RARE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Rare

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/rɛr/ Listen

adjective

Rare adj. Early. (Obs.) "Rude mechanicals that rare and late Work in the market place."

Rare adj. (compar. rarer; superl. rarest) Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton. "New-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy care Turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare." Note: This word is in common use in the United States, but in England its synonym underdone is preferred.

Rare adj. (compar. rarer; superl. rarest)

1.

Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare event.

2.

Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree seldom found. "Rare work, all filled with terror and delight." "Above the rest I judge one beauty rare."

3.

Thinly scattered; dispersed. "Those rare and solitary, these in flocks."

4.

Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations. "Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold."

Synonyms: Scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular; extraordinary; incomparable. Rare, Scarce. We call a thing rare when but few examples, specimens, or instances of it are ever to be met with; as, a rare plant. We speak of a thing as scarce, which, though usually abundant, is for the time being to be had only in diminished quantities; as, a bad harvest makes corn scarce. "A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in the world." "When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding emperor."

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Etymology of 'Rare'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Rare" Quotes from Famous Books

... was only sich," said he, "Rare wines I'd quaff from the far countree, I'd cloth myself in dazzling garb, I'd mount the back of the costly barb, And none should ask me wherefore or which— Did it chance that ...

— The Universal Reciter - 81 Choice Pieces of Rare Poetical Gems • Various

... to Norton, but it was really meant for Kennedy. I know Craig shared my own feelings. It was a rare pleasure to work for her. She seemed most appreciative of anything that was done for her in her ...

— The Gold of the Gods • Arthur B. Reeve

... purely traditional. The Tanite Pharaoh had come to accept with resignation the change in the fortunes of Egypt, and he therefore contented himself with forwarding to the Assyrian conqueror, by one of the Syrian coasting vessels, a present of some rare wild beasts and a few crocodiles. In olden times Assyria had welcomed the arrival of Thutmosis III. on the Euphrates by making him presents, which the Theban monarch regarded in the light of tribute: the case was now reversed, ...

— History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, Volume 6 (of 12) • G. Maspero

... started to travel, and came to London only at rare intervals. I did write to Selina, asking her to see me, but she always refused, so I became philosophic and ...

— The Secret Passage • Fergus Hume

... erring votes "Of Grecians giv'n to thee, cause would it be "The foe would strip thee; not thy prowess fear. "And flight, in which, O trembler! erst alone "Thou all surpass'd, slow would'st thou then pursue; "Such ponderous armor dragging. Those, thy shield "Which bears so rare the brunt of battle, shines "Yet whole: a new successor mine demands, "Which gash'd by weapons, shews a thousand rents. "To end, what need of words? let actions shew "Each one's deserts. Amid the foe be thrown "The ...

— The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Vols. I & II • Ovid

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