rector 
appointed by the bishop to certain parishes in England, 
in the United States to the charge of any parish. Rec- 
tor of a Board Of Trustees, the presiding officer. 
rectorage (rek'tor-aj), H. [OF. rectirrage, < rector 
+ -aye.] A rector's benefice. Compare vicaraye. 
Sic pastoris wyll be weill content 
To leif vpon the fer lea rent, 
Nor lies sum Vicare for his waige, 
Or Hector for his Rectoraige. 
Lauder, Dewtie of Kyngis (E. E. T. S.), 1. 326. 
rectoral (rek'tor-al), a. [< F. rectoral = Sp. rec- 
toral, < ML. "rectoralis, < L. rector, a rector : see 
rector.] Same as rectorial. Blackstone. 
rectorate (rek'tor-at), 11. and a. [< F. rectorat 
= Sp. rectorado"= Pg. reitorado= It. rettorato, 
< ML. rectoratus, the office of a rector, < L. rec- 
tor, a rector: see rector.'] I. n. The office or 
rank of rector ; the period of incumbency of a 
rector. 
His two rectorates in our city, from 18'29 to 1845, saw the 
beginning of a successful revolt against the leadership of 
Evangelicals. The American, X. 297. 
II. a. Same as rectorial. 
His very instructive rectorate address on The Backward- 
ness of the Ancients in Natural Science. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XIII. 263. 
rectoress, rectress (rek'tqr-es, -tres), n. [< rec- 
tor + -ess.] 1. A female rector or ruler; a 
governess. [Bare.] 
Be them alone the rect'rea of this isle. 
With all the titles I can thee enstile. 
Urayton, Legend of Matilda, st. 39. 
Great mother Fortune, queen of human state, 
Rectress of action, arbitress of fate. 
B. Jansm, Sejanus, v. 4. 
2. A rector's wife. [Humorous.] 
In this way the worthy Rectoress consoled herself. 
Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xlviii. 
Also rectrix. 
rectorial (rek-to'ri-al), a. [< rector + -ial.~\ Of 
or pertaining to a rector or a rectory Recto- 
rial tithes, tithes payable to the rector, ordinarily those 
of corn, hay, and wood. Also yreat tithes. 
The tithes of many things, as wood in particular, are 
in some parishes rectorial, and in some vicarial tithes. 
Blackstone, Com., I. xl. 
rectorship (rek'tor-ship), n. [< rector + -ship.] 
1. The office or" rank of a rector. 2f. Rule; 
direction; guidance. 
Why, had your bodies 
No heart among you V or had you tongues to cry 
Against the recturMp of judgement? 
Shak., Cor., 1L 3. 213. 
rectory (rek'tpr-i), n. ; pi. rectories (-iz). [<OF. 
rectorie = Sp. rectoria = Pg. reitoria = It. ret- 
toria, (. ML. rectoria, the office or rank of a rec- 
tor, < L. rector, a rector : see rector.] 1 . A par- 
ish church, parsonage, or spiritual living, with 
all its rights, tithes, and glebes. 2. A rector's 
mansion or parsonage-house. 
The Sectary was on the other side of the river, close 
to the church, of which it was the fitting companion. 
Georye Eliot, Vela. Holt, xxiii. 
rectOSCOpe (rek'to-skop), n. [< NL. rectum, rec- 
tum, + Gr. ovcoTTfiv, view.] A speculum used for 
rectal examination. 
rectostenosis (rek'to-ste-no'sis), n. [NL., < 
rectum (see rectum) + Gr. arivuoic, stricture: 
see stenosis.] Stricture of the rectum. 
rectotomy (rek-tot'o-mi), n. [< NL. rectum, rec- 
tum, + Gr. -roula, <. rcuveiv, ra/ielv, cut.] The 
operation for dividing a rectal stricture. 
recto-urethral (rek"td-u-re'thral), a. Pertain- 
ing to the rectum and to the urethra : as, the 
recto-urethral space (a vertical triangular inter- 
val between the membranous urethra above 
and the rectum below, with the apex at the 
prostate gland). -Recto-urethral fistula, a fistula 
connecting the rectum and the urethra. 
redxwiterine (rek-to-u'te-rin), a. Of or be- 
longing to the rectum and the uterus Recto- 
uterine folds or ligaments, semilunar folds of perito- 
neum passing one on each side from the rectum to the 
posterior upper surface of the uterus, forming the lateral 
walls of the rectovaginal pouch. Recto-uterine fossa, 
the space between the uterus and the rectum above the 
borders of the recto-uterine folds. Recto-uterine 
pouch. See pouch. 
rectovaginal (rek-to-vaj'i-nal), a. Of or be- 
longing to the rectum and the vagina. Recto- 
vaginal fistula, a list 11] r MIS opening between the rectum 
and the vagina. Rectovaglnal hernia. Same as rec- 
tocele. Rectovaginal pouch. See pouch. Rectovagi- 
nal septum, the tissues separating the rectum and the 
vagina. 
rectovesical (rek-to-ves'i-kal), a. [< NL. rectum 
+ E. vesical.] Of or belonging to the rectum 
and the bladder.- Rectovesical fascia. See/aaa. 
Rectovesical folds, the posterior false ligaments of 
the bladder, lunate folds of peritoneum between the blad- 
der and the rectum in the male. Also called semilunar 
folds of Douylass. Rectovesical fossa, the pouch of 
peritoneum lying between the bladder and the rectum. 
Rectovesical pouch, see pouch. 
5014 
rectress, . See rectoress. 
rectrices. Plural of rectrix. 
rectricial (rek-trish'al), a. [< NL. rectrix (rec- 
tric-), a tail-feather' (see n-ctrir), + -inl.] Of 
or pertaining to rectrices. 
rectrix (rek'triks), .; pi. rectrices (rek-tri'sez). 
[< L. rectrix, directress, governess, mistress, 
fern, of rector, ruler, governor: see rector.] 1. 
Same as rectoress. 
A late queen rectrix prudently commanded. 
Sir T. Herbert, Travels in Africa. (Latham.) 
2. In ornith., a tail-feather; one of the long 
or large quill-feathers of a bird's tail : so call- 
ed from its use in directing or steering the 
course of a bird in flight, like a rudder. The rec- 
trices are comparable to the similar large flight-feathers 
of the wing, called remio.es. In the Saururte, or Jurassic 
birds with long lizard-like bony tail, the rectrices are bi- 
serlally or distichously arranged in a row on each side of 
the caudal vertebrae. In all modern birds they are set 
together in a fan-like manner upon the pygostyle. (See 
Eurhipidura.) In a few birds they are rudimentary, as 
in grebes. The most frequent number by far is twelve, 
which prevails (with few anomalous exceptions) through- 
out the great order Paweres, and also In very many other 
birds of different orders. In many picarian birds the 
number Is ten ; in a very few eight. In various water- 
birds the rectrices run up to higher numbers, twenty-four 
being probably the maximum. There is normally always 
an even number, these feathers being paired. In size, 
shape, and texture they are endlessly varied, giving rise 
to ail the different shapes a bird's tail presents. 
rectum (rek'tum), n.; pi. recta (-ta). [= F. 
rectum = Sp. Pg. recto = It. retto, <t NL. rec- 
tum, abbr. of L. rectum intestinum, the straight 
intestine: rectum, neut. of rectus, straight: see 
right.] In anat. and zoo'l., a terminal section 
of the intestine, ending in the anus: so called 
from its comparatively straight course in man ; 
the lower bowel: more fully called intestinum 
rectum. In man the rectum is the continuation of the 
sigmoid flexure of the colon, beginning about opposite the 
promontory of the sacrum, a little to the left side, and run- 
ning through the pelvis to the anus. It is supported by a 
proper duplication of peritoneum, the mesorectum, and 
other fasciic. Its structure includes well-developed longi- 
tudinal and circular muscular fibers, the latter being ag- 
gregated into a stout internal sphincter muscle near the 
lower end. In animals whose colon has no special sigmoid 
flexure there is no distinction of a rectum f lorn the rest of 
the large intestine ; and the term applies only to any given 
or taken terminal section of the bowel, of whatever char- 
acter. In mammals above monotremes the rectum is en- 
tirely shut off from the urogenital organs, ending in a dis- 
tinct anus ; but in most animals it ends in a cloaca com- 
mon to the digestive and urogenital systems. The rectum 
receives the refuse of digestion, and retains the feces until 
voided. See cuts under intestine, peritoneum, Pulmonata, 
Pycnogonida, Appendicularia, and Blattidsc. Columns 
Of the rectum. See column. 
rectus (rek'tus), .; pi. recti (-ti). [NL., abbr. 
of L. rectus musculus, straight muscle: rectus, 
straight: see right.] In anat., one of several 
muscles so called from the straightness of their 
course, either in their own axis or in the axis of 
the body or part where they lie Recti capltis, 
five pairs of small muscles, the anticus major and minor, 
posticus major and minor, and the lateralis, all arising 
from the lower part of the occipital bone and inserted into 
the transverse processes of the upper cervical vertebra. 
Rectus abdominis externus. Sam e as pyramidalis (a). 
Rectus abdominis internus, the straight muscle of 
the abdomen, in the middle line in front, mostly inclosed 
in an aponeurotic sheath formed by the tendons of other 
abdominal muscles, usually intersected by several trans- 
verse tendons, and extending from the pubis to the ster- 
num, in some animals to the top of the sternum. Rectus 
femoris, the anterior part of the quadriceps extensor. It 
is a fusiform, bipennate muscle, arising by two heads from 
the ilium, and inserted into the base of the patella. See 
cut under muscle^. Rectus lateralis, the lateral straight 
muscle of the head, arising from the transverse process of 
the axis, and inserted into the jugular process of the occip- 
ital. Rectus medialis oculi. Same as rec(wocw/i inter- 
ims. Rectus oculi externus, Inferior, Internus, su- 
perior, the external, inferior, internal, superior straight 
muscle of the eyeball, turning the ball outward, down- 
ward, inward, or upward. See cut under eyeball. Rec- 
tus sternalis, in man, an occasional slip lying length- 
wise upon the sternum, representing the prolongation up- 
ward of the rectus abdominis externus, as is normal in 
many animals Rectus thoracis, in man, an occasional 
slip, similar to the last, but lying deep-seated, supposed 
to represent the continuation upward of the rectus ab- 
dominis interims. 
recubant (rek'u-bant), o. [< L. recuban(t-)s, 
ppr. of recuoare, lie back : see recubation.] Ly- 
ing down ; reclining ; recumbent. 
recubation (rek-u-ba'shon), n. [< L. recubare, 
pp. recubatus, lie upon the back, lie back, re- 
cline: see recumbent.] The act of lying down 
or reclining. [Rare.] 
The French and Italian translations, expressing neither 
position of session or recubation, do only say that he placed 
himself at the table. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., v. 6. 
recueil (re-key'), . [F., a collection: see re- 
cule'l.] A collection of writings, 
recuilet, '. and . An obsolete form of recoil 1 . 
recuilementt, . An obsolete form of recoil- 
HH'llt. 
recuperative 
recule't, '. and n. An obsolete form of rcrnili. 
recule 2 t, [ME., also recuyell, < OF. recueil, 
F. recueil, a collection, < recueillir, collect: see 
recollect.] A collection of writings ; a book or 
pamphlet. Caxton; Hallitcell. 
recultivate (re-kul'ti-vat), v. t. [< re- + ciilti- 
ruti. Cf. OF. recultifer, recultivate.] To cul- 
tivate anew. 
recultivation (re-kul-ti-va'shon), n. [< reculti- 
rate + -ion.] The act of cultivating anew, or 
the state of being cultivated anew. 
recumbt (re-kum'), v. i. [< L. recumbere, lie 
back, recline: see recumbent.] To recline; lean; 
repose. 
The king makes an overture of pardon and favour unto 
you, upon condition that any one of you will reeumbe, rest, 
lean upon, or mil himself upon the person of his son. 
Barrow, Works, II. iv. 
recumbence (re-kum'bens), . [< recumben(t) 
+ -ce.] Same as recumbency. 
A recumbence or reliance upon Christ for justification 
and salvation. Lord North, Light to Paradise, p. 64. 
recumbency (re-kum'ben-si), n. [As recum- 
bence (see -cy).]' 1. The state of being recum- 
bent ; the posture of reclining, leaning, or lying. 
But relaxation of the languid frame, 
By soft recumbency of outstretched limbs, 
Was bliss reserved for happier days. 
Cowper, Task, 1. 82. 
2. Rest; repose; idleness. 
When the mind has been once habituated to this lazy 
recumbency and satisfaction, ... it is in danger to rest 
satisfied there. Locke. 
3. The act of reposing or resting in confidence. 
There are yet others [Christians] who hope to be saved 
by a bare act of recumbency on the merits of Christ. 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. rlv. 
recumbent (re-kum'bent), a. [< L. recum- 
ben(t-)s, ppr. of recumbere, lie back, recline, < 
rc-,back, T cubare, lie: see cumbent.] 1. Lean- 
ing; reclining. 
The Roman recumbent . . . posture in eating was intro- 
duced after the first Punic war. 
Arbuthnot, Ancient Coins, p. 184. 
2. Reposing; inactive; idle; listless. 
What smooth emollients in theology 
Recumbent virtue's downy doctors preach! 
Young, Night Thoughts, iv. 644. 
3. In zool. and bot., noting a part that leans 
or reposes upon anything Recumbent hairs, in 
entom. , hairs that lie partly against the surface, but are 
not pressed close to it. 
recumbently (re-kum'bent-li), adv. In a re- 
cumbent manner or posture, 
recuperability (re-ku'pe-ra-bil'i-ti), n. [< re- 
cuperable + -ity (see -bility).] Ability to re- 
cuperate ; power of recuperation. [Rare.] 
A state of almost physiological recuperability. 
Alien, and Neural., VII. 463. 
recuperable (re-ku'pe-ra-bl), a. [< ME. re- 
cuperable, < OF. recuperablt = Sp. recuperable = 
Pg. recuperarel, < ML. "recuperabilis, < L. re- 
cuperare, recover, recuperate: see recuperate, 
recover?. Cf . recoverable.] Recoverable ; that 
may be regained. 
And hard it is to ravysshe a treasour 
Which of nature is not recuperable. 
LydgaU, The Tragedies. 
Thertore, If thou yet by counsaile arte recuperable, 
Flee thou from idlenesse and alway be stable. 
Sir T. Elyot, The Governour, 1. la 
recuperate (re-ku'pe-rat), r. ; pret. and pp. re- 
cuperated, ppr. recuperating. [< L. recupera- 
tus, pp. of recuperare, reciperare ( > It. recuperare 
= Sp. Pg. recuperar = F. recuperer), get again, 
regain, recover, revive, restore, ML. also intr., 
revive, convalesce, recover: see recover^, the 
older form in E.] I. trans. 1. To recover; re- 
gain: as, to recuperate one's health or spirits. 
2. To recoup. [Rare.] 
More commonly he [the agent] paid a fixed sum to the 
clergyman, and recuperated himself by a grinding tyranny 
of the tenants. Lecky, Eng. in 18th Cent., xvi. 
II. intrans. To recover; regain strength or 
health. [U. S.] 
recuperation (rf-ku-pe-ra'shon), n. [< OF. re- 
cuperation, F. recuperation = Sp. recuperation 
= Pg. recuperacao = It. recuperazione, < L. re- 
cuperatio(n-), a getting back, regaining, recov- 
ery, < recuperare, pp. recuperatus, regain, re- 
cover: see recuperate and recover^.] 1. Re- 
covery, as of something lost. 
The reproduction or recuperation of the same thing that 
was before. Dr. H. More, Mystery of Godliness, p. 225. 
2. Specifically, recovery of strength or health. 
recuperative (re-ku'pe-ra-tiv), a. [= Sp. Pg. 
i-i-ctiiiarativo, < L. reciipertttiriix, recoverable, < 
recuperare, pp. recuperutux. recover: see re- 
cover" 2 and recuperate.] Tending to recovery; 
