%rare%

n. [ OF. craier, creer, croyer, ship of war, LL. craiera, creyera, perh. from G. krieger warrior, or D. krijger. ] A slow unwieldy trading vessel. [ Obs. ] [ Written also crayer, cray, and craie. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Native name. Cf. Wourall. ] A black resinoid extract prepared by the South American Indians from the bark of several species of Strychnos (Strychnos toxifera, etc.). It sometimes has little effect when taken internally, but is quickly fatal when introduced into the blood, and used by the Indians as an arrow poison. [ Written also urari, woorali, woorari, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not comprehended within a rule or rules. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to Ferrara, in Italy. -- n., sing. & pl. A citizen of Ferrara; collectively, the inhabitants of Ferrara. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Infra- + red. ] 1. (Physics) Lying outside the visible spectrum at its red end; -- said of rays having a longer wavelength (and thus less refrangible) than the extreme red rays, specifically those electromagnetic waves having a wavelength of between 700 nanometers and 1 millimeter. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

2. relating to, using, or producing infrared radiation. [ PJC ]

3. affected by infrared radiation; as, infrared detector; infrared film. [ PJC ]

n. [ Infra- + red. ] (Physics) electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of between 700 nanometers and 1 millimeter. Infrared radiation is that electromagnetic radiation lying between the visible spectrum and the longest microwaves. It may be absorbed by matter in a manner specific to the absorbing substance, causing increased vibration of molecules. The infrared absorption spectrum of a chemical compound is often very specific, and the infrared absorption spectrum is therefore used to help identify chemical substances. Infrared radiation is used in certain communication devices, such as television remote controls and communication devices between computers or between computers and peripherals. [ PJC ]

a. [ Cf. Rather, Rath. ] Early. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Rude mechanicals that rare and late
Work in the market place. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Rarer superl. Rarest. ] [ Cf. AS. hrēr, or E. rare early. √18. ] Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton. [ 1913 Webster ]

New-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy care
Turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is in common use in the United States, but in England its synonym underdone is preferred. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Rarer superl. Rarest. ] [ F., fr. L. rarus thin, rare. ] 1. Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare event. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree seldom found. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rare work, all filled with terror and delight. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Above the rest I judge one beauty rare. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Thinly scattered; dispersed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those rare and solitary, these in flocks. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations. [ 1913 Webster ]

Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular; extraordinary; incomparable. -- Rare, Scarce. We call a thing rare when but few examples, specimens, or instances of it are ever to be met with; as, a rare plant. We speak of a thing as scarce, which, though usually abundant, is for the time being to be had only in diminished quantities; as, a bad harvest makes corn scarce. [ 1913 Webster ]

A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in the world. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding emperor. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A dainty morsel; a Welsh rabbit. See Welsh rabbit, under Rabbit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Contr. fr. rarity-show. ] A show carried about in a box; a peep show. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. raréfaction. See Rarefy. ] The act or process of rarefying; the state of being rarefied; -- opposed to condensation; as, the rarefaction of air. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. raréfiable. ] Capable of being rarefied. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Rarefied p. pr. & vb. n. Rarefying ] [ F. raréfier; L. rarus rare + -ficare (in comp.) to make; cf. L. rarefacere. See -fy. ] To make rare, thin, porous, or less dense; to expand or enlarge without adding any new portion of matter to; -- opposed to condense. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become less dense; to become thin and porous. “Earth rarefies to dew.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a rare manner or degree; seldom; not often; as, things rarely seen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Finely; excellently; with rare skill. See 3d Rare, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

The person who played so rarely on the flageolet. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rest of the apartments are rarely gilded. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being rare. [ 1913 Webster ]

And let the rareness the small gift commend. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An early ripening fruit, especially a kind of freestone peach. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Rare early + ripe. Cf. Rathripe. ] Early ripe; ripe before others, or before the usual season. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Situated above, or anterior to, the kidneys. -- n. A suprarenal capsule. [ 1913 Webster ]

Suprarenal capsules (Anat.), two small bodies of unknown function in front of, or near, the kidneys in most vertebrates. Also called renal capsules, and suprarenal bodies. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. ultra- + red. ] (Physics) Situated beyond or below the red rays; as, the ultrated rays of the spectrum, which are less refrangible than the red. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, n. See Curare. [ 1913 Webster ]