RANK AND FILE. This word includes corporals as well as privates, all below sergeants. (See [File].)
RANSACK, To. To pillage; but to ransack the hold is merely to overhaul its contents.
RANSOM. Money paid for the liberty of a war-prisoner, a city, or for the restoration of a captured vessel: formerly much practised at sea. It then fell into disuse, but was revived for a time in the seventeenth century. At length the greater maritime powers prohibited the offering or accepting such ransoms. By English law, all such securities shall be absolutely void; and he who enters into any such contract shall forfeit £500 on conviction. A privateer taking ransom forfeits her letters of marque, and her commander is punishable with a heavy penalty and imprisonment.
RAPER. An old term for a rope-maker.
RAP-FULL. Applies to a ship on a wind, when "keep her rap-full!" means, do not come too close to the wind, or lift a wrinkle of the sail.
RAPID. A slope, down which water runs with more than ordinary rapidity, but not enough to be called a "fall;" and sometimes navigable by boats.
RAPPAREE. A smuggler, or one who lives on forced hospitality.
RASE. An archaism for a channel of the sea, and not a mispronunciation of [race] (which see).
RASEE. A line-of-battle ship with her upper works taken off, or reduced a deck, to lighten her; some of the old contract-built ships of the line, yclept "Forty Thieves," were thus converted into heavy frigates, as the Duncan, America, Warspite, &c.
RASH. A disease which attacks trees that have ceased to grow.