n. [ The same word as rood. See Rood. ] 1. A straight and slender stick; a wand; hence, any slender bar, as of wood or metal (applied to various purposes). Specifically: (a) An instrument of punishment or correction; figuratively, chastisement. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that spareth his rod hateth his son. Prov. xiii. 24. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) A kind of sceptor, or badge of office; hence, figuratively, power; authority; tyranny; oppression. “The rod, and bird of peace.” Shak. (c) A support for a fishing line; a fish pole. Gay. (d) (Mach. & Structure) A member used in tension, as for sustaining a suspended weight, or in tension and compression, as for transmitting reciprocating motion, etc.; a connecting bar. (e) An instrument for measuring. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A measure of length containing sixteen and a half feet; -- called also perch, and pole. [ 1913 Webster ]

Black rod. See in the Vocabulary. --
Rods and cones (Anat.), the elongated cells or elements of the sensory layer of the retina, some of which are cylindrical, others somewhat conical. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Ruddy. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of rods or twigs. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Ride. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Rud. ] Redness; complexion. [ Obs. ] “His rode was red.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Rood, the cross. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Rodentia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. rodens, -entis, p. pr. of rodere to gnaw. See Rase, v. t., and cf. Rostrum. ] 1. Gnawing; biting; corroding; (Med.) applied to a destructive variety of cancer or ulcer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) Gnawing. (b) Of or pertaining to the Rodentia. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Rodent, a. ] (Zool.) An order of mammals having two (rarely four) large incisor teeth in each jaw, distant from the molar teeth. The rats, squirrels, rabbits, marmots, and beavers belong to this order. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The incisor teeth are long, curved, and strongly enameled on the outside, so as to keep a cutting edge. They have a persistent pulp and grow continuously. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ SP., a going round. ] A round-up. See Round-up. [ Western U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]