ray 1
— raylike , adj.
/ray/ , n.
1. a narrow beam of light.
2. a gleam or slight manifestation: a ray of hope.
3. a raylike line or stretch of something.
4. light or radiance.
5. a line of sight.
6. Physics , Optics.
a. any of the lines or streams in which light appears to radiate from a luminous body.
b. the straight line normal to the wave front in the propagation of radiant energy.
c. a stream of material particles all moving in the same straight line.
7. Math.
a. one of a system of straight lines emanating from a point.
b. Also called half-line . the part of a straight line considered as originating at a point on the line and as extending in one direction from that point.
8. any of a system of parts radially arranged.
9. Zool.
a. one of the branches or arms of a starfish or other radiate animal.
b. one of the bony or cartilaginous rods in the fin of a fish.
10. Bot.
a. See ray flower .
b. one of the branches of an umbel.
c. See vascular ray .
d. (in certain composite plants) the marginal part of the flower head.
11. Astron. one of many long, bright streaks radiating from some of the large lunar craters.
12. a prominent upright projection from the circlet of a crown or coronet, having a pointed or ornamented termination.
13. get or grab some rays , Slang. to relax in the sun, esp. to sunbathe.
v.i.
14. to emit rays.
15. to issue in rays.
v.t.
16. to send forth in rays.
17. to throw rays upon; irradiate.
18. to subject to the action of rays, as in radiotherapy.
19. Informal. to make a radiograph of; x-ray.
20. to furnish with rays or radiating lines.
[ 1300-50; ME raie, raye rai radius RADIUS ]
Syn. 1. See gleam .
ray 2
/ray/ , n.
any of numerous elasmobranch fishes, adapted for life on the sea bottom, having a flattened body and greatly enlarged pectoral fins with the gills on the undersides.
[ 1275-1325; ME raye ( rai ) raia ]