Barrons R Word List

rabid
of or suffering rabies; like a fanatic; extremely zealous; furious; CF. rabies: hydrophobia

A rabid behavior

raconteur
story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill

He is a skilled raconteur

ragamuffin
dirty child in torn clothes; person wearing tattered clothes

Ragamuffins scattered all over the city

rail
complain bitterly; scold; ran

The weaker railing against injustices

raiment
clothing; garments

I have no raiment fit to wear.

rakish
jaunty; stylish; sporty; morally corrupt; dissolute;

He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle.

rake
angle of a slope; V: slant from the perpendicular

rake
immoral or dissolute person

He’s a rake of a human being

rally
come or bring together; call up or summon (forces, vital powers, etc.); revive or recuperate (after illness or difficulty); N: act of rallying; mass gathering

The students rallied around the city

ramble
wander aimlessly (physically or mentally); digress

The desperate lover rambled around the town

ramification
branching out; subdivision; one branch of a system; one of the results following from an action or decision;

The ramifications of a business/the decision

ramp
slope; inclined plane or roadway (connecting two levels)

Models walk on the ramp

rampant
growing or spreading uncontrollably; growing in profusion; unrestrained

Rampant lawlessness is obvious

rampart
defensive mound of earth

They hoisted the flag on the rampart

ramshackle
(of a building or vehicle) poorly constructed; rickety; falling apart

They lived in a ramshackle

rickety
(of buildings) likely to break or fall apart; of rickets; CF. rickets; CF. vitamin D

A rickety construction

ransack
search thoroughly; pillage (going through a place)

Enemy soldiers ransacked the town.

rancid
having the odor of stale or decomposing fat; rank

This yoghurt has a rancid flavor

rancor
long-lasting hatred; bitterness;

They wanted a negotiation without rancor

random
without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard; Ex. random shots; Ex. chosen at random

The books were chosen at random

raffle
lottery; V: award as a prize in a raffle

Raffle off a new car

rankle
irritate; fester; annoy

The little girl rankled her parents

rant
speak violently or excitedly; rave; talk excitedly showing anger; scold; make a grandiloquent speech

The priest ranted about the devil.

rapacious
voracious; ravenous; taking everything one can; excessively grasping; plundering; subsisting on live prey

The rapacious birds flew rigorously

rapport
close relationship; emotional closeness; harmony

The activity develops rapport between the students

rapt
engrossed; absorbed; enchanted

He’s a rapt listener

rarefied
made less dense (of a gas); V. rarefy: make less dense; N. rarefaction

She looked through the rarefied lens

rare
(of air) thin in density; rarefied

Rare air of the mountains

raspy
making a harsh noise; grating; harsh

A raspy sound

rasp
(of a sound) grate on (eg. nerves); make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; rub with something rough;

The cat’s tongue rasped my hand.

ratify
approve formally; confirm; verify

The bill was ratified

ratiocination
reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises; V. ratiocinate: reason logically

ratiocination is important while offering judgment

rationale
fundamental reason or principle (on which a system or principle is based); fundamental reason or justification; grounds for an action

His talk lacked rationale

rational
(of a person) having reason; (of ideas) based on reason; logical

He always makes a rational judgment

ration
fixed portion; V: distribute as rations

The poor are given a white ration card

raucous
(of voice) harsh and unpleasant; (of people) disorderly and boisterous

The raucous shouts of the enraged public

ravage
devastate; plunder; despoil

Crops ravaged by storms

rave
overwhelmingly favorable review; V: talk wildly as if mad

He’s a raving lunatic

ravel
fall apart into tangles; entangle; unravel or untwist

The raveled loop

ravenous
extremely hungry; voracious

The girl seems to be ravenously hungry

ravine
narrow valley with steep sides; gorge; CF. gully, canyon

Water suddenly gushed out through the ravine

raze
destroy completely

Raze the city to the ground

reactionary
strongly opposed to social or political change; opposing progress; politically ultraconservative; N. OP. radical

He’s an obstinate reactionary

reinstate
restore to a previous condition or position

He got reinstated after a long time

realm
kingdom; field or sphere;

It is not within the realms of possibility

reaper
one who harvests grain;

He’s a grim Reaper

rebate
return of part of a payment; discount; V.

The showroom is offering a rebate

rebuff
reject bluntly; snub; beat back

She rebuffed his invitation

rebuke
scold harshly; criticize severely

She was rebuked by her parents

rebus
representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols; puzzle in which pictures or letters stand for word

”R U 18” is a rebus for ”Are you 18”.

rebuttal
refutation; response with contrary evidence; V. rebut: refute; disprove

The senate made a strong rebuttal

recalcitrant
disobedient or resisting authority even after being punished; obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly

A recalcitrant child

recant
disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error

To recant one’s faith

recapitulate
summarize

All the learned concepts have to be recapitulated

recast
reconstruct (a sentence, story, statue, etc.); fashion again

The entire crew of the film was recast

receptive
quick or willing to receive (ideas, suggestions, etc.)

She was receptive to the proposal

recession
withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity

The entire world now is under the cold wave of recession

recess
pause; temporary cessation; alcove; secret inner place;

The parliament is in recess

recidivism
habitual return to crime (even after being punished); N. recidivist

He’s a known recidivist

recipient
receiver

She is the recipient of the award

reciprocal
mutual; given and received in return; exchangeable; interacting

A reciprocal trade agreement

recluse
hermit; loner; ADJ. reclusive

He’s a recluse

reconcile
make friendly again (after quarrel); make consistent (two ideas in opposition); correct inconsistencies;

It is tough to reconcile one’s political principles with one’s religious beliefs

recondite
abstruse; not easily understood; profound; secret

Tarot reading is a recondite theory

reconnaissance
survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering; V. reconnoiter: make a preliminary inspection of (esp. to gather military information)

A military reconnaissance

recount
narrate or tell (a story); count over again

He recounted the events

recourse
resorting to help when in trouble

They had to fend for themselves without recourse to government funds

resort
turn to for help

The aggrieved soldiers resorted to violence

recreant
disloyal; cowardly; N: disloyal and cowardly person

A recreant like him can never be trusted

recrimination
countercharges; V. recriminate

She survived through the recriminations

rectify
set right; correct; CF. rect-: right

The error was rectified

rectitude
moral correctness; moral uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment

His rectitude made his presence formidable

recumbent
reclining; lying down completely or in part

A recumbent posture

recuperate
recover; return to health; regain;

Recuperate losses

recurrent
occurring again and again

It is a recurrent error

redolent
odorous; fragrant; suggestive (of an odor)

The room is redolent of onions

redoubtable
formidable; causing fear

A redoubtable presence

redress
remedy; compensation; V: put right; remedy or rectify (a wrong); make amends for

Seek redress for the damage to your car

redundant
superfluous; more than is necessary; verbose; excessively wordy; repetitious

The teacher asked the students to tick the redundant phrases

refectory
dining hall; room where meals are served (in a school)

The meal was served in a refectory

refraction
bending of a ray of light

A prism refracts the light waves

refractory
unmanageable; disobedient and stubborn

He had to deal with a refractory horse

refrain
abstain from; resist; forbear; N: chorus

She had to refrain from a spicy diet

refulgent
effulgent; brilliant; brightly shining; gleaming

A refulgent moon in her full splendor

refurbish
renovate; make clean, bright, or fresh (make new) again; make bright by polishing;

They refurbished an old theater

refute
disprove; prove to be false; N. refutation

They refuted all her claims

regal
royal; of a monarch

His regal manners attracted the crowd

regale
entertain

His business was to regale the audience

regatta
boat or yacht race

A regatta is a yacht race

regeneration
spiritual rebirth; V. regenerate: give or obtain new life; reform spiritually

Regeneration of the prisoners

regicide
murder of a king or queen

Macbeth was involved in a regicide

regime
method of system or government

Citizens flourished during his regime

regimen
prescribed course of diet or exercise; prescribed diet and habits;

The daily regimen of a dancer

regiment
military unit; V: subject to strict order

A regimented society

rehabilitate
restore to proper condition (health or useful life); restore the former rank of

He works for a rehabilitation center for drug addicts

reimburse
repay; pay back

The money spent on commuting will be reimbursed by the company

reiterate
repeat

The teacher reiterated the concepts

rejoinder
reply; retort; comeback; V. rejoin: say in reply

The rejoinder clarified most of the employees apprehensions

rejuvenate
make young again

The drug rejuvenates

relegate
put into a lower or worse place; banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign; Ex. relegate the old furniture to the children’s room;

He was relegated to the second division

relent
become less severe; give in(surrender); ADJ. relentless: unyielding; continuously severe

A relentless child

relevant
having importance; pertinent; referring to the case in hand; N. relevance, relevancy

They were into a relevant discussion

relic
surviving remnant (from an extinct culture); memento; keepsake; relics: corpse; Ex. ancient relics; Ex. relics of his travel

His relics are buried at the Westminster Abbey

relinquish
give up something (with reluctance); yield; release

He relinquished his desire for power

relish
enjoy; savor; N: enjoyment; zest

The food was relished by the guests

remediable
reparable

It’s a remediable error

reminiscence
recollection; V. reminisce: recollect the past

The book is a collection of his reminiscences

remiss
negligent; careless about a duty

A sheer remiss of responsibility

remission
temporary moderation (of disease symptoms); remitting of a debt or punishment; cancellation of a debt; pardon;

The disease went into remission

remit
transmit (money) in payment; free someone from a debt or punishment

Her money was still not remitted

remnant
remainder

The remnants of past mistakes

remonstrate
protest; objection; V. remonstrate: say in protest

A political remonstration

remorse
deep regret for wrongdoing; guilt; self-reproach

She has gone into a deep remorse

remunerative
(of work) compensating; rewarding; profitable; well-paid; V. remunerate: reward; pay (someone) for work or trouble

The work is remunerative

rend
split; tear apart; N. rent; CF. heartrending: causing deep sorrow

The storm rent the ship to pieces

render
give; deliver; provide; represent in verbal or artistic form; depict; perform; make; translate;

She rendered the song beautifully

rendezvous
meeting place; meeting at a set time or place; V

The rendezvous was at a plush hotel

renegade
deserter; traitor; ADJ.

An egregious renegade

renege
break a promise; deny; go back on

The landlord reneged on the contract

renounce
abandon; give up (by formal announcement); disown; repudiate;

He renounced his claim to the property

renovate
restore to good condition; renew

The building was renovated

renown
fame; ADJ. renowned

Naipaul is a renowned writer

reparable
capable of being repaired

It’s a reparable fault

reparation
compensation (for loss or wrong); amends;

They made reparations for the damage

repartee
quick clever reply

He made a quick repartee

repast
meal; feast; banquet

A luscious repast was offered to the employees

repeal
revoke; annul

The bill was repealed

repel
drive away; disgust; Ex. repel the attack/moisture;

She was repelled by the dirty room

repellent
driving away; disgusting; offensive; repulsive; unattractive; N.

She bought a mosquito repellant

repercussion
rebound; reaction; reverberation;

The dialogue may have serious repercussions

repertoire
list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present; CF. repertory

A theater repertoire

repine
fret; complain; be annoyed

She repined over the undone work

replenish
fill up again

The ration was replenished

replete
fully filled; filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied; That’s a report replete with errors

replica
copy

She is a replica of her mother

repository
storehouse

Provisions were stocked in the repository

repose
resting; state of being at rest; calmness; V: lie at rest; relax; put or place;

We cannot repose our hopes in a single man

reprehensible
deserving blame; blameworthy; V. reprehend: blame

That’s a reprehensible mistake

repress
hold back (the natural expression of); restrain; crush; oppress; Ex. repressed child;

They tried hard to repress their laugh

reprieve
postponement or cancellation of a punishment; temporary stay; V: postpone or cancel the punishment of

The meeting was reprieved

reprimand
reprove severely; rebuke; N.

The boy was held in reprimand

reprisal
retaliation

A reprisal of policies

reprise
musical repetition; repeating of a piece of music; repeat performance; recurrent action;

A reprise in the finale

reproach
blame (not angrily but sadly); express disapproval or disappointment; N. ADJ. reproachful

He was reproached severely

reprobate
morally disapproved person; person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency; CF. disapproved by God ?

An obnoxious reprobate

repudiate
disown; disavow; deny

He repudiated the office of Minister

repugnance
disgust; strong dislike; loathing; ADJ. repugnant: arousing disgust; repulsive

A strong repugnance for alcohol

reputable
respectable; having a good reputation

That’s a reputable business firm

requiem
mass for the dead; dirge

We could not participate in the requiem

requisite
necessary requirement; something required; ADJ: required; necessary

She does not fulfill the requisites slated for this post

requisition
formal demand or request;

A requisition for more computing equipment was placed

rescind
repeal; annul; cancel (a law, decision, or agreement)

Rescinding a law

resentment
indignation; bitterness; displeasure; V. resent: feel anger about

They showed the performer a strong resentment

reserve
self-control; self-restraint; formal but distant manner; reticence; Ex. without reserve: freely and openly; ADJ. reserved: shy and uncommunicative

Their feelings flowed without reserve

residue
remainder; balance

Magma is the residue of Lava

resignation
patiently submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job; ADJ. resigned: acquiescent

She submitted her resignation

resilient
elastic; having the power of springing back; able to recover quickly (as from misfortune)

He has a resilient nature

resolution
determination; resoluteness; ADJ. resolute: firm or determined in purpose

There resolutions were intransigent

resonant
(of a sound) echoing; resounding(sounding loudly); deep and full in sound; producing resonance; Ex. resonant voice; N. resonance

he has a deep resonant voice

respite
time for rest; interval of relief; delay in punishment; reprieve

There is no respite from the punishment

resplendent
brilliant; splendid in appearance; dazzling; glorious

A resplendent marriage

responsiveness
state of reacting readily to appeals, orders, etc.; ADJ. responsive: readily reacting;

The patient was responsive to treatment

restitution
returning something (lost or stolen) to the rightful owner; reparation; indemnification; compensation for loss, damage, or injury

The victims were offered a restitution

restive
impatiently restless (induced by external coercion or restriction); restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control; Ex. restive horses because of wolves; CF. not a general synonym for ‘restless’

She was in a restive mood

restraint
moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction

The cops were told to demonstrate restraint

resumption
taking up again; recommencement; V. resume: begin or take up again; take or occupy again

Kindly resume your seats.

resurge
rise again; flow to and fro; N. resurgence; ADJ. resurgent: (of ideas or beliefs) experiencing revival; surging again

The resurgence of mutiny

resurrect
revive

They believe in the day of resurrection

resuscitate
revive; bring back to life or consciousness

He resuscitated the drowned child

retain
keep; maintain possession of; employ (esp. a lawyer or advisor); N. retainer: servant

Fee paid to retain an advisor

retaliate
repay in kind (usually for bad treatment); V. retaliate

The students retaliated against the teacher

retentive
holding; able to retain things (esp. facts in the mind); having a good memory

She has a good retention potential

reticent
inclined to silence; uncommunicative; reserved

He was reticent about the reasons; N. reticence

retinue
following; attendants

Lear’s retinue followed him

retiring
shy and reserved (of a person); modest

She has a retiring personality

retort
quick sharp reply; V.

The children retorted with agility

retract
withdraw; take back; draw back;

The officer retracted a statement

retrench
cut down; cut down expenses; economize

They were advised to retrench expenses

retrieve
recover; put right; find and bring in; regain

We tried hard to retrieve the situation

retroactive
taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax); (of a law) having effect on the past as well as the future

A retroactive law

retrograde
go backwards; recede; degenerate; deteriorate; ADJ.

A retrograde policy

retrospective
looking back on the past; N. retrospection; V. retrospect

He was asked to retrospect his past

revelry
boisterous merrymaking; V. revel: engage boisterous festivities; enjoy greatly; N: boisterous festivity or celebration

They were found in drunken revelry

reverberate
echo repeatedly; resound

The thunder reverberated across the valley.

reverent
respectful; worshipful; V. revere: regard with reverence; N. reverence: profound respect

A reverent teacher

reverie
daydream; abstracted musing

I was lost in a reverie

revert
relapse; backslide; turn back to; return to the former owner; N. reversion

They were asked to revert their way to the mansion

relapse
return to a former state (esp. after improvement); N.

The disease could relapse

revile
attack with abusive language; vilify(slander)

The gracious Judge, without revile, replied. –Milton

revoke
cancel; retract; CF. irrevocable

The bill was revocable

revulsion
sudden strong feeling of disgust; sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction;

Revulsion from the scenes of torture

rhapsodize
speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner;

He rhapsodized over the beauty of the scenery

rhetoric
art of effective communication; art of using language effectively and persuasively; style of speaking or writing; grandiloquent language; Ex. political rhetoric; ADJ. rhetorical; CF. rhetorical question: question to which no answer is expected as ”Who knows it ?”

A political rhetoric

ribald
marked by vulgar lewd humor; wanton; profane; N. ribaldry: ribald language or joke

A ribald language

riddle
pierce with holes; permeate or spread throughout; Ex. The gunman riddled the car with bullets;

The whole report is riddled with errors

rider
amendment or clause added to a legislative bill

The rider makes it impossible for the commoner to vote

rife
(of something bad) widespread; abundant; current

Crime is rife in the slum areas of our cities

rift
narrow opening in a large mass; break in a friendly relation;

The rays passed through a rift in the clouds

rig
fix or manipulate; manipulate dishonestly for personal gain;

Miscreants rig the election

rigid
hard and unbending; stiff and unyielding; fixed in behavior or views; strict; rigorous;

That’s a rigid rule to follow

rigor
severity;

It’s hard to cope with the rigors of the Russian winter

rile
irritate; vex; muddy

The girl riled her uncle

riveting
holding one’s attention; absorbing; engrossing

A riveting performance by the veteran

rivet
metal pin used for fastening metal plates together;

Fasten with a rivet

rivulet
small stream;

A rivulet flows through the ravine

robust
strong; vigorous

He’s a robust wrestler

rococo
ornate; highly decorated; N. CF. 18th century

A rococo ambience

roil
make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; disturb

Students roiled the solution

roseate
rosy; optimistic

He has roseate views on life

roster
list (of names)

The roster had names of all the people

rostrum
raised platform for speech-making; pulpit

The rostrum was decorated for the speaker

rote
repetition; memorization through repetition without understanding

Students learn poetry by rote

rotunda
circular building or hall covered with a dome

A Roman rotunda

rotund
(of a person) fat and round

He has a rotund build

rousing
lively; inducing excitement; stirring; V. rouse: waken; arouse from sleep or depression; excite; stir up

The rousing of the militia

rout
put to rout; stampede; drive out; N: complete defeat and disorderly retreat

The occasion turned out be a rout

rubble
fragments (esp. from a destroyed building)

They searched the remnants from the rubble

rubric
title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol

She read out the rubric aloud

ruddy
reddish; (of the face) reddish and healthy-looking

He has a ruddy complexion

rudimentary
elementary; not developed; crude; N. rudiment: fundamental element or principle;

They researched on rudiments of the language

rue
regret; lament; mourn; Ex. He will rue the day; N. ADJ. rueful

She was in a deep rueful mood

ruffian
violent scoundrel; bully

The police captured the ruffian

ruminate
chew over and over (mentally or, like cows, physically); mull over(ponder)

She advised him not to ruminate over the past

rummage
ransack; thoroughly search

The thieves rummaged entire house

runic
mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet; N. rune: one of the letters of an alphabet used by ancient Germanic peoples (cut on stone or wood); magic charm

It’s a runic and occult theory

ruse
trick to deceive; stratagem

They devised the ruse to muddle up the funds

rustic
pertaining to country people; unsophisticated; simple; crude; uncouth; (of furniture) rough with the bark left on; N. rural person; rustic person

He’s a rustic

rusticate
banish to the country; dwell in the country

The traitor was rusticated

ruthless
pitiless; merciless; cruel

The law of that country is ruthless