184 DICTIONARY OF AVIATION
ram us 'zee-mas n. [plural rami~\ one of the barbs of the web, vane, or vexillum of a bird's fether.
rarefaction ^sezi'faekSan n. the act or process of rarefying or making rare; also, the state of being rarefied or rare: opposed to condensation and compression.
rarefaction side, the side or surface of a wing, aeroplane, propeller^blade, or other aerofoil, which effects the rare- faction of, or recedes from, the air : the pposit of com pression side.
ratite 'zee,tait adj. raftebrested, as a bird; having a flat or keelless brestebone or sternum; flat like a raft; having no keel, as a brestebone.
ratline 'zaettin n. [also spelt ratlin} one of the horizontal ropes extending between the shrouds of a ship, or between ropes hanging vertically below the car of an aircraft, thus furnishing steps, like the rungs of a ladder, for climbing up and down.
rattan ,zse't3en n. [also spelt ratan\ the stem of the rattan* palm, often split, used sometuhat in flyingsmachine con- stjuction.
reaction-jet d'aekjan^set n. a jet or fluid, as air or steam, the atmosferic reaction against tuhich has been proposed as a means of propelling airships.
rear-ward 'ziiz-wazd adj. situated at or toward the rear ; placed astern; aft.
reascend ,zi-9'send intr. ascend again; mount or go up a second time.
reascension ,zi-3'sen$3n n. another ascension, as of an aero- plane after landing; the action of ascending again.
rebalance ,n'bael3ns intr. balance again; regain equilibrium.
recession zi'se$3n n. the action of an airship in retiring or withdrawing into the air, just after a swoop; the upward siueep which immediately follows the downward rush of a flyings=machine.
reckoning 'zeka-mrj, 'zekisrirj n. (seatterm) the calculation of the position of a ship from the rate as determind by the log and the course as determind by the compass, the place from which the vessel started being known.
reconnaissance zi'koni-sans n. the act or operation of rec- onneitenng; preliminary examination or survey.
reconnoissance ,zek9'noi-S9ns n. same meaning as recon- naissance.
reconnoiter ,zeka'nei-t3z v.
1. tr. examin; make a preliminary survey of; survey, as for military purposes.
2. intr. make a survey or inspection preliminary to tak-
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