noun + rating : approval, popularity, satisfaction; player, poll, safety, star
adjective + rating : average, high, low, top; overall
verb + rating : achieve, earn, receive; give
3
noun + rating : audience, TV
adjective + rating : dismal, poor; good, solid
verb + rating : boost
ra|tio /re I ʃioʊ, [AM ] -ʃoʊ/ (ratios ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A ratio is a relationship between two things when it is expressed in numbers or amounts. For example, if there are ten boys and thirty girls in a room, the ratio of boys to girls is 1:3, or one to three. □ The adult to child ratio is 1 to 6.
ra|tion /ræ ʃ ə n/ (rations , rationing , rationed )
1 N‑COUNT When there is not enough of something, your ration of it is the amount that you are allowed to have. □ The meat ration was down to one pound per person per week.
2 VERB When something is rationed by a person or government, you are only allowed to have a limited amount of it, usually because there is not enough of it. □ [be V -ed] Staples such as bread, rice and tea are already being rationed. □ [V n] …the decision to ration food. □ [be V -ed + to ] Motorists will be rationed to thirty litres of petrol a month. [Also V n + to ]
3 N‑PLURAL Rations are the food which is given to people who do not have enough food or to soldiers. □ The first emergency food rations were handed out here last month.
4 N‑COUNT Your ration of something is the amount of it that you normally have. □ [+ of ] I'm wondering if it's too early to eat my ration of dark chocolate.
5 → see also rationing
ra|tion|al /ræ ʃənəl/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rational decisions and thoughts are based on reason rather than on emotion. □ He's asking you to look at both sides of the case and come to a rational decision. ● ra|tion|al|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ It can be very hard to think rationally when you're feeling so vulnerable and alone. ● ra|tion|al|ity /ræʃənæ l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ We live in an era of rationality.
2 ADJ A rational person is someone who is sensible and is able to make decisions based on intelligent thinking rather than on emotion. □ Did he come across as a sane rational person?
ra|tion|ale /ræ ʃənɑː l, -næ l/ (rationales ) N‑COUNT The rationale for a course of action, practice, or belief is the set of reasons on which it is based. [FORMAL ] □ [+ for ] However, the rationale for such initiatives is not, of course, solely economic.
ra|tion|al|ism /ræ ʃənəl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Rationalism is the belief that your life should be based on reason and logic, rather than emotions or religious beliefs. □ Coleridge was to spend the next thirty years attacking rationalism.
ra|tion|al|ist /ræ ʃənəl I st/ (rationalists )
1 ADJ If you describe someone as rationalist , you mean that their beliefs are based on reason and logic rather than emotion or religion. □ White was both visionary and rationalist.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a rationalist , you mean that they base their life on rationalist beliefs.
3 → see also rationalism
ra|tion|al|ize /ræ ʃənəla I z/ (rationalizes , rationalizing , rationalized ) in BRIT, also use rationalise 1 VERB If you try to rationalize attitudes or actions that are difficult to accept, you think of reasons to justify or explain them. □ [V n] He rationalized his activity by convincing himself that he was promoting peace.
2 VERB [usu passive] When a company, system, or industry is rationalized , it is made more efficient, usually by getting rid of staff and equipment that are not essential. [mainly BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ [be V -ed] The network of 366 local offices is being rationalised to leave the company with 150 larger branch offices. ● ra|tion|ali|za|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the rationalization of the textile industry.
ra|tion|ing /ræ ʃən I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Rationing is the system of limiting the amount of food, water, petrol, or other necessary substances that each person is allowed to have or buy when there is not enough of them. □ The municipal authorities here are preparing for food rationing.
ra t pack N‑SING People sometimes refer to the group of journalists and photographers who follow famous people around as the rat pack , especially when they think that their behaviour is unacceptable. [BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ]
ra t race N‑SING If you talk about getting out of the rat race , you mean leaving a job or way of life in which people compete aggressively with each other to be successful. □ I had to get out of the rat race and take a look at the real world again.
ra t run (rat runs ) N‑COUNT A rat run is a small street which drivers use during busy times in order to avoid heavy traffic on the main roads. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
rat|tan /rætæ n/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Rattan furniture is made from the woven strips of stems of a plant which grows in South East Asia. □ …a light airy room set with cloth-covered tables and rattan chairs.
rat|tle /ræ t ə l/ (rattles , rattling , rattled )
1 VERB When something rattles or when you rattle it, it makes short sharp knocking sounds because it is being shaken or it keeps hitting against something hard. □ [V ] She slams the kitchen door so hard I hear dishes rattle. □ [V n] He gently rattled the cage and whispered to the canary. ● N‑COUNT Rattle is also a noun. □ [+ of ] There was a rattle of rifle-fire. ● rat|tling N‑SING □ At that moment, there was a rattling at the door.