List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary (part 2)

Amuck, a-muk′, adv. madly: in murderous frenzy—hardly ever used save in the phrase 'to run amuck.' [Malay, amoq, intoxicated or excited to madness.]

Amulet, am′ū-let, n. a gem, scroll, or other object carried about the person, as a charm against sickness, harm, or witchcraft. [Fr.—L. amulētum, a word of unknown origin; curiously like the mod. Ar. himalat, lit. 'a carrier,' applied to a shoulder-belt, by which a small Koran is hung on the breast.]

Amuse, a-mūz′, v.t. to occupy pleasantly: to divert: to beguile with expectation: (obs.) occupy the attention with: (arch.) to beguile.—adj. Amus′able, capable of being amused.—n. Amuse′ment, that which amuses: pastime.—adj. Amus′ing, affording amusement: entertaining.—adv. Amus′ingly.—n. Amus′ingness.—adj. Amus′ive (rare), having the power to amuse or entertain.—n. Amus′iveness. [Fr. amuser.]

Amusette, am-ū-zėt′, n. a light field-gun invented by Marshal Saxe. [Fr.]

Amutter, a-mut′ėr, adv. in a muttering state.

Amygdalate, a-mig′da-lāt, adj. pertaining to, like, or made of almonds.—adj. Amygdalā′ceous, akin to the almond. [L. amygdala—Gr. amygdalē, an almond.]

Amygdalin, Amygdaline, a-mig′da-lin, n. a crystalline principle existing in the kernel of bitter almonds.

Amygdaloid, a-mig′da-loid, n. a variety of basaltic rock containing almond-shaped nodules of other minerals, as quartz, felspar.—adj. Amygdaloi′dal. [Gr. amygdalē, and eidos, form.]

Amyl, am′il, n. the fifth in the series of the alcohol radicals, a natural product of the distillation of coal. As thus found, two molecules are united together, usually called diamyl, being a colourless liquid with an agreeable smell and burning taste.—n. Am′ylene. [Gr. amylon, starchy, fine meal.]

Amylaceous, am-i-lā′shus, adj. pertaining to or resembling starch. [L. amylum, starch—Gr. amylon.]

Amyloid, am′i-loid, n. a half-gelatinous substance like starch, found in some seeds.—adj. Amyloid′al. [Gr. amylon, the finest flour, starch; lit. 'unground'—a, neg., mylē, a mill, and eidos, form.]

An, an, adj. one: the indefinite article, used before words beginning with the sound of a vowel. [A.S. ān. See One.]

An, an, conj. if. [A form of And.]

Ana, ā′na, a suffix to names of persons or places, denoting a collection of memorable sayings, items of gossip, or miscellaneous facts, as Johnsoniana, Tunbrigiana, &c.: applied also to the literature of some special subject, as Boxiana, Burnsiana, Shakespeariana.—n.pl. specially a collection of the table-talk of some one. [The neut. pl. termination of L. adjectives in -anus = pertaining to.]

Anabaptist, an-a-bapt′ist, n. one who holds that baptism ought to be administered only to adults (by immersion), and therefore that those baptised in infancy ought to be baptised again.—The name is disclaimed by recent opponents of infant baptism both in England and the Continent.—v.i. Anabap′tise.—n. Anabapt′ism.—adj. Anabaptist′ic. [Gr. ana, again, baptiz-ein, to dip in water, to baptise.]

Anabasis, an-ab′a-sis, n. a military advance into the interior of a country—specially the title of the famous story of the unfortunate expedition of Cyrus the Younger against his brother Artaxerxes, and of the retreat of his 10,000 Greek allies under the conduct of Xenophon. [Gr.; made up of ana, up, and bain-ein, to go.]

Anableps, an′a-bleps, n. a genus of bony fishes with open air-bladders, and projecting eyes divided into an upper and lower portion, so that each eye has two pupils. [Gr. anablepsis, 'a looking up.']

Anabolism, an-ab′ol-izm, n. the constructive processes within the protoplasm, by which food or other material, at a relatively low level, passes through an ascending series of ever more complex and unstable combinations, till it is finally worked up into living matter. [Gr. anabolē, 'rising up.']

Anacanthous, an-a-kan′thus, adj. without spine. [Gr. an-, without, akantha, spine.]

Anacard, an′a-kard, n. the cashew-nut, the fruit of the Anacardium occidentale. [Gr., made up of ana, according to, and kardia, heart, from the shape of the fruit.]

Anacatharsis, an-a-kath-ar′sis, n. vomiting or expectoration.—n. Anacathar′tic, a medicine with this effect—expectorants, emetics, sternutatorics, &c. [Gr.; made up of ana, up, and kathair-ein, to cleanse.]

Anacharis, an-ak′ar-is, n. a North American weed found in ponds and slow streams, which was first found in Britain in 1842, and is now very troublesome in the Trent, Derwent, and other rivers. [Made up of Gr. ana, up, and charis, grace.]

Anachorism, a-nak′ō-rizm, n. (rare) something incongruous with the spirit of the country. [Coined on the analogy of anachronism, from Gr. ana, back, and chōrion, country, with suff. ism.]

Anachronism, an-a′kron-izm, n. an error in regard to time, whereby a thing is assigned to an earlier or to a later age than it belongs to: anything out of keeping with the time.—v.t. Ana′chronise.—n. Ana′chronist.—adjs. Anachronist′ic, Ana′chronous.—adv. Ana′chronously. [Gr. ana, backwards, chronos, time.]

Anaclastic, an-a-klas′tik, adj. pertaining to refraction: bending back. [Gr. ana, back, klaein, break off.]

Anacoluthon, an-a-ko-lū′thon, n. want of sequence in the construction of a sentence, when the latter part does not grammatically correspond with the former: a sentence exhibiting an Anacoluthia, or the passing from one construction to another before the former is completed. [Gr. anakolouthos—a, an, neg., and akolouthos, following.]

Anaconda, an-a-kon′da, n. a large South American water-snake of the Python family, closely related to the boa-constrictor. [Singhalese (?).]

Anacreontic, an-a-kre-ont′ik, adj. after the manner of the Greek poet Anacreon: free, convivial, erotic.—n. a poem in this vein.—adv. Anacreont′ically.

Anacrusis, an-a-krōō′sis, n. (pros.) an upward beat at the beginning of a verse, consisting of one or two unaccented syllables introductory to the just rhythm. [Gr. from ana, up, krou-ein, to strike.]

Anadem, an′a-dem, n. a band or fillet bound round the head: a wreath or chaplet of flowers. [Gr. anadēma—ana, up, and de-ein, to bind.]

Anadromous, an-ad′rō-mus, adj. ascending rivers to spawn. [Gr. ana, up, dromos, running.]

Anæmia, an-ēm′i-a, n. a term employed to denote those conditions in which there is a deficiency of blood or of its red corpuscles: lack or poverty of blood marked by paleness and languor.—adj. Anæm′ic. [Gr.; made up of an, neg., haima, blood.]

Anaerobia, an-ā-ėr-ō′bi-a, n.pl. (biol.) bacteria which flourish without free oxygen.—adj. Anaerō′bic.

Anæsthetic, an-ēs-thet′ik, adj. producing insensibility to external impressions.—n. a substance, as chloroform or cocaine, that produces insensibility, whether general or local.—ns. Anæsthē′sia, Anæsthē′sis, loss of feeling, insensibility.—adv. Anæsthet′ically.—v.t. Anæs′thetise. [Gr. a, an, neg., aisthēsis, sensation—aisthanomai, to feel.]

Anaglyph, an′a-glif, n. an ornament carved in low relief.—adj. Anaglypt′ic. [Gr.; ana, up, glyph-ein, to carve.]

Anaglyptography, an-a-glip-tog′ra-fi, n. the art of engraving so as to give the subject the appearance of being raised from the surface of the paper as if embossed—used in representing coins, &c. [Gr. anaglyptos, embossed, and graphia, writing.]

Anagogy, an′a-goj-i, n. the mystical interpretation or hidden sense of words.—adjs. Anagog′ic, Anagog′ical.—adv. Anagog′ically. [Gr. anagōgē, elevation, an-ag-ein, to lift up.]

Anagram, an′a-gram, n. a word or sentence formed by rewriting (in a different order) the letters of another word or sentence: as, 'live' = 'evil,' 'Quid est veritas? = 'Est vir qui adest,' and 'Florence Nightingale' = 'Flit on, cheering angel.'—Many pseudonyms are merely anagrams, as 'Voltaire' = 'Arouet l. i.'—that is, 'Arouet le jeune (the younger).'—adjs. Anagrammat′ic, Anagrammat′ical.—adv. Anagrammat′ically.—v.t. Anagram′matīse, to transpose, so as to form an anagram.—ns. Anagram′matism, the practice of making anagrams; Anagram′matist, a maker of anagrams. [Gr. ana, again, graph-ein, to write.]

Anagraph, an′a-graf, n. a catalogue or inventory: a description. [Gr. anagraphē—ana, up, out, graph-ein, to write.]

Anal, ān′al, adj. pertaining to or near the anus.

Analects, an′a-lekts, n.pl. collections of literary fragments—also Analec′ta.—adj. Analec′tic. [Gr. analektos—analegein, to collect—ana, up, legein, to gather.]

Analeptic, an-a-lep′tik, adj. restorative: comforting. [Gr. analēptikos, restorative—analēpsis, recovery—ana, up, and lambanō, lēpsomai, to take.]

Analgesia, an-al-jē′zi-a, n. painlessness, insensibility to pain. [Gr. an-, priv., and algein, to feel pain.]

Analogy, an-al′o-ji, n. an agreement or correspondence in certain respects between things otherwise different—a resemblance of relations, as in the phrase, 'Knowledge is to the mind what light is to the eye:' relation in general: likeness: (geom.) proportion or the equality of ratios: (gram.) the correspondence of a word or phrase with the genius of a language, as learned from the manner in which its words and phrases are ordinarily formed: similarity of derivative or inflectional processes.—adjs. Analog′ical, Anal′ogic.—adv. Analog′ically.—v.t. Anal′ogise, to explain or consider by analogy:—pr.p. anal′ogīsing; pa.p. anal′ogīsed.—ns. Anal′ogism (obs.), investigation by analogy: argument from cause to effect; Anal′ogist, one who adheres to analogy; Anal′ogon = analogue.—adj. Anal′ogous, having analogy: bearing some correspondence with or resemblance to: similar in certain circumstances or relations (with to).—adv. Anal′ogously.—ns. Anal′ogousness; An′alogue, a word or body bearing analogy to, or resembling, another: (biol.) a term used to denote physiological, independent of morphological resemblance.—Organs are analogous to one another, or are analogues, when they perform the same function, though they may be altogether different in structure; as the wings of a bird and the wings of an insect. Again, organs are homologous, or homologues, when they are constructed on the same plan, undergo a similar development, and bear the same relative position, and this independent of either form or function. Thus the arms of a man and the wings of a bird are homologues of one another, while the wing of a bird and the wing of a bat are both analogous and homologous. [Gr. ana, according to, and logos, ratio.]

Analphabete, an-al′fa-bēt, n. and adj. one who does not know his alphabet, an illiterate.—adj. Analphabet′ic. [Gr. an, neg., and Alphabet.]

Analysis, an-al′is-is, n. a resolving or separating a thing into its elements or component parts—the tracing of things to their source, and so discovering the general principles underlying individual phenomena. Its converse is synthesis, the explanation of certain phenomena by means of principles which are for this purpose assumed as established. Analysis as the resolution of our experience into its original elements, is an artificial separation; while synthesis is an artificial reconstruction: (gram.) the arrangement into its logical and grammatical elements of a sentence or part of a sentence:—pl. Anal′yses.—adj. Analys′able.—n. Analysā′tion.—v.t. An′alyse, to resolve a whole into its elements: to separate into component parts.—n. An′alyst, one skilled in analysis, esp. chemical analysis.—adjs. Analyt′ic, -al, pertaining to analysis: resolving into first principles.—adv. Analyt′ically.—n.pl. Analyt′ics, the name given by Aristotle to his treatises on logic.—Analytical geometry, geometry treated by means of ordinary algebra, with a reference, direct or indirect, to a system of co-ordinates; Analytic method (logic) proceeds regressively or inductively to the recognition of general principles, as opposed to the Synthetic method, which advances from principles to particulars. [Gr. analysis, analy-ein, to unloose, ana, up, ly-ein, to loose.]

Anamnesis, an-am-nēs′is, n. the recalling of things past to memory: the recollection of the Platonic pre-existence: the history of his illness given by the patient to his physician. [Gr.]

Anamorphosis, an-a-mor′fo-sis, n. a figure, appearing from one view-point irregular or deformed, but from another regular and in proportion: (bot.) a gradual transformation, or an abnormal development of any part.—adj. Anamor′phous. [Gr.; ana, back, morphōsis, a shaping—morphē, shape.]

Ananas, an-an′as, n. the pine-apple: the West Indian penguin.—Also Anan′a. [Peruvian.]

Anandrous, an-an′drus, adj. without stamens, or male organs, applied to female flowers. [Gr. an, neg., and anēr, andros, a man.]

Anantherous, an-an′thėr-us, adj. without anthers. [Gr. an, neg., and Anther.]

Ananthous, an-an′thus, adj. without flowers. [Gr. an, neg., and anthos, a flower.]

Anapæst, Anapest, an′a-pest, n. (in verse) a foot consisting of three syllables, two short and the third long, or (in Eng.) two unaccented and the third accented, as colonnadé—a familiar example of a poem in this metre is Byron's Destruction of Sennacherib.—adjs. Anapæs′tic, -al. [Gr. anapaistos, reversed, because it is the dactyl reversed.]

Anaphora, an′af-or-a, n. (rhet.) the repetition of the same word or phrase in several successive clauses, as in 1 Cor. i. 20. [Gr.; ana, back, pher-ein, to bear.]

Anaphrodisiac, an-af-rō-diz′i-ak, adj. and n. tending to diminish sexual desire, or a drug supposed to have that effect. [Fr. an, neg., and adj. from Aphrodite.]

Anaplasty, an′a-plas-ti, n. the reparation of superficial lesions by the use of adjacent healthy tissue, as by transplanting a portion of skin.—adj. An′aplastic. [Gr.; that may be formed anew, ana, again, plass-ein, to form.]

Anaplerosis, an′a-plē-rō′sis, n. the filling up of a deficiency, esp. in medicine: the filling up of parts that have been destroyed, as in wounds, cicatrices, &c.—adj. Anaplerot′ic. [Gr.; from ana, up, and plēro-ein, to fill up.]

Anaptotic, an-ap-tot′ik, adj. (philol.) again uninflected—a term sometimes applied to languages which have lost most of their inflections through phonetic decay. [Gr. ana, again, aptōtos, without case, indeclinable, aptōs, -ōtos, not falling, pipt-ein, to fall.]

Anarchy, an′ark-i, n. the want of government in a state: political confusion: conflict of opinion.—adjs. Anarch′al (rare); Anarch′ic, Anarch′ical.—v.t. Anarch′ise.—ns. An′archism, anarchy: the negation of government—the name adopted by a phase of revolutionary socialism associated with the names of Proudhon and Bakunin. Their ideal of society was of one without government of any kind, when every man should be a law unto himself; An′archist, An′arch, one who promotes anarchy. [Gr. a, an, neg., archē, government.]

Anarthrous, an-är′thrus, adj. without the article, of Greek nouns: (entom.) having neither wings nor legs.—adv. Anar′thrously. [Gr. an, neg., arthron, a joint, the article.]

Anastatic, an-a-stat′ik, adj. furnished with characters standing up, or raised in relief—esp. of the anastatic printing process, in which copies of drawings are printed from fac-similes produced in relief on zinc plates. [Gr. anastatikos—ana, up, statikos, causing to stand—histēmi, to make to stand.]

Anastomosis, an-as-to-mō′sis, n. the union or intercommunication of vessels with each other, as seen in the junction of the branches of the arteries.—v.i. Anas′tomose, to communicate in such a way.—adj. Anastomot′ic.

Anastrophe, an-as′tro-fi, n. an inversion of the natural order of words, as 'Loud roared the thunder,' for 'The thunder roared,' &c. [Gr.; ana, back, and streph-ein, to turn.]

Anathema, an-ath′em-a, n. a solemn ecclesiastical curse or denunciation involving excommunication: any person or thing anathematised: generally, any imprecation or expression of execration.—n. Anathematisā′tion—v.t. Anath′ematise, to pronounce accursed.—Anathema maranātha, as in 1 Cor. xvi. 22; maranatha (Syr. māran ethā, 'our Lord hath come') is properly a mere solemn formula of confirmation, like Amen, having no other connection with the antecedent anathema—it is so printed in the Revised Version.—It seems to have been used by the early Christians as a kind of watchword of mutual encouragement and hope. So the words in 1 Cor. xvi. 22 are nearly equivalent to the similar expressions in Phil. iv. 5; Rev. xxii. 20. [The classical Gr. anathēma meant a votive offering set up in a temple, ana, up, tithenai, to place; the anathĕma of the Septuagint and New Testament meant something specially devoted to evil, as in Rom. ix. 3.]

Anatomy, an-a′tom-i, n. the art of dissecting any organised body: science of the structure of the body learned by dissection: a skeleton, a shrivelled and shrunken body, a mummy: (fig.) the lifeless form or shadow of anything: humorously for the body generally: the detailed analysis of anything, as in Burton's famous treatise, The Anatomy of Melancholy.—adjs. Anatom′ic, -al, relating to anatomy.—adv. Anatom′ically.—v.t. Anat′omise, to dissect a body: (fig.) to lay open minutely.—n. Anat′omist, one skilled in anatomy. [Gr. ana, up, asunder, temnein, to cut.]

Anatopism, an-at′op-izm, n. (rare—Coleridge) a faulty arrangement. [Gr. ana, up, topos, a place.]

Anatta, an-at′ta, n. the reddish pulp surrounding the seeds of the Bixa orellana, a medium-sized tree growing in Guiana and elsewhere. It yields a dye which gives a bright orange tint to cloth, and is much used to add colour to butter and cheese.—Also Anat′to, Annat′to, Arnot′to. [Supposed to be a native Amer. word.]

Anbury, an′bėr-i, n. a disease in turnips, produced by one of the slime-fungi, and usually the result of improper cultivation. It is often confounded with Finger-and-toe (dactylorhiza), which is rather a degeneration of the plant than a disease, the bulb branching out into a number of taproots, while the skin remains unbroken. Anbury causes a scabbed and broken skin, and tubercular growths on the roots and at the base of the bulb. [Often explained as a disguised form of A.S. ampre, a crooked swelling vein; more probably, a variant of anbury = angberry, A.S. ang-, pain, as in ang-nail.]

Ancestor, an′ses-tur, n. one from whom a person has descended: a forefather:—fem. An′cestress.—adj. Ances′tral.—ns. An′cestor-wor′ship, the chief element in the religion of China and other countries—erroneously supposed by Herbert Spencer to be the foundation of all religion; An′cestry, a line of ancestors: lineage. [O. Fr. ancestre—L. antecessor—ante, before, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Anchor, ang′kor, n. an implement for retaining a ship in a particular spot by temporarily chaining it to the bed of a sea or river. The most common form has two flukes, one or other of which enters the ground, and so gives hold; but many modifications are used, some with movable arms, some self-canting.—Anchors are distinguished as the starboard and port bowers, sheet, spare, stream, kedge, and grapnel, or boat anchors: (fig.) anything that gives stability or security.—v.t. to fix by an anchor: to fasten.—v.i. to cast anchor: to stop, or rest on.—ns. Anch′orage, the act of anchoring: the place where a ship anchors or can anchor: (Shak.) the anchor and all the necessary tackle for anchoring: a position affording support: (fig.) anything that gives a resting-place or support to the mind: duty imposed on ships for anchoring; Anch′or-hold, the hold of an anchor upon the ground: (fig.) security.—adj. Anch′orless, without such: unstable.—n. Mushroom-anchor, an anchor with a saucer-shaped head on a central shank, used for mooring.—At anchor, anchored.—To cast anchor, to let down the anchor, to take up a position; To weigh anchor, to take up the anchor so as to be able to sail away. [A.S. ancor—L. ancora—Gr. angkyra, angkos, a bend. Conn. with Angle.]

Anchoret, ang′kor-et, Anchorite, ang′kor-īt, n. one who has withdrawn from the world, especially for religious reasons: a hermit.—The form Anach′oret occurs in many books on church history for the recluses of the East in the early history of the church.—ns. Anch′or (Shak.), an anchorite—earlier still also an anchoress, as in the book-title Ancren Riwle, the 'Rule of Nuns;' Anch′orage, the retreat of a hermit; Anch′oress, a female anchorite: a nun—also Anc′ress, Ank′ress, Anch′oritess.—adjs. Anch′oretic, -al. [Gr. anachōrētēs—ana, apart, chōrein, to go.]

Anchovy, an-chō′vi, n. a small fish of the herring family, much fished in the Mediterranean for pickling, and for a sauce made from it, anchovy-paste, &c.—n. Anchō′vy-pear, the fruit of a myrtaceous Jamaica tree, pickled and eaten like the East Indian mango, which it much resembles in taste. [Sp. and Port. anchova; Fr. anchois. Of doubtful etymology. The Basque anchoa, anchua, has been connected with antzua, dry.]

Anchylosis, Ankylosis, ang-kī-lō′sis, n. the coalescence of two bones, or the union of the different parts of a bone: stiffness in a joint through destruction of the articular cartilages, or a thickening and shortening of the natural fibrous tissues around the joint. [Gr.; angkylos, crooked.]

Ancient, ān′shent, adj. old: belonging to former times, specifically, of times prior to the downfall of the western Roman empire (476 A.D.): of great age or duration: of past times in a general sense: venerable: antique, old-fashioned.—n. an aged man, a patriarch: a superior in age or dignity.—adv. An′ciently.—ns. An′cientness; An′cientry, ancientness, seniority: ancestry: dignity of birth: (Shak.) old people.—n.pl. An′cients, those who lived in remote times, esp. the Greeks and Romans of classical times: (B.) elders.—The Ancient of days, a title in the Holy Scriptures for the Almighty, applied by Byron to Athens. [Fr. ancien—Low L. antianus, old—L. ante, before. See Antique.]

Ancient, ān′shent, n. (obs.) a flag or its bearer: an ensign. [Corr. of Fr. enseigne. See Ensign.]

Ancillary, an′sil-ar-i, adj. subservient, subordinate (with to). [L. ancilla, a maid-servant.]

Ancipital, an-sip′i-tal, adj. two-headed: double: doubtful: (bot.) two-edged and flattened.—Also Ancip′itous. [L. anceps, ancipit-is, double—an for amb, on both sides, and caput, the head.]

Ancome, ang′kum, n. (prov.—Scot. income) a small inflammatory swelling, coming on suddenly. [Same as Income.]

And, and, conj. signifies addition, or repetition, and is used to connect words and sentences, to introduce a consequence, &c.—in M. E. (but not A.S.) it was used for if, and often also with added if, as in Luke xii. 45. An became common for and in this sense, as often in Shakespeare.—It sometimes expresses emphatically a difference in quality between things of the same class, as 'there are friends ... and friends.' [A.S., and in the other Teut. lang.; prob. allied to L. ante, Gr. anti, over against.]

Andante, an-dan′te, adj. and n. (mus.) moving with moderate and even expression: a movement or piece composed in andante time.—adj. Andanti′no, of a movement somewhat slower than andante, but sometimes meaning 'with less of andante' = somewhat quicker.—Andante affettuoso, slow but pathetically; Andante cantabile, slow, but in a singing style; Andante con moto, slow, but with emotion; Andante grazioso, slow, but gracefully; Andante maestoso, slow, with majesty; Andante non troppo, slow, but not too much so. [It.—pr.p. of andare, to go.]

Andean, an-dē′an, adj. of or like the Andes Mountains.

Andiron, and′ī-urn, n. the iron bars which support the ends of the logs in a wood fire, or in which a spit turns. [O. Fr. andier (Mod. Fr. landier—l'andier); Low. L. anderius, andena; further ety. dubious, perhaps ultimately cog. with End. The termination was early confused with iron, hence the spellings and-iron, hand-iron.]

Androcephalous, an-dro-sef′a-lus, adj. having a human head, as a sphinx or Assyrian bull. [Gr. anēr, andros, a man, kephalē, a head.]

Androgynous, an-droj′i-nus, adj. having the characteristics of both male and female in one individual: hermaphrodite: (bot.) having an inflorescence of both male and female flowers—also Androg′ynal (rare).—n. Androg′yny, hermaphroditism. [Gr.; anēr, andros, a man, and gynē, woman.]

Android, an′droid, n. an automaton resembling a human being.—Also Andrō′ides.

Andromeda, an-drom′e-da, n. a genus of shrubs of the heath family: the name of a northern constellation. [Andromeda, in Greek mythology, a maiden bound to a rock, and exposed to a sea-monster, but delivered by Perseus.]

Ane, ān, or yin, Scotch form of One.

Aneal, Anele, an-ēl′, v.t. to anoint with oil: to administer extreme unction. [M. E. anele, from an A.S. verb compounded of A.S. on, on, and ele, oil.]

Anear, a-nēr′, adv. nearly: near.—prep. near.—v.t. to approach, to come near to.

Anecdote, an′ek-dōt, n. an incident of private life: a short story.—n. An′ecdotage, anecdotes collectively: garrulous old age.—adjs. An′ecdotal, Anecdot′ical, in the form of an anecdote. [Gr.; 'not published'—a, an, neg., and ekdotos, published—ek, out, and didonai, to give.]

Anelace. See Anlace.

Anelectrotonus, an′el-ek-trot′on-us, n. (phys.) the diminished excitability of a nerve near the anode of an electric current passing through it.—adj. An′elec′tric, parting readily with its electricity.—n. a body which readily gives up its electricity.—n. Anelec′trode, the positive pole of a galvanic battery.—adj. An′electrot′onic. [Gr. an, up, elektron, amber.]

Anemograph, a-nem′ō-graf, n. an instrument for measuring and recording the direction and velocity of the wind. [Gr. anemos, wind, graphein, to write.]

Anemometer, a-ne-mom′et-ėr, n. an instrument for measuring the velocity or pressure of the wind.—adj. Anemomet′ric.—n. Anemom′etry, the measurement of the force or velocity of the wind. [Gr. anemos, wind, and Meter.]

Anemone, a-nem′o-ne, n. a plant of the crowfoot family.—n. Sea′-anem′one, a popular name of Actinia and some allied genera of Actinoza. [Gr. anemōne, said to be from anemos, wind, because some of the species love exposed and wind-swept situations.]

An-end, an-end′, prep. phrase, to the end, continuously: upright.—Most an-end, almost always.

Anent, a-nent′, prep. and adv. in a line with: against: towards: in regard to, concerning, about. [Mainly prov. Eng. and Scot., M.E. anent—A.S. on- efen, 'on even with' (dat.).]

Aneroid, an′e-roid, adj. denoting a barometer by which the pressure of the air is measured without the use of quicksilver or other fluid.—n. a contr. of 'aneroid barometer.' [Fr.—Gr. a, neg., nēros, wet.]

Aneurism, an′ūr-izm, n. a soft tumour arising from the dilatation of an artery acting on a part weakened by disease or injury: (fig.) any abnormal enlargement—adjs. An′eurismal, An′eurismatic. [Gr. aneurysma—ana, up, eurys, wide.]

Anew, a-nū′, adv. afresh: again. [Of and New.]

Anfractuous, an-fract-ū′us, adj. winding, involved, circuitous.—n. Anfractuos′ity. [L. anfractuösus, anfract-us.]

Angel, ān′jel, n. a divine messenger: a ministering spirit: an attendant or guardian spirit: a person possessing the qualities attributed to such—gentleness, purity, &c.: one supposed to have a special commission, as the head of the Church in Rev. ii. and iii., or the angel of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, who corresponds in a limited sense to the bishop of other Christian denominations: (poet.) a messenger generally: in art, the conventional figure attributed to the angel—a figure of great beauty, youthful, clothed in flowing garments, with wings: an old Eng. coin = 10s., bearing the figure of an angel.—n. An′gel-fish, a voracious fish, allied to the shark, from six to eight feet long, with large, wing-like pectoral fins.—adjs. Angel′ic (an-), Angel′ical.—adv. Angel′ically.—ns. Angelol′atry (ān-), angel-worship; Angelol′ogy, the doctrine regarding angels; Angeloph′any, the manifestation of an angel to man. [Gr. angelos, a messenger.]

Angelica, an-jel′i-ka, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants, the roots and seeds of some species of which are used in making gin, bitters, &c.—the tender stalks and midribs of the leaves are candied and used as a confection: confections.—n. An′gel-wat′er, a perfumed liquid, at first made largely from angelica, then from ambergris, rose-water, orange-flower water, &c. [From their supposed magical properties.]

Angelus, an′je-lus, n. the 'Hail, Mary,' or prayer to the Virgin, containing the angelic salutation: the bell rung in Roman Catholic countries at morning, noon, and sunset, to invite the faithful to recite the Angelic Salutation. [From its first words, 'Angelus domini nuntiavit Mariæ.']

Anger, ang′ger, n. a strong emotion excited by a real or fancied injury, and involving a desire for retaliation.—v.t. to make angry: to irritate.—adj. An′gerless.—advs. An′gerly, a 17th-cent. form (still used in an archaic sense) for Angrily; Ang′rily.—n. Ang′riness.—adj. Ang′ry, excited with anger: inflamed: lowering. [Ice. angr; allied to Anguish.]

Angevin, an′je-vin, adj. pertaining to Anjou: relating to the Plantagenet house that reigned in England from 1154 to 1485, its first king, Henry II., being son of Geoffrey V., Count of Anjou, and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. of England. By some the term Angevin is only allowed until the loss of Anjou under John (1204); by others, till the deposition of Richard II. in 1399.

Angina, an-jī′na, n. any inflammatory affection of the throat, as quinsy, croup, &c.: usually in medical phraseology with adjective, as Angina rheumatica = rheumatic sore throat.—Angina pectoris, a disease of the heart marked by paroxysms of intense pain, beginning at the breastbone and radiating thence mainly towards the left shoulder and arm. [L. angĭna. See Anguish.]

Angiocarpous, an-ji-ō-kar′pus, adj. having the fruit in an envelope distinct from the calyx. [Gr. angeion, a case, karpos, fruit.]

Angiosperm, an′ji-o-sperm, n. a plant whose ovules or future seeds are enclosed in a closed ovary, and fertilised through the medium of a stigma, while in Gymnosperms the ovule is naked, and the pollen is applied directly to its surface.—adjs. Angiosperm′ous, Angiosperm′al, Angiosper′matous.

Angle, ang′gl, n. a corner: the point where two lines meet: (geom.) the inclination of two straight lines which meet, but are not in the same straight line: any outlying corner or nook.—adj. Ang′ular, having an angle or corner: (fig.) stiff in manner: the opposite of easy or graceful: bony and lean in figure.—n. Angular′ity.—adj. Ang′ulated, formed with angles. [Fr.—L. angulus; cog. with Gr. angkylos; both from root ank, to bend, seen also in Anchor, Ankle.]

Angle, ang′gl, n. a hook or bend: a fishing-rod with line and hook.—v.i. to fish with an angle.—v.t. to entice: to try to gain by some artifice.—ns. Ang′ler, one who fishes with an angle: a voracious fish about three feet long, not uncommon on British shores, and called also the Fishing-frog, the Sea-devil, and by the Scotch, Wide-gab; Ang′ling, the art or practice of fishing with a rod and line. [A.S. angel, a hook, allied to Anchor.]

Angles, ang′glz, n.pl. the Low German stock that settled in Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia.

Anglican, ang′glik-an, adj. English: belonging to, or characteristic of, the Church of England.—n. Ang′licanism, attachment to English institutions, esp. the English Church: the principles of the English Church.—v.t. Ang′licise, to express in English idiom.—n. Ang′licism, an English idiom or peculiarity of language.—v.t. Ang′lify, to make English.

Anglo-, ang′glo, pfx. English—used in composition, as Anglo-Saxon, &c.—ns. Ang′lo-Cath′olic, one who calls himself a Catholic of the Anglican pattern, refusing the name of 'Protestant;' used adjectively, as in 'Anglo-Catholic Library;' Ang′lo-Catho′licism.—adj. and n. Ang′lo-Sax′on, applied to the earliest form of the English language—the term Old English is now preferred. Properly it should have referred only to the Saxons of Wessex, Essex, Middlesex, and Sussex, as distinct from the Angles.—ns. Ang′lo-Sax′ondom; Anglo-Sax′onism.—Anglo-Israelite theory, an opinion held by not a few well-meaning persons, innocent of scientific ethnology, that the English are descended from the Israelites who were carried into captivity by the Assyrians under Sargon in 721 B.C.

Anglomania, ang′glo-mān′i-a, n. a mania for what is English: an indiscriminate admiration of English institutions.—ns. Ang′loman (rare), Ang′lomān′iac.

Anglophobia, ang-glō-fō′bi-a, n. fear and dislike of England.—ns. An′glophobe, Anglophō′bist.—adj. Anglophō′bic. [Fr. Anglophobe—L. Anglo-, English, Gr. phobein, to fear.]

Angora, ang-gō′ra, n. cloth made from the wool of the Angora goat.—Angora Wool, the long white silky hair of the Angora goat, highly valued in manufactures. [Angora, a city of Asia Minor, famous for its breed of goats.]

Angostura, ang-gos-tōō′ra, n. a town of Venezuela, on the Orinoco (renamed Ciudad Bolivar in 1819), giving its name to an aromatic bitter bark, valuable as a febrifuge and tonic.—Angostura bitters is an essence containing angostura, canella, cinchona, lemon peel, and other aromatics, but much of what is sold under that name contains no angostura, but consists mainly of cheretta or other simple tonic.

Angry. See Anger.

Anguine, ang′gwīn, adj. of or like a snake. [L. anguis, anguin-is, a snake.]

Anguish, ang′gwish, n. excessive pain of body or mind: agony.—n. Ang′uishment. [O. Fr. angoisse—L. angustia, a strait, straitness—ang-u-ĕre, to press tightly: to strangle. See Anger.]

Anharmonic, an-har-mon′ik, adj. not harmonic: in geometry, a term applied to the section of a line by four points, A, B, C, D, when their mutual distances are such that AB divided by CB is unequal to AD divided by CD; the ratio between these two quotients being called the anharmonic ratio of AC.

Anhelation, an-he-lā′shun, n. difficult respiration: shortness of breath. [L. anhelatio—anhelāre, from an, for amb, around, and hal-āre, to breathe.]

Anhungered. See Ahungered.

Anhydrous, an-hī′drus, adj. a term applied to a chemical substance free from water.—n.pl. Anhy′drides, a term now commonly given to the compounds formerly known as anhydrous acids—in some cases the result of the dehydration of acids, and in all cases representing in their composition the acid minus water.—n. Anhy′drite, a mineral consisting of anhydrous sulphate of lime, with some slight addition of sea-salt, appearing in several varieties—granular, fibrous, radiated and translucent, compact and of various shades—white, blue, gray, red. [Gr. a, an, neg., hydōr, water.]

Anight, a-nīt′, adv. (Shak.) of nights, at night. [Of and Night.]

Anil, an′il, n. a plant from whose leaves and stalks indigo is made. [Sp. anil; Ar. an-nil for al-nil, the indigo plant.]

Anile, an′īl, adj. old womanish: imbecile.—n. Anil′ity, imbecile dotage. [L. anus, an old woman.]

Aniline, an′il-in, n. a product of coal-tar extensively used in dyeing and other industrial arts. [Port. anil, indigo, from which it was first obtained.]

Animadvert, an-im-ad-vėrt′, v.i. to criticise or censure.—n. Animadver′sion, criticism, censure, or reproof. [L., to turn the mind to—animus, the mind, ad, to, and vertĕre, to turn.]

Animal, an′im-al, n. an organised being, having life, sensation, and voluntary motion—it is distinguished from a plant, which is organised and has life, but not sensation or voluntary motion: the name sometimes implies the absence of the higher faculties peculiar to man.—adj. of or belonging to animals: sensual.—n. Animalisā′tion, the act of converting into animal substance, or of endowing with animal attributes: brutalisation.—v.t. An′imalise, to endow with animal life: to convert into animal matter:—pr.p. an′imalīsing; pa.p. an′imalīsed.—n. An′imalism, the state of being actuated by animal appetites only: the exercise or enjoyment of animal life, as distinct from intellectual: brutishness: sensuality: (rare) a mere animal being.—adv. An′imally, physically merely.—Animal spirits, nervous force: exuberance of health and life: cheerful buoyancy of temper: (Milton) the spirit or principle of volition and sensation. [L.—anima, air, life, Gr. anemos, wind—aō, aēmi, Sans. an, to breathe, to blow.]

Animalcule, an-im-al′kūl, n. a small animal, esp. one that cannot be seen by the naked eye:—pl. Animal′cules, Animal′cula.—adj. Animal′cular. [L. animalculum, dim. of Animal.]

Animate, an′im-āt, v.t. to give life to: to enliven or inspirit: to actuate.—adj. living: possessing animal life.—adj. An′imated, lively: full of spirit: endowed with life.—adv. Animat′edly.—p.adj. An′imating.—adv. Animat′ingly.—ns. Animā′tion, liveliness: vigour; An′imator, he who, or that which, animates. [See Animal.]

Anime, an′im, n. the resin of the West Indian locust-tree—used also for other gums and resins. [Said to be Fr. animé, living, from the number of insects in it; but perhaps a native name.]

Animism, an′im-izm, n. a theory which regards the belief in separate spiritual existences as the germ of religious ideas. It is adopted by E. B. Tylor in his Primitive Culture as the minimum definition of religion, being considered to have arisen simply from the evidence of the senses, interpreted by the crude and child-like science of the savage: the theory of Stahl, which regarded the vital principle and the soul as identical.—n. An′imist.—adj. An′imistic. [L. anima, the soul.]

Animosity, an-im-os′i-ti, n. bitter hatred: enmity. [L. animositas, fullness of spirit.]

Animus, an′im-us, n. intention: actuating spirit: prejudice against. [L. animus, spirit, soul, as distinguished from anima, the mere life.]

Anise, an′is, n. an umbelliferous plant, the aromatic seeds of which are used in making cordials. The anise of Matt. xxiii. 23 (Gr. anēthon) is properly the dill.—ns. An′iseed; Anisette′, a cordial or liqueur prepared from anise seed. [Gr. anison.]

Anker, angk′ėr, n. a liquid measure used in Northern Europe, formerly in England, varying considerably—that of Rotterdam having a capacity of 10 old wine gallons, or 8⅓ imperial gallons. [Dut.]

Ankle, Ancle, angk′l, n. the joint connecting the foot and leg.—adj. Ank′led, having, or pertaining to ankles.—n. Ank′let, an ornament for the ankle. [A.S. ancléow, cog. with Ger. enkel, and conn. with Angle.]

Ankylosis. See Anchylosis.

Anlace, Anelace, an′lās, n. a short two-edged knife or dagger, tapering to a point, formerly worn at the girdle. [Low L. anelacius; perh. the old Welsh anglas.]

Anna, an′a, n. an Indian coin worth nominally 1½d sterling, but always the sixteenth part of a rupee. [Hind. ānā.]

Annals, an′alz, n.pl. records of events under the years in which they happened: any historical work that follows the order of time in its narrations, separating them off into single years, as the Annals of Tacitus: historical records generally: year-books.—v.t. Ann′alise, to write annals: to record.—n. Ann′alist, a writer of annals. [L. annales—annus, a year.]

Annat, an′at, Annate, an′āt, n. the first-fruits, or one year's income, or a specified portion of such, paid to the Pope by a bishop, abbot, or other ecclesiastic, on his appointment to a new see or benefice. It was abolished in England in 1534, and next year the right was annexed to the crown, the fund thus arising being administered for the benefit of the Church of England, afterwards transferred to the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, next to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: (Scots law) the half-year's stipend payable for the vacant half-year after the death of a parish minister, to which his family or nearest of kin have right under an act of 1672. [Low L. annata—L. annus, a year.]

Annatto. See Anatta.

Anneal, an-ēl′, v.t. to temper glass or metals by subjecting them to great heat and gradual cooling: to heat in order to fix colours on, as glass.—n. Anneal′ing. [Pfx. an-, and A.S. ælan, to burn.]

Annelida, an-el′i-da, n. a class of animals comprising the red-blooded worms, having a long body composed of numerous rings.—n. Ann′elid. [L. annellus, dim. of annulus, a ring.]

Annex, an-neks′, v.t. to add to the end: to join or attach: to take permanent possession of additional territory: to affix: append (with to).—n. something added: a supplementary building—often with the Fr. spelling annexe.—n. Annexā′tion, act of annexing.—n. and adj. Annexā′tionist.—ns. Annex′ion, Annex′ment (Shak.), addition: the thing annexed. [Fr. annexer—L. annex-um, annectĕre: ad, to, nect-ĕre, to tie.]

Annihilate, an-nī′hil-āt, v.t. to reduce to nothing: to put out of existence: to render null and void, to abrogate.—ns. Annihilā′tion, state of being reduced to nothing: act of destroying: (theol.) the destruction of soul as well as body; Annihilā′tionism, the belief that the soul dies with the body.—adj. Annihilā′tive.—n. Annihilā′tor, one who annihilates. [L. annihilatus, annihilāre; ad, to, nihil, nothing.]

Anniversary, an-ni-vėrs′ar-i, adj. returning or happening every year: annual.—n. the day of the year on which an event happened or is celebrated: the celebration proper to such, esp. a mass or religious service. [L. anniversarius; annus, a year, and vertĕre, versum, to turn.]

Annotate, an′not-āt, v.t. to make notes upon.—ns. An′notation, a note of explanation: comment; An′notator, a writer of notes, a commentator. [L. annotāre—ad, to, notāre, -ātum, to mark.]

Announce, an-nowns′, v.t. to declare: to give public notice of: to make known.—n. Announce′ment. [O. Fr. anoncer—L. annuntiāre—ad, to, nunti, -āre, to deliver news.]

Annoy, an-noi′, v.t. to trouble: to vex: to tease: to harm, esp. in military sense:—pr.p. annoy′ing; pa.p. annoyed′.—ns. Annoy (now poetic only), Annoy′ance, that which annoys.—adv. Annoy′ingly. [O. Fr. anoier (It. annoiare); noun, anoi (mod. ennui), acc. to Diez from L. phrase, in odio, as in 'est mihi in odio' = 'it is to me hateful.']

Annual, an′nū-al, adj. yearly: coming every year: requiring to be renewed every year: performed in a year.—n. a plant that lives out one year: a book published yearly, esp. applied to the sumptuous books, usually illustrated with good engravings, much in demand in the first half of the 19th century for Christmas, New Year, and birthday presents.—adv. An′nually. [Through Fr. from L. annualis—annus, a year.]

Annuity, an-nū′i-ti, n. a payment generally (but not necessarily) of uniform amount falling due in each year during a given term, such as a period of years or the life of an individual, the capital sum not being returnable.—n. Annū′itant, one who receives an annuity.—Certain annuity, one for a fixed term of years, subject to no contingency whatever; Contingent annuity, one that depends also on the continuance of some status, as the life of a person whose duration is calculated by the theory of probabilities. An annuity is usually held payable to the end of each year survived; but when, in addition, a proportion of the year's annuity is payable up to the day of death, the annuity is said to be Complete—the ordinary annuity being sometimes, for distinction, referred to as a Curtate annuity. When the first payment is due in advance, the annuity is known as an Annuity due; when the first payment is not to be made until the expiry of a certain number of years, it is called a Deferred or Reversionary annuity.

Annul, an-nul′, v.t. to make null, to reduce to nothing: to abolish:—pr.p. annul′ling; pa.p. annulled′.—n. Annul′ment, the act of annulling. [Fr. annuler—Low L. annullā-re, to make into nothing—L. ad-, to, nullus, none.]

Annular, an′nūl-ar, adj. ring-shaped.—adjs. An′nulate, An′nulated, formed or divided into rings.—ns. Annulā′tion, a ring or belt: a circular formation; An′nulet, a little ring: (archit.) a small flat fillet, encircling a column, &c., used either by itself or in connection with other mouldings: (her.) a little circle borne as a charge on coats of arms.—adj. An′nulose, having rings: composed of rings. [L. annularis; annulus or anulus, a ring—dim. of anus, a rounding or ring.]

Annunciation, an-nun-si-ā′shun, n. the act of announcing.—v.t. Annun′ciate, to proclaim.—n. Annunciā′tion-day, the anniversary of the Angel's salutation to the Virgin Mary, the 25th of March, Lady-day. [See Announce.]

Anode, an′ōd, n. a term in electrolysis introduced by Faraday to designate the positive pole, or that surface by which the galvanic current enters the body undergoing decomposition (electrolyte)—as opp. to Cathode, the negative pole. [Gr. ana, up, hodos, way.]

Anodyne, an′o-dīn, n. a medicine that allays pain, whether acting on the nerves and nerve terminations (aconite, belladonna, cocaine), on the brain (chloral, Indian hemp), or on all these parts (opium, bromide of potassium). [Gr.; a, an, neg., and odynē, pain.]

Anoint, an-oint′, v.t. to smear with ointment or oil: to consecrate with oil.—n. Anoint′ment, the act of anointing or state of being anointed.—The Anointed, the Messiah. [= an+oint. See Ointment.]

Anomaly, an-om′al-i, n. irregularity: deviation from rule: (astron.) the angle measured at the sun between a planet in any point of its orbit and the last perihelion.—adjs. Anomalist′ic, -al, anomalous: departing from established rules: irregular.—n. Anom′alite, an irregular mineral.—adj. Anom′alous, irregular: deviating from rule.—Anomalistic year, the interval that elapses between two successive passages of the earth through its perihelion, or point of nearest approach to the sun = 365 days 6 hr. 13 min. 49 sec., being 4 min. 39 sec. longer than the sidereal year. [Gr. anōmalos—a, an, neg., and homalos, even—homos, same.]

Anon, an-on′, adv. in one (instant): immediately.

Anonymous, an-on′im-us, adj. wanting a name: not having the name of the author, as distinguished from pseudonymous, when another than his real name has been given.—ns. An′onym, a person whose name is not given: a pseudonym; Anonym′ity, the quality or state of being anonymous.—adv. Anon′ymously. [Gr. anōnymos—a, an, neg., and onoma, name.]

Another, an-uth′ėr, adj. not the same: a different or distinct (thing or person): one more: a second: one more of the same kind: any other.—One another, now used as a compound reciprocal pronoun (of two or more); One with another, taken all together, taken on the average.—You're another, the vulgar Tu quoque. [Orig. an other.]

Anserine, an′sėr-īn, or -in, adj. relating to the goose or goose-tribe: stupid, silly. [L. anserinus, anser.]

Answer, an′sėr, v.t. to reply to: to satisfy or solve: to repay: to suit: to suffer the consequences of.—v.i. to reply: to reply favourably: to act in conformity with, as 'to answer the helm:' to be accountable for (with for): to correspond: to be advantageous to: to turn out well.—n. a reply: a solution.—adj. An′swerable, able to be answered: accountable: suitable: equivalent: proportional (with to).—adv. An′swerably.—n. An′swerer.—adv. An′swerless. [A.S. andswar-ian—andswaru; and-, against, swerian, to swear.]

Ant, ant, n. a small insect: the emmet or pismire.—ns. Ant′-bear, one of the largest species of the ant-eaters, found in the swampy regions in Central and Southern America, also called the Great Ant-eater; Ant′-cow (see Aphides); Ant′-eat′er, a genus of edentate South American quadrupeds, feeding on insects, and chiefly on ants, which they procure by means of their very long cylindrical tongue covered with a viscid saliva; Ant′-hill, the hillock raised by ants to form their nest: also figuratively applied, as to the earth; Ant′-thrush, a general name applied to birds of tropical and sub-tropical countries which feed to a large extent on ants. [A contr. of Emmet—A.S. æmete.]

An't, a contr. of aren't, are not; colloquial for am not, is not, has not.—An't = on't, on it (Shak.).

Antacid, ant-as′id, n. a medicine which counteracts acidity.—adj. possessing such quality. [Gr. anti, against, and Acid.]

Antagonism, ant-ag′on-izm, n. a contending or struggling against: opposition (with to, and also with).—n. Antagonisā′tion.—v.t. Antag′onise, to struggle violently against: to counteract the action of an opposite muscle.—p.adj. Antag′onised, made antagonistic, opposed beyond hope of reconciliation.—n. Antag′onist, one who contends or struggles with another: an opponent.—adjs. Antag′onist, Antagonist′ic, contending against: opposed to.—adv. Antagonis′tically. [Gr. anti, against—agōn, contest. See Agony.]

Antalkali, ant-al′ka-li, n. anything that counteracts the action of an alkali. [Ant- and Alkali.]

Antarctic, ant-ärkt′ik, adj. opposite the Arctic: relating to the south pole or to south polar regions.—adj. Antarct′ical.—adv. Antarct′ically (obs.). [Gr. anti, opposite, and Arctic.]

Antarthritic, ant-ar-thrit′ik, adj. counteracting gout. [Gr. anti, against, and Arthritic.]

Antasthmatic, ant-ast-mat′ik, adj. counteracting asthma. [Gr. anti, against, and Asthmatic.]

Antecedent, an-te-sēd′ent, adj. going before in time: prior.—n. that which precedes in time: (gram.) the noun or pronoun to which a relative pronoun refers: (logic) a statement or proposition from which another is logically deduced: (math.) the antecedent of a ratio is the first of two terms which compose the ratio—the first and third in a series of four proportionals: (pl.) previous principles, conduct, history, &c.—n. Anteced′ence.—adv. Anteced′ently. [L. antecedent-em; ante, before, cedĕre, cessum, to go.]

Antecessor, an-te-ses′sor, n. (rare) a predecessor.

Antechamber, an′te-chām-bėr, n. a chamber or room leading to the chief apartment. [Fr. anti-chambre, ante-chambre.]

Antechapel, an′te-cha-pl, n. the outer part of the west end of a college chapel. [L. ante, before, and Chapel.]

Antedate, an′te-dāt, n. a date assigned which is earlier than the actual date.—v.t. to date before the true time: to assign an event to an earlier date: to bring about at an earlier date: to be of previous date: to accelerate: to anticipate. [L. ante, before, and Date.]

Antediluvian, -al, an-te-di-lū′vi-an, -al, adj. existing or happening before the Deluge or Flood: resembling the state of things before the Flood: very old-fashioned, primitive.—adv. Antedilū′vially.—n. Antedilū′vian, one who lived before the Flood: one who lives to be very old. [See Deluge.]

Antefix, an′te-fiks, n. (usually in pl.) term in ancient architecture, used of the ornamental tiles placed on the eaves of buildings to conceal the ends of the common or roofing tiles:—pl. An′tefixes, An′tefixa.—adj. An′tefixal. [L. ante, before, in front, and fixum, figĕre, to fix.]

Antelope, an′te-lōp, n. a quadruped belonging to the hollow-horned section of the order of Ruminants, differing from the goat in its beardless chin—a gregarious, peaceable animal, remarkable for grace, agility, and swiftness. [O. Fr. antelop—L. antalopus—Gr. antholops, of which the origin is uncertain, perhaps from Gr. anthein, to blossom, shine, and ōps, eye, and thus equivalent to 'bright-eyes.']

Antelucan, an-te-lōō′kan, adj. before dawn or daylight. [L. antelucanus—ante, before, lux, luc-is, light.]

Antemeridian, an-te-me-ri′di-an, adj. before midday or noon. [See Meridian.]

Antemundane, an-te-mun′dān, adj. before the existence or creation of the world. [L. ante, before, and Mundane.]

Antenatal, an-te-nā′tal, adj. existing before birth.—n. An′te-na′ti, those born before a certain time, as opposed to Post′-na′ti, those born after it—of Scotsmen born before 1603, and Americans before the Declaration of Independence (1776). [L. ante, before, and Natal.]

Ante-nicene, an′te-nī′sēn, adj. before the first general council of the Christian Church held at Nice or Nicæa in Bithynia, 325 A.D.

Antennæ, an-ten′ē, n.pl. the feelers or horns of insects, crustaceans, and myriopods.—adjs. Antenn′al, Antenn′ary, Antenn′iform, Antennif′erous. [L. antenna, a sailyard, the L. translation of Aristotle's keraiai, horns of insects, a word also used of the projecting ends of sailyards.]

Antenuptial, an-te-nupsh′al, adj. before nuptials or marriage. [L. ante, before, and Nuptial.]

Anteorbital, an-te-or′bit-al, adj. situated in front of the eyes. [L. ante, before, and Orbit, eye-socket.]

Antepaschal, an-te-pas′kal, adj. relating to the time before Easter. [L. ante, before, and Paschal.]

Antepast, an′te-past, n. (obs.) something to whet the appetite: a foretaste. [L. ante, before, and pastum, pascĕre, to feed.]

Antependium, an-te-pend′i-um, n. a frontlet, forecloth, frontal, or covering for an altar, of silk, satin, or velvet, often richly embroidered. [L. ante, before, and pend-ĕre, to hang.]

Antepenult, an-te-pen′ult, n. the syllable before the penult or next ultimate syllable of a word: the last syllable of a word but two.—adj. Antepenult′imate. [L. ante, before, and Penult.]

Anteprandial, an-te-prand′i-al, adj. before dinner. [L. ante, before, and prandium, dinner.]

Anterior, an-tē′ri-or, adj. before, in time or place: in front.—ns. Anterior′ity, Antē′riorness.—adv. Antē′riorly. [L.; comp. of ante, before.]

Anteroom, an′te-rōōm, n. a room before another: a room leading into a principal apartment. [L. ante, before, and Room.]

Antevenient, an-te-vē′ni-ent, adj. coming before, preceding. [L. antevenient-em; ante, before, ven-īre, to come.]

Anthelion, ant-hēl′yun, n. a luminous coloured ring observed by a spectator on a cloud or fog-bank over against the sun:—pl. Anthel′ia. [Gr. anti, opposite, hēlios, the sun.]

Anthelmintic, an-thel-mint′ik, adj. destroying or expelling worms. [Gr. anti, against, and helmins, helminthos, a worm.]

Anthem, an′them, n. a piece of sacred music sung in alternate parts: a piece of sacred music set to a passage from Scripture: any song of praise or gladness.—v.t. to praise in an anthem.—adv. An′themwise. [A.S. antefn—Gr. antiphona—anti, in return, phōne, the voice. See Antiphon.]

Anther, an′thėr, n. the top of the stamen in a flower which contains the pollen or fertilising dust.—adjs. An′theral; Antherif′erous, bearing anthers; Anth′eroid, resembling an anther. [L. anthera, which meant a medicine extracted from flowers, and consisting esp. of the internal organs of flowers—Gr. anthēros, flowery—anthos, a flower.]

Antheridium, an-ther-id′i-um, n. the male reproductive organs of many cryptogams, as ferns, horse-tails, mosses, &c. [L. anthera, and -idium, Gr. dim. ending.]

Antherozooid, an-ther-o-zō′oid, n. a minute moving body in the antheridia of cryptogams. [L. anthera, and zooid—Gr. zōōeidēs, like an animal—zōon, animal, and eidos, shape.]

Anthocarpous, an-tho-kär′pus, adj. (bot.) bearing fruit resulting from many flowers, as the pine-apple. [From Gr. anthos, a flower, karpos, fruit.]

Anthoid, an′thoid, adj. flower-like. [Gr. anthos, a flower, and -eidēs, like.]

Antholite, an′tho-līt, n. a flower turned into stone, a fossil flower. [Gr. anthos, a flower, lithos, stone.]

Anthology, an-thol′oj-i, n. (lit.) a gathering or collection of flowers: a collection of poems or choice literary extracts, esp. epigrams, orig. applied to the collections of Greek epigrams so called.—adj. Antholog′ical. [Gr. anthos, a flower, legein, to gather.]

Anthomania, an-thō-mān′ya, n. a madness for flowers.——n. Anthomān′iac. [Gr. anthos, and mania, madness.]

Anthony (St), an′ton-i, the patron saint of swineherds: the smallest pig in a litter.—Anthony's fire, a popular name for erysipelas.

Anthozoa, an′tho-zō-a, n.pl. another name for Actinozoa, one of the three classes of Cœlenterates, including sea-anemones, corals, &c. [Gr. anthos, a flower, zōa, animals.]

Anthracene, an-thra-sēn′, n. a hydrocarbon obtained as one of the last products in the distillation of coal-tar, of value as the source of artificial alizarin. [Gr. anthrax, coal, and -ene.]

Anthracite, an′thras-īt, n. a kind of coal that burns nearly without flame, smell, or smoke, consisting almost entirely of carbon, and not readily ignited.—adjs. Anthracif′erous, yielding anthracite; Anthracit′ic.—n. Anthracit′ism. [Gr. anthrakitēs, coal-like—anthrax, coal.]

Anthrax, an′thraks, n. a widely distributed and very destructive disease, most common among sheep and cattle, the first infectious disease proved to be due to the presence of microscopic vegetable organisms (bacilli)—other names are Splenic Apoplexy, Splenic Fever, and as it occurs in man, Malignant Pustule and Woolsorter's Disease: a carbuncle or malignant boil.—adjs. Anthra′cic, An′thracoid. [L.—Gr. anthrax; coal, a carbuncle.]

Anthropical, an-throp′ik-al, adj. (rare) connected with human nature. [Gr. anthropikos, human, anthrōpos, man.]

Anthropinism, an-thrōp′in-ism, n. the looking at things in their relation to man. [Gr. anthropinos, human (anthrōpos), and -ism.]

Anthropocentric, an-thrō-po-sent′rik, adj. centring all the universe in man. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and kentron, centre.]

Anthropography, an-thro-pog′ra-fi, n. that branch of anthropology which treats of the human race according to its geographical distribution. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, graphia, description—graphein, to write.]

Anthropoid, an′throp-oid, adj. in the form of or resembling man.—n. the anthropoid ape, the highest and most man-like monkey.—adj. An′thropoidal. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, eidos, form.]

Anthropolatry, an-thro-pol′a-tri, n. the giving of divine honours to a human being, a term always employed in reproach. It was used by the Apollinarians against the orthodox Christians of the 4th and 5th centuries, with reference to the doctrine of the perfect human nature of Christ. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, latreia, worship.]

Anthropolite, an-throp′o-līt, n. human remains turned into stone, fossil human remains. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, lithos, stone.]

Anthropology, an-throp-ol′oj-i, n. the science of man, more especially considered as a social animal: the natural history of man in its widest sense, treating of his relation to the brutes, his evolution, the different races, &c.—adj. Anthropolog′ical.—adv. Anthropolog′ically.—n. Anthropol′ogist, one versed in anthropology. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and logos, discourse—legein, to say.]

Anthropometry, an-thrō-pom′et-ri, n. the measurement of the human body to discover its exact dimensions and the proportions of its parts, for comparison with its dimensions at different periods, or in different races and classes.—adj. Anthropomet′ric. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and metrein, to measure.]

Anthropomorphism, an-throp-o-morf′izm, n. the representation of the Deity in the form of man or with bodily parts: the ascription to the Deity of human affections and passions.—adj. Anthropomorph′ic.—v.t. Anthropomorph′ise, to regard as or render anthropomorphous.—ns. Anthropomorph′ist; Anthropomorph′ite; Anthropomorph′itism. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, morphē, form.]

Anthropomorphosis, an-thrō-po-morf-os′is, or -morf′os-is, n. transformation into human shape.—adj. Anthropomorph′ous, formed like or resembling man. [Gr. anthropomorphōsis—anthrōpos, man, and a verb of action, formed from morphē, shape.]

Anthropopathism, an-thro-pop′a-thizm, n. the ascription to the Deity of human passions and affections—also Anthropop′athy.—adj. Anthropopath′ic.—adv. Anthropopath′ically. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, pathos, suffering, passion.]

Anthropophagy, an-thro-pof′aj-i, n. cannibalism.—n.pl. Anthropoph′agi, man-eaters, cannibals.—ns. Anthropophagin′ian (Shak.) a cannibal; Anthropoph′agite.—adj. Anthropoph′agous. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, phag-ein, to eat.]

Anthropophuism, an-thrō-pof′ū-izm, n. the ascription of a human nature to the gods. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and phuē, nature, and -ism.]

Anthroposophy, an-thrō-pos′o-fi, n. the knowledge of the nature of men: human wisdom.—n. Anthropos′ophist, one furnished with the wisdom of men. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and sophia, wisdom.]

Anthropotomy, an-thrō-pot′om-i, n. anatomy of the human body. [Gr. anthrōpos, man, and temnein, to cut.]

Anti, ant′i, pfx. against, in opposition to, rivalling, simulating. It forms numerous derivatives, alike nouns and adjectives, as antichrist, antipope, anticlimax, anti-tobacconist; anti-Ritualistic, anti-Semite. [Gr. anti, against, instead of, &c.]

Antiar, an′ti-ar, n. the upas-tree (see Upas). [Jav. antjar.]

Anti-attrition, an′ti-at-trish′on, n. anything which counteracts attrition or friction—also figuratively. [Pfx. Anti- and Attrition.]

Antibilious, an′ti-bil′yus, adj. of use against biliousness. [Anti- and Bilious.]

Antiburgher, an-ti-burg′ėr, n. that section of the Scottish Secession Church which parted from the main body (the Burghers) in 1747, holding it unlawful to take the oath administered to burgesses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, because of the reference to 'the true religion presently professed within this realm.' They read into it an allusion to the Church as by law established, while others interpreted it as signifying simply the Protestant religion. [Anti- and Burgher.]

Antic, ant′ik, adj. grotesque: odd: ridiculous in shape, dress, &c.—n. a fantastic or ancient figure, caricaturing or combining grotesquely animal or vegetable forms, or both together: (Shak.) a grotesque pageant: a buffoon, clown, mountebank: a trick, mostly in pl.—v.t. (Shak.) to make grotesque.—v.i. An′ticize (Browning), to play antics. [It. antico, equivalent to It. grottesco, and orig. used of the fantastic decorations composed of human and other forms found in the remains of ancient Rome—L. antiquus.]

Anticatholic, an-ti-kath′o-lik, adj. opposed to what is Catholic. [Anti- and Catholic.]

Antichlor, an′ti-klōr, n. a substance used in the making of paper to free the pulp from the injurious after-effects of chlorine. [Anti- and Chlor-ine.]

Antichrist, an′ti-krīst, n. the great opposer of Christ and Christianity: the name of a great enemy of Christ always expected to appear by the early Church, applied by some to the Pope and his power.—adj. Antichristian (-krist′-), relating to Antichrist: opposed to Christianity.—n. Antichrist′ianism.—adv. Antichrist′ianly. [Gr.; anti, against, and Christ-os.]

Anticipate, an-tis′ip-āt, v.t. to be beforehand with (another person or thing), to forestall or preoccupy: to take in hand, or consider, before the due time: to foresee: realise beforehand, or count upon as certain: to expect.—v.t. and v.i. to accelerate: to occur earlier than.—adj. and n. Antic′ipant, anticipating, anticipative.—n. Anticipā′tion, act of anticipating: assignment to too early a time: foretaste: previous notion, or presentiment: expectation.—adjs. Anti′cipātive, Anti′cipātory.—advs. Anticipā′tively, Anticipā′torily (rare). [L. anticipāre, -ātum—ānte, before, cap-ĕre, to take.]

Anticivic, an-ti-siv′ik, adj. opposed to citizenship, esp. the conception of it engendered by the French Revolution.—n. Anticiv′ism.

Anticlimax, an-ti-klīm′aks, n. the opposite of climax: a sentence in which the ideas become less important towards the close: also of any descent as against a previous rise—e.g. Waller's

'Under the Tropicks is our language spoke,

And part of Flanders hath receiv'd our yoke.'

[Gr. anti, against, and Climax.]

Anticlinal, an-ti-klīn′al, adj. sloping in opposite directions.—n. (geol.) applied to strata which are inclined in opposite directions from a common axis—in a roof-like form. [Gr. anti, against, klin-ein, to lean.]

Anticyclone, an-ti-sī′klōn, n. name given to the rotatory flow of air from an atmospheric area of high pressure.—adj. Anticyclon′ic. [Anti- and Cyclone.]

Antidote, an′ti-dōt, n. that which is given against anything that would produce bad effects: a counter-poison: (fig.) anything that prevents evil (with against, for, to).—adj. An′tidotal. [Gr. antidotos—anti, against, didōmi, to give.]

Antient. See Ancient.

Antifebrile, an-ti-feb′rīl, adj. efficacious against fever.—n. a substance with such properties.—Also Antifebrif′ic.

Anti-federal, an-ti-fed′e-ral, adj. opposed to federalism; applied to the U.S. party whose fundamental principle was opposition to the strengthening of the national government at the expense of the States. Later names for the party were Republican, Democratic Republican, and Democratic alone.—ns. Anti-fed′eralism; Anti-fed′eralist.

Antifriction, an-ti-frik′shun, n. anything which prevents friction. [Anti- and Friction.]

Anti-Gallican, an-ti-gal′ik-an, adj. and n. opposed to what is French: or esp. opposed to the Gallican liberties of the French Church.—n. Anti-Gall′icanism. [Anti- and Gallican.]

Antigropelos, an-ti-grōp′el-os, n. waterproof leggings. [Said to be made up from Gr. anti, against, hygros, wet, and pēlos, mud. Prob. this barbarous word was orig. an advertisement.]

Antihelix, an′ti-hē-liks, n. the inner curved ridge of the pinna of the ear:—pl. Antihēl′ices.—Also An′thelix.

Anti-Jacobin, an′ti-jak′o-bin, adj. opposed to the Jacobins, a party in the French Revolution, hence an opponent of the French Revolution, or of democratic principles.—n. one opposed to the Jacobins: a weekly paper started in England in 1797 by Canning and others to refute the principles of the French Revolution.—n. An′ti-Jac′obinism. [Anti- and Jacobin.]

Antilegomena, an-ti-leg-om′en-a, n.pl. a term applied to those books of the New Testament not at first accepted by the whole Christian Church, but ultimately admitted into the Canon—the seven books of 2 Peter, James, Jude, Hebrews, 2 and 3 John, and the Apocalypse.—The other books were called Homologoumena, 'agreed to.' [Gr., lit. 'spoken against.']

Antilogarithm, an-ti-log′a-rithm, n. the complement of the logarithm of a sine, tangent, or secant. [Anti- and Logarithm.]

Antilogy, an-til′o-ji, n. a contradiction. [Gr. antilogia, contradiction, antilegein, to contradict.]

Antimacassar, an-ti-mak-as′ar, n. a covering for sofas, cushions, &c., to protect them from grease, esp. in the hair, also for ornament. [Anti- and Macassar.]

Antimask, Antimasque, an′ti-mask, n. a ridiculous interlude dividing the parts of the more serious mask. [Gr. anti, against, and Mask.]

Antimetabole, an-ti-me-tab′ol-e, n. (rhet.) a figure in which the same words or ideas are repeated in inverse order, as Quarles's 'Be wisely worldly, but not worldly wise.' [Gr.]

Antimetathesis, an′ti-me-tath′e-sis, n. inversion of the members of an antithesis, as in Crabbe's 'A poem is a speaking picture; a picture, a mute poem.' [Gr.]

Antimnemonic, an-ti-ne-mon′ik, adj. and n. tending to weaken the memory. [Anti- and Mnemonic.]

Antimonarchical, an-ti-mon-ark′i-kal, adj. opposed to monarchy and monarchical principles.—n. Antimon′archist. [Anti- and Monarchical.]

Antimony, an′ti-mun-i, n. a brittle, bluish-white metal of flaky, crystalline texture, much used in the arts and in medicine.—adjs. Antimōn′ial, Antimon′ic. [Through Fr. from Low L. antimonium, of unknown origin, prob. a corr. of some Arabic word.]

Anti-national, an-ti-nash′un-al, adj. hostile to one's nation.

Antinephritic, an-ti-ne-frit′ik, adj. acting against diseases of the kidney. [Gr. anti, against, and Nephritic.]

Antinomianism, an-ti-nōm′i-an-izm, n. the belief that Christians are emancipated by the gospel from the obligation to keep the moral law—a monstrous abuse and perversion of the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith, esp. applied to the party of Johann Agricola in the German Reformation.—n. and adj. Antinom′ian, against the law: pertaining to the Antinomians. [Gr. anti, against, nomos, a law.]

Antinomy, an′ti-nom-i, or an-tin′o-mi, n. a contradiction in a law: a conflict of authority: conclusions discrepant though apparently logical.—adjs. Antinō′mic, Antinō′mical. [Gr. anti, against, nomos, a law.]

Antinous, an-tin′ō-us, n. an ideal of youthful manly beauty, from the name of the favourite of the Roman emperor Hadrian so famous in ancient art.

Antiochian, an-ti-ō′ki-an, adj. of or pertaining to the city of Antioch, or the eclectic system in philosophy of Antiochus of Ascalon.—n. Antiō′chianism, a school of theology in the 4th and 5th centuries which spread over the whole Græco-Syrian Church, and was a revolt against the allegorical interpretation of Scripture favoured by the Alexandrian school.

Antiodontalgic, an-ti-ō-dont-alj′ik, adj. of use against toothache. [Gr. anti, against, odous, tooth, and algein, to suffer pain.]

Antipathy, an-tip′ath-i, n. dislike: repugnance: opposition: the object of antipathy (with against, to, between of persons).—adjs. Antipathet′ic, -al; Antipath′ic, belonging to antipathy: opposite: contrary.—n. Antip′athist, one possessed by an antipathy. [Gr. anti, against, pathos, feeling.]

Antiperiodic, an-ti-pē-ri-od′ik, adj. destroying the periodicity of diseases, such as ague, whose attacks recur at regular intervals: a drug with such an effect, esp. cinchona bark and its alkaloids (quinine), and arsenic.

Antiperistaltic, an-ti-per-i-stal′tik, adj. contrary to peristaltic motion: acting upwards. [Anti- and Peristaltic.]

Antiperistasis, an-ti-per-ist′a-sis, n. opposition of circumstances: resistance exerted against any train of circumstances. [Gr.; anti, against, and peristasis, a circumstance—peri, around, and histēmi, make to stand.]

Antiphlogistic, an-ti-floj-ist′ik, adj. of remedies acting against heat, or inflammation, as blood-letting, purgatives, low diet.—n. a medicine to allay inflammation. [Anti- and Phlogistic.]

Antiphon, an′tif-ōn, n. alternate chanting or singing: a species of sacred song, sung by two parties, each responding to the other—also Antiph′ony.—adj. Antiph′onal, pertaining to antiphony.—n. a book of antiphons or anthems—also Antiph′onary and Antiph′oner.—adjs. Antiphon′ic, Antiphon′ical, mutually responsive.—adv. Antiphon′ically. [Gr.; anti, in return, and phōnē, voice. A doublet of Anthem.]

Antiphrasis, an-tif′ra-sis, n. (rhet.) the use of words in a sense opposite to the true one.—adjs. Antiphras′tic, -al, involving antiphrasis: ironical.—adv. Antiphras′tically. [Gr.; anti, against, phrasis, speech.]

Antipodes, an-tip′od-ēz, n.pl. those living on the other side of the globe, and whose feet are thus opposite to ours: the inhabitants of any two opposite points of the globe: places on the earth's surface exactly opposite each other, the region opposite one's own: the exact opposite of a person or thing:—sing. An′tipode.—adjs. Antip′odal, Antipodē′an.—At antipodes, in direct opposition. [Gr. anti, opposite to, pous, podos, a foot.]

Antipole, an′ti-pōl, n. the opposite pole: direct opposite. [Anti- and Pole.]

Antipope, an′ti-pōp, n. a pontiff elected in opposition to one canonically chosen, e.g. those who resided at Avignon in the 13th and 14th centuries. [Gr. anti, against, and Pope.]

Antipopular, an-ti-pop′ū-lar, adj. adverse to the people or the popular cause. [Anti- and Popular.]

Antipyrin, an-ti-pī′rin, n. a white crystalline powder, tasteless, colourless, and soluble in water, obtained from coal-tar products by a complex process, with valuable qualities as a febrifuge, but not as an antiperiodic.—adj. Antipyret′ic.

Antiquary, an′ti-kwar-i, n. one who studies or collects old things, esp. the monuments and relics of the past—but not very ancient things, and rather from curiosity than archæological interest.—adj. (Shak.) ancient.—adj. and n. Antiquār′ian, connected with the study of antiquities, also one devoted to the study.—n. Antiquār′ianism. [See Antique.]

Antique, an-tēk′, adj. ancient: of a good old age, olden (now generally rhetorical in a good sense): old-fashioned, after the manner of the ancients.—n. anything very old: ancient relics: an American name for a kind of type of thick and bold face in which the lines are of equal thickness—Egyptian in England.—v.t. An′tiquate, to make antique, old, or obsolete: to put out of use:—pr.p. an′tiquāting; pa.p. an′tiquāted.—adj. An′tiquated, grown old, or out of fashion: obsolete: superannuated.—n. Antiquā′tion, the making obsolete: abrogation: obsoleteness.—adv. Antique′ly.—n. Antique′ness.—adj. Antiq′uish, somewhat antique.—The Antique, ancient work in art, the style of ancient art. [Fr.—L. antiquus, old, ancient—ante, before.]

Antiquity, an-tik′wi-ti, n. ancient times, esp. the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans: great age: (Shak.) old age, seniority: ancient style: the people of old time: (pl.) manners, customs, relics of ancient times.—n. Antiquitār′ian, one attached to the practices and opinions of antiquity. [Fr.—L. antiquitat-em—antiquus, ancient.]

Antirrhinum, an-tir-rī′num, n. the genus of plants to which Snapdragon belongs. [Neo-Latin, from Gr. anti, opposite, and ris, rinos, nose; from its resemblance to a beast's mouth.]

Antiscian, an-tish′i-an, adj. of or pertaining to people living on different sides of the equator, whose shadows at noon fall in opposite directions.—n.pl. Antis′ciī. [Gr.; anti, opposite, skia, a shadow.]

Antiscorbutic, an-ti-skor-būt′ik, adj. acting against scurvy.—n. a remedy for scurvy. [Gr. anti, against, and Scorbutic.]

Antiscriptural, an-ti-skrip′tūr-al, adj. opposed to Holy Scripture. [Anti- and Scriptural.]

Anti-Semites, an′ti-sem′īts, n.pl. the modern opponents of the Jews in Russia, Roumania, Hungary, and Eastern Germany.—adj. Antisemit′ic.

Antiseptic, an-ti-sept′ik, adj. and n. counteracting putrefaction and analogous fermentive changes: preventing moral decay.—adv. Antisept′ically. [Gr. anti, against, and sēpein, to rot.]

Antisocial, an-ti-sōsh′al, adj. opposed to the principles and usages of society. [Anti- and Social.]

Antispasmodic, an-ti-spaz-mod′ik, adj. opposing spasms or convulsions.—n. a remedy for spasms or convulsions. [Gr. anti, against, and Spasmodic.]

Antispast, an′ti-spast, n. in metre, a foot composed of an iambus and a trochee.—adj. Antispast′ic. [Gr. antispastos, antispa-ein, to draw into a contrary direction.]

Antistrophe, an-tis′trōf-e, n. (poet.) the returning movement from left to right in Greek choruses and dances, the movement of the strophe being from right to left: the stanza of a song alternating with the strophe: an inverse relation.—adj. Antistroph′ic, pertaining to the antistrophe. [Gr.; anti, against, and streph-ein, to turn.]

Antitheism, an-ti-thē′izm, n. the doctrine which denies the existence of a God.—n. Antithē′ist.—adj. Antitheist′ic.

Antithesis, an-tith′e-sis, n. a figure in which thoughts or words are set in contrast: a counter-thesis, counter-proposition: opposition: the contrast:—pl. Antith′esēs.—n. Ant′ithet (rare), an instance of antithesis.—adjs. Antithet′ic, -al.—adv. Antithet′ically. [Gr.; anti, against, tithēmi, to place.]

Antitoxin, an-ti-tok′sin, n. the name applied to substances present in the blood of an animal which neutralise the action of toxins or bacterial poisons.—adj. Antitox′ic.

Antitrade, an′ti-trād, n. a wind that blows in the opposite direction to the trade-wind—that is, in the northern hemisphere from south-west, and in the southern hemisphere from north-west.

Antitrinitarian, an-ti-trin-it-ār′i-an, n. and adj. opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity.—n. Antitrinitar′ianism.

Antitype, an′ti-tīp, n. that which corresponds to the type: that which is prefigured by the type, as Christ by the paschal lamb.—adjs. Antityp′al, -typ′ical.

Antler, ant′lėr, n. a bony outgrowth from the frontal bones of deer—restricted to males, except in the reindeer: branch of a stag's horn.—adj. Ant′lered. [O. Fr. antoillier—Late L. ant(e)ocular-em (ramum), the branch of a stag's horn in front of the eyes.]

Ant-lion, ant′-lī′on, n. the larva of an insect of the order Neuroptera, remarkable for the ingenuity of its insect-catching habits. [Trans. of Gr. murmēkoleōn in the Septuagint; murmēx, ant, leōn, lion.]

Antonomasia, ant-on-om-āz′i-a, n. a figure of speech which uses an epithet on the name of an office or attributive for a person's proper name, e.g. his lordship for an earl; and conversely, e.g. a Napoleon for a great conqueror. [Gr.; anti, instead, and onomazein, to name, onoma, a name.]

Antonym, ant′ō-nim, n. a word which is the opposite of another. [Gr. anti, against, onoma, a name.]

Antre, an′tėr, n. a cave or grotto. [Fr.; L. antrum, a cave.]

Anura, a-nū′ra, n.pl. tailless amphibia, as the frog and toad.—Also Anou′ra. [Gr. an-, priv., oura, tail.]

Anus, ān′us, n. the lower orifice of the bowels. [L., for as-nus, 'sitting-part,' from root as, to sit.]

Anvil, an′vil, n. an iron block on which smiths hammer metal into shape.—On or Upon the anvil, in preparation, under discussion. [A.S. anfilte, on filte; on, on, and a supposed filtan, to weld, appearing also in Felt.]

Anxious, angk′shus, adj. uneasy regarding something doubtful: solicitous.—n. Anxī′ety, state of being anxious—adv. An′xiously.—n. An′xiousness. [L. anxius—ang-ĕre, to press tightly. See Anger, Anguish.]

Any, en′ni, adj. one indefinitely: some: whoever. n. An′ybody, any single individual.—adv. Anyhow, in any way whatever: in any case, at least.—ns. An′ything, a thing indefinitely, as opposed to nothing: any whit, to any extent; Anythingā′rian, one with no beliefs in particular; Anythingā′rianism—advs. An′yway, An′yways, in any manner: anyhow: in any case; An′ywhere, An′ywhen, in any place whatever, at any time; An′ywise, in any manner, to any degree.—Any one, any single individual, anybody.—At any rate, whatever may happen, at all events.—If anything, if in any degree. [A.S. ænig—an, one.]

Aonian, ā-ō′ni-an, adj. pertaining to Aonia in Greece, or to the Muses supposed to dwell there.—Aonian fount, the fountain Aganippe, on a slope of Mount Helicon—the Æonian mount.

Aorist, ā′or-ist, n. the name of certain tenses in the Greek verb expressing indefinite time.—adj. Aorist′ic. [Gr. aoristos, indefinite—a, neg., and horistos, horizein, horos, a limit.]

Aorta, ā-or′ta, n. the great arterial trunk which, rising from the left ventricle of the heart, sends its branches ramifying through the whole body—in man subdivided into the arch, the thoracic aorta, and the abdominal aorta.—adjs. Aor′tal, Aor′tic. [Gr. aortē—aeir-ein, to raise up.]

Apace, a-pās′, adv. at a quick pace: swiftly: fast: said of the flight of time generally. [Prep. a, and Pace.]

Apagogic, -al, ap-a-goj′ik, -al, adj. proving indirectly by an apagoge or reduction to an absurdity, the truth of the thesis being evinced through the falsehood of its opposite—opposed to direct or ostensive proof. [Gr. apagōgē, leading away, abduction, apagein, to lead off.]

Apanage. See Appanage.

Apart, a-pärt′, adv. separately: aside: asunder, parted: separate: away from all employment: out of consideration, not considered for the moment (with from).—n. Apart′ness.—To set apart, to separate, consecrate. [Fr. à part—L. a parte, from the part or side.]

Apartment, a-pärt′ment, n. a separate room in a house occupied by a particular person or party: (arch.) a suite or set of such rooms—now in this sense the pl.: (obs.) a compartment.—adj. Apartment′al. [Fr. appartement, a suite of rooms forming a complete dwelling, through Low L., from L. ad, and partīre, to divide—pars, a part.]

Apathy, ap′ath-i, n. want of feeling: absence of passion: indifference.—adjs. Apathet′ic, Apathet′ical (rare).—adv. Apathet′ically. [Gr.; a, neg., pathos, feeling.]

Apatite, ap′a-tīt, n. a phosphate of lime of great variety of colour. [Gr. apatē, deceit, its form and colour being deceptive.]

Apay, a-pā′, v.t. (arch.) to satisfy, content: (obs.) to repay. [O. Fr. apayer, from L. ad, and pacāre pac-em, peace.]

Ape, āp, n. a monkey: a monkey without a tail or with a very short one: a simian proper, linking man and the lower animals, and hence termed Anthropoid—gorilla, chimpanzee, orang-outang, or gibbon: one who plays the ape, a silly imitator: (Shak.) an imitator in a good or neutral sense.—v.t. to imitate as an ape.—ns. Ape′dom; Ape′hood; Ap′ery, conduct of one who apes, any ape-like action: a colony of apes.—adj. Ap′ish, like an ape: imitative: foppish.—adv. Ap′ishly.—ns. Ap′ishness, Ap′ism (Carlyle).—God's ape, a born fool.—To lead apes in hell, believed to be the lot of old maids there; To make any one his ape, To put an ape in his hood (obs.), to make a fool of any one. [A.S. apa; Ger. affe.]

Apeak, Apeek, a-pēk′, adv. (naut.) vertical—the anchor is apeak when the cable is drawn so as to bring the ship's bow directly over it. [a, to, and Peak.]

Apelles, a-pel′ez, n. any consummate artist, from the great Greek painter Apelles, under Alexander the Great.

Apepsy, a-pep′si, Apepsia, a-pep′si-a, n. weakness of digestion. [Gr. apepsia, indigestion; a, priv., peptein, to digest.]

Aperçu, a-per′sōō, n. a summary exposition: a brief outline. [Fr. aperçu, pa.p. of apercevoir, to perceive.]

Aperient, a-pē′-ri-ent, adj. opening: mildly purgative.—n. any laxative medicine. [L. aperientem, aperīre, to open.]

Apert, a-pert′, adj. (arch.) open, public—opp. to Privy.—n. Apert′ness. [L. apert-um, pa.p. of aperīre, to open.]

Aperture, a′pėrt-ūr, n. an opening: the space through which light passes in an optical instrument: a hole. [L. apertura—aperīre, to open.]

Apetalous, a-pet′al-us, adj. (bot.) without petals. [Gr. a, neg., and petalon, a petal.]

Apex, ā′peks, n. the summit or point: the vertex of a triangle: the culminating point, climax of anything:—pl. Apexes (ā′peks-ez), Apices (ap′i-sēz). [L. apex, the peak of the flamen's cap.]

Aphæresis, Apheresis, a-fer′i-sis, n. (gram.) the taking away of a letter or syllable at the beginning of a word. [Gr. aphairesis, a taking away, apo, away, and haire-ein, to take.]

Aphaniptera, af-an-ip′tėr-a, n.pl. a small order of insects having but rudimentary scales in place of wings.—adj. Aphanip′terous. [Gr. aphanēs, invisible, pteron, wing.]

Aphasia, a-fā′zi-a, n. inability to express thought in words by reason of some brain disease: or, more widely still, the loss of the faculty of interchanging thought, without any affection of the intellect or will.—adj. Aphas′ic. [Gr.; a, neg., phasis, speech—phanai, to speak.]

Aphelion, a-fē′li-on, n. the point of a planet's orbit farthest away from the sun:—pl. Aphē′lia. [Gr. apo, from, hēlios, the sun.]

Apheliotropic, a-fē-li-o-trop′ik, adj. turning away from the sun. [Gr. apo, away, hēlios, sun, and tropikos, belonging to turning—trep-ein, to turn.]

Aphemia, a-fēm′i-a, n. loss of speech caused by difficulty in articulation due to paralysis. [Gr. a, neg., and phēmē, voice, fame—phanai, to speak.]

Apheresis. See Aphæresis.

Aphesis, af′es-is, n. the gradual loss of an unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word, as in squire = esquire—a special form of Aphæresis.—adj. Aphet′ic. [Coined by Dr Murray. Gr.]

Aphis, ā′fis, n. a family of small 'plant-lice' belonging to the order of hemipterous insects, occurring in temperate regions as parasites on the roots, leaves, stems, &c. of plants. Some kinds are tended, protected, and imprisoned by ants for the 'honey-dew' which they secrete, hence called Ant-cows:—pl. Aphides (af′i-dēz).—adj. and n. Aphid′ian. [Ety. unknown; one conjecture connects the word with Gr. apheideis, unsparing (a, neg., and pheidomai, to spare), from the remarkable rapidity of propagation.]

Aphony, af-on-i, n. loss of voice: dumbness—the more common form is Aphō′nia.—adjs. Aphon′ic, Aphon′ous, voiceless. [Gr. a, neg., phōnē, voice.]

Aphorism, af′or-izm, n. a concise statement of a principle in any science: a brief, pithy saying: an adage.—v.t. and v.i. Aph′orise, to coin or use aphorisms.—ns. Aph′oriser; Aph′orist, a writer of aphorisms.—adj. Aphoris′tic, in the form of an aphorism.—adv. Aphorist′ically. [Gr. aphorizein, to mark off by boundaries—apo, from, and horos, a limit.]

Aphrodisiac, af-ro-diz′-i-ak, adj. exciting to sexual intercourse.—n. that which excites to sexual intercourse.—adj. Aphrodis′ian, belonging to Venus, devoted to sensual love. [Gr. aphrodisiakos—Aphroditē, Venus, the goddess of love.]

Aphthæ, af′thē, n.pl. small whitish ulcers on the surface of a mucous membrane. [Gr. aphtha, mostly in pl. aphthai, usually connected with hapt-ein, to set on fire.]

Aphyllous, a-fil′us, adj. (bot.) destitute of leaves. [Gr. a, neg., phyllon, a leaf.]

Apiary, āp′i-ar-i, n. a place where bees are kept.—adjs. Apiar′ian, Ap′ian, relating to bees or bee-keeping.—n. Ap′iarist, one who keeps an apiary: one who studies the habits of bees. [L. apiarium—apis, a bee.]

Apical, ap′ik-al, adj. relating to the apex, or top.—adv. Ap′ically. [See Apex.]

Apices. See Apex.

Apician, a-pish′yan, adj. relating to Apicius, the Roman epicurean in the time of Tiberius: luxurious and expensive in diet.

Apiculture, ā′pi-cult-ūr, n. bee-keeping. [L. apis, bee, and cultura, keeping—colĕre, to keep.]

Apiece, a-pēs′, adv. for each piece, thing, or person: to each individually.—adv. Apiec′es (obs.), in pieces.

Apinch, a-pinsh′, adv. pinching, so as to pinch. [Prep. a, and Pinch.]

Aplacental, ap-la-sen′tal, adj. having no placenta. [a and Placental. See Placenta.]

Aplomb, a-plom′, n. the perpendicular, perpendicularity: self-possession, coolness. [Fr. aplomb, perpendicular position—à plomb, according to plummet.]

Aplustre, ap-lus′tėr, n. the ornament rising above the stern of ancient ships, often a sheaf of volutes. [L.—Gr. aphlaston.]

Apnœa, ap-nē′a, n. a cessation of breathing. [Gr. apnoia.]

Apocalypse, a-pok′al-ips, n. the name of the last book of the New Testament containing the 'revelation' granted to St John: any revelation or disclosure.—ns. Apoc′alypst, Apoc′alypt, a revealer of the future.—adjs. Apocalypt′ic, -al.—adv. Apocalypt′ically.—n. Apocalypt′ist, the writer of the Apocalypse.—Apocalyptic number, the mystical number 666, spoken of in the Apocalypse. The best solution of the riddle is Neron Kesar—Hebrew form of the Latin Nero Cæsar. The vowels e and a are not expressed in the ancient Hebrew writing: accordingly NeRON KeSaR gives

N R O N K S R

50 + 200 + 6 + 50 + 100 + 60 + 200 = 666.

[Gr.; a revelation, an uncovering—apo, from, kalypt-ein, to cover.]

Apocarpous, ap-o-kär′pus, adj. (bot.) having the carpels distinct. [Gr. apo, from, karpos, fruit.]

Apocatastasis, a-po-ka-tast′a-sis, n. (theol.) the final restitution of all things, when at the appearance of the Messiah the kingdom of God shall be extended over the whole earth—an idea extended by Origen to imply the final conversion and salvation of all created beings, the devil and his angels not excepted. [Gr.; apo-kathistanai, to set up again.]

Apocopate, a-pok′o-pāt, v.t. to cut off the last letter or syllable of a word:—pr.p. apoc′opāting; pa.p. apoc′opāted.—ns. Apocopā′tion; Apocope (a-pok′op-ē), n. the cutting off of the last letter or syllable of a word. [Gr. apo, off, koptein, to cut.]

Apocrypha, a-pok′rif-a, n. as applied to religious writings = (1) those suitable for the initiated only; (2) those of unknown date and origin; (3) those which are spurious—the term generally means the fourteen books or parts of books known as the Apocrypha of the Old Testament—found in the Septuagint but not the Hebrew or Palestinian canon:—(1) First, or Third, Esdras; (2) Second, or Fourth, Esdras; (3) Tobit; (4) Judith; (5) the parts of Esther not found in Hebrew or Chaldee; (6) The Wisdom of Solomon; (7) The Wisdom of Jesus, the son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus; (8) Baruch; (9) The Song of the Three Holy Children; (10) The History of Susannah; (11) Bel and the Dragon; (12) The Prayer of Manasses, king of Judah; (13) First Maccabees; (14) Second Maccabees. The Apocryphal books of the New Testament, as the Protevangelium of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gesta Pilati, &c., stand on quite a different footing, never having been accepted by any as canonical, or in any way authoritative: hidden or secret things.—adj. Apoc′ryphal, of doubtful authority. [Gr., 'things hidden'—apo, from, krypt-ein, to hide.]

Apodal, ap′od-al, adj. without feet: without ventral fins. [Gr. a, neg., pous, podos, a foot.]

Apodeictic, a-po-dīk′tik, adj. a logical term signifying a proposition which is necessarily true—demonstrative without demonstration, beyond contradiction—opp. to Dialectic.—adj. Apodeic′tical.—adv. Apodeic′tically. [Gr. apodeiktikos—apodeiknunai (apo and deiknunai), to show off, demonstrate.]

Apodiabolosis, a-po-di-a-bol′o-sis, n. (rare—Hare) lowering to the rank of a devil. [Gr. apo, and diabolos, devil. Formed like Apotheosis.]

Apodosis, a-pod′o-sis, n. (gram.) the consequent clause in a conditional sentence, as opp. to the Protasis. [Gr.; apo, back, didonai, to give.]

Apodyterium, a-po-di-tēr′i-um, n. the apartment in an ancient bath where the clothes were deposited. [Gr.; apodyein (apo, from, and dy-ein), to undress.]

Apogee, ap′o-jē, n. properly the greatest distance of the earth from any of the heavenly bodies (the earth being regarded as the centre of the universe in the old Ptolemaic astronomy), now restricted to the sun and moon, the sun's apogee corresponding to the earth's aphelion, and the moon's being the point of its orbit farthest from the earth: the highest point, climax—opp. to Perigee.—adjs. Apogæ′ic, Apogē′an; Apogeotrop′ic, turning away from the ground (of leaves, &c.).—adv. Apogeotrop′ically.—n. Apogeōt′ropism. [Gr. apogaion; apo, from, gē, the earth.]

Apograph, a′po-graf, n. an exact copy. [Gr. apographon, a copy—apo-graph-ein, to write off, copy.]

Apolaustic, a-po-law′stik, adj. devoted to the search of enjoyment.—n. the philosophy of the pleasurable. [Gr. apolaustikos—apolau-ein, to enjoy.]

Apollinarianism, a-pol-i-nā′ri-an-izm, n. the doctrine that the Logos, or divine nature in Christ, took the place of the rational human soul or mind, and that the body of Christ was a spiritualised and glorified form of humanity—taught by Apollinaris the younger, Bishop of Laodicea in Syria (died 390 A.D.), condemned as denying the true human nature of Christ by the second Œcumenical Council at Constantinople (381).—adj. Apollinā′rian.

Apollonian, a-po-lōn′i-an, adj. having the characteristics of Apollo, sun-god of the Greeks and Romans, patron of poetry and music: named from Apollonius of Perga, who studied conic sections in the time of Ptolemy Philopator.—Also Apollon′ic.

Apollonicon, a-pol-ōn′i-kon, n. a chamber organ of vast power, supplied with both keys and barrels, first exhibited in 1817. [Formed from Apollonic, as harmonicon from harmonic.]

Apollyon, a-pol′yun, n. the destroyer: Satan (same as Abaddon, Rev. ix. 11). [Gr. apollyōn, destroying utterly; apolly-ein, apo-, and ollynai, to destroy.]

Apologetic, -al, a-pol-oj-et′ik, -al, adj. excusing: regretfully acknowledging: said or written in defence.—adv. Apologet′ically.—n. Apologet′ics, that branch of theology concerned with the defence of Christianity. It falls under the two heads of natural and revealed theology—in the former it proves the existence of God, of the soul in man, a future state; in the latter, the canonicity, inspiration, and trustworthiness of Scripture.

Apologue, a′pol-og, n. a fable, parable, or short allegorical story, intended to serve as a pleasant vehicle for some moral doctrine—applied more particularly to one in which the actors are animals or inanimate things, e.g. the apologue of Jotham in Judges, ix. 7-15. [Fr.—Gr. apologos, a fable—apo, from, logos, speech.]

Apology, a-pol′oj-i, n. something spoken to ward off an attack: a defence or justification: frank acknowledgment of an offence: a poor substitute (with for; of is obsolete).—v.i. Apol′ogise, to make excuse: to express regret for a fault (with for).—n. Apol′ogist, one who makes an apology: a defender by argument. [Gr.; apo, from, -logia, speaking—leg-ein, to speak.]

Apomorphia, a-po-morf′i-a, n. an alkaloid prepared from morphia by heating hydrochloric acid—a rapid and powerful emetic. [Gr. apo, from, and Morphia.]

Apoop, a-pōōp′, adv. on the poop, astern.

Apopetalous, ap-o-pet′al-us, adj. (bot.) having distinct or free petals. [Gr. apo, away, and petalon, a leaf.]

Apophlegmatic, a-po-fleg-mat′ik, adj. and n. promoting the removal of phlegm. [Gr. apo-, and Phlegmatic.]

Apophthegm, Apothegm, a′po-them, n. a pithy saying, more short, pointed, and practical than the aphorism need be, e.g. 'God helps them that help themselves.'—-adjs. Apophthegmat′ic, -al, pertaining to the nature of an apophthegm, pithy, sententious.—adv. Apophthegmat′ically.—v.i. Apophtheg′matise, to speak in apophthegms.—n. Apophtheg′matist. [Gr. apophthegma—apo, forth, and phthengesthai, to utter.]

Apoplexy, a′po-pleks-i, n. loss of sensation and of motion by a sudden stroke, generally applied by modern medical writers to rupture of a blood-vessel, with hemorrhage in the brain or its membranes, whether with or without consciousness—also figuratively.—adjs. Apoplec′tic, -al, pertaining to or causing apoplexy: suffering from, or likely to suffer from, apoplexy.—adv. Apoplec′tically.—n. Ap′oplex (arch.), apoplexy.—adj. Ap′oplexed (Shak.), affected with apoplexy. [Gr. apoplēxia—apo, from, away, and plēss-ein, to strike.]

Aposiopesis, a-po-si-o-pē′sis, n. a figure by which the speaker suddenly stops as though unable or unwilling to proceed, e.g. Virgil, Æneid, i. 135, 'Quos ego——' [Gr.;—apo-siōpa-ein, to keep silent, apo and siōpē, silence.]

Apostasy, Apostacy, a-post′a-si, n. abandonment of one's religion, principles, or party: a revolt from ecclesiastical obedience, from a religious profession, or from holy orders.—n. Apost′ate, one guilty of apostasy: a renegade from his faith from unworthy motives.—adj. false: traitorous: fallen.—adjs. Apostat′ic, -al.—v.i. Apost′atise. [Gr. 'a standing away;' apo, from, stasis, a standing.]

A posteriori, ā pos-tē-ri-ō′ri, adj. applied to reasoning from experience, from effect to cause, as opposed to a priori reasoning, from cause to effect: empirical: gained from experience. Synthetic and analytic, deductive and inductive, correspond in a general way to a priori and a posteriori. [L. a = ab, from, posteriori, abl. of posterior, comp. of posterus, after.]

Apostil, -ille, a-pos′til, n. a marginal note. [Fr. apostille. See Postil.]

Apostle, a-pos′l, n. one sent to preach the gospel: specially, one of the twelve disciples of Christ: the founder of the Christian Church in a country, e.g. Augustine, the apostle of the English; Columba, of the Scots; Boniface, of Germany, &c.: the principal champion or supporter of a new system, or of some cause: the highest in the fourfold ministry of the Catholic and Apostolic Church: one of the twelve officials forming a presiding high council in the Mormon Church.—ns. Apos′tleship, the office or dignity of an apostle; Apost′olate, the office of an apostle: leadership in a propaganda.—adjs. Apostol′ic, -al.—ns. Apostol′icism, profession of apostolicity; Apostolic′ity, the quality of being apostolic—Apostles' creed, the oldest form of Christian creed that exists, early ascribed to the apostles, and indeed substantially, if not strictly, apostolic; Apostle spoons, silver spoons with handles ending in figures of the apostles, a common baptismal present in the 16th and 17th centuries; Apostles, Teaching of the Twelve—often called merely the Didachē (Gr. 'teaching')—the title of a treatise discovered in 1883 on Christian doctrine and government, closely connected with the last two books (vii.-viii.) of the Apostolic Constitutions.—Apostolic Constitutions and Canons, notes of ecclesiastical customs held to be apostolical, written in the form of apostolic precepts, and erroneously ascribed by tradition to Clement of Rome; Apostolic Fathers, the immediate disciples and fellow-labourers of the apostles, more especially those who have left writings behind them (Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Hermas, Polycarp); Apostolic see, the see of Rome; Apostolic Vicar, the cardinal representing the Pope in extraordinary missions.—Apostolical succession, the derivation of holy orders by an assumed unbroken chain of transmission from the apostles through their natural successors, the bishops—the theory of the Catholic Church: the assumption that a ministry so ordained enjoy the succession of apostolic powers and privileges. [Gr.; one sent away, apo, away, stell-ein, to send.]

Apostrophe, a-pos′trof-e, n. (rhet.) a sudden turning away from the ordinary course of a speech to address some person or object present or absent, explained by Quintilian as addressed to a person present, but extended by modern use to the absent or dead: a mark (') showing the omission of a letter or letters in a word, also a sign of the modern Eng. genitive or possessive case—orig. a mere mark of the dropping of the letter e in writing.—adj. Apostroph′ic.—v.t. Apos′trophise, to address by apostrophe. [Gr. apo, from, and Strophe, a turning.]

Apothecary, a-poth′ek-ar-i, n. one who prepares and sells drugs for medicinal purposes—a term long since substituted by druggist, although still a legal description for licentiates of the Apothecaries' Society of London, or of the Apothecaries' Hall of Ireland. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. apothēkē, a storehouse—apo, away, and tithe-nai, to place.]

Apothecium, ap-ō-thē′si-um, n. the spore-case in lichens. [Gr. apothēkē, a storehouse. See Apothecary.]

Apothegm. See Apophthegm.

Apotheosis, a-po-thē′o-sis, or a-po-the-ō′sis, n. deification, esp. the formal attribution of divine honours to a deceased Roman emperor, or special object of the imperial favour—a logical corollary to the worship of ancestors, degenerating naturally by anticipation into the adoration of the living: the glorification of a principle or person: ascension to glory, release from earthly life: resurrection.—v.i. Apothē′osise, Apoth′eosise. [Gr.; apotheo-ein, apo, away from what he was, theos, a god.]

Apozem, a′po-zem, n. a decoction or infusion. [Gr. apozema—apo, off, and ze-ein, to boil.]

Appal, ap-pawl′, v.i. (Spens.) to wax faint, fail, decay.—v.t. and v.i. (obs.) to dim, weaken: to terrify, dismay:—pr.p. appal′ling; pa.p. appalled′.—p.adj. Appal′ling, shocking.—adv. Appal′lingly. [Perh. from O. Fr. apalir, apallir, to wax pale, also to make pale. See Pall and Pale.]

Appanage, Apanage, ap′pan-āj, n. the assignation or conveyance by the crown of lands and feudal rights to the princes of the royal family, a provision for younger sons, a dependency: any perquisite: an adjunct or attribute.—p.adj. Ap′panaged, endowed with an appanage. [Fr. apanage—L. ad, and pan-is, bread.]

Apparatus, ap-par-ā′tus, n. things prepared or provided, material: set of instruments, tools, natural organs, &c.: materials for the critical study of a document. [L.; ad, to, parātus (parāre), prepared.]

Apparel, ap-par′el, n. covering for the body, dress: aspect, guise: (arch.) the rigging of a ship.—v.t. to dress, adorn:—pr.p. appar′elling or appar′eling; pa.p. appar′elled or appar′eled.—ns. Appar′elling, Appar′eling. [O. Fr. apareiller, through obscure Low L. forms from L. par, equal, like.]

Apparent, ap-pār′ent, adj. that may be seen: evident: palpable: seeming, as opposed to what really is: (Shak.) by ellipsis for heir-apparent.—adv. Appar′ently.—ns. Appar′entness; Heir′-appar′ent, applied to one who will undoubtedly inherit if he survives the present possessor. [Through Fr. from L. apparent-em, apparē-re.]

Apparition, ap-par-ish′un, n. an appearance—of a visitor, a comet, the appearance in history: an immaterial appearance—of a spirit of the departed, as of a real being, a ghost: (astron.) the first appearance of a celestial body after occultation.—adj. Appari′tional. [See Appear.]

Apparitor, ap-par′it-or, n. an officer who attends on a court, or on a magistrate, to execute orders: still applied to the officer of an archiepiscopal, episcopal, archidiaconal, or other ecclesiastical court, sometimes to the beadle of a university bearing the mace: (rare) one who appears. [L. See Appear.]

Appay, ap-pā′, v.t. See Apay.

Appeach, ap-pēch′, v.t. (obs.) to accuse, censure, or impeach.—n. Appeach′ment. [O. Fr. empechier—L. impedicāre, to catch by the feet—in, in, and pedica, a fetter. See Impeach.]

Appeal, ap-pēl′, v.i. to call upon, have recourse to (with to): to refer (to a witness or superior authority): make supplication or earnest request to a person for a thing: to resort for verification or proof to some principle or person.—v.t. to remove a cause (to another court).—n. act of appealing: a supplication: removal of a cause to a higher tribunal.—adjs. Appeal′able; Appeal′ing, relating to appeals.—adv. Appeal′ingly.—n. Appeal′ingness. [O. Fr. apeler—appellāre, -ātum, to address, call by name; also to appeal to, impeach.]

Appear, ap-pēr′, v.i. to become visible: to present one's self formally before an authority or tribunal, hence to act as the representative or counsel for another: to be manifest: to be in one's opinion, to seem: to come into view, to come before the public, to be published (of a book): to seem though not real.—ns. Appear′ance, the act of appearing, e.g. in court to prosecute or answer a charge: the publication of a book: the effect of appearing conspicuously, show, parade: the condition of that which appears, form, aspect: outward look or show: a natural phenomenon: an apparition; Appear′er, one that appears: one who puts in an appearance in court.—It appears (impers.).—To all appearance, so far as appears to any one; To keep up appearances, to keep up an outward show with intent to conceal the absence of the inward reality; To put in an appearance, to appear in person. [Through Fr. from L. apparē-re—ad, to, parēre, paritum, to come forth.]

Appease, ap-pēz′, v.t. to pacify: propitiate one who is angry: to quiet: to allay: to pacify by granting demands.—adj. Appeas′able.—n. Appease′ment, the action of appeasing: the state of being appeased.—adv. Appeas′ingly. [O. Fr. apese-r, to bring to peace—L. pac-em, peace.]

Appellant, ap-pel′ant, n. one who makes an appeal from the decision of a lower court to a higher: one who makes earnest entreaty of any kind: (obs.) one who challenges another to single combat: one of the clergy in the Jansenist controversy who rejected the bull Unigenitus issued in 1713, appealing to a pope 'better informed,' or to a general council.—adj. Appell′ate, relating to appeals. [See Appeal.]

Appellation, ap-pel-ā′shun, n. that by which anything is called: a name, especially one attached to a particular person.—adj. Appellā′tional.—n. Appell′ative, a name common to all of the same kind, as distinguished from a proper name: a designation.—adj. common to many: general: of or pertaining to the giving of names.—adv. Appell′atively. [See Appeal.]

Append, ap-pend′, v.t. to hang one thing to another: to add.—n. Append′age, something appended.—adj. Append′ant, attached, annexed, consequent.—n. an adjunct, quality.—n. Appendicī′tis, inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the cæcum.—adj. Appendic′ular, of the nature of or belonging to an appendix.—n. Appendiculā′ria, a genus of Ascidians whose members retain the larval vertebrate characters which are lost in the more or less degenerate sea-squirts.—adj. Appendic′ulate, furnished with appendages.—n. Append′ix, something appended or added: a supplement: an addition to a book or document, containing matter explanatory, but not essential to its completeness: (anat.) a process, prolongation, or projection:—pl. Append′ixes, Append′ices.—Appendix auriculæ, the appendix of the auricle of the heart; Appendices epiploicæ, saccular processes, containing fat attached to the serous covering of the large intestine; Appendix vermiformis, or Vermiform appendix, a blind process terminating the cæcum in man. [L. ad, to, pendĕre, to hang.]

Appentice, a-pen′tis, n. (archit.) a pent-house.

Apperception, ap-er-sep′shun, n. the mind's perception of itself as a conscious agent: an act of voluntary consciousness, accompanied with self-consciousness.

Apperil, a-per′il, n. (Shak.) peril. [L. ad, and Peril.]

Appertain, ap-pėr-tān′, v.i. to belong to, as a possession, a right, or attribute.—n. Apper′tainance.—p.adj. Appertain′ing, proper, appropriate (with to).—n. Appertain′ment (Shak.), that which appertains to any rank or dignity.—adj. Apper′tinent, pertaining or belonging to.—n. (Shak.) that which pertains to anything else. [Through Fr. from L. ad, to, pertinē-re, to belong. See Pertain.]

Appetency, ap′pet-ens-i, n. a seeking after: craving or appetite: desire, especially sensual desire—also Ap′petence.—adj. Ap′petent. [L. appetent-em, appetĕre—ad, to, petĕre, to seek.]

Appetite, ap′pet-īt, n. physical craving, accompanied with uneasy sensation (hunger, thirst, sex): natural desire: inclination: desire for food: hunger (with for).—adjs. Ap′petible, Ap′petitive.—v.t. Ap′petise, to create or whet appetite.—ns. Appetise′ment; Appetis′er, something which whets the appetite.—p.adj. Appetis′ing.—adv. Appetis′ingly. [Through Fr., from L. appetitus, appetĕre.]

Applaud, ap-plawd′, v.t. to praise by clapping the hands: to praise loudly: to express loudly approval of anything: to extol.—n. Applaud′er.—p.adj. Applaud′ing.—adv. Applaud′ingly.—n. Applause′, praise loudly expressed: acclamation.—adj. Applaus′ive.—adv. Applaus′ively. [L. applaud-ĕre—ad, to, plaudĕre, plausum, to clap. See Explode.]

Apple, ap′l, n. the fruit of the apple-tree.—ns. Ap′ple-blight, the rotting substances found on apple-trees, caused by the Apple-aphis (see Aphis); Ap′ple-John (Shak.) a variety of apple considered to be in perfection when shrivelled and withered—also John′-ap′ple; Ap′ple-pie, a pie made with apples; Ap′ple-wife, Ap′ple-wom′an, a woman who sells apples at a stall.—Apple of discord, any cause of envy and contention, from the golden apple inscribed 'for the fairest,' thrown by Eris, goddess of discord, into the assembly of the gods, and claimed by Aphrodite (Venus), Pallas (Minerva), and Hera (Juno). The dispute being referred to Paris of Troy, he decided in favour of Aphrodite, to the undying and fatal wrath of Hera against his city; Apple of Sodom, or Dead Sea fruit, described by Josephus as fair to look upon, but turning, when touched, into ashes: any fair but disappointing thing; Apple of the eye, the eyeball: something especially dear; Apple-pie order, complete order. [A.S. æppel; cf. Ger. apfel, Ice. epli, Ir. abhal, W. afal.]

Appliqué, ap′lik-ā, n. work applied to, or laid on, another material, either of metal-work or of lace or the like. [Pa.p. of Fr. appliquer.]

Apply, ap-plī′, v.t. to lay or put to: to administer a remedy: to bring a general law to bear on particular circumstances: (obs.) to ascribe: to employ: to fix the mind on: to bring (a ship) to land.—v.i. to suit or agree: to have recourse to: to make request: (Milton) to assign or impute blame to:—pr.p. apply′ing; pa.p. applīed′.—adj. Applī′able, that may be applied: compliant, well disposed.—ns. Applī′ableness; Applī′ance, anything applied: means used: (Shak.) compliance.—ns. Applicabil′ity, Ap′plicableness.—adj. Ap′plicable, that may be applied: suitable.—adv. Ap′plicably.—n. Ap′plicant, one who applies: a petitioner.—adj. Ap′plicate, put to practical use, applied.—n. Applicā′tion, the act of applying, e.g. the administration of a remedy: diligence: employment, use of anything in special regard to something else, as in the 'application' of a story to real life, the lesson or moral of a fable: close thought or attention: request: a kind of needlework, appliqué: (obs.) compliance.—adj. Ap′plicative, put into actual use in regard to anything: practical.—adj. and n. Ap′plicatory, having the property of applying. [O. Fr. aplier—L. applicāre, ātum—ad, to, plicāre, -ātum, to fold.]

Appoggiatura, ap-pod-ja-tū′ra, n. an Italian musical term, designating a form of embellishment by insertion of notes of passage in a melody. [It. appoggiare, to lean upon. See Appui.]

Appoint, ap-point′, v.t. to fix: to settle: assign, grant: to name to an office: to destine, devote: to equip (obs. except in pa.p..).—p.adj. Appoint′ed, established: furnished.—n. Appoint′ment, settlement: engagement: direction: situation: arrangement: (obs.) allowance paid to a public officer: (pl.) equipments. [O. Fr. apointer, Low L. appunctare—L. ad, to, punctum, a point. See Point.]

Apportion, ap-pōr′shun, v.t. to portion out: to divide in just shares: to adjust in due proportion.—n. Appor′tionment. [L. ad, to, and Portion.]

Appose, a′pōz, v.t. to apply one thing to another, e.g. a seal to a document: to place side by side. [Formed from L. apponĕre, -positum.]

Apposīte, ap′poz-īt, adj. adapted: suitable.—adv. Ap′positely.—n. Ap′positeness. [L. appositus, pa.p. of apponĕre, to put to—ad, to, ponĕre, to put.]

Apposition, ap-poz-ish′un, n. the act of adding: state of being placed together or against: juxtaposition: (gram.) the annexing of one noun to another, in the same case or relation, in order to explain or limit the first: also used of a public disputation by scholars, and still the word in use for the 'Speech Day' at St Paul's School, London.—adjs. Apposi′tional; Appos′itive, placed in apposition. [See Apposite.]

Appraise, ap-prāz′, v.t. to set a price on: to value with a view to sale: to estimate the amount and quality of anything.—adj. Apprais′able.—ns. Apprais′al, appraisement; Appraise′ment, a valuation: estimation of quality; Apprais′er, one who values property: one who estimates quality. [Late in appearing; for some time used in the same sense as praise. Perh. formed on analogy of the synonymous Prize, Apprize.]

Appreciate, ap-prē′shi-āt, v.t. to estimate justly, to be fully sensible of all the good qualities in the thing judged: to estimate highly: to raise in value, to advance the quotation or price of, as opposed to depreciate.—v.i. to rise in value.—adj. Apprē′ciable.—adv. Apprē′ciably.—n. Appreciā′tion, the act of setting a value on, also specially of a work of literature or art: just—and also favourable—estimation: rise in exchangeable value: increase in value.—adjs. Apprē′ciative, Apprē′ciatory, implying appreciation.—n. Appreciā′tor, one who appreciates, or estimates justly. [L. appretiātus, pa.p. of appretiāre—ad, to, and pretium, price.]

Apprehend, ap-pre-hend′, v.t. to lay hold of: to seize by authority: to be conscious of by means of the senses: to lay hold of by the intellect: to catch the meaning of: to consider or hold a thing as such: to fear.—n. Apprehensibil′ity.—adj. Apprehens′ible.—n. Apprehen′sion, act of apprehending or seizing: arrest: (arch.) conscious perception: conception: ability to understand: fear: (obs.) sensitiveness, sensibility to.—adj. Apprehens′ive, pertaining to the laying hold of sensuous and mental impressions: intelligent, clever: having an apprehension or notion of: fearful: anticipative of something adverse.—n. Apprehens′iveness. [L. apprehendĕre—ad, to, prehendĕre, -hensum, to lay hold of.]

Apprentice, ap-prent′is, n. one bound to another to learn a trade or art: one learning the rudiments of anything, a novice.—v.t. to bind as an apprentice.—ns. Apprent′icehood (Shak.), apprenticeship; Apprent′iceship, the state of an apprentice: a term of practical training: specially, a period of seven years.—To serve apprenticeship, to undergo the training of an apprentice. [O. Fr. aprentis, aprendre, to learn—L. apprehendĕre. See Apprehend.]

Apprise, ap-prīz′, v.t. to give notice: to inform. [Fr. apprendre, pa.p. appris—L. adprendĕre. See Apprehend.]

Apprize, -ise, a-prīz′, v.t. (Scots law) to put a selling price on: to value, appreciate.—n. Appriz′er, a creditor for whom an appraisal is made. [O. Fr. apriser—à, to, and prisier, to price, prize. See Appraise, Praise, and Prize.]

Approach, ap-prōch′, v.i. to draw near: to draw nigh (of time or events): to come near in quality, condition, &c.: (arch.) to come into personal relations with a person.—v.t. to come near to: to resemble: attain to: to bring near in any sense.—n. a drawing near to in military attack, in personal relations: access: a path or avenue: approximation: (pl.) trenches, &c., by which besiegers strive to reach a fortress.—n. Approachabi′lty.—adj. Approach′able. [O. Fr. aprochier, Low L. adpropiare—L. ad, to, prope, near.]

Approbation, ap-prob-ā′shun, n. formal sanction: approval: (Shak.) confirmation.—v.t. Ap′probate, to approve authoritatively (obs. except in U.S.): (Scots law) to approve of as valid.—adjs. Ap′probatory, Ap′probative, of or belonging to one who approves.—To approbate and reprobate, a phrase in Scotch law which means that no one can be permitted to accept and reject the same deed or instrument, analogous in the law of England to Election. [See Approve.]

Approof, ap-prōōf′, n. trial, proof: sanction, approbation.

Appropinquate, ap-pro-pink′wāt, v.i. to come near to.—ns. Appropinquā′tion, Appropin′quity. [L. appropinquāre, to approach—ad, to, and propinquus, near (prope).]

Appropriate, ap-prō′pri-āt, v.t. to make the private property of any one: to take to one's self as one's own: to set apart for a purpose: (arch.) to select as suitable (with to).—adj. set apart for a particular purpose: peculiar: suitable.—adv. Appropriately.—ns. Apprō′priateness; Appropriā′tion, the act of appropriating: in Church law, the making over of a benefice to an owner who receives the tithes, but is bound to appoint a vicar for the spiritual service of the parish: in Constitutional law, the principle, that supplies granted by parliament are only to be expended for particular objects specified by itself.—adj. Apprō′priative.—ns. Apprō′priativeness; Apprō′priator, one who appropriates.—Appropriation clause, a clause in a parliamentary bill, allotting revenue to any special purpose or purposes. [L. appropriāre, -ātum—ad, to, proprius, one's own. See Proper.]

Approve, a-prōōv′, v.t. to show, demonstrate (also reflexively): to sanction or ratify: to think well of, to be pleased with, to commend: (Shak.) to put to the trial, hence also, to convict upon proof.—v.i. to judge favourably, to be pleased (with of).—adj. Approv′able, deserving approval—ns. Approv′al, the act of approving: approbation; Approv′er, one who approves: (law) an accomplice in crime admitted to give evidence against a prisoner.—adv. Approv′ingly. [O. Fr. aprover—L. approbāre—ad, to, and probāre, to test or try—probus, good.]

Approve, a-prōōv′, v.t. (law) to turn to one's profit, increase the value of. [Confused with Approve, but from O. Fr. aproer, approuer—à, to (L. ad), and pro, prou, advantage. See Prow-ess.]

Approven, ap-prōōv′n, old pa.p. of Approve.

Approximate, ap-proks′im-āt, adj. nearest or next: approaching correctness.—v.t. to bring near.—v.i. to come near, to approach.—adv. Approx′imately.—n. Approximā′tion, an approach: a result in mathematics not rigorously exact, but so near the truth as to be sufficient for a given purpose.—adj. Approx′imative, approaching closely. [L. approximāre, -atum—ad, to, proximus, nearest, superl. of prope, near.]

Appui, ap-wē′, n. the reciprocal action between the mouth of the horse and the rider's hand.—vs.t. Appui, Appuy, to support, e.g. to post troops in order to support.—Point d'appui, a point at which troops form as a base of operations. [O. Fr. apuyer—Low L. appodia-re—L. ad, to, and podium, support (Fr. puy, a hill).]

Appulse, ap-puls′, n. a striking against: the approach of a planet to a conjunction with the sun or a star.—n. Appul′sion.—adj. Appul′sive. [L. appuls-us—appell-ĕre, ad, towards, pell-ĕre, to drive.]

Appurtenance, ap-pur′ten-ans, n. that which appertains to: an appendage or accessory: (law) a right belonging to a property.—adj. and n. Appur′tenant. [O. Fr. apurtenance. See Appertain.]

Apricate, ap′ri-kāt, v.i. to bask in the sun.—v.t. (rare) to expose to sunlight.—n. Apricā′tion. [L. appricat-, apricāri, to bask in the sun, apricus, open to the sun.]

Apricot, ā′pri-kot, n. a fruit of the plum kind, roundish, pubescent, orange-coloured, of a rich aromatic flavour—older form A′pricock. [Port. albricoque (Fr. abricot)—Ar. al-birquq. But bīrquq is a corr. of Late Gr. praikokion, which is simply the L. præcoquum or præcox, early ripe; the form is perh. due to a fancied connection with L. apricus, sunny. See Precocious.]

April, ā′pril, n. the fourth month of the year.—n. A′pril-fool, one sent upon a bootless errand on the 1st of April, perhaps a relic of some old Celtic heathen festival. In Scotland called gowk (a cuckoo, a fool). [L. Aprilis, usually regarded as from aperire, as the month when the earth opens to bring forth new fruits.]

A priori, ā pri-ō′rī, a term applied to reasoning from what is prior, logically or chronologically, e.g. reasoning from cause to effect; from a general principle to its consequences; even from observed fact to another fact or principle not observed, or to arguing from pre-existing knowledge, or even cherished prejudices; (Kant) from the forms of cognition independent of experience.—ns. Apriō′rism, Apriō′rity; Apriō′rist, one who believes in Kant's view of a priori cognition. [L. a, ab, from, priori, abl. of prior, preceding.]

Apron, ā′prun, n. a cloth or piece of leather worn before one to protect the dress, or as part of a distinctive official dress, as by Freemasons, &c.—aprons of silk or the like are often worn by ladies for mere ornament: the short cassock ordinarily worn by English bishops: anything resembling an apron in shape or use, as a gig-apron, &c.—v.t. to cover with, as with an apron.—adj. A′proned.—ns. A′pron-man (Shak.), a man who wears an apron, a mechanic; A′pron-string, a string by which an apron is attached to the person.—To be tied to a woman's apron-strings, to be bound to a woman as a child is bound to its mother. [O. Fr. naperon—nappe, cloth, tablecloth—L. mappa, a napkin.]

Apropos, a-pro-pō′, adv. to the purpose: appropriately: in reference to (with to and of).—adj. opportune. [Fr. à propos. See Propose.]

Apse, aps, n. an arched semicircular or polygonal recess at the east end of the choir of a church—here, in the Roman basilica, stood the prætor's chair.—adj. Ap′sidal.—n. Apsid′iole, a secondary apse, as one of the apses on either side of the central or main apse in a church of triapsidal plan. [See Apsis.]

Apsis, ap′sis, n. one of the two extreme points in the orbit of a planet, one at the greatest, the other at the least distance from the sun: one of the two points in the orbit of a satellite—one nearest to, the other farthest from, its primary; corresponding, in the case of the moon, to the perigee and apogee:—pl. Apsides (ap′si-dēz).—adj. Ap′sidal. [L. apsis—Gr. hapsis, a connection, an arch—hapt-ein, to connect. See Apt.]

Apt, apt, adj. liable: ready for or prone to anything: prompt, open to impressions (with at).—adv. Apt′ly.—n. Apt′ness. [L. apt-us, fit, suitable, apposite; cog. with Gr. hapt-ein.]

Apterous, ap′tėr-us, adj. without wings.—adj. Ap′teral, without wings: (archit.) without lateral columns. [Gr. a, neg., pteron, a wing.]

Apteryx, ap′tėr-iks, n. a bird found in New Zealand, wingless and tailless, reddish-brown, about the size of a large hen. [Gr. a, neg., pteryx, wing.]

Aptitude, apt′i-tūd, n. fitness: tendency: readiness, teachableness, talent (with for). [Low L. aptitudo—L. apt-us.]

Aptote, ap′tōt, n. a noun without any variation of cases. [Gr. aptōtos—a, priv., ptōsis, a falling, a case—pipt-ein, to fall.]

Apyretic, a-pir-et′ik, adj. without pyrexia or fever, especially of those days in which the intermission of fevers occurs in agues—n. Apyrex′ia. [Gr. a, neg., and pyretos, fever.]

Aqua-fortis, ā′kwa-for′tis, n. nitric acid, a powerful solvent, hence used figuratively.—ns. Aquafort′ist, one who prepares etchings or engravings by means of aqua-fortis; A′qua-mirab′ilis, a preparation distilled from cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and spirit of wine; A′qua-rē′gia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, so called because it dissolves the royal metal, gold; A′qua Tofa′na, a poisonous fluid (prepared from arsenic) made in Palermo in the 17th cent. by a woman Tofana; A′qua-vi′tæ, an old name for alcohol, used of brandy, whisky, &c.; cf. Fr. eau de vie, and usquebaugh. [L. aqua, water, fortis, strong.]

Aquamarine, ā′kwa-ma-rēn′, n. the beryl.—adj. bluish-green, sea-coloured. [L. aqua, water, marīna—mare, the sea.]

Aquarelle, ak-wa-rel′, n. water-colour painting, or a painting in water-colours.—n. Aquarel′list. [Fr.,—It. acquerella, acqua—L. aqua.]

Aquarium, a-kwā′ri-um, n. a tank or series of tanks for keeping aquatic animals, usually made mostly of glass, filled with either fresh or salt water, having rocks, plants, &c. as in nature: an artificial pond or cistern for cultivating water-plants:—pl. Aquā′riums, Aquā′ria. [L.—aqua, water.]

Aquarius, a-kwā′ri-us, n. the water-bearer, the eleventh sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about 21st January, so called from the constellation of the same name, supposed to represent a man holding his left hand upward, and pouring with his right water from a vase into the mouth of the Southern Fish. [L.—aqua, water.]

Aquatic, a-kwat′ik, adj. relating to water: living or growing in water.—n.pl. Aquat′ics, amusements on the water, as boating, &c.

Aquatint, ā′kwa-tint, n. a mode of etching on copper, by which imitations are produced of drawings in Indian ink, &c.—also Aquatint′a.—v.t. and v.i. A′quatint, to engrave in aquatint. [It. acqua tinta—L. aqua, water, and tingĕre, tinctum, to wet, to colour.]

Aqueduct, ak′we-dukt, n. an artificial channel for conveying water, most commonly understood to mean a bridge of stone, iron, or wood for conveying water across a valley: also a bridge carrying a canal for the purposes of navigation. [L. aqua, water—ducĕre, ductum, to lead.]

Aqueous, ā′kwe-us, adj. watery: deposited by water.—adv. A′queously.—Aqueous humour, the watery fluid which fills the space between the cornea and the crystalline lens in the eye; Aqueous rocks, in geology, rocks composed of matter deposited by water.

Aquiferous, ak-wif′ėr-us, adj. bearing water. [L. aqua, water, fero, I bear.]

Aquiform, ā′kwi-form, adj. having the form of water. [L. aqua, water, and Form.]

Aquiline, ak′wil-in, or -īn, adj. relating to or like the eagle: curved or hooked, like an eagle's beak. [L. aquila.]

Aquilon, ak′wi-lon, n. (Shak.) the north wind. [L. aquilo, -onis.]

Arab, ar′ab, n. a native of Arabia: an Arab horse, noted for its gracefulness and speed: a neglected or homeless boy or girl—usually Street or City Arab.—adj. of or belonging to Arabia.—adj. Arāb′ian, relating to Arabia.—n. a native of Arabia.—adj. Ar′abic, relating to Arabia, or to its language.—n. the language of Arabia.—ns. Ar′abism, an Arabic idiom; Ar′abist, one skilled in the Arabic language or literature; Ar′aby, a poetical form of Arabia. [L. Arabs, Arab-em—Gr. Araps.]

Araba, ar-ä′ba, n. a heavy screened wagon used by the Tartars.—Also Ar′ba and Arō′ba. [Ar. and Pers. arābah.]

Arabesque, ar′ab-esk, adj. after the manner of Arabian designs.—n. a fantastic painted or sculptured ornament among the Spanish Moors, consisting of foliage and other parts of plants curiously intertwined.—adj. Ar′abesqued, so ornamented. [Fr.—It. arabesco; -esco corresponding to Eng. -ish.]

Arabine, ar′ab-in, n. the essential principle of gum-arabic.

Arable, ar′a-bl, adj. fit for ploughing or tillage. [L. arabilis—ara-re, cog. with Gr. aro-ein, to plough, A.S. erian, Eng. Ear (v.t.), Ir. araim.]

Arachnida, a-rak′ni-da, n.pl. a sub-class of Tracheate Arthropoda, embracing spiders, scorpions, mites, &c., first separated by Lamarck from the Insecta of Linnæus.—adj. Arach′nidan.—n. and adj. Arach′noid, like a cobweb.—adjs. Arachnoi′dal, Arachnolog′ical.—n. Arachno′logist, one who devotes himself to the study of arachnida.—Arachnoid membrane, one of the three coverings of the brain and spinal cord, situated between the dura-mater and the pia-mater, non-vascular, transparent, thin. [Gr. arachnē, spider.]

Aragonite, ar′a-gon-īt, n. a variety of calcium carbonate. [Aragon, in Spain.]

Araise, a-rāz′, v.t. (Shak.) to raise from the dead. [Pfx. a-, and Raise.]

Aramaic, ar-a-mā′ik, adj. relating to Aramæa, the whole of the country to the north-east of Palestine, or to its language—also Aramē′an, Ar′amite.—n. Aramā′ism, an Aramaic idiom.

Araneiform, ar-a-nē′i-form, adj. in the form of a spider.—adj. Aranē′idan.—n. Araneol′ogist = Arachnol′ogist.—adj. Aran′eous, like a spider's web. [L. arānea, spider, and Form.]

Araphorostic, ar-af-or-os′tik, adj. (Lytton) seamless.—Also Arophos′tic. [Formed from Gr. arraphos, unsewed—a, neg., and hropt-ein, to sew.]

Araucaria, ar-aw-kā′ri-a, n. a genus of lofty evergreen trees of the natural order Coniferæ or Pines, natives of S. America and Australasia. [Arauco, name of a province, whence Araucania, a district in S. Chili.]

Arbalest, är′bal-est, n. a crossbow of steel or horn used in war and the chase—also Ar′balist, Ar′blast, Arcū′balist.—ns. Ar′balister, Ar′balester, one armed with an arbalest. [O. Fr. arbaleste—L. arcuballista—arcus, bow, and ballista, engine for throwing missiles.]

Arbiter, är′bit-ėr, n. one chosen by parties in controversy to decide between them: a judge having absolute power of decision: an arbitrator: umpire:—fem. Ar′bitress.—ns. Ar′bitrage, exercise of the functions of the arbiter; Arbit′rament, Arbit′rement, the decision of an arbiter: determination: choice.—v.i. Ar′bitrate, to act as an arbiter: to determine.—ns. Arbitrā′tion; Ar′bitrātor (same as Arbiter):—fem. Ar′bitrātrix.—Arbitration of exchange, the determination of the rate of exchange between two currencies when there are one or more intermediate places through which the operations must pass.—To submit to arbitration, to defer a matter of private, public, or international controversy to the judgment of certain persons selected. [L.—ar = ad, to, and bit-ĕre (cog. with Gr. bai-nein), to go or come; sig. one who comes to look on, a witness, a judge.]

Arbitrary, är′bi-trar-i, adj. not bound by rules: despotic, absolute, arising from accident rather than from rule, varying, uncertain.—adv. Ar′bitrarily.—n. Ar′bitrariness. [L. arbitrarius, arbiter.]

Arblast. See Arbalest.

Arbor, är′bur, n. the Latin word for tree.—adjs. Arborā′ceous, Arbōr′eal, of tree-like character.—n. Arbor-day, in many of the United States, a day yearly set apart for the general planting of trees by school children—in Canada, the first Friday in May.—adj. Arbōr′eous, of or belonging to trees.—ns. Arbores′cence, Arborisā′tion, tree-like growth.—adj. Arbores′cent, growing or formed like a tree: (archit.) branching like a tree.—ns. Ar′boret (obs.), shrubbery: (Spens.) a little tree, shrub; Arborē′tum, a place in which specimens of trees and shrubs are cultivated:—pl. Arborē′ta.—adj. Arboricul′tural.—ns. Ar′boriculture, forestry, the culture of trees, esp. timber-trees; Arboricul′turist; Ar′borist, one who studies trees.—adj. Ar′borous, formed by trees.—Arbor vitæ, a popular name of several evergreen shrubs of the genus Thuja. When the human cerebellum is cut vertically, a tree-like appearance seen receives this name.

Arbor, är′bur, n. the main support of a machine: an axis or spindle on which a wheel revolves. [L.]

Arbour, är′bur, n. an enclosed seat in a garden, covered with branches of trees, plants, &c.: a bower: a shaded walk.—adj. Ar′boured. [See Harbour.]

Arbute, är′būt, n. the strawberry-tree: an evergreen shrub, which bears a scarlet fruit somewhat resembling the strawberry.—Also Ar′butus. [L. arbutus, akin to arbor, tree.]

Arc, ärk, n. a segment of a circle or other curve. [O. Fr.—L. arcus, a bow.]

Arcade, ärk-ād′, n. a row of arches supported by columns—the Gothic counterpart to the classical colonnade: the row of piers, or columns and arches, by which the aisles are divided from the nave of a church, or by which cloisters are enclosed: a walk arched over: a long arched gallery lined with shops on both sides. [Fr.—L. arcata, arched. See Arch.]

Arcadian, ark-ād′i-an, adj. pertaining to Arcadia (poet. Ar′cady), a district in Greece whose people were primitive in manners and given to music and dancing: pastoral: simple, innocent.—n. Arcad′ianism.—adv. Arcad′ianly.

Arcanum, ärk-ān′um, n. a secret: a mystery: a secret remedy or elixir:—pl. Arcan′a.—adj. Arcane′ (rare). [L.—arcanus—arca, a chest.]

Arcature, ar-ka-tūr, n. French for arcade, a small arcade: a blind arcade for decorating wall spaces.

Arch, ärch, n. a concave construction of stones or other materials, built or turned on a centering over an open space, so as by mutual pressure to support each other and sustain a superincumbent weight.—v.t. to cover with an arch: to bend into the form of an arch.—p.adj. Arched, made with an arch, or like an arch.—ns. Arch′let, a little arch; Arch′way, an arched or vaulted passage, esp. that leading into a castle.—Arches, or Court of Arches, the ecclesiastical court of appeal for the province of Canterbury, formerly held at the church of St-Mary-le-Bow (or 'of the Arches'), from the arches that support its steeple. [O. Fr.,—L. arca, chest.]

Arch, ärch, adj. cunning: waggish: roguish: shrewd, now mostly of women and children.—adv. Arch′ly.—n. Arch′ness. [Derived from the prefix arch-, in its use in words like arch-rogue, &c.]

Arch, ärch (ärk in archangel), adj. used as a prefix, now chiefly as an intensive in an odious sense: the first or chief.—ns. Arch′-en′emy, a chief enemy: Satan—also Arch′-foe; Arch′-fiend, the supreme fiend: Satan; Arch′-flā′men, a chief flamen or priest; Arch-he′resy; Arch′-he′retic, a leader of heresy; Arch′-mock′ (Shak.), the height of mockery; Arch′-pī′rate, a chief pirate; Arch′-pō′et, a chief poet: (obs.) a poet-laureate; Arch′-prel′ate, a chief prelate; Arch′-priest′, a chief priest: in early times, a kind of vicar to the bishop—later, a rural dean: the title given to the superiors appointed by the Pope to govern the secular priests sent into England from the foreign seminaries during the period 1598-1621; Arch′-trait′or, a chief traitor, sometimes applied esp. to the devil, or to Judas. [A.S. arce, ærce, through L. from Gr. archi, cog. with arch-ein, to begin.]

Archæology, ärk-e-ol′oj-i, n. a knowledge of ancient art, customs, &c.: the science which deduces a knowledge of past times from the study of their existing remains.—adj. Archæolog′ical.—adv. Archæolog′ically.—n. Archæol′ogist. [Gr. archaios, ancient—archē, beginning, and logos, discourse.]

Archæopteryx, ār-kē-op′tėr-iks, n. the oldest known fossil bird, found in the Jurassic limestone of Bavaria, having a long bony tail of twenty vertebræ. [Gr. archaios, ancient, pteryx, wing.]

Archaic, -al, ärk-ā′ik, -al, adj. ancient: obsolete, esp. of language.—adj. Archæan (ärk-ē′an), of or belonging to the earliest zoological period.—n. Archæog′raphy.—adj. Archæozō′ic. (Gr. zōē, life), pertaining to the era of the earliest living beings on the earth.—adv. Archā′ically.—n. Archā′icism.—v.t. Ar′chāise, to imitate the archaic.—ns. Archā′ism, an archaic or obsolete word or phrase; Archā′ist (Mrs Browning).—adj. Archāis′tic, affectedly or imitatively archaic. [Gr. archaikos—archaios, ancient—archē, beginning.]

Archangel, ärk-ān′jel, n. an angel of the highest order.—adj. Archangel′ic. [Arch, chief, and Angel.]

Archbishop, ärch-bish′up, n. a chief bishop: a metropolitan bishop who superintends the conduct of the suffragan bishops in his province, and also exercises episcopal authority in his own diocese.—n. Archbish′opric. [Arch, chief, and Bishop.]

Archdeacon, ärch-dē′kn, n. a chief deacon: the ecclesiastical dignitary having the chief supervision of a diocese or part of it, next under the bishop—the 'bishop's eye.'—ns. Archdeac′onry, the office, jurisdiction, or residence of an archdeacon; Archdeac′onship, the office of an archdeacon.—adj. Archidīac′onal.—n. Archidīac′onate. [Arch, chief, and Deacon.]

Archdiocese, ärch-dī′o-sēz, n. the diocese of an archbishop. [Arch, chief, and Diocese.]

Archduke, ärch-dūk′, n. a duke of specially exalted rank: a prince of Austria:—fem. Archduch′ess.—adj. Archdū′cal.—ns. Archduch′y, Archduke′dom, the territory of an archduke or archduchess. [Arch, chief, and Duke.]

Archer, ärch′ėr, n. one who shoots with a bow and arrows:—fem. Arch′eress.—ns. Arch′er-fish, an acanthopterygious fish of India which catches insects by shooting water at them from its mouth; Arch′ery, the art of shooting with the bow: a company of archers. [O. Fr. archier—L. arcari-um, arcus, a bow.]

Archetype, ärk′e-tīp, n. the original pattern or model, a prototype.—adj. Archetyp′al. [Gr. archetypon, archi-, and typos, a model.]

Archiepiscopal, ärk-i-ep-is′kop-al, adj. belonging to an archbishop.—ns. Archiepis′copacy, Archiepis′copate, dignity or province of an archbishop. [See Episcopal.]

Archil, är′kil, n. a colouring substance obtained from various species of lichens. [Corrupt form of Orchil—O. Fr. orchel, orseil (Fr. orseille)—It. orcello, origin undetermined.]

Archilochian, är-ki-lō′ki-an, adj. pertaining to the Greek lyric poet Archilochus of Paros (714-676 B.C.), the supposed originator of iambic metre, noted for the bitterness of his satire—hence the proverbial phrases, 'Archilochian bitterness' and 'Parian verse:' a lesser Archilochian verse = a dactylic hexameter alternating with a penthemim; a greater Archilochian, a verse consisting of four dactyls and three trochees.

Archimage, är′ki-māj, n. a chief magician or enchanter. [Gr. archi-, chief, and L. magus, a magician.]

Archimandrite, är-ki-man′drīt, n. in the Greek Church, the superior of a monastery, an abbot: sometimes the superintendent of several monasteries. [Late Gr. archimandritēs—pfx. archi, first, and mandra, an enclosure, a monastery.]

Archimedean, ärk-i-me-dē′an, adj. pertaining to Archimedes, a celebrated Greek mathematician of Syracuse (287-212 B.C.).—Archimedean screw, a machine for raising water, in its simplest form consisting of a flexible tube bent spirally round a solid cylinder, the ends of which are furnished with pivots, so as to admit of the whole turning round its axis.—Principle of Archimedes, a fundamental law in Hydrostatics, that a body when immersed in a fluid weighs less than it does in vacuo by the weight of the fluid it displaces.

Archipelago, ärk-i-pel′a-gō, n. the chief sea of the Greeks, or the Ægean Sea: a sea abounding in small islands, also a group of such islands:—pl. Archipel′agoes.—adj. Archipelagic (-aj′ik). [An Italian compound from Gr. archi-, chief, pelagos, sea.]

Architect, ärk′i-tekt, n. a master-builder: one who designs buildings and superintends their erection: a maker: any contriver, as the Creator.—adjs. Architecton′ic, pertaining to architecture: constructive: controlling, having direction: (metaph.) pertaining to the arrangement of knowledge.—n. the science of architecture: the systematic arrangement of knowledge.—adj. Architect′ural.—n. Architect′ure, the art or science of building: structure: in specific sense, one of the fine arts, the art of architecture—also used of any distinct style, e.g. Gothic, Byzantine architecture. [Gr. architektōn—archi-, chief, and tektōn, a builder.]

Architrave, ärk′i-trāv, n. (archit.) the lowest division of the entablature resting immediately on the abacus of the column: collective name for the various parts, jambs, lintels, &c. which surround a door or window.—p.adj. Arch′itraved. [It. from Gr. archi-, chief, and L. trab-em, trabs, a beam.]

Archives, ärk′īvz, n. the place in which government records are kept: (pl.) public records—also figuratively in both senses.—adj. Arch′ival, pertaining to, or contained in, archives or records.—n. Arch′ivist, a keeper of archives or records. [Fr.—Gr. archeion, magisterial residence—archē, government.]

Archivolt, är′ki-volt, n. the band or moulding which runs round the lower part of the archstones of an arch. [Fr. archivolte, It. archivolto—L. arcus, an arch, volta, a vault.]

Archology, ärk-ol′oj-i, n. (rare) doctrine of the origin of things: the science of government. [Gr. archē, beginning, logos, discourse.]

Archon, ärk′on, n. one of nine chief magistrates of ancient Athens.—ns. Arch′onship, the office of an archon; Arch′ontate, the archon's tenure of office. [Gr. arch-ein, to be first, to rule.]

Archwise, ärch′wīz, adv. in the form of an arch. [Arch, and Wise, way.]

Arctic, ärk′tik, adj. relating to the constellation the Great Bear, or to the north, used figuratively to express extreme cold.—Arctic Circle, a circle drawn round the North Pole, at a distance of 23½ degrees. [O. Fr. artique—L. arcticus—Gr. arktikos—arktos, a bear.]

Arcturus, ärk-tū′rus, n. the Bear-ward, a yellow star in the northern hemisphere, fourth in order of brightness in the entire heavens. [Gr. arktouros—arktos, a bear, and ouros, ward, guard (from its situation at the tail of the bear).]

Arcuate, är′kū-āt, Arcuated, är′kū-āt-ed, adj. bent in the form of a bow.—n. Arcuā′tion. [L. arcuatus, pa.p. of arcu-āre, to bend like a bow—arcus, a bow.]

Arcubalist. See Arbalest.

Ardeb, är′deb, n. an Egyptian dry measure of 5½ bushels. [Ar. irdab.]

Ardent, ärd′ent, adj. burning: fiery: passionate: zealous: fervid.—adv. Ard′ently.—n. Ard′our, warmth of passion or feeling: eagerness: enthusiasm (with for)—also Ard′ency.—Ardent spirits, distilled alcoholic liquors, whisky, brandy, &c. The use of the word as = 'inflammable, combustible,' is obsolete, except in this phrase. [L. ardent-em, ardē-re, to burn.]

Arduous, ärd′ū-us, adj. deep, difficult to climb: difficult to accomplish: laborious.—adv. Ard′uously.—n. Ard′uousness. [L. arduus, high; cog. with Celt. ard, high.]

Are, ar, n. the unit of the French land measure, containing 100 sq. metres = 119.6 English sq. yards. [Fr.—L. area.]

Are, är, the plural of the present indicative of the verb To be. [Old Northumbrian aron, of Scand. origin. This form ousted the older A.S. sind, sindon. Both are cog. with Sans. s-anti, Gr. eis-in, L. sunt, Ger. s-ind.]

Area, ā′rē-a, n. any plane surface or enclosed space: the sunken space around the basement of a building: (fig.) extent conceived by the mind: (geom.) the superficial contents of any figure. [L. area.]

Aread, Arede, a-rēd′, v.t. (obs.) to make known, utter: guess: interpret, explain: to counsel, advise. [A.S. arédan. See Read.]

Arear, a-rēr′, adv. in the rear. [A.S. pfx. a-, on, to, and Rear.]

Areca, ar′ē-ka, n. a genus of palm, one species of which, the Betel-nut Palm, or Penang Palm (Areca catechu), bears nuts with austere and astringent properties, which are chewed by the Malays with a little lime in a leaf of the betel-pepper, making the lips and spittle red.

Arefaction, ar-e-fak′shun, n. (obs.) the action of drying.—v.t. and v.i. Ar′efy, to dry up, wither. [L. arefacĕre, to make dry—arēre, to be dry, and facĕre, to make.]

Arena, a-rē′na, n. part of the ancient amphitheatre strewed with sand for the combats of gladiators and wild beasts: any place of public contest: a battlefield: place of action of any kind.—adj. Arenā′ceous, sandy: dry: (geol.) applied to rocks composed entirely or largely of grains of quartz.—ns. Arenā′ria, the sandwort, a genus of low herbs allied to the chickweeds; Arenā′tion, the application of hot sand to the body as a remedy. [L. arēna, sand.]

Areography, ā-re-ō′gra-fi, n. description of the physical features of the planet Mars. [Gr. Arēs, Mars, and graphein, to write.]

Areola, a-rē′o-la, n. a small area: (bot.) any slightly sunk spot, on the surface: (physiol.) the interstice in the tissue of an organised substance: any circular spot such as that around the human nipple:—pl. Arē′olæ.—adj. Arē′olate, divided into small areas.—n. Areolā′tion, division into areolæ. [L. areola, a dim. of Area.]

Areometer, Aræometer, ā-re-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for determining specific gravity, called also Hydrometer.—n. Areom′etry, the measuring the specific gravity of bodies. [Gr. araios, thin, and Meter.]

Areopagus, ar-e-op′ag-us, n. Mars' Hill, on which the supreme court of ancient Athens was held: the court itself: also used of any important tribunal.—n. Areop′agite, a member of the Areopagus.—adj. Areopagit′ic, pertaining to the Areopagus.—n. a speech on the model of Isocrates's oration of that name addressed to the Areopagus. [Gr. Areios pagos, hill of Ares, or Mars.]

Aret, Arette, a-ret′, v.t. (Spens.) to entrust, commit a charge to. [O. Fr. arete-r, à-, to, reter—L. reputāre, to reckon.]

Arête, ar-āt′, n. a sharp ridge: esp. in French Switzerland, a rocky edge on a mountain. [Fr.—L. arista, an ear of corn, fish-bone, spine.]

Arew, a-rōō′, adv. (Spens.) arow, in a row.

Argal, ar′gal, adv. (Shak.) corruption of L. ergo, therefore: hence as a noun = a clumsy piece of reasoning.

Argali, är′ga-li, n. the great wild sheep of Siberia and Central Asia. [Mongol.]

Argand, ar′gand, n. applied to a lamp and gas-burner invented by Aimé Argand (1755-1803).

Argent, ärj′ent, adj. and n. silver, or like silver, silvery-white: (her.) the silver or white colour in armorial bearings: (poet.) esp. in compounds like argent-clear, argent-lidded.—adjs. Argent′al; Argentif′erous, bearing or containing silver; Ar′gentine, relating to or like silver: sounding like silver.—n. (nat. hist.) white metal coated with silver: a genus of small bony fishes with silvery sides, fished for the nacre which they contain. [Fr.—L. argentum, silver.]

Argil, är′jil, n. potter's clay: pure clay or alumina.—adjs. Argillā′ceous, of the nature of clay; Argillif′erous, bearing or abounding in clay. [L. argilla, Gr. argilos, white clay—argēs, white.]

Argive, ar′jīv, adj. belonging to Argos: Greek.

Argol, är′gol, n. a hard crust formed on the sides of wine-vessels, from which cream of tartar and tartaric acid are obtained—generally of a reddish tinge. [Prob. conn. with Gr. argos, white.]

Argon, ar′gon, n. a constituent element of our atmosphere, discovered in 1894 by Rayleigh and Ramsay.

Argonaut, är′go-nawt, n. one of those who sailed in the ship Argo in search of the golden fleece: also (nat. hist.) a name of the nautilus, a mollusc of the octopod type.—adj. Argonaut′ic. [Gr. Argō, and nautēs, a sailor.]

Argosy, är′go-si, n. a large merchant-vessel richly laden, esp. those of Ragusa and Venice: also figuratively. [The forms ragosie, rhaguse, used equally with argosie, argosey, &c., point to the derivation from It. Ragusea, a ship belonging to Ragusa, a great medieval port on the Adriatic, spelt in 16th-cent. English as Aragouse, Arragosa.]

Argot, är′go, or är′got, n. slang, originally that of thieves and vagabonds: cant. [Fr.; of unknown origin.]

Argue, ärg′ū, v.t. prove or evince: to prove by argument: to discuss: (obs.) to accuse.—v.i. to offer reasons: to dispute (with against, for, with, about):—pr.p. arg′ūing; pa.p. arg′ūed.—adj. Arg′ūable, capable of being argued.—n. Arg′ūer, one who argues: a reasoner.—To argue (a person) into, or out of, to persuade him into, or out of, a certain course of action. [O. Fr. arguer—L. argutāre, freq. of arguĕre, to prove.]

Argufy, ärg′ū-fī, v.i. to be evidence of something: to be of importance: to argue, wrangle.—v.t. to weary with wrangling. [Illiterate corr. of Argue.]

Argument, ärg′ū-ment, n. a statement, or reason based on such, offered as proof: a series of reasons or a step in such: discussion: subject of a discourse: summary of the subject-matter of a book: (obs.) matter of controversy.—adjs. Argument′able, Argument′al.—n. Argumentā′tion, an arguing or reasoning.—adj. Argument′ative.—adv. Argument′atively.—n. Argument′ativeness. [L. argumentum. See Argue.]

Argumentum, ärg-ū-ment′um, n. an argument.—The following are forms of indirect argument:—Argumentum ad hominem, an appeal to the known prepossessions or previous admissions of an opponent; Argumentum ad ignorantiam, an argument founded on the ignorance of an opponent; Argumentum ad invidiam, an argument appealing to the prejudices of the person addressed; Argumentum ad judicium, an appeal to the common-sense of mankind; Argumentum ad verecundiam, an appeal to our reverence for some respected authority; Argumentum baculinum, the argument of the cudgel—most concise of arguments, an appeal to force; Argumentum per impossibile, or Reductio ad absurdum, the proof of a conclusion derived from the absurdity of a contradictory supposition.—For the Ontological, Cosmological, Teleological, and Moral arguments in Theism, see under these adjectives.

Argus, ärg′us, n. any very quick-eyed or watchful person, from Argus, described in Greek mythology as having had a hundred eyes, some of which were always awake: a genus of gallinaceous birds, remarkable for magnificence of plumage—the only known species, the Argus pheasant, native to Sumatra, &c. [Gr.—argos, bright.]

Argute, är-gūt′, adj. shrill in sound: keen: shrewd.—adv. Argute′ly.—n. Argute′ness. [L. argutus.]

Argyria, ar-jir′i-a, n. silver poisoning. [Gr. argyros, silver.]

Aria, ā′ri-a, n. an air or rhythmical song introduced in a cantata, oratorio, or opera, and intended for one voice supported by instruments. [It., from root of Air.]

Arian, ā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Arius of Alexandria (died 336), who denied the divinity of Christ.—n. one who adheres to the doctrines of Arius: a Unitarian.—v.t. A′rianise.—n. A′rianism, the doctrines of the Arians.

Arid, ar′id, adj. dry: parched.—ns. Arid′ity, Ar′idness. [L. aridus.]

Ariel, ā′ri-el, n. a man's name in the Old Testament, variously explained as 'lion of God,' 'hearth of God:' in later demonology, a water-spirit: an angel: a spirit of the air. [Heb. ariēl.]

Ariel, ā′ri-el, n. a species of gazelle in Western Asia. [Ar. aryil.]

Aries, ā′ri-ēz, n. the Ram, the first of the signs of the zodiac, which the sun enters on 21st March. [L.]

Arietta, ar-i-et′ta, n. a little aria or air.—Also Ariette′. [It. arietta, dim. of aria.]

Aright, a-rīt′, adv. in a right way: rightly.

Aril, ar′il, Arillus, a-ril′lus, n. a peculiar covering of the seed of some plants, formed by an expansion of the cord (funiculus) which attaches the ovule to the placenta, or of the placenta itself.—adjs. Ar′illary, Ar′illated, having an aril. [Low L. arillus.]

Arimaspian, ar-im-as′pi-an, adj. pertaining to the Arimaspi, described by Herodotus as a one-eyed and fierce people inhabiting the most northern region in the world, waging perpetual warfare with the neighbouring griffins for their hoarded gold.

Ariot, ä-rī′ot, adv. in riot, riotously.

Aripple, ä-rip′l, adv. in a ripple, rippling.

Arise, a-rīz′, v.i. to rise up: to come up so as to be heard: to ascend: to come into view: to spring:—pa.t. arose′; pa.p. aris′en. [Pfx. a-, up, out, and Rise.]

Aristarch, ar′is-tärk, n. a severe critic. [From Aristarchus, a grammarian of Alexandria about 160 B.C.]

Aristate, a-ris′tāt, adj. (bot.) having awns. [L. arista, an awn.]

Aristocracy, ar-is-tok′ras-i, n. government by the men of best birth or condition: political power of a privileged order: the nobility or chief persons of a state: the upper classes generally, also the persons noted for superiority in any quality, taken collectively—also Aristarch′y (rare).—n. Aristocrat (ar′is-to-krat, or ar-is′-), one who belongs to or favours an aristocracy: a haughty person.—adjs. Aristocrat′ic, -al, belonging to aristocracy: gentlemanly, stylish.—adv. Aristocrat′ically.—n. Aristocrat′ism. [Gr. aristos, best, and kratos, power.]

Aristolochia, ar-is-tō-lō′ki-a, n. a genus of shrubs, many climbers, specially abundant in tropical South America. [Gr.; aristos, best, locheia, child-birth, the roots of several species being formerly thought useful in parturition.]

Aristotelian, ar-is-to-tē′li-an, adj. relating to Aristotle or to his philosophy.

Arithmancy, ar′ith-man-si, n. divination by numbers.—Also Arith′momancy. [Gr. arithmos, number, and manteia, divination.]

Arithmetic, ar-ith′met-ik, n. the science of numbers: the art of reckoning by figures: a treatise on reckoning.—adj. Arithmet′ical.—adv. Arithmet′ically.—n. Arithmetic′ian, one skilled in arithmetic—Arithmetical progression, a series of numbers that increase or diminish by a common difference, as 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22; or 12, 10½, 9, 7½, 6. To find the sum of such a series, multiply the sum of the first and last terms by half the number of terms. [Gr. arithmētikē (technē, art), relating to numbers—arithmos, number.]

Arithmocracy, ar-ith-mok′ras-i, n. a democracy of mere numbers.—adj. Arithmocrat′ic. [A coinage of Kingsley—Gr. arithmos, number, kratia, rule.]

Arithmometer, ar-ith-mom′et-ėr, n. an instrument for working out arithmetical calculations. [Gr. arithmos, number, metron, measure.]

Ark, ärk, n. a chest or coffer: in Jewish history, the wooden coffer in which the Tables of the Law were kept—hence To touch or Lay hands on the ark, to touch irreverently what is sacred (2 Sam. vi. 6): a large floating vessel, like that in which Noah escaped the Deluge (Gen. vi.-viii.).—adj. and n. Ark′ite. [A.S. arc—L. arca, a chest—arcēre, to guard.]

Arles, ärlz, or ārlz, n. earnest money given in confirmation of a bargain, or of the engagement of a servant.—ns. Arle′-pen′ny, Arles′-pen′ny. [Scot. and northern Eng.; M. E. erles—O. Fr. erres (mod. Fr. arrhes)—L. arrha.]

Arm, ärm, n. the limb extending from the shoulder to the hand: anything projecting from the main body, as an inlet of the sea, a rail or support from a chair, sofa, or the like: one of the branches into which a main trunk divides: (fig.) power.—ns. Arm′-chair, a chair with arms; Arm′ful; Arm′-hole, the hole in a garment through which the arm is put.—adv. Arm′-in-arm, with arms interlinked, in close communion.—adj. Arm′less.—ns. Arm′let, a bracelet; Arm′-pit, the pit or hollow under the shoulder.—At arm's length, away from any friendliness or familiarity.—Right arm, the main support or assistant; Secular arm, the secular or temporal authority, as distinguished from the spiritual or ecclesiastical.—With open arms, with hearty welcome. [A.S.; cog. with L. armus, the shoulder-joint, Gr. harmos, a joint.]

Arm, ärm, n. a weapon: a branch of the military service:—pl. Arms, weapons of offence and defence: war, hostilities: deeds or exploits of war: armorial ensigns.—v.t. Arm, to furnish with arms or weapons: to fortify.—v.i. to take arms.—n. Ar′mature, armour: any apparatus for defence: a piece of iron connecting the poles of a bent magnet.—adj. Armed (ärmd, or arm′ed), furnished with arms: provided with means of defence: (bot.) having prickles or thorns: (her.) having part of the body different in colour from the rest, as a beak, claws, &c. of a bird.—n.pl. Fire′arms, such weapons as employ gunpowder, as guns and pistols.—n. Man′-at-arms, a fully equipped and practised fighting man.—n.pl. Small′-arms, such as do not require carriages, as opposed to artillery.—Armed to the teeth, completely armed.—College of Arms, the Heralds' College, which grants armorial bearings.—In arms with, quartered with; Of all arms, of every kind of troops; Stand of arms, a complete equipment of arms for one soldier.—The armed eye, strengthened with a magnifying-glass, as opp. to naked eye.—To lay down arms, to surrender or submit; Up in arms, in readiness to fight. [Through Fr. from L. arma; cog. with Arm.]

Armada, ärm-ā′da, n. a fleet of armed ships, esp. the self-styled Invincible Armada sent by Philip II. against England in 1588. [Sp.—L. armata, armare, to arm.]

Armadillo, ärm-a-dil′o, n. a small American edentate quadruped, having its body armed with bands of bony plates:—pl. Armadill′os. [Sp., dim. of armado, armed.]

Armageddon, är-mag-ed′on, n. the great symbolical battlefield of the Apocalypse, in which the final struggle between the powers of good and evil is to be fought out. [The name was no doubt suggested by the famous battlefield of Megiddo, in the plain of Esdraelon.]

Armament, ärm′a-ment, n. forces armed or equipped for war: munitions of war, esp. the great guns with which a ship is armed. [L. armamenta—arma.]

Armenian, ar-mē′ni-an, adj. belonging to Armenia, in Western Asia: belonging to the Armenian branch of the Christian Church.—n. a native of Armenia.

Armet, är′met, n. a helmet introduced about 1450 in place of the basinet, consisting of an iron cap, spreading over the back of the neck, having in front the visor, beaver, and gorget. [Fr.]

Armgaunt, ärm′gänt, adj. (Shak. once, Ant. and Cleop. I. v. 48), with gaunt limbs (?). The word has not been satisfactorily explained, and is most likely an error.

Armiger, är′mi-jėr, n. an armour-bearer: one entitled to a coat-of-arms: an esquire—also Armi′gero (Shak.).—adj. Armi′gerous. [L.; arma, arms, gerĕre, to bear.]

Armillary, är′mil-lar-i, or är-mil′lar-i, adj. resembling an armlet or bracelet: consisting of rings or circles.—n. Armil′la, in archæology, a bracelet: one of the coronation ornaments: the regalia.—Armillary sphere, an instrument constructed to show the motions of the heavenly bodies. [L. armilla, an armlet. See Arm (1).]

Arminian, ar-min′yan, n. a follower of Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch divine, who denied the Calvinistic doctrine of absolute predestination, as well as irresistible grace.—adj. holding the doctrines of Arminius.—n. Armin′ianism.

Armipotent, ärm-ip′ō-tent, adj. powerful in arms. [L. arma, arms, potens, -entis, powerful.]

Armistice, ärm′ist-is, n. a short suspension of hostilities: a truce. [Fr.—Low L. armistitium, from L. arma, arms, sistĕre—stitum, to stop.]

Armoire, arm′war, n. an ambry or cupboard. [Fr.]

Armoric, ar-mor′ik, n. the language of the inhabitants of Armorica, the ancient name for Brittany. [L. Armoricus—Celt. are-mor, before the sea.]

Armour, ärm′ur, n. defensive arms or dress: heraldic insignia: plating of ships of war.—adj. Armō′rial, belonging to armour, or to the arms of a family.—ns. Arm′our-bear′er; Arm′ourer, a maker or repairer of, or one who has the charge of, armour.—adj. Arm′our-plat′ed.—ns. Arm′oury, Arm′ory, the place in which arms are made or kept: a collection of ancient armour; Coat′-arm′our, originally a vest of silk embroidered in colours, worn by a knight over his armour. [See Arm (2).]

Armozeen, Armozine, är-mo-zēn′, n. a kind of taffeta or plain silk, usually black, used for clerical gowns. [Fr. armoisin.]

Army, ärm′i, n. a large body of men armed for war and under military command: a body of men banded together in a special cause, whether travestying military methods, as the 'Salvation Army,' or not, as the 'Blue Ribbon Army:' a host: a great number.—ns. Arm′y-Corps (-kōr), a main division of an army, a miniature army comprising all arms of the service; Arm′y-list, a list of all commissioned officers, issued periodically by the War Office; Arm′y-worm, a European grub which collects in vast armies. [Fr. armée—L. armata, armāre.]

Arnica, är′ni-ka, n. a genus of composite plants, of which the species A. montana, or Mountain Tobacco, formerly enjoyed a great repute in medicine as a stimulant in paralytic affections, low fevers, &c.—its flowers still yield a tincture externally applied to wounds and bruises. [Mod. L.; origin unknown.]

Arnotto, ar-not′to. See Anatta.

Aroint, a-roint′, interj. (Shak.) away! begone! used only twice in the phrase, 'Aroint thee, witch:' to bid begone (arch. usage in Browning).—v.t. to drive or frighten away. [Origin unknown; perh. in some provincialism, like the Yorkshire rynd-ta, 'round-thee,' 'move-round,' spoken to a cow in her stall.]

Aroma, a-rō′ma, n. sweet smell: the odorous principle of plants: (fig.) flavour or peculiar charm of any kind.—adj. Aromat′ic, fragrant: spicy.—v.t. Arō′matise, to render aromatic: to perfume:—pr.p. arō′matising; pa.p. arō′matised. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. arōma.]

Arose, a-rōz′, pa.t. of Arise.

Around, a-rownd′, prep. on all sides of: (Amer.) round about.—adv. on every side: in a circle: (Amer.) round, all about, [a, on, and Round.]

Arouse, a-rowz′, v.t. and v.i. same as Rouse.—ns. Arouse, Arous′al (rare).

Arow, a-rō′, adv. in a row: one following the other. [Prep. a, and Row.]

Aroynt. Same as Aroint.

Arpeggio, är-pej′ō, n. (mus.) a chord of which the notes are given, not simultaneously, but in rapid succession. [It. arpeggiare, to play upon the harp—arpa, harp.]

Arpent, är′pent, n. an old French measure for land still used in Quebec and Louisiana = 100 sq. perches, varying with the perch from 1¼ acre to 5⁄6 of an acre. [Fr.—L. arepennis, said to be a Gallic word.]

Arquebuse, är′kwi-bus, n. an old-fashioned hand-gun—also Har′quebus.—n. Arquebusier′. [Fr. arquebuse—Dut. haakbus—haak, hook, and bus, box, barrel of a gun; Ger. hakenbüchse.]

Arracacha, ar-a-kach′ä, n. an umbelliferous plant with esculent roots, native to the northern parts of South America. [Native Ind. name.]

Arrack, ar′ak, n. an ardent spirit used in the East, procured from toddy or the fermented juice of the coco and other palms, as well as from rice and jaggery sugar. [Ar. ‛araq, juice.]

Arrah, ar′a, interj. Anglo-Irish expletive of emotion, wonder, &c.

Arraign, ar-rān′, v.t. to call one to account: to put a prisoner upon trial: to accuse publicly.—ns. Arraign′er; Arraign′ing; Arraign′ment. [O. Fr. aresnier—Low L. arrationāre—L. ad, to, rationem, reason.]

Arrange, ar-rānj′, v.t. to set in a rank or row: to put in order: to settle: (mus.) to adapt a composition for instruments or voices for which it was not originally written, as when orchestral or vocal compositions are set for the pianoforte, or the reverse.—v.i. to come to an agreement.—n. Arrange′ment, act of arranging: classification: settlement. [O. Fr. arangier—à (—L. ad, to), and rangier, rengier. See Range.]

Arrant, ar′rant, adj. downright, notorious (used in a bad sense): unmitigated.—adv. Ar′rantly. [A variant of Errant. From its use in phrases like 'arrant thief,' it passed naturally into a general term used with other terms of abuse.]

Arras, ar′ras, n. tapestry: a hanging screen of such hung round the walls of rooms.—p.adj. Ar′rased, covered with arras.—n. Ar′rasene, an embroidery material of wool and silk stitched in like crewels. [From Arras in Northern France, where first manufactured.]

Arraught, ar-rawt′, adj. (Spens.) seized on by force:—pa.t. and pa.p. of Arreach. [See Reach.]

Array, ar-rā′, n. order: dress: equipage.—v.t. to put in order: to arrange: to dress, adorn, or equip. [O. Fr. arroi, array, equipage—L. ad, and a Teut. root, found in Eng. Ready, Ger. bereit, A.S. gerǽde, preparation, Dan. rede, order.]

Arrear, ar-rēr′, n. that which is in the rear or behind: that which remains unpaid or undone (used mostly in pl.).—adv. Arrear′, backward, behind.—n. Arrear′age (Shak.), arrears. [O. Fr. arere, ariere (Fr. arrière)—L. ad, to, retro, back, behind.]

Arrect, a-rekt′, adj. upright: erected, as the ears: on the alert. [L. arrectus.]

Arrest, ar-rest′, v.t. to stop: to seize: to catch the attention: to apprehend by legal authority.—n. stoppage: seizure by warrant.—adj. Arrest′able, liable to be arrested.—n. Arrestā′tion, the act of arresting: arrest.—adj. Arrest′ive, with a tendency to arrest.—n. Arrest′ment (law), detention of a person arrested till liberated on bail, or by security: (Scots law) the process which prohibits a debtor from making payment to his creditor until another debt due to the person making use of the arrestment by such creditor is paid. [O. Fr. arester—L. ad, to, restāre, to stand still.]

Arret, ar-ret′, or a-rā′, n. decision: judgment of a tribunal—properly of the king or parliament of France. [Fr. arrêt. See Arrest.]

Arride, a-rīd′, v.t. (Lamb) to please, gratify. [L. arridē-re.]

Arrière-ban, är′yer-bän, or ä-rēr′ban, n. in feudal times, the sovereign's summons to all freemen to take the field: the army thus collected. [O. Fr. ariereban, Old High Ger. hari, army, and ban, public proclamation.]

Arris, ar′ris, n. a sharp ridge or edge on stone or metal. [See Arête.]

Arrive, ar-rīv′, v.i. to reach any place: to attain to any object (with at).—ns. Arrīv′al, the act of arriving: persons or things that arrive; Arrīv′ance (Shak.), company arriving. [O. Fr. ariver—Low L. adripāre—L. ad, to, ripa, a bank.]

Arroba, a-rō′ba, n. a weight of 25 or more pounds, used in Spanish and Portuguese regions. [Ar.]

Arrogate, ar′rog-āt, v.t. to claim as one's own: to claim proudly or unduly.—ns. Ar′rogance, Ar′rogancy, undue assumption of importance.—adj. Ar′rogant, claiming too much: overbearing.—adv. Ar′rogantly.—n. Arrogā′tion, act of arrogating: undue assumption. [L. arrogāre—ad, to, rogāre, -ātum, to ask, to claim.]

Arrondissement, ar-ron′dēs-mäng, n. a subdivision of a French department, comprising a number of communes. [Fr.—arrondir, to make round.]

Arrow, ar′rō, n. a straight, pointed weapon, made to be shot from a bow: any arrow-shaped pin or ornament: the chief shoot of a plant, esp. the flowering stem of the sugar-cane.—n. Ar′row-head, the head or pointed part of an arrow: an aquatic plant native to England, with arrow-shaped leaves rising above the water—reputed good for hydrophobia.—adj. Ar′row-head′ed, shaped like the head of an arrow.—n. Ar′row-shot, the distance traversed by an arrow.—adj. Ar′rowy, of or like arrows. [A.S. earh, arwe; cog. with L. arcus; akin to Ice. ör, örvar.]

Arrowroot, ar′rō-rōōt, n. a starch obtained from the roots of certain plants growing chiefly in West Indies, and much used as food for invalids and children. [Said to be so named because used by the Indians of South America as an antidote against wounds caused by poisoned arrows.]

'Arry, ar′i, n. a jovial vulgar fellow who drops his h's:—fem. 'Ar′riet.—adj. 'Ar′ryish, in holiday spirits. [From the vulgar Cockney pronunciation of Harry.]

Arse, ärs, n. the posterior parts of an animal.—adv. and adj. Ars′y-vers′y, backside foremost, contrary. [A.S. ears; Ger. arsch, Sw. ars; cog. with Gr. orros.]

Arsenal, är′se-nal, n. a dock possessing naval stores: a public magazine or manufactory of naval and military stores. [It. arzenale, arsenale (Sp., Fr. arsenal)—Ar. dār aççinā‛ah, workshop; dār, house, al, the, cinā‛ah, art.]

Arsenic, ar′sen-ik, n. one of the chemical elements: a mineral poison: a soft, gray-coloured metal.—ns. Ar′senate, Arsē′niate, a salt of arsenic acid.—adjs. Arsen′ic, -al, composed of or containing arsenic: in chemistry, applied to compounds; Arsē′nious, of or containing arsenic.—n. Ar′senite, a salt of arsenious acid. [Gr. arsenikon, arsen, male; the alchemists fancied some metals male, others female.]

Arsis, ar′sis, n. grammatical term applied to the elevation of the voice to a higher pitch in speaking: (mus.) the strong position in a bar: the strong syllable in English metre:—pl. Ar′sēs. [L.—Gr. arsis—airein, to lift.]

Arson, ärs′on, n. the crime of wilfully burning houses or other buildings.—ns. Ar′sonite, Ar′sonist (rare). [O. Fr. arson—L. arsion-em, ardēre, arsum, to burn.]

Art, ärt, 2d pers. sing. of the present tense of the verb To be. [A.S. eart.]

Art, ärt, n. practical skill guided by rules: human skill as opposed to nature: skill as applied to subjects of taste, the fine arts—music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and poetry: (pl.) specially used of certain branches of learning to be acquired as necessary for pursuit of higher studies, or for the work of life, as in phrase 'faculty of arts, master of arts:' the rules and methods of doing certain actions: a profession, skilled trade, or craft: contrivance: cunning, artfulness, or address: artifice, special faculty of some kind acquired by practice, skill, dexterity, knack: special faculty of giving expression to æsthetic or artistic quality, as in art-furniture, &c., supposed, by the buyer, in this respect, to justify its price.—adj. Art′ful, full of art: (arch.) dexterous, clever: cunning: produced by art.—adv. Art′fully.—n. Art′fulness.—adj. Art′less, simple: (rare) inartistic: guileless, unaffected.—adv. Art′lessly.—ns. Art′lessness; Arts′man, one who cultivates some practical knowledge: (arch.) a man skilled in arts or in learning.—n.pl. Art′-un′ions, associations having for their object the promotion of an interest in the fine arts.—Art and part, as in the phrase 'to be art and part in,' originally in legal expressions like 'to be concerned in either by art or part'—i.e. either by art in contriving or by part in actual execution; now loosely used in the sense of participating, sharing.—Useful arts as opposed to Fine arts, those in which the hands and body are more concerned than the mind.—Science and Art differ essentially in their aims—Science, in Mill's words, 'takes cognisance of a phenomenon, and endeavours to ascertain its law; Art proposes to itself an end, and looks out for means to effect it.' [L. ars, artis. See Arm.]

Artemisia, är-tē-miz′i-a, n. a genus of composite plants, with a peculiarly bitter taste, including Wormwood, Southernwood, &c.

Artery, är′tėr-i, n. a tube or vessel which conveys blood from the heart (see Aorta)—also metaphorically: any main channel of communication.—adj. Artēr′ial—v.t. Artēr′ialise, to make arterial.—ns. Artēriot′omy, the cutting or opening of an artery, to let blood; Arterī′tis, inflammation of an artery. [L.—Gr. artēria, orig. the windpipe most probably—Gr. air-ein, to raise. The ancient conception of the artery as an air-duct gave rise to the derivation from Gr. aēr, air.]

Artesian, är-tē′zhan, adj. applied to wells made by boring until water is reached. [From Artois (L. Artesium), in the north of France, where the oldest known well of this kind in Europe was sunk in 1126.]

Arthritis, ar-thrī′tis, n. inflammation of a joint: gout.—adj. Arthrit′ic, relating to or affecting the joints: gouty. [Gr. arthritikos—arthron, a joint.]

Arthropoda, ar-throp′od-a, n.pl. a great division of the animal kingdom, the body consisting of a definite number of segments, each having a pair of hollow jointed limbs into which the body muscles proceed. It again divides into two great groups—the water-breathers or Branchiata, and the air-breathers or Tracheata.—adj. Arthrop′odal. [Gr. arthron, joint, and pous, pod-os, a foot.]

Artichoke, är′ti-chōk, n. a thistle-like, perennial, eatable plant with large scaly heads, like the cone of the pine, now growing wild in the south of Europe, though probably a native of Asia.—Jerusalem artichoke, a totally different plant, a species of sunflower, bearing tubers like those of the potato, Jerusalem being a corr. of It. girasole ('turn-sun'), sunflower. By a quibble on Jerusalem, the soup made from it is called Palestine soup. [Old It. articiocco (It. carciofo)—Old Sp. alcarchofa—Ar. al-kharshōfa, al-kharshuf. Popular definitions are many—e.g. the plant that chokes the garden or the heart.]

Article, ärt′i-kl, n. a separate element, member, or part of anything: a particular substance: a single clause or term: a distinct point in an agreement, or an agreement looked at as complete, as in 'articles of apprenticeship,' &c.: rules or conditions generally: a section of any document: a literary composition in a journal, newspaper, encyclopædia, &c., treating of a subject distinctly and independently: (gram.) the name given to the adjectives the (definite article) and a or an (indefinite article).—v.t. to draw up or bind by articles: to indict, charge with specific accusations: bind by articles of apprenticeship.—adj. Artic′ular, belonging to the joints.—Articles of association, regulations for the business of a joint-stock company registered under the Companies Acts; Articles of faith, binding statement of points held by a particular Church; Articles of war, code of regulations for the government and discipline of the army and navy.—In the article of death (L. in articulo mortis), at the point of death.—Lords of the Articles, a standing committee of the Scottish parliament who drafted the measures to be submitted.—The Thirty-nine Articles, the articles of religious belief finally agreed upon by the entire bishops and clergy of the Church of England in 1562. [L. articulus, a little joint—artus, a joint.]

Articulata, är-tik-ū-lā′ta, n. one of the great primary divisions of the animal kingdom, according to Cuvier, including those animals of which the body is divided into a number of distinct joints—viz. the higher worms or Annelids, and also the Insects, Crustaceans, Arachnids, and Myriopods.

Articulate, är-tik′ūl-āt, adj. distinct: clear.—v.t. to joint: to form into distinct sounds, syllables, or words.—v.i. to speak distinctly.—adv. Artic′ulately.—ns. Artic′ulateness; Articulā′tion, a joining as of the bones: part between two joints: distinctness, or distinct utterance: a consonant; Artic′ulator, one who articulates or speaks: one who articulates bones and mounts skeletons. [L. articulāre, -ātum, to furnish with joints, to utter distinctly. See Article.]

Artifice, art′i-fis, n. artificer's work: a contrivance: a trick or fraud.—n. Artif′icer, a workman: an inventor.—adj. Artificial (ärt-i-fish′yal), made by art: not natural: cultivated: not indigenous: feigned: not natural in manners, affected.—v.t. and v.i. Artific′ialise, to render artificial.—ns. Artificial′ity, Artific′ialness.—adv. Artific′ially. [L. artificium—artifex, -ficis, an artificer—ars, artis, and facĕre, to make.]

Artillery, är-til′ėr-i, n. offensive weapons of war, esp. cannon, mortars, &c.: the men who manage them: a branch of the military service: gunnery.—ns. Artill′erist, one skilled in artillery or gunnery; Artill′ery-man, a soldier of the artillery. [O. Fr. artillerie, artiller, to arm; through a supposed Low L. artillāre—L. ars, artis, art.]

Artiodactyla, är-ti-o-dak′til-a, n. a sub-order of the great mammalian order of Ungulata, having the third digit unsymmetrical in itself, but forming a symmetrical pair with the fourth digit—as distinguished from the Perissodactyla (horse, tapir, rhinoceros), which have the third digit of each limb symmetrical in itself, an odd number of digits on the hind-foot, and at least twenty-two dorso-lumbar vertebræ. The Artiodactyla, again, divide into two groups, the Non-Ruminantia and the Ruminantia.

Artisan, ärt′i-zan, n. one skilled in any art or trade: a mechanic. [Fr.—It. artigiano, ult. from L. artitus, skilled in the arts—ars, artis, art.]

Artist, ärt′ist, n. one who practises an art, esp. one of the fine arts, as painting, sculpture, engraving, or architecture.—adjs. Artist′ic, -al, according to art.—adv. Artist′ically.—n. Art′istry, artistic pursuits: artistic workmanship, quality, or ability. [Fr. artiste, It. artista—L. ars, artis, art.]

Artiste, är-tēst′, n. one dexterous or tasteful in any art, as an opera dancer, a cook, a hairdresser, &c. [Fr.]

Art-union. See Art.

Arum, ā′rum, n. a genus of plants represented in England by the Cuckoo-pint or Wake Robin (A. maculatum), whose root yields a wholesome farina known as Portland Sago or Arrowroot. [L.—Gr. aron.]

Arundinaceous, a-run-di-nā′shus, adj. relating to or like a reed.—Also Arundin′eous. [L. arundinaceus—arundo, a reed.]

Aruspex, Aruspice, Aruspicy. See Haruspex.

Arvicola, är-vik′ō-lä, n. the general name of the family of animals to which belong the water-vole and field-vole. [Coined from L. arvum, a field, colĕ-re, to inhabit.]

Ary, ä′ri, e′ri, adj. (prov.) any. [A modification of e'er a for ever a. Cf. Nary.]

Aryan, ar′i-an, or ā′ri-an, adj. relating to the family of nations otherwise called Indo-European (comprehending the inhabitants of Europe—except the Basques, Turks, Magyars, and Finns—and those of Armenia, Persia, and North Hindustan), or to their languages—Sanskrit, Zend, Greek, Latin, Celtic, Teutonic, Slavonic, Lettic.—v.t. Aryanise′. [L. arianus, belonging to Ariana or Aria (Gr. Areia), the east part of Ancient Persia—Sans. Arya (cf. Old Pers. Ariya, and Irān, Persia), often traced to a root ar, plough.]

As, az, adv., conj., and pron. in that degree, so far, as ... as: the consequent in a co-relation expressing quantity, degree, &c., as ... as, such ... as, same ... as: since, because: when, while: expressing merely continuation or expansion, for instance: similarly: for example: while: in like manner: that, who, which (after such, same).—As concerning, As to, As for, so far as concerns; As it were, so to speak, in some sort; As much, the same; As well (as), just as much (as), equally (with). [A worn-down form of all-so, A.S. all-swá, wholly so.]

As, as, n. in Norse mythology, one of the gods, the inhabitants of Asgard:—pl. Aesir (ā′ser). [Ice. āss, a god (pl. æsir)—A.S. ōs, seen in such proper names as Oswold, Osric.]

As, as, n. Latin unit of weight, 12 ounces (L. unciæ): a copper coin, the unit of the early monetary system of Rome.

Asafœtida, as-a-fet′i-da, n. a medicinal gum-resin, having an offensive smell, procured by drying the milky juice which flows from the root of the plant Ferula (Narthex) asafœtida. [Pers. azā, mastic, and L. fœtida, stinking.]

Åsar, ē′sar, n.pl. the Swedish name for those long, winding banks and ridges of gravel and sand which occur abundantly in the low grounds of Sweden, supposed to mark the site of sub-glacial streams and rivers.—These åsar are the same as the Irish eskar and the Scotch kames.

Asarabacca, as-a-ra-bak′a, n. a European plant, a species of Asarum, having acrid properties, formerly used in the preparation of snuffs for catarrh, &c. [L. asarum, bacca, a berry.]

Asbestos, az-best′os, n. an incombustible mineral, a variety of hornblende, of a fine fibrous texture, resembling flax: (fig.) anything unquenchable.—adjs. Asbes′tic, Asbes′tous, Asbes′tine, of or like asbestos: incombustible. [Gr.; (lit.) unquenchable—a, neg., sbestos, extinguished.]

Ascaris, as′ka-ris, n. a genus of parasitic worms, of the family Ascar′idæ, infesting the small intestines. [Gr. askaris, pl. askarides.]

Ascend, as-send′, v.i. to climb or mount up: to rise, literally or figuratively: to go backwards in the order of time.—v.t. to climb or go up on: to mount.—adjs. Ascend′able, Ascend′ible.—Ascending rhythm, in prosody, a rhythm in which the arsis follows the thesis, as an iambic or anapæstic rhythm: opposed to descending rhythms, as the trochaic and dactylic. [L. ascendĕre, ascensum—ad, and scandĕre, to climb.]

Ascension, as-sen′shun, n. a rising or going up.—adjs. Ascend′ant, -ent, superior: above the horizon.—n. superiority: (astrol.) the part of the ecliptic rising above the horizon at the time of one's birth; it was supposed to have commanding influence over the person's life, hence the phrase, 'in the ascendant:' superiority or great influence: (rare) an ancestor.—n. Ascend′ency, controlling influence—also Ascend′ancy, Ascend′ance, Ascend′ence (rare).—adj. Ascen′sional, relating to ascension.—n. Ascen′sion-day, the festival held on Holy Thursday, ten days before Whitsunday, to commemorate Christ's ascension to heaven.—adj. Ascen′sive, rising: causing to rise.—n. Ascent′, act of ascending: upward movement, as of a balloon: way of ascending: degree of elevation or advancement: slope or gradient: a flight of steps.—Line of ascent, ancestry.—Right ascension (astron.), the name applied to one of the arcs which determine the position relatively to the equator of a heavenly body on the celestial sphere, the other being the declinator. [L. ascensio—ascendĕre.]

Ascertain, as-sėr-tān′, v.t. to determine: to obtain certain knowledge of: (rare) to insure, certify, make certain.—adj. Ascertain′able.—n. Ascertain′ment. [O. Fr. acertener. See Certain.]

Ascetic, as-set′ik, n. one who rigidly denies himself ordinary sensual gratifications for conscience' sake, one who aims to compass holiness through self-mortification, the flesh being considered as the seat of sin, and therefore to be chastened: a strict hermit.—adjs. Ascet′ic, -al, excessively rigid: austere: recluse.—adv. Ascet′ically.—n. Ascet′icism. [Gr. askētikos (adj. askētēs), one that uses exercises to train himself—askein, to work, take exercise, (eccles.) to mortify the body.]

Ascian, ash′yan, n. name given to the inhabitants of the torrid zone, who are shadowless at certain seasons, from the sun being right over their heads. [Gr. askios, shadowless—a, neg., skia, a shadow.]

Ascidians, a-sid′i-anz, n.pl. a group belonging to the tunicate Mollusca, forming a class of degenerate survivors of ancestral vertebrates, asymmetrical marine animals with a tubular heart and no feet, of a double-mouthed flask shape, found at low-water mark on the sea-beach.—n. Ascid′ium, a genus of Ascidians: (bot.) a pitcher-shaped, leafy formation, as in the Nepenthes. [Gr. askidion, dim. of askos, a leathern bag, wine-skin.]

Ascititious. Same as Adscititious.

Asclepiad, as-klē′pi-ad, Asclepiadic, as-klē-pi-ad′ik, n. in ancient prosody, a verse consisting of a spondee, two (or three) choriambi, and an iambus: —adj. Asclepiad′ic. [Asclepiadēs, a Greek poet.]

Asclepiads, as-klē′pi-adz, n.pl. an order of Greek physicians, priests of Asclepius or Æsculapius, the god of medicine. [Gr. asklēpius, Asclepius.]

Asclepias, as-klē′pi-as, n. a genus of plants, native to North America, giving name to the natural order of the Asclepidaceæ, and containing the milk-weed, swallow-wort, &c.

Ascribe, a-skrīb′, v.t. to attribute, impute, or assign.—adj. Ascrib′able.—n. Ascrip′tion, act of ascribing or imputing: any expression of ascribing, or any formula for such, like the one ascribing glory to God repeated at the end of a sermon. [L. ascribĕre, -scriptum—ad, to, scrib-ĕre, to write.]

Aseity, a-sē′i-ti, n. self-origination. [L. a, from, se, self.]

Aseptic, a-sep′tik, adj. not liable to decay or putrefaction.—n. Asep′ticism. [From Gr. a, neg., sēptos, sēpomai, to decay.]

Asexual, a-seks′ū-al, adj. without sex, once applied to cryptogams—agamic. [Gr. a, neg., and Sexual.]

Asgard, as′gärd, n. the heaven of Norse mythology, abode of the twelve gods and twenty-six goddesses, and of heroes slain in battle. [Ice. asgardhr, āss, a god, gardhr, an enclosure.]

Ash, ash, n. a well-known timber tree, or its wood, which is white, tough, and hard, much used in carpentry and wheel-work: the ashen shaft of a spear, or a spear itself.—adj. Ash′en.—n. Ground′-ash, or Ash′-plant, an ash sapling.—Mountain ash, the rowan-tree; Quaking ash, the aspen. [A.S. æsc—Ger. esche, Ice. askr.]

Ashake, a-shāk′, adv. phrase, shaking. [Prep. a, and Shake.]

Ashamed, a-shāmd′, adj. affected with shame (with of for the cause of shame; for, the person).—v.t. and v.i. Ashame′, to feel shame: to put to shame.—n. Ashamed′ness.—p.adj. Asham′ing. [Pa.p. of old verb ashame.]

Ashes, ash′ez, n.pl. the dust or remains of anything burnt: the remains of the human body when burnt: (fig.) a dead body: used to express pallor, from the colour of wood-ashes, as in 'pale as ashes,' 'ashy-pale.'—n. Ash′-buck′et, a box or bucket in which house-ashes and general refuse are collected for removal.—adjs. Ash′en, Ash′en-gray.—ns. Ash′ery, a place where potash or pearl-ash is made; Ash′-heap, a heap of ashes and household refuse; Ash′-leach, a tub in which alkaline salts are dissolved from wood-ashes; Ash′-pan, a kind of tray fitted underneath a grate to receive the ashes.—adjs. Ash′y, Ash′y-gray.—To lay in ashes, to destroy utterly by burning. [A.S. asce; Ice. aska.]

Ashet, ash′et, n. (now only Scot.) a large flat dish in which meat is served. [Fr. assiette.]

Ashiver, a-shiv′ėr, adv. phrase, quivering.

Ashkenazim, ash-kē-naz′im, n.pl. the Polish and German Jews, as distinguished from the Sephardim, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews. [Heb. Ashkenaz, the name of a northern people in Gen. x., located in Arabia, by later Jews identified with Germany.]

Ashlar, ash′lar, Ashler, ash′lėr, n. hewn or squared stone used in facing a wall, as distinguished from rough, as it comes from the quarry—also in Ash′lar-work, as opposed to Rubble-work.—p.adj. Ash′lared.—n. Ash′laring. [O. Fr. aiseler—L. axillaris, axilla, dim. of axis, assis, axle; also plank (cf. Fr. ais, It. asse.]

Ashore, a-shōr′, adv. on shore. [Prep. a, and Shore.]

Ash-Wednesday, ash-wenz′dā, n. the first day of Lent, so called from the Roman Catholic custom of sprinkling ashes on the head.

Asian, āzh′yan, or āsh′i-an, Asiatic, ā-zhi-at′ik, or āsh-i-at′ik, adj. belonging to Asia: florid in literature or art.—n. Asiat′icism, imitation of Asiatic or Eastern manners.

Aside, a-sīd′, adv. on or to one side: privately: apart.—n. words spoken in an undertone, so as not to be heard by some person present, words spoken by an actor which the other persons on the stage are supposed not to hear: an indirect effort of any kind.—adj. private, apart.—To set aside, to quash (a judgment).

Asinego, as-i-nē′go, n. (Shak.) a stupid fellow.—Also Asini′co. [Sp. asnico—dim. of asno, L. asinus, ass.]

Asinine, as′in-īn, adj. of or like an ass.—n. Asinin′ity. [See Ass.]

Ask, ask, v.t. to seek: to request, inquire, beg, question, invite.—v.i. to request: to make inquiry (with about and for—as to ask one after or for another). [A.S. áscian, ácsian; Ger. heischen, Ice. æskja, Sans. esh, to desire.]

Askance, a-skans′, Askant, a-skant′, adv. sideways: awry: obliquely: with a side glance, or with a side meaning.—v.t. (Shak.) to turn aside.—To eye, look, or view askance, to look at with suspicion. [Ety. very obscure; perh. conn. with It. a schiáncio, slopingly, or with Ice. á-ská, as in Askew.]

Askew, a-skū′, adv. obliquely: aside: awry. [See Askance.]

Aslake, a-slāk′, v.t. (arch.) to slake: to mitigate. [Prep. a, and Slake.]

Aslant, a-slant′, adj. or adv. obliquely.—Also Asklent′ (Scot.).

Asleep, a-slēp′, adj. or adv. in sleep: sleeping: in the sleep of death, dead. [Prep. a, and Sleep.]

Aslope, a-slōp′, adj. or adv. on the slope.

Asmoulder, a-smōl′der, adv. phrase, smouldering.

Asnort, a-snort′, adv. phrase, snorting. [Prep. a, and Snort.]

Asp, asp, Aspic, asp′ik, n. a popular name applied loosely to various genera of venomous serpents—now chiefly to the Vipera aspis of Southern Europe. Cleopatra's asp was probably the small Vipera hasselquistii, or horned viper: the biblical asp (Heb. pethen) was probably the Egyptian juggler's snake (Naja haje). [L.—Gr. aspis.]

Asparagus, as-par′a-gus, n. a plant cultivated for its young shoots, esteemed as a table delicacy.—n. Aspar′agine, a nitrogenised crystallised substance found in asparagus and other vegetables.—Sparrow-grass was long the form of the word in English. [L.—Gr. asparagos.]

Aspect, as′pekt (in Shak. and elsewhere, as-pekt′), n. look: view: appearance, also applied figuratively to the mind: position in relation to the points of the compass: the situation of one planet with respect to another, as seen from the earth.—v.i. (obs.) to look at.—adj. As′pectable, visible, worth looking at. [L. aspectus—ad, at, specĕre, to look.]

Aspen, asp′en, n. the trembling poplar.—adj. made of or like the aspen: tremulous: timorous.—adj. As′pen-like. [A.S. æspe, Ger. espe.]

Asper, as′pėr, n. a small silver Turkish coin.

Asperated. See Aspirate.

Asperges, as-per′jes, n. a short service introductory to the mass, so called from the words Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo et mundabor (Ps. li.).

Aspergill, -um, as′pėr-jil, -um, n. a kind of brush used in R.C. churches for sprinkling holy water on the people.—Also Asperge′, Asper′soir. [L. aspergĕre, to sprinkle, and dim. suffix.]

Aspergillum, as-pėr-jil′um, n. a remarkable genus of boring Lamellibranch Molluscs, in which the shell has the form of an elongated cone, terminating at the lower end in a disc, pierced by numerous small tubular holes.—n. Aspergil′lus, the name of a genus of minute fungi or moulds occurring on decaying substances of various kinds.

Asperity, as-per′i-ti, n. roughness: harshness: bitter coldness. [L. asperitat-em, asper, rough.]

Aspermous, a-spėr′mus, Aspermatous, a-spėr′ma-tus, adj. without seeds. [Gr. a, neg., sperma, seed.]

Asperse, as-pėrs′, v.t. to slander or calumniate: to bespatter (with).—n. Asper′sion, calumny: slander: (Shak.) a shower or spray.—adjs. Aspers′ive, Aspers′ory, tending to asperse: defamatory.

Aspersorium, as-per-sōr′i-um, n. a vessel used in R.C. churches for holding holy water.

Asphalt, as-falt′, or as′falt, Asphaltum, as-falt′um, n. a black or dark-brown, hard, bituminous substance, anciently used as a cement, and now for paving, cisterns, water-pipes, &c.—v.t. Asphalt′, to lay or cover with asphalt.—adj. Asphalt′ic. [Gr. asphaltos, from an Eastern word.]

Aspheterism, as-fet′er-izm, n. (Southey) denial of the right of private property.—v.i. Asphet′erise. [Gr. a, neg., and spheteros, one's own.]

Asphodel, as′fo-del, n. a kind of lily—in Greek mythology, the peculiar plant of the dead. In Greece they cover the bleakest hillsides with enduring blossom.—adj. Elysian. [Gr. asphodelos, a plant of the lily kind; cf. Homer's asphodelos leimōn, the meadow of the dead. See Daffodil.]

Asphyxia, as-fik′si-a, n. (lit.) suspended animation, suffocation, when the blood is in such a state as to render impossible a sufficiently free exchange of carbonic acid for oxygen—also Asphyx′y.—n. Asphyx′iant, a chemical substance which produces asphyxia.—adj. Asphyx′iāted.—ns. Asphyxiā′tion; Asphyx′iātor. [Gr., a stopping of the pulse—a, neg., sphyxis, the pulse.]

Aspic, Aspick, as′pik, n. (poet.) a venomous serpent. [See Asp.]

Aspic, as′pik, n. a savoury meat-jelly containing fish, game, hard-boiled eggs, &c. [Littré suggests its derivation from aspic, asp, because it is 'cold as an aspic,' a French proverb.]

Aspirant, as-pīr′ant, or as′pir-ant, n. one who aspires (with after, for): a candidate.—adj. ambitious: mounting up (rare in both senses). [See Aspire.]

Aspirate, as′pir-āt, v.t. to pronounce with a full breathing, as the letter h in house.—n. a mark of aspiration, the rough breathing in Greek (‛): an aspirated letter.—p.adj. As′perated, made harsh.—ns. Aspirā′tion, pronunciation of a letter with a full breathing: an aspirated sound (like Gr. ch, th, &c.): drawing air in; Aspirā′tor, an apparatus for drawing air or other gases through bottles or other vessels: (med.) an instrument for removing fluids from the cavities of the body.—adj. Aspīr′atory, relating to breathing.—To drop one's aspirates, not to pronounce h, a mark of imperfect education or humble social standing. [See Aspire.]

Aspire, as-pīr′ (followed by to or after with the object, or by an infinitive), v.i. to desire eagerly: to aim at high things: to tower up.—n. Aspirā′tion, eager desire.—adj. Aspīr′ing.—adv. Aspīr′ingly.—n. Aspīr′ingness. [Fr.—L. aspirāre, -ātum—ad, to, spirāre, to breathe.]

Asplenium, as-plē′ni-um, n. spleenwort, a genus of ferns, mostly tropical, with long or linear sori, with indusium arising laterally from above a vein—including the lady-fern, black maiden-hair, &c. [Gr. asplēnion.]

Asport, as-pōrt′, v.t. (rare) to carry away, esp. in a bad sense.—n. Asportā′tion, feloniously carrying away. [L. asportāre—abs, away, and portāre, to carry.]

Aspout, a-spowt′, adv. phrase, spouting.

Asprawl, a-sprawl′, adv. phrase, sprawling.

Aspread, a-spred′, adv. phrase, spread out.

Asprout, a-sprowt′, adv. phrase, sprouting.

Asquat, a-skwät′, adv. phrase, squatting.

Asquint, a-skwint′, adv. and adj. towards the corner of the eye: obliquely.

Ass, as, n. a well-known quadruped of the horse family: (fig.) a dull, stupid fellow.—Asses' bridge, or Pons asinorum, a humorous name for the fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid. [A.S. assa, the earlier Teutonic form being esol, esil (Goth. asilus)—L. asinus; Gr. onos, ass. Perh. ult. of Semitic origin, as in Heb. āthōn, a she-ass.]

Assafetida. Same as Asafœtida.

Assagai, Assegai, as′sa-gī, n. a slender spear of hard wood, tipped with iron, some for hurling, some for thrusting with—used by the South African tribes, notably the war-like Zulus.—v.t. to kill or slay with an assagai. [Through Fr. or Port. from Ar. azzaghāyah, az = al, the zaghāyah, a Berber word.]

Assail, as-sāl′, v.t. to assault: to attack.—adj. Assail′able.—ns. Assail′ant, one who assails or attacks; Assail′ment. [O. Fr. asaillir—L. assilīre—ad, upon, and salīre, to leap.]

Assassin, as-as′in, n. one who, usually for a reward, kills by surprise or secretly.—v.t. Assas′sinate, to murder by surprise or secret assault: (Milton) to maltreat: also figuratively, to destroy by treacherous means, as a reputation.—n. (obs.) one who assassinates.—ns. Assassinā′tion, secret murder; Assas′sinator. [Through Fr. or It. from Ar. hashshāshīn, 'hashish-eaters,' a military and religious order in Syria, of the 11th century, who became notorious for their secret murders in obedience to the will of their chief, and fortified themselves for their adventures by hashish, an intoxicating drug or drink made from hemp.]

Assault, as-sawlt′, n. a sudden attack: a storming, as of a town: (Eng. law) unlawful attempt to apply force to the person of another—when force is actually applied, the act amounts to battery: an attack of any sort by arguments, appeals, &c.—v.t. to make an assault or attack upon: (law) to make an assault.—n. Assault′er.—Assault at arms, a display of attack and defence in fencing. [O. Fr. asaut—L. ad, upon, saltus, a leap, salīre, to leap. See Assail.]

Assay, as-sā′, v.t. to determine the proportions of a metal in an ore or alloy: endeavour (more usually Essay): (Spens.) to affect or move: (Shak.) to put one to the proof, as to accost with a particular purpose, to measure swords with another, &c.: (poet.) put to proof, examine by trial.—v.i. to attempt.—n. the determination of the quantity of metal in an ore or alloy: the trial of anything, as in the ancient custom of tasting the drink before handing it to a king or noble: an attempt or endeavour: probation or trial: (Spens.) ascertained purity.—ns. Assay′er, one who assays, esp. metals; Assay′ing, the process of assaying or determining the proportion of pure metal in an ore or alloy; Assay′-mas′ter, the officer who determines the amount of gold or silver in coin or bullion. [O. Fr. assayer, n. assai. See Essay.]

Assegai, Assegay. Same as Assagai.

Assemble, as-sem′bl, v.t. to call or bring together: to collect.—v.i. to meet together.—ns. Assem′blage, a collection of persons or things; Assem′blance (Spens.), an assembling: (Shak.) semblance: representation; Assem′bly, the act of assembling: the company so assembled: a gathering of persons for any purpose, as for religious worship or social entertainment: specially applied to the lower house of the legislature in some of the United States and British colonies: (mil.) a drum-beat, esp. that before a march, upon which the soldiers strike their tents; Assem′bly-room, a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing.—General Assembly, in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States, the highest court of the Presbyterian Church; Legislative Assembly, in many of the British colonies, the title of the lower house of the legislature; National Assembly, the first of the revolutionary assemblies in France, which sat 1789-91—also called the Constituent Assembly, superseded in 1791 by the Legislative Assembly. [Fr. assembler—Late L. assimulāre, to bring together, ad, to, similis, like. See Assimilate.]

Assent, as-sent′, v.i. to think or concur with, to admit as true (with to).—n. an agreeing or acquiescence: compliance.—adj. Assentā′neous, ready to agree.—ns. Assent′er, Assent′or, one of the eight voters who indorse the proposer and seconder's nomination of a candidate for election to the parliament of the United Kingdom.—adjs. Assen′tient, Assent′ive.—adv. Assent′ingly.—n. Assent′iveness.—Royal Assent, in England, the sovereign's formal acquiescence in a measure which has passed the two Houses of Parliament. [O. Fr. asenter, assent—L. assentāre, assentīre, L. ad, to, sentīre, to think.]

Assentation, as-sen-tā′shun, n. obsequious assent, adulation.—n. As′sentator (obs.).—adv. Assent′atorily (obs.). [L. assentāri, to flatter, freq. of assentīri, assent, agree.]

Assert, as-sėrt′, v.t. to vindicate or defend by arguments or measures (now used only of the cause as object or reflexive): to declare strongly: to lay claim to or insist upon anything: to affirm: (rare) to bear evidence of.—adj. Assert′able.—ns. Assert′er, Assert′or, a champion, one who makes a positive statement; Asser′tion, affirmation: the act of claiming one's rights: averment.—adj. Assert′ive, asserting or confirming confidently: positive: dogmatic.—adv. Assert′ively.—n. Assert′iveness.—adj. Assert′ory, affirmative.—To assert one's self, to defend one's rights or opinions, sometimes with unnecessary zeal, to thrust one's self forward. [L. asserĕre (superl. assertum), aliquem manu in libertatem, to lay hands on a slave in token of manumission, hence to protect, affirm, declare—ad, to, and serĕre, to join. Cf. Series.]

Assess, as-ses′, v.t. to fix the amount of, as a tax (with upon): to tax or fine: to fix the value or profits of, for taxation (with at): to estimate.—adj. Assess′able.—ns. Assess′ment, act of assessing: a valuation for the purpose of taxation: a tax; Assess′or, a legal adviser who sits beside a magistrate: one who assesses taxes: one who shares another's dignity.—adj. Assessō′rial.—n. Assess′orship. [Fr.—L. assessāre, freq. of assidēre, assessum, to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, from ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]

Assets, as′sets, n.pl. the property of a deceased or insolvent person, considered as chargeable for all debts, &c.: the entire property of all sorts belonging to a merchant or to a trading association. [From the Anglo-Fr. law phrase aver assetz, to have sufficient, O. Fr. asez, enough—L. ad, to, satis, enough.]

Asseverate, as-sev′ėr-āt, v.t. to declare solemnly—an earlier form is Assev′er.—adv. Asseverat′ingly.—n. Asseverā′tion, any solemn affirmation or confirmation. [L. asseverāre, -ātum—ad, to, severus, serious. See Severe.]

Assiduity, as-sid-ū′i-ti, n. constant application or diligence: (pl.) constant attentions, as to a lady.—adj. Assid′uous, constant or unwearied in application: diligent.—adv. Assid′uously.—n. Assid′uousness. [L. assiduitas—assiduus, sitting close at—ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]

Assiege, as-sēj′, v.t. (Spens.) to besiege. [See Siege.]

Assiento, as-ē-en′to, n. a word especially applied to an exclusive contract between Spain and some foreign nation for the supply of African slaves for its American possessions. [Sp., a seat, a seat in a court, a treaty.]

Assign, as-sīn′, v.t. to sign or mark out to one: to allot: to appoint: to allege: to transfer: to ascribe or refer to: to suggest: to fix, as a time: to point out exactly.—n. one to whom any property or right is made over: (pl.) appendages (Shak.).—adj. Assign′able, that may be assigned.—ns. Assignā′tion, an appointment to meet, used chiefly of love-trysts, and mostly in a bad sense: (Scots law) the making over of any right to another, equivalent to Assignment; Assignee (as-sin-ē′), one to whom any right or property is assigned: (pl.) the trustees of a sequestrated estate; Assign′ment, act of assigning: anything assigned: the writing by which a transfer is made: (Spens.) design. [Fr.—L. assignāre, to mark out—ad, to, signum, a mark or sign.]

Assignat, as-sin-yä′, n. one of the notes (chiefly for 100 francs = £4 each) in the paper currency first issued in 1790 by the French revolutionary government as bonds on the security of the appropriated church lands.

Assimilate, as-sim′il-āt, v.t. to make similar or like to: to convert into a like substance, as food in our bodies (with to, with).—v.i. to become like, or to be incorporated in.—n. Assim′ilability (Coleridge).—adj. Assim′ilable.—n. Assimilā′tion.—adj. Assim′ilātive, having the power or tendency to assimilate. [L. assimilāre, -ātum—ad, to, similis, like.]

Assist, as-sist′, v.t. to help.—v.i. to be present at a ceremony: (Shak.) to accompany.—n. Assist′ance, help: relief.—adj. Assist′ant, helping or lending aid.—n. one who assists: a helper. [L. assistĕre, to stand by—ad, to, sistĕre.]

Assize, as-sīz′, v.t. to assess: to set or fix the quantity or price.—n. a statute settling the weight, measure, or price of anything: (Scot.) a trial by jury, the jury: judgment, sentence, the Last Judgment: (pl.) the sessions or sittings of a court held periodically in English counties, at which causes are tried by judges of the High Court of Justice on circuit and a jury.—n. Assiz′er, an officer who inspects weights and measures. [O. Fr. assise, an assembly of judges, a set rate—asseoir—L. assidēre.]

Associate, as-sō′shi-āt, v.t. to join with, as a friend or partner: to unite in the same body.—v.i. to keep company (with): to combine or unite.—ns. Associabil′ity, Assō′ciableness.—adjs. Assō′ciable, that may be joined or associated: sociable: companionable; Assō′ciate, joined or connected with.—n. one joined or connected with another: a companion, friend, partner, or ally.—ns. Assō′ciateship, office of an associate; Associā′tion, act of associating: union or combination: a society of persons joined together to promote some object.—adj. Assō′ciātive, tending to association.—Association football, the game as formulated by the Football Association (formed in 1863).—Association (of Ideas), applied to laws of mental combination which facilitate recollection: similarity: contiguity, repetition. [L. associātum, associāre—ad, to socius, a companion.]

Assoil, as-soil′, v.t. to loosen from: to absolve or acquit: to solve: (Spens.) to remove, to let loose, to renew, to get rid of.—n. Assoil′ment. [Through Fr. from L.—L. ab, from, solvĕre, to loose.]

Assoil, as-soil′, v.t. to soil, stain, or make dirty. [L. ad, and Soil. See Soil (2).]

Assoilzie, as-soil′yē, v.i. to free one accused from a charge: a Scots law term, the same as the archaic assoil, to absolve from sin, discharge, pardon. See Absolvitor, under Absolve. [Through Fr. from L. absolvĕre.]

Assonance, as′son-ans, n. a correspondence in sound: in Spanish and Portuguese poetry, a kind of rhyme, consisting in the coincidence of the vowels of the corresponding syllables, without regard to the consonants, as in mate and shape, feel and need.—adjs. As′ssonant, resembling in sound; As′sonantal, As′sonantic.—v.t. As′sonate, to correspond in sound. [Fr.—L. assonāre, as = ad-, to, sonāre, to sound.]

Assort, as-sort′, v.t. to separate into classes: to arrange.—v.i. to agree or be in accordance with: to fall into a class with, suit well with: (arch.) to keep company with.—p.adj. Assort′ed, classified, arranged in sorts.—ns. Assort′edness; Assort′ment, act of assorting: a quantity or number of things assorted: variety. [Fr. assortir—L. ad, to, sors, a lot.]

Assot, as-sot′, v.t. (Spens.) to besot, to infatuate.—p.adj. Assot′, or Assot′ted (Spens.), infatuated. [O. Fr. asoter—à, to, sot, foolish. See Sot.]

Assuage, as-swāj′, v.t. to soften, mitigate, or allay.—v.i. to abate or subside: to diminish.—n. Assuage′ment, abatement: mitigation.—adj. Assuā′sive, softening, mild. [O. Fr., formed as if from a L. assuaviāre—ad, to, suavis, mild.]

Assubjugate, as-sub′jōō-gāt, v.t. (Shak.) to reduce to subjugation.

Assuefaction, as-wē-fak′shun, n. (Sir T. Browne) the act of accustoming, habituation. [L. assuefacĕre—assuetus, accustomed, and facĕre, to make.]

Assuetude, as′wē-tūd, n. (obs.) custom, habit. [L. assuetus.]

Assume, as-sūm′, v.t. to adopt, take in: to take up, to take upon one's self: to take for granted: to arrogate: to pretend to possess.—v.i. to claim unduly: to be arrogant.—adjs. Assum′able, Assump′tive, that may be assumed.—adv. Assum′ably, presumably.—adj. Assumed′, appropriated, usurped: pretended: taken as the basis of argument.—advs. Assum′edly, Assum′ingly.—adj. Assum′ing, haughty: arrogant. [L. assumĕre—ad, to, sumĕre, sumptum, to take.]

Assumpsit, a-sump′sit, n. an action at law, wherein the plaintiff asserts that the defendant undertook (L. assumpsit) to do a certain act and failed to fulfil his promise: in the United States, the most common form of action.

Assumption, as-sum′shun, n. act of assuming: a supposition: the thing supposed, a proposition: (logic) the minor premise in a syllogism.—Assumption of the Virgin, a church festival kept on the 15th of August, based on the notion that after the death of Mary, her soul and body were preserved from corruption and taken up to heaven by Christ and His angels.—Deed of assumption (Scots law), a deed executed by trustees under a trust-deed assuming a new trustee or settlement. [L. See Assume.]

Assure, a-shōōr′, v.t. to make sure or secure: to give confidence: (Shak.) to betroth: to tell positively: to insure.—adj. Assur′able.—n. Assur′ance, confidence: feeling of certainty: self-reliance: impudence: positive declaration: insurance, as applied to lives: the securing of a title to property: (theol.) subjective certainty of one's salvation: a solemn declaration or promise, a certain proof: surety, warrant.—adj. Assured′, certain: without doubt: insured: overbold.—adv. Assur′edly.—ns. Assur′edness; Assur′er, one who gives assurance: an insurer or underwriter: one who insures his life. [O. Fr. aseürer (Fr. assurer)—Late L. adsecurāre—ad, to, securus, safe. See Sure.]

Assurgent, as-ur′jent, adj. rising, ascending: (bot.) rising in a curve to an erect position: (her.) of a bearing depicted as rising from the sea.—n. Assur′gency, the tendency to rise.

Asswage. A form of Assuage.

Assyrian, as-sir′i-an, adj. belonging to Assyria.—n. an inhabitant of Assyria: the language of Assyria.—ns. Assyriol′ogist; Assyriol′ogy, the science of Assyrian antiquities. [Gr. Assurios—Assuria, Assyria.]

Astare, a-stār′, adv. phrase, staring.

Astart, a-start′, v.i. (Spens.) to start up suddenly: to happen, fall out.—adv. with a start, suddenly. [Pfx. a-, and Start.]

Astatic, a-stat′ik, adj. having a tendency not to stand still: losing polarity, as a magnetic needle. [Gr. neg., astatos—a, neg., statos, verb. adj. of histanai, to stand.]

Astay, a-stā′, adv. applied to an anchor when, in lifting it, the cable forms such an angle with the surface of the water as to appear in a line with the stays of the ship. [Prep. a, on, and Stay.]

Aster, as′tėr, n. a genus of plants of the natural order Compositæ, with showy radiated flowers varying from white to lilac-blue or purple, mostly perennial, flowering in late summer and autumn, hence often called in England Michaelmas or Christmas daisies.—China aster, the best-known and most valued of the family, brought from China to France by a missionary in the 18th century. [Gr. astēr, a star.]

Asterias, as-tēr′i-as, n. a genus of Echinoderms, containing the common five-rayed starfish. [Gr. astērias, a fish—astēr, a star.]

Asterisk, as′tėr-isk, n. a star, used in printing as a reference to a note at the bottom or on the margin of the page, and sometimes as a mark of the omission of words, thus *.—n. As′terism, a group or collection of small stars: a constellation: three asterisks placed to direct attention to a passage: a property of some minerals which show a star-shaped luminous figure when viewed by reflected light—e.g. the asteriated sapphire. [Gr. asteriskos, dim. of aster, a star.]

Astern, a-stėrn′, adv. in the stern: towards the hinder part of a ship: behind. [Prep. a, and Stern.]

Asteroid, as′tėr-oid, n. one of the minor planetary bodies revolving between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.—adj. Asteroid′al. [Gr. astēr, a star, eidos, form.]

Astert, a-stėrt′. Same as Astart.

Asthenia, as-thē-nī′a, n. debility, lack of strength.—adj. Asthen′ic [Gr. a, priv., and sthenos, strength.]

Asthma, ast′ma, n. a chronic disorder of the organs of respiration, characterised by the occurrence of paroxysms in which the breathing becomes difficult, and accompanied by wheezing and a distressing feeling of tightness in the chest.—adjs. Asthmat′ic, -al, pertaining to or affected by asthma.—adv. Asthmat′ically. [Gr. asthma, asthmat-os—az-ein, to breathe hard, a-ein, to blow.]

Astigmatism, a-stig′ma-tizm, n. a defective condition of the eye, in which rays proceeding to the eye from one point are not correctly brought to a focus at one point.—adj. Astigmat′ic. [Gr. a, neg., and stigma, stigmat-os, a point.]

Astir, a-stir′, prep. phr. or adv. on the move, out of bed, in motion or excitement. [Prep. a, and Stir.]

Astomatous, as-tom′a-tus, adj. having no mouth, used of a division of the protozoa.

Astonish, as-ton′ish, v.t. to impress with sudden surprise or wonder: to amaze: (Shak.) to stun—older form Aston′y, whence the p.adj. Aston′ied, dazed, bewildered, greatly astonished.—Aston′, Astun′, Astoned′, Astunned′, are obsolete.—p.adj. Aston′ished, amazed: (obs.) stunned.—adj. Aston′ishing, very wonderful, amazing.—adv. Aston′ishingly.—n. Aston′ishment, amazement: wonder: a cause for astonishment. [From the earlier form, Astone; O. Fr. estoner; L. attonāre, to strike with a thunderbolt.]

Astound, as-townd′, v.t. to amaze, to strike dumb with astonishment:—pa.p. astound′ed; pr.p. astound′ing.—pa.p. Astound′ (arch.).—p.adj. Astound′ing. [Astound (adj.) is developed from Astoned, hence the verb is a doublet of Astonish.]

Astraddle, a-strad′dl, adv. sitting astride. [Prep. a, on, and Straddle.]

Astragal, as′tra-gal, n. (archit.) a small semicircular moulding or bead encircling a column: a round moulding near the mouth of a cannon: the bars which hold the panes of a window. [Gr. astragalos, one of the vertebræ, a moulding.]

Astragalus, as-trag′al-us, n. a bone of the foot, forming with the leg-bones the hinge of the ankle-joint, by a convex upper surface and smooth sides. [Gr.]

Astrakhan, as′tra-kan, n. name given to lamb-skins with a curled wool obtained from Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea: a rough fabric made in imitation of it.

Astral, as′tral, adj. belonging to the stars: starry: in the science of Theosophy, descriptive of a supersensible substance supposed to pervade all space and enter into all bodies.—Astral body, a living form composed of astral fluid, a ghost or wraith; Astral spirits, pervading spirits supposed to animate the heavenly bodies, forming, as it were, their souls—among the most potent of demoniacal spirits in medieval demonology. [L. astralis, astrum, a star.]

Astrand, a-strand′, adv. stranded. [Prep. a, on, and Strand.]

Astray, a-strā′, adv. out of the right way. [Prep. a, on, and Stray.]

Astriction, as-trik′shun, n. a binding or contraction: restriction.—v.t. Astrict′, to bind, restrict. [L. astriction-em, astringĕre. See Astringent.]

Astride, a-strīd′, adv. with the legs apart, or across. [Prep. a, on, and Stride.]

Astringent, as-trin′jent, adj. binding: contracting: strengthening.—n. a medicine that causes costiveness.—v.t. Astringe′, to bind together: to draw tight: hence to render constipated.—n. Astrin′gency.—adv. Astrin′gently. [L. astringent-em, astringĕre—ad, to, stringĕre, to bind.]

Astrolabe, as′trō-lāb, n. an instrument for measuring the altitudes of the sun or stars, now superseded by Hadley's quadrant and sextant. [Gr.; astron, a star, labb-, lambano, I take.]

Astrolatry, as-trol′a-tri, n. the worship of the stars. [Gr. astron, a star, latreia, worship.]

Astrology, as-trol′o-ji, n. the infant stage of the science of the stars, out of which grew Astronomy; it was occupied chiefly in determining from the positions and motions of the heavenly bodies their supposed influence on human and terrestrial affairs.—n. Astrol′oger, one versed in astrology.—adjs. Astrolog′ic, -al.—adv. Astrolog′ically. [Gr. astrologia—astron, star, logos, knowledge.]

Astronomy, as-tron′om-i, n. the laws or science of the stars or heavenly bodies.—n. Astron′omer, one versed in astronomy.—adj. Astronom′ic.—adv. Astronom′ically.—v.t. Astron′omise. [Gr. astronomia—astron, star, nomos, a law.]

Astrophel, as′tro-fel, n. a name applied by Spenser to some kind of bitter herb.

Astrut, a-strut′, adv. in a strutting manner. [Prep. a, on, and Strut.]

Astute, ast-ūt′, adj. crafty: cunning: shrewd: sagacious.—adv. Astute′ly.—n. Astute′ness.—The adj. Astū′cious, adv. Astū′ciously, and n. Astū′city are all rare. [L. astutus—astus, crafty, akin perhaps to Acute.]

Astylar, a-stī′lar, adj. without columns. [Gr. a, neg., stylos, a column.]

Asudden, a-sud′en, adv. suddenly. [Prep. a, and Sudden.]

Asunder, a-sun′dėr, adv. apart: into parts: separately. [Prep. a, and Sunder.]

Aswarm, a-swärm′, adv. swarming. [Prep. a, and Swarm.]

Asway, a-swā′, adv. swaying.

Aswim, a-swim′, adv. afloat.

Aswing, a-swing′, adv. swinging.

Aswoon, a-swōōn′, adv. in a swoon.

Asylum, a-sīl′um, n. a place of refuge for debtors and for such as were accused of some crime: an institution for the care or relief of the unfortunate, such as the blind or insane: any place of refuge or protection. [L.—Gr. asylon—a, neg., sylē, right of seizure.]

Asymmetry, a-sim′e-tri, n. want of symmetry or proportion between parts.—adjs. Asymmet′ric, -al.—adv. Asymmet′rically. [Gr. See Symmetry.]

Asymptote, a′sim-tōt, n. (math.) a line that continually approaches nearer to some curve without ever meeting it.—adjs. Asymptot′ic, -al.—adv. Asymptot′ically. [Gr. asymptōtos, not coinciding—a, not, syn, with, ptōtos, apt to fall, pipt-ein, to fall.]

Asynartete, a-sin′ar-tēt, adj. and n. not connected, consisting of two members having different rhythms; a verse of such a kind.—Also Asyn′artetic. [Gr.; a, neg., syn, together, arta-ein, to knit.]

Asynchronism, a-sin′kro-nizm, n. want of synchronism or correspondence in time.—adj. Asyn′chronous.

Asyndeton, a-sin′de-ton, n. (rhet.) a figure in which the conjunctions are omitted, as in Matt. x. 8.—adj. Asyndet′ic. [Gr.; a, neg., syndetos, bound together, syn, together, dein, to bind.]

Asyntactic, as-in-tak′tik, adj. loosely put together, irregular, ungrammatical. [Gr.; a, neg., syntaktos, syntass-ein, to put in order together.]

Asystole, a-sis′to-lē, n. (med.) the condition of a heart the left ventricle of which is unable to empty itself.—Also Asys′tolism. [Made up of Gr. a, neg., systolē, contraction.]

At, at, prep. denoting presence, nearness, or relation. Often used elliptically, as in 'At him, good dog.' [A.S. æt; cog. with Goth, and Ice. at, L. ad; Sans. adhi, on.]

Atabal, at′a-bal, n. a Moorish kettledrum. [Sp.—Ar. at-tabl, the drum.]

Ataghan. Same as Yataghan.

Atavism, at′av-izm, n. frequent appearance of ancestral, but not parental, characteristics in an animal or plant: reversion to an original type.—adj. At′avistic. [L. atavus—avus, a grandfather.]

Ataxia, at-ak′si-a, Ataxy, a-tax′i, or at′ax-i, n. (med.) irregularity of the functions of the body through disease, esp. inability to co-ordinate voluntary movements, as in locomotor ataxy. [Gr.; a, neg., taktos, tassein, to arrange.]

Ate, et, or āt, pa.t. of Eat.

Ate, ā′tē, n. (myth.) the goddess of mischief and of all rash actions and their results. [Gr.]

Atelier, at-el-yā′, n. a workshop, esp. an artist's studio. [Fr.]

Athanasia, ath-a-nā′si-a, n. deathlessness.—Also Athan′asy. [Gr.; athanatos, a, neg., thanatos, death.]

Athanasian, ath-a-nāz′yan, adj. relating to Athanasius (296-373), or to the creed erroneously attributed to him.

Athanor, ath′a-nor, n. a self-feeding digesting furnace, used by the alchemists, in which a uniform heat was maintained. [Ar. at-tannur, at = al, the nūr, fire.]

Atheism, ā′the-izm, n. disbelief in the existence of God.—v.i. and v.t. A′theise, to talk or write as an atheist.—n. A′theist, one who disbelieves in the existence of God.—adjs. Atheist′ic, -al.—adv. Atheist′ically.—adj. A′theous (Milton), atheistic. [Fr. athéisme—Gr. a, neg., and theos, God.]

Atheling, ath′el-ing, n. a member of a noble family, latterly a prince of the blood royal, or the heir-apparent. [A.S. ætheling; Ger. adel.]

Athenæum, Atheneum, ath-e-nē′um, n. a temple of Athēna or Minerva at Athens, in which scholars and poets read their works: a public institution for lectures, reading, &c. [Gr. Athēnaion—Athēna or Athēnē, the goddess Minerva.]

Athenian, a-thē′ni-an, adj. relating to Athens, the capital of Greece.—n. a native of Athens.

Atheology, a-thē-ol′oj-i, n. opposition to theology.—adj. Atheolog′ical. [Gr. atheos, without God, logia, discourse.]

Atherine, ath′er-īn, n. a genus of small fishes, allied to the Gray Mullet family, abundant in the Mediterranean—one species (Atherina presbyter), found on the south coast of England, is often sold as a smelt. [Gr.]

Athermancy, ath-er′man-si, n. the property of stopping radiant heat.—adj. Ather′manous. [Gr. a, neg., thermain-ein, to heat.]