a. 稀罕的,珍贵的

Rare \Rare\, a. [Compar. {Rarer} (r[^a]r"[~e]r); superl.
{Rarest}.] [Cf. AS. hr[=e]r, or E. rare early. [root]18.]
Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked;
underdone; as, rare beef or mutton.

New-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy care
Turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare. --Dryden.

Note: This word is in common use in the United States, but in
England its synonym {underdone} is preferred.


Rare \Rare\, a. [Compar. {Rarer} (r[^a]r"[~e]r); superl.
{Rarest}.] [F., fr. L. rarus thin, rare.]
1. Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a
rare event.

2. Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a
degree seldom found.

Rare work, all filled with terror and delight.
--Cowley.

Above the rest I judge one beauty rare. --Dryden.

3. Thinly scattered; dispersed.

Those rare and solitary, these in flocks. --Milton.

4. Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose
texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere
at high elevations.

Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence
nineteen times rarer, than gold. --Sir I.
Newton.

Syn: Scarce; infrequent; unusual; uncommon; singular;
extraordinary; incomparable.

Usage: {Rare}, {Scarce}. We call a thing rare when but few
examples, specimens, or instances of it are ever to be
met with; as, a rare plant. We speak of a thing as
scarce, which, though usually abundant, is for the
time being to be had only in diminished quantities;
as, a bad harvest makes corn scarce.

A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of
the rarest things in the world. --Burke.

When any particular piece of money grew very
scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding
emperor. --Addison.