Race, rās, n. the human family: the descendants of a common ancestor: a breed or variety: a tribal or national stock: a line of persons, as of statesmen, or of animals, as the feline race: a herd: peculiar flavour, as of wine, by which its origin may be recognised: (Shak.) intrinsic character, vigour. [Fr.,—Old High Ger. reiza, a line.]
Race, rās, n. rapid motion: trial of speed: progress: course of action: a strong and rapid current: a canal to a water-wheel: a competitive trial of speed in running, walking, &c.: a horse-race, as the Ascot races.—v.i. to run swiftly: to contend in running.—v.t. to cause to race, as steamers, horses, &c.—ns. Race′-card, a card containing information about races; Race′-course, -ground, -track, the course over which races are run; Race′-cup, a piece of plate forming a prize at a race; Race′horse, a horse bred for racing; Race′-meet′ing, a meeting for purposes of horse-racing; Rā′cer, one who races: a racehorse; Race′-way, a mill-race; Rā′cing, the running of races; Rā′cing-bit, a light jointed ring-bit; Consolā′tion-race (see Consolation); Flat′-race, a horse-race over level or clear ground—opp. to a Hurdle-race or Steeplechase, which are called generally Obstacle-races.—Racing calendar, a full list of races to be run. [A.S. rǽs, stream; Ice. rás, rapid course.]
Race, rās, n. (Shak.) a root.—n. Race′-gin′ger, unpulverised ginger. [O. Fr. rais—L. radix, a root.]
Race, rās, v.t. (obs.)=Raze.—adj. Raced.
Raceme, ra-sēm′, n. a cluster: a flower-cluster, as in the currant.—adjs. Racemed′, having racemes; Racem′ic, pertaining to, or obtained from, grapes: an acid obtained from a certain kind of grape; Racemif′erous, bearing racemes; Rac′emōse, Rac′emous, growing in, or resembling, a raceme.—n. Rac′emūle, a small raceme.—adj. Racem′ulōse, bearing small racemes. [Fr.,—L. racemus.]
Rach, Ratch, rach, n. a dog that hunts by scent. [A.S. ræcc, a dog; Ice. rakki.]
Rachianectes, ra-ki-an-ek′tez, n. the gray whale of the North Pacific. [Gr. rhachia, a rocky shore, nēktēs, a swimmer.]
Rachis, rā′kis, n. the spine: (bot.) a branch or axis of inflorescence which proceeds in nearly a straight line from the base to the apex:—pl. Rā′chidēs.—n. Rāchial′gia, pain in the spine.—adjs. Rāchial′gic; Rāchid′ial, Rāchid′ian.—n. Rāchil′la, a secondary rachis in a compound inflorescence.—adj. Rāchit′ic, rickety.—ns. Rāchī′tis, rickets in children (see Rickets): (bot.) a disease which produces abortion in the fruit; Rāch′itome, an anatomical instrument for opening the spinal canal. [Gr. rachis, the spine.]
Racial, rā′si-al, adj. relating to lineage, peculiar to a race.—adv. Rā′cially.
Rack, rak, n. an instrument for racking or extending: an engine for stretching the body in order to extort a confession, hence (fig.) extreme pain, anxiety, or doubt: a framework on which articles are arranged, as hat-rack, plate-rack, letter-rack, &c.: the grating above a manger for hay: (mech.) a straight bar with teeth to work into those of a wheel, pinion, or endless screw, for converting a circular into a rectilinear motion, or vice versâ: (Scot.) the course in curling.—v.t. to stretch forcibly: to strain: to stretch on the rack or wheel: to torture: to exhaust: to worry, agitate: to wrest, overstrain: to practise rapacity: to extort: to place in a rack or frame: (naut.) to seize together with cross-turns, as two ropes.—n. Rack′er, one who tortures.—adj. Rack′ing, tormenting.—ns. Rack′-rail, a railway having cogs which work into similar cogs on a locomotive; Rack′-rent, an annual rent stretched to the utmost value of the thing rented, exorbitant rent.—v.t. to subject to such rents.—ns. Rack′-rent′er, one who exacts or pays rack-rent; Rack′-stick, a stick for stretching a rope; Rack′-tail, a bent arm in a repeating clock connected with the striking mechanism; Rack′work, a strong bar with cogs to correspond with similar cogs on a wheel, which either moves or is moved by the bar.—Live at rack and manger, to live sumptuously and wastefully; On the rack, stretched upon it: tortured by anxiety; Put to the rack, to put to the torture of the rack: to subject to keen suffering. [The radical sense is to stretch, closely allied to reach (q.v.); cf. Ice. rakkr, straight, Ger. rack, a rail, recken, to stretch.]