ray
    n 1: a column of light (as from a beacon) [syn: beam, beam of
         light, light beam, ray, ray of light, shaft,
         shaft of light, irradiation]
    2: a branch of an umbel or an umbelliform inflorescence
    3: (mathematics) a straight line extending from a point
    4: a group of nearly parallel lines of electromagnetic radiation
       [syn: beam, ray, electron beam]
    5: the syllable naming the second (supertonic) note of any major
       scale in solmization [syn: re, ray]
    6: any of the stiff bony spines in the fin of a fish
    7: cartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and
       enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside;
       most swim by moving the pectoral fins
    v 1: emit as rays; "That tower rays a laser beam for miles
         across the sky"
    2: extend or spread outward from a center or focus or inward
       towards a center; "spokes radiate from the hub of the wheel";
       "This plants radiate spines in all directions" [syn:
       radiate, ray]
    3: expose to radiation; "irradiate food" [syn: irradiate,
       ray]

Ray \Ray\ (r[=a]), v. t. [An aphetic form of array; cf.
   Beray.]
   1. To array. [Obs.] --Sir T. More.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To mark, stain, or soil; to streak; to defile. [Obs.] "The
      filth that did it ray." --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

Ray \Ray\, n.
   Array; order; arrangement; dress. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]

         And spoiling all her gears and goodly ray. --Spenser.
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Ray \Ray\, n. [OF. rai, F. rais, fr. L. radius a beam or ray,
   staff, rod, spoke of a wheel. Cf. Radius.]
   1. One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common
      point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of
      six rays.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Bot.) A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal
      florets of a compound flower, as an aster or a sunflower;
      one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower
      cluster; radius. See Radius.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Zool.)
      (a) One of the radiating spines, or cartilages, supporting
          the fins of fishes.
      (b) One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of
          the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
          [1913 Webster]

   4. (Physics)
      (a) A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or
          reflecting point; a single element of light or heat
          propagated continuously; as, a solar ray; a polarized
          ray.
      (b) One of the component elements of the total radiation
          from a body; any definite or limited portion of the
          spectrum; as, the red ray; the violet ray. See Illust.
          under Light.
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   5. Sight; perception; vision; -- from an old theory of
      vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the
      eye to the object seen.
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            All eyes direct their rays
            On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
                                                  --Pope.
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   6. (Geom.) One of a system of diverging lines passing through
      a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both
      directions. See Half-ray.
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   Bundle of rays. (Geom.) See Pencil of rays, below.

   Extraordinary ray (Opt.), that one of two parts of a ray
      divided by double refraction which does not follow the
      ordinary law of refraction.

   Ordinary ray (Opt.) that one of the two parts of a ray
      divided by double refraction which follows the usual or
      ordinary law of refraction.

   Pencil of rays (Geom.), a definite system of rays.

   Ray flower, or Ray floret (Bot.), one of the marginal
      flowers of the capitulum in such composite plants as the
      aster, goldenrod, daisy, and sunflower. They have an
      elongated, strap-shaped corolla, while the corollas of the
      disk flowers are tubular and five-lobed.

   Ray point (Geom.), the common point of a pencil of rays.

   Roentgen ray, R["o]ntgen ray (r[~e]nt"g[e^]n r[=a]`)
      (Phys.), a form of electromagnetic radiation generated in
      a very highly exhausted vacuum tube by an electrical
      discharge; now more commonly called X-ray. It is
      composed of electromagnetic radiation of wavelength
      shorter than that of ultraviolet light but longer than
      that of gamma rays. It is capable of passing through many
      bodies opaque to light, and producing photographic and
      fluorescent effects by which means pictures showing the
      internal structure of opaque objects are made, called
      X-rays, radiographs, sciagraphs, X-ray photographs,
      radiograms. So called from the discoverer, W. C.
      R["o]ntgen.

   X ray, the R["o]ntgen ray; -- so called by its discoverer
      because of its enigmatical character, x being an algebraic
      symbol for an unknown quantity.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

Ray \Ray\, v. i.
   To shine, as with rays. --Mrs. Browning.
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Ray \Ray\, n. [F. raie, L. raia. Cf. Roach.] (Zool.)
   (a) Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order
       Raiae, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc.
   (b) In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat,
       narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See
       Skate.
       [1913 Webster]

   Bishop ray, a yellow-spotted, long-tailed eagle ray
      (Aetobatus narinari syn. Stoasodon narinari) of the
      Southern United States and the West Indies; also called
      the spotted eagle ray and white-spotted eagle ray.

   Butterfly ray, a short-tailed American sting ray
      (Pteroplatea Maclura), having very broad pectoral fins.
      

   Devil ray. See Sea Devil.

   Eagle ray, any large ray of the family Myliobatidae, or
      Aetobatidae. The common European species (Myliobatis
      aquila) is called also whip ray, and miller.

   Electric ray, or Cramp ray, a torpedo.

   Starry ray, a common European skate (Raia radiata).

   Sting ray, any one of numerous species of rays of the
      family Trygonidae having one or more large, sharp,
      barbed dorsal spines on the whiplike tail. Called also
      stingaree.
      [1913 Webster]

Ray \Ray\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rayed (r[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n.
   Raying.] [Cf. OF. raier, raiier, rayer, L. radiare to
   irradiate. See Ray, n., and cf. Radiate.]
   1. To mark with long lines; to streak. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. [From Ray, n.] To send forth or shoot out; to cause to
      shine out; as, to ray smiles. [R.] --Thomson.
      [1913 Webster]

Ray -- U.S. County in Missouri
   Population (2000):    23354
   Housing Units (2000): 9371
   Land area (2000):     569.465468 sq. miles (1474.908728 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    4.108651 sq. miles (10.641357 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    573.574119 sq. miles (1485.550085 sq. km)
   Located within:       Missouri (MO), FIPS 29
   Location:             39.321065 N, 94.023249 W
   Headwords:
    Ray
    Ray, MO
    Ray County
    Ray County, MO

Ray, ND -- U.S. city in North Dakota
   Population (2000):    534
   Housing Units (2000): 296
   Land area (2000):     1.004687 sq. miles (2.602128 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.036858 sq. miles (0.095463 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    1.041545 sq. miles (2.697591 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            65580
   Located within:       North Dakota (ND), FIPS 38
   Location:             48.344875 N, 103.166292 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):    
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Ray, ND
    Ray