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`
`DedicafRd to the memory of
`Jess SfRin
`
`COPYRIGHT© 1987, BY RANDOM HOUSE, INC.
`
`First Edition: Copyright © 1983, 1981, 1979, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1967, 1966, by Random House, Inc.
`
`rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced
`any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.
`All inquiries should be addressed to Reference Department, Random House, Inc., 201 E. 50th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022.
`?:!" ·- ed in the United States by Random House, Inc., and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Turonto
`
`House Dictionary of the English Language and its abbreviations, RHD, RHDEL, RHD-I, and RHD-II, are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The Random House dictionary of the English language.
`(Random House dictionaries)
`1. English language-Dictionaries. I. Flexner,
`Stuart Berg. II. Series.
`PE1625.R3 1987
`423
`87-4500
`ISBN 0-394-50050-4; 0-394-56500-2 deluxe ed.
`
`A number of entered words which we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such.
`&l"'"E"rer.. no attempt has been made to designate as trademarks or service marks all words or terms in which proprietary rights may exist.
`The inclusion , exclusion, or definition of a word or term is not intended to affect, or to express a judgment on, the validity or
`legal status of the word or term as a trademark, service mark, or other proprietary term.
`
`The Concise French Dictwnary, edited by Francesca L. V. Langbaum, Copyright © 1983, 1954, by Random House, Inc.
`
`The Concise German Dictwnary, edited by Jenni Karding Moulton, Copyright © 1983, 1959, by Random House, Inc.
`
`The Concise Italian Dictwnary, edited by Robert A. Hall, Jr., Copyright© 1983, 1957, by Random House, Inc.
`
`The Concise Spanish Dictwnary, edited by Donald F. Sola, Copyright © 1983, 1954, by Random House, Inc.
`
`Entire contents of the Atlas, Copyright © 1987, by C. S. Hammond & Company.
`
`lnternatwnal Phonetic Alphabet, courtesy International Phonetic Association.
`
`Manufactured in the United States of America
`
`r.s/uh
`
`

`
`Sc:ruare/, a large, open square in central Mos-
`• to the Kremlin: site of military parades,
`and St.. Basil's cathedral.
`, a variety of squill whose bulbs are red,
`a rat poison. [1730-40]
`- /rel, a reddish squirrel, Tamiasciurus hud-
`- _ -orth America. Also called chickaree.
`
`J
`red'stiirtl). n. 1. any of several small, Old
`"""'-'-''""""" usually with reddish-brown tails, esp.
`plwo.icurus ( European redstart). 2. any
`--y-ouching, New World warblers, esp. Se(cid:173)
`. la <American redstart), having black
`ge with reddish-orange patches. [1560-
`start tail (ME start, stert tail, handle, OE
`to OHG sterz, ON stertr)]
`red' sronl), n.
`a U.S. surface-to-surface
`powered by a single rocket engine.
`:.:.ec.."""'.r ArsenaL Huntsville, Alabama]
`• a compound of oil and sesquioxide of iron
`:
`·
`brass, steel, silver, etc.; crocus or
`
`;op'i, n. any of several grasses of the
`ving reddish panicles, as A. cigantea,
`L..or-z.:;a:i. for lawns and pasturage. L1785-95,
`n>J>' ]
`a hardy plant, Trillium sessile, com(cid:173)
`York to Georgia and westward, having
`or green flowers. Also called bloody
`eed. [1930-35, Amer.]
`
`e-
`"- separa--
`=
`-
`:"mm
`14. to thin or diluz.e: :o redutt
`no<I=>1E!Z2.!lic COD.Eti
`paifll =th oil or rurpenlim!. 15. to lower the alcoholic
`concentration of spirits) by diluting with water. 16.
`Surg. to restore to the normal place, relation, or condi(cid:173)
`tion, as a frattured bone. 17. Phonet. to modify the
`quality of {a speech sound) to one of lesser distinctive(cid:173)
`ness, esp. to pronounce (an unstressed vowel) as (a) or
`another centralized vowel, as in the unstressed syllables
`of medicinal. - v.i. 18. to become reduced. 19. to be(cid:173)
`come lessened, esp. in weight. 20. to be turned into or
`made to equal something: All our difficulties reduce to
`financial problems. 21. Cell Biol. to undergo meiosis.
`[1325-75; ME reducen to lead back < L reducere to lead
`back, bring back, equiv. to re- RE- + ducere to lead]
`-Syn. 1. diminish, decrease, shorten, abridge, curtail,
`contract, retrench. l, 2 . lessen, attenuate, abate. 3. de(cid:173)
`grade, demote, humble. 7 . subdue, subjugate, conquer,
`subject, vanquish, overcome, overpower. -Ant. 1. in(cid:173)
`crease. 3. elevate, exalt.
`re•duced {ri doost', -dyoost'), adj.
`l. that is or has
`been reduced. 2. Math. noting a polynomial equation in
`which the second highest power is missing: The cubic
`4x + 4 = 0 is reduced. [1620-30; REDUCE
`equation x 3
`-
`+ ·ED 2
`)
`reduced/ mass/, Mech. a quantity obtained when
`one particle is moving about another, larger particle that
`is also moving, equivalent to the mass of the smaller
`particle, were the larger particle not moving, and equal
`to the quotient of the product of the two masses divided
`by their sum. [1930-35]
`reduced' paidt-up insur"ance (pad'uP'). 1ife in(cid:173)
`surance in which a nonforfeiture value is used to pur(cid:173)
`chase a reduced amount of fully paid-up insurance of the
`same kind as the surrendered policy.
`re•duc•er (ri doo'sar, -dyoo'-l. n. l. a person or thing
`that. reduces. 2. Photog. a . an oxidizing solution for
`lessening the density of an exposed negative. b. a devel(cid:173)
`oping agent. 3. {in plumbing) a coupling decreasing in
`diameter at one end. Cf. increaser (def. 2).
`[1520-30;
`REDUCE + -ER 1
`]
`re•duc•i•ble (ri doo'sa bal, -dyoo' -), adj. l. capable of
`being reduced. 2. Math. a. of or pertaining to a polyno(cid:173)
`mial that can be factored into the product of polynomi(cid:173)
`als, each of lower degree. b. of or pertaining to a group
`that can be written as the direct product of two of its
`subgroups. c. of or pertaining to a set whose set of accu(cid:173)
`mulation points is countable. [1400-50; late ME; see RE(cid:173)
`DUCE, -IBLE] -re•duc' i•bil'i•ty, re•duc'i•ble•ness, n.
`-re•duc'i·bly, adv.
`reducfing a/ gent, Chem.
`a substance that causes
`another substance to undergo reduction and that is oxi(cid:173)
`dized in the process. [1795-1805]
`reduc/ing glass!, a lens or mirror that produces a
`virtual image of an object smaller than the object itself.
`re•duct (ri dukt'), v.t.
`to reduce. [ < L reductus, ptp.
`of reducere; see REDUCE]
`re•duc•tase (ri duk'tas, -taz), n. Biochem. any en(cid:173)
`zyme acting as a reducing agent. [1900-05; REDUCT(ION)
`+ -ASE]
`reducttase test/, a test for the bacterial content in
`milk to determine its fitness for drinking. [1905-10]
`(ri duk' te o' ad' ab(cid:173)
`re•duc•ti•o ad ab•sur•dum
`sil.r'dam, -zil.r'-, -she ot), Logic. a reduction to an ab(cid:173)
`surdity; the refutation of a proposition by demonstrating
`the inevitably absurd conclusion to which it would logi(cid:173)
`cally lead. [1735-45; < L reductio ad absurdum]
`re•duc•tion (ri duk'shan), n. l. the act of reducing or
`the state of being reduced. 2 . the amount by which
`something is reduced or diminished. 3. a form produced
`by reducing; a copy on a smaller scale. 4 . Cell Biol.
`meiosis, esp. the first meiotic cell division in which the
`chromosome number is reduced by half. 5. Chem. the
`process or result of reducing. 6 . Motion Pictures. the
`process of making a print of a narrower gauge from a
`print of a wider gauge: the reduction of 35-mm films to
`16-mm for the school market. 7. a village or settlement
`of Indians in South America established and governed by
`Spanish Jesuit missionaries. [1475-85; earlier reduccion
`< MF reduction < L reduction- (s. of reductio) a bring(cid:173)
`ing back, equiv. to reduct(us) (ptp. of reducere; see RE(cid:173)
`DUCE) + -ion- -ION] -re 0 ducttion•al, adj.
`reduc/tion divilsion, Biol. 1 . the first division of
`meiosis in which the number of chromosomes is reduced
`to half the original number. 2 . meiosis. [1890-95]
`re•duc•tion•ism (ri duk'sha nizlam), n.
`l. the the(cid:173)
`ory that every complex phenomenon, esp. in biology or
`psychology, can be explained by analyzing the simplest,
`most basic physical mechanisms that are in operation
`during the phenomenon. 2. the practice of simplifying a
`complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, esp. to the
`point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it. (1940-
`45; REDUCTION + -ISM] -re•ducttlon•lst, n., adj. -re•
`ducl tlon•is'tic, adj.
`reducftion potenl tial, Physical Chem.
`(in a gal(cid:173)
`vanic cell) the potential of the electrode at which reduc(cid:173)
`tion occurs. Cf. oxidation potential.
`reducftion ral tio, an expression of the number of
`times by which an original document has been reduced
`in a microcopy.
`
`See severance pay.
`
`;:c::C:;;=~ ?'EC':J.C;io<> or ..,..=;;;=-=
`2. or or penal::;-
`-_ ;;o c.rum,,,....,
`to another. 3. of; per.zi:n-
`iog to, or employt:i- recbctionism; reductionistic_
`4 . mething causing or inducing a reductive process.
`- IVE] -re·duc'tive-ly, adL".
`[1625--35; REDUCT(ION
`-
`-re•duc'tive•ness, n.
`re•duc•tiv•ism
`reductioni.snL
`(ri duk' ta vizlam), n.
`[1965-70; REDUCTIVE + -ISM] -re•duc'tiv·lst. n.
`re•duc•tor (ri duk'tar), n. Chem. a tube with a stop(cid:173)
`cock at one end, usually filled with a metal, for reducing
`a constituent in a solution. [REDUCT(ION) + -OR2
`]
`re•dun•dan•cy (ri dun'dan se), n., pl. -c ies. 1. the
`state of being redundant. 2. superfluous repetition or
`overlapping, esp. of words. 3. a redundant thing, part,
`or amount; superfluity. 4 . the provision of additional or
`duplicate systems, equipment, etc., that function in case
`an operating part or system fails, as in a spacecraft. 5.
`Ling. a. the inclusion of more information than is neces(cid:173)
`sary for communication, as in those cars, where both
`words are marked for plurality. b. the additional, pre(cid:173)
`dictable information so included. c. the degree of pre(cid:173)
`dictability thereby created. 6 . Chiefly Brit. a . the con(cid:173)
`dition or fact of being unemployed; unemployment. b. a
`[1595-1605; < L redun(cid:173)
`layoff. Also, re•dun'dance.
`dantia an overflowing, excess, deriv. of redundans RE(cid:173)
`DUNDANT; see -ANCY]
`reduntdancy pay/, Brit.
`[1965-70]
`re•dun•dant
`l. characterized by
`(ri dun'dant), adj.
`verbosity or unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas;
`prolix: a redundant style. 2. being in excess; exceeding
`what is usual or natural: a redundant part. 3. having
`some unusual or extra part or feature. 4. characterized
`by superabundance or superfluity: lush, redundant vege(cid:173)
`tation. 5 . Engin. a. (of a structural member) not neces(cid:173)
`sary for resisting statically determined stresses. b. (of a
`structure) having members designed to resist other than
`statically determined stresses; hyperstatic. c. noting a
`complete truss having additional members for resisting
`eccentric loads. Cf. complete (def. 8), incomplete (def.
`3). d . (of a device, circuit, computer system, etc.) having
`excess or duplicate parts that can continue to perform in
`the event of malfunction of some of the parts. 6 . Ling.
`characterized by redundancy; predictable. 7 . Comput(cid:173)
`ers. containing more bits or characters than are re(cid:173)
`quired, as a parity bit inserted for checking purposes. 8 .
`Chiefly Brit. removed or laid off from a job. [1595-1605;
`< L redundant- (s. of redundans) , prp. of redundare to
`flow back, overflow, be excessive. See REDOUND, -ANT]
`- re•duntdant•ly, adv.
`-Syn. l. verbose, repetitive. See wordy. 2 . exces-
`sive; useless; superfluous, tautologous.
`reduntdant check', Computers. See parity check.
`redupl., reduplication.
`re•du•pli•cate
`(v. ri doo'pli kaV, -dyoo' -; adj. ri(cid:173)
`doo' pli kit, -kaV, -dyoo'-), v., -cat•ed, -cat-ing, adj.
`- v.t. 1. to double; repeat. 2. Gram. to form (a deriva(cid:173)
`tive or inflected form) by doubling a specified syllable or
`other portion of the primitive, sometimes with fixed
`modifications, as in Greek leloipa "I have left," leipo "I
`leave." - v.i. 3. to become doubled. 4 . Gram. to be(cid:173)
`come reduplicated. -adj. 5 . doubled. [1560-70; < LL
`reduplicatus (ptp. of reduplicare ), equiv. to L re- RE(cid:173)
`dup!ic(are) to double + -atus -ATE' (see DUPLICATE)]
`re•dU•Pli•ca•tion (ri doo'pli ka'shan, -dyoo' -), n.
`l.
`the act of redu plicating; the state of being reduplicated.
`2. something resulting from redu plicating. 3 . Gram. a .
`reduplicating as a grammatical pattern. b. the added el(cid:173)
`ement in a reduplicated form . c . a form containing a
`reduplicated element. [1580-90; < LL reduplication- (s.
`of reduplicatio). See REDUPLICATE, -ION]
`re•du·pli•ca•tive (ri doo'pli ka'tiv, -dyoo' -), adj.
`l.
`tending to reduplicate. 2. pertaining to or marked by
`reduplication. [1560-70; REDUPLICATE + - IVE] - re•du' ·
`pll•cal tive·ly, adj.
`re•dU•Vi•ld
`(ri doo've id, -dyoo'-). n. See assassin
`bug_ [1885-90; < NL Reduviidae, family name, equiv.
`to Reduvi(a) type genus (L: hangnail) + -idae -rn']
`re•dux {ri duksl), adj. brought back; resurgent: the
`Victorian era redux. [1650-60; < L: returning (as from
`war or exile), n. deriv. {with pass. sense) of reducere to
`bring back; see REDUCE]
`red•u•zate (rej'oo zaV), n. Geochem. a sediment that
`has not undergone oxidation, as of coal, oil, sulfur, and
`sulfides. [ < G Reduzat reduction]
`red! valertian, a bushy valerian, Centranthus ruber,
`of Europe and southwestern Asia, having many fragrant
`red, crimson, or white flowers. Also called Jupiter's(cid:173)
`beard, scarlet lightning. [1590-1600]
`red•ware' (redlwarl), n. an early American earthen(cid:173)
`ware made from red clay. [1790-1800; RED' + WARE ']
`red•ware 2
`a large brown seaweed,
`(red'war'), n.
`Laminaria digitata, common off northern Atlantic
`coasts. [1700-10; RED ' + dial. ware (ME; OE war sea(cid:173)
`weed; see WIRE)]
`red-wat
`stained with
`(red'waV, -woV), adj. Scot.
`blood; bloody. [RED' + wat, Scots var. of WET]
`red' wine/, wine having a predominantly red color
`derived from the skin pigment in the red or other dark(cid:173)
`colored grapes used in making it. [1745-55]
`Red/ Wing/, l. (Ta ntangamini ), c1750-c1825, Sioux
`leader. 2 . a city in SE Minnesota. 13,736.
`
`ret de•vour, v.t.
`re•dicttate, v., -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
`rel dlf•fer•en'ti•atet , v., -at•ed,
`-at-Ing.
`rel dif•fer•ent tl·a'tion, n.
`ret dif•fuset , v., -fused, -fus•ing.
`rel dif·fu'sion, n.
`re·digt, v., -dug, -dig•ging.
`
`ret di·gestl, v. t.
`rel di 0 ges'tion, n.
`rel di•gress' . v. i.
`rel di·latet , v., -lat·ed, -lat-ing.
`re•dip', v., -dipped, -dip•ping.
`rel dis•burse', v.t., -bursed,
`-burs•ing.
`rel dis•bursetment, n.
`
`ret dis·charget, v., -charged,
`-charg·ing.
`re•dis'ci·pline, v.t., -p lined,
`-plin·ing_
`ret dls0 cov'er, v.t.
`ret dls•covter•y, n., pl. -er•ies.
`rel dis·cusst, v.t.
`rel dis 0 custsion, n.
`
`re' dis•in•fectl, v.t.
`rel dis•misst , u.t.
`re' dis•misstal, n.
`ret dls·patch' , v. t.
`
`rel dis•perse'. v., -persed, /
`-pers•lng.
`re' dis•play' , v.t.
`
`ret dis•per'sal, n. ? :;j,/
`
`·,,,.,0~
`
`/"