Verb (used without object) : He tried to prove that he was not at fault, but he was obviously rationalizing.    From Dictionary.com. 

Verb (used with object) : to rationalize the denominator of a fraction.    From Dictionary.com. 

Farmers would have to "rationalise" their labour force even further if labour costs increased.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

The government had made no decision to reduce the number of provinces or to "rationalise" them, President Thabo Mbeki told.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

Rivals Unilever recenly announced it is to axe its Persil washing up liquid brand as part of a drive to "rationalise" its product range.    From Wordnik.com.  [mad.co.uk : Today's Breaking News] Reference

"rationalise" their labour force even further if labour costs increased.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

"rationalise" the fee structure by slashing the cost of entering land-based casinos to Rs. 500.    From Wordnik.com.  [Gaea Times (by Simple Thoughts) Breaking News and incisive views 24/7] Reference

We desperately need to rationalise water use in the Ica.    From Wordnik.com.  [How Peru's wells are being sucked dry by British love of asparagus] Reference

rationalise Irgun and you rationalise Hamas. just Louise.    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

But all these we can intellectually finesse, rationalise and redeem.    From Wordnik.com.  [Stephen Fry: The Great Stink of 2005] Reference

A new Act is required which will rationalise the various administrations.    From Wordnik.com.  [RDP White Paper] Reference

The Post Office should reconsider its priorities and rationalise this year.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

The company had no choice but to seriously examine ways to rationalise costs.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

To attempt to rationalise with such an one was merely to excite the insane part of him.    From Wordnik.com.  [Witch-Doctors] Reference

And to this day I could almost find it in my heart to rationalise and justify my phobia.    From Wordnik.com.  [Surprised by Joy]

For most of the white intelligentsia, colonialism was a project to rationalise and defend.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Native Club and the national democratic project] Reference

"THEY always find some way to rationalise the fact that THEY lost the argument, don't THEY?".    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

There was no point, she thought, in trying to rationalise what had just happened between them.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Count's Blackmail Bargain]

A democratic South Africa will rationalise its armed forces in conformity with its defence needs.    From Wordnik.com.  [READY TO GOVERN] Reference

Often, when we are struck by these images, we tend to rationalise about who might be right or wrong.    From Wordnik.com.  [RESPONSE BY PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA TO THE 1994 PEACE LECTURE OF THE WCRP (SOUTH AFRICAN CHAPTER)] Reference

The rest of your rant is on a similar level: trying to rationalise away the failure of your argument.    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

Every one of the several hundred words he has posted since being an attempt to rationalise that usage.    From Wordnik.com.  [Giving evidence to the Chilcot inquiry, Tony Blair said: “I...] Reference

The establishment of the extensive mechanisms to transform and rationalise the superior court structures.    From Wordnik.com.  [CONSOLIDATED REPORT ON SECTORAL STRATEGIES] Reference

Government must urgently take legislative steps to rationalise High Courts in accordance with the Constitution.    From Wordnik.com.  [TRANSFORMATION OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM] Reference

Skweyiya 'and the Public Service Commission's attempts to rationalise the civil service in line with RDP requirements.    From Wordnik.com.  [THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CALL FOR PRESIDENT MANDELA TO FIRE DR ZOLA SKWEYIYA FROM MINISTERIAL DUTY] Reference

Threatened people resort to terrorism if they have no other weapons to hand and rationalise their actions accordingly.    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

They don't understand her appeal and try to rationalise their discombobulation by claiming she hasn't earned preference.    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

The Department of Health has proposed to rationalise the dispensing of medicines by doctors to improve safety and control.    From Wordnik.com.  [PARLIAMENTARY BULLETIN] Reference

Clearly, there was a need to rationalise: eventually it was decided to abandon any attempt to adopt the Australian system.    From Wordnik.com.  [Chapter 6] Reference

The ANC proposal sought to rationalise the administration of justice and bring the system in line with international norms.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

I believe that Durban II will be an attempt to rationalise a "world without Israel" and prepare the world for a nuclear Iran.    From Wordnik.com.  [On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...] Reference

It will now be possible to rationalise the administrative structures of the former public services into these new structures.    From Wordnik.com.  [ANC Daily News Briefing] Reference

NGC support the current process to transform and rationalise all the aspects of our Court structures and personnel, including.    From Wordnik.com.  [CONSOLIDATED REPORT ON SECTORAL STRATEGIES] Reference

It winds him up if I feel something that he can't rationalise or explain, even though you're not meant to do that with feelings.    From Wordnik.com.  [sheepdip Diary Entry] Reference

Had they created myths and legends to rationalise the city's ill-luck entirely as a result of evil emanating from the Dragon Isle?.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Fortress of the Pearl]

When I gave my now notorious talk to the Royal Irish, I was trying to rationalise for those young men what was going on from my standpoint.    From Wordnik.com.  [Politics live blog - Tuesday 14 September] Reference