A A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages). (continued 2)

ABSENT Ab"sent, a. Etym: [F., fr. absens, absentis, p. pr. of abesse to be away from; ab + esse to be. Cf. Sooth.]

1. Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present. "Expecting absent friends." Shak.

2. Not existing; lacking; as, the part was rudimental or absent.

3. Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied; as, an absent air. What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a very affected man. Chesterfield.

Syn. — Absent, Abstracted. These words both imply a want of attention to surrounding objects. We speak of a man as absent when his thoughts wander unconsciously from present scenes or topics of discourse; we speak of him as abstracted when his mind (usually for a brief period) is drawn off from present things by some weighty matter for reflection. Absence of mind is usually the result of loose habits of thought; abstraction commonly arises either from engrossing interests and cares, or from unfortunate habits of association.

ABSENT Ab*sent", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absented; p. pr. & vb. n. Absenting.] Etym: [Cf. F. absenter.]

1. To take or withdraw (one's self) to such a distance as to prevent intercourse; — used with the reflexive pronoun. If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined. Addison.

2. To withhold from being present. [Obs.] "Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more." Milton.

ABSENTANEOUS Ab`sen*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [LL. absentaneus. See absent]

Defn: Pertaining to absence. [Obs.]

ABSENTATION Ab`sen*ta"tion, n.

Defn: The act of absenting one's self. Sir W. Hamilton.

ABSENTEE Ab`sen*tee", n.

Defn: One who absents himself from his country, office, post, or duty; especially, a landholder who lives in another country or district than that where his estate is situated; as, an Irish absentee. Macaulay.

ABSENTEEISM Ab`sen*tee"ism, n.

Defn: The state or practice of an absentee; esp. the practice of absenting one's self from the country or district where one's estate is situated.

ABSENTER Ab*sent"er, n.

Defn: One who absents one's self.

ABSENTLY Ab"sent*ly, adv.

Defn: In an absent or abstracted manner.

ABSENTMENT Ab*sent"ment, n.

Defn: The state of being absent; withdrawal. [R.] Barrow.

ABSENT-MINDED Ab`sent-mind"ed(#), a.

Defn: Absent in mind; abstracted; preoccupied. — Ab`sent-mind"ed*ness, n. — Ab`sent-mind"ed*ly, adv.

ABSENTNESS Ab"sent*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being absent-minded. H. Miller.

ABSEY-BOOK Ab"sey-book`(#), n.

Defn: An A-B-C book; a primer. [Obs.] Shak.

ABSINTHATE Ab"sin"thate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A combination of absinthic acid with a base or positive radical.

ABSINTHE; ABSINTH Ab"sinthe`, Ab"sinth`, n. Etym: [F. absinthe. See Absinthium.]

1. The plant absinthium or common wormwood.

2. A strong spirituous liqueur made from wormwood and brandy or alcohol.

ABSINTHIAL Ab*sin"thi*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to wormwood; absinthian.

ABSINTHIAN Ab*sin"thi*an, n.

Defn: Of the nature of wormwood. "Absinthian bitterness." T. Randolph.

ABSINTHIATE Ab"sin"thi*ate, v. t. Etym: [From L. absinthium: cf. L. absinthiatus, a.]

Defn: To impregnate with wormwood.

ABSINTHIATED Ab*sin"thi*a`ted, a.

Defn: Impregnated with wormwood; as, absinthiated wine.

ABSINTHIC Ab*sin"thic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Relating to the common wormwood or to an acid obtained from it.

ABSINTHIN Ab*sin"thin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The bitter principle of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Watts.

ABSINTHISM Ab"sin*thism, n.

Defn: The condition of being poisoned by the excessive use of absinth.

ABSINTHIUM Ab*sin"thi*um, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The common wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), an intensely bitter plant, used as a tonic and for making the oil of wormwood.

ABSIS Ab"sis, n.

Defn: See Apsis.

ABSIST Ab*sist", v. i. Etym: [L. absistere, p. pr. absistens; ab + sistere to stand, causal of stare.]

Defn: To stand apart from; top leave off; to desist. [Obs.] Raleigh.

ABSISTENCE Ab*sist"ence, n.

Defn: A standing aloof. [Obs.]

ABSOLUTE Ab"so*lute, a. Etym: [L. absolutus, p. p. of absolvere: cf. F. absolu. See Absolve.]

1. Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled; unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority, monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command; absolute power; an absolute monarch.

2. Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as, absolute perfection; absolute beauty. So absolute she seems, And in herself complete. Milton.

3. Viewed apart from modifying influences or without comparison with other objects; actual; real; — opposed to relative and comparative; as, absolute motion; absolute time or space.

Note: Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man in a state of nature as contradistinguished from relative rights and duties, or such as pertain to him in his social relations.

4. Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other being; self-existent; self-sufficing.

Note: In this sense God is called the Absolute by the Theist. The term is also applied by the Pantheist to the universe, or the total of all existence, as only capable of relations in its parts to each other and to the whole, and as dependent for its existence and its phenomena on its mutually depending forces and their laws.

5. Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone; unconditioned; non-relative.

Note: It is in dispute among philosopher whether the term, in this sense, is not applied to a mere logical fiction or abstraction, or whether the absolute, as thus defined, can be known, as a reality, by the human intellect. To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute. Sir W. Hamilton.

6. Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful. [R.] I am absolute 't was very Cloten. Shak.

7. Authoritative; peremptory. [R.] The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head, With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed. Mrs. Browning.

8. (Chem.)

Defn: Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.

9. (Gram.)

Defn: Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See Ablative absolute, under Ablative. Absolute curvature (Geom.), that curvature of a curve of double curvature, which is measured in the osculating plane of the curve. — Absolute equation (Astron.), the sum of the optic and eccentric equations. — Absolute space (Physics), space considered without relation to material limits or objects. — Absolute terms. (Alg.), such as are known, or which do not contain the unknown quantity. Davies & Peck. — Absolute temperature (Physics), the temperature as measured on a scale determined by certain general thermo-dynamic principles, and reckoned from the absolute zero. — Absolute zero (Physics), the be ginning, or zero point, in the scale of absolute temperature. It is equivalent to -273º centigrade or -459.4º Fahrenheit.

Syn. — Positive; peremptory; certain; unconditional; unlimited; unrestricted; unqualified; arbitrary; despotic; autocratic.

ABSOLUTE Ab"so*lute, n. (Geom.)

Defn: In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.

ABSOLUTELY Ab"so*lute*ly, adv.

Defn: In an absolute, independent, or unconditional manner; wholly; positively.

ABSOLUTENESS Ab"so*lute*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being absolute; independence of everything extraneous; unlimitedness; absolute power; independent reality; positiveness.

ABSOLUTION Ab`so*lu"tion, n. Etym: [F. absolution, L. absolutio, fr. absolvere to absolve. See Absolve.]

1. An absolving, or setting free from guilt, sin, or penalty; forgiveness of an offense. "Government . . . granting absolution to the nation." Froude.

2. (Civil Law)

Defn: An acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring and accused person innocent. [Obs.]

3. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The exercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven.

Note: In the English and other Protestant churches, this act regarded as simply declaratory, not as imparting forgiveness.

4. (Eccl.)

Defn: An absolving from ecclesiastical penalties, — for example, excommunication. P. Cyc.

5. The form of words by which a penitent is absolved. Shipley.

6. Delivery, in speech. [Obs.] B. Jonson. Absolution day (R. C. Ch.), Tuesday before Easter.

ABSOLUTISM Ab"so*lu`tism, n.

1. The state of being absolute; the system or doctrine of the absolute; the principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; despotism. The element of absolutism and prelacy was controlling. Palfrey.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: Doctrine of absolute decrees. Ash.

ABSOLUTIST Ab"so*lu`tist, n.

1. One who is in favor of an absolute or autocratic government.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: One who believes that it is possible to realize a cognition or concept of the absolute. Sir. W. Hamilton.

ABSOLUTIST Ab"so*lu`tist, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to absolutism; arbitrary; despotic; as, absolutist principles.

ABSOLUTISTIC Ab`so*lu*tis"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to absolutism; absolutist.

ABSOLUTORY Ab*sol"u*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. absolutorius, fr. absolvere to absolve.]

Defn: Serving to absolve; absolving. "An absolutory sentence." Ayliffe.

ABSOLVABLE Ab*solv"a*ble, a.

Defn: That may be absolved.

ABSOLVATORY Ab*solv"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Conferring absolution; absolutory.

ABSOLVE Ab*solve" (#; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absolved; p. pr. & vb. n. Absolving.] Etym: [L. absolvere to set free, to absolve; ab + solvere to loose. See Assoil, Solve.]

1. To set free, or release, as from some obligation, debt, or responsibility, or from the consequences of guilt or such ties as it would be sin or guilt to violate; to pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment. Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen. Macaulay.

2. To free from a penalty; to pardon; to remit (a sin); — said of the sin or guilt. In his name I absolve your perjury. Gibbon.

3. To finish; to accomplish. [Obs.] The work begun, how soon absolved. Milton.

4. To resolve or explain. [Obs.] "We shall not absolve the doubt." Sir T. Browne.

Syn. — To Absolve, Exonerate, Acquit. We speak of a man as absolved from something that binds his conscience, or involves the charge of wrongdoing; as, to absolve from allegiance or from the obligation of an oath, or a promise. We speak of a person as exonerated, when he is released from some burden which had rested upon him; as, to exonerate from suspicion, to exonerate from blame or odium. It implies a purely moral acquittal. We speak of a person as acquitted, when a decision has been made in his favor with reference to a specific charge, either by a jury or by disinterested persons; as, he was acquitted of all participation in the crime.

ABSOLVENT Ab*solv"ent, a. Etym: [L. absolvens, p. pr. of absolvere.]

Defn: Absolving. [R.] Carlyle.

ABSOLVENT Ab*solv"ent, n.

Defn: An absolver. [R.] Hobbes.

ABSOLVER Ab*solv"er, n.

Defn: One who absolves. Macaulay.

ABSONANT Ab"so*nant, a. Etym: [L. ab + sonans, p. pr. of sonare to sound.]

Defn: Discordant; contrary; — opposed to consonant. "Absonant to nature." Quarles.

ABSONOUS Ab"so*nous, a. Etym: [L. absonus; ab + sonus sound.]

Defn: Discordant; inharmonious; incongruous. [Obs.] "Absonous to our reason." Glanvill.

ABSORB Ab*sorb", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absorbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Absorbing.] Etym: [L. absorbere; ab + sorbere to suck in, akin to Gr. absorber.]

1. To swallow up; to engulf; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to use up; to include. "Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all." Cowper. The large cities absorb the wealth and fashion. W. Irving.

2. To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe; as a sponge or as the lacteals of the body. Bacon.

3. To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully; as, absorbed in study or the pursuit of wealth.

4. To take up by cohesive, chemical, or any molecular action, as when charcoal absorbs gases. So heat, light, and electricity are absorbed or taken up in the substances into which they pass. Nichol. p. 8

Syn. — To Absorb, Engross, Swallow up, Engulf. These words agree in one general idea, that of completely taking up. They are chiefly used in a figurative sense and may be distinguished by a reference to their etymology. We speak of a person as absorbed (lit., drawn in, swallowed up) in study or some other employment of the highest interest. We speak of a person as ebgrossed (lit., seized upon in the gross, or wholly) by something which occupies his whole time and thoughts, as the acquisition of wealth, or the attainment of honor. We speak of a person (under a stronger image) as swallowed up and lost in that which completely occupies his thoughts and feelings, as in grief at the death of a friend, or in the multiplied cares of life. We speak of a person as engulfed in that which (like a gulf) takes in all his hopes and interests; as, engulfed in misery, ruin, etc. That grave question which had begun to absorb the Christian mind — the marriage of the clergy. Milman. Too long hath love engrossed Britannia's stage, And sunk to softness all our tragic rage. Tickell. Should not the sad occasion swallow up My other cares Addison. And in destruction's river Engulf and swallow those. Sir P. Sidney.

ABSORBABILITY Ab*sorb`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being absorbable. Graham (Chemistry).

ABSORBABLE Ab*sorb"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. absorbable.]

Defn: Capable of being absorbed or swallowed up. Kerr.

ABSORBEDLY Ab*sorb"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a manner as if wholly engrossed or engaged.

ABSORBENCY Ab*sorb"en*cy, n.

Defn: Absorptiveness.

ABSORBENT Ab*sorb"ent, a. Etym: [L. absorbens, p. pr. of absorbere.]

Defn: Absorbing; swallowing; absorptive. Absorbent ground (Paint.), a ground prepared for a picture, chiefly with distemper, or water colors, by which the oil is absorbed, and a brilliancy is imparted to the colors.

ABSORBENT Ab*sorb"ent, n.

1. Anything which absorbs. The ocean, itself a bad absorbent of heat. Darwin.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Any substance which absorbs and neutralizes acid fluid in the stomach and bowels, as magnesia, chalk, etc.; also a substance e. g., iodine) which acts on the absorbent vessels so as to reduce enlarged and indurated parts.

3. pl. (Physiol.)

Defn: The vessels by which the processes of absorption are carried on, as the lymphatics in animals, the extremities of the roots in plants.

ABSORBER Ab*sorb"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, absorbs.

ABSORBING Ab*sorb"ing, a.

Defn: Swallowing, engrossing; as, an absorbing pursuit. — Ab*sorb"ing, adv.

ABSORBITION Ab`sor*bi"tion, n.

Defn: Absorption. [Obs.]

ABSORPT Ab*sorpt`, a. Etym: [L. absorptus, p. p.]

Defn: Absorbed. [Arcahic.] "Absorpt in care." Pope.

ABSORPTION Ab*sorp"tion, n. Etym: [L. absorptio, fr. absorbere. See Absorb.]

1. The act or process of absorbing or sucking in anything, or of being absorbed and made to disappear; as, the absorption of bodies in a whirlpool, the absorption of a smaller tribe into a larger.

2. (Chem. & Physics)

Defn: An imbibing or reception by molecular or chemical action; as, the absorption of light, heat, electricity, etc.

3. (Physiol.)

Defn: In living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs.

4. Entire engrossment or occupation of the mind; as, absorption in some employment.

ABSORPTIVE Ab*sorp"tive, a.

Defn: Having power, capacity, or tendency to absorb or imbibe. E. Darwin.

ABSORPTIVENESS Ab*sorp"tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being absorptive; absorptive power.

ABSORPTIVITY Ab`sorp*tiv"i*ty, n.

Defn: Absorptiveness.

ABSQUATULATE Ab*squat"u*late, v. i.

Defn: To take one's self off; to decamp. [A jocular word. U. S.]

ABSQUE HOC Abs"que hoc

Defn: . Etym: [L., without this.] (Law) The technical words of denial used in traversing what has been alleged, and is repeated.

ABSTAIN Ab*stain", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Abstained; p. pr. & vb. n. Abstaining.] Etym: [OE. absteynen, abstenen, OF. astenir, abstenir, F. abstenir, fr. L. abstinere, abstentum, v. t. & v. i., to keep from; ab, abs + tenere to hold. See Tenable.]

Defn: To hold one's self aloof; to forbear or refrain voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites; — with from. Not a few abstained from voting. Macaulay. Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt Shak.

Syn. — To refrain; forbear; withhold; deny one's self; give up; relinquish.

ABSTAIN Ab*stain", v. t.

Defn: To hinder; to withhold. Whether he abstain men from marrying. Milton.

ABSTAINER Ab*stain"er, n.

Defn: One who abstains; esp., one who abstains from the use of intoxicating liquors.

ABSTEMIOUS Ab*ste"mi*ous, a. Etym: [L. abstemius; ab, abs + root of temetum intoxicating drink.]

1. Abstaining from wine. [Orig. Latin sense.] Under his special eye Abstemious I grew up and thrived amain. Milton.

2. Sparing in diet; refraining from a free use of food and strong drinks; temperate; abstinent; sparing in the indulgence of the appetite or passions. Instances of longevity are chiefly among the abstemious. Arbuthnot.

3. Sparingly used; used with temperance or moderation; as, an abstemious diet. Gibbon.

4. Marked by, or spent in, abstinence; as, an abstemious life. "One abstemious day." Pope.

5. Promotive of abstemiousness. [R.] Such is the virtue of the abstemious well. Dryden.

ABSTEMIOUSNESS Ab*ste"mi*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abstemious, temperate, or sparing in the use of food and strong drinks. It expresses a greater degree of abstinence than temperance.

ABSTENTION Ab*sten"tion, a. Etym: [F. See Abstain.]

Defn: The act of abstaining; a holding aloof. Jer. Taylor.

ABSTENTIOUS Ab*sten"tious, a.

Defn: Characterized by abstinence; self-restraining. Farrar.

ABSTERGE Ab*sterge, v. t. Etym: [L. abstergere, abstersum; ab, abs + tergere to wipe. Cf. F absterger.]

Defn: To make clean by wiping; to wipe away; to cleanse; hence, to purge. [R.] Quincy.

ABSTERGENT Ab*ster"gent, a. Etym: [L. abstergens, p. pr. of abstergere.]

Defn: Serving to cleanse, detergent.

ABSTERGENT Ab*ster"gent, n.

Defn: A substance used in cleansing; a detergent; as, soap is an abstergent.

ABSTERSE Ab*sterse", v. t.

Defn: To absterge; to cleanse; to purge away. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

ABSTERSION Ab*ster"sion, n. Etym: [F. abstersion. See Absterge.]

Defn: Act of wiping clean; a cleansing; a purging. The task of ablution and abstersion being performed. Sir W. Scott.

ABSTERSIVE Ab*ster"sive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. abstersif. See Absterge.]

Defn: Cleansing; purging. Bacon.

ABSTERSIVE Ab*ster"sive, n.

Defn: Something cleansing. The strong abstersive of some heroic magistrate. Milton.

ABSTERSIVENESS Ab*ster"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abstersive. Fuller.

ABSTINENCE Ab"sti*nence, n. Etym: [F. abstinence, L. abstinentia, fr. abstinere. See Abstain.]

1. The act or practice of abstaining; voluntary forbearance of any action, especially the refraining from an indulgence of appetite, or from customary gratifications of animal or sensual propensities. Specifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating beverages, — called also total abstinence. The abstinence from a present pleasure that offers itself is a pain, nay, oftentimes, a very great one. Locke.

2. The practice of self-denial by depriving one's self of certain kinds of food or drink, especially of meat. Penance, fasts, and abstinence, To punish bodies for the soul's offense. Dryden.

ABSTINENCY Ab"sti*nen*cy, n.

Defn: Abstinence. [R.]

ABSTINENT Ab"sti*nent, a. Etym: [F. abstinent, L. abstinens, p. pr. of abstinere. See Abstain.]

Defn: Refraining from indulgence, especially from the indulgence of appetite; abstemious; continent; temperate. Beau. & Fl.

ABSTINENT Ab"sti*nent, n.

1. One who abstains.

2. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a sect who appeared in France and Spain in the 3d century.

ABSTINENTLY Ab"sti*nent*ly, adv.

Defn: With abstinence.

ABSTORTED Ab*stort"ed, a. Etym: [As if fr. abstort, fr. L. ab, abs + tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist.]

Defn: Wrested away. [Obs.] Bailey.

ABSTRACT Ab"stract` (#; 277), a. Etym: [L. abstractus, p. p. of abstrahere to draw from, separate; ab, abs + trahere to draw. See Trace.]

1. Withdraw; separate. [Obs.] The more abstract . . . we are from the body. Norris.

2. Considered apart from any application to a particular object; separated from matter; exiting in the mind only; as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal; abstruse; difficult.

3. (Logic) (a) Expressing a particular property of an object viewed apart from the other properties which constitute it; — opposed to Ant: concrete; as, honesty is an abstract word. J. S. Mill. (b) Resulting from the mental faculty of abstraction; general as opposed to particular; as, "reptile" is an abstract or general name. Locke. A concrete name is a name which stands for a thing; an abstract name which stands for an attribute of a thing. A practice has grown up in more modern times, which, if not introduced by Locke, has gained currency from his example, of applying the expression "abstract name" to all names which are the result of abstraction and generalization, and consequently to all general names, instead of confining it to the names of attributes. J. S. Mill.

4. Abstracted; absent in mind. "Abstract, as in a trance." Milton. An abstract idea (Metaph.), an idea separated from a complex object, or from other ideas which naturally accompany it; as the solidity of marble when contemplated apart from its color or figure. — Abstract terms, those which express abstract ideas, as beauty, whiteness, roundness, without regarding any object in which they exist; or abstract terms are the names of orders, genera or species of things, in which there is a combination of similar qualities. — Abstract numbers (Math.), numbers used without application to things, as 6, 8, 10; but when applied to any thing, as 6 feet, 10 men, they become concrete. — Abstract or Pure mathematics. See Mathematics.

ABSTRACT Ab*stract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abstracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Abstracting.] Etym: [See Abstract, a.]

1. To withdraw; to separate; to take away. He was incapable of forming any opinion or resolution abstracted from his own prejudices. Sir W. Scott.

2. To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his was wholly abstracted by other objects. The young stranger had been abstracted and silent. Blackw. Mag.

3. To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a quality or attribute. Whately.

4. To epitomize; to abridge. Franklin.

5. To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till. Von Rosen had quietly abstracted the bearing-reins from the harness. W. Black.

6. (Chem.)

Defn: To separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts of a substance, by distillation or other chemical processes. In this sense extract is now more generally used.

ABSTRACT Ab*stract", v. t.

Defn: To perform the process of abstraction. [R.] I own myself able to abstract in one sense. Berkeley.

ABSTRACT Ab"stract`, n. Etym: [See Abstract, a.]

1. That which comprises or concentrates in itself the essential qualities of a larger thing or of several things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief. An abstract of every treatise he had read. Watts. Man, the abstract Of all perfection, which the workmanship Of Heaven hath modeled. Ford.

2. A state of separation from other things; as, to consider a subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated things.

3. An abstract term. The concretes "father" and "son" have, or might have, the abstracts "paternity" and "filiety." J. S. Mill.

4. (Med.)

Defn: A powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance mixed with sugar of milk in such proportion that one part of the abstract represents two parts of the original substance. Abstract of title (Law), an epitome of the evidences of ownership.

Syn. — Abridgment; compendium; epitome; synopsis. See Abridgment.

ABSTRACTED Ab*stract"ed, a.

1. Separated or disconnected; withdrawn; removed; apart. The evil abstracted stood from his own evil. Milton.

2. Separated from matter; abstract; ideal. [Obs.]

3. Abstract; abstruse; difficult. [Obs.] Johnson.

4. Inattentive to surrounding objects; absent in mind. "An abstracted scholar." Johnson.

ABSTRACTEDLY Ab*stract"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In an abstracted manner; separately; with absence of mind.

ABSTRACTEDNESS Ab*stract"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being abstracted; abstract character.

ABSTRACTER Ab*stract"er, n.

Defn: One who abstracts, or makes an abstract.

ABSTRACTION Ab*strac"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. abstraction. See Abstract, a.]

1. The act of abstracting, separating, or withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal. A wrongful abstraction of wealth from certain members of the community. J. S. Mill.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: The act process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others; analysis. Thus, when the mind considers the form of a tree by itself, or the color of the leaves as separate from their size or figure, the act is called abstraction. So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.

Note: Abstraction is necessary to classification, by which things are arranged in genera and species. We separate in idea the qualities of certain objects, which are of the same kind, from others which are different, in each, and arrange the objects having the same properties in a class, or collected body. Abstraction is no positive act: it is simply the negative of attention. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. An idea or notion of an abstract, or theoretical nature; as, to fight for mere abstractions.

4. A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; as, a hermit's abstraction.

5. Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects.

6. The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining. [Modern]

7. (Chem.)

Defn: A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation. Nicholson.

ABSTRACTIONAL Ab*strac"tion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to abstraction.

ABSTRACTIONIST Ab*strac"tion*ist, n.

Defn: An idealist. Emerson.

ABSTRACTITIOUS Ab`strac*ti"tious, a.

Defn: Obtained from plants by distillation. [Obs.] Crabb.

ABSTRACTIVE Ab*strac"tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. abstractif.]

Defn: Having the power of abstracting; of an abstracting nature. "The abstractive faculty." I. Taylor.

ABSTRACTIVELY Ab*strac"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a abstract manner; separately; in or by itself. Feltham.

ABSTRACTIVENESS Ab*strac"tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abstractive; abstractive property.

ABSTRACTLY Ab"stract`ly (#; 277), adv.

Defn: In an abstract state or manner; separately; absolutely; by itself; as, matter abstractly considered.

ABSTRACTNESS Ab"stract`ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abstract. "The abstractness of the ideas." Locke.

ABSTRINGE Ab*stringe", v. t. Etym: [L ab + stringere, strictum, to press together.]

Defn: To unbind. [Obs.] Bailey.

ABSTRUDE Ab*strude", v. t. Etym: [L. abstrudere. See Abstruse.]

Defn: To thrust away. [Obs.] Johnson.

ABSTRUSE Ab*struse", a. Etym: [L. abstrusus, p. p. of abstrudere to thrust away, conceal; ab, abs + trudere to thrust; cf. F. abstrus. See Threat.]

1. Concealed or hidden out of the way. [Obs.] The eternal eye whose sight discerns Abstrusest thoughts. Milton.

2. Remote from apprehension; difficult to be comprehended or understood; recondite; as, abstruse learning. Profound and abstruse topics. Milman.

ABSTRUSELY Ab*struse"ly, adv.

Defn: In an abstruse manner.

ABSTRUSENESS Ab*struse"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abstruse; difficulty of apprehension. Boyle.

ABSTRUSION Ab*stru"sion, n. Etym: [L. abstrusio. See Abstruse.]

Defn: The act of thrusting away. [R.] Ogilvie.

ABSTRUSITY Ab*stru"si*ty, n.

Defn: Abstruseness; that which is abstruse. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

ABSUME Ab*sume", v. t. Etym: [L. absumere, absumptum; ab + sumere to take.]

Defn: To consume gradually; to waste away. [Obs.] Boyle.

ABSUMPTION Ab*sump"tion (#; 215), n. Etym: [L. absumptio. See Absume.]

Defn: Act of wasting away; a consuming; extinction. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

ABSURD Ab*surd", a. Etym: [L. absurdus harsh-sounding; ab + (prob) a derivative fr. a root svar to sound; not connected with surd: cf. F. absurde. See Syringe.]

Defn: Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and fiatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream. This proffer is absurd and reasonless. Shak. 'This phrase absurd to call a villain great. Pope. p. 9

Syn. — Foolish; irrational; ridiculous; preposterous; inconsistent; incongruous. — Absurd, Irrational, Foolish, Preposterous. Of these terms, irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life. Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises. Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc. Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.

ABSURD Ab*surd", n.

Defn: An absurdity. [Obs.] Pope.

ABSURDITY Ab*surd"i*ty, n.; pl. Absurdities. Etym: [L. absurditas: cf. F. absurdite.]

1. The quality of being absurd or inconsistent with obvious truth, reason, or sound judgment. "The absurdity of the actual idea of an infinite number." Locke.

2. That which is absurd; an absurd action; a logical contradiction. His travels were full of absurdities. Johnson.

ABSURDLY Ab*surd"ly, adv.

Defn: In an absurd manner.

ABSURDNESS Ab*surd"ness, n.

Defn: Absurdity. [R.]

ABUNA A*bu"na, n. Etym: [Eth. and Ar., our father.]

Defn: The Patriarch, or head of the Abyssinian Church.

ABUNDANCE A*bun"dance, n. Etym: [OE. (h)abudaunce, abundance, F. abundance, F. abondance, L. abundantia, fr. abundare. See Abound.]

Defn: An overflowing fullness; ample sufficiency; great plenty; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; wealth: — strictly applicable to quantity only, but sometimes used of number. It is lamentable to remember what abundance of noble blood hath been shed with small benefit to the Christian state. Raleigh.

Syn. — Exuberance; plenteousness; plenty; copiousness; overflow; riches; affluence; wealth. — Abundance, Plenty, Exuberance. These words rise upon each other in expressing the idea of fullness. Plenty denotes a sufficiency to supply every want; as, plenty of food, plenty of money, etc. Abundance express more, and gives the idea of superfluity or excess; as, abundance of riches, an abundance of wit and humor; often, however, it only denotes plenty in a high degree. Exuberance rises still higher, and implies a bursting forth on every side, producing great superfluity or redundance; as, an exuberance of mirth, an exuberance of animal spirits, etc.

ABUNDANT A*bun"dant, a. Etym: [OE. (h)abundant, aboundant, F. abondant, fr. L. abudans, p. pr. of abundare. See Abound.]

Defn: Fully sufficient; plentiful; in copious supply; — followed by in, rarely by with. "Abundant in goodness and truth." Exod. xxxiv. 6. Abundant number (Math.), a number, the sum of whose aliquot parts exceeds the number itself. Thus, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, the aliquot parts of 12, make the number 16. This is opposed to a deficient number, as 14, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2, 7, the sum of which is 10; and to a perfect number, which is equal to the sum of its aliquot parts, as 6, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2., 3.

Syn. — Ample; plentiful; copious; plenteous; exuberant; overflowing; rich; teeming; profuse; bountiful; liberal. See Ample.

ABUNDANTLY A*bun"dant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a sufficient degree; fully; amply; plentifully; in large measure.

ABURST A*burst", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + burst.]

Defn: In a bursting condition.

ABUSABLE A*bus"a*ble, a.

Defn: That may be abused.

ABUSAGE A*bus"age, n.

Defn: Abuse. [Obs.] Whately (1634).

ABUSE A*buse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abused; p. pr. & vb. n. Abusing.] Etym: [F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See Use.]

1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority. This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity. Froude.

2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.

3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage. The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay.

4. To dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name" Shak.

5. To violate; to ravish. Spenser.

6. To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.] Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. — To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify; vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign.

ABUSE A*buse", n. Etym: [F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.]

1. Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. Madison.

2. Physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff." Shak.

3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay.

4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay.

5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [Obs.] Or is it some abuse, and no such thing Shak. Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer.

Syn. — Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium. — Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith.

ABUSEFUL A*buse"ful, a.

Defn: Full of abuse; abusive. [R.] "Abuseful names." Bp. Barlow.

ABUSER A*bus"er, n.

Defn: One who abuses [in the various senses of the verb].

ABUSION A*bu"sion, n. Etym: [OE. abusion, abusioun, OF. abusion, fr. L. abusio misuse of words, f. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.]

Defn: Evil or corrupt usage; abuse; wrong; reproach; deception; cheat. Chaucer.

ABUSIVE A*bu"sive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. abusif, fr. L. abusivus.]

1. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied. I am . . . necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. Fuller.

2. Given to misusing; also, full of abuses. [Archaic] "The abusive prerogatives of his see." Hallam.

3. Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; as, an abusive author; an abusive fellow.

4. Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. "An abusive lampoon." Johnson.

5. Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. [Obs.] "An abusive treaty." Bacon.

Syn. — Reproachful; scurrilous; opprobrious; insolent; insulting; injurious; offensive; reviling.

ABUSIVELY A*bu"sive*ly, adv.

Defn: In an abusive manner; rudely; with abusive language.

ABUSIVENESS A*bu"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being abusive; rudeness of language, or violence to the person. Pick out mirth, like stones out of thy ground, Profaneness, filthiness, abusiveness. Herbert.

ABUT A*but", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Abutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Abutting.] Etym: [OF. abouter, aboter; cf. F. aboutir, and also abuter; a (L. ad) + OF. boter, buter, to push: cf. F. bout end, and but end, purpose.]

Defn: To project; to terminate or border; to be contiguous; to meet; — with on, upon, or against; as, his land abuts on the road.

ABUTILON A*bu"ti*lon, n. Etym: [Ar. aubutilun.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of malvaceous plants of many species, found in the torrid and temperate zones of both continents; — called also Indian mallow.

ABUTMENT A*but"ment, n.

1. State of abutting.

2. That on or against which a body abuts or presses; as (a) (Arch.) The solid part of a pier or wall, etc., which receives the thrust or lateral pressure of an arch, vault, or strut. Gwilt. (b) (mech.) A fixed point or surface from which resistance or reaction is obtained, as the cylinder head of a steam engine, the fulcrum of a lever, etc. (c) In breech-loading firearms, the block behind the barrel which receives the pressure due to recoil.

ABUTTAL A*but"tal, n.

Defn: The butting or boundary of land, particularly at the end; a headland. Spelman.

ABUTTER A*but"ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, abuts. Specifically, the owner of a contiguous estate; as, the abutters on a street or a river.

ABUZZ A*buzz", a. Etym: [Pref. a- + buzz.]

Defn: In a buzz; buzzing. [Colloq.] Dickens.

ABY; ABYE A*by", A*bye", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Abought.] Etym: [AS. abycgan to pay for; pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bycgan to buy. See Buy, and cf. Abide.]

1. To pay for; to suffer for; to atone for; to make amends for; to give satisfaction. [Obs.] Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Shak.

2. To endure; to abide. [Obs.] But nought that wanteth rest can long aby. Spenser.

ABYSM A*bysm", n. Etym: [OF. abisme; F. abime, LL. abyssimus, a superl. of L. abyssus; Gr. Abyss.]

Defn: An abyss; a gulf. "The abysm of hell." Shak.

ABYSMAL A*bys"mal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound. Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space. Carlyle.

ABYSMALLY A*bys"mal*ly, adv.

Defn: To a fathomless depth; profoundly. "Abysmally ignorant." G. Eliot.

ABYSS A*byss", n. Etym: [L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr.

1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit. Ye powers and spirits of this nethermost abyss. Milton. The throne is darkness, in the abyss of light. Dryden.

2. Infinite time; a vast intellectual or moral depth. The abysses of metaphysical theology. Macaulay. In unfathomable abysses of disgrace. Burke.

3. (Her.)

Defn: The center of an escutcheon.

Note: This word, in its leading uses, is associated with the cosmological notions of the Hebrews, having reference to a supposed illimitable mass of waters from which our earth sprung, and beneath whose profound depths the wicked were punished. Encyc. Brit.

ABYSSAL A*byss"al, a. Etym: [Cf. Abysmal.]

Defn: Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. Abyssal zone (Phys. Geog.), one of the belts or zones into which Sir E. Forbes divides the bottom of the sea in describing its plants, animals, etc. It is the one furthest from the shore, embracing all beyond one hundred fathoms deep. Hence, abyssal animals, plants, etc.

ABYSSINIAN Ab`ys*sin"i*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Abyssinia. Abyssinian gold, an alloy of 90.74 parts of copper and 8.33 parts of zink. Ure.

ABYSSINIAN Ab`ys*sin"i*an, n.

1. A native of Abyssinia.

2. A member of the Abyssinian Church.

ACACIA A*ca"ci*a, n. (Antiq.)

Defn: A roll or bag, filled with dust, borne by Byzantine emperors, as a memento of mortality. It is represented on medals.

ACACIA A*ca"cia, n.; pl. E. Acacias, L. Acaciæ. Etym: [L. from Gr. ak to be sharp. See Acute.]

1. A genus of leguminous trees and shrubs. Nearly 300 species are Australian or Polynesian, and have terete or vertically compressed leaf stalks, instead of the bipinnate leaves of the much fewer species of America, Africa, etc. Very few are found in temperate climates.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; — called also gum acacia, and gum arabic.

ACACIN; ACACINE Ac"a*cin, Ac"a*cine, n.

Defn: Gum arabic.

ACADEME Ac`a*deme", n. Etym: [L. academia. See Academy.]

Defn: An academy. [Poetic] Shak.

ACADEMIAL Ac`a*de"mi*al, a.

Defn: Academic. [R.]

ACADEMIAN Ac`a*de"mi*an, n.

Defn: A member of an academy, university, or college.

ACADEMIC Ac`a*dem"ic, n.

1. One holding the philosophy of Socrates and Plato; a Platonist. Hume.

2. A member of an academy, college, or university; an academician.

ACADEMIC; ACADEMICAL Ac`a*dem"ic, Ac`a*dem"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. academicus: cf. F. académigue. See Academy.]

1. Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato; as, the Academic sect or philosophy.

2. Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; scholarly; literary or classical, in distinction from scientific. "Academic courses." Warburton. "Academical study." Berkeley.

ACADEMICALLY Ac`a*dem`ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an academical manner.

ACADEMICALS Ac`a*dem"ic*als, n. pl.

Defn: The articles of dress prescribed and worn at some colleges and universities.

ACADEMICIAN Ac`a*de*mi"cian (#; 277), n. Etym: [F. académicien. See Academy.]

1. A member of an academy, or society for promoting science, art, or literature, as of the French Academy, or the Royal Academy of arts.

2. A collegian. [R.] Chesterfield.

ACADEMICISM Ac`a*dem"i*cism, n.

1. A tenet of the Academic philosophy.

2. A mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.

ACADEMISM A*cad"e*mism, n.

Defn: The doctrines of the Academic philosophy. [Obs.] Baxter.

ACADEMIST A*cad"e*mist, n. Etym: [F. academiste.]

1. An Academic philosopher.

2. An academician. [Obs.] Ray.

ACADEMY A*cad"e*my, n.; pl. Academies. Etym: [F. académie, L. academia. Cf. Academe.]

1. A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head.

2. An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.

3. A place of training; a school. "Academies of fanaticism." Hume.

4. A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.

5. A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music. Academy figure (Paint.), a drawing usually half life-size, in crayon or pencil, after a nude model.

ACADIAN A*ca"di*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Acadie, or Nova Scotia. "Acadian farmers." Longfellow. — n.

Defn: A native of Acadie. Acadian epoch (Geol.), an epoch at the beginning of the American paleozoic time, and including the oldest American rocks known to be fossiliferous. See Geology. — Acadian owl (Zoöl.), a small North American owl (Nyctule Acadica); the saw-whet.

ACAJOU Ac"a*jou, n. Etym: [F. See Cashew.] (Bot.) (a) The cashew tree; also, its fruit. See Cashew. (b) The mahogany tree; also, its timber.

ACALEPH; ACALEPHAN Ac"a*leph, Ac`a*le"phan n.; pl. Acalephs, Acalephans. Etym: [See Acalephæ.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Acalephæ.

ACALEPHAE Ac`a*le"phæ, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr.

Defn: A group of Coelenterata, including the Medusæ or jellyfishes, and hydroids; — so called from the stinging power they possess. Sometimes called sea nettles.

ACALEPHOID Ac`ale"phoid, a. Etym: [Acaleph + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Belonging to or resembling the Acalephæ or jellyfishes.

ACALYCINE; ACALYSINOUS A*cal"y*cine, Ac`a*lys`i*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Without a calyx, or outer floral envelope.

ACANTH A*canth", n.

Defn: Same as Acanthus.

ACANTHA A*can"tha, n. Etym: [Gr. Acute.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A prickle.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A spine or prickly fin.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: The vertebral column; the spinous process of a vertebra. Dunglison.

ACANTHACEOUS Ac"an*tha"ceous, a.

1. Armed with prickles, as a plant.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the acanthus is the type.

ACANTHINE A*can"thine, a. Etym: [L. acanthinus, Gr. Acanthus.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the plant acanthus.

ACANTHOCARPOUS A*can`tho*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the fruit covered with spines.

ACANTHOCEPHALA A*can`tho*ceph"a*la, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of intestinal worms, having the proboscis armed with recurved spines.

ACANTHOCEPHALOUS A*can`tho*ceph"a*lous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a spiny head, as one of the Acanthocephala.

ACANTHOPHOROUS Ac`an*thoph"o*rous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Spine-bearing. Gray.

ACANTHOPODIOUS A*can`tho*po"di*ous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having spinous petioles.

ACANTHOPTERI Ac`an*thop"ter*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of teleostean fishes having spiny fins. See Acanthopterygii.

ACANTHOPTEROUS Ac`an*thop"ter*ous, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Spiny-winged.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Acanthopterygious.

ACANTHOPTERYGIAN Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. — n.

Defn: A spiny-finned fish.

ACANTHOPTERYGII Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch.

ACANTHOPTERYGIOUS Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny- finned.

ACANTHUS A*can"thus, n.; pl. E. Acanthuses, L. Acanthi. Etym: [L., from Gr. Acantha.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear's-breech.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus (Acanthus spinosus); — used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.

A CAPPELLA A cap*pel"la. Etym: [It. See Chapel.] (Mus.) (a) In church or chapel style; — said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal. (b) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.

ACAPSULAR A*cap"su*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. a- not + capsular.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having no capsule.

ACARDIAC A*car"di*ac, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Without a heart; as, an acardiac fetus.

ACARIDAN A*car"i*dan, n. Etym: [See Acarus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a group of arachnids, including the mites and ticks.

ACARINA Ac`a*ri"na, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The group of Arachnida which includes the mites and ticks. Many species are parasitic, and cause diseases like the itch and mange.

ACARINE Ac"a*rine, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or caused by acari or mites; as, acarine diseases.

ACAROID Ac"a*roid, a. Etym: [NL., acarus a mite + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Shaped like or resembling a mite.

ACARPELLOUS Ac`ar*pel"lous, a. Etym: [Pref. a- not + carpel.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having no carpels.

ACARPOUS A*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Not producing fruit; unfruitful.

ACARUS Ac"a*rus, n.; pl. Acari. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus including many species of small mites.

ACATALECTIC A*cat`a*lec"tic, a. Etym: [L. acatalecticus, Gr. (Pros.)

Defn: Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse. — n.

Defn: A verse which has the complete number of feet and syllables.

ACATALEPSY A*cat"a*lep`sy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Incomprehensibility of things; the doctrine held by the ancient Skeptic philosophers, that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability.

ACATALEPTIC A*cat`a*lep"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Incapable of being comprehended; incomprehensible.

ACATER A*ca"ter, n.

Defn: See Caterer. [Obs.]

ACATES A*cates", n. pl.

Defn: See Cates. [Obs.]

ACAUDATE A*cau"date, a. Etym: [Pref. a- not + caudate.]

Defn: Tailless.

ACAULESCENT Ac`au*les"cent, a. Etym: [Pref. a- not + caulescent.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having no stem or caulis, or only a very short one concealed in the ground. Gray.

ACAULINE A*cau"line, a. Etym: [Pref. a- not + cauline.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Acaulescent.

ACAULOSE; ACAULOUS A*cau"lose, A*cau"lous, a. Etym: [Gr. caulis stalk. See Cole.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Acaulescent.

ACCADIAN Ac*ca"di*an, a. Etym: [From the city Accad. See Gen. x. 10.]

Defn: Pertaining to a race supposed to have lived in Babylonia before the Assyrian conquest. — Ac*ca"di*an, n., Ac"cad, n. Sayce.

ACCEDE Ac*cede", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Acceded; p. pr. & vb. n. Acceding.] Etym: [L. accedere to approach, accede; ad + cedere to move, yield: cf. F. accédere. See Cede.]

1. To approach; to come forward; — opposed to recede. [Obs.] T. Gale.

2. To enter upon an office or dignity; to attain. Edward IV., who had acceded to the throne in the year 1461. T. Warton. If Frederick had acceded to the supreme power. Morley.

3. To become a party by associating one's self with others; to give one's adhesion. Hence, to agree or assent to a proposal or a view; as, he acceded to my request. The treaty of Hanover in 1725 . . . to which the Dutch afterwards acceded. Chesterfield.

Syn. — To agree; assent; consent; comply; acquiesce; concur.

ACCEDENCE Ac*ced"ence, n.

Defn: The act of acceding.

ACCEDER Ac*ced"er, n.

Defn: One who accedes.

ACCELERANDO Ac*cel`er*an"do, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Gradually accelerating the movement.

ACCELERATE Ac*cel"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accelerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Accelerating.] Etym: [L. acceleratus, p. p. of accelerare; ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See Celerity.]

1. To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of; — opposed to retard.

2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase of wealth, etc.

3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to accelerate our departure. Accelerated motion (Mech.), motion with a continually increasing velocity. — Accelerating force, the force which causes accelerated motion. Nichol.

Syn. — To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward; advance; further.

ACCELERATION Ac*cel`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. acceleratio: cf. F. accélération.]

Defn: The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as, a falling body moves toward the earth with an acceleration of velocity; — opposed to retardation. A period of social improvement, or of intellectual advancement, contains within itself a principle of acceleration. I. Taylor. (Astr. & Physics.) Acceleration of the moon, the increase of the moon's mean motion in its orbit, in consequence of which its period of revolution is now shorter than in ancient times. — Acceleration and retardation of the tides. See Priming of the tides, under Priming. — Diurnal acceleration of the fixed stars, the amount by which their apparent diurnal motion exceeds that of the sun, in consequence of which they daily come to the meridian of any place about three minutes fifty-six seconds of solar time earlier than on the day preceding. — Acceleration of the planets, the increasing velocity of their motion, in proceeding from the apogee to the perigee of their orbits.

ACCELERATIVE Ac*cel"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Relating to acceleration; adding to velocity; quickening. Reid.

ACCELERATOR Ac*cel"er*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, accelerates. Also as an adj.; as, accelerator nerves.

ACCELERATORY Ac*cel"er*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Accelerative.

ACCELEROGRAPH Ac*cel"er*o*graph, n. Etym: [Accelerate + -graph.] (Mil.)

Defn: An apparatus for studying the combustion of powder in guns, etc.

ACCELEROMETER Ac*cel`er*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Accelerate + -meter.]

Defn: An apparatus for measuring the velocity imparted by gunpowder.

ACCEND Ac*cend", v. t. Etym: [L. accendere, accensum, to kindle; ad + candère to kindle (only in compounds); rel. to candere to be white, to gleam. See Candle.]

Defn: To set on fire; to kindle. [Obs.] Fotherby.

ACCENDIBILITY Ac*cend`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capacity of being kindled, or of becoming inflamed; inflammability.

ACCENDIBLE Ac*cend"i*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being inflamed or kindled; combustible; inflammable. Ure.

ACCENSION Ac*cen"sion, n.

Defn: The act of kindling or the state of being kindled; ignition. Locke.

ACCENSOR Ac*cen"sor, n. Etym: [LL., from p. p. accensus. See Accend.] (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: One of the functionaries who light and trim the tapers.

ACCENT Ac"cent`, n. Etym: [F. accent, L. accentus; ad + cantus a singing, canere to sing. See Cant.]

1. A superior force of voice or of articulative effort upon some particular syllable of a word or a phrase, distinguishing it from the others.

Note: Many English words have two accents, the primary and the secondary; the primary being uttered with a greater stress of voice than the secondary; as in as'pira''tion, where the chief stress is on the third syllable, and a slighter stress on the first. Some words, as an'tiap'o-plec''tic, in-com'pre-hen'si-bil''i-ty, have two secondary accents. See Guide to Pron., tt 30-46.

2. A mark or character used in writing, and serving to regulate the pronunciation; esp.: (a) a mark to indicate the nature and place of the spoken accent; (b) a mark to indicate the quality of sound of the vowel marked; as, the French accents.

Note: In the ancient Greek the acute accent (') meant a raised tone or pitch, the grave (`), the level tone or simply the negation of accent, the circumflex ( ~ or ^) a tone raised and then depressed. In works on elocution, the first is often used to denote the rising inflection of the voice; the second, the falling inflection; and the third (^), the compound or waving inflection. In dictionaries, spelling books, and the like, the acute accent is used to designate the syllable which receives the chief stress of voice.

3. Modulation of the voice in speaking; manner of speaking or pronouncing; peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice; tone; as, a foreign accent; a French or a German accent. "Beguiled you in a plain accent." Shak. "A perfect accent." Thackeray. The tender accent of a woman's cry. Prior.

4. A word; a significant tone; (pl.) expressions in general; speech. Winds! on your wings to Heaven her accents bear, Such words as Heaven alone is fit to hear. Dryden.

5. (Pros.)

Defn: Stress laid on certain syllables of a verse.

6. (Mus.) (a) A regularly recurring stress upon the tone to mark the beginning, and, more feebly, the third part of the measure. (b) A special emphasis of a tone, even in the weaker part of the measure. (c) The rythmical accent, which marks phrases and sections of a period. (d) The expressive emphasis and shading of a passage. J. S. Dwight.

7. (Math.) (a) A mark placed at the right hand of a letter, and a little above it, to distinguish magnitudes of a similar kind expressed by the same letter, but differing in value, as y', y''. (b) (Trigon.) A mark at the right hand of a number, indicating minutes of a degree, seconds, etc.; as, 12'27'', i. e., twelve minutes twenty seven seconds. (c) (Engin.) A mark used to denote feet and inches; as, 6' 10'' is six feet ten inches.

ACCENT Ac*cent", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accented; p. pr. & vb. n. Accenting.] Etym: [OF. accenter, F. accentuer.]

1. To express the accent of (either by the voice or by a mark); to utter or to mark with accent.

2. To mark emphatically; to emphasize.

ACCENTLESS Ac"cent`less, a.

Defn: Without accent.

ACCENTOR Ac*cen"tor, n. Etym: [L. ad. + cantor singer, canere to sing.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: One who sings the leading part; the director or leader. [Obs.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of European birds (so named from their sweet notes), including the hedge warbler. In America sometimes applied to the water thrushes.

ACCENTUABLE Ac*cen"tu*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being accented.

ACCENTUAL Ac*cen"tu*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to accent; characterized or formed by accent.

ACCENTUALITY Ac*cen`tu*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being accentual.

ACCENTUALLY Ac*cen"tu*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an accentual manner; in accordance with accent.

ACCENTUATE Ac*cen"tu*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accentuated; p. pr. & vb. n. Accentuating.] Etym: [LL. accentuatus, p. p. of accentuare, fr. L. accentus: cf. F. accentuer.]

1. To pronounce with an accent or with accents.

2. To bring out distinctly; to make prominent; to emphasize. In Bosnia, the struggle between East and West was even more accentuated. London Times.

3. To mark with the written accent.

ACCENTUATION Ac*cen`tu*a"tion, n. Etym: [LL. accentuatio: cf. F. accentuation.]

Defn: Act of accentuating; applications of accent. Specifically (Eccles. Mus.),

Defn: pitch or modulation of the voice in reciting portions of the liturgy.

ACCEPT Ac*cept", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accepted; p. pr. & vb. n. Accepting.] Etym: [F. accepter, L. acceptare, freq. of accipere; ad + capere to take; akin to E. heave.]

1. To receive with a consenting mind (something offered); as, to accept a gift; — often followed by of. If you accept them, then their worth is great. Shak. To accept of ransom for my son. Milton. She accepted of a treat. Addison.

2. To receive with favor; to approve. The Lord accept thy burnt sacrifice. Ps. xx. 3. Peradventure he will accept of me. Gen. xxxii. 20.

3. To receive or admit and agree to; to assent to; as, I accept your proposal, amendment, or excuse.

4. To take by the mind; to understand; as, How are these words to be accepted

5. (Com.)

Defn: To receive as obligatory and promise to pay; as, to accept a bill of exchange. Bouvier.

6. In a deliberate body, to receive in acquittance of a duty imposed; as, to accept the report of a committee. [This makes it the property of the body, and the question is then on its adoption.] To accept a bill (Law), to agree (on the part of the drawee) to pay it when due. — To accept service (Law), to agree that a writ or process shall be considered as regularly served, when it has not been. — To accept the person (Eccl.), to show favoritism. "God accepteth no man's person." Gal. ii. 6.

Syn. — To receive; take; admit. See Receive.

ACCEPT Ac*cept", a.

Defn: Accepted. [Obs.] Shak.

ACCEPTABILITY Ac*cept`a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [LL. acceptabilitas.]

Defn: The quality of being acceptable; acceptableness. "Acceptability of repentance." Jer. Taylor.

ACCEPTABLE Ac*cept"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. acceptable, L. acceptabilis, fr. acceptare.]

Defn: Capable, worthy, or sure of being accepted or received with pleasure; pleasing to a receiver; gratifying; agreeable; welcome; as, an acceptable present, one acceptable to us.

ACCEPTABLENESS Ac*cept"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being acceptable, or suitable to be favorably received; acceptability.

ACCEPTABLY Ac*cept"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In an acceptable manner; in a manner to please or give satisfaction.

ACCEPTANCE Ac*cept"ance, n.

1. The act of accepting; a receiving what is offered, with approbation, satisfaction, or acquiescence; esp., favorable reception; approval; as, the acceptance of a gift, office, doctrine, etc. They shall come up with acceptance on mine altar. Isa. lx. 7.

2. State of being accepted; acceptableness. "Makes it assured of acceptance." Shak.

3. (Com.) (a) An assent and engagement by the person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn, to pay it when due according to the terms of the acceptance. (b) The bill itself when accepted.

4. An agreeing to terms or proposals by which a bargain is concluded and the parties are bound; the reception or taking of a thing bought as that for which it was bought, or as that agreed to be delivered, or the taking possession as owner.

5. (Law)

Defn: An agreeing to the action of another, by some act which binds the person in law.

Note: What acts shall amount to such an acceptance is often a question of great nicety and difficulty. Mozley & W.

Note: In modern law, proposal and acceptance are the constituent elements into which all contracts are resolved. Acceptance of a bill of exchange, check, draft, or order, is an engagement to pay it according to the terms. This engagement is usually made by writing the word "accepted" across the face of the bill. Acceptance of goods, under the statute of frauds, is an intelligent acceptance by a party knowing the nature of the transaction.

6. Meaning; acceptation. [Obs.] Acceptance of persons, partiality, favoritism. See under Accept.

ACCEPTANCY Ac*cept"an*cy, n.

Defn: Acceptance. [R.] Here's a proof of gift, But here's no proof, sir, of acceptancy. Mrs. Browning.

ACCEPTANT Ac*cept"ant, a.

Defn: Accepting; receiving.

ACCEPTANT Ac*cept"ant, n.

Defn: An accepter. Chapman.

ACCEPTATION Ac`cep*ta"tion, n.

1. Acceptance; reception; favorable reception or regard; state of being acceptable. [Obs.] This is saying worthy of all acceptation. 1 Tim. i. 15. Some things . . . are notwithstanding of so great dignity and acceptation with God. Hooker.

2. The meaning in which a word or expression is understood, or generally received; as, term is to be used according to its usual acceptation. My words, in common acceptation, Could never give this provocation. Gay.

ACCEPTEDLY Ac*cept"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a accepted manner; admittedly.

ACCEPTER Ac*cept"er, n.

1. A person who accepts; a taker.

2. A respecter; a viewer with partiality. [Obs.] God is no accepter of persons. Chillingworth.

3. (Law)

Defn: An acceptor.

ACCEPTILATION Ac*cep`ti*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. acceptilatio entry of a debt collected, acquittance, fr. p. p. of accipere (cf. Accept) + latio a carrying, fr. latus, p. p. of ferre to carry: cf. F. acceptilation.] (Civil Law)

Defn: Gratuitous discharge; a release from debt or obligation without payment; free remission.

ACCEPTION Ac*cep"tion, n. Etym: [L. acceptio a receiving, accepting: cf. F. acception.]

Defn: Acceptation; the received meaning. [Obs.] Here the word "baron" is not to be taken in that restrictive sense to which the modern acception hath confined it. Fuller. Acception of persons or faces (Eccl.), favoritism; partiality. [Obs.] Wyclif.

ACCEPTIVE Ac*cept"ive, a.

1. Fit for acceptance.

2. Ready to accept. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

ACCEPTOR Ac*cept"or (#; 277), n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who accepts; specifically (Law & Com.),

Defn: one who accepts an order or a bill of exchange; a drawee after he has accepted.

ACCESS Ac*cess" (#; 277), n. Etym: [F. accès, L. accessus, fr. accedere. See Accede.]

1. A coming to, or near approach; admittance; admission; accessibility; as, to gain access to a prince. I did repel his letters, and denied His access to me. Shak.

2. The means, place, or way by which a thing may be approached; passage way; as, the access is by a neck of land. "All access was thronged." Milton.

3. Admission to sexual intercourse. During coverture, access of the husband shall be presumed, unless the contrary be shown. Blackstone.

4. Increase by something added; addition; as, an access of territory. [In this sense accession is more generally used.] I, from the influence of thy looks, receive Access in every virtue. Milton.

5. An onset, attack, or fit of disease. The first access looked like an apoplexy. Burnet.

6. A paroxysm; a fit of passion; an outburst; as, an access of fury. [A Gallicism]

ACCESSARILY Ac*ces"sa*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of an accessary.

ACCESSARINESS Ac*ces"sa*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being accessary.

ACCESSARY Ac*ces"sa*ry (#; 277), a.

Defn: Accompanying, as a subordinate; additional; accessory; esp., uniting in, or contributing to, a crime, but not as chief actor. See Accessory. To both their deaths thou shalt be accessary. Shak. Amongst many secondary and accessary causes that support monarchy, these are not of least reckoning. Milton.

ACCESSARY Ac*ces"sa*ry (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. Etym: [Cf. Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law)

Defn: One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense. Accessary before the fact (Law), one who commands or counsels an offense, not being present at its commission. — Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense, assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense.

Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane, and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being either accessary or accessory.

ACCESSIBILITY Ac*cess`i*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. accessibilitas: cf. F. accessibilité.]

Defn: The quality of being accessible, or of admitting approach; receptibility. Langhorne.

ACCESSIBLE Ac*cess"i*ble, a. Etym: [L. accessibilis, fr. accedere: cf. F. accessible. See Accede.]

1. Easy of access or approach; approachable; as, an accessible town or mountain, an accessible person.

2. Open to the influence of; — with to. "Minds accessible to reason." Macaulay.

3. Obtainable; to be got at. The best information . . . at present accessible. Macaulay.

ACCESSIBLY Ac*cess"i*bly, adv.

Defn: In an accessible manner.

ACCESSION Ac*ces"sion, n. Etym: [L. accessio, fr. accedere: cf. F. accession. See Accede.]

1. A coming to; the act of acceding and becoming joined; as, a king's accession to a confederacy.

2. Increase by something added; that which is added; augmentation from without; as, an accession of wealth or territory. The only accession which the Roman empire received was the province of Britain. Gibbon.

3. (Law) (a) A mode of acquiring property, by which the owner of a corporeal substance which receives an addition by growth, or by labor, has a right to the part or thing added, or the improvement (provided the thing is not changed into a different species). Thus, the owner of a cow becomes the owner of her calf. (b) The act by which one power becomes party to engagements already in force between other powers. Kent.

4. The act of coming to or reaching a throne, an office, or dignity; as, the accession of the house of Stuart; — applied especially to the epoch of a new dynasty.

5. (Med.)

Defn: The invasion, approach, or commencement of a disease; a fit or paroxysm.

Syn. — Increase; addition; augmentation; enlargement.

ACCESSIONAL Ac*ces"sion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to accession; additional. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

ACCESSIVE Ac*ces"sive, a.

Defn: Additional.

ACCESSORIAL Ac`ces*so"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an accessory; as, accessorial agency, accessorial guilt.

ACCESSORILY Ac*ces"so*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of an accessory; auxiliary.

ACCESSORINESS Ac*ces"so*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being accessory, or connected subordinately.

ACCESSORY Ac*ces"so*ry (#; 277), a. Etym: [L. accessorius. See Access, and cf. Accessary.]

Defn: Accompanying as a subordinate; aiding in a secondary way; additional; connected as an incident or subordinate to a principal; contributing or contributory; said of persons and things, and, when of persons, usually in a bad sense; as, he was accessory to the riot; accessory sounds in music.

Note: Ash accents the antepenult; and this is not only more regular, but preferable, on account of easiness of pronunciation. Most orhoëpists place the accent on the first syllable.

Syn. — Accompanying; contributory; auxiliary; subsidiary; subservient; additional; acceding.

ACCESSORY Ac*ces"so*ry, n.; pl. Accessories.

1. That which belongs to something else deemed the principal; something additional and subordinate. "The aspect and accessories of a den of banditti." Carlyle.

2. (Law)

Defn: Same as Accessary, n.

3. (Fine Arts)

Defn: Anything that enters into a work of art without being indispensably necessary, as mere ornamental parts. Elmes.

Syn. — Abettor; accomplice; ally; coadjutor. See Abettor.

ACCIACCATURA Ac*ciac`ca*tu"ra, n. Etym: [It., from acciaccare to crush.] (Mus.)

Defn: A short grace note, one semitone below the note to which it is prefixed; — used especially in organ music. Now used as equivalent to the short appoggiatura.

ACCIDENCE Ac"ci*dence, n. Etym: [A corruption of Eng. accidents, pl. of accident. See Accident, 2.]

1. The accidents, of inflections of words; the rudiments of grammar. Milton.

2. The rudiments of any subject. Lowell.

ACCIDENT Ac"ci*dent, n. Etym: [F. accident, fr. L. accidens, -dentis, p. pr. of accidere to happen; ad + cadere to fall. See Cadence, Case.]

1. Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident. Of moving accidents by flood and field. Shak. Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee. Trench.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.

3. (Her.)

Defn: A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.

4. (Log.) (a) A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute. (b) A quality or attribute in distinction from the substance, as sweetness, softness.

5. Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident. This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea. J. P. Mahaffy.

6. Unusual appearance or effect. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Note: Accident, in Law, is equivalent to casus, or such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.

ACCIDENTAL Ac`ci*den"tal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. accidentel, earlier accidental.]

1. Happening by chance, or unexpectedly; taking place not according to the usual course of things; casual; fortuitous; as, an accidental visit.

2. Nonessential; not necessary belonging; incidental; as, are accidental to a play. Accidental chords (Mus.), those which contain one or more tones foreign to their proper harmony. — Accidental colors (Opt.), colors depending on the hypersensibility of the retina of the eye for complementary colors. They are purely subjective sensations of color which often result from the contemplation of actually colored bodies. — Accidental point (Persp.), the point in which a right line, drawn from the eye, parallel to a given right line, cuts the perspective plane; so called to distinguish it from the principal point, or point of view, where a line drawn from the eye perpendicular to the perspective plane meets this plane. — Accidental lights (Paint.), secondary lights; effects of light other than ordinary daylight, such as the rays of the sun darting through a cloud, or between the leaves of trees; the effect of moonlight, candlelight, or burning bodies. Fairholt.

Syn. — Casual; fortuitous; contingent; occasional; adventitious. — Accidental, Incidental, Casual, Fortuitous, Contingent. We speak of a thing as accidental when it falls out as by chance, and not in the regular course of things; as, an accidental meeting, an accidental advantage, etc. We call a thing incidental when it falls, as it were, into some regular course of things, but is secondary, and forms no essential part thereof; as, an incremental remark, an incidental evil, an incidental benefit. We speak of a thing as casual, when it falls out or happens, as it were, by mere chance, without being prearranged or premeditated; as, a casual remark or encounter; a casual observer. An idea of the unimportant is attached to what is casual. Fortuitous is applied to what occurs without any known cause, and in opposition to what has been foreseen; as, a fortuitous concourse of atoms. We call a thing contingent when it is such that, considered in itself, it may or may not happen, but is dependent for its existence on something else; as, the time of my coming will be contingent on intelligence yet to be received.

ACCIDENTAL Ac`ci*den"tal, n.

1. A property which is not essential; a nonessential; anything happening accidentally. He conceived it just that accidentals . . . should sink with the substance of the accusation. Fuller.

2. pl. (Paint.)

Defn: Those fortuitous effects produced by luminous rays falling on certain objects so that some parts stand forth in abnormal brightness and other parts are cast into a deep shadow.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: A sharp, flat, or natural, occurring not at the commencement of a piece of music as the signature, but before a particular note.

ACCIDENTALISM Ac`ci*den"tal*ism, n.

Defn: Accidental character or effect. Ruskin.

ACCIDENTALITY Ac`ci*den*tal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being accidental; accidentalness. [R.] Coleridge.

ACCIDENTALLY Ac`ci*den"tal*ly, adv.

Defn: In an accidental manner; unexpectedly; by chance; unintentionally; casually; fortuitously; not essentially.

ACCIDENTALNESS Ac`ci*den"tal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being accidental; casualness.

ACCIDIE Ac"ci*die, n. Etym: [OF. accide, accidie, LL. accidia, acedia, fr. Gr.

Defn: Sloth; torpor. [Obs.] "The sin of accidie." Chaucer.

ACCIPENSER Ac`ci*pen"ser, n.

Defn: See Acipenser.

ACCIPIENT Ac*cip"i*ent, n. Etym: [L. accipiens, p. pr. of accipere. See Accept.]

Defn: A receiver. [R.] Bailey

ACCIPITER Ac*cip"i*ter, n.; pl. E. Accipiters. L. Accipitres. Etym: [L., hawk.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of rapacious birds; one of the Accipitres or Raptores.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: A bandage applied over the nose, resembling the claw of a hawk.

ACCIPITRAL Ac*cip"i*tral, n.

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a falcon or hawk; hawklike. Lowell.

ACCIPITRES Ac*cip"i*tres, n. pl. Etym: [L., hawks.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The order that includes rapacious birds. They have a hooked bill, and sharp, strongly curved talons. There are three families, represented by the vultures, the falcons or hawks, and the owls.

ACCIPITRINE Ac*cip"i*trine (#; 277), a. Etym: [Cf. F. accipitrin.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or belonging to the Accipitres; raptorial; hawklike.

ACCISMUS Ac*cis"mus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: Affected refusal; coyness.

ACCITE Ac*cite", v. t. Etym: [L. accitus, p. p. of accire, accere, to call for; ad + ciere to move, call. See Cite.]

Defn: To cite; to summon. [Obs.] Our heralds now accited all that were Endamaged by the Elians. Chapman.

ACCLAIM Ac*claim", v. t. Etym: [L. acclamare; ad + clamare to cry out. See Claim, Clamor.] [R.]

1. To applaud. "A glad acclaiming train." Thomson.

2. To declare by acclamations. While the shouting crowd Acclaims thee king of traitors. Smollett.

3. To shout; as, to acclaim my joy.

ACCLAIM Ac*claim", v. i.

Defn: To shout applause.

ACCLAIM Ac*claim", n.

Defn: Acclamation. [Poetic] Milton.

ACCLAIMER Ac*claim"er, n.

Defn: One who acclaims.

ACCLAMATION Ac`cla*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. acclamatio: cf. F. acclamation.]

1. A shout of approbation, favor, or assent; eager expression of approval; loud applause. On such a day, a holiday having been voted by acclamation, an ordinary walk would not satisfy the children. Southey.

2. (Antiq.)

Defn: A representation, in sculpture or on medals, of people expressing joy. Acclamation medals are those on which laudatory acclamations are recorded. Elmes.

ACCLAMATORY Ac*clam"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or expressing approval by, acclamation.

ACCLIMATABLE Ac*cli"ma*ta*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being acclimated.

ACCLIMATATION Ac*cli`ma*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. acclimation. See Acclimate.]

Defn: Acclimatization.

ACCLIMATE Ac*cli"mate (#; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acclimated; p. pr. & vb. n. Acclimating.] Etym: [F. acclimater; à (l. ad) + climat climate. See Climate.]

Defn: To habituate to a climate not native; to acclimatize. J. H. Newman.

ACCLIMATEMENT Ac*cli"mate*ment, n.

Defn: Acclimation. [R.]

ACCLIMATION Ac`cli*ma"tion, n.

Defn: The process of becoming, or the state of being, acclimated, or habituated to a new climate; acclimatization.

ACCLIMATIZABLE Ac*cli"ma*ti`za*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being acclimatized.

ACCLIMATIZATION Ac*cli"ma*ti*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of acclimatizing; the process of inuring to a new climate, or the state of being so inured. Darwin.

ACCLIMATIZE Ac*cli"ma*tize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acclimatized; p. pr. & vb. n. Acclimatizing.]

Defn: To inure or habituate to a climate different from that which is natural; to adapt to the peculiarities of a foreign or strange climate; said of man, the inferior animals, or plants.

ACCLIMATURE Ac*cli"ma*ture (#; 135), n.

Defn: The act of acclimating, or the state of being acclimated. [R.] Caldwell.

ACCLIVE Ac*clive", a.

Defn: Acclivous. [Obs.]

ACCLIVITOUS Ac*cliv"i*tous, a.

Defn: Acclivous. I. Taylor.

ACCLIVITOUS Ac*cliv"i*tous, a.

Defn: Acclivous. I. Taylor.

ACCLIVITY Ac*cliv"i*ty, n.; pl. Acclivities. Etym: [L. acclivitas, fr. acclivis, acclivus, ascending; ad + clivus a hill, slope, fr. root kli to lean. See Lean.]

Defn: A slope or inclination of the earth, as the side of a hill, considered as ascending, in opposition to declivity, or descending; an upward slope; ascent.

ACCLIVOUS Ac*cli"vous (#; 277), a. Etym: [L. acclivis and acclivus.]

Defn: Sloping upward; rising as a hillside; — opposed to declivous.

ACCLOY Ac*cloy", v. t. Etym: [OF. encloyer, encloer, F. enclouer, to drive in a nail, fr. L. in + clavus nail.]

Defn: To fill to satiety; to stuff full; to clog; to overload; to burden. See Cloy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ACCOAST Ac*coast", v. t. & i. Etym: [See Accost, Coast.]

Defn: To lie or sail along the coast or side of; to accost. [Obs.] Whether high towering or accosting low. Spenser.

ACCOIL Ac*coil", v. t. Etym: [OE. acoillir to receive, F. accueillir; L. ad + colligere to collect. See Coil.]

1. To gather together; to collect. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To coil together. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

ACCOLADE Ac`co*lade" (#; 277), n. Etym: [F. accolade, It. accolata, fr. accollare to embrace; L. ad + collum neck.]

1. A ceremony formerly used in conferring knighthood, consisting am embrace, and a slight blow on the shoulders with the flat blade of a sword.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A brace used to join two or more staves.

ACCOMBINATION Ac*com*bi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. ad + E. combination.]

Defn: A combining together. [R.]

ACCOMMODABLE Ac*com"mo*da*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. accommodable.]

Defn: That may be accommodated, fitted, or made to agree. [R.] I. Watts.

ACCOMMODABLENESS Ac*com"mo*dable*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or condition of being accommodable. [R.] Todd.

ACCOMMODATE Ac*com"mo*date, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accommodated; p. pr. & vb. n. Accommodating.] Etym: [L. accommodatus, p. p. of accommodare; ad + commodare to make fit, help; con- + modus measure, proportion. See Mode.]

1. To render fit, suitable, or correspondent; to adapt; to conform; as, to accommodate ourselves to circumstances. "They accomodate their counsels to his inclination." Addison.

2. To bring into agreement or harmony; to reconcile; to compose; to adjust; to settle; as, to accommodate differences, a dispute, etc.

3. To furnish with something desired, needed, or convenient; to favor; to oblige; as, to accommodate a friend with a loan or with lodgings.

4. To show the correspondence of; to apply or make suit by analogy; to adapt or fit, as teachings to accidental circumstances, statements to facts, etc.; as, to accommodate prophecy to events.

Syn. — To suit; adapt; conform; adjust; arrange.

ACCOMMODATE Ac*com"mo*date, v. i.

Defn: To adapt one's self; to be conformable or adapted. [R.] Boyle.

ACCOMMODATE Ac*com"mo*date, a. Etym: [L. accommodatus, p.p. of accommodare.]

Defn: Suitable; fit; adapted; as, means accommodate to end. [Archaic] Tillotson.

ACCOMMODATELY Ac*com"mo*date*ly, adv.

Defn: Suitably; fitly. [R.]

ACCOMMODATENESS Ac*com"mo*date*ness, n.

Defn: Fitness. [R.]

ACCOMMODATING Ac*com"mo*da`ting, a.

Defn: Affording, or disposed to afford, accommodation; obliging; as an accommodating man, spirit, arrangement.

ACCOMMODATION Ac*com`mo*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. accommodatio, fr. accommodare: cf. F. accommodation.]

1. The act of fitting or adapting, or the state of being fitted or adapted; adaptation; adjustment; — followed by to. "The organization of the body with accommodation to its functions." Sir M. Hale.

2. Willingness to accommodate; obligingness.

3. Whatever supplies a want or affords ease, refreshment, or convenience; anything furnished which is desired or needful; — often in the plural; as, the accomodations — that is, lodgings and food — at an inn. Sir W. Scott.

4. An adjustment of differences; state of agreement; reconciliation; settlement. "To come to terms of accommodation." Macaulay.

5. The application of a writer's language, on the ground of analogy, to something not originally referred to or intended. Many of those quotations from the Old Testament were probably intended as nothing more than accommodations. Paley.

6. (Com.) (a) A loan of money. (b) An accommodation bill or note. Accommodation bill, or note (Com.), a bill of exchange which a person accepts, or a note which a person makes and delivers to another, not upon a consideration received, but for the purpose of raising money on credit. — Accommodation coach, or train, one running at moderate speed and stopping at all or nearly all stations. — Accommodation ladder (Naut.), a light ladder hung over the side of a ship at the gangway, useful in ascending from, or descending to, small boats.

ACCOMMODATOR Ac*com"mo*da`tor, n.

Defn: He who, or that which, accommodates. Warburton.

ACCOMPANABLE Ac*com"pa*na*ble, a.

Defn: Sociable. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

ACCOMPANIER Ac*com"pa*ni*er, n.

Defn: He who, or that which, accompanies. Lamb.

ACCOMPANIMENT Ac*com"pa*ni*ment, n. Etym: [F. accompagnement.]

Defn: That which accompanies; something that attends as a circumstance, or which is added to give greater completeness to the principal thing, or by way of ornament, or for the sake of symmetry. Specifically: (Mus.)

Defn: A part performed by instruments, accompanying another part or parts performed by voices; the subordinate part, or parts, accompanying the voice or a principal instrument; also, the harmony of a figured bass. P. Cyc.

ACCOMPANIST Ac*com"pa*nist, n.

Defn: The performer in music who takes the accompanying part. Busby.

ACCOMPANY Ac*com"pa*ny, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accompanied; p. pr. & vb. n. Accompanying] Etym: [OF. aacompaignier, F. accompagner, to associate with, fr. OF. compaign, compain, companion. See Company.]

1. To go with or attend as a companion or associate; to keep company with; to go along with; — followed by with or by; as, he accompanied his speech with a bow. The Persian dames, . . . In sumptuous cars, accompanied his march. Glover. They are never alone that are accompanied with noble thoughts. Sir P. Sidney. He was accompanied by two carts filled with wounded rebels. Macaulay.

2. To cohabit with. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.

Syn. — To attend; escort; go with. — To Accompany, Attend, Escort. We accompany those with whom we go as companions. The word imports an equality of station. We attend those whom we wait upon or follow. The word conveys an idea of subordination. We escort those whom we attend with a view to guard and protect. A gentleman accompanies a friend to some public place; he attends or escorts a lady.

ACCOMPANY Ac*com"pa*ny, v. i.

1. To associate in a company; to keep company. [Obs.] Bacon. Men say that they will drive away one another, . . . and not accompany together. Holland.

2. To cohabit (with). [Obs.] Milton.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: To perform an accompanying part or parts in a composition.

ACCOMPLETIVE Ac*com"ple*tive, a. Etym: [L. ad + complere, completum, to fill up.]

Defn: Tending to accomplish. [R.]

ACCOMPLICE Ac*com"plice, n. Etym: [Ac- (perh. for the article a or for L. ad) + E. complice. See Complice.]

1. A cooperator. [R.] Success unto our valiant general, And happiness to his accomplices! Shak.

2. (Law)

Defn: An associate in the commission of a crime; a participator in an offense, whether a principal or an accessory. "And thou, the cursed accomplice of his treason." Johnson.

Note: It is followed by with or of before a person and by in (or sometimes of) before the crime; as, A was an accomplice with B in the murder of C. Dryden uses it with to before a thing. "Suspected for accomplice to the fire." Dryden.

Syn. — Abettor; accessory; assistant; associate; confederate; coadjutor; ally; promoter. See Abettor.

ACCOMPLICESHIP Ac*com"plice*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being an accomplice. [R.] Sir H. Taylor.

ACCOMPLICITY Ac`com*plic"i*ty, n.

Defn: The act or state of being an accomplice. [R.]

ACCOMPLISH Ac*com"plish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accomplished, p. pr. & vb. n. Accomplishing.] Etym: [OE. acomplissen, OF. accomplir, F. accomplir; L. ad + complere to fill up, complete. See Complete, Finish.]

1. To complete, as time or distance. That He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Dan. ix. 2. He had accomplished half a league or more. Prescott.

2. To bring to an issue of full success; to effect; to perform; to execute fully; to fulfill; as, to accomplish a design, an object, a promise. This that is written must yet be accomplished in me. Luke xxii. 37.

3. To equip or furnish thoroughly; hence, to complete in acquirements; to render accomplished; to polish. The armorers accomplishing the knights. Shak. It [the moon] is fully accomplished for all those ends to which Providence did appoint it. Wilkins. These qualities . . . go to accomplish a perfect woman. Cowden Clarke.

4. To gain; to obtain. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. — To do; perform; fulfill; realize; effect; effectuate; complete; consummate; execute; achieve; perfect; equip; furnish. — To Accomplish, Effect, Execute, Achieve, Perform. These words agree in the general idea of carrying out to some end proposed. To accomplish (to fill up to the measure of the intention) generally implies perseverance and skill; as, to accomplish a plan proposed by one's self, an object, a design, an undertaking. "Thou shalt accomplish my desire." 1 Kings v. 9. He . . . expressed his desire to see a union accomplished between England and Scotland. Macaulay. To effect (to work out) is much like accomplish. It usually implies some degree of difficulty contended with; as, he effected or accomplished what he intended, his purpose, but little. "What he decreed, he effected." Milton. To work in close design by fraud or guile What force effected not. Milton. To execute (to follow out to the end, to carry out, or into effect) implies a set mode of operation; as, to execute the laws or the orders of another; to execute a work, a purpose, design, plan, project. To perform is much like to do, though less generally applied. It conveys a notion of protracted and methodical effort; as, to perform a mission, a part, a task, a work. "Thou canst best perform that office." Milton. The Saints, like stars, around his seat Perform their courses still. Keble. To achieve (to come to the end or arrive at one's purpose) usually implies some enterprise or undertaking of importance, difficulty, and excellence.

ACCOMPLISHABLE Ac*com"plish*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being accomplished; practicable. Carlyle.

ACCOMPLISHED Ac*com"plished, a.

1. Completed; effected; established; as, an accomplished fact.

2. Complete in acquirements as the result usually of training; — commonly in a good sense; as, an accomplished scholar, an accomplished villain. They . . . show themselves accomplished bees. Holland. Daughter of God and man, accomplished Eve. Milton.

ACCOMPLISHER Ac*com"plish*er, n.

Defn: One who accomplishes.

ACCOMPLISHMENT Ac*com"plish*ment, n. Etym: [F. accomplissement, fr. accomplir.]

1. The act of accomplishing; entire performance; completion; fulfillment; as, the accomplishment of an enterprise, of a prophecy, etc.

2. That which completes, perfects, or equips thoroughly; acquirement; attainment; that which constitutes excellence of mind, or elegance of manners, acquired by education or training. "My new accomplishment of dancing." Churchill. "Accomplishments befitting a station." Thackeray. Accomplishments have taken virtue's place, And wisdom falls before exterior grace. Cowper.

ACCOMPT Ac*compt" (#; formerly #), n.

Defn: See Account.

Note: Accompt, accomptant, etc., are archaic forms.

ACCOMPTABLE Ac*compt"a*ble, a.

Defn: See Accountable.

ACCOMPTANT Ac*compt"ant, n.

Defn: See Accountant.

ACCORD Ac*cord", n. Etym: [OE. acord, accord, OF. acort, acorde, F. accord, fr. OF. acorder, F. accorder. See Accord, v. t.]

1. Agreement or concurrence of opinion, will, or action; harmony of mind; consent; assent. A mediator of an accord and peace between them. Bacon. These all continued with one accord in prayer. Acts i. 14.

2. Harmony of sounds; agreement in pitch and tone; concord; as, the accord of tones. Those sweet accords are even the angels' lays. Sir J. Davies.

3. Agreement, harmony, or just correspondence of things; as, the accord of light and shade in painting.

4. Voluntary or spontaneous motion or impulse to act; — preceded by own; as, of one's own accord. That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap. Lev. xxv. 5. Of his own accord he went unto you. 2 Cor. vii. 17.

5. (Law)

Defn: An agreement between parties in controversy, by which satisfaction for an injury is stipulated, and which, when executed, bars a suit. Blackstone. With one accord, with unanimity. They rushed with one accord into the theater. Acts xix. 29.

ACCORD Ac*cord", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accorded; p. pr. & vb. n. According.] Etym: [OE. acorden, accorden, OF. acorder, F. accorder, fr. LL. accordare; L. ad + cor, cordis, heart. Cf. Concord, Discord, and see Heart.]

1. To make to agree or correspond; to suit one thing to another; to adjust; — followed by to. [R.] Her hands accorded the lute's music to the voice. Sidney.

2. To bring to an agreement, as persons; to reconcile; to settle, adjust, harmonize, or compose, as things; as, to accord suits or controversies. When they were accorded from the fray. Spenser. All which particulars, being confessedly knotty and difficult can never be accorded but by a competent stock of critical learning. South.

3. To grant as suitable or proper; to concede; to award; as, to accord to one due praise. "According his desire." Spenser.

ACCORD Ac*cord", v. i.

1. To agree; to correspond; to be in harmony; — followed by with, formerly also by to; as, his disposition accords with his looks. My heart accordeth with my tongue. Shak. Thy actions to thy words accord. Milton.

2. To agree in pitch and tone.

ACCORDABLE Ac*cord"a*ble, a. Etym: [OF. acordable, F. accordable.]

1. Agreeing. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Reconcilable; in accordance.

ACCORDANCE Ac*cord"ance, n. Etym: [OF. acordance.]

Defn: Agreement; harmony; conformity. "In strict accordance with the law." Macaulay.

Syn. — Harmony; unison; coincidence.

ACCORDANCY Ac*cord"an*cy, n.

Defn: Accordance. [R.] Paley.

ACCORDANT Ac*cord"ant, a. Etym: [OF. acordant, F. accordant.]

Defn: Agreeing; consonant; harmonious; corresponding; conformable; — followed by with or to. Strictly accordant with true morality. Darwin. And now his voice accordant to the string. Coldsmith.

ACCORDANTLY Ac*cord"ant*ly, adv.

Defn: In accordance or agreement; agreeably; conformably; — followed by with or to.

ACCORDER Ac*cord"er, n.

Defn: One who accords, assents, or concedes. [R.]

ACCORDING Ac*cord"ing, p. a.

Defn: Agreeing; in agreement or harmony; harmonious. "This according voice of national wisdom." Burke. "Mind and soul according well." Tennyson. According to him, every person was to be bought. Macaulay. Our zeal should be according to knowledge. Sprat.

Note: According to has been called a prepositional phrase, but strictly speaking, according is a participle in the sense of agreeing, acceding, and to alone is the preposition. According as, precisely as; the same as; corresponding to the way in which. According as is an adverbial phrase, of which the propriety has been doubted; but good usage sanctions it. See According, adv. Is all things well, According as I gave directions Shak. The land which the Lord will give you according as he hath promised. Ex. xii. 25. p. 13

ACCORDING Ac*cord"ing, adv.

Defn: Accordingly; correspondingly. [Obs.] Shak.

ACCORDINGLY Ac*cord"ing*ly, adv.

1. Agreeably; correspondingly; suitably; in a manner conformable. Behold, and so proceed accordingly. Shak.

2. In natural sequence; consequently; so.

Syn. — Consequently; therefore; wherefore; hence; so. — Accordingly, Consequently, indicate a connection between two things, the latter of which is done on account of the former. Accordingly marks the connection as one of simple accordance or congruity, leading naturally to the result which followed; as, he was absent when I called, and I accordingly left my card; our preparations were all finished, and we accordingly set sail. Consequently all finished, and we accordingly set sail. Consequently marks a closer connection, that of logical or causal sequence; as, the papers were not ready, and consequently could not be signed.

ACCORDION Ac*cor"di*on, n. Etym: [See Accord.] (Mus.)

Defn: A small, portable, keyed wind instrument, whose tones are generated by play of the wind upon free metallic reeds.

ACCORDIONIST Ac*cor"di*on*ist, n.

Defn: A player on the accordion.

ACCORDMENT Ac*cord"ment, n. Etym: [OF. acordement. See Accord, v.]

Defn: Agreement; reconcilement. [Obs.] Gower.

ACCORPORATE Ac*cor"po*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. accorporare; ad + corpus, corporis, body.]

Defn: To unite; to attach; to incorporate. [Obs.] Milton.

ACCOST Ac*cost" (#; 115), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accosted; p. pr. & vb. n. Accosting.] Etym: [F. accoster, LL. accostare to bring side by side; L. ad + costa rib, side. See Coast, and cf. Accoast.]

1. To join side to side; to border; hence, to sail along the coast or side of. [Obs.] "So much [of Lapland] as accosts the sea." Fuller.

2. To approach; to make up to. [Archaic] Shak.

3. To speak to first; to address; to greet. "Him, Satan thus accosts." Milton.

ACCOST Ac*cost", v. i.

Defn: To adjoin; to lie alongside. [Obs.] "The shores which to the sea accost." Spenser.

ACCOST Ac*cost", n.

Defn: Address; greeting. [R.] J. Morley.

ACCOSTABLE Ac*cost"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. accostable.]

Defn: Approachable; affable. [R.] Hawthorne.

ACCOSTED Ac*cost"ed, a. (Her.)

Defn: Supported on both sides by other charges; also, side by side.

ACCOUCHEMENT Ac*couche"ment (#; 277), n. Etym: [F., fr. accoucher to be delivered of a child, to aid in delivery, OF. acouchier orig. to lay down, put to bed, go to bed; L. ad + collocare to lay, put, place. See Collate.]

Defn: Delivery in childbed

ACCOUCHEUR Ac*cou*cheur", n. Etym: [F., fr. accoucher. See Accouchement.]

Defn: A man who assists women in childbirth; a man midwife; an obstetrician.

ACCOUCHEUSE Ac*cou*cheuse", n. Etym: [F.., fem. of accoucher.]

Defn: A midwife. [Recent] Dunglison.

ACCOUNT Ac*count", n. Etym: [OE. acount, account, accompt, OF. acont, fr. aconter. See Account, v. t., Count, n., 1.]

1. A reckoning; computation; calculation; enumeration; a record of some reckoning; as, the Julian account of time. A beggarly account of empty boxes. Shak.

2. A registry of pecuniary transactions; a written or printed statement of business dealings or debts and credits, and also of other things subjected to a reckoning or review; as, to keep one's account at the bank.

3. A statement in general of reasons, causes, grounds, etc., explanatory of some event; as, no satisfactory account has been given of these phenomena. Hence, the word is often used simply for reason, ground, consideration, motive, etc.; as, on no account, on every account, on all accounts.

4. A statement of facts or occurrences; recital of transactions; a relation or narrative; a report; a description; as, an account of a battle. "A laudable account of the city of London." Howell.

5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's conduct with reference to judgment thereon. Give an account of thy stewardship. Luke xvi. 2.

6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment. "To stand high in your account." Shak.

7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit. "Men of account." Pope. "To turn to account." Shak. Account current, a running or continued account between two or more parties, or a statement of the particulars of such an account. — In account with, in a relation requiring an account to be kept. — On account of, for the sake of; by reason of; because of. — On one's own account, for one's own interest or behalf. — To make account, to have an opinion or expectation; to reckon. [Obs.] s other part . . . makes account to find no slender arguments for this assertion out of those very scriptures which are commonly urged against it. Milton. — To make account of, to hold in estimation; to esteem; as, he makes small account of beauty. — To take account of, or to take into account, to take into consideration; to notice. "Of their doings, God takes no account." Milton . — A writ of account (Law), a writ which the plaintiff brings demanding that the defendant shall render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; — called also an action of account. Cowell.

Syn. — Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description; explanation; rehearsal. — Account, Narrative, Narration, Recital. These words are applied to different modes of rehearsing a series of events. Account turns attention not so much to the speaker as to the fact related, and more properly applies to the report of some single event, or a group of incidents taken as whole; as, an account of a battle, of a shipwreck, etc. A narrative is a continuous story of connected incidents, such as one friend might tell to another; as, a narrative of the events of a siege, a narrative of one's life, etc. Narration is usually the same as narrative, but is sometimes used to describe the mode of relating events; as, his powers of narration are uncommonly great. Recital denotes a series of events drawn out into minute particulars, usually expressing something which peculiarly interests the feelings of the speaker; as, the recital of one's wrongs, disappointments, sufferings, etc.

1. To reckon; to compute; to count. [Obs.] The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are accounted. Sir T. Browne.

2. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to assign; — with to. [R.] Clarendon.

3. To value, estimate, or hold in opinion; to judge or consider; to deem. Accounting that God was able to raise him up. Heb. xi. 19.

4. To recount; to relate. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ACCOUNT Ac*count", v. i.

1. To render or receive an account or relation of particulars; as, an officer must account with or to the treasurer for money received.

2. To render an account; to answer in judgment; — with for; as, we must account for the use of our opportunities.

3. To give a satisfactory reason; to tell the cause of; to explain; - - with for; as, idleness accounts for poverty. To account of, to esteem; to prize; to value. Now used only in the passive. "I account of her beauty." Shak. Newer was preaching more accounted of than in the sixteenth century. Canon Robinson.

ACCOUNTABILITY Ac*count"a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state of being accountable; liability to be called on to render an account; accountableness. "The awful idea of accountability." R. Hall.

ACCOUNTABLE Ac*count"a*ble, a.

1. Liable to be called on to render an account; answerable; as, every man is accountable to God for his conduct.

2. Capable of being accounted for; explicable. [R.] True religion . . . intelligible, rational, and accountable, — not a burden but a privilege. B. Whichcote.

Syn. — Amenable; responsible; liable; answerable.

ACCOUNTABLENESS Ac*count"a*ble ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being accountable; accountability.

ACCOUNTABLY Ac*count"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In an accountable manner.

ACCOUNTANCY Ac*count"an*cy, n.

Defn: The art or employment of an accountant.

ACCOUNTANT Ac*count"ant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. accomptant, OF. acontant, p. pr.]

1. One who renders account; one accountable.

2. A reckoner.

3. One who is skilled in, keeps, or adjusts, accounts; an officer in a public office, who has charge of the accounts. Accountatn general, the head or superintending accountant in certain public offices. Also, formerly, an officer in the English court of chancery who received the moneys paid into the court, and deposited them in the Bank of England.

ACCOUNTANT Ac*count"ant, a.

Defn: Accountable. [Obs.] Shak.

ACCOUNTANTSHIP Ac*count"ant*ship, n. Etym: [Accountant + -ship.]