon" (see cite). Recital is first attested 1512 as a legal term for "formal statement of relevant facts;" musical performance sense is from 1811. Recitation "act of rehearsing" is recorded from 1484; meaning "repetition of a prepared lesson" is first recorded 1770, Amer.Eng.

reckless --- O.E. receleas "careless, thoughtless, heedless," earlier reccileas, from -leas "-less" + *rece, recce "care, heed," from reccan "to care," from W.Gmc. *rokijanan (cf. O.N. rækja "to care for," O.H.G. giruochan "to care for, have regard to," Ger. geruhen "to deign," which is infl. by ruhen "to rest"). No known cognates outside Gmc. The same affixed form is in Ger. ruchlos, Du. roekeloos "wicked." Root verb reck (O.E. reccan) is passing into obscurity. The -k- sound is probably a northern influence from O.N. cognate roekja.

reckon --- O.E. gerecenian "to recount, relate," from W.Gmc. *(ga)rekenojanan (cf. O.Fris. rekenia, M.L.G. rekenen, O.H.G. rehhanon, Ger. rechnen, Goth. rahnjan "to count, reckon"), from P.Gmc. *rakinaz "ready, straightforward," from PIE *reg- "to move in a straight line." I reckon, used parenthetically, is now dialectal (Southern U.S.), but dates from 1603 and formerly was in literary use (Richardson, etc.). Reckoning is recorded from c.1300.

reclaim --- c.1300, from O.Fr. reclamer "to call back, appeal to" (12c.), from L. reclamare "cry out against, appeal," from re- "opposite, against" + clamare "cry out" (see claim). Meaning "bring waste land into useful condition" first attested 1764, probably via M.E. meaning "call back a hawk," on notion of "reduce to obedience."

recline --- c.1420, from L. reclinare "to bend back, to lean back," from re- "back, against" + clinare "to bend," from PIE *klei-n-, suffixed form of *klei "to lean" (see lean (v.)). Recliner "chair in which one may recline" is attested from 1928.

recluse (n.) --- c.1225, "person shut up from the world for purposes of religious meditation," from O.Fr. reclus (fem. recluse), noun use of reclus (adj.) "shut up," from L.L. reclusus, pp. of recludere "to shut up, enclose" (but in classical L. "to throw open"), from L. re-, intensive prefix + claudere "to shut" (see close (v.)). Reclusive first recorded 1599 (recluse formerly served also as an adj. in English).

recognition --- 1473, from L. recognitionem (nom. recognitio) "act of recognizing," from recognit-, pp. stem of recognoscere "to acknowledge, know again, examine" (see recognize).

recognizance --- c.1386, reconyssaunce, from O.Fr. reconissance "acknowledgment, recognition" (Fr. reconnaissance), from prp. stem of reconoistre (see recognize).

recognize --- 1414, "resume possession of land," from M.Fr. reconiss-, stem of reconoistre "to know again, identify, recognize," from O.Fr., from L. recognoscere "acknowledge, recall to mind, know again, examine, certify," from re- "again" + cognoscere "know" (from co- "with" + gnoscere "become acquainted;" see notice). Meaning "perceive something or someone as already known" first recorded 1533.

recoil (v.) --- c.1225, "force back," from O.Fr. reculer "to go back, recede, retreat," from V.L. *reculare, from L. re- "back" + culus "backside." Meaning "shrink back" is first recorded 1513, and that of "spring back" (as a gun) in 1530. The noun is attested from c.1330.

recollect --- 1559, from L. recollectus, pp. of recolligere, lit. "to collect again," from re- "again" + colligere "gather" (see collect).

recombinant --- 1942, from recombine (v.), from re- "back, again" + combine (q.v.).

recommence --- 1481, from O.Fr. recommencer (11c.), from re- "back, again" + commencer (see commence).

recommend --- 1377, "praise, present as worthy," from M.L. recommendare (1216), from L. re-, intensive prefix, + commendare "commit to one's care, commend" (see commend). First record of recommendation is from 1408.

recommission --- 1858, in ref. to Navy ships, from re- "back, again" + commission (q.v.).

recompense (n.) --- c.1374 (recompensation), from O.Fr. recompense (13c.), from L.L. recompensare, from L. re- "again" + compensare "balance out," lit. "weigh together" (see compensate). The verb is attested from 1422.

reconcile --- c.1300, of persons, from L. reconcilare "to bring together again," from re- "again" + concilare "make friendly" (see conciliate). Reflexive sense is recorded from 1535. Meaning "to make (discordant facts or statements) consistent" is from 1565.

recondite --- 1649, "removed or hidden from view," from L. reconditus, pp. of recondere "store away," from re- "away" + condere "to store, hide, put together," from con- "together" + -dere "to put, place." Meaning "removed from ordinary understanding, profound" is from 1652; of writers or sources, "obscure," it is recorded from 1817.

recondition --- 1920, from re- "back, again" + condition (v.).

reconnaissance --- 1810, from Fr. reconnaissance "act of surveying," lit. "recognition," from O.Fr. reconoissance (see recognizance). U.S. military abbreviation recon is attested from 1918.

reconnoiter --- 1707, from Fr. reconnoître, from M.Fr. reconoistre "to identify" (see recognize).

reconsider --- 1571, from re- "back, again" + consider (q.v.).

reconstitute --- 1812, from re- "back, again" + constitute (q.v.).

reconstruct --- 1768, "to build anew," from re- "back, again" + construct (q.v.). Meaning "to restore (something) mentally" is attested from 1862. Reconstruction is attested from 1791, "action or process of reconstructing. Specific sense in U.S. history (usually with a capital R-) is attested from 1865. It was used earlier during Amer. Civil War in ref. to reconstitution of the union.

record (n.) --- c.1300, "testimony committed to writing," from O.Fr. record, from recorder "to record" (see record (v.)). Meaning "written account of some event" is from 1611. Meaning "disk on which sounds or images have been recorded" is first attested 1878. That of "best achievement in sports, etc." is from 1883. Phrase on the record is from 1900; adv. phrase off the record "confidentially" is attested from 1933.

record (v.) --- c.1225, "to get by heart," from O.Fr. recorder "repeat, recite, report," from L. recordari "remember, call to mind," from re- "restore" + cor (gen. cordis) "heart" (as the metaphoric seat of memory, cf. learn by heart); see heart. Meaning "set down in writing" first attested c.1300; that of "put sound or pictures on disks, tape, etc." is from 1892.

recorder --- chief legal officer of a city, 1415, from Anglo-Fr. recordour (c.1325), O.Fr. recordeor, from M.L. recordator, from L. recordari "remember" (see record (v.)). The musical instrument is attested by this name from 1430, from record (v.) in the obsolete sense of "practice a tune." The name, and the thing, were rarely heard by mid-1800s, ousted by the flute, but enjoyed a revival after 1911 as an easy-to-play instrument for musical beginners.

recount (v.) --- 1456, from M.Fr. reconter, from O.Fr. re- "again" + conter "to relate, reckon" (see count (v.)). The noun meaning "a new count" (especially in an election) is from 1884.

recoup --- 1628, from Fr. recouper "to cut back" (12c.), from O.Fr. re- "back" + couper "to cut," from coup "a blow" (see coup). Originally a legal term meaning "to deduct;" sense of "recompense for loss or expense" first recorded 1664.

recourse --- c.1374, from O.Fr. recours (13c.), from L. recursus "return, retreat," lit. "a running back," from stem of pp. of recurrere "run back, return" (see recur).

recover --- c.1300, "to regain consciousness," from Anglo-Fr. rekeverer (1292), O.Fr. recovrer, from L. recuperare "to recover" (see recuperate). Meaning "to regain health or strength" is from c.1330; sense of "to get (anything) back" is first attested 1366. Recovery is c.1302, in Anglo-Fr., both of health and of legal possession.

recreant --- c.1300 (adj.) "confessing oneself to be overcome or vanquished," from O.Fr. recreant "yielding, giving," prp. of recroire "to yield in a trial by combat, surrender allegiance," perhaps on notion of "take back one's pledge, yield one's cause," from re- "again, back" + croire "entrust, believe," from L. credere.

recreate --- to create anew, 1587, from re- "back, again" + create (q.v.).

recreation --- 1390, "refreshment or curing of a person, refreshment by eating," from O.Fr. recreacion (13c.), from L. recreationem (nom. recreatio) "recovery from illness," from recreatus, pp. of recreare "to refresh, restore," from re- "again" + creare (see create). Meaning "refresh oneself by some amusement" is first recorded c.1400; abbreviated form rec is attested from 1929. Verb recreate "to refresh by physical influence" is attested from c.1560, but not now used, probably from confusion with re-create (q.v.). Recreational is from 1656.

recriminate --- 1603, from M.L. recriminatus, pp. of recriminari "to make charges against," from L. re- "back, again" + criminari "to accuse," from crimen (gen. criminis) "a charge" (see crime).

recrudescence --- 1721, from L. recrudescere "re-open" (of wounds), lit. "become raw again," from re- "again" + crudescere, from crudus "raw" (see crude) + inchoative suffix -escere.

recruit (v.) --- 1635, "to strengthen, reinforce," from obsolete Fr. recruter (17c.), from recrute, Picardy dialect variant of recrue "levy," lit. "new growth," from O.Fr. recreu, pp. of recreistre "grow or increase again," from re- "again" + creistre "to grow," from L. crescere "to grow" (see crescent). "The French word first appeared in literary use in gazettes published in Holland, and was disapproved of by French writers in the latter part of the 17th c." [OED]. Sense of "to enlist new soldiers" is attested from 1655; of student athletes, from 1913. Noun meaning "body of military reinforcements" is attested from 1645 (replacing earlier recrew, recrue).

rectal --- 1872; see rectum.

rectangle --- 1571, from M.Fr. rectangle, from rect-, comb. form of L. rectus "right" + O.Fr. angle (see angle). M.L. rectangulum meant "a triangle having a right angle" (7c.).

rectify --- c.1400, from O.Fr. rectifier, lit. "to make straight" (14c.), from L.L. rectificare "make right" (3c.), from L. rectus "straight" (see right) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious).

rectilinear --- forming a straight line, 1659, from rectiline (1570), from L.L. rectilineus, from rectus "straight" + linea "line."

rectitude --- 1432, "quality of being straight," from M.Fr. rectitude (14c.), from L.L. rectitudinem (nom. rectitudo) "straightness, uprightness," from L. rectus "straight" (see right). Sense of "upright in conduct or character" is from 1533.

rector --- 1387, from L. rector "ruler, governor, guide," from rect-, pp. stem of regere "to rule, guide" (see regal). Used originally of Roman governors and God, by 18c. generally restricted to clergymen and college heads. Rectory first recorded 1448 as "the benefice held by a rector;" of his residence, first recorded 1849.

rectum --- 1541, from L. intestinum rectum "straight intestine," in contrast to the convolution of the rest of the bowels, from neut. pp. of regere "to straighten" (see right). A loan-translation of Gk. apeuthysmeon enteron, "the name given to the lowest part of the large intestine by Galen, who so called it because he dissected only animals whose rectum (in contradistinction to that of man) is really straight" [Klein]. Adj. form rectal first recorded 1872.

recumbent --- 1642 (implied in recumbency), from L. recumbentem (nom. recumbens), prp. of recumbere "to recline," from re- "back" + -cumbere "to lie down," related to cubare "be lying" (see cubicle). A verb, recumb, has been attempted in Eng. occasionally since 1677.

recuperation --- 1481, "recovery or regaining of things," from L. recuperationem (nom. recuperatio), from recuperatus, pp. of recuperare "recover," related to recipere (see receive). Meaning "restoration to health or vigor" is from 1865. Recuperate (v.) is attested from 1542, "to bring (something) back, to recover" anything, material or immaterial; meaning "to recover from sickness or loss" is from 1864.

recur --- 1468, from L. recurrere "to return, come back," from re- "back, again" + currere "to run" (see current). Originally of persons; application to thoughts, ideas, etc. is recorded from 1704.