4. [F. rampe.] (Arch.) (a) Any sloping member, other than a purely constructional one, such as a continuous parapet to a staircase. (b) A short bend, slope, or curve, where a hand rail or cap changes its direction.

5. [F. rampe.] (Fort.) An inclined plane serving as a communication between different interior levels.

Ram*pa"cious (rm*p"shs), a. High-spirited; rampageous. [Slang] Dickens.

Ramp"age (rmp"j; 48), n. [See Ramp, v.] Violent or riotous behavior; a state of excitement, passion, or debauchery; as, to be on the rampage. [Prov. or Low] Dickens.

Ramp"age, v. i. To leap or prance about, as an animal; to be violent; to rage. [Prov. or Low]

Ram*pa"geous (rm*p"js), a. Characterized by violence and passion; unruly; rampant. [Prov. or Low]

In the primitive ages of a rampageous antiquity.

Galt.

Ram*pal"lian (-pl"yan), n. [Cf. ramp a prostitute, or rabble.] A mean wretch. [Obs.] Shak.

Ramp"an*cy (rmp"an*s), n. The quality or state of being rampant; excessive action or development; exuberance; extravagance. "They are come to this height and rampancy of vice." South.

Ramp"ant (rmp"ant), a. [F., p. pr. of ramper to creep. See Ramp, v.] 1. Ramping; leaping; springing; rearing upon the hind legs; hence, raging; furious.

The fierce lion in his kind Which goeth rampant after his prey.

Gower.

[The] lion . . . rampant shakes his brinded mane.

Milton.

2. Ascending; climbing; rank in growth; exuberant.

The rampant stalk is of unusual altitude.

I. Taylor.

3. (Her.) Rising with fore paws in the air as if attacking; -- said of a beast of prey, especially a lion. The right fore leg and right hind leg should be raised higher than the left.

Rampant arch. (a) An arch which has one abutment higher than the other. (b) Same as Rampant vault, below. -- Rampant gardant (Her.), rampant, but with the face turned to the front. -- Rampant regardant, rampant, but looking backward. -- Rampant vault (Arch.), a continuous wagon vault, or cradle vault, whose two abutments are located on an inclined plane, such as the vault supporting a stairway, or forming the ceiling of a stairway.

Ramp"ant*ly, adv. In a rampant manner.

Ram"part (rm"pärt), n. [F. rempart, OF. rempar, fr. remparer to fortify, se remparer to fence or intrench one's self; pref. re- re- + pref. en- (L. in) + parer to defend, parry, prepare, L. parare to prepare. See Pare.]

1. That which fortifies and defends from assault; that which secures safety; a defense or bulwark.

2. (Fort.) A broad embankment of earth round a place, upon which the parapet is raised. It forms the substratum of every permanent fortification. Mahan.

Syn. -- Bulwark; fence; security; guard. -- Rampart, Bulwark. These words were formerly interchanged; but in modern usage a distinction has sprung up between them. The rampart of a fortified place is the enceinte or entire main embankment or wall which surrounds it. The term bulwark is now applied to peculiarly strong outworks which project for the defense of the rampart, or main work. A single bastion is a bulwark. In using these words figuratively, rampart is properly applied to that which protects by walling out; bulwark to that which stands in the forefront of danger, to meet and repel it. Hence, we speak of a distinguished individual as the bulwark, not the rampart, of the state. This distinction, however, is often disregarded.

Ram"part, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ramparted; p. pr. & vb. n. Ramparting.] To surround or protect with, or as with, a rampart or ramparts.

Those grassy hills, those glittering dells, Proudly ramparted with rocks.

Coleridge.

Rampart gun (Fort.), a cannon or large gun for use on a rampart and not as a fieldpiece.

Rampe (rmp), n. [In allusion to its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. See Ramp.] (Bot.) The cuckoopint.

Ram"pier (rm"pr), n. See Rampart. [Obs.]

Ram"pi*on (rm"p*n), n. [Cf. F. raiponce, Sp. ruiponce, reponche, L. raperonzo, NL. rapuntium, fr. L. rapum, rapa, a turnip, rape. Cf. Rape a plant.] (Bot.) A plant (Campanula Rapunculus) of the Bellflower family, with a tuberous esculent root; -- also called ramps.

The name is sometimes given to plants of the genus Phyteuma, herbs of the Bellflower family, and to the American evening primrose (Œnothera biennis), which has run wild in some parts of Europe.

Ram"pire (-pr), n. A rampart. [Archaic]

The Trojans round the place a rampire cast.

Dryden.

Ram"pire, v. t. To fortify with a rampire; to form into a rampire. [Archaic] Chapman. "Rampired walls of gold." R. Browning.

Ram"pler (rm"plr), n. A rambler.

Ram"pler, a. Roving; rambling. [Scot.]

Ram"rod` (-rd`), n. The rod used in ramming home the charge in a muzzle-loading firearm.

Ram"shac*kle (-shk*k'l), a. [Etymol. uncertain.] Loose; disjointed; falling to pieces; out of repair.

There came . . . my lord the cardinal, in his ramshackle coach.

Thackeray.

Ram"shac*kle, v. t. To search or ransack; to rummage. [Prov. Eng.]

Ram"son (-z'n), n. [AS. hramsan, pl., akin to G. rams, Sw. rams, ramslök; cf. Gr. kro`myon onion.] (Bot.) A broad-leaved species of garlic (Allium ursinum), common in European gardens; -- called also buckram.

Ram"sted (-std), n. (Bot.) A yellow-flowered weed; -- so named from a Mr. Ramsted who introduced it into Pennsylvania. See Toad flax. Called also Ramsted weed.

Ram"u*lose` (-*ls`), a. [L. ramulosus, fr. ramulus, dim. of ramus a branch.] (Nat. Hist.) Having many small branches, or ramuli.

Ram"u*lous (-ls), a. (Nat. Hist.) Ramulose.

||Ram"u*lus (-ls), n.; pl. Ramuli (-l). (Zoöl.) A small branch, or ||branchlet, of corals, hydroids, and similar organisms.

||Ra"mus (r"ms), n.; pl. Rami (-m). (Nat. Hist.) A branch; a projecting ||part or prominent process; a ramification.

Ra*mus"cule (r*ms"kl), n. [L. ramusculus.] (Nat. Hist.) A small ramus, or branch.

Ran (rn), imp. of Run.

Ran, n. [AS. rn.] Open robbery. [Obs.] Lambarde.

Ran, n. (Naut.) Yarns coiled on a spun-yarn winch.

||Ra"na (r"n), n. [L., a frog.] (Zoöl.) A genus of anurous batrachians, ||including the common frogs.

Ra"nal (r"nal), a. (Bot.) Having a general affinity to ranunculaceous plants.

Ranal alliance (Bot.), a name proposed by Lindley for a group of natural orders, including Ranunculaceæ, Magnoliaceæ, Papaveraceæ, and others related to them.

Rance (rns), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] 1. A prop or shore. [Scot.]

2. A round between the legs of a chair.

Ran*ces"cent (rn*ss"sent), a. [L. rancescens, p. pr. of rancescere, v. incho. from rancere to be rancid.] Becoming rancid or sour.

Ranch (rnch), v. t. [Written also raunch.] [Cf. Wrench.] To wrench; to tear; to sprain; to injure by violent straining or contortion. [R.] Dryden. "Hasting to raunch the arrow out." Spenser.

Ranch, n. [See Rancho.] A tract of land used for grazing and the rearing of horses, cattle, or sheep. See Rancho, 2. [Western U. S.]

||Ran*che"ro (rn*ch"r), n.; pl. Rancheros (- rz). [Sp.] [Mexico & ||Western U. S.] 1. A herdsman; a peasant employed on a ranch or ||rancho.

2. The owner and occupant of a ranch or rancho.

Ranch"man (rnch"man), n.; pl. Ranchmen (-men). An owner or occupant of, or laborer on, a ranch; a herdsman. [Western U. S.]

||Ran"cho (rn"ch), n.; pl. Ranchos (-chz). [Sp., properly, a mess, mess ||room. Cf. 2d Ranch.] 1. A rude hut, as of posts, covered with ||branches or thatch, where herdsmen or farm laborers may live or lodge ||at night.

2. A large grazing farm where horses and cattle are raised; -- distinguished from hacienda, a cultivated farm or plantation. [Mexico & California] Bartlett.

Ran"cid (rn"sd), a. [L. rancidus, fr. rancere to be rancid or rank.] Having a rank smell or taste, from chemical change or decomposition; musty; as, rancid oil or butter.

Ran*cid"i*ty (rn*sd"*t), n. [Cf. F. rancidité.] The quality or state of being rancid; a rancid scent or flavor, as of old oil. Ure.

Ran"cid*ly (rn"sd*l), adv. In a rancid manner.

Ran"cid*ness, n. The quality of being rancid.

Ran"cor (r"kr), n. [Written also rancour.] [OE. rancour, OF. rancor, rancur, F. rancune, fr. L. rancor rancidity, rankness; tropically, an old grudge, rancor, fr. rancere to be rank or rancid.] The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated enmity or malice; inveterate hatred. "To stint rancour and dissencioun." Chaucer.

It would not be easy to conceive the passion, rancor, and malice of their tongues and hearts.

Burke.

Syn. -- Enmity; hatred; ill will; malice; spite; grudge; animosity; malignity. -- Rancor, Enmity. Enmity and rancor both describe hostile feelings; but enmity may be generous and open, while rancor implies personal malice of the worst and most enduring nature, and is the strongest word in our language to express hostile feelings.

Rancor will out; proud prelate, in thy face I see thy fury.

Shak.

Rancor is that degree of malice which preys upon the possessor.

Cogan.

Ran"cor*ous (-s), a. [OF. rancuros.] Full of rancor; evincing, or caused by, rancor; deeply malignant; implacably spiteful or malicious; intensely virulent.

So flamed his eyes with rage and rancorous ire.

Spenser.

Ran"cor*ous*ly, adv. In a rancorous manner.

Rand (rnd), n. [AS. rand, rond; akin to D., Dan., Sw., & G. rand, Icel. rönd, and probably to E. rind.]