RATIONAL • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Rational

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/rˈæʃənəl/ /rˈæʃnəl/ Listen

adjective

Rational adj.

1.

Relating to the reason; not physical; mental. "Moral philosophy was his chiefest end; for the rational, the natural, and mathematics... were but simple pastimes in comparison of the other."

2.

Having reason, or the faculty of reasoning; endowed with reason or understanding; reasoning. "It is our glory and happiness to have a rational nature."

3.

Agreeable to reason; not absurd, preposterous, extravagant, foolish, fanciful, or the like; wise; judicious; as, rational conduct; a rational man.

4.

(Chem.) Expressing the type, structure, relations, and reactions of a compound; graphic; said of formulae. See under Formula.

Rational horizon. (Astron.) See Horizon, 2 (b).

Rational quantity (Alg.), one that can be expressed without the use of a radical sign, or in exact parts of unity; opposed to irrational or radical quantity.

Rational symptom (Med.), one elicited by the statements of the patient himself and not as the result of a physical examination.

Synonyms: Sane; sound; intelligent; reasonable; sensible; wise; discreet; judicious. Rational, reasonable. Rational has reference to reason as a faculty of the mind, and is opposed to irrational; as, a rational being, a rational state of mind, rational views, etc. In these cases the speculative reason is more particularly, referred to. Reasonable has reference to the exercise of this faculty for practical purposes, and means, governed or directed by reason; as, reasonable desires or plans; a reasonable charge; a reasonable prospect of success. "What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still." "A law may be reasonable in itself, although a man does not allow it, or does not know the reason of the lawgivers."

noun

Rational n. A rational being.

See images of 'Rational'

Etymology of 'Rational'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Rational" Quotes from Famous Books

... whether in this fertile soil an apparently accidental remark on the solid qualities of guinea-pigs or ferrets might haply blossom and bring forth fruit, when our governess appeared on the scene. Uncle George's manner at once underwent a complete and contemptible change. His interest in rational topics seemed, "like a fountain's sickening pulse," to flag and ebb away; and though Miss Smedley's ostensible purpose was to take Selina for her usual walk, I can vouch for it that Selina spent her morning ratting, along with the keeper's boy and me; while, if ...

— The Golden Age • Kenneth Grahame

... stuck here," he replied; He had rather a bright gray eye with greenish lights in it, and he looked rational enough. But there was ...

— The Prairie Mother • Arthur Stringer

... essence bearing the same eternal characteristics as Brahman. But never, he had really found this self, because he had wanted to capture it in the net of thought. With the body definitely not being the self, and not the spectacle of the senses, so it also was not the thought, not the rational mind, not the learned wisdom, not the learned ability to draw conclusions and to develop previous thoughts in to new ones. No, this world of thought was also still on this side, and nothing could be achieved ...

— Siddhartha • Herman Hesse

... with his best portable furniture had vanished. At which Schloss, as above noticed, some disorders were committed by angry parties of the march;—doors burst open (doors standing impudently dumb to the rational proposals made them!), inferior remainders of furniture smashed into firewood, and the like,—no doubt to his Majesty's vexation. Here at Weichau stricter measures were taken: and yet difficulties, risks were not wanting; and the AMTMANN (Steward of the place) got pulled about, ...

— History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XII. (of XXI.) • Thomas Carlyle

... has become more reasonable, and capable of discussing war questions impartially; and this was notably the case over the torpedoing of the Armenian. In a word, at no time since the outbreak of war have the omens been so favorable for a rational policy on ...

— My Three Years in America • Johann Heinrich Andreas Hermann Albrecht Graf von Bernstorff

Copyright © 2024 Free-Translator.com