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 1602. Shakspeare, Troilus and Cressida, ii. 2. But I would have the soil of her fair rape Wip'd off, in honourable keeping her, What treason were it to the ransack'd queen

1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, i. 5. With sacrilegious Tools we rudely rend her, And ransack deeply in her bosom tender.

Ranshackle, subs. (common).—To pillage; to ransack [On model of 'ramshackle' (q.v.)].

?]. Jamie Telfer [Child, Ballads, vi. 106]. They loosed the kye out, ane and a' And ranshackled the house right well.

RANT, verb. (various: see definition).—1. 'To talk Big, High, or Boast much' (B. E., c.1696); to storm; to rave: in this sense rant has always been literary, including the corresponding subs., adj., &c. Whence, however, many usages more or less colloquial:—Rantan (randan, randy, rand, randydan, rant, ranty, rantan, or rantytan) = (1) a jollification, (2) a wenching bout, (3) the sound of a drum, and (4) a drunken frolic; also as verb. (or to go on the rantan, &c.) = to go on a round of debauchery; ranter = (1) 'Extravagants, Unthrifts, Lewd Sparks, also of the Family of Love' (B. E., c.1696); (2) = a noisy talker, bawling singer, or ruffian; (3) = a Primitive Methodist: often extended to Dissenters generally, and spec. to a sect dating from 1822, self-registered as such in the Census returns; (4) in pl. = idle drunken boistering; ranting, adj. = (1) in high spirits; and (2) = amorous, hot (q.v.); and (3) extravagant: see quot. 1599; randy (or ranty), subs. = (1) a beggar, ballad singer, or tinker: espec. such as bully or menace; (2) a scold: also randy-dandy (or ranty-tanty); (4) a ramping wanton; (4) see rantan, supra; as adj. = (1) vagrant; (2) thieving, shrewish; (3) wanton, hot (q.v.); as verb. = (1) see rantan, supra; and (2) to beat continuously, as a tinker; rantipole, subs. = (1) a whore, and (2) a romp (q.v.), a gallant hussy; as verb. = to run about wildly; and as adj. = 'wild, rakish, jovial' (B. E., c.1696); to ride rantipole (see Ride); rantum-*scantum = copulation: see Ride; rantankerous = quarrelsome; rantallion = (Grose) 'One whose scrotum is so relaxed as to be longer than his penis.'

1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, ii. 1. [Oliphant, New. Eng., ii. 25. There is the new Dutch verb. rant]. Look where my ranting host of the Garter comes.

1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe [Harl. Misc., vi. 153]. I would not have it cast in my dishe that therefore I prayse Yarmouth so rantantingly, because I never elsewhere bayted my horse.

1601. Jonson, Poetaster, iii. 1. He was born to fill thy mouth he will teach thee to tear and rand.

1630. Taylor, Workes, 110. There is rantan Tom Tinker and his Tib, And there's a jugler with his fingers glib.

1662. Wilson, Cheats, i. I was t'other night upon the randan, and who should I meet with but our old gang, some of St. Nicholas' clerks.

1697. Praise of Yorkshire Ale, 5. Mistake me not, Custom, I mean not tho, Of excessive drinking, as great ranters do.

1699. Congreve, Way of the World, iv. 10. What, at years of discretion, and comport yourself at this rantipole rate.

1712. Arbuthnot, Hist. John Bull, ii. iii. She used to rantipole about the house. Ibid. iii. viii. She threw away her money upon roaring swearing bullies and randy beggars that went about the streets.

1730. Jas. Miller, Humours of Oxford, v. But couldst thou not learn, Timothy, who it is that the rantipole is going to marry?