Etymology dictionary

R.A.F. — ramekin

R.A.F.

also RAF, initialism (acronym) for Royal Air Force, founded 1918 by consolidation of Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service.

fiber-yielding tree of Madagascar, 1729, rofia, from Malagasy rafia. Modern form is attested from 1882; also raphia (1866). As the name of a soft fiber made from the leaves of the plant by 1882.

raffish (adj.)

"disreputable, vulgar," 1795, from raff "people," usually of a lower sort (1670s), probably from rif and raf (mid-14c.) "everyone, everything, one and all," from Middle English raf, raffe "one and all, everybody" (see riffraff). Related: Raffishly; raffishness.

raffle (v.)

"dispose of by raffle; try the chance of a raffle," 1851, from raffle (n.). Earlier "to cast dice" (1670s). Related: Raffled; raffling.

raffle (n.)

late 14c., rafle, "game played with dice, a throw of the dice" (senses now obsolete), from Old French rafle "dice game," also "plundering," a word of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a Germanic source (compare Middle Dutch raffel "dice game," Old Frisian hreppa "to move," Old Norse hreppa "to reach, get," Swedish rafs "rubbish," Old High German raspon "to scrape together, snatch up in haste," German raffen "to snatch away, sweep off"), from Proto-Germanic *khrap- "to pluck out, snatch off." The notion would be "to sweep up (the stakes), to snatch (the winnings)." Diez connects the French word with the Germanic root, but OED is against this.

The meaning "method of sale by chance or lottery, form of lottery in which an article is assigned by the drawing of lots to one person among several who have paid for the chance" is recorded by 1766.

Rafflesia (n.)

genus of parasitic plants native to Java and Sumatra, 1820, named for Sir T. Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), British governor of Sumatra, who introduced it to the West, + abstract noun ending -ia. He reports the native name was petimum sikinlili "Devil's betel-box." Raffles as the typical name of a gentleman who engages in burglary or other crime, an educated renegade, is from A.J. Raffles, hero of "The Amateur Cracksman" (1899) and later books by E.W. Hornung.

raft (n.1)

late 15c., "floating platform of timber lashed or fastened together," from earlier meaning "rafter, beam" (c. 1300), from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse raptr "log" (Old Norse -pt- pronounced as -ft-), Old Danish raft, related to Middle Low German rafter, rachter "rafter" (see rafter (n.1)).

raft (v.)

"transport or float on a raft," 1680s, from raft (n.1). Related: Rafted; rafting.

raft (n.2)

"large miscellaneous collection," by 1830, said to be a variant of raff "heap, large amount," a dialectal survival from Middle English raf (compare raffish, riffraff), with form and sense associated with raft (n.1). But this use of the word emerged early in U.S., where raft (n.1) had meant "large floating mass or accumulation of fallen trees, logs, etc." by 1718.

rafter (n.1)

"sloping timber of a roof," c. 1200, from Old English ræftras (West Saxon), reftras (Mercian), both plural, "a beam, pole, rafter of a building," related to Old Norse raptr "log;" according to Watkins from Proto-Germanic *raf-tra-, from PIE *rap-tro-, from root *rep- "stake, beam."

rafter (n.2)

1809, "one employed in rafting timber," agent noun from raft (v.). By 1978 as "one who uses a recreational raft."

rag (n.1)

"torn or worn scrap of cloth," early 14c., probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft, rough hair," earlier raggw-; Old Danish rag; see rug), or else a back-formation from ragged. It also may represent an unrecorded Old English cognate of Old Norse rögg. In any case, from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, from PIE root *reue- (2) "to smash, knock down, tear up, uproot" (see rough (adj.)).

Also in Middle English "a hard, rough piece of stone" (late 13c.). As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734; slang for "tampon, sanitary napkin" is attested from 1930s (on the rag "menstruating" is from 1948). Rags "tattered clothing" is from mid-14c.; in the jocular sense of "personal clothing" it is attested by 1855 (singular), American English. Rags-to-riches as a description of a tale of a rise from poverty to wealth is attested by 1896. Rag-picker is from 1860; rag-shop, one selling old clothes, is from 1829.

rag (v.)

1739, "to scold," a word of unknown origin; perhaps related to Danish dialectal rag "grudge." Compare bullyrag, ballarag "intimidate" (1807). Weakened sense of "annoy, tease, harass roughly" is student slang, by 1808. Related: Ragged; ragging.

rag (n.2)

"piece of ragtime music," by 1897; see ragtime.

ragged (adj.)

of clothing or garments, "rough, shaggy," c. 1300 (late 12c. in surnames), past-participle adjective as though from a verb form of rag (n.1). Compare Latin pannosus "ragged, wrinkly," from pannus "piece of cloth." But ragged might reflect a broader, older meaning of the noun rag (n.1), perhaps from or reinforced by Old Norse raggaðr "shaggy," via Old English raggig "shaggy, bristly, rough" (which, Barnhart writes, "was almost surely developed from Scandinavian").

Of persons, "wearing tattered clothes," late 14c. From late 14c. of plants or leaves, "serrated." To run (someone) ragged is from 1915. Related: Raggedly; raggedness.

raga (n.)

in Indian music, a melodic framework for improvised melodies, 1788, from Sanskrit raga-s "harmony, melody, mode in music," literally "color, mood," related to rajyati "it is dyed," from PIE *reg- (3) "to dye" (source also of Greek rhegos "blanket, rug").

ragamuffin (n.)

mid-14c., "demon;" late 14c., "a ragged lout," also in surnames (Isabella Ragamuffyn, 1344), from Middle English raggi "ragged" ("rag-y"?) + "fanciful ending" [OED], or else perhaps second the element is Middle Dutch muffe "mitten." Or, as Johnson has it, "From rag and I know not what else."

Ragged was used of the devil from c. 1300 in reference to his "shaggy" appearance. Raggeman (late 13c. as a surname, presumably "one who goes about in tattered clothes") was used by Langland as the name of a demon (late 14c.), and compare Old French Ragamoffyn, name of a demon in a mystery play. Sense of "dirty, disreputable boy" is from 1580s. Also compare ragabash "idle, worthless fellow" (c. 1600).

rag-bag (n.)

"bag in which scraps of clothing are stored," 1820, from rag (n.1) + bag (n.). Figurative sense of "motley collection" is by 1864.

rag-doll (n.)

child's plaything, doll made entirely of rags or scraps of cloth, 1776 (from 1757 as "a dressed-up woman"), from rag (n.1) + doll (n.). Rag-baby is attested from 1798. Shakespeare has babe of clowts (i.e. "clouts"), 1590s.

rage (v.)

mid-13c., ragen, "to play, romp," from rage (n.). Original sense now obsolete. Meanings "be furious; speak passionately; go mad" are attested from early 14c. Of things "be violently driven or agitated," from 1530s. Related: Raged; raging.

raging (adj.)

late 15c., "full of rage," present-participle adjective from rage (v.). By 1886 as "very successful." Other, less common, adjectives include rageful (1570s); rageous (mid-15c.), ragesome (1913).

rage (n.)

c. 1300, "madness, insanity; fit of frenzy; rashness, foolhardiness, intense or violent emotion, anger, wrath; fierceness in battle; violence" (of storms, fire, etc.), from Old French rage, raige "spirit, passion, rage, fury, madness" (11c.), from Medieval Latin rabia, from Latin rabies "madness, rage, fury," related to rabere "be mad, rave" (compare rabies, which originally had this sense). This is said by some sources to be from PIE *rebh- "violent, impetuous" (source also of Old English rabbian "to rage"), but de Vaan finds this uncertain and sees no convincing etymology.

Similarly, Welsh (cynddaredd) and Breton (kounnar) words for "rage, fury" originally meant "hydrophobia" and are compounds based on the word for "dog" (Welsh ci, plural cwn; Breton ki).

It is attested from late 14c. in the sense of "fit of carnal lust or sexual desire." In 15c.-16c. it also could mean "rabies." Other Middle English senses, now obsolete, include "come to a boil; grieve, mourn, lament; flirt, make love." The rage "fashion, vogue" dates from 1785.

raggedy (adj.)

1845, U.S. Southern, from ragged + -y (2). Raggedy Ann stories first were published in 1918, based on the kind, adventurous, mop-haired redheaded rag-doll character created by U.S. illustrator Johnny Gruelle (1880-1938). The tangle of tales about the origin of the doll and the name probably are mostly inventions to clothe sorrow's grieving-shrine for Marcella Gruelle (1902-1915) and best left in peace.

raggedy-ass (adj.)

"rambling, straggling, disreputable," by 1930, from raggedy + ass (n.2). Such groups were known as raggle-taggle (adj.) by 1904.

raghead (n.)

insulting term for "South Asian or Middle Eastern person," 1910, from rag (n.1) + head (n.); in reference to turbans, etc.

raglan (n.)

type of coarse overcoat popular from c. 1855, by 1856, named for British general Lord Raglan (1788-1855), commander of British forces in the Crimean War. The name is from a place in Wales.

Ragnarok (n.)

in Norse mythology, the last battle of the world, in which gods and men will be destroyed by monsters and darkness, 1770, from Old Norse Ragnarök, from ragna, genitive of rögn "gods" + rök "destined end" or rökr "twilight," which is related to reykr "smoke, steam" (see reek (v.)). Compare Gotterdammerung.

ragout (n.)

also ragoo, "highly seasoned meat and vegetable stew," 1650s, from French ragoût (mid-17c.), from ragoûter "awaken the appetite," from Old French re- "back" (see re-) + à "to" + goût "taste," from Latin gustum (nominative gustus), related to gustare "to taste, take a little of" (from PIE root *geus- "to taste; to choose"). Figuratively, of any spicy mixture, by 1670s. The name of ragu, the type of spicy pasta sauce from Bologna, is a 17c. Italian borrowing of the French word.

ragtag (n.)

also rag-tag, "ragged people collectively," 1820, from rag (n.1) + tag (n.3); originally in expression rag-tag and bobtail "the rabble" (tag-rag and bobtail is found in 1650s), with bobtail an old 17c. word for "cur." Tag and rag was "very common in 16-17th c." [OED]

ragtime (n.)

also rag-time, "syncopated, jazzy piano music," 1896, perhaps from rag "dance ball" (1895, American English dialect), or a shortening of ragged, in reference to the syncopated melody. Rag (n.) "ragtime dance tune" is from 1897.

ragtop (n.)

"convertible car with a soft top," 1954, from rag (n.1) + top (n.1).

ragweed (n.)

composite flowering plant of North America noted for the common allergic reaction to its pollen, 1790, from ragged + weed (n.); so called from shape of the leaves. The name had been applied to a different plant (ragwort) from 1650s.

ragwort (n.)

plant used medicinally, native to Eurasia, late 14c., from rag (n.1) (see ragged), in reference to the appearance of the leaves, + wort.

rah (interj.)

in cheers, 1870, a shortening of hurrah. Adjective rah-rah is attested from 1907, originally indicating college life generally, later enthusiastic cheerleading.

Rahab

name of a Biblical monster, from Hebrew rahab, literally "storming, against, impetuous," from rahabh "he stormed against" (compare Arabic rahiba "he feared, was alarmed").

ray (n.1)

"beam of light, light emitted in a given direction from a luminous body," early 14c., rai, from Old French rai (nominative rais) "ray (of the sun), spoke (of a wheel); gush, spurt," from Latin radius "ray, spoke, staff, rod" (see radius). Not common before 17c. [OED]; of the sun, usually in reference to heat (beam being preferred for light).

Science fiction's ray-gun is recorded by 1931 (in Amazing Stories; electric ray gun as an imaginary weapon is from 1924; death-ray gun from 1926 as a prop in a vaudeville act), but the Martians had a Heat-Ray weapon in "War of the Worlds" (1898).

ray (n.2)

"a skate, type of fish related to sharks and noted for its broad, flat body," early 14c., raie, from Old French raie (13c.) and directly from Latin raia. De Vaan describes this as a word of unknown origin but with apparent cognates in Germanic (Middle Dutch rogghe, Old English reohhe), perhaps a loan-word from a substrate language. The old etymology (Century Dictionary, etc.) was that the fish was so called from its resemblance to the rays of a fan and from the source of ray (n.1).

raid (v.)

"take part in a raid, make a hostile attack upon," 1864, from raid (n.). Related: Raided; raiding (by 1826 as a verbal noun). Also see raider.

raid (n.)

early 15c., "mounted military expedition," Scottish and northern English form of rade "a riding, journey," from Old English rad "a riding, ride, expedition, journey; raid," (see road). The word fell into obscurity by 17c., but it was revived by Scott ("The Lay of the Last Minstrel," 1805; "Rob Roy," 1818), with a more extended sense of "attack, foray, hostile or predatory incursion." By 1873 of any sudden or vigorous descent (police raids, etc.). Of air raids by 1908.

raider (n.)

"one engaged in a hostile or predatory incursion," 1863, agent noun from raid (v.). A word from the American Civil War.

rail (n.2)

"small wading bird," mid-15c., rale, from Old French raale (13c.), related to râler "to rattle," which is of unknown origin, perhaps imitative; the bird would be so called for its cry.

rail (v.1)

"complain, speak vehemently and bitterly," late 15c., railen, from Old French raillier "to tease or joke" (15c.), which is perhaps from Old Provençal ralhar "scoff, to chat, to joke," from Vulgar Latin *ragulare "to bray" (source also of Italian ragghiare "to bray"), from Late Latin ragere "to roar," probably of imitative origin. See rally (v.2). Related: Railed; railing.

railing (n.)

late 14c., "the attaching (of a plant, vine, etc.) to a prop or stake;" early 15c., "construction in which rails form an important part," verbal noun from rail (v.2). Technically, railings (late 15c.) are horizontal, palings are vertical.

rail (n.1)

"horizontal bar passing from one post or support to another," c. 1300, from Old French raille, reille "bolt, bar," from Vulgar Latin *regla, from Latin regula "rule, straight piece of wood," diminutive form related to regere "to straighten, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line").

In U.S. use, "A piece of timber, cleft, hewed, or sawed, inserted in upright posts for fencing" [Webster, 1830]. Used figuratively for thinness from 1872. By 1830s as "iron or steel bar or beam used on a railroad to support and guide the wheels." To be off the rails "out of the normal or proper condition" in a figurative sense is from 1848, an image from railroads.

rail (v.2)

"fence in or enclose with rails," late 14c., railen, from rail (n.1). Related: Railed; railing.

railhead (n.)

"furthest point reached by a railroad," by 1887, from rail (n.1) + head (n.).

raillery (n.)

"good-humored ridicule," 1650s, from rail (v.1) + -ery, or perhaps from French raillerie, from railler "to tease."

railroad (n.)

1757, from rail (n.1) + road. Originally "road laid with rails for heavy wagons" in mining operations. The process itself (but not the word) seems to have been in use by late 17c. Application to passenger and freight trains dates from 1825, tending to be replaced in this sense in England by railway.

railroad (v.)

"to convict quickly and perhaps unjustly," 1873, American English, from railroad (n.) as the then-fastest form of travel.

Related: Railroaded; railroading. An earlier verb sense was "to have a mania for building railroads" (1847).

railroading (n.)

1841, "business of making or running railways;" 1842, "travel by rail," from railroad (n.).

rail-splitter (n.)

"one who splits logs in rails for making a rail fence," 1853, from rail (n.1) + agent noun from split (v.). Usually with reference to or suggestion of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln, as it figured in his political biography.

railway (n.)

1812 in the modern sense, from rail (n.1) + way (n.). Also compare railroad (n.). Earlier used of any sort of road on which rails (originally wooden) were laid for easier transport (1776).

Railway time "standard time adopted throughout a railway system" is by 1847.

raiment (n.)

c. 1400, "clothes, an article of clothing, vesture" (archaic), shortening of arayment "clothing" (late 14c.), from Anglo-French araiement, from Old French areement, from areer "to array" (see array (v.)).

rain (v.)

"fall in drops through the air," Middle English reinen, from Old English regnian, usually contracted to rinan; see rain (n.), and compare Old Norse rigna, Swedish regna, Danish regne, Old High German reganon, German regnen, Gothic rignjan. Related: Rained; raining. Transferred and figurative use, of other things that fall in showers or drops (blessings, tears, etc.), is by c. 1200.

To rain on (someone's) parade is attested from 1941. Phrase to rain cats and dogs is attested from 1738 (variation rain dogs and polecats is from 1650s), of unknown origin and signification, despite intense speculation. One of the less likely suggestions is pets sliding off sod roofs when the sod got too wet during a rainstorm. Cats dropping from roofs while night-prowling was an occasional literary trope, but there is likely no literal meaning in the expression. Probably it is an extension of cats and dogs as proverbial for "strife, enmity," which is attested by 1570s.

rain (n.)

Middle English rein, from Old English regn "rain, descent of water in drops through the atmosphere," from Proto-Germanic *regna- (source also of Old Saxon regan, Old Frisian rein, Middle Dutch reghen, Dutch regen, German regen, Old Norse regn, Gothic rign "rain"), with no certain cognates outside Germanic, unless (Watkins) it is from a presumed PIE *reg- "moist, wet," which may be the source of Latin rigare "to wet, moisten" (see irrigate), but de Vaan doesn't suggest Germanic cognates for the Latin word.

Rain dance "dance performed by a tribal group in hope of summoning rain" is from 1867; rain date in listings for outdoor events, giving an alternative date should rain interrupt them on the intended day, is from 1948. To know enough to come in out of the rain (usually with a negative) "take ordinary measures for one's protection" is from 1590s. Rain-shower is Old English renscur. Rain-gauge "instrument for collecting and measuring the amount of rainfall at a given place" is by 1769.

rainbow (n.)

"arc of prismatic colors formed by the refraction of light rays by drops of rain or vapor," Middle English rein-bowe, from Old English renboga; see rain (n.) + bow (n.). Common Germanic compound (Old Frisian reinboga, Old Norse regnbogi, Swedish regenbåge, Dutch regenboog, German Regenbogen). The American rainbow trout (1876) is so called for its resplendent colors. Old English also had scurboga "shower-bow."

raincheck (n.)

also rain-check, rain check, "ticket given to a spectator at an outdoor event for admission at a later date, or refund, should the event be interrupted by rain," 1884; see rain (n.) + check (n.1). Originally of tickets to rained-out baseball games.

rain-cloud (n.)

also raincloud, "cloud from which rain falls," 1800, from rain (n.) + cloud (n.).

raincoat (n.)

also rain-coat, "coat worn as protection against rain," 1821, from rain (n.) + coat (n.).

raindrop (n.)

"a drop of rain," Middle English rein-drope, from Old English rendropa; see rain (n.) + drop (n.).

rainfall (n.)

also rain-fall, by 1850 as "amount of precipitation that falls as rain, from rain (n.) + fall (n.). By 1858 as "a falling of rain."

rain forest (n.)

"dense forest in an area of high rainfall with little seasonal variation," 1899, apparently a loan-translation of German Regenwald, coined by A.F.W. Schimper for his 1898 work "Pflanzengeographie."

rainy (adj.)

"abounding with or giving out rain," Middle English reini, from Old English renig; see rain (n.) + -y (2). Rainy day in a figurative sense of "a time of greater need or clouded fortunes" is by 1570s.

rainmaker (n.)

also rain-maker, "sorcerer who claims the power of producing a fall of rain by supernatural means," 1775, in reference to American Indian tribal magicians, from rain (n.) + agent noun of make (v.).

rain-out (n.)

also rain out, rainout, "cancellation or interruption of an outdoor event due to rain," 1947, from the verbal phrase; see rain (v.) + out (adv.). Of baseball games, to be rained out "cancelled because of rain" is attested from 1928.

rain-proof (adj.)

also rainproof, "not admitting the entrance of rain or penetration by it," 1788, from rain (n.) + proof (n.).

rainstorm (n.)

"a storm of rain," 1804, from rain (n.) + storm (n.).

rainwater (n.)

"water that has fallen from the clouds as rain and has not sunk into the earth," Old English renwæter; see rain (n.) + water (n.1).

raise (n.)

"act of raising or lifting," 1530s, from raise (v.). The specific meaning "an increase in amount or value" is from 1728. Meaning "increase in salary or wages" is from 1884, chiefly American English (British preferring rise); earlier in same sense are raise in wages (1880) and raise in salary (1881). Earliest attested use (c. 1500) is in obsolete sense of "a levy."

raise (v.)

c. 1200, reisen, "cause a rising of; lift upright, set upright; build, construct, bring into being," from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse reisa "to raise," from Proto-Germanic *raizjan (source also of Gothic ur-raisjan, Old English ræran "to rear;" see rear (v.)), causative of root *ris- "to rise" (see rise (v.)). At first sharing many senses with native rear (v.1).

Meaning "make higher" is from c. 1300 in the physical sense, as is that of "restore to life." Of the voice, from late 14c. Of sieges, blockades, etc., "remove by or as if by lifting," from late 14c. From early 14c. as "take up by aggregation or collection." The sense of "establish contact with (someone)," originally by radio, is by 1929. Meaning "to elevate" (the consciousness) is from 1970. Related: Raised; raising.

Meaning "increase the amount of" is from c. 1500; from 1530s of prices, etc. Meaning "to bring up" (a question, etc.) is from 1640s. Card-playing sense is from 1821. In reference to plants, etc., "promote with care the growth or development of," from 1660s; sense of "foster, rear, bring up" (of children) is by 1744.

Pickering ["A Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases Which Have Been Supposed to be Peculiar to the United States of America," 1816] has a long passage on the use of raise and grow in reference to crops. He writes that in the U.S. raise is used of persons, in the sense "brought up," but it is "never thus used in the Northern States." Bartlett [1848] adds that it "is applied in the Southern States to the breeding of negroes. It is sometimes heard at the North among the illiterate; as 'I was raised in Connecticut,' meaning brought up there."

raising (n.)

mid-14c., "an act of elevating," verbal noun from raise (v.). Specifically in American English, "the erecting of a building," by 1650s.

raisin (n.)

"dried sweet grape," c. 1300, from Anglo-French raycin (late 13c.), Old French raisin "grape; raisin," from Vulgar Latin *racimus, alteration of Latin racemus "cluster of grapes or berries" (also source of Spanish racimo, Italian racemo), probably a loan-word from the same ancient lost Mediterranean language that gave Greek rhax (genitive rhagos) "grape, berry." In Middle English the word also could be used of grapes themselves. Dutch razun also is from French; German Rosine is from an Old French variant form.

raison d'etat (n.)

1869, from French raison d'état "reason of state," thus "convenience of the government." See reason (n.) + state (n.2).

raison d'etre (n.)

"excuse for being," 1864, in letter of J.S. Mill, from French raison d'être, literally "rational grounds for existence."

raisonne (adj.)

"reasoned out, arranged logically," 1777, from French raisonné "reasoned," past participle of raisonner "to reason," from raison "course; matter; subject; language, speech; thought, opinion," from Latin rationem (nominative ratio) "reckoning, understanding, motive, cause," from ratus, past participle of reri "to reckon, think" (from PIE root *re- "to reason, count").

raj (n.)

"British rule in India," 1859, from Hindi raj "rule, dominion, kingdom" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").

rajah (n.)

also raja, "king or prince in India," ruling either independently or as a feudatory, 1550s, from Hindi, from Sanskrit rajan "king," related to raj "kingdom, kingship," rajati "he rules," and cognate with Latin rex, Old Irish rig "king" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule"). Related: Rajput, "member of the ruling caste in northern India" (1590s), from Sanskrit rajaputrah "prince," literally "king's son," from putrah "son, boy" (see puerile).

rake (n.1)

"toothed tool for drawing or scraping things together," Old English raca "rake," earlier ræce, from Proto-Germanic *rak- "gather, heap up" (source also of Old Norse reka "spade, shovel," Old High German rehho, German Rechen "a rake," Gothic rikan "to heap up, collect"), from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule" (source also of Greek oregein "to reach, stretch out," Latin regere "direct, rule; keep straight, guide"). The implement is so called perhaps via its action, or via the notion of "implement with straight pieces of wood" [Watkins].

rake (n.2)

"debauchee, libertine; idle, dissolute person; one who goes about in search of vicious pleasure," 1650s, shortening of rakehell. Hogarth's "Rake's Progress" engravings were published in 1735. Generally of men but also used by 1712 of women of similar character.

rake (v.)

mid-13c., raken, "clear (rubbish, grass, etc.) by raking; gather (grain) by raking," from rake (n.1), or from a lost Old English verb *racian, or from a similar Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse raka, Swedish raka, Danish rage "rake"). Of gunfire "to enfilade," from 1630s. Related: Raked; raking. To rake in money or something like it is from 1580s.

rakehell (n.)

"wicked, dissolute wretch; thorough rascal," 1550s (1540s as an adjective), possibly an alteration (by association with rake (n.1) and Hell) of Middle English rakel (adj.) "hasty, rash, headstrong," which is probably from raken "to go, proceed," from Old English racian "to go forward, move, hasten," a word of unknown origin. But the verbal phrase rake Hell "go over (Hell) thoroughly" is attested by 1540s. Compare rakeshame (n.) "one who lives shamefully" (1590s).

rakish (adj.)

1706, of persons, also style or appearance, carriage, etc., "debauched, disreputable, having the manners or appearance of a libertine or idle and dissolute person," from rake (n.2) + -ish. Related: Rakishly; rakishness.

The meaning "smart, jaunty, dashing" (1824), at first of ships, is said to be a different word, from nautical rake "slant, slope" (1620s), used of the projection of the upper part of a ship's hull at stem and stern beyond the extremities of the keel, later especially in reference to any deviation from the vertical in a ship's masts. That word is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Scandinavian (compare Old Swedish raka "project, reach;" Danish rage "protrude, project") related to Old English reccan "stretch." "The piratical craft of former times were distinguished for their rakish build" [Century Dictionary].

Raleigh

city in North Carolina, U.S., founded 1792 and named for English soldier/explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).

rally (n.)

1650s, in military language, "a rapid regrouping for renewed action after a repulse," from rally (v.1). Sense of "a mass meeting to stir enthusiasm" is attested by 1840, American English. Sense of "gathering of automobile enthusiasts" is from 1932, from French rallye, itself from the English noun. Sports sense of "long series of hits from one side to the other" in tennis, etc., is from 1881, earlier "series of back-and-forth blows in a boxing match" (1825).

rally (v.2)

"make fun of, tease in a good-natured way, attack with raillery," 1660s, from French railler "to rail, reproach" (see rail (v.1)).

rally (v.1)

"bring together or into order again by urgent effort," c. 1600, from French rallier, from Old French ralier "reassemble, unite again," from re- "again" (see re-) + alier "unite" (see ally (v.)).

In Old French (and Italian), re- often appeared as ra- by confusion with the true ra- (from Latin re- + ad-), and the following consonant often was doubled; compare rabbet (a doublet of rebate), rappel (a doublet of repeal). But as ra- was not recognized in English as a prefix, words with ra- in Old French usually returned to re- in English; Rally and rabbet never were because the accent had receded. In later borrowings (rappel, rapprochement, etc.) the words tend to keep their French forms.

Intransitive meaning "pull together hastily, recover order, revive, rouse" is from 1660s. Related: Rallied; rallying. Rallying-point "place at or about which persons come together for action" is by 1798. Rally round the flag (1862) is a line from popular American Civil War song "Battle Cry of Freedom."

Ralph

masc. proper name, shortened from Radulf, from Old Norse Raðulfr (Old English Rædwulf), literally "wolf-counsel," from rað "counsel" (see read (n.)) + ulfr "wolf" (see wolf (n.)). The Century Dictionary also lists it as English printers' slang for "An alleged or imagined evil spirit who does mischief in a printing house."

ram (n.)

Old English ramm "male sheep," also "battering ram, instrument for crushing or driving by impact," and the zodiac sign; earlier rom "male sheep," a West Germanic word (cognates: Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Dutch, Old High German ram), of unknown origin. Perhaps [Klein] connected with Old Norse rammr "strong," Old Church Slavonic ramenu "impetuous, violent."

RAM (n.1)

1957, acronym for random access memory (computerese).

ram (v.)

c. 1300, "to beat with a heavy implement, make the ground firm by tamping," from ram (n.). By 1864 as "dash violently against, strike with great force." Related: Rammed; ramming.

-rama

noun suffix meaning "sight, view, spectacular display or instance of," 1824, abstracted from panorama (q.v.), ultimately from Greek horama "sight, spectacle, that which is seen."

Rama

incarnation of Vishnu, from Sanskrit Ramah, literally "lovely," from stem of ramate "stands still, rests, is pleased."

ramada (n.)

"arbor, porch," 1869, in the U.S. West, from American Spanish ramada "tent, shelter," from Spanish ramada "an arbor," from rama "branch," from Vulgar Latin *rama, collective of Latin ramus "branch" (from PIE root *wrād- "branch, root").

Ramadan (n.)

ninth month of the Muslim year, period of the annual thirty-days' fast, 1590s, earlier Ramazan (c. 1500), from Arabic Ramadan (Turkish and Persian ramazan), originally "the hot month," from ramida "be burnt, scorched" (compare Mishnaic Hebrew remetz "hot ashes, embers"). In the Islamic lunar calendar, it passes through all seasons in a cycle of about 33 years, but evidently originally it was a summer month.

ramble (v.)

mid-15c., ramblen, "to wander, roam about in a leisurely manner," perhaps frequentative of romen "to walk, go" (see roam), perhaps via romblen (late 14c.) "to ramble." The vowel change is perhaps by influence of Middle Dutch rammelen, a derivative of rammen "copulate," "used of the night wanderings of the amorous cat" [Weekley], or the Middle English word might be from the Dutch one. Meaning "to talk or write incoherently" is from 1630s. Related: Rambled; rambling.

ramble (n.)

"a roving, an act of wandering for recreation or pleasure," especially a leisurely walk in varying directions, 1650s, from ramble (v.).

rambling (adj.)

1620s, "wandering about from place to place," present-participle adjective from ramble (v.). From 1630s as "wandering from topic to topic."

rambler (n.)

"a rover, a wanderer," 1620s, agent noun from ramble (v.). The Nash Rambler U.S. automobile was produced 1950-55.

Rambo

used allusively from 1985, in reference to John Rambo, hero of Canadian-American author David Morrell's novel "First Blood" (1972), popularized as portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the Hollywood movie version (1982), a U.S. Vietnam veteran, "macho and self-sufficient, and bent on violent retribution" [OED]. The family name is an old one in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (where Morrell supposedly first heard it), originally Swedish, sometimes said to represent Swedish place name Ramberget, or to be from French Huguenots who took refuge in Sweden.

rambunctious (adj.)

1834, of persons, "arrogantly boisterous, careless of the comfort of others," earlier rumbunctious, 1824, probably altered (by influence of ram) from rumbustious. Compare rantankerous "contentious" (Bartlett), a mid-19c. U.S. colloquial variant of cantankerous.

ramekin

toasted cheese and bread, 1706, from French ramequin (late 17c.), said to be from a Germanic source (compare Middle Low German rom "cream"), from Proto-Germanic *rau(g)ma-, which is of uncertain origin.