Rational

Rational
Rational Ra"tion*al (r[a^]sh"[u^]n*al), a. [L. rationalis: cf. F. rationnel. See {Ratio}, {Reason}, and cf. {Rationale}.] 1. Relating to the reason; not physical; mental. [1913 Webster]

Moral philosophy was his chiefest end; for the rational, the natural, and mathematics . . . were but simple pastimes in comparison of the other. --Sir T. North. [1913 Webster]

2. Having reason, or the faculty of reasoning; endowed with reason or understanding; reasoning. [1913 Webster]

It is our glory and happiness to have a rational nature. --Law. [1913 Webster]

3. Agreeable to reason; not absurd, preposterous, extravagant, foolish, fanciful, or the like; wise; judicious; as, rational conduct; a rational man. [1913 Webster]

4. (Chem.) Expressing the type, structure, relations, and reactions of a compound; graphic; -- said of formul[ae]. See under {Formula}. [1913 Webster]

{Rational horizon}. (Astron.) See {Horizon}, 2 (b) .

{Rational quantity} (Alg.), one that can be expressed without the use of a radical sign, or in exact parts of unity; -- opposed to {irrational} or {radical quantity}.

{Rational symptom} (Med.), one elicited by the statements of the patient himself and not as the result of a physical examination. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Sane; sound; intelligent; reasonable; sensible; wise; discreet; judicious.

Usage: {Rational}, {reasonable}. Rational has reference to reason as a faculty of the mind, and is opposed to irrational; as, a rational being, a rational state of mind, rational views, etc. In these cases the speculative reason is more particularly, referred to. Reasonable has reference to the exercise of this faculty for practical purposes, and means, governed or directed by reason; as, reasonable desires or plans; a reasonable charge; a reasonable prospect of success. [1913 Webster]

What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

A law may be reasonable in itself, although a man does not allow it, or does not know the reason of the lawgivers. --Swift. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • rational — rational, aux [ rasjɔnal, o ] n. m. • racionale XIIIe; lat. rationale ♦ Didact. 1 ♦ Antiq. Pièce d étoffe ornée de pierreries que le grand prêtre des Hébreux portait sur la poitrine. ⇒ pectoral. 2 ♦ (a. fr. livre rational « livre de raison »; lat …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Rational AG — Rechtsform Aktiengesellschaft ISIN DE0007010803 Gründung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • raţional — RAŢIONÁL, Ă, raţionali, e, adj. 1. (Adesea adverbial) Conform cu principiile şi cerinţele raţiunii; care poate fi conceput cu ajutorul raţiunii. ♦ (În filozofia raţionalistă) Izvorât sau dedus din raţiune, considerat ca independent de experienţă… …   Dicționar Român

  • rational — rational, reasonable may be applied to men, their acts, utterances, or policies in the senses of having or manifesting the power to reason, or of being in accordance with what reason dictates as right, wise, or sensible. Rational usually implies… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Rational — may refer to: * Rationality, a concept of reason * Rational number, a number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers * Rational function, a mathematical function which can be written as the ratio of two polynomial functions * Rational… …   Wikipedia

  • Rational — steht für: das vernunftbegabte und somit rationale Handeln, siehe Rationalität Rational AG, größter Hersteller von Heißluftdämpfern Rational (Heatley Gresham), eine Automobilmarke Rational Software, ehemaliges Softwareunternehmen inzwischen von… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • rational — [rash′ən əl] adj. [ME racional < L rationalis < ratio: see REASON] 1. of, based on, or derived from reasoning [rational powers] 2. able to reason; reasoning; in possession of one s reason or sanity 3. showing reason; not foolish or silly;… …   English World dictionary

  • rational — ra·tio·nal / ra shə nəl/ adj 1: having reason or understanding 2: relating to, based on, or guided by reason, principle, fairness, logic, a legitimate state interest, or a consideration of fact age distinctions are not subject to strict scrutiny …   Law dictionary

  • Rational — (v. lat.), 1) vernünftig; 2) (Rationell), vernunftgemäß, auf Ergebnisse eigner Prüfung u. vernünftigen Gründen beruhend, daher theils dem positiven, theils dem blos empirischen u. praktischen entgegengesetzt, s. u. Rationalismus 1); 3) rational… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Rational — Ra tion*al, n. A rational being. Young. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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