RAK
C 957 )
RAN
The Lunar Iris has all the Colours of the Solar, very diftinct and pleafant; only faint, in Companion of the other; both from the different intenfity of the Rays, and the different Dif-
pohti° n
of the Medium.
In that mentiatfd Philofoph. Iranfaft. N°. 331. Mr. Thoresby obferves, the largenefs of the Arch was not fo much lefs than that f the Sun, as the different Dirhenfions of their Bodies, and their Diftances from the Earth fliould feem to require: But, as to its jntirenefs and the Beauty of its Colour, it was admirable. It conti- nued about 10 Minutes e're the interpolation of a Cloud hinder'd its Observation.
Marbie Rain-Bow.
The Marine or Sea-Bow, is a Phenomenon fometlmes obferv'd jn a much agitated Sea; when the Wind {weeping Part of the Tops of the Waves, carries them aloft; fo that the Sun's Ray falling upon them, are refracted, &c. as in a common Shower; and Paint the Colours of the Bow.
F. Bourses, in the Philofoph. IranfaB. obferves, that the Co- lours of the Marine Rainbow are lefs lively, diftinct, and of lefs duration than chofe of the common Boiu; that there are fcarce a- bove twojColours diftinguilhable, a dark Yellow on the Side next the Sun, and a pale Green on the oppofite Side.
But thefe Bows exceed as to Number, there being fomerimes 20 or 30 feen together: They appear at Noon-Day, and in a Pofition oppofite to that of the common Bow, i c. the Concave Side is turn'd upwards, as, indeed, it's neceflary it fliould be, from what we have Ihewn in accounting for the Phenomena of the Solar Bovj.
To this Oafs of Bows may be referr'd a Kind of •white, colour- kfs Rainbows , which Mcntzolir/s, and others, affirm to have feen at Noon-Day. M. Mariotte in his IVth EJfai de Phyfifie, iays, ihele Bows are form'd in Mijts, as the others are in Showers, and adds, that he has feen feveral both after Sun-riling, and in the Night.
Th^ want of Colours he attributes to the Smallnefs of the Va- pours which compote the Mat: We mould rather Account for it from the exceeding Tenuity of the little Veficu&e of the Vapour; which being in effect only little watery Pellicles bloated with Air, the Rays of Light undergo but little Refraction in palling out of Air into them; too little to feparate the differently coloured Rays, &c.
Hence the Rays are reflected from them, compounded as they came, that is, White. See Refraction.
Rohault mentions coloixfd Rainbows on the Grafs; form'd by the Refractions of the Sun's Rays in the Morning Dew. Trait. kVhyf
RAISER, in Building, a Board let on-edge under the fore-fide of a Step, Stair, &c. See Stair, &c.
RAISING, in the Manage, one of the three Actions of a Horie's Legs; the other two being the Stay and the Tread; which fee.
The Ratfng, or lifting up of his Leg in Caprioles, Curvets, &c. is efteemed good, if he preform it hardily and with eafe; not eroding his Legs, nor carrying his Feet too much out or in; yec bending his Knees as much as is needful.
Raisin G-PiVcw, in Architecture, are Pieces that lie under the Beams, on Brick or Timber, by the Side of the Houle.
RAISINS, Grapes prepared by drying them in the Sun, or in Ovens; to fit them for keeping, and tor fome medicinal Pur- pofes. See Currants.
Of thefe there are various Kinds: As Raijins of Damafcus- thus call 'd from the capital City of Syria, in the Neighbourhood whereof they are cultivated. They are much ufed in the Com- petition of Ptifans, together with Jujubes and Dates; are brought flat and feeded, of the Size of the Thumb; whence 'tis eafy judging of the extraordinary Bulk of theGrape, when frefli. Travellers tell us of Bunches weighing 25 Pounds. Their Tafte is fainrifh and difagrecable.
Raifms of the Sim, a kind of Raifins brought from Spam, of a reddifh or bluoilh Colour, feeded, very agreeable to eat.
There are various other Kinds, denominated from the Place "where they grow, or the Kind of Grape, &c. as Raijins of Ca- hhrtOi Mufcade Raifms, &C.
RAITING, or Rating, the laying of Hemp, Flax, Tim- ber, <&c. when green, in a Pond or running Water, to feafon and difpofe for future ufe. See Seasoning.
RAKE, of a Ship, is fo much of her Hull as over-hangs ac both Ends of her Keel.
Jhac Part of it which is before, iscalled'the Rake forward ov; 2nd that Part which is at the fetting on of the Stern-Poft, is calld her Rake aft-war A on : When a Ship hath but afmall Rake
°nvard on, but is built with her Stern too ftreight up, flie is <*i Ulufflc-headed.
ga&eof theRudder, is thehindermoftPartof it. See Rudder. H ^ ' °^ a ^orfe, ls the drawing his Ordure with the
Yy ° UE of the Fundament, when he is Coftive and cannot u , n £" k order to this the Hand muff be anointed with Sallet- u y' or But t e r .
. ,j AKING -7W f . among Architects, a Member hollowed in
- «e square of aPedefiri, or elfewhere. See Cavetto, Scotia,
RALLYING, in War, the re-afTembling, or calling together of Troops broken, routed, and put to flight— A Horfe is fatd to Rake when being Sboulder-Splaid, or having ftrain'd his Fore- Quarters, he goes fo Lame as to drag one of his Fore-Legs in a Circle.
See Aries.
RAM, in Aftronomy.; Battering Ram. ^
RAMADAN, a fort of Lent, obferv'd by the Mahometans t during which they faft the whole Day, with fuch extreme Su- perttition, that they dare not wafh their Mouth, nor even fwal- low their Spittle. See Lent and Fasting.
The Men indeed are allow'd to Bath themfelves; but 'tis on Condition they don't plunge the Head under Water, left fome Drops enter by the Mouth or Ears, &a But for the Women they are ftrictiy forbid Bathing, for fear of taking in Water be- low.
To make amends, they Feafl all the Night; and ufually fpend more this Month than in fix others.
R AMAGE, a Term ufed for the Boughs or Branches of Tree?. Hence,
Ramage Hawk, or Falcon, is one that is wild and coy, as ha- ving been long amidft the Boughs, preying for ic felf.
A Faulcon retains this Name till he has left the Eyrie, being fo called in May, June, July, and Augufi. Theie are very rarely reclaimed.
RAMMER, an Initrument for driving down Stones or Piles into the Ground; or for the beating the Earrh, and making it more folid for a Foundation. See Foundation.
Rammer, of a Gun, or Gun-Stick, a Rod or Staff ufed in charging a Gun; to drive home the Powder to the Breech, as al« fo the Shot, and the Wad, which keeps the Shot from rolling out. See Charge.
The Rammer of a great Gun has a round Piece of Wood at one End; the other is ufually rolled in a Piece of Sheep-Skin, fitted to the Bore of the Piece, in order to clear her after flie has been difcharged : Which they call Jpungiag the Piece. See Spunge RAMIFICATION, the Production of Boughs or Branches j or of Figures refembling Branches. See Branch.
Ramifications, in Anatomy, are the Divifions of the Arte- ries, Veins, and Nerves, arifing from fome common Trunk. See Artery, Vein, and Nerve.
RAMPANT, in Heraldry, is applied to a Lion, Bear, Leo- pard, or other Beaft, in a Pofture of Climbing, or {landing up- right on his Hind-Legs, and rearing up his Fore-Feet.
It is different from Saliant, which is a Pofture lels erect- See Saliant.
This Pofture is to be fpecified in blazoning in all Animals, except the Lion andGrifHn; it being their natural Situation. The Term is French, and fignifies literally, creeping. RAMPART, in Fortification, a Mount or Mafs of Earth, rais'd about the Body of a Place, to cover it from the great Shot; and form'd into Baftions, Curtains, &c. See Fortress,, Wall, Bastion, <£rc.
Upon the Rampart the Soldiers continually keep Guard, and Pieces of Artillery are planted for the Defence of the Place.
Hence, to Shelter the Guard from the Enemies Shot, the out-fide of the Rampart is built higher than the infide, I e. a Pa- rapet is rais'd upon it with a Platform. See Parapet and Plat- form.
Hence, alfo, Earth not being capable to be rais'd perpendicu- larly, like Stone; the Ra?npart is built with a Talus or Slope, both on the inner and outer-fide. See Talus.
The Rampart is fometime lined, i. e. fortified with a Stone Wall within-fide; ot-berwife it has a Berme. See Berme.
'Tis incompaffed with a Moat or Ditch, out of which the Earth that forms the Rampart is dug. See Ditch.
The Height of the Rampart mult not exceed three Fathom; this being fufficient to cover the Houfes from the Battery of the Cannon: Neither ought its Thicknefs to be above 10 or 12, unlefs more Earth be taken out of the Ditch, than can be other- ways beftowed.
The Ramparts of Half-Moons are the better for being low; that the fmall Fire of the Defendants may the better reach the Bottom of the Ditch : but yet it ruuft be fo high, as not to be commanded by the Covert- Way.
The Word is form'd from the SpanifJj Amparo, Defence, Co- vering.
Rampart is alfo ufed in Civil Architecture, for the Space left void between the Wall of a City and the next Houfes.
This is what the Romans call'd Pontarmm, wherein it was for- bid to build; and where they planted Rows of Trees, for the People to walk and amufe themfelves under.
RAMUS, in Anatomy, efv. a Branch of a greater Veflel. See Vessel.
Ramus A?iterior is particularly ufed for a Branch of the fubcu- taneous Vein pairing under the Mufcles of the Vina. Ramus pofe- rior, a Branch of the fame Vein running near the Elbow. See Subcutaneous.
RANCID, fomething mouldy, or mufty; or that has con- tracted an ill Smell, by being kept clofe. See Mouldindss.
The Word is particularly understood of old rufty Bacon. It comes from the Latin Rancidus, of ranceo, to be rank.
RANDOM-
