Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Reading
Read′ing
(rēd′ĭng)
, Noun.
1.
The act of one who reads; perusal; also, printed or written matter to be read.
2.
Study of books; literary scholarship;
as, a man of extensive
. reading
3.
A lecture or prelection; public recital.
The Jews had their weekly
readings
of the law. Hooker.
4.
The way in which anything reads; force of a word or passage presented by a documentary authority; lection; version.
5.
Manner of reciting, or acting a part, on the stage; way of rendering.
[Cant]
6.
An observation read from the scale of a graduated instrument;
as, the
. reading
of a barometerReading of a bill
(Legislation)
, its formal recital, by the proper officer, before the House which is to consider it.
Read′ing
,Adj.
1.
Of or pertaining to the act of reading; used in reading.
2.
Addicted to reading;
as, a
. reading
communityReading book
, a book for teaching reading; a reader.
– Reading desk
, a desk to support a book while reading; esp., a desk used while reading the service in a church.
– Reading glass
, a large lens with more or less magnifying power, attached to a handle, and used in reading, etc.
– Reading man
, one who reads much; hence, in the English universities, a close, industrious student.
– Reading room
, a room appropriated to reading; a room provided with papers, periodicals, and the like, to which persons resort.
Webster 1828 Edition
Reading
RE'ADING
, ppr.1.
Pronouncing or perusing written or printed words or characters of a book or writing.2.
Discovering by marks; understanding.RE'ADING
, n.1.
The act of reading; perusal.2.
Study of books; as a man of extensive reading.3.
A lecture or prelection.4.
Public recital.The Jews had their weekly readings of the law.
5.
In criticism, the manner of reading the manuscripts of ancient authors, where the words or letters are obscure. No small part of the business of critics is to settle the true reading, or real words used by the author; and the various readings of different critics are often perplexing.6.
A commentary or gloss on a law, text or passage.7.
In legislation, the formal recital of a bill by the proper officer, before the house which is to consider it. In Congress and in the state legislatures, a bill must usually have three several readings on different days, before it can be passed into a law.