Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adverb Not often; infrequently.
- adverb In an unusual degree; exceptionally.
- adverb With uncommon excellence.
from The Century Dictionary.
- So as to be underdone or only partially cooked: said of meats: as, a roast of beef rarely cooked.
- Seldom; not often: as, things rarely seen.
- Finely, excellently; remarkably well; with a rare excellence.
- In excellent health: in quasi-adjective use. Compare
purely in like use.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adverb In a rare manner or degree; seldom; not often.
- adverb Finely; excellently; with rare skill. See 3d
Rare , 2.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adverb not often
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are unequivocal in their condemnation of homosexual sex, of fornication a term rarely used anymore, of adultery.
HOW EVIL WORKS DAVID KUPELIAN 2010
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Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are unequivocal in their condemnation of homosexual sex, of fornication a term rarely used anymore, of adultery.
HOW EVIL WORKS DAVID KUPELIAN 2010
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He described himself as a moderate conservative, a term rarely heard at a convention that draws crowds of GOP officials, radio personalities, advocacy groups and political vendors.
The Seattle Times 2012
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"Discerning palate" is a term rarely used in describing our teenager's dining preferences, unless by discerning one means whether the boy decided to put cheese or ketchup on something or not.
All Stories 2011
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It was exciting, and “cure” was a word rarely heard back then in medical oncology.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book Jack Canfield 2009
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It was exciting, and “cure” was a word rarely heard back then in medical oncology.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book Jack Canfield 2009
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I don't know what it is about energy and our use of it that inspires so many euphemisms, but "peak oil" is a term rarely used in the mainstream, corporate media.
Kelpie Wilson: Preface to a Prelude to Peak Oil Kelpie Wilson 2011
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I don't know what it is about energy and our use of it that inspires so many euphemisms, but "peak oil" is a term rarely used in the mainstream, corporate media.
Kelpie Wilson: Preface to a Prelude to Peak Oil Kelpie Wilson 2011
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I don't know what it is about energy and our use of it that inspires so many euphemisms, but "peak oil" is a term rarely used in the mainstream, corporate media.
Kelpie Wilson: Preface to a Prelude to Peak Oil Kelpie Wilson 2011
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I don't know what it is about energy and our use of it that inspires so many euphemisms, but "peak oil" is a term rarely used in the mainstream, corporate media.
Kelpie Wilson: Preface to a Prelude to Peak Oil Kelpie Wilson 2011
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