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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section R · Project Gutenberg — chapter 463 of 470 · ~665 words · public domain

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Ru"ral*ize, v. i. To become rural; to go into the country; to rusticate.

Ru"ral*ly, adv. In a rural manner; as in the country.

Ru"ral*ness, n. The quality or state of being rural.

Ru*ric"o*list (?), n. [L. ruricola; rus, ruris, the country + colere to inhabit.] An inhabitant of the country. [R.] Bailey.

Ru`ri*dec"a*nal (?), a. [L. rus, ruris the country + decanus the chief of ten. See Dean.] Of or pertaining to a rural dean; as, a ruridecanal district; the ruridecanal intellect. [R.]

Ru*rig"e*nous (?), a. [L. rurigena; rus, ruris, the country + genere, gignere, to bring forth, pass., to be born.] Born in the country. [Obs.]

Ruse (?), n. [F., fr. OF. reüser, rehuser, to turn aside, to shuffle, retreat, fr. L. recusare to refuse; pref. re- again + causa cause. See Cause, and cf. Recusant.] An artifice; trick; stratagem; wile; fraud; deceit.

||Ruse de guerre (&?;) [F.], a stratagem of war.

Rush (?), n. [OE. rusche, rische, resche, AS. risce, akin to LG. rusk, risch, D. & G. rusch; all probably fr. L. ruscum butcher's broom; akin to Goth. raus reed, G. rohr.] 1. (Bot.) A name given to many aquatic or marsh-growing endogenous plants with soft, slender stems, as the species of Juncus and Scirpus.

Some species are used in bottoming chairs and plaiting mats, and the pith is used in some places for wicks to lamps and rushlights.

2. The merest trifle; a straw.

John Bull's friendship is not worth a rush.

Arbuthnot.

Bog rush. See under Bog. -- Club rush, any rush of the genus Scirpus. -- Flowering rush. See under Flowering. -- Nut rush (a) Any plant of the genus Scleria, rushlike plants with hard nutlike fruits. (b) A name for several species of Cyperus having tuberous roots. -- Rush broom, an Australian leguminous plant (Viminaria denudata), having long, slender branches. Also, the Spanish broom. See under Spanish. -- Rush candle, See under Candle. -- Rush grass, any grass of the genus Vilfa, grasses with wiry stems and one-flowered spikelets. -- Rush toad (Zoöl.), the natterjack. -- Scouring rush. (Bot.) Same as Dutch rush, under Dutch. -- Spike rush, any rushlike plant of the genus Eleocharis, in which the flowers grow in dense spikes. -- Sweet rush, a sweet-scented grass of Arabia, etc. (Andropogon schœnanthus), used in Oriental medical practice. -- Wood rush, any plant of the genus Luzula, which differs in some technical characters from Juncus.

Rush (rsh), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rushed (rsht); p. pr. & vb. n. Rushing.] [OE. ruschen; cf. AS. hryscan to make a noise, D. ruischen to rustle, G. rauschen, MHG. rschen to rush, to rustle, LG. rusken, OSw. ruska, Icel. & Sw. ruska to shake, Dan. ruske to shake, and E. rouse.] 1. To move forward with impetuosity, violence, and tumultuous rapidity or haste; as, armies rush to battle; waters rush down a precipice.

Like to an entered tide, they all rush by.

Shak.

2. To enter into something with undue haste and eagerness, or without due deliberation and preparation; as, to rush business or speculation.

They . . . never think it to be a part of religion to rush into the office of princes and ministers.

Sprat.

Rush, v. t. 1. To push or urge forward with impetuosity or violence; to hurry forward.

2. To recite (a lesson) or pass (an examination) without an error. [College Cant, U.S.]

Rush, n. 1. A moving forward with rapidity and force or eagerness; a violent motion or course; as, a rush of troops; a rush of winds; a rush of water.

A gentleman of his train spurred up his horse, and, with a violent rush, severed him from the duke.

Sir H. Wotton.

2. Great activity with pressure; as, a rush of business. [Colloq.]

3. A perfect recitation. [College Cant, U.S.]

4. (Football) (a) A rusher; as, the center rush, whose place is in the center of the rush line; the end rush. (b) The act of running with the ball.

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