Quat-vessel, The. The meadow-thistle (Carduus pratensis), which is common in the New Forest.
Rammel Cheese. The best sort of cheese, made of cream and new milk, in contradistinction to Omary, or Arnary, cheese, and Hasskin cheese.
Rammucky. Dissolute, wanton. “A rammucky man,” means a depraved character.
Ramward, or rather, ramhard. To the right. A corruption of framward, or fromward. So “toard,” or “toward,” means to the left, that is, towards you. Both words are used throughout the West of England, and are good examples of what Professor Müller would call “phonetic decay.” With them may be compared the sailor’s terms “starboard” and “larboard,” on which see Wedgwood, Dict. of English Etymology, vol. ii., p. 310. See, too, Miss Gurney on the word “woash,” which in the Eastern Counties is equivalent to “ramward.” Glossary of Norfolk Words. Transactions of the Philological Society, 1855, p. 38.
Rantipole, The. The wild carrot (Daucus carota), so called from its bunch of leaves. Used also in Wiltshire. See [Hill-trot].
Red Heath. The three heaths which grow in the New Forest—Erica tetralix, Erica cinerea, and Calluna vulgaris,—are respectively known as the bell, black, and red heaths.
Reiaves. The boards or rails put round waggons, so as to enable them to take a greater load. Used throughout the West of England. See Mr. Barnes’ Glossary under the word Riaves, p. 375.
Rick-rack. This is only used of the weather, as “rick-rack weather,” that is, stormy, boisterous weather, and far stronger in meaning than the more common phrase, “cazalty weather.” It is evidently from the Old-English réc, vapoury, cloudy weather, and well serves to explain the meaning of Shakspeare’s “rack,” a cloud, in the well-known passage in the Tempest (Act iv. sc. 1), which has given rise to so much controversy. Miss Gurney (Transactions of the Philological Society, 1855, p. 35), notices that “rack” is used in Norfolk for mist driven by the wind.
Ronge, To. To kick, or play, said of horses.
Rubble, To. To remove the gravel, which is deposited throughout the Forest in a thick layer over the beds of clay or marl. The gravel itself is called “the rubblin.”