rational, ration all

& s. [Fr. rational, from Latin rational is, from ratio =reason; Sp. & Port. racional; Ital. razionale.] A. As adjective: I. Ordinary Language: 1. Having reason or the faculty of reasoning; endowed with reason; as, Man is a rational being. 2. Agreeable to reason; not unreasonable, absurd, extravagant, foolish, or the like; as, rational conduct. 3. Acting in accordance with reason; not unreasonable or extravagant; as, a rational man. II. Math .: A term applied to a quantity expre ed in finite terms, or which involves only such roots as can be extracted. It is opposed to irrational or surd quantities; 2, 3, 52, N2, 2N64, are rational quantities. [IRRATIONAL, 11.j 9, B. As subst.: A rational being. "The world of rationals ." - Young: Night Thoughts , iv. sin, as; expect, Xenophon, exist. ph = f. The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia IMG:content-0233.png:[blocks in formation] rational is rational (q. v.).] 1. A statement of reasons. "Is it any breach of the rationale of grammar?" -Black wall: Sacred Cla ics , i. 15. 2. An account or exposition of the principles of some opinion, action, phenomenon, . rationale exist end i, phr. The ground of exist ence.