Category:Rare

Rare, a. Etym: [cf. Rather, rath.]

Defn: early. [obs.] Rude mechanicals that rare and late work in the market place. Chapman.

Rare Rare, a. [compar. Rarer; superl. Rarest.] Etym: [cf. As. hrer, or e. Rare early.]

Defn: nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; As, rare beef or mutton. New-laid eggs, which baucis' busy care turned by a gentle fire, and Roasted rare. Dryden.

Note: this word is in common use in the united states, but in england Its synonym underdone is preferred.

Rare Rare, a. [compar. Rarer; superl. Rarest.] Etym: [f., fr. L. rarus Thin, rare.]

1. Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare Event.

2. Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree Seldom found. Rare work, all filled with terror and delight. Cowley. Above the rest i judge one beauty rare. Dryden.

3. Thinly scattered; dispersed. Those rare and solitary, three in flocks. Milton.

4. Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not Thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations. Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times Rarer, than gold. Sir i. Newton.

Syn. -- scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular; extraordinary; Incomparable. -- rare, scarce. We call a thing rare when but few examples, Specimens, or instances of it are ever to be met with; as, a rare Plant. We speak of a thing as scarce, which, though usually abundant, Is for the time being to be had only in diminished quantities; as, a Bad harvest makes corn scarce. A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in The world. Burke. When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often Recoined by a succeeding emperor. Addison.