# Chapter 1: Images

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary - A to D.

Title: Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)

Editor: Thomas Davidson

Release date: October 9, 2011 [eBook #37683]
Most recently updated: January 8, 2021

Language: English

Transcriber's note: | A few typographical errors have been corrected. They appear in the text like this, and the explanation will appear when the mouse pointer is moved over the marked passage.

CHAMBERS'S
TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY
OF THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE

PRONOUNCING, EXPLANATORY, ETYMOLOGICAL, WITH COMPOUND PHRASES,
TECHNICAL TERMS IN USE IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES,
COLLOQUIALISMS, FULL APPENDICES, AND
COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED

EDITED BY
Rev. THOMAS DAVIDSON
ASSISTANT-EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENCYCLOPÆDIA'
EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENGLISH DICTIONARY'

London: 47 Paternoster Row
W. & R. CHAMBERS, Limited
EDINBURGH: 339 High Street
1908

CHAMBERS'S
NEW LARGE TYPE
ENGLISH DICTIONARY
EDITED BY
Rev. THOMAS DAVIDSON
Pronouncing, Explanatory, Etymological
1264 pp. Imp. 8vo, cloth, 12/6; hf.-mor., 18/-
———
"The best one volume dictionary in existence."
W. & R. Chambers, Limited, London and Edinburgh.

### PREFACE.

This is the third English Dictionary which the present Editor has prepared, and he may therefore lay claim to an unusually prolonged apprenticeship to his trade. It is surely unnecessary for him to say that he believes this to be the best book of the three, and he can afford to rest content if the Courteous Reader receive it with the indulgence extended to his Library Dictionary, published in the spring of 1898. It is based upon that work, but will be found to possess many serviceable qualities of its own. It is not much less in content, and its greater relative portability is due to smaller type, to thinner paper, and still more to a rigorous compression and condensation in the definitions, by means of which room has been found for many additional words.

The aim has been to include all the common words in literary and conversational English, together with words obsolete save in the pages of Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, and the Authorised Version of the Bible. An attempt has been made also to include the common terms of the sciences and the arts of life, the vocabulary of sport, those Scotch and provincial words which assert themselves in Burns, Scott, the Brontës, and George Eliot, and even the coinages of word-masters like Carlyle, Browning, and Meredith. Numberless compound idiomatic phrases have also been given a place, in each case under the head of the significant word.

Correctness in technical matters has been ensured by consulting such books as Smyth's Sailor's Word-Book, Voyle's Military Dictionary, Wilson's Stock-Exchange Glossary, Lee's Glossary of Liturgical and Ecclesiastical Terms, &c. Besides books of this class, the Editor has made constant use of special books such as Schmidt's Shakespeare-Lexicon, Calderwood's edition of Fleming's Vocabulary of Philosophy, Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary, the Stanford Dictionary of Anglicised Words and Phrases, Yule and Burnell's Anglo-Indian Glossary, Addis and Arnold's Catholic Dictionary, and the Dictionaries of the Bible of Sir William Smith and Dr Hastings.

In Latin, his authority is Lewis and Short; in Greek, Liddell and Scott; in Romance Philology, Diez and Scheler; in French, Littré; in Spanish, Velazquez; in German, Weigand and Flügel; in Gaelic, Macleod and Dewar, and M'Bain; in Hebrew, Gesenius.

In English etymology the Editor has consulted Professor Skeat's Dictionary and his Principles of English Etymology—First and Second Series; the magistral New English Dictionary of Dr James A. H. Murray and Mr Henry Bradley, so far as completed; and the only less valuable English Dialect Dictionary of Professor Wright (begun 1896).

Two complete American English Dictionaries still hold the first place as works of reference, Professor Whitney's Century Dictionary and Funk and Wagnall's Standard Dictionary.

The Editor has great pleasure in acknowledging his personal obligations to his brothers, the Rev. Robert P. Davidson, B.A., of Trinity College, Oxford, and David G. Davidson, M.D., Edinburgh; and to his equally capable and courteous colleagues, Mr J. R. Pairman and David Patrick, LL.D., Editor of Chambers's Encyclopædia.

T. D.

### CONTENTS.

| PAGE
PREFACE | iii
EXPLANATIONS TO THE STUDENT | v
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DICTIONARY | vii
THE DICTIONARY | 1-1150
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES | 1151
ETYMOLOGY OF NAMES OF PLACES, ETC. | 1158
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, TOGETHER WITH SIGNS AND SYMBOLS USED IN MEDICINE AND MUSIC | 1161
CORRECT CEREMONIOUS FORMS OF ADDRESS | 1174
PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY OF SCRIPTURE PROPER NAMES | 1176
THE MORE COMMON ENGLISH CHRISTIAN NAMES, WITH THEIR ORIGIN AND MEANING | 1178
WORDS AND PHRASES IN MORE OR LESS CURRENT USE FROM LATIN, GREEK, AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES | 1184
ADDENDA | 1208

### EXPLANATIONS TO THE STUDENT.

The Arrangement of the Words.—Every word is given in its alphabetical order, except in cases where, to save space, derivatives are given after and under the words from which they are derived. Each uncompounded verb has its participles, when irregular, placed after it. Exceptional plurals are also given. When a word stands after another, with no meaning given, its meanings can be at once formed from those of the latter, by adding the signification of the affix: thus the meanings of Darkness are obtained by prefixing the meaning of ness, state of being, to those of Dark.

Many words from French and other tongues, current in English usage, but not yet fairly Anglicised, are inserted in the list of Foreign Phrases, &c., at the end, rather than in the body of the Dictionary.

The Pronunciation.—The Pronunciation is given immediately after each word, by the word being spelled anew. In this new spelling, every consonant used has its ordinary unvarying sound, no consonant being employed that has more than one sound. The same sounds are always represented by the same letters, no matter how varied their actual spelling in the language. No consonant used has any mark attached to it, with the one exception of th, which is printed in common letters when sounded as in thick, but in italics when sounded as in then. Unmarked vowels have always their short sounds, as in lad, led, lid, lot, but, book. The marked vowels are shown in the following line, which is printed at the top of each page:—

fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.

The vowel u when marked thus, ü, has the sound heard in Scotch bluid, gude, the French du, almost that of the German ü in Müller. Where more than one pronunciation of a word is given, that which is placed first is more accepted.

The Spelling.—When more than one form of a word is given, that which is placed first is the spelling in current English use. Unfortunately our modern spelling does not represent the English we actually speak, but rather the language of the 16th century, up to which period, generally speaking, English spelling was mainly phonetic, like the present German. The fundamental principle of all rational spelling is no doubt the representation of every sound by an invariable symbol, but in modern English the usage of pronunciation has drifted far from the conventional forms established by a traditional orthography, with the result that the present spelling of our written speech is to a large extent a mere exercise of memory, full of confusing anomalies and imperfections, and involving an enormous and unnecessary strain on the faculties of learners. Spelling reform is indeed an imperative necessity, but it must proceed with a wise moderation, for, in the words of Mr Sweet, 'nothing can be done without unanimity, and until the majority of the community are convinced of the superiority of some one system unanimity is impossible.' The true path of progress should follow such wisely moderate counsels as those of Dr J. A. H. Murray:—the dropping of the final or inflexional silent e; the restoration of the historical -t after breath consonants; uniformity in the employment of double consonants, as in traveler, &c.; the discarding of ue in words like demagogue and catalogue; the uniform levelling of the agent -our into -or; the making of ea = ĕ short into e and the long ie into ee; the restoration of some, come, tongue, to their old English forms, sum, cum, tung; a more extended use of z in the body of words, as chozen, praize, raize; and the correction of the worst individual monstrosities, as foreign, scent, scythe, ache, debt, people, parliament, court, would, sceptic, phthisis, queue, schedule, twopence-halfpenny, yeoman, sieve, gauge, barque, buoy, yacht, &c.

Already in America a moderate degree of spelling reform may be said to be established in good usage, by the adoption of -or for -our, as color, labor, &c.; of -er for -re, as center, meter, &c.; -ize for -ise, as civilize, &c.; the use of a uniform single consonant after an unaccented vowel, as traveler for traveller; the adoption of e for œ or æ in hemorrhage, diarrhea, &c.

The Meanings.—The current and most important meaning of a word is usually given first. But in cases like Clerk, Livery, Marshal, where the force of the word can be made much clearer by tracing its history, the original meaning is also given, and the successive variations of its usage defined.

The Etymology.—The Etymology of each word is given after the meanings, within brackets. Where further information regarding a word is given elsewhere, it is so indicated by a reference. It must be noted under the etymology that whenever a word is printed thus, Ban, Base, the student is referred to it; also that here the sign—is always to be read as meaning 'derived from.' Examples are generally given of words that are cognate or correspond to the English words; but it must be remembered that they are inserted merely for illustration. Such words are usually separated from the rest by a semicolon. For instance, when an English word is traced to its Anglo-Saxon form, and then a German word is given, no one should suppose that our English word is derived from the German. German and Anglo-Saxon are alike branches from a common Teutonic stem, and have seldom borrowed from each other. Under each word the force of the prefix is usually given, though not the affix. For fuller explanation in such cases the student is referred to the list of Prefixes and Suffixes in the Appendix.

### LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DICTIONARY.

aor. | aorist. | geol. | geology. | perh. | perhaps.
abbrev. | abbreviation. | geom. | geometry. | pers. | person.
abl. | ablative. | ger. | gerundive. | pfx. | prefix.
acc. | according. | gram. | grammar. | phil., philos. | philosophy.
accus. | accusative. | gun. | gunnery. | philol. | philology.
adj. | adjective. | her. | heraldry. | phon. | phonetics.
adv. | adverb. | hist. | history. | phot. | photography.
agri. | agriculture. | hort. | horticulture. | phrenol. | phrenology.
alg. | algebra. | hum. | humorous. | phys. | physics.
anat. | anatomy. | i.e. | that is. | physiol. | physiology.
app. | apparently. | imit. | imitative. | pl. | plural.
arch. | archaic. | imper. | imperative. | poet. | poetical.
archit. | architecture. | impers. | impersonal. | pol. econ. | political economy.
arith. | arithmetic. | indic. | indicative. | poss. | possessive.
astrol. | astrology. | infin. | infinitive. | Pr.Bk. | Book of Common
astron. | astronomy. | inten. | intensive. | Prayer.
attrib. | attributive. | interj. | interjection. | pr.p. | present participle.
augm. | augmentative. | interrog. | interrogative. | prep. | preposition.
B. | Bible. | jew. | jewellery. | pres. | present.
biol. | biology. | lit. | literally. | print. | printing.
book-k. | book-keeping. | mach. | machinery. | priv. | privative.
bot. | botany. | masc. | masculine. | prob. | probably.
c. (circa) | about. | math. | mathematics. | Prof. | Professor.
c., cent. | century. | mech. | mechanics. | pron. | pronoun;
carp. | carpentry. | med. | medicine. | pronounced;
cf. | compare. | metaph. | metaphysics. | pronunciation.
chem. | chemistry. | mil. | military. | prop. | properly.
cog. | cognate. | Milt. | Milton. | pros. | prosody.
coll., colloq. | colloquially. | min. | mineralogy. | prov. | provincial.
comp. | comparative. | mod. | modern. | q.v. | which see.
conch. | conchology. | Mt. | Mount. | R.C. | Roman Catholic.
conj. | conjunction. | mus. | music. | recip. | reciprocal.
conn. | connected. | myth. | mythology. | redup. | reduplication.
contr. | contracted. | n., ns. | noun, nouns. | refl. | reflexive.
cook. | cookery. | nat. hist. | natural history. | rel. | related; relative.
corr. | corruption. | naut. | nautical. | rhet. | rhetoric.
crystal. | crystallography. | neg. | negative. | sculp. | sculpture.
dat. | dative. | neut. | neuter. | Shak. | Shakespeare.
demons. | demonstrative. | n.pl. | noun plural. | sig. | signifying.
der. | derivation. | n.sing. | noun singular. | sing. | singular.
dial. | dialect, dialectal. | N.T. | New Testament. | spec. | specifically.
Dict. | Dictionary. | obs. | obsolete. | Spens. | Spenser.
dim. | diminutive. | opp. | opposed. | subj. | subjunctive.
dub. | doubtful. | opt. | optics. | suff. | suffix.
eccles. | ecclesiastical history. | orig. | originally. | superl. | superlative.
e.g. | for example. | ornith. | ornithology. | surg. | surgery.
elect. | electricity. | O.S. | old style. | term. | termination.
entom. | entomology. | O.T. | Old Testament. | teleg. | telegraphy.
esp. | especially. | p., part. | participle. | Tenn. | Tennyson.
ety. | etymology. | p.adj. | participial adjective. | Test. | Testament.
fem. | feminine. | paint. | painting. | theat. | theatre; theatricals.
fig. | figuratively. | paleog. | paleography. | theol. | theology.
fol. | followed; following. | paleon. | paleontology. | trig. | trigonometry.
fort. | fortification. | palm. | palmistry. | ult. | ultimately.
freq. | frequentative. | pa.p. | past participle. | v.i. | verb intransitive.
fut. | future. | pass. | passive. | voc. | vocative.
gen. | genitive. | pa.t. | past tense. | v.t. | verb transitive.
gener. | generally. | path. | pathology. | vul. | vulgar.
geog. | geography. | perf. | perfect. | zool. | zoology.

Amer. | American. | Fris. | Frisian. | Norw. | Norwegian.
Ar. | Arabic. | Gael. | Gaelic. | O. Fr. | Old French.
A.S. | Anglo-Saxon. | Ger. | German. | Pers. | Persian.
Austr. | Australian. | Goth. | Gothic. | Peruv. | Peruvian.
Bav. | Bavarian. | Gr. | Greek. | Pol. | Polish.
Beng. | Bengali. | Heb. | Hebrew. | Port. | Portuguese.
Bohem. | Bohemian. | Hind. | Hindustani. | Prov. | Provençal.
Braz. | Brazilian. | Hung. | Hungarian. | Rom. | Romance.
Bret. | Breton. | Ice. | Icelandic. | Russ. | Russian
Carib. | Caribbean. | Ind. | Indian. | Sans. | Sanskrit.
Celt. | Celtic. | Ion. | Ionic. | Scand. | Scandinavian.
Chal. | Chaldean. | Ir. | Irish. | Scot. | Scottish.
Chin. | Chinese. | It. | Italian. | Singh. | Singhalese.
Corn. | Cornish. | Jap. | Japanese. | Slav. | Slavonic.
Dan. | Danish. | Jav. | Javanese. | Sp. | Spanish.
Dut. | Dutch. | L. | Latin. | Sw. | Swedish.
Egypt. | Egyptian. | Lith. | Lithuanian. | Teut. | Teutonic.
Eng. | English. | L. L. | Low or Late Latin. | Turk. | Turkish.
Finn. | Finnish. | M. E. | Middle English. | U.S. | United States.
Flem. | Flemish. | Mex. | Mexican. | W. | Welsh.
Fr. | French. | Norm. | Norman. |  |

CHAMBERS'S
TWENTIETH CENTURY
DICTIONARY.

the first letter in our alphabet, its corresponding symbol standing first also in many other alphabets derived from the Phœnician. It originated in the hieroglyphic picture of an eagle (Old Egyptian ahom), the cursive hieratic form of which was the original of the Phœnician aleph, an ox, from a fancied resemblance to its head and horns.—A, as a note in music, is the major sixth of the scale of C; A1, the symbol by which first-class vessels are classed in Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, hence first-rate.

A, the indefinite article, a broken-down form of An, and used before words beginning with the sound of a consonant. [An was a new development, after the Conquest, of the A.S. numeral án, one.]

A, ä or ā, a prep., derived from the old prep. on, and still used, as a prefix, in afoot, afield, apart, asleep, nowadays, twice-a-day; also with verbal nouns, as a-building, to be a-doing, to set a-going. It is now admitted only colloquially. [Short for A.S. an, a dialectic form of on, on, in, at. See Prefixes.]

A, ä, a dialectic corruption of he or she, as in quotha, (Shak.) 'A babbled of green fields.'—A, usually written a', Scotch for all; A, a form of the L. prep. ab, from, of, used before consonants, as in Thomas à Kempis, Thomas à Becket, &c.

Aardvark, ard′vark, n. the ground-hog of South Africa. [Dut. aarde, earth; vark, found only in dim. varken, a pig.]

Aardwolf, ard′wōōlf, n. the earth-wolf of South Africa, a carnivore belonging to a sub-family of the Hyænidæ. [Dut. aarde, earth, wolf, wolf.]

Aaronic, -al, ā-ron′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to Aaron, the Jewish high-priest, or to his priesthood.—n. Aa′ron's-rod (archit.), a rod having one serpent twined round it.—Aaron's beard, a popular name for a number of cultivated plants—among the best known, a species of Saxifrage (S. sarmentosa), usually grown in hanging pots, from which hang long stems, bearing clumps of roundish, hairy leaves.

Ab, ab, n. the eleventh month of the Jewish civil year, and the fifth of the ecclesiastical year, answering to parts of July and August. [Syriac.]

Aba, ab′a, n. a Syrian woollen stuff, of goat's or camel's hair, usually striped; an outer garment made of this. [Ar.]

Abaca, ab′a-ka, n. the native name of the so-called Manilla hemp of commerce—really a plantain, much grown in the Philippine Islands.

Aback, a-bak′, adv. (naut.) said of sails pressed backward against the mast by the wind—hence (fig.) Taken aback, taken by surprise, [A.S. on bæc. See On and Back.]

Abacot. See Bycocket.

Abactinal, ab-ak′ti-nal, adj. (zool.) remote from the actinal area, without rays.—adv. Abac′tinally.

Abaction, ab-ak′shun, n. (law) the stealing of a number of cattle at once.—n. Abac′tor, one who does this. [L. abigĕre, abactum, to drive off.]

Abacus, ab′a-kus, n. a counting-frame or table: (archit.) a level tablet on the capital of a column, supporting the entablature:—pl. Ab′acī.—ns. Abacis′cus, Abac′ulus, dims. of Abacus; Ab′acist, one who counts with the abacus. [L.—Gr. abax, abakos, a board for reckoning on.]

Abaddon, a-bad′don, n. the destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit: (Milton) the bottomless pit, or abyss of hell itself. [Heb., from ābad, to be lost.]

Abaft, a-baft′, adv. and prep. on the aft, hind, or stern part of a ship: behind. [Pfx. a-, for A.S. on, on, and bæftan, after, behind; itself made up of pfx. be-, and æftan. See Aft.]

Abalienate, ab-āl′yen-āt, v.t. Same as Alienate.

Abandon, a-ban′dun, v.t. to give up: to desert: to yield (one's self) without restraint (with to).—v.t. Aband′ (Spens.), to abandon.—n. Aban′don (n to be nasalised), freedom from conventional restraints: careless freedom of manners.—adj. Aban′doned, given up, as to a vice: profligate: completely deserted: very wicked.—adv. Aban′donedly.—n. Aban′donment, act of abandoning: state of being given up: enthusiastic surrender of self to a cause: (law) the renunciation of a claim. [O. Fr. bandon, from the Teut. root ban, proclamation, came to mean decree, authorisation, permission; hence à bandon—at will or discretion, abandonner, to give up to the will or disposal of some one. See Ban, Banns.]

Abase, a-bās′, v.t. to cast down: to humble: to degrade.—adjs. Abā′sed, Abaissé (her.), depressed.—n. Abase′ment, state of humiliation. [O. Fr. abaissier, to bring low—L. ad, to, and root of Base, adj.]

Abash, a-bash′, v.t. to confuse with shame or guilt.—pa.p. Abashed′ (with at, of an occasion; by, of a cause).—n. Abash′ment, confusion from shame. [O. Fr. esbhir (Fr. s'ébahir), pr.p. esbahiss-ant, to be amazed—L. ex, out, and interj. bah, expressive of astonishment.]

Abate, a-bāt′, v.t. to lessen: to deduct (with of): to mitigate: (law) to put an end to, do away with, as of an action or a nuisance, to render null, as a writ.—v.i. to grow less.—adjs. Abāt′able, capable of being abated; Abāt′ed, beaten down or cut away, as the background of an ornamental pattern in relief.—n. Abate′ment, the act of abating: the sum or quantity abated: (law) the act of intruding on a freehold and taking possession before the heir, the abandonment of an action, or the reduction of a legacy: (her.) a supposed mark of dishonour on a coat of arms—apparently never actually used.—Abated arms, those whose edges have been blunted for the tournament. [O. Fr. abatre, to beat down—L. ab, from, and batĕre, popular form of batuĕre, to beat: conn. with Beat.]

Abatis, Abattis, a′bat-is, n.sing. and pl. (fort.) a rampart of trees felled and laid side by side, with the branches towards the enemy. [Fr. See Abate.]

Abattoir, a-bat-wär′, n. a public slaughter-house. [Fr. See ety. of Abate.]

Abature, ab′a-tūr, n. the trail of a beast of the chase. [Fr.]

Abb, ab, n. properly woof- or weft-yarn, but sometimes warp-yarn. [Pfx. a-, and Web.]

Abba, ab′a, n. father, a term retained in the Gr. text of the New Testament, together with its translation 'father,' hence Abba father, applied to God the Father: also a bishop in the Syriac and Coptic Churches. [L.—Gr.—Syriac and Chaldee, abbā—Heb. ab, father.]

Abbacy, ab′a-si, n. the office or dignity of an abbot: the establishment under an abbot: an abbey.—adj. Abbā′tial. [The earlier form was abbatie—said by Dr Murray to have been originally a Scotch form.]

Abbate, ab-bä′te, n. a title loosely applied to ecclesiastics in Italy.—Also Abate. [It.]

Abbaye, an arch. form of Abbey.

Abbé, ab′ā, n. originally the French name for an abbot, but often used in the general sense of a priest or clergyman. Before the Revolution, abbés were often merely holders of benefices, enjoying a portion of the revenues, although in minor orders, or even laymen. They were often tutors in noble families, or men of letters, and were marked by a short violet-coloured robe.

Abbess, ab′es, n. the female superior of a religious community of women. [Earlier Abbatess, fem. of Abbot.]

Abbey, ab′e, n. a monastery of persons of either sex presided over by an abbot or abbess: the church now or formerly attached to it: in Newstead Abbey, &c., the name has been retained after the abbatial building had become a private house:—pl. Abb′eys. [O. Fr. abaïe (Fr. abbaye)—L. abbatia, See Abba.]

Abbot, ab′ut, n. the father or head of an abbey:—fem. Abb′ess.—n. Ab′botship. [L. abbas, abbatis—Abba.]

Abbreviate, ab-brē′vi-āt, v.t. to make brief or short: to abridge.—ns. Abbreviā′tion, Abbrē′viature, a shortening, a part of a word put for the whole; Abbrē′viator, one who abbreviates.—adj. Abbrē′viatory. [L. abbreviāre, -ātum—ab, intensive, and brevis, short. See Brief.]

Abc, Abcee, ā-bē-sē′, n. the alphabet from its first letters: a first reading-book (obs.), hence fig. the first rudiments of anything.—ABC book (Shak.), a book to teach the a, b, c, or alphabet.

Abdicate, ab′di-kāt, v.t. and v.i. formally to renounce or give up office or dignity.—adj. Ab′dicant.—n. Abdicā′tion. [L. ab, from or off, dicāre, -ātum, to proclaim.]

Abdomen, ab-dō′men, n. the belly: the lower part of the trunk.—adj. Abdom′inal.—adv. Abdom′inally.—adj. Abdom′inous, pot-bellied. [L.]

Abduce, ab-dūs′, v.t. an earlier form of Abduct.—adj. Abduc′ent, drawing back: separating. [L. abducĕre—ab, from ducĕre, ductum, to draw.]

Abduct, ab-dukt′, v.t. to take away by fraud or violence.—ns. Abduc′tion, the carrying away, esp. of a person by fraud or force; Abduc′tor, one guilty of abduction: a muscle that draws away. [L. abducĕre. See Abduce.]

Abeam, a-bēm′, adv. (naut.) on the beam, or in a line at right angles to a vessel's length. [Pfx. a- (A.S. on), on, and Beam.]

Abear, a-bār′, v.t. (Spens.) to bear, to behave: (prov.) to endure or tolerate.—n. Abear′ance, (obs.) behaviour. [A.S. pfx. a-, and Bear.]

Abecedarian, ā-be-se-dā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to the a, b, c: rudimentary.—Abecedarian Psalms (as the 119th) or Hymns are such as are divided into successive portions according to the letters of the alphabet.

Abed, a-bed′, adv. in bed. [Pfx. a-, on, and Bed.]

Abele, a-bēl′, n. the white poplar-tree. [Dut. abeel; O. Fr. abel, aubel—Late L. albellus, albus, white.]

Aberdevine, ab-ėr-de-vīn′, n. a bird-fancier's name for the siskin. [Ety. uncertain; prob. a fanciful coinage.]

Aberrate, ab′ėr-rāt, v.i. to wander or deviate from the right way:—pr.p. ab′errāting; pa.p. ab′errāted.—ns. Aber′rance, Aber′rancy (rare forms).—adj. Aber′rant (zool. and bot.), wandering, deviating in some particulars from its group.—n. Aberrā′tion, a wandering from the right path: deviation from truth or rectitude: in science, deviation from the type: abnormal structure or development.—Aberration of light, an apparent alteration in the place of a star, arising from the motion of the earth in its orbit, combined with the progressive passage of light. [L. aberrāre, -ātum—ab, from, errāre, to wander.]

Abet, a-bet′, v.t. to incite by encouragement or aid (used chiefly in a bad sense):—pr.p. abet′ting; pa.p. abet′ted.—ns. Abet′ment; Abet′ter, Abet′tor, one who abets. [O. Fr. abeter—à (—L. ad, to), and beter, to bait, from root of Bait.]

Abeyance, a-bā′ans, n. a state of suspension or expectation: temporary inactivity—also Abey′ancy.—The v. to Abey is rare. [Fr.—à (—L. ad, to), and bayer, to gape in expectation, from imitative root ba, to gape.]

Abhominable, an earlier spelling of Abominable.

Abhor, ab-hor′, v.t. to shrink from with horror: to detest: to loathe:—pr.p. abhor′ring; pa.p. abhorred′.—ns. Abhor′rence, extreme hatred; (obs.) Abhor′rency.—adj. Abhor′rent, detesting; repugnant (with of).—ns. Abhor′rer, one who abhors; Abhor′ring (B. and Shak.), object of abhorrence. [L. abhorrēre, from ab, from, and horrēre. See Horror.]

Abib, ā′bib, n. the first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical, the seventh of the civil year, later called Nisan, answering to parts of March and April. [Heb., 'an ear of corn'—ābab, to produce early fruit.]

Abide, a-bīd′, v.t. to bide or wait for: to endure: to tolerate.—v.i. to remain in a place, dwell or stay:—pa.t. and pa.p. abōde′.—n. Abid′ance.—adj. Abid′ing, continual.—n. an enduring.—adv. Abid′ingly. [A.S. ábídan—pfx. á- (= Goth. us = Ger. er), and bídan, to wait.]

Abide, a-bīd′, v.t. (Shak. and Milton) to redeem, pay the penalty for, suffer. [M. E. abyen, confounded with Abide. See Aby.]

Abies, ab′i-ez, n. the silver-fir.—adj. Abiet′ic, pertaining to trees of the genus Abies. [L.]

Abigail, ab′i-gāl, n. a lady's-maid. [From Abigail, 1 Sam. xxv.]

Ability, a-bil′i-ti, n. quality of being able: power: strength: skill.—n.pl. Abil′ities, the powers of the mind. [O. Fr. ableté (Fr. habileté)—L. habilitas—habilis, easily handled, from habēre, to have, hold. See Able.]

Abintestate, ab-in-tes′tāt, adj. inheriting the estate of one who died without having made a will. [L. ab, from, and Intestate.]

Abiogenesis, ab-i-o-jen′es-is, n. the origination of living by not-living matter, spontaneous generation.—adj. Abiogenet′ic—n. Abio′genist, one who believes in such. [Coined by Huxley in 1870; Gr. a, neg., bios, life, genesis, birth.]

Abject, ab-jekt′, v.t. (obs.) to throw or cast down or away. [L. abjicĕre, -jectum—ab, away, jacĕre, to throw.]

Abject, ab′jekt, adj. cast away: mean: worthless: cowering: base.—n. an outcast.—ns. Abjec′tion, Ab′jectness, a mean or low state: baseness: degradation.—adv. Ab′jectly. [L. abjectus, cast away—ab, away, jacĕre, to throw.]

Abjudge, ab-juj′, v.t. (rare) to take away by judicial sentence. [L. ab, from, and Judge.]

Abjudicate, ab-jōō′di-kāt, v.t. to give by judgment from one to another. [L. ab, from, and Judicate.]

Abjure, ab-jōōr′, v.t. to renounce on oath or solemnly: to recant: to repudiate.—n. Abjurā′tion, official renunciation on oath of any principle or pretension.—adj. Abjur′atory.—n. Abjur′er. [L. ab, from, jurāre, -ātum, to swear.]

Abkari, ab-kä′ri, n. the manufacture or sale of spirituous liquors: the excise duty levied on such.—Also Abka′ry. [Pers.]

Ablactation, ab-lak-tā′shun, n. a weaning. [L. ab, from, lactāre, to suckle—lac, lactis, milk.]

Ablation, ab-lā′shun, n. the act of carrying away: (geol.) the wearing away of rock by the action of water.—adj. Ablati′tious. [L. ab, from, latum, supine of ferre, to bear.]

Ablative, ab′lat-iv, adj. used as a noun. The name applied to one of the cases in the declension of nouns and pronouns in the Indo-European languages, retained as in Latin and Sanskrit, or merged in another case, as in the genitive in Greek. Its meaning was to express direction from or time when.—adj. Ablatī′val. [L. ablativus—ab, from, ferre, latum, to take; as if it indicated taking away, or privation.]

Ablaut, ab′lowt, n. (philol.) vowel permutation, a substitution of one root vowel for another in derivation, as in sing, sang, song, sung, distinct from the phonetic influence of a succeeding vowel, as in the Umlaut. It is especially the change of a vowel to indicate tense-change in strong verbs. [Ger., from ab, off, and laut, sound.]

Ablaze, a-blāz′, adj. in a blaze, on fire: gleaming brightly. [Prep. a, and Blaze.]

Able, ā′bl, adj. (comp. A′bler; superl. A′blest) having sufficient strength, power, or means to do a thing: skilful.—adj. A′ble-bod′ied, of a strong body: free from disability, of a sailor, labourer, &c.: robust.—adv. A′bly. [See Ability.]

Ablegate, ab′le-gāt, n. a papal envoy who carries the insignia of office to a newly-appointed cardinal.

Abloom, a-blōōm′, adv. in a blooming state. [Prep. a, on, and Bloom.]

Abluent, ab′lōō-ent, adj. washing or cleaning by a liquid.—n. a medicine which carries off impurities from the system. [L. abluens, -entis, pr.p. of abluĕre, to wash away—ab, from, away, and luĕre = lavāre, to wash. See Lave.]

Ablution, ab-lōō′shun, n. act of washing, esp. the body, preparatory to religious rites: any ceremonial washing, symbolic of moral purification: the wine and water used to rinse the chalice, drunk by the officiating priest.—adj. Ablu′tionary. [L. ablutio—ab, away, luĕre = lavāre, to wash.]

Abnegate, ab′ne-gāt, v.t. to deny.—ns. Abnegā′tion, renunciation; Ab′negator, one who abnegates or renounces. [L. ab, away, and negāre, to deny.]

Abnormal, ab-nor′mal, adj. not normal or according to rule: irregular—also Abnor′mous.—ns. Abnormal′ity, Abnor′mity.—adv. Abnor′mally. [L. ab, away from, and Normal.]

Aboard, a-bōrd′, adv. or prep. on board: in a ship, or in a train (Amer.). [Prep. a, on, and Board.]

Abococke. See Bycocket.

Abode, a-bōd′, n. a dwelling-place: stay. [See Abide.]

Abode, a-bōd′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Abide.

Abodement, a-bōd′ment, n. (obs.) a foreboding: an omen. [From Abode, with suff. -ment. See Bode, Forebode.]

Abolish, ab-ol′ish, v.t. to put an end to: to annul.—adj. Abol′ishable, capable of being abolished.—ns. Abol′ishment (rare); Aboli′tion, the act of abolishing; Aboli′tionism, advocacy of abolitionist principles; Aboli′tionist, one who seeks to abolish anything, esp. slavery. [Fr. abolir, aboliss—from L. abolēre, -itum—ab, from, olēre, to grow. The prep. ab here reverses the meaning of the simple verb.]

Abomasus, ab-ō-mā′sus, n. the fourth stomach of ruminants, lying close to the omasum or third stomach.—Also Abomā′sum. [L. ab, and omasum, paunch.]

Abominate, ab-om′in-āt, v.t. to abhor: to detest extremely.—adj. Abom′inable, hateful: detestable, an old spelling is Abhom′inable, to agree with a fancied etymology in Lat. ab homine.—n. Abom′inableness.—adv. Abom′inably.—n. Abominā′tion, extreme aversion: anything disgusting or detestable. [L. abomināri, -ātus, to turn from as of bad omen. See Omen.]

Abord, a-bōrd′, v.t. (arch.) to accost: (Spens.) astray, at a loss.—n. (Spens.) harbour: act of approaching: manner of approach. [Fr. aborder, à bord. See Aboard and Border.]

Aboriginal, ab-o-rij′in-al, adj. first, primitive, indigenous.—adv. Aborig′inally.

Aborigines, ab-o-rij′in-ēz, n.pl. the original inhabitants of a country. [L. See Origin.]

Abort, ab-ort′, v.i. to miscarry in birth: to remain in a rudimentary state.—n. Abor′tion, premature delivery, or the procuring of such: anything that does not reach maturity: a mis-shapen being or monster.—adj. Abort′ive, born untimely: unsuccessful: producing nothing: brought forth in an imperfect condition: rudimentary.—adv. Abort′ively.—n. Abort′iveness. [L. aborīri, abortus—ab, from, away, orīri, to rise.]

Abound, ab-ownd′, v.i. to overflow, be in great plenty: to possess in plenty (with in): to be filled with (used with with). [O. Fr. abunder—L. abundāre, to overflow, ab, from, unda, a wave.]

About, a-bowt′, prep. round on the outside: around: here and there in: near to: concerning: engaged in.—adv. around: nearly: here and there.—Bring about, to cause to take place; Come about, to take place; Go about, to prepare to do; Put about, disturbed; To be about, to be astir; Turn about, alternately. [A.S. on bútan; on, in, bútan, without, itself compounded of be, by, and útan, locative of út, out.]

Above, a-buv′, prep. on the upside: higher than: more than.—adv. overhead: in a higher position, order, or power.—adjs. Above′-board, open, honourable; Above′-ground, alive: not buried. [A.S. ábúfan—á, on, bufan, above, itself compounded of be, by, ufan, high, upwards, prop. the locative of uf, up.]

Abracadabra, ab-ra-ka-dab′ra, n. a cabbalistic word, written in successive lines, each shorter by a letter than the one above it, till the last letter A formed the apex of a triangle. It was worn as a charm for the cure of diseases. Now used generally for a spell or conjuring word: mere gibberish. [First found in 2d-cent. poem (Præcepta de Medicina) by Q. Serenus Sammonicus; further origin unknown.]

Abrade, ab-rād′, v.t. to scrape or rub off: to wear down by friction. [L. ab, off, radĕre, rasum, to scrape.]

Abraham-man, ā′bra-ham-man, n. originally a lunatic beggar from Bethlehem Hospital in London, marked by a special badge. Many sturdy beggars assumed this, hence the phrase To sham Abraham, to feign sickness, still used among sailors. [The wards in the old Bedlam are said to have been distinguished by the names of saints and patriarchs, as Abraham. Some find the origin of the name in an allusion to the parable of the beggar Lazarus, who found his rest in Abraham's bosom (Luke xvi.).]

Abranchiate, a-brang′ki-āt, adj. having no gills.—Also Abran′chial. [Gr. a, priv., and brangchia, gills.]

Abrasion, ab-rā′zhun, n. the act of rubbing off.—adj. and n. Abrā′sive. [See Abrade.]

Abraxas, a-braks′as, n. a mystic word, or an amulet, consisting of a gem engraved therewith on some part of it, often bearing a mystical figure of combined human and animal form, used as a charm. [Said to be coined by the Egyptian Gnostic Basilides in 2d century to express 365 in Greek letters; thus αβραξας used as numerals = 1 + 2 + 100 + 1 + 60 + 1 + 200. But Mr C. W. King finds its origin in Heb. ha-b'rākāh, 'the blessing,' or 'sacred name,' used as the title of a Gnostic deity representing the 365 emanations of the Divine Plērōma or fullness.]

Abray, a-brā′, Abrayd, a-brād′, v.i. (Spens.) to start out of sleep: to awake.—v.t. and v.i. to arouse, startle.—The more correct form is abraid. [Made up of pfx. a-, and abrédan. A.S. breydan, to twist. See Braid.]

Abreast, a-brest′, adv. with fronts in a line: side by side: (naut.) opposite to. [Prep. a, on, and Breast.]

Abricock. See Apricot.

Abridge, a-brij′, v.t. to make brief or short: to shorten: to epitomise: to curtail, as privileges or authority.—ns. Abridg′ment, Abridge′ment, contraction: shortening of time, labour or privileges: a compendium of a larger work: an epitome or synopsis: (law) the leaving out of certain portions Of a plaintiff's demand, the writ still holding good for the remainder. [O. Fr. abregier (Fr. abréger)—L. abbreviāre. See Abbreviate.]

Abroach, a-brōch′, adv. broached: in a condition to let the liquor run out: in a state to be diffused, afloat: astir. [Prep. a, and Broach.]

Abroad, a-brawd′, adv. on the broad or open space: out of doors: public: in another country. [Prep. a, and Broad.]

Abrogate, ab′ro-gāt, v.t. to repeal (a law): to set aside.—n. Abrogā′tion, act of repealing or setting aside.—adj. Ab′rogative. [L. ab, away, rogāre, -ātum, to ask or propose a law.]

Abrook, a-brook′, v.t. (Shak.) to brook, bear, or endure. [Pfx. a-, and Brook, v.]

Abrupt, ab-rupt′, adj. the opposite of gradual, as if broken off: sudden: unexpected: precipitous: (of style) passing from one thought to another without transitions: (of manners) short, rude.—n. an abrupt place.—n. Abrup′tion, a sudden breaking off: violent separation: (Shak.) interruption, pause.—adv. Abrupt′ly.—n. Abrupt′ness. [L. abruptus—ab, off, rumpĕre, ruptum, to break.]

Abscess, ab′ses, n. a collection of purulent matter within some tissue of the body. [L. abscessus—abs, away, cedĕre, cessum, to go, to retreat.]

Abscind, ab-sind′, v.t. to cut off.—n. Abscis′sion, act of cutting off, or state of being cut off: (rhet.) a figure of speech in which the words demanded by the sense are left unsaid, the speaker stopping short suddenly. [L. abscindo; ab, off, scindo, to cut.]

Absciss, ab′sis, Abscissa, ab-sis′sa, n. the straight line cut off or intercepted between the vertex of a curve and an ordinate, measured along the principal axis:—pl. Absciss′es, Absciss′æ, Absciss′as. [L. abscissus, cut off, pa.p. of abscindĕre—ab, from, scindĕre, to cut.]

Abscond, abs-kond′, v.i. to hide, or quit the country, in order to escape a legal process. [L. abscondĕre, abs, from or away, condĕre, to hide.]

Absent, abs′ent, adj. being away: not present: inattentive—v.t. (abs-ent′) to keep one's self away.—ns. Abs′ence, the state of being away or not present: want: inattention; Absentee′, one who is absent on any occasion: one who makes a habit of living away from his estate or his office; Absentee′ism, the practice of absenting one's self from duty or station, esp. of a landowner living away from his estate.—adv. Ab′sently. [L. absent-, pr.p. of absum—ab, away from, sum, esse, to be.]

Absinth, Absinthe, ab′sinth, n. spirit combined with extract of wormwood.—adjs. Absinth′ian, Absinth′iated, impregnated with absinth. [Fr.—L. absinthium, wormwood—Gr.]

Absolute, ab′sol-ūt, adj. free from limits or conditions: complete: unlimited: free from mixture: considered without reference to other things: unconditioned, unalterable: unrestricted by constitutional checks (said of a government): (gram.) not immediately dependent: (phil.) existing in and by itself without necessary relation to any other being: capable of being conceived of as unconditioned. In the sense of being finished, perfect, it may be considered as opposed to the Infinite; but, in the sense of being freed from restriction or condition, it is evident the Infinite itself must be absolute. Opposite schools differ on the question whether the Absolute can be known under conditions of consciousness.—adv. Ab′solutely, separately: unconditionally: positively: completely.—ns. Ab′soluteness; Absolū′tion, release from punishment: acquittal: remission of sins declared officially by a priest, or the formula by which such is expressed; Ab′solutism, government where the ruler is without restriction; Ab′solutist, a supporter of absolute government.—adjs. Absol′utory, Absolv′atory.—The Absolute, that which is absolute, self-existent, uncaused. [L. absolutus, pa.p. of absolvĕre. See Absolve.]

Absolve, ab-zolv′, v.t. to loose or set free: to pardon: to acquit: to discharge (with from).—ns. Absolv′er, one who gives absolution or acquits; Absolv′itor, a decision favourable to a defender.—v.t. Assoil′zie, in Scots law, to absolve the accused on the grounds that the evidence disproves or does not establish the charge. [L. ab, from, solvĕre, solutum, to loose. See Solve.]

Absonant, ab′so-nant, adj. discordant: absurd: unnatural (with to or from)—opp. to Consonant. [L. ab, from, sonant-, pr.p. of sonāre, to sound.]

Absorb, ab-sorb′, v.t. to suck in: to swallow up: to engage wholly.—n. Absorbabil′ity.—adj. Absorb′able, that may be absorbed.—p.adj. Absorbed′, swallowed up: entirely occupied.—advs. Absorb′edly, Absorb′ingly.—adj. Absorb′ent, imbibing: swallowing.—n. that which absorbs.—n. Absorp′tion, the act of absorbing: entire occupation of mind.—adj. Absorp′tive, having power to absorb.—n. Absorptiv′ity. [Fr.—L. ab, from, sorbēre, -sorptum, to suck in.]

Abstain, abs-tān′, v.i. to hold or refrain from.—ns. Abstain′er, specially one who does not take alcoholic drinks; Absten′tion, a refraining. [Fr. abstenir—L. abs, from, tenēre, to hold. See Tenable.]

Abstemious, abs-tēm′i-us, adj. temperate: sparing in food, drink, or enjoyments.—adv. Abstem′iously.—n. Abstem′iousness. [L. abstemius—abs, from, temetum, strong wine.]

Abstersion, abs-ter′shun, n. act of cleansing or washing away impurities.—v.t. Absterge′, to cleanse, purge.—adjs. Abster′gent, serving to cleanse; Abster′sive, having the quality of cleansing: purgative. [L. abstergēre, -tersum, to wipe away.]

Abstinent, abs′tin-ent, adj. abstaining from: temperate.—n. Abs′tinence, an abstaining or refraining, especially from some indulgence (with from)—also Abs′tinency.—adv. Abs′tinently. [See Abstain.]

Abstract, abs-trakt′, v.t. to draw away: to separate: to purloin.—adj. Abstract′ed, drawn off (with from): removed: absent in mind.—adv. Abstract′edly.—ns. Abstract′edness; Abstrac′tion, act of abstracting: state of being abstracted: absence of mind: the operation of the mind by which certain qualities or attributes of an object are considered apart from the rest: a purloining.—adj. Abstract′ive, having the power of abstracting.—n. anything abstractive: an abstract.—adv. Abs′tractly.—n. Abs′tractness. [L. abs, away from, trahĕre, tractum, to draw. See Trace.]

Abstract, abs′trakt, adj. general, as opposed to particular or individual (the opposite of abstract is concrete—a red colour is an abstract notion, a red rose is a concrete notion; an abstract noun is the name of a quality apart from the thing, as redness).—n. summary: abridgment: essence. [L. abstractus, as if a quality common to a number of things were drawn away from the things and considered by itself.]

Abstruse, abs-trōōs′, adj. hidden: remote from apprehension: difficult to be understood.—adv. Abstruse′ly.—ns. Abstruse′ness; Abstrus′ity (Sir T. Browne). [L. abstrusus, thrust away (from observation)—trudĕre, trusum, to thrust.]

Absurd, ab-surd′, adj. obviously unreasonable or false: ridiculous.—ns. Absurd′ity, Absurd′ness, the quality of being absurd: anything absurd.—adv. Absurd′ly. [L. absurdus—ab, from, surdus, harsh-sounding, deaf.]

Abundance, ab-und′ans, n. ample sufficiency: great plenty.—adj. Abund′ant, plentiful.—adv. Abund′antly. [See Abound.]

Abuse, ab-ūz′, v.t. to use wrongly: to pervert: to revile: to violate.—ns. Abuse (ab-ūs′), ill use: misapplication: reproach: vituperation; Abū′sion (Spens.), abuse: deception: reproach.—adj. Abus′ive, containing or practising abuse: full of abuses: vituperative.—adv. Abus′ively.—n. Abus′iveness. [L. ab, away (from what is right), uti, usus, to use.]

Abut, a-but′, v.i. to end: to border (on):—pr.p. abut′ting; pa.p. abut′ted.—ns. Abut′ment, that which abuts: (archit.) what a limb of an arch ends or rests on; Abut′tal, an abutment: (pl.) the boundaries.—p.adj. Abut′ting, facing each other: front to front. [Fr. abouter, lit. to join end to end (à, to, bout, end). See Butt, the end.]

Aby, Abye, a-bī, v.t. or v.i. (arch.) to pay the penalty: to suffer for: to give satisfaction.—Aby occurs in Spens. with sense of 'abide.' [Pfx. a-, and A.S. bycgan. See Buy.]

Abysm, a-bizm′, n. a form of Abyss.—adj. Abys′mal, bottomless: unending.—adv. Abysm′ally. [O. Fr. abisme, from Lat. abyssimus, superl. of abyssus, bottomless.]

Abyss, a-bis′, n. a bottomless gulf: a deep mass of water.—adj. Abyss′al. [Gr. abyssos, bottomless—a, without, byssos, bottom.]

Acacia, a-kā′shi-a, n. a genus of thorny leguminous plants with pinnate leaves. [L.—Gr. akakia—akē, a sharp point.]

Academe, ak-a-dēm′, n. (obs.) an academy.

Academic, ak-ad-em′ik, n. a Platonic philosopher: a student in a college. [See Academy.]

Academy, ak-ad′em-i, n. (orig.) the school of Plato: a higher school: a society for the promotion of science or art.—adjs. Academ′ic, -al, of an academy: theoretical as opposed to practical.—adv. Academ′ically.—n.pl. Academ′icals, the articles of dress worn by members of an academy or college.—ns. Academic′ian, Acad′emist, a member of an academy, or, specially, of the French Academy, or the Royal Academy in London. [Gr. Akadēmia, the name of the garden near Athens where Plato taught.]

Acadian, a-kā′di-an, adj. of or native to Nova Scotia, Acadia being the name given to the country by the first French settlers in 1604.

Acajou, ak′a-jōō, n. the gum or resin of a kind of red mahogany. [Origin doubtful. See Cashew.]

Acalepha, ak-a-lē′fa, n. a class of Radiate marine animals, consisting of soft gelatinous substance. The name was first applied to the Jelly-fish tribe, but later was made to include the true Medusæ or jelly-fishes, and others.—Other forms are Acaleph and Acalephan. [Gr. akalēphē, a nettle.]

Acanthopterygian, ak-an-thop-tėr-ij′i-an, adj. having spiny fins. [Gr. akantha, thorn, pteryx, pterygos, a wing, a fin.]

Acanthus, a-kan′thus, n. a prickly plant, called bear's breech or brank-ursine: (archit.) an ornament resembling its leaves used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders, &c.—also Acan′tha.—adjs. Acan′thine, Acanthā′ceous. [L.—Gr. akanthos—akē, a point, anthos, a flower.]

Acarpous, a-kar′pus, adj. (bot.) without, or not producing, fruit. [Gr. a, neg., and karpos, fruit.]

Acarus, ak′ar-us, n. a genus of minute insects, of the class Arachnides, embracing the mites and ticks:—pl. Ac′arī. [L.; Gr. akares, minute, too small to cut—a, neg., keirein, to cut short.]

Acatalectic, a-kat-a-lek′tik, adj. having the complete number of syllables as a verse: without defect.—n. an acatalectic verse. [L.—Gr. a, not, and Catalectic.]

Acatalepsy, a-kat-a-lep′si, n. incomprehensibility, a term of the sceptic school of Carneades, who thought nothing could be known to certainty by man.—adj. Acatalep′tic. [Gr. akatalēpsia—a, neg., kata, thoroughly, lēpsis, a seizing—lambanein, to take hold.]

Acater, a-kāt′ėr, n. (obs.) a caterer.—n.pl. Acates′, provisions: food. [O. Fr. acateor, achatour (Fr. acheteur)—Low L. accaptātōr-em, accaptare, to acquire—L. ad-, to, and captāre, to seize. See Cates.]

Acaulescent, a-kaw-les′ent, adj. without a stalk: (bot.) having no stem above ground, or only a very short one.—Also Acau′lous. [a, neg., L. caulis, a stalk, formed on pattern of Arborescent.]

Accable, ak-kā′bl, v.t. (obs.) to crush, to encumber. [Fr. accabler, to crush.]

Accadian, a-kā′di-an, adj. of or belonging to Accad, an ancient city mentioned in Gen. x. 10: the language preserved in the earliest form of cuneiform writing.

Accede, ak-sēd′, v.i. to come to, or arrive at, a place or condition: to join one's self, hence to agree or assent (with to).—ns. Acced′er; Acced′ing. [L. accedĕre, accessum, to go near to—ad, to, cedĕre, to go. See Cede.]

Accelerate, ak-sel′ėr-āt, v.t. to increase the speed of: to hasten the progress of.—n. Accelerā′tion, the act of hastening: increase of speed.—adj. Accel′erative, quickening.—n. Accel′erator, one who or that which accelerates: a light van to take mails between a post-office and a railway station.—adj. Accel′eratory. [L. accelerāre, -ātum—ad, to, celer, swift. See Celerity.]

Accend, ak-send′, v.i. (obs.) to kindle.—ns. Accendibil′ity, Accen′sion.—adjs. Accend′ible, Accend′ing.

Accent, ak′sent, n. modulation of the voice: stress on a syllable or word: a mark used to direct this stress: any mode of utterance peculiar to a country, a province, or an individual: (poet.) a significant word, or words generally: (pl.) speech, language.—v.t. Accent′, to express or note the accent.—adj. Accent′ual, relating to accent.—n. Accentual′ity.—adv. Accent′ually.—v.t. Accent′uate, to mark or pronounce with accent: to make prominent.—n. Accentuā′tion, the act of marking or of pronouncing accents. [Fr.—L. accentus, a tone or note—ad, to, canĕre, to sing.]

Accentor, ak-sent′or, n. the so-called 'hedge-sparrow' (q.v.).

Accept, ak-sept′, v.t. to receive: to agree to: to promise to pay: (B.) to receive with favour.—adj. Acceptable (ak-sept′a-bl, or ak′sept-a-bl), to be accepted: pleasing: agreeable.—ns. Accept′ableness, Acceptabil′ity, quality of being acceptable.—adv. Accept′ably.—ns. Accept′ance, a favourable reception: an agreeing to terms: an accepted bill; Accept′ancy, willingness to receive; Accept′ant, one who accepts—also adj.; Acceptā′tion, a kind reception: the received meaning of a word; Accept′er, Accept′or, one who accepts. [L. acceptāre—accipĕre, acceptum—ad, to, capĕre, to take.]

Acceptilation, ak-sept-il-ā′shun, n. (Roman and Scots law) the remission of a debt through an acquittance by the creditor testifying to the receipt of money which never has been paid—a kind of legal fiction for a free remission: (theol.) the doctrine that the satisfaction rendered by Christ was not in itself really a true or full equivalent, but was merely accepted by God, through his gracious good-will, as sufficient—laid down by Duns Scotus, and maintained by the Arminians. [L. acceptilatio.]

Access, ak′ses, or ak-ses′, n. liberty to come to, approach: increase.—n. Accessibil′ity.—adj. Access′ible, that may be approached.—adv. Access′ibly. [See Accede.]

Accessary, ak-ses′ar-i, or ak′ses-ar-i. Same as Accessory. Accessary is now the usual spelling of both the adjective and the noun in their legal sense.

Accession, ak-sesh′un, n. a coming to: increase.—A deed of accession (Scots law), a deed by which the creditors of a bankrupt approve of a trust settlement executed by the debtor for the general behoof, and consent to the arrangement proposed.

Accessory, ak′ses-sor-i, adj. additional: contributing to: aiding: (law) participating in a crime, as in reset of theft, and the like.—n. anything additional: one who aids or gives countenance to a crime.—adj. Accessōr′ial, relating to an accessory.—adv. Ac′cessorily, in the manner of an accessory: by subordinate means.

Accidence, ak′sid-ens, n. the part of grammar treating of the inflections of words (because these changes are 'accidentals' of words and not 'essentials').

Accident, ak′sid-ent, n. that which happens: an unforeseen or unexpected event: chance: an unessential quality or property.—adj. Accident′al, happening by chance: not essential.—n. anything not essential.—ns. Accident′alism, Accidental′ity.—adv. Accident′ally.—The chapter of accidents, the unforeseen course of events. [L. accidĕre, to happen—ad, to, cadĕre, to fall.]

Accite, ak-sīt′, v.t. (Shak.) to cite or call, to summon:—pr.p. accīt′ing; pa.p. accīt′ed. [L. accīre, -citum—ad, to, ciēre, citum, to call.]

Acclamation, ak-klam-ā′shun, n. a shout of applause—(poet.) Acclaim′.—v.t. Acclaim′, to declare by acclamation.—adj. Acclam′atory, expressing acclamation. [L. acclamāre—ad, to, clamāre, -ātum, to shout. See Claim.]

Acclimatise, ak-klīm′at-īz, v.t. to inure to a foreign climate—also Acclim′ate.—n. Acclimatisā′tion, the act of acclimatising: the state of being acclimatised—also Acclimā′tion, Acclimatā′tion, the former anomalous, the second used in French. [Fr. acclimater, from à and climat. See Climate.]

Acclimature, ak-klī′ma-tūr, n. Same as Acclimatisation.

Acclivity, ak-kliv′i-ti, n. a slope upwards—opp. to Declivity, a slope downwards.—adj. Acclī′vous, rising as an acclivity—also Accliv′itous. [L. ad, to, clivus, a slope.]

Accloy, ak-kloi′, v.t. (obs.) to cloy or choke: to fill to satiety: to encumber. [See Cloy.]

Accoast, ak-kōst′, v.t. (Spens.) to fly near the earth. [See Accost.]

Accoil, ak-koil′, v.i. (Spens.) to gather together. [Through Fr.—L. ad, to, colligĕere, to collect. See Coil.]

Accolade, ak-ol-ād′, n. a ceremony used in conferring knighthood, formerly an embrace, a kiss, now a slap on the shoulders with the flat of a sword. [Fr.—L. ad, to, collum, neck.]

Accommodate, ak-kom′mod-āt, v.t. to adapt: to make suitable: to adjust: to harmonise or force into consistency (to): to furnish or supply (with): to provide entertainment for.—p.adj. Accom′modating, affording accommodation: obliging: pliable: easily corrupted.—n. Accommodā′tion, convenience: fitness: adjustment: obligingness: an arrangement or compromise: (theol.) an adaptation or method of interpretation which explains the special form in which the revelation is presented as unessential to its contents, or rather as often adopted by way of compromise with human ignorance or weakness: a loan of money.—adj. Accom′modative, furnishing accommodation: obliging.—ns. Accom′modativeness; Accom′modator.—Accommodation bill, a bill drawn, accepted, or endorsed by one or more persons as security for a sum advanced to another by a third party, as a banker; Accommodation ladder, a stairway at the outside of a ship's gangway to facilitate access to boats. [L. ad, to, commodus, fitting. See Commodious.]

Accompanable, ak-kum′pan-a-bl, adj. (obs.) sociable. [From Accompany.]

Accompany, ak-kum′pan-i, v.t. to keep company with: to attend: to support a singer by singing or playing on any instrument an additional part (with, of music; on, of the instrument).—ns. Accom′panier; Accom′paniment, that which accompanies: (mus.) the assisting of a solo part by other parts, which may consist of a whole orchestra, or a single instrument, or even subservient vocal parts; Accom′panist, one who accompanies a singer on an instrument to sustain his voice. [Fr. accompagner. See Company.]

Accomplice, ak-kom′plis, n. an associate, esp. in crime, in modern use (with of and with before a person, and in or of before the crime). [L. ad, to, complex, -icis, joined.]

Accomplish, ak-kom′plish, v.t. to complete: to bring about: to effect: to fulfil: to equip.—adjs. Accom′plishable, that may be accomplished; Accom′plished, complete in acquirements, especially graceful acquirements: polished.—n. Accom′plishment, completion: ornamental acquirement. [Fr. acomplir—L. ad, to, complēre, to fill up. See Complete.]

Accompt, ak-komt′, n. an almost obsolete form of Account; Accompt′able, of Accountable; Accompt′ant, of Accountant.

Accorage. Same as Accourage.

Accord, ak-kord′, v.i. to agree: to be in correspondence (with).—v.t. to cause to agree: to reconcile: to grant (to, of a person).—n. agreement: harmony.—n. Accord′ance, agreement: conformity—also Accord′ancy.—adj. Accord′ant, agreeing: corresponding.—adv. Accord′antly.—p.adj. Accord′ing, in accordance: agreeing: harmonious.—adv. Accord′ingly, agreeably: suitably: in agreement (with what precedes).—According as, in proportion as, or agreeably as; According to, in accordance with, or agreeably to.—Of one's own accord, of one's own spontaneous motion. [O. Fr. acorder—L. ad, to, cor, cordis, the heart.]

Accordion, ak-kor′di-on, n. a portable musical instrument consisting of a hand-bellows, with keyboard on one side, the keys resting on free metal reeds so arranged that each sounds two notes, one in expanding, the other in contracting the bellows. [From Accord.]

Accost, ak-kost′, v.t. to speak first to: to address.—ns. Accost′, Accost′ing (obs.), address: greeting.—adj. Accost′able, easy of access. [O. Fr. acoster—Low L. accostāre, to be side by side—L. ad, to, costa, a side.]

Accouchement, ak-kōōsh′mong, n. delivery in childbed. [Fr. accoucher. See Couch.]

Accoucheur, ak-kōō-shėr′, n. a man who assists women in child-birth: a medical practitioner with this speciality:—fem. Accoucheuse (ak-kōō-shėz′). [Fr.]

Account, ak-kownt′, v.t. to reckon: to judge, value.—v.i. (with for) to give a reason: to give an account of money held in trust.—n. a counting: statement: value: sake: a reckoning as to money, as in phrases like, 'to render an account,' 'to settle an account,' 'to square accounts' with any one, &c.—adj. Account′able, liable to account, responsible (for, of the thing; to, of the person).—ns. Account′ableness, Accountabil′ity, liability to give account, responsibility to fulfil obligations.—adv. Account′ably.—ns. Account′ancy, the office or work of an accountant; Account′ant, one who keeps, or is skilled in, accounts; Account′antship, the employment of an accountant; Account′-book, a book in which accounts are kept.—Account current, or open account, a course of business dealings still going on between two persons, or a person and a bank.—For account of, on behalf of; For the account, for settlement on the regular fortnightly or monthly settling-day, instead of for cash (of sales on the Stock Exchange).—In account with, in business relations requiring the keeping of an account with some one.—On or To account, an instalment or interim payment.—To make account of, to set value upon; To take into account, to take into consideration; To take no account of, to overlook. [O. Fr. acconter—L. ad, to, computāre, to reckon. See Compute, Count.]

Accouple, ak-kup′l, v.t. (obs.) to couple or link together. [O. Fr. acopler—à, to, cople. See Couple.]

Accourage, ak-kur′āj, v.t. (Spens.) to encourage. [O. Fr. acorager—à (L. ad), and corage (Fr. courage). See Courage.]

Accourt, ak-kōrt′, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Court.

Accoutre, ak-kōō′tėr, v.t. to dress or equip (esp. a warrior):—pr.p. accou′tring; pa.p. accou′tred.—n.pl. Accou′trements, dress: military equipments—(Spens.) Accou′strements. [Fr. accoutrer, earlier accoustrer—of doubtful origin, prob. conn. with O. Fr. coustre, coutre, a sacristan who had charge of sacred vestments—Low L. custor—L. custos, a keeper.]

Accoy, ak-koi′, v.t. (obs.) to still or quieten: to soothe: to subdue. [O. Fr. acoyer—à, to, and coi, quiet—L. quiet-um. See Coy.]

Accredit, ak-kred′it, v.t. to give credit, countenance, authority, or honour to: to furnish with credentials (with to, at): to vouch for anything belonging to some one—to ascribe or attribute it to him (with).—v.t. Accred′itate (obs.).—n. Accreditā′tion, fact of being accredited.—The pa.p. Accred′ited, as adj., recognised. [Fr. accréditer—à, to, crédit, credit. See Credit.]

Accrescent, ak-kres′ent, adj. growing: ever-increasing.—ns. Accres′cence, gradual growth or increase; Accrē′tion, the process of growing continuously: the growing together of parts externally, or continuous coherence: that which has grown in such a way, any extraneous addition.—adj. Accrē′tive. [L. ad, in addition, crescĕre, to grow.]

Accrew, ak-krōō′ (Spens.). Same as Accrue.

Accrue, ak-krōō′, v.i. to spring or grow as a natural result (with from): to fall to any one by way of advantage (with unto, to). [O. Fr. acrewe, what grows up in a wood to the profit of the owner; acreistre—L. accrescĕre.]

Accubation, ak-ku-bā′shun, n. a lying or reclining on a couch. [L. ad, to, and cubare, to lie down.]

Accumbent, ak-kumb′ent, adj. lying down or reclining on a couch. [L. ad, to, cumbĕre, to lie.]

Accumulate, ak-kūm′ūl-āt, v.t. to heap or pile up: to amass: to take degrees by accumulation, to take a higher degree at the same time with a lower, or at a shorter interval than usual.—v.i. to increase greatly: to go on increasing.—n. Accumulā′tion, a heaping up: a heap, mass, or pile.—adj. Accum′ulative, heaping up.—n. Accum′ulator, a thing or person that accumulates, esp. an apparatus for storing electricity. [L.—ad, to, cumulus, a heap.]

Accurate, ak′kūr-āt, adj. done with care: exact.—n. Ac′curacy, correctness: exactness.—adv. Ac′curately.—n. Ac′curateness. [L. accuratus, performed with care (of things)—ad, to, cura, care.]

Accurse, ak-kurs′, v.t. to curse: to devote to misery or destruction.—adj. Accurs′ed, subjected to a curse: doomed: worthy of a curse: extremely wicked. [Pfx. à-, and A.S. cursian, to curse.]

Accusative, ak-kūz′a-tiv, adj. accusing.—n. (gram.) the case which expresses the direct object of transitive verbs (in English, the objective)—primarily expressing destination or the goal of motion.—adj. Accus′atival. [Fr. accusatif—L. accusativus, 'of the nature of accusation,' a translation of the Gr. (ptōsis) aitiatikē, (the case) 'of accusing,' but also 'of or pertaining to what is caused or effected' (aitiaton, effect, aitia, cause); hence, properly, the case of the effect.]

Accuse, ak-kūz′, v.t. to bring a charge against: to blame (with of before the thing charged, sometimes for).—adj. Accus′able, that may be accused.—ns. Accus′al, accusation; Accusā′tion, the act of accusing: the charge brought against any one.—adjs. Accusatō′rial, of an accuser; Accus′atory, containing accusation.—n. Accuse (Shak.), accusation.—p.adj. Accused′, charged with a crime: usually as a n., the person accused.—ns. Accuse′ment (Spens.), a charge; Accus′er, one who accuses or brings a charge against another. [O. Fr. acuser—L. accusāre—ad, to, causa, cause.]

Accustom, ak-kus′tum, v.t. to make familiar by custom: to habituate (with to).—adj. Accus′tomary.—p.adj. Accus′tomed, usual: frequent: habituated.—n. Accus′tomedness. [O. Fr. acostumer (Fr. accoutumer)—à, to, costume, coustume—L. consuetudinem. See Custom.]

Ace, ās, n. the one at dice, also at cards, dominoes, &c.: a single point, an atom. [Fr.—L. as, unity—as, Tarentine Doric form of Gr. heis, one.]

Aceldama, a-sel′da-ma, n. a field of blood—the name given to the field outside Jerusalem bought with the blood-money of Jesus. [Gr.—Aramaic.]

Acephalan, a-sef′a-lan, n. (zool.) one of the Acephala, a class of molluscs, which present no traces of a head.—adj. Aceph′alous, without a head. [Gr. a, neg., kephalē, the head.]

Acerbity, as-ėr′bi-ti, n. bitterness: sourness: harshness: severity.—adj. Acerb′. [Fr.,—L. acerbitat-em—L. acerbus, harsh to the taste—acer, sharp.]

Aceric, a-ser′ik, adj. obtained from the maple. [From L. acer, a maple-tree.]

Acetabulum, as-ē-tab′ū-lum, n. (anat.) the cavity which receives the head of the thigh-bone: also a glandular substance found in the placenta of some animals:—pl. Acetab′ula. [L., a cup-shaped vessel.]

Acetic, as-et′ik, adj. of the nature of vinegar: sour—also Acē′tous, Acetose′.—n. Aces′cence, a tendency to sourness.—adj. Aces′cent.—n. Ac′etate, salt of acetic acid which is the sour principle in vinegar. [L. acetum, vinegar—ac-ēre, to be sour.]

Acetify, as-et′i-fī, v.t. or v.i. to turn into vinegar.—n. Acetificā′tion. [L. acetum, vinegar, and facĕre, to make.]

Acetopathy, as-et-op′a-thi, n. the treating of ailments by the external application of dilute acetic acid. [L. acētum, acid, and Gr. pathos, feeling.]

Acetylene, a-set′i-lēn, n. a powerful illuminant gas (C2H2) produced commercially from carbide of calcium by means of water.

Achæan. See Achean.

Acharnement, ä-shärn′ment (sometimes nasalised as in French), n. thirst for blood, ferocity. [Fr. acharner, refl. sacharner, to thirst for blood.]

Achates, a-kāts′, n.pl. (Spens.). Same as Cates.

Achates, ä-kā′tes, n. trusty comrade, from the 'fidus Achates' of Virgil's Æneid—the constant companion of Æneas in his wanderings after the fall of Troy.

Ache, āk, n. a continued pain.—v.i. to be in continued pain:—pr.p. āch′ing; pa.p. āched.—n. Ach′ing, continued pain or distress. [The verb is properly ake, the noun ache, as in speak and speech. The A.S. noun æce is from the verb ac-an, to ache.]

Achenium, a-kē′ni-um, n. (bot.) a small hard one-seeded fruit, which does not open when ripe, as in the buttercup.—Also Achene′. [From Gr. a, neg., and chainein, to gape.]

Acheron, ak′kėr-on, n. death, hell—from the name of that river in the infernal regions of classical mythology.—adj. Acheron′tic, deadly.

Achieve, a-chēv′, v.t. to bring to a head or end: to perform: to accomplish: to carry out successfully: to gain, win.—adj. Achiev′able, that may be achieved.—n. Achieve′ment, a performance: an exploit: an escutcheon or armorial shield granted in memory of some achievement, applied especially to the escutcheon over the tomb of a dead person, generally called a hatchment. [Fr. achever, from à chief (venir)—Low L. ad caput venire, to come to a head. See Chief.]

Achillean, ak-il-lē′an, adj. like Achilles, the great Greek hero in the Trojan war, brave, swift of foot, unrelenting in wrath.—Achilles tendon, the attachment of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of the calf of the leg to the heel-bone, so named from the infant Achilles's mother, Thetis, having held him by the heel when she dipped him into the Styx to make him invulnerable.

Achitophel, ä-hit′ō-fel, n. an able but unprincipled counsellor, from the name of David's sage counsellor who treacherously abetted the rebellion of Absalom. Dryden in his famous satire applied the name to Shaftesbury.—Also Ahith′ophel.

Achromatic, a-krōm-at′ik, adj. transmitting light without colour, of a lens or telescope.—adv. Achromat′ically.—n. Achrom′atism, the state of being achromatic.—v.t. Achrom′atize, to render achromatic. [Gr. a, neg., and chrōma, chromatos, colour.]

Acicular, as-ik′ū-lar, adj. needle-shaped; slender and sharp-pointed.—Also Acic′ulate, Acic′ulated. [L. acicula, dim. of acus, a needle.]

Acid, as′id, adj. sharp: sour.—n. a sour substance: (chem.) one of a class of substances, usually sour, which turn vegetable blues to red, and combine with alkalies, metallic oxides, &c. to form salts.—adj. Acid′ifiable, capable of being converted into an acid.—ns. Acidificā′tion; Acid′ity, the quality of being acid or sour—also Ac′idness.—v.t. Acid′ulate, to make slightly acid. [L. ac-ēre, to be sour—root ak, sharp.]

Acidify, as-id′i-fī, v.t. to make acid: to convert into an acid:—pr.p. acid′ifying; pa.p. acid′ified. [L. acidus, sour, and facĕre, to make.]

Acidimeter, as-id-im′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the strength of acids.—n. Acidim′etry, the act of such measurement. [Acid and Meter.]

Acidulous, as-id′ū-lus, adj. slightly sour: subacid: containing carbonic acid, as mineral waters: (fig.) caustic, sharp. [L. acidulus, dim. of acidus, sour. See Acid.]

Acierage, ā′sē-ėr-āj, n. the covering of an engraved copper-plate with a film of iron to ensure durability. [Fr. acier, steel—L. acies, a sharp point, and -age.]

Aciform, as′i-form, adj. needle-shaped. [L. acus, a needle, and Form, from forma, shape.]

Aciniform, a-sin′i-form, adj. in clusters like grapes, or having the form of grapes. [L. acinus, a grape.]

Acknow, ak-nō′, v.t. (obs.) to know, to recognise.—adj. Acknown (Shak.), known or acquainted. [A.S. on, in, on, cnâwan, to Know.]

Acknowledge, ak-nol′ej, v.t. to own a knowledge of: to own as true: to confess: to admit or give intimation of the receipt of.—adj. Acknow′ledgeable.—adv. Acknow′ledgeably.—n. Acknowledgment, recognition: admission: confession: thanks: a receipt. [From the v. Acknow, with suffix -ledge.]

Aclinic, ak-lin′ik, adj. without inclination, applied to the magnetic equator, which cuts the terrestrial equator, inasmuch as on that line the magnetic needle has no dip, but lies horizontal. [Gr. aklinēs—a, neg., klin-ein, to bend.]

Acme, ak′mē, n. the top or highest point: the culmination or perfection in the career of anything: crisis, as of a disease.—Acme skates, the name given to a kind of skates, formed of steel, fixed to the boot by a mechanical device, permitting them to be quickly fixed on or taken off. [Gr. akmē—akē, a point.]

Acne, ak′nē, n. a common skin disease, an inflammation of the sebaceous follicles of the skin, often occurring on the nose. [A corr. of Gr. akmē, a point.]

Acock, a-kok′, adv. in a cocked manner: defiantly.—A cock-bill (naut.), having the ends pointing upward, as of an anchor hanging by its ring at the cat-head, in a position for dropping; or of the yards when topped up by one lift to an angle with the deck—the symbol of mourning. [Prep. a, and Cock.]

Acœmeti, a-sem′ē-tī, n.pl. a congregation of monks founded in 460 near Constantinople, who by alternating choirs kept divine service going on day and night without intermission in their monastery. [Gr. akoimetoi, sleepless, a, neg., and koimaein, to put to sleep.]

Acold, a-kōld′, adj. (arch.) cold. [A.S. acóled, pa.p. of acólian; pfx. a-, intens., and cólian, to Cool.]

Acolyte, ak′o-līt, Acolyth, ak′o-lith, n. an inferior church officer: an attendant or assistant: (R. C. Church) one ordained to the fourth of the minor orders, next to the sub-deacon. [Gr. akolouthos, an attendant.]

Aconite, ak′o-nīt, n. the plant wolf's-bane or monk's-hood: poison.—adj. Aconit′ic.—n. Acon′itine, the essential principle of aconite. [L. aconitum—Gr. akoniton.]

Acop, a-kop′, adv. (obs.) on the top or head: on high. [Prep. a, and A.S. cop, copp, summit.]

Acorn, ā′korn, n. the seed or fruit of the oak.—adj. A′corned.—n. A′corn-shell, a name for the Balănus (L., acorn), a genus of Cirripedes in the class Crustacea. [A.S. æcern, prob. from æcer, field, hence meaning 'the fruit of the unenclosed land.' The modern form is due to confusion with oak (A.S. ác) and corn.]

Acosmism, a-koz′mizm, n. refusal to believe in the existence of an eternal world. [Gr., a, neg., and kosmos, the world.]

Acotyledon, a-kot-i-lē′dun, n. a plant without distinct cotyledons or seed-lobes.—adj. Acotylē′donous. [Gr. a, neg., and kotylēdōn. See Cotyledon.]

Acoustic, a-kowst′ik, adj. pertaining to the sense of hearing or to the theory of sounds: used in hearing, auditory.—n. Acoust′ics, the science of sound. [Fr.—Gr. akoustikos—akouein, to hear.]

Acoy. Same as Accoy.

Acquaint, ak-kwānt′, v.t. to make or let one to know: to inform a person of a thing (with): to inform (with personal object only).—ns. Acquaint′ance, familiar knowledge: a person whom we know; Acquaint′anceship, familiar knowledge.—p.adj. Acquaint′ed (with), personally known: having personal knowledge of. [O. Fr. acointer—Low L. accognitāre—L. ad, to, cognitus, known.]

Acquest, ak-kwest′, n. an acquisition or thing acquired. [O. Fr.—L. acquisitus, acquirĕre. See Acquire.]

Acquiesce, ak-kwi-es′, v.i. to rest satisfied or without making opposition: to assent (with in).—n. Acquies′cence, quiet assent or submission.—adj. Acquies′cent, resting satisfied: easy: submissive.—advs. Acquies′cently, Acquies′cingly. [L. acquiescĕre—ad, and quies, rest.]

Acquire, ak-kwīr′, v.t. to gain: to attain to.—n. Acquirabil′ity.—adj. Acquir′able, that may be acquired.—ns. Acquire′ment, something learned or got by effort, rather than a gift of nature; Acquisi′tion, the act of acquiring: that which is acquired.—adj. Acquis′itive, desirous to acquire.—n. Acquis′itiveness, propensity to acquire—one of the phrenologists' so-called faculties, with its special organ. [O. Fr. aquerre—L. acquirĕre, -quisitum—ad, to, and quærĕre, to seek.]

Acquist, ak-kwist′, n. (Milton) a form of Acquest.

Acquit, ak-kwit′, v.t. to free: to release: to settle, as a debt: to behave or conduct (one's self): to declare innocent (with of before the thing of which acquitted):—pr.p. acquit′ting; pa.p. acquit′ted.—ns. Acquit′tal, a judicial discharge from an accusation; Acquit′tance, a discharge from an obligation or debt: a receipt in evidence of such a discharge.—v.t. (Shak.), to acquit, clear. [O. Fr. acquiter—L. ad, to, quietāre, to give rest. See Quit.]

Acre, ā′kėr, n. a measure of land containing 4840 sq. yards. The Scotch acre contains 6150.4 sq. yards (48 Scotch—61 imperial acres): the Irish, 7840 sq. yards (50 Irish—81 imperial acres): (pl.) for lands, estates generally: (fig.) large quantities of anything.—n. A′creage, the number of acres in a piece of land.—adj. A′cred, possessing acres or land. [A.S. æcer; Ger. acker, L. ager, Gr. agros, Sans. ajras, a plain.]

Acrid, ak′rid, adj. biting to the taste: pungent: bitter.—ns. Acrid′ity, Ac′ridness, quality of being acrid: a sharp, bitter taste. [L. acer, acris, sharp—root ak, sharp.]

Acrimony, ak′ri-mun-i, n. bitterness of feeling or language.—adj. Acrimō′nious, sharp, bitter.—n. Acrimō′niousness, the state or quality of being acrimonious: severity. [L. acrimonia—acer, sharp.]

Acritochromacy, a-krit-o-krō′ma-si, n. inability to distinguish between colours: colour-blindness. [From Gr. akritos, undistinguishable (—a, neg., and krinein, to separate), and chrōma, -atos, colour.]

Acritude, ak′ri-tūd, n. the quality of being acrid: a sharp bitter taste: bitterness of temper or language. [L. acritudo—acer, sharp.]

Acroamatic, -al, ak-ro-a-mat′ik, -al, adj. oral, esoteric, secret—applied to the lectures of Aristotle delivered to a select circle of students as opposed to his more popular lectures. [Gr. akroamatikos—akroasthai, to hear.]

Acrobat, ak′ro-bat, n. a rope-dancer: a tumbler: a vaulter.—adj. Acrobat′ic.—n. Acrobat′ism, the art of the acrobat. [Gr. akrobatos, walking on tiptoe; akros, point, batos—bainein, to go.]

Acrogen, ak′ro-jen, n. a plant that grows at the top chiefly, as a tree-fern.—adj. Acrog′enous. [Gr. akros, top, genēs, born.]

Acrolith, ak′ro-lith, n. a statue of the earlier Greek artists having the trunk made of wood and the extremities of stone. [Gr. akrolithos—akros, extreme, and lithos, stone.]

Acronycal, a-kron′ik-al, adj. midnight, applied to stars that rise at sunset and set at sunrise, or opposite to the sun.—adv. Acron′ycally. [Gr. akros, summit, middle (of time), and nyx, nyktos, night.]

Acropolis, a-kro′pol-is, n. a citadel, esp. that of Athens. [Gr. akropolis—akros, the highest, polis, a city.]

Acrospire, ak′ro-spīr, n. (bot.) the first leaf that appears when corn sprouts. [Gr. akros, summit, end, speira, anything twisted round.]

Across, a-kros′, prep. or adv. crosswise: from side to side. [Prep. a, and Cross.]

Acrostic, a-krō′stik, n. a poem of which, if the first or the last letter of each line be taken in succession, they will spell a name or a sentence.—adj. Acrō′stical.—adv. Acrō′stically.—n. Acrō′sticism, method of acrostics. [Gr. akros, extreme, and stichos, a line.]

Act, akt, v.i. to exert force or influence: to produce an effect: to behave one's self: to feign.—v.t. to perform: to imitate or play the part of.—n. something done or doing: an exploit: the very process of doing something: a law or decision of a prince or legislative body: an instrument in writing for verification: (theol.) something done once for all, in opposition to a work: a distinct section of a play: in universities, a public disputation or lecture maintained by a candidate for a degree.—n. Act′ing, action: act of performing an assumed or a dramatic part: feigning.—adj. performing some duty temporarily, or for another.—n. Act′or, one who acts: a stage-player:—fem. Act′ress.—Act of God, a result of natural forces, unexpected and not preventable by human foresight.—In act to, on the very point of doing something.—To act on, to act in accordance with; To act up to, to come up in practice to some expected standard: to fulfil. [L. agĕre, actum; Gr. agein, to put in motion; Sans. aj, to drive.]

Acta, ak′ta, n.pl. proceedings in a court civil or ecclesiastical, or the minutes of such.—Acta Martyrum, the early accounts of the martyrs; Acta Sanctorum, a general name for collections of accounts of saints and martyrs, especially of the great collection of the Bollandists, begun in 1643, interrupted in 1794 at the fifty-third vol. (Oct. 6), but resumed in 1845.

Actinia, ak-tin′i-a, n. a genus of marine animals of the class Polypi, growing on rocks or shells, with numerous tentacles or rays like the petals of a flower, from which they are often called animal flowers or sea-anemones. [From Gr. aktis, aktinos, a ray.]

Actiniform, ak-tin′i-form, adj. having a radiated form. [Gr. aktis, aktinos, ray, and Form.]

Actinism, ak′tin-izm, n. the chemical force of the sun's rays, as distinct from light and heat.—adj. Ac′tinic. [Gr. aktis, aktinos, a ray.]

Actinolite, ak-tin′ō-līt, n. a green variety of hornblende. [Gr. aktis, aktīnos, a ray, lithos, a stone.]

Actinometer, ak-tin-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the heat-intensity of the sun's rays or the actinic effect of light-rays. [Gr. aktis, aktinos, ray, and Meter.]

Actinomyces, ak-ti-no-mī′sez, n. the tiny ray-fungus.—n. Actinomycō′sis, an inflammatory disease in cattle, swine, and sometimes man, caused by that fungus. [Gr. aktis, aktinos, ray, and myces, mushroom.]

Actinozoa, ak′tin-ō-zō′a, n.pl. one of the three classes of Cœlenterata, including sea-anemones, dead-men's fingers, corals, &c. [Gr. aktis, -inos, a ray; zōa, animals.]

Action, ak′shun, n. a state of acting: activity in the abstract: a deed: operation: gesture: a battle: a lawsuit, or proceedings in a court: the movement of events in a drama, novel, &c.—adj. Ac′tionable, liable to a lawsuit.—n. Ac′tion-tak′ing (Shak.), resenting an injury by a lawsuit instead of fighting it out like a man of honour.

Activate, ak′ti-vāt, v.t. (Bacon) to make active:—pr.p. ac′tivāting; pa.p. ac′tivāted.

Active, akt′iv, adj. that acts: busy: nimble: practical, as opposed to speculative: effective: (gram.) transitive.—adv. Act′ively.—ns. Activ′ity, Act′iveness.

Acton, ak′tun, n. a stuffed leather jacket which used to be worn under a coat of mail. [O. Fr. auqueton, through Sp. from Ar. al-qūtun.]

Actual, akt′ū-al, adj. real: existing in fact and now, as opp. to an imaginary or past state of things.—v.t. Act′ualise, to make actual: to realise in action.—n. Actual′ity.—adv. Act′ually.

Actuary, akt′ū-ar-i, n. a registrar or clerk: one who makes the calculations connected with an insurance office.—adj. Actua′rial. [L. actuarius (scriba), an amanuensis, a clerk.]

Actuate, akt′ū-āt, v.t. to put into or incite to action: to influence.—n. Actuā′tion. [L. actus, action. See Act.]

Aculeated, ak-ūl-e-āt′ed, p.adj. pointed: (fig.) pungent, incisive. [L. aculeatus, aculeus, dim. of acus, needle.]

Acumen, ak-ū′men, n. sharpness: quickness of perception: penetration. [L. See Acute.]

Acuminate, a-kū′min-āt, adj. (bot.) having a long tapering point—also Acū′minated.—v.t. Acū′minate, to sharpen: (fig.) give point to.—n. Accuminā′tion. [L. acuminatum, pa.p. of acumināre, to make pointed—acumen, a point. See Acumen.]

Acupressure, ak-ū-presh′ūr, n. a mode of arresting hemorrhage from cut arteries, by inserting a needle into the flesh so as to press across the mouth of the artery. [L. acus, a needle, and Pressure.]

Acupuncture, ak-ū-pungkt′ūr, n. an operation for relieving pain by puncturing the flesh with needles. [L. acus, a needle, and Puncture.]

Acute, ak-ūt′, adj. sharp-pointed: keen: opp. of dull: shrewd: shrill: critical.—adv. Acute′ly.—n. Acute′ness.—Acute angle, an angle less than a right angle (see Angle); Acute disease, one coming to a violent crisis, as opp. to Chronic. [L. acutus, pa.p. of acuĕre, to sharpen, from root ak, sharp.]

Adage, ad′āj, n. an old saying: a proverb. [Fr.—L. adagium, from ad, to, and root of aio, I say.]

Adagio, a-dā′gī-o, adv. (mus.) slowly.—n. a slow movement: a piece in adagio time. [It. ad agio, at ease.]

Adam, ad′am, n. the first man: unregenerate human nature: a gaoler.—n. Ad′amite, one descended from Adam: one of a 2d-century heretical sect in Northern Africa, and in the 15th in Germany, whose members, claiming the primitive innocence of Eden, went about naked.—adjs. Adamit′ic, -al.—n. Ad′amitism.

Adamant, ad′a-mant, n. a very hard stone: the diamond.—adjs. Adamantē′an (Milton), hard as adamant; Adaman′tine, made of or like adamant: that cannot be broken or penetrated. [L. and Gr. adamas, -antos—a, neg., and damaein, to break, to tame. See Tame.]

Adamic, a-dam′ik, adj. relating to Adam.

Adam's-apple, ad′amz-ap′pl, n. the angular projection of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx in front of the throat, so called from an idea that part of the forbidden fruit stuck in Adam's throat.—Adam's ale or wine, water.

Adansonia, ad-an-sō′ni-a, n. the baobab, monkey-bread, or calabash-tree of West Africa. [So called from Adanson, a French botanist (1727-1806).]

Adapt, ad-apt′, v.t. to make apt or fit: to accommodate (with to or for).—ns. Adaptabil′ity, Adapt′ableness.—adj. Adapt′able, that may be adapted.—n. Adaptā′tion, the act of making suitable: fitness: (biol.) the process of advantageous variation and progressive modification by which organisms are adjusted to the conditions of their life—the perfected result of adaptation being a life in harmony with the environment. [Fr.—L. adaptāre—ad, to, and aptāre, to fit.]

Adar, ā′dar, n. the twelfth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical, the sixth of the civil, year, corresponding to the later part of February and the first part of March. [Heb. adār.]

Adays, a-dāz′, adv. nowadays: at the present time. [Prep. a, and gen. sing. of Day, A.S. ondæye.]

Add, ad, v.t. to put (one thing) to (another): to sum up (with to): to increase.—adjs. Add′able, Add′ible.—ns. Addibil′ity; Addit′ament (Charles Lamb), an addition; Addi′tion, the act of adding: the thing added: the rule in arithmetic for adding numbers together: title, honour.—adj. Addi′tional, that is added. [L.—addëre—ad, to, dãre, to put.]

Addax, ad′aks, n. a species of large antelope found in Africa, with long twisted horns. [African word.]

Addeem, ad-dēm′, v.t. to deem: to adjudge: to award. [Pfx. ad-, and Deem.]

Addendum, ad-den′dum, n. a thing to be added: an appendix:—pl. Adden′da. [L. See Add.]

Adder, ad′ėr, n. the popular English name of the viper.—ns. Ad′der's-tongue, a genus of ferns the seeds of which grow on a spike resembling a serpent's tongue; Ad′der's-wort, a wort or plant, so called from its being supposed to cure the bite of serpents—also called Snakeweed. [A.S. nædre; cf. Ger. atter for natter. An adder came by mistake into use for a nadder; the reverse mistake is a newt for an ewt or eft.]

Addict, ad-dikt′, v.t. to give (one's self) up to (generally in a bad sense): (B.) to devote or dedicate one's self to.—adjs. Addict′, Addict′ed, given up to (with to).—ns. Addict′edness, Addic′tion. [L. addicĕre, addictum—ad, to, dicĕre, to declare.]

Addle, ad′dl, Addled, ad′dld, adj. diseased: putrid: barren, empty.—adjs. Ad′dle-head′ed, Ad′dle-pat′ed, having a head or pate with addled brains.—n. Ad′dlement. [M.E. adele—A.S. adela, mud; cf. Scot, eddle, liquid manure.]

Addoom, ad-dōōm′, v.t. (Spens.) to doom, to adjudge, to award. [Pfx. a-, and Doom.]

Addorsed, ad-dorst′, p.adj. (her.) turned back to back.

Address, ad-dres′, v.t. to direct (with to): to speak or write to: to court: to direct in writing: to arrange properly: (arch.) to don: (refl.) to turn one's skill or energies towards.—n. a formal communication in writing: a speech: manners: dexterity: direction of a letter:—pl. Address′es, attentions of a lover.—To address one's self to a task, to set about it. [Fr. adresser—Low L. addirectiāre—L. ad, to, directum, straight. See Dress, Direct.]

Adduce, ad-dūs′, v.t. to bring forward: to cite or quote.—adj. Addūc′ent, drawing forward or together, as of the adductor muscles.—n. Addūc′er.—adj. Addūc′ible.—n. Adduc′tion, the act of adducing or bringing forward: the movement by which a part of the body is drawn forward by muscles.—adj. Adduc′tive, tending to bring forward. [L. adducĕre—ad, to, and duc˘ere, to bring.]

Adductor, ad-dukt′ur, n. a muscle which draws one part towards another. [See Abductor.]

Addulce, ad-duls′, v.t. (obs.) to make sweet. [O. Fr. adoulcir—L. ad, to, dulcis, sweet.]

Adelphous, a-del′fus, adj. (bot.) united in brotherhoods or bundles, as stamens. [Gr. adelphos, brother.]

Adenitis, ad-en-ī′tis, n. inflammation of the lymphatic glands. [Gr. adēn, a gland, -itis, denoting inflammation.]

Adenoid, -al, ad′en-oid, -al, adj. of a gland-like shape: glandular. [Gr. adēn, a gland, eidos, form.]

Adenotomy, ad-en-ot′o-mi, n. a cutting or incision of a gland. [Gr. adēn, a gland, tomē, a cutting.]

Adept, ad-ept′, or ad′ept, adj. completely skilled (in).—n. a proficient.—n. Adep′tion (Bacon), attainment. [L. adeptus (artem), having attained (an art), pa.p. of adipisci, to attain—ad, to, and apisci.]

Adequate, ad′e-kwāt, adj. equal to: proportionate: sufficient.—adv. Ad′equately.—ns. Ad′equateness, Ad′equacy, state of being adequate: sufficiency. [L. adæquatus, made equal—ad, to, and æquus, equal.]

Ades, n. an obsolete variant of Hades.

Adhere, ad-hēr′, v.i. to stick to: to remain fixed or attached (with to): (Shak.) to be consistent: (Scots law) to affirm a judgment.—n. Adher′ence, state of adhering: steady attachment.—adj. Adher′ent, sticking to.—n. one who adheres: a follower: a partisan (with of)—a less common form is Adher′er. [L. ad, to, hærēre, hæsum, to stick.]

Adhesion, ad-hē′zhun, n. the act of adhering or sticking to: steady attachment: (path.) a vital union between two surfaces of a living body which have been either naturally or artificially separated.—adj. Adhes′ive, sticky: apt to adhere.—adv. Adhes′ively.—n. Adhes′iveness. [See Adhere.]

Adhibit, ad-hib′it, v.t. to apply to: to use: to attach: to admit: to devote to: to administer.—n. Adhibi′tion, application: use. [L. adhibēre, -itum—ad, to, and habēre, to hold.]

Adiantum, ad-i-an′tum, n. maidenhair, a large genus of ferns. [Gr. adiantos, a, neg., and diantos, capable of being wetted.]

Adiaphoron, a-di-af′or-on, n.pl. in theology and ethics, things indifferent—any tenet or usage which is considered as non-essential—also Adiaph′ora.—n. Adiaph′orism, tolerance in regard to non-essential points in theology.—adj. Adiaph′orous. [Gr., from a, neg., and diaphoros, differing—dia, apart, pherein, to carry.]

Adiathermic, ā-dī-a-thėr′mik, adj. impervious to radiant heat. [Gr. a, neg., dia, through, thermos, heat.]

Adieu, a-dū′, adv. (I commend you) to God: farewell.—n. a farewell:—pl. Adieus or Adieux (a-dūz′). [Fr. à Dieu, to God.]

Adipocere, ad′i-pō-sēr, n. a fatty, waxy substance resulting from the decomposition of animal bodies in moist places or under water, but not exposed to air. [Through Fr. from L. adeps, adipis, soft fat, and cera, wax.]

Adipose, ad′i-pōz, adj. fatty.—Adipose tissue, the vesicular structure in the animal body which contains the fat. [L. adeps, adipis, soft fat.]

Adit, ad′it, n. an opening or passage, esp. into a mine. [L. aditus—ad, to, īre, itum, to go.]

Adjacent, ad-jās′ent, adj. lying near to: contiguous.—n. Adjac′ency, the state of being near: that which is adjacent.—adv. Adjac′ently. [L. ad, to, jacēre, to lie.]

Adjective, ad′jek-tiv, n. a word added to a noun to qualify it, or limit it by reference to quality, number, or position.—adj. Adjectīv′al.—adv. Ad′jectively. [L. adjectivum (nomen), an added (noun)—adjicĕre, -jectum, to throw to, to add—ad, to, jacĕre, to throw.]

Adjoin, ad-join′, v.i. to lie next to.—adj. Adjoin′ing, joining to: near: adjacent.—n. Ad′joint, a civil officer who assists a French maire: an assistant professor in a French college. [Through Fr. from L. adjungĕre. See Join.]

Adjourn, ad-jurn′, v.t. to put off to another day: to postpone: to discontinue a meeting in order to reconstitute it at another time or place.—v.i. to suspend proceedings and disperse for any time specified, or sine die, without such time being specified.—n. Adjourn′ment, the act of adjourning: the interval it causes.—(obs.) Adjourn′al. [O. Fr. ajorner—Low L. adiurnāre—L. ad, to, Low L. jurnus, L. diurnus, daily. See Journal.]

Adjudge, ad-juj′, v.t. to decide: to assign.—n. Adjudg′ment, the act of adjudging: sentence. [O. Fr. ajuger—L. adjudicāre. See Judge.]

Adjudicate, ad-jōō′di-kāt, v.t. to determine judicially: to pronounce.—v.i. to pronounce judgment.—ns. Adjudicā′tion (Eng. law), an order of the Bankruptcy Court, adjudging the debtor to be a bankrupt, and transferring his property to a trustee; Adjū′dicator. [L. adjudicāre, -ātum.]

Adjunct, ad′junkt, adj. joined or added to.—n. the thing joined or added, as a qualifying addition to a name expressing any personal quality, or the like: a person joined to another in some office or service: (gram.) any word or clause enlarging the subject or predicate: (logic) any accompanying quality or non-essential attribute.—n. Adjunc′tion, the act of joining: the thing joined.—adj. Adjunct′ive, joining.—advs. Adjunct′ively, Adjunct′ly, in connection with. [L. See Join.]

Adjuration, ad-jōōr-ā′shun, n. the act of adjuring: the charge or oath used in adjuring.—adj. Adjur′atory, containing an adjuration.—p.adj. Adjur′ing, acting as an adjuration. [Fr.—L. adjuration-em.]

Adjure, ad-jōōr′, v.t. to charge on oath or solemnly: to cause to swear (B. and Milton). [L.—ad, to, jurāre, -ātum, to swear.]

Adjust, ad-just′, v.t. to arrange properly (with to): to regulate: to settle.—adj. Adjust′able.—n. Adjust′ment, arrangement. [O. Fr. ajouster—Low L. adjuxtāre, to put side by side—L. juxta, near].

Adjutage, ad′joo-tāj, n. Same as Ajutage.

Adjutant, ad′joot-ant, n. a regimental staff officer not above the rank of major, specially appointed to assist the commanding officer of a garrison or regiment—there are also adjutants of auxiliary forces, of depôts, of brigade, &c.: a large species of stork or crane found in India.—ns. Ad′jutancy, the office of an adjutant: assistance; Ad′jutant-gen′eral, the head of his department on the general staff of the army, the executive officer of the commander-in-chief. [L. adjutāre = adjuvāre—ad, to, juvāre, to assist.]

Admeasure, ad-mezh′ūr, v.t. to measure: to apportion:—pr.p. admeas′ūring; pa.p. admeas′ūred.—n. Admeas′urement (see Measurement). [Fr.—Late L. admensurāre—L. ad, to, mensura, Measure.]

Adminicle, ad-min′i-kl, n. anything that aids or supports: an auxiliary: (law) any corroboratory evidence.—adj. Adminic′ular.—v.t. and v.i. Adminic′ulate. [L. adminiculum, a support—ad, to, manus, hand.]

Administer, ad-min′is-tėr, v.t. to manage as a steward, substitute, or executor: to supply: to conduct or execute, as offices of religion: to apply: to impose.—v.i. to bring aid (with to).—adjs. Admin′istrable, that may be administered; Admin′istrant.—n. Administrā′tion, the act of administering: management: dispensation of sacraments: the power or party that administers the government of the country.—adj. Admin′istrative, that administers.—n. Administrā′tor, one who manages or directs: the person to whom is committed, under a commission entitled Letters of Administration, the administration or distribution of the personal estate of any one dying intestate or leaving a will in which no executor is named:—fem. Administrā′trix.—n. Administrā′torship. [Through Fr. from L. administrāre—ad, to, and ministrāre, to minister.]

Admiral, ad′mir-al, n. the chief commander of a navy—the ancient English title of Lord High Admiral is now in abeyance, his functions falling to the five Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, and the High Court of Admiralty: a naval officer of the highest rank. In the British navy, admirals are distinguished into three classes—Ad′mirals, Vice′-ad′mirals, and Rear′-ad′mirals; the admiral carrying his colour at the main, the vice-admiral at the fore, and the rear-admiral at the mizzen mast-head. In former times each grade was subdivided into three sections, known as admirals (or vice- or rear-admirals) of the Red, of the White, and of the Blue, respectively: admiral-ship (Milton's ammiral) or flag-ship: the chief ship in a fleet of merchantmen.—ns. Ad′miralship, the office of an admiral; Ad′miralty, the board of commissioners for the administration of naval affairs: the building where these transact business. [Through Fr. from Ar. amīr, a lord, a chief.]

Admire, ad-mīr′, v.t. to have a high opinion of: to love.—v.i. (arch.) to be affected with wonder at.—adj. Ad′mirable, worthy of being admired.—n. Ad′mirableness.—adv. Ad′mirably.—ns. Admir′ance (Spens.), admiration; Admirā′tion, the act of admiring: wonder, together with esteem, love, or veneration: (B., Shak., and Milton) astonishment.—adj. Ad′mirative.—n. Admīr′er, one who admires: a lover.—adv. Admīr′ingly. [Fr. admirer—L. ad, at, mirāri, to wonder.]

Admit, ad-mit′, v.t. to allow to enter: to let in: to concede: to acknowledge: to be capable of:—pr.p. admit′ting; pa.p. admit′ted.—n. Admissibil′ity.—adj. Admis′sible, that may be admitted or allowed (generally, or specially as legal proof).—ns. Admis′sion, Admit′tance, the act of admitting: anything admitted or conceded: leave to enter.—adj. Admit′table, that may be admitted.—adv. Admit′tedly. [Through Fr. from L. admittĕre, -missum—ad, to, mittĕre, to send.]

Admix, ad-miks′, v.t. to mix with something else.—n. Admix′ture, what is added to the chief ingredient of a mixture. [L. ad, to, and Mix.]

Admonish, ad-mon′ish, v.t. to warn: to reprove mildly.—n. Admon′ishment, admonition. [O. Fr. admonester—Late L. admonestāre—admonere—ad, to, monere, to warn.]

Admonition, ad-mon-ish′un, n. kind reproof: counsel: advice: ecclesiastical censure.—adjs. Admon′itive, Admon′itory, containing admonition.—n. Admon′itor. [L. admonition-em. See Admonish.]

Adnascent, ad-nas′ent, adj. growing to or upon. [L. adnascens, -entis, pr.p. of adnasci—ad, to, nasci, natus, to grow.]

Adnate, ad-nāt′, adj. (bot.) growing close to the stem. [L. adnatus, usually agnatus—ad, to, (g)natus, born.]

Ado, a-dōō′, n. a to do: bustle: trouble: difficulty: stir or fuss. [Contr. of at do = to do, a form of the infin. borrowed from the Scandinavian.]

Adobe, a-dō′bā, n. and adj. a sun-dried brick, or made of such. [Sp. adobar, to plaster.]

Adolescent, ad-o-les′ent, adj. growing to manhood.—n. Adoles′cence, the period of youth, in man, from 14 to 25; in woman, from 12 to 21. [Through Fr. from L. adolescent-em, adolescĕre, to grow, adolēre, to magnify.]

Adonis, a-dō′nis, n. a beautiful youth, beloved by Aphrodite (Venus): a beau or dandy.—v.t. and v.i. Ad′onise, to make beautiful.

Adoors, a-dōrz′, adv. (obs.) at doors: at the door. [Prep, a, at, and Door.]

Adopt, ad-opt′, v.t. to choose: to take up or embrace: to take into any relationship: to take as one's own what is another's, as a child, &c.—ns. Adop′tianism, an 8th-century heresy akin to Nestorianism, that Christ, in respect of his divine nature, was doubtless the Son of God; but that, as to his human nature, he was only declared and adopted to be the first-born Son of God; Adop′tion, the act of adopting: the state of being adopted: assumption: the taking into one language of words from another: formal acceptance: choice: (theol.) an act of divine grace by which the redeemed in Christ are admitted to the privileges of the sons of God.—adjs. Adop′tious (Shak.), adopted; Adopt′ive, that adopts or is adopted. [L. adoptāre—ad, to, and, optāre, to choose.]

Adore, ad-ōr′, v.t. to worship: to love intensely.—adj. Ador′able, worthy of being adored.—n. Ador′ableness.—adv. Ador′ably.—ns. Adorā′tion, divine worship, homage: profound regard; Ador′er, one who adores: a lover.—adv. Ador′ingly. [L. ad, to, orāre, to pray. See Oracle.]

Adorn, ad-orn′, v.t. to deck or dress: to embellish.—n. (Spens.) adornment.—adj. (Milton) adorned, ornate.—n. Adorn′ment, ornament: decoration. [O. Fr. aörner, adorner—L. adornāre—ad, to, ornāre, to furnish.]

Adown, a-down′, adv. and prep. down. [A.S. of-dúne—of, from, dun, a hill. See Down, a bank.]

Adrad, a-drad′, Adread, a-dred′, adj. (obs.) in a state of fear. [Prob. from A.S. of-drad, of-drede, to terrify. See Dread.]

Adrift, a-drift′, adj. or adv. floating as driven (by the wind): moving at random. [Prep. a, and Drift.]

Adroit, a-droit′, adj. dexterous: skilful.—adv. Adroit′ly.—n. Adroit′ness. [Fr. à droit, according to right—L. directus, straight. See Direct.]

Adry, a-drī′, adv. thirsty. [Pfx. a-, and Dry.]

Adscititious, ad-sit-ish′us, adj. added or assumed: additional. [L. adsciscĕre, -scītum, to take or assume—ad, to, sciscĕre, to inquire—scīre, to know.]

Adscript, ad′skript, adj. written after: attached to the soil, of feudal serfs—in this sense also used as a noun. [L. adscriptus—ad, to, scribĕre, to write.]

Adulate, ad′ū-lāt, v.t. to fawn upon, to flatter:—pr.p. ad′ūlāting; pa.p. ad′ūlāted.—n. Ad′ulator, a servile flatterer.—adj. Adulatory (ad′ū-lā-tor-i). [L. adulāri, adulatus, to fawn upon.]

Adulation, ad-ū-lā′shun, n. fawning: flattery. [L. adulāri, adulatus, to fawn upon.]

Adullamite, ad-ul′am-īt, adj. an inhabitant of Adullam, where was a cave to which flocked from all sides to David in exile men in debt, distress, or discontent (1 Sam. xxii. 1, 2). The name was applied by John Bright in 1866 to a Whig secession from the Liberal party.

Adult, ad-ult′, adj. grown: mature.—n. a grown-up person.—n. Adult′ness. [L. adultus—adolescĕre, to grow. See Adolescent.]

Adulterate, ad-ult′ėr-āt, v.t. to corrupt: to make impure (by mixing).—v.i. (obs.) to commit adultery.—adj. defiled by adultery: spurious: corrupted by base elements.—ns. Adult′erant, the person or substance that adulterates; Adulterā′tion, the act of adulterating: the state of being adulterated. [See Adultery.]

Adultery, ad-ult′ėr-i, n. violation of the marriage-bed, whether one's own or another's: in Scripture applied loosely to unchastity generally.—n. Adult′erer, a man guilty of adultery:—fem. Adult′eress.—adj. Adult′erine, resulting from adultery: spurious.—n. the offspring of adultery.—v.t. and v.i. Adult′erise (arch.).—adj. Adult′erous, guilty of adultery. [O. Fr. avoutrie, avoutre, an adulterer—L. adulterum, prob. from ad, to, and alter, another. The modern form of the word is due to a later approximation to the Latin form.]

Adumbrate, ad-um′brāt, or ad′-, v.t. to give a faint shadow of: to exhibit imperfectly.—adjs. Adum′brant, Adum′brative, adumbrating or giving a faint shadow.—n. Adumbrā′tion. [L. adumbratus, adumbrāre—ad, to, umbra, a shadow.]

Adust, a-dust′, adj. burnt up or scorched; browned with the sun. [L. adustus, pa.p. of adurĕre, to burn up.]

Advance, ad-vans′, v.t. to put forward: to promote to a higher office: to encourage the progress of: to propose: to supply beforehand: to pay before the money is legally due, to pay on security.—v.i. to move or go forward: to make progress: to rise in rank or in value.—n. progress: improvement: a rise in price or value: a giving beforehand, also the sum so given: a loan.—n. Advance′ment, promotion: improvement: payment of money in advance.—In advance, beforehand. [O. Fr. avancer—Late L. abante (Fr. avant)—L. ab ante, from before.]

Advantage, ad-vant′āj, n. superiority over another: gain or benefit: at tennis, the point gained by either side after deuce, when both sides stand at an equal score (more commonly Vant′age).—v.t. to benefit or profit.—adjs. Advan′tageable, profitable: convenient (rare); Advantā′geous, of advantage: useful (with to and for).—adv. Advantā′geously.—n. Advantā′geousness.—To have the advantage of any one, to be known by a person without one's self knowing him; To take at advantage, to avail one's self of any opportunity, often implying an unfair sense. [Fr. avantage (It. vantaggio)—Fr. avant, before. See Advance.]

Advene, ad-vēn′, v.i. to accede: to be superadded to. [Through Fr. from L. advenīre, to come to.]

Advent, ad′vent, n. a coming or arrival: the first or the second coming of Christ: the period immediately before the festival of the Nativity, including four Sundays—from the first after St Andrew's Day (November 30) to Christmas eve.—n. Ad′ventist, one who believes in the second coming of Christ to set up a kingdom on the earth: a millenarian—adj. Advent′ual (obs.), relating to Advent. [Through Fr. from L. adventus—ad, to, venīre, to come.]

Adventitious, ad-vent-ish′us, adj. accidental: additional: foreign: appearing casually.—adv. Adventi′tiously.—adj. Advent′ive (Bacon), adventitious.—n. a thing or person coming from without. [See Advent.]

Adventure, ad-vent′ūr, n. a risk or chance: a remarkable incident: an enterprise: trial of the issue: risk: a commercial speculation: the spirit of enterprise.—v.i. to attempt or dare.—v.t. to risk or hazard: (refl.) to venture.—v.i. to risk one's self (with on, into, upon): to dare, go so far as to.—n. Advent′urer, one who engages in hazardous enterprises: a soldier of fortune, or speculator: one who pushes his fortune by equivocal means, as false pretences, &c.:—fem. Advent′uress.—adjs. Advent′urous, Advent′uresome, enterprising: ready to incur risk.—adv. Advent′urously.—n. Advent′urousness. [O. Fr.—L. adventurus, about to happen, fut. perf. of advenīre. See Advent.]

Adverb, ad′vėrb, n. a word added to a verb, adjective, or other adverb to express some modification of the meaning or an accompanying circumstance.—adj. Adverb′ial, pertaining to an adverb—used also as a n.—adv. Adverb′ially. [L. ad verbium—ad, to, verbum, a word. It is so called, not because it is added to a verb, but because it is a word (verbum) joined to, or supplemental of, other words.]

Adversaria, ad-vėrs-ār′i-a, n.pl. collections of miscellaneous things in a commonplace-book: consecutive notes on any book. [L., lit. things written on the opposite sides of the paper, from adversus, against.]

Adversary, ad′vėrs-ar-i, n. an opponent: an enemy: Satan, as the general adversary of mankind. [O. Fr. aversier—L. adversarius. See Adverse.]

Adversative, ad-vėrs′a-tiv, adj. denoting opposition, contrariety, or variety. [See Adverse.]

Adverse, ad′vėrs, adj. acting in a contrary direction (with to): opposed to: unfortunate: injurious.—adv. Ad′versely.—ns. Ad′verseness, Advers′ity, adverse circumstances: affliction: misfortune. [Through Fr. from L. adversus—ad, to, and vertĕre, versum, to turn.]

Advert, ad-vėrt′, v.i. to turn the mind to (with to): to refer to: (obs.) to regard or observe.—ns. Advert′ence, Advert′ency, attention to: heedfulness: regard.—adj. Advert′ent, attentive: heedful.—adv. Advert′ently. [O. Fr. avertir, avertiss-ant—L. advertĕre—ad, to, and vertĕre, to turn.]

Advertise, ad-vėrt-īz′, or ad′-, v.t. to turn one's attention to: to inform: to give public information or announcement of: (obs.) to instruct.—ns. Advert′isement, the act of advertising or making known: a public notice in a newspaper or periodical: notoriety: (obs.) news; Advertīs′er, one who advertises: a paper in which advertisements are published.—p.adj. Advertīs′ing (Shak.), attentive. [Fr., from L. See Advert.]

Advice, ad-vīs′, n. counsel: intelligence (usually in pl.): formal official intelligence about anything: specially skilled opinion, as of a physician or lawyer.—n. Advice′-boat, a swift vessel employed in conveying despatches.—adjs. Advice′ful, Avize′full (Spens.).—The form Adviso, advice, counsel (Sir T. Browne), and in Caraval of adviso = an advice-boat (Fuller), is obsolete—modern form Aviso. [O. Fr. advis (Fr. avis)—L. ad visum, according to what is seen or seems best.]

Adview. Same as Aview.

Advise, ad-vīz′, v.t. to give advice or counsel to: to recommend: to inform (usually with of).—v.i. to consult (with): (obs.) to deliberate:—pr.p. advīs′ing; pa.p. advīsed′.—ns. Advisabil′ity, Advis′ableness.—adj. Advis′able, that may be advised or recommended: prudent: expedient: open to advice.—adv. Advis′ably.—adjs. Advis′atory (rare); Advised′, cautious: deliberate, as in well-advised and ill-advised.—adv. Advis′edly, intentionally.—ns. Advis′edness, deliberate consideration: prudent procedure; Advise′ment (obs. or arch.), counsel, deliberation; Advis′er, one who advises or gives advice; Advis′ing (Shak.), counsel, advice. [O. Fr. aviser, from advis or avis. See Advice.]

Advocacy, ad′vo-ka-si, n. the function of an advocate: a pleading for: defence. [See Advocate.]

Advocate, ad′vo-kāt, n. an intercessor or defender: one who pleads the cause of another, esp. in a court of law in Scotland and France.—v.t. to plead in favour of: to recommend.—ns. Advocā′tion; Ad′vocator.—Lord Advocate, the first law-officer of the crown and public prosecutor of crimes for Scotland. [O. Fr. avocat—L. advocatus—advocāre, -ātum—ad, to, vocāre, to call: to call in (another to help, as in a lawsuit or in sickness).]

Advoutrer, ad-vow′trėr, n. (obs.) an adulterer:—fem. Advou′tress. [See Advoutry.]

Advoutry, ad-vow′tri, n. (obs.) adultery. [O. Fr. avoutrie—L. adulterium.]

Advowson, ad-vow′zun, n. the right of patronage or presentation to a church benefice.—n. Advowee′, one who has the right of advowson. [O. Fr. avoëson—L. advocation-em, right of the patron—L. advocatus, a patron.]

Adynamic, ā-di-nam′ik, adj. without strength: (phys.) characterised by the absence of force. [Gr. a, neg., and dynamis, strength.]

Adytum, ad′i-tum, n. the most sacred part of a heathen temple: the chancel of a church:—pl. Ad′yta. [L.—Gr. adyton—a, neg., and dyein, to enter.]

Adze, Adz, adz, n. a carpenter's tool consisting of a thin arched blade with its edge at right angles to the handle. [A.S. adesa; ultimate origin unknown.]

Ae, ā, or yā, modern Scotch form of A.S. án, one, used as an adjective.

Ædile, Edile, ē′dīl, n. a magistrate in ancient Rome who had the charge of public buildings, games, markets, police, &c.—n. Æ′dileship. [L. ædīlis, ædes, -is, a building.]

Ægis, ē′jis, n. (orig.) a shield given by Jupiter to Minerva: anything that protects. [L.—Gr. aígis.]

Æglogue, an archaic form of Eclogue.

Ægrotat, ē′grō-tät, n. in the English universities, a medical certificate of inability from illness to attend lectures or examinations.—n. Æger (ē′jėr), sick, the word used at Oxford and Cambridge in excusing absence on account of illness, hence a note certifying a student to be æger or sick. [L., 'he is sick,' 3d pers. sing. pres. indic. of ægrotāre, to be sick; æger, sick.]

Æneid, ē′nē-id, n. an epic poem written by Virgil, the hero of which is Æneas. [L. Æneis, -idos.]

Æolian, ē-ō′li-an, adj. pertaining to or acted on by the wind: aerial: of Æolis or Æolia, a district of Asia Minor colonised by the Greeks.—Also Æ′ōlic. [Æolus, the god of the winds.]

Æolipile, ē-ol′i-pīl, n. an instrument consisting of a hollow ball of metal partly filled with water, and having a small orifice through which steam escapes on the application of heat, thus turning the ball. It is the first instrument on record for showing the power of steam. [From L. Æolus, and pila, ball.]

Æon, Eon, ē′on, n. a period of time, an age or one of a series of ages, eternity: the personification of an age, a power emanating from the supreme Deity, with its share in the creation and government of the universe.—adj. Æō′nian, eternal. [Gr. aiōn.]

Aerate, ā′ėr-āt, v.t. to put air into: to supply, or cause to mix, with carbonic acid or other gas, as Aerated waters.—ns. A′erator, an apparatus for such purpose; Aerā′tion, exposure to the action of air: the mixing or saturating with a gas: the oxygenation of the blood by respiration. [L. aër, air.]

Aerial, ā-ēr′i-al, adj. belonging to the air: inhabiting or existing in the air: elevated, lofty, ethereal.—ns. Aerial′ity, Aer′ialness.—adv. Aer′ially.

Aerie, ā′ri, or ē′ri, n. the nest of any bird of prey, esp. an eagle: a house perched on some high or steep place: (Shak.) the brood in the nest, or a stock of children.—Also Aery, Eyrie, Eyry. [O. Fr. aire; Low L. aeria, aerea—L. area, a spot of level ground. The form Eyry seems to have been originally due to a confusion with M. E. ey, an egg.]

Aeriferous, ā-ėr-if′ėr-us, adj. carrying or containing air. [L. aër, air, and ferre, to carry.]

Aeriform, ā′ėr-i-form, adj. having the form or nature of air or gas: unsubstantial, unreal. [L. aër, air, and forma, form.]

Aerify, ā′ėr-i-fī, v.t. to change from a solid or liquid state into air or gas: to fill or combine with air.—n. Aerificā′tion, act of being aerified or changed from a solid or liquid state into air or gas: act of combining air with anything: state of being filled with air. [L. aër, air, and facĕre, to make.]

Aerobia, ā-ėr-ō′bi-a, n.pl. (biol.) bacteria that require free oxygen for the maintenance of their vitality.—adj. Aerō′bic.

Aerodynamics, ā-ėr-o-di-nam′iks, n. the science of the motion of the air and other gases, and of their mechanical effects when in motion. [Gr. aēr, aeros, air, and dynamis, power.]

Aerolite, ā′ėr-o-līt, n. a meteoric stone or meteorite—also A′erolith.—n. Aerolithol′ogy, that branch of science which treats of aerolites.—adj. Aerolit′ic. [Gr. aēr, air, lithos, a stone.]

Aerology, ā-ėr-ol′o-ji, n. the branch of science which treats of the atmosphere.—adj. Aerolog′ical.—n. Aerol′ogist. [Gr. aēr, aeros, air, logos, discourse.]

Aeromancy, ā-ėr-om′an-si, n. divination by means of atmospheric phenomena: weather forecasting. [Fr.—L.—Gr. aēr, air, manteia, divination.]

Aerometer, ā-ėr-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the weight or density of air and gases. [Gr. aēr, and Meter.]

Aerometry, ā-ėr-om′e-tri, n. the measuring of the air, now called pneumatics.—adj. Aeromet′ric. [Gr. aēr, aeros, air, metron, a measure.]

Aeronaut, ā′ėr-o-nawt, n. one who makes ascents in a balloon.—adjs. Aeronaut′ic, Aeronaut′ical.—n. Aeronaut′ics, the science or art of aerial navigation. [Gr. aēr, air, nautēs, sailor.]

Aerophyte, ā′ėr-o-fīt, n. a plant nourished by the air, as epiphytal orchids and many lichens. [Gr. aēr, air, phyton, a plant.]

Aerostat, ā′ėr-o-stat, n. a machine formed to sustain weights in the air: a flying machine—sometimes applied in the newspapers to the aeronaut himself.—adj. Aerostat′ic—n. Aerostā′tion, the art of raising and guiding balloons. [Gr. aēr, aeros, air, and statos, standing—histēmi, I cause to stand.]

Aerostatics, ā-ėr-o-stat′iks, n. the science of the equilibrium of air or of elastic fluids: the science of raising and guiding balloons. [Gr. aēr, air, statikos, relating to equilibrium. See Statics.]

Æruginous, ē-roo′ji-nus, adj. pertaining to or like copper-rust or verdigris. [L. æruginosus—ærugo, æruginis, rust of copper—æs, æris, brass, copper.]

Aery, ā′ėr-i, adj. aerial, incorporeal, spiritual, visionary.—adj. Ae′rylight (Milton), light as air.—As a noun, Aery is a variant spelling of Aerie.

Æsthetics, ēs-thet′iks, n. the feeling of beauty in objects, the principles of taste and of art: the philosophy of the fine arts.—n. Æs′thete, a professed disciple of æstheticism, one who affects an extravagant love of art.—adjs. Æsthet′ic, Æsthet′ical, pertaining to æsthetics.—adv. Æsthet′ically.—ns. Æstheti′cian, Æsthet′icist, one devoted to æsthetics; Æsthet′icism, the principles of æsthetics: the cult of the beautiful, applied esp. to an art movement in London in the last quarter of the 19th century, which aimed at carrying art into every home and every relation of life, but made itself ridiculous by its fantastic and superficial dogmatism, and its puerility.—v.t. Æsthet′icize, to render æsthetic, to refine. [Gr. aisthētikos, perceptive—aisthanesthai, to feel or perceive.]

Æstival, es-tī′val, adj. pertaining to the summer. [L. æstivalis—æstas, summer.]

Æstivation, es-ti-vā′shun, n. (bot.) the manner of folding of the petals in the flower-bud: (zool.) the act of remaining dormant during the dry season—opposed to Hibernation: (Bacon) the passing of the summer: a summer retreat. [L. æstivus, relating to summer—æstas, summer.]

Æthrioscope, ē′thri-o-skōp, n. an instrument for measuring the minute variations of temperature due to the condition of the sky. [Gr. aithria, the open sky, skopos, an observer.]

Ætiology, ē-ti-ol′o-ji, n. the science or philosophy of causation, esp. an inquiry into the origin and causes of a disease.—adj. Ætiolog′ical. [L.—Gr. aitiologia—aitia, cause, logos, discourse.]

Afar, a-fär′, adv. from a far distance (usually preceded by from): to a distance (usually followed by off). [A.S. feor, with prep. of or on. See Far.]

Afear, Affear, a-fēr′, v.t. (obs.) to terrify.—adj. Afeard′ (Shak.), affected with fear, afraid. [Pfx. a-, and A.S. færan, to frighten.]

Affable, af′fa-bl, adj. condescending: easy to be spoken to (used with to).—ns. Affabil′ity, Af′fableness.—adv. Af′fably. [Fr.—L. affabilis—affāri, to speak to—ad, to, and fāri, to speak.]

Affair, af-fār′, n. that which is to be done: business: any small matter: a battle of minor importance: a matter of intimate personal concern, as a duel—a so-called affair of honour, or an intrigue: (pl.) transactions in general: public concerns. [O. Fr. afaire (Fr. affaire)—à and faire—L. ad, and facĕre, to do. Cf. Ado.]

Affamish, af-fam′ish, v.t. and v.i. (obs.) to cause to perish from hunger. [Fr. affamer—L. ad, to, fames, hunger.]

Affect, af-fekt′, v.t. to act upon: to produce a change upon: to move the feelings: to assign, apply (only in pass.).—adj. Affect′ed, touched with a feeling either for or against (with by): full of affectation: feigned.—adv. Affect′edly.—n. Affect′edness.—adj. Affect′ing, having power to move the passions: pathetic.—adv. Affect′ingly. [L. afficĕre, affectum—ad, to, facĕre, to do.]

Affect, af-fekt′, v.t. to make a show or pretence of, to assume, to counterfeit or pretend to, to take upon one's self to: (obs.) to aim at, seek to obtain: (arch.) have a liking for, to love: to practise, wear, or frequent: to haunt or inhabit by preference.—n. Affectā′tion, a striving after, or an attempt to assume, what is not natural or real: pretence. [L. affectāre, freq. of afficĕre. See Affect above.]

Affection, af-fek′shun, n. kindness or love: attachment: (Shak.) affectation: an attribute or property: a disposition of mind: a disease or abnormal state of body or mind.—adjs. Affec′tional; Affec′tionate, full of affection: loving: (obs.) eager, passionate, well inclined to; Affec′tionated (obs.).—adv. Affec′tionately.—n. Affec′tionateness.—adj. Affec′tioned (B.), affected, disposed: (Shak.) full of affectation. [L. See Affect.]

Affeer, af-fēr′, v.t. to fix the market value of: to reduce to a certain fixed sum.—adj. Affeered′ (Shak.), confirmed.—n. Affeer′ment. [O. Fr. affeurer—Low L. afforāre—L. ad, to, forum, a market.]

Afferent, af′fėr-ent, adj. (anat.) bringing to, applied to the nerves that convey sensations to the nerve centres. [L. afferens—ad, to, and ferre, to carry.]

Affettuoso, af-fet-tōō-ō′so, adj. and adv. (mus.) tender, tenderly, with feeling—used as a noun by Burke.

Affiance, af-fī′ans, n. faith pledged to: marriage contract: trust: affinity (in, on).—v.t. to pledge faith: to betroth.—adj. and n. Affī′anced, betrothed. [O. Fr. afiance, afier—L. ad, to, fides, faith.]

Affidavit, af-fi-dā′vit, n. a written declaration on oath. [Affidavit, 3d pers. sing. perf. of a Low L. affidāre, to pledge one's faith.]

Affied (arch.), pa.p. of Affy.

Affiliate, af-fil′i-āt, v.t. to receive into a family as a son, or into a society as a member: to attach to, or connect with, as minor colleges with a university: to impute paternity to, to attribute to, to father on or upon.—n. Affiliā′tion, the act of receiving into a family or society as a member: (law) the assignment of an illegitimate child to its father, the assignment of anything to its origin. [L. affiliāre, to adopt—ad, to, filius, a son.]

Affine, af-fīn′, n. (obs.) a relation, connection.—adjs. Affine′, Affined′, related, bound by some tie. [O. Fr.—L. affinis, neighbouring—ad, to, at, finis, a boundary.]

Affinity, af-fin′i-ti, n. nearness of kin, agreement, or resemblance: causal relationship: structural resemblance between languages of ultimately common origin: structural resemblance between plants, animals, or minerals pointing to identity of stock: relationship by marriage, opposed to consanguinity or relationship by blood: (B.) social relationship: the spiritual relationship between sponsors and their godchild: a mysterious attraction supposed to exist between two persons: (chem.) the peculiar attraction between the atoms of two simple substances that makes them combine to form a compound.—adj. Affin′itive. [Fr.—L. affinitas—affinis, neighbouring—ad, at, finis, boundary.]

Affirm, af-fėrm′, v.t. to assert confidently or positively: to ratify a judgment: to confirm or maintain a statement of one's own or another's: (log.) to make a statement in the affirmative: (law) to make a formal declaration or affirmation, without an oath.—adj. Affirm′able, that may be affirmed (with of).—n. Affirm′ance, affirmation, assertion, confirmation.—adj. Affirm′ant—also n., one who affirms.—n. Affirmā′tion, act of asserting: that which is affirmed: (law) the solemn declaration made by Quakers and others incapable of taking an oath.—adj. and n. Affirm′ative, that affirms or asserts: positive, not negative: dogmatic.—adv. Affirm′atively.—adj. Affirm′atory. [O. Fr. afermer—L. affirmāre—ad, firmus, firm. See Firm.]

Affix, af-fiks′, v.t. to fix to: to add: to attach (to, on, upon).—n. Af′fix, an addition to a root, stem, or word, to modify its meaning or use, whether prefix or suffix: any appendage or addition. [L. affigĕre, -fixum—ad, to, figĕre, to fix. See Fix.]

Afflation, af-flā′shun, n. a breathing upon.—p.adj. Afflat′ed, inspired. [From L. afflāre, flātum—ad, to, and flāre, to breathe.]

Afflatus, af-flā′tus, n. inspiration, as of the poet or orator: esp. religious inspiration, the divine afflatus = L. afflatus divinus. [See Inflation.]

Afflict, af-flikt′, v.t. to give continued pain, distress, or grief: to harass, or vex.—pa.p. Afflict′ed, harassed by disease of body or mind: suffering.—adj. Afflict′ing, distressing.—n. Afflic′tion, state or cause of pain or distress: misery: loss of friends, sickness, persecution. &c.—adj. Afflict′ive, causing distress. [L. affligĕre, flictum—ad, to, fligĕre, to dash to the ground.]

Affluent, af′flōō-ent, adj. abounding: wealthy (with in).—n. a stream flowing into a river or lake.—ns. Af′fluence, abundance: wealth; Af′fluency (obs.).—adv. Af′fluently.—n. Af′fluentness. [L. affluĕre, affluent-em—ad, to, fluĕre, to flow.]

Afflux, af′fluks, Affluxion, af-flux′shun, n. a flowing to: an accession. [L. affluĕre, affluxum. See Affluent.]

Afforce, af-fōrs′, v.t. (law) to reinforce a jury or other deliberative body by specially skilled persons.—n. Afforce′ment. [O. Fr. aforcer—Low L. exfortiāre—L. fortis, strong.]

Afford, af-fōrd′, v.t. to yield or produce: to be able to sell, to expend, or to bear the expense of. [M. E. aforthen, from A.S. geforthian or forthian, to further or cause to come forth.]

Afforest, af-for′est, v.t. to turn land into forest.—n. Afforestā′tion. [Low L. afforestāre—L. ad, to, and foresta. See Forest.]

Affranchise, af-fran′chiz, v.t. to free from slavery, or from some obligation. [O. Fr. afranchir, afranchiss-, from à, to, franchir, to free, franc, free. See Frank.]

Affrap, af-frap′, v.t. or v.i. (Spens.) to strike or strike down. [It. affrappare—af (ad), to, and frappāre (Fr. frapper), to strike.]

Affray, af-frā′, n. a fight causing alarm: a brawl or fray: terror (Spens.).—v.t. to startle: to frighten: esp. in pa.p. Affrayed′ = afraid. [O. Fr. afrayer, esfreer (Fr. effrayer)—Low L. exfrediāre, to break the king's peace—L. ex, and Old High Ger. fridu (Ger. friede), peace.]

Affret, af-fret′, n. (Spens.) a furious onset. [Prob. from It. affrettare, to hasten.]

Affriended, af-frend′ed, adj. (Spens.) made friends: reconciled.

Affright, af-frīt′, v.t. to frighten—also Affright′en.—n. Affright′, sudden terror.—pa.p. Affright′ed, frightened.—adv. Affright′edly.—adj. Affright′ful (arch.).—n. Affright′ment, sudden fear. [A.S. afyrhtan. See Fright.]

Affront, af-frunt′, v.t. to meet face to face: to insult openly: (Shak.) to throw one's self in the way of.—n. contemptuous treatment: an open insult: disgrace.—adj. Affronté, fem. Affrontée, facing each other: (her.) of animals represented front to front, or expectant—opp. to Addorsed; also looking frontwise, or toward the beholder.—p.adj. Affront′ed, insulted, offended.—adj. Affront′ive.—To put an affront upon, To offer an affront to = to openly insult a person. [O. Fr. afronter—Low L. affrontāre—L. ad, to, front-, the forehead.]

Affusion, af-fū′zhun, n. the act of pouring upon or sprinkling.—Baptism by affusion is effected by the pouring of water on the subject, as distinct from baptism by dipping, or baptism by sprinkling. [L. affusion-em, affundĕre—ad, to, fundĕre, fusum, to pour.]

Affy, af-fī′, v.t. (obs.) to pledge one's faith to, to betroth.—v.i. to trust or confide:—pr.p. affy′ing; pa.p. affīed′. [O. Fr. afier—Low L. affīdāre—ad, to, fides, faith. See Affiance.]

Afield, a-fēld′, adv. to, in, or on the field.

Afire, a-fīr′, adv. on fire: in a state of inflammation.

Aflame, a-flām′, adj. and adv. flaming: glowing. [Pfx. a-, and Flame.]

Afloat, a-flōt′, adv. or adj. floating: at sea: unfixed: in circulation.

Afoot, a-foot′, adv. on foot: astir.

Afore, a-fōr′, prep. (B. and Shak.) beforehand, previously.

Aforehand, a-fōr′hand, adv. before the regular time of accomplishment: in advance.

Aforesaid, a-fōr′sed, adj. said or named before.

Aforethought, a-fōr′thawt, adj. thought of or meditated before: premeditated.

Aforetime, a-fōr′tīm, adv. in former or past times.

Afoul, a-fowl′, adj. or adv. entangled: in collision (with of).

Afraid, a-frād′, adj. struck with fear: timid. [See Affray.]

Afresh, a-fresh′, adv. anew.

African, af′rik-an, adj. pertaining to Africa—also Af′ric.—ns. Af′rican, a native of Africa; Africand′er, one born of white parents in Cape Colony or other parts of South Africa. [L. Africus, Africanus—Afer, African.]

Afrit, a-frit′, n. an evil demon in Arabian mythology.—Also Afreet′. [Ar. ‛ifrīt, a demon.]

Afront, a-frunt′, adv. (obs.) in front.

Aft, aft, adj. or adv. behind: near or towards the stern of a vessel. [A.S. æft-an.]

After, aft′ėr, prep. and adv. behind in place: later in time: following in search of: in imitation of: in proportion to, or in agreement with: concerning: subsequent to, or subsequently: afterward: after the manner of, or in imitation of.—adj. behind in place: later in time: more toward the stern of a vessel. [A.S. æfter, comp. of af, or of, the primary meaning being 'more off,' 'farther away;' -ter as a comparative affix is seen in L. al-ter, Eng. o-ther. See Of.]

Afterbirth, aft′ėr-bėrth, n. the placenta and membranes which are expelled from the uterus of the mother after the birth.

Afterclap, aft′ėr-klap, n. an unexpected event happening after an affair is supposed to be at an end.

Aftercrop, aft′ėr-krop, n. a second crop in the same year.

After-damp, aft′ėr-damp, n. choke-damp, arising in coal-mines after an explosion of fire-damp.

Aftereye, aft-ėr-ī′, v.t. (Shak.) to look after.

Aftergame, aft′ėr-gām, n. a second game played to reverse the issue of the first, hence the means employed after the first turn of affairs.

Afterglow, aft′ėr-glō, n. the glow often seen in the sky after sunset.

Afterguard, aft′ėr-gärd, n. the men on the quarter-deck and poop who work the after sails, not needing to go aloft: a drudge or person in a mean capacity.

After-hands, af′ter-handz, n.pl. (Tenn.) future labourers.

After-image, aft′ėr-im′āj, n. the image that remains for a brief period after the eye has been withdrawn from the object.

Afterings, aft′ėr-ingz, n. the last milk drawn in milking.

Aftermath, aft′ėr-math, n. a second mowing of grass in the same season. [See Mow, Meadow.]

Aftermost, aft′ėr-mōst, adj. hindmost. [A.S. æftemest; Goth. af-tuma, -tuma, being equiv. to L. -tumus in op-tumus, best. Goth. has also af-tum-ists = A.S. æf-tem-est, which is thus a double superlative.—Thus in aftermost, r is intrusive and -most is not the adv. most.]

Afternoon, aft′ėr-nōōn, n. the time between noon and evening.—n. Aft′er-morn (Tenn.), the morrow.

Afterpains, aft′ėr-pānz, n. the pains which succeed childbirth and the expulsion of the afterbirth.

Afterpiece, aft′ėr-pēs, n. a farce or other minor piece performed after a play.

Aftersupper, aft′ėr-sup-pėr, n. the time between supper and bedtime.

Afterthought, aft′ėr-thawt, n. thought or reflection after an action: a later thought.

Afterward, aft′ėr-ward, Afterwards, aft′ėr-wardz, adv. in after-time: later: subsequently. [A.S. æftenweard.]

Aga, Agha, ā′ga, n. a Turkish commander or chief officer. [Turk. aghā, Pers. ak, aka, a lord.]

Again, a-gen′, adv. once more: in return: back. [A.S. on-geán, again, opposite; Ger. ent-gegen.]

Against, a-genst′, also a-gānst′, prep. opposite to: in opposition to: in contact or collision with: in provision for: in exchange for, instead of: (B. and Shak.) by the time that, elliptically for 'against (the time) at which' or 'that I come.' [Formed from again, with genitive ending -es, as whilst from while—the -t being a later addition, as in amongs-t, amids-t, &c.]

Agami, ag′a-mi, n. the golden-breasted trumpeter, a grallatorial bird of South America. [Native name.]

Agamogenesis, a-gam-o-jen′e-sis, n. reproduction without sex, found among lower animals and in plants. [Gr. a, priv., gamos, marriage, genesis, reproduction.]

Agamous, ag′a-mus, adj. (bot.) having no visible flowers or organs of fructification. [Gr. agamos—a, neg., and gamos, marriage.]

Agape, ag′a-pē, n. a love-feast, held by the early Christians at communion time, when contributions were made for the poor:—pl. Ag′apæ.—n. Agapem′onē (Gr., 'love abode'), a community of religious visionaries with unedifying ideas about the sexual relations, founded in 1859 at Charlinch, near Bridgwater, by one H. J. Prince, formerly an Anglican clergyman. [Gr. agapē, love.]

Agape, a-gāp′, adj. or adv. gaping from wonder, expectation, or attention. [Lit., 'on gape.']

Agaric, ag′ar-ik, n. a family of fungi, including the mushroom. [Gr. agarikon.]

Agastric, a-gas′trik, adj. having no stomach. [Gr. a, neg., and gastēr, stomach.]

Agate, ag′āt, n. a precious stone composed of layers of quartz, of different tints.—adj. Agatif′erous. [Gr. achatēs, said to be so called because first found near the river Achates in Sicily.]

Agate, a-gāt′, adv. agoing, on the way. [Prep. a, and Gate; a northern word.]

Agave, a-gā′ve, n. a genus of herbaceous plants, natives of the warmer parts of America, which in Mexico usually flower about the seventh or eighth year, the stem rising to a height of forty feet. It is called also the American Aloe and Century Plant, receiving the latter name from the number of years (40-60, popularly a hundred) it takes to flower in our hot-houses.

Agazed, a-gāzd′, adj. (Shak.) struck with amazement. [Prob. a variant of Aghast.]

Age, āj, n. the ordinary length of human life: the time during which a person or thing has lived or existed: mature years: legal maturity (at 21 years), or time of life with regard to crime, contracts, marriage, &c.: a period of time: any great period of human history, as the Golden Age, the Bronze Age, the Middle Ages, or of individual history, as the age of infancy, the five—or seven—so-called ages of man: a generation of men: a century.—v.i. to grow old:—pr.p. āg′ing; pa.p. āg′ed.—adj. Aged (āj′ed), advanced in age: having a certain age.—n.pl. old people.—n. Agedness (āj′ed-nes), condition of being aged or old.—adjs. Age′less; Age′long. [O. Fr. edage (Fr. âge)—L. ætas = ævitas—L. ævum, age; cog. with Ever.]

Agen, a-gen′, adv. Same as Again.

Agenda, aj-end′a, n. things to be done: a memorandum-book: (obs.) a ritual. [L. agendus, fut. perf. pass. of agĕre, to do.]

Agent, āj′ent, n. a person or thing that acts or exerts power: any natural force acting on matter: one authorised or delegated to transact business for another.—n. Ag′ency, the office or business, operation or action, of an agent; instrumentality.—Law agent, a general term in Scotland, including Writers to the Signet, Solicitors to the Supreme Court, and Procurators in the sheriff courts—the requirements are an indentured apprenticeship of five years to a law agent, the passing of examinations in general knowledge and in law, and formal admission by the Court of Session. [L. agĕre, to do. See Act.]

Agglomerate, ag-glom′ėr-āt, v.t. to make into a ball: to collect into a mass.—v.i. to grow into a mass.—adjs. Agglom′erate, Agglom′erated, collected into a heap or mass.—n. Agglomerā′tion, a growing or heaping together: a mass: a cluster.—adj. Agglom′erative. [Agglomerāre, -ātum—ad, to, L. glomus, glomeris, a ball. See Clew, Globe.]

Agglutinate, ag-glōōt′in-āt, v.t. to cause to adhere by glue or cement.—adj. Agglut′inant, uniting or causing to stick together.—ns. Agglut′inate, Agglut′inative, a classification formerly much used in contrast to inflectional, to describe such languages as Turkish, which show, in the words of Whitney, an inferior degree of integration in the elements of their words, or of unification of words, the suffixes and prefixes retaining a certain independence of one another and of the root or stem to which they are added; Agglutinā′tion, the act of uniting, as by glue: adhesion of parts.—adj. Agglut′inative, tending to or having power to cause adhesion. [L. agglutināre—ad, to, gluten, glue. See Glue.]

Aggrace, ag-grās′, v.t. (Spens.) to grace, to favour.—n. kindness: favour. [Low L. aggratiāre—L. ad, to, gratia, grace.]

Aggrandise, ag′grand-īz, v.t. to make great or larger: to make greater in power, rank, or honour.—ns. Aggrandisā′tion; Aggrandisement (ag′grand-īz-ment, or ag-grand′iz-ment), act of aggrandising: state of being aggrandised. [Fr., from L. ad, to, and grandis, large.]

Aggrate, ag-grāt′, v.t. (obs.) to gratify or please. [It. aggratare—L. ad, to, gratus, pleasing. See Grace.]

Aggravate, ag′grav-āt, v.t. to make worse: to provoke.—adj. Ag′gravating.—adv. Ag′gravatingly.—n. Aggravā′tion, a making worse: any quality or circumstance which makes a thing worse: an exaggeration. [L. aggravāre—ad, to, gravis, heavy. See Grave.]

Aggregate, ag′greg-āt, v.t. to collect into a mass: to accumulate.—v.i. (rare) to add as a member to a society: to combine with.—adj. formed of parts taken together.—n. the sum total.—adv. Ag′gregately.—n. Aggregā′tion, act of aggregating: state of being collected together: an aggregate.—adj. Ag′gregative. [L. aggregāre, -ātum, to bring together, as a flock—ad, to, grex, gregis, a flock.]

Aggress, ag-gres′, v.i. to make a first attack: to begin a quarrel: to intrude.—adj. Aggress′ive, making the first attack, or prone to do so: offensive as opposed to defensive.—ns. Aggress′iveness; Aggress′or, one who attacks first. [L. aggredi, -gressus—ad, to, gradi, to step.]

Aggression, ag-gresh′un, n. first act of hostility or injury: a breach of the peace: an attack on public privileges. [L. aggredi, -gressus—ad, to, gradi, to step.]

Aggrieve, ag-grēv′, v.t. to press heavily upon: to pain or injure. [O. Fr. agrever (Sp. agraviar)—L. ad, to, and gravis, heavy. See Grief, Grieve.]

Aghast, a-gast′, adj. stupefied with horror. [Properly agast; M. E. agasten, to terrify; A.S. intens. pfx. á-, and gæstan, to terrify. The primary notion of the root gæs- (Goth. gais-) is to fix, stick; to root to the spot with terror. See Gaze.]

Agile, aj′il, adj. active: nimble.—n. Agil′ity, quickness of motion: nimbleness—also Ag′ileness. [Fr.—L. agilis—agĕre, to do or act.]

Agio, ā′ji-o, n. the difference between the real and nominal value of money, or between metallic and paper money: the variations from fixed pars or rates of exchange: discount. [It. agio, aggio, ease, convenience.]

Agiotage, aj′i-o-tāj, n. exchange business, hence the manœuvres of speculators to raise or depress the funds: stock-jobbing.

Agist, a-jist′, v.t. to take in the cattle of others to graze for a certain sum: to charge lands or the like with any public burden.—ns. Agist′ment, the action of agisting: the price paid for cattle pasturing on the land: a burden or tax; Agist′or, Agist′er, an officer who takes charge of cattle agisted. [O. Fr. agister—L. jacitāre, jacēre, to lie.]

Agitate, aj′i-tāt, v.t. to keep moving: to stir violently: to disturb: to discuss, or keep up the discussion of a question.—n. Agitā′tion, commotion: perturbation of mind: discussion: public excitement.—adj. Ag′itative.—n. Ag′itator, one who excites or keeps up a public agitation. [L. agitāre, freq. of agĕre, to put in motion. See Act.]

Aglet, Aiglet, ā′glet, n. the tag or point of the lace or string by which different parts of dress were fastened together, orig. to facilitate passing through the eyelet-holes, afterwards themselves ornamental, like Shakespeare's aglet-baby, and still surviving in the so-called aiguillettes or tagged points of braid hanging from the shoulder in some military and naval uniforms: a technical name for white stay-laces. [Fr. aiguillette, dim. of aiguille, a needle—from L. acucula = acicula, dim. of acus, a needle.]

Agley, Aglee, a-glē′, adv. (Scot.) off the right line: wrong. [Pfx. a-, and Scot. gley, gleg, squint.]

Aglimmer, a-glim′ėr, adv. in a glimmering state.

Aglow, a-glō′, adj. and adv. very warm: red-hot.

Agnail, ag′nāl, n. an inflammation round the toe- or finger-nail: a whitlow: a hangnail. [A.S. angnægl—ang, tight, and nægl, a nail; confounded in meaning by the dictionary-makers with Fr. angonailles, blotches, sores—Low L. anguinalia, carbuncles.]

Agname, ag′nām, n. a name over and above the name and surname.—adj. Ag′named, styled by such a name. [L. ag = ad, and Name; formed after L. agnomen.]

Agnate, ag′nāt, adj. related on the father's side: allied.—n. a relation by the father's side.—adjs. Agnat′ic, Agnat′ical.—adv. Agnat′ically.—n. Agnā′tion. [L. agnat-us—ad, to, nasci, to be born. See Cognate.]

Agnise, ag-nīz′, v.t. (arch.) to acknowledge, to confess. [L. agnoscĕre—ad, to, gnoscĕre, noscĕre, to know.]

Agnomen, ag-nō′men, n. a surname added to the family name, generally on account of some great exploit, as Africanus to P. Cornelius Scipio. [L.—ad, to, and gnomen, nomen, a name.]

Agnostic, ag-nos′tik, n. one who holds that we know nothing of things beyond material phenomena—that a First Cause and an unseen world are things unknown and apparently unknowable.—n. Agnos′ticism. [Coined by Prof. Huxley in 1869 from the word in Acts, xvii. 23; a, privative, and Gr. gnōstikos, good at knowing. See Gnostic.]

Agnus Dei, ag′nus-dē′ī, a part of the Mass beginning with the words Agnus Dei, also the music set to it: a figure of a lamb emblematic of Christ, bearing with its right foot the banner of the cross, and having the nimbus inscribed with the cross around its head: a round cake of wax stamped with such a figure, and blessed by the Pope. [L., lit. 'lamb of God.']

Ago, a-gō′, Agone, a-gon′, adv. gone: past: since. [Pa.p. of A.S. āgān, to pass away—inten. pfx. ā-, and gān, to go.]

Agog, a-gog′, adj. or adv. eager: astir. [Perh. connected with O. Fr. en gogues; estre en ses gogues, to be frolicsome, or Fr. vivre à gogo, to live in abundance. The ultimate origin is unknown.]

Agoing, a-gō′ing, adv. going on: current.

Agone. See Ago.

Agonic, ag′on-ik, adj. having or making no angle.—Agonic line, the line of no magnetic variation—an irregular line passing through the magnetic poles of the earth, along which the magnetic needle points directly north or south. [Gr. agōnos; a, neg., gōnia, angle.]

Agonist, ag′o-nist, n. one who contends for a prize in public games.—adjs. Agonist′ic, -al, relating to athletic contests: combative.—adv. Agonist′ically.—n. Agonist′ics, the art and theory of games and prize-fighting. [See Agony.]

Agony, ag′o-ni, n. a violent struggle: extreme suffering: the death struggle in particular: Christ's anguish in Gethsemane.—v.t. Ag′onise, to struggle, suffer agony: to subject to agony.—adj. Ag′onising, causing agony.—adv. Ag′onisingly.—Agony column, the part of a newspaper containing special advertisements, as for missing friends and the like. [Gr.—agōn, contest.]

Agood, a-good′, adv. (obs.) in good earnest, heartily. [A.S. pfx. a-, and Good.]

Agora, ag′o-ra, n. an assembly, hence a place of assembly, the market-place. [Gr.]

Agouta, a-gōō′ta, n. a rat-like animal of Hayti.

Agouti, a-gōō′ti, n. a small South American rodent allied to the guinea-pig. [Native word.]

Agraffe, a-graf′, n. a kind of clasp or hook. [Fr. agrafe, a clasp—Low L. grappa, Old High Ger. chrapfo (Ger. krappen), a hook.]

Agrarian, ag-rā′ri-an, adj. relating to land, or its management, as in 'agrarian crime,' &c., applied esp. to Roman laws for the equal distribution of the public lands: rural.—n. Agrā′rianism, an equal division of lands: a political movement in favour of interference with the ordinary conditions of private property in land. [L. agrarius—ager, a field. See Acre.]

Agree, a-grē′, v.i. to be of one mind: to concur: to assent to: to be consistent, to harmonise: to determine, to settle: to resemble, to suit: (gram.) to be in concord with—taking the same gender, number, case, or person: to do well with climate, &c. (followed by with before the person or thing agreeing: by upon, on, for, to, in before the condition of the agreement):—pa.p. agreed′.—adj. Agree′able, suitable: pleasant: favourable to, consenting to.—n. Agree′ableness, suitableness: conformity: quality of pleasing—also Agreeabil′ity.—adv. Agree′ably.—n. Agree′ment, concord: conformity: harmony: a bargain or contract. [O. Fr. agréer, to accept kindly—L. ad, to, and gratus, pleasing.]

Agrestic, a-gres′tik, adj. pertaining to the fields: rural: unpolished. [L. agrestis—ager, a field.]

Agriculture, ag′ri-kult-ūr, n. the art or practice of cultivating the land.—adj. Agricult′ural, relating to agriculture.—n. Agricult′urist, one skilled in agriculture: a farmer—also Agricult′uralist. [L. agricultura—ager, a field, cultura, cultivation. See Culture.]

Agrimony, ag′ri-mun-i, n. a genus of plants of the rose-group, with small yellow flowers and bitter taste. [L. agrimonia, for argemonia, Gr. argemōnē.]

Agrin, a-grin′, adv. on the grin.

Agrise, a-grīz′, v.t. (obs.) to terrify, to make frightful. [A.S. āgrīsan, to dread.]

Agronomial, ag-rō-nō′mi-al, adj. relating to the management of farms—also Agronom′ic.—n. Agron′omy, agricultural pursuits. [Gr. agronomos; agros, a field, nemein, to deal out.]

Aground, a-grownd′, adv. stranded.

Aguardiente, a-gwär-di-ėn′tė, n. a kind of grape-brandy made in Spain and Portugal: any spirituous liquor, applied even to Mexican pulque. [Sp., from agua ardiente, burning water; agua—L. aqua; ardiente, arder—L. ardēre, to burn.]

Ague, ā′gū, n. a fever coming in periodical fits, accompanied with shivering: chilliness: quaking.—adj. A′gued, struck with ague: shivering: cold; A′guish. [O. Fr. aigue (Fr. aigu, sharp)—L. acutus. See Acute.]

Aguerried, a-ger′id, adj. inured to war, or instructed in it. [Fr. aguerrir, to make warlike; à—Lat. ad, to, and guerre, war.]

Aguise, a-gīz′, v.t. (Spens.) to dress, to adorn. [Pfx. a-, and Guise.]

Ah, ä, interj. an exclamation of surprise, joy, pity, complaint, &c.

Aha, ä-hä′, interj. an exclamation of exultation, pleasure, surprise, or contempt.

Ahead, a-hed′, adv. farther on: in advance: headlong, as in the phrase 'to go ahead.'

Aheap, a-hēp′, adv. in a heap: in a state of collapse through terror or astonishment.

Aheight, a-hīt′, adv. (arch.) on high, aloft.

Ahem, a-hem′, interj. a lengthened form of Hem.

Ahithophel. See Achitophel.

Ahigh, a-hī′, adv. an obsolete form of On high.

Ahold, a-hōld′, adv. (Shak.) near the wind, so as to keep clear of the land.

Ahorseback, a-hors′bak, adv. on horseback.

Ahoy, a-hoi′, interj. a nautical term used in hailing. [Form of interj. Hoy.]

Ahull, a-hul′, adv. (naut.) with sails furled, and helm lashed to the lee-side, driving before the wind, stern foremost.

Ahungered, a-hung′gėrd, adj. oppressed with hunger. [Erroneously written an hungered, as in Bible.]

Aiblins, āb′linz, adv. (Scot.) perhaps, possibly. [See Able.]

Aid, ād, v.t. to help, assist.—n. help: assistance, as in defending an action: an auxiliary: subsidy or money grant to the king.—n. Aid′ance, aid, help, support.—adj. Aid′ant, (arch.) aiding, helping.—n. Aid′er, one who brings aid: a helper.—adjs. Aid′ful; Aid′less.—Court of Aids, the court that supervised the customs duties. [O. Fr. aider—L. adjutāre—ad, and juvāre, jutum, to help.]

Aide-de-camp, ād′-de-kong, n. an officer who carries the orders of a general on the field, and brings him intelligence:—pl. Aides′-de-camp. [Fr., assistant on the field.]

Aiery, a variant of Aerie.

Aigrette, ā′gret, n. (zool.) a small white heron: (bot.) the down attached to vegetable seeds, as in the thistle: a plume composed of feathers, or of precious stones, like a heron's crest. [Fr. aigrette.]

Aiguille, ā-gwēl′, n. a sharp, needle-like peak of rock, applied esp. to many of the peaks near Mont Blanc: a slender boring-drill for blasting. [Fr. See Aglet.]

Aiguillette. See Aglet.

Ail, āl, v.i. to feel pain: to be in trouble.—v.t. to trouble, afflict—obs. except in impers. phrase 'What ails you?'—n. trouble: indisposition.—n. Ail′ment, pain: indisposition: disease. [A.S. eglan, to pain. See Awe.]

Ailanto, ēl-an′to, n. a lofty and beautiful tree, native to South-eastern Asia, but grown to shade public walks in France and Italy. Its leaves give food to a species of silkworm—it is sometimes called the Vernis du Japon, or Japan Varnish, apparently by confusion with certain species of Rhus.—Also Ailan′tus. [Native Amboyna name, meaning 'tree of the gods.']

Ailette, āl-let′, n. an iron plate once worn by men-at-arms for defence on the shoulder. [Fr., dim. of aille—L. ala, a wing.]

Aim, ām, v.i. to point at with a weapon: to direct the intention or endeavour (at): (obs.) to conjecture.—v.t. to point, as a weapon or firearm.—n. the pointing of a weapon: the thing pointed at: design: intention.—adj. Aim′less, without aim.—adv. Aim′lessly.—n. Aim′worthiness, good aim.—To cry aim, in old writers, to encourage archers when shooting by crying 'aim,' hence to applaud or encourage. [O. Fr. esmer, to reckon—L. æstimāre, to estimate. See Estimate.]

Ain't, ānt, a colloquial contracted form of are not—also An't = aren't, are not.—An't (Shak.) occurs as a variant of on't = on it, of it.

Air, ār, n. the fluid we breathe: the atmosphere: any special condition of atmosphere, as in 'the night-air,' 'to take the air:' a light breeze: publicity: the bearing of a person: outward appearance, manner, look: an assumed or affected manner: (mus.) a rhythmical melody: a song, also specially a sprightly song: the soprano part in a harmonised composition, being that which gives it its character: (pl.) affectation.—v.t. to expose to the air: to dry: to expose to warm air: (obs.) to take an airing.—ns. Air′-bath, an arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature; Air′-bed, a bed for the sick, inflated with air; Air′-blad′der, in some fishes, an organ containing air, by which they maintain their equilibrium in the water; Air′-brake, a railway brake worked by compressed air.—adj. Air′-built, built in air: having no solid foundation.—ns. Air′-cell, a cavity containing air; Air′-cush′ion, an air-tight cushion, which can be inflated; Air′-drain, an ample space at the foot of foundation walls, for the sake of dryness.—adj. Air′drawn, drawn in air: visionary: (Shak.) imaginary.—ns. Air′-en′gine, an engine put in motion by air expanded by heat; Air′-gas, illuminating gas made by charging atmospheric air with vapour of petroleum or other hydrocarbon; Air′-gun, a gun which discharges bullets by means of compressed air.—adv. Air′ily, gaily.—ns. Air′iness, state of being airy; openness: liveliness; Air′ing, exposure to the air or fire: a short excursion in the open air; Air′-jack′et, a jacket with air-tight cavities, which being inflated renders a person buoyant in water.—adj. Air′less, void of air: not having free communication with the open air.—ns. Air′-lock, a small chamber for the entrance and exit of men and materials, at the top of the caisson or hollow cylinder used for founding the piers of bridges under water; Air′-pump, an instrument for pumping the air out of a vessel; Air′-sac, an air-cell or air-space, esp. in the bones of birds; Air′-shaft, a passage for air into a mine; Air′-ship, a navigable balloon; Air′-space, the cubic content of a room, hospital-ward, or the like, with reference to the respirable air contained in it.—adj. Air′-tight, so tight as not to admit air.—n. Air′-ves′sel, a vessel or tube containing air.—adv. Air′wards, up in the air.—adj. Air′y, consisting of or relating to air: open to the air: like air: unsubstantial: light of heart: sprightly.—To take air, to get wind, to become publicly known. [Fr.—L. aër—Gr.]

Airling, ār′ling, n. (obs.) a thoughtless, gay person.

Airt, ārt, n. (Scot.) direction, quarter. [Gael. aird, àrd; Ir. ard.]

Aisle, īl, n. any lateral division of any part of a church, whether of nave, choir, or transept. The word is often erroneously applied to the passage in a church between the pews or seats.—adj. Aisled, (īld), having aisles. [O. Fr. ele, aisle (Fr. aile)—L. axilla, ala, a wing.]

Ait, āt, n. a small island in a river or lake. [A.S. forms, íget, ígeoth, supply the key to the word, but its history is obscure.]

Aitchbone, āch′bōn, n. the bone of the rump: the cut of beef over this bone. [Orig. nache- or nagebone; O. Fr. nache, nage—L. nates, buttock; a nache became aitch, and erroneously edge-bone.]

Ajar, a-jär′, adv. partly open. [A.S. on, on, cyrr, a turn.]

Ajee, Agee, a-jē′, adv. (Scot. and prov.) aside, off the straight, ajar. [Prep. a, and gee, to move to one side; jee, a call to a horse to move to one side.]

Ajutage, Adjutage, ad′joo-tāj, n. a tube adjusted to an orifice through which water is discharged. [Fr.—Fr. ajouter. See Adjust.]

Ake, āk, old form of Ache.

Akee, a-kē′, n. the fruit of a small African sapindaceous tree, now common in the West Indies.

Akimbo, a-kim′bo, adj. with hand on hip and elbow bent outward. [Ety. uncertain; Skeat suggests the Ice. kengboginn, bent into a crook, from kengr, a crook, twist, kink, and boginn, bowed. Others connect the -kim with Keen.]

Akin, a-kin′, adj. of kin: related by blood: having the same properties. [Of and Kin.]

Alabaster, al′a-bas-tėr, n. a semi-transparent kind of gypsum or sulphate of lime: the fine limestone deposited as stalagmites and stalactites.—adj. made of alabaster.—adj. Alabas′trian. [Gr. alabastros, said to be derived from Alabastron, a town in Egypt.]

Alack, a-lak′, interj. an exclamation denoting sorrow.

Alack-a-day, a-lak′-a-dā, interj. (rare) an exclamation of sadness. [Interj. ah, lak (Lack), and Day.]

Alacrity, a-lak′ri-ti, n. briskness: cheerful readiness: promptitude. [L. alacris, brisk.]

Alalia, a-lā′li-a, n. loss of speech. [Gr. a, priv., and lalein, to talk.]

Alameda, a-la-mē′da, n. a public walk or promenade between two rows of trees. [Sp.]

Alamode, a-la-mōd′, adv. and adj. according to the mode or fashion.—n. a light kind of glossy silk for scarfs, hat-bands, &c.—n. Alamodal′ity (rare).—Alamode beef, beef larded and stewed with vegetables. [Fr. à la mode.]

Alamort, a-la-mort′, adj. half-dead: in a depressed condition: dejected. Sometimes erroneously All amort. [Fr. à la mort, to death. See Mortal.]

Aland, a-land′, adv. on or to land: landed.

Alar, ā′lar, adj. of, or having, wings.—Also A′lary. [L. ala, a wing.]

Alarm, a-lärm′, n. notice of danger: sudden surprise with fear: a mechanical contrivance to arouse from sleep: a call to arms.—v.t. to call to arms: to give notice of danger: to fill with dread.—adv. Alarm′ingly.—n. Alarm′ist, one who excites alarm: one given to prophesy danger.—adj. alarming. [Fr. alarme—It. all' arme, to arms—L. ad, to, arma, arms.]

Alarum, al-är′um, n. and v.t. same as Alarm—now used, except poetically, only of an alarum-clock.

Alas, a-las′, interj. expressive of grief.—Alas the day, Alas the while (in old writers), ah! unhappy day, or time. [O. Fr. ha las, a las (mod. Fr. hélas); ha! and las, lasse, wretched, weary—L. lassus, wearied.]

Alate, a-lāt′, adv. (arch.) lately. [A.S. pfx. a-, on, and Late.]

Alate, al′āt, adj. winged: (bot.) bordered by a leafy expansion.—Also Al′ated. [L. alatus—ala, a wing.]

Alb, alb, n. in R.C. churches, a white linen vestment with tight sleeves, reaching to the feet, worn by the officiating priest at the celebration of the eucharist, under the chasuble, cope, or dalmatic. [A.S. albe—Low L. alba, L. albus, white.]

Albacore, al′ba-kōr, n. a large species of the tunny fish, found in West Indian waters. [Port.—Ar. al, the, bukr, pl. bakārat, a young camel.]

Albata, al-bā′ta, n. a white silvery alloy of nickel, zinc, and copper—also British plate and German Silver. [L., albāre, to whiten, albus, white.]

Albatross, al′ba-tros, n. a large, long-winged, web-footed sea-bird of remarkable powers of flight, found abundantly in the Southern Ocean, particularly near the Cape of Good Hope. [Corr. from Alcatras (q.v.), perh. with reference to albus, white, from its colour.]

Albe, Ale-be, awl-bē′, obs. forms of Albeit.

Albeit, awl-bē′it, adv. although it be: notwithstanding: even if, although. [All be it (that) = all though it be that]

Albert, al′bert, n. a short kind of watch-chain. [Named from Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria.]

Albescent, al-bes′ent, adj. becoming white: whitish.—n. Albes′cence. [L. albescens, -entis, pr.p. of albescĕre, to grow white—albus, white.]

Albespyne, Albespine, al′be-spīn, n. whitethorn, hawthorn. [O. Fr. albespine, aubespine (Fr. aubépine)—L. alba spina, white thorn.]

Albigenses, al-bi-jen′sēz, n.pl. a name applied to antisacerdotal sects in the south of France during the 12th and 13th centuries, infected with Manichæan heresy, and extirpated with the most horrible cruelties. [The town Albi.]

Albino, al-bī′no, n. a human being or animal whose skin and hair are abnormally white, and the pupil of the eye of pink colour:—fem. Albī′ness:—pl. Albī′nos.—n. Al′binism, state or condition of being an albino. [Sp. albino, whitish—L. albus, white.]

Albite, al′bīt, n. a species of mineral of the felspar family, of a white colour, and forming a constituent of many kinds of rocks. [From L. albus, white.]

Albugineous, al-bū-jin′e-us, adj. like the white of an egg or of the eye. [L. albugo, albuginis, whiteness, from albus, white.]

Album, al′bum, n. among the Romans, a white tablet or register on which the prætor's edicts and such public notices were recorded: a blank book for the insertion of portraits, autographs, poetical extracts, memorial verses, postage-stamps, or the like.—adj. Al′bumē′an, and n. Al′bumess, whimsical coinages of Charles Lamb. [L. albus, white.]

Albumen, al-bū′men, n. the white of eggs: a like substance found in animal and vegetable bodies.—ns. Albū′min, one of the classes of albuminoids, such as are soluble in water, or in dilute acids or alkalis; Albū′minate, one of a class of bodies in which albumin appears in weak combination with a base.—v.t. Albuminise′ (phot.), to cover or impregnate with albumen: to coat paper with an albuminous solution.—adj. Albū′minous, like or containing albumen: insipid. [L.—albus, white.]

Albuminoid, al-bū′min-oid, adj. like albumen.—n. one of a class of nitrogenous compounds derived from animal tissues. [Albumen, and Gr. eidos, form.]

Alburnum, al-burn′um, n. in trees, the white and soft parts of wood between the inner bark and the heart-wood.—adj. Alburn′ous. [L.—albus, white.]

Alcahest. See Alkahest.

Alcaic, al-kā′ik, adj. of or pertaining to the Greek lyrical poet, Alcæus (c. 600 B.C.), or to the kind of verse invented by him. The most common form consists of an anacrusis, a trochee, a spondee, and two dactyls; a second, of a catalectic iambic pentameter, the third foot always being a spondee; a third, of two dactyls followed by two trochees. The most common arrangement was two lines of (1), followed by one of (2) and one of (3). Cf. Tennyson's 'O mighty-mouth'd inventor of harmonies.'

Alcaid, Alcayde, al-kād′, n. a governor: a chief magistrate: a gaoler. [Sp. and Port.—Ar. alkāīd—al, the, qāīd, a leader, qāda, to lead.]

Alcalde, al-kal′dā, n. a judge. [Sp.—Ar. al-qādī.]

Alcatras, al′ka-tras, n. a name applied loosely to several large ocean birds, as the pelican, gannet, frigate-bird, and even the albatross. [Sp. alcatraz, a white pelican.]

Alchemy, Alchymy, al′ki-mi, n. the infant stage of chemistry, as astrology was of astronomy.—A chief pursuit of the alchemists was to transmute the other metals into gold, and to discover the elixir of life.—adj. Alchem′ic—n. Al′chemist, one skilled in alchemy. [Ar. Al-kīmīā—al, the, and kīmīā—late Gr. chēmeia, 'transmution,' prob. as specially an Egyptian art, from Khem, the native name of Egypt; confused with Gr. chūmeia, pouring, from chein, to pour, hence the old spellings alchymy, chymistry.]

Alcohol, al′kō-hol, n. pure spirit, a liquid generated by the fermentation of sugar and other saccharine matter, and forming the intoxicating element of fermented liquors.—adj. Alcohol′ic, of or like alcohol.—n. Alcoholisā′tion.—v.t. Al′coholise, to convert into alcohol, or saturate with it: to rectify.—n. Al′coholism, a term employed to denote the symptoms of disease produced by alcoholic poisoning.—Absolute alcohol, alcohol entirely free from water. [Ar. al-koh'l—al, the, koh'l, fine powder of antimony used in the East to stain the eyelids.]

Alcoholometer, al-kō-hol-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining the strength of spirits.—n. Alcoholom′etry, the process of such measurement. [Alcohol and Meter.]

Alcoran, al′kō-ran, n. the Koran. [Al, the Arabic article.]

Alcove, al′kōv, or al-kōv′, n. a recess in a room: any recess: a shady retreat. [Sp. alcoba, a place in a room railed off to hold a bed—Ar. al, the, qobbah, a vault.]

Aldehyde, al′dē-hīd, n. a volatile fluid with a suffocating smell, obtained by the oxidation of alcohol: a large class of compounds intermediate between alcohols and acids. [From Al. dehyd., a contr. for Alcohol dehydrogenatum.]

Alder, awl′dėr, n. a tree related to the birch, usually growing in moist ground. [A.S. alor; Ger. erle; L. alnus.]

Alder-liefest, awl-dėr-lēf′est, adj. (Shak.) most beloved of all. [The M. E. gen. pl. forms alra, alre, aller, alder, survived till about 1600; for liefest, see Lief.]

Alderman, awl′dėr-man, n. in English and Irish boroughs, a civic dignitary next in rank to the mayor.—They are usually chosen for three years; those of London are chosen for life.—The name was assumed incongruously enough for superior members of the county councils set up in England in 1888: in Anglo-Saxon times, the governor of a shire until by Canute displaced by the earl; thenceforward, any head man of a guild.—adjs. Alderman′ic, Al′dermanlike, Al′dermanly, pompous and portly. [A.S. ealdor (from eald, old), senior, chief; ealdorman, ruler, king, chief magistrate.]

Aldern, awl′dėrn, adj. made of alder.

Aldine, al′dīn, adj. applied to books printed by Aldus Manutius of Venice, in 16th century.

Ale, āl, n. a beverage made from an infusion of malt by fermentation: a festival, so called from the liquor drunk.—ns. Ale′berry, a beverage made from ale; Ale′conner, an ale-taster, a civic officer appointed to test the quality of the ale brewed—A.S. cunnere, a trier; Ale′-house, a house in which ale is sold. [A.S. alu; Ice. öl.]

Aleatory, ā′lē-a-tō-ri, adj. depending on the throw of the dice: dependent on certain contingencies. [L. āleātōrius, ālea, a die.]

Alee, a-lē′, adv. on the lee-side. [See Lee.]

Aleft, a-left′, adv. on or to the left hand.

Alegar, al′e-gar, n. sour ale. [Ale, and Fr. aigre—L. acer, sour.]

Aleger, al′e-jėr, adj. (Bacon) lively, cheerful. [O. Fr. alègre—L. alācr-em.]

Alegge, an obsolete form of Allege.

Alembic, al-em′bik, n. a vessel used by the old chemists in distillation. [Ar. al, the, anbīq—Gr. ambiks, a cup.]

Alength, a-length′, adv. at full length. [A.S. pfx. a-, on, and Length.]

Alerce, a-lers′, n. the wood of the sandarac-tree: the Chilian Arbor vitæ—both of the pine family. [Sp.—Ar. al arza, cedar.]

Alert, al-ėrt′, adj. watchful: brisk.—n. a sudden attack or surprise.—adv. Alert′ly.—n. Alert′ness.—Upon the alert, upon the watch. [Fr.—It. all' erta, on the erect—erto, L. erectus, erect.]

Alew, a-lū′ (Spens.) an obsolete form of Halloo.

Alewife, āl′wīf, n. a fish of the same genus as the shad, about a foot in length, common on the east coast of North America. [Said to be a corr. of aloofe, the Indian name of a fish.]

Alexandrian, al-egz-an′dri-an, adj. relating to Alexandria in Egypt, or its school of philosophy: relating to Alexander.

Alexandrine, al-egz-an′drin, n. a rhyming verse of twelve syllables, six iambic feet, so-called from its use in old French poems on Alexander the Great. It is the ordinary verse of French tragedy. French Alexandrines are arranged in couplets, alternately acatalectic with masculine rhymes, and hypercatalectic with feminine rhymes.

Alfa, al′fa, n. an African name for esparto grass—also spelt Halfa.

Alfalfa, al-fal′fa, n. a Spanish name for a variety of lucerne—used also in some parts of the United States. [Sp. alfalfa, three-leaved grass; Ar. alfacfacah.]

Alfresco, al-fresk′o, adv. on the fresh, as to paint al fresco = on the fresh plaster: in the fresh or cool air. [It.]

Algæ, al′jē, n. (bot.) a division of plants, embracing seaweeds. [L., pl. of alga, seaweed.]

Algates, al′gāts, adv. (obs.) always, altogether, at all events, nevertheless.—Also Al′gate. [Lit. alle gate, every way. See Gate.]

Algebra, al′je-bra, n. a method of calculating by symbols—by means of letters employed to represent the numbers, and signs to represent their relations, thus forming a kind of universal arithmetic.—adjs. Algebrā′ic, -al, pertaining to algebra.—n. Algebrā′ist, one skilled in algebra. [It. and Sp., from Ar. al-jebr, the resetting of anything broken, hence combination; jabara, to reunite.]

Algerine, al′je-rēn, adj. of or belonging to Algeria in Northern Africa.—n. a native of Algeria: a pirate.

Algorism, al′go-rizm, n. the Arabic system of numeration: arithmetic.—Also Al′gorithm [Through O. Fr. and Late L. from Ar. al-khowārazmī, the native of Khwārazm, the mathematician Abu Ja'far Mohammed Ben Musa (9th century).]

Algous, al′gus, adj. relating to or like the algæ or seaweeds.

Alguazil, al-gwaz′il, n. in Spain, a warrant officer or sergeant. [Sp.—Ar. al-wazīr. See Vizier.]

Algum, al′gum. Same as Almug.

Alhambresque, al-ham′bresk, adj. after the style of the rich ornamentation of the Alhambra, a palace of the Moorish kings of Granada in Spain.

Alias, ā′li-as, adv. otherwise.—n. an assumed name:—pl. A′liases. [L. alias, at another time, otherwise—alius, Gr. allos, other.]

Alibi, al′i-bī, n. the plea that a person charged with a crime was elsewhere when it was committed. [L.—alius, other, ibi, there.]

Alicant, al′i-kant, n. a Spanish wine formerly much esteemed, said to have been made near Alicante in Spain.

Alien, āl′yen, adj. foreign: different in nature: adverse to.—n. one belonging to another country: one not entitled to the rights of citizenship.—n. Al′ienage, state of being an alien. [L. alienus—alius, other.]

Alienate, āl′yen-āt, v.t. to transfer a right or title to another: to withdraw the affections: to misapply.—adj. withdrawn: estranged.—n. Alienabil′ity.—adj. Al′ienable, capable of being transferred to another.—ns. Alienā′tion; Alienā′tor.—adj. Al′iened, made alien, estranged.—n. Al′ienism, the position of being a foreigner. [L. See Alien.]

Alienist, āl′yen-ist, n. one who specially treats mental diseases. [Fr.]

Alife, a-līf′, adv. (obs.) on my life, as one's life, excessively.

Alight, a-līt′, v.i. to come down, as from a horse (from): to descend: to land anywhere (upon): to fall upon. [A.S. alíhtan, to come down. See Light, v.]

Alight, a-līt′, adj. on fire: lighted up. [a, on, and Light. See Light, n.]

Align, a-līn′, v.t. to regulate by a line: to arrange in line, as troops.—n. Align′ment, a laying out by a line: arrangement of soldiers in a line or lines: the ground-plan of a railway or road. [Fr. aligner—L. ad, and linea, a line.]

Alike, a-līk′, adj. like one another: having resemblance.—adv. in the same manner or form: equally: similarly. [A.S. gelíc, anlíc, onlíc. See Like.]

Aliment, al′i-ment, n. nourishment: food: provision for maintenance, alimony: support.—v.t. to support, sustain: make provision for the maintenance of.—adjs. Aliment′al, supplying food; Aliment′ary, pertaining to aliment: nutritive.—ns. Alimentā′tion, the act or state of nourishing or of being nourished; Aliment′iveness (phrenol.), desire for food or drink; Al′imony, an allowance for support made to a wife when legally separated from her husband, or temporarily while the process is pending.—Alimentary canal, the principal part of the digestive apparatus of animals, in man extending, with convolutions, about 30 feet from the mouth to the anus—including pharynx, œsophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, &c. [L. alimentum—alĕre, to nourish.]

Alineation. See Allineation.

Aliped, al′i-ped, adj. wing-footed.—n. an animal whose toes are connected by a membrane serving as a wing, as the bat. [L. alipes—ala, a wing, and pes, pedis, a foot.]

Aliquant, al′i-kwant, adj. an aliquant part of a number is one that will not divide it without a remainder, thus 5 is an aliquant part of 12. [L. aliquantum, somewhat, alius, another, and quantus, how great.]

Aliquot, al′i-kwot, adj. such a part of a number as will divide it without a remainder. [L. aliquot, some, several—alius, other, quot, how many.]

Alisma, al-iz′ma, n. a small genus of aquatic plants, the chief being the common water-plantain. [Gr.]

Alive, a-līv′, adj. in life: susceptible. [Prep. a = on, and A.S. lífe, dat. of líf, life.]

Alizarin, a-liz′a-rēn, n. a colouring matter used in the dyeing of Turkey red, formerly extracted from madder, the commercial name of which in the Levant is alizari. [Fr.; Ar. al, the, and 'açārah, juice pressed out.]

Alkahest, Alcahest, al′ka-hest, n. the universal solvent of the alchemists. [A coinage of Paracelsus—on Arabic analogies.]

Alkali, al′ka-li, or -lī, n. (chem.) a substance which combines with an acid and neutralises it, forming a salt. Potash, soda, and lime are alkalies; they have an acrid taste (that of soap), and turn vegetable blues to green:—pl. Al′kalies.—n. Alkales′cency, tendency to become alkaline.—adj. Alkales′cent, tending to become alkaline: slightly alkaline.—n. Alkalim′eter, an instrument for measuring the strength of alkalies.—adj. Alkaline (al′ka-līn, or -lin), having the properties of an alkali.—n. Alkalin′ity.—v.t. Al′kalise, to render alkaline:—pr.p. al′kalīsing; pa.p. al′kalīsed. See Acid. [Ar. al-qalīy, ashes.]

Alkalify, al′ka-li-fī, v.t. to convert into an alkali.—v.i. to become alkaline:—pr.p. al′kalifying; pa.p. al′kalifīed.—adj. Alkalifī′able, capable of being converted into an alkali. [Alkali, and L. facĕre, to make.]

Alkaloid, al′ka-loid, n. a vegetable principle possessing in some degree alkaline properties.—adj. pertaining to or resembling alkali. [Alkali, and Gr. eidos, form or resemblance.]

Alkanet, al′ka-net, n. a plant, native of the Levant and Southern Europe, cultivated for its root, which yields a red colouring matter: the dye itself. [Sp. alcaneta.]

Alkoran, n. Same as Alcoran.

All, awl, adj. the whole of: every one of: any whatever.—adv. wholly: completely: entirely: (Shak.) only, alone.—n. the whole: everything: the totality of things—the universe.—n. All′-Fath′er, God.—All (obs.), entirely, altogether, as in 'all to-brake' (Judges, ix. 53). The prefix to- originally belonged to the verb (tó brecan), but as verbs with this prefix were rarely used without all, the fact was forgotten, and the to was erroneously regarded as belonging to the all. Hence came into use all-to = wholly, utterly; All but, everything short of, almost; All in all, all things in all respects, all or everything together—(adverbially) altogether; All over, thoroughly, entirely; All over with, finished, done with (also coll., All up with); All right, a colloquial phrase expressing assent or approbation; All's one, it is just the same; All to one (obs.), altogether.—After all, when everything has been considered, nevertheless; And all, and everything else; And all that, and all the rest of it, et cetera; At all, in the least degree or to the least extent.—For all, notwithstanding; For good and all, finally.—Once for all, once only. [A.S. all, eal; Ger. all, Gael. uile, W. oll.]

Allah, al′la, n. the Arabic name of the one God. [Ar. al-ilâh, 'the worthy to be adored.']

Allantois, a-lan′tō-is, n. a membranous sac-like appendage for effecting oxygenation in the embryos of mammals, birds, and reptiles.—adjs. Allantō′ic, Allan′toid. [Gr. allas, a sausage.]

Allay, al-lā′, v.t. to lighten, relieve: to make quiet or calm.—n. Allay′ment (obs.), state of being allayed: state of rest: that which allays. [M. E. forms, aleggen, aleyen (A.S. a-lecgan; lecgan, causal of licgan, to lie); identical in form, and accordingly confounded in meaning with M. E. words of Latin origin; alegge (later allege, now obs.)—L. alleviāre; alaye (modern allay, alloy)—L. alligāre; aleye (obs.)—L. allegāre; alegge (modern allege)—Low L. ex-litigāre.]

Allay, an obsolete form of Alloy.

Alledge. Old spelling of Allege.

Allege, al-lej′, v.t. to produce as an argument or plea: to assert: (B.) to give proofs—n. Allegā′tion, an assertion.—p.adj. Alleged′, cited, quoted. [Through O. Fr. forms from Low L. ex-litigāre, to clear at law. See Allay above.]

Allegiance, al-lēj′i-ans, n. the duty of a subject to his liege or sovereign.—adj. Allē′giant. [L. ad, to, and Liege.]

Allegory, al′le-gor-i, n. a description of one thing under the image of another.—adjs. Allegor′ic, -al, in the form of an allegory: figurative.—adv. Allegor′ically.—v.t. Al′legorise, to put in form of an allegory.—v.i. to use allegory.—ns. Al′legorist, one who uses allegory; Allegorizā′tion. [Gr. allēgoria; allos, other, and agoreuein, to speak.]

Allegro, al-lē′grō, adv. and adj. (mus.) a word denoting a brisk movement.—adv. and adj. Allegret′to, somewhat brisk. [It.—L. alacer, brisk.]

Alleluia, Alleluiah, al-le-lōō′ya. Same as Halleluiah.

Allemande, al′le-mand, n. a name given to various Germain dances: (mus.) the first movement after the prelude in a suite. [Fr. Allemande, German.]

Allenarly, al-len′ar-li, adv. solely, only—obsolete save only in Scotch conveyancing. [All, and anerly, formed from ane, one.]

Alleviate, al-lēv′i-āt, v.t. to make light: to mitigate.—ns. Alleviā′tion; Allev′iātor. [L. ad, levis, light.]

Alley, al′li, n. a walk in a garden or shrubbery: a passage in a city narrower than a street: a long narrow enclosure for playing at bowls or skittles:—pl. All′eys. [O. Fr. alee (Fr. allée), a passage, from aller, to go, O. Fr. aner, most prob. from L. adnāre, to go to by water, or aditāre, adīre.]

Alley, Ally, al′li, n. a name given by boys to a choice taw or large marble. [Contraction of alabaster, of which it was originally made.]

All-fired, awl-fīrd′, adj. (slang) infernal.—adv. excessively. [A softening of hell-fired, U.S.]

All-fools′-day, awl-fōōlz′-dā, n. April first. [From the sportive deceptions practised on that day.]

All-fours, awl-fōrz′, n.pl. (preceded by on) on four legs, or on two hands and two feet: a game at cards played by two, so called from the four particulars by which the reckoning is made—high, low, Jack, and the game: also a game at dominoes.

All-hail, awl-hāl′, interj. all health! a phrase of salutation. [See Hail, interj.]

All-hallow, awl-hal′lō, All-hallows, awl-hal′lōz, n. the day of all the holy ones. See All-saints. [All and Hallow.]

All-hallow-mass. See Hallow-mass.

All-hallown, awl-hal′lōn, n. (Shak.) fine summer weather late in the season—near All-hallows-day.

All-hallow-tide, awl-hal′lō-tīd, n. the time near All-hallows-day. [See Hallow and Tide.]

Allheal, awl-hēl′, n. (obs.) a balsam for all wounds, a panacea—applied to various plants, as the mistletoe, the great valerian, &c.

Alliaceous, al-li-ā′shus, adj. pertaining to, or having the properties of allium or garlic. [L. allium, garlic.]

Alliance, al-lī′ans, n. state of being allied: union by marriage or treaty. [See Ally.]

Alligation, al-li-gā′shun, n. (arith.) a rule for finding the price of a compound of ingredients of different values. [L. alligatio, a binding together—ad, to, and ligāre, to bind.]

Alligator, al′li-gā-tur, n. an animal of the crocodile genus, found in America. [Sp. el lagarto—L. lacerta, a lizard.]

Allineation, Alineation, al-lin-e-ā′shun, n. the position of two or more bodies in a straight line with a given point.

Allision, al-lizh′un, n. a striking against. [L. allisio, from allidĕre—ad, and lædĕre, to hurt.]

Alliteration, al-lit-ėr-ā′shun, n. the recurrence of the same letter at the beginning of two or more words following close to each other, as in Churchill's 'apt alliteration's artful aid:' the recurrence of the same initial sound in the first accented syllables of words: initial rhyme—the characteristic structure of versification of Old English and Teutonic languages generally. Every alliterative couplet had two accented syllables, containing the same initial consonants, one in each of the two sections.—v.i. Allit′erate, to begin with the same letter: to constitute alliteration.—adj. Allit′erative. [Fr.—L. ad, to, and litera, a letter.]

Allocate, al′lo-kāt, v.t. to place: to assign to each his share.—n. Allocā′tion, act of allocating: allotment: an allowance made upon an account. [L. allocāre, ad, to, and locāre, locus, a place.]

Allocution, al-lo-kū′shun, n. a formal address, esp. of the Pope to his clergy. [L. allocutionem—ad, to, and loqui, locutus, to speak.]

Allodial, al-lō′di-al, adj. held independent of a superior: freehold—opp. to Feudal.

Allodium, al-lō′di-um, n. freehold estate: land held in the possession of the owner without being subject to a feudal superior.—Also Allod, Alod. [Low L. allōdium—Ger. alôd, allôd.]

Allograph, al′lō-graf, n. a writing made by one person on behalf of another. [Gr. allos, other, graphē, writing.]

Allopathy, al-lop′a-thi, n. a name given by homeopathists to the current or orthodox medical practice, to distinguish it from their own Homeopathy.—adj. Allopath′ic—ns. Allop′athist, Allopath. [Coined by Hahnemann (1755-1843), Ger. allopathie—Gr. allos, other, patheia, pathos, suffering.]

Allophylian, al-lō-fīl′i-an, adj. of another race, alien—applied by Prichard (1786-1848) to the Turanian or non-Aryan and non-Semitic languages of Europe and Asia.—n. Allophyle′. [L.—Gr. allophȳlos, of another tribe; allos, other, phȳlē, a tribe.]

Allot, al-lot′, v.t. to divide as by lot: to distribute in portions: to parcel out:—pr.p. allot′ting; pa.p. allot′ted.—n. Allot′ment, the act of allotting: part or share allotted: a portion of a field assigned to a cottager to labour for himself. [O. Fr. aloter; lot is Teut., seen in Goth. hlauts, A.S. hlot.]

Allotropy, al-lot′ro-pi, n. the property in some elements, as carbon, of existing in more than one form.—adj. Allot′ropic. [Gr.; allos, another, and tropos, form.]

Alloverishness, awl-ō′vėr-ish-nes, n. a general sense of indisposition over the whole body, a feeling of discomfort, malaise.—adj. Allō′verish.

Allow, al-low′, v.t. to grant: to permit: to acknowledge: to abate: make allowance for: (obs.) invest, entrust: assert, say (coll. in U.S.).—adj. Allow′able, that may be allowed: not forbidden: lawful.—n. Allow′ableness.—adv. Allow′ably.—n. Allow′ance, that which is allowed: a limited portion of anything: a stated quantity—of money, &c., to meet expenses: abatement: approbation: permission.—v.t. to put any one upon an allowance: to supply anything in limited quantities.—To make allowance for, to take excusing circumstances into account. [O. Fr. alouer, to grant—L. ad, to, and locāre, to place.—Allow, in the sense of approve or sanction, as used in B. and by old writers, has its root in L. allaudāre—ad-, and laudāre, to praise.]

Alloy, al-loi′, v.t. to mix one metal with another: to reduce the purity of a metal by mixing a baser one with it: (fig.) to debase: to temper or qualify.—n. a mixture of two or more metals (when mercury is one of the ingredients, it is an amalgam): a baser metal mixed with a finer: anything that deteriorates.—n. Alloy′age, the act of alloying or mixing metals: a mixture of different metals. [O. Fr. alei (Fr. aloi), aleier—L. alligāre. The modern Fr. words aloi and aloyer were confounded with Fr. à loi, to law, and the same confusion was transferred into English.]

All-saints'-day, awl-sānts′-dā, n. November 1, a feast of the Church in honour of all the saints collectively. [See All-hallows.]

All-souls'-day, awl-sōlz′-dā, n. November 2, a feast of the Roman Catholic Church kept in commemoration of all the faithful departed, for the eternal repose of their souls.

Allspice, awl′spīs, n. a name given to a kind of spice called Pimenta or Jamaica pepper, from its being supposed to combine the flavour of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. [All and Spice.]

Allude, al-lūd′, v.i. to mention slightly, or convey an indirect reference to, in passing: to refer to.—n. Allū′sion, an indirect reference.—adj. Allus′ive, alluding to: hinting at: referring to indirectly.—adv. Allus′ively.—Allusive arms (her.), also canting or punning arms, and armes parlantes, those in which the charges convey reference to the bearer's name or title, as the column of the Colonna family, the Vele calf (O. Fr. veël, a calf), the Arundel martlets (O. Fr. arondel, a young swallow). [L. alludĕre—ad, at, ludĕre, lusum, to play.]

Allumette, al-ū-mėt′, n. a match for lighting. [Fr.]

Allure, al-lūr′, v.t. to draw on as by a lure or bait: to entice.—n. Allure′ment.—adj. Allur′ing, enticing: seductive: charming.—adv. Allur′ingly. [O. Fr. alurer—à, to, lurer, to Lure.]

Alluvion, al-lū′vi-un, n. land gained from the sea by the washing up of sand and earth. [L. alluvio—alluĕre. See Alluvium.]

Alluvium, al-lū′vi-um, n. the mass of water-borne matter deposited by rivers on lower lands:—pl. Allū′via.—adj. Allū′vial. [L.—alluĕre, to wash to or on—ad, and luĕre = lavāre, to wash.]

Ally, al-lī′, v.t. to form a relation by marriage, friendship, treaty, or resemblance.—pa.p. and adj. Allied′.—n. Ally (al-lī′, or al′lī), a confederate: a prince or state united by treaty or league:—pl. Allīes′, or Al′līes. [O. Fr. alier—L. alligāre—ad, to, ligāre, to bind.]

Alma, Almah, al′ma, n. an Egyptian dancing-girl.—Also Alme, Almeh. [Ar. ‛almah, learned, ‛alamah, to know.]

Almacantar, al-mak-an′tar, n. a name for circles of altitude parallel to the horizon, and hence for an astronomical instrument for determining time and latitude. [Ar. almuqantarāt, qantarah, an arch.]

Almagest, al′ma-jest, n. a collection of problems in geometry and astronomy, drawn up by the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy (about 140 A.D.), so named by the Arabs as the greatest and largest on the subject. [Ar. al, the, and Gr. megistos, greatest.]

Almain, al′mān, n. (obs.) an inhabitant of Germany: a kind of dance music in slow time. [Fr. Allemand—Allemanni, an ancient German tribe.]

Almanac, al′ma-nak, n. a register of the days, weeks, and months of the year, &c.—n. Almanog′rapher, an almanac-maker. [Most prob. the original of the word as in Fr., It., and Sp. was a Spanish-Arabic al-manākh. Eusebius has almenichiaka, an Egyptian word, prob. sig. 'daily observation of things,' but the history of the word has not been traced, and it is hazardous without evidence to connect this with the Arabic word.]

Almandine, al′man-dīn, n. a red transparent variety of the garnet.—Also Al′mandin. [Earlier Alabandine—Low L. alabandina—Alabanda, a town in Caria, a province of Asia Minor, where it was found.]

Almighty, awl-mīt′i, adj. possessing all might or power: omnipotent: very powerful generally: (slang) mighty, great.—Older form Almight′.—adv. Almight′ily.—ns. Almight′iness, Almight′yship.—The Almighty, God; The almighty dollar, a phrase of Washington Irving's, expressive of the greatness of the power of money. [A.S. ælmeahtig. See All and Mighty.]

Almner, an old spelling of Almoner.

Almond, ä′mund, n. the fruit of the almond-tree.—n.pl. Almonds (ä′mundz), the tonsils or glands of the throat, so called from their resemblance to the fruit of the almond-tree. [O. Fr. almande (Fr. amande)—L. amygdalum—Gr. amygdalē.]

Almoner, al′mun-ėr, n. a distributer of alms.—n. Al′monry, the place where alms are distributed. [O. Fr. aumoner, aumonier (Fr. aumônier)—Low L. eleemosynarius (adj.). See Alms.]

Almost, awl′mōst, adv. nearly, all but, very nearly. [All and Most.]

Almry, äm′ri, n. Same as Almonry.

Alms, ämz, n. relief given out of pity to the poor.—ns. Alms′-deed, a charitable deed; Alms′-drink (Shak.), leavings of drink; Alms′-fee, an annual tax of one penny on every hearth, formerly sent from England to Rome, Peter's pence; Alms′house, a house endowed for the support and lodging of the poor; Alms′-man, a man who lives by alms. [A.S. ælmysse, through Late L., from Gr. eleēmosynē—eleos, compassion. Dr Murray notes the Scot. and North Country almous, awmous, as an independent adoption of the cognate Norse almusa; and the legal Almoign, Almoin, perpetual tenure by free gift of charity, from O. Fr., perhaps due to a confusion with alimonium.]

Almuce, an early form of Amice.

Almug, al′mug, n. the wood of a tree described in the Bible as brought from Ophir in the time of Solomon, for the house and temple at Jerusalem, and for musical instruments—probably the red sandalwood of India. [Heb. algummîm, almuggîm. The better form is Algum.]

Aloe, al′ō, n. a genus of plants of considerable medicinal importance, of the 200 species of which as many as 170 are indigenous to the Cape Colony.—The so-called American Aloe is a totally different plant (see Agave).—adj. Al′oed, planted or shaded with aloes.—The Aloes wood of the Bible was the heart-wood of Aquilaria ovata and Aquilaria Agallochum, large spreading trees. The wood contains a dark-coloured, fragrant, resinous substance, much prized for the odour it diffuses in burning. [The word was used erroneously in the Septuagint and New Testament as a translation of the Heb. ahālīm, ahālōth (Gr. agallochon), an aromatic resin or wood—called later in Gr. xylaloē, from which descend lignum aloes, lign-aloes, wood-aloes, and aloes-wood.—A.S. aluwan—L. aloē—Gr. aloē.]

Aloes, al′ōz, a purgative bitter drug, the inspissated juice of the leaves of several almost tree-like species of aloe. Used both as a sing. n., and as a pl. of Aloe.—n. and adj. Aloet′ic, a medicine containing a large proportion of aloes.

Aloft, a-loft′, adv. on high: overhead: at a great height: (naut.) above the deck, at the masthead: sometimes used as equivalent to aloof (Mad. D'Arblay). [Scand.; Icel. á lopt (pron. loft), expressing motion; á lopti, expressing position. Pfx. a- = Icel. á = A.S. on, in. See Loft.]

Alone, al-ōn′, adj. single: solitary: alone of its kind: of itself, or by themselves.—adv. singly, by one's self only.—n. Alone′ness [All and One.]

Along, a-long′, adv. by or through the length of: lengthwise: throughout: onward: (fol. by with) in company of.—prep. by the side of: near.—n.pl. Along′shore-men, labourers employed about the docks or wharves in the Thames and other rivers.—prep. Along′side, by the side, beside.—Along of, (arch. or dial.) owing to. [A.S. andlang—pfx. and-, against, and lang, Long.]

Alongst, a-longst′, prep. (obs. except dial.) along: by the length. [M. E. alongest, from along, with adv. gen. -es.]

Aloof, a-lōōf′, adv. at a distance: apart.—n. Aloof′ness, withdrawal from common action or sympathy. [Pfx. a- (—A.S. on), on, and Loof, prob. Dut. loef. See Luff.]

Alopecia, al-o-pē′si-a, n. baldness: a skin-disease producing this. [Gr. alopekia, fox-mange.]

Aloud, a-lowd′, adv. with a loud voice: loudly. [Prep. a (—A.S. on), and hlúd, noise; Ger. laut.]

Alow, a-lō′, adv. in a low place—opp. to Aloft.

Alow, al-low′, adv. (Scot.) ablaze. [Prep. a, and Low, a flame.]

Alp, alp, n. a high mountain:—pl. Alps, specially applied to the lofty ranges of Switzerland.—adjs. Alp′en; Alpine (alp′in, or alp′īn), pertaining to the Alps, or to any lofty mountains: very high.—ns. Al′pinist, Alpes′trian, one devoted to Alpine climbing. [L.; of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. alp, a mountain; allied to L. albus, white (with snow).]

Alpaca, al-pak′a, n. the Peruvian sheep, akin to the llama, having long silken wool: cloth made of its wool. [Sp. alpaca or al-paco, from al, Arab. article, and paco, most prob. a Peruvian word.]

Alpenhorn, al′pen-horn, n. a long powerful horn, wide and curved at the mouth, used chiefly by Alpine cowherds.—Also Alp′horn. [Gr. Alpen, of the Alps, horn, horn.]

Alpenstock, alp′n-stok, n. a long stick or staff used by travellers in climbing the Alps. [Ger. Alpen, of the Alps; stock, stick.]

Alpha, al′fa, n. the first letter of the Greek alphabet: the first or beginning. [Gr. alpha—Heb. aleph, an ox, the name of the first letter of the Phœnician and Hebrew alphabet. See A.]

Alphabet, al′fa-bet, n. the letters of a language arranged in the usual order.—n. Alphabetā′rian, one learning his alphabet, a beginner: a student of alphabets.—adjs. Alphabet′ic, -al, relating to or in the order of an alphabet.—adv. Alphabet′ically.—v.t. Al′phabetise, to arrange alphabetically:—pr.p. al′phabetīsing; pa.p. al′phabetīsed. [Gr. alpha, beta, the first two Greek letters.]

Alphonsine, al′fons-īn, adj. of Alphonso (X.) the Wise, king of Castile, pertaining to his planetary tables, completed in 1252.

Already, awl-red′i, adv. previously, or before the time specified.—Sometimes used adjectively = present. [All and Ready.]

Als, an old form of Also.

Alsatian, al-sā′shi-an, adj. of or pertaining to Alsatia (Ger. Elsass), a province between France and Germany.—n. a rogue or debauchee, such as haunted Alsatia—a cant name for Whitefriars, a district in London between the Thames and Fleet Street, which enjoyed privileges of sanctuary down to 1697, and was consequently infested with lawless characters. See Scott's Fortunes of Nigel.

Also, awl′so, adv. in like manner: further. [Compounded of all and so; A.S. al and swá.]

Alt, alt, n. high tone, in voice or instrument.—In alt, in the octave above the treble stave beginning with G; (fig.) in an exalted and high-flown mood.

Altaltissimo, alt-al-tis′si-mo, n. the very highest summit. [It. reduplicated comp. of alto, high, and altissimo, highest.]

Altar, awlt′ar, n. an elevated place or structure, block or stone, or the like, on which sacrifices were anciently offered: in Christian churches, the table on which the officiating priest consecrates the eucharist: the communion table: (fig.) a place of worship.—ns. Alt′arage, offerings made upon the altar during the offertory, provided for the maintenance of the priest; Alt′ar-cloth, the covering of the altar, placed over and around it, of silk, velvet, satin, or cloth, often used as including the frontal (antependium), and the super-frontal; Alt′arpiece, a decorative screen, retable, or reredos, placed behind an altar—a work of art, whether a sacred painting or sculpture.—n.pl. Alt′ar-rails, rails separating the sacrarium from the rest of the chancel.—ns. Alt′ar-stone, the slab forming the top or chief part of an altar; Alt′ar-tomb, a monumental memorial, in form like an altar, often with a canopy. These were often placed over the vaults or burying-place, and frequently on the north and south walls of choirs, aisles, and chantry chapels.—adj. Alt′arwise, placed like an altar—north and south, at the upper end of the chancel.—Family altar, the practice or the place of private devotional worship in the family; High altar, the principal altar in a cathedral or other church having more than one altar; Portable altar, a small tablet of marble, jasper, or precious stone, used by special license for Mass when said away from the parish altar, in oratories or other similar places. It was termed super-altare, because commonly placed upon some other altar, or some fitting construction of wood or stone. [L. altāre—altus, high.]

Altazimuth, alt-az′i-muth, n. an instrument devised by Sir G. B. Airy for determining the apparent places of the heavenly bodies on the celestial sphere. [A contr. for 'altitude and azimuth instrument.']

Alter, awl′tėr, v.t. to make different: to change: (U.S.) to castrate.—v.i. to become different: to vary.—ns. Alterabil′ity, Al′terableness.—adj. Al′terable, that may be altered.—adv. Al′terably.—adj. Al′terant, altering: having the power of producing changes.—n. Alterā′tion, change.—adj. Al′terative, having power to alter.—n. a medicine that makes a change in the vital functions.—n. Alter′ity (Coleridge), the state of being other or different. [L. alter, another—al (root of alius, other), and the old comp. suffix -ter = Eng. -ther.]

Altercate, al′tėr-kāt, v.i. to dispute or wrangle.—n. Altercā′tion, contention: controversy.—adj. Altercā′tive. [L. altercāri, -catus, to bandy words from one to the other (alter).]

Alter ego, al′tėr ē′go, n. second self, counterpart, double. [L. alter, other; ego, I.]

Alternate, al′tėr-nāt, or al-tėr′nāt, v.t. to cause to follow by turns or one after the other.—v.i. to happen by turns: to follow every other or second time—also Al′ternise.—adjs. Al′tern (Milton), alternate, acting by turns; Alter′nant (geol.), in alternate layers; Alter′nate, one after the other: by turns.—adv. Alter′nately.—ns. Alter′nateness, Alter′nacy (rare); Alternā′tion, the act of alternating: interchange: reading or singing antiphonally.—adj. Alter′native, offering a choice of two things.—n. a choice between two things.—adv. Alter′natively. [L. alter, other.]

Althæa, al-thē′a, n. a genus of plants including the marsh mallow and the hollyhock. [Gr.]

Although, awl-thō′, conj. admitting all that: notwithstanding that. [See Though.]

Altimeter, al-tim′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring heights.—adj. Altimet′rical.—n. Altim′etry. [L. altus, high, and Meter.]

Altissimo, al-tis′si-mo, adj. (mus.) in phrase 'in altissimo,' in the second octave above the treble stave beginning with G. [It. altissimo, superl. of alto, high.]

Altitude, alt′i-tude, n. height: a point or position at a height above the sea: high rank or eminence.—n.pl. Alt′itudes, passion, excitement.—adj. Altitū′dinal.—n. Altitudinā′rian, one given to flightiness in doctrine or belief. [L. altitudo—altus, high.]

Alto, alt′o, n. (mus.) properly the same as counter-tenor, the male voice of the highest pitch (now principally falsetto), and not the lowest female voice, which is properly contralto, though in printed music the second part in a quartet is always called alto. [It.—L. altus, high.]

Altogether, awl-too-geth′ėr, adv. all together: wholly: completely: without exception.

Alto-relievo, Alto-rilievo, alt′o-re-lē′vo, n. high relief: figures projected by at least half their thickness from the background on which they are sculptured. [It. alto, high. See Relief.]

Altruism, al′trōō-ism, n. the principle of living and acting for the interest of others.—adj. Altruist′ic.—adv. Altruist′ically. [Fr. altruisme, formed by Comte from It. altrui—L. alter, another.]

Alum, al′um, n. a mineral salt, the double sulphate of alumina and potash, used as a mordant in dyeing and for many purposes.—adj. Al′umish, having the character or taste of alum.—ns. Al′um-shale, or -slate, a slate consisting mainly of clay, iron pyrites, and coaly matter, from which alum is obtained. [L. alumen.]

Alumina, al-ū′min-a, Alumine, al′ū-min, n. one of the earths, the characteristic ingredient of common clay—the oxide of aluminium.—adj. Alū′minous, containing alum or alumina. [L. alumen, alum.]

Aluminium, al-ū-min′i-um, n. the metallic base of alumina; a metal somewhat resembling silver, and remarkable for its lightness, now made from Bauxite.—Aluminium bronze, an alloy lighter than gold, but like it in colour. [First called Aluminum by the discoverer, Sir H. Davy (1778-1829).]

Alumnus, al-um′nus, n. one educated at a college is called an alumnus of it:—pl. Alum′ni.—n. Alum′niate, the period of pupilage. [L.,—alĕre, to nourish.]

Alunite, al′un-īt, n. a mineral consisting of common alum together with normal hydrate of aluminium.—Also Alum-stone, Alumin′ilite.

Alure, al-lūr′, n. (obs.) a place to walk in, a gallery, a covered passage. [O. Fr. aleure, aller, to go.]

Alveary, al′ve-ar-i, n. a beehive: (anat.) the hollow of the external ear.—adj. Al′veolate, pitted like a honeycomb. [L. alvearium, beehive—alveus, a hollow vessel.]

Alveolar, al′ve-o-lar, adj. (anat.) of or belonging to the sockets of the teeth, as the alveolar arch, the part of the upper jaw in which the teeth are placed—also Al′veolary.—n. Al′veole, the hollow or socket of a tooth—more common Alvē′olus.

Alvine, al′vin, adj. of or from the belly. [From L. alvus, belly.]

Always, awl′wāz, Alway, awl′wā, adv. through all ways: continually: for ever. [Gen. case of Alway.]

Am, am, the 1st pers. sing, of the verb To be. [A.S. eom; Gr. ei-mi; Lat. s-u-m (as-(u)-mi); Goth. -im; Sans. as-mi.]

Amadou, am′a-dōō, n. a soft spongy substance, growing as a fungus on forest trees, used as a styptic and as tinder. [Fr. amadouer, to allure (as in the phrase 'to coax a fire'); prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Norse mata, to feed.]

Amain, a-mān′, adv. with main force or strength: violently: at full speed: exceedingly. [Pfx. a- = on, and Main.]

Amalgam, a-mal′gam, n. a compound of mercury with another metal: any soft mixture: a combination of various elements: one of the ingredients in an alloy.—v.t. Amal′gamate, to mix mercury with another metal: to compound.—v.i. to unite in an amalgam: to blend.—n. Amalgamā′tion, the blending of different things: a homogeneous union of diverse elements.—adj. Amalgamā′tive. [L. and Gr. malagma, an emollient—Gr. malassein, to soften.]

Amandine, am′an-din, n. a kind of cold cream prepared from sweet almonds. [Fr.—amande, almond.]

Amanuensis, a-man-ū-en′sis, n. one who writes to dictation: a copyist: a secretary:—pl. Amanuen′sēs. [L.—ab, from, and manus, the hand.]

Amaracus, a-mar′a-kus, n. (Tennyson) marjoram. [L.—Gr.]

Amaranth, -us, am′ar-anth, -us, n. a genus of plants with richly-coloured flowers, that last long without withering, as Love-lies-bleeding, early employed as an emblem of immortality.—adj. Amaranth′ine, pertaining to amaranth: unfading. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. amarantos, unfading—a, neg., and root mar, to waste away; allied to L. mori, to die.]

Amaryllis, am-a-ril′is, n. a genus of bulbous-rooted plants, including the narcissus, jonquil, &c. [Amaryllis, the name of a country girl in Theocritus and Virgil.]

Amass, a-mas′, v.t. to gather in large quantity: to accumulate.—adjs. Amass′able.—pa.p. Amassed′.—n. Amass′ment. [Fr. amasser—L. ad, to, and massa, a mass.]

Amasthenic, am-as-then′ik, adj. uniting all the chemical rays of light into one focus, applied to a lens perfect for photographic purposes. [Gr. hama, together, sthenos, force.]

Amate, a-māt′, v.t. to accompany: (Spens.) to match. [Pfx. a-, and Mate.]

Amate, a-māt′, v.t. (arch.) to subdue, to daunt, to stupefy. [O. Fr. amatir, to subdue.]

Amateur, am′at-ūr, or am-at-ār′, n. one who cultivates a particular study or art for the love of it, and not professionally: in general terms, one who plays a game for pleasure, as distinguished from a professional who plays for money—nearly every game has its special definition to meet its own requirements.—adjs. Amateur; Amateur′ish, imperfect and defective, as the work of an amateur rather than a professional hand.—adv. Amateur′ishly.—ns. Amateur′ishness; Amateur′ism, Amateur′ship. [Fr.—L. amator, a lover, amāre, to love.]

Amative, am′at-iv, adj. relating to love: amorous.—n. Am′ativeness, propensity to love or to sexuality. [From L. amāre, -ātum, to love.]

Amatory, am′at-or-i, adj. relating to or causing love: affectionate.—adjs. Am′atory, Amatō′rial, Amatō′rian (obs.).—adv. Amatō′rially.

Amaurosis, am-aw-rō′sis, n. total blindness when no change can be seen in the eye sufficient to account for it; Amblyopia being partial loss of sight under similar circumstances. The old name was Gutta serena—the 'drop serene' of Paradise Lost, iii. 25.—adj. Amaurō′tic. [Gr. amaurōsis, amauros, dark.]

Amaze, a-māz′, v.t. to confound with surprise or wonder.—n. astonishment: perplexity (much less common than Amaze′ment).—adv. Amaz′edly, with amazement or wonder.—n. Amaze′ment, Amaz′edness (rare), surprise mingled with wonder: astonishment.—p.adj. Amaze′ing, causing amazement, astonishment: astonishing.—adv. Amaz′ingly. [Pfx. a-, and Maze.]

Amazon, am′az-on, n. one of a fabled nation of female warriors: a masculine woman: a virago.—adj. Amazō′nian, of or like an Amazon: of masculine manners: warlike. [Popular Gr. ety. from a, neg., mazos, a breast—they being fabled to cut off the right breast that they might draw the bow to its head (of course all this is idle); some have suggested an original in the Circassian maza, the moon.]

Ambage, am′bāj, n. roundabout phrases: circuitous paths, windings: dark and mysterious courses:—pl. Am′bages.—adj. Ambā′gious, circumlocutory: circuitous.—adv. Ambā′giously.—n. Ambā′giousness—adj. Ambā′gitory (rare).

Ambassador, am-bas′a-dur, n. a diplomatic minister of the highest order sent by one sovereign power to another:—fem. Ambass′adress.—adj. Ambassadō′rial.—n. Ambass′adorship.—n. Ambass′age—now usually Embassage, the position, or the business, of an ambassador: a number of men despatched on an embassy or mission.—Ambassador Extraordinary, an ambassador sent on a special occasion, as distinguished from the ordinary or resident ambassador. [It. ambasciadore—L. ambactus, derived by Grimm from Goth. andbahts, a servant, whence Ger. amt, office; by Zeuss and others traced to a Celtic source, and identified with W. amaeth, a husbandman.]

Ambe, am′bē, n. an old mechanical contrivance, ascribed to Hippocrates, for reducing dislocations of the shoulder. [Gr. ambē, Ionic for ambōn, a ridge.]

Amber, am′bėr, n. a yellowish fossil resin, used in making ornaments.—adjs. Am′bered (obs.), flavoured with amber or ambergris; Amb′ery. [Fr.—Ar. ‛anbar, ambergris.]

Ambergris, am′bėr-grēs, n. a fragrant substance of an ash-gray colour, found floating on the sea or on the seacoast of warm countries, and in the intestines of the spermaceti whale. [Fr. ambre gris, gray amber.]

Amberite, am′be-rīt, n. a smokeless powder.

Ambidexter, am-bi-deks′tėr, adj. and n. able to use both hands with equal facility: double-dealing, or a double-dealer.—n. Ambi′dexter′ity, superior cleverness or adaptability.—adj. Ambidex′trous. [L. ambo, both, dexter, right hand.]

Ambient, am′bi-ent, adj. going round: surrounding: investing.—n. an encompassing sphere: the air or sky. [L. ambi, about, iens, ientis, pr.p. of eo, īre, to go.]

Ambiguous, am-big′ū-us, adj. of doubtful signification: indistinct: wavering or uncertain: equivocal.—n. Ambigū′ity, uncertainty or dubiousness of meaning—also Ambig′uousness.—adv. Ambig′uously. [L. ambiguus—ambigĕre, to go about—ambi, about, agĕre, to drive.]

Ambit, am′bit, n. a circuit: a space surrounding a house or town: extent of meaning of words, &c.

Ambition, am-bish′un, n. the desire of power, honour, fame, excellence.—n. Ambi′tionist (Carlyle), an ambitious man.—adj. Ambi′tious, full of ambition (with of, formerly for): strongly desirous of anything—esp. power: aspiring: indicating ambition: showy or pretentious.—adv. Ambi′tiously.—n. Ambi′tiousness. [Fr.—L. ambition-em, the going about—that is, the canvassing for votes practised by candidates for office in Rome—ambi, about, and īre, itum, to go.]

Amble, am′bl, v.i. to move as a horse by lifting together both legs on one side alternately with those on the other side: to move at an easy pace affectedly.—n. a pace of a horse between a trot and a walk.—n. Am′bler, a horse that ambles: one who ambles in walking or dancing.—n. and adj. Am′bling. [Fr. ambler—L. ambulā-re, to walk about.]

Amblygon, am′bli-gon, adj. obtuse-angled. [Gr. amblus, obtuse, gonia, angle.]

Amblyopia, am-bli-ō′pi-a, n. dullness of sight (see Amaurosis).—n. Amblyop′sis, the bony fish found in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the rudimentariness of whose eyes is due to darkness and consequent disuse. [Gr.—amblys, dull, ōps, eye.]

Amblystoma, am-blis′tō-ma, n. a genus of tailed amphibians in the gill-less or salamandroid sub-order—the adult form of axolotl. [Gr. amblys, blunt, stoma, mouth.]

Ambo, am′bō, n. a kind of reading-desk or pulpit, which in early Christian churches was placed in the choir. The ambo had two ascents—one from the east, and the other from the west. [Gr. ambōn, a rising.]

Ambrosia, am-brō′zhi-a, n. the fabled food of the gods, which gave immortal youth and beauty to those who ate it: the anointing oil of the gods: any finely-flavoured beverage: something delightfully sweet and pleasing.—adj. Ambrō′sial, fragrant: delicious: immortal: heavenly.—adv. Ambrō′sially.—adj. Ambrō′sian, relating to ambrosia: relating to St Ambrose, bishop of Milan in the 4th century. [L.—Gr. ambrosios = ambrotos, immortal—a, neg., and brotos, mortal, for mrotos, Sans. mrita, dead—mri (L. mori), to die.]

Ambry, am′bri, n. a niche in churches in which the sacred utensils were kept: a cupboard for victuals. [O. Fr. armarie, a repository for arms (Fr. armoire, a cupboard)—L. armarium, a chest for arms—arma, arms.]

Ambs-ace, āmz′-ās, n. double ace: the lowest possible throw at dice: ill-luck: worthlessness. [O. Fr. ambes as—L. ambas as. See Ace.]

Ambulacrum, am-bū-lā′krum, n. a row of pores in the shell of an echinoderm, as a sea-urchin, through which the tube-feet protrude.—adj. Ambulā′cral. [L., a walk—ambulāre, to walk.]

Ambulance, am′būl-ans, n. a carriage which follows an army and serves as a movable hospital for the wounded—also used as an adj., as in ambulance wagon.—n. Ambulan′cier, a man attached to an ambulance.—adj. Am′bulant, walking: moving from place to place: (rare) unfixed.—v.t. and v.i. Am′bulate (rare), to walk.—p.adj. Am′bulating.—n. Ambulā′tion.—adj. Am′bulatory, having the power or faculty of walking: moving from place to place, not stationary: mutable.—n. any part of a building intended for walking in, as the aisles of a church, or the cloisters of a monastery: any kind of corridor. [Fr.—L. ambulans, -antis, pr.p. of ambulāre, to walk about.]

Ambuscade, am′busk-ād, n. a hiding to attack by surprise: a body of troops in concealment: the hidden place of ambush—used also as a verb.—n. Ambuscā′do, a now archaic form of Ambuscade (common in 17th century):—pl. Ambuscā′does. [Fr. embuscade. See Ambush.]

Ambush, am′boosh, n. and v. same meanings as Ambuscade.—n. Am′bushment (B.), ambush. [O. Fr. embusche (mod. embûche), embuscher, Low L. emboscāre—in-, in, and boscus, a bush.]

Ameer, or Amere, a-mēr′, n. a title of honour, also of an independent ruler in Mohammedan countries. [Ar. amīr. See Admiral.]

Ameliorate, a-mēl′yor-āt, v.t. to make better: to improve.—v.i. to grow better.—n. Ameliorā′tion, the condition of being made better: improvement or the means of such.—adj. Amel′iorative. [L. ad, to, and melior, better.]

Amen, ā′men′, or ä′men′, interj. so let it be!—v.t. to say amen to anything, to ratify solemnly. [Gr.—Heb. āmēn, firm, true.]

Amenable, a-mēn′a-bl, adj. easy to be led or governed: liable or subject to.—ns. Amenabil′ity, Amen′ableness.—adv. Amen′ably. [Fr. amener, to lead—a = L. ad, and mener, to lead—Low L. mināre, to lead, to drive (as cattle)—L. mināri, to threaten.]

Amenage, am′e-nāj, v.t. (Spens.) to manage. [O. Fr. amenager. See Manage.]

Amenance, am′e-nans, n. (Spens.) conduct, behaviour. [O. Fr. amenance, from root of Amenable.]

Amend, a-mend′, v.t. to correct: to improve: to alter in detail, as a bill before parliament, often so fundamentally as to overthrow entirely the thing originally proposed.—v.i. to grow or become better.—adjs. Amend′able, Amend′atory, corrective.—n. Amend′ment, correction: improvement: an alteration proposed on a bill under consideration: a counter-proposal put before a public meeting: a counter-motion.—n.pl. Amends′, supply of a loss: compensation: reparation. [Fr. amender for emender—L. emendāre, to remove a fault—e, ex, out of, and menda, a fault.]

Amende, ä-mend′, n. a fine, penalty.—Amende honorable, a public confession and apology made for any offence. [Fr. See Amend.]

Amenity, am-en′i-ti, n. pleasantness, as regards situation, climate, manners, or disposition. [Fr. aménité—L. amœnitas—amœnus, pleasant, from root of am-āre, to love.]

Amenorrhœa, Amenorrhea, a-men-ō-rē′a, n. absence of menstruation. [From Gr. a, priv., mēn, month, roia, a flowing.]

Amentum, a-men′tum, Ament, am′ent, n. a scaly sort of spike, as of the willow: a catkin:—pl. Amen′ta.—adjs. Amentā′ceous, Amen′tal. [L. amentum, thong.]

Amerce, a-mėrs′, v.t. to punish by a fine: to deprive of anything, or inflict loss upon.—n. Amerce′ment, a penalty inflicted—also Amerc′iament. [O. Fr. amercier, to impose a fine—L. merces, wages, fine.]

American, a-mer′ik-an, adj. pertaining to America, esp. to the United States.—n. a native of America.—v.t. Amer′icanise, to render American.—n. Amer′icanism, a custom, characteristic, word, phrase, or idiom peculiar to Americans: condition of being an American citizen: devotion to American institutions. [From America, so called unfairly from Amerigo Vespucci, a navigator who explored a small part of South America seven years after the first voyage of Columbus.]

Amethyst, a′meth-ist, n. a bluish-violet variety of quartz of which drinking cups used to be made, which the ancients supposed prevented drunkenness.—adj. Amethyst′ine, [Gr. amethystos—a, neg., methy-ein, to be drunken—methū, wine, cog. with Eng. mead, Sans. madhu, sweet.]

Amiable, ām′i-a-bl, adj. lovable: worthy of love: of sweet disposition.—ns. Amiabil′ity, Am′iableness, quality of being amiable, or of exciting love.—adv. Am′iably. [O. Fr. amiable, friendly—L. amicabilis, from amicus, a friend; there is a confusion in meaning with O. Fr. amable (mod. Fr. aimable), lovable—L. amabilis—am-āre, to love.]

Amiantus, a-mi-ant′us, n. the finest fibrous variety of asbestos—it can be made into cloth which when stained is readily cleansed by fire.—Also Amianth′us. [Gr. amiantos, unpollutable—a, neg.,and miain-ein, to soil.]

Amicable, am′ik-a-bl, adj. friendly.—ns. Amicabil′ity, Am′icableness.—adv. Am′icably. [L. amicabilis—amicus, a friend, am-āre, to love.]

Amice, am′is, n. a flowing cloak formerly worn by priests and pilgrims: a strip of fine linen, with a piece of embroidered cloth sewn upon it, worn formerly on the head, now upon the shoulders, by Roman Catholic priests in the service of the Mass. [O. Fr. amit—L. amictus, amic-ĕre, to wrap about—amb, about, and jac-ĕre, to throw.]

Amice, am′is, n. a furred hood with long ends hanging down in front, originally a cap or covering for the head, afterwards a hood, or cape with a hood, later a mere college hood. [O. Fr. aumuce, of doubtful origin; but at any rate cog. with Ger. mutse, mütze, Scot. mutch.]

Amid, a-mid′, Amidst, a-midst′, prep. in the middle or midst: among.—adv. Amid′most (W. Morris), in the very middle of.—adv. and n. Amid′ships, half-way between the stem and stern of a ship, [a, on, and Mid.]

Amide, am′īd, n. one of the compound ammonias derived from one or more molecules of common ammonia, by exchanging one or more of the three hydrogen atoms for acid radicals of equivalent acidity.

Amine, am′īn, n. one of the compound ammonias, in which one or more of the three hydrogen atoms in ammonia are exchanged for alcohol or other positive radicals, or for a metal.

Amildar, am′il-dar, n. a factor or manager in India: a collector of revenue amongst the Mahrattas. [Hind. ‛amaldār—Ar. ‛amal, work.]

Amir, a-mēr′. Same as Ameer.

Amiss, a-mis′, adj. in error: wrong.—adv. in a faulty manner.—n. Amiss′ibility.—adjs. Amiss′ible; Amiss′ing, wanting, lost. [a, on, and Miss, failure.]

Amity, am′i-ti, n. friendship: good-will. [Fr. amitié—ami—L. amicitia, friendship, amicus, a friend. See Amicable.]

Ammiral, an old spelling of Admiral.

Ammonia, am-mōn′i-a, n. a pungent gas yielded by smelling-salts, burning feathers, &c.: a solution of ammonia in water (properly liquid ammonia): a name of a large series of compounds, analogous to ammonia, including amines, amides, and alkalamides.—adjs. Ammon′iac, Ammonī′acal, pertaining to, or having the properties of, ammonia.—ns. Ammon′iac, Ammonī′acum, a whitish gum resin of bitter taste and heavy smell, the inspissated juice of a Persian umbelliferous plant—used in medicine for its stimulant and expectorant qualities; Ammon′iaphone, an instrument invented about 1880, said to improve the quality of the singing and speaking voice, being an apparatus for inhaling peroxide of hydrogen and free ammonia.—adj. Ammōn′iated, containing ammonia.—n. Ammon′ium, the hypothetical base of ammonia. [From sal-ammoniac, or smelling-salts, first obtained by heating camel's dung in Libya, near the temple of Jupiter Ammon.]

Ammonite, am′mon-īt, n. the fossil shell of an extinct genus of molluscs, so called because they resemble the horns on the statue of Jupiter Ammon, worshipped as a ram.

Ammunition, am-mūn-ish′un, n. anything used for munition or defence: military stores, formerly of all kinds (as still in the word used adjectively, as in ammunition wagon, &c.), now esp. powder, balls, bombs, &c.—v.t. to supply with ammunition. [O. Fr. amunition. See Munition.]

Amnesia, am-nē′si-a, n. loss of memory. [Gr. amnesia]

Amnesty, am′nest-i, n. a general pardon of political offenders: an act of oblivion.—v.t. to give amnesty to. [Gr. a-mnestos, not remembered.]

Amnion, am′ni-on, n. the innermost membrane enveloping the embryo of reptiles, birds, and mammals. [Gr.—amnos, a lamb.]

Amœba, a-mēb′a, n. a name given to a number of the simplest animals or Protozoa, which consist of unit masses of living matter. They flow out in all directions in blunt processes (pseudopodia, 'false feet'), and have thus an endlessly varying form, hence the name:—pl. Amœb′æ.—adjs. Amœb′iform, Amœb′oid. [Gr. amoibē, change.]

Amœbæan, am-e-bē′an, adj. answering alternately, responsive, as in some of Virgil's eclogues. [L.—Gr. amoibaios, amoibē, change, alternation.]

Amomum, a-mō′mum, n. a genus of herbaceous tropical plants (nat. ord. Scitamineæ), allied to the ginger-plant, several species yielding the cardamoms and grains of paradise of commerce. [Gr. amōmon.]

Among, a-mung′, Amongst, a-mungst′, prep. of the number of: amidst. [A.S. on-gemang—mengan, to mingle.]

Amontillado, a-mon-til-yä′do, n. a dry or little sweet kind of sherry of a light colour and body. [Sp.]

Amoret, am′or-et, n. (obs.) a sweetheart. [O. Fr. amorette—L. amor-em.]

Amoretto, am-or-et′to, n. a lover: a cupid:—pl. Amoret′ti. [It.]

Amornings, a-morn′ingz, adv. (obs.) of mornings. [Of and Morning.]

Amoroso, am-or-ro′so, adj. (mus.) tender: descriptive of love.—n. one in love, a gallant:—pl. Amorō′si.—n. Amorō′sity (rare), fondness.

Amorous, am′or-us, adj. easily inspired with love: fondly in love (with of): relating to love.—n. Am′orist, a lover: a gallant.—adv. Am′orously.—n. Am′orousness. [O. Fr. amorous (Fr. amoureux)—L. amoros-um, amor, love.]

Amorpha, a-mor′fa, n. a genus of North American shrubs of the bean family, the false indigoes or lead-plants—also bastard or wild indigo.

Amorphism, a-mor′fizm, n. a state of being amorphous or without crystallisation even in the minutest particles.—adj. Amor′phous, without regular shape, shapeless, uncrystallised. [Gr. a, neg., morphē, form.]

Amort, a-mort′, adj. (obs. or arch. merely) spiritless, dejected.—n. Amortisā′tion.—v.t. Amort′īse, to alienate in mortmain: to convey to a corporation:—pr.p. amort′īsing; pa.p. amort′īsed. [Fr. à, to, mort, death. See Mortal.]

Amount, a-mownt′, v.i. to mount or rise to: to result in: to come in meaning or substance to (with to).—n. the whole sum: the effect or result. [O. Fr. amonter, to ascend—L. ad, to, mont, mons, a mountain.]

Amour, am-ōōr′, n. a love intrigue, or illicit affection: a love affair (humorously only, for the old innocent sense is now obsolete).—n. Amourette′, a petty love affair: the love-grass, or quaking-grass: a cupid.—Amour propre, self-esteem ready to take offence at slights. [Fr.—L. amor, love.]

Amove, a-mōōv′, v.t. (Spens.) to stir up: to affect:—pr.p. amov′ing; pa.p. amoved′. [L. admovēre—ad, to, and mov-ēre, to move.]

Amove, a-mōōv′, v.t. to remove, esp. from a place (obsolete except in law). [O. Fr. amover—L. amovēre, ab, from, mov-ēre, to move.]

Ampère, am-pehr′, n. in electricity, unit of current. [From Ampère, a French electrician who died in 1836.]

Ampersand, am′pėrs-and, n. a name formerly in use for the character & (also called short and), commonly placed at the end of the alphabet in primers.—Also Am′perzand, Am′pussy-and, and simply Am′passy. [A corr. of and per se and—that is, & standing by itself means and.]

Amphibalus, am-fib′a-lus, n. an ecclesiastical vestment like the chasuble. [L.—Gr., from amphi, around, ball-ein, to cast.]

Amphibia, am-fib′i-a, Amphibials, Amphibians, n.pl. animals capable of living both under water and on land.—n. Amphib′ian.—adj. Amphib′ious. [L.—Gr., from amphi, both, bios, life.]

Amphibole, am-fib′ol-ē, n. the name of a group of minerals which are essentially silicates of lime and magnesia, but these bases are often partly replaced by alumina, and oxides of iron and manganese—tremolite, nephrite (jade), and hornblende. [Gr.]

Amphibology, am-fib-ol′o-ji, n. the use of ambiguous phrases or such as can be construed in two senses. A good example is Shakespeare's 'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose' (2 Henry VI., I. iv. 33)—also Amphib′oly.—adjs. Amphib′olous, Amphibol′ic. [Gr., from amphi, on both sides, ball-ein, to throw.]

Amphibrach, am′fi-brak, n. in prosody, a foot of three syllables—a short, a long, and a short, as ămārĕ. The name is sometimes applied in English to such a word as amusement, where an accented syllable falls between two unaccented. [L.—Gr., made up of Gr. amphi, on each side, brachys, short.]

Amphictyonic, am-fik-ti-on′ik, adj. The Amphictyonic Council was an old Greek assembly composed of deputies (Amphictyons) from twelve of the leading states.—n. Amphic′tyony, an association of such states. [Gr. amphiktyones, 'those dwelling around.']

Amphimacer, am-fim′a-sėr, n. in prosody, a foot of three syllables, the middle one short, and the first and last long, as cārĭtās. Sometimes applied to such Eng. words as runaway. [Gr., 'long at both ends;' amphi, on both sides, makros, long.]

Amphioxus, am-fī-oks′us, n. the lancelet, one of the lowest backboned animals, found on the sandy coasts of warm and temperate seas. The body is about two inches long and pointed at both ends. [Gr. amphi, on both sides, and oxys, sharp.]

Amphipods, am′fi-pods, n. an order of small sessile-eyed crustaceans—a familiar example is the sand-hopper. [Gr. amphi, both ways, pous, podos, a foot.]

Amphisbæna, am-fis-bē′na, n. a family of lizard-snakes, chiefly found in tropical America, which have their tails so rounded as to give them the appearance of having a head at both ends.—adj. Amphisbē′nic. [Gr. amphisbaina—amphi, amphis, both ways, and bain-ein, to go.]

Amphiscians, am-fish′i-anz, n.pl. the inhabitants of the torrid zone, whose shadows are thrown both ways—that is, to the north one part of the year, and to the south the other part, according as the sun is north or south of the equator. [Gr. amphiskios—amphi, both ways, skia, a shadow.]

Amphistomous, am-fis′tō-mus, adj. having a mouth-like orifice at either end, as some parasitic worms. [Gr., amphistomos, double mouthed.]

Amphitheatre, am-fi-thē′a-tėr, n. an oval or circular edifice having rows of seats one above another, around an open space, called the arena, in which public spectacles are exhibited: anything like an amphitheatre in form.—adjs. Amphitheat′rical, Amphitheat′ral.—adv. Amphitheat′rically. [Gr. amphi, round about, theatron, a place for seeing—theaomai, to see.]

Amphitryon, am-fit′ri-on, n. a host or entertainer. [From Amphitryon in Molière's comedy, who gives a great dinner. Amphitryon in Gr. mythology was husband of Alcmene, who was deceived by Zeus in her husband's semblance, and so became the mother of Hercules.]

Amphora, am′fō-ra, n. a two-handled vessel or jar used by the Greeks and Romans for holding liquids.—adj. Am′phoric (med.), like the sound produced by speaking into an amphora or any large vessel with a small mouth. [Gr. amphoreus, amphiphoreus—amphi, on both sides, pher-ein, to bear.]

Ample, am′pl, adj. spacious: large enough: abundant: liberal: copious, or of great length.—ns. Am′pleness; Ampliā′tion, enlarging, an enlargement.—adj. Ampliā′tive (rare).—adv. Am′ply. [Fr.—L. amplus, large.]

Amplexicaul, am-pleks′i-kawl, adj. (bot.) nearly surrounding the stem—said of sessile leaves. [Modern L. amplexicaulis—L. amplexus, embrace, and caulis, stem.]

Amplify, am′pli-fī, v.t. to make more copious in expression: to add to.—n. Amplificā′tion, enlargement.—adj. Amplificā′tory.—n. Am′plifier, one who amplifies: a lens which enlarges the field of vision. [L. amplus, large, and fac-ĕre, to make.]

Amplitude, am′pli-tūd, n. largeness: abundance: width: splendour: wide range of mind: the distance from the east point of a horizon at which a heavenly body rises, or from the west point at which it sets. [Fr.—L. amplitudo.]

Ampul, am′pul, n. a small earthenware or glass vessel of an oblong globular form, used for containing consecrated oil or wine and water for the eucharistic service—now more commonly Ampul′la. [O. Fr. ampole—L. ampulla.]

Ampulla, am-pul′la, n. a small two-handled flask or bottle for holding liquids or unguents: a vessel for holding consecrated oil or chrism, esp. at the coronation of kings: a kind of cruet of transparent glass for holding the wine and water used at the altar: (biol.) the dilated end of any canal or duct in an animal body, also the spongiole of a root in plants.—adjs. Ampullā′ceous, Am′pullar, Am′pullary, Am′pullate.—n. Ampullos′ity, turgidity of language, bombast. [L.; made up of amb, on both sides, and olla, a jar; or an irregular dim. of amphora, a flagon.]

Amputate, am′pūt-āt, v.t. to cut off, as a limb of an animal.—n. Amputā′tion. [L. amb, round about, putāre, to cut.]

Amrita, am-rē′ta, n. the drink of the gods in Hindu mythology. [Sans.]

Amuck, a-muk′, adv. madly: in murderous frenzy—hardly ever used save in the phrase 'to run amuck.' [Malay, amoq, intoxicated or excited to madness.]

Amulet, am′ū-let, n. a gem, scroll, or other object carried about the person, as a charm against sickness, harm, or witchcraft. [Fr.—L. amulētum, a word of unknown origin; curiously like the mod. Ar. himalat, lit. 'a carrier,' applied to a shoulder-belt, by which a small Koran is hung on the breast.]

Amuse, a-mūz′, v.t. to occupy pleasantly: to divert: to beguile with expectation: (obs.) occupy the attention with: (arch.) to beguile.—adj. Amus′able, capable of being amused.—n. Amuse′ment, that which amuses: pastime.—adj. Amus′ing, affording amusement: entertaining.—adv. Amus′ingly.—n. Amus′ingness.—adj. Amus′ive (rare), having the power to amuse or entertain.—n. Amus′iveness. [Fr. amuser.]

Amusette, am-ū-zėt′, n. a light field-gun invented by Marshal Saxe. [Fr.]

Amutter, a-mut′ėr, adv. in a muttering state.

Amygdalate, a-mig′da-lāt, adj. pertaining to, like, or made of almonds.—adj. Amygdalā′ceous, akin to the almond. [L. amygdala—Gr. amygdalē, an almond.]

Amygdalin, Amygdaline, a-mig′da-lin, n. a crystalline principle existing in the kernel of bitter almonds.

Amygdaloid, a-mig′da-loid, n. a variety of basaltic rock containing almond-shaped nodules of other minerals, as quartz, felspar.—adj. Amygdaloi′dal. [Gr. amygdalē, and eidos, form.]

Amyl, am′il, n. the fifth in the series of the alcohol radicals, a natural product of the distillation of coal. As thus found, two molecules are united together, usually called diamyl, being a colourless liquid with an agreeable smell and burning taste.—n. Am′ylene. [Gr. amylon, starchy, fine meal.]

Amylaceous, am-i-lā′shus, adj. pertaining to or resembling starch. [L. amylum, starch—Gr. amylon.]

Amyloid, am′i-loid, n. a half-gelatinous substance like starch, found in some seeds.—adj. Amyloid′al. [Gr. amylon, the finest flour, starch; lit. 'unground'—a, neg., mylē, a mill, and eidos, form.]

An, an, adj. one: the indefinite article, used before words beginning with the sound of a vowel. [A.S. ān. See One.]

An, an, conj. if. [A form of And.]

Ana, ā′na, a suffix to names of persons or places, denoting a collection of memorable sayings, items of gossip, or miscellaneous facts, as Johnsoniana, Tunbrigiana, &c.: applied also to the literature of some special subject, as Boxiana, Burnsiana, Shakespeariana.—n.pl. specially a collection of the table-talk of some one. [The neut. pl. termination of L. adjectives in -anus = pertaining to.]

Anabaptist, an-a-bapt′ist, n. one who holds that baptism ought to be administered only to adults (by immersion), and therefore that those baptised in infancy ought to be baptised again.—The name is disclaimed by recent opponents of infant baptism both in England and the Continent.—v.i. Anabap′tise.—n. Anabapt′ism.—adj. Anabaptist′ic. [Gr. ana, again, baptiz-ein, to dip in water, to baptise.]

Anabasis, an-ab′a-sis, n. a military advance into the interior of a country—specially the title of the famous story of the unfortunate expedition of Cyrus the Younger against his brother Artaxerxes, and of the retreat of his 10,000 Greek allies under the conduct of Xenophon. [Gr.; made up of ana, up, and bain-ein, to go.]

Anableps, an′a-bleps, n. a genus of bony fishes with open air-bladders, and projecting eyes divided into an upper and lower portion, so that each eye has two pupils. [Gr. anablepsis, 'a looking up.']

Anabolism, an-ab′ol-izm, n. the constructive processes within the protoplasm, by which food or other material, at a relatively low level, passes through an ascending series of ever more complex and unstable combinations, till it is finally worked up into living matter. [Gr. anabolē, 'rising up.']

Anacanthous, an-a-kan′thus, adj. without spine. [Gr. an-, without, akantha, spine.]

Anacard, an′a-kard, n. the cashew-nut, the fruit of the Anacardium occidentale. [Gr., made up of ana, according to, and kardia, heart, from the shape of the fruit.]

Anacatharsis, an-a-kath-ar′sis, n. vomiting or expectoration.—n. Anacathar′tic, a medicine with this effect—expectorants, emetics, sternutatorics, &c. [Gr.; made up of ana, up, and kathair-ein, to cleanse.]

Anacharis, an-ak′ar-is, n. a North American weed found in ponds and slow streams, which was first found in Britain in 1842, and is now very troublesome in the Trent, Derwent, and other rivers. [Made up of Gr. ana, up, and charis, grace.]

Anachorism, a-nak′ō-rizm, n. (rare) something incongruous with the spirit of the country. [Coined on the analogy of anachronism, from Gr. ana, back, and chōrion, country, with suff. ism.]

Anachronism, an-a′kron-izm, n. an error in regard to time, whereby a thing is assigned to an earlier or to a later age than it belongs to: anything out of keeping with the time.—v.t. Ana′chronise.—n. Ana′chronist.—adjs. Anachronist′ic, Ana′chronous.—adv. Ana′chronously. [Gr. ana, backwards, chronos, time.]

Anaclastic, an-a-klas′tik, adj. pertaining to refraction: bending back. [Gr. ana, back, klaein, break off.]

Anacoluthon, an-a-ko-lū′thon, n. want of sequence in the construction of a sentence, when the latter part does not grammatically correspond with the former: a sentence exhibiting an Anacoluthia, or the passing from one construction to another before the former is completed. [Gr. anakolouthos—a, an, neg., and akolouthos, following.]

Anaconda, an-a-kon′da, n. a large South American water-snake of the Python family, closely related to the boa-constrictor. [Singhalese (?).]

Anacreontic, an-a-kre-ont′ik, adj. after the manner of the Greek poet Anacreon: free, convivial, erotic.—n. a poem in this vein.—adv. Anacreont′ically.

Anacrusis, an-a-krōō′sis, n. (pros.) an upward beat at the beginning of a verse, consisting of one or two unaccented syllables introductory to the just rhythm. [Gr. from ana, up, krou-ein, to strike.]

Anadem, an′a-dem, n. a band or fillet bound round the head: a wreath or chaplet of flowers. [Gr. anadēma—ana, up, and de-ein, to bind.]

Anadromous, an-ad′rō-mus, adj. ascending rivers to spawn. [Gr. ana, up, dromos, running.]

Anæmia, an-ēm′i-a, n. a term employed to denote those conditions in which there is a deficiency of blood or of its red corpuscles: lack or poverty of blood marked by paleness and languor.—adj. Anæm′ic. [Gr.; made up of an, neg., haima, blood.]

Anaerobia, an-ā-ėr-ō′bi-a, n.pl. (biol.) bacteria which flourish without free oxygen.—adj. Anaerō′bic.

Anæsthetic, an-ēs-thet′ik, adj. producing insensibility to external impressions.—n. a substance, as chloroform or cocaine, that produces insensibility, whether general or local.—ns. Anæsthē′sia, Anæsthē′sis, loss of feeling, insensibility.—adv. Anæsthet′ically.—v.t. Anæs′thetise. [Gr. a, an, neg., aisthēsis, sensation—aisthanomai, to feel.]

Anaglyph, an′a-glif, n. an ornament carved in low relief.—adj. Anaglypt′ic. [Gr.; ana, up, glyph-ein, to carve.]

Anaglyptography, an-a-glip-tog′ra-fi, n. the art of engraving so as to give the subject the appearance of being raised from the surface of the paper as if embossed—used in representing coins, &c. [Gr. anaglyptos, embossed, and graphia, writing.]

Anagogy, an′a-goj-i, n. the mystical interpretation or hidden sense of words.—adjs. Anagog′ic, Anagog′ical.—adv. Anagog′ically. [Gr. anagōgē, elevation, an-ag-ein, to lift up.]

Anagram, an′a-gram, n. a word or sentence formed by rewriting (in a different order) the letters of another word or sentence: as, 'live' = 'evil,' 'Quid est veritas? = 'Est vir qui adest,' and 'Florence Nightingale' = 'Flit on, cheering angel.'—Many pseudonyms are merely anagrams, as 'Voltaire' = 'Arouet l. i.'—that is, 'Arouet le jeune (the younger).'—adjs. Anagrammat′ic, Anagrammat′ical.—adv. Anagrammat′ically.—v.t. Anagram′matīse, to transpose, so as to form an anagram.—ns. Anagram′matism, the practice of making anagrams; Anagram′matist, a maker of anagrams. [Gr. ana, again, graph-ein, to write.]

Anagraph, an′a-graf, n. a catalogue or inventory: a description. [Gr. anagraphē—ana, up, out, graph-ein, to write.]

Anal, ān′al, adj. pertaining to or near the anus.

Analects, an′a-lekts, n.pl. collections of literary fragments—also Analec′ta.—adj. Analec′tic. [Gr. analektos—analegein, to collect—ana, up, legein, to gather.]

Analeptic, an-a-lep′tik, adj. restorative: comforting. [Gr. analēptikos, restorative—analēpsis, recovery—ana, up, and lambanō, lēpsomai, to take.]

Analgesia, an-al-jē′zi-a, n. painlessness, insensibility to pain. [Gr. an-, priv., and algein, to feel pain.]

Analogy, an-al′o-ji, n. an agreement or correspondence in certain respects between things otherwise different—a resemblance of relations, as in the phrase, 'Knowledge is to the mind what light is to the eye:' relation in general: likeness: (geom.) proportion or the equality of ratios: (gram.) the correspondence of a word or phrase with the genius of a language, as learned from the manner in which its words and phrases are ordinarily formed: similarity of derivative or inflectional processes.—adjs. Analog′ical, Anal′ogic.—adv. Analog′ically.—v.t. Anal′ogise, to explain or consider by analogy:—pr.p. anal′ogīsing; pa.p. anal′ogīsed.—ns. Anal′ogism (obs.), investigation by analogy: argument from cause to effect; Anal′ogist, one who adheres to analogy; Anal′ogon = analogue.—adj. Anal′ogous, having analogy: bearing some correspondence with or resemblance to: similar in certain circumstances or relations (with to).—adv. Anal′ogously.—ns. Anal′ogousness; An′alogue, a word or body bearing analogy to, or resembling, another: (biol.) a term used to denote physiological, independent of morphological resemblance.—Organs are analogous to one another, or are analogues, when they perform the same function, though they may be altogether different in structure; as the wings of a bird and the wings of an insect. Again, organs are homologous, or homologues, when they are constructed on the same plan, undergo a similar development, and bear the same relative position, and this independent of either form or function. Thus the arms of a man and the wings of a bird are homologues of one another, while the wing of a bird and the wing of a bat are both analogous and homologous. [Gr. ana, according to, and logos, ratio.]

Analphabete, an-al′fa-bēt, n. and adj. one who does not know his alphabet, an illiterate.—adj. Analphabet′ic. [Gr. an, neg., and Alphabet.]

Analysis, an-al′is-is, n. a resolving or separating a thing into its elements or component parts—the tracing of things to their source, and so discovering the general principles underlying individual phenomena. Its converse is synthesis, the explanation of certain phenomena by means of principles which are for this purpose assumed as established. Analysis as the resolution of our experience into its original elements, is an artificial separation; while synthesis is an artificial reconstruction: (gram.) the arrangement into its logical and grammatical elements of a sentence or part of a sentence:—pl. Anal′yses.—adj. Analys′able.—n. Analysā′tion.—v.t. An′alyse, to resolve a whole into its elements: to separate into component parts.—n. An′alyst, one skilled in analysis, esp. chemical analysis.—adjs. Analyt′ic, -al, pertaining to analysis: resolving into first principles.—adv. Analyt′ically.—n.pl. Analyt′ics, the name given by Aristotle to his treatises on logic.—Analytical geometry, geometry treated by means of ordinary algebra, with a reference, direct or indirect, to a system of co-ordinates; Analytic method (logic) proceeds regressively or inductively to the recognition of general principles, as opposed to the Synthetic method, which advances from principles to particulars. [Gr. analysis, analy-ein, to unloose, ana, up, ly-ein, to loose.]

Anamnesis, an-am-nēs′is, n. the recalling of things past to memory: the recollection of the Platonic pre-existence: the history of his illness given by the patient to his physician. [Gr.]

Anamorphosis, an-a-mor′fo-sis, n. a figure, appearing from one view-point irregular or deformed, but from another regular and in proportion: (bot.) a gradual transformation, or an abnormal development of any part.—adj. Anamor′phous. [Gr.; ana, back, morphōsis, a shaping—morphē, shape.]

Ananas, an-an′as, n. the pine-apple: the West Indian penguin.—Also Anan′a. [Peruvian.]

Anandrous, an-an′drus, adj. without stamens, or male organs, applied to female flowers. [Gr. an, neg., and anēr, andros, a man.]

Anantherous, an-an′thėr-us, adj. without anthers. [Gr. an, neg., and Anther.]

Ananthous, an-an′thus, adj. without flowers. [Gr. an, neg., and anthos, a flower.]

Anapæst, Anapest, an′a-pest, n. (in verse) a foot consisting of three syllables, two short and the third long, or (in Eng.) two unaccented and the third accented, as colonnadé—a familiar example of a poem in this metre is Byron's Destruction of Sennacherib.—adjs. Anapæs′tic, -al. [Gr. anapaistos, reversed, because it is the dactyl reversed.]

Anaphora, an′af-or-a, n. (rhet.) the repetition of the same word or phrase in several successive clauses, as in 1 Cor. i. 20. [Gr.; ana, back, pher-ein, to bear.]

Anaphrodisiac, an-af-rō-diz′i-ak, adj. and n. tending to diminish sexual desire, or a drug supposed to have that effect. [Fr. an, neg., and adj. from Aphrodite.]

Anaplasty, an′a-plas-ti, n. the reparation of superficial lesions by the use of adjacent healthy tissue, as by transplanting a portion of skin.—adj. An′aplastic. [Gr.; that may be formed anew, ana, again, plass-ein, to form.]

Anaplerosis, an′a-plē-rō′sis, n. the filling up of a deficiency, esp. in medicine: the filling up of parts that have been destroyed, as in wounds, cicatrices, &c.—adj. Anaplerot′ic. [Gr.; from ana, up, and plēro-ein, to fill up.]

Anaptotic, an-ap-tot′ik, adj. (philol.) again uninflected—a term sometimes applied to languages which have lost most of their inflections through phonetic decay. [Gr. ana, again, aptōtos, without case, indeclinable, aptōs, -ōtos, not falling, pipt-ein, to fall.]

Anarchy, an′ark-i, n. the want of government in a state: political confusion: conflict of opinion.—adjs. Anarch′al (rare); Anarch′ic, Anarch′ical.—v.t. Anarch′ise.—ns. An′archism, anarchy: the negation of government—the name adopted by a phase of revolutionary socialism associated with the names of Proudhon and Bakunin. Their ideal of society was of one without government of any kind, when every man should be a law unto himself; An′archist, An′arch, one who promotes anarchy. [Gr. a, an, neg., archē, government.]

Anarthrous, an-är′thrus, adj. without the article, of Greek nouns: (entom.) having neither wings nor legs.—adv. Anar′thrously. [Gr. an, neg., arthron, a joint, the article.]

Anastatic, an-a-stat′ik, adj. furnished with characters standing up, or raised in relief—esp. of the anastatic printing process, in which copies of drawings are printed from fac-similes produced in relief on zinc plates. [Gr. anastatikos—ana, up, statikos, causing to stand—histēmi, to make to stand.]

Anastomosis, an-as-to-mō′sis, n. the union or intercommunication of vessels with each other, as seen in the junction of the branches of the arteries.—v.i. Anas′tomose, to communicate in such a way.—adj. Anastomot′ic.

Anastrophe, an-as′tro-fi, n. an inversion of the natural order of words, as 'Loud roared the thunder,' for 'The thunder roared,' &c. [Gr.; ana, back, and streph-ein, to turn.]

Anathema, an-ath′em-a, n. a solemn ecclesiastical curse or denunciation involving excommunication: any person or thing anathematised: generally, any imprecation or expression of execration.—n. Anathematisā′tion—v.t. Anath′ematise, to pronounce accursed.—Anathema maranātha, as in 1 Cor. xvi. 22; maranatha (Syr. māran ethā, 'our Lord hath come') is properly a mere solemn formula of confirmation, like Amen, having no other connection with the antecedent anathema—it is so printed in the Revised Version.—It seems to have been used by the early Christians as a kind of watchword of mutual encouragement and hope. So the words in 1 Cor. xvi. 22 are nearly equivalent to the similar expressions in Phil. iv. 5; Rev. xxii. 20. [The classical Gr. anathēma meant a votive offering set up in a temple, ana, up, tithenai, to place; the anathĕma of the Septuagint and New Testament meant something specially devoted to evil, as in Rom. ix. 3.]

Anatomy, an-a′tom-i, n. the art of dissecting any organised body: science of the structure of the body learned by dissection: a skeleton, a shrivelled and shrunken body, a mummy: (fig.) the lifeless form or shadow of anything: humorously for the body generally: the detailed analysis of anything, as in Burton's famous treatise, The Anatomy of Melancholy.—adjs. Anatom′ic, -al, relating to anatomy.—adv. Anatom′ically.—v.t. Anat′omise, to dissect a body: (fig.) to lay open minutely.—n. Anat′omist, one skilled in anatomy. [Gr. ana, up, asunder, temnein, to cut.]

Anatopism, an-at′op-izm, n. (rare—Coleridge) a faulty arrangement. [Gr. ana, up, topos, a place.]

Anatta, an-at′ta, n. the reddish pulp surrounding the seeds of the Bixa orellana, a medium-sized tree growing in Guiana and elsewhere. It yields a dye which gives a bright orange tint to cloth, and is much used to add colour to butter and cheese.—Also Anat′to, Annat′to, Arnot′to. [Supposed to be a native Amer. word.]

Anbury, an′bėr-i, n. a disease in turnips, produced by one of the slime-fungi, and usually the result of improper cultivation. It is often confounded with Finger-and-toe (dactylorhiza), which is rather a degeneration of the plant than a disease, the bulb branching out into a number of taproots, while the skin remains unbroken. Anbury causes a scabbed and broken skin, and tubercular growths on the roots and at the base of the bulb. [Often explained as a disguised form of A.S. ampre, a crooked swelling vein; more probably, a variant of anbury = angberry, A.S. ang-, pain, as in ang-nail.]

Ancestor, an′ses-tur, n. one from whom a person has descended: a forefather:—fem. An′cestress.—adj. Ances′tral.—ns. An′cestor-wor′ship, the chief element in the religion of China and other countries—erroneously supposed by Herbert Spencer to be the foundation of all religion; An′cestry, a line of ancestors: lineage. [O. Fr. ancestre—L. antecessor—ante, before, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Anchor, ang′kor, n. an implement for retaining a ship in a particular spot by temporarily chaining it to the bed of a sea or river. The most common form has two flukes, one or other of which enters the ground, and so gives hold; but many modifications are used, some with movable arms, some self-canting.—Anchors are distinguished as the starboard and port bowers, sheet, spare, stream, kedge, and grapnel, or boat anchors: (fig.) anything that gives stability or security.—v.t. to fix by an anchor: to fasten.—v.i. to cast anchor: to stop, or rest on.—ns. Anch′orage, the act of anchoring: the place where a ship anchors or can anchor: (Shak.) the anchor and all the necessary tackle for anchoring: a position affording support: (fig.) anything that gives a resting-place or support to the mind: duty imposed on ships for anchoring; Anch′or-hold, the hold of an anchor upon the ground: (fig.) security.—adj. Anch′orless, without such: unstable.—n. Mushroom-anchor, an anchor with a saucer-shaped head on a central shank, used for mooring.—At anchor, anchored.—To cast anchor, to let down the anchor, to take up a position; To weigh anchor, to take up the anchor so as to be able to sail away. [A.S. ancor—L. ancora—Gr. angkyra, angkos, a bend. Conn. with Angle.]

Anchoret, ang′kor-et, Anchorite, ang′kor-īt, n. one who has withdrawn from the world, especially for religious reasons: a hermit.—The form Anach′oret occurs in many books on church history for the recluses of the East in the early history of the church.—ns. Anch′or (Shak.), an anchorite—earlier still also an anchoress, as in the book-title Ancren Riwle, the 'Rule of Nuns;' Anch′orage, the retreat of a hermit; Anch′oress, a female anchorite: a nun—also Anc′ress, Ank′ress, Anch′oritess.—adjs. Anch′oretic, -al. [Gr. anachōrētēs—ana, apart, chōrein, to go.]

Anchovy, an-chō′vi, n. a small fish of the herring family, much fished in the Mediterranean for pickling, and for a sauce made from it, anchovy-paste, &c.—n. Anchō′vy-pear, the fruit of a myrtaceous Jamaica tree, pickled and eaten like the East Indian mango, which it much resembles in taste. [Sp. and Port. anchova; Fr. anchois. Of doubtful etymology. The Basque anchoa, anchua, has been connected with antzua, dry.]

Anchylosis, Ankylosis, ang-kī-lō′sis, n. the coalescence of two bones, or the union of the different parts of a bone: stiffness in a joint through destruction of the articular cartilages, or a thickening and shortening of the natural fibrous tissues around the joint. [Gr.; angkylos, crooked.]

Ancient, ān′shent, adj. old: belonging to former times, specifically, of times prior to the downfall of the western Roman empire (476 A.D.): of great age or duration: of past times in a general sense: venerable: antique, old-fashioned.—n. an aged man, a patriarch: a superior in age or dignity.—adv. An′ciently.—ns. An′cientness; An′cientry, ancientness, seniority: ancestry: dignity of birth: (Shak.) old people.—n.pl. An′cients, those who lived in remote times, esp. the Greeks and Romans of classical times: (B.) elders.—The Ancient of days, a title in the Holy Scriptures for the Almighty, applied by Byron to Athens. [Fr. ancien—Low L. antianus, old—L. ante, before. See Antique.]

Ancient, ān′shent, n. (obs.) a flag or its bearer: an ensign. [Corr. of Fr. enseigne. See Ensign.]

Ancillary, an′sil-ar-i, adj. subservient, subordinate (with to). [L. ancilla, a maid-servant.]

Ancipital, an-sip′i-tal, adj. two-headed: double: doubtful: (bot.) two-edged and flattened.—Also Ancip′itous. [L. anceps, ancipit-is, double—an for amb, on both sides, and caput, the head.]

Ancome, ang′kum, n. (prov.—Scot. income) a small inflammatory swelling, coming on suddenly. [Same as Income.]

And, and, conj. signifies addition, or repetition, and is used to connect words and sentences, to introduce a consequence, &c.—in M. E. (but not A.S.) it was used for if, and often also with added if, as in Luke xii. 45. An became common for and in this sense, as often in Shakespeare.—It sometimes expresses emphatically a difference in quality between things of the same class, as 'there are friends ... and friends.' [A.S., and in the other Teut. lang.; prob. allied to L. ante, Gr. anti, over against.]

Andante, an-dan′te, adj. and n. (mus.) moving with moderate and even expression: a movement or piece composed in andante time.—adj. Andanti′no, of a movement somewhat slower than andante, but sometimes meaning 'with less of andante' = somewhat quicker.—Andante affettuoso, slow but pathetically; Andante cantabile, slow, but in a singing style; Andante con moto, slow, but with emotion; Andante grazioso, slow, but gracefully; Andante maestoso, slow, with majesty; Andante non troppo, slow, but not too much so. [It.—pr.p. of andare, to go.]

Andean, an-dē′an, adj. of or like the Andes Mountains.

Andiron, and′ī-urn, n. the iron bars which support the ends of the logs in a wood fire, or in which a spit turns. [O. Fr. andier (Mod. Fr. landier—l'andier); Low. L. anderius, andena; further ety. dubious, perhaps ultimately cog. with End. The termination was early confused with iron, hence the spellings and-iron, hand-iron.]

Androcephalous, an-dro-sef′a-lus, adj. having a human head, as a sphinx or Assyrian bull. [Gr. anēr, andros, a man, kephalē, a head.]

Androgynous, an-droj′i-nus, adj. having the characteristics of both male and female in one individual: hermaphrodite: (bot.) having an inflorescence of both male and female flowers—also Androg′ynal (rare).—n. Androg′yny, hermaphroditism. [Gr.; anēr, andros, a man, and gynē, woman.]

Android, an′droid, n. an automaton resembling a human being.—Also Andrō′ides.

Andromeda, an-drom′e-da, n. a genus of shrubs of the heath family: the name of a northern constellation. [Andromeda, in Greek mythology, a maiden bound to a rock, and exposed to a sea-monster, but delivered by Perseus.]

Ane, ān, or yin, Scotch form of One.

Aneal, Anele, an-ēl′, v.t. to anoint with oil: to administer extreme unction. [M. E. anele, from an A.S. verb compounded of A.S. on, on, and ele, oil.]

Anear, a-nēr′, adv. nearly: near.—prep. near.—v.t. to approach, to come near to.

Anecdote, an′ek-dōt, n. an incident of private life: a short story.—n. An′ecdotage, anecdotes collectively: garrulous old age.—adjs. An′ecdotal, Anecdot′ical, in the form of an anecdote. [Gr.; 'not published'—a, an, neg., and ekdotos, published—ek, out, and didonai, to give.]

Anelace. See Anlace.

Anelectrotonus, an′el-ek-trot′on-us, n. (phys.) the diminished excitability of a nerve near the anode of an electric current passing through it.—adj. An′elec′tric, parting readily with its electricity.—n. a body which readily gives up its electricity.—n. Anelec′trode, the positive pole of a galvanic battery.—adj. An′electrot′onic. [Gr. an, up, elektron, amber.]

Anemograph, a-nem′ō-graf, n. an instrument for measuring and recording the direction and velocity of the wind. [Gr. anemos, wind, graphein, to write.]

Anemometer, a-ne-mom′et-ėr, n. an instrument for measuring the velocity or pressure of the wind.—adj. Anemomet′ric.—n. Anemom′etry, the measurement of the force or velocity of the wind. [Gr. anemos, wind, and Meter.]

Anemone, a-nem′o-ne, n. a plant of the crowfoot family.—n. Sea′-anem′one, a popular name of Actinia and some allied genera of Actinoza. [Gr. anemōne, said to be from anemos, wind, because some of the species love exposed and wind-swept situations.]

An-end, an-end′, prep. phrase, to the end, continuously: upright.—Most an-end, almost always.

Anent, a-nent′, prep. and adv. in a line with: against: towards: in regard to, concerning, about. [Mainly prov. Eng. and Scot., M.E. anent—A.S. on- efen, 'on even with' (dat.).]

Aneroid, an′e-roid, adj. denoting a barometer by which the pressure of the air is measured without the use of quicksilver or other fluid.—n. a contr. of 'aneroid barometer.' [Fr.—Gr. a, neg., nēros, wet.]

Aneurism, an′ūr-izm, n. a soft tumour arising from the dilatation of an artery acting on a part weakened by disease or injury: (fig.) any abnormal enlargement—adjs. An′eurismal, An′eurismatic. [Gr. aneurysma—ana, up, eurys, wide.]

Anew, a-nū′, adv. afresh: again. [Of and New.]

Anfractuous, an-fract-ū′us, adj. winding, involved, circuitous.—n. Anfractuos′ity. [L. anfractuösus, anfract-us.]

Angel, ān′jel, n. a divine messenger: a ministering spirit: an attendant or guardian spirit: a person possessing the qualities attributed to such—gentleness, purity, &c.: one supposed to have a special commission, as the head of the Church in Rev. ii. and iii., or the angel of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, who corresponds in a limited sense to the bishop of other Christian denominations: (poet.) a messenger generally: in art, the conventional figure attributed to the angel—a figure of great beauty, youthful, clothed in flowing garments, with wings: an old Eng. coin = 10s., bearing the figure of an angel.—n. An′gel-fish, a voracious fish, allied to the shark, from six to eight feet long, with large, wing-like pectoral fins.—adjs. Angel′ic (an-), Angel′ical.—adv. Angel′ically.—ns. Angelol′atry (ān-), angel-worship; Angelol′ogy, the doctrine regarding angels; Angeloph′any, the manifestation of an angel to man. [Gr. angelos, a messenger.]

Angelica, an-jel′i-ka, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants, the roots and seeds of some species of which are used in making gin, bitters, &c.—the tender stalks and midribs of the leaves are candied and used as a confection: confections.—n. An′gel-wat′er, a perfumed liquid, at first made largely from angelica, then from ambergris, rose-water, orange-flower water, &c. [From their supposed magical properties.]

Angelus, an′je-lus, n. the 'Hail, Mary,' or prayer to the Virgin, containing the angelic salutation: the bell rung in Roman Catholic countries at morning, noon, and sunset, to invite the faithful to recite the Angelic Salutation. [From its first words, 'Angelus domini nuntiavit Mariæ.']

Anger, ang′ger, n. a strong emotion excited by a real or fancied injury, and involving a desire for retaliation.—v.t. to make angry: to irritate.—adj. An′gerless.—advs. An′gerly, a 17th-cent. form (still used in an archaic sense) for Angrily; Ang′rily.—n. Ang′riness.—adj. Ang′ry, excited with anger: inflamed: lowering. [Ice. angr; allied to Anguish.]

Angevin, an′je-vin, adj. pertaining to Anjou: relating to the Plantagenet house that reigned in England from 1154 to 1485, its first king, Henry II., being son of Geoffrey V., Count of Anjou, and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. of England. By some the term Angevin is only allowed until the loss of Anjou under John (1204); by others, till the deposition of Richard II. in 1399.

Angina, an-jī′na, n. any inflammatory affection of the throat, as quinsy, croup, &c.: usually in medical phraseology with adjective, as Angina rheumatica = rheumatic sore throat.—Angina pectoris, a disease of the heart marked by paroxysms of intense pain, beginning at the breastbone and radiating thence mainly towards the left shoulder and arm. [L. angĭna. See Anguish.]

Angiocarpous, an-ji-ō-kar′pus, adj. having the fruit in an envelope distinct from the calyx. [Gr. angeion, a case, karpos, fruit.]

Angiosperm, an′ji-o-sperm, n. a plant whose ovules or future seeds are enclosed in a closed ovary, and fertilised through the medium of a stigma, while in Gymnosperms the ovule is naked, and the pollen is applied directly to its surface.—adjs. Angiosperm′ous, Angiosperm′al, Angiosper′matous.

Angle, ang′gl, n. a corner: the point where two lines meet: (geom.) the inclination of two straight lines which meet, but are not in the same straight line: any outlying corner or nook.—adj. Ang′ular, having an angle or corner: (fig.) stiff in manner: the opposite of easy or graceful: bony and lean in figure.—n. Angular′ity.—adj. Ang′ulated, formed with angles. [Fr.—L. angulus; cog. with Gr. angkylos; both from root ank, to bend, seen also in Anchor, Ankle.]

Angle, ang′gl, n. a hook or bend: a fishing-rod with line and hook.—v.i. to fish with an angle.—v.t. to entice: to try to gain by some artifice.—ns. Ang′ler, one who fishes with an angle: a voracious fish about three feet long, not uncommon on British shores, and called also the Fishing-frog, the Sea-devil, and by the Scotch, Wide-gab; Ang′ling, the art or practice of fishing with a rod and line. [A.S. angel, a hook, allied to Anchor.]

Angles, ang′glz, n.pl. the Low German stock that settled in Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia.

Anglican, ang′glik-an, adj. English: belonging to, or characteristic of, the Church of England.—n. Ang′licanism, attachment to English institutions, esp. the English Church: the principles of the English Church.—v.t. Ang′licise, to express in English idiom.—n. Ang′licism, an English idiom or peculiarity of language.—v.t. Ang′lify, to make English.

Anglo-, ang′glo, pfx. English—used in composition, as Anglo-Saxon, &c.—ns. Ang′lo-Cath′olic, one who calls himself a Catholic of the Anglican pattern, refusing the name of 'Protestant;' used adjectively, as in 'Anglo-Catholic Library;' Ang′lo-Catho′licism.—adj. and n. Ang′lo-Sax′on, applied to the earliest form of the English language—the term Old English is now preferred. Properly it should have referred only to the Saxons of Wessex, Essex, Middlesex, and Sussex, as distinct from the Angles.—ns. Ang′lo-Sax′ondom; Anglo-Sax′onism.—Anglo-Israelite theory, an opinion held by not a few well-meaning persons, innocent of scientific ethnology, that the English are descended from the Israelites who were carried into captivity by the Assyrians under Sargon in 721 B.C.

Anglomania, ang′glo-mān′i-a, n. a mania for what is English: an indiscriminate admiration of English institutions.—ns. Ang′loman (rare), Ang′lomān′iac.

Anglophobia, ang-glō-fō′bi-a, n. fear and dislike of England.—ns. An′glophobe, Anglophō′bist.—adj. Anglophō′bic. [Fr. Anglophobe—L. Anglo-, English, Gr. phobein, to fear.]

Angora, ang-gō′ra, n. cloth made from the wool of the Angora goat.—Angora Wool, the long white silky hair of the Angora goat, highly valued in manufactures. [Angora, a city of Asia Minor, famous for its breed of goats.]

Angostura, ang-gos-tōō′ra, n. a town of Venezuela, on the Orinoco (renamed Ciudad Bolivar in 1819), giving its name to an aromatic bitter bark, valuable as a febrifuge and tonic.—Angostura bitters is an essence containing angostura, canella, cinchona, lemon peel, and other aromatics, but much of what is sold under that name contains no angostura, but consists mainly of cheretta or other simple tonic.

Angry. See Anger.

Anguine, ang′gwīn, adj. of or like a snake. [L. anguis, anguin-is, a snake.]

Anguish, ang′gwish, n. excessive pain of body or mind: agony.—n. Ang′uishment. [O. Fr. angoisse—L. angustia, a strait, straitness—ang-u-ĕre, to press tightly: to strangle. See Anger.]

Anharmonic, an-har-mon′ik, adj. not harmonic: in geometry, a term applied to the section of a line by four points, A, B, C, D, when their mutual distances are such that AB divided by CB is unequal to AD divided by CD; the ratio between these two quotients being called the anharmonic ratio of AC.

Anhelation, an-he-lā′shun, n. difficult respiration: shortness of breath. [L. anhelatio—anhelāre, from an, for amb, around, and hal-āre, to breathe.]

Anhungered. See Ahungered.

Anhydrous, an-hī′drus, adj. a term applied to a chemical substance free from water.—n.pl. Anhy′drides, a term now commonly given to the compounds formerly known as anhydrous acids—in some cases the result of the dehydration of acids, and in all cases representing in their composition the acid minus water.—n. Anhy′drite, a mineral consisting of anhydrous sulphate of lime, with some slight addition of sea-salt, appearing in several varieties—granular, fibrous, radiated and translucent, compact and of various shades—white, blue, gray, red. [Gr. a, an, neg., hydōr, water.]

Anight, a-nīt′, adv. (Shak.) of nights, at night. [Of and Night.]

Anil, an′il, n. a plant from whose leaves and stalks indigo is made. [Sp. anil; Ar. an-nil for al-nil, the indigo plant.]

Anile, an′īl, adj. old womanish: imbecile.—n. Anil′ity, imbecile dotage. [L. anus, an old woman.]

Aniline, an′il-in, n. a product of coal-tar extensively used in dyeing and other industrial arts. [Port. anil, indigo, from which it was first obtained.]

Animadvert, an-im-ad-vėrt′, v.i. to criticise or censure.—n. Animadver′sion, criticism, censure, or reproof. [L., to turn the mind to—animus, the mind, ad, to, and vertĕre, to turn.]

Animal, an′im-al, n. an organised being, having life, sensation, and voluntary motion—it is distinguished from a plant, which is organised and has life, but not sensation or voluntary motion: the name sometimes implies the absence of the higher faculties peculiar to man.—adj. of or belonging to animals: sensual.—n. Animalisā′tion, the act of converting into animal substance, or of endowing with animal attributes: brutalisation.—v.t. An′imalise, to endow with animal life: to convert into animal matter:—pr.p. an′imalīsing; pa.p. an′imalīsed.—n. An′imalism, the state of being actuated by animal appetites only: the exercise or enjoyment of animal life, as distinct from intellectual: brutishness: sensuality: (rare) a mere animal being.—adv. An′imally, physically merely.—Animal spirits, nervous force: exuberance of health and life: cheerful buoyancy of temper: (Milton) the spirit or principle of volition and sensation. [L.—anima, air, life, Gr. anemos, wind—aō, aēmi, Sans. an, to breathe, to blow.]

Animalcule, an-im-al′kūl, n. a small animal, esp. one that cannot be seen by the naked eye:—pl. Animal′cules, Animal′cula.—adj. Animal′cular. [L. animalculum, dim. of Animal.]

Animate, an′im-āt, v.t. to give life to: to enliven or inspirit: to actuate.—adj. living: possessing animal life.—adj. An′imated, lively: full of spirit: endowed with life.—adv. Animat′edly.—p.adj. An′imating.—adv. Animat′ingly.—ns. Animā′tion, liveliness: vigour; An′imator, he who, or that which, animates. [See Animal.]

Anime, an′im, n. the resin of the West Indian locust-tree—used also for other gums and resins. [Said to be Fr. animé, living, from the number of insects in it; but perhaps a native name.]

Animism, an′im-izm, n. a theory which regards the belief in separate spiritual existences as the germ of religious ideas. It is adopted by E. B. Tylor in his Primitive Culture as the minimum definition of religion, being considered to have arisen simply from the evidence of the senses, interpreted by the crude and child-like science of the savage: the theory of Stahl, which regarded the vital principle and the soul as identical.—n. An′imist.—adj. An′imistic. [L. anima, the soul.]

Animosity, an-im-os′i-ti, n. bitter hatred: enmity. [L. animositas, fullness of spirit.]

Animus, an′im-us, n. intention: actuating spirit: prejudice against. [L. animus, spirit, soul, as distinguished from anima, the mere life.]

Anise, an′is, n. an umbelliferous plant, the aromatic seeds of which are used in making cordials. The anise of Matt. xxiii. 23 (Gr. anēthon) is properly the dill.—ns. An′iseed; Anisette′, a cordial or liqueur prepared from anise seed. [Gr. anison.]

Anker, angk′ėr, n. a liquid measure used in Northern Europe, formerly in England, varying considerably—that of Rotterdam having a capacity of 10 old wine gallons, or 8⅓ imperial gallons. [Dut.]

Ankle, Ancle, angk′l, n. the joint connecting the foot and leg.—adj. Ank′led, having, or pertaining to ankles.—n. Ank′let, an ornament for the ankle. [A.S. ancléow, cog. with Ger. enkel, and conn. with Angle.]

Ankylosis. See Anchylosis.

Anlace, Anelace, an′lās, n. a short two-edged knife or dagger, tapering to a point, formerly worn at the girdle. [Low L. anelacius; perh. the old Welsh anglas.]

Anna, an′a, n. an Indian coin worth nominally 1½d sterling, but always the sixteenth part of a rupee. [Hind. ānā.]

Annals, an′alz, n.pl. records of events under the years in which they happened: any historical work that follows the order of time in its narrations, separating them off into single years, as the Annals of Tacitus: historical records generally: year-books.—v.t. Ann′alise, to write annals: to record.—n. Ann′alist, a writer of annals. [L. annales—annus, a year.]

Annat, an′at, Annate, an′āt, n. the first-fruits, or one year's income, or a specified portion of such, paid to the Pope by a bishop, abbot, or other ecclesiastic, on his appointment to a new see or benefice. It was abolished in England in 1534, and next year the right was annexed to the crown, the fund thus arising being administered for the benefit of the Church of England, afterwards transferred to the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, next to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: (Scots law) the half-year's stipend payable for the vacant half-year after the death of a parish minister, to which his family or nearest of kin have right under an act of 1672. [Low L. annata—L. annus, a year.]

Annatto. See Anatta.

Anneal, an-ēl′, v.t. to temper glass or metals by subjecting them to great heat and gradual cooling: to heat in order to fix colours on, as glass.—n. Anneal′ing. [Pfx. an-, and A.S. ælan, to burn.]

Annelida, an-el′i-da, n. a class of animals comprising the red-blooded worms, having a long body composed of numerous rings.—n. Ann′elid. [L. annellus, dim. of annulus, a ring.]

Annex, an-neks′, v.t. to add to the end: to join or attach: to take permanent possession of additional territory: to affix: append (with to).—n. something added: a supplementary building—often with the Fr. spelling annexe.—n. Annexā′tion, act of annexing.—n. and adj. Annexā′tionist.—ns. Annex′ion, Annex′ment (Shak.), addition: the thing annexed. [Fr. annexer—L. annex-um, annectĕre: ad, to, nect-ĕre, to tie.]

Annihilate, an-nī′hil-āt, v.t. to reduce to nothing: to put out of existence: to render null and void, to abrogate.—ns. Annihilā′tion, state of being reduced to nothing: act of destroying: (theol.) the destruction of soul as well as body; Annihilā′tionism, the belief that the soul dies with the body.—adj. Annihilā′tive.—n. Annihilā′tor, one who annihilates. [L. annihilatus, annihilāre; ad, to, nihil, nothing.]

Anniversary, an-ni-vėrs′ar-i, adj. returning or happening every year: annual.—n. the day of the year on which an event happened or is celebrated: the celebration proper to such, esp. a mass or religious service. [L. anniversarius; annus, a year, and vertĕre, versum, to turn.]

Annotate, an′not-āt, v.t. to make notes upon.—ns. An′notation, a note of explanation: comment; An′notator, a writer of notes, a commentator. [L. annotāre—ad, to, notāre, -ātum, to mark.]

Announce, an-nowns′, v.t. to declare: to give public notice of: to make known.—n. Announce′ment. [O. Fr. anoncer—L. annuntiāre—ad, to, nunti, -āre, to deliver news.]

Annoy, an-noi′, v.t. to trouble: to vex: to tease: to harm, esp. in military sense:—pr.p. annoy′ing; pa.p. annoyed′.—ns. Annoy (now poetic only), Annoy′ance, that which annoys.—adv. Annoy′ingly. [O. Fr. anoier (It. annoiare); noun, anoi (mod. ennui), acc. to Diez from L. phrase, in odio, as in 'est mihi in odio' = 'it is to me hateful.']

Annual, an′nū-al, adj. yearly: coming every year: requiring to be renewed every year: performed in a year.—n. a plant that lives out one year: a book published yearly, esp. applied to the sumptuous books, usually illustrated with good engravings, much in demand in the first half of the 19th century for Christmas, New Year, and birthday presents.—adv. An′nually. [Through Fr. from L. annualis—annus, a year.]

Annuity, an-nū′i-ti, n. a payment generally (but not necessarily) of uniform amount falling due in each year during a given term, such as a period of years or the life of an individual, the capital sum not being returnable.—n. Annū′itant, one who receives an annuity.—Certain annuity, one for a fixed term of years, subject to no contingency whatever; Contingent annuity, one that depends also on the continuance of some status, as the life of a person whose duration is calculated by the theory of probabilities. An annuity is usually held payable to the end of each year survived; but when, in addition, a proportion of the year's annuity is payable up to the day of death, the annuity is said to be Complete—the ordinary annuity being sometimes, for distinction, referred to as a Curtate annuity. When the first payment is due in advance, the annuity is known as an Annuity due; when the first payment is not to be made until the expiry of a certain number of years, it is called a Deferred or Reversionary annuity.

Annul, an-nul′, v.t. to make null, to reduce to nothing: to abolish:—pr.p. annul′ling; pa.p. annulled′.—n. Annul′ment, the act of annulling. [Fr. annuler—Low L. annullā-re, to make into nothing—L. ad-, to, nullus, none.]

Annular, an′nūl-ar, adj. ring-shaped.—adjs. An′nulate, An′nulated, formed or divided into rings.—ns. Annulā′tion, a ring or belt: a circular formation; An′nulet, a little ring: (archit.) a small flat fillet, encircling a column, &c., used either by itself or in connection with other mouldings: (her.) a little circle borne as a charge on coats of arms.—adj. An′nulose, having rings: composed of rings. [L. annularis; annulus or anulus, a ring—dim. of anus, a rounding or ring.]

Annunciation, an-nun-si-ā′shun, n. the act of announcing.—v.t. Annun′ciate, to proclaim.—n. Annunciā′tion-day, the anniversary of the Angel's salutation to the Virgin Mary, the 25th of March, Lady-day. [See Announce.]

Anode, an′ōd, n. a term in electrolysis introduced by Faraday to designate the positive pole, or that surface by which the galvanic current enters the body undergoing decomposition (electrolyte)—as opp. to Cathode, the negative pole. [Gr. ana, up, hodos, way.]

Anodyne, an′o-dīn, n. a medicine that allays pain, whether acting on the nerves and nerve terminations (aconite, belladonna, cocaine), on the brain (chloral, Indian hemp), or on all these parts (opium, bromide of potassium). [Gr.; a, an, neg., and odynē, pain.]

Anoint, an-oint′, v.t. to smear with ointment or oil: to consecrate with oil.—n. Anoint′ment, the act of anointing or state of being anointed.—The Anointed, the Messiah. [= an+oint. See Ointment.]

Anomaly, an-om′al-i, n. irregularity: deviation from rule: (astron.) the angle measured at the sun between a planet in any point of its orbit and the last perihelion.—adjs. Anomalist′ic, -al, anomalous: departing from established rules: irregular.—n. Anom′alite, an irregular mineral.—adj. Anom′alous, irregular: deviating from rule.—Anomalistic year, the interval that elapses between two successive passages of the earth through its perihelion, or point of nearest approach to the sun = 365 days 6 hr. 13 min. 49 sec., being 4 min. 39 sec. longer than the sidereal year. [Gr. anōmalos—a, an, neg., and homalos, even—homos, same.]

Anon, an-on′, adv. in one (instant): immediately.

Anonymous, an-on′im-us, adj. wanting a name: not having the name of the author, as distinguished from pseudonymous, when another than his real name has been given.—ns. An′onym, a person whose name is not given: a pseudonym; Anonym′ity, the quality or state of being anonymous.—adv. Anon′ymously. [Gr. anōnymos—a, an, neg., and onoma, name.]

Another, an-uth′ėr, adj. not the same: a different or distinct (thing or person): one more: a second: one more of the same kind: any other.—One another, now used as a compound reciprocal pronoun (of two or more); One with another, taken all together, taken on the average.—You're another, the vulgar Tu quoque. [Orig. an other.]

Anserine, an′sėr-īn, or -in, adj. relating to the goose or goose-tribe: stupid, silly. [L. anserinus, anser.]

Answer, an′sėr, v.t. to reply to: to satisfy or solve: to repay: to suit: to suffer the consequences of.—v.i. to reply: to reply favourably: to act in conformity with, as 'to answer the helm:' to be accountable for (with for): to correspond: to be advantageous to: to turn out well.—n. a reply: a solution.—adj. An′swerable, able to be answered: accountable: suitable: equivalent: proportional (with to).—adv. An′swerably.—n. An′swerer.—adv. An′swerless. [A.S. andswar-ian—andswaru; and-, against, swerian, to swear.]

Ant, ant, n. a small insect: the emmet or pismire.—ns. Ant′-bear, one of the largest species of the ant-eaters, found in the swampy regions in Central and Southern America, also called the Great Ant-eater; Ant′-cow (see Aphides); Ant′-eat′er, a genus of edentate South American quadrupeds, feeding on insects, and chiefly on ants, which they procure by means of their very long cylindrical tongue covered with a viscid saliva; Ant′-hill, the hillock raised by ants to form their nest: also figuratively applied, as to the earth; Ant′-thrush, a general name applied to birds of tropical and sub-tropical countries which feed to a large extent on ants. [A contr. of Emmet—A.S. æmete.]

An't, a contr. of aren't, are not; colloquial for am not, is not, has not.—An't = on't, on it (Shak.).

Antacid, ant-as′id, n. a medicine which counteracts acidity.—adj. possessing such quality. [Gr. anti, against, and Acid.]

Antagonism, ant-ag′on-izm, n. a contending or struggling against: opposition (with to, and also with).—n. Antagonisā′tion.—v.t. Antag′onise, to struggle violently against: to counteract the action of an opposite muscle.—p.adj. Antag′onised, made antagonistic, opposed beyond hope of reconciliation.—n. Antag′onist, one who contends or struggles with another: an opponent.—adjs. Antag′onist, Antagonist′ic, contending against: opposed to.—adv. Antagonis′tically. [Gr. anti, against—agōn, contest. See Agony.]

Antalkali, ant-al′ka-li, n. anything that counteracts the action of an alkali. [Ant- and Alkali.]

Antarctic, ant-ärkt′ik, adj. opposite the Arctic: relating to the south pole or to south polar regions.—adj. Antarct′ical.—adv. Antarct′ically (obs.). [Gr. anti, opposite, and Arctic.]

Antarthritic, ant-ar-thrit′ik, adj. counteracting gout. [Gr. anti, against, and Arthritic.]

Antasthmatic, ant-ast-mat′ik, adj. counteracting asthma. [Gr. anti, against, and Asthmatic.]

Antecedent, an-te-sēd′ent, adj. going before in time: prior.—n. that which precedes in time: (gram.) the noun or pronoun to which a relative pronoun refers: (logic) a statement or proposition from which another is logically deduced: (math.) the antecedent of a ratio is the first of two terms which compose the ratio—the first and third in a series of four proportionals: (pl.) previous principles, conduct, history, &c.—n. Anteced′ence.—adv. Anteced′ently. [L. antecedent-em; ante, before, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Antecessor, an-te-ses′sor, n. (rare) a predecessor.

Antechamber, an′te-chām-bėr, n. a chamber or room leading to the chief apartment. [Fr. anti-chambre, ante-chambre.]

Antechapel, an′te-cha-pl, n. the outer part of the west end of a college chapel. [L. ante, before, and Chapel.]

Antedate, an′te-dāt, n. a date assigned which is earlier than the actual date.—v.t. to date before the true time: to assign an event to an earlier date: to bring about at an earlier date: to be of previous date: to accelerate: to anticipate. [L. ante, before, and Date.]

Antediluvian, -al, an-te-di-lū′vi-an, -al, adj. existing or happening before the Deluge or Flood: resembling the state of things before the Flood: very old-fashioned, primitive.—adv. Antedilū′vially.—n. Antedilū′vian, one who lived before the Flood: one who lives to be very old. [See Deluge.]

Antefix, an′te-fiks, n. (usually in pl.) term in ancient architecture, used of the ornamental tiles placed on the eaves of buildings to conceal the ends of the common or roofing tiles:—pl. An′tefixes, An′tefixa.—adj. An′tefixal. [L. ante, before, in front, and fixum, figĕre, to fix.]

Antelope, an′te-lōp, n. a quadruped belonging to the hollow-horned section of the order of Ruminants, differing from the goat in its beardless chin—a gregarious, peaceable animal, remarkable for grace, agility, and swiftness. [O. Fr. antelop—L. antalopus—Gr. antholops, of which the origin is uncertain, perhaps from Gr. anthein, to blossom, shine, and ōps, eye, and thus equivalent to 'bright-eyes.']

Antelucan, an-te-lōō′kan, adj. before dawn or daylight. [L. antelucanus—ante, before, lux, luc-is, light.]

Antemeridian, an-te-me-ri′di-an, adj. before midday or noon. [See Meridian.]

Antemundane, an-te-mun′dān, adj. before the existence or creation of the world. [L. ante, before, and Mundane.]

Antenatal, an-te-nā′tal, adj. existing before birth.—n. An′te-na′ti, those born before a certain time, as opposed to Post′-na′ti, those born after it—of Scotsmen born before 1603, and Americans before the Declaration of Independence (1776). [L. ante, before, and Natal.]

Ante-nicene, an′te-nī′sēn, adj. before the first general council of the Christian Church held at Nice or Nicæa in Bithynia, 325 A.D.

Antennæ, an-ten′ē, n.pl. the feelers or horns of insects, crustaceans, and myriopods.—adjs. Antenn′al, Antenn′ary, Antenn′iform, Antennif′erous. [L. antenna, a sailyard, the L. translation of Aristotle's keraiai, horns of insects, a word also used of the projecting ends of sailyards.]

Antenuptial, an-te-nupsh′al, adj. before nuptials or marriage. [L. ante, before, and Nuptial.]

Anteorbital, an-te-or′bit-al, adj. situated in front of the eyes. [L. ante, before, and Orbit, eye-socket.]

Antepaschal, an-te-pas′kal, adj. relating to the time before Easter. [L. ante, before, and Paschal.]

Antepast, an′te-past, n. (obs.) something to whet the appetite: a foretaste. [L. ante, before, and pastum, pascĕre, to feed.]

Antependium, an-te-pend′i-um, n. a frontlet, forecloth, frontal, or covering for an altar, of silk, satin, or velvet, often richly embroidered. [L. ante, before, and pend-ĕre, to hang.]

Antepenult, an-te-pen′ult, n. the syllable before the penult or next ultimate syllable of a word: the last syllable of a word but two.—adj. Antepenult′imate. [L. ante, before, and Penult.]

Anteprandial, an-te-prand′i-al, adj. before dinner. [L. ante, before, and prandium, dinner.]

Anterior, an-tē′ri-or, adj. before, in time or place: in front.—ns. Anterior′ity, Antē′riorness.—adv. Antē′riorly. [L.; comp. of ante, before.]

Anteroom, an′te-rōōm, n. a room before another: a room leading into a principal apartment. [L. ante, before, and Room.]

Antevenient, an-te-vē′ni-ent, adj. coming before, preceding. [L. antevenient-em; ante, before, ven-īre, to come.]

Anthelion, ant-hēl′yun, n. a luminous coloured ring observed by a spectator on a cloud or fog-bank over against the sun:—pl. Anthel′ia. [Gr. anti, opposite, hēlios, the sun.]

Anthelmintic, an-thel-mint′ik, adj. destroying or expelling worms. [Gr. anti, against, and helmins, helminthos, a worm.]

Anthem, an′them, n. a piece of sacred music sung in alternate parts: a piece of sacred music set to a passage from Scripture: any song of praise or gladness.—v.t. to praise in an anthem.—adv. An′themwise. [A.S. antefn—Gr. antiphona—anti, in return, phōne, the voice. See Antiphon.]

Anther, an′thėr, n. the top of the stamen in a flower which contains the pollen or fertilising dust.—adjs. An′theral; Antherif′erous, bearing anthers; Anth′eroid, resembling an anther. [L. anthera, which meant a medicine extracted from flowers, and consisting esp. of the internal organs of flowers—Gr. anthēros, flowery—anthos, a flower.]

Antheridium, an-ther-id′i-um, n. the male reproductive organs of many cryptogams, as ferns, horse-tails, mosses, &c. [L. anthera, and -idium, Gr. dim. ending.]

Antherozooid, an-ther-o-zō′oid, n. a minute moving body in the antheridia of cryptogams. [L. anthera, and zooid—Gr. zōōeidēs, like an animal—zōon, animal, and eidos, shape.]

Anthocarpous, an-tho-kär′pus, adj. (bot.) bearing fruit resulting from many flowers, as the pine-apple. [From Gr. anthos, a flower, karpos, fruit.]

Anthoid, an′thoid, adj. flower-like. [Gr. anthos, a flower, and -eidēs, like.]

Antholite, an′tho-līt, n. a flower turned into stone, a fossil flower. [Gr. anthos, a flower, lithos, stone.]

Anthology, an-thol′oj-i, n. (lit.) a gathering or collection of flowers: a collection of poems or choice literary extracts, esp. epigrams, orig. applied to the collections of Greek epigrams so called.—adj. Antholog′ical. [Gr. anthos, a flower, legein, to gather.]

Anthomania, an-thō-mān′ya, n. a madness for flowers.——n. Anthomān′iac. [Gr. anthos, and mania, madness.]

Anthony (St), an′ton-i, the patron saint of swineherds: the smallest pig in a litter.—Anthony's fire, a popular name for erysipelas.

Anthozoa, an′tho-zō-a, n.pl. another name for Actinozoa, one of the three classes of Cœlenterates, including sea-anemones, corals, &c. [Gr. anthos, a flower, zōa, animals.]

Anthracene, an-thra-sēn′, n. a hydrocarbon obtained as one of the last products in the distillation of coal-tar, of value as the source of artificial alizarin. [Gr. anthrax, coal, and -ene.]

Anthracite, an′thras-īt, n. a kind of coal that burns nearly without flame, smell, or smoke, consisting almost entirely of carbon, and not readily ignited.—adjs. Anthracif′erous, yielding anthracite; Anthracit′ic.—n. Anthracit′ism. [Gr. anthrakitēs, coal-like—anthrax, coal.]

Anthrax, an′thraks, n. a widely distributed and very destructive disease, most common among sheep and cattle, the first infectious disease proved to be due to the presence of microscopic vegetable organisms (bacilli)—other names are Splenic Apoplexy, Splenic Fever, and as it occurs in man, Malignant Pustule and Woolsorter's Disease: a carbuncle or malignant boil.—adjs. Anthra′cic, An′thracoid. [L.—Gr. anthrax; coal, a carbuncle.]

Anthropical, an-throp′ik-al, adj. (rare) connected with human nature. [Gr. anthropikos, human, anthrōpos, man.]

Anthropinism, an-thrōp′in-ism, n. the looking at things in their relation to man. [Gr. anthropinos, human (anthrōpos), and -ism.]

Anthropocentric, an-thrō-po-sent′rik, adj. centring all the universe in man. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and kentron, centre.]

Anthropography, an-thro-pog′ra-fi, n. that branch of anthropology which treats of the human race according to its geographical distribution. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, graphia, description—graphein, to write.]

Anthropoid, an′throp-oid, adj. in the form of or resembling man.—n. the anthropoid ape, the highest and most man-like monkey.—adj. An′thropoidal. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, eidos, form.]

Anthropolatry, an-thro-pol′a-tri, n. the giving of divine honours to a human being, a term always employed in reproach. It was used by the Apollinarians against the orthodox Christians of the 4th and 5th centuries, with reference to the doctrine of the perfect human nature of Christ. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, latreia, worship.]

Anthropolite, an-throp′o-līt, n. human remains turned into stone, fossil human remains. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, lithos, stone.]

Anthropology, an-throp-ol′oj-i, n. the science of man, more especially considered as a social animal: the natural history of man in its widest sense, treating of his relation to the brutes, his evolution, the different races, &c.—adj. Anthropolog′ical.—adv. Anthropolog′ically.—n. Anthropol′ogist, one versed in anthropology. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and logos, discourse—legein, to say.]

Anthropometry, an-thrō-pom′et-ri, n. the measurement of the human body to discover its exact dimensions and the proportions of its parts, for comparison with its dimensions at different periods, or in different races and classes.—adj. Anthropomet′ric. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and metrein, to measure.]

Anthropomorphism, an-throp-o-morf′izm, n. the representation of the Deity in the form of man or with bodily parts: the ascription to the Deity of human affections and passions.—adj. Anthropomorph′ic.—v.t. Anthropomorph′ise, to regard as or render anthropomorphous.—ns. Anthropomorph′ist; Anthropomorph′ite; Anthropomorph′itism. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, morphē, form.]

Anthropomorphosis, an-thrō-po-morf-os′is, or -morf′os-is, n. transformation into human shape.—adj. Anthropomorph′ous, formed like or resembling man. [Gr. anthropomorphōsis—anthrōpos, man, and a verb of action, formed from morphē, shape.]

Anthropopathism, an-thro-pop′a-thizm, n. the ascription to the Deity of human passions and affections—also Anthropop′athy.—adj. Anthropopath′ic.—adv. Anthropopath′ically. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, pathos, suffering, passion.]

Anthropophagy, an-thro-pof′aj-i, n. cannibalism.—n.pl. Anthropoph′agi, man-eaters, cannibals.—ns. Anthropophagin′ian (Shak.) a cannibal; Anthropoph′agite.—adj. Anthropoph′agous. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, phag-ein, to eat.]

Anthropophuism, an-thrō-pof′ū-izm, n. the ascription of a human nature to the gods. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and phuē, nature, and -ism.]

Anthroposophy, an-thrō-pos′o-fi, n. the knowledge of the nature of men: human wisdom.—n. Anthropos′ophist, one furnished with the wisdom of men. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and sophia, wisdom.]

Anthropotomy, an-thrō-pot′om-i, n. anatomy of the human body. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and temnein, to cut.]

Anti, ant′i, pfx. against, in opposition to, rivalling, simulating. It forms numerous derivatives, alike nouns and adjectives, as antichrist, antipope, anticlimax, anti-tobacconist; anti-Ritualistic, anti-Semite. [Gr. anti, against, instead of, &c.]

Antiar, an′ti-ar, n. the upas-tree (see Upas). [Jav. antjar.]

Anti-attrition, an′ti-at-trish′on, n. anything which counteracts attrition or friction—also figuratively. [Pfx. Anti- and Attrition.]

Antibilious, an′ti-bil′yus, adj. of use against biliousness. [Anti- and Bilious.]

Antiburgher, an-ti-burg′ėr, n. that section of the Scottish Secession Church which parted from the main body (the Burghers) in 1747, holding it unlawful to take the oath administered to burgesses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, because of the reference to 'the true religion presently professed within this realm.' They read into it an allusion to the Church as by law established, while others interpreted it as signifying simply the Protestant religion. [Anti- and Burgher.]

Antic, ant′ik, adj. grotesque: odd: ridiculous in shape, dress, &c.—n. a fantastic or ancient figure, caricaturing or combining grotesquely animal or vegetable forms, or both together: (Shak.) a grotesque pageant: a buffoon, clown, mountebank: a trick, mostly in pl.—v.t. (Shak.) to make grotesque.—v.i. An′ticize (Browning), to play antics. [It. antico, equivalent to It. grottesco, and orig. used of the fantastic decorations composed of human and other forms found in the remains of ancient Rome—L. antiquus.]

Anticatholic, an-ti-kath′o-lik, adj. opposed to what is Catholic. [Anti- and Catholic.]

Antichlor, an′ti-klōr, n. a substance used in the making of paper to free the pulp from the injurious after-effects of chlorine. [Anti- and Chlor-ine.]

Antichrist, an′ti-krīst, n. the great opposer of Christ and Christianity: the name of a great enemy of Christ always expected to appear by the early Church, applied by some to the Pope and his power.—adj. Antichristian (-krist′-), relating to Antichrist: opposed to Christianity.—n. Antichrist′ianism.—adv. Antichrist′ianly. [Gr.; anti, against, and Christ-os.]

Anticipate, an-tis′ip-āt, v.t. to be beforehand with (another person or thing), to forestall or preoccupy: to take in hand, or consider, before the due time: to foresee: realise beforehand, or count upon as certain: to expect.—v.t. and v.i. to accelerate: to occur earlier than.—adj. and n. Antic′ipant, anticipating, anticipative.—n. Anticipā′tion, act of anticipating: assignment to too early a time: foretaste: previous notion, or presentiment: expectation.—adjs. Anti′cipātive, Anti′cipātory.—advs. Anticipā′tively, Anticipā′torily (rare). [L. anticipāre, -ātum—ānte, before, cap-ĕre, to take.]

Anticivic, an-ti-siv′ik, adj. opposed to citizenship, esp. the conception of it engendered by the French Revolution.—n. Anticiv′ism.

Anticlimax, an-ti-klīm′aks, n. the opposite of climax: a sentence in which the ideas become less important towards the close: also of any descent as against a previous rise—e.g. Waller's

'Under the Tropicks is our language spoke,

And part of Flanders hath receiv'd our yoke.'

[Gr. anti, against, and Climax.]

Anticlinal, an-ti-klīn′al, adj. sloping in opposite directions.—n. (geol.) applied to strata which are inclined in opposite directions from a common axis—in a roof-like form. [Gr. anti, against, klin-ein, to lean.]

Anticyclone, an-ti-sī′klōn, n. name given to the rotatory flow of air from an atmospheric area of high pressure.—adj. Anticyclon′ic. [Anti- and Cyclone.]

Antidote, an′ti-dōt, n. that which is given against anything that would produce bad effects: a counter-poison: (fig.) anything that prevents evil (with against, for, to).—adj. An′tidotal. [Gr. antidotos—anti, against, didōmi, to give.]

Antient. See Ancient.

Antifebrile, an-ti-feb′rīl, adj. efficacious against fever.—n. a substance with such properties.—Also Antifebrif′ic.

Anti-federal, an-ti-fed′e-ral, adj. opposed to federalism; applied to the U.S. party whose fundamental principle was opposition to the strengthening of the national government at the expense of the States. Later names for the party were Republican, Democratic Republican, and Democratic alone.—ns. Anti-fed′eralism; Anti-fed′eralist.

Antifriction, an-ti-frik′shun, n. anything which prevents friction. [Anti- and Friction.]

Anti-Gallican, an-ti-gal′ik-an, adj. and n. opposed to what is French: or esp. opposed to the Gallican liberties of the French Church.—n. Anti-Gall′icanism. [Anti- and Gallican.]

Antigropelos, an-ti-grōp′el-os, n. waterproof leggings. [Said to be made up from Gr. anti, against, hygros, wet, and pēlos, mud. Prob. this barbarous word was orig. an advertisement.]

Antihelix, an′ti-hē-liks, n. the inner curved ridge of the pinna of the ear:—pl. Antihēl′ices.—Also An′thelix.

Anti-Jacobin, an′ti-jak′o-bin, adj. opposed to the Jacobins, a party in the French Revolution, hence an opponent of the French Revolution, or of democratic principles.—n. one opposed to the Jacobins: a weekly paper started in England in 1797 by Canning and others to refute the principles of the French Revolution.—n. An′ti-Jac′obinism. [Anti- and Jacobin.]

Antilegomena, an-ti-leg-om′en-a, n.pl. a term applied to those books of the New Testament not at first accepted by the whole Christian Church, but ultimately admitted into the Canon—the seven books of 2 Peter, James, Jude, Hebrews, 2 and 3 John, and the Apocalypse.—The other books were called Homologoumena, 'agreed to.' [Gr., lit. 'spoken against.']

Antilogarithm, an-ti-log′a-rithm, n. the complement of the logarithm of a sine, tangent, or secant. [Anti- and Logarithm.]

Antilogy, an-til′o-ji, n. a contradiction. [Gr. antilogia, contradiction, antilegein, to contradict.]

Antimacassar, an-ti-mak-as′ar, n. a covering for sofas, cushions, &c., to protect them from grease, esp. in the hair, also for ornament. [Anti- and Macassar.]

Antimask, Antimasque, an′ti-mask, n. a ridiculous interlude dividing the parts of the more serious mask. [Gr. anti, against, and Mask.]

Antimetabole, an-ti-me-tab′ol-e, n. (rhet.) a figure in which the same words or ideas are repeated in inverse order, as Quarles's 'Be wisely worldly, but not worldly wise.' [Gr.]

Antimetathesis, an′ti-me-tath′e-sis, n. inversion of the members of an antithesis, as in Crabbe's 'A poem is a speaking picture; a picture, a mute poem.' [Gr.]

Antimnemonic, an-ti-ne-mon′ik, adj. and n. tending to weaken the memory. [Anti- and Mnemonic.]

Antimonarchical, an-ti-mon-ark′i-kal, adj. opposed to monarchy and monarchical principles.—n. Antimon′archist. [Anti- and Monarchical.]

Antimony, an′ti-mun-i, n. a brittle, bluish-white metal of flaky, crystalline texture, much used in the arts and in medicine.—adjs. Antimōn′ial, Antimon′ic. [Through Fr. from Low L. antimonium, of unknown origin, prob. a corr. of some Arabic word.]

Anti-national, an-ti-nash′un-al, adj. hostile to one's nation.

Antinephritic, an-ti-ne-frit′ik, adj. acting against diseases of the kidney. [Gr. anti, against, and Nephritic.]

Antinomianism, an-ti-nōm′i-an-izm, n. the belief that Christians are emancipated by the gospel from the obligation to keep the moral law—a monstrous abuse and perversion of the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith, esp. applied to the party of Johann Agricola in the German Reformation.—n. and adj. Antinom′ian, against the law: pertaining to the Antinomians. [Gr. anti, against, nomos, a law.]

Antinomy, an′ti-nom-i, or an-tin′o-mi, n. a contradiction in a law: a conflict of authority: conclusions discrepant though apparently logical.—adjs. Antinō′mic, Antinō′mical. [Gr. anti, against, nomos, a law.]

Antinous, an-tin′ō-us, n. an ideal of youthful manly beauty, from the name of the favourite of the Roman emperor Hadrian so famous in ancient art.

Antiochian, an-ti-ō′ki-an, adj. of or pertaining to the city of Antioch, or the eclectic system in philosophy of Antiochus of Ascalon.—n. Antiō′chianism, a school of theology in the 4th and 5th centuries which spread over the whole Græco-Syrian Church, and was a revolt against the allegorical interpretation of Scripture favoured by the Alexandrian school.

Antiodontalgic, an-ti-ō-dont-alj′ik, adj. of use against toothache. [Gr. anti, against, odous, tooth, and algein, to suffer pain.]

Antipathy, an-tip′ath-i, n. dislike: repugnance: opposition: the object of antipathy (with against, to, between of persons).—adjs. Antipathet′ic, -al; Antipath′ic, belonging to antipathy: opposite: contrary.—n. Antip′athist, one possessed by an antipathy. [Gr. anti, against, pathos, feeling.]

Antiperiodic, an-ti-pē-ri-od′ik, adj. destroying the periodicity of diseases, such as ague, whose attacks recur at regular intervals: a drug with such an effect, esp. cinchona bark and its alkaloids (quinine), and arsenic.

Antiperistaltic, an-ti-per-i-stal′tik, adj. contrary to peristaltic motion: acting upwards. [Anti- and Peristaltic.]

Antiperistasis, an-ti-per-ist′a-sis, n. opposition of circumstances: resistance exerted against any train of circumstances. [Gr.; anti, against, and peristasis, a circumstance—peri, around, and histēmi, make to stand.]

Antiphlogistic, an-ti-floj-ist′ik, adj. of remedies acting against heat, or inflammation, as blood-letting, purgatives, low diet.—n. a medicine to allay inflammation. [Anti- and Phlogistic.]

Antiphon, an′tif-ōn, n. alternate chanting or singing: a species of sacred song, sung by two parties, each responding to the other—also Antiph′ony.—adj. Antiph′onal, pertaining to antiphony.—n. a book of antiphons or anthems—also Antiph′onary and Antiph′oner.—adjs. Antiphon′ic, Antiphon′ical, mutually responsive.—adv. Antiphon′ically. [Gr.; anti, in return, and phōnē, voice. A doublet of Anthem.]

Antiphrasis, an-tif′ra-sis, n. (rhet.) the use of words in a sense opposite to the true one.—adjs. Antiphras′tic, -al, involving antiphrasis: ironical.—adv. Antiphras′tically. [Gr.; anti, against, phrasis, speech.]

Antipodes, an-tip′od-ēz, n.pl. those living on the other side of the globe, and whose feet are thus opposite to ours: the inhabitants of any two opposite points of the globe: places on the earth's surface exactly opposite each other, the region opposite one's own: the exact opposite of a person or thing:—sing. An′tipode.—adjs. Antip′odal, Antipodē′an.—At antipodes, in direct opposition. [Gr. anti, opposite to, pous, podos, a foot.]

Antipole, an′ti-pōl, n. the opposite pole: direct opposite. [Anti- and Pole.]

Antipope, an′ti-pōp, n. a pontiff elected in opposition to one canonically chosen, e.g. those who resided at Avignon in the 13th and 14th centuries. [Gr. anti, against, and Pope.]

Antipopular, an-ti-pop′ū-lar, adj. adverse to the people or the popular cause. [Anti- and Popular.]

Antipyrin, an-ti-pī′rin, n. a white crystalline powder, tasteless, colourless, and soluble in water, obtained from coal-tar products by a complex process, with valuable qualities as a febrifuge, but not as an antiperiodic.—adj. Antipyret′ic.

Antiquary, an′ti-kwar-i, n. one who studies or collects old things, esp. the monuments and relics of the past—but not very ancient things, and rather from curiosity than archæological interest.—adj. (Shak.) ancient.—adj. and n. Antiquār′ian, connected with the study of antiquities, also one devoted to the study.—n. Antiquār′ianism. [See Antique.]

Antique, an-tēk′, adj. ancient: of a good old age, olden (now generally rhetorical in a good sense): old-fashioned, after the manner of the ancients.—n. anything very old: ancient relics: an American name for a kind of type of thick and bold face in which the lines are of equal thickness—Egyptian in England.—v.t. An′tiquate, to make antique, old, or obsolete: to put out of use:—pr.p. an′tiquāting; pa.p. an′tiquāted.—adj. An′tiquated, grown old, or out of fashion: obsolete: superannuated.—n. Antiquā′tion, the making obsolete: abrogation: obsoleteness.—adv. Antique′ly.—n. Antique′ness.—adj. Antiq′uish, somewhat antique.—The Antique, ancient work in art, the style of ancient art. [Fr.—L. antiquus, old, ancient—ante, before.]

Antiquity, an-tik′wi-ti, n. ancient times, esp. the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans: great age: (Shak.) old age, seniority: ancient style: the people of old time: (pl.) manners, customs, relics of ancient times.—n. Antiquitār′ian, one attached to the practices and opinions of antiquity. [Fr.—L. antiquitat-em—antiquus, ancient.]

Antirrhinum, an-tir-rī′num, n. the genus of plants to which Snapdragon belongs. [Neo-Latin, from Gr. anti, opposite, and ris, rinos, nose; from its resemblance to a beast's mouth.]

Antiscian, an-tish′i-an, adj. of or pertaining to people living on different sides of the equator, whose shadows at noon fall in opposite directions.—n.pl. Antis′ciī. [Gr.; anti, opposite, skia, a shadow.]

Antiscorbutic, an-ti-skor-būt′ik, adj. acting against scurvy.—n. a remedy for scurvy. [Gr. anti, against, and Scorbutic.]

Antiscriptural, an-ti-skrip′tūr-al, adj. opposed to Holy Scripture. [Anti- and Scriptural.]

Anti-Semites, an′ti-sem′īts, n.pl. the modern opponents of the Jews in Russia, Roumania, Hungary, and Eastern Germany.—adj. Antisemit′ic.

Antiseptic, an-ti-sept′ik, adj. and n. counteracting putrefaction and analogous fermentive changes: preventing moral decay.—adv. Antisept′ically. [Gr. anti, against, and sēpein, to rot.]

Antisocial, an-ti-sōsh′al, adj. opposed to the principles and usages of society. [Anti- and Social.]

Antispasmodic, an-ti-spaz-mod′ik, adj. opposing spasms or convulsions.—n. a remedy for spasms or convulsions. [Gr. anti, against, and Spasmodic.]

Antispast, an′ti-spast, n. in metre, a foot composed of an iambus and a trochee.—adj. Antispast′ic. [Gr. antispastos, antispa-ein, to draw into a contrary direction.]

Antistrophe, an-tis′trōf-e, n. (poet.) the returning movement from left to right in Greek choruses and dances, the movement of the strophe being from right to left: the stanza of a song alternating with the strophe: an inverse relation.—adj. Antistroph′ic, pertaining to the antistrophe. [Gr.; anti, against, and streph-ein, to turn.]

Antitheism, an-ti-thē′izm, n. the doctrine which denies the existence of a God.—n. Antithē′ist.—adj. Antitheist′ic.

Antithesis, an-tith′e-sis, n. a figure in which thoughts or words are set in contrast: a counter-thesis, counter-proposition: opposition: the contrast:—pl. Antith′esēs.—n. Ant′ithet (rare), an instance of antithesis.—adjs. Antithet′ic, -al.—adv. Antithet′ically. [Gr.; anti, against, tithēmi, to place.]

Antitoxin, an-ti-tok′sin, n. the name applied to substances present in the blood of an animal which neutralise the action of toxins or bacterial poisons.—adj. Antitox′ic.

Antitrade, an′ti-trād, n. a wind that blows in the opposite direction to the trade-wind—that is, in the northern hemisphere from south-west, and in the southern hemisphere from north-west.

Antitrinitarian, an-ti-trin-it-ār′i-an, n. and adj. opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity.—n. Antitrinitar′ianism.

Antitype, an′ti-tīp, n. that which corresponds to the type: that which is prefigured by the type, as Christ by the paschal lamb.—adjs. Antityp′al, -typ′ical.

Antler, ant′lėr, n. a bony outgrowth from the frontal bones of deer—restricted to males, except in the reindeer: branch of a stag's horn.—adj. Ant′lered. [O. Fr. antoillier—Late L. ant(e)ocular-em (ramum), the branch of a stag's horn in front of the eyes.]

Ant-lion, ant′-lī′on, n. the larva of an insect of the order Neuroptera, remarkable for the ingenuity of its insect-catching habits. [Trans. of Gr. murmēkoleōn in the Septuagint; murmēx, ant, leōn, lion.]

Antonomasia, ant-on-om-āz′i-a, n. a figure of speech which uses an epithet on the name of an office or attributive for a person's proper name, e.g. his lordship for an earl; and conversely, e.g. a Napoleon for a great conqueror. [Gr.; anti, instead, and onomazein, to name, onoma, a name.]

Antonym, ant′ō-nim, n. a word which is the opposite of another. [Gr. anti, against, onoma, a name.]

Antre, an′tėr, n. a cave or grotto. [Fr.; L. antrum, a cave.]

Anura, a-nū′ra, n.pl. tailless amphibia, as the frog and toad.—Also Anou′ra. [Gr. an-, priv., oura, tail.]

Anus, ān′us, n. the lower orifice of the bowels. [L., for as-nus, 'sitting-part,' from root as, to sit.]

Anvil, an′vil, n. an iron block on which smiths hammer metal into shape.—On or Upon the anvil, in preparation, under discussion. [A.S. anfilte, on filte; on, on, and a supposed filtan, to weld, appearing also in Felt.]

Anxious, angk′shus, adj. uneasy regarding something doubtful: solicitous.—n. Anxī′ety, state of being anxious—adv. An′xiously.—n. An′xiousness. [L. anxius—ang-ĕre, to press tightly. See Anger, Anguish.]

Any, en′ni, adj. one indefinitely: some: whoever. n. An′ybody, any single individual.—adv. Anyhow, in any way whatever: in any case, at least.—ns. An′ything, a thing indefinitely, as opposed to nothing: any whit, to any extent; Anythingā′rian, one with no beliefs in particular; Anythingā′rianism—advs. An′yway, An′yways, in any manner: anyhow: in any case; An′ywhere, An′ywhen, in any place whatever, at any time; An′ywise, in any manner, to any degree.—Any one, any single individual, anybody.—At any rate, whatever may happen, at all events.—If anything, if in any degree. [A.S. ænig—an, one.]

Aonian, ā-ō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to Aonia in Greece, or to the Muses supposed to dwell there.—Aonian fount, the fountain Aganippe, on a slope of Mount Helicon—the Æonian mount.

Aorist, ā′or-ist, n. the name of certain tenses in the Greek verb expressing indefinite time.—adj. Aorist′ic. [Gr. aoristos, indefinite—a, neg., and horistos, horizein, horos, a limit.]

Aorta, ā-or′ta, n. the great arterial trunk which, rising from the left ventricle of the heart, sends its branches ramifying through the whole body—in man subdivided into the arch, the thoracic aorta, and the abdominal aorta.—adjs. Aor′tal, Aor′tic. [Gr. aortē—aeir-ein, to raise up.]

Apace, a-pās′, adv. at a quick pace: swiftly: fast: said of the flight of time generally. [Prep. a, and Pace.]

Apagogic, -al, ap-a-goj′ik, -al, adj. proving indirectly by an apagoge or reduction to an absurdity, the truth of the thesis being evinced through the falsehood of its opposite—opposed to direct or ostensive proof. [Gr. apagōgē, leading away, abduction, apagein, to lead off.]

Apanage. See Appanage.

Apart, a-pärt′, adv. separately: aside: asunder, parted: separate: away from all employment: out of consideration, not considered for the moment (with from).—n. Apart′ness.—To set apart, to separate, consecrate. [Fr. à part—L. a parte, from the part or side.]

Apartment, a-pärt′ment, n. a separate room in a house occupied by a particular person or party: (arch.) a suite or set of such rooms—now in this sense the pl.: (obs.) a compartment.—adj. Apartment′al. [Fr. appartement, a suite of rooms forming a complete dwelling, through Low L., from L. ad, and partīre, to divide—pars, a part.]

Apathy, ap′ath-i, n. want of feeling: absence of passion: indifference.—adjs. Apathet′ic, Apathet′ical (rare).—adv. Apathet′ically. [Gr.; a, neg., pathos, feeling.]

Apatite, ap′a-tīt, n. a phosphate of lime of great variety of colour. [Gr. apatē, deceit, its form and colour being deceptive.]

Apay, a-pā′, v.t. (arch.) to satisfy, content: (obs.) to repay. [O. Fr. apayer, from L. ad, and pacāre pac-em, peace.]

Ape, āp, n. a monkey: a monkey without a tail or with a very short one: a simian proper, linking man and the lower animals, and hence termed Anthropoid—gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-outang, or gibbon: one who plays the ape, a silly imitator: (Shak.) an imitator in a good or neutral sense.—v.t. to imitate as an ape.—ns. Ape′dom; Ape′hood; Ap′ery, conduct of one who apes, any ape-like action: a colony of apes.—adj. Ap′ish, like an ape: imitative: foppish.—adv. Ap′ishly.—ns. Ap′ishness, Ap′ism (Carlyle).—God's ape, a born fool.—To lead apes in hell, believed to be the lot of old maids there; To make any one his ape, To put an ape in his hood (obs.), to make a fool of any one. [A.S. apa; Ger. affe.]

Apeak, Apeek, a-pēk′, adv. (naut.) vertical—the anchor is apeak when the cable is drawn so as to bring the ship's bow directly over it. [a, to, and Peak.]

Apelles, a-pel′ez, n. any consummate artist, from the great Greek painter Apelles, under Alexander the Great.

Apepsy, a-pep′si, Apepsia, a-pep′si-a, n. weakness of digestion. [Gr. apepsia, indigestion; a, priv., peptein, to digest.]

Aperçu, a-per′sōō, n. a summary exposition: a brief outline. [Fr. aperçu, pa.p. of apercevoir, to perceive.]

Aperient, a-pē′-ri-ent, adj. opening: mildly purgative.—n. any laxative medicine. [L. aperientem, aperīre, to open.]

Apert, a-pert′, adj. (arch.) open, public—opp. to Privy.—n. Apert′ness. [L. apert-um, pa.p. of aperīre, to open.]

Aperture, a′pėrt-ūr, n. an opening: the space through which light passes in an optical instrument: a hole. [L. apertura—aperīre, to open.]

Apetalous, a-pet′al-us, adj. (bot.) without petals. [Gr. a, neg., and petalon, a petal.]

Apex, ā′peks, n. the summit or point: the vertex of a triangle: the culminating point, climax of anything:—pl. Apexes (ā′peks-ez), Apices (ap′i-sēz). [L. apex, the peak of the flamen's cap.]

Aphæresis, Apheresis, a-fer′i-sis, n. (gram.) the taking away of a letter or syllable at the beginning of a word. [Gr. aphairesis, a taking away, apo, away, and haire-ein, to take.]

Aphaniptera, af-an-ip′tėr-a, n.pl. a small order of insects having but rudimentary scales in place of wings.—adj. Aphanip′terous. [Gr. aphanēs, invisible, pteron, wing.]

Aphasia, a-fā′zi-a, n. inability to express thought in words by reason of some brain disease: or, more widely still, the loss of the faculty of interchanging thought, without any affection of the intellect or will.—adj. Aphas′ic. [Gr.; a, neg., phasis, speech—phanai, to speak.]

Aphelion, a-fē′li-on, n. the point of a planet's orbit farthest away from the sun:—pl. Aphē′lia. [Gr. apo, from, hēlios, the sun.]

Apheliotropic, a-fē-li-o-trop′ik, adj. turning away from the sun. [Gr. apo, away, hēlios, sun, and tropikos, belonging to turning—trep-ein, to turn.]

Aphemia, a-fēm′i-a, n. loss of speech caused by difficulty in articulation due to paralysis. [Gr. a, neg., and phēmē, voice, fame—phanai, to speak.]

Apheresis. See Aphæresis.

Aphesis, af′es-is, n. the gradual loss of an unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word, as in squire = esquire—a special form of Aphæresis.—adj. Aphet′ic. [Coined by Dr Murray. Gr.]

Aphis, ā′fis, n. a family of small 'plant-lice' belonging to the order of hemipterous insects, occurring in temperate regions as parasites on the roots, leaves, stems, &c. of plants. Some kinds are tended, protected, and imprisoned by ants for the 'honey-dew' which they secrete, hence called Ant-cows:—pl. Aphides (af′i-dēz).—adj. and n. Aphid′ian. [Ety. unknown; one conjecture connects the word with Gr. apheideis, unsparing (a, neg., and pheidomai, to spare), from the remarkable rapidity of propagation.]

Aphony, af-on-i, n. loss of voice: dumbness—the more common form is Aphō′nia.—adjs. Aphon′ic, Aphon′ous, voiceless. [Gr. a, neg., phōnē, voice.]

Aphorism, af′or-izm, n. a concise statement of a principle in any science: a brief, pithy saying: an adage.—v.t. and v.i. Aph′orise, to coin or use aphorisms.—ns. Aph′oriser; Aph′orist, a writer of aphorisms.—adj. Aphoris′tic, in the form of an aphorism.—adv. Aphorist′ically. [Gr. aphorizein, to mark off by boundaries—apo, from, and horos, a limit.]

Aphrodisiac, af-ro-diz′-i-ak, adj. exciting to sexual intercourse.—n. that which excites to sexual intercourse.—adj. Aphrodis′ian, belonging to Venus, devoted to sensual love. [Gr. aphrodisiakos—Aphroditē, Venus, the goddess of love.]

Aphthæ, af′thē, n.pl. small whitish ulcers on the surface of a mucous membrane. [Gr. aphtha, mostly in pl. aphthai, usually connected with hapt-ein, to set on fire.]

Aphyllous, a-fil′us, adj. (bot.) destitute of leaves. [Gr. a, neg., phyllon, a leaf.]

Apiary, āp′i-ar-i, n. a place where bees are kept.—adjs. Apiar′ian, Ap′ian, relating to bees or bee-keeping.—n. Ap′iarist, one who keeps an apiary: one who studies the habits of bees. [L. apiarium—apis, a bee.]

Apical, ap′ik-al, adj. relating to the apex, or top.—adv. Ap′ically. [See Apex.]

Apices. See Apex.

Apician, a-pish′yan, adj. relating to Apicius, the Roman epicurean in the time of Tiberius: luxurious and expensive in diet.

Apiculture, ā′pi-cult-ūr, n. bee-keeping. [L. apis, bee, and cultura, keeping—colĕre, to keep.]

Apiece, a-pēs′, adv. for each piece, thing, or person: to each individually.—adv. Apiec′es (obs.), in pieces.

Apinch, a-pinsh′, adv. pinching, so as to pinch. [Prep. a, and Pinch.]

Aplacental, ap-la-sen′tal, adj. having no placenta. [a and Placental. See Placenta.]

Aplomb, a-plom′, n. the perpendicular, perpendicularity: self-possession, coolness. [Fr. aplomb, perpendicular position—à plomb, according to plummet.]

Aplustre, ap-lus′tėr, n. the ornament rising above the stern of ancient ships, often a sheaf of volutes. [L.—Gr. aphlaston.]

Apnœa, ap-nē′a, n. a cessation of breathing. [Gr. apnoia.]

Apocalypse, a-pok′al-ips, n. the name of the last book of the New Testament containing the 'revelation' granted to St John: any revelation or disclosure.—ns. Apoc′alypst, Apoc′alypt, a revealer of the future.—adjs. Apocalypt′ic, -al.—adv. Apocalypt′ically.—n. Apocalypt′ist, the writer of the Apocalypse.—Apocalyptic number, the mystical number 666, spoken of in the Apocalypse. The best solution of the riddle is Neron Kesar—Hebrew form of the Latin Nero Cæsar. The vowels e and a are not expressed in the ancient Hebrew writing: accordingly NeRON KeSaR gives

N |  | R |  | O |  | N |  | K |  | S |  | R
50 | + | 200 | + | 6 | + | 50 | + | 100 | + | 60 | + | 200 | = | 666.

[Gr.; a revelation, an uncovering—apo, from, kalypt-ein, to cover.]

Apocarpous, ap-o-kär′pus, adj. (bot.) having the carpels distinct. [Gr. apo, from, karpos, fruit.]

Apocatastasis, a-po-ka-tast′a-sis, n. (theol.) the final restitution of all things, when at the appearance of the Messiah the kingdom of God shall be extended over the whole earth—an idea extended by Origen to imply the final conversion and salvation of all created beings, the devil and his angels not excepted. [Gr.; apo-kathistanai, to set up again.]

Apocopate, a-pok′o-pāt, v.t. to cut off the last letter or syllable of a word:—pr.p. apoc′opāting; pa.p. apoc′opāted.—ns. Apocopā′tion; Apocope (a-pok′op-ē), n. the cutting off of the last letter or syllable of a word. [Gr. apo, off, koptein, to cut.]

Apocrypha, a-pok′rif-a, n. as applied to religious writings = (1) those suitable for the initiated only; (2) those of unknown date and origin; (3) those which are spurious—the term generally means the fourteen books or parts of books known as the Apocrypha of the Old Testament—found in the Septuagint but not the Hebrew or Palestinian canon:—(1) First, or Third, Esdras; (2) Second, or Fourth, Esdras; (3) Tobit; (4) Judith; (5) the parts of Esther not found in Hebrew or Chaldee; (6) The Wisdom of Solomon; (7) The Wisdom of Jesus, the son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus; (8) Baruch; (9) The Song of the Three Holy Children; (10) The History of Susannah; (11) Bel and the Dragon; (12) The Prayer of Manasses, king of Judah; (13) First Maccabees; (14) Second Maccabees. The Apocryphal books of the New Testament, as the Protevangelium of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gesta Pilati, &c., stand on quite a different footing, never having been accepted by any as canonical, or in any way authoritative: hidden or secret things.—adj. Apoc′ryphal, of doubtful authority. [Gr., 'things hidden'—apo, from, krypt-ein, to hide.]

Apodal, ap′od-al, adj. without feet: without ventral fins. [Gr. a, neg., pous, podos, a foot.]

Apodeictic, a-po-dīk′tik, adj. a logical term signifying a proposition which is necessarily true—demonstrative without demonstration, beyond contradiction—opp. to Dialectic.—adj. Apodeic′tical.—adv. Apodeic′tically. [Gr. apodeiktikos—apodeiknunai (apo and deiknunai), to show off, demonstrate.]

Apodiabolosis, a-po-di-a-bol′o-sis, n. (rare—Hare) lowering to the rank of a devil. [Gr. apo, and diabolos, devil. Formed like Apotheosis.]

Apodosis, a-pod′o-sis, n. (gram.) the consequent clause in a conditional sentence, as opp. to the Protasis. [Gr.; apo, back, didonai, to give.]

Apodyterium, a-po-di-tēr′i-um, n. the apartment in an ancient bath where the clothes were deposited. [Gr.; apodyein (apo, from, and dy-ein), to undress.]

Apogee, ap′o-jē, n. properly the greatest distance of the earth from any of the heavenly bodies (the earth being regarded as the centre of the universe in the old Ptolemaic astronomy), now restricted to the sun and moon, the sun's apogee corresponding to the earth's aphelion, and the moon's being the point of its orbit farthest from the earth: the highest point, climax—opp. to Perigee.—adjs. Apogæ′ic, Apogē′an; Apogeotrop′ic, turning away from the ground (of leaves, &c.).—adv. Apogeotrop′ically.—n. Apogeōt′ropism. [Gr. apogaion; apo, from, gē, the earth.]

Apograph, a′po-graf, n. an exact copy. [Gr. apographon, a copy—apo-graph-ein, to write off, copy.]

Apolaustic, a-po-law′stik, adj. devoted to the search of enjoyment.—n. the philosophy of the pleasurable. [Gr. apolaustikos—apolau-ein, to enjoy.]

Apollinarianism, a-pol-i-nā′ri-an-izm, n. the doctrine that the Logos, or divine nature in Christ, took the place of the rational human soul or mind, and that the body of Christ was a spiritualised and glorified form of humanity—taught by Apollinaris the younger, Bishop of Laodicea in Syria (died 390 A.D.), condemned as denying the true human nature of Christ by the second Œcumenical Council at Constantinople (381).—adj. Apollinā′rian.

Apollonian, a-po-lōn′i-an, adj. having the characteristics of Apollo, sun-god of the Greeks and Romans, patron of poetry and music: named from Apollonius of Perga, who studied conic sections in the time of Ptolemy Philopator.—Also Apollon′ic.

Apollonicon, a-pol-ōn′i-kon, n. a chamber organ of vast power, supplied with both keys and barrels, first exhibited in 1817. [Formed from Apollonic, as harmonicon from harmonic.]

Apollyon, a-pol′yun, n. the destroyer: Satan (same as Abaddon, Rev. ix. 11). [Gr. apollyōn, destroying utterly; apolly-ein, apo-, and ollynai, to destroy.]

Apologetic, -al, a-pol-oj-et′ik, -al, adj. excusing: regretfully acknowledging: said or written in defence.—adv. Apologet′ically.—n. Apologet′ics, that branch of theology concerned with the defence of Christianity. It falls under the two heads of natural and revealed theology—in the former it proves the existence of God, of the soul in man, a future state; in the latter, the canonicity, inspiration, and trustworthiness of Scripture.

Apologue, a′pol-og, n. a fable, parable, or short allegorical story, intended to serve as a pleasant vehicle for some moral doctrine—applied more particularly to one in which the actors are animals or inanimate things, e.g. the apologue of Jotham in Judges, ix. 7-15. [Fr.—Gr. apologos, a fable—apo, from, logos, speech.]

Apology, a-pol′oj-i, n. something spoken to ward off an attack: a defence or justification: frank acknowledgment of an offence: a poor substitute (with for; of is obsolete).—v.i. Apol′ogise, to make excuse: to express regret for a fault (with for).—n. Apol′ogist, one who makes an apology: a defender by argument. [Gr.; apo, from, -logia, speaking—leg-ein, to speak.]

Apomorphia, a-po-morf′i-a, n. an alkaloid prepared from morphia by heating hydrochloric acid—a rapid and powerful emetic. [Gr. apo, from, and Morphia.]

Apoop, a-pōōp′, adv. on the poop, astern.

Apopetalous, ap-o-pet′al-us, adj. (bot.) having distinct or free petals. [Gr. apo, away, and petalon, a leaf.]

Apophlegmatic, a-po-fleg-mat′ik, adj. and n. promoting the removal of phlegm. [Gr. apo-, and Phlegmatic.]

Apophthegm, Apothegm, a′po-them, n. a pithy saying, more short, pointed, and practical than the aphorism need be, e.g. 'God helps them that help themselves.'—-adjs. Apophthegmat′ic, -al, pertaining to the nature of an apophthegm, pithy, sententious.—adv. Apophthegmat′ically.—v.i. Apophtheg′matise, to speak in apophthegms.—n. Apophtheg′matist. [Gr. apophthegma—apo, forth, and phthengesthai, to utter.]

Apoplexy, a′po-pleks-i, n. loss of sensation and of motion by a sudden stroke, generally applied by modern medical writers to rupture of a blood-vessel, with hemorrhage in the brain or its membranes, whether with or without consciousness—also figuratively.—adjs. Apoplec′tic, -al, pertaining to or causing apoplexy: suffering from, or likely to suffer from, apoplexy.—adv. Apoplec′tically.—n. Ap′oplex (arch.), apoplexy.—adj. Ap′oplexed (Shak.), affected with apoplexy. [Gr. apoplēxia—apo, from, away, and plēss-ein, to strike.]

Aposiopesis, a-po-si-o-pē′sis, n. a figure by which the speaker suddenly stops as though unable or unwilling to proceed, e.g. Virgil, Æneid, i. 135, 'Quos ego——' [Gr.;—apo-siōpa-ein, to keep silent, apo and siōpē, silence.]

Apostasy, Apostacy, a-post′a-si, n. abandonment of one's religion, principles, or party: a revolt from ecclesiastical obedience, from a religious profession, or from holy orders.—n. Apost′ate, one guilty of apostasy: a renegade from his faith from unworthy motives.—adj. false: traitorous: fallen.—adjs. Apostat′ic, -al.—v.i. Apost′atise. [Gr. 'a standing away;' apo, from, stasis, a standing.]

A posteriori, ā pos-tē-ri-ō′ri, adj. applied to reasoning from experience, from effect to cause, as opposed to a priori reasoning, from cause to effect: empirical: gained from experience. Synthetic and analytic, deductive and inductive, correspond in a general way to a priori and a posteriori. [L. a = ab, from, posteriori, abl. of posterior, comp. of posterus, after.]

Apostil, -ille, a-pos′til, n. a marginal note. [Fr. apostille. See Postil.]

Apostle, a-pos′l, n. one sent to preach the gospel: specially, one of the twelve disciples of Christ: the founder of the Christian Church in a country, e.g. Augustine, the apostle of the English; Columba, of the Scots; Boniface, of Germany, &c.: the principal champion or supporter of a new system, or of some cause: the highest in the fourfold ministry of the Catholic and Apostolic Church: one of the twelve officials forming a presiding high council in the Mormon Church.—ns. Apos′tleship, the office or dignity of an apostle; Apost′olate, the office of an apostle: leadership in a propaganda.—adjs. Apostol′ic, -al.—ns. Apostol′icism, profession of apostolicity; Apostolic′ity, the quality of being apostolic—Apostles' creed, the oldest form of Christian creed that exists, early ascribed to the apostles, and indeed substantially, if not strictly, apostolic; Apostle spoons, silver spoons with handles ending in figures of the apostles, a common baptismal present in the 16th and 17th centuries; Apostles, Teaching of the Twelve—often called merely the Didachē (Gr. 'teaching')—the title of a treatise discovered in 1883 on Christian doctrine and government, closely connected with the last two books (vii.-viii.) of the Apostolic Constitutions.—Apostolic Constitutions and Canons, notes of ecclesiastical customs held to be apostolical, written in the form of apostolic precepts, and erroneously ascribed by tradition to Clement of Rome; Apostolic Fathers, the immediate disciples and fellow-labourers of the apostles, more especially those who have left writings behind them (Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Hermas, Polycarp); Apostolic see, the see of Rome; Apostolic Vicar, the cardinal representing the Pope in extraordinary missions.—Apostolical succession, the derivation of holy orders by an assumed unbroken chain of transmission from the apostles through their natural successors, the bishops—the theory of the Catholic Church: the assumption that a ministry so ordained enjoy the succession of apostolic powers and privileges. [Gr.; one sent away, apo, away, stell-ein, to send.]

Apostrophe, a-pos′trof-e, n. (rhet.) a sudden turning away from the ordinary course of a speech to address some person or object present or absent, explained by Quintilian as addressed to a person present, but extended by modern use to the absent or dead: a mark (') showing the omission of a letter or letters in a word, also a sign of the modern Eng. genitive or possessive case—orig. a mere mark of the dropping of the letter e in writing.—adj. Apostroph′ic.—v.t. Apos′trophise, to address by apostrophe. [Gr. apo, from, and Strophe, a turning.]

Apothecary, a-poth′ek-ar-i, n. one who prepares and sells drugs for medicinal purposes—a term long since substituted by druggist, although still a legal description for licentiates of the Apothecaries' Society of London, or of the Apothecaries' Hall of Ireland. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. apothēkē, a storehouse—apo, away, and tithe-nai, to place.]

Apothecium, ap-ō-thē′si-um, n. the spore-case in lichens. [Gr. apothēkē, a storehouse. See Apothecary.]

Apothegm. See Apophthegm.

Apotheosis, a-po-thē′o-sis, or a-po-the-ō′sis, n. deification, esp. the formal attribution of divine honours to a deceased Roman emperor, or special object of the imperial favour—a logical corollary to the worship of ancestors, degenerating naturally by anticipation into the adoration of the living: the glorification of a principle or person: ascension to glory, release from earthly life: resurrection.—v.i. Apothē′osise, Apoth′eosise. [Gr.; apotheo-ein, apo, away from what he was, theos, a god.]

Apozem, a′po-zem, n. a decoction or infusion. [Gr. apozema—apo, off, and ze-ein, to boil.]

Appal, ap-pawl′, v.i. (Spens.) to wax faint, fail, decay.—v.t. and v.i. (obs.) to dim, weaken: to terrify, dismay:—pr.p. appal′ling; pa.p. appalled′.—p.adj. Appal′ling, shocking.—adv. Appal′lingly. [Perh. from O. Fr. apalir, apallir, to wax pale, also to make pale. See Pall and Pale.]

Appanage, Apanage, ap′pan-āj, n. the assignation or conveyance by the crown of lands and feudal rights to the princes of the royal family, a provision for younger sons, a dependency: any perquisite: an adjunct or attribute.—p.adj. Ap′panaged, endowed with an appanage. [Fr. apanage—L. ad, and pan-is, bread.]

Apparatus, ap-par-ā′tus, n. things prepared or provided, material: set of instruments, tools, natural organs, &c.: materials for the critical study of a document. [L.; ad, to, parātus (parāre), prepared.]

Apparel, ap-par′el, n. covering for the body, dress: aspect, guise: (arch.) the rigging of a ship.—v.t. to dress, adorn:—pr.p. appar′elling or appar′eling; pa.p. appar′elled or appar′eled.—ns. Appar′elling, Appar′eling. [O. Fr. apareiller, through obscure Low L. forms from L. par, equal, like.]

Apparent, ap-pār′ent, adj. that may be seen: evident: palpable: seeming, as opposed to what really is: (Shak.) by ellipsis for heir-apparent.—adv. Appar′ently.—ns. Appar′entness; Heir′-appar′ent, applied to one who will undoubtedly inherit if he survives the present possessor. [Through Fr. from L. apparent-em, apparē-re.]

Apparition, ap-par-ish′un, n. an appearance—of a visitor, a comet, the appearance in history: an immaterial appearance—of a spirit of the departed, as of a real being, a ghost: (astron.) the first appearance of a celestial body after occultation.—adj. Appari′tional. [See Appear.]

Apparitor, ap-par′it-or, n. an officer who attends on a court, or on a magistrate, to execute orders: still applied to the officer of an archiepiscopal, episcopal, archidiaconal, or other ecclesiastical court, sometimes to the beadle of a university bearing the mace: (rare) one who appears. [L. See Appear.]

Appay, ap-pā′, v.t. See Apay.

Appeach, ap-pēch′, v.t. (obs.) to accuse, censure, or impeach.—n. Appeach′ment. [O. Fr. empechier—L. impedicāre, to catch by the feet—in, in, and pedica, a fetter. See Impeach.]

Appeal, ap-pēl′, v.i. to call upon, have recourse to (with to): to refer (to a witness or superior authority): make supplication or earnest request to a person for a thing: to resort for verification or proof to some principle or person.—v.t. to remove a cause (to another court).—n. act of appealing: a supplication: removal of a cause to a higher tribunal.—adjs. Appeal′able; Appeal′ing, relating to appeals.—adv. Appeal′ingly.—n. Appeal′ingness. [O. Fr. apeler—appellāre, -ātum, to address, call by name; also to appeal to, impeach.]

Appear, ap-pēr′, v.i. to become visible: to present one's self formally before an authority or tribunal, hence to act as the representative or counsel for another: to be manifest: to be in one's opinion, to seem: to come into view, to come before the public, to be published (of a book): to seem though not real.—ns. Appear′ance, the act of appearing, e.g. in court to prosecute or answer a charge: the publication of a book: the effect of appearing conspicuously, show, parade: the condition of that which appears, form, aspect: outward look or show: a natural phenomenon: an apparition; Appear′er, one that appears: one who puts in an appearance in court.—It appears (impers.).—To all appearance, so far as appears to any one; To keep up appearances, to keep up an outward show with intent to conceal the absence of the inward reality; To put in an appearance, to appear in person. [Through Fr. from L. apparē-re—ad, to, parēre, paritum, to come forth.]

Appease, ap-pēz′, v.t. to pacify: propitiate one who is angry: to quiet: to allay: to pacify by granting demands.—adj. Appeas′able.—n. Appease′ment, the action of appeasing: the state of being appeased.—adv. Appeas′ingly. [O. Fr. apese-r, to bring to peace—L. pac-em, peace.]

Appellant, ap-pel′ant, n. one who makes an appeal from the decision of a lower court to a higher: one who makes earnest entreaty of any kind: (obs.) one who challenges another to single combat: one of the clergy in the Jansenist controversy who rejected the bull Unigenitus issued in 1713, appealing to a pope 'better informed,' or to a general council.—adj. Appell′ate, relating to appeals. [See Appeal.]

Appellation, ap-pel-ā′shun, n. that by which anything is called: a name, especially one attached to a particular person.—adj. Appellā′tional.—n. Appell′ative, a name common to all of the same kind, as distinguished from a proper name: a designation.—adj. common to many: general: of or pertaining to the giving of names.—adv. Appell′atively. [See Appeal.]

Append, ap-pend′, v.t. to hang one thing to another: to add.—n. Append′age, something appended.—adj. Append′ant, attached, annexed, consequent.—n. an adjunct, quality.—n. Appendicī′tis, inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the cæcum.—adj. Appendic′ular, of the nature of or belonging to an appendix.—n. Appendiculā′ria, a genus of Ascidians whose members retain the larval vertebrate characters which are lost in the more or less degenerate sea-squirts.—adj. Appendic′ulate, furnished with appendages.—n. Append′ix, something appended or added: a supplement: an addition to a book or document, containing matter explanatory, but not essential to its completeness: (anat.) a process, prolongation, or projection:—pl. Append′ixes, Append′ices.—Appendix auriculæ, the appendix of the auricle of the heart; Appendices epiploicæ, saccular processes, containing fat attached to the serous covering of the large intestine; Appendix vermiformis, or Vermiform appendix, a blind process terminating the cæcum in man. [L. ad, to, pendĕre, to hang.]

Appentice, a-pen′tis, n. (archit.) a pent-house.

Apperception, ap-er-sep′shun, n. the mind's perception of itself as a conscious agent: an act of voluntary consciousness, accompanied with self-consciousness.

Apperil, a-per′il, n. (Shak.) peril. [L. ad, and Peril.]

Appertain, ap-pėr-tān′, v.i. to belong to, as a possession, a right, or attribute.—n. Apper′tainance.—p.adj. Appertain′ing, proper, appropriate (with to).—n. Appertain′ment (Shak.), that which appertains to any rank or dignity.—adj. Apper′tinent, pertaining or belonging to.—n. (Shak.) that which pertains to anything else. [Through Fr. from L. ad, to, pertinē-re, to belong. See Pertain.]

Appetency, ap′pet-ens-i, n. a seeking after: craving or appetite: desire, especially sensual desire—also Ap′petence.—adj. Ap′petent. [L. appetent-em, appetĕre—ad, to, petĕre, to seek.]

Appetite, ap′pet-īt, n. physical craving, accompanied with uneasy sensation (hunger, thirst, sex): natural desire: inclination: desire for food: hunger (with for).—adjs. Ap′petible, Ap′petitive.—v.t. Ap′petise, to create or whet appetite.—ns. Appetise′ment; Appetis′er, something which whets the appetite.—p.adj. Appetis′ing.—adv. Appetis′ingly. [Through Fr., from L. appetitus, appetĕre.]

Applaud, ap-plawd′, v.t. to praise by clapping the hands: to praise loudly: to express loudly approval of anything: to extol.—n. Applaud′er.—p.adj. Applaud′ing.—adv. Applaud′ingly.—n. Applause′, praise loudly expressed: acclamation.—adj. Applaus′ive.—adv. Applaus′ively. [L. applaud-ĕre—ad, to, plaudĕre, plausum, to clap. See Explode.]

Apple, ap′l, n. the fruit of the apple-tree.—ns. Ap′ple-blight, the rotting substances found on apple-trees, caused by the Apple-aphis (see Aphis); Ap′ple-John (Shak.) a variety of apple considered to be in perfection when shrivelled and withered—also John′-ap′ple; Ap′ple-pie, a pie made with apples; Ap′ple-wife, Ap′ple-wom′an, a woman who sells apples at a stall.—Apple of discord, any cause of envy and contention, from the golden apple inscribed 'for the fairest,' thrown by Eris, goddess of discord, into the assembly of the gods, and claimed by Aphrodite (Venus), Pallas (Minerva), and Hera (Juno). The dispute being referred to Paris of Troy, he decided in favour of Aphrodite, to the undying and fatal wrath of Hera against his city; Apple of Sodom, or Dead Sea fruit, described by Josephus as fair to look upon, but turning, when touched, into ashes: any fair but disappointing thing; Apple of the eye, the eyeball: something especially dear; Apple-pie order, complete order. [A.S. æppel; cf. Ger. apfel, Ice. epli, Ir. abhal, W. afal.]

Appliqué, ap′lik-ā, n. work applied to, or laid on, another material, either of metal-work or of lace or the like. [Pa.p. of Fr. appliquer.]

Apply, ap-plī′, v.t. to lay or put to: to administer a remedy: to bring a general law to bear on particular circumstances: (obs.) to ascribe: to employ: to fix the mind on: to bring (a ship) to land.—v.i. to suit or agree: to have recourse to: to make request: (Milton) to assign or impute blame to:—pr.p. apply′ing; pa.p. applīed′.—adj. Applī′able, that may be applied: compliant, well disposed.—ns. Applī′ableness; Applī′ance, anything applied: means used: (Shak.) compliance.—ns. Applicabil′ity, Ap′plicableness.—adj. Ap′plicable, that may be applied: suitable.—adv. Ap′plicably.—n. Ap′plicant, one who applies: a petitioner.—adj. Ap′plicate, put to practical use, applied.—n. Applicā′tion, the act of applying, e.g. the administration of a remedy: diligence: employment, use of anything in special regard to something else, as in the 'application' of a story to real life, the lesson or moral of a fable: close thought or attention: request: a kind of needlework, appliqué: (obs.) compliance.—adj. Ap′plicative, put into actual use in regard to anything: practical.—adj. and n. Ap′plicatory, having the property of applying. [O. Fr. aplier—L. applicāre, ātum—ad, to, plicāre, -ātum, to fold.]

Appoggiatura, ap-pod-ja-tū′ra, n. an Italian musical term, designating a form of embellishment by insertion of notes of passage in a melody. [It. appoggiare, to lean upon. See Appui.]

Appoint, ap-point′, v.t. to fix: to settle: assign, grant: to name to an office: to destine, devote: to equip (obs. except in pa.p..).—p.adj. Appoint′ed, established: furnished.—n. Appoint′ment, settlement: engagement: direction: situation: arrangement: (obs.) allowance paid to a public officer: (pl.) equipments. [O. Fr. apointer, Low L. appunctare—L. ad, to, punctum, a point. See Point.]

Apportion, ap-pōr′shun, v.t. to portion out: to divide in just shares: to adjust in due proportion.—n. Appor′tionment. [L. ad, to, and Portion.]

Appose, a′pōz, v.t. to apply one thing to another, e.g. a seal to a document: to place side by side. [Formed from L. apponĕre, -positum.]

Apposīte, ap′poz-īt, adj. adapted: suitable.—adv. Ap′positely.—n. Ap′positeness. [L. appositus, pa.p. of apponĕre, to put to—ad, to, ponĕre, to put.]

Apposition, ap-poz-ish′un, n. the act of adding: state of being placed together or against: juxtaposition: (gram.) the annexing of one noun to another, in the same case or relation, in order to explain or limit the first: also used of a public disputation by scholars, and still the word in use for the 'Speech Day' at St Paul's School, London.—adjs. Apposi′tional; Appos′itive, placed in apposition. [See Apposite.]

Appraise, ap-prāz′, v.t. to set a price on: to value with a view to sale: to estimate the amount and quality of anything.—adj. Apprais′able.—ns. Apprais′al, appraisement; Appraise′ment, a valuation: estimation of quality; Apprais′er, one who values property: one who estimates quality. [Late in appearing; for some time used in the same sense as praise. Perh. formed on analogy of the synonymous Prize, Apprize.]

Appreciate, ap-prē′shi-āt, v.t. to estimate justly, to be fully sensible of all the good qualities in the thing judged: to estimate highly: to raise in value, to advance the quotation or price of, as opposed to depreciate.—v.i. to rise in value.—adj. Apprē′ciable.—adv. Apprē′ciably.—n. Appreciā′tion, the act of setting a value on, also specially of a work of literature or art: just—and also favourable—estimation: rise in exchangeable value: increase in value.—adjs. Apprē′ciative, Apprē′ciatory, implying appreciation.—n. Appreciā′tor, one who appreciates, or estimates justly. [L. appretiātus, pa.p. of appretiāre—ad, to, and pretium, price.]

Apprehend, ap-pre-hend′, v.t. to lay hold of: to seize by authority: to be conscious of by means of the senses: to lay hold of by the intellect: to catch the meaning of: to consider or hold a thing as such: to fear.—n. Apprehensibil′ity.—adj. Apprehens′ible.—n. Apprehen′sion, act of apprehending or seizing: arrest: (arch.) conscious perception: conception: ability to understand: fear: (obs.) sensitiveness, sensibility to.—adj. Apprehens′ive, pertaining to the laying hold of sensuous and mental impressions: intelligent, clever: having an apprehension or notion of: fearful: anticipative of something adverse.—n. Apprehens′iveness. [L. apprehendĕre—ad, to, prehendĕre, -hensum, to lay hold of.]

Apprentice, ap-prent′is, n. one bound to another to learn a trade or art: one learning the rudiments of anything, a novice.—v.t. to bind as an apprentice.—ns. Apprent′icehood (Shak.), apprenticeship; Apprent′iceship, the state of an apprentice: a term of practical training: specially, a period of seven years.—To serve apprenticeship, to undergo the training of an apprentice. [O. Fr. aprentis, aprendre, to learn—L. apprehendĕre. See Apprehend.]

Apprise, ap-prīz′, v.t. to give notice: to inform. [Fr. apprendre, pa.p. appris—L. adprendĕre. See Apprehend.]

Apprize, -ise, a-prīz′, v.t. (Scots law) to put a selling price on: to value, appreciate.—n. Appriz′er, a creditor for whom an appraisal is made. [O. Fr. apriser—à, to, and prisier, to price, prize. See Appraise, Praise, and Prize.]

Approach, ap-prōch′, v.i. to draw near: to draw nigh (of time or events): to come near in quality, condition, &c.: (arch.) to come into personal relations with a person.—v.t. to come near to: to resemble: attain to: to bring near in any sense.—n. a drawing near to in military attack, in personal relations: access: a path or avenue: approximation: (pl.) trenches, &c., by which besiegers strive to reach a fortress.—n. Approachabi′lty.—adj. Approach′able. [O. Fr. aprochier, Low L. adpropiare—L. ad, to, prope, near.]

Approbation, ap-prob-ā′shun, n. formal sanction: approval: (Shak.) confirmation.—v.t. Ap′probate, to approve authoritatively (obs. except in U.S.): (Scots law) to approve of as valid.—adjs. Ap′probatory, Ap′probative, of or belonging to one who approves.—To approbate and reprobate, a phrase in Scotch law which means that no one can be permitted to accept and reject the same deed or instrument, analogous in the law of England to Election. [See Approve.]

Approof, ap-prōōf′, n. trial, proof: sanction, approbation.

Appropinquate, ap-pro-pink′wāt, v.i. to come near to.—ns. Appropinquā′tion, Appropin′quity. [L. appropinquāre, to approach—ad, to, and propinquus, near (prope).]

Appropriate, ap-prō′pri-āt, v.t. to make the private property of any one: to take to one's self as one's own: to set apart for a purpose: (arch.) to select as suitable (with to).—adj. set apart for a particular purpose: peculiar: suitable.—adv. Appropriately.—ns. Apprō′priateness; Appropriā′tion, the act of appropriating: in Church law, the making over of a benefice to an owner who receives the tithes, but is bound to appoint a vicar for the spiritual service of the parish: in Constitutional law, the principle, that supplies granted by parliament are only to be expended for particular objects specified by itself.—adj. Apprō′priative.—ns. Apprō′priativeness; Apprō′priator, one who appropriates.—Appropriation clause, a clause in a parliamentary bill, allotting revenue to any special purpose or purposes. [L. appropriāre, -ātum—ad, to, proprius, one's own. See Proper.]

Approve, a-prōōv′, v.t. to show, demonstrate (also reflexively): to sanction or ratify: to think well of, to be pleased with, to commend: (Shak.) to put to the trial, hence also, to convict upon proof.—v.i. to judge favourably, to be pleased (with of).—adj. Approv′able, deserving approval—ns. Approv′al, the act of approving: approbation; Approv′er, one who approves: (law) an accomplice in crime admitted to give evidence against a prisoner.—adv. Approv′ingly. [O. Fr. aprover—L. approbāre—ad, to, and probāre, to test or try—probus, good.]

Approve, a-prōōv′, v.t. (law) to turn to one's profit, increase the value of. [Confused with Approve, but from O. Fr. aproer, approuer—à, to (L. ad), and pro, prou, advantage. See Prow-ess.]

Approven, ap-prōōv′n, old pa.p. of Approve.

Approximate, ap-proks′im-āt, adj. nearest or next: approaching correctness.—v.t. to bring near.—v.i. to come near, to approach.—adv. Approx′imately.—n. Approximā′tion, an approach: a result in mathematics not rigorously exact, but so near the truth as to be sufficient for a given purpose.—adj. Approx′imative, approaching closely. [L. approximāre, -atum—ad, to, proximus, nearest, superl. of prope, near.]

Appui, ap-wē′, n. the reciprocal action between the mouth of the horse and the rider's hand.—vs.t. Appui, Appuy, to support, e.g. to post troops in order to support.—Point d'appui, a point at which troops form as a base of operations. [O. Fr. apuyer—Low L. appodia-re—L. ad, to, and podium, support (Fr. puy, a hill).]

Appulse, ap-puls′, n. a striking against: the approach of a planet to a conjunction with the sun or a star.—n. Appul′sion.—adj. Appul′sive. [L. appuls-us—appell-ĕre, ad, towards, pell-ĕre, to drive.]

Appurtenance, ap-pur′ten-ans, n. that which appertains to: an appendage or accessory: (law) a right belonging to a property.—adj. and n. Appur′tenant. [O. Fr. apurtenance. See Appertain.]

Apricate, ap′ri-kāt, v.i. to bask in the sun.—v.t. (rare) to expose to sunlight.—n. Apricā′tion. [L. appricat-, apricāri, to bask in the sun, apricus, open to the sun.]

Apricot, ā′pri-kot, n. a fruit of the plum kind, roundish, pubescent, orange-coloured, of a rich aromatic flavour—older form A′pricock. [Port. albricoque (Fr. abricot)—Ar. al-birquq. But bīrquq is a corr. of Late Gr. praikokion, which is simply the L. præcoquum or præcox, early ripe; the form is perh. due to a fancied connection with L. apricus, sunny. See Precocious.]

April, ā′pril, n. the fourth month of the year.—n. A′pril-fool, one sent upon a bootless errand on the 1st of April, perhaps a relic of some old Celtic heathen festival. In Scotland called gowk (a cuckoo, a fool). [L. Aprilis, usually regarded as from aperire, as the month when the earth opens to bring forth new fruits.]

A priori, ā pri-ō′rī, a term applied to reasoning from what is prior, logically or chronologically, e.g. reasoning from cause to effect; from a general principle to its consequences; even from observed fact to another fact or principle not observed, or to arguing from pre-existing knowledge, or even cherished prejudices; (Kant) from the forms of cognition independent of experience.—ns. Apriō′rism, Apriō′rity; Apriō′rist, one who believes in Kant's view of a priori cognition. [L. a, ab, from, priori, abl. of prior, preceding.]

Apron, ā′prun, n. a cloth or piece of leather worn before one to protect the dress, or as part of a distinctive official dress, as by Freemasons, &c.—aprons of silk or the like are often worn by ladies for mere ornament: the short cassock ordinarily worn by English bishops: anything resembling an apron in shape or use, as a gig-apron, &c.—v.t. to cover with, as with an apron.—adj. A′proned.—ns. A′pron-man (Shak.), a man who wears an apron, a mechanic; A′pron-string, a string by which an apron is attached to the person.—To be tied to a woman's apron-strings, to be bound to a woman as a child is bound to its mother. [O. Fr. naperon—nappe, cloth, tablecloth—L. mappa, a napkin.]

Apropos, a-pro-pō′, adv. to the purpose: appropriately: in reference to (with to and of).—adj. opportune. [Fr. à propos. See Propose.]

Apse, aps, n. an arched semicircular or polygonal recess at the east end of the choir of a church—here, in the Roman basilica, stood the prætor's chair.—adj. Ap′sidal.—n. Apsid′iole, a secondary apse, as one of the apses on either side of the central or main apse in a church of triapsidal plan. [See Apsis.]

Apsis, ap′sis, n. one of the two extreme points in the orbit of a planet, one at the greatest, the other at the least distance from the sun: one of the two points in the orbit of a satellite—one nearest to, the other farthest from, its primary; corresponding, in the case of the moon, to the perigee and apogee:—pl. Apsides (ap′si-dēz).—adj. Ap′sidal. [L. apsis—Gr. hapsis, a connection, an arch—hapt-ein, to connect. See Apt.]

Apt, apt, adj. liable: ready for or prone to anything: prompt, open to impressions (with at).—adv. Apt′ly.—n. Apt′ness. [L. apt-us, fit, suitable, apposite; cog. with Gr. hapt-ein.]

Apterous, ap′tėr-us, adj. without wings.—adj. Ap′teral, without wings: (archit.) without lateral columns. [Gr. a, neg., pteron, a wing.]

Apteryx, ap′tėr-iks, n. a bird found in New Zealand, wingless and tailless, reddish-brown, about the size of a large hen. [Gr. a, neg., pteryx, wing.]

Aptitude, apt′i-tūd, n. fitness: tendency: readiness, teachableness, talent (with for). [Low L. aptitudo—L. apt-us.]

Aptote, ap′tōt, n. a noun without any variation of cases. [Gr. aptōtos—a, priv., ptōsis, a falling, a case—pipt-ein, to fall.]

Apyretic, a-pir-et′ik, adj. without pyrexia or fever, especially of those days in which the intermission of fevers occurs in agues—n. Apyrex′ia. [Gr. a, neg., and pyretos, fever.]

Aqua-fortis, ā′kwa-for′tis, n. nitric acid, a powerful solvent, hence used figuratively.—ns. Aquafort′ist, one who prepares etchings or engravings by means of aqua-fortis; A′qua-mirab′ilis, a preparation distilled from cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and spirit of wine; A′qua-rē′gia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, so called because it dissolves the royal metal, gold; A′qua Tofa′na, a poisonous fluid (prepared from arsenic) made in Palermo in the 17th cent. by a woman Tofana; A′qua-vi′tæ, an old name for alcohol, used of brandy, whisky, &c.; cf. Fr. eau de vie, and usquebaugh. [L. aqua, water, fortis, strong.]

Aquamarine, ā′kwa-ma-rēn′, n. the beryl.—adj. bluish-green, sea-coloured. [L. aqua, water, marīna—mare, the sea.]

Aquarelle, ak-wa-rel′, n. water-colour painting, or a painting in water-colours.—n. Aquarel′list. [Fr.,—It. acquerella, acqua—L. aqua.]

Aquarium, a-kwā′ri-um, n. a tank or series of tanks for keeping aquatic animals, usually made mostly of glass, filled with either fresh or salt water, having rocks, plants, &c. as in nature: an artificial pond or cistern for cultivating water-plants:—pl. Aquā′riums, Aquā′ria. [L.—aqua, water.]

Aquarius, a-kwā′ri-us, n. the water-bearer, the eleventh sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about 21st January, so called from the constellation of the same name, supposed to represent a man holding his left hand upward, and pouring with his right water from a vase into the mouth of the Southern Fish. [L.—aqua, water.]

Aquatic, a-kwat′ik, adj. relating to water: living or growing in water.—n.pl. Aquat′ics, amusements on the water, as boating, &c.

Aquatint, ā′kwa-tint, n. a mode of etching on copper, by which imitations are produced of drawings in Indian ink, &c.—also Aquatint′a.—v.t. and v.i. A′quatint, to engrave in aquatint. [It. acqua tinta—L. aqua, water, and tingĕre, tinctum, to wet, to colour.]

Aqueduct, ak′we-dukt, n. an artificial channel for conveying water, most commonly understood to mean a bridge of stone, iron, or wood for conveying water across a valley: also a bridge carrying a canal for the purposes of navigation. [L. aqua, water—ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Aqueous, ā′kwe-us, adj. watery: deposited by water.—adv. A′queously.—Aqueous humour, the watery fluid which fills the space between the cornea and the crystalline lens in the eye; Aqueous rocks, in geology, rocks composed of matter deposited by water.

Aquiferous, ak-wif′ėr-us, adj. bearing water. [L. aqua, water, fero, I bear.]

Aquiform, ā′kwi-form, adj. having the form of water. [L. aqua, water, and Form.]

Aquiline, ak′wil-in, or -īn, adj. relating to or like the eagle: curved or hooked, like an eagle's beak. [L. aquila.]

Aquilon, ak′wi-lon, n. (Shak.) the north wind. [L. aquilo, -onis.]

Arab, ar′ab, n. a native of Arabia: an Arab horse, noted for its gracefulness and speed: a neglected or homeless boy or girl—usually Street or City Arab.—adj. of or belonging to Arabia.—adj. Arāb′ian, relating to Arabia.—n. a native of Arabia.—adj. Ar′abic, relating to Arabia, or to its language.—n. the language of Arabia.—ns. Ar′abism, an Arabic idiom; Ar′abist, one skilled in the Arabic language or literature; Ar′aby, a poetical form of Arabia. [L. Arabs, Arab-em—Gr. Araps.]

Araba, ar-ä′ba, n. a heavy screened wagon used by the Tartars.—Also Ar′ba and Arō′ba. [Ar. and Pers. arābah.]

Arabesque, ar′ab-esk, adj. after the manner of Arabian designs.—n. a fantastic painted or sculptured ornament among the Spanish Moors, consisting of foliage and other parts of plants curiously intertwined.—adj. Ar′abesqued, so ornamented. [Fr.—It. arabesco; -esco corresponding to Eng. -ish.]

Arabine, ar′ab-in, n. the essential principle of gum-arabic.

Arable, ar′a-bl, adj. fit for ploughing or tillage. [L. arabilis—ara-re, cog. with Gr. aro-ein, to plough, A.S. erian, Eng. Ear (v.t.), Ir. araim.]

Arachnida, a-rak′ni-da, n.pl. a sub-class of Tracheate Arthropoda, embracing spiders, scorpions, mites, &c., first separated by Lamarck from the Insecta of Linnæus.—adj. Arach′nidan.—n. and adj. Arach′noid, like a cobweb.—adjs. Arachnoi′dal, Arachnolog′ical.—n. Arachno′logist, one who devotes himself to the study of arachnida.—Arachnoid membrane, one of the three coverings of the brain and spinal cord, situated between the dura-mater and the pia-mater, non-vascular, transparent, thin. [Gr. arachnē, spider.]

Aragonite, ar′a-gon-īt, n. a variety of calcium carbonate. [Aragon, in Spain.]

Araise, a-rāz′, v.t. (Shak.) to raise from the dead. [Pfx. a-, and Raise.]

Aramaic, ar-a-mā′ik, adj. relating to Aramæa, the whole of the country to the north-east of Palestine, or to its language—also Aramē′an, Ar′amite.—n. Aramā′ism, an Aramaic idiom.

Araneiform, ar-a-nē′i-form, adj. in the form of a spider.—adj. Aranē′idan.—n. Araneol′ogist = Arachnol′ogist.—adj. Aran′eous, like a spider's web. [L. arānea, spider, and Form.]

Araphorostic, ar-af-or-os′tik, adj. (Lytton) seamless.—Also Arophos′tic. [Formed from Gr. arraphos, unsewed—a, neg., and hropt-ein, to sew.]

Araucaria, ar-aw-kā′ri-a, n. a genus of lofty evergreen trees of the natural order Coniferæ or Pines, natives of S. America and Australasia. [Arauco, name of a province, whence Araucania, a district in S. Chili.]

Arbalest, är′bal-est, n. a crossbow of steel or horn used in war and the chase—also Ar′balist, Ar′blast, Arcū′balist.—ns. Ar′balister, Ar′balester, one armed with an arbalest. [O. Fr. arbaleste—L. arcuballista—arcus, bow, and ballista, engine for throwing missiles.]

Arbiter, är′bit-ėr, n. one chosen by parties in controversy to decide between them: a judge having absolute power of decision: an arbitrator: umpire:—fem. Ar′bitress.—ns. Ar′bitrage, exercise of the functions of the arbiter; Arbit′rament, Arbit′rement, the decision of an arbiter: determination: choice.—v.i. Ar′bitrate, to act as an arbiter: to determine.—ns. Arbitrā′tion; Ar′bitrātor (same as Arbiter):—fem. Ar′bitrātrix.—Arbitration of exchange, the determination of the rate of exchange between two currencies when there are one or more intermediate places through which the operations must pass.—To submit to arbitration, to defer a matter of private, public, or international controversy to the judgment of certain persons selected. [L.—ar = ad, to, and bit-ĕre (cog. with Gr. bai-nein), to go or come; sig. one who comes to look on, a witness, a judge.]

Arbitrary, är′bi-trar-i, adj. not bound by rules: despotic, absolute, arising from accident rather than from rule, varying, uncertain.—adv. Ar′bitrarily.—n. Ar′bitrariness. [L. arbitrarius, arbiter.]

Arblast. See Arbalest.

Arbor, är′bur, n. the Latin word for tree.—adjs. Arborā′ceous, Arbōr′eal, of tree-like character.—n. Arbor-day, in many of the United States, a day yearly set apart for the general planting of trees by school children—in Canada, the first Friday in May.—adj. Arbōr′eous, of or belonging to trees.—ns. Arbores′cence, Arborisā′tion, tree-like growth.—adj. Arbores′cent, growing or formed like a tree: (archit.) branching like a tree.—ns. Ar′boret (obs.), shrubbery: (Spens.) a little tree, shrub; Arborē′tum, a place in which specimens of trees and shrubs are cultivated:—pl. Arborē′ta.—adj. Arboricul′tural.—ns. Ar′boriculture, forestry, the culture of trees, esp. timber-trees; Arboricul′turist; Ar′borist, one who studies trees.—adj. Ar′borous, formed by trees.—Arbor vitæ, a popular name of several evergreen shrubs of the genus Thuja. When the human cerebellum is cut vertically, a tree-like appearance seen receives this name.

Arbor, är′bur, n. the main support of a machine: an axis or spindle on which a wheel revolves. [L.]

Arbour, är′bur, n. an enclosed seat in a garden, covered with branches of trees, plants, &c.: a bower: a shaded walk.—adj. Ar′boured. [See Harbour.]

Arbute, är′būt, n. the strawberry-tree: an evergreen shrub, which bears a scarlet fruit somewhat resembling the strawberry.—Also Ar′butus. [L. arbutus, akin to arbor, tree.]

Arc, ärk, n. a segment of a circle or other curve. [O. Fr.—L. arcus, a bow.]

Arcade, ärk-ād′, n. a row of arches supported by columns—the Gothic counterpart to the classical colonnade: the row of piers, or columns and arches, by which the aisles are divided from the nave of a church, or by which cloisters are enclosed: a walk arched over: a long arched gallery lined with shops on both sides. [Fr.—L. arcata, arched. See Arch.]

Arcadian, ark-ād′i-an, adj. pertaining to Arcadia (poet. Ar′cady), a district in Greece whose people were primitive in manners and given to music and dancing: pastoral: simple, innocent.—n. Arcad′ianism.—adv. Arcad′ianly.

Arcanum, ärk-ān′um, n. a secret: a mystery: a secret remedy or elixir:—pl. Arcan′a.—adj. Arcane′ (rare). [L.—arcanus—arca, a chest.]

Arcature, ar-ka-tūr, n. French for arcade, a small arcade: a blind arcade for decorating wall spaces.

Arch, ärch, n. a concave construction of stones or other materials, built or turned on a centering over an open space, so as by mutual pressure to support each other and sustain a superincumbent weight.—v.t. to cover with an arch: to bend into the form of an arch.—p.adj. Arched, made with an arch, or like an arch.—ns. Arch′let, a little arch; Arch′way, an arched or vaulted passage, esp. that leading into a castle.—Arches, or Court of Arches, the ecclesiastical court of appeal for the province of Canterbury, formerly held at the church of St-Mary-le-Bow (or 'of the Arches'), from the arches that support its steeple. [O. Fr.,—L. arca, chest.]

Arch, ärch, adj. cunning: waggish: roguish: shrewd, now mostly of women and children.—adv. Arch′ly.—n. Arch′ness. [Derived from the prefix arch-, in its use in words like arch-rogue, &c.]

Arch, ärch (ärk in archangel), adj. used as a prefix, now chiefly as an intensive in an odious sense: the first or chief.—ns. Arch′-en′emy, a chief enemy: Satan—also Arch′-foe; Arch′-fiend, the supreme fiend: Satan; Arch′-flā′men, a chief flamen or priest; Arch-he′resy; Arch′-he′retic, a leader of heresy; Arch′-mock′ (Shak.), the height of mockery; Arch′-pī′rate, a chief pirate; Arch′-pō′et, a chief poet: (obs.) a poet-laureate; Arch′-prel′ate, a chief prelate; Arch′-priest′, a chief priest: in early times, a kind of vicar to the bishop—later, a rural dean: the title given to the superiors appointed by the Pope to govern the secular priests sent into England from the foreign seminaries during the period 1598-1621; Arch′-trait′or, a chief traitor, sometimes applied esp. to the devil, or to Judas. [A.S. arce, ærce, through L. from Gr. archi, cog. with arch-ein, to begin.]

Archæology, ärk-e-ol′oj-i, n. a knowledge of ancient art, customs, &c.: the science which deduces a knowledge of past times from the study of their existing remains.—adj. Archæolog′ical.—adv. Archæolog′ically.—n. Archæol′ogist. [Gr. archaios, ancient—archē, beginning, and logos, discourse.]

Archæopteryx, ār-kē-op′tėr-iks, n. the oldest known fossil bird, found in the Jurassic limestone of Bavaria, having a long bony tail of twenty vertebræ. [Gr. archaios, ancient, pteryx, wing.]

Archaic, -al, ärk-ā′ik, -al, adj. ancient: obsolete, esp. of language.—adj. Archæan (ärk-ē′an), of or belonging to the earliest zoological period.—n. Archæog′raphy.—adj. Archæozō′ic. (Gr. zōē, life), pertaining to the era of the earliest living beings on the earth.—adv. Archā′ically.—n. Archā′icism.—v.t. Ar′chāise, to imitate the archaic.—ns. Archā′ism, an archaic or obsolete word or phrase; Archā′ist (Mrs Browning).—adj. Archāis′tic, affectedly or imitatively archaic. [Gr. archaikos—archaios, ancient—archē, beginning.]

Archangel, ärk-ān′jel, n. an angel of the highest order.—adj. Archangel′ic. [Arch, chief, and Angel.]

Archbishop, ärch-bish′up, n. a chief bishop: a metropolitan bishop who superintends the conduct of the suffragan bishops in his province, and also exercises episcopal authority in his own diocese.—n. Archbish′opric. [Arch, chief, and Bishop.]

Archdeacon, ärch-dē′kn, n. a chief deacon: the ecclesiastical dignitary having the chief supervision of a diocese or part of it, next under the bishop—the 'bishop's eye.'—ns. Archdeac′onry, the office, jurisdiction, or residence of an archdeacon; Archdeac′onship, the office of an archdeacon.—adj. Archidīac′onal.—n. Archidīac′onate. [Arch, chief, and Deacon.]

Archdiocese, ärch-dī′o-sēz, n. the diocese of an archbishop. [Arch, chief, and Diocese.]

Archduke, ärch-dūk′, n. a duke of specially exalted rank: a prince of Austria:—fem. Archduch′ess.—adj. Archdū′cal.—ns. Archduch′y, Archduke′dom, the territory of an archduke or archduchess. [Arch, chief, and Duke.]

Archer, ärch′ėr, n. one who shoots with a bow and arrows:—fem. Arch′eress.—ns. Arch′er-fish, an acanthopterygious fish of India which catches insects by shooting water at them from its mouth; Arch′ery, the art of shooting with the bow: a company of archers. [O. Fr. archier—L. arcari-um, arcus, a bow.]

Archetype, ärk′e-tīp, n. the original pattern or model, a prototype.—adj. Archetyp′al. [Gr. archetypon, archi-, and typos, a model.]

Archiepiscopal, ärk-i-ep-is′kop-al, adj. belonging to an archbishop.—ns. Archiepis′copacy, Archiepis′copate, dignity or province of an archbishop. [See Episcopal.]

Archil, är′kil, n. a colouring substance obtained from various species of lichens. [Corrupt form of Orchil—O. Fr. orchel, orseil (Fr. orseille)—It. orcello, origin undetermined.]

Archilochian, är-ki-lō′ki-an, adj. pertaining to the Greek lyric poet Archilochus of Paros (714-676 B.C.), the supposed originator of iambic metre, noted for the bitterness of his satire—hence the proverbial phrases, 'Archilochian bitterness' and 'Parian verse:' a lesser Archilochian verse = a dactylic hexameter alternating with a penthemim; a greater Archilochian, a verse consisting of four dactyls and three trochees.

Archimage, är′ki-māj, n. a chief magician or enchanter. [Gr. archi-, chief, and L. magus, a magician.]

Archimandrite, är-ki-man′drīt, n. in the Greek Church, the superior of a monastery, an abbot: sometimes the superintendent of several monasteries. [Late Gr. archimandritēs—pfx. archi, first, and mandra, an enclosure, a monastery.]

Archimedean, ärk-i-me-dē′an, adj. pertaining to Archimedes, a celebrated Greek mathematician of Syracuse (287-212 B.C.).—Archimedean screw, a machine for raising water, in its simplest form consisting of a flexible tube bent spirally round a solid cylinder, the ends of which are furnished with pivots, so as to admit of the whole turning round its axis.—Principle of Archimedes, a fundamental law in Hydrostatics, that a body when immersed in a fluid weighs less than it does in vacuo by the weight of the fluid it displaces.

Archipelago, ärk-i-pel′a-gō, n. the chief sea of the Greeks, or the Ægean Sea: a sea abounding in small islands, also a group of such islands:—pl. Archipel′agoes.—adj. Archipelagic (-aj′ik). [An Italian compound from Gr. archi-, chief, pelagos, sea.]

Architect, ärk′i-tekt, n. a master-builder: one who designs buildings and superintends their erection: a maker: any contriver, as the Creator.—adjs. Architecton′ic, pertaining to architecture: constructive: controlling, having direction: (metaph.) pertaining to the arrangement of knowledge.—n. the science of architecture: the systematic arrangement of knowledge.—adj. Architect′ural.—n. Architect′ure, the art or science of building: structure: in specific sense, one of the fine arts, the art of architecture—also used of any distinct style, e.g. Gothic, Byzantine architecture. [Gr. architektōn—archi-, chief, and tektōn, a builder.]

Architrave, ärk′i-trāv, n. (archit.) the lowest division of the entablature resting immediately on the abacus of the column: collective name for the various parts, jambs, lintels, &c. which surround a door or window.—p.adj. Arch′itraved. [It. from Gr. archi-, chief, and L. trab-em, trabs, a beam.]

Archives, ärk′īvz, n. the place in which government records are kept: (pl.) public records—also figuratively in both senses.—adj. Arch′ival, pertaining to, or contained in, archives or records.—n. Arch′ivist, a keeper of archives or records. [Fr.—Gr. archeion, magisterial residence—archē, government.]

Archivolt, är′ki-volt, n. the band or moulding which runs round the lower part of the archstones of an arch. [Fr. archivolte, It. archivolto—L. arcus, an arch, volta, a vault.]

Archology, ärk-ol′oj-i, n. (rare) doctrine of the origin of things: the science of government. [Gr. archē, beginning, logos, discourse.]

Archon, ärk′on, n. one of nine chief magistrates of ancient Athens.—ns. Arch′onship, the office of an archon; Arch′ontate, the archon's tenure of office. [Gr. arch-ein, to be first, to rule.]

Archwise, ärch′wīz, adv. in the form of an arch. [Arch, and Wise, way.]

Arctic, ärk′tik, adj. relating to the constellation the Great Bear, or to the north, used figuratively to express extreme cold.—Arctic Circle, a circle drawn round the North Pole, at a distance of 23½ degrees. [O. Fr. artique—L. arcticus—Gr. arktikos—arktos, a bear.]

Arcturus, ärk-tū′rus, n. the Bear-ward, a yellow star in the northern hemisphere, fourth in order of brightness in the entire heavens. [Gr. arktouros—arktos, a bear, and ouros, ward, guard (from its situation at the tail of the bear).]

Arcuate, är′kū-āt, Arcuated, är′kū-āt-ed, adj. bent in the form of a bow.—n. Arcuā′tion. [L. arcuatus, pa.p. of arcu-āre, to bend like a bow—arcus, a bow.]

Arcubalist. See Arbalest.

Ardeb, är′deb, n. an Egyptian dry measure of 5½ bushels. [Ar. irdab.]

Ardent, ärd′ent, adj. burning: fiery: passionate: zealous: fervid.—adv. Ard′ently.—n. Ard′our, warmth of passion or feeling: eagerness: enthusiasm (with for)—also Ard′ency.—Ardent spirits, distilled alcoholic liquors, whisky, brandy, &c. The use of the word as = 'inflammable, combustible,' is obsolete, except in this phrase. [L. ardent-em, ardē-re, to burn.]

Arduous, ärd′ū-us, adj. deep, difficult to climb: difficult to accomplish: laborious.—adv. Ard′uously.—n. Ard′uousness. [L. arduus, high; cog. with Celt. ard, high.]

Are, ar, n. the unit of the French land measure, containing 100 sq. metres = 119.6 English sq. yards. [Fr.—L. area.]

Are, är, the plural of the present indicative of the verb To be. [Old Northumbrian aron, of Scand. origin. This form ousted the older A.S. sind, sindon. Both are cog. with Sans. s-anti, Gr. eis-in, L. sunt, Ger. s-ind.]

Area, ā′rē-a, n. any plane surface or enclosed space: the sunken space around the basement of a building: (fig.) extent conceived by the mind: (geom.) the superficial contents of any figure. [L. area.]

Aread, Arede, a-rēd′, v.t. (obs.) to make known, utter: guess: interpret, explain: to counsel, advise. [A.S. arédan. See Read.]

Arear, a-rēr′, adv. in the rear. [A.S. pfx. a-, on, to, and Rear.]

Areca, ar′ē-ka, n. a genus of palm, one species of which, the Betel-nut Palm, or Penang Palm (Areca catechu), bears nuts with austere and astringent properties, which are chewed by the Malays with a little lime in a leaf of the betel-pepper, making the lips and spittle red.

Arefaction, ar-e-fak′shun, n. (obs.) the action of drying.—v.t. and v.i. Ar′efy, to dry up, wither. [L. arefacĕre, to make dry—arēre, to be dry, and facĕre, to make.]

Arena, a-rē′na, n. part of the ancient amphitheatre strewed with sand for the combats of gladiators and wild beasts: any place of public contest: a battlefield: place of action of any kind.—adj. Arenā′ceous, sandy: dry: (geol.) applied to rocks composed entirely or largely of grains of quartz.—ns. Arenā′ria, the sandwort, a genus of low herbs allied to the chickweeds; Arenā′tion, the application of hot sand to the body as a remedy. [L. arēna, sand.]

Areography, ā-re-ō′gra-fi, n. description of the physical features of the planet Mars. [Gr. Arēs, Mars, and graphein, to write.]

Areola, a-rē′o-la, n. a small area: (bot.) any slightly sunk spot, on the surface: (physiol.) the interstice in the tissue of an organised substance: any circular spot such as that around the human nipple:—pl. Arē′olæ.—adj. Arē′olate, divided into small areas.—n. Areolā′tion, division into areolæ. [L. areola, a dim. of Area.]

Areometer, Aræometer, ā-re-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for determining specific gravity, called also Hydrometer.—n. Areom′etry, the measuring the specific gravity of bodies. [Gr. araios, thin, and Meter.]

Areopagus, ar-e-op′ag-us, n. Mars' Hill, on which the supreme court of ancient Athens was held: the court itself: also used of any important tribunal.—n. Areop′agite, a member of the Areopagus.—adj. Areopagit′ic, pertaining to the Areopagus.—n. a speech on the model of Isocrates's oration of that name addressed to the Areopagus. [Gr. Areios pagos, hill of Ares, or Mars.]

Aret, Arette, a-ret′, v.t. (Spens.) to entrust, commit a charge to. [O. Fr. arete-r, à-, to, reter—L. reputāre, to reckon.]

Arête, ar-āt′, n. a sharp ridge: esp. in French Switzerland, a rocky edge on a mountain. [Fr.—L. arista, an ear of corn, fish-bone, spine.]

Arew, a-rōō′, adv. (Spens.) arow, in a row.

Argal, ar′gal, adv. (Shak.) corruption of L. ergo, therefore: hence as a noun = a clumsy piece of reasoning.

Argali, är′ga-li, n. the great wild sheep of Siberia and Central Asia. [Mongol.]

Argand, ar′gand, n. applied to a lamp and gas-burner invented by Aimé Argand (1755-1803).

Argent, ärj′ent, adj. and n. silver, or like silver, silvery-white: (her.) the silver or white colour in armorial bearings: (poet.) esp. in compounds like argent-clear, argent-lidded.—adjs. Argent′al; Argentif′erous, bearing or containing silver; Ar′gentine, relating to or like silver: sounding like silver.—n. (nat. hist.) white metal coated with silver: a genus of small bony fishes with silvery sides, fished for the nacre which they contain. [Fr.—L. argentum, silver.]

Argil, är′jil, n. potter's clay: pure clay or alumina.—adjs. Argillā′ceous, of the nature of clay; Argillif′erous, bearing or abounding in clay. [L. argilla, Gr. argilos, white clay—argēs, white.]

Argive, ar′jīv, adj. belonging to Argos: Greek.

Argol, är′gol, n. a hard crust formed on the sides of wine-vessels, from which cream of tartar and tartaric acid are obtained—generally of a reddish tinge. [Prob. conn. with Gr. argos, white.]

Argon, ar′gon, n. a constituent element of our atmosphere, discovered in 1894 by Rayleigh and Ramsay.

Argonaut, är′go-nawt, n. one of those who sailed in the ship Argo in search of the golden fleece: also (nat. hist.) a name of the nautilus, a mollusc of the octopod type.—adj. Argonaut′ic. [Gr. Argō, and nautēs, a sailor.]

Argosy, är′go-si, n. a large merchant-vessel richly laden, esp. those of Ragusa and Venice: also figuratively. [The forms ragosie, rhaguse, used equally with argosie, argosey, &c., point to the derivation from It. Ragusea, a ship belonging to Ragusa, a great medieval port on the Adriatic, spelt in 16th-cent. English as Aragouse, Arragosa.]

Argot, är′go, or är′got, n. slang, originally that of thieves and vagabonds: cant. [Fr.; of unknown origin.]

Argue, ärg′ū, v.t. prove or evince: to prove by argument: to discuss: (obs.) to accuse.—v.i. to offer reasons: to dispute (with against, for, with, about):—pr.p. arg′ūing; pa.p. arg′ūed.—adj. Arg′ūable, capable of being argued.—n. Arg′ūer, one who argues: a reasoner.—To argue (a person) into, or out of, to persuade him into, or out of, a certain course of action. [O. Fr. arguer—L. argutāre, freq. of arguĕre, to prove.]

Argufy, ärg′ū-fī, v.i. to be evidence of something: to be of importance: to argue, wrangle.—v.t. to weary with wrangling. [Illiterate corr. of Argue.]

Argument, ärg′ū-ment, n. a statement, or reason based on such, offered as proof: a series of reasons or a step in such: discussion: subject of a discourse: summary of the subject-matter of a book: (obs.) matter of controversy.—adjs. Argument′able, Argument′al.—n. Argumentā′tion, an arguing or reasoning.—adj. Argument′ative.—adv. Argument′atively.—n. Argument′ativeness. [L. argumentum. See Argue.]

Argumentum, ärg-ū-ment′um, n. an argument.—The following are forms of indirect argument:—Argumentum ad hominem, an appeal to the known prepossessions or previous admissions of an opponent; Argumentum ad ignorantiam, an argument founded on the ignorance of an opponent; Argumentum ad invidiam, an argument appealing to the prejudices of the person addressed; Argumentum ad judicium, an appeal to the common-sense of mankind; Argumentum ad verecundiam, an appeal to our reverence for some respected authority; Argumentum baculinum, the argument of the cudgel—most concise of arguments, an appeal to force; Argumentum per impossibile, or Reductio ad absurdum, the proof of a conclusion derived from the absurdity of a contradictory supposition.—For the Ontological, Cosmological, Teleological, and Moral arguments in Theism, see under these adjectives.

Argus, ärg′us, n. any very quick-eyed or watchful person, from Argus, described in Greek mythology as having had a hundred eyes, some of which were always awake: a genus of gallinaceous birds, remarkable for magnificence of plumage—the only known species, the Argus pheasant, native to Sumatra, &c. [Gr.—argos, bright.]

Argute, är-gūt′, adj. shrill in sound: keen: shrewd.—adv. Argute′ly.—n. Argute′ness. [L. argutus.]

Argyria, ar-jir′i-a, n. silver poisoning. [Gr. argyros, silver.]

Aria, ā′ri-a, n. an air or rhythmical song introduced in a cantata, oratorio, or opera, and intended for one voice supported by instruments. [It., from root of Air.]

Arian, ā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Arius of Alexandria (died 336), who denied the divinity of Christ.—n. one who adheres to the doctrines of Arius: a Unitarian.—v.t. A′rianise.—n. A′rianism, the doctrines of the Arians.

Arid, ar′id, adj. dry: parched.—ns. Arid′ity, Ar′idness. [L. aridus.]

Ariel, ā′ri-el, n. a man's name in the Old Testament, variously explained as 'lion of God,' 'hearth of God:' in later demonology, a water-spirit: an angel: a spirit of the air. [Heb. ariēl.]

Ariel, ā′ri-el, n. a species of gazelle in Western Asia. [Ar. aryil.]

Aries, ā′ri-ēz, n. the Ram, the first of the signs of the zodiac, which the sun enters on 21st March. [L.]

Arietta, ar-i-et′ta, n. a little aria or air.—Also Ariette′. [It. arietta, dim. of aria.]

Aright, a-rīt′, adv. in a right way: rightly.

Aril, ar′il, Arillus, a-ril′lus, n. a peculiar covering of the seed of some plants, formed by an expansion of the cord (funiculus) which attaches the ovule to the placenta, or of the placenta itself.—adjs. Ar′illary, Ar′illated, having an aril. [Low L. arillus.]

Arimaspian, ar-im-as′pi-an, adj. pertaining to the Arimaspi, described by Herodotus as a one-eyed and fierce people inhabiting the most northern region in the world, waging perpetual warfare with the neighbouring griffins for their hoarded gold.

Ariot, ä-rī′ot, adv. in riot, riotously.

Aripple, ä-rip′l, adv. in a ripple, rippling.

Arise, a-rīz′, v.i. to rise up: to come up so as to be heard: to ascend: to come into view: to spring:—pa.t. arose′; pa.p. aris′en. [Pfx. a-, up, out, and Rise.]

Aristarch, ar′is-tärk, n. a severe critic. [From Aristarchus, a grammarian of Alexandria about 160 B.C.]

Aristate, a-ris′tāt, adj. (bot.) having awns. [L. arista, an awn.]

Aristocracy, ar-is-tok′ras-i, n. government by the men of best birth or condition: political power of a privileged order: the nobility or chief persons of a state: the upper classes generally, also the persons noted for superiority in any quality, taken collectively—also Aristarch′y (rare).—n. Aristocrat (ar′is-to-krat, or ar-is′-), one who belongs to or favours an aristocracy: a haughty person.—adjs. Aristocrat′ic, -al, belonging to aristocracy: gentlemanly, stylish.—adv. Aristocrat′ically.—n. Aristocrat′ism. [Gr. aristos, best, and kratos, power.]

Aristolochia, ar-is-tō-lō′ki-a, n. a genus of shrubs, many climbers, specially abundant in tropical South America. [Gr.; aristos, best, locheia, child-birth, the roots of several species being formerly thought useful in parturition.]

Aristotelian, ar-is-to-tē′li-an, adj. relating to Aristotle or to his philosophy.

Arithmancy, ar′ith-man-si, n. divination by numbers.—Also Arith′momancy. [Gr. arithmos, number, and manteia, divination.]

Arithmetic, ar-ith′met-ik, n. the science of numbers: the art of reckoning by figures: a treatise on reckoning.—adj. Arithmet′ical.—adv. Arithmet′ically.—n. Arithmetic′ian, one skilled in arithmetic—Arithmetical progression, a series of numbers that increase or diminish by a common difference, as 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22; or 12, 10½, 9, 7½, 6. To find the sum of such a series, multiply the sum of the first and last terms by half the number of terms. [Gr. arithmētikē (technē, art), relating to numbers—arithmos, number.]

Arithmocracy, ar-ith-mok′ras-i, n. a democracy of mere numbers.—adj. Arithmocrat′ic. [A coinage of Kingsley—Gr. arithmos, number, kratia, rule.]

Arithmometer, ar-ith-mom′et-ėr, n. an instrument for working out arithmetical calculations. [Gr. arithmos, number, metron, measure.]

Ark, ärk, n. a chest or coffer: in Jewish history, the wooden coffer in which the Tables of the Law were kept—hence To touch or Lay hands on the ark, to touch irreverently what is sacred (2 Sam. vi. 6): a large floating vessel, like that in which Noah escaped the Deluge (Gen. vi.-viii.).—adj. and n. Ark′ite. [A.S. arc—L. arca, a chest—arcēre, to guard.]

Arles, ärlz, or ārlz, n. earnest money given in confirmation of a bargain, or of the engagement of a servant.—ns. Arle′-pen′ny, Arles′-pen′ny. [Scot. and northern Eng.; M. E. erles—O. Fr. erres (mod. Fr. arrhes)—L. arrha.]

Arm, ärm, n. the limb extending from the shoulder to the hand: anything projecting from the main body, as an inlet of the sea, a rail or support from a chair, sofa, or the like: one of the branches into which a main trunk divides: (fig.) power.—ns. Arm′-chair, a chair with arms; Arm′ful; Arm′-hole, the hole in a garment through which the arm is put.—adv. Arm′-in-arm, with arms interlinked, in close communion.—adj. Arm′less.—ns. Arm′let, a bracelet; Arm′-pit, the pit or hollow under the shoulder.—At arm's length, away from any friendliness or familiarity.—Right arm, the main support or assistant; Secular arm, the secular or temporal authority, as distinguished from the spiritual or ecclesiastical.—With open arms, with hearty welcome. [A.S.; cog. with L. armus, the shoulder-joint, Gr. harmos, a joint.]

Arm, ärm, n. a weapon: a branch of the military service:—pl. Arms, weapons of offence and defence: war, hostilities: deeds or exploits of war: armorial ensigns.—v.t. Arm, to furnish with arms or weapons: to fortify.—v.i. to take arms.—n. Ar′mature, armour: any apparatus for defence: a piece of iron connecting the poles of a bent magnet.—adj. Armed (ärmd, or arm′ed), furnished with arms: provided with means of defence: (bot.) having prickles or thorns: (her.) having part of the body different in colour from the rest, as a beak, claws, &c. of a bird.—n.pl. Fire′arms, such weapons as employ gunpowder, as guns and pistols.—n. Man′-at-arms, a fully equipped and practised fighting man.—n.pl. Small′-arms, such as do not require carriages, as opposed to artillery.—Armed to the teeth, completely armed.—College of Arms, the Heralds' College, which grants armorial bearings.—In arms with, quartered with; Of all arms, of every kind of troops; Stand of arms, a complete equipment of arms for one soldier.—The armed eye, strengthened with a magnifying-glass, as opp. to naked eye.—To lay down arms, to surrender or submit; Up in arms, in readiness to fight. [Through Fr. from L. arma; cog. with Arm.]

Armada, ärm-ā′da, n. a fleet of armed ships, esp. the self-styled Invincible Armada sent by Philip II. against England in 1588. [Sp.—L. armata, armare, to arm.]

Armadillo, ärm-a-dil′o, n. a small American edentate quadruped, having its body armed with bands of bony plates:—pl. Armadill′os. [Sp., dim. of armado, armed.]

Armageddon, är-mag-ed′on, n. the great symbolical battlefield of the Apocalypse, in which the final struggle between the powers of good and evil is to be fought out. [The name was no doubt suggested by the famous battlefield of Megiddo, in the plain of Esdraelon.]

Armament, ärm′a-ment, n. forces armed or equipped for war: munitions of war, esp. the great guns with which a ship is armed. [L. armamenta—arma.]

Armenian, ar-mē′ni-an, adj. belonging to Armenia, in Western Asia: belonging to the Armenian branch of the Christian Church.—n. a native of Armenia.

Armet, är′met, n. a helmet introduced about 1450 in place of the basinet, consisting of an iron cap, spreading over the back of the neck, having in front the visor, beaver, and gorget. [Fr.]

Armgaunt, ärm′gänt, adj. (Shak. once, Ant. and Cleop. I. v. 48), with gaunt limbs (?). The word has not been satisfactorily explained, and is most likely an error.

Armiger, är′mi-jėr, n. an armour-bearer: one entitled to a coat-of-arms: an esquire—also Armi′gero (Shak.).—adj. Armi′gerous. [L.; arma, arms, gerĕre, to bear.]

Armillary, är′mil-lar-i, or är-mil′lar-i, adj. resembling an armlet or bracelet: consisting of rings or circles.—n. Armil′la, in archæology, a bracelet: one of the coronation ornaments: the regalia.—Armillary sphere, an instrument constructed to show the motions of the heavenly bodies. [L. armilla, an armlet. See Arm (1).]

Arminian, ar-min′yan, n. a follower of Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch divine, who denied the Calvinistic doctrine of absolute predestination, as well as irresistible grace.—adj. holding the doctrines of Arminius.—n. Armin′ianism.

Armipotent, ärm-ip′ō-tent, adj. powerful in arms. [L. arma, arms, potens, -entis, powerful.]

Armistice, ärm′ist-is, n. a short suspension of hostilities: a truce. [Fr.—Low L. armistitium, from L. arma, arms, sistĕre—stitum, to stop.]

Armoire, arm′war, n. an ambry or cupboard. [Fr.]

Armoric, ar-mor′ik, n. the language of the inhabitants of Armorica, the ancient name for Brittany. [L. Armoricus—Celt. are-mor, before the sea.]

Armour, ärm′ur, n. defensive arms or dress: heraldic insignia: plating of ships of war.—adj. Armō′rial, belonging to armour, or to the arms of a family.—ns. Arm′our-bear′er; Arm′ourer, a maker or repairer of, or one who has the charge of, armour.—adj. Arm′our-plat′ed.—ns. Arm′oury, Arm′ory, the place in which arms are made or kept: a collection of ancient armour; Coat′-arm′our, originally a vest of silk embroidered in colours, worn by a knight over his armour. [See Arm (2).]

Armozeen, Armozine, är-mo-zēn′, n. a kind of taffeta or plain silk, usually black, used for clerical gowns. [Fr. armoisin.]

Army, ärm′i, n. a large body of men armed for war and under military command: a body of men banded together in a special cause, whether travestying military methods, as the 'Salvation Army,' or not, as the 'Blue Ribbon Army:' a host: a great number.—ns. Arm′y-Corps (-kōr), a main division of an army, a miniature army comprising all arms of the service; Arm′y-list, a list of all commissioned officers, issued periodically by the War Office; Arm′y-worm, a European grub which collects in vast armies. [Fr. armée—L. armata, armāre.]

Arnica, är′ni-ka, n. a genus of composite plants, of which the species A. montana, or Mountain Tobacco, formerly enjoyed a great repute in medicine as a stimulant in paralytic affections, low fevers, &c.—its flowers still yield a tincture externally applied to wounds and bruises. [Mod. L.; origin unknown.]

Arnotto, ar-not′to. See Anatta.

Aroint, a-roint′, interj. (Shak.) away! begone! used only twice in the phrase, 'Aroint thee, witch:' to bid begone (arch. usage in Browning).—v.t. to drive or frighten away. [Origin unknown; perh. in some provincialism, like the Yorkshire rynd-ta, 'round-thee,' 'move-round,' spoken to a cow in her stall.]

Aroma, a-rō′ma, n. sweet smell: the odorous principle of plants: (fig.) flavour or peculiar charm of any kind.—adj. Aromat′ic, fragrant: spicy.—v.t. Arō′matise, to render aromatic: to perfume:—pr.p. arō′matising; pa.p. arō′matised. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. arōma.]

Arose, a-rōz′, pa.t. of Arise.

Around, a-rownd′, prep. on all sides of: (Amer.) round about.—adv. on every side: in a circle: (Amer.) round, all about, [a, on, and Round.]

Arouse, a-rowz′, v.t. and v.i. same as Rouse.—ns. Arouse, Arous′al (rare).

Arow, a-rō′, adv. in a row: one following the other. [Prep. a, and Row.]

Aroynt. Same as Aroint.

Arpeggio, är-pej′ō, n. (mus.) a chord of which the notes are given, not simultaneously, but in rapid succession. [It. arpeggiare, to play upon the harp—arpa, harp.]

Arpent, är′pent, n. an old French measure for land still used in Quebec and Louisiana = 100 sq. perches, varying with the perch from 1¼ acre to 5⁄6 of an acre. [Fr.—L. arepennis, said to be a Gallic word.]

Arquebuse, är′kwi-bus, n. an old-fashioned hand-gun—also Har′quebus.—n. Arquebusier′. [Fr. arquebuse—Dut. haakbus—haak, hook, and bus, box, barrel of a gun; Ger. hakenbüchse.]

Arracacha, ar-a-kach′ä, n. an umbelliferous plant with esculent roots, native to the northern parts of South America. [Native Ind. name.]

Arrack, ar′ak, n. an ardent spirit used in the East, procured from toddy or the fermented juice of the coco and other palms, as well as from rice and jaggery sugar. [Ar. ‛araq, juice.]

Arrah, ar′a, interj. Anglo-Irish expletive of emotion, wonder, &c.

Arraign, ar-rān′, v.t. to call one to account: to put a prisoner upon trial: to accuse publicly.—ns. Arraign′er; Arraign′ing; Arraign′ment. [O. Fr. aresnier—Low L. arrationāre—L. ad, to, rationem, reason.]

Arrange, ar-rānj′, v.t. to set in a rank or row: to put in order: to settle: (mus.) to adapt a composition for instruments or voices for which it was not originally written, as when orchestral or vocal compositions are set for the pianoforte, or the reverse.—v.i. to come to an agreement.—n. Arrange′ment, act of arranging: classification: settlement. [O. Fr. arangier—à (—L. ad, to), and rangier, rengier. See Range.]

Arrant, ar′rant, adj. downright, notorious (used in a bad sense): unmitigated.—adv. Ar′rantly. [A variant of Errant. From its use in phrases like 'arrant thief,' it passed naturally into a general term used with other terms of abuse.]

Arras, ar′ras, n. tapestry: a hanging screen of such hung round the walls of rooms.—p.adj. Ar′rased, covered with arras.—n. Ar′rasene, an embroidery material of wool and silk stitched in like crewels. [From Arras in Northern France, where first manufactured.]

Arraught, ar-rawt′, adj. (Spens.) seized on by force:—pa.t. and pa.p. of Arreach. [See Reach.]

Array, ar-rā′, n. order: dress: equipage.—v.t. to put in order: to arrange: to dress, adorn, or equip. [O. Fr. arroi, array, equipage—L. ad, and a Teut. root, found in Eng. Ready, Ger. bereit, A.S. gerǽde, preparation, Dan. rede, order.]

Arrear, ar-rēr′, n. that which is in the rear or behind: that which remains unpaid or undone (used mostly in pl.).—adv. Arrear′, backward, behind.—n. Arrear′age (Shak.), arrears. [O. Fr. arere, ariere (Fr. arrière)—L. ad, to, retro, back, behind.]

Arrect, a-rekt′, adj. upright: erected, as the ears: on the alert. [L. arrectus.]

Arrest, ar-rest′, v.t. to stop: to seize: to catch the attention: to apprehend by legal authority.—n. stoppage: seizure by warrant.—adj. Arrest′able, liable to be arrested.—n. Arrestā′tion, the act of arresting: arrest.—adj. Arrest′ive, with a tendency to arrest.—n. Arrest′ment (law), detention of a person arrested till liberated on bail, or by security: (Scots law) the process which prohibits a debtor from making payment to his creditor until another debt due to the person making use of the arrestment by such creditor is paid. [O. Fr. arester—L. ad, to, restāre, to stand still.]

Arret, ar-ret′, or a-rā′, n. decision: judgment of a tribunal—properly of the king or parliament of France. [Fr. arrêt. See Arrest.]

Arride, a-rīd′, v.t. (Lamb) to please, gratify. [L. arridē-re.]

Arrière-ban, är′yer-bän, or ä-rēr′ban, n. in feudal times, the sovereign's summons to all freemen to take the field: the army thus collected. [O. Fr. ariereban, Old High Ger. hari, army, and ban, public proclamation.]

Arris, ar′ris, n. a sharp ridge or edge on stone or metal. [See Arête.]

Arrive, ar-rīv′, v.i. to reach any place: to attain to any object (with at).—ns. Arrīv′al, the act of arriving: persons or things that arrive; Arrīv′ance (Shak.), company arriving. [O. Fr. ariver—Low L. adripāre—L. ad, to, ripa, a bank.]

Arroba, a-rō′ba, n. a weight of 25 or more pounds, used in Spanish and Portuguese regions. [Ar.]

Arrogate, ar′rog-āt, v.t. to claim as one's own: to claim proudly or unduly.—ns. Ar′rogance, Ar′rogancy, undue assumption of importance.—adj. Ar′rogant, claiming too much: overbearing.—adv. Ar′rogantly.—n. Arrogā′tion, act of arrogating: undue assumption. [L. arrogāre—ad, to, rogāre, -ātum, to ask, to claim.]

Arrondissement, ar-ron′dēs-mäng, n. a subdivision of a French department, comprising a number of communes. [Fr.—arrondir, to make round.]

Arrow, ar′rō, n. a straight, pointed weapon, made to be shot from a bow: any arrow-shaped pin or ornament: the chief shoot of a plant, esp. the flowering stem of the sugar-cane.—n. Ar′row-head, the head or pointed part of an arrow: an aquatic plant native to England, with arrow-shaped leaves rising above the water—reputed good for hydrophobia.—adj. Ar′row-head′ed, shaped like the head of an arrow.—n. Ar′row-shot, the distance traversed by an arrow.—adj. Ar′rowy, of or like arrows. [A.S. earh, arwe; cog. with L. arcus; akin to Ice. ör, örvar.]

Arrowroot, ar′rō-rōōt, n. a starch obtained from the roots of certain plants growing chiefly in West Indies, and much used as food for invalids and children. [Said to be so named because used by the Indians of South America as an antidote against wounds caused by poisoned arrows.]

'Arry, ar′i, n. a jovial vulgar fellow who drops his h's:—fem. 'Ar′riet.—adj. 'Ar′ryish, in holiday spirits. [From the vulgar Cockney pronunciation of Harry.]

Arse, ärs, n. the posterior parts of an animal.—adv. and adj. Ars′y-vers′y, backside foremost, contrary. [A.S. ears; Ger. arsch, Sw. ars; cog. with Gr. orros.]

Arsenal, är′se-nal, n. a dock possessing naval stores: a public magazine or manufactory of naval and military stores. [It. arzenale, arsenale (Sp., Fr. arsenal)—Ar. dār aççinā‛ah, workshop; dār, house, al, the, cinā‛ah, art.]

Arsenic, ar′sen-ik, n. one of the chemical elements: a mineral poison: a soft, gray-coloured metal.—ns. Ar′senate, Arsē′niate, a salt of arsenic acid.—adjs. Arsen′ic, -al, composed of or containing arsenic: in chemistry, applied to compounds; Arsē′nious, of or containing arsenic.—n. Ar′senite, a salt of arsenious acid. [Gr. arsenikon, arsen, male; the alchemists fancied some metals male, others female.]

Arsis, ar′sis, n. grammatical term applied to the elevation of the voice to a higher pitch in speaking: (mus.) the strong position in a bar: the strong syllable in English metre:—pl. Ar′sēs. [L.—Gr. arsis—airein, to lift.]

Arson, ärs′on, n. the crime of wilfully burning houses or other buildings.—ns. Ar′sonite, Ar′sonist (rare). [O. Fr. arson—L. arsion-em, ardēre, arsum, to burn.]

Art, ärt, 2d pers. sing. of the present tense of the verb To be. [A.S. eart.]

Art, ärt, n. practical skill guided by rules: human skill as opposed to nature: skill as applied to subjects of taste, the fine arts—music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and poetry: (pl.) specially used of certain branches of learning to be acquired as necessary for pursuit of higher studies, or for the work of life, as in phrase 'faculty of arts, master of arts:' the rules and methods of doing certain actions: a profession, skilled trade, or craft: contrivance: cunning, artfulness, or address: artifice, special faculty of some kind acquired by practice, skill, dexterity, knack: special faculty of giving expression to æsthetic or artistic quality, as in art-furniture, &c., supposed, by the buyer, in this respect, to justify its price.—adj. Art′ful, full of art: (arch.) dexterous, clever: cunning: produced by art.—adv. Art′fully.—n. Art′fulness.—adj. Art′less, simple: (rare) inartistic: guileless, unaffected.—adv. Art′lessly.—ns. Art′lessness; Arts′man, one who cultivates some practical knowledge: (arch.) a man skilled in arts or in learning.—n.pl. Art′-un′ions, associations having for their object the promotion of an interest in the fine arts.—Art and part, as in the phrase 'to be art and part in,' originally in legal expressions like 'to be concerned in either by art or part'—i.e. either by art in contriving or by part in actual execution; now loosely used in the sense of participating, sharing.—Useful arts as opposed to Fine arts, those in which the hands and body are more concerned than the mind.—Science and Art differ essentially in their aims—Science, in Mill's words, 'takes cognisance of a phenomenon, and endeavours to ascertain its law; Art proposes to itself an end, and looks out for means to effect it.' [L. ars, artis. See Arm.]

Artemisia, är-tē-miz′i-a, n. a genus of composite plants, with a peculiarly bitter taste, including Wormwood, Southernwood, &c.

Artery, är′tėr-i, n. a tube or vessel which conveys blood from the heart (see Aorta)—also metaphorically: any main channel of communication.—adj. Artēr′ial—v.t. Artēr′ialise, to make arterial.—ns. Artēriot′omy, the cutting or opening of an artery, to let blood; Arterī′tis, inflammation of an artery. [L.—Gr. artēria, orig. the windpipe most probably—Gr. air-ein, to raise. The ancient conception of the artery as an air-duct gave rise to the derivation from Gr. aēr, air.]

Artesian, är-tē′zhan, adj. applied to wells made by boring until water is reached. [From Artois (L. Artesium), in the north of France, where the oldest known well of this kind in Europe was sunk in 1126.]

Arthritis, ar-thrī′tis, n. inflammation of a joint: gout.—adj. Arthrit′ic, relating to or affecting the joints: gouty. [Gr. arthritikos—arthron, a joint.]

Arthropoda, ar-throp′od-a, n.pl. a great division of the animal kingdom, the body consisting of a definite number of segments, each having a pair of hollow jointed limbs into which the body muscles proceed. It again divides into two great groups—the water-breathers or Branchiata, and the air-breathers or Tracheata.—adj. Arthrop′odal. [Gr. arthron, joint, and pous, pod-os, a foot.]

Artichoke, är′ti-chōk, n. a thistle-like, perennial, eatable plant with large scaly heads, like the cone of the pine, now growing wild in the south of Europe, though probably a native of Asia.—Jerusalem artichoke, a totally different plant, a species of sunflower, bearing tubers like those of the potato, Jerusalem being a corr. of It. girasole ('turn-sun'), sunflower. By a quibble on Jerusalem, the soup made from it is called Palestine soup. [Old It. articiocco (It. carciofo)—Old Sp. alcarchofa—Ar. al-kharshōfa, al-kharshuf. Popular definitions are many—e.g. the plant that chokes the garden or the heart.]

Article, ärt′i-kl, n. a separate element, member, or part of anything: a particular substance: a single clause or term: a distinct point in an agreement, or an agreement looked at as complete, as in 'articles of apprenticeship,' &c.: rules or conditions generally: a section of any document: a literary composition in a journal, newspaper, encyclopædia, &c., treating of a subject distinctly and independently: (gram.) the name given to the adjectives the (definite article) and a or an (indefinite article).—v.t. to draw up or bind by articles: to indict, charge with specific accusations: bind by articles of apprenticeship.—adj. Artic′ular, belonging to the joints.—Articles of association, regulations for the business of a joint-stock company registered under the Companies Acts; Articles of faith, binding statement of points held by a particular Church; Articles of war, code of regulations for the government and discipline of the army and navy.—In the article of death (L. in articulo mortis), at the point of death.—Lords of the Articles, a standing committee of the Scottish parliament who drafted the measures to be submitted.—The Thirty-nine Articles, the articles of religious belief finally agreed upon by the entire bishops and clergy of the Church of England in 1562. [L. articulus, a little joint—artus, a joint.]

Articulata, är-tik-ū-lā′ta, n. one of the great primary divisions of the animal kingdom, according to Cuvier, including those animals of which the body is divided into a number of distinct joints—viz. the higher worms or Annelids, and also the Insects, Crustaceans, Arachnids, and Myriopods.

Articulate, är-tik′ūl-āt, adj. distinct: clear.—v.t. to joint: to form into distinct sounds, syllables, or words.—v.i. to speak distinctly.—adv. Artic′ulately.—ns. Artic′ulateness; Articulā′tion, a joining as of the bones: part between two joints: distinctness, or distinct utterance: a consonant; Artic′ulator, one who articulates or speaks: one who articulates bones and mounts skeletons. [L. articulāre, -ātum, to furnish with joints, to utter distinctly. See Article.]

Artifice, art′i-fis, n. artificer's work: a contrivance: a trick or fraud.—n. Artif′icer, a workman: an inventor.—adj. Artificial (ärt-i-fish′yal), made by art: not natural: cultivated: not indigenous: feigned: not natural in manners, affected.—v.t. and v.i. Artific′ialise, to render artificial.—ns. Artificial′ity, Artific′ialness.—adv. Artific′ially. [L. artificium—artifex, -ficis, an artificer—ars, artis, and facĕre, to make.]

Artillery, är-til′ėr-i, n. offensive weapons of war, esp. cannon, mortars, &c.: the men who manage them: a branch of the military service: gunnery.—ns. Artill′erist, one skilled in artillery or gunnery; Artill′ery-man, a soldier of the artillery. [O. Fr. artillerie, artiller, to arm; through a supposed Low L. artillāre—L. ars, artis, art.]

Artiodactyla, är-ti-o-dak′til-a, n. a sub-order of the great mammalian order of Ungulata, having the third digit unsymmetrical in itself, but forming a symmetrical pair with the fourth digit—as distinguished from the Perissodactyla (horse, tapir, rhinoceros), which have the third digit of each limb symmetrical in itself, an odd number of digits on the hind-foot, and at least twenty-two dorso-lumbar vertebræ. The Artiodactyla, again, divide into two groups, the Non-Ruminantia and the Ruminantia.

Artisan, ärt′i-zan, n. one skilled in any art or trade: a mechanic. [Fr.—It. artigiano, ult. from L. artitus, skilled in the arts—ars, artis, art.]

Artist, ärt′ist, n. one who practises an art, esp. one of the fine arts, as painting, sculpture, engraving, or architecture.—adjs. Artist′ic, -al, according to art.—adv. Artist′ically.—n. Art′istry, artistic pursuits: artistic workmanship, quality, or ability. [Fr. artiste, It. artista—L. ars, artis, art.]

Artiste, är-tēst′, n. one dexterous or tasteful in any art, as an opera dancer, a cook, a hairdresser, &c. [Fr.]

Art-union. See Art.

Arum, ā′rum, n. a genus of plants represented in England by the Cuckoo-pint or Wake Robin (A. maculatum), whose root yields a wholesome farina known as Portland Sago or Arrowroot. [L.—Gr. aron.]

Arundinaceous, a-run-di-nā′shus, adj. relating to or like a reed.—Also Arundin′eous. [L. arundinaceus—arundo, a reed.]

Aruspex, Aruspice, Aruspicy. See Haruspex.

Arvicola, är-vik′ō-lä, n. the general name of the family of animals to which belong the water-vole and field-vole. [Coined from L. arvum, a field, colĕ-re, to inhabit.]

Ary, ä′ri, e′ri, adj. (prov.) any. [A modification of e'er a for ever a. Cf. Nary.]

Aryan, ar′i-an, or ā′ri-an, adj. relating to the family of nations otherwise called Indo-European (comprehending the inhabitants of Europe—except the Basques, Turks, Magyars, and Finns—and those of Armenia, Persia, and North Hindustan), or to their languages—Sanskrit, Zend, Greek, Latin, Celtic, Teutonic, Slavonic, Lettic.—v.t. Aryanise′. [L. arianus, belonging to Ariana or Aria (Gr. Areia), the east part of Ancient Persia—Sans. Arya (cf. Old Pers. Ariya, and Irān, Persia), often traced to a root ar, plough.]

As, az, adv., conj., and pron. in that degree, so far, as ... as: the consequent in a co-relation expressing quantity, degree, &c., as ... as, such ... as, same ... as: since, because: when, while: expressing merely continuation or expansion, for instance: similarly: for example: while: in like manner: that, who, which (after such, same).—As concerning, As to, As for, so far as concerns; As it were, so to speak, in some sort; As much, the same; As well (as), just as much (as), equally (with). [A worn-down form of all-so, A.S. all-swá, wholly so.]

As, as, n. in Norse mythology, one of the gods, the inhabitants of Asgard:—pl. Aesir (ā′ser). [Ice. āss, a god (pl. æsir)—A.S. ōs, seen in such proper names as Oswold, Osric.]

As, as, n. Latin unit of weight, 12 ounces (L. unciæ): a copper coin, the unit of the early monetary system of Rome.

Asafœtida, as-a-fet′i-da, n. a medicinal gum-resin, having an offensive smell, procured by drying the milky juice which flows from the root of the plant Ferula (Narthex) asafœtida. [Pers. azā, mastic, and L. fœtida, stinking.]

Åsar, ē′sar, n.pl. the Swedish name for those long, winding banks and ridges of gravel and sand which occur abundantly in the low grounds of Sweden, supposed to mark the site of sub-glacial streams and rivers.—These åsar are the same as the Irish eskar and the Scotch kames.

Asarabacca, as-a-ra-bak′a, n. a European plant, a species of Asarum, having acrid properties, formerly used in the preparation of snuffs for catarrh, &c. [L. asarum, bacca, a berry.]

Asbestos, az-best′os, n. an incombustible mineral, a variety of hornblende, of a fine fibrous texture, resembling flax: (fig.) anything unquenchable.—adjs. Asbes′tic, Asbes′tous, Asbes′tine, of or like asbestos: incombustible. [Gr.; (lit.) unquenchable—a, neg., sbestos, extinguished.]

Ascaris, as′ka-ris, n. a genus of parasitic worms, of the family Ascar′idæ, infesting the small intestines. [Gr. askaris, pl. askarides.]

Ascend, as-send′, v.i. to climb or mount up: to rise, literally or figuratively: to go backwards in the order of time.—v.t. to climb or go up on: to mount.—adjs. Ascend′able, Ascend′ible.—Ascending rhythm, in prosody, a rhythm in which the arsis follows the thesis, as an iambic or anapæstic rhythm: opposed to descending rhythms, as the trochaic and dactylic. [L. ascendĕre, ascensum—ad, and scandĕre, to climb.]

Ascension, as-sen′shun, n. a rising or going up.—adjs. Ascend′ant, -ent, superior: above the horizon.—n. superiority: (astrol.) the part of the ecliptic rising above the horizon at the time of one's birth; it was supposed to have commanding influence over the person's life, hence the phrase, 'in the ascendant:' superiority or great influence: (rare) an ancestor.—n. Ascend′ency, controlling influence—also Ascend′ancy, Ascend′ance, Ascend′ence (rare).—adj. Ascen′sional, relating to ascension.—n. Ascen′sion-day, the festival held on Holy Thursday, ten days before Whitsunday, to commemorate Christ's ascension to heaven.—adj. Ascen′sive, rising: causing to rise.—n. Ascent′, act of ascending: upward movement, as of a balloon: way of ascending: degree of elevation or advancement: slope or gradient: a flight of steps.—Line of ascent, ancestry.—Right ascension (astron.), the name applied to one of the arcs which determine the position relatively to the equator of a heavenly body on the celestial sphere, the other being the declinator. [L. ascensio—ascendĕre.]

Ascertain, as-sėr-tān′, v.t. to determine: to obtain certain knowledge of: (rare) to insure, certify, make certain.—adj. Ascertain′able.—n. Ascertain′ment. [O. Fr. acertener. See Certain.]

Ascetic, as-set′ik, n. one who rigidly denies himself ordinary sensual gratifications for conscience' sake, one who aims to compass holiness through self-mortification, the flesh being considered as the seat of sin, and therefore to be chastened: a strict hermit.—adjs. Ascet′ic, -al, excessively rigid: austere: recluse.—adv. Ascet′ically.—n. Ascet′icism. [Gr. askētikos (adj. askētēs), one that uses exercises to train himself—askein, to work, take exercise, (eccles.) to mortify the body.]

Ascian, ash′yan, n. name given to the inhabitants of the torrid zone, who are shadowless at certain seasons, from the sun being right over their heads. [Gr. askios, shadowless—a, neg., skia, a shadow.]

Ascidians, a-sid′i-anz, n.pl. a group belonging to the tunicate Mollusca, forming a class of degenerate survivors of ancestral vertebrates, asymmetrical marine animals with a tubular heart and no feet, of a double-mouthed flask shape, found at low-water mark on the sea-beach.—n. Ascid′ium, a genus of Ascidians: (bot.) a pitcher-shaped, leafy formation, as in the Nepenthes. [Gr. askidion, dim. of askos, a leathern bag, wine-skin.]

Ascititious. Same as Adscititious.

Asclepiad, as-klē′pi-ad, Asclepiadic, as-klē-pi-ad′ik, n. in ancient prosody, a verse consisting of a spondee, two (or three) choriambi, and an iambus: —adj. Asclepiad′ic. [Asclepiadēs, a Greek poet.]

Asclepiads, as-klē′pi-adz, n.pl. an order of Greek physicians, priests of Asclepius or Æsculapius, the god of medicine. [Gr. asklēpius, Asclepius.]

Asclepias, as-klē′pi-as, n. a genus of plants, native to North America, giving name to the natural order of the Asclepidaceæ, and containing the milk-weed, swallow-wort, &c.

Ascribe, a-skrīb′, v.t. to attribute, impute, or assign.—adj. Ascrib′able.—n. Ascrip′tion, act of ascribing or imputing: any expression of ascribing, or any formula for such, like the one ascribing glory to God repeated at the end of a sermon. [L. ascribĕre, -scriptum—ad, to, scrib-ĕre, to write.]

Aseity, a-sē′i-ti, n. self-origination. [L. a, from, se, self.]

Aseptic, a-sep′tik, adj. not liable to decay or putrefaction.—n. Asep′ticism. [From Gr. a, neg., sēptos, sēpomai, to decay.]

Asexual, a-seks′ū-al, adj. without sex, once applied to cryptogams—agamic. [Gr. a, neg., and Sexual.]

Asgard, as′gärd, n. the heaven of Norse mythology, abode of the twelve gods and twenty-six goddesses, and of heroes slain in battle. [Ice. asgardhr, āss, a god, gardhr, an enclosure.]

Ash, ash, n. a well-known timber tree, or its wood, which is white, tough, and hard, much used in carpentry and wheel-work: the ashen shaft of a spear, or a spear itself.—adj. Ash′en.—n. Ground′-ash, or Ash′-plant, an ash sapling.—Mountain ash, the rowan-tree; Quaking ash, the aspen. [A.S. æsc—Ger. esche, Ice. askr.]

Ashake, a-shāk′, adv. phrase, shaking. [Prep. a, and Shake.]

Ashamed, a-shāmd′, adj. affected with shame (with of for the cause of shame; for, the person).—v.t. and v.i. Ashame′, to feel shame: to put to shame.—n. Ashamed′ness.—p.adj. Asham′ing. [Pa.p. of old verb ashame.]

Ashes, ash′ez, n.pl. the dust or remains of anything burnt: the remains of the human body when burnt: (fig.) a dead body: used to express pallor, from the colour of wood-ashes, as in 'pale as ashes,' 'ashy-pale.'—n. Ash′-buck′et, a box or bucket in which house-ashes and general refuse are collected for removal.—adjs. Ash′en, Ash′en-gray.—ns. Ash′ery, a place where potash or pearl-ash is made; Ash′-heap, a heap of ashes and household refuse; Ash′-leach, a tub in which alkaline salts are dissolved from wood-ashes; Ash′-pan, a kind of tray fitted underneath a grate to receive the ashes.—adjs. Ash′y, Ash′y-gray.—To lay in ashes, to destroy utterly by burning. [A.S. asce; Ice. aska.]

Ashet, ash′et, n. (now only Scot.) a large flat dish in which meat is served. [Fr. assiette.]

Ashiver, a-shiv′ėr, adv. phrase, quivering.

Ashkenazim, ash-kē-naz′im, n.pl. the Polish and German Jews, as distinguished from the Sephardim, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews. [Heb. Ashkenaz, the name of a northern people in Gen. x., located in Arabia, by later Jews identified with Germany.]

Ashlar, ash′lar, Ashler, ash′lėr, n. hewn or squared stone used in facing a wall, as distinguished from rough, as it comes from the quarry—also in Ash′lar-work, as opposed to Rubble-work.—p.adj. Ash′lared.—n. Ash′laring. [O. Fr. aiseler—L. axillaris, axilla, dim. of axis, assis, axle; also plank (cf. Fr. ais, It. asse.]

Ashore, a-shōr′, adv. on shore. [Prep. a, and Shore.]

Ash-Wednesday, ash-wenz′dā, n. the first day of Lent, so called from the Roman Catholic custom of sprinkling ashes on the head.

Asian, āzh′yan, or āsh′i-an, Asiatic, ā-zhi-at′ik, or āsh-i-at′ik, adj. belonging to Asia: florid in literature or art.—n. Asiat′icism, imitation of Asiatic or Eastern manners.

Aside, a-sīd′, adv. on or to one side: privately: apart.—n. words spoken in an undertone, so as not to be heard by some person present, words spoken by an actor which the other persons on the stage are supposed not to hear: an indirect effort of any kind.—adj. private, apart.—To set aside, to quash (a judgment).

Asinego, as-i-nē′go, n. (Shak.) a stupid fellow.—Also Asini′co. [Sp. asnico—dim. of asno, L. asinus, ass.]

Asinine, as′in-īn, adj. of or like an ass.—n. Asinin′ity. [See Ass.]

Ask, ask, v.t. to seek: to request, inquire, beg, question, invite.—v.i. to request: to make inquiry (with about and for—as to ask one after or for another). [A.S. áscian, ácsian; Ger. heischen, Ice. æskja, Sans. esh, to desire.]

Askance, a-skans′, Askant, a-skant′, adv. sideways: awry: obliquely: with a side glance, or with a side meaning.—v.t. (Shak.) to turn aside.—To eye, look, or view askance, to look at with suspicion. [Ety. very obscure; perh. conn. with It. a schiáncio, slopingly, or with Ice. á-ská, as in Askew.]

Askew, a-skū′, adv. obliquely: aside: awry. [See Askance.]

Aslake, a-slāk′, v.t. (arch.) to slake: to mitigate. [Prep. a, and Slake.]

Aslant, a-slant′, adj. or adv. obliquely.—Also Asklent′ (Scot.).

Asleep, a-slēp′, adj. or adv. in sleep: sleeping: in the sleep of death, dead. [Prep. a, and Sleep.]

Aslope, a-slōp′, adj. or adv. on the slope.

Asmoulder, a-smōl′der, adv. phrase, smouldering.

Asnort, a-snort′, adv. phrase, snorting. [Prep. a, and Snort.]

Asp, asp, Aspic, asp′ik, n. a popular name applied loosely to various genera of venomous serpents—now chiefly to the Vipera aspis of Southern Europe. Cleopatra's asp was probably the small Vipera hasselquistii, or horned viper: the biblical asp (Heb. pethen) was probably the Egyptian juggler's snake (Naja haje). [L.—Gr. aspis.]

Asparagus, as-par′a-gus, n. a plant cultivated for its young shoots, esteemed as a table delicacy.—n. Aspar′agine, a nitrogenised crystallised substance found in asparagus and other vegetables.—Sparrow-grass was long the form of the word in English. [L.—Gr. asparagos.]

Aspect, as′pekt (in Shak. and elsewhere, as-pekt′), n. look: view: appearance, also applied figuratively to the mind: position in relation to the points of the compass: the situation of one planet with respect to another, as seen from the earth.—v.i. (obs.) to look at.—adj. As′pectable, visible, worth looking at. [L. aspectus—ad, at, specĕre, to look.]

Aspen, asp′en, n. the trembling poplar.—adj. made of or like the aspen: tremulous: timorous.—adj. As′pen-like. [A.S. æspe, Ger. espe.]

Asper, as′pėr, n. a small silver Turkish coin.

Asperated. See Aspirate.

Asperges, as-per′jes, n. a short service introductory to the mass, so called from the words Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo et mundabor (Ps. li.).

Aspergill, -um, as′pėr-jil, -um, n. a kind of brush used in R.C. churches for sprinkling holy water on the people.—Also Asperge′, Asper′soir. [L. aspergĕre, to sprinkle, and dim. suffix.]

Aspergillum, as-pėr-jil′um, n. a remarkable genus of boring Lamellibranch Molluscs, in which the shell has the form of an elongated cone, terminating at the lower end in a disc, pierced by numerous small tubular holes.—n. Aspergil′lus, the name of a genus of minute fungi or moulds occurring on decaying substances of various kinds.

Asperity, as-per′i-ti, n. roughness: harshness: bitter coldness. [L. asperitat-em, asper, rough.]

Aspermous, a-spėr′mus, Aspermatous, a-spėr′ma-tus, adj. without seeds. [Gr. a, neg., sperma, seed.]

Asperse, as-pėrs′, v.t. to slander or calumniate: to bespatter (with).—n. Asper′sion, calumny: slander: (Shak.) a shower or spray.—adjs. Aspers′ive, Aspers′ory, tending to asperse: defamatory.

Aspersorium, as-per-sōr′i-um, n. a vessel used in R.C. churches for holding holy water.

Asphalt, as-falt′, or as′falt, Asphaltum, as-falt′um, n. a black or dark-brown, hard, bituminous substance, anciently used as a cement, and now for paving, cisterns, water-pipes, &c.—v.t. Asphalt′, to lay or cover with asphalt.—adj. Asphalt′ic. [Gr. asphaltos, from an Eastern word.]

Aspheterism, as-fet′er-izm, n. (Southey) denial of the right of private property.—v.i. Asphet′erise. [Gr. a, neg., and spheteros, one's own.]

Asphodel, as′fo-del, n. a kind of lily—in Greek mythology, the peculiar plant of the dead. In Greece they cover the bleakest hillsides with enduring blossom.—adj. Elysian. [Gr. asphodelos, a plant of the lily kind; cf. Homer's asphodelos leimōn, the meadow of the dead. See Daffodil.]

Asphyxia, as-fik′si-a, n. (lit.) suspended animation, suffocation, when the blood is in such a state as to render impossible a sufficiently free exchange of carbonic acid for oxygen—also Asphyx′y.—n. Asphyx′iant, a chemical substance which produces asphyxia.—adj. Asphyx′iāted.—ns. Asphyxiā′tion; Asphyx′iātor. [Gr., a stopping of the pulse—a, neg., sphyxis, the pulse.]

Aspic, Aspick, as′pik, n. (poet.) a venomous serpent. [See Asp.]

Aspic, as′pik, n. a savoury meat-jelly containing fish, game, hard-boiled eggs, &c. [Littré suggests its derivation from aspic, asp, because it is 'cold as an aspic,' a French proverb.]

Aspirant, as-pīr′ant, or as′pir-ant, n. one who aspires (with after, for): a candidate.—adj. ambitious: mounting up (rare in both senses). [See Aspire.]

Aspirate, as′pir-āt, v.t. to pronounce with a full breathing, as the letter h in house.—n. a mark of aspiration, the rough breathing in Greek (‛): an aspirated letter.—p.adj. As′perated, made harsh.—ns. Aspirā′tion, pronunciation of a letter with a full breathing: an aspirated sound (like Gr. ch, th, &c.): drawing air in; Aspirā′tor, an apparatus for drawing air or other gases through bottles or other vessels: (med.) an instrument for removing fluids from the cavities of the body.—adj. Aspīr′atory, relating to breathing.—To drop one's aspirates, not to pronounce h, a mark of imperfect education or humble social standing. [See Aspire.]

Aspire, as-pīr′ (followed by to or after with the object, or by an infinitive), v.i. to desire eagerly: to aim at high things: to tower up.—n. Aspirā′tion, eager desire.—adj. Aspīr′ing.—adv. Aspīr′ingly.—n. Aspīr′ingness. [Fr.—L. aspirāre, -ātum—ad, to, spirāre, to breathe.]

Asplenium, as-plē′ni-um, n. spleenwort, a genus of ferns, mostly tropical, with long or linear sori, with indusium arising laterally from above a vein—including the lady-fern, black maiden-hair, &c. [Gr. asplēnion.]

Asport, as-pōrt′, v.t. (rare) to carry away, esp. in a bad sense.—n. Asportā′tion, feloniously carrying away. [L. asportāre—abs, away, and portāre, to carry.]

Aspout, a-spowt′, adv. phrase, spouting.

Asprawl, a-sprawl′, adv. phrase, sprawling.

Aspread, a-spred′, adv. phrase, spread out.

Asprout, a-sprowt′, adv. phrase, sprouting.

Asquat, a-skwät′, adv. phrase, squatting.

Asquint, a-skwint′, adv. and adj. towards the corner of the eye: obliquely.

Ass, as, n. a well-known quadruped of the horse family: (fig.) a dull, stupid fellow.—Asses' bridge, or Pons asinorum, a humorous name for the fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid. [A.S. assa, the earlier Teutonic form being esol, esil (Goth. asilus)—L. asinus; Gr. onos, ass. Perh. ult. of Semitic origin, as in Heb. āthōn, a she-ass.]

Assafetida. Same as Asafœtida.

Assagai, Assegai, as′sa-gī, n. a slender spear of hard wood, tipped with iron, some for hurling, some for thrusting with—used by the South African tribes, notably the war-like Zulus.—v.t. to kill or slay with an assagai. [Through Fr. or Port. from Ar. azzaghāyah, az = al, the zaghāyah, a Berber word.]

Assail, as-sāl′, v.t. to assault: to attack.—adj. Assail′able.—ns. Assail′ant, one who assails or attacks; Assail′ment. [O. Fr. asaillir—L. assilīre—ad, upon, and salīre, to leap.]

Assassin, as-as′in, n. one who, usually for a reward, kills by surprise or secretly.—v.t. Assas′sinate, to murder by surprise or secret assault: (Milton) to maltreat: also figuratively, to destroy by treacherous means, as a reputation.—n. (obs.) one who assassinates.—ns. Assassinā′tion, secret murder; Assas′sinator. [Through Fr. or It. from Ar. hashshāshīn, 'hashish-eaters,' a military and religious order in Syria, of the 11th century, who became notorious for their secret murders in obedience to the will of their chief, and fortified themselves for their adventures by hashish, an intoxicating drug or drink made from hemp.]

Assault, as-sawlt′, n. a sudden attack: a storming, as of a town: (Eng. law) unlawful attempt to apply force to the person of another—when force is actually applied, the act amounts to battery: an attack of any sort by arguments, appeals, &c.—v.t. to make an assault or attack upon: (law) to make an assault.—n. Assault′er.—Assault at arms, a display of attack and defence in fencing. [O. Fr. asaut—L. ad, upon, saltus, a leap, salīre, to leap. See Assail.]

Assay, as-sā′, v.t. to determine the proportions of a metal in an ore or alloy: endeavour (more usually Essay): (Spens.) to affect or move: (Shak.) to put one to the proof, as to accost with a particular purpose, to measure swords with another, &c.: (poet.) put to proof, examine by trial.—v.i. to attempt.—n. the determination of the quantity of metal in an ore or alloy: the trial of anything, as in the ancient custom of tasting the drink before handing it to a king or noble: an attempt or endeavour: probation or trial: (Spens.) ascertained purity.—ns. Assay′er, one who assays, esp. metals; Assay′ing, the process of assaying or determining the proportion of pure metal in an ore or alloy; Assay′-mas′ter, the officer who determines the amount of gold or silver in coin or bullion. [O. Fr. assayer, n. assai. See Essay.]

Assegai, Assegay. Same as Assagai.

Assemble, as-sem′bl, v.t. to call or bring together: to collect.—v.i. to meet together.—ns. Assem′blage, a collection of persons or things; Assem′blance (Spens.), an assembling: (Shak.) semblance: representation; Assem′bly, the act of assembling: the company so assembled: a gathering of persons for any purpose, as for religious worship or social entertainment: specially applied to the lower house of the legislature in some of the United States and British colonies: (mil.) a drum-beat, esp. that before a march, upon which the soldiers strike their tents; Assem′bly-room, a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing.—General Assembly, in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States, the highest court of the Presbyterian Church; Legislative Assembly, in many of the British colonies, the title of the lower house of the legislature; National Assembly, the first of the revolutionary assemblies in France, which sat 1789-91—also called the Constituent Assembly, superseded in 1791 by the Legislative Assembly. [Fr. assembler—Late L. assimulāre, to bring together, ad, to, similis, like. See Assimilate.]

Assent, as-sent′, v.i. to think or concur with, to admit as true (with to).—n. an agreeing or acquiescence: compliance.—adj. Assentā′neous, ready to agree.—ns. Assent′er, Assent′or, one of the eight voters who indorse the proposer and seconder's nomination of a candidate for election to the parliament of the United Kingdom.—adjs. Assen′tient, Assent′ive.—adv. Assent′ingly.—n. Assent′iveness.—Royal Assent, in England, the sovereign's formal acquiescence in a measure which has passed the two Houses of Parliament. [O. Fr. asenter, assent—L. assentāre, assentīre, L. ad, to, sentīre, to think.]

Assentation, as-sen-tā′shun, n. obsequious assent, adulation.—n. As′sentator (obs.).—adv. Assent′atorily (obs.). [L. assentāri, to flatter, freq. of assentīri, assent, agree.]

Assert, as-sėrt′, v.t. to vindicate or defend by arguments or measures (now used only of the cause as object or reflexive): to declare strongly: to lay claim to or insist upon anything: to affirm: (rare) to bear evidence of.—adj. Assert′able.—ns. Assert′er, Assert′or, a champion, one who makes a positive statement; Asser′tion, affirmation: the act of claiming one's rights: averment.—adj. Assert′ive, asserting or confirming confidently: positive: dogmatic.—adv. Assert′ively.—n. Assert′iveness.—adj. Assert′ory, affirmative.—To assert one's self, to defend one's rights or opinions, sometimes with unnecessary zeal, to thrust one's self forward. [L. asserĕre (superl. assertum), aliquem manu in libertatem, to lay hands on a slave in token of manumission, hence to protect, affirm, declare—ad, to, and serĕre, to join. Cf. Series.]

Assess, as-ses′, v.t. to fix the amount of, as a tax (with upon): to tax or fine: to fix the value or profits of, for taxation (with at): to estimate.—adj. Assess′able.—ns. Assess′ment, act of assessing: a valuation for the purpose of taxation: a tax; Assess′or, a legal adviser who sits beside a magistrate: one who assesses taxes: one who shares another's dignity.—adj. Assessō′rial.—n. Assess′orship. [Fr.—L. assessāre, freq. of assidēre, assessum, to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, from ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]

Assets, as′sets, n.pl. the property of a deceased or insolvent person, considered as chargeable for all debts, &c.: the entire property of all sorts belonging to a merchant or to a trading association. [From the Anglo-Fr. law phrase aver assetz, to have sufficient, O. Fr. asez, enough—L. ad, to, satis, enough.]

Asseverate, as-sev′ėr-āt, v.t. to declare solemnly—an earlier form is Assev′er.—adv. Asseverat′ingly.—n. Asseverā′tion, any solemn affirmation or confirmation. [L. asseverāre, -ātum—ad, to, severus, serious. See Severe.]

Assiduity, as-sid-ū′i-ti, n. constant application or diligence: (pl.) constant attentions, as to a lady.—adj. Assid′uous, constant or unwearied in application: diligent.—adv. Assid′uously.—n. Assid′uousness. [L. assiduitas—assiduus, sitting close at—ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]

Assiege, as-sēj′, v.t. (Spens.) to besiege. [See Siege.]

Assiento, as-ē-en′to, n. a word especially applied to an exclusive contract between Spain and some foreign nation for the supply of African slaves for its American possessions. [Sp., a seat, a seat in a court, a treaty.]

Assign, as-sīn′, v.t. to sign or mark out to one: to allot: to appoint: to allege: to transfer: to ascribe or refer to: to suggest: to fix, as a time: to point out exactly.—n. one to whom any property or right is made over: (pl.) appendages (Shak.).—adj. Assign′able, that may be assigned.—ns. Assignā′tion, an appointment to meet, used chiefly of love-trysts, and mostly in a bad sense: (Scots law) the making over of any right to another, equivalent to Assignment; Assignee (as-sin-ē′), one to whom any right or property is assigned: (pl.) the trustees of a sequestrated estate; Assign′ment, act of assigning: anything assigned: the writing by which a transfer is made: (Spens.) design. [Fr.—L. assignāre, to mark out—ad, to, signum, a mark or sign.]

Assignat, as-sin-yä′, n. one of the notes (chiefly for 100 francs = £4 each) in the paper currency first issued in 1790 by the French revolutionary government as bonds on the security of the appropriated church lands.

Assimilate, as-sim′il-āt, v.t. to make similar or like to: to convert into a like substance, as food in our bodies (with to, with).—v.i. to become like, or to be incorporated in.—n. Assim′ilability (Coleridge).—adj. Assim′ilable.—n. Assimilā′tion.—adj. Assim′ilātive, having the power or tendency to assimilate. [L. assimilāre, -ātum—ad, to, similis, like.]

Assist, as-sist′, v.t. to help.—v.i. to be present at a ceremony: (Shak.) to accompany.—n. Assist′ance, help: relief.—adj. Assist′ant, helping or lending aid.—n. one who assists: a helper. [L. assistĕre, to stand by—ad, to, sistĕre.]

Assize, as-sīz′, v.t. to assess: to set or fix the quantity or price.—n. a statute settling the weight, measure, or price of anything: (Scot.) a trial by jury, the jury: judgment, sentence, the Last Judgment: (pl.) the sessions or sittings of a court held periodically in English counties, at which causes are tried by judges of the High Court of Justice on circuit and a jury.—n. Assiz′er, an officer who inspects weights and measures. [O. Fr. assise, an assembly of judges, a set rate—asseoir—L. assidēre.]

Associate, as-sō′shi-āt, v.t. to join with, as a friend or partner: to unite in the same body.—v.i. to keep company (with): to combine or unite.—ns. Associabil′ity, Assō′ciableness.—adjs. Assō′ciable, that may be joined or associated: sociable: companionable; Assō′ciate, joined or connected with.—n. one joined or connected with another: a companion, friend, partner, or ally.—ns. Assō′ciateship, office of an associate; Associā′tion, act of associating: union or combination: a society of persons joined together to promote some object.—adj. Assō′ciātive, tending to association.—Association football, the game as formulated by the Football Association (formed in 1863).—Association (of Ideas), applied to laws of mental combination which facilitate recollection: similarity: contiguity, repetition. [L. associātum, associāre—ad, to socius, a companion.]

Assoil, as-soil′, v.t. to loosen from: to absolve or acquit: to solve: (Spens.) to remove, to let loose, to renew, to get rid of.—n. Assoil′ment. [Through Fr. from L.—L. ab, from, solvĕre, to loose.]

Assoil, as-soil′, v.t. to soil, stain, or make dirty. [L. ad, and Soil. See Soil (2).]

Assoilzie, as-soil′yē, v.i. to free one accused from a charge: a Scots law term, the same as the archaic assoil, to absolve from sin, discharge, pardon. See Absolvitor, under Absolve. [Through Fr. from L. absolvĕre.]

Assonance, as′son-ans, n. a correspondence in sound: in Spanish and Portuguese poetry, a kind of rhyme, consisting in the coincidence of the vowels of the corresponding syllables, without regard to the consonants, as in mate and shape, feel and need.—adjs. As′ssonant, resembling in sound; As′sonantal, As′sonantic.—v.t. As′sonate, to correspond in sound. [Fr.—L. assonāre, as = ad-, to, sonāre, to sound.]

Assort, as-sort′, v.t. to separate into classes: to arrange.—v.i. to agree or be in accordance with: to fall into a class with, suit well with: (arch.) to keep company with.—p.adj. Assort′ed, classified, arranged in sorts.—ns. Assort′edness; Assort′ment, act of assorting: a quantity or number of things assorted: variety. [Fr. assortir—L. ad, to, sors, a lot.]

Assot, as-sot′, v.t. (Spens.) to besot, to infatuate.—p.adj. Assot′, or Assot′ted (Spens.), infatuated. [O. Fr. asoter—à, to, sot, foolish. See Sot.]

Assuage, as-swāj′, v.t. to soften, mitigate, or allay.—v.i. to abate or subside: to diminish.—n. Assuage′ment, abatement: mitigation.—adj. Assuā′sive, softening, mild. [O. Fr., formed as if from a L. assuaviāre—ad, to, suavis, mild.]

Assubjugate, as-sub′jōō-gāt, v.t. (Shak.) to reduce to subjugation.

Assuefaction, as-wē-fak′shun, n. (Sir T. Browne) the act of accustoming, habituation. [L. assuefacĕre—assuetus, accustomed, and facĕre, to make.]

Assuetude, as′wē-tūd, n. (obs.) custom, habit. [L. assuetus.]

Assume, as-sūm′, v.t. to adopt, take in: to take up, to take upon one's self: to take for granted: to arrogate: to pretend to possess.—v.i. to claim unduly: to be arrogant.—adjs. Assum′able, Assump′tive, that may be assumed.—adv. Assum′ably, presumably.—adj. Assumed′, appropriated, usurped: pretended: taken as the basis of argument.—advs. Assum′edly, Assum′ingly.—adj. Assum′ing, haughty: arrogant. [L. assumĕre—ad, to, sumĕre, sumptum, to take.]

Assumpsit, a-sump′sit, n. an action at law, wherein the plaintiff asserts that the defendant undertook (L. assumpsit) to do a certain act and failed to fulfil his promise: in the United States, the most common form of action.

Assumption, as-sum′shun, n. act of assuming: a supposition: the thing supposed, a proposition: (logic) the minor premise in a syllogism.—Assumption of the Virgin, a church festival kept on the 15th of August, based on the notion that after the death of Mary, her soul and body were preserved from corruption and taken up to heaven by Christ and His angels.—Deed of assumption (Scots law), a deed executed by trustees under a trust-deed assuming a new trustee or settlement. [L. See Assume.]

Assure, a-shōōr′, v.t. to make sure or secure: to give confidence: (Shak.) to betroth: to tell positively: to insure.—adj. Assur′able.—n. Assur′ance, confidence: feeling of certainty: self-reliance: impudence: positive declaration: insurance, as applied to lives: the securing of a title to property: (theol.) subjective certainty of one's salvation: a solemn declaration or promise, a certain proof: surety, warrant.—adj. Assured′, certain: without doubt: insured: overbold.—adv. Assur′edly.—ns. Assur′edness; Assur′er, one who gives assurance: an insurer or underwriter: one who insures his life. [O. Fr. aseürer (Fr. assurer)—Late L. adsecurāre—ad, to, securus, safe. See Sure.]

Assurgent, as-ur′jent, adj. rising, ascending: (bot.) rising in a curve to an erect position: (her.) of a bearing depicted as rising from the sea.—n. Assur′gency, the tendency to rise.

Asswage. A form of Assuage.

Assyrian, as-sir′i-an, adj. belonging to Assyria.—n. an inhabitant of Assyria: the language of Assyria.—ns. Assyriol′ogist; Assyriol′ogy, the science of Assyrian antiquities. [Gr. Assurios—Assuria, Assyria.]

Astare, a-stār′, adv. phrase, staring.

Astart, a-start′, v.i. (Spens.) to start up suddenly: to happen, fall out.—adv. with a start, suddenly. [Pfx. a-, and Start.]

Astatic, a-stat′ik, adj. having a tendency not to stand still: losing polarity, as a magnetic needle. [Gr. neg., astatos—a, neg., statos, verb. adj. of histanai, to stand.]

Astay, a-stā′, adv. applied to an anchor when, in lifting it, the cable forms such an angle with the surface of the water as to appear in a line with the stays of the ship. [Prep. a, on, and Stay.]

Aster, as′tėr, n. a genus of plants of the natural order Compositæ, with showy radiated flowers varying from white to lilac-blue or purple, mostly perennial, flowering in late summer and autumn, hence often called in England Michaelmas or Christmas daisies.—China aster, the best-known and most valued of the family, brought from China to France by a missionary in the 18th century. [Gr. astēr, a star.]

Asterias, as-tēr′i-as, n. a genus of Echinoderms, containing the common five-rayed starfish. [Gr. astērias, a fish—astēr, a star.]

Asterisk, as′tėr-isk, n. a star, used in printing as a reference to a note at the bottom or on the margin of the page, and sometimes as a mark of the omission of words, thus *.—n. As′terism, a group or collection of small stars: a constellation: three asterisks placed to direct attention to a passage: a property of some minerals which show a star-shaped luminous figure when viewed by reflected light—e.g. the asteriated sapphire. [Gr. asteriskos, dim. of aster, a star.]

Astern, a-stėrn′, adv. in the stern: towards the hinder part of a ship: behind. [Prep. a, and Stern.]

Asteroid, as′tėr-oid, n. one of the minor planetary bodies revolving between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.—adj. Asteroid′al. [Gr. astēr, a star, eidos, form.]

Astert, a-stėrt′. Same as Astart.

Asthenia, as-thē-nī′a, n. debility, lack of strength.—adj. Asthen′ic [Gr. a, priv., and sthenos, strength.]

Asthma, ast′ma, n. a chronic disorder of the organs of respiration, characterised by the occurrence of paroxysms in which the breathing becomes difficult, and accompanied by wheezing and a distressing feeling of tightness in the chest.—adjs. Asthmat′ic, -al, pertaining to or affected by asthma.—adv. Asthmat′ically. [Gr. asthma, asthmat-os—az-ein, to breathe hard, a-ein, to blow.]

Astigmatism, a-stig′ma-tizm, n. a defective condition of the eye, in which rays proceeding to the eye from one point are not correctly brought to a focus at one point.—adj. Astigmat′ic. [Gr. a, neg., and stigma, stigmat-os, a point.]

Astir, a-stir′, prep. phr. or adv. on the move, out of bed, in motion or excitement. [Prep. a, and Stir.]

Astomatous, as-tom′a-tus, adj. having no mouth, used of a division of the protozoa.

Astonish, as-ton′ish, v.t. to impress with sudden surprise or wonder: to amaze: (Shak.) to stun—older form Aston′y, whence the p.adj. Aston′ied, dazed, bewildered, greatly astonished.—Aston′, Astun′, Astoned′, Astunned′, are obsolete.—p.adj. Aston′ished, amazed: (obs.) stunned.—adj. Aston′ishing, very wonderful, amazing.—adv. Aston′ishingly.—n. Aston′ishment, amazement: wonder: a cause for astonishment. [From the earlier form, Astone; O. Fr. estoner; L. attonāre, to strike with a thunderbolt.]

Astound, as-townd′, v.t. to amaze, to strike dumb with astonishment:—pa.p. astound′ed; pr.p. astound′ing.—pa.p. Astound′ (arch.).—p.adj. Astound′ing. [Astound (adj.) is developed from Astoned, hence the verb is a doublet of Astonish.]

Astraddle, a-strad′dl, adv. sitting astride. [Prep. a, on, and Straddle.]

Astragal, as′tra-gal, n. (archit.) a small semicircular moulding or bead encircling a column: a round moulding near the mouth of a cannon: the bars which hold the panes of a window. [Gr. astragalos, one of the vertebræ, a moulding.]

Astragalus, as-trag′al-us, n. a bone of the foot, forming with the leg-bones the hinge of the ankle-joint, by a convex upper surface and smooth sides. [Gr.]

Astrakhan, as′tra-kan, n. name given to lamb-skins with a curled wool obtained from Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea: a rough fabric made in imitation of it.

Astral, as′tral, adj. belonging to the stars: starry: in the science of Theosophy, descriptive of a supersensible substance supposed to pervade all space and enter into all bodies.—Astral body, a living form composed of astral fluid, a ghost or wraith; Astral spirits, pervading spirits supposed to animate the heavenly bodies, forming, as it were, their souls—among the most potent of demoniacal spirits in medieval demonology. [L. astralis, astrum, a star.]

Astrand, a-strand′, adv. stranded. [Prep. a, on, and Strand.]

Astray, a-strā′, adv. out of the right way. [Prep. a, on, and Stray.]

Astriction, as-trik′shun, n. a binding or contraction: restriction.—v.t. Astrict′, to bind, restrict. [L. astriction-em, astringĕre. See Astringent.]

Astride, a-strīd′, adv. with the legs apart, or across. [Prep. a, on, and Stride.]

Astringent, as-trin′jent, adj. binding: contracting: strengthening.—n. a medicine that causes costiveness.—v.t. Astringe′, to bind together: to draw tight: hence to render constipated.—n. Astrin′gency.—adv. Astrin′gently. [L. astringent-em, astringĕre—ad, to, stringĕre, to bind.]

Astrolabe, as′trō-lāb, n. an instrument for measuring the altitudes of the sun or stars, now superseded by Hadley's quadrant and sextant. [Gr.; astron, a star, labb-, lambano, I take.]

Astrolatry, as-trol′a-tri, n. the worship of the stars. [Gr. astron, a star, latreia, worship.]

Astrology, as-trol′o-ji, n. the infant stage of the science of the stars, out of which grew Astronomy; it was occupied chiefly in determining from the positions and motions of the heavenly bodies their supposed influence on human and terrestrial affairs.—n. Astrol′oger, one versed in astrology.—adjs. Astrolog′ic, -al.—adv. Astrolog′ically. [Gr. astrologia—astron, star, logos, knowledge.]

Astronomy, as-tron′om-i, n. the laws or science of the stars or heavenly bodies.—n. Astron′omer, one versed in astronomy.—adj. Astronom′ic.—adv. Astronom′ically.—v.t. Astron′omise. [Gr. astronomia—astron, star, nomos, a law.]

Astrophel, as′tro-fel, n. a name applied by Spenser to some kind of bitter herb.

Astrut, a-strut′, adv. in a strutting manner. [Prep. a, on, and Strut.]

Astute, ast-ūt′, adj. crafty: cunning: shrewd: sagacious.—adv. Astute′ly.—n. Astute′ness.—The adj. Astū′cious, adv. Astū′ciously, and n. Astū′city are all rare. [L. astutus—astus, crafty, akin perhaps to Acute.]

Astylar, a-stī′lar, adj. without columns. [Gr. a, neg., stylos, a column.]

Asudden, a-sud′en, adv. suddenly. [Prep. a, and Sudden.]

Asunder, a-sun′dėr, adv. apart: into parts: separately. [Prep. a, and Sunder.]

Aswarm, a-swärm′, adv. swarming. [Prep. a, and Swarm.]

Asway, a-swā′, adv. swaying.

Aswim, a-swim′, adv. afloat.

Aswing, a-swing′, adv. swinging.

Aswoon, a-swōōn′, adv. in a swoon.

Asylum, a-sīl′um, n. a place of refuge for debtors and for such as were accused of some crime: an institution for the care or relief of the unfortunate, such as the blind or insane: any place of refuge or protection. [L.—Gr. asylon—a, neg., sylē, right of seizure.]

Asymmetry, a-sim′e-tri, n. want of symmetry or proportion between parts.—adjs. Asymmet′ric, -al.—adv. Asymmet′rically. [Gr. See Symmetry.]

Asymptote, a′sim-tōt, n. (math.) a line that continually approaches nearer to some curve without ever meeting it.—adjs. Asymptot′ic, -al.—adv. Asymptot′ically. [Gr. asymptōtos, not coinciding—a, not, syn, with, ptōtos, apt to fall, pipt-ein, to fall.]

Asynartete, a-sin′ar-tēt, adj. and n. not connected, consisting of two members having different rhythms; a verse of such a kind.—Also Asyn′artetic. [Gr.; a, neg., syn, together, arta-ein, to knit.]

Asynchronism, a-sin′kro-nizm, n. want of synchronism or correspondence in time.—adj. Asyn′chronous.

Asyndeton, a-sin′de-ton, n. (rhet.) a figure in which the conjunctions are omitted, as in Matt. x. 8.—adj. Asyndet′ic. [Gr.; a, neg., syndetos, bound together, syn, together, dein, to bind.]

Asyntactic, as-in-tak′tik, adj. loosely put together, irregular, ungrammatical. [Gr.; a, neg., syntaktos, syntass-ein, to put in order together.]

Asystole, a-sis′to-lē, n. (med.) the condition of a heart the left ventricle of which is unable to empty itself.—Also Asys′tolism. [Made up of Gr. a, neg., systolē, contraction.]

At, at, prep. denoting presence, nearness, or relation. Often used elliptically, as in 'At him, good dog.' [A.S. æt; cog. with Goth, and Ice. at, L. ad; Sans. adhi, on.]

Atabal, at′a-bal, n. a Moorish kettledrum. [Sp.—Ar. at-tabl, the drum.]

Ataghan. Same as Yataghan.

Atavism, at′av-izm, n. frequent appearance of ancestral, but not parental, characteristics in an animal or plant: reversion to an original type.—adj. At′avistic. [L. atavus—avus, a grandfather.]

Ataxia, at-ak′si-a, Ataxy, a-tax′i, or at′ax-i, n. (med.) irregularity of the functions of the body through disease, esp. inability to co-ordinate voluntary movements, as in locomotor ataxy. [Gr.; a, neg., taktos, tassein, to arrange.]

Ate, et, or āt, pa.t. of Eat.

Ate, ā′tē, n. (myth.) the goddess of mischief and of all rash actions and their results. [Gr.]

Atelier, at-el-yā′, n. a workshop, esp. an artist's studio. [Fr.]

Athanasia, ath-a-nā′si-a, n. deathlessness.—Also Athan′asy. [Gr.; athanatos, a, neg., thanatos, death.]

Athanasian, ath-a-nāz′yan, adj. relating to Athanasius (296-373), or to the creed erroneously attributed to him.

Athanor, ath′a-nor, n. a self-feeding digesting furnace, used by the alchemists, in which a uniform heat was maintained. [Ar. at-tannur, at = al, the nūr, fire.]

Atheism, ā′the-izm, n. disbelief in the existence of God.—v.i. and v.t. A′theise, to talk or write as an atheist.—n. A′theist, one who disbelieves in the existence of God.—adjs. Atheist′ic, -al.—adv. Atheist′ically.—adj. A′theous (Milton), atheistic. [Fr. athéisme—Gr. a, neg., and theos, God.]

Atheling, ath′el-ing, n. a member of a noble family, latterly a prince of the blood royal, or the heir-apparent. [A.S. ætheling; Ger. adel.]

Athenæum, Atheneum, ath-e-nē′um, n. a temple of Athēna or Minerva at Athens, in which scholars and poets read their works: a public institution for lectures, reading, &c. [Gr. Athēnaion—Athēna or Athēnē, the goddess Minerva.]

Athenian, a-thē′ni-an, adj. relating to Athens, the capital of Greece.—n. a native of Athens.

Atheology, a-thē-ol′oj-i, n. opposition to theology.—adj. Atheolog′ical. [Gr. atheos, without God, logia, discourse.]

Atherine, ath′er-īn, n. a genus of small fishes, allied to the Gray Mullet family, abundant in the Mediterranean—one species (Atherina presbyter), found on the south coast of England, is often sold as a smelt. [Gr.]

Athermancy, ath-er′man-si, n. the property of stopping radiant heat.—adj. Ather′manous. [Gr. a, neg., thermain-ein, to heat.]

Atheroma, ath′er-ō-ma, n. a name formerly applied to cysts on the scalp, with contents of the consistence of porridge, but now only used of a common form of inflammation of arteries.—adj. Atherom′atous. [Gr.; atharē, porridge.]

Athirst, a-thėrst′, adj. thirsty: eager for. [A.S. of thyrst. See Thirst.]

Athlete, ath′lēt, n. a contender for victory in feats of strength: one vigorous in body or mind. The form Athlē′ta survived till the later half of the 18th century.—adj. Athlet′ic, relating to athletics: strong, vigorous.—adv. Athlet′ically.—n. Athleticism (ath-let′i-sizm), the act of engaging in athletic exercises: devotion to athletics.—n.pl. Athlet′ics, the art of wrestling, running, &c.: athletic sports. [Gr. athlētēs—athlos, contest.]

Athrill, a-thril′, adv. thrilling.

Athrob, a-throb′, adv. throbbing.

Athwart, a-thwawrt′, prep. across.—adv. sidewise: wrongly: perplexingly. [Prep. a, on, and Thwart.]

Atilt, a-tilt′, adv. on tilt: as a tilter.

Atimy, at′i-mi, n. loss of honour: in ancient Athens, loss of civil rights, public disgrace. [Gr. atimia—a, neg., timē, honour.]

Atkins. See Tommy Atkins.

Atlantean, at-lan-tē′an, adj. relating to or like Atlas, gigantic: also relating to Atlan′tis, according to ancient tradition, a vast island in the Atlantic Ocean, or to Bacon's ideal commonwealth of that name. [See Atlas.]

Atlantes, at-lan′tēz, n.pl. figures of men used instead of columns. [From Atlas.]

Atlantic, at-lan′tik, adj. pertaining to Atlas, or to the Atlantic Ocean.—n. the ocean between Europe, Africa, and America. [From Mount Atlas, in the north-west of Africa, named from the Titan, Atlas.]

Atlas, at′las, n. that piece of the human vertebral column which articulates with the skull, so called because it supports the head: a collection of maps. [Gr. Atlas, Atlantis, a Titan who bore the world on his shoulders, and whose figure used to be given on the title-page of atlases.]

Atlas, at′las, n. a kind of silk-satin manufactured in the East. [Ar.]

Atmology, at-mol′o-ji, n. the science of the phenomena of aqueous vapour.—n. Atmol′ogist. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and logia, discourse—legein, to speak.]

Atmolysis, at-mol′i-sis, n. a method of separating a mixture of gases by taking advantage of their different rates of passage through a porous septum. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and lysis, loosing—lyein, to loose.]

Atmometer, at-mom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the rate of evaporation from a moist surface. [Gr. atmos, vapour, and Meter.]

Atmosphere, at′mo-sfēr, n. the gaseous envelope that surrounds the earth or any of the heavenly bodies: any gaseous medium: a conventional unit of atmospheric pressure: (fig.) any surrounding influence.—adjs. Atmospher′ic, -al, of or depending on the atmosphere.—adv. Atmospher′ically.—Atmospheric engine, a variety of steam-engine in which the steam is admitted only to the under side of the piston; Atmospheric hammer, a hammer driven by means of compressed air; Atmospheric railway, a railway where the motive-power is derived from the pressure of the atmosphere acting on a piston working in an iron tube of uniform bore. [Gr. atmos, air, sphaira, a sphere.]

Atoll, a-tol′, or at′ol, n. a coral island consisting of a circular belt of coral enclosing a central lagoon. [A Malay word.]

Atom, at′om, n. a particle of matter so small that it cannot be cut or divided, the unit of matter; anything very small.—adjs. Atom′ic, -al, pertaining to atoms.—ns. Atomic′ity; Atomisā′tion (med.) the reduction of liquids to the form of spray; At′omism, the doctrine that atoms arranged themselves into the universe: the atomic theory; At′omist, one who believes in atomism.—adj. Atomis′tic.—adv. Atomist′ically.—n. At′omy, an atom, or mote: (Shak.) a pygmy.—Atomic philosophy, a system of philosophy enunciated by Democritus, which taught that the ultimate constituents of all things are indivisible particles, differing in form and in their relations to each other; Atomic theory, the hypothesis that all chemical combinations take place between the ultimate particles of bodies, uniting each atom to atom, or in proportions expressed by some simple multiple of the number of atoms. [Gr. atomos—a, not, temnein, tamein, to cut. See Atom.]

Atomy, at′om-i, n. (Shak.) a skeleton, walking skeleton. [Formerly also atamy and natomy, for anatomy, mistakingly divided an atomy.]

Atone, at-ōn′, adv. (Spens.) at one, at once, together. [M.E. also attone, earlier atoon, aton, at one, at on.]

Atone, at-ōn′, v.i. to give satisfaction or make reparation (with for): to make up for deficiencies: (Shak.) to agree, be in accordance.—v.t. to appease, to expiate: (arch.) harmonise, or reconcile.—ns. Atone′ment, the act of atoning; reconciliation: expiation: reparation: esp. (theol.) the reconciliation of God and man by means of the incarnation and death of Christ; Aton′er.—adv. Aton′ingly. [See Atone, above.]

Atony, at′on-i, n. want of tone or energy: debility: relaxation.—adj. At′onic (pros.), without tone: unaccented. [Gr. atonia—a, neg., tonos, tone, strength. See Tone.]

Atop, a-top′, adv. on or at the top. [Prep. a, and Top.]

Atrabiliar, at-ra-bil′i-ar, adj. of a melancholy temperament: hypochondriac: splenetic, acrimonious.—Also Atrabil′iary, Atrabil′ious. [L. ater, atra, black, bilis, gall, bile. See Bile.]

Atramental, at-ra-men′tal, adj. (Sir T. Browne) inky, black. [From L. atramentum, ink—atra, black.]

Atremble, a-trem′bl, adv. trembling.

Atrip, a-trip′, adv. said of an anchor when it is just drawn out of the ground in a perpendicular direction—of a sail, when it is hoisted from the cap, sheeted home, and ready for trimming. [Prep. a, on, and Trip.]

Atrium, ā′tri-um, n. the entrance-hall or chief apartment of a Roman house. [Prob. orig. the kitchen, and so lit. 'the apartment blackened with smoke'—L. ater, black; others connect the word with ædes, orig. a fireplace, then a house, a temple.]

Atrocious, a-trō′shus, adj. extremely cruel or wicked: heinous: very grievous: execrable.—adv. Atrō′ciously.—ns. Atrō′ciousness; Atroc′ity, atrociousness: an atrocious act. [L. atrox, atrocis, cruel—ater, black.]

Atropal, at′ro-pal, adj. (bot.) not inverted. [Gr. atropos—a, neg., and trepein, to turn.]

Atrophy, a′trof-i, n. an alteration of the vital processes in a living organism, either animal or vegetable, resulting in a diminution of size and functional activity of the whole organism (general atrophy), or of certain of its organs or tissues: emaciation.—adjs. Atroph′ic, At′rophied. [Gr. a, neg., and trophē, nourishment.]

Atropia, a-trō′pi-a, Atropin, Atropine, at′ro-pin, n. a poisonous alkaloid existing in the deadly nightshade.—n. At′ropism, poisoning by atropin. [From Gr. Atropos, one of the Fates, who cuts the thread of life.]

Attach, at-tach′, v.t. to bind or fasten: to seize: to gain over: to connect, associate: to join to in action or function: (Shak.) to arrest.—v.i. to adhere, to be fastened upon: (rare) to come into effect.—adj. Attach′able.—p.adj. Attached′, fastened, fixed, joined by taste or affection (with to), fond, devoted to.—n. Attach′ment, a bond of fidelity or affection: the seizure of any one's goods or person by virtue of a legal process. [O. Fr. atachier, from à (—L. ad), and the root of Tack (q.v.).]

Attaché, a-ta′shā, n. a young diplomatist attached to the suite of an ambassador. [Participle of Fr. attacher, to attach.]

Attack, at-tak′, v.t. to fall upon violently: to assault: to assail with unfriendly words or writing: to begin to affect, fall upon (of diseases).—n. an assault or onset: the offensive part in any contest: the beginning of active operations on anything, even dinner: severe criticism or calumny.—adj. Attack′able. [Fr. attaquer. See Attach, of which it is a doublet.]

Attain, at-tān′, v.t. to reach or gain by effort: to obtain: to reach a place: to reach.—v.i. to come or arrive: to reach.—adj. Attain′able, that may be reached.—ns. Attain′ableness, Attainabil′ity; Attain′ment, act of attaining: the thing attained: acquisition: (pl.) acquirements in learning. [O. Fr. ataindre—L. atting-ĕre—ad, to, tang-ĕre, to touch.]

Attainder, at-tān′dėr, n. act of attainting: (law) loss of civil rights through conviction for high-treason.—v.t. Attaint′, to convict: to deprive of rights for being convicted of treason: to accuse of: disgrace, stain (from a fancied connection with taint).—n. (arch.) the act of touching, a hit (in tilting): (Shak.) infection: attainder: a stain, disgrace.—Older pa.p. Attaint′—(Shak.) corrupted, tainted.—ns. Attaint′ment, Attaint′ure, state of being attainted. [O. Fr. ataindre—L. atting-ĕre. See Attain.]

Attar, at′ar, n. a very fragrant essential oil made in Turkey and other Eastern lands, chiefly from the damask rose.—Also Otto. [Pers. atar.]

Attask, at-task′, v.t. to task. [Pfx. a-, and Task.]

Attemper, at-tem′pėr, v.t. to mix in due proportion: to modify or moderate: to adapt.—p.adj. Attem′pered, tempered, mild, regulated. [O. Fr. atemprer—L. attemperāre—ad, to, and temperāre. See Temper.]

Attempt, at-temt′, v.t. to try or endeavour: to try to obtain: tempt, entice: to make an effort or attack upon.—v.i. to make an attempt or trial.—n. a trial: endeavour or effort: a personal assault: (Milton) temptation: (law) any act which can fairly be described as one of a series which, if uninterrupted and successful, would constitute a crime.—n. Attemptabil′ity.—adj. Attempt′able, that may be attempted.—n. Attempt′er (Milton), a tempter. [O. Fr. atempter—L. attentāre—ad, and tem-pt, tentāre, to try—tendĕre, to stretch.]

Attend, at-tend′, v.t. to wait on or accompany: to be present at: to wait for: to give attention (with to).—v.i. to yield attention: to act as an attendant: to wait, be consequent (with to, on, upon).—ns. Attend′ance, act of attending: (B.) attention, careful regard: presence: the persons attending; Attend′ancy (obs.), attendance, a retinue: (obs.) relative position.—adj. Attend′ant, giving attendance: accompanying.—n. one who attends or accompanies: a servant: what accompanies or follows: (law) one who owes a duty or service to another.—ns. Attend′er, one who gives heed: a companion:—fem. Atten′dress; Attend′ment (Sir T. Browne), attention.—adj. Attent′ (Spens.), giving attention.—n. (Spens.) attention.—In attendance on, waiting upon, attending. [O. Fr. atendre—L. attendĕre—ad, to, tendĕre, to stretch.]

Attention, at-ten′shun, n. act of attending, as in to pay, give, call, or attract attention: steady application of the mind: heed: civility, courtesy: care.—interj. (mil.) a cautionary word used as a command to execute some manœuvre.—adj. Attent′ive, full of attention: courteous, mindful.—adv. Attent′ively.—n. Attenti′veness. [L. attention-em—attend-ĕre. See Attend.]

Attenuate, at-ten′ū-āt, v.t. to make thin or lean: to break down into finer parts: to reduce in density: reduce in strength or value, simplify.—v.i. to become thin or fine: to grow less.—n. Atten′uant, anything possessing this property.—adjs. Atten′uate, Atten′uated, made thin or slender: dilute, rarefied:—n. Attenuā′tion, process of making slender: reduction of intensity, density, or force: specially in homeopathy, the reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute doses. [L. attenuāre, -ātum—ad, to, tenuis, thin.]

Attest, at-test′, v.t. to testify or bear witness to: to affirm by signature or oath: to give proof of, to manifest: (obs.) to call to witness.—v.i. to bear witness.—n. (Shak.) witness, testimony.—adjs. Attest′able, Attest′ative.—ns. Attestā′tion, act of attesting: administration of an oath; Attest′or, Attest′er, one who attests or vouches for. [L. attestāri, ad, to, testis, a witness.]

Attic, at′ik, adj. pertaining to Attica or to Athens: chaste, refined, elegant like the Athenians.—v.t. Att′icise, to make conformable to the language or idiom of Attica.—v.i. to use the idioms of the Athenians: to side with the Athenians, to affect Attic or Greek style or manners.—n. At′ticism.—Attic salt, wit of a dry, delicate, and refined quality. [Gr. Attikos, Attic, Athenian, Attikē, Attica, perh. from aktē, headland, though connected by some with astu, city.]

Attic, at′ik, n. (archit.) a low story above the cornice that terminates the main part of an elevation: a room in the roof of a house. [Introduced in architecture from the idea that the feature to which it alluded was constructed in the Athenian manner.]

Attire, at-tīr′, v.t. to dress, array, or adorn: to prepare.—n. dress: any kind of covering, even the plants that clothe the soil: (Shak.) a dress or costume.—ns. Attire′ment, Attir′ing. [O. Fr. atirer, put in order—à tire, in a row—à (L. ad), to, and tire, tiere, order, dress. See Tier.]

Attitude, at′ti-tūd, n. posture, or position: gesture: any condition of things or relation of persons viewed as expressing some thought, feeling, &c.—adj. Attitud′inal.—n. Attitudinā′rian, one who studies attitudes.—v.i. Attitud′inise, to assume affected attitudes.—n. Attitudinī′ser.—To strike an attitude, to assume a position or figure to indicate a feeling or emotion not really felt. [Fr. or It. from L. aptitudin-em, aptus, fit.]

Attollent, at-tol′lent, adj. lifting up, raising.—n. a muscle with this function. [L. attollens, -entis, pr.p. of attollĕre, to lift up—ad, to, tollĕre, to lift.]

Attorney, at-tur′ni, n. one legally authorised to act for another—hence the sense of the phrases 'in person' and 'by attorney:' one legally qualified to manage cases in a court of law: a solicitor—a solicitor or attorney prepares cases and does general law business, while a barrister pleads before the courts: (pl.) Attor′neys.—v.t. Attor′ney (Shak.), to perform by proxy, to employ as a proxy.—ns. Attor′ney-gen′eral, the first ministerial law-officer of the Crown in England and Ireland: the title of the king's attorney in the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and the county palatine of Durham: in the United States, one of the seven officials who constitute the president's cabinet, the head of the department of Justice; Attor′neyship, Attor′neyism, Attor′neydom.—Attorney-at-law, or Public attorney, a professional and duly qualified legal agent; Attorney in fact, or Private attorney, one duly appointed by letter or power of attorney to act for another in matters of contract, money payments, and the like.—Letter warrant, or Power of attorney, the formal instrument by one person authorising another to perform certain acts for him. [O. Fr. atorne—Low L. attornatus—atornāre, to commit business to another. See Turn.]

Attract, at-trakt′, v.t. to draw to or cause to approach: to allure: to entice: to draw forth.—adj. Attract′able, that may be attracted.—n. Attrac′tion, act of attracting: the force which draws or tends to draw bodies or their particles to each other: that which attracts.—adj. Attract′ive, having the power of attracting: alluring.—advs. Attract′ively, Attract′ingly.—ns. Attract′iveness, Attractabil′ity; Attract′or, Attract′er, an agent of attraction. [L. attrahĕre, attractus—ad, to, trahĕre, to draw.]

Attrahent, at′tra-hent, adj. attracting or drawing.—n. that which attracts. [L. attrahens, -entis, pr.p. of attrahĕre. See Attract.]

Attrap, at-trap′, v.t. (Spens.) to adorn with trappings: to dress or array. [L. ad, to, and Trap.]

Attribute, at-trib′ūt, v.t. to ascribe, assign, or consider as belonging.—adj. Attrib′utable.—ns. At′tribute, that which is attributed: that which is inherent in, or inseparable from, anything: that which can be predicated of anything: a quality or property; Attribū′tion, act of attributing: that which is attributed: commendation.—adj. Attrib′utive, expressing an attribute.—n. a word denoting an attribute. [L. attribuĕre, -tributum—ad, to, tribu-ĕre, to give.]

Attrist, at-trist′, v.t. (obs.) to sadden. [Fr.—L. ad, to, tristis, sad.]

Attrite, at-trīt′, adj. worn by rubbing or friction: (theol.) repentant through fear of punishment, not yet from the love of God.—n. Attri′tion, the rubbing of one thing against another: a wearing by friction: (theol.) a defective or imperfect sorrow for sin. [L. attritus—atter-ĕre—ad, and terĕre, tritum, to rub.]

Attune, at-tūn′, v.t. to put in tune: to make one sound accord with another: to arrange fitly: to make musical.—n. Attune′ment. [L. ad, to, and Tune.]

Atwain, a-twān′, adv. in twain: (arch.) asunder. [Prep. a, and Twain.]

Atween, a-twēn′, adv. (Spens.) between. [Prep. a, and Twain.]

Atwixt, a-twikst′, adv. (Spens.) betwixt, between. [Pfx. a-, and 'twixt, Betwixt.]

Aubade, ō-bäd′, n. a musical announcement of dawn: a sunrise song. [Fr. aube, dawn—L. alba, white.]

Auberge, ō-bėrj′, n. an inn.—adj. Auberg′ical (H. Walpole).—n. Aubergiste (ō-bėrj-ēst′). [Fr., of Teut. origin. See Harbour.]

Aubergine, ō′ber-jēn, n. the fruit of the egg-plant, the brinjal. [Fr. dim. of auberge, a kind of peach—Sp. albérchigo—Ar. al, the, pérsigo—L. persicum, a peach.]

Auburn, aw′burn, adj. reddish brown. [The old meaning was a light yellow, or lightish hue; Low L. alburnus, whitish—L. albus, white.]

Auction, awk′shun, n. a public sale in which the bidder offers an increase on the price offered by another, and the articles go to him who bids highest.—v.t. to sell by auction.—adj. Auc′tionary.—n. Auctioneer′, one who is licensed to sell by auction.—v.t. to sell by auction.—Dutch auction, a kind of mock auction at which the salesman starts at a high price, and comes down till he meets a bidder. [L. auction-em, an increasing—augēre, auctum, to increase.]

Auctorial, awk′tōr-i-al, adj. of or pertaining to an author or his trade. [L. auctor.]

Audacious, aw-dā′shus, adj. daring: bold: impudent.—adv. Audā′ciously.—ns. Audā′ciousness, Audacity (aw-das′i-ti). [Fr. audacieux—L. audax—audēre, to dare.]

Audible, awd′i-bl, adj. able to be heard.—ns. Aud′ibleness, Audibil′ity.—adv. Aud′ibly.—n. Aud′ience, the act of hearing: a judicial hearing: admittance to a hearing: a ceremonial interview: an assembly of hearers: a court of government or justice in Spanish America, also the territory administered by it—Sp. audiencia.—adj. Aud′ient, listening: paying attention.—n. a hearer. [L. audibilis—audīre, to hear, conn. with Ger. ous, ōtos, the ear.]

Audiometer, awd-i-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument for measuring and recording differences in the power of hearing.

Audiphone, awd′i-fōn, n. an instrument which is pressed against the upper front teeth, the convex side outwards, in order to communicate sounds to the teeth and bones of the skull, thence to the organs of hearing.

Audit, awd′it, n. an examination of accounts by one or more duly authorised persons: a calling to account generally: a statement of account: (obs.) a periodical settlement of accounts: (obs.) audience, hearing.—v.t. to examine and verify by reference to vouchers, &c.—ns. Audi′tion, the sense of hearing: the act of hearing: (rare) something heard; Aud′itor, a hearer: one who audits accounts:—fem. Aud′itress; Auditōr′ium, in an opera-house, public hall, or the like, the space allotted to the hearers: the reception-room of a monastery; Aud′itorship.—adj. Aud′itory, relating to the sense of hearing.—n. an audience: a place where lectures, &c., are heard.—Audit ale, an ale of special quality brewed for some Oxford and Cambridge colleges; orig. for use on the day of audit. [L. auditus, a hearing—audīre, to hear. See Audible.]

Augean, aw-jē′an, adj. filthy: difficult. [From Augeas, a fabled king of Elis in Greece, whose stalls, containing 3000 oxen, and uncleaned for thirty years, were swept out by Hercules in one day by his turning the river Alpheus through them.]

Auger, aw′gėr, n. a carpenter's tool used for boring holes in wood.—n. Au′ger-bit, an auger that fits into a carpenter's brace (see Brace). [A corr. of nauger, an auger, A.S. nafugár—nafu, a nave of a wheel, gár, a piercer. See Nave (of a wheel), Gore, a triangular piece.]

Aught, awt, n. a whit: ought: anything: a part. [A.S. á-wiht, contr. to áht, whence ōht, ōght, and ought. Shakespeare, Milton, and Pope use ought and aught without distinction. Awiht is from á, ó, ever, and wiht, creature, a wight, a thing.]

Augite, aw′jīt, n. one of the Pyroxene group of minerals, closely allied to hornblende, usually of a greenish colour, occurring crystallised in prisms, and forming an essential component of many igneous rocks.—adj. Augit′ic. [Gr. augē, brightness.]

Augment, awg-ment′, v.t. to increase: to make larger.—v.i. to grow larger.—n. Aug′ment, increase: (gram.) the prefixed vowel to the past tenses of the verb in Sanskrit and Greek. Sometimes applied also to such inflectional prefixes as the ge- of the German perfect participle.—adjs. Augment′able, Augment′ative, having the quality or power of augmenting.—n. (gram.) a word formed from another to express increase of its meaning.—ns. Augmentā′tion, increase: addition: (her.) an additional charge in a coat-of-arms bestowed by the sovereign as a mark of honour: (mus.) the repetition of a melody in the course of the piece in notes of greater length than the original: (Scots law) an increase of stipend obtained by a parish minister by an action raised in the Court of Teinds against the titular and heritors; Augment′er. [L. augmentum, increase—augēre, to increase, Gr. auxan-ein.]

Augur, aw′gur, n. among the Romans, one who gained knowledge of secret or future things by observing the flight and the cries of birds: a diviner; a soothsayer.—v.t. to foretell from signs.—v.i. to guess or conjecture: to forebode.—adj. Au′gural.—ns. Au′gurship; Au′gury, the art or practice of auguring: an omen.—The words Au′gurate and Augurā′tion are obsolete. [L.; prob. from avis, bird, and root, gar, in L. garrīre, to chatter, Sans. gir, speech.]

August, aw-gust′, adj. venerable: imposing: sublime: majestic—adv. August′ly.—n. August′ness. [L. augustus—augēre, to increase, honour.]

August, aw′gust, n. the eighth month of the year, so called after the Roman emperor Augustus Cæsar.

Augustan, aw-gust′an, adj. pertaining to the Emperor Augustus, or to the time in which he reigned (31 B.C.-14 A.D.)—the most brilliant age in Roman literature, hence applied to any similar age, as the reign of Anne in English, or that of Louis XIV. in French literature: classic: refined.

Augustine, aw-gust′in, Augustinian, aw-gus-tin′i-an, n. one of an order of monks who derive their name and rule from St Augustine: (theol.) one who holds the opinions of St Augustine, esp. on predestination and irresistible grace.—adj. Augustin′ian, of or relating to St Augustine.—n. Augustin′ianism.

Auk, awk, n. a genus of web-footed sea-birds, with short wings used only as paddles, found in the northern seas. The Great Auk is supposed to have become extinct in 1844. [Ice. álka.]

Aula, aw′la, n. a hall.—adj. Aulā′rian, relating to a hall.—n. at Oxford, a member of a hall, as distinguished from a collegian.—Aula regis, also called Curia Regis, a name used in English history for a feudal assembly of tenants-in-chief, for the Privy Council, and for the Court of King's Bench. [L. aula, a hall.]

Auld, awld, adj. (Scot.) old.—adjs. Auld′-far′rant (lit. 'favouring the old'), old-fashioned, wise beyond their years, as of children; Auld′-warld, old-world, ancient.—Auld langsyne, old long since, long ago.

Aulic, awl′ik, adj. pertaining to a royal court.—Aulic Council (Ger. Reichshofrath), a court or personal council of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1501 by Maximilian I., and co-ordinate with the Imperial Chamber (Reichskammergericht). [L. aulicus—aula, Gr. aulē, a royal court.]

Aumail, aw-māl′, v.t. to enamel: (Spens.) to figure or variegate. [See Enamel.]

Aumbry, awm′bri, n. Same as Ambry.

Aumil, o′mil, n. Same as Amildar.

Aumuce, aw′mūs, n. Same as Amice.

Aunt, änt, n. a father's or a mother's sister—also the wife of one's uncle: (obs.) an old woman, a gossip, a procuress or bawd.—Aunt Sally, a pastime at English fairs, in which a wooden head is set on a pole, and in the mouth a pipe, which has to be smashed by throwing sticks or the like at it. [O. Fr. ante (Fr. tante)—L. amita, a father's sister.]

Aura, awr′a, n. a supposed subtle emanation proceeding from anything, esp. that essence which is claimed to emanate from all living things and to afford an atmosphere for the operations of animal magnetism and such-like occult phenomena: (fig.) air, distinctive character: (path.) a sensation as of a current of cold air—a premonitory symptom of epilepsy and hysteria.—adj. Aur′al, pertaining to the air, or to a subtle vapour or exhalation arising from a body. [L. aura.]

Aural, awr′al, adj. pertaining to the ear.—adv. Aur′ally. [L. auris, ear.]

Aurate, awr′āt, n. a compound of auric oxide with a base.—adjs. Aur′ated, gold-coloured: compounded with auric acid; Aur′eate, gilded: golden.—n. Aurē′ity, the peculiar properties of gold. [L. aurum, gold.]

Aurelia, awr-ēl′ya, n. the chrysalis of an insect, from its golden colour.—adj. Aurel′ian—formerly also a name for an entomologist devoted esp. to butterflies and moths. [L. aurum, gold.]

Aureola, awr-ē′o-la, n. in Christian art, the gold colour surrounding the whole figure in sacred pictures, distinct from the nimbus, which only covers the head, usually reserved for representations of the three Divine Persons, of Christ, and the Virgin and Child: (theol.) an increment to the ordinary blessedness of heaven gained by virgins, martyrs, and doctors for their triumph respectively over the flesh, the world, and the devil.—n. Aur′eole, the aureola: the gold disc round the head in early pictures symbolising glory: (fig.) a glorifying halo: a halo of radiating light, as in eclipses.—p.adj. Aur′eoled, encircled with an aureole. [L. aureolus, dim. of aureus, golden.]

Auric, awr′ik, adj. pertaining to gold: (chem.) applied to compounds in which gold combines as a triad. [L. aurum, gold.]

Auricle, awr′i-kl, n. the external ear: (pl.) the two upper cavities of the heart into which the blood comes from the veins.—adj. Aur′icled, having appendages like ears.—n. Auric′ula, a species of primrose, also called bear's ear, from the shape of its leaf.—adj. Auric′ular, pertaining to the ear: known by hearing, or by report.—adv. Auric′ularly.—adjs. Auric′ulate, Auric′ulated, ear-shaped.—Auricular confession, secret, told in the ear. [L. auricula, dim. of auris, the ear.]

Auriferous, awr-if′ėr-us, adj. bearing or yielding gold.—v.t. and v.i. Aur′ify, to turn into gold. [L. aurifer—aurum, gold, ferre, to bear.]

Auriform, awr′i-form, adj. ear-shaped. [L. auris, ear, and Form.]

Auriscope, aw′ri-skōp, n. an instrument for examining the Eustachian passage of the ear. [L. auris, ear, and Gr. skopein, to look.]

Aurist, awr′ist, n. one skilled in diseases of the ear. [L. auris, ear.]

Aurochs, awr′oks, n. the European bison or wild ox. [Ger. auerochs. Old High Ger. ûrohso, ur (L. urus, Gr. ouros), a kind of wild ox, and ochs, ox.]

Aurora, aw-rō′ra, n. the dawn: in poetry, the goddess of dawn.—adjs. Aurō′ral, Aurō′rean.—adv. Aurō′rally. [Acc. to Curtius, a reduplicated form for ausosa; from a root seen in Sans. ush, to burn; cog. with Gr. ēōs, dawn, hēlios, the sun; Etruscan, Usil, the god of the sun.]

Aurora Borealis, aw-rō′ra bō-rē-ā′lis, the northern aurora or light: a luminous meteoric phenomenon of electrical character seen in northern latitudes, with a tremulous motion, and giving forth streams of light.—Aurora Australis (aws-trā′lis), a similar phenomenon in the southern hemisphere:—pl. Aurō′ras. [L. borealis, northern—boreas, the north wind. See Austral.]

Auscultation, aws-kult-ā′shun, n. the art of discovering the condition of the lungs and heart by applying the ear or the stethoscope to the part.—v.i. to examine by auscultation.—n. Auscultā′tor, one who practises auscultation, or an instrument for such: in Germany, a title formerly given to one who had passed his first public examination in law, and who was merely retained, not yet employed or paid by government.—adj. Auscult′ātory, relating to auscultation. [L. auscultāre, to listen.]

Ausonian, aw-sō′ni-an, adj. Italian. [L. Ausonia, a poetical name for Italy.]

Auspice, aw′spis, n. an omen drawn from observing birds: augury—generally used in pl. Au′spices, protection: patronage: a good start (generally in phrase, Under the auspices of).—v.t. Au′spicate, to foreshow: to initiate or inaugurate with hopes of good luck:—pr.p. au′spicāting; pa.p. au′spicāted.—adj. Auspi′cious, having good auspices or omens of success: favourable: fortunate: propitious.—adv. Auspi′ciously.—n. Auspi′ciousness. [Fr.—L. auspicium—auspex, auspicis, a bird-seer, from avis, a bird, specĕre, to observe.]

Auster, aws′tėr, n. the south wind. [L.]

Austere, aws-tēr′, adj. harsh: severe: stern: grave: sober: severe in self-discipline, strictly moral or abstinent: severely simple, without luxury.—adv. Austere′ly.—ns. Austere′ness, Auster′ity, quality of being austere: severity of manners or life: harshness: asceticism: severe simplicity of style, dress, or habits. [L. austerus—Gr. austēros—au-ein, to dry.]

Austral, aws′tral, adj. southern.—adj. Australasian (aws-tral-ā′zhi-an), pertaining to Australasia, or the islands and island-groups that lie to the south of Asia.—n. a native or colonist of one of these.—adj. Austrā′lian, of or pertaining to Australia, a large island between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.—n. an aboriginal native of Australia proper, later also a white colonist or resident. [L. australis—auster, the south wind.]

Austrian, aws′tri-an, adj. of or pertaining to Austria, an empire of Central Europe.—n. a native of Austria.

Austringer, aw′string-ėr, n. a keeper of goshawks.—Also A′stringer. [O. Fr. ostruchier, austruchier. See Ostrich.]

Autarchy, awt′är-ki, n. absolute power. [Gr., from autos, self, and archein, to rule.]

Authentic, -al, aw-thent′ik, -al, adj. real: genuine, as opposed to counterfeit, apocryphal: original: true: entitled to acceptance, of established credibility. A distinction is sometimes made between authentic and genuine—the former, that the writing is trustworthy, as setting forth real facts; the latter, that we have it as it left its author's hands—an authentic history: a genuine text.—adv. Authent′ically. [Fr. and L. from Gr. authentēs, one who does anything with his own hand—autos, self.]

Authenticate, aw-thent′ik-āt, v.t. to make authentic: to prove genuine: to give legal validity to: to certify the authorship of.—ns. Authenticā′tion, act of authenticating: confirmation; Authentic′ity, quality of being authentic: state of being true or in accordance with fact: genuineness.

Author, awth′or, n. one who originates or brings anything into being: a beginner or first mover of any action or state of things: the writer of an original book: elliptically for an author's writings: one's authority for something: an informant:—fem. Auth′oress.—adjs. Authō′rial, Auth′orish; Authorīs′able.—n. Authorisā′tion.—v.t. Auth′orise, to give authority to: to sanction: to permit: to justify: to establish by authority.—adj. Auth′orless, anonymous.—ns. Auth′orling, a petty author; Auth′orship, Auth′oring, Auth′orism, state or quality of being an author. [Through Fr. from L. auctor—augēre, auctum, to cause things to increase, to produce.]

Authority, awth-or′it-i, n. legal power or right: power derived from office or character: weight of testimony: permission:—pl. Author′ities, precedents: opinions or sayings carrying weight: persons in power.—adj. Author′itative, having the sanction or weight of authority: dictatorial.—adv. Author′itatively.—n. Author′itativeness. [L. auctoritatem, auctoritas, auctor.]

Autobiography, aw-to-bī-og′raf-i, n. the biography or life of a person written by himself.—n. Autobiog′rapher, one who writes his own life.—adjs. Autobiograph′ic, -al. [Gr. autos, one's self, bios, life, graphein, to write.]

Auto-car, aw′to-kär, n. a vehicle for the road moved from within by steam, electric power, &c. instead of by traction. [Gr. autos, self, and Car.]

Autocarpous, aw-to-kär′pus, adj. applied to such fruit as consists only of the pericarp, with no adnate parts. [Gr. autos, self, karpos, fruit.]

Autochthon, aw-tok′thon, n. one of the primitive inhabitants of a country: an aboriginal:—pl. Autoch′thons and Autoch′thones.—adj. Autoch′thonous.—ns. Autoch′thony, Autoch′thonism, the condition of being autochthonous. [Gr.; made up of autos, self, chthōn, chthonos, the soil; the Athenians claiming to have actually sprung from the soil on which they lived.]

Autocrat, aw′to-krat, n. one who rules by his own power: an absolute sovereign.—n. Autoc′racy, an absolute government by one man: despotism.—adj. Autocrat′ic,—adv. Autocrat′ically. [Gr. autokratēs—autos, self, kratos, power.]

Auto-da-fé, aw′to-da-fā′, n. the public declaration of the judgment passed on heretics in Spain and Portugal by the Inquisition, also the infliction of the punishment which immediately followed thereupon, esp. the public burning of the victims:—pl. Autos-da-fé. [Port. auto da fé = Sp. auto de fe; auto—L. actum, act; da—L. de, of; and fe—L. fides, faith.]

Autogenous, aw-toj′e-nus, adj. self-generated: independent.—n. Autog′eny, a mode of spontaneous generation. [Gr. autogenēs, autos, self, genos, offspring.]

Autograph, aw′to-graf, n. one's own handwriting: a signature: an original manuscript.—v.t. to write with one's hand.—adj. Autograph′ic.—adv. Autograph′ically.—n. Au′tography, act of writing with one's own hand: reproduction of the outline of a writing or drawing by fac-simile. [Gr. autos, self, graphē, writing.]

Autogravure, aw-to-grav′ūr, n. a process of photo-engraving akin to autotype. [Gr. auto, self; Fr. gravure, engraving.]

Autolatry, aw-tol′a-tri, n. worship of one's self.—n. Autol′ogy is merely a justifiable enough scientific study of ourselves. [Gr. autos, self, latreia, worship.]

Autolycus, aw-tol′i-kus, n. a thief: a snapper up of unconsidered trifles: a plagiarist. [From the character in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale.]

Automaton, aw-tom′a-ton, n. a self-moving machine, or one which moves by concealed machinery: a living being regarded as without consciousness: the self-acting power of the muscular and nervous systems, by which movement is effected without intelligent determination: a human being who acts by routine, without intelligence:—pl. Autom′atons, Autom′ata.—adjs. Automat′ic, -al.—adv. Automat′ically.—ns. Autom′atism, automatic or involuntary action: power of self-moving: power of initiating vital processes from within the cell, organ, or organism, independently of any direct or immediate stimulus from without: the doctrine that animals are automata, their motions, &c., being the result of mechanical laws; Autom′atist, one who holds the doctrine of automatism. [Gr. automatos, self-moving—autos, self, and a stem mat-, to strive after, to move.]

Automobile, aw-to-mō′bil, adj. self-moving.—n. a motor-car. [Gr. autos, self, L. mobilis, mobile.]

Automorphic, aw-to-mor′fik, adj. marked by automorphism, the ascription to others of one's own characteristics. [Gr. autos, self, morphē, form.]

Autonomy, aw-ton′om-i, n. the power or right of self-government: (Kant's philos.) the doctrine that the human will carries its guiding principle within itself.—adjs. Auton′omous, Autonom′ic. [Gr.—autos, and nomos, law.]

Autonym, aw′ton-im, n. a writing published under the author's real name. [Gr. autos, self, onoma, a name.]

Autophagous, aw-tof′ag-us, adj. self-devouring.—n. Autoph′agy, sustenance by self-absorption of the tissues of the body. [Gr. autos, self, phagein, to eat.]

Autophoby, aw-tof′ob-i, n. a shrinking from making any reference to one's self. [Gr. autos, self, phobia, fear.]

Autophony, aw-tof′on-i, n. observation of the resonance of one's own voice, heard by placing the ear to the patient's chest. [Gr. autos, self, phōnē, sound.]

Autoplasty, aw′to-plas-ti, n. a mode of surgical treatment which consists in replacing a diseased part by means of healthy tissue from another part of the same body. [Gr. auto-plastos, self-formed.]

Autopsy, aw′top-si, n. personal inspection, esp. the examination of a body after death.—Also Autop′sia. [Gr.; autos, self, opsis, sight.]

Autoptic, -al, aw-topt′ik, -al, adj. seen with one's own eyes.—adv. Autopt′ically. [See Autopsy.]

Autoschediasm, aw-to-sked′i-azm, n. anything extemporised.—v.t. Autosched′iase.—adj. Autoschedias′tic. [Gr. autos, self, schedios, off-hand.]

Autotheism, aw′to-thē-izm, n. assumption of divine powers: the doctrine of the self-subsistence of God, esp. of the second person in the Trinity.—n. Au′totheist, a self-deifier. [Gr. autos, self, theos, a god.]

Autotype, aw′to-tīp, n. a true impress or copy of the original: a process of printing from a photographic negative in a permanent black or other pigment.—v.t. to reproduce by such a process.—n. Autotypog′raphy, a process by which drawings made on gelatine are transferred to a plate from which impressions may be taken. [Gr. autos, self, typos, a stamp.]

Autumn, aw′tum, n. the third season of the year when fruits are gathered in, popularly comprising the months of August, September, and October—in North America, September, October, and November. Astronomically, in the northern hemisphere, it begins at the autumnal equinox, when the sun enters Libra, 22d September, and ends at the winter solstice, when the sun enters Capricorn, 21st December.—adj. Autum′nal.—adv. Autum′nally. [L. autumnus, auctumnus, anciently referred to aug-ēre, as the season of increase; by Corssen and others, to the Sans. av, to do good to.]

Auxesis, awk-sē′sis, n. gradual deepening in force of meaning: hyperbole. [Gr.]

Auxiliar, awg-zil′yar, Auxiliary, awg-zil′yar-i, adj. helping: subsidiary, as troops.—ns. Auxil′iar, an auxiliary; Auxil′iary, a helper: an assistant: (gram.) a verb that helps to form the moods and tenses of other verbs. [L. auxiliaris—auxilium, help—aug-ēre, to increase.]

Ava, ä′va, n. native name in the Sandwich Islands for a species of cordyline yielding an intoxicating drink, also called kava: any similar drink.

Avail, a-vāl′, v.t. to be of value or service to: to benefit: to take the benefit of (used reflexively with of).—v.i. to be of use: to answer the purpose: (obs.) to take or draw advantage: (Amer.) to inform, assure of.—n. benefit: profit: service.—adj. Avail′able, that one may avail one's self of, utilise: profitable: suitable, obtainable: accessible.—ns. Avail′ableness, Availabil′ity, quality of being available: power in promoting an end in view: validity.—advs. Avail′ably; Avail′ingly, in an availing manner. [Fr.—L. ad, to, val-ēre, to be strong, to be worth.]

Avail. Same as Avale.

Avalanche, av′al-ansh, n. a mass of snow and ice sliding down from a mountain: a snow-slip.—v.i. Avāle′ (Spens.), to descend.—v.t. (Spens.) to cause to descend. [Fr. avaler, to slip down—L. ad, to, vall-em, the valley.]

Avant, av′ang, prefix used as adj. in combination, as in Av′ant-cour′ier, one who runs before, in pl. the skirmishers or advance-guard of an army; Av′ant-garde, the vanguard of an army. [Fr.;—L. ante.]

Avanturine. See Aventurine.

Avarice, av′ar-is, n. eager desire for wealth: covetousness.—adj. Avari′cious, extremely covetous: greedy.—adv. Avari′ciously.—n. Avari′ciousness. [Fr.—L. avaritia—avarus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]

Avast, a-väst′, interj. (naut.) hold fast! stop! [Dut. houd vast, hold fast.]

Avatar, a-va-tär′, n. the descent of a Hindu deity in a visible form: incarnation: (fig.) supreme glorification of any principle. [Sans.; ava, away, down, tar, to pass over.]

Avaunt, a-vawnt′, interj. move on! begone! (Shak.) used as n. 'to give her the avaunt.'—v.i. (Spens.) to advance: (obs.) depart. [Fr. avant, forward—L. ab, from, ante, before.]

Avaunt, a-vawnt′, v.i. (Spens.) to advance boastfully. [O. Fr. avanter—Low L. vanitare, to boast—L. vanus, vain.]

Ave, ā′vē, interj. and n. be well or happy: hail, an address or prayer to the Virgin Mary: in full, Ave Marī′a.—Ave Maria, or Ave Mary, the Hail Mary, or angelic salutation (Luke, i. 28). [L. avēre, to be well or propitious. See Angelus.]

Avenaceous, av′en-ā-shus, adj. of the nature of oats. [L. avena, oats.]

Avenge, a-venj′, v.t. to vindicate: take vengeance on some one on account of some injury or wrong (with on, upon; of obsolete).—adj. Avenge′ful.—ns. Avenge′ment; Aveng′er, one who avenges:—fem. Aveng′eress. [O. Fr. avengier—L. vindicāre. See Vengeance.]

Avens, ā′vens, n. popular name of two species of Geum—the herb bennet (once used to flavour ale) and the sub-alpine mountain-avens. [Fr.]

Aventail, Aventaile, av′en-tāl, n. the flap or movable part of a helmet in front, for admitting air to the wearer. [O. Fr. esventail, air-hole—L. ex, out, ventus, wind.]

Aventre, a-ven′tr, v.t. or v.i. (Spens.) to throw, as a spear or dart. [O. Fr. venter, to cast to the wind.]

Aventure, a-vent′ūr, v.t. obsolete form of Adventure.

Aventurine, a-ven′tū-rin, n. a brown, spangled kind of Venetian glass: a kind of quartz.—Also Avan′turine. [It. avventura, chance—because of the accidental discovery of the glass.]

Avenue, av′en-ū, n. the principal approach to a country-house, usually bordered by trees: a double row of trees, with or without a road: a wide and handsome street, with or without trees, esp. in America: any passage or entrance into a place: (fig.) means of access or attainment. [Fr.: from L. ad, to, venīre, to come.]

Aver, a-vėr′, v.t. to declare to be true: to affirm or declare positively: (law) to prove or justify a plea:—pr.p. aver′ring; pa.p. averred.—n. Aver′ment, positive assertion: (law) a formal offer to prove a plea: the proof offered. [Fr. avérer—L. ad, and verus, true.]

Average, av′ėr-āj, n. the mean value or quantity of a number of values or quantities: any expense incurred beyond the freight, payable by the owner of the goods shipped, as in the phrase Petty average: any loss or damage to ship or cargo from unavoidable accidental causes—Particular average. Again, General average is the apportionment of loss caused by measures taken for the ship's safety, as cutting away the masts, throwing overboard cargo, accepting towage, or the like.—adj. containing a mean value: ordinary.—v.t. to fix an average.—v.i. to exist in, or form, a mean quantity. [Dr Murray says the word first appears about 1500 in connection with the maritime trade of the Mediterranean (Fr. avarie, Sp. averia, It. avaria); probably averia is a derivative of It. avere (O. Fr. aveir), goods, the original sense being a 'charge on property or goods.' The It. avere and O. Fr. aveir meant goods, substance, cattle—L. habēre, to have. The Old Eng. aver in the same sense is obsolete, but in Scotland aver still means an old horse.]

Averroism, av-er-ō′izm, n. the doctrine of the Arabian philosopher Averrhoes (died 1198), that the soul is perishable, the only immortal soul being the world-soul from which individual souls went forth, and to which they return.—n. Averrō′ist, one who holds this doctrine.

Averruncate, a-vėr-ungk′āt, v.t. (rare) to avert or ward off: to pull up by the roots.—ns. Averruncā′tion, act of averting: extirpation; Averrunc′ātor, an instrument for cutting off branches of trees. [L. averruncāre, to avert.]

Averse, a-vėrs′, adj. having a disinclination or hatred (with to; from is, however, still used): disliking: turned away from anything: turned backward; (her.) turned so as to show the back, as of a right hand.—n. Aversā′tion (obs.).—adv. Averse′ly.—n. Averse′ness. [L. aversus, turned away, pa.p. of avert-ĕre. See Avert.]

Aversion, a-vėr′-shun, n. dislike: hatred: the object of dislike. [See Avert.]

Avert, a-vėrt′, v.t. to turn from or aside: to prevent: ward off.—p.adj. Avert′ed.—adv. Avert′edly.—adj. Avert′ible, capable of being averted. [L. avert-ēre—ab, from, vert-ĕre, to turn.]

Avertiment, for Advertisement (Milton).

Aves, ā′vēz, n.pl. birds. [L.]

Aviary, ā′vi-ar-i, n. a place for keeping birds.—n. A′viarist, one who keeps an aviary. [L. aviarium—avis, a bird.]

Aviculture, ā′vi-kul-tūr, n. rearing of birds: bird-fancying. [L. avis, bird, and Culture.]

Avidity, a-vid′i-ti, n. eagerness: greediness.—adj. Av′id, greedy: eager. [L. aviditas—avidus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]

Avifauna, ā′vi-fawn-a, n. the whole of the birds found in a region or country: the fauna as regards birds. [L. avis, bird, and Fauna.]

Avised. See Black-avised.

Aviso. See Adviso (under Advice).—Avis, Avise, obsolete forms of Advise.—adj. Avise′ful (Spens.), watchful, circumspect.

Avital, av′i-tal, adj. of a grandfather: ancestral. [L. avitus, pertaining to a grandfather (avus).]

Avizandum, av-iz-an′dum, n. (Scots law) private consideration of a case by a judge before giving judgment.—Also Avisan′dum. [Gerund of Low L. avisare, to advise.]

Avocado, a-vo-kä′do, n. the alligator-pear, a West Indian fruit. [Corr. from Mexican.]

Avocation, a-vo-kā′shun, n. formerly and properly, a diversion or distraction from one's regular employment—now, one's proper business = Vocation: business which calls for one's time and attention: (arch.) diversion of the thoughts from any employment: the calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court. [Through Fr. from avocation-em, a calling away—ab, from, vocāre, to call.]

Avocet, Avoset, av′o-set, n. a widely spread genus of birds, with webbed feet, long legs, bare thighs, a long, slender, upward-curved, elastic bill, and snipe-like habit. [Fr. avocette, It. avosetta.]

Avoid, a-void′, v.t. to try to escape from: to shun: (law) to invalidate: (Shak.) to leave, to quit.—adj. Avoid′able.—n. Avoid′ance, the act of avoiding or shunning: act of annulling. [Pfx. a- = Fr. es = L. ex, out, and Void.]

Avoirdupois, av-or-dū-poiz′, adj. or n. a system of weights in which the lb. equals 16 oz. [O. Fr. aveir de pes (avoir du pois), to have weight—L. hab-ēre, to have, pensum, that which is weighed.]

Avoset. See Avocet.

Avouch, a-vowch′, v.t. to avow: to assert or own positively: to maintain: guarantee; to appeal to. v.i. to give assurance of.—n. (Shak.) evidence.—adj. Avouch′able.—n. Avouch′ment. [O. Fr. avochier—L. advocāre, to call to one's aid. See Vouch.]

Avoure, a-vowr′, n. (Spens.) confession, acknowledgment, justification. [See Avow.]

Avow, a-vow′, v.t. to declare openly: to own or confess: to affirm or maintain: (law) to justify an act done.—n. a solemn promise: a vow.—pa.p. as adj. self-acknowledged.—adj. Avow′able.—ns. Avow′ableness, Avow′ance (obs.); Avow′al, a positive declaration: a frank confession.—adv. Avow′edly.—n. Avow′ry (law), the act of avowing and justifying in one's own right the distraining of goods: (obs.) advocacy considered as personified in a patron saint. [O. Fr. avouer, orig. to swear fealty to—L. ad, and Low L. votāre—votum, a vow. See Vow.]

Avulse, a-vuls′, v.t. to pluck or tear away.—n. Avul′sion, forcible separation. [L. avell-ĕre, avulsum.]

Avuncular, a-vung′kū-lar, adj. pertaining to an uncle.—v.t. or v.i. Avunc′ulise (Fuller), to act like an uncle. [L. avunculus, an uncle.]

Await, a-wāt′, v.t. to wait or look for: to be in store for: to attend: (obs.) to lie in wait for, to watch. [Through Fr. from the common Teutonic root of Ger. wacht, en, Eng. Wait.]

Awake, a-wāk′, v.t. to rouse from sleep: to rouse from a state of inaction.—v.i. to cease sleeping: to rouse one's self from sleep or indifference:—pa.p. awaked′, or awoke′.—adj. not asleep: vigilant.—adj. Awak′able, capable of being awakened.—v.t. and v.i. Awak′en, to awake: to rouse into interest or attention: (theol.) to call to a sense of sin.—adj. Awak′enable.—ns. Awak′enment, Awak′ing, Awak′ening, the act of awaking or ceasing to sleep: an arousing from indifference: a revival of religion.—To be awake to, to be fully aware of anything. [A.S. awæcnan. See Wake, Watch.]

Awanting, a-wont′ing, adj. wanting: missing. [Framed as if from a verb awant—mostly Scotch.]

Award, a-wawrd′, v.t. to adjudge: to determine.—n. judgment: final decision, esp. of arbitrators.—adj. Award′able, that may be awarded.—n. Award′ment. [O. Fr. ewarder, eswarder, from an assumed Romanic form compounded of ex, thoroughly, and guardare, watch. See Ward, Guard.]

Aware, a-wār′, adj. wary: informed, conscious (with of)—ns. Aware′dom (H. Walpole), Aware′ness. [A.S. gewær, pfx. ge-, and wær, cautious. See Wary.]

Awarn, a-wawrn′, v.t. (Spens.) to warn. [Pfx, a-, and Warn.]

Awash, a-wosh′, adv. on a level with the surface of the water: floating at the mercy of the waves. [Pfx. a-, and Wash.]

Awaste, a-wāst′, adv. wasting.

Awatch, a-wotch′, adv. watching.

Awave, a-wāv′, adv. waving.

Away, a-wā′, adv. onward, along: forthwith: in the direction of, about: absent: gone, dead, fainted.—interj. begone!—Away (elliptically), to go away, esp. imperatively, Away! or Away with you!—Away with him = take him away.—Fire away, fire at once, without hesitation.—I cannot away with = bear or endure.—Make away with, to destroy.—Once and away, once in a way (the usual modern form), once.—There away, in that direction, thereabout.—To do away (with), to make an end of anything; To explain away, to explain till the thing that needs explanation is itself removed; To fall away (with from), to desert; To fight away, to go on fighting; To work away, to keep on working. [A.S. a-weg—prep. a, on, weg, way, lit. 'on one's way.']

Awe, aw, n. reverential fear, or wonder: dread: (arch.) power to inspire awe.—v.t. to strike with or influence by fear.—adj. Awe′less, without fear.—n. Awe′lessness.—adjs. Awe′some, Aw′some (Scot.), full of awe: inspiring awe: weird, dreadful.—v.t. Awe′-strike, to strike with awe.—adjs. Awe′-struck, struck or affected with awe; Aw′ful, full of awe: dreadful: inspiring respect: expressive of awe: (slang) ugly: and as a mere intensive of anything.—adv. Aw′fully (also in slang merely = very).—n. Aw′fulness. [Ice. agi, A.S. ege, fear; cog. with Gael. eaghal; Gr. achos, anguish.]

Aweary, a-wē′ri, adj. weary (with of).—adj. Awea′ried, weary. [Pfx. a-, and Weary.]

A-weather, a-weth′ėr, adv. (naut.) towards the weather or windward side, in the direction from which the wind blows, applied to the position of a helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship—opp. to A-lee. [Prep. a, on, and Weather.]

A-week, a-wēk′, adv. phrase, in the week, per week. [Prep. a, and Week.]

A-weigh, a-wā′, adv. in the act of being weighed, as an anchor, when the strain on the cable has just raised it from the bottom. [Prep. a, and Weigh.]

Awhape, a-hwāp′, v.t. (Spens.) to strike: to terrify. [Dr Murray compares the Goth. af hwapjan, to choke, which would give an A.S. ofhweppan. See Whap.]

Awhile, a-hwīl′, adv. for some time: for a short time. [A.S. áne hwíle = a while; combined as early as 13th century.]

A-wing, a-wing′, adv. phrase, on the wing. [Prep. a, and Wing.]

Awkward, awk′ward, adj. clumsy: ungraceful: embarrassed: difficult to deal with: (Shak.) unfavourable: (obs.) froward.—adj. Awk′wardish.—adv. Awk′wardly, clumsily, embarrassingly, dangerously.—n. Awk′wardness. [Prob. Ice. afug, turned wrong way, and suff. -ward, expressing direction.]

Awl, awl, n. a pointed instrument for boring small holes in leather. [A.S. æl; cog. with Ice. alr, Ger. ahle.]

Awn, awn, n. a scale or husk: beard of corn or grass.—adjs. Awned; Awn′less; Awn′y. [Ice. ögn; Ger. ahne.]

Awning, awn′ing, n. a covering to shelter from the sun's rays. [Perh. due to the Fr. auvent, a screen of cloth before a shop window, with Eng. ending -ing. Skeat suggests Pers. áwan, áwang, anything suspended. The history of the word is still unsolved.]

Awoke, a-wōk′, did awake—pa.t. of Awake.

Awork, a-wurk′, adv. at work. [Prep. a, and Work.]

Awrack, a-rak′, adv. in a state of wreck.

Awrong, a-rong′, adv. wrongly.

Awry, a-rī′, adj. twisted to one side: distorted, crooked: wrong: perverse.—adv. unevenly: perversely: erroneously.—To look awry, to look askance at anything; To walk awry, to go wrong. [Prep. a, on, and Wry.]

Axe, Ax, aks, n. a well-known tool or instrument for hewing or chopping, usually of iron with a steel edge:—pl. Ax′es. [A.S. æx; L. ascia; Gr. axinē.]

Axile, aks′il, adj. lying in the axis of anything, as an embryo in the axis of a seed.

Axilla, aks′il-la, n. (anat.) the armpit.—ns. Ax′illa, Ax′il (bot.), the angle between the upper side of a branch and the trunk, or a petiole and the stem it springs from.—adjs. Ax′illar, Ax′illary. [L. axilla, the armpit.]

Axinomancy, aks′in-o-man-si, n. a mode of divination from the motions of an axe poised upon a stake, or of an agate placed upon a red-hot axe. [Gr. axinē, an axe, and manteia, divination.]

Axiom, aks′yum, n. a self-evident truth: a universally received principle in an art or science.—adjs. Axiomat′ic, Axiomat′ical.—adv. Axiomat′ically. [Gr. axiōma—axio-ein, to think worth, to take for granted—axios, worth.]

Axis, aks′is, n. the axle, or the line, real or imaginary, on which a body revolves: the straight line about which the parts of a body or system are systematically arranged, or which passes through the centre of all the corresponding parallel sections of it, as of a cylinder, globe, or spheroid. The axis of a curved line is formed by a right line dividing the curve into two symmetrical parts, as in the parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola:—pl. Axes (aks′ēz).—adj. Ax′ial.—adv. Ax′ially.—n. Ax′oid, a curve generated by the revolution of a point round an advancing axis.—Axis of a lens, the right line passing through a lens in such a manner as to be perpendicular to both sides of it; Axis of a telescope, a right line which passes through the centres of all the glasses in the tube; Axis of incidence, the line passing through the point of incidence perpendicularly to the refracting surface; Axis of refraction, the continuation of the same line through the refracting medium; Axis of the equator, the polar diameter of the earth, which is also the axis of rotation; Axis of the eye, the right line passing through the centres of the pupil and the crystalline lens. [L. axis; cf. Gr. axōn, Sans. aksha, A.S. eax.]

Axis, aks′is, n. the hog-deer of India. [L. axis, Pliny's name for an Indian quadruped.]

Axle, aks′l, Axle-tree, aks′l-trē, n. the pin or rod in the nave of a wheel on which the wheel turns: a pivot or support of any kind; the imaginary line of ancient cosmographers on which a planet revolved.—adj. Ax′led. [More prob. Norse öxull than a dim. from A.S. eax.]

Axolotl, aks′o-lotl, n. a reptile found in Mexico, allied to the tailed batrachia, but distinguished by retaining its gills through life. [Mexican.]

Ay, ā, interj. ah! oh! alas! esp. in ay me! [M. E. ey, ei, perh. from Fr. ahi, aï; cf. Sp. ay de mi!]

Ay, Aye, ī, adv. yea: yes: indeed.—n. Aye (ī), a vote in the affirmative: (pl.) those who vote in the affirmative. [Perh. a dial. form of aye, ever; perh. a variant of yea.]

Ayah, ā′ya, n. a native Indian waiting-maid. [Anglo-Ind.: Hind. āya, derived from the Port. aia, nurse.]

Aye, Ay, ā, adv. ever: always: for ever.—For aye, For ever and aye, for ever, to all eternity.—In combination, with sense of 'ever,' as in Shakespeare's 'aye-remaining,' &c. [Ice. ei, ever; A.S. a; conn. with Age, Ever.]

Aye-aye, ī′ī, n. a quadruped about the size of a hare found in Madagascar, closely allied to the lemurs, with much of the aspect of a squirrel. [Malagasy aiay.]

Ayelp, a-yėlp′, adv. yelping.

Ayenbite, ī′en-bīt, n. (obs.) remorse, as in the book-title Ayenbite of Inwyt ('remorse of conscience'). [M. E. ayen, again bite.]

Aygulets, obsolete form of Aiglets.

Ayme, obsolete form of Aim.

Ayry. See Eyry.

Azalea, a-zā′le-a, n. a genus of shrubby plants, with fine white, yellow, or crimson flowers, mostly natives of China or North America, closely allied to the rhododendron. [Gr. azaleos, dry—aza, dryness.]

Azimuth, az′im-uth, n. the arc of the horizon between the meridian of a place and a vertical circle passing through any celestial body.—adj. Az′imuthal, pertaining to the azimuth. [Ar. as-sumūt, as = al, the, sūmut, samt, direction. See Zenith.]

Azo-, in combination, for Azote.

Azoic, a-zō′ik, adj. without life: before the existence of animal life: formed when there was no animal life on the globe, as rocks. [Gr. a, neg., and zōē, life—za-ein, to live.]

Azonic, a-zon′ik, adj. not limited to a zone, not local. [Gr.; a, neg., zōnē, a belt region.]

Azote, a-zōt′, n. an old name for nitrogen, so called because it does not sustain animal life.—adj. Azot′ic.—v.t. Az′otise, to impregnate with acid.—n. Az′otite, a salt of azotic or nitrous acid.—adj. Azot′ous, nitrous. [Gr. a, neg., and za-ein, to live.]

Azoth, äz′ōth, n. the alchemist's name for mercury: Paracelsus's universal remedy. [From Ar. az-zāūg, az = al, the, zāūg, from Pers. zhīwah, quicksilver.]

Azrael, az′rā-el, n. in Mohammedan mythology, the angel of death.

Aztec, az′tek, adj. relating to or descended from the Aztecs, the dominant tribe in Mexico at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards.

Azure, azh′ūr, or ā′zhūr, adj. of a faint blue: sky-coloured; clear, cloudless.—n. a delicate blue colour: the sky.—adjs. Azurē′an, Az′urine, azure.—n. Az′urite, blue carbonate of copper.—adjs. Az′urn (Milton), azure; Az′ury, bluish. [O. Fr. azur—Low L. azura—Ar. (al) lazward, Pers. lājward, lapis lazuli, blue colour.]

Azygous, az′i-gus, adj. not yoked or joined with another: (anat.) not one of a pair, as a muscle. [Gr. azygos—a, neg., and zygos, a yoke, from zeugnumi, to join.]

Azymous, az′i-mus, adj. unfermented: unleavened.—ns. Az′ym, Az′yme, unleavened bread; Az′ymite, a member of a church using unleavened bread in the Eucharist—a name applied by the Eastern Church to the Western, as well as to the Armenian and Maronite Churches. [Gr. azymos—a, neg., ēzym, leaven.]

the second letter of our alphabet, called by the Phœnicians beth, 'the house,' coresponding to Greek βετα, 'beta.'—B in music is the seventh note of the scale of C major; B or B flat, a humorous euphemism for the domestic bug.

Baa, bä, n. the cry of a sheep.—v.i. to cry or bleat as a sheep.—n. Baa′ing. [From the sound.]

Baal, bā′al, n. the chief male deity of the Phœnician nations: a false god generally:—pl. Bā′alim.—ns. Bā′alism; Bā′alite. [Heb.]

Babble, bab′bl, v.i. to speak like a baby: to make a continuous murmuring sound like a brook, &c.: to make a babbling noise: to tell secrets.—v.t. to prate: to utter.—adjs. Bab′blative, Bab′bly.—ns. Bab′ble, Bab′blement, Bab′bling, idle senseless talk: prattle: confused murmur, as of a stream; Bab′bler, one who babbles. [Prob. imit., from the repeated syllable ba; cf. Dut. babbelen, Ger. pappelen, Fr. babiller.]

Babe, bāb, Baby, bā′bi, n. an infant or child: a doll, puppet: the reflection of one's self in miniature seen in the pupil of another's eye.—ns. Bā′by-farm′er, one who takes in infants to nurse on payment; Bā′byhood.—adj. Bā′byish.—n. Bā′by-jump′er, a seat suspended from the ceiling of a room by elastic straps, to enable a baby to jump. [Prob. imitative. See Babble.]

Babel, bā′bel, n. a lofty structure: a confused combination of sounds: a scene of confusion.—ns. Bā′beldom, Bā′belism. [Heb. Babel, explained in Gen. xi. as confusion.]

Babiroussa, -russa, ba-bi-rōō′sa, n. a species of wild hog found in the East Indies, often called the horned or deer hog. [Malay bâbi, hog, and rûsa, deer.]

Baboo, bä′bōō, n. orig. the Hindu title corresponding to our Mr, but often applied disparagingly to a Hindu with a superficial English education, or adjectively as in 'baboo English,' which is more copious than correct, with long and learned words often most ingeniously misapplied.—ns. Ba′boodom, Ba′booism. [Hind. bābū.]

Baboon, ba-bōōn′, n. a species of large monkey, having a long face, dog-like tusks, large lips, and a short tail.—n. Baboon′ery.—adj. Baboon′ish. [Fr. babouin; remoter origin unknown.]

Babylonian, bab-i-lōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Babylon: hence (fig.) huge, gigantic: Romish, popish (obs. from the identification with Rome of the scarlet woman of Rev. xvii.); Babel-like, confused in language.—Also Babylon′ish.

Baccalaureate, bak-ka-law′re-āt, n. the university degree of bachelor.—adj. Baccalau′rean [Low L. baccalaureus, corrupted from, baccalarius, with some imaginary reference to bacca lauri, the laurel berry. See Bachelor.]

Baccarat, Baccara, bak-ar-ā′, n. a French game of cards played by any number of betters and a banker. [Fr. baccara.]

Baccate, bak′āt, adj. having berries: berry-like or pulpy.—adjs. Bacciferous (bak-sif′ėr-us), bearing berries; Bac′ciform, of the shape of a berry; Bacciv′orous, living on berries. [L. baccatus—bacca, a berry.]

Bacchanal, bak′a-nal, n. a worshipper of Bacchus: one who indulges in drunken revels: a dance or song in honour of Bacchus.—adj. relating to drunken revels—also Bacchanā′lian.—ns.pl. Bacchanā′lia, Bac′chanals, originally feasts in honour of Bacchus: drunken revels.—n. Bacchanā′lianism.—n. and adj. Bacchant (bak′kant), a priest of Bacchus, the god of wine: a reveller: a drunkard.—n. Bacchante (bak-kant′, bak′kant, bak-kant′i), a priestess of Bacchus, the god of wine: a female bacchanal:—pl. Bacchant′es.—adj. Bacchic (bak′kik), relating to Bacchus: jovial: drunken. [L. Bacchanalis, Bacchus, Gr. Bacchos, the god of wine.]

Baccy, Bacco, abbreviations of Tobacco.

Bacharach, bak′ar-ak, n. an excellent wine named from Bacharach, a town on the Rhine.

Bachelor, bach′el-or, n. a young knight who followed the banner of another, as being too young to display his own: an unmarried man: one who has taken his first degree at a university.—ns. Bach′elorhood, Bach′elorship; Bach′elorism, habit of a bachelor; Bach′elor's-but′ton, the popular name of the double-flowered yellow or white varieties of buttercup.—Knight bachelor, title of one who has been knighted, but not attached to any special order. [O. Fr. bacheler. Ety. disputed; acc. to Brachet from Low L. baccalarius, a farm-servant, orig. a cowherd, from bacca, Low L. for vacca, a cow.]

Bacillus, ba-sil′us, n. properly the name of a distinct genus of Schizomycetes, but popularly used in the same sense as Bacterium:—pl. Bacil′lī.—adjs. Bacil′lar, Bacil′lary, of the shape or nature of a bacillus, consisting of little rods.—n. Bacil′licide, that which destroys bacilli.—adj. Bacil′liform. [Low L. bacillus, dim. of baculus, a rod.]

Back, bak, n. a brewer's or dyer's tub or trough. [Dut. bak.]

Back, bak, n. the hinder part of the body in man, and the upper part in beasts, extending from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone: put for the whole body in speaking of clothes: the hinder part, or the part opposite to the front side: the convex part of a book, opposite to the opening of the leaves: the thick edge of a knife or the like: the upright hind part of a chair: the surface of the sea, or of a river: the keel and keelson of a ship: (football) one of the players stationed behind the 'forwards,' the full back's duty being merely to guard the goal: (mining) that side of an inclined mineral lode which is nearest the surface of the ground—the back of a level is the ground between it and the level above.—adv. to the place from which one came: to a former state or condition: behind: behind in time: in return: again.—v.t. to get upon the back of: to help, as if standing at one's back: to force back: to support one's opinion by a wager or bet—'to back a horse,' to bet money on his winning in a race, 'to back the field,' to bet upon all the horses in a field, against one in particular: to countersign a warrant, or indorse a cheque or bill; to write or print at the back of, as a parliamentary bill, or the like: to put or propel backward, or in the opposite direction, by reversing the action, as of an engine or a boat—hence the phrases, To back the oars, To back water.—v.i. to move or go back.—n. Back′-band, a broad strap or chain passing over the cart saddle, and serving to keep up the shafts of a vehicle.—v.t. Back′bite, to speak evil of any one behind his back or in his absence.—ns. Back′biter; Back′biting; Back′-board, a board placed at the back of a cart, boat, &c.: a board fastened across the back to straighten the figure; Back′bond (Scots law), a deed attaching a qualification or condition to the terms of a conveyance or other instrument—used when particular circumstances render it necessary to express in a separate form the limitations or qualifications of a right; Back′bone, the bone of the back, the vertebral column: the main support of anything: mainstay: firmness, reliableness; Back′-door, a door in the back part of a building: (attrib.) unworthily secret: clandestine.—adj. Backed, as in humpbacked.—ns. Back′-end, the later part of a season: the late autumn; Back′er, one who backs or supports another in a contest: one who bets on a horse or the like; Back′-fall, a fall on the back in wrestling—also figuratively: a lever in the coupler of an organ; Back′friend (obs.), a pretended friend: a backer, a friend who stands at one's back; Back′ground, ground at the back: a place of obscurity: the space behind the principal figures of a picture; Back′-hair, the long hair at the back of a woman's head; Back′-hand, the hand turned backwards in making a stroke: handwriting with the letters sloped backwards.—adj. Back′-hand′ed, with the hand turned backward (as of a blow): indirect.—ns. Back′-hand′er, a blow with the back of the hand: an extra glass of wine out of turn, the bottle being passed back; Back′ing, support at the back: mounting of a horse: the action of putting back: a body of helpers: anything used to form a back or line the back; Back′ing-down, shirking; Back′-lash, the jarring reaction of a wheel in a machine when the motion is not uniform; Back′-log, a log at the back of a fire.—adj. Back′most, farthest to the back.—ns. Back′-piece, Back′-plate, a piece or plate of armour for the back; Back′-set, a setting back, reverse: an eddy or counter-current; Back′side, the back or hinder side or part of anything: the hinder part of an animal; Back′-sight, in surveying, a sight taken backwards: the sight of a rifle nearer the stock; Back′-slang, slang in which every word is pronounced backwards.—v.t. Backslide′, to slide or fall back in faith or morals:—pa.p. backslid′, or backslid′den.—ns. Backslid′er; Backslid′ing.—n.pl. Back′stairs, back or private stairs of a house.—adj. secret or underhand.—n.pl. Back′stays, ropes or stays extending from the topmast-heads to the sides of a ship, and slanting a little backward, to second the shrouds in supporting the mast when strained by a weight of sail in a fresh wind: any stay or support at the back.—ns. Back′stitch, a method of sewing in which, for every new stitch, the needle enters behind, and comes out in front of, the end of the previous one; Back′sword, a sword with a back or with only one edge: a stick with a basket-handle; Backsword′man (Shak.); Back′-wash, a backward current.—v.t. to affect with back-wash: to clean the oil from wool after combing.—n. Back′water, water held back in a mill-stream or river by the obstruction of a dam below—a pool or belt of water connected with a river, but not in the line of its course or current: water thrown back by the turning of a water-wheel: a backward current of water: the swell of the sea formed by the paddles of a steamship.—n.pl. Back′woods, the forest or uncultivated part of a country beyond the cleared country, as in North American Backwoods′man.—Back! go back, turn back (imperatively).—At the back of (in U.S. often Back of), in support or pursuit; On, Upon the back of, weighing down as a burden.—To and back (Shak.), forward and backward.—To back down, to abandon one's opinion or position; To back out, to recede from an engagement or promise; To back up, to give support to; To be on one's back, to have come to the end of one's resources; To break the back of, to overburden, to complete the hardest part of a task; To cast behind the back (B.), to forgive; To set or put up the back, to arouse to resentment; To the backbone, thoroughly. [A.S. bæc, Sw. bak, Dan. bag.]

Backare, Baccare, bak′āre, interj. (Shak.) back! stand back! [Perh. for back there!]

Backet, bak′et (Scot.), n. a shallow wooden trough for carrying ashes, coals, &c. [Fr. baquet, dim. of bac, back.]

Backgammon, bak-gam′un, n. a game played by two persons on a board with dice and fifteen men or pieces each. [M.E. gamen, play; and named from the fact that the pieces are sometimes taken up and obliged to go back—that is, re-enter at the table. Always called Tables till the 17th century.]

Backsheesh, Backshish, bak′shēsh, n. a gift or present of money in the East, a gratuity or tip. [Pers.]

Backward, bak′ward, adv. towards the back: on the back: towards the past: from a better to a worse state: in a direction opposite to the normal—also Back′wards.—adj. Back′ward, keeping back: unwilling: slow: late: dull or stupid.—n. the past portion of time.—n. Back′wardation, percentage paid by a seller of stock for keeping back its delivery till the following account.—adv. Back′wardly.—n. Back′wardness.—Backward and forward, to and fro.—To ring bells backward, to ring them, beginning with the bass bell, in order to give tidings of dismay. [Back, and affix Ward, Wards, in the direction of.]

Bacon, bā′kn, n. swine's flesh salted or pickled and dried: (Shak.) a rustic, 'chaw-bacon.'—To save or sell one's bacon, i.e. one's own flesh or body. [O. Fr. bacon, of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. bahho, bacho; Ger. bache.]

Baconian, bak-ōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Lord Bacon (1561-1626), or to his philosophy, which was inductive or based on experience.

Bacterium, bak-tē′ri-um, n., Bacteria, bak-tē′ri-a, n.pl. Schizomycetes, extremely small, single-celled, fungoid plants, single or grouped, reproducing rapidly by cross division or by the formation of spores, almost always associated with the decomposition of albuminoid substances, and regarded as the germs or active cause of many diseases.—ns. Bacteriol′ogist; Bacteriol′ogy, the scientific study of bacteria. [Gr. baktērion, dim. of baktron, stick, staff.]

Baculine, bak′ū-līn, adj. pertaining to the stick or cane—in flogging. [L. baculum.]

Baculite, bak′ū-līt, n. a genus of fossil shells, allied to the ammonites, having a shell of perfectly straight form, tapering to a point. [L. baculum, a stick.]

Bad, bad, adj. ill or evil: wicked: hurtful: incorrect, faulty: unfavourable: painful:—comp. Worse; superl. Worst.—adj. Bad′dish, somewhat bad: not very good.—adv. Bad′ly.—ns. Bad′ness.—Bad blood, angry feeling; Bad coin, false coin; Bad debts, debts that cannot be recovered; Bad shot, a wrong guess.—To go bad, to decay; To go to the bad, to go to ruin; To the bad, to a bad condition: in deficit.—With bad grace, unwillingly. [Ety. very obscure. The M. E. badde is referred by Zupitza to A.S. bæddel, a hermaphrodite, bædling, an effeminate fellow.]

Bade, bad, pa.t. of Bid.

Badge, baj, n. a mark or sign by which a person or object is known or distinguished. [M.E. bage—Low L. bagia, bagea, connected by Skeat with Low L. baga, a golden ring, from L. bacca, baca, a berry, also the link of a chain.]

Badger, baj′ėr, n. a burrowing, nocturnal, hibernating animal about the size of a fox, eagerly hunted by dogs.—v.t. to pursue with eagerness, as dogs hunt the badger: to pester or worry.—ns. Badg′er-bait′ing, the sport of setting dogs to draw out a badger from its hole; Badg′er-dog, a long-bodied and short-legged dog used in drawing the badger—the Ger. dachshund.—adj. Badg′er-legged, having legs of unequal length, as the badger was vulgarly supposed to have.—adv. Badg′erly, like a badger: grayish-haired, elderly.—To overdraw one's badger, to overdraw one's banking account. [Prob. from Badge and suffix -ard, in reference to the white mark borne like a badge on its forehead. Derivations connecting the word with O. Fr. blaier, thus meaning 'little corn hoarder,' in allusion to a popular notion about the animal's habits, seem to be erroneous.]

Badinage, bad′in-äzh, n. light playful talk: banter. [Fr. badinage—badin, playful or bantering.]

Badminton, bad′min-ton, n. a cooling summer drink compounded of claret, sugar, and soda-water: a predecessor of lawn-tennis, played with shuttlecocks. [From Badminton in Gloucester, a seat of the Duke of Beaufort.]

Baff, bäf, v.t. (golf) to strike the ground with a club in playing, and so to send the ball up in the air.

Baffle, baf′fl, v.t. to check or make ineffectual: (obs.) to cheat, hoodwink, bewilder, bring to nought: (obs.) to disgrace publicly.—ns. Baf′fle (obs.), confusion, check; Baf′fler, a bewilderer, confounder.—To baffle out of (obs.), to juggle out of anything. [Prob. Scotch and connected with bauchle; but cf. Fr. beffler, from O. Fr. befe, mockery. Paul Meyer suggests a derivation from Prov. baf, interj. of disdain.]

Baft, baft, n. a coarse fabric, originally Oriental, now manufactured in and shipped from England. [Pers. baft, woven.]

Baft, baft, n. adv. and prep. behind, in the rear (mostly naut.). [A.S. beæftan, from be, by, and æftan, behind.]

Bag, bag, n. a sack, pouch: specially the silken pouch to contain the back-hair of the wig: a measure of quantity for produce: a game-bag, i.e. the quantity of fish or game secured: an udder: (vulg. in pl.) trousers.—v.i. to bulge, swell out: (naut.) to drop away from the right course.—v.t. to cram full: to put into a bag, specially of game, hence to kill game, to seize, steal:—pr.p. bag′ging; pa.p. bagged.—ns. Bag′ging, cloth or material for bags; Bag′git, a salmon that has just spawned.—adj. Bag′gy, loose like a bag: inflated, verbose.—ns. Bag′man, a familiar name for a commercial traveller; Bag′-wig, an 18th-cent. wig, the back-hair of which was enclosed in an ornamental bag.—Bag and baggage, originally a military expression, hence the phrase, 'to march out with bag and baggage,' i.e. with all belongings saved: to make an honourable retreat: now used in the sense of 'to clear out completely.'—Bag of bones, an emaciated living being.—In the bottom of the bag, remaining as a last resource; The whole bag of tricks, every expedient; To give one the bag to hold, to engage any one and meanwhile disappear; To let the cat out of the bag, to disclose the secret. [M. E. bagge, perh. Scand.; not Celtic, as Diez suggests.]

Bagasse, ba-gas′, n. refuse in sugar-making. [Fr.; Sp. bagazo, husks of grapes or olives after pressing.]

Bagatelle, bag-a-tel′, n. a trifle: a piece of music in a light style: a game played on a board (7 feet long and 21 inches broad) with nine balls and a cue, the object being to put the balls down into as many numbered holes at the farther semicircular end of the board. [Fr.—It. bagatella, a conjurer's trick, a trifle.]

Baggage, bag′āj, n. the tents, provisions, and other necessaries of an army: (U.S.) traveller's luggage; a worthless woman: a saucy woman. [O. Fr. bagage—baguer, to bind up, from which we may infer all the meanings, without reference to Fr. bagasse, It. bagáscia, a strumpet.]

Bagnio, ban′yō, n. a bath, esp. one with hot baths: an Oriental place of detention: a stew or house of ill-fame. [It. bagno—L. balneum, a bath.]

Bagpipe, bag′pīp, n. a musical wind-instrument, consisting of a leathern bag fitted with pipes. The Highland bagpipe has five pipes: a, the mouthpiece, to keep the bag filled with air; b, the chanter, having a reed and finger-holes to produce the melody; and c, three drones with reeds, tuned to act as a bass to the chanter: (pl.) an inflated, senseless talker.—n. Bag′piper.

Bah, bä, interj. an exclamation of disgust or contempt. [Fr.]

Bahadur, ba-had′ōōr, n. a title of respect often added by natives to the names of English officers in India. [Hind. bahadur, brave.]

Baignoire, bān′war, n. a box at the theatre on a level with the stalls. [Orig. = 'bathing-box,' Fr. baigner, to bathe.]

Bail, bāl, n. one who procures the release of an accused person by becoming guardian or security for his appearing in court: the security given: (Spens.) jurisdiction.—v.t. to set a person free by giving security for him: to release on the security of another.—adj. Bail′able.—ns. Bail′-bond, a bond given by a prisoner and his surety upon being bailed; Bail′-dock, Bale′-dock, a room at the Old Bailey, London, in which prisoners were kept during the trials; Bailee′, one to whom goods are delivered in trust upon a contract; Bail′er, one who delivers goods to another in trust; Bail′ment, a delivery of goods in trust: the action of bailing a prisoner; Bails′man, one who gives bail for another.—To accept, admit to, allow bail, are all said of the magistrate; the prisoner offers, surrenders to his bail; the one who provides it goes, gives, or stands bail.—To give leg bail, to be beholden to one's legs for escape. [O. Fr. bail, jurisdiction—baillier, to control, deliver. Primarily implying 'custody' or 'charge,' the word became associated with Norm. Fr. bailler, to deliver—L. bajulus.]

Bail, bāl, v.t. (rare) to confine.—To bail up (Australia), to secure a cow's head during milking: to disarm travellers so as to be able to rob them without resistance. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]

Bail, bāl, n. palisades, barriers: a pole separating horses in an open stable. [M. E.—O. Fr. baile, perh. from baillier, to enclose. Others suggest a derivation from L. baculum, a stick.]

Bail, bāl, n. one of the cross pieces on the top of the wicket in cricket.—n. Bail′er, a ball bowled so as to hit the bails. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]

Bail, bāl, v.t. to clear (a boat) of water with bails or shallow buckets.—n. a man or instrument for bailing water out of a ship, pit, &c.—Also spelled Bale. [Fr. baille, a bucket, perh. from Low L. bacula, dim. of baca.]

Bailey, bāl′i, n. the outer court of a feudal castle: either of the two courts formed by the spaces between the circuits of walls, hence Outer and Inner Bailey.—The Old Bailey in London, the Central Criminal Court, from the ancient bailey between Lud Gate and New Gate. [Fr. baille, from Low L. ballium.]

Bailie, bāl′i, n. a municipal officer in Scotland corresponding to an English alderman: (obs.) a sheriff's officer; but cf. Scotch Wat′er-bail′ies, constables employed to carry out the Tweed Fisheries Acts: (obs.) the chief magistrate of a Scottish barony or part of a county, with functions like a sheriff's. [O. Fr. bailli, land-steward, officer of justice. See Bailiff.]

Bailiff, bāl′if, n. formerly any king's officer, e.g. sheriffs, mayors, &c., but applied specially to the chief officer of a hundred, still the title of the chief magistrate of various towns (e.g. High-bailiff of Westminster, cf. Bailiff of Dover Castle, also the bailly or first civil officer of the Channel Islands: a sheriff's officer: an agent or land-steward.—n. Bail′iwick, the jurisdiction of a bailiff. [O. Fr. baillif—Low L. bajulivus—bajalus, carrier, administrator. See Bail.]

Bairam, bī′ram, n. the name of two Mohammedan festivals—the Lesser Bairam lasting three days, after the feast of Ramadan, and the Greater Bairam seventy days later, lasting four days. [Pers.]

Bairn, bārn, n. (Scot.) a child.—adj. Bairn′-like.—ns. Bairn′team, Bairn′time, brood of children. [A.S. bearn—beran, to bear.]

Baisemain, bāz′mang, n. (obs.) mostly in pl., compliment paid by kissing the hand. [Fr. baiser, to kiss, and main, hand.]

Bait, bāt, n. food put on a hook to allure fish or make them bite: any allurement or temptation: a refreshment taken on a journey, or the time taken up by such.—v.t. to set food as a lure: to give refreshment on a journey: to set dogs on a bear, badger, &c.: to worry, persecute, harass.—v.i. to take refreshment on a journey. [M. E. beyten—Scand. beita, to make to bite, causal of bíta, to bite.]

Baize, bāz, n. a coarse woollen cloth with a long nap, used mainly for coverings, linings, &c., but in some countries for clothing. [Fr. baies, pl. of bai—L. badius, bay-coloured.]

Bajan. See Bejan.

Bake, bāk, v.t. to dry, harden, or cook by the heat of the sun or of fire: to prepare bread or other food in an oven: to harden as by frost.—v.i. to work as a baker: to become firm through heat.—pa.p. baked (bākt); pr.p. bāk′ing.—ns. Bake′house, a house or place used for baking in; Bake′meat (B.), pastry, pies.—pa.p. Bak′en = baked.—ns. Bak′er, one who bakes bread, &c.—(obs.) Bax′ter; Bak′ery, a bakehouse; Bake′stone, a flat stone or plate of iron on which cakes are baked in the oven; Bak′ing, the process by which bread is baked: the quantity baked at one time. [A.S. bacan; cog. with Ger. backen, to bake, Gr. phog-ein, to roast.]

Baksheesh. See Backsheesh.

Balaam, bā′lam, n. a prophet who strives to mislead, like Balaam in Numb. xxii.-xxiv.: unimportant paragraphs kept in readiness to fill up a newspaper.—ns. Bā′laam-box, or -bas′ket, a place in which paragraphs such as the foregoing are kept in readiness; Bā′laamite.—adj. Bālaamit′ical.

Balance, bal′ans, n. an instrument for weighing, usually formed of two dishes or scales hanging from a beam supported in the middle: act of weighing two things: equality or just proportion of weight or power, as the balance of power: the sum required to make the two sides of an account equal, hence the surplus, or the sum due on an account: what is needed to produce equilibrium, a counterpoise: (watchmaking) a contrivance which regulates the speed of a clock or watch.—v.t. to weigh in a balance: to counterpoise: to compare: to settle, as an account, to examine and test accounts in book-keeping, to make the debtor and creditor sides of an account agree.—v.i. to have equal weight or power, &c.: to hesitate or fluctuate.—p.adj. Bal′anced, poised so as to preserve equilibrium: well arranged, stable.—ns. Bal′ancer, an acrobat; Bal′ance-sheet, a sheet of paper showing a summary and balance of accounts; Bal′ance-wheel, a wheel in a watch or chronometer which regulates the beat or rate. [Fr.—L. bilanx, having two scales—bis, double, lanx, lancis, a dish or scale.]

Balanus. See Acorn-shell.

Balas, bal′as, n. a variety of the spinel ruby. [O. Fr. balais (It. balascio)—Low L. balascus—Pers. Badakhshān, a place near Samarcand where they are found.]

Balata, bal′a-ta, n. the gum of the bullet or bully tree of South America, used as a substitute for gutta-percha in insulating telegraph-wires.

Balbutient, bal-bū′shi-ent, adj. stammering. [L. balbutiens—balbūtīre, to stutter.]

Balcony, balk′on-i (18th c., bal-kō′ni), n. a stage or platform projecting from the wall of a building within or without, supported by pillars or consoles, and surrounded with a balustrade or railing: in theatres, usually the gallery immediately above the dress circle.—n. Bal′conette, a miniature balcony.—adj. Bal′conied. [It. balcōne—balco, of Teut. origin; Old High Ger. balcho (Ger. balken), Eng. Balk.]

Bald, bawld, adj. without hair (feathers, &c.) on the head (or on other parts of the body): bare, unadorned, destitute of literary grace: paltry, trivial: undisguised.—ns. Bald′-coot, popular name for the coot, from its pure white wide frontal plate: a monk—also Bald′icoot; Bald′-ea′gle, a common but inaccurate name for the American white-headed eagle, used as the national emblem.—adj. Bald′-faced, having white on the face, as a horse.—n. Bald′head, a person bald on the head.—adjs. Bald′-headed; Bald′ish, somewhat bald.—adv. Bald′ly.—ns. Bald′ness; Bald′pate, one destitute of hair: a kind of wild-duck.—adjs. Bald′pate, Bald′pated, destitute of hair. [Orig. 'shining,' 'white,' Ir. and Gael. bàl, 'white' spot; but perh. conn. with ball in the sense of 'rounded,' whence 'smooth,' 'hairless.']

Baldachin, bal′da-kin, n. silk brocade: a canopy, either supported on pillars, or fastened to the wall, over a throne, pulpit, or altar, &c.: in R.C. processions, a canopy borne over the priest who carries the Host. [It. baldacchino, Fr. baldaquin, a canopy, from It. Baldacco, Bagdad, whence was brought the stuff of which they were made.]

Balderdash, bawl′dėr-dash, n. idle senseless talk: anything jumbled together without judgment: obscene language or writing. [Ety. dub.; but cf. the prov. Eng. balder, to use coarse language, Dut. balderen, to roar. Some adduce Welsh baldorrdus—baldordd, idle noisy talk.]

Baldmoney, bawld′mun-i, n. popular name for several kinds of Gentian. [Ety. quite unknown.]

Baldrick, bawld′rik, n. a warrior's belt or shoulder-sash: (Spens.) the zodiac, being regarded as a gem-studded belt. [O. Fr. baldrei (Mid. High Ger. balderich, girdle)—Low L. baldringus, perh. from L. balteus.]

Bale, bāl, n. a bundle, or package of goods: (obs.) the set of dice for any special game.—v.t. to make into bales. [M. E. bale, perh. from O. Fr. bale—Old High Ger. balla, palla, ball. See Ball.]

Bale, bāl, v.t. to throw out water [See Bail.]

Bale, bāl, n. evil, injury, mischief: misery: woe.—adj. Bale′ful, full of misery, destructive: full of sorrow, sad.—adv. Bale′fully.—n. Bale′fulness.—Bliss and bale are often alliteratively opposed; also Boot and bale. [A.S. bealu; Old High Ger. balo; Ice. böl.]

Bale, bāl, n. (arch.—Morris) a fire, funeral pyre: (Scot.) a beacon-fire.—n. Bale′-fire, a blazing fire: a beacon-fire: a bonfire. Spenser confounds with Bale, woe. [A.S. bæl; Scand. bál; cog. with Gr. phalos, bright. See Beltane.]

Baleen, bā-lēn′, n. the whalebone of commerce. [Fr.—L. balæna, whale.]

Balistraria, bal-is-trār′i-a, n. an aperture or loophole in the wall of a fortification through which crossbowmen might discharge their bolts.—n. Bal′ister (obs.), name for an arbalester or crossbowman, also an arbalest or crossbow itself. [Low L. ballistrarius, balistra, a variant form of ballista, a crossbow.]

Balk, Baulk, bawk, n. a ridge left unploughed, intentionally or through carelessness: (obs.) an omission: squared timber: a tie-beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, esp. when laid so as to form a loft, 'the balks:' (obs.) the beam of a balance: the rope by which fishing-nets are fastened together: a hindrance or disappointment.—v.t. to ignore, pass over: refuse: avoid: let slip: to check, disappoint, or elude: to meet arguments with objections.—v.i. to swerve, pull up: (Spens.) lie out of the way.—n. Balk′-line, in billiards, a line drawn across the table 28½ inches from the face of the bottom cushion—a ball is said to be in balk when within this space. [A.S. balca, ridge; Old High Ger. balcho.]

Ball, bawl, n. anything round: any celestial body, esp. the 'globe:' the golden orb borne with the sceptre as the emblem of sovereignty: a globular body to play with in tennis, football, golf, billiards, &c.: any rounded protuberant part of the body: a bullet, or any missile thrown from an engine of war: a rounded mass of anything: a throw or delivery of the ball at cricket: a well-known game played with a ball.—v.i. to gather itself into a ball, become clogged.—ns. Ball′-cart′ridge, a cartridge containing both powder and ball [Ball and Cartridge]; Ball′-cock, the stopcock of a cistern, attached to one end of a lever, at the other end of which is a hollow metal ball which rises and falls with the water, thus regulating the supply; Ball′-flow′er, an ornament of the decorated style of Gothic architecture, resembling a ball placed in a circular flower.—adj. Ball′-proof, proof against balls discharged from firearms.—Ball and socket, a joint formed of a ball partly enclosed in a cup, thus insuring great strength; Ball of the eye, the eye within the lids and socket.—No ball, a ball unfairly bowled.—Three golden or brass balls, the sign of a pawnbroker.—To have the ball at one's feet, to have a thing in one's power; To keep the ball up or rolling, to keep from flagging; To take up the ball, to take one's turn in anything.—Wide ball, one out of the batsman's reach. [M. E. bal, Scand. böllr; cog. with Old High Ger. ballo, pallo.]

Ball, bawl, n. an entertainment of dancing.—n. Ball′room.—To open the ball, to begin the dancing, to begin operations. [O. Fr. bal, baller, to dance—Low L. ballare, referred by some to Gr. ballizein.]

Ballad, bal′lad, n. a simple spirited narrative poem in short stanzas of two or four lines, in which a story is told in straightforward verse, often with great elaborateness and detail in incident, but always with graphic simplicity and force—a sort of minor epic: a simple song, usually of a romantic or sentimental nature, in two or more verses, each sung to the same melody, as in the so-called Ballad Concerts: any popular song, often scurrilous.—ns. Bal′ladist, a writer or singer of ballads; Bal′lad-monger, a dealer in ballads. [Fr. ballade, from ballare, to dance, being orig. a song sung to the rhythmic movement of a dancing chorus—a dramatic poem sung or acted in the dance, of which a shadow survives in the ring-songs of our children.]

Ballade, ba-lad′, n. a poem of one or more terns or triplets of seven or eight lined stanzas, each ending with the same line as refrain, and usually an envoy: now frequently used of any poem in stanzas of equal length.—Ballade royal, stanzas of seven or eight lines of ten syllables—called also Rime or Rhythm royal. [An earlier spelling of Ballad.]

Balladine, bal′a-dēn, n. a female public dancer. [Fr.]

Ballast, bal′last, n. heavy matter employed to give a ship sufficient immersion in the water, to insure her safe sailing with spread canvas, when her cargo and equipment are too light: that which renders anything steady.—v.t. to load with ballast: to make or keep steady: (Shak.) load.—n. Bal′last-heav′er. [Probably the Old Sw. barlast—bar, bare, and last, load, the mere load.]

Ballerina, bal-ler-ēn′a, n. a female dancer:—pl. Ballerine (bal-ler-in′), Ballerin′as. [It.]

Ballet, bal′lā, n. a theatrical exhibition composed of dancing, posturing, and pantomimic action: (obs.) a dance. [Fr.; dim. of bal, a dance.]

Ballista, Balista, bal-lis′ta, n. a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow, which, like the catapulta and the onager, propelled large and heavy missiles, chiefly through the reaction of a tightly twisted rope, or else by a violent movement of levers.—adj. Ballis′tic, projectile.—ns. Ballis′tic-pen′dulum, an instrument for ascertaining the velocity of military projectiles; Ballis′tite, an improved kind of gunpowder. [L.—Gr. ballein, to throw.]

Ballium, bal′li-um, n. the Low L. form of Bailey.

Balloon, bal-lōōn′, n. an inflated air-tight envelope of paper or silk, constructed to float in the air and carry a considerable weight when filled with heated air or light gas: anything inflated, empty: (obs.) a game played with a large inflated ball.—v.i. to ascend in a balloon: to puff out like a balloon.—n. Balloon′ist, an aeronaut. [It. ballone, augmentative of balla, ball.]

Ballot, bal′ut, n. a little ball or ticket used in voting: a method of secret voting by putting a ball or ticket into an urn or box.—v.i. to vote by ballot: to select by secret voting (with for): draw lots for:—pr.p. bal′loting; pa.p. bal′loted.—ns. Bal′lotage, in France, the second ballot to decide which of two candidates has come nearest to the legal majority; Bal′lot-box, a box to receive balls or tickets when voting by ballot. [It. ballotta, dim. of balla, ball. See Ball.]

Balm, bäm, n. an aromatic substance: a fragrant and healing ointment: aromatic fragrance: anything that heals or soothes pain: a tree yielding balm: name of some fragrant garden herbs.—v.t. (arch.) to embalm: (Shak.) to anoint with fragrant oil: (arch.) to soothe.—n. Balm′iness.—adj. Balm′y, fragrant: mild and soothing: bearing balm.—Balm, or Balsam, of Gilead, the resin of the tree Balsamodendron Gileadense, formerly esteemed as an antiseptic, the name originating in the belief that this is the substance mentioned in the Bible as found in Gilead, and called in the English translation 'balm.' [O. Fr. basme—L. balsamum. See Balsam.]

Balm-cricket, bäm′-krik′et, n. (Tennyson) a cicada. [Ger. baum, a tree, and Cricket.]

Balmoral, bal-mor′al, n. a kind of Scotch cap: a figured woollen petticoat: a kind of boot lacing in front.

Balneology, bal-ne-ol′o-ji, n. the scientific study of bathing and of mineral springs. [L. balneum, bath.]

Balsam, bawl′sam, n. the common name of a genus of succulent herbaceous plants: a resinous oily substance generally supposed to be derived from a species of Balsamodendron, early famous in the East for its fragrance and medicinal virtues: (fig.) any healing agent.—v.t. to heal: (rare) embalm.—adjs. Balsam′ic, Bal′samous, having the qualities of balsam: soothing; Balsamif′erous, producing balsam; Bal′samy, fragrant.—Canada balsam, a kind of turpentine obtained from the Balm of Gilead fir. [L. balsamum—Gr. balsamon; prob. of Semitic origin.]

Baltimore, bal′tim-ōr, n. a finch-like perching bird of the starling family, very common in North America, called also Baltimore oriole, Fire-bird, &c. [From Lord Baltimore, whose livery was orange and black—its colour.]

Baluster, bal′ust-ėr, n. a small pillar used as a support to the rail of a staircase, &c.—adj. Bal′ustered.—n. Bal′ustrade, a row of balusters joined by a rail, forming an ornamental parapet to a balcony, &c. [Fr. balustre—Low L. balaustium—Gr. balaustion, the flower of the pomegranate; from the similarity of form.]

Bam, bam, n. a slang word for a hoax: a false tale.—v.t. to cheat or hoax. [See Bamboozle.]

Bambino, bam-bi′no, n. a term in art descriptive of the child Jesus, esp. of the swaddled figure of the infant Saviour exhibited at Christmas in Catholic churches. [It., dim. of bambo.]

Bamboo, bam-bōō′, n. a gigantic Indian reed or grass, with hollow-jointed stem, and of hard texture. [Malay bambu.]

Bamboozle, bam-bōō′zl, v.t. to deceive: to confound or mystify.—n. Bamboo′zlement. [Of cant origin—but not Gipsy; first appears about 1700.]

Ban, ban, n. a proclamation: sentence of banishment: outlawry: anathematisation: a denunciation: a curse.—v.t. (arch.) to curse: (prov.) to chide or rail upon: to anathematise: to proscribe. [A.S. bannan, to summon; the noun bann does not appear in A.S. (which has gebann), but is a common Teut. word, as in Old High Ger. and Scand. bann. The O. Fr. ban and Low L. bannum are of the same origin.]

Ban, ban, n. the governor of a Banat, an old name for the military divisions on the eastern boundaries of the Hungarian kingdom.—ns. Banate, Bannat. [Pers. bān, lord.]

Banal, bān′al, or ban′al, adj. commonplace, trivial.—n. Banal′ity, triviality. [Fr.]

Banana, ba-nä′na, n. a gigantic herbaceous plant, remarkable for its nutritious fruit. [Sp. or Port. banana, from the native name in Guinea.]

Banbury, ban′ber-i, n. a kind of cake made at Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire.

Banco, bang′ko, n. a commercial term meaning the standard money in which a bank keeps its accounts, as distinguished from the current money of the place.—In banco, applied to the sittings of a superior court of common law as a full court distinguished from sittings at Nisi Prius or on circuit. [It. See Bank.]

Band, band, n. that by which loose things are held together: (fig.) a moral bond of restraint or of obligation: a tie or connecting piece: (pl.) shackles, bonds, fetters (B.): (arch.) an agreement or promise given: (arch.) security given: (Spens.) a pledge. [M. E. band, bond; A.S. bend, from bindan, to bind. See Bind.]

Band, band, n. a strip of cloth, or the like, to bind round anything, as a hat-band, waist-band, &c.: a stripe crossing a surface distinguished by its colour or appearance: the neck-band or collar of a shirt, also the collar or ruff worn by both sexes in the 17th century (termed a falling-band later, when turned down over the shoulders): (pl.) the pair of linen strips hanging down in front from the collar, worn by some Protestant clergymen and by English barristers.—n. Band′age, a strip or swathe of cloth used by surgeons to keep a part of the body at rest, to apply pressure, or to retain dressings or apparatus in position—the two chief varieties, the roller and the triangular handkerchief bandage: a piece of cloth used to blindfold the eyes.—v.t. to bind with such.—n. Band′box, a light kind of box for holding bands, caps, millinery, &c.—p.adj. Band′ed, fastened as with a band: striped with bands: leagued, allied.—ns. Band′fish, a name given to various kinds of fish with long, thin, flat bodies; Band′saw, an endless saw, consisting of a toothed steel belt; Band′ster, one who binds the sheaves after the reapers. [M. E. bande—O. Fr. bande, of Teut. origin; cf. A.S. bindan; Ger. binde, a band, Eng. Bind.]

Band, band, n. a number of persons bound together for any common purpose: a troop of conspirators, confederates, &c.: a body of musicians, the company of musicians attached to a particular regiment in the army: (Scot.) band = bond.—v.t. to bind together.—v.i. to associate, assemble, confederate.—ns. Band′master, the leader of a band of musicians; Bands′man, a member of a band of musicians; Band′-stand, a platform for accommodating a band of musicians.—Band of Hope, an association of young persons—often mere infants—pledged to lifelong abstinence from alcoholic drinks—first instituted about 1847. [Fr. bande, of Teut. origin; cf. Bend, Bind.]

Band, band, v.t. (Spens.) to ban or banish.

Band, an obsolete pa.t. of Bind.

Bandana, Bandanna, ban-dan′a, n. a kind of silk or cotton coloured handkerchief, with a pattern of spots or diamond prints, originally from India. [Hind. bandhnū, the mode of dyeing these, bāndh, a cord.]

Bandeau, ban′dō, n. a fillet or narrow band worn by women to bind their hair:—pl. Ban′deaux. [Fr.]

Bandelet, band′e-let, n. (archit.) a small flat moulding or fillet surrounding a column. [Fr. bandelette.]

Bandelier, ban-de-lēr′, n. a form of Bandoleer.

Banderol, Banderole, ban′de-rōl, n. a small banner or streamer, as that borne on the shaft of a lance: (archit.) a flat band with an inscription common in Renaissance buildings. [Fr.]

Bandicoot, ban′di-kōōt, n. a genus of insectivorous marsupials found in Australia: the largest species of rat, found in India and Ceylon, called also Malabar rat and Pig-rat. [Telegu pandikokku, pig-rat.]

Bandied. See Bandy.

Bandit, ban′dit, n. an outlaw: a robber:—pl. Ban′dits, Banditt′i. [It. bandito—Low L. bannire, bandire, to proclaim. See Ban.]

Bandog, ban′dog, n. a dog tied up as a watch-dog, or because of its ferocity. [Band, fastening, and Dog.]

Bandoleer, Bandolier, ban-do-lēr′, n. a leathern belt worn by musketeers, to which their ammunition was fixed. [O. Fr. bandouillere—It. bandoliera, banda, a band.]

Bandoline, ban′do-lin, n. a gummy substance used for stiffening the hair and keeping it in shape. [Prob. from Band.]

Bandore, ban-dōr′, n. a musical instrument like a guitar, with three or more strings. [Sp. bandurria, Fr. mandore; L. pandura, Gr. pandoura.]

Bandrol, band′rōl, n. Same as Banderol.

Bands, of clergymen and barristers. See Band (2).

Bandy, ban′di, n. a club bent at the end for striking a ball: a game at ball with such a club (bandy-ball = hockey).—v.t. to beat to and fro as with a bandy: to toss from one to another (as words with any one) = to discuss or debate; to give and take blows or reproaches: (Shak.) to fight, strive:—pa.p. ban′died.—n. Ban′dying.—adj. Ban′dy-legged, having bandy or crooked legs. [Fr. bander, perh. conn. with bande, a side.]

Bane, bān, n. destruction: death: mischief: poison.—v.t. (arch.) to harm, to poison.—adj. Bane′ful, destructive.—adv. Bane′fully.—n. Bane′fulness. [A.S. bana, a murderer; Ice. bani, death.]

Bang, bang, n. a heavy blow: a sudden loud noise: an explosion.—v.t. to beat: to strike violently: to slam, as a door: to make a loud noise: to beat or surpass, to bounce upon.—interj. Bang, used with verbs like 'go,' &c., and in such a phrase as 'bang off.'—p.adj. Bang′ing, dealing blows: overwhelming.—adj. Bang′-up (slang), in the height of style or fashion.—n. Bang′ster (prov.), a braggart, a victor. [Scand. banga, to hammer; cf. Ger. bengel, a cudgel.]

Bang, bang, n. a woman's hair cut square across the brow.—p.adj. Banged, wearing the hair in such a way.—n. Bang′-tail, a horse's tail with the end squared. [An Americanism, doubtless from the phrase 'bang off.']

Bang. Same as Bhang.

Bangle, bang′gl, n. a ring, bracelet, or anklet.—adj. Ban′gled, adorned with such. [Hind. bangrī.]

Banian, Banyan, ban′yan, n. an Indian tree of the fig family, remarkable for its vast rooting branches: a Hindu trader, esp. from Guzerat, sometimes loosely applied to all Hindus in Western Asia: a loose flannel jacket or gown worn in India.—Banian days, a sailor's phrase, meaning days on which no meat is served out, hence days of short commons generally, from the abstinence from flesh of the Banian merchants. [Port. banian, perh. through Ar. banyān, from Hind. banya—Sans. vanij, a merchant.]

Banish, ban′ish, v.t. to condemn to exile: to drive away: to expel (with from, out of).—n. Ban′ishment, exile. [Fr. bannir—Low L. bannire, to proclaim. See Ban.]

Banister, ban′istėr, n. a corr. of Baluster.

Banjo, ban′jo, n. a musical instrument of the guitar kind, played with the fingers, but without frets to guide the stopping, having a long neck, a body of stretched parchment like a drum, and from five to nine catgut strings. [Corr. of Fr. bandore or pandore—L. pandura—Gr. pandoura.]

Bank, bangk, n. a mound or ridge of earth: the earthy margin of a river, lake, &c.: the raised edge of a road, railway cutting, &c.: (min.) the surface at the pit-mouth, as in banksman: rising ground in the sea.—v.t. to enclose with a bank: to deposit or pile up: to make up a fire by covering it with a heap of fuel so pressed down as to remain a long time burning slowly—banked fires.—n. Banks′man, an overseer at a pit-mouth.—From bank to bank, from the time the collier begins to descend the pit for his spell of work till he reaches the top again. [M. E. banke, of Scand. origin; cog. with Bank, Bench.]

Bank, bangk, n. a bench in a galley: a tier or rank of oars: the bench on which judges sat. [O. Fr. banc, of Teut. origin, cog. with the foregoing word.]

Bank, bangk, n. a place where money is deposited: an institution for the keeping, lending, and exchanging, &c. of money: in games of hazard, the money the proprietor, who plays against all the others, has before him.—v.t. to deposit in a bank, as money.—ns. Bank′-ā′gent, the head of a branch bank; Bank′-bill, a bill drawn by one bank upon another, payable at a future date, or on demand; Bank′-cheque, an order to pay issued upon a bank; Bank′er, one who keeps a bank: one employed in banking business:—fem. Bank′eress; Bank′-hol′iday, a day on which banks are legally closed, bills falling due on these being payable the following day; Bank′ing, the business of a banker.—adj. pertaining to a bank.—ns. Bank′-note, a note issued by a bank, which passes as money, being payable to bearer on demand; Bank′-pap′er, bank-notes in circulation; Bank′-stock, a share or shares in the capital stock of a bank; Branch′-bank, a branch office of a bank; Sav′ings-bank, one intended originally to develop a spirit of saving amongst the poor.—Bank annuities, the consolidated three per cent. annuities—British Government funds.—Bank of issue, one that issues its own notes, or promises to pay; Joint-stock bank, one of which the capital is subscribed by a large number of shareholders; Private bank, one carried on by any number of persons less than ten.—To break the bank, to win, as in faro, from the management a certain sum which has been fixed upon as the limit the bank is willing to lose on any one day; To play against the bank, to take the risks of a game against the manager who holds the bank, as at rouge-et-noir, &c. [Fr. banque, of Teut. origin, cog. with two foregoing words.]

Bankrupt, bangk′rupt, n. one who breaks or fails in business; an insolvent person.—adj. insolvent: destitute (with of).—n. Bank′ruptcy, the state of being or act of becoming bankrupt. [Fr. banque-route, It. banca rotta.]

Banksia, bangk′sia, n. a genus of Australian shrubs, named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks (1744-1820).

Banner, ban′ėr, n. a military standard: a flag or ensign bearing some device, as in processions, &c.—adj. Ban′nered, furnished with banners. [O. Fr. banere—Low L. bandum, bannum; cog. with Band and Bind.]

Banneret, ban′ėr-et, n. a higher class of knight, inferior to a baron. [Fr. dim. of Banner.]

Bannerol, ban′ėr-ol, n. Same as Banderol.

Banning, ban′ning, n. cursing. [See Ban.]

Bannock, ban′nok, n. a flat home-made cake of oatmeal, barley, or pease-meal. [Gael. bannach.]

Banns, banz, n.pl. a proclamation of marriage.—To forbid the banns, to make formal objection to a projected marriage. [From Ban.]

Banquet, bangk′wet, n. a feast: any rich treat or entertainment: a course of sweetmeats, fruit, and wine, separately, or after the principal meal—still used in the Scotch phrase, 'a cake and wine banquet.'—v.t. to give a feast to.—v.i. to fare sumptuously.—ns. Banq′ueter, Banq′ueteer; Banq′ueting; Banq′ueting-house. [Fr.;—banc, bench, like It. banchetto, from banco.]

Banquette, bang-ket′, n. a raised way inside a parapet; the long seat behind the driver in a French diligence. [Fr.; It. banchetta, dim. of banca, seat.]

Banshee, ban′shē, n. a female fairy in Ireland and elsewhere, who makes herself known by wailings and shrieks before a death in the particular family to which she is attached. [Ir. bean sídhe, Old Ir. ben síde, woman of the fairies.]

Bantam, ban′tam, n. a small variety of the common domestic fowl, supposed to be named from Bantam in Java, notable for courage.—adj. of bantam-breed: little and combative.

Banter, bant′ėr, v.t. to assail with good-humoured raillery: to joke or jest at: (arch.) to impose upon, trick.—n. humorous raillery: jesting.—ns. Bant′erer; Bant′ering.—adv. Bant′eringly.—adj. Bant′ery (Carlyle). [Ety. quite unknown.]

Banting, bant′ing, n. a system of diet for reducing superfluous fat.—n. Bant′ingism. [From W. Banting (1797-1878), a London cabinetmaker, who recommended it to the public in 1863.]

Bantling, bant′ling, n. a child. [So called from the bands in which it is wrapped.]

Bantu, ban′tōō, n. a native name sometimes applied to the South African family of languages and the peoples speaking these, including Kaffirs and Zulus, Bechuans, and the peoples from the Hottentot country to the Gulf of Guinea.

Banxring, bangks′ring, n. a small insectivorous animal of Java and Sumatra. [Jav.]

Banyan. See Banian.

Baobab, bā′o-bab, n. a magnificent tree, native to tropical Western Africa, whose trunk is 20 to 30 feet thick, called also the Monkey-bread Tree. [African.]

Baphomet, baf′ō-mėt, n. the alleged name of a mysterious idol the Templars were accused of worshipping.—adj. Baph′ometic. [A medieval corr. of the name Mahomet.]

Baptise, bapt-īz′, v.t. to administer baptism to: to christen, give a name to.—n. Bapt′ism, immersion in or sprinkling with water as a religious ceremony—a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. It is symbolic of spiritual purification, and as a religious rite marks initiation into the Christian community.—adj. Baptis′mal.—adv. Baptis′mally.—ns. Bapt′ist, one who baptises: one who approves only of baptising by immersion, and that only to persons who profess their faith in Christ; Bap′tistery, a place where baptism is administered, either a separate building or a portion of a church.—Baptismal regeneration, the doctrine of the remission of sin original and actual, and of the new birth into the life of sanctifying grace, in and through the sacrament of baptism; Baptism by desire, the grace given to a believer who ardently desires baptism, but dies before he can receive it; Baptism for the dead, the vicarious baptism of a living Christian for an unbaptised dead Christian, who was thereby accounted baptised and received into bliss—it is supposed to be alluded to in 1 Cor. xv. 29; Baptism of blood, martyrdom for Christ's sake; Baptism of fire, the gift of the Holy Spirit: martyrdom by fire for Christ's sake: (fig.) any trying ordeal to be endured, as a young soldier's first experience of being under fire; Clinical baptism, baptism administered to sick persons; Conditional (or Hypothetical) baptism, baptism administered to those about whom it is doubtful whether they were baptised or whether the form of their earlier baptism was valid; Name of baptism, the Christian or personal name given at baptism; Private baptism, baptism administered at home, or elsewhere, not in the church. [Gr. baptiz-ein—bapt-ein, to dip in water.]

Bar, bär, n. a rod of any solid substance: a bolt: a hindrance or obstruction—the barrier of a city or street, as the bars of York, Temple Bar, a toll-bar: a bank of sand or other matter at the mouth of a river: any terminus or limit (of life)—e.g. as in To cross the bar: the railing that encloses a space in a tavern, the counter across which drinks are served, a public-house: the wooden rail dividing off the judge's seat, at which prisoners are placed for arraignment or sentence—hence, To appear at the bar, To pass the bar = to be formally referred for trial from a lower court to a higher: any tribunal: the pleaders in a court as distinguished from the judges: a division in music.—v.t. to fasten or secure, as with a bar: to hinder or exclude:—pr.p. bar′ring; pa.p. barred.—ns. Bar′-ī′ron, iron in malleable bars; Bar′maid, a female waiter at the bar of a tavern or hotel.—prep. Bar′ring, excepting, saving.—ns. Bar′ring-out, the shutting of the school-room doors and windows by the pupils against the master, in order to enforce assent to their demands; Bar′wood, a kind of red dye-wood imported from Africa in bars. [O. Fr. barre—Low L. barra, perh. of Celt. origin.]

Baracan. Same as Barracan.

Baragouin, bä-rag-wēn, n. any jargon or unintelligible language. [Fr.; from Bret. bara, bread, and gwîn, wine, supposed to have originated in the Breton soldiers' astonishment at white bread.]

Barb, bärb, n. the beard-like jag near the point of an arrow, fish-hook, &c.—v.t. to arm with barbs, as an arrow, &c.: to shave, trim, mow, to pierce, as with a barb.—adjs. Barb′ate (bot.), bearing a hairy tuft; Barb′ated, barbed, bearded.—n. Barbe, a term applied by the Waldenses to their teachers.—adjs. Barbed, furnished with a barb: of a horse, armed or caparisoned with a barb or bard; Barb′ellate (bot.), having barbed or bearded bristles. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barb, bärb, n. a swift kind of horse, the breed of which came from Barbary in North Africa.

Barbacan. See Barbican.

Barbarous, bär′bar-us, adj. uncivilised: rude: savage: brutal.—adjs. Bar′baresque, pertaining to Barbary: barbarous, esp. in art; Barbār′ian, uncivilised: savage: without taste or refinement: foreign.—n. an uncivilised man, a savage: a cruel, brutal man.—adj. Barbar′ic, foreign: uncivilised.—n. Barbarisā′tion.—v.t. Bar′barise, to make barbarous: to corrupt as a language.—ns. Bar′barism, savage life: rudeness of manners: an incorrect form of speech; Barbar′ity, savageness: cruelty.—adv. Bar′barously.—n. Bar′barousness. [L.—Gr. barbaros, foreign, lit. stammering, from the unfamiliar sound of foreign tongues.]

Barbary ape, bär′bar-i āp, n. the magot, or small tailless ape found in Africa and also on the rock of Gibraltar.

Barbecue, bärb′e-kū, v.t. to roast whole, as a pig: to cure flesh by exposing it on a barbecue.—n. a framework on which to dry and smoke meat above a fire: an animal roasted whole: an open floor on which coffee-beans and the like are spread out to dry: (Amer.) a large social or political entertainment, where the hospitalities are on a lavish scale. [Sp. barbacoa—Haytian barbacòa, a framework of sticks set upon posts.]

Barbel, bärb′el, n. a fresh-water fish with beard-like appendages at its mouth. [O. Fr. barbel—Low L. barbellus—L. barba, a beard.]

Barber, bärb′ėr, n. one who shaves beards and dresses hair.—ns. Barb′er-mong′er (Shak.), a man decked out by his barber, a fop; Barb′er-sur′geon, one who let blood and drew teeth as well as shaved—the company of Barber-surgeons was incorporated in 1461, but by an act in 1545 barbers were confined to the more humble function.—Barber's block, a round block on which wigs are made; Barber's pole, the barber's sign in England, a pole striped spirally with alternate bands of colours, generally red or black and white, having often a brass basin hung at the end. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barberry, bär′ber-i, n. a thorny shrub with yellow flowers and red berries, common in hedges. [Low L. berberis; the Ar. barbaris is borrowed.]

Barbette, bar-bėt′, n. an earthen terrace inside the parapet of a rampart, serving as a platform for heavy guns: in ironclad ships, a heavily armoured redoubt amidships. [Fr.]

Barbican, bär′bi-kan, n. a projecting watch-tower over the gate of a castle or fortified town, esp. the outwork intended to defend the drawbridge. [O. Fr. barbacane, also in Sp., Port., and It. forms; perh. of Ar. or Pers. origin. Col. Yule suggests bābkhānah, gate-house, name in the East for a towered gateway.]

Barbule, bärb′ūl, n. (bot.) a small barb or beard: a pointed barb-like process fringing the barbs of a feather. [See Barbel.]

Barcarolle, bär′ka-rōl, n. a boat-song of the Venetian gondoliers: a musical composition of a similar character. [It. barcaruolo, a boatman, from barca, a bark, a barge, a boat.]

Bard, bärd, n. a poet and singer among the ancient Celts: a poet—dims. Bard′ling, Bard′let, poetaster.—n. Bard′-craft (Browning).—adj. Bard′ic. [Gael. and Ir. bàrd.]

Barded, bärd′ed, adj. caparisoned, as horses.—n. Bard (obs.), the protective covering of a war-horse or a man-at-arms. [Fr. barde—Sp. albarda, pack-saddle, perh. from Ar. al-barda‛ah; al, the, and barda‛ah, mule's pack-saddle.]

Bare, bār, adj. uncovered: naked: open to view: poor, scanty: unadorned: (Shak.) unarmed: mere or by itself: (Shak.) paltry, desolate: empty: (Spens.) rude.—v.t. to strip or uncover.—adj. Bare′backed, with bare back: unsaddled.—n. Bare′bone (Shak.), a very lean person.—adj. Bare′faced, with the face uncovered: (Shak.) avowed: impudent.—adv. Bare′facedly.—n. Bare′facedness.—adjs. Bare′foot, -ed, having the feet bare, often of some monastic orders; Bare′-gnawn (Shak.), gnawed bare; Bare′headed, having the head bare; Bar′ish (Carlyle), somewhat bare; Bare′legged, having the legs bare.—adv. Bare′ly.—ns. Bare′ness; Bare′sark, a fierce Norse fighter, a berserker.—adv. in a shirt only. [A.S. bær; Ger. baar, bar; Ice. berr.]

Bare, bār, old pa.t. of Bear.

Barage, ba-rāzh′, n. a light, silky dress-stuff, named from Barèges in the Pyrenees.

Bargain, bär′gin, n. a contract or agreement: a favourable transaction: an advantageous purchase: (Shak.) chaffering.—v.i. to make a contract or agreement: to chaffer: to count on, take into consideration (with for): to lose by bad bargaining (with away).—n. Bar′gainer.—Bargain and sale, in law, a mode of conveyance whereby property may be assigned or transferred for valuable consideration.—Into the bargain, over and above; To make the best of a bad bargain, to make the best of difficult circumstances; To sell any one a bargain (Shak.), to befool him; To strike a bargain, to come to terms about a purchase. [O. Fr. bargaigner—Low L. barcaniare; acc. to Diez from barca, a boat.]

Barge, bärj, n. flat-bottomed freight boat, with or without sails, used on rivers and canals: the second boat of a man-of-war: a large pleasure or state boat.—ns. Bar′gee, a bargeman; Barge′man, The manager of a barge; Barge′-mas′ter, the proprietor of a barge. [O. Fr. barge—Low L. barga. Prob. a doublet of Bark, a barge.]

Barge-board, barj′-bōrd, n. a board extending along the edge of the gable of a house to cover the rafters and keep out the rain. [The barge here may be conn. with Low L. bargus, a gallows.]

Barghest, bär′gest, n. a dog-like goblin portending death. [Perh. conn. with Ger. berg-geist, mountain-ghost.]

Baric. See Barium.

Barilla, bar-il′a, n. an impure carbonate of soda obtained by burning several marine plants (that grow chiefly on the east coast of Spain), used in the manufacture of soap, glass, &c. [Sp. barrilla.]

Baritone, bar′i-tōn. Same as Barytone.

Barium, bā′ri-um, n. the metal present in heavy spar (sulphate of baryta) and baryta, formerly thought to be white, but now known to possess a yellow colour.—adj. Bar′ic. [From Baryta; cf. soda, sodium.]

Bark, bärk, n. the abrupt cry uttered by a dog, wolf, &c.—v.i. to yelp like a dog: to clamour.—v.t. (Spens.) to utter with a bark.—n. Bark′er, a shop-tout: (slang) a pistol, cannon.—His bark is worse than his bite, his angry expressions are worse than his actual deeds. [A.S. beorcan, prob. a variety of brecan, to crack, snap. See Break.]

Bark, Barque, bärk, n. a barge: a ship of small size, square-sterned, without head-rails: technically, a three-masted vessel whose mizzen-mast is fore-and-aft rigged instead of being square-rigged, like the fore and main masts—barks of over 3000 tons are now frequently built.—ns. Bar′kantine, Bar′quentine, a three-masted vessel, with the fore-mast square-rigged, and the main-mast and mizzen-mast fore-and-aft rigged. [Fr. barque—Low L. barca; perh. from Gr. baris, a Nile-boat.]

Bark, bärk, n. the rind or covering of the trunk and branches of a tree: that used in tanning or dyeing, or the residue thereof, laid upon a street to deaden the sound, &c.: the envelopment or outer covering of anything.—v.t. to strip or peel the bark from: to rub off (skin).—n. Bark′-bed, a hotbed made of spent bark.—v.t. Bark′en, to dry up into a barky substance.—v.i. to become like bark.—adjs. Bark′less; Bark′y.—Cinchona, Jesuits', Peruvian bark, the bark of the cinchona, from which quinine is made. [Scand. börkr; Dan. bark.]

Barker's mill, bärk′ėrz mil, a water-wheel invented in the 18th century by Dr Barker.

Barley, bär′li, n. a hardy grain used for food, but chiefly for making malt liquors and spirits.—ns. Bar′ley-bree, -broth, strong ale; Bar′ley-corn, personified as John Barleycorn, the grain from which malt is made: a single grain of barley: a measure of length = ⅓ of an inch; Bar′ley-su′gar, a mixture of sugar with a decoction of pearl-barley, boiled till it is candied; Bar′ley-wat′er, a decoction of pearl-barley; Pearl′-bar′ley, the grain stripped of husk and pellicle, and completely rounded by grinding; Pot′-bar′ley, the grain deprived by milling of its outer husk, used in making broth, &c. [A.S. bærlíc, bere, and suffix -líc.]

Barley, bär′li, interj. (Scot.) a term used in games in demand of a truce, parley (of which it is most prob. a corruption).

Barley-brake, bär′li-brāk, n. an old country game, originally played by three couples, of which one, left in a middle den called 'hell,' had to catch the others, who could break or separate when about to be overtaken. [Perh. from the grain, barley, because often played in a barley-field; or perh. from the word preceding.]

Barm, bärm, n. froth of beer or other fermenting liquor, used as leaven: yeast.—adjs. Barm′y; Barm′y-brained, flighty. [A.S. beorma; cog. with Dan. bärme, Ger. bärme.]

Barmbrack, bärm′brak, n. a currant-bun. [Ir. bairigen breac, speckled cake.]

Barm-cloth, bärm′-kloth, n. (Morris) an apron. [A.S. barm, bosom, -beran, to bear, and Cloth.]

Barmecide, bär′me-sīd, n. one who offers an imaginary or pretended banquet or other benefit.—adjs. Bar′mecide, Barmecī′dal. [From a story in the Arabian Nights, in which a beggar is entertained to an imaginary feast by one of the Barmecides, a Persian family who attained to great influence at the court of the Abbasside caliphs.]

Barmkin, bärm′kin, n. the rampart of a castle.

Barn, bärn, n. a building in which grain, hay, &c. are stored.—v.t. to store in a barn.—ns. and adjs. Barn′-door, Barn′-yard, as in barn-yard fowl.—n. Barn′-owl, the commonest of British owls.—Barn-door, in cricket, used of a player who blocks every ball: humorously, any large target. [A.S. bere-ern, contracted bern, from bere, barley, ern, a house.]

Barnaby, bärn′a-bi, n. form of Barnabas, the apostle.—n. Bar′nabite, a member of the congregation of regular canons of St Paul, founded at Milan in 1530, so called from their preaching in the church of St Barnabas there.—Barnaby-day, Barnaby bright, or Long Barnaby, St Barnabas' Day, 11th June, in Old Style reckoned the longest day.

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. a shellfish which adheres to rocks and the bottoms of ships: a companion who sticks closely.—n. Bar′nacle-goose, a species of wild goose belonging to the Northern seas, so called from a notion that they were produced from the barnacles mentioned. [O. Fr. bernaque—Low L. bernaca; by some referred to a supposed form pernacula, dim. of perna, a kind of shellfish; by others to a Celtic origin.]

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. an instrument consisting of two branches joined by a hinge, placed on the nose of horses to keep them quiet: (pl.) a colloquial term for 'spectacles.'—adj. Bar′nacled. [O. Fr. bernac, of which bernacle seems to be a dim. form. The sense of 'spectacles' has been traced to O. Fr. bericle, eye-glass—berillus, beryl; but this is improbable.]

Barney, bär′ni, n. (slang) humbug: a prize-fight.

Barnumise, bär′num-īz, v.t. to advertise and display on a great scale.—n. Bar′numism. [From Barnum, a great showman (1810-91).]

Barograph, bar′o-graf, n. a barometer which records automatically variations of atmospheric pressure. [Gr. baros, weight, graphein, to write.]

Barometer, bar-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument by which the weight or pressure of the atmosphere is measured, and changes of weather, or heights above sea-level, indicated.—adj. Baromet′ric.—adv. Baromet′rically.—n. Barom′etry. [Gr. baros, weight, metron, measure.]

Barometz, bar′o-metz, n. the hairy prostrate stem of a fern found near the Caspian Sea, at one time supposed to be at once plant and animal, to grow on a stalk, and to eat grass like a lamb, &c.; hence also called, as by Mandeville, the Scythian Lamb. [Erroneous form of Russ. baranetz, dim. of baran, ram.]

Baron, bar′on, n. a title of rank, the lowest in the House of Peers: formerly a title of the judges of the Court of Exchequer: in feudal times the tenants-in-chief of the Crown, later the peers or great lords of the realm generally: till 1832, the name for the parliamentary representatives of the Cinque Ports: in Germany, the signification, instead of becoming restricted as in England, has become extended—the greater or dynasty barons having all been elevated to higher titles, a large number being designated barons in virtue of a diploma from some reigning prince, the title being used also by all his descendants.—ns. Bar′onage, the whole body of barons; Bar′on-bail′ie, a magistrate appointed by the lord-superior in a burgh of barony; Bar′oness, a baron's wife, or a lady holding a baronial title in her own right.—adj. Barōn′ial, pertaining to a baron or barony.—n. Bar′ony, the territory of a baron: in Ireland, a division of a county: in Scotland, a large freehold estate, or manor, even though not carrying with it a baron's title and rank: the rank of baron.—Baron of beef, a joint consisting of two sirloins left uncut at the backbone. [O. Fr. barun, -on—Low L. baro, -onem; in the Romance tongues the word meant a man as opposed to a woman, a strong man, a warrior; traced by some to Celt. bar, a hero; by others to Old High Ger. bero, bearer, carrier.]

Baronet, bar′on-et, n. the lowest hereditary title in the United Kingdom (of England—now of Great Britain—since 1611; of Scotland—or of Nova Scotia—since 1625; of Ireland, since 1619).—ns. Bar′onetage, the whole body of baronets: a list of such; Bar′onetcy.—adj. Baronet′ical. [Dim. of Baron.]

Baroque, bar-ōk′, adj. originally a jeweller's term, but applied in art generally to extravagant ornamental designs: whimsical, odd. [Fr. baroque; perh. from L. verruca, wart, but referred by some to Ar. burāq, hard earth mixed with stones.]

Baroscope, bar′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for indicating changes in the density of the air. [Gr. baros, weight, skopein, to see.]

Barouche, ba-rōōsh′, n. a double-seated four-wheeled carriage with a falling top. [It. baroccio—L. birotus, two-wheeled, from bis, twice, rota, a wheel.]

Barque. Same as Bark (2).

Barquentine, bär′ken-tēn, n. same as Barkantine (q.v. under Bark, a ship). [Formed from Barque, like Brigantine from Brig.]

Barracan, bar′a-kan, n. a thick, strong stuff resembling camlet. [Fr.; It.—Ar. barrakān, a dark dress, Pers. barak, a stuff made of camel's hair.]

Barrace, bar′as, n. (obs.) the lists in a tournament. [O. Fr. barras—barre, bar.]

Barrack, bar′ak, n. a building for soldiers, esp. in garrison (generally in pl.). [Fr. baraque (It. baracca, Sp. barraca, a tent); acc. to Diez from barra, bar.]

Barracoon, bar′a-kōōn, n. a depôt for slaves. [Sp.—barraca.]

Barracoota, -cuda, bar′a-kōō′ta, -kōō′da, n. a voracious West Indian fish.—Also Barracou′ta, an Australian food-fish. [Sp.]

Barrage, bär′āj, n. the forming of an artificial bar in order to deepen a river. [Fr. barrage—barre, bar.]

Barrator, bar-āt′or, n. one who vexatiously stirs up lawsuits, quarrels, &c.—adj. Bar′ratrous.—adv. Bar′ratrously.—n. Bar′ratry, fraudulent practices on the part of the master or mariners of a ship to the prejudice of the owners: vexatious litigation, or the stirring up of suits and quarrels among subjects, forbidden under penalties to lawyers: traffic in offices of church or state. [O. Fr. barateor—barat, deceit; traced by some to Gr. prattein, by others to a Celt. or a Scand. origin.]

Barrel, bar′el, n. a cylindrical wooden vessel made of curved staves bound with hoops: the quantity which such a vessel contains (36 imperial gallons of ale and beer): a certain weight or quantity of other goods usually sold in casks called barrels: anything long and hollow, as the barrel of a gun, or cylindrical and barrel-shaped.—v.t. to put in a barrel.—n. Bar′rel-bulk, a measurement of five cubic feet.—p.adj. Bar′relled, having a barrel or barrels: placed in a barrel.—ns. Bar′rel-or′gan, an organ in which the music is produced by a barrel or cylinder set with pins, the revolution of which opens the key-valves and produces the music; Barrel-vault, a vault with a simple semi-cylindrical roof.—adj. Bar′rel-vault′ed. [Fr. baril (Sp. barril, It. barile)—Low L. barile, barillus, possibly from barra, bar.]

Barren, bar′en, adj. incapable of bearing offspring: unfruitful: dull, stupid: unprofitable (with of).—adj. Bar′ren-beat′en.—adv. Bar′renly.—n. Bar′renness.—adjs. Bar′ren-spir′ited; Bar′ren-wit′ted. [O. Fr. barain, brahain, brehaing, perh. from bar, man, as if 'male-like, not producing offspring.']

Barret, bar′et, n. a flat cap, esp. the Biretta (q.v.). [Fr. barrette, Sp. birreta. See Biretta.]

Barricade, bar′ik-ād, n. a temporary fortification raised to hinder the advance of an enemy, as in the street fights of Parisian insurrections.—v.t. to obstruct: to fortify.—Earlier form Barricā′do. [Fr.; barrique, a cask, the first street barricades having consisted of casks filled with stones, &c. See Bar.]

Barrico, bar-ē′ko, n. a small cask. [Sp.]

Barrier, bar′i-ėr, n. a defence against attack: a limit or boundary: a fence, railing, gate where customs are collected: the lists in a tournament: any obstacle that keeps apart: (pl.) a martial exercise in 15th and 16th centuries.—v.t. to shut by means of a barrier.—n. Bar′rier-reef, a coral-reef surrounding an island or fringing a coast with a navigable channel inside.—Barrier Act, an act passed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1697 as a security against innovations, decreeing that changes in the law of the Church, even when approved by the Assembly, shall not become law till approved also by a majority of presbyteries. [O. Fr. barrière—Low L. barraria—barra, bar.]

Barrister, bar′is-tėr, n. one who is qualified to plead at the bar in an English or Irish law-court.—adj. Barristēr′ial.—n. Bar′ristership.—Revising barrister, a barrister appointed annually by the English judges to revise the lists and settle who are the persons entitled to vote for members of parliament. [From barra, bar, the suffix being undetermined.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a small hand or one-wheel carriage used to bear or convey a load.—n. Bar′row-tram, the shaft of a barrow. [M. E. barewe, from an assumed A.S. form bearwe—beran, to bear.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. originally a mountain, hillock: a mound raised over graves in former times. [A.S. beorg; cog. with Ger. berg.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a long sleeveless flannel garment for infants. [A.S. beorgan, to protect.]

Bar-sinister. Variant of Baton-sinister (q.v. under Baton).

Barter, bär′tėr, v.t. to give one thing in exchange for another (with for, away).—v.i. to traffic by exchanging.—n. traffic by exchange of commodities.—n. Bar′terer, one who barters. [Prob. from O. Fr. barat.]

Bartholomew-tide, bar-thol′o-mū-tīd, n. the day of the festival of St Bartholomew, 24th August: the name was also applied to things sold at the fair.—Often spelt Bar′tlemy.—Black Bartholomew, 24th August 1662, the day on which the Act of Uniformity came into force within the Church of England.

Bartisan, bär′ti-zan, n. a small overhanging turret projecting from an angle on the top of a tower. [Apparently an adaptation by Scott of Scot. bertisene, traceable to O. Fr. bretesche, a parapet of wood.]

Barton, bar′ton, n. a farm-yard. [A.S. bere-tún, yard, bere, barley, and tún, enclosure.]

Barycentric, bar-i-sen′trik, adj. pertaining to the centre of gravity. [Gr. barys, heavy, kentron, centre.]

Baryta, ba-rī′ta, Barytes, ba-rī′tēz, n. the earth present in the minerals witherite and heavy spar.—adj. Baryt′ic, of or containing baryta. [From Gr. barys, heavy.]

Barytone, bar′i-tōn, n. a deep-toned male voice between bass and tenor: a singer with such a voice: in Greek, applied to words not having an acute accent on the last syllable. [Through Fr. from Gr. barys, heavy, deep, and tonos, a tone.]

Basalt, bas-awlt′, n. a hard, dark-coloured rock of igneous origin.—adj. Basalt′ic. [L. basaltes, an African word.]

Basanite, bas′an-īt, n. a kind of quartz serviceable for testing the purity of the precious metals by the marks made. [Gr. basanos, touchstone.]

Basbleu. Same as Blue-stocking (q.v. under Blue).

Bascinet. Same as Basinet.

Bascule, bas′kūl, n. an apparatus of the lever kind, in which one end is raised while the other is depressed. [Fr. bas, down, and cul, the posteriors.]

Base, bās, n. that on which a thing rests: foot: bottom: foundation: support: the chief ingredient, as in dyeing and chemistry: the starting-point, in a race: the fixed goal across which the ball is struck in hockey, the fixed stations at base-ball: the point from which the operations of a campaign are conducted: a measured line serving as a basis for trigonometrical calculations: the surface on which a plane or solid figure stands: (chem.) a term applied to a compound body, generally consisting of a metal united with oxygen; (archit.) the foot or lower member of a pillar, on which the shaft rests: (her.) the lower portion of the shield—any figure placed on it is said to be 'in base:' a small portion of the base of a shield parted off by a horizontal line is sometimes called a base.—v.t. to found or place on a base:—pr.p. bās′ing; pa.p. based (bāst).—adjs. Bas′al, Bas′ilar, pertaining to or situated at the base, esp. of the skull; Base′less, without a base or foundation.—ns. Base′lessness; Base′ment, the base or lowest story of a building.—adj. Bas′en-wide (Spens.), widely extended.—n. Base′-plate, the foundation plate of a piece of heavy machinery.—n.pl. Bas′es, a kind of embroidered mantle which hung down from the middle to about the knees or lower, worn by knights on horseback: (Spens.) armour for the legs.—ns. Base′-string, the string of a musical instrument that gives the lowest note; Base′-vīol (same as Bass-viol).—adj. Bas′ic (chem.), belonging to or of the nature of a base.—v.t. Bas′ify (chem.), to convert into a salifiable base:—pr.p. bās′ifying; pa.p. bās′ifīed. [Fr.—L.—Gr. basis—ba-, in bainein, to go.]

Base, bās, adj. low in place, value, estimation, or principle: mean: vile: worthless: debased: counterfeit: (law) servile, as opposed to free: humble: (B. and Shak.) lowly.—adj. Base′-born, illegitimate.—adv. Base′ly.—adj. Base′-mind′ed, of a low mind or spirit: mean.—n. Base′ness.—adj. Base′-spir′ited, mean-spirited. [Fr. bas—Low L. bassus, thick, fat, a vulgar Roman word, found also in name Bassus.]

Base, bās, v.t. a form of Abase.

Base, bās, n. an old game played by two sides occupying contiguous spaces, called bases or homes, off which any player is liable to be touched with the hand or struck by a ball by the enemy, and so attached to their sides. Forms of this game are known as Prisoner's Base or Bars, and Rounders, and the national American game of Base-ball is a development from it.

Base-ball, bās′-bawl, n. a game played with a bat and a ball, and run round bases, marking the circuit to be taken by each player of the inside after striking the ball. There are nine players on each side; the pitcher, of the one side, throws the ball; one of the other side tries to hit it as it passes him; and the runs to the bases are regulated according as the ball falls inside or outside certain lines, &c. A development from rounders, base-ball has been the American national game since 1865. [Coupled with cricket in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (written 1798).]

Basecourt, bās′kōrt, n. the outer court of a mansion, which contained the stable-yard and servants' accommodation, as distinguished from the principal quadrangle: an inferior court of justice. [Fr. basse-court.]

Basenet. Same as Basinet.

Bash, bash, v.t. to beat or smash in.—n. Bash. [Prob. Scand.]

Bashaw, ba-shaw′, n. a pasha: a haughty man—now usually written Pasha or Pacha (q.v.).—ns. Bashaw′ism, Bashaw′ship. [Turk.]

Bashful, bash′fōōl, adj. easily confused: modest: shy: wanting confidence.—v.i. Bash (Spens.), to be abashed.—adv. Bash′fully.—n. Bash′fulness.—adj. Bash′less, unashamed. [See Abash.]

Bashi-bazouk, bash′i-ba-zōōk′, n. a Turkish irregular trooper. They are mostly Asiatics, and are brutal plundering ruffians, capable, as in 1876 in Bulgaria, of the most devilish atrocities. [Turk. bashi-bozuq.]

Bashlyk, bash′lik, n. a kind of hood with long ends worn in Russia. [Russ. bashluikŭ, a Caucasian hood.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a mainly tropical or subtropical genus of Labiatæ, characterised by a pleasant aromatic smell and taste, and reckoned amongst sweet herbs.—Sweet basil is an Indian annual long cultivated in Europe for seasoning purposes. [O. Fr. basile—L. basilisca—Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a sheepskin roughly tanned and undressed.

Basil. See Bezel.

Basilica, baz-il′ik-a, n. among the Romans, a large oblong hall, with double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end, used for judicial and commercial purposes—many of them were afterwards converted into Christian churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient basilica.—adj. Basil′ican. [L. basilica, Gr. basilikē (oikia, a house), belonging to a king, from basileus, a king.]

Basilicon, baz-il′ik-on, n. a name given to various kinds of ointment as possessing sovereign virtues. [Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basilisk, baz′il-isk, n. a fabulous creature, about a foot long, with a black-and-yellow skin and fiery red eyes, so named, according to Pliny, from the crest on the head like a crown—variously regarded as a kind of dragon or cockatrice: in modern zoology, a harmless crested lizard of tropical South America: an ancient brass cannon throwing a shot of about 200 lb. weight. [Gr. basiliskos, dim. of basileus, a king.]

Basin, bās′n, n. a wide open vessel or dish: any hollow place containing water, as a dock: the area drained by a river and its tributaries. [O. Fr. bacin—Low L. bachinus, perh. from the Celtic.]

Basinet, bas′i-net, n. a light globular headpiece worn alone with a visor, or with the great helm resting on the shoulders, worn over it.—Also Bas′net.

Basis, bās′is, n. the foundation, or that on which a thing rests: the pedestal of a column: the groundwork or first principle:—pl. Bas′es. [See Base (1).]

Bask, bask, v.i. to lie in the warmth or sunshine. [Scand. badask, to bathe.]

Basket, bas′ket, n. a vessel made of plaited twigs, rushes, or other flexible materials.—ns. Bas′ketful, as much as fills a basket; Bas′ket-hilt, the hilt of a sword with a covering wrought like basket-work to defend the hand from injury; Bas′ket-mak′er; Bas′ket-work, any structure of interlaced twigs or the like. [Prob. the L. bascauda; the W. basged is apparently borrowed from the English.]

Basque, bask, adj. relating to the Basques, or their wonderful language, with its extreme variability of dialects—the only example of a consistently incorporating language.—n. a native of the Basque provinces: the distinctive language of the Basques: a kind of short-skirted jacket worn by women, a continuation of the bodice a little below the waist.—adj. Basqued (baskt), furnished with a basque.—n. Basq′uine, an outer petticoat worn by Basque and Spanish women. [Fr. Basque—Low L. Vasco, an inhabitant of Vasconia, whence Gascony. The Basques themselves call their tongue Eskuara, Euscara, whence the Fr. Euscarien.]

Bas-relief, bä-re-lēf′, Bass-relief, bas′re-lēf′, n. (sculp.) figures which do not stand far out from the ground on which they are formed—also used in the Italian form Bass′o-rilie′vo. [See Base, low, and Relief.]

Bass, bās, n. the low or grave part in music.—adj. low, deep, grave.—v.t. to sound in a deep tone.—ns. Bass′-horn, a musical wind-instrument, a modification of the bassoon, much lower and deeper in its tones; Thor′ough-bass, the theory of harmony. [See Base, low.]

Bass. Same as Bast.

Bass, Basse, bas, n. a marine fish allied to the perch. [A.S. bærs; cf. Ger. bars, the perch.]

Bassa, bas′sa, n. Same as Bashaw.

Basset, bas′et, n. a short-legged dog used in unearthing foxes and badgers: an old Venetian game at cards, resembling faro, widely popular in the 18th century: (geol.) the outcrop or emergence of mineral strata at the surface.—v.i. to incline upward so as to appear at the surface, to crop up.—n. Bas′set-horn (It. corno di bassetto), the richest and softest of all wind-instruments, similar to a clarionet in tone and fingering, but with a twice-bent wooden tube, having a compass of two and a half octaves. [Fr. bas, low.]

Bassinet, Bassinette, bas′si-net, n. a kind of basket with a hood in which an infant is placed as in a cradle: a similarly shaped perambulator. [Fr. dim. of basin, a basin.]

Basso, bas′so, n. the same as Bass (1): also a bass singer.

Bassoon, bas-ōōn′, n. (It. fagotto) a musical wind-instrument filling an important place in the modern orchestra, of the reed species, made of maple-wood or plane-tree, its compass from B flat below the bass stave to C in the treble.—The Double bassoon (It. contrafagotto) sounds an octave lower.—n. Bassoon′ist. [It. bassone, augmentative of basso, low, from root of Base.]

Bass-viol, bās′-vī′ol, n. a musical instrument with four strings, used for playing the bass in concerted music; the violoncello. [See Bass, low, and Viol.]

Bast, bast, n. the inner bark of the lime-tree: matting made of it. [A.S. bæst; Dut., Dan., Ger. bast.]

Bastard, bas′tard, n. a child born of parents not married.—adj. born out of wedlock: not genuine: resembling, but not identical with, the species bearing the name: of abnormal shape or size: false.—n. Bas′tard-bar, a popular but inaccurate name for the baton-sinister in heraldry.—v.t. Bas′tardise, to prove to be a bastard.—adv. Bas′tardly (obs.).—ns. Bas′tard-wing, three, four, or five feathers springing from the side of the wing of a bird near the point, attached to a bony process which is the homologue of the thumb in some mammalia; Bas′tardy, Bas′tardism, the state of being a bastard.—Bastard title, an abbreviated title of a book on an otherwise blank page preceding the full title-page; Bastard types, types cast with an extra deep bevel to obviate the use of leads, as Longprimer face on Pica body. [Fr. bâtard; O. Fr. fils de bast, son of the pack-saddle, bast (bât) being a coarse saddle for beasts of burden.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to beat with a stick. [Prob. conn. with Ice. beysta, Dan. böste, to beat.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to drop fat or butter over meat while roasting to keep it from burning and to improve the flavour. [Ety. unknown.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to sew slightly or with long stitches. [O. Fr. bastír, from Old High Ger. bestan, to sew.]

Bastille, bast-ēl′, n. an old fortress in Paris long used as a stale prison, and demolished by a revolutionary mob in July 1789: any prison regarded as a symbol of tyranny. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir (Fr. bâtir), to build.]

Bastinado, bast-in-ād′o, v.t. to beat with a baton or stick, esp. on the soles of the feet (a form of punishment in the East):—pr.p. bastinād′ing or bastinād′oing; pa.p. bastinād′ed or bastinād′oed.—ns. Bastinade′, Bastinād′o. [Sp. bastonada, Fr. bastonnade—baston, bâton. See Baton.]

Bastion, bast′yun, n. a kind of tower at the angles of a fortification.—adj. Bast′ioned. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir, to build.]

Bat, bat, n. a heavy stick: a flat club for striking the ball in cricket, a club for base-balls, a batsman: the clown's sword in a pantomime: a piece of brick: (slang) rate of speed, style.—v.i. to use the bat in cricket:—pr.p. bat′ting; pa.p. bat′ted.—ns. Bat′ter, Bats′man, one who wields the bat at cricket, &c.; Bat′ting, the management of a bat in playing games: cotton fibre prepared in sheets. [Perh. from A.S. bat (a doubtful form), prob. Celt. bat, staff.]

Bat, bat, n. an animal with a body like a mouse, but which flies on wings attached mainly to its fore-feet, but extending along its sides to the hind-feet. [M. E. bakke, apparently from Scand.; cf. Dan. aftenbakke, evening-bat.]

Batable, bāt′a-bl, adj. debatable, disputable. [A contr. of Debatable.]

Batata, ba-tä′ta, n. a plant with tuberous roots, the sweet potato. [Sp. batata, potato.]

Batavian, ba-tā′vi-an, adj. pertaining to the ancient Batavi in the Low Countries, or to the modern Dutch, their descendants.

Batch, bach, n. the quantity of bread baked or of anything made or got ready at one time: a set. [From Bake.]

Bate. Same as Abate.

Bate, bāt, n. (Spens.) strife, contention.—adj. Bate′-breed′ing (Shak.). [Abbrev. of Debate.]

Bate, bāt, n. diminution (dial., esp. in combination).

Bate, bāt, v.i. (Shak.) to beat the wings impatiently: (obs.) to be impatient. [O. E. batre—Low L. batĕre.]

Bateau, bä-to′, n. a light river-boat, esp. those used on Canadian rivers. [Fr.—O. Fr. batel, boat.]

Bateless, bāt′les, adj. (Shak.) that cannot be bated or blunted.

Batfowling, bat′fowl-ing, n. the catching birds at night when at roost. [Bat, club, and Fowl.]

Bath, bäth, n. water for plunging the body into: a bathing: a house for bathing: a place for undergoing medical treatment by means of bathing: (phot.) a solution in which plates are plunged:—pl. Baths (bäthz).—ns. Bath′-brick, a preparation of siliceous silt, manufactured at Bridgwater in the form of bricks, and used in cleaning knives; Bath′chair, a large wheeled chair for invalids; Bath′house; Bath′man; Bath′room; Bath′-stone, a building stone quarried at Bath; Bath′woman; Blood′-bath, a massacre.—Bath Guide, a poem of the 18th century, often taken as a type of 'Society' verse.—Order of the Bath, an English order of knighthood, so named from the bath before installation (including three classes—military and civil knights grand-cross, G.C.B.; knights commanders, K.C.B.; and companions, C.B.). [A.S. bæth, cog. with Ger. bad.]

Bath, bäth, n. the largest Jewish liquid measure, containing about six gallons. [Heb.]

Bathe, bāth, v.t. to wash as in a bath: to wash or moisten with any liquid: to moisten, suffuse, encompass.—v.i. to take a bath.—n. the act of taking a bath.—ns. Bath′ing-box, a box for bathers to undress and dress in; Bath′ing-machine′, a small carriage in which a bather may be carried out into water conveniently deep for bathing. [A.S. bathian; Old High Ger. badôn, bathôn (Ger. baden).]

Bathometer, bath-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining depth. [Gr. bathos, depth, metron, measure.]

Bathorse, baw′hors, n. a packhorse carrying the baggage of an officer. [Fr. bât, a pack-saddle.]

Bathos, bā′thos, n. a ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean in writing or speech.—adj. Bathet′ic, irregularly formed on the analogy of pathos, pathetic. [Gr. bathos, depth, from bathys, deep.]

Bathybius, bath-ib′i-us, n. name given to a supposed low form of life at the bottom of some parts of the deep sea. [Formed from Gr. bathys, deep, and bios, life.]

Bathymetry, bath-im′et-ri, n. the science of measuring the depth of seas and lakes. [Gr. bathys, deep, metria, measurement.]

Bating, bāt′ing, prep. abating, excepting.

Batiste, ba-tēst′, n. usual French name for cambric: applied in commerce to a fine texture of linen and cotton. [Littré derives from Baptiste, the original maker; others from its use in wiping the heads of children after baptism.]

Batlet, bat′let, n. a wooden mallet used by laundresses for beating clothes. [Dim. of Bat.]

Batman, bat′man, baw′man, n. a man who has charge of a bathorse. [See Bathorse.]

Baton, bat′on, Batoon, ba-toon′, n. a staff or truncheon, esp. of a policeman: a marshal's staff.—v.t. to strike with a baton.—n. Bat′on-sin′ister, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy, improperly called Bar-sinister, a diminutive of a bend-sinister, not extending to the sides of the shield, so as to resemble a marshal's baton laid diagonally over the family arms from left to right. [Fr. bâton—Low L. basto, a stick; of unknown origin.]

Batrachia, ba-trā′ki-a, n.pl. the order of reptiles which includes the frogs.—adj. and n. Batrā′chian. [From Gr. batrachos, a frog.]

Batswing, bats′wing, n. a kind of gas-burner, with a slit at the top which causes the flame to take the shape of a bat's wing.

Batta, bat′ta, n. an allowance to officers in the British Indian army in addition to their ordinary pay: subsistence money. [Hind.]

Battailant, bat′tāl-ant, adj. (Spens.) fighting.—adj. Bat′tailous (arch.), war-like. [Fr. bataillant, pr.p. of batailler, to fight. See Battle.]

Battalia, bat-tāl′ya, n. the order of battle: the main body of an army in array. [It. battaglia. Doublet of Battle.]

Battalia pie, bat-tāl′ya pī, titbits in a pie: articles like pin-cushions, embroidered by nuns in convents with scenes from the Bible. [Corrupted from Fr. béatilles, dim. formed from L. beatus.]

Battalion, bat-al′yun, n. a body of soldiers consisting of several companies: a body of men drawn up in battle-array. [Fr.; from root of Battle.]

Battels, bat′lz, n.pl. an Oxford term signifying accounts for provisions received from college kitchens and butteries: applied generally to the whole of the sums for tuition, &c., charged in college accounts.—v.i. Bat′till, Bat′tel (Spens.), to fatten. [Late L. batilli, perh. conn. with Battle, to feed.]

Batten, bat′n, v.i. to grow fat: to live in luxury.—v.t. (obs.) to fatten. [Ice. batna, to grow better—bati, advantage; cf. Dut. baten, to avail.]

Batten, bat′n, n. a piece of board: a ledge, clamp: in ships, a strip of wood used to fasten down the hatches.—n. Bat′tening, battens forming a structure. [Same as Baton.]

Batter, bat′er, v.t. to beat with successive blows: to wear with beating or by use: to attack with artillery.—n. ingredients beaten along with some liquid into a paste: paste for sticking.—ns. Bat′tering-charge, the full charge of powder for a cannon; Bat′tering-ram, an ancient engine for battering down walls, consisting of a large beam with an iron head like that of a ram. [O. Fr. batre (Fr. battre), from the root of Bat.]

Batter, bat′ėr, n. the inclination of a wall from the perpendicular.—v.i. to slope backward from the perpendicular. [Perh. from Fr. battre, to beat down.]

Battery, bat′ėr-i, n. (Shak.) a wound: a number of cannon with their equipment: the place on which cannon are mounted: the men and horses attending one battery, constituting the unit in the artillery: an instrument used in electric and galvanic experiments: (law) an assault by beating or wounding: apparatus for preparing or serving meals.—Cross batteries, two batteries commanding the same spot from different directions; Floating battery (see Float); Masked battery, a battery in action out of the enemy's view; To change one's battery, to alter the direction of attacking.

Battle, bat′l, n. a contest between opposing armies: a fight or encounter: (arch.) a body of troops in battle array, esp. in phrase 'main battle.'—v.i. to contend in fight: to maintain, champion (with against, with).—ns. Bat′tle-axe, -ax, a kind of axe once used in battle; Bat′tle-cry, a war-shout; Bat′tlefield, the place on which a battle is fought; Bat′tle-piece, a passage, or a painting, describing a battle.—adj. Bat′tle-scarred, scarred in battle.—ns. Bat′tleship, a war-ship of the first class; Pitched′-bat′tle, a battle fought on chosen ground.—Battle royal, a general mêlée—Half the battle, said of anything which ensures success.—Line of battle, troops in array for battle; Line-of-battle ship, a ship strong enough to form one of the line.—To join, do battle, to fight. [Fr. bataille—battre, to beat. See Batter.]

Battle, bat′l, adj. (dial.) nourishing.—v.t. (obs.) to feed. [Most prob. from Ice. bati, improvement. See Batten.]

Battledoor, Battledore, bat′l-dōr, n. a light bat for striking a ball or shuttlecock.—Not to know a B from a battledoor, to be thoroughly ignorant. [Sp. batidor, a beater, a washing-beetle; but this is doubtful.]

Battlement, bat′l-ment, n. a wall or parapet on the top of a building with openings or embrasures, originally used only on fortifications: the towering roof of heaven,—adj. Bat′tlemented, fortified with battlements—also pa.p. Bat′tled (poet.).

Battology, bat-ol′o-ji, n. repetition in speech or writing.—adj. Battolog′ical. [Gr. battos, a person who repeated himself, and legein, to speak.]

Battue, bat-tōō′, n. a method of hunting in which the woods are beaten and the game driven from cover into some place for the convenience of the shooters: any indiscriminate slaughter. [Fr.—battre, to beat.]

Bauble, baw′bl, n. a trifling piece of finery: a child's plaything: a stick surmounted by a head with ass's ears, and forming the mock emblem of the court-jester: a piece of childish foolery: (Shak.) a foolish person.—adj. Bau′bling (obs.), trifling. [O. Fr. babel, prob. from the root seen in L. babulus, a babbler.]

Baudekin, bawd′i-kin, Bawdkin, bawd′kin. Same as Baldachin.

Baudric, bawd′rik. Same as Baldrick.

Baudrons, bawd′runs, n. Scotch name for the cat. [Perh. of Celt. origin; cf. Ir. beadrac, frolicsome, Gael. beadrach, a frolicsome girl.]

Bauk, Baulk. Same as Balk.

Bausond, bawz′ond, adj. (obs.) having white spots, esp. on the forehead, or a white stripe down the face.—adj. Baus′on-faced (Scott), with a face like a badger. [O. Fr. bausant (It. balzano), black and white spotted. Further ety. dub.]

Bauxite, bō′zīt, n. a clay found at Les Baux, near Arles, yielding alumina.—Also Beau′xite.

Bavardage, bav-ar-dāj′, n. chattering. [Fr. bavard, garrulous—bave, drivel.]

Bavin, bav′in, n. a fagot of brushwood.—Bavin wits (Shak.), wits that blaze and die like bavins. [O. Fr. baffe, a fagot; but this is doubtful.]

Bawbee, baw-bē′, n. a halfpenny: originally a Scotch coin of base silver equivalent to six Scotch pennies. [Ety. dub., but very prob. derived from a 16th-cent. Scotch mint-master, the laird of Sillebawby; others identify with 'baby.']

Bawble. Same as Bauble.

Bawcock, baw′kok, n. (Shak.) a fine fellow. [From Fr. beau, fine, and coq, a cock.]

Bawd, bawd, n. a procurer or procuress of women for lewd purposes—fem. only since about 1700.—n. Bawd′ry.—adj. Bawd′y, obscene, unchaste, filthy.—n. Bawd′y-house, a brothel. [Perh. abbrev. from Bawd′strot, a word for a pander, now obsolete, derived from O. Fr. baldestrot—bald, gay, and perh. the Teut. root found in strut.]

Bawd, bawd, n. (Shak.) a hare. [Perh. a contr. of Baudrons.]

Bawl, bawl, v.i. to shout or cry out loudly (with at, against).—n. a loud cry or shout.—n. Bawl′er. [Perh. from Low L. baulare, to bark like a dog; but cf. Ice. baula, to low like a cow, baula, a cow.]

Bawn, bawn, n. a fortification round a house: an enclosure for cattle. [Ir. bábhun, enclosure.]

Baxter. See Bake.

Bay, bā, adj. reddish brown inclining to chestnut.—n. elliptical for 'bay-horse.'—n. Bayard (bā′ard), a bay-horse: a name for any horse generally, from 'Bayard,' the famous bay-coloured magic horse given to Renaud by Charlemagne: a man recklessly blind to danger: a fellow bold in his ignorance: a type of the knight, from Bayard (1476-1524), 'the knight without fear and without reproach.' [Fr. bai—L. badius, chestnut-coloured.]

Bay, bā, n. an inlet of the sea with a wider opening than a gulf: an inward bend of the shore. [Fr. baie—Low L. baia, a harbour.]

Bay, bā, n. the space between two columns: (Shak.) the space under one house gable: any recess.—n. Bay′-win′dow, any window forming a recess.—adj. Bay′-win′dowed. [O. Fr. baée—baer, to gape, be open; prob. conn. with the foregoing word.]

Bay, bā, n. the laurel-tree: (pl.) an honorary garland or crown of victory, originally of laurel: literary renown.—ns. Bay′berry; Bay′-rum, an aromatic stimulant used for the skin and hair, and prepared by distilling the leaves of the bay-berry (Pimenta acris) with rum, or otherwise mixing the volatile oil of the leaves with alcohol. [O. Fr. baie, a berry—L. baca.]

Bay, bā, n. barking, baying (esp. of a dog when in pursuit): the combined cry of hounds in conflict with a hunted animal: used often of the last stand of a hunted animal when it faces the hounds at close quarters.—v.i. to bark (esp. of large dogs).—v.t. to bark at: to utter by baying: to follow with barking: to bring to bay.—To hold, keep at bay, said of the hunted animal; To stand, be, at bay, at close quarters. [These senses show a confusion of two distinct words, according to Murray: (1) to hold at bay = O. Fr. tenir a bay = It. tenere a bada, bay, bada, denoting the suspense indicated by the open mouth; (2) in the phrase 'to stand at bay,' the word points to O. Fr. abai, barking, bayer, to bark.]

Bay, Baye, bā, v.t. (Spens.) to bathe.

Bayadère, bā-ya-dēr′, n. a Hindu dancing-girl. [Fr.—Port. bailadeira.]

Bayonet, bā′on-et, n. a stabbing instrument of steel fixed to the muzzle of a musket or rifle: military force: (pl.) soldiers armed with bayonets.—v.t. to stab with a bayonet. [Fr. baïonnette, perh. from Bayonne, in France, where it was supposed to have been first made; others derive from O. Fr. bayon, arrow.]

Bayou, bā′ōō, n. name given to the marshy offshoots of lakes and rivers, esp. in North America. [Perh. corrupted from Fr. boyau, gut.]

Bay-salt, bā′-sält, n. salt obtained by slow evaporation originally from sea-water. [Prob. from Bay, an inlet, and Salt.]

Bazaar, Bazar, ba-zär′, n. an Eastern marketplace or exchange: a fancy fair in imitation of an Eastern bazaar. [Pers. bāzār, a market.]

Bdellium, del′i-um, n. a kind of gum. [Gr. bdellion, used to translate, but prob. unconnected with Heb. b'dōlakh, Gen. ii. 12.]

Be, bē, v.i. to live: to exist: to have a certain state or quality:—pr.p. bē′ing; pa.p. been.—n. Be′-all (Shak.), the whole being. [A.S. béon; Ger. bin; Gael. bi, to exist; W. byw, to live; Gr. phu-ein, L. fui, fio, Sans. bhu, to be, orig. meaning to grow.]

Beach, bēch, n. the shore of the sea or of a lake, esp. when sandy or pebbly: the strand.—v.t. to haul a boat up on the beach.—n. Beach′-comb′er, a long rolling wave: a drunken loafer about the wharfs in Pacific seaports: a settler on a Pacific island who maintains himself by pearl-fishery, and often by less reputable means.—adjs. Beached, having a beach, driven on a beach; Beach′y, pebbly. [Orig. a prov. Eng. word for shingle. The derivation from Ice. bakki, bank, is untenable.]

Beacon, bē′kn, n. a fire on an eminence used as a sign of danger: a hill on which such could be lighted: anything that warns of danger, esp. an erection of stone, wood, or iron often bearing a light, and marking rocks or shoals in rivers or navigable channels.—v.t. to act as a beacon to: to light up: to mark by means of beacons.—n. Float′ing-bea′con, a light-ship. [A.S. béacn, a beacon, a sign.]

Bead, bēd, n. a little ball pierced for stringing, a series of which forms the rosary or paternoster, used in counting the prayers recited: any small ball of glass, amber, &c. strung in a series to form a necklace: a bead-like drop: the small knob of metal forming the front-sight of a gun—whence the Americanism, To draw a bead upon = to take aim at: (archit.) a narrow moulding with semicircular section.—v.t. to furnish with beads.—v.i. to form a bead or beads.—adj. Bead′ed, furnished with beads.—ns. Bead′-house, a house for poor people who were required to pray for the soul of the founder: an almshouse; Bead′ing, a moulding in imitation of beads.—adj. Bead′-proof, of such proof or strength as to carry beads or bubbles when shaken, as alcoholic liquors.—ns. Bead′-roll, in pre-Reformation times, a roll or list of the dead to be prayed for, hence a list of names, a long series: a rosary; Beads′man, Bedes′man, one employed to pray for others, or one endowed to do so: (Scot.) a public alms-man or licensed beggar:—fem. Beads′woman.—adj. Bead′y, bead-like, small and bright (of eyes): covered with beads or bubbles.—To say, tell, count one's beads, to offer a prayer. [A.S. bed, gebed, a prayer, from biddan, to pray. See Bid.]

Beadle, bēd′l, n. a mace-bearer (esp. of the 'bedels' or 'bedells,' official attendants of the Oxford and Cambridge vice-chancellors): a petty officer of a church, college, parish, &c.: a parish officer with the power of punishing petty offenders: in Scotland, used of the 'church-officer' attending on the clergyman: (obs.) a messenger or crier of a court.—ns. Bead′ledom, Bead′lehood, stupid officiousness; Bead′leship, Bed′elship, the office of beadle or bedel. [A.S. bydel—béodan, to proclaim, to bid.]

Beadman. Same as Beadsman (q.v. under Bead).

Beagle, bē′gl, n. a small hound tracking by scent, formerly much used in hunting hares, but now superseded by the harrier: a spy: a bailiff: a small kind of shark.—The beagle was often followed by men on foot, hence Foot′-bea′gle. [Ety. unknown. The Fr. bigle is borrowed from English. Dr Murray suggests Fr. bégueule, from béer, to gape, and gueule, throat.]

Beak, bēk, n. the bill of a bird: anything pointed or projecting: the nose: in the ancient galley, a pointed iron fastened to the prow for piercing the enemy's vessel: (slang) a magistrate.—adj. Beaked (bēkt). [O. Fr. bec—Low L. beccus, of Celt. (Gaulish) origin.]

Beaker, bēk′ėr, n. a large drinking-bowl or cup, or its contents: a glass vessel marked for measuring liquids, with a beak or pointed mouth, used by chemists. [Scand. bikarr (Scot. bicker), prob. from Low L. bicarium, acc. to Diez from Gr. bikos, a drinking-bowl.]

Beam, bēm, n. a large and straight piece of timber or iron forming one of the main supports against lateral pressure of a building, ship, &c.: (fig.) from the figure of the mote and the beam—Matt. vii. 3: any of the transverse pieces of framing extending across a ship's hull, the greatest width of a ship or boat: the part of a balance from which the scales hang: the pole of a carriage: a cylinder of wood in a loom: a ray of light.—v.t. to send forth light: to shine.—n. Beam′-en′gine, a steam-engine which has a beam connecting the piston-rod with the crank of the wheel-shaft, as distinguished from one that has its piston-rod directly attached to the crank.—adv. Beam′ily.—n. Beam′iness.—adjs. Beam′less, without beams: emitting no rays of light; Beam′y, shining.—A beam sea, one rolling against the ship's side.—Before the beam, the bearing of any object when seen more in advance than on the beam; Abaft the beam, the reverse.—Lee or Weather beam, the side away from or towards the wind.—On her beam ends, a phrase applied to the position of a ship when so much inclined to one side that the beams become nearly vertical.—On the starboard beam, applied to any distant point out at sea, at right angles to the keel, and on the starboard or right-hand (as viewed from the stern) side of the ship; On the port beam similarly applies to the left hand. [A.S. béam, a tree, stock of a tree, a ray of light; Ger. baum, a tree; Gr. phyma, a growth—phy-ein, to grow.]

Bean, bēn, n. the name of several kinds of leguminous plants and their seeds: applied also to the seeds of some other plants, from their bean-like form, as the Calabar bean, &c.—ns. Bean′-feast, an annual dinner given by employers to their hands, perhaps from there having been served on such occasions beans or a Bean′-goose, a species of goose said to be so called from its fondness for devouring new-sown beans; Bean′-king, the king of the festivities on Twelfth Night, chosen on his finding a bean hidden in the Twelfth Cake. [A.S. béan; Ger. bohne, W. ffäen; L. faba.]

Bear, bār, v.t. to carry or support: to endure: to admit of: to be entitled to: to afford: to import: to manage: to behave or conduct one's self: to bring forth or produce.—v.i. to suffer: to be patient: to have reference to: to press (with on or upon): to be situated:—pr.p. bear′ing; pa.t. bōre; pa.p. bōrne (but the pa.p. when used to mean 'brought forth' is born).—adj. Bear′able, that may be borne or endured.—n. Bear′ableness.—adv. Bear′ably.—ns. Bear′er, one who or that which bears, esp. one who assists in carrying a body to the grave: a carrier or messenger; Bear′ing, behaviour: situation of one object with regard to another: relation: that which is borne upon an escutcheon: (mach.) the part of a shaft or axle in contact with its supports; Bear′ing-cloth, the mantle or cloth in which a child was carried to the font; Bear′ing-rein, the fixed rein between the bit and the saddle, by which a horse's head is held up in driving and its neck made to arch.—Bear hard (Shak.), to press or urge; Bear in hand (Shak.), to keep in expectation, to flatter one's hopes; To bear a hand, to give assistance; To bear away, to sail away; To bear down (with upon or towards), to sail with the wind; To bear out, to corroborate; To bear up, to keep up one's courage; To bear up for (a place), to sail towards; To bear with, to make allowance for; To be borne in (upon the) mind, to be forcibly impressed upon it; To bring to bear, to bring into operation (with against, upon); To lose one's bearings, to become uncertain as to one's position. [A.S. beran; Goth. bairan, L. ferre, Gr. pher-ein, Sans. bhri.]

Bear, an obsolete form of Bier.

Bear, bār, n. a heavy quadruped of the order Carnivora, with long shaggy hair and hooked claws: any rude, rough, or ill-bred fellow: one who sells stocks for delivery at a future date, anticipating a fall in price so that he may buy first at an advantage—opp. to Bull: the old phrase 'a bearskin jobber' suggests an origin in the common proverb, 'to sell the bearskin before one has caught the bear' (hence To bear, to speculate for a fall): (astron.) the name of two constellations, the Great and the Little Bear.—ns. Bear′-ber′ry, a trailing plant of the heath family, a species of the Arbutus; Bear′bine, a species of convolvulus, closely allied to the bindweed; Bear′-gar′den, an enclosure where bears are kept; a rude, turbulent assembly.—adj. Bear′ish, like a bear.—ns. Bear′ishness; Bear′-lead′er, a person who leads about a bear for exhibition: the tutor or governor of a youth at the university or on travel; Bear's′-breech, a common name for plants of the genus Acanthus; Bear's′-ear, a common English name for the auricula; Bear's′-foot, a species of hellebore; Bear′skin, the skin of a bear: a shaggy woollen cloth for overcoats: the high fur cap worn by the Guards in England; Bear′-ward, a warden or keeper of bears. [A.S. bera; Ger. bär; cf. L. fera, a wild beast, akin to Gr. thēr, Æolian phēr.]

Bear, bēr, n. barley, applied in Scotland to the now little grown variety Hordeum hexastichon. [A.S. bere.]

Beard, bērd, n. the hair that grows on the chin and adjacent parts of a grown man's face: the tuft on the lower jaw of a goat, seal, &c.: the barbel of the cod, loach, &c.; prickles on the ears of corn: the barb of an arrow: the gills of oysters, &c.—v.t. to take by the beard: to oppose to the face.—adj. Beard′ed, having a beard: prickly: barbed.—n. Beard′-grass, a kind of bearded grass.—adj. Beard′less. [A.S.; W. barf, Ger. bart, Russ. boroda, L. barba.]

Beast, bēst, n. an irrational animal, as opposed to man: a four-footed animal: a brutal person: the Beast, Antichrist in the Revelation—dim. Beast′ies.—n.pl. Beast′-fā′bles, stories in which animals play human parts—a widely-spread primitive form of literature, often surviving in more or less developed forms in the more advanced civilisations.—ns. Beast′hood; Beast′lihead (Spens.), the state or nature of a beast, beastliness; Beast′liness.—adj. Beast′ly, like a beast in actions or behaviour: coarse: obscene: (colloq.) vile, disagreeable. [O. Fr. beste (Fr. bête)—L. bestia.]

Beastings. Same as Biestings.

Beat, bēt, v.t. to strike repeatedly: to break or bruise: to strike, as bushes, in order to rouse game: to thrash: to overcome: to be too difficult for: to spread flat and thin by beating with a tool, as gold by a gold-beater—also To beat out.—v.i. to give strokes repeatedly: to throb: to dash, as a flood or storm:—pr.p. beat′ing; pa.t. beat; pa.p. beat′en.—n. a recurrent stroke: a stroke recurring at intervals, or its sound, as of a watch or the pulse: a round or course, as a policeman's beat: a place of resort.—adj. weary: fatigued.—adj. Beat′en, made smooth or hard by beating or treading: trite: worn by use.—ns. Beat′er, one that beats or strikes: one who rouses or beats up game: a crushing instrument; Beat′ing, the act of striking: chastisement by blows: regular pulsation or throbbing: rousing of game: exercising the brain.—Beaten work, metal shaped by being hammered on an anvil or block of the necessary shape.—Dead beat, completely exhausted.—To beat about the bush, to approach a subject in an indirect way; To beat a retreat, to retreat, originally to beat the drum as a signal for retreat; To beat off, to drive back; To beat out, to work out fully, to make gold or silver leaf out of solid metal; To beat the air, to fight to no purpose, or against an imaginary enemy; To beat the bounds, to trace out the boundaries of a parish in a periodic survey or perambulation, certain natural objects in the line of journey being formally struck with a rod, and sometimes also the boys whipped to make them remember; To beat the brains, to puzzle one's brains about something; To beat the tattoo (mil.), to sound the drum for evening roll-call; To beat up, to alarm by a sudden attack: to disturb: to pay an untimeous visit to any one—also in 'to beat up for recruits,' to go about a town to enlist men. [A.S. béatan, pa.t. béot.]

Beath, bēth, v.t. (Spens.) to bathe. [A.S. bethian, to foment.]

Beatify, bē-at′i-fī, v.t. to make blessed or happy: to declare to be in the enjoyment of eternal happiness in heaven.—adjs. Beatif′ic, -al, making supremely happy.—adv. Beatif′ically.—n. Beatificā′tion, act of beatifying: (R.C. Church) a declaration by the Pope that a person is blessed in heaven, authorising a certain definite form of public reverence payable to him—the first step to canonisation.—Beatific vision, a glimpse of the glory of heaven, esp. that which first bursts upon the disembodied soul. [L. beatus, blessed, and facĕre, to make.]

Beatitude, bē-at′i-tūd, n. heavenly happiness, or happiness of the highest kind: (pl.) sayings of Christ in Matt. v., declaring the possessors of certain virtues to be blessed. [L. beatitudo—beatus, blessed.]

Beau, bō, n. a man attentive to dress or fashion: a fop or dandy: a lover:—pl. Beaux (bōz):—fem. Belle.—n. Beau′-idē′al, ideal excellence, or an imaginary standard of perfection: the person in which such is realised.—adj. Beau′ish.—ns. Beau′-monde, the gay or fashionable world; Beaupere′ (Spens.), a term of courtesy for 'father,' esp. of ecclesiastical persons: a companion. [Fr. beau, bel—L. bellus, fine, gay, as if for a benulus, dim. of benus = bonus, good.]

Beaujolais, bō-zhō-lā, n. a kind of red wine produced in South-eastern France. [From Beaujolais, a subdivision of the old province of Lyonnais.]

Beaune, bōn, n. a red wine of Burgundy. [From the town of Beaune.]

Beauty, bū′ti, n. a pleasing combination of qualities in a person or object: a particular grace or excellence: a beautiful person, esp. a woman, also applied collectively to the beautiful women of a special place: (pl.) beautiful passages or extracts from the poets.—v.t. (Shak.) to make beautiful.—adj. Beau′teous, full of beauty: fair: handsome.—adv. Beau′teously.—ns. Beau′teousness; Beau′tifier, one who or that which beautifies or makes beautiful.—adj. Beau′tiful, fair: with qualities that give delight to the senses, esp. the eye and ear, or which awaken admiration in the mind.—adv. Beau′tifully.—v.t. Beau′tify, to make beautiful: to grace: to adorn.—v.i. (rare) to become beautiful, or more beautiful.—ns. Beau′ty-sleep, the sleep before midnight, considered the most refreshing; Beau′ty-spot, a patch placed on the face to heighten or draw attention to a woman's beauty; a foil, or anything that emphasises beauty by contrast. [O. Fr. biaute (Fr. beauté)—Low L. bellitat-em—L. bellus.]

Beauxite. See Bauxite.

Beaver, bēv′ėr, n. an amphibious rodent quadruped valuable for its fur: the fur of the beaver: a hat made of the beaver's fur: a hat: a glove of beaver fur.—adj. Beav′erish (Carlyle), like a beaver, merely instinctive.—n. Beav′ery, a place where beavers are kept. [A.S. befer, beofor; Dut. bever, Ger. biber, Gael, beabhar, L. fiber.]

Beaver, bēv′ėr, n. in medieval armour, the covering for the lower part of the face, the visor being that for the upper part—later the movable beaver was confounded with the visor.—adj. Beav′ered. [So called from a fancied likeness to a child's bib. O. Fr. bavière, from bave, slaver.]

Bebeeru, bē-bē′rōō, n. the native name of the green-heart tree of Guiana.—n. Bebeerine (bē-bē′rin), an alkaloid yielded by it, and used as a substitute for quinine.

Beblubbered, be-blub′ėrd, p.adj. disfigured by weeping [Pfx. be-, and Blubber.]

Becall, be-kawl′, v.t. to call names, miscall.

Becalm, be-käm′, v.t. to make calm, still, or quiet.—p.adj. Becalmed′, motionless from want of wind. [Pfx. be-, and Calm.]

Became, be-kām′, pa.t. of Become.

Because, be-kawz′, adv. and conj. because of: for the reason that: on account of: for (followed by of). [Prep. by, and Cause.]

Beccafico, bek-a-fē′ko, n. a small bird of the family of Sylviadæ or Warblers, considered a delicacy by the Italians:—pl. Beccafi′coes. [It., from beccare to peck, and fico, a fig.]

Bechance, be-chans′, v.t. to happen by chance: to befall—adv. by chance: accidentally. [A.S. be-, by, and Chance.]

Becharm, be-chärm′, v.t. to charm: to enchant.

Bêche-de-mer, bāsh′-dė-mār, n. the trepang or sea-slug, a species of Holothuria, much esteemed in China as a food delicacy. [Fr.]

Beck, bek, n. (Spens.). Same as Beak.

Beck, bek, n. a brook. [Ice. bekkr; Ger. bach.]

Beck, bek, n. a sign with the finger or head: a nod: (Scot.) a gesture of salutation.—v.i. to make such a sign.—v.t. to call by a nod.—At one's beck, subject to one's will. [A contr. of Beckon.]

Becket, bek′et, n. (naut.) a loop of rope having a knot at one end and an eye at the other: a large hook, or a wooden bracket used to keep loose tackle or spars in a convenient place. [Prob. Dut. bogt, bocht, a 'bend' of rope.]

Beckon, bek′n, v.t. to nod or make a sign to. [A.S. bíecnan—béacn, a sign. See Beacon.]

Becloud, be-klowd′, v.t. to obscure by clouds: to dim.

Become, be-kum′, v.i. to pass from one state to another: to come to be: to be the fate or end of (followed by of).—v.t. to suit or befit, to grace or adorn fittingly (with dat. object):—pa.t. becāme′; pa.p. become′.—adj. Becom′ing, suitable to: graceful.—adv. Becom′ingly.—n. Becom′ingness. [A.S. becuman. See Come.]

Becurl, be-kurl′, v.t. to curl.

Bed, bed, n. a couch or place to sleep on: a plot in a garden: a place in which anything rests, in carpentry, architecture, &c.: conjugal union, the marriage-bed, matrimonial rights and duties: the channel of a river: (geol.) a layer or stratum.—v.t. to place in bed, as a couple after a wedding: to provide a bed, or to make a bed, for: to sow or plant: to lay in layers.—v.i. to cohabit or use the same bed with another:—pr.p. bed′ding; pa.p. bed′ded.—ns. Bed′chamber (see Bed′room); Bed′ding, a collective name for the mattress, bed-clothes, &c., also litter for cattle.—adj. Bed′fast, confined to bed.—ns. Bed′fellow, a sharer of the same bed; Bed′maker, the name at Cambridge and elsewhere for those who make the beds and sweep the rooms in college; Bed′-of-hon′our, the grave of a soldier who has fallen in battle; Bed′-of-jus′tice (Fr. lit. de justice), the king's throne in the Parlement of Paris, also a sitting at which the king was present, chiefly for the registration of his own decrees; Bed′plate (mech.), the foundation plate of an engine, lathe, &c.; Bed′post, a post forming an angle of a bedstead, often in former days high enough to support a canopy; Bed′presser (Shak.), a heavy, lazy fellow.—adjs. Bed′rid, Bed′ridden, confined to bed by age or sickness: worn out.—ns. Bed′right (Shak.), the privilege of the marriage-bed; Bed′rock, the solid rock underneath superficial formations; Bed′room, a room in which there is a bed: a sleeping apartment—Bedchamber was the earlier form.—n.pl. Bed′-sores, painful ulcers that often arise in a long confinement to bed, esp. over the bony prominences of the body—the lower parts of the spine, the haunch bones, the heel, and the elbow.—ns. Bed′-staff, a staff or stick formerly used about a bed, in old times a handy weapon, whence perhaps the phrase, 'in the twinkling of a bed-staff;' Bed′stead, a frame for supporting a bed; Bed′straw, the name applied to a genus of the Rubiaceæ, of which eleven species are found in England, the most familiar our Lady's Bedstraw, or Yellow Bedstraw (Galium verum), sometimes called Cheese Rennet from its property of curdling milk; Bed′swerver (Shak.), one who is false to his marriage vow; Bed′tick, the case in which feathers, hair, chaff, &c. are put for bedding.—adv. Bed′ward, in the direction of bed: towards bedtime.—n. Bed′work (Shak.), work easily performed, as if done in bed.—Bed and board, food and lodging: full connubial relations; Bed of down, or roses, any easy or comfortable place.—Lords of the Bedchamber, twelve officers in the British royal household who wait in turn upon the sovereign's person; in the reign of a queen the office is performed by ladies.—To be brought to bed, to be confined in child-birth (with of); To keep one's bed, to remain in bed; To lie in the bed one has made, to have to accept the consequences of one's own conduct; To make a bed, to put a bed in order after it has been used. [A.S. bed; Ger. bett, Ice. bedr.]

Bedabble, be-dab′l, v.t. to dabble or wet. [Pfx. be-, and Dabble.]

Bedad, be-dad′, interj. an Irish minced oath, from begad = by God.

Bedaggle, be-dag′l, v.t. to soil by dragging along the wet ground.

Bedarken, be-dark′n, v.t. to cover with darkness.

Bedash, be-dash′, v.t. to bespatter with water.

Bedaub, be-dawb′, v.t. to daub over or smear with any dirty matter.

Bedazzle, be-daz′l, v.t. to dazzle or overpower by any strong light.—pa.p. Bedaz′zled, Bedazed′, stupefied, besotted.—n. Bedaz′zlement.

Bede. Same as Bead, a prayer.

Bedeafen, be-def′n, v.t. to make deaf: to stun.

Bedeck, be-dek′, v.t. to deck or ornament.

Bedeguar, bed′e-gar, n. a soft spongy gall found on the branches of some species of roses, esp. the sweet-brier, called also the sweet-brier sponge. [Through Fr. from Pers. and Ar. bādā-war, lit. 'wind-brought.']

Bedel, bē′dl, Bedell, be-del′, archaic forms of Beadle (q.v.), still used at Oxford and Cambridge.

Bedesman. Same as Beadsman (q.v. under Bead).

Bedevil, be-dev′il, v.t. to throw into confusion: to 'play the devil' with: to torment: to treat with devilish malignity.—pass. to be possessed of a devil, to be devil-rid.—n. Bedev′ilment.

Bedew, be-dū′, v.t. to moisten gently, as with dew.

Bedight, be-dīt′, adj. (poet.) adorned. [Pfx. be-, and Dight.]

Bedim, be-dim′, v.t. to make dim or dark.—pa.p. Bedimmed′.

Bedizen, be-dīz′n, v.t. to dress gaudily.—adj. Bediz′ened.—n. Bediz′enment.

Bedlam, bed′lam, n. an asylum for lunatics: a madhouse: a place of uproar.—adj. fit for a madhouse.—ns. Bed′lamism, anything characteristic of madness; Bed′lamite, a madman. [Corrupted from Bethlehem (St Mary of Bethlehem), the name of a priory in London, afterwards converted into a madhouse.]

Bedouin, bed′ōō-in, n. the name given to those Arabs who live in tents and lead a nomadic life. [Fr.—Ar. bādāwin, dwellers in the desert.]

Bedraggle, be-drag′l, v.t. to soil by dragging in the wet or dirt—most common, the p.adj. Bedrag′gled. [See Draggle.]

Bedral, bed′ral, n. a beadle.—Also Bed′eral. [A Scand. form of Beadle.]

Bedrench, be-drensh′, v.t. to drench or wet thoroughly.

Bedrop, be-drop′, v.t. to drop upon.—pa.p. Bedropt′, sprinkled as with drops: strewn.

Beduck, be-duk′, v.t. to duck or plunge under water.

Beduin, a form of Bedouin.

Bedung, be-dung′, v.t. to manure: to befoul with dung.

Bedust, be-dust′, v.t. to cover with dust.

Bedwarf, be-dwawrf′, v.t. to make dwarfish.

Bedye, be-dī′, v.t. (Spens.) to dye or stain.

Bee, bē, n. a four-winged insect that makes honey: (U.S.) a gathering of persons to unite their labour for the benefit of one individual or family, or for some joint amusement or exercise, as 'a quilting bee,' 'a husking bee,' 'a spelling bee' (from the bee's habit of combined labour).—Compound words are Bee′-flow′er, Bee′-gar′den, Bee′-house, Bee′-mas′ter.—ns. Bee′-bread, the pollen of flowers collected by bees as food for their young; Bee′-eat′er, a brightly-plumaged family of birds nearly allied to the kingfisher, which feeds on bees; Bee′-glue, the soft glutinous matter by which bees fix their combs to the hive; Bee′hive, a case or box in which bees are kept, of straw-work, wood, &c.—Scotch Bee-skep.—adj. shaped like a beehive, dome-shaped.—ns. Bee′-line, the most direct road from one point to another, like the honey-laden bee's way home to the hive; Bee′-moth, a species of moth whose larvæ are very destructive to young bees; Bees′wax, the wax secreted by bees, and used by them in constructing their cells.—v.t. to polish with beeswax.—n. Bees′wing, a filmy crust of tartar formed in port and some other wines after long keeping.—adj. Bees′winged, so old as to show beeswing.—A bee in one's bonnet, a whimsical or crazy fancy on some point. [A. S. béo; Ger. biene.]

Beech, bēch, n. a common forest tree with smooth silvery-looking bark and small edible nuts.—adj. Beech′en.—ns. Beech′-mast, the mast or nuts of the beech-tree, which yield a valuable oil; Beech′-oil, oil expressed from the nuts of the beech-tree. [A.S. bóece, béce; Ger. buche, L. fagus, Gr. phēgos—from root of phag-ein, to eat.]

Beef, bēf, n. the flesh of an ox or cow:—pl. Beeves, used in original sense, oxen.—adj. consisting of beef.—ns. Beef′-eat′er (bēf′-ēt′ėr), a popular name for a yeoman of the sovereign's guard, also of the warders of the Tower of London [the obvious ety. is the right one, there being no such form as buffetier, connected with buffet, a sideboard, as often stated]; Beef′iness; Beef′steak, a thick slice of beef for broiling or frying; Beef′tea, a stimulating rather than nutritious food for invalids, being the juice of beef strained off, after simmering chopped beef in water.—adjs. Beef′-wit′ted, Beef′-brained, dull or heavy in wits: stupid.—n. Beef′-wood, an Australian wood, of reddish colour, used in cabinetwork.—adj. Beef′y, like beef, fleshy, stolid. [O. Fr. boef (Fr. bœuf)—L. bos, bovis; cf. Gr. bous, Gael. bò, Sans. go, A.S. cú.]

Beelzebub, bē-el′ze-bub, n. the name under which the Philistines at Ekron worshipped their god Baal or Bel: (New Test.) the prince of the evil spirits. [Heb. ba'al z'būb, fly-lord.]

Been, bēn, pa.p. of Be.

Beenah, bē′na, n. a primitive form of marriage (the name taken from Ceylon) in which the man goes to live with his wife's family—he is an unimportant person in the family, and the children are not counted his, but belong to the family and kindred of the wife.

Beer, bēr, n. an alcoholic beverage made by fermentation from malted barley flavoured with hops. It was anciently distinguished from ale by being hopped; now beer is the generic name of malt liquor, including ale and porter.—ns. Beer′-en′gine, Beer′-pump, a machine for drawing beer up from the casks to the bar; Beer′-house, a house where beer or malt liquors are sold; Beer′iness; Beer′-mon′ey, money given to soldiers in the British army, in lieu of beer and spirits.—adj. Beer′y, of or affected by beer.—Beer and skittles, a phrase used vaguely for Bohemian pleasures, from a simple form supposed to be a rustic ideal.—Bitter beer = pale ale, a highly hopped beer made from the very finest selected malt and hops; Mild or Sweet ale being of greater gravity or strength, and comparatively lightly hopped; Black beer, a kind of beer made at Danzig, black and syrupy; Small beer, weak beer, hence trifling things, as in the familiar phrase, 'to think no small beer of one's self.' [A.S. béor; Ger. and Dut. bier, Ice. bjorr.]

Beestings, bēst′ingz, n. the first milk drawn from a cow after calving. [A.S. býsting, béost; Ger. and Dut. biest.]

Beet, bēt, n. a plant with a carrot-shaped succulent root, eaten as food, from which sugar is extracted.—ns. Beet′-fly, a two-winged insect, which deposits its eggs on beet or mangel-wurzel, and whose larvæ are injurious to the plant; Beet′root, the root of the beet plant. [A.S. béte (Fr. bette)—L. bēta.]

Beet, Bete, bēt, v.t. (obs. except dial.) to improve, mend, to kindle a fire, to rouse. [A.S. bóetan, bétan; cf. bót, Boot.]

Beetle, bē′tl, n. an order of insects technically known as Coleoptera, usually with four wings, the front pair forming hard and horny covers for those behind, which alone are used in flight.—The Black Beetle or cockroach is not a true beetle. [M.E. bityl—A.S. bitula, bitela, bítan, to bite.]

Beetle, bē′tl, n. a heavy wooden mallet used for driving wedges, crushing or beating down paving-stones, or the like: a wooden pestle-shaped utensil for mashing potatoes, beating linen, &c.—n. Bee′tle-head, a heavy, stupid fellow.—adj. Bee′tle-head′ed. [A.S. bíetel; cog. with béatan, to beat.]

Beetle-browed, bē′tl-browd, adj. with overhanging or prominent brow: scowling.—v.i. Bee′tle, to jut, to hang over—first used by Shakespeare.—n. Beet′ling.—p.adj. jutting out: prominent: overhanging. [Dr Murray notes that the word is first found in the compound bitel-browed, in the 14th century, and favours the explanation, 'with eyebrows like a beetle's'—i.e. projecting eyebrows. See Beetle (1).]

Beeves, bēvz, n.pl. cattle, oxen. [See Beef.]

Befall, be-fawl′, v.t. to fall or happen to: to occur to.—v.i. to happen or come to pass: (Spens.) to fall in one's way:—pr.p. befall′ing; pa.t. befell′; pa.p. befall′en. [A.S. befeallan. See Fall.]

Befana, Beffana, be-fä′na, n. an Epiphany present or gift—a corruption of Epiphania, which name in Italy has become personified for children as a toy-bringing witch or fairy called La Befana.

Befit, be-fit′, v.t. to fit, or be suitable to: to be proper to, or right for:—pr.p. befit′ting; pa.p. befit′ted.—adj. Befit′ting.—adv. Befit′tingly. [Pfx. be-, and Fit.]

Beflower, be-flow′ėr, v.t. to cover or besprinkle with flowers.

Befoam, be-fōm′, v.t. to bespatter or cover with foam.

Befogged, be-fogd′, adj. enveloped in fog: confused.

Befool, be-fōōl′, v.t. to make a fool of, or deceive: to treat as a fool.

Before, be-fōr′, prep. in front of (time or place): in presence or sight of (Before God): under the cognisance of, as in before the court, the magistrate, or the house: previous to: in preference to: superior to.—adv. in front: sooner than hitherto.—conj. previous to the time when (often with that).—advs. Before′hand, before the time: by way of preparation; Before′time, in former time.—To be beforehand with, to forestall in any action. [A.S. beforan. See Fore.]

Befortune, be-for′tūn, v.t. (Shak.) to happen to, to befall.

Befoul, be-fowl′, v.t. to make foul: to soil.

Befriend, be-frend′, v.t. to act as a friend to: to favour.

Befringe, be-frinj′, v.t. to adorn with fringes.

Beg. Same as Bey.

Beg, beg, v.i. to ask alms or charity, esp. habitually (with of, from; for, of the thing asked).—v.t. to ask earnestly: to beseech: to pray: to take for granted what ought to have been proved, esp. in the phrase in logic, 'to beg the question'—the fallacy of the Petitio Principii:—pr.p. beg′ging; pa.p. begged.—n. Beg′gar, one who begs: one who lives by begging: a mean fellow, a poor fellow—often used with a playful and even affectionate sense.—v.t. to reduce to beggary: to exhaust or impoverish: (fig.) to go beyond the resources of, as of description.—ns. Beg′gardom, the fraternity of beggars; Beg′garliness.—adj. Beggarly, poor: mean: worthless.—adv. meanly.—ns. Beg′gar-my-neigh′bour, a game at cards which goes on till one of the players has gained all the other's cards; Beg′gary, extreme poverty.—adv. Beg′gingly.—To beg off, to obtain another's release through entreaty, to seek that one's self may be relieved of some penalty or liability.—To go a-begging, to be in want of a purchaser, or of a person to fill it (of a situation, &c.). [The ety. is very obscure; the words beg and beggar first appear in the 13th century, and Dr Murray thinks the most likely derivation is from the O. Fr. begart, begard, and begar (L. beghardus = beghard), or its synonym beguine and derivative verb beguigner, beguiner, to act the beguin. The Beghards or Beguines were a lay mendicant order, and in the 13th century mendicants calling themselves by these names swarmed over Western Europe.]

Begad, be-gad′, interj. a minced oath, softened from 'By God.'

Began, bē-gan′, pa.t. of Begin.

Begem, be-jem′, v.t. to adorn, as with gems.

Beget, be-get′, v.t. to produce or cause: to generate: to produce as an effect, to cause:—pr.p. beget′ting; pa.t. begat′, begot′; pa.p. begot′, begot′ten.—n. Beget′ter, one who begets: a father: the agent that occasions or originates anything. [A.S. begitan, to acquire. See Get.]

Beghard. See Beg.

Begift, be-gift′, v.t. to present with gifts.

Begild, be-gild′, v.t. to gild: to cover or overlay with gold-leaf.

Begin, be-gin′, v.i. to take rise: to enter on something new: to commence.—v.t. to enter on: to commence (with at, with, upon):—pr.p. begin′ning; pa.t. began′; pa.p. begun′.—ns. Begin′ner, one who begins: one who is beginning to learn or practise anything; Begin′ning, origin or commencement: rudiments—(Spens.) Beginne′.—adj. Begin′ningless. [A.S. beginnan (more usually onginnan), from be, and ginnan, to begin.]

Begird, be-gird′, v.t. to gird or bind with a girdle; to surround or encompass (with):—pa.t. begirt′, begird′ed; pa.p. begirt′. [A.S. begyrdan. See Gird.]

Beglerbeg, bėg′lėr-bėg, n. the governor of a Turkish province, in rank next to the grand vizier. [Turk., lit. 'bey of beys.']

Begloom, be-glōōm′, v.t. to render gloomy.

Begnaw, be-naw′, v.t. to gnaw or bite, to eat away.

Begone, be-gon′, interj. lit. be gone! be off! get away! In Woe′-begone′, beset with woe, we have the pa.p. of A.S. begán, to go round, to beset.

Begonia, be-gōn′ya, n. a genus of plants cultivated in our greenhouses for their pink flowers and their remarkable unequal-sided and often coloured leaves—'Elephant's Ears,' 'Angel's Wings.' [Named from the botanist Michel Begon, 1638-1710.]

Begored, be-gōrd′, adj. (Spens.) besmeared with gore.

Begot, be-got′, Begotten, be-got′n, pa.p. of Beget.

Begrime, be-grīm′, v.t. to grime or soil deeply.

Begrudge, be-gruj′, v.t. to grudge: to envy any one the possession of.

Beguile, be-gīl′, v.t. to cheat or deceive: to divert attention from anything tedious or painful: to divert or amuse: to wile any one into some course.—ns. Beguile′ment; Beguil′er.—adv. Beguil′ingly. [See Guile.]

Beguines, beg′in (see Beg).—n. Beguinage (beg′in-āj), an establishment for Beguines.

Begum, bē′gum, n. a Hindu princess or lady of rank. [Urdu begam.]

Begun, be-gun′, pa.p. of Begin.

Behalf, be-häf′, n. favour or benefit: cause: sake, account: part—only in phrases 'on,' 'in behalf of,' 'on his behalf.' [M. E. behalve—A.S. be healfe, by the side. See Half.]

Behappen, be-hap′n, v.t. (Spens.) to happen to.

Behave, be-hāv′, v.t. to bear or carry, to conduct (with self).—v.i. to conduct one's self, also to conduct one's self well: to act.—n. Behaviour (be-hāv′yür), conduct: manners or deportment, esp. good manners: general course of life: treatment of others.—To be upon one's behaviour, to be placed where one's best behaviour is politic or necessary. [Formed, according to Dr Murray, in 15th century from be- and Have; apparently unconnected with A.S. behabban.]

Behead, be-hed′, v.t. to cut off the head.—ns. Behead′al (rare); Behead′ing, the act of cutting off the head.

Beheld, be-held′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Behold.

Behemoth, bē′he-moth, n. an animal described in the book of Job, usually taken to be the hippopotamus. [Either the pl. of Heb. behêmâh, a beast, or a Hebraistic form of the Egyptian p-ehe-mout, 'water-ox.']

Behest, be-hest′, n. command: charge. [A.S. behǽs, a promise. See Hest.]

Behight, be-hīt′, v.t. (Spens.) to promise, to entrust, to speak to, to command, to reckon or esteem to be:—pr.p. behīght′ing; pa.t. behōte′; pa.p. behīght.—n. (obs.) a vow, a promise. [A.S. behátan, be-, and hátan, to call.]

Behind, be-hīnd′, prep. at the back of (place, or as support): remaining after or coming after (time, rank, order): inferior to, or not so far advanced as.—adv. at the back, in the rear: backward: past.—adj. or adv. Behind′hand, being behind: tardy, or in arrears of debt, &c.: clandestine. [A.S. behindan; Ger. hinten. See Hind.]

Behold, be-hōld′, v.t. to look upon: to contemplate.—v.i. to look: to fix the attention:—pa.t. and pa.p. beheld′.—imper. or interj. see! lo! observe!—adj. Behold′en, bound in gratitude: obliged (with to).—n. Behold′er, one who beholds: an onlooker.—adj. Behold′ing (Shak.), beholden.—n. (Shak.) sight, contemplation. [A.S. behealdan, to hold, observe—pfx. be-, and healdan, to hold.]

Behoof, be-hōōf′, n. benefit: convenience (with to, for, on).

Behot, Behote (Spens.) pa.t. of Behight.

Behove, Behoove, be-hōōv, v.t. to be fit, right, or necessary for—now only used impersonally with it.—adj. Behove′ful, useful: profitable.—adv. Behove′fully (obs.). [M. E. behóf, dat. behove; A.S. behófian, to be fit, to stand in need of.]

Behowl, be-howl′, v.t. (Shak.) to howl at. Warburton first suggested this as an emendation for 'behold' in Midsummer Night's Dream, V. 379.

Beige, bāzh, n. a woollen fabric made of undyed wool. [Fr.]

Bein, bēn, adj. and adv. (Scot.) comfortable: well off: well found: (slang) good.—n. Bein′ness. [M. E. bene, of dubious origin; the derivation has been sought in Scand. beinn, or in L. bene, Fr. bien.]

Being, bē′ing, n. existence: substance: essence: any person or thing existing.—adj. Bē′ing, existing, present.—adj. Bē′ingless.—n. Bē′ingness. [From the pr.p. of Be.]

Beinked, bē-inkt′, p.adj. smeared with ink.

Bejade, be-jād′, v.t. (obs.) to tire out.

Bejan, bē′jan, n. a freshman at the universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews, and formerly in several continental universities. [Fr. bejaune, a novice, from bec jaune, 'yellow beak,' a term used for a nestling or unfledged bird.]

Bejesuit, be-jėz′ū-it, v.t. to initiate or seduce into Jesuitism.

Bejewel, be-jōō′ėl, v.t. to deck with jewels.

Bekah, bē′ka, n. (B.) a half-shekel (4.39 drs. avoir.). [Heb.]

Bekiss, be-kis′, v.t. to cover with kisses.

Beknave, be-nāv′, v.t. to call or treat as a knave.

Beknown, bē-nōn′, p.adj. known, acquainted.

Belabour, be-lā′bur, v.t. to beat soundly.

Bel-accoyle, bel-ak-koil′, n. (Spens.) favourable or kind reception. [O. Fr. bel acoil, fair welcome. See Accoil.]

Belace, be-lās′, v.t. to adorn with lace.

Belamour, bel′a-mōōr, n. (Spens.) a gallant: a fair lady: a kind of flower. [Fr. bel amour, fair love.]

Belamy, bel′a-mi, n. (Spens.) a good or intimate friend. [Fr. bel ami, fair friend.]

Belate, be-lāt′, v.t. to make late: to retard:—pr.p. belāt′ing; pa.p. belāt′ed.—p.adj. Belāt′ed, made too late: out of date: benighted.—n. Belāt′edness.

Belaud, be-lawd′, v.t. to laud or praise highly.

Belay, be-lā′, v.t. (naut.) to fasten a running rope by coiling it round a cleat or Belay′ing-pin: to make fast: (Spens.) to lay ornament round anything.—Belay there (naut. slang), hold! that is enough. [A.S. belecgan; Ger. belegen, Dut. beleggen. See Lay.]

Belch, belch, belsh, v.t. to void wind from the stomach by the mouth: to eject violently: to cast up, as of the smoke from a volcano or a cannon.—n. eructation. [A.S. bealcian; Dut. balken.]

Belcher, bel′sher, n. a neckerchief with dark-blue ground, mottled with white spots, each having a dark-blue spot in the centre. [From Jim Belcher, a famous English boxer.]

Beldam, Beldame, bel′dam, n. an old woman, esp. an ugly one: a hag, a furious woman: (obs.) a grandmother. [Formed from dam, mother, and bel-, expressing relationship. Cf. belsire.]

Beleaguer, be-lēg′ėr, v.t. to lay siege to.—n. Beleag′uerment. [Dut. belegeren, to besiege—be, and leger, camp. See Leaguer.]

Belee, be-lē′, v.t. (Shak.) to place on the lee-side of.

Belemnite, bel′em-nīt, n. a fossil pointed like a dart, being the internal shell of a genus of cephalopods, formerly known as Thunder-bolt, Thunder-stone, Elf-bolt. [Gr. belemnitēs—belemnon, a dart.]

Belfry, bel′fri, n. the part of a steeple or tower in which bells are hung: a bell-tower, sometimes standing apart: a movable wooden tower, used in the Middle Ages in attacking a fortification.—adj. Bel′fried, having a belfry. [Orig. and properly a watch-tower, from O. Fr. berfroi—Mid. High Ger. berchfrit—frid, frit, a tower, bergan, to protect.]

Belgard, bel-gärd′, n. (Spens.) fair or kind looks. [It. bel guardo, lovely look.]

Belgian, bel′ji-an, adj. belonging to Belgium, a country of Europe.—n. a native of Belgium.

Belgic, bel′jik, adj. pertaining to the Belgæ who anciently possessed Belgium, or to Belgium. [L. Belgicus—Belgæ, the Belgians.]

Belgravian, bel-grā′vi-an, adj. belonging to Belgravia (a fashionable part of London), or to fashionable life: aristocratic.

Belial, bēl′yal, n. a name for the devil, and, in Milton, for one of the fallen angels. Not a proper name in Old Test. [Heb. b’li-ya‛al, b’li, without ya‛al, usefulness.]

Belie, be-lī′, v.t. to give the lie to: to speak falsely of: to present in a false character: to counterfeit: to be false to: falsify: (Shak.) to fill with lies:—pr.p. bely′ing; pa.p. belīed′. [A.S. be, and Lie.]

Believe, be-lēv′, v.t. to regard as true: to trust in.—v.i. to be firmly persuaded of anything: to exercise faith (with in, on): to think or suppose.—n. Belief′, persuasion of the truth of anything: faith: the opinion or doctrine believed: intuition, natural judgment (as used by some philosophers).—adjs. Belief′less; Believ′able, that may be believed.—n. Believ′er, one who believes: a professor of Christianity.—p.adj. Believ′ing, trustful.—adv. Believ′ingly.—The Belief (arch.), the Apostles' Creed.—To make believe, to pretend. [M. E. bileven—bi-, be-, and leven. Murray says that believe is an erroneous spelling of the 17th century, prob. after relieve. The A.S. form geléfan survived to the 14th century; the present compound, which superseded it, appears in the 12th century.]

Belike, be-līk′, adv. probably: perhaps. [A.S. pfx. be-, and Like.]

Belittle, be-lit′l, v.t. to make small: to cause to appear small, to depreciate or disparage.—n. Belit′tlement.—adj. Belit′tling. [Pfx. be-, and Little.]

Belive, be-līv′, adv. (Scot.) with speed: soon, erelong. [M. E. bi life; be, bí, by, life, dat. of līf, life.]

Bell, bel, n. a hollow vessel of metal, which gives forth a ringing sound when struck by the tongue or clapper suspended inside—as in church-bell, hand-bell, alarm-bell, night-bell, marriage-bell, &c.: a corolla shaped like a bell: the body of a Corinthian or composite capital, without the surrounding foliage: anything bell-shaped, as in diving-bell, bell-glass, the bell or outward-turned orifice of a trumpet, &c.: a bell rung to tell the hour: (naut.) the bell struck on shipboard every half-hour as many times as there are half-hours of the watch elapsed—'two bells,' 'three bells,' &c., meaning that there are two or three half-hours past; the watch of four hours is eight bells.—v.t. to furnish with a bell, esp. in To bell the cat, to take the leading part in any hazardous movement, from the ancient fable of the mice who proposed to hang a warning bell round the cat's neck.—ns. Bell′cote (archit.), an ornamental structure made to contain one or two bells, and often crowned by a small spire; Bell′-crank, a rectangular lever in the form of a crank, used for changing the direction of bell-wires; Bell′-found′er, one who founds or casts bells; Bell′-glass, a bell-shaped glass for sheltering flowers; Bell′-hang′er, one who hangs and repairs bells; Bell′man, one who rings a bell, esp. on the streets, before making public announcements: a town-crier; Bell′-met′al, the metal of which bells are made—an alloy of copper and tin; Bell′-punch, a hand-punch containing a signal-bell, used for punching a hole in a ticket in order to keep a record of the number of fares taken; Bell′-ring′er, one whose business it is to ring a bell on stated occasions: a performer with musical hand-bells; Bell′-rope, the rope by which a bell is rung.—adj. Bell′-shaped.—ns. Bell′-tow′er, a tower built to contain one or more bells, a campanile; Bell′-tur′ret, a turret containing a bell-chamber, usually crowned with a spire; Bell′-weth′er, the leading sheep of a flock, on whose neck a bell is hung: (fig.) any loud, turbulent fellow, esp. the leader of a mob.—Bell, book, and candle, a phrase popularly used in reference to a form of excommunication ending with the words, 'Do to [shut] the book, quench the candle, ring the bell.'—To bear or carry off the bell, to have or to gain the first place. [A.S. belle; cog. with Dut. bel.]

Bell, bel, n. a bubble formed in a liquid. [Ety. dub.; cf. Dut. bel, a bubble in water, perh. from L. bulla, bubble in water.]

Bell, bel, v.i. to bellow, roar: to utter loudly.—n. the cry of a stag at rutting-time. [A.S. bellan, to roar; cf. Ger. bellen.]

Belladonna, bel′la-don-na, n. the deadly nightshade or dwale, all parts of which are narcotic and poisonous from the presence therein of the alkaloid atropia: the drug prepared from the foregoing. [It. bella donna, fair lady; one property of belladonna is to enlarge the pupil, and so add a brilliance to the eyes.]

Bellarmine, bel′lar-mēn, n. a large stoneware drinking jug with a big belly and a narrow neck, decorated with a bearded face, originally that of Cardinal Bellarmine, made in mockery by the Dutch Protestants.

Belle, bel, n. a handsome woman: the chief beauty of a place: a fair lady generally. [Fr. belle—L. bella, bellus.]

Belles-lettres, bel-let′r, n.pl. polite or elegant literature, including poetry, fiction, criticism, æsthetics, &c.—ns. Bellet′rist, Bellet′trist.—adj. Belletris′tic. [Fr., lit. 'fine letters.']

Bellibone, bel′i-bōn, n. (Spens.) a beautiful and good woman.

Bellicose, bel′ik-ōs, adj. contentious, war-like.—adv. Bel′licosely.—n. Bellicos′ity. [L. bellicosus.]

Bellied, bel′lid, p.adj. with a belly, esp. a big belly, pot-bellied: bulging: puffed out. [See Belly.]

Belligerent, bel-ij′ėr-ėnt, adj. carrying on regular war.—n. a party or person waging such.—n. Bellig′erency. [L. belligerant-em, belligerāre, to wage war.]

Bellona, bel′lō-na, n. the Roman goddess of war—hence (fig.) a woman of great spirit and vigour.

Bellow, bel′lō, v.i. to roar like a bull: to make any violent outcry, often with sense of contempt or ridicule: to shout aloud: to roar, as of cannon, the ocean, &c.—with objective, to give forth a loud sound.—n. the roar of a bull: any deep sound or cry. [M. E. belwen; there is an A.S. bellan, to roar.]

Bellows, bel′lōz, or bel′lus, n.pl. an instrument for producing a current of air so as to blow up a fire, either in a kitchen, a furnace, or a forge—or for producing the current of air by which the pipes and reeds of an organ are sounded: (fig.) that which fans the fire of hatred, jealousy, &c.: the lungs. [Same as Belly (q.v.); now used only in pl., the sing. not having survived the 15th century.]

Belly, bel′li, n. the part of the body between the breast and the thighs, containing the bowels: the stomach, as the receptacle of the food: the bowels proper: the womb or uterus: the interior of anything: the bulging part of anything, as a bottle, or any concave or hollow surface, as of a sail: the inner or lower surface of anything, as opposed to the back, as of a violin, &c.—adj. ventral, abdominal: (theol.) belonging to the flesh, carnal.—v.i. to swell or bulge out.—ns. Bel′ly-band, a saddle-girth: a band fastened to the shafts of a vehicle, and passing under the belly of the horse drawing it; Bel′lyful, a sufficiency; Bel′ly-god, one who makes a god of his belly, a glutton.—p.adj. Bel′lying.—n. Bel′ly-tim′ber, provisions. [M. E. bali, bely—A.S. bælig, belig; bælg, belg, bag.]

Belomancy, bel′o-man-si, n. a kind of divination by means of arrows. [Gr. belos, a dart, manteia, divination.]

Belong, be-long′, v.i. to go along with: to pertain to: to be one's property: to be a part of, or appendage of, or in any way connected with: to be specially the business of: (U.S.) to be a native of, or have a residence in.—n.pl. Belong′ings, circumstances or relations of any person: possessions: persons connected, relatives: accessories. [Bi-, be-longen, intens. of longen, with pfx. be-. See Long.]

Beloved, be-luvd′, or be-luv′ed, p.adj. much loved, very dear—often compounded with well-; best-, &c.—n. one who is much loved.—adj. Belov′ing (Shak.) = loving.

Below, be-lō′, prep. beneath in place, rank, or quality: underneath: not worthy of.—adv. in a lower place: (fig.) on earth, or in hell, as opposed to heaven. [Pfx. be-, and adj. Low.]

Belt, belt, n. a girdle, zone, or band: such a piece, as of leather, worn by way of ornament, or given as a prize or badge of victory in wrestling or the like: a broad strip of anything, different in colour or material: that which confines or restrains: (geog.) a strait.—v.t. to surround with a belt, or to invest formally with such, as in knighting a man: to encircle: to thrash with a belt.—p.adj. Belt′ed, wearing a belt, of a knight: marked with a belt, as the 'belted kingfisher.'—n. Belt′ing, flexible belts for the transmission of motion in machinery, made of leather, indiarubber, &c.—as in chainbelt, crossed belt, endless belt, &c.; a thrashing.—To hold the belt, to hold the championship in wrestling, boxing, or the like. [A.S. belt; Ice. belti, Gael. balt, L. balteus.]

Beltane, bel′tān, n. an ancient Celtic heathen festival, held in the beginning of May, when bonfires were lighted on the hills: the first day of May (O.S.)—one of the four old quarter-days of Scotland, the others being Lammas, Hallowmas, and Candlemas.—adj. in Beltane games, &c. [Gael. bealltainn, beilteine; usually explained as 'Beal's fire,' Beal being a supposed Celtic deity who has been courageously identified with the Baal or Bel of the Phœnicians and other Semitic peoples, and Gael. teine, fire. But even this last is doubtful.]

Beluga, be-lōō′ga, n. the white whale, one of the dolphin family, closely allied to the narwhal, 12 to 16 feet long, of creamy-white colour, found in droves round Greenland and all over the Arctic seas: applied also to a great Russian sturgeon—the Acipenser Huso. [Russ.]

Belvedere, bel′ve-dēr, n. a pavilion or raised turret or lantern on the top of a house, open for the view, or to admit the cool evening breeze: a summer-house on an eminence in a park or garden. [It. belvedere; bel, beautiful, vedere, a view.]

Bema, bē′ma, n. the tribune or rostrum from which Athenian orators made their speeches—hence the apse or chancel of a basilica. [Gr. bēma, a step.]

Bemad, be-mad′, v.t. to madden.

Bemaul, be-mawl′, v.t. to maul thoroughly.

Bemazed, be-māzd′, p.adj. stupefied, bewildered.

Bembex, bem′beks, n. a genus of solitary sand-wasps, with broad heads and very large eyes, noted for their making a loud buzz during their rapid flight. [Gr. bembix.]

Bemean, be-mēn′, v.t. to make mean, to lower or debase: (obs.) to signify.

Bemire, be-mīr′, v.t. to soil with mire.—p.adj. Bemired′.

Bemoan, be-mōn′, v.t. to lament: bewail: to pity.—v.i. to grieve.—ns. Bemoan′er; Bemoan′ing.

Bemock, be-mok′, v.t. to mock at, to deride.

Bemoil, be-moil′, v.t. (Shak.) to bemire, to bedraggle.

Bemonster, be-mon′ster, v.t. to make monstrous: to regard or treat as a monster.

Bemouth, be-mowth′, v.i. to declaim, to overpraise.

Bemud, be-mud′, v.t. to bespatter with mud: to confuse.

Bemuddle, be-mud′l, v.t. to confuse or muddle completely.

Bemuffle, be-muf′l, v.t. to wrap or muffle up completely.

Bemuse, be-mūz′, v.t. to put in confusion: stupefy.

Ben, ben, n. a mountain peak. [Gael. beann.]

Ben, ben, prep. and adv. in toward the inner apartment of a house.—n. the inner apartment of a house, as opposed to the But or kitchen through which one must generally pass first.—To be far ben with one, to be on terms of great intimacy or friendship with; To live but and ben, to live respectively in these rooms, in close neighbourhood with any one. [M. E. binne—A.S. binnan, within.]

Bench, bensh, n. a long seat or form with or without a back: a seat in a boat: a mechanic's work-table: a judge's seat: the body or assembly of judges: a tribunal: the dignity of holding an official seat, as the 'bench of bishops,' the 'civic bench.'—v.t. to place on or furnish with benches.—ns. Bench′er, a senior member of an inn of court; Bench′ership; Bench′-mark, a surveyor's mark cut on a rock, gatepost, wall, or the like, into which a crooked iron is set so as to form a bench or temporary support for the levelling instrument; Bench′-war′rant, one issued by a judge rather than a justice or magistrate. [A.S. benc; cog. with Ger. and Dut. bank.]

Bend, bend, v.t. to curve or bow: to make crooked: to turn or incline—mostly in passive, to be inclined to, towards, to be given to: to subdue: to direct to a certain point: to apply closely, to strain, to nerve one's self to: (naut.) to tie, fasten, make fast.—v.i. to be crooked or curved: to incline in any direction: to stoop: to lean: to bow in submission (with to, before, towards):—pa.p. bend′ed or bent.—n. a curve or crook: the bent part of anything; (her.) one of the nine ordinaries, consisting of the space contained between two parallel lines crossing the shield diagonally from dexter chief to sinister base. It is said to occupy a fifth part of the shield unless charged, when it occupies a third part—its diminutives are the Bendlet, Cotise, and Ribbon.—Bend sinister, an occasionally occurring variety of the bend, drawn from sinister chief to dexter base. [Old Eng. bendan.]

Bend, bend, n. in leather, half a butt cut lengthwise.

Beneath, be-nēth′, prep. under, or lower in place: inside of, behind: unworthy the dignity of, unbecoming. [A.S. bi-nathan.]

Benedicite, ben-ē-dis′i-te, n. the canticle beginning 'Benedicite omnia opera Domini' ('O all ye works of the Lord'), from the Apocryphal Song of the Three Holy Children—in the Anglican morning service an alternate to the Te Deum: the blessing before a repast.

Benedict, ben′e-dikt, n. a common name for a newly married man, esp. a bachelor who has long held out against marriage, but at last succumbed—from Benedick in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing.—adj. blessed: benign.

Benedictine, ben-e-dik′tin, adj. pertaining to St Benedict or his monastic rule.—n. a Black Friar or monk of the order founded at Monte Cassino by St Benedict of Nursia (480-543), which became famous for its learning: a cordial or liqueur resembling Chartreuse, distilled at Fécamp in Normandy—once distilled by Benedictine monks.

Benediction, ben-e-dik′shun, n. a solemn invocation of the divine blessing on men or things—a priestly benediction is defined by Romanists as a formula of imperative prayer which transmits a certain grace or virtue to the object over which it is pronounced: a brief and popular service in the Romish Church, consisting of certain canticles and antiphons sung in presence of the host, and concluding with the priest making the sign of the cross over the people with the monstrance, and giving in silence the benediction of the most holy sacrament.—adj. Benedict′ory.—n. Benedict′us, the canticle of Zacharias (Luke, i. 68-79), used in the Roman service of matin-lauds, and occurring after the second lesson in Anglican matins.—p.adj. Benedight′ (Longfellow), blessed.—Apostolic benediction, that given in 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

Benefaction, ben-e-fak′shun, n. the act of doing good: a good deed done or benefit conferred: a grant or endowment.—n. Benefac′tor, one who gives a benefit to another, esp. one who leaves a legacy to some charitable or religious institution, a patron:—fem. Benefac′tress.—adj. Benefac′tory. [L. benefaction-em.]

Benefice, ben′e-fis, n. any kind of church promotion or dignity, esp. with cure of souls, such as rectories, vicarages, and other parochial cures, as distinguished from bishoprics, deaneries, cathedral preferments, &c.: an ecclesiastical living.—adj. Ben′eficed, possessed of a benefice. [Through Fr. from L. beneficium.]

Beneficence, be-nef′i-sens, n. active goodness: kindness: charity: a beneficent gift.—n. Benefic′ency (obs.).—adjs. Benef′icent; Beneficen′tial.—adv. Benef′icently. [L. beneficentia.]

Beneficial, ben-e-fish′al, adj. useful; advantageous: (law) enjoying the usufruct of property.—adj. Benef′ic, of good influence astrologically: beneficent, kindly.—adv. Benefic′ially.—ns. Benefic′ialness; Benefic′iary, a legal term to denote a person who enjoys, or has the prospect of enjoying, any interest or estate held in trust by others. [L. beneficium.]

Benefit, ben′e-fit, n. a kindness: a favour: any advantage, natural or other: a performance at a theatre, the proceeds of which go to one of the company.—v.t. to do good to.—v.i. to gain advantage (with from),—ns. Ben′efit-of-cler′gy, in old English law, the exemption of the persons of ecclesiastics from criminal process before a secular judge, they being responsible only to their ordinary. This privilege, at first limited to those in actual orders, was in 1350 extended to all manner of clerks, and in later practice to all who could read, whether of clergy or laity; Ben′efit-of-in′ventory (Scots law), a legal privilege whereby an heir secured himself against unlimited liability for his ancestor, by giving up within the annus deliberandi an inventory of his heritage or real estate, to the extent of which alone was the heir liable.—Benefit societies, associations for mutual benefit chiefly among the labouring classes, better known as Friendly societies. [M. E. benfet, through Fr. from L. benefactum.]

Benet, be-net′, v.t. to catch in a net, to ensnare.

Benet, ben′et, n. an exorcist, the third of the four lesser orders in the Roman Church. [Through Fr. from L. benedict-us, blessed.]

Benevolence, ben-ev′ol-ens, n. disposition to do good: an act of kindness: generosity: a gift of money, esp. for support of the poor: (Eng. hist.) a kind of forced loan or contribution, levied by kings without legal authority, first so called under Edward IV. in 1473.—adj. Benev′olent, charitable, generous, well disposed to.—adv. Benev′olently. [Through Fr. from L. benevolentia.]

Bengali, ben-gaw′lē, adj. of or belonging to Bengal.—n. a native of Bengal: the language of Bengal.—n. Bengal′-light, a brilliant signal-light used at sea in a case of shipwreck, and in ordinary pyrotechny for illuminating a district of country—prepared from nitre, sulphur, and the black sulphide of antimony.

Benighted, be-nīt′ed, adj. overtaken by night: involved in darkness, intellectual or moral: ignorant.—v.t. Benight′, to involve in such darkness: to cloud with disappointment.—ns. Benight′ening; Benight′er; Benight′ing; Benight′ment. [Pfx. be- and Night.]

Benign, ben-īn′, adj. favourable, esp. in astrology, as opposed to malign: gracious: kindly: (med.) of a mild type, as opposed to malignant: salubrious.—n. Benig′nancy, benignant quality.—adj. Benig′nant, kind: gracious: beneficial.—adv. Benig′nantly.—n. Benig′nity, goodness of disposition: kindness: graciousness: favourable circumstances—of climate, weather, disease, planets.—adv. Benign′ly. [O. Fr. benigne—L. benignus, for benigenus; bene, well, genus, born.]

Benison, ben′izn, n. benediction, blessing, esp. blessing of God. [O. Fr. beneiçun—L. benediction-em.]

Benitier, bā-nē′tiā, n. the vase or vessel for holy water in R.C. churches, known in England as the holy-water font, vat, pot, stone, stock, or stoup. [Fr.—Low L. benedictarium—L. benedictus.]

Benjamin, ben′jä-min, n. a kind of overcoat formerly worn by men. [Suggested possibly by 'Joseph's coat.' The Gipsy béngari, 'waistcoat,' has been proposed as an etymon.]

Benjamin, ben′jä-min, n. gum benjamin, an essence made from benzoin.—n. Ben′jamin-tree, a North American aromatic shrub, with stimulant tonic bark and berries: the tree which yields benzoin—Styrax Benzoin. [A corr. of Benzoin.]

Bennet, ben′et, n. the herb Bennet or common avens (Geum urbanum), a yellow-flowered wayside plant throughout Europe. [Through Fr. from L. 'herba benedicta,' the flower being a protective against the devil.]

Bennet, ben′et, n. the same as Bent, indeed an earlier form.

Bent, bent, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bend.

Bent, bent, n. leaning or bias: tendency: intention: natural inclination of the mind towards anything: the condition of being bent, curved form: (rare) slope or declivity: (Shak.) a cast, as of the eye: the extent to which a bow may be bent—degree of tension, capacity of endurance, as in the phrase 'to the top of one's bent' = to the full measure of one's inclination. [See Bend.]

Bent, bent, n. any stiff or wiry grass: the old dried stalks of grasses: a special genus (Agrostis) containing about sixty species of grasses, all slender and delicate in appearance, and some useful as pasture-grasses and for hay: a place covered with such, a heath: a hillside.—Often Bent′-grass.—Ben′net is a variant, a name applied to the wild barley-grass.—adj. Bent′y.—To take to the bent (Scot.), to fly to the moors, to escape from some danger by flight. [A.S. beonet, found in place-names, as Beonetléah, Bentley; the history is obscure, but the word is doubtless Teut.; cf. Ger. binse.]

Benthamism, ben′tham-izm, n. a name applied to the social and political doctrines of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), whose leading principle is the doctrine of utility, that happiness is identical with pleasure, summed up in Priestley's famous phrase, 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number.'

Benumb, be-num′, v.t. to make insensible or powerless: to stupefy (now chiefly of cold): to deaden the feelings: to paralyse generally.—p.adj. Benumbed′.—ns. Benumbed′ness, Benumb′ment. [Pfx. be- and Numb.]

Benzene, ben′zēn, n. a compound of carbon and hydrogen, discovered by Faraday in 1825, in a tarry liquid resulting from the distillation of oil. It is found amongst the products of the destructive distillation of a great many organic bodies, but the most abundant source is coal-tar. It must not be confounded with benzine or benzoyl, which names have at different times been used for benzene.—Ben′zine is the name given to a distillate from American petroleum, which is much used as a substitute for turpentine, and for dissolving oils and fats; Ben′zoyl is the commercial name applied to a mixture of substances, including benzene and its homologues.—Ben′zol is synonymous with benzene, while Ben′zoline is a name applied to benzine and impure benzene indiscriminately.

Benzoin, ben′zō-in, or -zoin, n. gum benjamin, the aromatic and resinous juice of the Styrax Benzoin of Java and Sumatra. It is used in perfumery, in pastilles, and for incense, and its compound tincture yields Friar's Balsam or Jesuit's Drops, and is used in making court-plaster. [In the 16th century, Benjoin. Most prob. through It. from Ar. lubān jāwī, frankincense of Java, Sumatra, &c.]

Bepaint, be-pānt′, v.t. to paint over: to colour.

Bepat, be-pat′, v.t. to pat frequently, to beat.

Bepatched, be-patcht′, p.adj. mended with patches: wearing patches on the face by way of adornment.

Bepearl, be-pėrl′, v.t. to cover over with pearls.

Bepelt, be-pėlt′, v.t. to pelt vigorously.

Bepepper, be-pep′ėr, v.t. to pelt with a rain of shot or of blows.

Bepester, be-pest′ėr, v.t. to vex or pester greatly.

Bepity, be-pit′i, v.t. to pity greatly.

Beplumed, be-plōōmd′, p.adj. adorned with feathers.

Bepommel, be-pom′el, v.t. to pommel soundly.

Bepowder, be-pow′dėr, v.t. to powder over.

Bepraise, be-prāz′, v.t. to praise extravagantly.

Beprose, be-prōz′, v.t. to reduce to prose: to discuss in prose, and tediously.

Bepuff, be-puf′, v.t. to puff out: to praise beyond measure.

Bequeath, be-kwēth′, v.t. to leave personal property by will to another: to transmit to posterity, to leave behind: to commit or entrust to any one.—adj. Bequeath′able.—ns. Bequeath′al, Bequeath′ment. [A.S. becweðan; pfx. be-,and cweðan, to say. See Quoth.]

Bequest, be-kwest′, n. act of bequeathing: that which is bequeathed, a legacy. [M. E. bi-queste—A.S. bi'-cwiss; bi'-, a form of pfx. be-, qithan, to say. See Quoth.]

Berate, be-rāt′, v.t. (U.S.) to scold or chide vigorously.

Berber, bėr′bėr, n. and adj. a member of one of the Hamitic tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions of Barbary and the northern portions of the Great Desert, originally occupying the whole southern coast of the Mediterranean: the language spoken by the Berbers. [Derived by Barth either from the name of their supposed ancestor, Ber, which we recognise in the L. A-fer, an African; or from the Gr. and L. term Barbari.]

Bere, another spelling of Bear, barley (q.v.).

Berean, bē-rē′an, n. one of an extinct Scottish sect of the 18th century, named from the people of Berea (Acts, xvii. 11, who derived all knowledge of God from the Bible, but differed little from ordinary Calvinists.

Bereave, be-rēv′, v.t. to rob a person of anything valued: to leave destitute:—pa.t. and pa.p. bereaved′—the latter also Bereft′.—adj. Bereaved′, robbed by death of some dear relative or friend.—n. Bereave′ment, the fact or state of being so bereaved. [A.S. beréafian, to plunder. See Reave.]

Beret, Berret, bėr′et, n. a flat woollen cap worn by the Basques. [Fr.]

Berg, berg, n. a mass or mountain of ice.—ns. Berg′fall, the fall of a mountain rock; Berg′field, an expanse of ice covered with bergs. [See Iceberg.]

Bergamask, bėr′ga-mask, adj. of or pertaining to Bergamo, whose natives are clownish in manners and dialect.—n. a rustic dance of theirs.

Bergamot, bėr′ga-mot, n. a kind of citron whose aromatic rind yields the well-known oil of Bergamot, used in making pomades, fragrant essences, eau de Cologne, liqueurs, &c.: the essence so extracted. [From the town of Bergamo.]

Bergamot, bėr′ga-mot, n. a group of varieties of pear of fine flavour. [Fr.—It.—Turk. begarmūdi.]

Bergmehl, bėrg′māl, n. a deposit of diatomaceous white earth or powder, that used in Norway to be mixed with flour and used as food. [Ger. 'mountain-flour.']

Beriberi, ber′i-ber-i, n. an Eastern disease marked by anæmia, paralysis, and dropsical symptoms. [Singh.]

Berkeleianism, berk′lē-an-izm, n. the philosophy of Bishop Berkeley (1685-1753), who maintained that the world we see and touch is not an abstract independent substance, of which conscious mind may be an effect, but is the very world which is presented to our senses, and which depends for its actuality on being perceived.—adj. and n. Berkelei′an.

Berlin, bėr′lin, n. an old-fashioned four-wheeled covered carriage, with a seat behind covered with a hood—also Ber′line.—Berlin blue, Prussian blue; Berlin wool, a fine dyed wool for worsted-work, knitting, &c.

Berm, bėrm, n. a ledge: esp. a fortification. [Fr. berme; Ger. berme.]

Bernardine, bėr′nard-in, adj. Cistercian. [From St Bernard of Clairvaux, founder of the order.]

Berob, be-rob′, v.t. (Spens.) to rob or plunder.

Berry, ber′i, n. a popular term for any small succulent fruit, but restricted in botanical language to simple fruits with pericarp succulent throughout, whether developed from superior (grape, potato, bitternut, belladonna, bryony, asparagus, tomato), or more commonly inferior ovary (gooseberry, currant, barberry, bilberry, &c.)—thus, strictly, the strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, are not berries.—v.i. to come into berry, to swell.—adj. Ber′ried, bearing berries. [A.S. berie.]

Bersaglieri, bār-sal-yā′rē, n.pl. the riflemen or sharpshooters of the Italian army, first organised in the Sardinian army in 1836. [It.; pl. of bersagliere, bersaglio, a mark.]

Berserk, -er, bėr′serk, -ėr, n. a Norse warrior whom the sight of the field of battle would fill with a frenzied and resistless fury—'the berserker rage.' [Ice. berserkr; Vigfusson explains the word as 'bear-sark,' and most probably a reference to the uncanny Werewolf superstition is involved.]

Berth, bėrth, n. a ship's station at anchor; a room or sleeping-place in a ship, a sleeping-carriage, &c.: any allotted or assigned place: a situation or place of employment, usually a comfortable one—even without such a qualifying adjective as 'a snug berth.'—v.t. to moor a ship: to furnish with a berth.—To give a wide berth to, to keep well away from generally. [A doublet of Birth; from Bear.]

Beryl, bėr′il, n. a precious stone resembling the emerald, but colourless, yellowish, greenish yellow or blue—its finer varieties are called precious beryl, and sometimes aquamarine. It has important uses as a magic crystal in which the future becomes visible.—adj. beryl-like in colour. [O. Fr. beryl—L. beryllus—Gr. bēryllos.]

Besaint, be-sānt′, v.t. to make a saint of.—pa.p. Besaint′ed, canonised: haunted with saints.

Bescatter, be-skat′ėr, v.t. to scatter over.

Bescrawl, be-skrawl′, v.t. to scrawl or scribble over.

Bescreen, be-skrēn′, v.t. to screen: to overshadow.

Bescribble, be-skrib′l, v.t. to write in a scribbling hand: to scribble about or upon.

Beseech, be-sēch′, v.t. to entreat, to implore (as a person, for a thing, or to do a thing): to ask or pray earnestly: to solicit—(Spens.) Beseeke′:—pa.t. and pa.p. besought′.—ns. Beseech′er; Beseech′ing.—adv. Beseech′ingly.—ns. Beseech′ingness; Beseech′ment. [Pfx. be-, and M. E. sechen, to Seek.]

Beseem, be-sēm′, v.t. to be seemly or fit for: to become: to be fit for or worthy of: (Spens.) to become or appear.—ns. Beseem′ing, Beseem′ingness—adv. Beseem′ingly.

Beseen, be-sēn′, pa.p. of good appearance, comely: well furnished (with well).—Besee′ is quite obsolete.

Beset, be-set′, v.t. to surround or set round with anything (now only in pa.p.): to surround with hostile intentions, to besiege: to occupy so as to allow none to go out or in: to assail, perplex, endanger, as by temptations, obstacles, &c.:—pr.p. beset′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. beset′.—ns. Beset′ment; Beset′ter.—p.adj. Beset′ting, that besets, as in 'besetting sin.'

Beshadow, be-shad′ō, v.t. to cast a shadow over.

Beshame, be-shām′, v.t. to put to shame.

Beshine, be-shīn′, v.i. to light up.—p.adj. Beshone′.

Beshrew, be-shrōō′, v.t. to invoke evil upon, to curse—now only in such mild imprecations as 'beshrew me,' or 'thee'—prob. not imperative but elliptical, like '(I) thank you.' [Pfx. be-, and Shrew.]

Beside, be-sīd′, prep. and adv. by the side of, near: over and above (in this sense, now usually Besides′), distinct from: apart from, not falling within, as of a question, resolution, &c.—Beside the mark, away from the mark aimed at, irrelevant.—To be beside one's self, to be out of one's senses. [M. E. bi siden—A.S. be si'dan, by the side (dat.).]

Besides, be-sīdz′, prep. and adv. in addition, otherwise, aside: over and above, in addition to, away from. [Beside, with the s of the adv. gen.]

Besiege, be-sēj′, v.t. to lay siege to: to beset with armed forces: to throng round.—n. Besieg′er.—adv. Besieg′ingly (rare), urgently.

Besigh, be-sī′, v.t. to sigh over.

Besing, be-sing′, v.t. to celebrate in song.—p.adj. Besung′.

Besit, be-sit′, v.t. (obs.) to besiege: to sit well on, as clothes, to become.—p.adj. Besit′ting (Spens.), becoming.

Beslave, be-slāv′, v.t. to make a slave of: to call slave.

Beslaver, be-slāv′ėr, v.t. to slaver or slobber upon: to cover with fulsome flattery.

Beslobber, be-slob′ėr, v.t. to besmear with the spittle running from one's mouth: to cover with drivelling kisses: to flatter fulsomely.—v.t. Beslub′ber, to bedaub or besmear.

Besmear, be-smēr′, v.t. to smear over: to bedaub: to pollute.

Besmirch, be-smirch′, v.t. to soil, as with smoke or soot: to sully.—v.t. Besmutch′, to besmirch.

Besmut, be-smut′, v.t. to blacken with soot.—p.adj. Besmut′ted.

Besogno, Besonio. Same as Bezonian.

Besom, bē′zum, n. an implement for sweeping, a broom: any cleansing or purifying agent: (Scot.) a term of reproach for a woman.—ns. Bē′som-head, a blockhead; Bē′som-rid′er, a witch.—To jump the besom (see Broom). [A.S. besema, besma; a common Teut. word; Ger. besen, Dut. bezem.]

Besort, be-sort′, v.t. (obs., Shak.) to match with, befit, become.—n. suitable company.

Besot, be-sot′, v.t. to make sottish, dull, or stupid: to make a sot of: to cause to dote on: to infatuate (with):—pr.p. besot′ting; pa.p. besot′ted.—p.adj. Besot′ted, infatuated.—adv. Besot′tedly.—n. Besot′tedness.

Besought, be-sawt′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Beseech.

Besouled, be-sōld′, adj. endowed with a soul.

Bespangle, be-spang′gl, v.t. to adorn with spangles, or with anything sparkling or shining.

Bespate, be-spāt′, p.adj. spit upon.

Bespatter, be-spat′ėr, v.t. to spatter or sprinkle with dirt or anything moist: to defame.

Bespeak, be-spēk′, v.t. to speak for or engage beforehand: to stipulate or ask for: to betoken.—v.i. (obs.) to speak:—pa.t. bespōke′; pa.p. bespōke′ and bespōk′en.—n. an actor's benefit, so called because the actor's friends and patrons bespeak or choose the piece to be performed that night.

Bespeckle, be-spek′l, v.t. to mark with speckles or spots.

Bespectacled, be-spek′ta-kld, pa.p. having spectacles on.

Bespeed, be-spēd′, v.t. to help on.—p.adj. Besped′.

Bespice, be-spīs′, v.t. (Shak.) to season with spice: to drug or poison.

Bespoke, be-spōk′, Bespoken, be-spōk′n, pa.p. of Bespeak, ordered, as boots, clothes, &c.

Bespot, be-spot′, v.t. to cover with spots.—p.adj. Bespot′ted.—n. Bespot′tedness.

Bespout, be-spowt′, v.t. to spout over: to declaim pompously.

Bespread, be-spred′, v.t. to spread over: to cover:—pr.p. bespread′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. bespread′.

Besprent, be-sprent′, pa.p. sprinkled over: scattered. [A.S. besprengan. See Sprinkle.]

Besprinkle, be-spring′kl, v.t. to sprinkle over.

Bessemer, bes′ėm-ėr, adj. derived from the name of the inventor, Sir H. Bessemer, applied to steel for rails, tires, ship-plates, &c., prepared by the Bessemer process.

Best, best, adj. (serves as superl. of Good) good in the highest degree: first: highest: most excellent.—n. one's utmost endeavour: the highest perfection.—adv. (superl. of Well) in the highest degree: in the best manner.—v.t. (coll.) to get the better of.—Best man and Best maid, the groomsman and bridesmaid at a wedding.—At the best, or At best, in the best possible way, at most after every allowance is made; For the best, with the best intentions; I were best = it were best for me.—To have the best of it, to gain the advantage in a contest; To make the best of one's way, to go by the best possible road; To put one's best foot foremost, to do the best, or to make the best show, one can. [A.S. betst, betest. See Better.]

Bestain, be-stān′, v.t. to stain all over.

Bestead, be-sted′, v.t. to help, relieve: to be of use to, to avail.—v.i. to profit, be advantageous.

Bestead, Bested, be-sted′, p.adj. set about (with): beset (with by, of foes; with, of dangers, &c.): situated—usually with ill, hard, &c.

Bestial, best′i-al, adj. like a beast: rude: brutally sensual.—n. (Scot.) a collective name for cattle.—v.t. Best′ialise, to make like a beast.—ns. Best′ialism, irrationality; Bestial′ity, beastliness: disgusting vice. [L. bestialis. See Beast.]

Bestiary, best′i-ar-i, n. the name given to a class of books of great popularity in the Middle Ages, describing all the animals of creation, real or fabled, generally illustrated by drawings, and allegorised for edification. [Low L. bestiarium, a menagerie.]

Bestick, be-stik′, v.t. to stick over, as with sharp points.

Bestill, be-stil′, v.t. to make quiet, to hush.

Bestir, be-stėr′, v.t. to put into lively action: arouse into activity: (refl.) to rouse one's self—p.adj. Bestir′ring.

Bestorm, be-storm′, v.t. to assail with storms or tumult.

Bestow, be-stō′, v.t. to stow, place, or put by: to give or confer: to accommodate with quarters: to apply (with on and upon): (refl., Shak.) to acquit one's self.—ns. Bestow′al, act of bestowing: disposal; Bestow′er; Bestow′ment.

Bestraddle, be-strad′dl, v.t. to bestride.

Bestraught, be-strawt′, adj. (obs.) distraught: distracted: mad. [Formed with pfx. be-, on the analogy of distraught—L. dis-tractus.]

Bestreak, be-strēk′, v.t. to overspread with streaks.

Bestrew, be-strōō′, v.t. to strew or scatter loosely over:—pa.p. bestrewed′, bestrōwn′, bestrewn′ (with).

Bestride, be-strīd′, v.t. to stride over: to sit or stand across: to defend, protect, from the sense of standing over a fallen man to defend him:—pa.t. bestrid′, bestrōde′; pa.p. bestrid′, bestrid′den.

Bestuck, be-stuk′, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bestick, to stick about, adorn: to transfix.

Bestud, be-stud′, v.t. to adorn as with studs, as the sky with stars.

Bet, bet, n. a wager: something staked to be lost or won on the result of a doubtful issue, as a horse-race, or the like.—v.t. and v.i. to lay or stake, as a bet:—pr.p. bet′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. bet or bet′ted.—ns. Bet′ter, one who bets—also Bet′tor; Bet′ting, act of betting or proposing a wager.—An even bet, an equal chance.—You bet, in American slang, certainly. [Prob. shortened from the noun Abet.]

Betake, be-tāk′, v.t. to take one's self to, to go (with self): to apply or have recourse:—pa.t. betook′; pa.p. betāk′en.

Beteem, be-tēm′, v.t. (Shak.) to grant, to suffer, to allow. [Most prob. from pfx. be-, and Teem.]

Betel, bē′tl, n. the betel-nut, or nut of the areca palm, with lime and the leaves of the Betel-Pepper, chewed by the Malays as a stimulant. [Through Port. from Malay vettila.]

Bethankit, be-thank′it, Scotch for 'God be thanked.'

Bethel, beth′el, n. a hallowed spot, a name applied by some Methodists to their places of worship: an old ship fitted up in a port as a place of worship for sailors. [Heb. Bēth-ēl, house of God.]

Bethink, be-thingk′, v.t. to think on or call to mind: to recollect (generally followed by a reflective pronoun and of): to propose to one's self.—v.i. to consider:—pa.t. and pa.p. bethought (be-thawt′). [A.S. bithencan; cf. Ger. bedenken. See Think.]

Bethrall, be-thrawl′, v.t. (Spens.) to enslave.

Bethumb, be-thum′, v.t. to mark with the thumbs:—pa.p. bethumbed′.

Bethump, be-thump′, v.t. to thump or beat soundly.

Bethwack, be-thwak′, v.t. to thrash soundly.

Betide, be-tīd′, v.i. to happen to, to befall—in third person, and often impersonally, with dative object, now little used save in phrase, 'woe betide!': (rare) to betoken:—pa.p. (Shak.) Betid′. [See Tide.]

Betime, be-tīm′, v.i. (Shak.) to betide.

Betimes, be-tīmz′, adv. in good time: early: seasonably: speedily. [Pfx. be-, and Time, with adv. gen. -s; like besides from beside.]

Betitle, be-tī′tl, v.t. to give a name to.

Betoil, be-toil′, v.t. to weary with toil.

Betoken, be-tō′kn, v.t. to show by a sign: to foreshow. [See Token.]

Betony, bet′on-i, n. a common British labiate plant growing in woods, of great repute in ancient and medieval medicine, used to dye wool yellow. [Fr.—L. betonica, vettonica.]

Betook, be-took′, pa.t. of Betake.

Betossed, be-tost′, pa.p. (Shak.) agitated.

Betray, be-trā′, v.t. to give up treacherously: to disclose in breach of trust: to let go basely or weakly: to deceive the innocent and trustful, to seduce: to discover or show: to show signs of.—ns. Betray′al, act of betraying; Betray′er, a traitor, the seducer of a trustful girl. [Pfx. be-, and O. Fr. traïr (Fr. trahir)—L. tradĕre, to deliver up.]

Betrim, be-trim′, v.t. to trim or set in order, to deck, to dress.

Betrodden, be-trod′n, pa.t. and pa.p. of Betread′, to tread over or walk upon.

Betroth, be-troth′, v.t. to contract or promise in order to marriage: to affiance: (obs.) to pledge one's self to any cause.—ns. Betroth′al, Betroth′ment, an agreement or contract with a view to marriage. [Pfx. be-, and Troth or Truth.]

Better, bet′ėr, adj. (serves as comp. of Good) good in a greater degree: preferable: improved: more suitable: larger: kinder: stronger in health.—adv. (comp. of Well) well in a greater degree: more fully or completely: over or more than: with greater advantage: (pl.) superiors.—v.t. to make better (also reflexively, to better one's self), to improve: to benefit: also with intransitive sense, to grow better.—p.adjs. Bet′tered, improved, amended; Bet′tering, improving.—ns. Bet′tering, Bet′terment, Bet′terness.—adj. Bet′termost.—Better half, a jocose term for a wife, once applied seriously to either wife or husband, and even the soul as opposed to the body.—I had better = I should hold it better to—the original construction having been a dative pronoun.—To be better off, to be in superior circumstances; To be better than one's self, to do more than one had promised; To get the better of, to gain the advantage over. [A.S. bet (adv.), betera, better; Goth. batiza, Ger. besser. Prob. cog. with Boot.]

Betty, bet′ti, n. a man who troubles himself with the women's work in a household: a slang name for a burglar's jemmy or jenny. [Betty, Bet, familiar abbrev. of Elizabeth.]

Betumbled, be-tum′bld, adj. (Shak.) tumbled or disordered.

Betutor, be-tū′tor, v.t. to tutor or instruct.

Between, be-twēn′, Betwixt, be-twikst′, prep. in the middle of two, of space, time, or degree: in the middle or intermediate space, to defend or separate: expressing reciprocal relation from one to another: by the joint action of two or more persons.—ns. Between′-decks, the space between any two decks of a ship; Between′ity (rare), state of being between.—prep. Between′-whiles, at intervals.—Between ourselves, in confidence; Betwixt and between, in a middling position.—To go between, to act as a mediator. [A.S. betwéonum betweónan—be, and twegen, twa, two, twain.]

Bevel, bev′el, n. a slant or inclination of a surface: an instrument opening like a pair of compasses, and adjustable for measuring angles.—adj. having the form of a bevel: slanting.—v.t. to form with a bevel or slant:—pr.p. bev′elling; pa.p. bev′elled.—ns. Bev′el-gear, Bev′el-wheels (mech.), wheels working on each other in different planes, the cogs of the wheels being bevelled or at oblique angles to the shafts.—p.adj. Bev′elled, cut to an oblique angle, sloped off. [Fr. biveau, an instrument for measuring angles; orig. unknown.]

Bever, an obsolete form of Beaver.

Beverage, bev′ėr-āj, n. drink: a mixture of cider and water: any agreeable liquor for drinking.—n. Be′ver, a small repast between meals: (obs.) a time for drinking.—v.i. to take such a repast. [O. Fr. bevrage (Fr. breuvage), beivre—L. bibere, to drink.]

Bevy, bev′i, n. a brood or flock of birds, esp. of quails: a company, esp. of ladies. [M. E. bevey, prob. the same as O. Fr. bevee, buvee, drink, It. bevuta, a draught; the transference of sense being perh. from a drink or a drinking-bout to a drinking-party.]

Bewail, be-wāl′, v.t. to lament: to mourn loudly over (esp. the dead).—v.i. to utter lamentations.—adjs. Bewail′able, Bewail′ing. [See Wail.]

Beware, be-wār′, v.i. to be on one's guard: to be suspicious of danger: to take care (with of; with clause—lest, that, not, how). [From the words be and ware run together. See Wary.]

Beweep, be-wēp′, v.t. to weep over, to lament.—p.adj. Bewept′, disfigured by weeping.

Beweltered, be-wel′tėrd, p.adj. besmeared by weltering in blood. [Pfx. be-, and Welter.]

Bewet, be-wet′, v.t. (Shak.) to wet or moisten.

Bewig, be-wig′, to cover with a wig.—p.adj. Bewigged′.

Bewilder, be-wil′dėr, v.t. to perplex or lead astray.—p.adj. Bewil′dered, lost, confused in mind, trackless.—adj. Bewil′dering.—adv. Bewil′deringly.—n. Bewil′derment, confusion, mental confusion: perplexity. [Pfx. be-, and prov. Eng. wildern, a wilderness.]

Bewitch, be-wich′, v.t. to affect by witchcraft (mostly malignantly): to fascinate or charm.—ns. Bewitch′ery, Bewitch′ment.—adj. Bewitch′ing, charming, enchanting.—adv. Bewitch′ingly.

Bewray, be-rā′, v.t. (B.) to accuse: to point out: to betray or divulge unintentionally. [M. E. bewreien, be-, and A.S. wrégan, to accuse.]

Bey, bā, n. a Turkish governor of a town or province. [Turk. beg, pronounced bā, a governor.]

Beyond, be-yond′, prep. on the farther side of: farther onward than: out of reach of: past in time: above, superior to.—Beyond measure, excessively; Beyond seas, abroad; The back of beyond (De Quincey, &c.), a humorous phrase for any place a great way off; To be beyond one, to pass his comprehension; To go beyond, to surpass: to circumvent: (B., Shak.) to overreach. [A.S. begeondan—pfx. be-, and geond, across, beyond. See Yon.]

Bezant, be-zant′, or bez′ant, n. a gold coin, first struck at Byzantium or Constantinople: (her.) a small circle or, like a gold coin.

Bezel, bez′l, n. the part of the setting of a precious stone which encloses it: the oblique side or face of a cut gem: the grooved flange or rim in which a watch-glass is set: the slope at the edge of a chisel or plane (usually Bas′il). [From an O. Fr. word represented by mod. Fr. biseau; its ult. origin uncertain.]

Bezique, be-zēk′, n. a game at cards for two, three, or four persons, played with two to four packs, from which cards with from two to six pips have been removed. The name Bezique itself is applied to the combination of the knave of diamonds and queen of spades. [Fr. besigue, of obscure origin.]

Bezoar, bē′zōr, n. a stony concretion found in the stomachs of goats, antelopes, llamas, chamois, &c., formerly esteemed an antidote to all poisons. [Through Sp. bezaar and Ar. bāzahr, from Pers. pād-zahr, counter-poison, zahr, poison.]

Bezonian, be-zō′ni-an, n. (Shak.) a beggar, a low fellow. [It. bisogno; Sp. bisoño, Fr. bisogne.]

Bezzle, bez′l, v.i. (obs.) to drink hard: to squander:—pr.p. bezz′ling; pa.p. bezz′led. [O. Fr. besiler. See Embezzle.]

Bhang, bang, n. the native name for the Indian preparation of hemp which is smoked or swallowed for its narcotic and intoxicating qualities—in Arabic known as hashish. [See Assassin. Hind. bhāng; Pers. bang; Sans. bhangā.]

Bias, bī′as, n. a bulge or greater weight on one side of a bowl (in the game of bowling), making it slope or turn to one side: a slant or leaning to one side: a one-sided inclination of the mind, prejudice: any special influence that sways the mind.—v.t. to cause to turn to one side: to prejudice or prepossess:—pa.p. bī′ased or bī′assed.—ns. Bī′as-draw′ing (Shak.), a turn awry; Bī′asing, a bias or inclination to one side. [Fr. biais, of dubious origin; Diez suggests L. bifax, bifacem, two-faced.]

Biaxal, bī-aks′al, adj. having two optic axes.—Also Biaxial. [L. bi-, and Axial.]

Bib, bib, n. a cloth put under an infant's chin: a similar article of dress for adults, worn over the breast or above the apron.—v.t. and v.i. to drink, to tipple.—adj. Bībā′cious.—ns. Bibā′tion, tippling; Bib′ber, a tippler: chiefly used in composition as (B.) wine-bibber. [M. E. bibben, most prob. from L. bib-ĕre, to drink.]

Bib, bib, n. a fish of the same genus as the cod and haddock, also called the Pout.

Bibble-babble, bib′bl-bab′bl, n. (Shak.) idle talk. [Reduplication of Babble.]

Bible, bī′bl, n. the sacred writings of the Christian Church, consisting of the Old and New Testaments.—adj. Bib′lical, of or relating to the Bible: scriptural.—adv. Bib′lically.—ns. Bib′licism, biblical doctrine, learning, or literature; Bib′licist, Bīb′list, one versed in biblical learning: one who makes Scripture the sole rule of faith. [Fr.—Low L. biblia, fem. sing., earlier neut. pl., from Gr. ta biblia, lit. 'the books,' esp. the canonical books of Scripture, biblion, a book, dim. of biblos, papyrus, paper.]

Bibliography, bib-li-og′raf-i, n. the description or knowledge of books, in regard to their authors, subjects, editions, and history.—n. Bibliog′rapher, one versed in bibliography or the history of books.—adj. Bibliograph′ic. [Gr. biblion, a book, graphia, description.]

Bibliolatry, bib-li-ol′at-ri, n. superstitious reverence for the Bible.—ns. Bibliol′atrist, Bibliol′ater, one given to bibliolatry. [Gr. biblion, a book, latreia, worship.]

Bibliology, bib-li-ol′ō-ji, n. an account of books: biblical literature, or theology. [Gr. biblion, a book, logos, discourse.]

Bibliomancy, bib′li-ō-man-si, n. divination by selecting passages of the Bible at hazard, and drawing from them indications concerning future events. [Gr. biblion, a book, manteia, divination.]

Bibliomania, bib-li-ō-mān′i-a, n. a mania for possessing rare and curious books.—n. Bibliomān′iac, one who has a mania for possessing rare and curious books.—adj. Bibliomanī′acal. [Gr. biblion, a book, and Mania.]

Bibliophile, bib′li-ō-fīl, n. a lover of books, esp. a collector of rare books. [Fr.—Gr. biblion, a book, philos, friend.]

Bibliopole, bib′li-ō-pōl, n. a bookseller.—Also Bibliop′olist. [Gr. biblion, a book, pōleein, to sell.]

Bibulous, bib′ū-lus, adj. drinking or sucking in: spongy. [L. bibulus—bib-ĕre, to drink.]

Bicameral, bī-kam′ėr-al, adj. having two chambers. [L. bi-, twice, and camera, chamber.]

Bicarbonate, bī-kär′bon-āt, n. a carbonate or salt having two equivalents of carbonic acid to one equivalent of base. [L. bi-, twice, and Carbonate.]

Bice, bīs, n. a pale blue or green paint. [Fr. bis.]

Bicentenary, bī-sen′te-na-ri, Bicentennial, bī-sen-ten′ni-al, adj. pertaining to the two hundredth.—n. the two hundredth anniversary.

Bicephalous, bī-sef′al-us, adj. double-headed. [L. bis, twice, and Gr. kēphalē, head.]

Biceps, bī′seps, n. the muscle in front of the arm between the shoulder and elbow. [L. biceps, two-headed—bis, twice, and caput, head.]

Bichromate, bī-krō′māt, adj. having two parts of chromic acid to one of other ingredients. [L. bis, twice, and Chromate.]

Bicipital, bī-sip′it-al, adj. (anat.) having two heads or origins.—Earlier form Bicip′itous.

Bicker, bik′ėr, v.i. to contend in a petty way: to quiver: to move quickly and tremulously, as running water.—n. a fight, a quarrel: a clattering noise: a short run.—n. Bick′erment (Spens.), bickering, strife. [Acc. to Skeat, bicker = pick-er, or peck-er, to peck repeatedly with the beak.]

Bicker, bik′ėr, n. a bowl for holding liquor, esp. of wood: a vessel made of wooden staves for holding porridge. [Scot. form of Beaker.]

Biconcave, bī-kon′kāv, adj. concave on both sides. [L. bi-, twice, and Concave.]

Biconvex, bī-kon′veks, adj. convex on both sides. [L. bi-, twice, and Convex.]

Bicorporate, bī-kor′por-āt, adj. (her.) double-bodied, as the head of a lion to which two bodies are attached. [L. bis, twice, and Corporate.]

Bicuspid, bī-kus′pid, adj. having two cusps: a pre-molar tooth. [L. bi-, twice, and Cusp.]

Bicycle, bī′si-kl, n. a cycle or velocipede with two wheels furnished with rubber tires, arranged one before the other, impelled by pedals, and steered by transverse handles affixed to the front wheel—also Bike (colloq.).—n. Bī′cyclist. [Formed from L. bi-, bis, twice, and Gr. kyklos, a circle.]

Bid, bid, v.t. to offer: to propose: to proclaim, as the banns of marriage: to invite: to command: to make an offer, and to increase the amount offered for a thing—at an auction:—pr.p. bid′ding; pa.t. bid or bade; pa.p. bid, bid′den.—n. an offer of a price.—ns. Bid′der, one who bids or offers a price; Bid′ding, offer: invitation: command; Bid′ding-pray′er, a form of prayer directed to be used before all sermons, lectures, and homilies preached apart from the daily service or holy communion—as university sermons, so called because in it the preacher is directed to bid or exhort the people to pray for certain specified objects.—To bid fair, to seem likely. [A.S. béodan; Goth. biudan, Ger. bieten, to offer.]

Bid, bid, v.t. to ask for: (nearly obs.): to pray. [A.S. biddan; Goth. bidjan; Ger. bitten; the connection with Bid, to command, is dub. See Bead.]

Bide, bīd, v.t. and v.i. same as Abide, to wait for.—n. Bid′ing (Shak.), residence, habitation. [A.S. bídan; Goth. beidan.]

Bidentate, bī-dent′āt, adj. having two teeth.—Also Bident′al. [L. bi-; twice, dens, dentis, a tooth.]

Bield, bēld, n. (Wordsworth) shelter: protection. [Scot.; conn. with Bold.]

Biennial, bī-en′yal, adj. lasting two years: happening once in two years.—n. a plant that lasts two years.—adv. Bienn′ially. [L. biennalis—bi-, twice, and annus, a year.]

Bier, bēr, n. a carriage or frame of wood for bearing the dead to the grave. [A.S. bǽr; Ger. bahre, L. fer-etrum. From root of verb Bear.]

Biestings. Same as Beestings.

Bifacial, bī-fā′shyal, adj. having two like faces or opposite surfaces. [L. bi-, twice, and Facial.]

Biffins, bif′inz, n. apples slowly dried in bakers' ovens and flattened into cakes—prepared in great quantities in Norfolk. [Said to be properly beefins, because like raw beef.]

Bifidate, bif′id-āt, adj. (bot.) cleft in two.—Also Bif′id. [L. bifidus—bi-, bis, twice, and findĕre, perf. fidi, to cleave or split.]

Biflorate, bī-flō′rāt, adj. bearing two flowers. [L. bi-, twice, and flos, floris, a flower.]

Bifold, bī′fōld, adj. twofold: (Shak.) of two kinds. [L. bi-, twice, and Fold.]

Bifoliate, bī-fō′li-āt, adj. having two leaves. [L. bi-, twice, and Foliate.]

Biform, bī′form, adj. having two forms. [L. bi-, twice, and Form.]

Bifurcate, bī-fur′kāt, Bifurcated, bī-fur′kāt-ed, adj. two-forked; having two prongs or branches.—n. Bifurcā′tion, a forking or division into two branches. [L. bifurcus—bi-, bis, twice, furca, a fork.]

Big, big, adj. large or great: pregnant: great in air, mien, or spirit: loud: pompous, esp. 'to talk big,' 'look big.'—adjs. Big-bell′ied, having a big belly; pregnant (with); Big′gish, rather big.—ns. Big′ness, bulk, size; Big′wig (colloq.), a leading man, a person of some importance. [M. E. big; origin very obscure—Skeat suggests that it is bilg, the l being dropped, and compares Ice. belgja, to puff out.]

Big, big, v.t. (Scot.) to build, to pile up.—n. Big′gin, anything built, a house. [Sc. byggja; A.S. búian.]

Bigamy, big′am-i, n. the crime of having two wives or two husbands at once.—n. Big′amist, one who has committed bigamy. [Fr.—L. bi-, bis, twice, and Gr. gamos, marriage.]

Bigg, big, n. a kind of barley. [Scand.; Ice. bygg, Dan. byg.]

Biggin, big′in, n. a child's cap or hood. [Fr. béguin, from the cap worn by the Beguines, a religious society of women in France.]

Bight, bīt, n. a bend of the shore, or small bay: a bend or coil of a rope. [A.S. byht; cf. Dan. and Sw. bugt, Dut. bocht; from būgan, to bow.]

Bignonia, big-nō′ni-a, n. a genus of tropical plants with trumpet-shaped flowers, named from the Abbé Bignon, Louis XIV.'s librarian.

Bigot, big′ot, n. one blindly and obstinately devoted to a particular creed or party.—adj. Big′oted, having the qualities of a bigot.—n. Big′otry, blind or excessive zeal, esp. in religious matters. [O. Fr.; of dub. origin; variously conn. with Visigoth, they being Arians, while the Franks were orthodox; with Sp. bigote, a moustache; with Beguine (q.v.); and by Wace with a worthless legend that the Norman Rollo, in refusing to kiss the foot of Charles the Simple, said, 'Ne se, bi got.']

Bijou, be-zhōō′, n. a trinket: a jewel: a little box:—pl. Bijoux (be-zhōō′).—n. Bijou′try, jewellery: small articles of virtu. [Fr.]

Bike, bīk, n. a nest of wasps, wild bees, &c.: a swarm of people. [Scot.; ety. dub.]

Bike. See Bicycle.

Bilabiate, bī-lā′bi-āt, adj. having two lips, as some corollas. [L. bi-, twice, and Labiate.]

Bilander, bī′land-ėr, n. a two-masted hoy, having her mainsail bent to the whole length of her yard, hanging fore and aft, and inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 45º.—Also By′lander. [Dut. bijlander.]

Bilateral, bī-lat′ėr-al, adj. having two sides.—adv. Bilat′erally. [L. bi-, twice, and Lateral.]

Bilberry, bil′ber-i, n. called also Whortleberry, a shrub and its berries, which are dark blue. [Cf. Dan. böllebær; Scot. blaeberry; Ger. blaubeere.]

Bilbo, bil′bō, n. a rapier or sword:—pl. Bilboes (bil′bōz), fetters. [From Bilbao, in Spain.]

Bile, bīl, n. a thick bitter fluid secreted by the liver—yellow in man and carnivorous animals, green in vegetable feeders: (fig.) ill-humour.—n. Bile′-duct, the duct which conveys the bile from the liver and the gall-bladder to the small intestine.—adjs. Bil′iary, belonging to or conveying bile; Bil′ious, pertaining to or affected by bile.—adv. Bil′iously. [Fr.—L. bilis.]

Bilge, bilj, n. the bulging part of a cask: the broadest part of a ship's bottom.—v.i. to spring a leak by a fracture in the bilge, as a ship.—ns. Bilge′-pump; Bilge′-wat′er.—adj. Bilg′y, having the appearance and disagreeable smell of bilge-water. [Most prob. conn. with Bulge.]

Bilharzia, bil′här-zi-a, n. a human parasitic flat worm in the fluke or Trematode order, with differentiated sexes. [From the helminthologist, Theodor Bilharz.]

Bilingual, bī-ling′wal, adj. of or containing two tongues or languages.—Also Bilin′guar. [L. bilinguis—bi-, twice, lingua, tongue.]

Biliteral, bī-lit′ėr-al, adj. consisting of two letters. [L. bi-, twice, and litera, a letter.]

Bilk, bilk, v.t. to elude; to cheat. [Perh. a dim. of Balk; at first a term in cribbage.]

Bill, bil, n. a kind of concave battle-axe with a long wooden handle: a kind of hatchet with a long blade and wooden handle in the same line with it, often with a hooked point, used in cutting thorn hedges or in pruning.—ns. Bill′hook, a bill or hatchet having a hooked or curved point; Bill′man, a soldier armed with a bill. [A.S. bil; Ger. bille.]

Bill, bil, n. the beak of a bird, or anything like it, applied even to a sharp promontory, as Portland Bill: the point of the fluke of an anchor—hence Bill′-board, n., used to protect the planking from being injured by the bill when the anchor is weighed.—v.i. to join bills as doves: to caress fondly.—adj. Billed. [A.S. bile, most prob. the same word as the preceding.]

Bill, bil, n. an account of money: a draft of a proposed law: a written engagement to pay a sum of money at a fixed date: a placard or advertisement: any written statement of particulars: in the criminal law of England, the formal name of a written accusation of serious crime preferred before a grand-jury.—n. Bill′-book, a book used in commerce in which an entry is made of all bills accepted and received.—n.pl. Bill′-brok′ers, persons who, being skilled in the money-market, the state of mercantile and personal credit, and the rates of exchange, engage, either on their own account or that of their employers, in the purchase and sale of foreign and inland bills of exchange and promissory notes: the business of Bill′-discount′ers, or discount-brokers, again, consists in discounting or advancing the amount of bills of exchange and notes which have some time to run before they come due, on the faith of the credit of the parties to the bill.—n. Bill′-cham′ber, a department of the Court of Session in Scotland which deals with summary business—so called because formerly both summonses and diligence or execution were for the most part commenced by a writ called a bill; Bill′-stick′er, one who sticks or posts up bills or placards.—Bill of adventure, a writing by a merchant stating that goods shipped by him, and in his name, are the property of another, whose adventure or chance the transaction is—the shipping merchant, on the other hand, undertaking to account to the adventurer for the produce; Bill of complaint, the name given in the English Court of Chancery, prior to the Judicature Act of 1873, to the formal statement of the facts and prayer for relief submitted by a plaintiff to the court; Bill of costs, an account stating in detail the charges and disbursements of an attorney or solicitor in the conduct of his client's business; Bill of exceptions, a statement of objections, by way of appeal, against the decision of a judge who is trying a case with a jury in the Court of Session; Bill of exchange, a document purporting to be an instrument of pecuniary obligation for value received, and which is employed for the purpose of settling a debt in a manner convenient to the parties concerned; Bill of fare, in a hotel, the list of dishes or articles of food; Bill of health, an official certificate of the state of health on board ship before sailing; Bill of lading, a paper signed by the master of a ship, by which he makes himself responsible for the safe delivery of the goods specified therein; Bill of mortality, an official account of the births and deaths occurring in a certain district within a given time; Bill of sale, in English law, a formal deed assigning personal property, the usual mode of transferring ships, and valuable as mercantile securities over stock-in-trade, furniture, &c.; Bill of sight, an entry of imported goods of which the merchant does not know the quantity or the quality; Bill of store, a license from the customs authorities to reimport British goods formerly exported; Bill of victualling, a list of necessary stores shipped from the bonded warehouse, or for drawback on board vessels proceeding on oversea voyages. [Through Low L. billa, from L. bulla, anything round, a knob, a seal appended to a charter, hence a document bearing a seal, &c. See Bull, an edict.]

Billet, bil′et, n. a little note or paper: a ticket assigning quarters to soldiers.—v.t. to quarter or lodge, as soldiers. [Fr.; dim. of Bill.]

Billet, bil′et, n. a small log of wood used as fuel: (archit.) an ornament in Norman architecture resembling billets of wood.—n. Bill′et-head, a billet or round piece of wood fixed in the bow or stern of a whale-boat, round which the harpoon-line is turned when the whale is struck. [Fr. billette—bille, the young stock of a tree, prob. of Celt. orig., perh. allied to Bole, the trunk of a tree.]

Billet-doux, bil-e-dōō′, n. a sweet note: a love-letter. [Fr. billet, a letter, doux, sweet.]

Billiards, bil′yardz, n. a game played with a cue or mace and balls on a table having pockets at the sides and corners.—adj. Bill′iard.—n. Bill′iard-mark′er, a person who marks the points made by the players. [Fr. billard—bille, a ball.]

Billingsgate, bil′ingz-gāt, n. foul and abusive language like that once familiar to the ear at Billingsgate (the great fish-market of London).

Billion, bil′yun, n. a million or thousand thousand of millions (1,000,000,000,000); or, according to the French method of numeration, one thousand millions (1,000,000,000). [L. bi-, twice, and Million.]

Billon, bil′on, n. base metal: esp. an alloy of silver with copper, tin, or the like. [Fr., from same root as Billet.]

Billow, bil′ō, n. a great wave of the sea swelled by the wind: (poet.) a wave, the sea.—v.i. to roll in large waves.—adjs. Bill′owed, Bill′owy. [Scand.; Ice. bylgja; Sw. bölja, Dan. bölge, a wave. See Bilge, Bulge.]

Billy, Billie, bil′i, n. a comrade, a companion-in-arms: an Australian bushman's boiling-pan or tea-pot:—pl. Bill′ies.—n. Bill′y-goat, a he-goat. [Prob. from Bill, a familiar abbrev. of William.]

Billyboy, bil′i-boi, n. a bluff-bowed one-masted trading-vessel. [Prob. conn. with Bilander.]

Billycock, bil′i-kok, n. a man's low-crowned felt hat. [From bully-cocked, i.e. cocked like the bullies.]

Bilobed, bī′lōbd, Bilobular, bī-lob′ū-lar, adj. having two lobes. [L. bi-, twice, and lobe, a Lobule.]

Bilocation, bī-lok-ā′shun, n. the power of being in two places at the same time. [Coined from bi-, twice, and Location.]

Bilocular, bī-lok′ū-lar, adj. divided into two cells. [L. bi-, twice, and L. loculus, dim. of locus, place.]

Bimana, bīm′an-a, or bim′an-a, n. a term used by Blumenbach, Cuvier, &c., to describe the human species in contrast to other mammals—now rarely used, men and monkeys being now zoologically united in the old Linnæan order—Primates.—adj. Bī′manous.

Bimensal, bī-mens′al, adj. happening once in two months: bimonthly.—adj. Bimes′trial, of two months' duration. [L. bi-, and mensis, a month.]

Bimetallism, bī-met′al-izm, n. the name given to a monetary system in which gold and silver are on precisely the same footing as regards mintage and legal tender.—adj. Bimetal′lic, adapted to that standard.—n. and adj. Bimet′allist. [A recent coinage, from Gr. bi-, double, and Metal.]

Bimonthly, bī-munth′li, adj. once in two months; also twice a month. [L. bi-, two, and Month.]

Bin, bin, n. a place for storing corn, wine. [A.S. binn, a manger.]

Bin, bin, (Shak.) used for Be and Been.

Binary, bī′nar-i, adj. composed of two: twofold.—adjs. Bī′nate, growing in pairs: double; Binaur′al, having two ears: needing the use of both ears.—Binary scale (math.), the scale of notation whose radix or base is 2 (instead of 10); Binary theory (chem.), that which assumes all salts to contain merely two substances, either both simple, or one simple and the other a compound playing the part of a simple body. [L. binarius—bini, two by two—bis, twice.]

Bind, bīnd, v.t. to tie or fasten together with a band (with to, upon): to encircle round (with about, with): to sew a border on: to tie up or bandage a limb, or the like: to fasten together (the leaves of a book) and put a cover on: to lay under obligation to answer a charge: to oblige by oath or promise to or from an action: to restrain, to make fast any one—also of disease, a magic spell, a passion, &c.: to hold or cement firmly: to render hard.—v.i. to produce constipation:—pa.t. and pa.p. bound.—n. a stalk of hops, so called from its twining or binding itself round a pole or tree: the indurated clay of coal-mines: (mus.) the tie for grouping notes together.—ns. Bind′er, one who binds, as books or sheaves: an attachment to a reaping-machine for tying the bundles of grain cut and thrown off, a reaping-machine provided with such; Bind′ery (U.S.), a bookbinder's establishment.—adj. Bind′ing, restraining: obligatory.—n. the act of binding: anything that binds: the covering of a book.—ns. Bind′weed, the convolvulus, a genus of plants, so called from their twining or binding; Bine, the slender stem of a climbing plant.—I dare or will be bound, I will be responsible for the statement. [A.S. bindan; cog. with Ger. binden, Sans. bandh.]

Binervate, bī-nėrv′āt, adj. (bot.) applied to leaves that have two ribs or nerves: (entom.) having the wings supported by two nerves. [L. bi-, bis, twice, and Nerve.]

Bing, bing, n. a heap or pile, often applied like Bin. [Scand.]

Bingo, bing′ō, n. a familiar name for brandy. [Prob. B, and stingo.]

Bink, bingk, n. a Scotch form of Bench.

Binnacle, bin′a-kl, n. (naut.) the box in which on shipboard the compass is kept. [Formerly bittacle—Port. bitácola—L. habitaculum, a dwelling-place—habit-āre, to dwell.]

Binocle, bin′o-kl, n. a telescope through which an object can be viewed with both eyes at the same time.—adj. Binoc′ular, having two eyes: suitable for two eyes.—adv. Binoc′ularly. [L. bini, two by two, oculus, an eye.]

Binomial, bī-nōm′i-al, adj. and n. (alg.) a quantity consisting of two terms or parts, as a+b.—Binomial theorem, a series of analytical formulæ by which any power of a binomial can be expressed and developed. [L. bi-, bis, twice, and nomen, a name, a term.]

Binturong, bin′tū-rong, n. the native name for an Indian prehensile-tailed carnivore, akin to the civet.

Bio-, bī′ō, a prefix from Gr. bios, life, used in many scientific words to express having organic life.—adj. Biobibliograph′ical, dealing with the life and writings of any one.—n. Bī′oblast, a formative cell, a minute mass of bioplasm or protoplasm about to become a definite cell.—adj. Biodynam′ical.—ns. Biodynam′ics, that part of biology which deals with vital force; Biogenesis (-jen′e-sis), the process of natural generation of life from life, as opposed to spontaneous generation, or abiogenesis.—adj. Biogenet′ic.—ns. Biog′enist; Biog′eny; Biomag′netism, animal magnetism; Biom′etry, the measurement or calculation of the probable duration of life; Bī′oplasm, the germinal matter of all living beings.

Biograph, bī′o-graf, n. a name sometimes applied to a form of the zoetrope contrived so as to exhibit the successive movements of a living body, thus simulating life. [Gr. bios, life, graphein, to write, describe.]

Biography, bī-og′raf-i, n. a written account or history of the life of an individual: the art of writing such accounts.—n. Biog′rapher, one who writes biography.—adjs. Biograph′ic, -al.—adv. Biograph′ically. [Gr. bios, life, graphein, to write.]

Biology, bī-ol′oj-i, n. the science that treats of life or of organised beings, which seeks to classify and generalise the multitude of phenomena presented by and peculiar to the living world.—adj. Biolog′ical.—adv. Biolog′ically.—n. Biolo′gist, one who studies biology. [Gr. bios, life, logos, a discourse.]

Biotaxy, bī′ō-tak-si, n. classification according to the sum of the morphological character. [Gr. bios, life, and Taxis.]

Biotic, bī-ot′ik, adj. pertaining to life. [Gr. bios, life.]

Biparous, bip′ar-us, adj. bearing two at a birth. [L. bis, twice, par-ĕre, to bring forth.]

Bipartite, bi′part-īt, or bī-pärt′īt, adj. divided into two like parts.—n. Biparti′tion, the act of dividing into two corresponding parts. [L. bi-, bis, twice, partitus, divided—part-īre, to divide.]

Biped, bī′ped, n. an animal with two feet.—adjs. Bī′ped, Bī′pedal, having two feet. [L. bipes—bi-, bis, twice, ped-em, foot.]

Bipennate, bī-pen′āt, Bipennated, bī-pen′āt-ed, adj. having two wings. [L. bi-, and Pennate.]

Bipennis, bī-pen′nis, n. an axe with two blades, one on each side of the handle, usually seen depicted in the hands of the Amazons. [L.—bis, twice, penna, wing.]

Bipetalous, bī-pet′al-us, adj. having two petals or flower-leaves. [L. bi-, twice, and Petal.]

Bipinnate, bī-pin′nāt, adj. doubly pinnate. [L. bi-, twice, and Pinnate.]

Biquadratic, bī-kwod-rat′ik, n. a quantity twice squared, or raised to the fourth power.—Biquadratic equation, an equation with one unknown quantity raised to the fourth power; Biquadratic root, the square root of the square root of a number. [L. bi- twice, and quadratus, squared.]

Biquintile, bī-kwin′til, n. (astron.) the aspect of planets when they are twice the fifth part (144 degrees) of a great circle from each other. [L. bi-, twice, quintus, the fifth.]

Birch, bėrch, n. a hardy forest-tree, with smooth, white bark and very durable wood: a rod for punishment, consisting of a birch twig or twigs.—adjs. Birch, Birch′en, made of birch. [A.S. berc, bierce; Ice. björk, Sans. bhūrja.]

Bird, bėrd, n. a general name for feathered animals.—v.i. to catch or snare birds.—ns. Bird′-bolt (Shak.), a short thick bolt or arrow with a blunted point, used for killing birds without piercing them; Bird′-cage, a cage or box made of wire and wood for holding birds; Bird′-call, an instrument used by fowlers to call or allure birds to them, by imitating their notes; Bird′-catch′er, one who catches birds: a fowler; Bird′-catch′ing, the art or practice of catching birds; Bird′-cher′ry, a bush bearing an astringent wild-fruit in drupes.—adj. Bird′-eyed, having eyes quick of sight, like those of a bird: quick-sighted.—ns. Bird′-fan′cier, one who has a fancy for rearing birds: one who keeps birds for sale; Bird′ing (Shak.), catching birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose; Bird′ing-piece, a fowling-piece; Bird′-lime, a sticky substance used for catching birds; Bird′-of-Par′adise, a kind of Eastern bird with splendid plumage; Bird's′-eye, a kind of tobacco; Bird's′-nest, the nest in which a bird lays her eggs and hatches her young; Bird′-spī′der, a species of large spiders which prey on small birds, found in Brazil.—adj. Bird′-wit′ted, flighty: incapable of sustained attention.—Bird's-eye view, a general view from above, as if by a bird on the wing, a representation of such, a general view or résumé of a subject; Bird's-foot trefoil, the popular name of several leguminous plants, having clusters of cylindrical pods resembling a bird's foot.—A little bird told me, I heard in a way I will not reveal. [A.S. brid, the young of a bird, a bird: either from root of Breed (bredan, to breed) or of Birth (beran, to bear).]

Bireme, bī′rēm, n. an ancient vessel with two rows of oars. [Fr.—L. biremis—bi-, twice, and remus, an oar.]

Biretta, bir-et′a, n. a square cap worn by clergy—by priests, black; bishops, purple; cardinals, red. [It. berretta—Low L. birretum, a cap.]

Birk, bėrk, n. Scotch and prov. Eng. for Birch.—adj. Birk′en (Scot.), birchen.

Birkie, birk′i, n. a strutting or swaggering fellow: a fellow generally.—adj. active. [Scot. A dubious connection with Scand. berkja, to bark, boast, has been suggested.]

Birl, birl, v.t. to spin anything round: to throw down a coin as one's share in a joint contribution.—v.i. to whirl round. [Scot., an onomatopœic word.]

Birle, birl, v.t. and v.i. (Scot.) to ply with drink: to carouse.—ns. Birl′er (Cumberland); Birl′ing, the act of drawing liquor. [A.S. byrelian, byrele, a cup-bearer, beran, to bear.]

Birlinn, bir′lin, n. a chief's barge in the Western Isles. [Gael.]

Birminghamise, bir′ming-ham-īz, v.t. to make up artificially. [See Brummagem.]

Birostrate, bī-ros′trāt, adj. having a double beak. [L. bi-, twice, and rostratus, beaked—rostrum, a beak.]

Birr, bir, n. impetus: a violent push: stress in pronunciation: any sharp whirring sound. [Scot.; Ice. byrr, a favouring wind.]

Birse, birs, n. bristle.—adj. Birs′y.—To lick the birse, to draw a hog's bristle through the mouth—part of the ceremony of citizenship in Selkirk; To set up one's birse, to rouse the wrath of, from the habit of animals bristling up when enraged. [Scot.; A.S. byrst.]

Birsle, birs′l, v.t. to scorch, to toast. [Scot.]

Birth, bėrth, n. a ship's station at anchor. [Same as Berth.]

Birth, bėrth, n. the act of bearing or bringing forth: the offspring born: dignity of family: origin.—n. Birth′day, the day on which one is born, or the anniversary of that day.—adj. relating to the day of one's birth.—ns. Birth′day-book, a book in diary form, in which the birthdays of one's friends are entered in their autographs; Birth′dom (Shak.), birthright; Birth′-mark, a peculiar mark on one's body at birth; Birth′night, the night on which one is born, or the anniversary of that night; Birth′place, the place of one's birth; Birth′right, the right or privilege to which one is entitled by birth: native rights.—adj. Birth′-strang′led (Shak.), strangled in birth.—n. Birth′-wort, a genus of perennial plants, formerly used medicinally in cases of difficult parturition. [M. E. birÞe, prob. Scand.; cf. Goth, ga-baurÞs, Ger. ge-burt.]

Bis, bis, adv. twice: (mus.) a direction that a passage is to be repeated [L.].—n. Bīseg′ment, a segment of a line or figure cut into two equal parts.—adjs. Bīser′rate (bot.), doubly serrate; Bīsex′ual, of both sexes: (bot.) applied to flowers which contain both stamens and pistils within the same envelope.

Biscayan, bis′kā-an, adj. and n. of or pertaining to the Basque province of Biscay in Spain, or its people: Basque generally: a long heavy musket, or the bullet fired by such.

Biscuit, bis′kit, n. hard dry bread in small cakes: a kind of unglazed earthenware. [O. Fr. bescoit (mod. biscuit)—L. bis, twice, coquĕre, coctum, to cook or bake.]

Bise, bēz, n. a cold north or north-east wind prevalent at certain seasons in Switzerland and neighbouring parts of France and Italy. [Fr.]

Bisect, bī-sekt′, v.t. to cut into two equal parts.—n. Bisec′tion. [L. bi, twice, and secāre, sectum, to cut.]

Biserial, bī-sē′ri-al, adj. arranged in two series or rows. [L. bi-, and Series.]

Bishop, bish′op, n. in the Western and Eastern Churches, and in the Anglican communion, a clergyman consecrated for the spiritual direction of a diocese, under an archbishop, and over the priests or presbyters and deacons: a spiritual overseer in the early Christian Church, whether of a local church or of a number of churches—the terms bishop [Gr. episcopos] and presbyter [Gr. presbyteros] are used interchangeably in the New Testament for the officers who direct the discipline and administer the affairs of a single congregation—the differentiation in function and dignity is, however, well marked by the end of the 2d century: one of the pieces or men in chess, from the upper part being carved into the shape of a bishop's mitre (formerly the archer): a wholesome hot drink compounded of red wine (claret, Burgundy, &c.) poured warm or cold upon ripe bitter oranges, sugared and spiced to taste.—v.t. (jocularly) to play the bishop, to confirm: to supply with bishops: to let milk or the like burn while cooking.—ns. Bish′opess, a she-bishop, a bishop's wife; Bish′opric, the office and jurisdiction of a bishop: a diocese—also Bish′opdom.—Bishop in partibus (see Partibus). [A.S. biscop—L. episcopus—Gr. episcopos, an overseer—epi, upon, skop-ein, to view.]

Bisk. See Bisque (1).

Bismar, bis′mar, n. a kind of steelyard still used in Orkney. [Dan. bismer.]

Bismillah, bis-mil′a, interj. in the name of Allah or God—a common Mohammedan exclamation. [Ar.]

Bismuth, biz′muth, n. a brittle metal of a reddish-white colour used in the arts and in medicine. [Ger. bismuth, wissmuth; origin unknown.]

Bison, bī′son, or bis′on, n. a large wild animal like the bull, found in Lithuania, the Caucasus, &c., with shaggy hair and a fatty hump on its shoulders.—The American 'buffalo' is also a bison. [From L. pl. bisontes, prob. of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. wisunt, A.S. wesend.]

Bisque, bisk, n. a rich soup made of meat or fish slowly stewed and seasoned, crayfish soup.—Also Bisk. [Fr.]

Bisque, bisk, n. pottery that has undergone the first firing before being glazed. [See Biscuit.]

Bisque, bisk, n. a term at tennis for the odds given by one player to another, in allowing him to score one point once during the set—a means of equalising a strong and a weak player. [Fr.]

Bissextile, bis-sext′il, n. leap-year.—adj. containing the Bissext (L. bissextus), or extra day which the Julian calendar inserts in leap-year—the sixth before the kalends of March, 24th February. [L. bis, twice, and sextus, sixth.]

Bisson, bis′son, adj. (Shak.) blind, blinding. [A.S. bísene, blind.]

Bistort, bis′tort, n. a perennial plant with astringent properties (Polygonum bistorta), so named from its twisted roots, called also Snakeweed and Adder's Wort. [Fr.—L. bistorta; bis, twice, torta, twisted.]

Bistoury, bis′tōōr-i, n. a narrow surgical knife for making incisions, having a straight, convex, or concave edge. [Fr.]

Bistre, Bister, bis′tėr, n. a pigment of a warm brown colour made from the soot of wood, esp. beechwood.—adj. Bis′tred. [Fr. bistré; origin unknown.]

Bisulcate, bī-sul′kāt, adj. (zool.) cloven-footed. [L. bi-, twice, sulcus, a furrow.]

Bisulphate, bī-sul′fāt, n. a salt of sulphuric acid, in which one-half of the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a metal. [L. bi-, twice, and Sulphate.]

Bit, bit, n. a bite, a morsel: a small piece: the smallest degree: a small tool for boring (see Brace): the part of the bridle which the horse holds in his mouth (see Bridle)—hence, To take the bit in his teeth, to be beyond restraint.—v.t. to put the bit in the mouth; to curb or restrain:—pr.p. bit′ting; pa.p. bit′ted.—Bit by bit, piecemeal, gradually. [From Bite.]

Bitch, bich, n. the female of the dog, wolf, and fox. [A.S. bicce; Ice. bikkja.]

Bite, bīt, v.t. to seize or tear with the teeth: to sting or pain: to wound by reproach: to deceive, or take in—now only passive:—pa.t. bit; pa.p. bit or bit′ten.—n. a grasp by the teeth: a nibble at the bait by a fish: something bitten off: a mouthful.—v.t. Bite′-in, to eat out the lines of an etching with acid: to repress.—n. Bit′er, one who bites: a fish apt to take the bait: a cheat.—n. and adj. Bit′ing.—To bite the dust, to fall, to die; To bite the thumb, to express defiance by putting the thumbnail into the mouth and knocking it against the teeth. [A.S. bítan; Goth. beitan, Ice. bita, Ger. beissen.]

Bitt, bit, v.t. (naut.) to fasten round the Bitts (q.v.).

Bittacle. Same as Binnacle.

Bitter, bit′ėr, adj. biting or acrid to the taste: sharp: painful.—n. any substance having a bitter taste.—adj. Bitt′erish.—adv. Bitt′erly.—n. Bitt′erness.—n.pl. Bitt′ers, a liquid prepared from bitter herbs or roots, and used as a stomachic.—n. Bitt′er-sweet, the Woody Nightshade, a slender, climbing hedge-plant, having red poisonous berries, said to be named from its root, when chewed, having first a bitter, then a sweet taste: (Shak.) an apple that has a compound taste of sweet and bitter: a mixture of sweet and bitter. [A.S. bítan, to bite.]

Bitter (Spens.), used for Bittern.

Bittern, bit′ėrn, n. a bird of the heron family, said to have been named from the resemblance of its voice to the lowing of a bull. [M. E. bittour—Fr.—Low L. butorius (bos, taurus).]

Bittern, bit′ėrn, n. an oily liquid remaining in salt-works after the crystallisation of the salt, and used in the manufacture of Epsom salts.

Bittor, Bittour, bit′tur, n. (Dryden) the bird Bittern.

Bitts, bits, n. a frame in the forepart of a ship round which the cables are passed when the vessel rides at anchor.

Bitumen, bi-tū′men, or bit′yu-men, n. a name applied to various inflammable mineral substances, as naphtha, petroleum, asphaltum.—v.t. Bitū′minate, to mix with or make into bitumen—also Bitū′minise.—adjs. Bitū′minous, Bitūmed′ (Shak.), impregnated with bitumen. [L.]

Bivalve, bī′valv, n. an animal having a shell in two valves or parts, like the oyster: a seed-vessel of like kind.—adj. having two valves.—adj. Bivalv′ular. [L. bi-, twice, valva, a valve.]

Bivious, biv′i-us, adj. leading two, or different, ways. [L. bivius—bi-, twice, via, a way.]

Bivouac, biv′ōō-ak, n. the resting at night of soldiers in the open air, instead of under cover in camp.—v.i. to pass the night in the open air:—pr.p. biv′ouacking; pa.p. biv′ouacked. [Fr.—Ger. beiwacht, to watch beside—bei by, wachen, to watch.]

Bi-weekly, bī′-wēk′li, adj. properly, occurring once in two weeks, but usually twice in every week. [L. bi-, twice, and Week.]

Bizarre, bi-zär′, adj. odd: fantastic: extravagant.—n. Bizar′rerie. [Fr.—Sp. bizarro, high-spirited; acc. to Littré, adapted from Basque bizarre, the beard.]

Bizcacha. See Viscacha.

Blab, blab, v.i. to talk much: to tell tales.—v.t. to tell what ought to be kept secret (with out, forth):—pr.p. blab′bing; pa.p. blabbed.—n. an open-mouthed person, a tattler: tattling.—n. Blab′ber, one who blabs. [M. E. blabbe, a chatterer, also Blabber, to babble, with which cf. Norse blabbra, Ger. plappern.]

Black, blak, adj. of the darkest colour: without colour: obscure: dismal: sullen: horrible: dusky: foul, dirty: malignant: dark-haired, wearing dark armour or clothes.—n. black colour: absence of colour: a negro: mourning: the dark smut which attacks wheat: a speck of black on the face, a sooty particle in the air: black clothes, esp. dress trousers.—v.t. to make black: to soil or stain: to draw in black.—n. Black′amoor, a black Moor: a negro.—adjs. Black′-and-tan, having black hair on the back, and tan or yellowish-brown elsewhere, esp. of a terrier; Black′-a-vised, of dark complexion (probably originally black-à-vis).—v.t. Black′ball, to reject in voting by putting a black ball into a ballot-box.—ns. Black′balling, the act of so rejecting a candidate; Black′-band, iron ore containing enough of coal to calcine it; Black′-bee′tle, a cockroach; Black′berry, the berry of the bramble; Black′bird, a species of thrush of a black colour: a current name for a negro or Polynesian kidnapped for labour; Black′birding, the kidnapping of such; Black′board, a board painted black, used in schools for writing, forming figures, &c.—adjs. Black′-bod′ing, of evil omen; Black′-browed, having black eyebrows: sullen.—ns. Black′-cap, a bird, a species of warbler, so called from its black crown: (cook.) an apple roasted until it is black, and served up in a custard: the full-dress cap put on by English judges when about to pronounce sentence of death; Black′-catt′le, oxen, bulls, and cows; Black′-chalk, a variety of clay-slate of a bluish-black colour, used for drawing, and also for making black paint; Black′cock, a species of grouse, common in the north of England and in Scotland; Black′-curr′ant, a garden shrub with black fruit used in making preserves; Black′-death, a name given to the plague of the 14th century from the black spots which appeared on the skin; Black′-draught, the popular name for a purgative medicine consisting chiefly of senna and Epsom salts; Black′-drop, a liquid preparation of opium, vinegar, and sugar.—v.t. Black′en, to make black: to defame.—adj. Black′faced, having a black face: dismal.—ns. Black′-flag, the flag of a pirate, or that hoisted at the execution of a criminal—from its colour; Black′-friar, a friar of the Dominican order, so called from his black mantle (over a white woollen habit): (pl.) the region in a city, as London, where their convent stood; Blackguard (blag′ärd), originally applied to the lowest menials about a court, who took charge of the pots, kettles, &c.: a low, ill-conducted fellow.—adj. low: scurrilous.—v.t. to treat as a blackguard; v.i. to play the blackguard.—n. Black′guardism.—adv. Black′guardly.—ns. Black′-heart′edness; Black′-hole, formerly the name for the punishment-cell in a barrack: the memorable black-hole in the Fort-William barracks at Calcutta, into which, in in 1756, as many as 146 Europeans were thrust over night, of whom only 23 were found surviving in the morning; Black′ing, a substance used for blacking leather, &c.—adj. Black′ish.—ns. Black′-jack, a vessel for holding drink, originally made of leather: (naut.) the flag of a pirate; Black′-lead, a black mineral (plumbago, not lead) used in making pencils, blacking grates, &c.; Black′leg, a low, gambling fellow: a turf-swindler: a term applied by strikers to men willing to work for the wages against which themselves have struck—also Black′-neb; Black′-let′ter, the old English (also called Gothic) letter (); Black′-list, a list of defaulters; Black′-Marī′a, the closely covered, usually black-painted van in which prisoners are conveyed between the court and the prison; Black′-Mon′day, Easter Monday, so called on account of the sufferings experienced by the army of Edward III. from the severity of the weather on that day in 1360; Black′-monk, a monk of the order of St Benedict, from his garments; Black′ness; Black′-pudd′ing, a blood-pudding (q.v.).; Black′-rod, the usher of the chapter of the Garter and of the House of Lords, so called from the black wand tipped with a golden lion which he carries; Black′-sheep, a disreputable member of a family or group; Black′smith, a smith who works in iron, as opposed to a Whitesmith, or one who works in tin; Black′thorn, a species of dark-coloured thorn: the sloe: a stick made from its stem.—adjs. Black′-tressed, having black tresses; Black-visaged (blak′-viz′ājd), having a black visage or appearance.—n. Black′-wash, a lotion of calomel and lime-water: anything that blackens.—Black and blue, with the livid colour of a bruise in the flesh; Black book, an official book bound in black, a book recording the names of persons deserving punishment; Black eye, an eye of which the iris is dark—a point of beauty: a discoloration around the eye due to a blow or fall; Black fellow, a native in Australia.—In black and white, in writing or in print: in art, in no colours but black and white.—To be black in the face, to have the face purple through strangulation, passion, or effort; To be in any one's black books, to have incurred any one's displeasure; To black out, to obliterate with black. [A.S. blac, blæc, black.]

Black-art, blak′-ärt, n. necromancy: magic. [Acc. to Trench, a translation of the Low L. nigromantia, substituted erroneously for the Gr. necromanteia (see Necromancy), as if the first syllable had been L. niger, black.]

Blackmail, blak′māl, n. rent or tribute formerly paid to robbers for protection: hush-money extorted under threat of exposure or denunciation, esp. of a baseless charge.—v.t. to extort money from a person by this expedient. [Black and A.S. mal, tribute, toll.]

Blad, blad, n. a fragment of anything, a good lump. [Scot.]

Bladder, blad′ėr, n. a thin bag distended with liquid or air: the receptacle for the urine.—adjs. Bladd′ered, Bladd′ery, swollen like a bladder.—n. Bladd′erwort, a genus of slender aquatic plants, the leaves floating. [A.S. blǽdre—blawan; Old Ger. blahan, blajan, to blow; Ger. blase, bladder—blasen, to blow; cf. L. flat-us, breath.]

Blade, blād, n. the leaf or flat part of grass or corn: the cutting part of a knife, sword, &c.: the flat part of an oar: a dashing fellow.—n. Blade′bone, the flat bone at the back of the shoulder: the scapula.—adj. Blad′ed. [A.S. blæd; Ice. blad, Ger. blatt.]

Blae, blā, adj. blackish or blue in colour: livid: bleak.—n. Blae′berry, Scotch name for the bilberry or whortleberry. [M. E. blo, bloo—Scand. blá.]

Blague, blag, n. blustering humbug. [Fr.]

Blain, blān, n. a boil or blister. [A.S. blegen, a blister, prob. from blawan, to blow.]

Blame, blām, v.t. to find fault with: to censure.—n. imputation of a fault: crime: censure.—adj. Blam′able, deserving of blame: faulty.—n. Blam′ableness.—adv. Blam′ably.—adj. Blame′ful, meriting blame: criminal.—adv. Blame′fully.—n. Blame′fullness.—adj. Blameless, without blame: guiltless: innocent.—adv. Blame′lessly.—ns. Blame′lessness; Blame′worthiness, quality of being worthy of blame: blamableness.—adj. Blame′worthy, worthy of blame: culpable. [Fr. blâmer, blasmer—Gr. blasphēme-ein, to speak ill. See Blaspheme.]

Blanch, blansh, v.t. to whiten.—v.i. to grow white. [Fr. blanchir—blanc, white. See Blank.]

Blanc-mange, bla-mawngzh′, n. a white jelly prepared with milk. [Fr. blanc, white, manger, food.]

Bland, bland, adj. smooth: gentle: mild.—adv. Blandly.—n. Bland′ness. [L. blandus, perh.—mla(n)dus—Eng. mild.]

Bland, bland, n. an Orcadian name for butter-milk and water. [Scand. blanda.]

Blandish, bland′ish, v.t. to flatter and coax, to cajole.—n. Bland′ishment, act of expressing fondness: flattery: winning expressions or actions. [Fr. blandir, blandiss-, from L. blandīri.]

Blank, blangk, adj. without writing or marks, as in white paper: empty, empty of results: vacant, confused: (poetry) not having rhyme.—n. a paper without writing: a lottery-ticket having no mark, and therefore valueless: an empty space, a void, or vacancy: (archery) the white mark in the centre of a target at which an arrow is aimed, hence the object or aim of anything: a form of document having blank spaces afterwards to be filled in.—v.t. to make pale: (Milton) to confuse.—n. Blank′-cart′ridge, a cartridge without a bullet.—p.adj. Blanked, a minced form of damned, from the usual form of printing d——d.—adv. Blank′ly.—ns. Blank′ness; Blank′-verse, verse without rhyme, esp. the heroic verse of five feet. [Fr. blanc, from root of Ger. blinken, to glitter—Old High Ger. blichen, Gr. phlegein, to shine.]

Blanket, blangk′et, n. a white woollen covering for beds: a covering for horses, &c.—v.t. to cover with a blanket: to toss in a blanket.—n. Blank′eting, cloth for blankets: the punishment of being tossed in a blanket. [Fr. blanchet, dim. of blanc, from its null white colour,]

Blare, blār, v.i. to roar, to sound loudly, as a trumpet.—n. roar, noise. [M. E. blaren, orig. blasen, from A.S. blæsan, to blow. See Blast.]

Blarney, blar′ni, n. pleasing flattery or cajoling talk.—v.t. to beguile with such. [Blarney Castle, near Cork, where there is a stone difficult to reach, he who kisses which ever after possesses the gift of blarney.]

Blasé, bla-zā, adj. fatigued with pleasures, used up. [Fr. blaser.]

Blash, blash, n. watery stuff.—adj. Blash′y. [Scot.]

Blaspheme, blas-fēm′, v.t. and v.i. to speak impiously of, as of God: to curse and swear.—n. Blasphem′er.—adj. Blas′phemous, containing blasphemy: impious.—adv. Blas′phemously.—n. Blas′phemy, profane speaking: contempt or indignity offered to God. [Gr. blasphēme-ein—blaptein, to hurt, phēmi to speak. See Blame.]

Blast, blast, n. a blowing or gust of wind: a forcible stream of air: sound of a wind instrument; an explosion of gunpowder: anything pernicious.—v.t. to strike with some pernicious influence, to blight: to affect with sudden violence or calamity: to rend asunder with gunpowder.—adj. Blast′ed, blighted: cursed, damned.—ns. Blast′-fur′nace, a smelting furnace into which hot air is blown; Blast′-hole, a hole in the bottom of a pump through which water enters; Blast′ing, the separating of masses of stone by means of an explosive substance; Blast′ing-gel′atine, a powerful explosive made of gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine; Blast′ment, withering or shrivelling up caused by blasting; Blast′-pipe, a pipe in a steam-engine, to convey the waste-steam up the chimney. [A.S. blǽst; cf. Ice. beása; Ger. blasen.]

Blastoderm, blas′to-derm, n. an embryological term applied to the layer or layers of cells arising from the germinal disc, or the portion of a partially segmenting egg which undergoes division. [Gr. blasto-, blastos, a sprout, derma, dermat-, skin.]

Blatant, blāt′ant, adj. noisy, clamorous, loud.—adv. Blat′antly. [Prob. a coinage of Spenser.]

Blate, blāt, adj. bashful, timidly awkward. [Scot.; A.S. blát, pale.]

Blatter, blat′tėr, v.i. to talk overmuch, to prate.—v.i. to hurry or rush noisily.—n. a clatter of words, sound of rapid motion. [L. blaterāre.]

Blawort, blä′wort, n. the harebell: the corn blue-bottle.—Also Blē′wart. [Scot. Blae, and wort, herb.]

Blay, blā, n. the fish bleak.—Also Bley. [See Bleak, a fish.]

Blaze, blāz, n. a rush of light or of flame: a bursting out or active display: a white spot on the face of a horse or ox: a mark made on a tree by cutting off a strip of bark to mark a track or a boundary.—v.i. to burn with a flame: to throw out light.—n. Blaz′er, a cricket or golf jacket of bright colour.—Blazes, from the fires of hell, in imprecations like To blazes; also Like blazes = with fury.—To blaze a tree, to make a white mark by cutting off a piece of the bark. [A.S. blæse, a torch, from root of Blow.]

Blaze, blāz, Blazon, blā′zn, v.t. to proclaim, to spread abroad.—n. Blaz′er (Spens.), one who spreads abroad or proclaims. [Same as Blare; Blazon is the M. E. blasen, with the n retained.]

Blazon, blā′zn, v.t. to make public: to display: to draw or to explain in proper terms the figures, &c., in armorial bearings.—n. the science or rules of coats-of-arms.—ns. Blaz′oner, one who blazons: a herald: a slanderer; Blaz′onry, the art of drawing or of deciphering coats-of-arms: heraldry. [Fr. blason, a coat-of-arms, from root of Blaze.]

Bleach, blēch, v.t. to make pale or white: to whiten, as textile fabrics.—v.i. to grow white.—ns. Bleach′er, one who bleaches, or that which bleaches; Bleach′ery, a place for bleaching; Bleach′-field, a place for bleaching cloth: a bleacher's office or works; Bleach′ing, the process of whitening or decolourising cloth; Bleach′ing-green, a green for bleaching clothes on; Bleach′ing-pow′der, chloride of lime. [A.S. blǽcan, from root of Bleak.]

Bleak, blēk, adj. colourless: dull and cheerless: cold, unsheltered.—adv. Bleak′ly.—n. Bleak′ness. [A.S. blæc, blâc, pale, shining; a different word from blac (without accent), black. The root is blican, to shine.]

Bleak, blēk, n. a small white river-fish.

Blear, blēr, adj. (as in Blear-eyed, blēr′-īd) sore or inflamed: dim or blurred with inflammation. [Low Ger. bleer-oged, 'blear-eyed.']

Bleat, blēt, v.i. to cry as a sheep.—n. the cry of a sheep, any similar cry, even of the human voice.—n. Bleat′ing, the cry of a sheep. [A.S. blǽtan; L. balāre, Gr. blēchē, a bleating; root bla-; formed from the sound.]

Bleb, bleb, n. a transparent blister of the cuticle: a bubble, as in water. [See Bulb.]

Bled, bled, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bleed.

Blee, blē, n. (Mrs Browning) complexion, colour. [A.S. bléo.]

Bleed, blēd, v.i. to lose blood: to die by slaughter: to issue forth or drop as blood: to have money extorted from one: to feel great pity for, as in the phrase, 'the heart bleeds:' to be as red as blood.—v.t. to draw blood from, esp. surgically: to extort sums of money from:—pa.t. and pa.p. bled.—n. Bleed′ing, a discharge of blood: the operation of letting blood.—adj. full of compassion: emitting sap: terribly weakened by war: (Shak.) bloody. [A.S. blédan. See Blood.]

Blemish, blem′ish, n. a stain or defect: reproach.—v.t. to mark with any deformity: to tarnish: to defame.—n. Blem′ishment (Spens.), the state of being blemished, disgrace. [O. Fr. blesmir, blemir, pr.p. blemissant, to stain, of dubious origin. Prof. Skeat thinks it Scand., Ice. blâman, livid colour—blâr, Blue.]

Blench, blensh, v.i. to shrink or start back: to flinch. [From root of Blink.]

Blench, blensh, adj. or adv. based on the payment of a nominal yearly duty.—Also Blanch. [See Blank.]

Blend, blend, v.t. to mix together: to confound.—v.i. to be mingled or mixed:—pa.p. blend′ed and blent.—n. a mixture:—n. Blend′ing, the act of mingling: the process by which the fusion of paints is effected. [A.S. blandan.]

Blende, blend, n. native sulphuret of zinc. [Ger. blenden, to dazzle, from the lustre of the crystals.]

Blenheim, blen′em, n. a kind of spaniel named from the Duke of Marlborough's house.

Blennorrhœa, blen-no-rē′a, n. discharge of mucus. [Gr. blennos, mucus.]

Blenny, blen′ni, n. a genus of acanthopterygious fishes, covered with mucus or slimy matter. [Gr. blennos, mucus.]

Blent, blent, (obs.) pa.p. of Blend—mixed: mingled: (Spens.) blinded, obscured.

Bless, bles, v.t. to invoke a blessing upon: to make joyous, happy, or prosperous: to consecrate by some religious rite, to cross one's self: to extol as holy, to pronounce happy, to invoke the divine favour upon: to wish happiness to: to praise or glorify:—pa.p. blessed (blest), or blest.—adj. Bless′ed, happy: prosperous: happy in heaven, beatified.—adv. Bless′edly.—ns. Bless′edness; Bless′ing, a wish or prayer for happiness or success: any means or cause of happiness: (B.) a gift or present: a form of invoking the favour of God at a meal.—adv. Bless′ingly.—Single blessedness, the celibate life, the unmarried state generally. [A.S. blétsian, to bless, prob. from blót, sacrifice; the word taken as—benedicĕre.]

Bless, bles, v.t. (Spens.) to brandish. [Blaze(?).]

Blest, blest, pa.p. of Bless.

Blether, bleth′er, v.i. to talk garrulous nonsense.—n. fluent, garrulous nonsense—also Blath′er.—p.adj. Bleth′ering, over-talkative.—ns. Bleth′erskate, Blath′erskite (Amer.), a blustering, noisy, talkative fellow. [M. E. blather, of Scand. origin, Ice. blaðra, to talk foolishly, blaðr, nonsense.]

Blew, blōō, pa.t. of Blow.

Blewits, blū′its, n. a kind of mushroom. [Fr. Blue.]

Blight, blīt, n. a disease in plants, which blasts or withers them: anything that injures or destroys.—v.t. to affect with blight: to blast: to frustrate.—p.adj. Blight′ing, withering, blasting. [Dr Murray notes that it first appears in literature in the 17th century; prob. orig. of Scand. origin; cf. Ice. blettr, a stain; perh. related to Bleach, Bleak.]

Blin, blin, v.t. (Spens.) to cease.—n. cessation: stoppage. [A.S. blinnan, to cease, pfx. be-, and linnan, to cease.]

Blind, blīnd, adj. without sight: dark: ignorant or undiscerning: without an opening.—n. something to mislead: a window-screen: a shade.—v.t. to make blind; to darken, obscure, or deceive; to dazzle.—pa.p. blīnd′ed; pr.p. blīnd′ing.—ns. Blind′age (mil.) a temporary wooden screen faced with earth as a protection against splinters of shell and the like; Blind′-coal, non-bituminous coal.—adj. Blind′ed, deprived of sight: without intellectual discernment.—n. Blind′er, one who or that which blinds; (pl.) a horse's blinkers.—adj. Blind′fold, having the eyes bandaged, so as not to see: thoughtless: reckless.—v.t. to cover the eyes: to mislead.—adj. Blind′ing, tending to make blind.—pr.p. making blind.—adv. Blind′ly.—ns. Blind′ness, want of sight, ignorance, folly; Blind′-side, the side on which a person is blind to danger: weak point; Blind′worm, a small reptile, like a snake, having eyes so small as to be supposed blind.—Blind-man's buff, a game in which one of the party is blindfolded and tries to catch the others. [A.S. blind; Ice. blindr.]

Blink, blingk, v.i. to glance, twinkle, or wink: to see obscurely, or with the eyes half-closed: to shine unsteadily.—v.t. to shut out of sight: to avoid or evade.—n. a glimpse, glance, or wink: a momentary gleam of light, a spark.—n. Blink′ard, one who blinks or has bad eyes.—p.adj. Blinked, affected with blinking.—n.pl. Blink′ers, pieces of leather fastened to the cheek-pieces of a horse's head-stall in driving to prevent him seeing in any direction except straightforward. [M. E. a variant of blenk, prob. the same as Blench (q.v.).]

Blirt, blirt, n. (Scot.) a fit of crying.—v.i. to burst into tears. [Prob. the same as Blurt.]

Bliss, blis, n. the highest happiness: the special happiness of heaven, heaven.—adj. Bliss′ful.—adv. Bliss′fully.—n. Bliss′fulness.—adj. Bliss′less, without bliss. [A.S. blíðs, blíðe, Blithe.]

Blist, blist, pa.t. (Spens.) wounded: struck. [From Fr. blesser, to wound.]

Blister, blis′tėr, n. a thin bubble or bladder on the skin, containing watery matter: a pustule: a plaster applied to raise a blister.—v.t. to raise a blister.—ns. Blis′ter-bee′tle, Blis′ter-fly, the cantharis, or Spanish fly, used for blistering; Blis′ter-plas′ter, a plaster made of Spanish flies used to raise a blister; Blis′ter-steel, Blis′tered-steel, steel blistered in the process of manufacture, used for making tools, &c.—adj. Blis′tery. [M. E.; most prob. O. Fr. blestre, conn. with Old Norse blástr, blása, to blow; Ger. blase.]

Blithe, blīth, adj. happy: gay; sprightly.—adv. Blithe′ly.—n. Blithe′ness.—adj. Blithe′some, joyous.—adv. Blithe′somely.—n. Blithe′someness. [A.S. blíðe, joyful. See Bliss.]

Blive, blīv, adv. (Spens.). Same as Belive.

Blizzard, bliz′ard, n. a blinding storm of wind and snow, a snow-squall.—adjs. Blizz′ardly, Blizz′ardous. [A modern coinage—most prob. onomatopœic, on the analogy of blow, blast, &c.]

Bloat, blōt, v.t. to swell or puff out: to dry by smoke (applied to fish).—v.i. to swell or dilate: to grow turgid.—p.adj. Bloat′ed.—n. Bloat′er, a herring partially dried in smoke, esp. at Yarmouth. [Scand., as in Sw. blöt, soft.]

Blob, blob, n. a drop of liquid: anything soft and round, like a gooseberry: a round spot. [Imit.]

Block, blok, n. an unshaped mass of wood or stone, &c.: the wood on which criminals were wont to be beheaded: (mech.) a pulley together with its framework; a piece of wood on which something is formed: a connected group of houses: an obstruction: a blockhead.—v.t. to enclose or shut up: to obstruct: to shape or sketch out roughly.—n. Blockade′, the blocking up of a place by surrounding it with troops or by ships.—v.t. to block up by troops or ships.—ns. Block′-head, one with a head like a block, a stupid fellow; Block′-house, a small temporary fort generally made of logs.—adj. Block′ish, like a block: stupid: dull.—ns. Block′-print′ing, printing of Block′-books, from engraved wooden blocks or pages; Block′-ship, a war-ship, inefficient for service in action on account of age, but useful in defence of ports; Block′-sys′tem, a system of working trains in which no train is allowed on to a section of line so long as any other train is on that section; Block′-tin, tin in the form of blocks or ingots. [Widely spread, but acc. to Skeat, of Celt. origin, Gael. ploc, Old Ir. blog, a fragment. See Plug.]

Bloke, blōk, n. a fellow, a man familiarly. [Ety. quite unknown—at any rate not Gipsy.]

Bloncket, blongk′et, adj. (Spens.) gray. [Fr. blanchet, whitish, dim. of blanc, white.]

Blonde, blond, n. a person of fair complexion with light hair and blue eyes—opp. to Brunette.—adj. of a fair complexion: fair. [Fr.]

Blond-lace, blond′-lās, n. lace made of silk, so called from its colour.

Blont, blont, adj. (Spens.). Same as Blunt.

Blood, blud, n. the red fluid in the arteries and veins of men and animals: descent, of human beings, good birth: relationship, kindred: elliptically for a blood-horse, one of good pedigree: a rake or swaggering dandy about town: the blood-royal, as in 'princes of blood:' temperament: bloodshed or murder: the juice of anything, esp. if red: the supposed seat of passion—hence temper, anger, as in the phrase, 'his blood is up,' &c.: the sensual nature of man.—interj. 's blood—God's blood.—adjs. Blood′-bespot′ted (Shak.), spotted with blood; Blood′-bolt′ered (Shak.), sprinkled with blood as from a bolter or sieve; Blood′-bought, bought at the expense of blood or life; Blood′-froz′en (Spens.), having the blood frozen or chilled.—ns. Blood′guilt′iness, the guilt of shedding blood, as in murder; Blood′heat, heat of the same degree as that of the human blood (about 98° Fahr.); Blood′-horse, a horse of the purest and most highly prized blood, origin, or stock.—adj. Blood′-hot, as hot or warm as blood.—n. Blood′hound, a large hound formerly employed in tracing human beings: a blood-thirsty person.—adv. Blood′ily.—adj. Blood′less, without blood, dead: without the shedding of blood: (Shak.) without spirit or activity.—ns. Blood′-let′ting, the act of letting blood, or bleeding by opening a vein; Blood′-mon′ey, money earned by laying or supporting a capital charge against any one, esp. if the charge be false or made by an accomplice; Blood′-pois′oning, a name popularly, but loosely, used of pyæmia and allied diseases; Blood′-pud′ding, a pudding made with blood and other materials; Blood′-relā′tion, one related by blood or marriage; Blood′-sac′rifice (Shak.), a sacrifice made with bloodshed; Blood′shed, the shedding of blood: slaughter.—adjs. Blood′shot (of the eye), red or inflamed with blood; Blood′-sized, sized or smeared with blood.—n. Blood′-spav′in, a disease of horses consisting of the swelling of a vein on the inside of the hock, from a checking of the blood.—adj. Blood′-stained, stained with blood: guilty of murder.—ns. Blood′-stone, a dark-green variety of quartz, variegated with blood-like spots of red jasper, the heliotrope; a brown ore of iron, hematite; Blood′-suck′er, an animal that sucks blood, esp. a leech: an extortioner, one who sponges upon another.—adj. Blood′-suck′ing (Shak.), that sucks or draws blood.—ns. Blood′-tax, conscription or universal military service, as drawing from the nation a certain number of lives or recruits annually; Blood′-thirst′iness, thirst or desire for shedding blood.—adj. Blood′-thirst′y, having a thirst or desire to shed blood.—ns. Blood′-ves′sel, a vessel in which blood circulates, a vein or artery; Blood′-worm, a small red earthworm used by anglers.—adj. Blood′y, of the nature of blood: stained with blood: murderous, cruel: vulgarly, as an adj. emphasising anger or the like: as an adv. employed as a mere intensive—most prob. from the habits of the 'bloods' about the beginning of the 18th century (Etheredge, 'bloody-drunk').—v.t. to make bloody.—n. Blood′y-bones, a phrase, together with Rawhead, applied to a children's bugbear.—adjs. Blood′y-eyed; Blood′y-faced.—ns. Blood′y-flux, dysentery, in which the discharges from the bowels are mixed with blood; Blood′y-hand (her.), the armorial device of Ulster, hence of baronets.—adj. Blood′y-mind′ed.—ns. Blood′y-mind′edness; Blood′y-sweat, a sweat accompanied with the discharge of blood.—Avenger of blood, the next-of-kin to a murdered man, whose duty it was to avenge his death—the Hebrew Goël.—Eating of blood, prohibited under the Old Testament dispensation, Jews still killing their own butcher-meat.—In blood, in full vigour; In hot or cold blood, under or free from excitement or sudden passion. [A.S. blód—root blówan, to bloom; cog. with Old. Fris. blód, Ger. blut.]

Bloom, blōōm, v.i. to put forth blossoms: to flower: to be in a state of beauty or vigour: to flourish: to give a bloom or warm tint to anything.—n. a blossom or flower: the opening of flowers: rosy colour: the prime or highest perfection of anything: the first freshness of beauty of anything: the flush or glow on the cheek—(Spens.) Blosme.—p.adj. Bloom′ing, bright, shining, flourishing: (slang) full-blown.—adjs. Bloom′less, without bloom; Bloom′y, flowery: flourishing. [Ice. blóm; cf. Goth. blôma, Ger. blume.]

Bloomer, blōōm′ėr, n. and adj. a dress for women, partly resembling men's dress, devised by Mrs Bloomer of New York about 1849, consisting of a jacket with close sleeves, a skirt falling a little below the knee, and a pair of Turkish trousers.

Bloomery, blōōm′ėr-i, n. the first forge through which iron passes after it has been melted from the ore, and where it is made into Blooms, or rough ingots, for hammering or drawing out.

Blore, blōr, n. a violent gust of wind. [Prob. related to Blare and Blow.]

Blosme. See Bloom.

Blossom, blos′om, n. a flower-bud, the flower that precedes fruit.—v.i. to put forth blossoms or flowers: to flourish and prosper.—n. Bloss′oming.—adj. Bloss′omy, covered with flowers, flowery. [A.S. blóstm, blóstma, from root of Bloom.]

Blot, blot, n. a spot or stain: an obliteration, as of something written: a stain in reputation.—v.t. to spot or stain: to obliterate or destroy: to disgrace: to dry writing with blotting-paper:—pr.p. blot′ting; pa.p. blot′ted.—n. and adj. Blot′tesque, a painting executed with heavy blot-like touches, a daub or (fig.) a vigorous descriptive sketch.—n. Blotting-pā′per, unsized paper, used for absorbing ink.—adj. Blot′ty. [Prob. Scand., as in Dan. plet, Ice. blettr, a spot.]

Blot, blot, n. a piece liable to be taken at backgammon: a weak place in anything. [Ety. obscure; Dut. bloot, naked.]

Blotch, bloch, n. a dark spot on the skin: a pustule.—v.t. to mark or cover with blotches.—adjs. Blotched, Blotch′y. [Prob. formed on Blot.]

Blouse, blowz, n. a loose sack-like outer garment, somewhat like the English smock-frock. [Fr.]

Blow, blō, n. a stroke or knock: a sudden misfortune or calamity.—At a blow, by a single action, suddenly; To come to blows, To exchange blows, to come to hostilities; Without striking a blow, without a struggle. [A.S. bléowan is doubtful, cog. with Dut. blouwen, to dress (beat) flax, Ger. blāuen, to beat hard. The noun appears in the 15th century without evidence of parentage.]

Blow, blō, v.i. to bloom or blossom:—pr.p. blōw′ing; pa.p. blōwn. [A.S. blówan; Ger. blühen. See Bloom, Blossom.]

Blow, blō, v.i. to produce a current of air: to move, as air or the wind.—v.t. to drive air upon or into: to drive by a current of air, as 'to blow away, down,' &c.: to sound, as a wind-instrument: to breathe hard or with difficulty: to spout, as whales: (prov.) to boast: to spread by report: to fan or kindle:—pa.t. blew (blōō); pa.p. blown (blōn).—ns. Blow′-ball, the downy head of a dandelion in seed; Blow′er, a metal plate put upon the upper part of a fireplace, so as to increase the draught through the fire: a machine for driving a blast of air, as into a furnace; Blow′-fly, or Flesh-fly, an insect of the order Diptera, and of the large family Muscidæ, to which the common house-fly and blue-bottle belong.—p.adj. Blown, out of breath, tired: swelled: stale, worthless.—n. Blow′pipe, a pipe through which a current of air is blown on a flame, to increase its heat: a kind of weapon much used by some of the Indian tribes of South America both in hunting and war, consisting of a long straight tube in which a small poisoned arrow is placed, and forcibly expelled by the breath.—adj. Blow′y.—To blow hot and cold, to be favourable and unfavourable by turns, to be irresolute; To blow off (steam, &c.), to allow to escape, to escape forcibly; To blow one's own trumpet, to sound one's own praises; To blow over, to pass away, to subside, as a danger or a scandal; To blow up, to shatter or destroy by explosion: to scold; To blow upon, to take the bloom, freshness, or the interest off anything, to bring into discredit: to inform upon. [A.S. bláwan; Ger. blähen, blasen; L. flare.]

Blowze, blowz, n. a ruddy, fat-faced wench.—adjs. Blowzed, Blowz′y, fat and ruddy, or flushed with exercise, dishevelled, slatternly. [Perh. related to root of Blush; or of cant origin.]

Blubber, blub′ėr, n. the fat of whales and other sea animals.—v.i. to weep effusively.—p.adj. Blubb′ered, of a face swollen with weeping. [M. E. blober, bluber; most likely onomatopœic]

Blucher, blōōch′ėr, n. a strong leather half-boot or high shoe, named from Marshal Blücher, the Prussian general at Waterloo.

Bludgeon, blud′jun, n. a short stick with a heavy end to strike with. [First in 18th century; origin very obscure; from a cant word conn. with Blood.]

Blue, blōō, n. the colour of the sky when unclouded—hence the sea, the sky, as in 'a bolt from the blue:' one of the seven primary colours.—adj. of the colour blue: learned, pedantic: indecent or obscene, as in blue stories.—ns. Blue′-beard, a monster who murders a series of wives in Perrault's famous conte, before he is himself cut off: one who is 'unfortunate' with his wives after the fashion of Henry VIII.; Blue′bell, a plant that bears blue bell-shaped flowers; Blue′-bird, a small American bird akin to the warblers; Blue′-black, black with a tinge of blue; Blue′-book, the name popularly applied to the reports and other papers printed by parliament, because usually stitched up in blue paper wrappers; Blue′-bot′tle, a common name for the Blue Cornflower: a familiar name for a policeman or beadle; Blue′-cap, a fish of the salmon kind with blue spots on its head: the blue titmouse: (Shak.) a Scotchman, from his blue bonnet; Blue′-eye, a beautiful little bird in New South Wales, one or the honey-eaters; Blue′-fish, a fish of the family Scomberidæ, abundant on the east coast of North America.—n.pl. Blue′-gowns, the name commonly given to a former class of privileged mendicants in Scotland—called also the King's Bedesmen.—ns. Blue′-grass, a permanent grass found in Europe and North America; Blue′-gum, a kind of Eucalyptus; Blue′-jack′et, a seaman in the navy, as distinguished from a marine; Blue′-jay, a common North American bird of the jay family; Blue′ness; Blue′-nose, a nickname for a Nova Scotian; Blue′-pē′ter, a blue flag with white square in the centre, used in the navy as a signal for sailing; Blue′pill, a mercurial pill, used as a purgative in cases of torpid or inflamed liver; Blue′-stock′ing, a name given to learned ladies who display their acquirements in a pedantic manner, to the neglect of womanly graces—about 1750 Mrs Montague and others began to substitute literary conversation for cards, and the name implying a disregard for the conventional costume of polite society was suggested by the blue stockings of Benjamin Stillingfleet—the French bas bleu is a translation; Blue′-stone, blue copperas, sulphate of copper; Blue′-throat, or Blue′-breast, a beautiful and melodious bird, nearly allied to the nightingale; Blue′-wing, a kind of duck, either a sub-genus of Anas, or a special genus Cyanopterus—the best-known species, the Common or Lunate Blue-wing, the Blue-winged Teal of the United States.—adj. Blū′ish, slightly blue.—Blue blood, aristocratic blood—the sangre azul of the Spanish hidalgoes; Blue bonnet, a round flat cap of blue woollen, much worn in Scotland: a blue-bonneted Scotch peasant or soldier; Blue-bottle fly, the meat-fly or blow-fly; Blue-coat boy, a scholar of Christ's Hospital—also (from the blue coat having formerly been the usual dress of servants) a servant, beadle, soldier; Blue devil, an evil demon: (pl.) deep despondency, the apparitions seen in delirium tremens; Blue funk (slang), great terror; Blue ribbon, a term applied to any great prize, as the Derby stakes—from the blue ribbon worn by Knights of the Garter: the badge assumed by the so-called Blue Ribbon Army introduced from America in 1878; Blue water, the deep sea, as opposed to port or a narrow channel.—Light blue, and Dark blue, the distinctive colours in their athletic contests of Eton and Cambridge, and of Harrow and Oxford respectively; The Blues, the Royal Horse Guards; The blues (for blue devils), a colloquial expression for depression of spirits.—To be a blue, to be chosen to represent Oxford or Cambridge at an inter-university contest in cricket, football, rowing, or athletics; An old blue, one once so chosen.—To drink till all's blue, until everything around one looks blue; To look blue, to be down-spirited.—True blue, faithful to the principles of the political party wearing blue as its colour, in many places identified with Conservative. [M. E. blew—O. Fr. bleu, of Teut. origin; as also Scand. blá, which gave M. E. bla, blo, and modern blae.]

Bluff, bluf, adj. blustering: rough and hearty in manners: outspoken: steep.—n. a high steep bank overlooking the sea or a river: the act of bluffing at cards, as in poker—hence any kind of boastful swagger intended to impose upon another: (slang) an excuse.—adjs. Bluff′-bowed, having broad and flat bows, as a ship; Bluff′-head′ed, applied to a ship having her stem too straight up.—adv. Bluff′ly.—n. Bluff′ness. [Prob. Dut.]

Blunder, blun′der, v.i. to make a gross mistake, to flounder about: to utter thoughtlessly.—n. a gross mistake.—p.adj. Blun′dering, apt to make gross mistakes: apt to stumble.—To blunder away, to throw away some opportunity or advantage. [M. E. blondren; prob. conn. with Bland; perh. from Ice. blunda, to doze.]

Blunderbuss, blun′dėr-bus, n. a short hand-gun with a wide bore. [Corr. of Dut. donderbus—donder, thunder, bus, a box, barrel of a gun, a gun; Ger. donnerbüchse.]

Blunt, blunt, adj. having a dull edge or point; rough, outspoken, dull.—v.t. to dull the edge or point: to weaken.—n. (slang) money.—adj. Blunt′ish.—adv. Bluntly.—n. Blunt′ness.—adj. Blunt′-wit′ted (Shak.) dull, stupid. [Orig. sleepy, dull; prob. conn. with Ice. blunda, to doze; perh. akin to Blind.]

Blur, blur, n. a blot, stain, or spot.—v.t. to blot, stain, obscure, or blemish (with out, over):—pr.p. blur′ring; pa.p. blurred. [A variety of Blear.]

Blurt, blurt, v.t. to utter suddenly or unadvisedly (with out).—n. an abrupt outburst.—p.adj. Blurt′ing, impulsively frank. [From sound. Cf. Blirt.]

Blush, blush, n. a red glow on the face caused by shame, modesty, &c.: any reddish colour: sudden appearance.—v.i. to show shame or confusion by growing red in the face: to grow red.—n. Blush′et (Ben Jonson), a young, modest girl.—adj. Blush′ful, full of blushes: modest—n. Blush′ing, the act of turning red: the appearance of colour upon the cheek.—p.adj. showing blushes: modest.—adv. Blush′ingly.—At the first blush, at the first glance.—To put to the blush, to cause to blush. [Prob. Scand.; cog. with A.S. blysa, a blaze. See Blaze, Blowze.]

Bluster, blus′tėr, v.i. to make a noise like a blast of wind: to bully or swagger.—n. a blast or roaring as of the wind: bullying or boasting language: a storm of anger.—n. Blus′tering, a noisy blowing as of a blast: swaggering: noisy pretension.—adj. stormy: tumultuous: boastful.—adv. Blus′teringly.—adjs. Blus′terous (Shak.) noisy: boastful; Blus′tery, stormy: (Carlyle) swaggering. [An augmentative of Blast.]

Bo, bō, interj. a word used to frighten children.—To say bo to a goose, to open the mouth, to say even a word.

Boa, bō′a, n. a genus of serpents which includes the largest species of serpents (the Boa-Constric′tor), which kill their prey by constriction or pressure: a long serpent-like coil of fur, feathers, or the like, worn round the neck by ladies. [Perh. conn. with L. bos, an ox.]

Boad. Same as Abode, pa.p. of Abide: also the same as Bode.

Boanerges, bo-an-erj′es, n. a noisy preacher or shouting orator. ['Sons of thunder'—Mark, iii. 17.]

Boar, bōr, n. the male of swine, or its flesh.—adj. Boar′ish, swinish: brutal.—n. Boar′-spear, a spear used in boar-hunting. [A.S. bár; Dut. beer; Ger. bär.]

Board, bōrd, n. a broad and thin strip of timber: a table to put food on: food: a table round which persons meet for some kind of business: any council or authorised body of men, as a 'school-board:' the deck of a ship: (pl.) the stage: a kind of thick stiff paper, as in pasteboard, Bristol-board, esp. that used in the binding of books.—v.t. to cover with boards: to supply with food at fixed terms: to enter a ship: to attack.—v.i. to receive food or take meals.—ns. Board′er, one who receives board (food): one who boards a ship; Board′ing, the act of covering with boards: the covering itself: act of boarding a ship; Board′ing-house, a house where boarders are kept; Board′ing-pike, a pike used in boarding a ship, or in defending it when attacked; Board′ing-school, a school in which board is given as well as instruction; Board′-school, a school under control of a school-board, as elected by the Elementary Education Act of 1870.—n.pl. Board′-wā′ges, wages allowed to servants to keep themselves in food.—Above board, openly.—By the board, over the board or side of a ship—hence, To go by the board, to be lost or destroyed.—To sweep the board, to take all the cards. [A.S. bord, a board, the side of a ship; Ice. borð, the side of a ship: conn. either with Bear or with Broad.]

Boast, bōst, v.i. to talk vaingloriously: to brag (with of),—v.t. to brag of: speak proudly or confidently of, esp. justifiably: to magnify or exalt one's self.—n. an expression of pride: a brag: the cause of boasting.—adj. Boast′ful, given to brag.—adv. Boast′fully.—ns. Boast′fulness, Boast′ing, ostentatious display: vaunting.—adj. Boast′less, without boasting; simple, unostentatious. [M. E. bost, of doubtful origin; apparently W. bostio, Gael. bòsd, a bragging, are borrowed.]

Boat, bōt, n. a small open vessel usually moved by oars: a small ship: a vessel like a boat in shape, as a 'sauce-boat.'—v.i. to sail about in a boat.—ns. Boat′-hook, an iron hook fixed to a pole used for pulling or pushing off a boat; Boat′-house, a house or shed for a boat: Boat′ing, the art or practice of sailing in boats; Boat′man, a man who has charge of a boat: a rower.—In the same boat, in the same circumstances.—To have an oar in another's boat, to meddle with the affairs of others. [A.S. bát; Dut. boot; Fr. bateau.]

Boatswain, bōt′swān (colloq. bō′sn), n. a petty officer on board ship who looks after the boats, rigging, &c., and calls the seamen to duty with a whistle. [Boat, and swain, Scand. sveinn, a boy.]

Bob, bob, v.i. to move quickly up and down, to dangle: to fish with a bob.—v.t. to move in a short, jerking manner:—pr.p. bob′bing; pa.p. bobbed.—n. a short jerking motion: a slight blow: anything that moves with a bob or swing: a pendant: a knot of hair, as in Bob′-wig, one with the ends turned up into short curls: a bunch of lobworms, used in catching eels: any small roundish body: the refrain or burden of a song: a term in bell-ringing—a Bob minor is rung upon six bells; a Bob major on eight; a Bob royal on ten; a Bob maximus on twelve.—adj. Bob′bish, in good spirits.—n. Bob′ble, the movement of water in commotion. [Perh. Celt., Gael. baban, babag.]

Bob, bob, n. (slang) a shilling. [Hardly the O. Fr. bobe = 1½d.]

Bob, bob, Bobby, bob′i, n. a shortened familiar form of Robert: a familiar name for a policeman—from Sir Robert Peel, Home Secretary at the passing of the Metropolitan Police Act of 1828.—n. Light′-bob, a soldier of the light infantry.

Bobadil, bob′a-dil, n. a swaggering boaster, from Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour.

Bobbery, bob′er-i, n. a noisy row. [Hindi bāp re! O father!—Col. Yule.]

Bobbin, bob′in, n. a small piece of wood on which thread is wound.—n. Bobb′inet, a kind of fine netted lace made by machines. [Fr. bobine, prob. Celt.; cf. Gael. baban, a tassel.]

Bobolink, bob′ō-lingk, n. a North American singing bird, found in the northern states in spring and summer. [At first Bob Lincoln, from the note of the bird.]

Bobstays, bob′stāz, n.pl. (naut.) ropes or stays used to confine the bowsprit downward to the stem or cutwater, and counteract the strain of the foremast-stays.

Bobtail, bob′tāl, n. a short or cut tail: a word applied in contempt to the rabble, as in 'tag-rag and bobtail.'—adj. Bob′tailed, with tail cut short.

Bocage. See Boscage.

Bode, bōd, v.t. to portend or prophesy.—v.i. to be an omen: to foreshow.—adj. Bode′ful, boding, ominous.—n. Bode′ment, an omen, presentiment.—pr.p. Bod′ing, presaging.—n. an omen or portent. [A.S. bodian, to announce—bod, a message; allied to Bid.]

Bode, bōd (Spens.). Same as Abode.

Bodega, bo-dē′ga, n. a wine-shop. [Sp.]

Bodge, boj, v.i. to make bad work, to fail.—n. Bodg′er, a botcher, a pedlar. [A form of Botch.]

Bodice, bod′is, n. a woman's outer garment covering the waist and bust: the close-fitting waist or body of a woman's gown.

Bodikin, bod′i-kin, n. a form of an oath, ''Od's bodikins' = God's little body.

Bodkin, bod′kin, n. a small dagger: a small instrument for pricking holes or for dressing the hair: a large blunt needle.—To sit, or ride, bodkin, to be wedged in tight between two others. [Prob. conn. with W. bidog, a dagger.]

Bodle, bod′l, n. a Scotch copper coin, equal to about one-sixth of an English penny, the smallest coin. [Said to be named from a mint-master, one Bothwell.]

Bodrages, bod′rā-jiz, n.pl. (Spens.) a hostile attack, a raid. [Ir. buaidhreadh, a disturbance.]

Body, bod′i, n. the whole frame of a man or lower animal: the main part of an animal, as distinguished from the limbs: the main or middle part of anything: matter, as opposed to spirit: substance or substantial quality: a mass: a person: a number of persons united by some common tie.—v.t. to give form to: to embody:—pr.p. bod′ying; pa.p. bod′ied.—adj. Bod′iless, without a body: incorporeal.—adv. Bod′ily, relating to the body, esp. as opposed to the mind.—ns. Bod′y-col′our, a term applied to paints to express their degree of consistence, substance, and tingeing power; Bod′y-cur′er (Shak.), a doctor; Bod′yguard, a guard to protect the person, esp. of the sovereign; Bod′y-pol′itic, the collective body of the people in its political capacity; Bod′y serv′ant, a personal attendant; Bod′y-snatch′er, one who secretly disinters the bodies of the dead for the purposes of dissection. [A.S. bodig, of dubious origin.]

Bœotian, be-ō′shyan, adj. pertaining to Bœotia in Greece, noted for the dullness of its inhabitants—hence stupid, dull.

Boer, bōōr, n. a Dutch colonist at the Cape engaged in agriculture. [Dut. boer. See Boor.]

Bog, bog, n. soft ground: a marsh or quagmire.—v.t. to sink or to entangle.—n. Bog′-butt′er, a mineral substance, resembling butter, found in Irish bogs.—adj. Bogg′y.—ns. Bog′let, Bog′land; Bog′-moss, a genus of moss plants; Bog′-oak, trunks of oak embedded in bogs and preserved from decay—of a deep black colour, often used for making ornaments; Bog′-ore, a kind of iron ore found in boggy land; Bog′-spav′in, a lesion of the hock-joint of the horse, consisting in distension of the capsule enclosing the joint, usually arising suddenly from a sprain in action; Bog′-trot′ter, one who lives in a boggy country, hence an Irishman. [Ir. bogach; Gael. bog, soft.]

Boggard, Boggart. See Bogle.

Boggle, bog′l, v.i. to stop or hesitate as if at a bogle: to start with fright: to make difficulties about a thing: to equivocate.—n. a scruple, objection: a bungle.—n. Bogg′ler, one who boggles: a doubter: (Shak.) one who starts from the right path. [See Bogle.]

Bogie, Bogey, bōg′i, n. a low truck on four wheels, so constructed as to turn easily, a trolly: a revolving under-carriage, as in a locomotive engine. [Ety. unknown; perh. conn. with Bogy, a fiend.]

Bogle, bōg′l, n. a spectre or goblin: a scarecrow: a bugbear, or source of terror—also Bogg′le.—Bogg′ard is a common form in the North country. [Scot. bogle, a ghost; W. bwg, a goblin. See Bug.]

Bogus, bō′gus, adj. counterfeit, spurious. [An American cant word, of very doubtful origin—it may possibly be ult. related to Bogy.]

Bogy, Bogey, bōg′i, n. a goblin: a bugbear or special object of dread, the devil.—n. Bog′yism. [A form of Boggle and Boggard.]

Bohea, bo-hē′, n. the lowest quality of black tea: tea generally. [Chin.]

Bohemian, bo-hē′mi-an, n. and adj. applied to persons of loose or irregular habits: an artist or man of letters, or indeed any one, who sets social conventionalities aside.—n. Bohē′mianism. [Fr. bohémien, a gipsy, from the belief that these wanderers came from Bohemia.]

Boiar. Same as Boyar.

Boil, boil, v.i. to bubble up from the action of heat: to be hot: to be excited or agitated.—v.t. to heat to a boiling state: to cook or dress by boiling.—ns. Boil′er, one who boils: that in which anything is boiled: a vessel in which steam, usually for a steam-engine, is generated: a vessel for heating water for baths, &c.; Boil′ing, the bubbling up of any liquid by the application of heat: the act of dressing food by boiling water.—adj. bubbling: swelling with heat or passion.—n. Boil′ing-point, the temperature at which liquids begin to boil under heat.—To boil down, to reduce in bulk by boiling, to extract the substance of, to epitomise; To boil over, to bubble over the sides of the containing vessel, to break out into unrestrained indignation. [O. Fr. boillir—L. bullīre—bulla, a bubble.]

Boil, boil, n. an inflamed swelling or tumour. [A.S. býl; Ger. beule.]

Boisterous, bois′tėr-us, adj. wild: noisy: turbulent: stormy.—adv. Bois′terously.—n. Bois′terousness. [M. E. boistous, approximating, but not in sense, to the O. Fr. boisteus, whence modern boiteux, lame. The Celtic words throw no light upon its origin.]

Bolas, bō′las, n. missiles used by the South American gauchos, consisting of balls or stones strung together, swung round the head and hurled, usually so as to entangle the legs of an animal running. [Sp.]

Bold, bōld, adj. daring or courageous: forward or impudent: presumptuous: executed with spirit: striking to the sight, well marked: steep or abrupt.—v.t. Bold′en (obs.), to make bold.—adj. Bold′faced, impudent.—adv. Bold′ly.—n. Bold′ness.—To make bold, to take the liberty, to make free. [A.S. bald; Old High Ger. bald, Ice. ballr.]

Bole, bōl, n. the round stem or body of a tree. [Scand. bolr; Ger. bohle, a plank.]

Bole, bōl, n. an earthy mineral resembling clay in structure, and consisting essentially of silica, alumina, red oxide of iron, and water; the bole of Lemnos, Lemnian Earth, is red in colour, and was once used as a tonic and astringent medicine. [Gr. bōlos, a clod.]

Bole, bōl, n. a recess in a wall: an opening to admit light and air. [Scot.; origin unknown.]

Bolero, bo-lā′ro, or bo-lē′ro, n. Spanish national dance: also the air to which it is danced. [Sp.]

Boletus, bol-ē′tus, n. a genus of fungi, having a pore-like surface occupying the place of gills. [Gr. bōlitēs, mushroom.]

Bolide, bol′īd, n. a large meteor or fireball. [Fr.—L. bolid-em, bolis—Gr. bolis, ballein, to throw.]

Bolin, an obsolete form of Bowline.

Boll, bōl, n. one of the round heads or seed-vessels of flax, poppy, &c.: a pod or capsule.—p.adjs. Bolled (bōld), swollen, podded; Bollen (bōln), swollen (Shak.). [A form of Bowl; A.S. bolla.]

Boll, bōl, n. a measure of capacity for grain, &c., used in Scotland and the north of England—in Scotland = 6 imperial bushels; in England, varying from 2 to 6 bushels: also a measure of weight, containing, for flour, 140 lb. [Scot. bow; prob. a Scand. word; cf. Ice. bolli.]

Bollandist, bol′an-dist, n. one of the Jesuit writers who continued the Acta Sanctorum (q.v.), begun by John Bolland (1596-1665).

Bollard, bol′ard, n. a post on a wharf to which vessels are secured: a thick piece of wood on the forepart of a whale-boat, round which the line is turned when a whale is harpooned. [Prob. Bole.]

Bologna, bol-ōn′ya, adj. from a town of Italy, which gives its name to Bologna phial, Bologna phosphorus, and Bologna or 'Polony' sausages.—adj. Bologn′ese.

Bolometer, bō-lom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring minute amounts of radiant heat. [Gr. bolē, ray (ballein, to throw), metron, a measure.]

Bolster, bōl′stėr, n. a long round pillow or cushion: a pad: anything resembling it in form or use, esp. any piece of mechanism affording a support against pressure.—v.t. to support with a bolster: to hold up.—p.adj. Bol′stered, supported: swelled out.—n. Bol′stering, a propping up or supporting. [A.S. bolster; from root of Bowl.]

Bolt, bōlt, n. a bar or pin used to fasten a door, &c.: an arrow: a thunderbolt, as in 'a bolt from the blue.'—v.t. to fasten with a bolt: to throw or utter precipitately: to expel suddenly: to swallow hastily.—v.i. to rush away (like a bolt from a bow): to start up: (U.S.) to break away from one's political party.—ns. Bolt′-head, the head of a bolt: a chemical flask; Bolt′-rope, a rope sewed all round the edge of a sail to prevent it from tearing; Bolt′sprit (same as Bowsprit).—adv. Bolt′-up′right, upright and straight as a bolt or arrow.—n. Bolt′-up′rightness. [A.S. bolt; Old High Ger. bolz.]

Bolt, bōlt, v.t. (better spelling, Boult), to sift, to separate the bran from, as flour: to examine by sifting: to sift through coarse cloth.—ns. Bolt′er, a sieve: a machine for separating bran from flour; Bolt′ing, the process by which anything is bolted or sifted; Bolt′ing-hutch, a hutch or large box into which flour falls when it is bolted. [O. Fr. bulter, or buleter = bureter, from bure—Low L. burra, a coarse reddish-brown cloth—Gr. pyrros, reddish.]

Bolus, bō′lus, n. a rounded mass of anything: a large pill. [L. bolus—Gr. bōlos, a lump.]

Bomb, bom, or bum, n. a hollow projectile, usually of cast-iron, fired from a mortar, filled with gunpowder and fitted with a time-fuse: any similar missile or case of explosives, as a dynamite bomb.—n. Bom′bard, an engine or great gun for throwing bombs: (Shak.) a barrel or large vessel for holding liquor.—v.t. Bombard′, to attack with bombs.—ns. Bombardier′, the lowest non-commissioned officer in the British artillery, formerly a man employed about the mortars and howitzers; Bombard′ment; Bombar′don, a deep-toned brass instrument, with a tube likened to a bombard.—adj. Bomb′-proof, proof or secure against the force of bombs.—ns. Bomb′-shell (same as Bomb); Bomb′-vess′el, Bomb′-ketch, a vessel for carrying the mortars used in bombarding from the sea.—Bombardier beetle, a name given to several species of beetles, which discharge an acrid volatile fluid with explosive force from the abdomen. [Fr. bombe—L. bombus—Gr. bombos, a humming sound—an imitative word.]

Bombasine, Bombazine, bom′-, bum-ba-zēn′, n. a twilled or corded fabric of silk and worsted, or of cotton and worsted.—n. Bom′bax, a genus of silk-cotton trees, native to tropical America. [Fr. bombasin—Low L. bombasinum—Gr. bombyx, silk.]

Bombast, bom′-, bum′bast, n. inflated or high-sounding language: originally cotton or any soft material used for stuffing garments.—adj. Bombas′tic, high-sounding: inflated. [Low L. bombax, cotton—Gr. bombyx, silk.]

Bombax. See Bombasine.

Bombay-duck, bom-bā′-duk, n. a fish of the family Scopelidæ, nearly allied to the salmon and trout family, which is salted, dried, and eaten as a relish.

Bombyx, bom′biks, n. the silkworm. [Gr.]

Bon, bong, adj. good—French, occurring in some English but not Anglicised phrases, as Bon accord, good-will, agreement; Bon mot, a jest or smart saying; Bon ton, good style, the fashionable world; Bon vivant, one who lives well or luxuriously.

Bona fide, bō′na fīd′ā, adv. and adj. in good faith, with sincerity, genuine. [L.]

Bonanza, bon-an′za, n. a term common in the Pacific States for a rich mass of gold: any mine of wealth or stroke of luck. [Sp.]

Bonapartism, bō′na-pärt-izm, n. attachment to the dynasty of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French.—n. Bō′napartist.

Bona-roba, bō′na-rō′ba, n. (Shak.) a showy wanton, a courtesan. [It. buona roba, lit. a fine gown.]

Bonbon, bong′bong, n. a sweetmeat.—n. Bonbon′iere, a fancy box for holding such. [Fr., 'very good'—bon, good.]

Bond, bond, n. that which binds, a band: link of connection or union: a writing of obligation to pay a sum or to perform a contract: any constraining or any cementing force: in building, the connection of one stone or brick with another, made by lapping the one over the other as the work is carried up, as in English bond, Flemish bond, &c.: (pl.) imprisonment, captivity.—adj. bound: in a state of servitude.—v.t. to put imported goods in the customs' warehouses till the duties on them are paid—hence Bonded stores or warehouses, To take out of bond, &c.—p.adj. Bond′ed, secured by bond, as duties.—ns. Bond′er, a binding stone or brick; Bond′-hold′er, a person who holds bonds of a private person or public company; Bond′ing, that arrangement by which goods remain in the customs' warehouses till the duties are paid; Bond′maid, Bond′woman, Bonds′woman, a woman-slave; Bond′man, a man-slave; Bond′manship; Bond′serv′ant, a slave; Bond′-serv′ice, the condition of a bond-servant: slavery; Bond′-slave, a slave; Bonds′man, a bondman or slave: a surety; Bond′-stone, a stone which reaches a considerable distance into or entirely through a wall for the purpose of binding it together; Bond′-tim′ber, timber built into a wall as it is carried up for the purpose of binding it together in a longitudinal direction.—Bonded debt, the debt of a corporation represented by the bonds it has issued, as contrasted with its floating debt. [A variant of band—A.S. bindan, to bind.]

Bondage, bond′āj, n. state of being bound: captivity: slavery.—n. Bond′ager, a female outworker in the Border and North country, whom the hind or married cottar was bound to provide for the farm-work. [O. Fr.; Low L. bondagium, a kind of tenure. Acc. to Skeat, this is from A.S. bonda, a boor, a householder, from Ice. bóndi = búandi, a tiller, a husbandman, búa, to till, cog. with A.S. búan.]

Bone, bōn, n. a hard substance forming the skeleton of mammalian animals: a piece of the skeleton of an animal: (pl.) the bones collectively: mortal remains: pieces of bone held between the fingers of the hand and rattled together to keep time to music: dice, as made of bone, ivory, &c.—v.t. to take the bones out of, as meat: to seize, to steal.—ns. Bone′-ache (Shak.), aching or pain in the bones; Bone′-ash, Bone′-earth, the remains when bones are burnt in an open furnace; Bone′-black, the remains when bones are heated in a close vessel.—adj. Boned—used in composition, as high-boned: having bones: having the bones removed.—ns. Bone′-dust, ground or pulverised bones, used in agriculture; Bone′-lace, lace woven with bobbins, which were frequently made of bone.—adj. Bone′less, wanting bones.—ns. Bone′-set′ter, one who treats broken bones without being a duly qualified surgeon; Bone′-shāk′er, a name familiarly given to the earlier forms of bicycle before india-rubber tires; Bone′-spav′in, a bony excrescence or hard swelling on the inside of the hock of a horse.—adj. Bon′y, full of, or consisting of, bones.—A bone of contention, something that causes strife; A bone to pick, something to occupy one, a difficulty, a grievance, controversy, dispute.—To make no bones of, to have no scruples in regard to something; To the bone, to the inmost part. [A.S. bán, Ger. bein.]

Bonfire, bon′fīr, n. a large fire in the open air on occasions of public rejoicing, &c.—originally a fire in which bones were burnt. [Not Fr. bon, good, and Fire.]

Bongrace, bon′grās, n. a shade from the sun once worn by women on the front of the bonnet: a broad-brimmed hat or bonnet. [Fr.]

Bonhomie, bon′o-mē, n. easy good-nature. [Fr.; bon homme, a good fellow.]

Boniface, bon′i-fās, n. a generic name for an innkeeper, like 'mine host' or 'landlord'—from the hearty Boniface of Farquhar's Beaux' Stratagem.

Boning, bōn′ing, n. the act of estimating straightness by looking along a series of poles, as in boning-rod or telescope.

Bonito, bo-nēto, n. a name given to several fishes of the mackerel family—the Stripe-bellied Tunny of the tropical parts of the Atlantic and Pacific; the Mediterranean Bonito; the Plain Bonito. [Sp.]

Bonne, bon, n. a French nursemaid. [Fr.; fem. of bon, good.]

Bonne-bouche, bon-bōōsh, n. a delicious morsel. [Fr.]

Bonnet, bon′et, n. a covering for the head worn by women, without a brim, tied on by strings, and now letting the whole face be seen, although formerly a bonnet (esp. a Poke′-bonn′et) covered the sides of the face: a soft cap: the velvet cap within a coronet: (fort.) a small work before the salient or flanked angle of the ravelin: (naut.) an additional part laced to the foot of jibs, or other fore-and-aft sails, to gather more wind: a wire-covering over a chimney-top: a decoy or pretended player or bidder at a gaming-table or an auction, the accomplice of a thimble-rigger or other petty swindler.—v.t. to put a bonnet on: to crush a man's hat over his eyes.—adj. and p.adj. Bonn′eted.—ns. Bonn′et-piece, a gold coin of James V. of Scotland, on which the king wears a bonnet instead of a crown; Bonn′et-rouge, the red cap of liberty of the French Revolution, shaped like a nightcap.—Bonnet laird, a Scotch name for a petty landowner who wore a bonnet, not the hat of the gentry.—Balmoral bonnet, a flat cap resembling the Scotch (Lowland) bonnet; Glengarry bonnet, rising to a point in front, with ribbons hanging down behind; Scotch bonnet, of a broad, round, flat shape, of dark-blue colour, with a tuft on the top, the fabric thick-milled woollen, without seam or lining—like the Basque béret. [O. Fr.—Low L. bonnetum, orig. the name of a stuff.]

Bonny, bon′i, adj. beautiful: handsome: gay: plump: pleasant-looking: as a general term expressing appreciation = considerable, &c., often ironically: cheerful: (Shak.) stout, strong.—adv. Bonn′ily, beautifully: gaily.—n. Bonn′iness, handsomeness: gaiety. [Fr. bon, bonne—L. bonus.]

Bonspiel, bon′spēl, n. a great curling-match. [Dr Murray suggests an assumed Dut. bondspel, from bond = verbond, 'covenant, alliance, compact,' and; spel, play; the word having entered Scotch as a whole, spiel, spel, having never been in common use for 'play.']

Bonus, bōn′us, n. a premium beyond the usual interest for a loan: an extra dividend to shareholders: an extra gratuity paid to workmen: a douceur or bribe. [L. bonus, good.]

Bonze, bon′ze, n. a Buddhist priest. [Jap. bonzó or bonzi, a priest.]

Boo, Booh, bōō, interj. a sound expressive of disapprobation or contempt.—v.i. to utter 'boo!' to hoot.—v.t. Boo′-hoo′, to weep noisily.

Booby, bōō′bi, n. a silly or stupid fellow: a sea-bird, of the gannet tribe, remarkable for its apparent stupidity in allowing itself to be knocked down with a stick.—adjs. Boo′by, Boo′byish, like a booby: stupid.—ns. Boo′byism; Boo′by-trap, a rude form of practical joke among boys, by which something is made to fall upon some one entering a door, or the like. [Sp. bobo, a dolt: may prob. be cog. with Ger. bube.]

Boodle, bōōd′l, n. a crowd, pack—'the whole boodle:' stock-in-trade, capital. [May be conn. with Dut. boedel.]

Boodle, bōōd′l, n. (slang) a stupid noodle.

Boody, bōōd′i, v.i. to sulk or mope. [Fr. bouder, to pout.]

Book, book, n. a collection of sheets of paper bound together, either printed, written on, or blank: a literary composition: a division of a volume or subject: the Bible: a betting-book, or record of bets made with different people: (fig.) any source of instruction: the libretto of an opera, &c.: (pl.) formal accounts of transactions, as minutes of meetings, records kept of his business by a merchant.—v.t. to write in a book.—ns. Book′-account′, an account of debt or credit in a book; Book′binder, one who binds books; Book′binding, the art or practice of binding or putting the boards on books; Book′-case, a case with shelves for books; Book′-club, an association of persons who buy new books for circulation among themselves; Book′-debt, a debt for articles charged by the seller in his book-account.—adj. Book′ful, full of information gathered from books.—ns. Book′-hold′er, one who holds the book of the play and prompts the actor in the theatre; Book′-hunt′er, one who rejoices in discovering rare books; Book′ing-of′fice, an office where names are booked or tickets are taken.—adj. Book′ish, fond of books: acquainted only with books.—ns. Book′ishness; Book′-keep′ing, the art of keeping accounts in a regular and systematic manner; Book′-land, land taken from the folcland or common land, and granted by bóc or written charter to a private owner; Book′-learn′ing, learning got from books, as opposed to practical knowledge.—adj. Book′less, without books, unlearned.—ns. Book′let, a small book; Book′-mak′er, one who makes up books from the writings of others, a compiler: one who makes a system of bets in such a way that the gains must exceed the losses, entering them in a memorandum book; Book′-mak′ing, the art or practice of compiling books from the writings of others: compilation: systematic betting; Book′-man, a scholar, student; Book′-mark, something placed in a book to mark a particular page or passage; Book′-mate (Shak.), a mate or companion in the study of books: a schoolfellow; Book′-mus′lin, muslin used in bookbinding; Book′-oath (Shak.), an oath made on the Book or Bible; Book′plate, a label usually pasted inside the cover of a book, bearing the owner's name, crest, coat-of-arms, or peculiar device; Book′-post, the department in the Post-office for the transmission of books; Book′seller, one who sells books; Book′selling; Book′shelf, a shelf on which books are placed; Book′shop, a shop where books are sold; Book′-stall, a stall or stand, generally in the open air, where books are sold; Book′-stand, a book-stall: a stand or support for holding up a book when reading; Book′-trade, the trade of dealing in books; Book′worm, a worm or mite that eats holes in books: a hard reader: one who reads without discrimination or profit.—To be upon the books, to have one's name in an official list; To bring to book, to bring to account; To take a leaf out of another's book, to follow the example of some one; To talk like a book, to talk pedantically, or in a preternaturally well-informed manner. [A.S. bóc, a book, the beech; Ger. buche, the beech, buch, a book, because the Teutons first wrote on beechen boards.]

Boom, bōōm, n. a pole by which a sail is stretched: a chain or bar stretched across a harbour. [Dut. boom, a beam, a tree.]

Boom, bōōm, v.i. to make a hollow sound or roar: to go on with a rush, to become suddenly prosperous.—v.t. to push anything into sudden prominence:—pa.p. boomed (bōōmd); pr.p. boom′ing.—n. a hollow roar, as of the sea, the cry of the bittern, &c.: a sudden increase of activity in business, or the like—often the direct consequence of puffing advertisements or less legitimate intrigues.—p.adj. Boom′ing, rushing with violence. [From a Low Ger. root found in A.S. byme, a trumpet, Dut. bommen, to drum; like Bomb, of imit. origin.]

Boomerang, bōōm′e-rang, n. a hard-wood missile used by the natives of Australia, shaped like the segment of a circle, and so balanced that when thrown to a distance it returns towards the thrower. [Australian.]

Boon, bōōn, n. a petition: a gift or favour. [Ice. bôn, a prayer; A.S. ben.]

Boon, bōōn, adj. gay, merry, or kind. [Fr. bon—L. bonus, good.]

Boor, bōōr, n. a countryman, a peasant: a Dutch colonist in South Africa: a coarse or awkward person.—adj. Boor′ish, like a boor: awkward or rude.—adv. Boor′ishly.—n. Boor′ishness. [Dut. boer; Ger. bauer. The A.S. gebúr, a farmer, may explain the East Anglian bor, neighbour, as a form of address.]

Boord, an obsolete form of Board.

Boose. See Bouse.

Boot, bōōt, n. a covering for the foot and lower part of the leg generally made of leather: an infamous instrument of judicial torture, in which the legs were forced into a strong case and wedges driven in until bone, muscle, and marrow were crushed together—also Boot′ikin: a box or receptacle in a coach.—v.t. to put on boots.—n. Boot′-clos′er, one who closes the upper leathers of boots.—pa.p. Boot′ed, having boots on, equipped for riding.—ns. Boot′-hook, an instrument for pulling on long boots; Boot′hose (Shak.), hose or stockings used in place of boots; Boot′-jack, an instrument for taking off boots; Boot′lace, a lace for fastening boots; Boot′-last, Boot′-tree, the last or wooden mould on which boots or shoes are made or stretched to keep their shape.—adj. Boot′less, without boots: referring also, as in Tennyson's metaphorical use, 'wedded to a bootless calf,' to the ancient custom at a marriage by proxy of the quasi bridegroom putting one unbooted leg into the bride's bed.—n. Boots, the servant at an inn who cleans the boots, runs messages, &c.—in combination, as Lazyboots, Slyboots.—Boot and saddle (a corr. of Fr. bouteselle, place saddle), the signal to cavalry to mount.—Like old boots (slang), vigorously, heartily.—Six feet in his boots, quite six feet high.—To die in his boots, to be cut off in the midst of health, as by the rope; To have one's heart in one's boots, to be in a state of extreme terror. [O. Fr. bote (mod. botte)—Low L. botta, bota, of dubious origin.]

Boot, bōōt, v.t. to profit or advantage.—n. advantage: profit: any reparation or compensation paid, like the man-bote of old English law: (Shak.) booty.—adj. Boot′less, without boot or profit: useless.—adv. Boot′lessly.—n. Boot′lessness.—To boot, in addition; To make boot of (Shak.), to make profit of. [A.S. bót, compensation, amends, whence betan, to amend, to make Better.]

Bootes, bo-ō′tez, n. a northern constellation beside the Great Bear, containing the bright star Arcturus. [Gr.; an ox-driver.]

Booth, bōōth, n. a hut or temporary erection formed of slight materials: a covered stall at a fair or market. [Ice. buð, Ger. bude.]

Booty, bōōt′i, n. spoil taken in war or by force: plunder, a prize.—To play booty, to join with others in order to cheat one player, to play a game with intention to lose. [Ice. býti, share—býta, to divide.]

Booze. See Bouse.

Bo-peep, bo-pēp′, n. a simple play among children in which one peeps from behind something and cries 'Bo.'

Bora, bō′ra, n. a strong north-east wind in the upper Adriatic. [Diez explains the word as a Venetian variant of It. borea—L. boreas; acc. to others, Slav.; cf. Servian bura.]

Borachio, bor-ach′i-o, n. a Spanish wine-bottle of leather: a drunken fellow. [Sp. borracha.]

Borage, bur′āj, n. a plant of the genus Borago, formerly in great repute as a cordial. [Low L. borago.]

Borax, bō′raks, n. a mineral salt used for soldering, as a flux in metallurgy, in enamelling and glazing, as a mordant in dyeing, as a substitute for soap, and also in medicine.—adj. Borac′ic, of or relating to borax.—ns. Bor′acite, a mineral composed of boracic acid and carbonate of magnesia; Bō′rate, a salt of boracic acid.—Boracic acid, an acid obtained by dissolving borax, and also found native in mineral springs in Italy. [Through Fr. and Low L. borax, borac-em, from Ar. bûraq.]

Bordar, bord′ar, n. a villein who held his hut at his lord's pleasure. [Low L. bordarius; of Teut. origin. See Board.]

Bordeaux, bor-dō′, n. claret, wine of Bordeaux, a great city in the south-west of France.

Bordel, bor′del, n. a house for prostitution. [O. Fr. bordel, a cabin—Low L. borda.]

Border, bord′ėr, n. the edge or margin of anything: the march or boundary of a country, esp. that between England and Scotland: a flower-bed in a garden: a piece of ornamental edging or trimming round a garment, &c.—v.i. to resemble (with on): to be adjacent (with upon, with).—v.t. to make or adorn with a border: to bound.—ns. Bord′erer, one who dwells on the border of a country; Bord′er-land.—adj. Bord′erless. [O. Fr. bordure; from root of Board.]

Bord-raging. See Bodraging.

Bordure, bor′dūr, n. (her.) a border surrounding a shield, generally said to occupy one-fifth of the field. [Border.]

Bore, bōr, v.t. to pierce so as to form a hole; to weary or annoy.—n. a hole made by boring: the size of the cavity of a gun; a person or thing that wearies (not from the foregoing, according to Dr Murray, who says both verb and noun arose after 1750).—ns. Bor′er, the person or thing that bores: a genus of sea-worms that pierce wood; a name common to many insects that pierce wood; Bor′ing, the act of making a hole in anything: a hole made by boring: (pl.) the chips produced by boring. [A.S. borian, to bore; cf. Ger. bohren; allied to L. for-āre, to bore, Gr. pharynx, the gullet.]

Bore, bōr, did bear, pa.t. of Bear.

Bore, bōr, n. a tidal flood which rushes with great violence up the estuaries of certain rivers, also called Eagre. [Ice. bára, a wave or swell.]

Boreas, bō′re-as, n. the north wind.—adj. Bō′real. [L. and Gr.]

Boric. Same as Boracic (q.v. under Borax).

Born, bawrn,—pa.p. of Bear, to bring forth.—Born again, having received new spiritual life or regeneration through Christ.—Born in, or with, inherited by birth; Born of, sprung from.—A born fool, one whose folly is from his birth—also in compounds, as English-born, eldest-born, base-born, gently-born, well-born, &c.—In one's born days, in one's life-time.

Borne, bōrn, pa.p. of Bear, to carry.

Borné, bor′nā, adj. limited, narrow-minded. [Fr. pa.p. of borner, to limit.]

Boron, bō′ron, n. a simple non-metallic element present in borax and boracic acid, obtained in crystals which resemble diamonds. [See Borax.]

Borough, bur′ō, n. a town with a corporation and special privileges granted by royal charter; a town that sends representatives to parliament.—ns. Bor′ough-English, a custom in some ancient English boroughs, by which estates descend to the youngest son or the youngest brother; Bor′oughmonger, one who buys or sells the patronage of boroughs; Bor′ough-reeve, the chief municipal official in some unincorporated English towns prior to 1835.—Close or Pocket borough, a borough the representation of which was in the nomination of some person—common before 1832; County borough, a borough of above 50,000 inhabitants, constituted by the Local Government Act of 1888; Rotten borough, one which still returned members to parliament although the constituency had disappeared—all abolished in 1832.—The Scotch terms are grouped under Burgh. [A.S. burg, burh, a city, from beorgan; Ger. bergen, to protect.]

Borrel, bor′el, adj. (Spens.) rustic, clownish. [O. Fr. burel, coarse cloth worn by peasantry.]

Borrow, bor′ō, v.t. to obtain on loan or trust: to adopt from a foreign source: to derive one's authority from another (with from, of).—p.adj. Borr′owed, taken on loan, counterfeit, assumed.—n. Borr′ower.—Borrowing days, the last three days of March (O.S.), supposed in Scotch folklore to have been borrowed by March from April, and to be especially stormy. [A.S. borgian—borg, borh, a pledge, security.]

Borstall, bor′stal, n. a way up a hill, still used in the district of the Downs. [A.S. beorh, a hill, and stigel, a stile.]

Bort, bort, n. diamond-dust. [Fr.]

Borzoi, bor′zoi, n. a breed of dogs of great grace and beauty, in shape like a gigantic greyhound, though covered with a soft coat about the length of a deerhound's. [Russ.]

Boscage, bosk′āj, n. thick foliage: woodland. [Fr. boscage, bocage—Low L. boscus (hence Fr. bois), conn. with Ger. busch, Eng. Bush.]

Bosh, bosh, n. used also as interj. nonsense, foolish talk or opinions. [Turk. bosh, worthless, frequent in Morier's popular novel Ayesha (1834).]

Bosky, bosk′i, adj. woody or bushy: shady.—ns. Bosk′et, Bosk (Tennyson), a thicket.

Bosom, bōōz′um, n. the breast of a human being, or the part of the dress which covers it: (fig.) the seat of the passions and feelings: the heart: embrace, enclosure, as within the arms: any close or secret receptacle.—adj. (in composition) confidential: intimate.—v.t. to enclose in the bosom.—Abraham's bosom, the abode of the blessed dead.—To take to one's bosom, to marry: to make an intimate friend of. [A.S. bósm; Ger. busen.]

Boson, bō′sn, n. a corruption of Boatswain.

Boss, bos, n. a knob or stud: a raised ornament.—v.t. to ornament with bosses.—adj. Boss′y, having bosses.—p.adj. Bossed, embossed. [O. Fr. boce (Fr. bosse), from Old Ger. bôzan, to beat.]

Boss, bos, n. the chief or leader: the master, manager, or foreman: the person who pulls the wires in political intrigues.—adj. chief: excellent.—v.t. to manage or control.—To boss the show, to be supreme director of an enterprise. [Amer.; from the New York Dutch baas, master; cog. with Ger. base, a cousin.]

Bostangi, bos-tan′ji, n. a Turkish guard of the palace. [Turk.]

Boston, bost′on, n. a game at cards, somewhat similar to whist. [From Boston in Mass., U.S.]

Boswellian, bos-wel′li-an, adj. after the manner of Boswell, the famous biographer of Samuel Johnson.—v.i. Bos′wellise, to write after the manner of Boswell—full of an absolute admiration for one's hero and interest in him descending to the smallest particulars.—n. Bos′wellism.

Bot. See Bots.

Botany, bot′an-i, n. the science of plants.—adj. Botan′ic.—adv. Botan′ically.—v.i. Bot′anise, to seek for and collect plants for study.—ns. Bot′anist, one skilled in botany; Bot′anomancy, divination by means of plants, esp. the leaves of the sage and fig.—Botany Bay, a famous convict settlement in New South Wales, near to what is now Sydney: convict settlements generally. [Gr. botanē, herb, plant—bosk-ein, to feed, L. vescor, I feed myself; perh. cog. with A.S. woed.]

Botargo, bot-ar′go, n. a relish made of mullet or tunny roe. [It.—Ar.]

Botch, boch, n. a swelling on the skin: a clumsy patch: ill-finished work.—v.t. to patch or mend clumsily: to put together unsuitably or unskilfully.—ns. Botch′er, one who botches; Botch′work, Botch′ery.—adj. Botch′y, marked with or full of botches. [From root of Boss.]

Botfly. See Bots.

Both, bōth, adj. and pron. the two: the one and the other.—conj. as well: on the one side. [Ice. bathi, Ger. beide; A.S. bâ; cf. L. am-bo, Gr. am-phō, Sans. ubha, orig. ambha.]

Bother, both′ėr, v.t. to perplex or tease.—ns. Both′er; Botherā′tion.—adj. Both′ersome. [Murray notes that the word first appeared in the writings of Irish-born men, as Dr Sheridan, Swift, and Sterne. Perh. from Ir. buaidhirt, trouble.]

Bothy, Bothie, both′i, n. a humble cottage or hut: a temporary house for men engaged in some common work, esp. the barely furnished quarters provided for farm-servants, generally unmarried men, in the eastern and north-eastern counties of Scotland.—The Bothy system is apparently economical, but is detrimental to health and to morality.

Botoné, Bottony, bot′un-i, adj. (her.) having buds or knobs at the extremity, applied to a cross having each arm terminated in three buds, like trefoil. [O. Fr. See Button.]

Bo-tree, bō′-trē, n. the name given in Ceylon to the Pipal or Peepul of India (Ficus religiosa), held sacred by the Buddhists, and planted close by every temple. [Singh. bo, from Pali bodhi, perfect knowledge.]

Bots, Botts, botz, n. the larvæ of the botfly found in the flesh and in the intestines of animals.—n. Bot′fly, a family of dipterous insects, resembling the blue-bottle fly, which deposit their eggs on cattle. [Ety. unknown; hardly conn. with Bite.]

Bottine, bot′ēn, n. a high boot, a half-boot. [Fr., dim. of botte, a boot.]

Bottle, bot′l, n. a bundle of hay.—To look for a needle in a bottle of hay, to engage in a hopeless search. [O. Fr. botel.]

Bottle, bot′l, n. a hollow vessel for holding liquids: the contents of such a vessel: the habit of drinking.—v.t. to enclose in bottles.—n. Bott′le-chart, one which purports to show the track of sealed bottles thrown from ships into the sea.—p.adj. Bott′led, enclosed in bottles: shaped or protuberant like a bottle: kept in restraint.—ns. Bott′le-glass, a coarse green glass used in the making of bottles; Bott′le-gourd, or False Calabash, a climbing, musky-scented Indian annual, whose fruit is shaped like a bottle, an urn, or a club.—adjs. Bott′le-green, dark green in colour, like bottle-glass.—Bott′le-head, Bott′le-nosed, having a rounded prominent head, with a short snout, as a certain genus of whale.—ns. Bott′le-hold′er, one who attends upon a boxer at a prize-fight, a backer or supporter generally; Bott′le-imp, an imp supposed to be confined in a bottle; Bott′le-wash′er, one whose business it is to wash out the bottles, a factotum generally.—A three-bottle man, one who could drink three bottles without losing his decorum.—To bottle off, to draw from the cask and put into bottles; To bottle up (one's wrath, &c.), to keep enclosed as in a bottle; To bring up on the bottle, to rear an infant artificially rather than by the breast; To pass the bottle, to make the drink go round; To pass the bottle of smoke, to acquiesce in some falsehood, to make pretence. [O. Fr. bouteille, dim. of botte, a vessel for liquids—Low L. butis, a vessel.]

Bottom, bot′um, n. the lowest part of anything: that on which anything rests or is founded: the sitting part of the human body: the foot of a page, &c.: low land, as in a valley: the keel of a ship, hence the vessel itself: the fundamental character of anything, as physical stamina, financial resources, &c.: the portion of a wig hanging down over the shoulder, as in 'full-bottom'—full-bottomed wig: (Shak.) a ball of thread.—v.t. to found or rest upon: (Shak.) to wind round or upon.—adj. Bott′omed.—ns. Bott′om-glade, a glade or open space in a bottom or valley; Bott′om-grass (Shak.) grass growing on bottom lands.—adj. Bott′omless.—n. Bott′omry, a contract by which money is borrowed on the security of a ship or bottom.—Bottomless pit—hell.—At bottom, in reality.—From the bottom of the heart, from the very heart.—To be at the bottom of, to be the real origin of; To stand on one's own bottom, to be independent of; To touch bottom, to reach the lowest point. [A.S. botm; Ger. boden; conn. with L. fundus, bottom, Gael. bonn, the sole.]

Bottony. See Botoné.

Boudoir, bōōd′war, n. a lady's private room. [Fr.—bouder, to pout, to be sulky.]

Bouffant, boof′ang, adj. puffed out, in dressmaking. [Fr.]

Bouffe. See Opera-bouffe.

Bougainvillæa, bōōg-ān-vil-ē′a, n. a neotropical genus of Nyctaginaceæ, frequently trained over trellises or under the roofs of greenhouses, their triplets of flowers almost concealed by rosy or purple bracts. [From the first French circumnavigator of the globe, Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811).]

Bough, bow, n. a branch of a tree: the gallows. [A.S. bóg, bóh, an arm, the shoulder (Ger. bug, the shoulder, the bow of a ship)—A.S. bugan, to bend.]

Bought, bawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Buy.—Bought′en in an archaic form.

Bought, bowt, n. a bight or bend: (Spens.) a twist or coil: the bend of a sling in which the stone is placed. [See Bight.]

Bougie, bōō′zhi, n. an instrument made of elastic, gum, wax, or metal, for distending contracted mucous canals, as the gullet, bowels, or urethra. [Fr. a 'wax candle,' because the instrument was orig. made of waxed linen, from Bougie in Algeria.]

Bouillabaisse, bōō-lya-bās′, n. a Provençal kind of fish chowder, familiar through Thackeray's appreciative ballad. [Fr.]

Bouilli, bōō′-yē, n. boiled or stewed meat.—n. Bouillon (bōō-yong), soup. [Fr. See Boil.]

Boulder, bōld′ėr, n. a large stone rounded by the action of water: (geol.) a mass of rock transported by natural agencies from its native bed.—adj. containing boulders.—n. Bould′er-clay (see Till, 4). [Acc. to Wedgwood, from Swed. bullra, Dan. buldre, to roar like thunder, as large pebbles do.]

Boulevard, bōōl′e-vär, n. a broad walk or promenade bordered with trees, originally applied to those formed upon the demolished fortifications of a town.—n. Boul′evardier, a frequenter of the boulevards. [Fr.—Ger. bollwerk. See Bulwark.]

Bouleversement, bōōl-vers-mang, n. an overturning. [Fr.]

Boult, bōlt, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Bolt (2).

Boun, Bowne, bown, v.t. (used refl.) to prepare one's self, to have recourse to.—v.i. to prepare, dress: to set out, to go to a place—(Spens.) Bound. [Boun, earlier form of bound—revived by Scott.]

Bounce, bowns, v.i. to jump or spring suddenly: to bound like a ball, to throw one's self about: (obs.) to beat: to burst into or out of a room, &c.: to boast, to exaggerate.—n. a heavy, sudden blow: a leap or spring: a boast: a bold lie.—adv. and interj. expressing sudden movement.—n. Bounc′er, one who bounces: something big: a bully: a liar.—adj. Bounc′ing, large and heavy: lusty: swaggering. [Dut. bonzen, to strike, from bons, a blow.]

Bound, bownd, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bind, confined, bandaged: intimately connected with—'bound up in:' of books, having a cover of, as 'bound in morocco,' &c. (with in): under obligation or necessity to, as 'bound to win.'—n. Bound′-bail′iff, a sheriff's officer, so called from his bond given to the sheriff for the discharge of his duty.

Bound, bownd, n. a limit or boundary: the limit of anything, as patience—'to break bounds,' to go beyond what is reasonable or allowable: (pl.) a border-land, land generally within certain understood limits, the district.—v.t. to set bounds to: to limit, restrain, or surround.—n. Bound′ary, a visible limit: border: termination.—p.adj. Bound′ed, restricted, cramped.—n. Bound′er, a boisterous or overbearing person.—adj. Bound′less, having no limit: vast.—n. Bound′lessness. [O. Fr. bonne—Low L. bodina, of doubtful origin; cf. Bret. bonn, a boundary.]

Bound, bownd, v.i. to spring or leap.—n. a spring or leap.—p.adj. Bound′ing, moving forward with a bound: leaping.—By leaps and bounds, by startlingly rapid stages. [Fr. bondir, to spring, in O. Fr. to resound—L. bombitāre. See Boom, the sound.]

Bound, bownd, adj. ready to go—as in 'outward bound,' &c. [Ice. búinn, pa.p of búa, to prepare.]

Bounden, bownd′n, adj. binding: required: obligatory. [From Bind.]

Bounty, bown′ti, n. liberality in bestowing gifts: the gift bestowed: money offered as an inducement to enter the army, or as a premium to encourage any branch of industry.—adjs. Boun′teous, Boun′tiful, liberal in giving: generous.—advs. Boun′teously, Boun′tifully.—ns. Boun′teousness, Boun′tifulness; Boun′tihood.—Lady Bountiful, a character in Farquhar's Beaux' Stratagem, now used for the great lady of any district. [O. Fr. bontet (bonté), goodness—L. bonitatem—bonus—good.]

Bouquet, bōōk′ā, n. a bunch of flowers: a nosegay: the perfume exhaled by wine. [Fr. bosquet, dim. of bois, a wood—It. bosco. See Boscage, Bush.]

Bourasque, bōō-rask′, n. a tempest. [Fr. bourrasque; It. borasco, a storm.]

Bourbonist, bōōr′bun-ist, n. an adherent of the Bourbons, the old French royal dynasty.

Bourd, bōōrd, n. (Spens.) a jest, sport.—n. Bourd′er (obs.), a jester. [O. Fr. bourde, origin unknown.]

Bourdon, bōōr′dun, n. the refrain of a song: a bass stop in an organ or harmonium. [See Burden.]

Bourdon, bōōr′dun, n. (obs.) a pilgrim's staff: a club. [Fr.—Low L. burdon-em, a mule.]

Bourg, burg, n. Same as Burgh, Borough.

Bourgeois, bur-jois′, n. a kind of printing type, larger than brevier and smaller than longprimer. [Fr.—perh. from the name of the typefounder.]

Bourgeoisie, bōōrzh′waw-zē, n. the middle class of citizens, esp. traders. [From Fr. bourgeois, a citizen, often taken as a typical word for the mercantile middle class—used also adjectively, like such in manners or ways of thinking.]

Bourgeon, bur′jun, v.i. to put forth sprouts or buds: to grow. [Fr. bourgeon, a bud, shoot.]

Bourignian, bōōr-in′yan, adj. of or pertaining to Antoinette Bourignon (1616-80), a religious visionary who made religion consist in inward emotion, not in knowledge or practice.—Bourign′ianism was strong in Scotland about the beginning of the 18th century, and ministers at ordination renounced it down till 1889.

Bourlaw. See Byrlaw.

Bourn, Bourne, bōrn, or bōōrn, n. a boundary, a limit, or goal: (Keats) domain. [Fr. borne, a limit. See Bound (2).]

Bourn, Bourne. See Burn (1).

Bourse, bōōrs, n. an exchange where merchants meet for business. [Fr. bourse. See Purse.]

Bourtree, bōōr′trē, n. the elder-tree—also Boun′tree.—n. Bour′tree-gun, a pop-gun made of a piece of its wood by taking out the pith. [Scot.; ety. unknown.]

Bouse, Booze, Boose, bōōz, v.i. to drink deeply.—n. a drinking bout.—adj. Bous′ing, drinking.—n. Bous′ingken, a low drinking-shop.—adj. Bous′y, inclined to bouse: drunken. [Dut. buysen, to drink deeply—buis, a tube or flask; allied to Box.]

Boustrophedon, bow-strof-ē′don, adj. and adv. written ploughwise, alternately from right to left and from left to right—a form of alphabetic writing intermediate between the oldest Greek inscriptions (from right to left, as in Semitic scripts) and the more convenient method of left to right (from 7th century). [Gr.; bou-strophos, ox-turning.]

Bout, bowt, n. a turn, trial, or round: an attempt: a contest or trial—a fencing bout, or a continued fit of drinking. [Doublet of Bight; from root of Bow, to bend.]

Boutade, bōō-tad′, n. a sudden outburst. [Fr.; bouter, to thrust.]

Bouts-rimés, bōō-rē-mā′, n.pl. rhyming words given out by some one of a party as the endings of a stanza, the others having to fill up the lines as best they may. [Fr.]

Bovine, bō′vīn, adj. pertaining to cattle. [L. bos, bovis, Gr. bous, an ox or cow.]

Bovril, bov′ril, n. a registered trade-mark applied to a special meat extract. [Coined from Gr. bous, bovis, an ox, and vril, the electric fluid represented as the one common origin of the forces in matter, in Lytton's novel The Coming Race, 1871.]

Bow, bow, v.i. to bend the body in saluting a person, acknowledging a compliment, &c.: to submit.—v.t. to bend or incline downwards, to crush down (with down, to, in or out, up or down).—n. a bending of the body in saluting a person.—adj. Bow′-backed, crook-backed.—A bowing acquaintance, a slight acquaintance.—To make one's bow, to retire ceremoniously, to leave the stage. [A.S. búgan, to bend; akin to L. fug-ĕre, to flee, to yield.]

Bow, bō, n. a piece of elastic wood or other material for shooting arrows, bent by means of a string stretched between its two ends: anything of a bent or curved shape, as the rainbow: the instrument by which the strings of a violin are sounded: a ring of metal forming a handle: a knot composed of one or of two loops and two ends (single bow, double bow), a looped knot of ribbons, a necktie or the like, so tied.—adj. Bow′bent (Milton), bent like a bow.—n. Bow′-boy, a boy archer: (Shak.) Cupid.—n.pl. Bow′-com′passes, compasses, one leg of which slides on a bow or curved plate of metal to steady its motion: a small pair of compasses for describing circles with ink or pencil.—adj. Bowed.—ns. Bow′-hand, in archery, the left hand, the one by which the bow is held: (mus.) the right hand, the one that draws the bow; Bow′-leg, a leg crooked like a bow.—adj. Bow′-legged, having crooked legs.—ns. Bow′line, a rope from the weather side of the square sails (to which it is fastened by bridles) to the larboard or starboard bow, to keep the sail close to the wind; Bow′man, an archer; Bow′shot, the distance to which an arrow can be shot from a bow; Bow′string, the string by which a bow is drawn: a string with which the Turks strangled offenders; Bow′-win′dow, a bent or semicircular window.—adj. Bow′-win′dowed (slang), pot-bellied.—n. Bow′yer (obs.), a bowman: a maker of bows.—Bowline knot, a simple but secure knot, used in fastening the bowline bridles to the cringles.—On the bow hand, wide of the mark.—To draw the long bow, to make extravagant statements; To have two (or more) strings to one's bow, to have other alternatives. [A.S. boga; cog. with Ger. bogen.]

Bow, bow, n. the general name for the stem and forepart of a ship, or that which cuts the water—often used in pl., the ship being considered to have starboard and port bows, meeting at the stem.—ns. Bow′er, Bow′er-anch′or, an anchor at the bow or forepart of a ship—usually two, the best-bower and the small-bower; Bow′-oar, the oar nearest the bow.—A bold, or bluff, bow, a broad bow; A lean bow, a narrow one.—On the bow, within 45° of the point right ahead.

Bowdlerise, bowd′lėr-īz, v.t. to expurgate a book or writing, to remove indelicate words or phrases, esp. to do so unnecessarily.—ns. Bowdlerisā′tion; Bowd′leriser; Bowd′lerism. [From Dr T. Bowdler (1754-1825), who published an expurgated Shakespeare in ten volumes in 1818.]

Bowels, bow′elz, n.pl. the interior parts of the body, the entrails, the intestines: the interior part of anything: (fig.) the heart, pity, tenderness (the emotions being supposed to be seated in the bowels—B. and Shak.).—v.t. Bow′el, to take out the bowels. [O. Fr. boel—L. botellus, a sausage, also an intestine.]

Bower, bow′ėr, n. a shady enclosure or recess in a garden, an arbour: an inner apartment, esp. the private room of a lady, a boudoir.—n. Bow′er-bird, an Australian bird of the Starling family, remarkable for its habit of making bower-like erections ornamented with gay feathers, shells, &c.—adj. Bow′ery, containing bowers: shady. [A.S. búr, a chamber; Scot, byre—root A.S. búan, to dwell.]

Bower, bow′ėr, n. the name in euchre for the two highest cards, the knave of trumps, and the other knave of the same colour, the right and left bower respectively. [Ger. bauer, peasant.]

Bowie-knife, bō′i-nīf, n. a dagger-knife with a blade about twelve inches long, carried in the southern states of America—so named from its inventor, Colonel Bowie.

Bowl, bōl, n. a wooden ball used for rolling along the ground.—v.t. and v.i. to play at bowls: to roll along like a bowl: to throw a ball, as in cricket.—ns. Bowl′er, one who plays at bowls: one who bowls the ball in cricket; Bowl′ing, the act of playing at bowls, or of throwing a ball, as in cricket; Bowl′ing-al′ley, a long narrow covered place for bowling; Bowl′ing-green, a green or grassy plat kept smooth for bowling. [Fr. boule—L. bulla.]

Bowl, bōl, n. a basin for domestic use, esp. of earthenware or porcelain, nearly hemispherical in shape: a large punch-bowl, for brewing punch in: a round drinking-cup, rather wide than deep—hence 'the bowl,' 'the flowing bowl,' as synonyms for conviviality; the round hollow part of anything. [A.S. bolla. See Bole.]

Bowlder, bōld′ėr, n. Same as Boulder.

Bowse. Same as Bouse.

Bowsprit, bō′sprit, n. a strong spar projecting over the stem-head or bows of a sailing-ship, and also of a steamship when her stem is of the curved or cutwater description. [Dut. boegspriet.]

Box, boks, n. a tree remarkable for the hardness and smoothness of its wood—also Box-tree (Shak.): a case or receptacle for holding anything: the contents of a box: a small house or lodge, as a shooting-box, &c.: in a theatre, a small enclosure with several seats—the boxes = their occupants, the ladies: an old square pew or similar enclosure, as a sentry-box, signal-box, &c.: the driver's seat on a carriage: the case in which the ship's compass is kept.—v.t. to put into or furnish with boxes: (slang) to overturn a watchman in his box.—ns. Box′-bed, a kind of bed once common in Scotch cottages, having its ends, sides, and roof of wood, and capable of being closed in front by two sliding panels; Box′-day, one of the Court of Session vacation days when papers ordered to be deposited in court must be lodged.—adj. Box′en, made of or like boxwood.—ns. Box′ing-day, in England, the day after Christmas, when boxes or presents are given; Box′-ī′ron, a hollow smoothing-iron which is heated by a heater put into it; Box′-keep′er, an attendant who opens the doors of boxes at theatres or other places of public amusement; Box′-lobb′y, the lobby leading to the boxes in a theatre; Box′wood, wood of the box-tree.—In the wrong box, in a false position, in a scrape.—To be in a box, to be in a fix; To box Harry, to take a beefsteak, mutton-chop, or bacon and eggs with tea or ale, instead of the regulation dinner of the commercial traveller; To box the compass, to name the 32 points in their order and backwards, hence to make a complete roundabout in any opinion. [A.S. box—L. buxus—Gr. pyxos, the tree, pyxis, a box.]

Box, boks, n. a blow on the head or ear with the hand.—v.t. to strike with the hand or fist.—v.i. to fight with the fists.—ns. Box′er; Box′ing, the act of fighting with the fists: a combat with the fists; Box′ing-glove, a padded glove worn in boxing.

Boxhaul, boks′hawl, v.t. to veer a ship sharp round on her heel, by putting the helm a-lee, bracing the head-yards flat aback, and hauling to windward the head-sheets.

Boy, boy, n. a male child: a lad: a young man generally, used for 'man' in Ireland and elsewhere: (Shak.) a camp-follower: (obs.) knave: a native servant in South India, China, a male negro slave or native labourer in the South Seas.—v.t. to play the boy.—n. Boy′hood.—adj. Boy′ish.—adv. Boy′ishly.—n. Boy′ishness.—Boy's love, a popular name for southernwood; Boy's play, trifling. [M. E. boi, boy; Fris. boi; Dut. boef, Ger. bube.]

Boyar, boy′är, n. an order of the old Russian aristocracy, holding the chief military and civil offices prior to the reforms of Peter the Great.

Boycott, boy′kot, v.t. to shut out from all social and commercial intercourse—a kind of secular excommunication. [From Captain Boycott of County Mayo, who was so treated by his neighbours in Dec. 1880.]

Brabble, brab′bl, v.i. to babble or clamour: to brawl or wrangle.—n. (Shak.) a clamorous contest, a brawl: a quibble. [Dut. brabbelen, to stammer, to jabber.]

Braccio, brach′yo, n. an Italian measure of length, varying from half a yard to a yard:—pl. Braccia (brach-ya). [It., an arm.]

Brace, brās, n. anything that draws together and holds tightly: a bandage: a pair or couple: an instrument of wood or iron used by carpenters and metal-workers for turning boring tools: in printing, a mark connecting two or more words or lines (}): (pl.) straps for supporting the trousers: ropes for squaring or traversing horizontally the yards of a ship.—v.t. to tighten or strengthen, to give firmness to.—adj. Brac′ing, giving strength or tone. [O. Fr. brace (Fr. bras), the arm, power—L. brachium, Gr. brachiōn, the arm, as holding together.]

Brace, brās, v.t. (Spens.) to embrace, encompass.

Bracelet, brās′let, n. an ornament for the wrist. [Fr.; dim. of O. Fr. brac. See Brace.]

Brach, brach, n. a dog for the chase, a bitch-hound. [O. Fr. brachet, pl. brachès, dim. of brac—Low L. bracco, of Teut. origin.]

Brachial, brak′i-al, adj. belonging to the arm.—Brachial artery, the great arterial trunk supplying the upper extremity between the armpit and the elbow—the direct continuation of the axillary artery. [See Brace.]

Brachiopoda, brak-i-op′o-da, Brachiopods, brak′i-o-pods, n.pl. a class of shelled animals having certain affinities with worms and with Polyzoa, but less with molluscs, provided with two long arm-like processes arising from the sides of the mouth, probably respiratory, and certainly serving to waft little food particles to the mouth. [Gr. brachiōn, an arm, and pous, pod-os, a foot.]

Brachycephalic, brak-i-sef-al′ik (also sef′-), Brachycephalous, brak-i-sef′al-us, adj. short-headed, applied in ethnology to skulls of which the breadth is at least four-fifths of the length—opp. to Dolichocephalic.

Brachypterous, brak-ip′tėr-us, adj. lit. short-winged: having wings which, when folded, do not reach to the base of the tail. [Gr. brachys, short, pteron, a wing.]

Brack, brak, n. a flaw in cloth. [See Break.]

Bracken, brak′en, n. fern. [See Brake.]

Bracket, brak′et, n. a support for something fastened to a wall, the ornamental metal pipe bearing gas-lamps, &c.: (pl.) in printing, the marks [ ] used to enclose one or more words: one of the side pieces of a gun-carriage, supporting the trunnions.—v.t. to support by brackets: to enclose by brackets: to group two names, as in an honour list, implying equality. [Fr. braguette; Sp. bragueta—L. braca, bracæ, breeches.]

Brackish, brak′ish, adj. saltish: applied to water mixed with salt or with sea-water.—n. Brack′ishness. [Dut. brak, brackish; prob. the same as brak, refuse.]

Bract, brakt, n. an irregularly developed leaf at the base of the flower-stalk.—adjs. Brac′teal, Brac′teate, Bract′ed, Brac′teolate.—n. Brac′teole, a little bract at the base of the stalk of a single flower which is itself on a main stalk supporting several flowers.—adj. Bract′less, destitute of bracts. [L. bractea, a thin plate of metal, gold-leaf.]

Brad, brad, n. a small nail having a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head.—n. Brad′awl, an awl to pierce holes. [Scot. brod, an instrument for pricking with; Ice. broddr, a pointed piece of iron.]

Bradypeptic, brad-i-pep′tik, adj. slow of digestion. [Gr. bradys, slow, and Peptic.]

Brae, brā, n. (Scot.) the slope above a river bank, a hill-slope. [Scand. brá.]

Brag, brag, v.i. to boast or bluster:—pr.p. brag′ging; pa.p. bragged.—n. a boast or boasting: the thing boasted of: a game at cards, very like poker.—adj. Brag′ging.—advs. Brag′gingly, Brag′ly (Spens.). [Most prob. Celt.; cf. W. bragio, to boast; Ir. bragaim. The Fr. braguer, to brag, and bragard, a braggart, are not the parents of the Eng. word.]

Braggadocio, brag-a-dō′shi-o, n. and adj. a braggart or boaster: empty boasting. [From Braggadochio, a boastful character in Spenser's Faerie Queene.]

Braggart, brag′art, adj. boastful.—n. a vain boaster.—n. Bragg′ardism (Shak.), boastfulness. [Fr. bragard, vain, bragging; prob. of Celt. origin; Diez prefers Scand., and quotes Sw. brak, Dan. brag, &c.]

Brahman, brä′man, Brahmin, brä′min, n. a person of the highest or priestly caste among the Hindus.—adjs. Brahman′ic, -al, Brahmin′ic, -al, Brah′minee, appropriated to the Brahmans.—ns. Brah′manism, Brah′minism, one of the religions of India, the worship of Brahma. [From Brahma, the supreme post-Vedic Hindu deity.]

Braid, brād, v.t. to plait or entwine.—n. cord, or other texture made by plaiting.—p.adj. Braid′ed, plaited, embroidered, trimmed with braid.—n. Braid′ing, the act of making braids: embroidery with braid. [A.S. bregdan; Ice. bregða, to weave.]

Braid, brād, adj. (Shak.) dissembling, deceitful. [A.S. brægd, falsehood, from bregdan, brægd, to weave.]

Braid, brād, v.t. (Shak.) to upbraid, to reproach. [Prob. from Abraid, or Braid (1).]

Braidism, brād′ism, n. mesmerism or hypnotism. [From Dr James Braid, who practised it about 1842.]

Brail, brāl, n. a piece of leather to bind up a hawk's wing: (pl.) the feathers about a hawk's rump: (naut.) one of the ropes used to truss up a sail.—v.t. to haul in, as a sail, by pulling upon the brails. [O. Fr. brail—L. bracale, a waist-belt for holding up the breeches—bracæ.]

Braille, brāl, n. and adj. a kind of type for the blind, having arbitrary signs consisting of varying combinations of six points arranged thus (), there being sixty-two possible combinations of these six points. [From Louis Braille, the inventor.]

Brain, brān, n. the term applied to that part of the central nervous system which in vertebrated animals is contained within the cranium or skull, and in the invertebrata, to the nervous ganglia near the head end of the body: the seat of the intellect and of sensation: the intellect.—v.t. to dash out the brains of: (Shak.) to conceive of.—n. Brain′-cor′al, the popular name of certain kinds of coral, so called from their general resemblance to a brain.—p.adj. Brained, having brains.—n. Brain′-fe′ver, a loose popular term which includes congestion of the brain and its membranes, delirium tremens, and inflammation of the brain substance itself.—adjs. Brain′ish (Shak.), brain-sick, hot-headed, furious; Brain′less, without brains or understanding: silly.—n. Brain′-pan, the skull.—adj. Brain′-sick, diseased in the understanding, deranged.—adv. Brain′sick′ly (Shak.).—n. Brain′-sick′ness. [A.S. brægn; Dut. brein, prov. Ger. bregen]

Braird, brārd, n. the first shoots of corn or other crop.—v.i. to appear above ground. [Orig. Scot.; A.S. brerd, the edge, and brord, a point.]

Braise, brāz, v.t. to stew meat together with slices of bacon, &c., properly with a charcoal fire above and below the braising-pan.—p.adj. Braised. [Fr. braiser.]

Brake, brāk, obsolete, pa.t. of Break.

Brake, brāk, n. a fern: a place overgrown with ferns or briers; a thicket.—adj. Brak′y. [A doublet of Bracken; ety. dub.]

Brake, brāk, n. an instrument to break flax or hemp: a harrow: a contrivance for retarding by friction the speed of carriages, wagons, trains, or revolving drums.—adj. Brake′less, without a brake.—ns. Brake′man, the man whose business it is to manage the brake of a railway-train; Brake′-van, the carriage wherein the brake is worked; Brake′-wheel, the wheel to which a brake is applied. [From root of Break; cf. Dut. braak, a flax-brake.]

Brake, brāk, n. a handle, as of a pump: a lever for working a machine. [Prob. through O. Fr. brac, from L. brachium, an arm.]

Bramah-press, brä′ma-pres, n. a hydraulic press invented by Joseph Bramah of London (1748-1814), inventor also of the Bramah-lock, &c.

Bramble, bram′bl, n. a wild prickly shrub bearing blackberries, a blackberry bush: any rough prickly shrub.—ns. Bram′ble-berr′y, Bram′ble-bush, a collection of brambles growing together; Bram′ble-finch, Bram′bling, a bird nearly allied to the chaffinch.—adj. Bram′bly. [A.S. brémel; Dut. braam, Ger. brom-beere.]

Brame, brām, n. (Spens.) sharp passion, longing. [It. brama.]

Bran, bran, n. the refuse of grain: the inner husks of corn sifted from the flour: the coarser part of anything.—n. Bran′fulness.—adj. Bran′ny. [O. Fr. bran, bran; prob. Celt.]

Brancard, brank′ard, n. a horse litter. [Fr.]

Branch, bransh, n. a shoot or arm-like limb of a tree: anything like a limb of a tree: any offshoot or subdivision, a section or department of a subject: any subordinate division of a business, &c., as a branch-bank or pawn-shop.—v.t. to divide into branches.—v.i. to spread out as a branch (with out, off, from).—adj. Branched.—ns. Branch′er, a young hawk or other bird when it leaves the nest and begins to take to the branches; Branch′ery, branches collectively.—adjs. Branch′ing, furnished with or shooting out branches; Branch′less.—ns. Branch′let, a little branch; Branch′-pī′lot, one who holds the Trinity House certificate; Branch′-work, ornamental figured patterns.—adj. Branch′y.—Root and branch, thoroughly—used also adjectively, as in a 'root-and-branch' policy. [Fr. branche—Low L. branca, a beast's paw—L. brachium.]

Branchiæ, brangk′i-ē, n.pl. gills.—adjs. Branch′ial; Branch′iate, furnished with branchiæ.—n. Branchiop′oda, a sub-order of Crustaceans in the order with leaf-like feet (Phyllopods), to which the gills are attached. [L.—Gr.]

Brand, brand, n. a piece of wood burning or partly burned: a mark burned into anything with a hot iron: a trade-mark, made by burning or otherwise, as on casks: a particular sort of goods, from the trade-marks by which they are known, as cigars, &c.: a sword, so called from its glitter: a mark of infamy: a general name for the fungoid diseases or blights of grain crops—bunt, mildew, rust, and smut.—v.t. to burn or mark with a hot iron: to fix a mark of infamy upon.—adj. Brand′ed.—n. Brand′er, a gridiron.—v.t. to cook on the gridiron, as beef-steaks.—p.adjs. Brand′ered, Brand′ering.—ns. Brand′ing-ī′ron, Brand′-ī′ron, an iron to brand with: a trivet or tripod to set a pot or kettle upon: (Spens.) a sword—also Brand′ise, a trivet; Brand′ling, a red worm used by anglers, found commonly in tan-pits.—adj. Brand′-new, quite new (as if newly from the fire).—n. Brand′reth, a stand of wood for a cask or hayrick, a rail round a well.—A brand from the burning, one snatched out of a pressing danger—from Amos, iv. 11. [A.S. brand, brond, from root of Burn.]

Brandish, brand′ish, v.t. to wave or flourish as a brand or weapon.—n. a waving or flourish. [Fr. brandissant—brandir, from root of Brand.]

Brandy, brand′i, n. an ardent spirit distilled from wine.—adj. Bran′died, heartened or strengthened with brandy.—n. Brand′y-pawnee′, brandy and water. [Formerly brandwine—Dut. brandewijn—branden, to burn, to distil, and wijn, wine; cf. Ger. branntwein.]

Brangle, brang′l, v.i. (arch.) to wrangle, squabble.—n. (obs.) a brawl.—v.t. and v.i. Brand′le, to shake, cause to waver: to waver.—n. Brang′ling, disputing. [Prob. the two words are the same; Fr. branler.]

Brank, brangk, n. buckwheat. [Prob. Celt.; cf. L. brance, a Gallic name of a white kind of corn.]

Brank, brangk, v.i. to prance, toss the head: to strut or swagger.—adj. Brank′y (Scot.), showy. [Prob. a variant of Prank.]

Branks, brangks, n. (seldom in sing.) a scold's bridle, having a hinged iron framework to enclose the head and a bit or gag to fit into the mouth and compress the tongue. [Scot.; ety. very obscure; cf. M. E. bernak, whence Barnacle and Brake; Ger. pranger, the pillory, Dut. prang, a fetter; the Gael. brangus, brangas, is most prob. borrowed.]

Brankursine, brangk′ur-sin, n. the plant Acanthus, called also Bear's-breech. [Low L. branca, ursina, a bear's paw.]

Bran-new, bran′-nū, adj. corruption of Brand-new.

Bransle, bran′sl, n. (obs.) a dance: a song for dance music. [Fr.]

Brant-goose. See Brent-goose.

Brantle, bran′tl, n. a kind of dance.

Brasero. Same as Brazier (q.v. under Braze).

Brash, brash, n. broken and angular fragments of rock which occasionally form the basement bed of alluvial deposits: fragments of crushed ice: clippings of hedges or trees.—adj. Brash′y. [Prob. Fr. brèche.]

Brash, brash, n. a slight attack of illness: an eructation or belching of acid water from the stomach—water-brash: a sudden burst of rain: (obs.) an attack.—v.t. to disturb. [Scot.; prob. onomatopœic.]

Brass, bräs, n. an alloy of copper and zinc: (fig.) impudence: money in cash: a monumental plate of brass inlaid on slabs of stone in the pavements of ancient churches.—n.pl. Brass′arts, the brass pieces which, in plate armour, protected the upper part of the arms, and united the shoulder and elbow pieces.—ns. Brass′-band, a band or company of musicians who perform on brass instruments; Brass′et, a casque or armour covering for the head: a helmet; Brass′found′er, a maker of articles in brass.—adjs. Brass′-paved (Spens.), durable, as if paved with brass; Brass′-vis′aged, brazen-faced, impudent.—n. Brass′y, a wooden golf-club with a brass sole.—adj. of or like brass: impudent: unfeeling: pitiless: harsh in tone. [A.S. braes; prob. related to Sw. brasa, fire.]

Brasserie, bras′er-ē, n. in France, any beer garden or saloon. [Fr.]

Brassica, bras′i-ka, n. the turnip and cabbage genus of Cruciferæ. [L.]

Brast. Same as Burst.

Brat, brat, n. a contemptuous name for a child, as in 'beggar's brat:' any over-garment of coarse cloth, a child's pinafore, an apron.—n. Brat′chet, a little brat—better Brat′ling. [A.S. bratt; of Celtic origin, Old Ir. brat, a plaid, Gael. brat, an apron.]

Brattice, brat′is, n. a wooden partition, as in the shaft of a coal-pit, &c.—v.t. to line with wood the sides of a shaft, &c.—n. Bratt′ice-cloth, strong tarred cloth used in mines in place of wooden bratticing. [O. Fr. breteske—Low L. bretachia; prob. Teut.]

Brattling, brat′ling, n. a clattering noise: quarrel: tumult—also Brat′tle.—v.i. Brat′tle, to make a clattering noise. [Onomatopœic.]

Bravado, brav-ā′do, or brav-ä′do, n. a display of bravery: a boastful threat: a swaggerer:—pl. Bravā′does.—v.i. to play the bravado. [Sp. bravada. See Brave.]

Brave, brāv, adj. daring, courageous: noble: finely dressed, showy, handsome (Scot. Braw): a general word for excellent, capital.—v.t. to meet boldly: to defy.—n. (obs.) a bully, a hired assassin: a brave soldier, esp. among the North American Indians: (arch.) bravado: (arch.) bravo.—adv. Brave′ly (Scot. Braw′ly), excellently, well.—n. Brav′ery, courage: heroism: finery, showy dress. [Fr. brave; It. and Sp. bravo; prob. from Celt., as in Bret. braga, to strut about, Gael. breagh, fine. See Brag.]

Bravo, bräv′o, n. a daring villain: a hired assassin:—pl. Bravoes (bräv′ōz). [It. and Sp.]

Bravo, bräv′o, interj. well done: excellent. [It.]

Bravura, bräv-ōōr′a, n. (mus.) a term applied to a florid air or song with difficult and rapid passages requiring great spirit and dash in execution. [It.]

Brawl, brawl, n. a noisy quarrel.—v.i. to quarrel noisily: to murmur or gurgle.—n. Brawl′ing, the act of quarrelling noisily.—adj. quarrelsome: noisy. [M. E. brallen, of doubtful origin; prob. cog. with Dut. brallen, Ger. prahlen, to boast.]

Brawl, brawl, n. a kind of French dance. [Fr. braule.]

Brawn, brawn, n. muscle, esp. of the arm or calf of the leg: thick flesh: muscular strength: a boar: a preparation of meat made from pig's head and ox-feet, cut up, boiled, and pickled.—adj. Brawned.—n. Brawn′iness, quality of being brawny: muscularity.—adj. Brawn′y, fleshy: muscular: strong. [O. Fr. braon, from Old Ger. brato, flesh (for roasting), Old Ger. brâto (Ger. braten), to roast.]

Braxy, brak′si, n. and adj. a Scotch name loosely used for several totally different disorders of sheep.—Braxy mutton, the flesh of a braxy sheep; also, generally, of any sheep that has died of disease or accident. [Prob. the original form is bracks, the sing. of which is a variant of Break.]

Bray, brā, v.t. to break, pound, or grind small, as in a mortar.—n. Bray′er, an instrument to grind or spread ink in printing. [O. Fr. breier (Fr. broyer); It. brigare.]

Bray, brā, n. the cry of the ass: any harsh grating sound.—v.i. to cry like an ass: to give forth harsh sounds, esp. of the trumpet.—ns. Bray′er, one who brays like an ass; Bray′ing, the noise of an ass: any harsh noise.—adj. making a harsh noise. [O. Fr. brai, brait; braire—Low L. bragire, prob. of Celt. origin.]

Braze, brāz, v.t. to solder with an alloy of brass and zinc.—adj. Brā′zen, of or belonging to brass: impudent.—v.t. to face or confront with impudence—as in 'to brazen it out.'—n. Brā′zen-face, one having a brazen or impudent face: one remarkable for impudence.—adj. Brā′zen-faced, impudent.—adv. Brā′zenly.—ns. Brā′zenness, Brā′zenry, effrontery; Brā′zier, Brā′sier, a pan for holding burning coals—also Bras′ero; Brāz′ing, soldering. [O. Fr. braser, to burn; most prob. related to Brass.]

Brazier, brā′zi-ėr, n. one who works in Brass (q.v.).

Brazil, bra-zil′, n. usually Brazil′-wood, the hard reddish wood of an East Indian tree, known as sappan, used in dyeing.—n. Brazil′ian, a native of Brazil, in South America.—adj. belonging to Brazil.—n. Brazil′-nut, the edible seed of a large tree, native of Brazil. [O. Fr. bresil (Sp. brasil, It. brasile)—Low L. brasilium, a red dye-wood, brought from the East, itself prob. a corr. of some Oriental word. When a similar wood was discovered in South America the country became known as terra de brasil, land of red dye-wood, whence Brasil, Brazil.]

Breach, brēch, n. a break or opening, as in the walls of a fortress: a breaking of law, &c., violation of contract, covenant, promise, &c.: a quarrel: a broken condition or part of anything, a break: a gap in a fortification—hence 'to stand in the breach,' often used figuratively: a break in a coast-line, bay, harbour, creek (Judges, v. 17).—v.t. to make a breach or opening in a wall, &c.—Breach of promise, often used simply for breach of promise of marriage; Breach of the peace, a violation of the public peace by riot or the like. [A.S. bryce, brice; related to Break.]

Bread, bred, n. food made of flour or meal baked: food: livelihood.—ns. Bread′-bas′ket, a basket for holding bread: (slang) the stomach; Bread′-chip′per (Shak.), one who chips bread, an under-butler; Bread′-corn, corn of which bread is made.—n.pl. Bread′-crumbs, bread crumbled down for dressing dishes of fried fish, &c.—n. Bread′fruit-tree, a tree of the South Sea Islands, producing a fruit which, when roasted, forms a good substitute for bread; Bread′-nut, the fruit of a tree, a native of Jamaica, closely allied to the breadfruit-tree, which is used as bread when boiled or roasted; Bread′-room, an apartment in a ship's hold where the bread is kept; Bread′-root, a herbaceous perennial plant of North America, with a carrot-like root which is used as food; Bread′-stud′y, any branch of study taken up as a means of gaining a living; Bread′-stuff, the various kinds of grain or flour of which bread is made; Bread′-tree, a tree of South Africa which has a great deal of starch in its stem, and is used as bread by the natives; Bread′-win′ner, one who earns a living for a family.—Bread buttered on both sides, very fortunate circumstances.—To take the bread out of one's mouth, to deprive of the means of living. [A.S. bréad, prob. from a Teut. root meaning a fragment, like the Scot. and Norse country use of 'a piece,' for a bit of bread. The usual A.S. word was hláf.]

Breaded, bred′ed, pa.p. (Spens.) = Braided.

Breadth, bredth, n. extent from side to side: width: a style in painting in which details are strictly subordinated to the harmony of the whole composition.—adv. Breadth′ways, broadside on. [A.S. brǽdu; Ger. briete. See Broad.]

Break, brāk, v.t. to part by force: to shatter: to crush: to tame, or wear out: to violate, or outrage, as a law, a bargain, &c.: to check by intercepting, as a fall: to interrupt, as silence, or the monotony of anything, or in 'to break one off a habit:' to make bankrupt: to degrade from rank, as an officer.—v.i. to part in two: to burst forth: to open or appear, as the morning: to become bankrupt: to crack or give way, as the voice: to dissolve, as frost: to collapse in foam, as a wave: to fall out, as with a friend:—pa.t. brōke; pa.p. brōk′en.—n. the state of being broken: an opening: a pause or interruption: (billiards) a consecutive series of successful strokes, also the number of points attained by such: the dawn.—ns. Break′age, the action of breaking, or its consequences: an interruption; Break′-down, a dance, vigorous rather than graceful, in which much noise is made by the feet of the one performer; Break′er, a wave broken on rocks or the shore.—adj. Break′-neck, likely to cause a broken neck.—ns. Break′-prom′ise, Break′-vow, one who makes a practice of breaking his promise or vow; Break′water, a barrier to break the force of the waves.—Break a jest, to utter a jest unexpectedly; Break a lance with, to enter into a contest with a rival; Break away, to go away abruptly, as from prison, &c.: to be scattered, as clouds after a storm; Break bulk, to open the hold and take out a portion of the cargo; Break cover, to burst forth from concealment, as a fox; Break down, to crush down or level: to collapse, to fail completely; Break forth, to burst out, issue; Break ground, to commence digging or excavation: to begin; Break in, to train to labour, as a horse; Break in, in upon, or into, to enter violently or unexpectedly, to interpose abruptly in a conversation, &c.; Break loose, to extricate one's self forcibly: to break through all restraint; Break news, to make anything known, esp. of bad news, with caution and delicacy; Break off, to separate by breaking, put an end to; Break out, to appear suddenly: to break through all restraint; Break sheer (said of a ship riding at anchor), to be forced by wind or tide out of a position clear of the anchor; Break the heart, to destroy with grief; Break the ice (fig.), to get through first difficulties: Break up, to break open; Break upon the wheel, to punish by stretching a criminal on a wheel and breaking his bones; Break wind, to void wind from the stomach; Break with, to fail out, as friends may do. [A.S. brecan; Ger. brechen.]

Break, Brake, brāk, n. a large wagonette: a carriage frame, all wheels and no body, used in breaking in horses. [Break, v.t.]

Breaker, brāk′ėr, n. a small water-cask, used on shipboard. [Prob. a corr. of Sp. bareca, a barrel.]

Breakfast, brek′fast, n. a break or breaking of a fast: the first meal of the day.—v.i. to take breakfast.—v.t. to furnish with breakfast.—ns. Break′fasting, the act of taking breakfast: a party at breakfast; Break′fast-set, the china or other ware used at breakfast.

Bream, brēm, n. a small fresh-water fish nearly allied to the bleak: a family of sea-breams or Sparidæ. [O. Fr. bresme (Fr. brême)—Old Ger. brahsema (mod. Ger. brassen).]

Bream, brēm, v.t. to clean, as a ship's bottom, by burning off seaweed, shells, &c. [Prob. conn. with Broom, Dut. brem.]

Breare, Brere, brēr, n. (Spens.). Same as Brier.

Breast, brest, n. the forepart of the human body between the neck and the belly: one of the two mammary glands in women, forming soft protuberances on the chest: the corresponding part of any animal: (fig.) conscience, disposition, affections.—v.t. to bear the breast against: to oppose manfully: to mount.—n. Breast′-bone, the bone running down the middle of the breast, to which the first seven ribs are attached.—adv. Breast′-deep, deep, as up to the breast.—adj. Breast′ed, having a breast.—adv. Breast′-high, high as the breast—ns. Breast′-knot, a knot of ribbons worn on the breast; Breast′pin, an ornamental pin for the breast; Breast′plate, a plate or piece of armour for the breast: (B.) an embroidered square of linen worn on the breast of the Jewish high-priest, bearing twelve precious stones, each inscribed with the name of one of the tribes of Israel; Breast′-plough, a kind of spade for cutting turf, with a cross-bar against which the breast is pressed; Breast′rail, the upper rail of a breastwork; Breast′summer, Bres′summer, a summer or beam supporting the whole front of a building in the same way as a lintel supports the portion over an opening; Breast′-wall, a retaining wall; Breast′-wheel, a water-wheel which is turned by water delivered upon it at about half its height; Breast′work, a hastily constructed earthwork.—To make a clean breast of, to make a full confession. [A.S. bréost; Ger. brust, Dut. borst.]

Breath, breth, n. the air drawn into and then expelled from the lungs: power of breathing: life: the time occupied by once breathing: a very slight breeze.—adjs. Breath′ful (Spens.), full of breath or air, also full of scent or odour; Breath′less, out of breath: dead: excessively eager, as if holding one's breath from excitement.—n. Breath′lessness.—To catch the breath, to stop breathing for an instant; To spend one's breath, as in profitless talk; To take breath, to recover freedom of breathing; With bated breath, with breath restrained from reverence or fear. [A.S. brǽth; Ger. brodem, steam, breath.]

Breathe, brēth, v.i. to draw in and expel breath or air from the lungs: to take breath, to rest or pause: to live.—v.t. to draw in and expel from the lungs, as air: to infuse: to give out as breath: to utter by the breath or softly, to whisper: to express: to keep in breath, to exercise: to tire by some brisk exercise.—ns. Breath′er, one who breathes or lives: a spell of exercise; Breath′ing, the act of breathing: aspiration, secret prayer: respite.—adj. life-like.—ns. Breath′ing-time, time to breathe or rest; Breath′ing-while, time sufficient for drawing breath: any very short period.—To breathe again, to be relieved from an anxiety; To breathe freely, to be at ease; To breathe upon, to tarnish or soil. [See Breath.]

Breccia, brech′ya, n. a conglomerate rock composed of angular and unworn fragments, cemented together by lime or other mineral substance.—adj. Brecciated (brech′yāt-ed), noting rocks composed of breccia, [It.; cf. Fr. brèche, breach, flint pebble.]

Bred, bred, pa.t. and pa.p. of Breed.

Brede, brēd, n. an obsolete form of Braid.

Bree, brē, n. the eyebrow. [Still in Scot.; A.S. brǽw, bréaw; cf. Ger. (augen)braue.]

Bree, brē, n. the liquor in which anything has been boiled—barley-bree. [A.S. briw; cf. Ger. brei.]

Breech, brēch, n. the lower part of the body behind: the hinder part of anything, esp. of a gun.—v.t. to put into breeches: to flog.—adj. Breeched.—n.pl. Breeches (brich′ez), a garment worn by men on the lower limbs of the body, strictly, as distinguished from trousers, coming just below the knee, but often used generally for trousers—(Knee-breeches, see under Knee).—n. Breech′ing, a part of a horse's harness attached to the saddle, which comes round the breech and is hooked to the shafts: a strong rope attached to the breech of a gun to secure it to a ship's side.—adj. (Shak.) subject to whipping.—n. Breech′-load′er, a firearm loaded by introducing the charge at the breech instead of the muzzle.—Breeches Bible, a name often given to the Geneva Bible produced by the English Protestant exiles in 1560, so named from the rendering 'breeches' in Gen. iii. 7; Breeches part (theat.), a part in which a girl wears men's clothes.—To wear the breeches, (said of a wife), to usurp the authority of the husband: to be master. [A.S. bréc; found in all Teut. languages; cf. Ger. bruch, Dut. brock.]

Breed, brēd, v.t. to generate or bring forth: to train or bring up: to cause or occasion.—v.i. to be with young: to produce offspring: to be produced or brought forth:—pa.t. and pa.p. bred.—n. that which is bred, progeny or offspring: kind or race.—ns. Breed′-bate (Shak.), one who is constantly breeding or producing debate or strife; Breed′er, one who breeds or brings up; Breed′ing, act of producing: education or manners.—Breeding in-and-in, pairing of similar forms: marrying always among near relations. [A.S. brédan, to cherish, keep warm; Ger. brüten, to hatch.]

Breeks, brēks, n.pl. (Scot.) breeches, trousers.

Breer, Brere, brēr, v.i. (Scot.) to sprout.

Breeze, brēz, n. a gentle gale: a wind: a disturbance or quarrel: a whispered rumour.—adjs. Breeze′less, without a breeze: motionless; Breez′y, fanned with or subject to breezes.—To breeze up, to freshen into a breeze. [Old Sp. briza, It. brezza (Fr. brise, a cold wind).]

Breeze, brēz, n. (Shak.) the gadfly.—Also written Breese, Brize. [A.S. briosa.]

Bregma, breg′ma, n. the part of the skull where the frontal and the two parietal bones join—sometimes divided into the right and left bregmata.—adj. Bregmat′ic. [Gr.]

Brehon, brē′hon, n. an ancient Irish judge.—Brehon Laws, the name given by the English to the system of jurisprudence which prevailed among the native Irish from an early period till towards the middle of the 17th century. [Ir. breitheamh, pl. breitheamhuin.]

Breloque, bre-lok′, n. an ornament attached to a watch-chain. [Fr.]

Breme, Breem, brēm, adj. (Spens.) fiery, stern, boisterous, sharp. [Prob. related to A.S. bréman, to rage.]

Bren, bren, v.t. (Spens.) to burn.—pa.p. and adj. Brent. [See Burn.]

Brent, brent, adj. (Scot.) lofty: smooth, unwrinkled. [A.S. brant, steep; cog. with Ice. brattr.]

Brent-goose, brent′-gōōs, n. a small species of wild goose, having the head, neck, long wing feathers, and tail black, the belly white, the rest slaty-gray—it visits the British coasts in winter.—Also Brant′-goose, or Brent barnacle, and often confounded with the barnacle goose. [Prob. branded = brindled.]

Bressummer. Same as Breastsummer (q.v. under Breast).

Brethren, breth′ren, pl. of Brother (q.v.).

Breton, bret′un, adj. belonging to Brittany or Bretagne, in France.

Brettice. Same as Brattice.

Bretwalda, bret-wal′da, n. a title of supremacy applied by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to Egbert and seven earlier kings, whose superiority was more or less acknowledged by other kings. [Lit. 'Lord of the Britons,' or 'of Britain.']

Breve, brēv, n. a pope's letter: the longest note now used in music, . [It. breve—L. brevis, short.]

Brevet, brev′et, n. a military commission entitling an officer to take rank above that for which he receives pay.—n. Brevet′cy, the condition of one holding brevet rank. [Fr.—L. brevis, short.]

Breviary, brēv′i-ar-i, n. book containing the daily service of the R.C. Church. [Fr. bréviaire—L. brevis, short.]

Breviate, brē′vi-āt, n. a short compendium: a lawyer's brief. [L. breviātus—breviāre, to shorten—brevis, short.]

Brevier, brev-ēr′, n. a small type between bourgeois and minion, originally used in printing breviaries.

Brevity, brev′it-i, n. shortness: conciseness. [L. brevitas—brevis, short.]

Brew, brōō, v.t. to prepare a liquor, as from malt and other materials: to contrive or plot.—v.i. to perform the operation of brewing ale or beer: to be gathering or forming.—ns. Brew′age, something brewed: mixed liquor; Brew′er, one who brews; Brew′ery, Brew′-house, a place for brewing; Brew′ing, the act of making liquor from malt: the quantity brewed at once; Brew′ster (now only Scot.), a brewer. [A.S. bréowan; cf. Ger. brauen.]

Briar. Same as Brier (1).

Briarean, brī-ā′re-an, adj. relating to Briareus, a hundred-handed giant: hence many-handed. [Gr.—briaros, strong.]

Briar-root. See Brier (2).

Bribe, brīb, n. something given to influence unduly the judgment or corrupt the conduct: allurement.—v.t. to influence by a bribe: to gain over.—v.i. to practise bribery.—ns. Brib′er, one who bribes; Brib′ery, the act of giving or taking bribes; Brib′ery-oath, an oath taken by an elector that he has not been bribed. [O. Fr. bribe, a lump of bread; origin dub.]

Bric-à-brac, brik′a-brak, n. old curiosities, or other articles of value. [Acc. to Littré, formed after the phrase de bric et de broc, 'by hook and by crook.']

Brick, brik, n. an oblong or square piece of burned clay: a loaf of bread in the shape of a brick: (slang) a reliable friend, a good fellow.—v.t. to lay or pave with brick.—ns. Brick′bat, a piece of brick; Brick′clay, a clay used in making bricks; Brick′-dust, dust made by pounding bricks, a colour like that of brick-dust; Brick′-earth, earth used in making bricks; Brick′-field, a place where bricks are made; Brick′-kiln, a kiln in which bricks are burned; Brick′layer, one who lays or builds with bricks; Brick′laying; Brick′maker, one whose trade is to make bricks; Brick′-tea, tea pressed into cakes; Brick′-work, a structure formed of bricks.—Like a brick, with good-will. [Fr. brique, from root of Break.]

Brickle, brik′l, adj. (Spens. and Scot.) apt to break: weak: troublesome. [Older form of Brittle.]

Bricole, brik′el, or brik-ōl′, n. an ancient engine for throwing stones: the rebound of a ball from the wall of a tennis-court, an indirect stroke. [Fr.—Low L. briccola.]

Bridal, brīd′al, n. a marriage feast: a wedding.—adj. belonging to a bride or a wedding: nuptial. [Bride, and Ale, a feast.]

Bride, brīd, n. a woman about to be married: a woman newly married.—v.i. (Shak.) to act the bride.—ns. Bride′-ale (obs.)—Bridal, the ale-drinking at a marriage feast; Bride′-bed, the marriage bed; Bride′cake, the bride's cake, or cake distributed at a wedding; Bride′-cham′ber, a nuptial apartment; Bride′groom, a man about to be married: a man newly married; Bride′maid, Bride's′-maid, Bride′man, Bride's′-man, young unmarried people who attend the bride and bridegroom at a wedding. [A.S. brýd; Ice. brúdr, Ger. braut, a bride.]

Bridewell, brīd′wel, n. a house of correction: a gaol. [From a palace near St Bride's Well in London.]

Bridge, brij, n. a structure raised across a river, &c., or anything like such: the narrow raised platform whence the captain of a steamer gives directions: a thin upright piece of wood supporting the strings in a violin or similar instrument.—v.t. to build a bridge over.—n. Bridge′-head, a fortification covering the end of a bridge nearest to the enemy's position.—adj. Bridge′less, without a bridge.—n. Bridge′-of-boats, a bridge resting on boats moored abreast across a piece of water. [A.S. brycg; Ger. brucke, Ice. bryggja.]

Bridge, brich, n. a modification of whist in which the dealer does not turn up the last card, but has the option (which he may pass to his partner) of declaring which suit shall be trumps.

Bridle, brī′-dl, n. the apparatus on a horse's head, by which it is controlled: any curb or restraint: a gesture expressing pride or vanity.—v.t. to put on or manage by a bridle: to check or restrain.—v.i. to hold up the head proudly or affectedly.—ns. Brī′dle-hand, the hand which holds the bridle in riding—the left hand; Brī′dle-path, a path or way for horsemen; Brī′dler, one who governs or restrains as by a bridle; Bri′dle-rein, the strap of a bridle.—To bridle up (at something), to take something amiss. [A.S. brídel; Old High Ger. brittel.]

Bridoon, brid′ōōn, n. the light snaffle usual in a military bridle, in addition to the ordinary bit, controlled by a separate rein. [Fr. bridon, bride, a bridle.]

Brief, brēf, n. a short account of a client's case for the instruction of counsel: a writ: a short statement of any kind.—adj. short: concise.—adj. Brief′less.—adv. Brief′ly.—n. Brief′ness.—In brief, in few words.—King's briefs, royal mandates ordering collections to be made in chapels for building churches, &c.; Papal brief, such documents as are issued without some of the solemnities proper to bulls.—The brief and the long (Shak.), the short and the long.—To be brief, to speak in a few words; To hold a brief, to be retained as counsel in a case; To take a brief, to undertake a case. [Fr. bref—L. brevis, short.]

Brier, brī′er, n. a prickly shrub: a common name for the wild rose: (Scot.) the thorn of the brier—also Brī′ar.—adjs. Brī′ery, Brī′ered, having briers. [A.S. brér.]

Brier, Briar, brī′ėr, n. the white heath, a shrub grown in France, from the root of which tobacco-pipes are made: a pipe of this wood. [Fr. bruyère, heath.]

Brig, brig, n. a two-masted, square-rigged vessel. [Shortened from Brigantine.]

Brigade, brig-ād′, n. a body of troops consisting of two or more regiments of infantry or cavalry, and commanded by a general officer, two or more of which form a division: a band of people more or less organised.—v.t. to form into brigades.—ns. Brigade′-mā′jor, a staff-officer attached to a brigade; Brigadier′, Brigadier′-gen′eral, a general officer of the lowest grade, who has command of a brigade. [Fr. brigade—It. brigata—Low L. briga, strife.]

Brigand, brig′and, n. a robber or freebooter.—ns. Brig′andage, freebooting: plundering; Brig′andine, Brig′antine, a coat-of-mail, composed of linen or leather, with steel rings or plates sewed upon it. [Fr.—It. brigante—briga, strife.]

Brigantine, brig′an-tīn, n. a two-masted vessel, with the mainmast of a schooner and the foremast of a brig. [Fr. brigantin—It. brigantine, a pirate ship.]

Bright, brīt, adj. shining: full of light: clear: beautiful: cheerful: clever: illustrious.—adv. (Shak.) brightly: clearly.—v.t. Bright′en, to make bright or brighter.—v.i. to grow bright or brighter: to clear up.—adv. Bright′ly.—n. Bright′ness.—adj. Bright′some, bright: brilliant. [A.S. beorht; cog. with Goth. bairhts, clear, L. flagr-āre, to flame.]

Bright's-disease, brīts′-diz-ēz′, n. a generic name for a group of diseases of the kidneys, which may be defined as comprising cases where structural changes in the kidneys, usually inflammatory, but without suppuration, lead to the presence of albumen in the urine. [From Dr Richard Bright (1789-1858).]

Brigue, brig, v.i. to intrigue.—n. strife, intrigue.—n. Brigu′ing, canvassing. [Fr. brigue; derivation uncertain.]

Brill, bril, n. a fish of the same kind as the turbot, spotted with white. [Ety. unknown.]

Brilliant, bril′yant, adj. sparkling: glittering: splendid.—n. a diamond of the finest cut (as opposed to rose-cut or other patterns).—ns. Brill′iancy, Brill′iance.—adv. Brill′iantly.—n. Brill′iantness.[Fr. brillant, pr.p. of briller, to shine, which, like Ger. brille, an eyeglass, is from Low L. beryllus, a beryl.]

Brim, brim, n. the margin or brink of a river or lake: the upper edge of a vessel: the rim of a hat.—v.t. to fill to the brim.—v.i. to be full to the brim:—pr.p. brim′ming; pa.p. brimmed.—adj. Brim′ful, full to the brim.—n. Brim′fulness (Shak.), fullness to the top.—adjs. Brim′less, without a brim; Brimmed, brimful: having a brim—used in composition.—n. Brim′mer, a bowl full to the brim or top.—adj. Brim′ming. [M. E. brymme—bremman, to roar.]

Brimstone, brim′stōn, n. sulphur: (fig.) a virago.—Fire and brimstone! an ejaculation. [Lit. burning stone; from A.S. brýne, a burning—byrnan, to burn, and Stone; cf. Ger. bernstein.]

Brinded, brin′ded, Brindled, brin′dld, adj. marked with spots or streaks.—n. Brin′dle, state of being brindled. [See Brand.]

Brine, brīn, n. salt water: the sea.—ns. Brine′-pit, a pit or pan in which brine is evaporated, so as to form salt: a salt spring; Brine′-shrimp, a small crustacean.—adjs. Brin′ish, like brine: somewhat salt; Brin′y, pertaining to brine or to the sea: salt.—The briny (slang), the sea. [A.S. brýne, a burning; applied to salt liquor, from its burning, biting quality.]

Bring, bring, v.t. to fetch: to carry: to procure: to occasion: to draw or lead:—pa.t. and pa.p. brought (brawt).—Bring about, to bring to pass, effect; Bring down, to humble; Bring forth, to give birth to, produce; Bring home, to prove, to impress; Bring in, to introduce; Bring off, to bring away, as by a boat from a ship, to rescue; Bring on, to cause to advance; Bring out, to express: to produce before the public, as a book, a play, a subscription: to introduce a young woman formally into so-called society; Bring over, to convert; Bring round, to restore from illness; Bring to, to check the course of, as a ship, by trimming the sails so as to counteract each other; Bring under, to subdue; Bring up, to rear or educate. [A.S. bringan, to carry, to bring; allied perh. to Bear.]

Brinjarry, brin-zhar′i, n. a travelling dealer in grain and salt in Southern India. [Hind. bānjāra.]

Brink, bringk, n. the edge or border of a steep place or of a river: (fig.) the very verge of time, at the very point of something—e.g. To be on the brink of death. [Dan. brink, declivity; Ice. bringa, a hillock.]

Brio, brī′o, n. liveliness, vivacity. [It. brio.]

Brioche, bri-osh′, n. a sponge-cake. [Fr.]

Briony. Same as Bryony.

Briquette, bri-ket′, n. a brick-shaped block of coal formed from coal-dust. [Fr. briquette, dim. of brique, a Brick.]

Brisk, brisk, adj. full of life and spirit: active: sharp: effervescing, as liquors.—v.t. to enliven, freshen.—v.i. to cheer up.—adjs. Brisk′ish, Brisk′y, (Shak.).—adv. Brisk′ly.—n. Brisk′ness. [Dr Murray notes that the word is first found in the end of the 16th century; prob. W. brysg, swift of foot; cf. Gael. brisg, Ir. briosg.]

Brisket, brisk′et, n. the breast of an animal: the part of the breast next to the ribs. [Fr. brechet, brichet.]

Bristle, bris′l, n. a short, stiff hair, as of swine.—v.i. to stand erect, as bristles.—v.t. to cover, as with bristles: to make bristly:—pr.p. bris′tling; pa.p. brist′led.—adj. Bristled (bris′ld), furnished with bristles.—n. Brist′liness.—adj. Brist′ly, set with bristles: rough.—To set up one's bristles, to show temper. [A.S. byrst; Scot. birse; cog. with Ger. borste, Ice. burst.]

Bristol-board, bris′tul-bōrd, n. a smooth pasteboard.—ns. Bris′tol-brick, an earthy material for scouring cutlery, like bath-brick; Bris′tol-dī′amond, a kind of crystal found near Bristol. [From the town of Bristol, in England.]

Brisure, bri-zhūr′, n. (fort.) any part of a rampart or parapet which breaks off at an angle from the general direction: (her.) a variation of a coat-of-arms, showing the relation of a younger to the main line. [Fr.—briser, to break.]

Britannia-metal, brit-an′i-a-met′l, n. a metallic alloy largely used in the manufacture of spoons, &c.

Britannic, brit-an′ik, adj. pertaining to Britannia or Great Britain: British.—adj. British, in ethnography, Old Celtic as opposed to Anglo-Saxon: pertaining to Great Britain or its people—ns. Brit′isher, a British subject (Amer.); Brit′on, a native of Britain.

Brittle, brit′l, adj. apt to break: easily broken: frail.—ns. Britt′leness; Britt′le-stars, or Sand-stars, one of the classes of Echinodermata, including forms not far removed from starfishes. [A.S. bréotan, to break.]

Britzka, Britzska, brits′ka, n. an open four-wheeled carriage with shutters to close at pleasure, and only one seat.—Also Britschka, Britska. [Polish bryczka, dim. of bryka, a wagon.]

Broach, brōch, n. a tapering, pointed instrument, used chiefly for boring: a spit: a church spire.—v.t. to pierce as a cask, to tap: to open up or begin: to utter.—n. Broach′er, a broach or spit: one who broaches or utters.—To broach the admiral, to steal some liquor from a cask while being carried by rail or otherwise, or when in store; To broach to, to turn a ship to windward. [Fr. brocher, to pierce, broche, an iron pin—L. brocchus, a projecting tooth.]

Broad, brawd, adj. wide: large, free or open: outspoken: coarse, indelicate: of pronunciation, e.g. a broad accent.—advs. Broad, Broad′ly.—ns. Broad′-ar′row, a mark, thus (), stamped on materials belonging to Government; Broad′-brim, a hat with a broad brim, such as those worn by Quakers: (coll.) a Quaker.—adj. Broad′cast, scattered or sown abroad by the hand: dispersed widely.—adv. by throwing at large from the hand, only in phrases, as, 'to scatter broadcast,' &c.—v.t. to scatter freely.—n. Broad′cloth, a fine kind of woollen fulled cloth, used for men's garments.—v.t. Broad′en, to make broad or broader.—v.i. to grow broad or extend in breadth.—adj. Broad′-eyed (Shak.), having a wide or extended survey.—ns. Broad′-gauge (see Gauge); Broad′ness.—n.pl. Broads, lake-like expansions of rivers.—ns. Broad′side, the side of a ship: all the guns on one side of a ship of war, or their simultaneous discharge: a sheet of paper printed on one side, otherwise named Broad′sheet; Broad′sword, a cutting sword with a broad blade: a man armed with such a sword.—Broad Church, a party within the Church of England which advocates a broad and liberal interpretation of dogmatic definitions and creed subscription—the name was first used in 1833 by W. J. Conybeare. [A.S. brád, Goth. braids.]

Brobdingnagian, brob-ding-nā′ji-an, n. an inhabitant of the fabulous region of Brobdingnag in Gulliver's Travels, the people of which were of great stature—hence a gigantic person.—adj. gigantic.—adj. Brobdingnag′, immense.

Brocade, brok-ād′, n. a silk stuff on which figures are wrought.—adj. Brocad′ed, woven or worked in the manner of brocade: dressed in brocade. [It. broccato, Fr. brocart, from It. broccare, Fr. brocher, to prick, stitch; from root of Broach.]

Brocage, brōk′āj, n. Obsolete spelling of Brokage (q.v. under Broker).

Brocard, brok′ärd, n. an elementary law or principle: a canon: (Fr.) a gibe. [Fr. brocard, Low L. brocarda, from Brocard or Burchard, Bishop of Worms, who published a book of ecclesiastical rules.]

Broccoli, brok′o-li, n. a cultivated kind of cabbage resembling cauliflower, of which it is originally a hardy variety. [It.; pl. of broccolo, a sprout, dim. of brocco, a skewer, a shoot.]

Broch, broh, n. the local name applied in the north of Scotland to the ancient dry-built circular castles, known also to the Gaelic-speaking people as duns, and to antiquaries as Pictish towers.—Also Brogh and Brough. [Old Norse borg; A.S. burh.]

Broch, brōch, obsolete spelling of Broach.

Brochure, bro-shōōr′, n. a pamphlet. [Lit. a small book stitched, Fr.—brocher, to stitch—broche, a needle. See Broach.]

Brock, brok, n. a badger—hence, from the smell, a dirty, stinking fellow.—adj. Brocked (Scot.), variegated, having a mixture of black and white. [From the Celt., as in Gael. broc, a badger, which is from Gael. breac, speckled.]

Brode, brōd, adv. (Spens.). Same as Abroad.

Brodekin, Brodkin, brōd′kin, n. a buskin. [Fr. brodequin.]

Brog, brog, n. a pointed steel instrument used for piercing holes: (Scot.) an awl.—v.t. to prick. [Ety. dub.; the Gael. brog; an awl, is prob. borrowed.]

Brogue, brōg, n. a stout coarse shoe: a dialect or manner of pronunciation, esp. the Irish. [Ir. and Gael. brog, a shoe.]

Broider, broid′ėr, Broidery, broid′ėr-i. Same as Embroider, Embroidery.—Broidered (B.) = Embroidered.

Broil, broil, n. a noisy quarrel: a confused disturbance—(Scot.) Brul′yie, Brul′zie.—n. Broil′er, one who stirs up broils. [Fr. brouiller, to trouble.]

Broil, broil, v.t. to cook over hot coals: to grill.—v.i. to be greatly heated. [Ety. dub.]

Broke, brōk, pa.t. and old pa.p. of Break.—p.adj. Brok′en, rent asunder: infirm: humbled or crushed: dispersed, routed: altered in direction: shattered in estate or position: incomplete, fragmentary: uncertain.—adjs. Brok′en-backed, having the back broken, applied to a ship so loosened in her frame as to droop at both ends; Brok′en-down, decayed, ruined in character or strength; Brok′en-heart′ed, crushed with grief: greatly depressed in spirit.—adv. Brok′enly.—ns. Brok′en-man, one under outlawry, esp. in the Highlands and Border country; Brok′en-meat, the leavings of a banquet; Brok′enness.—adj. Brok′en-wind′ed, having short breath or disordered respiration, as a horse.

Broker, brōk′ėr, n. one employed to buy and sell for others: a second-hand dealer: a pander: a commissioner.—v.i. Broke, to bargain, negotiate: (Shak.) to act as a pander or go-between:—pr.p. brōk′ing; pa.p. brōked.—ns. Brok′erage, Brok′age, the business of a broker: the commission charged by a broker: a commission charged for transacting business for others; Brok′ery, the business of a broker.—p.adj. Brok′ing, doing business as a broker: practised by brokers. [M. E. brocour—A.S. brucan; Ger. brauchen, to use, to profit.]

Bromate. See Bromine.

Brome-grass, brōm′-gras, n. a kind of grass bearing a strong resemblance to oats. [Gr. brōmos, and bromos, grass.]

Bromine, brōm′in, n. one of the elements, closely allied to chlorine, so called from its disagreeable smell.—adj. Brom′ic, pertaining to bromine.—ns. Brom′ate, a combination of bromic acid with a salifiable base; Brom′ide, a combination of bromine with a base.—Bromic acid, an acid composed of bromine and oxygen. [Gr. brōmos, a disagreeable odour.]

Bronchiæ, brongk′i-ē, n.pl. a name given to the ramifications of the windpipe which carry air into the lungs.—adjs. Bronch′ic, Bronch′ial.—n. Bronchī′tis, inflammation of the bronchiæ. [L.—Gr. bronchia, the bronchial tubes.]

Broncho, Bronco, brong′ko, n. (U.S.) a half-tamed horse. [Sp. bronco, rough, sturdy.]

Brond. Same as Brand.

Bronze, bronz, n. an alloy of copper and tin used in various ways since the most ancient times: anything cast in bronze: the colour of bronze: (fig.) impudence.—adj. made of bronze: coloured like bronze.—v.t. to give the appearance of bronze to: (fig.) to harden.—adj. Bronzed, coated with bronze: hardened.—ns. Bronze′-steel, or Steel-bronze, a specially hardened bronze; Bronze′-wing, Bronze′-pi′geon, a species of Australian pigeon having wings marked with a lustrous bronze colour.—v.t. Bronz′ify, to make into bronze.—ns. Bronz′ing, the process of giving the appearance of bronze; Bronz′ite, a lustrous kind of diallage.—adj. Bronz′y, having the appearance of bronze.—Bronze age or period, a term in prehistoric archæology denoting the condition or stage of culture of a people using bronze as the material for cutting implements and weapons—as a stage of culture coming between the use of stone and the use of iron for those purposes—not an absolute division of time, but a relative condition of culture. [Fr.—It. bronzo—L. Brundusium, the modern Brindisi.]

Broo, brōō (mod. Scot.—vowel sounded like Ger. ü), n. (Scot.) broth. [Ety. dub.: prob. O. Fr. bro, breu, broth; prob conn. with Bree.]

Brooch, brōch, n. an ornamental pin or instrument for fastening any article of dress, consisting for the most part either of a ring or disc, or of a semicircle, there being a pin in either case passing across it, fastened at one end with a joint or loop, and at the other with a hook.—v.t. (Shak.) to adorn as with a brooch. [Fr. broche, a spit. See Broach.]

Brood, brōōd, v.t. to sit upon or cover in order to breed or hatch: to hatch: to cover, as with wings: to mature or foster with care: to meditate moodily upon.—v.i. to sit as a hen on eggs: to hover over: to think anxiously for some time: to meditate silently (with on, over): to be bred.—n. something bred: offspring, children, or family: a race, kind: parentage: the number hatched at once.—adj. for breeding, as in brood-mare, &c.—adv. Brood′ingly.—adj. Brood′y, inclined to sit or incubate. [A.S. bród; Dut. broed; what is hatched.]

Brook, brōōk, n. a small stream.—ns. Brook′let, a little brook; Brook′lime, a species of speedwell found in ditches. [A.S. bróc, water breaking forth; Dut. broek, Ger. bruch.]

Brook, brōōk, v.t. to enjoy: to bear or endure. [A.S. búrcan, to use, enjoy; Ger. brauchen, L. frui, fructus.]

Brool, brōōl, n. a deep murmur. [Ger. brüll, a roar.]

Broom, brōōm, n. a name given to a number of species of shrubs of the closely allied genera Cytisus, Genista, and Spartium: a besom made of its twigs.—v.t. to sweep with a broom.—ns. Broom′-corn, a species of plant resembling maize, cultivated for its seed and its spikes, of which brooms are made; Broom′-rape, a parasitic plant found adhering to the root of broom, clover, &c.; Broom′staff, Broom′stick, the staff or handle of a broom.—adj. Broom′y, abounding in or consisting of broom.—To marry over the broomstick, or To jump the besom, to go through an irregular form of marriage, in which both jump over a broomstick. [A.S. bróm; Ger. bram.]

Broose, brüz, n. (Scot.) a race at weddings in Scotland. [Derivation unknown.]

Brose, brōz, n. a simple and nutritious food, made by pouring boiling water or milk on oatmeal, seasoned with salt and butter.—Athole brose, a mixture of whisky and honey. [Scot.; O. Fr. broez.]

Broth, broth, n. an infusion or decoction of vegetable and animal substances in water.—A broth of a boy (Irish), a first-rate fellow. [A.S. broth—bréowan, to brew. See Brew.]

Brothel, broth′el, n. a house of ill-fame. [M. E. brothel—A. S. broð-en, ruined, bréðen, to go to ruin.]

Brother, bruth′ėr, n. a male born of the same parents: any one closely united with or resembling another; associated in common interests, occupation, &c.: a fellow-member of a religious order, a fellow-member of a guild, &c.: a fellow-creature, fellow-citizen, a co-religionist: (B.) a kinsman: pl. Broth′ers and Breth′ren, the latter esp. used in the sense of fellow-membership of guilds, religious communities, &c., and is a name given to certain sections of the Church of Christ, as Christian Brethren, Moravian Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, &c.—ns. Broth′er-ger′man, a brother having the same father and mother, in contradistinction to a half-brother, by one parent only; Broth′erhood, the state of being a brother: an association of men for any purpose; Broth′er-in-law, the brother of a husband or wife: a sister's husband.—adjs. Broth′er-like, Broth′erly, like a brother: kind: affectionate.—n. Broth′erliness, state of being brotherly: kindness. [A.S. broðor; cog. with Ger. bruder, Gael. brathair, Fr. frère, L. frater, Sans. bhrátar.]

Brougham, brōō′am, or brōōm, n. a one-horse close carriage, either two or four wheeled, named after Lord Brougham (1778-1868).

Brought, brawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bring.

Brow, brow, n. the eyebrow: the ridge over the eyes: the forehead: the edge of a hill: a gallery in a coalmine running across the face of the coal: (fig.) aspect, appearance.—v.t. Brow′beat, to bear down with stern looks or speech: to bully.—adjs. Brow′-bound, having the brow bound as with a crown: crowned; Brow′less, without shame. [A.S. brú; Ice. brün.]

Brown, brown, adj. of a dark or dusky colour, inclining to red or yellow: dark-complexioned: sunburnt.—n. a dark-reddish colour: (slang) a copper.—v.t. to make brown, or give a brown colour to: to roast brown.—ns. Brown′-bess, the old British flint-lock musket—from the brown walnut stock; Brown′-bill, a foot-soldier's or watchman's halbert, painted brown; Brown′-bread, bread of a brown colour, made of unbolted flour; Brown′-coal, commonly called Lignite, an imperfect kind of coal which exhibits more of its woody structure than ordinary coal; Brown′-George, a hard biscuit: a brown earthen vessel; Brown′ing, the process of imparting a brown colour to iron articles: a preparation for giving a brown colour to gravy, &c., or for dressing brown leather.—adj. Brown′ish.—ns. Brown′ness; Brown′-pā′per, coarse and strong paper used chiefly for wrapping; Brown′-spar, a name given to certain varieties of dolomite or magnesian limestone, distinguished by their brownish colour; Brown′-stout, a kind of porter; Brown′-stud′y, gloomy reverie: absent-mindedness.—adj. Brown′y (Shak.), of a brown colour.—To do brown (slang), to do thoroughly, to deceive or take in completely. [A.S. brún; Dut. bruin, Ger. braun.]

Brownie, brown′i, n. a kind of domestic spirit in the folklore of Scotland, represented as a good-humoured, drudging goblin, who attached himself to farmhouses, and occupied himself overnight in churning, thrashing corn, and the like. [Brown.]

Brownist, brown′ist, n. one holding the Church principles of Robert Browne (1550-1633), which may be said to have given birth to the Independents or Congregationalists of England.

Browse, browz, v.t. and v.i. to feed on the shoots or leaves of plants.—ns. Browse, Brows′ing, the shoots and leaves of plants: fodder: the action of the verb browse. [O. Fr. brouster (Fr. brouter)—broust, a sprout.]

Browst, browst, n. (Scot.) a brewing. [Brew.]

Bruckle, bruk′l, adj. (Scot.) liable to break, brittle. [A.S. brucol—brekan, to Break.]

Bruin, brōō′in, n. a bear, so called from the name of the bear in the famous beast-epic Reynard the Fox, just as reynard and chanticleer have also passed from proper names into common names, often written without capitals. [Bruin = brown.]

Bruise, brōōz, v.t. to crush by beating or pounding: to oppress: to box or fight with the fists: to ride recklessly in hunting, careless alike of horse and crops: to reduce to small fragments.—n. a wound made by anything heavy and blunt.—p.adj. Bruised, hurt by a heavy blow, with skin crushed and discoloured.—n. Bruis′er, one that bruises: a boxer.—p.adj. Bruis′ing, boxing. [A.S. brýsan, to crush, with which, says Dr Murray, afterwards coalesced Fr. brisie-r; bruisier, bruser, to break.]

Bruit, brōōt, n. noise: something noised abroad: a rumour or report.—v.t. to noise abroad: to report: to celebrate. [Fr. bruit—Fr. bruire; cf. Low L. brugītus; prob. imit.]

Brulzie, bruilzie, brül′yi, n. Scotch and northern form of Broil.

Brumaire, brōōmār′, n. the second month in the French revolutionary calendar, extending from Oct. 22 to Nov. 20. [Fr. brume, fog—L. bruma, winter.]

Brume, brōōm, n. fog.—adjs. Brum′al, relating to winter; Brum′ous, foggy, wintry. [L. bruma, winter, contr. from brevima, the shortest day.]

Brummagem, brum′a-jem, adj. showy but worthless, sham, counterfeit. [From a popular pronunciation of Birmingham.]

Brunette, brōōn-et′, n. a girl with a brown or dark complexion. [Fr. dim. of brun, brown.]

Brunonian, brōō-no′ni-an, adj. relating to the system of medicine founded by Dr John Brown of Edinburgh (1736-88)—all diseases sthenic, those depending on an excess of excitement, or asthenic, those resulting from a deficiency of it.

Brunt, brunt, n. the shock of an onset or contest: the force of a blow: the chief stress or crisis of anything.—v.t. to bear the brunt of. [Ice. bruna, to advance like fire, is usually given; Dr Murray suggests that it may be an onomatopœia of Eng. itself (cf. Dunt), or connected with burnt—Scot. brunt.]

Brush, brush, n. an instrument for removing dust, usually made of bristles, twigs, feathers, or stiff grass stems: a kind of hair-pencil used by painters: a painter, one who uses the brush: brushwood: a skirmish or encounter: the tail of a fox: (elect.) a brush-like discharge of sparks: one of the bundles of copper wires or flexible strips in contact with the commutator of the armature on opposite sides, and which carry off the positive and negative currents of electricity generated.—v.t. to remove dust, &c., from by sweeping: to touch lightly in passing: remove (with off): to thrash.—v.i. to move over lightly: to make off with a rush.—n. Brush′ing, the act of rubbing or sweeping.—adj. in a lively manner: brisk.—ns. Brush′-wheel, a wheel used in light machinery to turn another by having the rubbing surface covered with stiff hairs or bristles; Brush′wood, rough close bushes: a thicket.—adj. Brush′y, rough, rugged.—To brush up, to brighten, revive. [O. Fr. brosse, a brush, brushwood—Low L. bruscia; Diez connects the Fr. with Old High Ger. burst, bursta, bristle.]

Brusque, brōōsk, adj. blunt, abrupt in manner, rude.—adv. Brusque′ly.—ns. Brusque′ness; Brusque′rie. [Fr. brusque; rude. See Brisk.]

Brussels, brus′elz, n. contracted from Brussels-carpet, a kind of carpet in which the worsted threads are arranged in the warp, and are interwoven into a network of linen. Still, the bulk of the carpet consists of wool.—n.pl. Bruss′els-sprouts, a variety of the common cabbage with sprouts like miniature cabbages. [Named from Brussels in Belgium.]

Brust, brust, pa.p. (Spens.). Same as Burst.

Brute, brōōt, adj. belonging to the lower animals: irrational: stupid: rude.—n. one of the lower animals.—adj. Brut′al, like a brute: unfeeling: inhuman.—v.t. Brut′alise, to make like a brute, to degrade.—v.i. to live like a brute.—n. Brutal′ity.—adv. Brut′ally.—n. Brute′ness, brute-like state: brutality: (Spens.) stupidity.—v.t. Brut′ify, to make brutal, stupid, or uncivilised:—pr.p. brutify′ing; pa.p. brutifīed′.—adj. Brut′ish, brutal: (B.) unwise.—adv. Brut′ishly.—n. Brut′ishness.—The brute creation, the lower animals. [Fr. brut—L. brutus, dull, irrational.]

Brutus, brōō′tus, n. a kind of wig: a way of wearing the hair brushed back from the forehead, popular at the time of the French Revolution, when it was an affectation to admire the old Romans, as Brutus.

Bryology, brī-ol′o-ji, n. the study of mosses. [Gr. bryon, moss, and logia—legein, to speak.]

Bryony, brī′o-ni, n. a wild climbing plant, common in English hedgerows.—Black bryony, a climbing plant similar to bryony in habit and disposition, but which may be readily distinguished by its simple, entire, heart-shaped leaves, which are smooth and somewhat glossy. [L.—Gr. bryōnia.]

Bryozoa, brī-ō-zō′a, n.pl. an old name for the Polyzoa, from their resemblance to mosses.

Brythonic, brīth-on′ik, adj. a name introduced by Prof. Rhys for the second of the two great divisions of Celtic ethnology. The Goidelic or Gadhelic group embraces Irish, Manx, and Gaelic; the Brythonic group, Welsh, Breton, and Cornish. [Brython, one of the Welsh words for the Welsh and so-called Ancient Britons.]

Bub, bub, n. (slang) strong drink.

Bubalis, bū′bal-is, n. a genus in the Antelope division of hollow-horned, even-toed Ruminants, not to be confused with the genus Bubalus, the Buffalo. [Gr.]

Bubble, bub′l, n. a bladder of water blown out with air: anything empty: a cheating scheme.—adj. unsubstantial, deceptive.—v.i. to rise in bubbles.—v.t. to cheat with bubble schemes:—pr.p. bubb′ling; pa.p. bubb′led.—adj. Bubb′ly.—n. Bubb′ly-jock, a Scotch name for a turkey-cock.—Bubble and squeak, meat and cabbage fried together.—To bubble over, as of a pot boiling, with anger, mirth, &c. [Cf. Sw. bubbla, Dut. bobbel.]

Bubo, bū′bo, n. an inflammatory swelling of the glands in the groin or armpit.—adj. Bubon′ic, accompanied by buboes.—n. Būb′ukle, a ridiculous word of Fluellen's for a red pimple, corrupted from bubo and carbuncle. [L.—Gr. boubōn, the groin.]

Buccal, buk′al, adj. pertaining to the cheek. [L.]

Buccaneer, Buccanier, buk-an-ēr′, n. one of the piratical adventurers in the West Indies during the 17th century, who plundered the Spaniards chiefly.—v.i. to act as a buccaneer.—n. Buccaneer′ing.—adj. Buccaneer′ish. [Fr. boucaner, to smoke meat—Carib. boucan, a wooden gridiron. The French settlers in the W.I. cooked their meat on a boucan in native fashion, and were hence called boucaniers.]

Buccinator, buk-sin-ā′tor, n. the name of a flat muscle forming the wall of the cheek, assisting in mastication and in the blowing of wind-instruments.—adj. Buccinat′ory. [L.;—buccinare.]

Bucentaur, bōō-sen′tawr, n. a mythical monster half man and half bull: the state barge of Venice used annually on Ascension Day in the ancient ceremony of the marriage of the state with the Adriatic. [It. bucentoro, usually explained as from Gr. bous, an ox, kentauros, a centaur.]

Bucephalus, bū-sef′a-lus, n. the famous war-horse of Alexander the Great: a familiar name for a riding-horse. [Gr.; bous, ox, kephalē, head.]

Buck, buk, n. the male of the deer, goat, hare, and rabbit—often used specifically of the male of the fallow-deer: a dashing young fellow.—v.i. (of a horse or mule—a Buck′jumper) to attempt to throw by a series of rapid jumps into the air, coming down with the back arched, the head down, and the forelegs stiff: (U.S.) to make obstinate resistance to any improvements.—ns. Buck′een, a poor Irish gentleman, without means to support his gentility; Buck′-eye, the American horse-chestnut; Buck′horn, the material of a buck's horn; Buck′-hound, a small kind of staghound used for hunting bucks; Buck′-shot, a large kind of shot, used in shooting deer; Buck′skin, a soft leather made of deerskin or sheepskin: a strong twilled woollen cloth, cropped of nap and carefully finished.—adj. made of the skin of a buck.—n.pl. Buck′skins, breeches made usually of the cloth, not of the leather.—ns. Buck′thorn, a genus of shrubs, the berry of which supplies the sap-green used by painters; Buck′-tooth, a projecting tooth. [A.S. buc, bucca; Dut. bok, Ger. bock, a he-goat.]

Buck, buk, v.t. to soak or steep in lye, a process in bleaching.—n. lye in which clothes are bleached.—n. Buck′-bas′ket, a basket in which clothes are carried to be bucked. [Ety. obscure; M. E. bouken; cog. words are Ger. bäuchen, beuchen.]

Buckbean, buk′bēn, n. the marsh-trefoil, a plant common in bogs in Britain. [Corr. of Bogbean.]

Bucket, buk′et, n. a vessel for drawing or holding water, &c.; one of the compartments on the circumference of a water-wheel, or one of the scoops of a dredging-machine: the leather socket for holding the whip in driving, or for the carbine or lance when mounted: a name given to the pitcher in some orchids.—ns. Buck′etful, as much as a bucket will hold; Buck′eting (U.S.), jerky rowing; Buck′et-shop, slang term for the offices of 'outside brokers'—mere agents for bets on the rise or fall of prices of stock, &c.; Buck′et-wheel, a contrivance for raising water by means of buckets attached to the circumference of a wheel.—Give the bucket, to dismiss; Kick the bucket (slang), to die. [Prob. conn. with A.S. búc, a pitcher; or O. Fr. buket, a pail. Not Gael. bucaid, a bucket.]

Buckie, buk′i, n. (Scot.) a shellfish such as the whelk: a refractory person. [Scot., prob. related somehow to L. buccinum, a shellfish.]

Buckle, buk′l, n. a metal instrument consisting of a rim and tongue, used for fastening straps or bands in dress, harness, &c.—v.t. to fasten with a buckle: to prepare for action: to engage in close fight.—v.i. to bend or bulge out: to engage with zeal in a task.—n. Buck′ler, a small shield used for parrying. [Fr. boucle, the boss of a shield, a ring—Low L. buccula, dim. of bucca, a cheek.]

Buckra, buk′ra, n. a word used by West Indian and American negroes for a white man—said in a dialect of the Calabar coast to mean 'demon.'

Buckram, buk′ram, n. a coarse open-woven fabric of cotton or linen made very stiff with size, used for the framework of ladies' bonnets, for the inside of belts and collars of dresses, and for bookbinding: stiffness in manners and appearance.—adj. made of buckram: stiff: precise.—v.t. to give the quality of buckram. [O. Fr. boquerant.]

Buckshish. Same as Backsheesh.

Buckwheat, buk′hwēt, n. a species of Polygonum, grown in Germany, Brittany, &c., for feeding horses, cattle, and poultry—buckwheat cakes are esteemed on American breakfast-tables. [Prob. Dut. boekweit, or Ger. buckweize.]

Bucolic, -al, bū-kol′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to the tending of cattle: pastoral: rustic, countrified.—n. Bucol′ic, a pastoral poem. [L.—Gr. boukolikos—boukolos, a herdsman.]

Bud, bud, n. the first shoot of a tree or plant: used of young people, as a term of endearment.—v.i. to put forth buds: to begin to grow.—v.t. to put forth as buds: to graft, as a plant, by inserting a bud under the bark of another tree:—pr.p. bud′ding; pa.p. bud′ded.—n. Bud′ding, a method of propagation by means of buds.—adjs. Bud′dy; Bud′less.—To nip in the bud, to destroy at its very beginning. [M. E. budde; prob. related to Dut. bot, a bud.]

Buddha, bōōd′da, n. an epithet applied to Sakyamuni or Gautama, the founder of the Buddhist religion.—ns. Bud′dhism, the religion founded by Buddha; Bud′dhist, a believer in Buddhism.—adjs. Buddhist′ic, Bud′dhist, pertaining to Buddhism.—Esoteric Buddhism (see Theosophy). [Sans. buddha, wise, from budh, to know.]

Buddle, bud′l, v.t. to wash ore with a buddle or inclined hutch over which water flows.

Budge, buj, v.i. and v.t. to move or stir.—n. Budg′er, one who stirs. [Fr. bouger—It. bulicare, to boil, to bubble—L. bullire.]

Budge, buj, n. lambskin fur.—adj. pompous: stiff. [Derivation unknown.]

Budget, buj′et, n. a sack with its contents: a compact collection of things: a socket in which the end of a cavalry carbine rests: that miscellaneous collection of matters which aggregate into the annual financial statement made to parliament by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. [Fr. bougette, dim. of bouge, a pouch—L. bulga.]

Buff, buf, n. a pliant and uncracking leather used for soldiers' belts and other military purposes, made out of salted and dried South American light ox and cow hides: a military coat: the colour of buff: a light yellow: the bare skin: (pl.) certain regiments in the British army, so named from their buff-coloured facings—e.g. East Kent Regiment, Ross-shire Buffs.—ns. Buff′-coat, a strong military coat: a soldier; Buff′-wheel, Buff′-stick, a wheel or stick covered with buff-leather or the like, and sprinkled with emery, for polishing.—In buff, naked. [Fr. buffle, a buffalo.]

Buff, buf, n. (obs.) a buffet, blow, or stroke.—v.t. to strike. [O. Fr. buffe, a blow.]

Buffalo, buf′a-lō, n. a genus of the ox kind, the tame, often domesticated Asiatic buffalo, and the entirely wild and fierce Cape buffalo. The so-called American buffalo is really a 'bison.' [It. buffalo, through L. from Gr. boubalos.]

Buffer, buf′ėr, n. a mechanical apparatus for deadening the force of a concussion, as in railway carriages: a fellow, as in 'old buffer.'—n. Buff′er-state, a neutral country lying between two others, whose relations are or may become strained.

Buffet, buf′et, n. a blow with the fist, a slap.—v.t. to strike with the hand or fist: to contend against.—n. Buff′eting, a striking with the hand, boxing: contention. [O. Fr. bufet—bufe, a blow, esp. on the cheek.]

Buffet, buf′et, n. a kind of sideboard: a low stool: a refreshment-bar (in this sense often pronounced buf'ā). [Fr. buffet; origin unknown.]

Buffoon, buf-ōōn′, n. one who amuses by jests, grimaces, &c.: a clown: a fool.—ns. Buff′o, the comic actor in an opera; Buffoon′ery, the practices of a buffoon; ludicrous or vulgar jesting. [Fr. bouffon—It. buffone, buffare, to jest.]

Bug, bug, n. an object of terror.—ns. Big-bug (slang), an aristocrat; Bug′aboo, a bogy, or object of terror; Bug′bear, an object of terror, generally imaginary.—adj. causing fright. [M. E. bugge, prob. W. bwg, a hobgoblin.]

Bug, bug, n. a name applied loosely to certain insects, esp. to one (Cimex lectularius) that infests houses and beds: in America applied to any insect.

Buggery, bug′gėr-i, n. the crime of bestiality, unnatural vice. [Fr. bougre—L. Bulgarus, a Bulgarian, a heretic.]

Buggy, bug′i, n. a name given to several kinds of light carriages or gigs—in America, a light one-horse, four-wheeled vehicle with one seat; in England, two-wheeled; in India, provided with a hood to ward off the sun. [By some conn. with Bogie; ety. really quite unknown.]

Bugle, bū′gl, Bugle-horn, bū′gl-horn, n. a hunting-horn, originally a buffalo-horn: a treble musical instrument, usually made of copper, like the trumpet, but having the bell less expanded and the tube shorter and more conical: (Spens.) a buffalo or wild ox—dim. Bū′glet.—v.i. Bū′gle, to sound a bugle.—n. Bū′gler, one who plays upon the bugle. [O. Fr. bugle;—L. buculus, dim. of bos, an ox.]

Bugle, bū′gl, n. a slender elongated kind of bead, usually black.—adj. (Shak.) like bugles. [Prob. conn. with Low L. bugulus; prob. obscurely conn. with Dut. beugel, a ring.]

Bugle, bū′gl, n. a palæarctic genus of plants of the natural order Labiatæ, with blue or sometimes white or purple flowers. [Fr., It. bugola—Low L. bugula, bugillo.]

Bugloss, bū′glos, n. a name popularly applied to many plants of the natural order Boragineæ, more strictly to Anchusa arvensis, a common weed in corn-fields in Britain. [Fr. buglosse—L. buglossa—Gr. bouglōssos—bous, ox, glōssa, tongue.]

Bugong, bū′gong, n. a noctuoid moth.

Buhl, būl, n. unburnished gold, brass, or mother-of-pearl worked in patterns for inlaying: furniture ornamented with such. [From André Charles Boule (1642-1732), a cabinet-maker in the service of Louis XIV.]

Buhrstone, bur′stōn, n. a variety of quartz, containing many small empty cells, which give it a peculiar roughness of surface, particularly adapting it for millstones.—Often Burr′-stone. [Perh. conn. with Burr, from its roughness.]

Build, bild, v.t. to erect, as a house or bridge: to form or construct, as a railway, &c.—v.i. to depend (with on, upon):—pa.p. built or build′ed.—n. construction: make.—ns. Build′er, one who builds, or who controls the actual work of building; Build′ing, the art of erecting houses, &c.: anything built: a house.—p.adj. Built, formed or shaped.—Build in, to enclose by building; Build up, to close up by building, as a door: to erect any edifice, as a reputation: to edify spiritually, as the church. [A.S. gebyld, bold, a dwelling, from an assumed byldan, to build.]

Buirdly, bürd′li, adj. stalwart, large and well made. [Scot., a variant of Burly.]

Buisson, bwē-song, n. a fruit-tree trained on a low stem, the branches closely pruned. [Fr.]

Buist, büst, n. (Scot.) a mark put on sheep or cattle to indicate ownership: a box.—v.t. to mark with such. [Ety. dub.]

Bukshi, Bukshee, buk′shē, n. the paymaster in native Indian states. [Hind. bakshi—baksh, pay.]

Bulb, bulb, n. an onion-like root: any protuberance or enlargement resembling such.—v.i. to form bulbs: to bulge out or swell.—adjs. Bul′bar, Bulbed, Bul′bous, Bulbā′ceous, Bulb′iform, Bulbif′erous, Bul′bose, Bul′by.—ns. Bul′bule, a little bulb: a young bulb which grows from an old one; Bul′bus, a bulb. [L. bulbus—Gr. bolbos, an onion.]

Bulbul, bool′bool, n. the Persian nightingale. [Arab.]

Buldering, bul′der-ing, adj. (prov.) hot, sultry.

Bulgarian, bul-gā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Bulgaria or its language.—n. a native of Bulgaria: the Bulgarian language (Slavonic).—n. Bul′gar, a member of an ancient Finnic or Ugrian tribe which moved from the Volga towards Bulgaria.—adj. Bulgar′ic.—n. the ancient language of the foregoing.

Bulge, bulj, n. the widest part of a cask, a round protuberance, swelling.—v.i. to swell out.—ns. Bul′ger, a wooden golf-club with a convex face; Bul′giness.—adj. Bul′gy—To get the bulge on one (slang), to get a decided advantage over a person. [O. Fr. boulge, prob. L. bulga, a leather knapsack; a Gallic word.]

Bulimy, būl′i-mi, n. an unnatural hunger. [Gr.; bous, ox, limos, hunger.]

Bulk, bulk, n. a stall or framework built in front of a shop.—n. Bulk′er, a street thief or strumpet. [Ety. dub.; Prof. Skeat suggests Scand. bálk-r, beam, and Dr Murray quotes also an A.S. bolca, gangway of a ship.]

Bulk, bulk, n. magnitude or size: the greater part: any huge body or structure: the whole cargo in the hold of a ship.—v.i. to be in bulk: to be of weight or importance.—v.t. to put or hold in bulk.—ns. Bulk′head, a partition separating one part of the interior of a ship from another, either transverse or longitudinal, and usually made watertight; Bulk′iness.—adj. Bulk′y, having bulk: of great size, unwieldy.—Collision bulkhead, that nearest the bow—usually the only one in sailing-ships.—To load in bulk, to put the cargo in loose; To sell in bulk, to sell the cargo as it is in the hold: to sell in large quantities. [Prob. Scand.; Ice. bulki, a heap.]

Bull, bool, n. the male of the ox kind: an old male whale, fur-seal, &c.: a sign of the zodiac: one who tries artificially and unduly to raise the price of stocks, and speculates on a rise.—adj. denoting largeness of size—used in composition, as bull-trout: favourable to the bulls, rising.—v.t. to try to raise, as the price of shares, artificially: to copulate with a cow, of a bull.—v.i. to be in heat, of a cow.—ns. Bull′-baiting, the sport of baiting or exciting bulls with dogs; Bull′-bat (U.S.), the night-hawk or goat-sucker; Bull′-beef, the beef or flesh of bulls, coarse beef: (Shak., in pl.) Bull′-beeves; Bull′-begg′ar, a hobgoblin, &c.; Bull′-calf, a male calf: a stupid fellow, a lout; Bull′-dance, a dance of men only; Bull′dog, a breed of dogs of great courage, formerly used for baiting bulls, its general appearance that of a smooth-coated, compact dog, low in stature, but broad and powerful, with a massive head, large in proportion to its body: a person of obstinate courage: a short-barrelled revolver of large calibre: a proctor's attendant at Oxford and Cambridge.—v.t. Bull′-dose (U.S.) to intimidate, bully: flog.—n. Bull′-dōs′er.—adj. Bull′-faced, having a large face.—ns. Bull′-fight, a popular spectacle in Spain, in which a bull is goaded to fury in a kind of circus by mounted picadores armed with lances, and finally despatched by a specially skilful espada or swordsman; Bull′-fight′er; Bull′-finch, a species of red-breasted finch a little larger than the common linnet, closely allied to the grossbeaks and crossbills: a kind of hedge hard to jump; Bull′-frog, a large North American frog.—adj. Bull′-front′ed, having a front or forehead like a bull.—n. Bull′-head, or Miller's Thumb, a small river fish remarkable for its large, flat head.—adj. Bull′-head′ed, impetuous and obstinate.—n. Bull′-head′edness.—adj. Bull′ish.—ns. Bull′ock, an ox or castrated bull; Bull′-roar′er, a provincial English name for a boy's plaything, made of an oblong piece of wood, to one end of which a string is tied, then twisted tightly round the finger, when the whole is whirled rapidly round and round until a loud and peculiar whirring noise is produced—the native Australian turndun, the rhombos of the Greek mysteries; Bull's′-eye, the central boss formed in making a sheet of blown glass (hence adj. Bull's′-eyed), a round piece of glass in a lantern, a policeman's lantern, a round opening or window: the centre of a target, of a different colour from the rest, and usually round: a thick lump of coloured or striped candy; Bull′-terr′ier, a species of dog, a cross-breed between the bulldog and the terrier; Bull′-trout, a large trout of the salmon genus, also migratory in its habits, often called the Gray Trout; Bull′-whack, a heavy whip.—v.t. to lash with such.—n. Bull′wort, the bishop's weed.—Bull into, to plunge hastily into.—A bull in a china-shop, a synonym for a man who does harm through ignorance or fury, a man completely out of place.—Take the bull by the horns, to face a danger or difficulty with courage, to take the initiative boldly in a struggle. [M.E. bole, prob. Scand. bole, boli; most prob. cog. with Bellow.]

Bull, bool, n. an edict of the pope which has his seal affixed.—adj. Bullan′tic—n. Bull′ary, a collection of papal bulls. [L. bulla, a knob, a leaden seal.]

Bull, bool, n. a ludicrous blunder in speech implying some obvious absurdity or contradiction, often said to be an especial prerogative of Irishmen—'I was a fine child, but they changed me.' [Prob. O. Fr. boul, cheat.]

Bull, bool, n. drink made by pouring water into a cask that had held liquor.

Bulla, bool′a, n. a round metal ornament worn by ancient Roman children: a seal attached to a document: anything rounded or globular. [L.]

Bullace, bool′lās, n. a shrub closely allied to the sloe and the plum, its fruit making excellent pies or tarts. [O. Fr. beloce, of uncertain origin; prob. Celt.]

Bullate, bul′āt, adj. blistered, inflated—ns. Bullā′tion; Bulles′cence.

Bullary, bul′a-ri, n. a house in which salt is prepared by boiling.

Buller, bool′er, n. the boiling of a torrent. [Dan. bulder.]

Bullet, bool′et, n. the projectile of lead or other metal discharged from any kind of small-arm: a plumb or sinker in fishing.—n. Bull′et-head, a head round like a bullet: (U.S.) an obstinate fellow.—adjs. Bull′et-head′ed; Bull′et-proof, proof against bullets. [Fr. boulet, dim. of boule, a ball—L. bulla. See Bull, an edict.]

Bulletin, bool′e-tin, n. an official report of public news. [Fr.,—It. bullettino.]

Bullion, bool′yun, n. gold and silver in the mass and uncoined, though occasionally used as practically synonymous with the precious metals, coined and uncoined: a heavy twisted cord fringe, often covered with gold or silver wire.—n. Bull′ionist, one in favour of an exclusive metallic currency. [Ety. dub.; but apparently related to Low L. bullio, a boiling, melting.]

Bully, bool′i, n. a blustering, noisy, overbearing fellow: a ruffian hired to beat or intimidate any one: a fellow who lives upon the gains of a prostitute: (obs.) a term of familiarity to either man or woman.—adj. blustering: brisk: (U.S.) first-rate.—v.i. to bluster.—v.t. to threaten in a noisy way:—pr.p. bull′ying; pa.p. bull′ied.—n. Bull′yism.—v.t. Bull′yrag (coll.), to assail with abusive language, to overawe.—ns. Bull′yragging; Bull′y-rook, a bully.—Bully for you, bravo! [Perh. Dut. boel, a lover; cf. Ger. buhle.]

Bully, bool′i, n. a miner's hammer.

Bully-tree, bool′i-trē, n. a name given to several West Indian sapotaceous trees yielding good timber.—Also Bull′et-tree, Bull′etrie, Boll′etrie.

Bulrush, bool′rush, n. a large strong rush, which grows on wet land or in water—often applied to the cat's-tail (Typha).—adj. Bul′rushy.

Bulse, buls, n. a bag for diamonds, &c.: a package or certain quantity of such. [Port. bolsa—Low L. bursa, a purse. See Purse.]

Bulwark, bool′wark, n. a fortification or rampart: a breakwater or sea-wall: any means of defence or security.—v.t. to defend. [Cf. Ger. bollwerk.]

Bum, bum, n. (Shak.) the buttocks.—ns. Bum′-bail′iff, an under-bailiff; Bum′-boat, boat for carrying provisions to a ship, originally a Thames scavenger's boat. [Ety. dub., prob. from bump, from sense of 'swelling.']

Bum, bum, v.i. to hum or make a murmuring sound, as a bee: (slang) to live dissolutely.—pr.p. bum′ming; pa.p. bummed.—n. a humming sound: a spree, debauch: a dissipated fellow. [Onomatopœic.]

Bumbaze, bum′bāz, v.t. to confound, bamboozle.

Bumble-bee, bum′bl-bē, n. a large kind of bee that makes a bumming or humming noise: the humble-bee.—n. Bum′-clock (Scot.), a drone-beetle. [M. E. bumble, freq. of Bum, and Bee.]

Bumbledom, bum′bl-dom, n. fussy pomposity. [From Bumble, name of the beadle in Dickens's Oliver Twist.]

Bumble-foot, bum′bl-foot, n. a disease of domestic fowls, marked by inflammation of the ball of the foot: a club-foot.—adj. Bum′ble-foot′ed, club-footed.

Bumble-puppy, bum′bl-pup′i, n. whist played regardless of rules: the game of nine-holes.—n. Bum′ble-pupp′ist, one who plays whist without knowing the game.

Bumbo, bum′bō, n. a punch of rum or gin with sugar, nutmeg, &c.

Bumkin, Bumpkin, bum′kin, n. a short beam of timber projecting from each bow of a ship, for the purpose of extending the lower corner of the foresail to windward: a small outrigger over the stern of a boat, usually serving to extend the mizzen. [From Boom, and dim. termination kin.]

Bummalo, bum′a-lō, n. a small fish dried and salted all round the coast of India—Bombay duck and nehar.—Also Bummalō′ti. [East Ind.]

Bummaree, bum′ar-ē, n. a middleman in the Billingsgate fish-market. [Ety. unknown: hardly the Fr. bonne marée, good fresh sea-fish.]

Bummer, bum′ėr, n. a plundering straggler or camp-follower during the American Civil War: a dissolute fellow, a loafer, a sponge.

Bummle, bum′l, v.i. (prov.) to blunder.—n. an idle fellow.

Bummock, bum′ok, n. (Scot.) a brewing of ale. [Ety. unknown.]

Bump, bump, v.i. to make a heavy or loud noise.—v.t. to strike with a dull sound: to strike against: to overtake and impinge upon the stern or side of a boat by the boat following, the bumper consequently taking the place of the bumped in rank—also 'to make a bump:' to spread out material in printing so as to fill any desired number of pages.—n. a dull heavy blow: a thump: a lump caused by a blow, one of the protuberances on the surface of the skull confidently associated by phrenologists with certain distinct qualities or propensities of the mind, hence colloquially for organ: the noise of the bittern.—n. Bump′er, a cup or glass filled to the brim for drinking a toast: anything large or generous in measure: a crowded house at a theatre or concert.—adj. as in a 'bumper house.'—v.i. to drink bumpers.—n. Bumpol′ogy, phrenology.—adj. Bump′y. [Onomatopœic.]

Bumpkin, bump′kin, n. an awkward, clumsy rustic: a clown.—adj. Bump′kinish. [Prob. Dut. boomken, a log.]

Bumptious, bump′shus, adj. offensively self-assertive.—adv. Bump′tiously.—n. Bump′tiousness. [Prob. formed from Bump.]

Bun, bun, n. a kind of sweet cake. [Prob. from O. Fr. bugne, a swelling.]

Bun, bun, n. a dry stalk: a hare's scut: a rabbit. [Prob. Gael. bun, a root.]

Bunce, buns, n. (slang) extra gain—used as an interjection.

Bunch, bunsh, n. a number of things tied together or growing together: a definite quantity fastened together, as of linen yarn (180,000 yards), &c.: a cluster: something in the form of a tuft or knot.—v.i. to swell out in a bunch.—v.t. to make a bunch of, to concentrate.—adjs. Bunch′-backed (Shak.), having a bunch on the back, crook-backed; Bunched, humped, protuberant.—ns. Bunch′-grass, a name applied to several West American grasses, growing in clumps; Bunch′iness, the quality of being bunchy: state of growing in bunches.—adj. Bunch′y, growing in bunches or like a bunch, bulging.—Bunch of fives, the fist with the five fingers clenched. [Ety. obscure.]

Buncombe. See Bunkum.

Bundesrath, bōōn′des-rät, n. the Federal Council of the German Empire, its members annually appointed by the governments of the various states.

Bundle, bun′dl, n. a number of things loosely bound together: an aggregation of one or more kinds of tissue traversing other tissues: a definite measure or quantity, as two reams of paper, twenty hanks of linen yarn, &c.—v.t. to bind or tie into bundles.—v.i. to pack up one's things for a journey, to go hurriedly or in confusion (with away, off, out).—n. Bun′dling, an old custom in Wales, New England, and elsewhere for sweethearts to sleep on the same bed without undressing.—To bundle off, bundle out, to send away unceremoniously or summarily. [Conn. with Bind and Bond.]

Bung, bung, n. the stopper of the hole in a barrel: a large cork: (Shak.) a sharper.—v.t. to stop up with a bung: to thrash severely.—ns. Bung′-hole, a hole in a cask through which it is filled, closed by a bung; Bung′-vent, a small hole in a bung to let gasses escape, &c.—Bung up, to bruise. [Ety. dub.]

Bungalow, bung′ga-lō, n. the kind of house usually occupied by Europeans in the interior of India, and commonly provided for officers' quarters in cantonments.—Dâk-bungalows are houses for travellers. [Hind. banglā, Bengalese.]

Bungle, bung′l, n. anything clumsily done: a gross blunder.—v.i. to act in a clumsy, awkward manner.—v.t. to make or mend clumsily: to manage awkwardly.—p.adj. Bung′led, done clumsily.—n. Bung′ler.—p.adj. Bung′ling, clumsy, awkward: unskilfully or ill done.—adv. Bung′lingly. [Ety. obscure; prob. onomatopœic; Prof. Skeat quotes a dial. Sw. bangla, to work ineffectually; Mr F. Hindes Groome suggests Gipsy bongo, left, awkward.]

Bunion, bun′yun, n. a lump or inflamed swelling on the ball of the great toe. [Ety. unknown; Prof. Skeat suggests It. bugnone, a botch.]

Bunk, bungk, n. a box or recess in a ship's cabin, a sleeping-berth anywhere.—v.i. to occupy the same bunk, sleep together.—n. Bunk′er, a large bin or chest used for stowing various things, as coals, &c.: a hazard in a golf-links, originally confined to sand-pits, but now often used for hazards generally. [Prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Ice. bunki, Dan. bunke, a heap.]

Bunko, Bunco, bung′kō, n. (U.S.) a form of confidence-trick by which a simple fellow is swindled or taken somewhere and robbed.—v.t. to rob or swindle in such a way.—n. Bunk′o-steer′er, that one of the swindling confederates who allures the victim.

Bunkum, bung′kum, n. empty clap-trap oratory, bombastic speechmaking intended for the newspapers rather than to persuade the audience.—Also Bun′combe. [From Buncombe, the name of a county in North Carolina. Bartlett quotes a story of how its member once went on talking in congress, explaining apologetically to the few hearers that remained that he was 'only talking for Buncombe.']

Bunny, bun′i, n. a pet name for a rabbit. [Ety. unknown; prob. conn. with Gael. bun, a root.]

Bunodont, bū′nō-dont, adj. having tuberculate molars—opp. to Lophodont. [Gr. bounos, a rounded hill, odous, odontos, a tooth.]

Bunsen, bōōn′sen, or bun′sen, adj. applied to some of the inventions of the great chemist, R. W. Bunsen of Heidelberg.—n. Bun′sen-burn′er, a gas-burner in which a plentiful supply of air is caused to mingle with the gas before ignition, so that a smokeless flame of low luminosity but great heating power is the result.

Bunt, bunt, n. a parasitic disease of wheat and other grains.—adjs. Bunt′ed, Bunt′y. [Ety. unknown.]

Bunt, bunt, n. the bagging part of a fishing-net, a sail, &c.—v.i. to belly, as a sail. [Ety. unknown.]

Bunt, bunt, v.i. to push with the horns, butt: to spring, rear.—n. a push.—n. Bunt′ing, pushing: a boys' game, played with sticks and a small piece of wood: a strong timber, a stout prop.

Bunter, bunt′ėr, n. a rag-picker, a low woman.

Bunting, bunt′ing, n. a thin worsted stuff of which ships' colours are made. [Ety. dub.]

Bunting, bunt′ing, n. a genus of birds in the Finch family nearly allied to the crossbills.

Buntline, bunt′līn, n. a rope passing from the foot-rope of a square sail, led up to the masthead and thence on deck, to help in hauling the sail up to the yard.

Buoy, boi, n. a floating cask or light piece of wood fastened by a rope or chain to indicate shoals, the position of a ship's anchor, &c.—v.t. to fix buoys or marks: to keep afloat, bear up, or sustain: to raise the spirits.—ns. Buoy′age, a series of buoys or floating beacons to mark the course for vessels: the providing of buoys; Buoy′ancy, capacity for floating lightly on water or in the air: specific lightness: (fig.) lightness of spirit, cheerfulness.—adj. Buoy′ant, light: cheerful.—n. Buoy′antness. [Dut. boei, buoy, fetter, through Romance forms (Norman boie), from Low L. boia, a collar of leather.]

Buphaga, bū′fā-ga, n. a small genus of African perching birds, nearly related to the starlings, feeding on the larvæ of gadflies and the like, which they find on the backs of cattle, camels, &c.—Also Beef-eater and Ox-pecker. [Gr., bous, an ox, phagein, to eat.]

Buprestis, bū-pres′tis, n. a genus of beetles, typical of a large family, Buprestidæ, those occurring in warmer countries having lively colour and metallic sheen—some known as Golden Beetles. [L.,—Gr. bouprestis, bous, an ox, prēthein, to swell.]

Bur, Burr, bur, the prickly seed-case or head of certain plants, which sticks to clothes: any impediment or inconvenient adherent: any lump, ridge, &c., more or less sharp, a knot on a tree, knot in thread, knob at the base of a deer's horn, &c.: waste raw silk: the sweetbread or pancreas: (Scot.) club-moss: the name for various tools and appliances, as the triangular chisel for clearing the corners of mortises, &c.: the blank driven out of a piece of sheet-metal by a punch: a partly vitrified brick.—ns. Bur′dock, a dock with a bur or prickly head; Bur′-this′tle, the spear-thistle.—Bur in the throat, something seeming to stick in the throat, producing a choking sensation. [Cog. with Dan. borre, a bur.]

Bur, Burr, bur, n. the rough sound of r pronounced in the throat, as in Northumberland—v.i. to whisper hoarsely, to murmur. [Usually associated with preceding, but perh. from the sound.]

Bur, bur, n. in an engraving, a slight ridge of metal raised on the edges of a line by the graver or the dry point, producing an effect like a smear, but dexterously used by some etchers, as Rembrandt, to deepen their shadows.

Burble, burb′l, n. trouble, disorder.—v.t. to trouble, confuse. [Scot.; prob. conn. with O. Fr. barbouiller, to confound.]

Burbot, bur′bot, n. a fresh-water fish, like the eel, having a longish beard on its lower jaw. [Fr. barbote—L. barba, a beard.]

Burd, burd, n. (obs.) for Bird, a poetic name for a girl or lady.—n. Bur′dalane, the last surviving child of a family.

Burdash, burd′ash, n. a fringed sash worn round the waist by fine gentlemen in the time of Anne and George I.

Burden, bur′dn, n. a load: weight: cargo: that which is grievous, oppressive, or difficult to bear, as blame, sin, sorrow, &c.: birth.—v.t. to load: to oppress: to encumber.—adjs. Bur′denous, Bur′densome, heavy: oppressive.—Burden of proof, in legal procedure, signifies the obligation to establish by evidence certain disputed facts. [A.S. byrthen—beran, to bear.]

Burden, bur′dn, n. part of a song repeated at the end of every stanza, refrain: the leading idea of anything: a load of care, sorrow, or responsibility. [Fr. bourdon, a humming tone in music—Low L. burdo, a drone or non-working bee.]

Burden, bur′dn, n. (Spens.) a pilgrim's staff. [See Bourdon.]

Burdock. See Bur (1).

Bureau, būr′ō, n. a writing-table or chest of drawers: a room or office where such a table is used: a department for the transacting of public business:—pl. Bureaux (būr′ō), Bureaus (būr′ōz). [Fr. bureau—O. Fr. burel, russet cloth—L. burrus, red.]

Bureaucracy, būrō′kras-i, n. a system of government centralised in graded series of officials, responsible only to their chiefs, and controlling every detail of public and private life.—ns. Bureau′crat, Bureau′cratist, one who advocates government by bureaucracy.—adj. Bureaucrat′ic, relating to or having the nature of a bureaucracy.—adv. Bureaucrat′ically. [Bureau, and Gr. kratein, to govern.]

Burette, bū-ret′, n. a flask-shaped vessel for holding liquids, an altar-cruet. [Fr.]

Burgage, bur′gāj, n. a tenure in socage for a yearly rent: a tenure in Scotland in royal burghs under nominal service of watching. [O. Fr.]

Burgamot. Same as Bergamot.

Burganet, bur′ga-net, n. a 16th-century helmet.—Also Bur′gonet. [Lit. 'Burgundian.']

Burgee, bur′jē, n. a swallow-tailed flag or pennant: a kind of small coal for furnaces.

Burgeon, bur′jun, n. and v.i. Same as Bourgeon.

Burgh, bur′ō, n. the Scotch word corresponding to the English Borough.—ns. Burg (same as Borough); Burg′age, a system of tenure where the king or other person is lord of an ancient borough, city, or town, by which the citizens hold their lands or tenements, for a certain annual rent; Burgess (bur′jes), Bur′gher, an inhabitant of a borough: a citizen or freeman: a magistrate of certain towns: one able to take the usual burgesses' oath (see Antiburgher).—adj. Bur′ghal, relating to a burgh.—n. Burg′omaster, the chief magistrate of a German or a Dutch borough, answering to the English term mayor.—Burgh of barony, a corporation consisting of the inhabitants of a determinate tract of land within the barony, and municipally governed by magistrates and a council whose election is either vested in the baron superior of the district, or vested in the inhabitants themselves; Burgh of regality, a burgh of barony, spiritual or temporal, enfranchised by crown charter, with regal or exclusive criminal jurisdiction within their own territories.—Parliamentary burgh, one like Paisley, Greenock, Leith, whose boundaries, as first fixed in 1832, were adopted for municipal purposes, with regard to which they stand practically in the same position as royal burghs; Police burgh, a burgh constituted by the sheriff for purposes of improvement and police, the local authority being the police commissioners; Royal burgh, a corporate body deriving its existence, constitution, and rights from a royal charter, such being either actual and express, or presumed to have existed.

Burglar, burg′lar, n. one who breaks into a house by night to steal.—v.t. and v.i. to commit burglary.—adj. Burglār′ious.—adv. Burglār′iously.—v.t. Burg′larise.—n. Burg′lary, breaking into a house by night to steal. [Ety. dub.]

Burgonet. See Burganet.

Burgoo, bur′gōō, n. a dish made of boiled oatmeal seasoned with salt, butter, and sugar, used by seamen. [Derivation unknown.]

Burgrave, bur′grāv, n. the governor of a town or castle. [Ger. burg-graf.]

Burgundy, bur′gun-di, n. a generous French red wine, so called from Burgundy, the district where it is made.

Burial, ber′i-al, n. the act of laying a dead body in the grave: interment.—ns. Bur′ial-aisle, an aisle in a church used for burials; Bur′ial-ground, Bur′ial-place, a piece of ground set apart for burying.—Burial service, a religious service or form of ritual accompanying a burial; Burial society, an insurance society for providing the expenses of burial. [A.S. byrgels, a tomb. See Bury.]

Burin, būr′in, n. a kind of chisel of tempered steel, used in copper engraving—the distinctive style of a master is frequently described by such expressions as a soft, a graphic, or a brilliant burin.—n. Bur′inist, an engraver. [Fr.; from root of Bore.]

Burke, burk, v.t. to murder, esp. by stifling: hence (fig.) to put an end to quietly. [From Burke, an Edinburgh Irishman (hanged 1829), who committed the crime in order to sell the bodies of his victims for dissection.]

Burl, burl, n. a small knot in thread, a knot in wood.—v.t. to pick knots, &c., from, in finishing cloth.—ns. Bur′ling-ī′ron; Bur′ling-machine′.—adj. Bur′ly, knotty.

Burlap, bur′lap, n. a coarse canvas for wrappings, &c.—usually in pl. [Origin unknown.]

Burlesque, bur-lesk′, n. a ludicrous representation—in speaking, acting, writing, drawing—a low and rude grade of the comic, whose legitimate office is to turn to laughter pretension and affectation.—adj. jocular: comical.—v.t. to turn into burlesque: to ridicule.—p.adj. Burlesqued′, caricatured.—adv. Burlesque′ly. [It. burlesco; prob. from Low L. burra, a flock of wool, a trifle.]

Burletta, bur-let′a, n. a musical farce: comic opera. [It.;—dim. of burla, a jest.]

Burly, bur′li, adj. bulky: boisterous, bluff.—n. Bur′liness. [M. E. borlich; prob. Old High Ger. burlīh, high, bōr, a height.]

Burmese, bur′mēz, adj. relating to Burma in Farther India, or its language.—n. a native of Burma, or the language of Burma—also Bur′man.

Burn, burn, n. a small stream or brook: a spring or fountain. [A.S. burna; cog. with Dut. and Ger. born.]

Burn, burn, v.t. to consume or injure by fire.—v.i. to be on fire: to feel excess of heat: to be inflamed with passion:—pa.p. burned or burnt.—n. a hurt or mark caused by fire.—ns. Burn′er, the part of a lamp or gas-jet from which the flame arises; Burn′ing, act of consuming by fire: conflagration: inflammation.—adj. very hot: scorching: ardent: excessive.—ns. Burn′ing-glass, a convex lens concentrating the sun's rays at its focus; Burn′ing-house, a kiln; Burn′ing-mirr′or, a concave mirror for producing heat by concentrating the sun's rays; Burn′ing-point, the temperature at which a volatile oil in an open vessel will take fire from a match held close to its surface; Burnt′-ear, a kind of smut in oats, wheat, &c., caused by a microscopic fungus; Burnt′-off′ering, something offered and burned upon an altar as a sacrifice—amongst the Hebrews, apparently offerings of dedication and to some extent of expiation; Burnt′-sienn′a (see Sienna); Burn′-the-wind (Scot.), a blacksmith.—Burn a hole in one's pocket, said of money, when one is eager to spend it; Burn blue, to burn with a bluish flame like that of brimstone; Burn daylight (Shak.), to waste time in superfluous actions; Burn down, to burn to the ground; Burn in, to eat into, as fire: to fix and render durable, as colours, by means of intense heat, to imprint indelibly on the mind; Burning bush, the emblem of the Presbyterian churches of Scotland, with the motto, 'Nec tamen consumebatur,' adopted from Ex. iii. 2, in memory of the unconquerable courage of the Covenanters under the cruel persecutions of the 17th century; Burning question, one being keenly discussed; Burn one's boats, to cut one's self off, as Cortes did, from all chance of retreat, to stake everything on success; Burn one's fingers, to suffer from interfering in others' affairs, from embarking in speculations, &c.; Burn out, to destroy by means of burning: to burn till the fire dies down from want of fuel; Burn the water, to spear salmon by torchlight; Burn up, to consume completely by fire: to be burned completely. [A.S.; the weak verb bœrnan, bœrnde, bœrned, has been confused with beornan, byrnan, barn, bornen; cf. Ger. brennen, to burn.]

Burnet, bur′net, n. the English name of two closely united genera of Rosaceæ—the Great Burnet common in meadows all over Europe; the Common Burnet growing on chalky soils, its slightly astringent leaves used in salads or soups, also as an ingredient in 'cool tankard.' [From its brown flowers.]

Burnish, burn′ish, v.t. to polish: to make bright by rubbing.—n. polish: lustre.—ns. Burn′isher, an instrument employed in burnishing; Burn′ishing; Burn′ishment.

Burnous, bur-nōōs′, n. a mantle with a hood much worn by the Arabs. [Fr.—Ar. burnus.]

Burnt, pa.p. of Burn (q.v.).

Burr. Same as Bur (q.v.).

Burrel, bur′el, n. a kind of coarse russet cloth in medieval times. [See Bureau.]

Burro, bur′ō, n. a donkey. [Sp.]

Burrock, bur′ok, n. a small weir or dam in a river, to direct the current toward fish-traps.

Burrow, bur′ō, n. a hole in the ground dug by certain animals for shelter or defence.—v.i. to make holes underground as rabbits: to dwell in a concealed place.—ns. Burr′ow-duck, the sheldrake or bergander; Burr′owing-owl, a small long-legged diurnal American owl nesting in burrows; Burr′owstown (Scot.), a town that is a burgh. [Ety. obscure; prob. a variant of Borough—A.S. beorgan, to protect.]

Bursa, bur′sa, n. a pouch or sac, esp. a synovial cavity formed where tendons pass over the harder parts of the body:—pl. Bur′sæ (-sē).—adj. Bur′sal.—ns. Bursā′lis, a muscle moving the nictitating membrane, as in birds; Bursal′ogy, knowledge about the bursæ. [See Bursar.]

Bursar, burs′ar, n. one who keeps the purse, a treasurer: in Scotland, a student maintained at a university by funds derived from endowment.—adj. Bursar′ial.—ns. Burs′arship, the office of a bursar; Burs′ary, in Scotland, the allowance paid to a bursar; Burse, a purse, an obsolete form of Bourse.—adjs. Bursic′ulate, bursiform: resembling a small pouch, or provided with such; Burs′iform, pouch-shaped. [Low L. bursarius—bursa, a purse—Gr. byrsa, skin or leather.]

Bursch, bōōrsh, n. a German student:—pl. Bursch′en.—n. Bursch′enism. [Ger. bursch, a companion, student.]

Burst, burst, v.t. to break into pieces: to break open suddenly or by violence: to disturb, interrupt.—v.i. to fly open or break in pieces: to break forth or away: to break into some sudden expression of feeling—e.g. 'to burst into song:'—pa.t. and pa.p. burst.—n. a sudden outbreak: a hard gallop: a spurt: a drunken bout.—Burst in, to force one's way violently into; Burst into blossom, to begin to blossom; Burst into tears, to fall a-crying; Burst out, to force one's way out violently; Burst up (coll.), to explode: to fail, become bankrupt.—A burst up, a collapse, failure.—On the burst, on the spree. [A.S. berstan; Ger. bersten; Gael. brisd, to break.]

Bursten, bur′stn, obs. pa.p. of Burst.

Burthen, bur′thn, n. and v.t. For Burden.

Burton, bur′ton, n. a tackle variously used.

Bury, ber′i, v.t. to hide in the ground: to cover: to place in the grave, as a dead body: to hide or blot out of remembrance:—pr.p. bur′ying; pa.p. bur′ied.—ns. Bur′ying-ground, Bur′ying-place, ground set apart for burying the dead: a graveyard.—Bury the hatchet, to cease strife. [A.S. byrgan, to bury; Ger. bergen, to hide.]

Bury, ber′i, n. a delicate pear of several varieties.—Also Burr′el, Burr′el-pear. [Cf. the Fr. beurré, as in 'Beurré d'Angoulême.']

Bus, Buss, bus, n. Short for Omnibus.

Busby, bus′bi, n. a fur hat with short bag hanging down from the top on its right side, of the same colour as the facings of the regiment, worn by hussars, and, in the British army, by horse artillerymen also. [Prob. Hung.]

Buscon, bus′kon, n. (U.S.) a miner paid by a percentage of the ore he raises. [Sp.]

Bush, boosh, n. a shrub thick with branches: anything of bushy tuft-like shape: any wild uncultivated country, esp. at the Cape or in Australia: a bunch of ivy hung up as a tavern sign, a tavern itself—'Good wine needs no bush.'—v.i. to grow thick or bushy.—v.t. to set bushes about, support with bushes: to cover seeds by means of the bush-harrow.—n. Bush′-cat, the serval.—adj. Bushed, lost in the bush.—ns. Bush′-harr′ow, a light kind of harrow used for covering grass-seeds, formed of a barred frame interwoven with bushes or branches; Bush′iness; Bush′man, a settler in the uncleared land of America or the Colonies, a woodsman: one of a native race in South Africa (Dut. boschjesman); Bush′-rang′er, in Australia, a lawless fellow, often an escaped criminal, who takes to the bush and lives by robbery; Bush′-shrike, a tropical American ant-thrush; Bush′tit, a small long-tailed titmouse of West America, building a large hanging-nest.—v.i. Bush′-whack, to range through the bush: to fight in guerilla warfare.—ns. Bush′-whack′er, a guerilla fighter: a country lout: a short heavy scythe for cutting bushes; Bush′-whack′ing, the habits or practice of bush-whackers: the process of forcing a way for a boat by pulling at the bushes overhanging a stream.—adj. Bush′y, full of bushes: thick and spreading.—Beat about the bush, to go round about anything, to evade coming to the point. [M. E. busk, busch; from a Teut. root found in Ger. busch, Low L. boscus, Fr. bois.]

Bush, boosh, n. the metal box or lining of any cylinder in which an axle works.—v.t. to furnish with a bush.—n. Bush′-met′al, hard brass, gun-metal, a composition of copper and tin, used for journals, bearings, &c. [Dut. bus—L. buxus, the box-tree.]

Bushel, boosh′el, n. a dry measure of 8 gallons, for measuring grain, fruit, &c. [O. Fr. boissiel, from the root of Box.]

Bushel, boosh′el, v.t. and v.i. (U.S.) to mend or alter, as men's clothes.—ns. Bush′eller; Bush′elling; Bush′el-wom′an.

Business, biz′nes, n. employment: engagment: trade, profession, or occupation: one's concerns or affairs: a matter or affair: (theat.) action as distinguished from dialogue.—adj. Bus′iness-like, methodical, systematic, practical.—Do the business for, to settle, make an end of: to ruin.—Genteel business (theat.), such parts as require good dressing.—Make it one's business, to undertake to accomplish something or see it done; Mean business, to be in earnest; Mind one's own business, to confine one's self to one's own affairs.—Send about one's business, to dismiss promptly.

Busk, busk, v.t. or v.i. to prepare: to dress one's self. [Ice. búa, to prepare, and -sk, contr. of sik, the recip. pron.—self.]

Busk, busk, n. the piece of bone, wood, or steel in the front of a woman's stays: a corset.—adj. Busked. [Fr. busc, which Scheler thinks a doublet of bois; Littré, the same as It. busto, a bust.]

Busk, busk, v.i. (naut.) to cruise along a shore, to beat about: to seek. [Prob. Sp. buscar, to seek.]

Busket, busk′et, n. (Spens.) a little bush.

Buskin, busk′in, n. a kind of half-boot with high heels worn in ancient times by actors of tragedy—hence, the tragic drama as distinguished from comedy: a half-boot.—adj. Busk′ined, dressed in buskins, noting tragedy: tragic: dignified. [Ety. uncertain; cognates may be found in the O. Fr. brousequin; Dut. broos-ken; Sp. borceguí.]

Busky, busk′i, adj. (Shak.). Same as Bosky.

Buss, bus, n. a rude or playful kiss, a smack.—v.t. to kiss, esp. in a rude or playful manner. [M. E. bass, prob. from Old Ger. bussen, to kiss, but modified by Fr. baiser, to kiss, from L. basium, a kiss.]

Buss, bus, n. a small two-masted Dutch vessel, used in the herring and mackerel fisheries. [O. Fr. busse, Low L. bussa; cf. Ger. büse.]

Bussu-palm, bus′soo-päm, n. a palm growing along the Amazon, with leaves as long as 30 feet and 5 feet broad, forming good thatch.

Bust, bust, n. a sculpture representing the head and breast of a person: the upper part of the human body, a woman's bosom.—adj. Bust′ed, breasted: adorned with busts. [Fr. buste; It. and Sp. busto.]

Bust, bust, n. and v. a vulgar form of Burst.—n. Bust′er, something large: a frolic: (slang) a roisterer.

Bustard, bus′tard, n. a genus of birds, sometimes made the type of a large family, usually ranked in the order of marsh birds like the cranes. [Fr. bistard, corr. from L. avis tarda, slow bird.]

Bustle, bus′l, v.i. to busy one's self noisily: to be active, often with more noise than actual work.—n. hurried activity: stir: tumult.—n. Bust′ler. [There is a M. E. bustelen, of doubtful relations; perh. conn. with bluster, or with Ice. bustl, a splash, or with A.S. bysig, busy.]

Bustle, bus′l, n. a stuffed pad or cushion worn by ladies under the skirt of their dress, the intention to improve the figure.

Busy, biz′i, adj. fully employed: active: diligent: meddling.—v.t. to make busy: to occupy:—pr.p. busying (biz′i-ing); pa.p. busied (biz′id).—adv. Bus′ily.—n. Bus′ybody, one busy about others' affairs, a meddling person.—adj. Bus′yless (Shak.), without business.—n. Bus′yness, state of being busy. [A.S. bysig.]

But, but, prep. or conj. without: except: besides: only: yet: still.—Used as a noun for a verbal objection; also as a verb, as in Scott's 'but me no buts.'—adj. (Scot.) outside, as in 'but end.'—But and ben, a house having an outer and an inner room. [A.S. be-útan, bútan, without—be, by, and útan, out—near and yet outside.]

But, but, n. Same as Butt.

Butcher, booch′ėr, n. one whose business is to slaughter animals for food: one who delights in bloody deeds.—v.t. to slaughter animals for food: to put to a bloody death, to kill cruelly: (fig.) to spoil anything, as a bad actor or the like.—ns. Butch′er-bird, a shrike; Butch′ering, Butch′ing, the act of killing for food, or cruelly.—adv. Butch′erly, butcher-like, cruel, murderous.—ns. Butch′er-meat, Butch′er's-meat, the flesh of animals slaughtered by butchers, as distinguished from fish, fowls, and game; Butch′er's-broom, a genus of plants of the lily order, the common one being an evergreen shrub, a bunch of which is used by butchers for sweeping their blocks; Butch′ery, great or cruel slaughter: a slaughter-house or shambles. [O. Fr. bochier, bouchier, one who kills he-goats—boc, a he-goat; allied to Eng. Buck.]

But-end. Same as Butt-end.

Butler, but′lėr, n. a servant who has charge of the liquors, plate, &c.—v.i. to act as butler.—ns. But′lership, But′lerage; But′lery, the butler's pantry. [Norm. Fr. butuiller—Low L. buticularius. See Bottle.]

Butment. Same as Abutment.

Butt, but, v.i. and v.t. to strike with the head, as a goat, &c.—n. a push with the head of an animal.—n. Butt′er, an animal that butts. [O. Fr. boter, to push, strike.]

Butt, but, n. a large cask: a wine-butt = 126 gallons, a beer and sherry butt = 108 gallons. [Cf. Fr. botte, Sp. bota, Low L. butta.]

Butt, but, n. a mark for archery practice: a mound behind musketry or artillery targets: one who is made the object of ridicule.—n. Butt′-shaft (Shak.), a shaft or arrow for shooting at butts with. [Fr. but, goal.]

Butt, but, or in longer form, Butt′-end, n. the thick and heavy end: the stump. [Ety. dub.]

Butt, but, n. an ox-hide minus the offal or pieces round the margins.

Butte, būt, but, n. any conspicuous and isolated hill or peak, esp. in the Rocky Mountain region. [Fr.]

Butter, but′ėr, n. an oily substance obtained from cream by churning.—v.t. to spread over with butter.—ns. Butt′er-bird, the name in Jamaica for the rice-bunting; Butt′er-boat, a table vessel for holding melted butter; Butt′er-bump, a bittern; Butt′er-bur, -dock, the sweet coltsfoot; Butt′ercup, a plant of the Crowfoot genus, with a cup-like flower of a golden yellow; Butt′er-fing′ers, one who lets a cricket-ball he ought to catch slip through his fingers; Butt′er-fish (see Gunnel); Butt′erfly, the name of an extensive group of beautiful winged insects: (fig.) a light-headed person.—adj. light, flighty, like a butterfly.—ns. Butt′erine, an artificial fatty compound sold as a substitute for butter—since 1887 only allowed to be sold under the names margarine or oleo-margarine; Butt′er-milk, the milk that remains after the butter has been separated from the cream by churning; Butt′er-nut, the oily nut of the North American white walnut, the tree itself or its light-coloured close-grained wood: the nut of a lofty timber-tree of Guiana—the souari-nut; Butt′er-scotch, a kind of toffee containing a large admixture of butter; Butt′er-tree, a genus of plants found in the East Indies and in Africa, remarkable for a sweet buttery substance yielded by their seeds when boiled; Butt′er-wife, Butt′er-wom′an, a woman who makes and sells butter; Butt′er-wort, a genus of small plants found in marshy places, so called either from the power of the leaves to coagulate milk, or from their peculiar sliminess.—adj. Butt′ery, like butter. [A.S. butere; Ger. butter; both from L. butyrum—Gr. boutyron—bous ox, tyros, cheese.]

Buttery, but′ėr-i, n. a storeroom in a house for provisions, esp. liquors.—ns. Butt′ery-bar, the ledge for holding tankards in the buttery; Butt′ery-hatch, a half-door over which provisions are handed from the buttery. [Fr. bouteillerie, lit. 'place for bottles.' See Butler, Bottle.]

Buttock, but′ok, n. the rump or protuberant part of the body behind: a term in wrestling.—ns. Butt′ock-mail (Scot.), the fine formerly exacted by the Church as part of the discipline for the offence of fornication. [Dim. of Butt, end.]

Button, but′n, n. a knob of metal, bone, &c., used to fasten the dress: the knob at the end of a foil: the head of an unexpanded mushroom: the knob of an electric bell, &c.: anything of small value, as in the phrase, 'I don't care a button:' a person who acts as a decoy: (pl.) young mushrooms, sheep's dung.—v.t. to fasten by means of buttons: to close up tightly.—v.i. to be fastened with buttons.—ns. Butt′on-bush, a North American shrub of the madder family, having globular flower-heads; Butt′on-hole, the hole or slit in the dress by which the button is held.—v.t. to detain in talk, as if by taking hold of a man by the button.—ns. Butt′on-hook, a hook for pulling the buttons of gloves and shoes through the button-holes; Butt′on-wood, a small West Indian evergreen tree of the myrobalan family: the plane-tree of the United States—also Butt′on-ball and incorrectly Sycamore.—adj. Butt′ony, decorated with buttons.—Boy in buttons, a boy servant in livery, a page. [Fr. bouton, any small projection, from bouter, to push.]

Buttress, but′res, n. a projecting support built on to the outside of a wall: any support or prop.—v.t. to prop or support, as by a buttress. [Acc. to Dr Murray, perh. from O. Fr. bouterez, apparently from bouter, to push, bear against.]

Butty, but′i, n. (prov.) a chum, comrade, esp. one who takes a contract for working out a certain area of coal, or a partner in such.—ns. Butt′y-coll′ier; Butt′y-gang.

Butyric, bū-tir′ik, adj. pertaining to or derived from butter.—n. Bū′tyl, an alcohol radical.—adj. Butyrā′ceous, buttery, containing butter.—n. Bū′tyrate, a salt of butyric acid.—Butyric acid, a volatile fatty acid possessing the disagreeable odour of rancid butter. [L. butyrum.]

Buxom, buks′um, adj. yielding, elastic: gay, lively, jolly.—n. Bux′omness, the quality of being buxom: liveliness: gaiety. [M. E. buhsum, pliable, obedient—A.S. búgan, to bow, yield, and affix Some.]

Buy, bī, v.t. to purchase for money: to bribe: to obtain in exchange for something:—pr.p. buy′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. bought (bawt).—adj. Buy′able, capable of being bought.—n. Buy′er, one who buys, a purchaser.—Buy and sell (Shak.), to barter; Buy in, to purchase a stock: to buy back for the owner at an auction; Buy off, or out, to gain release from military service by payment of money; Buy over, to gain by bribery; Buy up, to purchase the whole stock. [A.S. bycgan; Goth. bugjan.]

Buzz, buz, v.i. to make a humming noise like bees.—v.t. to whisper or spread secretly.—n. the noise of bees and flies: a humming sound: a whispered report.—n. Buzz′er, one who buzzes: (Shak.) a whisperer or tell-tale.—adv. Buzz′ingly.—adj. Buzz′y. [From the sound.]

Buzz, buz, v.t. to drink to the bottom.

Buzzard, buz′ard, n. a bird of prey of the falcon family: a blockhead: a name for some night moths and cockchafers.—n. Buzz′ard-clock, a cockchafer, the dor. [Fr. busard; prob. from L. buteo, a kind of falcon.]

By, bī, prep. at the side of: near to: through, denoting the agent, cause, means, &c.—adv. near: passing near: in presence of: aside, away.—adv. By′-and-by, soon, presently.—ns. By′-blow, a side blow: an illegitimate child; By′-cor′ner, an out-of-the-way place; By′-drink′ing (Shak.), drinking between meals; By′-elec′tion, a parliamentary election during the sitting of parliament: By′-end, a subsidiary aim; By′-form, a form of a word slightly varying from it; By′-gō′ing, the action of passing by, esp. In the by-going.—adj. By′gone.—ns. By′-lane, a side lane or passage out of the common road; By′-mō′tive, an unavowed motive; By′name, a nickname; By′-pass′age, a side passage.—adj. By′-past (Shak.), past: gone by.—ns. By′path, a side path; By′-place, a retired place; By′play, a scene carried on, subordinate to and apart from the main part of the play; By′-prō′duct, an accessory product resulting from some specific process or manufacture; By′road, a retired side road; By′room (Shak.), a side or private room; By′-speech, a casual speech; By′stander, one who stands by or near one—hence a looker-on; By′-street, an obscure street; By′-thing, a thing of minor importance; By′-time, leisure time; By′way, a private and obscure way; By′word, a common saying: a proverb: an object of common derision; By′work, work for leisure hours.—By-the-by, By the way, in passing.—Let bygones be bygones, let the past alone. [A.S. bi, big; Ger. bei, L. ambi.]

By, Bye, bī, n. anything of minor importance, a side issue, a thing not directly aimed at: the condition of being odd, as opposed to even, the state of being left without a competitor, as in tennis, &c.: in cricket, a run stolen by the batsman on the ball passing the wicket-keeper and long-stop, the batsman not having struck the ball.—By-the-bye, or -by, incidentally, by the way.

Bycocket, bī′kok-et, n. a turned-up peaked cap worn by noble persons in the 15th century—sometimes erroneously abacot. [O. Fr. bicoquet, prob. bi- (L. bis), double, coque, a shell.]

Byde, bīd, v.i. Same as Bide.

Bylander, obsolete form of Bilander.

Bylaw, Bye-law, bī′-law, n. the law of a city, town, or private corporation: a supplementary law or regulation. [The same as Byrlaw, from Ice. byarlög, Dan. by-lov, town-law; Scot. bir-law; from Ice. bua, to dwell. See Bower. By, town, is the suffix in many place-names. The by in bylaw is generally confused with the preposition.]

Bynempt, bī-nempt′, pa.t. of obsolete verb Bename (Spens.), named. [A.S. pfx. by-, be-, and nemnen, to name. See Name.]

Byous, bī′us, adj. (Scot.) extraordinary.—adv. By′ously.

Byre, bīr, n. (Scot.) a cow-house. [A.S. býre pl. dwellings—búr, a bower. See Bower.]

Byrlady, bir-lā′di, contraction for By our Lady.

Byrlaw, bir′law, n. a sort of popular jurisprudence formerly in use in Scotland, in villages and among husbandmen, concerning neighbourhood to be kept among themselves.—n. Byr′law-man, still in parts of Scotland, an arbiter, oddsman, or umpire. [A.S. burh, a borough.]

Byronic, bī-ron′ik, adj. possessing the characteristics of Lord Byron (1788-1824), or of his poetry, overstrained in sentiment or passion, cynical and libertine.—adv. Byron′ically.—n. By′ronism.

Byssolite, bis′o-līt, n. an olive-green variety of actinolite, in long crystals.—Also Amian′tus. [Gr. byssos, byssus, lithos, stone.]

Byssus, bis′us, n. a fine yellowish flax, and the linen made from it: the bundle of fine silky filaments by which many shellfish attach themselves to rocks, &c.: a genus of cryptogamic plants of a silky fibrous texture found on decaying wood, in mines, &c., and other dark places.—adjs. Byssif′erous, bearing or having a byssus; Byss′ine, made of fine linen. [L.—Gr. byssos, a fine flaxen or silky substance.]

Byzant, biz′ant. Same as Bezant.

Byzantine, biz-an′tīn, biz′-, adj. relating to Byzantium or Constantinople.—n. an inhabitant thereof.—n. Byzan′tinism, the manifestation of Byzantine characteristics.—Byzantine architecture, the style prevalent in the Eastern Empire down to 1453, marked by the round arch springing from columns or piers, the dome supported upon pendentives, capitals elaborately sculptured, mosaic or other incrustations, &c.; Byzantine Church, the Eastern or Greek Church; Byzantine Empire, the Eastern or Greek Empire from 395 A.D. to 1453; Byzantine historians, the series of Greek chroniclers of the affairs of the Byzantine Empire down to its fall in 1453.

the third letter of our alphabet, originally having the sound of g, then of k, and finally, in some languages, equivalent to s: (mus.) name of one of the notes of the gamut, also the sound on which the system is founded—the scale C major has neither flats nor sharps, and therefore is called the natural scale.

Caaba, kä′a-ba, n. the Moslem Holy of Holies, a square building at Mecca, containing the famous Black Stone built into the south-east corner at a height convenient for being kissed. [Ar.]

Caaing-whale, kä′ing-hwāl, n. one of the Cetacea, in the dolphin family, very gregarious, and oftener stranded than any other 'whale'—16 to 24 feet long, and 10 feet in girth. Other names are Pilot-whale, Black-fish, Social Whale, Grindhval. [Scot. ca, to drive.]

Cab, kab, n. a public carriage of various sizes and shapes, with two or four wheels, drawn by one horse.—ns. Cab′by, a shortened form of Cab′man, one who drives a cab for hire; Cab′-stand, a place where cabs stand for hire; Cab′-tout, one whose business it is to call cabs.—Cabmen's shelter, a place of shelter for cabmen while waiting for hire. [Shortened from Cabriolet.]

Cab, kab, n. a Hebrew dry measure = nearly three pints. [Heb. kab—kabab, to hollow.]

Cabal, ka-bal′, n. a small party united for some secret design: the plot itself: a name in English history esp. given to five unpopular ministers of Charles II. (1672), whose initials happened to make up the word.—v.i. to form a party for a secret purpose: to plot:—pr.p. cabal′ling.—n. Cabal′ler, a plotter or intriguer. [Fr. cabale; from Cabala.]

Caballero, kä-bä-lyā′rō, n. a Spanish gentleman: a Spanish dance.

Caballine, kab′a-lin, adj. pertaining to, or suited to, a horse. [L. caballinus—caballus, a horse.]

Cabaret, kab′a-ret, n. a small tavern. [Fr., prob. for cabanaret—cabane, a hut.]

Cabas, Caba, kab′a, n. a woman's work-basket or reticule: a rush basket or pannier. [Fr.]

Cabbage, kab′āj, n. a well-known kitchen vegetable.—ns. Cabb′age-butt′erfly, a large butterfly whose larvæ injure the leaves of cabbage and other cruciferous plants; Cabb′age-moth, a moth whose larva feeds on the cabbage; Cabb′age-palm, Cabb′age-tree, a name given in different countries to different species of palm, the great terminal bud of which is eaten cooked like cabbage, or sometimes also raw in salads; Cabb′age-rose, a species of rose which has a thick form like a cabbage-head; Cabb′age-worm, the larva of the cabbage-butterfly or of the cabbage-moth. [Fr. caboche, head (choux cabus, a cabbage); from L. caput, the head.]

Cabbage, kab′āj, v.t. and v.i. to purloin, esp. a tailor of portions of a customer's cloth.—n. cloth so appropriated.

Cabbala, Cabala, kab′a-la, n. a secret science of the Jewish rabbis for the interpretation of the hidden sense of Scripture, claimed to be handed down by oral tradition.—ns. Cabb′alism, the science of the cabbala; Cabb′alist, one versed in the cabbala.—adjs. Cabbalist′ic, -al, relating to the cabbala: having a hidden meaning. [Heb. qabbālāh, tradition, qibbēl, to receive.]

Caber, kāb′ėr, n. a pole, generally the stem of a young tree, which is poised and tossed or hurled by Highland athletes. [Gael.]

Cabin, kab′in, n. a hut or cottage: a small room, esp. in a ship, for officers or passengers—hence Cab′in-pass′enger, one paying for superior accommodation.—v.t. to shut up in a cabin.—v.i. to dwell in a cabin.—n. Cab′in-boy, a boy who waits on the officers or those who live in the cabin of a ship. [Fr. cabane—Low L. capanna.]

Cabinet, kab′in-et, n. (obs.) a little cabin or hut: (Shak.) the bed or nest of a beast or bird: a small room, closet, or private apartment: a case of drawers for articles of value: a private room for consultation, esp. a king's—hence The Cabinet, a limited number of the chief ministers who govern England, being the leaders of the majority in parliament.—ns. Cab′inet-coun′cil, a council or consultation of the members of the Cabinet; Cab′inet-edi′tion (of a book), one less in size and price than a library edition, but still elegant in format; Cab′inet-mak′er, a maker of cabinets and other fine furniture; Cab′inet-phō′tograph, one of the size larger than a carte-de-visite. [Dim. of Cabin; cf. mod. Fr. cabinet.]

Cabiri, ka-bī′rī, n.pl. ancient divinities of Semitic origin, associated with fire and creative energy, worshipped in mysteries in Lemnos, Samothrace, and Indros—also Cabei′ri.—adjs. Cabir′ian, Cabir′ic.

Cable, kā′bl, n. a strong rope or chain which ties anything, esp. a ship to her anchor: a nautical measure of 100 fathoms; a cable for submarine telegraphs composed of wires embedded in gutta-percha and encased in coiled strands of iron wire; a bundle of insulated wires laid underground in a street: a cable-message.—v.t. to provide with a cable, to tie up: to transmit a message, or to communicate with any one by submarine telegram.—ns. Cā′blegram, a message sent by submarine telegraph cable; Cā′ble-mould′ing, a bead or moulding carved in imitation of a thick rope; Cā′bling, a bead or moulding like a thick rope, often worked in flutes: the filling of flutes with a moulding like a cable.—Slip the cable, to let it run out. [Fr.—Low L. caplum, a halter—cap-ĕre, to hold.]

Cabob, ka-bob′, n. an Oriental dish of pieces of meat roasted with herbs: roast meat generally in India. [Ar. kabāb.]

Caboched, Caboshed, ka-bosht′, adj. (her.) bearing the head of an animal, with only the face seen. [Fr. caboché—L. caput, head.]

Cabochon, ka-bō-shong, n. a precious stone polished but uncut.—En cabochon, rounded on top and flat on back, without facets—garnets, moonstone, &c. [Fr.]

Caboodle, ka-bōō′dl, n. (slang) crowd, company.

Caboose, ka-bōōs′, n. the kitchen or cooking-stove of a ship. [Dut. kombuis; cf. Ger. kabuse.]

Cabriole. See Capriole.

Cabriolet, kab-ri-ō-lā′, n. a covered carriage with two or four wheels drawn by one horse. [Fr. See Capriole. By 1830 shortened into Cab.]

Cacao, ka-kā′o, ka-kä′o, n. the chocolate-tree, from the seeds of which chocolate is made. [Mex. cacauatl.]

Cachæmia, Cachemia, ka-kē′mi-a, n. a morbid state of the blood.—adj. Cachē′mic. [Gr. kakos, bad, haima, blood.]

Cachalot, kash′a-lot, n. the sperm-whale. [Fr.]

Cache, kash, n. a hiding-place for treasure, for stores of provisions, ammunition, &c.: the stores themselves so hidden.—v.t. to hide anything.—n. Cache′pot, an ornamental flower-pot enclosing a common one of earthenware. [Fr. cacher, to hide.]

Cachet, kash′ā, n. a seal, any distinctive stamp.—Lettre de cachet, a letter under the private seal of the king of France under the old régime, by which the royal pleasure was made known to individuals, and the administration of justice often interfered with. [Fr.]

Cachexy, ka-kek′si, n. a bad state of body: a depraved habit of mind.—adjs. Cachec′tic, -al. [L.—Gr. kachexia—kakos, bad, hexis, condition.]

Cachinnation, kak-in-ā′shun, n. loud laughter.—adj. Cachin′natory. [L. cachinnation-em, cachinnāre, to laugh loudly—from the sound.]

Cacholong, kash′o-long, n. a variety of quartz or of opal, generally of a milky colour. [Fr.]

Cacholot. Same as Cachalot.

Cachou, kash′ōō, n. a sweetmeat, made in the form of a pill, of extract of liquorice, cashew-nut, or the like, used by some smokers in the hope to sweeten their breath. [Fr.]

Cachucha, kach′ōōch-a, n. a lively Spanish dance. [Sp.]

Cacique, ka-sēk′, n. a native chief among the West Indian aborigines. [Haytian.]

Cackle, kak′l, n. the sound made by a hen or goose.—v.i. to make such a sound.—ns. Cack′ler, a fowl that cackles: a talkative, gossiping person; Cack′ling, noise of a goose or hen. [M. E. cakelen; cog. with Dut. hakelen.]

Cacodemon, kak-o-dē′mon, n. an evil spirit: (Shak.) a nightmare. [Gr. kakos, bad, and Demon.]

Cacodyl, kak′o-dil, n. a colourless stinking liquid, composed of arsenic, carbon, and hydrogen. [Gr. kakōdēs, ill-smelling.]

Cacoethes, kak-o-ē′thēz, n. an obstinate habit or disposition. [Gr. kakos, bad, ēthos, habit.]

Cacogastric, kak-ō-gas′trik, adj. pertaining to a disordered stomach, dyspeptic. [Gr. kakos, bad, gastēr, the stomach.]

Cacography, kak-og′ra-fi, n. bad writing or spelling.—adj. Cacograph′ic [Gr. kakos, bad, and graphia, writing.]

Cacolet, kak′o-lā, n. a military mule-litter for sick and wounded. [Fr.; prob. Basque.]

Cacology, ka-kol′o-ji, n. bad grammar or pronunciation. [Gr. kakos, bad, logos, speech.]

Cacoon, ka-kōōn′, n. a large seed of a tropical climber of the bean family, used for making scent-bottles, snuff boxes, purses, &c.: a purgative and emetic seed of a tropical American climber of the gourd family.

Cacophony, ka-kof′ō-ni, n. a disagreeable sound: discord of sounds.—adjs. Cacoph′onous, Cacophon′ic, -al, Cacophō′nious, harsh-sounding. [Gr. kakos, bad, phōnē, sound.]

Cactus, kak′tus, n. an American plant, generally with prickles instead of leaves.—adj. Cactā′ceous, pertaining to or like the cactus. [Gr., a prickly plant found in Sicily.]

Cad, kad, n. a low, mean, or vulgar fellow: a bus driver or conductor, a tavern-yard loafer.—adj. Cad′dish. [Short for Cadet.]

Cadastral, ka-das′tral, adj. pertaining to a Cadastre or public register of the lands of a country for fiscal purposes: applied also to a survey on a large scale, like our Ordnance Survey on the scale of 25 inches to the mile. [Fr.—Low L. capitastrum, register for a poll-tax—L. caput, the head.]

Cadaverous, ka-dav′ė-rus, adj. looking like a dead body: sickly-looking.—n. Cadāv′er (surg. and anat.), a corpse.—adj. Cadav′eric.—n. Cadav′erousness. [L. cadaver, a dead body—cad-ĕre, to fall dead.]

Caddice, Caddis, kad′dis, n. the larva of the May-fly and other species of Phryganea, which lives in water in a sheath formed of fragments of wood, stone, shell, leaves, &c., open at both ends—caddis-worms form excellent bait for trout.—n. Cad′dis-fly.

Caddie, kad′i, n. a lad who attends a golfer at play, carrying his clubs: in 18th century a messenger or errand porter in Edinburgh. [See Cadet.]

Caddis, kad′dis, n. (Shak.) worsted ribbon. [O. Fr. cadaz, cadas.]

Caddy, kad′i, n. a small box for holding tea. [Malay kati, the weight of the small packets in which tea is made up.]

Cade, kād, n. a barrel or cask. [Fr.—L. cadus, a cask.]

Cade, kād, n. and adj. a lamb or colt brought up by hand, a pet lamb. [Ety. unknown.]

Cadeau, kad′o, n. a present. [Fr.]

Cadenas, kad′e-nas, n. in medieval times, a locked casket containing a great man's table requisites, knife, fork, spoon, &c., often in the form of a ship. [O. Fr.,—L. catena, a chain.]

Cadence, kā′dens, n. the fall of the voice at the end of a sentence: tone, sound, modulation.—adj. Cā′denced, rhythmical.—n. Cā′dency, regularity of movement: (her.) the relative status of younger sons.—adj. Cā′dent (Shak.), falling.—n. Caden′za, a flourish given by a solo voice or instrument at the close of a movement. [Fr.—L. cad-ĕre, to fall.]

Cadet, ka-det′, n. the younger or youngest son: a member of the younger branch of a family: in the army, one who serves as a private to become an officer: a student in a military school.—n. Cadet′ship.—Cadet corps, parties of boys undergoing military training. [Fr. cadet, formerly capdet—Low L. capitettum, dim. of caput, the head.]

Cadge, kaj, v.i. to beg or go about begging.—n. Cadg′er, a carrier who collects country produce, a hawker: a fellow who picks up his living about the streets. [Prob. conn. with Catch.]

Cadgy, kaj′i, adj. (prov.) frolicsome: wanton. [Cf. Dan. kaad, wanton, Ice. kátr, merry.]

Cadi, kā′di, n. a judge in Mohammedan countries. [Ar. qādī, a judge.]

Cadmean, kad-mē′an, adj. relating to Cadmus, who introduced the original Greek alphabet.

Cadmia, kad′mi-a, n. oxide of zinc, containing from 10 to 20 per cent. of cadmium. [Gr. kadmia, kadmeia (ge), Cadmean (earth), calamine.]

Cadmium, kad′mi-um, n. a white metal occurring in zinc ores. [See Cadmia.]

Cadrans, kad′rans, n. a wooden instrument by which a gem is adjusted while being cut. [Fr. cadran, a quadrant.]

Cadre, kad′r, n. a nucleus, framework, esp. the permanent skeleton of a regiment or corps, the commissioned and non-commissioned officers, &c., around whom the rank and file may be quickly grouped. [Fr.]

Caduceus, ka-dū′se-us, n. (myth.) the rod carried by Mercury, the messenger of the gods—a wand surmounted with two wings and entwined by two serpents.—adj. Cadū′cean. [L., akin to Gr. kērukeion, a herald's wand—kērux, a herald.]

Caducibranchiate, ka-dūi-si-brang′ki-āt, adj. losing the gills on attaining maturity, as all the salamanders.—n.pl. Caducibranchiā′ta. [L. caducus, caducous, branchiæ, gills.]

Caducous, ka-dū′kus, adj. falling early, as leaves or flowers.—n. Cadū′city, transitoriness, senility. [L. caducus—cad-ĕre, to fall.]

Cæcum, sē′kum, n. a blind sac: a sac or bag having only one opening, connected with the intestine of an animal.—adj. Cæ′cal. [L.—cæcus, blind.]

Caen-stone, kā′en-stōn, n. a cream-coloured limestone brought from Caen in France.

Cæsar, sē′zar, n. an absolute monarch, an autocrat, from the Roman dictator Caius Julius Cæsar (100-44 B.C.).—adj. Cæsar′ean, relating to Julius Cæsar.—ns. Cæ′sarism; Cæ′sarist; Cæ′sarship.—Cæsarean operation, the popular name for Hysterotomy, the delivery of a child by cutting through the walls of the abdomen, as is said to have been the case with Cæsar.

Cæsium, sēz′i-um, n. a silver-white, soft, and extensile alkaline metal, almost always found along with rubidium, discovered by Bunsen and Kirchhoff in 1860 by spectrum analysis.—adj. Cæs′ious, bluish green. [L. cæsius, bluish gray.]

Cæsura, Cesura, sē-zū′ra, n. a syllable cut off at the end of a word after the completion of a foot: a pause in a verse.—adj. Cæsū′ral. [L.—cædĕre, cæsum, to cut off.]

Café, käf′ā, n. a coffee-house, a restaurant.—Café chantant, a public place of entertainment where the guests hear music while sipping their liquor. [Fr.]

Caffeine, kaf′e-in, or kaf-ē′in, n. the alkaloid or active principle of coffee and tea. [Fr. caféine. See Coffee.]

Caffre, kaf′fėr, n. more correctly Kafir (q.v.).

Caftan, kaf′tan, n. a Persian or Turkish vest. [Turk. qaftán.]

Cage, kāj, n. a place of confinement: a box made of wire and wood for holding birds or small animals: (mining) a frame with one or more platforms for cars, used in hoisting in a vertical shaft: the framework supporting a peal of bells.—v.t. to imprison in a cage—p.adj. Caged, confined.—ns. Cage′ling, a bird kept in a cage; Cage′-work, open work like the bars of a cage. [Fr.—L. cavea, a hollow place.]

Cagot, kag′ō, n. one of an outcast race found scattered in the district of the western Pyrenees, most likely the descendants of lepers. [Fr.; origin unknown.]

Cahier, ka-yā′, n. a writing-book, memorandum or report: a memorial. [Fr.]

Cahoot, ka-hōōt′, n. (U.S.) company or partnership.

Caillach, kīl′yah, n. an old woman. [Gael. cailleach.]

Caimac, Caimacam. See Kaimakam.

Caiman. Same as Cayman.

Cain, kān, n. a murderer, from Cain, who killed his brother Abel (Gen. iv.).—adj. Cain′-col′oured (Shak.), reddish, the traditional colour of the hair of Cain and Judas.—n. Cain′ite, a descendant of Cain: a member of a 2d-century set of Gnostics who revered Cain and Judas.

Cain, Kain, kān, n. in old Scots law, rent paid in kind, esp. in poultry, &c.—To pay the cain, to pay the penalty. [Ir. and Gael, cáin, rent, tax.]

Cainozoic, kā-no-zō′ik, adj. belonging to the third of the great periods of geology, the same as the Tertiary (q.v.). [Gr. kainos, newly made, recent, zōon, animal.]

Caique, kä-ēk′, n. a light skiff used on the Bosporus: the skiff of a galley. [Fr.,—Turk. kaik, a boat.]

Caird, kārd, n. a tramping tinker, a gipsy, a vagrant. [Gael. and Ir. ceard.]

Cairn, kārn, n. a heap of stones, esp. one raised over a grave, or as a landmark on a mountain-top.—n. Cairn′gorm-stone, or simply Cairngorm, a name often given by jewellers to brown or yellow quartz or rock-crystal, because found among the Cairngorm Mountains in Aberdeenshire. [Celt. carn.]

Caisson, kās′on, n. a tumbril or ammunition wagon: a chest filled with explosive materials: a strong case for keeping out the water while the foundations of a bridge are being built: an apparatus for lifting a vessel out of the water for repairs or inspection: the pontoon or floating gate used to close a dry-dock. [Fr., from caisse, a case or chest. See Case.]

Caitiff, kā′tif, n. a mean despicable fellow.—adj. mean, base.—n. Cai′tive (Spens.), captive, subject. [O. Fr. caitif, (Fr. chétif)—L. captivus, a captive—cap-ĕre, to take.]

Cajole, ka-jōl′, v.t. to coax: to cheat by flattery.—ns. Cajole′ment, coaxing for the purpose of deluding: wheedling language: flattery; Cajol′er; Cajol′ery. [Fr. cajoler, to chatter; ety. dub.]

Cajuput, kaj′i-put, n. a pungent, volatile, aromatic oil, distilled from the leaves of two trees native to Australia.—Also Caj′eput. [Malay.]

Cake, kāk, n. a piece of dough that is baked: a small loaf of fine bread: any flattened mass baked, as pan-cake, &c., or as soap, wax, tobacco, &c.: a thin hard-baked kind of oaten-bread—whence Scotland is styled the 'Land of Cakes:' fancy bread, sweetened: a composition of bread with butter, sugar, spices, currants, raisins, &c., baked into any form—plum-cake, tea-cake, wedding-cake.—v.t. to form into a cake or hard mass.—v.i. to become baked or hardened.—adj. Cak′y.—Cakes and ale, a phrase covering vaguely all the good things of life.—To take the cake (slang), to carry off the honours, rank first. [Scand. kaka; cog. with Ger. kuche, Dut. koek.]

Calabar-bean, käl′a-bär-bēn, n. the seed of Physostigma venenosum, the ordeal bean of Old Calabar, used in the form of an emulsion in cases of witchcraft, the accused being plainly innocent if he can throw off the poison by vomiting.

Calabash, kal′a-bash, n. a tree of tropical America, bearing a large melon-like fruit, the shell of which, called a calabash, is used for domestic purposes, as holding liquids, &c. [Fr. calebasse—Sp. calabaza—Pers. kharbuz, melon.]

Calaboose, kal′a-bōōs, n. a prison in New Orleans, esp. a common lock-up. [Sp. calabozo, a dungeon.]

Caladium, kal-ā′di-um, n. a genus of plants of the Arum family, with edible starchy root-stocks. [Latinised from Malay kélādy.]

Calamanco, kal-a-mangk′o, n. a satin-twilled woollen stuff, checkered or brocaded in the warp. [Dut. kalamink, Ger. kalmank, Fr. calmande; origin unknown.]

Calamander, kal′a-man-dėr, n. a hard and valuable cabinet-wood of a brownish colour, with black stripes, brought from India and Ceylon. [Prob. Singh.]

Calamary, kal′a-mar-i, n. a popular name applied to numerous forms of cuttle-fish or Cephalopoda, more esp. to Loligo vulgaris.—Also Squid. [Sp. calamar—Fr. calmar—L. calamarius, calamus, a pen.]

Calamine, kal′a-mīn, n. an ore consisting essentially of carbonate of zinc. [Fr.—Low L. calamina, most prob. from L. cadmia.]

Calamint, kal′a-mint, n. a genus of Labiate plants closely allied to balm and thyme. [Fr.—Low L. calamentum, through L. from Gr. kalaminthē.]

Calamite, kal′a-mīt, n. a fossil plant abundant in the coal-measures, believed to be a kind of gigantic horse-tails (Equisetaceæ). [Formed from L. calamus, a reed.]

Calamity, kal-am′i-ti, n. a great misfortune: affliction.—adj. Calam′itous, making wretched, disastrous.—adv. Calam′itously, in a calamitous manner.—n. Calam′itousness, the quality of producing distress: distress: misery. [Fr. calamité—L. calamitat-em.]

Calamus, kal′a-mus, n. the traditional name of the sweet flag, which is no doubt the Calamus aromaticus of Roman authors, and probably the sweet calamus and sweet cane of Scripture, but not the fragrant lemon-grass of India: a genus of palms whose stems make canes or rattans: the reed pen used by the ancients in writing. [L.—Gr.]

Calash, ka-lash′, n. a light low-wheeled carriage with a folding top: a silk and whalebone hood worn by ladies to shade the face. [Fr. calèche; of Slav. origin, as Bohem. kolésa, Russ. koleso, a wheel.]

Calavance, kal′a-vans, n. a name for certain varieties of pulse.—Also Car′avance. [Sp. garbanzo, chickpea, said to be the Basque garbantzu.]

Calcaneum, kal-kā′nē-um, n. a bone of the tarsus or ankle, forming in man the prominence of the heel, the os calcis: in birds, the hypotarsus.—adjs. Calcā′neal, Calcā′nean. [L., the heel—calx, the heel.]

Calcar, kal′kar, n. (bot.) a spur or spur-like projection, esp. from the base of a petal: (anat.) an eminence in the lateral ventricles of the brain, the hippocampus minor or calcar avis.—adjs. Cal′carate; Calcar′iform; Cal′carine. [L., a spur—calx, calcis, the heel.]

Calcar, kal′kar, n. an oven or furnace for calcining the materials of frit before melting—also Fritting-furnace: an arch or oven for annealing.

Calcareous, kal-kā′re-us, adj. like or containing chalk or lime, whether waters, rocks, or soils.—n. Calcā′reousness.—adj. Calcarif′erous, better Calcif′erous, containing lime. [L. calcarius, from calx, lime.]

Calceamentum, kal-sē-a-men′tum, n. a red silk embroidered sandal forming part of the insignia of the Holy Roman Empire. [L.]

Calced, kalst, adj. shod, wearing shoes—opp. to Discalced—of Carmelites.—v.t. Cal′cēate, to shoe.—adjs. Cal′cēate, -d, shod; Cal′cēiform (bot.), having the form of a slipper; Cal′cēolate, calceiform. [Low L. calceus, a shoe—calx, calcis, the heel.]

Calceolaria, kal-se-o-lā′ri-a, n. a South American genus of Scrophulariaceæ, largely cultivated as half-hardy or greenhouse plants for the beauty and variety in colour of the two-lipped slipper-like flowers. [L. calceolus, dim. of calceus, a shoe.]

Calcium, kal′si-um, n. the metal present in chalk, stucco, and other compounds of lime.—adjs. Cal′cic, containing calcium; Cal′cific, calcifying or calcified.—v.i. Cal′cificā′tion, the process of calcifying, a changing into lime.—adjs. Cal′ciform, like chalk, pebbly; Calcif′ugous, avoiding limestone.—v.t. and v.i. Cal′cify, to make calcic: to turn into bony tissue.—adjs. Calcig′enous, forming lime; Calcig′erous, containing lime.—n. Cal′cimine, a white or tinted wash for ceilings, walls, &c., consisting of whiting, with glue, &c.—v.t. to wash with such.—adj. Cal′cinable, capable of being calcined.—n. Calcinā′tion.—v.t. Cal′cine, or Calcine′, to reduce to a calx or chalky powder by the action of heat, to burn to ashes.—v.i. to become a calx or powder by heat.—ns. Cal′cite, native calcium carbonate, or carbonate of lime—also called Calcā′reous spar and Calc′spar; Calc′-sin′ter, Calc′-tuff, Tra′vertin, a porous deposit from springs or rivers which in flowing through limestone rocks have become charged with calcium carbonate. [Formed from L. calx, chalk.]

Calcography. See Chalcography.

Calculate, kal′kū-lāt, v.t. to count or reckon: to think out: to adapt, fit (only passive, with for): (U.S.) to think, purpose.—v.i. to make a calculation: to estimate.—adjs. Cal′culable; Cal′culating, given to forethought, deliberately selfish and scheming.—n. Calculā′tion, the art or process of calculating: estimate: forecast.—adj. Cal′culātive, relating to calculation.—n. Cal′culātor, one who calculates. [L. calculāre, -ātum, to reckon by help of little stones—calculus, dim. of calx, a little stone.]

Calculus, kal′kū-lus, n. a stone-like concretion which forms in certain parts of the body: one of the higher branches of mathematics:—pl. Calculi (kal′kū-li).—adj. Cal′culose, stony or like stone: gritty: affected with stone or with gravel.—Calculus of finite differences not merely does not consider differentials, but does not assume continuity.—Differential calculus, a method of treating the values of ratios of differentials or the increments of quantities continually varying; Integral calculus, the summation of an infinite series of differentials. [L.—calx.]

Caldron. Same as Cauldron.

Caledonian, kal-e-dō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to Caledonia, or Scotland.—n. a Scotchman.

Calefaction, kal-e-fak′shun, adj. act of heating: state of being heated.—adj. Calefā′cient, warming.—n. anything that warms: a blister or superficial stimulant.—adj. Calefac′tive, communicating heat.—n. Calefac′tor, a small stove.—adj. Calefac′tory, warming.—n. a room in which monks warmed themselves: a warming-pan, a pome.—v.t. and v.i. Cal′efy, to grow warm: to make warm.—n. Cales′cence, increasing warmth. [L.,—calēre, to grow hot, facĕre, to make.]

Calendar, kal′en-dar, n. the mode of adjusting the natural divisions of time with respect to each other for the purposes of civil life: an almanac or table of months, days, and seasons, or of special facts, &c., as in the 'gardener's calendar,' &c.: a list of documents arranged chronologically with summaries of contents, as in 'calendar of state papers:' a list of canonised saints, or of prisoners awaiting trial: any list or record.—v.t. to place in a list: to analyse and index.—ns. Cal′endarer, Cal′endarist. [O. Fr. calendier—L. calendarium, an account-book, kalendæ, calends.]

Calender, kal′en-dėr, n. a press consisting of two rollers for smoothing and dressing cloth, paper, &c.: a person who calenders, properly a calendrer.—v.t. to dress in a calender.—ns. Cal′endering; Cal′endrer, one whose business it is to calender cloth; Cal′endry, a place where calendering is done. [Fr. calandre—L. cylindrus—L. kylindros.]

Calender, kal′en-dėr, n. a word somewhat loosely used for dervish in Persia and Central Asia. [Pers.]

Calends, kal′endz, n. among the Romans, the first day of each month. [L. Kalendæ—calăre, Gr. kalein, to call, because the beginning of the month was proclaimed.]

Calenture, kal′en-tūr, n. a kind of fever or delirium occurring on board ship in hot climates. [Fr. and Sp.—L. calent-em, calēre, to be hot.]

Calescence. See Calefaction.

Calf, käf, n. the young of the cow and of some other animals, as marine mammals: calf-skin leather, bookbinding in such: a stupid or a cowardly person:—pl. Calves (kävz).—ns. Calf′-love, an attachment between a boy and girl; Calf's′-foot, Calves'-foot, the foot of the calf, used in making a palatable jelly; Calf′-skin, the skin of the calf, making a good leather for bookbinding and shoes.—Divinity calf, a dark-brown calf bookbinding, with blind stamping, and without gilding—common in the binding of theological books; Golden calf, the idol set up by Aaron during the absence of Moses on Sinai, or those erected by Jeroboam at Bethel and Dan: worship of Mammon or wealth; Half-calf, a bookbinding in which the back and corners are in calf-skin; Mottled calf, a light coloured bookbinding, decorated by the sprinkling of acid in drops; Smooth calf, a binding in plain or undecorated calf leather.—The calves of our lips (Hosea, xiv. 2), an offering of praise (the Septuagint reads, 'The fruit of our lips').—Tree calf, a bright brown calf bookbinding, stained by acids with a pattern resembling the trunk and branches of a tree. [A.S. cealf; Ger. kalb.]

Calf, käf, n. the thick fleshy part of the leg behind.—adj. Calf′less, with a thin, poor calf. [Ice. kalfi; perh. the same word as the preceding.]

Caliban, kal′i-ban, n. a man of beastly nature, from the monster in Shakespeare's Tempest.

Calibre, Caliber, kal′i-bėr, n. the size of the bore of a gun: diameter: intellectual capacity.—adj. Cal′ibered.—v.t. Cal′ibrāte, to determine the calibre of.—n. Calibrā′tion. [Fr. calibre, the bore of a gun; prob. L. quā librā, with what weight, or from Ar. qālib, a form.]

Calico, kal′i-kō, n. a cotton cloth, first brought from Calicut in India: plain white unprinted cotton cloth, bleached or unbleached: coarse printed cotton cloth.—adj. made of calico: spotted—n. Cal′ico-print′er, one employed in printing calicoes.

Calid, kal′id, adj. warm.—n. Calid′ity. [L. calidus, hot.]

Calif, Caliph, kā′lif, or kal′if, n. the name assumed by the successors of Mohammed.—ns. Cal′ifate, Cal′iphate, the office, rank, or government of a calif. [Fr.—Ar. khalīfah, a successor.]

Caliginous, kal-ij′en-us, adj. dim, obscure, dark.—n. Caliginos′ity. [L. caliginos-us.]

Caligraphy. See under Calligraphy.

Calipash, kal′i-pash, n. the part of a turtle close to the upper shell, consisting of a fatty gelatinous substance of a dull greenish colour.—n. Cal′ipee, the white portion from the belly—a fatty gelatinous substance of a light-yellowish colour. [Prob. corr. of West Ind. words.]

Calipers, kal′i-pėrz, Caliper-compasses, kal′i-pėr-kum′pasez, n.pl. compasses with legs suitable for measuring the inside or outside diameter of bodies. [Corr. of Caliber.]

Caliph, Caliphate. See Calif.

Calippic, kal-ip′ik, adj. four Metonic cycles less one day, or seventy-six years. [From the Greek astronomer Callipus, a contemporary of Aristotle.]

Calisaya, kal-i-sā′ya, n. a variety of Peruvian bark.

Caliver, kal′i-vėr, n. (Shak.) a kind of light musket. [Same as Calibre.]

Calix. See Calyx.

Calixtin, Calixtine, kal-iks′tin, adj. of or belonging to the more moderate party among the Hussites, so called from their demanding the cup (L. calix) as well as the bread for the laity—also called U′traquists (L. uterque, both).—n. a follower of the Syncretist Lutheran divine, George Calixtus (1586-1656).

Calk. See Caulk.

Calk, kawk, n. a pointed piece of iron on a horse-shoe to prevent slipping—also Calk′in and Calk′er.—v.t. to provide a shoe with a calk. [L. calc-em, calx, a heel.]

Calk, Calque, kawk, v.t. to chalk, as the back of a drawing, &c., in order to transfer it, to copy by tracing.—n. Calk′ing, the copying of a picture by means of tracing.

Call, kawl, v.i. to cry aloud (with out; to, after, at, up, down): to make a short visit (with upon, for, at).—v.t. to name: to summon: to appoint or proclaim: to designate or reckon: to select for a special office, as in 'called to be an apostle,' 'to be called to the bar:' (coll.) to call bad names to some one.—n. a summons or invitation: an impulse: a demand: a short visit: a shrill whistle: the cry of a bird: admission to the rank of barrister: an invitation to the pastorate of a congregation, also the written form of such with appended list of names of persons concurring: (coll.) occasion, cause.—ns. Call′-at-large, a form of pastoral call sometimes adopted by a presbytery where a congregation is not unanimous, in which the name of the person to be called is not inscribed beforehand, and names cannot be adhibited by mandate; Call′-bird, a bird trained to allure others into snares; Call′-boy, a boy who waits upon the prompter in a theatre, and calls the actors when wanted on the stage; Call′er, one who pays a short visit; Call′ing, that station to which a person is called by Providence to fill: one's trade, profession, or occupation; Call′ing-crab, a popular name for the fiddler-crab, which waves its larger claw when disturbed; Call′-note, the note by which a bird or beast calls its young.—Call attention to, to point out; Call away, to divert the mind; Call back, to recall; Call for, to ask loudly: claim; Call forth, to bring or summon to action; Call for trumps, to lay down such cards at whist as will induce one's partner to lead a trump; Call in, to bring in from outside, as the notes in circulation, &c.; Call in question, to challenge; Call off, to summon away; Call on, or upon, to invoke, appeal to; Call out, to challenge to fight, esp. a duel: to summon to service, bring into operation; Call over, to read aloud a list; Call to account, to summon to render an account; Call up, to summon from beneath, or to a tribunal. [A.S. ceallian; Ice. kalla, Dut. kallen.]

Call, kawl, n. (Spens.) a caul or cap.

Callant, käl′ant, n. a lad. [A modern Scotch word; Dut. kalant.]

Caller, kal′ėr, adj. fresh: (Scot.) cool. [Prob. the same as Calver.]

Callet, kal′et, n. (Shak.) a scold, a woman of bad character, a trull. [Prob. Fr. caillette, a frivolous gossip; or prob. the Gael. caille, girl, may be related.]

Callid, kal′id, adj. shrewd.—n. Callid′ity, shrewdness. [L. callidus, expert.]

Calligraphy, Caligraphy, kal-lig′ra-fi, n. fine penmanship; characteristic style of writing.—adjs. Calligraph′ic, -al.—ns. Callig′raphist, Callig′rapher. [Gr., kalos, beautiful, graphein, to write.]

Calliope, kal-ī′o-pe, n. the muse of epic poetry: an instrument producing musical notes by means of steam-whistles, played by a keyboard. [Gr.]

Callipers. Same as Calipers.

Callisthenics, kal-is-then′iks, n.pl. exercises for the purpose of promoting gracefulness as well as strength of body.—adj. Callisthen′ic. [Gr. kalos, beautiful, sthenos, strength.]

Callous, kal′us, adj. hardened: unfeeling or insensible.—n. Callos′ity, a hard swelling on the skin.—adv. Call′ously.—n. Call′ousness. [L. callosus—callus, hard skin.]

Callow, kal′ō, adj. not covered with feathers: unfledged, unbearded: inexperienced: low-lying and liable to be submerged.—n. an alluvial flat. [A.S. calu; Ger. kahl, L. calvus, bald.]

Callus, kal′us, n. a thickening of the skin: a term employed in old surgical works for the exuded material by which fractures of bones are consolidated together. [L.]

Calm, käm, adj. still or quiet: serene, tranquil.—n. absence of wind—also in pl.: repose: serenity of feelings or actions.—v.t. to make calm: to quiet.—ns. Calm′ant, Calm′ative—in medical language.—adjs. Calm′ative, Calm′ant, Calmed, Calm′y (Spens.)—adv. Calm′ly.—n. Calm′ness. [Fr. calme (It. calma), from Low L. cauma—Gr. kauma, noonday heat—kai-ein, to burn.]

Calmuck. See Kalmuck.

Calomel, kal′ō-mel, n. the popular name of one of the compounds of mercury and chlorine, much used in medicine. [Fr. calomel, which Littré derives from Gr. kalos, fair, melas, black.]

Caloric, ka-lor′ik, n. heat: the supposed principle or cause of heat.—n. Calores′cence, the transmutation of heat rays into luminous rays.—adj. Calorif′ic, causing heat: heating.—ns. Calorificā′tion; Calorim′eter, an instrument for measuring the specific heat of a body; Calorim′etry, the art or process of measuring heat; Cal′orist, one who held heat to be a subtle fluid called caloric; Cal′ory, the usually accepted thermal unit, being the quantity of heat necessary to raise the temperature of a kilogram of water from 0° to 1° centigrade. [Fr. calorique, formed by Lavoisier from L. calor, heat.]

Calotte, kal-ot′, n. a plain skull-cap or coif worn by R.C. clergy. [Fr.]

Calotype, kal′ō-tīp, n. a kind of photography.—n. Cal′otypist, one who makes calotypes. [Gr. kalos, beautiful, typos, an image. Name given in 1840 by W. H. Fox Talbot (1800-77) to his method of photographing by the action of light on nitrate of silver.]

Caloyer, ka-loi′ėr, n. a Greek monk, esp. of the order of St Basil. [Fr.,—It.—Late Gr. kalogēros, kalos, beautiful, gēros, aged.]

Calp, kalp, n. the name applied in Ireland to beds of shale, sandstone, &c. containing thin seams of coal.

Calpac, Calpack, kal′pak, n. a triangular felt cap, worn by Turks and Tartars. [Turk.]

Calque. See Calk (3).

Caltrop, kal′trop, n. an instrument armed with four spikes, so arranged that one always stands upright, used to obstruct the progress of an enemy's cavalry, or of besiegers of a fortification.—Also Cal′trap. [A.S. coltetræppe, calcatrippe—L. calc-em, heel, trappa, a trap.]

Calumba, ka-lum′ba, n. the root of an East African plant, extensively used in medicine as a stomachic and tonic. [From Colombo in Ceylon.]

Calumet, kal′ū-met, n. the 'peace pipe' of the North American Indians, a tobacco-pipe having a stem of reed or painted wood about 2½ feet long, decorated with feathers, with a large bowl, usually of soap-stone. [Calumet is a Norman name for a shepherd's pipe (Fr. chalumeau—L. calamellus, calamus), given by the early French settlers from its resemblance.]

Calumny, kal′um-ni, n. false accusation: slander.—v.t. Calum′niāte, to accuse falsely: to slander.—v.i. to spread evil reports.—ns. Calum′niātion; Calum′niātor.—adjs. Calum′niātory, Calum′nious, of the nature of calumny: slanderous.—adv. Calum′niously.—Oath of calumny, a method in the law of Scotland for the prevention of calumnious and unnecessary suits, by which both parties at the beginning of a cause swear, either by themselves or their counsel, that the facts set forth by them are true—usual only in actions of divorce, &c. [L. calumnia, prob. for calvomnia, from calvi, calvĕre, to deceive.]

Calvary, kal′va-ri, n. the name of the place where Jesus was crucified: (R.C.) a series of representations of the various scenes of Christ's crucifixion: an eminence crowned with one or three crosses bearing life-size figures of Jesus and the two thieves. [The Anglicised form of the Vulgate calvaria, which was the L. rendering of the Gr. kranion, as that again of the Aramaic gogulthō or gogolthā (Heb. gulgōleth—Græcised form golgotha), all three words meaning skull.]

Calve, käv, v.i. to bring forth a calf. [A.S. cealfian. See Calf.]

Calvered, kal′verd, p.adj. from obsolete verb Cal′ver, to prepare salmon or other fish when freshly caught. [Prob. the same as Scot. Caller.]

Calvinism, kal′vin-izm, n. the doctrines of the great Genevan religious reformer, John Calvin (1509-1564), as these are given in his Institutio, esp. as regards particular election, predestination, the incapacity for true faith and repentance of the natural man, efficacious grace, and final perseverance.—n. Cal′vinist, one who holds the doctrines of Calvin.—adjs. Calvinist′ic, -al, pertaining to Calvin or Calvinism.

Calvities, kal-vish′i-ēz, n. baldness. [L.,—calvus, bald.]

Calx, kalks, n. chalk or lime: the substance of a metal or mineral which remains after being subjected to violent heat:—pl. Calxes (kalk′sēz), or Calces (kal′sēz). [L. calx, lime.]

Calycanthus, kal-i-kan′thus, n. a small order of square-stemmed aromatic shrubs, natives of North America and Japan. [Made up of Calyx and Gr. anthos.]

Calyptra, ka-lip′tra, n. a hood, covering, esp. that of the theca or capsule of mosses.—adjs. Calyp′trate, furnished with such; Calyp′triform, Calyptrimor′phous, having the form of a calyptra.—n. Calyp′trogen, the root-cap. [Gr., a veil.]

Calyx, Calix, kal′iks, or kā′liks, n. the outer covering or cup of a flower, its separate leaves termed sepals:—pl. Calyces, or Calyxes.—adjs. Cal′ycate, having a calyx; Calycīf′erous, bearing the calyx; Calyciflō′ral, Calyciflō′rate, Calyciflō′rous, having the petals and stamens borne upon the calyx; Calyc′iform, having the form of a calyx; Cal′ycine, Calyc′inal, pertaining to a calyx.—n. Cal′ycle, an accessory calyx outside the true one.—adjs. Cal′ycled, having a calycle; Cal′ycoid, Calycoi′deous, like a calyx. [L.,—Gr. kalyx—kalyptein, to cover.]

Cam, kam, n. (mech.) a device for changing a regular rotary motion into a reciprocating motion, various forms of which are the cam-wheel and shaft, the heart-wheel, the wiper-wheel, and the eccentric. [Dut. kam.]

Camaieu, kam′ī-ū, n. a cameo: a painting in monochrome, or in simple colours not imitating nature: a style of printing pictures producing the effect of a pencil-drawing.—Also Cam′ayeu. [Fr. See Cameo.]

Camaraderie, kam-a-rad-rē′, n. good-fellowship: the intimacy of comradeship. [Fr.]

Camarilla, kam-ar-il′a, n. a body of secret intriguers, esp. of a court party against a king's legitimate ministers: a small room. [Sp. dim. of camara, a chamber.]

Camass, ka-mas′, n. a small plant growing in the north-western United States, also its nutritious bulb.—ns. Camass′ia, a genus of liliaceous plants nearly related to the European Scilla; Camass′-rat, a small gopher rodent which devours the bulbs of the camass.

Camber, kam′bėr, n. a convexity upon an upper surface, as of a deck amidships, a bridge, or lintel: the curve of a ship's plank: a small dock in the royal yards where timber is loaded and discharged.—v.t. to curve ship-planks, to arch slightly. [Fr.—L. camerāre, to vault.]

Cambist, kam′bist, n. one skilled in the science of exchange.—ns. Cam′bism, Cam′bistry. [It—L. cambīre, to exchange.]

Camberwell beauty, kam′ber-wel bū′ti, n. (Vanessa antiopa) a fancy name for one of the largest and most beautiful of British butterflies.

Cambium, kam′bi-um, n. a layer of vascular tissue formed between the wood and the bark of exogens, in which the annual growth is formed. [Low L.—cambium—L. cambīre, to change.]

Camboge, obsolete form of Gamboge.

Cambrel, kam′brel, n. a bent piece of wood or iron on which butchers hang the carcasses of animals: the hock of a horse. [Prob. conn. with Camber.]

Cambrian, kam′bri-an, adj. pertaining to Cambria or Wales: Welsh: the name given by Sedgwick in 1836 to a group or series of sedimentary deposits which come next in order to the Archæan System.—n. an inhabitant of Cambria, or Wales. [Formed from Cymry, Welshmen, or Cymru, Wales.]

Cambric, kām′brik, n. a kind of fine white linen, originally manufactured at Cambrai in the French department of Nord.

Cambuca, kam-bū′ka, n. a pastoral staff: a curved stick used in the game of pall-mall.—Also Cambut′ta. [Low L., of Celt. origin.]

Came, kām, did come pa.t. of Come.

Camel, kam′el, n. an animal of Asia and Africa with one or two humps on its back, used as a beast of burden and for riding.—adj. Cam′el-backed, hump-backed.—ns. Cam′eleer, one who drives or rides a camel; Cam′eline, camlet.—adj. Cam′elish, like a camel, obstinate.—n. Cam′elry, troops mounted on camels.—Camel's hair, the hair of the camel: the hair of the squirrel's tail used for paint-brushes; Camel's thorn, a shrub of the bean family which camels eat greedily. [L. camelus—Gr. kamēlos—Heb. gāmāl.]

Cameleon. See Chameleon.

Camellia, ka-mel′ya, n. a species of evergreen shrubs, natives of China and Japan, noted for the singular beauty of their flowers. [Named from Kamel, Latinised Camellus, a Moravian Jesuit, who collected plants in the Philippine Islands in 1639.]

Camelopard, kam′el-ō-pärd, or kam-el′ō-pärd, n. the giraffe. [L.,—Gr. camēlopardalis; from Gr. kamēlos, the camel, and pardalis, the panther.]

Camelot, kam′lot, n. Same as Camlet.

Cameo, kam′ē-ō, n. an engraved gem in which the figure or subject is carved in relief. [It. camméo (Fr. camée)—Low L. cammæus traced by Littré to Gr. kamnein, to work; by the late Mr C. W. King through an Ar. form, 'an amulet,' from Pers. camahen, loadstone, the usual material for Babylonian cylinders.]

Camera, kam′ėr-a, n. the variety of camera-obscura used by photographers.—ns. Cam′era-lū′cida, an instrument by which the rays of light from an object are reflected by a specially shaped prism, forming an image on the paper underneath; Cam′era-obscū′ra, an instrument for throwing the images of external objects on a white surface placed within a dark chamber or box. [L.]

Camera, kam′ėr-a, n. a vaulted room: the judge's private chamber (In camera, of a case heard there rather than in public court).—adj. Cam′erāted, divided into chambers: arched or vaulted.

Cameronian, kam-er-ōn′i-an, n. a follower of the Covenanter Richard Cameron, killed at Airds Moss in 1680, a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.—adj. pertaining to this party, or to the famous Cameronian regiment (26th Foot, now the First Battalion of Scottish Rifles) in the British army, which had its origin in a body of Cameronians (1689).

Camis, kam′is, n. (Spens.) a loose robe made of some light material, as silk, &c.: a chemise. [See Chemise.]

Camisade, kam-i-sād′, n. a night attack, probably because shirts were often put on over the armour.—Also Camisad′o. [Sp., from camisa, a shirt.]

Camisards, kam′is-ar, n.pl. the insurgent Huguenots of the Cevennes, so called from the camise or blouse worn by the peasants.

Camise, kam′ēs, n. the usual Arab shirt.—Also Cam′iso, Cam′ese.

Camisole, kam′is-ōl, n. a sleeved jacket, a woman's loose morning gown or jacket.

Camlet, kam′let, n. a cloth originally made of camel's hair, but now chiefly of wool and goat's hair. [Fr.—Low L. camelotum—L. camelus.]

Camomile, Chamomile, kam′o-mīl, n. a plant, or its dried flowers, used in medicine, affording a bitter stomachic and tonic. [Fr.—L.—Gr. chamaimēlon, the earth-apple, from the apple-like smell of its blossoms—chamai, on the ground, mēlon, an apple.]

Camorra, kam-or′a, n. the name of a secret society in the former kingdom of Naples, whose members, the Camorristi, for many years terrorised the country.—ns. Camorr′ism; Camorr′ist. [It.]

Camp, kamp, n. the ground on which an army pitch their tents: the tents of an army, quarters generally, a permanent military station, as at Aldershot: any fortified site in which a force once defended itself, as a Roman or British camp: any temporary quarters for travellers, &c.—v.i. to encamp or pitch tents.—ns. Camp′-foll′ower, any one who follows in the train of an army, but takes no part in battle; Camp′meet′ing, a religious gathering held in the open air or in a temporary encampment in the fields; Camp′-shed′ding, -sheet′ing, -shot, an erection of piles, &c., along the bank of a river or an embankment, for strengthening; Camp′-stool, or -bed′stead, a portable folding-stool, a trestle-bed. [Fr. camp, a camp—L. campus, a plain.]

Camp, kamp, n. (obs.) conflict: an old form of the game of football.—v.i. to fight, struggle.—v.i. Cam′ple, to wrangle. [A.S. camp, battle; cf. Ger. kampf.]

Campagnol, kam-pa-nyol′, n. a French name for several species of field-mice or voles.

Campaign, kam-pān′, n. a large open field or plain: the time during which an army keeps the field: an excursion into the country: an organised series of operations in the advocacy of a political or social cause.—v.i. to serve in a campaign.—ns. Campagn′a, once equivalent to champaign, now used only of the Campagna, an undulating, mostly uncultivated and unhealthy plain around Rome; Campaign′er, one who has served in several campaigns. [Fr. campagne—L. campania—campus, a field.]

Campanero, kam-pa-nē′ro, n. one of the South American bell-birds, the arapunga, &c. [Sp., a bellman.]

Campanile, kam-pan-ē′lā (sometimes also kam-pan-ēl′, and even kam′pan-il and kam′pan-īl), n. a name adopted from the Italian to signify a bell-tower of the larger kind, and usually applied only to such as are detached from the church: (pl. usually Campaniles, but sometimes the It. Campanili). [It., from campana, a bell.]

Campanology, kam-pan-ol′o-ji, n. the subject or science of bells or bell-ringing.—ns. Cam′panist, Campanol′ogist, one skilled in the same.—adj. Campanolog′ical. [It. campana, a bell, and Gr. logos, a discourse.]

Campanula, kam-pan′ū-la, n. a genus of flowers, commonly known as bell-flowers or bells, usually blue or white, the best-known species the harebell and Scotch bluebell.—The Canterbury Bells is a biennial species—seen in many florists' varieties.—adjs. Campan′iform, Campan′ulate, Campan′ular.—n. Campanulā′ria, a common genus of Hydroids, with stems simple or branched, the nutritive polyps surrounded by transparent bell-shaped sheaths. [It. campana, a bell.]

Campbellite, kam′bel-īt, n. a follower of Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), founder of the sect known as the 'Disciples of Christ.'

Campeachy, kam′pēch-i, adj. pertaining to the red dye-wood better known as Logwood, first exported from Campeachy in Yucatan.

Campeador, kam-pe-a-dōr′, n. a warrior. [Sp.]

Campestral, kam-pes′tral, adj. growing in or pertaining to fields.—Also Campes′trian. [L. campestris, from campus.]

Camphine, kam′fīn, n. rectified oil of turpentine.—Also Cam′phene.

Camphor, kam′for, n. a solid essential oil, mostly obtained from the camphor laurel of India, China, and Japan, having a peculiar hot aromatic taste and a pleasant smell.—adj. Camphorā′ceous, like camphor.—v.t. Cam′phorate, to impregnate with camphor.—adjs. Cam′phorate, Camphor′ic, pertaining to camphor. [Fr. camphre—Low L. camphora—Malay kapur, chalk.]

Campion, kam′pi-un, n. the common name of plants belonging to the genera Lychnis and Silene. [Perh. from L. campus, a field.]

Campo santo, kam′po sant′o, n. the Italian name for a cemetery or burying-ground, esp. for one enclosed by an arcade. [Lit. 'holy ground,' the earth of that at Pisa having been brought from Palestine.]

Campylospermous, kam-pi-lō-sper′mus, adj. (bot.) having the albumen of the seed curved at the margin so as to form a longitudinal furrow on the ventral face. [Gr. kampylos, curved, sperma, a seed.]

Campylotropal, kam-pi-lot′rō-pal, adj. (bot.) curved so as to bring the true apex close to the base—of an ovule or seed.—Also Campylot′ropous. [Gr. kampylos, curved, trepein, to turn.]

Camstairy, kam-stār′i, adj. perverse, unruly. [Ety. dub.; first part at any rate cam, crooked.]

Camstone, kam′stōn, n. a kind of clay used to whiten doorsteps, &c.

Cam-wood, kam′-wood, n. a dye-wood obtained from Baphia nitida, a leguminous tree, a native of Angola. It is at first white, but turns red on exposure to air. [Perh. from African name kambi.]

Can, kan, v.i. to be able: to have sufficient power:—pa.t. Could.—Can is used for gan in M. E. and even in Spenser. [A.S. cunnan, to know (how to do a thing), to be able, pres. indic. can; Goth. kunnan, Ger. können, to be able. See Know.]

Can, kan, n. a vessel for holding or carrying liquids, generally of tinned iron, with a handle over the top: a chimney-pot: a vessel of tin-plate in which meat, fruit, &c. are hermetically sealed for exporting—in England usually called a tin: a drinking-mug.—v.t. to put up for preservation in cans.—n.pl. Canned′-goods, meat, fruit, &c. so prepared for preservation.—n. Can′nery, a place where meat, fish, fruit, &c. are canned. [A.S. canne; cf. L. canna, a reed, Gr. kannē, a reed.]

Canaanite, kā′nan-īt, n. a descendant of Canaan, the son of Ham: a native of the land of Canaan.—adj. Cā′naanitish.

Cañada, kan′ya-da, n. a narrow cañon. [Sp.]

Canadian, ka-nā′di-an, adj. and n. pertaining to Canada: a native of Canada.—Canada balsam (see Balsam).

Canaigre, ka-nā′ger, n. a Texan dock whose root is used in tanning,

Canaille, ka-nāl′, n. the mob, the vulgar rabble. [Fr., a dog—L. canis.]

Canakin. See Cannikin.

Canal, kan-al′, n. an artificial watercourse for navigation: a duct in the body for any of its fluids.—n. Canal′-boat, a boat for canal traffic.—adjs. Canalic′ular, canal-shaped; Canalic′ulate, -d, channelled, grooved.—ns. Canalic′ulus (anat.), a small furrow or channel; Canalisā′tion, the construction of canals.—v.t. Canal′ise, to make a canal through: to convert into a canal. [L. canalis, a water-pipe.]

Canard, ka-när′, or ka-närd′, n. an extravagant or lying story. [Fr., lit. 'duck.']

Canary, ka-nā′ri, n. a light sweet wine from the Canary Islands: a bird originally from the Canary Islands: a lively dance.—adj. canary-coloured, bright yellow.—ns. Canā′ry-bird, a canary: (slang) a jail-bird: a mistress; Canā′ry-grass, a grass of which the seed is much used as food for canary-birds; Canā′ry-wood, the dark-coloured timber of two lauraceous trees of the Azores and Madeira.

Canarese, kan-a-rēz′, adj. pertaining to Canara in western India.—n. a native thereof: the language of the Dravidian group, allied to Telegu.—Also Kanarese′.

Canaster, ka-nas′tėr, n. a kind of tobacco, so called from the rush basket in which it was originally brought from Spanish America. [Sp. canastra—L.—Gr. kanastron.]

Can-can, kan-kan, n. a dance in some public balls at Paris and elsewhere, characterised by immodest gestures and postures. [Usually referred to L. quamquam, the pronunciation of which was long hotly disputed in the French schools; Littré quotes an O. Fr. caquehan, a noisy assembly.]

Cancel, kan′sel, v.t. to erase or blot out by crossing with lines: to annul or suppress, as a printed page, &c.: to obliterate: to frustrate: to counterbalance or compensate for: to remove equivalent quantities on opposite sides of an equation:—pr.p. can′celling; pa.p. can′celled.—n. the suppression of a printed page or sheet, the page so cancelled, or the new one substituted. [Fr. canceller—L. cancell-āre, from cancelli, railings, lattice-work, dim. of cancer.]

Cancelli, kan-sel′ī, n.pl. cross-pieces forming a lattice-work or grating, as in the division between the choir and the body of a church: (anat.) reticulations.—adjs. Can′cellate, -d, marked latticewise, reticulated.—n. Cancellā′tion.—adj. Can′cellous. [L., a lattice.]

Cancer, kan′sėr, n. the name for an important group of malignant tumours, divided into two groups, Carcinomata and Sarcomata, the name being now strictly used only of the former: a constellation between Gemini and Leo, and a sign of the zodiac showing the limits of the sun's course northward in summer: the typical genus of the family Cancridæ—v.i. Cancer′ate, to become cancerous.—ns. Cancerā′tion; Can′cerite, a petrified crab.—adj. Can′cerous, of or like a cancer.—adv. Can′cerously.—n. Can′cerousness.—adjs. Can′criform, Can′croid, crab-like. [L. cancer; cog. with Gr. karkinos, a crab.]

Cancionero, kan-thē-on-ē′ro, n. a collection of songs. [Sp.]

Candelabrum, kan-de-lā′brum, n. a branched and ornamented candlestick:—pl. Candelā′bra. [L.]

Candent, kan′dent, adj. making white: glowing with heat.

Candescence, kan-des′ens, n. a white heat.—adj. Candes′cent. [L. candesc-ĕre, inceptive of cand-ēre, to glow.]

Candid, kan′did, adj. frank, ingenuous: free from prejudice: fair, impartial.—adv. Can′didly.—n. Can′didness. [Fr. candide—L. candidus, white—cand-ēre, to shine.]

Candidate, kan′di-dāt, n. one who offers himself for any office or honour, so called because, at Rome, the applicant used to dress in white.—ns. Can′didature, Can′didateship, Can′didacy. [L. candidatus, from candidus.]

Candied. See Candy.

Candle, kan′dl, n. wax, tallow, or other like substance surrounding a wick: a light.—ns. Can′dle-berr′y, the wax-myrtle, also its fruit: the fruit of Aleurites triloba, the candle-berry tree; Can′dle-bomb, a small glass bomb filled with water, exploding on being held in a candle-flame; Can′dle-coal (same as Cannel-coal); Can′dle-dip′ping, the method of making candles by dipping instead of moulding; Can′dle-end, the end-piece of a burnt-out candle; Can′dle-fish, the eulachon, a deep-sea fish of the smelt family found along the north-west coast of America, producing eulachon oil: another West American fish, resembling a pollock—the black candle-fish or horse-mackerel; Can′dle-hold′er, one who holds a candle to another while working—hence one who renders another slight assistance, or humours him; Can′dle-light, the light of a candle, illumination by means of candles: the time when candles are lighted; Can′dle-light′er, one whose business is to light the candles: a spill; Can′dle-pow′er, the illuminating power of a standard sperm candle—a unit of luminosity; Can′dlestick, an instrument for holding a candle, originally a stick or piece of wood; Can′dle-wast′er, one who studies late; Can′dle-wood, the wood of various West Indian and Mexican resinous trees.—Burn the candle at both ends, to waste in two directions at once.—Not fit to hold a candle to, not fit even to be some one's inferior, not to be compared with.—Sell by the candle, to offer for sale as long as a small piece of candle burns, the bid made just before it goes out being successful.—The game is not worth the candle, the thing is not worth the labour or expense of it. [A.S. candel—L. candela, from cand-ēre, to glow.]

Candlemas, kan′dl-mas, n. a festival of the R.C. Church in honour of the purification of the Virgin Mary, on 2d February, and so called from the number of candles used. [Candle and Mass.]

Candock, kan′dok, n. the yellow water-lily. [Can (n.) and Dock.]

Candour, kan′dur, n. freedom from prejudice or disguise: sincerity: justice: openness. [L. candor, whiteness, from candēre, to be shining.]

Candy, kan′di, Sugar-candy, shoog′ar-kan′di, n. a sweetmeat made of sugar: anything preserved in sugar.—v.t. to preserve or dress with sugar: to congeal or crystallise as sugar.—v.i. to become congealed.—p.adj. Can′died, encrusted with candy or sugar: (fig.) sugared, flattering. [Fr. candi, from Ar. qandah, candy.]

Candy, kan′di, n. a South Indian weight, generally containing 20 maunds, about 500 pounds English.—Also Can′die and Kan′dy. [Tamil.]

Cane, kān, n. the stem of one of the smaller palms—the calamus or rattan, or the larger grasses—bamboo and sugar-cane: a walking-stick.—v.t. to beat with a cane.—ns. Cane′-brake, a brake or thicket of canes; Cane′-chair, a chair made of rattan; Cane′-mill, a mill for bruising sugar-canes for the manufacture of sugar; Cane′-sū′gar, sugar obtained from the sugar-cane; Cane′-trash, refuse of sugar-cane used for fuel in boiling the juice; Cān′ing, a thrashing with a cane.—adj. Cān′y, made of cane.—Malacca cane, a walking-cane made without removing the bark from the brown-mottled or clouded stem of the palm, Calamus Scipionum, brought from Singapore or Sumatra. [Fr. canne—L. canna—Gr. kannē, a reed.]

Canella, kan-el′a, n. a genus of low aromatic trees, one species the whitewood of wild cinnamon of the West Indies, yielding canella or white cinnamon bark.

Canephor, kan′e-fōr, n. (archit.) a female figure bearing a basket on her head. [Gr. kanēphoros, one of the bearers upon their heads at the Panathenaic festival of the baskets containing the sacrificial implements.]

Canescent, ka-nes′ent, adj. tending to white: hoary. [L. canescens—canēre—canus, hoary.]

Cangue, Cang, kang, n. a Chinese portable pillory borne on the shoulders by petty offenders. [Fr. cangue—Port. cango, a yoke.]

Canicular, ka-nik′ū-lar, adj. pertaining to the Dog-star (Canic′ula) or to the Dog-days: (coll. and hum.) pertaining to a dog. [L. canicularis, canicula, dim. of canis, a dog.]

Canine, ka-nīn′, adj. like or pertaining to the dog.—Canine appetite, an inordinate appetite; Canine letter = R; Canine teeth, the four sharp-pointed tearing teeth in most mammals, one on each side of the upper and lower jaw, between the incisors or cutting teeth and the molars or grinders. [L. caninus, canis, a dog.]

Canister, kan′is-tėr, n. a box or case, usually of tin, for holding tea, shot, &c.: short for canister-shot, or case-shot.—n. Can′ister-shot (same as Case-Shot, q.v.). [L. canistrum, a wicker-basket; Gr. kanastron—kannē, a reed.]

Canities, ka-nish′i-ēz, n. whiteness of the hair.

Canker, kang′kėr, n. an eating sore: a gangrene: a disease in trees, or in horses' feet: anything that corrupts, consumes, irritates, or decays.—v.t. to eat into, corrupt, or destroy: to infect or pollute: to make sour and ill-conditioned.—v.i. to grow corrupt: to decay.—adj. Cank′ered, corroded: venomous, malignant: soured: crabbed.—adv. Cank′eredly.—n. Cank′eredness.—adj. Cank′erous, corroding like a canker.—n. Cank′er-worm, a worm that cankers or eats into plants.—adj. Cank′ery, affected with canker: (Scot.) crabbed. [L. cancer, a crab, gangrene.]

Canna, kan′na, n. a genus of reed-like plants—Indian shot: the upright stem of a candlestick, &c.: the tube by which the wine was taken from the chalice. [L., a reed.]

Canna, kan′na, n. cotton-grass. [Gael. cánach.]

Cannabic, kan′a-bik, adj. pertaining to hemp.—ns. Cann′abin, a resin obtained from the plant Cannabis Indica; Cann′abis, a genus of urticaceous plants, yielding bhang.

Cannel, kan′el, n. a bituminous coal that burns with a bright flame, and is much used for making coal oils and gas.—Also Cann′el-coal, Can′dle-coal. [Prob. conn. with Candle, because of the similarity in burning.]

Cannelure, kan′e-lūr, n. a groove or a fluting: a groove round the cylindrical part of a bullet. [Fr.]

Cannibal, kan′i-bal, n. one who eats human flesh.—adj. relating to cannibalism.—n. Cann′ibalism, the practice of eating human flesh.—adj. Cannibalist′ic—adv. Cann′ibally (Shak.). [Sp., a corr. of Caribals (Eng. Caribs), the native name of the West India Islanders, who ate human flesh.]

Cannikin, kan′i-kin, n. a small can. [Dim. of Can.]

Cannon, kan′un, n. a great gun used in war: a stroke in billiards in which the player hits both the red and his opponent's ball.—v.i. to cannonade: to make a cannon at billiards: to collide.—n. Cannonade′, an attack with cannon.—v.t. to attack or batter with cannon.—ns. Cannonad′ing; Cann′on-ball, a ball usually made of cast-iron, to be shot from a cannon; Cann′on-bit, or Cann′on, a smooth round bit; Cann′on-bone, the long bone between the knee and the foot of a horse; Cannoneer′, Cannonier′, one who manages cannon; Cann′on-game, a form of billiards in which, the table having no pockets, the game consists in making a series of cannons; Cann′on-met′al, an alloy of about 90 parts of copper and 10 of tin, from which cannon are manufactured.—adj. Cann′on-proof, proof against cannon-shot.—ns. Cann′onry, cannonading: artillery; Cann′on-shot, a cannon-ball: the distance to which a cannon will throw a ball. [Fr. canon, from L. canna, a reed.]

Cannot, kan′ot, v.i. to be unable. [Can and Not.]

Cannula, kan′ū-la, n. a surgical tube, esp. that enclosing a trocar or perforator, and the breathing-tube inserted in the windpipe after tracheotomy.—adj. Cann′ulate. [Dim. of canna, a reed.]

Canny, kan′i, adj. (Scot.) knowing: shrewd: having supernatural power (see Uncanny): comfortable: careful in money matters: gentle: sly or pawky.—adv. Cann′ily.—n. Cann′iness.—To ca' canny, to go or act cautiously. [From Can, to be able.]

Canoe, ka-nōō′, n. a boat made of the hollowed trunk of a tree, or of bark or skins: a skiff driven by paddling.—v.t. to paddle a canoe.—n. Canoe′ist. [Sp. canoa—Haytian canoa.]

Cañon, kan-yon′, n. a deep gorge or ravine between high and steep banks, worn by watercourses. [Sp. cañon, a hollow, from root of Cannon.]

Canon, kan′un, n. a law or rule, esp. in ecclesiastical matters: a general rule: standard: the books of Scripture accepted as the standard or rule of faith by the Christian Church: a species of musical composition: one bound by certain vows over and above those binding upon regular members of his community—a canon regular: a clerical dignitary belonging to a cathedral, enjoying special emoluments, and obliged to reside there part of the year: a list of saints canonised: (print.) a large kind of type.—n. Can′oness, a female beneficiary of a regular religious college.—adjs. Canon′ic, -al, according to or included in the canon: regular: ecclesiastical.—adv. Canon′ically.—n.pl. Canon′icals, the official dress of the clergy, regulated by the church canons.—ns. Canonic′ity, the state of belonging to the canon of Scripture; Canonisā′tion.—v.t. Can′onise, to enrol in the canon or list of saints.—n. Can′onist, one versed in the canon law.—adj. Canonist′ic.—ns. Can′on-law, a digest of the formal decrees of councils, œcumenical, general, and local, of diocesan and national synods, and of patriarchal decisions as to doctrine and discipline; Can′onry, the benefice of a canon.—Canon of the mass, that part of the mass which begins after the 'Sanctus' with the prayer 'Te igitur,' and ends just before the 'Paternoster;' Canon residentiary, a canon obliged to reside at a cathedral and take a share in the duty; Honorary canon, one having the titular rank of canon in a cathedral, but without duties or emoluments; Minor canon, a cleric in orders, attached to a cathedral, his duty being to assist the canons in singing divine service. [A.S., Fr., from L. canon—Gr. kanōn, a straight rod—kannē, a reed.]

Canophilist, ka-nof′i-list, n. a lover of dogs. [L. canis, a dog, Gr. philein, to love.]

Canopus, ka-nō′pus, n. a bright star in the southern constellation Argo navis: an Egyptian vase for holding the entrails of the body embalmed.—adj. Canop′ic. [L.,—Gr.]

Canopy, kan′o-pi, n. a covering over a throne or bed: a covering of state stretched over the head: any covering, as the sky: a roof-like projection over a niche, tomb, statue, &c.: the wooden covering over prebends' stalls in cathedrals, pulpits, altars, &c.—v.t. to cover with a canopy:—pr.p. can′opying; pa.p. can′opied. [Fr. canapé—Low L. canopeum—Gr. kōnōpeion, a mosquito curtain—kōnōps, a mosquito.]

Canorous, kan-ō′rus, adj. musical: melodious.—adv. Canō′rously.—n. Canō′rousness. [L. canorus, from canor, melody—canĕre, to sing.]

Canstick, kan′stik, n. (Shak.) a candlestick.

Cant, kant, v.i. to speak in a conventional manner: to use the language of thieves, &c.: to talk in an affectedly solemn or hypocritical way.—n. a hypocritical or affected style of speech: the language peculiar to a sect: odd or peculiar talk of any kind: slang: a common saying: affected use of religious phrases or sentiments.—n. Cant′er, one who cants, a beggar: one who makes hypocritical professions.—adj. Cant′ing, whining, pretending to piety: (her.) allusive (see Allusive). [L. cantāre, freq. of canĕre, to sing.]

Cant, kant, n. an inclination from the level: a toss or jerk: a sloping or tilted position: one of the segments forming a side-piece in the head of a cask: a ship's timber lying obliquely to the line of the keel.—v.t. to turn on the edge or corner: to tilt or toss suddenly.—ns. Cant′ing, tilting; Cant′ing-coin; Cant′ing-wheel; Cant′-rail, a timber running along the tops of the upright pieces in the sides of the body of a railway-carriage and supporting the roof and roof-sticks. [Prob. conn. with Dut. kant; Ger. kante, corner.]

Cant, kant, n. sale by auction.—v.t. to sell by auction. [O. Fr. encant, auction; der. uncertain, cf. Low L. incantāre, to put up to auction.]

Cant, kant, adj. brisk: lively. [Scot.; der. unknown. See Canty.]

Can't, känt, a colloquial contraction for Cannot.

Cantab, kan′tab, for Cantabrigian, adj. of or pertaining to Cambridge—Latinised Cantabrigia.

Cantabank, kan′ta-bangk, n. a strolling singer. [It. cantambanco.]

Cantaloup, kan′ta-loop, n. a small, ribbed variety of musk-melon. [Fr.,—It. Cantalupo, a town near Rome, where it was first grown in Europe.]

Cantankerous, kan-tang′kėr-us, adj. cross-grained: perverse in temper.—adv. Cantan′kerously.—n. Cantan′kerousness. [M. E. contak, quarrelling.]

Cantar, kan′tär, n. a Turkish weight of 100 rotls or pounds.

Cantata, kan-tä′ta, n. originally the name applied to a sort of musical narrative by one person, accompanied by a single instrument; subsequently an air was introduced—the modern concert-aria: now also a choral work, either sacred, and similar to, but shorter than the oratorio, or secular, either lyric or dramatic, but not intended for the stage.—ns. Canta′te, the 98th Psalm, from its opening words in Latin, 'Cantate Domino;' Can′tatrice, a female singer. [It.,—L. cantāre, freq. of canĕre, to sing.]

Canteen, kan-tēn′, n. a tin vessel used by soldiers for holding liquors: a barrack-tavern, or refreshment-house for the use of the soldiers. [Fr. cantine—It. cantina, a cellar; further der. uncertain.]

Canter, kan′tėr, n. an easy gallop.—v.i. to move at an easy gallop.—v.t. to make to canter. [Orig. Canterbury-gallop, from the easy pace at which the pilgrims rode to the shrine at Canterbury.]

Canterbury, kan′tėr-ber-ri, n. a stand with divisions in it for holding books, music, &c.—Canterbury Bells (see Campanula).

Cantharides, kan-thar′i-dēz, n.pl. Spanish flies, used for blistering.—adjs. Canthar′idal, Cantharid′ian, Cantharid′ic, composed of cantharides.—n. Canthar′idine, the active principle of blistering-flies. [L. cantharis, beetle, pl. cantharides.]

Cantharus, kan′tha-rus, n. a large two-handled drinking-cup: a laver in the atrium before ancient churches;—pl. Can′tharī, [L.]

Canthus, kan′thus, n. the angle formed by the junction of the eyelids: one of the upper and lower or anterior and posterior extremities of the compound eyes of insects:—pl. Can′thi (-thī). [Gr. kanthos, corner of the eye.]

Canticle, kan′ti-kl, n. a song: a non-metrical hymn, esp. one of those used in the public services of the church, as the Benedicite: (pl.) the Song of Solomon.—n. Can′ticum, a canticle: a part-song in an ancient play. [L. canticulum, dim of canticum.]

Cantilena, kan-ti-lē′na, n. a ballad or light song: a cantus firmus or melody for church use: a singing exercise or solfeggio. [L.]

Cantilever, kan′ti-lēv-ėr, n. a large bracket used in architecture for supporting cornices, balconies, and even stairs—the principle has been applied in the construction of bridges to support enormous weights.—Also Can′taliver. [Prob. made up of Cant, angle, and Fr. lever, to raise.]

Cantillate, kan′ti-lāt, v.t. and v.i. to chant, intone.—n. Cantillā′tion.—adj. Can′tillatory.

Cantion, kan′shun, n. (Spens.) a song.

Cantle, kan′tl, n. a fragment or edge of anything: the protuberant part of the back of a saddle: (Scot.) the top of the head.—v.t. to cut a piece from: to divide.—ns. Cant′let, a fragment, cantle; Cant′ling, the lower course of bricks enclosing a brick-clamp. [Cant, edge.]

Canto, kan′tō, n. division of a song or poem: the treble or leading melody.—n. Can′tor, the leader of the singing in a church, a precentor.—adjs. Cantō′rial; Cantō′ris (gen. of L. cantor), of or belonging to the cantor or precentor.—n. Can′tus, a melody, esp. an ecclesiastical style of music.—Canto fermo, the simple melody of the hymns and chants used in the Christian Church of the West from the earliest times. [It.,—L. cantus—canĕre, to sing.]

Canton, kan′tun, n. a division of territory, constituting in Switzerland a separate government, in France a subdivision of an arrondissement: (her.) an ordinary of a shield, being a square occupying generally the dexter, sometimes the sinister, chief of the field.—v.t. to divide into cantons: to allot quarters to troops.—adjs. Can′tonal, pertaining to or divided into cantons; Can′toned (archit.), ornamented at the corners with projecting pilasters: (her.) placed in the midst of charges occupying the corners.—n. Can′tonment (also pronounced can-tōōn′ment), the temporary quarters of troops when taking part in manœuvres or active operations: in India, permanent military towns, distinct and at some little distance from the principal cities. [O. Fr. canton; It. cantone, corner, district—canto, a corner: cf. Cant (2).]

Cantor. See under Canto.

Cantred, kan′tred, n. a division of the country: a hundred. [W. cantref—cant, hundred, and tref, town.]

Cantrip, kan′trip, n. a freak or wilful piece of trickery: a witch's spell. [Scot.; ety. unknown; Jamieson suggested cant, to turn over, raip, a roap.]

Cantuarian, kan-tū-ā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Canterbury as the archiepiscopal see of the primate of the Church of England. [Low L. Cantuarius, Cantuarensis—A.S. Cantware (pl.), the people of Kent.]

Canty, kan′ti, adj. cheerful, lively.—n. Can′tiness. [Scot.; cf. Low Ger. kantig.]

Canvas, kan′vas, n. a coarse cloth made of hemp, used for sails, tents, &c., and for painting on: the sails of a ship.—v.t. to cover with canvas.—ns. Can′vas-back, a North American duck, very good eating, its back ashy white, crossed by broken, zigzag, dark lines; Can′vas-climb′er (Shak.), a sailor; Can′vas-stretch′er, a wooden frame on which canvas is stretched for oil-painting; Can′vas-work, embroidery upon cloth over which canvas has been laid to guide the stitches: an embroidery in Berlin wool on silk canvas with plush-stitch.—Under canvas, having the sails unfurled, under sail: living in tents. [O. Fr. canevas—L. and Gr. cannabis, hemp.]

Canvass, kan′vas, v.t. to sift, examine: to discuss: to solicit votes, contributions, &c.—v.i. to solicit votes, &c. (with for).—n. close examination: a seeking or solicitation.—n. Can′vasser. [From Canvas.]

Cany, kān′i, adj. (Milton) made of canes.

Canyon. Same as Cañon.

Canzone, kan-zō′nā, n. a song or air in two or more parts, with passages of fugue and imitation: a series of stanzas in Italian poetry, of various metrical arrangements, and restricted to no set themes—(dim.) Canzonet′, Canzonette′. [It., a song (Fr. chanson), L. cantion-em, canĕre, to sing.]

Caoutchouc, kow′chuk, n. the highly elastic juice or gum of a plant which grows in South America and Asia: india-rubber. [Fr.—Carib. cahuchu.]

Cap, kap, n. a woman's head-dress of muslin, or the like: a boy's head-dress, any kind of unbrimmed covering for the head: a cap-like covering of any kind: a cover: the top.—v.t. to put on a cap, as the official cap of a degree in some colleges: to outdo or surpass: to cover the end or top: to raise the cap in token of respect:—pr.p. cap′ping; pa.p. capped.—n. Cap′-case, a small travelling-case, a chest.—Cap and bells, the characteristic marks of a professional jester; Cap a story, quotation, verse, &c., to follow one up with another, or with its proper continuation or conclusion; Cap in hand, symbolic of reverence or submission; Cap of liberty, or Phrygian bonnet, the conical cap given to a Roman slave on enfranchisement, now the symbol of republicanism; Cap of maintenance (see Maintenance).—A feather in one's cap, something giving distinction: something to be proud of.—Black cap, that put on by the judge before pronouncing sentence of death; College cap, the so-called square mortarboard, or trencher-cap, worn at English colleges.—Percussion cap, a small copper cylinder, closed at one end, for conveniently holding the detonating powder which is exploded by the act of percussion in percussion-arms.—Set one's cap at, of a woman, to set herself to captivate a man's fancy.—The cap fits, the allusion hits or suits; Throw up one's cap, in token of immoderate joy. [A.S. cæppe—Low L. cappa, a cape or cope.]

Cap, kap, n. a wooden drinking-bowl, with two handles. [Scot., prob. from A.S. copp, a cup; prob. Scand. koppr.]

Capa, kä′pa, n. a Spanish cloak: fine Cuban tobacco for the outsides of cigars. [Sp.]

Capable, kāp′a-bl, adj. having ability, power, or skill to do: qualified, competent.—ns. Capabil′ity, Cap′ableness. [Fr.,—Low L. capabilis—L. capĕre, to hold, take.]

Capacity, kap-as′i-ti, n. power of holding or grasping a thing: room: volume: power of mind: character: position enabling one to do something.—adj. Capā′cious, including much: roomy: wide: extensive.—adv. Capā′ciously.—n. Capā′ciousness.—v.t. Capac′itate, to make capable: to qualify; Capacity for heat, power of absorbing heat.—Legal capacity, the power to alter one's rights or duties by the exercise of free-will, or responsibility to punishment for one's acts. [Fr.,—L. capacitas,—capĕre, to take, hold.]

Cap-à-pie, kap-a-pē′, adv. from head to foot, referring to arming, as a knight. [O. Fr. cap a pie (mod. de pied en cap)—L. caput, head, and pes, foot.]

Caparison, ka-par′is-un, n. the covering of a horse: a rich cloth laid over a war-horse: dress and ornaments generally.—v.t. to cover with a cloth, as a horse: to dress very richly.—adj. Capar′isoned. [Fr. caparaçon—Sp. caparazon, augmentative of capa, a cape, cover—Low L. cappa.]

Cape, kāp, n. a covering for the shoulders attached as a tippet to a coat or cloak: a sleeveless cloak. [O. Fr. cape—Low L. cappa.]

Cape, kāp, n. a head or point of land running into the sea: a headland: a wine produced in Cape Colony.—v.i. (naut.) to keep a course.—The Cape, for the Cape Colony. [Fr. cap—L. caput, the head.]

Capelin, kap′e-lin, n. a small fish of the smelt family, extremely abundant on the coasts of Newfoundland, and much used as bait in the cod-fishery.—Also Cap′lin. [Fr. and Sp. capelan.]

Capeline, kap′e-lin, n. a small iron skull-cap worn by archers in the middle ages: a light woollen hood worn by ladies going out to an evening party: a surgical bandage for the head.—Also Cap′elline. [Fr.,—Low L. capella—capa, a cap.]

Capellet, kap′e-let, n. a wen-like swelling on a horse's elbow, or on the back part of his hock. [Fr.,—Low L. capella—capa, a cap.]

Capell-meister. Same as Kapellmeister (q.v.).

Caper, kā′pėr, n. the pickled flower-bud of the caper-shrub, much grown in Sicily. It has an agreeable pungency of taste, with a slight bitterness, and is much used in sauces, along with boiled mutton, &c.—n. Cā′per-tea, a black tea with a knotty curled leaf. [L. and Gr. capparis.]

Caper, kā′pėr, v.i. to leap or skip like a goat: to dance in a frolicsome manner.—n. a leap: a prank.—n. Cā′perer, a dancer.—To cut a caper, to dance or act fantastically. [See Capriole.]

Capercailzie, kā-per-kāl′yi, n. a species of grouse, almost equal in size to a turkey, and the largest of the gallinaceous birds of Europe.—Also Capercail′lie. [Gael. capull coilie, large woodcock.]

Capernaite, kap-er′na-īt, n. a polemical term applied to a believer in transubstantiation—from John, vi. 52.—adj. Capernait′ic.—adv. Capernait′ically. [Capernaum, a town in Galilee.]

Capernoitie, kap-er-noi′ti, n. (Scot.) head, noddle.—n. Capernoi′tedness.—adjs. Capernoi′ty, Capernoi′ted, peevish: crabbed.

Capias, kā′pi-as, n. a judicial writ, commanding the sheriff to arrest the person named in it. [L. capias, thou mayst take—L. capĕre, to take.]

Capibara. Same as Capybara.

Capillaire, kap-il-lār′, n. (orig.) a syrup extracted from the maiden-hair fern: a simple syrup flavoured with orange-flower water. [Fr., 'maiden-hair'—L. capillaris. See Capillary.]

Capillament, ka-pil′a-ment, n. a filament or fine fibre. [L. capillamentum—capillus, hair.]

Capillary, kap′il-a-ri, or ka-pil′a-ri, adj. as fine or minute as a hair: having a very small bore, as a tube.—n. a tube with a bore as fine as a hair: (pl.) the minute vessels that unite the veins and arteries in animals.—adj. Capillaceous (kap-i-lā′shi-us), hair-like, capillary.—n. Capillar′ity, a name given to certain phenomena which appear when open tubes, having a very small bore, are placed in vessels containing liquids—e.g., if placed in water, the level of the water in the tube will be above that of the general surface.—adj. Cap′illose, hairy. [L. capillaris—capillus, hair, akin to caput, the head, akin to Eng. Head.]

Capital, kap′it-al, adj. relating to the head: involving the loss of the head; chief: principal: excellent.—n. the head or top part of a column or pillar: the chief or most important thing: the chief city of a country: a large letter, such as used on title-pages, &c.: the stock or money for carrying on any business.—n. Capitalisā′tion, the act of converting into capital: printing with capital letters.—v.t. Cap′italīse, to convert into capital or money.—ns. Cap′italism, condition of possessing capital: the economic system which generates capitalists; Cap′italist, one who has capital or money.—adv. Cap′itally, chiefly: principally: excellently: by capital punishment.—adj. Cap′itate (bot.), growing in or shaped like a head.—ns. Capitā′tion, a numbering of every head or individual: a tax on every head; Capite (kap′it-i), an ancient English tenure (Shak.).—Circulating or Floating capital consists of the wages paid to the workmen, and of the raw material used up in the processes of industry, &c.; Fixed capital consists of buildings, machines, tools, &c.—Hold lands in capite, to hold them directly from the sovereign.—Make capital out of, to turn to advantage. [O. Fr. capitel—L. capitalis—caput, the head.]

Capitan, kap-i-tan′, or kap′i-tan, n. the chief admiral of the Turkish fleet.—n. Capitan′o, a head-man. [See Captain.]

Capitol, kap′it-ol, n. the temple of Jupiter at Rome, built on the Capitoline hill: (U.S.) the house where Congress meets.—adjs. Capitō′lian, Capit′oline. [L. Capitolium—caput, the head.]

Capitular, kap-it′ūl-ar, n. a statute passed in a chapter or ecclesiastical court: a member of a chapter—also Capit′ulary.—adj. relating or belonging to a chapter in a cathedral.—adv. Capit′ularly. [See Chapter.]

Capitulate, kap-it′ūl-āt, v.i. to treat: to draw up terms of agreement: to yield or surrender on certain conditions or heads.—ns. Capit′ulant; Capitulā′tion.—adj. Capit′ulatory, recapitulatory. [Low L. capitulatus, pa.p. of capitulāre, to arrange under heads—capitulum, a chapter.]

Capitulum, ka-pit′ū-lum, n. (bot.) a close head of sessile flowers, as in Compositæ: (anat.) the head of a bone, esp. of a rib—also Capitel′lum.—adj. Capit′ular. [L., dim. of caput, head.]

Caple, Capul, kā′pl, n. a horse. [M. E. capel; cf. Ice. kapall; Ir. capall; prob. from Low L. caballus, a horse.]

Capnomancy, kap′no-man-si, n. divination by means of smoke. [Gr. kapnos, smoke, manteia, divination.]

Capocchia, ka-pok′ia, n. (Shak.) a fool. [It.]

Capon, kā′pn, n. a castrated cock: a fish: a letter.—v.t. Cā′ponise. [A.S. capun; L. capon-em, Gr. kapōn—koptein, to cut. See Chop.]

Caponiere, kap-ō-nēr′, n. a covered passage across the ditch of a fortified place.—Also Caponier′. [Fr.]

Caporal, kap-or-al′, n. a kind of shag tobacco. [Fr.]

Capot, ka-pot′, n. the winning of all the tricks at the game of piquet, and scoring forty.—v.i. to win all the tricks in piquet. [Fr.]

Capote, ka-pōt′, n. a long kind of cloak or mantle. [Fr., dim. of cape, a cloak.]

Cappagh-brown, kap′a-brown, n. a brown pigment yielded by a bituminous earth from Cappagh near Cork.—Also Capp′ah-brown.

Capric, kap′rik, adj. in Capric acid, a fatty acid obtained from butter, &c., having a slightly goat-like smell.—ns. Cap′rin, Cap′rine, a compound of capric acid and glycerine found in butter. [L. caper, a goat.]

Caprice, ka-prēs′, n. a change of humour or opinion without reason: a freak: changeableness.—ns. Capriccio (ka-prēt′cho), a sportive motion: (mus.) a species of free composition, not subject to rule as to form or figure; Capriccio′so, a direction in music for a free style.—adj. Capri′cious (Shak.), humorous: full of caprice: changeable.—adv. Capri′ciously.—n. Capri′ciousness. [Fr. caprice—It. capriccio; perh. from L. capra, a she-goat.]

Capricorn, kap′ri-korn, n. one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, like a horned goat. [L. capricornus—caper, a goat, cornu, a horn.]

Caprification, kap-ri-fi-kā′shun, n. a method supposed to hasten the ripening of figs, by puncturing.—adj. Cap′riform, goat-shaped. [L. caprificus, the wild fig—caper, a goat, and ficus, a fig.]

Caprin, Caprine. See Capric.

Caprine, kap′rin, adj. like a goat.

Capriole, kap′ri-ōl, n. a caper: a leap without advancing.—v.i. to leap: to caper. [O. Fr. capriole—It. capriola—L. caper, capra, a goat.]

Capsicum, kap′si-kum, n. a tropical plant or shrub, from which cayenne pepper is made.—n. Cap′sicine, the active principle of capsicum. [From L. capsa, a case, its berries being contained in pods or capsules—capĕre, to take, hold.]

Capsize, kap-sīz′, v.t. to upset.—v.i. to be upset. [Ety. dub.; Prof. Skeat suggests Sp. cabezar, to nod, pitch.]

Capstan, kap′stan, n. an upright machine turned by spokes so as to wind upon it a cable which draws something, generally the anchor, on board ship. [Fr. cabestan, capestan, through Low L. forms from L. capĕre, to take, hold.]

Capsule, kap′sūl, n. the seed-vessel of a plant: a small dish.—adjs. Cap′sular, Cap′sulary, hollow like a capsule: pertaining to a capsule; Cap′sulate, -d, enclosed in a capsule. [Fr.,—L. capsula, dim. of capsa, a case—capĕre, to hold.]

Captain, kap′tān, or kap′tin, n. a head or chief officer: the commander of a troop of horse, a company of infantry, or a ship: the overseer of a mine: the leader of a team or club: the head-boy of a school.—v.t. to lead.—ns. Cap′taincy, the rank or commission of a captain; Cap′tain-gen′eral, chief commander of an army; Cap′tainship, Cap′tainry (obs.), rank or condition of a captain: skill in commanding. [O. Fr. capitaine—Low L. capitaneus, chief—L. caput, head.]

Caption, kap′shun, n. the act of taking: an arrest: (Eng. law) the formal title of indictments and depositions which shows the authority under which it is executed or taken: in Scotland, prior to 1837, the name given to the formal warrant to apprehend a debtor or other defaulting obligant, which was given in the Bill Chamber after letters of horning had been executed.—adj. Cap′tious, ready to catch at faults or take offence: critical: peevish.—adv. Cap′tiously.—n. Cap′tiousness. [L. captionem—capĕre, to take.]

Captivate, kap′tiv-āt, v.t. to charm: to engage the affections.—adj. Cap′tivāting, having power to engage the affections. [See Captive.]

Captive, kap′tiv, n. one taken: a prisoner of war: one kept in bondage.—adj. taken, or kept prisoner in war; charmed or subdued by anything.—ns. Cap′tivaunce (Spens.), captivity; Captiv′ity; Cap′tor, one who takes a prisoner or a prize; Cap′ture, the act of taking: the thing taken: an arrest.—v.t. to take as a prize: to take by force. [L. captivus—capĕre, captum.]

Capuccio, ka-pōōch′i-o, n. (Spens.) a hood. [It.]

Capuche, ka-pūsh′, n. a hood, esp. that worn by the Capuchins.—n. Capuchin, (kap′ū-chin or kap-ōō-shēn′), a Franciscan monk, so called from the hood he wears: a hooded pigeon. [Fr. capucin, It. cappucino, a small cowl—Low L. cappa. See Cap, Cape.]

Capul. See Caple.

Caput, käp′ut, n. a head.—Caput mortuum, the residuum after distillation: worthless residue.

Capybara, kap-i-bär′a, n. the largest of rodent quadrupeds, native to South America, allied to the guinea-pig. [Brazilian.]

Car (old form Carr), kär, n. a vehicle moved on wheels, applied to very various forms—a large and splendid vehicle, as a triumphal car, a funeral car, the two-wheeled Irish jaunting-car; in Birmingham, a four-wheeled cab, as opposed to a hansom (cab); in America, applied to all vehicles for railway travelling, as passenger-car, palace-car, freight-car, &c.; in England, applied only to the carriages of street tramways: a railway carriage: (poet.) a chariot: the part of a balloon in which the aeronauts sit.—n. Car′man, a man who drives a car or cart: a carter. [O. Fr. car—Low L. carra, carrus, itself a Celt. word, seen in Ir. carr, Bret. karr.]

Carabine. Sec Carbine.

Caracal, kar′a-kal, n. the Persian lynx. [Fr., prob. Turk. qara, qulaq, black ear.]

Caracara, kar-a-kar′a, n. a popular name for the South American Polyborinæ, a sub-family of Falconidæ, resembling the vultures. [Imit.]

Carack. See Carrack.

Caracole, kar′a-kōl, n. the half-turn or wheel made by a horseman: a winding stair.—v.i. to turn half-round, as cavalry in wheeling: to prance about.—p.adj. Car′acoling. [Fr. caracole—It. caracollo—Sp. caracol, the spiral shell of a snail.]

Caract, kar′akt, n. mark: sign: character (q.v.).

Carafe, ka-raf′, n. a water-bottle for the table, [Fr. carafe, prob. from Ar. gharafa, to draw water.]

Carambola, ka-ram′bō-la, n. the acrid pulpy fruit of a small East Indian tree, used for tarts, &c.: the tree itself.

Carambole. See Carom.

Caramel, kar′a-mel, n. a dark-brown substance produced by the action of heat on sugar, used in colouring whisky, wines, &c.: a kind of confection, usually of chocolate, sugar, and butter.—Also Car′omel. [Fr.—Sp. caramelo; further origin dubious.]

Carapa, kar′a-pa, n. a genus of tropical trees of natural order Meliaceæ, a South American species yielding the useful carap-oil or crab-oil. [Caraipi, the native Guiana name.]

Carapace, kar′a-pās, n. the shell of the crab, tortoise, &c.—adj. Carapā′cial. [Fr.—Sp. carapacho.]

Carat, kar′at, n. a weight of 4 grains: a proportional measure of 1⁄24 in stating the fineness of gold. [Fr.,—Ar. qīrāt, perh. from Gr. keration, a seed or bean used as a weight.]

Carauna, ka-raw′na, n. an aromatic resinous substance yielded by a tree on the Amazon, formerly used in plasters.—Also Caran′na.

Caravan, kar′a-van, n. a company of travellers associated together for security in crossing the deserts in the East: a company of people: a large close carriage, or any kind of house on wheels.—ns. Caravaneer′, the leader of a caravan; Caravan′sary, Caravan′sera, a kind of unfurnished inn where caravans stop. [Pers. kārwānsarāī—kārwān, caravan, sarāi, inn.]

Caravel, kar′av-el, n. a kind of light sailing-vessel. [Fr.,—It. caravelia; cf. Low L. carabus, Gr. karabos, a bark.]

Caraway, kar′a-wā, n. a plant with aromatic seeds, used as a tonic and condiment.—n. Car′away-seed. [Prob. through Sp. from Ar. karwiyā; cf. Gr. karon.]

Carbazotic, kar-bā-zot′ik, adj. consisting of carbon and azote.

Carbide. See Carbon.

Carbine, kär′bīn, n. a short light musket—also Car′abine.—ns. Carbineer′, Carabineer′, a soldier armed with a carbine. [Fr. carabine, O. Fr. calabrin, a carbineer—calabre, a machine for casting stones—Low L. chadabula, Gr. katabolē, overthrow. Thus Diez; Littré thinks calabrin from Calabrian.]

Carbolic acid, kar-bol′ik as′id, n. an acid produced from coal-tar, used as a disinfectant. [L. carbo, coal.]

Carbon, kär′bon, n. an elementary substance, widely diffused, of which pure charcoal is an example.—n. Car′bide, a compound of carbon with a metal, formerly called Car′buret.—adjs. Carbonā′ceous, Carbon′ic, pertaining to or composed of carbon.—n. Car′bonate, a salt formed by the union of carbonic acid with a base.—adjs. Car′bonated, combined or impregnated with carbonic acid; Carbonif′erous, producing carbon or coal.—n. Carbonisā′tion—v.t. Car′bonise, to make into carbon.—Carbonic acid, an acid formed of carbon and oxygen, generally gaseous, and evolved by respiration and combustion. [Fr. carbone—L. carbon-em, coal.]

Carbonado, kär-bon-ā′do, n. (obs.) a piece of meat cut crossways for broiling on coals.—v.t. to cut crossways for broiling: to slash. [Sp. carbonada.]

Carbonari, kär-bon-är′i, n.pl. members of a secret society in Italy at the beginning of this century, founded to help forward a republican government.—n. Carbonar′ism. [It., lit. 'charcoal burners.']

Carboy, kar′boi, n. a large bottle of green or blue glass, protected with a frame of basket-work or wood, used for holding sulphuric acid or the like. [Pers. qarābah.]

Carbuncle, kär′bung-kl, n. a fiery-red precious stone: an inflamed ulcer: a pimple on the nose.—adjs. Car′buncled, set with the gem carbuncle; afflicted with carbuncles: having red inflamed spots; Carbun′cular, belonging to or like a carbuncle: red: inflamed. [L. carbunculus, dim. of carbo, a coal.]

Carburet, same as Carbide (q.v. under Carbon).—adj. Car′buretted.—n. Carburet′ter, or Carburet′tor, an apparatus for charging gases with carbon.

Carcajou, kär′ka-jōō, n. the American wolverine.

Carcake, kar′kāk, n. a kind of cake for Shrove Tuesday. [Scot.—A.S. caru, grief, and Cake.]

Carcanet, kär′ka-net, n. a collar of jewels. [Carcan, an obsolete word for an iron collar used for punishment—Low L. carcannum, from Teut.]

Carcass, Carcase, kär′kas, n. a dead body or corpse, no longer used of the human body: the framework of anything: a ruin: a kind of bombshell. [Fr. carcasse, a skeleton (It. carcasso, a quiver), prob. from Late Gr. tarkasion, which is perh. the Pers. tarkash, a quiver.]

Carcinology, kär-si-nol′ō-ji, n. that department of zoology which treats of crabs and other crustaceans.—adj. Carcinolog′ical.—n. Carcinol′ogist. [Gr. karkinos, a crab, logia-legein, to speak.]

Carcinoma, kar-si-nōma, n. a cancer (see Cancer).—adj. Carcinō′matous.—n. Carcinō′sis, the growth and development of cancer. [Gr.]

Card, kärd, n. a piece of pasteboard marked with figures for playing a game, or with a person's address upon it: a note.—ns. Card′-board, a stiff, finely finished pasteboard; Card′-case, a case for carrying visiting-cards; Card′-sharp′er, one who cheats at cards; Card′-tā′ble, a table for playing cards on.—A knowing card (slang), one who is wide awake; A sure card, an undertaking which will be sure to succeed.—Have the cards in one's hands, to have everything under one's control; House of cards, something flimsy or unsubstantial; On the cards, likely to turn up; Play one's cards well, or badly, to make, or not to make, the best of one's chances; Show one's cards, to expose one's secrets or designs; Speak by the card, to speak with elegance and to the point; Throw up the cards, to give in: to confess defeat. [Fr. carte—L. charta, Gr. chartēs, paper. Carte is a doublet.]

Card, kärd, n. an instrument for combing wool or flax.—v.t. to comb wool, &c.—n. Card′er, one who has to do with carding wool. [Fr. carde—L. carduus, a thistle.]

Cardamine, kär′da-mīn, n. a genus of cress, including the cuckoo-flower or lady's smock, &c. [Gr. kardaminē—kardamon, cress.]

Cardamom, kär′da-mom, n. the capsules of certain tropical plants, which form an aromatic, pungent spice. [L. cardamomum—Gr. kardamōmon.]

Cardecu, kar′de-kū, n. (obs.) an old French silver coin. [Fr. quart d'écu, quarter of a crown.]

Cardiac, kär′di-ak, adj. belonging to the heart: cordial, reviving—also Cardiac′al.—ns. Car′diac, a disease of the heart: a cordial; Car′dialgy, Cardial′gia, an uneasy sensation or burning pain at the upper orifice of the stomach, apparently at the heart—hence called heartburn; Car′diograph, an apparatus for recording by a tracing—Car′diogram—the movements of the heart; Car′dioid, a geometrical curve, so called from its heart-like form; Cardīt′is, inflammation of the heart. [L.—Gr. kardiakos—kardia, the heart.]

Cardigan, kar′de-gan, n. a knitted woollen jacket, named from the Crimean hero, the Earl of Cardigan (1797-1868).

Cardinal, kär′din-al, adj. denoting that on which a thing hinges or depends: principal; of a deep scarlet colour, like a cardinal's cassock.—n. one of the seventy princes of the church constituting the sacred college at Rome, to whom pertains the right of electing a new pope: a short cloak, formerly worn by ladies.—ns. Car′dinalate, Car′dinalship, the office or dignity of a cardinal; Car′dinal-bird, a species of grosbeak, one of the finest song-birds of America, probably so called from its red plumage.—adv. Car′dinally, fundamentally: (Shak., Measure for Measure, II. i. 81) carnally.—Cardinal flower (see Lobelia); Cardinal numbers, numbers expressing how many; Cardinal points, the four chief points of the compass—north, south, east, and west; Cardinal virtues, justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude, so called because the whole of human nature was supposed to hinge or turn upon them—the natural as distinguished from the theological virtues. [Fr.—L. cardinalis—cardo, cardinis, a hinge.]

Cardoon, kar-dōōn′, n. a perennial plant, the prickly artichoke of the Mediterranean region.—Also Chardoon′. [O. Fr.,—L. carduus, a thistle.]

Carduus, kar′dū-us, n. (Shak.) a thistle.—n. Cardō′phagus, a thistle-eater, a donkey. [L.,—Gr. kardos, thistle; phagos, eater.]

Care, kār, n. anxiety, heedfulness: charge, oversight: the object of anxiety.—v.i. to be anxious: to be inclined: to have regard.—adjs. Care′-crazed (Shak.), crazed or broken with care and solicitude; Care′ful, full of care: heedful: (B.) anxious: (Spens.) dreadful.—adv. Care′fully.—n. Care′fulness.—adj. Care′less, without care: heedless, unconcerned.—ns. Care′lessness; Care′-tak′er, one put in charge of anything, esp. of an Irish farm from which a tenant has been evicted.—adj. Care′worn, worn or vexed with care.—Take care, to be careful or cautious; Take care of, to look after with care. [A.S. caru; Goth. kara, sorrow; Ice. kæra, to lament; Celt. car, care; allied to L. carus, dear.]

Careen, ka-rēn′, v.t. to lay a ship on her side to repair her bottom and keel.—v.i. of a ship, to move with an inclination to one side.—n. the position of a ship laid on one side.—n. Careen′age, a place where ships are careened: the cost of careening. [Fr. carène—L. carina, the bottom of a ship, the keel.]

Career, ka-rēr′, n. a racecourse: a race: course of action: manner of life; v.i. to gallop: to move or run rapidly. [Fr. carrière, a racecourse. See Car.]

Carême, kar-ām′, n. Lent. [Fr.]

Caress, ka-res′, v.t. to treat with affection: to fondle: to embrace.—n. any act or expression of affection. [Fr. caresser—It. carezza, an endearment; Low L. caritia—L. carus, dear.]

Caret, kā′ret, n. a mark, ^, used in writing when a word is left out. [L. caret, there is wanting.]

Carex, kā′reks, n. a genus of plants including the sedges. [L. carex, reed-grass, sedge.]

Carfax, -fox, kär′faks, -foks, n. a place where four roads meet—now used only of particular examples, as at Oxford. [Fr.—L. quadrifurc-us, four-forked.]

Cargo, kär′go, n. what a ship carries: its load. [Sp., from root of Car.]

Cargoose, kar′gōōs, n. the crested grebe. [Scand.; Ice. kjarr, copse wood, and Goose.]

Cariacou, kar′i-a-kōō, n. the Virginian deer of North America.—Also Car′jacou.

Cariama, kär-i-ä′ma, n. a South American bird of prey of large size. [Braz. cariama.]

Carib, kar′ib, n. one of a native race inhabiting parts of Central America and the north of South America—also Car′ibbee.—adj. Caribbē′an.

Caribou, kar-i-bōō′, n. the American reindeer. [Can.Fr.]

Caricature, kar′i-ka-tūr, n. a likeness of anything so exaggerated or distorted as to appear ridiculous.—v.t. to turn into ridicule by overdoing a likeness: to burlesque. Formerly spelt Caricatū′ra.—n. Caricatur′ist, one who caricatures. [It. caricatura—carricare, to load, from root of Car.]

Caries, kā′ri-ēz, n. rottenness or decay of a bone.—adj. Cā′rious, decayed. [L.]

Carillon, kar′il-yong, n. a suite of musical bells for playing tunes: the melody played on these. [Fr.,—Low L. quadrilion-em, a quaternary, because carillons were formerly rung on four bells.]

Carinate, kar′i-nāt, p.adj. keel-shaped: having a prominence on the outer surface. [L. carinatus—carina, a keel.]

Cariole, Carriole, kar′i-ōl, n. a small open carriage: a light cart. [Fr. carriole—root of Car.]

Cark, kärk, n. (arch.) care, anxiety, or solicitude.—v.t. to burden, harass.—v.i. to be anxious.—adj. Cark′ing, distressing, causing anxiety. [A.S. cearig, careful, anxious—caru, cearu, care. See Care.]

Carl, kärl, n. a husbandman, a clown: a churl: (Scot.) a niggard.—ns. Car′line, an old woman: a witch; Car′lot (Shak.), a churl, peasant. [Scand., Ice. karl, a man, a male. See Churl.]

Carline, kar′lin, n. a genus of plants closely allied to the true thistles. [From a legend that an angel showed the root of one to Charlemagne as a remedy for a plague.]

Carlist, kar′list, n. a supporter of the claims of the Spanish pretender Don Carlos de Bourbon (1788-1855), second son of Charles IV., and his representatives, as against Queen Isabella, daughter of Ferdinand VII., and her descendants.—n. Car′lism, devotion to the Carlist cause.

Carlock, kar′lok, n. a Russian isinglass obtained from the bladder of the sturgeon. [Russ.]

Carlovingian, kär-lo-vin′ji-an, adj. relating to a dynasty of Frankish kings, so called from Carl the Great or Charlemagne (742-814).

Carlylese, kar-līl′ēz, n. the vigorous, irregular, hypermetaphorical literary style and phraseology peculiar to Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881).—adjs. Carlyl′esque, Carlyl′ēan.—n. Carlyl′ism.

Carmagnole, kar′man-yōl, n. a. popular song and dance of the French Revolution: a kind of jacket worn by revolutionists at that time, with short skirts, a broad collar and lapels, and several rows of buttons. [Prob. from Carmagnola in Piedmont.]

Carmelite, kär′mel-īt, n. a monk of the order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Syria, founded there about 1156, made a mendicant order in 1247—the habit brown, with white cloak and scapular, hence the Carmelites were popularly known as the White Friars: a monk or nun of discalced or reformed branch established by St Teresa—the barefooted Carmelites: a variety of pear; a fine woollen stuff like beige.

Carminative, kar-min′a-tiv, adj. a medicine to relieve flatulence and pain in the bowels, such as cardamoms, peppermint, ginger, and other stimulating aromatics. [L. carmināre, to card—carmen, a card for wool.]

Carmine, kär′mīn, n. the red colouring principle obtained from the cochineal insect. [Fr. or Sp. carmin—Sp. carmesí, crimson—Ar. qirmazi, crimson. Same root as Crimson.]

Carnage, kär′nāj, n. (obs.) a heap of slain: slaughter. [Fr.,—It. carnaggio, carnage—L. caro, carnis, flesh.]

Carnal, kär′nal, adj. fleshly: sensual: unspiritual: (Shak.) murderous, flesh-eating.—v.t. and v.i. to convert into flesh, to become fleshy.—v.t. Car′nalise, to make carnal: to debase carnally:—pr.p. cär′nalīsing; pa.p. cär′nalīsed.—ns. Car′nalist, a sensualist: a worldling; Carnal′ity state of being carnal.—adv. Car′nally,—adjs. Car′nal-mind′ed, worldly-minded; Car′neous, Carnose′, fleshy: of or like flesh.—n. Car′nifex, executioner.—adj. Carnific′ial.—n. Carnos′ity, a fleshy excrescence growing in and obstructing any part of the body. [L. carnalis—caro, carnis, flesh.]

Carnallite, kär′nal-īt, n. a milk-white or pinkish hydrous chloride of potassium and magnesium found in the salt-mines of Stassfurt in Prussia. [Named from the mineralogist Von Carnall (1804-74).]

Carnation, kar-nā′shun, n. flesh-colour: one of the finest of florists' flowers, a double-flowering variety of the clove pink, and existing only in a state of cultivation.—adj. Carnā′tioned, having a flesh-like colour. [L. carnatio, fleshiness.]

Carnauba, kär-nä-ōō′ba, n. a Brazilian palm yielding a yellowish wax: the wax—also Brazilian wax. [Braz.]

Carnelian, kar-nē′li-an, n. the name given to the finer varieties of chalcedony, blood-red or flesh-colour, reddish-brown, reddish-white, or yellow, more rarely milk-white.—Also Cornē′lian.

Carnival, kär′ni-val, n. a feast observed by Roman Catholics just before the fast of Lent: any season of revelry or indulgence: riotous feasting, merriment, or amusement. [It. carnevale—Low L. carnelevarium, apparently from L. carnem levare, to put away flesh.]

Carnivora, kar-niv′ō-ra, n.pl. order of flesh-eating animals.—n. Car′nivore, a carnivorous animal.—adj. Carniv′orous, flesh-eating.—adv. Carniv′orously.—n. Carniv′orousness. [L. caro, carnis, flesh, vorus, devouring.]

Carny, Carney, kär′ni, v.t. (prov.) to coax, wheedle.—v.i. to act in such a way.—n. flattery.

Carob, kar′ob, n. the algaroba or locust-tree, a tree of the order Leguminosæ, native to the Mediterranean countries. [Through Fr. from Ar. kharrūbah.]

Caroche, ka-rōsh′, n. a coach or carriage. [Fr.,—It. caraccio, carro—L. carrus, car.]

Carol, kar′ol, n. a song of joy or praise.—v.i. to sing a carol: to sing or warble.—v.t. to praise or celebrate in song:—pr.p. car′olling; pa.p. car′olled.—n. Car′olling, the act of the verb to carol. [O. Fr. carole; It. carola, orig. a ring-dance; acc. to Diez, a dim. of L. chorus.]

Carolingian, kar-ō-lin′ji-an, adj. Same as Carlovingian (q.v.).

Carolus, kar′ol-us, n. a gold coin of the time of Charles I.—adj. Car′oline, belonging to the time of Charles. [L. Carolus, Charles.]

Carom, kar′om, n. an abbreviation for Carambole, the same as Cannon in billiards.

Carotid, ka-rot′id, adj. relating to the two great arteries of the neck. [Gr. karōtides—karos, sleep, the ancients supposing that deep sleep was caused by compression of them.]

Carouse, kar-owz′, n. a drinking-bout: a noisy revel.—v.i. to hold a drinking-bout: to drink freely and noisily.—ns. Carous′al, a carouse: a feast; Carous′er, one who carouses.—adv. Carous′ingly. [O. Fr. carous, Fr. carrousse—Ger. gar aus, quite out!—that is, empty the glass.]

Carousel, kar-ōō′zel, n. a tilting match or tournament, to which were added games, shows, and allegorical representations. [Fr.]

Carp, kärp, v.i. to catch at small faults or errors (with at).—ns. Carp′er, one who carps or cavils; Carp′ing, cavilling: fault-finding.—adv. Carp′ingly. [Most prob. Scand., Ice. karpa, to boast, modified in meaning through likeness to L. carpĕre, to pluck, deride.]

Carp, kärp, n. a fresh-water fish common in ponds. [O. Fr. carpe—Low L. carpa, prob. Teut.]

Carpal, kär′pal, adj. pertaining to the wrist. [Gr. karpos, the wrist.]

Carpel, kär′pel, n. a modified leaf forming the whole or part of the pistil of a flower.—adj. Car′pellary. [Gr. karpos, fruit.]

Carpenter, kär′pent-ėr, n. a worker in timber as used in building houses, ships, &c.—v.i. to do the work of a carpenter.—ns. Car′penter-bee, a bee that excavates its nest in wood; Car′pentry, the trade or work of a carpenter, [O. Fr. carpentier—Low L. carpentarius—carpentum, a car, from root of Car.]

Carpet, kär′pet, n. the woven or felted covering of floors, stairs, &c.—v.t. to cover with a carpet:—pr.p. car′peting; pa.p. car′peted.—ns. Car′pet-bag, a travelling-bag, so called because usually made of carpeting; Car′pet-bag′ger, one who comes to a place for political or other ends, carrying his whole property qualification for citizenship with him in his carpet-bag; Car′pet-beat′ing, the removing of dust from carpets by beating; Car′pet-bed′ding, a system of horticulture in which plants are arranged in mosaic or geometrical designs; Car′peting, material of which carpets are made: carpets in general; Car′pet-knight, one dubbed a knight by mere court favour, not on account of his military exploits—hence an effeminate person; Car′pet-mong′er (Shak.), an effeminate person; Car′pet-rod, one of the narrow rods used to keep a stair carpet in its place.—On the carpet, under discussion. [O. Fr. carpite (Fr. carpette)—Low L. carpeta, a coarse fabric made from rags pulled to pieces—L. carpĕre, to pluck.]

Carpolite, kär′po-līt, n. fruit petrified or converted into stone.—n. Carpol′ogy, the part of botany which treats of the structure of fruits and seeds. [Gr. karpos, fruit, lithos, a stone, logos, a discourse.]

Carrack, kar′rak, n. a large ship of burden, which is also fitted for fighting.—Also Car′ack. [O. Fr. carraque—Low L. carraca. Ety. dub.]

Carrageen, kar-ra-gēn′, n. Carrageen moss, or Irish moss—marine alga, common on the British coasts, used for making a highly digestible soup and a kind of blanc-mange, as well as size. [From Carragheen, near Waterford in Ireland, where it is found abundantly.]

Carrat. Same as Carat.

Carraway. Same as Caraway.

Carriage, kar′ij, n. act or cost of carrying: a vehicle for carrying: behaviour: bearing: (Shak.) burden: (B.) baggage.—adj. Carr′iageable, that may be conveyed in carriages.—ns. Carr′iage-com′pany, or -peo′ple, people who keep their carriages; Carr′iage-drive, a road for carriages through parks, &c.; Carr′iage-horse, a horse that draws a carriage.—Carriage and pair, a turn-out of a carriage and two horses; Carriage free, tree of charge for carrying. [See Carry.]

Carrick-bend, kar′ik-bend, n. (naut.), a kind of knot, formed on a bight by putting the end of a rope over its standing part, and then passing it. [Perh. conn. with Carrack, and the root of Bind.]

Carriole. See Cariole.

Carrion, kar′i-un, n. the dead and putrid body or flesh of any animal: anything vile.—adj. relating to, or feeding on, putrid flesh.—n. Carr′ion-crow, a species of crow which feeds on carrion, small animals, &c. [Fr. carogne—Low L. caronia—L. caro, carnis, flesh.]

Carritch, kar′itch, n. (Scot.) a corrupted form of the word catechism.—n. Carr′iwitchet, a quibble.

Carronade, kar-un-ād′, n. a short cannon of large bore, first made at Carron in Scotland.

Carron-oil, kar′on-oil, n. a liniment composed of linseed-oil and lime-water. [From its use for burns at Carron Ironworks in Stirlingshire.]

Carrot, kar′ut, n. a genus of Umbelliferæ, having a tapering root of a reddish or yellowish colour: the root itself, which is edible and sweet.—adj. Carr′oty, carrot-coloured, applied to the hair. [Fr. carotte—L. carota.]

Carry, kar′i, v.t. to convey or bear: to lead or transport: to take by force: to effect: to behave or demean: (of money) to be sufficient for a certain purpose: to gain the election of a candidate: to get a bill passed by a majority.—v.i. (of a gun, &c.) to reach, indicating the range of its shot:—pr.p. carr′ying; pa.p. carr′ied.—n. the distance a golf-ball goes when struck till it touches the ground: range: the portage of a boat: land across which a boat has to be carried between one navigable stream and another: the position of 'carry arms,' &c.: (prov.) the sky, cloud-drift.—ns. Carr′ier, one who carries, esp. for hire; Carr′y-all, a light, four-wheeled, one-horsed carriage; Carr′ying, the act of one who carries; Carr′y-tale (Shak.), a tale-bearer.—Carry all before one, to bear down all obstacles; Carry away, to carry off: to excite the feelings: to transport; Carry off, to cause the death of: to gain, to win, as a prize: to cause to pass muster, to make to pass by assurance or dissimulation; Carry on, to promote: to continue: to behave in a certain fashion (a term of mild reprobation); Carry one's point, to overrule objections in favour of one's plan; Carry out, to accomplish fully: to carry out for burial; Carry out one's bat (cricket), to leave the wickets without having been put out; Carry over, to induce to join the other party; Carry the day, or Carry it, to be successful: to win the day; Carry through, to succeed in accomplishing; Carry too far, to exceed reasonable limits; Carry up, to continue a building to a certain height: to trace back; Carry weight, to possess authority: to have force.—Be carried, to be highly excited: to have the head turned. [O. Fr. carier,—Low L. carricāre, to cart—L. carrus, a car.]

Carse, kärs, n. in Scotland, a stretch of alluvial land along the banks of some rivers. [Scot.; perh. from an obsolete word car, a fen; cf. Dan. kjær.]

Cart, kärt, n. a two-wheeled vehicle without springs, used for farm purposes, and for conveying heavy loads.—v.t. to convey in a cart: to carry publicly in a cart as a punishment—formerly done to bawds.—ns. Cart′age, the act or cost of carting; Cart′er, one who drives a cart; Cart′-horse, a horse used for drawing a cart; Cart′-house, a shed for keeping carts; Cart′-load, as much as a cart can carry; Cart's-tail, the hind part of a cart; Cart′way, a road or way by which carts may pass; Cart′wright, a carpenter who makes carts; T′-cart, a four-wheeled open phaeton, seated for four, its ground-plan resembling a T—see also Dog-cart, Mail-cart, Tax-cart, &c.—Put the cart before the horse, to reverse the natural order of things.—Village Cart, an uncovered two-wheeled carriage for one horse, with a low body and one seat; Whitechapel cart, or Chapel cart, a light two-wheeled spring-cart much used by butchers in delivering goods to their customers. [Ety. uncertain; from A.S. cræt, or Ice. kartr.]

Carte, kärt, n. the fourth position of the wrist in fencing. [Fr. quart—L. quartus, fourth.]

Carte, kärt, n. a bill of fare: (Scot.), a playing-card: short for carte-de-visite.—ns. Carte-blanche′, a blank paper, duly signed, and given to a person, to be filled up at his pleasure; Carte-de-visite′, a small photographic portrait pasted on a card; Cart′el, a challenge: an agreement for exchange of prisoners; a card with writing on it.—Have carte-blanche, to have a commission to act with full discretionary powers. [Fr.,—L. charta. See Card.]

Cartesian, kar-tē′zhi-an, adj. relating to the French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650), or his philosophy.—Cartesian devil, diver, or bottle-imp, a scientific toy named after Descartes, illustrating the principle of specific gravity.

Carthamine, kär′tha-min, n. a dye obtained in crystals by a chemical process from safflower. [Low L. carthamus—Ar. qartum, saffron.]

Carthusian, kar-thū′zi-an, n. one of an order of monks founded by St Bruno in 1086, noted for their strictness: a scholar of the Charterhouse School.—adj. of or pertaining to the order. [L. Cartusianus—Catorissium, Chatrousse, a village in Dauphiné, near which their first monastery was founded.]

Cartilage, kär′ti-lāj, n. in vertebrate animals, a firm elastic substance, of a pearly whiteness, presenting to the unaided eye a uniform and homogeneous appearance: gristle.—adj. Cartilagi′nous, pertaining to or consisting of cartilage, gristly. [Fr.,—L. cartilago; cog. with crates, Gr. kartalos.]

Cartography, kar-tog′ra-fi, n. the art of preparing charts or maps. [L. charta, chart, map, and Gr. graphia, graph-ein, to write.]

Cartomancy, kär′tō-man-si, n. a divination by playing-cards. [Low L. carta, a card, Gr. manteia, divination.]

Carton, kär′ton, n. a thin pasteboard, a box made from such: a small disc within the bull's-eye of the target, a shot that strikes this.—ns. Car′tonnage, pasteboard: the outer covering of a mummy; Car′ton-pierre′, statuary pasteboard, a kind of papier-maché. [Fr. See Cartoon.]

Cartoon, kär-tōōn′, n. a preparatory drawing on strong paper to be transferred to frescoes, tapestry, &c.: any large sketch or design on paper, esp. a representation of current events in a comic paper.—v.t. to make a cartoon or working design: to caricature by a cartoon.—n. Cartoon′ist, one who makes cartoons. [Fr. carton (It. cartone), augmentative of Carte.]

Cartouche, kär-tōōsh′, n. a case for holding cartridges: formerly a case containing bullets to be discharged from a mortar, but now merely a waterproof canvas case for holding the cartridges of a field battery, one to each ammunition-box: (archit.) an ornament resembling a scroll of paper with the ends rolled up: an oval figure on ancient Egyptian monuments or papyri enclosing characters expressing royal or divine names.—Also Cartouch′. [Fr.,—It. cartoccio—L. charta, paper.]

Cartridge, kär′trij, n. a case made of paper, pasteboard, metal, &c., containing the charge for a gun—Blank′-car′tridges contain powder only; Ball′-cartridges contain a bullet as well.—ns. Car′tridge-bag, a bag of flannel, merino, &c., for holding a charge for a cannon; Car′tridge-belt, a belt having pockets for cartridges; Car′tridge-box, a small box for holding cartridges, carried by soldiers; Car′tridge-pā′per, a light-coloured, strong paper, originally manufactured for making cartridges. [A corr. of Cartouche.]

Cartulary, kär′tū-lar-i, n. a register-book of a monastery, &c.: one who kept the records: the place where the register is kept. [Low L. chartularium—L. chartula, a document—charta, paper.]

Carucate, kar′u-kāt, n. originally an amount of land such as one team of oxen could plough in a season.—n. Car′ucage, a tax on the carucate, first imposed by Richard I. in 1198. [Low L. carrucāta, ploughland—carruca, plough, from root of Car.]

Caruncle, kar-unk′l, n. a small fleshy excrescence, as the wattles of the turkey-cock.—adjs. Carun′cular, Carun′culate, Carun′culous. [Fr.—L. caruncula.]

Carus, kä′rus, n. complete insensibility. [Gr. karos, stupor.]

Carve, kärv, v.t. to cut into forms, devices, &c.: to make or shape by cutting: to cut up (meat) into slices or pieces: to apportion or distribute: (Shak.) to speak with suavity.—v.i. to exercise the trade of a sculptor.—p.adj. Carv′en, carved.—ns. Carv′er, one who carves: a sculptor: a carving-knife; Carv′ing, the act or art of carving, a branch of sculpture usually performed on wood or ivory: the device or figure carved: the act or art of cutting up meat at table.—Carve out, to hew out: to gain by one's exertions.—Cut and carve, to refine. [A. S. ceorfan, to cut; Dut. kerven; Ger. kerben, to notch.]

Carvel, kär′vel, n. older form of Caravel.—adj. Car′vel-built, as distinguished from clinker-built (q.v. under Clink).

Carvy, kär′vi′, n. Scotch form of Caraway.

Caryatid, kar-i-at′id, n. a female figure used instead of a column to support an entablature:—pl. Caryat′ides.—adjs. Caryat′ic, Caryat′idal, Caryatidē′an, Caryatid′ic. [Gr. Karyatides.]

Caryophyllaceous, kar-i-ō-fi-lā′shi-us, adj. belonging to the natural order Caryophyllaceæ;, applied esp. to flowers having five petals with long claws, as in the clove-pink. [Gr. karyophyllon, the clove-pink.]

Cascabel, kas′ka-bel, n. the whole rear part behind the base-ring of a cannon. [Sp.]

Cascade, kas-kād′, n. a waterfall: a trimming of lace or other material in a loose wavy fall.—v.i. to fall in cascades. [Fr.,—It.—L. cadĕre, to fall.]

Cascara, kas′ka-ra, n. the Cascara sagrada, a Californian bark used as a tonic aperient: the Cascara amarga, a bitter Honduras bark.—n. Cascarill′a, the aromatic bitter bark of the West Indian Croton Eleuteria. [Sp.]

Casco, kas′kō, n. a form of boat used at Manila for lading and unlading ships.

Case, kās, n. a covering, box, or sheath: a set: an outer coating for walls: in bookbinding, the boards and back, separate from the book: the frame in which a compositor has his types before him while at work.—v.t. to supply with a case.—n. Case′-bott′le, a bottle made to fit into a case with others.—v.t. Case′-hard′en, to convert the surface of certain kinds of malleable iron goods into steel, thereby making them harder, less liable to rust, and capable of taking on a better polish.—ns. Case′-hard′ening; Case′-knife, a large knife kept in a case; Case′maker, one who makes cases or covers for books; Case′ment, the case or frame of a window: a window that opens on hinges: a hollow moulding.—adj. Case′mented, having casements.—ns. Case′-shot, canister-shot, an artillery projectile for use at close quarters; Case′-worm, the caddice; Cas′ing, the act of the verb Case: an outside covering of any kind, as of boards, plaster, &c. [O. Fr. casse—L. capsa—capĕre, to take.]

Case, kās, n. that which falls or happens, event: particular state or condition—'in good case' = well off: subject of question or inquiry: an instance of disease: a person under medical treatment: a legal statement of facts: (gram.) the inflection of nouns, &c.—Case of conscience (see Conscience).—In any case, at all events: at any rate; In case, in the event that; In case to, in fit condition for; Make out one's case, to give good reasons for one's statements or position; Put the case, to suppose an instance: to take for example; The case, the fact, the reality. [O. Fr. cas—L. casus, from cadĕre, to fall.]

Casein, Caseine, kā′sē-in, n. an organic substance, contained in milk and cheese.—adjs. Cā′sēic; Cā′sēous, pertaining to cheese. [Fr.,—L. caseus, cheese.]

Casemate, kās′māt, n. any bomb-proof vaulted chamber, even when merely used as quarters for the garrison: (orig.) a loopholed gallery, from which the garrison of a fort could fire upon an enemy who had obtained possession of the ditch.—adj. Case′mated. [Fr.; der. uncertain.]

Caseous. See Casein.

Casern, ka-sėrn′, n. a lodging for troops in a town: a barrack. [Fr.,—Sp. caserna—casa, a house.]

Cash, kash, n. coin or money: ready money.—v.t. to turn into or exchange for money: to pay money for.—ns. Cash′-account′, an account to which nothing is carried but cash: a form of account with a bank, by which a person is entitled to draw out sums as required by way of loan to a stipulated amount—also called Cash′-cred′it; Cash′-book, a book in which an account is kept of the receipts and disbursements of money; Cashier′, a cash-keeper: one who has charge of the receiving and paying of money; Cash′-pay′ment, payment in ready money; Cash′-rail′way, a mechanical device adopted in large shops and warehouses for the interchange of cash between the counters and the cash-desk.—Hard cash, ready money; Out of cash, or In cash, without or with money: out of, or in, pocket. [A doublet of Case, a box—O. Fr. casse, a box.]

Cashew, ka-shōō′, n. a spreading tree of no great height, in both the East and West Indies, the fruit of which is a kidney-shaped nut at the end of a pear-shaped fleshy stalk, the kernel of this nut and the fleshy stalk (called the Cashew′-app′le) being both used as food. [Fr. acajou—Brazilian acajoba.]

Cashier, kash-ēr′, v.t. to dismiss from a post in disgrace: to discard or put away: to annul.—ns. Cashier′er, one who cashiers; Cashier′ing, a punishment for officers in the army and navy, severer than dismissal, inasmuch as it disqualifies from entering the public service in any capacity; Cashier′ment, dismissal. [Dut. casseren, to cashier—L. cassāre, cassus, void, empty.]

Cashmere, kash′mēr, n. a rich kind of shawl made from the Cashmere goat: any similar shawl.

Casino, kas-ē′nō, n. a room for public dancing: a card-game. [It.; from L. casa, a cottage.]

Cask, kask, n. a hollow round vessel for holding liquor, made of staves bound with hoops: a measure of capacity: (obs.) a casque,—v.t. to put in a cask. [Fr. casque—Sp. casco, skull, helmet, cask.]

Casket, kask′et, n. a little cask or case: a small case for holding jewels, &c.: (U.S.) a coffin. [Ety. uncertain; hardly a dim. of Cask.]

Casque, Cask, kask, n. a cover for the head: a helmet. [A doublet of Cask.]

Cassandra, kas-an′dra, n. a daughter of Priam, king of Troy, beloved by Apollo, who gave her the gift of prophecy, but not of being believed—hence any one who takes gloomy views of the political or social future.

Cassareep, kas′a-rēp, n. a sauce or condiment made from the juice of the cassava, the chief ingredient in the West Indian pepper-pot.

Cassation, kas-sā′shun, n. the act of making null or void: (French law) the act of annulling the decision of a court or judicial tribunal—hence Court of Cassation, the supreme tribunal. [Low L. cassation-em—cassāre, to bring to nought.]

Cassava, kas-sä′va, n. the West Indian name of the manioc, and the starch produced from it, called Brazilian Arrowroot, or Tapioca.

Casserole, kas′e-rōl, n. a stew-pan: the outer part of several dressed dishes. [Fr.]

Cassia, kash′ya, n. a coarser kind of cinnamon—also Cass′ia-bark: the tree which yields the foregoing: a fragrant plant mentioned in Ps. xlv. 8 (Heb. qeçî'ôth, prob. the Ind. orris or costus): a genus of shrubs of the bean family (Leguminosæ), the leaves of several species yielding senna, while the drug known as cassia fistula or purging cassia is derived from the pod of Cassia fistula, the bark of which is used in tanning. [L. casia—Gr. kasia—Heb.]

Cassimere, kas-i-mēr′, n. a twilled cloth of the finest wools.—Also Kerseymere′. [Corr. of Cashmere.]

Cassino, kas-sē′no, n. a game at cards. [See Casino.]

Cassiopeia, kas-i-ō-pē′ya, n. a constellation in the northern hemisphere, near the North Pole, named after the mother of Andromeda in Greek mythology.

Cassiterite, ka-sit′e-rīt, n. a brown native tin dioxide. [L. cassiterum—Gr. kassiteros, tin.]

Cassock, kas′ok, n. a long loose black robe or outer coat, formerly in common wear, but now worn only by clergy and choristers: a shorter garment, usually of black silk, worn under the Geneva gown by Scotch ministers.—adj. Cass′ocked. [Fr. casaque—It. casacca, prob. from L. casa, a cottage, a covering. Some explain Fr. casaque, casaquin, It. casacchino, as from Ar. kazāyand, a padded jerkin.]

Cassolette, kas′ō-let, n. a censer: a perfume-box with perforated lid. [Fr.,—Sp. cazoleta—cazo, a saucepan.]

Cassonade, kas-o-nād′, n. raw or unrefined sugar. [Fr.]

Cassowary, kas′ō-war-i, n. a genus of running birds, nearly related to the true ostrich, and nearer to the American rhea. [Malay kasuārī or kasavārī.]

Cast, kast, v.t. to throw or fling: to throw off, shed, drop: to throw down: to throw together or reckon: to mould or shape: (B.) to consider, to cast or throw up.—v.i. to warp:—pa.t. and pa.p. cast.—n. act of casting: a throw of anything, as the sounding-lead, a fishing-line: the thing thrown, esp. in angling: the distance thrown: a motion, turn, or squint, as of the eye: a chance: a mould: the form received from a mould: manner, stamp, or quality: a shade of colour, a degree of guilt, &c.: the assignment of the various parts of a play to the several actors: the company of actors to whom such have been assigned.—n. Cast′away, one cast away, an outcast.—adj. worthless, rejected.—adjs. Cast (B.), Cast′ed (Shak.), cast off.—ns. Cast′ing, act of casting or moulding: that which is cast: a mould; Cast′ing-net, a species of net for fishing; Cast′ing-vote, the voice or vote of the president of a meeting, by which he is enabled, when the other votes are equally divided, to cast the balance on the one side or the other; Cast′ing-weight, the weight which makes the balance cast or turn when exactly poised.—adj. Cast′-off, laid aside or rejected.—n. anything thrown aside.—n. Cast′-steel, steel that has been melted, cast into ingots, and rolled out into bars.—Cast about, to contrive, to look about, to search for, as game: (B.) to turn, to go round; Cast a nativity, to make an astrological calculation; Cast anchor, to moor a ship; Cast an eye, a glance, to look at; Cast a thing in one's teeth, to bring a reproach against some one; Cast away, to wreck, to waste; Cast down, to deject or depress in mind: to turn the eyes downward; Cast loose, to set loose or adrift; Cast up, to throw up, to bring up anything as a reproach.—Be cast (law), to be defeated.—The last cast, the last venture. [Scand.; as Ice. kasta, to throw.]

Castalian, kas-tā′li-an, adj. pertaining to Castalia, a fountain in Parnassus, sacred to Apollo and the Muses.

Castanet, kas′ta-net, n. a musical instrument of percussion in the form of two hollow shells of ivory or hard wood, which are bound together by a band fastening on the thumb, and struck by the fingers to produce a trilling sound in keeping with the rhythm of the music—much used in Spain as an accompaniment to dances and guitars. [Sp. castañeta—L. castanea, a chestnut.]

Caste, käst, n. a term applied chiefly to distinct classes or sections of society in India, and, in a modified sense, to social distinctions of an exclusive nature among other nations.—Lose caste, to descend in social rank. [A name given by the Portuguese to the classes of people in India; Port. casta, breed, race.—L. castus, pure, unmixed.]

Castellan, Castellated. See Castle.

Castigate, kas′tig-āt, v.t. to chastise: to correct: to punish with stripes.—ns. Castigā′tion, act of castigating: chastisement: severe punishment; Cas′tigātor, one who castigates.—adj. Cas′tigātory. [L. castigāre, -ātum, from castus, pure.]

Castilian, kas-til′yan, adj. and n. of or belonging to Castile, a native of Castile, or the language thereof, standard Spanish.—Castile soap, a hard soap made with olive-oil and soda.

Cast-iron. See Iron.

Castle, kas′l, n. a fortified house or fortress: the residence of a prince or nobleman, or a large country mansion generally: anything built in the likeness of such: a defensive tower borne on an elephant's back: a large ship, esp. of war.—v.t. to enclose or fortify with a castle.—v.i. (chess) to bring the castle or rook up to the square next the king, and move the king to the other side of the castle.—n. Cas′tellan, governor or captain of a castle.—adj. Cas′tellated, having turrets and battlements like a castle.—n. Cas′tle-build′ing, the act of building castles in the air or forming visionary projects.—adj. Cas′tled, furnished with castles.—n. Cas′tle-guard, the guard for the defence of a castle.—Castles in the air, or in Spain, groundless or visionary projects.—The Castle, Dublin Castle, the seat of the viceroy and the executive—Castle influence, &c. [A.S. castel—L. castellum, dim. of castrum, a fortified place.]

Castor, kas′tor, n. the beaver: a hat made of its fur. [L.,—Gr. kastōr; cf. Sans. kasturi, musk.]

Castor, kast′or, n. a small wheel on the legs of furniture: a small vessel with perforated top for pepper, &c.—also Cast′er. [From Cast.]

Castor-oil, kas′tor-oil, n. a medicinal oil obtained from a tropical plant, the Ricinus communis. [Ety. dub.; prob. from castor or castoreum, the unctuous substance obtained from two pear-shaped glands in the beaver, formerly much used in midwifery.]

Castral, kas′tral, adj. belonging to the camp. [L. castra.]

Castrametation, kas-tra-me-tā′shun, n. the act or art of encamping. [L. castra, a camp, metāri, -atus, to measure off—meta, a boundary.]

Castrate, kas′trāt, v.t. to deprive of the power of generation, to remove the testicles, geld, emasculate: to take from or render imperfect.—adj. Cas′trated, expurgated.—ns. Castrā′tion, gelding, expurgation; Castrato (kas-trä′tō), a male singer castrated in boyhood so as to preserve a soprano or alto voice:—pl. Castra′ti. [L. castrāre, -ātum.]

Casual, kash′ū-al, adj. accidental: unforeseen: occasional.—n. a chance or occasional visitor, labourer, pauper, &c.—n. Cas′ualism, the belief that chance governs all things.—adv. Cas′ually, in a casual manner.—n. Cas′ualty, that which falls out: an accident: a misfortune: (pl.) losses of a military force by death, desertion, &c.: an incidental charge or payment.—Casualties of superiority, in the feudal law of Scotland, such emoluments arising to the superior as depend on uncertain events—those of non-entry, relief or composition, and escheat alone remaining, but considerably modified by the Conveyancing Act of 1874.—Casualty ward, the ward in a hospital in which accidents are treated; Casual ward, a ward set apart for the use of those who are only occasionally in destitution. [L. casualis—casus. See Case.]

Casuarina, kas-ū-ar-ēn′a, n. a genus of Australian trees having thread-like, jointed, pendent branches, with small toothed sheaths at the joints, like the horse-tails—the Swamp-oak and She-oak belong to it, and its wood is the well-known Beef-wood.

Casuist, kaz′ū-ist, n. one who studies and resolves cases of conscience.—adjs. Casuist′ic, -al, relating to cases of conscience.—n. Cas′uistry, the science or doctrine of cases of conscience, or the reasoning which enables a man to decide in a particular case between apparently conflicting duties. [Fr. casuiste—L. casus. See Case.]

Casula, kas′ū-la, n. a chasuble.

Cat, kat, n. a common domestic animal kept to devour mice: a spiteful woman: a movable pent-house used for their protection by besiegers: a double tripod with six legs: a piece of wood tapering at each end, struck with the Cat-stick in the game of tip-cat, this game itself: short for the Cat-o'-nine′-tails, an instrument of punishment consisting of a whip with nine tails or lashes, with three or four knots on each, once used in the army and navy.—v.t. to raise the anchor to the cathead.—ns. Cat′amount, a common name in the United States for the cougar or puma—also called Panther, Painter, and American lion; Catamoun′tain, or Cat o' mountain, a leopard, panther, or ocelot: a wild mountaineer.—adj. ferocious, savage.—adj. Cat-and-dog, used attributively for quarrelsome.—ns. Cat′-bird, an American bird of the thrush family, so called on account of the resemblance of its note to the mewing of a cat; Cat′-call, a squeaking instrument used in theatres to express dislike of a play: a shrill whistle or cry.—v.i. to sound a cat-call.—v.t. to assail with such.—adj. Cat′-eyed, having eyes like a cat: able to see in the dark.—n. Cat′gut, a kind of cord made from the intestines of animals, and used as strings for violins, harps, guitars, &c., the cords of clock-makers, &c.: the violin or other stringed instrument: a coarse corded cloth.—adj. Cat′-hammed, with thin hams like a cat's.—ns. Cat′head, one of two strong beams of timber projecting from the bow of a ship, on each side of the bowsprit, through which the ropes pass by which the anchor is raised; Cat′-hole, one of two holes in the after part of a ship, through which hawsers may pass for steadying the ship or for heaving astern; Cat′hood, state of being a cat or having the nature of a cat; Cat′kin, a crowded spike or tuft of small unisexual flowers with reduced scale-like bracts, as in the willow, hazel, &c.; Cat′-lap, any thin or poor drink.—adj. Cat′-like, noiseless, stealthy.—ns. Cat′ling, a little cat, a kitten: the downy moss on some trees, like the fur of a cat: (Shak.) a lute-string; Cat′mint, a perennial plant resembling mint, said to be so called from the fondness cats have for it; Cat's′-crā′dle, a game played by children, two alternately taking from each other's fingers an intertwined cord, so as always to maintain a symmetrical figure; Cat's′-eye, a beautiful variety of quartz, so called from the resemblance which the reflection of light from it bears to the light that seems to emanate from the eye of a cat; Cat's-foot, a plant, called also Ground-ivy; Cat′-sil′ver, a variety of silvery mica; Cat's′-meat, horses' flesh, or the like, sold for cats by street dealers; Cat's′-paw (naut.), a light breeze: the dupe or tool of another—from the fable of the monkey who used the paws of the cat to draw the roasting chestnuts out of the fire; Cat's′-tail, a catkin: a genus of aquatic plants of the reed kind, the leaves of which are sometimes used for making mats, seating chairs, &c.: a kind of grass.—adj. Cat′-wit′ted, small-minded, conceited, and spiteful.—Catted and fished, said of an anchor raised to the cathead and secured to the ship's side.—Bell the cat (see Bell).—Care killed the cat, even with his proverbial nine lives.—Cheshire cats are proverbially notable for grinning, and Kilkenny cats proverbially fight till each destroys the other.—Rain cats and dogs, to pour down heavily.—See which way the cat jumps, to watch how things are going to turn before committing one's self.—Turn the cat in the pan, to change sides with dexterity.—For Gib-cat, Tabby-cat, Tom-cat, see under Gib, Tabby, &c. [A.S. cat; found also in Celt., Slav., Ar., Finn, &c.]

Cat, kat, n. an old name for a coal and timber vessel on the north-east coast of England.—adj. Cat′-rigged, having one great fore-and-aft mainsail spread by a gaff at the head and a boom at the foot, for smooth water only.

Catabolism. See Katabolism.

Catacaustic, kat-a-kaws′tik, adj. (geom.) belonging to caustic curves formed by reflection (see Caustic). [Gr. kata, against, and Caustic.]

Catachresis, kat-a-krē′sis, n. (rhet.) a figure by which a word is used in a sense different from, yet analogous to, its own: a harsh or far-fetched metaphor.—adjs. Catachres′tic, -al.—adv. Catachres′tically. [L.,—Gr. katachrēsis, misuse.]

Cataclysm, kat′a-klizm, n. a flood of water: a deluge: great revolution.—adj. Cataclys′mic. [Gr. kataklysmos—kata, downward, klyzein, to wash.]

Catacomb, kat′a-kōm, n. a subterranean excavation used as a burial-place, esp. the famous Catacombs near Rome, where many of the early Christian victims of persecution were buried: any place built with crypt-like recesses for storing books, wine, &c.—adj. Cat′acumbal. [It. catacomba—Late L. catacumbas (prob. from ad catacumbas), prob. from Gr. kata, downward, and kymbē, a hollow.]

Catacoustics, kat-a-kows′tiks, n. the part of acoustics which treats of echoes or sounds reflected. [Gr. kata, against, and Acoustics.]

Catadioptric, -al, kat-a-di-op′trik, -al, adj. pertaining to instruments by which rays of light are both reflected and refracted. [See Catoptric.]

Catadromous, kat-ad′rom-us, adj. of fishes, descending periodically for spawning to the lower parts of a river or to the sea. [Gr. kata, down, dromos, running.]

Catafalque, kat-a-falk′, n. a temporary structure of carpentry representing a tomb or cenotaph placed over the coffin during a lying-in-state: a tomb of state, a funeral car.—Also Catafal′co. [Fr.,—It. catafalco. See Balcony and Scaffold.]

Catalan, kat′al-an, adj. of or belonging to Catalonia or its language, a dialect of Provençal.—n. a native of Catalonia, or the language thereof.

Catalectic, kat-a-lek′tik, adj. incomplete: applied to a verse wanting one syllable at the end, or terminating in an imperfect foot. [Gr. katalēktikos, incomplete—katalēgein, to stop.]

Catalepsy, kat′a-lep-si, n. a state of more or less complete insensibility, with absence of the power of voluntary motion, and statue-like fixedness of the body and limbs.—adj. Catalep′tic. [Gr., from kata, down, lambanō, lēpsomai, I seize.]

Catallactic, kat-al-ak′tik, adj. pertaining to exchange.—adv. Catallac′tically.—n. Catallac′tics, political economy as the science of exchanges. [Made up from Gr. katalassein, to exchange.]

Catalogue, kat′a-log, n. a list of names, books, &c.—v.t. to put in a catalogue:—pr.p. cat′aloguing; pa.p. cat′alogued.—v.t. Cat′aloguise. [Fr.—Late L.—Gr. katalogos, from kata, down, legein, to choose.]

Catalpa, kat-al′pa, n. a genus of hardy trees native to the United States and Japan, marked by a low habit, profuse blossoms, and long cigar-like pendent pods.—The common Catalpa, known also as the Bean-tree, Catawba, Indian bean, and Cigar-tree, yields a durable wood; as also the western Catalpa or Shawnee wood. [From the native Ind. name.]

Catalysis, ka-tal′i-sis, n. (chem.) the decomposition of a compound and the recomposition of its elements, by the presence of a substance which does not itself suffer change, as in fermentation.—adj. Catalyt′ic. [Gr. katalysis—kata, down, lyein, to loosen.]

Catamaran, kat′a-mar-an′, or kat-am′ar-an, n. a raft of three pieces of wood lashed together, the middle piece being longer than the others, and serving as a keel—on this the rower squats, and works a paddle—much used in the Madras surf: an old kind of fire-ship, long superseded; an ill-natured woman. [Tamil, 'tied wood.']

Catamenia, kat-a-mē′ni-a, n. the menstrual discharge.—adj. Catamē′nial. [Gr. katamēnios—kata, again, mēn, mēnos, a month.]

Catamite, kat′a-mīt, n. a boy kept for unnatural purposes—a corruption of Ganymede (q.v.).

Catamount. See Cat.

Catapan, kat′a-pan, n. the governor of Calabria and Apulia for the Byzantine emperor. [Acc. to Littré, from Gr. katepanō tōn axiōmatōn, 'he who is placed over the dignities.']

Cataphonics, kat-a-fon′iks, n. the science of reflected sounds.—adj. Cataphon′ic. [Gr. kata, against, phonē, sound.]

Cataphract, kat′a-frakt, n. (Milton) a soldier in full armour. [Gr. kataphraktēs, a coat-of-mail—kata, inten., and phrass-ein, to enclose, protect.]

Cataphyllary, kat-a-fil′ar-i, adj. pertaining to such rudimentary scale-leaves as are found on various parts of plants, esp. underground.—n. Cataphyll′um. [Gr. kata, down, phyllon, leaf.]

Cataphysical, kat-a-fis′i-kal, adj. (rare) unnatural. [Gr. kata, down, against, physis, nature.]

Cataplasm, kat′a-plazm, n. a plaster or poultice. [Gr. kataplasma, a plaster—kata-plassein, to plaster over.]

Cataplexy, kat′a-plex-i, n. the kind of mesmeric sleep of animals under a sudden shock of terror—the state of 'shamming death.'—adj. Cataplec′tic. [Gr. kataplēssein, to strike down.]

Catapult, kat′a-pult, n. anciently an engine of war, resembling the ballista, for throwing stones, arrows, &c.: a small forked stick having an elastic string fixed to the two prongs, used by boys for throwing small stones.—adj. Catapul′tic.—n. Catapultier′. [L. catapulta—Gr. katapeltēs—kata, down, pallein, to throw.]

Cataract, kat′a-rakt, n. a great fall of water, water-spout, &c.: a waterfall or cascade: an opaque condition of the lens of the eye, painless, unaccompanied by inflammation, occasioning blindness, simply by obstructing the passage of the light. [L. cataracta—Gr. kata, down, arass-ein, to dash, to rush.]

Catarrh, kat-är′, n. a discharge of fluid from the inflammation of a mucous membrane, esp. of the nose, caused by cold in the head: the cold itself.—adjs. Catarrh′al, Catarrh′ous. [L. catarrhus—Gr. katarrhous—kata, down, rheēin, to flow.]

Catarrhine, Catarhine, kat′ar-īn, adj. pertaining to that one of the two divisions of Quadrumana, including all the Old-World monkeys, having a narrow partition between the nostrils. [Gr. kata, down, hris, hrinos, nose.]

Catasta, kat-äs′ta, n. a block on which slaves were exposed for sale: a stage or place for torture. [L.]

Catastasis, kat-as′tas-is, n. the part of the Greek drama in which the development of the action has reached its height: (rhet.) that part of a speech which states the subject to be discussed. [Gr.]

Catastrophe, kat-as′trō-fē, n. an overturning: a final event: an unfortunate conclusion: a calamity.—adj. Catastroph′ic—ns. Catas′trophism, the theory in geology that accounts for 'breaks in the succession' by the hypothesis of vast catastrophes—world-wide destruction of floras and faunas, and the sudden introduction or creation of new forms of life, after the forces of nature had sunk into repose; Catas′trophist, a holder of the foregoing, as opposed to the uniformitarian theory. [Gr., kata, down, strephein, to turn.]

Catawba, ka-taw′ba, n. a light sparkling wine, produced from a grape of the same name, first found on the banks of the Catawba River in Carolina.

Cat-bird. See Cat.

Cat-call. See Cat.

Catch, kach, v.t. to take hold of: to apprehend or understand: to seize after pursuit: to trap or ensnare: to take a disease by infection: to take up anything by sympathy or imitation.—v.i. to be contagious: to be entangled or fastened in anything;—pa.t. and pa.p. caught (kawt).—n. seizure: anything that seizes or holds: that which is caught: anything worth catching: a sudden advantage taken: a specially English form of musical composition, written generally in three or four parts, and in the canon form—originally synonymous with the round.—adj. Catch′able, that may be caught.—ns. Catch′er, one who catches; Catch′fly, a popular name of several plants belonging to the genus Silene, and of Lychnis Viscaria, whose glutinous stems often retain insects settling on them; Catch′ing, the action of the verb 'to catch:' a nervous or spasmodic twitching.—adj. infectious: captivating, attractive.—ns. Catch′ment-bās′in, a term applied to all that part of a river-basin from which rain is collected, and from which, therefore, the river is fed; Catch′penny, any worthless thing, esp. a publication, intended merely to gain money—also adj.; Catch′word, among actors, the last word of the preceding speaker—the cue: the word at the head of the page in a dictionary or encyclopædia: the first word of a page given at the bottom of the preceding page: any word or phrase taken up and repeated as the watchword or symbol of a party.—adj. Catch′y, attractive, deceptive, readily caught up, as an air, &c., fitful.—Catch at, to snatch at; Catch fire, to become ignited, to be inspired by passion or zeal; Catch hold of, to seize; Catch it, to get a scolding or the like; Catch me! an emphatic colloquial phrase implying that there is not the remotest possibility of my doing something suggested; Catch on, to comprehend: to catch the popular fancy; Catch out, to put a batsman out at cricket by catching the ball he has batted; Catch sight of, suddenly to get a glimpse of; Catch up, to overtake; Catch up, or away, to lay hold of forcibly. [From O. Fr. cachier—Late L. captiāre for captāre, inten. of capĕre, to take. See Chase.]

Catchpole, -poll, kach′pōl, n. a constable, petty officer of justice. [Through O. Fr. from Low L. cachepolus, chassipullus, one who chases fowls. See Chase and Pullet.]

Catchup, Catsup. See Ketchup.

Cate. See Cates.

Catechise, kat′e-kīz, v.t. to instruct by question and answer: to question as to belief: to examine systematically, to take to task.—adjs. Catechet′ic, -al, relating to a catechism or oral instruction in the first principles, esp. of Christianity.—adv. Catechet′ically.—ns. Catechet′ics, the art or practice of teaching by question and answer: that part of theology which treats of Catechē′sis, or primary oral instruction, as that given to catechumens; Cat′echiser; Cat′echising, an examination by questioning; Cat′echism, any compendious system of teaching drawn up in the form of question and answer; Cat′echist, one who catechises, a teacher of catechumens, a native teacher in a mission church.—adjs. Catechist′ic, -al, Catechis′mal, pertaining to a catechist or catechism. [L. catechismus, formed from Gr. katēchiz-ein, katēche-ein, to din into the ears—kata, down, ēchē, a sound.]

Catechu, kat′e-shoo, n. a substance used in tanning and dyeing, and medicinally as an astringent, obtained from the heart-wood of several East Indian trees, as the betel-nut, &c. [Tamil.]

Catechumen, kat-e-kū′men, n. one who is being taught the rudiments of Christianity: the appellation given in the early Christian Church to those converted Jews and heathens who had not yet received baptism, but were undergoing a course of training and instruction preparatory to it.—adj. Catechumen′ical.—adv. Catechumen′ically.—ns. Catechū′menship, Catechū′menism, Catechū′menate. [Gr. katēchoumenos, being taught, pr.p. pass. of katēche-ein, to teach.]

Category, kat′e-gor-i, n. what may be affirmed of a class: a class or order.—adjs. Categoremat′ic, capable of being used by itself as a term; Categor′ical, positive: absolute: without exception.—adv. Categor′ically, absolutely: without qualification: expressly.—n. Categor′icalness, the quality of being absolute and unqualified.—n.pl. Cat′egories (phil.), the highest classes under which objects of philosophy can be systematically arranged, understood as an attempt at a comprehensive classification of all that exists: in Kant's system, the root-notions of the understanding, the specific forms of the a priori or formal element in rational cognition (quantity, quality, relation, modality, &c.).—v.t. Cat′egorise, to place in a category or list: to class.—n. Categor′ist, one who categorises.—Categorical imperative, in the ethics of Kant, the absolute unconditional command of the moral law, irrespective of every ulterior end or aim—universally authoritative, belonging to the fixed law of nature—'Act from a maxim at all times fit for law universal.' [Gr. katēgoria, katēgoros, an accuser, kata, down, against, agora, assembly.]

Catelectrode, kat-ē-lek′trōd, n. a negative electrode or cathode. [Gr. kata, down, and Electrode.]

Catenary, kat-ē′nar-i, n. the curve formed by a flexible homogeneous cord (such as a chain), hanging freely between two points of support, and acted on by no other force than gravity.—adj. relating to a chain, like a chain—also Catenā′rian.—n. Catē′na, a chain or connected series, as in Catena Patrum, a chronological series of extracts from the Fathers on any doctrine of theology.—v.t. Cat′enāte to connect as in a chain.—n. Catenā′tion. [L. catenarius, pertaining to a chain—catēna, chain.]

Cater, kā′tėr, v.i. to provide food, entertainment, &c. (with for).—ns. Cā′terer; Cā′teress; Cā′tering. [Lit. to act as a cater, the word being orig. a substantive, and spelled catour, an aphetised form of acater, acatour. See Acater.]

Cateran, kat′er-an, n. a Highland reiver or freebooter, a robber or brigand generally. [Gael. ceathairne, peasantry, Ir. ceithern, a band of soldiers.]

Cater-cousin, kā′tėr-kuz′n, n. a term implying familiarity, affection, sympathy, rather than kindred. [More prob. conn. with Cater than quatre or quarter.]

Caterpillar, kat′ėr-pil-ar, n. a grub that lives upon the leaves of plants. [Prob. O. Fr. chatepeleuse, 'hairy cat;' chate, a she-cat—L. catus, peleuse, hairy—L. pilosus, pilum.]

Caterwaul, kat′ėr-wawl, n. the shriek or cry emitted by the cat when in heat.—v.i. to make such a noise, to make any discordant sound: to behave lasciviously: to quarrel like cats.—n. Cat′erwauling. [The second part is prob. imit.]

Cates, kātz, n.pl. dainty food.

Catgut. See Cat.

Catharist, kath′ar-ist, n. one professing a higher standard of purity in life and doctrine, a puritan: esp. a member of a Manichean heretical sect of the Middle Ages, which spread over the whole of southern and western Europe—confounded with the kindred sect of Paulicians, reaching the greatest numbers in southern France, where, as the Albigenses, they were ruthlessly stamped out by the Inquisition.—n. Cath′arism. [Gr. katharistai, katharizein, to purify.]

Cathartic, -al, kath-ärt′ik, -al, adj. having the power of cleansing the stomach and bowels: purgative.—v.t. Cath′arise, to render absolutely clean.—ns. Cathar′sis, evacuation of the bowels; Cathart′ic, a purgative medicine; Cathar′tin, the purgative principle of senna. [Gr. kathartikos, fit for cleansing, katharos, clean.]

Cathead. See Cat.

Cathedral, kath-ēd′ral, n. the principal church of a diocese, in which is the seat or throne of a bishop.—adj. belonging to a cathedral.—n. Cathed′ra, a bishop's seat, the episcopal dignity—ex cathedra, from the chair, officially given forth.—adjs. Cathedral′ic, Cathedralesque′, Cathed′raled, vaulted like a cathedral.—n. Cathed′ralism, the cathedral system.—adj. Cathedrat′ic, promulgated ex cathedra, authoritative. [L. cathedra—Gr. kathedra, a seat.]

Catherine-wheel, kath′e-rin-hwēl, n. (archit.) an ornamented window or compartment of a window, of a circular form, with radiating divisions of various colours: (her.) a wheel set round with teeth: a kind of firework which in burning rotates like a wheel.—Catherine pear, a small and early variety of pear.—Turn Catherine-wheels, to make a series of somersaults sideways. [From St Catherine of Alexandria, whom legend makes to suffer martyrdom in the 4th century by torture on a wheel.]

Catheter, kath′e-tėr, n. a tube to be introduced through the urethra into the bladder to draw off the urine, or for injecting air or fluids into the Eustachian tube.—ns. Cath′eterism; Cathetom′eter, an instrument for measuring small differences of level of different liquids in tubes; Cath′etus, a straight line falling perpendicularly on another straight line or surface. [Gr. kathetos, perpendicular, kathetēr, from kathienai, to send down.]

Cathisma, ka-thiz′ma, n. in Greek use, a portion of the psalter, there being altogether twenty cathismata: a troparion or short hymn used as a response. [Gr., kathizein, to sit down.]

Cathode, kath-ōd′, n. the negative pole or electrode of a galvanic battery, as opposed to anode: the surface in contact with the negative pole: the object to be coated in electroplating—adj. Cath′odal. [Gr. kathodos, a going down, kata, down, hodos, a way.]

Cat-hole. See Cat.

Catholic, kath′ol-ik, adj. universal: general, embracing the whole body of Christians: orthodox, as opposed to heterodox and sectarian—applied esp. to the Christian Church before the great schism between the East and the West: liberal, the opposite of exclusive: relating to the name claimed by its adherents for the Church of Rome as the alleged sole visible representative of the church founded by Christ and His apostles—the characteristic marks of the Catholic Church being universality, antiquity, unity: relating to the Roman Catholics.—n. an adherent of the R.C. Church.—v.t. Cathol′icise, to make Catholic.—ns. Cathol′icism, Catholic′ity, universality: liberality or breadth of view: the tenets of the R.C. Church; Cathol′icon, a universal remedy or panacea; Cathol′icos, the Patriarch of Armenia.—Catholic creditor (law of Scot.), one whose debt is secured over several or the whole subjects belonging to the debtor—e.g. over two or more heritable estates; Catholic emancipation, the relief of the Roman Catholics from certain vexatious penal regulations and restrictions, granted in 1829; Catholic or General epistles, the name given to certain epistles in the canon addressed not to particular churches or individuals, but either to the Church universal or to a large and indefinite circle of readers—originally only 1 John and 1 Peter, but, as early as the 3d century, also James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John; Catholic king, a title given specially to the king of Spain.—Old Catholics, the title assumed by a number of Catholics who at Munich protested against the new dogma of the personal infallibility of the pope in all ex cathedrâ deliverances proclaimed by the Vatican Council in 1870—now a considerable communion or church in Germany and Switzerland. [Gr. katholicos, universal—kata, throughout, holos, the whole.]

Catiline, kat′il-īn, n. the type of a daring and reckless conspirator, from L. Sergius Catilina, whose plot to destroy Rome was foiled by Cicero, 63 B.C.—adj. Cat′ilinārian.

Catkin. See Cat.

Cat-log, kat′-log, n. (Shak.). Catalogue.

Catonian, ka-tō′ni-an, adj. resembling Cato, the Roman Censor (died 149 B.C.), or Cato Uticensis (95-46 B.C.), both remarkable for gravity of manners—hence grave, severe, unbending.

Catoptric, kat-op′trik, adj. relating to catoptrics or vision by reflection.—n.pl. Catop′trics, the part of optics which treats of reflected light. [Gr.; from katoptron, a mirror—kata, against, optesthai, to see.]

Cat's-tail. See Cat.

Cattle, kat′l, n.pl. beasts of pasture, esp. oxen, bulls, and cows: sometimes also horses, sheep, &c.—ns. Catt′leman, one who tends cattle, or who rears them on a ranch; Catt′le-plague, plague or disease among cattle, esp. that known as rinderpest or steppe murrain; Catt′le-show, an exhibition or show of cattle or other domestic animals in competition for prizes. [O. Fr. catel, chatel—Low L. captale, orig. capital, property in general, then esp. animals—L. capitalis, chief—caput, the head, beasts in early times forming the chief part of property.]

Catty, kat′i, n. the Chinese kin or pound, usually a little over 1¼ lb. avoirdupois.

Caucasian, kaw-kā′zhi-an, adj. pertaining to Mount Caucasus or the country around it.—n. the name adopted by Blumenbach for one of his main ethnological divisions of mankind, by him made to include the two great groups, the Aryan and the Semitic; used by later anthropologists for the fair type of man as opposed to the Mongolic or yellow type.

Caucus, kaw′kus, n. a private meeting of political wire-pullers to agree upon candidates to be proposed for an ensuing election, or to fix the business to be laid before a general meeting of their party: applied loosely to any influential committee in a constituency. [Ety. dub.; perh. John Smith's Algonkin word Caw-cawaassough, an adviser; perh. a corr. of 'caulkers' meetings.']

Caudal, kaw′dal, adj. pertaining to the tail: having a tail or something like one.—adj. Cau′dāte, tailed. [L. cauda.]

Caudex, kaw′deks, n. (bot.) the stem of a tree, esp. of a palm or tree-fern:—pl. Caud′ices, Caud′exes.—n. Caudicle, the stalk of the pollen-masses of certain orchids. [L.]

Caudle, kaw′dl, n. a warm drink, sweetened and spiced, given to the sick, esp. women in childbed.—v.t. to give a caudle to, to mix. [O. Fr. chaudel—L. calidus, hot.]

Caudron, kaw′dron, n. (Spens.). Same as Cauldron.

Caught, kawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Catch.

Cauk, kawk, n. chalk: sulphate of baryta or heavy spar. [A form of Chalk.]

Cauker. See Caulk.

Caul, kawl, n. a net or covering for the head: the membrane covering the head of some infants at their birth. [O. Fr. cale, a little cap, prob. Celt.; cf. Ir. calla, a veil, hood.]

Cauld, kawld, n. (Scot.) a dam in a stream, a weir.

Cauldrife, kawld′-rīf, adj. (Scot.) cold, chilly, lifeless, without vigour.

Cauldron, Caldron, kawl′dron, n. a large kettle for boiling or heating liquids. [O. Fr. caudron—L. caldarium—calidus, hot—calēre, to be hot.]

Caulescent, kaw-les′ent, adj. (bot.) having a stem rising above the ground—also Caulif′erous.—n. Cau′licle, a rudimentary stem.—adj. Caulic′olous, growing on a stem.—n.pl. Cauliculā′ta, the black or antipatharian corals.—adj. Caulic′ulāte.—n. Caulic′ulus, one of the slender stems springing from the caules or main stalks supporting the volutes in the Corinthian capital.—adjs. Caul′iform, having the form of a stem; Caulig′enous, borne upon the stem; Caul′inary, Cau′line, belonging to a stem.—n. Cau′lis, the stem of a plant: one of the main stems at the angles of the Corinthian capital. [L. caulis, a stalk.]

Cauliflower, kaw′li-flow′ėr, n. a variety of cabbage, the eatable part of which is the deformed inflorescence or head. [Earlier cole-florye, colie-florie—Low L. cauli-flora—L. caulis, cabbage. See Cole and Flower.]

Caulk, Calk, kawk, v.t. to press oakum and untwisted rope into the seams of a ship to render it watertight.—ns. Caulk′er, one who caulks: a dram: a big lie—also Cauk′er; Caulk′ing; Caulk′ing-ī′ron, an instrument like a chisel used for pressing oakum into the seams of ships. [O. Fr. cauquer, to press—L. caclāre, to tread—calx, heel.]

Cause, kawz, n. that which produces an effect: that by or through which anything happens: motive: inducement: a legal action between contending parties: sake, advantage: that side of a question which is taken up by an individual or party: (Shak.) accusation: (Shak.) matter, affair in general.—v.t. to produce: to make to exist: to bring about: (Spens.) to give excuses.—conj. (dial.) because.—adj. Caus′al, relating to a cause or causes.—n. Causal′ity, the working of a cause: (phren.) the faculty of tracing effects to their causes.—adv. Caus′ally, according to the order of causes.—ns. Causā′tion, the act of causing: the bringing about of an effect; the relation of cause and effect; Causā′tionism, the theory of causation; Causā′tionist, a believer in the foregoing.—adj. Caus′ative, expressing causation.—n. a form of verb or noun expressing such.—adv. Caus′atively.—adj. Cause′less, having no cause or occasion.—adv. Cause′lessly.—ns. Cause′lessness; Caus′er, one who causes an effect to be produced.—Cause célèbre, a convenient French term for a specially interesting and important legal trial, criminal or civil.—Final cause, the end or object for which a thing is done, esp. the design of the universe; First cause, the original cause or creator of all.—Hour of cause (Scot.), hour or time of trial.—Secondary causes, such as are derived from a primary or first cause.—Have or Show cause, to have to give reasons for a certain line of action; Make common cause (with), to unite for a common object; Show cause (Eng. law), to argue against the confirmation of a provisional order or judgment.—For Occasional causes, see Occasionalism. [Fr.,—L. causa.]

Causerie, kōz′ri, n. a talk or gossip: a paragraph of chat about literature or art; a short and informal essay on any subject in a newspaper or magazine—as in Sainte-Beuve's famous Causeries du Lundi. [Fr.]

Causeway, kawz′wā, Causey, kawz′e, n. a raised way through a marsh: a pathway raised and paved with stone: a paved street.—v.t. to pave.—p.adjs. Cause′wayed, Caus′eyed. [Causeway is formed from Causey and Way. Causey is in M. E. causee—O. Fr. caucie—Low L. calciata—L. calx, heel.]

Caustic, kaws′tik, adj. burning: (fig.) bitter, severe, cutting: (math.) noting an envelope of rays of light proceeding from a fixed point and reflected (catacaustic) or refracted (diacaustic) by a surface or a curve.—n. a substance that exerts a corroding or disintegrating action on the skin and flesh.—adv. Caus′tically.—n. Caustic′ity, quality of being caustic.—Caustic alkali (chem.), a name given to the hydrates of potassium and sodium, called caustic potash and caustic soda respectively; Caustic ammonia, ammonia as a gas, or in solution; Caustic lime, quicklime.—Common caustic, potash; Lunar caustic, nitrate of silver in sticks for surgical use. [L.,—Gr. kaustikos—kai-ein, kaus-ein, to burn.]

Cautel, kaw′tel, n. (Shak.) craft: insidious purpose: caution: wariness: a traditionary caution or written direction about the proper manner of administering the sacraments.—adj. Cau′telous (Shak.), cautious: insidious: artful. [Fr. cautèle—L. cautela—cavēre, cautum, to guard against.]

Cauterise, kaw′tėr-īz, v.t. to burn with a caustic or a hot iron: (fig.) to sear.—ns. Cau′ter, Cau′tery, a burning with caustics or a hot iron: a burning iron or caustic used for burning tissue; Cauterisā′tion, Cau′terism. [Fr. cautériser—Low L. cauterizāre—Gr. kautēr, a hot iron—kai-ein, to burn.]

Caution, kaw′shun, n. heedfulness: security: warning: a surety: (Scot.) bail.—v.t. to warn to take care.—adj. Cau′tionary, containing caution: given as a pledge.—ns. Cau′tioner, one who cautions or advises: (Scots law) a surety; Cau′tionry, the act of giving security for another.—adj. Cau′tious, possessing or using caution: watchful: prudent.—adv. Cau′tiously.—n. Cau′tiousness.—Caution money, money paid in advance as security for good behaviour. [Fr.,—L. caution-em—cavēre, to beware.]

Cavalcade, kav-al-kād′, n. a train or procession of persons on horseback.—v.i. to go in a cavalcade. [Fr., through It. and Low L. forms from L. caballus, a horse.]

Cavalier, kav-al-ēr′, n. a knight: a Royalist in the great Civil War: a swaggering fellow: a gallant or gentleman in attendance upon a lady, as her escort or partner in a dance or the like: in military fortification, a raised work so situated as to command the neighbouring country.—adj. like a cavalier: gay: war-like: haughty, supercilious, free-and-easy.—v.i. to act as cavalier.—adj. Cavalier′ish.—n. Cavalier′ism.—adv. Cavalier′ly.—n. Cavalier′o, a cavalier.—Cavaliere-servente (It.), one who waits upon a lady, esp. a married lady, with fantastic devotion—a cicisbeo. [Fr.,—It. cavallo. See Cavalcade.]

Cavalry, kav′al-ri, n. horse-soldiers: a troop of horse or horsemen. [Fr. cavallerie—It. cavalleria—L. caballarius, horseman.]

Cavass. See Kavass.

Cavatina, kav-at-ē′na, n. a short form of operatic air, of a smooth and melodious character, differing from the ordinary aria in consisting only of one part, and frequently appearing as part of a grand scena. [It.]

Cave, kāv, n. a hollow place in the earth: a den: any small faction of seceders from a political party.—v.t. to hollow out.—v.i. to lodge in a cave.—n. Cave′-bear (Ursus spelæus), a fossil bear of the Quaternary epoch.—n.pl. Cave′-dwell′ers, prehistoric men who lived in caves.—n. Cav′ing, yielding.—To cave in, of land, to slip, to fall into a hollow: to yield to outside pressure, to give way, collapse. [Fr.,—L. cavus, hollow.]

Caveat, kā′ve-at, n. a notice or warning: a formal warning, entered in the books of a court or public office, that no step shall be taken in a particular matter without notice to the person lodging the caveat, so that he may appear and object. [L., 'let him take care'—cavēre, to take care.]

Cavendish, kav′en-dish, n. tobacco moistened and pressed into quadrangular cakes. [Possibly from the name of the original manufacturer.]

Cavern, kav′ėrn, n. a deep hollow place in the earth.—v.t. to put in a cavern: to hollow out, in the form of a cavern.—adjs. Cav′erned, full of caverns: dwelling in a cavern; Cav′ernous, hollow: full of caverns.—adv. Cav′ernously.—adj. Caver′nūlous, full of little cavities. [Fr.,—L. caverna—cavus, hollow.]

Cavesson, kav′es-on, n. a nose-band for a horse. [Fr.,—It.—L. capitia, capitium, a head-covering.]

Cavetto, ka-vet′to, n. a hollowed moulding whose curvature is the quarter of a circle, used chiefly in cornices. [It.; dim. of cavo—L. cavus, hollow.]

Caviare, Caviar, kav-i-är′, or kav-i-ār′ (originally four syllables), n. an article of food made from the salted roes of the sturgeon, &c.: (fig.) something whose flavour is too fine for the vulgar taste. [Prob. the 16th-cent. It. caviale; the Turk, khāvyār is prob. borrowed.]

Cavicorn, kav′i-korn, adj. hollow-horned, as a ruminant.—n. one of the Cavicor′nia, a family contrasted with the solid-horned ruminants, or deer (Cervidæ). [L. cavus, hollow, cornu, a horn.]

Cavie, kāv′i, n. a hen-coop or cage. [Dut. kevie; Ger. käfig.]

Cavil, kav′il, v.t. to make empty, trifling objections: to use false arguments:—pr.p. cav′illing; pa.p. cav′illed.—n. a frivolous objection.—ns. Cavillā′tion, Cav′illing; Cav′iller. [O. Fr. caviller—L. cavillāri, to practise jesting—cavilla, jesting.]

Cavity, kav′it-i, n. a hollow place: hollowness: an opening.—adj. Cav′itied. [L. cavitas, -tatem—cavus, hollow.]

Cavo-rilievo, kä′vō-rē-lyā′vō, n. a kind of relief in which the highest surface is level with the plane of the original stone, which is left round the outlines of the design.—Also Intaglio-rilievo and Cœlanaglyphic sculpture. [It. cavo, hollow, rilievo, relief. See Cave and Relief.]

Cavort, kav-ort′, v.i. (U.S. slang) to curvet, bound. [Explained as a corr. of Curvet.]

Cavy, kāv′i, n. a genus of Rodents, best known by the domesticated species, the common guinea-pig. [Cabiai, the native name in French Guiana.]

Caw, kaw, v.i. to cry as a crow.—n. the cry of a crow—also Kaw.—n. Caw′ing. [From the sound.]

Cawk, kawk, n. a miner's familiar name for heavy spar. [Prov. Eng. cauk, Chalk.]

Cawker. Same as Calker.

Caxon, kak′son, n. a kind of wig formerly worn. [Origin obscure.]

Caxton, kaks′ton, n. a book printed by William Caxton (1422-91), the first English printer: a kind of printing-type in imitation of Caxton's.

Cay, kā, n. a low islet, the same as Key. [Sp. cayo.]

Cayenne, kā-en′, Cayenne-pepper, kā-en′-pep′ėr, n. a very pungent red pepper, made from several species of capsicum.—adj. Cayenned′, seasoned with cayenne. [Usually referred to Cayenne in French Guiana; but there is little doubt the word is Brazilian.]

Cayman, kā′man, n. a local name loosely applied to various species of alligator—to that of the Mississippi, and more frequently to others found in tropical or subtropical America. [Sp. caiman, most prob. Carib.]

Cazique, a form of Cacique.

Cease, sēs, v.i. to give over: to stop: to be at an end (with from).—v.t. to put an end to.—n. (Shak.) extinction.—adj. Cease′less, without ceasing: incessant.—adv. Cease′lessly.—n. Ceas′ing.—Without cease, continually. [Fr. cesser—L. cessāre, to give over—cedĕre, to yield, give up.]

Cebadilla. See Cevadilla.

Cebus, sē′bus, n. a genus of South American monkeys—Cebidæ (seb′i-dē) is sometimes applied to all the broad-nosed New-World monkeys (Platyrrhini) with prehensile tails, in contrast to the Pithecidæ. [Gr. kēbos.]

Cecidomyia, ses-i-dom-ī′ya, n. a genus of dipterous (two-winged) insects in the Tipularia (gnat and mosquito) division. [Gr. kēkis, -idos, juice.]

Cecils, sē′silz, n.pl. minced meat, bread crumbs, onions, &c., made up into balls and fried.

Cecity, sē′si-ti, n. blindness. [L. cæcitas—cæcus, blind.]

Cedar, sē′dar, n. a large evergreen tree remarkable for the durability and fragrance of its wood; applied also to many more or less similar trees, as the Barbadoes cedar, properly a juniper, and the Bastard Barbadoes cedar, properly a Cedrela (used for canoes, cigar-boxes, blacklead pencils).—adj. made of cedar.—adjs. Cē′dared, covered with cedars; Cē′darn (Milton), pertaining to or made of cedar; Cē′drine, belonging to the cedar-tree; Cē′dry, obsolete form of Cē′dary, having the colour or properties of cedar. [L.—Gr. kedros.]

Cede, sēd, v.t. to yield or give up to another.—v.i. to give way. [L. cedĕre, cessum, to yield, give up.]

Cedilla, se-dil′la, n. a mark placed under the letter c (thus ç), esp. in French, to show that it is to have its soft sound of s, where one would expect the hard, as before a, o, u. [Sp. (Fr. cédille, It. zediglia), all from zēta, the Greek name of z.]

Cedrate, sē′drāt, n. the citron. [Fr.,—L. citrus.]

Cedrela, sed′rē-la, n. a tropical genus of Meliaceæ, allied to mahogany, whose wood is popularly called cedar.—adj. Cedrelā′ceous. [Gr. kedrelatē—kedros, cedar, elatē, the silver fir.]

Cedula, sed′ū-lä, n. a South American promissory-note or mortgage-bond on lands. [Sp. Cf. Schedule.]

Cee-spring, C-spring, sē′-spring, n. a spring supporting the frame of a carriage, in the shape of a C.

Ceil, Ciel, sēl, v.t. to overlay the inner roof of a room, generally to plaster it: to wainscot.—n. Ceil′ing, the inner roof of a room. [Prob. conn. with Fr. ciel, It. cielo, Low L. cælum, a canopy.]

Celadon, sel′a-don, n. a pale-green colour. [Fr.]

Celandine, sel′an-dīn, n. swallow-wort, the popular name (and corruption) of Chelidonium majus, a perennial papaveraceous (poppy) herb, so named because it was supposed to flower when the swallows appeared, and to perish when they departed. [O. Fr. celidoine—Gr. chelidonion—chelidōn, a swallow.]

Celebrate, sel′e-brāt, v.t. to make famous: to distinguish by solemn ceremonies, as a festival or an event: to perform with proper rites and ceremonies, as mass, the eucharist, marriage, &c.: to publish the praises of.—n. Cel′ebrant, one who celebrates: the principal officiant at the holy communion.—adj. Cel′ebrated, distinguished: famous.—ns. Celebrā′tion, act of celebrating any solemn ceremony, as the eucharist (high, if with music, &c.; low, if without): an extolling; Celebrāt′or, one who celebrates; Celeb′rity, the condition of being celebrated: fame: notoriety: a person of distinction or fame. [L. celebrāre, -ātum—celeber, frequented.]

Celerity, sel-er′it-i, n. quickness: rapidity of motion. [Fr.,—L. celeritas—celer, quick.]

Celery, sel′er-i, n. a kitchen vegetable cultivated for its long blanched succulent stalks. [Fr. céleri—L. and Gr. selīnon, parsley.]

Celestial, sel-est′yal, adj. heavenly: dwelling in heaven: in the visible heavens.—n. an inhabitant of heaven.—adv. Celest′ially.—The Celestial Empire, a name for China. [Through Fr. from L. cœlestis—cœlum, heaven.]

Celestine, sel′es-tīn, or sel-es′tin, n. one of an order of monks following the rule of St Benedict, wearing a white garment with black hood and scapulary, founded about 1254 by Peter da Murrone, who became Pope Celestine V. in 1294, and resigned after five years—'the great refusal' of Dante.

Celestine, sel′es-tin, n. a mineral, native sulphate of strontia.—Also Cel′estite. [From its sky-blue colour.]

Celiac, sē′li-ak, adj. Same as Cœliac.

Celibacy, sel′i-bas-i, or se-lib′as-i, n. a single life: an unmarried state.—adjs. Celibatā′rian, favouring celibacy; Cel′ibate, living single.—n. one unmarried, or not allowed to marry. [L. cœlebs, single.]

Cell, sel, n. a small room in a prison, monastery, &c.: a cave: a small shut cavity: the grave: a unit-mass of living matter, whether rounded off by itself, as in the simplest plants or animals, and in the youngest stage of all organisms, or associated with other cells to form a higher unity.—adjs. Celled, having cells, cellular; Cellif′erous, having or producing cells; Cell′ular, Cell′ulated, consisting of or containing cells.—n. Cell′ule, a little cell.—adj. Cellulif′erous, having or producing little cells.—n. Cell′uloid, a hard elastic compound used for ivory, obtained by hydraulic pressure from pyroxylin, mixed with camphor, &c.—adj. Cell′ulose, containing cells.—n. the substance of which the permanent cell-membranes of plants are composed. [O. Fr. celle—L. cella, conn. with celāre, to cover.]

Cella, sel′a, n. the body of the temple, as distinguished from the portico, &c.

Cellar, sel′ar, n. any underground room or vault: a cell underground, where stores are kept, esp. wine, &c.—v.t. to store in a cellar.—ns. Cell′arage, space for cellars: cellars: charge for storing in cellars; Cell′arer, Cell′arist, one who has charge of the cellar: an officer in a monastery who has the charge of procuring and keeping the provisions; Cell′aret, an ornamental case for holding bottles; Cell′arman, one who has the care of a cellar.—adj. Cell′arous (Dickens), belonging to a cellar: excavated: sunken. [O. Fr. celier—L. cellarium—cella.]

Cello, chel′o, for Violoncello; sometimes written 'Cello.—Cellist, 'Cellist, for Violoncellist.

Cellulares, sel-ū-lā′rez, n.pl. a name sometimes applied to the Cryptogamia—properly only to the mosses and lower cryptogams.

Celt, selt, n. a cutting instrument of stone or bronze found in ancient barrows. [Founded on Celte, perh. a misreading for certe ('surely'), in the Vulgate, Job, xix. 24, there being apparently no such Latin word as celtes, a chisel.]

Celt, selt, n. one of the Celts, an Aryan race, now represented by the Bretons, the Welsh, the Irish, and the Scottish Highlanders—also Kelt.—adj. Celt′ic.—ns. Celt′icism, a Celtic idiom or custom; Celtomā′nia. [L. Celtæ; Gr. Keltoi or Keltai.]

Cement, se-ment′, n. anything that makes two bodies stick together: mortar: a bond of union.—v.t. to unite with cement: to join firmly.—n. Cementā′tion, the act of cementing: the process by which iron is turned into steel, glass into porcelain, &c.—done by surrounding them with a cement or powder and exposing them to heat.—adjs. Cement′atory, Cementi′tious, having the quality of cementing or uniting firmly. [O. Fr. ciment—L. cæmentum, chip of stone used to fill up in building a wall, cædimentum—cædĕre, to cut.]

Cemetery, sem′e-tėr-i, n. a burying-ground. [Low L. cæmeterium—Gr. koimētērion.]

Cenacle, sen′a-kl, n. a supper-room, esp. that in which the Last Supper was eaten by Jesus and His disciples. [Fr. cénacle—L. cenaculum.]

Cenobite. Same as Cœnobite.

Cenotaph, sen′ō-taf, n. a sepulchral monument to one who is buried elsewhere. [Fr.,—L.—Gr. kenotaphion—kenos, empty, and taphos, a tomb.]

Cenozoic, sē-no-zō′ik, adj. Same as Cainozoic.

Cense, sens, v.t. to burn incense before: (obs.) to think.—n. (obs.) a public rate or tax: rank, condition. [See Census.]

Censer, sens′ėr, n. a pan in which incense is burned. [O. Fr. censier, encensier (mod. encensoir)—Low L. incensorium—L. incendĕre, incensum, to burn.]

Censor, sen′sor, n. in ancient Rome, an officer who kept account of the property of the citizens, imposed taxes, and watched over their morals: an officer who examines books or newspapers before they are printed: one who censures or blames.—adjs. Censō′rial, belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals; Censō′rious, expressing censure: fault-finding—also Censō′rian.—adv. Censō′riously.—ns. Censō′riousness; Cen′sorship, office of censor: time during which he holds office.—Censorship of the press, a regulation of certain governments, by which books and newspapers must be examined by officers, whose approval is necessary to their publication. [L.,—censēre, to weigh, to estimate.]

Censure, sen′shūr, n. an unfavourable judgment: blame: reproof: (obs.) criticism, judgment generally.—v.t. to blame: to condemn as wrong.—adj. Cen′surable, deserving of censure: blamable.—n. Cen′surableness.—adv. Cen′surably. [L. censūra, an opinion, a severe judgment—censēre, to estimate or judge.]

Census, sen′sus, n. an official enumeration of the inhabitants of a country, and of statistics relating to them.—adj. Cen′sual, relating to or containing a census. [L. census, a register.]

Cent, sent, n. a hundred: an American coin—the hundredth part of a dollar.—ns. Cent′age, rate by the hundred; Cent′al, a weight of 100 lb. proposed for general adoption, legalised in 1878.—Per cent., by the hundred. [L. centum, a hundred.]

Centaur, sen′tawr, n. a fabulous monster, half-man, half-horse.—adj. Centau′rian. [L.,—Gr. kentauros; ety. dub.]

Centaury, sen′taw-ri, n. an annual with pink or rose-coloured flowers, possessing the tonic and other medicinal virtues of gentian, esteemed in medicine since the days of Galen.

Centenary, sen′tin-ar-i (also sometimes sen-tēn′ar-i and even sen-ten′ar-i), n. a hundred: a century or hundred years.—adj. pertaining to a hundred.—ns. Centenā′rian, one a hundred years old; Centenā′rianism; Centenier (sen′ten-ēr), a centurion: a police-officer in Jersey. [L.,—centeni, a hundred each—centum.]

Centennial, sen-ten′i-al, adj. happening once in a hundred years.—n. a hundredth anniversary. [Coined from L. centum, and annus, a year.]

Center. See Centre.

Centering, sen′tėr-ing, n. (archit.) the framework upon which an arch or vault of stone, brick, or iron is supported during its construction.

Centesimal, sen-tes′i-mal, adj. hundredth.—adv. Centes′imally. [L. centesimus—centum.]

Centifolious, sen-ti-fō′li-us, adj. hundred-leaved.

Centigrade, sen′ti-grād, adj. having a hundred degrees: divided into a hundred degrees, as the centigrade thermometer constructed by Celsius (1701-44), in which freezing-point is zero and boiling-point is 100° (for its relation to the Fahrenheit scale, see Thermometer). [L. centum, and gradus, a step, a degree.]

Centigramme, sen′ti-gram, n. in the Metric System, the hundredth part of a gramme, or .1543248 of a gr. troy. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, and Gramme.]

Centilitre, sen′ti-lē-tr, n. the hundredth part of a litre, a little more than 6⁄10ths of a cubic inch. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, and Litre.]

Centime, sen-tēm′, n. the hundredth part of anything, esp. a French coin, the hundredth part of a franc. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred.]

Centimetre, sen′ti-mē-tr, n. a lineal measure, the hundredth part of a metre—0.3937 inches. [Fr.,—L. centum, a hundred, metrum, Gr. metron, a measure.]

Centinel. Same as Sentinel.

Centipede, sen′ti-pēd, n. a general name for the members of one of the orders of the class Myriapoda, being segmented animals bearing jointed appendages, having a well-defined head furnished with feelers and jaws, and breathing by means of air-tubes or tracheæ. [L. centum, and pes, pedis, a foot.]

Centner, sent′ner, n. a common name on the Continent for a hundredweight.

Cento, sen′to, n. a name applied to literary trivialities in the form of poems manufactured by putting together distinct verses or passages of one author, or of several authors, so as to make a new meaning: a composition formed by joining scraps from other authors: expressing contempt, a mere string of commonplace phrases and quotations:—pl. usually Cen′tos.—ns. Cen′toist; Cen′tonism, Cen′toism. [L. cento, Gr. kentrōn, patchwork.]

Centre, Center, sen′tėr, n. the middle point of anything, esp. a circle or sphere: the middle: the point toward which all things move or are drawn: the chief leader of an organisation—head-centre: the men of moderate political opinions in the French Chamber, sitting right in front of the president, with extreme men on the right and on the left—further subdivisions are Right-centre and Left-centre: the Ultramontane party in Germany.—v.t. to place on or collect to a centre.—v.i. to be placed in the middle:—pr.p. cen′tring, cen′tering; pa.p. cen′tred, cen′tered.—adj. Cen′tral, belonging to the centre, principal, dominant: belonging to a nerve-centre, of affections caused by injury to the brain or spinal cord.—ns. Centralisā′tion, Cen′tralism, the tendency to administer by the sovereign or central government matters which would be otherwise under local management.—v.t. Cen′tralise, to draw to a centre.—n. Central′ity, central position.—advs. Cen′trally, Cen′trically.—ns. Cen′tre-bit, a joiner's tool, turning on a centre, for boring circular holes—one of the chief tools of the burglar; Cen′tre-board, a shifting keel, fitted to drop below and in line with the keel proper in order to increase or diminish the draught of a boat—much used in United States racing yachts; Cen′tre-piece, an ornament for the middle of a table, ceiling, &c.—adjs. Cen′tric, Cen′trical, relating to, placed in, or containing the centre.—ns. Cen′tricalness, Centric′ity; Cen′trum, the body of a vertebra.—Central fire, said of a cartridge in which the fulminate is placed in the centre of the base, as opposed to rim fire; Central forces, forces whose action is to cause a moving body to tend towards a fixed point called the centre of force.—Centre of attraction, the point to which bodies tend by the force of gravity; Centre of buoyancy, or displacement, the point in an immersed body at which the resultant vertical pressure may be supposed to act; Centre of gravity, a certain point, invariably situated with regard to the body, through which the resultant of the attracting forces between the earth and its several molecules always passes; Centre of inertia, or mass, the centre of a set of parallel forces acting on all the particles of a body, each force being proportional to the mass of the particle on which it acts; Centre of oscillation, the point in a body occupied by that particle which is accelerated and retarded to an equal amount, and which therefore moves as if it were a single pendulum unconnected with the rest of the body; Centre of percussion, the point in which the direction of a blow, given to a body, intersects the plane in which the fixed axis and the centre of inertia lie, making the body begin to rotate about a fixed axis, without causing any pressure on the axis; Centre of pressure, the point at which the direction of a single force, which is equivalent to the fluid pressure on the plane surface, meets the surface. [Fr.,—L. centrum—Gr. kentron, a sharp point.]

Centrifugal, sen-trif′ū-gal, adj. relating to the force directed towards the centre of curvature constantly required to keep a body moving in a curve instead of in its natural straight line: (bot.) applied to an inflorescence when the development proceeds from the apex towards the base of the axis or leaf, as opposed to centripetal, when it is from the base upwards towards the apex.—n. Cen′trifuge, a centrifugal machine. [L. centrum, and fug-ĕre, to flee from.]

Centripetal, sen-trip′et-al, adj. of a force impelling a body towards some point as a centre. [L. centrum, and pet-ĕre, to seek.]

Centrobaric, sen-tro-bar′ik, adj. relating to the centre of gravity. [L. centrum, and Gr. baros, weight.]

Centrode, sen′trōd, n. a locus traced out by the successive positions of an instantaneous centre of pure rotation.

Centumvir, sen-tum′vir, n. one of the Roman judges chosen annually for civil suits, originally 105 in number (three from each of the thirty-five tribes):—pl. Centum′virī.—n. Centum′virate. [L. centum, a hundred, and vir, a man.]

Centuple, sen′tū-pl, adj. hundredfold.—v.t. Centū′plicate, to multiply a hundred times.—n. Centuplicā′tion. [L. centuplex—centum, and plicāre, to fold.]

Century, sen′tū-ri, n. a hundred, or something consisting of a hundred in number, as sonnets, &c.: a hundred years.—adj. Centū′rial.—ns. Centū′riātor, the centuriators of Magdeburg were a group of Reformed divines who in the 16th century compiled a church history in 13 vols., each volume covering a century; Centū′rion, among the Romans, the commander of a hundred men.—Century plant (see Agave). [L. centuria—centum.]

Ceorl, churl, n. before the Norman Conquest an ordinary freeman not of noble birth. [A.S.]

Cephalaspis, sef-a-las′pis, n. a genus of fossil Ganoid fishes found in the Upper Silurian and Devonian measures. [Gr. kephalē, the head, aspis, a shield.]

Cephalic, se-fal′ik, adj. belonging to the head—also Cephalis′tic.—ns. Cephalag′ra, gout in the head; Cephalal′gia, Ceph′algy, headache.—adjs. Cephalal′gic; Ceph′alate, having a head, as a mollusc.—n. Cephalī′tis, inflammation of the brain.—adjs. Ceph′aloid, in the form of the head: spherical.—ns. Ceph′alo-thō′rax, the anterior division of the body in arthropods; Cephalot′omy, the dissection of the head.—adj. Ceph′alous, having a head. [Gr. kephalikos—kephalē, the head.]

Cephalopoda, sef-al-op′od-a, n.pl. the highest class of molluscs, usually large animals, exclusively marine, with well-developed head region, but having the ventral surface grown round the mouth and split up into arms bearing suckers—more commonly cuttlefish.—adj. Ceph′alopod. [Gr. kephalē, the head, pous, podos, the foot.]

Cephaloptera, sef-a-lop′tėr-a, n. a name formerly used for a genus of rays. [Gr. kephalē, the head, ptera, wings.]

Ceramic, se-ram′ik, adj. pertaining to pottery. [Gr. keramos, potter's earth.]

Cerasine, ser′a-sin, n. the insoluble portion of the gum which exudes from the cherry, &c. [L. cerasus, Gr. kerasos, the cherry-tree.]

Cerastes, se-ras′tēz, n. a genus of poisonous snakes having a horny process over each eye. [L.; Gr. kerastēs—keras, a horn.]

Cerate, sē′rāt, n. a compound of wax with other oily or medicinal substances in such proportions as to form a stiff ointment.—adj. Cē′rated.—n. Cero′mancy, divination from figures produced by melted wax when dropped into water. [L. cerāre, cerātum, to cover with wax, cera, wax.]

Ceratitis, ser-a-tī′tis, n. inflammation of the cornea.—Also Keratī′tis.

Ceratode, ser′a-tōd, n. the horny skeletal substance of sponges—also Cer′atose.—adjs. Cerat′odous, Cer′atose.

Ceratoid, ser′a-toid, adj. horny.

Ceraunic, se-raw′nik, adj. pertaining to, or produced by, thunder.—ns. Cerau′nite, a belemnite; Cerau′noscope, an apparatus for imitating thunder and lightning in ancient mysteries. [Gr. keraunos, a thunderbolt.]

Cerberus, ser′bėr-us, n. (myth.) the monster that guarded the entrance to Hades, a dog with three, according to some a hundred, heads.—adj. Cerbē′rian. [L.—Gr. Kerberos.]

Cercaria, ser-kā′ri-a, n. the technical name applied to an embryonic form of many flukes.—adj. Cercā′rian. [Gr. kerkos, a tail.]

Cere, sēr, v.t. to cover with wax.—n. the bare waxlike patch at the base of the upper part of the beak in birds.—adj. Cerā′ceous, of or like wax.—ns. Cerā′go, a wax-like substance (bee-bread) used by bees as food; Cere′cloth, Cere′ment, a cloth dipped in melted wax in which to wrap a dead body: a winding-sheet or grave-clothes generally.—adjs. Cē′reous, waxy; Cē′ric.—ns. Cē′rin, Cē′rine, the portion of wax which dissolves in boiling alcohol: a waxy substance obtained by boiling grated cork in alcohol; Cē′rograph, a writing on wax: an encaustic painting.—adjs. Cerograph′ic, -al.—ns. Cerog′raphist; Cerog′raphy, the art of writing or engraving on wax.—adj. Ceroplas′tic, modelled or moulded in wax.—n. the art of modelling in wax.—n. Cer′osine, a wax-like substance produced on the surface of certain species of sugar-cane. [L. cera, cog. with Gr. kēros, wax; Gr. graphein, to write, plassein, to mould.]

Cereal. See Ceres.

Cerebrum, ser′e-brum, n. the front and larger part of the brain.—adjs. Cerebell′ar, Cerebell′ous.—n. Cerebell′um, the hinder and lower part of the brain.—adj. Cer′ebral, pertaining to the cerebrum.—ns. Cer′ebralism, the theory that all mental operations originate in the cerebrum; Cer′ebralist.—v.i. Cer′ebrate, to show brain action.—n. Cerebrā′tion, action of the brain, conscious or unconscious, marked by molecular changes in the cerebrum.—adjs. Cer′ebric, cerebral; Cereb′riform, brain-shaped.—ns. Cer′ebrin, a name given to several nitrogenous non-phosphorised substances obtained from the brain; Cerebrī′tis, inflammation of the cerebrum.—adj. Cer′ebro-spīn′al, relating to the brain and spinal cord together.—Cerebral hemispheres, the two great divisions of the cerebrum. [L. cerebrum, the brain; prob. cog. with Gr. kara, the head, kranion, the cranium.]

Ceremony, ser′e-mo-ni, n. a sacred rite: the outward form, religious or otherwise: any empty form without inwardness: pomp or state; a portent or omen.—adj. Ceremō′nial, relating to ceremony.—n. outward form: a system of ceremonies.—n. Ceremō′nialism, adherence to outward form.—adv. Ceremō′nially.—adj. Ceremō′nious, full of ceremony: particular in observing forms: precise.—adv. Ceremō′niously.—n. Ceremōniousness.—Master of ceremonies, the person who directs the form and order of the ceremonies to be observed on some public occasion. [Fr.—L. cærimonia, sanctity.]

Ceres, sē′rēz, n. the Roman name for the Greek Demētēr, goddess of tillage and corn.—adj. Cē′real, relating to corn or edible grain.—n.pl. Cē′reals, the grains used as food, such as wheat, barley, &c. [L. prob. from root of creāre, to create.]

Cereus, sē′ri-us, n. a large genus of cactuses, including some of the most imposing forms. [L., 'waxen.']

Cerge, sėrj, n. a large wax-candle burned before the altar.—Also Cierge, Serge. [O. Fr.,—L. cereus—cera, wax.]

Cerinthian, ser-in′thi-an, adj. pertaining to Cerinthus, one of the earliest heretics in the Christian Church, against whose crude Gnosticism the Gospel of John was written, according to Irenæus.

Ceriph. Same as Serif.

Cerise, ser-ēz′, n. and adj. a light and clear red colour. [Fr., 'cherry.']

Cerium, sē′ri-um, n. a rare metal found in the mineral Cē′rite, which is its hydrated silicate. [Named from the plant Ceres.]

Cern, sėrn (Shak.). Concern.

Ceromancy. See Cerate.

Ceroon. See Seroon.

Ceroplastic. See Cere.

Certain, sėr′tān, or sėr′tin, adj. sure: not to be doubted: resolved: fixed: regular: inevitable: some: one.—advs. Cer′tainly, (Scot.) Cer′ty, Cer′tie.—ns. Cer′titude, Cer′tainty.—'A certain person,' implying some degree of contempt; A lady of a certain age, of an age best not stated accurately—at least no longer young.—For certain, assuredly.—Moral certainty, a conviction so justifiable that one is morally entitled to act on it. [O. Fr.,—L. certus—cern-ĕre, to decide.]

Certes, sėr′tēz, adv. certainly: in sooth. [Fr.]

Certificate, sėr-tif′i-kāt, n. a written declaration of some fact: a testimonial of character or definite statement of qualifications.—v.t. to give a certificate.—ns. Certificā′tion; Certif′icatory, a certificate—also adj.—n. Cer′tifier, one who certifies.—v.t. Cer′tify, to make known as certain: to inform: to declare in writing:—pr.p. cer′tifying; pa.p. cer′tified. [Fr. certificat—L. certificāre, certus, and facĕre, to make.]

Certiorari, sėr-shi-o-rā′ri, n. the writ by which, since the abolition of imprisonment for debt and the consequent disuse of the better-known writ, habeas corpus, causes are removed from inferior courts of record into the High Court of Justice. [Low L., 'be informed of'—certior, comp. of certus, certain.]

Cerulean, se-rū′le-an, adj. sky-blue: dark-blue; sea-green.—adj. Cerū′leous. [L. cæruleus.]

Cerulein, sėr-ū′lē-in, n. a coal-tar colour chiefly used in dyeing cotton fabrics, producing fast olive-green shades.

Cerumen, se-rū′men, n. the yellow waxy matter secreted in the ear.—adj. Cerū′minous. [L. cera, wax.]

Ceruse, sē′rōōs, or ser-ūs′, n. white-lead, the native carbonate of lead.—n. Cē′rusite. [Fr.,—L. cerussa, conn. with cera, wax.]

Cervical, sėr′vi-kal, adj. belonging to the neck. [Fr.,—L. cervix, cervicis, the neck.]

Cervine, sėr′vīn, adj. relating to deer. [L. cervinus, cervus, a stag.]

Cesarean. See Cæsarean.

Cesarevitch. See Czar.

Cespitose, ses′pi-tōs, adj. turfy: growing in tufts.—Also Ces′pitous. [L. cespes, cespitis, turf.]

Cess, ses, n. a tax, a local rate.—v.t. to impose a tax.—Out of all cesse (Shak.), excessively, immoderately. [Shortened from Assess.]

Cessation, ses-ā′shun, n. a ceasing or stopping: a rest: a pause. [Fr.,—L. cessation-em. See Cease.]

Cesse, ses, v.i. (Spens.). Same as Cease.

Cession, sesh′un, n. a yielding up.—n. Ces′sionary, one to whom an assignment has been legally made.—Cessio bonōrum (Scots law), before 1880 a debtor's surrender of his estate to his creditors in return for a judicial protection from imprisonment in respect of his debts. [Fr.—L. cession-em. See Cede.]

Cesspool, ses′pōōl, n. a pool or hollow in which filthy water collects. [Acc. to Skeat, from Celt. soss-pool, a pool into which foul messes flow. Cf. Scot. soss, a mixed dirty mess.]

Cestoid, ses′toid, n. one of a family of flat worms of internal parasitic habit, having a long strap-like body divided into numerous segments: a tapeworm.—Also Cestoid′ean. [L. cestus, Gr. kestos, a girdle, a strap, and eidos, form.]

Cestracion, ses-trā′si-on, n. a generic name for the hammer-headed sharks. [Formed from Gr. kestra, a weapon.]

Cestui, sest′wē, n. any person who—in such phrases as Cestui que trust, a person entitled to the benefit of a trust, a beneficiary in Scots law phraseology. [O. Fr.]

Cestus, ses′tus, n. the girdle of Venus, which had power to awaken love: an ancient boxing-glove loaded with lead or iron. [L.—Gr. kestos, a girdle.]

Cesura. See Cæsura.

Cesure, sē′zūr, n. a breaking off: (Spens.) a cæsura.

Cetacea, se-tā′shi-a, n.pl. an order of mammals of aquatic habit and fish-like form, including the Toothed whales, or Odontoceti, and the Baleen whales, or Mystacoceti. To the former belong the Sperm whales, the Bottlenose, the genus Platanista and its allies, and the great family of Dolphins; to the latter, the Right Whale (Balæna), the Humpbacks, and the Rorquals.—n. Cetā′cean.—adj. Cetā′ceous.—n. Cetol′ogy, that part of zoology which treats of whales. [L.,—Gr. kētos, any sea-monster.]

Ceteosaurus, set-e-o-saw′rus, n. a large dinosaurian reptile belonging to the Jurassic system. [Gr. kētos, whale, sauros, lizard.]

Cevadilla, sev-a-dil′a, n. the dark acrid seeds of a Mexican bulbous plant of the lily family, yielding veratrin, formerly used as an anthelmintic: the plant itself.—Also Cebadill′a. [Sp.,—L. cibāre, to feed, cibus, food.]

Ceylonese, sē-lon-ēz′, adj. of or belonging to Ceylon.—n. a native of Ceylon.

Chablis, shab′lē, n. a celebrated white Burgundy wine made at Chablis, near Auxerre, in France.

Chabouk, tschä′bōōk, n. a Persian horsewhip. [Pers.]

Chace. See Chase (1).

Chack, chak, n. a snack or slight hasty meal. [Imit.]

Chacma, chak′ma, n. a South African baboon.

Chaco. Same as Shako.

Chaconne, shak-on′, n. an old dance, with slow movement, the music, a series of variations on a ground bass, mostly eight bars in length, appearing in sonatas as well as ballets. [Fr.,—Sp. chacona—Basque chucun, pretty.]

Chad, shad, n. a kind of fish. [See Shad.]

Chætodon, kē′to-don, n. a typical genus of a family of bony fishes, known as Squamipennes. [Gr. chaitē, hair, odous, odont-, tooth.]

Chætopod, kē′to-pod, n. a class of worms including familiar types like the Earthworm, the Fisherman's Lobworm, and the Sea-mouse—often included under the title of Annelids or ringed worms. [Gr. chaitē, hair, and pous, pod-, foot.]

Chafe, chāf, v.t. to make hot by rubbing: to fret or wear by rubbing: to cause to fret or rage (with against, at).—v.i. to fret or rage.—n. heat caused by rubbing: rage: passion.—ns. Chaf′er (obs.), a chafing-dish, a saucepan; Chaf′ing-dish, a dish or vessel in which anything is made hot: a kind of portable grate; Chaf′ing-gear, mats, spun-yarn, battens, &c., put upon the rigging and spars of a ship to prevent their being chafed. [Fr. chauffer—L. calefacĕre—calēre, to be hot, and facĕre, to make.]

Chafer, chāf′ėr, n. a kind of beetle, the cockchafer. [A.S. cefer; cog. with Dut. kever, Ger. käfer.]

Chaff, chaf, n. a general name for the husks of corn or other grain as threshed or winnowed: refuse, or worthless matter: light banter, badinage.—v.t. to banter, or tease, by some raillery.—ns. Chaff′-cut′ter, Chaff′-en′gine, a machine for cutting straw or hay into chaff.—n. and p.adj. Chaff′ing.—adv. Chaff′ingly.—adjs. Chaff′less; Chaff′y. [A.S. ceaf; cf. Dut. kaf.]

Chaffer, chaf′ėr, v.t. to buy.—v.i. to bargain: to haggle about the price.—ns. Chaff′erer, a haggler about the price; Chaff′ery, buying and selling: (Spens.) haggling. [M. E. chapfare, a bargain, from A.S. ceap, price, faru, way.]

Chaffinch, chaf′insh, n. a little song-bird of the finch family. [Said to delight in chaff. See Finch.]

Chaffron. See Chamfrain.

Chaft, chaft, n. (Scot. and Northern English) the jaw. [Ice. kjaptr; cf. Sw. käft, Dan. kieft.]

Chagan, kag-än′, n. an early form of Khan.

Chagrin, sha-grēn′, n. that which wears or gnaws the mind: vexation: annoyance.—v.t. to vex or annoy.—p.adj. Chagrined′. [Fr. chagrin, shagreen, rough skin, ill-humour.]

Chain, chān, n. a series of links or rings passing through one another: a number of things coming after each other: anything that binds: a connected course or train of events: in surveying, often called Gunter's chain, a measure of 100 links, 66 feet long (10 sq. chains make an acre): (pl.) fetters, bonds, confinement generally.—v.t. to fasten: to fetter: to restrain: (Shak.) to embrace.—ns. Chain′-arm′our, chain-mail; Chain′-bolt, a large bolt used to secure the chain-plates to the ship's side; Chain′-bridge, a bridge suspended on chains: a suspension-bridge; Chain′-cā′ble, a cable composed of iron links.—p.adj. Chained, bound or fastened, as with a chain: fitted with a chain.—n. Chain′-gang, a gang of convicts chained together.—adj. Chain′less, without chains: unfettered.—ns. Chain′let, a small chain; Chain′-mail, mail or armour made of iron links connected together, much used in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries; Chain′-mould′ing, moulding in the form of a chain; Chain′-pier, a pier supported by chains like a chain-bridge.—n.pl. Chain′-plates, on shipboard, iron plates bolted below the channels to serve as attachments for the dead-eyes, through which the standing rigging or shrouds and back-stays are rove and secured.—ns. Chain′-pump, a pump consisting of buckets or plates fastened to an endless iron chain, and used for raising water; Chain′-rule, an arithmetical rule, so called from the terms of the problem being stated as equations, and connected, as if by a chain, so as to obtain by one operation the same result as would be obtained by a number of different operations in simple proportion: the rule for solving problems by compound proportion; Chain′-shot, two bullets or half-bullets fastened together by a chain, used formerly in naval engagements to destroy rigging, now replaced by case-shot and shrapnel-shell; Chain′-stitch, a peculiar kind of stitch resembling the links of a chain; Chain′-work, work consisting of threads, cords, &c., wrought with open spaces like the links of a chain: network. [Fr. chaine—L. catēna.]

Chair, chār, n. a movable seat for one, with a back to it: a covered vehicle for one person, as a sedan-chair: the seat or office of one in authority, as a judge, a bishop, or the person presiding over any meeting—hence 'to take the chair' = to assume the place of president; 'to address the chair' = to direct one's speech to the chairman; 'to support the chair' = to uphold the authority of the chairman—often, when endangered in a public meeting, asserted by cries of 'Chair!': the seat from which a professor delivers his lectures, the office or function of a professor—'socialists of the chair' = mere doctrinaire or theoretical advocates of socialism: cast-iron supports for rails under the permanent way in a railway, held by wooden wedges, and spiked on to transverse wooden sleepers.—v.t. to place in a seat of authority: to carry publicly in triumph.—n. Chair′-bed, a kind of chair capable of being turned into a bed.—n.pl. Chair′-days (Shak.), used figuratively to denote the evening of life.—ns. Chair′man, the man who takes the chair, or presides at an assembly or meeting: one who carries a sedan or Bath chair; Chair′manship; Chair′-or′gan, a corruption of choir-organ (q.v.); Chair′woman. [Fr. chaire—L.—Gr. kathedra.]

Chaise, shāz, n. a light open carriage for one or more persons: a travelling carriage (see Post-chaise).—adj. Chaise′less.—n. Chaise-longue, a couch. [Fr., a Parisian pronunciation of chaire. See Chair.]

Chal, chal, n. fellow: person:—fem. Chai. [Gipsy.]

Chalcedony, kal-sed′ō-ni, or kal′-, n. a beautiful mineral of the quartz family, consisting of quartz with some admixture of opal—it is generally translucent, has a somewhat waxy lustre, and is in colour generally white or bluish-white.—adj. Chalcedon′ic.—n. Chalced′onyx, an agate formed of a white opaque chalcedony alternating with a grayish translucent chalcedony. [Prob. from Chalcedon, in Asia Minor.]

Chalcography, kal-kog′ra-fi, n. the art of engraving on copper or brass.—ns. Chalcog′rapher, Chalcog′raphist. [Gr. chalkos, copper, graphein, to write.]

Chaldaic, kal-dā′ik, Chaldee, kal′dē, adj. relating to Chaldea.—n. the language of the Chaldeans.—n. Chal′dāism, a Chaldaic idiom.—adj. Chaldē′an, Chaldaic.—n. a native of Chaldea.

Chalder, chawl′dėr, n. an old Scotch dry measure, containing 16 bolls. [Prob. a form of Chaldron.]

Chaldron, chawl′drun, n. an old coal-measure, holding 36 heaped bushels (= 25½ cwt.). [Fr. chaudron. See Cauldron.]

Chalet, sha-lā′, n. a summer hut used by Swiss herdsmen among the Alps: a urinal. [Fr.]

Chalice, chal′is, n. a cup or bowl: a communion-cup.—adj. Chal′iced, cup-like. [Fr. calice—L. calix, calicis; Gr. kylix, a cup. Calyx is a different word, but from the same root.]

Chalk, chawk, n. the well-known white substance, a carbonate of lime.—v.t. to rub or manure with chalk.—v.i. to mark with chalk: in a tavern, to write the score with chalk.—ns. Chalk′iness; Chalk′-pit, a pit in which chalk is dug; Chalk′-stone, a stone or piece of chalk: (pl.) the white concretions formed round the joints in chronic gout.—adj. Chalk′y.—Chalk for cheese, a small price for a good article.—Chalking the door, in Scotland, a form of warning tenants to remove from burghal tenements.—Chalk out, to trace out, as with chalk, to plan.—By a long chalk, by a considerable distance, referring to the habit of scoring with chalk. [A.S. cealc, like Fr. chaux, is from L. calx, limestone.]

Challenge, chal′enj, v.t. to call on one to settle a matter by fighting or by any kind of contest: to claim as one's own: to accuse; to object to.—n. a summons to a contest of any kind, but esp. a duel: a calling of any one or anything in question: exception to a juror: the demand of a sentry.—adj. Chall′engeable, that may be challenged.—n. Chall′enger, one who challenges to a combat of any kind: a claimant: one who objects, calls in question. [O. Fr. chalenge, a dispute, a claim—L. calumnia, a false accusation—calvi, calvĕre, to deceive.]

Challis, shal′is, or shal′i, n. a fine fabric of silk and worsted used for ladies' dresses. [Fr.]

Chalumeau, shal-ū-mō′, n. a musical instrument: a shepherd's pipe. [Fr.,—O. Fr. chalemel—Low L. calamellus, dim. of calamus, a pipe, a reed.]

Chalybean, ka-lib′ē-an, adj. (Milton) forged by the Chalybes: well tempered.—adj. Chalyb′eāte, containing iron.—n. a water or other liquor containing iron. [Gr. chalyps, chalybos, steel, so called from the Chalybes, a nation in Pontus famous for steel.]

Chalybite, kal′i-bīt, n. native iron protocarbonate—siderite.

Cham, kam, n. an obsolete form of Khan.

Chamade, sham′ad, n. a signal inviting a parley. [Fr.]

Chamber, chām′bėr, n. an apartment: the place where an assembly meets: an assembly or body of men met for some purpose, as a chamber of commerce: a hall of justice: a compartment: a cavity: the back end of the bore of a gun.—v.t. to put in a chamber: to confine.—v.i. to be wanton.—ns. Cham′ber-coun′cil (Shak.), a private or secret council; Cham′ber-coun′sel, -coun′sellor, a counsel who gives his advice privately, but does not plead in court.—adj. Cham′bered.—ns. Cham′berer, a man of intrigue: (Shak.) a gallant; Cham′ber-fell′ow, one occupying the same chamber.—n.pl. Cham′ber-hang′ings (Shak.), the hangings or tapestry of a chamber.—ns. Cham′bering (B.), lewd behaviour; Cham′ber-lye (Shak.), urine; Cham′ber-maid, a female servant who has the care of bedrooms; Cham′ber-pot, a necessary bedroom vessel—often merely Cham′ber; Cham′ber-prac′tice, the business of a chamber-counsellor (q.v.). [Fr. chambre—L. camera—Gr. kamara, a vault, a room.]

Chamberlain, chām′bėr-lān, or -lin, n. an officer appointed by a king or nobleman, or by a corporation, to perform domestic and ceremonial duties.—n. Cham′berlainship.—Lord Chamberlain, an officer of high standing in the royal household, having control over all the officers and servants 'above stairs,' except those of the bedchamber, over the establishment attached to the Chapel Royal, the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries of the household; Lord Great Chamberlain, a hereditary officer who has the government of the palace of Westminster, and upon solemn occasions the keys of Westminster Hall and of the Court of Requests are delivered to him. [O. Fr. chambrelenc; Old Ger. chamerling—L. camera, a chamber, and affix -ling or -lenc = Eng. -ling in hireling.]

Chambertin, shang′bert-ang, n. a famous red Burgundy from the vineyard of that name near Dijon, in France.

Chameleon, ka-mēl′yun, n. a small lizard famous for changing its colour: (fig.) an inconstant person.—adjs. Chamel′eonic, Chamel′eon-like. [L. chamæleon—Gr. chamaileōn—chamai (= L. humi), on the ground, dwarf, and leōn, a lion.]

Chamelot, kam′e-lot, n. (Spens.). Camlet.

Chamfer, cham′fėr, n. a bevel or slope made by paring off the edge of anything originally right-angled, either in wood or stone work: a groove, channel, or furrow.—v.t. to cut or grind off bevel-wise, as a corner: to channel or make furrows upon; to flute, as a column.—adj. Cham′fered, furrowed, grooved, wrinkled. [Fr. chanfrein—O. Fr. chanfraindre, which acc. to Dr Murray may be from chant fraindre—L. cantum frangĕre, to break the edge or side.]

Chamfrain, cham′fren, n. a piece of leather or plate of steel to protect the face of a horse in battle.—Also Cham′fron, Chaf′fron. [Fr. chanfrein; origin unknown.]

Chamlet, kam′let, n. Same as Camlet.

Chamois, sha′moi, sham′i, or sham′waw, n. a goat-like species or genus of antelope inhabiting the Alps and other high mountains of southern and central Europe: a soft kind of leather originally made from its skin. [Fr.,—Teut.; cf. mod. Ger. gemse, a chamois.]

Chamomile. See Camomile.

Champ, champ, v.i. to make a snapping noise with the jaws in chewing.—v.t. to bite or chew: to crush: to mash.—n. champing.—n. Champ′ing, the action of the verb champ: mashing. [Older form cham, most prob. from Scand.]

Champac, cham′pak, n. an Indian tree of great beauty, much venerated by Brahminists and Buddhists.—Also Cham′pak. [Hind.]

Champagne, sham-pān′, n. a light sparkling wine from Champagne in France. Still or non-effervescent champagne is also made.

Champaign, sham-pān′, adj. level, open.—n. an open, level country.—n. Champ (her.), the field of a shield.—The Champagne, level land. [A doublet of Campaign, from O. Fr. champaigne—L. campania, a plain.]

Champerty, sham′pėr-ti, n. an illegal bargain whereby the one party is to assist the other in recovering property, and is to share in the proceeds.—n. Cham′part, the division of the produce of land, the right of the feudal lord. [Norm. Fr.—L. campi pars, part of the field.]

Champignon, sham-pin′yon, n. a mushroom, esp. the Fairy-ring Agaric. [Fr.]

Champion, cham′pi-un, n. one who fights in single combat for himself or for another: one who defends a cause: a successful combatant: in boxing, running, &c., one who has excelled all others: a hero:—fem. Cham′pioness.—adj. acting as champion, first: first-class.—v.t. (obs.) to challenge: to defend: to support.—n. Cham′pionship. [Fr.,—Low L. campio, campion-em—L. campus, a plain, a place for games.]

Chance, chans, n. that which falls out or happens: an unexpected event: risk: opportunity: possibility of something happening: probability: (pl.) misfortunes.—v.t. to risk.—v.i. to happen.—adj. happening by chance.—adv. perchance.—n. Chance′-com′er, one who comes by chance or unexpectedly.—adjs. Chance′ful (Spens.), full of risk or danger, hazardous; Chanc′y (coll.), lucky, bringing good luck: also risky, uncertain.—By chance, accidentally; Even chance, the probability being equally for or against.—How chance? (Shak.) how does it happen that?—Stand a good chance, to have a reasonable expectation; Take one's chance, to accept what happens: to risk an undertaking; The main chance, the chief object (often used of matrimony): what is most important. [O. Fr. cheance—Low L. cadentia—L. cadĕre, to fall.]

Chancel, chan′sel, n. the eastern part of a church, originally separated from the nave by a screen of lattice-work, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound. [O. Fr.,—L. cancelli, lattices.]

Chancellor, chan′sel-or, n. (Shak.) secretary: the president of a court of chancery or other court: the official who keeps the registers of an order of knighthood: the titular head of a university: (Scot.) the foreman of a jury.—ns. Chan′cellorship; Chan′cellory.—Chancellor of a cathedral, an officer who formerly had charge of the chapter library, custody of the common seal, superintendence of the choir practices, and headship of the cathedral schools; Chancellor of a diocese, an ecclesiastical judge uniting the functions of vicar-general and official principal, appointed to assist the bishop in questions of ecclesiastical law, and hold his courts for him; Chancellor of the Exchequer, the chief minister of finance in the British government; Lord Chancellor, Lord High Chancellor, the presiding judge of the Court of Chancery, the keeper of the great seal, and the first lay person of the state after the blood-royal. [Fr. chancelier—Low L. cancellarius, orig. an officer that had charge of records, and stood near the cancelli (L.), the crossbars that surrounded the judgment-seat.]

Chance-medley, chans′-med-li, n. homicide justifiable because done in the hot blood caused by an unprovoked assault—the word has no reference to homicide by accident: inadvertency. [O. Fr. chance medlée, mingled chance. 'From the fact that medley is also a noun, and chance-medley a possible combination in the sense of "fortuitous medley," the meaning has often been mistaken' (Dr Murray).]

Chancery, chan′sėr-i, n. formerly the highest court of justice next to the House of Lords, presided over by the Lord High Chancellor—now a division of the High Court of Justice: a court of record generally: (slang) the position of a boxer's head when under his adversary's arm: (obs.) the office of a chancellor or ambassador.—Chancery office, in Scotland, an office in the General Register House at Edinburgh, managed by a director, in which all royal charters of novodamus, patents of dignities, gifts of offices, remissions, legitimations, presentations, commissions, and other writs appointed to pass the Great and Quarter Seals are recorded.—In Chancery, in litigation, as an estate: (slang) in an awkward predicament. [Fr. chancellerie.]

Chancre, shang′kėr, n. an ulcer arising from the direct application of syphilitic poison.—adjs. Chan′croid, Chan′crous. [Fr.; a form of Canker.]

Chandelier, shan-de-lēr′, n. a frame with branches for holding lights.—ns. Chand′ler, originally a candle maker and dealer: a dealer generally; Chand′lering.—adv. Chand′lerly.—ns. Chand′lery, goods sold by a chandler; Ship′-chand′ler, dealer in general stores for ships. [Fr.,—Low L. candelaria, a candlestick—L. candēla, a candle.]

Change, chānj, v.t. to alter or make different: to put or give for another: to make to pass from one state to another: to exchange.—v.i. to suffer change: to change one's clothes.—n. the act of changing: alteration or variation of any kind: (Shak.) exchange: (Shak.) fickleness: a shift: variety: small coin: also used as a short term for the Exchange.—ns. Changeabil′ity, Change′ableness, fickleness: power of being changed.—adj. Change′able, subject or prone to change: fickle: inconstant.—adv. Change′ably.—adj. Change′ful, full of change: changeable.—adv. Change′fully.—ns. Change′fulness; Change′-house (Scot.), a small inn or alehouse.—adj. Change′less, without change: constant.—ns. Change′ling, a child taken or left by the fairies in place of another—usually an under-sized, crabbed child: one apt to change; Chang′er, one who changes the form of anything: one employed in changing or discounting money; Chang′ing-piece (Shak.), a fickle person.—Change colour, to blush or turn pale; Change one's mind, to form a different opinion; Change one's self, to change one's clothes; Change one's tune, to change from joy to sorrow: to change one's manner of speaking.—Put the change on, to delude, trick.—Ring the changes, to go through the various changes in ringing a peal of bells: to go over in every possible order: to pass counterfeit money: to bemuddle a shopman into giving too much change. [Fr. changer—Late L. cambiāre—L. cambīre, to barter.]

Chank, changk, Chank-shell, changk′-shel, n. the popular name of the shell of several species of Turbinella, a genus of Gasteropod molluscs, natives of the East Indian seas, used as ornaments by Hindu women. [Hind. cantch.]

Channel, chan′el, n. the bed of a stream of water: the deeper part of a strait, bay, or harbour: a strait or narrow sea: a groove or furrow: means of passing or conveying: (Scot.) gravel.—v.t. to make a channel: to furrow: to convey.—p.adj. Chann′elled.—The Channel, the English Channel. [O. Fr. chanel, canel—L. canalis, a canal.]

Channel, chan′el, n. a flat piece of wood or iron projecting horizontally from a ship's side to spread the shrouds and keep them clear of the bulwarks—fore, main, and mizzen channels. [Corr. of Chain-wale. Cf. Gunnel.]

Chanson, shan′son, n. a song.—n. Chan′sonette. [Fr.]

Chant, chant, v.t. to sing: to celebrate in song: to recite in a singing manner: to sell horses fraudulently.—n. song: melody: a kind of sacred music, in which prose is sung.—ns. Chant′er, Chant′or, a singer: a precentor: in a bagpipe, the pipe with finger-holes, on which the melody is played: one who cries up horses; Chant′ress; Chant′ry, an endowment, or chapel, for the chanting of masses; Chant′y, a sailor's song, usually with a drawling refrain, sung in concert while raising the anchor, &c. [Fr. chanter—L. cantāre, canĕre, to sing.]

Chantage, shan-täj′, chant′āj, n. extortion of money by threats of scandalous revelations. [Fr.]

Chanterelle, shan-ter-el′, n. the highest string of the violin, &c.: a yellowish edible mushroom. [Fr.]

Chanticleer, chant′i-klēr, n. a cock. [From the name of the cock in the old beast-epic of Reynard the Fox.] [O. Fr. chanter, to sing, cler, clear.]

Chaos, kā′os, n. shapeless mass: disorder: the state of matter before it was reduced to order by the Creator.—adj. Chaot′ic, confused.—adv. Chaot′ically. [Gr.]

Chap, chap, v.i. to crack: to strike, of a clock, &c.: to knock at a door.—v.t. to fissure.—n. crack: an open fissure in the skin, caused by exposure to frost: a knock.—adj. Chap′less.—p.adj. Chapped, cracked, of a heavy soil in dry weather, or of the skin in frost: cut short.—adj. Chap′py. [M. E. chappen; cog. with Dut. and Ger. kappen.]

Chap, chap, n. a fellow, originally a customer, from Chapman.—n. Chap′pie, a familiar diminutive.

Chap, chap, n. generally pl. the jaws.—adj. Chap′fall′en, a variant of Chop-fallen (q.v.). [Northern Eng. and Scot. chafts—Scand., as Ice. kjaptr, the jaw.]

Chaparral, chap-a-ral′, n. dense tangled brushwood. [Sp., prob. Basque achaparra.]

Chap-book. See Chapman.

Chape, chāp, n. the plate of metal at the point of a scabbard: the catch or hook by which the sheath of a weapon was attached to the belt.—adj. Chape′less. [Fr.,—Low L. capa, a cap.]

Chapeau, sha-pō′, n. a hat. [Fr.]

Chapel, chap′el, n. a place of worship inferior or subordinate to a regular church, or attached to a palace, garrison, prison, school, college, &c.: an oratory in a mausoleum, &c., or a cell of a church containing its own altar: a dissenters' place of worship, as of Nonconformists in England, Roman Catholics or Episcopalians in Scotland, &c.: a chapel service—hence 'to keep one's chapels'—to make the requisite number of attendances at such: an association of workmen in a printing-office.—n. Chap′elry, the jurisdiction of a chapel.—Chapel cart (see Cart).—Chapel of ease, a chapel for worshippers far from the parish church; Chapel Royal, the oratory of a royal palace; Lady chapel, such a chapel dedicated to the Virgin; Proprietary chapel, one that is the property of a private person or persons. [O. Fr. capele—Low L. cappella, dim. of cappa, a cloak or cope; orig. from the cloak of St Martin.]

Chaperon, shap′e-rōn, n. a kind of hood or cap: one who attends a lady in public places as a protector.—v.t. to attend a lady to public places.—n. Chap′eronage. [Fr., a large hood—chape, a hooded cloak—Low L. cappa. See Cape.]

Chapiter, chap′i-tėr, n. the head or capital of a column. [Fr. chapitel—Low L. capitellum, dim. of L. caput, the head.]

Chaplain, chap′lān, or chap′lin, n. a clergyman attached to a ship of war, a regiment, a public institution, or private family.—ns. Chap′laincy, Chap′lainry, Chap′lainship. [O. Fr. chapelain—Low L. capellanus—capella. See Chapel.]

Chaplet, chap′let, n. a garland or wreath for the head: a circlet of gold, &c.: a string of beads used in counting prayers, one-third of a rosary in length: anything in a string: a metal support of a cylindrical pipe.—adj. Chap′leted. [O. Fr. chapelet—chape, a head-dress.]

Chapman, chap′man, n. one who buys or sells: an itinerant dealer, a pedlar: (obs.) a purchaser.—n. Chap′-book, a name given to the books which were formerly sold by chapmen. [A.S. céap-man—céap, trade, and mann, man; cf. Ger. kaufmann, and see Cheap.]

Chapter, chap′tėr, n. a main division of a book, or of anything: a subject or category generally: an assembly of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church, or the members of a religious or military order: an organised branch of some society or fraternity.—v.t. to put into chapters: to take to task.—n. Chap′ter-house.—Chapter-and-verse, the exact reference to the passage of the authority for one's statements.—The chapter of accidents, the catalogue of unforeseen events.—To the end of the chapter, throughout the whole subject. [O. Fr. chapitre—L. capitulum, dim. of caput, the head. From the practice of reading to the assembled canons or monks a capitulum or chapter of their rule, or of the Scriptures, the men themselves came to be called in a body the capitulum or chapter, and their meeting-place the chapter-house.]

Chaptrel, chap′trel, n. the capital of a pillar which supports an arch. [Dim. of Chapiter.]

Char, chär, n. a small fish of the salmon kind, found in mountain lakes and rivers. [Prob. Celt.; cf. Gael, ceara, red, blood-coloured.]

Char, chär, v.t. to roast or burn until reduced to carbon or coal, to scorch:—pr.p. char′ring; pa.p. charred.—adj. Char′ry, pertaining to charcoal. [Prob. formed from char-coal.]

Char. See Chare.

Char-à-banc, shar′-a-bang, n. a long light vehicle with transverse seats. [Fr.]

Character, kar′ak-tėr, n. a letter, sign, figure, stamp, or distinctive mark: a mark of any kind, a symbol in writing, &c.: writing generally, handwriting: a secret cipher: any essential feature or peculiarity: nature: (obs.) personal appearance: the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitutes personal or national individuality: moral qualities especially, the reputation of possessing such: a formal statement of the qualities of a person who has been in one's service or employment: official position, rank, or status, or a person who has filled such: a person noted for eccentricity: a personality as created in a play or novel (Shak. Char′act).—v.t. to engrave, imprint, write: to represent, delineate, or describe.—n. Characterisā′tion.—v.t. Char′acterise, to describe by peculiar qualities: to distinguish or designate.—ns. Char′acterism; Characteris′tic, that which marks or constitutes the character.—adjs. Characteris′tic, -al, marking or constituting the peculiar nature.—adv. Characteris′tically.—adj. Char′acterless, without character or distinctive qualities.—ns. Char′acterlessness; Char′actery, writing: impression: that which is charactered.—In character, in harmony with the part assumed, appropriate, as a Character actor, one who tries to represent eccentricities. [Fr. caractère—L. character—Gr. charaktēr, from charass-ein, to cut, engrave.]

Charade, shar-äd′, n. a species of riddle, the subject of which is a word proposed for solution from an enigmatical description of its component syllables and of the whole—the charade is often acted. [Fr.; ety. dub. Littré gives Prov. charrada, chatter; Prof. Skeat quotes Sp. charrada, the speech of a clown.]

Charcoal, chär′kōl, n. charred wood or coal made by charring wood; the carbonaceous residue of vegetable, animal, or mineral substances when they have undergone smothered combustion. [The first element of the word is of doubtful origin.]

Chare, chār, Char, chär, n. an occasional piece of work, an odd job: (pl.) household work—in America usually Chore.—v.i. to do odd jobs of work: to do house-cleaning.—n. Char′woman, a woman hired by the day to do odd jobs of domestic work. [A.S. cerran, cierran, to turn.]

Charet, chär′et, n. (Spens.) same as Chariot.

Charge, chärj, v.t. to load, to put into, to fill (with): to load heavily, burden: to fill completely: to cause to receive electricity: to lay a task upon one, to enjoin, command: to deliver officially an injunction, as a judge to a jury, a bishop or archdeacon to his clergy, or a senior to a junior minister at a Presbyterian ordination: to bring an accusation against: to exact a sum of money from, to ask as the price.—v.i. to make an onset.—n. that which is laid on: cost or price: the load of powder, &c., for a gun: attack or onset: care, custody: the object of care, esp. a minister of religion's flock or parish: an accumulation of electricity in a Leyden jar: command: exhortation: accusation: (pl.) expenses.—adj. Charge′able, liable to be charged, imputable: blamable: (B.) burdensome.—n. Charge′ableness.—adv. Charge′ably.—adj. Charge′ful (Shak.), expensive.—n. Charge′-house (Shak.), a common school where a fee was charged, in distinction to a free-school.—adj. Charge′less.—n. Charg′er, a flat dish capable of holding a large joint, a platter: a war-horse.—Give in charge, to hand over to the police. [Fr. charger—Low L. carricāre, to load—L. carrus, a wagon. See Car, Cargo.]

Chargé-d'affaires, shar′zhā-da-fār′, n. a fourth-class diplomatic agent, accredited, not to the sovereign, but to the department for foreign affairs—he also holds his credentials only from the minister: the person in charge for the time. [Fr.]

Charily, Chariness. See Chary.

Chariot, char′i-ot, n. a four-wheeled pleasure or state carriage: a car used in ancient warfare: a light four-wheeled carriage with back-seats.—v.t. to carry in a chariot.—v.i. to ride in a chariot.—n. Charioteer′, one who drives a chariot.—v.t. and v.i. to drive or to ride in such. [Fr., dim. of char, a Car.]

Charism, kar′izm, n. a free gift of grace.—adj. Charismat′ic. [Gr. charisma—charis, grace.]

Charity, char′i-ti, n. (N.T.) universal love: the disposition to think favourably of others, and do them good: almsgiving: (pl.) affections.—adj. Char′itable, of or relating to charity: liberal to the poor.—n. Char′itableness.—adv. Char′itably.—Cold as charity, an ironical phrase implying the coldness of much so-called charity, which should naturally be warm. [Fr. charité—L. caritat-em, carus, dear.]

Charivari, shär′i-vär′i, n. a French term used to designate a wild tumult and uproar, produced by the beating of pans, kettles, and dishes, mingled with whistling, bawling, groans, and hisses, expressive of displeasure against an individual—the 'rough music' not unknown in England as a popular protest against an unequal marriage, or the like. [Ety. dub.; the word, as suggesting derision, has been adopted as a name by satirical journals.]

Chark, chärk, v.t. to burn to charcoal.—n. charcoal, coke.

Charlatan, shär′la-tan, n. a mere talking pretender: a quack.—adj. Charlatan′ic.—ns. Char′latanism, Char′latanry. [Fr.,—It. ciarlatano—ciarlare, to chatter, an imit. word.]

Charles's Wain, n. a name given to the seven bright stars in Ursa Major, the Plough. [A.S. Carles wægn, Carl being Charlemagne.]

Charley, Charlie, chär′li, n. a night-watchman: the small triangular beard familiar in the portraits of Charles I.: the fox.—n. Char′ley-pitch′er (slang), one who makes a living by the thimble-and-pea trick.

Charlock, chär′lok, n. a plant of the mustard family, with yellow flowers, that grows as a weed in cornfields. [A.S. cerlic.]

Charlotte, shär′lot, n. a dish of apple marmalade covered with crumbs of toast.—Charlotte russe, a custard enclosed in a kind of sponge-cake.

Charm, chärm, n. a spell: something thought to possess occult power, a metrical form of words: attractiveness: a trinket worn on a watch-guard: the blended singing of birds, children, &c.: (pl.) female beauty or other personal attractions: that which can please irresistibly.—v.t. to influence by a charm: to subdue by secret influence: to enchant: to delight, to allure.—adj. Charmed, protected, as by a special charm.—n. Charm′er.—adj. Charm′ful, abounding with charms.—p.adj. Charm′ing, highly pleasing: delightful: fascinating.—adv. Charm′ingly.—adj. Charm′less, wanting or destitute of charms. [Fr. charme—L. carmen, a song.]

Charneco, chär′ne-ko, n. (Shak.) a kind of sweet wine. [Prob. from the name of a village near Lisbon.]

Charnel, chär′nel, adj. of, or pertaining to, a charnel or burial-place, as in 'charnel-vault,' &c.: sepulchral, death-like.—n. Char′nel-house, a place where the bones of the dead are deposited. [O. Fr. charnel—Low L. carnāle—L. carnalis, caro, carnis, flesh.]

Charon, kā′ron, n. in Greek mythology, the ferryman who rowed the shades of the dead across the river Styx in the lower world: a ferryman generally. [Gr.]

Charpie, shär′pē, n. lint shredded down so as to form a soft material for dressing wounds. [O. Fr. charpir—L. carpĕre, to pluck.]

Charpoy, char′poi, n. the common Indian bedstead, sometimes handsomely wrought and painted. [Hind. chaārpāī—Pers. chihār-pāī, four feet.]

Charqui, chär′kē, n. beef cut into long strips and dried in the sun—jerked beef. [Peruv.]

Charr. Same as Char (1).

Chart, chärt, n. a marine or hydrographical map, exhibiting a portion of a sea or other water, with the islands, coasts of contiguous land, soundings, currents, &c: an outline-map, or a tabular statement giving information of any kind.—adjs. Chartā′ceous; Chart′less. [O. Fr. charte—L. charta, a paper.]

Charter, chärt′er, n. any formal writing in evidence of a grant, contract, or other transaction, conferring or confirming titles, rights, or privileges, or the like: the formal deed by which a sovereign guarantees the rights and privileges of his subjects, like the famous Mag′na Chart′a, signed by King John at Runnymede, 15th June 1215, or the Charte of Louis XVIII. at the Restoration in 1814, or that sworn by Louis-Philippe, 29th August 1830: any instrument by which powers and privileges are conferred by the state on a select body of persons for a special object, as the 'charter of a bank:' a patent: grant, allowance: immunity.—v.t. to establish by charter: to let or hire, as a ship, on contract.—p.adj. Chart′ered, granted or protected by a charter: privileged: licensed: hired by contract. [O. Fr. chartre—L. cartula, carta.]

Charterhouse, chärt′ėr-hows, n. a Carthusian monastery: the famous hospital and school instituted in London in 1611, on the site of a Carthusian monastery—now transferred—the 'masterpiece of Protestant English charity' in Fuller's phrase.—ns. Char′treuse, a Carthusian monastery, esp. the original one, the Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble in France: a famous liqueur, green, yellow, or white, long manufactured here by the monks from aromatic herbs and brandy: a kind of enamelled pottery: a pale greenish colour; Char′treux, a Carthusian: the Charterhouse School.

Charter-party, chärt′ėr-pär′ti, n. the common written form in which the contract of affreightment is expressed—viz. the hiring of the whole or part of a ship for the conveyance of goods. [Fr. charte-partie, lit. a divided charter, as the practice was to divide it in two and give a half to each person. L. charta partīta.]

Chartism, chärt′izm, n. a movement in Great Britain for the extension of political power to the working-classes, rising out of widespread national distress and popular disappointment with the results of the Reform Bill of 1832—its programme, the 'People's Charter,' drawn up in 1838, with six points: (1) Manhood Suffrage; (2) Equal Electoral Districts; (3) Vote by Ballot; (4) Annual Parliaments; (5) Abolition of Property Qualification; and (6) Payment of Members of the House of Commons.—n. Chart′ist, a supporter of chartism.

Chartography. See Cartography.

Chartreuse, Chartreux. See Charterhouse.

Chartulary. Same as Cartulary.

Charwoman. See Chare.

Chary, chār′i, adj. sparing: cautious.—adv. Char′ily.—n. Char′iness. [A.S. cearig—cearu, care.]

Charybdis, kar-ib′dis, n. a dangerous whirlpool between Italy and Sicily, and opposite to Scylla, the two together providing a proverbial alternative of ruin hardly to be escaped.

Chase, chās, v.t. to pursue: to hunt: to drive away, put to flight.—n. pursuit: a hunting: that which is hunted: ground abounding in game.—n. Chase′port, the porthole at the bow or stern of a vessel, through which the chase-gun is fired.—Beasts of chase, properly the buck, doe, fox, marten, and roe: wild beasts that are hunted generally.—Wild-goose chase, any foolish or profitless pursuit. [O. Fr. chacier, chasser—L. captāre, freq. of capĕre, to take.]

Chase, chās, v.t. to decorate metal-work, whether hammered or punched up, by engraving the exterior.—ns. Chas′er, one who practises chasing; Chas′ing, the art of representing figures in bas-relief by punching them out from behind, and then carving them on the front: the art of cutting the threads of screws. [Short for Enchase.]

Chase, chās, n. a case or frame for holding types: a groove. [Fr. châsse, a shrine, a setting—L. capsa, a chest. See Case.]

Chasericulture, chas-er-i-kul′tūr, n. the combined industries of tea-growing and of silk-production. [A combination of Chinese cha, tea, chasze, the former tea valuers of Canton, and L. sericum, silk.]

Chasm, kazm, n. a yawning or gaping hollow: a gap or opening: a void space.—adjs. Chasmed; Chasm′y. [Gr. chasma, from chain-ein, to gape; cf. Chaos.]

Chasse, shäs, n. a dram or liqueur taken after coffee, to remove the taste.—Also Chasse-café [Fr. chasse-café—chasser, to chase, remove.]

Chassé, shäs′ā, n. a kind of gliding step in dancing.—v.t. to make such a step: (slang) to dismiss. [Fr.]

Chassepot, shas′po, n. the kind of bolt-action breechloading rifle adopted by the French army in 1866. [From Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, the inventor.]

Chasseur, sha-sār′, n. a hunter or huntsman: one of a select body of French light troops, either infantry or cavalry; a domestic dressed in military garb in the houses of the great. [Fr. chasser, to hunt.]

Chaste, chāst, adj. modest; refined; virtuous: pure in taste and style.—adv. Chaste′ly.—ns. Chaste′ness, the quality of being chaste; Chas′tity, sexual purity: virginity: refinement of language: moderation. [O. Fr. chaste—L. castus, pure.]

Chasten, chās′n, v.t. to free from faults by punishing—hence to punish, to purify or refine: to restrain or moderate.—p.adj. Chas′tened, purified: modest.—n. Chas′tenment.

Chastise, chas-tīz′, v.t. to inflict punishment upon for the purpose of correction: to reduce to order or to obedience.—adj. Chastīs′able.—n. Chas′tisement.

Chasuble, chaz′ū-bl, n. a sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by the priest while celebrating mass. [O. Fr. chesible—Low L. casubula—L. casula, a mantle, dim. of casa, a hut.]

Chat, chat, v.i. to talk idly or familiarly:—pr.p. chat′ting; pa.p. chat′ted.—n. familiar, idle talk.—n. Chat′tiness.—adj. Chat′ty, given to chat, talkative. [Short for Chatter.]

Chat, chat, n. a genus of small birds in the thrush family, of which the wheatear is a familiar example. [From the sound of their voice.]

Chateau, sha-tō′, n. a castle, a great country-seat, esp. in France (common in place-names, and connected with wines, as 'Château Lafitte,' 'Château Yqem,' &c.).—ns. Chatelain (shat′e-lān), a castellan; Chat′elaine, a female castellan: an ornamental appendage, suitable to a lady chatelaine, consisting of short chains bearing keys, corkscrew, scissors, &c., attached to the waist-belt: a similar thing in miniature attached to the watch-chain.—Château en Espagne, a castle in the air. [O. Fr. chastel (Fr. château)—L. castellum, dim. of castrum, a fort.]

Chaton, sha-tong′, n. the head of a ring. [Fr.]

Chatoyant, shat-oi′ant, adj. with a changing lustre, like a cat's eye in the dark. [Fr.]

Chatta, chät′a, n. an umbrella. [Hind.]

Chattel, chat′l, n. any kind of property which is not freehold, distinguished further into chattels-real and chattels-personal, the latter being mere personal movables—money, plate, cattle, and the like; the former including leasehold interests.—Goods and chattels, all corporeal movables. [O. Fr. chatel—Low L. captale—L. capitale, &c., property, goods.]

Chatter, chat′er, v.i. to talk idly or rapidly: to sound as the teeth when one shivers.—ns. Chatt′erbox, one who chatters or talks incessantly; Chatt′erer, one that chatters: an idle talker: a significant popular name applied to the birds of a small family of finch-like perching birds, as the Bohemian wax-wing and the cedar bird of America; Chatt′ering, noise like that made by a magpie, or by the striking together of the teeth: idle talk. [From the sound.]

Chatty, chat′i, n. an earthen water-pot in India. [Hind.]

Chaucerian, chä-sē′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Chaucer, or like him.—n. a devoted student of Chaucer.—n. Chau′cerism, anything characteristic of Chaucer.

Chaud-mellé, shōd-mā′lā, n. a fight arising in the heat of passion: the killing of a man in such a fight.—Also Chaud′-med′ley. [O. Fr. chaude-mellee, hot fight. See Mêlée.]

Chaufe, Chauff (Spens.). Forms of Chafe.

Chauffer, chaw′fėr, n. a metal box for holding fire, a portable furnace or stove. [See Chafer.]

Chauffeur, shōf-fėr, n. a motor-car attendant. [Fr.]

Chausses, shōs, or shō′sez, n.pl. any closely fitting covering for the legs, hose generally: the defence-pieces for the legs in ancient armour.—n. Chaussure′, a general name for boots and shoes. [O. Fr. chauces—L. calcias, pl. of calcia, hose.]

Chautauquan, sha-taw′kwan, adj. pertaining to a system of instruction for adults by home reading and study under guidance, evolved from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, organised in 1878.

Chauvinism, shō′vin-izm, n. an absurdly extravagant pride in one's country, with a corresponding contempt for foreign nations—the French equivalent of the Jingoism of London music-halls.—ns. Chau′vin, Chau′vinist.—adj. Chauvinist′ic. [Fr. chauvinisme, from Chauvin, a figure in La Cocarde tricolore.]

Chavender, chav′en-der, n. the chub or cheven.

Chaw, chaw, n. (Spens.) the jaw—usually pl.—v.t. to chew, still used of tobacco.—n. Chaw′-bā′con, a country clown, a rustic fellow.—Chawed up, destroyed. [See Jaw.]

Chawdron, chaw′dron, n. (Shak.) part of the entrails of an animal. [O. Fr. chaudun.]

Chay, a vulgar form of Chaise.

Chaya-root. Same as Shaya-root.

Cheap, chēp, adj. low in price: of a place where prices are low, as 'a cheap market:' of a low price in relation to the value: easily obtained: of small value, or reckoned at such.—v.t. Cheap′en, to ask the price of a thing: to make cheap, to lower the price of: to lower the reputation of: to beat down the price of.—n. Cheap′ener.—adv. Cheap′ly.—n. Cheap′ness.—Cheap Jack, or John, a travelling hawker who pretends to give great bargains; Cheap labour, labour paid at a poor rate; Cheap trip, an excursion by rail or steamer at a reduced fare; Cheap-tripper, one who goes on such a trip.—Dirt cheap, ridiculously cheap.—On the cheap, cheap or cheaply.—To be cheap of anything (Scot.), to get off with less than one deserved or expected, as of punishment. [Orig. good cheap, i.e. a good bargain; A.S. ceap, price, a bargain; A.S. céapian, Ice. kaupa, Ger. kaufen, to buy; Scot. coup—all borrowed from L. caupo, a huckster.]

Cheat, chēt, v.t. to deceive, defraud, impose upon.—v.i. to practise deceit.—n. a fraud: one who cheats.—ns. Cheat′er, one who cheats: (Shak.) an officer who collected the fines to be paid into the Exchequer; Cheat′ery (coll.), cheating.—Put a cheat upon, to deceive.—Tame cheater, a decoy. [M. E. cheten, a form of escheten, to escheat.]

Check, chek, v.t. to bring to a stand: to restrain or hinder: to rebuke: to control an account, &c., by comparison with certified data, vouchers, &c.: to place in check at chess: to mark with a pattern of crossing lines.—n. a term in chess when one party obliges the other either to move or guard his king: anything that checks: a sudden stop, repulse, or rebuff: (B., Shak.) a rebuke: a mark put against items in a list: an order for money (usually written Cheque): any counter-register used as security, a counterfoil: a token, of printed paper or metal, given to a railroad passenger to make secure the after-identification of his luggage, to a person leaving his seat in a theatre with the intention of returning, &c.: (U.S.) a counter used in games at cards—hence 'to pass in one's checks' = to die: a pattern of cross lines forming small squares, as in a chessboard: any fabric woven with such a pattern.—adj. (her.) divided into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal lines.—ns. Check′-clerk, a clerk who checks accounts, &c.; Check′er, one who hinders or rebukes; Check′er-board, a board on which checkers or draughts is played; Check′-key, a latch-key; Check′mate, in chess, a check given to the adversary's king when in a position in which it can neither be protected nor moved out of check, so that the game is finished: a complete check: defeat: overthrow.—v.t. in chess, to make a movement which ends the game: to defeat.—ns. Check′-rein, a coupling rein, a strap hindering the horse from lowering its head; Check′-string, a string by which the occupant of a carriage may attract the driver's notice; Check′-tak′er, the collector of admission tickets at a theatre, railway-train, &c.; Check′-weigh′er, one who on the part of the men checks the weight of coal sent up to the pit-mouth. [O. Fr. eschec, eschac (Low L. scaccus, scāchus, It. scacco, Sp. jaque, Ger. scach), through Ar. from Pers. shāh, king—Checkmate being O. Fr. eschec mat—Ar. shāh māt(a), 'the king is dead,' i.e. can make no further move.]

Checker. See Chequer.

Checker-berry, chek′ėr-beri, n. an American name for the winter-green (q.v.).

Checkers, chek′ėrz, n.pl. the game of draughts.

Checklaton, chek′la-ton, n. (Spens.) a cloth of gold or other rich material.—Also Cic′latoun. [O. Fr. ciclaton, from Ar., prob. from the same root as scarlet.]

Cheddar, ched′ar, n. an excellent kind of cheese first made in Somersetshire. [From the village of Cheddar in Somersetshire.]

Cheek, chēk, n. the side of the face below the eye, the fleshy lateral wall of the mouth: effrontery, impudence, as in 'to have the cheek' to do anything, 'to give cheek:' one of the side-posts of a door or window: the cheek-strap of a horse's bridle, the ring at the end of the bit: anything arranged in internal pairs.—v.t. to address insolently.—ns. Cheek′bone, the bone of the cheek; Cheek′-pouch, a dilatation of the skin of the cheek, forming a bag outside the teeth, as in monkeys, &c.; Cheek′-tooth, a molar tooth.—adj. Cheek′y, insolent, saucy.—Cheek by jowl, side by side.—To one's own cheek, for one's own private use. [A.S. céce, céace, the cheek, jaw; cf. Dut. kaak.]

Cheep, chēp, v.i. to chirp, as a young bird.—n. any similar sound. [From the sound, like Chirp.]

Cheer, chēr, n. disposition, frame of mind (with good, &c.): joy: a shout of approval or welcome: kind treatment: entertainment: fare, food.—v.t. to comfort: to encourage: to applaud: to inspirit—'to cheer up.'—v.i. in such phrases as 'How cheer'st thou?'—refl. as in 'Cheer thee.'—n. Cheer′er, one who, or that which, cheers.—adj. Cheer′ful, of good spirits: joyful: lively.—advs. Cheer′fully, Cheer′ily.—ns. Cheer′fulness; Cheer′iness; Cheer′ishness (Milton), cheerfulness.—adj. Cheer′less, without comfort: gloomy.—n. Cheer′lessness.—adj. Cheer′ly, cheerful.—adv. in a cheery manner: heartily.—adj. Cheer′y, cheerful: promoting cheerfulness. [O. Fr. chiere, the countenance—Low L. cara, the face.]

Cheese, chēz, n. a wholesome article of food, made into a round form, from the curd of milk coagulated by rennet, separated from the whey, and pressed into a hard mass.—ns. Cheese′-cake, a cake made of soft curds, sugar, and butter, or whipped egg and sugar; Cheese′-hop′per, the larva of a small fly, remarkable for its leaping power, found in cheese; Cheese′-mite, a very small insect which breeds in cheese; Cheese′-mong′er, a dealer in cheese; Cheese′-par′ing (Shak.), paring, or rind, of cheese.—adj. mean and parsimonious.—ns. Cheese′-press, a machine in which curds for cheese are pressed; Cheese′-renn′et, the plant Ladies' bed-straw, so called because used as rennet in curdling milk; Cheese′-vat, a vat or wooden case in which curds are pressed; Chees′iness.—adj. Chees′y, having the nature of cheese.—Cheese it (slang), stop, have done, run off.—Green Cheese, cheese not yet dried.—To make cheeses, to whirl round and then sink down suddenly so as to make the petticoats stand out like a cheese. [A.S. cése, cýse, curdled milk (Ger. käse)—L. caseus.]

Cheese, chēz, n. (slang) the correct thing, of excellent quality, [Colonel Yule explains it as Pers. and Hind. chīz, thing, the expression having formerly been common among young Anglo-Indians, e.g. 'These cheroots are the real chīz,' i.e. the real thing.]

Cheetah, chē′tah, n. an Eastern animal like the leopard, used in hunting. [Hind, chītā—Sans. chitraka, chitrakāya, having a speckled body.]

Chef, shef, n. a master-cook; a reliquary in the shape of a head.—adj. chief, as in Chef d'œuvre, masterpiece, [Fr. See Chief.]

Cheiromancy, kī′ro-man-si, n. the art of telling fortunes by the lineaments of the hand—also Cheiros′ophy.—adj. Cheirosoph′ical.—n. Cheiros′ophist, [Gr. cheir, the hand, manteia, prophecy.]

Cheiroptera, kī-rop′tėr-a, n.pl. the order of Bats.—adj. Cheirop′terous. [Gr. cheir, the hand, pteron, a wing.]

Cheirotherium, kī-ro-thēr′i-um, n. the name originally given to the Labyrinthodont, from its peculiar hand-like impressions in the Triassic rocks.—adj. Cheirothē′rian. [Gr. cheir, hand, thērion, beast.]

Chela, kē′la, n. the prehensile claw of a crab or scorpion.—adj. Chē′late.—n. Chē′lifer, the book-scorpion.—adjs. Chelif′erous; Chē′liform. [L.,—Gr. chēlē.]

Chela, chē′la, n. a novice in esoteric Buddhism.—n. Chē′laship. [Hind. chēlā, servant.]

Chelicera, kēl-is′er-a, n. a technical term, usually restricted to the biting organs which form the first pair of appendages in spiders, scorpions, and other Arachnida:—pl. Chelic′eræ (-rē). [Gr. chēlē, a crab's claw, keras, horn.]

Chelonia, ke-lō′ni-a, n. an order of vertebrate animals including the tortoise and turtle.—adj. and n. Chelō′nian. [Gr. chelōnē, a tortoise.]

Chemise, she-mēz′, n. a woman's shirt or sark, a smock or shift.—n. Chemisette′, a kind of bodice worn by women, the lace or muslin which fills up the open front of a woman's dress. [Fr. chemise—Low L. camisia, a nightgown, surplice.]

Chemistry, kem′is-tri, formerly Chym′istry, n. the science which treats of the properties of substances both elementary and compound, and of the laws of their combination and action one upon another.—adjs. Chem′ic, -al (Chem′ico-, in many compound words), Chemiat′ric (a Paracelsian term, Gr. chēmeia, chemistry, iatreia, medical treatment).—adv. Chem′ically.—n.pl. Chem′icals, substances which form the subject of chemical effects.—ns. Chem′ism, chemical action; Chem′ist, one skilled in chemistry, specially a druggist or apothecary.—Chemical affinity, the name given to the tendency to combine with one another which is exhibited by many substances, or to the force by which the substances constituting a compound are held together; Chemical notation, a method of expressing the composition of chemical substances and representing chemical changes, by certain known symbols and formulæ; Chemical works, manufactories where chemical processes are carried on for trade, as alkali works, &c. [From Alchemy (q.v.).]

Chemitype, kemi′-tīp, n. the chemical process for obtaining casts in relief from an engraving.—n. Chem′itypy.

Chemosh, kē′mosh, n. the national god of Moab: any false god.

Chenille, she-nēl′, n. a thick, velvety-looking cord of silk or wool (and so resembling a caterpillar), used in ornamental sewing and manufactured trimmings. [Fr. chenille, a caterpillar—L. canicula, a hairy little dog, canis, a dog.]

Cheque, Check, chek, n. a money order on a banker payable at demand.—ns. Cheque′-book, a book containing cheque forms given by a bank to its customers; Cheq′uer, Check′er, a chess-board: alternation of colours, as on a chess-board: (pl.) draughts: chess-men.—v.t. to mark in squares of different colours: to variegate: interrupt.—adjs. Cheq′uered, Check′ered, variegated, like a chess-board: varying in character.—ns. Cheq′uer-work, any pattern having alternating squares of different colours; Blank′-cheque, a cheque signed by the owner, but without having the amount to be drawn indicated; Cross′-cheque, an ordinary cheque with two transverse lines drawn across it, which have the effect of making it payable only through a banker. [See Check.]

Cherimoyer, cher-i-moi′er, n. a Peruvian fruit resembling the custard-apple.—Also Chirimoy′a.

Cherish, cher′ish, v.t. to protect and treat with affection: to nurture, nurse: to entertain in the mind.—n. Cher′ishment. [Fr. chérir, chérissant—cher, dear—L. carus.]

Cheroot, she-rōōt′, n. a cigar not pointed at either end. [Fr. cheroute, representing the Tamil name shuruttu, a roll (Colonel Yule).]

Cheroot. See Shaya-root.

Cherry, cher′i, n. a small bright-red stone-fruit: the tree that bears it.—adj. like a cherry in colour: ruddy.—ns. Cherr′y-brand′y, a pleasant liqueur made by steeping Morello cherries in brandy; Cherr′y-lau′rel, the common English name for the Cerasus Lauro-Cerasus of Asia Minor; Cherr′y-pepp′er, a West Indian species of Capsicum; Cherr′y-pie, a pie made of cherries; the common heliotrope; Cherr′y-pit, a game which consists in throwing cherry-stones into a small hole; Cherr′y-stone, the hard seed of the cherry. [A.S. ciris—L. cerasus—Gr. kerasos, a cherry-tree, said to be so named from Cerasus, a town in Pontus, from which the cherry was brought.]

Cherry, cher′i, v.t. (Spens.) to cheer.

Chersonese, ker′so-nēz, n. a peninsula, [Gr. cher-sonēsos—chersos, land, dry land, nēsos, an island.]

Chert, chėrt, n. a kind of quartz or flint: hornstone.—adj. Chert′y, like or containing chert. [Prob. Celt.; Ir. ceart, a pebble.]

Cherub, cher′ub, n. a winged creature with human face, represented as associated with Jehovah, esp. drawing his chariot-throne: a celestial spirit: a beautiful child:—pl. Cher′ubs, Cher′ubim, Cher′ubims.—adjs. Cheru′bic, -al, Cherubim′ic, angelic.—adv. Cheru′bically.—n. Cher′ubin (Shak.), a cherub. [Heb. k’rūb, pl. k’rūbīm.]

Cherup, cher′up, v.t. to urge on by chirruping.

Chervil, chėr′vil, n. an umbelliferous plant, cultivated as a pot-herb, and used in soups and for a garnish, &c., in the same manner as parsley. In Scotland the plant is commonly called Myrrh. [A.S. cerfille (Ger. kerbel)—L. cærefolium—Gr. chairephyllon.]

Chesil, chez′il, n. gravel: shingle: bran.—Also Chisel. [A.S. cisil.]

Chess, ches, n. a game of skill for two persons or parties, played with figures or 'pieces,' which are moved on a chequered board.—n. Chess′-board, the board on which chess is played.—n.pl. Chess′-men, pieces used in chess. [Fr. échecs; It. scacchi; Ger. schach. Orig. from Pers. sháh, a king.]

Chess, ches, n. one of the parallel planks of a pontoon-bridge—generally in pl.

Chessel, ches′el, n. a cheese mould or vat.

Chest, chest, n. a large strong box: the part of the body between the neck and the abdomen, the thorax.—adj. Chest′ed, having a chest: placed in a chest.—n. Chest′-note, in singing or speaking, a deep note, the lowest sound of the voice. [A.S. cyst; Scot. kist—L. cista—Gr. kistē.]

Chestnut, Chesnut, ches′nut, n. a nut or fruit enclosed in a prickly case: the tree that bears it: (slang) a stale joke or story.—adj. of a chestnut colour, reddish-brown. [O. Fr. chastaigne—L. castanea—Gr. kastanon, from Castana, in Pontus.]

Chetvert, chet′vert, n. a Russian dry measure, equal to 8 chevteriks.

Cheval-de-frise, she-val′-de-frēz, n. a piece of timber armed with spikes, used to defend a passage or to stop cavalry:—pl. Chevaux-de-frise (she-vō′-).—n. Cheval′-glass, a large glass or mirror supported on a frame. [Fr.,—cheval, horse; Frise, Friesland.]

Chevalier, shev-a-lēr′, n. a cavalier: a knight: a gallant. [Fr.,—cheval—L. caballus, a horse.]

Chevelure, shev′e-lūr, n. a head of hair: a periwig: the nebulous part of a comet. [Fr.,—L. capillatura—capillus, hair.]

Cheven, chev′en, n. the chub.—Also Chev′in.

Cheverel, chev′ėr-el, n. a kid: soft, flexible leather made of kid-skin.—adj. like kid leather, pliable. [Fr. chevreau, a kid—chèvre; L. capra, a goat.]

Chevesaile, chev′e-sāl, n. an ornamental collar of a coat. [O. Fr. chevesaile—chevece, the neck.]

Cheviot, chē′vi-ot, or chev′i-ot, n. a hardy breed of short-wooled sheep reared on the Cheviot Hills: a cloth made from their wool.

Chevisance, shev′i-zäns, n. (Spens.) achievement, performance. [Fr.,—chevir, to accomplish; chef, the head, the end.]

Chevron, shev′ron, n. a rafter: (her.) the representation of two rafters of a house meeting at the top: the V-shaped band of worsted braid or gold lace worn on the sleeve of a non-commissioned officer's coat.—adjs. Chevrone′, Chev′roned. [Fr. chevron (Sp. cabrio), a rafter—L. capreolus, dim. of caper, a goat.]

Chevy, chev′i, Chivy, chiv′i, n. a cry, shout: a hunt.—v.t. to chase. [Perh. from 'Chevy Chase,' a well-known ballad relating a Border battle.]

Chew, chōō, v.t. to cut and bruise with the teeth: to masticate: (fig.) to meditate, reflect.—n. action of chewing: a quid of tobacco.—ns. Chew′et, a kind of pie or pudding made of various ingredients mixed together; Chew′ing-gum, a preparation made from a gum called chicle, produced by a Mexican tree allied to the india-rubber tree, sweetened and flavoured.—Chew the cud, to masticate a second time food that has already been swallowed and passed into the first stomach: to ruminate in thought. [A.S. ceówan; Ger. kauen; cf. Jaw.]

Chewet, chōō′et, n. a chough; (Shak.) a chatterer. [Fr. chouette, an owl.]

Chian, kī′an, adj. pertaining to Chios in the Ægean Sea.

Chianti, kē-an′ti, n. a red wine of Tuscany.

Chiaroscuro, kyär′o-skū-ro, n. distribution or blending of light and shade, the art of representing light in shadow and shadow in light.

Chiasm, kī′azm, n. (anat.) a decussation or intersection, esp. that of the optic nerves—also Chias′ma.—n. Chias′mus (rhet.), contrast by parallelism in reverse order, as 'Do not live to eat, but eat to live.'—adj. Chias′tic. [Gr. chiasma, two lines crossed as in the letter X.]

Chiaus, chows, n. Same as Chouse.

Chibouk, Chibouque, chi-book′, n. a long straight-stemmed Turkish pipe for smoking. [Turk.]

Chic, shēk, n. style, fashion: adroitness.—adj. stylish, 'up to the mark.' [Fr.]

Chica, chē′ka, n. an orange-red dye-stuff, obtained by boiling the leaves of the Bignonia, a climber of the banks of the Cassiquiare and the Orinoco. [Native name.]

Chicane, shi-kān′, v.i. to use shifts and tricks.—v.t. to deceive.—n. a trick or artifice.—ns. Chicā′ner, one who chicanes: a quibbler; Chicā′nery, trickery or artifice, esp. in legal proceedings: quibbling; Chicā′ning, quibbling. [Fr. chicane, sharp practice at law, most prob. from Late Gr. tzykanion, a game at mall, tzykaniz-ein, to play at mall—Pers. tchaugān, a crooked mallet.]

Chiccory. See Chicory.

Chich, chich, n. a dwarf pea. Same as Chick-pea.

Chicha, chēch′a, n. a South American liquor fermented from maize. [Haytian.]

Chick, chik, n. the young of fowls, esp. of the hen: a child, as a term of endearment.—ns. Chick′a-bid′dy, Chick′-a-did′dle, terms of endearment addressed to children; Chick′en, the young of birds, esp. of the hen: its flesh: a child: a faint-hearted person; Chick′en-haz′ard, a game at dice (see Hazard); Chick′en-heart, a cowardly person.—adj. Chick′en-heart′ed.—ns. Chick′en-pox, a contagious febrile disease, chiefly of children, and bearing some resemblance to a very mild form of small-pox; Chick′ling, a little chicken; Chick′weed, a species of stitchwort, and one of the most common weeds of gardens and cultivated fields—for making poultices, and for feeding cage-birds, which are very fond of its leaves and seeds.—Mother Carey's chicken, a sailor's name for the Stormy Petrel; No chicken, one no longer young. [A.S. cicen; cf. Dut. kieken, Ger. küchlein.]

Chick-pea, chik′-pē, n. a dwarf species of pea cultivated for food in the south of Europe and other places. [Fr. chiche—L. cicer, and Pea.]

Chicory, Chiccory, chik′o-ri, n. a plant whose long carrot-like root is ground to adulterate coffee.—Also Suc′cory. [Fr. chicorée—L. cichorium, succory—Gr. kichōrion.]

Chide, chīd, v.t. to scold, rebuke, reprove by words: to be noisy about, as the sea.—v.i. to make a snarling, murmuring sound, as a dog or trumpet:—pr.p. chid′ing; pa.t. chid, (obs.) chōde; pa.p. chid, chidd′en.—ns. Chid′er (Shak.), a quarrelsome person; Chid′ing, scolding. [A.S. cídan.]

Chief, chēf, adj. head: principal, highest, first: (Scot.) intimate.—adv. chiefly.—n. a head or principal person: a leader: the principal part or top of anything: (her.) an ordinary, consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally made to occupy one-third of the area of the shield.—ns. Chief′-bar′on, the President of the Court of Exchequer; Chief′dom, Chief′ship, state of being chief: sovereignty; Chief′ery, an Irish chieftaincy: the dues paid to a chief; Chief′ess, a female chief; Chief′-jus′tice (see Justice).—adj. Chief′less, without a chief or leader.—adv. Chief′ly, in the first place: principally: for the most part.—ns. Chief′ry, a rent paid to the supreme lord: a chief's lands; Chief′tain, the head of a clan: a leader or commander:—fem. Chief′tainess; Chief′taincy, Chief′tainship; Chief′tainry.—In chief (her.) means that the charge is borne in the upper part of the shield: applied to holding land directly from the sovereign: at the head, as commander-in-chief. [Fr. chef—L. caput, the head.]

Chield, chēld, n. (Scot.) a lad, a young man.—Also Chiel. [A form of Child.]

Chiff-chaff, chif′-chaf, n. a small species of Warbler, so called from the resemblance of its notes to the syllables which form its name.

Chiffon, shif′ong, n. any merely ornamental part of a woman's dress.—n. Chiffonier′, an ornamental cupboard: (Fr.) a rag-picker. [Fr.—chiffe, rag.]

Chiffre, shē′fr, n. (mus.) a figure used to denote the harmony. [Fr.]

Chig, chig, v.t. (prov.) to chew.—n. a chew, quid.

Chignon, shē′nyong, n. a general term for the long back-hair of women, when gathered up and folded into a roll on the back of the head and neck. [Fr., meaning first the nape of the neck, the joints of which are like the links of a chain—chaînon, the link of a chain—chaîne, a chain.]

Chigoe, chig′ō, Chigre, Chigger, chig′ėr, n. a species of flea of the West Indies, the female of which buries itself beneath the toe-nails, and produces troublesome sores. [Fr. chique.]

Chikara, chi-kä′rä′, n. a four-horned goat-like antelope of Bengal.

Chikara, chik′a′rä, n. a Hindu musical instrument of the violin class.

Chilblain, chil′blān, n. a localised inflammation of the skin which occurs in cold weather on hands and feet, more rarely on ears and nose. [Chill and Blain.]

Child, chīld, n. an infant or very young person: (Shak.) a female infant: one intimately related to one older: expressing origin or relation, e.g. child of the East, child of shame, child of God, &c.: a disciple: a youth of gentle birth, esp. in ballads, &c.—sometimes Childe and Chylde: (pl.) offspring: descendants: inhabitants:—pl. Chil′dren.—ns. Child′-bear′ing, the act of bringing forth children; Child′bed, the state of a woman brought to bed with child; Child′birth, the giving birth to a child: parturition; Child′-crow′ing, a nervous affection with spasm of the muscles closing the glottis.—adj. Child′ed (Shak.), possessed of a child.—n. Child′hood, state of being a child: the time of one's being a child.—adjs. Child′ing (Shak.), fruitful, teeming; Child′ish, of or like a child: silly: trifling.—adv. Child′ishly.—ns. Child′ishness, Child′ness, what is natural to a child: puerility.—adjs. Child′less, without children; Child′-like, like a child: becoming a child: docile: innocent.—n. Child′-wife, a very young wife.—Child's play, something very easy to do: something slight.—From or Of a Child, since the days of childhood.—Second childhood, the childishness of old age.—With child, pregnant, e.g. Get with child, Be or Go with child. [A.S. cild, pl. cild, later cildru, -ra. The Ger. equivalent word is kind.]

Childermas-day, chil′dėr-mas-dā, n. an anniversary in the Church of England, called also Innocents' Day, held 28th December, to commemorate the slaying of the children by Herod. [Child, Mass, and Day.]

Chiliad, kil′i-ad, n. the number 1000: 1000 of anything.—ns. Chil′iagon, a plane figure having 1000 angles; Chil′iahēdron, a solid figure having 1000 sides; Chil′iarch, a leader or commander of a thousand men; Chil′iarchy, the position of chiliarch; Chil′iasm, the doctrine that Christ will reign bodily upon the earth for 1000 years; Chil′iast, one who holds this opinion. [Gr.,—chilioi, 1000.]

Chill, chil, n. coldness: a cold that causes shivering: anything that damps or disheartens.—adj. shivering with cold: slightly cold: opposite of cordial.—v.i. to grow cold.—v.t. to make chill or cold: to blast with cold: to discourage.—adj. Chilled, made cold: hardened by chilling, as iron.—n. Chill′iness.—adj. Chill′ing, cooling, cold.—n. Chill′ness.—adj. Chilly, that chills: somewhat chill.—Take the chill off, to give a slight heat: to make lukewarm. [A.S. cele, ciele, cold. See Cold, Cool.]

Chilli, chil′li, n. the seed pod or fruit of the capsicum, extremely pungent and stimulant, and employed in sauces, mixed pickles, &c.; when dried and ground, forms the spice called Cayenne pepper. [The Mexican name.]

Chillum, chil′um, n. the part of a hookah containing the tobacco and charcoal balls: a hookah itself: the act of smoking it. [Hind. chilam.]

Chiltern Hundreds. See Hundreds.

Chime, chīm, n. the harmonious sound of bells or other musical instruments: agreement of sound or of relation: harmony: (pl.) a set of bells.—v.i. to sound in harmony: to jingle: to accord or agree: to rhyme.—v.t. to strike, or cause to sound in harmony: to say words over mechanically.—Chime in, to join in, in agreement; Chime in with, to agree, or fall in with. [M. E. chimbe, prob. O. Fr. cymbale—L. cymbalum, a cymbal.]

Chime, Chimb, chīm, n. the rim formed by the ends of the staves of a cask: (naut.) a hollowed or bevelled channel in the waterway of a ship's deck. [Cog. with Dut. kim, Ger. kimme, edge.]

Chimer, shim′er, Chimere, shi-mēr, n. the upper robe worn by a bishop, to which lawn sleeves are attached. [O. Fr. chamarre; Sp. zamarra, chamarra, sheepskin.]

Chimera, Chimæra, ki-mē′ra, n. a fabulous, fire-spouting monster, with a lion's head, a serpent's tail, and a goat's body: any idle or wild fancy: a picture of an animal having its parts made up of various animals: a genus of cartilaginous fishes, often ranked along with the sharks and rays.—adjs. Chimer′ic, -al, of the nature of a chimera: wild: fanciful.—adv. Chimer′ically. [L.,—Gr. chimaira, a she-goat.]

Chimney, chim′ni, n. a passage for the escape of smoke or heated air from a furnace: in houses, that part of the passage which is built above the roof: anything of a like shape.—ns. Chim′ney-can, or -pot, a cylindrical pipe of earthenware or other material placed at the top of a chimney to increase the draught; Chim′ney-cor′ner, in old chimneys, the space between the fire and the wall forming the sides of the fireplace: fireside, commonly spoken of as the place for the aged and infirm; Chim′ney-piece, a shelf over the fireplace; Chim′ney-shaft, the stalk of a chimney which rises above the building; Chim′ney-Stack, a group of chimneys carried up together; Chim′ney-stalk, a very tall chimney; Chim′ney-swall′ow, the Hirundo rustica, a very common swallow: the chimney-swift; Chim′ney-sweep, Chim′ney-sweep′er, one who sweeps or cleans chimneys; Chim′ney-top, the top of a chimney.—Chimney-pot hat, a familiar name for the ordinary cylindrical hat of gentlemen. [Fr. cheminée—L. camīnus; Gr. kaminos, a furnace.]

Chimpanzee, chim-pan′zē, n. an African ape, the highest of the anthropoid or more man-like apes, belonging to the same genus as the gorilla. [West African.]

Chin, chin, n. the jutting part of the face below the mouth.—Up to the chin, deeply immersed. [A.S. cin; Ger. kinn, Gr. genys.]

China, chīn′a, n. fine kind of earthenware, originally made in China: porcelain.—ns. Chin′a-bark, a common name of cinchona bark (derived not from the empire of China, but from. Kina or Quina, the Peruvian name of cinchona—see Quinine); Chin′a-clay, a fine white clay used in making porcelain; Chin′a-grass (Bœhmeria nivea), a small shrubby-like plant, allied to the nettle, native to China; the fibre of this plant used for making ropes and cordage, and also in China for the manufacture of grass-cloth; Chin′a-ink (see Ink); Chin′aman, a native of China; Chin′a-root, the root-stock of a Chinese shrubby plant, formerly used in Europe medicinally, but still in the East as a remedy in rheumatic or syphilitic cases; Chin′a-rose, a name applied to several varieties of garden roses; Chin′a-shop, a shop in which china, crockery, &c. are sold; Chin′a-ware, porcelain-ware; Chinee′, a Chinaman.—adj. Chinese′, of or belonging to China.—China aster (see Aster).

Chinch, chinch, n. the bed-bug in America. [Sp.,—L. cimic-em.]

Chinchilla, chin-chil′la, n. a small rodent quadruped of South America, valued for its soft gray fur: the fur itself. [Sp.]

Chincough, chin′kof, n. a disease, esp. of children, attended with violent fits of coughing: whooping-cough. [For chink-cough; Scot. kink-host, Dut. kinkhoest. See Chink and Cough.]

Chine, chīn, n. the spine or backbone: a piece of the backbone and adjoining parts for cooking: a ridge, crest.—v.t. (Spens.) to break the back. [O. Fr. eschine, prob. from Old High Ger. scina, a pin, thorn.]

Chiné, shē-nā′, adj. mottled in appearance, the warp being dyed in different colours, or from threads of different colours twisted together. [Fr., lit. 'Chinese.']

Chine, chīn, n. a ravine. [A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. a cleft, a narrow opening.—v.i. to crack.—v.t. to fill up cracks.—adj. Chink′y, full of chinks. [Apparently formed upon M. E. chine, a crack—A.S. cinu, a cleft.]

Chink, chingk, n. the clink, as of coins.—v.i. to give forth a sharp sound. [From the sound.]

Chink, chingk, n. a gasp for breath.—v.i. to gasp—the northern form Kink. [Cf. Dut. kinken, to cough; Ger. keichen, to gasp.]

Chinkapin, ching′ka-pin, n. the dwarf chestnut, a native of the United States.—Also Chin′capin. [Ind.]

Chinook, chin-ōōk′, n. a trader's jargon, consisting of words from French and English, as well as Chinook and other Indian tongues.

Chintz, chints, n. a highly glazed printed calico, with a pattern generally in several colours on a white or light-coloured ground. [Orig. pl. of Hind, chint, spotted cotton-cloth.]

Chip, chip, v.t. to chop or cut into small pieces: to hew: of chickens, to break the shell of the egg in hatching: to pare away the crust of bread, &c.: to bet:—pr.p. chip′ping; pa.p. chipped.—n. a small piece of wood or other substance chopped off: (slang) a sovereign.—n. Chip′-hat, a cheap kind of hat, made of what is popularly called Brazilian grass, but really consisting of strips of the leaves of a palm (Chamærops argentea) imported from Cuba.—adj. Chip′py, abounding in chips: dry as a chip: seedy from an overdose of liquor.—Chip in, to supply one's part.—A chip of the old block, one with the characteristics of his father. [M. E. chippen, to cut in pieces. Conn. with Chop.]

Chipmuck, Chipmunk, chip′muk, -mungk, n. a kind of squirrel, common in North America.

Chippendale, chip′pen-dāl, adj. applied to a light style of drawing-room furniture, after the name of a well-known cabinet-maker of the 18th century. The name is also applied to a style of book plates.

Chiragra, kī-rag′ra, n. gout in the hand.—adjs. Chirag′ric, -al. [Gr.]

Chirimoya. See Cherimoyer.

Chirk, chėrk, v.i. (Scot.) to grate: to chirp or squeak. [A.S. cearcian, to creak.]

Chirl, chirl, v.i. to emit a low sound: to warble.—n. a kind of musical warble. [Scot., from the sound. See Chirr.]

Chirm, chėrm, v.i. to cry out: to chirp.—n. noise, din, hum of voices. [A.S. cirman, to cry out; cf. Dut. kermen.]

Chirognomy, kī-rog′nō-mi, n. the so-called art or science of judging character from the lines of the hand, palmistry.—adj. Chirognom′ic. [Gr. cheir, the hand, gnōmē, understanding.]

Chirograph, kī-rog-raf′, n. any written or signed document.—ns. Chirog′rapher, Chirog′raphist, one who professes the art of writing—-adj. Chirograph′ic—n. Chirog′raphy, the art of writing, or penmanship. [Gr. cheir, the hand, graphē, writing.]

Chirology, kī-rol′o-ji, n. the art of discoursing with the hands or by signs, as the deaf and dumb do.—n. Chirol′ogist, one who converses by signs with the hands. [Gr. cheir, the hand, logia, a discourse.]

Chiromancy. Same as Cheiromancy.

Chiropodist, kī-rop′o-dist, n. a hand and foot doctor: one who removes corns, bunions, warts, &c. [Gr. cheir, the hand, and pous, podos, the foot.]

Chirp, chėrp, n. the sharp, shrill sound of certain birds and insects.—v.i. to make such a sound; to talk in a happy and lively strain.—v.t. to cheer.—n. Chirp′er, a little bird: a chirping-cup.—adj. Chirp′ing, merry: cheering.—n. Chirp′ing-cup, a cup that cheers.—adj. Chirp′y, lively: merry. [From the sound.]

Chirr, chėr, v.i. to chirp, as is done by the cricket or grasshopper. [From the sound.]

Chirrup, chir′up, v.i. to chirp: to make a sound with the mouth to urge on a horse: to cheer up. [Lengthened form of Chirp, and then brought into connection with cheer up.]

Chirt, chėrt, n. a squeeze.—v.t. to squeeze. [Conn. with Chirr.]

Chirur′geon, Chirur′gery, Chirur′gical, old forms of Surgeon, Surgery, Surgical.—adv. Chirur′geonly (Shak.), in a manner becoming a surgeon. [Fr. chirurgien—Gr. cheirourgos—cheir, the hand, ergon, a work.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. an iron or steel tool to cut or hollow out wood, stone, &c.: esp. the tool of the sculptor.—v.t. to cut, carve, &c. with a chisel: (slang) to cheat:—pr.p. chis′elling; pa.p. chis′elled.—adj. Chis′elled, cut with a chisel; (fig.) having sharp outlines, as cut by a chisel.—n. Chis′elling.—adj. Chis′el-shaped.—n. Chis′el-tooth, the scalpriform perennial incisor of a rodent. [O. Fr. cisel—L. cædĕre, to cut.]

Chisel, chiz′el, n. See Chesil.

Chisleu, chis′lū, n. the ninth month of the Jewish year, including parts of November and December. [Heb.]

Chit, chit, n. a note: an order or pass.—Also Chit′ty. [Hind. chitthi.]

Chit, chit, n. a baby: a lively or pert young child: contemptuously, a young woman or girl. [A.S. cith, a young tender shoot.]

Chitchat, chit′chat, n. chatting or idle talk: prattle: gossip. [A reduplication of Chat.]

Chitin, kī′tin, n. the substance which forms most of the hard parts of jointed footed animals.—adj. Chī′tinous. [Fr. chitine—Gr. chiton, a tunic.]

Chiton, kī′ton, n. the ancient Greek tunic: a genus of marine molluscs. [Gr. chitōn, a tunic]

Chitter, chit′ėr, v.i. (Scot.) to shiver.—n. Chitt′ering. [Cf. Chatter.]

Chitterling, chit′ėr-ling, n. the smaller intestines of a pig or other edible animal: a frill—prov. forms, Chidling, Chitling, Chitter. [Ety. dub.]

Chivalry, shiv′al-ri, n. the usages and qualifications of chevaliers or knights: bravery and courtesy: the system of knighthood in feudal times.—adjs. Chival′ric, Chiv′alrous, pertaining to chivalry: bold: gallant.—adv. Chiv′alrously.—n. Chiv′alrousness. [Fr. chevalerie—cheval—Low L. caballus, a horse.]

Chive, chīv, n. an herb like the leek and onion, with small, flat, clustered bulbs: a small bulb.—Also Cive. [Fr. cive—L. cæpa, an onion.]

Chivy, chiv′vy, or Chevy, chev′vy, n. a hunting cry.—v.t. to chase.—v.i. to scamper. [Prob. from the Border battle of Chevy Chase.]

Chlamys, klā′mis, n. an ancient Greek short cloak or mantle for men: a purple cope: a genus of phytophagous beetles. [Gr.]

Chloasma, klō-az′ma, n. a skin-disease marked by yellowish-brown patches. [Gr. chloē, verdure.]

Chlorine, klō′rin, n. a yellowish-green gas with a peculiar and suffocating odour.—ns. Chlō′ral, a limpid, colourless, oily liquid, with a peculiar penetrating odour, formed when anhydrous alcohol is acted on by dry chlorine gas; Chlō′ralism, the habit of using chloral, a morbid state induced by such; Chlō′rate, a salt composed of chloric acid and a base.—adj. Chlō′ric, of or from chlorine.—n. Chlō′ride, a compound of chlorine with some other substance, as potash, soda, &c.—v.t. Chlō′ridise, to convert into a chloride: (phot.) to cover with chloride of silver—also Chlō′ridate.—n. Chlorinā′tion, the process of getting gold, &c., out of ore by the use of chlorine.—v.t. Chlō′rinise, to combine or otherwise treat with chlorine—also Chlō′rinate.—ns. Chlō′rite, a mineral consisting of silica, alumina, &c., in variable proportions—it is of a green colour, rather soft, and is easily scratched with a knife; Chlō′rodyne, a patent medicine containing opium, chloroform, &c., used for allaying pain and inducing sleep; Chlō′roform, a limpid, mobile, colourless, volatile liquid, with a characteristic odour and a strong sweetish taste, used to induce insensibility.—adj. Chlō′roid, like chlorine.—ns. Chlōrom′eter, an instrument for measuring the bleaching powers of chloride of lime; Chlōrom′etry, the process of testing the decolouring power of any compound of chlorine; Chlō′rophyl, the ordinary colouring matter of vegetation, consisting of minute soft granules in the cells; Chlorō′sis, properly green-sickness, a peculiar form of anæmia or bloodlessness, common in young women, and connected with the disorders incident to the critical period of life.—adjs. Chlōrot′ic, pertaining to chlorosis; Chlō′rous, full of chlorine.—Chloric acid, a syrupy liquid, with faint chlorine colour and acid reaction. [Gr. chlōros, pale-green.]

Chobdar, chob′dar, n. a frequent attendant of Indian nobles, and formerly also of Anglo-Indian officials of rank, carrying a staff overlaid with silver. [Pers.]

Chock, chok, v.t. to fasten as with a block or wedge.—n. a wedge to keep a cask from rolling: a log.—adjs. Chock′-full, Choke′-full, quite full; Chock′-tight, very tight. [See Choke.]

Chocolate, chok′ō-lāt, n. a preparation of the seeds of Theobroma cacao, made by grinding the seeds mixed with water to a very fine paste: a beverage made by dissolving this paste in boiling water.—adj. chocolate-coloured, dark reddish-brown: made of or flavoured with chocolate. [Sp. chocolate; from Mex. chocolatl, chocolate.]

Chode, chōd, an obsolete pa.t. of Chide.

Choice, chois, n. act or power of choosing: the thing chosen: alternative: preference: the preferable or best part.—adj. worthy of being chosen: select: appropriate.—adjs. Choice′-drawn (Shak.), selected with care; Choice′ful (Spens.), making many choices, fickle.—adv. Choice′ly, with discrimination or care.—n. Choice′ness, particular value: excellence: nicety.—Hobson's choice, the alternative of a thing offered or nothing, from Hobson, a Cambridge carrier and innkeeper, who insisted on lending out the horse nearest the stable door, or none at all.—Make choice of, to select; Take one's choice, to take what one wishes. [Fr. choix—choisir; cf. Choose.]

Choir, kwīr, n. a chorus or band of singers, esp. those belonging to a church: the part of a church appropriated to the singers: the part of a cathedral separated from the nave by a rail or screen.—v.i. (Shak.) to sing in chorus.—ns. Choir′-or′gan, one of the departments of a cathedral organ, standing behind the great-organ, having its tones less powerful, and more fitted to accompany the voice; Choir′screen, a screen of lattice-work, separating the choir from the nave, so as to prevent general access thereto, though not to interrupt either sight or sound.—adj. Chō′ral, belonging to a chorus or choir.—ns. Chōral′, Chorale′, a simple harmonised composition, with slow rhythm: a tune written for a psalm or hymn: in R.C. usage, any part of the service sung by the whole choir.—adv. Chō′rally, in the manner of a chorus: so as to suit a choir. [Fr. chœur—L. chorus—Gr. choros.]

Choke, chōk, v.t. to throttle: to suffocate: to stop or obstruct: to suppress.—v.i. to be choked or suffocated.—n. the action of choking.—n. Choke′-bore, the bore of a gun when narrowed at the muzzle so as to concentrate the shot: a shot-gun so bored.—v.t. to bore in such a way.—n. Choke′-cherr′y, a name given to certain nearly allied species of cherry, natives of North America, whose fruit, though at first rather agreeable, is afterwards astringent in the mouth.—adj. Choked, suffocated, clogged.—n. Choke′damp, the carbonic acid gas given off by coal which accumulates in coal-mines, and may suffocate those exposed to it.—adj. Choke′-full (see Chock-full).—ns. Chok′er, one who chokes: a neckerchief; Chok′ing, suffocation.—adj. smothering.—adj. Chok′y, tending to choke: inclined to choke.—Choke off, to put an end to, as if by choking; Choke up, to obstruct completely, to suffocate.—White choker, a white neckerchief worn by clergymen, &c. [Prob. from sound.]

Choky, chō′ki, n. a prison: a toll-station. [Hind.]

Cholæmia, Cholemia, ko-lē′mi-a, n. a morbid accumulation of the constituents of bile in the blood.—adj. Cholæ′mic. [Gr. cholē, bile, haima, blood.]

Cholagogue, kol′a-gog, n. a purgative causing evacuations of bile.—adj. Cholagog′ic. [Gr. cholē, bile, agōgos, leading.]

Choler, kol′ėr, n. the bile: (Shak.) biliousness: anger, irascibility.—adj. Chol′eric, full of choler: passionate. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. cholera—cholē, bile.]

Cholera, kol′ėr-a, n. a highly infectious and deadly disease characterised by bilious vomiting and purging.—adj. Cholerā′ic.—British cholera, an acute catarrhal affection of the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestines. [Gr. cholera.]

Cholesterine, ko-les′te-rin, n. a substance occurring abundantly in bile and biliary calculi, probably a monovalent alcohol.—adj. Cholester′ic. [Gr. cholē, bile, stereos, solid.]

Choliamb, kō′li-amb, n. a variety of iambic trimeter, having a trochee for an iambus as the sixth foot.—adj. Choliam′bic. [L.,—Gr. chōliambos—chōlos, lame, iambos, iambus.]

Choltry, chōl′tri, n. a khan or caravansary for travellers: a shed used as a place of assembly.—Also Choul′try. [Malayalam.]

Chondrify, kon′dri-fī, v.t. to convert into cartilage.—v.i. to be converted into cartilage.—n. Chondrificā′tion. [Gr. chondros, cartilage.]

Chondroid, kon′droid, adj. cartilaginous.—ns. Chon′drin, the proper substance of cartilage; Chondrī′tis, inflammation of cartilage; Chondrogen′esis, the formation of cartilage.—adj. Chondrogenet′ic.—ns. Chondrog′raphy, a description of the cartilages; Chondrol′ogy, the knowledge of the cartilages.

Chondropterygian, kon-drop-te-rij′i-an, adj. gristly-finned, belonging to the Chondropterygii, a group of fishes variously defined in different systems. [Gr. chondros, cartilage, pterygion, dim. of pteryx, a wing.]

Choose, chōōz, v.t. to take one thing in preference to another: to select.—v.i. to will or determine: to think fit:—pa.t. chōse; pa.p. chōs′en.—ns. Choos′er (Shak.), one who chooses; Choos′ing, choice: selection.—Cannot choose, can have no alternative.—Not much to choose between, each about equally bad.—Pick and choose, to select with care. [A.S. céosan, Dut. kiesen.]

Chop, chop, v.t. to cut with a sudden blow: to cut into small pieces: (Milton) to change: to exchange or barter: (Milton) to trade in: to bandy words.—v.i. to change about: to shift suddenly, as the wind.—n. a blow: a piece cut off: a slice of mutton or pork, containing a rib: a change: vicissitude.—ns. Chop′-house, a house where mutton-chops and beef-steaks are served: an eating-house; Chop′per, one who or that which chops: a cleaver; Chop′ping-knife, a knife for chopping or mincing meat.—adj. Chop′py, full of chops or cracks: running in irregular waves—also Chop′ping.—Chop and change, to buy and sell: to change about; Chop at, to aim a blow at; Chop in, to break in, interrupt; Chop logic, to dispute in logical terms: to bandy words; Chop up, to cut into small pieces.—A chop-logic (Shak.), a contentious fellow. [A form of Chap.]

Chop, chop, n. the chap or jaw, generally used in pl.: a person with fat cheeks: the mouth of anything, as a cannon.—adj. Chop′-fall′en, lit. having the chop or lower jaw fallen down: cast-down: dejected. [See Chap (3).]

Chop, chop, n. in China and India, an official mark or seal: a license or passport which has been sealed. [Hind. chhāp, seal, impression.]

Chopin, chop′in, n. an old French liquid measure containing nearly an English imperial pint: a Scotch measure containing about an English quart. [O. Fr. chopine, Old Dut. schoppe; Scot. chappin, Ger. schoppen, a pint.]

Chopine, chop-ēn′, chop′in, n. a high clog or patten introduced into England from Venice during the reign of Elizabeth. [Sp. chapin.]

Chopping, chop′ing, adj. stout, strapping, plump.

Chop-sticks, chop′-stiks, n.pl. two small sticks of wood, ivory, &c., used by the Chinese instead of knife and fork. [Chop, a corr. of kih, quick.]

Choragus, ko-rā′gus, n. in Athens, the person appointed to organise the chorus: the leader of a choir.—adj. Chorag′ic, pertaining to a choragus.—Choragic monument, a small temple on which were dedicated the tripods given in the Dionysian contests to the victorious chorus. [Gr. chorēgos—choros, chorus, and agein, to lead.]

Choral, Chorale. See Choir.

Chord, kord, n. (mus.) the simultaneous and harmonious union of sounds of a different pitch.—The Common chord is a note with its third and perfect fifth reckoned upwards. [Formed from Accord.]

Chord, kord, n. the string of a musical instrument: (fig.) of the emotions: (geom.) a straight line joining the extremities of an arc: a straight line joining any two points in the curve of a circle, ellipse, &c. [L. chorda—Gr. chordē, an intestine.]

Chorea, ko-rē′a, n. St Vitus's dance, a nervous disease causing irregular and involuntary movements of the limbs or face. [L.,—Gr. choreia, a dancing.]

Choree, kō′rē, n. a trochee.—Also Chorē′us. [L.,—Gr.]

Choreography. See Chorus.

Chorepiscopal, kō-re-pis′ko-pal, adj. pertaining to a local or suffragan bishop. [Gr. chōra, place.]

Choriamb, kō′ri-amb, n. a metrical foot of four syllables, the first and last long, the two others short.—adj. and n. Choriam′bic. [Gr. choriambos—choreios, a trochee, iambos, iambus.]

Chorion, kō′ri-on, n. the outer fœtal envelope: the external membrane of the seeds of plants:—pl. Chō′ria.—adj. Chō′roid. [Gr.]

Chorography, kō-rog′ra-fi, n. the description of the geographical features of a particular region.—adjs. Chorograph′ic, -al; Chorolog′ical.—ns. Chorol′ogist; Chorol′ogy, the science of the geographical distribution of plants and animals.

Chorus, kō′rus, n. a band of singers and dancers, esp. in the Greek plays: a company of singers: that which is sung by a chorus: the combination of several voices in one simultaneous utterance: the part of a song in which the company join the singer.—adj. Choreograph′ic.—ns. Choreog′raphy, Chorog′raphy, the notation of dancing.—adj. Chō′ric.—ns. Chō′rist, Chor′ister, a member of a choir. [L.,—Gr. choros, dance.]

Chose, Chosen. See Choose.

Chough, chuf, n. a kind of jackdaw which frequents rocky places on the seacoast. [A.S. céo; from the cry of the bird. See Caw.]

Choultry. See Choltry.

Chouse, chows, n. (obs.) a cheat: one easily cheated: a trick.—v.t. to cheat, swindle. [Prob. from Turk. chaush, a messenger or envoy.]

Chout, chowt, n. one-fourth part of the revenue extorted by the Mahrattas as blackmail: blackmail, extortion. [Hind. chauth, the fourth part.]

Chow-chow, chow′-chow, n. a mixture of food such as the Chinese use, e.g. preserved pickles.—adj. miscellaneous, mixed. [Pigeon-English.]

Chowder, chow′dėr, n. a dish made of a mixture of fish and biscuits. [Fr. chaudière, a pot.]

Chowry, chow′ri, n. an instrument used for driving away flies. [Hindi, chaunri.]

Chrematistic, krē-ma-tis′tik, adj. pertaining to finance.—n. Chrematis′tics, the science of wealth. [Gr.,—chrēma, a thing.]

Choy-root. See Shaya-root.

Chrestomathy, kres-tom′a-thi, n. a book of selections from foreign languages, usually for beginners.—adjs. Chrestomath′ic, -al. [Gr. chrēstos, useful, mathein, to know.]

Chrism, krizm, n. consecrated or holy oil: unction: confirmation: chrisom. (q.v.).—adj. Chris′mal, pertaining to chrism.—n. a case for containing chrism: a pyx: a veil used in christening.—ns. Chris′matory, a vessel for containing chrism; Chris′om, a white cloth laid by the priest on a child newly anointed with chrism after its baptism: the child itself.—Chrisom child (Shak.), a child still wearing the chrisom cloth: an innocent child. [O. Fr. chresme (Fr. chrême)—Gr. chrisma, from chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christ, krīst, n. the Anointed, the Messiah.—ns. Christ-cross-row (kris′-kros-rō), the alphabet, from the use in horn-books of having a cross at the beginning; Chrīst's-thorn, a kind of prickly shrub common in Palestine and south of Europe, so called because supposed to have been the plant from which the crown of thorns was made.—v.t. Christen (kris′n), to baptise in the name of Christ: to give a name to.—ns. Chris′tendom, that part of the world in which Christianity is the received religion: the whole body of Christians; Chris′tening, the ceremony of baptism; Chrīst′hood, the condition of being the Christ or Messiah; Christ′ian, a follower of Christ: (coll.) a human being.—adj. relating to Christ or His religion: being in the spirit of Christ.—v.t. Christ′ianise, to make Christian: to convert to Christianity.—ns. Christ′ianism, Christian′ity, the religion of Christ: the spirit of this religion.—adjs. Christ′ian-like, Christ′ianly.—ns. Christ′ianness, Christ′liness.—adjs. Christ′less, Christ′ly.—Christian era, the era counted from the birth of Christ; Christian name, the name given when christened, as distinguished from the surname. [A.S. crist—Gr. Christos—and chriein, chrisein, to anoint.]

Christadelphian, kris-ta-del′fi-an, n. a member of a small religious body holding conditional immortality, denying a personal devil, &c.—sometimes called Thomasites from Dr John Thomas of Brooklyn (1805-71). [Lit. 'Brethren of Christ,' Gr. Christos, Christ, and adelphos, brother.]

Christmas, kris′mas, n. an annual festival, originally a mass, in memory of the birth of Christ, held on the 25th of December.—ns. Christ′mas-box, a box containing Christmas presents: a Christmas gift; Christ′mas-card, a card, more or less ornamented, sent from friend to friend at this season; Christ′mas-eve, the evening before Christmas; Christ′mas-rose, or -flow′er, the Helleborus niger, flowering in winter; Christ′mas-tree, a tree, usually fir, set up in a room, and loaded with Christmas presents. [Christ and Mass.]

Christology, kris-tol′o-ji, n. that branch of theology which treats of the nature and person of Christ.—adj. Christolog′ical.—n. Christol′ogist. [Gr. Christos, and logia, a discourse.]

Christom, kris′um, n. (Shak.). Same as Chrisom, under Chrism (q.v.).

Christophany, kris-tof′a-ni, n. an appearance of Christ to men. [Gr. Christos, and phainein, to appear.]

Chromatic, krō-mat′ik, adj. relating to colours: coloured: (mus.) relating to notes in a melodic progression, which are raised or lowered by accidentals, without changing the key of the passage, and also to chords in which such notes occur.—ns. Chrōm′ate, a salt of chromic acid; Chrōmat′ics, the science of colours.—v.t. Chrō′matise, to impregnate with a chromate.—ns. Chrōmatog′raphy, a treatise on colours; Chrōmatol′ogy, the science of colours, or a treatise thereon; Chrōmat′ophore, one of the pigment-cells in animals: one of the granules in protoplasm: one of the brightly coloured bead-like bodies in the oral disc of certain actinias, &c.; Chrōmatop′sia, coloured vision; Chrō′matrope, an arrangement in a magic-lantern by which effects like those of the kaleidoscope are produced; Chrō′matype, Chrō′motype, a photographic process by which a coloured impression of a picture is obtained.—adj. relating to the chromatype.—ns. Chrōme, Chrō′mium, a metal remarkable for the beautiful colours of its compounds.—adj. Chrōm′ic.—ns. Chrō′mite, a mineral consisting of oxide of chromium and iron; Chrō′mo-lith′ograph, or merely Chrō′mo, a lithograph printed in colours; Chrō′molithog′raphy; Chrō′mosphere, a layer of incandescent red gas surrounding the sun through which the light of the photosphere passes—also Chrōmat′osphere; Chrō′mo-typog′raphy, typography in colours; Chrō′mo-xy′lograph, a picture printed in colours from wooden blocks; Chrō′mo-xylog′raphy.—Chromatic scale, a scale proceeding by semitones; Chromic acid, an acid of chromium, of an orange-red colour, much used in dyeing and bleaching. [Gr. chrōmatikos—chrōma, colour.]

Chronic, -al, kron′ik, -al, adj. lasting a long time: of a disease, deep seated or long continued, as opposed to acute.—n. Chron′ic, chronic invalid. [Gr. chronikos—chronos, time.]

Chronicle, kron′i-kl, n. a bare record of events in order of time: a history: (pl.) name of two of the Old Testament books: a story, account.—v.t. to record.—n. Chron′icler, a historian. [O. Fr. chronique—L.—Gr. chronika, annals—chronos, time.]

Chronogram, kron′o-gram, n. an inscription in which the time or date of an event is given by certain of the letters printed larger than the rest. [Gr. chronos, time, gramma, a letter—graphein, to write.]

Chronograph, kron′o-graf, n. a chronogram: an instrument for taking exact measurements of time, or for recording graphically the moment or duration of an event.—ns. Chronog′rapher, a chronicler; Chronog′raphy, chronology. [Gr. chronos, time, graphein, to write.]

Chronology, kron-ol′o-ji, n. the science of time.—ns. Chronol′oger, Chronol′ogist.—adjs. Chronolog′ic, -al.—adv. Chronolog′ically. [Gr. chronos, time, logia, a discourse.]

Chronometer, kron-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring time: a watch.—adjs. Chronomet′ric, -al.—n. Chronom′etry, the art of measuring time by means of instruments: measurement of time. [Gr. chronos, and metron, a measure.]

Chronoscope, kron′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for measuring very short intervals of time, esp. with projectiles.

Chrysalis, kris′a-lis, Chrysalid, kris′a-lid, n. a term originally applied to the golden-coloured resting stages in the life-history of many butterflies, but sometimes extended to all forms of pupæ or nymphs: the shell whence the insect comes:—pl. Chrysal′ides (i-dēz).—adjs. Chrys′alid, Chrys′aline, Chrys′aloid. [Gr. chrysallis—chrysos, gold.]

Chrysanthemum, kris-an′the-mum, n. a genus of composite plants to which belong the corn marigold and ox-eye daisy. [Gr. chrysos, gold, anthemon, flower.]

Chryselephantine, kris-el-e-fan′tin, adj. noting the art of making statues jointly of gold and ivory. [Gr. chrysos, gold, elephantinos, made of ivory—elephas, -antos, ivory.]

Chrysoberyl, kris′o-ber-il, n. a mineral of various shades of greenish-yellow or gold colour. [Gr. chrysos, gold, and Beryl.]

Chrysocolla, kris-ō-kol′a, n. a silicate of protoxide of copper, bluish-green. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kolla, glue.]

Chrysocracy, kri-sok′ra-si, n. the rule of wealth. [Gr. chrysos, gold, kratein, to rule.]

Chrysolite, kris′ō-līt, n. a yellow or green precious stone. [Gr. chrysos, and lithos, a stone.]

Chrysophan, kris′ō-fan, n. an orange-coloured bitter substance found in rhubarb.—adj. Chrysophan′ic. [Gr. chrysos, gold, phanēs, appearing.]

Chrysophilite, kri-sof′i-līt, n. a lover of gold.

Chrysophyll, kris′ō-fil, n. the yellow colouring matter in the green chlorophyl pigment of plants.—Also Xanthophyl. [Gr. chrysos, gold, phyllon, a leaf.]

Chrysoprase, kris′o-prāz, n. a variety of chalcedony: (B.) a yellowish-green stone, nature unknown. [Gr. chrysos, and prason, a leek.]

Chrysotype, kris′o-tīp, n. a process of taking pictures by photography, on paper impregnated with a neutral solution of chloride of gold. [Gr. chrysos, gold, typos, impression.]

Chthonian, thō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to the under world, subterranean.—Also Chthon′ic. [Gr. chthōn, the ground.]

Chub, chub, n. a small fat river-fish.—adjs. Chubbed, Chub′by, short and thick, plump; Chub′-faced, plump-faced.—n. Chub′biness.

Chubb, chub, n. a patent lock invented by Chubb, a locksmith in London—much used for safes, &c.—Also Chubb′-lock.

Chuck, chuk, n. the call of a hen: a chicken (dim. Chuck′ie): a word of endearment.—v.i. to call, as a hen. [A variety of Cluck.]

Chuck, chuk, n. a gentle blow, as under the chin: (coll.) a toss or throw; any game of pitch and toss.—v.t. to pat gently, as under the chin: to toss: to pitch.—n. Chuck′-far′thing, a game in which a farthing is chucked into a hole. [Fr. choquer, to jolt; allied to Shock.]

Chuck, chuk, n. a pebble or small stone: a game with such stones, often called Chuck′ies: an instrument for holding an object so that it can be rotated, as upon the mandrel of a lathe. [Der. uncertain; cf. It. cioco, a block, stump.]

Chuck-full. Same as Chock-full (q.v. under Chock).

Chuckle, chuk′l, n. a kind of laugh: the cry of a hen.—v.t. to call, as a hen does her chickens: to caress.—v.i. to laugh in a quiet, suppressed manner, indicating derision or enjoyment.—n. Chuck′ling. [Akin to Chuck, to call.]

Chuckle, chuk′l, adj. clumsy.—n. Chuck′le-head, a loutish fellow. [Prob. Chock, a log.]

Chuff, chuf, n. a clown: a surly fellow.—n. Chuf′finess, boorishness.—adj. Chuf′fy, coarse and surly. [M. E. chuffe, choffe, a boor (origin unknown), conn. with Scotch coof, akin to Ice. kueif.]

Chum, chum, n. a chamber-fellow: friend or associate, chiefly among schoolboys and students.—v.i. and v.t. to occupy, or to put one into, the same room with another.—n. Chum′mage, the quartering of two or more persons in one room: a fee demanded from a new chum.—adj. Chum′my, sociable.—n. a chimney-sweeper's boy: a chum. [Perh. a mutilation of Chamber-fellow.]

Chump, chump, an end lump of wood: a blockhead: the head.—Off his chump—out of his mind.

Chunk, chungk, n. a thick piece of anything, as wood, bread, &c. [Perh. related to Chuck.]

Church, church, n. a house set apart for Christian worship: the whole body of Christians: the clergy: any particular sect or denomination of Christians: any body professing a common creed, not necessarily Christian.—v.t. to perform with any one the giving of thanks in church, more esp. of a woman after childbirth, or of a newly-married couple on first appearing at church after marriage.—ns. Church′-ale, a strong ale brewed for a church festival: the festival at which the ale was drunk; Church′-bench (Shak.), a seat in the porch of a church; Church′-court, a court for deciding ecclesiastical causes, a presbytery, synod, or general assembly; Church′-gō′ing, the act of going to church, esp. habitually; Church′ing, the first appearance of a woman in church after childbirth; Church′ism, adherence to the forms or principles of some church.—adj. Church′less, not belonging to a church: (Tennyson) without church approval.—ns. Church′man, a clergyman or ecclesiastic: a member or upholder of the established church; Church′-rate, an assessment for the sustentation of the fabric, &c., of the parish church; Church′-serv′ice, the form of religious service followed in a church, order of public worship, a book containing such; Church′-text, a thin and tall form of black-letter print; Churchwar′den, an officer who represents the interests of a parish or church: a long clay-pipe; Church′way, the public way or road that leads to the church; Church′woman, a female member of the Anglican Church.—adj. Church′y, obtrusively devoted to the church.—n. Church′yard, the burial-ground round a church.—Church history, the description of the course of development through which the church as a whole, as well as its special departments and various institutions, has passed, from the time of its foundation down to our own day; Church militant, the church on earth in its struggle against evil; Church triumphant, the portion of the church which has overcome and left this world.—Visible and Invisible church (see Visible). [A.S. circe (Scot, kirk; Ger. kirche)—Gr. kyriakon, belonging to the Lord—Kyrios, the Lord.]

Churl, churl, n. a rustic, labourer: an ill-bred, surly fellow.—adj. Churl′ish, rude: surly: ill-bred.—adv. Churl′ishly.—n. Churl′ishness. [A.S. ceorl, a countryman; Ice. karl, Ger. kerl, a man; Scot. carl.]

Churn, churn, n. a machine used for the production of butter from cream or from whole milk.—v.t. to agitate cream so as to obtain butter.—v.i. to perform the act of churning.—ns. Churn′-drill, a drill worked by hand, not struck with the hammer, a jumper; Churn′ing, the act of making butter: the quantity of butter made at once; Churn′-staff, the plunger used in an upright churn: the sun-spurge. [A.S. cyrin; Ice. kirna, a churn; Dut. and Ger. kernen, to churn.]

Churr, chėr, n. a low sound made by certain birds.—v.i. to make this sound. [Prob. imit.]

Churrus, chur′us, n. the resinous exudation of Cannabis indica, which, in its milder preparations, known as bhang, &c., is used as a narcotic and intoxicant. [Hind. charas.]

Chuse, chōōz, v.t. a form of Choose.

Chut, chut, interj. an expression of impatience.

Chute, shōōt, n. a waterfall, rapid: a channel down which to pass water, logs, rubbish, &c. [Fr. chute, a fall.]

Chutnee, Chutny, chut′ne, n. an East Indian condiment, a compound of mangoes, chillies, or capsicum, and lime-juice, &c. [Hind. chatni.]

Chyle, kīl, n. a white fluid drawn from the food while in the intestines.—adjs. Chylā′ceous, Chylif′ic, Chyl′ous; Chylifac′tive, having the power to make chyle.—n. Chylificā′tion.—v.t. and v.i. Chyl′ify, to convert, or be converted, into chyle.—n. Chylū′ria, a discharge of milky urine. [Fr.,—Gr. chylos, juice—cheein, to pour.]

Chyme, kīm, n. the pulp to which the food is reduced in the stomach.—n. Chymificā′tion, the act of being formed into chyme.—v.t. Chym′ify, to form into chyme.—adj. Chym′ous. [Gr. chymos, from cheein.]

Chymical, Chymistry, obsolete forms of Chemical, Chemistry.

Chynd, chīnd, p.adj. (Spens.) cut into chines.

Cibol, sib′ol, n. a variety of onion. [Fr. ciboule (Sp. cebolla)—Low L. cepola, dim. of L. cepa, an onion.]

Ciborium, si-bō′ri-um, n. (R.C. Church) a vessel nearly resembling a chalice, with an arched cover, in which the Host is deposited: a canopy supported on four pillars over the high altar:—pl. Cibō′ria. [L., a drinking-cup—Gr. kibōrion, the seed-vessel of the Egyptian bean.]

Cicada, si-kā′da, Cicala, si-kā′la, n. an insect remarkable for its chirping sound. [L. cicada.]

Cicatrix, sik-ā′triks, or sik′a-triks, n. the scar over a wound after it is healed—also Cic′atrice: scar in the bark of a tree: (Shak.) mark, impression.—ns. Cicatric′ula, the germinating point in the yolk of an egg; Cicatrisā′tion, the process of healing over.—v.t. Cic′atrise, to help the formation of a cicatrix on a wound or ulcer: to scar.—v.i. to heal. [Fr.,—L. cicatrix, a scar.]

Cicely, sis′e-li, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants nearly allied to chervil. [L. and Gr. seseli.]

Cicerone, chich-er-ō′ni, or sis-e-rō′ne, n. one who shows strangers the curiosities of a place: a guide.—v.i. to act as cicerone.—adjs. Cicerō′nian, Ciceron′ic.—ns. Cicerō′nianism, the character of Cicero's Latin style; Ciceron′ism, Ciceron′age, Cicerone′ship, the function of a guide. [It.,—L. Cicero, the Roman orator.]

Cicisbeo, chē-chēs-bā′o, n. a married woman's gallant or cavaliere servente in Italy:—pl. Cicisbe′i.—n. Cicisbē′ism. [It.]

Ciclatoun. See Checklaton.

Cicuta, si-kū′ta, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants with poisonous roots—water-hemlock or cowbane. [L., hemlock.]

Cid, sid, n. a chief, captain, a hero, from the famous 11th-cent. Castilian warrior against the Moors, styled el Cid Campeador, whose real name was Rodrigo, or Ruy, Diaz (i.e. 'son of Diego'). The name Cid is the Ar. seid, seiyid, lord.

Cider, sī′dėr, n. a drink made from apples.—ns. Cī′der-and, a mixture of cider and other spirits; Cī′der-cup, a drink of sweetened cider, with other ingredients; Cī′derkin, an inferior cider. [Fr. cidre—L.,—Gr. sikera, strong drink—Heb. shakar, to be intoxicated.]

Ci-devant, sē-de-vong′, adj. former. [Fr.]

Ciel. See Ceil.

Cierge. See Cerge.

Cigar, si-gär′, n. a roll of tobacco-leaves for smoking.—n. Cigarette′, a little cigar made of finely-cut tobacco rolled in thin paper. [Sp. cigarro.]

Cilia, sil′i-a, n.pl. hair-like lashes borne by cells.—adjs. Cil′iary, Cil′iāte, Cil′iāted, Cilif′erous, having cilia; Cil′iīform, very thin and slender like cilia. [L. cilium, pl. cilia, eyelids, eyelashes.]

Cilice, sil′is, n. hair-cloth: a penitential garment made of hair-cloth.—adj. Cilic′ious. [L.,—Gr. kilikion, a cloth made of Cilician goat's hair.]

Cimar. Same as Simar.

Cimbric, sim′brik, adj. pertaining to the ancient Cimbri, a people from central and northern Europe, crushed by Marius, 101 B.C.—Also Cim′brian. [Sometimes made Celtic by a desperate analogy with the name Cymry.]

Cimex, si-meks′, n. a bug.—adjs. Cimic′ic, Cimic′ious.—n. Cimicif′uga, the genus of bugworts or bugbanes, natural order Ranunculaceæ. [L. cimex.]

Cimier, sē-myā′, n. the crest of a helmet. [Fr.]

Cimmerian, sim-ē′ri-an, adj. relating to the Cimmerii, a tribe fabled to have lived in perpetual darkness: extremely dark.

Cimolite, sim′ō-līt, n. a species of clay, or hydrous silicate of aluminium, used as fuller's earth. [Gr. kimōlia, prob. from Kimōlos, an island of the Cyclades.]

Cinch, sinch, n. a saddle-girth.—v.i. to tighten the cinch. [Sp. cincha—L. cingula.]

Cinchona, sin-kō′na, n. a genus of trees, yielding the bark so much valued in medicine, from which the most important alkaloids, quinine and its congeners, are obtained—also called Peruvian bark.—adjs. Cinchonā′ceous, Cinchon′ic.—n. Cin′chonine, an alkaloid obtained from the bark of several species of cinchona.—adj. Cinchonin′ic.—n. Cinchonisā′tion.—v.t. Cin′chonise, to bring under the influence of cinchona or quinine.—n. Cin′chonism, a morbid state due to overdoses of cinchona or quinine. [Said to be so named from the Countess of Chinchon, who was cured of a fever by it in 1638.]

Cincture, singk′tūr, n. a girdle or belt: a moulding round a column.—v.t. to gird, encompass.—adjs. Cinct, surrounded; Cinc′tured, having a cincture. [L. cinctura—cingĕre, cinctum, to gird.]

Cinder, sin′dėr, n. the refuse of burned coals: anything charred by fire: (slang) some strong stimulant put in tea, soda-water, &c.—ns. Cinderel′la, a scullery-maid; Cinderel′la-dance, an early dancing-party ending at midnight—from the nursery tale.—adj. Cin′dery. [A.S. sinder, scoriæ, slag.]

Cinematograph. See Kinematograph.

Cinenchyma, si-neng′ki-ma, n. laticiferous tissue, consisting of irregularly branching and anastomosing vessels.—adj. Cinenchym′atous. [Gr. kinein, to move, engchyma, infusion.]

Cineraria, sin-e-rā′ri-a, n. a genus of plants, with flowers of various colours, chiefly belonging to South Africa, but also grown in greenhouses in Britain and elsewhere. [L. cinerarius—cinis, cineris, ashes.]

Cinerary, sin′e-ra-ri, adj. pertaining to ashes.—ns. Cinerā′tion; Cinerāt′or; Cinē′rea, gray or cellular, as distinguished from white or fibrous, nerve tissue.—adjs. Cinē′real; Cinē′reous, ashy-gray; Cineres′cent, becoming ashy-gray; Cineri′tious, ashy-gray: pertaining to gray nerve tissue. [L. cinereus, ashy—cinis, cineris, ashes.]

Cingalese, sing′ga-lēz, n. a native of Ceylon.—adj. belonging to Ceylon.

Cingulum, sing′gū-lum, n. the girdle of an alb. [L.—cingĕre, to gird.]

Cinnabar, sin′a-bar, n. sulphuret of mercury, called vermilion when used as a pigment.—adj. vermilion-coloured.—adjs. Cinnabar′ic, Cinn′abarine. [L.,—Gr. kinnabari, a dye, from Persian.]

Cinnamon, sin′a-mon, n. the spicy bark of a laurel in Ceylon: the tree.—adj. cinnamon-coloured.—adjs. Cinnam′ic, Cinnamon′ic, obtained from, or consisting of, cinnamon.—n. Cinn′amon-stone, a kind of stone found in Ceylon, of a cinnamon or reddish-brown colour, sometimes cut for jewellery. [L. cinnamomum—Heb. kinnamon.]

Cinque, singk, n. the number five as on dice.—ns. Cinque′-cen′to (It., 'five hundred'), a phrase sometimes applied, in treating of architecture and art, to the Renaissance period, which began about 1500; Cinque′-foil (her.), a common bearing representing a flower with five petals borne full-faced and without a stalk: (bot.) species of plants of the genus Potentilla: the five-bladed clover; Cinque′-pace (Shak.), a kind of dance, the pace or movement of which is characterised by five beats.—n.pl. Cinque′-ports, the five ancient ports on the south of England lying opposite to France—Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, Romney, and Hastings.—adj. Cinque′-spot′ted (Shak.), having five spots. [Fr.]

Cipher, sī′fėr, n. (arith.) the character 0: any of the nine figures: anything of little value, whether persons or things: a nonentity: an interweaving of the initials of a name: a secret kind of writing.—v.i. to work at arithmetic: to write in cipher: of an organ-pipe, to sound independent of the organ: (Shak.) to decipher.—ns. Cī′phering; Cī′pher-key, a key to a cipher or piece of secret writing. [O. Fr. cifre, Fr. chiffre—Ar. sifr, empty.]

Cipolin, sip′ō-lin, n. a granular limestone containing mica.—Also Cipollino (chē-pol-lē′nō). [It.,—cipolla, an onion.]

Cippus, sip′us, n. the stocks: a monumental pillar. [L. cippus, a post.]

Circa, sir′ka, prep. and adv. about, around. [L.]

Circassian, sėr-kash′yan, adj. belonging to Circassia, a district of Russia, on the north of Mount Caucasus: a kind of light cashmere of silk and mohair—generally Circassienne′ (Fr. fem.).

Circean, sėr-sē′an, adj. relating to the beautiful sorceress Circe, who transformed the companions of Ulysses into swine by a magic beverage: infatuating and degrading.—Also Circæ′an.

Circensian, sir-sen′shi-an, adj. relating to the Circus Maximus in Rome, where the games and contests were held.—Also Circen′sial (obs.). [L. circensis—circus.]

Circle, sėr′kl, n. a plane figure bounded by one line every point of which is equally distant from a certain point called the centre: the line which bounds the figure: a ring: a planet's orbit: a series ending where it began: a figure in magic; a company surrounding the principal person: those of a certain class or society.—v.t. to move round: to encompass.—v.i. to move in a circle: to stand in a circle.—adjs. Cir′cinate; Cir′cled, circular: encircled.—ns. Cir′cler; Cir′clet; Cir′cling, motion in a circle: a revolution.—Dress′ cir′cle (see Dress); Fair′y-cir′cle, -ring (see Fairy).—Reasoning in a circle, assuming what is to be proved as the basis of the argument. [A.S. circul—L. circulus, dim. of circus; allied to A.S. hring, a ring.]

Circuit, sėr′kit, n. the act of moving round: area, extent: a round made in the exercise of a calling, esp. the round made by the judges for holding the courts of law: the judges making the round: (Shak.) diadem.—v.t. to go round.—n. Circuiteer′, a judge: one who goes on a circuit.—adj. Circū′itous, round about.—adv. Circū′itously.—n. Circū′ity, motion in a circle: an indirect course.—Make a circuit, to go round. [Fr.,—L. circuitus—circuīre, circum, round, īre, to go.]

Circular, sėr′kū-lar, adj. round: ending in itself: addressed to a circle of persons.—n. a note sent round to a circle or number of persons.—n. Circular′ity.—adv. Cir′cularly.—Circular notes, bank-notes issued for the convenience of travellers, being a kind of bill personal to the bearer, who is given also a corresponding 'letter of indication' addressed to foreign bankers.

Circulate, sėr′kū-lāt, v.t. to make to go round as in a circle: to spread: to repeat (of decimals).—v.i. to move round: to be spread about.—adj. Cir′culable, capable of being circulated.—ns. Cir′culant; Circulā′tion, the act of moving in a circle: the movement of the blood: the sale of a periodical: the publication of a report or of a book: the money in use at any time in a country.—adjs. Cir′culative, Cir′culatory, circulating.—n. Cir′culator.—Circulating library, one where books are circulated among subscribers. [L. circulāre, -ātum.]

Circumambages, sėr-kum-am′baj-ez, n.pl. roundabout ways of speech.—adj. Circumambā′gious, roundabout in speech.—ns. Circumam′bience, Circumam′biency.—adj. Circumam′bient, going round about.—n. Circumben′dibus, a roundabout method or course: a circumlocution. [L. circum, about, ambīre, to go round.]

Circumambulate, sėr-kum-am′bū-lāt, v.i. to walk round about.—n. Circumambulā′tion. [L. ambulāre, -ātum, to walk.]

Circumcise, sėr′kum-sīz, v.t. to cut off the foreskin according to the Jewish law: (fig.) to purify.—p.adj. Cir′cumcised, that has undergone circumcision: purified, chastened.—ns. Cir′cumciser, one who circumcises; Circumci′sion, the act of circumcising. [L. circumcidĕre, circumcisum—cædĕre, to cut.]

Circumdenudation, sėr-kum-de-nūd-ā′shun, n. (geol.) denudation or erosion round an elevated tract left isolated.

Circumduct, sėr′kum-dukt, v.t. to lead around or about, to revolve round an imaginary axis so as to describe a cone: (Scots law) to close a case to further proof.—n. Circumduc′tion.—adj. Circumduct′ory. [L. circum, about, ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Circumference, sėr-kum′fėr-ens, n. the boundary-line of any round body, esp. of a circle: the line surrounding anything: area: compass: distance round.—adj. Circumferen′tial—n. Circumferent′or, an instrument used by surveyors and miners for measuring horizontal angles, consisting of a graduated circle, an index, and a magnetic needle suspended over the centre of a circle—now superseded by the Theodolite. [L. circum, about, ferre, to carry.]

Circumflect, sėr′kum-flekt, v.t. to mark with a circumflex.—ns. Cir′cumflex, an accent (^) denoting a rising and falling of the voice on a vowel or syllable; Circumflex′ion, a bending round. [L. flectĕre, flexum, to bend.]

Circumfluence, sėr-kum′flōō-ens, n. a flowing round.—adj. Circum′fluent, flowing round. [L. fluĕre, to flow.]

Circumforaneous, sėr-kum-fō-rā′ne-us, adj. wandering about as from market to market, vagrant.—Also Circumfora′nean. [L., circum, about, forum, the forum, market-place.]

Circumfuse, sėr-kum-fūz′, v.t. to pour around.—p.adj. Circumfused′.—adj. Circumfus′ile, molten.—n. Circumfū′sion. [L. fundĕre, fusum, to pour.]

Circumgyrate, sėr-kum-jī′rāt, v.i. to go round and round.—n. Circumgyrā′tion.—adj. Circumgy′ratory. [L. gyrāre, -ātum, to turn.]

Circumjacent, sėr-kum-jā′sent, adj. lying round: bordering on every side.—n. Circumja′cency. [L. jacens, lying—jacēre, to lie.]

Circumlittoral, sėr-kum-lit′ō-ral, adj. adjacent to the shore-line. [L. circum, about, litus, litoris, the shore.]

Circumlocution, sėr-kum-lō-kū′shun, n. roundabout speaking: a manner of expression in which many unnecessary words are used.—v.i. Cir′cumlocute, to use circumlocution.—n. Circumlocū′tionist, one who practises circumlocution.—adj. Circumloc′utory.—Circumlocution office, a name given by Dickens in Little Dorrit to the government offices, owing to their dilatoriness in attending to business. [L. loqui, locutus, to speak.]

Circummure, sėr-kum-mūr′, v.t. (Shak.) to wall round. [L. murus, a wall.]

Circumnavigate, sėr-kum-nav′i-gāt, v.t. to sail round.—adj. Circumnav′igable, capable of being circumnavigated.—ns. Circumnavigā′tion; Circumnav′igator, one who sails round. [See Navigate.]

Circumnutation, sėr-kum-nū-tā′shun, n. a nodding or turning successively towards all points of the compass, as in the tendrils of plants.—v.i. Circumnū′tate.—adj. Circumnū′tatory. [L. circum, about, nutāre, -ātum, to nod.]

Circumpolar, sėr-kum-pō′lar, adj. situated round the pole. [See Polar.]

Circumpose, sėr′kum-pōz, v.t. to place round.—n. Circumposi′tion, the act of placing round. [See Position.]

Circumscribe, sėr-kum-skrīb′, v.t. to draw a line round: to enclose within certain limits, to curtail, abridge.—adj. Circumscrib′able, able to be circumscribed.—ns. Circumscrib′er, one who circumscribes; Circumscrip′tion, limitation: the line that limits: a circumscribed place.—adj. Circumscrip′tive, marking the external form or outline. [L. scribĕre, to write.]

Circumspect, sėr′kum-spekt, adj. looking round on all sides watchfully: cautious: prudent.—n. Circumspec′tion, watchfulness: caution: examining.—adj. Circumspec′tive, looking around: wary.—adv. Cir′cumspectly.—n. Cir′cumspectness. [L. specĕre, spectum, to look.]

Circumstance, sėr′kum-stans, n. the logical surroundings of an action: an accident or event: ceremony: detail: (pl.) the state of one's affairs.—v.t. to place in particular circumstances:—pa.p. cir′cumstanced.—adj. Circumstan′tial, consisting of details: minute.—n. Circumstantial′ity, the quality of being circumstantial: minuteness in details: a detail.—adv. Circumstan′tially.—n.pl. Circumstan′tials, incidentals: details.—v.t. Circumstan′tiate, to prove by circumstances: to describe exactly.—Circumstantial evidence, evidence which is not positive nor direct, but which is gathered inferentially from the circumstances in the case.—In good or bad circumstances, prosperous or unprosperous; In, Under the circumstances, owing to certain conditions. [L. stans, stantis, standing—stāre, to stand.]

Circumvallate, sėr-kum′val-āt, v.t. to surround with a rampart.—n. Circumvallā′tion, a surrounding with a wall: a wall or fortification surrounding a town or fort. [L. vallum, rampart.]

Circumvent, sėr-kum-vent′, v.t. to come round or outwit a person: to deceive or cheat.—n. Circumven′tion.—adj. Circumvent′ive, deceiving by artifices. [L. venīre, to come.]

Circumvolve, sėr-kum-volv′, v.t. to roll round.—v.i. to revolve:—pr.p. circumvolv′ing; pa.p. circumvolved′.—n. Circumvolū′tion, a turning or rolling round: anything winding or sinuous. [L. volvĕre, volutum, to roll.]

Circus, sėr′kus, n. a circular building for the exhibition of games: a place for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship: a group of houses arranged in the form of a circle: applied to nature, as, e.g., high hills surrounding a plain.—n. Cirque (sėrk), a circus: a ring of some sort. [L. circus; cog. with Gr. kirkos.]

Cirrhopod, Cirrhopoda, older forms of Cirriped, Cirripeda.

Cirripeda, sir-rip′e-da, Cirripedia, sir-rip-ē′di-a, n. a degenerate sub-class of Crustacea, including the numerous forms of Barnacles and Acorn-shells.—n. Cir′riped, one of the Cirripeda. [L. cirrus, a tuft of hair, and pes, a foot.]

Cirrus, sir′us, n. the highest form of clouds consisting of curling fibres: (bot.) a tendril: (zool.) any curled filament:—pl. Cirri (sir′ī).—adjs. Cirr′ate, Cirr′iform, like a cirrus; Cirr′igrade, moving by cirri.—n. Cirr′o-cū′mulus, a fleecy cloud intermediate between the cirrus and cumulus.—adj. Cirr′ose, with tendrils.—n. Cirr′o-strā′tus, a mottled-looking cloud intermediate between the cirrus and stratus.—adj. Cirr′ous, having a cirrus. [L.]

Cisalpine, sis-alp′in, adj. on this side—i.e. on the Roman side—of the Alps.—So Cisatlan′tic; Cisleith′an, on this side the Leitha, which separates the archduchy of Austria and Hungary; Cismon′tane, on this side the mountains—opp. to Ultramontane; Cis′padane, on this side the Po; Cispon′tine, on this side of the bridges, viz. in London, north of the Thames. [L. cis, on this side.]

Ciselure, sēz′lūr, n. the art or operation of chasing, the chasing upon a piece of metal-work.—n. Cis′eleur, a chaser. [Fr.]

Cissoid, sis′soid, n. a plane curve consisting of two infinite branches symmetrically placed with reference to the diameter of a circle, so that at one of its extremities they form a Cusp (q.v.), while the tangent to the circle at the other extremity is their common asymptote. [Gr. kissoeidēs.]

Cist, sist, n. a tomb consisting of a stone chest covered with stone slabs.—adjs. Cist′ed, containing cists; Cist′ic, like a cist. [See Chest.]

Cistella, sis-tel′a, n. the capsular shield of some lichens. [L., dim. of cista, a box.]

Cistercian, sis-ter′shan, n. one of the order of monks established in 1098 in the forest of Citeaux (Cistercium), in France—an offshoot of the Benedictines.

Cistern, sis′tėrn, n. any receptacle for holding water or other liquid: a reservoir: in a steam-engine, the vessel surrounding the condenser. [L. cisterna, from cista, a chest.]

Cistus, sis′tus, n. Rock-rose, a genus of exogenous shrubby plants, cultivated for the beauty of their flowers:—pl. Cis′tuses (-ēz) and Cis′ti (′tī). [Low L., from Gr. kistos, the rock-rose.]

Cistvaen. See Kistvaen.

Cit, sit, n. shortened from citizen, and used as a term of contempt:—fem. Cit′ess (Dryden). [See Citizen.]

Citadel, sit′a-del, n. a fortress in or near a city: the place where the guns are kept in an ironclad man-of-war. [It. cittadella, dim. of città, a city. See City.]

Cite, sīt, v.t. to call or summon: to summon to answer in court: to quote: to name: to adduce as proof.—adj. Cit′able, that can be cited.—ns. Cit′al, summons to appear: (Shak.) accusation, reproof; Citā′tion, an official summons to appear: the document containing the summons: the act of quoting: the passage or name quoted; Citā′tor, one who cites.—adj. Cit′ātory, having to do with citation, addicted to citation. [L. citāre, -ātum, to call, inten. of ciēre, cīre, to make to go.]

Cithara, sith′a-ra, n. an ancient musical instrument closely resembling the guitar.—n. Cith′arist, a player on it.—adj. Citharist′ic.—ns. Cith′er, Cith′ern, Cit′tern, a metal-stringed musical instrument, played with a plectrum. [L.,—Gr. kithara. A doublet of Guitar.]

Citigrade, sit′i-grād, adj. moving quickly: applied to a tribe of spiders of remarkably quick motions. [L. citus, quick, gradus, a step.]

Citizen, sit′i-zen, n. an inhabitant of a city: a member of a state: a townsman: a freeman:—fem. Cit′izeness.—adj. (Shak.) like a citizen.—v.t. Cit′izenise, to make a citizen of.—ns. Cit′izenry, the general body of citizens; Cit′izenship, the rights of a citizen. [M. E. citesein—O. Fr. citeain. See City.]

Citole, sit′ōl, n. a small dulcimer used in medieval times. [O. Fr.,—L. cithara.]

Citron, sit′run, n. the fruit of the citron-tree, resembling a lemon.—n. Cit′rate, a salt of citric acid.—adjs. Cit′reous, citrine; Cit′ric, derived from the citron; Cit′rine, dark and greenish yellow, like a citron or lemon.—n. citrine colour: a rock crystal of this colour.—ns. Cit′ron-wood, Cit′rus-wood, the most costly furniture-wood of the ancient Romans.—Citric acid, the acid to which lemon and lime juice owe their sourness. [Fr.,—L. citrus—Gr. kitron, a citron.]

Cittern. Same as Cither (q.v. under Cithara).

City, sit′i, n. a large town: a town with a corporation.—n.pl. Cit′y-commis′sioners, officials who attend to the drainage, &c.—n. Cit′y-mis′sion, a mission for evangelising the poor classes in the large cities.—adj. Civ′ic, pertaining to a city or citizen.—City of God, Heavenly city, &c., the ideal of the Church of Christ in glory; City of refuge, by the Jewish law a city where the perpetrator of an accidental murder might flee for refuge.—Eternal city, Rome; Holy city, Jerusalem.—The City, The City of London, that part of London where business is principally carried on. [Fr. cité, a city—L. civitas, the state—civis, a citizen.]

Cive, sīv, n. See Chive.

Civet, siv′et, n. a perfume obtained from the civet or Civ′et-cat, a small carnivorous animal of Africa, India, &c. [Fr. civette—Ar. zabad.]

Civic. See City.

Civil, siv′il, adj. pertaining to the community: having the refinement of city-bred people: polite: commercial, not military: lay, secular, or temporal, not ecclesiastical: pertaining to the individual citizen: (law) relating to private relations amongst citizens, and such suits as arise out of these, as opposed to criminal: (theol.) naturally good, as opposed to good through regeneration.—ns. Civil′ian, a professor or student of civil law (not canon law): one engaged in civil as distinguished from military and other pursuits; Civ′ilist, one versed in civil law; Civil′ity, good-breeding: politeness.—adv. Civ′illy.—adj. Civ′il-suit′ed (Milton), sombrely clad.—n. Civ′ism, good citizenship, state of being well-affected to the government.—Civil death, the loss of all civil and legal but not natural privileges, as by outlawry: Civil engineer, one who plans rail-ways, docks, &c., as opposed to a military engineer, or to a mechanical engineer, who makes machines, &c.; Civil law, as opposed to criminal law: the law laid down by a state regarding the rights of the inhabitants; Civil list, now the expenses of the sovereign's household only; Civil list pensions, those granted by royal favour; Civil service, the paid service of the state, in so far as it is not military or naval; Civil war, a war between citizens of the same state. [L. civīlis—civis.]

Civilise, siv′il-īz, v.t. to reclaim from barbarism: to instruct in arts and refinements.—adj. Civ′ilisable.—n. Civilisā′tion, state of being civilised—p.adj. Civ′ilised.—n. Civ′iliser.

Clabber, klab′ėr, n. (Scot.). [Gael. clabar, mud.]

Clachan, kla′han, n. (Scot.) a small village. [Gael. clachan—clach, stone.]

Clack, klak, v.i. to make a sudden sharp noise as by striking: to chatter: to cackle.—n. a sharp, sudden sound; sound of voices: an instrument making this kind of noise: (coll.) the tongue.—ns. Clack′-box, the box containing the clack-valve of an engine; Clack′-dish (Shak.), a wooden dish carried by beggars, having a movable cover which they clacked to attract attention; Clack′er; Clack′-valve, a valve used in pumps, having a flap or a hinge which lifts up to let the fluid pass, but prevents the fluid from returning by falling back over the aperture. [From the sound.]

Clad, klad, pa.t. and pa.p. of Clothe.

Claes, klāz, n.pl. Scotch for Clothes.

Clag, klag, v.i. (prov.) to stick.—adj. Clag′gy, sticky. [Prob. Scand.; Dan. klag, mud.]

Claim, klām, v.t. to call for: to demand as a right.—n. a demand for something supposed due: right or ground for demanding: the thing claimed.—adj. Claim′able, that can be claimed.—n. Claim′ant, one who makes a claim.—Lay claim to, to assert a right. [O. Fr. claimer—L. clamāre, to call out.]

Clairaudience, klār-awd′i-ens, n. the alleged power of hearing things not present to the senses.—n. Clairaud′ient. [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear, and Audience.]

Clair-obscure, Clare-obscure, klār-ob-skūr′. Same as Chiaroscuro (q.v.). [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear, and Fr. obscur—L. obscurus, obscure.]

Clairschach, klār′shäh, n. the old Celtic harp strung with wire.

Clairvoyance, klār-voi′ans, n. the alleged power of seeing things not present to the senses.—n. Clairvoy′ant, one who is said to have this power. [Fr., clair—L. clarus, clear, and Fr. voir—L. vidēre, to see.]

Clam, klam, n. a species of bivalve shellfish: an instrument for holding. [A.S. clam, fetter; cf. Ger. klamm; Dan. klamme.]

Clam, klam, v.t. to clog: to smear; pr.p. clam′ming; pa.p. clammed.—n. dampness.—adv. Clam′mily.—n. Clam′miness.—adj. Clam′my, sticky: moist and adhesive. [A.S. clæman, to anoint; cf. Dut., Dan. klam, damp.]

Clam, klam, n. noise produced in ringing a chime of bells at once.—v.t. or v.i. to produce a clam. [Prob. onomatopœic.]

Clamant, klam′ant, adj. calling aloud or earnestly.—n. Clam′ancy, urgency. [L. clamāre, to cry out.]

Clamber, klam′bėr, v.i. to climb with difficulty, grasping with the hands and feet.—n. the act of clambering. [From root of Clump; cf. Ger. klammern—klemmen, to squeeze or hold tightly.]

Clamjamphrie, klam-jam′fri, n. (Scot.) rubbish: nonsense: rabble. [Der. uncertain.]

Clamour, klam′or, n. a loud continuous outcry: uproar; any loud noise.—v.i. to cry aloud in demand: to make a loud continuous outcry.—adj. Clam′orous, noisy, boisterous.—adv. Clam′orously.—ns. Clam′-orousness; Clam′ourer. [L. clamor.]

Clamp, klamp, n. a piece of timber, iron, &c., used to fasten things together or to strengthen any framework: any instrument for holding.—v.t. to bind with clamps. [From a root seen in A.S. clam, fetter; Dut. klamp, a clamp, and akin to Eng. Clip, Climb.]

Clamp, klamp, n. a heavy tread.—v.i. to tread heavily. [Prob. from the sound.]

Clamper, klam′pėr, v.t. to botch up. [Der. unknown; prob. conn. with Clamp, a piece of timber, &c.]

Clan, klan, n. a tribe or collection of families subject to a single chieftain, bearing the same surname, and supposed to have a common ancestor: a clique, sect: a collective name for a number of persons or things.—adj. Clan′nish, closely united, like the members of a clan.—adv. Clan′nishly.—ns. Clan′nishness; Clan′ship, association of families under a chieftain: feeling of loyalty to a clan; Clans′man, a member of a clan. [Gael. clann, offspring, tribe—L. planta, a shoot.]

Clandestine, klan-des′tin, adj. concealed or hidden: private: sly.—adv. Clandes′tinely. [L. clandestinus—clam, secretly.]

Clang, klang, v.i. to produce a sharp, ringing sound.—v.t. to cause to clang.—n. a sharp, ringing sound, like that made by metallic substances struck together: (fig.) sound, the cry of some birds.—n. Clang′ing, the sound corresponding to the verb.—adj. Clang′orous.—adv. Clang′orously.—n. Clang′our, a clang: a sharp, shrill, harsh sound.—v.i. to make a clangour. [L. clangĕre; Ger. klang; formed from the sound.]

Clank, klangk, n. a sharp sound, less prolonged than a clang, such as is made by a chain.—v.t. or v.i. to make or cause a clank.—n. Clank′ing, the action of the verb clank.—adj. Clank′less, without clank. [Prob. formed under the influence of Clink and Clang.]

Clap, klap, n. the noise made by the sudden striking together of two things, as the hands: a burst of sound: a slap.—v.t. to strike together so as to make a noise: to thrust or drive together suddenly: to fasten promptly: to pat with the hand in a friendly manner: to applaud with the hands: to bang: to imprison—e.g. 'to clap one in prison.'—v.i. to strike the hands together: to strike together with noise: to applaud:—pr.p. clap′ping; pa.p. clapped.—ns. Clap′-board, a thin board used in covering wooden houses; Clap′-bread, a kind of hard-baked oatmeal cake; Clap′-dish (same as Clack-dish); Clap′-net, a kind of net which is made to clap together suddenly by pulling a string; Clap′per, one who claps: that which claps, as the tongue of a bell: a glib tongue.—v.t. Clap′per-claw, to claw or scratch: (Shak.) to scold.—ns. Clap′ping, noise of striking: applause; Clap′-sill, the bottom part of the frame on which lock-gates shut—called also Lock-sill; Clap′trap (Shak.), a trick to gain applause: flashy display: empty words; Claptrap′pery.—adj. Claptrap′pish.—Clap eyes on, to see; Clap hands (Shak.), to make an agreement; Clap hold of, to seize roughly; Clap up (Shak.), to conclude suddenly. [Ice. klappa, to pat; Dut. and Ger. klappen.]

Clap, klap, n. gonorrhea. [Cf. Dut. klapoor.]

Claque, klak, n. an institution for securing the success of a public performance, by bestowing upon it preconcerted applause.—n. Claq′ueur, a member of the claque. [Fr. claquer, to clap.]

Clarabella, klar-a-bel′a, n. an organ-stop of a sweet fluty tone.

Clarence, klar′ens, n. a four-wheeled carriage, seated inside for two or more persons. [Named after William IV. when Duke of Clarence.]

Clarenceux, Clarencieux, klar′en-sū, n. (her.) the second king-of-arms in England, so named from the Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III.

Clarendon, klar′en-don, n. (print.) a form of type having a heavy face.

Clare-obscure. Same as Chiaroscuro.

Claret, klar′et, n. originally applied to wines of a light-red colour, but now used in England for the dark-red wines of Bordeaux: (slang) blood.—v.i. to drink claret.—ns. Clar′et-cup, a drink made up of iced claret, brandy, sugar, &c.; Clar′et-jug, a fancy jug for holding claret. [Fr. clairet—clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Clarify, klar′i-fī, v.t. to make clear or pure.—v.i. to become clear:—pr.p. clar′ifying; pa.p. clar′ified.—ns. Clarificā′tion; Clar′ifier, that which clarifies or purifies. [L. clarus, clear, and facĕre, to make.]

Clarion, klar′i-on, n. a kind of trumpet whose note is clear and shrill: the sound of a trumpet, or a sound resembling that of a trumpet.—ns. Clar′inet, Clar′ionet, a wind-instrument, usually of wood, in which the sound is produced by a single thin reed.—The Bass Clarinet is pitched an octave lower than the ordinary clarinet. [Fr. clairon—clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Clarity, klar′i-ti, n. clearness. [M. E. clarté—L. claritas.]

Clarty, klar′ti, adj. (Scot.) sticky and dirty. [Der. unknown.]

Clary, klār′i, n. a biennial with clammy stem, large, heart-shaped, rough, doubly crenate leaves, and whorls of pale-blue flowers in loose terminal spikes, with large coloured bracts. [Low L. sclarea. Origin unknown.]

Clash, klash, n. a loud noise, such as is caused by the striking together of weapons: opposition: contradiction: (Scot.) chatter, country talk.—v.i. to dash noisily together: to meet in opposition: to act in a contrary direction: to disagree: (Scot.) to gossip.—v.t. to strike noisily against.—n. Clash′ing, a striking against: opposition. [Formed from the sound, like Ger. and Sw. klatsch.]

Clasp, klasp, n. a hook for fastening: an embrace.—v.t. to fasten with a clasp: to enclose and hold in the hand or arms: to embrace.—ns. Clasp′er, that which clasps: the tendril of a plant; Clasp′ing; Clasp′-knife, a knife the blade of which folds into the handle. [M. E. clapse, from the root of A.S. clyppan, to embrace. See Clip.]

Class, klas, n. a rank or order of persons or things: high rank or social standing: a number of students or scholars who are taught together: a scientific division or arrangement: the position in order of merit of students after examination.—v.t. to form into a class or classes: to arrange methodically.—v.i. to take rank.—adjs. Class′able, Class′ible, capable of being classed.—ns. Class′-fell′ow, Class′-mate, a pupil in the same class at school or college; Class′ic, any great writer or work: a student of the ancient classics: a standard work: (pl.) Greek, Roman, and modern writers of the first rank, or their works.—adjs. Class′ic, -al, of the highest class or rank, esp. in literature: originally and chiefly used of the best Greek and Roman writers: (as opposed to Romantic) like in style to the authors of Greece and Rome: chaste, refined, in keeping with classical art: famous for literary or historical reasons.—ns. Classical′ity, Class′icalness, the quality of being classical.—adv. Class′ically.—ns. Class′icism, a classical idiom; Class′icist, one versed in the classics, or devoted to their being retained in education; Class′-lead′er, the leader of a class in a Methodist church; Class′man, one who has gained honours of a certain class at the Oxford examinations—opp. to Passman.—Classic races, the five chief annual horse-races—the Two Thousand, One Thousand, Derby, Oaks, and St Leger.—Take a class, to take honours in an examination, as opposed to the mere 'pass.' [Fr. classe—L. classis, cog. with L. calāre, Gr. kalein.]

Classify, klas′i-fī, v.t. to make or form into classes: to arrange:—pr.p. class′ifying; pa.p. class′ified.—adjs. Classifī′able, capable of being classified; Classif′ic, denoting classes.—n. Classificā′tion, act of forming into classes: distribution into classes.—adj. Class′ificātory.—n. Class′ifīer. [L. classis, and facĕre, to make.]

Classis, klas′is, n. a group: judicatory. [L.]

Clastic, klas′tik, adj. breaking into fragments, fragmental. [Gr. klastos—klan, to break.]

Clatch, klach, v.t. (Scot.) to daub.—n. mire, anything for daubing.

Clatch, klach, v.t. (Scot.) to finish carelessly, to botch.—n. a piece of work spoiled or botched.

Clatch, klach, n. (Scot.) a kind of gig.

Clathrate, klath′rāt, adj. latticed—also Clath′roid.—adjs. Clath′rose, crossed by deep rectangular furrows; Clath′rulate, finely clathrate. [L. clath-rāre, -ātum, to furnish with a lattice—Gr. klēthra, a lattice.]

Clatter, klat′ėr, n. a repeated rattling noise: a repetition of abrupt, sharp sounds: noisy talk: (Burns) gossip.—v.i. to make rattling sounds: to rattle with the tongue: to talk fast and idly.—v.t. to strike so as to produce a rattling.—adv. Clatt′eringly. [Acc. to Skeat, clatter = clacker, a freq. of Clack.]

Claude Lorraine glass, n. a convex mirror, usually coloured, employed for viewing landscape. [Named after the painter Claude Lorraine (1600-82).]

Claudian, klaw′di-an, adj. pertaining to the Roman emperors of the Claudian gens (Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero), or their period (14-68 A.D.).

Claudication, klaw-di-kā′shun, n. a halting, a limp. [L.,—claudus, lame.]

Claught, kläht, v.t. (Scot.) to snatch.—n. a hold, catch. [Cf. Cleek.]

Clause, klawz, n. a sentence or part of a sentence: an article or part of a contract, will, &c.—adj. Claus′ular, pertaining to, or consisting of, a clause or clauses. [Fr. clause—L. clausus—claudĕre, to shut.]

Claustral, klaws′tral, adj. cloistral, secluded, pertaining to a claustrum.—ns. Claustrā′tion, the act of shutting in a cloister; Claustrophō′bia, a morbid dread of confined places.—adj. Claustrophob′ic.

Claustrum, klaws′trum, n. a thin layer of gray matter in the substance of the hemispheres of the brain:—pl. Claus′tra. [L.]

Claut, klat, n. a kind of rake: (Scot.) what is raked, a rakeful.—v.t. to scratch, claw.—n.pl. Clats, slops.—adj. Clat′ty, dirty. [Perh. conn. with Claw.]

Clavate, -d, klā′vāt, -ed, adj. (bot.) club-shaped: gradually thickening to the top.—n. Clavā′tion, articulation in a socket.—adjs. Clav′ellate, having club-shaped processes; Clav′iform, in the form of a club.—n. Clav′iger, a club-bearer.—adj. Clavig′erous, club-bearing. [From L. clava, a club.]

Clave, klāv, pa.t. of Cleave.

Clavecin, klav′e-sin, n. a harpsichord.—n. Clav′ecinist (Browning), a player on the clavecin. [Fr. clavecin—L. clavis, a key.]

Claver, klā′vėr, n. idle talk, gossip.—v.i. to talk idly. [Scotch; der. uncertain; cf. Gael. clabaire.]

Clavichord, klav′i-kord, n. an obsolete musical instrument, of the same form as the Harpsichord and Spinet.—n. Clav′iharp, a harp struck with keys like a piano. [L. clavis, a key, chorda, a string.]

Clavicle, klav′i-kl, n. an important part of the pectoral girdle of vertebrates, best known in the collar-bone of man and in the merry-thought of birds—also Clavic′ula.—adj. Clavic′ular. [Fr. clavicule—L. clavicula, dim. of clavis, a key.]

Clavicorn, klav′i-korn, adj. having clavate antennæ.—n. a member of the Clavicornia, a group of Coleoptera or beetles. [L. clava, a club, cornu, a horn.]

Clavier, kla-vēr′, n. the keyboard of a musical instrument: a stringed instrument, esp. the pianoforte. [Fr.,—L. clavis, a key.]

Clavis, klă′vis, n. a key, hence a clue or aid for solving problems, interpreting a cipher, &c.:—pl. Clā′ves.—n. Clav′iger, one who keeps a key, a custodian.—adj. Clavig′erous, keeping keys. [L., a key.]

Claw, klaw, n. the hooked nail of a beast or bird: the whole foot of an animal with hooked nails: anything like a claw: an instrument shaped like a claw.—v.t. to scratch or tear as with the claws or nails: to scrape; to seize: (fig.) to flatter, fawn on.—n. Claw′back, a toady, flatterer.—adj. Clawed, having claws.—ns. Claw-hamm′er, a hammer with one part of the head divided into two claws, with which to extract nails; Claw′-hamm′er-coat, a facetious name for a dress-coat.—adj. Claw′less.—Claw me and I'll claw thee, favour me and I shall do you good in return. [A.S. clawu; cog. with Ger. klaue; akin to Cleave, to stick.]

Clay, klā, n. a tenacious ductile earth: earth in general: the human body: short for clay-pipe, a tobacco-pipe made of baked clay.—v.t. to purify with clay, as sugar.—adjs. Clay′-brained (Shak.), stupid; Clay′-cold, cold as clay, lifeless.—n. Clay′-eat′er, one addicted to chewing a fatty clay—in Brazil and elsewhere.—adjs. Clayed, clay-like; Clay′ey, made of clay: covered with clay.—n. Clay′-ground, ground consisting mainly of clay.—adj. Clay′ish, of the nature of clay.—ns. Clay′-marl, a whitish chalky clay; Clay′-mill, a mill for preparing clay; Clay′-slate, an argillaceous rock, splitting readily into thin sheets; Clay′stone, one of the concretionary nodules in alluvial deposits.—Wet one's clay, to drink. [A.S. clæg; cf. Dan. klæg, Ger. klei.]

Claymore, klā′mōr, n. a large sword formerly used by the Scottish Highlanders, the old Celtic one-handed, two-edged longsword, now applied inaccurately to the basket-hilted sword of the officers of Highland regiments. [Gael. claidheamh-mor—Gael. and Ir. claidheamh, sword, mor, great.]

Clean, klē′n, adj. free from dirt, stain, or whatever defiles: pure: guiltless: neat: complete.—adv. quite: entirely: cleverly.—v.t. to make clean, or free from dirt.—ns. Clean′or, that which cleans; Clean′ing, the act of making clean.—adj. Clean′-limbed, having well-proportioned limbs: smart.—n. Clean′liness.—adj. Clean′ly, clean in habits or person: pure: neat.—adv. in a cleanly manner.—n. Clean′ness.—adj. Clean′-tim′bered (Shak.), well-proportioned.—Clean bill of health (see Bill of health).—Have clean hands, to be free from the guilt of wrong-doing.—Make a clean breast of, to own up frankly, to confess fully; Show a clean pair of heels, to escape by running.—The clean thing, the right thing to do. [A.S. clǽne; W., Gael. glan, shine, polish; Ger. klein, small.]

Cleanse, klenz, v.t. to make clean or pure.—adj. Cleans′able.—ns. Cleans′er, one who, or that which, cleanses; Cleans′ing, purification.

Clear, klēr, adj. pure, bright, undimmed: free from obstruction or difficulty: plain, distinct: without blemish, defect, drawback, or diminution: conspicuous: transparent.—adv. in a clear manner: plainly: wholly: quite.—v.t. to make clear: to empty: to free from obscurity, obstruction, or guilt: to free, acquit, or vindicate; to leap, or pass by or over; to make profit: to settle a bill.—v.i. to become clear: to grow free, bright, or transparent.—ns. Clear′age, a piece of land cleared; Clear′ance, act of clearing: removal of hinderances: a certificate that a ship has been cleared at the custom-house—that is, has satisfied all demands and procured permission to sail.—adjs. Clear′-eyed, clear-sighted, discerning; Clear′-head′ed, having a clear understanding, sagacious.—ns. Clear′ing, the act of making clear: a tract of land cleared of wood, &c., for cultivation: a method by which bankers exchange cheques and drafts, and arrange the differences; Clear′ing-house, a place in London where such clearing business is done; Clear′ing-nut, the seed of Strychnos potatorum, used in the East Indies for clearing muddy water.—adv. Clear′ly, in a clear manner: distinctly.—ns. Clear′ness; Clear′-obscure′ (see Chiaroscuro).—adj. Clear′-sight′ed, having clearness of sight: discerning.—ns. Clear′-sight′edness; Clear′-starch′er, a laundress; Clear′-starch′ing, the act of stiffening linen with clear starch; Clear-story (see Clerestory).—Clear out, to be off; Clear the way, to make the way open; Clear up, to become clear. [Fr. clair—L. clarus, clear.]

Cleat, klēt, n. a wedge: a piece of wood nailed across anything to keep it in its place or give it an additional strength: a piece of wood fastened on parts of a ship, and having holes or recesses for fastening ropes.—v.t. to strengthen with a cleat. [From a supposed A.S. cléat; cf. Dut. kloot; Dan. klode; Ger. kloss.]

Cleave, klēv, v.t. to divide, to split: to separate with violence: to go through: to pierce.—v.i. to part asunder: to crack:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. clōve or cleft; pa.p. clov′en or cleft.—adj. Cleav′able, capable of being cleft.—ns. Cleav′age, a condition of rocks in which they split easily into thin plates; Cleav′er, one who or that which cleaves: a butcher's chopper; Cleav′ers, Cliv′ers, goose-grass—Galium aperine, diuretic and sudorific.—adj. Cleav′ing, splitting. [A.S. cleófan; cog. with Ger. klieben.]

Cleave, klēv, v.i. to stick or adhere: to unite:—pr.p. cleav′ing; pa.t. cleaved or clāve; pa.p. cleaved.—n. Cleav′ing, the act of adhering. [A.S. clifian; cog. with Ger. kleben, Dut. kleven.]

Cleché, klesh′ā, adj. (her.) voided or hollowed throughout, as a cross showing only a narrow bolder. [Fr.]

Cleck, klek, v.t. to hatch.—n. Cleck′ing, a brood. [Scot.,—Ice. klekja; cf. Dan. klække, to hatch.]

Cleddyo, kled′yō, n. an antique leaf-shaped bronze Celtic sword. [W. cleddeu, cleddyf; L. gladius.]

Cleek, klēk, n. a large hook for catching hold of something, used in fishing, &c.: an iron-headed golf-club: a peg.—v.t. to seize, snatch. [M. E. kleken; perh. related to Clutch.]

Clef, klef, n. a musical character placed on the staff by which the absolute pitch of the notes is fixed. [Fr., from L. clavis; Gr. kleis, a key.]

Cleft, kleft, pa.t. and pa.p. of Cleave.

Cleft, kleft, n. an opening made by cleaving or splitting: a crack, fissure, or chink.—Also Clift (B.). [Cf. Ger. kluft, Dan. klyft, a hole.]

Cleft-palate. See Palate.

Cleg, kleg, n. the gadfly, horse-fly. [Ice. kleggi.]

Clem, klem, v.i. and v.t. to starve. [Prov. Eng. clam; Ger. klemmen, to pinch.]

Clematis, klem′a-tis, n. a creeping plant, called also Virgin's Bower and Traveller's Joy. [L.,—Gr. klēmatis—klēma, a twig.]

Clement, klem′ent, adj. mild: gentle: kind: merciful.—ns. Clem′ence (Spens.), Clem′ency, the quality of being clement: mildness: readiness to forgive.—adv. Clem′ently. [Fr.,—L. clemens.]

Clench, klensh. Same as Clinch.

Clepe, klēp, v.t. (arch.) to call: to name.—pa.p. Yclept. [A.S. clipian, to call.]

Clepsydra, klep′si-dra, n. an instrument used by the Greeks and Romans for measuring time by the trickling of water. [L.,—Gr. klepsydra—kleptein, klepsein, to steal, hydōr, water.]

Clerestory, Clear-story, clēr-stō′ri, n. an upper row of windows rising above the adjoining parts of the building, probably so named as admitting clearness or light—esp. applied to the windows in the upper part of the central nave of churches.

Clergy, klėr′ji, n. the ministers of the Christian religion, as holders of an allotted office, in contradistinction to the laity.—adjs. Cler′gyable, Cler′giable, entitled to or admitting of the benefit of clergy.—ns. Cler′gyman, one of the clergy, a regularly ordained minister; Cler′gy-wom′an, a woman belonging to a clergyman's family.—adjs. Cler′ic, -al, belonging to the clergy: pertaining to a clerk.—ns. Cler′ic, a clergyman; Cler′icalism, undue influence of the clergy, sacerdotalism; Cler′icate, clerical position; Cleric′ity, state of being a clergyman; Cler′isy, the class of learned men, scholars.—Clergyman's sore throat, chronic pharyngitis.—Benefit of clergy, originally an exemption of clergymen, in certain cases, from criminal process before a secular judge, but later covering the first offence of all who could read.—Black clergy, in Russia, the regular or monastic, as distinct from the secular or parochial, clergy. [Fr. clergé—L.,—Gr. klērikos, from klēros, a lot, then the clergy.]

Clerk, klärk, or klerk, n. a clergyman or priest: a scholar: one who leads the responses in the English Church service: in common use, one employed as a writer, assistant, copyist, account-keeper, or correspondent in an office.—v.i. to act as clerk.—adj. Cler′ical, pertaining to a clerk or copyist, as in 'clerical error.'—ns. Clerk′dom, Clerk′ship; Clerk′ery, Clerk′age, the work of a clerk.—adjs. Clerk′ish, like a clerk; Clerk′less, ignorant; Clerk′-like, scholarly.—n. Clerk′ling, a young clerk.—adj. Clerk′ly, scholarly.—adv. in a scholar-like or learned manner.—Clerk of the weather, an imaginary functionary facetiously supposed to direct the weather.—Bible clerk, a scholar who reads the lessons in some college chapels. [A.S. clerc, a priest—Late L. clericus. See Clergy.]

Cleromancy, kler′o-man-si, n. divination by lots. [Gr. klēros, lot, manteia, divination.]

Cler-story, an obsolete form of Clerestory.

Cleuch, Cleugh, klūh, n. a ravine with steep and precipitous sides. [Scotch form of Clough.]

Cleve, klēv, n. cliff: hillside. [Now rare. M. E. cleof, a variant of Cliff.]

Clever, klev′ėr, adj. able or dexterous: ingenious: skilful: (U.S.) good-natured.—ns. Cleveral′ity, Clev′erness.—adj. Clev′erish, somewhat clever.—adv. Clev′erly. [Ety. dub.]

Clew, Clue, klōō, n. a ball of thread, or the thread in it: a thread that guides through a labyrinth: anything that solves a mystery: the corner of a sail.—v.t. to coil up into a clew or ball: to truss or tie up sails to the yards.—n. Clew′-gar′net (naut.), a tackle for clewing up the smaller square sails for furling.—n.pl. Clew′-lines, ropes on the smaller square sails by which they are clewed up for furling. [A.S. cliwen; cf. Dut. kluwen; Ger. knäuel.]

Cliché, klē-shā′, n. the impression made by a die in any soft metal: an electrotype or stereotype plate. [Fr.,—clicher, to stereotype.]

Click, klik, n. a short, sharp clack or sound: anything that makes such a sound, as a small piece of iron falling into a notched wheel: a latch for a gate.—v.i. to make a light, sharp sound.—ns. Click′-clack, a continuous clicking noise; Click′er, the compositor who distributes the copy among a companionship of printers, makes up pages, &c.: one who cuts up leather for the uppers and soles of boots and shoes; Click′ing, the action of the verb. [Dim. of Clack.]

Client, klī′ent, n. one who employs a lawyer: a dependent.—n. Clī′entage, the whole number of one's clients: the client's relation to the patron.—adj. Clīent′al.—ns. Clī′entele, a following: the whole connection of a lawyer, shopkeeper, &c.; Clī′entship. [L. cliens, for cluens, one who hears or listens (to advice), from cluēre, to hear.]

Cliff, klif, n. (mus.). Same as Clef.

Cliff, klif, n. a high steep rock: the steep side of a mountain.—adjs. Cliffed, Cliff′y, having cliffs: craggy. [A.S. clif; Dut. clif; Ice. klif.]

Clift. See Cleft (2).

Clift, klift, n. same as Cliff, the form arising under the influence of Cleft.—adjs. Clift′ed, Clift′y, broken into cliffs.

Climacteric, klim-ak-tėr′ik, or klim-ak′tėr-ik, n. a critical period in human life, in which some great bodily change is supposed to take place: a critical time.—adj. pertaining to such a period: critical.—adj. Climacter′ical.—The grand climacteric, the sixty-third year, supposed to be a critical period for men. [Gr. klimaktēr—klimax, a ladder.]

Climate, klī′māt, n. the condition of a country or place with regard to temperature, moisture, &c.: (fig.) character of something.—v.i. (Shak.) to remain in a certain place.—adjs. Clī′matal, Climat′ic, -al, relating to climate.—v.t. Clī′matise (see Acclimatise).—adj. Climatograph′ical.—n. Climatog′raphy, a description of climates.—adj. Climatolog′ical, relating to climatology.—ns. Climatol′ogist, one skilled in the science of climatology; Climatol′ogy, the science of climates, or an investigation of the causes on which the climate of a place depends; Clī′mature (Shak.), climate. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. klima, klimatos, slope—klinein, to slope.]

Climax, klī′maks, n. (rhet.) the arranging of the particulars of a portion of a discourse so as to rise in strength to the last: the last term of the rhetorical arrangement: a culmination.—v.i. to ascend in a climax: to culminate.—adjs. Climact′ic, -al, pertaining to a climax.—adv. Climact′ically. [Gr. klimax, a ladder—from klinein, to slope.]

Climb, klīm, v.i. or v.t. to ascend or mount by clutching with the hands and feet: to ascend with difficulty: to mount.—adj. Climb′able, capable of being climbed.—ns. Climb′er, one who or that which climbs: (pl.) an old-fashioned popular title for several orders of birds whose feet are mainly adapted for climbing: (bot.) those plants which, having weak stems, seek support from other objects, chiefly from other plants, in order to ascend from the ground; Climb′ing. [A.S. climban; cf. Ger. klimmen; conn. with Clamber and Cleave, to stick.]

Clime, klīm, n. a country, region, tract. [A variety of Climate.]

Clinamen, klin-ā′men, n. inclination. [L. clināre, to incline.]

Clinanthium, klin-an′thi-um, n. the receptacle in a composite plant. [Gr. klinē, a bed, anthos, a flower.]

Clinch, klinsh, Clench, klensh, v.t. to fasten or rivet a nail by bending the point and beating the bent part flat against the object through which the nail was driven: to grasp tightly: to set firmly, as the teeth: to fasten on: (fig.) to drive home an argument: to settle or confirm.—n. something set firmly: the fastening of a nail by beating it back, as in the verb: a pun.—n. Clinch′er, one that clinches: a decisive argument.—adj. Clinch′er-built (same as Clinker-built).—n. Clinch′er-work, the disposition of the side planks of a vessel, when the lower edge of one row overlaps the row next under it. [Causal form of klink, to strike smartly; Dut. and Ger. klinken, to rivet a bolt.]

Cling, kling, v.i. to adhere or stick close by winding round: to adhere in interest or affection: to remain by an opinion: of wood, to shrink.—v.t. to attach: to shrivel:—pa.t. and pa.p. clung.—n. adherence.—adjs. Cling′stone, having the pulp adhering firmly to the stone (of peaches)—opp. to Freestone; Cling′y, sticky. [A.S. clingan, to shrivel up, to draw together.]

Clinic, -al, klin′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to a bed: (med.) applied to instruction given in hospitals at the bedside of the patient.—n. Clin′ic, one confined to bed by sickness: the teaching of medicine or surgery practically at the bedside of the patient—also Clin′ique.—adv. Clin′ically.—Clinical baptism, baptism administered to persons on their sick-bed; Clinical convert, one converted on his death-bed; Clinical medicine, or surgery, medicine or surgery as taught by clinics, a Clinical lecture being one delivered to students at the bedside of the sick. [Gr. klinikos—klinē, a bed, from klinein, to recline.]

Clink, klingk, n. a ringing sound made by the striking together of sounding bodies: jingle.—v.t. to cause to make a ringing sound.—v.i. to ring or jingle: to go with a clinking sound.—n. Clink′er, the name given to the scales or globules of black oxide of iron, obtained from red-hot iron under the blows of a hammer: the slags of iron furnaces: the cindery-like masses which form the crust of some lava-flows.—adj. Clink′er-built, made of planks which overlap each other below (as distinguished from carvel-built) and are fastened together with clinched nails.—n. Clink′stone, a greenish-gray or brownish compact, or very finely crystalline igneous rock, splitting into slabs, which give a metallic clink when struck by a hammer. [A form of Click and Clank.]

Clink, klingk, v.t. to clinch: to rivet. [Scot. for Clinch.]

Clinometer, klī-nom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the angle of inclination or dip of a stratum.—adj. Clinomet′ric.—n. Clinom′etry. [Gr. klinein, to incline, metron, a measure.]

Clinquant, klingk′ant, adj. shining like tinsel: glittering.—n. tinsel: glitter. [Fr.,—Dut. klinken, to clink.]

Clio, klī′o, n. the muse of history and epic poetry: (zool.) a genus of shell-less molluscs in the class of Pteropods, swarming in northern and southern seas, and named by the whalers 'whales' food,' one species of which constitutes a principal part of the food of whales. [Gr. kleein, to call.]

Clip, klip, v.t. to cut by making the blades of shears meet: to cut off: to debase the coin by cutting off the edges: to diminish.—v.i. to go quickly:—pr.p. clip′ping; pa.p. clipped.—n. the thing clipped off, as the wool that has been shorn off sheep: a smart blow.—adj. Clipped, cut short.—ns. Clip′per, one that clips: a sharp-built, fast-sailing vessel: (slang) a dashing person; Clip′ping, the act of cutting, esp. debasing coin by cutting off the edges: the thing clipped off.—adj. superb: fast-going.—Clip the wings, to cut a bird's wings to prevent it from flying: (fig.) to restrain ambition: to deprive of the means of rising. [Prob. from Ice. klippa, to cut; Dan. klippe.]

Clip, klip, v.t. (Shak.) to embrace: to encircle: to hold firmly.—n. an instrument for holding things firm. [A.S. clyppan, to embrace; Ice. klýpa, to pinch; Ger. kluppe, pincers.]

Clique, klēk, n. a group of persons in union for a purpose: a party or faction: a gang—used generally in a bad sense.—adj. Cliqu′ish, relating to a clique.—ns. Cliqu′ishness; Cliqu′ism, tendency to form cliques. [Fr.; prob. from root of click, and so = a noisy conclave. Acc. to Littré, orig. in sense of Claque.]

Clish-clash, klish′-klash, Clishmaclaver, klish′maklāv′ėr, n. gossip. [Scot.]

Clistogamy, klis-tog′a-mi, n. a peculiar dimorphism in the flowers of a plant when these do not expand and are systematically close or self-fertilised.—adjs. Clistog′amous, Clistogam′ic. [Gr. kleistos, closed, gamos, marriage.]

Clitellum, kli-tel′um, n. the saddle of an annelid, as the earthworm:—pl. Clitell′a. [L.]

Clithral, klith′ral, adj. with a roof that forms a complete covering. [Gr.]

Clitoris, klī′tō-ris, n. a homologue of the penis present, as a rudimentary organ, in the female of many higher vertebrates.—ns. Clī′torism; Clitorī′tis. [Gr.]

Clitter, klit′ėr, v.t. and v.i. to make, or cause to make, a shrill rattling noise.—n. Clitt′er-clatt′er, idle talk, chatter. [Related to Clatter.]

Clivers. Same as Cleavers (q.v. under Cleave).

Cloaca, klō-ā′ka, n. a sewer: a privy: a cavity in birds and reptiles, in which the intestinal and urinary ducts terminate: a sink of moral filth:—pl. Cloacæ (klō-ā′sē).—adjs. Cloā′cal, Cloā′cinal. [L. cloāca—cluĕre, to purge.]

Cloak, Cloke, klōk, n. a loose outer garment: a covering: that which conceals: a disguise, pretext.—v.t. to clothe with a cloak: to cover: to conceal.—ns. Cloak′-bag (obs.), a portmanteau; Cloak′-room, a room set apart for keeping cloaks, coats, hats, &c., at a theatre, railway station, &c. [O. Fr. cloke, cloque—Low L. cloca, a bell, also a horseman's cape, because bell-shaped, from root of Clock.]

Cloam, klōm, n. and adj. earthenware, clay, or made of such. [A.S. clám, mud. See Clay.]

Clobber, klob′ėr, n. a paste used by shoemakers to hide the cracks in leather. [Ety. dub.]

Clock, klok, n. a machine for measuring time, marking the time by the position of its 'hands' upon the dial-plate, or by the striking of a hammer on a bell: (Shak.) the striking of the hour.—n. Clock′work, the works or machinery of a clock: machinery steady and regular like that of a clock.—adj. automatic.—Go like clockwork, to go along smoothly and without a hitch.—Know what o'clock it is, to be wide awake, to know how things are. [M. E. clokke, prob. through O. Fr. from Low L. cloca, clocca, a bell; mod. Fr. cloche, Dut. klok; Ger. glocke, a bell.]

Clock, klok, n. an ornament worked on the side of a stocking.—adj. Clocked, ornamented with clocks.

Clock, klok, n. a beetle—common name in Scotland.

Clock, klok, v.i. (Scot.) to cluck: to hatch.—n. Clock′er, a clocking hen. [A.S. cloccian; Dut. klokken.]

Clod, klod, n. a thick round mass or lump, that sticks together, esp. of earth or turf: a concreted mass: the ground: the body of man, as formed of clay: a stupid fellow.—v.t. to pelt.—v.i. to throw clods: (Scot.) to throw:—pr.p. clod′ding; pa.p. clod′ded.—adjs. Clod′dish; Clod′dy, abounding in clods: earthy.—n. Clod′hopper, a countryman: a peasant: a dolt.—adj. Clodhop′ping, boorish.—adv. Clod′ly.—ns. Clod′pate, Clod′poll, a stupid fellow.—adj. Clodpat′ed, stupid. [A later form of Clot.]

Cloff, klof, n. a cleft. [Cf. Ice. klof.]

Cloff, klof, n. an allowance, on buying goods wholesale, of 2 lb. in every 3 cwt., after tare and tret have been deducted. [Der. unknown.]

Clog, klog, n. a piece of wood: anything hindering motion: an obstruction: an impediment: a shoe with a wooden sole.—v.t. to fasten a piece of wood to: to accumulate in a mass and cause a stoppage: to obstruct: to encumber: to put clogs on.—ns. Clog′-al′manac, an early form of almanac having the indicating characters notched on wood, horn, &c.; Clog′-dance, a dance performed with clogs, the clatter keeping time to the music.—adj. Clogged, encumbered.—ns. Clog′ger, one who makes clogs; Clog′giness.—adj. Clog′gy, lumpy, sticky. [Ety. dub.; prob. related to Clay; cf. Scot. clag, to cover with mud; claggy, muddy, sticky.]

Cloison, kloi′son, n. a partition, dividing fillet or band.—n. Cloi′sonnage, the process of executing cloisonné work.—adj. Cloisonné, partitioned—of a surface decoration in enamel, the outlines of the design formed by small fillets of metal, the interstices filled with coloured enamel paste, vitrified.—n. work of this kind. [Fr.]

Cloister, klois′tėr, n. a covered arcade forming part of a monastic or collegiate establishment: a place of religious retirement, a monastery or nunnery: an enclosed place.—v.t. to confine in a cloister: to confine within walls.—adjs. Clois′teral, Clois′tral, Claus′tral, pertaining or confined to a cloister: secluded; Clois′tered, dwelling in cloisters.—ns. Clois′terer, one belonging to a cloister; Clois′ter-garth, the court or yard enclosed by a cloister; Clois′tress (Shak.), a nun.—The cloister, the monastic life. [O. Fr. cloistre (A.S. clauster)—L. claustrum—claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]

Cloke, klōk, n. Same as Cloak.

Clomb, klōm, old pa.t. of Climb.

Clonic, klon′ik, adj. pertaining to clonus, with alternate convulsive contractions and relaxations of the muscles (of spasms)—opp. to Tonic.—n. Clō′nus, a clonic spasm. [Gr.]

Cloop, kloop, n. the sound made when the cork is drawn from a bottle. [From the sound.]

Cloot, kloot, n. a cloven hoof: (pl.) the devil.—n. Cloot′ie, the devil, because of his cloven hoof. [Scot.; ety. dub.]

Close, klōs, adj. shut up: with no opening: confined, unventilated: stifling: narrow: stingy: near, in time or place: intimate: compact, as opposed to discursive: crowded: hidden: reserved: private: secret.—adv. in a close manner: tightly; nearly: densely.—n. an enclosed place: a small enclosed field: a narrow passage of a street: the precinct of a cathedral.—adjs. Close′-band′ed, closely united; Close′-barred, firmly closed; Close′-bod′ied, fitting close to the body.—n. Close′-corporā′tion, a corporation which fills up its own vacancies, without outside interference.—adjs. Close′-fist′ed, Close′-hand′ed, penurious, covetous; Close′-grained, with the fibres, &c., close together, compact; Close′-hauled, noting the trim of a ship when sailing as near as possible to the wind.—adv. Close′ly.—ns. Close′ness; Close′-stool, a chamber utensil enclosed in a box or stool; Close′-sea′son, Close′-time, a time of the year when it is against the law to kill certain animals, esp. game.—adj. Close′-tongued (Shak.), cautious in speaking. [Fr. clos, shut—L. claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]

Close, klōz, v.t. to make close: to draw together and unite: to finish.—v.i. to come together: to grapple: to come to an end (with).—n. the manner or time of closing: a pause or stop: the end: junction: (Shak.) encounter.—ns. Clos′er, one who concludes; Clos′ing, enclosing: ending: agreement; Clos′ure, the act of closing: the end: the stopping of a debate in the House of Commons by the vote of the House.—Close a bargain, to make an agreement; Close with, to accede to: to grapple with.—With closed doors, in private, the public being excluded, as in special cases in court, &c.

Closet, kloz′et, n. a small private room: a recess off a room: a privy: the private chamber of a sovereign, an apartment for private audience or council, or for private or domestic devotions.—v.t. to shut up in or take into a closet: to conceal:—pr.p. clos′eting; pa.p. clos′eted.—n. Bed′-clos′et, a small recess for a bed. [O. Fr. closet, dim. of clos. See Close.]

Clot, klot, n. a mass of soft or fluid matter concreted, as blood.—v.i. to form into clots: to coagulate:—pr.p. clot′ting; pa.p. clot′ted.—n. Clot′poll (Shak.), a clodpoll, a blockhead.—v.t. Clot′ter, to coagulate.—ns. Clot′tiness; Clot′ting, coagulation.—adj. Clot′ty.—Clotted (also Clouted) cream, a famous Devonshire dainty, skimmed off milk that has been 'scalded' or heated after standing 24 hours, with a little sugar thrown on the top. [A.S. clott, a clod of earth; cf. Dut. klos, block; Dan. klods; Ger. klotz.]

Cloth, kloth, n. woven material from which garments or coverings are made: clothing: the usual dress of a trade or profession, esp. the clerical:—pl. Cloths.—v.t. Clothe (klōth), to cover with a garment: to provide with clothes: (fig.) to invest as with a garment: to cover:—pr.p. clōth′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. clōthed or clad.—n.pl. Clothes (klōthz, coll. klōz), garments or articles of dress: blankets for a bed.—ns. Clothes′-bas′ket, a large basket for holding and carrying clothes; Clothes′-brush, a brush for clothes; Clothes′-horse, Clothes′-screen, a frame for hanging clothes on to dry; Clothes′-line, a rope or wire for hanging clothes on to dry; Clothes′-moth, one of various tineas whose larvæ feed on furs, woollens, &c., spinning cases out of these; Clothes′-pin, a forked piece of wood to secure clothes on a line; Clothes′-press, a place for holding clothes; Cloth′-hall, a cloth-exchange building or market; Cloth′ier, one who makes or sells cloth; Cloth′ing, clothes, garments: covering; Cloth′-yard, formerly the yard by which cloth was measured.—Cloth of gold, a tissue consisting of threads of gold and silk or wool; Cloth of state, a canopy; Cloth-yard shaft, an arrow a cloth-yard long.—Clothe in words, to express ideas in words; Clothe on, or upon, to invest: to cover.—American cloth, a kind of enamelled cloth, used for covering chairs, &c.—The cloth, the clerical profession: the clergy. [A.S. cláth, cloth; Ger. kleid, a garment.]

Cloture, klot′ūr, n. Same as Closure. [Fr. clôture—L. claudĕre, clausum, to shut.]

Cloud, klowd, n. a mass of fog, consisting of minute particles of water, often in a frozen state, floating in the atmosphere: (fig.) anything unsubstantial: a great number or multitude of anything, as the New Test. 'cloud of witnesses:' anything that obscures, as a cloud: a dark spot on a lighter material: a great volume of dust or smoke: anything gloomy, overhanging, or bodeful.—v.t. to overspread with clouds: to darken: to defame: to stain with dark spots or streaks.—v.i. to become clouded or darkened.—ns. Cloud′age; Cloud′-berr′y, a low plant related to the bramble, found on elevated moors in Britain, with an orange-red berry of delightful flavour.—adj. Cloud′-built, made of clouds, unsubstantial.—n. Cloud′-burst, a sudden flood of rain over a small area.—adjs. Cloud′-capt (Shak.), capped with or touching the clouds; Cloud′-compel′ling, driving or collecting the clouds, an epithet of Jupiter; Cloud′ed, hidden by clouds: (fig.) darkened: indistinct: variegated with spots, as a 'clouded cane,' &c.—n. Cloud′ery.—adv. Cloud′ily.—ns. Cloud′iness; Cloud′ing, a cloudy appearance.—adj. growing dim.—adjs. Cloud′-kiss′ing (Shak.), touching the clouds; Cloud′less, unclouded, clear.—adv. Cloud′lessly.—n. Cloud′let, a little cloud.—adjs. Cloud′-topped, covered with or touching the clouds; Cloud′y, darkened with, or consisting of, clouds: obscure: gloomy: stained with dark spots: (coll.) 'shady.'—Wait till the clouds roll by, to wait for more favourable circumstances.—Under a cloud, in trouble or disfavour. [A.S. clúd, a hill, then a cloud, the root idea being a mass or ball. Clod and Clot are from the same root.]

Clough, kluf, or klow, n. a ravine: a valley. [Scot. cleuch; ety. dub.]

Clour, klōōr, n. a knock: a swelling caused by a knock.—v.t. to knock: to raise a bump. [Scot.; cf. Ice. klór.]

Clout, klowt, n. a piece of cloth used for mending: a rag: a piece of cloth used by archers to shoot at, then the shot itself: a blow: a cuff.—v.t. to mend with a patch: to cover with a cloth: to cuff.—p.adj. Clout′ed (Shak.), heavy and patched, as shoes having nails in the soles: covered with a clout.—adj. Clout′erly, clownish.—ns. Clout′-nail, a large-headed nail used for the soles of boots; Clout′-shoe, a shoe having the sole protected by clout-nails. [A.S. clút; cf. Ice. klútr, a kerchief; Dan. klud, rag.]

Clouted, klowt′ed, p.adj. clotted, as cream. [See Clot.]

Clove, klōv, pa.t. of Cleave.—n. Clove′-hitch (see Hitch.)

Clove, klōv, n. the unexpanded flower-bud of the clove-tree, a native of the Moluccas, used as a spice.—ns. Clove′-gill′yflower, a clove-scented species of pink; Clove′-pink, a variety of pink which has an odour like that of cloves. [Fr. clou, in full clou de girofle, nail of the girofle, so called from the shape of the bud and its stalk—L. clavus, a nail.]

Cloven, clōv′n, p.adj. split: divided.—adjs. Clov′en-foot′ed, Clov′en-hoofed, having the hoof divided, as the ox or sheep.—The cloven hoof, applied to any indication of devilish agency or temptation, from the early representation of the devil with cloven hoofs—prob. from Pan, some of whose characteristics he shares. [Pa.p. of Cleave, to divide.]

Clover, klōv′ėr, n. a genus of plants containing a great number of species, natives chiefly of temperate climates, affording rich pasturage.—adj. Clov′ered, covered with clover.—n. Clov′er-grass, clover.—adj. Clov′ery, abounding in clover.—Live in clover, to live luxuriously or in abundance. [A.S. cláfre; Dut. klaver; Dan. klöver; Ger. klee.]

Clown, klown, n. a rustic or country-fellow: one with the rough manners of a countryman: an ill-bred fellow: a fool or buffoon.—ns. Clown′ery, a clown's performance; Clown′ing, acting the clown.—adj. Clown′ish, of or like a clown: coarse and awkward: rustic.—adv. Clown′ishly.—ns. Clown′ishness; Clown′ship. [Prob. conn. with Clod, and Clot.]

Cloy, kloi, v.t. to fill to loathing: to satiate: (Spens.) to gore:—pr.p. cloy′ing; pa.p. cloyed.—adjs. Cloyed, clagged: cumbered; Cloy′ing, satiating; Cloy′less (Shak.) that cannot cloy.—n. Cloy′ment (Shak.), satiety, surfeit.—adj. Cloy′some, satiating. [Fr. clouer, to drive a nail into, to spike or stop, as a gun, from L. clavus, a nail.]

Cloy, kloi, v.t. (Shak.) to stroke with a claw. [Perh. a corr. of Claw.]

Club, klub, n. a heavy tapering stick, knobby or massy at one end, used to strike with: a cudgel: a bat used in certain games: an instrument for playing golf, variously with wooden heads, iron heads, and wooden heads with brass soles: a bunch; one of the four suits of cards: a combination: a clique, set: an association of persons for the joint study of literature, politics, &c., or for social ends: an association of persons who possess a building as a common resort for the members: a club-house, or the house occupied by a club.—v.t. to beat with a club: to gather into a bunch: to combine: to throw soldiers into confusion.—v.i. to join together for some common end: to combine together: to share in a common expense.—adjs. Club′bable, sociable; Clubbed, like a club.—n. Club′bing, beating: combination: a disease in some plants.—adj. Club′bish, given to clubs.—ns. Club′bism, the club system; Club′bist, Club′-foot, a deformed foot.—adj. Club′-foot′ed.—n. Club′-grass, a species of grass having a club-shaped articulation.—v.t. Club′-haul, (naut.), to tack by dropping the lee anchor and slipping the cable.—adj. Club′head′ed, having a thick head.—ns. Club′-house, a house for the accommodation of a club; Club′-law, government by violence; Club′-man, one who carries a club: a member of a club; Club′-mas′ter, the manager of, or purveyor for, a club; Club′-moss, one of the four genera of Lycopodiaceæ; Club′-room, the room in which a club meets; Club′-rush, a plant of many varieties of the genus Scripus or rush.—n.pl. Clubs (see Clumps). [Ice. and Sw. klubba; same root as Clump.]

Cluck, kluk, n. the call of a hen to her chickens: any similar sound.—v.i. to make the sound of a hen when calling on her chickens.—n. Cluck′ing, the noise made by a hen when calling her chickens.—adj. that clucks. [From the sound, like Dut. klokken, Ger. glucken, Dan. klukke.]

Clue, klōō (see Clew).—adj. Clue′less, without trace.

Clumber, klumb′ėr, n. a kind of spaniel. [Clumber, in Notts, a seat of the Duke of Newcastle.]

Clump, klump, n. a thick, short, shapeless piece of anything: a cluster of trees or shrubs: a thick sole put on in addition.—v.i. to walk heavily.—v.t. to put in a clump.—n.pl. Clumps, a parlour game of question and answer—also Clubs.—adj. Clump′y, abounding in clumps: heavy. [Prob. Scand.; Dan. klump, a lump. Cf. Ger. klump, and Club.]

Clumsy, klum′zi, adj. shapeless: ill-made: unwieldy: awkward: ungainly.—adj. Clum′sily.—n. Clum′siness. [M. E. clomsen, to be stiff or benumbed; most prob. Scand.; allied to Clamp.]

Clunch, klunsh, n. the miner's name for tough indurated clay, sometimes found in the coal-measures. [Ety. dub.; prob. related to Clump.]

Clung, klung, pa.t. and pa.p. of Cling.

Clunk, klungk, n. the sound of a liquid coming out of a bottle when the cork has been quickly drawn.—v.i. to make such a sound. [Scot.; from the sound.]

Clupeoid, klōō′pē-oid, n. a kind of herring. [L. clupea, a kind of fish.]

Cluster, klus′tėr, n. a number of things of the same kind growing or joined together: a bunch: a mass: a crowd.—v.i. to grow or gather into clusters.—v.t. to collect into clusters; to cover with clusters.—adjs. Clus′tered, grouped; Clus′tering, Clus′tery.—Clustered column, a pier which consists of several columns or shafts clustered together. [A.S. clyster; Low Ger. kluster; cf. Clot.]

Clutch, kluch, v.t. to close the hand: to carry off: to hold firmly: to seize or grasp.—n. a grasp; seizure.—n.pl. Clutch′es, the hands or paws: cruelty: rapacity. [M. E. cloche, cloke, claw; prob. allied to M. E. clechen—A.S. gelæccan. Cf. Latch.]

Clutch, kluch, n. (prov.) a brood of chickens, a 'sitting' of eggs.—v.t. to hatch.

Clutter, klut′ėr, n. confusion: stir: noise.—v.i. to crowd together: to go about noisily.—v.t. to pack. [A variant of Clatter.]

Cly, klī, v.t. (slang) to seize, steal.—ns. Cly′-fak′er, a pickpocket; Cly′-fak′ing, pocket-picking. [Prob. related to Claw; referred by some to Dut. kleed, a garment, 'to fake a cly' = to take a garment.]

Clypeus, klip′ē-us, n. the shield-like part of an insect's head.—adjs. Clyp′ēal, Clyp′ēate, Clyp′ēiform, in the shape or form of a shield. [L. clipeus, clypeus, a shield.]

Clyster, klis′tėr, n. a liquid injected into the intestines to wash them out.—n. Clys′ter-pipe (Shak.), a pipe or syringe for injecting a clyster. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. klyzein, to wash out.]

Cnida, knī′da, n. one of the thread-cells of the Cœlenterata, whence is their power of stinging:—pl. Cnī′dæ. [Late L.,—Gr. knidē, a nettle.]

Co., kō, an abbreviation for Company.

Co-, kō, a common prefix, signifying jointness, accompaniment, connection. [L. cum, with.]

Coach, kōch, n. a large, close, four-wheeled carriage: a private tutor: a professional trainer in athletics.—v.t. to carry in a coach: to tutor, instruct, prepare others for, as an examination or a rowing contest, &c.—v.t. to study under a tutor.—ns. Coach′-box, the seat on which the driver of a coach sits; Coach′dog, a spotted dog, kept chiefly as an attendant on coaches, called also Dalmatian Dog; Coach′ee, Coach′y, a coachman; Coach′-fell′ow, a yoke-fellow, comrade; Coach′-hire, money paid for the use of a hired coach; Coach′-horse, a horse used for drawing a coach; Coach′-house, a house to keep a coach in; Coach′ing, travelling by coach: tutoring: instruction; Coach′man, the driver of a coach; Coach′-off′ice, a booking-office for passengers and parcels by stage-coach; Coach′-stand, a place where coaches stand for hire; Coach′-wheel; Coach′-whip.—adj. Coach′y, pertaining to a coach. [Fr. coche—Hung. kocsi (pron. kot′shi), from Kocs, a place south of Komorn.]

Coact, kō-akt′, v.i. (Shak.) to act together.—adj. Coact′ive (Shak.), acting together.—n. Coactiv′ity.

Coact, kō-akt′, v.t. to compel.—n. Coac′tion, compulsion.—adj. Coact′ive, compulsory. [L. cogĕre, coactum, to compel.]

Coadjacent, kō-ad-jās′ent, adj. contiguous.—n. Coadjac′ency. [Co- and Adjacent.]

Coadjutant, kō-ad-jōō′tant, or ko-ad′joo-tant, adj. mutually helping or assisting.—n. one of several who help another.—ns. Coadju′tor, a helper or assistant: an associate:—fem. Coadju′tress, Coadju′trix; Coadju′torship. [L. co, with, adjutor, a helper—ad, to, juv-āre, to help.]

Coadunate, kō-ad′ū-nāt, v.t. to unite: to combine.—n. Coadunā′tion.—adj. Coad′unātive. [Co-, and L. adunāre, -ātum, to unite.]

Co-agency, kō-ā′jen-si, n. agency with another.—n. Co-ā′gent, one acting with another.

Coagulate, kō-ag′ū-lāt, v.t. to make to curdle or congeal.—v.i. to curdle or congeal.—adj. clotted: congealed.—n. Coagulabil′ity.—adj. Coag′ulable.—ns. Coagū′lant, a substance which causes coagulation, as rennet; Coagulā′tion.—adjs. Coag′ulātive; Coag′ulātory.—n. Coag′ulum, what is coagulated. [L. coagulāre, -ātum, co-, together, ag-ĕre, to drive.]

Coaita, kō-ī′ta, n. a small South American monkey—the red-faced Spider Monkey.

Coal, kōl, n. a solid, black, combustible substance used for fuel, dug out of the earth: cinder.—v.i. to take in coal.—v.t. to supply with coal.—n. Coal′-bed, a stratum of coal.—adj. Coal′-black, black as coal, very black.—ns. Coal′-box, a box for holding coal; Coal′-brass, a name applied to the pyrites in the coal-measures; Coal′field, a field or district containing coal strata; Coal′-fish, a fish of the cod family, so named from the black colour of its back; Coal′-gas, the mixture of gases produced by the destructive distillation of coal, chiefly carburetted hydrogen—giving the gaslight in common use; Coal′-heav′er, one employed in carrying coal; Coal′-house, a covered-in place for keeping coal; Coal′man, one who has to do with coals; Coal′-mas′ter, the owner or lessee of a coalfield; Coal′-meas′ure, a measure by which the quantity of coal is ascertained: (pl.) the group of carboniferous strata in which coal is found (geol.); Coal′-mine, Coal′-pit, a pit or mine from which coal is dug; Coal′-own′er, one who owns a colliery; Coal′-plant, a fossil plant of the carboniferous strata; Coal′-scutt′le, a vessel for holding coal; Coal′-tar, or Gas-tar, a thick, black, opaque liquid which condenses in the pipes when coal or petroleum is distilled; Coal′-trim′mer, one who stores or shifts coal on board vessels; Coal′-whip′per, one employed in unloading coal from vessels at anchor to barges which convey it to the wharves.—adj. Coal′y, of or like coal.—Coaling station, a port at which steamships take in coal; Coal-scuttle bonnet, a woman's bonnet, shaped like a coal-scuttle upside down.—Blind or Anthracite coal, that which does not flame when kindled; Bituminous coal, that which does; Brown coal (see Brown); Caking coal, a bituminous coal which cakes or fuses into one mass in the fire; Cannel or Parrot coal (see Cannel); Cherry or Soft coal, coal breaking off easily into small, irregular cubes, having beautiful shining lustre; Splint, Hard, or Block coal, plentiful in Scotland, hard, breaking into cuboidal blocks.—Blow the coals, to excite passion; Carry coals to Newcastle, to take a thing where it is least needed; Haul over the coals, reprimand—from the discipline applied to heretics; Heap coals of fire on the head, to excite remorse by returning good for evil (Rom. xii. 20). [A.S. col; cog. with Ice. kol, Ger. kohle.]

Coalesce, kō-al-es′, v.i. to grow together or unite into one body: to associate.—adj. Coales′cent, uniting.—n. Coales′cence, union. [L. coalescĕre, co-, together, and alescĕre, to grow up.]

Coalition, kō-al-ish′un, n. act of coalescing, or uniting into one body: a union of persons, states, &c., which agree to sink their differences and act in common: alliance.—v.i. Cō′alise, to make an alliance.—n. Coali′tionist, one of a coalition.

Coamings, kōm′ingz, n.pl. (naut.) raised work about the edges of the hatches of a ship to prevent the water from running into the apartments below. [Der. unknown.]

Coaptation, ko-ap-tā′shun, n. adaptation of parts to each other. [L.]

Coarb. See Comarb.

Coarctate, kō-ark′tāt, adj. compressed.—n. Coarctā′tion. [L. coartāre, -ātum, to compress together.]

Coarse, kōrs, adj. rough: rude: uncivil: vulgar: harsh: gross.—adj. Coarse′-grained, coarse in the grain, as wood: (fig.) inelegant, gross.—adv. Coarse′ly.—v.t. Coars′en, to make coarse.—n. Coarse′ness.—adj. Coars′ish, somewhat coarse. [From phrase 'in course,' hence ordinary.]

Coast, kōst, n. side or border of land next the sea: the seashore: limit or border of a country.—v.i. to sail along or near a coast: to travel downhill on a bicycle with the feet on the foot-rests.—v.t. to sail by or near to.—ns. Coast′er, a vessel that sails along the coast; Coast′-guard, a body of men organised to act as a guard along the coast, originally intended to prevent smuggling.—adj. Coast′ing, keeping near the coast: trading between ports in the same country.—n. the act of sailing, or of trading, along the coast: advances towards acquaintance, courtship: riding downhill on a bicycle with the feet up.—ns. Coast′-line, the line or boundary of a coast: shore-line; Coast′-wait′er, a custom-house officer who waits upon and superintends the cargoes of vessels engaged in the coasting trade.—advs. Coastward, -s, toward the coast; Coast′wise, along the coast.—adj. carried on along the coast. [O. Fr. coste (Fr. côte)—L. costa, a rib, side.]

Coat, kōt, n. a kind of outer garment: the hair or wool of a beast: vesture or habit: any covering: a garment worn by women and children, and hanging from the waist downwards: a membrane or layer, such as paint, &c.: a coat of arms.—v.t. to clothe: to cover with a coat or layer.—ns. Coat′-arm′our, coat of arms: armorial devices; Coat′-card, a card bearing the representation of a coated figure, the king, queen, or knave—now, less correctly, called Court-card; Coatee′, a close-fitting coat with short tails; Coat′ing, a covering: cloth for coats.—Coat of arms, the family insignia embroidered on the surcoat worn over the hauberk, or coat of mail: the heraldic bearings of a gentleman; Coat of mail, a piece of armour for the upper part of the body, made of metal scales or rings linked one with another.—Turn one's coat, to change one's principles, or to turn from one party to another. [O. Fr. cote (Fr. cotte)—Low L. cottus, cotta, a tunic; the further ety. is uncertain.]

Coati, kō-ä′ti, or kō′a-ti, n. an American plantigrade carnivorous mammal allied to the raccoons.—Also Coä′ti-mun′di. [Tupi.]

Coax, kōks, v.t. to persuade by fondling or flattery: to humour or soothe: to pet.—ns. Coax, Coax′er, one who coaxes.—adv. Coax′ingly. [M. E. cokes, a simpleton; of obscure origin.]

Co-axial, kō-ak′si-al, adj. having the same axis.—adv. Coax′ially.

Cob, kob, n. a head of maize: a short-legged strong horse for heavy weights: a male swan—also Cob′-swan.—ns. Cob′loaf, a large loaf: (Shak.) an expression of contempt; Cob′nut, a large variety of the hazel-nut: a game played by children with nuts. [Prob. conn. with Cop.]

Cob, kob, n. a kind of composition of clay and straw for building.—n. Cob′-wall, a wall built of this.

Cob, kob, v.t. to strike, to thump the buttocks.

Cobalt, kō′bawlt, n. a metal the ores of which are sparingly distributed—in the metallic state found in meteoric stones or aerolites, generally occurring combined with arsenic: a blue pigment, prepared from the foregoing—also Cō′balt-blue.—adj. of this deep-blue colour.—adjs. Cobalt′ic; Cobaltif′erous.—n. Cō′baltite, a sulpharsenide of cobalt. [Ger. kobalt, from kobold, a demon, a nickname given by the German miners, because they supposed it to be a mischievous and hurtful metal.]

Cobble, kob′l, n. a stone worn smooth by water.—n. Cobb′le-stone, a rounded stone used in paving.—v.t. to pave with such. [Ety. dub.]

Cobble, kob′l, v.t. to patch up or mend coarsely, as shoes.—ns. Cobb′ler, one who cobbles or mends shoes: a drink made up of wine, sugar, &c., and sucked through a straw; Cobbler's punch, a warm drink made of beer, with the addition of spirit, sugar, and spice. [Der. unknown.]

Co-belligerent, kō-be-lij′e-rent, adj. and n. co-operating in warfare.

Coble, Cobble, kob′l, n. a small flat-bottomed fishing-boat. [Cf. W. ceubal, a hollow trunk, a boat.]

Cobra, Cobra da capello, kō′bra da ka-pel′o, n. a poisonous snake, native of the East Indies, which dilates the back and sides of the neck so as to resemble a hood. [Port., lit. 'snake of the hood.']

Coburg, kō′burg, n. a thin fabric of worsted with cotton or silk, twilled on one side. [Coburg, a town in Germany.]

Cobweb, kob′web, n. the spider's web or net: any snare or device intended to entrap: anything flimsy or easily broken: anything that obscures.—n. Cobweb′bery.—adj. Cob′webby. [Prob. shortened from M. E. atter-cop-web—A.S. átor, poison, and coppa—W. cop, a head, tuft. See also Web.]

Coca, kō′ka, n. a shrub of six or eight feet high, of which the leaves furnish an important narcotic and stimulant.—ns. Cocaine (kō′kä-in), a local anæsthetic made from coca-leaves, and much used in dentistry and surgical operations; Cocainisā′tion.—v.t. Cō′cainise.—n. Cō′cainism, a morbid condition induced by over-use of cocaine. [Sp.,—Peruv.]

Cocagne, Cocaigne. Same as Cockaigne.

Cocciferous, kok-sif′ėr-us, adj. berry-bearing. [L. coccum (—Gr. kokkos), a berry, and ferre, to bear.]

Coccolite, kok′ō-līt, n. a variety of pyroxene: a small rounded body found in deep-sea mud.—Also Cocc′olith. [Gr. kokkos, a berry, lithos, a stone.]

Coccus, kok′us, n. one of the carpels or seed-vessels of a dry fruit: (zool.) a genus of insects in the order Hemiptera, and type of a family including many forms injurious to plants, and a few others useful to man.—n. Cocc′ulus, a tropical genus of climbing plants (Menispermaceæ).—Cocculus Indicus, a drug consisting of the dried fruit of Anamirta cocculus, having narcotic and poisonous properties—yielding picrotoxin. [L.,—Gr. kokkos, a berry.]

Coccyx, kok′siks, n. (anat.) the lower bone of the vertebral column:—pl. Coc′cyges.—adjs. Coccyg′ēal, Coccyg′ian. [Gr. kokkyx, the cuckoo, from its bill.]

Coch, koch, n. (Spens.). Same as Coach.

Cochin, kō′chin, n. a large-sized variety of the domestic hen, with feathered legs, full breast, small tail.—n. Cō′chin-chin′a, a large-sized hen originally from Cochin-China.—adj. Cō′chin-Chinese′.

Cochineal, koch′i-nēl, n. a scarlet dye-stuff consisting of the dried bodies of certain insects gathered from the cactus plant in Mexico, the West Indies, &c.: the insect itself. [Sp. cochinilla, dim. of L. coccinus—Gr. kokkos, a berry, as the cochineal was formerly supposed to be the berry or seed of the plant.]

Cochlea, kok′le-a, n. a spiral-shaped shell, esp. the snail-shell: (anat.) the spiral cavity of the ear.—adjs. Cochlear′iform; Coch′leary, Coch′leāte, Coch′leāted, twisted. [L.,—Gr. kochlias, a snail.]

Cock, kok, n. the male of birds, particularly of the domestic fowl: the time of cock-crowing: a weathercock: a plucky chap, a term of familiarity, as 'Old cock:' a strutting chief or leader: anything set erect: a tap for liquor: part of the lock of a gun, held back by a spring, which, when released by the trigger, produces the discharge.—v.t. to set erect or upright: to set up, as the hat: to draw back the cock of a gun: to turn up to one side: to tilt up knowingly, inquiringly, or scornfully.—v.i. to strut: to swagger.—ns. Cockāde′, a knot of ribbons or something similar worn on the hat as a badge; Cockalō′rum, a bumptious little person: a boy's game; Cock′-broth, the broth made from a boiled cock; Cock′chafer, the May-bug, an insect of a pitchy-black colour, most destructive to vegetation; Cock′-crow, -ing, early morning, the time at which cocks crow.—adj. Cocked, set erect: turned up at one side.—ns. Cock′er, one who follows cock-fighting: a small dog of the spaniel kind employed by sportsmen in pheasant and woodcock shooting; Cock′erel, a young cock: a young man—also Cock′le, whence Cock′le-brained, foolish; Cock′-eye, a squinting eye: the loop by which a trace is attached to the whipple-tree.—adj. Cock′-eyed.—ns. Cock′-fight, -ing, a fight or contest between game-cocks: a fight; Cock′-horse, a child's rocking-horse.—adj. prancing, proud.—adv. properly a-cock-horse = on cock-horse, on horseback: exultingly.—ns. Cock′laird (Scot.), a yeoman; Cock′loft, the room in a house next the roof; Cock′-match, a cock-fight; Cock′pit, a pit or enclosed space where game-cocks fought: a room in a ship-of-war for the wounded during an action; Cock′roach, the common black beetle; Cocks′comb, the comb or crest on a cock's head: a fop: the name of various plants; Cock′shut (Shak.), twilight, probably referring to the time when poultry are shut up; Cock′-shy, a free throw at a thing, as for amusement.—adj. Cock′-sure, quite sure, often without cause.—n. Cock′swain (see Coxswain).—adjs. Cock′sy, Cox′y, bumptious.—n. Cock′tail, a racing horse that is not thoroughbred: one who apes the gentleman: (U.S.) a drink of spirits flavoured with various ingredients.—adjs. Cock′tailed, having the tail cocked or tilted up; Cock′y, impudent.—ns. Cock′y-leek′y, soup made of a fowl boiled with leeks; Cock′yolly, a nursery or pet name for a bird.—Cock-a-doodle-doo, the cry of the cock; Cock-a-hoop, a phrase expressing reckless exultation; Cock and pie, used as an exclamation (see Pie, 2); Cocked hat, the old-fashioned three-cornered hat, the triangular pointed hat worn as part of some full-dress uniforms: a note folded into a three-cornered shape; Cock of the walk, chief of a set; Cock's-foot grass, a genus of grasses very abundant in Britain, and furnishing an important part of both natural and artificial pastures; Cock the eye (coll., humorous), to wink.—A cock-and-bull story, an incredible tale.—Full-cock, when the cock of a gun is drawn full back: when a tap is full open; Half-cock, the position of the cock of a gun when drawn back half the whole distance.—Knock into a cocked hat, 'to lick out of shape:' to give a profound beating. [A.S. coc; Ice. kokkr.]

Cock, kok, n. a small pile of hay.—adj. Cocked, heaped up in cocks. [Sw. koka, a lump of earth; Dut. kogel; Ger. kugel, a ball.]

Cock, kok, n. (Shak.) a cock-boat. Now Cock-boat.

Cock, perversion of the word God.—Cock and pie (see Pie, 2).

Cock-a-bon′dy, kok-a-bon′di, n. a fly for angling. [A corr. of Welsh coch a bon ddu, red, with black stem.]

Cockaigne, Cockayne, kok-ān′, n. an imaginary country of luxury and delight. [Ety. dub.; Fr. cocagne, acc. to some from L. coquĕre, to cook.]

Cockatoo, kok-a-tōō′, n. a popular name for several genera and species of parrots. [Malay, kakatúa, prob. from its cry.]

Cockatrice, kok′a-trīs, n. a fabulous monster like a serpent, often confounded with the Basilisk (q.v.), and regarded as possessing similar deadly powers. [O. Fr. cocatrice.]

Cock-boat, kok′-bōt, n. a small ship's boat: a small frail boat. [See Cog, a small boat.]

Cocker, kok′ėr, v.t. to pamper: to fondle: to indulge. [Ety. dub.; cf. Dut. kokelen, O. Fr. coqueliner, to dandle.]

Cockernony, kok′ėr-non-i, n. (Scot.) the gathering of a young woman's hair, when it is wrapped up in a band or fillet, commonly called a 'snood' (Jamieson).

Cocket, kok′et, n. the custom-house official seal: a document given by the officers of the custom-house to merchants, as a warrant that their goods are duly entered: the office where such goods are entered. [Perh. a corr. of the words quo quietus.]

Cockle, kok′l, n. a troublesome weed among corn, with a purple flower. [A.S. coccel.]

Cockle, kok′l, n. a large and typical genus of bivalve molluscs, having a thick, ribbed, heart-shaped, equal-valved shell.—adj. Cock′led, shelled like a cockle.—ns. Cock′le-hat, a hat bearing a scallop-shell, the badge of a pilgrim; Cock′le-shell, the shell of a cockle: a frail boat.—The cockles of the heart, the heart itself. [Fr. coquille—Gr. kongchylion—kongchē, a cockle.]

Cockle, kok′l, v.i. to pucker into wrinkles or ridges.—v.t. to cause to pucker.

Cockle, kok′l, n. the fire-chamber of an air-stove.

Cockney, kok′ne, n. (Shak.) an affected, effeminate person, knowing the manners of the town, but a stranger to what every child else knows: a townsman as opposed to a countryman: one born in London, but strictly in a particular part of London.—ns. Cock′neydom, the domain of Cockneys; Cockneyficā′tion.—v.t. Cock′neyfy, to make Cockney.—adj. Cock′neyish.—n. Cock′neyism, the dialect or manners of a Cockney.—The Cockney school, a school of writers belonging to London, who flourished in the first half of the nineteenth century. [M. E. coken-ey, prob. lit. 'cock's egg;' cf. Fr. coco, an egg, a darling, a chap. Others would connect with Fr. coquin, a rogue—L. coquus, a cook.]

Coco, Cocoa, kō′kō, n. a palm-tree growing in tropical countries, and producing the coco-nut.—ns. Cō′co-nut, Cō′coa-nut, the well-known fruit of the coco-palm: (slang) a man's head. [Port. and Sp. coco, a bugbear; applied to the nut from the three marks at the end of it, which form a grotesque face.]

Cocoa, kō′kō, n. the seed of the cacao or chocolate tree: a beverage made from the seeds crushed and ground. [A corr. of Cacao.]

Cocoon, ko-kōōn′, n. the silken sheath spun by the larvæ of many insects in passing into the pupa or resting stage.—n. Cocoon′ery, a place for keeping silkworms when feeding and spinning cocoons. [Fr. cocon, from coque, a shell—L. concha, a shell.]

Coction, kok′shun, n. the act of boiling or cooking.—adj. Coc′tile, baked: hardened by fire, as a brick. [L. coquĕre, coctum, to boil, to cook.]

Cod, kod, Codfish, kod′fish, n. a species of fish much used as food, found in the northern seas.—ns. Cod′-fisher; Cod′-fish′ery; Cod′-fish′ing; Cod′ling, a small cod.—Cod-liver oil, a medicinal oil extracted from the fresh liver of the common cod. [Ety. dub.]

Cod, kod, n. a husk or shell containing seeds: the scrotum.—adjs. Cod′ded, enclosed in a cod; Cod′ding (Shak.), wanton.—n. Cod′-piece, a baggy appendage worn in front of the tight hose of the middle ages. [A.S. codd, a small bag.]

Cod, kod, n. (Scot.), a pillow. [Old Dan. kodde, Ice. koddi, a pillow.]

Cod, kod, n. (slang) applied to persons, with various meanings: a joke.—v.t. to impose on. [Ety. dub.; conn. with Codger.]

Coddle, kod′l, v.t. to pamper: to fondle: to parboil.—n. an effeminate person. [Ety. dub.]

Code, kōd, n. a collection or digest of laws: a system of rules and regulations: a system of signs used in the army.—ns. Codificā′tion; Codi′fīer, Cod′ist, one who codifies.—v.t. Cod′ify, to put into the form of a code: to digest: to systematise:—pr.p. cod′ifying; pa.p. cod′ified.—Code telegram, a telegram whose text in itself has no meaning, but where the words are merely arbitrary symbols for other words known to the receiver.—The Code, esp. the rules and regulations regarding government schools and teachers. [Fr. code—L. codex.]

Codex, kō′deks, n. a code: a manuscript volume:—pl. Codices (kod′i-sēz). [L. codex or caudex, the trunk of a tree, a set of tablets, a book.]

Codger, koj′ėr, n. a mean fellow: an old person: a chap. [Prob. a variant of Cadger.]

Codicil, kod′i-sil, n. a short writing or note added as a supplement to a will.—adj. Codicill′ary. [L. codicillus, dim. of codex.]

Codilla, kō-dil′a, n. the coarsest part of hemp or flax, sorted out and separated from the rest. [Dim. of It. coda—L. cauda, a tail.]

Codille, kō-dil, n. a term at ombre when the player gets fewer tricks than one of his opponents. [Fr.]

Codling, kod′ling, Codlin, kod′lin, n. a variety of apple.—n. Cod′lin-moth, the moth whose larvæ cause the 'worm-eaten' apples which fall prematurely off. [Ety. dub.]

Coefficient, kō-ef-fish′ent, n. that which acts together with another thing: (math.) the numerical or literal factor prefixed to an unknown quantity in any algebraic term.—n. Coeffi′ciency.—adv. Coeffi′ciently.

Coehorn, Cohorn, kō′horn, n. a small mortar for throwing grenades. [From Baron van Coehoorn (1641-1704).]

Cœlenterata, sē-len-ter-ā′ta, n. the technical name for the second lowest alliance of many-celled animals—radially symmetrical, without any body-cavity distinct from the alimentary tube.—adj. Cœlen′terāte. [Gr. koilos, hollow, and enteron, intestine.]

Cœliac, sē′li-ak, adj. relating to the belly. [L. cœliacus—Gr. koilia, the belly.]

Coemption, ko-emp′shun, n. the purchasing of the whole of a commodity: in Roman law, a mode of marriage under the fiction of a mutual sale. [Co-, and L. emĕre, to buy.]

Cœnesthesis, sē-nes-thē′sis, n. the general bodily consciousness. [Gr. koinos, common, aisthēsis, perception.]

Cœnobite, Cenobite, sen′o-bīt, n. a monk who lives along with others of a like mind with himself, in contradistinction to anchorites or hermits.—adjs. Cœnobit′ic, -al; Cenobit′ic, -al.—ns. Cœn′obitism, Cen′obitism; Cœnō′bium, a religious community. [Gr. koinobion—koinos, common, and bios, life.]

Coequal, ko-ē′kwal, adj. equal with another person or thing: of the same rank or dignity.—n. one of the same rank.—n. Coequal′ity.—adv. Coē′qually.

Coerce, kō-ėrs′, v.t. to restrain by force: to compel.—adj. Coer′cible.—adv. Coer′cibly.—ns. Coer′cion, restraint: government by force; Coer′cionist.—adj. Coer′cive, having power to coerce: compelling.—adv. Coer′cively.—n. Coer′civeness. [L. coercēre—co-, together, arcēre, to shut in.]

Co-essential, kō-es-sen′shal, adj. partaking of the same essence.—n. Co-essential′ity.

Coetaneous, kō-ē-tān′e-us, adj. of the same age: contemporary. [Co-, and L. ætas, ætatis, age.]

Co-eternal, kō-ē-tėr′nal, adj. equally eternal with another.—adv. Co-eter′nally.—n. Co-eter′nity.

Coeval, kō-ē′val, adj. of the same age.—n. one of the same age: a contemporary. [L. coævus, co-, together, and ævum, age.]

Co-exist, kō-egz-ist′, v.i. to exist at the same time.—n. Co-exist′ence.—adj. Co-exist′ent.

Co-extend, kō-eks-tend′, v.i. to extend equally with.—n. Co-exten′sion.—adj. Co-exten′sive.

Coff, kof, v.t. (Scot.) to buy.—pa.p. Coft.

Coffee, kof′ē, n. a drink made from the seeds of the coffee-tree, a native of Arabia: the powder made by roasting and grinding the seeds.—ns. Coff′ee-bean, the seed of the coffee-plant; Coff′ee-berr′y, the fruit of the coffee-tree; Coff′ee-bug, the Lecanium coffeæ, destructive to the coffee-plant; Coff′ee-cup, a cup for coffee; Coff′ee-house, a house where coffee and other refreshments are sold; Coff′ee-mill, a small mill or machine for grinding coffee-beans; Coff′ee-pot, a pot or vessel in which coffee is prepared and served; Coff′ee-room, a room in a hotel where coffee and other refreshments are served. [Turk. qahveh—Ar. qahwah, orig. meaning wine.]

Coffer, kof′ėr, n. a chest for holding money or treasure: (pl.) the whole wealth of a person: a deep panel in a ceiling.—v.t. to hoard up.—n. Coff′erdam, a water-tight structure used in engineering for excluding the water from the foundations of bridges, quay walls, &c., so as to allow of their being built dry.—adj. Coff′ered. [O. Fr. cofre, a chest—L. cophinus, a basket—Gr. kophinos.]

Coffin, kof′in, n. the coffer or chest in which a dead body is enclosed.—v.t. to place within a coffin.—n. Coff′in-ship, a ship that is unsound, and likely to prove fatal to those in it.—Drive a nail in one's coffin, to do something tending to hasten death or ruin. [O. Fr. cofin—L. cophinus—Gr. kophinos.]

Coffle, kof′l, n. a gang, esp. of slaves. [Ar. qāfilah, a caravan.]

Cog, kog, v.t. to cheat or deceive: to wheedle: to cog dice is to manipulate them so that they may fall in a given way.—n. the act of cheating: deception.—p.adj. Cog′ging, cheating. [No doubt from the succeeding word.]

Cog, kog, n. a catch or tooth on a wheel.—v.t. to fix teeth in the rim of a wheel: to stop a wheel by putting a block before it:—pr.p. cog′ging; pa.p. cogged.—n. Cog′-wheel, a toothed wheel, whose teeth fit into and move another. [M. E. cogge; ety. dub.; cf. Sw. kugge.]

Cog, kog, n. formerly a large ship of burden or for war: a small boat: a cock-boat. [M. E. cogge, perh. from O. Fr. cogue, a ship. Cf. Dan. kogge, kog; Ice. kuggi.]

Cogent, kō′jent, adj. powerful: convincing.—ns. Cō′gence, Cō′gency, convincing power.—adv. Cō′gently. [L. cogĕre, co-, together, agĕre, to drive.]

Coggie, Cogie, kog′i, n. (Scot.) a small wooden bowl.—Also Cog. [Dim. of Cogue (q.v.).]

Coggle, kog′gl, v.i. to be unsteady.—n. a cobble, a round stone.—adv. Cog′gly (Scot.), shaky. [Cf. Ger. kugel, and Dut. kogel.]

Cogitate, koj′i-tāt, v.i. to turn a thing over in one's mind: to meditate: to ponder.—adj. Cog′itable, capable of being thought.—n. Cogitā′tion, deep thought: meditation.—adj. Cog′itātive, having the power of thinking: given to cogitating. [L. cogitāre, -ātum, to think deeply, co-, together, and agitāre, to put a thing in motion.]

Cognac, kō′nyak, n. an excellent quality of French brandy, so called because much of it is made near the town Cognac, in Charente.

Cognate, kog′nāt, adj. of the same family, kind, or nature: related or allied to.—n. one related by blood, a kinsman: a person related to another through the mother, as distinguished from an agnate, one related through the father.—n. Cognā′tion. [L. cognatus—co-, together, (g)nasci, (g)natus, to be born.]

Cognition, kog-nish′un, n. certain knowledge: apprehension.—adj. Cog′nisable, that may be known or understood: that may be judicially investigated.—adv. Cog′nisably.—ns. Cog′nisance, Cog′nizance, knowledge or notice, judicial or private: observation: jurisdiction: that by which one is known, a badge.—adj. Cog′nisant, having cognisance or knowledge of.—v.t. Cog′nise, to become conscious of.—adj. Cog′nitive, capable of, or pertaining to, cognition.—Have cognisance of, to have knowledge of. [L., from cognoscĕre, cognitum—co-, together, and noscĕre, gnoscĕre, to know.]

Cognomen, kog-nō′men, n. a surname: a nickname: a name: the last of the three names of an individual among the Romans, indicating the house or family to which he belonged.—adj. Cognom′inal, like-named: relating to a cognomen.—v.t. Cognom′inate, to name.—n. Cognominā′tion. [L.,—co-, together, nomen, gnomen, a name—noscĕre, gnoscĕre, to know.]

Cognosce, kog-nos′, v.t. (Scots law) to examine: to give judgment: to declare to be an idiot.—adj. Cognos′cible. [L. cognoscĕre—co-, together, and noscĕre, to know.]

Cognoscente, ko-nyo-shent′e, n. one professing a critical knowledge of works of art, and of a somewhat more pretentious character than amateurs:—pl. Cognoscenti (ko-nyo-shent′ē). [It.,—L. cognoscĕre.]

Cognovit, kog-nō′vit, n. (law) an acknowledgment by the defendant in an action that the plaintiff's cause is just. [L. cognovit actionem, he has confessed the action.]

Cogue, Cog, kōg, n. (Scot.) a round wooden vessel for holding milk. [Ety. dub.]

Cohabit, kō-hab′it, v.i. to dwell together as husband and wife, often of persons not married.—ns. Cohab′itant, one dwelling with others; Cohabitā′tion. [L. cohabitāre—co-, together, habitāre, to dwell.]

Co-heir, kō-ār′, n. a joint heir:—fem. Co-heir′ess.

Cohere, kō-hēr′, v.i. to stick together: to follow in proper connection: to be consistent.—ns. Coher′ence, a sticking together: a consistent connection between several parts: congruity; Coher′ency.—adj. Coher′ent, sticking together: connected: consistent in thought or speech.—adv. Coher′ently.—n. Coher′er, an apparatus for the reception of the waves in 'wireless' telegraphy.—adj. Cohē′sible, capable of cohesion.—n. Cohē′sion, the act of sticking together: a form of attraction by which particles of bodies stick together: logical connection.—adj. Cohē′sive, having the power of cohering: tending to unite into a mass.—adv. Cohē′sively.—ns. Cohē′siveness, Cohesibil′ity. [L. cohærēre, cohæsum, co-, together, and hærēre, to stick.]

Cohort, kō′hort, n. among the Romans, a body of soldiers from 300 to 600 in number, forming a tenth part of a legion: a band of armed men: any band of men. [Fr.,—L. cohors, an enclosed place, a multitude enclosed, a company of soldiers.]

Cohortative, kō-hor′ta-tiv, adj. encouraging.—n. in Heb. grammar, a lengthened form of the imperfect—also Paragogic future. [See Paragoge.]

Coif, koif, n. a covering for the head, esp. the close-fitting cap of white lawn or silk originally worn by serjeants-at-law: a covering for the head worn by women.—v.t. to provide with a coif: to dress (the hair).—ns. Coiff′eur, a hairdresser; Coiff′ure, a head-dress. [Fr. coiffe—Low L. cofia, a cap, perh. Old High Ger. chuppha, a cap, Ger. kopf.]

Coign, koin, n. a corner or external angle: a corner-stone: a wedge.—Coign of vantage, a position of advantage, either for seeing or acting. [Coin.]

Coil, koil, v.t. to wind in rings as a rope, a serpent, &c.: to twist: to entangle.—v.i. to twist one's self.—n. a rope which has been gathered into rings: one of the rings into which a rope is gathered: a wire wound spirally to conduct electricity.—Coil up, of a serpent, to get into a position for springing: to gather into a ball. [O. Fr. coillir (Fr. cueillir)—L. colligĕre—col, together, legĕre, to gather.]

Coil, koil, n. tumult: hubbub: noise: fuss.—Mortal coil, the toil and trouble of human life. [Der. unknown; prob. Celt.; Gael. and Ir. goill, war.]

Coin, koin, n. (Shak.) a corner-stone: a piece of metal legally stamped and current as money.—v.t. to convert a piece of metal into money: to stamp; to make, invent, fabricate: (fig.) to make into.—ns. Coin′age, the act of coining money: the currency: the pieces of metal coined: the invention, or fabrication, of something new: what is invented; Coin′er, one who coins money: a maker of counterfeit coins: an inventor; Coin′ing, minting: invention.—Coin money, to make money rapidly.—Pay a man in his own coin, to give tit for tat: to give as good as one got. [Fr. coin, a wedge, also the die to stamp money—L. cuneus, a wedge.]

Coincide, kō-in-sīd′, v.i. to fall in with, or agree, in opinion: to correspond: to be identical.—ns. Coin′cidence, act or condition of coinciding: the occurrence of an event at the same time as another event, without any apparent connection; Coin′cidency.—adjs. Coin′cident, Coincident′al.—adv. Coin′cidently. [L. co-, together, incidĕre—in, in, cadĕre, to fall.]

Co-inhere, kō-in-hēr′, v.i. to inhere together.—n. Co-inher′ence.

Co-inheritor, kō-in-her′it-or, n. a joint heir.—n. Co-inher′itance.

Co-instantaneous, kō-in-stan-tān′e-us, adj. exactly simultaneous.—ns. Co-instantanē′ity, Co-instantan′eousness.—adv. Co-instantan′eously.

Coir, koir, n. the strong fibre of the husk of the coco-nut, used for making door-mats. [Malay, kāyar, cord—kāyaru, to be twisted.]

Coistril, kois′tril, n. a groom: (Shak.) a knave. [See Custrel.]

Coition, kō-ish′un, n. sexual intercourse. [L. coitio—co-, together, īre, ītum, to go.]

Cojoin, kō-join′, v.t. (Shak.). Same as Conjoin.

Coke, kōk, n. a form of fuel obtained by the heating of coal in confined spaces whereby its more volatile constituents are driven off.—v.t. to make into coke. [Ety. dub.; not before 17th century.]

Col, kol, n. (geog.) a depression or pass in a mountain-range. [Fr.,—L. collum, a neck.]

Colander, Cullender, kul′end-ėr, n. a vessel having small holes in the bottom, used as a strainer in cookery.—ns. Colā′tion, Col′ature, straining. [L. colāre, to strain—colum, a strainer.]

Colbertine, kol′ber-tin, n. a kind of lace, so called after Jean Baptiste Colbert (1619-83), Minister of Finance to Louis XIV., a great patron of the arts.

Colcannon, kol-kan′on, n. an Irish dish, being a stew of pounded cabbage and potatoes with butter. [Cole, cabbage; cannon unknown.]

Colchicum, kol′chi-kum, n. a genus of Liliaceæ—the meadow saffron, its corm or seed used for gout and rheumatism. [L.,—Gr. colchicon, meadow saffron—Colchicus, relating to Colchis, the native country of the sorceress Medea.]

Colcothar, kol′kō-thar, n. a dark-red iron peroxide formed by calcining copperas.

Cold, kōld, adj. the opposite of hot: shivering: without passion or zeal: spiritless: unfriendly: indifferent: reserved.—n. a relative want of sensible heat: the feeling or sensation caused by the absence of heat: coldness: a spell of cold weather: a disease caused by cold, a catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs, usually accompanied by hoarseness and coughing: catarrh: chillness.—adj. Cold′-blood′ed, having cold blood, as fishes: without feeling: hard-hearted—of persons or actions.—adv. Cold′-blood′edly.—ns. Cold′-blood′edness; Cold′-Chis′el, a strong and finely-tempered chisel for cutting cold metal, as distinguished from a blacksmith's chisel for cutting hot iron; Cold′-cream, the name applied to a creamy ointment, usually made of almond-oil, spermaceti, white wax, and rose-water, used as a cooling dressing for the skin.—adjs. Cold′-heart′ed, wanting feeling: indifferent; Cold′ish, somewhat cold.—adv. Coldly.—ns. Cold′ness; Cold′-pig (coll.), the application of cold water to wake a person.—adj. Cold′-short, brittle when cold: (fig.) of the temper.—ns. Cold′-wat′er, water at its natural temperature; Cold′-without′, brandy with cold water and no sugar.—Cold as charity, a proverbial phrase expressing ironically great coldness or indifference.—Catch cold, Take cold, to acquire the malady—a cold.—Give the cold shoulder, to show indifference: to give a rebuff.—In cold blood, with deliberate intent, not under the influence of passion.—Leave out in the cold, to neglect, ignore.—Throw cold water on, to discourage. [A.S. ceald; Scot, cauld, Ger. kalt; cog. also with Eng. cool, Ice. kala, to freeze, L. gelidus—gelu, frost.]

Cole, kōl, n. a general name for all sorts of cabbage.—ns. Cole′-garth, a cabbage garden; Cole′-seed, the seed of rape; Cole′-wort, a species of cabbage. [A.S. cáwel; Ger. kohl, Scot. kail; all from L. colis, caulis, a stem, esp. of cabbage; cf. Gr. kaulos.]

Coleoptera, kol-e-op′tėr-a, n.pl. an order of insects having two pairs of wings, the outer pair being hard or horny, serving as wing-cases for the true wings: the beetles.—adjs. Coleop′teral, Coleop′terous.—n. Coleop′terist. [Gr. koleos, a sheath, and pteron (pl. ptera), a wing.]

Coleorhiza, kol-ē-ō-rī′za, n. the root-sheath in endogens. [Gr. koleos, sheath, rhiza, root.]

Colibri, kol′ib-rē, n. a kind of humming-bird. [Sp. and Fr. colibri, said to be the Carib. name.]

Colic, kol′ik, n. a disease attended with severe pain and flatulent distension of the abdomen, without diarrhœa.—adj. Col′icky, suffering or causing colic.—n. Colī′tis (see Colonitis under Colon). [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. kolikos—kolon, the large intestine.]

Colin, kol′in, the American quail or partridge. [Ety. dub.]

Coliseum. See Colosseum.

Coll, kol, v.t. (Spens.) to embrace or fondle by taking round the neck.—n. Coll′ing, embracing. [Fr. col—L. collum, the neck.]

Collaborator, kol-ab′ō-rā-tor, Collaborateur, kol-ab′ō-ra-tār, n. an associate or assistant in labour, particularly literary or scientific.—n. Collaborā′tion. [Coined from L. col, with, and laborāre, -ātum, to labour.]

Collapse, kol-aps′, n. a falling away or breaking down: any sudden or complete breakdown or prostration.—v.i. to fall together, to contract: to fall or break down: to go to ruin: to lose heart.—adj. Collaps′ible, capable of collapsing. [L. collapsus—col, together, and labi, lapsus, to slide or fall.]

Collar, kol′ar, n. something worn round the neck: the part of a garment at the neck: a band round a dog's neck: that part of a horse's harness worn round the neck, to which the traces are attached: a ring: a band.—v.t. to seize by the collar: to put a collar on: to capture.—ns. Coll′ar-beam, a horizontal piece of timber connecting or bracing two opposite rafters, to prevent sagging; Coll′ar-bone, in man and most mammals the only bone directly connecting the upper extremity with the skeleton of the trunk.—p.adj. Coll′ared, having, or ornamented with, a collar: rolled up and bound with a string, as a piece of meat having the bones removed: captured.—ns. Coll′arette, a small collar; Coll′ar-work, hard work against the collar: drudgery. [O. Fr. colier—L. collāre—collum, the neck.]

Collard, kol′ard, n. cole-wort. [See Cole.]

Collate, kol-āt′, v.t. to bring together for comparison: to examine and compare, as books, and esp. old manuscripts: to place in or confer a benefice upon: to place in order, as the sheets of a book for binding.—adj. Collā′table.—ns. Collā′tion, act of collating: a bringing together for examination and comparison: presentation to a benefice: a repast between meals, from the habit of reading the collationes or lives of the Fathers during meals in monasteries.—adj. Collā′tive, having the power of conferring: of livings where the bishop and patron are one and the same person.—n. Collā′tor, one who collates or compares: one who bestows or presents. [L. conferre, collatum—con, together, ferre, to bring.]

Collateral, kol-at′ėr-al, adj. side by side: running parallel or together; corresponding; descended from the same ancestor, but not directly, as the children of brothers.—n. a collateral relation: a contemporary: a rival.—adv. Collat′erally. [L. col, and latus, lateris, a side.]

Colleague, kol′ēg, n. one associated with others in some employment—not of partners in business.—n. Coll′eagueship. [Fr. collègue—L. collega—col, together, and legĕre, to choose.]

Colleague, kol′ēg, v.i. to join or unite: to conspire:—pr.p. colleaguing (kol-ēg′ing); pa.p. colleagued (kol-ēgd′). [From O. Fr. colliguer, to join in alliance—L. colligāre, to bind together.]

Collect, kol-ekt′, v.t. to assemble or bring together: to infer: to put one's thoughts in order.—v.i. to run together: to accumulate.—ns. Col′lect, a short form of prayer, peculiar to the liturgies of the Western Church, consisting of a single sentence, conveying one main petition; Collectā′nea, a selection of passages from various authors: a miscellany.—adj. Collect′ed, gathered together: having one's senses gathered together: cool: firm—adv. Collect′edly.—ns. Collect′edness, self-possession: coolness; Collec′tion, act of collecting: collecting of money at a religious or public meeting: the money collected: a number of anything: an assemblage: a book of selections: composure: an examination at the end of the terms in certain colleges.—adj. Collect′ive, considered as forming one mass or sum: congregated: common: (Milt.) inferential: (gram.) expressing a number or multitude.—adv. Collect′ively.—ns. Collect′ivism, the economic theory of socialism, that industry should be carried on with a collective capital; Collect′ivist, a socialist—also adj.; Collect′or, one who collects, as tickets, money, &c.; Collect′orate, Collect′orship. [L. colligĕre, collectum, from col, together, and legĕre, to gather.]

Colleen, kol′ēn, n. a girl. [Irish cailín.]

College, kol′ej, n. an incorporation, company, or society of persons joined together generally for literary or scientific purposes, and often possessing peculiar or exclusive privileges: a member of the body known as the university: (U.S.) often used as the equivalent of university: a seminary of learning: a literary, political, or religious institution: the edifice appropriated to a college.—n. Coll′eger, inmate of a college: one of the seventy foundationers at Eton College.—adj. Collē′gial, pertaining to a college.—ns. Collē′gian, a member or inhabitant of a college: (slang) inmate of a prison; Collē′gianer, a member of a college, a student.—adj. Collē′giate, pertaining to or resembling a college: containing a college, as a town; instituted like a college: corporate.—n. inmate of a prison, &c.—College of Arms, Heralds' College, a collegiate body incorporated in 1483, presided over by the Earl Marshal, and including Garter, principal King-of-arms, Clarenceux, and Norroy, besides six heralds and four pursuivants: College of Justice, in Scotland, a great forensic society, composed of judges, advocates, writers to the signet, and solicitors.—Collegiate church, Collegial church, a church so called from having a college or chapter, consisting of a dean or provost and canons, attached to it (in Scotland, a church occupied by two or more pastors of equal rank—also Collegiate charge). [Fr. collège—L. collegium, from col, and legĕre, to gather.]

Collet, kol′et, n. a ring or collar: the part of a ring which contains the stone. [Fr.,—L. collum.]

Collide, kol-īd′, v.i. to dash together: to clash.—p.adjs. Collid′ed, Collid′ing.—ns. Colli′sion, state of being struck together: conflict: opposition: clashing; Colli′sion-mat; a mat for covering a hole in a ship's side caused by a collision. [L. collidĕre, collisum—col, together, lædĕre, to strike.]

Collie, Colly, kol′i, n. a shepherd's dog. [Ety. dub.]

Collier, kol′yėr, n. one who works in a coal-mine: a ship that carries coal: a sailor in such a ship.—n. Coll′iery, a coal-mine.

Colligate, kol′i-gāt, v.t. to bind together. [L. colligāre, -ātum—col, together, ligāre, to bind.]

Collimation, kol-li-mā′shun, n. the adjustment of the line of sight of a telescope.—v.t. Col′limāte.—n. Collimā′tor, a subsidiary telescope used to detect errors in collimation, when adjusting for transit observations. [L. collimāre for collineāre, to bring into line with—col, together, linea, a line.]

Collinear, ko-lin′e-ar, adj. in the same straight line.

Collieshangie, kol-i-shang′i, n. (Scot.) noisy wrangling or fighting. [Ety. dub.; but perh. from collie, a dog, and shangie, something attached to his tail.]

Collingual, ko-ling′gwal, adj. speaking the same tongue.

Colliquate, kol′i-kwāt, v.t. to melt.—adjs. Colliq′uable, Coll′iquant, melting, wasting; Colliq′uative, profuse in flow. [L. com-, together, liquāre, -ātum, to make melt.]

Collocate, kol′ō-kāt, v.t. to place together: to set: to arrange.—n. Collocā′tion, act of collocating: disposition in place: arrangement. [L. collocāre, -ātum, col, together, locāre, to place.]

Collocutor, Collocutory. See Colloquy.

Collodion, kol-ō′di-on, n. a gluey solution of gun-cotton in alcohol and ether, used in surgery and photography. [Gr. kollōdēs—kolla, glue, eidos, form, appearance.]

Collogue, ko-log′, v.i. to simulate belief: to conspire: to converse confidentially.—v.t. to coax; to flatter. [Prob. from L. colloqui, to speak together.]

Colloid, kol′oid, n. a name given by Graham, in contradistinction to crystalloids, to any soluble substance, which, when exposed to dialysis, does not pass through the porous membrane.—adj. Colloid′al. [Gr. kolla, glue, and eidos, form.]

Collop, kol′op, n. a slice of meat, fried or otherwise: (Shak.) a child.—Collop Monday, the day before Shrove Tuesday, when collops-and-eggs was eaten.—Minced collops (Scot.), minced meat.

Colloquy, kol′o-kwi, n. a speaking together: mutual discourse: conversation.—v.i. (rare) to converse.—n. Colloc′ūtor.—adj. Colloc′ūtory.—v.i. Colloque′, to hold colloquy.—adj. Collō′quial, pertaining to or used in common conversation.—ns. Collō′quialism, a form of expression used in familiar talk; Collō′quialist.—adv. Collō′quially.—v.i. Coll′oquise, to converse.—n. Coll′oquist, a speaker in a colloquy. [L. colloquium, col, together, loqui, to speak.]

Collotype, kol′o-tīp, n. a photographic process much used for book illustrations and advertising purposes. [Gr. kolla, glue, and Type.]

Colluctation, kol-uk-tā′shun, n. strife: opposition. [L. colluctāri—col-, luctāri, to wrestle.]

Collude, kol-ūd′, v.i. to play into each other's hand: to act in concert, esp. in a fraud.—ns. Collud′er; Collū′sion, act of colluding: a secret agreement to deceive: deceit.—adj. Collū′sive, fraudulently concerted: deceitful.—adv. Collū′sively. [L. colludĕre, collusum, from col, and ludĕre, to play.]

Colluvies, ko-lū′vi-ēs., n. filth: a rabble. [L. 'washings'—colluĕre, to wash thoroughly.]

Colly, kol′li, v.t. to begrime with coal-dust: (Shak.) to darken.—p.adj. Col′lied. [See Coal.]

Collyrium, ko-lir′i-um, n. a term for various kinds of eye-salve or eye-wash. [L.,—Gr. kollyrion, eye-salve, dim. of kollyra, a roll of bread.]

Colocynth, kol′ō-sinth, n. the dried and powdered pulp of a kind of cucumber, much used as a purgative. [L.,—Gr. kolokynthis.]

Cologne-earth, ko-lōn′-ėrth, n. a brown earth prepared from lignite, found originally near Cologne, a German city on the Rhine.—Cologne water, or Eau de Cologne, a perfumed spirit first made at Cologne in 1709 by Jean Farina.

Colon, kō′lon, n. the mark (:) used to indicate a distinct member or clause of a sentence. [Gr. kōlon, a limb, member.]

Colon, kō′lon, n. that portion of the large intestine which extends from the cæcum to the rectum, which is the terminal portion of the intestinal canal.—n. Colonī′tis, inflammation of the colon. [L.,—Gr. kolon, the large intestine.]

Colonel, kur′nėl, n. an officer who has command of a regiment;—ns. Col′onelcy, his office or rank; Col′onelling, playing the colonel; Col′onelship, colonelcy: quality of a colonel. [Fr. and Sp. coronel; a corr. of It. colonello, the leader of a colonna, or column—L. columna.]

Colonnade, kol-on-ād′, n. a range of columns placed at regular intervals: a similar row, as of trees. [Fr.,—L. columna.]

Colony, kol′on-i, n. a name somewhat vaguely applied to the foreign dependencies of a state (a Roman colony was a military settlement planted in subject territory; a Greek colony consisted of a band of emigrants impelled to seek a new home, and connected with their mother-city by no stronger tie than that of sentiment): a body of persons who form a fixed settlement in another country: the settlement so formed: the place they inhabit.—adj. Colōn′ial, pertaining to a colony.—n. an inhabitant of a colony, a colonist.—ns. Colōn′ialism, a trait of colonial life or speech; Colonisā′tion, act or practice of colonising: state of being colonised.—v.t. Col′onise, to plant or establish a colony in: to form into a colony.—v.i. to settle.—n. Col′onist, an inhabitant of a colony.—Colonial animals, organisms which cannot be fairly regarded as unities, but consist of numerous individuals united in a common life; Colonial system, the theory that the settlements abroad were to be treated as proprietary domains exploited for the benefit of the mother-country. [L. colonia—colonus, a husbandman—colĕre, to till.]

Colophon, kol′o-fon, n. in early printing, the inscription at the end of a book with name, date, &c. [L. colophon—Gr. kolophōn, the finish.]

Colophony, kol-of′o-ni, n. the dark-coloured resin got from the distillation of turpentine with water. [Gr., from Colophon, in Asia Minor.]

Coloquintida, kol-o-kwin′ti-da, n. the colocynth.

Colossus, kol-os′us, n. a gigantic statue, esp. that of Apollo astride the entrance of the harbour of Rhodes.—adjs. Coloss′al, like a colossus: gigantic; Coloss′alwise, astride (Shak.).—ns. Colossē′um, Colisē′um, Vespasian's amphitheatre at Rome, which was the largest in the world. [L.,—Gr. kolossos.]

Colostrum, ko-los′trum, n. the first milk of a mammal after parturition.—n. Colostrā′tion, a disease of infants due to colostrum.—adjs. Colos′tric, Colos′trous. [L.]

Colour, kul′ur, n. a property of light which causes bodies to have different appearances to the eye: the hue or appearance which bodies present to the eye: appearance of blood in the face: appearance: pretext: tint: paint: false show: kind: (pl.) a flag, ensign, or standard: paints.—v.t. to put colour on: to stain: to paint: to set in a fair light: to exaggerate: to misrepresent.—v.i. to show colour: to blush.—adjs. Colorif′ic, containing or producing colours; Col′ourable, having a fair appearance: designed to conceal.—adv. Col′ourably.—n. Colourā′tion.—adj. Col′our-blind, unable to distinguish between colours.—n. Col′our-blind′ness.—adjs. Col′oured, having colour: (Spens.) having a specious appearance, deceitful: of the complexion, other than white.—ns. Col′ouring, any substance used to give colour: manner of applying colours: specious appearance; Col′ourist, one who colours or paints: one who excels in colouring.—adj. Col′ourless, without colour: transparent: neutral.—ns. Col′ourman, one who prepares and sells colours; Col′our-ser′geant, the sergeant who guards the colours of a regiment.—adj. Col′oury, having much colour.—Colour a pipe, to cause a tobacco-pipe, esp. a meerschaum, to take on a brown or black colour, by smoking.—A person of colour, a person of negro blood.—Change colour, to turn pale: to blush; Come off with flying colours, to do something with great éclat; Come out in one's true colours, to appear in one's real character; Desert one's colours, to abandon one's post or duty; Fast colour, a colour which does not fade when washed; Fight under false colours, to put forward a false pretence as a cover for one's actions; Give colour, to give plausibility: Hang out false colours, to put up another's flag, to pretend to belong to another party than one really does; High colour, pronounced redness of complexion; Lose colour, to lose one's good looks; Nail one's colours to the mast, to commit one's self to some party or plan of action; Off colour, faded: past one's best; Paint in bright colours, to embellish: to exaggerate; Primary colours, the three colours, red, green, and violet, from which the others, called Secondary colours, can be obtained; Show one's colours, to show what are one's inclinations, opinions, or character; Stick to one's colours, to adhere to one's party or opinions; Under colour of, under the pretext of; Without colour, without disguise: colourless: without individuality. [Fr.,—L. color; akin to celāre, to cover, to conceal.]

Colporteur, kol′pōrt-ār, or kol′pōrt-ėr, n. a peddler, esp. one selling tracts and religious books.—n. Col′portāge, the distribution of books by colporteurs. [Fr. colporteur, from col—L. collum, the neck, and porter—L. portāre, to carry.]

Colt, kōlt, n. a young horse: an awkward fellow: an inexperienced youth: (B.) a young camel or ass: (naut.) a rope's end.—v.i. (Spens.) to frisk like a colt.—v.t. (Shak.) to cheat: to give the rope's end, to beat.—adj. Colt′ish, like a colt: frisky: wanton.—ns. Colt's′-foot, a composite plant with large soft leaves once used for asthma and coughing; Colt's′-tooth, one of a horse's first set of teeth; (Shak.) love of youthful pleasures: wantonness. [A.S. colt; Sw. kult, a young boar, a stout boy.]

Colter, Coulter, kōltėr, n. the fore-iron of a plough. [A.S. culter—L. culter, a knife.]

Coluber, kol′ub-ėr, n. a genus of non-venomous snakes, of almost world-wide distribution.—n. Colub′riad (Cowper).—adj. Col′ubrine. [L. coluber, a snake.]

Columbian, kō-lum′bi-an, adj. pertaining to Columbia, a name of America.—ns. Colum′bate, a salt or compound of columbic acid with a base; Colum′bite, the native ore of columbium; Colum′bium, a metallic element now called niobium. [Columbia, America, from Columbus (1447-1506), its discoverer.]

Columbine, kol′um-bīn, adj. of or like a dove: dove-coloured.—n. a genus of plants (Aquilegia) having five coloured sepals, which soon fall off, and five petals, each terminating below in a horn-shaped spur or nectary: in pantomimes, the sweetheart of Harlequin (q.v.).—ns. Columbā′rium, a dovecot or pigeon-house: one of the niches or pigeon-holes in a particular kind of sepulchral chamber in which the urns containing the ashes of dead bodies burned were deposited; Col′umbary, a pigeon-house or dovecot. [L. columba, a dove.]

Columel, Columella. See Column.

Column, kol′um, n. a long, round body, used to support or adorn a building: any upright body or mass like a column: a body of troops drawn up in deep files: a perpendicular row of lines in a book.—ns. Col′ūmel, a small column; Colūmel′la, the central axis of a spiral univalve; the auditory ossicle of the amphibian ear: the central axis of the spore-case of mosses: in the opening of fruits, what remains in the centre after the carpels have split away.—adjs. Colum′nal, Colum′nar, formed in columns.—n. Columna′rity.—adjs. Col′umned, Colum′niāted, Colum′nated, having columns.—n. Colum′niātion. [L. columen, columna, akin to celsus, high; Gr. kolōnē, a hill.]

Colure, kō-lūr′, n. (astron.) one of two great circles supposed to intersect each other at right angles in the poles of the equator. [Gr. kolourus—kolos, docked, oura, tail.]

Colza, kol′za, n. a kind of cabbage whose seeds yield oil for lamps. [Dut. koolzaad, cabbage-seed.]

Coma, kō′ma, n. deep sleep: stupor.—adj. Com′atose, affected with coma: drowsy. [Gr. kōma.]

Coma, kō′ma, n. (bot.) a tuft or bunch of hairy-like appendages as on some seeds: the leafy branches forming the head of a tree: (astron.) the nebulous envelope surrounding the nucleus of a comet. [L.—Gr. komē, hair of the head.]

Comarb, kō′märb, n. the head of one of the families composing an old Irish sept: the successor in an ecclesiastical office, abbot, vicar, &c.—Better Cō′arb. [Ir. comharba, successor.]

Comart, kō′märt, n. (Shak.) an agreement.

Comate, kō′māt, n. (Shak.) a mate or companion.

Comb, kōm, n. a toothed instrument for separating and cleaning hair, wool, flax, &c.: the crest of a cock: the top or crest of a wave or of a hill: an aggregation of cells for honey.—v.t. to separate, arrange, or clean by means of a comb: to dress with a comb: (Shak.) to beat.—v.i. to break with a white foam, as the top of a wave.—adj. Combed.—n. Comb′er, one who or that which combs wool, &c.—n.pl. Comb′ings, hairs combed off.—adjs. Comb′less (Shak.), without a comb; Comb′wise; Comb′y.—n. Crop′-comb, a semicircular comb worn by girls.—Comb off, to remove. [A.S. camb.]

Comb, Combe. See Coomb.

Combat, kom′bat, or kum′bat, v.i. to contend or struggle.—v.t. to beat against: to contest: to oppose: to debate.—n. a struggle: a fight.—adjs. Com′batable, capable of being combated; Com′batant, disposed to combat.—n. one who combats; Com′bative, inclined to quarrel.—n. Com′bativeness.—Combatant officer, one who takes part in the action, as opposed to the medical officers, &c., who are Non-combatant. [Fr. combattre, to fight—com, with, and battre, to beat. See Beat.]

Comber, kom′bēr, n. a name applied to the gaper, a sea-perch, and to a species of wrasse.

Combine, kom-bīn′, v.t. to join two together: to unite intimately.—v.i. to come into close union: to co-operate: (chem.) to unite and form a new compound.—n. a trading syndicate, a trust.—adj. Com′binate, combined: betrothed.—ns. Combinā′tion, the act of combining: union of individual things: persons united for a purpose; Combinā′tion-room, the college-parlour at Cambridge, for the fellows of a college after dinner, a common-room.—n.pl. Combinā′tions, a women's and children's garment consisting of chemise and drawers combined.—adjs. Com′binātive; Combī′natory; Combined′; Combin′ing. [L. combināre, to join—com, together, and bini, two and two.]

Combrous (obs.) = Cum′brous.

Comburgess, kom-bur′jes, n. a fellow-burgess.

Combust, kom-bust′, adj. burned by the sun: in conjunction with the sun, or apparently very near it, so as to be obscured by its light, said of a planet when it is not more than 8½° from the sun.—n. that which is burned.—v.t. to burn up.—adj. Combust′ible, liable to take fire and burn: excitable.—n. anything that will take fire and burn.—ns. Combust′ibleness, Combustibil′ity, quality of being combustible; Combus′tion, a burning: the action of fire on combustible substances: confusion, turmoil: the scientific term for all kinds of consumption through the influence of heat.—adjs. Combust′ious (Shak.), combustible, inflammable: turbulent; Combust′ive, disposed to take fire.—Spontaneous combustion, burning caused by heat generated in the substance itself. [L. comburĕre, combustum, to consume—com, inten., urĕre, to burn.]

Come, kum (Shak.), a shortening of Become.

Come, kum, v.i. to move toward this place (the opposite of go): to draw near: to arrive at a certain state or condition: to issue: to happen: (Shak.) to yield; to become: to turn out:—pr.p. com′ing; pa.t. came; pa.p. come.—n. Com′ing.—adj. Come′-at-able, accessible; Come about, to happen; Come across, to meet; Come and go, to have freedom of action (n. passage to and fro); Come at, to reach; Come by, to come near: to pass: to obtain; Come down, to descend: to be reduced (n. a fall); Come down upon, to be severe with; Come down with, to pay down; Come high, or low, to cost much, or little; Come home, to return to one's house: to touch one's interest or feelings closely (with to): (naut.) to drag or slip through the ground—of an anchor; Come in, to enter: to give in, to yield: (fencing) to get within the opponent's guard (Shak.); Come in for, to have reason to expect or to have a share; Come it strong (coll.), to do or say too much; Come of, to descend from: become of; Come off, to come away: to turn out: to escape (n. a conclusion: an evasion of duty); Come out, to result: to be published: to become evident: to enter society; Come out with, to let be known: to tell; Come over (Shak.), surpass: to befall: (slang) to overreach; Come o' will, something that comes of its own accord: an illegitimate child; Come round, to come by a circuitous path: to happen in due course: to change: to recover from a faint; Come short, to fail; Come short of, to fail to accomplish; Come to, to obtain: to amount to: to recover consciousness or sanity; Come to grief, to meet with disaster or ill-fortune; Come to pass, to happen; Come true, to be found to have been true; Come under, to be included under; Come upon, to attack: to affect; to hold answerable: to meet; Come up with, to overtake: reach.—All comers, any one that likes. [A.S. cuman; Ger. kommen, to come.]

Co-meddle, kō-med′l, v.t. to mix: (Shak.) to temper.

Comedo, kom′e-do, n. a small, black-tipped, worm-like mass which is found on the face of some persons. [L. comedĕre, to eat up.]

Comedy, kom′e-di, n. a dramatic piece of a pleasant or humorous character, originally accompanied with dancing and singing.—ns. Comē′dian, one who acts or writes comedies: an actor:—fem. Comédienne′; Comēdiet′ta, a short comic piece. [L.,—Gr. kōmōdia, kōmos, revel, ōdē, song.]

Comely, kum′li, adj. pleasing: graceful: handsome.—adv. in a comely manner.—n. Come′liness. [A.S. cymlic—cyme, suitable, líc, like.]

Comestibles, kom-est′i-blz, n.pl. eatables. [Fr.,—L. comedĕre, to eat up.]

Comet, kom′et, n. a heavenly body with an eccentric orbit, having a definite point or nucleus, a nebulous light surrounding the nucleus, and a luminous tail preceding or following the nucleus.—adjs. Com′etary, Comet′ic.—ns. Com′et-find′er, a telescope of low power used to search for comets; Cometog′raphy; Cometol′ogy. [Gr. komētēs, long-haired—komē, the hair.]

Comfit, kum′fit, n. a sweetmeat made of fruit and sugar, &c. [A doublet of Confect; from Fr. confit, confiture—L. conficĕre, to make up.]

Comfort, kum′furt, v.t. to relieve from pain or distress: to soothe: to cheer, revive.—n. relief: encouragement: ease: quiet enjoyment: freedom from annoyance: whatever gives ease, enjoyment, &c.: a subject of satisfaction.—adj. Com′fortable, imparting or enjoying comfort.—adv. Com′fortably.—n. Com′forter, one who administers comfort: (B.) the Holy Spirit: a long, narrow woollen tippet.—adj. Com′fortless, without comfort.—n. Com′fortlessness.—Job's comforter, one who, while pretending to comfort, only aggravates the distress. [O. Fr. conforter—L. con, and fortis, strong.]

Comfrey, kum′fri, n. a genus of Boraginaceæ, somewhat coarse perennial herbs. [O. Fr. confirie.]

Comic, kom′ik, adj. relating to comedy: raising mirth: droll.—n. (coll.) an amusing person: (coll.) a comic paper.—adj. Com′ical, funny: queer: ludicrous.—ns. Comical′ity, Com′icalness.—adv. Com′ically.—n. Comique (kō-mēk′), a comic actor or singer. [See Comedy.]

Comitatus, kom-i-tā′tus, n. a prince's escort: a county or shire. [L.]

Comitia, ko-mish′i-a, n. the assemblies of the Romans for electing magistrates, passing laws, &c. [L.,—com, together, īre, ītum, to go.]

Comity, kom′i-ti, n. courteousness: civility.—Comity of nations (comitas gentium), the international courtesy by which effect is given to the laws of one state within the territory of another state. [L. comitas—comis, courteous.]

Comma, kom′a, n. (Shak.) a short part of a sentence: in punctuation, the point (,) which marks the smallest division of a sentence: (fig.) a brief interval.—Inverted commas, marks of quotation ("..", '..'). [L.,—Gr. komma, a section of a sentence, from koptein, to cut off.]

Command, kom-mand′, v.t. to order: to bid: to exercise supreme authority over: (Shak.) to demand: to cause to act: (Shak.) to exact: to have within sight, influence, or control.—v.i. to have chief authority: to govern.—n. an order: authority: message: the ability to overlook or influence: the thing commanded.—ns. Commandant′, an officer who has the command of a place or of a body of troops, Commandant′ship.—v.t. Commandeer′, to compel to military service.—ns. Command′er, one who commands: an officer in the navy next in rank under a captain; Command′er-in-chief, the highest staff appointment in the British army: the officer in supreme command of an army, or of the entire forces of the state; Command′ership; Command′ery, the district under a commander, specially used in connection with the Templars, the Hospitallers, and other religious orders.—adj. Command′ing, fitted to impress or control.—adv. Command′ingly.—n. Command′ment, a command: a precept.—Commander of the Faithful, a title of the caliphs.—At Command, available for use; On command, under orders.—Ten Commandments, the ten Mosaic laws: (slang) the ten finger-nails, used by women in fighting. [Fr. commander—L. commendāre—com, and mandāre, to entrust.]

Commeasure, kom-mezh′ūr, v.t. to equal in measure: to coincide with.—n. Commeas′urable (same as Commen′surable).

Commemorate, kom-em′o-rāt, v.t. to call to remembrance by a solemn or public act: to celebrate: to preserve the memory of.—adj. Commem′orable.—n. Commemorā′tion, preserving the memory of some person or thing by a solemn ceremony: the specification of individual saints in the prayers for the dead: the great festival of the Oxford academic year, usually taking place on the third Wednesday after Trinity Sunday.—adjs. Commem′orative, Commem′oratory, tending or serving to commemorate.—n. Commem′orator. [L. commemoratus, pa.p. of commemorāre, to remember—com, inten., and memor, mindful.]

Commence, kom-ens′, v.i. to begin: to originate: to take rise.—v.t. to begin: to originate: to enter upon: to take a university degree—e.g. 'to commence M.A.'—n. Commence′ment, the beginning: at certain universities the act of taking the degrees: the ceremony when these are conferred. [O. Fr. comencer—L. com, and initiāre, to begin—in, into, and īre, to go.]

Commend, kom-end′, v.t. to give into the charge of: to recommend as worthy: to praise: to adorn, set off.—n. (Shak.) praise.—adj. Commend′able, worthy of being commended or praised.—n. Commend′ableness.—adv. Commend′ably.—ns. Commend′am, a manner of holding an ecclesiastical benefice till a proper pastor was provided for it—it was provisionally commended to the care of a clerk, and was said to be held in commendam; Commendā′tion, the act of commending: praise: declaration of esteem: esp. the act of commending the dying or dead to the favour and mercy of God; Com′mendātor, one who holds a benefice in commendam.—adj. Commend′atory, commending: containing praise or commendation: presenting to favourable notice or reception.—Commend me to, remember me kindly to: give me by preference. [L. commendāre—com, and mandāre, to trust.]

Commensal, ko-men′sal, adj. eating at the same table.—n. a messmate.—n. Commen′salism, the intimate but never parasitic association of two organisms, for the benefit of one, or very often of both. [L. com, together, mensa, a table.]

Commensurable, kom-en′sū-ra-bl, adj. having a common measure.—ns. Commensurabil′ity, Commen′surableness.—adv. Commen′surably.—adj. Commen′surāte, of the same measure with: equal in measure or extent: in proportion with.—adv. Commen′surātely.—ns. Commen′surāteness, Commensurā′tion. [L. com, with, and mensura, a measure—metīri, mensus, to measure.]

Comment, kom′ent, n. a note conveying an illustration or explanation: a remark, observation, criticism.—v.i. (or kom-ent′) to make critical or explanatory notes: to annotate: (Shak.) to meditate.—ns. Comm′entary, a comment: a remark: a book consisting of a regular series of comments or notes on another book; Commentā′tion, annotation; Comm′entātor, Comm′enter (or Comment′er), Comm′entor (or Comment′or).—adj. Commentatō′rial, pertaining to the making of commentaries. [Fr.,—L. commentāri—com, and L. mens, the mind.]

Commerce, kom′ėrs, n. interchange of merchandise on a large scale between nations or individuals: extended trade or traffic: intercourse: fellowship.—v.i. Commerce′, to trade: to have communication with.—adj. Commer′cial, pertaining to commerce: mercantile.—n. commercial traveller.—ns. Commer′cialism; Commer′cialist; Commer′ciality.—adv. Commer′cially.—Commercial room, a room in a hotel set apart for commercial travellers; Commercial traveller, a person who transacts business as the accredited travelling representative of a trading house to other trading houses. [Fr.,—L. commercium—com, with, merx, mercis, merchandise.]

Commerge, ko-mėrj′, v.i. to coincide, agree.

Comminate, kom′in-āt, v.t. to threaten.—n. Comminā′tion, threatening, denunciation: a recital of God's threatenings made on Ash-Wednesday and at other times in the English Church.—adjs. Comm′inative, Comm′inatory, threatening punishment. [L.,—com, inten., and mināri, to threaten.]

Commingle, kom-ing′gl, v.t. to mingle or mix with.—adj. Commin′gled. [L. com, together, and Mingle.]

Comminute, kom′in-ūt, v.t. to reduce to minute particles: to pulverise.—n. Comminū′tion.—Comminuted fracture, the breaking of a bone in several places: a compound fracture. [L. comminuĕre, -ūtum, to break into pieces—com, and minuĕre, to make small—root minus, less.]

Commiserate, kom-iz′ėr-āt, v.t. to feel for the miseries of another: to pity: to condole with.—adj. Commis′erable, requiring commiseration: pitiable.—n. Commiserā′tion, concern for the sufferings of others: pity.—adj. Commis′erative, feeling or expressing sympathetic sorrow.—n. Commis′erātor. [L. com, with, miserāri, to deplore—miser, wretched.]

Commissary, kom′is-ar-i, n. one to whom any charge is committed: a deputy: (Scots law) the judge in a commissary court: a higher officer of police: (eccles.) an officer representing a bishop, and performing his duties in distant parts of the diocese: an officer who furnishes provisions, &c., to an army.—adj. Commissā′rial, pertaining to a commissary.—ns. Commissā′riat, the department charged with the furnishing of provisions, as for an army: the supply of provisions: the office of a commissary; Comm′issary-gen′eral, the head of the department for supplying provisions, &c., to an army; Comm′issaryship.—Commissary Court, a supreme court established in Edinburgh in 1563, with jurisdiction in questions of marriage—its powers conjoined with those of the Court of Session in 1836. [Low L. commissarius—L. committĕre, commissum.]

Commission, kom-ish′un, n. act of committing: that which is committed: a writing conferring certain powers: authority: the percentage paid in a transaction to an active agent who usually incurs some pecuniary and always some moral responsibility: a body of persons appointed to perform certain duties: a warrant from the head of the state for holding various military offices, whether combatant or non-combatant.—v.t. to give a commission to: to empower: to send: to appoint.—ns. Commis′sion-ag′ent, Commis′sion-mer′chant, a person employed to sell goods delivered to him by another (his principal), for a certain percentage—his commission or factorage; Commissionaire′, a messenger, or light porter: one employed about public places and hotels to undertake light commissions.—adj. Commis′sioned.—ns. Commis′sioner, one who holds a commission to perform some business: a member of a commission; Commis′sionership.—Commissioned officer, one appointed by commission—in the navy, the officers from the lieutenant; in the army, from the ensign upwards. [From Commit.]

Commissure, kom′mis-sūr, n. a joint: place where two bodies meet and unite: (anat.) a term applied to nervous connections between adjacent parts of the nervous system.—adj. Commis′sural. [L., commissura, a joining, from root of Commit.]

Commit, kom-it′, v.t. to give in charge or trust: to consign: to do: to endanger: to involve: to pledge:—pr.p. commit′ting; pa.p. commit′ted.—ns. Commit′ment, act of committing: an order for sending to prison: imprisonment; Commit′tal, commitment: a pledge, actual or implied; Commit′tee, a portion, generally consisting of not less than three members, selected from a more numerous body, to whom some special act to be performed, or investigation to be made, is committed; Commit′teeship.—Commit one's self, to compromise one's self: to pledge one's self wittingly or unwittingly to a certain course; Commit to memory, to learn by heart. [L. committĕre—com, with, mittĕre, to send.]

Commix, kom-iks′, v.t. to mix together.—v.i. to mix.—ns. Commix′tion, Commix′ture, act of mixing together: the state of being mixed: the compound formed by mixing: the rite of putting a piece of the host into the chalice, emblematic of the reunion of body and soul at the Resurrection.

Commodious, kom-ō′di-us, adj. suitable or convenient: roomy, spacious: (Shak.) serviceable: comfortable.—n. Commode′, a small sideboard: a large, high head-dress formerly worn by ladies: a box for holding a chamber utensil: a night-stool.—adv. Commō′diously.—ns. Commō′diousness; Commod′ity, convenience: (Shak.) profit: (Shak.) parcel: an article of traffic: (pl.) goods, produce. [L. commodus—com, with, modus, measure.]

Commodore, kom′o-dōr, n. in the royal navy, a rank intermediate between an admiral and a captain: the leading ship in a fleet of merchantmen: the president of a yacht-club, also his vessel at a regatta. [Perh. from Dut. kommandeur.]

Common, kom′un, adj. belonging equally to more than one: public: general: usual: frequent: ordinary: easy to be had: of little value: vulgar: of low degree.—n. (Shak.) the commonalty: a tract of open land, used in common by the inhabitants of a town, parish, &c.—v.i. (Shak.) to share.—adj. Common′able, held in common.—ns. Comm′onage, right of pasturing on a common: the right of using anything in common: a common; Comm′onalty, the general body of the people without any distinction of rank or authority; Comm′oner, one of the common people, as opposed to the nobles: a member of the House of Commons: at Oxford, a student who pays for his commons.—adv. Comm′only.—ns. Comm′onness; Comm′onplace, a common topic or subject: a platitude: a memorandum: a note.—adj. common: hackneyed.—v.i. to make notes: to put in a commonplace-book.—n. Comm′onplace-book, a note or memorandum book.—n.pl. Comm′ons, the common people: their representatives—i.e. the lower House of Parliament or House of Commons: common land: food at a common table: at Oxford, rations served at a fixed rate from the college buttery: food in general, rations.—n. Comm′on-sense, average understanding: good sense or practical sagacity: the opinion of a community: the universally admitted impressions of mankind.—Common Bench, Common Pleas, one of the divisions of the High Court of Justice; Common forms, the ordinary clauses which are of frequent occurrence in identical terms in writs and deeds; Common law, in England, the ancient customary law of the land; Common Prayer (Book of), the liturgy of the Church of England; Common-riding, the Scotch equivalent of Beating the Bounds (see Beat); Common room, in schools, colleges, &c., a room to which the members have common access.—In common, together: equally with others.—Make common cause with, to cast in one's lot with: to have the same interests and aims with.—Philosophy of common-sense, that school of philosophy which takes the universally admitted impressions of mankind as corresponding to the facts of things without any further scrutiny.—Short commons, scant fare, insufficient supply of rations.—The common, that which is common or usual; The common good, the interest of the community at large: the corporate property of a burgh in Scotland; The common people, the people in general. [Fr. commun—L. communis, prob. from com, together, and munis, serving, obliging.]

Commonweal, kom′un-wēl, Commonwealth, kom′un-welth, n. the common or public good: the government in a free state: the public or whole body of the people: a form of government in which the power rests with the people, esp. that in England after the overthrow of Charles I. [See Wealth.]

Commove, kom-mōōv′, v.t. to put in motion: to agitate: to disturb, excite.—n. Commō′tion, a violent motion or moving: excited or tumultuous action, physical or mental: agitation: tumult. [L. com, inten., and movēre, motum, to move.]

Commune, kom′ūn, n. a corporation: in France, a territorial division governed by a mayor.—The Commune at Paris in 1871 was a revolt against the national government, the principle of the revolt being that each city or district should be ruled independently by its own commune or local government.—adj. Commū′nal (also Comm′unal).—ns. Communalisā′tion; Commū′nalism; Commū′nalist. [Fr. commune. See Common.]

Commune, kom-ūn′, v.i. to converse or talk together: to have intercourse: to receive Holy Communion.—ns. Comm′une, converse: talk; Commun′ing, conversing: communion. [O. Fr. comuner, to share—comun, common.]

Communicate, kom-ū′ni-kāt, v.t. to give a share of, impart: to reveal: to bestow.—v.i. to have something in common with another: to have communication: to have intercourse: to partake of Holy Communion.—ns. Communicabil′ity, Commū′nicableness, the state of being communicable.—adj. Commū′nicable, that may be communicated: affable.—adv. Commū′nicably.—ns. Commū′nicant, one who partakes of Holy Communion; Communicā′tion, act of communicating: that which is communicated: intercourse: correspondence: a means of communicating, a connecting passage or channel.—adj. Commū′nicative, inclined to communicate or give information: unreserved.—adv. Commū′nicatively.—n. Commū′nicativeness, the quality of being communicative.—adj. Commū′nicatory, imparting knowledge. [L. communicāre, -ātum, from communis.]

Communion, kom-ūn′yun, n. act of communing: mutual intercourse: fellowship: common possession: interchange of transactions: union in religious service: the body of people who so unite.—n. Commun′ionist, a communicant.—The Communion, Holy Communion, the celebration of the Lord's Supper. [L. communion-em, from communis.]

Communism, kom′ū-nizm, n. a theory or condition of things according to which private property should be abolished, and all things held in common.—n. Comm′unist, one who holds such principles.—adj. Communist′ic, pertaining to communism.

Community, kom-ūn′i-ti, n. common possession or enjoyment: agreement: communion: (Shak.) commonness: people having common rights, &c.: the public in general: a body of persons in the same locality, e.g. 'village community:' a monastic body.—n. Communitā′rian, a member of a community. [O. Fr.,—L. communitas—communis.]

Commute, kom-ūt′, v.t. to exchange: to exchange a punishment for one less severe.—n. Commutabil′ity.—adj. Commut′able, that may be commuted or exchanged.—n. Commutā′tion, the act of commuting: change or exchange of one thing for another: the change of a penalty or rate from a greater to a less.—adj. Commū′tative (or Comm′), relating to exchange: interchangeable.—adv. Commū′tatively.—n. Comm′utātor, an apparatus attached to many electric machines for reversing the currents.—adj. Commut′ual, mutual. [L. commutāre—com, with mutāre, to change.]

Comose, kō′mōs, adj. hairy, comate. [L. comosus.]

Compact, kom-pakt′, adj. fastened or packed together: firm: close: brief.—v.t. to press closely together: to consolidate: (Shak.) to confirm.—adj. Compact′ed, firmly put together: compact.—adv. Compact′edly.—n. Compact′edness.—adv. Compact′ly.—ns. Compact′ness, state of being compact: closeness: solidity: terseness; Compac′ture (Spens.) close union or knitting together; Compāge′, Compā′ges, a structure of many parts. [Fr.,—L. com, pactus, pa.p. of compingĕre—com, together, pangĕre, to fix. Cf. Fang.]

Compact, kom′pakt, n. a mutual bargain or agreement: a league, treaty, or union: (Shak.) league, in bad sense.—adj. united: leagued. [L. compactum—compacisci, from com, with, and pacisci, to make a bargain; cf. pangĕre.]

Compaginate, kom-paj′i-nāt, v.t. to join, connect.—n. Compaginā′tion. [L. compagināre, -ātum—com, together, and pangĕre, to fasten, fix.]

Companion, kom-pan′yun, n. one who keeps company or frequently associates with another: an associate or partner: a higher rank of servant, who, though receiving pay, stands rather in the relation of a friend: fellow, in a bad sense.—v.t. to accompany.—adj. of the nature of a companion: accompanying.—adjs. Compan′iable (obs.), sociable; Compan′ionable, fit to be a companion: agreeable.—n. Compan′ionableness.—adv. Compan′ionably.—adj. Compan′ioned, having a companion.—ns. Compan′ionhood, Compan′ionary.—adj. Compan′ionless, without a companion.—n. Compan′ionship. [Fr. compagnon, from Low L. companium, a mess—L. com, with, and panis, bread.]

Companion, kom-pan′yun, n. (naut.) the skylight or window-frame through which light passes to a lower deck or cabin: companion-ladder.—ns. Compan′ion-ladd′er, the ladder or stair leading from the deck to the officers' cabin; Compan′ion-way, a staircase from the deck to a cabin. [Cf. Dut. kompanje; O. Fr. compagne; It. compagne.]

Company, kum′pa-ni, n. any assembly of persons: a number of persons associated together for trade, &c.: a society: a subdivision of a regiment: the crew of a ship: state of being a companion: fellowship: associates: society: a gathering of people for social intercourse.—v.t. to accompany.—v.i. to associate.—Be good, or bad, company, to have, or to lack, companionable qualities; Keep company, to associate with: to court; Know a man by his company, to determine his character by the quality of his friends. [Fr. compagnie. See Companion.]

Compare, kom-pār′, v.t. to set things together, to ascertain how far they agree or disagree: to liken or represent as similar: (gram.) to inflect an adjective.—v.i. to hold comparison.—n. (obs.) comparison: similitude.—adj. Com′parable, that may be compared.—n. Com′parableness.—adv. Com′parably.—adj. Compar′ative, pertaining to comparison: estimated by comparing with something else: not positive or absolute: (gram.) expressing more.—adv. Compar′atively.—n. Compar′ison, the act of comparing: capacity of being compared: comparative estimate: a simile or figure by which two things are compared: (gram.) the inflection of an adjective.—Beyond compare, without any rival. [Fr.,—L. comparāre, to match, from com, together, parāre, to make or esteem equal—par, equal.]

Compare, kom-pār′, v.t. (Spens.) to get or provide. [L. comparāre—com, inten., parāre, to prepare.]

Compartment, kom-pärt′ment, n. a separate part or division of any enclosed space: a division of a railway carriage: a division of anything.—v.t. Compart′, to divide into parts. [Fr., from compartir—L. com, with, partīre, to part.]

Compass, kum′pas, n. a circuit or circle: space: limit: range, a limit of tones of a voice or instrument: the circumference: girth: an instrument consisting of a magnetised needle, used to steer ships by, &c., the needle indicating on a card the absolute directions at any given time: (pl.) an instrument consisting of two movable legs, for describing circles, &c.—v.t. to pass or go round: to surround or enclose: to besiege: to bring about or obtain: to contrive or plot: to accomplish.—adj. Com′passable, capable of being compassed.—ns. Com′pass-card, the circular card of a compass; Com′passing, contrivance: design; Com′pass-plane, a plane, convex on the under side, for smoothing curved timber; Com′pass-saw, a saw that cuts in a circular manner; Com′pass-sig′nal, a signal denoting a point in the compass; Com′pass-tim′ber, curved timber, used for shipbuilding, &c.; Com′pass-win′dow, a semicircular bay-window.—Box the compass (see Box); Fetch a compass, to go round in a circuit. [Fr. compas, a circle, prob. from Low L. compassus—L. com, together, passus, a step.]

Compassion, kom-pash′un, n. fellow-feeling, or sorrow for the sufferings of another: pity.—v.t. to pity.—adjs. Compas′sionable, pitiable; Compas′sionate, inclined to pity or mercy: merciful.—v.t. to have compassion for: to have pity or mercy upon.—adv. Compas′sionately.—n. Compas′sionateness. [Fr.,—L. compassio—com, with, pati, passus, to suffer.]

Compatible, kom-pat′i-bl, adj. consistent: agreeable: that can be endured together.—ns. Compatibil′ity, Compat′ibleness, the quality of being compatible.—adv. Compat′ibly. [Fr.,—L. com, with, pati, to suffer.]

Compatriot, kom-pā′tri-ot, adj. of the same country.—n. one of the same country.—adj. Compatriot′ic.—n. Compā′triotism. [Fr.,—L. com, with, and Patriot.]

Compear, kom-pēr′, v.i. (Scots law) to appear in court.—ns. Compear′ance; Compear′ant. [L. comparēre—com, together, parēre, to appear.]

Compeer, kom-pēr′, n. one who is equal to another: a companion: an associate.—v.t. (Shak.) to equal. [L. compar—com, with, and par, equal.]

Compel, kom-pel′, v.t. to drive or urge on forcibly: to oblige: to force: to obtain by hard labour:—pr.p. compel′ling; pa.p. compelled′.—adj. Compel′lable. [L. com, inten., pellĕre, pulsum, to drive.]

Compellation, kom-pel-ā′shun, n. style of address: an appellation.—adj. Compel′lative.—n. compellation. [L. compellāre, -atum, to address, freq. of compellĕre.]

Compend, kom′pend, Compendium, kom-pen′di-um, n. a shortening or abridgment: a book or treatise containing the substance of a larger one: an epitome: an abstract.—adj. Compen′dious, short: concise: comprehensive.—adv. Compen′diously.—n. Compen′diousness. [L. compendium, what is weighed together, or saved (opp. to dispendium)—com, together, pendĕre, to weigh.]

Compensate, kom′pen-sāt, or kom-pen′sāt, v.t. to reward suitably: to make amends for: to recompense: to counterbalance.—n. Compensā′tion, act of compensating: reward for service: amends for loss sustained: (phys.) the neutralisation of opposing forces.—adjs. Compen′sative, Compen′satory, giving compensation.—n. Com′pensātor, one who or that which compensates.—Compensation balance, pendulum, a balance-wheel or pendulum so constructed as to counteract the effect of the expansion and contraction of the metal under variation of temperature. [L. com, inten., and pensāre, freq. of pendĕre, to weigh.]

Compesce, kom-pes′, v.t. to restrain. [L. compescĕre—compes, a fetter—com, together, pes, a foot.]

Compete, kom-pēt′, v.i. to seek or strive with others for something: to contend for a prize.—n. Competi′tion, the act of competing: common strife for the same object.—adj. Compet′itive, pertaining to or characterised by competition.—n. Compet′itor, one who competes: a rival or opponent. [L. competĕre—com, together, petĕre, to seek.]

Competent, kom′pe-tent, adj. suitable: sufficient: fit: belonging: legally qualified: legitimate.—ns. Com′petence, Com′petency, fitness: capacity: sufficiency: competent circumstances: legal power or capacity.—adv. Com′petently. [Fr.,—L. competĕre—com, with, petĕre, to seek, to strive after.]

Compile, kom-pīl′, v.t. to write or compose by collecting the materials from other books: to draw up or collect: to compose.—ns. Compilā′tion, the act of compiling: the thing compiled, a literary work made by gathering the material from various authors; Compile′ment, a compilation; Compil′er, Com′pilātor, one who compiles. [Fr. compiler, prob. from L. compilāre—com, together, pilāre, to plunder.]

Complacent, kom-plā′sent, adj. showing satisfaction: pleased: inclined to please.—ns. Complā′cence, Complā′cency, pleasure: satisfaction: complaisance.—adv. Complā′cently. [L. complacēre—com, inten., placēre, to please.]

Complain, kom-plān′, v.i. to express grief, pain, censure: to murmur or express a sense of injury: to accuse: to make a mournful sound: to be ill—e.g. 'to complain of a sore throat.'—n. complaint.—ns. Complain′ant, one who complains: (law) one who raises a suit, a plaintiff; Complain′er, a murmurer: complainant; Complain′ing, the action of the verb complain: complaint.—adv. Complain′ingly.—n. Complaint′, a complaining: an expression of grief: a representation of pains or injuries: a finding fault: the thing complained of: a disease: an ailment. [Fr. complaindre—Low L. complangĕre—L. com, inten., plangĕre, bewail.]

Complaisant, kom′plā-zant, or kom-plā-zant′, adj. desirous of pleasing; obliging.—n. Com′plaisance (or Complaisance′), care or desire to please: an obliging civility.—adv. Com′plaisantly (or Complaisant′ly). [Fr.,—complaire—L. complacēre.]

Complect, kom-plekt′, v.t. to embrace: to interweave.—adj. Complect′ed, interwoven. [L. complecti, to embrace—com, and plectĕre, to twine.]

Complement, kom′ple-ment, n. that which completes or fills up: full number or quantity: (Shak.) politeness.—v.t. Complement′, to supplement: (arch.) to compliment.—adjs. Complement′al, completing: (Shak.) complimental; Complement′ary, completing: together making up a whole.—Complementary angles, angles which together make up a right angle. [L. complementum—com, and plēre, to fill.]

Complete, kom-plēt′, adj. free from deficiency: perfect: finished: entire.—v.t. to finish: to make perfect or entire: to accomplish.—adjs. Complēt′able; Complēt′ed.—adv. Complete′ly.—ns. Complete′ness, the state of being complete; Complē′tion, the act of completing: the state of being complete: fulfilment.—adjs. Complēt′ive; Complēt′ory, fulfilling: completing. [L. complēre, -ētum, to fill up—com, inten., and plēre, to fill.]

Complex, kom′pleks, adj. composed of more than one, or of many parts: not simple: intricate: difficult.—n. a complex whole.—v.t. to complicate.—ns. Complex′edness, Com′plexness, Complex′ity, state of being complex: complication.—adv. Com′plexly.—n. Complex′us, a complicated system: a large muscle of the back, passing from the spine to the head. [L. complex—com, together, and root of plicāre, to fold. See Complicate.]

Complexion, kom-plek′shun, n. disposition: colour: quality: colour or look of the skin, esp. of the face: general appearance, temperament, or texture: (Shak.) bodily constitution.—v.t. to give a colour to.—adjs. Complex′ional, pertaining to the complexion; Complex′ioned, having a certain complexion, or temperament; Complex′ionless, colourless: pale. [Fr.,—L. complexio, a combination, physical structure of body—complecti, complexus, to embrace—plectĕre, to plait.]

Compliance, kom-plī′ans, n. a yielding: agreement: complaisance: assent: submission (in bad sense).—adj. Complī′able, disposed to comply.—n. Complī′ancy, compliance.—adj. Complī′ant, yielding: pliant: civil.—adv. Complī′antly.—In compliance with, in agreement with. [See Comply.]

Complicate, kom′pli-kāt, v.t. to twist or plait together: to render complex: to entangle.—adj. complex: involved.—n. Com′plicacy, the quality or state of being complicated.—adj. Com′plicated, intricate, confused.—n. Complicā′tion, an intricate blending or entanglement.—adj. Com′plicative, tending to complicate.—Complicated fracture, a fracture where there is some other injury (e.g. a flesh wound not communicating with the fracture, a dislocation, a rupture of a large blood-vessel); Complication of diseases, a number of diseases present at the same time. [L. com, together, and plicāre, -ātum, to fold.]

Complice, kom′plis, n. (Shak.) an associate: an accomplice.—n. Complic′ity, state or condition of being an accomplice: complexity.

Compliment, kom′pli-ment, n. an expression of regard or praise: delicate flattery: an expression of formal respect or civility: a present.—v.t. Compliment′, to pay a compliment to: to express respect for: to praise: to flatter: to congratulate: to make a present.—v.i. to make compliments.—adjs. Compliment′al, expressing or implying compliment; Compliment′ary, conveying, or expressive of, civility or praise: using compliments.—n. Compliment′er, one who pays compliments.—Compliments of the season, compliments appropriate to special times, as Christmas and birthdays; Left-handed compliment, a saying intended to seem a compliment, but in reality the reverse; Pay, or Present, one's compliments, to give one's respects or greeting. [Fr. compliment—L. complementum. See Comply.]

Compline, Complin, kom′plin, n. the 7th and last service of the day, at 9 P.M., completing the canonical hours. [O. Fr. conplie (mod. complies)—L. completa (hora).]

Complish, kom′plish, v.t. (Spens.) to accomplish.

Complot, kom′plot, n. a conspiracy.—v.i. Complot′, to plot together, to conspire.—v.t. to plan.—pr.p. complot′ting; pa.p. complot′ted. [Fr.]

Compluvium, kom-plōō′vi-um, n. a quadrangular open space in the middle of a Roman house, which carried the rain-water from the roofs to a basin (impluvium) placed below. [L.]

Comply, kom-plī′, v.i. to yield to the wishes of another: to agree or consent to (with):—pr.p. comply′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. complied′.—n. Complī′er, one who complies.—p.adj. Comply′ing, compliant. [It. complire, to fulfil, to suit, to offer courtesies—L. complēre, to fulfil.]

Compo, kom′pō, n. a mixture of whiting, resin, and glue for ornamenting walls and cornices; a bankrupt's composition. [Abbrev. of Composition.]

Component, kom-pō′nent, adj. making up: forming one of the elements of a compound.—n. one of the elements of a compound.—n. Compō′nency.—adj. Component′al. [L. componĕre.]

Comport, kom-pōrt′, v.i. to agree, suit (with).—v.t. to bear one's self: to behave.—n. manner of acting.—ns. Comport′ance (Spens.); Comport′ment, behaviour. [L. comportāre—com, together, and portāre, to carry.]

Compose, kom-pōz′, v.t. to form by putting two or more parts or things together: to place in proper order, to put together, to arrange artistically the elements of a landscape for painting: to settle or set at rest: to soothe: to set up or place types in order for printing: to originate or write as author, to set to music.—p.adj. Composed′, settled, quiet, calm.—adv. Compos′edly.—ns. Compos′edness; Compos′er, a writer, an author, esp. of a piece of music.—adj. Com′posite, made up of two or more distinct parts: (archit.) a blending of the Ionic and the Corinthian orders: (bot.) belonging to the natural order Compositæ, having compound or composite flowers—heads of flowers composed of a number of florets on a common receptacle, surrounded by bracts forming a leafy involucre, like single flowers.—adv. Com′positely.—ns. Com′positeness; Compos′ing-stick, an instrument with a sliding adjustment, used for holding printing-types before they are put on the galley; Compos′ition, the act of putting together, or that which is put together: the thing composed, as a work in literature, music, or painting: mental constitution: artistic manner, style in writing or painting: a coming together or agreement, an arrangement or compromise: a certain percentage which creditors agree to accept in lieu of the full payment of a bankrupt's debts: (mech.) the compounding of two velocities or forces into a single velocity or force which shall be their equivalent.—adj. Compos′itive.—ns. Compos′itor, one who puts together, or sets up, types for printing; Com′post, Compost′ure (Shak.) a mixture for manure: a kind of plaster; Compō′sure, calmness: self-possession: tranquillity.—Composite candle, one made of a mixture of stearic acid and the stearin of coco-nut oil; Composite carriage, a railway-carriage with compartments of different classes; Composite portrait, a single portrait produced by combining those of a number of persons; Composition of a felony, the act of abstaining from prosecution for some consideration—itself punishable by fine and imprisonment. [Fr. composer, from L. cum, and pausāre, to cease, to rest.]

Compos mentis, kom′pos ment′is, adj. phrase, in one's right mind—sometimes merely Compos. [L.]

Compossible, kom-pos′i-bl, adj. possible in co-existence with something else.—n. Compossibil′ity. [L. com-, and Possible.]

Compot, kom′pot, n. fruit preserved in syrup. [Fr. compote.]

Compotation, kom-po-tā′shun, n. a carouse together.—ns. Compotā′tionship; Com′potator, a bottle-companion.—adj. Compot′atory. [L. compotationem—com, together, potāre, to drink.]

Compound, kom-pownd′, v.t. to mix or combine: to settle or adjust by agreement.—v.i. to agree, or come to terms: to bargain in the lump.—adj. Com′pound, mixed or composed of a number of parts: not simple, dealing with numbers of various denominations of quantity, &c., as in 'compound addition,' &c.; or with processes more complex than the simple process, as in 'compound proportion,' &c.—n. a mass made up of a number of parts: the usual name in India for the enclosure in which a house stands, with its outhouses, yard, and garden: a compounded drug.—n. Compound′er.—Compound engine, a condensing engine in which the mechanical action of the steam is begun in one cylinder, and ended in a larger cylinder; Compound fracture, a broken bone, communicating with a co-existing skin wound; Compound householder, one who pays his rates in his rent, the landlord being immediately chargeable with them; Compound interest, the charge made where—the interest not being paid when due—it is added to the principal, forming the amount upon which the subsequent year's interest is computed; Compound quantity (alg.), a quantity consisting of more than one term, as a + b; Compound time (mus.), time in which each bar is made up of two or more simple bars. [O. Fr., from L. componĕre—com, together, ponĕre, to place.]

Comprehend, kom-pre-hend′, v.t. to seize or take up with the mind, to understand: to comprise or include.—ns. Comprehensibil′ity, Comprehen′sibleness.—adj. Comprehen′sible, capable of being understood.—adv. Comprehen′sibly.—n. Comprehen′sion, power of the mind to understand: (logic) the intension of a term or the sum of the qualities implied in the term: the inclusion of Nonconformists within the Church of England.—adj. Comprehen′sive, having the quality or power of comprehending much: extensive: full.—adv. Comprehen′sively.—n. Comprehen′siveness. [L. comprehendĕre, to seize.]

Compress, kom-pres′, v.t. to press together: to force into a narrower space: to condense or concentrate.—n. Com′press, soft folds of linen, &c., formed into a pad, and used in surgery to apply any requisite pressure to any part: a wet cloth, covered with waterproof, applied to the skin.—adj. Compressed′.—ns. Compressibil′ity, Compres′sibleness, the property that bodies have of being reduced in volume by pressure—the ratio of the amount of compression per unit volume to the compressing force applied.—adj. Compres′sible, that may be compressed.—n. Compres′sion, act of compressing: state of being compressed, condensation.—adjs. Compres′sional; Compres′sive, able to compress.—ns. Compres′sor, anything that compresses; a muscle that compresses certain parts; Compres′sure.—Compressed-air bath, a strong chamber of iron plates in which a patient can sit, and into which air is driven by a steam-engine to any required pressure; Compressed-air motor, any mode of employing air as a motive-power, as in automatic railway-brakes, &c. [L. compressāre, com, together, and pressāre, to press—premĕre, pressum, to press.]

Comprint, kom-print′, v.t. to share in printing—of the former privilege shared with the Stationers' Company and the King's Printer by Oxford and Cambridge.

Comprise, kom-prīz′, v.t. to contain, include: to sum up.—adj. Compris′able.—n. Compris′al, the act of comprising.—p.adjs. Comprised′, included; Compris′ing, including. [Fr. compris, pa.p. of comprendre—L. comprehendĕre. See Comprehend.]

Compromise, kom′prō-mīz, n. a settlement of differences by mutual concession, adjustment of one's theories or principles.—v.t. to settle by mutual agreement and concession: to pledge: to involve or bring into question—to expose one's self to risk of danger or misunderstanding.—p.adj. Com′promised, exposed to danger or discredit. [Fr. compromis—L. compromittĕre, -missum—com, together, promittĕre, to promise.]

Comprovincial, kom-pro-vin′shal, adj. (Spens.) belonging to the same province.

Compt, Compter, Comptible, obs. forms of Count, &c.

Comptroll, Comptroller. See under Control.

Compulse, kom-puls′, v.t. to compel.—adjs. Compul′satory, Compul′sative (Shak.), compulsory.—p.adj. Compulsed′, compelled.—ns. Compul′sion, the act of compelling: force: necessity: violence; Compul′sitor (Scots law), that which compels.—adj. Compul′sive, coercive: with power to compel.—adv. Compul′sively; Compul′sorily.—adj. Compul′sory, compelled: obligatory: compelling. [L. compulsāre, freq. of compellĕre, to compel.]

Compunction, kom-pungk′shun, n. uneasiness of conscience: remorse: regret: pity.—adj. Compunc′tious, feeling or causing compunction: repentant: remorseful.—adv. Compunc′tiously.—Without compunction, with no feeling of sorrow or regret. [O. Fr.,—L. compunctio, -nis—com, inten., and pungĕre, punctum, to prick.]

Compurgation, kom-pur-gā′shun, n. the custom, in Anglo-Saxon law, of permitting the accused to call in witnesses to prove his innocency, by joining their oaths to his: evidence in favour of the accused: vindication.—n. Com′purgator, one who testifies to the innocency or veracity of another.—adjs. Compurgatō′rial, Compur′gatory. [L. compurgāre, to purify wholly. See Purge.]

Compursion, kom-pur′shun, n. a pursing together (Sterne).

Compute, kom-pūt′, v.t. to calculate: to number: to estimate.—adj. Comput′able, calculable.—ns. Com′putant, Comput′er, Com′putist, a calculator; Computā′tion, act of computing: reckoning: estimate.—adj. Comput′ātive, given to computation.—n. Com′putātor. [L. computāre, from com, together, putāre, to reckon.]

Comrade, kom′rād, n. a close companion: an intimate associate—ns. Com′radery; Com′radeship. [Sp. camarada, a roomful, a chamber-mate—L. camera, a chamber.]

Comtism, komt′ism, n. the philosophical system of August Comte, the founder of Positivism (1798-1857).—adj. Com′tian.—n. and adj. Comt′ist.

Comus, kō′mus, n. a god of mirth: a revel. [L.,—Gr. kōmos, a revel.]

Con., kon, a contraction of L. contra, against, as in Pro and con., for and against.

Con, kon, v.t. to study carefully: to commit to memory:—pr.p. con′ning; pa.p. conned.—n. Con′ning, learning by heart; poring over. [A.S. cunnian, to try to know—cunnan, to know.]

Con, Conn, kon, kun, v.t. to direct the steering of a ship.—n. the act of conning.—ns. Con′ning, directing the steering; Con′ning-tow′er, the pilot-house of a war-ship. [Prob. conn. with preceding.]

Con, kon, n. a knock. [Fr. cogner, to knock.]

Conacre, kon′ā-kėr, n. the custom of letting land in Ireland in small portions for a single crop, the rent paid in money or in labour—also Corn′acre.—v.t. to sublet in conacre.—n. Con′acreism.

Conarium, kō-nā′ri-um, n. the pineal gland of the brain.—adj. Conā′rial. [Gr. kōnarion.]

Conatus, ko-nā′tus, n. an effort: an impulse.—n. Conā′tion, the faculty of free agency, including desire and volition.—adj. Conā′tive. [L. conāri, -ātus, to endeavour.]

Concatenate, kon-kat′e-nāt, v.t. to chain or link together: to connect in a series.—n. Concatenā′tion, a series of links united: a series of things depending on each other. [L. con, together, and catena, a chain.]

Concause, kon′kawz, n. a co-operating cause.

Concave, kon′kāv, adj. curved, vaulted, or arched, applied to the inner side of any curved line or rounded body, and opposed to convex, which is applied to the outside.—n. a hollow: an arch or vault.—adv. Con′cavely.—n. Concav′ity, the quality of being concave: the inner surface of a concave or hollow body.—adjs. Concā′vo-con′cave, or Doub′le-con′cave, concave on both sides of a lens; Concā′vo-con′vex, concave on one side, and convex on the other. [L. concavus, from con, inten., and cavus, hollow. See Cave.]

Conceal, kon-sēl′, v.t. to hide completely or carefully: to keep secret; to disguise: to keep from telling.—adjs. Conceal′able, that may be concealed; Concealed′, hidden.—n. Conceal′ment, act of concealing: secrecy: disguise: hiding-place: (Shak.) a mystery. [O. Fr. conceler—L. concelāre, from con, inten., and celāre, to hide.]

Concede, kon-sēd′, v.t. to cede or give up: to quit: to surrender: to admit: to grant.—v.i. to admit or grant.—n. Conced′er. [L. concedĕre, -cessum—con, wholly and cedĕre, to yield.]

Conceit, kon-sēt′, n. over-estimate of one's self: too favourable opinion of one's own good qualities: a pleasant, fantastical, or affected notion: wit: (Spens.) idea: (Shak.) understanding: estimate.—v.t. to conceive: to think.—adj. Conceit′ed, clever, witty, fantastical (obs. uses): having a high opinion of one's self: egotistical.—adv. Conceit′edly.—n. Conceit′edness.—adj. Conceit′less (Shak.), without conceit, stupid.—Out of conceit with, no longer fond of. [Through a Fr. form conceit, from L. conceptus, pa.p. of concipĕre.]

Conceive, kon-sēv′, v.t. to receive into and form in the womb: to form in the mind: to imagine or think: to understand: to express.—v.i. to become pregnant: to think.—ns. Conceivabil′ity, Conceiv′ableness.—adj. Conceiv′able, that may be conceived, understood, or believed.—adv. Conceiv′ably.—adj. Conceived′, imagined, thought. [O. Fr. concever—L. concipĕre, conceptum, from con, and capĕre, to take.]

Concent, kon-sent′, n. a harmony or concord of sounds: concert of voices.—v.i. (Spens.) to harmonise. [L. concentus, pa.p. of concinĕre—con, together, canĕre, to sing.]

Concentrate, kon′sen-trāt, or kon-sen′-, v.t. to bring towards a common centre: to bring into a closer union: to condense, to render more intense the properties of.—adj. Concen′trated (also Con′-).—n. Concentrā′tion, act of concentrating: condensation: the keeping of the mind fixed on something.—adj. Concen′trative, tending to concentrate.—n. Concen′trativeness. [A lengthened form of Concentre.]

Concentre, kon-sent′ėr, v.i. to tend to or meet in a common centre: to be concentric.—v.t. to bring or direct to a common centre or point:—pr.p. concent′ring; pa.p. concent′red or concent′ered.—adjs. Concen′tric, -al, having a common centre.—adv. Concen′trically.—n. Concentric′ity. [Fr. concentrer—L. con, with, centrum, the centre.]

Concept, kon′sept, n. a thing conceived, a general notion.—ns. Concep′tacle, that in which anything is contained, a receptacle: (bot.) a pericarp of one valve, a follicle: a cavity enclosing the reproductive cells in certain plants and animals; Concep′tion, the act of conceiving: the thing conceived; the formation in the mind of an image or idea: a notion: (Shak.) a mere fancy: a plan: a concept; Concep′tionist.—adjs. Concep′tious (Shak.), fruitful; Concept′ive, capable of conceiving mentally; Concep′tual, pertaining to conception.—ns. Consep′tualism, the doctrine in philosophy that universals have an existence in the mind apart from any concrete embodiment; Concep′tualist, one who holds this doctrine.—adj. Conceptualis′tic. [L. concipĕre, -ceptum, to conceive.]

Concern, kon-sern′, v.t. to relate or belong to: to affect or interest: to make uneasy: to trouble: to have to do with: to be affected.—n. that which concerns or belongs to one: interest: regard: anxiety: a business, or those connected with it.—adj. Concerned′, having connection with: interested: anxious.—adv. Concern′edly.—n. Concern′edness.—prep. Concern′ing, regarding: pertaining to.—n. Concern′ment, a thing in which one is concerned: an affair: importance: interest: interference. [Fr.,—L. concernĕre, con, together, cernĕre, to see.]

Concert, kon′sėrt, n. union or agreement in any undertaking: harmony: musical harmony: a musical entertainment.—v.t. Concert′, to frame or devise together: to arrange, adjust.—p.adj. Concert′ed, mutually planned: arranged.—ns. Concertina (kon-ser-tē′na), a musical instrument consisting of a pair of bellows, usually polygonal, the sounds produced by free vibrating reeds of metal, as in the accordion; Concer′to, a musical composition for a solo instrument, with orchestral accompaniments.—Concert pitch (mus.), the pitch at which instruments for concert use are tuned. [Fr. concerter—It. concertāre, to sing in concert.]

Concession, kon-sesh′un, n. the act of conceding: the thing conceded: a grant.—adj. Conces′sible.—n. Concessionaire′, one who has obtained a concession.—adj. Conces′sionary.—n. Conces′sionist.—adj. Conces′sive, implying concession. [Concede.]

Concetto, kon-chet′to, n. an ingenious turn of expression: a conceit:—pl. Concet′ti.—n. Concet′tism, the use of concetti. [It.,—L. conceptum, conceit.]

Conch, kongk, n. a marine shell: a spiral shell used by the Tritons as a trumpet, and still used by some African peoples in war: a name for the native whites of the Bahamas, owing to their use of conchs as food: (archit.) the semidome of an apse; the apse itself.—n. Conchif′era, a term applied by Lamarck to bivalve molluscs and to very different Brachiopods.—adjs. Conchif′erous, having a shell; Conch′iform, conch-shaped.—n. Conch′oid, a plane curve invented to solve the problem of trisecting a plane angle, doubling the cube, &c.—adjs. Conchoid′al, pertaining to a conchoid: shell-like, applied to the fracture of a mineral; Concholog′ical, pertaining to conchology.—ns. Conchol′ogist; Conchol′ogy, that branch of natural history which deals with the shells of molluscs. [L. concha—Gr. kongchē; Sans. cankha, a shell; conn. with Cockle.]

Concha, kong′ka, n. the central cavity of the outer ear: the outer ear: (archit.) conch. [L. concha.]

Concierge, kong-si-erj′, n. a warden: a janitor. [Fr.; der. unknown.]

Conciliar, kon-sil′i-ar, adj. pertaining to a council.—Also Concil′iary.

Conciliate, kon-sil′i-āt, v.t. to gain, or win over: to gain the love or good-will of such as have been indifferent or hostile: to pacify.—v.i. to make friends.—adj. Concil′iable (obs.).—n. Conciliā′tion, act of conciliating.—adj. Concil′iātive.—n. Concil′iātor.—adj. Concil′iatory. [L. conciliāre, -ātum—concilium, council.]

Concinnity, kon-sin′i-ti, n. harmony: congruity: elegance.—adj. Concinn′ous, elegant: harmonious. [L. concinnus, well adjusted.]

Concipient, kon-sip′i-ent, adj. that which conceives.—n. Concip′iency.

Concise, kon-sīs′, adj. cut short: brief.—v.t. (Milt.) to mutilate.—adv. Concise′ly.—ns. Concise′ness, the quality of being concise: terseness [Fr.,—L. concidĕre, concisum, from con, and cædĕre, to cut.]

Concision, kon-sizh′on, n. mutilation: (B.) circumcision: conciseness.

Conclamation, kon-kla-mā′shun, n. a shout of many together.

Conclave, kon′klāv, n. the room in which cardinals meet to elect a pope: the body of cardinals: any close assembly.—n. Con′clavist, an attendant on a cardinal in conclave. [L. conclave, from con, together, clavis, a key.]

Conclude, kon-klōōd′, v.t. to close: to end: to oblige.—v.i. to end: to infer: to form a final judgment.—p.adj. Conclud′ed, finished: settled.—adj. Conclud′ing, final, closing.—n. Conclu′sion, act of concluding: the end, close, or last part: inference: judgment: an experiment: (Shak.) a riddle.—adjs. Conclus′ive, Conclu′sory, final: convincing.—adv. Conclus′ively.—n. Conclus′iveness.—In conclusion, finally.—To try conclusions, to experiment: to engage in a contest. [L. concludĕre, conclusum—con, together, claudĕre, to shut.]

Concoct, kon-kokt′, v.t. to digest: to prepare or mature: to make up a mixture: to plan, devise: to fabricate.—ns. Concoct′er, Concoct′or; Concoc′tion, act of concocting: ripening: preparation of a medical prescription, &c.: a made-up story.—adj. Concoct′ive, pertaining to concoction. [L. concoquĕre, concoctum—con, together, and coquĕre, to cook, to boil.]

Concomitant, kon-kom′i-tant, adj. accompanying or going along with: conjoined with.—n. he who or that which accompanies.—ns. Concom′itance, Concom′itancy, state of being concomitant.—adv. Concom′itantly. [L. con, with, and comitans, pr.p. of comitāri, to accompany—comes, a companion.]

Concord, kon′kord, or kong′-, n. state of being of the same heart or mind: union: harmony: agreement: a combination of notes which is pleasant to the ear.—v.i. to agree: to harmonise.—n. Concord′ance, agreement: an index or dictionary of the leading words or passages of a book, esp. of the Bible.—adj. Concord′ant, harmonious, united.—adv. Concord′antly.—n. Concord′at, a term, though sometimes used of secular treaties, generally employed to denote an agreement made between the pope and a secular government.—adj. Concor′dial, harmonious. [Fr. concorde—L. concordia—concors, of the same heart, from con, together, cor, cordis, the heart.]

Concorporate, kon-kor′por-āt, v.t. to unite in one body.—adj. united in one body. [L. con, together, and Corporate.]

Concourse, kon′kōrs, or kong′-, n. an assembly of persons or things running or drawn together: (Scots law) concurrence of an officer, who has legal right to grant it. [Fr.,—L. concursus—con, together, currĕre, to run.]

Concreate, kon′krē-āt, v.t. to create with or at the same time.

Concremation, kon-krē-mā′shun, n. a burning up or together, cremation.

Concrescence, kon-kres′ens, n. increment: a growing together of cells or other organisms. [L. concrescentia—con, together, crescĕre, to grow.]

Concrete, kon′krēt, adj. formed into one mass: the opposite of abstract, and denoting a particular thing: made of concrete.—n. a mass formed by parts growing or sticking together: a mixture of lime, sand, pebbles, &c., used in building.—v.t. Concrēte′, to form into a solid mass.—v.i. to harden.—adv. Concrēte′ly.—ns. Concrēte′ness; Concrē′tion, a mass concreted: a growth forming in certain parts of the body, as calculi, &c.—adjs. Concrē′tionary; Concrēt′ive, having power to concrete. [L. concretus—con, together, crescĕre, cretum, to grow.]

Concrew, kon-krōō′, v.i. (Spens.) to concrete.

Concubine, kong′kū-bīn, n. a woman who cohabits or lives with a man without being married.—n. Concū′binage, state of living together as man and wife without being married.—adj. Concū′binary. [Fr.,—L. concubina—con, together, cubāre, to lie down.]

Concupiscence, kon-kū′pis-ens, n. violent desire: sexual appetite: lust.—adjs. Concū′piscent, Concū′piscible. [Fr.,—L. concupiscentia—concupiscĕre—con, inten., cupĕre, to desire.]

Concupy, kong′kū-pi, n. (Shak.) concubine, or concupiscence, according to Schmidt.

Concur, kon-kur′, v.i. to run together: to meet in one point: to coincide: to act together: to agree: to assent to:—pr.p. concur′ring; pa.p. concurred′.—ns. Concur′rence, the meeting of lines: union: joint action: assent; Concur′rency.—adj. Concur′rent, of lines meeting in the same point: coming, acting, or existing together: united: accompanying.—n. one that concurs: a competitor: one who accompanies a sheriff's officer as witness.—adv. Concur′rently.—adj. Concur′ring, agreeing. [L. concurrĕre, from con, together, currĕre, cursum, to run.]

Concuss, kon-kus′, v.t. to disturb: to overawe: to coerce.—n. Concus′sion, state of being shaken: a violent shock caused by the sudden contact of two bodies: any undue pressure or force exerted upon any one.—adj. Concuss′ive, having the power or quality of concussion. [L. concussus—con, together, quatĕre, to shake.]

Concyclic, kon-sī′klik, adj. (geom.) lying on the circumference of one circle.

Condemn, kon-dem′, v.t. to pronounce guilty: to censure or blame: to sentence to punishment: to give up to some fate: to pronounce unfit for use.—adj. Condem′nable, blamable.—n. Condemnā′tion, state of being condemned: blame: cause of being condemned.—adj. Condem′natory, expressing or implying condemnation.—p.adj. Condemned′, pronounced to be wrong, guilty, or useless: belonging or relating to one who is sentenced to punishment, e.g. 'condemned cell:' declared dangerous and to be removed, as a house, bridge, &c. [L. condemnāre, from con, inten., and damnāre, to damage.]

Condense, kon-dens′, v.t. to compress or reduce by pressure into smaller compass: to reduce to a denser form, as vapour to liquid.—n. Condensabil′ity, the quality of being condensable.—adj. Condens′able, capable of being compressed.—v.t. Condens′āte, to condense: to compress into a closer form.—v.i. to become dense: to harden:—pr.p. condens′āting; pa.p. condens′āted.—ns. Condensā′tion, act of condensing; Condens′er, an apparatus for reducing vapours to a liquid form: an appliance for collecting or condensing electricity. [L. condensāre—con, inten., and densus, dense.]

Condescend, kon-de-send′, v.i. to descend willingly from a superior position: to act kindly to inferiors: to deign: to comply: to lower one's self.—n. Condescend′ence, condescension: (Scots law) an articulate statement annexed to a summons, setting forth the allegations in fact upon which an action is founded.—adj. Condescend′ing, yielding to inferiors: courteous: obliging: patronising.—adv. Condescend′ingly.—n. Condescens′ion, affability to inferiors: courtesy: graciousness.—Condescend upon, to specify: to mention. [L. con, inten., and descendĕre, to descend.]

Condiddle, kon-did′l, v.t. (Scot.) to steal.

Condign, kon-dīn′, adj. well merited: adequate (of punishment).—adv. Condign′ly.—n. Condign′ness. [L. condignus—con, wholly, dignus, worthy.]

Condiment, kon′di-ment, n. a seasoning used at table to give a flavour to the ordinary solid or liquid food.—v.t. to pickle. [L. condimentum—condīre, to preserve, to pickle.]

Condition, kon-dish′un, n. state in which things exist: a particular manner of being: quality: rank, as 'a person of condition:' pre-requisite: temper: a term of a contract: proposal: arrangement: (logic) that which must precede the operation of a cause: (law) a provision that upon the occurrence of an uncertain event an obligation shall come into force, or shall cease, or that the obligation shall not come into force until a certain event.—v.i. to make terms.—v.t. to agree upon: to restrict, limit: to determine.—adj. Condi′tional, depending on conditions.—n. Conditional′ity.—adv. Condi′tionally.—v.t. Condi′tionate, to condition: to qualify.—adj. Condi′tioned, having a certain condition, state, or quality: circumstanced: depending: relative—the opposite of absolute.—Conditioning House, an establishment in which the true weight, length, and condition of articles of trade and commerce are determined scientifically—the first in England established at Bradford in 1891. [L. condicio, -nis, a compact (later false spelling conditio)—condicĕre—con, together, dicĕre, to say.]

Condole, kon-dōl′, v.i. to grieve with another: to sympathise in sorrow: (Shak.) to grieve.—adj. Condol′atory, expressing condolence.—ns. Condole′ment, Condol′ence, expression of grief for another's sorrow.—adj. Condol′ent, sympathetic. [L. con, with, dolēre, to grieve.]

Condone, kon-dōn′, v.t. to forgive: to pass over.—n. Condonā′tion, forgiveness: in the legal phraseology of Britain and the United States, forgiveness granted by the injured party, which may be urged by the guilty party as a defence against an action of divorce on the ground of adultery. [L. con, inten., donāre, to give. See Donation.]

Condor, kon′dor, n. a large vulture found among the Andes of South America. [Sp.,—Peruv. cuntur.]

Condottiere, kon-dot-ti-ā′re, n. a leader of a band of military adventurers who sold their services to any party in any contest:—pl. Condottieri (-ā′rē). [It.,—condotto, way—L. con, and ducĕre, to lead.]

Conduce, kon-dūs′, v.i. to tend to some end: to contribute.—ns. Conduce′ment (Milt.), Conduc′ibleness, Conduc′iveness.—adjs. Conduc′ible, Conduc′ive, leading or tending: having power to promote: advantageous.—advs. Conduc′ibly, Conduc′ively. [L. con, together, ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Conduct, kon-dukt′, v.t. to lead or guide: to convey (water): to direct: to manage: to behave: (elect.) to carry or transmit.—ns. Con′duct, act or method of leading or managing: guidance: escort: guide: management: behaviour; Conductibil′ity.—adjs. Conduct′ible, capable of conducting heat, &c.: capable of being conducted or transmitted.—n. Conduc′tion, act or property of conducting or transmitting: transmission by a conductor, as heat.—adj. Conduct′ive, having the quality or power of conducting or transmitting.—ns. Conductiv′ity, a power that bodies have of transmitting heat and electricity; Conduct′or, the person or thing that conducts: a leader: a manager: a leader of an orchestra: one in charge of a bus, &c.: that which has the property of transmitting electricity, heat, &c.—n.fem. Conduct′ress. [L. conductus—conducĕre. See Conduce.]

Conduit, kun′dit, or kon′-, n. a channel or pipe to lead or convey water, &c.: a kind of fountain. [Fr. conduit—L. conductus—conducĕre, to lead.]

Condyle, kon′dil, n. a protuberance at the end of a bone serving for articulation with another bone, esp. that by which the occipital bone of the skull is articulated to the spine.—adj. Con′dyloid.—n. Condylō′ma, a growth about the anus or generative organs. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. kondylos, knuckle.]

Cone, kōn, n. a solid pointed figure with a circular base: fruit shaped like a cone, as that of the pine, fir, &c.: anything shaped like a cone.—ns. Cone′-shell, a family of Gasteropod molluscs, with substantial conical shells; Cone′-wheat, a variety of wheat, with conical-shaped spike.—adjs. Conic, -al, having the form of or pertaining to a cone.—adv. Con′ically.—ns. Con′icalness, Conic′ity.—adj. Con′ico-cylin′drical.—n. Con′ics, that part of geometry which deals with the cone and its sections.—adj. Cō′niform, in the form of a cone.—Conic section, a figure made by the section of a cone by a plane. [Fr. cone—L.,—Gr. kōnos, a peak, a peg.]

Coney. See Cony.

Confab, kon-fab′, v. and n. coll. forms of Confab′ulāte, Confabulā′tion.—adj. Confab′ular.—n. Confab′ulātor.—adj. Confab′ulātory.

Confabulate, kon-fab′ū-lāt, v.i. to talk familiarly together: to chat.—n. Confabulā′tion. [L. con, together, fabulāri, to talk—fabula, a tale, fable.]

Confarreation, kon-far-re-ā′shun, n. a Roman mode of marriage, made in the presence of the high-priest and ten witnesses, at which bread made of spelt was eaten together.—adj. Confar′reate. [L. confarreatio—confarreāre, to unite by bread, to marry—con, with, far, a species of grain.]

Confect, kon′fekt, n. fruit, &c., prepared with sugar: a sweetmeat: a comfit.—v.t. Confect′, to prepare: to preserve.—n. Confec′tion, composition, compound: a composition of drugs: a sweetmeat: the French word for a ready-made article of dress for women's wear.—v.t. to make a confection, in its various uses.—ns. Confec′tionary (B.), a confectioner: a sweetmeat: a place where confections are made: confectionery; Confec′tioner, one who makes confections; Confec′tionery, a confectioner's shop: the business of a confectioner: sweetmeats in general. [L. conficĕre, confectum, to make up together—con, together, facĕre, to make.]

Confederate, kon-fed′ėr-āt, adj. leagued together: allied.—n. one united in a league: an ally: an acomplice.—v.i. and v.t. to league together or join in a league.—ns. Confed′eracy, a league or mutual engagement: persons or states united by a league: a conspiracy; Confederā′tion, a league: alliance, esp. of princes, states, &c.—adj. Confed′erātive, of or belonging to a confederation. [L. confœderāre, -ātum—con, together, fœdus, fœdĕris, a league.]

Confer, kon-fėr′, v.t. to give or bestow: to compare (notes), collate—abbrev. cf.—v.i. to talk or consult together:—pr.p. confer′ring; pa.p. conferred′.—ns. Conferee′, one conferred with; Con′ference, the act of conferring: an appointed meeting for instruction or discussion.—adjs. Conferen′tial; Confer′rable.—n. Confer′rer, one who confers. [Fr.,—L. conferre—con, together, ferre, to bring.]

Conferva, kon-fėr′va, n. a genus of lower fresh-water Algæ, forming slimy masses or tufts in ponds and stagnent pools, easily recognised by their unbranched filaments.—adj. Confer′void. [L. conferva, a kind water-plant.]

Confess, kon-fes′, v.t. to acknowledge fully, esp. something wrong: to own or admit: to make known, as sins to a priest: to hear a confession, as a priest.—v.i. to make confession.—ns. Confes′sion, acknowledgment of a crime or fault: avowal; a statement of one's religious belief: acknowledgment of sin to a priest; Confes′sional, the seat or enclosed recess where a priest hears confessions.—adj. pertaining to confession.—ns. Confes′sionalism; Confes′sionalist.—adj. Confes′sionary, of or belonging to confession.—n. a confessional.—ns. Confess′or, one who professes the Christian faith, or a priest who hears confessions and grants absolution: one who endures persecution but not death:—fem. Confess′oress; Confess′orship.—adjs. Confessed′, Confest′, admitted: avowed: evident.—advs. Confess′edly, Confest′ly.—Confession of Faith, a formulary embodying the religious beliefs of a church or sect: a creed.—Confess to, to admit, acknowledge; Stand confessed, to be revealed. [Fr. confesser—L. confitēri, confessus—con, sig. completeness, and fatēri—fāri, to speak.]

Confide, kon-fīd′, v.i. to trust wholly or have faith (with in): to rely.—v.t. to entrust, or commit to the charge of.—ns. Confidant′, one confided in or entrusted with secrets: a bosom-friend:—fem. Confidante′; Con′fidence, firm trust or belief: faith: self-reliance: firmness: boldness: presumption; Con′fidency.—adj. Con′fident, trusting firmly: having full belief: positive: bold.—n. a confidential friend.—adj. Confiden′tial, (given) in confidence: admitted to confidence: private.—advs. Confiden′tially; Con′fidently.—n. Confid′er, one who confides.—adj. Confid′ing, trustful.—adv. Confid′ingly.—n. Confid′ingness.—Confidence trick, a swindler's trick, whereby a person is induced to hand over money as a mark of confidence in the swindler; Confidant person, in Scots law, a confidential person, partner, agent, &c. [L. confidĕre—con, sig. completeness, and fidĕre, to trust.]

Configuration, kon-fig-ū-rā′shun, n. external figure or shape: outline: relative position or aspect, as of planets.—vs.t. Config′urate, Config′ure, to shape. [L. configuratio—con, together, and figurāre, to form. See Figure.]

Confine, kon′fīn, n. border, boundary, or limit—generally in pl.: (kon-fīn′) confinement: (Shak.) a prison.—v.t. Confine′, to border; to be adjacent to: to limit, enclose: to imprison.—adjs. Confin′-able; Confined′, limited: imprisoned: narrow; Confine′less (Shak.), without bound: unlimited.—ns. Confine′ment, state of being shut up: restraint: imprisonment: restraint from going abroad by sickness, and esp. of women in childbirth; Confin′er. one within the confines: (Shak.) an inhabitant.—adj. Confin′ing, bordering: limiting.—Be confined, to be limited: to be in child-bed. [Fr. confiner—L. confinis, bordering—con, together, finis, the end.]

Confirm, kon-fėrm′, v.t. to strengthen: to fix or establish: to ratify: to verify: to assure: to admit to full communion.—adj. Confirm′able.—n. Confirmā′tion, a making firm or sure: convincing proof: the rite by which persons are admitted to full communion in the R.C., Greek, Lutheran, Anglican, and other Churches.—adjs. Confirm′ative, tending to confirm; Confirm′atory, giving additional strength to: confirming; Confirmed′, settled: inveterate.—ns. Confirmee′, one to whom anything is confirmed; Confirm′er; Confirm′ing. [O. Fr. confermer—L. confirmāre—con, inten., and firmāre—firmus, firm.]

Confiscate, kon′fis-kāt, or kon-fis′-, v.t. to appropriate to the state, as a penalty: to take possession of.—adj. forfeited to the public treasury.—adjs. Confis′cable, Confis′catory, of the nature of confiscation.—ns. Confiscā′tion, the act of confiscating; Con′fiscātor, one who confiscates. [L. confiscāre, -ātum—con, together, fiscus, a basket.]

Confit, kon′fit, n. (obs.). Same as Comfit.

Confiteor, kon-fit′ē-or, n. a form of prayer or confession used in the Latin Church. [L. confiteor, I confess.]

Confiture, kon′fit-ūr, n. (obs.). Same as Comfiture.

Confix, kon-fiks′, v.t. (Shak.) to fix firmly. [L. configĕre, -fixum—con, inten., figĕre, to fix.]

Conflagrate, kon′fla-grāt, v.t. and v.i. to burn up.—adj. Conflag′rant (Milt.) burning.—n. Conflagrā′tion, a great burning or fire. [L. conflagrāre—con, inten., and flagrāre, to burn. See Flagrant.]

Conflate, kon-flāt′, v.t. to blow together: to produce: to combine two variant readings of a text into one.—n. Conflā′tion. [L. conflatus—conflāre, to blow together—con, and flāre, to blow.]

Conflict, kon′flikt, n. violent collision: a struggle or contest: a battle: a mental struggle.—v.i. Conflict′, to fight: contend: to be in opposition: to clash.—adj. Conflict′ing, clashing: contradictory.—n. Conflic′tion.—adj. Conflict′ive, tending to conflict. [L. confligĕre—con, together, and fligĕre, to strike.]

Confluence, kon′floo-ens, n. a flowing together: the place of meeting, as of rivers: a concourse: the act of meeting together.—adj. Con′fluent, flowing together: uniting.—n. a stream uniting and flowing with another.—adv. Con′fluently.—n. Con′flux, a flowing together. [L. confluĕre, confluxum, from con, together, fluĕre, to flow.]

Conform, kon-form′, v.t. to make like or of the same form with: to adapt.—v.i. to be of the same form; to comply: to obey.—n. Conformabil′ity, state of being conformable.—adj. Conform′able, corresponding in form: suitable: compliant.—adv. Conform′ably.—ns. Conformā′tion, particular form, shape, or structure: adaptation; Conform′er, Conform′ist, one who conforms, esp. with the worship of the Established Church; Conform′ity, likeness: compliance: consistency.—In conformity with, in accordance with. [L. conformāre—con, with, and formāre—forma, form.]

Confound, kon-fownd′, v.t. to overthrow, defeat: to mingle so as to make the parts indistinguishable: to throw into disorder: to perplex: to astonish.—p.adj. Confound′ed, confused: astonished: (coll.) consummate, egregious (a term of disapprobation).—advs. Confound′edly (coll.), hatefully, shamefully: cursedly; Confound′ingly, astonishingly.—Confound you, an execration or curse. [O. Fr. confondre—L. confundĕre, -fusum—con, together, fundĕre, to pour.]

Confraternity, kon-fra-tėr′ni-ti, n. a brotherhood: clan: brotherly friendship.

Confrère, kong-frār, n. a colleague: a fellow-member or associate. [Fr.,—L. con, together, frater, a brother.]

Confront, kon-frunt′, v.t. to stand in front of: to face: to oppose: to bring face to face: to compare.—n. Confrontā′tion, the bringing of people face to face. [Fr. confronter—Low L.,—L. con, together, and frons, the front. See Front.]

Confucian, kon-fū′shyan, adj. of or belonging to Confucius, the Chinese philosopher (551-479 B.C.).—ns. Confū′cianism; Confū′cianist.

Confuse, kon-fūz′, v.t. to pour or mix together so that things cannot be distinguished: to throw into disorder: to perplex.—v.i. to be confused.—adj. Confused′, perplexed: disordered.—adv. Confus′edly, in a confused manner: disorderly.—ns. Confus′edness, state of being confused: disorder; Confū′sion, the state of being confused: disorder: shame: overthrow: perplexity: embarrassment: turmoil.—adj. Confū′sive. [A doublet of Confound.]

Confute, kon-fūt′, v.t. to prove to be false: to refute: to put an end to.—adj. Confūt′able.—n. Confutā′tion.—adj. Confūt′ative, tending to confute.—n. Confute′ment. [L. confutāre—con, inten., and futis, a water-vessel, from fundĕre, to pour: to overthrow. See Futile.]

Congé. See Congee.

Congeal, kon-jēl′, v.t. to freeze: to change from fluid to solid by cold: to solidify, as by cold.—v.i. to pass from fluid to solid, as by cold: to stiffen: to coagulate.—adj. Congeal′able.—ns. Congeal′ableness; Congeal′ment, Congelā′tion, act or process of congealing: anything congealed. [L. congelāre, from con, and gelu, frost.]

Congee, kon′jē, Congé, kong′jā, n. a bow: dismissal: leave to depart.—v.i. to take leave: to bow.—Congé d'élire (Fr.), permission to elect: permission given by the crown to a dean and chapter to elect a bishop. [Fr. congé—L. commeatus, leave of absence—com, together, and meāre, to go.]

Congener, kon′je-nėr, or kon-jē′nėr, n. a person or thing of the same kind or nature.—adj. akin.—adjs. Congener′ic, -al, of the same genus, origin, or nature; Congen′erous, of the same nature or kind; Congenet′ic, alike in origin. [L.,—con, with, and genus, generis, kind.]

Congenial, kon-jē′ni-al, adj. of the same genius, spirit, or tastes: kindred, sympathetic: suitable.—n. Congenial′ity.—adv. Congē′nially. [L. con, with, and genialis, genial. See Genial.]

Congenital, kon-jen′i-tal, adj. begotten or born with, said of diseases or deformities dating from birth.—adv. Congen′itally. [L. congenitus, from con, together, gignĕre, genitum, to beget.]

Conger, kong′gėr, n. a marine bony fish in the eel family, 3 to 6 feet long—also Con′ger-eel: a company of co-operating booksellers. [L.,—Gr. gongros.]

Congeries, kon-jē′ri-ēz, n. a collection of particles or small bodies in one mass. [L.,—con, together, gerĕre, gestum, to bring.]

Congest, kon-jest′, v.t. to bring together, or heap up: to accumulate.—adjs. Congest′ed, affected with an unnatural accumulation of blood: overcrowded; Congest′ible.—n. Congest′ion, an accumulation of blood in any part of the body: fullness: an overcrowded condition.—adj. Congest′ive, indicating or tending to congestion. [L. congerĕre, congestum—con, together, and gerĕre, gestum, to bring.]

Congiary, kon′ji-ar-i, n. a gift to the Roman people or soldiery, originally in corn, oil, &c., each receiving a congius or gallon—afterwards given in money. [L. congiarium—congius, the Roman gallon.]

Conglobe, kon-glōb′, v.t. or v.i. to collect together into a globe or round mass:—pr.p. conglōb′ing; pa.p. conglōbed′.—adj. Conglob′ate, formed into a globe or ball.—v.t. to form into a globe or ball.—n. Conglobā′tion.—v.i. Conglob′ūlate, to gather into a globule or small globe. [L. con, together, and globāre, -ātum—globus, a ball, globe.]

Conglomerate, kon-glom′ėr-āt, adj. gathered into a clew or mass.—v.t. to gather into a ball.—n. a rock composed of pebbles cemented together.—n. Conglomerā′tion, state of being conglomerated: a collection of things. [L. conglomerāre, -ātum—con, together, and glomus, glomeris, a clew, akin to globus.]

Conglutinate, kon-glōō′tin-āt, v.t. to glue together: to heal by uniting.—v.i. to unite or grow together.—p.adj. Conglu′tinant.—n. Conglutinā′tion, a joining by means of some sticky substance: healing.—adj. Conglu′tinātive, having power to conglutinate.—n. Conglu′tinātor. [L. conglutināre, -ātum—con, together, and gluten, glue.]

Congou, kong′gōō, n. a kind of black tea.—Also Congo. [Chinese kung-fu, labour, referring to the labour expended in producing the tea.]

Congratulate, kon-grat′ū-lāt, v.t. to wish joy to on any fortunate event: to felicitate: to consider one's self fortunate in some matter.—adj. Congrat′ulant, expressing congratulation.—n. a congratulator.—ns. Congratulā′tion, act of congratulating: an expression of joy or sympathy; Congrat′ulator.—adj. Congrat′ulatory. [L. congratulāri, -ātus—con, inten., gratulāri—gratus, pleasing.]

Congree, kon-grē′, v.i. (Shak.) to agree together: to accord. [L. con, together, and Fr. gré, good-will—L. gratus, pleasing.]

Congreet, kon-grēt′, v.t. (Shak.) to salute mutually. [L. con, together, and Greet.]

Congregate, kong′gre-gāt, v.t. to gather together: to assemble.—v.i. to flock together.—p.adj. Congregat′ed, assembled: aggregated.—n. Congregā′tion, the act of congregating: an assemblage of persons or things: (O.T.) a name given to the children of Israel: a body of people united to worship in a particular church: the name given to the body of Protestant Reformers in Scotland in the time of Mary.—adj. Congregā′tional, pertaining to a congregation.—ns. Congregā′tionalism, a form of church government in which each congregation is independent in the management of its own affairs—also called Independency; Congregā′tionalist, adherent of Congregationalism. [L. congregāre, -ātum—con, together, and grex, gregis, a flock.]

Congress, kong′gres, n. a meeting together or assembly, as of ambassadors, &c., for political purposes: the federal legislature of the United States.—v.i. to meet in congress.—adj. Congres′sional.—n. Con′gressman, a member of congress. [L. con, together, and gradi, gressus, to step, to go.]

Congreve, kong′grēv, n. a rocket for use in war, invented by Sir William Congreve (1772-1828).—n. Con′greve-match, a kind of lucifer match, invented by Congreve.

Congrue, kong-grōō′, v.i. (Shak.) to agree.—ns. Cong′ruence, Cong′ruency, agreement: suitableness.—adj. Cong′ruent, agreeing: suitable: congruous: used of two numbers which, when divided by the same number, give the same remainder.—n. Congru′ity, agreement between things: consistency: fitness.—adj. Cong′ruous, suitable: fit: consistent.—adv. Cong′ruously.—n. Cong′ruousness. [L. congruĕre, to run together.]

Conia. See Conium.

Conic, -al; Conics. See Cone.

Coniferæ, kon-if′ėr-ē, n.pl. an order of exogenous plants, including pines, firs, &c., which bear cones, in which the seed is contained.—n. Con′ifer, one of the foregoing.—adj. Conif′erous, cone-bearing, as the fir, &c. [Cone, and L. ferre, to bear.]

Coniform. See Cone.

Conima, kon′i-ma, n. a fragrant resin for making pastilles.

Conine, kō′nin, n. an alkaloid forming the poisonous principle of hemlock.—Also Cō′nia, Cō′nicine. [Gr. kōneion, hemlock.]

Conirostral, kōn-i-ros′tral, adj. having a strong conical beak.—n.pl. Coniros′tres, a group of insessorial birds with such. [Cone, and L. rostralis—rostrum, a beak.]

Conject, kon-jekt′, v.i. (Shak.) to conjecture.

Conjecture, kon-jekt′ūr, n. a forecast: an opinion formed on slight or defective evidence: an opinion without proof: a guess: an idea.—v.t. to make conjectures regarding: to infer on slight evidence: to guess.—adjs. Conject′urable, that may be conjectured; Conject′ural, involving conjecture: given to conjecture.—adv. Conject′urally. [L. conjicĕre, conjectum, to throw together—con, together, and jacĕre, to throw.]

Conjee, Congee, kon′jē, n. water in which rice has been boiled, much used for invalids. [Anglo-Indian—Tamil kañji. Origin unknown.]

Conjoin, kon-join′, v.t. to join together: to combine.—v.i. to unite.—adjs. Conjoined′, united: in conjunction; Conjoint′, joined together: united.—adv. Conjoint′ly. [Fr. conjoindre—L. con, together, and jungĕre, junctum, to join. See Join.]

Conjugal, kon′joo-gal, adj. pertaining to marriage.—n. Conjugal′ity.—adv. Con′jugally. [L. conjugalis—conjux, one united to another, a husband or wife—con, and jugum, a yoke.]

Conjugate, kon′joo-gāt, v.t. (gram.) to give the various inflections or parts of a verb.—adj. joined: connected.—n. a word agreeing in derivation with another word.—adjs. Con′jugated, Conjugā′tional, Con′jugative, conjugate.—ns. Con′jugateness; Con′jugating; Conjugā′tion, the act of joining: union: (gram.) a term applied to a connected view or statement of the inflectional changes of form that a verb undergoes in its various relations: a class of verbs inflected in the same manner.—Conjugate axes, two axes in a conic section, such that each is parallel to the tangent at the extremity of the other; Conjugate foci (see Focus); Conjugate mirrors, two mirrors set face to face so that the rays emitted from the focus of one are first reflected from it to the and thence to its focus; Conjugation of cells, a mode of reproduction in which two apparently similar cells unite, as in Amœba, Diatoms, &c. [L. conjugāre, -ātum—con, together, and jugāre—jugum, a yoke.]

Conjunct, kon-junkt′, adj. conjoined: concurrent.—n. Conjunc′tion, connection, union: (gram.) a word that connects sentences, clauses, and words: one of the aspects of the planets, when two heavenly bodies have the same longitude—i.e. when the same perpendicular to the ecliptic passes through both.—adj. Conjunc′tional, relating to a conjunction.—adv. Conjunc′tionally.—adj. Conjunc′tive, closely united: serving to unite: connective: (gram.) introduced by a conjunction.—adv. Conjunc′tively.—n. Conjunc′tiveness.—adv. Conjunc′tly, conjointly: in union.—n. Conjunc′ture, combination of circumstances: important occasion, crisis.—Grand conjunctions, those where several planets or stars are found together. [L.,—conjungĕre. See Conjoin.]

Conjure, kun′jėr and kon-jōōr′ (con′jure, generally of the art of legerdemain, &c.; conjure′, of actions treated as religious or solemn), v.i. to practise magical arts: to make an invocation: (obs.) to conspire.—v.t. to call on or summon by a sacred name or in a solemn manner: to implore earnestly: to compel (a spirit) by incantations: to enchant: to raise up or frame needlessly; to effect by jugglery:—pr.p. con′juring; pa.p. con′jured.—ns. Conjurā′tion, act of summoning by a sacred name or solemnly: enchantment; Con′jurātor, a conspirator; Conjure′ment, adjuration; Con′jurer, -or, one who practises magic: an enchanter: (kon-jōō′ror) one bound by oath with others; Con′juring, magic-working: the production of effects apparently miraculous by natural means; Con′jury, magic. [Fr.,—L. con, together, and jurāre, to swear.]

Conk, kongk, n. the nose.—n. Conk′y (slang), a person with a large nose. [Mr F. Hindes Groome suggests that it may be back slang, conk being the illiterate spelling of the Gipsy knoc, nose.]

Connascent, kon-nas′ent, adj. born or produced at the same time.—ns. Connas′cence, Connas′cency. [L. con, with nasci, to be born.]

Connate, kon′āt, adj. born with one's self: innate: allied: congenial.—adj. Connat′ural, of the same nature with another.—v.t. Connat′uralise.—n. Connat′urality.—adv. Connat′urally.—ns. Connat′uralness; Connā′ture. [L. con, with, and nasci, natus, to be born.]

Conne, kon, v.t. (Spens.) form of Con, to know.

Connect, kon-ekt′, v.t. to tie or fasten together: to establish a relation between: to associate.—p.adj. Connect′ed, joined: united.—adv. Connect′edly, in a connected manner.—ns. Connect′er, -or, one who or that which connects.—adj. Connect′ible, capable of being connected.—ns. Connec′tion, Connex′ion, act of connecting: that which connects: a body or society held together by a bond: coherence: intercourse: context: relation: intimacy: a relative.—adjs. Connect′ive, Connex′ive (obs.), binding together.—n. a word that connects sentences and words.—adv. Connect′ively.—Connective tissue, one of the four sets of the commonest classification of animal tissues, including a great variety—e.g. bone, cartilage, ligaments, and enswathing membranes. [L. con, together, and nectĕre, to tie.]

Connictation, kon-ik-tā′shun, n. the act of winking. [L. con, and nictare, -ātum, to wink.]

Connive, kon-īv′, v.i. to wink at a fault: to take no notice: to have a private understanding.—ns. Conniv′ance, Conniv′ancy, Conniv′ence, Conniv′ency.—adj. Conniv′ent.—n. Conniv′er. [Fr.,—L. connivēre, to wink.]

Connoisseur, kon-es-sehr′, or kon-is-ūr′, n. one who knows a subject well; a critical judge in art, music, &c.—n. Connoisseur′ship, the skill of a connoisseur. [Fr. connoître—L. cognoscĕre, to know.]

Connote, kon-ōt′, v.t. to signify secondarily: to imply along with an object the inherent attributes: to include.—v.t. Con′notāte, to connote.—n. Connotā′tion, implication of something more than the denotation of an object: the aggregation of attributes connoted by a term.—adjs. Connot′ātive, Connō′tive. [L. con, with, and Note.]

Connubial, kon-ū′bi-al, adj. pertaining to marriage or to the marriage state: nuptial.—n. Connubial′ity.—adv. Connū′bially. [L. con, and nubĕre, to marry. See Nuptial.]

Connumerate, kon-nū′me-rāt, v.t. to count conjointly.—n. Connumerā′tion.

Connusance, kon′ū-sans, n. an obs. form of Cognisance.

Conoid, kōn′oid, n. anything like a cone in form.—adjs. Conoid′ic, -al, Con′oid, Conoid′al. [Gr. kōnos, a cone, eidos, form.]

Co-nominee, kō-nom-i-nē′, n. a joint-nominee.

Conquadrate, kon-kwod′rāt, v.t. to square with another.

Conquassate, kon-kwas′āt, v.t. to shake.

Conquer, kong′kėr, v.t. to gain by force or with an effort: to overcome or vanquish.—v.i. to be victor.—adj. Con′querable, that may be conquered.—n. Con′querableness.—adj. Con′quering, victorious.—adv. Con′queringly.—ns. Con′queror, one who conquers: a victor:—fem. Con′queress; Con′quest, the act of conquering: that which is conquered or acquired by physical or moral force: the act of gaining the affections of another.—Make a conquest, to conquer.—The Conqueror, William I. of England (L. Conques′tor); The Conquest, the acquisition of the throne of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066. [O. Fr. conquerre—L. conquirĕre,—con, inten., quærĕre, to seek.]

Conquistador, kong-kwis′ta-dōr, n. a conqueror, applied to the conquerors of Mexico and Peru. [Sp.,—L. conquirĕre. See Conquer.]

Consanguine, kon-sang′gwin, adj. related by blood: of the same family or descent—also Consanguin′eous.—n. Consanguin′ity, relationship by blood: opposed to affinity or relationship by marriage. [L. consanguineus—con, with, sanguis, blood.]

Conscience, kon′shens, n. the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong: sense of duty: scrupulousness: (Shak.) understanding: the faculty or principle by which we distinguish right from wrong.—adjs. Con′science-proof, unvisited by any compunctions of conscience; Con′science-smit′ten, stung by conscience; Conscien′tious, regulated by a regard to conscience: scrupulous.—adv. Conscien′tiously.—n. Conscien′tiousness.—adj. Con′scionable, governed or regulated by conscience.—n. Con′scionableness.—adv. Con′scionably.—Conscience clause, a clause in a law, affecting religious matters, to relieve persons of conscientious scruples, esp. one to prevent their children being compelled to undergo particular religious instruction; Conscience money, money given to relieve the conscience, by discharging a claim previously evaded; Case of conscience, a question in casuistry.—Good, or Bad, conscience, an approving or reproving conscience.—In all conscience, certainly: (coll.) by all that is right and fair.—Make a matter of conscience, to act according to conscience: to have scruples about.—My conscience! a vulgar exclamation of astonishment, or an asseveration.—Speak one's conscience (Shak.), to speak frankly: to give one's opinion. [Fr.,—L. conscientia, knowledge—conscīre, to know well—con, and scīre, to know.]

Conscious, kon′shus, adj. having the feeling or internal knowledge of something: aware: having the faculty of consciousness.—adv. Con′sciously.—n. Con′sciousness, the waking state of the mind: the knowledge which the mind has of its own acts and feelings: thought. [L. conscius—conscīre, to know.]

Conscribe, kon-′skrīb′, v.t. to enlist by conscription.—adj. Con′script, enrolled, registered.—n. one enrolled and liable to serve as a soldier or sailor.—v.t. to enlist.—n. Conscrip′tion, a compulsory enrolment for naval or military service: the obtaining recruits by compulsion.—adj. Conscrip′tional.—Conscript fathers (patres conscripti), the senators of ancient Rome. [L. conscribĕre, to enrol—con, together, scribĕre, to write.]

Consecrate, kon′se-krāt, v.t. to set apart for a holy use: to render holy or venerable; to hallow; to devote.—adj. consecrated: devoted: sanctified.—ns. Con′secratedness; Consecrā′tion, the act of devoting to a sacred use; Con′secrator.—adj. Con′secratory, making sacred. [L. consecrāre, -ātum, to make wholly sacred—con, and sacrāre, to set apart as sacred—sacer, sacred.]

Consectaneous, kon-sek-tā′nē-us, adj. following as a natural consequence.

Consectary, kon-sek′ta-ri, n. a deduction, corollary. [L. consectāri, freq. of consequi. See Consecution.]

Consecution, kon-se-kū′shun, n. a train of consequences or deductions: a series of things that follow one another: (mus.) succession of similar intervals in harmony.—adj. Consec′utive, following in regular order: succeeding or resulting.—adv. Consec′utively—n. Consec′utiveness. [L. consequi—con, and sequi, secutus, to follow.]

Consenescence, kon-sē-nes′ens, n. the state of growing old.—Also Consenes′cency.

Consensus, kon-sen′sus, n. agreement of various parts: agreement in opinion: unanimity.—n. Consen′sion, mutual consent.—adj. Consen′sual, relating to consent.—adv. Consen′sually.—Consensual contract, a contract requiring merely the consent of the parties. [L. consentīre. See Consent.]

Consent, kon-sent′, v.i. to be of the same mind: to agree: to give assent: to yield: to comply.—v.t. (Milt.) to allow.—n. agreement: accordance with the actions or opinions of another: concurrence: advice, counsel.—adj. Consentā′neous, agreeable or accordant: consistent with.—adv. Consentā′neously—ns. Consentā′neousness, Consentanē′ity.—n. Consen′tience, state of being consentient: imperfect consciousness.—adj. Consen′tient, agreeing in mind or in opinion.—adv. Consent′ingly.—Age of consent, the age at which a person is considered in the eyes of the law competent to give consent to certain acts; Be of consent (Shak.), to be accessory; With one consent, unanimously. [L. consentīre—con, with, sentīre, to feel, to think.]

Consequence, kon′se-kwens, n. that which follows or comes after as a result: effect: influence: importance: (pl.) a round game describing the meeting of a lady and gentleman and its consequences, each player in turn writing a part of the story, not knowing what the others have written.—v.i. (Milt.) to draw inferences.—adj. Con′sequent, following as a natural effect or deduction.—n. that which follows: the natural effect of a cause.—adj. Consequen′tial, following as a result: casual: pompous.—advs. Consequen′tially; Con′sequently. [Fr.,—L. consequi—con, together, and sequi, to follow.]

Consertion, kon-ser′shun, n. junction, adaptation.

Conserve, kon-sėrv′, v.t. to keep entire: to retain: to preserve: (obs.) to preserve in sugar.—n. something preserved, as fruits in sugar.—adj. Conser′vable.—n. Conser′vancy, a court having authority to preserve the fisheries, &c., on a river: the act of preserving.—p.adj. Conser′vant.—n. Conservā′tion, the act of conserving: the keeping entire.—adj. Conservā′tional.—n. Conser′vatism, the opinions and principles of a Conservative.—adj. Conser′vative, tending or having power to conserve.—n. (politics) one who desires to preserve the institutions of his country against innovation and change: one averse to change and progress.—ns. Conser′vativeness; Conservatoire (kon-ser-va-twär′), Conservatō′rium, a name given by the Italians to schools instituted for the purpose of advancing the study of music and maintaining its purity; Con′servātor, one who preserves from injury or violation: a guardian, custodian:—fem. Conser′vatrix; Conser′vatorship; Conser′vatory, a storehouse: a greenhouse or place in which exotic plants are kept: a school of music.—adj. preservative.—n. Conser′ver.—Conservation of energy, the law that the total amount of energy in a material system cannot be varied, provided the system neither parts with energy to other bodies nor receives it from them; Conservation of matter, the experimentally ascertained fact that no process at the command of man can either destroy or create even a single particle of matter.—Conservators of the peace, a title usually applied to knights elected in each shire, from the 12th century onwards, for the conservation of the peace. [L. conservāre—con, together, and servāre, to keep.]

Consider, kon-sid′ėr, v.t. to look at closely or carefully: to think or deliberate on: to take into account: to attend to: to reward.—v.i. to think seriously or carefully: to deliberate.—adj. Consid′erable, worthy of being considered: important: more than a little.—n. Consid′erableness.—adv. Consid′erably.—n. Consid′erance (Shak.), consideration.—adjs. Consid′erāte, Consid′erative (obs.), thoughtful: serious: prudent: thoughtful for the feelings of others.—adv. Consid′erately.—ns. Consid′erateness, thoughtfulness for others; Considerā′tion, deliberation: importance: motive or reason: compensation, reward: the reason or basis of a compact: (law) the thing given or done or abstained from by agreement with another, and in view of that other giving, doing, or abstaining from something.—prep. Consid′ering, in view of: seeing that.—adv. Consid′eringly, with consideration. [Fr.—L. considerāre, supposed to have been orig. a term of augury—con, and sidus, sideris, a star.]

Consign, kon-sīn′, v.t. to give to another: to sign or seal: to transfer: to entrust: to commit: to transmit for sale or custody.—adj. Consign′able.—ns. Consignā′tion; Consig′natory, one who signs a document jointly.—adj. Consigned′, given in trust.—ns. Consig′nature, complete signature: joint signing; Consignee′, one to whom anything is consigned or entrusted; Consign′er, Consign′or; Consign′ment, the act of consigning: the thing consigned: the writing by which anything is made over: in Mercantile Law, goods placed in the hands of an agent or factor for sale, or for some other specified purpose. [Fr.,—L. consignāre, to attest.]

Consignify, kon-sig′ni-fī, v.t. to signify or indicate in connection with something else.—n. Consignificā′-tion.—adj. Consignif′icative.

Consilience, kon-sil′i-ens, n. concurrence: coincidence.—adj. Consil′ient, agreeing. [L. con, together, and salīre, to leap.]

Consimilar, kon-sim′i-lar, adj. like each other.—ns. Consimil′itude, Consimil′ity. [L. consimilis.]

Consist, kon-sist′, v.i. to exist, subsist: to co-exist: to agree.—ns. Consist′ence, Consist′ency, a degree of density: substance: agreement: the quality of being self-consistent.—adj. Consistent, fixed: not fluid: agreeing together: uniform in thought or action.—adv. Consist′ently.—adjs. Consistō′rial, Consistō′rian.—n. Consist′ory, properly a place of assembly: the particular place where the privy-council of the Roman emperor met, the council itself: an assembly or council: a spiritual or ecclesiastical court in the R.C. Church, consisting of the pope and cardinals, and determining all such matters as the appointment of cardinals, bishops, &c.; in the Lutheran Church, exercising a supervision over religion and education, over the clergy, schoolmasters, and theological candidates; in the Reformed Church, the kirk-session, or the presbytery.—Consist in, to lie in: to depend upon: to be composed of; Consist of, to be made up of. [L. consistĕre—con, together, sistĕre, to stand.]

Consociate, kon-sō′shi-āt, v.t. and v.i. to associate together.—p.adj. Consō′ciated.—n. Consociā′tion, companionship (with): association: alliance. [L. consociāre, -ātum—con, with, sociāre, to associate—socius, a companion.]

Console, kon-sōl′, v.t. to give solace or comfort: to cheer in distress.—adj. Consol′able, that may be comforted.—v.t. Con′solate (Shak.), to console.—ns. Consolā′tion, solace: alleviation of misery: a comforting circumstance; Consolā′tion-match, -race, &c., a race, &c., in which only those who have been previously unsuccessful may compete.—adj. Consol′atory.—n. Con′soler:—fem. Con′-solātrix. [L. con, inten., and solāri, to comfort.]

Console, kon′sōl, n. (archit.) a projection resembling a bracket, frequently in the form of the letter S, used to support cornices, or for placing busts, vases, or figures on: the key-desk of an organ.—n. Con′sole-ta′ble, a table having one of its sides supported against a wall by consoles or brackets. [Fr. console; prob. conn. with Consolidate.]

Consolidate, kon-sol′i-dāt, v.t. to make solid: to form into a compact mass: to unite into one.—v.i. to grow solid or firm: to unite.—adj. made firm or solid: united.—p.adj. Consol′idated.—n. Consolidā′tion, act of making or becoming solid: confirmation.—adj. Consol′idative, tending to consolidate: having the quality of healing.—n. Consol′idator, one who or that which consolidates.—Consolidation Acts, acts of parliament which combine into one general statute several special enactments. [L. consolidāre, -ātum—con, inten., and solidus, solid.]

Consols, kon′solz, n.pl. (short for Consolidated Annuities) that part of the British national debt which consists of several stocks consolidated into one fund.

Consommé, kon-so-mā′, n. a kind of soup made from meat by slow boiling. [Fr.,—L. consummāre, to consummate.]

Consonant, kon′son-ant, adj. consistent: suitable: harmonious.—n. an articulation which can be sounded only with a vowel: a letter of the alphabet other than a vowel.—ns. Con′sonance, a state of agreement: agreement or unison of sounds: (mus.) a combination of notes which can sound together without the harshness produced by beats: concord; Con′sonancy, harmony.—adj. Consonant′al.—adv. Con′sonantly.—adj. Con′sonous, harmonious. [L. consonans, -antis, pr.p. of consonāre, to harmonise—con, with, and sonāre, to sound.]

Consort, kon′sort, n. a partner: a companion: a wife or husband: an accompanying ship: (obs.) a number of people: an orchestra: former spelling for concert.—v.t. Consort′ (Shak.), to accompany: to associate (with).—v.i. to associate or keep company: to agree.—p.adj. Consort′ed, associated.—n. Con′sortship.—In consort, in company: in harmony. [L. consors, from con, with, and sors, sortis, a lot.]

Conspecies, kon-spē′shēz, n. (zool.) a subspecies or variety.—adj. Conspecif′ic.

Conspectus, kon-spek′tus, n. a comprehensive survey: a synopsis.—n. Conspectū′ity (Shak.), sight: the eye. [L. conspectus—conspicĕre, to look at.]

Conspicuous, kon-spik′ū-us, adj. clearly seen: visible to eye or mind: prominent.—ns. Conspicū′ity, Conspic′uousness.—adv. Conspic′uously. [L. conspicuus—conspicĕre—con, inten., spicĕre, to look.]

Conspire, kon-spīr′, v.i. to plot or scheme together: to agree: to concur to one end.—v.t. to plan, devise.—n. Conspir′acy, the act of conspiring: a banding together for an evil purpose: a plot: concurrence.—adj. Conspir′ant, conspiring.—ns. Conspirā′tion, conspiracy; Conspir′ator, one who conspires:—fem. Conspir′atress.—adj. Conspiratō′rial.—n. Conspir′er (Shak.), conspirator.—adv. Conspir′ingly. [L. conspirāre—con, together, spirāre, to breathe.]

Conspissate, kon-spis′āt, v.t. to inspissate.—n. Conspissā′tion.

Conspurcation, kon-spur-kā′shun, n. (obs.) defilement. [L. conspurcāre, -ātum, to defile.]

Constable, kun′sta-bl, n. formerly a state-officer of the highest rank: the warden of a castle: a peace-officer: a policeman.—ns. Con′stablery, the charge of a constable; Con′stableship; Con′stablewick, the district of a constable; Con′stabling, acting as a constable or policeman; Constab′ulary, the body of constables of a district, town, &c.—adj. of or pertaining to constables, or peace-officers.—Constable of France, chief of the household under the old French kings, then commander-in-chief of the army, judge in questions of chivalry, tournaments, and martial displays.—High Constable, one of two constables ordained in every hundred or franchise, to make the view of armour, and to see to the conservation of the peace; High Constable of Scotland, the first subject in Scotland after the blood-royal; Lord High Constable of England, the seventh great officer of the crown, and formerly a judge in the court of chivalry.—Outrun the constable, to go too fast: to get into debt.—Special constable, a person sworn in by the justices to preserve the peace, or to execute warrants on special occasions. [O. Fr. conestable (Fr. connétable)—L. comes stabuli, count of the stabulum, stable.]

Constant, kon′stant, adj. fixed: unchangeable: firm: continual: faithful.—n. (math.) a term or quantity which does not vary throughout a given investigation: that which remains unchanged.—n. Con′stancy, fixedness: unchangeableness: faithfulness: (Shak.) perseverance: (Shak.) certainty.—adv. Con′stantly. [L. constans, -antis, from constāre, to stand firm—con, inten., stāre, to stand.]

Constantia, kon-stan′shi-a, n. a wine produced around Constantia in Cape Colony.

Constantinian, kon-stan-tin′yan, adj. pertaining to the Roman emperor, Constantine the Great (A.D. 274-337).

Constantinopolitan, kon-stan′ti-no-pol′it-an, adj. of or pertaining to Constantinople.

Constat, kon′stat, n. a certificate of what appears (constat) on record touching a matter given by the auditors of the Exchequer: an attested copy of the enrolment of letters patent.

Constellate, kon′stel-āt, or kon-stel′āt, v.t. to cluster.—v.i. to be fated, according to the position of the stars: to cluster together.—n. Constellā′tion, a group of stars: an assemblage of persons distinguished in some way: (astrol.) a particular disposition of the planets, supposed to influence the course of human life or character.—adj. Constel′latory. [L. constellatus, studded with stars—con, with, stellāre—stella, a star.]

Consternate, kon′ster-nāt, v.t. to fill with dismay.—n. Consternā′tion, terror which throws into confusion: astonishment: dismay. [L. consternāre, -ātum, from con, wholly, sternĕre, to strew.]

Constipate, kon′stip-āt, v.t. to stop up: to make costive: (obs.) to press together.—n. Constipā′tion, costiveness, an irregular and insufficient action of the bowels. [L. con, together, stipāre, -ātum, to pack.]

Constitute, kon′stit-ūt, v.t. to set up: to establish: to form or compose: to appoint: to determine.—n. Constit′uency, the whole body of voters for a member of parliament.—adj. Constit′uent, constituting or forming: essential: elemental: component.—n. an essential or elemental part: one of those who elect a representative, esp. in parliament.—n. Constitū′tion, the act of constituting: the natural condition of body or mind: disposition: a system of laws and customs established by the sovereign power of a state for its own guidance: the established form of government: a particular law or usage.—adj. Constitū′tional, inherent in the natural frame: natural: agreeable to the constitution or frame of government: essential: legal: of a sovereign who rules subject to fixed laws.—n. a walk for the sake of one's health.—v.t. Constitū′tionalise, to make constitutional.—ns. Constitū′tionalism, adherence to the principles of the constitution; Constitū′tionalist, Constitū′tionist, one who favours the constitution; Constitutional′ity, the state or quality of being constitutional.—adv. Constitū′tionally.—adj. Con′stitutive, that constitutes or establishes: having power to enact, &c.: essential. [L. constituĕre, constitutum, from con, together, and statuĕre, to make to stand, to place.]

Constrain, kon-strān′, v.t. to urge with irresistible power: to force, compel: to distress: to confine: to limit: to cause constraint.—adj. Constrain′able.—p.adj. Constrained′, forced, compelled: embarrassed.—adv. Constrain′edly.—n. Constraint′, irresistible force: compulsion: confinement: repression of one's feelings: embarrassment. [O. Fr. constraindre—L. constringĕre—con, together, stringĕre, to press. See Strain.]

Constrict, kon-strikt′, v.t. to press together: to contract: to cramp.—p.adj. Constrict′ed, narrowed: cramped: (bot.) contracted or tightened, so as to be smaller in some parts than in others.—n. Constric′tion, a pressing together: contraction: tightness.—adj. Constrict′ive.—n. Constrict′or, that which constricts or draws together: a large serpent which crushes its prey in its folds—the Boa-constrictor (q.v.). [L. constringĕre, constrictum.]

Constringe, kon-strinj′, v.t. to draw together: to cause to contract.—v.i. to contract.—n. Constrin′gency.—adj. Constrin′gent, having the quality of contracting. [L. constringĕre.]

Construct, kon-strukt′, v.t. to build up: to compile: to put together the parts of a thing: to make: to compose.—adj. constructed.—adjs. Construct′able, Construct′ible, able to be constructed.—ns. Construct′er, Construct′or; Construc′tion, the act of constructing: anything piled together, building: manner of forming: (gram.) the arrangement of words in a sentence: interpretation: meaning.—adjs. Construc′tional, pertaining to construction; Construct′ive, capable of constructing: not direct or expressed, but inferred.—adv. Construct′ively.—ns. Construct′iveness, the faculty of constructing; Construct′ure.—Construct state, in Hebrew and other Semitic languages, the state of a noun depending on another noun, which in Aryan languages would be in the genitive case—e.g. House of God—house being in the construct state.—Bear a construction, to allow of a particular interpretation. [L. construĕre, -structum—con, struĕre, to build.]

Construe, kon′strōō, or kon-strōō′, v.t. to exhibit the arrangement in another language: to translate: to explain: to interpret: to infer.—v.i. to admit of grammatical analysis.—Con′ster, an old form. [L. construĕre, constructum, to pile together.]

Constuprate, kon′stū-prāt, v.t. (obs.) to deflower.—n. Constuprā′tion.

Consubsist, kon-sub-sist′, v.i. to subsist together.

Consubstantial, kon-sub-stan′shal, adj. of the same substance, nature, or essence, esp. of the Trinity.—ns. Consubstan′tialism, the doctrine of consubstantiation; Consubstan′tialist, one who believes in consubstantiation; Consubstantial′ity.—adv. Consubstan′tially, with sameness of substance.—v.t. Consubstan′tiāte, to unite in one common substance or nature.—v.i. to become so united.—adj. united in one common substance.—ns. Consubstantiā′tion (theol.), the Lutheran doctrine of the actual, substantial presence of the body and blood of Christ co-existing in and with the bread and wine used at the Lord's Supper; Consubstantiā′tionist. [L. con, with, and Substantial.]

Consuetude, kon′swe-tūd, n. custom: familiarity.—adj. Consuetū′dinary, customary.—n. an unwritten law established by usage, derived by immemorial custom from antiquity: a ritual of customary devotions. [L. consuetudo, custom.]

Consul, kon′sul, n. one of the two chief-magistrates in the Roman republic: one commissioned to reside in a foreign country as an agent for, or representative of, a government.—n. Con′sulage, duty paid to a consul for protection of goods.—adj. Con′sular, pertaining to a consul.—n. a man of consular rank.—ns. Con′sulate, the office, residence, or jurisdiction of a consul; Con′sulship, the office, or term of office, of a consul. [L.]

Consult, kon-sult′, v.t. to ask advice of: to decide or act in favour of: to look up to for information or advice: to discuss: to consider: to take measures for the advantage of any one.—v.i. to consider in company: to take counsel.—n. (kon-sult′, or kon′sult) the act of consulting: a meeting for consultation: a council: a meeting for conspiracy or intrigue.—ns. Consul′ta, a meeting of council; Consultā′tion, deliberation, or a meeting for such, esp. of physicians or lawyers.—adj. Consult′ative, of or pertaining to consultation, esp. of bodies taking part in a consultation without voting on the decision.—ns. Consultee′, the person consulted; Consult′er, one who consults.—adjs. Consult′ing, of a physician or lawyer who gives advice; Consult′ive, pertaining to consultation; Consult′ory, Consult′atory. [L. consult-āre, inten. of consul-ĕre, to consult.]

Consume, kon-sūm′, v.t. to destroy by wasting, fire, evaporation, &c.: to use up: to devour: to waste or spend: to exhaust.—v.i. to waste away.—adj. Consum′able.—adv. Consum′edly, exceedingly—originally a fantastic variant of confoundedly, and prob. influenced in meaning by consummately.—ns. Consum′er, as opposed to producer, he who uses an article produced; Consum′ing, wasting or destroying. [L. consum-ĕre, to destroy—con, sig. completeness, sum-ĕre, sumptum, to take.]

Consummate, kon′sum-āt, or kon-sum′āt, v.t. to raise to the highest point: to perfect or finish: to make marriage legally complete by sexual intercourse.—adj. complete, supreme, perfect of its kind.—adv. Consumm′ately, perfectly.—n. Consummā′tion, act of completing: perfection: conclusion of life or of the universe: the subsequent intercourse which makes a marriage legally valid.—adj. Consumm′ative.—n. Con′summator.—adj. Consumm′atory. [L. consummare, to perfect—con, with, and summus, highest, perfect.]

Consumption, kon-sum′shun, n. the act of using up or consuming—the converse of production—also Consumpt′; pulmonary consumption, a more or less rapidly advancing process of lung destruction, with progressive emaciation—phthisis, tuberculosis.—adj. Consump′tive, wasting away: inclined to the disease consumption.—adv. Consump′tively.—ns. Consump′tiveness, a tendency to consumption; Consumptiv′ity. [See Consume.]

Consute, kon′sūt, adj. (entom.) marked as if with stitches, as the wing-covers of some beetles.—adj. Consū′tile (obs.), stitched together. [L. consuĕre, -sutum, to sew together.]

Contabescent, kon-tab-es′ent, adj. wasting away, atrophied.—n. Contabes′cence. [L. contabescentem—contabescĕre, to waste away.]

Contabulate, kon-tab′ū-lāt, v.t. to floor with boards.—n. Contabulā′tion. [L., con, with, tabula, a board.]

Contact, kon′takt, n. touching or close union: meeting: (math.) coincidence, as of two curves, in two or more successive points.—adj. Contact′ual, pertaining to contact.—Be in contact (with), to be touching anything; Make contact, to complete an electrical current. [L. conting-ĕre, contactum, to touch—con, wholly, tangĕre, to touch.]

Contadina, kon-ta-dē′na, n. an Italian peasant woman:—pl. Contadi′ne (-ne), Contadi′nas. [It.]

Contagion, kon-tā′jun, n. transmission of a disease from the sick to the healthy, either by direct contact of a part affected with the disease, or through the medium of the excretions or exhalations of the body.—n. Contā′gionist, one who believes that certain diseases are contagious.—adj. Contā′gious, that may be communicated by contact.—adv. Contā′giously.—ns. Contā′giousness; Contā′gium, the supposed morbific matter by means of which disease spreads.—Contagious Diseases Acts, a series of laws passed in 1865 and succeeding years for the better regulation of prostitutes in certain seaport and military towns. [L. contagion-em—con, together, tangĕre, to touch.]

Contain, kon-tān′, v.t. to comprise, to include: (B.) to restrain, esp. the sexual appetite.—adj. Contain′able, that may be contained.—ns. Contain′ant, Contain′er. [Through Fr. from L. continēre—con, together, tenēre, to hold.]

Contaminate, kon-tam′i-nāt, v.t. to defile by touching or mixing with: to pollute: to corrupt: to infect.—adj. Contam′inable.—n. Contaminā′tion, pollution.—adj. Contam′inative. [L. contamināre, -ātum—contamen (for contagmen), pollution. See Contact.]

Contango, kon-tang′go, n. a percentage paid by the buyer to the seller of stock for keeping back its delivery to the next settling-day, continuation—opp. to Backwardation. [From Continue.]

Conteck, kon′tek, n. (Spens.). Same as Contest. [O. Fr. contek, prob. conn. with contekier, to touch.]

Contemn, kon-tem′, v.t. to despise: to neglect, to disregard.—n. Contem′ner. [Fr.,—L. contemnĕre, -temptum, to value little—con, inten., temnĕre, to slight.]

Contemper, kon-temp′ėr, v.t. to blend together, to qualify by mixture: to adapt to anything.—ns. Contemperā′tion (obs.), Contem′perature. [L. contemperāre.]

Contemplate, kon′tem-plāt, or kon-tem′plāt, v.t. to consider or look at attentively: to meditate on or study: to intend.—v.i. to think seriously: to meditate (with on, upon).—adj. Contemp′lable.—ns. Contem′plant, Contemp′latist; Contemplā′tion, continued study of a particular subject: a meditation written, or a subject for such.—adj. and n. Contem′plative, given to contemplation.—adv. Contem′platively.—ns. Contem′plativeness; Con′templātor, one who contemplates: a student. [L. contemplāri, -ātus, to mark out carefully a templum or place for auguries—con, sig. completeness, and templum. See Consider and Temple.]

Contemporaneous, kon-tem-po-rā′ne-us, adj. living, happening, or being at the same time.—n. Contemporanē′ity (geol.), does not imply that two systems were precisely synchronous, but merely that each occupies the same relative position in the succession of systems.—adv. Contemporā′neously.—ns. Contemporā′neousness; Contem′porariness.—adj. Contem′porary, contemporaneous, occupying the same period (with).—n. one who lives at the same time: a rival newspaper or magazine.—v.t. Contem′porise, to make contemporary in mind. [L. con, together, and temporaneus—tempus, time.]

Contempt, kon-tempt′, n. scorn: disgrace: (law) disregard of the rules or an offence against the dignity of a court (with of, for).—ns. Contemptibil′ity, Contempt′ibleness.—adj. Contempt′ible, despicable.—adv. Contempt′ibly.—adj. Contempt′uous, haughty, scornful.—adv. Contempt′uously.—n. Contempt′uousness. [See Contemn.]

Contend, kon-tend′, v.i. to strive: to struggle in emulation or in opposition: to dispute or debate (with against, for, with, about): to urge one's course.—ns. Contend′ent, Contend′er, one who contends.—p.adj. Contend′ing, striving.—n. Conten′tion, a violent straining after any object: strife: debate.—adj. Conten′tious, quarrelsome.—adv. Conten′tiously.—n. Conten′tiousness. [L. contendĕre, -tentum—con, with, tendĕre, to stretch.]

Contenement, kon-ten′ē-ment, n. land connected with a tenement.

Content, kon-tent′, or kon′tent, n. that which is contained: the capacity or extent of anything: the substance: (pl.) the things contained: the list of subjects treated of in a book. [See Contain.]

Content, kon-tent′, adj. having the desires limited by present enjoyment: satisfied.—n. satisfaction—often 'heart's content.'—interj. = I am content, agreed!—the formula of assent in the House of Lords.—v.t. to make content: to satisfy the mind: to make quiet: to please.—n. Contentā′tion (obs.).—adj. Content′ed, content.—adv. Content′edly.—ns. Content′edness, Content′ment.—adj. Content′less, without content: discontented. [Fr.,—L. contentus, contained, hence satisfied—con, and tenēre, to hold.]

Conterminous, kon-tėr′min-us, adj. having a common boundary: coincident with: co-extensive with in time, substance, &c.—Also Conter′minable, Conter′minal, Conter′minant, Conter′minate. [L. conterminus, neighbouring—con, together, and terminus, a boundary.]

Contest, kon-test′, v.t. to call in question or make the subject of dispute: to strive for.—n. Con′test, a struggle for superiority: strife: debate.—adj. Contest′able.—ns. Contest′ant, one who contests; Contestā′tion, the act of contesting: contest: strife: emulation.—p.adj. Contest′ed.—adv. Contest′ingly, by contest.—Contested election, an election for a member of parliament or the like, where more than one competitor offer themselves. [Fr.,—L. contestāri, to call to witness—con, and testāri, to be a witness—testis, a witness.]

Context, kon′tekst, n. the parts of a discourse or treatise which precede and follow a special passage and fix its true meaning.—adj. Context′ual—adv. Context′ually.—n. Context′ure, the interweaving of parts into a whole: the structure or system of anything: any interwoven fabric: the composition of a writing.—v.t. (Carlyle) to weave. [L. contextus, contexĕre—con, together, texĕre, textum, to weave.]

Conticent, kon′tis-ent, adj. (Thackeray) silent. [L. conticent-em, con, and tacēre, to be silent.]

Contignation, kon-tig-nā′shun, n. joining together: any structure so joined: a framework or stage. [L. contignation-em—contignāre—con, tignum, wood.]

Contiguous, kon-tig′ū-us, adj. touching, adjoining: near.—ns. Contigū′ity, Contig′uousness.—adv. Contig′uously. [L. contiguus—contingĕre, to touch on all sides—con, wholly, tangĕre, to touch.]

Continent, kon′ti-nent, n. a large extent of land not broken up by seas: the mainland of Europe: one of the great divisions of the land surface of the globe.—adj. restraining the indulgence of pleasure, esp. sexual: temperate: virtuous.—ns. Con′tinence, Con′tinency, the restraint imposed by a person upon his desires and passions: self-restraint in sexual indulgence, often absolute: chastity.—adj. Continent′al, characteristic of a continent, as of climate, &c.: pertaining to the European continent, or to the colonies of North America at the period of independence.—n. Continent′alism, anything peculiar to the usage of the Continent.—adv. Con′tinently.—Continental system, the name given to Napoleon's plan for shutting out England from all commercial connection with Europe. [L. continentem—continēre, to contain—con, together, tenĕre, to hold.]

Contingent, kon-tin′jent, adj. dependent on something else: liable but not certain to happen: accidental.—n. an event which is liable but not certain to occur: a share or proportion, esp. of soldiers.—ns. Contin′gence, Contin′gency.—adv. Contin′gently. [L. contingent-em—con, tangĕre, to touch.]

Continue, kon-tin′ū, v.t. to draw out or prolong: to extend or increase in any way: to unite without break: to persist in.—v.i. to remain in the same place or state: to last or endure: to persevere.—adjs. Contin′uable, that may be continued; Contin′ual, without interruption: unceasing.—adv. Contin′ually.—n. Contin′uance, duration: uninterrupted succession: stay.—adjs. Contin′uant; Contin′uāte, close united: (Shak.) unbroken.—ns. Continuā′tion, constant succession: extension; Continuā′tion-day, the same as Contango-day, that on which contangoes are fixed.—adj. Contin′uātive, continuing.—n. Contin′uātor, one who continues or keeps up a series or succession.—adj. Contin′ued, uninterrupted: unceasing: extended.—adv. Contin′uedly.—ns. Contin′uedness; Contin′uer, one who continues, or has the power of persevering; Continū′ity, state of being continuous: uninterrupted connection.—adj. Contin′uous, joined together without interruption.—adv. Contin′uously.—ns. Contin′uousness; Contin′ūum, a continuous thing:—pl. Contin′ua. [Fr.,—L. continuāre—continuus, joined, connected, from continēre.]

Contline, kont′līn, n. in the stowage of casks the space between them: the spiral intervals formed between the strands of a rope, by their being twisted together. [Prob. cant.]

Conto, kont′o, n. a Portuguese money of account, a million reis = £220.

Contorniate, kon-tor′ni-āt, n. a coin or medal with a deep groove round the disc.—adj. having this.

Contorno, kon-tor′no, n. contour or outline. [It.]

Contort, kon-tort′, v.t. to twist or turn violently: to writhe.—adj. Contort′ed, twisted: folded or twisted back upon itself, as some parts of plants.—ns. Contor′tion, a violent twisting; Contor′tionist, a gymnast who practises contorted postures: one who twists words and phrases.—adj. Contort′ive, expressing contortion. [L. con, inten., and torquēre, tortum, to twist.]

Contour, kon′tōōr, or kon-tōōr′, n. the outline: the line which bounds the figure of any object.—v.t. to mark with contour lines.—Contour lines, lines drawn in a map through points all at the same height above sea-level—usually on the British Ordnance Survey maps at intervals of 50 feet. [Fr. con, and tour, a turning—L. tornus—Gr. tornos, a lathe.]

Contra, kon′tra, adv. and prep. against, opposite: in front of: to the contrary: a doublet of Counter- (mus.), signifying an octave lower than the typical form, as in contrabass, &c. See Appendix.

Contraband, kon′tra-band, adj. contrary to law: prohibited.—n. illegal traffic: prohibition: prohibited goods.—ns. Con′trabandism, trafficking in contraband goods; Con′trabandist, a smuggler.—Contraband of war, a name applied to certain commodities, as military stores, and even coal in an age of war steamers, not to be supplied by neutral to belligerent powers. [Sp. contrabanda—It. contrabbando—L. contra, against, L. L. bandum, ban.]

Contrabass, kon′tra-bās, n. the double-bass viol, giving the lower octave to the bass in the orchestra.—adj. applied to other instruments taking a similar part.—Also Contrabas′so and Count′erbase.

Contract, kon-trakt′, v.t. to draw together: to lessen: to shorten: to acquire: to incur: to bargain for: to betroth.—v.i. to shrink: to become less.—n. Con′tract, an agreement on fixed terms: a bond: a betrothment: the writing containing an agreement.—adj. Contract′ed, drawn together: narrow: mean.—adv. Contract′edly.—ns. Contract′edness; Contractibil′ity, Contract′ibleness.—adjs. Contract′ible, capable of being contracted; Contract′ile, tending or having power to contract.—ns. Contractil′ity; Contrac′tion, act of contracting: a word shortened by rejecting a part of it: a symbol for shortening in palæography, &c.—adj. Contract′ive, tending to contract.—n. Contract′or, one of the parties to a bargain or agreement: one who engages to execute work or furnish supplies at a fixed rate.—adj. Contract′ual.—Contract one's self out of, to get rid of some general obligation by making a special contract; Contract work, work done for a fixed sum estimated beforehand and paid down for the whole job. [L. contractus—con, together, trahĕre, to draw.]

Contra-dance. See Country-dance.

Contradict, kon-tra-dikt′, v.t. to oppose by words: to assert the contrary: to deny: to be contrary to in character.—adj. Contradict′able.—n. Contradic′tion, act of contradicting: a speaking against: denial: inconsistency.—adj. Contradic′tious.—advs. Contradic′tiously (rare), Contradic′torily.—adjs. Contradict′ive, Contradict′ory, affirming the contrary: inconsistent.—n. Contradict′oriness, the quality of being contradictory, [L. contradicĕre, -dictum.]

Contradistinction, kon-tra-dis-tingk′shun, n. distinction by contrast.—adj. Contradistinct′ive, distinguishing by opposite qualities.—v.t. Contradistin′guish, to mark the difference between two things by contrasting their different qualities.

Contrafissure, kon′tra-fish-ūr, n. (surg.) a fracture or contusion of the skull at a place opposite that on which the blow was received.

Contrahent, kon′tra-hent, adj. entering into a contract.—n. a contracting party. [L. contrahent-em—contrahĕre.]

Contra-indicate, kon′tra-in′di-kāt, v.t. of a disease, to show symptoms adverse to a particular treatment.—ns. Con′tra-in′dicant, Con′tra-indicā′tion.

Contraire, kon-trār, adj. an obsolete form of Contrary.

Contralateral, kon-tra-lat′e-ral, adj. occurring on the opposite side.

Contralto, kon-tral′tō, n. the deepest or lowest species of musical voice in boys, in eunuchs, and best of all in women. [See Alto and Counter (1).]

Contraplex, kon′tra-pleks, adj. (teleg.) having two currents or messages passing in opposite directions at the same time.

Contraposition, kon′tra-po-zish′un, n. opposition, contrast: (logic) an immediate inference, which consists in denying the original subject of the contradictory of the original predicate.—adj. Con′tra-pos′itive.

Contraption, kon-trap′shun, n. (U.S.) a contrivance.

Contrapuntal. See Counterpoint.

Contra-rotation, kon′tra-rō-tā′shun, n. rotation in a contrary direction.

Contrary, kon′tra-ri, adj. opposite: contradictory—Contra′riant (rare).—n. a thing that is contrary or of opposite qualities.—n.pl. Con′traries, things opposite in quality: (logic) propositions which destroy each other.—n. Contrarī′ety, opposition: inconsistency.—adv. Con′trarily.—n. Con′trariness.—adj. Contrā′rious, showing contrariety: repugnant: opposite.—advs. Contrā′riously, contrarily; Con′trariwise, on the contrary way or side: on the other hand. [L. contrarius—contra, against.]

Contrast, kon-trast′, v.i. to stand in opposition to.—v.t. to set in opposition, in order to show superiority or give effect.—n. Con′trast, opposition or unlikeness in things compared: exhibition of differences.—adj. Contrast′ive. [Fr. contraster—L. contra, opposite to, stāre, to stand.]

Contrate, kon′trāt, adj. having cogs or teeth arranged in a manner contrary to the usual one, or projecting parallel to the axis.

Contra-tenor. Same as Counter-tenor (q.v. under Counter, 1).

Contravallation, kon-tra-val-ā′shun, n. a fortification built by besiegers about the place invested. [L. contra, opposite, vallāre, ātum, to fortify.]

Contravene, kon-tra-vēn′, v.t. to oppose.—n. Contraven′tion, act of contravening: opposition: obstruction. [L. contra, against, venīre, to come.]

Contrayerva, kon-tra-yėr′va, n. a stimulating and tonic aromatic root of tropical America. [Sp. contrayerba—L. contra, against, herba, a herb.]

Contretemps, kon-tr-tang′, n. something happening inopportunely or at the wrong time, anything embarrassing, a hitch. [Fr. contre—L. contra, against, and Fr. temps—L. tempus, time.]

Contribute, kon-trib′ūt, v.t. to give along with others: to give for a common purpose: to furnish an article to a newspaper, &c.: to pay a share.—v.i. to give or bear a part.—adj. Contrib′utary, paying a share, contributable, subject to contribution.—n. Contribū′tion, a collection: a levy or charge imposed upon a people: anything furnished to a common stock: a written composition supplied to a jointly written book, newspaper, &c.—adjs. Contrib′utive, Contrib′utory, giving a share: helping.—n. Contrib′utor. [L. con, with, tribuĕre, -utum, to give.]

Contrist, kon-trist′, v.t. (obs.) to sadden.—n. Contristā′tion. [Fr.,—L. contristāre—con, inten., and tristis, sad.]

Contrite, kon′trīt, adj. broken-hearted for sin: penitent.—adv. Con′tritely.—ns. Con′triteness; Contri′tion, deep sorrow for sin: remorse. [L. contritus—conter-ĕre—con, wholly, ter-ĕre, to bruise.]

Contriturate, kon-trit′ū-rāt, v.t. to pulverise together.

Contrive, kon-trīv′, v.t. to plan: to invent: to bring about or effect: to plot.—adj. Contriv′able, that may be contrived.—ns. Contriv′ance, Contrive′ment, act of contriving: the thing contrived: invention: design: artifice; Contriv′er, a schemer, a manager. [O. Fr. controver—con-, trover, to find—L. turbāre, to disturb.]

Contrive, kon-triv′, v.t. (obs.) to spend, as time. [L. conter-ĕre, contritum, perf. contrīvi, to wear out.]

Control, kon-trōl′, n. restraint: authority: command.—v.t. to check: to restrain: to govern:—pr.p. contrōl′ling; pa.p. contrōlled′.—Formerly Comptroll′, Countrol′, Controul′.—adj. Control′lable, capable of, or subject to, control.—ns. Control′ler, Comptrol′ler, one who checks the accounts of others by a counter-roll; Control′lership; Control′ment, act or power of controlling: state of being controlled: control. [Fr. contrôle, from contre-rôle, a duplicate register—L. contra, against, rotulus, a roll.]

Controvert, kon′tro-vėrt, v.t. to oppose: to argue against: to refute.—adj. Controver′sial, relating to controversy.—n. Controver′sialist, one given to controversy.—adv. Controver′sially.—ns. Con′troversy, a debate: contest: resistance.—adj. Controvert′ible.—adv. Controvert′ibly.—n. Con′trovertist. [L. contra, against, and vert-ĕre, to turn.]

Contumacious, kon-tū-mā′shus, adj. opposing lawful authority with contempt: obstinate: stubborn.—adv. Contumā′ciously.—ns. Contumā′ciousness; Con-tumac′ity; Con′tumacy, obstinate disobedience or resistance. [L. contumax, -acis, insolent, from con, and tum-ēre, to swell, or temn-ĕre, to despise.]

Contumely, kon′tū-mel-i, n. rudeness: insolence: reproach.—adj. Contumē′lious, haughtily reproachful: insolent.—adv. Contumē′liously.—n. Contumē′liousness. [L. contumelia, which is prob. from the same source as contumacy.]

Contund, kon-tund′, v.t. to bruise or pound.—v.t. Contūse′, to beat or bruise: to crush.—n. Contū′sion, act of bruising; state of being bruised; a bruise.—adj. Contū′sive, apt to bruise. [L. contundĕre, contusum—con, and tundĕre, to bruise.]

Conundrum, kon-un′drum, n. a sort of riddle containing some odd or fanciful resemblance between things quite unlike: any puzzling question. [Ety. dub.]

Convalesce, kon-val-es′, v.i. to regain health.—ns. Convales′cence, Convales′cency, gradual recovery of health and strength.—adj. Convales′cent, gradually recovering health.—n. one recovering health. [L. con, and valesc-ĕre—val-ēre, to be strong.]

Convallaria, kon-va-lā′ri-a, n. a genus of Liliaceæ, its only species the Lily-of-the-valley. [L. convallis, a sheltered valley.]

Convection, kon-vek′shun, n. the process of transmission of heat or electricity through liquids or gases by means of currents.—adj. Convec′tive, occasioned by convection. [L.,—con, and vehĕre, to carry.]

Convenance, kong′ve-nangs, n. what is suitable or proper: (pl.) the conventional usages or social proprieties. [Fr.]

Convene, kon-vēn′, v.i. to come together: to assemble.—v.t. to call together.—adj. Convē′nable.—n. Conven′er, one who convenes a meeting: the chairman of a committee. [Fr.,—L. conven-īre, from con, together, and venīre, to come.]

Convenient, kon-vēn′yent, adj. suitable: handy: commodious.—adj. Conven′able (obs.), fitting.—ns. Conven′ience, Conven′iency, suitableness: an advantage: any particular domestic accommodation, as a closet, &c.—adv. Conven′iently. [L. convenīre.]

Convent, kon′vent, n. an association of persons secluded from the world and devoted to a religious life: the house in which they live, a monastery or nunnery.—adj. Convent′ual, belonging to a convent.—n. a monk or nun; a member of one of the two divisions of the Franciscans, following a mitigated rule—the other being the Observants. [Through Fr. from L. convent-um, convenīre, to come together.]

Conventicle, kon-vent′i-kl, n. applied in contempt to a meeting for worship of dissenters from the Established Church, applied esp. to the field-preachings of the Presbyterian ministers in the persecutions under Charles II. and James II.: any private, clandestine, or irregular meeting.—v.i. to hold such.—n. Conven′ticler. [L. conventiculum, a secret meeting of monks, dim. of conventus.]

Convention, kon-ven′shun, n. an assembly, esp. of representatives or delegates for some common object: any extraordinary assembly called upon any special occasion: any temporary treaty: an agreement: established usage: fashion.—adj. Conven′tional, formed by convention: growing out of tacit agreement or custom: customary: not spontaneous.—v.t. Conven′tionalise.—ns. Conventionalism, that which is established by tacit agreement, as a mode of speech, &c.; Conven′tionalist, one who adheres to a convention, or is swayed by conventionalism; Conventional′ity, state of being conventional: that which is established by use or custom.—adv. Conven′tionally.—adj. Conven′tionary, acting under contract.—ns. Conven′tioner, Conven′tionist. [Fr.,—L. convention-em. See Convene.]

Converge, kon-vėrj′, v.i. to tend to one point.—ns. Conver′gence, Conver′gency, act or quality of tending to one point.—adjs. Conver′gent, Conver′ging, tending to one point. [L. con, together, and vergĕre, to bend, to incline.]

Conversazione, kon-vėr-sat-se-ō′ne, n. a meeting for conversation, particularly on literary subjects:—pl. Conversaziō′ni (-nē). [It.]

Converse, kon-vėrs′, v.i. to have intercourse: to talk familiarly.—n. Con′verse, familiar intercourse: conversation.—adj. Convers′able, disposed to converse: sociable.—adv. Convers′ably.—ns. Con′versance, Con′versancy, state of being conversant: familiarity.—adj. Con′versant, acquainted by study: familiar; (B.) walking or associating with.—n. Conversā′tion, intercourse: talk: familiar discourse; (B.) behaviour or deportment.—adj. Conversā′tional.—ns. Conversā′tionalist, Conversā′tionist, one who excels in conversation; Conversā′tionism, a colloquialism.—adj. Conver′sative, ready to talk. [Fr.,—L. conversāri, to live with—con, inten., and versāre, to turn much—vertĕre, to turn.]

Convert, kon-vert′, v.t. to change or turn from one thing, condition, or religion to another: to change from an irreligious to a holy life: to alter one thing into another: to apply to a particular purpose.—n. Con′vert, one converted: one who has become religious, or who has changed his religion.—adj. Con′verse, reversed in order or relation.—n. that which is the opposite of another: a proposition converted or turned about—i.e. one in which the subject and predicate have changed places.—adv. Con′versely.—ns. Conver′sion, change from one thing, state, or religion to another: (theol.) the conscious change of heart impelling the repentant sinner to a new life: appropriation to a special purpose: (logic) act of interchanging the terms of a proposition; Con′vertend, the proposition to be converted; Convert′er, one who converts: a vessel in which materials are changed from one condition to another; Convertibil′ity, Convert′ibleness.—adjs. Convert′ible, Conver′sive (obs.), that may be converted: equivalent.—adv. Convert′ibly.—n. Con′vertite, a convert, a reformed woman. [L. convertĕre, conversum—con, and vertĕre, to turn.]

Convex, kon′veks, adj. rising into a round form on the outside, the reverse of concave.—n. the vault of heaven, &c.—adj. Convexed′, made convex.—adv. Convex′edly.—ns. Convex′ity, Con′vexness, roundness of form on the outside.—adv. Con′vexly.—adjs. Convex′o-con′cave, convex on one side, and concave on the other; Convex′o-con′vex, convex on both sides. [L. convexus—conveh-ĕre—con, together, and vehĕre, to carry.]

Convey, kon-vā′, v.t. to carry: to transmit: to impart: to steal: to communicate, as ideas: to make over in law.—adj. Convey′able.—ns. Convey′al; Convey′ance, the means of conveying: a vehicle of any kind: (law) the act of transferring property: the writing which transfers it; Convey′ancer, one whose business is the preparation of deeds for the transference of property; Convey′ancing, the business of a conveyancer; Convey′er. [O. Fr. conveier—L. con, along with, and O. Fr. veie—L. via, a way.]

Convicinity, kon-vi-sin′i-ti, n. neighbourhood.

Convict, kon-vikt′, v.t. to prove guilty: to pronounce guilty.—n. Con′vict, one convicted or found guilty of crime, esp. one who has been condemned to penal servitude.—ns. Convic′tion, act of convincing: strong belief: a proving guilty: (theol.) the condition of being consciously convicted of sin; Con′victism, the convict system.—adj. Convict′ive, able to convince or convict.—Carry conviction, to bear irresistibly the stamp or proof of truth; Under conviction, in such a state of awakened consciousness. [From root of Convince.]

Convince, kon-vins′, v.t. to subdue the mind by evidence: to satisfy as to truth or error: (B.) to convict: to refute.—n. Convince′ment.—adjs. Convinc′ible; Convinc′ing, producing conviction.—adv. Convinc′ingly. [L. convincĕre, con, sig. completeness, and vincĕre, victum, to conquer.]

Convivial, kon-viv′i-al, adj. feasting in company: relating to a feast: social: jovial.—v.i. Convive′ (Shak.), to feast together.—n. a companion at table.—ns. Conviv′ialist, a convivial fellow; Convivial′ity.—adv. Conviv′ially. [L.,—convivium, a living together, a feast—con, together, and vivĕre, to live.]

Convoke, kon-vōk′, v.t. to call together: to assemble—also Con′vocāte.—n. Convocā′tion, act of convoking: a provincial synod of clergy, the ancient ecclesiastical council of the archbishop, esp. those of the provinces of Canterbury and York in the Church of England: the great legislative assembly of the university at Oxford and elsewhere.—adj. Convocā′tional.—n. Convocā′tionist. [L. convocāre—con, together, and vocāre, -ātum, to call.]

Convolve, kon-volv′, v.t. to roll together, or one part on another.—adjs. Con′volute, -d, rolled together, or one part on another.—n. Convolū′tion, a twisting: a fold. [L. con, together, volvĕre, -utum, to roll.]

Convolvulus, kon-vol′vū-lus, n. a genus of twining or trailing plants, called also Bindweed. [L.,—convolvĕre.]

Convoy, kon-voy′, v.t. to accompany for protection.—n. Con′voy, the act of convoying: protection: that which convoys or is convoyed, esp. a ship or ships of war guarding a fleet of merchant-vessels, also the ships so protected: an honourable escort: a supply of stores, &c., under escort. [Fr. convoyer. See Convey.]

Convulse, kon-vuls′, v.t. to agitate violently: to affect by spasms.—adj. Convul′sible, subject to convulsion.—n. Convul′sion, any involuntary contraction of the voluntary muscles of the body, esp. such seizures in which the body is thrown into violent spasmodic contractions, the sensibility and voluntary motion being for a time suspended: any violent disturbance.—adjs. Convul′sional, Convul′sionary, pertaining to convulsions.—n.pl. Convul′sionaries, a fanatical sect of Jansenists who sprang up in France about 1730.—adj. Convuls′ive, attended with convulsions: spasmodic.—adv. Convuls′ively.—n. Convuls′iveness. [L. con, inten., and vellĕre, vulsum, to pluck, to pull.]

Cony, Coney, kō′ni, or kun′i, n. a rabbit: (B.) translation of Heb. shâphân, the Hyrax syriacus, or rock-badger: (obs.) an equivocal term of endearment for a woman.—n. Cō′ny-burr′ow, a rabbit-warren.—v.t. Cō′ny-catch (Shak.), to cheat.—ns. Cōny-catch′er, a cheat; Cō′ny-wool, rabbits' fur. [Prob. through O. Fr. connil, from L. cuniculus, a rabbit.]

Conyza, kō-nī′za, n. a genus of strong-smelling herbaceous composite plants—applied formerly to the fleabanes. [Gr.]

Coo, kōō, v.i. to make a sound as a dove: to caress fondly, usually in phrase, 'to bill and coo:'—pr.p. cōō′ing; pa.p. cōōed.—n. the sound emitted by doves.—adv. Coo′ingly. [From the sound.]

Cooee, kōō′ē, Cooey, koo′i, n. the signal-call of the native Australians in the bush.—v.i. to make such.

Coof, küf, n. (Scot.) a stupid fellow. [Prob. M. E. cofe, the modern Cove, a fellow.]

Cook, kook, v.t. to prepare food: to manipulate for any purpose, or falsify, as accounts, &c.: to concoct.—n. one whose business is to cook.—ns. Cook′ery, the art or practice of cooking; Cook′ery-book, a book of receipts for cooking dishes.—n.pl. Cook′ing-app′les, &c., apples, &c., sold specially for cooking.—ns. Cook′ing-range, a stove adapted for cooking several things at once; Cook′-room, a room in which food is cooked; Cook′-shop, an eating-house.—To cook one's goose (slang), to finish off, to kill. [A.S. cóc, a cook (Ger. koch), borrowed from L. coquus.]

Cook, kook, v.i. to make the sound of the cuckoo.

Cook, kook, v.i. (Scot.) to appear and disappear by turns.

Cookie, kook′i, n. a kind of sweet cake used at tea.—n. Cookie-shine, a tea-party. [Dut. koekje, a cake.]

Cool, kōōl, adj. slightly cold: free from excitement: calm: not zealous, ardent, or cordial: indifferent: impudent: colloquially of a large sum of money, as 'a cool thousand.'—v.t. to make cool: to allay or moderate, as heat, excitement, passion, &c.—v.i. to grow cool.—n. that which is cool: coolness.—n. Cool′er, anything that cools: a vessel in which something is cooled—e.g. 'a butter-cooler.'—adjs. Cool′-head′ed, not easily excited: capable of acting with composure; Cool′ish, somewhat cool; Cool′ly (Spens.), cool.—adv. in a cool manner: indifferently: impudently.—ns. Cool′ness, moderate cold: indifference: want of zeal; Cool′-tank′ard, a cooling drink of wine and water, with lemon-juice, spices, and borage: a local name of borage; Coolth (dial.), coolness. [A.S. cól; Ger. kühl. See Cold and Chill.]

Coolie, Cooly, kōōl′i, n. an Indian or Chinese labourer who has emigrated under contract to a foreign land: a European's name for a hired native labourer in India and China. [Prob. Kuli, a tribe of Guzerat; or orig. Tamil, cf. kūli, hire.]

Coom, kōōm, n. matter that gathers at the naves of wheels: soot that gathers at the mouth of an oven: coal-dust. [Prob. conn. with Ger. kahm, mould gathered on liquids.]

Coom, kōōm, n. (Scot.) the wooden centering on which a bridge is built: anything arched or vaulted.—adj. Coom′-ceiled, said of a garret with the inside ceiling sloping from the wall. [Origin obscure.]

Coomb, Comb, kōōm, n. a deep little wooded valley: a hollow on the flank of a hill. [A.S. cumb, a hollow.]

Coomb, Comb, kōōm, n. a measure of capacity = 4 bushels. [A.S. cumb, a measure.]

Coon, kōōn, n. the raccoon: a sly fellow.—A gone coon, one whose case is hopeless. [U.S.]

Coontie, Coonty, kōōn′ti, n. the arrowroot plant of Florida.

Coop, kōōp, n. a tub, cask, or barrel: a box or cage for fowls or small animals.—v.t. to confine in a coop: to shut up or confine.—n. Coop′er, one who makes tubs, casks, &c.: a mixture of stout and porter.—v.t. to repair (tubs, &c.): to prepare, patch up.—ns. Coop′erage, the work or workshop of a cooper: the sum paid for a cooper's work; Coop′ering; Coop′ery, the business of a cooper. [A.S. cýpe, a basket; cf. Ger. kufe.]

Cooper, kōōp′ėr, n. a floating grog-shop.—v.i. to supply fishing-boats at sea with liquor. [See Coper.]

Co-operate, kō-op′ėr-āt, v.i. to work together.—n. Co-operā′tion, joint operation; the association of a number of persons for the cheaper purchasing of goods, or for carrying on some branch of industry.—adjs. Co-op′erātive, Co-op′erant, working together.—n. Co-op′erātor.—Co-operating grace (theol.), the R.C., Arminian, and Socinian doctrine that the human will co-operates with the divine in the matter of saving grace. [Co-, together, and Operate.]

Co-opt, kō-opt′, v.t. to elect into any body by the votes of its members.—ns. Co-optā′tion, Co-op′tion.—adj. Co-op′tative. [L. cooptāre, -ātum—co-, together, optāre, to choose.]

Co-ordinate, kō-or′di-nāt, adj. holding the same order or rank.—v.t. to make co-ordinate.—n. a co-ordinate element: each of a system of two or more magnitudes used to define the position of a point, line, or plane, by reference to a fixed system of lines, points, &c.—n. Co-or′dinance, a joint ordinance.—adv. Co-or′dinately.—ns. Co-or′dinateness, the state of being co-ordinate: equality of rank, &c.; Co-ordinā′tion, state of being co-ordinate.—adj. Co-or′dinative, indicating co-ordination.

Coost, küst, a Scotch form of Cast.

Coot, kōōt, n. a short-tailed water-fowl, with a characteristic white spot—an extension of the bill—on the forehead; hence called bald, as in phrase, 'bald as a coot.' [M. E. cote; cf. Dut. koet.]

Coot, küt, n. (Scot.) the ankle.—adj. Coot′ie, having legs clad with feathers. [Scot.; cf. Dut. koot; Flem. keute.]

Cop, kop, n. a conical ball of thread on a spindle—also Cop′pin: (obs.) a top or head of anything.—adj. Copped, rising to a cop or head. [A.S. cop, copp.]

Cop, kop, v.t. (slang) to capture.—ns. Cop, Cop′per (slang), a policeman.

Copaiba, ko-pā′ba, n. a balsam obtained from an American tree, much used in medicine.—Also Copai′va. [Sp.,—Braz.]

Copal, kō′pal, n. a resinous substance used in varnishes. [Sp.,—Mex. copalli, resins generally.]

Copartner, kō-pärt′ner, n. a joint partner.—ns. Copart′nership, Copart′nery, Copar′cener, Copar′cenary. [L. co-, together, and Partner.]

Copatain, kop′a-tān, adj. (Shak.) of a hat, high-crowned like a sugar-loaf.

Copatriot. A form of Compatriot.

Cope, kōp, n. a covering: a cap or hood: anything spread overhead: a coping: an ecclesiastical vestment worn over the alb or surplice in processions, at solemn lauds and vespers, but not by the celebrant at mass, semicircular, without sleeves and with a hood, fastened across the breast with a clasp or morse, the straight edge usually ornamented with a broad orphrey.—v.t. to cover with a cope.—ns. Cope′-stone, Cop′ing-stone, the stone which copes or tops a wall; Cop′ing, the covering course of masonry of a wall. [From root of Cap.]

Cope, kōp, v.t. to barter or exchange. [Cf. Dut. koopen.]

Cope, kōp, v.i. to contend.—v.t. to vie with, esp. on equal terms or successfully: to match.—n. Copes′mate (Shak.), a companion. [Fr. couper—L. colaphus, a blow with the fist.]

Copeck, Kopeck, kō′pek, n. a Russian copper coin, worth from ¼ to ⅓ of a penny English. [Russ.]

Coper, kōp′ėr, n. a ship employed in surreptitiously supplying strong drink to deep-sea fishermen—often spelt Cooper.—v.i. to supply liquor in such a way. [Dut. kooper—koopen, to trade; cf. Ger. kaufen, to buy; A.S. ceápan.]

Copernican, ko-pėr′ni-kan, adj. relating to Copernicus, the famous Prussian astronomer (1473-1543), or to his system.

Cophosis, kō-fō′sis, n. total deafness. [Gr.,—kōphos, deaf.]

Cophouse, kop′hows, n. a tool-house.

Copier. See Copy.

Copious, kō′pi-us, adj. plentiful: overflowing: not concise.—adv. Cō′piously.—n. Cō′piousness. [L. copiosus—copia, plenty—co-, inten., and ops, opis, wealth.]

Copland, kop′land, n. a piece of ground terminating in a cop or acute angle.

Copopsia, kō-pop′si-a, n. fatigue of sight. [Gr. kōphos, dull, opsis, sight.]

Co-portion, kō-por′shun, n. (Spens.) equal portion or share.

Copos, kop′os, n. a morbid lassitude. [Gr.]

Copper, kop′ėr, n. a moderately hard metal of a fine red colour, perhaps the first metal employed by man: money made of copper—e.g. 'a copper' = a penny or halfpenny: a vessel made of copper.—adj. made of copper: copper-coloured.—v.t. to cover with copper.—adj. Copp′er-bott′omed, having the bottom covered with copper, as a ship—n. Copp′er-cap′tain, one who styles himself captain without grounds.—adjs. Copp′er-faced, faced with copper, as type; Copp′er-fas′tened, fastened with copper bolts.—ns. Copp′er-head, a United States snake: (U.S.) a northern sympathiser with the South in the Civil War; Copp′ering, the act of sheathing with copper: a covering of copper.—adjs. Copp′erish, Copp′ery, Cū′preous, containing or like copper.—ns. Copp′er-nick′el, arsenical nickel, niccolite; Copp′er-nose, a red nose caused by intemperance; Copp′erplate, a plate of polished copper on which something has been engraved: an impression taken from the plate; Copp′er-pyrī′tes, a double sulphide of copper and iron of yellow hue; Copp′er-smith, a smith who works in copper; Copp′er-work, a place where copper is wrought or manufactured; Copp′erworm, the ship-worm.—Hot coppers, parched tongue and throat after a bout of drinking. [Low L. cuper—L. cuprum, a contr. of cyprium aes, 'Cyprian brass,' because found in Cyprus.]

Copperas, kop′ėr-as, n. sulphate of iron, used in dyeing black, or making ink. [Fr. couperose (It. copparosa)—L. cupri rosa, rose of copper—so Diez.]

Coppice, kop′is, Copse, kops, n. a wood of small growth for periodical cutting.—n. Copse′wood.—adj. Cop′sy. [O. Fr. copeiz, wood newly cut—Low L. colpāre, to cut—L. colaphus, a blow with the fist.]

Coppin. See Cop (1).

Copple, kop′l, n. (obs.) a crest on a bird's head.—n. Copp′le-crown.—adj. Copp′le-crowned.

Copple-stone, an obsolete form of Cobble-stone.

Copra, kop′ra, n. the dried kernel of the coco-nut, yielding coco-nut oil. [Port., from Malay.]

Co-presence, ko-prez′ens, n. presence together.—adj. Co-pres′ent.

Coprolite, kop′ro-līt, n. fossilised excrement of animals in Palæozoic, Mesozoic, and Tertiary strata.—adj. Coprolit′ic. [Gr. kopros, dung, lithos, a stone.]

Coprology, kop-rol′oj-i, n. the unclean in literature and art. [Gr. kopros, dung, logia, discourse.]

Coprophagan, kop-rof′a-gan, n. a dung-beetle.—n. Coproph′agist, a dung-eater.—adj. Coproph′agous, dung-eating. [Gr. kopros, dung, phagein, to eat.]

Copsewood. See Coppice.

Copt, kopt, n. a Christian descendant of the ancient Egyptians.—adj. Cop′tic.—n. the language of the Copts. [A corr. of Gr. Aigyptios, Egyptian.]

Copula, kop′ū-la, n. that which joins together: a bond or tie: (logic) the word joining the subject and predicate.—adj. Cop′ular.—v.t. and v.i. Cop′ulāte, to unite in sexual commerce.—n. Copulā′tion, act of copulating.—adj. Cop′ulātive, uniting.—n. (gram.) a conjunction that unites ideas as well as words.—adj. Cop′ulātory. [L.,—co-, together, ap-ĕre, to join.]

Copy, kop′i, n. an imitation from an original pattern, a transcript: that which is imitated: a specimen of penmanship to be imitated: the original work from which an imitation or reproduction is made: manuscript for printing.—v.t. to write, paint, &c. after an original: to imitate: to transcribe:—pa.p. cop′ied.—ns. Cop′ier, Cop′yer, one who copies: an imitator; Cop′y-book, a book in which copies are written or printed for imitation; Cop′yhold (Eng. law), a species of estate or right of holding land, for which the owner can only show the copy of the rolls originally made by the steward of the lord's court; Cop′yholder, one who has a tenure of land by copyhold; Cop′ying-press, a machine for copying manuscript letters by pressure; Cop′yism, the practice of the copyist; Cop′yist, one whose business is to copy documents; Copy′right, the exclusive right of an author or his heirs to multiply copies of a written or printed composition, or of a work of art (for books in England the term is forty-two years, or the life of the author and seven years, whichever is longer).—adj. protected by copyright.—v.t. to secure the copyright of.—A copy of verses, a set of verses, esp. a college exercise. [Fr. copie, from L. copia, plenty; in Low L. a transcript.]

Coquelicot, kōk′li-ko, n. (Jane Austen) a brilliant red, the colour of the red poppy. [Fr.]

Coquet, Coquette, ko-ket′, v.i. to excite admiration or love.—v.t. to trifle with in love: to flirt with: to dally with:—pr.p. coquet′ting; pa.p. coquet′ted.—ns. Cō′quetry, act of coquetting: attempt to attract admiration, without serious affection: deceit in love: any kind of prettiness; Coquette′, a vain woman who seeks admiration from mere vanity: a flirt.—adj. Coquet′tish, practising coquetry: befitting a coquette.—adv. Coquet′tishly.—n. Coquet′tishness. [Fr. coqueter—coquet, dim. of coq, a cock.]

Coquilla, kok-il′ya, n. the nut of a Brazil palm, whose mottled, dark-brown endosperm is used by button-makers and turners. [Sp.; dim. of coca, shell.]

Coquimbite, kō-kim′bīt, n. a yellowish hydrous sulphate of iron—also white copperas.

Coquimbo, kō-kim′bō, n. the burrowing owl of South America.

Coquito, kō-kē′tō, n. a beautiful Chilian palm. [Sp., dim. of coco, coco-nut.]

Cor, kor, n. a Hebrew measure, the same as the homer, containing 10 ephahs or baths (10 bushels and 3 gallons).

Coracle, kor′a-kl, n. a small oval rowboat used in Wales, made of skins or oilcloth stretched on wickerwork. [W. corwgl—corwg, anything round; Gael. curach, a wicker-boat.]

Coracoid, kor′a-koid, adj. shaped like a crow's beak.—n. (anat.) an important paired bone in the breast-girdle, forming along with the scapula the articulation for the fore-limb, and always lying ventrally. [Gr. korax, korakos, a crow, and eidos, form.]

Co-radicate, kō-rad′i-kāt, adj. (philol.) of the same root.

Corage. See Courage.

Coraggio, kor-adj′o, interj. courage! [It.]

Coral, kor′al, n. a hard substance of various colours growing on the bottom of the sea, composed of the skeletons of zoophytes: a child's toy made of coral.—adj. made of or like coral.—n. Cor′al-is′land.—adjs. Corallā′ceous, like, or having the qualities of, coral; Corallif′erous, containing coral; Coral′liform, having the form of coral; Corallig′enous, producing coral; Cor′alline, of, like, or containing coral.—n. a limy seaweed of a delicate pinkish or purplish colour, common on British coasts: a coral-like substance.—n. Cor′allite, a petrified substance, in the form of coral.—adjs. Cor′alloid, -al, in the form of coral: resembling coral.—ns. Cor′al-rag, a limestone rock formed chiefly of petrified coral found in the oolite system; Cor′al-reef, a reef or bank formed by the growth and deposit of coral; Cor′al-sea, the part of the Pacific between Australia on the west and the New Hebrides on the east; Cor′al-snake, a small venomous snake, in the same family as the cobra; Cor′al-tree, a small tropical tree or shrub, producing long spikes of beautiful red flowers resembling coral; Cor′al-wood, a hard South American cabinet-wood, first yellow, then red; Cor′al-wort, a cruciferous plant in English woods—called also Tooth-wort or Tooth-violet. [O. Fr.,—L. coralium—Gr. korallion.]

Coranach. See Coronach.

Coranto, ko-rant′o, n. a rapid and lively kind of dance. [Fr. courante—L. currĕre, to run.]

Corb, korb, n. an iron basket used in raising coal. [L. corbis, a basket.]

Corban, kor′ban, n. anything devoted to God in fulfilment of a vow. [Heb. qorbān, an offering, sacrifice.]

Corbe, korb, n. (Spens.). Same as Corbel.

Corbeau, kor-bō′, n. a dark-green colour, almost black. [Fr., 'a raven.']

Corbeil, kor′bel, n. (fort.) a basket filled with earth, and set up as a protection from the fire of the enemy. [Fr. corbeille—L. corbicula, dim. of corbis, a basket.]

Corbel, kor′bel, n. (archit.) a projection of stone or wood from the face of a wall, supporting pillars or other superincumbent weights.—adj. Cor′belled.—ns. Cor′belling; Cor′bel-tā′ble, a row of corbels and the parapet or cornice they support. [O. Fr. corbel—Low L. corvellus, dim. of corvus, a raven.]

Corbiculum, kor-bik′ū-lum, n. the flattened hairy outer surface of the hind-tibia of a bee, used for carrying pollen:—pl. Corbic′ula.—adj. Corbic′ulate. [L., dim. of corbis, a basket.]

Corbie, kor′bi, n. a raven, crow.—Corbie messenger (Scot.), one who returns too late, or not at all; Corbie-steps, the stepped slopes of gables—also Crow-steps. [O. Fr. corbin—L. corvus, a crow.]

Corcass, kor′kas, n. a salt-marsh in Ireland. [Ir.]

Corchorus, kor′ko-rus, n. a genus of tropical plants cultivated for their fibre, which is the jute of commerce. [Gr.]

Corcle, kork′l, n. the embryo in the seed of a plant.—Also Cor′cule. [L. corculum, dim. of cor, heart.]

Cord, kord, n. a small rope or thick kind of string: something resembling a cord, as 'spinal cord,' 'umbilical cord,' &c.: (fig.) anything that binds or restrains: a measure of firewood, originally determined by the use of a cord or string.—v.t. to supply with a cord: to bind with a cord.—n. Cord′age, a quantity of cords or ropes, as the rigging of a ship, &c.—adj. Cord′ed, fastened with cords: furrowed, as with cords: (her.) wound about with cords: piled in 'cords.'—ns. Cord′-grass, a genus of grasses of which one species found in muddy salt-marshes is used for making ropes; Cord′ing, the act of binding: cordage; Cord′ite, an approved smokeless gunpowder, so called from its cord-like appearance; Cord′-wood, wood put up in 'cords.' [Fr. corde—L. chorda. See Chord.]

Cordelier, kor-de-lēr′, n. a Franciscan friar, so named from the knotted cord worn by him as a girdle: (pl.) name of a club in the French Revolution, from its meeting-place being an old convent of the Cordeliers. [O. Fr. cordel, dim. of corde, a rope.]

Cordial, kor′di-al, adj. hearty: with warmth of heart: sincere: affectionate: reviving the heart or spirits.—n. anything which revives or comforts the heart: a medicine or drink for refreshing the spirits.—adjs. Cor′date (bot.), heart-shaped; Cor′dial-heart′ed.—v.i. Cor′dialise, to become cordial, to fraternise.—ns. Cordial′ity, Cor′dialness.—adv. Cor′dially.—adj. Cor′diform, in the form of a heart. [Fr.,—L. cor, cordis, the heart.]

Cordillera, kor-dil-yā′ra, n. a name applied in America to a chain of mountains, as the Andes and Rocky Mountains. [Sp.,—Old Sp. cordilla—L. chorda, cord.]

Cordiner, kor′di-nėr, n. Same as Cordwainer.

Cordon, kor′don, n. a cord or ribbon bestowed as a badge of honour: (fort.) a row of stones along the line of a rampart: in military operations, a line of sentries within sight of each other, guarding a place to prevent the passage of unauthorised persons.—Cordon bleu, originally the blue ribbon which in France supported the insignia of the order of the Holy Ghost—transferred to other first-class distinctions, and playfully to a first-class cook; Cordon sanitaire, a line of sentries to guard a place infected with contagious disease. [Fr.]

Cordovan, kor′do-van, Cordwain, kord′wān, n. goatskin leather, originally from Cordova in Spain.—ns. Cord′wainer, a worker in cordovan or cordwain: a shoemaker; Cord′wainery.

Corduroy, kor′du-roi, n. a ribbed kind of fustian, a cotton stuff made after the fashion of velvet: (pl.) trousers made of corduroy.—adj. made of corduroy. [Perh. Fr. corde du roi, king's cord.]

Core, kōr, n. the heart: the inner part of anything, esp. of fruit.—v.t. to take out the core of fruit.—adjs. Cored, having the core removed; Core′less, without core: pithless: hollow.—n. Cor′er, an instrument for removing the core. [Ety. dub.; perh. conn. with L. cor, the heart.]

Core, kōr, n. a number of people. [See Corps.]

Co-regent, kō-rē′jent, n. a joint-regent.

Coregonus, ko-reg′o-nus, n. a genus of fishes in the salmon family, found esp. near the coast.—adj. Coreg′onine.

Co-relation, Co-relative. See Correlate.

Co-religionist, kō-re-lij′un-ist, n. one of the same religion as another.

Co-respondent, kō-re-spond′ent, n. (law) a man charged with adultery, and proceeded against along with the wife, who is the respondent.

Corf, korf, n. a variant of Corb (q.v.).

Coriaceous, kōr-i-ā′shus, adj. leathery: of or like leather. [L. corium—Gr. chorion, skin, leather.]

Coriander, kōr-i-an′dėr, n. an annual plant, the seeds of which when fresh have an offensive smell, used as a medicine, spice, &c.—n. Corian′der-seed. [Fr.,—L. coriandrum—Gr. koriannon.]

Corinthian, kor-inth′i-an, adj. pertaining to Corinth, a city of Greece: pertaining to an ornate order of Greek architecture, (M. Arnold) to an over-brilliant literary style: profligate.—n. a profligate: a man of fashion, a 'swell.'—n. Cor′inth (obs.), a brothel, from the notorious licentiousness of Corinth.—v.i. Corinth′ianise, to be licentious.—Corinthian brass, bronze, an alloy made in Corinth, much valued in ancient times: assurance or effrontery.

Corium, kō′ri-um, n. the innermost layer of the skin. [L., a hide.]

Co-rival, Co-rivalry, Co-rivalship. See Corrival.

Cork, kork, n. the outer bark of the cork-tree, an oak found in the south of Europe, &c.: a stopper made of cork: any stopper.—adj. made of cork.—v.t. to stop with a cork: to stop up.—ns. Cork′age, corking or uncorking of bottles: a charge made by hotel-keepers for uncorking of bottles when the liquor has not been supplied from the house; Cork′-cut′ter, one employed in cutting corks for bottles, &c.: an instrument used for this.—adj. Corked, stopped by a cork: tainted by the cork, as wine: blackened by burnt cork.—ns. Cork′er, a finisher: (slang) something conclusive; Cork′ing-pin, a large pin, probably from fastening the hair to a pad of cork; Cork′-jack′et, a jacket made of or lined with cork, to aid in swimming; Cork′-leg, an artificial leg, partly of cork; Cork′-screw, a screw for drawing corks from bottles.—adj. like a cork-screw in shape.—v.i. to move in a spiral manner.—v.t. to pull out with difficulty, as a cork: to obtain information from by force or cunning.—n. Cork′-tree, a species of oak from which cork is obtained.—adj. Cork′y, of or resembling cork: (Shak.) withered. [Sp. corcho—L. cortex, bark, rind.]

Corm, korm, Cormus, kor′mus, n. sometimes called a solid bulb—the short, bulb-like subterranean stem of many plants—e.g. crocus. [Gr. kormos, the lopped trunk of a tree.]

Cormophyte, kor′mō-fīt, n. a plant having a true axis of growth—also Cor′mogen.—adj. Cormophyt′ic.

Cormorant, kor′mo-rant, n. a genus of web-footed sea-birds, of great voracity: a glutton. [Fr. cormoran, from L. corvus marinus, the sea-crow.]

Corn, korn, n. a grain or kernel: seeds that grow in ears, as wheat, rye, &c.: grain of all kinds.—v.t. to form into grains; to sprinkle with salt in grains: to salt.—ns. Corn′-ball (U.S.), a ball of popped corn, sweetened, with white of egg; Corn′-brand′y, spirits made from grain; Corn′-bee′tle, a small beetle, the larva of which is very destructive to grain; Corn′brash, a member of the Lower Oolites (see Oolite); Corn′-cake (U.S.), a cake made of Indian-corn meal; Corn′-chand′ler, a dealer in corn; Corn′-cob, the elongated, woody receptacle constituting the ear of maize; Corn′-cock′le, a tall beautiful weed, with large purple flowers, common in corn-fields; Corn′-crake, one of the true rails, with characteristic cry, frequenting corn-fields.—adj. Corned, granulated; salted.—ns. Corn′-exchange′, a mart where grain is sampled and sold; Corn′-fac′tor, a wholesale dealer in corn; Corn′-field, a field in which corn is growing; Corn′-flag, the popular name of plants of genus Gladiolus; Corn′-flour, the name applied to the finely-ground flour of maize or Indian corn; Corn′-flow′er, a well-known composite weed of corn-fields, having a beautiful deep azure flower; Corn′-fly, Corn′-moth, insects very destructive to corn; Corn′ing-house, a place where corn is granulated; Corn′-land, ground suitable for growing corn; Corn′-law, a law made for the restriction and regulation of the trade in corn: esp. in pl. (in England), laws that restricted the importation of corn by imposing a duty, repealed in 1846; Corn′-loft, a granary; Corn′-mar′igold, a chrysanthemum common in corn-fields; Corn′-mē′ter, an official measurer of corn; Corn′-mill, a mill for grinding corn; Corn′-pars′ley, a European grain-field flower (Petroselinum segetum); Corn′-pipe, a pipe made by slitting the joint of a green stalk of corn; Corn′-popp′y, the common red poppy, a troublesome weed growing in corn-fields; Corn′-rent, a fluctuating rent paid in corn, not money; Corn′-rig (Scot.), a ridge in a corn-field; Corn′-sal′ad, a genus of humble annual weeds, found in corn-fields, of which some are used as spring salads; Corn′stone, a kind of mottled limestone, often concretionary, usually occurring in those systems which are largely composed of reddish sandstones; Corn′-van, a machine for winnowing corn; Corn′-weev′il, a small insect very destructive to stored grain.—adj. Corn′y, like corn, produced from corn: (slang) tipsy.—Corn-cob pipe, a tobacco-pipe with the bowl made of the cob of Indian corn.—Corn in Egypt, an expression signifying abundance, in reference to Gen. xlii. 2. [A.S. corn; Goth. kaurn; akin to L. granum.]

Corn, korn, n. a small hard growth chiefly on the toe or foot, resulting from an increase of thickness of the cuticle, caused by excessive pressure or friction on the part.—adj. Cor′neous, horny.—n. Corn′-plas′ter, a remedial plaster applied to a corn.—adj. Corn′y, of or pertaining to corns: horny.—Tread on one's corns, to injure one's feelings. [O. Fr.,—L. cornu, a horn.]

Cornage, korn′āj, n. an ancient tenure of land in the north country, the tenant being bound to blow a horn in case of a Scottish foray.

Cornea, kor′ne-a, n. the transparent horny membrane which forms the front covering of the eye.—adj. Cor′neal.

Cornel, kor′nel, n. the cornelian cherry or dogwood, a small tree native to southern Europe.—Also Cor′nel-tree, Cornē′lian-tree. [O. Fr. cornille—Low L. corniola, cornolium—L. cornus, cornel.]

Cornelian, kor-nē′li-an, n. a precious stone, a variety of chalcedony.—Also Carnē′lian (q.v.). [Fr. cornaline—L. cornu, a horn.]

Corner, kor′nėr, n. the point where two lines meet: a secret or confined place: an embarrassing position, difficulty: (obs.) a point in a rubber at whist: a free kick given to the opposite side when a player in football kicks the ball over his own goal-line: an operation by which the whole of a stock or commodity is bought up, so that speculative sellers are compelled to buy, to meet their engagements, at the corner-men's own price.—v.t. to supply with corners: to put in a corner: to put in a fix or difficulty.—adj. Cor′nered, having corners: put in a difficult position.—n. Cor′ner-stone, the stone which unites the two walls of a building at a corner: the principal stone, esp. the corner of the foundation of a building—hence (fig.) something of very great importance.—n.pl. Cor′ner-teeth, the lateral incisors of a horse, above and below.—adv. Cor′ner-wise, with the corner in front: diagonally.—Cut off a corner, to take a short cut; Done in a corner, done secretly: Drive into a corner, to put in a fix: to bring to bay; Keep a corner, to reserve a place; The Corner (slang), Tattersall's betting-rooms in London, till 1867 at Hyde Park Corner; Turn the corner, to go round the corner: to get past a difficulty; Within the four corners of, contained in (of a document, &c.). [O. Fr. corniere—L. cornu.]

Cornet, kor′net, n. a brass treble wind-instrument, with a cup mouthpiece—also Cor′net-à-pis′ton, -ons: formerly the lowest grade of commissioned officer in the cavalry—the office was abolished in 1871, sub-lieutenant being substituted.—ns. Cor′netcy, the commission or rank of a cornet; Cor′netist, Cor′nist, a solo cornet-player. [Fr. cornet, dim. of corne, a horn, trumpet. See Corn, lit. horn.]

Cornice, kor′nis, n. (classical archit.) the uppermost member of the entablature, surmounting the frieze: plaster mouldings round the ceiling of rooms at its junction with the walls.—v.t. to furnish with a cornice.—p.adj. Cor′niced.—ns. Cor′nice-hook, -pole, -rail, a hook, pole, rail, for hanging pictures, curtains, &c.—n. Cor′nice-ring, a ring or moulding on a cannon next below the muzzle-ring. [Fr.,—It., perh. Gr. korōnis, a curved line; cf. L. corona.]

Corniculate, kor-nik′ū-lāt, adj. horned: shaped like a horn.—n. Cor′nicle, a little horn or horn-like process.—adj. Cornif′ic, producing horn.—n. Cornificā′tion.—adjs. Cor′niform, in the form of a horn; Corni′gerous, bearing horns. [L. cornu, horn, forma, form, gerĕre, to bear.]

Cornish, korn′ish, adj. pertaining to Cornwall.—n. the people or dialect of Cornwall.—n. Corn′ishman.

Corno, kor′no, n. the French horn.—Corno di bassetto, the basset-horn: an organ-stop. [It.,—L. cornu, a horn.]

Cornopean, kor-nō′pe-an, n. Same as Cornet-à-piston. [See Cornet.]

Cornu, kor′nū, n. a horn (a horn-like part or process):—pl. Cor′nua.—adj. Cor′nual.—Cornu ammonis, the hippocampus major. [L.]

Cornubianite, kor-nū′bi-an-īt, n. a dark-blue laminated rock found in Cornwall with granite.

Cornucopia, kor-nū-kō′pi-a, n. the horn of plenty: according to the fable, the horn of the goat that suckled Jupiter, placed among the stars as an emblem of plenty.—adj. Cornucō′pian, plentiful. [L. cornu, and copia, plenty.]

Cornulites, kor-nū-lī′tez, n.pl. a genus of tubicolous annelids.

Cornute, kor-nūt′, v.t. (obs.) to make a cuckold.—adjs. Cornute′, -d, having horns.—n. Cornut′o (obs.), a cuckold. [L. cornutus, horned—cornu, horn.]

Corocore, kor′ō-kōr, n. a Malay form of boat.

Corody. See Corrody.

Corolla, kō-rol′a, n. the inner circle or whorl of the floral envelopes.—adjs. Corollā′ceous; Corollate, -d.—n. Cor′ollet, a floret of an aggregate flower.—adjs. Corollif′erous; Corolli′florous, Corolliflō′ral; Coroll′iform; Coroll′ine. [L. corolla, dim. of corona, a crown.]

Corollary, kor-ol′a-ri, or kor′ol-a-ri, n. an inference or deduction from recognised facts: a consequence or result. [L. corollarium, a garland—corolla.]

Corona, ko-rō′na, n. (archit.) the large, flat, projecting member of a cornice which crowns the entablature: (bot.) the crown-like appendage at the top of compound flowers: (astron.) the luminous circle or halo which surrounds the moon during a solar total eclipse: (anat.) a term used to signify the upper surface of certain parts of the body: a round pendent chandelier:—pl. usually Corō′næ.—n. Cor′onal, a crown or garland: the frontal bone of the skull.—adjs. Cor′onal, Cor′onary, pertaining to a crown, or to the top of the head; Cor′onāte, -d, crowned, applied to shells with a row of projections round the apex.—ns. Coronā′tion, the act of crowning a sovereign; Corō′nis, a sign (′) marking a crasis, as κἄν = καὶ ἄν; Cor′onule (bot.), an appendage like a small crown. [L. corona, a crown.]

Coronach, kor′o-nah, n. a funeral dirge or lamentation. [Ir. coranach, Gael. corranach.]

Coroner, kor′o-nėr, n. an officer whose duty is to hold inquest into the causes of accidental or suspicious deaths. [Late L. coronator—L. corona.]

Coronet, kor′o-net, n. a small crown inferior to the sovereign's, worn by the nobility: an ornamental head-dress: the part of a horse's pastern just above the coffin—also Cor′net.—adj. Cor′oneted. [O. Fr., dim. of corone, crown.]

Coronoid, kor′o-noid, or kor-ō′noid, adj. (anat.) resembling the beak of a crow, as the coronoid process of the lower jaw. [Gr. korōnē, a crow, eidos, form.]

Corozo, kor-ō′zo, n. a South American tree from whose seed is formed vegetable ivory.

Corporal, kor′po-ral, n. in the British army, the grade of non-commissioned officer next in rank to a sergeant; in the navy, a petty officer under a master-at-arms.—n. Cor′poralship. [Fr. caporal—It. caporale—capo, the head—L. caput, the head.]

Corporal, kor′po-ral, adj. belonging or relating to the body: having a body: not spiritual.—n. the cloth used in Catholic churches for covering the elements of the Eucharist—also Cor′porale, Cor′poras (obs.).—n. Corporal′ity, state of being corporal—opp. to Spirituality.—adv. Cor′porally.—adj. Cor′porate, legally united into a body so as to act as an individual: belonging to a corporation: united.—adv. Cor′porately.—ns. Cor′porateness; Corporā′tion, a body or society authorised by law to act as one individual: rotundity of figure, a pot-belly.—adj. Cor′porātive.—n. Cor′porātor, a member of a corporation.—adj. Corpō′real, having a body or substance; material.—v.i. and v.t. Corpō′realise.—ns. Corpō′realism, materialism; Corpō′realist, a materialist; Corporeal′ity.—adv. Corpō′really.—ns. Corporē′ity; Corporificā′tion, act of corporifying.—v.t. Corpor′ify, to embody: solidify.—Corporal punishment, punishment inflicted on the body, as flogging, &c.—Aggregate corporation, a corporation consisting of several persons; Sole corporation, a corporation which consists of one person and his successors. [L. corporalis—corpus, corpŏris, the body.]

Corposant, kor′po-zant, n. St Elmo's fire, a ball of fire sometimes seen about a ship during a storm. [Port.,—L. corpus sanctum, holy body.]

Corps, kōr, n. a division of an army forming a tactical unit—usually Corps d'armée, or army corps:—pl. Corps (kōrz).—Corps de ballet, the company of ballet dancers at a theatre; Corps de garde, the body of soldiers stationed on guard, their station, a guard-house; Corps diplomatique, the whole diplomatic staff at a particular capital. [Fr., from L. corpus.]

Corpse, korps, or kors, n. the dead body of a human being.—ns. Corpse′-can′dle, a light seen hovering over a grave—an omen of death; Corpse′-gate, the lichgate (see Lichgate). [M. E. corps, earlier cors—O. Fr. cors, the body—L. corpus.]

Corpus, kor′pus, n. a body: any special structure or function in the body; the whole body of literature on any subject.—ns. Cor′pulence, Cor′pulency, fleshiness of body; excessive fatness.—adj. Cor′pulent, fleshy or fat.—adv. Cor′pulently.—n. Cor′puscle, a minute particle; a physical atom—also Corpus′cule.—adjs. Corpus′cular, Corpusculā′rian, pertaining to corpuscles.—ns. Corpusculā′rian, one who holds the corpuscular philosophy; Corpuscular′ity.—Corpus Christi, the festival in honour of the Consecrated Host, held on the Thursday after the festival of the Trinity; Corpus delicti, a criminal law term in Scotland to signify the body or substance of the crime charged.—Corpuscular theory of light, or Emission theory (see Emit). [L. corpus, the body.]

Corradiate, kor-rād′ī-āt, v.i. to radiate together.—n. Corradiā′tion.

Corral, kor-al′, n. an enclosure for cattle, &c.—v.t. to form such. [Sp.]

Correct, kor-ekt′, v.t. to make right: to remove faults: to punish: to counterbalance: to bring into a normal state.—adj. made right or straight: free from faults: true.—adjs. Correct′able, Correct′ible.—adv. Correct′ly.—n. Correc′tion, amendment: punishment: bodily chastisement.—adjs. Correc′tional, Correct′ive, tending, or having the power, to correct.—ns. Correc′tioner (Shak.), one who administers correction; Correct′ive, that which corrects; Correct′ness; Correct′or, he who, or that which, corrects: a director or governor.—adj. Correct′ory, corrective.—Under correction, subject to correction—often used as a formal expression of deference to a superior authority. [L. corrigĕre, correctum—cor, inten., regĕre, to rule.]

Correg′idor, ko-rej′i-dōr, n. the chief magistrate of a Spanish town.

Correlate, kor′e-lāt, v.i. to be mutually related, as father and son.—n. Correlā′tion.—adj. Correl′ative, mutually or reciprocally related.—n. a person or thing correspondingly related to another person or thing.—adv. Correl′atively.—ns. Correl′ativeness, Correlativ′ity. [Coined from L. cor, with, and Relate.]

Correligionist. See Co-religionist.

Correption, kor-ep′shun, n. shortening in pronunciation: (obs.) reproof.

Correspond, kor-e-spond′, v.i. to answer, suit, agree (with to, with): to hold intercourse, esp. by sending and receiving letters.—ns. Correspond′ence, Correspond′ency, suitableness, harmony, relation of agreement: friendly intercourse: communication by means of letters: letters which pass between correspondents.—adj. Correspond′ent, agreeing with: suitable.—n. one with whom intercourse is kept up by letters: one who contributes letters to a journal.—adv. Correspond′ently.—adj. Correspond′ing, correspondent: answering: suiting: carrying on correspondence by letters.—adv. Correspond′ingly.—adj. Correspon′sive, corresponding: answering.—Doctrine of correspondences, the theory of Swedenborg that there is a spiritual antitype corresponding to every natural object, and that Scripture contains the key to these correspondences. [Coined from L. cor, with, and respondēre.]

Corridor, kor′i-dōr, n. a passage-way or open gallery communicating with separate chambers.—n. Corr′idor-train, a train in which one can pass along from one carriage to another without having to leave the train. [Fr.,—It. corridore, a runner, a running—It. correre, to run—L. currĕre.]

Corrie, kor′i, n. a term applied in Scotland and Ireland to semicircular recesses or cirques in mountains, generally flanked by steep and lofty hills. [Gael. coire, a cauldron, or large pot.]

Corrigendum, kor-i-jen′dum, n. that which requires correction:—pl. Corrigen′da, corrections to be made in a book. [L., gerundive of corrigĕre, to correct.]

Corrigent, kor′i-jent, adj. corrective.—n. a corrective.

Corrigible, kor′i-ji-bl, adj. that may be corrected: open to correction.—n. Corrigibil′ity.

Corrival, kor-rī′val, n. a fellow-rival: a competitor: an equal.—adj. contending: emulous.—v.i. and v.t. to rival: to vie with.—ns. Corrī′valry; Corrī′valship. [L. con, with, and Rival.]

Corroborate, kor-ob′o-rāt, v.t. to confirm: to make more certain.—adjs. Corrob′orant, Corrob′orative, tending to confirm.—n. that which corroborates.—ns. Corroborā′tion, confirmation; Corrob′orator.—adj. Corrob′oratory, corroborative. [L. cor, inten., and roborāre, -ātum, to make strong. See Robust.]

Corroboree, ko-rob′ō-ri, n. Australian name for a gathering of aborigines, held on moonlight nights, when they engage in dancing and other exercises.

Corrode, kor-ōd′, v.t. to eat away by degrees: to rust.—v.i. to be eaten away.—adj. Corrod′ent, having the power of corroding.—n. that which corrodes.—ns. Corrodibil′ity, Corrosibil′ity, Corrō′sibleness.—adjs. Corrod′ible, Corros′ible, that may be corroded.—n. Corrō′sion, act of eating or wasting away.—adj. Corros′ive, having the quality of eating away.—n. that which has the power of corroding.—adv. Corros′ively.—n. Corros′iveness.—Corrosive sublimate, the popular name of the highly poisonous bichloride of mercury (mercuric chloride). [L. cor, inten., rodĕre, rosum, to gnaw.]

Corrody, Corody, kor′o-di, n. an allowance: pension: originally the right of the lord to claim free lodging from the vassal. [O. Fr. conroi.]

Corrugate, kor′oo-gāt, v.t. to wrinkle or draw into folds.—p.adjs. Corr′ugant; Corr′ugated.—ns. Corrugā′tion, the act of wrinkling or being wrinkled: a wrinkle; Corr′ugator (anat.) one of the two muscles that wrinkle the brow.—Corrugated metal, metal passed between pairs of rollers with ridged surfaces, the ridges of one fitting into the hollows of the other, the plates operated on being bent and compressed into the wavy outline of the rolls. [L. cor, inten., rugāre, -ātum, to wrinkle—ruga, a wrinkle.]

Corrupt, kor-upt′, v.t. to make putrid: to defile: to mar: to debase: to bribe.—v.i. to rot: to lose purity.—adj. putrid: depraved: defiled: not genuine: full of errors.—ns. Corrupt′er; Corruptibil′ity, Corrupt′ibleness.—adj. Corrupt′ible, liable to be corrupted.—adv. Corrupt′ibly.—ns. Corrup′tion, rottenness: putrid matter: impurity: bribery; Corrup′tionist, one who defends or who practises corruption.—adj. Corrupt′ive, having the quality of corrupting.—adv. Corrupt′ly.—n. Corrupt′ness. [L. cor, inten., and rumpĕre, ruptum, to break.]

Corsage, kor′sāj, n. the bodice or waist of a woman's dress. [O. Fr.,—cors—L. corpus, the body.]

Corsair, kor′sār, n. a pirate: a pirate's vessel. [Fr. corsaire, one who makes the course or ranges—L. cursus, a running—currĕre, to run.]

Corse, kors, n. a poetic form of Corpse.

Corselet. Same as Corslet.

Corset, kor′set, n. a closely-fitting inner bodice, stiffened with whalebone, &c., and laced up: stays. [Dim. of O. Fr. cors—L. corpus, the body.]

Corslet, Corselet, kors′let, n. a cuirass, formerly the usual body-covering of pikemen, chiefly of leather, and pistol-proof.—p.adj. Cors′leted. [Fr. corselet, dim. of O. Fr. cors—L. corpus, the body.]

Corsned, kors′ned, n. a kind of ordeal, wherein the accused was required to swallow consecrated bread and cheese; if it stuck in his throat he was pronounced guilty. [A.S. corsnǽd—cor, trial, from coren, pa.p. of céosan, to choose, and snǽd, a piece, from snídan, to cut.]

Cortege, kor-tāzh′, n. a train of attendants: a procession, a funeral procession. [Fr.,—It. corteggio—corte, court.]

Cortes, kor′tes, n. the parliament of Spain and Portugal. [Sp., pl. of corte, a court.]

Cortex, kor′teks, n. the bark or skin of a plant: a covering.—adjs. Cor′tical, pertaining to the cortex: external; Cor′ticate, -d, furnished with bark; Corticif′ėrous, producing bark; Cortic′iform, resembling bark; Cor′ticole, Cortic′olous, growing on bark; Cor′ticose, barky. [L. cortex, corticis, bark.]

Cortile, kor-tē′le, n. an enclosed courtyard within a building, generally roofless. [It.]

Corundum, ko-run′dum, n. a mineral consisting of mere alumina, yet of great specific gravity—about four times that of water—and second in hardness only to the diamond. [Hind. kurund.]

Coruscate, kor′us-kāt, v.i. to sparkle: to throw off flashes of light.—adj. Corus′cant, flashing.—n. Coruscā′tion, a glittering: sudden flash of light. [L. coruscāre, -ātum, to vibrate, glitter.]

Corvée, kor-vā′, n. the obligations on the inhabitants of districts to perform gratuitous labour (such as the maintenance of roads) for the sovereign or feudal lord. [Fr.,—Low L. corrogata—L. corrogāre—cor, together, regāre, to ask.]

Corvet. Same as Curvet.

Corvette, kor-vet′, n. a flush-decked vessel, ship, or barque, rigged, having only one tier of guns, either on the upper or main deck. [Fr.,—Sp. corbeta—L. corbīta, a slow-sailing ship, from corbis, a basket.]

Corvine, kor′vīn, adj. pertaining to the crow.—n. Cor′vus, the typical genus of Corvinæ: a hooked ram for destroying walls: a southern constellation: a grappling-hook in ancient Roman naval warfare. [L. corvinus—corvus, a crow.]

Corybant, kor′i-bant, n. a priest of Cybele, whose rites were accompanied with noisy music and wild dances:—Eng. pl. Cor′ybants; L. pl. Corybantes (kor-i-ban′tēz).—adj. Coryban′tic, wildly excited.—n. Cor′ybantism. [Gr. korybas, korybantos.]

Corydaline, kor′id-a-lin, n. an alkaloid obtained from the root of Corydalis tuberosa.

Corydon, kor′i-don, n. generic name for a rustic. [L. and Gr. proper name applied to a shepherd.]

Corylus, kor′i-lus, n. a genus of small trees, including the common hazel. [L.]

Corymb, kor′imb, n. (bot.) a convex flower-cluster of indefinite inflorescence.—adjs. Corym′biate, -d; Corymbif′erous; Corym′bose, Corym′bous, Corym′bulous. [L. corymbus—Gr. korymbos, a cluster.]

Corymbus, ko-rim′bus, n. the knot on the top of the head into which girls gathered their hair. [Gr.]

Corypha, kor′i-fa, n. a genus of tropical Asian palms with fan-shaped leaves. [Gr. koryphē, the top.]

Coryphæus, kor-i-fē′us, n. the chief or leader, esp. the leader of a chorus.—n. Coryphée (kor-i-fā′), the principal danseuse in the ballet. [L.,—Gr. koryphaios—koryphē, the head.]

Coryphene, kor′i-fēn, n. a fish of the genus Coryphæna, which includes the dolphins. [Gr.]

Corystes, ko-ris′tēz, n.pl. a genus of long-armed crabs, of family Corystidæ. [Gr. korys, helmet.]

Coryza, ko-rī′za, n. a cold in the head. [L.,—Gr.]

Cosaque, kos-ak′, n. a cracker bon-bon.

Coscinomancy, kos′i-no-man-si, n. an ancient mode of divination by a sieve and pair of shears. [Gr. koskinon, a sieve, manteia, divination.]

Cose, kōz, v.i. to make one's self cosy.—adj. Cosh (Scot.), cosy, snug. [See Cosy.]

Cosecant, kō-sē′kant, n. (trig.) the secant of the complement of an angle.

Coseismal, kō-sīs′mal, adj. experiencing an earthquake shock simultaneously at all points.—Also Coseis′mic.

Co-sentient, kō-sen′shi-ent, adj. perceiving together.

Cosh. See Cose.

Cosher, kosh′ėr, v.t. to pamper, to coddle.—v.i. to chat in a friendly way.

Coshery, kosh′ėr-i, n. the ancient right of an Irish chief to quarter himself and his retainers on his tenantry—also Cosh′ering.—v.i. Cosh′er, to live on dependants.—n. Cosh′erer. [Ir. coisir, a feast.]

Cosier. Same as Cozier.

Co-signatory, kō-sig′na-tō-ri, adj. uniting with others in signing: one who does so.—adj. Co-signif′icative, having the same signification.

Cosinage, kus′nāj, n. collateral relationship.—Also Cos′enage.

Co-sine, kō′-sīn, n. the sine of the complement of a given angle (whose co-sine it is).

Cosmetic, koz-met′ik, adj. improving beauty, esp. that of the complexion.—n. a preparation for beautifying the skin and hair.—adj. Cosmet′ical.—adv. Cosmet′ically.—v.t. Cosmet′icise.—n. Cosmet′icism. [Gr. kosmētikos—kosmein—kosmos, order.]

Cosmic. See Cosmos.

Cosmogony, koz-mog′o-ni, n. the theory of the origin of the universe and its inhabitants—also Cosmog′eny.—adjs. Cosmogonet′ic; Cosmog′onal, Cosmogon′ic, -al, relating to cosmogony.—n. Cosmog′onist, one who speculates on the origin of the universe. [Gr. kosmogonia—kosmos, and root of gignesthai, to be born.]

Cosmography, koz-mog′ra-fi, n. a description of the world: the science of the constitution of the universe.—n. Cosmog′rapher.—adjs. Cosmograph′ic, -al. [Gr.,—kosmos, and graphein, to write.]

Cosmology, koz-mol′o-ji, n. the science of the universe as a whole: a treatise on the structure and parts of the system of creation.—adj. Cosmolog′ical.—n. Cosmol′ogist, one versed in cosmology.—adj. Cosmoplas′tic, moulding the universe. [Gr. kosmos, and logia, discourse.]

Cosmopolitan, koz-mo-pol′i-tan, n. a citizen of the world: one free from local or national prejudices—also Cosmop′olite.—adj. belonging to all parts of the world: unprejudiced.—ns. Cosmopol′itanism, Cosmop′olitism, Cosmopol′icy (Shelley).—adjs. Cosmopol′itic, -polit′ical. [Gr. kosmopolitēs—kosmos, and politēs, a citizen—polis, a city.]

Cosmorama, koz-mo-rä′ma, n. a view, or a series of views, of different parts of the world.—adj. Cosmoram′ic. [Gr. kosmos, and horama, a spectacle.]

Cosmos, koz′mos, n. the world as an orderly or systematic whole—opp. to Chaos: order.—adjs. Cos′mic, relating to the cosmos: orderly; Cos′mical, cosmic: (astron.) happening at sunrise: rising with the sun.—adv. Cos′mically.—ns. Cos′mism, the notion of the cosmos as a self-existing whole; Cos′mist, a secularist; Cos′mocrat, ruler of the world.—adj. Cosmocrat′ic.—ns. Cos′molabe, a kind of astrolabe—also Pantocosm; Cosmol′atry, worship paid to the world; Cosmom′etry, the art of measuring the world; Cos′mosphere, an apparatus for showing the position of the earth at any given time with reference to the fixed stars; Cosmothē′ism, the belief that identifies God with the cosmos: pantheism.—adjs. Cosmothet′ic, -al, assuming an external world. [Gr.]

Co-sphered, kō-sfērd′, adj. being in the same sphere.

Coss, kos, n. a measure of distance in India, averaging about 1¾ mile. [Hindi kōs—Sans. kroça, a call.]

Cossack, kos′ak, n. one of a people in south-eastern Russia, forming splendid light cavalry. [Turk.]

Cossas, kos′az, n.pl. plain muslins. [East Ind.]

Cosset, kos′set, n. a lamb reared in the house without a dam: a pet.—v.t. to fondle. [Ety. dub.]

Cost, kost, v.t. to bring a certain price: to require to be laid out or suffered:—pa.t. and pa.p. cost.—n. what is laid out or suffered to obtain anything: (pl.) expenses of a lawsuit.—adj. Cost′-free, free of charge.—n. Cost′liness.—adv. Cost′ly, of great cost: high-priced: valuable.—Cost price, the price which the merchant pays.—Prime cost, the price of production, without regard to profit. [O. Fr. couster (Fr. coûter)—L. constāre, to stand at.]

Costal, kos′tal, adj. relating to the ribs, or to the side of the body.—adjs. Cos′tāte, -d, ribbed: having the appearance of ribs. [L. costa, a rib.]

Costard, kos′tard, n. a large kind of apple: the human head (contemptuously).—ns. Cos′tardmonger, Cos′ter, Cos′termonger, a seller of apples and other fruit: an itinerant seller of fruit: a term of abuse. [Perh. from L. costa, a rib.]

Costean, kos-tēn′, v.i. to try to find a lode by sinking pits down to bed-rock.—ns. Cost′-book, a book containing the names and shares of the joint adventurers in a mine; Costean′ing; Costean′-pit. [Corn. cothas, dropped, stean, tin.]

Costive, kos′tiv, adj. having the motion of the bowels too slow: constipated.—adv. Cos′tively.—n. Cos′tiveness, slowness in the action of the bowels. [Fr. constipé. See Constipate.]

Costmary, kost′mār-i, n. a herbaceous perennial composite of southern Europe, introduced from Italy in 1568, and cultivated in gardens for the fragrance of the leaves. [L. costum—Gr. kostos, an Oriental aromatic plant, and Maria, the Virgin Mary.]

Costrel, kos′trel, n. a kind of bottle with ears, to be hung at the waist. [O. Fr. costerel.]

Costume, kos-tūm′, or kos′tūm, n. the manner of dressing prevalent at a particular period or place: dress, esp. a woman's dress.—v.t. to dress.—p.adj. Costumed′.—ns. Costum′er, Costum′ier, one who makes or deals in costumes. [Fr.,—It.,—Low L. costuma—L. consuetudo, custom.]

Co-supreme, kō-sū-prēm′, n. (obs.) a sharer with another in supremacy.

Co-surety, kō-shōōr′ti, n. one who is surety along with others.

Cosy, Cozy, kō′zi, adj. (Scot.) snug: comfortable.—n. a covering used for a teapot, to keep the tea warm—also Tea′-cō′sy.—adv. Cō′sily. [Ety. dub.]

Cot, kot, n. a small dwelling, a cottage.—ns. Cot′-folk (Scot.), cottars; Cot′-house, a house occupied by a cottar; Cot′-land, land belonging to a cottage; Cot′-quean (Shak.), a man who busies himself with women's affairs.—adj. Cot′ted, lined with cots.—n. Cot′-town, a number of cot-houses. [A.S. cot; cf. Ice. kot, Dut. kot.]

Cot, kot, n. a small bed: a swinging bed of canvas, suspended from the beams of a ship, for the officers: a bed for a child, a crib. [Anglo-Ind.—Hind. khāt.]

Cot, kot, n. a small boat. [Ir.]

Co-tangent, kō-tan′jent, n. the tangent of the complement of an angle.

Cote, kōt, n. a cot: a place for animals, as dove-cote or dove-cot, sheep-cote. [A.S. cote. Cf. Cot (1).]

Cote, kōt, v.t. to pass by: to outstrip, leave behind. [Der. obscure; perh. conn. with Coast.]

Cotemporaneous, -temporary. Same as Contemporaneous, -temporary.

Co-tenant, kō-ten′ant, n. one who is a tenant along with another.—n. Co-ten′ancy.

Coterie, kō′te-rē, n. a number of persons meeting familiarly for social, literary, or other purposes. [Fr.; orig. a number of peasants obtaining a joint tenure of land from a lord—Low L. cota, a hut. See Cot.]

Coterminous. Same as Conterminous.

Cothurn, kō′thurn, Cothurnus, kō-thur′nus, n. a buskin or high boot laced in front, worn in tragic performances. [L. cothurnus—Gr. kothornos.]

Coticular, ko-tik′ū-lar, adj. pertaining to whetstones. [L.]

Co-tidal, kō-tīd′al, adj. noting an equality in the tides, applied to lines on a chart or map passing through places that have high tide at the same time.

Cotillion, ko-til′yun, Cotillon, ko-ti′yong, n. a brisk dance by eight persons. [Fr.,—cotte, a coat—Low L. cotta, a tunic. See Coat.]

Cotinga, kō-ting′ga, n. a genus of passerine birds of bright plumage, represented by six species in central and in tropical South America. [Native name.]

Cotise, Cottise, kō′tis, n. (her.) one of the diminutives of the bend (q.v.).—v.t. to border a bend, &c., with cotises, barrulets, &c. [Fr. cotice; origin obscure.]

Cotoneaster, kō-tō-ni-as′tėr, n. a genus of shrubs or small trees, closely allied to the hawthorn and medlar. [Formed from L. cotonea, quince.]

Cotswold, kots′wold, n. a breed of sheep.—Cotswold lions, sheep.

Cotta, kot′a, n. a surplice. [Low L. cotta.]

Cottabus, kot′a-bus, n. an amusement in ancient Greece among young men, consisting in throwing wine into a vessel, success at which betokened fortune in love. [L.,—Gr. kottabos.]

Cottage, kot′āj, n. a small dwelling-house, esp. of labourers, varying greatly in size, appearance, and comfort: a country residence.—adj. Cott′aged, covered with cottages.—n. Cott′ager, one who dwells in a cottage, esp. of labourers.—Cottage allotments, pieces of land allotted to cottagers to be cultivated as gardens; Cottage piano, a small upright piano. [See Cot.]

Cottar, Cotter, kot′ėr, n. (Scot.) a peasant occupying a cot or cottage for which he has to give labour.—ns. Cott′ier, a cottar: an Irish tenant; Cott′ierism, the cottier system of land tenure.

Cotter, kot′ėr, n. a pin or wedge for fastening and tightening. [Origin obscure.]

Cotton, kot′n, n. a soft substance like fine wool, got from the pods of the cotton-plant: cloth made of cotton.—adj. made of cotton.—v.t. to provide with cotton.—v.i. to agree: to be attached to (the connection of the intransitive meanings is unknown).—ns. Cottonade′, a name given to an inferior kind of cotton cloth; Cott′on-gin, a machine for separating the seeds from the fibre of cotton; Cott′on-grass, a genus of Cyperaceæ in which the perigone or covering of united bracts, which in this order enclose the ripening ovary, is developed into long, silky, or cottony hairs; Cottonoc′racy, the cotton planting or the cotton manufacturing interest; Cott′on-plant, one of various plants of the genus Gossypium, natural order Malvaceæ, yielding the textile substance cotton; Cott′on-press, a press for compressing cotton into bales; Cott′on-seed, the seed of the cotton-plant, yielding a valuable oil; Cott′on-spin′ner, one who spins cotton, or employs those who do; Cott′on-tail, the ordinary United States rabbit; Cott′on-this′tle, a strong thistle covered with a cottony down; Cott′on-tree, the American cotton-wood: the Indian Bombax malabaricum; Cott′on-weed, cudweed or everlasting; Cott′on-wood, any one of several American species of poplar; Cott′on-wool, cotton in its raw or woolly state.—adj. Cott′ony, like cotton: soft: downy. [Fr. coton—Ar. qutun.]

Cotyle, kot′i-lē, n. an ancient Greek drinking-cup: (zool.) a cup-like cavity:—pl. Cot′ylæ, or Cot′yles.—adj. Cotyl′iform. [Gr.]

Cotyledon, kot-i-lē′don, n. (bot.) the term applied to the seed-leaves of the embryo: the seed-leaf.—adjs. Cotylē′donary; Cotylē′donous, pertaining to or having cotyledons or seed-lobes; Cot′yloid, cup-shaped. [L.,—Gr. kotylēdōn—kotylē, a cup.]

Coucal, kōō′kal, n. a genus of common bush-birds in Africa and India.

Couch, kowch, v.t. to lay down on a bed, &c.: to lower: to level: to arrange in language, to express: to depress or remove a cataract in the eye.—v.i. to lie down for the purpose of sleep, concealment, &c.: to bend or stoop in reverence.—n. any place for rest or sleep: a bed: the lair of a wild beast.—adj. Couch′ant, couching or lying down: (her.) of a beast lying down with his head up.—ns. Couch′-fell′ow, Couch′-mate, a bed-fellow; Couching.—Couch a spear, to fix it in its rest at the side of the armour. [Fr. coucher, to lie down—L. collocāre, to place—com, together, locus, a place.]

Couch, kowch, Couch-grass, kowch′-gras, n. a grass of the same genus with wheat, but a widespread and troublesome weed. [A variant of Quitch.]

Couchee, kōō′shā, n. an evening party or reception. [Fr. couché. See Couch.]

Cougar, kōō′gar, n. an American animal, same as the puma. [Fr. couguar, from native name.]

Cough, kof, n. an effort of the lungs to throw off injurious matter, accompanied by a harsh sound, proceeding from the throat.—v.i. to make this effort.—v.t. to expel from the throat or lungs by a cough.—ns. Cough′-drop, -loz′enge, a sweetmeat taken to cure coughing; Cough′er; Cough′ing,—Cough down, to drown a speaker's voice by coughing, so that he must stop. [M. E. coughen; cf. Dut. kuchen, Ger. keuchen, keichen, to gasp.]

Could, kood, pa.t. of Can. [M. E. coude, couth—A.S. cúðe for cunðe, was able; l is inserted from the influence of would and should.]

Coulée, kōō-lā′, or kōō′li, n. a ravine, esp. one worn out by water. [Fr.,—couler, to flow.]

Couleur, kool′ār, n. French word for Colour.—n. Coul′eur-de-rose′, rose colour.—adv. in a favourable light: fanciful.

Coulisse, kōō-lis′, n. a piece of grooved wood, as the slides in which the side-scenes of a theatre run—hence, the side-scene of a theatre. [Fr.,—couler, to glide, to flow—L. colāre, to flow.]

Couloir, kool-wär, n. a gully filled with snow. [Fr.]

Coulomb, koo-lom′, n. the unit of quantity in measuring current electricity: the quantity furnished by a current of one ampere in one second. [From the French physicist, C. A. de Coulomb (1736-1806).]

Coulter. See Colter.

Coumarine, koo′ma-rin, n. a crystalline compound obtained in Tonka beans, &c.—also Cu′marin.—adjs. Cou′maric, Coumaril′ic.

Council, kown′sil, n. an assembly called together for deliberation or advice: the body of men constituting such an assembly: the body of men directing the affairs of the city: an assembly of ecclesiastics met to regulate doctrine or discipline (diocesan, provincial, national, general, or œcumenical).—ns. Coun′cil-board, the board or table round which a council meets for deliberation: the council itself; Coun′cil-cham′ber, the room where a council is held; Coun′cillor, a member of a council, esp. of a common council; Coun′cil-man, a member of a municipal council.—Council of war, a conference of military or naval officers called to meet and consult with the commander.—General council, one called by an invitation to the church at large, also Œcumenical, if received by the Catholic Church in general—as the first seven, 325-787.—In council, in the council-chamber: in giving advice.—Privy-council (see Privy). [Fr. concile—L. concilium.]

Counsel, kown′sel, n. consultation: deliberation: advice: plan: purpose: one who gives counsel, a barrister or advocate.—v.t. to give advice: to warn:—pr.p. coun′selling; pa.p. coun′selled.—n. Coun′sel-keep′er (Shak.), one who can keep counsel or a secret.—adjs. Coun′sel-keep′ing (Shak.), keeping counsel or secrets; Coun′sellable, that may be counselled.—ns. Coun′sellor, one who counsels: a barrister; Coun′sellorship.—Counsel of perfection, a declaration of our Lord's, not absolutely imperative, but commended as the means of reaching greater perfection; Keep counsel, to keep a secret; King's counsel (K.C.), a barrister-at-law appointed by letters-patent—the office is honorary, but gives the right of precedence in all the courts. [Fr. conseil—L. consilium, advice—consulĕre, to consult.]

Count, kownt, n. on the Continent, a title of nobility equal in rank to an English earl:—fem. Count′ess, the wife of a count or earl (fem. of earl).—ns. Count′ship, a count's dignity or domain (also used as a title); Coun′ty, a portion of a country separated for the administration of justice: a shire; Coun′ty-fam′ily, a family of the nobility or gentry (Coun′ty-people), with estates and a seat in the county. [O. Fr. conte—L. comes, comitis, a companion, con, with, īre, itum, to go.]

Count, kownt, v.t. to number, sum up: to ascribe: esteem: consider.—v.i. to add to or increase a number by being counted to it: to depend.—n. act of numbering: the number counted: a particular charge in an indictment.—adj. Count′able, capable of being counted.—ns. Count′er, he who or that which counts: that which indicates a number: a piece of metal, &c., used in reckoning: a table on which money is counted or goods laid; Count′ing-house, Count′ing-room, the house or room in which merchants keep their accounts and transact business.—adj. Count′less, that cannot be counted: innumerable.—n. Count′-wheel, a wheel with notched edge controlling the stroke of a clock in sounding the hours. [O. Fr. cunter (Fr. compter)—L. computāre.]

Countenance, kown′ten-ans, n. the face: the expression of the face: appearance.—v.t. to favour or approve.—n. Coun′tenancer.—Change countenance, to change the expression of the face; His countenance fell, he became dejected or angry; In countenance, unabashed—opp. to Out of countenance. [O. Fr. contenance—L. continentia, restraint, demeanour—L. continēre, to contain.]

Counter, kown′tėr, adv. against: in opposition.—adj. contrary: opposite.—n. that which is counter of opposite: (mus.) the voice-part set in immediate contrast with the air: (fencing) a parry in which one foil follows the other in a small circle: the part of a horse's breast between the shoulders and under the neck: (naut.) the part of a ship between the water-line and the knuckle of the stern.—v.t. Counteract′, to act counter or in opposition to: to hinder or defeat.—n. Counterac′tion.—adj. Counteract′ive, tending to counteract.—n. one who or that which counteracts.—adv. Counteract′ively.—ns. Coun′ter-ag′ent, anything which counteracts; Coun′ter-approach′, a work thrown up outside a besieged place to command or check the approaches of the besieger; Coun′ter-attrac′tion, attraction in an opposite direction.—adj. Coun′ter-attract′ive, attracting in an opposite direction.—v.t. Counterbal′ance, to balance by weight on the opposite side: to act against with equal weight, power, or influence.—ns. Coun′terbalance, an equal weight, power, or agency working in opposition; Coun′terbase (see Contrabass); Coun′ter-batt′ery (mil.), a battery erected to oppose another; Coun′ter-blast, something done in opposition to another thing; Coun′ter-bond, a bond to protect from contingent loss one who has given bond for another.—v.t. Coun′ter-brace (naut.), to brace or fasten (the head-yards and after-yards) in opposite ways.—n. the lee-brace of the fore-topsail-yard.—n. Coun′terbuff, a stroke that stops motion or causes a recoil.—v.t. to drive back by such.—ns. Coun′ter-cast (Spens.), a contrary cast, counterplot, trick; Coun′ter-cast′er (Shak.), one who casts accounts: a book-keeper—used in contempt; Coun′ter-change, (Shak.), exchange, reciprocation.—p.adj. Coun′terchanged′, exchanged: (her.) intermixed or set one against the other, as the colours of the field and charge.—n. Coun′ter-charge, a charge brought forward in opposition to another charge.—v.t. Coun′tercharm, to destroy or dissolve the effects of another charm.—n. that which destroys the effects of another charm.—v.t. Coun′ter-check, to check by some obstacle: to rebuke.—ns. Counter-check′, a check in opposition to another: a rebuke; Counter-claim, kown′tėr-klām, n. a cross-demand brought forward as a partial or complete set-off against another claim.; Coun′ter-curr′ent, a current flowing in an opposite direction; Coun′ter-drain, a drain alongside a canal, &c., to carry off water oozing out.—v.t. Coun′terdraw, to trace on oiled paper or other transparent material.—ns. Coun′ter-ev′idence, evidence brought forward in opposition to other evidence; Coun′terfoil, the corresponding part of a bank cheque, &c., retained by the giver; Coun′ter-force, an opposing force; Coun′ter-fort (fort.), a buttress, or arch behind the revetments or retaining walls of the ditches of permanent fortifications; Coun′ter-gauge, an adjustable scribing gauge for marking the measurements of a mortise on a piece to be tenoned; Coun′ter-guard (fort.), an outwork consisting of two lines of rampart running parallel to the faces of the bastion, to guard the bastion from being breached; Coun′ter-in′fluence, an opposing influence; Coun′ter-irr′itant, an agent or substance applied to the skin so as to redden, to vesicate, or to produce pustules, &c.; Coun′ter-irritā′tion, an artificial irritation produced in one part of the body to act in opposition to and remove already existing irritation; Coun′terlight (paint.), a light opposite to any object, disturbing the effect of its light.—v.i. Coun′termarch, to march back or in a direction contrary to a former one.—n. a marching backward or in a direction different from a former one: (mil.) an evolution by which a body of men change front, and still retain the same men in the front rank: change of measures.—n. Coun′termark, an additional mark put on a bale of goods belonging to several merchants, so that it may not be opened except in the presence of all the owners: a mark put on standard metal by the London Goldsmiths' Company in addition to the artificer's: an artificial cavity made in the teeth of horses to disguise their age.—v.t. Coun′termine, to make a mine in opposition to: to oppose by means of a countermine: (fig.) to frustrate by secret working:—pr.p. countermin′ing; pa.p. countermined′.—ns. Coun′ter-mine (mil.), a mine or chamber excavated by the besieged to counteract or destroy the mines made by the besiegers: (fig.) any means of counteraction; Coun′ter-mō′tion, an opposite motion; Coun′ter-move, -move′ment, a contrary move, movement.—v.t. Coun′termure, to fortify a wall with another wall.—ns. Coun′ter-ō′pening, an aperture or vent on the opposite side, or in a different place; Coun′ter-pace, a step in opposition to another, a contrary measure.—adj. Coun′ter-paled (her.), divided equally, as an escutcheon, first palewise, then by a line fesswise, with two tinctures countercharged.—ns. Coun′ter-parole′, a word in addition to the password; Coun′terpart, the part that answers to another part: that which fits into or completes another, having the qualities which another lacks, and so an opposite.—adj. Coun′ter-pass′ant (her.), denoting two animals in a coat of arms represented as passing each other the contrary way.—n. Coun′terplea, a replication to a plea or request.—v.t. Counterplead′, to plead the contrary of; Coun′terplot′, to plot against in order to frustrate another plot:—pr.p. counterplot′ting; pa.p. counterplot′ted.—n. a plot or stratagem opposed to another plot.—v.t. Coun′terpoise, to poise or weigh against or on the opposite side: to act in opposition to with equal effect.—n. an equally heavy weight in the other scale—(Spens.) Coun′terpoys.—ns. Coun′ter-pois′on, a poison used as the antidote of another; Coun′ter-pres′sure, opposing pressure; Coun′ter-proof, an inverted impression obtained from a newly printed proof of an engraving, by laying it, while the ink is still wet, upon plain paper, and passing it through the press; Coun′ter-revolū′tion, a subsequent revolution counteracting the effect of a previous; Coun′ter-roll, a copy of the rolls relating to appeals, inquests, &c., serving as a check on another's roll; Coun′ter-round, a body of officers which goes to inspect the rounds.—adj. Coun′tersā′lient (her.), salient in opposite directions.—n. Coun′terscarp (fort.), the side of the ditch nearest to the besiegers and opposite to the scarp.—v.t. Counterseal′ (Shak.), to seal along with others.—ns. Coun′ter-secur′ity, security given to one who has become surety for another; Coun′ter-sense, an interpretation contrary to the real sense.—v.t. Countersign′, to sign on the opposite side of a writing: to sign in addition to the signature of a superior, to attest the authenticity of a writing.—ns. Coun′tersign, a military private sign or word, which must be given in order to pass a sentry: a counter-signature; Coun′ter-sig′nal, a signal used as an answer to another; Coun′ter-sig′nature, a name countersigned to a writing.—v.t. Coun′tersink, to bevel the edge of a hole, as for the head of a screw-nail (a a in fig.)—it is usually done by a Countersink-bit (b in fig.) in a brace.—ns. Coun′ter-stand, opposition, resistance; Coun′ter-state′ment, a statement in opposition to another statement; Coun′ter-stroke (Spens.), a stroke given in return for another stroke; Coun′ter-tal′ly, a tally serving as a check to another; Coun′ter-ten′or, name applied to alto when sung by a male voice (so called because a contrast to tenor); Coun′ter-time, the resistance of a horse that interrupts his cadence and the measure of his manège: resistance, opposition; Coun′terturn, a turn in a play different from what was expected.—v.t. Countervail′, to be of avail against: to act against with equal effect: to be of equal value to: to compensate [Counter and Avail].—n. Coun′ter-view, an opposing view: a posture in which two persons face each other: opposition: contrast.—v.t. Coun′ter-vote, to vote in opposition to; Coun′ter-weigh, to weigh against, counterbalance.—ns. Coun′ter-weight, a weight in an opposite scale.—v.i. Coun′ter-wheel, to wheel in an opposite direction.—n. Coun′ter-work, a work raised in opposition to another.—v.t. to work in opposition to.—p.adj. Coun′ter-wrought. [Fr.,—L. contra, against.]

Counter, kown′tėr, n. (Spens.) encounter.—v.t. to encounter: to contradict.

Counterfeit, kown′tėr-fit, -fēt, v.t. to imitate: to copy without authority: to forge.—n. something false or copied, or that pretends to be true and original.—adj. pretended: made in imitation of: forged: false.—n. Coun′terfeiter, one who counterfeits.—adv. Coun′terfeitly, in a counterfeit manner: falsely.—n. Coun′ter-fes′ance (Spens.), act of counterfeiting: forgery. [O. Fr. contrefet, from contrefaire, to imitate—L. contra, against, facĕre, to do.]

Countermand, kown-tėr-mand′, v.t. to give a command in opposition to one already given: to revoke.—n. a revocation of a former order.—adj. Countermand′able. [O. Fr. contremander—L. contra, against, and mandāre, to order.]

Counterpane, kown′tėr-pān, n. a coverlet for a bed, stitched or woven in squares.—Older form Coun′terpoint. [A corr. of O. Fr. contrepointe, which is a corr. of coultepointe—L. culcita puncta, a stitched pillow or cover. See Quilt.]

Counterpoint, kown′tėr-point, n. (mus.) the art of combining melodies: the setting of a harmony of one or more parts to a melody: the art of composition.—adj. Contrapunt′al.—n. Contrapunt′ist. [Fr.,—contre, against, point, a point.]

Country, kun′tri, n. a rural region as distinct from a town: a tract of land: the land in which one was born, or in which one resides.—adj. belonging to the country: rustic: rude.—p.adj. Coun′trified.—v.t. Coun′trify, to make rustic.—ns. Coun′try-box, a country-house; Coun′try-dance, a dance practised by country people: a dance in which an indefinite number of couples can take part, the gentlemen being arranged at the commencement on one side, and the ladies on the other.—n.pl. Coun′try-folk, the inhabitants of the country.—ns. Coun′try-house, -seat, the residence of a country gentleman; Coun′tryman, one who lives in the country: a farmer: one born in the same country with another; Coun′try-side, a district or part of the country; Coun′try-woman, a woman who dwells in the country: a woman born in the same country.—Country cousin, a relative from the country, unaccustomed to town sights or manners; Country gentleman, a landed proprietor who resides on his estate in the country; Country town, a small town in a rural district, depending on the agricultural industry of the surrounding country.—Go to the country, in parliamentary usage, to appeal to the feeling of the community by a general election. [O. Fr., contrée—Low L. contrata, contrada, an extension of L. contra, over against.]

County. See Count (1).

Coup, kōō, n. a blow, stroke, a successful hit: (billiards) the act of putting a ball in a pocket without having hit another ball.—Coup d'état, a sudden or violent stroke of state policy, as that by which Louis Napoleon subverted the constitution (Dec. 2, 1851); Coup de grâce, the finishing blow by which a tortured man is put out of pain, any decisive stroke generally; Coup de main, a sudden and overpowering attack; Coup de maître, a master-stroke; Coup de théâtre, a sudden and sensational turn in a piece: Coup d'œil, a general view of a scene or subject taken in at a glance. [Fr.,—L.,—colaphos, a blow.]

Coup, kowp, v.t. to exchange or barter.—n. Coup′er, a dealer. [Scot., from Ice., kaupa, to buy.]

Coup, kowp, v.t. to overturn. [Scot.; perh. originally the same word as Cope.]

Coupé, kōō-pā, n. the front part of a French stagecoach: a four-wheeled carriage seated for two inside, with a separate seat for the driver: the front compartment of a railway carriage.—adj. Couped (her.), cut evenly off, as the head or limb of an animal. [Fr. couper, to cut.]

Coupee, koo-pē′, n. in dancing, a salute to a partner, while resting on one foot and swinging the other backward or forward. [Fr.,—couper, to cut.]

Couple, kup′l, n. that which joins two things together: two of a kind joined together, or connected: two: one pair at a dance: a pair: esp. of married or betrothed persons: (statics) a pair of equal forces acting on the same body in opposite and parallel directions.—v.t. to join together.—v.i. to pair sexually.—ns. Coup′lement, union: a couple; Coup′ler, one who or that which couples or unites; Coup′let, two lines of verse that rhyme with each other; Coup′ling, that which connects, an appliance for transmitting motion in machinery; Coup′ling-box, the box or ring of metal connecting the contiguous ends of two lengths of shafts; Coup′ling-pin, a pin or bolt used in coupling machinery.—adj. Well-coupled, of a horse, well formed at the part where the back joins the rump. [O. Fr. cople—L. copula.]

Coupon, kōō′pong, n. a billet, check, or other slip of paper cut off from its counterpart: one of a series of tickets which are vouchers that certain payments will be made or services be performed, at various times or places, in consideration of money paid: a dividend or interest warrant presented for payment by holders of debentures. [Fr.,—couper, to cut off.]

Coupure, koo-pūr′, n. an entrenchment made by the besieged behind a breach: a passage cut to facilitate sallies. [Fr.,—couper, to cut.]

Courage, kur′āj, n. the quality that enables men to meet dangers without fear: bravery: spirit.—interj. take courage!—adj. Courā′geous, full of courage: brave.—adv. Courā′geously.—n. Courā′geousness.—Dutch courage, a fictitious courage induced by drinking; Pluck up one's courage, to nerve one's self to something daring; The courage of one's convictions, courage to act up to or consistently with one's opinions. [O. Fr. corage (Fr. courage), from L. cor, the heart.]

Courant, kōō-ränt′, adj. (her.) in a running attitude.—ns. Courante′, Courant′, an old dance with a kind of gliding step. [See Current.]

Courap, koo-rap′, n. an itching skin disease, common in India, with eruptions on face, breast, groin, &c.

Courb, kōōrb, v.i. (Shak.) to bend, stoop to supplicate.—adj. (Shak.) bent. [Fr.,—L. curvāre, to bend.]

Courbaril, koor′ba-ril, n. gum animé.

Courbette. Same as Curvet. [Fr.,—It. corvetta.]

Coure, obsolete form of Cower.

Courier, kōō′ri-ėr, n. a runner: a messenger: a state messenger: a travelling attendant: a frequent title of newspapers. [Fr.,—L. currĕre, to run.]

Course, kōrs, n. the act of running: the road or tract on which one runs: the direction pursued: a voyage: a race: regular progress from point to point: habitual method of procedure: a prescribed series, as of lectures, &c.: each of the successive divisions of a meal, as dinner: conduct: a range of bricks or stones on the same level in building: (naut.) one of the sails bent to a ship's lower yards, as the main-sail, called the main-course, the fore-sail or fore-course, and the cross-jack or mizzen-course: (pl.) the menses.—v.t. to run, chase, or hunt after.—v.i. to move with speed, as in a race or hunt.—ns. Cours′er, a runner: a swift horse: one who courses or hunts; Cours′ing, hunting with greyhounds; Cours′ing-joint, a joint between two courses of masonry.—In course, in regular order: (coll.) of course; Of course, by natural consequence, or by settled rule. [Fr. cours—L. cursus, from currĕre, cursum, to run.]

Court, kōrt, n. a space enclosed: a space surrounded by houses: the palace of a sovereign: the body of persons who form his suite or council: attention: civility, as 'to pay court:' (law) the hall of justice; the judges and officials who preside there: any body of persons assembled to decide causes, whether civil, military, or ecclesiastical.—v.t. to pay attentions to: to woo: to solicit: to seek.—ns. Court′-bar′on, the assembly of freehold tenants of a manor under a lord; Court′-card (see Coat-card); Court′-cup′board (Shak.), a movable cupboard or sideboard on which plate was displayed; Court′-day, a day on which a judicial court sits; Court′-dress, the special regulation costume worn on state or ceremonious occasions; Court′-dress′er, a flatterer.—adj. Courteous (kurt′yus), of court-like manners: polite: respectful: obliging.—adv. Courteously (kurt′-).—ns. Courteousness, (kurt′-); Court′-fool, a fool or jester, formerly kept at court for amusement; Court′-guide, a guide to, or directory of, the names and residences of the nobility in a town; Court′-hand, a modification of the Norman handwriting, as distinguished from the modern or Italian handwriting, in use in the English law-courts from the 16th century to the reign of George II.; Court′-house, a building where the law-courts are held; Court′ier, one who frequents courts or palaces: one who courts or flatters; Court′ierism, the behaviour or practices of a courtier.—adv. Court′ierly.—ns. Court′ing, paying addresses to a woman, wooing; (Spens.) attendance at court; Court′-leet, a court of record held in a manor before the lord or his steward; Court′let, a petty court.—adj. Court′-like, courtly: polite.—ns. Court′liness; Court′ling, a hanger-on at court.—adj. Court′ly, having manners like those at a court: elegant.—ns. Court′-mar′tial, a court held by officers of the army or navy for the trial of offences against military or naval laws:—pl. Courts′-mar′tial; one improvised in time of war round an upturned drum for summary judgment is a Drumhead court-martial; Court′-plas′ter, sticking-plaster made of silk, originally applied as patches on the face by ladies at court; Court′-roll, the record of a court of justice; Court′ship, courtly behaviour: the act of wooing with intention to marry; Court′-sword, a light dress-sword worn as part of court-dress; Court′yard, a court or enclosed ground before a house.—Court holy water, empty compliments: (obs.) flattery. [O. Fr. cort (Fr. cour)—Low L. cortis, a courtyard—L. cors, cohors, an enclosure; akin to Gr. chortos, an enclosed place, L. hortus, a garden. See Yard.]

Courtesan, -zan, kōrt′e-zan, or kurt′e-zan, n. a court-mistress: a woman of the town, a whore. [Fr.,—It. cortigiana.]

Courtesy, kort′e-si, or kurt′e-si, n. courtliness: elegance of manner: an act of civility or respect: a curtsy: (law) the life interest which the surviving husband has in the real or heritable estate of his wife.—v.i. to make a curtsy.—pr.p. court′esying; pa.p. court′esied.—n.pl. Court′esy-tī′tles, titles really invalid, but allowed by the usage of society—as to children of peers. [O. Fr. courtoisie.]

Couscous, kus′kus, n. an African dish of granulated flour steamed over broth. [Ar. kuskus.]

Cousin, kuz′n, n. formerly a kinsman generally; now, the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt: a term used by a sovereign in addressing another, or to one of his own noblemen: something kindred or related to another.—ns. Cous′in-ger′man, a first cousin: something closely related; Cous′inhood, Cous′inship.—adj. Cous′inly, like, or having the relation of, a cousin.—n. Cous′inry, cousins collectively.—First cousins, children of brothers and sisters—also called Cousins-german, Full cousins; First cousin once removed, the son or daughter of a cousin-german—sometimes loosely called Second cousin; Second cousins, the children of first cousins. [Fr.,—L. consobrinus—con, sig. connection, and sobrinus for sororinus, applied to the children of sisters—soror, a sister.]

Couteau, koo-tō′, n. a large knife.—Couteau de chasse, a hunting-knife. [Fr.]

Couter, kōō′tėr, n. (slang) a sovereign. [Said to be from Gipsy cuta, a gold piece.]

Couth, kōōth (Spens.), obsolete pa.t. of Can. [See Could.]

Couthie, kōōth′i, adj. friendly, kindly. [Scot.]

Couvade, kōō-väd′, n. a custom among savages in many parts of the world for the father to take to his bed at the birth of a child, and submit to certain restrictions of food, &c. [Erroneously attributed to the Basques; the O. Fr. couvade, from couver, to hatch, never having had this special meaning.]

Cove, kōv, n. a small inlet of the sea: a bay: a cavern or rocky recess: (archit.) a concave arch or vault.—v.t. to overarch, and thus form a hollow.—adj. Coved, formed with an arch.—n. Cove′let, a small cove. [A.S. cófa, a room; Ice. kofi, Ger. koben.]

Cove, kōv, n. (slang) a fellow, a customer:—fem. Cov′ess—dim. Cov′ey. [Prob. conn. with Chap.]

Coven, kōv′en, n. a muster of witches.—n. Cov′entree, a point of muster before a Scottish mansion.

Covenant, kuv′e-nant, n. a mutual agreement: the writing containing the agreement: an engagement entered into between God and a person or a people—the Old Covenant, the Jewish dispensation; the New Covenant, the new relation to God opened up by Jesus Christ.—v.i. to enter into an agreement: to contract or bargain.—n. Cov′enant-break′er, one who violates a covenant.—adj. Cov′enanted, holding a position under a covenant or contract.—ns. Covenantee′, the person to whom a covenant is made; Cov′enanter (usually in Scot. Covenant′er), one who signed or adhered to the Scottish National Covenant of 1638—the Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 was in effect an international treaty between Scotland and England for securing civil and religious liberty; Cov′enantor, that party to a covenant who subjects himself to the penalty of its breach.—Covenant of grace, redemption, that by which life is freely offered to sinners on condition of faith in Christ; Covenant of works, that made with Adam as federal representative of the human race on condition of obedience. [O. Fr.,—L. con, together, and venīre, to come.]

Covent, kov′ent, n. (Shak.) a convent.

Coventry, kuv′ent-ri, n.—in phrase, To send to Coventry = to shut a man out of any special society.

Cover, kuv′ėr, v.t. to hide: to clothe: to extend over: to brood or sit on: to be sufficient for: to protect: to table a coin of equal value in wagering: to copulate with—esp. of a stallion: to screen: to aim directly at.—v.i. to spread over so as to conceal something: to lay a table for a meal: to put one's hat on.—n. that which protects: undergrowth, thicket, concealing game, &c.: the table requisites for one person—plate, knife, fork, napkin, &c.: deceitfulness: a swindler's confederate.—adj. Cov′ered, intended or used for shelter or concealment: roofed over: with the hat on.—ns. Cover′ed-way; Cov′ert-way (fort.), a path about thirty feet wide outside the ditch of a fort, and so far sunk below the crest of the glacis as to afford cover or shelter to the soldiers; Cover′ing, anything that covers.—adj. Cov′ert, covered: concealed: secret.—n. a place that covers or affords protection.—ns. Cov′ert-coat, a short light overcoat; Cov′ert-coat′ing, cloth for such.—adv. Cov′ertly, in a covered or concealed manner.—n. Cov′erture, covering, shelter: (law) the condition of a married woman as legally under the protection of her husband.—Cover into, to transfer into; Cover shorts, to buy in such stocks as have been sold short, in order to meet one's engagements, &c.; Cover the buckle, to execute a difficult step in dancing. [Fr. couvrir (It. coprire)—L. co-operīre—con, and operīre, to cover.]

Coverlet, kuv′ėr-let, n. a bedcover.—Also Cov′erlid. [Fr. couvrelit, couvre, lit—L. lectum, a bed.]

Covet, kuv′et, v.t. to desire or wish for eagerly: to wish for what is unlawful.—v.i. to desire (with for).—adjs. Cov′etable; Cov′eted.—adv. Cov′etingly.—ns. Cov′etise (obs.), covetousness: ardent desire; Cov′etiveness (obs.), acquisitiveness.—adj. Cov′etous, inordinately desirous: avaricious.—adv. Cov′etously.—n. Cov′etousness. [O. Fr. coveiter (Fr. convoiter)—L. cupiditat-em—cupĕre, to desire.]

Covey, kuv′i, n. a brood or hatch of partridges: a small flock of birds—said of game: a party, a set. [O. Fr. covée—L. cubāre, to lie down.]

Covin, kuv′in, n. a compact: a conspiracy.—adjs. Cov′inous, Cov′enous, deceitful. [O. Fr. covin—Late L. convenium—L. convena, a meeting—con, together, venīre, to come.]

Coving, kō′ving, n. the projection of upper stories over lower: the vertical sides connecting the jambs with the breast of a fireplace. [See Cove.]

Cow, kow, n. the female of the bovine animals: the female of certain other animals, as the elephant, &c.—older plurals, Kine and Kye, the latter now only Scotch.—ns. Cow′-bane, the water-hemlock, often destructive to cattle; Cow′-berr′y, the red whortleberry; Cow′-bird, -bunt′ing, an American starling which accompanies cattle, and drops its eggs into other birds' nests; Cow′-boy, a boy who has the care of cows: (U.S.) a man who has the charge of cattle on a ranch; Cow′-calf, a female calf; Cow′-catch′er (U.S.), an apparatus on the front of railway engines to throw off obstacles; Cow′-cher′vil, -pars′ley, -weed, an umbelliferous European plant of the hedges and woods; Cow′feeder, a dairyman, cowherd; Cow′-grass, the zigzag clover: a variety of red clover; Cow′-heel, an ox-foot stewed to a jelly; Cow′herd, one who herds cows; Cow′hide, the hide of a cow: the hide of a cow made into leather: a coarse whip made of twisted strips of cowhide.—v.t. to whip with a cowhide.—n. Cow′-house, a place in which cows are stalled, a byre.—adj. Cow′ish, like a cow: (Shak.) cowardly.—ns. Cow′-leech, a cow-doctor; Cow′lick, a tuft of turned-up hair on the forehead; Cow′-pars′nip, an umbelliferous plant, used as food for hogs and cattle; Cow′-plant, a perennial plant of Ceylon, with a milky juice; Cow′-pox, a disease which appears in pimples on the teats of the cow, the matter thereof used for vaccination; Cow′-tree, a South American tree that produces a nourishing fluid resembling milk; Cow′-wheat, a genus of annual plants, with yellow flowers and seeds somewhat like grains of wheat. [A.S. cú, pl. cý; Ger. kuh; Sans. go.]

Cow, kow, v.t. to subdue: keep under: to dishearten.—adjs. Cowed, depressed; Cow′ish (Shak.), easily cowed, timorous: mean. [Perh. from Ice. kúga; Dan. kue, to subdue.]

Cowan, kow′an, n. (Scot.) a mason who never served an apprenticeship: one who tries to enter a mason's lodge, or the like, surreptitiously.

Coward, kow′ard, n. a faint-hearted person: one without courage.—v.t. to intimidate.—adjs. Cow′ard, Cow′ardly, afraid of danger: timid: mean.—ns. Cow′ardice, want of courage: timidity.—Cow′ardree (Spens.); Cow′ardliness.—adv. Cow′ardly.—n. Cow′ardship (Shak.), the quality of being a coward. [O. Fr. couard (It. codardo)—L. cauda, a tail.]

Cowdie-gum, -pine; Cowrie-pine. See Kauri.

Cower, kow′er, v.i. to sink down through fear, &c.: to crouch, for protection or in fear.—adv. Cow′eringly. [Cf. Ice. kúra, Dan. kure, to lie quiet.]

Cowhage, kow′āj, n. the hairs of the pods of a tropical climbing plant of the bean family, administered as a mechanical vermifuge, the pods themselves or the plant. [Hind. kawānch, koānch.]

Cowl, kowl, n. a cap or hood: a monk's hood: the badge of monkhood: a monk: a cover for a chimney.—v.t. to make a monk of: to cover like a cowl.—adj. Cowled, wearing a cowl. [A.S. cufle; Ice. cofl; akin to L. cucullus, hood.]

Cowl-staff, kowl′-staf, n. (Shak.) a staff or pole on which a basket or vessel is supported between two persons. [O. Fr. cuvele—L. cupella, dim. of cupa, a cask, and staff.]

Cowrie, Cowry, kow′ri, n. a large genus of Gasteropods, including over a hundred species, some of which are familiar as decorative objects, and as a medium of exchange with uncivilised peoples. [Hindi kaurī.]

Cowslip, kow′slip, n. a beautiful and fragrant species of primrose, common in English pastures.—adj. Cow′slip'd, covered with cowslips. [A.S. cú, cow, slyppe, perh. cow-dung.]

Coxcomb, koks′kōm, n. a strip of red cloth notched like a cock's comb, which professional fools used to wear: a fool: a fop.—adjs. Coxcom′bical, Coxcom′ical, foppish: vain.—n. Coxcombical′ity.—adv. Coxcom′bically.—n. Cox′combry, the manner of a coxcomb. [Cockscomb.]

Coxiness, koks′i-nes, n. state of being cocksy, bumptiousness.

Coxswain, Cockswain, kok′swān, or kok′sn, n. a seaman who steers a boat, and under the superior officer takes charge of it. [Cock, a boat, and Swain.]

Coy, koy, adj. modest: bashful: shy.—v.t. (Shak.) to caress: (Shak.) to disdain.—adj. Coy′ish, somewhat coy.—adv. Coy′ishly.—n. Coy′ishness.—adv. Coy′ly.—n. Coy′ness. [Fr. coi—L. quietus, quiet.]

Coyote, ko-yōt′e, n. a prairie wolf, abundant in Mexico and Texas. [Mex. coyotl.]

Coypu, koi′pōō, n. a large rodent in the porcupine section of the order, common in South America—living in burrows near water, feeding on aquatic plants. [Native name.]

Coystrel, Coystril. Same as Coistril.

Coz, kuz, n. a contraction of Cousin.

Coze, kōz, n. (Jane Austen) a cosy chat.

Cozen, kuz′n, v.t. to flatter: to cheat.—ns. Coz′enage, the practice of cheating: deceit; Coz′ener. [Perh. from Fr. cousiner, to claim kindred for one's own advantage, play the parasite—cousin, a cousin.]

Cozier, Cosier, kō′zi-ėr, n. a cobbler. [O. Fr. cousere—L. consuĕre, to sew together.]

Cozy. See Cosy.

Crab, krab, n. a popular name applied to any of the short-tailed division of decapod crustaceans: a sign in the zodiac: a portable winch: a sour-tempered person: the lowest throw at hazard—two aces.—adj. Crabb′ed, ill-natured: harsh: rough: difficult, perplexing.—adv. Crabb′edly.—n. Crabb′edness.—adj. Crab′-faced, having a sour, peevish countenance.—n. Crab′ite, a fossil crab or crayfish.—adj. Crab′-like, moving like a crab.—n. Crab′-louse, a crab-shaped louse infesting the hair of the pubis, &c.—n.pl. Crab's′-eyes, the scarlet seeds of an East Indian bead-tree: a concretion of carbonate of lime in the stomach of the cray-fish.—v.i. Crab′-sī′dle, to go sideways like a crab.—n.pl. Crab′-yaws, a name applied to the tumours of frambœsia on the soles and palms.—Catch a crab, in rowing, to sink the oar too deeply in the water: to miss the water altogether in making the stroke. [A.S. crabba; Ger. krabbe.]

Crab, krab, Crab-apple, krab′-ap-l, n. a wild bitter apple.—ns. Crab′-stick, a stick made out of the crab-tree; Crab′-tree, the tree that bears crab-apples.—adj. like a crab-tree, crooked. [Perh. conn. with Crabbed.]

Crab-oil, Crab-wood. See Carapa.

Crabro, krā′brō, n. the typical genus of Crabronidæ, a family of fossorial hymenopters: a hornet. [L.]

Crack, krak, v.i. to utter a sharp sudden sound: to split: to boast: to chat.—v.t. to produce a sudden noise: to break into chinks: to split: to break partially or wholly: to open (a bottle).—n. a sudden sharp splitting sound: a chink: a flaw: a blow, a smack: friendly chat: (slang) housebreaking: a craze: one who has a craze: a pert boy.—adj. (coll.) excellent.—n. Crack′-brain, a crazy person.—adjs. Crack′-brained; Cracked, rent: damaged: crazy.—ns. Crack′er, one who or that which cracks: a boaster, a lie: the pin-tail duck: (U.S.) a thin crisp biscuit: a bonbon, or a small firework, exploding when pulled asunder: (U.S.) a poor white; Crack′-halt′er, Crack′-hemp (Shak.), Crack′-rope, one likely to be hanged.—adj. Crack′-jaw, of a word, hard to pronounce.—ns. Cracks′man, a burglar; Crack′-tryst, one who breaks an engagement.—Crack credit, to destroy one's credit; Crack tryst, to break an engagement; Crack up, to praise. [A.S. cracian, to crack; cf. Dut. kraken, Gael. crac.]

Crack, krak, n. (Scot.) a moment, an instant.

Crackle, krak′l, v.i. to give out slight but frequent cracks.—n. the giving out of slight cracks.—ns. Crack′lin, a kind of china-ware, purposely cracked in the kiln as an ornament; Crack′ling, the rind of roast pork: (pl.) skinny parts of suet without tallow: three stripes of velvet worn on the sleeves of students at St John's College, Cambridge.—adj. Crack′ly, brittle.—n. Crack′nel, a light, brittle biscuit: (pl.) pieces of fat pork fried crisp.

Cracovian, kra-kō′vi-an, adj. pertaining to Cracow.—ns. Cracovienne′, a graceful Polish dance, resembling the mazourka: the music for such; Crac′owe, a long-toed boot fashionable under Richard II.

Cradle, krā′dl, n. a bed or crib in which children are rocked: (fig.) infancy: the place where one is born and brought up: a frame in which anything is imbedded: a case for a broken limb: a frame under a ship for launching it: a box on rockers for washing auriferous dirt.—v.t. to lay or rock in a cradle: to nurture.—adj. Crā′dled, laid in a cradle.—ns. Crā′dle-scythe, a broad scythe used in a cradle for cutting grain; Crā′dle-walk, an avenue arched over with trees; Crā′dling.—From the cradle, from birth, from the first. [A.S. cradol; ety. obscure.]

Craft, kraft, n. cunning: artifice: dexterity: art: trade: occupation: small ships.—v.i. to exercise one's craft (Shak., Cor., IV. vi. 118).—adv. Craft′ily.—n. Craft′iness.—adj. Craft′less, free from craft.—ns. Crafts′man, one engaged in a craft; Crafts′manship, Craft′manship; Crafts′master, one skilled in a craft.—adj. Craft′y, having skill: cunning: deceitful. [A.S. cræft; Ger. kraft, power.]

Crag, krag, n. a rough steep rock or point: (geol.) a bed of gravel mixed with shells.—adjs. Crag′ged, Crag′gy, full of crags or broken rocks: rough: rugged.—ns. Crag′gedness, Crag′giness; Crags′man, one skilled in climbing rocks. [W. craig, a rock, car-eg, a stone; Gael. creag, carraig.]

Crag, Cragge, krag, n. the neck.—Scotch forms, Craig, Craig′ie. [Cf. Dut. kraag, Ger. kragen, the neck.]

Crake, krāk, v.i. to utter a cry like a crow, &c.—n. Crake′-berr′y, the crow-berry.

Crake, krāk, n. a crow, raven, corncrake: (obs.) a boast. [See Corncrake.]

Cram, kram, v.t. to press close: to stuff: to fill to superfluity: (slang) to make believe false or exaggerated tales: to teach for a special examination, only giving instruction useful for passing that examination.—v.i. to eat greedily: to get up a subject by cram:—pr.p. cram′ming; pa.p. crammed.—n. a crush: (slang) a lie: information that has been crammed: the system of cramming.—adjs. Cram′-full; Cram′mable; Crammed.—n. Cram′mer, one who prepares students for examination by cramming them. [A.S. crammian; Ice. kremja, to squeeze; Dan. kramme, to crumple.]

Crambo, kram′bo, n. a game in which one gives a word to which another finds a rhyme: rime.—ns. Cram′boclink, -jingle, riming. [Prob. from L. crambe repetita, cabbage served up again.]

Crambus, kram′bus, n. a genus of pyralid moths, the veneers or grass-moths—family Crambidæ, subfamily Crambinæ. [Gr. krambos, dry.]

Crame, krām, n. (Scot.) a booth for selling goods.

Cramoisy, kram′oiz-i, Cramesy, kram′ez-i, adj. and n. crimson. [See Crimson.]

Cramp, kramp, n. an involuntary and painful contraction of a voluntary muscle or group of muscles: restraint: a piece of iron bent at the ends, for holding together wood, stone, &c.: a tool used by carpenters and others, having a movable part which can be screwed tight so as to press things together.—adj. hard to make out (used of handwriting): cramped: narrow.—v.t. to affect with spasms: to confine: to hinder: to fasten with a cramp-iron.—ns. Cramp′bark, the popular American name of the medicinal Viburnum Oxycoccus; Cramp′-bone, the patella of the sheep, an old charm for cramp; Cramp′-fish, the electric ray or torpedo; Cramp′-ī′ron, a piece of metal bent at both ends for binding things together; Cramp′on, a grappling-iron: a pointed plate for the foot in hill-climbing; Cramp′-ring, a ring formerly blessed by the sovereign on Good-Friday against cramp and the falling sickness.—adj. Cramp′y, affected or diseased with cramp: producing cramp.—Bather's cramp, the popular name for paralysis attacking a person while bathing; Writer's cramp, or Scrivener's palsy, a common disease affecting those in the habit of constant writing, the muscles refusing to obey only on attempting to write. [O. Fr. crampe; cf. Dut. kramp, Ger. krampf.]

Cran, kran, n. a measure of capacity in Scotland for herrings when just taken out of the net. It amounts to 37½ imperial gallons, and comprises about 750 herrings on an average.—Coup the cran (Scot.), to be upset. [Prob. from Gael. crann, a measure.]

Cranberry, kran′ber-i, n. a genus of small evergreen shrubs growing in peaty bogs and marshy grounds: the berry much used for tarts. [For crane-berry; a late word; origin obscure; cf. Ger. kranbeere or kranich-beere.]

Cranch. Same as Craunch.

Crane, krān, n. a large wading bird, with long legs, neck, and bill: a bent pipe for drawing liquor out of a cask: a machine for raising heavy weights—both named from their likeness to the bird.—v.t. to raise with a crane.—v.i. to stretch out the neck: to pull up before a jump.—ns. Cran′age, the use of a crane: the price paid for the use of it; Crane′-fly, a genus of dipterous insects, nearly allied to the gnats, with very long legs.—adj. Crane′-necked.—n. Crane's′-bill, the Geranium, from a lengthened appendage of the seed-vessel. [A.S. cran; Ger. kranich, W. garan.]

Crane. Same as Cranium.

Cranium, krā′ni-um, n. the skull: the bones enclosing the brain.—adj. Crā′nial, pertaining to the cranium.—n. Craniog′nomy, cranial physiognomy.—adj. Craniolog′ical.—ns. Craniol′ogist, one skilled in craniology; Craniol′ogy, the study of skulls: phrenology; Craniom′eter, an instrument for measuring the skull; Craniom′etry, the measurement of skulls; Craninos′copist, a phrenologist; Cranios′copy, phrenology; Craniot′omy (obstetrics), the act of breaking down the head of the fœtus. [Low L. cranium—Gr. kranion, from karē, the head.]

Crank, krangk, n. a crook or bend: a conceit in speech: a whim: (mach.) a lever or arm on a shaft, driven by hand or by a connecting-rod, its object being to convert reciprocating motion into rotary motion.—v.i. to move in a zizag manner.—v.t. to shape like a crank: to provide with a crank.—adj. crooked: crabbed: loose or slack.—adv. Crank′ily.—n. Crank′iness.—adj. Crank′y, crooked: infirm: full of whims: cross. [M. E. kranke—A.S. crincan, to yield; cf. Ger. krank.]

Crank, krangk, adj. brisk: merry. [Origin unknown.]

Crank, krangk, Crank-sided, krangk-sī′ded, adj. (naut.) liable to be upset—n. Crank′ness, liability to be upset. [Ety. uncertain.]

Crankle, krangk′l, Crinkle, kringk′l, n. a turn, winding, or wrinkle, an angular protuberance.—v.t. to bend: to twist.

Crannog, kran′og, n. the name given in Scotland and Ireland to a fortified island (partly natural and partly artificial) in a lake, once used as a dwelling-place and place of refuge. [Gael. crann, a tree.]

Cranny, kran′i, n. a rent: a chink: a secret place.—v.i. to enter crannies.—adj. Crann′ied, having crannies, rents, or fissures. [Fr. cran, a notch.]

Cranreuch, kran′ruh, n. (Scot.) hoar-frost. [Gael.]

Crants, krantz, n. (Shak.) the garland carried before the bier of a maiden and hung over her grave. [From Ger. kranz, a wreath, a garland.]

Crape, krāp, n. a thin silk fabric, tightly twisted, without removing the natural gum—usually dyed black, used for mournings.—adj. made of crape.—v.t. to clothe with crape: to frizzle (hair).—adj. Crap′y. [O. Fr. crespe (Fr. crêpe)—L. crispus, crisp.]

Crappit-head, krap′it-hed, n. a haddock's head stuffed with a compound of oatmeal, suet, onions, and pepper. [Crappit, from a Scotch word, crap, to cram.]

Crapulence, krap′ū-lens, n. sickness caused by an overdose of drink.—adjs. Crap′ulous, Crap′ulent. [Fr. crapule—L. crapula, intoxication.]

Crare, Crayer, krār, n. a trading vessel. [O. Fr. craier—Late L. craiera; origin dub.]

Crase. Obsolete form of Craze.

Crash, krash, n. a noise as of things breaking or being crushed by falling; the shock of two bodies meeting: the failure of a commercial undertaking.—v.i. to fall to pieces with a loud noise: to move with such a noise.—v.t. to dash in pieces. [From the sound.]

Crash, krash, n. a coarse strong linen.

Crasis, krā′sis, n. the mixture of different elements in the constitution of the body: temperament: (gram.) the mingling or contraction of two vowels into one long vowel, or into a diphthong. [Gr. krasis—kerannynai, to mix.]

Crass, kras, adj. gross: thick: dense: stupid.—ns. Crassament′um, the thick part of coagulated blood: the clot; Crass′itude, coarseness: density: stupidity.—adv. Crass′ly.—n. Crass′ness.—n.pl. Crassulā′ceæ, an order of herbaceous or shrubby, succulent plants—including the Stone-crop and House-leek. [O. Fr. cras—L. crassus.]

Cratægus, kra-tē′gus, n. a genus of thorny shrubs, of the rose family, in north temperate regions. [Gr.]

Cratch, krach, n. a crib to hold hay for cattle, a manger.—n.pl. Cratches, a swelling on a horse's pastern, under the fetlock. [Fr. crèche, a manger; from a Teut. root, whence also crib.]

Crate, krāt, n. a wicker-work case for packing crockery in, or for carrying fruit. [L. cratis, a hurdle. See Cradle.]

Crater, krāt′ėr, n. the bowl-shaped mouth of a volcano.—adjs. Crat′eriform, or Crater′iform, shaped like a crater; Crat′erous. [L.,—Gr. kratēr, a large bowl for mixing wine, from kerannynai, to mix.]

Craunch, kranch. A form of Crunch.

Cravat, kra-vat′, n. a kind of neckcloth worn chiefly by men.—v.t. to dress in a cravat.—adj. Cravat′ted, wearing a cravat. [Fr. cravate—introduced in 1636 from the Cravates or Croatians.]

Crave, krāv, v.t. to beg earnestly: to beseech: to demand or require: to long for.—ns. Crav′er, one who craves: a beggar; Crav′ing, desire: longing. [A.S. crafian, to crave; Ice. krefja.]

Craven, krāv′n, n. a coward: a spiritless fellow.—adj. cowardly: spiritless.—v.t. to render spiritless.—adv. Crav′enly.—n. Crav′enness.—To cry craven, to surrender. [M. E. cravant—O. Fr. participle cravanté, corresponding to L. crepant-em, crepāre, to rattle, to break; some explain M. E. cravant as O. Fr. creant, as in recreant.]

Craw, kraw, n. the crop, throat, or first stomach of fowls: the stomach of animals generally. [M. E. crawe; not found in A.S.; cf. Dut. kraag, neck.]

Crawfish. See Crayfish.

Crawl, krawl, v.i. to move slowly along the ground, as a worm: to creep: to move feebly, stealthily, or sneakingly: to be covered with crawling things.—n. the act of crawling.—ns. Crawl′er, one who or that which crawls: a reptile; Crawl′ing.—adv. Crawl′y (coll.), with a creepy feeling. [Scand.; Ice. krafla, Dan. kravle; Ger. krabbeln, to creep.]

Crawl, krawl, n. a pen for keeping fish: a kraal.

Crax, kraks, n. the typical genus of birds of family Cracidæ.

Crayfish, krā′fish, Crawfish, kraw′fish, n. a large fresh-water crustacean in the long-tailed division of the order Decapoda: the small spiny lobster. [M. E. crevice—O. Fr. crevice (Fr. écrevisse, a crayfish)—Old High Ger. krebiz, a Crab.]

Crayon, krā′on, n. a pencil made of chalk or pipeclay, variously coloured, used for drawing: a drawing done with crayons.—v.t. to draw with a crayon.—In crayons, of a picture, made by crayons. [Fr. crayon—craie, chalk, from L. creta, chalk.]

Craze, krāz, v.t. to weaken: to derange (applied to the intellect): (obs.) to break.—v.i. to become mad.—n. a crack or flaw: insanity.—adj. Crazed, deranged.—adv. Craz′ily.—ns. Craz′iness; Craz′ing-mill, a mill for crushing tin-ore.—adj. Craz′y, frail: insane: demented. [Scand.; Sw. krasa, Dan. krase, to crackle; whence also Fr. écraser, to crush.]

Creagh, Creach, kreh, n. a foray, raid: booty. [Gael.]

Creak, krēk, v.i. to make a sharp, grating sound, as of a hinge, &c.—n. a grating noise, as of an unoiled hinge.—adv. Creak′ily.—adj. Creak′y. [From the sound, like crake and croak.]

Cream, krēm, n. the oily substance which forms on milk, yielding butter when churned: the best part of anything: any cream-like preparation, as cold cream for the skin, &c., or any dish largely made of cream, or like cream, as chocolate-cream, ice-cream, whipped-cream, &c.—v.t. to take off the cream.—v.i. to gather or form cream.—ns. Cream′-cake, a kind of cake filled with custard made of cream, &c.; Cream′-cheese, cheese made of cream.—adj. Cream′-col′oured, of the colour of cream, light yellow.—n. Cream′ery, an establishment where butter and cheese are made from the milk supplied by a number of producers: a shop for milk, butter, &c.—adj. Cream′-faced, pale-faced.—ns. Cream′-fruit, the fruit of a creeping West African plant of the dogbane family, yielding a cream-like juice; Cream′iness.—adj. Cream′-laid, of a cream-colour and laid, or bearing linear water-lines as if laid.—ns. Cream′-nut, the Brazil nut; Cream′-slice, a wooden blade for skimming cream from milk.—adjs. Cream′-wove, woven of a cream-colour; Cream′y, full of or like cream: gathering like cream.—Cream of tartar, a white crystalline compound made by purifying argol, bitartrate of potash. [O. Fr. cresme, creme—L. chrisma.]

Creance, krē′ans, n. the cord which secures the hawk while being trained. [Fr.]

Creant, krē′ant, adj. creating: formative.

Crease, krēs, n. a mark made by folding or doubling anything: (cricket) a line indicating the boundaries of a particular space, as the position of a batter and bowler.—v.t. to make creases in anything.—v.i. to become creased.—adj. Creas′y, full of creases. [Prob. Celt., as Bret. krīz, &c.]

Crease. See Creese.

Creasote. See Creosote.

Create, krē-āt′, v.t. to bring into being or form out of nothing: to beget: to form: to invest with a new form, office, or character: to produce.—adj. Creāt′able.—n. Creā′tion, the act of creating, esp. the universe: that which is created, the world, the universe.—adj. Creā′tional.—ns. Creā′tionism, the theory of special creation, opp. to Evolutionism: the theory that God immediately creates a soul for every human being born—opp. to Traducianism; Creā′tionist.—adj. Creā′tive, having power to create: that creates.—adv. Creā′tively.—ns. Creā′tiveness; Creā′tor, he who creates: a maker:—fem. Creā′trix, Creā′tress; Creā′torship.—adjs. Crea′tural, Crea′turely, pertaining to a creature or thing created.—ns. Creature (krē′tūr), whatever has been created, animate or inanimate, esp. every animated being, an animal, a man: a term of contempt or of endearment: a dependent, instrument, or puppet; Crea′tureship.—The Creator, the Supreme Being, God.—Creature comforts, material comforts, food, &c.: liquor, esp. whisky. [L. creāre, -ātum; Gr. krain-ein, to fulfil.]

Creatine, krē′a-tin, n. a constant and characteristic constituent of the striped muscle of vertebrates—also Kre′atine.—adj. Creat′ic, relating to flesh.—n. Cre′atinine, dehydrated form, a constant constituent of urine, found also in fish muscles. [Gr. kreas, kreatos, flesh.]

Crèche, kresh, n. a sort of public nursery for children, while their mothers are at work. [Fr.]

Credence, krē′dens, n. belief: trust: the small table beside the altar on which the bread and wine are placed before being consecrated.—n. Creden′dum, a thing to be believed, an act of faith:—pl. Credenda.—adjs. Crē′dent, easy of belief; Creden′tial, giving a title to belief or credit.—n. that which entitles to credit or confidence: (pl.) esp. the letters by which one claims confidence or authority among strangers.—ns. Credibil′ity, Cred′ibleness.—adj. Credible (kred′-), that may be believed.—adv. Cred′ibly.—n. Cred′it, belief: esteem: reputation: honour: good character: sale on trust: time allowed for payment: the side of an account on which payments received are entered: a sum placed at a person's disposal in a bank on which he may draw to its amount.—v.t. to believe: to trust: to sell or lend to on trust: to enter on the credit side of an account: to set to the credit of.—adj. Cred′itable, trustworthy: bringing credit or honour.—n. Cred′itableness.—adv. Cred′itably.—ns. Cred′itor, one to whom a debt is due:—fem. Cred′itrix; Crē′do, the Creed, or a musical setting of it for church services; Credū′lity, credulousness: disposition to believe on insufficient evidence.—adj. Cred′ulous, easy of belief: apt to believe without sufficient evidence: unsuspecting.—adv. Cred′ulously.—ns. Cred′ulousness; Creed, a summary of articles of religious belief, esp. those called the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian: any system of belief. [Fr.,—Low L. credentia—L. credent-, believing, pr.p. of credĕre.]

Creek, krēk, n. a small inlet or bay of the sea, or the tidal estuary of a river: any turn or winding: in America and Australia, a small river.—adj. Creek′y, full of creeks: winding. [Prob. Scand., Ice. kriki, a nook; cf. Dut. kreek, a bay.]

Creel, krēl, n. a basket, esp. an angler's basket. [Prob. Celt; cf. Old Ir. criol, a chest.]

Creep, krēp, v.i. to move on the belly, like a snake: to move slowly: to grow along the ground or on supports, as a vine: to fawn or cringe: to have the physical sensation of something creeping over or under the skin: to shudder at from fear or repugnance: to drag with a creeper, as a river-bottom:—pr.p. creep′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. crept.—ns. Creep′er, a creeping plant: a genus of small climbing birds; Creep′-hole, a hole into which to creep: a subterfuge; Creep′ie, a low stool, the old Scotch stool of repentance.—adv. Creep′ingly.—adj. Creep′y. [A.S. creópan; Dut. kruipen.]

Creese, Crease, krēs, n. a Malay dagger with a wavy blade—also Kris.—v.t. to stab with a creese.

Creesh, krēsh, v.t. (Scot.) to grease.—n. grease.—adj. Creesh′y. [O. Fr. craisse—L. crassus, fat.]

Cremaillere, kre-mal-yār′, n. a line of fortification built zigzag to give wider range in firing. [Fr.]

Cremation, krem-ā′shun, n. act of burning, esp. of the dead.—v.t. Cremate′.—ns. Cremā′tionist, one who advocates cremation; Cremat′or, Crematōr′ium, Crem′atory, a place where cremation is done.—adj. Crematōr′ial. [L.,—cremāre, to burn.]

Cremona, krem-ō′na, n. a superior kind of violin made at Cremona in Italy.—adj. Cremonese′.

Cremor, krē′mor, n. thick juice.

Cremosin, krem′ō-zin, n. crimson (Spens.).

Crenate, -d, krē′nāt, -ed, adj. (bot.) having the edge notched.—ns. Crē′na, a furrow or notch; Crenā′tion; Cren′ature.—adjs. Cren′ulate, -d, finely notched or crenate. [L. crena, a notch.]

Crenel, kren′el, Crenelle, kre-nel′, n. (archit.) an opening in a parapet for shooting through: a battlement—dim. Cren′elet.—n. Crenaux (krē′nō), crenellations or loopholes in a fortress.—v.t. Cren′ellate.—adjs. Crenellāt′ed, furnished with battlements: indented.—n. Crenellā′tion.—adjs. Crenelle′ (her.), embattled; Crenelled′, having embrasures. [Fr.,—Low L. crena, a notch.]

Creole, krē′ōl, n. and adj. strictly applied in the former Spanish, French, and Portuguese colonies of America, Africa, and the East Indies to natives of pure European blood (sangre azul), in opposition to immigrants themselves born in Europe, or to the offspring of mixed blood, as mulattoes, quadroons, Eurasians, &c.: (U.S.) applied only to the native French stock in Louisiana: a negro born in the West Indies—earlier Creō′lian. [Fr. créole—Sp. criollo, contr. of criadillo, 'a little nursling,' dim. of criado—criar, lit. to create, also to bring up, to nurse—L. creāre.]

Creophagous, krē-of′a-gus, adj. flesh-eating. [Gr. kreas, flesh, phagein, to eat.]

Creosote, krē′o-sōt, Creasote, krē′a-sōt, n. an oily, colourless liquid obtained from the tar produced by the destructive distillation of wood. [Gr. kreas, flesh, sōtēr, saviour—sōz-ein, to save.]

Crepance, krē′pans, n. a wound on a horse's hind ankle-joint, caused by striking with the shoe of the other hind-foot.—Also Crē′pane. [L. crepāre, to break.]

Crêpe, krāp, v.t. to frizz, as hair. [See Crape.]

Crepitate, krep′i-tāt, v.i. to crackle, snap.—adj. Crep′itant, crackling.—n. Crepitā′tion, the characteristic sound detected in the lungs by auscultation.—adj. Crep′itātive.—n. Crep′itus. [L. crepitāre, -ātum, freq. of crepāre, to crack, rattle.]

Crepon, krep′on, n. a woollen or silk crapy stuff. [Fr.]

Crept, krept, pa.t. and pa.p. of Creep.

Crepuscular, kre-pus′kū-lar, adj. of or pertaining to twilight—also Crepus′culous.—ns. Crepus′cule, Crepus′cle, twilight. [L. crepusculum—creper, dusky, obscure.]

Crescendo, kres-en′dō, adv. (mus.) gradually increasing in force or loudness.—n. a passage marked by this.—Often cres., cresc., or .

Crescent, kres′ent, adj. increasing: shaped like the new or old moon.—n. the moon as she increases towards half-moon: a figure like the crescent moon, as that on the Turkish standard: the standard itself: the Turkish power: a range of buildings in curved form.—n. Cres′centade, a religious war for Islam.—adjs. Cres′cented, Crescent′ic, formed like a crescent; Cres′cive (Shak.), increasing. [L. crescens, crescent-is, pr.p. of crescĕre, to grow.]

Cress, kres, n. the name of several species of plants like the water-cress, which grow in moist places, and have pungent leaves used as salads and medicinally.—adj. Cress′y, abounding in cresses. [A.S. cresse, cerse; cf. Dut. kers, Ger. kresse.]

Cresset, kres′et, n. an iron basket, jar, or open lamp filled with combustible material, placed on a beacon, lighthouse, wharf, &c.: a torch generally. [O. Fr. cresset, crasset (Fr. creuset)—Old Dut. kruysel, a hanging lamp.]

Crest, krest, n. the comb or tuft on the head of a cock and other birds: the summit of anything, as a roof-ridge, hill, wave: the mane of a horse, &c.: (anat.) a ridge along the surface of a bone: a plume of feathers or other ornament on the top of a helmet: (her.) an accessory figure originally surmounting the helmet, placed on a wreath, &c., also used separately as a personal cognisance on plate, &c.—v.t. to furnish with, or serve for, a crest, to surmount.—p.adj. Crest′ed, having a crest: (bot.) having an elevated appendage like a crest.—adjs. Crest′fallen, dejected: heartless; Crest′less, without a crest: not of high birth.—ns. Crest′-marine′, rock samphire; Crestol′atry, toadyism. [O. Fr. creste (mod. crête)—L. crista.]

Cretaceous, krē-tā′shus, adj. composed of or like chalk.—adj. Crē′tāted, rubbed with chalk.—n. Cretifac′tion.—v.i. Crē′tify, to become impregnated with salts of lime. [L. cretaceus, from creta, chalk.]

Cretic, krē′tik, adj. and n. Cretan, belonging to Crete: a metrical foot consisting of one short syllable between two long.—n. Crē′tism, a lie.

Cretinism, krē′tin-izm, n. a state of defective mental development, associated with bodily deformity or arrested growth, occurring esp. in connection with enlargement of the thyroid gland or goitre in the lower Alpine valleys.—n. Crē′tin, one affected with cretinism.—adjs. Crē′tinous, Crē′tinised. [Fr. crétin—Swiss crestin—L. christian-us, prob. implying that, after all, they are human, or that they are (from their fatuousness) incapable of sin—cf. the frequent use of innocent.]

Cretonne, kret-on′, or kret′on, n. a strong printed cotton fabric used for curtains or for covering furniture. [Fr., prob. from Creton in Normandy.]

Cretose, krē′tōs, adj. chalky.

Creutzer. Same as Kreutzer.

Creux, krė, n. the reverse of relief in sculpture, intaglio. [Fr.]

Crevasse, krev-as′, n. a crack or split, esp. applied to a cleft in a glacier: (U.S.) a breach in a canal or river bank.—v.t. to fissure with crevasses. [Fr.]

Crevet, krev′et, n. a variant of Cruet, a goldsmith's melting-pot.

Crevice, krev′is, n. a crack or rent: a narrow opening. [O. Fr. crevace—L. L.,—L. crepāre, to creak.]

Crew, krōō, n. a company, squad, or gang, often in a bad or contemptuous sense: a ship's company. [O. Fr. creue, increase—croistre, to grow.]

Crew, krōō, pa.t. of Crow.

Crewe, krōō, n. (Spens.) a cruse. [O. Fr. crue.]

Crewel, krōō′el, n. a fine worsted yarn used for embroidery and tapestry: work in crewels.—v.t. to work in such.—ns. Crew′elist; Crew′ellery. [Orig. a monosyllable, crule, crewle; ety. dub.]

Crewels, krōō′elz, n.pl. (Scot.) the king's evil, scrofula. [Fr. ēcrouelles.]

Crib, krib, n. the rack or manger of a stable: a stall for oxen: a child's bed; a small cottage or hovel, a confined place: (coll.) a translation of a classic baldly literal, for lazy schoolboys.—v.t. to put away in a crib, confine: to pilfer: to plagiarise:—pr.p. crib′bing; pa.p. cribbed.—n. Crib′-bit′ing, a vicious habit of horses, consisting in biting the manger. [A.S. crib; Ger. krippe.]

Cribbage, krib′āj, n. a game at cards played by two, three, or four persons, so called from crib, the name given to certain cards laid aside from his hand by each player, and which belong to the dealer.—n. Cribb′age-board, a board with holes for keeping by means of pegs the score at cribbage.

Cribble, krib′l, n. a coarse screen or sieve used for sand, gravel, or corn: coarse flour or meal.—v.t. to sift or riddle.—adjs. Crib′rāte, Crib′rose, perforated like a sieve.—n. Cribrā′tion, act of sifting.—adj. Crib′riform, shaped like a sieve. [L. cribellum, dim. of cribrum, a sieve.]

Cribellum, kri-bel′um, n. an accessory spinning-organ of certain spiders—also Cribrell′um:—pl. Cribell′a.

Criblé, krē-blā, adj. punctured like a sieve, dotted. [Fr.]

Cricetus, kri-sē′tus, n. the typical genus of Cricetinæ, a sub-family of muroid rodents with cheek-pouches.

Crick, krik, n. a spasm or cramp of the muscles, esp. of the neck. [Prob. onomatopœic.]

Cricket, krik′et, n. a saltatory, orthopterous insect, allied to grasshoppers and locusts. [O. Fr. criquet; cf. Dut. krekel, Ger. kreckel.]

Cricket, krik′et, n. an outdoor game played with bats, a ball, and wickets, between two sides of eleven each.—v.i. to play at cricket.—ns. Crick′eter, one who plays at cricket; Crick′et-match, a match at cricket. [Fr. criquet; further ety. dub. Not the A.S. crycc, a stick.]

Cricket, krik′et, n. (Scot.) a low stool.

Cricoid, krī′koid, adj. (anat.) ring-shaped. [Gr. krikos, a ring, and eidos, form.]

Cried, krīd, pa.t. and pa.p. of Cry.—n. Crī′er, one who cries or proclaims, esp. an officer whose duty is to make public proclamations.—Cried down, or Decried, denounced, belittled; Cried up, extolled.

Crime, krīm, n. a violation of law: an act punishable by law: offence: sin.—adjs. Crime′ful, criminal; Crime′less, without crime, innocent; Criminal (krim′-), relating to crime: guilty of crime: violating laws.—n. one guilty of crime.—ns. Crim′inalist, one versed in criminal law; Criminal′ity, guiltiness.—adv. Crim′inally.—v.t. Crim′ināte, to accuse.—n. Criminā′tion, act of criminating: accusation.—adjs. Crim′inātive, Crim′inātory, involving crimination or accusation.—ns. Criminol′ogist; Criminol′ogy, that branch of anthropology which treats of crime and criminals.—adj. Crim′inous, criminal—now chiefly in the phrase 'a criminous clerk.'—n. Crim′inousness.—Criminal conversation, often Crim. con., adultery. [Fr.,—L. crimen.]

Crimine, Crimini, krim′i-ne, interj. an ejaculation of surprise or impatience.

Crimp, krimp, adj. made crisp or brittle.—v.t. to wrinkle: to plait: to make crisp: to seize or decoy sailors or soldiers.—n. one who presses or decoys.—ns. Crimp′age, act of crimping; Crimp′er, one who or that which crimps or corrugates; Crimp′ing-ī′ron, an iron instrument used for crimping hair; Crimp′ing-machine′, a machine for forming crimps or plaits on ruffles.—v.t. Crimp′le, to contract or draw together: to plait: to curl. [A dim. of cramp; Dut. krimpen, to shrink.]

Crimson, krim′zn, n. a deep red colour, tinged with blue: red in general.—adj. deep red.—v.t. to dye crimson.—v.i. to become crimson: to blush. [M. E. crimosin—O. Fr. cramoisin; from Ar. qermazi, the cochineal insect, from which it is made.]

Crinal, krī′nal, adj. of or belonging to the hair.—adjs. Crin′ate, -d, having hair; Crinicul′tural, relating to the culture or growth of the hair; Crinig′erous, hairy; Crī′nite, hairy: (bot.) resembling a tuft of hair. [L. crinalis—crinis, the hair.]

Crine, krīn, v.i. (Scot.) to shrink or shrivel. [Gael. crìon, dry.]

Cringe, krinj, v.i. to bend or crouch with servility: to submit: to fawn: to flatter with mean servility.—n. a servile obeisance.—ns. Cringe′ling, Crin′ger, one who cringes.—adv. Crin′gingly, in an obsequious manner. [Related to A.S. crincan, cringan, to shrink. Cf. Crank, weak.]

Cringle, kring′gl, n. a small piece of rope worked into the bolt-rope of a sail, and containing a metal ring or thimble. [Teut.; cf. Ger. kringel.]

Crinite. See Crinal, Crinoidea.

Crinkle, krink′l, v.t. to twist, wrinkle, crimp.—v.i. to wrinkle up, curl.—n. a wrinkle.—adj. Crink′ly, wrinkly.—n. and adj. Crink′um-crank′um, a word applied familiarly to things intricate or crooked.

Crinoidea, krī-noid′ē-a, n.pl. a class of Echinodermata, sometimes called feather-stars or sea-lilies, and well known in fossil forms as encrinites or stone-lilies.—n. Cri′nite, a fossil crinoid.—adjs. and ns. Crinoid′, Crinoid′ean.—adj. Crinoid′al. [Gr. krinon, a lily, and eidos, form.]

Crinoline, krin′o-lin, n. a name originally given by the French modistes to a stiff fabric of horse-hair, employed to distend women's attire: a hooped petticoat or skirt made to project all round by means of steel-wire: a netting round ships as a guard against torpedoes.—n. Crin′olette, a small crinoline causing the dress to project behind only—akin to the bustle and dress-improver.—adj. Crin′olined. [Fr., crin—L. crinis, hair, and lin—L. linum, flax.]

Crinose, krī′nōs, adj. hairy. [L. crinis, hair.]

Crio-sphinx, krī′ō-sfingks, n. a ram-headed sphinx. [Gr. krios, a ram, sphingx, a sphinx.]

Cripple, krip′l, n. a lame person.—adj. lame.—v.t. to make lame: to lame: disable, impair the efficiency of.—ns. Cripp′ledom; Cripp′ling, a prop set up as a support against the side of a building. [A.S. crypel; conn. with Creep.]

Crisis, krī′sis, n. point or time for deciding anything, the decisive moment or turning-point:—pl. Crises (krī′sēz). [Gr. krisis, from krinein, to separate.]

Crisp, krisp, adj. curling closely: having a wavy surface: so dry as to be crumbled easily: brittle, or short, as 'crisp cakes,' &c.: fresh and bracing, as 'crisp air:' firm, the opposite of limp or flabby, as a 'crisp style' in writing.—v.t. to curl or twist: to make crisp or wavy.—adjs. Cris′pāte, -d, having a crisped or wavy appearance.—ns. Crispā′tion; Crisp′ature, a curling; Crisp′er, one who or that which crisps; Crisp′ing-ī′ron, -pin, a curling-iron.—adv. Crisp′ly.—n. Crisp′ness.—adj. Crisp′y. [A.S.,—L. crispus.]

Crispin, kris′pin, n. a shoemaker, from Crispin of Soissons, the patron saint of shoemakers, martyred 25th October 287.

Criss-cross, kris′-kros, n. a mark formed by two lines in the form of a cross, as the signature of a person unable to write his name: a child's game played on a slate, the lines being drawn in the form of a cross.—v.i. to intersect frequently.

Cristate, kris′tāt, adj. crested.—n. Cris′ta, a crest.—adjs. Cris′tiform; Cristim′anous, having crested claws.

Criterion, krī-tē′ri-on, n. a means or standard of judging: a test: a rule, standard, or canon:—pl. Critē′ria. [Gr., from kritēs, a judge.]

Crith, krith, n. a chemical unit of mass for gases, the mass of one litre of hydrogen. [Gr. krithē, barley.]

Crithomancy, krith′o-man-si, n. divination by the meal strewed over the victims of sacrifice. [Gr. krithē, barley, and manteia, divination.]

Critic, krit′ik, n. one skilled in estimating the quality of literary or artistic work: a professional reviewer: one skilled in textual or biblical criticism, literature, the fine arts, &c.: a fault-finder.—adj. Crit′ical, relating to criticism: discriminating: captious: decisive.—adv. Crit′ically.—ns. Crit′icalness, Critical′ity; Crit′icaster, Crit′ickin, a petty critic.—adj. Criticīs′able.—v.t. Crit′icise, to pass judgment on: to censure.—ns. Crit′icism, the art of judging, esp. in literature or the fine arts: a critical judgment or observation; Critique (kri-tēk′), a critical examination of any production: a review.—Critical angle, the least angle of incidence at which a ray is totally reflected; Critical philosophy, that of Kant as based on a critical examination of the faculty of knowledge; Critical point, that temperature below which a substance may, and above which it cannot, be liquefied by pressure alone.—Higher or Historical criticism, as distinguished from Textual or Verbal criticism, the inquiry into the composition, date, and authenticity of the books of Scripture, from historical and literary considerations. [Gr. kritikos—krinein, to judge.]

Croak, krōk, v.i. to utter a low hoarse sound, as a frog or raven: to grumble: to forebode evil: to utter croakingly: (slang) to die.—n. the sound of a frog or raven.—n. Croak′er.—adv. Croak′ily.—n. Croak′ing.—adj. Croak′y. [From the sound. Cf. Crake, Crow.]

Croat, krō′at, n. a native of Croatia, esp. one serving as a soldier in the Austrian army.

Croceous, krō′shi-us, adj. saffron-coloured.

Croche, krō′she, n. one of the buds or knobs at the top of a deer's horn. [Fr.]

Crochet, krō′shā, n. a kind of handiwork in fancy worsted, cotton, or silk—an extensive system of looping, by means of a small hook.—v.i. to do such work. [Fr. crochet—croche, croc, a hook.]

Crocidolite, kro-sid′o-līt, n. a mineral consisting mainly of silicate of iron, in asbestos-like fibres. [From Gr. krokis, -idos, cloth, and lithos, stone.]

Crock, krok, n. a pot or jar.—n. Crock′ery, earthenware: vessels formed of baked clay. [A.S. croc; Ger. krug; perh. of Celt. origin, as in W. crochan, a pot, Gael. krogan, a pitcher.]

Crock, krok, n. dirt, smut.—v.i. to dirty.

Crock, krok, n. an old ewe: an old horse. [Cf. Norw. and Sw. krake, a poor beast.]

Crocket, krok′et, n. (archit.) an ornament on the angles of spires, canopies, &c., like curled leaves or flowers.

Crocodile, krok′o-dīl, n. a genus of large amphibious saurian reptiles, including the crocodile of the Nile, and also the alligators and gavials.—adj. and n. Crocodil′ian.—n. Crocodil′ity, captious arguing.—Crocodile tears, affected tears, hypocritical grief—from the old story that crocodiles (which have large lachrymal glands) shed tears over the hard necessity of killing animals for food. [O. Fr. cocodrille—L. crocodilus—Gr. krokodeilos, a lizard.]

Crocus, krō′kus, n. a bulbous plant with brilliant yellow or purple flowers: (slang) a quack doctor. [L. crocus—Gr. krokos; prob. of Eastern origin, as Heb. karkom, and Ar. kurkum, saffron.]

Croft, kroft, n. a small piece arable land adjoining a dwelling: a kind of small farm.—ns. Croft′er; Croft′ing. [A.S. croft; perh. cog. with Dut. kroft, or with Gael. croit.]

Croissant. Same as Crescent.

Croma, krō′ma, n. (mus.) an eighth note, or quaver.—Also Crome.

Crome, krōm, Cromb, krōōm, n. a hook or crook.—v.t. to draw with such. [Cf. Dut. kram.]

Cromlech, krom′lek, n. a term applied in Brittany to a group of standing stones, a stone circle: formerly applied to a dolmen, with which it is still sometimes confounded in England (see Dolmen). [W. cromlech—crom, curved, circular, and llech, a stone.]

Cromorna, krō-mor′na, n. a clarinet-like reed-stop in an organ. [Fr.,—Ger. krummhorn.]

Crone, krōn, n. an old woman, usually in contempt—sometimes an old man. [Perh. O. Fr. carogne, a crabbed woman; or Celt., as in Ir. crion, withered.]

Cronet, krō′net, n. the hair growing over the top of a horse's hoof.

Crony, krōn′i, n. an old and intimate companion. [Ety. unknown.]

Croodle, krōōd′l, v.i. to cower down, or cling close to anything. [Prob. related to Cuddle.]

Croodle, krōōd′l, v.i. (Scot.), to coo like a dove, to coax.

Crook, krōōk, n. a bend, anything bent: a curved tube used to lower the pitch of a cornet, &c.: the bending of the body in reverence: a staff bent at the end, as a shepherd's or bishop's: an artifice or trick: (Spens.) gibbet.—v.t. to bend or form into a hook: to turn from the straight line or from what is right.—v.i. to bend or be bent.—n. Crook′back (Shak.), a hunchback.—adj. Crook′backed; Crook′ed, bent like a crook: not straight: deviating from rectitude, perverse.—adv. Crook′edly.—n. Crook′edness.—adjs. Crook′-kneed; Crook′-shoul′dered.—A crook in the lot, any trial in one's experience. [Prob. Scand.; cf. Ice. krókr, Dan. krog.]

Crool, krool, v.i. to mutter. [Imit.]

Croon, krōōn, v.t. (Scot.) to utter a low, monotonous, inarticulate sound like a baby: to sing or hum in an undertone.—n. Croon′ing, a low murmuring sound. [Cf. Dut. kreunen, to groan.]

Crop, krop, n. all the produce of a field of grain: anything gathered or cropped: an entire ox-hide: the craw of a bird: (archit.) a finial: a whip-handle: the cutting the hair short.—v.t. to cut off the top or ends: to cut short or close: to mow, reap, or gather.—v.i. to yield:—pr.p. crop′ping; pa.p. cropped.—n. Crop′-ear, one having cropped or cut ears.—adj. Crop′ful (Milt.), satiated.—ns. Crop′per, one who or that which crops: a plant which furnishes a crop: one who raises a crop for a share of it: a kind of fancy pigeon remarkable for its large crop; Crop′ping, act of cutting off: the raising of crops: (geol.) an outcrop; Crop′py, one of the Irish rebels of 1798 who cut their hair short in imitation of the French Revolutionists.—adj. Crop′-sick, sick of a surfeit.—Crop out, to appear above the surface; Crop up, to come up incidentally. [A.S. crop, the top shoot of a plant, the crop of a bird; Dut. crop, a bird's crop.]

Cropper, krop′ėr, n. a fall; failure.—Come a cropper, to have a fall, perhaps from phrase 'neck and crop.'

Croquet, krō′kā, n. a game in which two or more players try to drive wooden balls, by means of long-handled mallets, through a series of arches set in the ground. [North Fr. croquet, a dial. form of crochet, dim. of croc, croche, a crook.]

Croquette, krok-et′, n. a ball of minced meat or fish, seasoned and fried. [Fr. croquer, to crunch.]

Crore, krōr, n. the sum of ten millions, or one hundred lacs. [Hind.]

Crosier, Crozier, krō′zhėr, n. a cross mounted on a staff, borne before archbishops and patriarchs—often confounded with the pastoral staff.—adj. Crō′siered. [O. Fr. crocier—Late L. crociarius—L. crux, a cross.]

Cross, kros, n. a gibbet on which malefactors were hung, consisting of two pieces of timber, one placed crosswise on the other, either thus or : the instrument on which Christ suffered, and thus the symbol of the Christian religion: the sufferings of Christ: the atonement effected by these: a representation of the cross, a staff surmounted by a cross, a monument, model, or ornament in the form of a cross, esp. that in this form in the centre of a town at which proclamations are made, &c.: (Scot.) a signal or call to arms sent throughout a district, being a cross of two sticks charred and dipped in blood (Fiery cross): the transverse part of an anchor, or the like: a surveyor's cross-staff: anything that crosses or thwarts: a crossing or crossway: adversity or affliction in general.—v.t. to mark with a cross, or to make the sign of the cross.—ns. Cross′-aisle, a transept aisle of a cruciform church; Cross′-bear′er, one who carries a cross in a procession; Cross′-bun, a bun marked with the form of a cross, eaten on Good-Friday; Cross′ing, the making the sign of the cross; Cross′-stitch, a double stitch in the form of a cross; Cross′let, a little cross.—Crost, obsolete pa.p. of Cross.—Cross-and-pile, the obverse and reverse side of a coin, head and tail; Cross of Calvary, the Latin cross or cross of crucifixion elevated on three steps; Cross of Jerusalem, one having each arm capped by a cross-bar; Cross of Lorraine, a cross with two horizontal arms, combining the Greek and Latin crosses; Cross of St James, a Latin cross figured as a sword; Cross of St Patrick, the saltier cross of Ireland (red on a white ground).—Cross one's mind, to flash across the mind; Cross the path of any one, to thwart him.—Ansate cross (crux ansata), a common symbol of immortality in ancient Egypt; Archiepiscopal cross, the pastoral staff surmounted by a cross; Buddhist cross, the gammadion or fylfot, with returned arms, a symbol found in prehistoric remains in Italy and elsewhere; Capital cross, a Greek cross having each extremity terminated in an ornament like a Tuscan capital; Capuchin-cross, a cross having each arm terminated by a ball; Celtic cross, a type of cross found in Ireland and in the north and west of Scotland, varying from a cross incised on a flat slate to an elaborate cruciform monument—some crosses of this type show Scandinavian workmanship, and hence are often called Runic crosses; Greek cross, an upright cross with limbs of equal length—the well-known Cross of St George (red on a white ground); Latin cross (crux immissa), an upright cross having the lower limb longer than the others; Maltese cross, the badge of the knights of Malta, converging to a point in the centre, with two points to each limb; Norman cross, an elaborate memorial cross like a Gothic turret set on the ground, or on the base of a few steps, with niches for figures and pinnacles; Patriarchal cross, a cross with two horizontal bars; Rouen cross, a cross in fretwork, as a brooch or pendant; St Andrew's cross (crux decussata), or Cross saltier, a cross of two shafts of equal length crossed diagonally at the middle—the saltier cross of Scotland (white on a blue ground); St Anthony's cross (crux commissa), shaped like a ; Southern cross, a constellation in the Antarctic region where the stars are in the form of a cross. [O. Fr. crois (Fr. croix)—L. cruc-em, orig. an upright post to which latterly a cross-piece was added.]

Cross, kros, adj. lying across: transverse: oblique: opposite: adverse: ill-tempered: interchanged: dishonest: balancing, neutralising.—adv. across.—n. a crossing or mixing of breeds, esp. of cattle: something intermediate in character between two other things: dishonest practices, esp. in a sporting contest when one of the parties corruptly allows himself to be beaten.—v.t. to lay one body or draw one line across another: to cancel by drawing cross lines: to pass from side to side: to write across a bank-cheque the name of a banking company, or simply '& Co.' between the lines, to be filled up with the name of a banking company, through whom alone it may be paid: to obstruct: to thwart: to interfere with.—v.i. to lie or be athwart: to move or pass from place to place.—n. Cross′-ac′tion (law), an action brought by the defender against the pursuer in the same cause.—adjs. Cross′-armed, having the arms crossed: (bot.) brachiate; Cross′-band′ed, having the grain of the veneer run across that of the rail—of a hand-rail.—n. Cross′-bar, a transverse bar: a kind of lever.—adj. Cross′-barred.—ns. Cross′-beam, a large beam stretching across a building and serving to hold its sides together; Cross′-bench, in the House of Lords, certain benches so placed, on which independent members sometimes sit; Cross′-bill, a bill brought by the defendant in a Chancery suit against the plaintiff; Cross′-bill, a genus of birds resembling bullfinches, linnets, &c., with the mandibles of the bill crossing each other near the points; Cross′-birth, a birth in which the child lies transversely in the uterus.—v.t. Cross′bite, to bite the biter.—n.pl. Cross′-bones, a figure of two thigh-bones laid across each other—together with the skull, a conventional emblem of death.—ns. Cross′bow, a weapon for shooting arrows, formed of a bow placed crosswise on a stock; Cross′bower, -bowman, one who uses a crossbow.—adj. Cross′-bred.—ns. Cross′-breed, a breed produced by the crossing or intermixing of different races; Cross′-breed′ing; Cross′-butt′ock, a particular throw over the hip in wrestling; Cross′-cheque (see Cheque).—adj. Cross′-coun′try, across the fields rather than by the road.—n. Cross′-cut, a short road across from one point to another.—v.t. to cut across.—ns. Cross′cut-saw, a large saw worked by two men, one at each end, for cutting beams crosswise; Cross′-divi′sion, the division of any group into divisions that cut across each other and produce confusion.—adj. Crossed, marked by a line drawn crosswise, often denoting cancellation: folded: cruciate.—n. Cross′-examinā′tion.—v.t. Cross′-exam′ine, to test the evidence of a witness by subjecting him to an examination by the opposite party.—adj. Cross′-eyed, having a squint.—ns. Cross′-fertilisā′tion, the fecundation of a plant by pollen from another; Cross′-fire (mil.), the crossing of lines of fire from two or more points; Cross′-gar′net, a T-shaped hinge.—adjs. Cross′-gar′tered (Shak.), wearing the garters crossed on the leg; Cross′-grained, having the grain or fibres crossed or intertwined: perverse: contrary: intractable.—ns. Cross′-grain′edness; Cross′-guard, the bar, at right angles to the blade, forming the hilt-guard of a sword; Cross′-hatch′ing, the art of shading by parallel intersecting lines; Cross′-head, a beam across the head of something, esp. the bar at the end of the piston-rod of a steam-engine; Cross′ing, act of going across: the place where a roadway, &c. may be crossed: intersection: act of thwarting: cross-breeding.—adj. Cross′-legged, having the legs crossed.—adv. Cross′ly.—ns. Cross′ness; Cross′-patch, an ill-natured person; Cross′-piece, a piece of material of any kind crossing another: (naut.) a timber over the windlass, with pins for belaying the running rigging; Cross′-pur′pose, a contrary purpose: contradictory conduct or system: an enigmatical game; Cross′-quar′ters, an ornament of tracery like the four petals of a cruciform flower: a quatrefoil.—v.t. Cross′-ques′tion, to question minutely, to cross-examine.—ns. Cross′-ref′erence, a reference in a book to another title or passage; Cross′-road, a road crossing the principal road, a bypath; Cross′-row (same as Christ-cross-row); Cross′-sea, a sea that sets at an angle to the direction of the wind; Cross′-sill, a railroad sleeper lying under the rails transversely as a support to the stringer; Cross′-spring′er, a cross-rib in a groined vault; Cross′-staff, a surveying instrument consisting of a staff surmounted with a brass circle divided into four equal parts by two intersecting lines; Cross′-stone, chiastolite: staurolite: harmotome; Cross′-tie, in a railroad, a timber placed under opposite rails as a support; Cross′-tin′ing, a mode of harrowing crosswise.—n.pl. Cross′trees, pieces of timber placed across the upper end of the lower-masts and top-masts of a ship.—ns. Cross′-vault′ing, vaulting formed by the intersection of two or more simple vaults; Cross′way, a way that crosses another; Cross′-wind, an unfavourable wind, a side-wind.—adv. Cross′wise, in the form of a cross: across.—Cross as two sticks, particularly perverse and disagreeable.—Cross the path of any one, to thwart him; Cross one's mind, to flash across the mind.

Crosse, kros, n. the implement used in lacrosse.

Crossette, kro-set′, n. a small projecting part of an impost-stone at the extremity of an arch: a shoulder in an arch-stone fitting into the stone next to it. [Fr.]

Crotalaria, krō-ta-lā′ri-a, n. a genus of Leguminosæ, the rattlewort. [Gr. krotalon, a rattle.]

Crotalidæ, krō-tal′i-dē, n.pl. a family of venomous serpents, including rattlesnakes, copper-heads, &c.

Crotalo, krō′ta-lō, n. a Turkish musical instrument, like the ancient cymbalum.

Crotch, kroch, n. a fork, as of a tree: the bifurcation of the human body.—adj. Crotched. [Ety. obscure.]

Crotchet, kroch′et, n. a hook: a note in music, equal to half a minim, : a crooked or perverse fancy: a whim, or conceit.—adjs. Crotch′eted, Crotch′ety, having crotchets or peculiarities: whimsical.—n. Crotch′eteer, a crotchety person. [Fr. crochet, dim. of croche, a hook. See Crochet.]

Croton, krō′ton, n. a genus of tropical plants, producing a brownish-yellow oil, having a hot, biting taste.—ns. Crō′tonate, a salt formed by the union of crotonic acid with a base; Crō′ton-oil, a powerful purgative oil, expressed from the seeds of the Croton tiglium, also used externally.—Croton′ic acid, an acid obtained from croton-oil. [Gr. krotōn, a tick or mite, which the seed of the plant resembles.]

Crottles, krot′ls, n.pl. lichens used for dyeing. [Gael. crotal.]

Crouch, krowch, v.i. to squat or lie close to the ground: to cringe: to fawn. [Possibly crook.]

Crouched-friars = Crutched-friars. See Crutch.

Crouch-ware, krowch′-wār, n. a finely finished pottery made with an admixture of pipe-clay in Shropshire: the famous salt-glazed stoneware made at Burslem.

Croup, krōōp, n. a severe disease in the throat of children, accompanied by a hoarse cough.—v.i. to cry or speak hoarsely.—n. Croup′iness.—adjs. Croup′ous, Croup′y. [A.S. kropan, to cry; Scot. roup, croup, hoarseness; from the sound.]

Croup, krōōp, n. the rump of a horse: the place behind the saddle.—n. Croup′on (obs.), the croup: the human buttocks. [Fr. croupe, a protuberance; allied to Crop.]

Croupade, kroo-pād′, n. in the manège, a leap in which the horse draws up his hind-legs toward the belly. [Fr.]

Crouper, krōōp′ėr, n. obsolete form of Crupper.

Croupier, krōō′pi-ėr, n. one who sits at the lower end of the table as assistant-chairman at a public dinner: a vice-president: he who watches the cards and collects the money at the gaming-table. [Fr., 'one who rides on the croup.']

Crouse, krōōs, adj. (Scot.) lively, pert.—adv. boldly, pertly.—adv. Crouse′ly. [M. E. crūs; cf. Ger. kraus, Dut. kroes, crisp, cross.]

Crout, krowt, n. See Sauer-kraut.

Crow, krō, n. a large bird, generally black, of the genus Corvus, which includes magpies, nut-crackers, jays, choughs, &c.: the cry of a cock: a crow-bar.—v.i. to croak: to cry as a cock, in joy or defiance: to boast, swagger (with over):—pa.t. crew (krōō) or crowed; pa.p. crowed.—ns. Crow′-bar, a large iron bar mostly bent at the end, to be used as a lever; Crow′-berr′y, a small creeping shrub, producing small black berries; Crow′-flow′er (Shak.), perhaps the same as Crow′foot, a common weed, the flower of which is like a crow's foot, the buttercup: crow's-foot: a number of lines rove through a long wooden block, supporting the backbone of an awning horizontally; Crow′-keep′er (Shak.), a scarecrow; Crow′-quill, a pen made of the quill of a crow, &c., for fine writing or etching; Crow's′-bill, Crow′-bill (surg.), a kind of forceps for extracting bullets, &c., from wounds; Crow's′-foot, one of the wrinkles produced by age, spreading out from the corners of the eyes: (mil.) a caltrop; Crow's′-nest (naut.), a shelter at the top-gallant mast-head of whalers for the man on the lookout.—n.pl. Crow′-steps (see Corbie).—n. Crow′-toe (Milt.), probably the same as Crowfoot.—As the crow flies, in a straight line; Eat crow, or boiled crow, to be forced to do something very disagreeable; Have a crow to pluck with, to have something to settle with some one. [A.S. crawe, a crow, crawan, to cry like a cock; imit.]

Crowd, krowd, n. a number of persons or things closely pressed together, without order: the rabble: multitude.—v.t. to gather into a lump or crowd: to fill by pressing or driving together: to compress.—v.i. to press on: to press together in numbers: to swarm.—p.adj. Crowd′ed.—Crowd sail, to carry a press of sail for speed. [A.S. crúdan, to press.]

Crowd, krowd, n. (obs.) an ancient musical instrument of the nature of the violin.—n. Crowd′er (obs.), a fiddler. [W. crwth, a hollow protuberance, a fiddle; Gael., Ir. cruit.]

Crowdie, krowd′i, n. a mixture of meal and water: (Scot.) brose. [Der. unknown.]

Crown, krown, n. the diadem or state-cap of royalty: regal power: the sovereign: honour: reward, as the 'martyr's crown:' the top of anything, esp. of the head: completion: accomplishment; a coin stamped with a crown, esp. the silver 5s. piece—used also as the translation of the old French écu, worth from six francs (or livres) to three francs: a size of paper, because originally water-marked with a crown: (archit.) a species of spire or lantern, formed by converging flying-buttresses.—v.t. to cover or invest with a crown: to invest with royal dignity: to adorn: to dignify: to complete happily.—ns. Crown′-ag′ent, a solicitor in Scotland who prepares criminal prosecutions; Crown′-ant′ler, the uppermost antler of the horn of a stag; Crown′-col′ony, a colony whose administration is directly under the home government; Crown Derby porcelain (see Porcelain).—p.adj. Crowned, having or wearing a crown: rewarded: consummated.—ns. Crown′er (Shak.), a corruption of coroner; Crown′et, a coronet: (Shak.) that which crowns or accomplishes; Crown′-glass, a kind of window-glass formed in circular plates or discs; Crown′-impē′rial, a plant, a species of fritillary; Crown′ing.—n.pl. Crown′-jew′els, jewels pertaining to the crown or sovereign.—ns. Crown′-land, land belonging to the crown or sovereign; Crown′-law′yer, the lawyer who acts for the crown in criminal cases.—adj. Crown′less.—ns. Crown′let, a small crown; Crown′-liv′ing, a church living in the gift of the crown; Crown-office, the office for the business of the crown side of the King's Bench: the office in which the great seal is affixed; Crown′-pā′per, in England, a printing-paper of the size 15 × 20 in.: in America, a writing-paper 15 × 19 in.; Crown′-post, the same as King-post (q.v.); Crown′-prince, the prince who succeeds to the crown; Crown′-saw, a circular saw made by cutting teeth round a cylinder; Crown′-wheel, a wheel resembling a crown, with teeth or cogs set at right angles to its plane; Crown′-wit′ness, a witness for the crown in a criminal prosecution instituted by it; Crown′work (fort.), an outwork composed of a bastion between two curtains, with demi-bastions at the extremes.—Crown of the causeway, the middle of the street. [O. Fr. corone (Fr. couronne)—L. corona; cf. Gr. korōnos, curved.]

Croze, krōz, n. the groove in the staves of a cask in which the edge of the head is set.

Crozier. See Crosier.

Crucial, krōō′shi-al, adj. testing, searching, from the practice of marking a testing instance with a cross to draw attention to it.—adj. Cru′ciāte (bot.), arranged in the form of a cross, as leaves or petals. [Fr. crucial, from L. crux, crucis, a cross.]

Crucian, Crusian, kroo′shi-an, n. the German carp, having no barbels.

Crucible, krōō′si-bl, n. an earthen pot for melting ores, metals, &c. [Low L. crucibulum, most prob. from L. crux.]

Cruciferæ, kroo-sif′ėr-ē, n. a natural order of exogenous plants (many edible), having a corolla of four petals arranged in the form of a cross.—n. Cruc′ifer, a cross-bearer in a procession.—adj. Crucif′erous (bot.), bearing four petals in the form of a cross. [L. crux, crucis, a cross, ferre, to bear.]

Crucify, krōō′si-fī, v.t. to put to death by fixing the hands and feet to a cross: to subdue completely: to mortify: to torment:—pa.p. cru′cified.—ns. Crucifī′er, one who crucifies; Cru′cifix, a figure or picture of Christ fixed to the cross; Crucifix′ion, death on the cross, esp. that of Christ.—adjs. Cru′ciform, in the form of a cross; Crucig′erous, bearing a cross. [O. Fr. crucifier—L. crucifigĕre, crucifixum—crux, and figĕre, to fix.]

Crude, krōōd, adj. raw, unprepared: not reduced to order or form: unfinished: undigested: immature.—adv. Crude′ly.—ns. Crude′ness; Crud′ity, rawness: unripeness: that which is crude.—adj. Crud′y (Shak.), crude, raw. [L. crudus, raw.]

Cruel, krōō′el, adj. disposed to inflict pain, or pleased at suffering: void of pity, merciless, savage: severe.—adj. Cru′el-heart′ed, delighting in cruelty: hard-hearted: unrelenting.—adv. Cru′elly.—ns. Cru′elness (obs.); Cru′elty. [Fr. cruel—L. crudelis.]

Cruet, krōō′et, n. a small jar or phial for sauces and condiments.—n. Cru′et-stand, a stand or frame for holding cruets. [Acc. to Skeat, prob. formed from Dut. kruik, a jar = Eng. crock; and acc. to E. Müller, dim. of O. Fr. cruye (mod. Fr. cruche, cruchette, a jar), from root of crock.]

Cruise, krōōz, v.i. to sail to and fro: to rove on the sea.—n. a sailing to and fro: a voyage in various directions in search of an enemy, or for the protection of vessels.—n. Cruis′er. [Dut. kruisen, to cross—kruis, a cross.]

Cruisie. See Crusie.

Cruisken, kroos′ken, n. (Ir.) a small bottle.—Also Cruis′keen.

Cruive, Cruve, krōōv, n. (Scot.) a sty, hovel: a wattled hedge built on tidal flats for catching fish.

Cruller, krul′ėr, n. a cake cut from rolled dough made of eggs, butter, sugar, flour, &c., fried crisp in boiling lard. [Cf. Dut. krullen, to curl.]

Crumb, krum, n. a small bit or morsel of bread: a small particle of anything: the soft part of bread.—v.t. to break into crumbs: to fill with crumbs.—ns. Crumb′-brush, a brush for sweeping crumbs off the table; Crumb′-cloth, a cloth laid under a table to keep falling crumbs from the carpet.—adjs. Crumb′y, Crum′my, in crumbs: soft. [A.S. cruma; Dut. kruim; Ger. krume; allied to crimp.]

Crumble, krum′bl, v.t. to break into crumbs: to scatter in crumbs.—v.i. to fall into small pieces: to decay.—n. a crumb: that which crumbles easily.—adj. Crumb′ly, apt to crumble, brittle. [Orig. dim. of Crumb; Dut. kruimelen; Ger. krümeln.]

Crumenal, krōō′me-nal, n. (Spens.) a purse. [From L. crumena, a purse.]

Crump, krump, adj. crooked: wrinkled.—ns. Crum′my, a cow with a crumpled horn; Crump′et, a kind of crumby or soft cake or muffin.—adj. Crump′y, crump: easily broken. [A.S. crump—crumb, crooked; Ger. krumm. Cf. Cramp, Crimp.]

Crumple, krump′l, v.t. to contort: to mark with or draw into folds or wrinkles: to crease.—v.i. to become wrinkled: to contract or shrink.—adj. Crump′led.—n. Crump′ling. [Formed from Crump.]

Crunch, krunsh, v.t. to crush with the teeth: to chew anything hard, and so make a noise.—n. the act of crunching. [From the sound; cf. Fr. grincer.]

Crunkle, krunk′l, v.i. to crumple.

Crunt, krunt, n. (Scot.) a blow on the head.

Cruor, krōō′or, n. coagulated blood.—n. Cru′orine, the red colouring matter of blood corpuscles.

Crup, krup, adj. (prov.) brittle.

Crupper, krup′ėr, n. a strap of leather fastened to the saddle and passing under the horse's tail to keep the saddle in its place: the hind part of a horse. [Fr. cropière—crope, the croup.]

Crural, krōō′ral, adj. belonging to or shaped like a leg. [L. cruralis, from crus, cruris, the leg.]

Crusade, kroo-sād′, n. a military expedition under the banner of the cross to recover the Holy Land from the Turks: any daring or romantic undertaking.—v.i. to go on a crusade.—n. Crusad′er, one engaged in a crusade. [Fr. croisade—Prov. crozada—croz, a cross—L. crux, a cross.]

Crusado, kroo-sā′do, n. a Portuguese coin, so called because marked with a cross. [Port. cruzado.]

Cruse, krōōz, n. an earthen pot: a small cup or bottle. [Cf. Ice. krus; Dan. kruus; Ger. krause.]

Cruset, krōō′set, n. a goldsmith's crucible. [Fr. creuset.]

Crush, krush, v.t. to break or bruise: to squeeze together: to beat down or overwhelm: to subdue: to ruin.—v.i. to become broken under pressure.—n. a violet squeezing: a vast crowd of persons or things.—adj. Crushed, broken by pressure: subdued: oppressed.—ns. Crush′er, he who, or that which, crushes or subdues: (slang) a policeman; Crush′-hat, a hat so constructed as to collapse and become flat: an opera-hat.—adj. Crush′ing, bruising: overwhelming.—adv. Crush′ingly.—n. Crush′-room, a room in a theatre, &c., where the audience may promenade during the intervals of the entertainment.—Crush a cup, to empty a cup: to quaff.—Crushed strawberry, of the colour of strawberries that have been crushed. [O. Fr. croissir; per. cog. with Mid. High Ger. krosen, to crunch.]

Crusie, Crusy, krōōz′i, n. (Scot.) a lamp which burns oil. [From Cruset.]

Crust, krust, n. the hard rind or outside coating of anything: the outer part of bread: covering of a pie, &c.: (geol.) the solid exterior of the earth.—v.t. to cover with a crust or hard case.—v.i. to gather into a hard crust.—adj. Crustāt′ed, covered with a crust.—n. Crustā′tion, an adherent crust.—adv. Crust′ily.—n. Crust′iness.—adj. Crust′y, of the nature of or having a crust, as port or other wine: having a hard or harsh exterior: hard: snappy: surly. [O. Fr.,—L. crusta, rind.]

Crusta, krus′ta, n. something, as a gem, prepared for inlaying: a hard coating: a cocktail served in a glass, its rim encrusted in sugar:—pl. Crustæ (ē).

Crustacea, krus-tā′shi-a, n.pl. a large class of Arthropod animals, almost all aquatic, including crabs, lobsters, shrimps, sand-hoppers, wood-lice, water-fleas, barnacles, acorn-shells, &c.—n. Crustā′cean, one of the crustacea.—adj. Crustaceolog′ical.—ns. Crustaceol′ogist; Crustaceol′ogy, the science which treats of the crustacea.—adjs. Crustā′ceous, Crustā′cean, pertaining to the crustacea, or shellfish.

Crut, krut, n. (prov.) a dwarf.

Crutch, kruch, n. a staff with a cross-piece at the head to place under the arm of a lame person: any support like a crutch.—v.t. to support: to prop.—v.i. to go on crutches.—adj. Crutched, marked by the sign of or wearing a cross.—n.pl. Crutched′-frī′ars, an order of friars so called from the sign of the cross which they wore—Crouched- or Crossed-friars. [From root of Crook; perh. modified by L. crux.]

Crux, kruks, n. a cross: (fig.) something that occasions difficulty. [L. crux, a cross.]

Crwth, kröth, n. an old Welsh stringed instrument, four of its six strings played with a bow, two twitched by the thumb. [W.]

Cry, krī, v.i. to utter a shrill loud sound, esp. one expressive of pain or grief: to lament: to weep: to bawl.—v.t. to utter loudly: to proclaim or make public:—pa.t. and pa.p. cried.—n. any loud sound, esp. of grief or pain: a fit of weeping: a pack of hounds, hence of people: particular sound uttered by an animal: bawling: lamentation: prayer: clamour:—pl. Cries.—ns. Crī′er; Cry′ing, act of calling loudly: weeping.—adj. calling loudly: claiming notice: notorious.—Cry against, to protest against; Cry down, to condemn: to decry; Cry off, to withdraw from a bargain; Cry on, to call upon: to invoke; Cry up, to praise: extol.—A far cry, a great distance; Great cry and little wool, appearance without reality: much ado about nothing; Hue and cry (see Hue); In full cry, in full pursuit, used of dogs in hunt; Within cry of, within hearing distance. [Fr. crier—L. quiritāre, to scream—freq. of L. queri, to lament.]

Cryolite, krī′o-līt, n. a mineral found on the coast of Greenland, consisting mainly of a fluoride of aluminium in combination with fluoride of sodium. [Gr. kryos, frost, and lithos, a stone.]

Cryophorus, krī-of′o-rus, n. an instrument for showing the decrease of temperature in water by evaporation. [Gr. kryos, frost, and pherein, to bear.]

Crypt, kript, n. an underground cell or chapel, esp. one used for burial.—adjs. Cryp′tic, -al, hidden: secret: unseen. [L. crypta—Gr. kryptē—kryptein, to conceal. Doublet of Grot.]

Cryptogamia, krip-to-gā′mi-a, n. the class of flowerless plants, or those which have their fructification concealed.—n. Cryp′togam.—adjs. Cryptogā′mian, Cryptogam′ic, Cryptog′amous.—ns. Cryptog′amist; Cryptog′amy. [Gr. kryptos, concealed, and gamos, marriage.]

Cryptogram, krip′tō-gram, n. a cryptograph.—ns. Cryptad′ia, things to be kept secret; Cryptol′ogy, secret language; Cryp′tonym, a secret name.

Cryptography, krip-tog′ra-fi, n. the art of secret writing: the character or cipher so used.—ns. Crypt′ograph; Cryptog′rapher.—adjs. Cryptograph′ic, -al. [Gr. kryptos, secret, and graphein, to write.]

Crystal, kris′tal, n. a superior kind of quartz, clear like ice: (chem.) a piece of matter which has assumed a definite geometrical form, with plane faces.—adjs. Crys′tal, Crys′tallīne, consisting of or like crystal in clearness, &c.; Crys′talform; Crys′tallīsable, capable of being crystallised or formed into crystals.—n. Crystallīsā′tion, the act of crystallising.—v.t. Crys′tallīse, to reduce to the form of a crystal.—v.i. to assume a crystalline form.—ns. Crys′tallite; Crystallogen′esis.—adj. Crystallogen′ic.—n. Crystallog′rapher, one skilled in crystallography.—adj. Crystallograph′ic—n. Crystallog′raphy, the science of crystallisation.—adj. Crys′talloid, having the form of a crystal.—n. a name given by Graham to a class of substances which when in solution pass easily through membranes.—n. Crys′tallomancy, a mode of divination by means of transparent bodies. [O. Fr. cristol—L. crystallum—Gr. krystallos, ice—kryos, frost.]

Ctenoid, tē′noid, adj. comb-shaped, applied by Agassiz to the scales and fins of certain fishes, as the perch, &c.—adj. and n. Ctenoid′ean. [Gr. kteis, ktenos, a comb, eidos, form.]

Ctenophora, ten-of′o-ra, n.pl. a sub-class of Cœlenterates—beautifully delicate, free-swimming marine organisms, generally globular, moving by means of comb-like plates. [Gr. kteis, ktenos, a comb, pherein, to carry.]

Cub, kub, n. the young of certain animals, as foxes, &c.: a whelp: a young boy or girl (in contempt).—v.i. to bring forth young:—pr.p. cub′bing; pa.p. cubbed.—adjs. Cub′bish, like a cub: awkward; Cub′-drawn (Shak.), drawn or sucked by cubs.—n. Cub′hood.—adj. Cub′less, without cubs. [Prob. Celt., as Ir. cuib, a whelp, from cu, a dog.]

Cub, kub, n. a cattle-pen: chest.

Cuban, kū′ban, n. a native of the island of Cuba in the West Indies.—adj. pertaining to Cuba.

Cube, kūb, n. a solid body having six equal square faces, a solid square: the third power of a number, as—2 × 2 × 2 = 8.—v.t. to raise to the third power.—ns. Cū′bage, Cubā′tion, Cū′bature, the act of finding the solid or cubic content of a body: the result thus found.—adjs. Cū′bic, -al, pertaining to a cube: of the third power or degree: solid.—adv. Cū′bically.—n. Cū′bicalness, state or quality of being cubical.—adjs. Cū′biform; Cū′boid, Cuboid′al, resembling a cube in shape.—Cube root, the number or quantity that produces a given cube by being raised to the third power—thus 2 is the cube root of 8. [Fr.,—L. cubus—Gr. kybos, a die.]

Cubeb, kū′beb, n. the dried berry of Piper cubeba, a climbing shrub, native to Sumatra—useful as a stomachic and carminative in indigestion, for piles and for sore throats.—n. Cubeb′in, a crystallising substance in cubebs. [Fr. cubèbe—Ar. kabābah.]

Cubica, kū′bi-ka, n. a fine worsted for linings.

Cubicle, kū′bi-kl, n. a bedroom.

Cubit, kū′bit, n. a measure employed by the ancients, equal to the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle-finger, from 18 to 22 inches—also Cū′bitus.—adj. Cū′bital, of the length of a cubit. [L. cubitum, the elbow; cf. L. cubāre, to lie down.]

Cucking-stool, kuk′ing-stōōl, n. a stool in which scolds and other culprits were placed, usually before their own door, to be pelted by the mob. [Mentioned in Domesday Book as in use in Chester, and called cathedra stercoris. From an obs. word cuck, to ease one's self; cf. Ice. kúka.]

Cuckold, kuk′old, n. a man whose wife has proved unfaithful.—v.t. to wrong (a husband) by unchastity.—v.t. Cuck′oldise, to make a cuckold.—adv. Cuck′oldly (Shak.).—ns. Cuck′old-mak′er; Cuck′oldom, state of a cuckold: act of adultery; Cuck′oldry, adultery. [O. Fr. cucuault—cucu, cuckoo.]

Cuckoo, kook′kōō, n. a bird which cries cuckoo, remarkable for laying its eggs in the nests of other birds.—ns. Cuck′oo-bud (Shak.), name of a plant; Cuck′oo-clock, a clock in which the hours are told by a cuckoo-call; Cuck′oo-flow′er, a species of Cardamine—called also Lady's Smock; Cuck′oo-pint, the Wake-robin, Arum maculatum; Cuck′oo-spit, -spit′tle, a frothy spittle, made by many insects parasitic on plants, surrounding the larvæ and pupæ.

Cucullate, -d, kū′kul-lāt, -ed, adj. hooded: shaped like a hood. [L. cucullatus—cucullus, a hood.]

Cucumber, kū′kum-bėr, n. a creeping plant, with heart-shaped leaves, rough with bristly hairs, and large oblong fruit used as a salad and pickle—a native of southern Asia.—adj. Cucum′iform. [L. cucumis, cucumeris.]

Cucurbit, kū′kur-bit, n. a chemical vessel used in distillation, originally shaped like a gourd.—adjs. Cucur′bital, Cucurbitā′ceous, pertaining to the Cucurbitaceæ, mostly herbaceous climbers, as the gourd, melon, &c.; Cucur′bitive, like a gourd-seed. [Fr. cucurbite—L. cucurbita, a gourd.]

Cud, kud, n. the food brought from the first stomach of a ruminating animal back into the mouth and chewed again.—n. Cud′weed, the popular name for many species of plants covered with a cottony down.—Chew the cud, to meditate. [A.S. cwidu.]

Cudbear, kud′bār, n. a purple or violet coloured powder prepared from a lichen, used in dyeing. [A corr. of Cuthbert—from Dr Cuthbert Gordon, who first made it an article of commerce.]

Cuddle, kud′l, v.t. to hug: to embrace: to fondle.—v.i. to lie close and snug together.—n. a close embrace. [Perh. a freq. of M. E. couth, cosy.]

Cuddy, kud′i, n. a small cabin or cookroom, in the fore-part of a boat or lighter: in large vessels, the officers' cabin under the poopdeck. [Origin uncertain; cf. Fr. cahute; Dut. kajuit; Ger. kajüte.]

Cuddy, kud′i, n. the right of a lord to entertainment from his tenant: rent: (Spens.) Cuddeehih. [Corr. of Ir. cuid oidhche—cuid, a share, oidhche, night.]

Cuddy, Cuddie, kud′i, n. a donkey: (Scot.) a stupid person. [Perh. formed from Cuthbert.]

Cudgel, kud′jel, n. a heavy staff: a club.—v.t. to beat with a cudgel:—pr.p. cud′gelling; pa.p. cud′gelled.—ns. Cud′geller; Cud′gelling.—adj. Cud′gel-proof, not to be hurt by beating.—Take up the cudgels, to engage in a contest. [A.S. cycgel.]

Cue, kū, n. the last words of an actor's speech serving as a hint to the next speaker: any hint: the part one has to play. [Acc. to some from Fr. queue, tail, as the ending words of the last speech; in 17th cent. written Q, and derived from L. quando, 'when,' i.e. when the actor was to begin.]

Cue, kū, n. a twist of hair at the back of the head: a rod used in playing billiards.—v.t. of the hair, to form in a cue. [Fr. queue—L. cauda, a tail.]

Cuff, kuf, n. a stroke with the open hand.—v.t. to strike with the open hand: to beat. [Origin obscure; cf. Sw. kuffa, to knock.]

Cuff, kuf, n. the end of the sleeve near the wrist: a covering for the wrist: a handcuff (q.v.). [Prob. cog. with Coif.]

Cuff, kuf, n. Scotch form of Scruff.—Cuff of the neck. See Scruff.

Cuffin, kuf′in, n. a man: a justice of the peace. [Thieves' slang.]

Cufic, kūf′ik, adj. of or pertaining to Cufa, esp. applied to the kind of writing of the scholars of Cufa in Asiatic Turkey, seat of the most expert copyists of the Koran.

Cuirass, kwi-ras′, or kū-, n. a defensive covering for the breast and back, of leather or iron fastened with straps and buckles, &c.—v.t. to furnish with such.—n. Cuirassier′, a horse-soldier armed with such. [Fr. cuirasse—cuir, leather—L. corium, skin leather.]

Cuir-bouilli, kwēr-bōō′lyi, n. leather softened by boiling, then dried, retaining the impressions made on it.—Also Cuir-bouilly.

Cuisine, kwe-zēn′, n. a kitchen or cooking department: cookery.—n. Cuisin′ier, a cook. [Fr. (It. cucina)—L. coquina—coquĕre, to cook.]

Cuisse, kwis, Cuish, kwish, n. armour for the thighs, consisting of iron plates laid horizontally over each other and riveted together. [Fr. cuisse (It. coscia, the thigh)—L. coxa, the hip.]

Cuiter, küt′ėr, v.t. (Scot.) to fondle, pamper.

Cuittle, küt′l, v.t. to curry: (Scot.) to cajole.

Culch, kulch, n. (prov.) rubbish.

Culdee, kul′dē, n. one of a fraternity of monks living in Scotland in the 8th century in groups of cells. [Acc. to Reeves and Skene, the old Ir. céle dé, 'servants of God,' or 'companions of God'—Latinised by Boece into Culdei, as if cultores Dei.]

Cul-de-four, kōō-de-foor, n. (archit.) a sort of low spherical vault, oven-like.—ns. Cul-de-lampe, an ornamental design used in filling up blank spaces in a book; Cul-de-sac, a street, &c., closed at one end: a blind alley. [Fr. cul, bottom—L. culus; Fr. four, furnace, lampe, lamp, sac, sack.]

Culet, kū′let, n. the small flat surface at the back or bottom of a brilliant: the part of armour protecting the body behind, from the waist downwards—also Culette. [O. Fr., cul—L. culus, the rump.]

Culex, kū′leks, n. the typical genus of Culicidæ or gnats—adj. Culic′iform, gnat-like. [L.]

Culinary, kū′lin-ar-i, adj. pertaining to the kitchen or to cookery: used in the kitchen. [L. culinarius—culina, a kitchen.]

Cull, kul, v.t. to select, pick out.—ns. Cull′er; Cull′ing. [Fr. cueillir, to gather—L. colligĕre—col, together, legĕre, to gather. Doublet of Collect.]

Cullender. See Colander.

Cullet, kul′et, n. refuse glass.

Cullion, kul′yun, n. a wretch: a cowardly fellow.—adj. Cull′ionly (Shak.), mean, base. [Fr. couillon, a poltroon (It. coglione)—L. coleus, a leather bag.]

Cullis, kul′is, n. a gutter in a roof: a groove, as for a side-scene in a theatre. [Fr. coulisse.]

Cully, kul′i, n. a mean dupe.—v.t. to deceive meanly:—pa.p. cull′ied.—ns. Cull, a dupe; Cull′yism, state of being a cully. [Prob. a contr. of Cullion.]

Culm, kulm, n. the stalk or stem of corn or of grasses.—v.i. to form a culm.—adj. Culmif′erous, having a culm. [L. culmus, a stalk.]

Culm, kulm, n. coal-dust: name given in some parts of England to anthracite or stone-coal.—adj. Culmif′erous, producing culm. [See Coom.]

Culmen, kul′men, n. highest point: the median length-wise ridge of a bird's upper mandible. [L.]

Culminate, kul′min-āt, v.i. (astron.) to be vertical or at the highest point of altitude: to reach the highest point (with in).—adj. Cul′minant, at its highest point.—n. Culminā′tion, act of culminating: the top: (astron.) transit of a body across the meridian or highest point for the day. [Low L. culmināre, from L. culmen, properly columen, a summit.]

Culottic, kul-ot′ic, adj. wearing trousers: (Carlyle) respectable. [Fr. culotte, breeches.]

Culpable, kul′pa-bl, adj. faulty: criminal.—ns. Culpabil′ity, Cul′pableness, liability to blame.—adv. Cul′pably.—adj. Cul′patory, expressive of blame. [O. Fr. coupable—L. culpabilis—culpa, a fault.]

Culprit, kul′prit, n. one in fault: a criminal: (Eng. law) a prisoner accused but not yet tried. [From the fusion in legal phraseology of cul. (culpable, culpabilis), and prit, prist (O. Fr. prest), ready. Not culpate—law L. culpatus, a person accused.]

Cult, kult, n. a system of religious belief, worship.—Also Cult′us. [L. cultus—colĕre, to worship.]

Culter, kul′tėr, n. obsolete form of Coulter.—adjs. Cultiros′tral, Culturos′tral; Cul′trate, -d, shaped like a pruning-knife; Cul′triform, in the form of a pruning-knife: sharp-edged.

Cultism, kult′ism, n. a style of writing after the manner of Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), a Spanish lyric poet—estilo culto, being florid, pedantic, often obscure.—ns. Cult′ist, Cult′orist. [Sp. culte, elegant—L. cultus.]

Cultivate, kul′ti-vāt, v.i. to till or produce by tillage: to prepare for crops: to devote attention to: to civilise or refine.—adjs. Cul′tivable, Cultivat′able, capable of being cultivated.—ns. Cultivā′tion, the art or practice of cultivating: civilisation: refinement; Cul′tivator.—Cultivate a person's friendship, to endeavour to get his good-will. [Low L. cultivāre, -ātum—L. colĕre, to till, to worship.]

Culture, kul′tūr, n. cultivation: the state of being cultivated: refinement the result of cultivation.—v.t. to cultivate: to improve.—adjs. Cul′turable; Cul′tural.—p.adj. Cul′tured, cultivated: well educated: refined.—adj. Cul′tureless. [L. cultūra—colĕre.]

Cultus. See Cult.

Culver, kul′vėr, n. a dove: a pigeon.—n. Cul′ver-key, an herb, probably the columbine, having key-shaped flowerets.—adj. Cul′vertailed, dovetailed. [A.S. culfre, prob. from L. columba.]

Culverin, kul′vėr-in, n. one of the earlier forms of cannon of great length, generally an 18-pounder, weighing 50 cwt.—ns. Cul′verineer; Dem′i-cul′verin, a 9-pounder, weighing 30 cwt. [Fr. coulevrine, from couleuvre, a serpent.]

Culver's physic, root, n. popular name of a kind of speedwell, the rhizome of Veronica virginica, used medicinally. [Prob. from one Dr Culver.]

Culvert, kul′vėrt, n. an arched channel of masonry for carrying water beneath a road, railway, &c. [Perh. from Fr. couler, to flow—L. colāre.]

Culvertage, kul′ver-tāj, n. degradation of a vassal to the position of a serf. [O. Fr. culvert, a serf.]

Cumbent, kum′bent, adj. lying down; reclining. [L. cumbens, -entis, pr.p. of cumbĕre, to lie down.]

Cumber, kum′bėr, v.t. to trouble or hinder with something useless: to retard, trouble.—n. encumbrance: cumbering.—adj. Cum′bered, hampered: obstructed.—ns. Cum′berer; Cum′ber-ground, a useless thing, from Luke, xiii. 7.—adj. Cum′berless, unencumbered.—ns. Cum′berment, Cum′brance, encumbrance.—adjs. Cum′bersome, unwieldy: heavy; Cum′brous, hindering: obstructing: heavy.—adv. Cum′brously.—n. Cum′brousness. [O. Fr. combrer, to hinder—Low L. cumbrus, a heap; corr. of L. cumulus, a heap.]

Cumbrian, kum′bri-an, adj. (geol.) of or pertaining to a system of slaty rocks best developed in Cumberland and Westmorland, now merged in the Cambrian or Silurian system.

Cumin, Cummin, kum′in, n. an umbelliferous plant, common in Egypt, and cultivated in southern Europe and India—its seeds, resembling the caraway, valuable as carminatives. [L. cuminum—Gr. kyminon, cog. with Heb. kammôn.]

Cummer, kum′ėr, Kimmer, kim′ėr, n. a gossip: a woman: (Scot.) a girl. [Fr. commère—L. con, with, mater, mother.]

Cummerbund, kum′ėr-bund, n. a waist-belt, a sash. [Anglo-Ind.—Pers. kamarband, a loin-band.]

Cumshaw, kum′shaw, n. a gift, a tip. [Pidgin-English.]

Cumulate, kūm′ū-lāt, v.t. to heap together: to accumulate.—adjs. Cum′ulate, -d, heaped up.—n. Cumulā′tion (= Accumulation).—adj. Cum′ulative, increasing by successive additions.—adv. Cum′ulatively. [L. cumulāre, -ātum—cumulus, a heap.]

Cumulus, kū′mū-lus, n. a heap; a kind of cloud common in summer, consisting of rounded heaps with a darker horizontal base.—adjs. Cū′muliform; Cū′mulose.—n. Cū′mulo-strā′tus, a cloud looking like a combination of the cumulus and stratus. [L. cumulus, a heap, and stratus.]

Cunabula, kū-nab′ul-a, n.pl. a cradle. [L.]

Cunarder, kūn-ard′ėr, n. one of a certain line of steamships between England and America. [Founded by Sir Samuel Cunard (1787-1865).]

Cunctator, kungk-tā′tor, n. one who delays or puts off.—n. Cunctā′tion, delay.—adjs. Cunctā′tious, Cunctā′tive, Cunctā′tory, inclined to delay. [L.,—cunctāri, to delay.]

Cuneal, kū′ne-al, Cuneate, kū′ne-āt, adj. of the form of a wedge.—adjs. Cunē′iform, Cū′niform, wedge-shaped—specially applied to the old Babylonian and Assyrian writing, of which the characters have a wedge-shape. [L. cuneus, a wedge.]

Cunette. See Cuvette.

Cunning, kun′ing, adj. knowing: skilful: artful: crafty.—n. knowledge: skill: faculty of using stratagem to accomplish a purpose: artifice.—adv. Cunn′ingly.—n. Cunn′ingness, quality of being cunning: artfulness, slyness. [A.S. cunnan, to know.]

Cup, kup, n. a vessel used to contain liquid: a drinking-vessel: the liquid contained in a cup: that which we must receive or undergo: afflictions: blessings.—v.i. to extract blood from the body by means of cupping-glasses: (Shak.) to make drunk:—pr.p. cup′ping; pa.p. cupped.—ns. Cup′-bear′er, one who attends at a feast to fill out and hand the wine; Cupboard (kub′urd), a place for keeping victuals, dishes, &c.—v.t. to store.—ns. Cup′board-love, -faith, love or faith indulged in for a material end; Cup′ful, as much as fills a cup:—pl. Cup′fuls; Cup′-gall, a cup-shaped gall in oak-leaves; Cup′-lī′chen, or -moss, a species of Cladonia; Cup′man, a boon companion; Cup′per, a cup-bearer: one professionally engaged in cupping; Cup′ping, the application of cups from which the air has been exhausted to a scarified part of the skin for the purpose of drawing blood; Cup′ping-glass, a glass used in the operation of cupping; Dry′-cup′ping, the application of cups without previous scarification; Lov′ing-cup, a cup (from which all drink) passed round at the close of a feast.—Cry cupboard, to cry for food; In his cups, under the influence of liquor; Many a slip between the cup and the lip, a proverb signifying that something adverse may occur at the last moment. [A.S. cuppe (Fr. coupe, It. coppa, a cup, the head); all from L. cupa, cuppa, a tub.]

Cupel, kū′pel, n. a small vessel used by goldsmiths in assaying precious metals.—v.t. to assay in a cupel.—n. Cupellā′tion, the process of assaying precious metals. [L. cupella, dim. of cupa. See Cup.]

Cupidity, kū-pid′i-ti, n. covetousness.—n. Cū′pid, the god of love. [L. cupiditas—cupĕre, to desire.]

Cupola, kū′po-la, n. a spherical vault, or concave ceiling, on the top of a building: the internal part of a dome: a dome.—v.t. to furnish with such. [It.; dim. of Low L. cupa, a cup—L. cupa, a tub.]

Cupreous, kūp′rē-us, Cupric, kūp′rik, adj. of or containing copper.—adj. Cuprif′erous, producing copper.—n. Cū′prite, the red oxide of copper. [L. cuprum, copper, ferre, to bear.]

Cupressus, kū-pres′us, n. the cypress genus of coniferous trees. [L.]

Cupule, kū′pūl, n. (bot.) a shortened axis with a number of more or less cohering bracts enclosing the ripening fruit—also Cū′pula.—adj. Cupulif′erous, bearing cupules. [L. cupula, dim. of cupa, a tub, and ferre, to carry.]

Cur, kur, n. a worthless dog, of low breed: a churlish fellow.—adj. Cur′rish.—adv. Cur′rishly.—n. Cur′rishness. [M. E. curre; cf. Old Dut. korre, Dan. kurre, to whir.]

Curaçoa, koo-ra-sō′a, n. a liqueur so named from the island of Curaçao in the West Indies, where it was first made.—Also Curaça′o.

Curari, koo-rä′ri, n. a poison used by South American Indians for their arrows—also Cura′ra.—n. Cura′rine, a highly poisonous alkaloid extracted from curari. [From the native name.]

Curassow, kū-ras′ō, n. a large turkey-like South American bird.

Curate, kūr′āt, n. one who has the cure of souls: an inferior clergyman in the Church of England, assisting a rector or vicar.—ns. Cur′acy, Cur′ateship, the office, employment, or benefice of a curate. [Low L. curatus, from L. cura, care.]

Curator, kūr-ā′tor, n. one who has the charge of anything: a superintendent: one appointed by law as guardian: a member of a board for electing university professors and the like:—fem. Curā′trix.—n. Curā′torship, the office of a curator. [L. curator, an overseer—curāre, to cure.]

Curb, kurb, v.t. to bend to one's will: to subdue: to restrain or check: to furnish with or guide by a curb.—n. that which curbs: a check or hinderance: a chain or strap attached to the bit of a bridle for restraining the horse.—adjs. Curb′able; Curb′less.—ns. Curb′-roof, a roof whose upper rafters have a less inclination than the lower ones; Curb′stone, Kerb′stone, a stone placed edgeways against earth or stone work to check it. [Fr. courber, from L. curvus, crooked, bent.]

Curch, kurch, n. a covering for the head, a kerchief.

Curculio, kur-kū′li-o, n. the fruit-weevil. [L.]

Curcuma, kur′kū-ma, n. a genus of plants yielding turmeric.—n. Cur′cumine, the colouring matter of turmeric. [Fr.,—Ar. kurkum, saffron.]

Curd, kurd, n. milk thickened or coagulated: the cheese part of milk, as distinguished from the whey.—n. Curd′iness.—v.i. Curd′le, to turn into curd: to congeal: to thicken.—v.t. to congeal.—adj. Curd′y, like or full of curd. [Prob. Celt.; Gael. gruth, Ir. cruth.]

Cure, kūr, n. care of souls or spiritual charge: care of the sick: act of healing: that which heals: a remedy, or course of remedial treatment.—v.t. to heal: to preserve, as by drying, salting, &c.:—pr.p. cūr′ing; pa.p. cūred.—adj. Cur′able, that may be cured.—ns. Cur′ableness, Curabil′ity, quality of being curable; Cure′-all, a panacea.—adjs. Cur′ative, Cur′atory, tending to cure; Cure′less, that cannot be cured.—ns. Cur′er, one who cures: a physician; Cur′ing-house, a house or place in which anything is cured, esp. a building in which sugar is drained, as in the West Indies. [O. Fr. cure—-L. cura, care; not the same as Care.]

Curé, kū′rā, n. a parish priest in France.

Curfew, kur′fū, n. in feudal times the ringing of a bell at eight o'clock, as a signal to put out all fires and lights. [O. Fr. covrefeu; couvrir, to cover, feu, fire—L. focus.]

Curia, kū′ri-a, n. one of the ten divisions of a Roman tribe: a building in which the senate met, a provincial senate: a court, legislative or judicial: the court of the papal see.—ns. Cū′rialism; Cū′rialist.—adj. Curialist′ic. [L.]

Curiet, kū′ri-et, n. (Spens.) a cuirass.

Curio, kū′ri-o, n. any article of virtu or bric-à-brac, or anything considered rare and curious.—n. Curiō′so, a collector or admirer of curios.

Curious, kū′ri-us, adj. anxious to learn: inquisitive: showing great care or nicety: skilfully made: singular: rare.—n. Curios′ity, state or quality of being curious: inquisitiveness: that which is curious: anything rare or unusual.—adv. Cū′riously.—n. Cū′riousness.—Curious arts (B.), magical practices. [Fr. curieux—L. curiosus—cura.]

Curl, kurl, v.t. to twist into ringlets: to coil.—v.i. to shrink into ringlets: to rise in undulations: to writhe: to ripple: to play at the game of curling.—n. a ringlet of hair, or what is like it: a wave, bending, or twist.—adjs. Curled; Curled′-pate (Shak.), having curled hair.—ns. Curl′er, one who, or that which, curls: a player at the game of curling; Curl′icue, a fantastic curl; Curl′iewurlie (Scot.), any fantastic round ornament; Curl′iness; Curl′ing, a game, common in Scotland, consisting in hurling heavy smooth stones along a sheet of ice.—ns.pl. Curl′ing ī′rons, Curl′ing-tongs, an iron instrument used for curling the hair.—n. Curl′ing-stone, a heavy stone with a handle, used in curling.—adjs. Curl′y, having curls: full of curls; Curl′y-head′ed. [M. E. crull; Dut. krullen, Dan. krolle, to curl.]

Curlew, kur′lū, n. one of the wading-birds, having a very long slender bill and legs, and a short tail. [O. Fr. corlieu; prob. from its cry.]

Curmudgeon, kur-muj′un, n. an avaricious, ill-natured fellow: a miser.—adj. Curmud′geonly. [Earlier corn-mudgin; mudge, mooch; M. E. muchen—O. Fr. mucier, to hide.]

Curmurring, kur-mur′ing, n. a rumbling sound, esp. that made in the bowels by flatulence. [Imit.]

Curr, kur, v.i. to cry like an owl, to purr like a cat, &c. [Imit.]

Currach, -agh, kur′ach, n. a coracle. [Gael.]

Currant, kur′ant, n. a small kind of raisin or dried grape imported from the Levant: the fruit of several species of ribes.—ns. Curr′ant-jell′y; Curr′ant-wine. [From Corinth.]

Current, kur′ent, adj. running or flowing: passing from person to person: generally received: now passing: present.—n. a running or flowing: a stream: a portion of water or air moving in a certain direction: course.—n. Curr′ency, circulation: that which circulates, as the money of a country: general estimation.—adv. Curr′ently.—n. Curr′entness, state of being current: general acceptance.—Pass current, to be received as genuine. [L. currens, -ent-is—currĕre), to run.]

Curricle, kur-i′kl, n. a two-wheeled open chaise, drawn by two horses abreast: a chariot.—n. Curric′ulum, a course, esp. the course of study at a university. [L. curriculum, from currĕre.]

Currish, Currishly, &c. See Cur.

Curry, kur′i, n. a kind of sauce or seasoning much used in India, compounded of pepper, ginger, and other spices: a stew mixed with curry-powder.—n. Curr′y-pow′der. [Tamil kari, sauce.]

Curry, kur′i, v.t. to dress leather: to rub down and dress a horse: to beat: to scratch:—pr.p. curr′ying; pa.p. curr′ied.—ns. Curr′ier, one who curries or dresses tanned leather; Curr′y-comb, an iron instrument or comb used for currying or cleaning horses; Curr′ying.—Curry favour (corruption of Curry favell, to curry the chestnut horse), to seek favour by flattery. [O. Fr. correier (mod. corroyer), conrei, outfit, from a supposed Low L. form conredāre, con-, with, rēdāre, seen in Array.]

Curry, Currie, obsolete forms of Quarry.

Curse, kurs, v.t. to invoke or wish evil upon: to devote to perdition: to vex or torment.—v.i. to utter imprecations: to swear.—n. the invocation or wishing of evil or harm upon: evil invoked on another: torment: any great evil.—adj. Curs′ed, under a curse: blasted by a curse: hateful.—adv. Curs′edly.—ns. Curs′edness; Curs′er; Curs′ing.—adj. Curst, cursed: deserving a curse: ill-tempered: shrewish: froward.—n. Curst′ness, state of being curst: peevishness: frowardness. [A.S. cursian—curs, a curse; ety. dub.; not conn. with Cross.]

Cursitor, kur′si-tor, n. a clerk or officer in the Court of Chancery who makes out original writs. [Low L. cursitor, from the words 'de cursu,' applied in the statute to ordinary writs.]

Cursive, kur′siv, adj. written with a running hand, of handwriting: flowing.—adv. Cur′sively. [Low L. cursivus—L. currĕre, to run.]

Cursorial, kur-sō′ri-al, adj. adapted for running.—n.pl. Cursō′res, an order of birds variously limited.

Cursory, kur′sor-i, adj. hasty: superficial: careless.—adj. Cur′sorary (Shak.), cursory.—adv. Cur′sorily.—n. Cur′soriness. [L. currĕre, cursum, to run.]

Curst. See Curse.

Cursus, kur′sus, n. a race-course: a form of daily prayer or service; an academic curriculum. [L.]

Curt, kurt, adj. short: concise: discourteously brief or summary.—adj. Curt′āte, shortened or reduced; applied to the distance of a planet from the sun or earth reduced to the plane of the ecliptic.—n. Curtā′tion.—adv. Curt′ly.—n. Curt′ness. [L. curtus, shortened.]

Curtail, kur-tāl′, v.t. to cut short: to cut off a part: to abridge:—pr.p. curtail′ing; pa.p. curtailed′.—ns. Curtail′ment; Curtail′-step, the rounded step at the bottom of a stair. [Old spelling curtal, O. Fr. courtault (It. cortaldo)—L. curtus.]

Curtain, kur′tin, n. drapery hung round and enclosing a bed, &c.: the part of a rampart between two bastions.—v.t. to enclose or furnish with curtains.—n. Cur′tain-lec′ture, a lecture or reproof given in bed by a wife to her husband.—Behind the curtain, away from public view; Draw the curtain, to draw it aside, so as to show what is behind, or in front of anything so as to hide it. [O. Fr. cortine—Low L. cortina; prob. L. cors, cortis, a court.]

Curtal, kur′tal, n. a horse with a curt or docked tail: anything docked or cut short.—adj. docked or shortened.—n. Cur′tal-frī′ar (Scott), a friar with a short frock. [Fr. courtaud—court. See Curtail.]

Curtal-ax, kur′tal-aks, Curt-axe, kurt′aks, n. (Spens.), a short, broad sword. [A corr. of the earlier forms coutelas, curtelas. See Cutlass.]

Curtilage, kur′til-āj, n. a court attached to a dwelling-house. [O. Fr. courtillage. See Court.]

Curtsy, Curtsey, kurt′si, n. an obeisance, made by bending the knees, proper to women and children.—v.i. to make a curtsy. [See Courtesy.]

Curule, kū′rōōl, adj. applied to a chair in which the higher Roman magistrates had a right to sit. [L. curulis—currus, a chariot.]

Curve, kurv, n. anything bent: a bent or curved line: an arch.—v.t. to bend: to form into a curve.—adjs. Cur′vāte, -d, curved or bent in a regular form.—n. Curvā′tion.—adj. Cur′vative.—n. Cur′vature, a curving or bending: the continual bending or the amount of bending from a straight line.—adjs. Curved; Cur′vicaudate, having a crooked tail; Curvicos′tate, having curved ribs; Curvifō′liate, having curved leaves; Cur′viform; Cur′ving; Curviros′tral, with the bill curved downward; Cur′vital, of or pertaining to curvature.—n. Cur′vity, the state of being curved. [L. curvus, crooked.]

Curvet, kur′vet, kur-vet′, n. a light leap of a horse in which he raises his forelegs together, next the hindlegs with a spring before the forelegs touch the ground: a leap, frolic.—v.i. (kur-vet′, kur′vet) to leap in curvets: to frisk:—pr.p. curvet′ting, curvet′ing; pa.p. cur′veted. [It. corvetta, dim. of corvo—L. curvus.]

Curvilinear, kur-vi-lin′i-ar, Curvilineal, kur-vi-lin′i-al, adj. bounded by curved lines.—n. Curvilinear′ity. [L. curvus, and linearis—linea, a line.]

Cuscus, kus′kus, n. the grain of the African millet. Same as Couscous. [Fr. couscou.]

Cuscus, kus′kus, n. the fibrous root of an Indian grass, used for making fans, &c. [Pers. khas khas.]

Cushat, koosh′at, n. the ringdove or wood-pigeon. [A.S. cúscute, the former part of dub. origin, the latter derived from scéotan, to shoot.]

Cushion, koosh′un, n. a case filled with some soft, elastic stuff, for resting on: a pillow: the 'pillow' used in making bone-lace: an engraver's pad: the rubber of an electrical machine: a pad supporting a woman's hair: the elastic lining of the inner side of a billiard-table: a body of steam remaining in the cylinder of a steam-engine, acting as a buffer to the piston.—v.t. to seat on or furnish with a cushion.—p.adj. Cush′ioned, furnished with a cushion, padded: having cushion-tires.—ns. Cush′ionet, a little cushion; Cush′ion-tire, a bicycle tire made of india-rubber tubing, with india-rubber stuffing.—adj. Cush′iony, like a cushion, soft. [O. Fr. coissin—L. coxinum, coxa, hip.]

Cusk, kusk, n. the torsk: the burbot.

Cusp, kusp, n. a point: the point or horn of the moon, &c.: (archit.) a small projecting ornament common in Gothic tracery.—adjs. Cus′pidāte, -d (bot.), having a sharp end, as the canine teeth. [L. cuspis, cuspid-is, a point.]

Cuspidor, kus′pi-dor, n. a spittoon.—Also Cus′pidore. [Port.,—L. conspuĕre, to spit upon.]

Cuss, kus, n. (slang) a fellow: an expletive.—adj. Cuss′ed, cursed.—n. Cuss′edness, contrariness. [Obviously Curse; prob. in the personal sense with a supposed reference to Customer.]

Custard, kus′tard, n. a composition of milk, eggs, &c., sweetened and flavoured.—ns. Cus′tard-app′le, the fruit of a West Indian tree, having an eatable pulp, like a custard; Cus′tard-coff′in (Shak.), the paste or crust which covers a custard. [Earlier custade, a corr. of crustade, a pie with crust. See Crust.]

Custody, kus′to-di, n. a watching or guarding: care: security: imprisonment.—adj. Custō′dial.—ns. Custō′dian, Cus′tode, Custō′dier, Cus′tos, one who has care, esp. of some public building. [L. custodia, from custos, custodis, a keeper.]

Custom, kus′tum, n. what one is wont to do: usage: frequent repetition of the same act: regular trade or business: a tax on goods: (pl.) duties imposed on imports and exports.—adj. Cus′tomable, customary: common.—adv. Cus′tomarily.—n. Cus′tomariness.—adjs. Cus′tomary, according to use and wont: holding or held by custom; Cus′tomed, accustomed: usual.—ns. Cus′tomer, one accustomed to frequent a certain place of business: a buyer: (slang) a person; Cus′tom-house, the place where customs or duties on exports and imports are collected.—adj. Cus′tom-shrunk (Shak.), having fewer customers than formerly. [O. Fr. custume, costume—L. consuetud-inem, consuescĕre, to accustom.]

Custrel, kus′trėl, n. attendant on a knight: a villain. [O. Fr. coustillier, coustille, a dagger.]

Cut, kut, v.t. to make an incision in: to cleave or pass through: to divide: to carve, hew, or fashion by cutting: to wound or hurt: to affect deeply: to shorten: to break off acquaintance with, to pass intentionally without saluting: to renounce, give up: to castrate: to perform or execute, as 'to cut a caper.'—v.i. to make an incision: to pass, go quickly: (slang) to run away, to be off: to twiddle the feet rapidly in dancing:—pr.p. cut′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. cut.—n. a cleaving or dividing: a stroke or blow: an act of unkindness: the card obtained by cutting or dividing the pack: an incision or wound: a piece cut off: an engraved block, or the picture from it: manner of cutting, or, fashion: (pl.) a lot.—n. Cut′away′, a coat with the skirt cut away in a curve in front—also adj.—ns. Cut′-off, that which cuts off or shortens, a straighter road, a shorter channel cut by a river across a bend: a contrivance for saving steam by regulating its admission to the cylinder; Cut′purse (Shak.), one who stole by cutting off and carrying away purses (the purses being worn at the girdle): a pickpocket; Cut′ter, the person or thing that cuts: in a tailor's shop, the one who measures and cuts out the cloth: a small vessel with one mast, a mainsail, a forestaysail, and a jib set to bowsprit-end, any sloop of narrow beam and deep draught; Cut′-throat, an assassin: ruffian; Cut′ting, a dividing or lopping off: an incision: a piece cut off: a paragraph from a newspaper: a piece of road or railway excavated: a twig; Cut′-wa′ter, the fore-part of a ship's prow.—Cut a dash, or figure, to make a conspicuous appearance; Cut-and-come-again, abundant supply, from the notion of cutting a slice, and returning at will for another; Cut-and-cover, a method of forming a tunnel by cutting out, arching it over, and then covering in; Cut-and-dry, or Cut-and-dried, ready made, without the merit of freshness—from the state of herbs in the shop instead of the field; Cut and run, to be off quickly; Cut down, to take down the body of one hanged by cutting the rope: to reduce, curtail; Cut in, to strike into, as to a conversation, a game at whist; Cut it too fat, to overdo a thing; Cut off, to destroy, put to an untimely death: intercept: stop; Cut off with a shilling, to disinherit, bequeathing only a shilling; Cut one's stick, to take one's departure; Cut out, to shape: contrive: debar: supplant: to take a ship out of a harbour, &c., by getting between her and the shore; Cut short, to abridge: check; Cut the coat according to the cloth, to adapt one's self to circumstances; Cut the teeth, to have the teeth grow through the gums—of an infant; Cut the throat of (fig.), to destroy utterly; Cut up, to carve: eradicate: criticise severely: turn out (well or ill) when divided into parts; Cut up rough, to become quarrelsome.—A cut above (coll.), a degree or stage above; Short cut, or Near cut, a short way. [Prob. W. cwtau, shorten.]

Cutaneous. See Cutis.

Cutch, kuch, n. the commercial name for catechu, from the Indian name kut.

Cutcherry, kuch′ėr-i, n. an office for public business, a court-house.—Also Cutch′ery. [Hind.]

Cute, kūt, adj. an aphetic form of Acute.

Cuthbert, kuth′bert, n. the apostle of Northumbria (635-687), whose name lives in (St) Cuthbert's Beads, a popular name for the perforated joints of encrinites found on Holy Island; (St) Cuthbert's duck, the eider-duck.

Cutikins, kōō′ti-kinz, n.pl. (Scot.) spatterdashes—also Cuitikins.

Cutis, kū′tis, n. the skin: the true skin, as distinguished from the cuticle.—adj. Cutān′eous, belonging to the skin.—n. Cū′ticle, the outermost or thin skin.—adj. Cutic′ular, belonging to the cuticle. [L.]

Cutlass, kut′las, n. a short, broad sword, with one cutting edge, used in the navy. [Fr. coutelas, augmentative of couteau, knife, from L. cultellus, dim. of culter, a ploughshare, a knife.]

Cutler, kut′lėr, n. one who makes or sells knives.—n. Cut′lery, the business of a cutler: edged or cutting instruments in general. [Fr. coutelier, coutel, knife.]

Cutlet, kut′let, n. a slice of meat cut off for cooking, esp. of mutton or veal—generally the rib and the meat belonging to it. [Fr. côtelette, dim. of côte, from L. costa, a rib.]

Cuttle, kut′l, n. a kind of mollusc, remarkable for its power of ejecting a black inky liquid—also Cutt′le-fish.—n. Cutt′le-bone, the internal shell or bone of the cuttle-fish, used for making tooth-powder and for polishing the softer metals. [A.S. cudele.]

Cutto, Cuttoe, kut′o, n. a large knife.

Cutty, kut′i, adj. (Scot.) short, curtailed.—n. a short clay pipe: a short, dumpy girl: applied to a woman, a term of reprobation, serious or playful.—n. Cutt′y-stool, the stool of repentance in old Scotch church discipline. [Cut.]

Cuvette, küv-et′, n. a trench sunk along the middle of a dry ditch or moat.—Also Cunette′. [Fr.]

Cyanogen, sī-an′o-jen, n. a compound of carbon, obtained by decomposing the cyanide of mercury by heat, so called from being an essential ingredient in the formation of Prussian blue.—n. Cy′anate, a salt of cyanic acid.—adj. Cyan′ic, of or belonging to cyanogen.—ns. Cy′anide, a direct compound of cyanogen with a metal; Cy′anine, the blue colouring matter of violets, &c.; Cy′anite, a mineral composed of alumina and silica, generally sky-blue; Cyanom′eter, an instrument for measuring the degrees of blueness of the sky or ocean; Cyanō′sis, morbid lividness of the skin, blue jaundice.—adj. Cyanot′ic.—ns. Cyan′otype, a photograph on paper sensitised by a cyanide; Cyan′uret, a cyanide.—Cyanic acid, an acid composed of cyanogen and oxygen. [Gr. kyanos, blue.]

Cyar, sī′ar, n. the internal auditory meatus.

Cyathiform, sī′a-thi-form, adj. like a cup a little widened at top.

Cycad, sī′kad, n. an order allied to Coniferæ, but in appearance rather resembling ferns and palms.—adj. Cycadā′ceous. [Formed from Gr. kykas, an erroneous form of koikas, koiks, the doom-palm.]

Cyclamen, sik′lä-men, n. a genus of Primulaceæ, native to southern Europe. [Formed from Gr. kyklamis, -inos.]

Cycle, sī′kl, n. a period of time in which events happen in a certain order, and which constantly repeats itself: an imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens: a series of poems, prose romances, &c., centring round a figure or event—also Cy′clus: an abbreviation for bicycle and tricycle.—v.i. to move in cycles: to ride or take exercise on a bicycle or tricycle.—adjs. Cy′clic, -al, pertaining to or containing a cycle.—ns. Cy′clist, for bicyclist or tricyclist; Cy′clograph, an instrument for describing the arcs of circles that have too large a curvature for compasses; Cy′cloid, a figure like a circle: a curve made by a point in a circle, when the circle is rolled along a straight line.—adj. Cycloid′al.—ns. Cycloid′ian, one of the fourth order of fishes, according to the classification of Agassiz, having cycloid scales with smooth edges, as the salmon; Cyclom′eter, an instrument for measuring circular arcs: an apparatus attached to the wheel of a cycle for registering the distance traversed; Cy′clorn, a cycle-horn. [Gr. kyklos, a circle.]

Cyclone, sī′klōn, n. a circular or rotatory storm.—adj. Cyclon′ic. [Coined from Gr. kyklōn, pr.p. of kykloein, to whirl round—kyklos.]

Cyclopædia, Cyclopedia, sī-klō-pē′di-a, n. the circle or compass of human knowledge: a work containing information on every department, or on a particular department, of knowledge, usually arranged alphabetically.—adjs. Cyclopæ′dic, Cyclope′dic. [Gr. kyklos, a circle, and paideia, learning.]

Cyclops, sī′klops, n. one of a fabled race of giants who lived chiefly in Sicily, with one eye in the middle of the forehead: a genus of minute freshwater copepods with an eye in front:—pl. Cyclō′pes.—adjs. Cyclopē′an, Cyclop′ic, relating to or like the Cyclops: giant-like: vast: pertaining to a prehistoric style of masonry with immense stones of irregular form. [Gr. kyklōps—kyklos, a circle, and ōps, an eye.]

Cyclorama, sī-klo-rä′ma, n. a circular panorama painted on the inside of a cylindrical surface appearing in natural perspective. [Formed from Gr. kyklos, circle, horama, view.]

Cyclosis, sī-klō′sis, n. circulation, as of blood.

Cyclyolostomous, sī-klos′tō-mus, adj. round-mouthed, as a lamprey.

Cyclostyle, sī′klo-stīl, n. an apparatus for multiplying copies of a writing. [Formed from Gr. kyklos, circle, and Style.]

Cyder. Same as Cider.

Cygnet, sig′net, n. a young swan. [Acc. to Diez, a dim. of Fr. cygne, whose old form cisne (Sp. cisne, a swan) is from Low L. cecinus, not conn. with L. cygnus, Gr. kyknos, a swan.]

Cylinder, sil′in-dėr, n. a solid circular or roller-like body, whose ends are equal parallel circles: (mech.) applied to many cylindrical parts of machines, as any rotating cylindrical portion of a printing-press.—adjs. Cylindrā′ceous, somewhat cylindrical; Cylin′dric, -al, having the form or properties of a cylinder.—n. Cylindric′ity.—adj. Cylin′driform, in the form of a cylinder.—n. Cyl′indroid, a body like a cylinder, but having its base elliptical. [Gr. kylindros, kylindein, to roll.]

Cyma, sī′ma, n. a moulding of the cornice, an ogee.—ns. Cym′agraph, an instrument for tracing the outline of mouldings; Cymā′tium, a cyma. [Gr. kyma, a billow.]

Cymar, si-mär′, n. a loose light dress worn by ladies. [See Chimer.]

Cymbal, sim′bal, n. a hollow brass, basin-like, musical instrument, beaten together in pairs.—ns. Cym′balist, a cymbal-player; Cym′balo, the dulcimer.—adj. Cym′biform, boat-shaped. [L. cymbalum—Gr. kymbanon—kymbē, the hollow of a vessel.]

Cyme, sīm, n. a young shoot: (bot.) term applied to all forms of inflorescence which are definite or centrifugal.—adjs. Cym′oid, Cym′ose, Cym′ous. [L. cyma—Gr. kyma, a sprout.]

Cymophane, sī′mō-fān, n. chrysoberyl.—adj. Cymoph′anous, opalescent. [Formed from Gr. kyma, wave, phainein, to show.]

Cymric, kim′rik, adj. Welsh.—n. Cym′ry, the Welsh, [W. Cymru, Wales.]

Cynanche, si-nang′kē, n. a name of various diseases of the throat or windpipe, esp. quinsy. [Gr., kyōn, a dog, anchein, to throttle.]

Cynic, -al, sin′ik, -al, adj. dog-like: surly: snarling: austere; misanthropic.—ns. Cynan′thropy, lycanthropy; Cyn′ic, one of a sect of philosophers founded by Antisthenes of Athens (born c. 444 B.C.), characterised by an ostentatious contempt for riches, arts, science, and amusements—so called from their morose manners: a morose man: a snarler; Cyn′icism, surliness: contempt for human nature: heartlessness, misanthropy.—adv. Cyn′ically.—n. Cyn′icalness. [Gr. kynikos, dog-like—kyōn, kynos, a dog; cf. L. can-is.]

Cynocephalus, sī-no-sef′al-us, n. the dog-faced baboon: a race of men with dogs' heads. [Gr. kyōn, kynos, dog, kephalē, head.]

Cynosure, sin′o-shōōr, or sī′, n. the dog's tail, a constellation (Ursa minor) containing the north-star; hence anything that strongly attracts attention or admiration. [Gr. kyōn, kynos, a dog, oura, a tail.]

Cyperus, sip-ē′rus, n. a tropical genus of Cyperaceæ.—adj. Cyperā′ceous, belonging to, or like, sedge plants. [From Gr. kypeiros, sedge.]

Cypher. Same as Cipher.

Cy pres, sē prā, in the law of charitable trusts in England, the principle of applying the money to some object as near as possible to the one specified, when this has become impracticable. [O. Fr.]

Cypress, sī′pres, n. an evergreen tree whose branches used to be carried at funerals; hence a symbol of death.—adj. Cyp′rine. [O. Fr. ciprès (Fr. cyprès)—L. cupressus—Gr. kyparissos.]

Cyprian, sip′ri-an, adj. belonging to the island of Cyprus: lewd, licentious—Cyprus being the place where Venus was worshipped.—n. a native of Cyprus—also Cyp′riot: a lewd woman.

Cyprus, sī′prus, n. a thin, transparent, black stuff, a kind of crape.—n. Cy′prus-lawn (Milt.). [Prob. named from the island of Cyprus.]

Cyrenaic, sī-rin-ā′ik, adj. pertaining to Cyrene, or to the hedonism of its philosopher Aristippus, a pupil of Socrates.

Cyrillic, sir-il′ik, adj. pertaining to the alphabet attributed to St Cyril (9th cent.), distinguished from the other Slavonic alphabet, the Glagolitic.

Cyst, sist, n. a bag in animal bodies containing morbid matter.—adjs. Cyst′ic, Cyst′iform, Cystoid′, having the form of, or contained in, a cyst or bag.—ns. Cys′ticle, a small cyst; Cystī′tis, inflammation of the bladder; Cys′tocele, a hernia formed by the protrusion of the bladder; Cystō′ma, a tumour containing cysts; Cystot′omy, the operation of cutting into the bladder to remove extraneous matter. [Low L. cystis—Gr. kystis, a bladder.]

Cytherean, sith-e-rē′an, adj. pertaining to Venus. [L. Cythereus—Cythera, an island in the Ægean Sea (now Cerigo), celebrated for the worship of Venus.]

Cytisus, sit′i-sus, n. a group of hardy leguminous shrubby plants, with yellow, white, or purple flowers, chiefly in the warmer temperate parts of the Old World. [Gr. kytisos.]

Cytoblast, sī′to-blast, n. the nucleus or germinal spot of a cellule, from which the organic cell is developed.—n. Cytogen′esis, cell-formation. [Gr. kytos, a vessel, blastanein, to bud.]

Czar, Tsar, tsär, or zär, n. the emperor of Russia:—fem. Czari′na, Tsari′na.—ns. Czar′evitch, Tsar-, a son of a czar.—Cesar′evitch is the title of the eldest son, and Cesarev′na, of his wife.—ns. Czarev′na, Tsarev′na, a daughter of a czar. [Russ. tsari, a king; conn. with Ger. kaiser, ult. from L. cæsar, a king or emperor.]

Czardas, zär′das (Hung. pron. chär′dosh), n. a Hungarian national dance, consisting of two sections—a slow movement called a lassu or lassan, and a quick step, the friss or friska.

Czech, tshek, n. a member of the most westerly branch of the Slavic family of races, the term including the Bohemians, or Czechs proper, the Moravians, and the Slovaks: the language of the Czechs, Bohemian, closely allied to Polish.—adj., also Czech′ic.

the fourth letter in our alphabet, as well as in the Phœnician, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, from which last it was immediately derived—its sound the soft dental mute: (mus.) the second note in the natural scale.

Dab, dab, v.t. to strike gently with something soft or moist, to smear:—pr.p. dab′bing; pa.p. dabbed.—n. a gentle blow: a small lump of anything soft or moist: a species of flounder of light-brown colour, with small dark spots and rough, close-set scales.—ns. Dab′ber, a sort of pad for dabbing ink on engraved wood blocks or plates; Dab′chick, a small water-fowl, a kind of grebe. [First about 1300; cf. Old Dut. dabben, to pinch; Ger. tappe, a pat. Confused with Daub and Tap.]

Dab, dab, n. an expert person.—n. Dab′ster (coll.). [Prob. a corr. of Adept.]

Dabble, dab′l, v.t. to spatter with moisture.—v.i. to play in water with hands or feet: to do anything in a trifling way.—n. Dabb′ler, one who does things superficially.—adv. Dabb′lingly. [Freq. of Dab.]

Da capo, dä kä′pō, a term in music, frequently placed at the end of a movement, indicating that the performer must return to the beginning of the music—usually written D.C. [It., 'from the beginning'—L. de, from, caput, head.]

Dace, dās, Dare, dār, Dart, därt, n. a small river fish of the carp family, and of the same genus as the roach, chub, minnow, &c. [M. E. darce—O. Fr. dars—Low L. dardus, a dart or javelin—of Teut. origin. So called from its quickness.]

Dachshund, daks′hoond, n. a badger-dog. [Ger. dachs, a badger, hund, dog.]

Dacker, dak′ėr, Daker, dā′kėr, v.i. (Scot.) to lounge, saunter.—Also Daik′er.

Dacoit, da-koit′, n. one of a gang of robbers in India and Burma—also Dakoit′.—ns. Dacoit′y, Dacoit′age, robbery by gang-robbers, brigandage. [Hind. dākāīt, a robber.]

Dacryoma, dak-ri-ō′ma, n. stoppage of the tear duct. [Formed from Gr. dakry, a tear.]

Dactyl, dak′til, n. in Latin and Greek poetry, a foot of three syllables, one long followed by two short, so called from its likeness to the joints of a finger; in English, a foot of three syllables, with the first accented, as mer'rily, vi'olate.—adjs. Dac′tylar, Dactyl′ic, relating to or consisting chiefly of dactyls.—ns. Dactyl′iomancy, divination by means of a finger-ring; Dac′tylist; Dactylog′raphy, the science of finger-rings; Dactylol′ogy, the art of talking with the fingers, like the deaf and dumb. [L. dactylus—Gr. daktylos, a finger.]

Dad, dad, Daddy, dad′i, n. father, a word used by children.—n. Dadd′y-long-legs, the crane-fly, a familiar insect with long body, legs, and antennæ. [Prob. Celt., W. tad, Bret, tad, tat; cf. Gr. tata.]

Dad, dad, v.t. to throw against something: to dash.—n. a lump: a piece: a blow. [Der. unknown.]

Daddle, dad′l, v.i. to walk in an unsteady manner, as a child or very old person: to totter:—pr.p. dadd′ling; pa.p. dadd′led. [Perh. conn. with Dawdle.]

Daddle, dad′l, n. (slang) the hand.

Daddock, dad′ok, n. (prov.) the heart of a rotten tree.

Dado, dā′do, n. in classical architecture, the cubic block forming the body of a pedestal: a skirting of wood along the lower part of the walls of a room, often represented merely by wall-paper, painting, &c. [It.,—L. datus (talus, a die, being understood), given or thrown forth—dāre, to give.]

Dædal, dē′dal, Dædalian, de-dā′li-an, adj. formed with art: displaying artistic skill: intricate. [From L. Dædalus, Gr. Daidalos, the mythical artist who constructed the Cretan labyrinth.]

Dæmon, dē′mon, n. a spirit holding a middle place between gods and men, like the dæmon or good genius of Socrates.—adj. Dæ′monic, supernatural: of power or intelligence more than human. [L. dæmon—Gr. daimōn, a spirit, a genius, and later a devil. See Demon.]

Daff, daf, v.i. to play, to play the fool.—n. Daff′ing (Scot.), foolery, gaiety. [M. E. daf, deaf, prob. Ice. dawfr (Sw. döf, Dan. döv), deaf.]

Daff, daf, v.t. (Shak.) to put off. [A variant of Doff.]

Daffodil, daf′o-dil, Daffodilly, daf′o-dil-i, Daffodowndilly, daf′o-down-dil′i, n. a yellow flower of the lily tribe—also called King's spear. [M. E. affodille—O. Fr. asphodile—Gr. asphodelus; the d is prefixed accidentally.]

Daft, daft, adj. (Scot.) silly, weak-minded, insane, unreasonably merry.—adv. Daft′ly.—n. Daft′ness. [See Daff.]

Dag, dag, n. a dagger: a hand-gun or heavy pistol, used in the 15th and 16th centuries.—Also Dagge. [Fr. dague; Celt.; cf. Bret. dag.]

Dagger, dag′ėr, n. a short sword for stabbing at close quarters: (print.) a mark of reference (), the double dagger () being another.—At daggers drawn, in a state of hostility; Look daggers, to look in a hostile manner. [M. E. dagger—W. dagr (Ir. daigear); cf. Fr. dague.]

Daggle, dag′l, v.t. and v.i. to wet or grow wet by dragging on the wet ground.—n. Dagg′le-tail, a slattern.—adj. slatternly. [Freq. of prov. Eng. dag, to sprinkle, from a Scand. root seen in Sw. dagg.]

Dago, dā′go, n. (U.S.) a name applied loosely to Spanish- and Italian-born men. [Prob. a corr. of Sp. Diego—L. Jacobus.]

Dagoba, dag′o-ba, n. in Ceylon, a dome-like structure of solid masonry, containing relics of a Buddhist saint. [Singh. dāgaba.]

Dagon, dā′gon, n. the national god of the Philistines, half-man, half-fish. [Heb. dāgōn—dag, fish.]

Daguerreotype, da-ger′o-tīp, n. a method of taking pictures on metal plates by the light of the sun: a photograph fixed on a plate of copper by a certain process.—adj. Daguer′rēan.—n. Daguerrē′otypy, the art of daguerreotyping. [Fr., from Louis Daguerre (1789-1851).]

Dagwood. See Dogwood.

Dahabeeah, da-ha-bē′a, n. a Nile-boat with oars, one or two masts, and lateen sails.—Also Dahabi′eh, Dahabi′yeh. [Ar. dahabīya.]

Dahlia, dāl′i-a, n. a genus of garden plants with large flowers. [From Dahl, a Swedish botanist.]

Daidle, dā′dl, v.i. a Scotch form of daddle: also to draggle.—adj. Daid′ling, feeble: dawdling.

Daiker, dā′ker, v.i. (prov.) to deck out.

Daily, dā′li, adj. and adv. every day.—n. a daily paper.

Daimio, dī′myo, n. a Japanese territorial noble under the old feudal system. [Jap.]

Dainty, dān′ti, adj. pleasant to the palate: delicate: fastidious: (Spens.) elegant.—n. that which is dainty, a delicacy.—adj. Daint (Spens.).—adv. Dain′tily.—n. Dain′tiness. [M. E. deintee, anything worthy or costly. O. Fr. daintié, worthiness—L. dignitat-em—dignus, worthy.]

Dairy, dā′ri, n. the place where milk is kept, and butter and cheese made: an establishment for the supply of milk.—ns. Dai′ry-farm; Dai′rying; Dai′rymaid; Dai′ryman. [M. E. deye.—Ice. deigja, a dairymaid; orig. a kneader of dough.]

Dais, dā′is, n. a raised floor at the upper end of the dining-hall where the high table stood: a raised floor with a seat and canopy: the canopy over an altar, &c. [O. Fr. dais—Low L. discus, a table—L. discus, a quoit—Gr. diskos, a disc.]

Daisy, dā′zi, n. a common wild-flower, growing in pastures and meadows—the name given also to other plants, as the Ox-eye daisy, which is a chrysanthemum.—adj. Dai′sied, covered with daisies.—n. Dai′sy-cut′ter, a fast-going horse that does not lift its feet high: a cricket-ball skimmed along the ground. [A. S. dæges eáge, day's eye, the sun.]

Dak, däk, Dawk, dawk, n. in India, the mail-post: travelling in palanquins carried by relays of bearers. [Hind. dāk, a relay of men.]

Dakoit. See Dacoit.

Dalai-lama. See Lama.

Dale, dāl, Dell, del, n. the low ground between hills: the valley through which a river flows.—n. Dales′man, specifically, an inhabitant of the dales of the Lake District. [Ice. dalr, Sw. dal; Ger. thal.]

Dali, dä′li, n. a timber-tree of Guiana, its wood used for staves, &c.

Dalila. See Delilah.

Dall, dal, n. a tile with incised surface: (pl.) rapids.

Dallop, dal′op, n. (prov.), a tuft of grass.

Dally, dal′i, v.i. to lose time by idleness or trifling: to play: to exchange caresses:—pa.p. dall′ied.—ns. Dall′iance, dallying, toying, or trifling: interchange of embraces: delay; Dall′ier, a trifler. [M. E. dalien, to play; prob. from A.S. dweligan, to err; cf. Ice. dvala, to delay, Dut. dwalen, to err; prob. conn. with dwell.]

Dalmahoy, dal′ma-hoi, n. a bushy bob-wig, worn in the 18th cent. by chemists, &c.

Dalmatian, dal-mā′shun, adj. belonging to Dalmatia, a strip of Austrian territory along the Adriatic.—Dalmatian dog, the spotted coach-dog, resembling the pointer in shape.

Dalmatic, dal-mat′ik, n. a loose-fitting, wide-sleeved ecclesiastical vestment, worn specially by deacons in the R.C. Church, also sometimes by bishops. [Low L. dalmatica, a robe worn by persons of rank in the early Christian centuries, on the pattern of a dress worn in Dalmatia.]

Dalt, dält, n. (Scot.) a foster-child. [Gael. dalta.]

Daltonism, dal′ton-izm, n. colour-blindness: inability to distinguish certain colours.—adj. Daltō′nian. [So called from the chemist John Dalton (1766-1844), who had this infirmity.]

Dam, dam, n. an embankment to restrain water: the water thus confined.—v.t. to keep back water by a bank:—pr.p. dam′ming; pa.p. dammed. [Teut.; Dut. dam, Ger. damm, &c.]

Dam, dam, n. a mother, applied to quadrupeds. [A form of dame.]

Damage, dam′āj, n. hurt, injury, loss: the value of what is lost: (coll.) cost: (pl.) the pecuniary reparation due for loss or injury sustained by one person through the fault or negligence of another.—v.t. to harm.—v.i. to take injury.—adj. Dam′ageable. [O. Fr. damage (Fr. dommage)—L. damnum, loss.]

Daman, dam′an, n. the Syrian hyrax, the cony of the Bible. [Syrian.]

Damar. Same as Dammar.

Damascene, da′mas-ēn, adj. of Damascus.—v.t. same as Damaskeen.

Damask, dam′ask, n. figured stuff, originally of silk, now of linen, cotton, or wool, the figure being woven, not printed.—v.t. to flower or variegate, as cloth.—adj. of a red colour, like that of a damask rose.—v.t. Damaskeen′, to decorate metal (esp. steel) by inlaying or encrusting on it patterns like damask in other metals: to ornament with flowery patterns, to damask.—ns. Damaskeen′ing, Damasceen′ing, the watered or striated structure seen in certain sword-blades and other weapons: the ornamental incrustation with gold and silver of steel and iron surfaces; Damaskin′, a Damascus blade: a damaskeened blade; Dam′ask-plum, the damson; Dam′ask-rose, a species of pink-rose; Dam′ask-steel, Damascus steel; Dam′assin, damask with flowered patterns in gold or silver thread.—Damascus blade, a Damascus sword, the surface marked by wavy and variegating lines. [From Damascus, in Syria, where damask was orig. made.]

Damboard, dam′bōrd, Dambrod, dam′brod, n. (Scot.) a draughtboard, the pieces being dams. [Fr. jeu de dames, copied by the Germans as damenspiel, by the Swedes as damspel, &c., perhaps from the movement of the pieces being like those of the queen (reine or dame) in chess.]

Dame, dām, n. the mistress of a house: a matron: a noble lady.—ns. Dame′-school, a school for children kept by a woman; Dame's′-vī′olet, a genus of cruciferous plants, formerly cultivated by ladies in pots for its sweet scent at night. [Fr. dame—L. domina, a mistress, fem. of dominus, a master.]

Dammar, dam′mar, n. a resin, used for making varnish, obtained from a genus of East Indian conifers.

Damn, dam, v.t. to censure or condemn: to sentence to eternal punishment: to doom.—n. an oath: a curse.—adj. Dam′nable, deserving or tending to damnation: hateful: pernicious.—n. Dam′nableness.—adv. Dam′nably.—n. Damnā′tion, condemnation: (theol.) the punishment of the impenitent in the future state: eternal punishment.—adj. Dam′natory, consigning to damnation.—p.adj. Damned, sentenced to everlasting punishment: hateful: a profane intensive, meaning merely thorough (often written d——d, and softened into darned, dashed, &c.).—adv. very, exceedingly.—adj. Damnif′ic.—n. Damnificā′tion.—v.t. Dam′nify, to cause loss to.—adj. Dam′ning, exposing to condemnation. [Fr. damner—L. damnāre, to condemn—damnum, loss.]

Damoclean, dam-ō-clē′an, adj. like Damocles, flatterer of Dionysius of Syracuse, taught the insecurity of happiness by being made to sit through the feast with a sword suspended by a single hair over his head.

Damosel, dam′o-sel, n. Same as Damsel.

Damp, damp, n. vapour, mist: moist air: lowness of spirits: (pl.) dangerous vapours in mines, &c.—v.t. to wet slightly: to chill: to discourage: to check: to make dull.—adj. moist, foggy: sometimes in the form Damp′y.—v.t. and v.i. Damp′en, to make or become damp or moist.—n. Damp′er, that which checks or moderates: a mechanical appliance for reducing currents, musical vibration, &c.: (Australia) a kind of unfermented bread.—adj. Damp′ish, somewhat damp.—n. Damp′ishness.—adv. Damp′ly.—n. Damp′ness.—Damping off (hort.), the death of plants from excess of moisture. [M. E. dampen; akin to Dut. damp, Ger. dampf, vapour.]

Damsel, dam′zel, n. a young unmarried woman: a girl. [O. Fr. damoisele (Fr. demoiselle), a page—Low L. domicellus, dim. of L. dominus, a lord.]

Damson, dam′zn, n. a rather small oval fruited variety of the common plum, esteemed for preserving. [Shortened from Damascene—Damascus.]

Dan, dan, n. a title of honour equivalent to Master or Sir. [O. Fr. dan. (Sp. don; Port. dom)—L. dominus, lord. See Dame.]

Dan, dan, n. (prov.) a box for carrying coal: a tub.

Danakil, dan′a-kil, n. the name given to the numerous nomad and fisher tribes on the coast of North-east Africa. [Ar.]

Dance, dans, v.i. to move with measured steps to music: to spring.—v.t. to make to dance or jump.—n. the movement of one or more persons with measured steps to music: the tune to which dancing is performed.—ns. Dance′-mū′sic, music specially arranged for accompanying dancing; Danc′er, one who practises dancing; Danc′ing, the act or art of moving in the dance; Danc′ing-girl, a professional dancer; Danc′ing-mas′ter, a teacher of dancing.—Dance a bear (obs.), to exhibit a performing bear; Dance attendance, to wait obsequiously; Dance of death, a series of allegorical paintings symbolising the universal power of death, represented as a skeleton; Dance upon nothing, to be hanged.—Lead a person a dance, to set him on an undertaking under false hopes: to delude.—Merry dancers, the aurora. [O. Fr. danser, from Teut.; Old High Ger. danson, to draw along.]

Dancette, dan-set′, n. (her.) a zigzag or indented line or figure: the chevron or zigzag moulding common in Romanesque architecture—also adj. [O. Fr. dent, dant, tooth, notch—L. dens.]

Dandelion, dan-de-lī′un, n. a common plant with a yellow flower, its leaves with jagged tooth-like edges. [Fr. dent de lion, tooth of the lion.]

Dander, dan′dėr, Daunder, dawn′dėr, v.i. (Scot.) to walk leisurely or idly. [Akin to dandle.]

Dander, n. a form of Dandruff (vulg.), anger: passion.—Raise a person's dander, to put him in a temper.

Dander, n. (Scot.) furnace cinders. [Ety. dub.]

Dandle, dan′dl, v.t. to play with: to fondle or toss in the arms, as a baby. [Prob. Teut.; cf. Ger. tändeln—tand, a toy.]

Dandriff, dand′rif, Dandruff, dand′ruf, n. a scaly scurf which forms on the surface of the skin under the hair and beard. [Perh. from W. ton, surface, skin, and drwg, bad (Skeat).]

Dandy, dan′di, n. a foppish, silly fellow: one who pays much attention to dress.—v.t. Dan′dify, to dress up as a dandy.—adv. Dan′dily, like a dandy.—ns. Dan′dy-brush, a hard brush of whalebone bristles; Dan′dy-cock, a bantam; Dan′dy-fē′ver (see Dengue); Dan′dy-horse, a velocipede.—adj. Dan′dyish.—n. Dan′dyism. [Perh. from Fr. dandin, a ninny; and prob. from root of dandle.]

Dandy, dan′di, n. a sloop-like vessel having a jigger-mast abaft.—n. Dandy-rigged cutter.

Dandyprat, dan′di-prat, n. a dwarf: an urchin. [Ety. dub.]

Dane, dān, n. a native of Denmark.—adj. Dan′ish, belonging to Denmark.—n. the language of the Danes—(Spens.) Danisk.

Danegeld, dān′geld, n. a tax imposed in the 10th cent., to buy off the Danes or to defend the country against them. [A.S. Dene, Danes, geid, a payment.]

Dang, dang, v.t. a minced form of damn.

Danger, dān′jėr, n. peril, hazard, or risk: insecurity: (obs.) power.—v.t. (Shak.) to endanger.—adj. Dan′gerous, full of danger: unsafe: insecure.—adv. Dan′gerously.—ns. Dan′gerousness; Dan′ger-sig′nal. [O. Fr. dangier, absolute power (of a feudal lord), hence power to hurt.—Low L. dominium, feudal authority—L. dominus, a lord. See Dungeon.]

Dangle, dang′gl, v.t. to hang loosely or with a swinging motion: to follow any one about.—v.t. to make to dangle.—n. Dan′gler, one who dangles about others, esp. about women. [Scand., Dan. dangle, to dangle; cf. Ice. dingla, to swing; Sw. danka, to saunter.]

Daniel, dan′yel, n. in phrase A second Daniel, a wise judge, with reference to the interposition of the wise young Daniel to save Susannah, in one of the Apocryphal additions to the book of Daniel.

Danite, dan′īt, n. one of a secret society amongst the early Mormons. [In allusion to Gen. xlix. 16, 17.]

Dank, dangk, adj. moist, wet.—n. (Milt.) water.—adj. Dank′ish, somewhat dank or damp. [Perh. conn. with dew. See also Daggle.]

Dannebrog, dān′e-brog, n. the second of the Danish orders instituted by King Waldemar in 1219. [Dan., 'the Danish banner.']

Danseuse, dong-süz′, n. a female dancer: a ballet dancer. [Fr.]

Dansker, dan′skėr, n. (Shak.) a Dane.

Dantean, dan′te-an, Dantesque, dan′tesk, adj. like the poet Dante: sublime: austere.—ns. Dan′tist, a Dante scholar; Dantoph′ilist, a lover of Dante.

Danton, dan′ton, v.t. (Scot.) to subdue, to daunt. [A form of daunt.]

Danubian, dan-ū′bi-an, adj. pertaining to or bordering on the Danube.—Danubian Principalities, a name applied to Moldavia and Wallachia.

Dap, dap, v.i. to drop the bait gently into the water.

Daphne, daf′nē, n. a genus of shrubs or small trees. [Gr.]

Dapper, dap′ėr, adj. quick: little and active: neat: spruce.—n. Dapp′erling, a dapper little fellow. [Dut. dapper, brave; cf. Ger. tapfer, quick, brave.]

Dapple, dap′l, adj. marked with spots.—v.t. to variegate with spots.—adjs. Dapp′erly (Scot.), variegated; Dapp′le-bay, of bay colour, variegated with dapples; Dapp′led; Dapp′le-gray. [See Dimple.]

Darbies, där′biz, n.pl. (slang) handcuffs. [App. from the personal name Darby.]

Darbyites, där′bi-īts, n.pl. a name given to the Plymouth Brethren. [From their principal founder, J. N. Darby (1800-82).]

Dare, dār, v.i. to be bold enough: to venture:—pa.t. durst.—v.t. to challenge: to defy.—n. (Shak.) boldness, a challenge.—n. Dare′-dev′il, a rash, venturesome fellow.—adj. unreasonably rash and reckless.—adjs. Dare′ful (Shak.), full of daring, adventurous; Dar′ing, bold: courageous: fearless.—n. boldness.—n. Dar′ing-do (see Derring-doe).—adj. Dar′ing-hard′y (Shak.), foolhardy.—adv. Dar′ingly.—I dare say, I suppose. [A.S. durran, pres. dearr; Goth. daursan; akin to Gr. tharsein.]

Dare, dār, v.t. to frighten, terrify. [M. E. daren, to be in fear; cf. Dan. dirre, to tremble.]

Dare, dār. Same as Dace.

Darg, darg, n. a day's work: (Scot.) a task. [Contr. from dawerk, day-wark, day-work.]

Daric, dar′ik, n. an old gold coin larger than an English sovereign, named after Darius I. of Persia.

Dark, därk, adj. without light: black, or somewhat black: gloomy: difficult to understand: unenlightened: secret: sinister.—n. absence of light: obscurity: a state of ignorance.—adv. (Shak.) in a state of dark.—v.t. Dark′en, to make dark: to render ignorant: to sully.—v.i. to grow dark or darker.—n. Dark′-house (Shak.), a mad-house.—adj. Dark′ish, somewhat dark: dusky.—v.i. Dark′le, to grow dark.—adv. and adj. Dark′ling, dark: in the dark.—advs. Dark′lings (poet.), in the dark; Dark′ly.—n. Dark′ness.—adj. Dark′some, dark: (poet.) gloomy.—ns. Dark′y, Dark′ey, a negro: (slang) a policeman's lantern.—Dark ages, the period of intellectual darkness in Europe, from the 5th to the 15th century.—Darken the door, to enter in at the door.—A dark horse, in racing, a horse whose capabilities are not known: a candidate about whom it is not known till the last moment that he is a candidate.—Keep dark, to be silent or secret; Keep it dark, to conceal.—The prince of darkness, Satan. [A.S. deorc.]

Darling, där′ling, n. a little dear: one dearly beloved: a favourite. [Dear, and dim. suff. -ling = l-ing.]

Darn, därn, v.t. to mend a hole by imitating the texture of the stuff.—n. the place darned.—n. Darn′ing-needle. [W. darn, a piece, a patch.]

Darn, därn, v.i. a minced form of damn.

Darnel, där′nel, n. an annual of the rye-grass genus, the tares of Scripture. [Prob. conn. with O. Fr. darne, stupid, from its supposed narcotic properties.]

Darraign, Darrain. See Derain.

Dart, därt, n. a pointed weapon for throwing with the hand: anything that pierces.—v.t. to hurl suddenly: to send or shoot forth.—v.i. to start or shoot forth rapidly—freq. Dar′tle.—adv. Dart′ingly. [O. Fr. dart; from a Low Ger. root.]

Dart. See Dace.

Darter, därt′ėr, n. a genus of birds nearly allied to cormorants, heron-like in gait and gesture.

Dartre, där′tr, n. herpes.—adj. Dar′trous. [Fr.]

Darwinism, där′win-ism, n. the theory of the origin of species propounded by C. Darwin (1809-82).—adjs. Darwin′ian, Darwin′ical.

Dash, dash, v.t. to throw violently: to break by throwing together: to throw water suddenly: to bespatter: to destroy or frustrate: to mix or adulterate.—v.i. to strike against: to break against, as water: to rush with violence.—n. a violent striking: a rushing or violent onset: a blow: a mark (—) at a break in a sentence: ostentation: a slight admixture.—ns. Dash′-board, a board or leathern frame in front of a carriage, to keep off splashes of mud; Dash′er, one who dashes: (coll.) one who makes a great show.—adj. Dash′ing, rushing: reckless: hasty and rash: gallant.—adv. Dash′ingly.—ns. Dash′-pot, a device for preventing too sudden motion in some part of an apparatus; Dash′-wheel, a wheel-shaped box with compartments, in which cotton cloth is washed by the revolution of the wheel in liquid.—Dash off, to sketch hastily; Dash out, to knock out by striking against something. [M. E. daschen, dassen, to rush, or strike with violence—Scand.; cf. Dan. daske, to slap].

Dastard, das′tard, n. a cowardly fellow.—adj. shrinking from danger: cowardly.—adj. and adv. Das′tardly.—ns. Das′tardness, Das′tardliness, Das′tardy. [From a Scand. stem dast = Eng. dazed, and Fr. suffix -ard. See Daze.]

Dasymeter, da-sim′e-tėr, n. an instrument for testing the density of gases. [Gr. dasys, thick, metron, measure.]

Dasypus, das′i-pus, n. a genus of armadillos.

Dasyure, das′i-yōōr, n. a small carnivorous quadruped of Australia and Tasmania. [Formed from Gr. dasys, hairy, oura, tail.]

Data, dā′ta, n.pl. facts given or admitted from which other facts may be deduced:—sing. Dā′tum. [L. datum, data, given—dăre, to give.]

Datary, dā′ta-ri, n. an officer in the papal chancery, who dates and despatches documents, grants, &c.—n. Datā′ria, the office of such. [Low L. datarius—L. datum—dăre, to give.]

Date, dāt, n. the time of any event: a stipulated time: age, period of time.—v.t. to affix the date to.—v.t. to reckon: to begin.—adj. Date′less, without date: without fixed limit: undatable.—Out of date, antiquated; Up to date, adapted or corrected to the present time: modern. [O. Fr. date—L. datum, as in datum Romæ = given or written at Rome.]

Date, dāt, n. the fruit of the date-palm.—ns. Date′-palm, Date′-tree, the tree on which it grows, a native of the northern half of Africa and the south-west of Asia; Date′-plum; Date′-sug′ar. [Fr. datte—L. dactylus—Gr. daktylos, a finger.]

Dative, dāt′iv, adj. that is given or appointed.—n. the dative case, the oblique case of nouns, &c.—generally indicated in English by to or for. [L. dativus.]

Datolite, dat′ō-līt, n. a vitreous calcium borosilicate.

Datum, dā′tum (see Data).—n. Dā′tum-line, the horizontal base-line from which heights and depths are measured.

Datura, dā-tū′ra, n. a genus of plants, of which one, D. stramonium, or thorn-apple, has strongly narcotic properties.—n. Dat′urine, a poisonous alkaloid in the foregoing. [Hind. dhatūrā.]

Daub, dawb, v.t. to smear: to paint coarsely.—n. a coarse painting.—ns. Daub′er, one who daubs: a coarse painter; Daub′ery, Daub′ry (Shak.), a daubing, or crudely artful device; Daub′ing.—adj. Daub′y, sticky. [O. Fr. dauber, to plaster—L. dealbāre, to whitewash—de, down, and albus, white.]

Daud, daud, v.t. (Scot.) to knock, thump.—n. a lump: large piece.—Also Dawd.

Daughter, daw′tėr, n. a female child: a female descendant: woman (generally).—ns. Daugh′ter-in-law, a son's wife; Daugh′terliness; Daugh′terling, a little daughter.—adj. Daugh′terly, like or becoming a daughter. [A.S. dohtor; Scot. dochter, Ger. tochter, Gr. thygatēr.]

Daunder, Dauner. Same as Dander.

Daunt, dänt, or dawnt, v.t. to frighten: to discourage: to subdue.—adj. Daunt′less, not to be daunted.—adv. Daunt′lessly.—n. Daunt′lessness.—v.t. Daun′ton, to subdue: to dare. [O. Fr. danter (Fr. dompter)—L. domitāre—domāre, to tame.]

Dauphin, daw′fin, n. the name given to the eldest son of the king of France, from 1349 down to 1830:—fem. Dau′phiness. [O. Fr. daulphin (Fr. dauphin)—L. delphinus, a dolphin. From the dolphins in the crest of Viennois.]

Daur, dawr, a Scotch form of dare.

Dautie. See Dawtie.

Dauw, daw, n. the South African name of Burchell's zebra.

Davenport, dā′ven-port, n. a small ornamental writing-desk. [From the maker.]

Davenport-trick, dā′ven-port-trik, n. the artifice by which a man can free himself from ropes wound round him and tied.

Davit, dāv′it, n. one of a pair of pieces of timber or iron, projecting over a ship's side or stern, having tackle to raise a boat by. [Cf. Fr. davier, a forceps.]

Davy, dā′vi, Davy-lamp, dā′vi-lamp, n. the safety-lamp for coal-miners of Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829).

Davy Jones, dā′vi jōnz, n. a sailor's familiar name for the (malignant) spirit of the sea, the devil; hence Davy Jones's locker, of the sea, as the grave of men drowned at sea. [Said by some to be a compound of Duffy, a West Indian spirit name, and Jonah.]

Daw, daw, v.i. an old English form of dawn.

Daw, daw, n. a bird of the crow kind: a jackdaw.—adj. Daw′ish. [From its cry.]

Dawdle, daw′dl, v.i. to waste time by trifling: to act or move slowly.—n. Daw′dler. [Allied to dandle and dandy.]

Dawk. See Dak.

Dawn, dawn, v.i. to become day: to begin to grow light: to begin to appear.—n. daybreak: beginning.—Also Dawn′ing. [A.S. dagian, to dawn, dæg, day.]

Dawnering = dandering. [See Dander (1).]

Dawtie, daw′ti, n. (Scot.) a darling: a beloved child—also Daut′ie.—v.t. Daut, to fondle.

Day, dā, n. the time of light, from sunrise to sunset: the time from morning till night: twenty-four hours, the time the earth takes to make a revolution on her axis—this being the solar or natural day as distinguished from the sidereal day, between two transits of the same star: a man's period of existence or influence: a time or period.—ns. Day′-bed (Shak.), a couch or sofa; Day′-blind′ness, a defect of vision, in which objects are best seen by a dim light; Day′-book, a book in which merchants, &c., enter the transactions of every day; Day′break; Day′-coal, the upper stratum of coal; Day′-dream, a dreaming or musing while awake; Day′-fly, a fly which lives in its perfect form only for a day, one of the ephemera; Day′-lā′bour; Day′-lā′bourer; Day′light; Day′-lil′y, a flower whose blossoms last only for a day, the hemerocallis.—adj. Day′long, during the whole day.—ns. Day′-peep (Milt.), the dawn; Day′-schol′ar, a boy who attends a boarding-school during the school-hours, but boards at home; Day′-school, a school held during the day, as opposed both to a night-school and to a boarding-school; Day′-sight = night-blindness; Days′man, one who appoints a day to hear a cause: an umpire; Day′spring, dawn; Day′star, the morning star; Day′time.—adj. Day′-wea′ried (Shak.), wearied with the work of the day.—n. Day′-work.—Day by day, daily; Day of doom, the judgment day; Days of grace, three days allowed for payment of bills, &c., beyond the day named.—Name the day, to fix the day of marriage.—One of these days, an indefinite reference to the near future.—The day, the time spoken of: (Scot.) to-day; The other day, not long ago; The time of day, a greeting, as, 'to give a person the time of day,' to greet him. [A.S. dæg; Ger. tag; not conn. with L. dies.]

Dayak. See Dyak.

Day-woman, dā′-woom′an, n. (Shak.) a dairymaid.

Daze, dāz, v.t. to stun, to stupefy. [Ice. dasa, to be breathless; cf. A.S. dwæs, foolish.]

Dazzle, daz′l, v.t. to daze or overpower with any strong light: to confound by brilliancy, beauty, or cleverness.—ns. Dazz′lement, the act of dazzling: that which dazzles; Dazz′ler; Dazz′ling.—adv. Dazz′lingly. [Freq. of daze.]

Deacon, dē′kn, n. in Episcopal churches, a member of the order of clergy under priests: in some Presbyterian churches, an officer, distinct from the elders, who attends to the secular affairs of the church: in Congregational and some other churches, an officer who advises the pastor, distributes the elements at the Communion, and dispenses charity: in Scotland, the master of an incorporated company:—fem. Dea′coness, a female servant of the Christian society in the time of the apostles: in a convent, a nun who has the care of the altar: one of an order of women in some Protestant churches who nurse the sick and tend the poor.—ns. Dea′conhood, Dea′conry, Dea′conship. [L. diaconus—Gr. diakonos, a servant.]

Dead, ded, adj. without life: death-like: at rest, of a ball: cold and cheerless: without vegetation: utter: unerring.—v.t. to deaden, dull.—adv. in a dead manner.—n. the time of greatest stillness, as 'the dead of night.'—adjs. Dead′-alive′, Dead′-and-alive′, dull, uneventful; Dead′-beat, quite overcome; Dead′-born, still-born.—n.pl. Dead′-clothes, clothes in which to bury the dead.—n. Dead′-col′ouring, the first broad outlines of a picture.—adjs. Dead′-do′ing (Spens.), putting to death, destructive; Dead′-drunk, completely drunk.—v.t. Dead′en, to make dead: to deprive partly of vigour or sensation: to blunt: to lessen.—ns. Dead′-eye, (naut.), a round, flattish wooden block with a rope or iron band passing round it, and pierced with three holes for a lanyard; Dead′-fall, a trap operated by a weight that, when its support is removed, falls upon and kills or holds an animal; Dead′-freight, money paid for the empty space in a ship by a person who engages to freight her, but fails to make out a full cargo; Dead′-head (U.S.), one who is allowed, without payment, to ride in a public carriage, sit in a theatre, or hold a privilege having a money value; Dead′-heat, a heat or race in which no one gains the advantage; Dead′-house, the house or room where (in hospitals, police-offices, &c.) dead bodies are kept till buried: a mortuary; Dead′-lett′er, a letter undelivered and unclaimed at the post-office: a law or ordinance which has been made but never enforced; Dead′-lev′el, a stretch of land without any rising ground: sameness; Dead′-lift, a lift made without help, leverage, &c.; hence an effort under discouraging conditions.—n.pl. Dead′-lights, storm-shutters for a cabin window.—ns. Dead′liness; Dead′-lock, the case when matters have become so complicated that all is at a complete standstill.—adj. Dead′ly, causing death: fatal: implacable.—adv. in a manner resembling death.—ns. Dead′ly-night′shade, the plant Belladonna (q.v.); Dead′-march, a piece of solemn music played at funeral processions, esp. of soldiers; Dead′-meat, the flesh of animals ready for the market.—n.pl. Dead′-men, empty bottles after a carouse.—ns. Dead′ness; Dead′-nett′le, a genus of plants of the natural order Labiatæ, so called because they resemble nettles but do not sting; Dead′-pay, continued pay dishonestly drawn for men actually dead; Dead′-reck′oning, an estimation of a ship's place simply by the log-book; Dead′-rope, a rope not running in any block; Dead′-set, a determined and prolonged attempt; Dead′-shot, an unerring marksman.—adj. Dead′-stroke, without recoil.—ns. Dead′-wall, a wall unbroken by windows or other openings; Dead′-wa′ter, the eddy water closing in behind a ship's stern as she sails; Dead′-weight, a heavy or oppressive burden; Dead′-wind, a wind coming directly ahead or opposed to a ship's course; Dead′-wood, pieces of timber laid on the upper side of the keel at either end, useless material; Dead′-work, work, itself unprofitable, which is necessary as a preliminary, as the opening of a mine.—Dead as a door-nail, absolutely dead; Dead language, one no longer spoken; Dead-men's bells, the foxglove; Dead-men's fingers, a very common cœlenterate belonging to the Actinozoa—also Cow-paps and Mermaid's glove; Dead-men's shoes, a situation formerly held by some one now dead; Dead's part (Scots law), the part of a man's movable property which he may bequeath by will, and which is not due to wife and children.—Be dead set against, to be utterly opposed to.—Put the dead wood on (U.S. slang), to gain a great advantage over. [A.S. deád; Goth. dauths, Ger. todt, from root of die.]

Deaf, def, adj. dull of hearing: unable to hear at all: not willing to hear: inattentive.—v.t. Deaf′en, to make deaf, partly or altogether: to stun: to render impervious to sound.—n. Deaf′ening, stuffing put into floors, partition-walls, &c. to prevent sounds from passing through.—adv. Deaf′ly.—ns. Deaf′-mute, one who is both deaf and dumb; Deaf′ness. [A.S. deáf; Dut. doof, Ger. taub.]

Deal, dēl, n. a portion; an indefinite quantity: a large quantity; the act of dividing cards: (U.S.) a bargain: a fir or pine board: timber.—v.t. to divide, to distribute: to throw about: to deliver.—v.i. to transact business: to act: to distribute cards.—pa.t. and pa.p. dealt (delt).—ns. Deal′er, one who deals: a trader; Deal′-fish, a genus of ribbon-fishes; Deal′ing, manner of acting towards others: intercourse of trade. [A.S. dǽlan—dǽl, a part; Ger. theilen—theil, a part or division. A doublet of dole. By some, however, deal, a plank, is taken as a doublet of thill, from A.S. thel, a plank.]

Deambulatory, dē-am′bū-la-to-ri, n. a passage or aisle round the choir and apse of a church. [L. deambulāre, -ātum, to walk about.]

Dean, dēn, n. a small valley.—Also Dene. [A.S. denu, a valley. Cf. Den.]

Dean, dēn, n. a dignitary in cathedral and collegiate churches who presides over the other clergy: the president of faculty in a college; the chief chaplain of the Chapel Royal: the chief judge of the Court of Arches: the president of a trade-guild.—ns. Dean′ery, the office of a dean: a dean's house; Dean′ship, the office or dignity of a dean.—Dean of Arches, dean of the Court of Arches (see Arch); Dean of Faculty, president of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland: Dean of Guild, a municipal functionary in Scotland, who has authority over building and altering of houses.—Rural dean, one who, under the bishop, has the special care and inspection of the clergy in certain parishes. [O. Fr. deien (Fr. doyen)—Low L. decanus, a chief of ten—L. decem, ten.]

Dear, dēr, adj. high in price: costly: scarce: highly valued: beloved: (Shak.), earnest, inmost.—n. one who is dear or beloved.—adv. at a high price.—adj. Dear′-bought.—n. Dear′ling (Spens.), a darling.—adj. Dear′-loved.—adv. Dear′ly.—ns. Dear′ness; Dear′y, one who is dear. [A.S. deóre, dýre; cog. with Ger. theuer.]

Dear, dēr, interj. indicating surprise, pity, or other emotion, as in 'Oh dear!' 'Dear me!' 'Dear, dear!'—prob. elliptical in 'Dear help us!' &c. [Sometimes doubtfully referred to Dio mio (It. 'My God'), or to some compound of Fr. Dieu.]

Dearn, Dearnful, Dernly. See Dern, &c.

Dearth, dėrth, n. dearness, high price: scarcity: want: famine; barrenness.—adj. Dearth′ful (Scot.), expensive.

Deasil, dē′shēl, n. (Scot.) motion according to the apparent course of the sun—opp. to Withershins.—Also Dea′soil, Dei′sheal, Dea′siul. [Gael.]

Dearticulate, dē-ar-tik′ū-lāt, v.t. to disjoint.

Deaspirate, dē-as′pir-āt, v.t. to remove the aspirate.

Death, deth, n. state of being dead: extinction or cessation of life: manner of dying: mortality: a deadly plague: cause of death: spiritual lifelessness: the killing of the animal in hunting.—ns. Death′-add′er, a poisonous Australian snake; Death′-ag′ony, the struggle often preceding death; Death′-bed, the bed on which one dies, the last illness; Death′-bell, the passing bell; Death′-blow, a blow that causes death; Death′-damp, a cold, clammy sweat preceding death.—n.pl. Death′-dū′ties, duties paid to government on the inheritance of property, real or personal, after the death of the former owner.—n. Death′-fire, a kind of light supposed to presage death.—adjs. Death′ful, Death′ly, deadly, destructive; Death′less, never dying: everlasting.—n. Death′lessness.—adj. Death′-like (Shak.), like a dead person, deadly.—n. Death′liness.—adj. Death′-marked, marked for or by death, destined to die.—n. Death′-mask, a plaster-cast taken from the face after death.—adj. Death′-prac′tised (Shak.), threatened with death by malicious arts.—ns. Death′-rate, the proportion of deaths to the population; Death′-ratt′le, a rattling in the throat which sometimes accompanies the last uneasy breathings of a dying person; Death's′-door, the point of death; Death's′-head, the skull of a human skeleton, or a figure of it; Death's′-man (Shak.), the public executioner; Death′-stroke, a death-blow; Death′-throe, the dying agony; Death′-tō′ken (Shak.), a sign or token of impending death, a plague-spot; Death′-trap, an unsafe building, vessel, or place that shuts up its occupants to almost certain death; Death′-warr′ant, an order from the authorities for the execution of a criminal; Death′-watch, a watch by a dying person: a popular name for several insects which produce a ticking noise, specially audible in the stillness of a death-chamber; Death′-wound, a wound which caused death.—Death's′-head moth, a species of hawk-moth, having pale markings on the back of the thorax somewhat like a skull.—Be death on, to be fond of, to be good at; Be in at the death, in hunting, to be up on the animal before the dogs have killed it.—Do, or Put, to death, to kill: to cause to be killed.—Gates, or Jaws, of death, death's door, the point of death.—To death, expressive of intensity, very much. [A.S. deáth; Ger. tod. See Dead and Die.]

Deave, dēv, v.t. (Scot.) to render deaf. [See Deaf.]

Deaw, dū, v.t. (Spens.) to bedew.

Debacle, de-bak′l, n. a breaking up of ice on a river: (geol.) a sudden flood of water leaving its path strewed with debris. [Fr. débâcle; de, and bâcler, to bar—L. baculus, a stick.]

Debar, de-bär′, v.t. to bar out from: to exclude: to hinder:—pr.p. debar′ring; pa.p. debarred′.—n. Debar′ment. [L. de, from, and bar.]

Debark, de-bärk′, v.t. or v.i. to land from a ship or boat: to disembark.—ns. Debarkā′tion, Debarcā′tion. [Fr. débarquer—des = L. dis, away, and barque, a ship.]

Debarrass, de-bär′as, v.t. to disembarrass, disentangle, free. [Fr. débarrasser; de, and barre, a bar.]

Debase, de-bās′, v.t. to lower: to make mean or of less value: to adulterate.—adj. Debased′, degraded: (her.) reversed.—n. Debase′ment, degradation.—adj. Debas′ing, tending to lower or degrade.—adv. Debas′ingly. [L. de, down, and base, low.]

Debate, de-bāt′, n. a contention in words or argument: (obs.) strife.—v.t. to contend for in argument: (arch.) to fight for.—v.i. to deliberate: to join in debate.—adjs. Debat′able, liable to be disputed; Debate′ful (Spens.), quarrelsome.—ns. Debate′ment (Spens., Shak.), controversy; Debat′er.—adv. Debat′ingly.—Debatable land, a tract of border land between Esk and Sark claimed both by England and Scotland. [O. Fr. debatre—L. de, and batuĕre, to beat.]

Debauch, de-bawch′, v.t. to lead away from duty or allegiance: to corrupt with lewdness: to pervert.—v.i. to indulge in revelry.—n. a fit of intemperance or debauchery.—p.adj. Debauched′, corrupt: profligate.—adv. Debauch′edly.—ns. Debauch′edness; Deb′auchee, a libertine; Debauch′er; Debauch′ery, excessive intemperance: habitual lewdness; Debauch′ment. [O. Fr. desbaucher (Fr. débaucher), to corrupt—des = L. dis, and baucher, to hew—bauche or bauc, a beam, a course of stones.]

Debel, de-bel′, v.t. (Milt.) to conquer in war. [Fr. débeller—L. debellāre—de, from, and bellāre, to carry on war, from bellum, war.]

Debenture, de-bent′ūr, n. a written acknowledgment of a debt: a deed of mortgage given by a railway or other company for borrowed money: a certificate entitling an exporter of imported goods to a repayment of the duty paid on their importation.—p.adj. Debent′ured, entitled to drawback or debenture, as goods. [L. debentur, there are due, 3d pers. pl. pass. of debēre, to owe—the first word of the receipt.]

Debilitate, de-bil′i-tāt, v.t. to make weak: to impair the strength of.—adj. Deb′ile (arch.), weak, feeble.—ns. Debilitā′tion; Debil′ity, weakness and languor: a weak action of the animal functions. [L. debilitāre, ātum—debilis, weak—de, not, habilis, able. See Ability.]

Debit, deb′it, n. a debt or something due: an entry on the debtor side of an account.—v.t. to charge with debt: to enter on the debtor side of an account.—n. Deb′itor (Shak.), a debtor. [L. debitum, what is due, from debēre, to owe.]

Debituminise, dē-bi-tū′mi-nīz, v.t. to deprive of bitumen.

Déblai, dā-blā′, n. the earth excavated from a ditch to form a parapet. [Fr.]

Debonair, deb-o-nār′, adj. of good appearance and manners: elegant: courteous: gay.—adv. Debonair′ly.—n. Debonair′ness. [Fr. de, of, bon, good, air, appearance, manner.]

Debosh, de-bosh′, an old form of debauch.

Debouch, de-bōōsh′, v.i. to march out from a narrow pass or confined place.—ns. Debouch′ment, the act of debouching; Debouchure′, the mouth of a river or strait. [Fr. déboucher—de, from, bouche, the mouth—L. bucca, the cheek.]

Débouché, de-boo-shā′, n. an opening, a passage: a market. [Fr.]

Debris, de-brē′, n.sing. and pl. rubbish: ruins: a mass of rocky fragments. [Fr., from briser, akin to bruise.]

Debruised, de-brōōzd′, p.adj. (her.) surmounted or partly covered by one of the ordinaries. [O. Fr. debrusier—de, apart, brusier, to break.]

Debt, det, n. what one owes to another: what one becomes liable to do or suffer: a state of obligation or indebtedness: a duty: (B.) a sin.—p.adj. Debt′ed (Shak.), indebted, obliged to.—ns. Debt′ee, a creditor; Debt′or, one who owes a debt: the side of an account on which debts are charged.—Debt of honour, a debt not recognised by law, but binding in honour—esp. gambling and betting debts; Debt of nature, death.—Active debt, a debt due to one, as opposed to Passive debt, a debt one owes; Floating debt, miscellaneous public debt, like exchequer and treasury bills, as opposed to Funded debt, that which has been converted into perpetual annuities like consols in Britain.—In one's debt, under a pecuniary obligation to one. [O. Fr. dette—L. debitum, debēre, to owe.]

Début, de-bü′ (u sounded as in Scot. gude), n. a beginning or first attempt: a first appearance before the public, as of an actor, &c.—n. Débutant′, one who makes his first appearance before the public:—fem. Débutante′. [Fr. début, a first stroke—débuter—de, from, but, aim, mark.]

Decachord, dek′a-kord, n. an ancient musical instrument with ten strings: anything having ten parts. [Gr. dekachordos—deka, ten, and chordē, a string.]

Decacuminated, dē-ka-kū′mi-nā-ted, adj. having the top cut off.

Decade, dek′ād, Decad, dek′ad, n. a group of ten, esp. a series of ten years.—adj. Dec′adal. [Fr. décade—Gr. dekas—deka, ten.]

Decadence, dek′a-dens, or de-kā′-, Dec′adency (or de-kā′-), n. state of decay: a term for a school in modern French literature not distinguished for vigour or originality.—adj. Dec′adent (or de-kā′-), decaying.—n. something decaying or decayed. [Fr.,—Low L. decadentia, from L. de, down—cadĕre, to fall.]

Decagon, dek′a-gon, n. a plane figure of ten angles and sides.—adj. Decag′onal. [Gr. deka, and gōnia, an angle.]

Decagramme, Decagram, dek′a-gram, n. a weight of ten grammes, equal to 0.353 oz. [Fr.,—Gr. deka, ten, and gramma, a weight; L. granum, a grain.]

Decagynia, dek-a-jin′i-a, n. a class of plants in the Linnæan system having ten pistils.—adjs. Decagyn′ian, Decag′ynous. [Gr. deka, ten, gynē, a woman.]

Decahedron, dek-a-hē′dron, n. a solid figure having ten faces.—adj. Decahē′dral. [Gr. deka, and hedra, a seat.]

Decalcify, de-kal′si-fī, v.i. to deprive of lime: to take the calcareous matter out of bones, teeth, &c.—n. Decalcificā′tion. [L. de, away from, calx, calcis, lime, facĕre, to make.]

Decalcomania, dē-kal-kō-mā′ni-a, n. the process of transferring pictures to marble, glass, wood, &c. [Fr.]

Decalitre, dek′a-lēt-ėr, n. a French measure, ten litres: equal to 2½ imperial gallons. [Fr.,—Gr. deka, ten, and litra, a pound.]

Decalogue, dek′a-log, n. the ten commandments.—n. Decal′ogist. [Gr. deka, ten, logos, a discourse.]

Decameron, de-kam′e-ron, n. Boccaccio's hundred tales, supposed to be told in ten days.—adj. Decameron′ic. [From Gr. deka, ten, hēmera, a day.]

Decametre, dek′a-mēt-ėr, n. a French measure of ten metres, or 32.8 feet. [Fr. décamètre—Gr. deka, ten, metron, a measure. See Metre.]

Decamp, de-kamp′, v.i. to go away, esp. secretly.—n. Decamp′ment. [Fr. décamper.]

Decanal, dek′an-al, adj. pertaining to a dean or deanery.

Decandria, de-kan′dri-a, n. a class of plants in the Linnæan system having ten stamens.—adjs. Decan′drian, Decan′drous. [Gr. deka, ten, and anēr, andros, a man.]

Decangular, dek-ang′gū-lar, adj. having ten angles. [Gr. deka, ten, and L. angulus, an angle.]

Decant, de-kant′, v.t. to pour off, leaving sediment: to pour from one vessel into another.—ns. Decantā′tion; Decant′er, an ornamental bottle for holding decanted liquor. [Fr. décanter (It. decantare)—de, from, and Low L. cantus, a side or corner.]

Decaphyllous, dek-a-fil′us, adj. having ten leaves. [Gr. deka, ten, phyllon, a leaf.]

Decapitate, de-kap′i-tāt, v.t. to take the head from: to behead.—n. Decapitā′tion. [Low L. decapitāre—L. de, from, and caput, capitis, the head.]

Decapod, dek′a-pod, n. one of the shellfish which have ten feet or claws, as the crab.—adjs. Deca′podal, Deca′podous. [Gr. deka, ten, and pous, podos, a foot.]

Decarbonate, de-kär′bon-āt, v.t. to deprive of carbon—also Decar′bonise, Decar′burise.—ns. Decarbonisā′tion, Decarburisā′tion. [De, from, carbon.]

Decastich, dek′a-stik, n. a poem of ten lines. [Gr. deka, ten, and stichos, a row, a verse.]

Decastyle, dek′a-stīl, n. a portico with ten columns in front. [Gr. deka, ten, stylos, a column.]

Decasyllabic, dek-a-sil-ab′ik, adj. having ten syllables. [Gr. deka, ten, syllabē, a syllable.]

Decaudate, de-kaw′dāt, v.t. to cut off the tail of. [L. de, and cauda, tail.]

Decay, dē-kā′, v.i. to fall away from a state of health or excellence: to waste away.—v.t. to cause to waste away: to impair.—n. a falling into a worse or less perfect state: a passing away: loss of fortune: (obs.) misfortune.—p.adj. Decayed′, reduced in circumstances.—n. Decayed′ness. [O. Fr. decair—L. de, from cadĕre, to fall.]

Decease, dē-sēs′, n. death.—v.i. to die.—p.adj. Deceased′, dead. [O. Fr. deces (Fr. décès)—L. decessus—de, away, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Deceit, de-sēt′, n. act of deceiving: anything intended to mislead another: fraud: falseness.—adj. Deceit′ful, full of deceit: disposed or tending to deceive: insincere.—adv. Deceit′fully.—n. Deceit′fulness. [O. Fr., from L. decipĕre, deceptum, to deceive.]

Deceive, de-sēv′, v.t. to mislead or cause to err: to cheat: to disappoint.—adj. Deceiv′able, that may be deceived: exposed to imposture.—n. Deceiv′ableness.—adj. Deceiv′ably.—n. Deceiv′er. [Fr. décevoir—L. decipĕre, deceptum—de, from capĕre, to take, catch.]

December, de-sem′bėr, n. the tenth month among the Romans, who began their year with March: with us, the twelfth month of the year.—adj. Decem′berly, wintry, cold.—n. Decem′brist, one of those who took part in the Russian conspiracy of December 1825. [L. decem, ten.]

Decemdentate, dē-sem-den′tāt, adj. having ten points or teeth.

Decemfid, dē-sem′fid, adj. divided into ten parts.

Decemlocular, dē-sem-lok′ū-lar, adj. ten-celled.

Decempedal, dē-sem′ped-al, adj. having ten feet.

Decemvir, de-sem′vir, n. one of ten magistrates who at one time had absolute power in ancient Rome:—pl. Decem′virs, or (L.) Decemviri (dē-sem′vi-rī).—adj. Decem′viral.—n. Decem′virāte, a body of ten men in office: the term of office of decemvirs. [L. decem, ten, and vir, a man.]

Decennary, de-sen′ar-i, n. a period of ten years—also Decenn′ium.—adj. Decenn′ial, consisting of or happening every ten years. [L. decem, ten, and annus, a year.]

Decennoval, de-sen′ō-val, adj. pertaining to the number 15.

Decent, dē′sent, adj. becoming: seemly: proper: modest: moderate: tolerable.—n. Dē′cency, becomingness: modesty.—adv. Dē′cently. [L. decens, decentis, pr.p. of decēre, to be becoming.]

Decentralise, de-sen′tral-īz, v.t. to withdraw from the centre: to transfer functions from the central government to local centres.—n. Decentralisā′tion. [L. de, neg., and centralise.]

Deception, de-sep′shun, n. act of deceiving: the means by which it is sought to deceive.—n. Deceptibil′ity.—adjs. Decept′ible, capable of being deceived; Decep′tious (Shak.), deceitful; Decep′tive, tending to deceive: misleading.—adv. Decep′tively.—n. Decep′tiveness.—adj. Decep′tory, tending to deceive. [O. Fr.,—Low L. deceptio, -nis—decipĕre, to deceive.]

Decern, de-sėrn′, v.t. and v.i. (Scots law) to judge: to decree: to pass judgment. [O. Fr. decerner—L. decernĕre—de, and cernĕre, to distinguish.]

Decession, de-sesh′un, n. departure. [See Decease.]

Decharm, dē-chärm′, v.t. to disenchant.

Dechristianise, de-krist′yan-īz, v.t. to turn from Christianity: to destroy Christian elements.

Deciare, de′si-är, n. the tenth part of an are. [Fr.,—L. deci- (in decimus), and are.]

Decide, de-sīd′, v.t. to determine: to end: to settle: to resolve.—adjs. Decid′able, capable of being decided; Decid′ed, determined: clear, unmistakable: resolute.—adv. Decid′edly. [O. Fr. decider—L. decidēre—de, away, cædĕre, to cut.]

Deciduous, de-sid′ū-us, adj. that fall in autumn, as leaves: not permanent.—n. Decid′ua, a membrane of the uterus discharged after parturition.—adj. Decid′uāte.—n. Decid′uousness.—Deciduous trees, those which annually lose and renew their leaves. [L. deciduus—decidĕre, de, from, cadĕre, to fall.]

Decigramme, de′si-gram, n. the tenth part of a gramme. [See Gramme (3).]

Decilitre, des′i-lē-tėr, n. a measure of capacity equal to 1⁄10 litre.

Decillion, de-sil′yun, n. a million raised to the tenth power: in the French and American notation, a thousand raised to the eleventh power.

Decimal, des′i-mal, adj. numbered or proceeding by tens.—n. a fraction having ten or some power of ten for its denominator.—v.t. Dec′imalise, to reduce to the decimal system.—ns. Dec′imalism; Dec′imalist.—adv. Dec′imally.—Decimal notation, a system of writing numbers based on ten and powers of ten, like our ordinary system; Decimal system, a system whose units are tens and powers of tens, esp. in the French metric system of weights and measures. [Fr.,—Low L. decimalis—decem, ten.]

Decimate, des′i-māt, v.t. to take the tenth part of: to put to death every tenth man.—ns. Decimā′tion, a military punishment, by which every tenth man was selected by lot and put to death or otherwise punished; Dec′imator. [L. decimāre, -ātum—decimus, tenth.]

Decime, de-sēm′, n. a French coin equal to 1⁄10 franc.

Decimetre, des′i-mē-tėr, n. a measure of length equal to 1⁄10 metre.

Decipher, de-sī′fėr, v.t. to uncipher or read secret writing: to make out what is unintelligible or obscure: to reveal.—adj. Deci′pherable.—n. Deci′pherment. [L. de, neg. and cipher.]

Decision, de-sizh′un, n. the act of deciding: settlement: judgment: the quality of being decided in character.—adj. Decī′sive, having the power of deciding: showing decision: final: positive.—adv. Decī′sively.—n. Decī′siveness.—adj. Decī′sory, decisive. [See Decide.]

Decistère, des-i-stār, n. a cubic measure equal to 1⁄10 stere.

Decitizenise, dē-sit′i-zen-īz, v.t. to deprive of citizenship.

Decivilise, dē-siv′i-līz, v.t. to reduce from a civilised to a more savage state.

Deck, dek, v.t. to cover: to clothe: to adorn: to furnish with a deck, as a vessel.—n. a covering: a horizontal platform extending from one side of a vessel to the other, thereby joining them together, and forming both a floor and a covering: the part of a pack of cards that remains after the deal, or the part of a pack necessary for playing such games as bezique, &c.—ns. Deck′-car′go, cargo stowed on the deck of a vessel; Deck′-chair, a light chair of spars and canvas, to be used on board ship; Deck′er, the person or thing that decks: a vessel which has a deck or decks, used only in composition, as a three-decker, a ship with three decks; Deck′-hand, a person employed on deck; Deck′-house, a house or box on deck; Deck′ing, adornment; Deck′-load, a deck-cargo; Deck′-pass′age, a passage securing only the right of being on deck, without cabin accommodation; Deck′-pass′enger; Flush′-deck, a deck continuous from stem to stern at the same level (see Quarter-deck); Gun′-deck, a deck on which guns are carried; Hur′ricane-deck, a light partial deck over the saloon of some steamers; Main′-deck, the deck below the spar-deck; Spar′-deck, the upper deck of a ship. [Dut. dekken, to cover; Ger. decken; akin to L. tegĕre.]

Deckle, dek′l, n. the gauge on a paper-making machine.—n. Deck′le-edge, the raw or ragged edge of handmade paper.—adj. Deck′le-edged, having a rough uncut edge. [Ger.]

Declaim, de-klām′, v.i. to make a set or rhetorical speech: to harangue: to recite in public.—ns. Declaim′ant, Declaim′er.—p.adj. Declaim′ing.—ns. Declamā′tion, act of declaiming: a set speech in public: display in speaking.—adj. Declam′atory, of the nature of declamation: appealing to the passions: noisy and rhetorical merely. [L. declamāre—de, inten., clamāre, to cry out.]

Declare, de-klār′, v.t. to make known: to announce: to assert: to make a full statement of, as of goods at a custom-house.—v.i. to make a statement: to show cards in order to score.—adj. Declār′able, capable of being declared, exhibited, or proved.—ns. Declar′ant, one who makes a declaration; Declarā′tion, act of declaring: that which is declared: a written affirmation: in the criminal law of Scotland, the statement made by the prisoner before the magistrate: in common law, the pleading in which the plaintiff in an action at law sets forth his case against the defendant.—adjs. Declar′ative, Declar′atory, explanatory.—advs. Declar′atively, Declar′atorily.—n. Declar′ator, a form of action in the Court of Session in Scotland, with the view of having a fact judicially ascertained and declared.—adj. Declared′, avowed.—adv. Decla′redly, avowedly.—Declaratory Act, an act intended to explain an old law which had become obscure or a subject of controversy. [Fr. déclarer, from L. declarāre, -ātum—de, wholly, clarus, clear.]

Declension, de-klen′shun, n. a falling off: decay: descent: (gram.) change of termination for the oblique cases. [See Decline.]

Decline, de-klīn′, v.i. to bend or turn away from (a straight line); to deviate: to refuse: to bend down: to fail or decay: to stoop or condescend: to draw to an end.—v.t. to bend down: to turn away from: to refuse: to avoid: (gram.) to give the changes of a word in the oblique cases.—n. a falling off: deviation: decay: a gradual sinking of the bodily faculties, consumption.—adjs. Declin′able, having inflection for the oblique cases; Declī′nal, bending downward; Dec′linant (her.), having the tail hanging down—also Dec′livant.—ns. Declinā′tion, act of declining: a sloping or bending downward: deviation: (astron.) distance from the celestial equator; Dec′linātor, an instrument determining declination.—adj. Declin′atory, containing a declination or refusal—ns. Declin′ature, act of declining or refusing: (law) a plea declining the jurisdiction of a judge; Declinom′eter, an instrument for measuring the declination of the compass—i.e. the deviation of the magnetic needle from the true north. [Fr. décliner—L. de, down, away from, clināre, to bend. See Lean.]

Declivity, de-kliv′i-ti, n. a place that declines, or slopes downward, opposite of acclivity: inclination downward: a gradual descent.—adjs. Decliv′itous, Declī′vous. [Fr.,—L. declivitas—de, downward, clivus, sloping, akin to clināre.]

Decoct, de-kokt′, v.t. to prepare by boiling: to extract the substance of by boiling: to boil: to devise.—adjs. Decoc′tible, Decoc′tive.—ns. Decoc′tion, an extract of anything got by boiling; Decoc′ture, a substance prepared by decoction. [L. decoquĕre, decoctum—de, down, coquĕre, to cook.]

Decode, de-kōd′, v.t. to translate the symbols in a code telegram into ordinary language.

Decollate, de-kol′āt, v.t. to behead.—p.adj. Decoll′ated, rounded off, as the apex of a shell.—n. Decollā′tion, the act of beheading: a picture of a decapitation, esp. of the head of St John the Baptist on a charger: the festival of the Baptist, Aug. 29. [L. decollāre—de, from, collum, the neck.]

Decolleté, dā-kol-e-tā′, adj. with neck uncovered: of dress, low cut. [Fr. décolleter, to bare the neck and shoulders. Cf. Decollate.]

Decolour, de-kul′ur, v.t. to deprive of colour—also Decol′ourise.—n. Decol′orant, a substance that bleaches or removes colour.—v.t. Decol′orate, to deprive of colour.—ns. Decolorā′tion, removal or absence of colour; Decolorisā′tion. [Fr. décolorer—L. decolorāre—de, from, color, colour.]

Decomplex, dē′kom-pleks, adj. repeatedly compound.

Decompose, de-kom-poz′, v.t. to separate the parts composing anything: to resolve into original elements.—v.i. to decay, rot.—adj. Decompos′able.—n. Decomposi′tion, act of decomposing: decay or dissolution: also the compounding of things already compound. [L. de, neg., and compose.]

Decomposite, dē-kom-poz′it, or de-kom′-, adj. compound a second time or more than once. [L. de, and composite.]

Decompound, de-kom-pownd′, v.t. to compound again: to compound things already compounded; also, to divide a thing into its constituent parts.—adj. compounded a second time.—adj. Decompound′able. [L. de, and compound.]

Deconcentrate, de-kon-sen′trāt, or de-kon′sen-trāt, v.t. to scatter.—n. Deconcentrā′tion. [De, and concentrate.]

Deconsecrate, de-kon′se-krāt, v.t. to deprive of the character given by consecration: to secularise.—n. Deconsecrā′tion.

Decorate, dek′o-rāt, v.t. to ornament, to beautify: to honour with a badge or medal.—adj. Dec′orated.—n. Decorā′tion, ornament: badge of an order.—adj. Dec′orātive, ornamental.—ns. Dec′orātiveness; Dec′orātor.—Decorated style (archit.), a style of Gothic architecture, elaborated and richly decorated, which prevailed till near the end of the 14th century.—Decoration Day, May 30th, when the memory of the soldiers who fell in the American Civil War of 1861-65 is honoured by the decoration of their graves, speeches, processions, &c. [L. decorāre, -ātum—decus, what is becoming—decēre, to be becoming.]

Decorous, de-kō′rus, or dek′o-rus, adj. becoming: suitable: proper: decent.—adv. Decō′rously.—ns. Decō′rousness; Decō′rum, that which is becoming in outward appearance: propriety of conduct: decency. [L. decorus, becoming.]

Decorticate, de-kor′ti-kāt, v.t. to deprive of the bark, husk, or peel.—n. Decorticā′tion. [L. decorticāre, -ātum—de, from, and cortex, bark.]

Decoy, de-koy′, v.t. to allure: to entrap: to lure into a trap.—n. anything intended to allure into a snare: an apparatus of hoops and network for trapping wild-ducks—sometimes duck-coy.—n. Decoy′-duck, a wild-duck tamed and trained to entice others into a trap: (fig.) one employed to allure others into a snare. [L. de, down, and O. Fr. coi, quiet; the earlier verb to coy was confused with the Dut. kooi—L. cavea, a cage. See Coy.]

Decrassify, dē-kras′i-fī, v.t. to make less crass.

Decrease, de-krēs′, v.i. to become less: to be diminished by degrees in size or power.—v.t. to make less: to lessen gradually.—n. a growing less: loss.—adv. Decreas′ingly. [O. Fr. decrois, a decrease—L. descrescĕre—de, from, crescĕre, to grow.]

Decree, de-krē′, n. an order by one in authority: an edict or law: a judicial decision: a predetermined purpose.—v.t. to decide or determine by sentence in law: to appoint.—v.i. to make a decree:—pr.p. decree′ing; pa.p. decreed′.—adjs. Decree′able, capable of being decreed; Decrē′tive, having the force of a decree; Dec′rētory, Decretō′rial, established by a decree: determining: judicial.—Decree nisi (L. nisi, unless), a decree that becomes absolute unless cause be shown to the contrary—granted esp. in divorce cases. [O. Fr. decret—L. decretum—decernĕre, to decide.]

Decreet, de-krēt′, n. (Scots law) a court judgment.

Decrement, dek′re-ment, n. the act or state of decreasing: the quantity lost by decrease. [L. decrementum.]

Decrepit, de-krep′it, adj. worn out by the infirmities of old age: in the last stage of decay.—ns. Decrep′itness; Decrep′itude, state of being decrepit or worn out with age. [L. decrepitus, noiseless, very old—de, not, crepitus, a noise.]

Decrepitate, de-krep′i-tāt, v.i. to crackle, as salts when heated.—v.t. to roast so as to cause a continual crackling, to calcine.—n. Decrepitā′tion. [L. de, inten., crepitāre, to rattle much, freq. of crepāre.]

Decrescent, de-kres′ent, adj. becoming gradually less.—n. (mus.) Decrescen′do = Diminuendo (q.v.). [L.]

Decretal, de-krē′tal, adj. pertaining to a decree.—n. a decree, esp. of the pope: a book containing decrees: spec. in pl. the second part of the canon law, the decrees of various popes determining points of ecclesiastical law.—n. Decrē′tist, in medieval universities, a student of the decretals, a student of law.—adjs. Decrē′tive; Decrē′tory, pertaining to a decree, judicial. [L. decretalis—decretum.]

Decrew, de-krōō′, v.i. (Spens.) to decrease. [For decrue—O. Fr. decru, pa.p. of decroistre. See Decrease.]

Decrown, dē-krown′, v.t. to discrown. [Fr. découronner, to discrown.]

Decrustation, dē-krus-tā′shun, n. the act of removing a crust.

Decry, de-krī′, v.t. to cry down: to condemn: to censure as worthless: to blame:—pa.p. decried′.—ns. Decrī′al; Decrī′er. [Fr. de(s) = L. dis, and crier, to cry. See Cry.]

Decuman, dek′ū-man, adj. principal, large—of waves, &c.: connected with the principal gate of a Roman camp (near which the 10th cohort of the legion was stationed).—n. a great wave, as every tenth wave was supposed to be. [L. decumanus—decem, ten.]

Decumbent, de-kum′bent, adj. lying down: reclining on the ground.—ns. Decubā′tion, Decum′bence, Decum′bency, the act or posture of lying down.—adj. Decū′bital—n. Decū′bitus, a recumbent position, as of one sick in bed: a bed-sore.—adv. Decum′bently.—n. Decum′biture, the time when a sick person takes to bed. [L. decumbens—de, down, and cumbĕre, for cubāre, to lie.]

Decuple, dek′ū-pl, adj. tenfold.—n. a number ten times repeated.—v.t. to make tenfold. [Fr. décuple—L. decem, ten, and plicāre, to fold.]

Decurion, dē-kū′ri-on, n. an officer in a Roman army over ten soldiers—a Dec′ury or Decū′ria: any overseer of ten.—n. Decū′rionate. [L.]

Decurrent, de-kur′ent, adj. running or extending downward.—n. Decurr′ency.—adv. Decurr′ently.—n. Decur′sion, a running down: a military manœuvre or parade.—adj. Decur′sive.—adv. Decur′sively. [L. decurrens—de, down, currĕre, cursum, to run.]

Decurtate, dē-kur′tāt, adj. cut short, abridged.—v.t. to cut short. [L. decurtāre, -ātum, to cut short.]

Decussate, de-kus′āt, v.i. to cross in the form of an X: to cross, as lines, &c.—adjs. Decuss′ate, -d, crossed: arranged in pairs which cross each other, like some leaves.—adv. Decuss′ately.—n. Decussā′tion. [L. decussāre, -ātum—decussis, a coin of ten asses (decem asses) marked with X, symbol of ten.]

Dedal, Dedalian. See Dædal.

Dedicate, ded′i-kāt, v.t. to set apart and consecrate to some sacred purpose: to devote wholly or chiefly: to inscribe to any one.—adj. devoted: (Shak.) dedicated.—ns. Ded′icant, one who dedicates; Dedicatee (ded′i-kā-tē′), one to whom a thing is dedicated; Dedicā′tion, the act of dedicating: an address to a patron, prefixed to a book; Ded′icātor, one who dedicates.—adjs. Dedicatō′rial, Ded′icātory, of or pertaining to a dedication. [L. dedicāre, -ātum—de, down, dicēre, to declare.]

Dedimus, ded′i-mus, n. a writ commissioning one not a judge to act as a judge—from its first word. [L., dedimus, we have given, dăre, to give.]

Deduce, de-dūs′, v.t. to draw from: to infer a truth or opinion from what precedes or from premises.—ns. Deduce′ment, what is deduced; Deducibil′ity, the quality of being deducible.—adj. Deduc′ible, that may be deduced or inferred.—v.t. Deduct′, to take from: to separate: to subtract.—adj. Deduct′ible.—n. Deduc′tion, (1) the act of deducing: that which is deduced: the drawing of a particular truth from a general, antecedently known, as distinguished from Induction, rising from particular truths to a general; (2) the act of deducting: that which is deducted: abatement.—adj. Deduct′ive, that is, or that may be, deduced from premises or accepted principles.—adv. Deduct′ively. [L. deducĕre, deductum—de, from ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Dee, dē, v.i. Scotch for die.

Deed, dēd, n. something done: an act: an exploit: a legal transaction: the written evidence of it.—adj. Deed′ful (Tenn.), marked by deeds or exploits.—adv. Deed′ily.—adjs. Deed′less (Shak.), not having performed deeds; Deed′y, industrious, active.—Deed of saying (Shak.), performance of what has been said or promised.—In deed, in reality. [A.S. dæd—dón, to do; Ger. that—thun, to do.]

Deed, dēd, a Scotch form of indeed.

Deem, dēm, v.t. or v.i. to judge: to think: to believe.—n. (Shak.) opinion.—ns. Deem′ster, Demp′ster, one who pronounces judgment, a judge—esp. one of the two in the Isle of Man. [A.S. déman, to form a judgment—dóm, doom.]

Deep, dēp, adj. extending far down or far from the outside: difficult to understand: secret: wise and penetrating: cunning: very still: profound: profoundly learned in a language: intense, heart-felt: sunk low: low or grave: (of a road) encumbered with mud, sand, or ruts.—adv. in a deep manner.—n. that which is deep: the sea: anything profound or incomprehensible.—adjs. Deep′-browed, of high intellectual powers; Deep′-draw′ing (of ships), requiring considerable depth to float in; Deep′-drawn; Deep′-dyed, thorough-going, extreme—in a bad sense.—v.t. Deep′en, to make deeper in any sense: to increase.—v.i. to become deeper.—adjs. Deep′-fet (Shak.), fetched or drawn from a depth; Deep′-laid.—adv. Deep′ly.—adjs. Deep′-most, deepest; Deep′-mouthed, with deep voice.—n. Deep′ness.—adjs. Deep′-read, profoundly versed; Deep′-sea, pertaining to the deeper parts of the sea; Deep′-seat′ed, firmly seated; Deep′-toned, having a deep tone. [A.S. deóp; Ger. tief. Cf. Dip, Dive.]

Deer, dēr, n. a quadruped of several species, as the stag, reindeer, &c.; in M. E., any kind of animal.—ns. Deer′-hair, heath club-rush; Deer′-herd; Deer′-hound; Deer′-lick, a spot of salt ground whither deer come to lick the earth; Deer′-mouse, a common name for several species of American mice—so called from their agility; Deer′-neck, a thin, ill-shaped neck—of horses; Deer′-skin, the skin of the deer, or leather made therefrom; Deer′-stalk′er; Deer′-stalk′ing, the hunting of deer by stalking, or stealing upon them unawares. [A.S. deór; Ger. thier, Dut. dier; Ice. dýr. There is no connection with Gr. thēr, L. fera, a wild beast.]

Deface, de-fās′, v.t. to destroy or mar the face or external appearance of, to disfigure: to obliterate.—n. Deface′ment, act of defacing: injury to form or appearance: that which defaces.—adv. Defā′cingly. [O. Fr. desfacer—des = L. dis, away, facies, face.]

Defalcate, de-fal′kāt, v.t. to deduct a part of, of money, &c.: to embezzle money held on trust.—ns. Defalcā′tion, a diminution: a misappropriation of funds entrusted to one; Def′alcātor, a defaulter. [Low L. difalcāre, -ātum, to cut away—L. dis-, off, falcāre, to cut—falx, falcis, a sickle.]

Defame, de-fām′, v.t. to take away or destroy the good fame or reputation of: to speak evil of: to charge falsely.—n. (Spens.) infamy.—n. Defamā′tion, the act of defaming: calumny: slander.—adv. Defam′atorily.—adj. Defam′atory, containing defamation: injurious to reputation: calumnious.—p.adj. Defā′ming. [O. Fr. defamer—L. diffamāre—dis, away, fama, report.]

Default, de-fawlt′, n. a fault, failing, or failure: defect: neglect to do what duty or law requires: failure to account for money entrusted to one's charge: offence.—v.i. to fail through neglect of duty: to fail to appear in court when called upon.—n. Default′er, one who fails to appear in court, or to account for money entrusted to his care, or to settle a debt of honour.—Judgment by default, judgment given against a person because he fails to plead or make an appearance in court. [O. Fr. defaute and default—de = L. dis, apart, and faute.]

Defeasance, de-fēz′ans, n. undoing: defeat.—adjs. Defeas′anced, liable to be forfeited; Defeas′ible, that may be defeated or annulled.—n. Defeas′ibleness.—Deed of defeas′ance (Eng. law), an instrument which defeats the operation of some other deed or estate; and that which in the same deed is called a condition, in a separate deed is a defeasance. [O. Fr. defaisance—defaire, to undo.]

Defeat, de-fēt′, v.t. to frustrate: to ruin.—n. a frustration of plans: ruin: overthrow, as of an army in battle.—n. Defeat′ure (Spens.), defeat: disfigurement, disguise. [O. Fr. defait, defaire, to undo—L. dis, neg. facĕre, to do.]

Defecate, def′e-kāt, v.t. to clear from dregs or impurities: to purify from extraneous matter.—v.i. to void excrement.—n. Defecā′tion. [L. defæcāre, -ātum, to cleanse—de, from, fæx, fæcis, dregs.]

Defect, de-fekt′, n. a deficiency: a want: imperfection: blemish: fault.—n. Defectibil′ity.—adj. Defect′ible, liable to imperfection: deficient.—ns. Defec′tion, a failure, a falling away from duty: revolt; Defec′tionist.—adj. Defec′tive, having defect: wanting in some necessary quality: imperfect: faulty: insufficient.—adv. Defect′ively.—n. Defect′iveness.—The defects of one's qualities, virtues carried to excess, the faults apt to accompany or flow from good qualities. [L. deficĕre, defectum, to fail—de, down, and facĕre, to do.]

Defence, de-fens′, n. a defending: protection: vindication: (law) a defendant's plea.—pa.p. Defenc′ed (B.), fortified.—adj. Defence′less.—adv. Defence′lessly.—n. Defence′lessness. [See Defend.]

Defend, de-fend′, v.t. to keep off anything hurtful: to guard or protect: to maintain against attack: (obs.) to prohibit, forbid: (law) to resist, as a claim: to contest.—adj. Defend′able, that may be defended.—ns. Defend′ant, a defender: (law) a person accused or sued; Defendee′, one who is defended; Defend′er; Defen′sative, a protection; Defensibil′ity.—adjs. Defens′ible, that may be defended; Defens′ive, Defen′sory, serving to defend: in a state or posture of defence.—n. that which defends: posture of defence.—adv. Defens′ively.—Defender of the Faith, a title borne by the sovereigns of England since Henry VIII., on whom it was conferred in 1521 for his book against Luther.—Be on the defensive, to be in the position to defend one's self. [L. defendĕre, defensum, to ward off—de, off, and obs. fendĕre, to strike.]

Defer, de-fėr′, v.t. to put off to another time: to delay:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—ns. Defer′ment; Defer′rer, a procrastinator.—Deferred annuity (see Annuity); Deferred pay, an allowance paid to soldiers on their discharge, or to their relations on their death; Deferred shares, shares issued by a trading company, but not entitling the holder to a full share of the profits of the company, and sometimes to none at all, until the expiration of a specified time or the occurrence of some event. [L. differre—dis, asunder, ferre, to bear, carry.]

Defer, de-fėr, v.i. to yield to the wishes or opinions of another, or to authority.—v.t. to submit to or lay before:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—n. Def′erence, a deferring or yielding in judgment or opinion: regard: submission.—adj. Def′erent, bearing away, carrying off.—n. a deferent duct (as opposed to an afferent one) in the human body.—adj. Deferen′tial, expressing deference or respect.—adv. Deferen′tially. [L. deferre—de, down, and ferre, to bear.]

Defervescence, de-fer-ves′ens, n. abatement of heat: coolness: decrease of feverish symptoms.—Also Deferves′cency. [L. defervescĕre, to cease boiling—de, down, and fervescĕre, from fervēre, to boil.]

Defeudalise, dē-fū′dal-īz, v.t. to deprive of feudal character.

Deffly (Spens.). For Deftly.

Defiance, de-fī′ans, n. the act of defying: a challenge to combat: aggressiveness: contempt of opposition.—adj. Defī′ant, full of defiance, insolently bold.—adv. Defī′antly.—n. Defī′antness.—adj. Defī′atory, bidding defiance.—Bid defiance to, to defy.

Defibrinate, de-fī′bri-nāt, v.t. to deprive of fibrine—also Defī′brinise.—n. Defibrinā′tion.

Deficient, de-fish′ent, adj. wanting.—n. Defic′iency (sometimes Defic′ience), defect.—adv. Defic′iently.—ns. Defic′ientness; Def′icit, deficiency, esp. of revenue, as compared with expenditure. [L., deficĕre.]

Defile, dē-fīl′, or dē′fīl, v.i. to march off in file or line, or file by file.—n. a long narrow pass or way, in which troops can march only in file, or with a narrow front.—v.t. Defilāde′, to plan a fortification so as to protect it from enfilading fire.—n. Defile′ment. [Fr. défiler—L. dis, and filum, a thread.]

Defile, de-fīl′, v.t. to pollute or corrupt: to violate.—ns. Defile′ment, act of defiling: foulness; Defil′er. [L. de, and A.S. fýlan, fúl, foul.]

Defiliation, de-fil-i-ā′shun, n. depriving a parent of his child. [L. de, neg., and filius, a son.]

Define, de-fīn′, v.t. to fix the bounds or limits of: to determine with precision: to describe accurately: to fix the meaning of.—adj. Defin′able, that may be defined.—n. Define′ment (Shak.), description.—adj. Def′inite, defined: having distinct limits: fixed: exact: clear.—adv. Def′initely.—ns. Def′initeness; Defini′tion, a defining: a description of a thing by its properties: an explanation of the exact meaning of a word, term, or phrase.—adj. Defin′itive, defining or limiting: positive: final.—n. (gram.) an adjective used to limit the signification of a noun.—adv. Defin′itively.—ns. Defin′itiveness; Defin′itude, definitiveness. [Fr.,—L. definīre, -ītum, to set bounds to—de, finis, a limit.]

Deflagrate, def′la-grāt, v.i. or v.t. to burn down: to burn rapidly.—ns. Deflagrabil′ity, combustibility; Deflagrā′tion; Def′lagrator, a galvanic instrument for producing rapid combustion. [L. deflagrāre—de, down, flagrāre, to burn.]

Deflect, de-flekt′, v.i. or v.t. to turn aside: to swerve or deviate from a right line or proper course.—p.adj. Deflect′ed (bot.), bent abruptly downward.—ns. Deflec′tion, Deflex′ion, deviation.—adj. Deflec′tive, causing deflection.—n. Deflec′tor, a diaphragm in a lamp, stove, &c., by which the flame and gases are brought together and the combustion improved.—v.t. Deflex′ (zool., bot.), to bend down.—adj. Deflexed′.—n. Deflex′ure, deviation. [L. de, from, and flectĕre, flexum, to bend, turn.]

Deflorate, de-flō′rāt, adj. past the flowering state, as an anther after it has shed its pollen.—n. Deflorā′tion, the act of deflowering.

Deflower, Deflour, de-flowr′, v.t. to deprive of flowers: to deprive of grace and beauty: to ravish.—n. Deflow′erer. [O. Fr. deflorer—Low L. deflorāre, to strip flowers off—L. de, neg., flos, floris, a flower.]

Defluent, def′lōō-ent, adj. running down, decurrent.—n. Deflux′ion, a discharge of fluid in the body. [L. defluĕre—de, down, fluĕre, fluxum, to flow.]

Defoliate, de-fō′li-āt, v.t. to deprive of leaves.—adjs. Defō′liate, -d.—ns. Defoliā′tion, the falling off of leaves: the time of shedding leaves; Defō′liator. [Low L. defoliāre, -ātum—de, off, folium, a leaf.]

Deforce, de-fōrs′, v.t. (law) to keep out of possession by force: (Scots law) to resist an officer of the law in the execution of his duty.—ns. Deforce′ment; Deforc′iant, one who deforces; Deforciā′tion, a legal distress. [Fr. de = L. dis, and force.]

Deforest, de-for′est, v.t. to disforest: to deprive of forests.—n. Deforestā′tion.

Deform, de-form′, v.t. to alter or injure the form of: to disfigure.—adj. (Milt.) hideous, unshapely.—n. Deformā′tion.—p.adj. Deformed′, misshapen.—adv. Deform′edly.—ns. Deformed′ness; Deform′er; Deform′ity, state of being deformed: want of proper form: ugliness: disfigurement: anything that destroys beauty: an ugly feature or characteristic. [L. deformis, ugly—de, from, forma, beauty.]

Defoul, de-fowl′, v.t. to defile. [A.S. fúl, foul, whence by vowel change of ú to ý, fýlan.]

Defraud, de-frawd′, v.t. to deprive of by fraud: to withhold wrongfully: to cheat or deceive.—ns. Defraud′ment, Defraudā′tion. [L. defraudāre—de, from, and fraus, fraudis, fraud.]

Defray, de-frā′, v.t. to discharge the expenses of anything: to pay: (Spens.) to appease:—pr.p. defray′ing; pa.p. defrayed′.—ns. Defray′ment, Defray′al. [O. Fr. defrayer—de, and frais, expense—Low L. fractum, breakage, damage, expense.]

Deft, deft, adj. handy, clever.—adv. Deft′ly.—n. Deft′ness. [M. E. defte, dafte, simple, meek; A.S. ge-dæfte, meek—dæftan, gedæftan, prepare, make fit; the stem appears in ge-daf-en, to fit.]

Defunct, de-funkt′, adj. having finished the course of life, dead.—n. a dead person.—n. Defunc′tion (Shak.), death.—adj. Defunc′tive (Shak.), pertaining to the dead. [L. defungi, defunctus, to finish—de, and fungi, to perform.]

Defy, de-fī′, v.t. to challenge: to brave: (obs.) to discard, dislike:—pr.p. defy′ing; pa.p. defied′.—n. (Dryden) a defiance.—n. Defī′er. [O. Fr. defier—Low L. diffidāre, to renounce faith or allegiance—L. dis, asunder, and fīdĕre, to trust—fĭdes, faith.]

Dégagé, dā-ga-zhā′, adj. unembarrassed, unconstrained, easy. [Pa.p. of Fr. dégager, to disentangle.]

Degar′nish = Disgarnish (q.v.).

Degenerate, de-jen′ėr-āt, adj. having departed from the high qualities of race or kind: become base—also Degen′erous (obs.).—v.i. to fall from a nobler state: to be or to grow worse.—v.i. Degen′der (Spens.), to degenerate.—ns. Degen′eracy, Degenerā′tion, the act or process of becoming degenerate: the state of being degenerate.—adv. Degen′erately.—n. Degen′erateness.—adj. Degen′erating.—n. Degenerā′tionist, one who believes that the tendency of man is not to improve, but to degenerate.—adj. Degen′erative, tending or causing to degenerate. [L. degenerāre, -ātum, to depart from its kind—de, from, down, genus, genĕris, kind.]

Degerminator, de-jėr′mi-nā-tor, n. an apparatus for splitting grains and removing the germs. [L. de, neg., and germen, a germ.]

Deglutinate, de-glōō′tin-āt, v.t. to separate things that are glued together by softening the glue:—pr.p. deglu′tināting; pa.p. deglu′tināted. [L. deglutināre, -ātum—de, neg., and glutināre—gluten, glue.]

Deglutition, deg-lōō-tish′un, n. the act or power of swallowing.—adjs. Deglu′titive, Deglu′titory. [Fr.,—L. de, down, and glutīre, to swallow. See Glut.]

Degrade, de-grād′, v.t. to lower in grade or rank: to deprive of office or dignity: to lower in character, value, or position: to disgrace.—n. Degradā′tion, disgrace: degeneration: abortive structural development: a lowering in dignity.—p.adjs. Degrad′ed, reduced in rank: base: low: (her.) placed on steps; Degrad′ing, debasing: disgraceful. [Fr. dégrader—L. de, down, and gradus, a step. See Grade.]

Degree, de-grē′, n. a grade or step: one of a series of advances: relative position: rank: extent: a mark of distinction conferred by universities, whether earned by examination or granted as a mark of honour: the 360th part of a circle: 60 geographical miles: nearness of relationship: comparative amount of guilt: one of the three stages (positive, comparative, superlative) in the comparison of an adjective or an adverb.—By degrees, by little and little, gradually; Forbidden degrees, the degrees of consanguinity and affinity within which it is not permitted to marry; Songs of degrees, or Songs of ascents, Psalms cxx.-cxxxiv., either because sung by the Jews returning from captivity, or by the Jews coming up annually to attend the feasts at Jerusalem; To a degree, to a great degree, to an extreme. [Fr. degré—L. de, gradus, a step.]

Degust, dē-gust′, v.t. to taste, to relish.—v.i. to have a relishing taste.—v.t. Degust′āte (same as Degust).—n. Degustā′tion, the act of tasting. [L. de, down, and gustāre, to taste.]

Dehisce, dē-his′, v.i. to gape, to open as the capsules of a plant.—n. Dehis′cence.—adj. Dehis′cent. [L. dehiscens, pr.p. of dehiscĕre—de, inten., and hiscĕre, to gape.]

Dehort, de-hort′, v.t. to exhort from, to dissuade.—n. Dehortā′tion, dissuasion.—adjs. Dehor′tative, Dehor′tatory, dissuasive.—n. Dehort′er. [L. dehortāri—de, neg., and hortāri, to exhort.]

Dehumanise, de-hū′ma-nīz, v.t. to deprive of specifically human qualities. [L. de, neg., and humanise.]

Dehydrate, de-hī′drāt, v.t. to deprive of water, chemically.—v.i. to lose water.—n. Dehydrā′tion. [L. de, neg., Gr. hydōr.]

Deicide, dē′i-sīd, n. the killing of a god: the putting to death of Jesus Christ. [From a supposed Low L. form deicidium—deus, a god, and cædĕre, to kill.]

Deictic, dīk′tik, adj. proving directly.—adv. Deic′tically. [Gr. deiktikos—deiknynai, to show.]

Deid-thraw, dēd′-thraw, n. (Scot.) death-throe.

Deify, dē′i-fī, v.t. to exalt to the rank of a god: to worship as a deity: to make god-like:—pr.p. dē′ifying; pa.p. dē′ified.—adjs.—Deif′ic, -al, making god-like or divine.—n. Deificā′tion, the act of deifying: a deified embodiment.—adj. Dē′iform, god-like in form or character. [Fr. déifier—L. deificāre—deus, a god, and facĕre, to make.]

Deign, dān, v.i. to condescend.—v.t. to give: to allow: (obs.) to favour. [Fr. daigner—L. dignāri, to think worthy—dignus, worthy.]

Deil, dēl, Scotch form of devil.

Deinotherium, dī-no-thē′ri-um, n. = Dinotherium.

Deiparous, dē-ip′a-rus, adj. bearing a god—of the Virgin. [L. deus, a god, parĕre, to bring forth.]

Deipnosophist, dīp-nos′ō-fist, n. one who converses learnedly at dinner, a table-philosopher—from the title of a work by Athenæus. [Gr. deipnon, dinner, sophistēs—sophos, wise.]

Deist, dē′ist, n. one who believes in the existence of God, but not in revealed religion.—n. Dē′ism, the creed of a deist.—adjs. Deist′ic, -al.—adv. Deist′ically. [Fr. déiste, déisme—L. deus, a god.]

Deity, dē′i-ti, n. the divinity: godhead: a god or goddess: the Supreme Being. [Fr.,—Low L. deitas—L. deus, god; Sans. deva—div, to shine.]

Deject, de-jekt′, v.t. to cast down the countenance or spirits of.—adj. (Shak.) cast down.—adj. Deject′ed, cast down: dispirited.—adv. Deject′edly.—ns. Deject′edness; Dejec′tion, lowness of spirits: (pl.) fæcal discharge (also dejecta).—adj. Dejec′tory, promoting evacuations. [L. dejicĕre, -jectum—de, down, jacĕre, to cast.]

Delaine, dē-lān′, n. an untwilled light dress material, originally of wool—also Muslin-de-laine.

Delapse, dē-laps′, v.i. (obs.) to sink down.—n. Delap′sion.

Delate, de-lāt′, v.t. to carry on: to publish: to charge with a crime.—ns. Delā′tion; Delat′or. [L. deferre, delātum, to bring a report against, to inform—de, inten., ferre, to bear.]

Delay, de-lā′, v.t. to put off to another time: to defer: to hinder or retard.—v.i. to pause, linger, or put off time.—n. a putting off or deferring: a lingering: hinderance:—pr.p. delay′ing; pa.p. delayed′.—n. Delay′er.—adv. Delay′ingly. [O. Fr. delaier—L. differre, dilātum—dis, apart, ferre, to carry.]

Delay, de-lā′, v.t. (Spens.) to temper, dilute, weaken. [Fr. délayer, dilute—L. deliquāre, clarify.]

Dele, dē′lē, v.t., delete, efface, a direction in proof-reading to remove a superfluous letter or word, usually marked thus .—adjs. Del′eble, Del′ible, that can be deleted. [L., imper. of delēre, to delete.]

Delectable, de-lekt′a-bl, adj. delightful: pleasing.—n. Delect′ableness.—adv. Delect′ably.—n. Delectā′tion, delight. [Fr.,—L. delectabilis—delectāre, to delight.]

Delegate, del′e-gāt, v.t. to send as a legate or representative: to entrust or commit to.—n. one who is delegated: a deputy or representative: (U.S.) a person elected to represent a territory in congress, as distinguished from the representatives of the States.—adj. delegated, deputed.—ns. Delegā′tion, Del′egacy, a delegating: the persons delegated. [L. de, away, and legare, -ātum, to send as ambassador.]

Delete, de-lēt′, v.t. to blot out: to erase: to destroy.—n.pl. Delen′da, things to be deleted or erased.—n. Delē′tion.—adjs. Delē′tive, Delē′tory. [L. delēre, delētum, to blot out.]

Deleterious, del-e-tē′ri-us, adj. tending to destroy life: hurtful or destructive: poisonous.—adv. Deletē′riously.—n. Deletē′riousness. [Gr. dēlētērios, hurtful—deleisthai, to hurt.]

Delf, delf, n. a contraction for Delft′ware, a kind of earthenware originally made at Delft, Holland.

Delf, delf, n. a drain, ditch: (her.) a charge representing a square sod. [A.S. dælf—delfan, to dig.]

Delian, dē′li-an, adj. pertaining to Delos in the Ægean Sea, birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

Delibate, del′i-bāt, v.t. (obs.) to sip.—n. Delibā′tion.

Deliberate, de-lib′ėr-āt, v.t. to weigh well in one's mind.—v.i. to consider the reasons for and against anything: to reflect: to consider.—adj. well considered: considering carefully: slow in determining: cautious.—adv. Delib′erately.—ns. Delib′erateness; Deliberā′tion, the act of deliberating: mature reflection: calmness: coolness.—adj. Delib′erative, proceeding or acting by deliberation.—adv. Delib′eratively. [L. deliberāre, -ātum—de, inten., and librāre, to weigh—libra, a balance.]

Delicate, del′i-kāt, adj. pleasing to the senses, esp. the taste: dainty: nicely discriminating or perceptive: of a fine, slight texture or constitution: tender: frail, not robust: requiring nice handling: refined in manners: gentle, polite, considerate: luxurious.—n. Del′icacy, state or quality of being delicate: refinement: nicety: tenderness, weakness: luxuriousness: anything delicate or dainty.—adv. Del′icately, in a delicate manner: (B.) luxuriously.—n. Del′icateness, state of being delicate: (B.) delicacy, luxury.—n.pl. Del′icates (B.), delicacies. [L. delicātus—deliciæ, allurements, luxury—delicĕre—de, inten., lacĕre, to entice.]

Delice, del′is, n. (Spens.) flower delice, the iris. [See Fleur-de-lis.]

Delicious, de-lish′us, adj. full of delicacies: highly pleasing to the senses: affording exquisite pleasure.—n. Del′ice, (Spens.), delight: a delight or delightful thing.—adv. Deli′ciously, in a delicious manner: (B.) luxuriously.—n. Deli′ciousness. [L. deliciosus—deliciæ.]

Delict, de-likt′, n. a transgression, a misdemeanour. [L. delictum, an offence—de, and linquĕre, to leave.]

Deligation, del-i-gā′shun, n. a binding up, ligature.

Delight, de-līt′, v.t. to please highly.—v.i. to have or take great pleasure: to be greatly pleased.—n. a high degree of pleasure: extreme satisfaction: that which gives great pleasure.—p.adj. Delight′ed, greatly pleased: (Shak.) delightful.—adjs. Delight′ful, Delight′some, full of delight.—adv. Delight′fully.—n. Delight′fulness.—adj. Delight′less, affording no delight. [O. Fr. deliter—L. delectāre, inten. of delicĕre.]

Delilah, dē-lī′la, n. the Philistine woman who befooled Samson: a courtesan who seduces a man to betray secrets: a light woman, strumpet.—Also Dalī′la.

Delimit, de-lim′it, v.t. to fix or mark the limit of.—n. Delimitā′tion.

Delineate, de-lin′e-āt, v.t. to mark out with lines: to represent by a sketch or picture: to portray: to describe accurately in words.—adj. Delin′eable.—ns. Delineā′tion, the act of delineating: a sketch, representation, or description (sometimes Delin′eament); Delin′eator. [L. delineāre, -ātum—de, down, and linea, a line.]

Delinquent, de-ling′kwent, adj. failing in duty.—n. one who fails in or leaves his duty: a transgressor: a criminal.—n. Delin′quency, failure in or omission of duty: a fault: a crime.—adv. Delin′quently. [L. delinquens, -entis, pr.p. of delinquĕre—de, inten., and linquĕre, to leave.]

Deliquesce, del-i-kwes′, v.i. to melt and become liquid by absorbing moisture, as certain salts, &c.—v.i. and v.t. Del′iquate, Deliq′uiate, to melt.—ns. Deliques′cence, Deliquiā′tion.—adj. Deliques′cent, liquefying in the air. [L. deliquescĕre—de, inten., liquescĕre, to become fluid—liquēre, to be fluid.]

Deliquium, de-lik′wi-um, n. liquefaction by absorption of moisture. [Fr.,—Low L. deliquium—L. de, down, and liquēre, to melt.]

Delirious, de-lir′i-us, adj. wandering in mind: light-headed: insane.—n. Delirā′tion, madness, an aberration.—adj. Delirifā′cient, producing delirium.—n. any substance with this quality.—adv. Delir′iously.—ns. Delir′iousness; Delir′ium, state of being delirious: strong excitement: wild enthusiasm.—Delirium tremens, a delirious disorder of the brain produced by excessive drinking, and often marked by convulsive or trembling symptoms. [L. delirus, crazy—de, from, and lira, a furrow; tremens, the pr.p. of tremĕre, to tremble.]

Delitescent, del-i-tes′ent, adj. lying hid or concealed—e.g. the germs of an infectious disease.—n. Delites′cence. [L. delitescens, pr.p. of delitescĕre—de, from, and latescĕre—latēre, to lie hid.]

Deliver, de-liv′ėr, v.t. to liberate or set free from restraint or danger: to rescue from evil or fear: to give up or part with: to communicate: to pronounce: to give forth, as a blow, a ball, &c.: to disburden a woman of a child in childbirth.—adj. Deliv′erable.—ns. Deliv′erance, act of delivering or freeing: act of transferring from one to another: parturition: the utterance of a judgment or authoritative opinion; Deliv′erer; Deliv′ery, the act of delivering: a giving up: the act or manner of speaking in public, of discharging a shot, of throwing a cricket-ball, of pouring water, &c.: the act of giving birth.—General delivery, the delivery of letters from a post-office window to the persons to whom they are addressed—opp. to house to house delivery; Gaol, or Jail, delivery (see Gaol). [Fr. délivrer—L. de, from, liberāre, to set free—liber, free.]

Deliverly, de-liv′ėr-li, adv. (Shak.) nimble manner. [O. Fr. delivre, free—L. de, and liber, free.]

Dell. See Dale.

Della-Cruscan, del-la-krus′kan, adj. belonging to, or resembling, the old Florentine Accademia della Crusca (1582), esp. of a group of sentimental English poetasters resident in Florence about 1784—crushed by Gifford's Baviad in 1794.

Della-Robbia, del-la-rob′ya, n. a term applied to enamelled terra-cotta, said to have been invented by Luca della Robbia.

Delph, an erroneous spelling of Delf.

Delphian, del′fi-an, adj. relating to Delphi, a town of ancient Greece, or to the famous oracle which was there.—Also Del′phic.

Delphin, del′fin, adj. pertaining to the dauphin of France, or to an edition of the Latin classics prepared for his use, 64 vols., 1674-1730.

Delphinidæ, del-fin′i-dē, n. a family of cetaceans, including dolphins, grampuses, &c. [L. delphinus, a dolphin.]

Delphinium, del-fin′i-um, n. a genus of Ranunculaceæ comprising the larkspurs and stavesacre. [Formed from Gr. delphinion, larkspur.]

Delta, del′ta, n. the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, the capital form of which is Δ: a tract of land of like shape formed at the mouth of a river.—n. Deltaficā′tion, the process of forming a delta.—adj. Del′toid, of the form of the Greek Δ: triangular.—Delta metal, a hard alloy of copper, zinc, and iron—the three metals symbolised by the triangular shape; Deltoid muscle, the large triangular muscle of the shoulder. [Gr.,—Heb. daleth, a tent-door.]

Delubrum, de-lū′brum, n. a temple, shrine, sanctuary: a church having a font, a fort. [L.]

Deluce. See Fleur-de-lis.

Delude, de-lūd′, v.t. to play or impose upon: to deceive.—adj. Delud′able.—n. Delud′er. [L. deludĕre, to play—de, down, ludĕre, lusum, to play.]

Deluge, del′ūj, n. a great overflow of water: a flood: esp. that in the days of Noah.—v.t. to inundate: to overwhelm as with water. [Fr.,—L. diluvium—diluĕre—dis, away, luĕre, to wash.]

Delundung, de-lun′dung, n. the weasel-cat of Java and Malacca, a small carnivore akin to the civet.

Delusion, de-lū′zhun, n. the act of deluding: the state of being deluded: a false belief: error.—adj. Delū′sional, pertaining to delusions, afflicted with such.—n. Delū′sionist.—adjs. Delū′sive, Delū′sory, apt or tending to delude: deceptive.—adv. Delū′sively.—n. Delū′siveness. [See Delude.]

Delve, delv, v.t. and v.i. to dig with a spade.—n. (Spens.) a place dug out, a ditch, a cave.—n. Delv′er. [A.S. delfan, to dig; conn. with dale, dell.]

Demagnetise, de-mag′net-īz, v.t. to deprive of magnetic power.—n. Demagnetisā′tion.

Demagogue, dem′a-gog, n. a leader of the people: a popular and factious orator.—adjs. Demagogic, -al (-goj′).—ns. Demagogism, Demagoguism (dem′a-gog-ism); Dem′agoguery, Demagogy (-goj′). [Fr.,—Gr. dēmogōgos—dēmos, the people, agogos, leading—agein, to lead.]

Demain. See Demesne.

Demand, dē-mand′, v.t. to claim: to ask earnestly or authoritatively: to call for: to question.—n. the asking for what is due: an asking for with authority: a claim: earnest inquiry.—adj. Demand′able, that may be demanded.—n. Demand′ant, one who demands: a plaintiff:—fem. Demand′ress.—In great demand, much sought after. [Fr.,—Low L. demandāre, to demand—L. de, from, and mandāre, to put into one's charge.]

Demarcation, Demarkation, de-mark-ā′shun, n. the act of marking off or setting bounds to: division: a fixed limit.—v.t. Demar′cate, to mark off or limit. [Fr.,—dé, off, and marquer, to mark. See Mark.]

Dematerialise, dē-ma-tē′ri-al-īz, v.t. to deprive of material qualities.

Deme, dēm, n. a subdivision of ancient Attica and of modern Greece, a township: (biol.) any differentiated aggregate of cells. [Gr. dēmos.]

Demean, de-mēn′, v.t. to conduct (with self): to behave.—n. Demeanour, conduct—(Spens.) Demayne, Demeasnure. [O. Fr. demener—de, inten., and mener, to lead—Low L. mināre, to drive cattle, L. mināri, to threaten.]

Demean, de-mēn′, v.t. to make mean: to lower. [More prob. on the analogy of debase, from de, and mean, low, than the same word as the preceding with specialised sense.]

Dement, de-ment′, v.t. to drive crazy, render insane.—adj. insane, demented.—n. a demented person.—v.t. Dement′āte, to dement.—p.adj. Dement′ed, out of one's mind: insane: suffering from dementia. [L. demens, dementis, out of one's mind—de, from, and mens, the mind.]

Démenti, dā-mong-tē, n. a contradiction. [Fr. démentir, to give the lie to.]

Dementia, de-men′shi-a, n. general mental enfeeblement, with loss of memory, reason, feeling, and will: often the consequence of acute mania. [L. de, neg., and mens, mentis, mind.]

Demerit, de-mer′it, n. ill-desert: fault: crime. [O. Fr. demerite, desert, also a fault—Low L. demeritum, a fault, demerēre, to deserve—L. de, fully, merēre, to deserve.]

Demersed, dē-merst′, adj. (bot.) growing under water.—n. Demer′sion.

Demesmerise, de-mes′mer-īz, v.t. to relieve from mesmeric influence.—n. Demesmerisā′tion.

Demesne, de-mēn′, Demain, de-mān′, n. a manor-house, with lands adjacent to it not let out to tenants: any estate in land. [Forms of domain.]

Demi-bastion, dem′i-bast′yun, n. a kind of half-bastion, consisting of one face and one flank. [Fr. demi—L. dimidius, half, and bastion.]

Demi-cadence, dem′i-kā′dens, n. (mus.) a half-cadence.

Demi-cannon, dem′i-kan′un, n. (Shak.) an old gun which threw a ball of from 30 to 36 lbs.

Demi-culverin, dem′i-cul′ve-rin, n. an old kind of cannon which threw a shot of 9 or 10 lbs.

Demi-deify, dem′i-dē′i-fī, v.t. to treat as a demi-god.

Demi-devil, dem′i-dev′il, n. a half-devil.

Demi-distance, dem′i-dis′tans, n. (fort.) the distance between the outward polygons and the flank.

Demi-ditone, dem′i-dī-tōn, n. (mus.) a minor third.

Demigod, dem′i-god, n. half a god: one whose nature is partly divine, esp. a hero fabled to be the offspring of a god and a mortal:—fem. Dem′i-godd′ess. [Fr. demi, half, and god.]

Demi-gorge, dem′i-gorj, n. (fort.) the part of the polygon remaining after the flank is raised, going from the curtain to the angle of the polygon.

Demi-john, dem′i-jon, n. a glass bottle with a full body and narrow neck, enclosed in wicker-work. [Fr. dame-jeanne, Dame Jane, analogous to Bellarmine, gray-beard. Not from the town Damaghan.]

Demi-lance, dem′i-lans, n. a short, light spear of the 16th century; a soldier armed with such a weapon.

Demi-lune, dem′i-lōōn, n. (fort.) a half-moon: an old name for Ravelin. [L. demi, half, and Fr. lune—L. luna, the moon.]

Demi-monde, dem′i-mond, n. women in an equivocal position, kept women: the prostitute class generally.

Demirep, dem′i-rep, n. a woman of dubious reputation.—n. Dem′irepdom, shady women collectively. [Said to be a contraction of demi-reputation.]

Demise, dē-mīz′, n. a transferring: death, esp. of a sovereign or a distinguished person: a transfer of the crown or of an estate to a successor.—v.t. to send down to a successor: to bequeath by will.—adj. Demī′sable. [O. Fr. demise, pa.p. of desmettre, to lay down—L. dimittĕre, to send away—L. dis, aside, and mittĕre, missum, to send.]

Demi-semiquaver, dem′i-sem′i-kwā-vėr, n. (mus.) a note equal in time to the half of a semiquaver. [Fr. demi, half, and semiquaver.]

Demiss, de-mis′, adj. (Spens.) humble. [L. demissus, pa.p. of demittĕre. See Demise.]

Demission, de-mish′un, n. a lowering: degradation: depression: relinquishment: resignation.—adj. Demiss′ive (obs.), humble.—adv. Demiss′ly. [L. demission-em. See Demise.]

Demit, de-mit′, v.t. to dismiss: to relinquish: to resign. [See Demise.]

Demiurge, dem′i-urj, n. the maker of the world: among the Gnostics, the creator of the world and of man, subordinate to God the supreme—also Demiur′gus.—adj. Demiur′gic. [Gr. dēmiourgos—dēmos, the people, and ergon, a work.]

Demi-volt, dem′i-volt, n. a half-turn of a horse, the forelegs being raised in the air. [Fr. demi-volte—demi, half, and volte, a leap. See Vault.]

Demi-wolf, dem′i-woolf, n. (Shak.) a half-wolf, the offspring of a dog and a wolf.

Demobilise, de-mob′il-īz, v.t. to take out of mobilisation: to disband.—n. Demobilisā′tion. [Fr.]

Democracy, de-mok′ra-si, n. a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people collectively, and is administered by them or by officers appointed by them: the people, esp. the common people in the United States, the democratic party—also Democ′raty (Milt.).—n. Dem′ocrat, one who adheres to or promotes democracy as a principle: a member of the democratic party in the United States, who preserve carefully the local liberties of states and of individuals, opposing national centralisation, and supporting a wide franchise, low tariff duties for the interests of the revenue rather than protection, and a limited public expenditure.—adjs. Democrat′ic, -al, relating to democracy: insisting on equal rights and privileges for all.—adv. Democrat′ically.—adj. Democratifī′able, capable of being made democratic.—v.t. Democratise′, to render democratic.—n. Democ′ratist, a democrat. [O. Fr.,—Gr. dēmokratia—dēmos, the people, and kratein, to rule—kratos, strength.]

Demogorgon, dē-mo-gor′gon, n. a mysterious deity or diabolical magician first mentioned about 450 A.D., and regarded as an object of terror. [Gr. daimōn, deity, gorgos, terrible.]

Demography, dē-mog′ra-fi, n. vital and social statistics, as applied to the study of nations and races.—n. Demog′rapher.—adj. Demograph′ic. [Gr. dēmos, the people, graphein, to write.]

Demoiselle, dem-wa-zel′, n. (Shak.) a young lady: a crane-like bird of peculiarly graceful form. [Fr. See Damsel.]

Demolish, de-mol′ish, v.t. to destroy, lay in ruins, to ruin.—n. Demoli′tion, act of pulling down: ruin. [Fr. démolir—L. demolīri, to throw down—de, down, and molīri, to build—moles, a heap.]

Demology, de-mol′o-jī, n. same as Demography: the theory of the origin and development of nations. [Gr. dēmos, the people, logia, a discourse.]

Demon, dē′mon, n. an evil spirit, a devil: sometimes like Dæmon, a friendly spirit or good genius:—fem. Dē′moness.—adjs. Demō′niac, Demōnī′acal, pertaining to or like demons or evil spirits: influenced by demons.—ns. Demō′niac, a human being possessed by a demon or evil spirit.—adv. Demonī′acally.—n. Demonī′acism, state of being a demoniac.—adj. Demō′nian (Milt.).—ns. Demō′nianism, Demō′niasm, possession by a demon.—v.t. Dē′monise, to convert into a demon: to control or possess by a demon.—ns. Dē′monism, a belief in demons; Dē′monist, a believer in demons; Demonoc′racy, the power of demons; Demonol′atry, the worship of demons; Demonol′ater, one who worships such; Demonology, an account of, or the study of, demons and their agency.—adjs. Demonolog′ic, -al.—ns. Demonol′ogist, a writer on demonology; Demonomā′nia, a form of mania in which the subject believes himself possessed by devils; Demon′omy, the dominion of demons; Dē′monry, demoniacal influence. [L. dæmon—Gr. daimōn, a spirit, genius; in N. T. and Late Greek, a devil.]

Demonetise, dē-mon′e-tīz, n. to divest of value as money.—n. Demonetisā′tion.

Demonstrate, de-mon′strāt, v.t. to show or point out clearly: to prove with certainty.—adj. Demon′strable, that may be demonstrated.—ns. Demon′strableness, Demonstrabil′ity.—adv. Demon′strably.—ns. Demonstrā′tion, a pointing out: proof beyond doubt: expression of the feelings by outward signs: expression of sympathy with political or social opinions, with a man or body of men, by a mass-meeting, a procession, &c.: show: a movement of troops or ships to exhibit military intention, or in war to deceive the enemy.—adj. Demon′strative, making evident: proving with certainty: of the nature of proof: given to the manifestation of one's feelings.—adv. Demon′stratively.—ns. Demon′strativeness; Dem′onstrator, one who proves beyond doubt: one who teaches: (anat.) one who teaches anatomy from the dissected parts.—adj. Demon′stratory, demonstrative. [L. demonstrāre, -ātum—de, inten., and monstrāre, to show.]

Demoralise, de-mor′al-īz, v.t. to corrupt in morals: to lower the morale—that is, to deprive of spirit and confidence: to throw into confusion.—n. Demoralisā′tion, act of demoralising: corruption or subversion of morals.—p.adj. Demoralīs′ing.

Demos, dē′mos, n. the people, esp. the lower classes.—adj. Demot′ic, pertaining to the people: popular: in Egypt. ant., of a kind of writing distinguished from the hieratic, or priestly, and from hieroglyphics. [Gr.]

Demosthenic, de-mos-then′ik, adj. of or like Demosthenes, the Athenian orator: eloquent.

Dempster. Same as Deemster (q.v. under Deem).

Dempt, demt (Spens.). Pa.p. of Deem.

Demulcent, de-mul′sent, adj. soothing. [L. demulcent-em—de, and mulcēre, to stroke, to soothe.]

Demur, de-mur′, v.i. to hesitate from uncertainty or before difficulty: to object:—pr.p. demur′ring; pa.p. demurred′.—n. a stop: pause, hesitation.—adj. Demur′rable.—ns. Demur′rage, an allowance made for undue delay or detention of a vessel in port: compensation paid by the freighter to the owner of the same: allowance for undue detention of railway-wagons, &c.; Demur′rer, one who demurs: (law) a plea in law that, even if the opponent's facts are as he says, they yet do not support his case. [Fr. demeurer—L. demorāri, to loiter, linger—de, inten., and morāri, to delay—mora, delay.]

Demure, de-mūr′, adj. sober: staid: modest: affectedly modest: making a show of gravity.—adv. Demure′ly.—n. Demure′ness. [O. Fr. de (bons) murs, of good manners—L. de, of, mores, manners.]

Demy, de-mī′, n. a size of paper 22½ by 17½ in.; in the United States 21 by 16 in. [Fr. demi—L. dimidium, half—di, apart, medius, the middle.]

Demy, de-mī′, n. a holder of certain scholarships in Magdalen College, Oxford.—n. Demy′ship. [Ety. same as above.]

Den, den, n. the hollow lair of a wild beast: a kind of pit, a cave: a haunt of vice or misery: (coll.) a private retreat for work: (prov.) a narrow valley.—v.i. to retire to a den. [A.S. denn, a cave, and denu, a valley.]

Den, den, n. (obs.) for good-e'en, good-even.

Denary, den′ar-i, adj. containing ten.—n. the number ten.—n. Denā′rius, the chief Roman silver coin under the Republic, divided into ten asses, and worth 92⁄5d. [L. denarius—deni—decem, ten.]

Denationalise, de-nash′un-al-īz, v.t. to deprive of national rights.—n. Denationalisā′tion.

Denaturalise, de-nat′ū-ral-īz, v.t. to make unnatural; to deprive of naturalisation.

Denay, de-nā′, obs. form of Deny, Denial.

Dendrachate, den′dra-kāt, n. arborescent agate.—Moss′-ag′ate. [Gr. dendron, tree, achatēs, agate.]

Dendriform, den′dri-form, adj. having the appearance of a tree. [Formed from Gr. dendron, a tree, and L. forma, form.]

Dendrite, den′drīt, n. a mineral in which are figures resembling plants.—adjs. Dendrit′ic, -al, tree-like, arborescent: marked with branching figures like plants. [Gr. dendritēs, of a tree—dendron, a tree.]

Dendrodont, den′drō-dont, n. a fish of extinct fossil genus Dendrodus, having teeth of dendritic structure.—adj. having such teeth.—n. Dendroden′tine, the form of branched dentine seen in compound teeth, produced by the interblending of the dentine, enamel, and cement. [Gr. dendron, a tree, and odous, odontos, tooth.]

Dendroid, den′droid, adj. having the form of a tree. [Gr. dendron, a tree, and eidos, form.]

Dendrolite, den′dro-līt, n. a petrified or fossil plant. [Gr. dendron, a tree, and lithos, a stone.]

Dendrology, den-drol′o-ji, n. a treatise on trees: the natural history of trees.—adj. Dendrolog′ical.—n. Dendrol′ogist. [Gr. dendron, a tree, and logia, a discourse.]

Dendrometer, dėn-drom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining the height of a tree. [Gr. dendron, tree, metron, measure.]

Dene, dēn, n. a small valley.—n. Dene′-hole, an ancient artificial excavation in the chalk formations of Kent and Essex. [A form of dean. Cf. Den.]

Denegation, dē-ne-gā′shun, n. denial. [L. denegāre, -ātum, to deny—de, inten., and negāre, to deny.]

Dengue, deng′gā, n. an acute tropical epidemic fever, seldom fatal—also breakbone-fever, dandy-fever. [The Spanish dengue, refusing, prudery, from L. denegāre, to deny, seems to have been confused with dandy-fever.]

Denial, de-nī′al, n. act of denying or saying no: contradiction: refusal: rejection.—adj. Denī′able, that may be denied.—n. Denī′er, one who denies.

Denier, de-nēr′, n. (Shak.) an old small French silver coin: also later, a copper coin of the value of 1⁄12 sou—hence a very trifling sum. [Fr.,—L. denarius.]

Denigration, de-ni-grā′shun, n. a making or becoming black—esp. the blackening of a man's character.—v.t. Den′igrate (obs.). [L. de, inten., nigrāre, to blacken, niger, black.]

Denim, den′im, n. coloured twilled cotton goods for overalls, &c.

Denitrate, dē-nī′trāt, v.t. to free from nitric acid.—ns. Denitrā′tion; Denī′trificator.

Denizen, den′i-zn, n. an inhabitant (human or animal): one admitted to the rights of a citizen.—v.t. to make a denizen of: to provide with occupants.—v.i. to inhabit.—ns. Denizā′tion, act of making one a citizen; Den′izenship. [O. Fr. deinzein—deinz, dens (Fr. dans), within—L. de intus, from within.]

Dennet, den′et, n. a light gig.

Denominate, dē-nom′in-āt, v.t. to give a name to: to call.—adj. Denom′inable.—n. Denominā′tion, the act of naming: a name or title: a collection of individuals called by the same name: a sect.—adj. Denominā′tional, belonging to a denomination or sect.—n. Denominā′tionalism, a denominational or class spirit or policy: devotion to the interests of a sect.—adj. Denom′inative, giving or having a title.—adv. Denom′inatively.—n. Denom′inator, he who, or that which, gives a name: (arith.) the lower number in a vulgar fraction, which names the parts into which the integer is divided. [L. de, and nomināre, -ātum, to name—nomen, a name.]

Denote, dē-nōt′, v.t. to note or mark off: to indicate by a sign: to signify or mean: (log.) to indicate the objects comprehended in a class.—adj. Denō′table.—n. Denotā′tion, that which a word names or indicates, in contradistinction to that which it connotes or signifies.—adj. Denō′tative.—adv. Denō′tatively.—n. Denōte′ment (Shak.), a sign or indication. [Fr.,—L. denotāre, -ātum—de, inten., and notāre, to mark—nota, a mark or sign.]

Dénouement, dā-nōō′mong, n. the unravelling of a plot or story: the issue, event, or outcome. [Fr. dénouement or dénoûment; dénouer, to untie—de, neg., and nouer, to tie—L. nodus, a knot.]

Denounce, de-nowns′, v.t. to inform against or accuse publicly: (U.S.) to claim the right of working a mine, as being abandoned or insufficiently worked.—ns. Denounce′ment (same as Denunciation); Denounc′er. [Fr. dénoncer—L. denuntiāre—de, inten., and nuntiāre, to announce.]

Dense, dens, adj. thick, close, compact: impenetrably stupid.—n. a thicket.—adv. Dense′ly.—ns. Dense′ness; Dens′ity, the quality of being dense: the proportion of mass to bulk or volume: the quantity of matter per unit of bulk. [L. densus, thick.]

Densimeter, den-sim′et-ėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining the comparative density or specific gravity of a substance. [L. densus, dense, and metrum (Gr. metron), measure.]

Dent, dent, n. a small hollow made by the pressure or blow of a harder body on a softer.—v.t. to make a mark by means of a blow.—p.adj. Dent′ed, marked with dents: indented. [A variant of dint.]

Dent, dent, n. a notch.—v.t. to notch. [Confused with the preceding, but from Fr. dent, tooth—L. dens, dentis.]

Dentagra, den-tag′ra, n. a tooth-drawing forceps: toothache.

Dental, den′tal, adj. belonging to the teeth: produced by the aid of the teeth.—n. an articulation or letter pronounced chiefly with the teeth.—adj. Den′tary, belonging to dentition, bearing teeth.—n. the distal element of the jaw of vertebrates below mammals.—Dental engine, a mechanical appliance giving a rotary motion to a dentist's boring instruments. [L. dens, dentis, a tooth. See Tooth.]

Dentate, -d, den′tāt, -ed, adj. toothed: notched: set as with teeth. [L. dentatus, toothed, dens, a tooth.]

Dentel. See Dentil.

Dentex, den′teks, n. a voracious sparoid fish.

Denticle, den′ti-kl, n. a small tooth.—adjs. Dentic′ulāte, -d, having notches.—n. Denticulā′tion. [L. denticulus, dim. of dens, a tooth.]

Dentiform, den′ti-form, adj. having the form of a tooth or of teeth. [L. dens, dentis, tooth, and forma, form.]

Dentifrice, den′ti-fris, n. a substance used in rubbing or cleaning the teeth. [Fr.,—L. dentifricium, from dens, and fricāre, to rub.]

Dentigerous, den-tij′e-rus, adj. bearing teeth.

Dentil, den′til, n. a denticle: (pl.) small square blocks or projections in the bed-mouldings of the cornices of columns—also Den′tel.—adj. Den′tilated. [See Denticle.]

Dentilingual, den-ti-ling′-gwal, adj. formed between the teeth and the tongue, as th in thin, this.—n. a consonant so formed.—Also Dentoling′ual. [L. dent-, dens, a tooth, lingua, the tongue.]

Dentine, Dentin, den′tin, n. the substance of which the tooth is formed, under the enamel. [L. dens, dentis, a tooth.]

Dentirostral, den-ti-ros′tral, adj. having the mandibles of the beak toothed or notched, as certain birds. [L. dens, dentis, a tooth, and rostrum, a beak.]

Dentist, den′tist, n. one who remedies diseases of the teeth, or inserts artificial teeth.—v.i. Den′tise, to cut one's teeth.—ns. Den′tistry, the business of a dentist; Denti′tion, the cutting or growing of teeth: the conformation, number, and arrangement of the teeth.

Dentoid, den′toid, adj. formed or shaped like a tooth. [L. dens, dentis, a tooth, and Gr. eidos, form.]

Dentolingual. See Dentilingual.

Denude, de-nūd′, v.t. to make nude or naked: to lay bare.—n. Denudā′tion, a making nude or bare: (geol.) the wearing away of rocks by water and atmospheric action, whereby the underlying rocks are laid bare. [L. denudāre—de, inten., and nudāre, -ātum, to make naked—nudus, naked.]

Denunciate, de-nun′shi-āt, v.t. same as Denounce.—ns. Denunciation (-shi-ā′-, or -si-ā′-), any formal declaration: act of denouncing: a threat; Denun′ciator, one who denounces.—adj. Denun′ciatory, containing a denunciation: threatening.

Deny, de-nī′, v.t. to gainsay or declare not to be true: to reject: to refuse admission to: to disown:—pr.p. deny′ing; pa.p. denied′.—adv. Deny′ingly.—Deny one's self, to deny one's self the indulgence of bodily appetites and carnal inclinations: to exercise self-denial. [Fr. denier—L. denegāre—de, inten., and negāre, to say no. See Negation.]

Deobstruent, de-ob′strōō-ent, adj. (med.) removing obstructions.

Deodand, dē′o-dand, n. in old English law, a personal chattel which had been the immediate, accidental cause of the death of a human being, forfeited to the crown for pious uses. [L. deo, to God, dandum, that must be given—dăre, to give.]

Deodar, de-o-där′, n. a cedar much praised by Indian poets: the Cedrus Deodara of the Himalayas. [Sans. Deva-dāru, divine tree—a name given to various coniferous trees growing in sacred places.]

Deodate, dē′ō-dāt, n. a gift from God. [L. deo, to God, datum, given part, pa.p. of dăre, to give.]

Deodorise, dē-ō′dor-īz, v.t. to take the odour or smell from.—ns. Deodorisā′tion; Deō′doriser, a substance that destroys or conceals unpleasant smells.

Deontology, dē-on-tol′ō-ji, n. the science of duty, ethics.—adj. Deontolog′ical.—n. Deontol′ogist.

Deoppilate, dē-op′i-lāt, v.t. to free from obstruction.—n. Deoppilā′tion.—adj. Deop′pilative.

Deoxidate, de-oks′i-dāt, v.t. to take oxygen from, or reduce from the state of an oxide—also Deox′idise.—ns. Deoxidā′tion; Deoxidī′ser, a substance that deoxidises.

Deoxygenate, de-oks-ij′en-āt, v.t. to deprive of oxygen.—Also Deoxy′genise.

Deozonise, de-ō-zōn′īz, v.t. to deprive of ozone.

Depaint, de-pānt′, v.t. (Spens.) to paint: depict.

Depart, de-pärt′, v.i. to go away: to quit or leave: to die: (obs.) to separate from one another.—v.t. (obs.) to separate, divide.—ns. Depart′er; Depart′ing; Depart′ure, act of departing: a going away from a place: deviation: the distance in nautical miles made good by a ship due east or west: death.—A new departure, a change of purpose or method, a new course of procedure.—The departed, the deceased. [Fr. départir—L. de, from, and partīri, to part, to divide.]

Department, de-pärt′ment, n. a part: a separate part of business or duty: a section of the administration: a division of a country, esp. of France.—adj. Department′al.—adv. Department′ally.

Depasture, de-pas′tūr, v.t. to eat bare.—v.i. to graze.

Depauperise, de-paw′per-īz, v.t. to remove from the state of paupers.—v.t. Depau′perate, to impoverish.

Depeinct, de-pānt′, v.t. (Spens.) to paint.

Depend, de-pend′, v.i. to hang down: to be sustained by or connected with anything: to be pending: to rely: to rest.—adjs. Depend′able, that may be depended on; Depend′ent, depending, relying on, contingent, relative.—n. a subordinate: a hanger-on—also Depend′ant.—ns. Depend′ence, state of being dependent, reliance, trust: that on which one depends—also Depend′ance; Depend′ency, same as Dependence, in the additional sense of a foreign territory dependent on the mother-country, a kind of subordinate colony without self-government.—adj. Depend′ing, still undetermined.—adv. Depend′ingly. [Fr. dépendre—L. dependēre—de, from, and pendēre, to hang.]

Depersonalise, dē-per′son-al-īz, v.t. to take away the characteristics that constitute the personality of.

Dephlegmate, de-fleg′māt, v.t. (chem.) to free from water.—ns. Dephlegmā′tion; Dephlegmā′tor.

Dephlogisticate, de-flo-jis′ti-kāt, v.t. to deprive of phlogiston, once supposed to be the principle of heat.—Dephlogisticated air, the name given by Priestley to oxygen when discovered by him in 1774.

Depict, de-pikt′, v.t. to paint carefully: to make a likeness of: to describe minutely. [L. depingĕre, depictum—de, inten., pingĕre, to paint.]

Depicture, de-pikt′ūr, v.t. to picture: to paint: to represent:—pr.p. depict′ūring; pa.p. depict′ūred.

Depilate, dep′i-lāt, v.t. to remove the hair from.—ns. Depilā′tion; Depil′atory, an application for removing superfluous hairs.—adj. possessing this quality.

Deplantation, dē-plan-tā′shun, n. the act of clearing from plants or of transplanting.

Deplete, de-plēt′, v.t. to empty, reduce, exhaust.—n. Deplē′tion, the act of emptying or exhausting: (med.) the act of relieving congestion or plethora, by purging, blood-letting, or reduction of the system by abstinence.—adjs. Deplē′tive, Deplē′tory. [L. deplēre, deplētum, to empty, de, neg., plēre, to fill.]

Deplication, dep-li-kā′shun, n. an unfolding or unplaiting.

Deplore, de-plōr′, v.t. to feel or express deep grief for.—adj. Deplor′able, lamentable: sad.—n. Deplor′ableness.—adv. Deplor′ably.—n. Deplorā′tion (obs.), lamentation.—adv. Deplor′ingly. [Fr.,—L. deplorāre—de, inten., plorāre, to weep.]

Deploy, de-ploy′, v.t. to unfold: to open out or extend.—v.i. to open: to extend from column into line, as a body of troops.—ns. Deploy′, Deploy′ment. [Fr. déployer—L. dis, apart, and plicāre, to fold. Doublet of display.]

Deplume, de-plōōm′, v.t. to take the plumes or feathers from.—n. Deplumā′tion.

Depolarise, de-pō′lar-īz, v.t. to deprive of polarity.—n. Depolarisā′tion.

Depone, de-pōn′, v.t. to testify upon oath. [L. deponĕre—de, down, and ponĕre, to place.]

Deponent, de-pō′nent, adj. (gram.) applied to verbs with a passive form but an active signification.—n. one who makes a deposition, esp. under oath, or whose written testimony is used as evidence in a court of justice. [L., pr.p. of deponĕre.]

Depopulate, de-pop′ū-lāt, v.t. to deprive of population, to dispeople.—v.i. to become dispeopled.—adj. depopulated.—ns. Depopulā′tion, act of depopulating: havoc: destruction; Depop′ulator. [L. depopulāri, depopulātus—de, inten., and populāri, to spread over a country, said of a hostile people (L. populus)—hence to ravage, to destroy. Some make it a freq. of spoliāre, to plunder.]

Deport, de-pōrt′, v.t. to transport, to exile: to behave.—ns. Deportā′tion, transportation, exile; Deport′ment, carriage, behaviour. [Fr.,—L. deportāre—de, away, and portāre, -ātum, to carry.]

Depose, de-pōz′, v.t. to remove from a high station: to degrade: to strip: to attest: (Shak.) to examine on oath.—adj. Depos′able.—n. Depos′al. [Fr.,—L. de, from, pausāre, to pause, (late) to place.]

Deposit, de-poz′it, v.t. to put or set down: to place: to lay up or past: to entrust.—n. that which is deposited or put down: (geol.) rocks produced by precipitation from a fluid medium, by settling from a solution in water: something entrusted to another's care, esp. money put in a bank: a pledge: a bailment where one entrusts goods to another to be kept without recompense—in Scots law, Depositā′tion.—ns. Depos′itary, a person with whom anything is left for safe keeping: a guardian—sometimes Depos′itory.—adj. Depos′itive.—ns. Depos′itor; Depos′itory, a place where anything is deposited—sometimes Depos′itary. [Fr.,—L. depositum, placed—deponĕre, from de, and ponĕre, to put down.]

Deposition, dep-o-zish′un, n. act of deposing: act of deponing: declaration, testimony taken authoritatively, to be used as a substitute for the production of the witness in open court: removal: act of depositing: what is deposited, sediment.

Depot, dep′ō, de′pō, or dē′pō, n. a place of deposit: a storehouse: a military station where stores are kept and recruits trained: the headquarters of a regiment: the portion of a regiment that remains at home when the rest go on foreign service: (U.S.) a railway station. [Fr. depôt—L. deponĕre, -positum.]

Deprave, de-prāv′, v.t. to make bad or worse: to corrupt.—n. Depravā′tion, act of depraving: state of being depraved: depravity.—adj. Deprāved′, corrupt.—adv. Deprāv′edly.—ns. Deprāv′edness; Deprave′ment, vitiation.—adv. Deprāv′ingly.—n. Deprav′ity, a vitiated or corrupt state of moral character: extreme wickedness: corruption: (theol.) the hereditary tendency of man toward sin: original sin. [Fr.,—L. depravāre—de, inten., pravus, bad.]

Deprecate, dep′re-kāt, v.t. to try to ward off by prayer: to desire earnestly the prevention or removal of: to regret deeply: to argue against.—adj. Dep′recable, that is to be deprecated.—n. Deprecā′tion, act of deprecating, earnest prayer, esp. a special petition against some evil, in litanies.—adv. Dep′recatingly.—adjs. Dep′recative, Dep′recatory, tending to avert evil by prayer: having the form of prayer.—n. Dep′recator. [L. deprecāri, deprecātus—de, away, and precāri, to pray.]

Depreciate, de-prē′shi-āt, v.t. to lower the worth of: to undervalue: to disparage.—v.i. to fall in value.—n. Depreciā′tion, the falling of value: disparagement.—adjs. Deprē′ciative, Deprē′ciatory, tending to depreciate or lower.—n. Deprē′ciator. [L. depretiāre, -ātum—de, down, and pretium, price.]

Depredate, dep′re-dāt, v.t. to plunder or prey upon: to rob: to lay waste: to devour.—ns. Depredā′tion, act of plundering: state of being depredated; Dep′redator.—adj. Dep′redatory. [L. deprædāri, -ātus—de, inten., and prædāri—præda, plunder.]

Deprehend, dep′re-hend, v.t. to catch, seize: to apprehend. [Through Fr. from L. deprehendĕre—de, and prehendĕre, to take.]

Depress, de-pres′, v.t. to press down: to let down: to lower: to humble: to make subject: to dispirit or cast a gloom over.—n. Depres′sant (med.), a sedative.—p.adj. Depressed′, pressed down: lowered: humbled: dejected: dispirited.—adj. Depres′sing, able or tending to depress.—adv. Depres′singly.—ns. Depres′sion, a falling in or sinking: a lowering: a fall of the barometer: a hollow: abasement: dejection; Depres′sor, an oppressor: a muscle that draws down: a surgical instrument for squeezing down a soft part. [L. deprimĕre, -pressum—de, down, and primĕre, to press.]

Deprive, de-prīv′, v.t. to take away from one his own: in take from: to dispossess: to degrade (a clergyman) from office: to bereave.—n. Deprivā′tion, act of depriving: state of being deprived: degradation from office: loss: bereavement: suffering from hardship.—adj. Depriv′ative.—n. Deprive′ment. [Low L. deprivāre, to degrade—L. de, from, and privāre, to deprive—privus, one's own.]

De profundis, dē prō-fun′dis, 'Out of the depths,' the first words of the 130th Psalm—also used as a name for this penitential psalm. [L.]

Depth, depth, n. deepness: the measure of deepness down or inwards: a deep place: the sea: the middle, as depth of winter: abstruseness: extent of sagacity and penetration.—adj. Depth′less, having no depth.—Out of one's depth, in water where one cannot touch bottom: in water too deep for one's safety: beyond one's faculties.—The depths, the lowest pitch of humiliation and misery. [Not in A.S.; Skeat makes it Ice. dýpð, from djúpr, deep.]

Depurate, dep′ū-rāt, v.t. to purify: sometimes to render impure.—ns. Depurā′tion; Dep′urator.—adj. Dep′uratory. [Low L. depurāre, -ātum, to purify—L. de, and purāre, to purify—purus, pure.]

Depute, de-pūt′, v.t. to appoint or send, as a substitute or agent: to send with a special commission: to make over one's powers to another.—adj. in Scotland, appointed deputy (as in sheriff-depute—often called simply the depute).—n. Deputā′tion, act of deputing: the person or persons deputed or appointed to transact business for another: persons sent to state a case before a government official.—v.t. Dep′utise, to appoint as deputy.—v.i. to act as such.—n. Dep′uty, one deputed or appointed to act for another: a delegate or representative, or substitute. [Fr.,—L. deputāre, to cut off, (late) to select.]

Deracinate, de-ras′i-nāt, v.t. to pluck up by the roots. [Fr. déraciner—L. de, and radix, radĭcis, a root.]

Derail, de-rāl′, v.t. to cause to leave the rails.—n. Derail′ment.

Derain, de-rān′, v.t. to prove: to justify: to win by fighting: to prepare for battle: to arrange in order of battle.—Also Deraign′, Darrain′, Darrayne′. [O. Fr. derainier, desraisnier—Late L. derationāre, to vindicate—L. de or dis, and rationāre, to discourse; ratio, reason.]

Derange, de-rānj′, v.t. to put out of place or order: to disorder.—p.adj. Deranged′, disordered: insane.—n. Derange′ment, disorder; insanity. [Fr. déranger—dé (L. dis), asunder, and ranger, to rank.]

Deray, de-rā′, v.t. to derange.—v.i. to go wild.—n. tumult, disorder. [O. Fr. desreer—des, neg., and rei, roi, order. See Array.]

Derbend, der′bend, n. a wayside Turkish guardhouse.

Derby, där′bi, n. a great horse-race held annually on the Derby Day, on the Wednesday before Whitsuntide, on Epsom Downs, near London, so called from the Derby stakes, instituted by the Earl of Derby in 1780; a rounded felt hat with narrow brim.—ns. Der′byshire-neck, a form of the disease goitre, occurring in Derbyshire; Der′byshire-spar, a fluorspar found in Derbyshire.

Der-doing, der-dōō′ing, adj. (Spens.) doing daring deeds. [See Derring-doe.]

Derelict, der′e-likt, adj. forsaken: abandoned.—n. anything forsaken or abandoned.—n. Derelic′tion, act of forsaking, unfaithfulness or remissness: state of being abandoned: land gained from the water by a change of water-line. [L. derelinquĕre, -lictum,—de, inten., and linquĕre, to leave.]

Dereligionise, dē-rē-lij′on-īz, v.t. to make irreligious.

Deride, de-rīd′, v.t. to laugh at: to mock.—n. Derid′er.—adj. Derid′ingly. [L. deridēre—de, inten., and ridēre, to laugh.]

Derision, de-rizh′un, n. act of deriding: mockery: a laughing-stock.—adjs. Derī′sive, Derīs′ory, mocking.—adv. Derī′sively.—n. Derī′siveness.

Derive, de-rīv′, v.t. to draw from, as water from a river; to take or receive from a source or origin: to infer: (ety.) to trace a word to its root.—adj. Derīv′able.—adv. Derīv′ably.—adj. Der′ivate, derived.—n. a derivative.—n. Derivā′tion, act of deriving: a drawing off or from: the tracing of a word to its original root: that which is derived: descent or evolution of man or animals.—adj. Derivā′tional.—n. Derivā′tionist.—adj. Deriv′ative, derived or taken from something else: not radical or original.—n. that which is derived: a word formed from another word.—adv. Deriv′atively. [O. Fr. deriver—L. derivāre—de, down from, rivus, a river.]

Derm, dėrm, n. the skin—also Der′ma, Der′mis.—adjs. Der′mal, Der′mic, Dermat′ic, pertaining to the skin: consisting of skin.—n. Dermatog′raphy, anatomical description of the skin—also Dermog′raphy.—adjs. Der′matoid, of the form of skin: skin-like; Dermatolog′ical.—ns. Dermatol′ogist; Dermatol′ogy, the branch of physiology which treats of the skin; Der′matophyte, a parasitic fungus on the skin; Der′matoskel′eton, the bony integument of many reptiles, insects, and crustaceans—also Dermoskel′eton.—adj. Dermogas′tric, connecting the skin and the stomach. [Gr. derma, dermatos, the skin—derein, to flay.]

Dern, dėrn, adj. secret: hidden: (Shak.) dreadful—also Dearn.—adjs. Dern′ful, Dearn′ful, solitary: mournful.—advs. Dern′ly, Dearn′ly, secretly: sorrowfully: grievously. [M. E. dern, dærne—A.S. dyrne, derne, secret.]

Derogate, der′o-gāt, v.i. to lessen by taking away: to detract.—adj. (Shak.) degenerate.—adv. Der′ogātely (Shak.), in a derogatory manner.—n. Derogā′tion, a taking from: detraction: depreciation.—adv. Derog′atorily.—n. Derog′atoriness.—adj. Derog′atory, detracting: injurious. [L. derogāre, -ātum, to repeal part of a law—de, down from, and rogāre, to propose a law.]

Derrick, der′ik, n. an apparatus for lifting weights, closely resembling a crane.—Floating derrick, a derrick mounted on a special boat: a beam supported at an angle between the perpendicular and horizontal, with tackle for raising heavy weights. [From Derrick, the name of a hangman in the early part of the 17th century.]

Derring-doe, der′ring-dōō, n. daring action. [M. E. dorryng-don, duryng-do, &c., as in Chaucer; taken over by Spenser in the spellings derring-doe and der-doing, with the noun derring-doer. Daring-do should be the modern English form.]

Derringer, der′in-jer, n. a short-rifled pistol, with one barrel—from the inventor, an American.

Derth, dėrth, n. (Spens.). Same as Dearth.

Dervish, dėr′vish, n. among Mohammedans, a member of one of the numerous orders of monks who profess poverty and lead an austere life. [Pers. darvísh, a dervish—lit., a poor man.]

Desart, des′art, n. an old form of Desert.

Descant, des′kant, n. the air in a four-part song: a discourse or disquisition under several heads.—v.i. Descant′, to discourse at length: to comment. [O. Fr. descant—L. dis, apart, and cantus, a song—cantāre, to sing.]

Descend, dē-send′, v.i. to climb down: to pass from a higher to a lower place or condition: to pass from general to particulars: to fall upon or invade: to be derived.—v.t. to go down upon: to go to the bottom of.—n. Descend′ant, one who descends, as offspring from an ancestor.—adjs. Descend′ent, descending or going down: proceeding from an ancestor; Descend′ible, that may descend or be descended: capable of transmission by inheritance, heritable.—p.adj. Descend′ing.—n. Descen′sion.—adj. Descen′sional.—n. Descent′, act of descending: transmission by succession: motion or progress downward: slope: a falling upon or invasion: derivation from an ancestor: a generation, a degree in genealogy: descendants collectively.—Descent from the cross, a picture representing Christ being taken down from the cross. [Fr. descendre—L. descendĕre—de, down, scandĕre, to climb.]

Describe, dē-skrīb′, v.t. to trace out or delineate: to give an account of.—adj. Describ′able.—n. Describ′er. [L. describĕre—de, down, and scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

Description, de-skrip′shun, n. act of describing: an account of anything in words: definition: sort, class, or kind.—adj. Descrip′tive, containing description.—adv. Descrip′tively.—n. Descrip′tiveness.

Descrive, de-skrīv′, v.t. an obsolete form of describe.

Descry, de-skrī′, v.t. to discover by the eye: to espy:—pr.p. descry′ing; pa.p. descried′.—n. discovery: (Shak.) a thing discovered. [O. Fr. descrire for descrivre—L. describĕre: a doublet of describe. Others derive the word from O. Fr. descrier, decryer, proclaim, announce—des-, de-, and crier, to cry, in which case it would be a doublet of decry.]

Desecrate, des′e-krāt, v.t. to divert from a sacred purpose: to profane.—ns. Desecrat′er, -or, Desecrā′tion, act of desecrating: profanation. [L. desecrāre, -ātum—de, away from, and sacrāre, to make sacred—sacer, sacred.]

Desert, de-zėrt′, n. the reward or punishment deserved: claim to reward: merit—adj. Desert′less, without merit. [See Deserve.]

Desert, de-zėrt′, v.t. to leave: to forsake.—v.i. to run away: to quit a service, as the army, without permission.—ns. Desert′er, one who deserts or quits a service without permission; Deser′tion, act of deserting: state of being deserted: wilful abandonment of a legal or moral duty or obligation. [L. deserĕre, desertum—de, neg., and serĕre, to bind.]

Desert, dez′ėrt, adj. deserted: desolate: uninhabited: uncultivated: a desolate or barren place: a wilderness: a solitude. [O. Fr. desert—L. desertum, deserĕre, to desert, unbind.]

Deserve, de-zėrv′, v.t. to earn by service: to merit.—v.i. to be worthy of reward.—adj. Deserv′ing, worthy.—n. desert.—advs. Deserv′ingly, Deserv′edly, according to desert: justly. [Fr.,—L. deservīre—de, inten., servīre, to serve.]

Deshabille, des-a-bil′, n. an undress: a careless toilet. [Fr. déshabillé, undressed—des = L. dis = un, not, and habiller, to dress.]

Desiccate, de-sik′āt, or des′i-kāt, v.t. to dry up.—v.i. to grow dry.—adjs. Desic′cant, Desic′cative, drying: having the power of drying.—n. an application that tends to dry up sores.—n. Desiccā′tion, the act of desiccating: state of being desiccated. [L. desiccāre, -ātum, to dry up—de, and siccus, dry.]

Desiderate, de-sid′ėr-āt, v.t. to long for or earnestly desire a thing: to want or miss.—n. Desiderā′tion, the act of desiderating: the thing desiderated.—adj. Desid′erative, implying desire, as in desiderative verb.—n. Desiderā′tum, something desired or much wanted:—pl. Desiderā′ta. [L. desiderāre, -ātum, to long for. A doublet of desire.]

Desightment, dē-sīt′ment, n. disfigurement.

Design, de-zīn′, or de-sīn′, v.t. to draw: to form a plan of: to contrive: to intend.—n. a drawing or sketch: a plan in outline: a plan or scheme formed in the mind: plot: intention.—adj. Design′able.—v.t. Des′ignāte, to mark out so as to make known: to show: to name.—ns. Designā′tion, a showing or pointing out: name: title; Des′ignātor.—adv. Design′edly, by design: intentionally.—n. Design′er, one who furnishes designs or patterns: a plotter.—adjs. Design′ful, full of design; Design′ing, artful: scheming: deceitful.—n. the art of making designs or patterns.—adj. Design′less.—n. Design′ment, the design or sketch of a work: (Shak.) intention, purpose, enterprise.—The argument from design, the argument for the existence of God derived from the evidences of design in creation. [Fr.,—L. designāre, -ātum—de, and signum, a mark.]

Desilver, de-sil′vėr, v.t. to deprive of silver: to extract the silver from—also Desil′verise.—n. Desilverisā′tion.

Desine, de-sīn′, v.t. (Spens.) to denote.

Desipience, de-sip′i-ens, n. (rare) silliness, nonsense.—adj. Desip′ient, foolish. [L. desipiens, desipĕre, to be foolish, de-, neg., sapĕre, to be wise.]

Desire, de-zīr′, v.t. to long for the possession of: to wish for: to request, ask: (B.) to regret.—v.i. to be in a state of desire.—n. an earnest longing for: eagerness to obtain: a prayer or request: the object desired: lust.—adj. Desir′able, worthy of desire: pleasing: agreeable.—ns. Desir′ableness, Desirabil′ity.—adv. Desir′ably.—adj. Desire′less.—n. Desir′er.—adj. Desir′ous, full of desire: anxious to obtain: eager.—adv. Desir′ously.—n. Desir′ousness. [Fr. désirer—L. desiderāre. See Desiderate.]

Desist, de-sist′, v.i. to stop: to forbear.—ns. Desist′ance, -ence, a desisting. [Fr.,—L. desistĕre—de, away, and sistĕre, to cause to stand.]

Desk, desk, n. a sloping table for the use of writers or readers, often fitted with drawers, &c.: a shut-up writing-box: a pulpit or lectern.—n. Desk′-work, work done at a desk, professional labours of a clerk or author. [M. E. deske—L. discus. It is a variant of dish and disc.]

Desman, des′man, n. a kind of musk-rat, found in Russia and the Pyrenees. [Sw. desman, musk; Ice. des, musk.]

Desmid, des′mid, n. one of a group of microscopic algæ. [Formed as a dim. of Gr. desmos, a chain.]

Desmine, des′min, n. a zeolitic mineral occurring in clusters. [Gr. desmos, a band.]

Desmodium, des-mō′di-um, n. a genus of leguminous plants to which the D. gyrans, or telegraph plant, belongs. [Gr. desmos, chain, eidos, form.]

Desmoid, des′moid, adj. arranged in bundles. [Gr. desmos, a chain, a bundle, and eidos, form.]

Desmology, des-mol′o-ji, n. the anatomy of the ligaments.—ns. Desmog′raphy, the description of these; Desmot′omy, their dissection. [Gr. desmos, a ligament, and logia, a discourse.]

Desolate, des′o-lāt, v.t. to make solitary: to deprive of inhabitants: to lay waste.—adj. solitary: destitute of inhabitants: laid waste.—adv. Des′olately.—ns. Des′olateness; Desolat′er, -or; Desolā′tion, waste: destruction: a place desolated.—adj. Des′olatory. [L. desolāre, -ātum—de, inten., and solāre, to make alone—solus, alone.]

Despair, de-spār′, v.i. to be without hope: to despond.—n. want of hope: utter hopelessness: that which causes despair.—adj. Despair′ful (Spens.).—p.adj. Despair′ing, apt to despair: full of despair.—adv. Despair′ingly. [O. Fr. desperer—L. desperāre, -ātum—de, neg., and sperāre, to hope.]

Despatch, de-spach′, Dispatch, dis-pach′, v.t. to send away hastily: to send out of the world: to put to death: to dispose of: to perform speedily.—v.i. (Shak.) to make haste.—n. a sending away in haste: dismissal: rapid performance: haste: the sending off of the mails: that which is despatched, as a message, esp. telegraphic.—ns. Despatch′-boat, a government vessel for carrying despatches; Despatch′-box, a box for containing official despatches; Despatch′er.—adv. Despatch′ful (Milt.), swift.—Happy despatch, a playful name given to the Japanese hara-kiri or judicial suicide; Pneumatic despatch (see Pneumatic). [O. Fr. despeecher (mod. Fr. dépêcher); acc. to Littré, from an assumed Low L. despedicāre, to remove obstacles (pedica, a fetter), the opp. of impedicāre. See Impeach.]

Desperado, des-pėr-ā′dō, n. a desperate fellow: one reckless of danger: a madman:—pl. Desperā′dos. [Sp. desesperado—L. desperātus.]

Desperate, des′pėr-āt, adj. in a state of despair: hopeless: beyond hope: fearless of danger: rash: furious.—adv. Des′perately.—ns. Des′perateness, Desperā′tion, state of despair: disregard of danger: fury. [See Despair.]

Despicable, des′pi-ka-bl, adj. deserving to be despised: contemptible: worthless.—ns. Des′picableness, Despicabil′ity.—adv. Des′picably. [L. despicĕre, to despise.]

Despight, de-spīt′, an old form of despite.

Despise, de-spīz′, v.t. to look down upon with contempt: to scorn.—adj. Despis′able.—ns. Despī′sal, contempt; Despis′edness (Milt.); Despis′er. [O. Fr. despiz, despire—L. despicĕre—de, down, specĕre, to look.]

Despite, de-spīt′, n. a looking down upon with contempt: violent malice or hatred.—prep. in spite of: notwithstanding.—adj. Despite′ful.—adv. Despite′fully.—n. Despite′fulness.—adj. Despit′eous (Spens.). [O. Fr. despit (mod. dépit)—L. despectus—despicĕre.]

Despoil, de-spoil′, v.t. to spoil completely: to strip: to bereave: to rob.—ns. Despoil′er; Despoliā′tion, Despoil′ment. [O. Fr. despoiller (mod. dépouiller)—L. despoliāre—de, inten., and spolium, spoil.]

Despond, de-spond′, v.i. to lose hope or courage: to despair.—ns. Despond′ence, Despond′ency, state of being without hope: dejection.—adj. Despond′ent, desponding: without courage or hope: sad.—advs. Despond′ently; Despond′ingly. [L. despondēre, to promise, to give up or devote to, to give up or resign, to lose courage, to despond—de, away, and spondēre, to promise.]

Despot, des′pot, n. one invested with absolute power: a tyrant.—n. Des′potat, a territory governed by a despot.—adjs. Despot′ic, -al, pertaining to or like a despot: having absolute power: tyrannical.—adv. Despot′ically.—ns. Despot′icalness, Des′potism, absolute power: tyranny; Despotoc′racy, government by a despot. [O. Fr. despot—Low L. despotus—Gr. despotēs, a master.]

Despumate, de-spū′māt, or des′pū-māt, v.i. to throw off in foam or scum.—n. Despumā′tion. [L. despumāre, -ātum—de, off, and spuma, foam.]

Desquamate, des′kwa-māt, v.i. to scale off.—n. Desquamā′tion, a scaling off: the separation of the cuticle or skin in scales.—adjs. Desquam′ative, Desquam′atory. [L. desquamāre, -ātum—de, off, and squama, a scale.]

Desse, des, n. (Spens.) a dais.

Dessert, dez-ėrt′, n. fruits, confections, &c., served at the close of an entertainment after the rest has been taken away.—ns. Dessert′-serv′ice, the dishes used for dessert; Dessert′-spoon, a spoon smaller than a table-spoon and larger than a tea-spoon, used not so much for dessert as for pudding. [O. Fr. dessert, desservir, to clear the table—des, away, and servir, to serve—L. servīre.]

Dessiatine, Dessyatine, des′ya-tin, n. a Russian measure of land, 2.7 English acres. [Russ. desyatina, a measure of land, a tenth; desyati, ten.]

Destemper. See Distemper (1).

Destine, des′tin, v.t. to ordain or appoint to a certain use or state: to fix: to doom—also Des′tinate (obs.).—ns. Destinā′tion, the purpose or end to which anything is destined or appointed: end: purpose: design: fate: place to which one is going; Des′tiny, the purpose or end to which any person or thing is destined or appointed: unavoidable fate: necessity. [Fr.,—L. destināre—de, inten., and root sta-, in stāre, to stand.]

Destitute, des′ti-tūt, adj. left alone: forsaken: in want, needy—v.t. to forsake: to deprive.—n. Destitu′tion, the state of being destitute: deprivation of office: poverty. [L. destituĕre, -ūtum—de, away, and statuĕre, to place.]

Destroy, de-stroy′, v.i. to unbuild or pull down: to overturn: to ruin: to put an end to:—pr.p. destroy′ing:—pa.p. destroyed′.—n. Destroy′er. [O. Fr. destruire (Fr. détruire)—L. destruĕre, destructum—de, down, and struĕre, to build.]

Destruction, de-struk′shun, n. act of destroying: overthrow: physical or moral ruin: death: a destructive plague.—adj. Destruc′tible, liable to be destroyed.—ns. Destructibil′ity, Destruc′tibleness.—n. Destruc′tionist, one engaged in destruction: one who believes in the final annihilation of the damned.—adj. Destruc′tive, causing destruction: mischievous: ruinous: deadly.—adv. Destruc′tively.—ns. Destruc′tiveness; Destruc′tivist, a representative of destructive principles, as in Biblical criticism; Destruc′tor, a destroyer: a furnace for burning up refuse.

Desudation, des-ū-dā′shun, n. a violent sweating: an eruption of small pimples on children. [L. desudāre, -ātum, de, inten., and sudāre, to sweat.]

Desuetude, des′we-tūd, n. disuse: discontinuance of custom, habit, or practice. [L. desuetudo—desuētum, desuescĕre—de, neg., and suescĕre, to become used.]

Desulphur, de-sul′fur, v.t. to free of sulphur: to take sulphur out of the ore—also Desul′phurāte, Desul′phurise.—n. Desulphurā′tion.

Desultory, des′ul-tor-i, adj. jumping from one thing to another: without rational or logical connection: rambling: hasty: loose.—adv. Des′ultorily.—n. Des′ultoriness. [L. desultorius, of or pertaining to a vaulter, inconstant, desultor, a vaulter, desilīre, -sultum, to leap—de, from, and salīre, to jump.]

Detach, de-tach′, v.t. to unfasten: to take from or separate: to withdraw: to send off on special service.—v.i. to separate one's self.—adj. Detach′able.—p.adj. Detached′, unconnected: separate: free from care, passion, ambition, and worldly bonds.—adv. Detach′edly.—ns. Detach′edness; Detach′ment, state of being separated: that which is detached, as a body of troops. [Fr. détacher—de, neg., and root of attach.]

Detail, de-tāl′, v.t. to relate minutely: to enumerate: to set apart for a particular service.—v.i. to give details about anything.—n. (de-tāl′, or dē′tāl) a small part: an item: a particular account.—adj. Detailed′, giving full particulars: exhaustive.—In detail, circumstantially, point by point. [O. Fr. detailler—de, inten., and tailler, to cut. See Tailor.]

Detain, de-tān′, v.t. to hold from or back: to stop: to keep: to keep in custody.—ns. Detain′er, one who detains: (law) the holding of what belongs to another: a warrant to a sheriff to keep in custody a person already in confinement: Detain′ment (same as Detention). [O. Fr. detenir—L. detinēre—de, from, and tenēre, to hold.]

Detect, de-tekt′, v.t. (lit.) to uncover—hence to discover: to find out.—adjs. Detect′able, Detect′ible.—ns. Detect′er, -or, one who detects: an apparatus for detecting something, as a detector-lock, which shows if it has been tampered with; Detec′tion, discovery of something hidden: state of being found out.—adj. Detect′ive, employed in detecting.—n. a policeman employed in the investigation of special cases of crime, or in watching special classes of wrong-doers, usually not in uniform.—Private detective, one employed by a private person to gain information, or to watch his interests. [L. detectum, detegĕre—de, neg., and tegĕre, tectum, to cover.]

Detention, de-ten′shun, n. act of detaining: state of being detained: confinement: delay.—n. Detent′, something to check motion: a catch, esp. in a clock or watch. [See Detain.]

Deter, de-tėr′, v.t. to frighten from: to hinder or prevent:—pr.p. deter′ring; pa.p. deterred′.—n. Deter′ment. [L. deterrēre—de, from, terrēre, to frighten.]

Deterge, de-tėrj′, v.t. to wipe off; to cleanse (as a wound).—ns. Deterg′ence, Deterg′ency.—adj. Deterg′ent, cleansing: purging.—n. that which cleanses. [L. detergēre, detersum—de, off, and tergere, to wipe.]

Deteriorate, de-tē′ri-o-rāt, v.t. to make worse.—v.i. to grow worse.—p.adj. Detē′riorated, spoilt: of inferior quality.—n. Deteriorā′tion, the act of making worse: the state of growing worse.—adj. Detē′riorative.—n. Deterior′ity (obs.), worse state. [L. deteriorāre, -ātum, to make worse—deterior, worse—obs. deter, lower—de, down; cf. inter-ior.]

Determine, dē-tėr′min, v.t. to put terms or bounds to: to limit: to fix or settle the form or character of: to influence; to put an end to: to define.—v.i. to come to a decision: to resolve.—adj. Deter′minable, capable of being determined, decided, or finished.—ns. Deter′minableness, Determinabil′ity.—adj. Deter′minant, serving to determine.—n. that which serves to determine: in mathematical analysis, a symbolical method used for different processes, as for the solution of equations by inspection.—adj. Deter′mināte, determined or limited: fixed: decisive.—v.t. (Shak.) to determine.—adv. Deter′minātely.—n. Determinā′tion, that which is determined or resolved on: end: direction to a certain end: resolution: fixedness of purpose: decision of character.—adjs. Deter′minātive, that determines, limits, or defines; Deter′mined, firm in purpose: fixed: resolute.—adv. Deter′minedly.—n. Deter′minism, the doctrine that all things, including the will, are determined by causes—the converse of free-will: necessitarianism.—n. Deter′minist.—adj. Determinis′tic. [Fr.,—L. determināre, -ātum—de, neg., and terminus, a boundary.]

Deterrent, de-tėr′ent, adj. serving to deter.—n. anything that deters or prevents. [See Deter.]

Detersion, de-tėr′shun, n. act of cleansing. [See Deterge.]

Detersive, de-tėr′siv, n. Same as Detergent.

Detest, de-test′, v.t. to hate intensely.—adj. Detest′able, worthy of being detested: extremely hateful: abominable.—n. Detest′ableness.—adv. Detest′ably.—n. Detestā′tion, extreme hatred. [Fr.,—L. detestāri—de, inten., and testāri, to call to witness, execrate—testis, a witness.]

Dethrone, de-thrōn′, v.t. to remove from a throne.—ns. Dethrone′ment; Dethronisā′tion.

Detonate, det′o-nāt, v.i. to explode.—v.t. to cause to explode.—ns. Detonā′tion, an explosion with report; Det′onator, a detonating substance: an apparatus for the explosion of a detonating substance, as a percussion-cap.—Detonating powder, powder, such as the fulminates, which explodes easily by impact or heating, and which may be used to cause other substances to explode. [L. detonāre, -ātum—de, down, and tonāre, to thunder.]

Detort, de-tort′, v.t. to distort.—ns. Detor′sion, Detor′tion. [L. detorquēre, detortum; de, away, and torquere, twist.]

Detour, de-tōōr′, n. a winding: a circuitous way. [Fr. dé, for L. dis, asunder, and tour, a turning.]

Detract, de-trakt′, v.t. to take away, abate: to defame.—v.i. to take away reputation (with from): to reduce in degree: diminish.—ns. Detract′er, -or:—fem. Detract′ress.—adv. Detract′ingly.—n. Detrac′tion, depreciation: slander.—adjs. Detract′ive, Detrac′tious, Detract′ory, tending to detract: derogatory. [L. de, from, and trahĕre, to draw.]

Detrain, de-trān′, v.t. to set down out of a railway train, as troops.—v.i. to come out of a train.

Detriment, det′ri-ment, n. diminution: damage: loss.—adj. Detriment′al. [L. detrimentum—de, off, and terĕre, tritum, to rub.]

Detritus, de-trī′tus, n. a mass of substance gradually rubbed or worn off solid bodies: an aggregate of broken or loosened fragments, esp. of rock.—n. Detri′tion, a wearing away. [L.,—de, off, and terĕre, tritum, to rub.]

Detrude, de-trōōd′, v.t. to thrust down.—n. Detru′sion. [L. de, down, and trudĕre, to thrust]

Detruncate, de-trung′kāt, v.t. to cut off from the trunk: to lop off: to shorten.—n. Detruncā′tion. [L. detruncāre, -ātum—de, off, truncāre, lop.]

Detumescence, dē-tū-mes′ens, n. diminution of swelling—opp. to Intumescence.

Deuce, dūs, n. a card or die with two spots: (lawn tennis) a term denoting that each side has gained three points ('forty all').—n. Deuce′-ace, a throw of two dice, one of which turns up deuce and the other ace. [Fr. deux, two—L. duos, accus. of duo, two.]

Deuce, dūs, n. the devil—in exclamatory phrases.—adj. Deuced (dū′sed, or dūst), devilish: excessive.—adv. confoundedly.

Deuterocanonical, dū′tėr-o-ka-non′ik-al, adj. pertaining to a second canon of inferior authority—the O. T. Apocrypha and the N. T. Antilegomena. [Gr. deuteros, second, kanōn, rule.]

Deuterogamy, dū-tėr-og′a-mi, n. second marriage, esp. of the clergy, after the death of the first wife.—n. Deuterog′amist, one who allows such. [Gr. deuteros, second, gamos, marriage.]

Deuteronomy, dū-tėr-on′o-mi, or dū′tėr-on-o-mi, n. the fifth book of the Pentateuch, containing a repetition of the decalogue and laws given in Exodus.—adjs. Deuteronom′ic, -al.—ns. Deuteron′omist, Deu′tero-Isā′iah, the assumed author of the later prophecies of Isaiah. [Gr. deuteros, second, nomos, law.]

Deuteroscopy, dū-tėr-os′ko-pi, n. second-sight. [Gr. deuteros, second, skopia—skopein, to look.]

Deutoplasm, dū′tō-plasm, n. secondary, nutritive plasm, or food-yolk.—adjs. Deutoplas′mic, Deutoplas′tic.

Deutoxide, dūt-oks′īd, n. an old name for a compound of two parts of oxygen with one of a base. [Gr. deuteros, second, and oxide.]

Deutzia, dewt′si-a, or doit′si-a, n. a genus of saxifragaceous plants with panicles of white flowers, introduced from China and Japan. [Named after Deutz, a Dutch naturalist.]

Devall, de-val′, v.i. (Scot.) to cease.—n. a stop.

Devanagari, dā-va-nä′ga-ri, n. the character in which Sanskrit is usually written and printed. [Sans. 'town-script of the gods,' a term app. coined by an Indian scholar.]

Devaporation, dē-vap-ō-rā′shun, n. the change of vapour into water.

Devastate, dev′as-tāt, v.t. to lay waste: to plunder.—ns. Devastā′tion, act of devastating: state of being devastated: havoc; Devastā′vit, a waste of the estate of a deceased person by the executor. [L. devastāre, ātum—de, inten., vastāre, to lay waste.]

Develop, dē-vel′op, v.t. to unroll: to unfold: to lay open by degrees: to promote the growth of: (phot.) to make the latent picture visible by chemical applications.—v.i. to grow into: to open out: to evolve:—pr.p. devel′oping; pa.p. devel′oped.—n. Devel′opment, a gradual unfolding: a gradual growth: evolution: (math.) the expression of a function in the form of a series.—adj. Development′al, pertaining to development.—adv. Development′ally.—Doctrine of development, the theory of the evolution of new species from lower forms. [Fr. développer, opposite of envelopper; both perh. from a Teut. root found in Eng. lap, to wrap.]

Devest, de-vest′, v.t. (law) to alienate: to deprive of: to strip. [A form of divest.]

Deviate, dē′vi-āt, v.i. to go from the way: to turn aside from a certain course: to err.—v.t. to cause to diverge.—ns. Deviā′tion, a going out of the way: a turning aside; error; Dē′viator, one who deviates.—Deviation of the compass, departure of the mariner's compass from the magnetic needle, due to the ship's magnetism—either from the iron of which it is built or the iron which it carries. [L. deviāre, -ātum—de, from, via, a way.]

Device, de-vīs′, n. that which is devised or designed: contrivance: power of devising: genius: (her.) the emblem borne upon a shield: a picture of some kind, with a motto illustrative of a man's life or character, borne by an individual rather than by a family.—adj. Device′ful (Spens.), full of devices. [O. Fr. devise. See Devise.]

Devil, dev′l, v.t. (cook.) to season highly and broil.—v.i. to perform another man's drudgery (esp. to devil for a barrister).

Devil, dev′l, n. the supreme spirit of evil, Satan: any evil spirit: a false god: a very wicked person: a fellow, as in 'Poor devil:' an expletive, in 'What the devil,' &c.—ns. Dev′ildom; Dev′iless; Dev′ilet; Dev′il-fish, a name for the fishing-frog or angler, for the giant-ray of the United States, and for other large and ugly fishes; Dev′il-in-the-bush, a garden flower, also called Love-in-a-mist.—adj. Dev′ilish, fiendish, malignant.—adv. (coll.) very: exceedingly.—adv. Dev′ilishly.—ns. Dev′ilism; Dev′ilkin.—adj. Dev′il-may-care, reckless, audacious.—ns. Dev′ilment; Dev′il-on-the-neck, an old instrument of torture; Dev′ilry; Dev′ilship; Dev′iltry; Dev′il-wor′ship, the worship of the devil, or of devils; Dev′il-wor′shipper.—Devil a bit, not at all; Devil of a mess, a very bad mess.—Devil's advocate, a name given to the Promoter of the Faith, an advocate at the papal court, whose duty it is to propose all reasonable objections against a person's claims to canonisation; Devil's bit, a popular name for scabious; Devil's books, playing-cards; Devil's coach-horse, a large dark-coloured beetle; Devil's dozen, thirteen (like baker's dozen); Devil's dung, a popular name for asafœtida; Devil's dust, shoddy made by a machine called the devil; Devil's own, a name given to the 88th Regiment in the Peninsular war, as also to the Inns of Court volunteers; Devil's snuff-box, the puff-ball, a kind of fungus; Devil's tattoo (see Tattoo); Devil to pay, serious trouble ahead—said to be from the difficulty of paying, or caulking, an awkward and inaccessible seam in a ship.—Cartesian devil (see Cartesian); Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing-office: a printer's errand-boy; Tasmanian devil, the ursine dasyure, a Tasmanian carnivore.—Play the devil with, to bring to utter ruin. [A.S. deóful, deófol—L. diabolus—Gr. diabolos, from diaballein, to throw across, to slander, from dia, across, and ballein, to throw; cf. Ger. teufel, Fr. diable, It. diavolo, Sp. diablo.]

Devious, dē′vi-us, adj. from or out of the way: roundabout: erring.—adv. Dē′viously.—n. Dē′viousness. [L. devius. See Deviate.]

Devise, de-vīz′, v.t. to imagine: to scheme: to contrive: to give by will: to bequeath.—v.i. to consider, scheme.—n. act of bequeathing: a will: property bequeathed by will.—adj. Devis′able.—ns. Devis′al; Devisē[e]′, one to whom real estate is bequeathed; Devis′er, one who contrives; Devis′or, one who bequeaths. [O. Fr. deviser, devise—Low L. divisa, a division of goods, a mark, a device—L. dividĕre, divisum, to divide.]

Devitalise, de-vī′ta-līz, v.t. to deprive of vitality or life-giving qualities.—n. Devitalisā′tion.

Devitrify, de-vit′ri-fī, v.t. to take away or greatly diminish the vitreous quality of.—n. Devitrificā′tion, loss or diminution of the vitreous nature.

Devocalise, de-vō′ka-līz, v.t. to make voiceless: to reduce the vowel element in a sound or syllable.

Devoid, de-void′, adj. destitute: free from. [O. Fr. desvoidier, des—L. dis-, away, voidier—L. viduāre, viduus, deprived.]

Devoir, dev-wawr′, n. what is due, duty: service: an act of civility. [Fr.,—L. debēre, to owe.]

Devolution, dev-ol-ū′shun, n. a passing from one person to another. [See Devolve.]

Devolve, de-volv′, v.t. to roll down: to hand down: to deliver over.—v.i. to roll down: to fall or pass over.—n. Devolve′ment. [L. devolvĕre, -volūtum—de, down, volvĕre, -ūtum, to roll.]

Devonian, de-vō′ni-an, adj. belonging to Devonshire: belonging to a system of geological strata which abound in Devonshire, closely corresponding to Old Red Sandstone.

Devonport, dev′on-pōrt, n. a small ornamental writing-table, fitted with drawers, &c.

Devonshire cream = Clotted cream. See Clot.

Devote, de-vōt′, v.t. to vow: to set apart or dedicate by solemn act: to doom: to give up wholly.—adj. Devōt′ed, given up, as by a vow: doomed: strongly attached: zealous.—adv. Devōt′edly.—ns. Devōt′edness; Devotēē′, one wholly or superstitiously devoted, esp. to religion: a fanatic; Devōte′ment (Shak.); Devō′tion, consecration: giving up of the mind to the worship of God: piety: prayer: strong affection or attachment: ardour: (pl.) prayers: (obs.) religious offerings: alms.—adj. Devō′tional.—ns. Devō′tionalist, Devō′tionist.—adv. Devō′tionally. [L. devovēre, devōtum—de, a way, and vovēre, to vow.]

Devour, de-vowr′, v.t. to swallow greedily: to eat up: to consume or waste with violence or wantonness: to destroy: to gaze intently on.—n. Devour′er.—adj. Devour′ing.—adv. Devour′ingly.—n. Devour′ment. [O. Fr. devorer—L. devorāre—de, inten., and vorāre, to swallow. See Voracious.]

Devout, de-vowt′, adj. given up to religious thoughts and exercises: pious: solemn: earnest.—adv. Devout′ly.—n. Devout′ness. [O. Fr. devot—L. devotus. See Devote.]

Dew, dū, n. moisture deposited from the air on cooling, esp. at night, in minute specks upon the surface of objects: early freshness (esp. in Dew of his youth).—v.t. to wet with dew: to moisten.—ns. Dew′berr′y, a kind of bramble or blackberry having a bluish dew-like bloom on the fruit; Dew′-claw, a rudimentary inner toe of a dog's hind-foot; Dew′drop; Dew′fall, the falling of dew, the time it falls; Dew′point, the temperature at which dew begins to form; Dew′-rett′ing, the process of rotting away the gummy part of hemp or flax by exposure on the grass to dew and rain; Dew′stone, a Nottinghamshire limestone; Dew′-worm, the common earthworm.—adj. Dew′y.—Mountain dew (slang), whisky, originally illicitly distilled or smuggled spirits. [A.S. deáw; cf. Ice. dögg, Ger. thau, dew.]

Dew, dū, n. an obsolete spelling of due.

Dewan, dē-wan′, n. in India, a financial minister, the native steward of a business-house.—ns. Dewan′i, Dewan′ny, the office of dewan. [Hind.]

Dewitt, dē-wit′, v.t. to lynch—from the fate of Jan and Cornelius De Witt in Holland in 1672.

Dewlap, dū′lap, n. the pendulous skin under the throat of oxen, dogs, &c.: the fleshy wattle of the turkey.—adjs. Dew′lapped, Dew′lapt. [Prob. dew and A.S. læppa, a loose hanging piece.]

Dexter, deks′tėr, adj. on the right-hand side: right: (her.) of that side of the shield on the right-hand side of the wearer, to the spectator's left.—n. Dexter′ity, right-handedness: cleverness: readiness and skill: adroitness.—adjs. Dex′terous, Dex′trous, right-handed: adroit: subtle.—adv. Dex′terously.—n. Dex′terousness.—adj. Dex′tral, right, as opposed to left.—n. Dextral′ity, right-handedness.—adv. Dex′trally.—adjs. Dex′tro-gȳ′rate, causing to turn to the right hand; Dex′trorse, Dextror′sal, rising from right to left. [L. dexter; Gr. dexios, Sans. dakshina, on the right, on the south.]

Dextrine, deks′trin, n. starch altered by the action of acids, diastase, or heat till it loses its gelatinous character, so called because when viewed through polarised light it turns the plane of polarisation to the right.—n. Dex′trose, a glucose sugar, found in grapes, &c., and manufactured from starch by means of sulphuric acid. [Fr.,—L. dexter.]

Dey, dā, n. a dairy-maid. [See Dairy.]

Dey, dā, n. a name given to the pasha or governor of Algiers before the French conquest. [Turk, dái, orig. a maternal uncle, a familiar title of the chief of the Janizaries.]

Dharma, där′ma, n. the righteousness that underlies the law: the law. [Sans.]

Dhobie, dō′bi, n. an Indian washerman. [Hind.]

Dhole, dōl, n. the Indian wild dog. [Ind. word.]

Dhooly, dōō′li, n. a covered litter.—Also Doo′lie. [Hind. doli.]

Dhow, dow, n. a native vessel on the eastern African and western Indian coasts, with lateen sails: an Arab slaver.

Dhurra. Same as Durra.

Diabase, dī′a-bās, n. a compact igneous rock, an altered form of basalt—included under the popular names greenstone and trap.—adj. Diabā′sic.

Diabaterial, dī-a-ba-tē′ri-al, adj. crossing the boundaries. [Gr. diabatos—dia, across, bainein, to go.]

Diabetes, dī-a-bē′tēz, n. a disease marked by a morbid and excessive discharge of urine.—adjs. Diabet′ic, -al. [Gr., from diabainein, dia, through, and bainein, to go.]

Diablerie, Diablery, di-ab-le-rē′, n. magic: the black art: sorcery. [Fr.,—diable. See Devil.]

Diabolic, -al, dī-a-bol′ik, -al, adj. devilish.—adv. Diabol′ically.—v.t. Diab′olise, to render devilish.—ns. Diab′olism, devilish conduct: sorcery or black magic; Diabol′ogy, the doctrine of devils. [L.,—Gr. diabolikos, diabolos, the devil. See Devil.]

Diacatholicon, dī-a-ka-thol′i-kon, n. a purgative electuary.

Diacaustic, dī-a-kaws′tik, adj. pertaining to curves formed by the intersections of rays of refracted light.—n. a curve so formed. [Formed from Gr. dia, through, and caustic.]

Diachastic, dī-a-kas′tik, adj. cleaving apart. [Gr.]

Diachylon, dī-ak′i-lon, Diachylum, dī-ak′i-lum, n. common sticking-plaster. [Gr. diachylos—dia, and chylos, juice.]

Diachyma, dī-ak′i-ma, n. the parenchyma of leaves. [Gr. dia, through, chyma, juice.]

Diacodium, dī-a-kō′di-um, n. a syrup of poppies. [L.,—Gr. dia, through, kōdeia, a poppy-head.]

Diaconate, dī-ak′o-nāt, n. the office of a deacon.—adj. Diac′onal, pertaining to a deacon.

Diaconicon, dī-a-kon′i-kon, n. a sacristy for sacred vessels, in a Greek church, on the south side of the bema or sanctuary.

Diacoustic, dī-a-kows′tik, adj. pertaining to the refraction of sound through various mediums.—n. Diacous′tics, the branch of physics which deals with refracted sounds. [Formed from Gr. dia, through, and acoustics.]

Diacritic, -al, dī-a-krit′ik, -al, adj. distinguishing between—used of marks or points attached to the letters of various languages. [Gr. diakritikos, diakrinein—dia, between, and krinein, to distinguish. See Critic.]

Diactine, dī-ak′tin, adj. having two rays.—Also Diac′tinal.

Diactinic, dī-ak-tin′ik, adj. capable of transmitting the actinic rays of the sun.

Diadelphous, dī-a-del′fus, adj. grouped together in two sets—of the stamens of plants.—n. Dī′adelph. [Formed from Gr. di-, double, and adelphos, brother.]

Diadem, dī′a-dem, n. a band or fillet worn round the head as a badge of royalty: a crown: royalty.—adj. Dī′ademed, wearing a diadem.—Diadem spider, the common garden spider—from its markings. [O. Fr. diademe—L. diadema—Gr. diadēma—dia, round, and deein, to bind.]

Diadexis, dī-a-dek′sis, n. (path.) the transformation of one disease into another, differing both in location and character. [Gr.]

Diadochi, dī-ad′o-kī, n. the generals who became monarchs of the various kingdoms (Syria, Egypt, &c.) into which the empire of Alexander the Great split after his death (323 B.C.). [Gr. diadochos, succeeding, a successor; diadechesthai, to succeed.]

Diadrom, dī′a-drom, n. a course or passing: a vibration. [Gr.]

Diæresis, Dieresis, dī-ēr′e-sis, n. a mark (¨) placed over one of two vowels to show that each is to be pronounced separately, as aërial:—pl. Diær′eses, Dier′eses. [Gr.,—dia, apart, hairein, to take.]

Diaglyph, dī′a-glif, n. an intaglio. [Gr.]

Diagnosis, dī-ag-nō′sis, n. the distinguishing a disease by means of its symptoms: a brief description:—pl. Diagnō′ses.—v.t. Dī′agnose, to ascertain from symptoms, as a disease.—adj. Dīagnos′tic, distinguishing: characteristic.—n. that by which anything is known: a symptom.—n.pl. Diagnos′tics, the branch of medicine to which the skill in noting and interpreting symptoms belongs. [Gr., dia, between, gnōsis—gnōnai, to know.]

Diagometer, dī-a-gom′e-tėr, n. a form of electroscope for ascertaining conducting power. [Gr. diagein, to conduct, metron, a measure.]

Diagonal, dī-ag′o-nal, adj. through the corners, or from an angle to an opposite angle of a four or many sided figure.—n. a straight line so drawn.—adv. Diag′onally.—Diagonal scale, a scale for laying down small fractions of the unit of measurement, the parallel lines drawn lengthwise on its surface being divided into sections by lines drawn crosswise, and in one end section being intersected by a series of other parallel lines drawn obliquely at equal distances across them. [Fr.,—L. diagonalis, from Gr. diagōnios—dia, through, and gōnia, a corner.]

Diagram, dī′a-gram, n. a figure or plan drawn in outline to illustrate any statement: a record traced by an automatic indicator.—adj. Diagrammat′ic.—adv. Diagrammat′ically.—n. Dī′agraph, an instrument for enabling unskilled persons to draw objects in outline.—adj. Diagraph′ic. [L.,—Gr. diagramma—dia, round, graphein, to write.]

Diaheliotropic, dī-a-hē-li-ō-trop′ik, adj. (bot.) turning transversely to the light.—n. Diaheliot′ropism. [Gr. dia, across, and heliotropic.]

Dial, dī′al, n. an instrument for showing the time of day by the sun's shadow: a timepiece: the face of a watch or clock: a circular plate on which a movable index shows the degree of pressure, &c.—v.t. to measure, as with a dial.—ns. Dī′alist, a maker of dials: one skilled in dialling; Dī′alling, the art of constructing dials: the science which explains the measuring of time by the sun-dial: surveying by help of a compass with sights, such as is called a 'miner's dial;' Dīal-plate. [M. E. dial—Low L. dialis, daily—L. dies, a day.]

Dialect, dī′a-lekt, n. a variety or form of a language peculiar to a district: a non-literary vernacular: a peculiar manner of speaking.—adj. Dialect′al.—adv. Dialect′ally.—ns. Dialect′icism; Dialectol′ogist; Dialectol′ogy. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. dialektos, speech, manner of speech, peculiarity of speech—dia, between, legein, to speak.]

Dialectic, -al, dī-a-lek′tik, -al, adj. pertaining to dialect or to discourse: pertaining to dialectics: logical.—ns. Dialec′tic, Dialect′ics, art of discussing: that branch of logic which teaches the rules and modes of reasoning.—adv. Dialec′tically.—n. Dialecti′cian, one skilled in dialectics, a logician. [Gr. dialektikos.]

Diallage, dī-al′a-jē, n. (rhet.) a figure of speech by which arguments, after having been considered from various points of view, are all brought to bear upon one point. [Gr.]

Diallage, dī′al-āj, n. a mineral nearly allied to augite, brown, gray, or green in colour, laminated in structure, with a metallic lustre when broken across.—adjs. Diallag′ic, Dial′lagoid. [Gr. diallagē, change—dia, between, allassein, to change—allos, other.]

Dialogite, dī-al′ō-jīt, n. a rose-red carbonate of manganese—also Rhodochrosite.

Dialogue, dī′a-log, n. conversation between two or more persons, esp. of a formal or imaginary nature.—v.i. and v.t. (Shak.) to put into dialogue form.—adjs. Dialog′ic, Dialogist′ic, -al (-loj-), in the form of a dialogue.—v.i. Dial′ogise (′oj-), to discourse in dialogue.—n. Dial′ogist (′oj-), a speaker in, or writer of, a dialogue. [Fr.,—L. dialogus—Gr. dialogos, a conversation—dialegesthai, to discourse.]

Dialuric, dī-a-lū′rik, adj. pertaining to alloxan and uric acid.—n. Dialū′rate, a salt of dialuric acid.

Dialysis, dī-al′i-sis, n. (chem.) the separation of substances by diffusion through a membranous septum or partition: diæresis: dissolution:—pl. Dial′yses.—adj. Dialys′able.—v.t. Dī′alyse, to separate by dialysis.—n. Dī′alyser.—adj. Dialyt′ic. [Gr. dialysis—dia, asunder, lyein, to loose.]

Diamagnetic, dī-a-mag-net′ik, adj. cross-magnetic—applied to any substance, such as a rod of bismuth or glass, which, when suspended between the poles of a magnet, arranges itself across the line joining the poles (a rod of iron or of sealing-wax so held arranges itself parallel to the line joining the poles, and is said to be Paramagnetic).—adv. Diamagnet′ically.—n. Diamag′netism, the form of magnetic action possessed by diamagnetic bodies: the branch of magnetism which deals with diamagnetic phenomena. [Gr. dia, through, magnētēs, magnēs, a magnet.]

Diamantiferous, dī-a-man-tif′er-us, adj. yielding diamonds. [Fr. diamantifère.]

Diamesogamous, dī-a-me-sog′a-mus, adj. (bot.) fertilised by intermediary means.

Diameter, dī-am′e-tėr, n. the measure through or across: a straight line passing through the centre of a circle or other figure, terminated at both ends by the circumference.—adjs. Diam′etral, Diamet′ric, -al, in the direction of a diameter: pertaining to the diameter: like the opposite ends of the diameter (as in diametrical opposition).—advs. Diam′etrally, in a diametral manner; Diamet′rically, exactly.—Tactical diameter, the space covered by a steamer in turning 180° out of her original course. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. diametros—dia, through, metrein, to measure.]

Diamond, dī′a-mond, n. the most valuable of all gems, and the hardest of all substances: a four-sided figure with two obtuse and two acute angles: one of the four suits of cards: one of the smallest kinds of English printing type.—adj. resembling diamonds: made of diamonds: marked with diamonds: lozenge-shaped, rhombic.—ns. Dī′amond-bee′tle, a beautiful sparkling South American weevil; Dī′amond-cut′ting, diamond-setting; Dī′amond-drill, an annular borer whose bit is set with borts; Dī′amond-dust, Dī′amond-pow′der, the powder made by the friction of diamonds on one another in the course of polishing.—adjs. Dī′amonded, furnished with diamonds; Diamondif′erous, yielding diamonds.—n. Dī′amond-wheel, a wheel covered with diamond-dust and oil for polishing diamonds and other precious stones.—Diamond cut diamond, the case of an encounter between two very sharp persons.—Rough diamond, an uncut diamond: a person of great worth, though of rude exterior and unpolished manners. [M. E. adamaunt—O. Fr. adamant—L. adamanta, accus. of adamas—Gr. adamas, adamantos, adamant—a, not, damaein, to tame.]

Diana, di-ā′na, or dī-an′a, n. an ancient Italian goddess of light, the moon-goddess, representative of chastity and hunting, afterwards identified with the Greek Artemis.—Diana of the Ephesians, a goddess of fertility worshipped at Ephesus.

Diandria, dī-an′dri-a, n. a class of plants in the Linnæan system having two stamens.—n. Dian′der, a plant with two stamens.—adjs. Dian′drian, Dian′drous. [Gr. dis, twice, double, anēr, andros, a man.]

Dianodal, dī-a-nō′dal, adj. (math.) passing through a node.

Dianoetic, dī-a-nō-et′ik, adj. capable of thought, thinking: belonging to the ratiocinative faculties of the mind. [Gr. dianoētikos—dia, through, noein, to think.]

Dianthus, dī-an′thus, n. the genus of herbaceous flowers to which carnations and pinks belong. [Gr. dianthēs—dis, di-, two, anthos, a flower.]

Diapason, dī-a-pā′zon, n. a whole octave: a harmony: a full volume of various sounds in concord: correct pitch: the two foundation-stops of an organ (open and stopped diapason)—(Spens.) Dī′apase. [Gr. dia, through, and pasōn, gen. pl. of pas, all—part of the Gr. phrase, dia pasōn chordōn symphōnia, concord through all the notes.]

Diapedesis, dī-a-pe-dē′sis, n. (physiol.) the migration of white blood-corpuscles through the walls of the blood-vessels without apparent rupture.—adj. Diapedet′ic. [Gr., dia, through, pēdan, to leap.]

Diapente, dī-a-pen′tē, n. (mus.) the interval of a fifth: a composition in pharmacy of five ingredients. [Gr.]

Diaper, dī′a-pėr, n. unbleached linen cloth woven in slightly defined figures, used for towels, &c.: a pattern for ornamentation, woven, not coloured, in textiles: a floral or geometric pattern in low relief in architecture, often repeated over a considerable surface.—v.t. to variegate with figures, as diaper.—n. Dī′apering. [O. Fr. diaspre, diapre—Low L. diasprus—Byzantine Gr. diaspros, dia, through, aspros, white.]

Diaphanous, dī-af′a-nus, adj. shining or appearing through, transparent, clear—also Diaphan′ic.—ns. Dī′aphane, a diaphanous figured silk fabric; Diaphanom′eter, an instrument for testing the transparency of the air; Diaphan′oscope, a darkened box for viewing transparent positive photographs; Diaphan′otype, a picture produced by colouring on the back a positive lightly printed on translucent paper, and placing this exactly over a strong duplicate print.—adv. Diaph′anously.—ns. Diaph′anousness, Diaphanē′ity. [Gr. diaphanes—dia, through, and phainein, to show, shine.]

Diaphonics, dī-a-fon′iks, n. Same as Diacoustics. [Gr. dia, through, phonē, sound.]

Diaphoretic, dī-a-fo-ret′ik, adj. promoting perspiration.—n. a sudorific or medicine that increases perspiration.—n. Diaphorē′sis, perspiration artificially induced. [Gr.,—diaphorein, to carry off—dia, through, pherein, to bear.]

Diaphragm, dī′a-fram, n. a thin partition or dividing membrane: the midriff, a structure separating the chest from the abdomen: a metal plate with a central hole, for cutting off side-rays in a camera, &c.—adjs. Diaphragmat′ic, Diaphrag′mal.—n. Diaphragmatī′tis, inflammation of the diaphragm. [Gr. diaphragma—dia, across, phragnynai, to fence.]

Diaphysis, dī-af′i-sis, n. (bot.) an abnormal elongation of the axis of a flower or of an inflorescence: (anat.) the continuity of a bone between its two ends. [Gr. dia, through, phyesthai, to grow.]

Diaplasis, dī-ap′la-sis, n. (surg.) reduction, of a dislocation, &c.—adj. Diaplas′tic. [Gr.]

Diapnoic, dī-ap-nō′ik, adj. producing slight perspiration—also Diapnot′ic—n. a mild diaphoretic.

Diapositive, dī-a-poz′i-tiv, n. a transparent photographic positive, such as a lantern slide.

Diapyetic, dī-a-pī-et′ik, adj. producing suppuration.—n. a medicine with this property.—n. Diapyē′sis, suppuration. [Gr.]

Diarchy, dī′ar-ki, n. a form of government in which two persons are jointly vested with supreme power—less correctly Dī′narchy. [Formed from Gr. di-, two, archein, to rule.]

Diarrhœa, Diarrhea, dī-a-rē′a, n. a persistent purging or looseness of the bowels.—adjs. Diarrhœ′al, Diarrhœ′ic, Diarrhœt′ic (also -rhē′al, -rhē′ic, -rhet′ic). [Gr. diarroia—dia, through, and rhein, to flow.]

Diarthrosis, dī-ar-thrō′sis, n. the general name for all forms of articulation which admit of the motion of one bone upon another, free arthrosis—including Enarthrosis, Ginglymus, and Cyclarthrosis. [Gr.]

Diary, dī′a-ri, n. a daily record: a journal.—adjs. Diā′rial, Diā′rian.—v.t. or v.i. Dī′arise.—n. Dī′arist, one who keeps a diary. [L. diarium.]

Diascordium, dī-a-skor′di-um, n. an electuary prepared with scordium or water-germander. [Gr. dia, through, and skordion.]

Diaskeuast, dī-as-kew′ast, n. a reviser: an interpolator.—n. Diaskeu′asis, reviewing. [Gr. diaskeuazein, to make ready—dia, through, skeuos, a tool.]

Diaspora, dī-as′por-a, n. dispersion, used collectively for the dispersed Jews after the Babylonian captivity, and also in the apostolic age for the Jews living outside of Palestine. [Gr. dia, through, speirein, to scatter.]

Diaspore, dī′a-spōr, n. a grayish, infusible hydrate of aluminium.

Diastaltic, dī-a-stal′tik, adj. (Greek mus.) dilated, extended: bold. [Gr., diastellein, to expand.]

Diastase, dī′as-tās, n. a peculiar ferment developed during the germination of all seeds, which has the power of converting starch into dextrine and then into sugar.—adj. Diastat′ic—adv. Diastat′ically. [Gr. diastasis, division—dia, through, histanai, stēnai, to stand.]

Diastasis, dī-as′ta-sis, n. (surg.) separation of bones without fracture. [Gr.]

Diastema, dī-a-stē′ma, n. a natural space between two consecutive teeth, or series of teeth.—adj. Diastemat′ic. [Gr.]

Diastole, dī-as′to-lē, n. dilation of the heart, auricles, and arteries—opp. to Systole, or contraction of the same: the protracting of a short syllable, as before a pause.—adj. Diastol′ic. [Gr. diastolē—dia, asunder, and stellein, to place.]

Diastyle, dī′a-stīl, adj. (archit.) marked by wide intercolumniation. [Gr.]

Diatessaron, dī-a-tes′a-rōn, n. a harmony of the four gospels, esp. the earliest, that of Tatian (prob. 110-180 A.D.): (mus.) the interval of a fourth: an electuary of four ingredients. [Gr., for dia tessarōn, through, or composed of four.]

Diathermal, dī-a-thėr′mal, adj. letting heat through, permeable by radiating heat—also Diather′manous, Diather′mous, Diather′mic.—ns. Diather′mance, -cy. [Gr. dia, through, thermos, heat.]

Diathesis, dī-ath′e-sis, n. a particular condition or habit of body, esp. one predisposing to certain diseases: a habit of mind.—adj. Diathet′ic. [Gr.,—dia, asunder, tithenai, to place.]

Diatom, dī′a-tom, n. one of an order of microscopic unicellular algæ, of the Diatomaceæ.—adj. Diatomā′ceous.—n. Diat′omite, diatomaceous earth. [Gr. diatomos—dia, through, temnein, to cut.]

Diatomic, dī-a-tom′ik, adj. consisting of two atoms. [Gr. di-, dis, two, and atom.]

Diatomous, dī-at′ō-mus, adj. having crystals with one distinct diagonal cleavage.

Diatonic, dī-a-ton′ik, adj. proceeding by the tones and intervals of the natural scale in music.—adv. Diaton′ically. [Gr.,—dia, through, tonos, tone.]

Diatribe, dī′a-trīb, n. a continued discourse or disputation: an invective harangue.—n. Dī′atrībist, a writer or utterer of such. [Gr. diatribē—dia, through, tribein, to rub, wear away.]

Dib, dib, v.i. to dip, as in angling:—pr.p. dib′bing; pa.p. dibbed. [A form of dab.]

Dib, dib, n. one of the small bones of a sheep's leg: (pl.) a children's game, played by throwing up such small bones or stones (Dib′-stones) from the palm and catching them on the back of the hand—(Scot.) Chuckie-stanes, or Chucks: (slang) money.

Dibasic, dī-bā′sik, adj. having two bases: of acids, with two atoms of hydrogen replaceable by a base or bases. [Gr. di-, two, and basic.]

Dibble, dib′l, n. a pointed tool used for making holes to put seed or plants in—also Dibb′er.—v.t. Dibb′le, to plant with a dibble.—v.i. to make holes: to dip, as in angling.—n. Dibb′ler. [Freq. of dib, a form of dab.]

Dibranchiata, dī-brang-ki-ā′ta, n. one of the two orders of cephalopoda, having two gills.—adj. Dibran′chiate. [Gr. di-, two, branchia, gills.]

Dicacity, dik-as′i-ti, n. raillery, pert speech.—adj. Dicā′cious. [L. dicax, sarcastic.]

Dicast, Dikast, dī′kast, n. one of the 6000 Athenians annually chosen to act as judges.—n. Dicas′tery, their court. [Gr. dikastēs, dikē, justice.]

Dicatalectic, dī-kat-a-lek′tik, adj. doubly catalectic, both at the middle and end of the verse. [Gr. di-, double. See Catalectic.]

Dice, pl. of Die, 2 (q.v.).—v.i. to play with dice.

Dice-coal, dīs′-kōl, n. a kind of coal which readily splits into cubical pieces.

Dicentra, dī-sen′tra, n. a genus of plants including the flower Bleeding-heart (D. spectabilis).—Also Diel′ytra. [Gr. di-, double, kentron, a point.]

Dicephalous, dī-sef′a-lus, adj. two-headed. [Gr. dikephalos—di-, double, kephalē, a head.]

Dichastasis, dī-kas′ta-sis, n. spontaneous subdivision.—adj. Dichas′tic. [Gr.]

Dichlamydeous, dī-kla-mid′ē-us, adj. having both a calyx and a corolla.

Dichogamy, dī-kog′a-mi, n. an arrangement for preventing the self-fertilisation of hermaphrodite flowers, the stamens and stigmas ripening at different times.—adj. Dichog′amous. [Gr. dicha, in two, gamos, marriage.]

Dichord, dī′kord, n. an ancient two-stringed lute.

Dichotomy, dī-kot′o-mi, n. a division into two parts.—v.t. and v.i. Dichot′omise.—adj. Dichot′omous.—adv. Dichot′omously. [Gr., from dicha, in two, and temnein, to cut.]

Dichroism, dī′krō-izm, n. the property of showing different colours when viewed in different directions exhibited by doubly refracting crystals.—adjs. Dichrō′ic, Dichrois′tic.—n. Dī′chroscope, an instrument for testing the dichroism of crystals.—adj. Dichroscop′ic.

Dichromatism, dī-krō′ma-tizm, n. (zool.) the quality of presenting, in different individuals, two different colours or systems of colouration.—adj. Dichromat′ic.

Dichromism, dī-krō′mizm, n. an inability to distinguish more than two of the primary colours.—adj. Dichrō′mic.

Dicht, diht, v.t. (Scot.) to wipe.

Dick, dik, n. (slang) fine words, for Dictionary: for Declaration, as 'to take one's dick,' and prob. 'up to dick' = excellent, also properly.

Dickens, dik′enz, n. the deuce, the devil, as in 'What the dickens.'—Play the dickens with, to play the deuce with. [For devil, confused with Dickon = Richard.]

Dicker, dik′ėr, n. (Amer.) petty trade by barter, &c.—v.i. to haggle. [Prob. the obs. dicker, the number ten, esp. of hides or skins.]

Dickey, Dicky, dik′i, n. a leathern apron for a gig, &c.: the driver's seat in a carriage: a seat for servants at the back of a carriage: a false shirt-front. [Perh. from dick, a prov. Eng. word for a leathern apron; Prob. Dut. dek, a cover.]

Dicky, dickey, dik′i, n. (East Anglian) an ass.—n. Dick′y-bird, a small bird. [From Dick, familiar of Richard—like Jack, in jackass.]

Diclinic, dī-klin′ik, adj. (crystal.) having two of the intersections of the axes oblique.—Also Dī′clinate, Dī′clinous.

Diclinous, dī′kli-nus, adj. having the stamens and pistils in separate flowers.—n. Dī′clinism. [Gr. di-, asunder, and klinē, a bed.]

Dicoccous, dī-kok′us, adj. (bot.) formed of two cocci.

Dicœlous, dī-sē′lus, adj. cupped or hollowed at both ends.

Dicotyledon, dī-kot-i-lē′don, n. a plant having two seed-lobes.—adj. Dicotylē′donous. [Gr. di-, two, and cotyledon.]

Dicrotic, dī-krot′ik, adj. double-beating—also Dī′crotous.—n. Dī′crotism. [Gr., di-, two, krotos, beat.]

Dictate, dik′tāt, v.t. to tell another what to say or write: to communicate with authority: to point out: to command—(arch. Dict).—n. an order, rule, or direction: impulse.—ns. Dictā′tion, act, art, or practice of dictating: overbearing command; Dictā′tor, one invested for a time with absolute authority—originally an extraordinary Roman magistrate:—fem. Dictā′tress, Dictātrix.—adj. Dictatō′rial, like a dictator: absolute: authoritative.—adv. Dictatō′rially.—ns. Dictā′torship, Dic′tature.—adj. Dic′tatory. [L. dictāre, -ātum—dicĕre, to say.]

Diction, dik′shun, n. a saying or speaking: manner of speaking or expressing: choice of words: style. [L., from dicĕre, dictum, to say.]

Dictionary, dik′shun-a-ri, n. a book containing the words of a language alphabetically arranged, with their meanings, etymology, &c.: a lexicon: a work containing information on any department of knowledge, alphabetically arranged. [Low L. dictionarium. See Diction.]

Dictum, dik′tum, n. something said: a saying: an authoritative saying:—pl. Dic′ta. [L.]

Dictyogen, dik′ti-o-jen, n. a plant with net-veined leaves. [Gr. diktyon, a net; -genēs, producing.]

Dicynodont, di-sin′o-dont, n. an extinct reptile, allied to tortoises on one hand and mammals on the other. [Formed from Gr. di-, two, cyōn, dog, and odous, odontos, tooth.]

Did, did, Didst, didst, pa.t. of Do.

Didache, did′a-kē, n. the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (see under Apostle). [Gr., 'teaching.']

Didactic, -al, di-dak′tik, -al, adj. fitted or intended to teach: instructive: perceptive.—adv. Didac′tically.—n. Didac′ticism.—n.pl. Didactics, the art or science of teaching. [Gr. didaktikos—didaskein, to teach; akin to L. doc-ēre, disc-ĕre.]

Didactyl, dī-dak′til, adj. having only two digits—also Didac′tylous.—n. Didac′tyl, an animal with two toes only on each foot.

Didapper, did′ap-ėr, n. a water-bird that is constantly dipping or diving under water—also called the Dabchick. [A compound of dive and dapper (which is a variant of dipper). See Dip and Dive.]

Didascalic, did-as-kal′ik, adj. didactic.

Didder, did′ėr, v.i. (prov.) to shake.

Diddle, did′l, v.t. to cajole, swindle.—n. Didd′ler.

Didecahedral, dī-dek-a-hē′dral, adj. (crystal.), having five planes on each extremity.

Didelphia, dī-del′fi-a, n.pl. the marsupialia, or marsupial implacental mammals, one of the three sub-classes of Mammalia.—adjs. Didel′phian, Didel′phic. [Gr. di-, double, delphys, womb.]

Dido, dī′dō, n. (slang) an antic caper.—Cut up didoes, to behave in an extravagant way.

Didodecahedral, dī-do-dek-a-hē′dral, adj. of a six-sided-prism, truncated on the lateral edges, and acuminated on the extremities with six planes.

Didrachma, dī-drak′ma, n. a double drachma.

Diduction, dī-duk′shun, n. separation by withdrawing one part from the other.

Didunculus, di-dung′kū-lus, n. a remarkable genus of pigeons—the tooth-billed pigeon of Samoa.

Didymium, dī-dim′i-um, n. a supposed element discovered in 1841, so named from being, as it were, twin brother of lanthamum.

Didymous, did′i-mus, adj. twin.

Didynamia, did-i-nā′mi-a, n. a class of plants in the Linnæan system having in the flower four stamens in pairs of unequal length.—adjs. Didynā′mian, Didyn′amous. [Gr. di-, double, dynamis, strength.]

Die, dī, v.i. to lose life: to perish: to wither: to languish: to become insensible:—pr.p. dy′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. died (dīd).—adj. Die′-away′, languishing.—Die away, to disappear by degrees, become gradually inaudible; Die game, to keep up one's spirit to the last; Die hard, to struggle hard against death, to be long in dying; Die off, to die quickly or in large numbers; Die out, to become extinct, to disappear. [From a Scand. root seen in Ice. deyja, Dan. d[ö]e, Scot. dee; akin to Mid. High Ger. touwen, whence Ger. tod, todt. The A.S. word is steorfan, whence our starve.]

Die, dī, n. a small cube used in gaming by being thrown from a box: any small cubical body: hazard:—pl. Dice (dīs).—n. Dice′-box.—adj. Diced, ornamented with square or diamond-shaped figures.—ns. Dice′-play; Dice′-play′er, Dī′cer; Dī′cing-house.—The die is cast, the question is decided. [O. Fr. det, pl. dez (Prov. dat, It. dado), from Low L. dadus—L. dātus, given or cast (talus, a piece of bone used in play, being understood). Doublets, dado, date.]

Die, dī, n. a stamp for impressing coin, &c.: the cubical part of a pedestal:—pl. Dies (dīz).—ns. Die′-sink′er; Die′-sink′ing, the engraving of dies; Die′-stock, a contrivance for holding the dies used in screw-cutting; Die′-work, ornamentation of a metal surface by impressions with a die. [See above.]

Dieb, dēb, n. a jackal of northern Africa.

Diegesis, dī-e-jē′sis, n. (rhet.) in an oration, the narration of the facts. [Gr.]

Dielectric, dī-e-lek′trik, adj. non-conducting: transmitting electric effects without conducting.—n. a substance through which electric force acts. [Gr. dia, through, and electric.]

Dielytra, dī-el′i-tra, n. an erroneous name for dicentra.

Diesis, dī′e-sis, n. (mus.) the difference in tone between a major and a minor semitone: (print.) the double dagger (‡).

Dies Iræ, dī′ēz ī′rē, n. the name given (from the opening words) to a famous hymn on the last judgment (c. 1250 A.D.). [L., 'day of wrath.']

Dies non, dī′ēz non, a day on which law courts may not be held. [From L. dies non juridicus, same as dies nefastus, an unlawful day.]

Diet, dī′et, n. mode of living, with especial reference to food: food prescribed by a physician: allowance of provisions.—v.t. to furnish with food.—v.i. to eat: to take food according to rule.—n. Dietā′rian, one who observes prescribed rules for diet.—adj. Dī′etary, pertaining to diet or the rules of diet.—n. course of diet: allowance of food, esp. in large institutions.—ns. Dī′et-drink, medicated liquor; Dī′eter (Shak.), one who diets or prepares food by rule.—adjs. Dietet′ic, -al, pertaining to diet.—adv. Dietet′ically.—ns. Dietet′ics, rules for regulating diet; Dietet′ist, one who lays stress on diet; Dī′etist, an authority on diet. [Fr. diète—Low L. diæta—Gr. diaita, mode of living, diet.]

Diet, dī′et, n. an assembly of princes and delegates, the chief national council in several countries in Europe: (Scots law) the proceedings under a criminal libel: a clerical or ecclesiastical function in Scotland, a diet of worship.—n. Dī′etine, a minor or local diet.—Desert the diet, to abandon criminal proceedings under a particular libel—in Scotch usage. [O. Fr. diete—Low L. diæta—Gr. diaita; or acc. to Littré, from L. dies, a (set) day, with which usage cf. Ger. tag, a day, reichstag.]

Diffarreation, di-far-ē-ā′shun, n. the parting of a cake of spelt—a ceremony at a Roman divorce. [L.]

Differ, dif′ėr, v.i. to be unlike, distinct, or various (used by itself, or followed by with, from, to): to disagree (with from, with): to fall out, dispute (with):—pr.p. diff′ering; pa.p. diff′ered.—ns. Diff′erence, Diff′erency (Shak.), dissimilarity: the quality distinguishing one thing from another: a contention or quarrel: the point in dispute: the excess of one quantity or number over another: (her.) the modification of an achievement of arms to indicate the wearer's relation to the head of the house, as by marks of cadency.—v.t. to make a difference between things.—adj. Diff′erent, distinct: separate: unlike: not the same (with from, not to).—n. Differen′tia (logic), the characteristic quality or attribute of a species.—adj. Differen′tial, creating a difference: special: (math.) pertaining to a quantity or difference infinitely small (see Calculus).—adv. Differen′tially.—v.t. Differen′tiāte, to make different: to create a difference between: to classify as different.—v.i. to become different by specialisation: (math.) to obtain the differential or differential coefficient of.—n. Differentiā′tion, the act of distinguishing or describing a thing by giving its differentia: exact definition: a change by which organs or structures become specialised or modified: (math.) the act or process of differentiating.—adv. Diff′erently.—Differential gear, gear for communicating differential motion; Differential motion, an apparatus by which the difference of two velocities is communicated, as in the Differential screw, a combination of male and female screws; Differential thermometer, a thermometer for marking minute differences of temperature. [L. differre—dif (= dis), apart, ferre, to bear.]

Difficult, dif′i-kult, adj. not easy: hard to be done: requiring labour and pains: hard to please: not easily persuaded.—adv. Diff′icultly.—n. Diff′iculty, laboriousness: obstacle: objection: that which cannot be easily understood or believed: embarrassment of affairs: a quarrel. [The adj. was formed from difficulty, in place of the old form difficile. Fr. difficulté—L. difficultas = difficilitas—difficilis—dif (= dis), neg., and facilis, easy.]

Diffident, dif′i-dent, adj. wanting faith in: distrustful of one's self: modest: bashful.—n. Diff′idence, want of confidence: want of self-reliance: modesty: bashfulness.—adv. Diff′idently. [L., pr.p. of diffidĕre, to distrust—dif (= dis), neg., fīdĕre, to trust—fĭdes, faith.]

Diffluent, dif′loo-ent, adj. tending to flow away readily.

Difform, dif′orm, adj. not uniform, irregular in form.—n. Diffor′mity.

Diffract, dif-frakt′, v.t. to break or separate into parts, as rays of light.—n. Diffrac′tion, a name for certain phenomena connected with light passing through a narrow opening or by the edge of an opaque body: the spreading of the rays, with interference phenomena, coloured and other.—adj. Diffrac′tive.—n. Diffrangibil′ity.—adj. Diffran′gible. [L. diffringĕre, diffractum—dis, asunder, frangĕre, to break.]

Diffuse, dif-ūz′, v.t. to pour out all round: to send out in all directions: to scatter: to circulate: to publish.—v.i. to spread, as a liquid does.—pa.p. and adj. Diffused′, spread widely: loose.—adv. Diffus′edly.—ns. Diffus′edness; Diffus′er; Diffusibil′ity.—adj. Diffus′ible, that may be diffused.—ns. Diffū′sion, a spreading or scattering abroad: extension: distribution: in the case of gases or liquids in contact, mixture through each other; Diffū′sion-tube, an instrument for determining the rate of diffusion for different gases.—adj. Diffus′ive, extending: spreading widely.—adv. Diffus′ively.—n. Diffus′iveness. [L. diffundĕre, diffūsum—dif (= dis), asunder, fundĕre, to pour out.]

Diffuse, dif-ūs′, adj. diffused: widely spread: wordy: not concise.—adv. Diffuse′ly.—n. Diffuse′ness.

Dig, dig, v.t. to excavate: to turn up the earth: to cultivate with a spade: to poke or thrust, as one's elbow into another's side, or spurs into a horse.—v.i. to till the ground; to occupy one's self in digging; (U.S. slang) to study hard:—pr.p. dig′ging; pa.t. and pa.p. dug, (B.) digged.—n. a thrust, a poke: (U.S. slang) a hard student.—adj. Dig′gable, that may be dug.—n. Dig′ger, a person or animal that digs: a machine for digging, as a steam-digger.—n.pl. Dig′gings, places where mining is carried on, esp. for gold: (slang, orig. American) lodgings, rooms.—Dig in, to cover over by digging: to work hard; Dig out (U.S. slang), to decamp.—Digger Indians, degraded Indian tribes of California and Nevada, who live by digging roots. [Prob. O. Fr. diguer, to dig; of Teut. origin.]

Digamma, dī-gam′ma, n. an obsolete letter of the Greek alphabet, having the force of our W. [So called from its form (), like one capital Γ (gamma) placed over another.]

Digamy, dig′a-mi, n. a second marriage.—n. Dig′amist.—adj. Dig′amous (bot.), androgynous. [Gr. dis, twice, and gamos, marriage.]

Digastric, dī-gas′trik, adj. double-bellied, or fleshy at each end, as is one of the muscles of the lower jaw. [Gr. di-, double, gastēr, the belly.]

Digenesis, dī-jen′e-sis, n. reproduction by two methods, a sexual followed by an assexual.—adj. Digenet′ic.

Digest, di-jest′, v.t. to dissolve food in the stomach: to soften by heat and moisture: to distribute and arrange: to prepare or classify in the mind: to think over.—v.i. to be dissolved in the stomach: to be softened by heat and moisture.—adv. Digest′edly.—n. Digest′er, one who digests: a close vessel in which by heat and pressure strong extracts are made from animal and vegetable substances.—n. Digestibil′ity.—adj. Digest′ible, that may be digested.—n. Diges′tion, the dissolving of the food in the stomach: orderly arrangement: exposing to slow heat, &c.—adj. Digest′ive, pertaining to digestion: promoting digestion.—adv. Digest′ively. [L. digerĕre, digestum, to carry asunder or dissolve—di (= dis), asunder, and gerĕre, to bear.]

Digest, dī′jest, n. a body of laws collected and arranged, esp. the Justinian code of civil laws. [L. digesta, neut. pl. of digestus, pa.p. of digerĕre, to carry apart, to arrange.]

Dight, dīt, adj. disposed, adorned.—adv. finely.—Also Dight′ly. [A.S. dihtan, to arrange, prescribe, from L. dictāre, to dictate, whence Ger. dichten, to write poetry, and the Scotch verb dight, to dress, used of stones, flour, &c.]

Digit, dij′it, n. a finger's breadth or ¾ inch: from the habit of counting on the fingers, any one of the nine numbers: the twelfth part of the diameter of the sun or moon.—adj. Dig′ital, pertaining to the fingers.—n. finger: a key of a piano, &c.—ns. Digitā′lia, Dig′italine, Dig′italin, the active principles of digitalis; Digitā′lis, a genus of plants, including the foxglove; Digitā′ria, a genus of grasses with digitate spikes.—adjs. Digitate, -d, consisting of several finger-like sections.—adv. Dig′itately.—n. Digitā′tion, finger-like arrangement: a finger-like process.—adj. Digit′iform, formed like fingers; Dig′itigrade, walking on the toes.—n. an animal that walks on its toes, as the lion—opp. to Plantigrade.—ns. Dig′itigradism; Digitō′rium, a small portable instrument used for making the fingers flexible for piano-playing. [L. digitus, a finger or toe, akin to Gr. daktylos.]

Diglyph, dī′glif, n. (archit.) an ornament consisting of a double groove.

Dignify, dig′ni-fī, v.t. to invest with honour: to exalt:—pr.p. dig′nifying; pa.p. dig′nified.—n. Dignificā′tion.—adj. Dig′nified, marked with dignity: exalted: noble: grave. [Low L. dignificāre—dignus, worthy, facĕre, to make.]

Dignity, dig′ni-ti, n. the state of being dignified: elevation of mind or character: grandeur of mien: elevation in rank, place, &c.: degree of excellence: preferment: high office: a dignitary.—n. Dig′nitary, one in a dignified position or rank, esp. in the church. [Fr. dignité—L. dignitas—dignus, worthy.]

Digraph, dī′graf, n. two letters expressing but one sound, as ph in digraph. [Gr. di-, twice, graphē, a mark, a character—graphein, to write.]

Digress, di-gres′, v.i. to step aside or go from the main subject: to introduce irrelevant matter.—n. Digres′sion, a going from the main point: a part of a discourse not upon the main subject.—adjs. Digres′sional, Digress′ive, of the nature of a digression: departing from the main subject.—adv. Digress′ively. [L. digredi, digressus—di, aside, gradi, to step. See Grade.]

Digynia, dī-jin′i-a, n. an order of plants having in the flower two styles or a deeply cleft style.—adjs. Digyn′ian, Dig′ynous. [Gr. dis, twice, and gynē, a woman.]

Dihedral, dī-hē′dral, adj. having two sides, or two plane faces—also Diē′dral.—n. Dihē′dron. [Gr. di-, two, hedra, a seat.]

Dihexagonal, dī-heks-ag′ō-nal, adj. twelve-sided.

Dihexahedral, dī-heks-a-hē′dral, adj. pertaining to a six-sided prism having three planes on the extremities.—n. Dihexahē′dron.

Dijudicate, dī-jōō′di-kāt, v.t. and v.i. to judge between two: to decide.—n. Dijudicā′tion. [L. di, asunder, and judicāre, judge.]

Dike, dīk, n. a trench, or the earth dug out and thrown up: a ditch: a mound raised to prevent inundation: in Scotland, a wall (Dry-stane dike, a wall without mortar; Fail-dike, a wall of turf), sometimes even a thorn-hedge: (geol.) a wall-like mass of igneous rock in the fissures of stratified rocks.—v.t. to surround with a dike or bank. [A.S. díc; Dut. dijk, Ger. teich, a pond; perh. conn. with Gr. teichos, a wall or rampart. See Dig, Ditch.]

Dilacerate, di-las′ėr-āt, v.t. to rend or tear asunder.—n. Dilacerā′tion. [L. di, asunder, and lacerate.]

Dilapidate, di-lap′i-dāt, v.t. to pull stone from stone: to lay waste: to suffer to go to ruin.—adj. Dilap′idated, in ruins.—ns. Dilapidā′tion, the state of ruin: impairing of church property during an incumbency: (pl.) money paid at the end of an incumbency by the incumbent or his heirs for the purpose of putting the parsonage, &c. in good repair for the succeeding incumbent; Dilap′idator. [L. dilapidāre—di, asunder, lapis, lapidis, a stone.]

Dilate, di-lāt′, v.t. to spread out in all directions: to enlarge: the opposite of contract.—v.i. to widen: to swell out: to speak at length.—ns. Dilātabil′ity, Dilāt′ancy, Dilatā′tion, Dilā′tion, expansion.—adjs. Dilāt′able, that may be dilated or expanded; Dilā′tant.—ns. Dī′latātor, Dilāt′or, Dilāt′er.—adj. Dilāt′ive. [L. dilatus (used as pa.p. of differre), from di (= dis), apart, and latus, borne.]

Dilatory, dil′a-tor-i, adj. slow: given to procrastination: loitering: tending to delay.—adv. Dil′atorily.—n. Dil′atoriness. [L. dilatorius, extending or putting off (time). See Dilate.]

Dilemma, di-lem′a, n. a form of argument in which the maintainer of a certain proposition is committed to accept one of two alternative propositions each of which contradicts his original contention: a position where each of two alternative courses (or of all the feasible courses) is eminently undesirable: a trying practical difficulty. The argument was called a 'horned syllogism,' and the victim compared to a man certain to be impaled on one or other of the horns of an infuriated bull, hence the Horns of a dilemma: the usual phrase Landed in a dilemma is, or suggests, a mixed metaphor.—adj. Dilemmat′ic. [L.,—Gr. dilēmma—di-, twice, double, lēmma, an assumption—lambanein, to take.]

Dilettante, dil-et-an′te, n. one who loves the fine arts, but in a superficial way and without serious purpose (the amateur usually practises them): a dabbler in art, science, or literature:—pl. Dilettan′ti (′tē).—adj. Dilettan′tish.—ns. Dilettan′tism, Dilettan′teism. [It., pr.p. of dilettare, to take delight in—L. delectāre, to delight.]

Diligent, dil′i-jent, adj. steady and earnest in application: industrious.—n. Dil′igence, steady application: industry: (Scots law) a warrant to produce witnesses, books, &c., or a process by which persons or goods are attached: a French or continental stage-coach (also pronounced dē-lē-zhongs)—also Dill′y.—adv. Dil′igently. [Fr.,—diligens, -entis, pr.p. of L. diligĕre, to choose.]

Dill, dil, n. an umbelliferous annual, the seeds used in medicine.—n. Dill′-wa′ter, a stomachic and carminative. [A.S. dile; Ger. and Sw. dill.]

Dilling, dil′ing, n. a darling: the youngest child, the weakling of a litter.

Dilly-bag, dil′i-bag, n. an Australian native-made rush or bark-bag.—Also Dill′i, Dill′y.

Dilly-dally, dil′i-dal′i, v.i. to loiter, trifle. [A kind of reduplication of dally. Cf. Shilly-shally.]

Dilogy, dil′ō-ji, n. repetition: intentional ambiguity.—adj. Dilog′ical.

Dilucidate, di-lū′si-dāt, v.t. (obs.) to elucidate.—adj. Dilū′cid.—n. Dilucidā′tion.

Dilute, dil-ūt′, v.t. to make thinner or more liquid: to diminish the strength, flavour, &c. of, by mixing, esp. with water.—v.i. to become mixed.—adj. diminished in strength by mixing with water.—adj. Dil′uent, diluting.—n. that which dilutes.—ns. Dilute′ness; Dilū′tion. [L. diluĕre, dilūtum—di, away from, luĕre, to wash.]

Diluvium, dil-ū′vi-um, n. an inundation or flood: (geol.) a deposit of sand, gravel, &c. made by extraordinary currents of water—also Dilū′vion.—adjs. Dilū′vial, Dilū′vian, pertaining to a flood, esp. that in the time of Noah: caused by a deluge: composed of diluvium.—n. Dilū′vialist, one who explains geological phenomena by the Flood. [L. diluvium—diluĕre.]

Dim, dim, adj. not bright or distinct: obscure: mysterious: not seeing clearly.—v.t. to make dark: to obscure.—v.i. to become dim:—pr.p. dim′ming; pa.p. dimmed.—adv. Dim′ly.—adj. Dim′mish, somewhat dim.—n. Dim′ness. [A.S. dim; akin to Ice. dimmr, dark, and Ger. dämmerung, twilight.]

Dime, dīm, n. the tenth part of an American dollar, 10 cents, nearly equal to 5d.—Dime museum, a cheap show; Dime novel, a cheap novel, usually sensational. [Fr., orig. disme, from L. decima (pars, a part, being understood), a tenth part.]

Dimension, di-men′shun, n. usually in pl., measure in length, breadth, and thickness (the three dimensions of space): extent: size.—adjs. Dimen′sional, concerning dimension (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, three-dimensional space = space of one, two, three dimensions); Dimen′sioned, having dimension; Dimen′sionless.—Dimension work, masonry in stones of specified size.—Fourth dimension, an additional dimension attributed to space by a hypothetical speculation. [Fr.,—L. dimensio—dimetīri, dimensus—di(= dis), apart, metīri, to measure.]

Dimerous, dim′e-rus, adj. consisting of two parts: (bot.) with two members in each whorl: (entom.) having two-jointed tarsi.—n. Dim′erism. [Gr., di-, double, meros, a part.]

Dimeter, dim′e-tėr, adj. containing two metres or measures.—n. a verse of two measures. [L.,—Gr. dimetros—di-, twice, metron, a measure.]

Dimethylaniline, di-meth-il-an′i-lin, n. an oily liquid: aniline heated with methyl alcohol and hydrochloric acid—from which dyes are obtained. [L. di-, twice, methyl, and aniline.]

Dimetric, dī-met′rik, adj. (crystal.) tetragonal.

Dimidiate, di-mid′i-āt, adj. divided into halves: having a shape that appears as if halved.—v.t. (her.) to represent the half of.—n. Dimidiā′tion. [L. dimidiāre, -ātum, to halve—dimidius; half—dis, twice, medius, the middle.]

Diminish, di-min′ish, v.t. to make less: to take a part from: to degrade.—v.i. to grow or appear less: to subside.—adj. Dimin′ishable.—p.adj. Dimin′ished, made smaller, humbled: (mus.) lessened by a half-step, as an interval.—adv. Dimin′ishingly. [Coined by adding di to the word minish, an imitation of L. diminuĕre—di = dis, apart, minuĕre, to make less.]

Diminuendo, di-min-ū-en′dō, adv. (mus.) a direction to let the sound die away, marked thus . [It.,—L. diminuendus, fut. part. pass. of diminuĕre, diminūtum, to lessen.]

Diminution, dim-in-ū′shun, n. a lessening: degradation.—adj. Dimin′utive, of a diminished size: small: contracted.—n. (gram.) a word formed from another to express a little one of the kind.—adv. Dimin′utively.—n. Dimin′utiveness.

Dimissory, dim′is-or-i, adj. sending away or giving leave to depart to another jurisdiction. [L. dimissorius—dimittĕre, dimissum.]

Dimity, dim′i-ti, n. a kind of stout white cotton cloth, striped or figured in the loom by weaving with two threads. [Through the L., from Gr. dimitos—di-, twice, mitos, a thread.]

Dimorphism, dī-mor′fizm, n. (bot.) a state in which two forms of flower, leaf, &c. are produced by the same species of plant: the property of crystallising in two forms.—adjs. Dimor′phic, Dimor′phous. [Gr. di-, twice, morphē, form.]

Dimple, dim′pl, n. a small hollow: a small natural depression on the face.—v.i. to form dimples.—v.t. to mark with dimples.—p.adj. Dim′pled.—n. Dim′plement.—adj. Dim′ply. [Dim. of dip, with inserted m. Another dim. is dapple.]

Dimyarian, dim-i-ā′ri-an, adj. double-muscled (of bivalve shells like the clam)—also Dim′yary.—n.pl. Dimyā′ria. [Gr. di-, two, mys, a muscle.]

Din, din, n. a loud continued noise.—v.t. to assail (the ears) with noise: to annoy with clamour: to obtrude noisily (as to din one's complaints into their ears):—pr.p. din′ning; pa.p. dinned.—adj. Din′ful. [A.S. dyn, dyne; cf. Ice. dynr, Dan. dön, noise.]

Dinanderie, dē-nong′de-rē, n. domestic utensils of copper, esp. such as are quaint and artistic—applied also to Indian and Levantine brass-ware. [Fr., from Dinant in Belgium.]

Dinar, dē-när′, n. an ancient Arab gold coin of 65 grains weight. [L. denarius.]

Dinarchy. See Diarchy.

Dindle. See Dinnle.

Dine, dīn, v.i. to take dinner.—v.t. to give a dinner to.—n. (obs.) dinner-time.—ns. Din′er-out, one who goes much to dinner-parties; Dinette′, a preliminary dinner, luncheon; Din′ing-hall; Din′ing-room; Din′ing-tā′ble.—Dine out, to dine elsewhere than at home; Dine with Duke Humphrey, to go without a meal, like those who, unable to procure a dinner, loitered about Duke Humphrey's Walk in Old St Paul's. [O. Fr. disner (Fr. dîner)—Low L. disjunāre, for disjejunāre, to break one's fast—L. dis-, and jejunus, fasting (cf. Déjeuner). Others explain disnare as from decenāre—L. de, inten., and cenāre, to dine.]

Ding, ding, v.t. to throw, dash, or hurl: to beat: (arch.) to urge or enforce: (Scot.) to defeat, non-plus—also, as v.i., to be defeated: to descend, fall, as of continued heavy rain or snow falling.—Ding doun (Scot.), to knock or throw down. [M. E. dingen; cf. Ice. dengja, Sw. dänga, to bang.]

Ding, ding, v.i. to ring, keep sounding.—v.t. to reiterate to a wearisome degree.—n. Ding′-dong, the sound of bells ringing: monotony: sameness. [Imit. Cf. Ring.]

Dingle, ding′gl, n. a little hollow or narrow valley. [Prob. conn. with dimple and dip.]

Dingle-dangle, ding′gl-dang′gl, adv. hanging loose: swinging backwards and forwards. [A duplication of Dangle.]

Dingo, ding′gō, n. the native dog of Australia.

Dingy, Dingey, ding′gi, n. the smallest ship's boat: in India, a canoe. [Beng. dingī, a boat.]

Dingy, din′ji, adj. of a dim or dark colour: dull: soiled.—n. Din′giness. [Acc. to Skeat = dungy.]

Dinic, din′ik, adj. relating to vertigo or dizziness.—n. a remedy for dizziness. [Gr. dinos, whirling.]

Dink, dingk, adj. (Scot.) braw, trim.—v.t. to dress neatly.

Dinmont, din′mont, n. a Border name for a wether between the first and second shearing.

Dinner, din′ėr, n. the chief meal of the day: a feast.—ns. Dinnerette′, a little dinner; Dinn′er-hour.—adj. Dinn′erless.—ns. Dinn′er-tā′ble; Dinn′er-time; Dinn′er-wag′on, a set of light movable shelves for a dining-room. [O. Fr. disner, prop. breakfast. See Dine.]

Dinnle, din′l, v.i. (Scot.) to tingle.—n. a thrill.—Also Din′dle.

Dinoceras, dī-nos′er-as, n. an extinct genus of mammals found in Wyoming, approaching the elephant in size, and named from three pairs of osseous protuberances on the skull. [Formed from Gr. deinos, terrible, keras, horn.]

Dinornis, dī-nor′nis, n. a genus of large extinct birds, the bones of which are found in New Zealand. [Formed from Gr. deinos, terrible, and ornis, a bird.]

Dinosaur, dī′no-sawr, n. a gigantic extinct reptile, which attained a length of eighty feet. [Formed from Gr. deinos, terrible, and sauros, lizard.]

Dinotherium, dī-no-thē′ri-um, n. an extinct animal of huge size, with elephant-like tusks and trunk. [Gr. deinos, terrible, thērion, a beast.]

Dint, dint, n. a blow or stroke: the mark of a blow (often Dent): force: power (as in 'by dint of').—v.t. to make a dint in. [A.S. dynt, a blow; Scot. dunt, a blow with a dull sound, Ice. dyntr.]

Diocese, dī′ō-sēs, n. the circuit or extent of a bishop's jurisdiction.—adj. Diocesan (dī-os′es-an, or dī′ō-sē-san), pertaining to a diocese.—n. a bishop as regards his diocese: one of the clergy in the diocese. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. dioikēsis, dioikein, to keep house—di, for dia, sig. completeness, oikein, to manage a household—oikos, a house.]

Diodon, dī′o-don, n. a genus of globe-fishes which have all their teeth consolidated on the jaws, so as to make them like the beak of a bird. [Gr. dis, twice, double, odous, odontos, a tooth.]

Diœcia, dī-ē′shi-a, n. a class of plants having the stamens on one plant and the pistils on another.—adjs. Diœ′cious, Diœ′cian.—adv. Diœ′ciously.—n. Diœ′ciousness. [Gr. di-, twice, oikos, a house.]

Diogenic, dī-o-jen′ik, adj. resembling the Cynic philosopher Diogenes (412-323 B.C.), cynical.

Dionæa, dī-ō-nē′a, n. Venus's fly-trap: an American insectivorous plant. [L., from Gr., a name of Aphrodite or Venus, from her mother Diōnē.]

Dionysia, dī-o-niz′i-a, n.pl. dramatic and orgiastic festivals in honour of Dionysus (Bacchus), god of wine.—adjs. Dionys′iac, Dionys′ian.

Diophantine, dī-o-fan′tīn, adj. pertaining to the Alexandrian mathematician Diophantus (c. 275 A.D.).—Diophantine analysis, the part of algebra which treats of finding particular rational values for general expressions under a surd form.

Diopside, dī-op′sid, n. a grayish and readily cleavable variety of pyroxene. [Gr., dia, through, opsis, a view.]

Diopsis, dī-op′sis, n. a genus of dipterous insects, of the fly family.

Dioptase, dī-op′tās, n. emerald copper ore.

Dioptrate, dī-op′trāt, adj. (entom.) divided transversely.

Dioptric, -al, dī-op′trik, -al, adj. pertaining to dioptrics.—ns. Diop′ter, an ancient form of theodolite: the index-arm of a graduated circle; Diop′trics, the part of optics which treats of the transmission of light from one medium to another.—Dioptric system, in lighthouses (as opposed to reflecting system), illumination from a central lamp whose rays are transmitted through a combination of lenses. [Gr. dia, through, opt-, as in opsesthai, to see, &c.]

Diorama, dī-ō-rä′ma, n. an exhibition of pictures, illuminated, and viewed through an opening in the wall of a darkened chamber.—adj. Dioram′ic. [Gr. dia, through, horama, a sight.]

Diorism, dī′ō-rizm, n. distinction, definition.—adjs. Dioris′tic, -al.—adv. Dioris′tically. [Gr. diorizein, to divide, dia, through, horos, a boundary.]

Diorite, dī′o-rīt, n. a crystalline granular igneous rock composed of feldspar and hornblende. [Gr. diorizein, to distinguish—dia, through, horos, a boundary.]

Diorthosis, dī-or-thō′sis, n. (surg.) the reduction of a dislocation, the correction of a deformity: a critical revision of a text.—adj. Diorthrot′ic. [Gr., dia, through, orthos, straight.]

Dioscorea, di-os-kōr′e-a, n. a genus of twining plants, containing the yams.—n. Dioscorā′ceæ, the order to which Dioscorea belongs.—adj. Dioscorā′ceous. [From the 1st-cent. Greek physician Dioscorides.]

Dioscuri, di-os-kū′ri, n.pl. Castor and Pollux, as sons of Jupiter. [Gr. Dios, gen. of Zeus (Jupiter), and koros (Ion. kouros), a son, a lad.]

Diosmosis, dī-oz-mō′zis, n. the transfusion of a liquid through a membrane.—Also Dios′mose. [Gr. dia, through, ōsmos, a pushing—ōthein, to thrust.]

Diota, dī-ō′ta, n. a two-handled Roman vase.

Diothelism, dī-oth′e-lizm, n. the doctrine that Christ during His life on earth possessed two wills, a human and a divine—opp. to Monothelism—also Dyoth′elism.—n. Dioth′elite, one who holds this.

Dioxide, dī-oks′īd, n. an oxide containing two equivalents of oxygen to one of a metal. [Gr. di-, twice, and oxide.]

Dip, dip, v.t. to dive or plunge into any liquid for a moment: to lower and raise again (as a flag): to baptise by immersion.—v.i. to sink: to enter slightly: to look cursorily: to incline downwards:—pr.p. dip′ping; pa.p. dipped.—n. inclination downwards: a sloping: (geol.) the angle a stratum of rock makes with a horizontal plane: a bath: a candle made by dipping a wick in tallow.—Dip of the horizon, the angle of the horizon below the level of the eye; Dip of the needle, the angle a balanced magnetic needle makes with the plane of the horizon, measured by the Dipping needle, or Compass. [A.S. dyppan, causal of dýpan, to plunge in—deóp, deep; cf. Dan. dyppe; Ger. taufen, to immerse.]

Dipchick, dip′chik, n. Same as Dabchick.

Dipetalous, dī-pet′a-lus, adj. having two petals. [Gr. di-, twice, and petal.]

Diphtheria, dif-thē′ri-a, n. a throat disease in which the air-passages become covered and impeded with a leathery membrane, and a dangerous fever is present.—adj. Diphtherit′ic. [A coinage of 1859 from Gr. diphthera, leather.]

Diphthong, dif′thong, or dip′thong, n. two vowel-sounds pronounced as one syllable.—adj. Diphthong′al, relating to a diphthong.—adv. Diphthong′ally.—n. Diphthongā′tion.—v.t. Diph′thongise. [Through Fr. from Gr. diphthongos, with two sounds—di-, twice, phthongos, sound.]

Diphycercal, dif-i-ser′kal, adj. having the tail symmetrical (of fishes).—Also Diph′ycerc. [Formed from Gr. diphyēs, of double nature, kerkos, a tail.]

Diphyllous, dī-fil′us, adj. having two leaves. [Gr. di-, twice, and phyllon, a leaf.]

Diphyodont, dif′i-ō-dont, adj. having two sets of teeth.—n. a mammal possessing such.

Diphysite, dif′i-sīt, n. one who holds the doctrine of Diph′ysitism, or the belief of the existence of two natures in Christ, a divine and a human—opp. to Monophysite; less correctly Dioph′ysite, Diophys′itism. [Gr. di-, two, physis, nature.]

Dipleidoscope, di-plī′dō-skōp, n. an instrument for ascertaining the moment of passage of the sun or a star over the meridian. [Formed from Gr. diploos, double, eidos, appearance, skopein, to view.]

Diplex, dī′pleks, adj. pertaining to the transmission of two simultaneous messages over one wire in the same direction.

Diploe, dip′lō-ē, n. (anat.) the spongy tissue between the hard inner and outer tables of the skull.

Diplogenic, dip-lō-jen′ik, adj. producing two bodies.—n. Diplogen′esis, the production in duplicate of parts normally single. [Gr. diploos, double, genesis, generation.]

Diploma, di-plō′ma, n. a writing conferring some honour or privilege, as a university degree, &c.—v.t. to furnish with a diploma. [L.,—Gr. diplōma, a letter folded double—diploos, double.]

Diplomacy, di-plō′ma-si, n. the art of negotiation, esp. of treaties between states: political skill.—n. Diplomat′ic, a minister at a foreign court: (pl.) the science of deciphering ancient writings, as charters, decrees, &c.—paleography.—adjs. Diplomat′ic, -al, pertaining to diplomacy: skilful in negotiation.—adv. Diplomat′ically.—v.i. and v.t. Diplō′matise, to practise, or effect by, diplomacy.—ns. Diplō′matist, Dip′lōmat, one skilled in diplomacy; Diplomatol′ogy, the study or science of diplomatics, charters, decrees, &c.—Diplomatic corps, or Corps diplomatique, the whole body of foreign diplomatists resident at any court.

Diplopia, dip′-lō′pi-a, n. double vision.

Diplozoon, dip-lō-zō′on, n. a remarkable flat worm or Trematode, consisting of two organisms fused together. [Gr. diploos, double, zōon, an animal.]

Dipnoi, dip′noi, n.pl. the lung fishes.—adj. Dip′noous, having both lungs and gills.

Dipody, dip′o-di, n. (pros.) a double foot.

Dipolar, dī-pō′lar, adj. having two poles.

Dipper, dip′ėr, n. a genus of birds in the Thrush family that find their food by diving into streams or lakes: a kind of Baptist or Dunker.

Diprismatic, dī-priz-mat′ik, adj. doubly prismatic.

Dipsacus, dip′sa-kus, n. the teasel. [Gr. dipsa, thirst, because the leaf-axils hold water.]

Dipsas, dip′sas, n. a snake whose bite was believed to cause intense thirst: a genus of non-venomous snakes. [Gr. dipsas—dipsa, thirst.]

Dipsector, dip′sekt-or, n. an instrument for observing the dip of the horizon. [Dip and sector.]

Dipsomania, dip-sō-mā′ni-a, n. a morbid craving for alcoholic stimulants.—ns. Dipsomā′niac, one who suffers from the foregoing; Dipsop′athy, treatment by restricting a patient's drink; Dipsō′sis, morbid thirst. [Gr. dipsa, thirst, and mania, madness.]

Diptera, dip′ter-a, n.pl. two-winged insects or flies.—ns. Dip′teran, a dipterous insect; Dip′teros, a building with double peristyle or colonnade.—adjs. Dip′terous, Dip′teral. [Gr. dipteros, two-winged, di-, twice, pteron, a wing.]

Diptych, dip′tik, n. a double-folding writing-tablet: a register of bishops, saints, &c. read aloud during the eucharist: a pair of pictures as folding-tablets. [Gr. diptychos—di-, and ptyssein, to fold.]

Dirdum, dir′dum, n. (Scot.) uproar: a scolding.

Dire, dīr, adj. dreadful: calamitous in a high degree—(poet.) Dire′ful.—adv. Dire′fully.—n. Dire′fulness. [L. dirus; cf. Gr. deinos, frightful.]

Direct, di-rekt′, adj. quite straight: straightforward: in the line of descent: outspoken: sincere: unambiguous: unsophisticated in manner.—v.t. to keep or lay quite straight: to point or aim straightly or correctly: to point out the proper course to: to guide: to order: to mark with the name and residence of a person.—v.i. to act as director.—n. Direc′tion, aim at a certain point: the line of course in which anything moves: guidance: command: the body of persons who guide or manage a matter: the written name and residence of a person.—adjs. Direc′tional; Direct′ive, having power or tendency to direct.—adv. Direct′ly, in a direct manner: without intermediary: immediately (in time and otherwise).—ns. Direct′ness; Direct′or, one who directs: a manager or governor: a counsellor: a father confessor or spiritual guide: part of a machine or instrument which guides its motion:—fem. Direct′ress, Direct′rix.—ns. Direct′orāte, Direct′orship, the office, or a body of, directors.—adjs. Directō′rial; Direct′ory, containing directions: guiding.—n. a body of directions: a guide: a book with the names and residences of the inhabitants of a place: a body of directors: the Directoire, or French Republican government of 1795-99.—n. Direct′rix, a line serving to describe a circle. [L. dirigĕre, directum—di, apart, and regĕre, to rule, to make straight.]

Dirge, dėrj, n. a funeral song or hymn. [Contracted from dirige, the first word of an antiphon sung in the office for the dead—the words from the Vulgate, Psalm v. 8. L. dirigĕre, to direct.]

Dirhem, dir′hem, n. an oriental weight and silver coin, originally two-thirds of an Attic drachma.—Also Dir′ham, Der′ham. [Ar., Pers., and Turk. modifications of the Greek drachmē, a drachma or dram.]

Dirigible, dir′i-ji-bl, adj. that can be directed.—adj. Dir′igent, directing. [See Direct.]

Diriment, dir′i-ment, adj. nullifying. [L. dirimĕre.]

Dirk, dėrk, n. a Highland dagger or poniard: a side-arm worn by midshipmen and cadets of the royal navy.—v.t. to stab with a dirk. [Scot. durk; from the Celt., as in Ir. duirc.]

Dirk, dėrk, adj. (Spens.) dark.—v.t. (Spens.) to darken. [See Dark.]

Dirl, dirl, v.i. (Scot.) to thrill, vibrate.—n. a vibration, a sensation of tingling as after a blow.

Dirt, dėrt, n. any filthy substance, such as dung, mud, &c.: loose earth.—v.t. to make dirty.—n. Dirt′-bed, a quarryman's term for several layers in the Purbeck group.—adj. Dirt′-cheap, cheap as dirt, very cheap.—n. Dirt′-eating, a practice of using some kinds of clay for food, as among the Ottomacs of South America: a morbid impulse to eat dirt, amongst negroes (Cachexia Africana) and pregnant women.—adv. Dirt′ily.—ns. Dirt′iness; Dirt′-pie, clay moulded by children's hands in the form of a pie.—adjs. Dirt′-rotten (Shak.), wholly decayed; Dirt′y, foul, filthy: unclean in thought or conversation: despicable: mean.—v.t. to soil with dirt: to sully:—pr.p. dirt′ying; pa.p. dirt′ied.—Eat dirt, submissively to acquiesce in a humiliation; Throw dirt at, to abuse scurrilously or slanderously. [M. E. drit—Scand., Ice. drit, excrement.]

Dis, dis, n. a name for Pluto, sometimes the infernal world. [L., cog. with deus, divus.]

Disable, dis-ā′bl, v.t. to deprive of power: to weaken: to disqualify.—ns. Disā′blement, Disabil′ity, want of power; want of legal qualification: disqualification.

Disabuse, dis-ab-ūz′, v.t. to undeceive: to set right.

Disaccommodate, dis-a-kom′ō-dāt, v.t. to put to inconvenience.—n. Disaccommodā′tion.

Disaccord, dis-ak-kord′, v.i. (Spens.) to refuse to accord, to dissent.—adj. Disaccord′ant.

Disaccustom, dis-a-kus′tom, v.t. to make a habit to be lost through disuse.

Disacknowledge, dis-ak-nol′ej, v.t. to refuse to acknowledge, disown.

Disadorn, dis-a-dorn′, v.t. to deprive of ornaments.

Disadvance, dis-ad-vans′, v.t. to cause to retreat: (Spens.) to draw back.

Disadvantage, dis-ad-vant′āj, n. want of advantage: what is unfavourable to one's interest: loss: injury.—adjs. Disadvan′tageable (obs.); Disadvantā′geous, attended with disadvantage: unfavourable.—adv. Disadvantā′geously.—n. Disadvantā′geousness.

Disadventurous, dis-ad-ven′tūr-us, adj. unfortunate.—ns. Disadven′ture, Disaven′ture (Spens.), a mishap.—adj. Disaven′trous (Spens.), unfortunate.

Disaffect, dis-af-fekt′, v.t. to take away the affection of: to make discontented or unfriendly.—pa.p. and adj. Disaffect′ed, ill-disposed, disloyal.—adv. Disaffect′edly.—ns. Disaffect′edness, Disaffec′tion, state of being disaffected: want of affection or friendliness: disloyalty: hostility: ill-will.—adj. Disaffec′tionate.

Disaffirm, dis-af-fėrm′, v.t. to deny (what has been affirmed): to contradict.—ns. Disaffirm′ance, Disaffirma′tion.

Disafforest, dis-af-for′est, v.t. to deprive of the privilege of forest laws: to bring into the condition of common land.—ns. Disafforestā′tion, Disaffor′estment (see Disforest). [L. dis, neg., and Low L. afforestāre, to make into a forest. See Forest.]

Disaggregate, dis-ag′greg-āt, v.t. to separate into component parts.—n. Disaggregā′tion.

Disagree, dis-a-grē′, v.i. to differ or be at variance: to dissent: to quarrel: to prove unsuitable or a source of annoyance, as of food disagreeing with the stomach.—adj. Disagree′able, not agreeable: unpleasant: offensive.—ns. Disagree′ableness, Disagreeabil′ity.—n.pl. Disagree′ables, annoyances.—adv. Disagree′ably.—n. Disagree′ment, want of agreement: difference: unsuitableness: dispute.

Disallow, dis-al-low′, v.t. not to allow: to refuse permission to: to deny the authority of: to reject.—adj. Disallow′able.—n. Disallow′ance.

Disally, dis-al-lī′, v.t. to break the alliance of: (Milt.) to separate, sunder.

Disanchor, dis-angk′ur, v.t. to free from the anchor.—v.i. to weigh anchor.

Disanimate, dis-an′i-māt, v.t. to deprive of spirit or animation: (Shak.) to deject.

Disannex, dis-a-neks′, v.t. to disjoin.

Disannul, dis-an-nul′, v.t. to annul completely.—ns. Disannul′ler; Disannul′ment, Disannul′ling.

Disanoint, dis-a-noint′, v.t. to undo the anointing or consecration of.

Disapparal, dis-ap-par′el, v.t. to disrobe.

Disappear, dis-ap-pēr′, v.i. to vanish from sight.—n. Disappear′ance, a ceasing to appear: removal from sight, flight, secret withdrawal.

Disappoint, dis-ap-point′, v.t. to frustrate of what is appointed: to deprive one of what he expected.—p.adjs. Disappoint′ed, balked: frustrated: (Shak.) unprepared or ill-prepared; Disappoint′ing, causing disappointment.—n. Disappoint′ment, the defeat of one's hopes: frustration: the vexation accompanying failure. [O. Fr. desapointer—des = L. dis, away, and apointer, to appoint. See Appoint.]

Disapprobation, dis-ap-prob-ā′shun, n. censure: dislike.—adjs. Disap′probātive, Disap′probātry.

Disappropriate, dis-ap-prō′pri-āt, v.t. to take away from that to which anything has been appropriated.—adj. deprived of appropriation.

Disapprove, dis-a-prōōv′, v.t. to give an unfavourable opinion of, to regard as bad or blameworthy (usually followed with of): to reject.—n. Disapprov′al.—adv. Disapprov′ingly.

Disarm, diz-ärm′, v.t. to deprive of arms: to render defenceless: to quell: to deprive of the power to hurt: to reduce to a peace footing.—v.i. to disband troops, reduce national armaments to a peace footing.—n. Disarm′ament. [O. Fr. desarmer, des—L. dis-, neg., armer, to arm.]

Disarrange, dis-ar-rānj′, v.t. to undo the arrangement of: to disorder: to derange.—n. Disarrange′ment.

Disarray, dis-ar-rā′, v.t. to break the array of: to throw into disorder: to strip of array or dress.—n. want of array or order: undress. [O. Fr. desarroi, des—L. dis, away, arroi. See Array.]

Disarticulate, dis-ar-tik′ūl-āt, v.t. to separate the joints of.—n. Disarticulā′tion.

Disassociate, dis-as-sō′shi-āt, v.t. to disconnect things associated: to dissociate.—n. Disassociā′tion.

Disaster, diz-as′tėr, n. an adverse or unfortunate event: a great and sudden misfortune: calamity.—adj. Disas′trous, calamitous, ruinous: gloomy, foreboding disaster.—adv. Disas′trously. [O. Fr. desastre, des—L. dis, with evil sense, astre—L. astrum, a star, destiny.]

Disattach, dis-a-tach′, v.t. to undo what is attached.—n. Disattach′ment.

Disattire, dis-at-tīr′, v.t. to divest of attire or dress: (Spens.) to undress.

Disattune, dis-at-tūn′, v.t. to put out of harmony.

Disauthorise, dis-aw′thor-īz, v.t. to deprive of authority.

Disaventure (Spens.) = disadventure.

Disavouch, dis-a-vowch′, v.t. to disavow.

Disavow, dis-a-vow′, v.t. to disclaim knowledge of, sanction of, or connection with: to disown: to deny.—n. Disavow′al. [O. Fr. desavouer, des—L. dis, away, avouer, to avow.]

Disband, dis-band′, v.t. to break up a band: to disperse, esp. of troops.—v.i. to break up.—n. Disband′ment. [O. Fr. desbander, des—L. dis, neg., bander.]

Disbar, dis-bär′, v.t. to expel a barrister from the bar.

Disbark, dis-bärk′, v.t. to land from a ship: to disembark. [O. Fr. desbarquer, des—L. dis, neg., barque, bark.]

Disbark, dis-bärk′, v.t. to strip of bark, to bark.

Disbelieve, dis-be-lēv′, v.t. to refuse belief or credit to: to deny the truth of, esp. of religious dogmas.—ns. Disbelief′; Disbeliev′er.

Disbench, dis-bensh′, v.t. (Shak.) to drive from a bench or seat: to deprive of the privilege of a bencher (e.g. in the Inns of Court).

Disbend, dis-bend′, v.t. to unbend.

Disbloom, dis-blōōm′, v.t. to deprive of bloom or blossoms.

Disbodied, dis-bod′id, adj. disembodied.

Disbosom, dis-booz′um, v.t. to make known, reveal.

Disbowel, dis-bow′el, v.t. (fig.) to disembowel:—pr.p. disbow′elling; pa.p. disbow′elled.

Disbranch, dis-bransh′, v.t. to break off, as a branch from a tree: to sever.

Disbud, dis-bud′, v.t. to deprive of buds or shoots.

Disburden, dis-bur′dn, Disburthen, dis-bur′thn, v.t. to unburden or rid of a burden: to free.

Disburse, dis-burs′, v.t. to pay out.—n. Disburse′ment, a paying out: that which is paid out. [O. Fr. desbourser, des—L. dis, apart, and bourse, a purse.]

Disc, Disk, disk, n. the face of a round plate, any flat, round object: the face of a celestial body: (bot.) the flat surface of an organ, as a leaf, any flat, round growth.—adjs. Disc′al; Discif′erous; Disciflō′ral; Dis′ciform. [L. discus—Gr. diskos, a round plate, a quoit—dikein, to cast. See Desk, Dish.]

Discage, dis-kāj′, v.t. to take out of a cage.

Discalced, dis-kalsd′, adj. without shoes, barefooted, a term for a branch of the Carmelite order. [L. discalceātus—dis, neg., and calceāre, -ātum, to shoe, calceus, a shoe—calx, the heel.]

Discandy, dis-kan′di, v.i. (Shak.) to dissolve or melt from a state of being candied.

Discant, dis′kant. Same as Descant.

Discapacitate, dis-ka-pas′i-tāt, v.t. to incapacitate.

Discard, dis-kärd, v.t. and v.i. to throw away, as not needed or not allowed by the game, said of cards: in whist, to throw down a (useless) card of another suit when one cannot follow suit and cannot or will not trump: to cast off: to discharge: to reject.—n. the act of discarding: the card or cards thrown out of the hand.—n. Discard′ment.

Discase, dis-kās′, v.t. (Shak.) to remove a case or covering from, to undress.

Discept, dis-ept′, v.i. (Browning) to dispute, debate.—n. Disceptā′tion.—adj. Disceptā′tious.—n. Disceptā′tor.—adj. Disceptatō′rial. [L. disceptare, -ātum, to contend.]

Discern, diz-ėrn′, v.t. to distinguish clearly by the eye or understanding: to judge (sometimes with between).—n. Discern′er.—adj. Discern′ible.—adv. Discern′ibly.—p.adj. Discern′ing, discriminating, acute.—n. Discern′ment, power or faculty of discriminating: judgment: acuteness. [L. discern˘ere—dis, thoroughly, and cernĕre, to sift, perceive.]

Discerp, di-serp′, v.t. to separate.—n. Discerpibil′ity, capability of being disunited.—adjs. Discerp′ible, Discerp′tible.—n. Discerp′tion.—adj. Discerp′tive. [L. discerpĕre, to tear in pieces.]

Discharge, dis-chärj′, v.t. to free from a load or charge: to unload or remove the cargo: to set free: to acquit: to dismiss: to fire, as a gun: to let out or emit: to perform, as duties: to pay, as an account.—n. act of discharging: unloading: acquittance: dismissal: a flowing out: payment: performance: that which is discharged.—n. Discharg′er. [O. Fr. descharger—des, apart, and charger, to load.]

Discharity, dis-char′i-ti, n. want of charity.

Discharm, dis-chärm, v.t. to remove the charm, or power of a charm, from.

Dischurch, dis-church′, v.t. to deprive of church rank or privileges.

Discide, dis-sīd′, v.t. (Spens.) to cut asunder, to divide. [L. dis, asunder, and cœdĕre, to cut.]

Discinct, dis-singkt′, adj. ungirded. [L. discingĕre, -cinctum, to ungird.]

Disciple, dis-ī′pl, n. one who professes to receive instruction from another: one who follows or believes in the doctrine of another: a follower, esp. one of the twelve disciples of Christ.—v.t. (Spens.) to teach.—n. Discī′pleship.—Disciples of Christ, a denomination of American Baptists, also known as Campbellites. [Fr.,—L. discipulus, from discĕre, to learn; akin to docēre, to teach.]

Discipline, dis′i-plin, n. instruction: training, or mode of life in accordance with rules: subjection to control: order: severe training: mortification: punishment: an instrument of penance or punishment.—v.t. to subject to discipline: to train: to educate: to bring under control: to chastise.—adjs. Dis′ciplinable; Dis′ciplinal.—ns. Dis′ciplinant, one who subjects himself to a certain discipline, esp. one of an order of Spanish flagellants; Disciplinā′rian, one who enforces strict discipline; Disciplinā′rium, a scourge for penitential flogging.—adj. Dis′ciplinary, of the nature of discipline—n. Dis′cipliner, one who disciplines.—First, and Second, Book of Discipline, two documents (1560 and 1578) embodying the constitution and order of procedure of the Church of Scotland from the period of the Reformation. [L. disciplina, from discipulus.]

Discission, di-sish′un, n. an incision into a tumour or cataract. [See Discide.]

Disclaim, dis-klām′, v.t. to renounce all claim to: to refuse to acknowledge or be responsible for: to reject.—v.i. to give up all claim (with in).—ns. Disclaim′er, a denial, disavowal, or renunciation; Disclamā′tion, a disavowal. [O. Fr. disclaimer—L. dis, apart, clamāre, to cry out.]

Disclose, dis-klōz′, v.t. to unclose: to open: to lay open: to bring to light: to reveal.—n. Disclō′sure, act of disclosing: a bringing to light or revealing: that which is disclosed or revealed. [O. Fr. desclos—L. discludēre—dis, apart, claudĕre, to shut, close.]

Discobolus, dis-kob′o-lus, n. 'the disc-thrower,' the name of several famous statues of athletes. [L.,—Gr. diskos, a quoit, ballein, to throw.]

Discoid, -al, dis′koid, -al, adj. having the form of a disc. [Gr. diskos, and eidos, form.]

Discolour, dis-kul′ur, v.t. to take away colour from: to change or to spoil the natural colour of: to alter the appearance of: to mark with other colours, to stain: to dirty, disfigure.—n. Discolorā′tion, act of discolouring: state of being discoloured: stain.—p.adj. Discol′oured, stained, &c.: (Spens.) many-coloured. [O. Fr. descolorer—L. dis, apart, and colorāre—color; colour.]

Discomfit, dis-kum′fit, v.t. to disconcert, to balk: to defeat or rout;—pr.p. discom′fiting; pa.p. discom′fited.—n. (Milt.) defeat.—n. Discom′fiture. [O. Fr. desconfit, pa.p. of desconfire—L. dis, neg., conficĕre, to prepare—con, inten., facĕre, to make.]

Discomfort, dis-kum′furt, n. want of comfort: uneasiness: pain.—v.t. to deprive of comfort: to make uneasy: to pain: to grieve.—adj. Discom′fortable, causing discomfort: uncomfortable. [O. Fr. desconforter—des, apart, conforter, to comfort.]

Discommend, dis-kom-end′, v.t. to blame.—adj. Discommend′able.—ns. Discommend′ableness, Discommendā′tion.

Discommission, dis-kom-ish′un, v.t. (Milt.) to deprive of a commission.

Discommode, dis-kom-ōd′, v.t. to incommode.—adj. Discommō′dious.—adv. Discommō′diously.—n. Discommod′ity, inconvenience.

Discommon, dis-kom′un, v.t. to deprive of the right of common, or, at Oxford and Cambridge, of dealing with undergraduates.

Discommunity, dis-kom-ūn′i-ti, n. want of community.

Discompose, dis-kom-pōz′, v.t. to deprive of composure: to disarrange, to disorder: to disturb: to agitate.—n. Discompō′sure.

Disconcert, dis-kon-sėrt′, v.t. to deprive of harmony or agreement: to disturb: to frustrate: to defeat: to put out of countenance.—n. Discon′cert, disunion; Disconcer′tion, confusion; Disconcert′ment. [O. Fr. disconcerter—des = L. dis, apart, and concerter, to concert.]

Disconformable, dis-kon-form′a-bl, adj. not conformable.—n. Disconform′ity, want of conformity: inconsistency.

Discongruity, dis-kon-grōō′i-ti, n. incongruity.

Disconnect, dis-kon-ekt′, v.t. to separate or disjoin (with from).—p.adj. Disconnect′ed, separated: loosely united, as of a discourse.—adv. Disconnect′edly.—n. Disconnec′tion.

Disconsent, dis-kon-sent′, v.i. to differ, dissent.

Disconsolate, dis-kon′sō-lāt, adj. without consolation or comfort: hopeless: sad.—adv. Discon′solately.—ns. Discon′solateness, Disconsolā′tion. [L. dis, neg., and consolāri, consolātus, to console.]

Discontent, dis-kon-tent′, adj. not content: dissatisfied: ill-humoured: peevish.—n. want of content: dissatisfaction: ill-humour.—v.t. to deprive of content: to stir up to ill-will.—adj. Discontent′ed, dissatisfied.—adv. Discontent′edly.—n. Discontent′edness.—adj. Discontent′ful.—p.adj. Discontent′ing, not contenting or satisfying: (Shak.) discontented.—n. Discontent′ment, the opposite of contentment: ill-humour.

Discontinue, dis-kon-tin′ū, v.t. to cease to continue: to put an end to: to leave off: to stop.—v.i. to cease: to be separated from.—ns. Discontin′uance, Discontinuā′tion, a breaking off or ceasing; Discontinū′ity.—adj. Discontin′uous, not continuous: broken off: separated: interrupted by intervening spaces.—adv. Discontin′uously. [O. Fr. discontinuer—L. dis, neg., and continuāre, to continue.]

Discophora, dis-kof′ō-ra, n.pl. the discoidal hydrozoans—jelly-fishes, &c.—n. Discoph′oran, one of the foregoing.—adj. Discoph′orous, having a gelatinous bell or disc. [Gr.]

Discord, dis′kord, n. opposite of concord: disagreement, strife: difference or contrariety of qualities: a combination of inharmonious sounds: uproarious noise.—v.i. Discord′, to disagree.—ns. Discord′ance, Discord′ancy.—adj. Discord′ant, without concord or agreement: inconsistent: contradictory: harsh: jarring.—adv. Discord′antly.—adj. Discord′ful (Spens.).—Apple of discord (see Apple). [O. Fr. descord—L. discordia—dis, neg., and cor, cordis, the heart.]

Discorporate, dis-kor′pō-rāt, adj. disembodied.

Discounsel, dis-kown′sel, v.t. (Spens.) to dissuade. [O. Fr. desconseillier—des, apart, and conseillier, to counsel.]

Discount, dis′kownt, n. a sum taken from the reckoning: a sum returned to the payer of an account: a deduction made for interest in advancing money on a bill.—v.t. Discount′, to allow discount: to advance money on, deducting discount: to put a reduced value on, as in an extravagant statement or fabulous story.—v.i. to practise discounting.—adj. Discount′able.—ns. Dis′count-brok′er, one who cashes notes or bills of exchange at a discount; Discount′er.—At a discount, below par: not sought after: superfluous: depreciated in value. [O. Fr. descompter, des—L. dis, away, compter, to count.]

Discountenance, dis-kown′ten-ans, v.t. (obs.) to put out of countenance: to abash: to refuse countenance or support to: to discourage.—n. cold treatment: disapprobation. [O. Fr. descontenancer, des-, neg., contenance, countenance.]

Discourage, dis-kur′āj, v.t. to take away the courage of: to dishearten: to seek to check by showing disfavour to.—n. Discour′agement, act of discouraging: that which discourages: dejection.—p.adj. Discour′aging, disheartening, depressing.—adv. Discour′agingly. [O. Fr. descourager. See Courage.]

Discourse, dis-kōrs′, n. speech or language generally: conversation: the reasoning faculty: a treatise: a sermon.—v.i. to talk or converse: to reason: to treat formally.—v.t. to utter or give forth.—n. Discours′er (Shak.).—adj. Discours′ive. [Fr. discours—L. discursus—dis, away, currĕre, to run.]

Discourteous, dis-kurt′yus, adj. wanting in good manners; uncivil: rude.—adv. Discourt′eously.—ns. Discourt′eousness, Discourt′esy. [O. Fr. descourtois, des—L. dis, neg., cortois, courteous.]

Discous, disk′us, adj. disc-like: broad: flat.

Discover, dis-kuv′ėr, v.t. to uncover: to lay open or expose: to exhibit: to make known: to find out: to espy.—adj. Discoverable.—ns. Discov′erer; Discov′ery, the act of finding out: the thing discovered. [O. Fr. descouvrir, des—L. dis, away, couvrir, to cover.]

Discovert, dis-kuv′ert, adj. (law) not under the bonds of matrimony, either of a spinster or widow.—n. Discov′erture. [Lit. uncovered, unprotected; O. Fr. descovert. See Discover.]

Discredit, dis-kred′it, n. want of credit: bad credit: ill-repute: disgrace.—v.t. to refuse credit to, or belief in: to deprive of credibility: to deprive of credit: to disgrace.—adj. Discred′itable, not creditable: disgraceful.—adv. Discred′itably.

Discreet, dis-krēt′, adj. having discernment: wary: circumspect: prudent.—adv. Discreetly.—n. Discreet′ness. [O. Fr. discret—L. discrētus—discernĕre, to separate, to perceive.]

Discrepancy, dis-krep′an-si, or dis′krep-an-si, n. disagreement, variance of facts or sentiments—(obs.) Discrep′ance.—adj. Discrep′ant, contrary, disagreeing. [Through Fr. from L. discrepan(t)s, different—dis, asunder, and crepans, pr.p. of crepāre, to sound.]

Discrete, dis-krēt′, adj. separate: consisting of distinct parts: referring to distinct objects—opposite of concrete.—adv. Discrete′ly.—n. Discrete′ness.—adj. Discret′ive, separating: disjunctive.—adv. Discret′ively. [A doublet of discreet.]

Discretion, dis-kresh′un, n. quality of being discreet: prudence: liberty to act at pleasure.—adjs. Discre′tional, Discre′tionary, left to discretion: unrestricted,—advs. Discre′tionally, Discre′tionarily.—Age, Years, of discretion, mature years; At discretion, according to one's own judgment; Be at one's discretion, to be completely under another person's power or control; Surrender at discretion, to surrender unconditionally, that is, to another's discretion. [Through Fr. from L. discretion-em, discernĕre, -crētum.]

Discriminate, dis-krim′i-nāt, v.t. to note the difference: to distinguish: to select from others.—v.i. to make a difference or distinction: to distinguish.—adv. Discrim′inately.—p.adj. Discrim′inating, noting distinctions: gifted with judgment and penetration.—adv. Discrim′inatingly.—n. Discriminā′tion, act or quality of distinguishing: acuteness: discernment, judgment.—adj. Discrim′inative, that marks a difference: characteristic: observing distinctions.—adv. Discrim′inatively.—n. Discrim′inātor. [L. discrimināre, -ātum—discrimen, discriminis, that which separates, discernĕre, discern.]

Discrown, dis-krown′, v.t. to deprive of a crown.

Disculpate, dis-kul′pāt, v.t. to free from blame.

Discumber, dis-kum′bėr, v.t. to disencumber.

Discure, dis-kūr′, v.t. (Spens.) to discover.

Discursive, dis-kur′siv, adj. running from one thing to another: roving, desultory: proceeding regularly from premises to conclusion: intellectual, rational.—ns. Discur′sion, desultory talk: act of reasoning; Discur′sist, a disputer.—adv. Discur′sively.—n. Discur′siveness.—adj. Discur′sory, discursive.—n. Discur′sus, argument. [See Discourse.]

Discus, dis′kus, n. a quoit, disc. [L.,—Gr. diskos.]

Discuss, dis-kus′, v.t. to examine in detail, or by disputation: to debate: to sift: (coll.) to consume, as a bottle of wine.—adj. Discuss′able.—n. Discus′sion, debate: (surg.) dispersion of a tumour.—adjs. Discuss′ive, Discū′tient, able or tending to discuss or disperse tumours.—n. Discū′tient, a medicine with this property. [L. discutĕre, discussum—dis, asunder, quatĕre, to shake.]

Disdain, dis-dān′, v.t. to think unworthy: to reject as unsuitable: to scorn.—n. a feeling of scorn or aversion: haughtiness.—adjs. Disdained′ (Shak.), disdainful; Disdain′ful.—adv. Disdain′fully.—n. Disdain′fulness. [O. Fr. desdaigner—L. dedignāri, de, dis, neg., and dignus, worthy.]

Disease, diz-ēz′, n. a disorder or want of health in mind or body: ailment: cause of pain.—v.t. (Spens.) to make uneasy.—p.adj. Diseased′, affected with disease.—n. Diseas′edness.—adj. Disease′ful. [O. Fr. desaise, des—L. dis, neg., aise, ease.]

Disedge, dis-ej′, v.t. (Shak.) to deprive of the edge: to blunt; to dull.

Disedify, dis-ed′i-fī, v.t. to do the reverse of edifying: to scandalise.—n. Disedificā′tion.

Disembark, dis-em-bärk′, v.t. to land persons, troops, &c.: to take out of a ship.—v.i. to quit a ship: to land.—ns. Disembarkā′tion, Disembark′ment. [O. Fr. desembarquer, des-—L. dis, neg., embarquer. See Embark.]

Disembarrass, dis-em-bär′as, v.t. to free from embarrassment or perplexity.—n. Disembarr′assment. [O. Fr. disembarrasser, des—L. dis, neg., embarrasser. See Embarrass.]

Disembellish, dis-em-bel′ish, v.t. to deprive of embellishment.

Disembitter, dis-em-bit′ėr, v.t. to free from bitterness.

Disembody, dis-em-bod′i, v.t. to take away from or out of the body (esp. of disembodied spirits): to discharge from military service or array.—n. Disembod′iment.

Disembogue, dis-em-bōg′, v.t. and v.i. to discharge at the mouth, as a stream.—n. Disembogue′ment. [Sp. desembocar, des—L. dis, asunder, embocar, to enter the mouth, em-—L. im, in, into, boca—L. bucca, a cheek, the mouth.]

Disembosom, dis-em-bōōz′um, v.t. to separate from the bosom: to disburden one's self of a secret.

Disembowel, dis-em-bow′el, v.t. to take out the bowels of: to tear out the inside of a thing.—n. Disembow′elment.

Disembrangle, dis-em-brang′gl, v.t. to free from dispute.

Disembroil, dis-em-broil′, v.t. to free from broil or confusion.

Disemburden, dis-em-bur′dn, v.t. to disburden.

Disemploy, dis-em-ploi′, v.t. to relieve of employment.—adj. Disemployed′.

Disenable, dis-en-ā′bl, v.t. to make unable: to disable: (obs.) to deprive of power.

Disenchain, dis-en-chān′, v.t. to free from restraint.

Disenchant, dis-en-chant′, v.t. to free from enchantment, to disillusionise.—ns. Disenchant′er:—fem. Disenchant′ress; Disenchant′ment. [O. Fr. desenchanter, des—L. dis, neg., enchanter, to enchant.]

Disenclose, dis-en-klōz′, v.t. to free from the condition of being enclosed: to dispark.—Also Disinclose.

Disencumber, dis-en-kum′bėr, v.t. to free from encumbrance: to disburden.—n. Disencum′brance.

Disendow, dis-en-dow′, v.t. to take away the endowments (esp. of an established church).—adj. Disendowed′.—n. Disendow′ment.

Disenfranchise, dis-en-fran′chiz, v.t. (rare) to disfranchise: to deprive of suffrage.—n. Disenfran′chisement.

Disengage, dis-en-gāj′, v.t. to separate or free from being engaged: to separate: to set free: to release.—ns. Disengag′edness; Disengage′ment. [O. Fr. desengager, des-—L. dis, neg., engager, to engage.]

Disennoble, dis-en-nō′bl, v.t. to deprive of title, or of what ennobles: to degrade.

Disenrol, dis-en-rōl′, v.t. to remove from a roll.

Disenshroud, dis-en-shrowd′, v.t. to divest of a shroud, to unveil.

Disenslave, dis-en-slāv′, v.t. to free from bondage.

Disentail, dis-en-tāl′, v.t. to break the entail of (an estate): to divest.—n. the act of disentailing.

Disentangle, dis-en-tang′gl, v.t. to free from entanglement or disorder: to unravel: to disengage or set free.—n. Disentang′lement.

Disenthral, Disenthrall, dis-en-thrawl′, v.t. to free from enthralment.—n. Disenthral′ment.

Disenthrone, dis-en-thrōn′, v.t. (Milt.) to dethrone.

Disentitle, dis-en-tī′tl, v.t. to deprive of title.

Disentomb, dis-en-tōōm′, v.t. to take out from a tomb.

Disentrail, dis-en′trāl, v.t. (Spens.) to disembowel.

Disentrance, dis-en-trans′, v.t. to awaken from a trance or deep sleep: to arouse from a reverie.—n. Disentrance′ment.

Disentwine, dis-en-twīn′, v.t. to untwine.

Disenvelop, dis-en-vel′op, v.t. to free from that in which a thing is enveloped, to unfold.

Disenviron, dis-en-vī′ron, v.t. to deprive of its environment.

Disespouse, dis-es-powz′, v.t. (Milt.) to separate after espousal or betrothment.

Disestablish, dis-es-tab′lish, v.t. to take away what has been established or settled, esp. of the standing of church as established by law.—n. Disestab′lishment.

Disesteem, dis-es-tēm′, n. want of esteem: disregard.—v.t. to disapprove: to dislike.—n. Disestimā′tion.

Disfame, dis-fām′, n. evil reputation.

Disfavour, dis-fā′vur, n. want of favour: displeasure: dislike.—v.t. to withhold favour from: to disapprove: to oppose.—n. Disfā′vourer.

Disfeature, dis-fē′tūr, v.t. to deprive of a feature: to deface.

Disfellowship, dis-fel′ō-ship, n. want of, or exclusion from, fellowship.—v.t. to excommunicate.

Disfigure, dis-fig′ūr, v.t. to spoil the figure of: to change to a worse form: to spoil the beauty of: to deform.—ns. Disfig′urement, Disfigurā′tion. [O. Fr. desfigurer—L. dis, neg., figurāre, to figure.]

Disflesh, dis-flesh′, v.t. to deprive of flesh, to disembody.

Disforest, dis-for′est, v.t. to strip of trees: to disafforest.

Disform, dis-form′, v.t. to alter the form of.

Disfranchise, dis-fran′chiz, v.t. to deprive of a franchise, or of rights and privileges, esp. that of voting for a M.P.—n. Disfran′chisement.

Disfrock, dis-frok′, v.t. to unfrock, deprive of clerical garb.

Disfurnish, dis-fur′nish, v.t. (Shak.) to strip, render destitute.—n. Disfur′nishment.

Disgarnish, dis-gar′nish, v.t. to despoil.

Disgarrison, dis-gar′i-sn, v.t. to deprive of a garrison.

Disgavel, dis-gav′el, v.t. to relieve from the tenure of gavelkind.

Disglorify, dis-glō′ri-fī, v.t. (Milt.) to deprive of glory.

Disgodded, dis-god′ed, adj. deprived of divinity.

Disgorge, dis-gorj′, v.t. to discharge from the throat: to vomit: to throw out with violence: to give up what has been seized.—n. Disgorge′ment. [O. Fr. desgorger, des, away, gorge, throat. See Gorge.]

Disgospel, dis-gos′pel, v.i. to act in a manner not becoming the gospel.

Disgown, dis-gown′, v.t. or v.i. to deprive of his gown: to divest one's self of a clerical gown, to renounce orders.

Disgrace, dis-grās′, n. state of being out of grace or favour, or of being dishonoured: cause of shame: dishonour.—v.t. to put out of favour: to bring disgrace or shame upon.—adj. Disgrace′ful, bringing disgrace: causing shame: dishonourable.—adv. Disgrace′fully.—ns. Disgrace′fulness; Disgrā′cer.—adj. Disgrā′cious (Shak.), ungracious, unpleasing. [O. Fr.,—L. dis, neg., and gratia, favour, grace.]

Disgrade, dis-grād′, v.t. to deprive of any rank or status.—n. Disgradā′tion.

Disgregation, dis-grē-gā′shun, n. separation, esp. of molecules.

Disgruntle, dis-grun′tl, v.t. (prov.) to disappoint, disgust.—adj. Disgrun′tled, rendered sulky. [Dis- and gruntle, to grunt, to be sulky.]

Disguise, dis-gīz′, v.t. to change the guise or appearance of: to conceal by a dress intended to deceive, or by a counterfeit manner and appearance: to intoxicate (usually 'disguised in liquor')—n. a dress intended to conceal the wearer: a false appearance: change of behaviour in intoxication.—adv. Disguis′edly.—ns. Disguis′edness; Disguise′ment; Disguis′er; Disguis′ing. [O. Fr. desguiser—des, neg., guise, manner, guise.]

Disgust, dis-gust′, n. loathing: strong dislike.—v.t. to excite disgust in: to offend the taste of: to displease.—adv. Disgust′edly.—adjs. Disgust′ing, Disgust′ful.—adv. Disgust′ingly.—ns. Disgust′ingness, Disgust′fulness. [O. Fr. desgouster—des (= L. dis), and gouster—L. gustāre, to taste.]

Dish, dish, n. a plate: a vessel in which food is served: the food in a dish: a particular kind of food: the condition of having a dish shape, concavity of form.—v.t. to put in a dish, for table: (coll.) to outwit, to defeat.—ns. Dish′-clout, Dish′-cloth; Dish′-cov′er, a cover for a dish to keep it hot.—adj. Dish′-faced; having a round, flat face.—ns. Dish′ful; Dish′ing, putting in a dish.—adj. hollow like a dish.—n. Dish′-wa′ter, water in which dishes have been washed.—Dish up, to serve up, esp. figuratively of old materials cooked up anew. [A.S. disc, a plate, a dish, a table—L. discus. Doublets, disc and desk; cf. Ger. tisch, a table.]

Dishabilitate, dis-ha-bil′i-tāt, v.t. to disqualify: to attaint.—n. Dishabilitā′tion.

Dishabille, dis-a-bil′. Same as Deshabille.

Dishabit, dis-hab′it, v.t. (Shak.) to drive from a habitation. [O. Fr. deshabiter—L. dis, neg., habitāre, to inhabit.]

Dishallow, dis-hal′ō, v.t. to desecrate.

Disharmony, dis-har′mo-ni, n. lack of harmony: discord: incongruity.—adj. Disharmō′nious.—adv. Disharmō′niously.—v.t. and v.i. Dishar′monise, to put out of, or be out of, harmony.

Dishearten, dis-härt′n, v.t. to deprive of heart, courage, or spirits: to discourage: to depress.—adjs. Disheart′ened; Disheart′ening.

Dishelm, dis-helm′, v.t. to divest of a helmet.

Disherit, dis-her′it, v.t. (Spens.) to disinherit.—ns. Disher′ison; Disher′itor. [O. Fr. desheriter—L. dis, neg., Late L. hereditāre, to inherit.]

Dishevel, di-shev′el, v.t. to disorder the hair: to cause the hair to hang loose.—v.i. to spread in disorder:—pr.p. dishev′elling; pa.p. dishev′elled.—n. Dishev′elment. [O. Fr. discheveler—Low L. discapillāre, to tear out or disorder the hair—L. dis, in different directions, capillus, the hair.]

Dishome, dis-hōm′, v.t. to deprive of a home.

Dishonest, diz-on′est, adj. not honest: wanting integrity: disposed to cheat: insincere: (Shak.) unchaste.—adv. Dishon′estly.—n. Dishon′esty. [O. Fr. deshonneste, des—L. dis, neg., honneste—L. honestus, honest.]

Dishonour, diz-on′ur, n. want of honour: disgrace: shame: reproach.—v.t. to deprive of honour: to disgrace: to cause shame to: to seduce: to degrade: to refuse the payment of, as a cheque.—adjs. Dishon′orary, causing dishonour; Dishon′ourable, having no sense of honour: disgraceful.—n. Dishon′ourableness.—adv. Dishon′ourably.—n. Dishon′ourer. [O. Fr. deshonneur, des—L. dis, neg., honneur—L. honor, honour.]

Dishorn, dis-horn′, v.t. to deprive of horns.

Dishorse, dis-hors′, v.t. to unhorse.

Dishumour, dis-hū′mur, n. ill-humour.

Disillude, dis-il-lūd′, v.t. to free from illusion.—n. Disillū′sion, a freeing from illusion: state of being disillusionised.—v.t. to free from illusion, disenchant.—adj. Disillū′sionary.—v.t. Disillū′sionise.—n. Disillū′sionment.—adj. Disillū′sive.

Disilliuminate, dis-il-lū′mi-nāt, v.t. to destroy the light of, to darken.

Disimagine, dis-i-maj′in, v.t. to banish from the imagination.

Disimmure, dis-im-mūr′, v.t. to release from imprisonment.

Disimpassioned, dis-im-pash′und, adj. free from the influence of passion, tranquil.

Disimprison, dis-im-priz′n, v.t. to free from prison or restraint.—n. Disimpris′onment.

Disimprove, dis-im-prōōv′, v.t. and v.i. to render worse, to grow worse.

Disincarcerate, dis-in-kär′sėr-āt, v.t. to free from prison.—n. Disincarcerā′tion.

Disinclination, dis-in-kli-nā′shun, n. want of inclination: unwillingness.—v.t. Disincline′, to turn away inclination from: to excite the dislike or aversion of.—adj. Disinclined′, not inclined: averse.

Disinclose. See Disenclose.

Disincorporate, dis-in-kor′po-rāt, v.t. to deprive of corporate rights.—n. Disincorporā′tion.

Disindividualise, dis-in-di-vid′ū-al-īz, v.t. to deprive of individuality.

Disinfect, dis-in-fekt′, v.t. to free from infection: to purify from infectious germs.—ns. Disinfect′ant, anything that destroys the causes of infection; Disinfec′tion; Disinfect′or.

Disingenuous, dis-in-jen′ū-us, adj. not ingenuous: not frank or open: crafty.—adv. Disingen′uously.—n. Disingen′uousness.

Disinherit, dis-in-her′it, v.t. to cut off from hereditary rights: to deprive of an inheritance.—ns. Disinher′ison, act of disinheriting; Disinher′itance.

Disinhume, dis-in-hūm′, v.t. to take out of the earth, to disinter.

Disintegrate, dis-in′te-grāt, or diz-, v.t. to separate into integrant parts: to break up.—adjs. Disin′tegrable, Disin′tegrative.—ns. Disintegrā′tion; Disin′tegrator, a machine for crushing or pulverising oil-cake, mineral ores, &c.

Disinter, dis-in-tėr′, v.t. to take out of a grave: to bring from obscurity into view.—n. Disinter′ment.

Disinterested, dis-in′tėr-est-ed, adj. not interested or influenced by private feelings or considerations: impartial: unselfish, generous.—adv. Disin′terestedly.—n. Disin′terestedness.—adj. Disin′teresting (obs.), not interesting. [Corr. of disinterest = disinteress'd, O. Fr. des—L. dis, neg., interessé, interested in. See Interest.]

Disinthral. Same as Disenthral.

Disintricate, dis-in′tri-kāt, v.t. to free from intricacy.

Disinure, dis-in-ūr′, v.t. (Milt.) to render unfamiliar.

Disinvest, dis-in-vest′, v.t. to divest.—n. Disinvest′iture, the action of disinvesting.

Disinvigorate, dis-in-vig′or-āt, v.t. to weaken.

Disinvolve, dis-in-volv′, v.t. to unfold, to disentangle.

Disippus, di-sip′us, n. an American papilionid butterfly.

Disjaskit, dis-jas′kit, adj. (Scot.) jaded, worn out. [Prob. dejected.]

Disjoin, dis-join′, or diz-, v.t. to separate what has been joined.—v.t. Disjoint′, to put out of joint: to separate united parts: to break the natural order or relations of things: to make incoherent.—p.adj. Disjoint′ed, incoherent, esp. of discourse: badly assorted.—adv. Disjoint′edly.—n. Disjoint′edness. [O. Fr. desjoindre—L. disjungĕre—dis, apart, jungĕre, to join.]

Disjunct, dis-jungkt′, adj. disjoined—n. Disjunc′tion, the act of disjoining: disunion: separation.—adj. Disjunct′ive, disjoining: tending to separate: (gram.) uniting sentences but disjoining the sense, or rather marking an adverse sense.—n. a word which disjoins.—adv. Disjunct′ively.—ns. Disjunct′or; Disjunct′ure. [O. Fr. desjoinct, desjoindre. See above.]

Disjune, a Scotch form of dejeune, dejeuner (q.v.).

Disk. Same as Disc.

Disleaf, dis-lēf′, v.t. to deprive of leaves.—Also Disleave′.

Disleal, dis-lēl′, adj. (Spens.) disloyal, dishonourable. [See Disloyal.]

Dislike, dis-līk′, v.t. to be displeased with: to disapprove of: to have an aversion to.—n. disinclination: aversion: distaste: disapproval.—adjs. Dislike′able, Dislik′able; Dislike′ful (Spens.)—v.t. Dislik′en (Shak.), to make unlike.—n. Dislike′ness (obs.), unlikeness. [L. dis, neg., and like; the genuine Eng. word is mislike.]

Dislimb, dis-lim′, v.t. to tear the limbs from.

Dislimn, dis-lim′, v.t. (Shak.) to strike out what has been limned or painted, to efface.

Dislink, dis-lingk′, v.t. to unlink, to separate.

Disload, dis-lōd′, v.t. to unload, to disburden.

Dislocate, dis′lō-kāt, v.t. to displace: to put out of joint.—adv. Dislocā′tedly.—n. Dislocā′tion, a dislocated joint: displacement: (geol.) a 'fault,' or displacement of stratified rocks. [Low L. dislocāre, -ātum—L., dis, apart, locāre, to place.]

Dislodge, dis-loj′, v.t. to drive from a lodgment or place of rest: to drive from a place of hiding or of defence.—v.i. to go away.—n. Dislodg′ment. [O. Fr. desloger, des—L. dis, apart, loger, to lodge.]

Disloign, dis-loin′, v.t. (Spens.) to put far apart or at a distance, to remove. [O. Fr. desloignier, des—L. dis, apart, loignier, to remove.]

Disloyal, dis-loi′al, adj. not loyal: false to one's sovereign: faithless: treacherous.—adv. Disloy′ally.—n. Disloy′alty. [O. Fr. desloyal, des—L. dis, neg., loyal, leial—L. legalis, legal.]

Dislustre, dis-lus′tėr, v.t. to deprive of lustre.

Dismal, diz′mal, adj. gloomy: dreary: sorrowful: depressing.—adv. Dis′mally.—ns. Dis′malness, Dismal′ity.—n.pl. Dis′mals, mournings.—The dismals, the dumps. [O. Fr. dismal = L. dies mali, evil, unlucky days. Skeat makes O. Fr. dismal correspond to Low L. decimalis, of a tenth, pertaining to tithes—L. decimus, tenth—decem, ten.]

Disman, dis-man′, v.t. to deprive of men (of a country, or ship): to unman: to deprive of human character (of the body by death).

Dismantle, dis-man′tl, v.t. to strip: to deprive of furniture, fittings, &c., so as to render useless: of a fortified town, to raze the fortifications. [O. Fr. desmanteller—des—L. dis, away, manteler, mantel, a mantle.]

Dismask, dis-mask′, v.t. to strip a mask from: to remove a disguise from: to uncover. [O. Fr. desmasquer, des—L. dis, neg., masquer, to mask.]

Dismast, dis-mast′, v.t. to deprive of a mast or masts.—n. Dismast′ment.

Dismay, dis-mā′, v.t. to terrify: to discourage.—n. loss of strength and courage through fear.—n. Dismay′edness.—adj. Dismay′ful (Spens.). [A hybrid word, from an O. Fr. desmayer—des (= L. dis), and Old High Ger. magan (Ger. mögen) = A.S. magan, to have might or power. See May.]

Dismayd, dis-mād′, adj. (Spens.) misshapen, deformed.

Dismayl, dis-māl′, v.t. to deprive of mail: (Spens.) to break open one's coat of mail. [O. Fr. desmailler, des—L. dis, neg., maille, mail.]

Disme, dēm, n. a tenth: (Shak.) the number ten. [O. Fr. See Dime.]

Dismember, dis-mem′bėr, v.t. to divide member from member: to separate a limb from the body: to disjoint: to tear to pieces.—ns. Dismem′berment; Dismem′brator. [O. Fr. desmembrer, des—L. dis, neg., membre, a member.]

Dismiss, dis-mis′, v.t. to send away: to despatch: to discard: to remove from office or employment: (law) to reject, to put out of court, to discharge.—ns. Dismiss′al, Dismis′sion.—adjs. Dismiss′ive, Dismiss′ory. [L. dis, away, mittĕre, missum, to send.]

Dismortgage, dis-mor′gāj, v.t. to redeem from mortgage.

Dismount, dis-mownt′, v.i. to come down: to come off a horse.—v.t. to throw or bring down from any elevated place: to throw off their carriages, as cannon: to unhorse. [O. Fr. desmonter, des—L. dis, neg., monter, to mount.]

Disnatured, dis-nā′tūrd, adj. unnatural, devoid of natural affection.—v.t. Disnat′uralise, to make alien or unnatural.

Disnest, dis-nest′, v.t. to dislodge from a nest.

Disobedient, dis-o-bē′di-ent, adj. neglecting or refusing to obey.—n. Disobē′dience, neglect or refusal to obey: violation of orders.—adv. Disobē′diently.

Disobey, dis-o-bā′, v.t. to neglect or refuse to obey or do what is commanded. [O. Fr. desobeir—des (= L. dis), and obeir, to obey.]

Disoblige, dis-o-blīj′, v.t. to offend by an act of unkindness or incivility: to do something against the wishes of another: to injure slightly.—n. Disobligā′tion, freedom from obligation: act of disobliging.—adj. Disob′ligatory, releasing from obligation.—n. Disoblige′ment.—adj. Disoblig′ing, not obliging: not careful to attend to the wishes of others: unaccommodating: unkind.—adv. Disoblig′ingly.—n. Disoblig′ingness. [O. Fr. desobliger, des (= L. dis), neg., obliger, to oblige.]

Disomatous, dī-sō′ma-tus, adj. having two bodies.

Disorbed, dis-orbd′, adj. (Shak.) thrown from its orbit, as a star.

Disorder, dis-or′dėr, n. want of order: confusion: disturbance: breach of the peace: disease.—v.t. to throw out of order: to disarrange: to disturb: to produce disease.—adj. Disor′dered, confused, deranged.—n. Disor′derliness.—adj. Disor′derly, out of order: in confusion: irregular: lawless: defying the restraints of decency.—adv. confusedly: in a lawless manner.—Disorderly house, a brothel. [O. Fr. desordre, des (= L. dis), neg., ordre, order.]

Disordinate, dis-or′din-āt, adj. (rare) not in order: irregular.—adv. Disor′dinately.

Disorganise, dis-or′gan-īz, v.t. to destroy the organic structure of: to break up a union of parts: to disorder.—adj. Disorgan′ic.—n. Disorganisā′tion.

Disorient, dis-ō′ri-ent, v.t. to turn from the east: to confuse as to direction in general—also Disorien′tate.—n. Disorientā′tion.

Disown, diz-ōn′, v.t. to refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to one's self: to deny: to repudiate, cast off—n. Disown′ment.

Disoxydate, dis-ok′si-dāt, v.t. to deoxidate or deprive of oxygen.—Also Disox′ygenate.

Dispace, dis-pās′, v.i. (Spens.) to pace to and fro, to range about.

Disparage, dis-par′āj, v.t. to dishonour by comparison with what is inferior: to lower in rank or estimation: to talk slightingly of.—ns. Dispar′agement; Dispar′ager.—adv. Dispar′agingly. [O. Fr. desparager—des (—L. dis), neg., and Low L. paragium, equality of birth—L. par, equal.]

Disparate, dis′par-āt, adj. unequal: incapable of being compared.—n. Disparate′ness.—n.pl. Dis′parates, things or characters of different species. [L. disparātus—dis, neg., and parāre, make equal.]

Disparity, dis-par′i-ti, n. inequality: unlikeness so great as to render comparison difficult and union unsuitable.

Dispark, dis-pärk′, v.t. to throw open enclosed ground.

Dispart, dis-pärt′, v.t. to part asunder: to divide, to separate.—v.i. to separate.—n. the difference between the thickness of metal at the breech and the mouth of a gun.

Dispassion, dis-pash′un, n. freedom from passion: a calm state of mind.—adj. Dispas′sionāte, free from passion: unmoved by feelings: cool: impartial.—adv. Dispas′sionātely.

Dispatch. Same as Despatch.

Dispathy, dis′pa-thi, n. difference of feeling, the opposite of sympathy.

Dispauperise, dis-paw-per-īz′, v.t. to free from pauperism or from paupers.—v.t. Dispau′per, to declare no longer a pauper.

Dispeace, dis-pēs′, n. lack of peace: dissension. [A recent coinage from dis, neg., and peace.]

Dispel, dis-pel′, v.t. to drive away: to make disappear: to banish:—pr.p. dispel′ling; pa.p. dispelled′. [L. dispellĕre—dis, away, pellĕre, to drive.]

Dispence, dis-pens′ (Spens.). Same as Dispense.

Dispend, dis-pend′, v.t. (arch.) to expend, pay out. [O. Fr.,—L. dis, out of, and pendĕre, to weigh.]

Dispensable, dis-pens′a-bl, adj. that may be dispensed, or dispensed with: (arch.) pardonable.—ns. Dispensabil′ity, Dispens′ableness.

Dispensary, dis-pens′ar-i, n. a place where medicines are dispensed, esp. to the poor, gratis.

Dispensation, dis-pen-sā′shun, n. the act of dispensing or dealing out: various methods or stages of God's dealing with His creatures—Patriarchal, Mosaic, Christian: the distribution of good and evil in the divine government: license or permission to neglect a rule.—adjs. Dispens′ative, Dispens′atory, granting dispensation.—advs. Dispens′atively, Dispens′atorily.—n. Dispens′atory, a book containing medical prescriptions.—adj. Dispens′ing.

Dispense, dis-pens′, v.t. to deal out in portions: to distribute: to administer: (Spens.) to pay for.—n. expense: profession: abundance.—adj. Dispensed′.—n. Dispens′er.—Dispense with, to permit the want of: to do without. [Fr. dispenser—L. dis, asunder, pensare, inten. of pendĕre, to weigh.]

Dispeople, dis-pē′pl, v.t. to empty of inhabitants.

Dispermous, dī-spėrm′us, adj. having only two seeds. [Gr. di-, twofold, sperma, a seed.]

Disperse, dis-pėrs′, v.t. to scatter in all directions: to spread: to diffuse: to drive asunder: to cause to vanish.—v.i. to separate: to spread abroad: to vanish.—n. Dispers′al.—adv. Dispers′edly.—ns. Dispers′edness; Dispers′er.—adj. Dispers′ive, tending to disperse. [L. dispergere, dispersum—di, asunder, apart, spargĕre, to scatter.]

Dispersion, dis-pėr′shun, n. a scattering, or state of being scattered: (med.) the removal of inflammation: (opt.) the separation of light into its different rays: the Diaspora (q.v.).

Dispersonate, dis-per′son-āt, v.t. to divest of personality.

Dispirit, dis-pir′it, v.t. to dishearten: to discourage.—p.adj. Dispir′ited, dejected: feeble, spiritless.—adv. Dispir′itedly.—n. Dispir′itedness.—p.adj. Dispir′iting, disheartening.—n. Dispir′itment.

Dispiteous, dis-pit′e-us, adj. pitiless.—adv. Dispit′eously.—n. Dispit′eousness. [See Despite.]

Displace, dis-plās′, v.t. to put out of place: to disarrange: to remove from a state, office, or dignity.—adj. Displace′able.—n. Displace′ment, a putting out of place: the difference between the position of a body at a given time and that occupied at first: the quantity of water displaced by a ship afloat. [O. Fr. desplacer—L. dis, neg., and place.]

Displant, dis-plant′, v.t. to remove anything from where it has been planted or placed: to drive from an abode.—n. Displantā′tion. [Through Fr. from L. dis, neg., and plantāre, to plant.]

Display, dis-plā′, v.t. to unfold or spread out: to exhibit: to set out ostentatiously: (print.) to make prominent by large type, wide spacing, &c.—n. a displaying or unfolding: exhibition: ostentatious show.—p.adj. Displayed′, unfolded: spread: printed in prominent letters: (her.) erect, with wings expanded, as a bird.—n. Display′er. [O. Fr. despleier—des (= L. dis), neg., and plier, ploier—L. plicāre, to fold; doublet, deploy. See Ply.]

Disple, dis′pl, v.t. (Spens.) to discipline, chastise. [A contraction of disciple.]

Displease, dis-plēz′, v.t. to offend: to make angry in a slight degree: to be disagreeable to.—v.i. to raise aversion.—n. Displeas′ance (Spens.), displeasure.—adj. Displeas′ant (obs.).—p.adj. Displeased′, vexed, annoyed.—adv. Displeas′edly.—n. Displeas′edness.—p.adj. Displeas′ing, causing displeasure: giving offence.—adv. Displeas′ingly.—n. Displeas′ingness. [O. Fr. desplaisir, des—L. dis, neg., plaisir, to please.]

Displeasure, dis-plezh′ūr, n. the feeling of one who is offended: anger: cause of irritation.—v.t. (arch.) to displease, offend.

Displenish, dis-plen′ish, v.t. to deprive of plenishing or furniture, implements, &c.: to sell the plenishing of.—n. Displen′ishment.

Displode, dis-plōd′, v.t. (Milt.) to discharge, to explode.—v.i. to explode.—n. Displo′sion. [L. displodĕre—dis, asunder, plaudĕre, to beat.]

Displume, dis-plōōm′, v.t. to deprive of plumes or feathers.

Dispondee, dī-spon′dē, n. a double spondee.—adj. Dispondā′ic.

Dispone, dis-pōn′, v.t. (arch.) to set in order, dispose: (Scots law) to make over to another: to convey legally.—n. Disponee′, the person to whom anything is disponed. [Fr.,—L. disponĕre, to arrange.]

Disponge, Dispunge, dis-punj′, v.t. (Shak.) to sprinkle, as with water from a sponge.

Disport, dis-pōrt′, v.t. and v.i. usually reflexive, to divert, amuse, enjoy one's self: to move in gaiety.—n. Disport′ment. [O. Fr. desporter (with se), to carry one's self away from one's work, to amuse one's self, from des (= L. dis), and porter—L. portāre, to carry. See Sport.]

Dispose, dis-pōz′, v.t. to arrange: to distribute: to apply to a particular purpose: to make over by sale, gift, &c.: to bestow: to incline.—n. disposal, management: behaviour, disposition.—adj. Dispos′able.—n. Dispos′al, the act of disposing: order: arrangement: management: right of bestowing.—p.adj. Disposed′, inclined, of a certain disposition (with well, ill, &c.).—adv. Dispos′edly, in good order: with measured steps.—n. Dispos′er.—p.adj. Dispos′ing, that disposes.—adv. Dispos′ingly.—Dispose of, to place in any condition: to apply to any purpose: to part with: to get rid of: to sell. [Fr. disposer, dis—L. dis, asunder, poser, to place.]

Disposition, dis-po-zish′un, n. arrangement: plan for disposing one's property, &c.: natural tendency: temper: (N.T.) ministration: (Scots law) a giving over to another = conveyance or assignment in Eng. phraseology—often 'disposition and settlement,' a deed for the disposal of a man's property at his death.—adjs. Disposi′tional; Disposi′tioned; Dispos′itive.—adv. Dispos′itively.—ns. Dispos′itor, a planet that disposes or controls another; Dispō′sure (obs.), disposal, arrangement: disposition. [Fr.,—L., from dis, apart, ponĕre, to place.]

Dispossess, dis-poz-zes′, v.t. to put out of possession.—n. Dispossess′or.

Dispost, dis-pōst′, v.t. to displace.

Dispraise, dis-prāz′, n. blame: reproach: dishonour.—v.t. to blame: to censure.—n. Disprais′er.—adv. Disprais′ingly. [O. Fr. despreisier, des—L. dis, neg., preisier, to praise.]

Dispread, dis-pred′, v.t. to spread in different ways.—v.i. to spread out: to expand.—Spenser has the forms dispred, dispredden, disprad.

Disprinced, dis-prinst′, p.adj. (Tenn.) deprived of the appearance of a prince.

Disprison, dis-priz′n, v.t. to set free.

Disprivacied, dis-priv′a-sid, adj. deprived of privacy.

Disprivilege, dis-priv′i-lej, v.t. to deprive of a privilege.

Disprize, dis-prīz′, v.t. to set a low price upon: to undervalue.

Disprofess, dis-prō-fes′, v.t. (Spens.) to cease to profess.

Disprofit, dis-prof′it, n. loss, damage.

Disproof, dis-prōōf′, n. a disproving: refutation.

Disproperty, dis-prop′ėr-ti, v.t. (Shak.) to deprive of any property.

Disproportion, dis-pro-pōr′shun, n. want of proportion, symmetry, or suitableness of parts: inequality.—v.t. to make unsuitable in form or size, &c.—n. Dispropor′tionableness.—adv. Dispropor′tionably.—adjs. Dispropor′tional, Dispropor′tionable (arch.).—advs. Dispropor′tionally, Dispropor′tionably (arch.).—adj. Dispropor′tionate, not proportioned: unsymmetrical: unsuitable to something else in some respect.—adv. Dispropor′tionately.—n. Dispropor′tionateness.

Dispropriate, dis-prō′pri-āt, v.t. to disappropriate.

Disprove, dis-prōōv′, v.t. to prove to be false or not genuine: to refute: (arch.) to disapprove.—n. Disprov′al. [O. Fr. disprover. See Prove.]

Dispurse, dis-purs′, v.t. (Shak.) to take out of the purse, to pay.

Dispurvey, dis-pur-vā′, v.t. (arch.) to deprive of provisions.—n. Dispurvey′ance (Spens.).

Dispute, dis-pūt′, v.t. to make a subject of argument: to contend for: to oppose by argument: to call in question.—v.i. to argue: to debate.—n. a contest with words: an argument: a debate: a quarrel.—adj. Dis′putable, that may be disputed: of doubtful certainty.—n. Dis′putableness.—adv. Dis′putably.—ns. Dis′putant, Disput′er; Disputā′tion, a contest in argument: an exercise in debate.—adjs. Disputā′tious, Disput′ative, inclined to dispute, cavil, or controvert.—adv. Disputā′tiously.—n. Disput[a]′tiousness.—Beyond, or Without, dispute, indubitably, certainly. [O. Fr. disputer—L. disputāre—dis, apart, and putāre, to think.]

Disqualify, dis-kwol′i-fī, v.t. to deprive of the qualities necessary for any purpose: to make unfit: to disable.—n. Disqualificā′tion, state of being disqualified: anything that disqualifies or incapacitates.

Disquiet, dis-kwī′et, adj. (obs.) unquiet, uneasy, restless.—n. want of quiet: uneasiness, restlessness: anxiety.—v.t. to render unquiet: to make uneasy: to disturb.—adjs. Disquī′etful; Disquī′etive, Disquī′eting.—adv. Disquī′etly (Shak.).—ns. Disquī′etness, Disquī′etude.—adj. Disquī′etous.

Disquisition, dis-kwi-zish′un, n. a careful inquiry into any matter by arguments, &c.: an essay.—adjs. Disquisi′tional, Disquisi′tionary, Disquis′itory, Disquis′itive, pertaining to or of the nature of a disquisition. [L. disquisitio—disquirĕre, disquisitum—dis, inten., quærĕre, to seek.]

Disrank, dis-rangk′, v.t. to reduce to a lower rank: to throw into confusion.

Disrate, dis-rāt′, v.t. (naut.) to reduce to a lower rating or rank, as a petty officer.

Disregard, dis-re-gärd′, v.t. to pay no attention to.—n. want of attention: neglect: slight.—adj. Disregard′ful—adv. Disregard′fully.

Disrelish, dis-rel′ish, v.t. not to relish: to dislike the taste of: to dislike.—n. distaste: dislike: disgust.—p.adj. Disrel′ishing, offensive.

Disremember, dis-re-mem′bėr, v.t. (vul.) not to remember, to forget.

Disrepair, dis-re-pār′, n. state of being out of repair.

Disrepute, dis-re-pūt′, n. ill-character: discredit—also Disreputā′tion.—adj. Disrep′utable, in bad repute: disgraceful.—ns. Disrep′utableness, Disreputabil′ity (rare).—adv. Disrep′utably.

Disrespect, dis-re-spekt′, n. want of respect: discourtesy: incivility.—v.t. (arch.) not to respect.—adjs. Disrespect′able (rare), not respectable; Disrespect′ful, showing disrespect: irreverent: uncivil.—adv. Disrespect′fully.—n. Disrespect′fulness.

Disrobe, dis-rōb′, v.t. to undress: to uncover.

Disroot, dis-rōōt′, v.t. to tear up by the roots.

Disrupt, dis-rupt′, v.t. to burst asunder, to break up.—n. Disrup′tion, the act of breaking asunder: the act of bursting and rending: breach: in Scottish ecclesiastical history, the separation of the party who became the Free Church from the Established Church for the sake of spiritual independence (1843).—adj. Disrup′tive, causing, or accompanied by, disruption. [L. disruptus, diruptus, dirumpĕre—dis, asunder, rumpĕre, to break.]

Diss, dis, n. an Algerian reedy grass used for cordage.

Dissatisfactory, dis-sat-is-fak′tor-i, adj. causing dissatisfaction: unable to give content.—ns. Dissatisfac′tion, state of being dissatisfied: discontent: uneasiness; Dissatisfac′toriness.

Dissatisfy, dis-sat′is-fī, v.t. not to satisfy: to make discontented: to displease.—adj. Dissat′isfied, discontented: not pleased.

Disseat, dis-sēt′, v.t. (Shak.) to deprive of, or remove from, a seat.

Dissect, dis-sekt′, v.t. to cut asunder: to cut into parts for the purpose of minute examination: to divide and examine: to analyse and criticise (often hostilely, as a man's character or motives).—adj. Dissect′ible.—ns. Dissect′ing; Dissec′tion, the act or the art of cutting in pieces a plant or animal in order to ascertain the structure of its parts: anatomy.—adj. Dissect′ive, tending to dissect.—n. Dissect′or.—Dissected map, picture, a map or picture on a board cut into pieces, so that the putting of them together forms a puzzle. [L. dissecāre, dissectum—dis, asunder, secāre, to cut.]

Disseize, dis-sēz′, v.t. to deprive of seizin or possession of an estate of freehold: to dispossess wrongfully.—ns. Disseiz′in; Disseiz′or.

Dissemble, dis-sem′bl, v.t. to represent a thing as unlike what it actually is: to put an untrue semblance upon: to disguise: to conceal: (Shak.) to make unlike.—v.i. to assume a false appearance: to play the hypocrite: to dissimulate—ns. Dissem′blance (rare), want of resemblance: the act of dissembling; Dissem′bler; Dissem′bling.—p.adj. deceiving, hypocritical.—adv. Dissem′blingly. [O. Fr. dessembler, to be unlike, from L. dissimulāre—dissimilis, unlike—dis, neg., and similis, like.]

Disseminate, dis-sem′i-nāt, v.t. to sow or scatter abroad: to propagate: to diffuse.—n. Disseminā′tion.—adj. Dissem′inative.—n. Dissem′inator. [L. disseminare, -ātum—dis, asunder, semināre, to sow—semen, seminis, seed.]

Dissent, dis-sent′, v.i. to think differently: to disagree in opinion: to differ (with from).—n. the act of dissenting: difference of opinion: a protest by a minority: a differing or separation from an established church.—ns. Dissen′sion, disagreement in opinion: discord: strife; Dissent′er, one who separates on conscientious grounds from the service and worship of an established church: a nonconformist; Dissent′erage, condition of dissenters; Dissent′erism (rare).—adj. Dissen′tient, declaring dissent: disagreeing.—n. one who disagrees: one who declares his dissent.—p.adj. Dissent′ing.—adv. Dissent′ingly.—adj. Dissen′tious (Shak.), disposed to discord, contentious. [Fr.,—L. dissentīre, dissensum—dis, apart from, sentīre, to think.]

Dissepiment, dis-sep′i-ment, n. (bot.) a partition in compound ovaries formed by the union of the sides of their carpels.—adj. Dissepiment′al. [Low L. dissepimentum, a partition—L. dissæpīre—dis, apart, sepīre, to hedge in.]

Dissertate, dis′er-tāt, v.i. to discourse—(arch.) Dissert′.—n. Dissertā′tion, a formal discourse: a treatise.—adjs. Dissertā′tional, Dissertā′tive.—n. Dis′sertātor. [Fr.,—L. dissertāre, inten. of disserĕre, to discuss—dis, serĕre, to put in a row.]

Disserve, dis-serv′, v.t. to do the opposite of serving: (rare) to injure.—n. Disserv′ice, injury: mischief: an ill turn.—adj. Disserv′iceable. [O. Fr. desservir—L. dis, neg., servīre, to serve.]

Dissettle, dis-set′l, v.t. to unsettle.—adj. Dissett′led.—n. Dissett′lement.

Dissever, dis-sev′ėr, v.t. to sever: to part in two: to separate: to disunite.—ns. Dissev′erance, Disseverā′tion, Dissev′erment, a dissevering or parting.—p.adj. Dissev′ered, disunited. [O. Fr. dessevrer—L. dis, apart, seperāre, to separate.]

Dissheathe, dis-shēth′, v.t. to unsheathe.

Dissident, dis′i-dent, adj. dissenting.—n. a dissenter.—n. Diss′idence, disagreement. [L. dissidens, -entis, pr.p. of dissidēre—dis, apart, sedēre, to sit.]

Dissight, dis-sīt′, n. an unsightly object.

Dissilient, dis-sil′yent, adj. (bot.) bursting open with elastic force.—n. Dissil′ience. [L. dissiliens, -entis—dis, asunder, salīre, to leap.]

Dissimilar, dis-sim′i-lar, adj. not similar: unlike in any respect: of different sorts.—ns. Dissimilar′ity, Dissimil′itude, unlikeness: want of resemblance.—adv. Dissim′ilarly.—ns. Dissimilā′tion, the act of rendering dissimilar; Dissim′ile, the opposite of a simile, a comparison by contrast.

Dissimulate, dis-sim′ū-lāt, v.t. to pretend the contrary of: to pretend falsely: to conceal.—v.i. to practise dissimulation, play the hypocrite.—ns. Dissimulā′tion, the act of dissembling: a hiding under a false appearance: false pretension: hypocrisy; Dissimulā′tor. [L. dissimulāre, -ātum, to dissimulate—dis, neg., similis, like.]

Dissipate, dis′i-pāt, v.t. to scatter: to squander: to waste.—v.i. to separate and disappear: to waste away: (coll.) to be dissolute in conduct.—adj. Diss′ipable, that may be dissipated.—p.adj. Diss′ipated, dissolute, esp. addicted to drinking.—n. Dissipā′tion, dispersion: state of being dispersed: scattered attention: a dissolute course of life, esp. hard drinking.—adj. Diss′ipative, tending to dissipate or disperse: connected with the dissipation of energy. [L. dissipāre, -ātum—dis, asunder, and obs. supāre, which appears in insipĕre, to throw into.]

Dissociate, dis-sō′shi-āt, v.t. to separate from a society or company: to disunite: to separate.—n. Dissociabil′ity.—adjs. Dissō′ciable, not sociable: ill associated: incongruous: capable of being dissociated; Dissō′cial, not social.—v.t. Dissō′cialise, to make unsocial.—n. Dissociā′tion.—adj. Dissō′-ciative (chem.), tending to dissociate. [L. dissociāre, -ātum—dis, asunder, sociāre, to unite.]

Dissoluble, dis′ol-ū-bl, or dis-zol′ū-bl, adj. dissolvable.—ns. Dissolubil′ity, Dissol′ubleness, capacity of being dissolved.

Dissolve, di-zolv′, v.t. to loose asunder: to separate or break up: to put an end to (as a parliament): to melt: to destroy, as by fire: (arch.) to resolve, as doubts.—v.i. to break up: to waste away: to crumble: to melt.—adj. Diss′olūte, loose, esp. in morals: lewd: licentious.—adv. Diss′olūtely.—ns. Diss′olūteness; Dissolū′tion, the breaking up of an assembly: change from a solid to a liquid state: a melting: separation of a body into its original elements: decomposition: destruction: death; Dissolū′tionism; Dissolū′tionist.—ns. Dissolvabil′ity, Dissolv′ableness.—adjs. Dissolv′able, Dissolv′ible, capable of being dissolved or melted.—n. and adj. Dissolv′ent, a solvent having the power to melt. [L. dissolvĕre, -solutum—dis, asunder, solvĕre, solūtum, to loose.]

Dissonant, dis′o-nant, adj. not agreeing or harmonising in sound: without concord or harmony: disagreeing.—n. Diss′onance, disagreement of sound: want of harmony: discord: disagreement: (spec.) a combination of musical sounds which produces beats—also Diss′onancy. [Fr.,—L. dissonans, -antis—dis, apart, sonāre, to sound.]

Dissuade, dis-swād′, v.t. to advise against: to try to divert from anything by advice or persuasion: to succeed in persuading not to.—ns. Dissuā′der; Dissuā′sion.—adj. Dissuā′sive, tending to dissuade.—n. that which tends to dissuade.—adv. Dissuā′sively.—n. and adj. Dissuā′sory (rare). [Fr.,—L. dissuadēre—dis, apart, suadēre, suasum, to advise.]

Dissunder, dis-sun′dėr, v.t. to sunder.

Dissyllable, dis-sil′a-bl, n. a word of only two syllables.—adj. Dissyllab′ic.—n. Dissyllabificā′tion.—v.t. Dissyllab′ify, to make into two syllables.—n. Dissyll′abism, the character of having only two syllables. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. di-, twice, syllabē, a syllable.]

Dissymmetry, dis-sim′e-tri, n. want of symmetry.—adjs. Dissymmet′ric, -al, of similar shape, but not capable of being superposed, as right and left hand gloves, crystals with different optical properties, &c.

Distaff, dis′taf, n. the stick which holds the bunch of flax, tow, or wool in spinning.—Distaff side, the female part of a family. [A.S. distæf, from dise = Low Ger. diesse, the bunch of flax on the staff; and stæf = Eng. staff. See Dizen.]

Distain, dis-tān′, v.t. to stain: to sully. [O. Fr. desteindre, to take away the colour of—L. dis, neg., and tingĕre, to stain. See Stain.]

Distal, dis′tal, adj. (anat.) at the end.—adv. Dis′tally. [Formed on the analogy of central, from Distance.]

Distance, dis′tans, n. a space or interval between: remoteness: opposition: reserve of manner: in horse-racing, the space measured back from the winning-post which a horse, in heat-races, must reach when the winner has covered the whole course, in order to run in the final heat.—v.t. to place at a distance: to leave at a distance behind.—adj. Dis′tanceless, not allowing a distant view—said of hazy weather: having no indications of distance—said of certain pictures.—Keep one at a distance, to treat with reserve; Keep one's distance, to abstain from familiarity with, to keep aloof from. [See Distant.]

Distant, dis′tant, adj. at a certain distance: remote, in time, place, or connection: not obvious: indistinct: reserved in manner.—adv. Dis′tantly. [Fr.,—L. distans, -tantis—dis, apart, stans, stantis, pr.p. of stāre, to stand.]

Distaste, dis-tāst′, n. oppositeness or aversion of taste: dislike of food: dislike: disgust.—v.t. (arch.) to dislike: (obs.) to offend: (Shak.) to spoil the taste of.—v.i. (Shak.) to be distasteful.—adj. Distaste′ful, nauseous to the taste: unpleasant: (Shak.) indicating distaste.—adv. Distaste′fully.—n. Distaste′fulness.

Distemper, dis-tem′pėr, n. a coarse mode of painting, in which the colours are mixed in a watery glue, white of egg, &c., chiefly used in scene-painting and in staining paper for walls.—Also Destem′per. [Same ety. as succeeding word.]

Distemper, dis-tem′pėr, n. a morbid or disorderly state of body or mind: disease, esp. of animals, specifically a typhoid inflammation of the mucous membranes of young dogs: ill-humour.—v.t. to derange the temper: to disorder or disease.—adj. Distem′perate, not temperate, immoderate: diseased.—n. Distem′perature (arch.), want of proper temperature: intemperateness, disturbance: uneasiness of mind: indisposition.—p.adj. Distem′pered, disordered: intemperate, ill-humoured, put out of sorts. [O. Fr. destemprer, to derange—L. dis, apart, temperāre, to govern.]

Distend, dis-tend′, v.t. to stretch in all directions: to swell.—v.i. to swell.—n. Distensibil′ity, capacity for distension.—adjs. Disten′sible, that may be stretched; Disten′sive, capable of stretching or of being stretched; Distent′ (Spens.), distended.—ns. Disten′tion, Disten′sion, act of distending or stretching: state of being stretched: (rare) breadth. [Fr.,—L. distendĕre—dis, asunder, tendĕre, tensum or tentum, to stretch.]

Disthene, dis′thēn, n. cyanite—so called from its positive and negative electric properties. [Gr. di-, two, sthenos, strength.]

Disthrone, dis-thrōn′, v.t. (obs.) to dethrone—(Spens.) Disthrōn′ise.

Distich, dis′tik, n. a couple of lines or verses, making complete sense: a couplet.—adj. having two rows.—adj. Dis′tichous (bot.), arranged in two rows. [L.,—Gr. distichos—dis, twice, stichos, a line.]

Distil, dis-til′, v.i. to fall in drops; to flow gently: to use a still.—v.t. to let or cause to fall in drops: to convert a liquid into vapour by heat, and then to condense it again: to extract the spirit or essential oil from anything by evaporation and condensation:—pr.p. distil′ling; pa.p. distilled′.—adj. Distil′lable.—ns. Distil′lāte, the product of distillation; Distillā′tion, the act of distilling.—adj. Distil′latory, of or for distilling.—ns. Distil′ler; Distil′lery, a place where distilling is carried on; Distil′ling, the action of the verb distil, distillation; Distil′ment (Shak.), that which is distilled.—Destructive distillation, the collection of the volatile matters released when a substance is destroyed by heat in a close vessel (as coal in making gas); Fractional distillation, the separation by distilling liquids having different boiling-points, the heat being gradually increased and the receiver changed. [O. Fr. distiller—L. distillāre, -ātum—de, down, stillāre, to drop—stilla, a drop.]

Distinct, dis-tingkt′, adj. separate: different: well-defined: clear: (Spens., Milt.) adorned.—adj. Distinctive, marking or expressing difference.—adv. Distinct′ively.—n. Distinct′iveness.—adv. Distinct′ly.—ns. Distinct′ness; Distinct′ure, distinctness. [See Distinguish.]

Distinction, dis-tingk′shun, n. separation or division: that which distinguishes or gives distinction: difference: eminence: characteristic dignity and elegance of style: honourable treatment.

Distinguish, dis-ting′gwish, v.t. to mark off, set apart (often with from): to recognise by characteristic qualities: to discern critically: to separate by a mark of honour: to make eminent or known.—v.i. to make or show distinctions or differences, to recognise the difference (with from, between).—adj. Disting′uishable, that may be capable of being distinguished.—adv. Disting′uishably.—p.adj. Disting′uished, illustrious.—n. Disting′uisher.—p.adj. Disting′uishing, peculiar.—n. Disting′uishment (Shak.), distinction. [Through Fr. from L. distinguĕre, distinctum—dis, asunder, stinguĕre, to prick, conn. with Gr. stizein, to mark. See Sting.]

Distoma, dis′tō-ma, n. the genus of trematode worms to which the liver-fluke belongs. [Gr. distomos, two-mouthed—dis, and stoma, the mouth.]

Distort, dis-tort′, v.t. to turn a different way: to force out of the natural or regular shape or direction: to turn aside from the true meaning: to pervert: to misrepresent.—p.adj. Distort′ed.—n. Distor′tion, a twisting out of regular shape: crookedness: perversion.—adj. Distort′ive, causing distortion. [L. dis, asunder, torquēre, tortum, to twist.]

Distract, dis-trakt′, v.t. to draw in different directions—applied to the mind or attention: to confuse: to harass: to render crazy: to divert.—adj. Distract′ed.—adv. Distract′edly.—n. Distract′edness.—adjs. Distract′ible; Distract′ile (bot.), carried widely apart.—n. Distrac′tion, state of being distracted: perplexity: agitation: madness: a diversion.—adj. Distract′ive, causing perplexity.

Distrain, dis-trān′, v.t. to seize, esp. goods for debt, esp. for non-payment of rent or rates.—v.i. to seize the goods of a debtor.—adj. Distrain′able.—ns. Distrain′ment; Distrain′or, Distrain′er; Distraint′, seizure of goods. [O. Fr. destraindre—L. dis, asunder, stringĕre, to draw tight.]

Distrait, dis′trā, adj. absent-minded. [Fr.]

Distraught, dis-trawt′, adj. distracted: perplexed. [See Distract.]

Distress, dis-tres′, n. extreme pain: that which causes suffering: calamity: misfortune: (arch.) compulsion: act of distraining goods.—v.t. to afflict with pain or suffering: to harass: to grieve: to distrain.—p.adj. Distressed′.—adj. Distress′ful.—adv. Distress′fully.—n. Distress′fulness.—p.adj. Distress′ing.—adv. Distress′ingly. [O. Fr. destresse—L. distringĕre, districtum, to pull asunder.]

Distribute, dis-trib′ūt, v.t. to divide amongst several: to deal out or allot: to classify: to give a logical term its fullest extension.—n. Distrib′uend, that which is to be distributed.—adjs. Distrib′utable, that may be divided; Distrib′utary, distributing.—ns. Distrib′uter, -or; Distribū′tion, allotment: classification: the application of a general term to all the objects denoted by it.—adjs. Distribū′tional; Distrib′utive, that distributes, separates, or divides: giving to each his own.—n. a word, like each or every, that indicates the several individuals of a number.—adv. Distrib′utively.—Geographical distribution, the department of science that treats of the distribution of animals and plants over certain areas of the globe. [L. distribuĕre—dis, asunder, tribuĕre, tribūtum, to allot.]

District, dis′trikt, n. a portion of territory defined for political, judicial, educational, or other purposes (as a registration district, a militia district, the District of Columbia): a region.—v.t. to divide into districts. [Fr.,—L. districtus—distringĕre, to draw tight.]

Distringas, dis-tring′gas, n. an old writ directing a sheriff or other officer to distrain. [Second pers. sing. pres. subj. of Late L. distringĕre, to distrain.]

Distrouble, dis-trub′l, v.t. (Spens.) to trouble greatly, to perplex. [L. dis, inten., and trouble.]

Distrust, dis-trust′, n. want of trust: want of faith or confidence: doubt.—v.t. to have no trust in: to disbelieve: to doubt.—adj. Distrust′ful, full of distrust: apt to distrust: suspicious.—adv. Distrust′fully.—n. Distrust′fulness.—adj. Distrust′less.

Distune, dis-tūn′, v.t. to put out of tune.

Disturb, dis-turb′, v.t. to throw into confusion: to agitate: to disquiet: to interrupt.—n. Disturb′ance, agitation: tumult: interruption: perplexity.—adj. and n. Disturb′ant, disturbing.—adjs. Disturb′ative; Disturbed′.—n. Disturb′er. [O. Fr. distourber—L. disturbāre, dis, asunder, turbāre, to agitate—turba, a crowd.]

Distyle, dis′til, n. a portico with two columns. [Gr. distylos—di-, two, and stylos, column.]

Disulphate, dī-sul′fāt, n. a sulphate containing one atom of hydrogen replaceable by a base.—n. Disul′phide, a sulphide containing two atoms of sulphur to the molecule—also Disul′phuret.—adj. Disulphū′ric, containing two sulphuric-acid radicals.

Disuniform, dis-ū′ni-form, adj. not uniform.—n. Disuniform′ity.

Disunion, dis-ūn′yun, n. want of union: breaking up of union or concord: separation.—n. Disun′ionist, promoter of disunion.

Disunite, dis-ū-nīt′, v.t. to separate what is united: to sever or sunder.—v.i. to fall asunder: to part.—n. Disū′nity, state of disunion.

Disuse, dis-ūs′, or dis′ūs, n. cessation or giving up of use or custom.—v.t. (dis-ūz′) to cease to use or practise.—n. Disusage (dis-ūz′-), gradual cessation of use or custom.

Disvalue, dis-val′ū, v.t. (Shak.) to diminish in value, disparage.

Disvouch, dis-vowch′, v.t. (Shak.) to discredit, contradict.

Diswarren, dis-wor′en, v.t. to deprive of the character of a warren.

Disweapon, dis-wep′un, v.t. to disarm.

Disyllable. See Dissyllable.

Disyoke, dis-yōk′, v.t. (Tenn.) to free from the yoke.

Dit, dit, n. (Spens.) a ditty. [See Ditty.]

Dital, dit′al, n. a digital key for raising the pitch of a guitar a semitone. [It.,—L. digitus, a finger.]

Ditch, dich, n. a trench dug in the ground: any long narrow receptacle for water.—v.i. to make a ditch or ditches.—v.t. to dig a ditch in or around: to drain by ditches.—ns. Ditch′-dog (Shak.), a dead dog rotting in a ditch; Ditch′er, a ditch-maker. [A corr. of dike.]

Dite, dīt, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Dight.

Ditetragonal, dī-tet-rag′o-nal, adj. twice tetragonal.

Ditetrahedral, dī-tet-ra-hē′dral, adj. twice tetrahedral.

Ditheism, dī′thē-izm, n. the doctrine of the existence of two supreme gods.—n. Dī′theist.—adjs. Ditheist′ic, -al. [Gr. di-, two, and theos, a god.]

Dithyramb, dith′i-ram, n. an ancient Greek hymn sung in honour of Bacchus: a short poem of a like character.—adj. Dithyram′bic, of or like a dithyramb: enthusiastic: wild and boisterous. [L.,—Gr. dithyrambos, a hymn in honour of Bacchus.]

Ditokous, dit′ō-kus, adj. producing two at a birth. [Gr. di-, two, tiktein, to bring forth.]

Ditone, dī′tōn, n. an interval containing two tones, a major third.

Ditrichotomous, dī-tri-kot′ō-mus, adj. divided into twos and threes.

Ditriglyph, dī-trī′glif, n. a space for two triglyphs in the entablature between columns.—adj. Ditriglyph′ic.

Ditrochee, dī-trō′kē, n. a trochaic dipody.—adj. Ditrō′chean.

Dittander, di-tan′dėr, n. pepperwort: dittany.

Dittany, dit′a-ni, n. a genus of aromatic perennial plants, formerly much used medicinally as a tonic. [O. Fr. dictame—L. dictamnus—Gr. diktamnos; prob. from Mt. Diktē in Crete.]

Dittay, dit′ā, n. (Scots law) an indictment, charge. [O. Fr. ditté—L. dictātum. Cf. Ditty, Dictate.]

Dittied, dit′id, adj. (Milt.) sung, as a ditty.

Ditto, dit′ō, contracted Do., n. that which has been said: the same thing.—adv. as before, or aforesaid: in like manner.—n.pl. Ditt′os, a suit of clothes of the same colour throughout. [It. ditto—L. dictum, said, pa.p. of dicĕre, to say.]

Dittography, di-tog′ra-fi, n. mechanical repetition of letters or words in copying a manuscript. [Gr. dittos, double, graphein, to write.]

Dittology, di-tol′o-ji, n. a double reading. [Gr. dittologia—dittos, double, graphein, to write.]

Ditty, dit′i, n. a song: a little poem to be sung. [O. Fr. ditie—L. dictātum, neut. of dictātus, perf. part. of dictāre, to dictate.]

Ditty-bag, dit′i-bag, n. a sailor's bag for needles, thread, &c.—Also Ditt′y-box.

Diuretic, dī-ū-ret′ik, adj. promoting the discharge of urine.—n. a medicine causing this discharge.—n. Diurē′sis, the excessive discharge of urine. [Fr.,—Gr. diourētikos—dia, through, ouron, urine.]

Diurnal, dī-ur′nal, adj. daily: relating to or performed in a day.—n. a service-book containing the day hours, except matins (a night-office): a diary, journal.—n. Diur′nalist, a journalist.—adv. Diur′nally. [L. diurnālis—dies, a day. See Journal.]

Diuturnal, dī-ū-tur′nal, adj. lasting long.—n. Diutur′nity.

Div, dīv, n. an evil spirit of Persian mythology.

Diva, dī′va, n. a popular female singer: a prima-donna. [It.,—L. diva, fem. of divus, divine.]

Divagation, dī-va-gā′shun, n. a digression, deviation.—v.i. Dī′vagate, to wander about.—adv. Divague′ly. [L. divagāri, to wander.]

Divan, di-van′, n. the Turkish council of state: a court of justice: used poetically of any council or assembly: a council-chamber with cushioned seats: a sofa: a smoking-room: a collection of poems. [Ar. and Pers. díwán, a long seat.]

Divaricate, dī-var′i-kāt, v.i. to part into two branches, to fork: to diverge.—v.t. to divide into two branches.—adj. widely divergent, spreading apart.—n. Divaricā′tion. [L. divaricāre, -ātum—dis, asunder, varicāre, to spread the legs—varus, bent apart.]

Dive, dīv, v.i. to dip or plunge into water: to go headlong into a recess, forest, &c.: to plunge or go deeply into any matter.—n. a plunge into water: a swoop.—n. Div′er, one who dives: a pearl-diver: one who works from a diving-bell or in a diving-dress beneath water: a bird expert at diving—specifically, the genus diver or loon of northern seas—loosely, auks, grebes, penguins, &c.: (slang) a pickpocket. [A.S. dýfan, dúfan; Ice. dýfa. See Dip.]

Divellent, dī-vel′ent, adj. drawing asunder.

Divellicate, dī-vel′i-kāt, v.t. to pull in pieces.

Diverge, di-vėrj′, v.i. to incline or turn apart: to tend from a common point in different directions: to vary from the standard.—ns. Diverge′ment; Diverg′ence, Diverg′ency, a tendency to recede from one point.—adj. Diverg′ent.—adv. Diverg′ingly. [L. dis, asunder, vergĕre, to incline.]

Divers, dī′vėrz, adj. sundry: several: more than one: (B.) same as Diverse. [See Divert.]

Diverse, dī′vėrs, or div-ėrs′, adj. different: unlike: multiform: various.—adv. Dī′versely, or Diverse′ly.

Diversify, di-vėr′si-fī, v.t. to make diverse or different: to give variety to:—pr.p. diver′sifying; pa.p. diver′sified.—adj. Diversifī′able.—n. Diversificā′tion.—adj. Diver′siform, of diverse or various forms. [Fr.,—Low L. diversificāre—diversus, diverse, facĕre, to make.]

Diversion, di-vėr′shun, n. act of diverting or turning aside: that which diverts: amusement, recreation: something done to turn the attention of an enemy from the principal point of attack.

Diversity, di-vėr′si-ti, n. state of being diverse: difference: unlikeness: variety.

Divert, di-vėrt′, v.t. to turn aside: to change the direction of: to turn the mind from business or study: to amuse.—n. Divert′imento (obs.), diversion: (mus.) a ballet-interlude.—adj. Divert′ing.—adv. Divert′ingly.—n. Divert′isement, diversion: a short ballet between the acts of a play.—adj. Divert′ive, tending to divert. [Fr.,—L. divertĕre, diversum—dis, aside, vertĕre, to turn.]

Diverticle, di-ver′ti-kl, n. (anat.) a diverticulum, cæcum, or blind tubular process.—adjs. Divertic′ular, Divertic′ulated.

Dives, dī′vēs (L. 'the rich man'), n. a name used as if a proper name for the rich man at whose gate Lazarus lay (Luke, xvi. 19): a rich and luxurious person.—n. Div′itism, condition of being rich.

Divest, di-vest′, v.t. to strip or deprive of anything.—adj. Divest′ible.—ns. Divest′iture, Divest′ment (rare). [L. devestīre—dis, neg., vestīre, to clothe—vestis, a garment.]

Divide, di-vīd′, v.t. to part asunder: to part among, to allot, &c.: to set at variance: to separate into two parts (as in voting).—v.i. to part or open: to break friendship: to vote by separating into two bodies.—n. (coll.) the act of dividing: (esp. in U.S.) a watershed.—adj. Divid′able (rare), divisible: (Shak.) divided.—adv. Divid′edly.—n. Divid′er, that which divides: a kind of compasses for dividing lines, &c.—adj. Divid′ing, separating.—n. separation.—n. Divid′ing-en′gine, an instrument for graduating the scales of scientific apparatus.—adjs. Divid′ual (Milt.), shared in common with others; Divid′uous, special, accidental. [L. dividĕre, divisum—dis, asunder, root vid, to separate.]

Dividend, div′i-dend, n. that which is to be divided: the share of a sum divided that falls to each individual, by way of interest or otherwise.—Declare a dividend, to announce the sum per cent. a trading concern is prepared to pay its shareholders. [L. dividendum—dividĕre.]

Dividivi, div′i-div-i, n. the curved pods of the leguminous tree, Cæsalpinia coriaria, imported for tanning and dyeing. [Native name.]

Divine, di-vīn′, adj. belonging to or proceeding from God: devoted to God's service: holy: sacred: excellent in the highest degree.—n. one skilled in divine things: a minister of the gospel: a theologian.—v.t. to foresee or foretell as if divinely inspired: to guess or make out.—v.i. to profess or practise divination: to have forebodings.—ns. Divinā′tion, the act or practice of divining: instinctive prevision: prediction: conjecture; Div′inātor, Divīn′er, one who divines or professes divination: a conjecturer:—fem. Divin′eress.—adjs. Divinatō′rial, Divin′a-tory, relating to divination, conjectural.—adv. Divine′ly.—ns. Divine′ness; Divin′ing-rod, a rod, usually of hazel, used by those professing to discover water or metals under ground.—vs.t. Div′inise, Divin′ify, to treat as divine. [Fr.,—L. divinus, from divus, deus, a god.]

Diving, dīv′ing, n. the action of the verb to dive.—adj. that dives.

Diving-bell, dīv′ing-bel, n. a hollow vessel or chamber, originally bell-shaped, open at the bottom and supplied with air by a tube from above, in which one may descend into and work under water.—n. Div′ing-dress, the water-tight costume of a diver, with special provision for receiving air, &c. [See Dive.]

Divinity, di-vin′i-ti, n. godhead: the nature or essence of God: God: a celestial being: any god: the science of divine things: theology.—Divinity Hall (Scot.), a theological college, or the theological department in a university. [See Divine.]

Division, di-vizh′un, n. act of dividing: state of being divided: that which divides: a partition: a barrier: the portion divided or separated: part of an army or military force: separation: difference in opinion, &c.: disunion: (arith.) the rule or process of finding how many times one number is contained in another.—n. Divisibil′ity.—adj. Divis′ible, capable of being divided or separated.—adv. Divis′ibly.—adjs. Divi′sional, Divi′sionary, pertaining to or marking a division or separation; Divīs′ive, forming division or separation: creating discord.—ns. Divīs′iveness; Divis′or (arith.), the number which divides the dividend.

Divorce, di-vors′, n. the legal separation of husband and wife: the sentence by which a marriage is dissolved.—v.t. to separate: to sunder: to dissolve the marriage-contract of: to put away.—adj. Divorce′able.—ns. Divorcee′, a divorced person; Divorce′ment (B.), divorce; Divor′cer.—adj. Divor′cive, having power to divorce. [Fr.,—L. divortium—divortĕre, another form of divertĕre. See Divert.]

Divot, div′ot, n. (Scot.) a piece of turf.—Feal and divot (Scots law), a right of cutting sods and turfs for certain purposes. [Origin unknown.]

Divoto, dē-vō′tō, adj. (mus.) devout, solemn. [It.]

Divulge, di-vulj′, v.t. to spread abroad among the vulgar or the people: to make public: to reveal.—v.t. Divul′gate, to publish.—n. Divulgā′tion. [Fr.,—L. divulgāre—dis, among, vulgāre, vulgus, the common people. See Folk.]

Divulsion, di-vul′shun, n. act of pulling or rending asunder or away.—adj. Divul′sive, tending to pull asunder. [L. divulsion-em, divellĕre, divulsum—dis, asunder, vellĕre, vulsum, to pull.]

Dizain, di-zān′, n. a poem in ten stanzas. [Fr.,—dix, ten—L. decem, ten. Cf. Dozen.]

Dizen, dī′zn, or diz′n, v.t. to dress gaudily: (obs.) to dress: to deck. [From an Eng. form found also in Low Ger. diesse, the bunch of flax on the distaff.]

Dizzard, diz′ard, n. a blockhead.

Dizzy, diz′i, adj. giddy: confused: causing giddiness.—v.t. to make dizzy: to confuse.—adv. Dizz′ily.—n. Dizz′iness, giddiness.—p.adj. Dizz′ying, making dizzy. [A.S. dysig, foolish, allied to dwaes, stupid; cf. Dan. dösig; drowsy; also Daze, Doze.]

Djereed. See Jereed.

Do, dōō, v.t. to perform any action: to bring about or effect: to accomplish or finish: to prepare: to put or bring into any form or state: to cheat, swindle.—v.i. to act or behave:—pr.p. do′ing; pa.t. did; pa.p. done (dun).—In 'Do come,' 'I do love him,' Do is intensive; Do serves as substitute for other verbs to save repeating them (as in 'I didn't mean to speak, but if I do,' &c.).—n. endeavour, duty: a trick, hoax.—n. Do′-all, a factotum.—p.adj. Do′ing, active (as in 'Up and doing').—Do away with, to abolish, destroy; Do brown, to cook or roast to brownness: (slang) to make a fool of; Do for, to suit: to provide for: to ruin: (vulg.) to kill; Do into, to translate; Do Macbeth, &c., to represent that part in a play; Do one proud (coll.), to make one feel flattered; Do over, to do again: to cover over, as with paint; Do the city, to visit the sights of the city; Do to death, to murder; Do up, put up, make tidy, arrange, tie up, dress (linen): to utterly fatigue; Do well (to be angry), to be justified in being angry, &c.: to prosper; Do with, to make use of: to meddle with: to get on with; Do without, not to be dependent on, to dispense with.—Be done for, to be defeated or ruined.—Have done, desist; Have done with, to cease interest in; Have to do with, to have a connection with.—What's to do? what is the matter? [A.S. dón, dyde, gedón; Dut. doen, Ger. thun; conn. with Gr. tithenai, to put, place.]

Do, dōō, v.i. to fare or get on, as to health: to succeed: to suffice: to suit or avail (cf. 'This will do,' 'This will never do,' 'This will do for me well enough'). [Prov. Eng. dow, to avail, to be worth; from A.S. dugan, to be worth; Ger. taugen, to be strong, to be worth. See Doughty.]

Do, dō, n. the syllable or name for the first tone or keynote of the musical scale—the others being re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, initial syllables of lines in an old Latin hymn in honour of John the Baptist.

Do, dōō, n. same as Ado: (slang) a swindle.

Doab, do′äb, n. in India, land between two rivers. [Hind. doāb, duāb.]

Doable, dōō′a-bl, adj. (rare) that can be done.

Doat, dōt, v.i. same as Dote.—n. Doat′ing-piece, darling.

Dobbin, dob′bin, n. a workhorse. [Fr. Dobbin, a form like Robin for Robert. Cf. Dicky, Jackass.]

Dobby, Dobbie, dob′i, n. a dotard: a brownie: an attachment to a loom for weaving small figures.

Dobchick, dob′chik, n. Same as Dabchick.

Dobhash, dō′bash, n. an interpreter. [Hind. dobhashī.]

Docent. See Privat docent.

Docetism, do-sē′tizm, n. a 2d-century heresy, which denied the human nature of Christ, affirming that His body was only a semblance.—n.pl. Docē′tæ.—adjs. Docē′tic, Docetis′tic.—ns. Docē′tism; Docē′tist. [Gr. dokētai, those of this belief—dokein, to seem.]

Doch-an-doris, doch′an-dō′ris, n. a stirrup-cup, a parting-cup.—Also Doch-an-dorach, Deuch-an-doris. [Gael., deoch, drink, an, the, doruis, gen. of dorus, door.]

Docile, dō′sīl, or dos′il, adj. teachable: ready to learn: easily managed—(obs.) Doc′ible.—ns. Doc′ibleness, Docil′ity, teachableness.—adj. Dō′cious (U.S.).—n. Doc′ity. [Fr.,—L. docilis—docēre, to teach.]

Docimasy, dos′i-ma-si, n. the art by which the nature and proportions of an ore are determined: assaying: examination of poisons.—n. Docimas′tes, a genus of humming-birds with enormously long beak.—adj. Docimas′tic—n. Docimol′ogy, a treatise on the art of assaying. [Gr. dokimasia, examination—dokimazein, to test—dechesthai, to take, approve.]

Dock, dok, n. a troublesome weed with large leaves and a long root.—n. Dock′-cress, the nipplewort. [A.S. docce; perh. from Gael. dogha, a burdock.]

Dock, dok, v.t. to cut short: to curtail: to cut off: to clip.—n. the part of a tail left after clipping. [Prob. W. tocio, to cut short; or Old Ice. dockr, a stumpy tail.]

Dock, dok, n. an enclosure or artificial basin near a harbour or river, for the reception of vessels: the box in court where the accused stands: in a railway station, the place of arrival and departure of a train.—v.t. to place in a dock.—ns. Dock′age, accommodation in docks for ships: dock-dues; Dock′er, one who works in the docks; Dock′-mas′ter, the person superintending a dock; Dock′-warr′ant, a warehouse receipt; Dock′yard, a naval establishment with docks, building-slips, stores, &c.; Dry′-dock, a dock which can be laid dry by dock-gates, pumping, &c.—also called Grav′ing-dock, because suitable for cleaning or graving the sides and bottoms of ships; Float′ing-dock, a dock which floats in the water, but can by pumping out its hollow sides be raised high in the water with any ship that has been floated into it, and then emptied of water by further pumping; Wet′-dock, a dock maintaining a level nearly uniform with that of high water. [Old Dut. dokke; perh. from Low L. doga, a canal—Gr. dochē, a receptacle—dechesthai, to receive.]

Docket, dok′et, n. a summary of a larger writing: a bill or ticket affixed to anything: a label: a list or register of cases in court.—v.t. to make a summary of the heads of a writing: to enter in a book: to mark the contents of papers on the back:—pr.p. dock′eting; pa.p. dock′eted. [Dim. of dock, to curtail; sometimes docquet, as if French.]

Doctor, dok′tur, n. one who has received from a university the highest degree in a faculty: a physician: a medical practitioner: a cleric especially skilled in theology or ecclesiastical law.—v.t. to treat as a doctor does: to adulterate: to make alterations on: to falsify: to address as doctor: to create a doctor.—v.i. to take physic: to practise medicine.—adj. Doc′toral.—ns. Doc′torate, Doc′torship; Doc′toress, Doc′tress, a female physician.—Doctors' Commons, before the establishment of the Divorce Court and Probate Court in 1857, the college of the doctors of civil law in London, incorporated by royal charter in 1768; Doctor's stuff, medicine. [L., 'a teacher'—docere, to teach.]

Doctrinaire, doc′tri-nār, n. an unpractical theorist, disposed to carry principles to logical but unworkable extremes: in France, in 1815-30, one of a school who desired a constitution like that of Britain.—adj. theorist.—ns. Doctrinā′rian, one given to theory; Doctrinā′rianism, blind adhesion to one-sided principles. [Fr.,—Late L. doctrinarius.]

Doctrine, dok′trin, n. a thing taught: a principle of belief: what the Scriptures teach on any subject: (B.) act or manner of teaching.—adj. Doc′trinal, relating to or containing doctrine: relating to the act of teaching.—adv. Doc′trinally. [Fr.,—L. doctrīna, docēre, to teach.]

Document, dok′ū-ment, n. a paper containing information or the proof of anything.—v.t. to furnish with documents: to support or prove by documents.—adjs. Document′al, Document′ary, relating to or found in documents.—n. Documentā′tion, preparation or use of documentary evidence and authorities—used in realistic fiction by the school of Zola of faithful reproduction of the records, real or supposed, of actual lives (the so-called document humain).—Documentary hypothesis, the hypothesis that the Pentateuch consists of two or more originally distinct documents. [Fr.,—L. documentum—docēre, to teach.]

Dod, dod, v.t. (prov.) to clip, poll, lop.—p.adj. Dod′ded, polled, hornless.—ns. Dod′dle, a pollard; Dod′dy, a cow without horns.

Doddart, dod′art, n. (obs.) hockey.

Dodder, dod′ėr, n. a leafless, twining, pale-coloured parasitic plant.—p.adj. Dodd′ered, overgrown with dodder. [A.S. dodder; Ger. dotter.]

Dodder, dod′ėr, v.t. or v.i. to shake, tremble.—p.adj. Dodd′ering, trembling: pottering. [Cf. Toddle.]

Doddy, dod′i, adj. (Scot.) crabbed.

Dodecagon, dō-dek′a-gon, n. a plane figure having twelve equal angles and sides. [Gr. dōdeka, twelve, gōnia, an angle.]

Dodecagynia, dō-dek-a-jin′i-a, n. a Linnæan order of plants having twelve styles.—adjs. Dodecagyn′ian, Dodecag′ynous.

Dodecahedron, dō-dek-a-hē′dron, n. a solid figure, having twelve equal pentagonal bases or faces.—adj. Dodecahē′dral. [Gr. dōdeka, twelve, hedra, a base, a side.]

Dodecandria, dō-de-kan′dri-a, n. a Linnæan class of plants having twelve stamens.—adj. Dodecan′drous. [Gr. dōdeka, twelve, anēr, andros, a man.]

Dodecapetalous, dō-dek-a-pet′a-lus, adj. having twelve petals. [Gr. dōdeka, twelve, petalon, a petal.]

Dodecastyle, dō′dek-a-stīl, adj. (archit.) having twelve columns in front.—n. a portico with such.

Dodecasyllable, dō-dek-a-sil′a-bl, n. a word of twelve syllables.—adj. Dodecasyllab′ic.

Dodge, doj, v.i. to start aside or shift about: to evade or use mean tricks: to shuffle or quibble.—v.t. to evade by a sudden shift of place: to trick.—n. an evasion: a trick: a quibble.—ns. Dodg′er; Dodg′ery, trickery.—adj. Dodg′y. [Cf. dodder, toddle, diddle; Scot. daddle, doddle.]

Dodipoll, Doddypoll, dod′i-pōl, n. a blockhead.

Dodkin, dod′kin, n. a doit.—Also Doit′kin.

Dodman, dod′man, n. (prov.) a snail.

Dodo, dō′dō, n. a large clumsy bird, about the size of a turkey, and without the power of flight—it was once found in Mauritius and Madagascar, but became extinct about the end of the 17th century. [Port. doudo, silly.]

Dodonæan, dō-dō-nē′an, adj. pertaining to Dodona in Epirus, or its oracle sacred to Zeus, situated in a grove of oaks.—Also Dodō′nian.

Doe, dō, n. John Doe and Richard Roe, names of an imaginary plaintiff and opponent in the old legal action for ejectment, and proverbial term for a legal action.

Doe, dō, n. the female of the fallow-deer or buck.—n. Doe′skin, the skin of a doe: a smooth, close-woven woollen cloth. [A.S. dá; Dan. daa, a deer.]

Doer, dōō′ėr, n. one who does anything; one who habitually performs: an agent.

Does, duz, 3d pers. sing. pres. indic. of Do.

Doff, dof, v.t. to do or take off: to rid one's self of. [A contr. of do off.]

Doffer, dof′ėr, n. the part of a carding-machine which strips the cotton from the cylinder when carded.

Dog, dog, n. a domestic quadruped of the same genus as the wolf, and akin to the fox, varying in size from small terriers to huge Newfoundlands, mastiffs, and St Bernards: a mean scoundrel: a term of contempt: a fellow (as a jolly dog): one of two constellations of stars: an andiron: an iron hook for holding logs of wood: a dogfish: a cock, as of a gun.—adj. male (opposed to bitch), as in dog-fox, dog-ape.—v.t. to follow as a dog: to follow and watch constantly: to worry with importunity:—pr.p. dog′ging; pa.p. dogged.—ns. Dog′-bane, a plant with an intensely bitter root, valued for its medicinal properties, said to be poisonous to dogs; Dog′-bee, a drone; Dog′-belt, a broad leather belt round the waist for drawing dans or sledges in the low workings of coal-mines; Dog′-bis′cuit, biscuit made for dogs, sometimes containing scraps of meat; Dog′-bolt (obs.), a contemptible fellow; Dog′-box, the part of a railway wagon in which dogs are carried; Dog′-brī′er, the brier dogrose; Dog′cart, a two-wheeled carriage with seats back to back, so called from sporting-dogs being originally carried inside the box.—adj. Dog′-cheap, very cheap.—n. Dog′-coll′ar, a collar for dogs: a kind of stiff collar on a woman's dress: a close-fitting clerical collar.—adj. Dog′-faced.—ns. Dog′-fan′cier, one who has a fancy for, or who deals in dogs; Dog′fish, a popular name for various small species of shark, common on British and American coasts; Dog′-fox, a male fox; Dog′ger.—adj. Dog′gish, like a dog: churlish: brutal.—adv. Dog′gishly.—n. Dog′gishness.—p.adj. Dog′goned (vulg.), confounded.—n. Dog′-grass, a coarse perennial grass common in uncultivated grounds, akin to couch-grass, dog-wheat, &c.—adjs. Dog′-head′ed; Dog′-heart′ed.—ns. Dog′-hole, a hole fit only for dogs: a mean dwelling; Dog′-house, -kenn′el; Dog′-leech, one who treats the diseases of dogs; Dog-lett′er, the letter or sound r—also Canine letter; Dog′-louse; Dog′-pars′ley, fool's parsley; Dog′rose, a wild-rose, a brier; Dog's′-ear, the corner of the leaf of a book turned down like a dog's ear.—v.t. to turn down the corners of leaves.—p.adjs. Dog's′-eared, Dog′-eared.—ns. Dog's′-fenn′el, May-weed; Dog′ship, the quality or personality of a dog.—adj. Dog′-sick.—n. Dog′skin, leather made from the skin of a dog, or from sheepskin in imitation of it.—adj. made of such.—ns. Dog′-sleep, a light sleep broken by the slightest noise; Dog's′-meat, coarse meat, scraps and refuse sold as food for dogs; Dog's′-mer′cury, the mercurialis perennis; Dog's′-nose, a kind of mixed drink; Dog's′-tail-grass, a common British pasture grass.—n.pl. Dog′-stones, a name for various British species of orchis.—ns. Dog's′-tongue, the hound's-tongue plant, Cynoglossum officinale; Dog′-tick.—adjs. Dog′-tired, Dog′-wea′ry (Shak.), tired as a dog, completely worn out.—ns. Dog′-trick, an ill-natured trick; Dog′-trot, a gentle trot like that of a dog; Dog′-vane, a small vane of thread, cork, and feathers placed on the weather gunwale to show the direction of the wind; Dog′-vī′olet, the common name of Viola canina and other scentless species of wild violet; Dog′-wheat, a name of Dog-grass; Dog′-whelk, the popular name for univalve molluscs of the genus Nassa; Dog′wood, a tree or shrub of the cornel genus, valuable on account of the hardness of the wood.—interj. Dog on it! a minced oath (for God damn it!).—Go to the dogs, to be ruined; Not to lead the life of a dog, to lead a life so wretched that even a dog would not be content with it; Throw, Give, or Send to the dogs, to throw away or abandon. [M. E. doggë; not in A.S.; Dut. dog, a mastiff; Ger. dogge, docke.]

Dogberry, dog′ber-ri, n. the fruit of a species of dogwood: a stupid, obstinate fellow, from the old watchman in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing.

Dogdays, dog′dāz, n.pl. the period when the dogstar rises and sets with the sun (generally reckoned July 3d to August 11th)—erroneously supposed to be the time when dogs are specially liable to hydrophobia.

Doge, dōj, n. formerly the chief-magistrate in Venice and Genoa.—ns. Dogaress′a, the wife of a doge; Dog′ate, Doge′ate, Doge′ship. [It., prov. for duce = Eng. duke—L. dux, a leader—ducĕre, to lead.]

Dogged, dog′ed, adj. surly like an angry dog: sullen: obstinate.—adv. (slang) very.—adv. Dogg′edly.—n. Dogg′edness.

Dogger, dog′ėr, n. a two-masted Dutch fishing-vessel.—n. Dogg′erman. [Dut.]

Dogger, dog′er, n. a sandy and oolitic ironstone.

Doggerel, dog′ėr-el, n. irregular measures in burlesque poetry, so named in contempt: worthless verses.—adj. irregular in rhythm, mean.—Also Dog′grel. [Usually assumed to be from dog, but no good ground for this.]

Doggy, dog′i, adj. fond of dogs.

Dog-head, dog′-hed, n. the hammer of a gun-lock.

Dog-Latin, dog′-lat′in, n. barbarous or bad Latin. [See Doggerel.]

Dogma, dog′ma, n. a settled opinion: a principle or tenet: a doctrine laid down with authority.—adjs. Dogmat′ic, -al, pertaining to a dogma: asserting a thing as if it were a dogma: asserting positively: overbearing.—adv. Dogmat′ically.—n. Dogmat′ics (theol.), the statement of Christian doctrines, systematic theology.—v.i. Dog′matise, to state one's opinion dogmatically or arrogantly.—ns. Dog′matiser; Dog′matism, dogmatic or positive assertion of opinion; Dog′matist, one who makes positive assertions; Dogmatol′ogy, the science of dogma.—adj. Dog′matory. [Gr., 'an opinion,' from dokein, to think, allied to L. decet.]

Dog-shores, dog′-shōrz, n.pl. the pieces of timber used to shore up a vessel, to keep it from falling or from starting during the preparations for launching, knocked aside when the ship is ready to be launched.

Dogstar, dog′stär, n. Sirius, a star of the first magnitude, whose rising and setting with the sun gave name to the dogdays.

Dog-tooth, dog′-tōōth, n. a moulding for doors and windows in later Norman architecture, consisting of a series of ornamented conical projections: a canine tooth.

Dog-watches, dog′-woch′ez, n.pl. on shipboard, the two watches 4-6 P.M. and 6-8 P.M., consisting each of two hours only, instead of four.

Doilt, doilt, adj. (Scot.) crazy, foolish.—Also Doiled.

Doily, doi′li, n. (obs.) an old kind of woollen stuff: a small napkin used at dessert. [From Doily or Doyley, a famous haberdasher.]

Doings, dōō′ingz, n.pl. things done, events: proceedings: behaviour.

Doit, doit, n. a small Dutch coin worth about half a farthing: a thing of little or no value. [Dut. duit.]

Doited, doit′ed, p.adj. a Scotch form of Doted.

Doke, dōk, n. (prov.) a dimple, dint.

Dolabella, dō-la-bel′a, n. a genus of tectibranchiate gasteropods.

Dolabra, dō-lā′bra, n. an ancient Roman cutting or digging implement, of various shapes.—adj. Dolab′riform, like a hatchet or cleaver, used of leaves, also of shells straight and thick at one side, and thin at the other. [L. dolabra, a cleaver.]

Dolce, dōl′che, adj. (mus.) sweet.—n. a soft-toned organ-stop.—adv. Dolcemen′te (mus.), softly and sweetly. [It.]

Doldrums, dol′drumz, n.pl. (naut.) those parts of the ocean about the equator where calms and baffling winds prevail: low spirits. [Prob. conn. with dold, stupid, or dol = dull.]

Dole, dōl, v.t. to deal out in small portions.—n. a share distributed: something given in charity: a small portion. [A doublet of deal, to divide.]

Dole, dōl, n. pain: grief: (arch. and poet.) heaviness at heart.—adj. Dole′ful, full of dole or grief: melancholy.—adv. Dole′fully.—n. Dole′fulness.—adjs. Dō′lent (obs.), Dole′some, dismal.—adv. Dole′somely. [O. Fr. doel (Fr. deuil), grief—L. dolēre, to feel pain.]

Dolerite, dol′er-īt, n. basaltic greenstone. [Fr.,—Gr. doleros, deceptive, it being hard to distinguish from real greenstone.]

Dolichocephalic, dol-i-ko-sef-al′ik, adj. long-headed, a term used to denote a head whose diameter from front to back is longer than from side to side—also Dolichoceph′alous.—ns. Dolichoceph′aly, Dolichoceph′alism. [Formed from Gr. dolichos, long, kephalē, the head.]

Dolichos, dol′i-kos, n. a genus of leguminous plants allied to the Haricot. [Gr., long.]

Dolichosaurus, dol-i-kō-saw′rus, n. the typical genus of Dolicosau′ria, a group of fossil Lacertilia of the Cretaceous formation.

Dolichotis, dol-i-kō′tis, n. a genus of long-eared South American rodents. [Gr. dolichos, long, ous, ōtos, the ear.]

Dolichurus, dol-i-kū′rus, n. a dactylic hexameter with a redundant syllable at the end, the sixth foot being a dactyl. [Gr., long-tailed.]

Dolium, dō′li-um, n. a Roman earthenware jar for wine, oil, grain, &c.:—pl. Dō′lia. [L.]

Doll, dol, n. a puppet or toy-baby for a child: a pretty but silly woman: the smallest or pet pig in a litter.—ns. Doll′dom; Doll′hood; Doll′ship; Doll's′-house. [Prob. from Dolly, familiar dim. of Dorothy.]

Dollar, dol′ar, n. a silver coin (= 100 cents) of U.S.A., Mexico, Singapore, &c. The U.S.A. dollar = about 4s. 2d. sterling.—adjs. Doll′ared; Doll′arless.—ns. Dollaroc′racy; Doll′arship. [Ger., short for Joachimsthaler, because first coined at the silver mines in Joachimsthal (Joachim's dale) in Bohemia—Low Ger. daler, Sw., Dan. daler.]

Dollop, dol′op, n. a lump.—Also Dall′op. [Prob. cog. with Norw. dial. dolp, a lump.]

Dolly, dol′i, n. a complimentary offering of flowers, sweetmeats, &c. on a tray. [Anglo-Ind.,—Hindi, dālī.]

Dolly, dol′i, n. dim. of Doll.—adj. babyish.—n. Doll′iness.

Dolly, dol′i, n. a wooden shaft attached to a disc with projecting arms, used for stirring clothes in a washing-tub; somewhat similar pieces of apparatus in mining, pile-driving, &c.—v.t. to wash (clothes) in a tub: to beat (red-hot metal) with a hammer: to crush ore with a dolly, to obtain or yield by this method.—adj. Doll′ied.—n. Doll′ier. [Prob. from Dolly, the familiar form of Dorothy.]

Dolly-shop, dol′i-shop, n. a marine store, a low pawn-shop—often having a black doll as signboard.

Dolly Varden, dol′i vär′den, n. a flowered muslin dress for women, with pointed bodice and tucked-up skirt: a large hat, one side bent downwards, abundantly trimmed with flowers. [Named from Dolly Varden, a character in Dickens's Barnaby Rudge.]

Dolman, dol′man, n. a Turkish robe with slight sleeves and open in front: a hussar's jacket, worn like a cloak, with one or both sleeves hanging loose. [Fr.,—Turk. dōlāmān.]

Dolmen, dol′men, n. a stone table: the French name for a cromlech, a prehistoric structure of two or more erect unhewn stones, supporting a large flattish stone. [Fr. dolmen; usually explained as Bret. dolmen—dol, taol, table, men, a stone. But tolmen in Cornish meant 'hole of stone.']

Dolomite, dol′o-mīt, n. a magnesian limestone, so called from the French geologist D. Guy de Dolomieu (1750-1801).—adj. Dolomit′ic.

Dolour, dō′lor, n. pain: grief: anguish.—adjs. Dolorif′erous, Dolori′fic, causing or expressing dolour, pain, or grief.—adv. Dolorō′so (mus.), noting a soft and pathetic manner.—adj. Dol′orous, full of dolour, pain, or grief: doleful.—adv. Dol′orously.—n. Dol′orousness.—Dolours of the Virgin, the prophecy of Simeon, the flight into Egypt, the three days' loss of Jesus, the meeting of Him on the way to Calvary, the crucifixion, the descent from the cross, the entombment. [Fr.,—L. dolēre, to grieve.]

Dolphin, dol′fin, n. an animal of the whale kind, closely resembling the porpoise, about 8 or 10 feet long: the coryphæna, a fish about 5 feet in length, noted for the brilliancy of its colours when dying.—ns. Dol′phinet (Spens.), a female dolphin; Dol′phin-fly, a black aphis or plant-louse, destructive to bean-plants. [O. Fr. daulphin—L. delphinus—Gr. delphis, -phinos.]

Dolt, dōlt, n. a dull or stupid fellow.—adj. Dolt′ish, dull: stupid.—adv. Dolt′ishly.—n. Dolt′ishness. [Dolt = dulled or blunted. See Dull.]

Dom, dom, n. the Portuguese form of Don: also a title given to certain Catholic dignitaries and members of some monastic orders, esp. the Benedictine. [L. dominus, lord.]

Domain, do-mān′, n. what one is master of or has dominion over: an estate: territory: ownership of land: the scope or range of any subject or sphere of knowledge.—adjs. Domain′al, Domā′nial. [Fr.,—L. dominium, dominus, a master.]

Domal, dōm′al, adj. relating to a house. [L. domus, a house.]

Domboc, dōm′bōk, n. a collection of laws made by authority of King Alfred, but now lost. [A.S. dóm, judgment, law, and bóc, book.]

Domdaniel, dom-dan′yel, n. a hall under the sea inhabited by a sorcerer and his disciples: (Carlyle) an infernal cave, den of iniquity generally. [Fr.,—Gr. dōma Daniēl, house of Daniel.]

Dome, dōm, n. a structure raised above the roof of large buildings, usually hemispherical: a large cupola: a cathedral: (poet.) a building.—v.t. to furnish with a dome.—adjs. Domed, Dom′ical, having a dome. [L. domus, a house; Fr. dôme, It. duomo, Ger. dom.]

Dome, dōm, n. (Spen.). Same as Doom.

Domesday-, Doomsday-book, dōōmz′dā-book, n. a book compiled by order of William the Conqueror, containing a survey of all the lands in England, their value, owners, &c.—so called from its authority in judgment (A.S. dóm) on the matters contained in it.

Domestic, do-mes′tik, adj. belonging to the house: remaining much at home: private: tame: not foreign.—n. a servant in the house: (pl.) articles of home manufacture, esp. home-made cotton cloths.—adv. Domes′tically.—v.t. Domes′ticāte, to make domestic or familiar: to tame.—ns. Domesticā′tion; Domesticā′tor; Domestic′ity.—Domestic architecture, the architecture of mansions, dwelling-houses, cottages, &c.; Domestic economy, the principles of thrifty housekeeping. [Fr.,—L. domesticus—domus, a house.]

Domet, dom′et, n. a kind of plain cloth, in which the warp is cotton and the weft woollen.

Domicile, dom′i-sil, n. a house: an abode: a man's legal place of residence.—v.t. to establish a fixed residence.—adjs. Dom′iciled; Domicil′iary, pertaining to the domicile.—v.t. Domicil′iāte, to establish in a permanent residence.—n. Domiciliā′tion.—Domiciliary visit, a visit, under authority, to a private house for the purpose of searching it. [Fr.,—L. domicilium—domus, a house.]

Dominant, dom′in-ant, adj. prevailing: predominant.—n. (mus.) the fifth note of the scale in its relation to the first and third.—ns. Dom′inance, Dom′inancy, ascendency.—adv. Dom′inantly. [L. dominans, -antis, pr.p. of domināri, to be master.]

Dominate, dom′in-āt, v.t. to be lord over: to govern: to prevail over, to be the chief feature of.—n. Dominā′tion, government: absolute authority: tyranny.—adj. Dom′inative, governing: (rare) arbitrary.—n. Dom′inator (Shak.), a ruler or governor: a ruling influence. [L. domināri, -ātus, to be master—dominus, master—domare = Eng. tame.]

Domineer, dom-in-ēr′, v.i. to rule arbitrarily: to command haughtily: to be overbearing.—adj. Domineer′ing, overbearing. [Prob. through Dut. from O. Fr. dominer—L. domināri.]

Dominical, do-min′ik-al, adj. belonging to our Lord, as the Lord's Prayer, the Lord's Day.—Dominical letter, one of the first seven letters of the alphabet, used in calendars to mark the Sundays throughout the year. [Low L. dominicalis—L. dominicus—dominus, lord, master.]

Dominican, do-min′i-kan, adj. belonging to St Dominic or to the Dominicans.—n. a friar or monk of the order of St Dominic—Fratres Predicatores, founded in 1215—the Black Friars, from their black mantle.

Dominie, dom′i-ni, n. (Scot.) a schoolmaster, a tutor: in parts of the United States, a clergyman. [L. domine, voc. case of dominus, lord, master, sir.]

Dominion, do-min′yun, n. lordship: highest power and authority: control: the country or persons governed, esp. the Dominion of Canada: (pl., B.) a class of angelic spirits (Col. i. 16).—n. Domin′ium, the ownership of a thing.—Dominion Day, a Canadian festival on the anniversary of the union of the provinces, 1st July 1867.

Domino, dom′i-no, n. a cape with a hood worn by a master or by a priest: a long cloak of black silk with a hood, used at masked balls, a person wearing such: one of the oblong pieces with which the game of Dom′inoes (-nōz) is played, usually twenty-eight in number, divided into two compartments, each of which is blank or marked with from one to six spots. [Sp. domino—L. dominus.]

Dominus. See Dominie.

Don, don, n. a Spanish title, corresponding to English Sir, formerly applied only to noblemen, now to all classes: a fellow of a college, a college authority: (coll.) a swell, adept:—fem. Doña, in English, usually with the Italian spelling, Don′na.—adj. Don′nish, pertaining to a don: with the airs of a don.—ns. Don′nism, self-importance; Don′ship, rank or dignity of a don. [Sp.,—L. dominus.]

Don, don, v.t. to do or put on: to assume:—pr.p. don′ning; pa.p. donned. [A contr. of do on.]

Donat, do′nat, n. a grammar, a primer.—Also Don′et. [O. Fr. donat, from Ælius Donatus, author about 358 A.D. of a long famous Latin grammar.]

Donation, do-nā′shun, n. act of giving: that which is given, a gift of money or goods: (law) the act by which a person freely transfers his title to anything to another.—n. Dō′nary, a thing given to a sacred use.—v.t. Donāte′, to present a gift.—n. Don′ative, a gift: a gratuity: a benefice presented by the founder or patron without reference to the bishop.—adj. vested or vesting by donation.—ns. Donā′tor, one who makes a gift, a donor; Don′atory (Scots law), one to whom lands escheated to the crown are made over; Donee′, the person to whom a gift is made; Dō′nor, a giver: a benefactor.—Dona nobis, the last section of the mass, beginning 'Dona nobis pacem.' [Fr.,—L. donāre, -ātum—donum, a gift—dăre, to give.]

Donatists, don′a-tists, n.pl. the members of an African sect in the Christian Church of the 4th and 5th centuries, who protested against any diminution of the extreme reverence paid to martyrs, who treated the lapsed severely, and rebaptised converts from the Catholic Church.—n. Don′atism.—adjs. Donatis′tic, -al. [From Donatus, one of their leaders.]

Done, dun, pa.p. of Do, often with sense of utterly exhausted: so Done up, Done out.

Donga, dong′ga, n. the South African name for a channel or gully formed by the action of water.

Donjon, dun′jun, n. a strong central tower in ancient castles, to which the garrison retreated when hard pressed. [A doublet of dungeon.]

Donkey, dong′ki, n. the ass.—ns. Don′key-en′gine, a small engine used in steam-vessels for loading and unloading, pumping water into the boilers, &c.; Don′key-pump, an extra steam-pump. [Still regarded as slang in 1823. Perh. = dun-ik-ie, a double dim. of dun, from its colour; or from Duncan, cf. Dicky.]

Donna. See Don.

Donnered, don′erd, adj. (Scot.) stupefied, stunned.—Also Donn′erd, Donn′ert.

Do-nothing, dōō′-nuth′ing, n. one who does nothing: a lazy or idle person: a fainéant.—ns. Do-noth′ingism, Do-noth′ingness.

Donsie, don′si, adj. (Scot.) unlucky, perverse: neat, trim: sickly.

Don't, dōnt. For do not.

Donzel, don′zel, n. a page or squire:—fem. Donzel′la.

Doob, dōōb, n. Indian name for the dog's-tooth grass.

Dood, dōōd, n. a riding camel or dromedary. [Beng.]

Doodle, dōōd′l, v.t. (Scot.) to dandle.

Doodle, dōōd′l, v.i. (Scot.) to drone, as a bagpipe.

Dook, dōōk, n. (Scot.) a plug of wood driven into a wall to hold a nail, &c.

Doolefull, dōōl′fool, adj. (Spens.) = Doleful.—ns. Dool′-tree, Dule′-tree (Scot.), a tree that marks a place of mourning.

Doolie. See Dhooly.

Doom, dōōm, n. judgment: condemnation: destiny: ruin: final judgment: a picture of the Last Judgment.—v.t. to pronounce judgment on: to sentence: to condemn:—pr.p. dōōm′ing; pa.p. dōōmed.—adjs. Doomed, under sentence; Doom′ful (Spens.), full of doom, ruin, or destructive power.—adv. Dooms (Scot.) very, exceedingly.—ns. Dooms′day, the day of doom, the day when the world will be judged; Dooms′day-book (see Domesday); Dooms′man, one who pronounces doom or sentence, a judge.—Crack of doom, the signal for the final dissolution of all things, the last trump. [A.S. dóm, judgment.]

Doom-palm, dōōm′-päm, n. a kind of African palm, with a branched stem, tufts of fan-shaped leaves, and a fruit as big as an apple.

Door, dōr, n. the usual entrance into a house, room, or passage: the wooden frame on hinges closing up the entrance: a means of approach or access.—ns. Door′-bell; Door′-case, the frame which encloses a door; Door′-cheek (Scot.), one of the side-posts of a door; Door′-keep′er; Door′-knock′er; Door′-mat; Door′-nail; Door′-plate, a plate on or at a door with the householder's name on it; Door′-post, the jamb or side-piece of a door; Door′-sill, the threshold of a doorway; Door′-stead, a doorway; Door′-step, Door′-stone, the step-stone; Door′way, the entrance or passage closed by the door; Door′-yard, a yard about the door of a house; Fold′ing-door, a door in two halves, each of which may be folded back against the wall.—Darken one's door, to cross one's threshold; Death's door, on the point of death, in great danger of death; Next door to, in the house next to: near to, bordering upon, very nearly; Out of doors, in the open air; Show to the door, to dismiss with ignominy. [A.S. duru; Ger. thor, thür; Gr. thyra, L. fores (pl.), a door.]

Dop, dop, n. a copper cup with a wooden handle, in which a gem is soldered to be held while being cut or polished. [Dut.]

Dop, dop, v.i. to dip or duck.—n. a diving bird.

Dope, dōp, n. any thick liquid used as a lubricant, axle-grease: any absorbent material holding a thick liquid, as cotton-waste, or a substance used to hold nitro-glycerine. [Prob. Dut. doop, a dipping.]

Dopper, dop′er, n. a member of a rigid religious sect in South Africa.

Dopplerite, dop′ler-īt, n. a substance derived from the maceration of peat. [From Doppler, a German physicist.]

Doquet, dok′et, a form of docket.

Dor, dor, n. (obs.) a scoff, mockery, as 'to give (any one) the dor.' [Prob. Ice. dór, scoff.]

Dor, Dorr, dor, n. a kind of dung-beetle, also called Dor-beetle and Dor-fly; a cockchafer (in U.S. called Dor-bug): (obs.) a drone. [A.S. dora, a humble-bee.]

Dorado, dō-rä′dō, n. the dolphin, so called from its beautiful colour when dying. [Sp., from dorar, to gild—L. deaurāre, ātum. See Dory, El Dorado.]

Dorcas, dor′kas, n. given in Acts, ix. 36, as the Greek translation of Tabitha (Aramaic, 'female gazelle'), the name of the Christian woman of Joppa, famous for her good works, esp. the making of clothes for the poor—hence Dorcas societies, ladies' societies for making and providing clothes for the poor.

Doree. See Dory.

Dor-hawk, dor′-hawk, n. the common goatsucker, night-jar, or fern-owl.

Dorian, dō′ri-an, adj. and n. belonging to Doris in Greece, Doric: a native of Doris.

Doric, dor′ik, adj. belonging to Doris in Greece, denoting one of the Greek orders of architecture, distinguished by its simplicity and solidity.—n. one of the modes of Greek music: a dialect of the Greek language distinguished by the use of broad vowel sounds: any dialect having this character, as Scotch.—ns. Dor′icism, Dor′ism, a peculiarity of the Doric dialect. [Fr. dorique—L. Doricus—Gr. Dōris.]

Dorking, dork′ing, n. a square-bodied breed of poultry, variously coloured, and with five claws on each foot—so named from Dorking in Surrey.

Dorlach, dor′lah, n. a bundle, a knapsack.—Also Dor′loch. [Gael.]

Dormant, dor′mant, adj. sleeping: at rest: not used, in abeyance (as a title): in a sleeping posture: (archit.) leaning.—n. a crossbeam: a joist.—n. Dor′mancy, quiescence.—ns. Dor′mer-win′dow, a vertical window, esp. of a sleeping-room (formerly called dormer), on the sloping roof of a house; Dormi′tion, sleeping.—adj. Dor′mitive, causing sleep (of medicine), as opium.—ns. Dor′mitory, a large sleeping-chamber with many beds; Dor′mouse, a small rodent intermediate between the squirrel and the mouse, so called because torpid in winter:—pl. Dor′mice; Dor′tour (Spens.) a dormitory. [Fr. dormir—L. dormīre, to sleep.]

Dormy, Dormie, dor′mi, adj. a term applied to one player at golf, when he is as many holes ahead as there remain holes to be played.

Dornick, dor′nik, n. a kind of stout figured linen, originally made at Doornik, or Tournay, in Belgium.

Dorp, dorp, n. a rare form of thorp, village.

Dorsal, dor′sal, adj. pertaining or belonging to the back.—adv. Dor′sally.—n. Dorse (obs.), the back of a writing: a dossal: the back.—adj. Dorsibranch′iate, having gills on the back.—n. one of the Dorsibranchiata, including free marine worms.—adjs. Dorsif′erous, dorsigerous: dorsiparous; Dorsig′erous, carrying on the back; Dor′sigrade, walking on the back of the toes; Dorsip′arous, bearing fruit on the back: hatching young upon the back; Dor′sispin′al, pertaining to both the back and the spine; Dorsiven′tral, Dorsabdom′inal, pertaining to the back and the belly; Dorsocau′dal, superior and posterior in direction or position; Dorsocer′vical, pertaining to the back of the neck.—n. Dorsoflex′ion, a bending of the back, a bow.—adjs. Dorsolat′eral, pertaining to the back and the side; Dorsolum′bar, pertaining to the whole dorsal region of the trunk—also Dorsilum′bar; Dorsomē′dian, situated in the middle of the back; Dorsomes′al, lying along the middle line of the back—also Dorsimes′al; Dorsopleu′ral, pertaining to the back and the side.—n. Dors′um.—Send to dorse, to throw on the back. [Fr.,—L. dorsum, the back.]

Dorse, dors, n. a young cod. [Low Ger. dorsch.]

Dorty, dor′ti, adj. (Scot.), pettish: delicate.

Dory, dō′ri, n. a fish of a golden-yellow colour.—Also John Dory and Doree. [Fr. dorée, from dorer, to gild—L. deaurāre, to gild—de, of, with, and aurum, gold. John is simply the ordinary name.]

Dose, dōs, n. the quantity of medicine given to be taken at one time: a portion: anything disagreeable that must be taken.—v.t. to order or give in doses: to give anything nauseous to.—ns. Dōs′age, a practice or method of dosing; Dosim′eter, an apparatus for measuring minute quantities of liquid.—adj. Dosimet′ric.—n. Dosol′ogy, the science of doses—also Dosiol′ogy. [O. Fr. dose—Gr. dosis, a giving—didōmi, I give.]

Doseh, dō′se, n. a religious ceremony at Cairo during the festival of the Moolid, in which the sheik rides on horseback over the prostrate bodies of dervishes.

Dossal, dos′sal, n. a cloth hanging, of various colours at various festivals, for the back of an altar and the sides of the chancel of a church.—Also Dos′sel. [Late L. dossale, dorsale—L. dorsum, the back.]

Dosser, dos′er, n. a rich hanging of tapestry for the walls of a hall or of a chancel: a pannier.

Doss-house, dos′-hows, n. a very cheap lodging-house.—n. Doss′er, one who lodges in a doss-house. [Perh. from doss, a prov. Eng. name for a hassock.]

Dossil, dos′il, n. a plug, spigot: a cloth roll for wiping ink from an engraved plate in printing: (surg.) a pledget of lint for cleaning out a wound. [O. Fr. dosil—Late L. ducillus, a spigot.]

Dost, dust, 2d pers. sing. pres. indic. of Do.

Dot, dot, n. any small mark made with a pen or sharp point.—v.t. to mark with dots: to diversify with objects.—v.i. to form dots:—pr.p. dot′ting; pa.p. dot′ted.—Dot and carry, in addition, to set down the units and carry over the tens to the next column. [Prob. related to the Dut. dot, a little lump.]

Dotation, dō-tā′shun, n. the act of bestowing a dowry on a woman: an endowment.—n. Dot, a marriage portion.—adj. Dō′tal, pertaining to dowry or to dower. [Low L. dotation-em—L. dotāre, to endow.]

Dote, dōt, v.i. (arch.) to be stupid or foolish: to be weakly affectionate: to show excessive love—formerly also spelt Doat.—ns. Dōt′age, a doting: childishness of old age: excessive fondness; Dōt′ant (Shak.), a dotard; Dōt′ard, one who dotes: one showing the weakness of old age, or excessive fondness.—adj. Dōt′ed (Spens.), stupid.—n. Dōt′er, one who dotes.—p.adj. and n. Dōt′ing.—adjs. Dōt′ish, silly; Dot′tle (Scot.), stupid.—n. a dotard.—adj. Dot′ty, feeble in mind: tottering. [Old Dut. doten, to be silly, Scot. doitet, stupid; Fr. radoter, to rave, is from the same root.]

Doth, duth, 3d pers. sing. pres. indic. of Do.

Dotterel, dot′ėr-el, n. a kind of plover, named from its apparent stupidity in allowing itself to be approached and caught: a stupid fellow, a dupe. [Also spelt dottrel, from dote.]

Dottle, dot′l, n. (Scot.) a plug, esp. the tobacco at the bottom of a pipe after smoking, sometimes put on the top of fresh tobacco after refilling.

Douane, dōō-än′, n. a custom-house.—n. Douan′ier, a custom-house officer. [Fr.]

Douar, Dowar, dow′ar, n. a cluster of Arab tents in a circle.

Douay Bible. See Rhemish (version).

Double, dub′l, adj. twofold: twice as much: of extra weight, size, or quality: two of a sort together: in pairs: acting two parts, insincere.—adv. Doub′ly. [O. Fr. doble—L. duplus—duo, two, and plus, akin to plenus, full.]

Double, dub′l, v.t. to multiply by two, to be the double of: to fold: to repeat: to clench: to pass round or by.—v.i. to increase to twice the quantity: to turn sharply back on one's course in running.—n. twice as much: a duplicate: an actor's substitute: a quick pace (short for double-quick): one's wraith or apparition: one's exact counterpart: a trick: (eccles.) a feast on which the antiphon is said both before and after the psalms.—adjs. Doub′le-act′ing, applying power in two directions: producing a double result; Dou′ble-banked, having two men at each oar, or having two tiers of oars one above the other, as in ancient galleys; Doub′le-barr′elled, having two barrels.—n. Doub′le-bass, the lowest-toned instrument of violin form.—adjs. Doub′le-bit′ing, cutting on either side; Doub′le-breast′ed, of a coat having two breasts, one to be folded over the other.—ns. Doub′le-charge, to charge with a double measure; Doub′le-deal′er, a deceitful person; Doub′le-deal′ing, duplicity.—adj. Doub′le-decked, having two decks above water-line.—n. Doub′le-deck′er, a double-decked frigate.—adj. Doub′le-dyed, twice dyed: deeply imbued (as a double-dyed villain).—n. Doub′le-ea′gle (U.S.), a gold coin worth $20, or £4, 2s. 2d.: the heraldic representation of an eagle with two heads, as in the arms of Russia and Austria.—adj. Doub′le-edged, having two edges: cutting or working both ways.—ns. Doub′le-end′er, anything having two ends alike: a cross-cut sawing machine, with two adjustable circular saws, for sawing both ends of timber; Doub′le-en′try (book-k.), a method by which two entries are made of each transaction.—adjs. Doub′le-eyed, having a deceitful countenance; Doub′le-faced, hypocritical, false.—ns. Doub′le-fā′cedness; Doub′le-first, at Oxford, a degree with first-class honours in mathematics and classics: one who takes such a degree.—adj. Doub′le-flow′ered, having double flowers, as a plant.—v.t. Doub′le-gild, to gild with double coatings of gold: to gloze over.—n. Doub′le-Glos′ter, Gloucestershire cheese of extra richness.—adjs. Doub′le-hand′ed, having two hands, two-handled; Doub′le-head′ed, having two heads; Doub′le-heart′ed, treacherous; Doub′le-hung, suspended, as a window-sash, so as to move either upward or downward; Doub′le-locked, locked with two locks or bolts: locked by two turns of the key, as in very few locks but many novels; Doub′le-manned, furnished with twice the complement of men; Doub′le-mean′ing, deceitful; Doub′le-mind′ed, undetermined, wavering.—n. Doub′le-mind′edness.—adj. Doub′le-nā′tured, having a twofold nature.—n. Doub′leness, the state of being double: duplicity.—adj. and adv. Doub′le-quick, the pace next a run.—n. the double-quick pace.—v.t. Doub′le-shade (Milt.), to double the natural darkness.—adj. Doub′le-shot′ted, of cannon, with two shots in them.—ns. Doub′le-shuff′le (see Shuffle); Doub′le-stop′ping, playing on two stopped strings of a violin at once; Doub′le-stout, extra strong stout or porter.—adj. Doub′le-tongued, deceitful.—n. Doub′ling, the act of making double: a turning back in running: a trick: a plait or fold.—adj. shifting, manœuvring.

Double entendre, doobl′ ong-tongdr, n. an equivoque, a word or phrase with two meanings, one usually more or less indecent. [Fr. of 17th century, superseded now by (mot) à double entente.]

Doublet, dub′let, n. a pair: an inner garment: name given to words that are really the same, but vary somewhat in spelling and signification, as desk, disc, and dish, describe and descry. [O. Fr., dim. of double.]

Doubloon, dub-loon′, n. an obsolete Spanish gold coin double the value of a pistole—varying from 33s. in 1772 to 20s. 8d. in 1848. [Sp. doblon.]

Doubt, dowt, v.i. to waver in opinion: to be uncertain: to hesitate: to suspect: to believe with fear or hesitation: (Scot.) to think, even without the sense of hesitation.—v.t. to hold in doubt: to distrust.—p.adj. Doubt′ed (Spens.), questioned: feared, redoubted. [O. Fr. douter—L. dubitāre, akin to dubius, doubtful, moving in two (duo) directions.]

Doubt, dowt, n. uncertainty of mind: suspicion: fear: a thing doubted or questioned.—adj. Doubt′able.—n. Doub′ter.—adj. Doubt′ful, full of doubt: undetermined: not clear: not secure: suspicious: not confident.—adv. Doubt′fully.—n. Doubt′fulness.—p.adj. Doubt′ing, that doubts, undecided.—advs. Doubt′ingly; Doubt′less, without doubt: certainly; Doubt′lessly.

Douc, dook, n. a species of monkey in Cochin-China.

Douce, dōōs, adj. (obs.) sweet: (Scot.) sober, peaceable, sedate.—adv. Douce′ly.—n. Douce′ness.—n.pl. Douc′ets, the stones of a deer.—n. Douceur (dōō-sėr′), sweetness of manner (obs.): something intended to please, a present or a bribe. [Fr. doux, douce, mild—L. dulcis, sweet.]

Douche, dōōsh, n. a jet of water directed upon the body from a pipe: an apparatus for throwing such. [Fr.,—It. doccia, a water-pipe—L. ducĕre, to lead.]

Doucine, doo-sēn′, n. (archit.) a cyma recta. [Fr.]

Dough, dō, n. a mass of flour or meal moistened and kneaded, but not baked.—adjs. Dough′-baked, half-baked, defective in intelligence; Dough′faced (U.S.) pliable, truckling.—n. Dough′iness.—adj. Dough′-knead′ed (Milt.), soft.—n. Dough′-nut, sweetened dough fried in fat.—adj. Dough′y, like dough: soft. [A.S. dáh; Ger. teig, Ice. deig, dough; prov. dow and duff.]

Doughty, dow′ti, adj. able, strong: brave.—adv. Dough′tily.—n. Dough′tiness. [A.S. dyhtig, valiant—dugan, to be strong; Ger. tüchtig, solid.]

Doum-palm. Same as Doom-palm.

Doup, dowp, n. (Scot.) bottom, buttocks.—n. Can′dle-doup, a candle-end. [Cf. Ice. daup.]

Dour, dōōr, adj. (Scot.) obstinate: bold. [Fr.,—L. durus, hard.]

Doura. See Durra.

Douse, Dowse, dows, v.t. to plunge into water.—v.i. to fall suddenly into water. [Cf. Sw. dunsa, fall heavily. Prob. from sound; cf. souse.]

Douse, Dowse, dows, v.t. to strike: to strike or lower a sail.—n. a heavy blow. [Prob. related to Old Dut. dossen, to beat.]

Douse, Dowse, dows, v.t. to put out, extinguish (esp. in the slang Douse the glim, put out the light). [Prob. a corr. of the obs. verb dout below; more likely a particular use of douse, to strike.]

Dout, dowt, v.t. to put out, extinguish.—n. Dout′er. [Do out.]

Dove, duv, n. a pigeon (esp. in comp., as ringdove, turtle-dove, &c.): a word of endearment: an emblem of innocence, gentleness, also of the Holy Spirit—the 'Holy Dove' (Matt. iii. 16).—v.t. to treat as a dove.—ns. Dove′-col′our, a grayish, bluish, pinkish colour; Dove′cot, -cote, a small cot or box in which pigeons breed.—adjs. Dove′-drawn (Shak.), drawn by doves; Dove′-eyed, meek-eyed.—ns. Dove′-house, a dovecot; Dove′let, a small dove.—adj. Dove′-like, innocent.—ns. Dove's′-foot, the common name for Geranium molle; Dove′ship, the character or quality of a dove.—Flutter the dovecots, to disturb commonplace, conventional people, as the eagle would a dovecot (see Shak., Cor. V. vi. 115). [A.S. dufe in dúfe-doppa; Ger. taube.]

Dovekie, duv′ki, n. the little auk, a diving bird of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Dover, dō′ver, v.i. (Scot.) to slumber lightly, doze off.—v.t. to send off into a light sleep.—n. a slight unsettled sleep.

Dover's powder, dō′verz pow′der, n. a valuable sudorific medicine, compounded of ipecacuanha root, powdered opium, and sulphate of potash. [From Dr Thomas Dover, 1660-1742.]

Dovetail, duv′tāl, n. a mode of fastening boards together by fitting pieces shaped like a wedge or a dove's tail spread out (tenons) into corresponding cavities (mortises).—v.t. to fit one thing into another.

Dow, dow, v.i. (obs.) to be good for a purpose: (Scot.) to be able.—p.adjs. Docht, Dought. [A.S. dugan.]

Dowager, dow′a-jėr, n. a widow with a dower or jointure: a title given to a widow to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir. [O. Fr. douagere—Low L. dotarium—L. dotāre, to endow.]

Dowdy, dow′di, adj. untidy, carelessly dressed, soft and slack in habit.—n. an untidy woman.—adv. Dow′dily.—ns. Dow′diness, Dow′dyism.—adj. Dow′dyish. [Ety. unknown.]

Dowel, dow′el, n. a pin of wood or iron inserted in the edges of two adjacent boards for the purpose of fastening them together.—v.t. to fasten by means of dowels.—ns. Dow′el-joint; Dow′el-pin. [Prob. related to Ger. döbel, a plug.]

Dower, dow′ėr, n. a jointure, that part of the husband's property which his widow enjoys during her life—sometimes used for Dow′ry.—adjs. Dow′able, that may be endowed; Dow′ered, furnished with dower.—n. Dow′er-house, the house set apart for the widow.—adj. Dow′erless. [O. Fr. douaire—Low L. dotarium—L. dotāre, to endow.]

Dowf, dowf, adj. (Scot.) dull, heavy, spiritless.—n. Dowf′ness. [Prob. Ice. daufr, deaf.]

Dowie, dow′i, adj. (Scot.) dull, low-spirited, sad. [Prob. A.S. dol, dull.]

Dowlas, dowlas, n. a coarse linen cloth. [From Daoulas or Doulas, near Brest, in Brittany.]

Dowle, dowl, n. (Shak.) a portion of down in a feather.

Down, down, n. the soft hair under the feathers of fowls: the hairy covering of the seeds of certain plants: anything which soothes or invites to repose.—n. Down′-bed.—p.adj. Downed, filled or covered with down.—ns. Down′iness; Down′-quilt.—adj. Down′y, covered with or made of down: like down: soft: soothing: (slang) knowing.—The downy (slang), bed. [Ice. dúnn; Ger. daune, dune.]

Down, down, n. a bank of sand thrown up by the sea (same as Dune): a treeless land: (pl.) a tract of hilly land, used for pasturing sheep, as the North Downs (Kent) and South Downs (Sussex)—also given to the famous roadstead off the east coast of Kent, inside the Goodwin Sands. [A.S. dún, a hill; prob. from Celt. dun, as in Dunkeld, &c.]

Down, down, adv. from a higher to a lower position: on the ground: from earlier to later times: from thick to thin, from large to small (to boil down, to cut down): from more to less (to beat down a price).—prep. along a descent: from a higher to a lower position or state.—v.t. to knock down: to dispirit—also used as a kind of interjection, with get, go, come, kneel, &c. understood.—n. a tendency to be down upon, a grudge against: a descent, reverse of fortune.—v.i. Down′-bear, to bear or press down.—adj. Down′cast, dejected.—ns. Down′come, a fall, ruin, a heavy pour of rain; Down′-draught, a current of air downwards; Down′-east′er, one living 'down east' from the speaker, a New Englander, and esp. an inhabitant of Maine; Down′fall, fall, failure, humiliation, ruin: a falling down, as of rain.—adjs. Down′fallen, ruined; Down′-gyved (Shak.), hanging down like fetters.—n. Down′-haul, a rope by which a jib, &c., is hauled down when set.—adjs. Down′-heart′ed, dejected; Down′hill, descending, sloping.—n. Down′-line, the line of a railway leading from the capital, or other important centre, to the provinces.—adj. Down′looked (Dryden), downcast, gloomy.—ns. Down′-ly′ing, time of retiring to rest: a woman's lying-in; Down′pour, a heavy fall of rain, &c.—adv. Down′right (obs.), perpendicular: in plain terms: utterly.—adj. plain spoken: brusque: utter (as in downright madness).—ns. Down′rightness; Down′rush, a rushing down (as of gas, hot air, &c.); Down′-set′ting, a setting down, a snub; Down′-sit′ting, sitting down, time of rest (Ps. cxxxix. 2).—advs. Down′stairs, in, or to, a lower story; Down′-stream, with the current.—ns. Down′-throw, act of throwing down, state of being thrown down: a sinking of strata below the level of the surrounding beds; Down′-train, a railway train proceeding from the chief terminus.—adj. Down′-trodden, trampled on, tyrannised over.—advs. Down′ward, Down′wards, from higher to lower: from source to outlet: from more ancient to modern: in the lower part.—adj. Down′ward.—Down east (U.S.), in or into Maine and adjoining parts of New England; Down in the mouth, in low spirits; Down on one's luck, in ill-luck; Down south, in the southern states; Down to the country, away into the country, from London (hence 'down to the Derby,' 'down to Scotland'); Down with your money, lay it down, pay it.—A down-train, a train away from London.—Lay down the law, to expound authoritatively. [A corr. of M. E. a-dawn, adun—A.S. of dúne, 'from the hill'—A.S. dún, a hill.]

Dowry, dow′ri, n. the property which a woman brings to her husband at marriage—sometimes used for dower. [See Dower.]

Dowse, dows, v.t. and v.i. See Douse.

Dowse, dows, v.i. to use the divining-rod.—n. Dows′er, a water diviner.

Doxology, doks-ol′o-ji, n. a hymn expressing praise and honour to the Trinity.—adj. Doxolog′ical. [Gr. doxologia—doxa, praise, and legein, to speak.]

Doxy, dok′si, n. (Shak.) a mistress: a woman of loose character. [Prob. conn. with East Fries. dok, a bundle, Low Ger. dokke.]

Doxy, dok′si, n. opinion—'Orthodoxy,' said Warburton, 'is my doxy—heterodoxy is another man's doxy.' [Gr. doxa, opinion.]

Doyen, dwaw′yong, n. dean, senior member (of an academy, diplomatic corps, &c.). [Fr.,—Lat. dēcanus.]

Doyley. See Doily.

Doze, dōz, v.i. to sleep lightly, or to be half-asleep: to be in a dull or stupefied state.—v.i. to spend in drowsiness (with away).—n. a short light sleep.—adj. Dozed, drowsy.—v.t. Dō′zen (Scot.), to stupefy.—v.i. to become stupefied.—ns. Dō′zer; Dō′ziness; Dō′zing.—adj. Dō′zy, drowsy. [From a Scand. root, seen in Ice. dúsa, Dan. döse, to dose.]

Dozen, duz′n, adj. two and ten, or twelve.—n. a collection of twelve articles.—adj. Doz′enth.—Baker's dozen, Devil's dozen, thirteen. [O. Fr. dozeine—L. duodecim—duo, two, and decem, ten.]

Drab, drab, n. a low, sluttish woman: a whore.—v.i. to associate with bad women.—ns. Drab′ber, one who herds with drabs; Drab′biness.—adjs. Drab′bish, Drab′by, sluttish. [Celt.; Gael. drabag; Ir. drabog, slut.]

Drab, drab, n. thick, strong, gray cloth: a gray or dull-brown colour, perh. from the muddy colour of undyed wool. [Fr. drap, cloth—Low L. drappus, prob. Teut.]

Drabbet, drab′et, n. a coarse linen fabric made at Barnsley.

Drabble, drab′l, v.t. to besmear with mud and water.—n. Drabb′ling, a manner of fishing for barbels with a rod and long line passed through a piece of lead. [Cf. drivel, dribble; prob. conn. with drab, a low woman.]

Drabbler, drab′ler, n. an additional piece of canvas, laced to the bottom of the bonnet of a sail, to give it greater depth.

Dracanth, drak′anth, n. gum tragacanth.

Dracæna, dra-sē′na, n. the tree which produces the resin called Dragon's-blood.—n. Dracī′na, the red resin of dragon's-blood used to colour varnishes—also Dracine′, Dracō′nin. [Low L. dracæna, a she-dragon—Gr. drakaina, fem. of drakōn, dragon.]

Drachm, dram, n. See Drachma, Dram.

Drachma, drak′ma, n. an ancient Greek weight, and silver coin of different values: a modern Greek coin = above 9½d. sterling. [Gr. drachmē—drassesthai, to grasp with the hand.]

Draco, drā′kō, n. a northern constellation: a dragon-lizard.

Draconian, dra-kō′nyan, adj. severe, as was the legislation, of Draco, the Athenian archon (621 B.C.).—Also Dracon′ic.

Dracontium, drā-kon′shi-um, n. a genus of American araceous plants: the root of the skunk-cabbage. [Gr.,—drakōn, a dragon.]

Dracunculus, drā-kun′kū-lus, n. a herbaceous genus of Araceæ; a dragonet or goby of genus Callionymus: a genus of worms, the guinea-worm. [L., dim, of draco, a dragon.]

Drad, drad, p.adj. or n. form used by Spenser for dread and dreaded.

Draff, draf, n. dregs: the refuse of malt that has been brewed from.—adjs. Draff′ish, Draff′y, worthless. [Prob. related to Dut. draf, Ger. träber.]

Draft, dräft, n. anything drawn: a selection of men from an army, &c.: an order for the payment of money: lines drawn for a plan: a rough sketch: the depth to which a vessel sinks in water.—v.t. to draw an outline of: to compose and write: to draw off: to detach.—ns. Draft′-bar, a swingle-tree, the bar to which the coupling of a railway-carriage is attached; Draft′-horse, a horse used for drawing the plough, heavy loads, &c., in distinction to a carriage or saddle horse; Draft′-ox, an ox used for drawing loads; Drafts′man, one who draws plans or designs; Drafts′manship. [A corr. of Draught.]

Drafts, dräfts, n.pl. a game. [See Draughts.]

Drag, drag, v.t. to draw by force: to draw slowly: to pull roughly and violently: to explore with a drag-net or hook.—v.i. to hang so as to trail on the ground: to be forcibly drawn along: to move slowly and heavily:—pr.p. drag′ging; pa.p. dragged.—n. a net or hook for dragging along to catch things under water: a heavy harrow: a device for guiding wood to the saw: a mail-coach: a long open carriage, with transverse or side seats: a contrivance for retarding carriage-wheels in going down slopes: any obstacle to progress: an artificial scent (anise-seed, &c.) dragged on the ground for foxhounds trained to the pursuit (Drag′-hounds) to follow: (billiards) a push somewhat under the centre of the cue-ball, causing it to follow the object-ball a short way.—ns. Drag′-bar, a strong iron bar for connecting railway-carriages together—also Draw′-bar; Drag′-bolt, a strong bolt passing through the drag-bar of railway-carriages, and serving to fasten the coupling; Drag′-chain, the chain that connects engine and tender, or carriages and wagons, with one another; Drag′-man, a fisherman who uses a drag-net; Drag′-net, a net to be dragged or drawn along the bottom of water to catch fish; Drags′man, the driver of a drag or coach. [A.S. dragan; Ger. tragen. Acc. to Curtius, nowise conn. with L. trahĕre.]

Dragantin, dra-gan′tin, n. a mucilage obtained from gum tragacanth.

Draggle, drag′l, v.t. or v.i. to make or become wet and dirty by dragging along the ground.—n. Dragg′le-tail, a slut.—adj. Dragg′le-tailed. [Freq. of drag, and a doublet of drawl.]

Dragoman, drag′o-man, n. an interpreter or guide in Eastern countries:—pl. Drag′omans. [Fr., from Ar. tarjumân—tarjama, to interpret. See Targum.]

Dragon, drag′un, n. a fabulous winged serpent: the constellation Draco: a fierce person: the flying lizard of the East Indies.—ns. Drag′onet, a little dragon: a genus of fishes of the goby family; Drag′on-fly, an insect with a long body and brilliant colours.—v.t. Drag′onise, to turn into a dragon: to watch like a dragon.—adjs. Drag′onish, Drag′on-like.—n. Drag′onism, watchful guardianship.—adj. Dragonné (her.), like a dragon in the hinder part, and a lion or the like in the fore part.—ns. Drag′on's-blood, the red resinous exudation of several kinds of trees in the W. and E. Indies, used for colouring; Drag′on's-head, a plant of genus Dracocephalum, of the mint family (Labiatæ): (her.) tenné or tawny when blazoning is done by the heavenly bodies; Drag′on-shell, a cowry; Drag′on's-wort, tarragon or snake-weed; Drag′on-tree (same as Dracæna). [Fr.,—L. draco, draconis—Gr. drakōn, from aorist of derk-esthai, to look.]

Dragonnade, drag-on-ād′, n. the persecution of French Protestants under Louis XIV. by raids of dragoons: abandonment of a place to the violence of soldiers. [Fr., from dragon, dragoon.]

Dragoon, dra-gōōn′, n. formerly a soldier trained to fight either on horseback or on foot, now applied only to heavy cavalry as opposed to hussars and lancers.—v.t. to give up to the rage of soldiers: to compel by violent measures.—n. Dragoon′-bird, the umbrella-bird. [Fr. See Dragon.]

Dragsman. See Drag.

Drail, drāl, n. the iron bow of a plough from which the traces draw: a piece of lead round the shank of the hook in fishing.—v.i. to draggle.

Drain, drān, v.t. to draw off by degrees: to filter: to clear of water by drains: to make dry: to drink dry: to exhaust.—v.i. to flow off gradually.—n. a watercourse: a ditch: a sewer: (slang) a drink: exhausting expenditure.—adj. Drain′able.—ns. Drain′age, the drawing off of water by rivers or other channels: the system of drains in a town; Drain′age-basin, the area of land which drains into one river; Drain′age-tube, a tube of silver, india-rubber, glass, &c., introduced by a surgeon into a wound or abscess to draw off pus, &c.; Drain′er, a utensil on which articles are placed to drain; Drain′ing-en′gine, a pumping-engine for mines, &c.; Drain′ing-plough, a form of plough used in making drains; Drain′-pipe; Drain′-tile; Drain′-trap, a contrivance for preventing the escape of foul air from drains, but admitting the water into them. [A.S. dréahnigan—dragan, to draw.]

Drake, drāk, n. the male of the duck.—n. Drake′stone, a flat stone thrown along the surface of water so as to graze it and then rebound. [Ety. dub.; cf. prov. Ger. draak; O. High Ger. antrahho, Ger. enterich, the first element usually explained as eend, end, anut, 'duck.']

Drake, drāk, n. a dragon: a fiery meteor: a beaked galley, or Viking ship of war: an angler's name for species of Ephemera. [A.S. draca, dragon—L. draco.]

Dram, dram, n. a contraction of Drachm: 1⁄16th of an oz. avoirdupois: formerly, with apothecaries, ⅛th of an oz.: as much raw spirits as is drunk at once.—v.i. to drink a dram.—v.t. to give a dram to.—ns. Dram′-drink′er; Dram′-shop. [Through Fr. and L., from Gr. drachmē. See Drachma.]

Drama, dram′a, n. a story of human life and action represented by actors imitating the language, dress, &c. of the original characters: a composition intended to be represented on the stage: dramatic literature: theatrical entertainment: a series of deeply interesting events.—adjs. Dramatic, -al, belonging to the drama: appropriate to or in the form of a drama: with the force and vividness of the drama.—adv. Dramat′ically.—n. Dramat′icism.—adj. Dram′atīsable.—n. Dramatisā′tion, the act of dramatising: the dramatised version of a novel or story.—v.i. Dram′atīse, to compose in, or turn into, the form of a drama or play.—n. Dram′atist, a writer of plays.—Dram′atis persō′næ (-ē), the characters of a drama or play. [L.,—Gr. drama, dramatos—draein, to do.]

Dramaturgy, dram′a-tur-ji, n. the principles of dramatic composition: theatrical art.—ns. Dram′aturge, Dram′aturgist, a playwright.—adj. Dram′aturgic. [Through Fr. from Gr. dramatourgia, dramatourgos, playwright—drama, and ergon, a work.]

Drammock, dram′ok, n. meal and water mixed raw.

Drank, drangk, pa.t. of Drink.

Drant, drant, v.i. and v.t. (prov.) to drawl, to drone.—n. a droning tone.

Draper, drāp′ėr, n. one who deals in drapery or cloth:—fem. Drap′eress.—n. Drap-de-Berry, a woollen cloth, coming from Berry in France.—v.t. Drape, to cover with cloth.—p.adj. Drap′eried, draped.—n. Drap′ery, cloth goods: hangings of any kind: the draper's business: (art) the representation of the dress of human figures.—v.t. to drape.—n. Drap′et (Spens.), cloth, coverlet. [Fr. drapier—drap, from a Teut. root. See Drab.]

Drappie, Drappy, drap′i, n. (Scot.) a little drop, esp. of spirits.

Drastic, dras′tik, adj. active, powerful.—n. a medicine that purges quickly or thoroughly.—adv. Dras′tically. [Gr. drastikos—draein, to act, to do.]

Drat, drat, v.t. a minced oath used to express vexation, as 'Drat the boy!' [Aphetic from God rot!]

Dratchell, drach′el, n. (prov.) a slut.—Also Drotch′ell.

Draught, dräft, n. act of drawing: force needed to draw: the act of drinking: the quantity drunk at a time: outline of a picture: that which is taken in a net by drawing: a chosen detachment of men: a current of air: the depth to which a ship sinks in the water.—v.t. (more commonly Draft), to draw out.—n. Draught′-en′gine, the engine over the shaft of a coal-pit.—n.pl. Draught′-hooks, large iron hooks fixed on the cheeks of a cannon-carriage.—ns. Draught′-house (B.), a sink, privy; Draught′iness; Draught′-net, a drag-net.—n.pl. Draughts, a game in which two persons make alternate moves (draughts) on a checkered board, called the Draught′board, with pieces called Draughts′men—U.S. checkers, Scot. dambrod.—n. Draughts′man (see Draftsman).—adj. Draught′y, full of draughts or currents of air. [M. E. draht—A.S. dragan, to draw. See Drag, v., and Draw.]

Drave, drāv, old pa.t. of Drive.

Dravidian, dra-vid′i-an, n. of the non-Aryan stock to which the Tamil, Telugu, Canarese, and Malayālam speaking peoples of Southern India belong: of the languages of these races. [Sans. Drāvida, an ancient province of Southern India.]

Draw, draw, v.t. to pull along: to bring forcibly towards one: to entice, attract: to coax into giving information: to make one express himself (also to Draw out a man): to inhale: to take out: to evoke or bring out by some artifice: to extract by pulling: to cast lots: to extract the essence of: to eviscerate (hang, draw, and quarter): to manufacture (wire) by drawing through a small hole: to deduce: to lengthen: to extend to the full length (as in drawing a bow): to force to appear (as a badger from its hole): to receive (as revenues): to demand money by a draft: to make a picture of, by lines drawn: to describe: to require a depth of water for floating.—v.i. to pull: to practise drawing: to move: to approach: to have a free current (of a chimney):—pa.t. drew (drōō); pa.p. drawn.—n. the act of drawing: anything drawn: a drawn or undecided game.—adj. Draw′able.—ns. Draw′back, a disadvantage: a receiving back some part of the duty on goods on their exportation; Draw′-bar (same as Drag-bar); Draw′-boy, the boy who pulls the cords of the harness in figure-weaving, a mechanical device for this purpose; Draw′bridge, a bridge that can be drawn up or let down at pleasure; Drawēē′, the person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn; Draw′er, he or that which draws: one who draws beer or fetches liquor in a tavern: a thing drawn out, like the sliding box in a case: (pl.) a close under-garment for the lower limbs; Draw′-gear, the apparatus by which railway-cars are coupled; Draw′ing, the art of representing objects by lines drawn, shading, &c.: a picture: the distribution of prizes, as at a lottery; Draw′ing-board; Draw′ing-frame, a machine in which carded wool, cotton, or the like is drawn out fine; Draw′ing-knife, a knife with a handle at each end, used by coopers for shaving hoops by drawing it towards one; Draw′ing-mas′ter; Draw′ing-pā′per; Draw′ing-pen; Draw′ing-pen′cil; Draw′ing-room, in engineering, a room where plans and patterns are drawn; Draw′ing-tā′ble, a table which can be extended in length by drawing out sliding leaves; Draw′-net (same as Drag-net); Draw′-plate, a plate of steel or ruby with a hole drilled in it through which wire, tubing, or the like is drawn to make it more slender; Draw′-well, a well from which water is drawn up by a bucket and apparatus.—Draw a bead on (see Bead); Draw a blank (see Blank); Draw a cover, to send the hounds into a cover to frighten out a fox; Draw blank, to do so, but find no fox; Draw back, to retire: to withdraw from an engagement; Draw cuts, to cast lots; Draw in, to reduce, contract: to become shorter; Draw it fine, to be too precise; Draw it mild, to state a thing without exaggeration; Draw near, to approach; Draw off, to take wine, ale, &c. out of a barrel: to retire; Draw on, to approach (of a fixed date); Draw on one's imagination, to make imaginative or lying statements; Draw on one's memory, to try to remember; Draw out, to leave the place (of an army), &c.; Draw over, to persuade to desert to the other side; Draw rein, to slacken speed, to stop; Draw the line, to fix a limit; Draw up, to form in regular order: to arrange or to be arranged (as troops): to compose (as a protest, &c.): to stop (as in driving a carriage).—In drawing, correctly drawn; Out of drawing, inaccurately drawn, or drawn in violation of the principles of drawing. [A later form of Drag.]

Drawcansir, draw′kan-sėr, n. a blustering fellow, a braggart. [The name of a character in Buckingham's Rehearsal (1671).]

Drawing-room, draw′ing-rōōm, n. a room to which the company withdraws after dinner: a reception of company at court.—Drawing-room car, a railway-carriage fitted up as a drawing-room. [Orig. Withdrawing-room.]

Drawl, drawl, v.i. (obs.) to dawdle: to speak in a slow, lengthened tone.—v.t. to utter (words) in a slow and sleepy manner.—n. a slow, lengthened utterance.—n. Drawl′er.—adv. Drawl′ingly.—n. Drawl′ingness. [Freq. of draw, as draggle of drag.]

Drawn, drawn, part. and adj. from Draw, esp. in 'a drawn game or battle,' undecided.—Drawn and quartered, disembowelled and cut into quarters.—At daggers drawn, openly hostile.

Dray, drā, n. a low strong cart for heavy goods; that which is dragged or drawn.—ns. Dray′age; Dray′-horse; Dray′man; Dray′-plough. [A.S. dræge, from dragan. See Drag, v.]

Drazel, drāz′el, n. (prov.) a slut.

Dread, dred, n. fear: awe: the objects that excite fear.—adj. dreaded: inspiring great fear or awe.—v.t. to regard with terror: to regard with reverence.—adjs. Dread′able; Dread′ful, (orig.) full of dread: producing great fear or awe: terrible.—adv. Dread′fully.—n. Dread′fulness.—adj. Dread′less, free from dread: intrepid.—adv. Dread′lessly.—n. Dread′lessness.—adj. Dread′ly (Spens.) dreadful.—ns. Dread′naught, Dread′nought, one who dreads nothing—hence, a garment of thick cloth defending against the weather: the cloth of which it is made.—Penny dreadful, a cheap sensational serial or tale, usually bloody in subject and vulgar in tone. [M. E. dreden—A.S. on-drǽdan, to fear; Ice. ondréda, Old High Ger. in-tratan, to be afraid.]

Dream, drēm, n. a train of thoughts and fancies during sleep, a vision: something only imaginary.—v.i. to fancy things during sleep: to think idly.—v.t. to see in, or as in, a dream:—pa.t. and pa.p. dreamed or dreamt (dremt).—ns. Dream′er; Dream′ery, a place favourable to dreams: dream-work.—adj. Dream′ful (Tenn.), dreamy.—n. Dream′hole, one of the holes in the walls of steeples, towers, &c., for admitting light.—adv. Dream′ily.—n. Dream′iness.—adv. Dream′ingly.—n. Dream′land, the land of dreams, reverie, or imagination.—adj. Dream′less, free from dreams.—ns. Dream′while, the duration of a dream; Dream′world, a world of illusions.—adj. Dream′y, full of dreams: appropriate to dreams: dream-like. [M. E. dream, drēm, not recorded in A.S., but pointing to an assumed A.S. dréam, cog. with O. High Ger. troum, O. Norse draum, &c. This is distinct from the A.S. dréam, mirth, minstrelsy, being ultimately related to dreug-, draug-, drug-, to deceive, the radical sense therefore 'illusion.']

Drear, drēr, Dreary, drēr′i, adj. gloomy: cheerless.—adv. Drear′ily.—ns. Drear′iment, Drear′ing, Drear′ihead, Drear′ihood (Spens.), dreariness, cheerlessness; Drear′iness.—adj. Drear′isome, desolate, forlorn. [A.S. dreórig, mournful, bloody—dreór, gore.]

Dredge, drej, n. an instrument for dragging: a drag-net for catching oysters, &c.: a machine for taking up mud or zoological specimens from the bottom of the sea: a floating machine for deepening a harbour or river by gathering up mud from the bottom by means of buckets on an endless chain—also Dredg′er, Dredg′ing-machine′.—v.t. Dredge, to gather with a dredge: to deepen with a dredge. [Conn. with drag.]

Dredge, drej, v.t. to sprinkle flour on meat while roasting.—ns. Dredg′er, Dredge′-box, Dredg′ing-box, a utensil for dredging. [O. Fr. dragie, sugar-plum, mixed grain for horses—Gr. tragēmata, spices.]

Dree, drē, v.i. to endure, bear, esp. in Dree one's weird, to abide one's destiny. [Scot.; A.S. dreōgan, suffer, perform; Prov. Eng. dree, Scot. dreich, dreigh, all meaning wearisome.]

Dregs, dregz, n.pl. impurities in liquor that fall to the bottom, the grounds: dross: the vilest part of anything.—ns. Dreg′giness, Dreg′gishness.—adj. Dreg′gy, containing dregs: muddy: foul. [Prob. Scand.; Ice. dreggjar.]

Dreich, drēh, adj. (Scot.) long, tiresome. [See Dree.]

Drench, drensh, v.t. to fill with drink or liquid: to wet thoroughly: to soak: to physic by force: (obs.) to drown.—n. a draught: a dose of physic forced down the throat.—n. Drench′er. [A.S. drencan, to give to drink, from drincan, to drink; Ger. tränken, to soak. See Drink.]

Drent, drent (Spens.), obsolete pa.t. of Drench.

Dress, dres, v.t. to put straight or in order, as troops: to put clothes upon: to prepare: to cook: to trim: to deck: to cleanse a sore: to manure.—v.i. to come into line: to put on clothes:—pa.t. and pa.p. dressed or drest.—n. the covering or ornament of the body: a lady's gown: style of dress.—ns. Dress′-cir′cle, part of a theatre (usually the first gallery) set apart for people in evening dress; Dress′-coat, a fine black coat with narrow or cut-away skirts, worn when in full dress; Dress′er, one who dresses: a medical student who dresses wounds: a table on which meat is dressed or prepared for use: a kind of kitchen sideboard with rows of shelves for plates, dishes, &c.—n.pl. Dress′-goods, cloths for making women's and children's gowns, frocks, &c.—ns. Dress′ing, dress or clothes: manure given to land: matter used to give stiffness and gloss to cloth: the sauce, &c., used in preparing a dish for the table, stuffing, &c.: the bandage, &c., applied to a sore: an ornamental moulding: a thrashing; Dress′ing-case, a case of toilet requisites used in dressing one's self: Dress′ing-gown, a loose garment used in dressing, or in deshabille; Dress′ing-jack′et, Dress′ing-sack, a jacket worn by women in dressing: Dress′ing-room; Dress′ing-tā′ble; Dress′maker, a person who makes gowns or dresses for women.—adj. Dress′y, fond of dress.—Evening dress, Full dress, the costume prescribed by fashion for evening receptions, dinners, balls, &c. [O. Fr. dresser, to prepare—L. dirigĕre, directum, to direct.]

Drest, drest, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dress.

Drevill, an old form of Drivel, a slave.

Drew, drōō—did draw—pa.t. of Draw.

Drib, drib, v.t. to cut off in small portions: to filch or steal: to lead on by degrees. [Akin to Drub.]

Dribble, drib′l, v.i. to fall in small drops: to drop quickly: to slaver, as a child or an idiot.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to give out in small portions: at football, &c., to keep the ball moving forward little by little.—v.t. Drib, to dribble, drivel.—n. a driblet.—ns. Drib′bler; Drib′let, Drib′blet, a small drop: a small quantity. [Dim. of Drip.]

Dricksie. See Droxy.

Drier, drī′ėr, n. that which dries: a machine for extracting moisture from wet cloths, grain, &c.: a substance causing paint to dry more rapidly.

Drift, drift, n. a driving: a heap of matter driven together, as snow: the direction in which a thing is driven: a slow current in the sea caused by the wind: leeway: the object aimed at: the meaning of words used: (geol.) detritus, such as broken rock, sand, gravel: (mining) a horizontal excavation or passage.—v.t. to drive into heaps, as snow.—v.i. to be floated along: to be driven into heaps.—ns. Drift′age, that which is drifted: the amount of deviation from a ship's course due to leeway; Drift′-an′chor, an anchor for keeping the ship's head to the wind; Drift′-bolt, a steel bolt used to drive out other bolts; Drift′-ice, floating masses of ice drifting before the wind; Drift′land, an old tribute paid for the privilege of driving cattle through a manor.—adj. Drift′less, without drift or aim.—ns. Drift′-min′ing, gold-mining by means of drifts in the gravel and detritus of old river-beds; Drift′-net, a net kept upright in the water by floats above and weights below; Drift′-sail, a sail immersed in the water, used for lessening the drift of a vessel during a storm; Drift′-way, a road over which cattle were driven: (min.) drift; Drift′-weed, gulf-weed: tangle; Drift′-wood, wood drifted by water.—adj. Drift′y, full of or forming drifts. [See Drive.]

Drill, dril, v.t. to bore, pierce: to make with a drill: to exercise soldiers, pupils, &c.—to sow seeds, &c., in rows.—n. an instrument for boring stone, metal, teeth, or hard substances (not wood), actuated by a kind of bow, by a brace, or otherwise: a large boring instrument used in mining: a ridge with seed or growing plants on it (turnips, potatoes, &c.): the plants in such a row: the machine for sowing the seed in drill-husbandry.—ns. Drill′-bar′row, a grain-drill driven by hand; Drill′-har′row, a harrow for working between drills; Drill′-hus′bandry, the method of sowing seed in drills or rows; Drill′ing-machine′, Drill′ing-lathe, Drill′-press, machines for boring with a drill or drills; Drill′-mas′ter, one who teaches drill, one who trains in anything, esp. in a mechanical manner; Drill′-plough, a plough for sowing grain in drills; Drill′-ser′geant, a sergeant who drills soldiers. [Prob. borrowed from Dut. drillen, to bore; dril, drille, a borer.]

Drill, dril, n. a species of baboon found in Western Africa, resembling the mandrill, but smaller. [A contr. of mandrill.]

Drilling, dril′ing, n. stout twilled linen or cotton cloth.—Also Drill. [Ger. drillich, ticking—L. trilix, three-threaded; tres, three, licium, thread.]

Drily, same as Dryly. See under Dry, adj.

Drink, dringk, v.t. to swallow, as a liquid: to empty, as a glass, bowl, &c.: to take in through the senses.—v.i. to swallow a liquid: to take intoxicating liquors to excess:—pr.p. drink′ing; pa.t. drank; pa.p. drunk.—n. something to be drunk: intoxicating liquor.—adj. Drink′able.—ns. Drink′ableness; Drink′er, a tippler; Drink′-hail, the customary old English reply to a pledge in drinking (wæs hail, 'health or good luck to you,' was answered with drinc hail, 'drink good health or good luck'); Drink′ing-bout; Drink′ing-fount′ain; Drink′ing-horn; Drink′-mon′ey, a gratuity, ostensibly given to buy liquor for drinking to the health of the giver; Drink′-off′ering, an offering of wine, oil, blood, &c. to God or the gods.—Drink himself drunk, to drink until he is drunk; Drink in, to absorb rain, &c., as dry land does; Drink off, to quaff wholly and at a gulp; Drink the others under the table, to continue drinking and remain (comparatively) sober after the others have completely collapsed; Drink to, Drink to the health of, to drink wine, &c., with good wishes for one's health; Drink up, to exhaust by drinking.—In drink, intoxicated.—Strong drink, alcoholic liquor. [A.S. drincan; Ger. trinken.]

Drip, drip, v.i. to fall in drops: to let fall drops.—v.t. to let fall in drops:—pr.p. drip′ping; pa.p. dripped.—n. a falling in drops: that which falls in drops: the edge of a root.—ns. Drip′ping, that which falls in drops, as fat from meat in roasting; Drip′ping-pan, a pan for receiving the dripping from roasting meat; Drip′-stone, a projecting moulding over doorways, &c., to throw off the rain.—Right of drip, right in law to let the drip from one's roof fall on another's land. [A.S. dryppan—dréopan.]

Drive, drīv, v.t. to force along: to hurry one on: to guide, as horses drawing a carriage: to convey or carry in a carriage: to force in, as nails with a hammer: to push briskly: to urge, as a point of argument, a bargain, &c.: to compel: to send away with force, as a ball in cricket, golf, tennis: to chase game towards sportsmen.—v.i. to press forward with violence: to be forced along, as a ship before the wind: to go in a carriage: to tend towards a point: to strike at with a sword, the fist, &c.:—pr.p. drīv′ing; pa.t. drōve; pa.p. driv′en.—n. an excursion in a carriage: a road for driving on: the propelling of a ball in cricket, &c.: the chasing of game towards the shooters, or the sport so obtained, or the ground over which the game is driven: urgent pressure: pushing the sale of a special article by reduction of prices.—ns. Driv′er, one who or that which drives, in all senses: a club used in golf to propel the ball from the teeing-ground; Driv′ing-band, the band or strap which communicates motion from one machine, or part of a machine, to another; Driv′ing-shaft, a shaft from a driving-wheel communicating motion, to machinery; Driv′ing-wheel, a main wheel that communicates motion to other wheels: one of the main wheels in a locomotive.—Drive feathers, down, to separate the lighter from the heavier by exposing them to a current of air.—Drive to one's wits' end, to perplex utterly.—Let drive, to aim a blow. [A.S drífan, to drive; Ger. treiben, to push.]

Drivel, driv′l, v.i. to slaver like a child: to be foolish: to speak like an idiot:—pr.p. driv′elling; pa.p. driv′elled.—n. slaver: nonsense.—n. Driv′eller, a fool. [M. E. drevelen, dravelen; related to Dribble.]

Drivel, driv′l, n. (Spens.) a drudge. [Cf. Old Dut. drevel, a scullion.]

Drizzle, driz′l, v.i. to rain in small drops.—v.t. (Shak.) to shed in small drops.—n. a small, light rain.—adj. Drizz′ly. [Freq. of M. E. dresen—A.S. dreósan, to fall; Norw. drjosa, Goth. driusan.]

Droger, Drogher, drō′ger, n. a West Indian coasting vessel, with long masts and lateen sails.

Drogue, drōg, n. the drag of boards, attached to the end of a harpoon-line, checking the progress of a running whale.

Droguet, drō-gā′, n. a ribbed woollen dress fabric, a variety of rep. [Fr.]

Droich, drōh, n. a dwarf.—adj. Droich′y, dwarfish. [Gael.]

Droil, droil, v.i. to drudge. [Dut. druilen, to loiter.]

Droit, drwa, n. right; duty. [Fr.]

Droll, drōl, adj. odd: amusing: laughable.—n. one who excites mirth: a jester.—v.i. to practise drollery: to jest.—ns. Droll′ery; Droll′ing.—adjs. Droll′ish, rather droll; Droll′y. [Fr., prob. from Dut. drollig, odd—trold, a hobgoblin; cf. Ger. droll, a short thick person.]

Dromedary, drum′e-dar-i, n. a thoroughbred one-humped Arabian camel.—ns. Dromedā′rian, Drom′edarist. [Fr.,—Low L. dromedarius—Gr. dromas, dromados, running—dramein, 2 aor. infin. of trechein, to run.]

Dromond, drom′ond, n. a swift medieval ship of war.—Also Drom′on. [O. Fr.,—Late L. dromo—Gr. dromon—dromos, a running, dramein, to run.]

Dromos, drom′os, n. a Greek race-course: an entrance-passage or avenue, as to a subterranean treasury, &c.—adjs. Drom′ic, -al, pertaining to a race-course: basilican. [Gr.,—dramein, to run.]

Drone, drōn, n. the male of the honey-bee: one who lives on the labour of others, like the drone-bee: a lazy, idle fellow.—adj. Dron′ish, like a drone: lazy, idle.—adv. Dron′ishly.—n. Dron′ishness.—adv. Dron′y. [A.S. drán, the bee; Dan. drone.]

Drone, drōn, v.i. to make a low humming sound.—n. the bass-pipe of a bagpipe.—n. Drone′-pipe, a pipe producing a droning sound. [M. E. drounen, to roar; not found in A.S. Cf. Dut. dreunen, Ger. dröhnen.]

Drool, drool, v.i. to slaver—a form of Drivel.

Droop, drōōp, v.i. to sink or hang down: to grow weak or faint: to decline.—v.t. to let sink.—n. a drooping position.—adv. Droop′ingly, in a drooping manner. [Ice. drúpa, to droop. See Drop.]

Drop, drop, n. a small particle of liquid which falls at one time: a very small quantity of liquid: anything hanging like a drop: a fall: a trap in the gallows scaffold, the fall of which allows the criminal to drop: a device for lowering goods into a ship's hold.—v.i. to fall in small particles: to let drops fall: to fall suddenly: to come to an end: to fall or sink lower.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to let fall: to let go, dismiss, break off, as an acquaintance: to utter casually: to write and send (a note) in an off-hand manner: to set down from a carriage:—pr.p. drop′ping; pa.p. dropped.—ns. Drop′-drill, an apparatus for dropping seed and manure into the soil simultaneously; Drop′-hamm′er, Drop′-press, a swaging, stamping, or forging machine having either a regular or intermittent motion; Drop′let, a little drop; Drop′-lett′er (U.S.), a letter posted in any place merely for local delivery; Drop′-net, a net suspended from a boom, to be suddenly dropped on a passing shoal of fish; Drop′ping, that which is dropped: (pl.) dung, esp. of fowls.—adj. Drop′-ripe, so ripe as to be ready to drop from the tree.—ns. Drop′-Scene, a painted curtain suspended by pulleys, which drops in front of the stage in a theatre; Drop′-stone, a stalactic variety of calcite.—adv. Drop′-wise (Tenn.), by drops.—n. Drop′-wort, the Spiræa Filipendula.—Drop astern (naut.), to pass or move towards the stern; Drop away, off, to depart, disappear; Drop down, to sail, move, or row down a coast, or down a river to the sea; Drop in, to come in casually; Drop out, to disappear from one's place; Drop serene, an old medical name for amaurosis, literally translated from L. gutta serena.—A dropping fire, a continuous irregular discharge of small-arms.—Prince Rupert's drops, drops of glass which have fallen in a melted state into cold water, and have assumed a tadpole-like shape, the whole falling to dust with a loud report if the point of the tail be nipped off. [A.S. dropa, a drop—dreópan, to drop; Dut. drop, Ger. tropfe.]

Dropsy, drop′si, n. an unnatural collection of water in any part of the body.—adjs. Drop′sical, Drop′sied (Shak.), affected with dropsy.—n. Drop′sicalness. [Through Fr. from L. hydropisis—Gr. hydrōps—hydōr, water.]

Drosera, dros′er-a, n. a genus of small herbaceous plants of the order Droseraceæ, generally inhabiting marshy places. [Formed from Gr. droseros—drosos, dew.]

Droshky, drosh′ki, Drosky, dros′ki, n. a low four-wheeled open carriage much used in Russia. [Russ. drozhki.]

Drosometer, drō-som′e-ter, n. an instrument for measuring the quantity of dew condensed on the surface of a body left in the open air. [Gr. drosos, dew, metron, measure.]

Dross, dros, n. the scum which metals throw off when melting: waste matter: refuse: rust.—n. Dross′iness.—adj. Dross′y, like dross: impure: worthless. [A.S. drós, from dreósan, to fall; cf. Dut. droesem; Ger. druse.]

Drought, drowt, Drouth, drowth, n. dryness: want of rain or of water: thirst.—ns. Drought′iness, Drouth′iness.—adjs. Drought′y, Drouth′y, full of drought: very dry: wanting rain, thirsty. [A.S. drúgathe, dryness—drúgian, to dry.]

Drouk, Drook, drōōk, v.t. to drench: (Scot.) to duck.—p.adjs. Drouk′it, Drook′it. [Ice. drukna, to be drowned; cf. Dan. drukne.]

Drove, drōv, pa.t. of Drive.—n. a number of cattle, or other animals, driven.—n. Drov′er, one whose occupation is to drive cattle: (Spens.) a boat. [A.S. dráf—drífan, to drive.]

Drow, drow, n. a kind of elves supposed to belong to Shetland, inhabiting caves—also Trow, a variant of troll.

Drow, drow, n. (Scot.) a drizzling mist.

Drown, drown, v.t. to drench or sink in water: to kill by placing under water: to overpower: to extinguish.—v.t. to be suffocated in water. [A.S. druncnian, to drown—druncen, pa.p. of drincan, to drink. See Drench.]

Drowse, drowz, v.i. to be heavy with sleep: to look heavy and dull.—v.t. to make heavy with sleep: to stupefy.—n. a half-sleeping state.—ns. Drows′ihead, Drows′ihed (Spens.), drowsiness, sleepiness.—adv. Drows′ily.—n. Drows′iness.—adj. Drows′y, sleepy: heavy: dull: inducing sleep. [A.S. drúsian, to be sluggish; Dut. dreósen, to fall asleep.]

Drub, drub, v.t. to beat or thrash:—pr.p. drub′bing; pa.p. drubbed.—n. Drub′bing, a cudgelling. [Murray suggests Ar. daraba, to beat, bastinado, darb, a beating.]

Drudge, druj, v.i. to work hard: to do very mean work.—n. one who works hard: a slave: a menial servant.—ns. Drudg′er; Drudg′ery, Drudg′ism, the work of a drudge: uninteresting toil: hard or humble labour.—adv. Drudg′ingly. [Ety. unknown. Some suggest Celt., as in Ir. drugaire, a drudge.]

Drug, drug, n. any substance used in the composition of medicine: an article that cannot be sold, generally owing to overproduction.—v.t. to mix or season with drugs: to dose to excess.—v.i. to prescribe drugs or medicines:—pr.p. drug′ging; pa.p. drugged.—n. Drug′gist, one who deals in drugs. [O. Fr. drogue, prob. from Dut. droog, dry; as if applied orig. to dried herbs.]

Drug, drug, n. (Shak.) a drudge.

Drugget, drug′et, n. a woven and felted coarse woollen fabric, chiefly used for covering carpets—hence called in some parts of Britain crumbcloth. [O. Fr. droguet, dim. of drogue, a drug, trash. See above.]

Druid, drōō′id, n. a priest among the ancient Celts of Britain, Gaul, and Germany, who worshipped under oak-trees: a member of a benefit society (founded 1781), its lodges called groves:—fem. Dru′idess.—adjs. Druid′ic, -al, Dru′idish.—n. Dru′idism, the doctrines which the Druids taught: the ceremonies they practised. [L. pl. druidæ—Celt. druid—whence Old Ir. drai, Ir. and Gael. draoi, magician. Littré accepts the ety. from Celt. derw, an oak, which is from the same root as Gr. drys, an oak.]

Drum, drum, n. an instrument of percussion, in which a skin of parchment, stretched on a frame of wood or metal, is beaten with an instrument called a drumstick: anything shaped like a drum: the tympanum or middle portion of the ear: (archit.) the upright part of a cupola: (mech.) a revolving cylinder: formerly a large and tumultuous evening party (said to be so called because rival hostesses vied with each other in beating up crowds of guests).—v.i. to beat a drum: to beat with the fingers.—v.t. to drum out, to expel: to summon:—pr.p. drum′ming; pa.p. drummed.—ns. Drum′head, the head of a drum (see Court-martial): the top part of a capstan; Drum′-mā′jor, the chief drummer of a regiment (now called sergeant-drummer); Drum′mer, one who drums: (U.S.) a commercial traveller; Drum′stick, the stick with which the drum is beat: the leg of a cooked fowl. [From a Teut. root found in Dut. trom, Ger. trommel, a drum; prob. imit.]

Drum, drum, n. a small hill or ridge of hills, used in many place-names, as Drumglass, Drumsheugh, &c. [Ir. druim, the back.]

Drumble, drum′bl, v.i. (Shak.) to be sluggish.

Drumly, drum′li, adj. (Scot.) muddy: gloomy.

Drummock, drum′ok. Same as Drammock (q.v.).

Drummond-light, drum′ond-līt, n. the lime-light or oxy-hydrogen light invented by Captain T. Drummond (1797-1840). [See Lime-light.]

Drunk, drungk, pa.p. of Drink.—p.adj. intoxicated: saturated.—n. a drunken bout: a drunk person.—n. Drunk′ard, one who frequently drinks to excess: a habitual drinker.—p.adj. Drunk′en, given to excessive drinking: worthless, besotted: resulting from intoxication.—adv. Drunk′enly.—n. Drunk′enness, excessive drinking: habitual intemperance.

Drupe, drōōp, n. a fleshy fruit containing a stone, as the plum, &c.—adj. Drupā′ceous, producing or pertaining to drupes or stone-fruits.—n. Drup′el, a little drupe. [L. drupa—Gr. dryppa, an over-ripe olive—drypepēs, ripened on the tree, from drys, a tree, and peptein, to cook; cf. drupetēs—drys, and piptein, to fall.]

Druse, drōōs, n. (mining) a rock cavity lined with crystals, a geode or vug. [Ger.]

Druse, drōōs, n. one of a remarkable people inhabiting a mountainous district in the north of Syria, with a peculiar religion interwoven from the Bible and the Koran.—adj. Drus′ian.

Druxy, druk′si, adj. of timber, having decayed spots concealed by healthy wood.—Also Drick′sie.

Dry, drī, adj. free from, deficient in, moisture, sap: not green: not giving milk: thirsty: uninteresting: (obs.) hard: frigid, precise: free from sweetness and fruity flavour (of wines, &c.).—v.t. to free from water or moisture: to exhaust.—v.i. to become dry, to evaporate entirely—both used also with prep. up:—pr.p. dry′ing; pa.p. dried.—n. and adj. Dry′asdust, the pretended editor or introducer of some of Scott's novels—a synonym for a dull and pedantic though learned person.—v.t. Dry′-beat (Shak.), to beat severely, or so as to be dry.—ns. Dry′-bob, a slang name used at Eton for boys who play cricket, football, &c.—opp. to the Wet-bob, who makes rowing his recreation; Dry′-dock (see Dock).—adj. Dry′-eyed, tearless.—n. Dry′-foot (Shak.), like a dog which pursues game by the scent of its foot.—n.pl. Dry′-goods, drapery, &c., as distinguished from groceries, hardware, &c.—n. Dry′-light, a clear, unobstructed light: an unprejudiced view.—advs. Dry′ly, Drī′ly.—ns. Dry′-meas′ure (see Measure); Dry′ness; Dry′-nurse, a nurse who feeds a child without milk from the breast; Dry′-plate, a sensitised photographic plate, with which a picture may be made without the preliminary use of a bath; Dry′-point, a sharp needle by which fine lines are drawn in copperplate engraving; Dry′-rot, a decay of timber caused by fungi which reduce it to a dry, brittle mass: (fig.) a concealed decay or degeneration.—v.t. Dry′-salt, to cure meat by salting and drying.—ns. Dry′salter, a dealer in gums, dyes, drugs, &c.: (obs.) or in salted or dry meats, pickles, &c.; Dry′saltery.—adj. Dry′-shod, without wetting the shoes or feet.—n. Dry′-steam, steam containing no unevaporated water.—adj. Dry′-stone, built of stone without mortar, as some walls.—n. Dry′-stove, a kind of hot-house for preserving the plants of dry, warm climates.—Cut and dried (see Cut).—High and dry (see High). [A.S. dr['y]ge; cf. Dut. droog, Ger. trocken.]

Dryad, drī′ad, n. (Greek myth.) a nymph of the woods: a forest-tree. [Gr. dryas, from drys, a tree.]

Dual, dū′al, adj. consisting of two.—ns. Dū′ad, a pair of objects looked at as one; Dū′al-control′, any joint control or jurisdiction, as of England and France in Egypt; Dū′alism (philos.), that view which seeks to explain the world by the assumption of two radically independent and absolute elements—e.g. (1) the doctrine of the entire separation of spirit and matter, thus being opposed both to idealism and to materialism; (2) the doctrine of two distinct principles of good and of evil, or of two distinct divine beings of these characters; Dū′alist, a believer in dualism.—adj. Dualis′tic, consisting of two: relating to dualism.—ns. Dual′ity, doubleness: state of being double; Dū′al-school, a school for both boys and girls; Dū′archy, government by two. [L.,—duo, two.]

Dualin, dū-al′in, n. an explosive compound of sawdust, saltpetre, and nitro-glycerine.

Duan, dū′an, n. a division of a poem, canto. [Gael.]

Dub, dub, v.t. to confer knighthood, from the ceremony of striking the shoulder with the flat of a sword: to confer any name or dignity: to smooth with an adze: to rub a softening and waterproof mixture into, as leather: to dress a fly for fishing:—pr.p. dub′bing; pa.p. dubbed.—n. Dub′bing, the accolade: a preparation of grease for softening leather—also Dub′bin. [Conn. with O. Fr. a-douber, to equip with arms; but O. Fr. dober may be Teut.]

Dub, dub, n. (Scot.) a pool of foul water: a puddle.

Dubious, dū′bi-us, adj. doubtful: undetermined: causing doubt: of uncertain event or issue.—adv. Dū′biously.—ns. Dū′biousness, Dubī′ety, Dubios′ity, doubtfulness. [L. dubius.]

Dubitate, dū′bi-tāt, v.i. to doubt, hesitate.—adj. Dū′bitable.—ns. Dū′bitancy, Dubitā′tion.—adj. Dū′bitative.—adv. Dū′bitatively. [L. dubitiāre, -ātum.]

Ducal, dū′kal, adj. pertaining to a duke.—adv. Dū′cally.

Ducat, duk′at, n. a gold coin, formerly much used on the Continent, its commonest value being about 9s. 4d., though there were silver ducats in Italy worth 3s. 4d.—n. Ducatoon′, an old silver coin in Venice and elsewhere, worth 5 to 6 shillings. [O. Fr. ducat—It. ducato—ducatus, a duchy. The name was applied to an Apulian silver coin of 1140. The first gold ducat struck at Venice in 1284 bore the legend—'Sit tibi Christe datus quem tu regis iste Ducatus' ('Be this duchy, which thou rulest, dedicated to thee, O Christ'), which may have helped to spread the name, though it did not originate it.]

Duchy, duch′i, n. the territory of a duke, a dukedom.—ns. Duch′ess, the consort or widow of a duke; Duch′y-court, the court of a duchy, esp. that of the duchy of Lancaster.

Duck, duk, n. a kind of coarse cloth for small sails, sacking, &c. [Dut. doeck, linen cloth; Ger. tuch.]

Duck, duk, v.t. to dip for a moment in water.—v.i. to dip or dive: to lower the head suddenly: to cringe, yield.—n. a quick plunge, dip: a quick lowering of the head or body, a jerky bow.—ns. Duck′er, one who ducks: a diving-bird; Duck′ing; Duck′ing-pond; Duck′ing-stool, a stool or chair in which scolds were formerly tied and ducked in the water as a punishment. [A.S. dúcan, to duck, dive; Ger. tauchen, Dut. duiken.]

Duck, duk, n. name given to any member of the family Anatidæ, the prominent marks of which are short webbed feet, with a small hind-toe not reaching the ground, the netted scales in front of the lower leg, and the long bill: the female duck as distinguished from the male drake: in cricket (originally duck's egg), the zero (0), which records in a scoring-sheet that a player has made no runs: (coll.) a darling, sweetheart: a financial defaulter—esp. Lame Duck: also of things.—ns. Duck′-ant, a Jamaican termite nesting in trees; Duck′-bill, an aquatic burrowing and egg-laying Australian mammal, about 18 inches long, with soft fur, broadly webbed feet, and depressed duck-like bill—also called Duck-mole, Platypus, and Ornithorhynchus.—adj. Duck′-billed, having a bill like a duck.—n. Duck′-hawk, the moor-buzzard or marsh-harrier: the peregrine falcon of the United States.—adj. Duck′-legged, short-legged.—ns. Duck′ling, a young duck; Duck's′-foot, the lady's mantle; Duck′-weed, a name for several species of Lemna and Wolffia growing in ditches; Bombay duck, bummals; Wild′-duck, the mallard.—Break one's duck (cricket), to make one's first run (see above); Make, Play, ducks and drakes, to use recklessly: squander, waste (with with, of)—from the skipping of a flat stone across the surface of water. [A.S. duce, a duck, from, dúcan, to duck, dive.]

Duct, dukt, n. a tube conveying fluids in animal bodies or plants. [L. ductus—ducĕre, to lead.]

Ductile, duk′til, adj. easily led: yielding: capable of being drawn out into threads.—ns. Ductilim′eter, an instrument for measuring the ductility of metals; Ductil′ity, capacity of being drawn out without breaking. [Fr.,—L. ductilis—ducĕre, to lead.]

Dud, dud, n. (coll.) in pl. poor or ragged clothes, tatters.—n. Dud′dery, a shop where old clothes are sold, rags collectively.—adj. Dud′dy, ragged. [There is a M. E. dudd, birrus, a cloak, which may be Celt.]

Dudder, dud′er, n. (prov.) confusion.

Dude, dūd, n. (slang) a fop or dandy, esp. remarkable for the exquisite make and quality of his clothes.—adj. Dū′dish.—n. Dū′dism. [Hardly from dud.]

Dudeen, dū-dēn′, n. a short clay tobacco-pipe.

Dudgeon, duj′un, n. resentment: grudge. [There is an Anglo-Fr. digeon, wood hafts of knives, &c., but a connection cannot be stated. Skeat suggests dubiously W. dygen, malice, dychan, a jeer.]

Dudgeon, duj′un, n. the haft of a dagger: a small dagger. [See above.]

Due, dū, adj. owed: that ought to be paid or done to another: proper: appointed, under engagement to be ready, arrive, &c.—adv. exactly: directly.—n. that which is owed: what one has a right to: perquisite: fee or tribute.—adj. Due′ful (Spens.), proper, fit.—Give the devil his due, to give a fair hearing or fair-play to one of notorious character. [O. Fr. deu, pa.p. of devoir—L. debēre, to owe.]

Due, dū, v.t. (Shak.) to endue.

Duel, dū′el, n. a combat between two persons, prearranged, and fought under fixed conditions, generally on an affair of honour—happily harmless in France: any fight or struggle between two parties: single combat to decide a quarrel.—v.i. to fight in a duel:—pr.p. dū′elling; pa.p. dū′elled.—ns. Dū′eller, Dū′ellist; Dū′elling, fighting in a duel: the practice of fighting in single combat; Duell′o, a duel: the laws which regulate duelling.—adj. Dū′elsome, given to duelling. [It. duello—L. duellum, the original form of bellum—duo, two.]

Duenna, dū-en′a, n. an old lady who acts the part of governess in Spain: an old lady who acts as guardian to a younger. [Sp. dueña, a form of doña, mistress—L. domina, fem. of dominus, lord.]

Duet, dū-et′, Duetto, dū-et′o, n. a composition in music for two voices, instruments, or instrumentalists.—ns. Duetti′no, a simple duet; Duet′tist. [It. duetto, due, two—L. duo, two.]

Duff, duf, n. dough: a stiff flour pudding boiled in a bag; decaying vegetable matter, fallen leaves: coaldust. [From dough.]

Duff, duf, v.t. to manipulate an article so as to make it look like new: to alter the brands on stolen cattle.

Duffel, duf′l, n. a thick, coarse woollen cloth, with a thick nap—also Duff′le: (U.S.) change of flannels. [Dut., from Duffel, a town near Antwerp.]

Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a dull plodding person: a fogy, useless old fellow: a counterfeit coin: a claim or mine which proves unproductive.—ns. Duff′erdom, Duff′erism.

Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a peddler of dubious goods, sham jewellery, &c.: one who fakes up sham articles, or duffs cattle.

Dug, dug, n. the nipple of the pap, esp. applied to that of a cow or other beast. [Cf. Sw. dægga, Dan. dægge, to suckle a child. See Dairy.]

Dug, dug, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dig.—n. Dug′out, a boat made by hollowing out the trunk of a tree.

Dugong, dū-gong′, n. a kind of herb-eating whale, from 8 to 20 feet long, found in Indian seas—the supposed original of the mermaid. [Malayan dūyong.]

Duiker, Duyker, dī′kėr, n. a small South African antelope. [Dut.]

Duke, dūk, n. the highest order of nobility next below that of prince: (B.) a chieftain: on the Continent, a sovereign prince.—ns. Duke′dom, the title, rank, or territories of a duke; Duke′ling, a petty duke; Duk′ery, a duke's territory or seat; Duke′ship.—The Dukeries, a group of ducal seats in Nottinghamshire. [O. Fr. duc—L. dux, ducis, a leader—ducĕre, to lead.]

Dulcamara, dul-ka-mā′ra, n. a name for the Bittersweet (q.v.). [Formed from L. dulcis, sweet, amara, bitter.]

Dulcet, duls′et, adj. sweet to the taste, or to the ear: melodious, harmonious.—n. Dulcificā′tion.—adj. Dulcif′luous, flowing sweetly.—v.t. Dul′cify, to make sweet.—ns. Dulcil′oquy, a soft manner of speaking; Dul′cite, Dul′citol, Dul′cose, a saccharine substance derived from various plants—in its crude form, Madagascar manna; Dul′citude, sweetness.—Dulcified spirit, a compound of alcohol with mineral acid. [O. Fr. doucet, dim. of dols (Fr. doux)—L. dulcis, sweet.]

Dulcimer, dul′si-mėr, n. a musical instrument resembling a flat box, with sounding-board and bridges, across which run wires tuned by pegs at the sides, and played on by striking the wires with a small piece of wood in each hand, or more usually with two cork-headed hammers: a Jewish musical instrument, according to Gesenius, a double pipe with a bag. [Sp. dulcemele—L. dulce melos, a sweet song—dulcis, sweet; melos = Gr. melos, a song.]

Dulcinea, dul-sin′ē-a, or dul-sin-ē′a, n. sweetheart. [From Dulcinea del Toboso, the name given by Don Quixote to the mistress of his imagination.]

Dule, dool, n. (Scot.) woe.—n. Dule′-tree, the gallows. [See Dole.]

Dulia, dū-lī′a, n. (R.C. Church) that inferior veneration due to saints and angels.—n. Duloc′racy, government by slaves. [Gr. douleia—doulos, a slave.]

Dull, dul, adj. slow of hearing, of learning, or of understanding: insensible: without life or spirit: slow of motion: drowsy: sleepy: sad: downcast: cheerless: not bright or clear: cloudy: dim, obscure: obtuse: blunt.—v.t. to make dull or stupid: to blunt: to damp: to cloud.—v.i. to become dull.—n. Dull′ard, a dull and stupid person: a dunce.—adjs. Dull′-brained (Shak.), of dull brain or intellect: stupid; Dull′-browed, of gloomy brow or look; Dull′-eyed (Shak.), having eyes dull or wanting expression; Dull′ish, somewhat dull: wearisome.—ns. Dull′ness, Dul′ness, the stale or quality of being dull.—adjs. Dull′-sight′ed; Dull′-wit′ted; Dull′y, somewhat dull.—adv. Dull′y. [A.S. dol—dwelan, to err; Dut. dol, Ger. toll, mad.]

Dulse, duls, n. an edible seaweed, with red, deeply-divided fronds, eaten in Ireland and elsewhere. [Gael, duileasg—duille, a leaf, uisge, water.]

Duly, dū′li, adv. properly: fitly: at the proper time. [See Due.]

Dumb, dum, adj. without the power of speech: silent: soundless.—v.t. (Shak.) to render dumb.—n.pl. Dumb′-bells, double-headed weights swung in the hands for the purpose of developing the arms, muscles of the chest, &c.—n. Dumb′-cane, a plant of the order Araceæ, aberrant in its almost arborescent character, but agreeing with them in its acridity, which is in none of them more highly developed.—adv. Dumb′ly, in silence: mutely.—ns. Dumb′ness; Dumb′-show, gesture without words: pantomime; Dumb′-wait′er, a movable platform used for conveying food, dishes, &c. at meals: a stand with revolving top for holding dessert, &c.—vs.t. Dumfound′, -er, to strike dumb: to confuse greatly: to astonish.—ns. Dum′merer, a dumb person, esp. a rogue who feigns dumbness; Dum′miness; Dum′my, one who is dumb: a mere tool of another, man of straw: a sham package in a shop: the fourth or exposed band when three persons play at whist.—Strike dumb, to silence with astonishment. [A.S. dumb; Ger. dumm, stupid, Dut. dom.]

Dumbledore, dum′bl-dōr, n. (prov.) the bumble-bee: the brown cockchafer.

Dum-dum, dum′-dum, n. a soft-nosed expanding bullet, first made at Dum Dum in British India.

Dumose, dū′mōs, adj. thorny—also Dū′mous.—n. Dumos′ity. [L. dumus, a thorn-bush.]

Dump, dump, v.t. to throw down: to unload.—n. a thud: a place for the discharge of loads, or for rubbish: (pl.) money (slang). [Cf. Dan. dumpe, Norw. dumpa, to fall plump.]

Dump, dump, n. dullness or gloominess of mind, ill-humour, low spirits—now only used in the pl.: (Shak.) a melancholy strain, any tune.—adj. Dump′ish, depressed in spirits.—adv. Dump′ishly.—n. Dump′ishness. [Prob. related to Old Dut. domp, mist; or Ger. dumpf, gloomy.]

Dump, dump, n. a deep hole in a river-bed, a pool. [Prob. Norse dump, a pit.]

Dumpling, dump′ling, n. a kind of thick pudding or mass of paste. [Dim. of dump, in dumpy.]

Dumpy, dump′i, adj. short and thick.—n. a dumpy person or animal, esp. one of a breed of very short-legged fowls.—n. Dumpi′ness.—v.t. Dum′ple, to make or cook, as a dumpling: to bend into a dumpy shape.—n. Dump′y-lev′el, a spirit-level used in surveying, having a short telescope with a large aperture. [From a provincial form dump, a clumsy piece.]

Dun, dun, adj. of a dark colour, partly brown and black: dark.—v.t. (U.S.) to cure and brown, as cod.—v.i. to become dun-coloured.—ns. Dun′-bird, the pochard; Dun′-cow, the shagreen ray; Dun′-dīv′er, the merganser; Dun′-fish, codfish cured by dunning.—adj. Dun′nish, somewhat dun. [A.S. dun, most prob. Celt.; W. dwn, dusky, Gael. donn, brown.]

Dun, dun, v.t. to demand a debt with din or noise: to urge for payment:—pr.p. dun′ning; pa.p. dunned.—n. one who duns: a demand for payment. [Allied to Din.]

Dun, dun, n. a hill: a fortified mound. [A.S. dún—Celt.; in many place-names, as Dunbar, Doncaster.]

Dunce, duns, n. one slow at learning: a stupid person.—ns. Dunce′dom, the class of dunces; Dun′cery, stupidity; Dun′ciad, the epic of dunces, the world of dunces—name of a famous poem by Pope.—adjs. Dun′cish, Dunce′-like. [Duns Scotus (died 1308), the Subtle Doctor, leader of the schoolmen, from him called Dunses, who opposed classical studies on the revival of learning—hence any opposer of learning, a blockhead.]

Dunch, dunsh, v.t. (Scot.) to push with the elbow: to gore with the horns, as a bull. [Hardly related to Sw. dunka, to beat; Dan. dunke, a thump.]

Dunder, dun′dėr, n. lees, dregs.

Dunderfunk, dun′dėr-fungk, n. ship-biscuit, soaked in water, mixed with fat and molasses, and baked in a pan.—Also Dan′dyfunk.

Dunderhead, dun′dėr-hed, n. a stupid person—also Dun′derpate.—adj. Dun′derheaded.—n. Dun′der-headism.

Dundreary, dun-drēr′i, adj. like Lord Dundreary—in Sothern's creation of the part, a lisping and brainless dandy, wearing long side-whiskers.

Dune, dūn, n. a low hill of sand on the seashore. [An earlier form of down, a hill.]

Dung, dung, n. the excrement of animals: refuse litter mixed with excrement.—v.t. to manure with dung.—v.i. to void excrement.—ns. Dung′-bee′tle, the dor-beetle: (pl.) the scarabæoid beetles generally; Dung′-fork, a fork used for moving stable manure; Dung′hill, a heap of dung: any mean situation; Dung′mere, a manure-pit.—adj. Dung′y. [A.S. dung; cf. Dan. dynge, a heap; Ger. dung.]

Dungaree, dung′ga-ri, n. a coarse Indian calico: (pl.) trousers of such.—Also Dung′eree. [Hindi.]

Dungeon, dun′jun, n. (orig.) the principal tower of a castle: a close, dark prison: a cell under ground.—v.t. to confine in a dungeon.—n. Dun′geoner, a gaoler. [O. Fr. donjon—Low L. domnion-em—L. dominus, a lord.]

Dunker, dungk′ėr, n. a member of a sect of German-American Baptists who practise triple immersion.—Also Tunk′er. [Ger.]

Dunlin, dun′lin, n. the red-backed sandpiper. [A dim. of dun.]

Dunlop, dun-lop′, n. a rich cheese made of unskimmed milk—from Dunlop in Ayrshire.

Dunnage, dun′āj, n. on shipboard, a name applied to loose wood of any kind laid in the bottom of the hold to keep the cargo out of the bilge-water, or wedged between parts of the cargo to keep them steady. [Ety. unknown.]

Dunniewassal, Duniwassal, dun-i-was′al, n. (Scot.) a gentleman of inferior rank. [Gael. duin' uasal—duine, a man, uasal, gentle.]

Dunning, dun′ing, n. the process of browning and curing cod-fish.

Dunnock, dun′ok, n. the hedge-sparrow.

Dunny, dun′i, adj. (prov.) deaf.

Dunstable, dun′stä-bl, n. a hat, bonnet, &c. of plaited straw, first made at Dunstable in Bedfordshire.—Dunstable road, highway, anything plain and direct.

Dunt, dunt, n. (Scot.) a blow or stroke, the wound made by such.—v.t. to strike, beat. [See Dint.]

Dunt, dunt, n. (prov.) the gid or sturdy in sheep, &c.

Duo, dū′o, n. a song in two parts. [L. duo, two.]

Duodecahedron, dū-o-dek-a-hē′dron, n. Same as Dodecahedron.

Duodecennial, dū-o-de-sen′i-al, adj. occurring every twelve years. [L. duodecim, twelve, annus, year.]

Duodecimal, dū-o-des′i-mal, adj. computed by twelves: twelfth: (pl.) a method of calculating the area of a rectangle when the length and breadth are stated in feet and inches.—adjs. Duodecim′fid, divided into twelve parts; Duodec′imo, formed of sheets folded so as to make twelve leaves.—n. a book of such sheets—usually written 12mo.—Duodecimal scale, the name given to the division of unity into twelve equal parts. [L. duodecim, twelve—duo, two, and decem, ten.]

Duodecuple, dū-o-dek′ū-pl, adj. twelvefold: consisting of twelve. [L. duodecim, plicāre, to fold.]

Duodenary, dū-ō-den′a-ri, adj. relating to twelve, twelvefold.

Duodenum, dū-o-dē′num, n. the first portion of the small intestines, so called because about twelve fingers'-breadth in length:—pl. Duodē′na.—adj. Duodē′nal. [Formed from L. duodeni, twelve each.]

Duoliteral, dū-ō-lit′er-al, adj. consisting of two letters.

Duologue, dū′ō-log, n. a piece spoken between two.

Duomo, dū-ō′mo, n. a cathedral. [It. See Dome.]

Dup, dup, v.t. (Shak.) to undo a door. [From do and up. Cf. don and doff.]

Dupe, dūp, n. one easily cheated: one who is deceived or misled.—v.t. to deceive: to trick.—n. Dupabil′ity.—adj. Dū′pable.—n. Dū′pery, the art of deceiving others. [Fr. dupe; of uncertain origin.]

Dupion, dū′pi-on, n. a cocoon spun by two silkworms together, also the silk of such.—Also Dou′pion. [Fr.]

Duplex, dū′pleks, adj. twofold: double.—adjs. Dū′ple, double: twofold; Dū′plicate, double: twofold.—n. another thing of the same kind: a copy or transcript.—v.t. to double: to fold.—n. Duplicā′tion.—adj. Dū′plicative.—ns. Dū′plicature, a doubling: anything doubled: the fold of a membrane; Duplic′ity, doubleness: insincerity of heart or speech: deceit; Dū′ply, a second reply in Scots law.—The duplication of the cube was a problem eagerly discussed by the early Greek geometers. [L. duplicāre, -ātum—duplex—duo, two, plicāre, to fold.]

Dura. See Durra.

Durable, dūr′a-bl, adj. able to last or endure: hardy: permanent.—ns. Dur′ableness, Durabil′ity, quality of being durable: power of resisting decay.—adv. Dur′ably.—ns. Dur′ance, continuance: imprisonment: duress; Dur′ant, a strong cloth in imitation of buff-leather; Durā′tion, continuance in time: time indefinitely: power of continuance. [Fr.,—L. durabilis—durāre, to last.]

Dura mater, dū′ra mā′tėr, n. the exterior membrane of the brain and spinal column distinguished from the other two, the arachnoid and the pia mater.

Duramen, dū-rā′mėn, n. the inner and fully ripened wood of dicotyledonous trees. [L.,—durus, hard.]

Durbar, dur′bar, n. an audience-chamber: a reception or levee, esp. a reception of native princes held by the Viceroy of India: the body of officials at a native court. [Pers. dar-bár, a prince's court, lit. a 'door of admittance.']

Durdum. Same as Dirdum.

Dure, dūr, v.i. (obs.) to endure, last, or continue.—adj. Dure′ful (Spens.), enduring, lasting. [Fr. durer—L. durāre—durus, hard.]

Duress, dūr′es, or dūr-es′, n. constraint: imprisonment: constraint illegally exercised to force a person to perform some act. [O. Fr. duresse—L. duritia—durus, hard.]

Durga, dōōr′ga, the wife of Siva (q.v.).

Durgan, dur′gan, n. a dwarf, any undersized creature.—adj. Dur′gy. [Related to dwarf.]

Durham, dur′am, n. one of a particular breed of shorthorned cattle—from the English county.

Durian, dū′ri-an, n. a lofty Indian and Malayan fruit-tree (genus Durio), with leaves resembling those of the cherry, and large bunches of pale-yellow flowers.—Also Dū′rion. [Malay duryon.]

During, dū′ring, prep. for the time a thing lasts: in the course of. [Orig. pr.p. of obs. dure, to last.]

Durmast, dur′mast, n. a sub-species or variety of oak.

Durn, durn, n. (prov.) a door-post.—Also Dern.

Duroy, dū-roi′, n. an obsolete form of corduroy.

Durra, dur′ra, n. a genus of grasses closely allied to sugar-cane and beard-grass—also called Durra millet and Indian millet or Sorgho grass. Much cultivated in Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe.—Also Dour′a, Dhur′ra, and Dur′a. [Ar.]

Durst, durst, pa.t. of Dare, to venture. [A.S. dorste, pa.t. of dear, to dare.]

Dush, dush, v.t. (Scot.) to throw down.

Dusk, dusk, adj. darkish: of a dark colour.—n. twilight: partial darkness: darkness of the colour.—v.t. to occasion a dusky appearance.—v.i. Dusk′en, to grow dark.—adv. Dusk′ily.—n. Dusk′iness.—adj. Dusk′ish, rather dusky: slightly dark or black.—adv. Dusk′ishly.—n. Dusk′ishness.—adv. Dusk′ly.—n. Dusk′ness.—adj. Dusk′y, partially dark or obscure: dark-coloured: sad: gloomy. [A.S. dox, dosc, dark—further history of word obscure.]

Dust, dust, n. fine particles of matter: a cloud of powdery matter present in the atmosphere: powder: earth: the grave, where the body becomes dust: a mean condition: gold-dust—hence money.—v.t. to free from dust: to sprinkle with dust.—ns. Dust′-ball, a disease of horses, in which grain-dust forms a ball in the intestine; Dust′-bin, a bucket, box, &c. for holding dust and rubbish; Dust′-brand, smut (q.v.); Dust′-brush, a light brush for removing dust from walls, &c.; Dust′-cart, a cart for conveying dust and rubbish from the streets; Dust′-contract′or, one who has made a contract to remove dust, &c., as from yards; Dust′er, one who dusts: a cloth or brush used for removing dust; Dust′-hole, a dust-bin; Dust′iness; Dust′man, a scavenger; Dust′-pan, a pan or shovel for removing dust swept from the floor.—adj. Dust′y, covered or sprinkled with dust: like dust.—ns. Dust′y-foot (see Pie-powder); Dust′y-mill′er, the auricula, from the white dust upon its leaves.—Dust a person's jacket, to give him a drubbing.—Bite the dust (see Bite); Down with the dust, pay down the money, originally with reference to gold-dust; Kick up a dust, to make a stir or uproar; Raise a dust, to create a disturbance; Throw dust in a person's eyes, to delude or deceive a person. [A.S. dúst; cf. Ger. dunst, vapour, Dut. duist, meal-dust.]

Dutch, duch, adj. belonging to Holland or its people—in old writers rather applied to the Germans: heavy, clumsy, as in Dutch-built, -buttocked, &c.—n. Dutch′man, a native of Holland.—Dutch auction, courage, tiles (see Auction, Courage, Tile); Dutch carpet, a mixed material of cotton and wool for floor coverings; Dutch cheese, a small round cheese made on the Continent from skim-milk; Dutch clinkers, a hard brick for paving stables, &c.; Dutch clover, white clover; Dutch concert, a concert in which singers sing their various songs simultaneously, or each one sings a verse of any song he likes between bursts of some familiar chorus; Dutch drops, a balsam, or popular nostrum, of oil of turpentine, tincture of guaiacum, &c.; Dutch liquid, an oily substance obtained by mixing chlorine and olefiant gases—not miscible with water, readily dissolving in ether and alcohol, producing anæsthesia; Dutch metal, sometimes called Dutch gold or Dutch leaf, is an alloy of copper and zinc; Dutch oven (see Oven); Dutch pink (see Pink); Dutch rush, the scouring-rush; Dutch wife, an open frame of rattan or cane used in the Dutch Indies, to rest the limbs upon in bed.—Talk like a Dutch uncle, to rebuke with kindness. [Ger. deutsch, (lit.) belonging to the people—Old High Ger. diutisk, of which -isk = the Eng. suffix -ish, and diut = A.S. theod, Goth. thiuda, a nation. See Teutonic.]

Duty, dū′ti, n. that which is due: what one is bound by any obligation to do: obedience: military service: respect or regard: one's proper business: tax on goods.—adj. Dū′teous, devoted to duty: obedient.—adv. Dū′teously.—n. Dū′teousness.—adjs. Dū′tiable, subject to custom duty; Dū′tied, subjected to duties and customs; Dū′tiful, attentive to duty: respectful: expressive of a sense of duty.—adv. Dū′tifully.—n. Dū′tifulness.—adj. Dū′ty-free, free from tax or duty. [Formed from Anglo-Fr. deu or due (mod. Fr. dú) and suffix -ty. See Due (1).]

Duumvirate, dū-um′vi-rāt, n. the union of two men in the same office: a form of government in ancient Rome.—n. Dūum′vir, one of two associated in the same office.—adj. Dūum′viral. [L. duo, two, and vir, a man.]

Duvet, dü-vā′, n. a quilt stuffed with eider-down or swan's-down. [Fr.]

Dux, duks, n. a leader: the head boy in a school or class. [L., a leader.]

Dwale, dwāl, n. (bot.) deadly nightshade: a stupefying drink: (her.) a black colour. [Ice. dvöl, dvali, delay, sleep.]

Dwale, dwāl, n. (obs.) error: a heretic.—adj. perverse. [A.S. dwala, error.]

Dwalm, Dwaum, dwäm, n. (Scot.) a swoon, a sudden sickness.—v.i. to fail in health. [A.S. dwolma, confusion.]

Dwarf, dwawrf, n. an animal or plant that does not reach the ordinary height: a diminutive man.—v.t. to hinder from growing: to make to appear small.—adjs. Dwarf′ish, Dwarf, like a dwarf: very small: despicable.—adv. Dwarf′ishly.—n. Dwarf′ishness.—Dwarfed trees, small trees growing in flower-pots, a characteristic ornament in Chinese and Japanese houses and gardens. [A.S. dweorg; Dut. dwerg, Ice. dvergr, Ger. zwerg.]

Dwell, dwel, v.i. to abide in a place: to remain: to rest the attention: to continue long.—v.t. (Milt.) to inhabit, to place:—pr.p. dwell′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. dwelled or dwelt.—ns. Dwell′er; Dwell′ing, the place where one dwells: habitation: continuance; Dwell′ing-house, a house used as a dwelling, in distinction from a place of business or other building; Dwell′ing-place, a place of residence. [A.S. dwellan, to cause to wander, to delay, from dwal or dol, the original of Eng. dull.]

Dwindle, dwin′dl, v.i. to grow less: to waste away: to grow feeble: to become degenerate.—v.t. to lessen.—n. decline.—n. Dwin′dlement. [Dim. of Dwine.]

Dwine, dwīn, v.i. to pine: (Scot.) to waste away. [A.S. dwínan, to fade; cf. Ice. dvína, Dan. tvine, to pine away.]

Dyad, dī′ad, n. a pair of units treated as one: (chem.) an atom, radical, or element having a combining power of two units: (biol.) a secondary unit of organisation consisting of an aggregate of monads.—adj. Dyad′ic.

Dyak, dī′ak, n. the Malay name for the race who constitute the bulk of the aboriginal population of Borneo, divided into innumerable tribes, differing pretty widely in language, customs, and degrees of savageness.—Also Day′ak.

Dye, dī, n. (Spens.). Same as Die (2).

Dye, dī, v.t. to stain: to give a new colour to:—pr.p. dye′ing; pa.p. dyed.—n. colour: tinge: stain: a colouring liquid.—ns. Dye′-house, a building in which dyeing is done; Dye′ing, the art of imparting colours to textile and other materials, such as cotton, silk, wool, and leather; Dy′er, one whose trade is to dye cloth, &c.; Dy′er's-broom, a European shrubby plant, thoroughly naturalised in some parts of North America—a well-known source of yellow colouring matter; Dy′er's-weed, the woad, weld, or yellow weed, yielding a yellow dye; Dye′-stuff, material used in dyeing; Dye′-wood, any wood from which material is obtained for dyeing; Dye′-work, an establishment for dyeing. [A.S. deágan, to dye, from deág or deáh, colour.]

Dying, dī′ing, pr.p. of Die.—adj. destined for death: mortal: declining: occurring immediately before death, as dying words: supporting a dying person, as a dying-bed: pertaining to death.—n. death.—adv. Dy′ingly.—n. Dy′ingness.—Dying declaration (law), the declaration made by a person convinced of his impending death, and who does not expect to survive the trial of the accused. [See Die (1).]

Dyke. Same as Dike.

Dynactinometer, din-ak-tin-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the actinic force of light. [Gr. dynamis, force, aktis, aktinos, a ray, metron, a measure.]

Dynam, dī′nam, n. a unit of work, a foot-pound: the resultant of all the forces acting on a body.

Dynameter, dī-nam′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the magnifying power of a telescope.—adj. Dynamet′rical, pertaining to a dynameter. [Gr. dynamis, power, and metron, a measure.]

Dynamic, -al, di-nam′ik, -al, adj. relating to force: relating to the effects of forces in nature: causal.—n. Dynam′ic, a moving force.—adv. Dynam′ically.—ns. Dynam′ics, the science which treats of matter and motion, where the nature of the moving body and the cause of its motion are both considered; Dy′namism, a theory which explains the phenomena of the universe by some immanent energy: operation of force; Dy′namist.—adj. Dynamis′tic. [Gr. dynamikos—dynamis, power—dynasthai, to be able.]

Dynamite, din′a-mīt, n. a powerful explosive agent, consisting of absorbent matter, as porous silica, saturated with nitro-glycerine.—v.t. to blow up with dynamite.—ns. Dyn′amitard, Dyn′amiter, a ruffian who would use dynamite to destroy bridges, gaols, &c. [Gr. dynamis.]

Dynamo, dī′na-mo, n. a contraction of Dynamo-electric machine, a machine for generating electric currents by means of the relative movement of conductors and magnets.—adjs. Dy′namo-electric, -al.—ns. Dynamog′eny, production of increased nervous activity; Dynam′ograph, a recording dynamometer: an instrument for marking the degree of compression of an elliptic spring.

Dynamometer, din-am-om′e-tėr, n. originally an instrument for measuring force, such as the pull exerted by a horse in drawing a cart: the name now usually given to instruments for measuring power.—adjs. Dynamomet′ric, -al. [Gr. dynamis, power, and metron, a measure.]

Dynasty, din′as-ti, or d[i]′nas-ti, n. a succession of kings of the same family.—n. Dy′nast, a ruler.—adj. Dynas′tic, belonging to a dynasty. [Gr. dynasteia—dynastēs, a lord, dynasthai, to be able.]

Dyne, dīn, n. the unit of force in the centimetre-gramme-second (C.G.S.) system.

Dyophysite, dī-of′i-zīt, n. a holder of the doctrine of the coexistence of two natures, the divine and the human, in Christ—also Diph′ysite.—adjs. Dyophysit′ic, -al.—n. Dyoph′ysitism.

Dyothelete, dī-oth′e-lēt, adj. holding the doctrine that Christ had two wills, a divine and a human—also Dyoth′elite.—n. one who holds the foregoing.—ns. Dyoth′elitism, Dyoth′elism.

Dysæsthesia, dis-es-thē′si-a, n. impaired sensation, partial insensibility.—adj. Dysæsthetic. [Gr., dys, hard, aisthētos—aisthanesthai, to feel.]

Dyschroa, dis′krō-a, n. discoloration of the skin from disease.—Also Dys′chroia.

Dyscrasia, dis-krā′si-a, n. (path.) an altered condition of the blood and fluids of the system, leading to constitutional diseases, as dropsy, cancer, delirium tremens, lead-poisoning, &c. [From Gr. dys, bad, krasis, a mixture.]

Dysentery, dis′en-ter-i, n. a form of disease accompanied by discharges from the bowels, and differing from diarrhœa chiefly in being attended by marked fever and pain, as also by the presence of blood and inflammatory products in the discharges. It is a disease of the mucous membrane of the colon or great intestine.—adj. Dysenter′ic. [Gr. dysenteria, dys, ill, entera, entrails.]

Dyslogistic, dis-lō-jis′tik, adj. conveying censure, opprobrious.—adv. Dyslogis′tically.—n. Dys′logy, dispraise.

Dysmenorrhœa, dis-men-ō-rē′a, n. difficult or painful menstruation.—adjs. Dysmenorrhœ′al, -ic.

Dysnomy, dis′nō-mi, n. bad legislation.

Dysodyle, -ile, dis′ō-dīl, n. a yellow or grayish laminated bituminous mineral, often found with lignite, burning vividly, with an odour of asafœtida. [Gr. dysōdēs—dys, ill, ozein, to smell.]

Dysopsia, dis-op′si-a, n. dimness or difficulty of vision.—Also Dysō′pia, Dysop′sy.

Dysorexia, dis-ō-rek′si-a, n. an impaired or depraved appetite.—Also Dys′orexy.

Dyspathy, dis′pa-thi, n. antipathy, dislike—opposite of Sympathy.—adj. Dyspathet′ic.

Dyspepsia, dis-pep′si-a, n. a scientific term for indigestion—also Dyspep′sy.—n. Dyspep′tic, a person afflicted with dyspepsia.—adjs. Dyspep′tic, -al, afflicted with, pertaining to, or arising from indigestion.—adv. Dyspep′tically. [Gr. dyspepsia—dys, hard, pessein, pepsein, to digest.]

Dysphagia, dis-fā′ji-a, n. difficulty in swallowing—also Dys′phagy.—adj. Disphag′ic.

Dysphonia, dis-fō′ni-a, n. difficulty in producing sounds. [Gr. dys, ill, phōnē, sound.]

Dysphoria, dis-fō′ri-a, n. impatience under affliction, morbid restlessness.

Dysphuistic, dis-fū-is′tik, adj. ill-sounding, inelegant.

Dyspnœa, disp-nē′a, n. difficulty of breathing.—adjs. Dyspnœ′al, Dyspnœ′ic. [Gr. dys, ill, pnoē, breathing.]

Dysteleology, dis-tel-ē-ol′o-ji, n. the doctrine of purposelessness, or denial of 'final causes:' the study of apparently functionless rudimentary organs in animals and plants.—adj. Dysteleolog′ical.—n. Dysteleol′ogist.

Dysthesia, dis-thē′si-a, n. a morbid habit of body, resulting in general discomfort and impatience.—adj. Dysthet′ic.

Dysthymic, dis-thim′ik, adj. depressed in spirits.

Dystomic, dis-tom′ik, adj. having an imperfect fracture or cleavage.—Also Dys′tomous.

Dysuria, dis-ū′ri-a, n. a difficulty of passing urine—also Dys′ury.—adj. Dysū′ric. [Gr. dys, ill, ouron, urine.]

Dytiscus, dī-tis′kus, n. a genus of water-beetles, including a common large British species, D. marginalis—also Dyt′icus.—adj. Dytis′cid. [Formed from Gr. dytēs, a diver.]

Dyvour, dī′vōōr, n. (Scot.) a bankrupt.—n. Dyv′oury, bankruptcy. [Generally conn. with Fr. devoir, to owe. The old phrase 'drowned in debt' suggests a connection with diver.]

Dzeren, dzē′ren, n. the Mongolian antelope.—Also Dzē′ron—called also Goitered antelope, Yellow goat.

Dziggetai, dzig′ge-tī, n. a species of wild ass, more horse-like than the others, inhabiting the elevated steppes of Tartary—prob. the hemionus (half-ass) of Herodotus and Pliny. [Mongol.]