rationale(RA shuh NAL) n. 1. the fundamental reasons or logical basis for
something; 2. a statement of the reasons for something’s being done or having
been done
- The rationalefor building a bridge is to ford a stream or river.
- Paying off the bonds that raised the money to build a bridge or road is the
rationalefor charging tolls to use it. - A modern recasting of the saying “the ends justify the means” might be
“Just do it, whatever it is, and come up with your rationale later.”
reagent(ree AY jint) n. a chemical substance used to detect the presence of
another or to react so as to change one substance to another - The reagenton a piece of litmus paper turns from blue to red when an acid
is present. - Luminol is a reagentthat glows when it comes in contact with blood.
recalcitrant(ri KAL si trint) adj. 1. refusing to obey authority, custom, and so
on; defiant; 2. hard to handle; difficult —n.a person with the preceding qualities - Most of today’s criminals started out as yesterday’s recalcitrantchildren.
- RecalcitrantIsraelites rebelled against Rome in A.D. 67.
- Many a recalcitranthas been sent to the principal’s office.
[-ly adv., recalcitrance n.] [Syn. defiant]
recede(ri SEED) vt. 1. to move back; draw away from; 2. to distance oneself
from; 3. to slope backward; 4. to become less; diminish - Flood waters almost always recede.
- Looking out the rear window of a car, you can watch landmarks recedeinto
the distance. - Most men and women do not appreciate being the owners of a receding
hairline. - During the Clinton administration, the national debt recededtemporarily.
[-d, receding]
Quick Review #118.
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
324 Essential Vocabulary
- quaff
- quiescent
- quixotic
- raconteur
- radiate
- rapacious
- rationale
- reagent
- recalcitrant
- recede
a. drink
b. predatory
c. withdraw
d. spread out
e. reasons
f. defiant
g. impractical
h. chemical
i. latent
j. storyteller