Rapier. Is said to have had distinct meanings at different times, and in ancient fencing to have been a long cutting broadsword; but for the last century, at least, the rapier has been a light, highly-tempered, edgeless, thrusting weapon, finely pointed and about 3 feet in length. At present, it is worn only on occasions of court ceremonial, and answers no other purpose than to incommode the wearer. In war a rapier could never have been of any service.
Rapine. The act of plundering; the seizing and carrying away of things by force; spoliation; pillage; plunder. Violence; force; also, to plunder.
Rappahannock. A river of Virginia, formed by the union of the North Fork and the Rapidan, 40 miles above Fredericksburg. On the Rappahannock and the Rapidan occurred some of the most sanguinary battles of the war of Secession, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and the Wilderness.
Rapparee. A wild Irish plunderer, so called from his being generally armed with a rapary, or half-pike. The term was in common use in the 17th century.
Rappel. The beat of the drum to call soldiers to arms.
Rarefaction. The extension of the parts of a gas, by which it is made to take up more room than it did before.
Rasaldar. In the East Indies, the name applied to the commander of rasallah, which is 10,000 armed horsemen.
Rasante. A French term, applied to a style of fortification in which the command of the works over each other, and over the country, is kept very low, in order that the shot may more effectually sweep or graze the ground before them.
Ras-el-Kyma. A fortress in the Persian Gulf, and formerly the principal stronghold of the Joasmee pirates. This fortress was destroyed and the pirates thoroughly subdued by an English force under Sir W. Kier Grant in 1817.
Rasgrad, or Hesarorad. A town of Turkey in Europe, in Bulgaria, and about 215 miles northwest from Constantinople. The Turks were defeated here by the Russians in 1810.