Radioactivity (noun)
the emission of
ionizing radiation or particles caused by the spontaneous disintegration of atomic
nuclei.
Each layer of
ice in a core corresponds to a single year or sometimes even a single season and
most everything that fell in the snow that year remains behind, including wind blown
dust, ash, atmospheric gases, even radioactivity.
Raid
(verb)
to attack in
order to steal, destroy, or conquer.
Crows sometimes
raid the nests and
eat the eggs and the young of smaller birds.
with reference to
troops bring or come together again so as to continue fighting.
In a last
effort to regain control of Shiloh, the
confederate troops rallied against the union soldiers in a three day raging battle.
Ramble
(verb)
to move aimlessly
from place to place; to explore idly.
NASA launches
the first of two golf cart size rovers that will ramble across the
rocky, red soil of Mars and drill for evidence that the Red Planet once had
enough water to support life.
Ramshackle
(noun)
appearing ready
to collapse; carelessly or loosely constructed.
Both are lonely
in their ramshackle surroundings
and, over a series of gin rummy games, they become acquainted.
Range
(noun)
the area of
variation between limits on a particular scale: the car's outside my price
range.
Flexibility is
the ability to move joints freely through their full range of motion.
Rarity
(noun)
the state or
quality of being far beyond what is usual, normal, or customary.
If the
inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, a higher clarity does not really
improve the appearance of a diamond but rather the rarity and price.
Ratchet
(verb)
to cause to move
by steps or degrees - usually used with up or down.
Since Sept. 11,
Beijing has ratcheted up its bluster
against Xinxiang’s
Uighur separatists.
Rate-slashing
(adjective)
to reduce sharply
The Fed started
its rate-slashing campaign in
2001, and by January 2002, the average interest rate on credit cards had fallen
by more than 2 percentage points. But then they began a steady creep upward.
Ratio
(noun)
the quantitative
relation between two amounts showing the number of times one value contains or
is contained within the other.
Mercury is the
only body in the solar system known to have an orbital/rotational resonance
with a ratio other than
1:1.
Raw
(adjective)
uncooked; in its
natural state, not processed.
The chlorophyll
captures the light energy and uses this energy to build carbohydrates from
simple raw materials
(water, carbon dioxide and minerals).
Ravenous
(adjective)
desiring or
craving food.
Ladybugs, those
polka-doted little beetles, have a ravenous appetite for aphids and other insects,
which is why they can be used in place of insecticides in the citrus industry of
California.
Reacquaint
(verb)
to re-familiarize
oneself with someone or something; to cause to know about or be aware of
something or someone which was once familiar.
Page through
the text and/or your notebook to reacquaint yourself with the important points.
Readily
(adverb)
without
hesitation, willingly; without difficulty, easily.
The developments
in the music of Rhythm and Blues of the mid to late 1980's are readily apparent,
especially the pervasive influence of hip-hop.
Reality
(noun)
the state of
things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of
them.
Cervantes's
work, a keen critique of the literature of his time, presented the clash
between reality and the ideals
which Don Quixote sought to revive, and at the same time originated the theme
of the clairvoyance of insanity.
Realize
(verb)
become fully
aware of as a fact; understand clearly.
Although they
loved Vinland, they realized there would
always be trouble living with the Indians.
Rear
(verb)
to take care of
and educate [a child].
The life cycle
of insects is so short that many generations can be reared each year.
Recall
(verb)
remember; cause
one to remember or think of; officially order to return.
They cannot recall having made
withdrawals from their bank account signed for in a strange handwriting.
Recede
(verb)
move back or
farther away; gradually diminish.
Fortunately,
after three days of Sunshine and no rain, the floods from the American River
receded back into its
banks.
Receptor
(noun)
a cell or group
of cells that receive stimuli; sense organ.
Although the
vibration receptor on the spider’s leg seems most sensitive to frequencies above
1,000 hertz, previous research had indicated that vibrations induced by trapped
prey never exceeded that frequency.
Recipient
(noun)
a person who
receives something.
Modern
city-states engage in instant electronic communication and capital transfer,
and are the chief recipients of world population growth.
Reciprocity
(noun)
the practice of
exchanging things with others for mutual benefit.
It is important
that a relationship be friendly and express group reciprocity.
Recitation
(noun)
musical
declamation of the kind usual in the narrative and dialogue parts of opera and oratorio.
The program
included songs and recitations of well-loved poems.
Reclaiming
(verb)
retrieve or
recover; bring (waste land or land formerly under water) under cultivation.
Until we can
discover an inexpensive system for reclaiming sea water, we must all work together
to make sure there is fresh clean water for the next generations.
Recombining
(verb)
to put together
again into one mass so that the constituent parts are more or less homogeneous.
By recombining the atoms of
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in different combinations, the plant creates the
different carbohydrates.
Reconstitute
(verb)
to form or make
up again or anew.
U.S. officials
emphasized this was not evidence Iraq had a nuclear weapon -- but it was evidence
the Iraqis concealed plans to reconstitute their nuclear program as soon
as the world was no longer looking.
Recovered
(verb)
return to a
normal state of health, mind, or strength.
Therapists
believe that the appropriate therapy involves the recovery of childhood abuse memories,
through recovered memory therapy
re-integration of alters into the dominant personality.
Rectangular
(adjective)
a plane figure
with four straight sides and four right angles, and with unequal adjacent sides.
Betsy Johnson
lives in a humble three bedroom rectangular shaped house.
Recycled
(adjective)
into reusable
material; use again.
To save paper,
one should consider buying books made only with recycled paper.
Redact
(verb)
to put in
writing; to select or adapt for publication.
Court documents
related to the guardian's medical plan for J.D. are redacted and do not
disclose when and where the young woman will be taken to give birth.
Redeem
(verb)
to free from a lien
by payment of an amount secured thereby; to remove the obligation of by payment.
By redeeming this debt
early, we continue with our stated policy to further reduce the company's total
debt position.
Reflexive
(adjective)
acting or
happening without apparent forethought, prompting, or planning.
Because the
dogs’ salivation is reflexive, Pavlov decided to analyze how the dogs learned to associate the
bell with being fed.
Reform
(verb)
make changes in
something in order to improve it; cause to abandon an immoral or criminal
lifestyle.
In a short
time, the reforms might well be a dynamic instability in the care and networking of
patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Refract
(verb)
to cause to move,
especially at an angle; to bend.
Sound waves
traveling upward may be refracted by the difference in temperature and redirected
toward the ground.
Refrain
from (verb)
stop oneself from
doing something.
He refrained from hitting
him back.
Regardless
of (adverb)
despite the
prevailing circumstances.
For example,
some argue that regardless of any individual's desire to get married, the community
as a whole should support official recognition of their right to do so.
Regenerate
(verb)
re-grow new
tissue; bring new and more vigorous life to an area or institution.
But Davis and Trier have found that
mesoscale convective vortexes play a key role in helping storms regenerate over two or
more days.
Regime
(noun)
a government in
power.
He said the
European Union would extend its ban on visits by Myanmar officials, warning that
further pressure would follow "unless the regime moves rapidly
to restore civilian rule and democracy."
Regiment
(noun)
a permanent unit
of an army, typically divided into several smaller units and often into two battalions;
a large number of people or things.
William
Tecumseh Sherman, division commander, was quoted saying to reporters,
"Take your regiment to Ohio.
No enemy is nearer than Corinth."
Region
(noun)
an area of a
country or the world having definable characteristics but not always fixed boundaries;
an administrative district of a city or country.
Arnold speculated
that the Polar Regions might have areas that are
permanently shadowed, hence permanently cold.
Regulatory
(verb)
control or
maintain the rate or speed of a machine or process; control or supervise by means
of rules and regulations.
Some alters
create new alters as needed. Others perform a system regulatory function; they
determine which alter will be in charge at a given time.
Regurgitate
(verb)
to throw or pour
back or out from or as if from a cavity.
California condors are scavengers, eating
dead animals and carcasses left by hunters.
Some condors
will regurgitate their food if
they feel threatened.
Rehabilitation
(verb)
restore to health
or normal life by training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness.
Cardiac rehabilitation professionals
find themselves increasingly drawn into discussions about healthcare reform,
particularly when it relates to cost containment.
Rehearse
(verb)
to do or perform
repeatedly so as to master.
The bride and
the groom usually rehearse their wedding ceremony before the actual day of the wedding.
Relative
(adjective)
considered in
relation or in proportion to something else; existing or possessing a characteristic
only in comparison to something else
The precise
composition, and relative proportions of that dust and gas, holds clues to the materials and
physical conditions present in the frigid outer regions of the solar system
where comets are formed.
Remarkable
(adjective)
extraordinary or
striking.
Leopold was a
successful composer and violinist and assistant concertmaster at the Salzburg court, whose
archbishop, Sigismund von Schrattenbach, encouraged the activities of Leopold
and his remarkable children.
Remedy
(noun)
a medicine,
application, or treatment that relieves or cures a disease.
So we wanted to
see how it measured in its latest marketing claims as an anti-aging remedy for men in
their 40s," says Conrad Earnest, PhD, of the Cooper Institute Centers for
Integrative Health Research in Dallas.
Reminiscent
of (adjective)
tending to remind
one of something; absorbed in memories.
Going fishing
by the lake last week was reminiscent of the times when I went fishing as a
child.
Remnants
(noun)
a small remaining
quantity; a piece of cloth left when the greater part has been used or sold; a
surviving trace.
Deep into the
jungles of Guatemala
are the remnants of a
civilization which existed more than 1,000 years ago.
Remote
(adjective)
far away in space
or time; situated far from the main centers of population.
Death Valley,
one of the remotest areas in California,
boasts summertime temperatures which are among some of the hottest in the
world.
Renaissance
(noun)
the revival of
art and literature under the influence of classical models in the 14th and 16th
centuries; a revival of or renewed interest in something.
Los trabajos is
the best evidence not only of the survival of Greek novelistic themes but also
of the survival of forms and ideas of the Spanish novel of the second Renaissance.
Render
(verb)
to present a
lifelike image of.
X-rays
differentiate between bone and air, hence rendering the liver, the
pancreas and certain other organs invisible.
Renowned
(noun)
the state of
being famous.
He quickly
became renowned for his
religious theme paintings which were popular with the art buying public.
Rent
(verb)
to separate one
part of a substance or object from another: tear; often used with apart.
The colossal
impact must have nearly rent the young Earth apart.
Repercussion
(noun)
a remote or
indirect consequence of some action.
Another group
doesn't want to risk repercussions while perhaps another group just doesn't care one
way or the other.
Repetition
(noun)
the action or an
instance of repeating or being repeated; a thing that repeats another.
This would be a
weight lifter performing multiple repetitions of a light weight.
Replete
(adjective)
fully or
abundantly provided or filled.
Gateway threw
in a near library of primers for mastering the ins and outs of video editing.
One, replete with colorful
illustrations, shows you how to capture, create, and share movies.
Repulsion
(noun)
the force with
which bodies, particles, or like forces repel one another.
Einstein added
a cosmological constant to his theory and that term represented a repulsion (pushing away)
of every point in space by the surrounding points, acting against gravitational
attraction.
Rescue
(verb)
save from a
dangerous or distressing situation.
The easiest way
to rescue you is to not
get into trouble in the first place.
Reservoir
(noun)
a large natural
or artificial lake used as a source of water supply; a place where fluid collects,
especially in rock strata or in the body.
The water
builds up behind the dam and spreads out to form an artificial lake or reservoir.
Residence
(noun)
the fact of
residing somewhere; the place where a person resides; a person's home.
His principal residence during the
next several months was near Paris, France, just around the corner from the Luxembourg Gardens, where he spent much of his
time; his written description of the gardens would later be revised for the
closing of his novel
Sanctuary.
Resolve
(verb)
settle or find a
solution to; decide firmly on a course of action.
After the
bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United
States resolved to enter War.
Resonance
(noun)
the quality of
being resonant; physics: the reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection
or synchronous vibration.
It is now known
that Mercury rotates three times in two of its years. Mercury is the only body
in the solar system known to have an orbital/rotational resonance with a ratio other
than 1:1.
Respectively
(adverb)
separately or
individually and in the order already mentioned.
Authors Jones
and Dewey are respectively touted as prominent west coast and east coast psychics.
Respiration
(noun)
the action of
breathing; a single breath.
Warm ups
prepare your body for the exercise ahead by increasing heart rate and respiration, and thus
supplying energy (heat, oxygen) to the cells.
Resume
(verb)
begin again or
continue after a pause or interruption.
At that point
the Sun would stop, briefly reverse course, and stop again before resuming its path
toward the horizon and decreasing in apparent size.
Retain
(verb)
continue to have;
keep possession of; absorb and continue to hold.
In-marriage
also has the effect of retaining property within family lines, especially where
women are allowed to inherit.
Retard
(adjective)
less advanced in
mental, physical, or social development than is usual for one's age.
Binet was
commissioned by the government in France to make recommendations
about how to educate retarded children.
Retinue
(noun)
a group of
advisers or assistants accompanying an important person.
In 1569 he went
to Italy
as part of Cardenal Acquaviva's retinue and after signing up as a soldier in 1570
fought in the battle of Lepanto aboard the galley Marquesa.
Retrieve
(verb)
get or bring back.
The long
cylinders of ancient ice that they retrieve provide a dazzlingly detailed record of
what was happening in the world over the past several ice ages.
Revenue
(adjective)
relating to the
total income produced by a given source.
Resellers
intent on building a steady revenue stream continue to fill backrooms with assembly
tools, components and test gear to turn out house-branded computer equipment.
Revere (verb)
respect or admire
deeply.
He continued to
be revered after his
death from a fall while painting in 1682.
Reverse
(verb)
move backwards;
make something the opposite of what it was.
It would seem
socially unacceptable if the phrases above were reversed.
Revise
(verb)
examine and
improve or amend text; reconsider and alter an opinion or judgment.
A brief
description of the invention, planning and drafting, middle draft peer review, final
draft, and revised final draft stages will be explained by various students whom I have
asked to speak today.
Revitalize
(verb)
to give new life
or vigor to.
Natural
flooding of rivers revitalizes the habitats of many plants and animals and enriches
soils for planting.
Rigid
(adjective)
incapable of
changing or being modified.
Intense heat
changes the nature of clay so that it becomes stony and rigid.
Rigorous
(adjective)
not deviating
from correctness, accuracy, or completeness.
The standards
of validity for experimental research are so rigorous that it may take a researcher
several years to get his results published in a scholarly journal.
Rim
(noun)
the upper or
outer edge of something more or less circular.
The bicyclists
raced around the southern rim of the Grand Canyon
Rip
(verb)
to separate or
pull apart by force.
To fully
exterminate an ant colony, the must be located and treated—and in some cases, walls
must be ripped open.
Ripple
(noun)
a small wave or
series of waves; a gentle rising and falling sound that spreads through a group
of people.
Muscular
contractions cause a ripple-like movement that carries the contents down the small intestine -
somewhat like a conveyor belt.
Risk
(noun)
a situation
involving exposure to danger.
Another group
doesn't want to risk repercussions while perhaps another group just doesn't care one
way or the other.
Ritual
(noun)
a religious or
solemn ceremony involving a series of actions performed according to a set order.
There are seven
sacraments or rituals in the Catholic Church.
Rivet
(noun)
a headed pin or
bolt used for uniting two or more pieces by passing the shank through a hole in
each piece and then beating or pressing down the other end to make a second
head.
Second only to
iron and steel, aluminum is used in the construction of lawn chairs, baseball
bats, air and space vehicles, and even the rivets that hold them together.
Root
(noun)
a rhizome; a
plant on to which another variety is grafted.
Born in Atlanta on January 15,
1929, Dr. Martin Luther King's roots were formed in the African-American
Baptist church.
Rotate
(verb)
move in a circle
round an axis
It is now known
that Mercury rotates three times in two of its years.
Rotation
(noun)
the action
or process of
rotating.
The Moon's axis
of rotation is nearly
perpendicular to the plane of its orbit around the Sun, so the Sun always
appears at or near the horizon in the polar regions of the Moon.
Rough
(adjective)
having an uneven
or irregular surface, not smooth or level; approximate.
While these
data are at best rough estimates, there is one certainty we spent only a tiny percentage
of the $800 billion on prevention.
Route
(noun)
a way or course
taken in getting from a starting point to a destination.
Grapevine Canyon is one of the three eastern exit routes from Death Valley, and the location of Scotty's Castle.
Routine
(noun)
a sequence of
actions regularly followed; a fixed unvarying program.
This is
important in sports such as track and field and football, as well as routine activities
such as lifting groceries or moving furniture.
Rubbish
(noun)
waste material;
refuse or litter.
It lays its
eggs in rubbish heaps, rotting
trees trunks, sawdust, and other vegetative matter.
Rubble
(noun)
broken fragments,
especially of a building.
During the San Francisco earthquake
at the beginning of the 20th century, many buildings were reduced to nothing
more but a pile of rubble.
Rudimentary
(adjective)
involving or
limited to basic principles.
To show why the
chimpanzees signaling system is not homologous to human language, Zachary says
that chimpanzees require massive regimented teaching sequences contrived by
humans to acquire quite rudimentary abilities.
Rule out
(verb)
to keep from
being admitted, included, or considered.
Eventually,
experimental tests by Army Majors William Gorgas and Walter Reed ruled out dirt and poor
sanitation conditions as causes of Yellow Fever, and a mosquito was the
suspected carrier.
Run
(verb)
to do in a formal
manner or according to prescribed ritual: do.
Picking up on
Safronov's general ideas, Hartmann and Davis ran calculations of the rate of growth of
the 2nd-largest, 3rd largest, etc., bodies in the general vicinity of Earth, as
the Earth itself was growing.
Runoff
(noun)
the portion of
precipitation on land that ultimately reaches streams often with dissolved or suspended
material.
The ground is
completely saturated, so everything is runoff. We could have flash floods just about
any time.
Rural
(adjective)
relating to or
characteristic of the countryside rather than the town.
Marriage
patterns in rural Turkey
are noticeably influenced by endogamous preferences within both villages and
kinship groups.
Rush
(verb)
move or act with
urgent haste; transport or produce with urgent haste.
In the
mid-1870s, gold was discovered, and press reports brought a rush of
prospectors.
Rustle
(verb)
to act or move
with energy or speed; to forage food.
The big ears of
a bat detect the returning echoes, as well as the sounds of prey, such as
insects rustling in the leaves.
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