rectify

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To set right; correct.
2. v. To correct by calculation or adjustment. See Synonyms at correct.
3. v. Chemistry To refine or purify, especially by distillation.
4. v. Electronics To convert (alternating current) into direct current.
5. v. To adjust (the proof of alcoholic beverages) by adding water or other liquids.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To make right or straight; correct when wrong, erroneous, or false; amend: as, to rectify errors, mistakes, or abuses: sometimes applied to persons.
2. Specifically In distilling:
3. To remove impurities from (an alcoholic distillate) and raise to a required proof or strength by repeated distillation. As flavoring materials are often added during rectification in the manufacture of gin, cordials, factitious brandy, etc., the term rectify has been extended to the performance of these processes.
4. Hence— To bring (a. spirit) by repeated distillation to the strength required, and at the same time to impart to it the desired flavor. See rectifier.
5. In chemical manuf. and in pharmacy:
6. To separate impurities from (a crystalline body) by dissolving and recrystallizing it, sometimes repeatedly, and sometimes also with intermediate washing of the crystals.
7. To raise (a liquid) to a prescribed strength by extraction of some part of its liquid components. Distillation under ordinary atmospheric pressure or in a vacuum, and absorption of water by substances having strong affinity for water, as caustic lime, calcium chlorid, etc., when such substances do not affect the chemical constitution of the substances under treatment, are common processes employed in rectification.
8. To remove impurities from (solutions) by filtering them through substances absorbent of dissolved impurities, but non-absorbent of, and chemically inactive upon, the substance to be purified. Of such materials bone-black is a typical example, especially in sugar-refining
9. To purify by one or more resublimations.
10. In mathematics, to determine the length of (a curve, or a part of a curve) included between two limits.
11. In the use of the globes, to place (a globe) in such a position that the solution of a given problem may be effected with it.
12. Synonyms Improve, Better, etc. (see amend), redress, adjust, regulate.
13. In electricity, to change (an alternating electric current) into a direct current by redirecting the successively opposite impulses of the alternating current so as to flow in the same direction. See rectifier .

Wiktionary

1. v. To correct or amend something.
2. v. To purify or refine, especially by distillation.
3. v. To convert alternating current into direct current.
4. v. To add water to alcoholic spirit to adjust its proof.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To make or set right; to correct from a wrong, erroneous, or false state; to amend
2. v. To refine or purify by repeated distillation or sublimation, by which the fine parts of a substance are separated from the grosser.
3. v. To produce ( as factitious gin or brandy) by redistilling low wines or ardent spirits (whisky, rum, etc.), flavoring substances, etc., being added.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. set straight or right
2. v. reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities
3. v. math: determine the length of
4. v. bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one
5. v. make right or correct
6. v. convert into direct current