Racktail - radiography
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Racktail (răktāl), n. (Horol.) An arm attached to a swinging notched arc or rack, to let off the striking mechanism of a repeating clock.
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Rackwork (răkwûrk), n. Any mechanism having a rack, as a rack and pinion.
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Racle (räk'l), a. See . [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Racleness, n. See . [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Raconteur (rȧkôNtẽr), n. [F.] A relater; a storyteller.
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Racoonda (rȧk�ndȧ), n. [From a native name.] (Zoöl.) The coypu.
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Racovian (rȧkōvĭ�n), n. [From Racow.] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Socinians or Unitarians in Poland.
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Racquet (răkkĕt), n. See .
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Racy (rās�), a. [Compar. Racier (rāsĭẽr); superl. Raciest.] [From a tribe, family.] 1. Having a strong flavor indicating origin; of distinct characteristic taste; tasting of the soil; hence, fresh; rich.
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The racy wine,
Late from the mellowing cask restored to light.
Pope.
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2. Hence: Exciting to the mental taste by a strong or distinctive character of thought or language; peculiar and piquant; fresh and lively.
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Our raciest, most idiomatic popular words.
M. Arnold.
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Burns's English, though not so racy as his Scotch, is generally correct.
H. Coleridge.
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The rich and racy humor of a natural converser fresh from the plow.
Prof. Wilson.
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3. somewhat suggestive of sexual themes; slightly improper; risqué.
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Syn. -- Spicy; spirited; lively; smart; piquant; risquü. -- , . Racy refers primarily to that peculiar flavor which certain wines are supposed to derive from the soil in which the grapes were grown; and hence we call a style or production racy when it “smacks of the soil,” or has an uncommon degree of natural freshness and distinctiveness of thought and language. Spicy, when applied to style, has reference to a spirit and pungency added by art, seasoning the matter like a condiment. It does not, like racy, suggest native peculiarity. A spicy article in a magazine; a spicy retort. Racy in conversation; a racy remark.
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Rich, racy verses, in which we
The soil from which they come, taste, smell, and see.
Cowley.
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Rad (răd), n. [radiation absorbed dose.] a unit of measurement of the amount of ionizing radiation absorbed by an object, equal to an energy of 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material (equal to 0.01 gray).
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Rad (răd), obs. imp. & p. p. of , . Spenser.
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Radde (rădd�), obs. imp. of , . Chaucer.
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Raddle (rădd'l), n. [Cf. G. räder, rädel, sieve, or perhaps E. reed.] 1. A long, flexible stick, rod, or branch, which is interwoven with others, between upright posts or stakes, in making a kind of hedge or fence.
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2. A hedge or fence made with raddles; -- called also raddle hedge. Todd.
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3. An instrument consisting of a wooden bar, with a row of upright pegs set in it, used by domestic weavers to keep the warp of a proper width, and prevent tangling when it is wound upon the beam of the loom.
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Raddle (rădd'l), v. t. To interweave or twist together.
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Raddling or working it up like basket work.
De Foe.
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Raddle (rădd'l), n. [Cf. .] A red pigment used in marking sheep, and in some mechanical processes; ruddle. “A raddle of rouge.” Thackeray.
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Raddle, v. t. To mark or paint with, or as with, raddle. “Whitened and raddled old women.” Thackeray.
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Raddock (răddŭk), n. (Zoöl.) The ruddock. [Prov. Eng.]
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Rade (rād), n. A raid. [Scot.]
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Radeau (rȧdō), n. [F.] A float; a raft.
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Three vessels under sail, and one at anchor, above Split Rock, and behind it the radeau Thunderer.
W. Irving.
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Radial (rādĭ�l), a. [Cf. F. radial. See .] Of or pertaining to a radius or ray; consisting of, or like, radii or rays; radiated; as, (Bot.) radial projections; (Zoöl.) radial vessels or canals; (Anat.) the radial artery.
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Coloq. Radial symmetry . (Biol.) See under .
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Radiale (rādĭāl�), n.; pl. Radialia (rādĭālĭȧ). [NL. See .] 1. (Anat.) The bone or cartilage of the carpus which articulates with the radius and corresponds to the scaphoid bone in man.
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2. pl. (Zoöl.) Radial plates in the calyx of a crinoid.
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Radial engine. (Mach.) An engine, usually an internal-combustion engine of a certain type (the Coloq. radial type ) having several cylinders arranged radially like the spokes of a complete wheel. The Coloq. semiradial engine has radiating cylinders on only one side of the crank shaft.
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Radially (rādĭ�ll�), adv. In a radial manner.
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Radial tire. (Automobiles) a motor vehicle tire in which the cords run at right angles to the plane of the tire (considered as a disk).
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Radian (rādĭ�n), n. [From .] (Math.) An arc of a circle which is equal to the radius, or the angle measured by such an arc.
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{ Radiance (rādĭ�ns), Radiancy (rādĭ�ns�), } n. The quality of being radiant; brilliancy; effulgence; vivid brightness; as, the radiance of the sun.
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Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crowned.
Milton.
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What radiancy of glory,
What light beyond compare !
Neale.
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Syn. -- Luster; brilliancy; splendor; glare; glitter.
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Radiant (rādĭ�nt), a. [L. radians, -antis, p. pr. of radiare to emit rays or beams, fr. radius ray: cf. F. radiant. See , a divergent line.] 1. Emitting or proceeding as from a center; resembling rays; radiating; radiate.
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2. Especially, emitting or darting rays of light or heat; issuing in beams or rays; beaming with brightness; emitting a vivid light or splendor; as, the radiant sun.
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Mark what radiant state she spreads.
Milton.
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3. Beaming with vivacity and happiness; as, a radiant face.
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4. (Her.) Giving off rays; -- said of a bearing; as, the sun radiant; a crown radiant.
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5. (Bot.) Having a raylike appearance, as the large marginal flowers of certain umbelliferous plants; -- said also of the cluster which has such marginal flowers.
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6. (Physics) Emitted or transmitted by radiation; as, a radiant energy; radiant heat.
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Coloq. Radiant energy (Physics), energy given out or transmitted by radiation, as in the case of light and radiant heat. -- Coloq. Radiant heat , heat proceeding in right lines, or directly from the heated body, after the manner of light, in distinction from heat conducted or carried by intervening media. -- Coloq. Radiant point . (Astron.) See , n., 3.
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Radiant, n. 1. (Opt.) The luminous point or object from which light emanates; also, a body radiating light brightly.
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2. (Geom.) A straight line proceeding from a given point, or fixed pole, about which it is conceived to revolve.
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3. (Astron.) The point in the heavens at which the apparent paths of shooting stars meet, when traced backward, or whence they appear to radiate.
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Radiant engine. (Mach.) A semiradial engine. See , above.
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Radiantly (rādĭ�ntl�), adv. In a radiant manner; with glittering splendor.
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Radiary (rādĭ�r�), n. [Cf. F. radiaire.] (Zoöl.) A radiate. [Obs.]
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Radiata (rādĭātȧ), n. pl. [NL., fr. radiatus, p. p. See .] (Zoöl.) An extensive artificial group of invertebrates, having all the parts arranged radially around the vertical axis of the body, and the various organs repeated symmetrically in each ray or spheromere.
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☞ It includes the cœlenterates and the echinoderms. Formerly, the group was supposed to be a natural one, and was considered one of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom.
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Radiate (rādĭāt), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Radiated (rādĭātĕd); p. pr. & vb. n. Radiating.] [L. radiatus, p. p. of radiare to furnish with spokes or rays, to radiate, fr. radius ray. See , a divergent line.] 1. To emit rays; to be radiant; to shine.
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Virtues shine more clear
In them [kings], and radiate like the sun at noon.
Howell.
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2. To proceed in direct lines from a point or surface; to issue in rays, as light or heat.
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Light radiates from luminous bodies directly to our eyes.
Locke.
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Radiate, v. t. 1. To emit or send out in direct lines from a point or points; as, to radiate heat.
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2. To enlighten; to illuminate; to shed light or brightness on; to irradiate. [R.]
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Radiate (rādĭ�t), a. [L. radiatus, p. p.] 1. Having rays or parts diverging from a center; radiated; as, a radiate crystal.
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2. (Bot.) Having in a capitulum large ray florets which are unlike the disk florets, as in the aster, daisy, etc.
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3. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the Radiata.
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Radiate, n. (Zoöl.) One of the Radiata.
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Radiated (rādĭātĕd), a. 1. Emitted, or sent forth, in rays or direct lines; as, radiated heat.
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2. Formed of, or arranged like, rays or radii; having parts or markings diverging, like radii, from a common center or axis; as, a radiated structure; a radiated group of crystals.
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3. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the Radiata.
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Radiately (rādĭ�tl�), adv. In a radiate manner; with radiation or divergence from a center.
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Radiate-veined (rādĭ�t-vānd), a. (Bot.) Having the principal veins radiating, or diverging, from the apex of the petiole; -- said of such leaves as those of the grapevine, most maples, and the castor-oil plant.
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Radiatiform (rādĭătĭfôrm), a. (Bot.) Having the marginal florets enlarged and radiating but not ligulate, as in the capitula or heads of the cornflower. Gray.
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Radiation (rādĭāshŭn), n. [L. radiatio: cf. F. radiation.] 1. The act of radiating, or the state of being radiated; emission and diffusion of rays of light; beamy brightness.
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2. The shooting forth of anything from a point or surface, like the diverging rays of light; as, the radiation of heat.
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Radiative (rādĭ�tĭv), a. Capable of radiating; acting by radiation. Tyndall.
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Radiator (rādĭātẽr), n. 1. That which radiates or emits rays, whether of light or heat; especially, that part of a heating apparatus from which the heat is radiated or diffused; as, a steam radiator.
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2. Any of various devices for cooling an internal substance by radiation, as a system of rings on a gun barrel for cooling it, or a nest of tubes with large radiating surface for cooling circulating water, as in an automobile.
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3. (Wireless Teleg.) An oscillator.
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Radical (rădĭk�l), a. [F., fr. L. radicalis having roots, fr. radix, -icis, a root. See .] 1. Of or pertaining to the root; proceeding directly from the root.
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2. Hence: Of or pertaining to the root or origin; reaching to the center, to the foundation, to the ultimate sources, to the principles, or the like; original; fundamental; thorough-going; unsparing; extreme; as, radical evils; radical reform; a radical party.
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The most determined exertions of that authority, against them, only showed their radical independence.
Burke.
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3. (Bot.) (a) Belonging to, or proceeding from, the root of a plant; as, radical tubers or hairs. (b) Proceeding from a rootlike stem, or one which does not rise above the ground; as, the radical leaves of the dandelion and the sidesaddle flower.
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4. (Philol.) Relating, or belonging, to the root, or ultimate source of derivation; as, a radical verbal form.
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5. (Math.) Of or pertaining to a radix or root; as, a radical quantity; a radical sign. See below.
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Coloq. Radical axis of two circles . (Geom.) See under . -- Coloq. Radical pitch , the pitch or tone with which the utterance of a syllable begins. Rush. -- Coloq. Radical quantity (Alg.), a quantity to which the radical sign is prefixed; specifically, a quantity which is not a perfect power of the degree indicated by the radical sign; a surd. -- Coloq. Radical sign (Math.), the sign √ (originally the letter r, the initial of radix, root), placed before any quantity, denoting that its root is to be extracted; thus, √a, or √(a + b). To indicate any other than the square root, a corresponding figure is placed over the sign; thus, ∛a, indicates the third or cube root of a. -- Coloq. Radical stress (Elocution), force of utterance falling on the initial part of a syllable or sound. -- Coloq. Radical vessels (Anat.), minute vessels which originate in the substance of the tissues.
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Syn. -- Primitive; original; natural; underived; fundamental; entire. -- , . These words are frequently employed as interchangeable in describing some marked alteration in the condition of things. There is, however, an obvious difference between them. A radical cure, reform, etc., is one which goes to the root of the thing in question; and it is entire, in the sense that, by affecting the root, it affects in an appropriate degree the entire body nourished by the root; but it may not be entire in the sense of making a change complete in its nature, as well as in its extent. Hence, we speak of a radical change; a radical improvement; radical differences of opinion; while an entire change, an entire improvement, an entire difference of opinion, might indicate more than was actually intended. A certain change may be both radical and entire, in every sense.
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Radical (rădĭk�l), n. 1. (Philol.) (a) A primitive word; a radix, root, or simple, underived, uncompounded word; an etymon. (b) A primitive letter; a letter that belongs to the radix.
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The words we at present make use of, and understand only by common agreement, assume a new air and life in the understanding, when you trace them to their radicals, where you find every word strongly stamped with nature; full of energy, meaning, character, painting, and poetry.
Cleland.
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2. (Politics) One who advocates radical changes in government or social institutions, especially such changes as are intended to level class inequalities; -- opposed to conservative.
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In politics they [the Independents] were, to use the phrase of their own time, “Root-and-Branch men,” or, to use the kindred phrase of our own, Radicals.
Macaulay.
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3. (Chem.) (a) A characteristic, essential, and fundamental constituent of any compound; hence, sometimes, an atom.
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As a general rule, the metallic atoms are basic radicals, while the nonmetallic atoms are acid radicals.
J. P. Cooke.
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(b) Specifically, a group of two or more atoms, not completely saturated, which are so linked that their union implies certain properties, and are conveniently regarded as playing the part of a single atom; a residue; -- called also a compound radical. Cf. .
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4. (Alg.) A radical quantity. See under , a.
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An indicated root of a perfect power of the degree indicated is not a radical but a rational quantity under a radical form.
Davies & Peck (Math. Dict.)
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5. (Anat.) A radical vessel. See under , a.
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Radicalism (rădĭk�lĭz'm), n. [Cf. F. radicalisme.] The quality or state of being radical; specifically, the doctrines or principles of radicals in politics or social reform.
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Radicalism means root work; the uprooting of all falsehoods and abuses.
F. W. Robertson.
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Radicality (rădĭkălĭt�), n. 1. Germinal principle; source; origination. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
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2. Radicalness; relation to a root in essential nature or principle.
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Radically (rădĭk�ll�), adv. 1. In a radical manner; at, or from, the origin or root; fundamentally; as, a scheme or system radically wrong or defective.
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2. Without derivation; primitively; essentially. [R.]
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These great orbs thus radically bright.
Prior.
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Radicalness, n. Quality or state of being radical.
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Radicant (rădĭk�nt), a. [L. radicans, p. pr.: cf. F. radicant. See , a.] (Bot.) Taking root on, or above, the ground; rooting from the stem, as the trumpet creeper and the ivy.
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Radicate (rădĭk�t), a. [L. radicatus, p. p. of radicari to take root, fr. radix. See .] Radicated.
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Radicate (rădĭkāt), v. i. To take root; to become rooted. Evelyn.
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Radicate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Radicated (rădĭkātĕd); p. pr. & vb. n. Radicating.] To cause to take root; to plant deeply and firmly; to root.
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Time should . . . rather confirm and radicate in us the remembrance of God's goodness.
Barrow.
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Radicated (rădĭkātĕd), a. Rooted; specifically: (a) (Bot.) Having roots, or possessing a well-developed root. (b) (Zoöl.) Having rootlike organs for attachment.
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Radication (rădĭkāshŭn), n. [Cf. F. radication.] 1. The process of taking root, or state of being rooted; as, the radication of habits.
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2. (Bot.) The disposition of the roots of a plant.
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Radicel (rădĭsĕl), n. [Dim. of radix.] (Bot.) A small branch of a root; a rootlet.
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Radiciflorous (rȧdĭsĭflōrŭs), a. [L. radix, -icis, root + flos, floris, a flower.] (Bot.) Rhizanthous.
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Radiciform (rȧdĭsĭfôm), a. (Bot.) Having the nature or appearance of a radix or root.
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Radicle (rădĭk'l), n. [L. radicula, dim. of radix, -icis, root: cf. F. radicule. See .] (Bot.) (a) The rudimentary stem of a plant which supports the cotyledons in the seed, and from which the root is developed downward; the stem of the embryo; the caulicle. (b) A rootlet; a radicel.
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Radicular (rȧdĭk�lẽr), a. Of or pertaining to roots, or the root of a plant.
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Radicule (rădĭkūl), n. (Bot.) A radicle.
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Radiculose (rȧdĭk�lōs), a. (Bot.) Producing numerous radicles, or rootlets.
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Radii (rādĭī), n., pl. of .
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Radio- (rādĭ�-), a. 1. Of or pertaining to, or employing, or operated by, radiant energy, specifically that of electromagnetic waves with frequencies between those of infrared radiation and X-rays; hence, pertaining to, or employed in, broadcast radio or television, microwaves, radiotelephones, etc.; as, radio waves.
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2. of or pertaining to broadcast radio; as, a radio program.
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Radio- (rādĭ�-). A combining form indicating connection with, or relation to, a radius or ray; specifically (Anat.), with the radius of the forearm; as, radio-ulnar, radio-muscular, radio-carpal.
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radioactive (rādĭ�ăktĭv), a. [Radio- + active.] 1. (Physics) Capable of luminescence under the action of cathode rays, X rays, or any of the allied forms of radiation. [obsolete]
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2. (Physics) of, exhibiting, or caused by .
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radioactivity (rādĭ�ăktĭvĭt�), n. (Physics) a form of instability which is a property of the atomic nuclei of certain isotopes, which causes a spontaneous change in the structure of the nucleus, accompanied by emission of energetic radiation. The radiation emitted is usually sufficient to cause ionization in matter through which it passes, and is therefore called . The radiation emitted by most radioactive substances is one of three types: , , or . Some chemical elements have no stable isotopes, and these are referred to as radioactive elements, and the element itself is said to possess radioactivity. The changes in radioactive nuclei which cause radiation in most cases cause the chemical identity of the nucleus itself to change, as when tritium (an isotope of hydrogen) emits a beta ray and converts to helium. The radioactive decay process is a first-order reaction, and the rate of decay of a particular isotope can therefore be expressed as the of the isotope, which is the time it takes for one half of the remaining undecayed isotope to decay, and is a constant independent of the proportion of original material which has already decayed. The half life of tritium, for example, is 12.3 years.
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Radioconductor (rādĭ�kŏndŭktẽr), n. (Elec.) A substance or device that has its conductivity altered in some way by electric waves, as a coherer.
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Radio-flagellata (rādĭ�flăjĕllātȧ), n. pl. [NL. See , and .] (Zoöl.) A group of Protozoa having both flagella and pseudopodia.
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radiograph (rādĭ�grăf), n. [Radio- + -graph.] 1. An instrument for measuring and recording solar radiation.
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2. An image or picture produced upon a sensitive surface, as of a photographic or fluorescent plate, by some form of penetrating radiation other than light, as X-rays, beta rays, etc.; esp., a picture of the internal structure of opaque objects traversed by the rays; a skiagraph. When the picture is produced upon photographic film by X-rays, the picture is usually called an X-ray photo or X-ray. When an image is produced on photographic film by a radioactive substance in close proximity to the film, in a manner so as to record the spatial distribution of the radioactive substance, the resulting image is called an autoradiograph or .
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radiograph (rādĭ�grăf), v. t. To make a radiograph of. -- radiographer (rādĭŏgrȧfẽr), n.
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radiography (rādĭŏgrȧf�), n. Art or process of making radiographs, radiograms, or autoradiograms. -- radiographic (rādĭ�grăfĭk), radiographical (rādĭ�grăfĭk�l), a. -- Radiographically, adv.
[Webster Suppl.]
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