Rare

Rare
Rare Rare, a. [Compar. {Rarer} (r[^a]r"[~e]r); superl. {Rarest}.] [F., fr. L. rarus thin, rare.] 1. Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare event. [1913 Webster]

2. Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree seldom found. [1913 Webster]

Rare work, all filled with terror and delight. --Cowley. [1913 Webster]

Above the rest I judge one beauty rare. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

3. Thinly scattered; dispersed. [1913 Webster]

Those rare and solitary, these in flocks. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

4. Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations. [1913 Webster]

Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold. --Sir I. Newton. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular; extraordinary; incomparable.

Usage: {Rare}, {Scarce}. We call a thing rare when but few examples, specimens, or instances of it are ever to be met with; as, a rare plant. We speak of a thing as scarce, which, though usually abundant, is for the time being to be had only in diminished quantities; as, a bad harvest makes corn scarce. [1913 Webster]

A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in the world. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding emperor. --Addison. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • rare — [ rar ] adj. • 1377; rere adj. fém. v. 1236; lat. rarus 1 ♦ (Généralt après le nom) Qui se rencontre peu souvent, dont il existe peu d exemplaires. Objet rare. Chercher une chose rare (cf. Mouton à cinq pattes, merle blanc). Pierres rares. ⇒… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • rare — RARE. adj. de tout genre. Qui n est pas commun, qui n est pas ordinaire, qui se trouve difficilement. Une chose rare, tres rare. un oiseau rare. un livre rare. ce livre là est devenu rare. curieux & rare. cette chose n est précieuse que parce qu… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Rare — Rechtsform Aktiengesellschaft Gründung 1982 Sitz Twycross, Großbritannien Leitung Mark Betteridge Gregg Mayles Produkte …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • RARE —     Rare en physique est opposé à dense. En morale, il est opposé à commun.     Ce dernier rare est ce qui excite l admiration. On n admire jamais ce qui est commun, on en jouit.     Un curieux se préfère au reste des chétifs mortels, quand il a… …   Dictionnaire philosophique de Voltaire

  • rare — W2S3 [reə US rer] adj comparative rarer superlative rarest [Sense: 1,3; Date: 1400 1500; : Latin; Origin: rarus] [Sense: 2; Date: 1600 1700; Origin: rear lightly cooked (15 19 centuries), from Old English hrer] 1.) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • rare — [ rer ] adjective *** 1. ) not happening very often: In a rare moment of honesty, he told her what he had done. it is rare (for someone) to do something: It s extremely rare for her to lose her temper. a ) not often seen or found, and therefore… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Rare — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres   Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Rare — Rare, a. [Compar. {Rarer} (r[^a]r [ e]r); superl. {Rarest}.] [Cf. AS. hr[=e]r, or E. rare early. [root]18.] Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton. [1913 Webster] New laid eggs, which Baucis busy… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rare — is a word used to denote low numbers of abundance, uncommon, scarce.It can also refer to:*Rare species, a conservation category in biology designating the scarcity of an organism and implying a threat to its viability *Rare (company), a video… …   Wikipedia

  • rare — rare; rare·bit; rare·ly; rare·ness; …   English syllables

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