- rarify (v.)[rarify 词源字典]
- common but incorrect spelling of rarefy (q.v.). Related: Rarified; rarifying.[rarify etymology, rarify origin, 英语词源]
- rarity (n.)
- early 15c., "thinness;" 1550s, "fewness," from Middle French rarité or directly from Latin raritas "thinness, looseness of texture; fewness," from rarus (see rare (adj.1)). Sense of "a rare thing or event" is from 1590s.
- ras
- Ethiopian title, from Amharic ras "chief, head," from Arabic ra's.
- rascal (n.)
- mid-14c., rascaile "people of the lowest class, rabble of an army," also singular, "low, tricky, dishonest person," from Old French rascaille "rabble, mob" (12c., Modern French racaille, "the rascality or base and rascall sort, the scumme, dregs, offals, outcasts, of any company" [Cotgrave, French-English Dictionary, 1611]), perhaps a diminutive from Old French rascler, from Vulgar Latin *rasicare "to scrape" (see rash (n.)). Used also in Middle English of animals not hunted as game.
- rascality (n.)
- "low and vulgar people collectively," 1570s; "character of a rascal," 1590s, from rascal + -ity.
- rascally (adj.)
- "low, mean, unprincipled," from rascal + -ly (1).
- rase (v.)
- late 14c., "remove by scraping, rub, scrape out, erase," from Old French raser "to scrape, shave," from Medieval Latin rasare, frequentative of Latin radere (past participle rasus) "to scrape, shave," perhaps from PIE *razd- (cognates: Latin rastrum "rake"), possible extended form of root *red- "to scrape, scratch, gnaw" (see rodent). Related: Rased; rasing.
- rash (adj.)
- late 14c., "nimble, quick, vigorous" (early 14c. as a surname), a Scottish and northern word, perhaps from Old English -ræsc (as in ligræsc "flash of lightning") or one of its Germanic cognates, from Proto-Germanic *raskuz (cognates: Middle Low German rasch, Middle Dutch rasc "quick, swift," German rasch "quick, fast"). Related to Old English horsc "quick-witted." Sense of "reckless, impetuous, heedless of consequences" is attested from c. 1500. Related: Rashly; rashness.
- rash (n.)
- "eruption of small red spots on skin," 1709, perhaps from French rache "a sore" (Old French rasche "rash, scurf"), from Vulgar Latin *rasicare "to scrape" (also source of Old Provençal rascar, Spanish rascar "to scrape, scratch," Italian raschina "itch"), from Latin rasus "scraped," past participle of radere "to scrape" (see raze). The connecting notion would be of itching. Figurative sense of "any sudden outbreak or proliferation" first recorded 1820.
- rasher (n.)
- "thin slice of bacon or ham," 1590s, of unknown origin. Perhaps from Middle English rash "to cut," variant of rase "to rub, scrape out, erase." However, early lexicographer John Minsheu explained it in 1627 as a piece "rashly or hastily roasted."
- Raskolnik
- "dissenter from the Russian Church, an Old Believer," 1723, from Russian Raskolnik "separatist," from raskol "schism, separation." The schism was a result of reforms by Patriarch Nikon in 1667.
- rasp (v.)
- mid-13c., "to scrape," from Middle Dutch raspen and from Old French rasper (Modern French râper) "to grate, rasp," which is perhaps from a West Germanic source (compare Old English gehrespan) akin to the root of raffle. Vocalic sense is from 1843. Related: Rasped; rasping.
- rasp (n.)
- "coarse file," 1540s, from Middle French raspe (Modern French râpe), from Old French rasper "to rasp" (see rasp (v.)).
- raspberry (n.)
- 1620s, earlier raspis berry (1540s), possibly from raspise "a sweet rose-colored wine" (mid-15c.), from Anglo-Latin vinum raspeys, origin uncertain, as is the connection between this and Old French raspe, Medieval Latin raspecia, raspeium, also meaning "raspberry." One suggestion is via Old Walloon raspoie "thicket," of Germanic origin. Klein suggests it is via the French word, from a Germanic source akin to English rasp (v.), with an original sense of "rough berry," based on appearance.
A native plant of Europe and Asiatic Russia, the name was applied to a similar vine in North America. Meaning "rude sound" (1890) is shortening of raspberry tart, rhyming slang for fart. - Rasputin
- acquired name (Russian, literally "debauchee") of Grigory Yefimovich Novykh (c. 1872-1916), mystic and faith healer who held sway over court of Nicholas II of Russia. His nickname is from his doctrine of "rebirth through sin," that true holy communion must be preceded by immersion in sin. His name used figuratively in English from 1937 for anyone felt to have an insidious and corrupting influence.
- raspy (adj.)
- 1670s, of plants; by 1821 of voices, from rasp + -y (2).
- Rasta (adj.)
- 1955; see Rastafarian. From 1962 as a noun. Related: Rastaman.
- Rastafarian (n.)
- 1955 (Rastafarite is found from 1953), from Rastafari, Jamaican religion built around writings of Marcus Garvey and belief that Haile Selassie (1892-1975), former emperor of Ethiopia, was God. From Ras Tafari, Selassie's title from 1916 to his accession in 1936, from Amharic ras "chief, head" (from Arabic ra's) + tafari "to be feared." As an adjective from 1960.
- Rastafarianism
- 1964, from Rastafarian + -ism. Rastafarism is attested from 1955.
- rastaquouere (n.)
- 1883, from French rastaquouère, rastacouère (19c.) "social intruder, upstart" (especially one of exaggerated manners and dress, from a Mediterranean or South American country), thus "dashing but untrustworthy foreigner." Short form rasta attested from 1905. According to French sources, the word is from South American Spanish rastacuero "upstart," from arrastrar "to drag, pull, tow, trail along the ground" + cuero "leather." Arrastrar is said to be from Spanish rastro "rake," from Latin rastrum (see raster), while cuero is from Latin corium (see corium).