▪ I. rayon1
(ˈreɪən, ˈreɪɒn, F. rɛjɔ̃)
[a. F. rayon (1539), f. rai (mod. rais) ray n.1]
1. A ray of light. rare.
| 1591 Spenser Vis. Bellay 21 Shining Christall, which..a thousand rayons threw. a 1609 A. Hume Day Estivall 177 The rayons of the Sunne we see, Diminish in their strength. 1859 Singleton Virgil II. 244 Here stood A cave,..unreached by rayons of the Sun. |
‖ 2. = radius n. 4.
| 1878 M. E. Herbert tr. Hübner's Ramble iii. i. 459 Within a rayon of a certain number of miles. 1879 Daily News 26 May 5/6, I found myself within his rayon at Newcastle, which is one of his bases of supply. |
3. a. Any of the class of fibres and filaments composed of or made from regenerated cellulose; also, fabric or cloth made from these. Formerly known as
artificial silk.
| 1924 Drapers' Record 14 June 685/2 ‘Glos’ having been killed by ridicule, the National Retail Dry Goods Association of America has made another effort to produce a suitable name for artificial silk. This time their choice has fallen on ‘rayon’. 1925 Glasgow Herald 26 Mar. 15/1 The Viscose Company states that it will discontinue the use of wood pulp as a base for rayon when its wood pulp contracts expire. 1927 T. Woodhouse Artificial Silk 1 The sight of almost any article made from artificial silk (or Rayon, as it is also called) is sufficient to arouse admiration. 1951 Good Housek. Home Encycl. 230/2 Rayons are classified according to the highly technical processes by which they are manufactured. 1966 [see man-made a.]. 1969 Encycl. Polymer Sci. & Technol. XI. 844 High-tenacity rayons are consumed by industry as reinforcing cords for manufacturing all types of rubber tires, drive belts, high-pressure hoses, and straps and tapes. 1973 H. McCloy Change of Heart ii. 18 Her stockings were real silk, not flimsy nylon..or coarse rayon. |
b. attrib. and
Comb., as
rayon damask,
rayon gabardine,
rayon jersey,
rayon satin,
rayon stocking,
rayon taffeta,
rayon yarn;
rayon-containing,
rayon-corded adjs.| 1930 Daily News Rec. 17 Feb. 19/2 The manufacture of rayon-containing fabrics normally is a highly competitive business. |
| 1964 Economist 26 Sept. 1254/1 The rayon-corded SP tyres. |
| 1952 M. Laski Village iv. 66 The rayon-damask couch of the three-piece suite. |
| 1930 Silk & Rayon Directory & Buyer's Guide of Gt. Brit. 296/2 (heading) Gabardine, Rayon. 1947 Sun (Baltimore) 31 Oct. 3/7 (Advt.), Confident of its own good looks, this rayon gabardine wins your heart at once. 1965 Which? Mar. 94/2 Rayon gaberdine, a fabric with a diagonal rib effect. |
| Ibid. 94/3 Rayon jersey, a soft stretch, knitted fabric. Drapes well. 1973 Guardian 19 June 15/1 Matte viscose rayon jersey, long evening dress. |
| 1977 B. Pym Quartet in Autumn v. 51 The dressing gown was a jazzy rayon satin. |
| 1929 Rayon Record III. 587/1 The lower temperature up to about 110° is utilized for silk or rayon stockings. 1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair xi. 119 Fawn-grey rayon stockings. 1974 M. Kelly That Girl in Alley iv. 70 She was wearing..beige rayon stockings. |
| 1952 M. Laski Village viii. 137 A counterpane of rayon taffeta machine-embroidered with flowers. |
| 1929 Rayon Record III. 411/2 A few samples of yarns and fabrics illustrating the decorative value of rayon yarns..have been received. 1947 British Rayon Man. x. 168 Much attention was given to the question of the best kind of package for rayon yarns. |
▪ II. ‖ rayon2 (
raˈjon)
Also
raion.
[a. Russ. raĭón.] In the
U.S.S.R., a small territorial division for administrative purposes.
| 1936 [see oblast]. 1948 J. Towster Polit. Power in U.S.S.R. iv. 66 All the units are divided into districts (raions). 1959 Economist 14 Mar. 946/1 In at least two of Moscow's fifteen raions, the chaps at the local Agitpunkts seem to have been lying down on the job. 1964 S. P. Dunn tr. Levin & Potapov's Peoples of Siberia 9 The creation in 1931–1932 of nomadic and rural soviets, rayons and national okrugs on a territorial basis finally undermined the importance in the social structure of the peoples of the North, of their former clan and tribal organizations and of the social elements which headed them. 1976 [see okrug]. |