Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ray
1.
To array.
[Obs.]
Sir T. More.
2.
To mark, stain, or soil; to streak; to defile.
[Obs.]
“The filth that did it ray.” Spenser.
Ray
,Noun.
Array; order; arrangement; dress.
[Obs.]
And spoiling all her gears and goodly
ray
. Spenser.
Ray
,Noun.
1.
One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common point or center, like the radii of a circle;
as, a star of six
. rays
2.
(Bot.)
A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal florets of a compound flower, as an aster or a sunflower; one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower cluster; radius. See
Radius
. 3.
(Zool.)
(a)
One of the radiating spines, or cartilages, supporting the fins of fishes.
(b)
One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
4.
(Physics)
(a)
A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or reflecting point; a single element of light or heat propagated continuously;
as, a solar
ray
; a polarized ray
. (b)
One of the component elements of the total radiation from a body; any definite or limited portion of the spectrum;
as, the red
See ray
; the violet ray
. Illust
. under Light
. 5.
Sight; perception; vision; – from an old theory of vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the eye to the object seen.
All eyes direct their
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
rays
On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
Pope.
6.
(Geom.)
One of a system of diverging lines passing through a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both directions. See
Half-ray
. Ray
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rayed
(rād)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Raying
.] 1.
To mark with long lines; to streak.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
[From ]
Ray
, Noun.
To send forth or shoot out; to cause to shine out;
as, to
. ray
smiles[R.]
Thomson.
Ray
,Verb.
I.
To shine, as with rays.
Mrs. Browning.
Ray
,Noun.
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order Raiae, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc.
(b)
In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat, narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See
Skate
. Bishop ray
, a yellow-spotted, long-tailed eagle ray (
– 
Aetobatus narinari
syn. Stoasodon narinari
) of the Southern United States and the West Indies; also called the spotted eagle ray
and white-spotted eagle ray
. Butterfly ray
, a short-tailed American sting ray (
– Pteroplatea Maclura
), having very broad pectoral fins. Devil ray
. See
– Sea Devil
. Eagle ray
, any large ray of the family
– Myliobatidae
, or Aetobatidae
. The common European species (Myliobatis aquila
) is called also whip ray
, and miller
. Electric ray
, or Cramp ray
a torpedo.
– Starry ray
, a common European skate (
– Raia radiata
). Sting ray
, any one of numerous species of rays of the family
Trygonidae
having one or more large, sharp, barbed dorsal spines on the whiplike tail. Called also stingaree
.Webster 1828 Edition
Ray
RAY
,Noun.
1.
a line of light, or the right line supposed to be described by a particle of light. a collection of parallel rays constitutes a beam; a collection of diverging or converging rays, a pencil.The mixed solar beam contains, 1st. calorific rays, producing heat and expansion, but not vision and color; 2d. colorific rays, producing vision and color, but not heat nor expansion; 3d. chimical rays, producing certain effects on the composition of bodies, but neither heat, expansion, vision or color; 4th. a power producing magnetism, but whether a distinct or associated power, is not determined. It seems to be associated with the violet, more than with the other rays.
2.
Figuratively, a beam of intellectual light.3.
Light; luster.The air sharpen'd his visual ray.
4.
In botany, the outer part or circumference of a compound radiate flower.5.
In ichthyology, a bony or cartilaginous ossicle in the fins of fishes, serving to support the membrane.6.
A plant, [lolium.]7.
Ray, for array. [Not in use.]Pencil of rays, a number of rays of light issuing from a point and diverging.
RAY
,Noun.
RAY
, v.t1.
To streak; to mark with long lines.2.
To foul; to beray. [Not in use.]3.
To array. [Not in use.]4.
To shoot forth.