rareadj.¹int.adv.¹n.

Brit.

/rɛː/, U.S.

/rɛ(ə)r/

Forms: Middle English rere, Middle English 1600s rar, Middle English– rare; English regional 1800s ra' (Lancashire), 1800s raare (Yorkshire), 1800s rar' (Manx English), 1800s– raayre (Berkshire), 1800s– rur (Berkshire); Scottish pre-1700 raer, pre-1700 rair, pre-1700 raire, pre-1700 1700s– rare, 1900s– rerr; also Irish English 1800s raree (Wexford).

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin rārus.

Etymology: < classical Latin rārus of loose structure, porous, widely spaced, sparse, sparsely occupied, infrequent, seldom found, uncommon, unusual, exceptional, in post-classical Latin also (of colour) thin, faint, pale (5th cent. in the passage translated in quot. ?1440 at sense A. 1b), (of a person) seldom appearing or seen (15th cent. in the passage translated in quot. a1500 at sense A. 3b), of uncertain origin, perhaps < the same Indo-European base as Old Church Slavonic -oriti (in razoriti to destroy), Lithuanian irti to dissolve, to fall into ruins. With use as adverb compare classical Latin rārē at wide intervals, sparsely, with open texture, rarely, seldom ( < rārus + -ē, suffix forming adverbs). Compare Middle French rare of loose structure, not dense (a1365), infrequent (a1509; French rare; compare Old French rer unusual, exceptional, seldom found (end of the 12th cent.), also in Anglo-Norman in the adverb rerment), Old Occitan, Occitan rar (second half of the 12th cent.), Catalan rar (second half of the 14th cent.), Spanish raro (mid 13th cent.), Italian raro (mid 13th cent.).Quot. 1622 at sense A. 2a could alternatively be interpreted as a misreading or a typographical error for race adj.¹ Compare also quot. 1622 at rarely adv. 1b. With it is rare that at sense A. 4b compare French il est rare que (17th cent. or earlier).

A. adj.¹ (and int.)

a. Originally: (of an organ or tissue, soil, or other substance) having the constituent material or particles loose or not closely packed together; not dense or compact; attenuated. In later use chiefly: (of air or a gas) having low density, thin (though cf. rare gas n. at Compounds 2). Also figurative, with reference to the workings of the mind: refined, subtle, rarefied.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective]

thin849

subtilea1393

airya1398

subtlea1398

rarea1400

shirec1400

finea1425

solutec1440

intenuate1471

slender1528

ethereal1590

tenuous1597

spare1602

unsolid1611

unsolute1612

tenuious1634

etherical1656

airlike1821

wire-drawn1876

a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 107 (MED) Þe skyn of þe heed is more þickere þan þe brain sculle, þat it schulde ben more rare [L. plus rara] & more porose.

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 99 The londis fatte, or lene, or thicke, or rare.

c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 27 (MED) Þe tunge is a membre wiþinne middis concauite of þe mouþ y-compouned of whit, neische, rere fleisch y-medlid wiþ veynes and arteries.

c1484 (a1475) J. de Caritate tr. Secreta Secret. (Takamiya) (1977) 174 (MED) Þat qwyche is sotel is mor wurthy þan þat qwyche is grose, and þat rar, porous, or lyght is mor bettyr þan qwyche is thyk of substauns.

1578 J. Banister Hist. Man vii. f. 90 ^v The substaunce of the lunges is rare, light, and porie, as a sponge.

1595 E. Spenser Amoretti lv, in Amoretti & Epithalamion sig. D5 Not ayre; for she is not so light or rare.

1610 W. Folkingham Feudigraphia i. viii. 16 Distinguishing betweene open and rare soyles, and such as are condense and close.

1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. v. 47 All pure and rare bodies ascend, as the Fire more than the Air.

1732 J. Arbuthnot Pract. Rules of Diet i. 275 A denser Fluid is hotter than a rarer.

?1790 J. Imison School of Arts (ed. 2) 100 As the air rises above the earth's surface, it grows rarer, and consequently lighter, bulk for bulk.

a1822 P. B. Shelley Let. to — in Posthumous Poems (1824) 59 Spinning..From the fine threads of rare and subtle thought.

1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. vii. §69. 247 A projectile would travel a far greater distance through a rare medium like air, than through a dense medium like water.

1930 E. L. Rice Voy. to Purilia i. 16 The air grew rarer... We were obliged to don the oxygen masks.

1990 O. Chadwick Michael Ramsey (1991) (BNC) 44 The stony heights and rare atmosphere in which his mind moved.

b. Of colour: thin, faint; pale. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [adjective] > faint or weak

wateryOE

dima1250

lighta1398

rare?1440

delayed1543

faint1552

weak1585

pale1598

distempered1621

washya1639

thin1649

languid1663

dilute1665

welmish1688

sickly1695

dimmed1863

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 85 (MED) For vynys lond to chese eek most me yeme: In coors and in colour solute and rare [L. rari].

1750 tr. C. Leonardus Mirror of Stones 111 Those are reckoned the best, whose colour is neither too thick nor too rare.

1924 K. Feiling Hist. Tory Party iii. 49 A rare colour, a delicate fancy, play like lambent light over his religion.

1985 M. Feeney & L. Guiney tr. J. Follain Sel. Prose 46 The dusty rose curtains..turned a rarer and rarer color as they faded over the years.

†2.

a. Having the constituent parts widely spaced; of open construction; in widely spaced formation. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > characterized by wide intervals

thin849

rare?1440

sparse1801

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) xi. 494 (MED) A multitude of reysouns puld they take And into russhy frayels rare [L. rariore contextu] hem gete.

a1460 Knyghthode & Bataile (Pembr. Cambr. 243) 1497 (MED) Mesure a grounde as wil thin ooste suffice; To wide it is, thin ooste therin is rare; To streyt, thei be to thicke.

1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea lix. 136 They being rare shippes, and without any manner of close fights, in bourding with vs, their men were all open vnto vs, and we vnder couert and shelter.

1647 T. May Hist. Parl. iii. v. 100 One rare and slender ranke were to receive all the storme without seconds.

b. Originally and chiefly Scottish. Thinly attended or populated. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers > thinly attended or populated

thin-sown1590

rare1601

thin1621

sparse1851

1601 in S. Ree Rec. Elgin (1908) II. 93 The minister fand gryt fault of the rare conventione.

1610 J. Forbes Certaine Rec. (1846) x. 387 The Assemblie was so rare that they were not exceeding the number of nineteen Commissioners.

1658 in J. B. Craven Church Life S. Ronaldshay & Burray (1911) 25 The weather most tempestuous..Ane raire meeting of the people.

a1794 E. Gibbon Memoirs in Misc. Wks. (1796) I. 82 Our immediate neighbourhood was rare and rustic.

3. Esp. of a thing or things not regarded as members of a class or type: occurring infrequently, encountered only occasionally or at intervals, uncommon.

a. Originally of material objects: placed or stationed at wide intervals; standing or keeping far apart. In later use of material or immaterial things: forming a small and scattered class; few and far between. See also it is (very) rare that at sense A. 4b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals

rare?1440

thin-sown1590

scattered1595

scattering1610

disparpled1652

intervaled1659

scattery1816

sparse1861

the world > relative properties > number > plurality > fewness > [adjective] > rare

scarce1398

dainty?a1500

rare1555

scant1581

few and far between1668

spare1813

thin on the ground1951

the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers

shirec1400

rare1555

sporadic1813

one-one1832

the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > [adjective] > limited in quantity or amount > not abundant

scanta1400

thin1508

rare1584

thin-sown1590

scanty1674

infrequenta1682

bare-boned1828

sparse1871

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 1033 Bowis ore hit trayn So lough and rare [L. rara], on hem that bees may dwelle.

1555 Act 2 & 3 Phil. & Mary c. 13 The Fertility of the Ground is not apt to bring forth any Corn nor good Grass, but in rare Places.

1584 King James VI & I Ess. Prentise Poesie sig. Giiii Although the same..Can noght returne, yet men are not so rair, Bot ye may get the lyke.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vii. 461 The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green: Those rare and solitarie, these in flocks.

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 199 I never saw but one Grey-ey'd and therefore I suppose them rare.

1704 B. Kennet tr. B. Pascal Thoughts Relig. xxvii. 251 He dwels in secret, so He discloses Himself on some rare Occasions, when He would more strictly engage men in his Service.

1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 700 Are such men rare? Perhaps they would abound Were occupation easier to be found.

a1822 P. B. Shelley Let. to — in Posthumous Poems (1824) 67 Clouds sail o'er the inverse deep,..And the rare stars rush through them.

1883 Littell's Living Age 10 Nov. 363/1 The rare houses along the road were dark and gloomy.

1885 Manch. Examiner 15 May 5/6 Brake appliances, to the development of which we mainly owe it that railway accidents are now so rare.

1904 J. Conrad Nostromo i. i. 3 On the rare clear mornings another shadow is cast.

1987 S. Weintraub Victoria (1988) i. 15 She was an elderly lady and wore the traditional black of her generation, giving way to display only on rare, great occasions.

2002 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 31 July a1 (caption) James Thibert points out the rare dots of Canadian-owned beachfront in eastern Fort Erie.

b. Of a person: seldom appearing or seen. Frequently in phrase to make oneself rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adjective] > (of person or agent) that acts infrequently

rarea1500

infrequent1722

episodical1823

a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 9 (MED) Be rare [L. rarus] amonge yonge peple & straunge folkes.

1785 W. Cowper Task ii. 383 Frequent in Park with lady at his side,..But rare at home.

1825 Husband Hunting I. vii. 67 Where have you been hiding yourself?.. Did you think the world was weary of you, and so resolved to make yourself rare?

1931 San Antonio (Texas) Light 5 Apr. iv. 2/1 Make yourself rare around here. Go out and play golf.

2003 L. Gregerson in R. Dutton & J. E. Howard Compan. Shakespeare's Wks. II. xi. 258 Bolingbroke the king makes himself rare, so as to seem more kingly.

†c. Of a person: sparing. With in. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > conciseness > [adjective] > of persons

rare1526

spare1563

succinct1603

1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection ii. sig. Pii Pacient in aduersites, rare & sobre in wordes.

d. Of something encountered haphazardly or at substantial intervals: characterized by infrequency of occurrence; occasional. In early use often (Medicine) of the pulse (see rarity n. 4a).

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adjective]

seld1398

seldom1483

rare1565

secular1599

unfrequent1611

straggling1618

infrequent1622

unobvious1643

far-between1743

rarish1772

unwonted1785

sporadic1842

low frequency1946

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered pulse or circulation > [adjective] > other pulse disorders

harda1398

rare1565

soft1571

large1612

bigeminal1877

bigeminous1881

Adams–Stokes1896

Stokes-Adams1903

quadrigeminal1906

1565 J. Hall Expositiue Table 123 in tr. Lanfranc Most Excellent Woorke Chirurg. Syncope..is the defecte of the mynde..Whose sygnes are rare and obscure pulse, coldnes of the extreme partes, sweat of the face.

1640 Whole Bk. Psalmes: ‘Bay Psalm Bk.’ 2 Detractions from the words are not seldome and rare, but very frequent and many times needles.

1674 J. T. tr. G. Harvey Theoret. & Pract. Treat. Fevors ii. 10 A thick pulse to me is, which is perceived by the finger by its frequent beatings, or retreats; a rare pulse contrariwise.

1729 E. Strother Pract. Observ. Epidemical Fever 119 We know..that rare Pulses are converted into frequent ones, by giving the Patients volatile Salts and Chalybeates.

1789 J. H. Pott Charge to Clergy of Archdeaconry St. Alban's 6 They will admonish us that they were not built for rare and solitary acts of service, but for frequency, for diurnal exercises, and as the beloved home of pious men.

1830 E. Bulwer-Lytton Paul Clifford I. i. 13 A low and rare moan only testified continued life, and within two hours that ceased, and the spirit was gone.

1859 Ld. Tennyson Elaine in Idylls of King 155 He..Chose the green path that show'd the rarer foot.

1956 I. Murdoch Flight from Enchanter iii. 28 The person who entered was a man called John Rainborough, an old friend of Peter Saward, but now a rare caller.

2003 M. Vorhees & R. Ver Berkmoes Moscow (Lonely Planet) (ed. 2) 213/1 You can take a suburban train..to Serpukhov.., then a rare bus to the village of Danki.

a. Of a kind seldom found, done, or occurring; unusual, uncommon, exceptional.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [adjective] > rare

rare1447

rathe1548

unvulgar1605

uncommon1611

rarachose1676

recherché1689

1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 6361 (MED) Þat book is rare And straunge to gete.

c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica iii. 208 It is endewed moreouer with an-other comoditie that rare is in all other regions.

1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 171 It is a veraye rare thyng in princes to feele the mocions and pangues of the graces.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. ccclxxviij An Olyphaunt of Inde,..a rare spectacle, and a beast not often sene in Germany.

1611 M. Smith in Bible (King James) Pref. ⁋15 Many rare names of certaine birds, beastes and precious stones.

c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 110 A large & very rare Grotto of shell-worke, artificialy stuck on in the shapes of Satyres & other wild fansys.

1709 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1886) II. 269 The Book being very rare in England.

1755 Man No. 15. 4 It is comparatively rare for brutes to die of sickness.

1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 139 The white bird of Paradise is the most rare... The first sort is very rare.

1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms iv. 399 Gathering rare shells, delighted children stray.

1838–9 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. Resid. Georgian Plantation (1863) 47 How very rare it is to see a well-formed face.

1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirlaugh III. 182 It was a rare event for Mrs. Skirlaugh to go from home.

1925 J. M. Murry Keats & Shakespeare i. 9 A quality which is found only in the greatest poets, and is rare even in them.

1978 M. Girouard Life Eng. Country House xi. 314 An attached conservatory began to grow rare after 1900.

2006 In the Know 10 Oct. 30/1 Blood tests showed that she was suffering from a rare blood disorder, myelodysplasia.

b. it is (very) rare that: it seldom occurs that; it rarely happens that. Also with for and with to-infinitive.

ΚΠ

1584 E. Paget tr. J. Calvin Harmonie vpon Three Euangelists 734 It is rare for God to haue his righte honour in princes courtes.

1595 W. Perkins Expos. Creed Apostles 290 It is rare to finde the like man in these dayes.

1603 R. Rogers Seuen Treat. i. iv. 10 It is rare, that men, who know that all are vnder the wrath of God..doe beleeue indeede that it is so with them.

1674 R. Fleming Faithfulness of God v. 199 It is rare to find a warming heat with a large profession, such as can make it convincing to others.

1680 W. Jole Warning Drunkards 6 It is very rare, that a Man should drink himself drunk alone; love of the Company makes many drunk, who say they do not love Drink.

1733 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. (ed. 2) at Ferrum Equinum There are some other Varieties of this Plant, which are preserv'd in curious Botanick Gardens; but it is rare that any of them are propogated.

1754 Earl of Chatham Lett. to Nephew (1804) v. 35 It is rare to see in any one a graceful laughter.

1788 T. Taylor tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. (1792) I. 34 It is very rare that philology and philosophy are united in the same person.

1855 W. H. Prescott Hist. Reign Philip II of Spain I. ii. ii. 398 It was rare that the tone of remonstrance was heard in the halls of Castilian legislation.

1888 G. Rolleston & W. H. Jackson Forms Animal Life (ed. 2) 474 It is rare for a left-handed or sinistral twist to be normal in a given genus or species.

1898 Argosy Nov. 610 I believe it is rare that a vessel has sustained any serious damage from these convulsions.

1929 H. A. A. Nicholls & J. H. Holland Text-bk. Trop. Agric. (ed. 2) ii. iii. 142 It is very rare that more than one of the flowers develop into fruit.

1949 H. W. C. Vines Green's Man. Pathol. (ed. 17) xv. 388 It is rare for the whole mass to be composed of fully developed muscle.

1972 Amer. Jrnl. Compar. Law 20 697 It is very rare that an Israeli woman uses her maiden name after marriage.

1992 A. M. Buckett in C. Blank Lang. & Civilization I. 341 It is rare to find comments on the mentality, or even less, on the dialect, of the Bavarian in a way that distinguishes him from other Germans.

2002 M. Marschark et al. Educating Deaf Children v. 89 It is rare that deaf children are exposed only to spoken language or sign language.

a. Unusually good, fine, or worthy; of uncommon excellence or merit.In quot. 1685: distinguished.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate

gildenc1225

prime1402

rare1483

grand1542

holy1599

pre-excelling1600

paregal1602

classic1604

of (the) first rate1650

solary1651

first rate1674

superb1720

tip-top1722

tip-top-gallant1730

swell1819

topping1822

of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826

No. 11829

brag1836

A11837

A No. 11838

number one1839

awful1843

bully1851

first class1852

class1867

champion1880

too1881

tipping1887

alpha plus1898

bonzer1898

grade A1911

gold star1917

world-ranking1921

five-star1936

too much1937

first line1938

vintage1939

supercolossal1947

top1953

alpha1958

fantabulous1959

beauty1963

supercool1965

world-class1967

primo1973

1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton 2 b Therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes.

1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. x. 140 Of quhais rair bewtie scho did sumpart farlie.

1594 H. Plat Jewell House 27 One of the rarest Mathematicians of our age.

1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. xxv. 155 A more substantiall towre was built, the rarest piece in that kind the world ever saw.

1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Matt. x. 42 It is not only Charity to Preachers and rare Persons, but to the least Christians.

1704 E. Thomas in Pylades & Corinna (1731) 63 The King..commanded the most famous Poets to celebrate the Memory of so rare a Virtue.

1779 W. Cowper Yearly Distress 57 A rarer man than you In pulpit none shall hear.

1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna i. xxiii. 12 A boat of rare device, which had no sail.

1874 G. Bancroft Footpr. of Time i. 67 This rare nation knew how to adapt its governments to its needs.

1923 Lethbridge (Alberta) Daily Herald 23 Feb. 6/1 (advt.) Woven cloths of rare weave.

a1940 F. S. Fitzgerald Last Tycoon (1941) v. 108 Stahr apparently derived some rare almost physical pleasure from working lightheaded with weariness.

2005 P. Honan Christopher Marlowe ix. 319 A man of abstemious habits and rare talent, Chapman was well admired among Marlowe's friends.

b. colloquial. In weakened sense: splendid, excellent, fine. Now chiefly Scottish, Irish English, and English regional.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]

faireOE

bremea1000

goodlyOE

goodfulc1275

noblec1300

pricec1300

specialc1325

gentlec1330

fine?c1335

singulara1340

thrivena1350

thriven and throa1350

gaya1375

properc1380

before-passinga1382

daintiful1393

principala1398

gradelya1400

burlyc1400

daintyc1400

thrivingc1400

voundec1400

virtuousc1425

hathelc1440

curiousc1475

singlerc1500

beautiful1502

rare?a1534

gallant1539

eximious1547

jolly1548

egregious?c1550

jellyc1560

goodlike1562

brawc1565

of worth1576

brave?1577

surprising1580

finger-licking1584

admirablea1586

excellinga1586

ambrosial1598

sublimated1603

excellent1604

valiant1604

fabulous1609

pure1609

starryc1610

topgallant1613

lovely1614

soaringa1616

twanging1616

preclarent1623

primea1637

prestantious1638

splendid1644

sterling1647

licking1648

spankinga1666

rattling1690

tearing1693

famous1695

capital1713

yrare1737

pure and —1742

daisy1757

immense1762

elegant1764

super-extra1774

trimming1778

grand1781

gallows1789

budgeree1793

crack1793

dandy1794

first rate1799

smick-smack1802

severe1805

neat1806

swell1810

stamming1814

divine1818

great1818

slap-up1823

slapping1825

high-grade1826

supernacular1828

heavenly1831

jam-up1832

slick1833

rip-roaring1834

boss1836

lummy1838

flash1840

slap1840

tall1840

high-graded1841

awful1843

way up1843

exalting1844

hot1845

ripsnorting1846

clipping1848

stupendous1848

stunning1849

raving1850

shrewd1851

jammy1853

slashing1854

rip-staving1856

ripping1858

screaming1859

up to dick1863

nifty1865

premier cru1866

slap-bang1866

clinking1868

marvellous1868

rorty1868

terrific1871

spiffing1872

all wool and a yard wide1882

gorgeous1883

nailing1883

stellar1883

gaudy1884

fizzing1885

réussi1885

ding-dong1887

jim-dandy1888

extra-special1889

yum-yum1890

out of sight1891

outasight1893

smooth1893

corking1895

large1895

super1895

hot dog1896

to die for1898

yummy1899

deevy1900

peachy1900

hi1901

v.g.1901

v.h.c.1901

divvy1903

doozy1903

game ball1905

goodo1905

bosker1906

crackerjack1910

smashinga1911

jake1914

keen1914

posh1914

bobby-dazzling1915

juicy1916

pie on1916

jakeloo1919

snodger1919

whizz-bang1920

wicked1920

four-star1921

wow1921

Rolls-Royce1922

whizz-bang1922

wizard1922

barry1923

nummy1923

ripe1923

shrieking1926

crazy1927

righteous1930

marvy1932

cool1933

plenty1933

brahmaa1935

smoking1934

solid1935

mellow1936

groovy1937

tough1937

bottler1938

fantastic1938

readyc1938

ridge1938

super-duper1938

extraordinaire1940

rumpty1940

sharp1940

dodger1941

grouse1941

perfecto1941

pipperoo1945

real gone1946

bosting1947

supersonic1947

whizzo1948

neato1951

peachy-keen1951

ridgey-dite1953

ridgy-didge1953

top1953

whizzing1953

badass1955

wild1955

belting1956

magic1956

bitching1957

swinging1958

ridiculous1959

a treat1959

fab1961

bad-assed1962

uptight1962

diggish1963

cracker1964

marv1964

radical1964

bakgat1965

unreal1965

pearly1966

together1968

safe1970

bad1971

brilliant1971

fabby1971

schmick1972

butt-kicking1973

ripper1973

Tiffany1973

bodacious1976

rad1976

kif1978

awesome1979

death1979

killer1979

fly1980

shiok1980

stonking1980

brill1981

dope1981

to die1982

mint1982

epic1983

kicking1983

fabbo1984

mega1985

ill1986

posho1989

pukka1991

lovely jubbly1992

awesomesauce2001

nang2002

bess2006

amazeballs2009

boasty2009

daebak2009

beaut2013

?a1534 H. Medwall Nature sig. f.i My loue let vs some nyght be there at a banket or a rere supper and get vs some wanton mete.

a1594 Edmond Ironside (1991) iii. v. 95 I am rare in moveinge passion.

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice ii. ii. 104 Maister Bassanio, who in deede giues rare newe Lyuories.

1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all v. 67 Mill. You and I will disguise too... Mood. That will be most rare.

1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 59 He's a rare Fellow for giving a bad Captain a good Word.

1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship xviii. 81 My horse must have had a rare bit of bone in his back.

1812 Sporting Mag. 39 283 The prisoner said it would be a rare thing to get at that mare which was first favourite.

1878 Mrs. H. Wood Pomeroy Abbey I. 172 Guy will about die of it I expect. Rare fun if he does.

1943 M. Lavin Tales from Bective Bridge 90 Paris was a wicked place, by all accounts, even if they did have a rare time there at night, with the lights and the bandstands.

1991 J. Kelman Burn (1992) 43 I aye wished I'd had her for a partner at the ‘spanners’! She would've been rare at it—better than me.

1992 I. Banks Crow Road vi. 148 Lachy sat back, belched. ‘That was rerr,’ he said. He wiped his mouth on the frayed sleeve of his jumper.

c. colloquial. Used ironically.

ΚΠ

a1594 Edmond Ironside (1991) iv. i. 103 Rare stratagemes.

1600 S. Rowlands Letting of Humors Blood Satyre i. sig. C8^v Vttring rare lyes to be admired at.

1672 H. Stubbe Justif. War against Netherlands 5 Oh! the rare situation of it! 'Tis a Canaan; but seated in a Bogge, and overflows with water, instead of Honey.

1712 J. Arbuthnot John Bull Still in Senses x. 46 Well John, thou are got into rare Company! One has a dumb Devil [etc.].

1789 G. Morris in J. Sparks Life G. Morris (1832) I. 323 This is a rare situation, for which they must thank themselves.

1837 M. M. Sherwood Henry Milner iii. v. 95 And do you mean always to go to bed at nine o'clock?.. If that a'n't rare.

1897 B. Stoker Dracula xx. 268 He ain't like to be in a way to tell ye much to-night. Sam is a rare one when he starts on the booze.

1952 Recorded Interview (Brit. Libr. Sound Archive) (Survey Eng. Dial.: C908) (MS transcript) Track 67 I had rare trouble with him... He kicked and all sorts of games,..the worst horse I ever remember doing.

1956 Virginia Q. Rev. 32 221 ‘He told me he was a great criminal,’ Henry said... ‘Oh, this is rare!’ George said with another laugh... ‘Swiped some peanuts when he was a kid, I suppose?’

1993 A. L. Kennedy Looking for Possible Dance 79 It's thirsty work, being Mrs. L...a partner who terminates every outing by spewing her ring... If Dirty Daisy's coming, we're in for a rare wee time. Terrific.

d. Chiefly colloquial. Used as an intensifier modifying adjectives or nouns. Also with a predicative adjective in rare and ——.When modifying an adjective, virtually equivalent to an intensifying adverb: ‘truly’, ‘mighty’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adjective] > very great or extreme > specifically of something good or admirable

goodc1300

jolly1559

rare1619

1619 P. Hannay Happy Husband sig. B.8^v To you..Send I this Character, where ech may share Her equall portion in my rare-good wife.

a1627 W. Fowler tr. Petrarch Triumphs in Wks. (1914) I. 65 The passage owt and going furthe wes high and rair vnthik.

1701 W. Hicks Wits Acad. (ed. 8) 33 Will. Bring us up a Bottle of the best Canary in the Cellar; be sure let it be good... Drawer. I'll warrant you rare good, sir.

1800 J. T. Allingham 'Tis All Farce ii. iii. 30 You are a fine fellow, you keep a rare good larder—I was devilish hungry.

1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. vi. 121 They put me in a rare passion.

1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. ix. 163 We got a good supper, and grew rare and sleepy.

1879 R. L. Stevenson Trav. with Donkey 61 I was rare and hungry.

1942 S. O'Casey Pictures in Hallway 65 He pulled a rare big bunch of them.

1977 J. Johnston Shadows on our Skin 67 There's a rare difference between sitting round and listening to a bunch of old men telling their hero stories and what is happening now.

1996 L. Gramling Ghosts of Green Swamp 99 ‘I reckon I'll stick with what I got,’ I said. ‘Which is a rare fine animal.’

B. adv.¹

= rarely adv. (esp. in sense 2). Chiefly poetic.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adverb]

seldom-whenc888

seldomc897

seld-whenc897

seldoma1000

seldc1000

seldom-timec1386

seld-timec1386

seld-whilea1387

seld-where1390

thinc1405

rare?1440

sendle?a1500

daintilya1513

thinlyc1545

rarely1546

once in a moon1547

out-takingly1549

seldomly1549

for once and away1583

sparingly1590

scarce1596

unfrequently1646

unoften1654

infrequently1673

once in a while1765

sporadically1765

sparselya1871

seldom-while1876

(for) once in a way1891

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) iv. 183 (MED) Cvcumber in this mone is sowen rare [L. rare].

c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica ii. 96 Passynge rare it hath be sene that any noble prynce shold be of male-talente or haynnous of corage where he is destitute of seruyturis that be prone & redy to accomplysshe his plesure.

1572 J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie II. 117 Note also, that there may be vsed particion per Squere, although it be rare seene.

1721 A. Ramsay Content 213 Rare she appears, unless on some fine day She grace a nuptial.

1757 J. Dyer Fleece iv. 125 Sabean frankincense Rare is collected now: few altars smoke Now in the idol flame.

1849 C. Gilman Verses of Life Time 258 My angel-visit cucumbers, that come so sparse and rare.

1849 R. W. Landis Liberty's Triumph v. 90 Cleaving still to what he deemed the right (Wherein he rare mistook).

1907 S. M. Baylis At Sign of Beaver 202 And as her almoner I fling The gifts she rare doth shower.

2003 J. H. Pearson in E. S. Nelson Contemp. Gay Amer. Poets & Playwrights 262 The references to Whitman are rare spoken directly.

C. n.

1. As a count noun: a rare thing, a rarity; a rare example of something.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > something very rare

rare1566

rariety1566

black swan?1570

rarity1592

hen's milk1601

white Negro1631

rara avis1651

(one) in a million1685

collector's or collectors' item1910

lightning in a bottle1941

rare bird1962

1566 Banquett of Dainties A vj b Of dainties these let me not fayle, with other rares among.

1605 A. Warren Poore Mans Passions sig. D3^v My dearest Treasures should be cheaply sold, To buy a minute, these Rares to behold.

1611 T. Bastard in T. Coryate Crudities sig. g^v Pvt downe, put downe, Tom Coryate Our latest rares.

1676 T. Duffett Poems 71 Lord, to what desp'rate terms we are brought, For all that strive to be ingenious thought, Will show their Rares of wit by finding fault.

1923 C. Wells Outl. of Humor 749 He pores in the old bookstores And browses among the rares.

2000 College Math. Jrnl. 31 19 Most Magic enthusiasts are interested in obtaining all cards that comprise an expansion, not just the rares.

2006 Lexington (Kentucky) Herald Leader (Nexis) 2 July c2 In the 1980s, Wayne Martin was that rarest of rares, a successful Morehead State University basketball coach.

2. As a mass noun: that which is rare. Frequently with the.

ΚΠ

1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso i. v. 8 Of all other things which the rest had mentioned of rare in the State of Venice, this was to be preferred.

1798 J. Carr tr. Lucian Dialogues V. 714 Cleanthis, with great care, Was nursed and dandled, rarest of the rare.

1813 W. Scott Bridal of Triermain iii. xxxvii. 192 That bower, the gazer to bewitch, Had wondrous store of rare and rich.

1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters (1855) xiii. 266 Little of the rare is to be detected in these meadows.

1933 H. J. Laski in F. J. C. Hearnshaw Social & Polit. Ideas Representative Thinkers Victorian Age v. 105 The rare becomes the commonplace; and it is the characteristic of the commonplace in art to replace what is profound by what is elegant and pretty.

1961 Q. Jrnl. Econ. 75 389 The pursuit of the rare is..essential to an intelligible explanation of the world of luxury as perceived from the vantage point of fashion behavior.

1996 A. Bell in S. Goodman & D. Graddol Redesigning Eng. (2001) i. 15 The unpredictable or the rare is more newsworthy than the routine.

Phrases

As int. o (also oh) rare!: expressing astonishment, admiration, etc. Now archaic or poetic.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > exclamation of wonder [interjection]

ahaa1400

ocha1522

heydaya1529

ah1538

ah me!a1547

fore me!a1547

o me!a1547

gossea1556

ay me!1591

o (also oh) rare!1596

law1598

strangec1670

lack-a-day1695

stap my vitals1697

alackaday1705

prodigious1707

my word1722

(by) golly1743

gosh1757

Dear me!1805

Madre de Dios1815

Great Jove!1819

I snum1825

crikey1826

my eye1826

crackey1830

snakes1839

Great Scott1852

holy mackerel!1855

whoops1870

this beats my grandmother1883

wow1892

great balls of fire1893

oo-er1909

zowiec1913

crimes1929

yowa1943

wowee1963

Madre mia!1964

yikes1971

whee1978

chingas1984

1596 T. Lodge Wits Miserie 20 If he meet with a wealthy yong heire worth the clawing, Oh rare cries he.

1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 i. ii. 63 Shall I? O rare!..ile be a braue iudge.

1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iii. v. 43 in Wks. II O rare! I would faine rubbe mine elbow now.

1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal iv. 36 O rare! it is the most natural, refin'd fancie this, that ever I heard.

1762 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VI. xxxvi. 141 ‘υγε!’ O rare! 'tis fine reasoning, Sir, indeed!

1787 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) I. 214 Oh, rare! to see our elbucks wheep.

1867 J. Ingelow Gladys 306 O rare, The island! fair befall the island; let Me reach the island!

1885 R. F. Burton tr. Arabian Nights' Entertainm. I. xii. 117 O rare, if all this be not a dream!

1901 J. Barlow Ghost-bereft 144 At each throw of my net it comes laden, O rare, with my wish back to me.

1958 J. Ciardi in Eng. Jrnl. 50 (1961) 589/1 A crouch, a flare, a long stroke through the cumulus of trees, a shaped thought at the sky—then gone. O rare!

1976 R. Nye Falstaff xi. 51 We assed him good and proper. O rare.

Compounds

C1. Parasynthetic and adverbial, as rare-feathered, rare-featured, rare-felt, rare-painted, rare-seen, rare-shaped, rare-spoken, etc. Chiefly poetic.

ΚΠ

1597 Certain Prayers in W. K. Clay Liturg. Services Q. Eliz. (Parker Soc.) 671 Thy rare-seen, unused, and seeld-heard-of goodness.

1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. A2^v If he could..distill the quintessence of heauen In rare composed Sceanes.

1607 G. Wilkins Miseries Inforst Mariage F iv b They are the moste rare featur'd..rare qualitied..gentlewoman.

1613 J. Marston & W. Barksted Insatiate Countesse iii. ii. sig. E2^v A rare shap'd man.

1652 E. Benlowes Theophila facing p. 235 Shee's a refin'd, & rare-composed Creature.

1703 S. Centlivre Stolen Heiress iii. 37 This is a rare spoken Fellow; I can't put in a word.

1785 T. Dwight Conquest of Canäan iv. 97 A rare-felt joy inspir'd the friendless band.

1794 T. Dwight Greenfield Hill i. 18 The rare-seen felon startles every mind And fills each mouth with news.

1817 W. Scott Rob Roy I. xi. 265 O rare-painted portrait!.. Vandyke was a dauber to you.

1828 Sporting Mag. 22 119 A rare shaped thoroughbred horse very groggy.

1876 G. M. Hopkins Wreck of Deutschland xxxv, in Poems (1967) 63 Let him [sc. our King]..be a crimson-cresseted east, More brightening her, rare-dear Britain, as his reign rolls.

1877 Coursing Cal. Autumn 1876 327 Westeria..was put out in a bad trial. She is a rare-bred one, being by Contango out of Joan-of-Arc.

1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 79 Of realty the rarest-veinèd unraveller.

1882 H. de Windt On Equator 37 The Deli pony is a rare-shaped little animal..with immense strength, and very fast.

1904 Westm. Gaz. 19 Nov. 9/2 The class for pied, albino, or rare-feathered British birds contains a pure yellow, pink-eyed, yellow-hammer.

1915 D. H. Lawrence Rainbow i. 8 A rare-spoken, almost surly man.

1922 E. Blunden Shepherd 85 And rare-grown daisy in the meadow.

1937 E. Blunden Elegy 90 Where the dogs..regard The rare-coming stranger in the yard An excitement not to be missed.

2001 Xinhua Gen. News Service (Nexis) 10 Dec. A rare-seen seaport in Guangxi Province adjoining both sea and river.

C2.

rare bird n. = rara avis n. 1a, 1b.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > person

rare bird1553

rara avis1607

the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > something very rare

rare1566

rariety1566

black swan?1570

rarity1592

hen's milk1601

white Negro1631

rara avis1651

(one) in a million1685

collector's or collectors' item1910

lightning in a bottle1941

rare bird1962

1532 R. Whitford Pype or Tonne f. 206^r Selden doth synguler beute and pure chastite: dwel and peasebly agre together in one persone. And therfore is chastite called a byrd rare.]

1553 tr. Erasmus Epist. Perswade Young Ientleman Mariage in T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique f. 32 A good woman (you will saie) is a rare birde [L. rara..avis], & harde to be founde in all the worlde.

1592 G. Harvey Foure Lett. (new ed.) iii. 16 Wondrous wittes are rare birdes.

1659 Maze 15 Honest men, Huntington! Those be rare Birds.

1776 E. Griffiths tr. P. A. C. de Beaumarchais Barber Seville i. iv. 9 In Faith, a rare Bird! and very hard to come at, but who told you she is the Doctor's Wife?

1890 G. B. Shaw in Star 21 Feb. 2/5 She [sc. the perfect dancer] is the rarest of rare birds.

1962 Which? Car Suppl. Oct. 141/1 The foreign cars are still somewhat rare birds.

2004 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 July 31/1 He was that rare bird, the scholar-publisher to whom its lovers and practitioners are indebted for books.

rare book n. a book of special value or interest on account of its age, limited issue, binding, or other historical factors; frequently attributive.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > book > kind of book > rare book(s) > [noun]

rare book1584

rariora1859

curiosa1883

rarissima1883

introuvable1963

1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton 2 b Therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes.]

1584 J. Rainolds & J. Hart Summe of Conf. vii. 415 For there are many rare bookes in the Popes librarie, that are not els where to be found.

1652 P. Heylyn Cosmographie i. sig. L6 Francisco Ubaldi the first Duke..founded a most excellent Library, replenished with a great number of rare Books, covered and garnished with gold, silk, and silver.

1729 T. Innes Crit. Ess. Anc. Inhabitants Scotl. II. 525 I have seen the book, with many others, useful to this work, by the favour of the honourable Archibald Campbel, in his curious collection of rare books.

1895 W. Roberts Rare Bks. 7 This is a very unusual contingency even in the history of rare books.

1941 B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? v. 97 One of the finest collections of rare books in the country.

1948 J. Carter Taste & Technique in Book-collecting p. ix I am the first member of the rare book trade to have been appointed Sandars Reader.

1976 ‘O. Bleeck’ No Questions Asked ii. 22 The Library of Congress is an interesting place... The reading room of the Rare Book Division turned out to be a peaceful place.

2001 W. Ferguson Generica xlix. 275 Jack lifted a stack of loose papers, what looked to be magazine clippings (they were actually pages cut out of rare books with an exacto knife).

rare breed n. an uncommon breed of domesticated animal (in later use often as an official classification); an animal of such a breed; also in extended use.

ΚΠ

1709 R. Howlett Royal Pastime Cock-fighting 76 The Cock was about two Years old,..and he came of a rare breed.

1860 Wisconsin Daily Patriot 9 Oct. 1/6 A numerous combination of poultry.., many of the hens being rare breeds.

1925 Woman's World (Chicago) Apr. 64/4 (advt.) Just-Rite Baby Chicks. 20 popular breeds, high power layers, 20 rare breeds.

1983 G. E. Lang & K. Lang Battle for Public Opinion vii. 168 The ‘impeachment junkie’, unlike the ‘Watergate junkie’, was a rare breed.

1999 Southern Nature Winter (Thames & Chilterns ed.) 4/3 Dartmoor ponies..are now classed as a ‘rare breed’.

rare gas n. [compare sense A. 4] Chemistry = noble gas n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > noble gases > [noun]

(the) inert gases1885

noble gas1901

rare gas1901

1901 M. W. Travers Exper. Study Gases xi. 116 Mercury, which somewhat resembles the rare gases with regard to its low boiling-point and monatomic character, would be chemically inactive at 1000° C.

1963 J. H. Pomeroy in H. H. Hyman Noble-gas Compounds iii. 125 I..suspect that the discovery of the rare-gas compounds has been greeted with particular enthusiasm by the producers of textbooks in chemistry.

1991 E. A. V. Ebsworth et al. Struct. Methods Inorg. Chem. (BNC) (ed. 2) 276 If an electron is removed from a p-orbital of a rare gas atom the interaction of the electron spin angular momentum..with the orbital angular momentum..generates two possible states for the ion.

rare groove n. Music (originally British) a rare or obscure recording, typically of soul or funk from the 1960s or 1970s; (remixed) music of this type considered as a genre.

ΚΠ

1987 Campaign 6 Nov. 32/4 The station has a pool of 35 DJs... They spin their rare grooves, read out letters and dedications.

1988 Economist (Nexis) 23 Jan. Rap, hip-hop and rare groove are just some of the types of..music played on KISS FM.

1992 Times 28 Nov. (Sat. Review section) 35/4 People stand in the soul room..casually cruising the record stalls.., where a ‘rare groove’ can cost $50.

2003 Time Out N.Y. 4 Dec. 75/3 A night of hip-hop, rare groove, Northern soul..and two-step.

† rare-spring adj. Obsolete rare (perhaps) (of a carbine) having a well-crafted spring.A 1663 edition of Howell's poems has rare-spring'd.

ΚΠ

1642 J. Howell The Vote 2 No Pistols, or some rare-spring'd Carrabins.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	rare
释义	rareadj.¹int.adv.¹n. Brit. /rɛː/, U.S. /rɛ(ə)r/ Forms: Middle English rere, Middle English 1600s rar, Middle English– rare; English regional 1800s ra' (Lancashire), 1800s raare (Yorkshire), 1800s rar' (Manx English), 1800s– raayre (Berkshire), 1800s– rur (Berkshire); Scottish pre-1700 raer, pre-1700 rair, pre-1700 raire, pre-1700 1700s– rare, 1900s– rerr; also Irish English 1800s raree (Wexford). Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin rārus. Etymology: < classical Latin rārus of loose structure, porous, widely spaced, sparse, sparsely occupied, infrequent, seldom found, uncommon, unusual, exceptional, in post-classical Latin also (of colour) thin, faint, pale (5th cent. in the passage translated in quot. ?1440 at sense A. 1b), (of a person) seldom appearing or seen (15th cent. in the passage translated in quot. a1500 at sense A. 3b), of uncertain origin, perhaps < the same Indo-European base as Old Church Slavonic -oriti (in razoriti to destroy), Lithuanian irti to dissolve, to fall into ruins. With use as adverb compare classical Latin rārē at wide intervals, sparsely, with open texture, rarely, seldom ( < rārus + -ē, suffix forming adverbs). Compare Middle French rare of loose structure, not dense (a1365), infrequent (a1509; French rare; compare Old French rer unusual, exceptional, seldom found (end of the 12th cent.), also in Anglo-Norman in the adverb rerment), Old Occitan, Occitan rar (second half of the 12th cent.), Catalan rar (second half of the 14th cent.), Spanish raro (mid 13th cent.), Italian raro (mid 13th cent.).Quot. 1622 at sense A. 2a could alternatively be interpreted as a misreading or a typographical error for race adj.¹ Compare also quot. 1622 at rarely adv. 1b. With it is rare that at sense A. 4b compare French il est rare que (17th cent. or earlier). A. adj.¹ (and int.) 1. a. Originally: (of an organ or tissue, soil, or other substance) having the constituent material or particles loose or not closely packed together; not dense or compact; attenuated. In later use chiefly: (of air or a gas) having low density, thin (though cf. rare gas n. at Compounds 2). Also figurative, with reference to the workings of the mind: refined, subtle, rarefied. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective] thin849 subtilea1393 airya1398 subtlea1398 rarea1400 shirec1400 finea1425 solutec1440 intenuate1471 slender1528 ethereal1590 tenuous1597 spare1602 unsolid1611 unsolute1612 tenuious1634 etherical1656 airlike1821 wire-drawn1876 a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 107 (MED) Þe skyn of þe heed is more þickere þan þe brain sculle, þat it schulde ben more rare [L. plus rara] & more porose. tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 99 The londis fatte, or lene, or thicke, or rare. c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 27 (MED) Þe tunge is a membre wiþinne middis concauite of þe mouþ y-compouned of whit, neische, rere fleisch y-medlid wiþ veynes and arteries. c1484 (a1475) J. de Caritate tr. Secreta Secret. (Takamiya) (1977) 174 (MED) Þat qwyche is sotel is mor wurthy þan þat qwyche is grose, and þat rar, porous, or lyght is mor bettyr þan qwyche is thyk of substauns. 1578 J. Banister Hist. Man vii. f. 90 ^v The substaunce of the lunges is rare, light, and porie, as a sponge. 1595 E. Spenser Amoretti lv, in Amoretti & Epithalamion sig. D5 Not ayre; for she is not so light or rare. 1610 W. Folkingham Feudigraphia i. viii. 16 Distinguishing betweene open and rare soyles, and such as are condense and close. 1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. v. 47 All pure and rare bodies ascend, as the Fire more than the Air. 1732 J. Arbuthnot Pract. Rules of Diet i. 275 A denser Fluid is hotter than a rarer. ?1790 J. Imison School of Arts (ed. 2) 100 As the air rises above the earth's surface, it grows rarer, and consequently lighter, bulk for bulk. a1822 P. B. Shelley Let. to — in Posthumous Poems (1824) 59 Spinning..From the fine threads of rare and subtle thought. 1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. vii. §69. 247 A projectile would travel a far greater distance through a rare medium like air, than through a dense medium like water. 1930 E. L. Rice Voy. to Purilia i. 16 The air grew rarer... We were obliged to don the oxygen masks. 1990 O. Chadwick Michael Ramsey (1991) (BNC) 44 The stony heights and rare atmosphere in which his mind moved. b. Of colour: thin, faint; pale. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [adjective] > faint or weak wateryOE dima1250 lighta1398 rare?1440 delayed1543 faint1552 weak1585 pale1598 distempered1621 washya1639 thin1649 languid1663 dilute1665 welmish1688 sickly1695 dimmed1863 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 85 (MED) For vynys lond to chese eek most me yeme: In coors and in colour solute and rare [L. rari]. 1750 tr. C. Leonardus Mirror of Stones 111 Those are reckoned the best, whose colour is neither too thick nor too rare. 1924 K. Feiling Hist. Tory Party iii. 49 A rare colour, a delicate fancy, play like lambent light over his religion. 1985 M. Feeney & L. Guiney tr. J. Follain Sel. Prose 46 The dusty rose curtains..turned a rarer and rarer color as they faded over the years. †2. a. Having the constituent parts widely spaced; of open construction; in widely spaced formation. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > characterized by wide intervals thin849 rare?1440 sparse1801 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) xi. 494 (MED) A multitude of reysouns puld they take And into russhy frayels rare [L. rariore contextu] hem gete. a1460 Knyghthode & Bataile (Pembr. Cambr. 243) 1497 (MED) Mesure a grounde as wil thin ooste suffice; To wide it is, thin ooste therin is rare; To streyt, thei be to thicke. 1622 R. Hawkins Observ. Voiage South Sea lix. 136 They being rare shippes, and without any manner of close fights, in bourding with vs, their men were all open vnto vs, and we vnder couert and shelter. 1647 T. May Hist. Parl. iii. v. 100 One rare and slender ranke were to receive all the storme without seconds. b. Originally and chiefly Scottish. Thinly attended or populated. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers > thinly attended or populated thin-sown1590 rare1601 thin1621 sparse1851 1601 in S. Ree Rec. Elgin (1908) II. 93 The minister fand gryt fault of the rare conventione. 1610 J. Forbes Certaine Rec. (1846) x. 387 The Assemblie was so rare that they were not exceeding the number of nineteen Commissioners. 1658 in J. B. Craven Church Life S. Ronaldshay & Burray (1911) 25 The weather most tempestuous..Ane raire meeting of the people. a1794 E. Gibbon Memoirs in Misc. Wks. (1796) I. 82 Our immediate neighbourhood was rare and rustic. 3. Esp. of a thing or things not regarded as members of a class or type: occurring infrequently, encountered only occasionally or at intervals, uncommon. a. Originally of material objects: placed or stationed at wide intervals; standing or keeping far apart. In later use of material or immaterial things: forming a small and scattered class; few and far between. See also it is (very) rare that at sense A. 4b. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals rare?1440 thin-sown1590 scattered1595 scattering1610 disparpled1652 intervaled1659 scattery1816 sparse1861 the world > relative properties > number > plurality > fewness > [adjective] > rare scarce1398 dainty?a1500 rare1555 scant1581 few and far between1668 few and far between1668 spare1813 thin on the ground1951 the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > [adjective] > scattered at wide intervals > in very small numbers shirec1400 rare1555 sporadic1813 one-one1832 the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > [adjective] > limited in quantity or amount > not abundant scanta1400 thin1508 rare1584 thin-sown1590 scanty1674 infrequenta1682 bare-boned1828 sparse1871 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. 1033 Bowis ore hit trayn So lough and rare [L. rara], on hem that bees may dwelle. 1555 Act 2 & 3 Phil. & Mary c. 13 The Fertility of the Ground is not apt to bring forth any Corn nor good Grass, but in rare Places. 1584 King James VI & I Ess. Prentise Poesie sig. Giiii Although the same..Can noght returne, yet men are not so rair, Bot ye may get the lyke. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vii. 461 The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green: Those rare and solitarie, these in flocks. View more context for this quotation 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 199 I never saw but one Grey-ey'd and therefore I suppose them rare. 1704 B. Kennet tr. B. Pascal Thoughts Relig. xxvii. 251 He dwels in secret, so He discloses Himself on some rare Occasions, when He would more strictly engage men in his Service. 1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 700 Are such men rare? Perhaps they would abound Were occupation easier to be found. View more context for this quotation a1822 P. B. Shelley Let. to — in Posthumous Poems (1824) 67 Clouds sail o'er the inverse deep,..And the rare stars rush through them. 1883 Littell's Living Age 10 Nov. 363/1 The rare houses along the road were dark and gloomy. 1885 Manch. Examiner 15 May 5/6 Brake appliances, to the development of which we mainly owe it that railway accidents are now so rare. 1904 J. Conrad Nostromo i. i. 3 On the rare clear mornings another shadow is cast. 1987 S. Weintraub Victoria (1988) i. 15 She was an elderly lady and wore the traditional black of her generation, giving way to display only on rare, great occasions. 2002 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 31 July a1 (caption) James Thibert points out the rare dots of Canadian-owned beachfront in eastern Fort Erie. b. Of a person: seldom appearing or seen. Frequently in phrase to make oneself rare. ΘΚΠ the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adjective] > (of person or agent) that acts infrequently rarea1500 infrequent1722 episodical1823 a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 9 (MED) Be rare [L. rarus] amonge yonge peple & straunge folkes. 1785 W. Cowper Task ii. 383 Frequent in Park with lady at his side,..But rare at home. 1825 Husband Hunting I. vii. 67 Where have you been hiding yourself?.. Did you think the world was weary of you, and so resolved to make yourself rare? 1931 San Antonio (Texas) Light 5 Apr. iv. 2/1 Make yourself rare around here. Go out and play golf. 2003 L. Gregerson in R. Dutton & J. E. Howard Compan. Shakespeare's Wks. II. xi. 258 Bolingbroke the king makes himself rare, so as to seem more kingly. †c. Of a person: sparing. With in. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > conciseness > [adjective] > of persons rare1526 spare1563 succinct1603 1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection ii. sig. Pii Pacient in aduersites, rare & sobre in wordes. d. Of something encountered haphazardly or at substantial intervals: characterized by infrequency of occurrence; occasional. In early use often (Medicine) of the pulse (see rarity n. 4a). ΘΚΠ the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adjective] seld1398 seldom1483 rare1565 secular1599 unfrequent1611 straggling1618 infrequent1622 unobvious1643 far-between1743 rarish1772 unwonted1785 sporadic1842 low frequency1946 the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered pulse or circulation > [adjective] > other pulse disorders harda1398 rare1565 soft1571 large1612 bigeminal1877 bigeminous1881 Adams–Stokes1896 Stokes-Adams1903 quadrigeminal1906 1565 J. Hall Expositiue Table 123 in tr. Lanfranc Most Excellent Woorke Chirurg. Syncope..is the defecte of the mynde..Whose sygnes are rare and obscure pulse, coldnes of the extreme partes, sweat of the face. 1640 Whole Bk. Psalmes: ‘Bay Psalm Bk.’ 2 Detractions from the words are not seldome and rare, but very frequent and many times needles. 1674 J. T. tr. G. Harvey Theoret. & Pract. Treat. Fevors ii. 10 A thick pulse to me is, which is perceived by the finger by its frequent beatings, or retreats; a rare pulse contrariwise. 1729 E. Strother Pract. Observ. Epidemical Fever 119 We know..that rare Pulses are converted into frequent ones, by giving the Patients volatile Salts and Chalybeates. 1789 J. H. Pott Charge to Clergy of Archdeaconry St. Alban's 6 They will admonish us that they were not built for rare and solitary acts of service, but for frequency, for diurnal exercises, and as the beloved home of pious men. 1830 E. Bulwer-Lytton Paul Clifford I. i. 13 A low and rare moan only testified continued life, and within two hours that ceased, and the spirit was gone. 1859 Ld. Tennyson Elaine in Idylls of King 155 He..Chose the green path that show'd the rarer foot. 1956 I. Murdoch Flight from Enchanter iii. 28 The person who entered was a man called John Rainborough, an old friend of Peter Saward, but now a rare caller. 2003 M. Vorhees & R. Ver Berkmoes Moscow (Lonely Planet) (ed. 2) 213/1 You can take a suburban train..to Serpukhov.., then a rare bus to the village of Danki. 4. a. Of a kind seldom found, done, or occurring; unusual, uncommon, exceptional. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [adjective] > rare rare1447 rathe1548 unvulgar1605 uncommon1611 rarachose1676 recherché1689 1447 O. Bokenham Lives of Saints (Arun.) (1938) 6361 (MED) Þat book is rare And straunge to gete. c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica iii. 208 It is endewed moreouer with an-other comoditie that rare is in all other regions. 1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 171 It is a veraye rare thyng in princes to feele the mocions and pangues of the graces. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. ccclxxviij An Olyphaunt of Inde,..a rare spectacle, and a beast not often sene in Germany. 1611 M. Smith in Bible (King James) Pref. ⁋15 Many rare names of certaine birds, beastes and precious stones. c1660 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1644 (1955) II. 110 A large & very rare Grotto of shell-worke, artificialy stuck on in the shapes of Satyres & other wild fansys. 1709 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1886) II. 269 The Book being very rare in England. 1755 Man No. 15. 4 It is comparatively rare for brutes to die of sickness. 1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 139 The white bird of Paradise is the most rare... The first sort is very rare. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms iv. 399 Gathering rare shells, delighted children stray. 1838–9 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. Resid. Georgian Plantation (1863) 47 How very rare it is to see a well-formed face. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirlaugh III. 182 It was a rare event for Mrs. Skirlaugh to go from home. 1925 J. M. Murry Keats & Shakespeare i. 9 A quality which is found only in the greatest poets, and is rare even in them. 1978 M. Girouard Life Eng. Country House xi. 314 An attached conservatory began to grow rare after 1900. 2006 In the Know 10 Oct. 30/1 Blood tests showed that she was suffering from a rare blood disorder, myelodysplasia. b. it is (very) rare that: it seldom occurs that; it rarely happens that. Also with for and with to-infinitive. ΚΠ 1584 E. Paget tr. J. Calvin Harmonie vpon Three Euangelists 734 It is rare for God to haue his righte honour in princes courtes. 1595 W. Perkins Expos. Creed Apostles 290 It is rare to finde the like man in these dayes. 1603 R. Rogers Seuen Treat. i. iv. 10 It is rare, that men, who know that all are vnder the wrath of God..doe beleeue indeede that it is so with them. 1674 R. Fleming Faithfulness of God v. 199 It is rare to find a warming heat with a large profession, such as can make it convincing to others. 1680 W. Jole Warning Drunkards 6 It is very rare, that a Man should drink himself drunk alone; love of the Company makes many drunk, who say they do not love Drink. 1733 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. (ed. 2) at Ferrum Equinum There are some other Varieties of this Plant, which are preserv'd in curious Botanick Gardens; but it is rare that any of them are propogated. 1754 Earl of Chatham Lett. to Nephew (1804) v. 35 It is rare to see in any one a graceful laughter. 1788 T. Taylor tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. (1792) I. 34 It is very rare that philology and philosophy are united in the same person. 1855 W. H. Prescott Hist. Reign Philip II of Spain I. ii. ii. 398 It was rare that the tone of remonstrance was heard in the halls of Castilian legislation. 1888 G. Rolleston & W. H. Jackson Forms Animal Life (ed. 2) 474 It is rare for a left-handed or sinistral twist to be normal in a given genus or species. 1898 Argosy Nov. 610 I believe it is rare that a vessel has sustained any serious damage from these convulsions. 1929 H. A. A. Nicholls & J. H. Holland Text-bk. Trop. Agric. (ed. 2) ii. iii. 142 It is very rare that more than one of the flowers develop into fruit. 1949 H. W. C. Vines Green's Man. Pathol. (ed. 17) xv. 388 It is rare for the whole mass to be composed of fully developed muscle. 1972 Amer. Jrnl. Compar. Law 20 697 It is very rare that an Israeli woman uses her maiden name after marriage. 1992 A. M. Buckett in C. Blank Lang. & Civilization I. 341 It is rare to find comments on the mentality, or even less, on the dialect, of the Bavarian in a way that distinguishes him from other Germans. 2002 M. Marschark et al. Educating Deaf Children v. 89 It is rare that deaf children are exposed only to spoken language or sign language. 5. a. Unusually good, fine, or worthy; of uncommon excellence or merit.In quot. 1685: distinguished. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate gildenc1225 prime1402 rare1483 grand1542 holy1599 pre-excelling1600 paregal1602 classic1604 of (the) first rate1650 solary1651 first rate1674 superb1720 tip-top1722 tip-top-gallant1730 swell1819 topping1822 of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826 No. 11829 brag1836 A11837 A No. 11838 number one1839 awful1843 bully1851 first class1852 class1867 champion1880 too1881 tipping1887 alpha plus1898 bonzer1898 grade A1911 gold star1917 world-ranking1921 five-star1936 too much1937 first line1938 vintage1939 supercolossal1947 top1953 alpha1958 fantabulous1959 beauty1963 supercool1965 world-class1967 primo1973 1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton 2 b Therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes. 1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. x. 140 Of quhais rair bewtie scho did sumpart farlie. 1594 H. Plat Jewell House 27 One of the rarest Mathematicians of our age. 1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. xxv. 155 A more substantiall towre was built, the rarest piece in that kind the world ever saw. 1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Matt. x. 42 It is not only Charity to Preachers and rare Persons, but to the least Christians. 1704 E. Thomas in Pylades & Corinna (1731) 63 The King..commanded the most famous Poets to celebrate the Memory of so rare a Virtue. 1779 W. Cowper Yearly Distress 57 A rarer man than you In pulpit none shall hear. 1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna i. xxiii. 12 A boat of rare device, which had no sail. 1874 G. Bancroft Footpr. of Time i. 67 This rare nation knew how to adapt its governments to its needs. 1923 Lethbridge (Alberta) Daily Herald 23 Feb. 6/1 (advt.) Woven cloths of rare weave. a1940 F. S. Fitzgerald Last Tycoon (1941) v. 108 Stahr apparently derived some rare almost physical pleasure from working lightheaded with weariness. 2005 P. Honan Christopher Marlowe ix. 319 A man of abstemious habits and rare talent, Chapman was well admired among Marlowe's friends. b. colloquial. In weakened sense: splendid, excellent, fine. Now chiefly Scottish, Irish English, and English regional. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] faireOE bremea1000 goodlyOE goodfulc1275 noblec1300 pricec1300 specialc1325 gentlec1330 fine?c1335 singulara1340 thrivena1350 thriven and throa1350 gaya1375 properc1380 before-passinga1382 daintiful1393 principala1398 gradelya1400 burlyc1400 daintyc1400 thrivingc1400 voundec1400 virtuousc1425 hathelc1440 curiousc1475 singlerc1500 beautiful1502 rare?a1534 gallant1539 eximious1547 jolly1548 egregious?c1550 jellyc1560 goodlike1562 brawc1565 of worth1576 brave?1577 surprising1580 finger-licking1584 admirablea1586 excellinga1586 ambrosial1598 sublimated1603 excellent1604 valiant1604 fabulous1609 pure1609 starryc1610 topgallant1613 lovely1614 soaringa1616 twanging1616 preclarent1623 primea1637 prestantious1638 splendid1644 sterling1647 licking1648 spankinga1666 rattling1690 tearing1693 famous1695 capital1713 yrare1737 pure and —1742 daisy1757 immense1762 elegant1764 super-extra1774 trimming1778 grand1781 gallows1789 budgeree1793 crack1793 dandy1794 first rate1799 smick-smack1802 severe1805 neat1806 swell1810 stamming1814 divine1818 great1818 slap-up1823 slapping1825 high-grade1826 supernacular1828 heavenly1831 jam-up1832 slick1833 rip-roaring1834 boss1836 lummy1838 flash1840 slap1840 tall1840 high-graded1841 awful1843 way up1843 exalting1844 hot1845 ripsnorting1846 clipping1848 stupendous1848 stunning1849 raving1850 shrewd1851 jammy1853 slashing1854 rip-staving1856 ripping1858 screaming1859 up to dick1863 nifty1865 premier cru1866 slap-bang1866 clinking1868 marvellous1868 rorty1868 terrific1871 spiffing1872 all wool and a yard wide1882 gorgeous1883 nailing1883 stellar1883 gaudy1884 fizzing1885 réussi1885 ding-dong1887 jim-dandy1888 extra-special1889 yum-yum1890 out of sight1891 outasight1893 smooth1893 corking1895 large1895 super1895 hot dog1896 to die for1898 yummy1899 deevy1900 peachy1900 hi1901 v.g.1901 v.h.c.1901 divvy1903 doozy1903 game ball1905 goodo1905 bosker1906 crackerjack1910 smashinga1911 jake1914 keen1914 posh1914 bobby-dazzling1915 juicy1916 pie on1916 jakeloo1919 snodger1919 whizz-bang1920 wicked1920 four-star1921 wow1921 Rolls-Royce1922 whizz-bang1922 wizard1922 barry1923 nummy1923 ripe1923 shrieking1926 crazy1927 righteous1930 marvy1932 cool1933 plenty1933 brahmaa1935 smoking1934 solid1935 mellow1936 groovy1937 tough1937 bottler1938 fantastic1938 readyc1938 ridge1938 super-duper1938 extraordinaire1940 rumpty1940 sharp1940 dodger1941 grouse1941 perfecto1941 pipperoo1945 real gone1946 bosting1947 supersonic1947 whizzo1948 neato1951 peachy-keen1951 ridgey-dite1953 ridgy-didge1953 top1953 whizzing1953 badass1955 wild1955 belting1956 magic1956 bitching1957 swinging1958 ridiculous1959 a treat1959 fab1961 bad-assed1962 uptight1962 diggish1963 cracker1964 marv1964 radical1964 bakgat1965 unreal1965 pearly1966 together1968 safe1970 bad1971 brilliant1971 fabby1971 schmick1972 butt-kicking1973 ripper1973 Tiffany1973 bodacious1976 rad1976 kif1978 awesome1979 death1979 killer1979 fly1980 shiok1980 stonking1980 brill1981 dope1981 to die1982 mint1982 epic1983 kicking1983 fabbo1984 mega1985 ill1986 posho1989 pukka1991 lovely jubbly1992 awesomesauce2001 nang2002 bess2006 amazeballs2009 boasty2009 daebak2009 beaut2013 ?a1534 H. Medwall Nature sig. f.i My loue let vs some nyght be there at a banket or a rere supper and get vs some wanton mete. a1594 Edmond Ironside (1991) iii. v. 95 I am rare in moveinge passion. 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice ii. ii. 104 Maister Bassanio, who in deede giues rare newe Lyuories. View more context for this quotation 1668 J. Dryden Sr Martin Mar-all v. 67 Mill. You and I will disguise too... Mood. That will be most rare. 1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 59 He's a rare Fellow for giving a bad Captain a good Word. 1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship xviii. 81 My horse must have had a rare bit of bone in his back. 1812 Sporting Mag. 39 283 The prisoner said it would be a rare thing to get at that mare which was first favourite. 1878 Mrs. H. Wood Pomeroy Abbey I. 172 Guy will about die of it I expect. Rare fun if he does. 1943 M. Lavin Tales from Bective Bridge 90 Paris was a wicked place, by all accounts, even if they did have a rare time there at night, with the lights and the bandstands. 1991 J. Kelman Burn (1992) 43 I aye wished I'd had her for a partner at the ‘spanners’! She would've been rare at it—better than me. 1992 I. Banks Crow Road vi. 148 Lachy sat back, belched. ‘That was rerr,’ he said. He wiped his mouth on the frayed sleeve of his jumper. c. colloquial. Used ironically. ΚΠ a1594 Edmond Ironside (1991) iv. i. 103 Rare stratagemes. 1600 S. Rowlands Letting of Humors Blood Satyre i. sig. C8^v Vttring rare lyes to be admired at. 1672 H. Stubbe Justif. War against Netherlands 5 Oh! the rare situation of it! 'Tis a Canaan; but seated in a Bogge, and overflows with water, instead of Honey. 1712 J. Arbuthnot John Bull Still in Senses x. 46 Well John, thou are got into rare Company! One has a dumb Devil [etc.]. 1789 G. Morris in J. Sparks Life G. Morris (1832) I. 323 This is a rare situation, for which they must thank themselves. 1837 M. M. Sherwood Henry Milner iii. v. 95 And do you mean always to go to bed at nine o'clock?.. If that a'n't rare. 1897 B. Stoker Dracula xx. 268 He ain't like to be in a way to tell ye much to-night. Sam is a rare one when he starts on the booze. 1952 Recorded Interview (Brit. Libr. Sound Archive) (Survey Eng. Dial.: C908) (MS transcript) Track 67 I had rare trouble with him... He kicked and all sorts of games,..the worst horse I ever remember doing. 1956 Virginia Q. Rev. 32 221 ‘He told me he was a great criminal,’ Henry said... ‘Oh, this is rare!’ George said with another laugh... ‘Swiped some peanuts when he was a kid, I suppose?’ 1993 A. L. Kennedy Looking for Possible Dance 79 It's thirsty work, being Mrs. L...a partner who terminates every outing by spewing her ring... If Dirty Daisy's coming, we're in for a rare wee time. Terrific. d. Chiefly colloquial. Used as an intensifier modifying adjectives or nouns. Also with a predicative adjective in rare and ——.When modifying an adjective, virtually equivalent to an intensifying adverb: ‘truly’, ‘mighty’. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adjective] > very great or extreme > specifically of something good or admirable goodc1300 jolly1559 rare1619 1619 P. Hannay Happy Husband sig. B.8^v To you..Send I this Character, where ech may share Her equall portion in my rare-good wife. a1627 W. Fowler tr. Petrarch Triumphs in Wks. (1914) I. 65 The passage owt and going furthe wes high and rair vnthik. 1701 W. Hicks Wits Acad. (ed. 8) 33 Will. Bring us up a Bottle of the best Canary in the Cellar; be sure let it be good... Drawer. I'll warrant you rare good, sir. 1800 J. T. Allingham 'Tis All Farce ii. iii. 30 You are a fine fellow, you keep a rare good larder—I was devilish hungry. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. vi. 121 They put me in a rare passion. 1848 E. C. Gaskell Mary Barton I. ix. 163 We got a good supper, and grew rare and sleepy. 1879 R. L. Stevenson Trav. with Donkey 61 I was rare and hungry. 1942 S. O'Casey Pictures in Hallway 65 He pulled a rare big bunch of them. 1977 J. Johnston Shadows on our Skin 67 There's a rare difference between sitting round and listening to a bunch of old men telling their hero stories and what is happening now. 1996 L. Gramling Ghosts of Green Swamp 99 ‘I reckon I'll stick with what I got,’ I said. ‘Which is a rare fine animal.’ B. adv.¹ = rarely adv. (esp. in sense 2). Chiefly poetic. ΘΚΠ the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adverb] seldom-whenc888 seldomc897 seld-whenc897 seldoma1000 seldc1000 seldom-timec1386 seld-timec1386 seld-whilea1387 seld-where1390 thinc1405 rare?1440 sendle?a1500 daintilya1513 thinlyc1545 rarely1546 once in a moon1547 out-takingly1549 seldomly1549 for once and away1583 sparingly1590 scarce1596 unfrequently1646 unoften1654 infrequently1673 once in a while1765 sporadically1765 sparselya1871 seldom-while1876 (for) once in a way1891 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) iv. 183 (MED) Cvcumber in this mone is sowen rare [L. rare]. c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica ii. 96 Passynge rare it hath be sene that any noble prynce shold be of male-talente or haynnous of corage where he is destitute of seruyturis that be prone & redy to accomplysshe his plesure. 1572 J. Bossewell Wks. Armorie II. 117 Note also, that there may be vsed particion per Squere, although it be rare seene. 1721 A. Ramsay Content 213 Rare she appears, unless on some fine day She grace a nuptial. 1757 J. Dyer Fleece iv. 125 Sabean frankincense Rare is collected now: few altars smoke Now in the idol flame. 1849 C. Gilman Verses of Life Time 258 My angel-visit cucumbers, that come so sparse and rare. 1849 R. W. Landis Liberty's Triumph v. 90 Cleaving still to what he deemed the right (Wherein he rare mistook). 1907 S. M. Baylis At Sign of Beaver 202 And as her almoner I fling The gifts she rare doth shower. 2003 J. H. Pearson in E. S. Nelson Contemp. Gay Amer. Poets & Playwrights 262 The references to Whitman are rare spoken directly. C. n. 1. As a count noun: a rare thing, a rarity; a rare example of something. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > something very rare rare1566 rariety1566 black swan?1570 rarity1592 hen's milk1601 white Negro1631 rara avis1651 (one) in a million1685 collector's or collectors' item1910 lightning in a bottle1941 rare bird1962 1566 Banquett of Dainties A vj b Of dainties these let me not fayle, with other rares among. 1605 A. Warren Poore Mans Passions sig. D3^v My dearest Treasures should be cheaply sold, To buy a minute, these Rares to behold. 1611 T. Bastard in T. Coryate Crudities sig. g^v Pvt downe, put downe, Tom Coryate Our latest rares. 1676 T. Duffett Poems 71 Lord, to what desp'rate terms we are brought, For all that strive to be ingenious thought, Will show their Rares of wit by finding fault. 1923 C. Wells Outl. of Humor 749 He pores in the old bookstores And browses among the rares. 2000 College Math. Jrnl. 31 19 Most Magic enthusiasts are interested in obtaining all cards that comprise an expansion, not just the rares. 2006 Lexington (Kentucky) Herald Leader (Nexis) 2 July c2 In the 1980s, Wayne Martin was that rarest of rares, a successful Morehead State University basketball coach. 2. As a mass noun: that which is rare. Frequently with the. ΚΠ 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso i. v. 8 Of all other things which the rest had mentioned of rare in the State of Venice, this was to be preferred. 1798 J. Carr tr. Lucian Dialogues V. 714 Cleanthis, with great care, Was nursed and dandled, rarest of the rare. 1813 W. Scott Bridal of Triermain iii. xxxvii. 192 That bower, the gazer to bewitch, Had wondrous store of rare and rich. 1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters (1855) xiii. 266 Little of the rare is to be detected in these meadows. 1933 H. J. Laski in F. J. C. Hearnshaw Social & Polit. Ideas Representative Thinkers Victorian Age v. 105 The rare becomes the commonplace; and it is the characteristic of the commonplace in art to replace what is profound by what is elegant and pretty. 1961 Q. Jrnl. Econ. 75 389 The pursuit of the rare is..essential to an intelligible explanation of the world of luxury as perceived from the vantage point of fashion behavior. 1996 A. Bell in S. Goodman & D. Graddol Redesigning Eng. (2001) i. 15 The unpredictable or the rare is more newsworthy than the routine. Phrases As int. o (also oh) rare!: expressing astonishment, admiration, etc. Now archaic or poetic. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > exclamation of wonder [interjection] ahaa1400 ocha1522 heydaya1529 ah1538 ah me!a1547 fore me!a1547 o me!a1547 gossea1556 ay me!1591 o (also oh) rare!1596 law1598 strangec1670 lack-a-day1695 stap my vitals1697 alackaday1705 prodigious1707 my word1722 (by) golly1743 gosh1757 Dear me!1805 Madre de Dios1815 Great Jove!1819 I snum1825 crikey1826 my eye1826 crackey1830 snakes1839 Great Scott1852 holy mackerel!1855 whoops1870 this beats my grandmother1883 wow1892 great balls of fire1893 oo-er1909 zowiec1913 crimes1929 yowa1943 wowee1963 Madre mia!1964 yikes1971 whee1978 chingas1984 1596 T. Lodge Wits Miserie 20 If he meet with a wealthy yong heire worth the clawing, Oh rare cries he. 1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 i. ii. 63 Shall I? O rare!..ile be a braue iudge. View more context for this quotation 1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iii. v. 43 in Wks. II O rare! I would faine rubbe mine elbow now. 1672 Duke of Buckingham Rehearsal iv. 36 O rare! it is the most natural, refin'd fancie this, that ever I heard. 1762 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VI. xxxvi. 141 ‘υγε!’ O rare! 'tis fine reasoning, Sir, indeed! 1787 R. Burns Poems & Songs (1968) I. 214 Oh, rare! to see our elbucks wheep. 1867 J. Ingelow Gladys 306 O rare, The island! fair befall the island; let Me reach the island! 1885 R. F. Burton tr. Arabian Nights' Entertainm. I. xii. 117 O rare, if all this be not a dream! 1901 J. Barlow Ghost-bereft 144 At each throw of my net it comes laden, O rare, with my wish back to me. 1958 J. Ciardi in Eng. Jrnl. 50 (1961) 589/1 A crouch, a flare, a long stroke through the cumulus of trees, a shaped thought at the sky—then gone. O rare! 1976 R. Nye Falstaff xi. 51 We assed him good and proper. O rare. Compounds C1. Parasynthetic and adverbial, as rare-feathered, rare-featured, rare-felt, rare-painted, rare-seen, rare-shaped, rare-spoken, etc. Chiefly poetic. ΚΠ 1597 Certain Prayers in W. K. Clay Liturg. Services Q. Eliz. (Parker Soc.) 671 Thy rare-seen, unused, and seeld-heard-of goodness. 1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. i. sig. A2^v If he could..distill the quintessence of heauen In rare composed Sceanes. 1607 G. Wilkins Miseries Inforst Mariage F iv b They are the moste rare featur'd..rare qualitied..gentlewoman. 1613 J. Marston & W. Barksted Insatiate Countesse iii. ii. sig. E2^v A rare shap'd man. 1652 E. Benlowes Theophila facing p. 235 Shee's a refin'd, & rare-composed Creature. 1703 S. Centlivre Stolen Heiress iii. 37 This is a rare spoken Fellow; I can't put in a word. 1785 T. Dwight Conquest of Canäan iv. 97 A rare-felt joy inspir'd the friendless band. 1794 T. Dwight Greenfield Hill i. 18 The rare-seen felon startles every mind And fills each mouth with news. 1817 W. Scott Rob Roy I. xi. 265 O rare-painted portrait!.. Vandyke was a dauber to you. 1828 Sporting Mag. 22 119 A rare shaped thoroughbred horse very groggy. 1876 G. M. Hopkins Wreck of Deutschland xxxv, in Poems (1967) 63 Let him [sc. our King]..be a crimson-cresseted east, More brightening her, rare-dear Britain, as his reign rolls. 1877 Coursing Cal. Autumn 1876 327 Westeria..was put out in a bad trial. She is a rare-bred one, being by Contango out of Joan-of-Arc. 1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 79 Of realty the rarest-veinèd unraveller. 1882 H. de Windt On Equator 37 The Deli pony is a rare-shaped little animal..with immense strength, and very fast. 1904 Westm. Gaz. 19 Nov. 9/2 The class for pied, albino, or rare-feathered British birds contains a pure yellow, pink-eyed, yellow-hammer. 1915 D. H. Lawrence Rainbow i. 8 A rare-spoken, almost surly man. 1922 E. Blunden Shepherd 85 And rare-grown daisy in the meadow. 1937 E. Blunden Elegy 90 Where the dogs..regard The rare-coming stranger in the yard An excitement not to be missed. 2001 Xinhua Gen. News Service (Nexis) 10 Dec. A rare-seen seaport in Guangxi Province adjoining both sea and river. C2. rare bird n. = rara avis n. 1a, 1b. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > person rare bird1553 rara avis1607 the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [noun] > rareness > something very rare rare1566 rariety1566 black swan?1570 rarity1592 hen's milk1601 white Negro1631 rara avis1651 (one) in a million1685 collector's or collectors' item1910 lightning in a bottle1941 rare bird1962 1532 R. Whitford Pype or Tonne f. 206^r Selden doth synguler beute and pure chastite: dwel and peasebly agre together in one persone. And therfore is chastite called a byrd rare.] 1553 tr. Erasmus Epist. Perswade Young Ientleman Mariage in T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique f. 32 A good woman (you will saie) is a rare birde [L. rara..avis], & harde to be founde in all the worlde. 1592 G. Harvey Foure Lett. (new ed.) iii. 16 Wondrous wittes are rare birdes. 1659 Maze 15 Honest men, Huntington! Those be rare Birds. 1776 E. Griffiths tr. P. A. C. de Beaumarchais Barber Seville i. iv. 9 In Faith, a rare Bird! and very hard to come at, but who told you she is the Doctor's Wife? 1890 G. B. Shaw in Star 21 Feb. 2/5 She [sc. the perfect dancer] is the rarest of rare birds. 1962 Which? Car Suppl. Oct. 141/1 The foreign cars are still somewhat rare birds. 2004 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 July 31/1 He was that rare bird, the scholar-publisher to whom its lovers and practitioners are indebted for books. rare book n. a book of special value or interest on account of its age, limited issue, binding, or other historical factors; frequently attributive. ΘΚΠ society > communication > book > kind of book > rare book(s) > [noun] rare book1584 rariora1859 curiosa1883 rarissima1883 introuvable1963 1483 W. Caxton tr. Caton 2 b Therin they fonde many noble and rare bookes.] 1584 J. Rainolds & J. Hart Summe of Conf. vii. 415 For there are many rare bookes in the Popes librarie, that are not els where to be found. 1652 P. Heylyn Cosmographie i. sig. L6 Francisco Ubaldi the first Duke..founded a most excellent Library, replenished with a great number of rare Books, covered and garnished with gold, silk, and silver. 1729 T. Innes Crit. Ess. Anc. Inhabitants Scotl. II. 525 I have seen the book, with many others, useful to this work, by the favour of the honourable Archibald Campbel, in his curious collection of rare books. 1895 W. Roberts Rare Bks. 7 This is a very unusual contingency even in the history of rare books. 1941 B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? v. 97 One of the finest collections of rare books in the country. 1948 J. Carter Taste & Technique in Book-collecting p. ix I am the first member of the rare book trade to have been appointed Sandars Reader. 1976 ‘O. Bleeck’ No Questions Asked ii. 22 The Library of Congress is an interesting place... The reading room of the Rare Book Division turned out to be a peaceful place. 2001 W. Ferguson Generica xlix. 275 Jack lifted a stack of loose papers, what looked to be magazine clippings (they were actually pages cut out of rare books with an exacto knife). rare breed n. an uncommon breed of domesticated animal (in later use often as an official classification); an animal of such a breed; also in extended use. ΚΠ 1709 R. Howlett Royal Pastime Cock-fighting 76 The Cock was about two Years old,..and he came of a rare breed. 1860 Wisconsin Daily Patriot 9 Oct. 1/6 A numerous combination of poultry.., many of the hens being rare breeds. 1925 Woman's World (Chicago) Apr. 64/4 (advt.) Just-Rite Baby Chicks. 20 popular breeds, high power layers, 20 rare breeds. 1983 G. E. Lang & K. Lang Battle for Public Opinion vii. 168 The ‘impeachment junkie’, unlike the ‘Watergate junkie’, was a rare breed. 1999 Southern Nature Winter (Thames & Chilterns ed.) 4/3 Dartmoor ponies..are now classed as a ‘rare breed’. rare gas n. [compare sense A. 4] Chemistry = noble gas n. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > noble gases > [noun] (the) inert gases1885 noble gas1901 rare gas1901 1901 M. W. Travers Exper. Study Gases xi. 116 Mercury, which somewhat resembles the rare gases with regard to its low boiling-point and monatomic character, would be chemically inactive at 1000° C. 1963 J. H. Pomeroy in H. H. Hyman Noble-gas Compounds iii. 125 I..suspect that the discovery of the rare-gas compounds has been greeted with particular enthusiasm by the producers of textbooks in chemistry. 1991 E. A. V. Ebsworth et al. Struct. Methods Inorg. Chem. (BNC) (ed. 2) 276 If an electron is removed from a p-orbital of a rare gas atom the interaction of the electron spin angular momentum..with the orbital angular momentum..generates two possible states for the ion. rare groove n. Music (originally British) a rare or obscure recording, typically of soul or funk from the 1960s or 1970s; (remixed) music of this type considered as a genre. ΚΠ 1987 Campaign 6 Nov. 32/4 The station has a pool of 35 DJs... They spin their rare grooves, read out letters and dedications. 1988 Economist (Nexis) 23 Jan. Rap, hip-hop and rare groove are just some of the types of..music played on KISS FM. 1992 Times 28 Nov. (Sat. Review section) 35/4 People stand in the soul room..casually cruising the record stalls.., where a ‘rare groove’ can cost $50. 2003 Time Out N.Y. 4 Dec. 75/3 A night of hip-hop, rare groove, Northern soul..and two-step. † rare-spring adj. Obsolete rare (perhaps) (of a carbine) having a well-crafted spring.A 1663 edition of Howell's poems has rare-spring'd. ΚΠ 1642 J. Howell The Vote 2 No Pistols, or some rare-spring'd Carrabins. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). rareadj.² Brit. /rɛː/, U.S. /rɛ(ə)r/ Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: rear adj.¹ Etymology: Originally a variant of rear adj.¹As a result of the lowering influence of r on preceding vowels in southern varieties of English, rear remained homophonous with rare adj.¹ at least as late as the 17th cent. and remains so in some regional varieties. This gave rise to the variant rare , which retained the early modern pronunciation in standard English (compare the current pronunciation of e.g. wear v.¹ and pear n. and the variants at these entries). Compare also rare v. Frequently as postmodifier. 1. Of meat, esp. beef: lightly cooked; underdone. Cf. medium rare at medium adj. 3d.Formerly often regarded as an Americanism (see quot. 1861), although it was current in English writing from the 18th cent. and in many English dialects (cf. rear adj.¹). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > [adjective] > cooked (of specific food) > meat rawish1577 blood-raw1590 well-done1681 underdone1683 green1725 rare-done1746 rare1776 blue1867 medium1901 pink1947 1615 [implied in: G. Markham Eng. Hus-wife in Countrey Contentments ii. 54 To know when meate is rosted enough, for as too much rareness is vnwholsome, so too much drinesse is not nourishing. (at rareness n.²)]. 1776 G. Colman Spleen ii. 26 For which reason they leave the food without any juices at all. Without them, Sir, instead of beef or mutton, you might as well eat mahogany... Eat your meat as rare as possible, Sir. 1823 C. Lamb Christ's Hosp. in Elia 28 The same flesh, rotten-roasted or rare, on the Tuesdays. 1830 M. Donovan Domest. Econ. II. v. 289 The meat was in all cases a little rare at its centre. 1861 G. F. Berkeley Eng. Sportsman 26 The wood-cock and snipe..should be underdone or what the Americans call ‘rare’. 1904 N.Y. Sun 6 Aug. 5 The waiter took his order for a sirloin rare. 1911 E. Ferber Dawn O'Hara ii. 20 I've devoured rare porterhouse and roast beef day after day for weeks. 1977 Times 24 Aug. 14/8 A reader ordered a steak, rare, at a Yorkshire roadside café. 1994 Esquire June 36/2 Start with chef Michael Kornick's coriander-encrusted rare tuna—as rich as filet mignon. 2004 H. Fearnley-Whittingstall River Cottage Meat Bk. xii. 329 I would probably crank it up to smoking hot..for someone (like my wife) who likes their meat served very rare. 2. Of an egg: left soft in cooking, lightly cooked. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > [adjective] > cooked > under- or lightly-cooked rearlOE rare1655 zamzawed1743 al dente1940 the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > [adjective] > cooked (of specific food) > eggs rearlOE harda1425 poachedc1450 soft-boiled1577 hard-boiled1589 rare1655 rath egg1684 in the shell1692 dropped1824 rumpled1896 1655 T. Moffett & C. Bennet Healths Improvem. xvi. 137 A rare egg any way drest is lightest of digestion, a hard egg is most rebellious. 1655 T. Moffett & C. Bennet Healths Improvem. xvi. 137 Eggs..being rare-roasted in embers..make thickest and strongest blood. 1664 Duchess of Newcastle Philos. Lett. xxix. 512 When I say the rational part of matter is..a rare and acute matter, I do not mean that it is thin like a rare egg, but that it is subtil and active, penetrating and dividing, as well as dividable. 1723 J. Nott Cook's & Confectioner's Dict. sig. Ii4 ^v Beat a Pound of Almonds in a Mortar, with a little Water to keep them from oiling, with..the Yolks of four Eggs boil'd rare. ?1780 W. Combe tr. J. de Mediolano Œconomy Health 6 The parson's buxom daughters..Select their tythe-eggs white, new laid and long... Fine pork, rare eggs, and foods of daintier kind. 1836 Public Ledger (Philadelphia) 19 Apr. 1/3 [Certain persons] in calling for boiled eggs, instead of ordering them to be done rare, order them to be ‘boiled soft’. 1856 Knickerbocker 47 249 ‘Do you like your eggs done rare?’ asked the good landlady. 1930 Charleston (W. Va.) Gaz. 24 Dec. 8/2 A proper diet for athletes who are on the basketball team of the school would include..eggs cooked rare, and in any style but fried. 2000 Re: Michael dodges Again in talk.politics.animals (Usenet newsgroup) 19 Dec. In Norway the incidence of salmonella in eggs are [sic] so low that you can still enjoy your eggs rare, or even raw. Compounds rare-done adj. = sense 1. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > [adjective] > cooked (of specific food) > meat rawish1577 blood-raw1590 well-done1681 underdone1683 green1725 rare-done1746 rare1776 blue1867 medium1901 pink1947 1746 B. Godfrey Treasure Useful Discov. 11 Meats eat rare done don't afford the same Nourishment as more done, and subject the eater to the Scurvy. 1852 Knickerbocker Apr. 314 Some of the wedding-guests..swallowed some very rare-done meat. 1996 Miami Herald (Nexis) 13 Dec. 46 Rare-done cuts of the venison-like meat on garlic mashed potatoes. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). rarev. Brit. /rɛː/, U.S. /rɛ(ə)r/ Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: rear v.¹ Etymology: Variant of rear v.¹On the development of the variant see note at rare adj.² 1. transitive. To bring up, raise (a child); to farm, rear (an animal, plant, etc.). Also with up. Chiefly regional. ΘΚΠ society > education > upbringing > [verb (transitive)] i-teon975 forthbringc1000 forthwiseOE nourishc1300 nurshc1325 feedc1330 updraw1390 uprearc1400 educate1445 norrya1450 nurturea1450 to bring up1484 endue1526 nuzzle1558 rear1558 nurse1584 to breed up1611 cradle1613 breed1650 raise1744 rare1798 mud1814 to fetch up1841 rise1843 1798 Sporting Mag. Nov. 67/1 When the evening of their day draws on, it finds them surrounded with flowers, which they themselves have planted and rared. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Elizabeth De Bruce III. vii. 165 The Laird of Monkshaugh—who fed, and bred, and rared the bonny boy. 1861 St. James's Mag. 1 124 Wasn't I bred, born and rared..in Ireland, where knitting and spinning come natural. 1901 M. Franklin My Brilliant Career v. 24 It was my duty to ‘rare the poddies’. 1961 ‘F. O'Brien’ Hard Life ix. 67 Well, there's no doubt about it, we rare up strange characters in this country. 2001 J. Murphy Kings of Kilburn High Road ii, in Two Plays 47 S'no country Shay, no country to rare kids in. 2005 Daily Monitor (Kampala) (Nexis) 2 June He owns 27 acres of land in his village where he rares sheep, cattle and manages three grain milling machines. 2. Originally U.S. regional (chiefly southern and south Midland). a. intransitive. Of an animal: to rise up, esp. on the hind legs. Frequently with up, back. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > by habits or actions > habits and actions > [verb (intransitive)] > rise up on the hind legs rampc1390 rear1487 risea1500 rare1833 1833 Sketches & Eccentricities D. Crockett vii. 92 He just rared up upon his hind legs. 1898 H. S. Canfield Maid of Frontier 100 Break 'em with a curb an' they rare an' fall back on you. 1925 Jrnl. Amer. Folklore 38 356 Jack jest slipped around the oak right quick and the municorn stove his horn into hit and he just rared and plunged. 1984 G. Story It never pays to laugh too Much 79 To get a horse to rare up on his hind legs like a circus horse was something the Montgomerys seemed to fancy. 1998 B. Kingsolver Poisonwood Bible (1999) ii. 117 You go blind, and then it [sc. a cobra] can just rare back and bite you any old time it feels like it. 2006 Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) (Nexis) 10 June Richins injured her leg when her horse rared up and then rolled over her. b. intransitive. = rear v.¹ 8a. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action of standing up or rising > rise or be standing [verb (intransitive)] > rise > quickly or suddenly to start upc1275 upstart1303 leapc1330 upspringc1374 uprapea1400 boltc1425 starta1470 spring1474 rear1835 rare1886 1886 F. R. Stockton Late Mrs Null iv. 47 Ef you want to see ole miss come back rarin' an' chargin'. 1938 R. E. Bass in B. A. Botkin Treasury Southern Folklore (1949) iii. i. 457 He jes rared back and 'lowed, ‘I ain't never told a lie in my life.’ 1955 L. Hughes in Oliphant Q. Apr.–June 136 All over the world today folks with not even Mister in front of their names are raring up and talking back to the folks called Mister. 1998 B. Kingsolver Poisonwood Bible (1999) iv. 335 Leah would rare up and talk back to Father straight to his face, and then, boy oh boy. 2005 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 16 June d6 I just rare up tall and roar. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). rareadv.²adj.³ Brit. /rɛː/, U.S. /rɛ(ə)r/ Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: rathe adj.¹ Etymology: Variant of rathe adj.¹ Compare later rareripe adj. Compare also rath adj. and discussion at that entry. Eng. Dial. Dict. records this word as still in use in the Isle of Wight in 1903. In later use English regional (chiefly south-western). Now rare. Early. Also as adj. ΘΚΠ the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > morning > [adverb] earlyOE orOE ereOE amornOE amorrowc1275 rathec1275 betimea1300 morningc1325 of (also in, on) morningsc1395 a-morninga1400 a-morningsc1400 betimes1481 morningly1560 in the morning1562 ante meridiem1563 timeous1566 rare1574 in a morning1591 rearly1596 timeouslyc1600 mornly1605 a.m.1651 rear1714 antemeridian1770 bright and early1805 matutinely1833 matutinally1897 ack emma1918 1574 W. Bourne Regim. for Sea iii. f. 12^v Sometime in the yeare you shall see the Moone rarer than at some other time, as this for example: from January to June you shall see the Moone within .24. houres after the chaunge. ?1615 G. Chapman tr. Homer Odysses (new ed.) vi. 422 Rude mechanicals, that rare and late Work in the market-place. 1837 M. Palmer Dialogue Devonshire Dial. 29 I zure I've a zeed en mornings rare and evelings late. 1880 M. A. Courtney W. Cornwall Words in M. A. Courtney & T. Q. Couch Gloss. Words Cornwall 46/2 ‘The broccolow (brocoli) are bra' and rare this year.’ ‘We go to bed pretty rare on Sundays.’ This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.¹int.adv.¹n.a1400adj.²1615v.1798adv.²adj.³1574
随便看	vild vilderoy vildly vildness vile vile-born vine-leaf miner vine-leaf roller vine-leafed vine-leaved vine-leek vine-like vine-louse vine-man vine-mantled vine-master vine-mildew vine-moth vine-pear vine-pest vine-plant vine-planted vine-planter vine-pole vine-press

rareadj.1int.adv.1n.

Phrases

Compounds

rareadj.2

Compounds

rarev.

rareadv.2adj.3

rareadj.¹int.adv.¹n.

rareadj.²

rareadv.²adj.³