Part 434

Rub"stone` (?), n. A stone for scouring or rubbing; a whetstone; a rub.

||Ru"bus (?), n. [L.] (Bot.) A genus of rosaceous plants, including the ||raspberry and blackberry.

Ru"by (?), n.; pl. Rubies (#). [F. rubis (cf. Pr. robi), LL. rubinus, robinus, fr. L. rubeus red, reddish, akin to ruber. See Rouge, red.] 1. (Min.) A precious stone of a carmine red color, sometimes verging to violet, or intermediate between carmine and hyacinth red. It is a red crystallized variety of corundum.

Besides the true or Oriental ruby above defined, there are the balas ruby, or ruby spinel, a red variety of spinel, and the rock ruby, a red variety of garnet.

Of rubies, sapphires, and pearles white.

Chaucer.

2. The color of a ruby; carmine red; a red tint.

The natural ruby of your cheeks.

Shak.

3. That which has the color of the ruby, as red wine. Hence, a red blain or carbuncle.

4. (Print.) See Agate, n., 2. [Eng.]

5. (Zoöl.) Any species of South American humming birds of the genus Clytolæma. The males have a ruby-colored throat or breast.

Ruby of arsenic, Ruby of sulphur (Chem.), a glassy substance of a red color and a variable composition, but always consisting chiefly of the disulphide of arsenic; -- called also ruby sulphur. -- Ruby of zinc (Min.), zinc sulphide; the mineral zinc blende or sphalerite. -- Ruby silver (Min.), red silver. See under Red.

Ru"by, a. Ruby-colored; red; as, ruby lips.

Ru"by, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rubying.] To make red; to redden. [R.] Pope.

Ru"by*tail` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A European gold wasp (Chrysis ignita) which has the under side of the abdomen bright red, and the other parts deep bluish green with a metallic luster. The larva is parasitic in the nests of other wasps and of bees.

Ru"by-tailed` (?), a. Having the tail, or lower part of the body, bright red.

Ru"by*throat` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of humming birds belonging to Trochilus, Calypte, Stellula, and allies, in which the male has on the throat a brilliant patch of red feathers having metallic reflections; esp., the common humming bird of the Eastern United States (Trochilus colubris).

Ru"by*wood` (?), n. red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood.

Ru*cer"vine (?), a. [NL. Rucervus, the genus, fr. NL. Rusa a certain genus of deer (Malay r&?;sa deer) + Cervus.] (Zoöl.) Of, like, or pertaining to, a deer of the genus Rucervus, which includes the swamp deer of India.

Ruche (?), n. [F. ruche ruche, beehive, OF. rusche a beehive, which was formerly made of the bark of trees; cf. W. rhisg, rhisgl, bark, gael. rusg bark, rind.] 1. A plaited, quilled, or goffered strip of lace, net, ribbon, or other material, -- used in place of collars or cuffs, and as a trimming for women's dresses and bonnets. [Written also rouche.]

2. A pile of arched tiles, used to catch and retain oyster spawn.

Ruch"ing, n. A ruche, or ruches collectively.

Ruck (?), n. A roc. [Obs. or prov. Eng.] Drayton.

Ruck, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Rucked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rucking.] [Icel hrukkast to wrinkle, hrukka wrinkle, fold.] To draw into wrinkles or unsightly folds; to crease; as, to ruck up a carpet. Smart.

Ruck, n. [Icel. hrukka. Cf. Ruck, v. t.] A wrinkle or crease in a piece of cloth, or in needlework.

Ruck, v. i. [Cf. Dan. ruge to brood, to hatch.] To cower; to huddle together; to squat; to sit, as a hen on eggs. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Gower. South.

The sheep that rouketh in the fold.