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[railroad]{v.} To force through; push through by force. •/The bill was railroaded through the state legislature due to the influence of some very wealthy sponsors./
[rain] See: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS, KNOW ENOUGH TO COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN.
[rain cats and dogs] or [rain buckets] or [rain pitchforks] {v. phr.}, {informal} To rain very hard; come down in torrents. •/In the middle of the picnic it started to rain cats and dogs, and everybody got soaked./ •/Terry looked out of the window and said, "It’s raining pitchforks, so we can’t go out to play right now."/
[rain check]{n.} 1. A special free ticket to another game or show which will be given in place of one canceled because of rain. •/When the drizzle turned into a heavy rain the manager a
[rained out]{adj.} Stopped by rain. •/The ball game was rained out in the seventh i
[rain on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To bring misfortune to (someone); to complain to (someone) about one’s bad luck. •/Don’t rain on me./
[rain or shine]{adv. phr.} 1. If the weather is stormy or if it is fair. •/The parade will start promptly, rain or shine./ 2. No matter; if your luck is good or bad. •/Sam knows he can depend on his family, rain or shine./
[rainproof]{adj.} Resistant to rain; something that will not soak in water; referring to a material that repels water. •/"I don’t need an umbrella," she said, "as my coat is rainproof."/
[rainy day]{n.} A time of need; especially: a time when you really need money. •/Squirrels gather acorns for a rainy day./ •/Each week Mrs. Carlson saved a little money for a rainy day./
[raise a hand] See: LIFT A FINGER.
[raise a row]{v. phr.} To cause a disturbance, a fuss, or a scene. •/He raised quite a row when he noticed that someone had scratched his brand new car./
[raise a stink]{v. phr.} To cause a disturbance; complain; protest strongly. •/Quite a stink was raised in the office when the boss discovered that several employees had left early./
[raise Cain]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be noisy; cause trouble. •/When John couldn’t go on the basketball trip with the team he raised Cain./ •/The children raised Cain in the living room./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS, RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise eyebrows]{v. phr.} To shock people; cause surprise or disapproval. •/The news that the princess was engaged to a commoner raised eyebrows all over the kingdom./
[raise funds] or [money] {v. phr.} To solicit donations for a charity or a specific project. •/Our church is trying to raise the funds for a new organ./
[raise hackles] or [raise one’s hackles] {v. phr.} To make (someone) upset or a
[raise havoc] See: PLAY HAVOC WITH.
[raise heck] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise hob] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.
[raise one’s sights]{v. phr.} To aim high; be ambitious. •/Teenage boys sometimes think too much of themselves and have a tendency to raise their sights too high./
[raise one’s voice]{v. phr.} To speak loudly, as if in anger or in protest. •/"I’m sorry, Mom," Peter said. "I didn’t mean to raise my voice."/
[raise the devil] or [raise heck] or [raise hob] or [raise ned] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble; start a fight or an argument. •/Mr. Black raised heck when he saw the dented fender. He blamed the other driver./ •/Some teenage boys raised the devil in town on Halloween night and damaged a lot of property./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS.
[raise the roof]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make a lot of noise; be happy and noisy. •/The gang raised the roof with their singing./ 2. To scold loudly. •/Mother raised the roof when she saw the dog’s muddy footprints on her new bedspread./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS, RAISE CAIN.
[rake in]{v. phr.} To realize great profits; take in money. •/Because of the heavy snowfall, ski lodge operators in the Rocky Mountains have been raking in the dough this winter season./
[rake off]{v. phr.} To illegally expropriate part of a sum paid. •/The secretary-treasurer of the association has been caught raking off some of the membership dues./
[rake-off] See: KICKBACK.
[rake over the coals] See: HAUL OVER THE COALS.
[rake up]{v. phr.} To expose; gather; bring to light. •/Let’s forget about the past; there’s no need to rake up all those old memories./
[ramble on about]{v. phr.} To chatter on idly and without a purpose. •/When Ted has too much to drink, he always rambles on about the good old days./
[ram down one’s throat] See: SHOVE DOWN ONE’S THROAT.
[random] See: AT RANDOM.
[rank] See: CLOSE RANKS, PULL RANK.
[rank and file]{n. phr.} Ordinary people; the regular membership of an organization; the enlisted privates in the Army. •/The general usually inspects the rank and file on specific national holidays./ •/The secretary of the association sends letters a
[rap] See: TAKE THE RAP.
[rap one’s knuckles]{v. phr.} To scold or punish. •/The principal rapped our knuckles for cheating on the test./ •/If you talk back to Dad, you’ll get your knuckles rapped./ •/The club got its knuckles rapped by the principal for hazing new members./ •/Why rap my knuckles? It wasn’t my fault./ Compare: DRESSING DOWN, GIVE IT TO(2).
[rat] See: SMELL A RAT.
[rate] See: AT ANY RATE, FIRST RATE.
[rather] See: HAD RATHER.
[rat on] See: BLOW THE WHISTLE, RAT OUT.
[rat out] or [rat out on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To desert; to leave at a critical time. •/Joe ratted out on Sue when she was seven months pregnant./
[rat race]{n.}, {slang} A very confusing, crowded, or disorderly rush; a confusing scramble, struggle, or way of living that does not seem to have a purpose. •/The dance last night was a rat race. It was too noisy and crowded./ •/School can be a rat race if you don’t keep up with your studies./ •/This job is a rat race. The faster you work, the faster the boss wants you to work./
[rate with someone]{v. phr.} To be esteemed highly by another. •/The professor really rates with both the graduate students and the undergraduates./
[rattle] See: SABRE RAITLING.
[rattle off] or [reel off] {v.} To say quickly without having to stop to think; recite easily and rapidly. •/When Roger was seven he could rattle off the names of all the states in alphabetical order./ •/Joan memorized the "Gettysburg Address" so well that she could reel it off./ •/We asked the waitress what flavors of ice cream she had, and she rattled them off./
[rattle one’s saber]{v. phr.} To threaten another government or country without subsequent acts of war. •/It is considered an act of demagoguery on the part of politicians to rattle their sabers./ Compare: YELLOW JOURNALISM.