prof·it·a·ble ( pr¼f"¹-t…-b…l) adj. 1. Yielding profit; advantageous or lucrative. See note at beneficial . prof "it·a·bil"i·ty or prof "it·a·ble·ness n. prof "it·a·bly adv.

read·er ( r¶"d…r) n. 1. One that reads. 2. One who publicly recites literary works. 3. a. A person employed by a publisher to read and evaluate manuscripts. b. One who corrects printers' proofs; a proofreader. 4. A teaching assistant who reads and grades examination papers. 5. Chiefly British A university teacher, especially one ranking next below a professor. 6. a. A textbook of reading exercises. b. An anthology, especially a literary anthology. 7. A layperson or minor cleric who recites lessons or prayers in church services.

ream·er ( r¶"m…r) n. 1. Any of various tools used to shape or enlarge holes. 2. A utensil with a conical, ridged projection, used for extracting citrus-fruit juice.

reap·er ( r¶"p…r) n. 1. One that reaps, especially a machine for harvesting grain or pulse crops.

rear 2 ( rîr) v. reared rear·ing rears v. tr. 1. To care for (children or a child) during the early stages of life; bring up. 2. To lift upright; raise. 3. To build; erect. See note at lift . 4. To tend (growing plants or animals). v. intr. 1. To rise on the hind legs, as a horse. 2. To rise high in the air; tower. [Middle English reren to raise from Old English rÆran] rear "er n.