rectification 
itself, or from non-volatile matters : as, the rectification 
of spirits. The concentration of sulphuric acid in platinum 
or glass vessels is sometimes (improperly) called rectifica- 
tion. 
The process of rectification is generally done by redis- 
tilling, and filtering through alternate layers of woolen 
blankets, sand, and granulated Imne or maple charcoal. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XXIX. 80. 
(c) In geom., the determination of a straight line whose 
length is equal to a given portion of a curve ; the finding 
a formula for the length of the arc of a given curve. 
Rectification of a globe, in astron. and tjeoy., the ad- 
justment of it preparatory to the solution of a proposed 
problem. 
rectified (rek'ti-fid), p. a. [Pp. of rectify.] 1. 
Made right; corrected. 
Be just therefore to thyself all the way, pay thyself, and 
take acquittances of thyself, all the way, which is only- 
done under the seal and in the testimony of a rectified 
2. Iii hort., developed in a desired direction, as 
when plain tulips are propagated till they sport 
into variegated forms. 
5013 
plane with the curve to which it belongs, the latter is un- 
rolled into a right line : it is perpendicular to the normal 
and the osculating planes. - Rectifying edge, the cuspi- 
dal edge of the rectifying developable. Rectifying line, 
the line common to two consecutive rectifying planes. 
Rectifying plane, a plane tangent to the rectifying sur- 
face. To rectify alcoholic liquors. See def. 2. To 
rectify a sun-dial. See the quotation. 
To rectify the dial (using the old expression, which means 
to prepare the dial for an observation). 
Encyc. Brit., VII. 161. 
To rectify the course of a vessel, in nav., to determine 
its true course from Indications of the ship's compass, by 
correcting the errors of the compass due to magnetic va- 
riations and local attractions. To rectify the globe, in 
I., to bring the sun's place in the ecliptic on 
astron. mtigeog., to bring the sun's place in the ecliptic 
order to prepare it for the solution of any proposed prob- 
lem. = Syn. 1. Improve, Better, etc. (see amend), redress, 
--, pi. [NL. : see 
rectigrade.] A group of spiders ; the rectigrade 
spiders. Also Sectigrada, Eectigrades. 
rectigrade (rek ' ti - grad), a. [< L. rectus, 
Some of the progeny "break," that is, produce flowers straight, + gradi, step : see grade!.] Walking 
^^^^^r^^ ma t^L^S straigy forward, as'a spiSer; pertaining t? 
rectifier (rek 'ti-fi-er), . [< rectify + -er^ ' COmilated Wlth 
Peel! nds hat WMch rectifies ' <> One who <"" 
ac 
rectilineal (rek-ti-lin'e-al), a. [Cf . It. rettilineo 
S. Butler, Hudibras, I. ii. 432. 
vaint*u uii, w uuuuviuv me i n j u< 'i .inn increase ILS aieonoiic 
strength, or to flavor it by exposing the flavoring substance 
to the vaporized spirit. (2) A cylindrical vessel continu- 
ous with a primary still, in which repeated distillations 
occur till the alcohol reaches the desired strength. Also 
called rectifying column, and simply column, ((it) An in- 
strument formerly used for indicating the errors of the 
compass. Falconer. 
rectify (rek'ti-fi), v. t. ; pret. and pp. rectified, 
ppr. rectifying. [Early mod. E. rectifie, rectyfye: 
/ /~\T1 / ,] TJ1 \ *.'j;_.. T- n_. ts ..j. 
right, 4- linea, a line : see right and' line 2 , n.] 
Same as rectilinear. 
adv. Same as 
rectilineal (see rectilineal), + -ar s .] Straight- 
lined; bounded by straight lines; consisting 
of a straight line or of straight lines ; straight : 
as, a rectilinear figure or course. Also recti- 
lineal. 
Whenever a ray of light is by any obstacle turned out 
of its rectilinear way, it will never return to the same rec- 
rr ..jy...... L ^. v .. . ,<,,,,, c ^, c . <*'<" >y, unless perhaps by very great accident. 
< OF. (and F.) rectifier = Pr. Sp. Pg. rectificar Hewton, Opticks. 
= It. rettificare, < ML. rectificare, make rieht Rectilinear lens motion, etc. Seethenouns.-Recti- 
false; amend: as, to rectify errors, mistakes, 
or abuses : sometimes applied to persons. 
I meant to rectify my conscience rectiiinearness" (rek-tT-irn'^-ar-nes)/ 1?. The 
Shak Hen. VIII., n. 4. 203. quality or condition of bein g rec tilinear. W. 
To rectifie abuses which dep Lm*! Mi ?/ ^T 5 ?' ?? **?' P ' ? 3 
The Gospell of his propagation rectllmeoUSt (rek-ti-lm'e-us), a. [= OF. (and 
F.) rectiligne = Sp. rectilineo = Pg. rectilineo = 
It. rettilineo. < ML. "rerMlitunts RR rertiHwpal 1 
ti li 
And plentif nil encrease. 
Times' Whistle (E. E. T. S.X p. 16. 
To 
imposi 
When an authentic watch is shown, 
Each man winds up and rectifies his own. 
Suckling, Aglaura, Epil. 
This morning I received from him the following letter 
which, after having rectified ""'- "--- 
mistakes, I shall make a prese 
Add 
* ,**, ,** VJa . r.. i. o. A v . 10. It. rettilineo, < ML. "rectilineus : see rectilineal.] 
rectifie a common-wealth with debaushed people is Rectilinear. Bay, Works of Creation, i 
8l bie. Capt. John Smith, Works, if. 106. rectinerved (rek'ti-nervd), a. [< L. rectus, 
straight, + nervus, nerve, + -ed?.] In bot., hav- 
ing nerves running straight from their origin 
to the apex or to the margin: said mostly of 
me 'little "orthographicai Parallel-nerved leaves. 
>nt of to the public. rection (rek shon), . [< L. rectio(n-), a lead- 
jiudison, Husbands and Wives, ing, guiding, government, direction, < regere, 
Specifically 2. In distilling: (a) To remove PP- rectus, rule, govern: see regent.] Ingram., 
impurities from (an alcoholic distillate) and the influence or power of a word in consequence 
raise to a required proof or strength by repeat- ' which another word in the sentence must 
ed distillation. As flavoring materials are often added have a certain form, in regard to number, case, 
during rectification in the manufacture of gin, cordials, person, mode, or the like ; government, 
factitious brandy, etc., the term rectify has been extended roM-.inot.alitTr OAlrt;-T>._tol'i_tl\ r/ 
ill glu, coruiais ^CIQV/IJ, uxvucj \JL line IIKI . guvtJIillilollL. 
jrandy, etc., the term rectify has been extended rectipetality (rek"ti-pe-tal'i-ti), n. [< L. rec- 
to the performance of these processes. Hence-(6) tus, straight, + petere, seek Repetition), + -al 
To bring (a spirit) by repeated distillation to + -ity.] In bot., the inherent tendency of stems 
the strength required, and at the same time to to grow in a right line, as indicated by Voech- 
impart to it the desired flavor. See rectifier, ting's experiments with the clinostat. Even parts 
- d. In chemical maniif. and in pnar. : (a) To grown crooked incline to straighten when freed from de- 
separate impurities from (a crystalline body) fleeting influences. This general tendency is modified, 
by dissolving and recrystallizing it, sometimes however . b y " irregularity called hetemuxesis (which see). 
repeatedly, and sometimes also with intermedi- rectirostral (rek-ti-ros'tral), a. [Cf. F. reb- 
ate washing of the crystals. (6) To raise (a li- rostre ! < L. rectus, straight, + rostrum, beak, + 
quid) to a prescribed strength by extraction of ""'] Having a straight bill or beak, as a bird, 
some part of its liquid components. Distillation re ctiscniac (rek-tis'ki-ak), . [< NL. rectum 
under ordinary atmospheric pressure or in a vacuum and "*" ischium + -ac.] Same as ischiorectal. 
absorption of water by substances having strong affinity rectiserial (rek-ti-se'ri-al). a. [< L. rectus, 
for water, as caustic lime, calcium chlorid, etc., when such straight + leries a row'' ; SPB <w>ri,.; 1 1 TW 
substances do not atfect the chemical constitution of the ' ' ' ./!,.' a OW- .?? e serial -l 1- Llis- 
substances under treatment, are common processes em- P osed ln a ri gt line ; rectilinear or straight, as 
ployed in rectification. ( c ) To remove impurities a row or 8eri es of parts. 2. In hot., disposed 
from (solutions) by filtering them through sub- in one or straight ranks : specifically used 
stances absorbent of dissolved impurities, but ^- v Bravais, in contrast with curvinerial (which 
non-absorbent of, and chemically inactive up- see '' to describe those forms of phyllotaxy in 
on, the substance to be purified. Of such ma- wllich a second leaf soon stands exactly over 
teriiils bone-black is a typical example, espe- an y given leaf, and thus all fall into right lines, 
cially in sugar-refining, (d) To purify by one r ectitic (rek-tit'ik), a. [< rectitis + -ic.] Per- 
cially in sugar-refining. (<7) To purify by one rec . llT ' ; IK;, a. |_<. rectitis -t- -ic.] Pe 
or more resublimations. 4. In math., to deter- tail n g to or affected with rectitis. 
mine the length of (a curve, or a part of a curve) re cti*is (rek-ti'tis), n. [NL., < rectum + -itis. 
included between two limits. 5 In the use of Inflammation of the rectum. 
j. 111 me use 01 :.. ^ T 
such a position rectitude (rek'ti-tud), n. [< OF. rectitude, ret- 
.! T e titude. F. rectitude Pr. rer.tp.tu.t Pot vf^H-ttii 
the globes, to place (a globe) in 
titude, F. rectitude = Pr. rectetut= Cat. rectitut 
rector 
Straightness : as, the rectitude of a line. John- 
son. 
Young pines, bent by ... snowfalls or other accident, 
in seeking to recover their rectitude, describe every grace- 
ful form of curve or spiral. A. B. Alcott, Tablets, p. 12. 
2. Eightness of principle or practice ; upright- 
ness of mind; exact conformity to truth, or to 
the rules prescribed for moral conduct by ei- 
ther divine or human laws ; integrity ; honesty ; 
justice. 
Of the rectitude and sincerity of their life and doctrine 
to judge rightly, wee must judge by that which was to be 
their rule. Milton, Reformation in Eng., L 
Provided they "keep o' the windy side of the law," the 
great majority are but little restrained by regard for strict 
rectitude. H. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 465. 
3. Correctness; freedom from error, as of con- 
duct. 
Perfectly conscious of the rectitude of her own appear- 
ance, [she] attributed all this mirth to the oddity of mine. 
Goldsmith, The Bee, >"o. 2. 
= Syn. 2. Integrity, Uprightness, etc. (see honeety), prin- 
ciple, equity. 
recto (rek'to), n. [1. < L. recto, abl. of rectum, 
right: see right, n. 2. For recto folio, 'the 
right page,' opposed to verso folio, 'the oppo- 
site page': L. recto, abl. of rectus, right; folio, 
abl. of folium, a leaf, sheet: see/oZio.] 1. In 
law, a writ of right, now abolished. 2. Imprint- 
ing, the right-hand page of an open book: op- 
posed to the left-hand, reverso or rerso. In books 
as commonly printed, the odd folios, pages 1, 3, 5, 7, etc., 
are the rectos; the even folios, pages 2, 4, 6, 8, etc., the 
reverses. 
Junius had seen books of this kind printed by Coster 
(the beginnings of his labours) on the rectos of the leaves 
only, not on both sides. Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 689. 
recto-. In composition, rectal ; of the rectum. 
rectocele (rek'to-sel), n. [< NL. rectum, rec- 
tum, + Gr. Krfi.ri, tumor.] Prolapse of the rec- 
tovaginal wall through the vagina. Compare 
proetocele. 
rectogenital (rek-to-jen'i-tal), a. [< NL. rec- 
tum, rectum, + L. genitalis, genital.] Of or per- 
taining at once to the rectum and to the geni- 
talia: as, the rectogenital chamber. 
rector (rek'tor), n. [= OF. retteur, recteur, F. 
reeteur = Pr. Sp. rector = Pg. rector, reitor = It. 
rettore, < L. rector, a ruler, director, rector, < re- 
gere, pp. reetus, rule: see regent.] 1. A ruler 
or governor. [Rare.] 
The rector of the vniuersitie called to counsel! all the 
doctors regentes that were that tyme at Tholose 
Ball, Hen. VIII., an. 22. 
Reason (which in right should be 
The special rector of all harmony). 
B. Jomon, Poetaster, v. 1. 
Who shall be the rectors of our daily rioting? 
Milton, Areopagitica (ed. Hales), p. 24. 
2. In the Ch. of Eng., a clergyman who has 
the charge of a parish and full possession of 
all the rights and privileges attached thereto. 
He differs from the vicar in that the latter is entitled only 
to a certain proportion of the ecclesiastical income spe- 
cially set apart to the vicarage. The latter, again, differs 
from the curate (in the narrower or popular sense of that 
word), who is subject to the incumbent, whether rector or 
vicar, and the amount of whose salary Is determined not 
by the law, but by the patron of the benefice or by the 
incumbent employing him. Abbreviated Beet. 
The bishops that are spoken of In the time of the primi- 
tive Church, all such as parsons or rectors of parishes are 
witn us- Hooker, Eccles. Polity, vii. 13. 
3. In the United States, a clergyman in charge 
of a parish in the Protestant Episcopal Church. 
4.. In the Bom. Cath. Ch., an ecclesiastic in 
charge of a congregation, a college, or a reli- 
gious house; specifically, the superior of a 
Jesuit seminary or college. 
His wife . . . fled ... to Saint Jaques le Grand ; . 
her death . . . was faithfully confirmed by the rector of 
the place. Shale., All's Well, iv. 3. 69. 
6. The chief elective officer of some universi- 
ties, as in France and Scotland. In Scotland rector 
is also the title of the head master of an academy or impor- 
tant public school ; in England, of the heads of Exeter and 
Lincoln colleges, Oxford. In the United States it is a title 
assumed by the principals of some private schools : as, the 
rectors of St. John's and St. Paul's. In Germany rector is 
the title of the head of a higher school ; the chief officer of 
a university is styled rector magnificus or, when the prince 
of the country is the titular head, rector magmficentissimui. 
The rector ... in the first instance was head of the 
faculty of arts. ... It was not until the middle of the 
14th century that the rector became the head of the col- 
lective university [of Paris]. Encyc. Brit., XXIII. 835. 
6. The presiding officer or chairman of certain 
gilds and associations. 
Many artists ... as rectors represented the greater and 
lesser art guilds in the city government [of Siena]. 
C. C. Perkins, Italian Sculpture, p. 51. 
Lay rector, in the Ch. of Eng., a layman who receives and 
jwssesses the rectorial tithes of a benefice. Lee Glossary 
- Missionary rector, in the Horn. Cath. Ch., a priest 
