ray 
Extraordinary ray. See njmctwn. Herschelian 
rays of the spectrum. See iirrschelian. Medullary 
rays, (a) See medullary, (b) Bundles of straight or col- 
lecting tubules of the kidney contained in the cortex; 
the pyramids of Ferrein. See tubule. Obscure rays. 
See obscure and spectrum. Ordinary ray. See refrac- 
tion. Principal ray. see principal. Ritteric rays. 
See Ritteric. Visual rays. See visual. 
ray 1 (ra), v. [< OF. raier, F. rayer, mark with 
lines, streak, stripe, mark out, scratch, = Pr. 
raiar = Sp. rayar, form lines or strokes, streak, 
= Pg. raiar, radiate, sparkle, = It. raggiare, 
razzare, radiate, also Sp. Pg. radiar = It. ra- 
diare, radiate, sparkle; < L. radiare, furnish 
with spokes or beams, radiate, shine forth. < 
radius, a staff, rod, spoke of a wheel, ray, etc. : 
see ray 1 , n., and cf. radiate.] I. trans. 1. To 
mark with long lines ; form rays of or in. 
Unloved, the sun-flower, shining fair, 
Ray round with flames her disk of seed. 
Tennyson,, In Memoriam, ci. 
2. To shoot forth or emit; cause to shine out. 
Shines o'er the rest, the pastoral queen, and rays 
Her smiles, sweet-beaming, on her shepherd-king. 
Thomson, Summer, L 401. 
3f. To stripe. 
I wil yif him a feder bedde 
Rayed with golde. 
Chaucer, Death of Blanche, 1. 262. 
II. intrans. To shine forth or out as in rays. 
In a molten glory shrined 
That rays off into gloom. Mrs. Browning. 
ray 2 (ra), u. [< ME. raye, < OF. raie, raye, F. 
rale = OCat. raja = Sp. raya = It. raja, razza, 
(cf. ML. ragadia),<. L. raia, a ray; prob. orig. 
"ragia, akin to D. roch, rog = LG. ruche (> LG. 
roche), a roach, a ray, = Dan. rokke, a ray, = 
AS. reohhe, reohche (glossed by ML. fanrms), 
ME. relive, rohge, a roach: see roach 1 .] 1. 
One of the elasmobranchiate fishes constitut- 
ing the genus Baia, recognized by the flatten- 
ed body, which becomes a broad disk from 
Ray (Raia batis). 
its union with the extremely broad and fleshy 
pectorals, which are joined to each other be- 
fore or at the snout, and extend behind the two 
sides of the abdomen as far as the base of the 
ventrals, resembling the rays of a fan. 2. 
Any member of the order Hypotremi, Batoidei, 
or liaise, such as the sting-ray, eagle-ray, skate, 
torpedo, etc. See cuts under Elasmobranchii, 
skate, sting-ray, and torpedo Beaked rays, Rhi- 
nobatidee. Clear-nosed ray, Raia eglanteria. Cow- 
nosed ray, Rhinoptera quadriloba. Also called clam- 
cracker, corn cracker, whipperee, etc. Fuller or fuller's 
ray, Raiafullonica. Horned ray, a ray or batoid fish of 
the family Cephalopterid.se or Mantidse : so called from the 
horn-like projections on the head. See cut under devil-fish. 
Painted ray. See painted. Sandy ray, Raia cirm- 
laris. Starry ray or skate, Raia radiate. Stingless 
rays, Anacanthidx. Torpedo rays, Torpedinidse. See 
torpedo. (See the generic and family names ; also bishop- 
ray, butterfly-ray, eagle-ray, sting-ray.) 
ray 3 t ( r &)> " [< ME. raye,_ ray, < OF. rei, rai, 
roi, array : see array, of which ray& is in part an 
aphetic form.] Array; order; arrangement; 
rank; dress. 
Wee brake the rayes of all the Romayne hoast. 
And made the mighty Csesar leaue his boast. 
Yet hee [Csar], the worthyest Captaine euer was. 
Brought all in ray and fought agayne a new. 
Mir. for Mags., I. 237. 
And spoyling all her geares and goodly ray. 
Spenser, F. Q., V. ii. 60. 
ray 3 t (ra), >. t. [< ME. rayen; < ro.i/3, re. Cf. 
array, v., of which ray 3 is in part an aphetic 
form. In def. 2, the same verb used (as ar- 
ray also was used) in an ironical application; 
hence, in comp., beray.] 1. To array. 2. To 
beray with dirt or filth ; daub ; defile. 
Fie on ... all foul ways ! Was ever man so beaten ? 
was ever man so rayed ? Shak. , T. of the 8., IT. 1. 3. 
ray 4 t (ra), n. [Early mod. E. also rey ; < ME. 
raye; prob. a particular application of ray 1 , a 
stripe, line, etc.] A kind of striped cloth. 
4979 
Ich drow me among drapers, . . . 
Among the ricbe rayes ich rendered a lesson. 
Pien Plowman (C), vil. 217. 
1525. More, in the sixteenth of Henry the eighth, Sir 
William Bayly then being Maior, made a request, for that 
clothes of Ray (as hee alleaged) were evill wrought, his 
Officers might bee permitted (contrary to custome) for 
that yeere to weare Gounes of one colour. 
Stow, Survey of London, p. 652. 
Foure yards of broad Cloth, rowed or striped thwart 
with a different colour, to make him a Goune, and these 
were called Key Gounes. Stow, Survey of London, p. 652. 
ray 5 (ra), n. [Cf. MHG. reige, reie, rei, G. rei- 
lien, reigen, a kind of dance.] A kind of dance. 
Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
ray 6 (ra), n. [Origin obscure.] A certain dis- 
ease of sheep, also called scab, shab, or rubbers. 
ray 7 t, . Same as ray. 
Scho tuke hir lave and went hir waye, 
Bothe at barone and at raye. 
Perceval, 179. (Halliwell.) 
Raya 1 , Rayah (ra'ya), . [= F. rayah, rma, < 
Ar. raiya, pi. ra'aya, people, peasants, subjects, 
cattle, < ra'a, pasture, feed; cf. rdaya, flocks, 
herds. Cf. ryot, ult. the same word.] Any 
subject of the Sultan of Turkey who is not a 
Mohammedan. 
raya 2 (ra'ya), n. [E. Ind.] An Indian broad- 
throat of the family Euryleemidee, Psarisomus 
dalhousise, inhabiting the Himalayas. The term 
is also one of the several generic designations 
which this species has received. 
Rayah, . See Bay a 1 . 
rayat, rayatwari. See ryot, ryotwar. 
rayed (rad), a. [< ME. rayed, rayyd, rayid; < 
ray 1 + -ed 2 .] 1. Having rays or ray-like pro- 
cesses, as a flower-head or an animal; spe- 
cifically, in zool., radiate. 2. Having rays (of 
this or that kind): as, a many-rayed fin; a 
soK-rayed fish. 
The third is an octagonal chapel, of which we can see 
but little more than the roof with its rayed tiling. Ruskin. 
3f. Striped. 
The sheriffs of London should give yearly rayed gowns 
to the recorder, chamberlain, etc. 
Archseologia, XXXIX. 367. 
Rayed animals. See Radiata. 
rayert (ra'er), n. [< ME. rayere, < raye, striped 
cloth: see ray*.] A seller of ray-cloth. Piers 
Plowman. 
rayey (ra'i), a. [< ray 1 + -ey = -g 1 .] Having or 
consisting of rays. 
The rayey fringe of her faire eyes. Cotton, Song. 
ray-floret (ra'flo"ret), n. A ray-flower: used 
chiefly of Compositie. 
ray-flower (ra'flou"er), n. One of the flowers 
which collectively form the ray (see ray 1 , 5 
(6)) ; most often, one from the circle of ligulate 
flowers surrounding a disk of tubular flowers 
in the heads of many Composites. 
ray-grass (ra'gras), . A good forage-grass, 
Lolium perenne. Also rye-grass. 
rayket, and v. A Middle English form of 
rate 2 . 
raylet. A Middle English form of rail 1 , rail' 2 , 
etc. 
rayless (ra'les), a. [< ray 1 + -less.'] 1. With- 
out rays or radiance; unillumined; lightless; 
dark; somber; gloomy. 
Night, sable goddess, from her ebon throne, 
In rayless majesty, now stretches forth 
Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumb'ring world. 
Young, Night Thoughts, i. 19. 
Such a rayless and chilling look of recognition. 
0. W. Holmes, Autocrat, iv. 
2. In bot. and zool., having no rays or ray-like 
parts. 
raymet, A Middle English form of roam. 
Raymond's blue. See blue. 
Raynaud's disease. See disease. 
Raynaud's gangrene. Same as RaynaucPs dis- 
ease. 
rayneM, A Middle English form of rain 1 . 
rayne 2 !, and n. A Middle English form of 
reign. 
ray-oil (ra'oil), . Oil prepared from the livers 
of batoid fishes or rays. 
razorbill 
bounded by the radii and by arcs of larger and smaller 
circles. 
rayonned (ra'ond), a. [< rayon + -ed 2 .] Same 
as rayonnant. 
raze 1 (raz), . t. See rase 1 . 
raze 2 t, An obsolete form of race*. 
raze 3 (raz), re. [Origin obscure.] A swinging 
fence set up in a watercourse to prevent the 
passage of cattle. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
razed (razd), p. a. [Pp. of raze 1 , v.] In her., 
same as ragged, 7. 
razee (ra-ze'), n. [< F. rase', cut down (vaisseau 
rase, a vessel cut down), pp. of rawer, shave, 
rase : see rase 1 , raze 1 .] A ship of war cut down 
to a smaller size by reducing the number of - 
decks. 
razee (ra-ze'), '. t. [< razee, n.] To cut down 
or reduce to a lower class, as a ship; hence, to 
lessen or abridge by cutting out parts : as, to 
razee a book or an article. ' 
The few greatcoats remaining were materially razeed 
for repairing rents in other garments. 
Harper's Mag., LXXVI. 402. 
razor (ra'zpr), n. [Early mod. E. also rasour, 
raser; < ME. rasour, rasoure, ra- 
sowre, rastire, a razor, < OF. (and 
F.) rasoir = Pr. razor = OCat. 
raso = It. rasoio, < ML. rasorivm, 
a razor (cf. rasoritis, razor-fish), 
< L. radere, pp. rasus, scrape, 
shave: see rase 1 , raze 1 .] 1. A 
sharp-edged instrument used for 
shaving the face or head. The 
blade is usually made with a thick round- 
ed back, sides hollowed or sloping to a 
very thin edge, and a tang by which it is 
pivoted to and swings freely in a two- 
leafed handle. The tang has a prolonga- 
tion by the aid of which the razor is flrmly 
grasped and controlled. There are also 
razors formed on the principle of the car- 
penters' plane, by the use of which the 
risk of cutting the skin is avoided. In 
Eastern countries razors are made with 
an immovable handle continuous with 
the blade. Compare rattler, 5. 
My herd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun, 
That nevere yet ne felte offensioun 
Of raeour nor of shere. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 1569. 
2. A tusk : as, the razors of a boar. Johnson. 
Occam's razor, the principle that the unnecessary sup- 
position that things of a peculiar kind exist, when the ob- 
served facts may be equally well explained on the suppo- 
sition that no such things exist, is unwarranted (Entia non 
sunt multiplicanda prseter necessitatem). So called after 
William of Occam (died about 1349); but, as a historical 
fact, Occam does not make much use of this principle, 
which belongs rather to the contemporary nominalist Wil- 
liam Durand de St. Pouryain (died 1332). 
razorablet (ra'zor-a-bl), a. [< razor + -able.] 
Fit to be shaved. 
Till new-born chins 
Be rough and razorable. 
Shak., Tempest, ii. 1. 250. 
razorback (ra'zor-bak), n. 1. A rorqual, fin- 
fish, or finner-whale, of the family Baleenoptc- 
ridse. 2. A hog whose back has somewhat the 
form of a sharp ridge. This formation, accompanied 
by long legs, is characteristic of breeds of hogs that have 
long been allowed to run wild in woods and waste places 
and feed upon mast, wild fruits, etc. The flesh of such 
swine, particularly that of the hams, is usually of superior 
quality for the table. 
The razor-back of our Southern forests is only semi-civil- 
ized, and is altogether a more picturesque animal. In for- 
aging for succulent roots he has developed a snout that 
will turn a double furrow with the ease and expedition of 
a steam-ditcher. . . . But the razor-back lacks the high 
courage of his untamed progenitors. 
New York Tribune, Aug. 16, 1886. 
razor-backed (ra'zor-bakt), a. 1. Having a 
sharp back; hog-backed: as, the razor-backed 
buffalo, a fish, Ictiobus tints, of the Mississippi 
valley. 2. Having a long sharp dorsal fin 
which cuts the water like a razor, as the rorqual. 
razorbill (ra'zor-bil), n. 1. The razor-billed 
auk, or tinker, Alca or Utamania torda, so called 
from the deep, compressed, and trenchant bill. 
The bill isfeathered for alum tone half its length, in the rest 
of its extent being vertically furrowed, and hooked at the 
Cross-sections of 
Razors. 
a and 6, ordi- 
nary fonns; C, 
section known as 
"half -rattler" \d, 
backed razor. 
rayont (ra'pn), re. [< F. rayon, a ray, beam, < 
rais, a ray :" see ray 1 .] A beam or ray. 
Shining christall which from top to base 
Out of her wombe a thousand rayons threw 
[Out of a deepe vaute threw forth a thousand rayes(ed. 
1569)]. Spenser, Visions of Bellay (ed. 1591), ii. 
rayonnant (ra'o-nant), a. [< F. rayonnant, ppr. 
of rayonner, radiate, shine, < rayon, a ray: see 
rayon .] Radiating ; arranged in the direction 
of rays issuing from a center. Decoration is often 
said to be rayonnant when, as in the case of a round dish 
or other circular object, the surface is divided into panels 
growing larger as they approach the circumference, and 
Razorbill (Alca torda), in winter plumage. 
