1 rarefied [usually before noun]
1 a rarefied place, organization, or type of activity is
only available to or understood by a small group of people -
used to show disapproval:
the rarefied atmosphere of academia
2
rarefied air is the
air in high places, which has
less oxygen than usual
2 recalcitrant adj
refusing to do what you are told to do,
even after you have been punished [=
unruly]:
a recalcitrant pupil
—
recalcitrance noun [uncountable]
3 recant (religion) v
to
say publicly that
you no longer have a political or religious belief that you had before
recantation noun [uncountable and countable]
4 recondite adj
recondite facts or subjects are
not known about or
understood by many people [=
obscure]
5 refractory adj
1 formal : deliberately
not obeying someone in authority and
being difficult to deal with or control [=
unruly]
2 medical : a refractory disease or illness is
hard to treat or cure
deliberate = intended or planned [≠ unintentional; = intentional]:
relevant = directly relate
6 refute v
1 to
prove that a statement or idea
is not correct [=
rebut]
refute a hypothesis/a claim/an idea etc
an attempt to refute Darwin's theories
2 to
say that a statement is
wrong or unfair [= deny]
refute an allegation/a suggestion etc
She refuted any allegations of malpractice.
—
refutable adjective
—
refutation noun [uncountable and countable]
7 relegate v (sport)
to
give someone or something a
less important position than before
Women tended to be relegated to typing and filing jobs.
2
British English : if a sports team is relegated, it is
moved into a lower division [≠ promote]
We were relegated to the Fourth Division last year.
—relegation noun [uncountable]
8 reproach n
1 [uncountable]
criticism, blame, or disapproval:
'You don't need me,' she said quietly, without reproach.
2 [countable]
a remark that
expresses criticism, blame, or disapproval:
He argued that the reproaches were unfair.
3
above/beyond reproach impossible to criticize [= perfect]:
His behaviour throughout this affair has been beyond reproach.
4
a reproach to somebody/something
something that
should make a person, society etc
feel bad or ashamed:
These derelict houses are a reproach to the city.
9 reprobate n
someone who
behaves in an immoral way - often
used humorously
—r
eprobate adjective
10 repudiate v
to
refuse to accept or continue with something [=
reject]:
He repudiated all offers of friendship.
2 to
state or show that something is not true or correct:
The book repudiates the racist stereotypes about black women.
—repudiation noun [uncountable]
stereotype =a belief or idea of what a particular type of person or thing is like
the stereotypical Californian - tall, fit, and tanned