1145
reactor
form of ENERGY: a gun that fires invisible rays → see also
COSMIC RAY, X-RAY 3 a very small bit (of hope or comfort):
There isn't a ray of hope left for us.
**ray²** n a large flat sea fish with a long pointed tail
**Ray, James Earl** (1928-98) a US man accused of killing Rev.
Martin Luther KING in 1968 and sentenced to 99 years in
prison
**Ray, Man** (1890-1976) a US
artist and photographer,
who was one of the leaders
of the Dada and SURREALIST
movements
**Ray, Sat·ya·jit** /'sætjədʒɪt/
(1921-92) an Indian film
DIRECTOR whose work is
well-known and respected
all over the world. His films
include *Pather Panchali*
(1955) and *The Chess Players*
(1977).
**Ray-Ban** trademark a popular
type of SUNGLASSES, which
are considered very fashion-
able
**Ray-ner, Claire** /'reɪn,
kle/ (1931-) a British AGONY AUNT (=someone who gives
advice to people about their personal problems), who writes
in newspapers and magazines and often appears on television
and radio
**ray-on** /'reɪɒn‖-ɔ:n/ n [U] a smooth silk-like material made
from plant substances, often used to make clothes
**raze** /reɪz/ v [T] fml to destroy (buildings, towns etc) com-
pletely, so that no part is left standing: *The air attack razed*
*the city to the ground.*
**ra·zor** /'reɪz/ n a sharp instrument for removing hair,
especially the hair that grows on a man's face: *I shave with*
*an electric razor.* l (fig.) his **razor-sharp** (=very fine and quick)
*wit* → compare SHAVER; see also CUTTHROAT, SAFETY RAZOR
**razor blade** n a flat blade with a very sharp cutting edge,
used in a SAFETY RAZOR
**razor 'edge** also **razor's edge** n [S] a difficult or danger-
ous position between two opposite states: *Edward nearly*
*died after the accident – his life was on a razor edge for days.*
**raz·zle** /'ræzl/ n infml, especially BrE **on the razzle** having a wild
enjoyable time: *After they won the match they all went on the*
*razzle.*
**razzle-'dazzle** n [U] noisy colourful activity which is meant
to excite and impress: *That advertising campaign uses a lot*
*of razzle-dazzle to hide the fact that the product isn't very*
*good.*
**razz·ma·tazz** /ˌræzmə'tæz/ n [U] infml noisy showy activity
intended to attract attention and admiration: *all the razzmatazz*
*of the presidential election campaign*
**RBI** /ˌɑ: bi: 'aɪlˌɑ:r-/ n abbrev. for runs batted in; (in BASEBALL)
the total number of runs (RUN²) which a player helps to make
by hitting the ball: *He had six R.B.I.'s this game alone and*
*sixty-two for the season so far.*
**RC** /ˌɑ: 'si:lˌɑ:r-/ abbrev. for Roman Catholic
**RCA, the** /ˌɑ: si: 'eɪlˌɑ:r-/ abbrev. for ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART
**RCM, the** /ˌɑ: si: 'emlˌɑ:r-/ abbrev. for ROYAL COLLEGE OF
MUSIC
**RCMP** /ˌɑ: si: em 'pi:lˌɑ:r-/ abbrev. for ROYAL CANADIAN
MOUNTED POLICE; a police force of Canada → see also
MOUNTIE
**Rd** written abbrev. for Road, used in addresses
**RD** /ˌɑ: 'di:lˌɑ:r-/ abbrev. for rural delivery; a postal service that
delivers the mail in country areas in the US. The letters 'RD'
are part of someone's address.
**RDA** /ˌɑ: di: 'eɪlˌɑ:r-/ n [S] abbrev. for Recommended Daily
Allowance; the amount of substances such as VITAMINS or
MINERALS that you should have each day
**'re** /ǝ/ short for are: *We're ready but they're not.* (compare
*They're not ready but we are* (not *we're*))
**re¹** /reɪ/ n [S;U] the second note in the SOL-FA musical SCALE
**re²** /ri:/ prep (especially in business letters) on the subject of;
with regard to: *re your inquiry of the 19th October*
**re-** → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
**RE** /ˌɑ:r 'i:/ n [U] BrE abbrev. for religious education; the study of
religion as a school subject: *We have an RE lesson on Mon-*
*days.*
**reach¹** /ri:tʃ/ v 1 [T] to arrive at or come as far as; get to,
often after much time or effort: *After several changes of*
*plane, we finally reached London on Tuesday morning.* l *Have*
*you reached the end of the book yet?* l *The news only reached*
*me yesterday.* l *She's reached the age of 50.* l *Our sales to*
*Germany have reached record levels.* l *The two sides failed to*
*reach (an) agreement after several hours of discus-*
*sion.* 2 [l+adv/prep] to stretch out a hand or arm for some
purpose: *He reached across the table and picked up the book.* l
*The shopkeeper reached for a packet of tea.* 3 [l;T not in
progressive forms] to be able to touch (something) by stretching
out a hand or arm: *Are you tall enough to reach that apple on*
*the tree?* l (fig.) *We could see nothing but houses as far as the*
*eye could reach.* (=to the horizon) 4 [l+adv/prep; T not in progres-
sive forms] (of a thing or place) to be big enough to touch;
stretch out as far as: *The ladder won't quite reach (as far as)*
*the window.* l *The garden reaches down to the lake.* 5 [T(for)] to
get or give by stretching out a hand or arm: *I reached down*
*the child's cap from the hook.* l [+obj(i)+obj(d)] *Could you reach*
*me that book from the top shelf?* 6 [T] to get a message to; get
in touch with; CONTACT: *You can usually reach him on this*
*phone number* ... 7 **reach for the stars** to try to gain
something far away and seemingly impossible to reach
**reach sthg. ↔ out** phr v [T(for)] to stretch out (a hand or
arm): *The monkey reached out a hand for the banana.*
**reach²** n 1 [U(off)] a) the distance that one can touch by
stretching: *The bottle was within/out of (his) reach.* (=he
could/could not reach it) b) the distance that can be
(easily) travelled: *We live within easy reach of the shops.* c)
the limit to which something can have effect or influence:
*It's beyond the reach of my imagination.* 2 [S] the length of
one's arm: *a boxer with a long reach* 3 [C] a straight stretch
of water between two bends in a river: *the upper reaches of*
*the river* (=the part of the river farthest from the sea)
**'reach-me-,down** n [usually pl.] BrE for HAND-ME-DOWN
**re·act** /ri'ækt/ v [I] 1 [(to, against)] to act or behave in a
particular way in answer or opposition: *The government has*
*reacted to the outbreak of violence by sending army patrols to*
*police the area.* l *How did he react to your suggestion?* l *She*
*reacted angrily to these accusations.* l *Children tend to react*
*against their parents by going against their wishes.* l *The*
*patient reacted badly to the drug.* (=was made ill by it) 2 [(with,
on)] tech (of a substance) to change when mixed with another:
*An acid can react with a base to form a salt.* → see also
REAGENT
**re·ac·tion** /ri'ækʃən/ n 1 [C;U(to)] (a case or way of) reacting;
RESPONSE: *What was your reaction to the news?* (=what did
you think about it?) l *The news of the planned closure of the*
*factory provoked a hostile reaction from the union.* 2 [C;U(on,
to, against)] tech (in science) a) (a force exercised by a body
in reply to another force, which is of equal strength and acts
in the opposite direction b) (a) change caused in a chemi-
cal substance by the action of another 3 [S;U(from,
against)] a) (a) change back to a former condition: *The*
*popularity of these old-fashioned views reflects a reaction*
*against the permissiveness of the 1960s.* b) sudden weakness,
tiredness, low spirits etc, coming after unusual activity,
especially of the mind: *She may suffer a reaction when the*
*drug wears off.* 4 [U] derog the quality of being reactionary:
*The revolution was defeated by the forces of reaction.* → see
also CHAIN REACTION
**re·ac·tion·ar·y** /ri'ækʃənri‖-ʃǝneri/ n, adj derog (a person)
strongly opposed to social or political change: *a diehard*
*reactionary* | *reactionary views* → compare LIBERAL, RADICAL
**re·ac·tiv·ate** /ri'æktɪveɪt/ v [I;T] to make or become active
again: *We reactivated the machine.* l *The chemicals reactivate*
*when heated.*
**re·ac·tive** /ri'æktɪv/ adj tech (of a chemical substance) that
REACTS →**-ly** *adv* →**-ness** *n*
**re·ac·tor** /ri'æktə/ n 1 a NUCLEAR REACTOR 2 a container
for a chemical reaction