[railroad]{v.} To force through; push through by force. •/The bill was railroaded through the state legislature due to the influence of some very wealthy sponsors./

[rain] See: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS, KNOW ENOUGH TO COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN.

[rain cats and dogs] or [rain buckets] or [rain pitchforks] {v. phr.}, {informal} To rain very hard; come down in torrents. •/In the middle of the picnic it started to rain cats and dogs, and everybody got soaked./ •/Terry looked out of the window and said, "It’s raining pitchforks, so we can’t go out to play right now."/

[rain check]{n.} 1. A special free ticket to another game or show which will be given in place of one canceled because of rain. •/When the drizzle turned into a heavy rain the manager announced that the baseball game would be replayed the next day. He told the crowd that they would be given rain checks for tomorrow’s game as they went out through the gates./ 2. {informal} A promise to repeat an invitation at a later time. •/Bob said, "I’m sorry you can’t come to dinner this evening, Dave. I’ll give you a rain check."/

[rained out]{adj.} Stopped by rain. •/The ball game was rained out in the seventh inning./ •/The Friday night rally in the stadium was rained out./

[rain on]{v. phr.}, {slang} To bring misfortune to (someone); to complain to (someone) about one’s bad luck. •/Don’t rain on me./

[rain or shine]{adv. phr.} 1. If the weather is stormy or if it is fair. •/The parade will start promptly, rain or shine./ 2. No matter; if your luck is good or bad. •/Sam knows he can depend on his family, rain or shine./

[rainproof]{adj.} Resistant to rain; something that will not soak in water; referring to a material that repels water. •/"I don’t need an umbrella," she said, "as my coat is rainproof."/

[rainy day]{n.} A time of need; especially: a time when you really need money. •/Squirrels gather acorns for a rainy day./ •/Each week Mrs. Carlson saved a little money for a rainy day./

[raise a hand] See: LIFT A FINGER.

[raise a row]{v. phr.} To cause a disturbance, a fuss, or a scene. •/He raised quite a row when he noticed that someone had scratched his brand new car./

[raise a stink]{v. phr.} To cause a disturbance; complain; protest strongly. •/Quite a stink was raised in the office when the boss discovered that several employees had left early./

[raise Cain]{v. phr.}, {slang} To be noisy; cause trouble. •/When John couldn’t go on the basketball trip with the team he raised Cain./ •/The children raised Cain in the living room./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS, RAISE THE DEVIL.

[raise eyebrows]{v. phr.} To shock people; cause surprise or disapproval. •/The news that the princess was engaged to a commoner raised eyebrows all over the kingdom./

[raise funds] or [money] {v. phr.} To solicit donations for a charity or a specific project. •/Our church is trying to raise the funds for a new organ./

[raise hackles] or [raise one’s hackles] {v. phr.} To make (someone) upset or annoyed; arouse hostility. •/Attempts to add new ingredients to the beer raised hackles among all the old brew masters./

[raise havoc] See: PLAY HAVOC WITH.

[raise heck] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.

[raise hob] See: RAISE THE DEVIL.

[raise one’s sights]{v. phr.} To aim high; be ambitious. •/Teenage boys sometimes think too much of themselves and have a tendency to raise their sights too high./

[raise one’s voice]{v. phr.} To speak loudly, as if in anger or in protest. •/"I’m sorry, Mom," Peter said. "I didn’t mean to raise my voice."/

[raise the devil] or [raise heck] or [raise hob] or [raise ned] {v. phr.}, {informal} To make trouble; start a fight or an argument. •/Mr. Black raised heck when he saw the dented fender. He blamed the other driver./ •/Some teenage boys raised the devil in town on Halloween night and damaged a lot of property./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS.

[raise the roof]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To make a lot of noise; be happy and noisy. •/The gang raised the roof with their singing./ 2. To scold loudly. •/Mother raised the roof when she saw the dog’s muddy footprints on her new bedspread./ Compare: KICK UP A FUSS, RAISE CAIN.

[rake in]{v. phr.} To realize great profits; take in money. •/Because of the heavy snowfall, ski lodge operators in the Rocky Mountains have been raking in the dough this winter season./

[rake off]{v. phr.} To illegally expropriate part of a sum paid. •/The secretary-treasurer of the association has been caught raking off some of the membership dues./

[rake-off] See: KICKBACK.

[rake over the coals] See: HAUL OVER THE COALS.

[rake up]{v. phr.} To expose; gather; bring to light. •/Let’s forget about the past; there’s no need to rake up all those old memories./

[ramble on about]{v. phr.} To chatter on idly and without a purpose. •/When Ted has too much to drink, he always rambles on about the good old days./

[ram down one’s throat] See: SHOVE DOWN ONE’S THROAT.

[random] See: AT RANDOM.

[rank] See: CLOSE RANKS, PULL RANK.

[rank and file]{n. phr.} Ordinary people; the regular membership of an organization; the enlisted privates in the Army. •/The general usually inspects the rank and file on specific national holidays./ •/The secretary of the association sends letters annually to the rank and file./

[rap] See: TAKE THE RAP.

[rap one’s knuckles]{v. phr.} To scold or punish. •/The principal rapped our knuckles for cheating on the test./ •/If you talk back to Dad, you’ll get your knuckles rapped./ •/The club got its knuckles rapped by the principal for hazing new members./ •/Why rap my knuckles? It wasn’t my fault./ Compare: DRESSING DOWN, GIVE IT TO(2).

[rat] See: SMELL A RAT.

[rate] See: AT ANY RATE, FIRST RATE.

[rather] See: HAD RATHER.

[rat on] See: BLOW THE WHISTLE, RAT OUT.

[rat out] or [rat out on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To desert; to leave at a critical time. •/Joe ratted out on Sue when she was seven months pregnant./

[rat race]{n.}, {slang} A very confusing, crowded, or disorderly rush; a confusing scramble, struggle, or way of living that does not seem to have a purpose. •/The dance last night was a rat race. It was too noisy and crowded./ •/School can be a rat race if you don’t keep up with your studies./ •/This job is a rat race. The faster you work, the faster the boss wants you to work./

[rate with someone]{v. phr.} To be esteemed highly by another. •/The professor really rates with both the graduate students and the undergraduates./

[rattle] See: SABRE RAITLING.

[rattle off] or [reel off] {v.} To say quickly without having to stop to think; recite easily and rapidly. •/When Roger was seven he could rattle off the names of all the states in alphabetical order./ •/Joan memorized the "Gettysburg Address" so well that she could reel it off./ •/We asked the waitress what flavors of ice cream she had, and she rattled them off./

[rattle one’s saber]{v. phr.} To threaten another government or country without subsequent acts of war. •/It is considered an act of demagoguery on the part of politicians to rattle their sabers./ Compare: YELLOW JOURNALISM.