racemation 
Having brought over some curious instruments out of 
Italy for racemation, engrafting, and inoculating, he was 
a great master in the use of them. 
Bp. Burnet, Bp. Bedell, p. 120. (Latham.) 
2. A cluster, as of grapes; the state of being 
racemose, or having clustered follicles, as a 
gland. [Rare.] 
The whole racemation or cluster of eggs. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., iii. 28. 
raceme (ra-sem'), . [= F. raceme, a cluster, 
= Sp. Pg. racimo = It. raccmo, < L. raeemus, a 
cluster of grapes ; allied to Gr. paf (gen. payof), 
a berry, esp. a grape. Of. raisin 1 , from the same 
source.] A cluster; specifically, in bot., a sim- 
ple inflorescence of the centripetal or indeter- 
minate type, in which the several or many flow- 
ers are borne on somewhat equal axillary pedi- 
cels along a relatively lengthened axis orrachis. 
Examples are furnished by the currant, the lily-of-the- 
valley, the locust, etc. A raceme becomes compound 
when the single flowers are replaced by racemes. See 
inflorescence, compare spike, and see cuts under Act&a, in- 
florescence, and Ornithogalum. 
racemed (ra-semd'), a. [< raceme + -ed 2 .] In 
bot., disposed in racemes: said of flowers or 
fruits, or of the branches of a racemosely com- 
pound inflorescence. 
race-meeting (ras'me' / ting), . A meeting for 
the purpose of horse-racing. 
How many more race-meetings are there now than there 
were in 1850? Quarterly Rev., CXLV. 70. 
racemic (ra-sem'ik), a. [< raceme + -ic.~\ Per- 
taining or relating to grapes in clusters, or to 
racemes Racemic acid, C4HflO, an acid isomeric 
with tartaric acid, found along with the latter in the tar- 
tar obtained from certain vineyards on the Rhine. It is a 
modification of the ordinary tartaric acid, differing from 
it in its physical but not in its chemical properties. Also 
called paratarUtric acid. 
racemiferous (ras-e-mif'e-rus), a. [< L. raee- 
mus, a cluster (see 'raceme), +ferre = E. Sear 1 .] 
Bearing racemes. 
racemiform (ra-se'mi-form), a. [< L. raeemus, 
a cluster, + forma, form.] In bot., having the 
form of a raceme. 
racemocarbonic (ra-se // mo-kar-bon'ik), a. [< 
racemic + carbonic.] Formed from or consist- 
ing of racemic and carbonic acids. Racemocar- 
bonic acid. Same as desoxalic acid (which see, under 
desoxalic). 
racemose (ras'e-mos), a. [Also racemous; = F. 
racemeux = Sp. Pg. racimoso = It. racemoso, 
< L. racemosus, full of grapes, < raeemus, bunch 
of grapes: see raceme, raisin.'] 1. In bot. : (a) 
Having the character or appearance of a ra- 
ceme : said of a flower-cluster. (6) Arranged 
in racemes: said of the flowers. 2. In anat., 
clustered or aggregate, as a gland ; having 
ducts which divide and subdivide and end in 
bunches of follicles. It is a common type of glan- 
dular structure, well exemplified in the salivary glands 
and the pancreas. See cut under parotid. Racemose 
adenoma, a tumor originating from glandular tissue, and 
resembling closely the appearance and structure of a race- 
mose gland : found in the breast and in salivary and seba- 
ceous glands. 
racemosely (ras'e-mos-li), adv. So as to form 
or resemble a raceme or racemes. 
racemous (ras'e-mus or ra-se'mus), a. Same 
as racemose. 
racemule (ras'e-mul), n. [< NL. *racemulus, 
dim. of L. raeemus, a cluster: see raceme."] In 
bot., a small raceme. 
racemulose (ra-sem'u-16s), a. [< NL. racemu- 
losus, full of small racemes, < *racenmlus, a 
small raceme: see racemule.] In bot., resem- 
bling a racemule, or arranged in racemules. 
race-plate (ras'plat), . A wrought-iron or 
steel traversing-platform for heavy guns, upon 
which the gun is moved in a horizontal arc and 
moves backward in recoil. 
racer (ra'ser), n. [= Icel. rasari, a racer, race- 
horse; as race 1 + -er 1 .] 1. One who races; a 
runner or contestant in a race or in races of 
any kind. 
Beemear'd with filth, and blotted o'er with clay, 
Obscene to sight, the rueful racer lay. 
Pope, Iliad, xxiii. 912. 
2. A race-horse. 
The racer is generally distinguished by his beautiful 
Arabian head ; his fine and flnely-set-on neck ; his oblique 
lengthened shoulders ; well-bent hinder legs ; his ample 
muscular quarters ; his flat legs, rather short from the knee 
downwards ; and his long and elastic pastern. 
Quoted in T. Bell's British Quadrupeds, p. 382. 
3. Hence, anything having great speed. 
Coal will be transferred across the Atlantic in cargo 
boats for the use of the ocean racers. Engineer, LXVI. 77. 
4. In a braiding-machine, a traversing sup- 
port for tension and spool-holding apparatus. 
5. A snake of the genus Scotophis (or Coluber), 
S. olisolcttiK, also called pilot black-snake or 
jiilot-nnake. It is black, with a mottled black 
4927 
and yellow belly, and has the median dorsal 
scales carinated. 6. A snake, Haxcanion eon- 
xtrictor, the common black-snake of the eastern 
United States. It is blue or blue-black, with 
greenish-blue belly, and has smooth scales. 
7. A poor, thin, or spent fish; a slink: applied 
to mackerel, shad, salmon, etc. 8. A sand- 
crab. See Ocypoda Blue racer. See blue-racer. 
race-track (ras'trak), n. The track or path 
over which a race is run ; a race-course. 
raceway (ras'wa), n. 1. An artificial passage 
for water flowing from a fall or dam; a mill- 
race. Compare mill-race. See race 2 . 2. In 
fish-culture, a fishway. 
racht, . See ratclfi. 
rachamali, n. In ornith. See Neophron. 
rache 1 !, . See ratch^. 
rache 2 t, v. An obsolete form of reach*. 
rache s t, v. t. An obsolete assibilated form of 
rachial (ra'ki-al), a. [< rachis + -al.~] Pertain- 
ing to a rachis ; rachidial. Also rhachial. 
rachialgia (ra-ki-al' ji-a), n. [NL. , prop, rhachi- 
algia, < Gr. pax'f, spine, + dtyof, pain.] Pain 
in the spine, especially neuralgic pain. Also 
rhachialgia. 
rachialgic (ra-ki-al'jik), a. [< rachialgia + -ic.'] 
Affected with rachialgia. Also rltachialgic. 
Rachianectes (ra"ki-a-nek'tez), n. [NL. 
(Cope), also Ehachianec'ies, < Gr. paxia, a rocky 
shore, + vqKTjjf, a swimmer, < vf/xc'v, swim.] 
A genus of whalebone whales of the family 
Balsenopteridx and subfamily Agaphelinse, con- 
taining the gray whale of the North Pacific, 
E. alaucus, combining the small head, slender 
form, and narrow flippers of a finner-whale 
with the lack of a dorsal fin and absence of 
folds of skin on the throat of a right whale. 
This whale attains great size, and its pursuit is an impor- 
tant branch of the fisheries in the waters it is found in, 
sometimes attended with special dangers. The parasites 
chiefly affecting R. glaucus are a whale-louse, Cyamus 
scammoni, and a barnacle, Cryplolepas rachianecti. 
Rachicallis (ra-ki-kal'is), n. [NL. (A. P. de 
Candolle, 1830), < Gr. pax'ta, a rocky shore, + 
ndUof, beauty.] A genus of rubiaceous shrubs 
belonging to the triber Rondeletiese, differing 
from Rondeletia chiefly in its half -superior sep- 
ticidal capsule. There is only one species, R. rnpes- 
tris, called earwort, growing on the rocky coasts of the 
West Indies. It is a low shrub bearing narrow decussate 
leaves with sheathing stipules, and small solitary yellow 
flowers sessile in the axils. 
rachides, n. Plural of rachis. 
rachidial (ra-kid'i-al), a. [Also rhachidial; < 
Gr. pax/f (assumed'stem *paxt&-), the spine, + 
-al.~\ Of or pertaining to a rachis, in any sense ; 
rachial. 
rachidian (ra-kid'i-an), a. [Also rhachidian ; < 
F. rachidien,'< Gr. p&x'S (assumed stem *p&xi6-), 
the spine, + -Jan.] Same as rachidial. 
The teeth of the radula are divided by nearly all students 
of that organ into rhachidian or median, lateral, and un- 
cinal. W. H. Doll, Science, iv. No. 81, Aug. 22, 1884. 
Rachidian bulb. Same as medulla oblmgata. Rachid- 
ian canal, the spinal or neural canal. 
Racblglossa (ra-ki-glos'a), n.pl. [Also Bhachi- 
glossa; NL., < Gr. pdxtf, the spine, + yl.uaaa, 
tongue.] Those mollusks which are rachiglos- 
sate; specifically, a division of gastropods so 
characterized, including the Buccinidse, Muri- 
cidse, Volutidse, etc. See cut under ribbon. 
rachiglossate (ra-ki-glos'at), a. [Also rha- 
chiglossate; < Gr. pdxtf, the spine, + y^oaaa, 
tongue.] In Mollusca, having upon the lingual 
ribbon or radula only a single median tooth, or 
a median tooth with only an admedian one on 
each side of it, in any one of the many trans- 
verse series or cross-rows of radular teeth. The 
formula is 0-1-0 or I-I-I, where the is a cipher 
and I means one. 
rachilla (ra-kil'a), n. [Also rhachilla; NL.,< Gr. 
pdxtf, the spine, T dim. -illa.~\ In bot., a little 
rachis; a secondary rachis in a compound in- 
florescence, as of a spikelet in a grass. 
Rachiodon (ra-ki'o-don), . [NL.: see ra- 
chiodont.] Tile typical genus of Eachiodonti- 
dse, having a series of enamel-tipped vertebral 
processes projecting into the esophagus and 
serving as teeth : synonymous with Dasypeltis 
(which see). The type is R. scaber, of Africa, a snake 
which lives much on eggs, and has this contrivance for not 
smashing them till they get down its throat, when the sa- 
gacious serpent swallows the contents and spits out the 
shell. Also Rhachwdon. 
rachiodont (ra'ki-o-dont), a. [Also rhachio- 
dont; < Gr. pdxtf, the spine, + boovf (OOOIT-) = E. 
tooth.'] Having processes of the spinal column 
which function as teeth; belonging to the Ra- 
chiodontidie. 
Rye-grass (Lo- 
lium perfnne). 
a, Rachis. 
racially 
Rachiodontidse (ra"ki-o-don'ti-de), n.pl. [NL., 
< Kacliiodon (-odon t-) + -idle. ] A family of colu- 
briform ophidians, named from the genus Ra- 
chiodon : same as the subfamily Dusypeltinie. 
Also Rhachiodontidte. 
Rachiopteris (ra-ki-op'te-ris), . [NL., < Gr. 
'pdxif, file spine, + Trrepi'f',' fern : see Pteris.'] A 
name under which Schimper has grouped vari- 
ous fragments of the rachides or stems of fossil 
f ems. Specimens of this nature have been described by 
Lesquereux as occurring in the coal-measures of Illinois, 
and by Dawson as having been found in the Devonian of 
New York. 
rachipagUS (ra-kip'a-gus), n.; pi. raehipagi(-ji). 
[NL., < Gr. pdxu;, the spine, + wajof, that which 
is fixed or firmly set, < m/yvin>at, make fast.] In 
teratol., a double monster united at the spine. 
rachis (ra'kis ),!.; pi. rachides (-ki-dez). [Also 
rhachis; NL. , < Gr. pdxtf, the spine, 
a ridge (of a mountain-chain), a rib 
(ofaleaf).] 1. Inbot.: (a) Theaxis 
of an inflorescence when somewhat 
elongated ; the continuation of the 
peduncle along which the flowers 
are ranged, as in a spike or a raceme . 
(6) In a pinnately compound leaf 
or frond, the prolongation of the 
petiole along which the leaflets or 
pinnffi are disposed, corresponding 
to the midrib of a pinnately veined 
simple leaf. See cut under com- 
pound. 2. In zoijl. and anat.: (a) 
The vertebral column. (6) The stem, shaft, or 
scape of a feather, as distinguished from the 
web, vane, or vexillutn ; especially, that part of 
the stem which bears the vexillum, as distin- 
guished from the calamus or quill. See quill, 4. 
The differentiation of the feather into rachis and vexil- 
lum. Gegenbavr, Comp. Anat. (trans.), p. 419. 
(c) The median part of the radula of a mollusk, 
usually bearing teeth which differ from those 
on each side of it. 3. The axial skeleton of 
various polyp-colonies, as of Gorgpma; some 
axial part, or formation like a midrib, as in 
crinoids. Generative rachis, in crinoids, a cellular 
rod or cord which lies in the genital canal in connection 
with the visceral generative tissue, and the enlargements 
of which in the pinnules form the genital glands. 
rachitic (ra-kit'ik), a. [Also rhachitic; < F. 
rachitique; as rachitis + -'<;.] 1. In anat., of 
or pertaining to the spinal column ; spinal ; ver- 
tebral. [Bare.] 2. Pertaining to or affected 
with rachitis ; rickety. 
rachitis (ra-kl'tis), n. [NL. (Dr. Glisson, 1650, 
in his work "De Sachitide"), as if lit. 'inflam- 
mation of the spine' (prop. rhachitis,<. Gr. />dxi(, 
the spine, + -itis), but adopted as a Latinized 
form for E. rickets : see rickets.'] 1. A disease 
of very early life, characterized by a perversion 
of nutrition of the bones, by which uncalcified 
osteoid tissue is formed in place of bone, and 
the resorption of bone is quickened. Hence the 
bones are flexible, and distortions occur, such as crooked 
legs, heart-shaped pelvis, or curvature of spine. See rickets. 
2. In bot., a disease producing abortion of the 
fruit or seed Rachitis fcetalis annularis, intra-ute- 
rine formation of annular thickenings on the diaphyses of 
the long bones. Also called rachitis intra-uterina annu- 
laris. Rachitis fcetalls micronielica, intra-uterine 
stunting of the bones in their longitudinal growth. Also 
called rachitis uterina micromelica. 
rachitome (rak'i-tom), n. [Also rhachitome; < 
F. rachitome, < Gr. pdxtf, the spine, + -rouof, < 
riuveiv, ra/ielv, cut.] An anatomical instrument 
for opening the spinal canal, without injuring 
the medulla. 
rachitomous (ra-kit'o-mus), a. [Also rhachito- 
mous; < Gr. pdxif, the spine, + -rofiof, < rifivetv, 
rafiAv, cut.] Segmented, as a vertebra of many 
of the lower vertebrates which consists of a neu- 
ral arch resting on a separate piece on each side, 
the pleurocentrum, which in turn rests on a sin- 
gle median piece below, the intercentrum ; hav- 
ing or characterized by such vertebra?, as a fish 
or batrachian, or the backbone of such animals. 
See embolomerous. E. D. Cope. 
Both kinds of vertebra (rocMtomows and embolomerous) 
can be found in the same animal. Science, VI. 98. 
racial (ra'sial), a. [< race^ + -ial. Cf. facial.'] 
Relating or pertaining to race or lineage, or to 
a race or races of living beings ; characteristic 
of race or of a race. 
Man, as he lived on the earth during the time when the 
most striking racial characteristics were being developed. 
W. H. Flmeer, Encyc. Brit., XV. 445. 
racially (ra'sial-i), adv. In a racial manner; in 
relation to or as influenced by race or lineage. 
The unification of the racially most potent people of 
whom we have record. The Academy, Aug. 3, 1889, p. 66. 
