A A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages). (continued 18)
Reading edition
Defn: An instrument for measuring the magnifying power of a lens or system of lenses.
AVA A"va, n.
Defn: Same as Kava. Johnston.
AVADAVAT Av`a*da*vat", n.
Defn: Same as Amadavat.
AVAIL A*vail", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Availed (p. pr. & vb. n. Availing.] Etym: [OE. availen, fr. F. ad) + valoir to be worth, fr. L. valere to be strong, to be worth. See Valiant.]
1. To turn to the advantage of; to be of service to; to profit; to benefit; to help; as, artifices will not avail the sinner in the day of judgment. O, what avails me now that honor high ! Milton.
2. To promote; to assist. [Obs.] Pope. To avail one's self of, to make use of; take advantage of. Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names. Milton. I have availed myself of the very first opportunity. Dickens.
AVAIL A*vail", v. i.
Defn: To be of use or advantage; to answer the purpose; to have strength, force, or efficacy sufficient to accomplish the object; as, the plea in bar must avail, that is, be sufficient to defeat the suit; this scheme will not avail; medicines will not avail to check the disease. "What signs avail " Milton. Words avail very little with me, young man. Sir W. Scott.
AVAIL A*vail", n.
1. Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; value; as, labor, without economy, is of little avail. The avail of a deathbed repentance. Jer. Taylor.
2. pl.
Defn: Proceeds; as, the avails of a sale by auction. The avails of their own industry. Stoddard.
Syn. — Use; benefit; utility; profit; service.
AVAIL A*vail", v. t. & i.
Defn: See Avale, v. [Obs.] Spenser.
AVAILABILITY A*vail`a*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Availabilities (.
1. The quality of being available; availableness.
Note: The word is sometimes used derogatively in the sense of "mere availableness," or capability of success without regard to worthiness. He was . . . nominated for his availability. Lowell.
2. That which is available.
AVAILABLE A*vail"a*ble, a.
1. Having sufficient power, force, or efficacy, for the object; effectual; valid; as, an available plea. [Obs.] Laws human are available by consent. Hooker.
2. Such as one may avail one's self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose; usable; profitable; advantageous; convertible into a resource; as, an available measure; an available candidate. Struggling to redeem, as he did, the available months and days out of so many that were unavailable. Carlyle. Having no available funds with which to pay the calls on new shares. H. Spenser.
AVAILABLENESS A*vail"a*ble*ness, n.
1. Competent power; validity; efficacy; as, the availableness of a title. [Obs.]
2. Quality of being available; capability of being used for the purpose intended. Sir M. Hale.
AVAILABLY A*vail"a*bly, adv.
Defn: In an available manner; profitably; advantageously; efficaciously.
AVAILMENT A*vail"ment, n.
Defn: Profit; advantage. [Obs.]
AVALANCHE Av"a*lanche`, n. Etym: [F. avalanche, fr. avaler to descend, to let down, from aval down, downward; ad) + val, L. vallis, valley. See Valley.]
1. A large mass or body of snow and ice sliding swiftly down a mountain side, or falling down a precipice.
2. A fall of earth, rocks, etc., similar to that of an avalanche of snow or ice.
3. A sudden, great, or irresistible descent or influx of anything.
AVALE A*vale", v. t. & i. Etym: [F. avaler to descend, to let down. See Avalanche.]
1. To cause to descend; to lower; to let fall; to doff. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To bring low; to abase. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.
3. (v. i.)
Defn: To descend; to fall; to dismount. [Obs.] And from their sweaty courses did avale. Spenser.
AVANT A*vant", n. Etym: [For avant-guard. Cf. Avaunt, Van.]
Defn: The front of an army. [Obs.] See Van.
AVANT-COURIER A*vant"-cou`ri*er, n. Etym: [F., fr. avant before + courrier. See Avaunt, and Courier.]
Defn: A person dispatched before another person or company, to give notice of his or their approach.
AVANT-GUARD A*vant"-guard` (; sq. root277), n. Etym: [F. avant before + E. guard, F. avant-garde. See Avaunt.]
Defn: The van or advanced body of an army. See Vanguard.
AVARICE Av"a*rice, n. Etym: [F. avaritia, fr. avarus avaricious, prob. fr. av to covert, fr. a root av to satiate one's self: cf. Gr. av to satiate one's self, rejoice, protect.]
1. An excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity. To desire money for its own sake, and in order to hoard it up, is avarice. Beattie.
2. An inordinate desire for some supposed good. All are taught an avarice of praise. Goldsmith.
AVARICIOUS Av`a*ri"cious, a. Etym: [Cf. F. avaricieux.]
Defn: Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.
Syn. — Greedy; stingy; rapacious; griping; sordid; close. — Avaricious, Covetous, Parsimonious, Penurious, Miserly, Niggardly. The avaricious eagerly grasp after it at the expense of others, though not of necessity with a design to save, since a man may be covetous and yet a spendthrift. The penurious, parsimonious, and miserly save money by disgraceful self-denial, and the niggardly by meanness in their dealing with others. We speak of persons as covetous in getting, avaricious in retaining, parsimonious in expending, penurious or miserly in modes of living, niggardly in dispensing. — Av`a*ri"cious*ly, adv — Av`a*ri"cious*ness, n.
AVAROUS Av"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. avarus.]
Defn: Avaricious. [Obs.]
AVAST A*vast", interj. Etym: [Corrupted from D. houd vast hold fast. See Hold, v. t., and Fast, a.] (Naut.)
Defn: Cease; stop; stay. "Avast heaving." Totten.
AVATAR Av`a*tar", n. Etym: [Skr. avatâra descent; ava from + root t to cross, pass over.]
1. (Hindoo Myth.)
Defn: The descent of a deity to earth, and his incarnation as a man or an animal; — chiefly associated with the incarnations of Vishnu.
2. Incarnation; manifestation as an object of worship or admiration.
AVAUNCE A*vaunce", v. t. & i. Etym: [See Advance.]
Defn: To advance; to profit. Chaucer.
AVAUNT A*vaunt", interj. Etym: [F. avant forward, fr. L. ab + ante before. Cf. Avant, Advance.]
Defn: Begone; depart; — a word of contempt or abhorrence, equivalent to the phrase "Get thee gone."
AVAUNT A*vaunt", v. t. & i.
1. To advance; to move forward; to elevate. [Obs.] Spenser.
2. To depart; to move away. [Obs.] Coverdale.
AVAUNT A*vaunt", v. t. & i. Etym: [OF. avanter; (L. ad) + vanter. See Vaunt.]
Defn: To vaunt; to boast. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVAUNT A*vaunt", n.
Defn: A vaunt; to boast. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVAUNTOUR A*vaunt"our, n. Etym: [OF. avanteur.]
Defn: A boaster. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVE A"ve, n. Etym: [L., hail.]
1. An ave Maria. He repeated Aves and Credos. Macaulay.
2. A reverential salutation. Their loud applause and aves vehement. Shak.
AVEL A*vel, v. t. Etym: [L. avellere.]
Defn: To pull away. [Obs.] Yet are not these parts avelled. Sir T. Browne.
AVELLANE A*vel"lane, a. Etym: [Cf. It. avellana a filbert, fr. L. Avella or Abella a city of Campania.] (Her.)
Defn: In the form of four unhusked filberts; as, an avellane cross.
AVE MARIA; AVE MARY A"ve Ma*ri"a, A"ve Ma"ry.Etym: [From the first words of the Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary; L. ave hail, Maria Mary.]
1. A salutation and prayer to the Virgin Mary, as mother of God; — used in the Roman Catholic church. To number Ave Maries on his beads. Shak.
2. A particular time (as in Italy, at the ringing of the bells about half an hour after sunset, and also at early dawn), when the people repeat the Ave Maria. Ave Maria ! blessed be the hour ! Byron.
AVENA A*ve"na, n. Etym: [L.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of grasses, including the common oat (Avena sativa); the oat grasses.
AVENACEOUS Av`e*na"ceous, a. Etym: [L. avenaceus, fr. avena oats.]
Defn: Belonging to, or resembling, oats or the oat grasses.
AVENAGE Av"e*nage, n. Etym: [F. avenage, fr. L. avena oats.] (Old Law)
Defn: A quantity of oats paid by a tenant to a landlord in lieu of rent. Jacob.
AVENALIN A*ven"a*lin, n. [L. avena eats.] (Chem.)
Defn: A crystalline globulin, contained in oat kernels, very similar in composition to excelsin, but different in reactions and crystalline form.
AVENER Av"e*ner, n. Etym: [OF. avenier, fr. aveine, avaine, avoine, oats, F. avoine, L. avena.] (Feud. Law)
Defn: An officer of the king's stables whose duty it was to provide oats for the horses. [Obs.]
AVENGE A*venge", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Avenged (p. pr. & vb. n. Avenging ( Etym: [OF. avengier; L. ad + vindicare to lay claim to, to avenge, revenge. See Vengeance.]
1. To take vengeance for; to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer. He will avenge the blood of his servants. Deut. xxxii. 43. Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold. Milton. He had avenged himself on them by havoc such as England had never before seen. Macaulay.
2. To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on. [Obs.] Thy judgment in avenging thine enemies. Bp. Hall.
Syn. — To Avenge, Revenge. To avenge is to inflict punishment upon evil doers in behalf of ourselves, or others for whom we act; as, to avenge one's wrongs; to avenge the injuries of the suffering and innocent. It is to inflict pain for the sake of vindication, or retributive justice. To revenge is to inflict pain or injury for the indulgence of resentful and malicious feelings. The former may at times be a duty; the latter is one of the worst exhibitions of human character. I avenge myself upon another, or I avenge another, or I avenge a wrong. I revenge only myself, and that upon another. C. J. Smith.
AVENGE A*venge", v. i.
Defn: To take vengeance. Levit. xix. 18.
AVENGE A*venge", n.
Defn: Vengeance; revenge. [Obs.] Spenser.
AVENGEANCE A*venge"ance, n.
Defn: Vengeance. [Obs.]
AVENGEFUL A*venge"ful, a.
Defn: Vengeful. [Obs.] Spenser.
AVENGEMENT A*venge"ment, n.
Defn: The inflicting of retributive punishment; satisfaction taken. [R.] Milton.
AVENGER A*ven"ger, n.
1. One who avenges or vindicates; as, an avenger of blood.
2. One who takes vengeance. [Obs.] Milton.
AVENGERESS A*ven"ger*ess, n.
Defn: A female avenger. [Obs.] Spenser.
AVENIOUS A*ve"ni*ous, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + L. vena a vein.] (Bot.)
Defn: Being without veins or nerves, as the leaves of certain plants.
AVENOR Av"e*nor, n.
Defn: See Avener. [Obs.]
AVENS Av"ens, n. Etym: [OF. avence.] (Bot.)
Defn: A plant of the genus Geum, esp. Geum urbanum, or herb bennet.
AVENTAIL Av"en*tail, n. Etym: [OF. esventail. Cf. Ventail.]
Defn: The movable front to a helmet; the ventail.
AVENTINE Av"en*tine, a.
Defn: Pertaining to Mons Aventinus, one of the seven hills on which Rome stood. Bryant.
AVENTINE Av"en*tine, n.
Defn: A post of security or defense. [Poetic] Into the castle's tower, The only Aventine that now is left him. Beau. & Fl.
AVENTRE A*ven"tre, v. t.
Defn: To thrust forward (at a venture), as a spear. [Obs.] Spenser.
AVENTURE A*ven"ture, n. Etym: [See Adventure, n.]
1. Accident; chance; adventure. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. (Old Law)
Defn: A mischance causing a person's death without felony, as by drowning, or falling into the fire.
AVENTURINE A*ven"tu*rine, n. Etym: [F. aventurine: cf. It. avventurino.]
1. A kind of glass, containing gold-colored spangles. It was produced in the first place by the accidental (par aventure) dropping of some brass filings into a pot of melted glass.
2. (Min.)
Defn: A variety of translucent quartz, spangled throughout with scales of yellow mica. ~= feldspar, a variety of oligoclase with internal firelike reflections due to the presence of minute crystals, probably of hematite; sunstone.
AVENUE Av"e*nue, n. Etym: [F. avenue, fr. avenir to come to, L. advenire. See Advene.]
1. A way or opening for entrance into a place; a passage by which a place may by reached; a way of approach or of exit. "The avenues leading to the city by land." Macaulay. On every side were expanding new avenues of inquiry. Milman.
2. The principal walk or approach to a house which is withdrawn from the road, especially, such approach bordered on each side by trees; any broad passageway thus bordered. An avenue of tall elms and branching chestnuts. W. Black.
3. A broad street; as, the Fifth Avenue in New York.
AVER A"ver, n. Etym: [OF. aver domestic animal, whence LL. averia, pl. cattle. See Habit, and cf. Average.]
Defn: A work horse, or working ox. [Obs. or Dial. Eng.]
AVER A*ver", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Averred (p. pr. & vb. n. Averring.] Etym: [F. avérer, LL. adverare, averare; L. ad + versus true. See Verity.]
1. To assert, or prove, the truth of. [Obs.]
2. (Law)
Defn: To avouch or verify; to offer to verify; to prove or justify. See Averment.
3. To affirm with confidence; to declare in a positive manner, as in confidence of asserting the truth. It is sufficient that the very fact hath its foundation in truth, as I do seriously aver is the case. Fielding. Then all averred I had killed the bird. Coleridge.
Syn. — To assert; affirm; asseverate. See Affirm.
AVERAGE Av"er*age, n. Etym: [OF. average, LL. averagium, prob. fr. OF. aver, F. avoir, property, horses, cattle, etc.; prop. infin., to have, from L. habere to have. Cf. F. avérage small cattle, and avarie (perh. of different origin) damage to ship or cargo, port dues. The first meaning was peAver, n., Avercorn, Averpenny.]
1. (OLd Eng. Law)
Defn: That service which a tenant owed his lord, to be done by the work beasts of the tenant, as the carriage of wheat, turf, etc.
2. Etym: [Cf. F. avarie damage to ship or cargo.] (Com.) (a) A tariff or duty on goods, etc. [Obs.] (b) Any charge in addition to the regular charge for freight of goods shipped. (c) A contribution to a loss or charge which has been imposed upon one of several for the general benefit; damage done by sea perils. (d) The equitable and proportionate distribution of loss or expense among all interested. General average, a contribution made, by all parties concerned in a sea adventure, toward a loss occasioned by the voluntary sacrifice of the property of some of the parties in interest for the benefit of all. It is called general average, because it falls upon the gross amount of ship, cargo, and freight at risk and saved by the sacrifice. Kent. — Particular average signifies the damage or partial loss happening to the ship, or cargo, or freight, in consequence of some fortuitous or unavoidable accident; and it is borne by the individual owners of the articles damaged, or by their insurers. — Petty averages are sundry small charges, which occur regularly, and are necessarily defrayed by the master in the usual course of a voyage; such as port charges, common pilotage, and the like, which formerly were, and in some cases still are, borne partly by the ship and partly by the cargo. In the clause commonly found in bills of lading, "primage and average accustomed," average means a kind of composition established by usage for such charges, which were formerly assessed by way of average. Arnould. Abbott. Phillips.
3. A mean proportion, medial sum or quantity, made out of unequal sums or quantities; an arithmetical mean. Thus, if A loses 5 dollars, B 9, and C 16, the sum is 30, and the average 10.
4. Any medial estimate or general statement derived from a comparison of diverse specific cases; a medium or usual size, quantity, quality, rate, etc. "The average of sensations." Paley.
5. pl.
Defn: In the English corn trade, the medial price of the several kinds of grain in the principal corn markets. On an average, taking the mean of unequal numbers or quantities.
AVERAGE Av"er*age, a.
1. Pertaining to an average or mean; medial; containing a mean proportion; of a mean size, quality, ability, etc.; ordinary; usual; as, an average rate of profit; an average amount of rain; the average Englishman; beings of the average stamp.
2. According to the laws of averages; as, the loss must be made good by average contribution.
AVERAGE Av"er*age, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Averaged (p. pr. & vb. n. Averaging.]
1. To find the mean of, when sums or quantities are unequal; to reduce to a mean.
2. To divide among a number, according to a given proportion; as, to average a loss.
3. To do, accomplish, get, etc., on an average.
AVERAGE Av"er*age, v. i.
Defn: To form, or exist in, a mean or medial sum or quantity; to amount to, or to be, on an ~; as, the losses of the owners will average twenty five dollars each; these spars average ten feet in length.
AVERCORN A"ver*corn`, n. Etym: [Aver,n.+ corn.] (Old Eng. Law)
Defn: A reserved rent in corn, formerly paid to religious houses by their tenants or farmers. Kennet.
AVERMENT A*ver"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. averement, LL. averamentum. See Aver, v. t.]
1. The act of averring, or that which is averred; affirmation; positive assertion. Signally has this averment received illustration in the course of recent events. I. Taylor.
2. Verification; establishment by evidence. Bacon.
3. (Law)
Defn: A positive statement of facts; an allegation; an offer to justify or prove what is alleged.
Note: In any stage of pleadings, when either party advances new matter, he avers it to be true, by using this form of words: "and this he is ready to verify." This was formerly called an averment. It modern pleading, it is termed a verification. Blackstone.
AVERNAL; AVERNIAN A*ver"nal, A*ver"ni*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Avernus, a lake of Campania, in Italy, famous for its poisonous vapors, which ancient writers fancied were so malignant as to kill birds flying over it. It was represented by the poets to be connected with the infernal regions.
AVERPENNY Av"er*pen`ny, n. Etym: [Aver,n.+ penny.] (Old Eng. Law)
Defn: Money paid by a tenant in lieu of the service of average.
AVERROISM A*ver"ro*ism, n.
Defn: The tenets of the Averroists.
AVERROIST A*ver"ro*ist, n.
Defn: One of a sect of peripatetic philosophers, who appeared in Italy before the restoration of learning; so denominated from Averroes, or Averrhoes, a celebrated Arabian philosopher. He held the doctrine of monopsychism.
AVERRUNCATE Av`er*run"cate, v. t. Etym: [L. averruncare to avert; a, ab, off + verruncare to turn; formerly derived from ab and eruncare to root out. Cf. Aberuncate.]
1. To avert; to ward off. [Obs.] Hudibras.
2. To root up. [Obs.] Johnson.
AVERRUNCATION Av`er*run*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. averroncation.]
1. The act of averting. [Obs.]
2. Eradication. [R.] De Quincey.
AVERRUNCATOR Av`er*run*ca"tor, n. Etym: [Cf. Aberuncator.]
Defn: An instrument for pruning trees, consisting of two blades, or a blade and a hook, fixed on the end of a long rod.
AVERSATION Av`er*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. aversatio, fr. aversari to turn away, v. intens. of avertere. See Avert.]
Defn: A turning from with dislike; aversion. [Obs.or Archaic] Some men have a natural aversation to some vices or virtues, and a natural affection to others. Jer. Taylor.
AVERSE A*verse", a. Etym: [L. aversus, p. p. of avertere. See Avert.]
1. Turned away or backward. [Obs.] The tracks averse a lying notice gave, And led the searcher backward from the cave. Dryden.
2. Having a repugnance or opposition of mind; disliking; disinclined; unwilling; reluctant. Averse alike to flatter, or offend. Pope. Men who were averse to the life of camps. Macaulay. Pass by securely as men averse from war. Micah ii. 8.
Note: The prevailing usage now is to employ to after averse and its derivatives rather than from, as was formerly the usage. In this the word is in agreement with its kindred terms, hatred, dislike, dissimilar, contrary, repugnant, etc., expressing a relation or an affection of the mind to an object.
Syn. — Averse, Reluctant, Adverse. Averse expresses an habitual, though not of necessity a very strong, dislike; as, averse to active pursuits; averse to study. Reluctant, a term of the of the will, implies an internal struggle as to making some sacrifice of interest or feeling; as, reluctant to yield; reluctant to make the necessary arrangements; a reluctant will or consent. Adverse denotes active opposition or hostility; as, adverse interests; adverse feelings, plans, or movements; the adverse party.
AVERSE A*verse", v. t. & i.
Defn: To turn away. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
AVERSELY A*verse"ly, adv.
1. Backward; in a backward direction; as, emitted aversely.
2. With repugnance or aversion; unwillingly.
AVERSENESS A*verse"ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being averse; opposition of mind; unwillingness.
AVERSION A*ver"sion, n. Etym: [L. aversio: cf. F. aversion. See Avert.]
1. A turning away. [Obs.] Adhesion to vice and aversion from goodness. Bp. Atterbury.
2. Opposition or repugnance of mind; fixed dislike; antipathy; disinclination; reluctance. Mutual aversion of races. Prescott. His rapacity had made him an object of general aversion. Macaulay.
Note: It is now generally followed by to before the object. [See Averse.] Sometimes towards and for are found; from is obsolete. A freeholder is bred with an aversion to subjection. Addison. His aversion towards the house of York. Bacon. It is not difficult for a man to see that a person has conceived an aversion for him. Spectator. The Khasias . . . have an aversion to milk. J. D. Hooker.
3. The object of dislike or repugnance. Pain their aversion, pleasure their desire. Pope.
Syn. — Antipathy; dislike; repugnance; disgust. See Dislike.
AVERT A*vert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Averted; p. pr. & vb. n. Averting.] Etym: [L. avertere; a, ab + vertere to turn: cf. OF. avertir. See Verse, n.]
Defn: To turn aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object; to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of; as, how can the danger be averted "To avert his ire." Milton. When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church. Bacon. Till ardent prayer averts the public woe. Prior.
AVERT A*vert", v. i.
Defn: To turn away. [Archaic] Cold and averting from our neighbor's good. Thomson.
AVERTED A*vert"ed, a.
Defn: Turned away, esp. as an expression of feeling; also, offended; unpropitious. Who scornful pass it with averted eye. Keble.
AVERTER A*vert"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, averts.
AVERTIBLE A*vert"i*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being averted; preventable.
AVERTIMENT A*ver"ti*ment, n.
Defn: Advertisement. [Obs.]
AVES A"ves, n. pl. Etym: [L., pl. of avis bird.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The class of Vertebrata that includes the birds.
Note: Aves, or birds, have a complete double circulation, oviparous, reproduction, front limbs peculiarly modified as wings; and they bear feathers. All existing birds have a horny beak, without teeth; but some Mesozoic fossil birds (Odontornithes) had conical teeth inserted in both jaws. The principal groups are: Carinatæ, including all existing flying birds; Ratitæ, including the ostrich and allies, the apteryx, and the extinct moas; Odontornithes, or fossil birds with teeth.
Note: The ordinary birds are classified largely by the structure of the beak and feet, which are in direct relating to their habits. See Beak, Bird, Odontonithes.
AVESTA A*ves"ta, n.
Defn: The Zoroastrian scriptures. See Zend-Avesta.
AVESTAN A*ves"tan, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Avesta or the language of the Avesta. - -n.
Defn: The language of the Avesta; — less properly called Zend.
AVIADO A`vi*a"do, n. [Sp.]
Defn: One who works a mine with means provided by another. [Sp. Amer. & Southwestern U. S.]
AVIAN A"vi*an, a.
Defn: Of or instrument to birds.
AVIARY A"vi*a*ry, n.; pl. Aviaries. Etym: [L. aviarium, fr. aviarius pertaining to birds, fr. avis bird, akin to Gr, vi.]
Defn: A house, inclosure, large cage, or other place, for keeping birds confined; a bird house. Lincolnshire may be termed the aviary of England. Fuller.
AVIATE A"vi*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aviating.]
Defn: To fly, or navigate the air, in an aëroplane or heavier-than- air flying machine. [Colloq.]
AVIATION A`vi*a"tion, n.
Defn: The art or science of flying.
AVIATOR A"vi*a`tor, n. (a) An experimenter in aviation. (b) A flying machine.
AVIATRESS; AVIATRIX A"vi*a`tress, A`vi*a"trix, n.
Defn: A woman aviator.
AVICULA A*vic"u*la, n. Etym: [L., small bird.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of marine bivalves, having a pearly interior, allied to the pearl oyster; — so called from a supposed resemblance of the typical species to a bird.
AVICULAR A*vic"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. avicula a small bird, dim. of avis bird.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a bird or to birds.
AVICULARIA A*vic`u*la"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Avicular.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: See prehensile processes on the cells of some Bryozoa, often having the shape of a bird's bill.
AVICULTURE A"vi*cul`ture, n. Etym: [L. avis bird + cultura culture.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Rearing and care of birds.
AVID Av"id, a. Etym: [L. avidus, fr. av to long: cf. F. avide. See Avarice.]
Defn: Longing eagerly for; eager; greedy. "Avid of gold, yet greedier of renown." Southey.
AVIDIOUS A*vid"i*ous, a.
Defn: Avid.
AVIDIOUSLY A*vid"i*ous*ly, adv.
Defn: Eagerly; greedily.
AVIDITY A*vid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. aviditas, fr. avidus: cf. F. avidité. See Avid.]
Defn: Greediness; strong appetite; eagerness; intenseness of desire; as, to eat with avidity. His books were received and read with avidity. Milward.
AVIE A*vie", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + vie.]
Defn: Emulously. [Obs.]
AVIETTE A`vi*ette", n.
Defn: A heavier-than-air flying machine in which the motive power is furnished solely by the aviator.
AVIFAUNA A`vi*fau"na, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. avis bird + E. fauna.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The birds, or all the kinds of birds, inhabiting a region.
AVIGATO Av`i*ga"to, n.
Defn: See Avocado.
AVIGNON BERRY A`vignon" ber"ry. (Bot.)
Defn: The fruit of the Rhamnus infectorius, eand of other species of the same genus; — so called from the city of Avignon, in France. It is used by dyers and painters for coloring yellow. Called also French berry.
AVILE A*vile", v. t. Etym: [OF. aviler, F. avilir; a (L. ad) + vil vile. See Vile.]
Defn: To abase or debase; to vilify; to depreciate. [Obs.] Want makes us know the price of what we avile. B. Jonson.
AVIS A*vis", n. Etym: [F. avis. See Advice.]
Defn: Advice; opinion; deliberation. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVISE A*vise", v. t. Etym: [F. aviser. See Advise, v. t.]
1. To look at; to view; to think of. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To advise; to counsel. [Obs.] Shak. To avise one's self, to consider with one's self, to reflect, to deliberate. [Obs.] Chaucer. Now therefore, if thou wilt enriched be, Avise thee well, and change thy willful mood. Spenser.
AVISE A*vise", v. i.
Defn: To consider; to reflect. [Obs.]
AVISEFUL A*vise"ful, a.
Defn: Watchful; circumspect. [Obs.] With sharp, aviseful eye. Spenser.
AVISELY A*vise"ly, adv.
Defn: Advisedly. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVISEMENT A*vise"ment, n.
Defn: Advisement; observation; deliberation. [Obs.]
AVISION A*vi"sion, n.
Defn: Vision. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVISO A*vi"so, n. Etym: [Sp.]
1. Information; advice.
2. An advice boat, or dispatch boat.
AVOCADO Av`o*ca"do, n. Etym: [Corrupted from the Mexican ahuacatl: cf. Sp. aguacate, F. aguacaté, avocat, G. avogadobaum.]
Defn: The pulpy fruit of Persea gratissima, a tree of tropical America. It is about the size and shape of a large pear; — called also avocado pear, alligator pear, midshipman's butter.
AVOCAT Av`o*cat, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: An advocate.
AVOCATE Av"o*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. avocatus, p. p. of avocare; a, ab + vocare to call. Cf. Avoke, and see Vocal, a.]
Defn: To call off or away; to withdraw; to transfer to another tribunal. [Obs. or Archaic] One who avocateth his mind from other occupations. Barrow. He, at last, . . . avocated the cause to Rome. Robertson.
AVOCATION Av`o*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. avocatio.]
1. A calling away; a diversion. [Obs. or Archaic] Impulses to duty, and powerful avocations from sin. South.
2. That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation. Heaven is his vocation, and therefore he counts earthly employments avocations. Fuller. By the secular cares and avocations which accompany marriage the clergy have been furnished with skill in common life. Atterbury.
Note: In this sense the word is applied to the smaller affairs of life, or occasional calls which summon a person to leave his ordinary or principal business. Avocation (in the singular) for vocation is usually avoided by good writers.
3. pl.
Defn: Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation. There are professions, among the men, no more favorable to these studies than the common avocations of women. Richardson. In a few hours, above thirty thousand men left his standard, and returned to their ordinary avocations. Macaulay. An irregularity and instability of purpose, which makes them choose the wandering avocations of a shepherd, rather than the more fixed pursuits of agriculture. Buckle.
AVOCATIVE A*vo"ca*tive, a.
Defn: Calling off. [Obs.]
AVOCATIVE A*vo"ca*tive, n.
Defn: That which calls aside; a dissuasive.
AVOCET; AVOSET Av"o*cet, Av"o*set, n. Etym: [F. avocette: cf. It. avosetta, Sp. avoceta.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A grallatorial bird, of the genus Recurvirostra; the scooper. The bill is long and bend upward toward the tip. The American species is R. Americana. [Written also avocette.]
AVOID A*void" (, v. t. [p. & p. p. Avoided; p. pr. & vb. n. Avoiding.] Etym: [OF. esvuidier, es (L. ex) + vuidier, voidier, to empty. See Void, a.]
1. To empty. [Obs.] Wyclif.
2. To emit or throw out; to void; as, to avoid excretions. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
3. To quit or evacuate; to withdraw from. [Obs.] Six of us only stayed, and the rest avoided the room. Bacon.
4. To make void; to annul or vacate; to refute. How can these grants of the king's be avoided Spenser.
5. To keep away from; to keep clear of; to endeavor no to meet; to shun; to abstain from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters. What need a man forestall his date of grief. And run to meet what he would most avoid Milton. He carefully avoided every act which could goad them into open hostility. Macaulay.
6. To get rid of. [Obs.] Shak.
7. (Pleading)
Defn: To defeat or evade; to invalidate. Thus, in a replication, the plaintiff may deny the defendant's plea, or confess it, and avoid it by stating new matter. Blackstone.
Syn. — To escape; elude; evade; eschew. — To Avoid, Shun. Avoid in its commonest sense means, to keep clear of, an extension of the meaning, to withdraw one's self from. It denotes care taken not to come near or in contact; as, to avoid certain persons or places. Shun is a stronger term, implying more prominently the idea of intention. The words may, however, in many cases be interchanged. No man can pray from his heart to be kept from temptation, if the take no care of himself to avoid it. Mason. So Chanticleer, who never saw a fox, Yet shunned him as a sailor shuns the rocks. Dryden.
AVOID A*void", v. i.
1. To retire; to withdraw. [Obs.] David avoided out of his presence. 1 Sam. xviii. 11.
2. (Law)
Defn: To become void or vacant. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
AVOIDABLE A*void"a*ble, a.
1. Capable of being vacated; liable to be annulled or made invalid; voidable. The charters were not avoidable for the king's nonage. Hale.
2. Capable of being avoided, shunned, or escaped.
AVOIDANCE A*void"ance, n.
1. The act of annulling; annulment.
2. The act of becoming vacant, or the state of being vacant; — specifically used for the state of a benefice becoming void by the death, deprivation, or resignation of the incumbent. Wolsey, . . . on every avoidance of St. Peter's chair, was sitting down therein, when suddenly some one or other clapped in before him. Fuller.
3. A dismissing or a quitting; removal; withdrawal.
4. The act of avoiding or shunning; keeping clear of. "The avoidance of pain." Beattie.
5. The courts by which anything is carried off. Avoidances and drainings of water. Bacon.
AVOIDER A*void"er, n.
1. The person who carries anything away, or the vessel in which things are carried away. Johnson.
2. One who avoids, shuns, or escapes.
AVOIDLESS A*void"less, a.
Defn: Unavoidable; inevitable.
AVOIRDUPOIS Av`oir*du*pois", n. & a. Etym: [OE. aver de peis, goods of weight, where peis is fr. OF. peis weight, F. poids, L. pensum. See Aver, n., and Poise, n.]
1. Goods sold by weight. [Obs.]
2. Avoirdupois weight.
3. Weight; heaviness; as, a woman of much avoirdupois. [Colloq.] Avoirdupois weight, a system of weights by which coarser commodities are weighed, such as hay, grain, butter, sugar, tea.
Note: The standard Avoirdupois pound of the United States is equivalent to the weight of 27.7015 cubic inches of distilled water at 62º Fahrenheit, the barometer being at 30 inches, and the water weighed in the air with brass weights. In this system of weights 16 drams make 1 ounce, 16 ounces 1 pound, 25 pounds 1 quarter, 4 quarters 1 hundred weight, and 20 hundred weight 1 ton. The above pound contains 7,000 grains, or 453.54 grams, so that 1 pound avoirdupois is equivalent to 1 31-144 pounds troy. (See Troy weight.) Formerly, a hundred weight was reckoned at 112 pounds, the ton being 2,240 pounds (sometimes called a long ton).
AVOKE A*voke", v. t. Etym: [Cf. Avocate.]
Defn: To call from or back again. [Obs.] Bp. Burnet.
AVOLATE Av"o*late, v. i. Etym: [L. avolare; a (ab) + volare to fly.]
Defn: To fly away; to escape; to exhale. [Obs.]
AVOLATION Av`o*la"tion, n. Etym: [LL. avolatio.]
Defn: The act of flying; flight; evaporation. [Obs.]
AVOSET Av"o*set, n.
Defn: Same as Avocet.
AVOUCH A*vouch", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Avouched (p. pr. & vb. n. Avouching.] Etym: [OF. avochier, LL. advocare to recognize the existence of a thing, to advocate, fr. L. advocare to call to; ad + vocare to call. Cf. Avow to declare, Advocate, and see Vouch, v. t.]
1. To appeal to; to cite or claim as authority. [Obs.] They avouch many successions of authorities. Coke.
2. To maintain a just or true; to vouch for. We might be disposed to question its authencity, it if were not avouched by the full evidence. Milman.
3. To declare or assert positively and as matter of fact; to affirm openly. If this which he avouches does appear. Shak. Such antiquities could have been avouched for the Irish. Spenser.
4. To acknowledge deliberately; to admit; to confess; to sanction. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God. Deut. xxvi. 17.
AVOUCH A*vouch", n.
Defn: Evidence; declaration. [Obs.] The sensible and true avouch Of mine own eyes. Shak.
AVOUCHABLE A*vouch"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being avouched.
AVOUCHER A*vouch"er, n.
Defn: One who avouches.
AVOUCHMENT A*vouch"ment, n.
Defn: The act of avouching; positive declaration. [Obs.] Milton.
AVOUTRER A*vou"trer, n.
Defn: See Advoutrer. [Obs.]
AVOUTRIE A*vou"trie, n. Etym: [OF.]
Defn: Adultery. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AVOW A*vow", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Avowed (p. pr. & vb. n. Avowing.] Etym: [F. avouver, fr. L. advocare to call to (whence the meanings, to call upon as superior; recognize as lord, own, confess); ad + vocare to call. See Advocate, Avouch.]
1. To declare openly, as something believed to be right; to own or acknowledge frankly; as, a man avows his principles or his crimes. Which I to be the of Israel's God Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test. Milton.
2. (Law)
Defn: To acknowledge and justify, as an act done. See Avowry. Blackstone.
Syn. — To acknowledge; own; confess. See Confess.
AVOW A*vow", n, Etym: [Cf. F. aveu.]
Defn: Avowal. [Obs.] Dryden.
AVOW A*vow", v. t. & i. Etym: [OF. avouer, fr. LL. votare to vow, fr. L. votun. See Vote, n.]
Defn: To bind, or to devote, by a vow. [Obs.] Wyclif.
AVOW A*vow", n.
Defn: A vow or determination. [Archaic]
AVOWABLE A*vow"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being avowed, or openly acknowledged, with confidence. Donne.
AVOWAL A*vow"al, n.
Defn: An open declaration; frank acknowledgment; as, an avowal of such principles. Hume.
AVOWANCE A*vow"ance, n.
1. Act of avowing; avowal.
2. Upholding; defense; vindication. [Obs.] Can my avowance of king-murdering be collected from anything here written by me Fuller.
AVOWANT A*vow"ant, n. (Law)
Defn: The defendant in replevin, who avows the distress of the goods, and justifies the taking. Cowell.
AVOWED A*vowed", a.
Defn: Openly acknowledged or declared; admitted. — A*vow"ed*ly (, adv.
AVOWEE A*vow`ee", n. Etym: [F. avoué. Cf. Advowee, Advocate, n.]
Defn: The person who has a right to present to a benefice; the patron; an advowee. See Advowson.
AVOWER A*vow"er, n.
Defn: One who avows or asserts.
AVOWRY A*vow"ry, n. Etym: [OE. avouerie protection, authority, OF. avouerie. See Avow to declare.]
1. An advocate; a patron; a patron saint. [Obs.] Let God alone be our avowry. Latimer.
2. The act of the distrainer of goods, who, in an action of replevin, avows and justifies the taking in his own right. Blackstone.
Note: When an action of replevin is brought, the distrainer either makes avowry, that is, avours taking the distress in his own right, or the right of his wife, and states the reason if it, as for arrears of rent, damage done, or the like; or makes cognizance, that is, acknowledges the taking, but justifies in an another's right, as his bailiff or servant.
AVOWTRY A*vow"try, v. t.
Defn: Adultery. See Advoutry.
AVOYER A*voy"er, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: A chief magistrate of a free imperial city or canton of Switzerland. [Obs.]
AVULSE A*vulse", v. t. Etym: [L. avulsus, p. p. of avellere to tear off; a (ab) + vellere to pluck.]
Defn: To pluck or pull off. Shenstone.
AVULSION A*vul"sion, n. Etym: [L. avulsio.]
1. A tearing asunder; a forcible separation. The avulsion of two polished superficies. Locke.
2. A fragment torn off. J. Barlow.
3. (Law)
Defn: The sudden removal of lands or soil from the estate of one man to that of another by an inundation or a current, or by a sudden change in the course of a river by which a part of the estate of one man is cut off and joined to the estate of another. The property in the part thus separated, or cut off, continues in the original owner. Wharton. Burrill.
AVUNCULAR A*vun"cu*lar, a. Etym: [L. avunculus uncle.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to an uncle. In these rare instances, the law of pedigree, whether direct or avuncular, gives way. I. Taylor.
AWAIT A*wait", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Awaited; p. pr. & vb. n. Awaiting.] Etym: [OF. awaitier, agaitier; (L. ad) + waitier, gaitier to watch, F. guetter. See Wait.]
1. To watch for; to look out for. [Obs.]
2. To wait on, serve, or attend. [Obs.]
3. To wait for; to stay for; to expect. See Expect. Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat, Chief of the angelic guards, awaiting night. Milton.
4. To be in store for; to be ready or in waiting for; as, a glorious reward awaits the good. O Eve, some farther change awaits us night. Milton.
AWAIT A*wait", v. i.
1. To watch. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To wait (on or upon). [Obs.]
3. To wait; to stay in waiting. Darwin.
AWAIT A*wait", n.
Defn: A waiting for; ambush; watch; watching; heed. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AWAKE A*wake", v. t. [imp. Awoke, Awaked (; p. p. Awaked; (Obs.) Awaken, Awoken; p. pr. & vb. n. Awaking. The form Awoke is sometimes used as a p. p.] Etym: [AS. awæcnan, v. i. (imp. aw), and awacian, v. i. (imp. awacode). See Awaken, Wake.]
1. To rouse from sleep.; to wake; to awaken. Where morning's earliest ray . . . awake her. Tennyson. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish. Matt. viii. 25.
2. To rouse from a state resembling sleep, as from death, stupidity., or inaction; to put into action; to give new life to; to stir up; as, to awake the dead; to awake the dormant faculties. I was soon awaked from this disagreeable reverie. Goldsmith. It way awake my bounty further. Shak. No sunny gleam awakes the trees. Keble.
AWAKE A*wake", v. i.
Defn: To cease to sleep; to come out of a state of natural sleep; and, figuratively, out of a state resembling sleep, as inaction or death. The national spirit again awoke. Freeman. Awake to righteousness, and sin not. 1 Cor. xv. 34.
AWAKE A*wake", a. Etym: [From awaken, old p. p. of awake.]
Defn: Not sleeping or lethargic; roused from sleep; in a state of vigilance or action. Before whom awake I stood. Milton. She still beheld, Now wide awake, the vision of her sleep. Keats. He was awake to the danger. Froude.
AWAKEN A*wak"en, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Awakened (; p. pr. & vb. n. Awakening.] Etym: [OE. awakenen, awaknen, AS. awæcnan, awæcnian, v. i.; pref. on- + wæcnan to wake. Cf. Awake, v. t.]
Defn: To rouse from sleep or torpor; to awake; to wake. [He] is dispatched Already to awaken whom thou nam'st. Cowper. Their consciences are thoroughly awakened. Tillotson.
Syn. — To arouse; excite; stir up; call forth.
AWAKENER A*wak"en*er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, awakens.
AWAKENING A*wak"en*ing, a.
Defn: Rousing from sleep, in a natural or a figurative sense; rousing into activity; exciting; as, the awakening city; an awakening discourse; the awakening dawn. — A*wak"en*ing*ly, adv.
AWAKENING A*wak"en*ing, n.
Defn: The act of awaking, or ceasing to sleep. Specifically: A revival of religion, or more general attention to religious matters than usual.
AWAKENMENT A*wak"en*ment, n.
Defn: An awakening. [R.]
AWANTING A*want"ing, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + wanting.]
Defn: Missing; wanting. [Prov. Scot. & Eng.] Sir W. Hamilton.
AWARD A*ward", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Awarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Awarding.] Etym: [OF. eswarder to look at, consider, decide, judge; es (L. ex) + warder, garder, to observe, take heed, keep, fr. OHG. wart to watch, guard. See Ward.]
Defn: To give by sentence or judicial determination; to assign or apportion, after careful regard to the nature of the case; to adjudge; as, the arbitrators awarded damages to the complainant. To review The wrongful sentence, and award a new. Dryden.
AWARD A*ward", v. i.
Defn: To determine; to make an ~.
AWARD A*ward", n. Etym: [Cf. OF. award, awart, esgart. See Award, v. t.]
1. A judgment, sentence, or final decision. Specifically: The decision of arbitrators in a case submitted."Impatient for the award." Cowper. An award had been given against. Gilpin.
2. The paper containing the decision of arbitrators; that which is warded. Bouvier.
AWARDER A*ward"er, n.
Defn: One who awards, or assigns by sentence or judicial determination; a judge.
AWARE A*ware", a. Etym: [OE. iwar, AS. gewær, fr. wær wary. The pref. ge- orig. meant together, completely. Wary.]
1. Watchful; vigilant or on one's guard against danger or difficulty.
2. Apprised; informed; cognizant; conscious; as, he was aware of the enemy's designs. Aware of nothing arduous in a task They never undertook. Cowper.
AWARN A*warn", v. t. Etym: [Pref. a- + warn, AS. gewarnian. See Warn, v. t.]
Defn: To warn. [Obs.] Spenser.
AWASH A*wash", a. Etym: [Pref. a- + wash.]
Defn: Washed by the waves or tide; — said of a rock or strip of shore, or (Naut.) of an anchor, etc., when flush with the surface of the water, so that the waves break over it.
AWAY A*way", adv. Etym: [AS. aweg, anweg, onweg; on on + weg way.]
1. From a place; hence. The sound is going away. Shak. Have me away, for I am sore wounded. 2 Chron. xxxv. 23.
2. Absent; gone; at a distance; as, the master is away from home.
3. Aside; off; in another direction. The axis of rotation is inclined away from the sun. Lockyer.
4. From a state or condition of being; out of existence. Be near me when I fade away. Tennyson.
5. By ellipsis of the verb, equivalent to an imperative: Go or come ~; begone; take ~. And the Lord said . . . Away, get thee down. Exod. xix. 24.
6. On; in continuance; without intermission or delay; as, sing away. [Colloq.]
Note: It is much used in phrases signifying moving or going from; as, go away, run away, etc.; all signifying departure, or separation to a distance. Sometimes without the verb; as, whither away so fast "Love hath wings, and will away." Waller. It serves to modify the sense of certain verbs by adding that of removal, loss, parting with, etc.; as, to throw away; to trifle away; to squander away, etc. Sometimes it has merely an intensive force; as, to blaze away. Away with, bear, abide. [Obs. or Archaic] "The calling of assemblies, I can not away with." (Isa. i. 13 ), i. e., "I can not bear or endure [it]." — Away with one, signifies, take him away. "Away with, crucify him." John xix. 15. — To make away with. (a) To kill or destroy. (b) To carry off.
AWAY-GOING A*way"-go"ing, a. (Law)
Defn: Sown during the last years of a tenancy, but not ripe until after its expiration; — said of crops. Wharton.
AWAYWARD A*way"ward, adv.
Defn: Turned away; away. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AWE Awe, n. Etym: [OE. a, aghe, fr. Icel. agi; akin to AS. ege, , Goth. agis, Dan. ave chastisement, fear, Gr. ail. Ugly.]
1. Dread; great fear mingled with respect. [Obs. or Obsolescent] His frown was full of terror, and his voice Shook the delinquent with such fits of awe. Cowper.
2. The emotion inspired by something dreadful and sublime; an undefined sense of the dreadful and the sublime; reverential fear, or solemn wonder; profound reverence. There is an awe in mortals' joy, A deep mysterious fear. Keble. To tame the pride of that power which held the Continent in awe. Macaulay. The solitude of the desert, or the loftiness of the mountain, may fill the mind with awe — the sense of our own littleness in some greater presence or power. C. J. Smith. To stand in awe of, to fear greatly; to reverence profoundly.
Syn. — See Reverence.
AWE Awe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Awed (p. pr. & vb. n. Awing.]
Defn: To strike with fear and reverence; to inspire with awe; to control by inspiring dread. That same eye whose bend doth awe the world. Shak. His solemn and pathetic exhortation awed and melted the bystanders. Macaulay.
AWEARIED A*wea"ried, p. p.
Defn: Wearied. [Poetic]
AWEARY A*wea"ry, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + weary.]
Defn: Weary. [Poetic] "I begin to be aweary of thee." Shak.
AWEATHER A*weath"er, adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + weather.] (Naut.)
Defn: On the weather side, or toward the wind; in the direction from which the wind blows; — opposed to alee; as, helm aweather ! Totten.
AWEIGH A*weigh", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + weigh.] (Naut.)
Defn: Just drawn out of the ground, and hanging perpendicularly; atrip; — said of the anchor. Totten.
AWELESS Awe"less, a.
Defn: See Awless.
AWESOME Awe"some, a.
1. Causing awe; appalling; awful; as, an awesome sight. Wright.
2. Expressive of awe or terror. An awesome glance up at the auld castle. Sir W. Scott.
AWESOMENESS Awe"some*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being awesome.
AWE-STRICKEN Awe"-strick`en, a.
Defn: Awe-struck.
AWE-STRUCK Awe"-struck`, a.
Defn: Struck with awe. Milton.
AWFUL Aw"ful, a.
1. Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling; terrible; as, an awful scene. "The hour of Nature's awful throes." Hemans.
2. Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence, or with fear and admiration; fitted to inspire reverential fear; profoundly impressive. Heaven's awful Monarch. Milton.
3. Struck or filled with awe; terror-stricken. [Obs.] A weak and awful reverence for antiquity. I. Watts.
4. Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding. [Obs.] Thrust from the company of awful men. Shak.
5. Frightful; exceedingly bad; great; — applied intensively; as, an awful bonnet; an awful boaster. [Slang]
Syn. — See Frightful.
AWFULLY Aw"ful*ly, adv.
1. In an awful manner; in a manner to fill with terror or awe; fearfully; reverently.
2. Very; excessively. [Slang]
AWFULNESS Aw"ful*ness, n.
1. The quality of striking with awe, or with reverence; dreadfulness; solemnity; as, the awfulness of this sacred place. The awfulness of grandeur. Johnson.
2. The state of being struck with awe; a spirit of solemnity; profound reverence. [Obs.] Producing in us reverence and awfulness. Jer. Taylor.
AWHAPE A*whape", v. t. Etym: [Cf. whap blow.]
Defn: To confound; to terrify; to amaze. [Obs.] Spenser.
AWHILE A*while", adv. Etym: [Adj. a + while time, interval.]
Defn: For a while; for some time; for a short time.
AWING A*wing", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + wing.]
Defn: On the wing; flying; fluttering. Wallace.
AWK Awk, a. Etym: [OE. auk, awk (properly) turned away; (hence) contrary, wrong, from Icel. öfigr, öfugr, afigr, turning the wrong way, fr. af off, away; cf. OHG. abuh, Skr. apac turned away, fr. apa off, away + a root ak, ak, to bend, from which come also E. angle, anchor.]
1. Odd; out of order; perverse. [Obs.]
2. Wrong, or not commonly used; clumsy; sinister; as, the awk end of a rod (the but end). [Obs.] Golding.
3. Clumsy in performance or manners; unhandy; not dexterous; awkward. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
AWK Awk, adv.
Defn: Perversely; in the wrong way. L'Estrange.
AWKLY Awk"ly, adv.
1. In an unlucky (left-handed) or perverse manner. [Obs.] Holland.
2. Awkwardly. [Obs.] Fuller.
AWKWARD Awk"ward, a. Etym: [Awk + -ward.]
1. Wanting dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments; not dexterous; without skill; clumsy; wanting ease, grace, or effectiveness in movement; ungraceful; as, he was awkward at a trick; an awkward boy. And dropped an awkward courtesy. Dryden.
2. Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing. A long and awkward process. Macaulay. An awkward affair is one that has gone wrong, and is difficult to adjust. C. J. Smith.
3. Perverse; adverse; untoward. [Obs.] "Awkward casualties." "Awkward wind." Shak. O blind guides, which being of an awkward religion, do strain out a gnat, and swallow up a cancel. Udall.
Syn. — Ungainly; unhandy; clownish; lubberly; gawky; maladroit; bungling; inelegant; ungraceful; unbecoming. — Awkward, Clumsy, Uncouth. Awkward has a special reference to outward deportment. A man is clumsy in his whole person, he is awkward in his gait and the movement of his limbs. Clumsiness is seen at the first view. Awkwardness is discovered only when a person begins to move. Hence the expressions, a clumsy appearance, and an awkward manner. When we speak figuratively of an awkward excuse, we think of a want of ease and grace in making it; when we speak of a clumsy excuse, we think of the whole thing as coarse and stupid. We apply the term uncouth most frequently to that which results from the want of instruction or training; as, uncouth manners; uncouth language. — Awk"ward*ly (, adv. — Awk"ward*ness, n.
AWKWARD SQUAD Awk"ward squad. (Mil.)
Defn: A squad of inapt recruits assembled for special drill.
AWL Awl, n. Etym: [OE. aul, awel, al, AS. , awel; akin to Icel. alr, OHG. ala, G. ahle, Lith. yla, Skr. ara.]
Defn: A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.
AWLESS Aw"less, a.
1. Wanting reverence; void of respectful fear. "Awless insolence." Dryden.
2. Inspiring no awe. [Obs.] "The awless throne." Shak. [Written also aweless]
AWLESSNESS Aw"less*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being awless.
AWL-SHAPED Awl"-shaped`, a.
1. Shaped like an awl.
2. (Nat. Hist.)
Defn: Subulate. See Subulate. Gray.
AWLWORT Awl"wort`, n. Etym: [Awl + wort.] (Bot.)
Defn: A plant (Subularia aquatica), with awl-shaped leaves.
AWM Awm (m), n.
Defn: See Aam.
AWN Awn, n. Etym: [OE. awn, agune, from Icel. ögn, pl. agnir; akin to Sw. agn, Dan. avne, Goth. ahana, OHG. agana, G. agen, ahne, chaff, Gr. egla; prob. from same root as E. acute. See 3d Ear. (Bot.)
Defn: The bristle or beard of barley, oats, grasses, etc., or any similar bristlelike appendage; arista. Gray.
AWNED Awned, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Furnished with an awn, or long bristle-shaped tip; bearded. Gray.
AWNING Awn"ing, n. Etym: [Origin uncertain: cf. F. auvent awing, or Pers. awan, awang, anything suspended, or LG. havening a place sheltered from wind and weather, E. haven.]
1. A rooflike cover, usually of canvas, extended over or before any place as a shelter from the sun, rain, or wind.
2. (Naut.) That part of the poop deck which is continued forward beyond the bulkhead of the cabin.
AWNINGED Awn"inged, a.
Defn: Furnished with an awning.
AWNLESS Awn"less, a.
Defn: Without awns or beard.
AWNY Awn"y, a.
Defn: Having awns; bearded.
AWORK A*work", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + work.]
Defn: At work; in action. "Set awork." Shak.
AWORKING A*work"ing, adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + working.]
Defn: At work; in action. [Archaic or Colloq.] Spenser.
AWREAK; AWREKE A*wreak", A*wreke",, v. t. & i.
Defn: To avenge. [Obs.] See Wreak.
AWRONG A*wrong", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + wrong.]
Defn: Wrongly. Ford.
AWRY A*wry", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + wry.]
1. Turned or twisted toward one side; not in a straight or true direction, or position; out of the right course; distorted; obliquely; asquint; with oblique vision; as, to glance awry. "Your crown's awry." Shak. Blows them transverse, ten thousand leagues awry. Into the devious air. Milton.
2. Aside from the line of truth, or right reason; unreasonable or unreasonably; perverse or perversely. Or by her charms Draws him awry, enslaved. Milton. Nothing more awry from the law of God and nature than that a woman should give laws to men. Milton.
AWSOME Aw"some, a.
Defn: Same as Awesome.
AX; AXE Ax, Axe,, n. Etym: [OE. ax, axe, AS. eax, æx, acas; akin to D. akse, OS. accus, OHG. acchus, G. axt, Icel. öx, öxi, Sw. yxe, Dan. ökse, Goth. aqizi, Gr. , L. ascia; not akin to E. acute.]
Defn: A tool or instrument of steel, or of iron with a steel edge or blade, for felling trees, chopping and splitting wood, hewing timber, etc. It is wielded by a wooden helve or handle, so fixed in a socket or eye as to be in the same plane with the blade. The broadax, or carpenter's ax, is an ax for hewing timber, made heavier than the chopping ax, and with a broader and thinner blade and a shorter handle.
Note: The ancient battle-ax had sometimes a double edge.
Note: The word is used adjectively or in combination; as, axhead or ax head; ax helve; ax handle; ax shaft; ax-shaped; axlike.
Note: This word was originally spelt with e, axe; and so also was nearly every corresponding word of one syllable: as, flaxe, taxe, waxe, sixe, mixe, pixe, oxe, fluxe, etc. This superfluous e is not dropped; so that, in more than a hundred words ending in x, no one thinks of retaining the e except in axe. Analogy requires its exclusion here.
Note: "The spelling ax is better on every ground, of etymology, phonology, and analogy, than axe, which has of late become prevalent." New English Dict. (Murray).
AX Ax, v. t. & i. Etym: [OE. axien and asken. See Ask.]
Defn: To ask; to inquire or inquire of.
Note: This word is from Saxon, and is as old as the English language. Formerly it was in good use, but now is regarded as a vulgarism. It is still dialectic in England, and is sometimes heard among the uneducated in the United States. "And Pilate axide him, Art thou king of Jewis" "Or if he axea fish." Wyclif. 'bdThe king axed after your Grace's welfare." Pegge.
AXAL Ax"al, a.
Defn: [See Axial.] [R.]
AXE; AXEMAN Axe, Axe"man, etc.
Defn: See Ax, Axman.
AXIAL Ax"i*al, a.
1. Of or pertaining to an axis; of the nature of, or resembling, an axis; around an axis. To take on an axial, and not an equatorial, direction. Nichol.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: Belonging to the axis of the body; as, the axial skeleton; or to the axis of any appendage or organ; as, the axial bones. Axial line (Magnetism), the line taken by the magnetic force in passing from one pole of a horseshoe magnet to the other. Faraday.
AXIALLY Ax"i*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In relation to, or in a line with, an axis; in the axial (magnetic) line.
AXIL Ax"il, n. Etym: [L. axilla. Cf. Axle.] (Bot.)
Defn: The angle or point of divergence between the upper side of a branch, leaf, or petiole, and the stem or branch from which it springs. Gray.
AXILE Ax"ile, a.
Defn: Situated in the axis of anything; as an embryo which lies in the axis of a seed. Gray.
AXILLA Ax*il"la, n.; pl. Axillae. Etym: [L.] (Anat.)
Defn: The armpit, or the cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: An axil.
AXILLAR Ax"il*lar, a.
Defn: Axillary.
AXILLARIES; AXILLARS Ax"il*la*ries, Ax"il*lars, n. pl. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Feathers connecting the under surface of the wing and the body, and concealed by the closed wing.
AXILLARY Ax"il*la*ry, a. Etym: [See Axil.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the axilla or armpit; as, axillary gland, artery, nerve.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Situated in, or rising from, an axil; of or pertaining to an axil. "Axillary buds." Gray.
AXINITE Ax"i*nite, n. Etym: [Named in allusion to the form of the crystals, fr. Gr. (Min.)
Defn: A borosilicate of alumina, iron, and lime, commonly found in glassy, brown crystals with acute edges.
AXINOMANCY Ax*in"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [L. axinomantia, Gr. -mancy.]
Defn: A species of divination, by means of an ax or hatchet.
AXIOM Ax"i*om, n. Etym: [L. axioma, Gr. that which is thought worthy, that which is assumed, a basis of demonstration, a principle, fr. to think worthy, fr. worthy, weighing as much as; cf. to lead, drive, also to weigh so much: cf F. axiome. See Agent, a.]
1. (Logic & Math.)
Defn: A self-evident and necessary truth, or a proposition whose truth is so evident as first sight that no reasoning or demonstration can make it plainer; a proposition which it is necessary to take for granted; as, "The whole is greater than a part;" "A thing can not, at the same time, be and not be."
2. An established principle in some art or science, which, though not a necessary truth, is universally received; as, the axioms of political economy.
Syn. — Axiom, Maxim, Aphorism, Adage. An axiom is a self-evident truth which is taken for granted as the basis of reasoning. A maxim is a guiding principle sanctioned by experience, and relating especially to the practical concerns of life. An aphorism is a short sentence pithily expressing some valuable and general truth or sentiment. An adage is a saying of long-established authority and of universal application.
AXIOMATIC; AXIOMATICAL Ax`i*o*mat"ic, Ax`i*o*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Of or pertaining to an axiom; having the nature of an axiom; self-evident; characterized by axioms. "Axiomatical truth." Johnson. The stores of axiomatic wisdom. I. Taylor.
AXIOMATICALLY Ax`i*o*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: By the use of axioms; in the form of an axiom.
AXIS Ax"is, n. Etym: [L.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The spotted deer (Cervus axis or Axis maculata) of India, where it is called hog deer and parrah (Moorish name).
AXIS Ax"is, n.; pl. Axes. Etym: [L. axis axis, axle. See Axle.]
Defn: A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line passing through a body or system around which the parts are symmetrically arranged.
2. (Math.)
Defn: A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged; as, the axis of a cylinder, i. e., the axis of a cone, that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the center of the base; the axis of a circle, any straight line passing through the center.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: The stem; the central part, or longitudinal support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the central line of any body. Gray.
4. (Anat.) (a) The second vertebra of the neck, or vertebra dentata. (b) Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head to turn upon.
5. (Crystallog.)
Defn: One of several imaginary lines, assumed in describing the position of the planes by which a crystal is bounded.
6. (Fine Arts)
Defn: The primary of secondary central line of any design. Anticlinal axis (Geol.), a line or ridge from which the strata slope downward on the two opposite sides. — Synclinal axis, a line from which the strata slope upward in opposite directions, so as to form a valley. — Axis cylinder (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; — called also axis band, axial fiber, and cylinder axis. — Axis in peritrochio, the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers. — Axis of a curve (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords of a curve; called a principal axis, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two axes of the ellipse are the major axis and the minor axis, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the transverse axis and the conjugate axis. — Axis of a lens, the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces. — Axis of a telescope or microscope, the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it. — Axes of coördinates in a plane, to straight lines intersecting each other, to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position: they are either rectangular or oblique. — Axes of coördinates in space, the three straight lines in which the coördinate planes intersect each other. — Axis of a balance, that line about which it turns. — Axis of oscillation, of a pendulum, a right line passing through the center about which it vibrates, and perpendicular to the plane of vibration. — Axis of polarization, the central line around which the prismatic rings or curves are arranged. Brewster. — Axis of revolution (Descriptive Geom.), a straight line about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the several points of the line or plane shall describe circles with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution. — Axis of symmetry (Geom.), any line in a plane figure which divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other part. — Axis of the equator, ecliptic, horizon (or other circle considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies), the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the plane of the circle. Hutton. — Axis of the Ionic capital (Arch.), a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute. — Neutral axis (Mech.), the line of demarcation between the horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression, exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder. — Optic axis of a crystal, the direction in which a ray of transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial or biaxial. — Optic axis, Visual axis (Opt.), the straight line passing through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the surface of the eye. — Radical axis of two circles (Geom.), the straight line perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles shall be equal to each other. — Spiral axis (Arch.), the axis of a twisted column drawn spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without. — Axis of abscissas and Axis of ordinates. See Abscissa.
AXLE Ax"le, n. Etym: [OE. axel, exel, shoulder, AS. ; akin to AS. eax axle, Sw. & Dan. axel shoulder, ~, G. achse axle, achsel shoulder, L. axis axle, Gr. aksha, L. axilla shoulder joint: cf. F. essieu, axle, OF. aissel, fr. dim. of L. axis. Axis.]
1. The pin or spindle on which a wheel revolves, or which revolves with a wheel.
2. A transverse bar or shaft connecting the opposite wheels of a car or carriage; an axletree.
3. An axis; as, the sun's axle. Had from her axle torn The steadfast earth. Milton.
Note: Railway axles are called leading and trailing from their position in the front or in the rear of a car or truck respectively.
AXLE BOX Ax"le box`.
1. A bushing in the hub of a wheel, through which the axle passes.
2. The journal box of a rotating axle, especially a railway axle.
Note: In railway construction, the axle guard, or pedestal, with the superincumbent weight, rests on the top of the box (usually with a spring intervening), and holds it in place by flanges. The box rests upon the journal bearing and key, which intervene between the inner top of the box and the axle.
AXLED Ax"led, a.
Defn: Having an axle; — used in composition. Merlin's agate-axled car. T. Warton.
AXLE GUARD Ax"le guard`.
Defn: The part of the framing of a railway car or truck, by which an axle box is held laterally, and in which it may move vertically; — also called a jaw in the United States, and a housing in England.
AXLETREE Ax"le*tree`, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. öxultr.]
1. A bar or beam of wood or iron, connecting the opposite wheels of a carriage, on the ends of which the wheels revolve.
2. A spindle or axle of a wheel. [Obs.]
AXMAN Ax"man, n.; pl. Axmen (.
Defn: One who wields an ax.
AXMINSTER Ax"min`ster, n.
Defn: An Axminster carpet, an imitation Turkey carpet, noted for its thick and soft pile; — so called from Axminster, Eng.
AXMINSTER; AXMINSTER CARPET Ax"min*ster, n., or Axminster carpet . (a) [More fully chenille Axminster.] A variety of Turkey carpet, woven by machine or, when more than 27 inches wide, on a hand loom, and consisting of strips of worsted chenille so colored as to produce a pattern on a stout jute backing. It has a fine soft pile. So called from Axminster, England, where it was formerly (1755 — 1835) made. (b) A similar but cheaper machine-made carpet, resembling moquette in construction and appearance, but finer and of better material.
AXOLOTL Ax"o*lotl, n. Etym: [The native name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: An amphibian of the salamander tribe found in the elevated lakes of Mexico; the siredon.
Note: When it breeds in captivity the young develop into true salamanders of the genus Amblystoma. This also occurs naturally under favorable conditions, in its native localities; although it commonly lives and breeds in a larval state, with persistent external gills. See Siredon.
AXSTONE Ax"stone`, n. (Min.)
Defn: A variety of jade. It is used by some savages, particularly the natives of the South Sea Islands, for making axes or hatchets.
AXTREE Ax"tree, n.
Defn: Axle or axletree. [Obs.] Drayton.
AXUNGE Ax"unge, n. Etym: [F. axonge, L. axungia; axis wheel + ungere to grease.]
Defn: Fat; grease; esp. the fat of pigs or geese; usually (Pharm.), lard prepared for medical use.
AY Ay, interj.
Defn: Ah! alas! "Ay me! I fondly dream `Had ye been there.'" Milton.
AY Ay, adv.
Defn: Same as Aye.
AYAH A"yah, n. Etym: [Pg. aia, akin to Sp. aya a governess, ayo a tutor.]
Defn: A native nurse for children; also, a lady's maid. [India]
AYE; AY Aye, Ay, adv. Etym: [Perh. a modification of yea, or from the interjection of admiration or astonishment, OE. ei, ey, why, hey, ay, well, ah, ha. Cf. MHG. & G. ei, Dan. ej. Or perh. akin to aye ever.]
Defn: Yes; yea; — a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. It is much used in viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc.
Note: This word is written I in the early editions of Shakespeare and other old writers.
AYE Aye, n.
Defn: An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, "To call for the ayes and noes;" "The ayes have it."
AYE; AY Aye, Ay, adv. Etym: [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. a, awa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. æfi, OHG, , L. aevum, Gr. je, Skr. course. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj.]
Defn: Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. For his mercies aye endure. Milton. For aye, always; forever; eternally.
AYE-AYE Aye"-aye`, n. Etym: [From the native name, prob. from its cry.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A singular nocturnal quadruped, allied to the lemurs, found in Madagascar (Cheiromys Madagascariensis), remarkable for its long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.
AYEGREEN Aye"green`, n. Etym: [Aye ever + green.] (Bot.)
Defn: The houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum). Halliwell.
AYEN; AYEIN; AYEINS A*yen", A*yein", A*yeins", adv. & prep. Etym: [OE. Again.]
Defn: Again; back against. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AYENWARD A*yen"ward, adv.
Defn: Backward. [Obs.] Chaucer.
AYLE Ayle, n. Etym: [OE. ayel, aiel, OF. aiol, aiel, F. aïeul, a dim. of L. avus grandfather.]
Defn: A grandfather. [Obs.] Writ of Ayle, an ancient English writ which lay against a stranger who had dispossessed the demandant of land of which his grandfather died seized.
AYME Ay"me`, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ahi interj.]
Defn: The utterance of the ejaculation "Ay me !" [Obs.] See Ay, interj. "Aymees and hearty heigh-hoes." J. Fletcher.
AYOND A*yond", prep. & adv.
Defn: Beyond. [North of Eng.]
AYONT A*yont", prep. & adv.
Defn: Beyond. [Scot.]
AYRIE; AYRY A"y*rie, A"y*ry, n.
Defn: See Aerie. Drayton.
AYRSHIRE Ayr"shire, n. (Agric.)
Defn: One of a superior breed of cattle from Ayrshire, Scotland. Ayrshires are notable for the quantity and quality of their milk.
AYUNTAMIENTO A*yun`ta*mi*en"to, n. Etym: [Sp., fr. OSp. ayuntar to join.]
Defn: In Spain and Spanish America, a corporation or body of magistrates in cities and towns, corresponding to mayor and aldermen.
AZALEA A*za"le*a, n.; pl. Azaleas. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of showy flowering shrubs, mostly natives of China or of North America; false honeysuckle. The genus is scarcely distinct from Rhododendron.
AZAROLE Az"a*role, n. Etym: [F. azerole, the name of the fruit, fr. Ar. az- zo'r: cf. It. azzeruolo, Sp. acerolo.] (Bot.)
Defn: The Neapolitan medlar (Cratægus azarolus), a shrub of southern Europe; also, its fruit.
AZEDARACH A*zed"a*rach, n. Etym: [F. azédarac, Sp. acederaque, Pers. azaddirakht noble tree.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A handsome Asiatic tree (Melia azedarach), common in the southern United States; — called also, Pride of India, Pride of China, and Bead tree.
2. (Med.)
Defn: The bark of the roots of the azedarach, used as a cathartic and emetic.
AZIMUTH Az"i*muth, n. Etym: [OE. azimut, F. azimut, fr. Ar. as-sum, pl. of as-samt a way, or perh., a point of the horizon and a circle extending to it from the zenith, as being the Arabic article: cf. It. azzimutto, Pg. azimuth, and Ar. samt-al-ra's the vertex of the heaven. Cf. Zenith.] (Astron. & Geodesy) (a) The quadrant of an azimuth circle. (b) An arc of the horizon intercepted between the meridian of the place and a vertical circle passing through the center of any object; as, the azimuth of a star; the azimuth or bearing of a line surveying.
Note: In trigonometrical surveying, it is customary to reckon the azimuth of a line from the south point of the horizon around by the west from 0º to 360º. Azimuth circle, or Vertical circle, one of the great circles of the sphere intersecting each other in the zenith and nadir, and cutting the horizon at right angles. Hutton. — Azimuth compass, a compass resembling the mariner's compass, but having the card divided into degrees instead of rhumbs, and having vertical sights; used for taking the magnetic azimuth of a heavenly body, in order to find, by comparison with the true azimuth, the variation of the needle. — Azimuth dial, a dial whose stile or gnomon is at right angles to the plane of the horizon. Hutton. — Magnetic azimuth, an arc of the horizon, intercepted between the vertical circle passing through any object and the magnetic meridian. This is found by observing the object with an azimuth compass.
AZIMUTHAL Az"i*muth`al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the azimuth; in a horizontal circle. Azimuthal error of a transit instrument, its deviation in azimuth from the plane of the meridian.
AZO- Az"o-. Etym: [See Azote.] (Chem.)
Defn: A combining form of azote; (a) Applied loosely to compounds having nitrogen variously combined, as in cyanides, nitrates, etc. (b) Now especially applied to compounds containing a two atom nitrogen group uniting two hydrocarbon radicals, as in azobenzene, azobenzoic, etc. These compounds furnish many artificial dyes. See Diazo-.
AZOBENZENE Az`o*ben"zene, n. Etym: [Azo- + benzene.] (Chem.)
Defn: A substance (C6H5.N2.C6H5) derived from nitrobenzene, forming orange red crystals which are easily fusible.
AZOGUE A*zo"gue, n. [Sp. See Azoth.]
Defn: Lit.: Quicksilver; hence: pl. (Mining)
Defn: Silver ores suitable for treatment by amalgamation with mercury. [Sp. Amer.]
AZOIC A*zo"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Destitute of any vestige of organic life, or at least of animal life; anterior to the existence of animal life; formed when there was no animal life on the globe; as, the azoic. rocks. Azoic age (Geol.), the age preceding the existence of animal life, or anterior to the paleozoic tome. Azoic is also used as a noun, age being understood. See Archæan, and Eozoic.
AZOLE Az"ole, n. [From Azote.] (Org. Chem.)
Defn: Any of a large class of compounds characterized by a five- membered ring which contains an atom of nitrogen and at least one other noncarbon atom (nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur). The prefixes furo-, thio, and pyrro-are used to distinguish three subclasses of azoles, which may be regarded as derived respectively from furfuran, thiophene, and pyrrol by replacement of the CH group by nitrogen; as, furo-monazole. Names exactly analogous to those for the azines are also used; as, oxazole, diazole, etc.
AZOLEIC Az`o*le"ic, a. Etym: [Azo- + oleic.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to an acid produced by treating oleic with nitric acid. [R.]
AZONIC A*zon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Confined to no zone or region; not local.
AZORIAN A*zo"ri*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Azores. — n.
Defn: A native of the Azores.
AZOTE Az"ote, n. Etym: [F. azote, fr. Gr.
Defn: Same as Nitrogen. [R.]
AZOTED Az"ot*ed, a.
Defn: Nitrogenized; nitrogenous.
AZOTH Az"oth, n. Etym: [LL. azoch, azoth, fr. Ar. az-zauq mercury.] (Alchemy) (a) The first principle of metals, i. e., mercury, which was formerly supposed to exist in all metals, and to be extractable from them. (b) The universal remedy of Paracelsus.
AZOTIC A*zot"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to azote, or nitrogen; formed or consisting of azote; nitric; as, azotic gas; azotic acid. [R.] Carpenter.
AZOTINE; AZOTIN Az"o*tine, Az"o*tin, n. [Azote + -ine.]
1.
Defn: An explosive consisting of sodium nitrate, charcoal, sulphur, and petroleum.
2. = 1st Ammonite, 2.
AZOTITE Az"o*tite, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt formed by the combination of azotous, or nitrous, acid with a base; a nitrite. [R.]
AZOTIZE Az"o*tize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Azotized (p. pr. & vb. n. Azotizing (
Defn: To impregnate with azote, or nitrogen; to nitrogenize.
AZOTOMETER Az`o*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Azote + -meter.] (Chem.)
Defn: An apparatus for measuring or determining the proportion of nitrogen; a nitrometer.
AZOTOUS A*zo"tous, a
Defn: : Nitrous; as, azotous acid. [R.]
AZOTURIA Az`o*tu"ri*a, n. [NL.; azote + Gr. urine.] (Med.)
Defn: Excess of urea or other nitrogenous substances in the urine.
AZTEC Az"tec, a.
Defn: Of or relating to one of the early races in Mexico that inhabited the great plateau of that country at the time of the Spanish conquest in 1519. — n.
Defn: One of the Aztec race or people.
AZURE Az"ure, a. Etym: [F. & OSp. azur, Sp. azul, through Ar. from Per. lajaward, or lajuward, lapis lazuli, a blue color, lajawardi, lajuwardi, azure, cerulean, the initial l having been dropped, perhaps by the influence of the Ar. azr-aq azure, blue. Cf. G. lasur, lasurstein, azure color, azure stone, and NL. lapis lazuli.]
Defn: Sky-blue; resembling the clear blue color of the unclouded sky; cerulean; also, cloudless. Azure stone (Min.), the lapis lazuli; also, the lazulite.
AZURE Az"ure, n.
1. The lapis lazuli. [Obs.]
2. The clear blue color of the sky; also, a pigment or dye of this color. "In robes of azure." Wordsworth.
3. The blue vault above; the unclouded sky. Not like those steps On heaven's azure. Milton.
4. (Her.)
Defn: A blue color, represented in engraving by horizontal parallel lines.
AZURE Az"ure, v. t.
Defn: To color blue.
AZURED Az"ured, a.
Defn: Of an azure color; sky-blue. "The azured harebell." Shak.
AZUREOUS A*zu"re*ous, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of a fine blue color; azure.
AZURINE Az"u*rine, a. Etym: [Cf. Azurn.]
Defn: Azure.
AZURINE Az"u*rine, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The blue roach of Europe (Leuciscus cæruleus); — so called from its color.
AZURITE Az"u*rite, n. (Min.)
Defn: Blue carbonate of copper; blue malachite.
AZURN Az"urn, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. azurin, asurin, LL. azurinus. See Azure, a.]
Defn: Azure. [Obs.] Thick set with agate, and the azurn sheen Of turkis blue, and emerald green. Milton.
AZYGOUS Az"y*gous, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Odd; having no fellow; not one of a pair; single; as, the azygous muscle of the uvula.
AZYM; AZYME Az"ym, Az"yme, n. Etym: [F. azyme unleavened, L. azymus, fr. Gr.
Defn: Unleavened bread.
AZYMIC A*zym"ic, a.
Defn: Azymous.
AZYMITE Az"y*mite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. azymite.] (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One who administered the Eucharist with unleavened bread; — a name of reproach given by those of the Greek church to the Latins.
AZYMOUS Az"y*mous, a. Etym: [See Azym.]
Defn: Unleavened; unfermented. "Azymous bread." Dunglison.