root cause
The underlying reason for a problem
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rooter
Anything good, or of a prime quality; "that is a ROOTER," i.e., a first-rate one of the sort.
rooting interest
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
rope
To lose a race of any kind purposely, to swindle one’s backers or the public by means of a "cross" or pre-arranged race, in which the best man or best horse is made to ROPE, or run behind.
rope of sand
Something that is weak or ineffective
ropemaxxing
Suicide.
roper
MISTRESS, "to marry MRS. ROPER" is to enlist in the Royal Marines.
ropes
Upon the high ropes; elated, in high spirits, cock-a-hoop.
ropes
The ways of London lower life. "To know the ROPES," is to be conversant with the minutiæ of metropolitan dodges, as regards both the streets and the sporting world.
roping
The act of pulling or restraining a horse, by its rider, to prevent its winning a race—a trick not unfrequently practised on the turf. Also when a pedestrian or other athlete loses where he should have won, according to his backer’s calculations, he is accused of ROPING.
rory o’more
The floor. Also used to signify a whore.
rose
Under the rose: privately or secretly. The rose was, it is said, sacred to Harpocrates, the God of silence, and therefore frequently placed in the ceilings of rooms destined for the receiving of guests; implying, that whatever was transacted there, should not be made public.
rose garden
A pleasant or peaceful situation
rose-colored glasses
Having an overly optimistic view of something
Rosemordris Circle
See MERRY MAIDENS. Rosetta Stone, The (ro zet' a). A stone found in 1799 by M. Boussard, a French officer of en- gineers, in an excavation made at Fort St. Julien, near Rosetta, in the Nile delta. It has an inscription in three different languages — the hieroglyphic, the demotic, and the Greek. It was erected 195 B^C. in honour of Ptolemy Epiphanes, because he remitted the dues of the sacerdotal body.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Two minor or expendable characters
rosin
Beer or other drink given to musicians at a dancing party.
ROSIN BIBLE above
In the same Bible " tryacle " is also given for "balm" in Jer. xlvi, 11, and Ezek. xxvii, 17. Cover-dale's Bible (1535) also uses the word "triacle." See TREACLE.
rosin-the-bow
A fiddler. From a famous old song of that name.
rosy gills
One with a sanguine or fresh-coloured countenance.
rot
Nonsense, anything bad, disagreeable, or useless.
rot gut
Small beer; called beer-a-bumble--will burst one's guts before it will make one tumble.
rot in hell
To suffer greatly or be severely punished
rot-gut
Bad, small beer. See BUMCLINK. In America, cheap whisky.
Rota Romana
A Roman Catholic ecclesias- tical court composed of auditors under the presidency of a dean, who hear appeals and adjudicate when a conflict of rights occurs. The name is said to allude to the wheel-like (Lat. rota, wheel) plan of the room in which the court used to sit.
rotan
A coach, cart, or other wheeled carriage.
Rotary Club
A movement among business men which takes for its motto "Service not Self." The idea originated with Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer, in 1905. In 1911 it took root in Britain and there are now clubs in all the large towns. Membership m each club is re- stricted to one member each of any trade, call- ing, or profession; lectures are delivered by experts at the weekly meetings of the clubs.
rotten apple
A bad person that spoils or corrupts others
rotten egg
a person who spoils or ruins things for others
Rotten Row
Said to be so called from O.Fr. route le rot or route du roi, because it formed part of the old royal route from the palace of the Plantagcnet kings at Westminster to the royal forests. Camden derives the word from rotteran, to muster, as the place where soldiers mustered. Another derivation is Norman Rat- ten Row (roundabout way), being the way corpses were carried to avoid the public thoroughfares. Others suggest A.S.
rough
To lie rough; to lie all night in one's clothes: called also roughing it. Likewise to sleep on the bare deck of a ship, when the person is commonly advised to chuse the softest plank.
rough
Bad; "ROUGH fish," bad or stinking fish.—Billingsgate.
rough and ready
Lacking refinement, but effective or serviceable
rough and tough
Strong and resilient
rough and tumble
Physically or emotionally demanding and competitive
rough around the edges
Lacking refinement or polish, but still likable
rough justice
Justice that is harsh or unfair, but still serves to punish the guilty
rough music
Saucepans, frying-paps, poker and tongs, marrow-bones and cleavers, bulls horns, &c. beaten upon and sounded in ludicrous processions.
rough out
to create a preliminary or approximate version
rough patch
A difficult period in a relationship or situation
rough sledding
a difficult or challenging situation
rough sleeper
A person who sleeps outdoors, typically because they are homeless
rough trot
a difficult or unpleasant situation
rough-it
To put up with chance entertainment, to take pot-luck and what accommodation "turns up," without sighing for better.
roughen up
to treat someone roughly or violently
roughs
Coarse, or vulgar men. By many thought to be RUFF, corruption of RUFFIAN.
rouleau
A number of guineas, from twenty to fifty or more, wrapped up in paper, for the more ready circulation at gaming-tables: sometimes they are inclosed in ivory boxes, made to hold exactly 20, 50, or 100 guineas.
rouleau
A packet of sovereigns.—Gaming.
round
To tell tales, to SPLIT, which see; "to ROUND on a man," to swear to him as being the person, &c. Synonymous with BUFF, which see. Also to turn round upon and abuse or rate. Shakspeare has ROUNDING, whispering.
round about
An instrument used in housebreaking. This instrument has not been long in use. It will cut a round piece about five inches in diameter out of a shutter or door.
Round as Giotto's O
Said of work that is perfect and complete, but done with little labour. See GIOTTO.
round dealing
Plain, honest dealing.
round dealing
Honest, straightforward deal- ing, without branching oif into underhand tricks, or deviating from the straight path into the byways of finesse.
round mouth
The fundament. Brother round mouth, speaks; he has let a fart.
round of applause
Prolonged clapping to show appreciation or approval
round robin
A mode of signing remonstrances practised by sailors on board the king's ships, wherein their names are written in a circle, so that it cannot be discovered who first signed it, or was, in other words, the ringleader.
Round Table
He is a late addition and was invented by Walter Map in his Quest of the San
round the bend
to become or go completely crazy
round the clock
continuously or constantly, 24 hours a day
round the houses
Trousies,—vulgar pronunciation of trousers.
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