| Robison, Robert | <person> English chemist, 1884-1941. See: Robison ester, Robison ester dehydrogenase, Robison-Embden ester. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Robison-Embden ester | A key intermediate in glycolysis, glycogenolysis, pentose phosphate shunt, etc.; elevated levels inhibit brain hexokinase and glycolysis. Synonym: Robison ester, Robison-Embden ester. (05 Mar 2000) |
| roborant | <medicine> A strengthening medicine; a tonic. Origin: L. Roborans, p. Pr. See Roborate. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| robotic | Pertaining to or characteristic of a robot, an automatic mechanical device designed to duplicate a human function without direct human operation. Origin: Czech robot, robot, fr. Robota, drudgery, + -ic (05 Mar 2000) |
| robotics | The application of electronic, computerised control systems to mechanical devices designed to perform human functions. Formerly restricted to industry, but nowadays applied to artificial organs controlled by bionic (bioelectronic) devices, like automated insulin pumps and other prostheses. (12 Dec 1998) |
| robust | 1. Evincing strength; indicating vigorous health; strong; sinewy; muscular; vigorous; sound; as, a robust body; robust youth; robust health. 2. Violent; rough; rude. "While romp-loving miss Is hauled about in gallantry robust." (Thomson) 3. Requiring strength or vigor; as, robust employment. Synonym: Strong, lusty, sinewy, sturdy, muscular, hale, hearty, vigorous, forceful, sound. Robust, Strong. Robust means, literally, made of oak, and hence implies great compactness and toughness of muscle, connected with a thick-set frame and great powers of endurance. Strong denotes the power of exerting great physical force. The robust man can bear heat or cold, excess or privation, and toil on through every kind of hardship; the strong man can lift a great weight, can give a heavy blow, and a hard gripe. "Robust, tough sinews bred to toil." . "Then 'gan the villain wax so fierce and strong, That nothing may sustain his furious force." (Spenser) Origin: L. Robustus oaken, hard, strong, fr. Robur strength, a very hard kind of oak; cf. Skr. Rabhas violence: cf. F. Robuste. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| robustness | In statistics, the degree to which the probability of drawing a wrong conclusion from the test result is not seriously affected by moderate departures from the assumptions implicit in the model on which the test is based. Origin: L. Robustus, hale, strong, fr. Robur, oak, hard (05 Mar 2000) |