📖 R — The English dictionary · page 17

redness — Everyday, meaning 1: Redness is the state of being red.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Redness of the skin is a red patch that can mean it is sore, hot, sunburnt or infected.↗ Example: There was redness around the bee sting.↗ · If the redness spreads, see a doctor.↗ · The redness of her cheeks showed she was embarrassed.↗ · Put cream on to calm the redness after sunburn.↗ · The redness of the sunset was beautiful.↗ · The nurse checked his eye for redness.↗ · A little redness after a vaccination is normal.↗ · He had a sword in his hand, and there was nothing in his face but redness and ferocity.↗ · Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?↗ (Writings PRO.23.29, JPS 1917)↗

redo — Everyday, meaning 1: To redo something is to do it again, usually because it was wrong or not good enough.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To redo a room is to decorate it again.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A redo is a second try, a do-over.↗ Example: Please redo question 5; the answer is wrong.↗ · I had to redo my homework because I spilled juice on it.↗ · The builders redid the roof.↗ · Can I have a redo?↗ My hand slipped!↗ · She redid her plait three times before school.↗ · We redid the sum and got 42 this time.↗ · They are redoing the bathroom in white tiles.↗ · He has redone the drawing and it looks much better.↗

redouble — Everyday, meaning 1: To make an effort, a feeling or an action much stronger or greater.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (in the card game bridge) To double again a bid that has already been doubled.↗ Example: The team redoubled their efforts in the second half.↗ · After the storm, the rescuers redoubled their search.↗ · The rain redoubled and we ran for shelter.↗ · The teacher told us to redouble our practice before the concert.↗ · Her fear redoubled when the lights went out.↗ · Police have redoubled patrols near the school.↗ · He ran on, redoubling his speed, pretending not to hear.↗

redoubtable — Everyday, meaning 1: (old use) Fearsome and powerful, so that people feel respect or fear for them.↗ Example: The redoubtable giant guarded the bridge.↗ · Even the bravest knight feared the redoubtable dragon.↗ · His redoubtable enemy was far stronger than he was.↗

redraft — Everyday, meaning 1: To write a piece of writing again, making it better.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A new, improved version of a piece of writing.↗ Example: Please redraft your story using the teacher's comments.↗ · I redrafted my letter three times.↗ · The redraft is much clearer than the first draft.↗ · We redrafted the class rules together.↗ · When you redraft, check your full stops and capital letters.↗ · The council redrafted its plan after people complained.↗

redress — Everyday, meaning 1: To put right an unfair or harmful state of things.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To make two things balanced again, as by taking from one side and giving to the other.↗ Example: The judge will redress the wrong done to the family.↗ · The teacher gave extra time to redress the unfair test.↗ · Jupiter bade him redress the balance between people and beasts.↗ · and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for myself with mine own hand.↗ (Prophets 1SA.25.33, JPS 1917)↗ · that this shall be no stumbling-block unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath found redress for himself.↗ (Prophets 1SA.25.31, JPS 1917)↗

redshift — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) Redshift is when light from a star or galaxy moving away from us is stretched so it looks redder, shifting towards the red end of the rainbow.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It is evidence that the universe is expanding.↗ Example: Redshift tells us galaxies are moving away.↗ · The further away a galaxy, the bigger its redshift.↗ · Scientists measured the redshift of the light.↗ · Redshift is like the change in a passing siren's sound, but for light.↗ · Redshift helped scientists discover that the universe is getting bigger.↗ · Red light has longer waves, so redshift means stretched waves.↗

redskin — Everyday, meaning 1: (old and offensive) An old, rude name for a Native American; it must not be used now.↗ Example: Old stories sometimes used the word redskins; we now say Native American or name the nation.↗ · Now we know why she was prejudiced against the redskins.↗ · Please do not use that offensive word.↗

reduce — Everyday, meaning 1: To reduce something is to make it smaller in size, amount, number or strength.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To reduce a price is to make it cheaper.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In cooking, to reduce a sauce is to boil it so it becomes thicker and smaller in amount.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To be reduced to something is to be brought to a worse state, such as being reduced to tears.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: To reduce something can mean to write it down in a simpler, standard form.↗ Example: Reduce 20 by 5 and you get 15.↗ · The shop reduced the price of the shoes.↗ · We can reduce waste by using a lunchbox.↗ · Reduce speed near schools.↗ · Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury.↗ · Reduce the fraction 4/8 to 1/2.↗ · Cook the sauce until it reduces.↗ · The sad film reduced me to tears.↗ · I have reduced the Suffolk dialect.↗

reduction — Everyday, meaning 1: A reduction is making something smaller or less, or the amount by which it is made smaller.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A reduction in a shop is a lower price; a discount.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In maths, reduction can mean making a shape or picture smaller by a scale factor, or simplifying a fraction.↗ Example: There is a 10% reduction on all toys.↗ · The reduction in speed made the road safer.↗ · A reduction of 5 dollars makes the book cost 15 dollars.↗ · We want a reduction in plastic waste.↗ · The photo is a reduction of the real painting.↗ · The new rule led to a big reduction in litter.↗ · Find the price after a reduction of a quarter.↗ · Writing 4/8 as 1/2 is a reduction to simplest form.↗ · and its reduction to writing, form a unity which produce a creative effect.↗ 1 (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

redundancy — Everyday, meaning 1: (work, UK, Ireland, Australia) Redundancy is losing your job because the employer no longer needs that job — for example when a factory closes — not because of anything you did wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (money) Redundancy pay is money given to a worker who is made redundant.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) Redundancy is having more of something than is needed, like spare parts kept "just in case" or repeated words.↗ Example: Dad was made redundant when the factory closed.↗ · Mum got redundancy pay to help until she finds work.↗ · Hundreds of workers faced redundancy.↗ · It wasn't his fault — it was redundancy, not the sack.↗ · Planes have redundancy: if one system fails, another takes over.↗ · "Return back" has redundancy, because return already means go back.↗

redundant — Everyday, meaning 1: Redundant means not needed any more, because there is already enough or it is repeated.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK, Ireland, Australia, euphemism) To be made redundant is to lose your job because the employer no longer needs the job done.↗ Example: Cross out the redundant words in your sentence.↗ · Some information in the problem is redundant.↗ · Dad was made redundant from the factory.↗ · The old machine became redundant.↗ · "Return back" is redundant, because "return" already means go back.↗ · 200 workers were made redundant.↗ · A spare tyre is redundant until you get a flat.↗ · The extra light switch is redundant.↗

redwood — Everyday, meaning 1: A very tall evergreen tree with reddish bark, found mainly in California; coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The reddish wood from such trees.↗ Example: Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world.↗ · We walked among giant redwoods in California.↗ · Some redwoods are older than the Roman Empire.↗ · The redwood's thick bark protects it from fire.↗ · Our garden bench is made of redwood.↗ · You have to tip your head right back to see the top of a redwood.↗

reed — Everyday, meaning 1: A reed is a tall, thin, grass-like plant with a hollow stem that grows in or near water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A reed is a thin strip in some musical instruments, like the clarinet or oboe, that shakes to make the sound.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (literary) A reed is a thin, weak person or thing, as in «a slender reed».↗ Example: Ducks were hiding among the reeds.↗ · The pond was edged with tall reeds.↗ · The clarinet needs a new reed.↗ · Reed warblers build nests on the reed stems.↗ · In old times people made roofs from reeds.↗ · The wind whistled through the reeds.↗ · Long ago people used reeds as pens.↗ · Be careful near the reeds: the water may be deep.↗ · And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, well-favoured and fat-fleshed; and they fed in the reed-grass.↗ (Torah GEN.41.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favoured; and they fed in the reed-grass.↗ (Torah GEN.41.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Can the reed-grass grow without water?↗ (Writings JOB.8.11, JPS 1917)↗ · It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about.↗ (Prophets EZK.48.35, JPS 1917)↗ · He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.↗ (Prophets EZK.42.18, JPS 1917)↗

reedy — Everyday, meaning 1: Full of reeds, the tall grass-like plants that grow in water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Of a voice, thin and high.↗ Example: An ox came down to a reedy pool to drink.↗ · The frogs croaked by the reedy bank.↗ · Her reedy voice squeaked with fright.↗

reef — Everyday, meaning 1: A reef is a long ridge of rock, sand or coral just under or at the surface of the sea.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A coral reef is built over many years by tiny sea animals called corals and is home to huge numbers of fish and other sea creatures.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (sailing) To reef a sail means to roll or tie up part of it to make it smaller in strong wind.↗ Example: The Great Barrier Reef is off the coast of Queensland, Australia.↗ · Clownfish hide in the anemones on the reef.↗ · The ship hit a reef and sank.↗ · Coral reefs are full of colourful fish.↗ · Warm water can make the reef turn white.↗ · Divers must not touch or break the coral reef.↗ · The sailors reefed the sails as the storm grew stronger.↗

reek — Everyday, meaning 1: (verb) To have a very strong, unpleasant smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A strong, bad smell.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (figurative) To strongly suggest something bad.↗ e.g. "This plan reeks of trouble."↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (Scotland, Northern England) Smoke.↗ Example: The bin reeked after a week in the sun.↗ · His football boots reek!↗ · The kitchen reeked of burnt toast.↗ · We held our noses at the reek of the rotten eggs.↗ · The whole story reeked of lies.↗ · The pirate's cabin reeked of fish and old rum.↗ · My clothes reek of smoke after the bonfire.↗ · A yawning abyss, with certain and terrible death at the bottom, reeking with half-decayed bodies of horses and riders!↗

reel — Everyday, meaning 1: (noun) A round thing that thread, film, fishing line or wire is wound on.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A fast lively folk dance from Scotland or Ireland, and its music.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To pull something towards you by winding a line: reel in a fish.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb) To walk unsteadily, as if about to fall; to stagger.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (verb) To feel shocked or confused.↗ e.g. "My head is reeling."↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (noun, social media) A short video on an app like Instagram.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: To reel can also mean to spin thread or wool into yarn on a spinning wheel.↗ Example: Grandad reeled in a huge fish.↗ · Pass me the reel of cotton, please.↗ · At the ceilidh we danced a Scottish reel.↗ · He reeled back after bumping his head.↗ · I was still reeling from the news that we were moving.↗ · She reeled off the names of all the planets.↗ · My cousin posted a funny reel of her dog.↗ · Reel away, reel away, Straw into gold!’↗ · He shall die for lack of instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall reel.↗ (Writings PRO.5.23, JPS 1917)↗ · They reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was swallowed up — (Writings PSA.107.27, JPS 1917)↗ · And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be like madmen, because of the sword that I will send among them. — (Prophets JER.25.16, JPS 1917)↗

ref — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal) A ref is a referee, the official who makes sure players follow the rules in games like football, rugby, boxing and basketball.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, verb) To ref a game means to referee it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Ref is a short form of reference: a number or code used to find a letter, order or document ("Ref: 4471"), or a reference that says what a person is like.↗ Example: The ref blew his whistle for half-time.↗ · "That was a foul, ref!"↗ · My dad refs our Saturday football games.↗ · Please quote our ref 5839 when you reply.↗ · The ref gave him a yellow card.↗ · I need a ref from my old teacher for the job.↗

refectory — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal, old) A large dining hall, especially in a monastery, convent, college or old school.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A «refectory table» is a long, narrow wooden dining table.↗ Example: The monks ate in silence in the refectory.↗ · The old school refectory had long wooden tables.↗ · Breakfast is served in the refectory at 8 o'clock.↗ · The refectory seats 200 pupils at 20 tables.↗ · A refectory table stood in the farmhouse kitchen.↗ · In the story, Harry ate in a huge refectory.↗ · A hundred of the Abbot's men dined each day with him in his refectory, and fifty knights in velvet coats and gold chains waited upon him daily.↗