DICTIONARY O F ARTS and SCIENCES; COMPREHENDING ALL The Branches of Ufeful Knowledge, WITH ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS as well of the AS OF The Claffes, Kinds, Preparations, and Ufes of NATURAL Together with The KINGDOMS, PROVINCES, CITIES, Towns, and Illuftrated with above Three Hundred COPPER-PLATES, By a SOCIETY of GENTLEMEN. The SECOND EDITION, With many ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, and other IMPROVEMENTS. Printed for W. OWEN, at Homer's Head, in Fleet-ftreat. A NEW AND COMPLETE DICTIONARY O F ARTS and SCIENCES. R, RAB or r, a liquid confonant, being the feventeenth letter of our alphabet. Its found is formed by a guttural extrusion of the breath, vibrated through the mouth, with a fort of quivering motion of the tongue drawn from the teeth, and cannulated with the tip a little elevated towards the palate. In greek words it is frequently afpirated with an b after it, as in rhapfody, rhe. toric, &c. otherwife it is always followed by a vowel at the beginning of words and fyllables. In the notes of the antients, R. or RO. In the prefcriptions of phyficians, R or at the confluence of the rivers Danube tude 48°. RABATE, in falconry, is faid of a hawk, when by the motion of the hand, lure, &c. the leaves off purfuing her prey or quarry. RAB RABBETING, in carpentry, the planning, or cutting of channels or grooves in boards, &c. In fhip-carpentry, it fignifies the letting in of the planks of the fhip into the keel; which, in the rake and run of a fhip, is hollowed away, that the planks may join the closer. RABBI, or RABBINS, a title which the pharifees and doctors of the law among the Jews affumed, and literally fignifies mafters, or excellents. There were feveral gradations before they arrived at the dignity of a rabbin, which was not conferred till they had acquired the profoundeft knowledge of the law and the traditions. It does not however appear, that there was any fixed age, or previous examination neceffary; but when a man had diftinguished himself by his fkill in the written and oral law, and paffed through the fubordinate degrees, he was faluted a rabbin by the public voice. Among the modern Jews, for near seven bundred years paft, the learned men retain no other title than that of rabbi, or rabbins: they have great respect paid them, have the first places or feats in their fynagogues, determine all matters of controverfy, and frequently pronounce upon civil affairs: they have even a power to excommunicate the dif obedient. RABBINET, a fmall piece of ordnance, 15 R 2 between |