WORD LIST 161
Rrakish ('ray·kish) adj. 1. debonair, smartly dressed or mannered, jaunty in
appearance or manner. 2. unconventional and disreputable; dissolute or
debauched. The rakish young woman charmed everyone at the table.
rancor ('ran·ko ̆r) n. a bitter feeling of ill will, long-lasting resentment. Greg is
full of rancor towards his brother, and this causes tension at family gatherings.
rapacious (ra ̆·'pay·shu ̆s) adj. excessively greedy and grasping (especially for
money); voracious, plundering. The rapacious general ordered his soldiers to pillage
the town.
raucous ('raw·ku ̆s) adj. 1. unpleasantly loud and harsh. 2. boisterous, disorderly,
disturbing the peace. The raucous music kept us awake all night.
reactionary (ree·'ak·sho ̆·ner·ee) n. a person who favors political conservativism;
one who is opposed to progress or liberalism. It should be an interesting mar-
riage: he’s a reactionary and she’s as liberal as they come.
rebuke (ri·'byook) v. 1. to criticize sharply; to reprove or reprimand, censure.
- to repress or restrain by expressing harsh disapproval. After weeks of being
rebuked in front of his coworkers for minor infractions and imaginary offenses, Ameer
realized he was being persecuted by his boss.
recalcitrant (ri·'kal·si·tra ̆nt) adj. disobedient, unruly, refusing to obey authority.
The recalcitrant child was sent to the principal’s office for the third time in a week.
recidivism (ri·'sid· ̆·vizm) n. a relapse or backslide, especially into antisocial or
criminal behavior after conviction and punishment. Allowing prisoners to earn
their GED or a college degree has been shown to greatly reduce recidivism.
recondite ('rek·o ̆n·d ̄t) adj. 1. not easily understood, obscure, abstruse. 2. deal-
ing with abstruse or profound matters. He loves the challenge of grasping a recon-
dite subject.
reconnoiter (ree·ko ̆·'noi·te ̆r) v. to make a preliminary inspection or survey of,
especially to gather military information or prepare for military operations.
My job was to reconnoiter the party and let my friends know if it was worth attending.
refractory (ri·'frak·to ̆·ree) adj. stubborn, unmanageable, resisting control or dis-
cipline. Elena is a counselor for refractory children in an alternative school setting.
regale (ri·'ayl) v. to delight or entertain with a splendid feast or pleasant
amusement. The king regaled his guests until the early morning hours.