This is an art Which does mend nature, change it rather, but The
art itself is nature.
Shak.
6. In some degree; somewhat; as, the day is rather warm; the house is
rather damp.
The rather, the more so; especially; for better reason; for particular
cause.
You are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have some sport
in hand.
Shak.
-- Had rather, or Would rather, prefer to; prefers to; as, he had, or
would, rather go than stay. "I had rather speak five words with my
understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." 1 Cor.
xiv. 19. See Had rather, under Had.
Rath"ripe` (rth"rp`), a. Rareripe, or early ripe. -- n. A rareripe.
[Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Such who delight in rathripe fruits.
Fuller.
Rat`i*fi*ca"tion (rt`*f*k"shn), n. [Cf. F. ratification.] The act of
ratifying; the state of being ratified; confirmation; sanction; as, the
ratification of a treaty.
Rat"i*fi`er (rt"*f`r), n. One who, or that which, ratifies; a
confirmer. Shak.
Rat"i*fy (-f), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ratified (-fd); p. pr. & vb. n.
Ratifying (- f`ng).] [F. ratifier, fr. L. ratus fixed by calculation,
firm, valid + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Rate, n., and -fy.] To
approve and sanction; to make valid; to confirm; to establish; to
settle; especially, to give sanction to, as something done by an agent
or servant; as, to ratify an agreement, treaty, or contract; to ratify
a nomination.
It is impossible for the divine power to set a seal to a lie by
ratifying an imposture with such a miracle.
South.
Rat`i*ha*bi"tion (-h*bsh"n), n. [L. ratihabitio; ratus fixed, valid +
habere to hold.] Confirmation or approbation, as of an act or contract.
[Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
Ra"ti*o (r"sh* or r"sh), n. [L., fr. reri, ratus, to reckon, believe,
think, judge. See Reason.] 1. (Math.) The relation which one quantity
or magnitude has to another of the same kind. It is expressed by the
quotient of the division of the first by the second; thus, the ratio of
3 to 6 is expressed by or ½; of a to b by a/b; or (less commonly) the
second term is made the dividend; as, a:b = b/a.
Some writers consider ratio as the quotient itself, making ratio
equivalent to a number.
The term ratio is also sometimes applied to the difference of two
quantities as well as to their quotient, in which case the former is
called arithmetical ratio, the latter, geometrical ratio. The name
ratio is sometimes given to the rule of three in arithmetic. See under
Rule.
2. Hence, fixed relation of number, quantity, or degree; rate;
proportion; as, the ratio of representation in Congress.
Compound ratio, Duplicate ratio, Inverse ratio, etc. See under
Compound, Duplicate, etc. -- Ratio of a geometrical progression, the
constant quantity by which each term is multiplied to produce the
succeeding one.
Ra`ti*oc"i*nate (rsh`*s"*nt), v. i. [L. ratiocinatus, p. p. of
ratiocinari, fr. ratio reason. See Ratio.] To reason, esp. deductively;
to offer reason or argument.
Ra`ti*oc`i*na"tion (-n"shn), n. [L. ratiocinatio: cf. F.
ratiocination.] The process of reasoning, or deducing conclusions from
premises; deductive reasoning.
Ra`ti*oc"i*na*tive (- s"*n*tv), a. [L. ratiocinativus.] Characterized
by, or addicted to, ratiocination; consisting in the comparison of
propositions or facts, and the deduction of inferences from the
comparison; argumentative; as, a ratiocinative process.
The ratiocinative meditativeness of his character.
Coleridge.