Ratable
(Rat"a*ble) a.
1. Capable of being rated, or set at a certain value.
Twenty oræ were ratable to [at] two marks of silver.
Camden. 2. Liable to, or subjected by law to, taxation; as, ratable estate.
3. Made at a proportionate rate; as, ratable payments. — Rat"a*ble*ness, n. — Rat"a*bly, adv.
Ratafia
(Rat`a*fi"a) n. [F., fr. Malay arak arrack + tafia a spirit distilled from molasses.] A spirituous
liquor flavored with the kernels of cherries, apricots, peaches, or other fruit, spiced, and sweetened with
sugar; — a term applied to the liqueurs called noyau, curaçao, etc. [Written also ratifia and
ratafee.]
Ratan
(Ra*tan") n. See Rattan.
Ratany
(Rat"a*ny) n. (Bot.) Same as Rhatany.
Rataplan
(||Ra`ta`plan") n. [F.] The iterative sound of beating a drum, or of a galloping horse.
Ratch
(Ratch) n. (Zoöl.) Same as Rotche.
Ratch
(Ratch) n. [See Rack the instrument, Ratchet.] A ratchet wheel, or notched bar, with which a
pawl or click works.
Ratchel
(Ratch"el) n. Gravelly stone. [Prov. Eng.]
Ratchet
(Ratch"et) n. [Properly a diminutive from the same word as rack: cf. F. rochet. See 2d Ratch,
Rack the instrument.]
1. A pawl, click, or detent, for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.
2. A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch, and pawl. See Ratchet wheel, below, and 2d
Ratch.
Ratchet brace (Mech.), a boring brace, having a ratchet wheel and pawl for rotating the tool by back
and forth movements of the brace handle. — Ratchet drill, a portable machine for working a drill
by hand, consisting of a hand lever carrying at one end a drill holder which is revolved by means of a
ratchet wheel and pawl, by swinging the lever back and forth. — Ratchet wheel (Mach.), a circular
wheel having teeth, usually angular, with which a reciprocating pawl engages to turn the wheel forward,
or a stationary pawl to hold it from turning backward.
In the cut, the moving pawl c slides over the teeth in one direction, but in returning, draws the wheel
with it, while the pawl d prevents it from turning in the contrary direction.
Rate
(Rate) v. t. & i. [Perh. fr. E. rate, v. t., to value at a certain rate, to estimate, but more prob. fr.
Sw. rata to find fault, to blame, to despise, to hold cheap; cf. Icel. hrat refuse, hrati rubbish.] To
chide with vehemence; to scold; to censure violently. Spenser.
Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy!
Shak.
Conscience is a check to beginners in sin, reclaiming them from it, and rating them for it.
Barrow. Rate
(Rate), n. [OF., fr. L. rata (sc. pars), fr. ratus reckoned, fixed by calculation, p. p. of reri to
reckon, to calculate. Cf. Reason.]
