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+ The Project Gutenberg EBook of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, by Various
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+
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+ This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
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+ almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
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+ re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
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+ with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
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+
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+
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+ Title: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
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+
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+ Author: Various
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+
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+ Release Date: August 22, 2009 [EBook #29765]
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+
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+ Language: English
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+
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+
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+ *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WEBSTER'S UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY ***
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+
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+
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+
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+
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+ Produced by Graham Lawrence
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+
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+
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+
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+
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+ A
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+ A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages).
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+
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+ Defn: The first letter of the English and of many other alphabets.
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+ The capital A of the alphabets of Middle and Western Europe, as also
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+ the small letter (a), besides the forms in Italic, black letter,
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+ etc., are all descended from the old Latin A, which was borrowed from
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+ the Greek Alpha, of the same form; and this was made from the first
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+ letter (Aleph, and itself from the Egyptian origin. The Aleph was a
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+ consonant letter, with a guttural breath sound that was not an
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+ element of Greek articulation; and the Greeks took it to represent
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+ their vowel Alpha with the ä sound, the Phoenician alphabet having no
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+ vowel symbols. This letter, in English, is used for several different
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+ vowel sounds. See Guide to pronunciation, §§ 43-74. The regular long
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+ a, as in fate, etc., is a comparatively modern sound, and has taken
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+ the place of what, till about the early part of the 17th century, was
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+ a sound of the quality of ä (as in far).
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+
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+ 2. (Mus.)
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+
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+ Defn: The name of the sixth tone in the model major scale (that in
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+ C), or the first tone of the minor scale, which is named after it the
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+ scale in A minor. The second string of the violin is tuned to the A
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+ in the treble staff.
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+ -- A sharp (A#) is the name of a musical tone intermediate between A
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+ and B.
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+ -- A flat (A) is the name of a tone intermediate between A and G.
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+
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+ A per se Etym: (L. per se by itself), one preëminent; a nonesuch.
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+ [Obs.]
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+ O fair Creseide, the flower and A per se Of Troy and Greece. Chaucer.
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+
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+ A
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+ A (# emph. #).
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+
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+ 1. Etym: [Shortened form of an. AS. an one. See One.]
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+
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+ Defn: An adjective, commonly called the indefinite article, and
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+ signifying one or any, but less emphatically.
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+
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+ Defn: "At a birth"; "In a word"; "At a blow". Shak.
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+
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+ Note: It is placed before nouns of the singular number denoting an
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+ individual object, or a quality individualized, before collective
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+ nouns, and also before plural nouns when the adjective few or the
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+ phrase great many or good many is interposed; as, a dog, a house, a
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+ man; a color; a sweetness; a hundred, a fleet, a regiment; a few
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+ persons, a great many days. It is used for an, for the sake of
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+ euphony, before words beginning with a consonant sound [for exception
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+ of certain words beginning with h, see An]; as, a table, a woman, a
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+ year, a unit, a eulogy, a ewe, a oneness, such a one, etc. Formally
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+ an was used both before vowels and consonants.
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+
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+ 2. Etym: [Originally the preposition a (an, on).]
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+
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+ Defn: In each; to or for each; as, "twenty leagues a day", "a hundred
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+ pounds a year", "a dollar a yard", etc.
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+
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+ A
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+ A, prep. Etym: [Abbreviated form of an (AS. on). See On.]
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+
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+ 1. In; on; at; by. [Obs.] "A God's name." "Torn a pieces." "Stand a
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+ tiptoe." "A Sundays" Shak. "Wit that men have now a days." Chaucer.
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+ "Set them a work." Robynson (More's Utopia)
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+
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+ 2. In process of; in the act of; into; to; -- used with verbal
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+ substantives in -ing which begin with a consonant. This is a
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+ shortened form of the preposition an (which was used before the vowel
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+ sound); as in a hunting, a building, a begging. "Jacob, when he was a
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+ dying" Heb. xi. 21. "We'll a birding together." " It was a doing."
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+ Shak. "He burst out a laughing." Macaulay. The hyphen may be used to
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+ connect a with the verbal substantive (as, a-hunting, a-building) or
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+ the words may be written separately. This form of expression is now
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+ for the most part obsolete, the a being omitted and the verbal
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+ substantive treated as a participle.
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+
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+ A
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+ A. Etym: [From AS. of off, from. See Of.]
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+
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+ Defn: Of. [Obs.] "The name of John a Gaunt." "What time a day is it "
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+ Shak. "It's six a clock." B. Jonson.
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+
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+ A
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+ A.
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+
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+ Defn: A barbarous corruption of have, of he, and sometimes of it and
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+ of they. "So would I a done" "A brushes his hat." Shak.
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+
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+ A
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+ A.
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+
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+ Defn: An expletive, void of sense, to fill up the meter
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+ A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad tires in a mile-a. Shak.
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+
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+ A-
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+ A-
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+
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+ Defn: A, as a prefix to English words, is derived from various
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+ sources. (1) It frequently signifies on or in (from an, a forms of
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+ AS. on), denoting a state, as in afoot, on foot, abed, amiss, asleep,
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+ aground, aloft, away (AS. onweg), and analogically, ablaze, atremble,
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+ etc. (2) AS. of off, from, as in adown (AS. ofdüne off the dun or
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+ hill). (3) AS. a- (Goth. us-, ur-, Ger. er-), usually giving an
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+ intensive force, and sometimes the sense of away, on, back, as in
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+ arise, abide, ago. (4) Old English y- or i- (corrupted from the AS.
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+ inseparable particle ge-, cognate with OHG. ga-, gi-, Goth. ga-),
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+ which, as a prefix, made no essential addition to the meaning, as in
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+ aware. (5) French à (L. ad to), as in abase, achieve. (6) L. a, ab,
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+ abs, from, as in avert. (7) Greek insep. prefix a without, or
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+ privative, not, as in abyss, atheist; akin to E. un-.
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+
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+ Note: Besides these, there are other sources from which the prefix a
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+ takes its origin.
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+
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+ A 1
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+ A 1. A registry mark given by underwriters (as at Lloyd's) to ships
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+ in first-class condition. Inferior grades are indicated by A 2 and A
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+ 3.
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+
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+ Note: A 1 is also applied colloquially to other things to imply
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+ superiority; prime; first-class; first-rate.
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+
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+ AAM
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+ Aam, n. Etym: [D. aam, fr. LL. ama; cf. L. hama a water bucket, Gr.
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+
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+ Defn: A Dutch and German measure of liquids, varying in different
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+ cities, being at Amsterdam about 41 wine gallons, at Antwerp 36½, at
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+ Hamburg 38¼. [Written also Aum and Awm.]
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+
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+ AARD-VARK
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+ Aard"-vark`, n. Etym: [D., earth-pig.] (Zoöl.)
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+
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+ Defn: An edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus, somewhat
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+ resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa. It burrows
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+ in the ground, and feeds entirely on ants, which it catches with its
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+ long, slimy tongue.
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+
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+ AARD-WOLF
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+ Aard"-wolf`, n. Etym: [D, earth-wolf] (Zoöl.)
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+
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+ Defn: A carnivorous quadruped (Proteles Lalandii), of South Africa,
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+ resembling the fox and hyena. See Proteles.
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+
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+ AARONIC; AARONICAL
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+ Aa*ron"ic, Aa*ron"ic*al, a.
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+
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+ Defn: Pertaining to Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews.
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+
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+ AARON'S ROD
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+ Aar"on's rod`. Etym: [See Exodus vii. 9 and Numbers xvii. 8]
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+
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+ 1. (Arch.)
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+
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+ Defn: A rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing from
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+ the caduceus of Mercury, which has two.
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+
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+ 2. (Bot.)
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+
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+ Defn: A plant with a tall flowering stem; esp. the great mullein, or
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+ hag-taper, and the golden-rod.
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+
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+ AB-
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+ Ab-. Etym: [Latin prep., etymologically the same as E. of, off. See
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+ Of.]
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+
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+ Defn: A prefix in many words of Latin origin. It signifies from, away
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+ , separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. See A-
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+ (6).
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+
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+ AB
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+ Ab, n. Etym: [Of Syriac origin.]
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+
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+ Defn: The fifth month of the Jewish year according to the
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+ ecclesiastical reckoning, the eleventh by the civil computation,
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+ coinciding nearly with August. W. Smith.
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+
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+ ABACA
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+ Ab"a*ca, n. Etym: [The native name.]
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+
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+ Defn: The Manila-hemp plant (Musa textilis); also, its fiber. See
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+ Manila hemp under Manila.
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+
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+ ABACINATE
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+ A*bac"i*nate, v.t. Etym: [LL. abacinatus, p.p. of abacinare; ab off +
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+ bacinus a basin.]
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+
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+ Defn: To blind by a red-hot metal plate held before the eyes. [R.]
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+
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+ ABACINATION
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+ A*bac`i*na"tion, n.
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+
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+ Defn: The act of abacinating. [R.]
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+
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+ ABACISCUS
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+ Ab`a*cis"cus, n. Etym: [Gr.Abacus.] (Arch.)
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+
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+ Defn: One of the tiles or squares of a tessellated pavement; an
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+ abaculus.
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+
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+ ABACIST
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+ Ab"a*cist, n. Etym: [LL abacista, fr. abacus.]
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+
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+ Defn: One who uses an abacus in casting accounts; a calculator.
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+
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+ ABACK
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+ A*back", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + back; AS. on bæc at, on, or toward
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+ the back. See Back.]
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+
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+ 1. Toward the back or rear; backward. "Therewith aback she started."
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+ Chaucer.
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+
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+ 2. Behind; in the rear. Knolles.
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+
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+ 3. (Naut.)
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+
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+ Defn: Backward against the mast;-said of the sails when pressed by
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+ the wind. Totten. To be taken aback. (a) To be driven backward
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+ against the mast; -- said of the sails, also of the ship when the
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+ sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or
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+ discomfited. Dickens.
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+
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+ ABACK
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+ Ab"ack, n.
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+
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+ Defn: An abacus. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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+
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+ ABACTINAL
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+ Ab*ac"ti*nal, a. Etym: [L. ab + E. actinal.] (Zoöl.)
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+
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+ Defn: Pertaining to the surface or end opposite to the mouth in a
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+ radiate animal; -- opposed to actinal. "The aboral or abactinal
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+ area." L. Agassiz.
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+
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+ ABACTION
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+ Ab*ac"tion, n.
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+
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+ Defn: Stealing cattle on a large scale. [Obs.]
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+
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+ ABACTOR
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+ Ab*ac"tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. abigere to drive away; ab+agere to
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+ drive.] (Law)
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+
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+ Defn: One who steals and drives away cattle or beasts by herds or
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+ droves. [Obs.]
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+
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+ ABACULUS
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+ A*bac"u*lus, n.; pl. Abaculi. Etym: [L., dim. of abacus.] (Arch.)
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+
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+ Defn: A small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various
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+ colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements.
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+ Fairholt.
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+
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+ ABACUS
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+ Ab"a*cus, n. E. pl. Abacuses ; L. pl. Abaci. Etym: [L. abacus, abax,
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+ Gr.
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+
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+ 1. A table or tray strewn with sand, anciently used for drawing,
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+ calculating, etc. [Obs.]
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+
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+ 2. A calculating table or frame; an instrument for performing
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+ arithmetical calculations by balls sliding on wires, or counters in
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+ grooves, the lowest line representing units, the second line, tens,
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+ etc. It is still employed in China.
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+
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+ 3. (Arch.)
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+ (a) The uppermost member or division of the capital of a column,
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+ immediately under the architrave. See Column.
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+ (b) A tablet, panel, or compartment in ornamented or mosaic work.
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+
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+ 4. A board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments, for
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+ holding cups, bottles, or the like; a kind of cupboard, buffet, or
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+ sideboard. Abacus harmonicus (Mus.), an ancient diagram showing the
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+ structure and disposition of the keys of an instrument. Crabb.
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+
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+ ABADA
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+ Ab"a*da, n. Etym: [Pg., the female rhinoceros.]
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+
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+ Defn: The rhinoceros. [Obs.] Purchas.
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+
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+ ABADDON
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+ A*bad"don, n. Etym: [Heb. abaddon destruction, abyss, fr. abad to be
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+ lost, to perish.]
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+
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+ 1. The destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit; -- the same as
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+ Apollyon and Asmodeus.
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+
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+ 2. Hell; the bottomless pit. [Poetic]
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+ In all her gates, Abaddon rues Thy bold attempt. Milton.
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+
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+ ABAFT
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+ A*baft", prep. Etym: [Pref. a-on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS.
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+ beæftan; be by + æftan behind. See After, Aft, By.] (Naut.)
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+
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+ Defn: Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse. Abaft
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+ the beam. See under Beam.
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+
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+ ABAFT
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+ A*baft", adv. (Naut.)
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+
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+ Defn: Toward the stern; aft; as, to go abaft.
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+
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+ ABAISANCE
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+ A*bai"sance, n. Etym: [For obeisance; confused with F. abaisser, E.
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+ abase]
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+
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+ Defn: Obeisance. [Obs.] Jonson.
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+
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+ ABAISER
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+ A*bai"ser, n.
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+
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+ Defn: Ivory black or animal charcoal. Weale.
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+
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+ ABAIST
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+ A*baist", p.p.
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+
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+ Defn: Abashed; confounded; discomfited. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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+
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+ ABALIENATE
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+ Ab*al"ien*ate, v.t. Etym: [L. abalienatus, p.p. of abalienare; ab +
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+ alienus foreign, alien. See Alien.]
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+
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+ 1. (Civil Law)
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+
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+ Defn: To transfer the title of from one to another; to alienate.
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+
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+ 2. To estrange; to withdraw. [Obs.]
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+
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+ 3. To cause alienation of (mind). Sandys.
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+
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+ ABALIENATION
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+ Ab*al`ien*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. abalienatio: cf. F. abalianation.]
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+
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+ Defn: The act of abalienating; alienation; estrangement. [Obs.]
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+
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+ ABALONE
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+ Ab`a*lo"ne, n. (Zoöl.)
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+
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+ Defn: A univalve mollusk of the genus Haliotis. The shell is lined
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+ with mother-of-pearl, and used for ornamental purposes; the sea-ear.
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+ Several large species are found on the coast of California, clinging
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+ closely to the rocks.
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+
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+ ABAND
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+ A*band", v.t. Etym: [Contracted from abandon.]
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+
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+ 1. To abandon. [Obs.]
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+ Enforced the kingdom to aband. Spenser.
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+
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+ 2. To banish; to expel. [Obs.] Mir. for Mag.
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+
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+ ABANDON
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+ A*ban"don, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abandoned; p.pr. & vb.n. Abandoning.]
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+ Etym: [OF. abandoner, F.abandonner; a (L. ad)+bandon permission,
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+ authority, LL. bandum, bannum, public proclamation, interdiction,
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+ bannire to proclaim, summon: of Germanic origin; cf. Goth. bandwjan
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+ to show by signs, to designate OHG. banproclamation. The word meant
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+ to proclaim, put under a ban, put under control; hence, as in OE., to
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+ compel, subject, or to leave in the control of another, and hence, to
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+ give up. See Ban.]
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+
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+ 1. To cast or drive out; to banish; to expel; to reject. [Obs.]
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+ That he might . . . abandon them from him. Udall.
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+ Being all this time abandoned from your bed. Shak.
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+
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+ 2. To give up absolutely; to forsake entirely ; to renounce utterly;
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+ to relinquish all connection with or concern on; to desert, as a
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+ person to whom one owes allegiance or fidelity; to quit; to
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+ surrender.
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+ Hope was overthrown, yet could not be abandoned. I. Taylor.
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+
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+ 3. Reflexively : To give (one's self) up without attempt at self-
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+ control ; to yield (one's self) unrestrainedly ; -- often in a bad
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+ sense.
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+ He abandoned himself . . . to his favorite vice. Macaulay.
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+
403
+ 4. (Mar. Law)
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+
405
+ Defn: To relinquish all claim to; -- used when an insured person
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+ gives up to underwriters all claim to the property covered by a
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+ policy, which may remain after loss or damage by a peril insured
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+ against.
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+
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+ Syn.
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+ -- To give up; yield; forego; cede; surrender; resign; abdicate;
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+ quit; relinquish; renounce; desert; forsake; leave; retire; withdraw
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+ from.
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+ -- To Abandon, Desert, Forsake. These words agree in representing a
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+ person as giving up or leaving some object, but differ as to the mode
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+ of doing it. The distinctive sense of abandon is that of giving up a
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+ thing absolutely and finally; as, to abandon one's friends, places,
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+ opinions, good or evil habits, a hopeless enterprise, a shipwrecked
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+ vessel. Abandon is more widely applicable than forsake or desert. The
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+ Latin original of desert appears to have been originally applied to
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+ the case of deserters from military service. Hence, the verb, when
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+ used of persons in the active voice, has usually or always a bad
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+ sense, implying some breach of fidelity, honor, etc., the leaving of
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+ something which the person should rightfully stand by and support;
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+ as, to desert one's colors, to desert one's post, to desert one's
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+ principles or duty. When used in the passive, the sense is not
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+ necessarily bad; as, the fields were deserted, a deserted village,
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+ deserted halls. Forsake implies the breaking off of previous habit,
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+ association, personal connection, or that the thing left had been
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+ familiar or frequented; as, to forsake old friends, to forsake the
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+ paths of rectitude, the blood forsook his cheeks. It may be used
432
+ either in a good or in a bad sense.
433
+
434
+ ABANDON
435
+ A*ban"don, n. Etym: [F. abandon. fr. abandonner. See Abandon, v.]
436
+
437
+ Defn: Abandonment; relinquishment. [Obs.]
438
+
439
+ ABANDON
440
+ A`ban`don", n. Etym: [F. See Abandon.]
441
+
442
+ Defn: A complete giving up to natural impulses; freedom from
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+ artificial constraint; careless freedom or ease.
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+
445
+ ABANDONED
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+ A*ban"doned, a.
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+
448
+ 1. Forsaken, deserted. "Your abandoned streams." Thomson.
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+
450
+ 2. Self-abandoned, or given up to vice; extremely wicked, or sinning
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+ without restraint; irreclaimably wicked ; as, an abandoned villain.
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+
453
+ Syn.
454
+ -- Profligate; dissolute; corrupt; vicious; depraved; reprobate;
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+ wicked; unprincipled; graceless; vile.
456
+ -- Abandoned, Profligate, Reprobate. These adjectives agree in
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+ expressing the idea of great personal depravity. Profligate has
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+ reference to open and shameless immoralities, either in private life
459
+ or political conduct; as, a profligate court, a profligate ministry.
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+ Abandoned is stronger, and has reference to the searing of conscience
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+ and hardening of heart produced by a man's giving himself wholly up
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+ to iniquity; as, a man of abandoned character. Reprobate describes
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+ the condition of one who has become insensible to reproof, and who is
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+ morally abandoned and lost beyond hope of recovery.
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+ God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Rom. i. 28.
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+
467
+ ABANDONEDLY
468
+ A*ban"doned*ly, adv.
469
+
470
+ Defn: Unrestrainedly.
471
+
472
+ ABANDONEE
473
+ A*ban`don*ee", n. (Law)
474
+
475
+ Defn: One to whom anything is legally abandoned.
476
+
477
+ ABANDONER
478
+ A*ban"don*er, n.
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+
480
+ Defn: One who abandons. Beau. & Fl.
481
+
482
+ ABANDONMENT
483
+ A*ban"don*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. abandonnement.]
484
+
485
+ 1. The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total
486
+ desertion; relinquishment.
487
+ The abandonment of the independence of Europe. Burke.
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+
489
+ 2. (Mar. Law)
490
+
491
+ Defn: The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what
492
+ may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril
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+ insured against.
494
+
495
+ 3. (Com. Law)
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+
497
+ Defn: (a) The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege, as to
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+ mill site, etc. (b) The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is
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+ bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband, or child; desertion.
500
+
501
+ 4. Careless freedom or ease; abandon. [R.] Carlyle.
502
+
503
+ ABANDUM
504
+ A*ban"*dum, n. Etym: [LL. See Abandon.] (Law)
505
+
506
+ Defn: Anything forfeited or confiscated.
507
+
508
+ ABANET
509
+ Ab"a*net, n.
510
+
511
+ Defn: See Abnet.
512
+
513
+ ABANGA
514
+ A*ban"ga, n. Etym: [Name given by the negroes in the island of St.
515
+ Thomas.]
516
+
517
+ Defn: A West Indian palm; also the fruit of this palm, the seeds of
518
+ which are used as a remedy for diseases of the chest.
519
+
520
+ ABANNATION; ABANNITION
521
+ Ab`an*na"tion, Ab`an*nition, n. Etym: [LL. abannatio; ad + LL.
522
+ bannire to banish.] (Old Law)
523
+
524
+ Defn: Banishment. [Obs.] Bailey.
525
+
526
+ ABARTICULATION
527
+ Ab`ar*tic`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. ab + E. articulation : cf. F.
528
+ abarticulation. See Article.] (Anat.)
529
+
530
+ Defn: Articulation, usually that kind of articulation which admits of
531
+ free motion in the joint; diarthrosis. Coxe.
532
+
533
+ ABASE
534
+ A*base", v.t. [imp.&p.p. Abased; p.pr. & vb. n. Abasing.] Etym: [F.
535
+ abaisser, LL. abassare, abbassare ; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See
536
+ Base, a.]
537
+
538
+ 1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye.
539
+ [Archaic] Bacon.
540
+ Saying so, he abased his lance. Shelton.
541
+
542
+ 2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition
543
+ in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to
544
+ degrade.
545
+ Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. Luke xiv. ll.
546
+
547
+ Syn.
548
+ -- To Abase, Debase, Degrade. These words agree in the idea of
549
+ bringing down from a higher to a lower state. Abase has reference to
550
+ a bringing down in condition or feelings; as to abase one's self
551
+ before God. Debase has reference to the bringing down of a thing in
552
+ purity, or making it base. It is, therefore, always used in a bad
553
+ sense, as, to debase the coin of the kingdom, to debase the mind by
554
+ vicious indulgence, to debase one's style by coarse or vulgar
555
+ expressions. Degrade has reference to a bringing down from some
556
+ higher grade or from some standard. Thus, a priest is degraded from
557
+ the clerical office. When used in a moral sense, it denotes a
558
+ bringing down in character and just estimation; as, degraded by
559
+ intemperance, a degrading employment, etc. "Art is degraded when it
560
+ is regarded only as a trade."
561
+
562
+ ABASED
563
+ A*based", a.
564
+
565
+ 1. Lowered; humbled.
566
+
567
+ 2. (Her.) Etym: [F. abaissé.]
568
+
569
+ Defn: Borne lower than usual, as a fess; also, having the ends of the
570
+ wings turned downward towards the point of the shield.
571
+
572
+ ABASEDLY
573
+ A*bas"ed*ly, adv.
574
+
575
+ Defn: Abjectly; downcastly.
576
+
577
+ ABASEMENT
578
+ A*base"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. abaissement.]
579
+
580
+ Defn: The act of abasing, humbling, or bringing low; the state of
581
+ being abased or humbled; humiliation.
582
+
583
+ ABASER
584
+ A*bas"er, n.
585
+
586
+ Defn: He who, or that which, abases.
587
+
588
+ ABASH
589
+ A*bash", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abashed; p.pr. & vb. n. Abashing.] Etym:
590
+ [OE. abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, OF.esbahir, F. ébahir, to
591
+ astonish, fr. L. ex + the interjection bah, expressing astonishment.
592
+ In OE. somewhat confused with abase. Cf. Finish.]
593
+
594
+ Defn: To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as
595
+ by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or
596
+ inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit.
597
+ Abashed, the devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is. Milton.
598
+ He was a man whom no check could abash. Macaulay.
599
+
600
+ Syn.
601
+ -- To confuse; confound; disconcert; shame.
602
+ -- To Abash, Confuse, Confound. Abash is a stronger word than
603
+ confuse, but not so strong as confound. We are abashed when struck
604
+ either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as,
605
+ Peter was abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his
606
+ superiors. We are confused when, from some unexpected or startling
607
+ occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self-possession. Thus, a
608
+ witness is often confused by a severe cross-examination; a timid
609
+ person is apt to be confused in entering a room full of strangers. We
610
+ are confounded when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by
611
+ something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have
612
+ nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually confounded at the
613
+ discovery of his guilt.
614
+ Satan stood Awhile as mute, confounded what to say. Milton.
615
+
616
+ ABASHEDLY
617
+ A*bash"ed*ly, adv.
618
+
619
+ Defn: In an abashed manner.
620
+
621
+ ABASHMENT
622
+ A*bash"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ébahissement.]
623
+
624
+ Defn: The state of being abashed; confusion from shame.
625
+
626
+ ABASIA
627
+ A*ba"si*a, n. [NL.; Gr. - not + a step.] (Med.)
628
+
629
+ Defn: Inability to coördinate muscular actions properly in walking. -
630
+ - A*ba"sic (#), a.
631
+
632
+ ABASSI; ABASSIS
633
+ A*bas"si, A*bas"sis, n. Etym: [Ar.& Per. abasi, belonging to Abas (a
634
+ king of Persia).]
635
+
636
+ Defn: A silver coin of Persia, worth about twenty cents.
637
+
638
+ ABATABLE
639
+ A*bat"a*ble, a.
640
+
641
+ Defn: Capable of being abated; as, an abatable writ or nuisance.
642
+
643
+ ABATE
644
+ A*bate", v.t. [imp.& p.p. Abated, p.pr. & vb.n. Abating.] Etym: [OF.
645
+ abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere,
646
+ battere (popular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. Bate, Batter.]
647
+
648
+ 1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.]
649
+ The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls. Edw. Hall.
650
+
651
+ 2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or
652
+ degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; toto cut
653
+ short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.
654
+ His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. Deut. xxxiv. 7.
655
+
656
+ 3. To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.
657
+ Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds. Fuller.
658
+
659
+ 4. To blunt. [Obs.]
660
+ To abate the edge of envy. Bacon.
661
+
662
+ 5. To reduce in estimation; to deprive. [Obs.]
663
+ She hath abated me of half my train. Shak.
664
+
665
+ 6. (Law)
666
+
667
+ Defn: (a) To bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with;
668
+ as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ. (b) (Eng. Law) To diminish;
669
+ to reduce. Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in
670
+ proportion, upon a deficiency of assets. To abate a tax, to remit it
671
+ either wholly or in part.
672
+
673
+ ABATE
674
+ A*bate", v.i. Etym: [See Abate, v.t.]
675
+
676
+ 1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain
677
+ abates, a storm abates.
678
+ The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated. Macaulay.
679
+
680
+ 2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a
681
+ writ abates. To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to
682
+ enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and
683
+ before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4.
684
+
685
+ Syn.
686
+ -- To subside; decrease; intermit; decline; diminish; lessen.
687
+ -- To Abate, Subside. These words, as here compared, imply a coming
688
+ down from some previously raised or exited state. Abate expresses
689
+ this in respect to degrees, and implies a diminution of force or of
690
+ intensity; as, the storm abates, the cold abates, the force of the
691
+ wind abates; or, the wind abates, a fever abates. Subside (to settle
692
+ down) has reference to a previous state of agitation or commotion;
693
+ as, the waves subside after a storm, the wind subsides into a calm.
694
+ When the words are used figuratively, the same distinction should be
695
+ observed. If we conceive of a thing as having different degrees of
696
+ intensity or strength, the word to be used is abate. Thus we say, a
697
+ man's anger abates, the ardor of one's love abates, "Winter rage
698
+ abates". But if the image be that of a sinking down into quiet from
699
+ preceding excitement or commotion, the word to be used is subside;
700
+ as, the tumult of the people subsides, the public mind subsided into
701
+ a calm. The same is the case with those emotions which are tumultuous
702
+ in their nature; as, his passion subsides, his joy quickly subsided,
703
+ his grief subsided into a pleasing melancholy. Yet if, in such cases,
704
+ we were thinking of the degree of violence of the emotion, we might
705
+ use abate; as, his joy will abate in the progress of time; and so in
706
+ other instances.
707
+
708
+ ABATE
709
+ A*bate, n.
710
+
711
+ Defn: Abatement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
712
+
713
+ ABATEMENT
714
+ A*bate"ment, n. Etym: [OF. abatement, F. abattement.]
715
+
716
+ 1. The act of abating, or the state of being abated; a lessening,
717
+ diminution, or reduction; removal or putting an end to; as, the
718
+ abatement of a nuisance is the suppression thereof.
719
+
720
+ 2. The amount abated; that which is taken away by way of reduction;
721
+ deduction; decrease; a rebate or discount allowed.
722
+
723
+ 3. (Her.)
724
+
725
+ Defn: A mark of dishonor on an escutcheon.
726
+
727
+ 4. (Law)
728
+
729
+ Defn: The entry of a stranger, without right, into a freehold after
730
+ the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee.
731
+ Blackstone. Defense in abatement, Plea in abatement, (Law), plea to
732
+ the effect that from some formal defect (e.g. misnomer, want of
733
+ jurisdiction) the proceedings should be abated.
734
+
735
+ ABATER
736
+ A*bat"er, n.
737
+
738
+ Defn: One who, or that which, abates.
739
+
740
+ ABATIS; ABATTIS
741
+ Ab"a*tis, Aba"t*tis, n. Etym: [F. abatis, abattis, mass of things
742
+ beaten or cut down, fr. abattre. See Abate.] (Fort.)
743
+
744
+ Defn: A means of defense formed by felled trees, the ends of whose
745
+ branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy.
746
+
747
+ ABATISED
748
+ Ab"a*tised, a.
749
+
750
+ Defn: Provided with an abatis.
751
+
752
+ ABATOR
753
+ A*ba"tor, n. (Law)
754
+
755
+ Defn: (a) One who abates a nuisance. (b) A person who, without right,
756
+ enters into a freehold on the death of the last possessor, before the
757
+ heir or devisee. Blackstone.
758
+
759
+ ABATTOIR
760
+ A`bat`toir", n.; pl. Abattoirs. Etym: [F., fr. abattre to beat down.
761
+ See Abate.]
762
+
763
+ Defn: A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.
764
+
765
+ ABATURE
766
+ Ab"a*ture, n. Etym: [F. abatture, fr. abattre. See Abate.]
767
+
768
+ Defn: Grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing
769
+ through them. Crabb.
770
+
771
+ ABATVOIX
772
+ A`bat`voix", n. Etym: [F. abattre to beat down + voix voice.]
773
+
774
+ Defn: The sounding-board over a pulpit or rostrum.
775
+
776
+ ABAWED
777
+ Ab*awed", p.p. Etym: [Perh. p.p. of a verb fr. OF. abaubir to
778
+ frighten, disconcert, fr. L. ad + balbus stammering.]
779
+
780
+ Defn: Astonished; abashed. [Obs.] Chaucer.
781
+
782
+ ABAXIAL; ABAXILE
783
+ Ab*ax"i*al, Ab*ax"ile, a. Etym: [L. ab + axis axle.] (Bot.)
784
+
785
+ Defn: Away from the axis or central line; eccentric. Balfour.
786
+
787
+ ABAY
788
+ A*bay", n. Etym: [OF. abay barking.]
789
+
790
+ Defn: Barking; baying of dogs upon their prey. See Bay. [Obs.]
791
+
792
+ ABB
793
+ Abb, n. Etym: [AS. aweb, ab; pref. a- + web. See Web.]
794
+
795
+ Defn: Among weaves, yarn for the warp. Hence, abb wool is wool for
796
+ the abb.
797
+
798
+ ABBA
799
+ Ab"ba, n. Etym: [Syriac abba father. See Abbot.]
800
+
801
+ Defn: Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and
802
+ Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops
803
+ to the patriarch.
804
+
805
+ ABBACY
806
+ Ab"ba*cy, n.; pl. Abbacies. Etym: [L. abbatia, fr. abbas, abbatis,
807
+ abbot. See Abbey.]
808
+
809
+ Defn: The dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot.
810
+
811
+ ABBATIAL
812
+ Ab*ba"tial, a. Etym: [LL. abbatialis : cf. F. abbatial.]
813
+
814
+ Defn: Belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights.
815
+
816
+ ABBATICAL
817
+ Ab*bat"ic*al, a.
818
+
819
+ Defn: Abbatial. [Obs.]
820
+
821
+ ABBE
822
+ Ab"bé`, n.Etym: [F. abbé. See Abbot.]
823
+
824
+ Defn: The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an
825
+ abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one
826
+ vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.
827
+
828
+ Note: * After the 16th century, the name was given, in social
829
+ parlance, to candidates for some priory or abbey in the gift of the
830
+ crown. Many of these aspirants became well known in literary and
831
+ fashionable life. By further extension, the name came to be applied
832
+ to unbeneficed secular ecclesiastics generally. Littré.
833
+
834
+ ABBESS
835
+ Ab"bess, n. Etym: [OF.abaesse, abeesse, F. abbesse, L. abbatissa,
836
+ fem. of abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbot.]
837
+
838
+ Defn: A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of
839
+ nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have
840
+ over the monks. See Abbey.
841
+
842
+ ABBEY
843
+ Ab"bey, n.; pl. Abbeys. Etym: [OF. abaïe, F. abbaye, L. abbatia, fr.
844
+ abbas abbot. See Abbot.]
845
+
846
+ 1. A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the
847
+ world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic
848
+ building or buildings.
849
+
850
+ Note: The men are called monks, and governed by an abbot; the women
851
+ are called nuns, and governed by an abbess.
852
+
853
+ 2. The church of a monastery.
854
+
855
+ Note: In London, the Abbey means Westminster Abbey, and in Scotland,
856
+ the precincts of the Abbey of Holyrood. The name is also retained for
857
+ a private residence on the site of an abbey; as, Newstead Abbey, the
858
+ residence of Lord Byron.
859
+
860
+ Syn.
861
+ -- Monastery; convent; nunnery; priory; cloister. See Cloister.
862
+
863
+ ABBOT
864
+ Ab"bot, n. Etym: [AS. abbod, abbad, L. abbas, abbatis, Gr. abba
865
+ father. Cf. Abba, AbbÉ.]
866
+
867
+ 1. The superior or head of an abbey.
868
+
869
+ 2. One of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys. Encyc.
870
+ Brit. Abbot of the people. a title formerly given to one of the chief
871
+ magistrates in Genoa.
872
+ -- Abbot of Misrule (or Lord of Misrule), in mediæval times, the
873
+ master of revels, as at Christmas; in Scotland called the Abbot of
874
+ Unreason. Encyc. Brit.
875
+
876
+ ABBOTSHIP
877
+ Ab"bot*ship, n. Etym: [Abbot + -ship.]
878
+
879
+ Defn: The state or office of an abbot.
880
+
881
+ ABBREVIATE
882
+ Ab*bre"vi*ate, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abbreviated; p.pr. & vb.n.
883
+ Abbreviating.] Etym: [L. abbreviatus, p.p. of abbreviare; ad +
884
+ breviare to shorten, fr. brevis short. See Abridge.]
885
+
886
+ 1. To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction
887
+ or omission, especially of words written or spoken.
888
+ It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off.
889
+ Bacon.
890
+
891
+ 2. (Math.)
892
+
893
+ Defn: To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.
894
+
895
+ ABBREVIATE
896
+ Ab*bre"vi*ate, a. Etym: [L. abbreviatus, p.p.]
897
+
898
+ 1. Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [R.] "The abbreviate form."
899
+ Earle.
900
+
901
+ 2. (Biol.)
902
+
903
+ Defn: Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the
904
+ ordinary type.
905
+
906
+ ABBREVIATE
907
+ Ab*bre"vi*ate, n.
908
+
909
+ Defn: An abridgment. [Obs.] Elyot.
910
+
911
+ ABBREVIATED
912
+ Ab*bre"vi*a`ted, a.
913
+
914
+ Defn: Shortened; relatively short; abbreviate.
915
+
916
+ ABBREVIATION
917
+ Ab*bre`vi*a"tion, n. Etym: [LL. abbreviatio: cf. F. abbréviation.]
918
+
919
+ 1. The act of shortening, or reducing.
920
+
921
+ 2. The result of abbreviating; an abridgment. Tylor.
922
+
923
+ 3. The form to which a word or phrase is reduced by contraction and
924
+ omission; a letter or letters, standing for a word or phrase of which
925
+ they are a part; as, Gen. for Genesis; U.S.A. for United States of
926
+ America.
927
+
928
+ 4. (Mus.)
929
+
930
+ Defn: One dash, or more, through the stem of a note, dividing it
931
+ respectively into quavers, semiquavers, or demi-semiquavers. Moore.
932
+
933
+ ABBREVIATOR
934
+ Ab*bre"vi*a`tor, n. Etym: [LL.: cf. F. abbréviateur.]
935
+
936
+ 1. One who abbreviates or shortens.
937
+
938
+ 2. One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose
939
+ duty is to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply
940
+ of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into
941
+ official form.
942
+
943
+ ABBREVIATORY
944
+ Ab*bre"vi*a*to*ry, a.
945
+
946
+ Defn: Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.
947
+
948
+ ABBREVIATURE
949
+ Ab*bre"vi*a*ture, n.
950
+
951
+ 1. An abbreviation; an abbreviated state or form. [Obs.]
952
+
953
+ 2. An abridgment; a compendium or abstract.
954
+ This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian.
955
+ Jer. Taylor.
956
+
957
+ ABB WOOL
958
+ Abb" wool.
959
+
960
+ Defn: See Abb.
961
+
962
+ A B C
963
+ A B C".
964
+
965
+ 1. The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole
966
+ alphabet.
967
+
968
+ 2. A primer for teaching the alphabet and first elements of reading.
969
+ [Obs.]
970
+
971
+ 3. The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance. A
972
+ B C book, a primer. Shak.
973
+
974
+ ABDAL
975
+ Ab"dal, n. Etym: [Ar. badil, pl. abdal, a substitute, a good,
976
+ religious man, saint, fr. badala to change, substitute.]
977
+
978
+ Defn: A religious devotee or dervish in Persia.
979
+
980
+ ABDERIAN
981
+ Ab*de"ri*an, a. Etym: [From Abdera, a town in Thrace, of which place
982
+ Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher, was a native.]
983
+
984
+ Defn: Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.
985
+
986
+ ABDERITE
987
+ Ab*de"rite, n. Etym: [L. Abderita, Abderites, fr. Gr. '
988
+
989
+ Defn: An inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace. The Abderite, Democritus,
990
+ the Laughing Philosopher.
991
+
992
+ ABDEST
993
+ Ab"dest, n. Etym: [Per. abdast; ab water + dast hand.]
994
+
995
+ Defn: Purification by washing the hands before prayer; -- a
996
+ Mohammedan rite. Heyse.
997
+
998
+ ABDICABLE
999
+ Ab"di*ca*ble, a.
1000
+
1001
+ Defn: Capable of being abdicated.
1002
+
1003
+ ABDICANT
1004
+ Ab"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. abdicans, p.pr. of abdicare.]
1005
+
1006
+ Defn: Abdicating; renouncing; -- followed by of.
1007
+ Monks abdicant of their orders. Whitlock.
1008
+
1009
+ ABDICANT
1010
+ Ab"di*cant, n.
1011
+
1012
+ Defn: One who abdicates. Smart.
1013
+
1014
+ ABDICATE
1015
+ Ab"di*cate, v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abdicated; p.pr. & vb.n. Abdicating.]
1016
+ Etym: [L. abdicatus, p.p. of abdicare; ab + dicare to proclaim, akin
1017
+ to dicere to say. See Diction.]
1018
+
1019
+ 1. To surrender or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw
1020
+ definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station,
1021
+ dignity; as, to abdicate the throne, the crown, the papacy.
1022
+
1023
+ Note: The word abdicate was held to mean, in the case of James II.,
1024
+ to abandon without a formal surrender.
1025
+ The cross-bearers abdicated their service. Gibbon.
1026
+
1027
+ 2. To renounce; to relinquish; -- said of authority, a trust, duty,
1028
+ right, etc.
1029
+ He abdicates all right to be his own governor. Burke.
1030
+ The understanding abdicates its functions. Froude.
1031
+
1032
+ 3. To reject; to cast off. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
1033
+
1034
+ 4. (Civil Law)
1035
+
1036
+ Defn: To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child;
1037
+ to disown; to disinherit.
1038
+
1039
+ Syn.
1040
+ -- To give up; quit; vacate; relinquish; forsake; abandon; resign;
1041
+ renounce; desert.
1042
+ -- To Abdicate, Resign. Abdicate commonly expresses the act of a
1043
+ monarch in voluntary and formally yielding up sovereign authority;
1044
+ as, to abdicate the government. Resign is applied to the act of any
1045
+ person, high or low, who gives back an office or trust into the hands
1046
+ of him who conferred it. Thus, a minister resigns, a military officer
1047
+ resigns, a clerk resigns. The expression, "The king resigned his
1048
+ crown," sometimes occurs in our later literature, implying that he
1049
+ held it from his people.
1050
+ -- There are other senses of resign which are not here brought into
1051
+ view.
1052
+
1053
+ ABDICATE
1054
+ Ab"di*cate, v.i.
1055
+
1056
+ Defn: To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or
1057
+ dignity.
1058
+ Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for
1059
+ the monarchy. Burke.
1060
+
1061
+ ABDICATION
1062
+ Ab`di*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. abdicatio: cf. F. abdication.]
1063
+
1064
+ Defn: The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office,
1065
+ dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation
1066
+ of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power,
1067
+ authority.
1068
+
1069
+ ABDICATIVE
1070
+ Ab"di*ca*tive, a. Etym: [L. abdicativus.]
1071
+
1072
+ Defn: Causing, or implying, abdication. [R.] Bailey.
1073
+
1074
+ ABDICATOR
1075
+ Ab"di*ca`tor, n.
1076
+
1077
+ Defn: One who abdicates.
1078
+
1079
+ ABDITIVE
1080
+ Ab"di*tive, a. Etym: [L. abditivus, fr. abdere to hide.]
1081
+
1082
+ Defn: Having the quality of hiding. [R.] Bailey.
1083
+
1084
+ ABDITORY
1085
+ Ab"di*to*ry, n. Etym: [L. abditorium.]
1086
+
1087
+ Defn: A place for hiding or preserving articles of value. Cowell.
1088
+
1089
+ ABDOMEN
1090
+ Ab*do"men, n. Etym: [L. abdomen (a word of uncertain etymol.): cf. F.
1091
+ abdomen.]
1092
+
1093
+ 1. (Anat.)
1094
+
1095
+ Defn: The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the
1096
+ pelvis. Also, the cavity of the belly, which is lined by the
1097
+ peritoneum, and contains the stomach, bowels, and other viscera. In
1098
+ man, often restricted to the part between the diaphragm and the
1099
+ commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvic
1100
+ cavity.
1101
+
1102
+ 2. (Zoöl.)
1103
+
1104
+ Defn: The posterior section of the body, behind the thorax, in
1105
+ insects, crustaceans, and other Arthropoda.
1106
+
1107
+ ABDOMINAL
1108
+ Ab*dom"i*nal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. abdominal.]
1109
+
1110
+ 1. Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral; as, the abdominal
1111
+ regions, muscles, cavity.
1112
+
1113
+ 2. (Zoöl.)
1114
+
1115
+ Defn: Having abdominal fins; belonging to the Abdominales; as,
1116
+ abdominal fishes. Abdominal ring (Anat.), a fancied ringlike opening
1117
+ on each side of the abdomen, external and superior to the pubes; --
1118
+ called also inguinal ring.
1119
+
1120
+ ABDOMINAL
1121
+ Ab*dom"i*nal, n.; E. pl. Abdominals, L. pl. Abdominales.
1122
+
1123
+ Defn: A fish of the group Abdominales.
1124
+
1125
+ ABDOMINALES
1126
+ Ab*dom`i*na"les, n. pl. Etym: [NL., masc. pl.] (Zoöl.)
1127
+
1128
+ Defn: A group including the greater part of fresh-water fishes, and
1129
+ many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind
1130
+ the pectorals.
1131
+
1132
+ ABDOMINALIA
1133
+ Ab*dom`i*na"li*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., neut. pl.] (Zoöl.)
1134
+
1135
+ Defn: A group of cirripeds having abdominal appendages.
1136
+
1137
+ ABDOMINOSCOPY
1138
+ Ab*dom`i*nos"co*py, n. Etym: [L. abdomen + Gr. (Med.)
1139
+
1140
+ Defn: Examination of the abdomen to detect abdominal disease.
1141
+
1142
+ ABDOMINOTHORACIC
1143
+ Ab*dom`i*no*tho*rac"ic, a.
1144
+
1145
+ Defn: Relating to the abdomen and the thorax, or chest.
1146
+
1147
+ ABDOMINOUS
1148
+ Ab*dom"i*nous, a.
1149
+
1150
+ Defn: Having a protuberant belly; pot-bellied.
1151
+ Gorgonius sits, abdominous and wan, Like a fat squab upon a Chinese
1152
+ fan. Cowper.
1153
+
1154
+ ABDUCE
1155
+ Ab*duce", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abduced; p.pr. & vb.n. Abducing.] Etym:
1156
+ [L. abducere to lead away; ab + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf.
1157
+ Abduct.]
1158
+
1159
+ Defn: To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different
1160
+ part. [Obs.]
1161
+ If we abduce the eye unto either corner, the object will not
1162
+ duplicate. Sir T. Browne.
1163
+
1164
+ ABDUCT
1165
+ Ab*duct", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abducted; p.pr. & vb.n. Abducting.] Etym:
1166
+ [L. abductus, p.p. of abducere. See Abduce.]
1167
+
1168
+ 1. To take away surreptitiously by force; to carry away (a human
1169
+ being) wrongfully and usually by violence; to kidnap.
1170
+
1171
+ 2. To draw away, as a limb or other part, from its ordinary position.
1172
+
1173
+ ABDUCTION
1174
+ Ab*duc"tion, n. Etym: [L. abductio: cf. F. abduction.]
1175
+
1176
+ 1. The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; a carrying
1177
+ away. Roget.
1178
+
1179
+ 2. (Physiol.)
1180
+
1181
+ Defn: The movement which separates a limb or other part from the
1182
+ axis, or middle line, of the body.
1183
+
1184
+ 3. (Law)
1185
+
1186
+ Defn: The wrongful, and usually the forcible, carrying off of a human
1187
+ being; as, the abduction of a child, the abduction of an heiress.
1188
+
1189
+ 4. (Logic)
1190
+
1191
+ Defn: A syllogism or form of argument in which the major is evident,
1192
+ but the minor is only probable.
1193
+
1194
+ ABDUCTOR
1195
+ Ab*duc"tor, n. Etym: [NL.]
1196
+
1197
+ 1. One who abducts.
1198
+
1199
+ 2. (Anat.)
1200
+
1201
+ Defn: A muscle which serves to draw a part out, or form the median
1202
+ line of the body; as, the abductor oculi, which draws the eye
1203
+ outward.
1204
+
1205
+ ABEAM
1206
+ A*beam", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + beam.] (Naut.)
1207
+
1208
+ Defn: On the beam, that is, on a line which forms a right angle with
1209
+ the ship's keel; opposite to the center of the ship's side.
1210
+
1211
+ ABEAR
1212
+ A*bear", v.t. Etym: [AS. aberan; pref. a- + beran to bear.]
1213
+
1214
+ 1. To bear; to behave. [Obs.]
1215
+ So did the faery knight himself abear. Spenser.
1216
+
1217
+ 2. To put up with; to endure. [Prov.] Dickens.
1218
+
1219
+ ABEARANCE
1220
+ A*bear"ance, n.
1221
+
1222
+ Defn: Behavior. [Obs.] Blackstone.
1223
+
1224
+ ABEARING
1225
+ A*bear"ing, n.
1226
+
1227
+ Defn: Behavior. [Obs.] Sir. T. More.
1228
+
1229
+ ABECEDARIAN
1230
+ A`be*ce*da"ri*an, n. Etym: [L. abecedarius. A word from the first
1231
+ four letters of the alphabet.]
1232
+
1233
+ 1. One who is learning the alphabet; hence, a tyro.
1234
+
1235
+ 2. One engaged in teaching the alphabet. Wood.
1236
+
1237
+ ABECEDARIAN; ABECEDARY
1238
+ A`be*ce*da"ri*an, A`be*ce"da*ry, a.
1239
+
1240
+ Defn: Pertaining to, or formed by, the letters of the alphabet;
1241
+ alphabetic; hence, rudimentary. Abecedarian psalms, hymns, etc.,
1242
+ compositions in which (like the 119th psalm in Hebrew) distinct
1243
+ portions or verses commence with successive letters of the alphabet.
1244
+ Hook.
1245
+
1246
+ ABECEDARY
1247
+ A`be*ce"da*ry, n.
1248
+
1249
+ Defn: A primer; the first principle or rudiment of anything. [R.]
1250
+ Fuller.
1251
+
1252
+ ABED
1253
+ A*bed", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- in, on + bed.]
1254
+
1255
+ 1. In bed, or on the bed.
1256
+ Not to be abed after midnight. Shak.
1257
+
1258
+ 2. To childbed (in the phrase "brought abed," that is, delivered of a
1259
+ child). Shak.
1260
+
1261
+ ABEGGE
1262
+ A*beg"ge.
1263
+
1264
+ Defn: Same as Aby. [Obs.] Chaucer.
1265
+
1266
+ ABELE
1267
+ A*bele", n. Etym: [D. abeel (abeel-boom), OF. abel, aubel, fr. a dim.
1268
+ of L. albus white.]
1269
+
1270
+ Defn: The white polar (Populus alba).
1271
+ Six abeles i' the churchyard grow. Mrs. Browning.
1272
+
1273
+ ABELIAN; ABELITE; ABELONIAN
1274
+ A*bel"i*an, A"bel*ite, A`bel*o"ni*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)
1275
+
1276
+ Defn: One of a sect in Africa (4th century), mentioned by St.
1277
+ Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence,
1278
+ after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel.
1279
+
1280
+ ABELMOSK
1281
+ A"bel*mosk`, n. Etym: [NL. abelmoschus, fr. Ar. abu-l-misk father of
1282
+ musk, i.e., producing musk. See Musk.] (Bot.)
1283
+
1284
+ Defn: An evergreen shrub (Hibiscus -- formerly Abelmoschus-
1285
+ moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose
1286
+ musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes
1287
+ called musk mallow.
1288
+
1289
+ ABER-DE-VINE
1290
+ Ab`er-de-vine", n. (Zoöl.)
1291
+
1292
+ Defn: The European siskin (Carduelis spinus), a small green and
1293
+ yellow finch, related to the goldfinch.
1294
+
1295
+ ABERR
1296
+ Ab*err", v.i. Etym: [L. aberrare. See Aberrate.]
1297
+
1298
+ Defn: To wander; to stray. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
1299
+
1300
+ ABERRANCE; ABERRANCY
1301
+ Ab*er"rance, Ab*er"ran*cy, n.
1302
+
1303
+ Defn: State of being aberrant; a wandering from the right way;
1304
+ deviation from truth, rectitude, etc. Aberrancy of curvature (Geom.),
1305
+ the deviation of a curve from a circular form.
1306
+
1307
+ ABERRANT
1308
+ Ab*er"rant, a. Etym: [L. aberrans, -rantis, p.pr. of aberrare.]
1309
+
1310
+ Defn: See Aberr.]
1311
+
1312
+ 1. Wandering; straying from the right way.
1313
+
1314
+ 2. (Biol.)
1315
+
1316
+ Defn: Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional;
1317
+ abnormal.
1318
+ The more aberrant any form is, the greater must have been the number
1319
+ of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated.
1320
+ Darwin.
1321
+
1322
+ ABERRATE
1323
+ Ab"er*rate, v.i. Etym: [L. aberratus, p.pr. of aberrare; ab + errare
1324
+ to wander. See Err.]
1325
+
1326
+ Defn: To go astray; to diverge. [R.]
1327
+ Their own defective and aberrating vision. De Quincey.
1328
+
1329
+ ABERRATION
1330
+ Ab`er*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. aberratio: cf. F. aberration. See
1331
+ Aberrate.]
1332
+
1333
+ 1. The act of wandering; deviation, especially from truth or moral
1334
+ rectitude, from the natural state, or from a type. "The aberration of
1335
+ youth." Hall. "Aberrations from theory." Burke.
1336
+
1337
+ 2. A partial alienation of reason. "Occasional aberrations of
1338
+ intellect." Lingard.
1339
+ Whims, which at first are the aberrations of a single brain, pass
1340
+ with heat into epidemic form. I. Taylor.
1341
+
1342
+ 3. (Astron.)
1343
+
1344
+ Defn: A small periodical change of position in the stars and other
1345
+ heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light
1346
+ and the motion of the observer; called annual aberration, when the
1347
+ observer's motion is that of the earth in its orbit, and dairy or
1348
+ diurnal aberration, when of the earth on its axis; amounting when
1349
+ greatest, in the former case, to 20.4'', and in the latter, to 0.3''.
1350
+ Planetary aberration is that due to the motion of light and the
1351
+ motion of the planet relative to the earth.
1352
+
1353
+ 4. (Opt.)
1354
+
1355
+ Defn: The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays
1356
+ of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of
1357
+ such rays from a single focus; called spherical aberration, when due
1358
+ to the spherical form of the lens or mirror, such form giving
1359
+ different foci for central and marginal rays; and chromatic
1360
+ aberration, when due to different refrangibilities of the colored
1361
+ rays of the spectrum, those of each color having a distinct focus.
1362
+
1363
+ 5. (Physiol.)
1364
+
1365
+ Defn: The passage of blood or other fluid into parts not appropriate
1366
+ for it.
1367
+
1368
+ 6. (Law)
1369
+
1370
+ Defn: The producing of an unintended effect by the glancing of an
1371
+ instrument, as when a shot intended for A glances and strikes B.
1372
+
1373
+ Syn.
1374
+ -- Insanity; lunacy; madness; derangement; alienation; mania;
1375
+ dementia; hallucination; illusion; delusion. See Insanity.
1376
+
1377
+ ABERRATIONAL
1378
+ Ab`er*ra"tion*al, a.
1379
+
1380
+ Defn: Characterized by aberration.
1381
+
1382
+ ABERUNCATE
1383
+ Ab`e*run"cate, v.t. Etym: [L. aberuncare, for aberruncare. See
1384
+ Averruncate.]
1385
+
1386
+ Defn: To weed out. [Obs.] Bailey.
1387
+
1388
+ ABERUNCATOR
1389
+ Ab`e*run"ca*tor, n.
1390
+
1391
+ Defn: A weeding machine.
1392
+
1393
+ ABET
1394
+ A*bet", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abetted; p.pr. & vb.n. Abetting.] Etym:
1395
+ [OF. abeter; a (L. ad) + beter to bait (as a bear), fr. Icel. beita
1396
+ to set dogs on, to feed, originally, to cause to bite, fr. Icel. bita
1397
+ to bite, hence to bait, to incite. See Bait, Bet.]
1398
+
1399
+ 1. To instigate or encourage by aid or countenance; -- used in a bad
1400
+ sense of persons and acts; as, to abet an ill-doer; to abet one in
1401
+ his wicked courses; to abet vice; to abet an insurrection. "The whole
1402
+ tribe abets the villany." South.
1403
+ Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed his
1404
+ wealth Gay.
1405
+
1406
+ 2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense.
1407
+ [Obs.].
1408
+ Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted. Jer. Taylor.
1409
+
1410
+ 3. (Law)
1411
+
1412
+ Defn: To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the commission
1413
+ of an offense.
1414
+
1415
+ Syn.
1416
+ -- To incite; instigate; set on; egg on; foment; advocate;
1417
+ countenance; encourage; second; uphold; aid; assist; support;
1418
+ sustain; back; connive at.
1419
+
1420
+ ABET
1421
+ A*bet", n. Etym: [OF. abet, fr. abeter.]
1422
+
1423
+ Defn: Act of abetting; aid. [Obs.] Chaucer.
1424
+
1425
+ ABETMENT
1426
+ A*bet"ment, n.
1427
+
1428
+ Defn: The act of abetting; as, an abetment of treason, crime, etc.
1429
+
1430
+ ABETTAL
1431
+ A*bet"tal, n.
1432
+
1433
+ Defn: Abetment. [R.]
1434
+
1435
+ ABETTER; ABETTOR
1436
+ A*bet"ter, A*bet*tor, n.
1437
+
1438
+ Defn: One who abets; an instigator of an offense or an offender.
1439
+
1440
+ Note: The form abettor is the legal term and also in general use.
1441
+
1442
+ Syn.
1443
+ -- Abettor, Accessory, Accomplice. These words denote different
1444
+ degrees of complicity in some deed or crime. An abettor is one who
1445
+ incites or encourages to the act, without sharing in its performance.
1446
+ An accessory supposes a principal offender. One who is neither the
1447
+ chief actor in an offense, nor present at its performance, but
1448
+ accedes to or becomes involved in its guilt, either by some previous
1449
+ or subsequent act, as of instigating, encouraging, aiding, or
1450
+ concealing, etc., is an accessory. An accomplice is one who
1451
+ participates in the commission of an offense, whether as principal or
1452
+ accessory. Thus in treason, there are no abettors or accessories, but
1453
+ all are held to be principals or accomplices.
1454
+
1455
+ ABEVACUATION
1456
+ Ab`e*vac"u*a"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. ab- + evacuation.] (Med.)
1457
+
1458
+ Defn: A partial evacuation. Mayne.
1459
+
1460
+ ABEYANCE
1461
+ A*bey"ance, n. Etym: [OF. abeance expectation, longing; a (L. ad) +
1462
+ baer, beer, to gape, to look with open mouth, to expect, F. bayer,
1463
+ LL. badare to gape.]
1464
+
1465
+ 1. (Law)
1466
+
1467
+ Defn: Expectancy; condition of being undetermined.
1468
+
1469
+ Note: When there is no person in existence in whom an inheritance (or
1470
+ a dignity) can vest, it is said to be in abeyance, that is, in
1471
+ expectation; the law considering it as always potentially existing,
1472
+ and ready to vest whenever a proper owner appears. Blackstone.
1473
+
1474
+ 2. Suspension; temporary suppression.
1475
+ Keeping the sympathies of love and admiration in a dormant state, or
1476
+ state of abeyance. De Quincey.
1477
+
1478
+ ABEYANCY
1479
+ A*bey"an*cy, n.
1480
+
1481
+ Defn: Abeyance. [R.] Hawthorne.
1482
+
1483
+ ABEYANT
1484
+ A*bey"ant, a.
1485
+
1486
+ Defn: Being in a state of abeyance.
1487
+
1488
+ ABGEORDNETENHAUS
1489
+ Ab"ge*ord`ne*ten*haus`, n. [G.]
1490
+
1491
+ Defn: See Legislature, Austria, Prussia.
1492
+
1493
+ ABHAL
1494
+ Ab"hal, n.
1495
+
1496
+ Defn: The berries of a species of cypress in the East Indies.
1497
+
1498
+ ABHOMINABLE
1499
+ Ab*hom"i*na*ble, a.
1500
+
1501
+ Defn: Abominable.
1502
+
1503
+ Note: [A false orthography anciently used; h was foisted into various
1504
+ words; hence abholish, for abolish, etc.]
1505
+ This is abhominable, which he [Don Armado] would call abominable.
1506
+ Shak. Love's Labor's Lost, v. 1.
1507
+
1508
+ ABHOMINAL
1509
+ Ab*hom`i*nal, a. Etym: [L. ab away from + homo, hominis, man.]
1510
+
1511
+ Defn: Inhuman. [Obs.] Fuller.
1512
+
1513
+ ABHOR
1514
+ Ab*hor", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abhorred; p. pr. & vb. n. Abhorring.]
1515
+ Etym: [L. abhorrere; ab + horrere to bristle, shiver, shudder: cf. F.
1516
+ abhorrer. See Horrid.]
1517
+
1518
+ 1. To shrink back with shuddering from; to regard with horror or
1519
+ detestation; to feel excessive repugnance toward; to detest to
1520
+ extremity; to loathe.
1521
+ Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Rom. xii. 9.
1522
+
1523
+ 2. To fill with horror or disgust. [Obs.]
1524
+ It doth abhor me now I speak the word. Shak.
1525
+
1526
+ 3. (Canon Law)
1527
+
1528
+ Defn: To protest against; to reject solemnly. [Obs.]
1529
+ I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge. Shak.
1530
+
1531
+ Syn.
1532
+ -- To hate; detest; loathe; abominate. See Hate.
1533
+
1534
+ ABHOR
1535
+ Ab*hor", v. i.
1536
+
1537
+ Defn: To shrink back with horror, disgust, or dislike; to be contrary
1538
+ or averse; -- with from. [Obs.] "To abhor from those vices." Udall.
1539
+ Which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law. Milton.
1540
+
1541
+ ABHORRENCE
1542
+ Ab*hor"rence, n.
1543
+
1544
+ Defn: Extreme hatred or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike.
1545
+
1546
+ ABHORRENCY
1547
+ Ab*hor"ren*cy, n.
1548
+
1549
+ Defn: Abhorrence. [Obs.] Locke.
1550
+
1551
+ ABHORRENT
1552
+ Ab*hor"rent, a. Etym: [L. abhorens, -rentis, p. pr. of abhorrere.]
1553
+
1554
+ 1. Abhorring; detesting; having or showing abhorrence; loathing;
1555
+ hence, strongly opposed to; as, abhorrent thoughts.
1556
+ The persons most abhorrent from blood and treason. Burke.
1557
+ The arts of pleasure in despotic courts I spurn abhorrent. Clover.
1558
+
1559
+ 2. Contrary or repugnant; discordant; inconsistent; -- followed by
1560
+ to. "Injudicious profanation, so abhorrent to our stricter
1561
+ principles." Gibbon.
1562
+
1563
+ 3. Detestable. "Pride, abhorrent as it is." I. Taylor.
1564
+
1565
+ ABHORRENTLY
1566
+ Ab*hor"rent*ly, adv.
1567
+
1568
+ Defn: With abhorrence.
1569
+
1570
+ ABHORRER
1571
+ Ab*hor"rer, n.
1572
+
1573
+ Defn: One who abhors. Hume.
1574
+
1575
+ ABHORRIBLE
1576
+ Ab*hor"ri*ble, a.
1577
+
1578
+ Defn: Detestable. [R.]
1579
+
1580
+ ABHORRING
1581
+ Ab*hor"ring, n.
1582
+
1583
+ 1. Detestation. Milton.
1584
+
1585
+ 2. Object of abhorrence. Isa. lxvi. 24.
1586
+
1587
+ ABIB
1588
+ A"bib, n. Etym: [Heb. abib, lit. an ear of corn. The month was so
1589
+ called from barley being at that time in ear.]
1590
+
1591
+ Defn: The first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year,
1592
+ corresponding nearly to our April. After the Babylonish captivity
1593
+ this month was called Nisan. Kitto.
1594
+
1595
+ ABIDANCE
1596
+ A*bid"ance, n.
1597
+
1598
+ Defn: The state of abiding; abode; continuance; compliance (with).
1599
+ The Christians had no longer abidance in the holy hill of Palestine.
1600
+ Fuller.
1601
+ A judicious abidance by rules. Helps.
1602
+
1603
+ ABIDE
1604
+ A*bide", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Abode, formerly Abid(#); p. pr. & vb. n.
1605
+ Abiding.] Etym: [AS. abidan; pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig.
1606
+ meaning out) + bidan to bide. See Bide.]
1607
+
1608
+ 1. To wait; to pause; to delay. [Obs.] Chaucer.
1609
+
1610
+ 2. To stay; to continue in a place; to have one's abode; to dwell; to
1611
+ sojourn; -- with with before a person, and commonly with at or in
1612
+ before a place.
1613
+ Let the damsel abide with us a few days. Gen. xxiv. 55.
1614
+
1615
+ 3. To remain stable or fixed in some state or condition; to continue;
1616
+ to remain.
1617
+ Let every man abide in the same calling. 1 Cor. vii. 20.
1618
+ Followed by by: To abide by. (a) To stand to; to adhere; to maintain.
1619
+ The poor fellow was obstinate enough to abide by what he said at
1620
+ first. Fielding.
1621
+ (b) To acquiesce; to conform to; as, to abide by a decision or an
1622
+ award.
1623
+
1624
+ ABIDE
1625
+ A*bide", v. t.
1626
+
1627
+ 1. To wait for; to be prepared for; to await; to watch for; as, I
1628
+ abide my time. "I will abide the coming of my lord." Tennyson.
1629
+
1630
+ Note: [[Obs.], with a personal object.
1631
+ Bonds and afflictions abide me. Acts xx. 23.
1632
+
1633
+ 2. To endure; to sustain; to submit to.
1634
+ [Thou] shalt abide her judgment on it. Tennyson.
1635
+
1636
+ 3. To bear patiently; to tolerate; to put up with.
1637
+ She could not abide Master Shallow. Shak.
1638
+
1639
+ 4.
1640
+
1641
+ Note: [Confused with aby to pay for. See Aby.]
1642
+
1643
+ Defn: To stand the consequences of; to answer for; to suffer for.
1644
+ Dearly I abide that boast so vain. Milton.
1645
+
1646
+ ABIDER
1647
+ A*bid"er, n.
1648
+
1649
+ 1. One who abides, or continues. [Obs.] "Speedy goers and strong
1650
+ abiders." Sidney.
1651
+
1652
+ 2. One who dwells; a resident. Speed.
1653
+
1654
+ ABIDING
1655
+ A*bid"ing, a.
1656
+
1657
+ Defn: Continuing; lasting.
1658
+
1659
+ ABIDINGLY
1660
+ A*bid"ing*ly, adv.
1661
+
1662
+ Defn: Permanently. Carlyle.
1663
+
1664
+ ABIES
1665
+ A"bi*es, n. Etym: [L., fir tree.] (Bot.)
1666
+
1667
+ Defn: A genus of coniferous trees, properly called Fir, as the balsam
1668
+ fir and the silver fir. The spruces are sometimes also referred to
1669
+ this genus.
1670
+
1671
+ ABIETENE
1672
+ Ab"i*e*tene, n. Etym: [L. abies, abietis, a fir tree.]
1673
+
1674
+ Defn: A volatile oil distilled from the resin or balsam of the nut
1675
+ pine (Pinus sabiniana) of California.
1676
+
1677
+ ABIETIC
1678
+ Ab`i*et"ic, a.
1679
+
1680
+ Defn: Of or pertaining to the fir tree or its products; as, abietic
1681
+ acid, called also sylvic acid. Watts.
1682
+
1683
+ ABIETIN; ABIETINE
1684
+ Ab"i*e*tin, Ab"i*e*tine, n. Etym: [See Abietene.] (Chem.)
1685
+
1686
+ Defn: A resinous obtained from Strasburg turpentine or Canada balsam.
1687
+ It is without taste or smell, is insoluble in water, but soluble in
1688
+ alcohol (especially at the boiling point), in strong acetic acid, and
1689
+ in ether. Watts.
1690
+
1691
+ ABIETINIC
1692
+ Ab`i*e*tin"ic, a.
1693
+
1694
+ Defn: Of or pertaining to abietin; as, abietinic acid.
1695
+
1696
+ ABIETITE
1697
+ Ab"i*e*tite, n. (Chem.)
1698
+
1699
+ Defn: A substance resembling mannite, found in the needles of the
1700
+ common silver fir of Europe (Abies pectinata). Eng. Cyc.
1701
+
1702
+ ABIGAIL
1703
+ Ab"i*gail, n. Etym: [The proper name used as an appellative.]
1704
+
1705
+ Defn: A lady's waiting-maid. Pepys.
1706
+ Her abigail reported that Mrs. Gutheridge had a set of night curls
1707
+ for sleeping in. Leslie.
1708
+
1709
+ ABILIMENT
1710
+ A*bil"i*ment, n.
1711
+
1712
+ Defn: Habiliment. [Obs.]
1713
+
1714
+ ABILITY
1715
+ A*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Abilities(#). Etym: [F. habileté, earlier
1716
+ spelling habilité (with silent h), L. habilitas aptitude, ability,
1717
+ fr. habilis apt. See Able.]
1718
+
1719
+ Defn: The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether
1720
+ physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity;
1721
+ skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill,
1722
+ resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.
1723
+ Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to
1724
+ send relief unto the brethren. Acts xi. 29.
1725
+ Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by
1726
+ study. Bacon.
1727
+ The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability.
1728
+ Macaulay.
1729
+
1730
+ Syn.
1731
+ -- Capacity; talent; cleverness; faculty; capability; efficiency;
1732
+ aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity; skill. Ability, Capacity.
1733
+ These words come into comparison when applied to the higher
1734
+ intellectual powers. Ability has reference to the active exercise of
1735
+ our faculties. It implies not only native vigor of mind, but that
1736
+ ease and promptitude of execution which arise from mental training.
1737
+ Thus, we speak of the ability with which a book is written, an
1738
+ argument maintained, a negotiation carried on, etc. It always
1739
+ something to be done, and the power of doing it. Capacity has
1740
+ reference to the receptive powers. In its higher exercises it
1741
+ supposes great quickness of apprehension and breadth of intellect,
1742
+ with an uncommon aptitude for acquiring and retaining knowledge.
1743
+ Hence it carries with it the idea of resources and undeveloped power.
1744
+ Thus we speak of the extraordinary capacity of such men as Lord
1745
+ Bacon, Blaise Pascal, and Edmund Burke. "Capacity," says H. Taylor,
1746
+ "is requisite to devise, and ability to execute, a great enterprise."
1747
+ The word abilities, in the plural, embraces both these qualities, and
1748
+ denotes high mental endowments.
1749
+
1750
+ ABIME; ABYME
1751
+ A*bime" or A*byme", n. Etym: [F. abîme. See Abysm.]
1752
+
1753
+ Defn: A abyss. [Obs.]
1754
+
1755
+ ABIOGENESIS
1756
+ Ab`i*o*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)
1757
+
1758
+ Defn: The supposed origination of living organisms from lifeless
1759
+ matter; such genesis as does not involve the action of living
1760
+ parents; spontaneous generation; -- called also abiogeny, and opposed
1761
+ to biogenesis.
1762
+ I shall call the . . . doctrine that living matter may be produced by
1763
+ not living matter, the hypothesis of abiogenesis. Huxley, 1870.
1764
+
1765
+ ABIOGENETIC
1766
+ Ab`i*o*ge*net"ic, a. (Biol.)
1767
+
1768
+ Defn: Of or pertaining to abiogenesis. Ab`i*o*ge*net"ic*al*ly, adv.
1769
+
1770
+ ABIOGENIST
1771
+ Ab`i*og"e*nist, n. (Biol.)
1772
+
1773
+ Defn: One who believes that life can be produced independently of
1774
+ antecedent. Huxley.
1775
+
1776
+ ABIOGENOUS
1777
+ Ab`i*og"e*nous, a. (Biol.)
1778
+
1779
+ Defn: Produced by spontaneous generation.
1780
+
1781
+ ABIOGENY
1782
+ Ab`i*og"e*ny, n. (Biol.)
1783
+
1784
+ Defn: Same as Abiogenesis.
1785
+
1786
+ ABIOLOGICAL
1787
+ Ab`i*o*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. biological.]
1788
+
1789
+ Defn: Pertaining to the study of inanimate things.
1790
+
1791
+ ABIRRITANT
1792
+ Ab*ir"ri*tant, n. (Med.)
1793
+
1794
+ Defn: A medicine that diminishes irritation.
1795
+
1796
+ ABIRRITATE
1797
+ Ab*ir"ri*tate, v. t. Etym: [Pref. ab- + irritate.] (Med.)
1798
+
1799
+ Defn: To diminish the sensibility of; to debilitate.
1800
+
1801
+ ABIRRITATION
1802
+ Ab*ir`ri*ta"tion, n. (Med.)
1803
+
1804
+ Defn: A pathological condition opposite to that of irritation;
1805
+ debility; want of strength; asthenia.
1806
+
1807
+ ABIRRITATIVE
1808
+ Ab*ir"ri*ta*tive, a. (Med.)
1809
+
1810
+ Defn: Characterized by abirritation or debility.
1811
+
1812
+ ABIT
1813
+ A*bit",
1814
+
1815
+ Defn: 3d sing. pres. of Abide. [Obs.] Chaucer.
1816
+
1817
+ ABJECT
1818
+ Ab"ject, a. Etym: [L. abjectus, p. p. of abjicere to throw away; ab +
1819
+ jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth.]
1820
+
1821
+ 1. Cast down; low-lying. [Obs.]
1822
+ From the safe shore their floating carcasses And broken chariot
1823
+ wheels; so thick bestrown Abject and lost lay these, covering the
1824
+ flood. Milton.
1825
+
1826
+ 2. Sunk to a law condition; down in spirit or hope; degraded;
1827
+ servile; groveling; despicable; as, abject posture, fortune,
1828
+ thoughts. "Base and abject flatterers." Addison. "An abject liar."
1829
+ Macaulay.
1830
+ And banish hence these abject, lowly dreams. Shak.
1831
+
1832
+ Syn.
1833
+ -- Mean; groveling; cringing; mean-spirited; slavish; ignoble;
1834
+ worthless; vile; beggarly; contemptible; degraded.
1835
+
1836
+ ABJECT
1837
+ Ab*ject", v. t. Etym: [From Abject, a.]
1838
+
1839
+ Defn: To cast off or down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to
1840
+ debase. [Obs.] Donne.
1841
+
1842
+ ABJECT
1843
+ Ab"ject, n.
1844
+
1845
+ Defn: A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a
1846
+ castaway. [Obs.]
1847
+ Shall these abjects, these victims, these outcasts, know any thing of
1848
+ pleasure I. Taylor.
1849
+
1850
+ ABJECTEDNESS
1851
+ Ab*ject"ed*ness, n.
1852
+
1853
+ Defn: A very abject or low condition; abjectness. [R.] Boyle.
1854
+
1855
+ ABJECTION
1856
+ Ab*jec"tion, n. Etym: [F. abjection, L. abjectio.]
1857
+
1858
+ 1. The act of bringing down or humbling. "The abjection of the king
1859
+ and his realm." Joe.
1860
+
1861
+ 2. The state of being rejected or cast out. [R.]
1862
+ An adjection from the beatific regions where God, and his angels and
1863
+ saints, dwell forever. Jer. Taylor.
1864
+
1865
+ 3. A low or downcast state; meanness of spirit; abasement;
1866
+ degradation.
1867
+ That this should be termed baseness, abjection of mind, or servility,
1868
+ is it credible Hooker.
1869
+
1870
+ ABJECTLY
1871
+ Ab"ject*ly, adv.
1872
+
1873
+ Defn: Meanly; servilely.
1874
+
1875
+ ABJECTNESS
1876
+ Ab"ject*ness, n.
1877
+
1878
+ Defn: The state of being abject; abasement; meanness; servility.
1879
+ Grew.
1880
+
1881
+ ABJUDGE
1882
+ Ab*judge", v. t. Etym: [Pref. ab- + judge, v. Cf. Abjudicate.]
1883
+
1884
+ Defn: To take away by judicial decision. [R.]
1885
+
1886
+ ABJUDICATE
1887
+ Ab*ju"di*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. abjudicatus, p. p. of abjudicare; ab +
1888
+ judicare. See Judge, and cf. Abjudge.]
1889
+
1890
+ Defn: To reject by judicial sentence; also, to abjudge. [Obs.] Ash.
1891
+
1892
+ ABJUDICATION
1893
+ Ab*ju`di*ca"tion, n.
1894
+
1895
+ Defn: Rejection by judicial sentence. [R.] Knowles.
1896
+
1897
+ ABJUGATE
1898
+ Ab"ju*gate, v. t. Etym: [L. abjugatus, p. p. of abjugare.]
1899
+
1900
+ Defn: To unyoke. [Obs.] Bailey.
1901
+
1902
+ ABJUNCTIVE
1903
+ Ab*junc"tive, a. Etym: [L. abjunctus, p. p. of abjungere; ab +
1904
+ jungere to join.]
1905
+
1906
+ Defn: Exceptional. [R.]
1907
+ It is this power which leads on from the accidental and abjunctive to
1908
+ the universal. I. Taylor.
1909
+
1910
+ ABJURATION
1911
+ Ab`ju*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. abjuratio: cf. F. abjuration.]
1912
+
1913
+ 1. The act of abjuring or forswearing; a renunciation upon oath; as,
1914
+ abjuration of the realm, a sworn banishment, an oath taken to leave
1915
+ the country and never to return.
1916
+
1917
+ 2. A solemn recantation or renunciation; as, an abjuration of heresy.
1918
+ Oath of abjuration, an oath asserting the right of the present royal
1919
+ family to the crown of England, and expressly abjuring allegiance to
1920
+ the descendants of the Pretender. Brande & C.
1921
+
1922
+ ABJURATORY
1923
+ Ab*ju"ra*to*ry, a.
1924
+
1925
+ Defn: Containing abjuration.
1926
+
1927
+ ABJURE
1928
+ Ab*jure", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abjured; p. pr. & vb. n. Abjuring.]
1929
+ Etym: [L. abjurare to deny upon oath; ab + jurare to swear, fr. jus,
1930
+ juris, right, law; cf. F. abjurer. See Jury.]
1931
+
1932
+ 1. To renounce upon oath; to forswear; to disavow; as, to abjure
1933
+ allegiance to a prince. To abjure the realm, is to swear to abandon
1934
+ it forever.
1935
+
1936
+ 2. To renounce or reject with solemnity; to recant; to abandon
1937
+ forever; to reject; repudiate; as, to abjure errors. "Magic I here
1938
+ abjure." Shak.
1939
+
1940
+ Syn.
1941
+ -- See Renounce.
1942
+
1943
+ ABJURE
1944
+ Ab*jure", v. i.
1945
+
1946
+ Defn: To renounce on oath. Bp. Burnet.
1947
+
1948
+ ABJUREMENT
1949
+ Ab*jure"ment, n.
1950
+
1951
+ Defn: Renunciation. [R.]
1952
+
1953
+ ABJURER
1954
+ Ab*jur"er, n.
1955
+
1956
+ Defn: One who abjures.
1957
+
1958
+ ABLACTATE
1959
+ Ab*lac"tate, v. t. Etym: [L. ablactatus, p. p. of ablactare; ab +
1960
+ lactare to suckle, fr. lac milk.]
1961
+
1962
+ Defn: To wean. [R.] Bailey.
1963
+
1964
+ ABLACTATION
1965
+ Ab`lac*ta"tion. n.
1966
+
1967
+ 1. The weaning of a child from the breast, or of young beasts from
1968
+ their dam. Blount.
1969
+
1970
+ 2. (Hort.)
1971
+
1972
+ Defn: The process of grafting now called inarching, or grafting by
1973
+ approach.
1974
+
1975
+ ABLAQUEATE
1976
+ Ab*la"que*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. ablaqueatus, p. p. of. ablaqueare; fr.
1977
+ ab + laqueus a noose.]
1978
+
1979
+ Defn: To lay bare, as the roots of a tree. [Obs.] Bailey.
1980
+
1981
+ ABLAQUEATION
1982
+ Ab*la`que*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. ablaqueatio.]
1983
+
1984
+ Defn: The act or process of laying bare the roots of trees to expose
1985
+ them to the air and water. [Obs.] Evelyn.
1986
+
1987
+ ZYMOTIC
1988
+ Zy*mot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
1989
+
1990
+ 1. Of, pertaining to, or caused by, fermentation.
1991
+
1992
+ 2. (Med.)
1993
+
1994
+ Defn: Designating, or pertaining to, a certain class of diseases. See
1995
+ Zymotic disease, below. Zymotic disease (Med.), any epidemic,
1996
+ endemic, contagious, or sporadic affection which is produced by some
1997
+ morbific principle or organism acting on the system like a ferment.
1998
+
1999
+ ZYTHEM
2000
+ Zy"them, n.
2001
+
2002
+ Defn: See Zythum.
2003
+
2004
+ ZYTHEPSARY
2005
+ Zy*thep"sa*ry, n. Etym: [Gr.
2006
+
2007
+ Defn: A brewery. [R.]
2008
+
2009
+ ZYTHUM
2010
+ Zy"thumn. Etym: [L.fr. Gr.
2011
+
2012
+ Defn: A kind of ancient malt beverage; a liquor made from malt and
2013
+ wheat. [Written also zythem.]