rec|tan|gu|lar /rektæ ŋgjʊlə r / ADJ Something that is rectangular is shaped like a rectangle. □ …a rectangular table.
rec|ti|fi|ca|tion /re kt I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT The rectification of something that is wrong is the act of changing it to make it correct or satisfactory. □ [+ of ] …the rectification of an injustice.
rec|ti|fy /re kt I fa I / (rectifies , rectifying , rectified ) VERB If you rectify something that is wrong, you change it so that it becomes correct or satisfactory. □ [V n] Only an act of Congress could rectify the situation.
rec|ti|tude /re kt I tjuːd, [AM ] -tuːd/ N‑UNCOUNT Rectitude is a quality or attitude that is shown by people who behave honestly and morally according to accepted standards. [FORMAL ] □ …people of the utmost moral rectitude.
rec|tor /re ktə r / (rectors ) N‑COUNT A rector is a priest in the Church of England who is in charge of a particular area.
rec|tory /re ktəri/ (rectories ) N‑COUNT A rectory is a house in which a Church of England rector and his family live.
rec|tum /re ktəm/ (rectums ) N‑COUNT Someone's rectum is the bottom end of the tube down which waste food passes out of their body. [MEDICAL ]
re|cum|bent /r I kʌ mbənt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A recumbent figure or person is lying down. [FORMAL ] □ He looked down at the recumbent figure.
re|cu|per|ate /r I kuː pəre I t/ (recuperates , recuperating , recuperated ) VERB When you recuperate , you recover your health or strength after you have been ill or injured. □ [V ] I went away to the country to recuperate. □ [V + from ] He is recuperating from a serious back injury. ● re|cu|pera|tion /r I kuː pəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Leonard was very pleased with his powers of recuperation.
re|cu|pera|tive /r I kuː pərət I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is recuperative helps you to recover your health and strength after an illness or injury. □ Human beings have great recuperative powers.
re|cur /r I kɜː r / (recurs , recurring , recurred ) VERB If something recurs , it happens more than once. □ [V ] …a theme that was to recur frequently in his work. □ [V -ing] …a recurring nightmare she has had since childhood.
re|cur|rence /r I kʌ rəns, [AM ] -kɜː r-/ (recurrences ) N‑VAR If there is a recurrence of something, it happens again. □ [+ of ] Police are out in force to prevent a recurrence of the violence.
re|cur|rent /r I kʌ rənt, [AM ] -kɜː r-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A recurrent event or feeling happens or is experienced more than once. □ Race is a recurrent theme in the work.
re|cy|clable /riːsa I kələb ə l/ ADJ Recyclable waste or materials can be processed and used again. □ …a separate bin for recyclable waste products.
re|cy|cle /riː sa I k ə l/ (recycles , recycling , recycled ) VERB If you recycle things that have already been used, such as bottles or sheets of paper, you process them so that they can be used again. □ [V n] The objective would be to recycle 98 per cent of domestic waste. □ [V -ed] It is printed on recycled paper. ● re|cy|cling N‑UNCOUNT □ …a recycling scheme.
red ◆◆◆ /re d/ (reds , redder , reddest )
1 COLOUR Something that is red is the colour of blood or fire. □ …a bunch of red roses.
2 ADJ If you say that someone's face is red , you mean that it is redder than its normal colour, because they are embarrassed, angry, or out of breath. □ With a bright red face I was forced to admit that I had no real idea.
3 ADJ You describe someone's hair as red when it is between red and brown in colour. □ …a girl with red hair.
4 N‑VAR You can refer to red wine as red . □ The spicy flavours in these dishes call for reds rather than whites.
5 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a red or a Red , you disapprove of the fact that they are a communist, a socialist, or have left-wing ideas. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
6 PHRASE If a person or company is in the red or if their bank account is in the red , they have spent more money than they have in their account and therefore they owe money to the bank. □ The theatre is £500,000 in the red.
7 PHRASE If you see red , you suddenly become very angry. □ I didn't mean to break his nose. I just saw red.
8 like a red rag to a bull → see rag
re d ale rt (red alerts ) N‑VAR If a hospital, a police force, or a military force is on red alert , they have been warned that there may be an emergency, so they can be ready to deal with it. □ All the Plymouth hospitals are on red alert.
re d-bloo ded ADJ [ADJ n] If a man is described as red-blooded , he is considered to be strong and healthy and have a strong interest in sex. [INFORMAL ] □ Hers is a body which every red-blooded male cannot fail to have noticed.
red|brick /re dbr I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] In Britain, a redbrick university is one of the universities that were established in large cities outside London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as opposed to much older universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
re d ca b|bage (red cabbages ) N‑VAR A red cabbage is a cabbage with dark red leaves.
re d ca rd (red cards ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] In football or rugby, if a player is shown the red card , the referee holds up a red card to indicate that the player must leave the pitch for breaking the rules.