A A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages). (continued 6)

4. One of the stages of life; as, the age of infancy, of youth, etc. Shak.

5. Mature age; especially, the time of life at which one attains full personal rights and capacities; as, to come of age; he (or she) is of age. Abbott.

Note: In the United States, both males and females are of age when twenty-one years old.

6. The time of life at which some particular power or capacity is understood to become vested; as, the age of consent; the age of discretion. Abbott.

7. A particular period of time in history, as distinguished from others; as, the golden age, the age of Pericles. "The spirit of the age." Prescott. Truth, in some age or other, will find her witness. Milton. Archeological ages are designated as three: The Stone age (the early and the later stone age, called paleolithic and neolithic), the Bronze age, and the Iron age. During the Age of Stone man is supposed to have employed stone for weapons and implements. See Augustan, Brazen, Golden, Heroic, Middle.

8. A great period in the history of the Earth.

Note: The geologic ages are as follows: 1. The Archæan, including the time when was no life and the time of the earliest and simplest forms of life. 2. The age of Invertebrates, or the Silurian, when the life on the globe consisted distinctively of invertebrates. 3. The age of Fishes, or the Devonian, when fishes were the dominant race. 4. The age of Coal Plants, or Acrogens, or the Carboniferous age. 5. The Mesozoic or Secondary age, or age of Reptiles, when reptiles prevailed in great numbers and of vast size. 6. The Tertiary age, or age of Mammals, when the mammalia, or quadrupeds, abounded, and were the dominant race. 7. The Quaternary age, or age of Man, or the modern era. Dana.

9. A century; the period of one hundred years. Fleury . . . apologizes for these five ages. Hallam.

10. The people who live at a particular period; hence, a generation. "Ages yet unborn." Pope. The way which the age follows. J. H. Newman. Lo! where the stage, the poor, degraded stage, Holds its warped mirror to a gaping age. C. Sprague.

11. A long time. [Colloq.] "He made minutes an age." Tennyson. Age of a tide, the time from the origin of a tide in the South Pacific Ocean to its arrival at a given place. — Moon's age, the time that has elapsed since the last preceding conjunction of the sun and moon.

Note: Age is used to form the first part of many compounds; as, agelasting, age-adorning, age-worn, age-enfeebled, agelong.

Syn. — Time; period; generation; date; era; epoch.

AGE Age, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aged; p. pr. & vb. n. Aging.]

Defn: To grow aged; to become old; to show marks of age; as, he grew fat as he aged. They live one hundred and thirty years, and never age for all that. Holland. I am aging; that is, I have a whitish, or rather a light-colored, hair here and there. Landor.

AGE Age, v. t.

Defn: To cause to grow old; to impart the characteristics of age to; as, grief ages us.

AGED A"ged, a.

1. Old; having lived long; having lived almost to or beyond the usual time allotted to that species of being; as, an aged man; an aged oak.

2. Belonging to old age. "Aged cramps." Shak.

3. Having a certain age; at the age of; having lived; as, a man aged forty years.

AGEDLY A"ged*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of an aged person.

AGEDNESS A"ged*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being aged; oldness. Custom without truth is but agedness of error. Milton.

AGELESS Age"less, a.

Defn: Without old age limits of duration; as, fountains of ageless youth.

AGEN A*gen", adv. & prep.

Defn: See Again. [Obs.]

AGENCY A"gen*cy, n.; pl. Agencies. Etym: [agentia, fr. L. agens, agentis: cf. F. agence. See Agent.]

1. The faculty of acting or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; instrumentality. The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world. Woodward.

2. The office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one intrusted with the concerns of another.

3. The place of business of am agent.

Syn. — Action; operation; efficiency; management.

AGEND A"gend, n.

Defn: See Agendum. [Obs.]

AGENDUM A*gen"dum, n.; pl. Agenda. Etym: [L., neut. of the gerundive of agere to act.]

1. Something to be done; in the pl., a memorandum book.

2. A church service; a ritual or liturgy. [In this sense, usually Agenda.]

AGENESIC Ag`e*nes"ic, a. Etym: [See Agensis.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Characterized by sterility; infecund.

AGENESIS A*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Any imperfect development of the body, or any anomaly of organization.

AGENNESIS Ag`en*ne"sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Impotence; sterility.

AGENT A"gent, a. Etym: [L. agens, agentis, p. pr. of agere to act; akin to Gr. aka to drive, Skr. aj.

Defn: Actingpatient, or sustaining, action. [Archaic] "The body agent." Bacon.

AGENT A"gent, n.

1. One who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor. Heaven made us agents, free to good or ill. Dryden.

2. One who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a substitute; a deputy; a factor.

3. An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect; as, a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent.

AGENTIAL A*gen"tial, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an agent or an agency. Fitzed. Hall.

AGENTSHIP A"gent*ship, n.

Defn: Agency. Beau. & Fl.

AGERATUM A*ger"a*tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants, one species of which (A. Mexicanum) has lavender-blue flowers in dense clusters.

AGGENERATION Ag*gen`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. aggenerare to beget in addition. See Generate.]

Defn: The act of producing in addition. [Obs.] T. Stanley.

AGGER Ag"ger, n. Etym: [L., a mound, fr. aggerere to bear to a place, heap up; ad + gerere to bear.]

Defn: An earthwork; a mound; a raised work. [Obs.] Hearne.

AGGERATE Ag"ger*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. aggeratus, p. p. of aggerare. See Agger.]

Defn: To heap up. [Obs.] Foxe.

AGGERATION Ag`ger*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. aggeratio.]

Defn: A heaping up; accumulation; as, aggerations of sand. [R.]

AGGEROSE Ag`ger*ose", a.

Defn: In heaps; full of heaps.

AGGEST Ag*gest", v. t. Etym: [L. aggestus, p. p. of aggerere. See Agger.]

Defn: To heap up. [Obs.] The violence of the waters aggested the earth. Fuller.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agglomerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agglomerating.] Etym: [L. agglomeratus, p. p. of agglomerare; ad + glomerare to form into a ball. See Glomerate.]

Defn: To wind or collect into a ball; hence, to gather into a mass or anything like a mass. Where he builds the agglomerated pile. Cowper.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, v. i.

Defn: To collect in a mass.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, n.

1. A collection or mass.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: A mass of angular volcanic fragments united by heat; — distinguished from conglomerate.

AGGLOMERATE; AGGLOMERATED Ag*glom"er*ate, Ag*glom"er*a`ted, a.

1. Collected into a ball, heap, or mass.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Collected into a rounded head of flowers.

AGGLOMERATION Ag*glom`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agglomération.]

1. The act or process of collecting in a mass; a heaping together. An excessive agglomeration of turrets. Warton.

2. State of being collected in a mass; a mass; cluster.

AGGLOMERATIVE Ag*glom"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Having a tendency to gather together, or to make collections. Taylor is eminently discursive, accumulative, and (to use one of his own words) agglomerative. Coleridge.

AGGLUTINANT Ag*glu"ti*nant, a. Etym: [L. agglutinans, -antis, p. pr. of agglutinare.]

Defn: Uniting, as glue; causing, or tending to cause, adhesion. — n.

Defn: Any viscous substance which causes bodies or parts to adhere.

AGGLUTINATE Ag*glu"ti*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agglutinated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agglutinating.] Etym: [L. agglutinatus, p. p. of agglutinare to glue or cement to a thing; ad + glutinare to glue; gluten glue. See Glue.]

Defn: To unite, or cause to adhere, as with glue or other viscous substance; to unite by causing an adhesion of substances.

AGGLUTINATE Ag*glu"ti*nate, a.

1. United with glue or as with glue; cemented together.

2. (physiol.)

Defn: Consisting of root words combined but not materially altered as to form or meaning; as, agglutinate forms, languages, etc. See Agglutination, 2.

AGGLUTINATION Ag*glu`ti*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agglutination.]

1. The act of uniting by glue or other tenacious substance; the state of being thus united; adhesion of parts.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: Combination in which root words are united with little or no change of form or loss of meaning. See Agglutinative, 2.

AGGLUTINATIVE Ag*glu"ti*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agglutinatif.]

1. Pertaining to agglutination; tending to unite, or having power to cause adhesion; adhesive.

2. (Philol.)

Defn: Formed or characterized by agglutination, as a language or a compound. In agglutinative languages the union of words may be compared to mechanical compounds, in inflective languages to chemical compounds. R. Morris. Cf. man-kind, heir-loom, war-like, which are agglutinative compounds. The Finnish, Hungarian, Turkish, the Tamul, etc., are agglutinative languages. R. Morris. Agglutinative languages preserve the consciousness of their roots. Max Müller.

AGGRACE Ag*grace", v. t. Etym: [Pref. a- + grace: cf. It. aggraziare, LL. aggratiare. See Grace.]

Defn: To favor; to grace. [Obs.] "That knight so much aggraced." Spenser.

AGGRACE Ag*grace", n.

Defn: Grace; favor. [Obs.] Spenser.

AGGRADE Ag*grade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrading.] (Phys. Geog.)

Defn: To bring, or tend to bring, to a uniform grade, or slope, by addition of material; as, streams aggrade their beds by depositing sediment.

AGGRANDIZABLE Ag"gran*di"za*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being aggrandized.

AGGRANDIZATION Ag*gran`di*za"tion, n.

Defn: Aggrandizement. [Obs.] Waterhouse.

AGGRANDIZE Ag"gran*dize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrandized; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrandizing.] Etym: [F. agrandir; à (L. ad) + grandir to increase, L. grandire, fr. grandis great. See Grand, and cf. Finish.]

1. To make great; to enlarge; to increase; as, to aggrandize our conceptions, authority, distress.

2. To make great or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth; — applied to persons, countries, etc. His scheme for aggrandizing his son. Prescott.

3. To make appear great or greater; to exalt. Lamb.

Syn. — To augment; exalt; promote; advance.

AGGRANDIZE Ag"gran*dize, v. i.

Defn: To increase or become great. [Obs.] Follies, continued till old age, do aggrandize. J. Hall.

AGGRANDIZEMENT Ag*gran"dize*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agrandissement.]

Defn: The act of aggrandizing, or the state of being aggrandized or exalted in power, rank, honor, or wealth; exaltation; enlargement; as, the emperor seeks only the aggrandizement of his own family.

Syn. — Augmentation; exaltation; enlargement; advancement; promotion; preferment.

AGGRANDIZER Ag"gran*di`zer, n.

Defn: One who aggrandizes, or makes great.

AGGRATE Ag*grate", v. t. Etym: [It. aggratare, fr. L. ad + gratus pleasing. See Grate, a.]

Defn: To please. [Obs.] Each one sought his lady to aggrate. Spenser.

AGGRAVATE Ag"gra*vate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggravated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggravating.] Etym: [L. aggravatus, p. p. of aggravare. See Aggrieve.]

1. To make heavy or heavier; to add to; to increase. [Obs.] "To aggravate thy store." Shak.

2. To make worse, or more severe; to render less tolerable or less excusable; to make more offensive; to enhance; to intensify. "To aggravate my woes." Pope. To aggravate the horrors of the scene. Prescott. The defense made by the prisioner's counsel did rather aggravate than extenuate his crime. Addison.

3. To give coloring to in description; to exaggerate; as, to aggravate circumstances. Paley.

4. To exasperate; to provoke; to irritate. [Colloq.] If both were to aggravate her parents, as my brother and sister do mine. Richardson (Clarissa).

Syn. — To heighten; intensify; increase; magnify; exaggerate; provoke; irritate; exasperate.

AGGRAVATING Ag"gra*va`ting, a.

1. Making worse or more heinous; as, aggravating circumstances.

2. Exasperating; provoking; irritating. [Colloq.] A thing at once ridiculous and aggravating. J. Ingelow.

AGGRAVATINGLY Ag"gra*va`ting*ly, adv.

Defn: In an aggravating manner.

AGGRAVATION Ag`gra*va"tion, n. Etym: [LL. aggravatio: cf. F. aggravation.]

1. The act of aggravating, or making worse; — used of evils, natural or moral; the act of increasing in severity or heinousness; something additional to a crime or wrong and enhancing its guilt or injurious consequences.

2. Exaggerated representation. By a little aggravation of the features changed it into the Saracen's head. Addison.

3. An extrinsic circumstance or accident which increases the guilt of a crime or the misery of a calamity.

4. Provocation; irritation. [Colloq.] Dickens.

AGGRAVATIVE Ag"gra*va*tive, a.

Defn: Tending to aggravate. Ag*gres"sive*ly, adv. — Ag*gres"sive*ness, n. No aggressive movement was made. Macaulay.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, a. [L. aggregatus, p. p.]

1. Formed by a collection of particulars into a whole mass or sum; collective.

The aggregate testimony of many hundreds. Sir T. Browne.

2. (Anat.) Formed into clusters or groups of lobules; as, aggregate glands.

3. (Bot.) Composed of several florets within a common involucre, as in the daisy; or of several carpels formed from one flower, as in the raspberry.

4. (Min. & Geol.) Having the several component parts adherent to each other only to such a degree as to be separable by mechanical means.

5. (Zoöl.) United into a common organized mass; — said of certain compound animals.

Corporation aggregate. (Law) See under Corporation.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggregated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggregating.] [L. aggregatus, p. p. of aggregare to lead to a flock or herd; ad + gregare to collect into a flock, grex flock, herd. See Gregarious.]

1. To bring together; to collect into a mass or sum. "The aggregated soil." Milton.

2. To add or unite, as, a person, to an association.

It is many times hard to discern to which of the two sorts, the good or the bad, a man ought to be aggregated. Wollaston.

3. To amount in the aggregate to; as, ten loads, aggregating five hundred bushels. [Colloq.]

Syn. — To heap up; accumulate; pile; collect.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, n.

1. A mass, assemblage, or sum of particulars; as, a house is an aggregate of stone, brick, timber, etc.

In an aggregate the particulars are less intimately mixed than in a compound.

2. (Physics) A mass formed by the union of homogeneous particles; — in distinction from a compound, formed by the union of heterogeneous particles.

In the aggregate, collectively; together.

AGGREGATELY Ag"gre*gate*ly, adv.

Defn: Collectively; in mass.

AGGREGATION Ag`gre*ga"tion, n. [Cf. LL. aggregatio, F. agrégation.]

Defn: The act of aggregating, or the state of being aggregated; collection into a mass or sum; a collection of particulars; an aggregate.

Each genus is made up by aggregation of species. Carpenter.

A nation is not an idea only of local extent and individual momentary aggregation, but . . . of continuity, which extends in time as well as in numbers, and in space. Burke.

AGGREGATIVE Ag"gre*ga*tive, a. [Cf. Fr. agrégatif.]

1. Taken together; collective.

2. Gregarious; social. [R.] Carlyle.

AGGREGATOR Ag"gre*ga`tor, n.

Defn: One who aggregates.

AGGREGE Ag*grege", v. t. [OF. agreger. See Aggravate.]

Defn: To make heavy; to aggravate. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aggressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggressing.] [L. aggressus, p. p. of aggredi to go to, approach; ad + gradi to step, go, gradus step: cf. OF. aggresser. See Grade.]

Defn: To commit the first act of hostility or offense; to begin a quarrel or controversy; to make an attack; — with on.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", n. [L. aggressus.]

Defn: Aggression. [Obs.]

Their military aggresses on others. Sir M. Hale.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", v. t.

Defn: To set upon; to attack. [R.]

AGGRESSION Ag*gres"sion, n. [L. aggressio, fr. aggredi: cf. F. agression.]

Defn: The first attack, or act of hostility; the first act of injury, or first act leading to a war or a controversy; unprovoked attack; assault; as, a war of aggression. "Aggressions of power." Hallam

Syn. — Attack; offense; intrusion; provocation.

AGGRESSIVE Ag*gres"sive, a. [Cf. F. agressif.]

Defn: Tending or disposed to aggress; characterized by aggression; making assaults; unjustly attacking; as, an aggressive policy, war, person, nation. — Ag*gres"sive*ly, adv. — Ag*gres"sive*ness, n.

No aggressive movement was made. Macaulay.

AGGRESSOR Ag*gres"sor, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. agresseur.]

Defn: The person who first attacks or makes an aggression; he who begins hostility or a quarrel; an assailant. The insolence of the aggressor is usually proportioned to the tameness of the sufferer. Ames.

AGGRIEVANCE Ag*griev"ance, n. Etym: [OF. agrevance, fr. agrever. See Aggrieve.]

Defn: Oppression; hardship; injury; grievance. [Archaic]

AGGRIEVE Ag*grieve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrieved; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrieving.] Etym: [OE. agreven, OF. agrever; a (L. ad) + grever to burden, injure, L. gravare to weigh down, fr. gravis heavy. See Grieve, and cf. Aggravate.]

Defn: To give pain or sorrow to; to afflict; hence, to oppress or injure in one's rights; to bear heavily upon; — now commonly used in the passive TO be aggrieved. Aggrieved by oppression and extortion. Macaulay.

AGGRIEVE Ag*grieve", v. i.

Defn: To grieve; to lament. [Obs.]

AGGROUP Ag*group", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrouped; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrouping.] Etym: [F. agrouper; à (L. ad) + groupe group. See Group..]

Defn: To bring together in a group; to group. Dryden.

AGGROUPMENT Ag*group"ment, n.

Defn: Arrangement in a group or in groups; grouping.

AGGRY; AGGRI Ag"gry, Ag"gri, a.

Defn: Applied to a kind of variegated glass beads of ancient manufacture; as, aggry beads are found in Ashantee and Fantee in Africa.

AGHAST A*ghast", v. t.

Defn: See Agast, v. t. [Obs.]

AGHAST A*ghast", a & p. p. Etym: [OE. agast, agasted, p. p. of agasten to terrify, fr. AS. pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + g to terrify, torment: cf. Goth. usgaisjan to terrify, primitively to fix, to root to the spot with terror; akin to L. haerere to stick fast, cling. See Gaze, Hesitate.]

Defn: Terrified; struck with amazement; showing signs of terror or horror. Aghast he waked; and, starting from his bed, Cold sweat in clammy drops his limbs o'erspread. Dryden. The commissioners read and stood aghast. Macaulay.

AGIBLE Ag"i*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. agibilis, fr. L. agere to move, do.]

Defn: Possible to be done; practicable. [Obs.] "Fit for agible things." Sir A. Sherley.

AGILE Ag"ile, a. Etym: [F. agile, L. agilis, fr. agere to move. See Agent.]

Defn: Having the faculty of quick motion in the limbs; apt or ready to move; nimble; active; as, an agile boy; an agile tongue. Shaking it with agile hand. Cowper.

Syn. — Active; alert; nimble; brisk; lively; quick.

AGILELY Ag"ile*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agile manner; nimbly.

AGILENESS Ag"ile*ness, n.

Defn: Agility; nimbleness. [R.]

AGILITY A*gil"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. agilié, L. agilitas, fr. agilis.]

1. The quality of being agile; the power of moving the limbs quickly and easily; nimbleness; activity; quickness of motion; as, strength and agility of body. They . . . trust to the agility of their wit. Bacon. Wheeling with the agility of a hawk. Sir W. Scott.

2. Activity; powerful agency. [Obs.] The agility of the sun's fiery heat. Holland.

AGIO Ag"i*o, n.; pl. Agios. Etym: [It. aggio exchange, discount, premium, the same word as agio ease. See Ease.] (Com.)

Defn: The premium or percentage on a better sort of money when it is given in exchange for an inferior sort. The premium or discount on foreign bills of exchange is sometimes called agio.

AGIOTAGE Ag"i*o*tage, n. Etym: [F. agiotage, fr. agioter to practice stockjobbing, fr. agio.]

Defn: Exchange business; also, stockjobbing; the maneuvers of speculators to raise or lower the price of stocks or public funds. Vanity and agiotage are to a Parisian the oxygen and hydrogen of life. Landor.

AGIST A*gist", v. t. Etym: [OF. agister; à (L. ad) + gister to assign a lodging, fr. giste lodging, abode, F. gîte, LL. gistum, gista, fr. L. jacitum, p. p. of jac to lie: cf. LL. agistare, adgistare. See Gist.] (Law)

Defn: To take to graze or pasture, at a certain sum; — used originally of the feeding of cattle in the king's forests, and collecting the money for the same. Blackstone.

AGISTATOR Ag`is*ta"tor, n. Etym: [LL.]

Defn: See Agister.

AGISTER; AGISTOR A*gist"er, A*gist"or, n. Etym: [Anglo-Norman agistour.] (Law) (a) Formerly, an officer of the king's forest, who had the care of cattle agisted, and collected the money for the same; — hence called gisttaker, which in England is corrupted into guest-taker. (b) Now, one who agists or takes in cattle to pasture at a certain rate; a pasturer. Mozley & W.

AGISTMENT A*gist"ment, n. Etym: [OF. agistement. See Agist.] (Law) (a) Formerly, the taking and feeding of other men's cattle in the king's forests. (b) The taking in by any one of other men's cattle to graze at a certain rate. Mozley & W. (c) The price paid for such feeding. (d) A charge or rate against lands; as, an agistment of sea banks, i. e., charge for banks or dikes.

AGITABLE Ag"i*ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. agitabilis: cf. F. agitable.]

Defn: Capable of being agitated, or easily moved. [R.]

AGITATE Ag"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agitating.] Etym: [L. agitatus, p. p. of agitare to put in motion, fr. agere to move: cf. F. agiter. See Act, Agent.]

1. To move with a violent, irregular action; as, the wind agitates the sea; to agitate water in a vessel. "Winds . . . agitate the air." Cowper.

2. To move or actuate. [R.] Thomson.

3. To stir up; to disturb or excite; to perturb; as, he was greatly agitated. The mind of man is agitated by various passions. Johnson.

4. To discuss with great earnestness; to debate; as, a controversy hotly agitated. Boyle.

5. To revolve in the mind, or view in all its aspects; to contrive busily; to devise; to plot; as, politicians agitate desperate designs.

Syn. — To move; shake; excite; rouse; disturb; distract; revolve; discuss; debate; canvass.

AGITATEDLY Ag"i*ta`ted*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agitated manner.

AGITATION Ag`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. agitatio: cf. F. agitation.]

1. The act of agitating, or the state of being agitated; the state of being moved with violence, or with irregular action; commotion; as, the sea after a storm is in agitation.

2. A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of tranquillity; disturbance of mind which shows itself by physical excitement; perturbation; as, to cause any one agitation.

3. Excitement of public feeling by discussion, appeals, etc.; as, the antislavery agitation; labor agitation. "Religious agitations." Prescott.

4. Examination or consideration of a subject in controversy, or of a plan proposed for adoption; earnest discussion; debate. A logical agitation of the matter. L'Estrange. The project now in agitation. Swift.

Syn. — Emotion; commotion; excitement; trepidation; tremor; perturbation. See Emotion.

AGITATIVE Ag"i*ta*tive, a.

Defn: Tending to agitate.

AGITATO A`gi*ta"to, a. Etym: [It., agitated.] (Med.)

Defn: Sung or played in a restless, hurried, and spasmodic manner.

AGITATOR Ag"i*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. One who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others; as, political reformers and agitators.

2. (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: One of a body of men appointed by the army, in Cromwell's time, to look after their interests; — called also adjutators. Clarendon.

3. An implement for shaking or mixing.

AGLEAM A*gleam", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + gleam.]

Defn: Gleaming; as, faces agleam. Lowell.

AGLET; AIGLET Ag"let, Aig"let, n. Etym: [F. aiguillette point, tagged point, dim. of aiguilee needle, fr. LL. acucula for acicula, dim. of L. acus needle, pinagleter to hook on. See Acute, and cf. Aiguillette.]

1. A tag of a lace or of the points, braids, or cords formerly used in dress. They were sometimes formed into small images. Hence, "aglet baby" (Shak.), an aglet image.

2. (Haberdashery)

Defn: A round white staylace. Beck.

AGLEY A*gley", adv.

Defn: Aside; askew. [Scotch] Burns.

AGLIMMER A*glim"mer, adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glimmer.]

Defn: In a glimmering state. Hawthorne.

AGLITTER A*glit"ter, adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glitter.]

Defn: Clittering; in a glitter.

AGLOSSAL A*glos"sal, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Without tongue; tongueless.

AGLOW A*glow", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glow.]

Defn: In a glow; glowing; as, cheeks aglow; the landscape all aglow.

AGLUTITION Ag`lu*ti"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. a- not + L. glutire to swallow.] (Med.)

Defn: Inability to swallow.

AGMINAL Ag"mi*nal, a. Etym: [L. agminalis; agmen, agminis, a train.]

Defn: Pertaining to an army marching, or to a train. [R.]

AGMINATE; AGMINATED Ag"mi*nate, Ag"mi*na`ted, a. Etym: [L. agmen, agminis, a train, crowd.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Grouped together; as, the agminated glands of Peyer in the small intestine.

AGNAIL Ag"nail, n. Etym: [AS. angnægl; ange vexation, trouble + nægel nail. Cf. Hangnail.]

1. A corn on the toe or foot. [Obs.]

2. An inflammation or sore under or around the nail; also, a hangnail.

AGNATE Ag"nate, a. Etym: [L. agnatus, p. p. of agnasci to be born in addition to; ad + nasci (for gnasci) to be born. Cf. Adnate.]

1. Related or akin by the father's side; also, sprung from the same male ancestor.

2. Allied; akin. "Agnate words." Pownall. Assume more or less of a fictitious character, but congenial and agnate with the former. Landor.

AGNATE Ag"nate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agnat.] (Civil Law)

Defn: A relative whose relationship can be traced exclusively through males.

AGNATIC Ag*nat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agnatique.]

Defn: Pertaining to descent by the male line of ancestors. "The agnatic succession." Blackstone.

AGNATION Ag*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnatio: cf. F. agnation.]

1. (Civil Law)

Defn: Consanguinity by a line of males only, as distinguished from cognation. Bouvier.

AGNITION Ag*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnitio, fr. agnoscere. See Notion.]

Defn: Acknowledgment. [Obs.] Grafton.

AGNIZE Ag*nize", v. t. Etym: [Formed like recognize, fr. L. agnoscere.]

Defn: To recognize; to acknowledge. [Archaic] I do agnize a natural and prompt alacrity. Shak.

AGNOIOLOGY Ag`noi*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.] (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine concerning those things of which we are necessarily ignorant.

AGNOMEN Ag*no"men, n. Etym: [L.; ad + nomen name.]

1. An additional or fourth name given by the Romans, or account of some remarkable exploit or event; as, Publius Caius Scipio Africanus.

2. An additional name, or an epithet appended to a name; as, Aristides the Just.

AGNOMINATE Ag*nom"i*nate, v. t.

Defn: To name. [Obs.]

AGNOMINATION Ag*nom`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnominatio. See Agnomen.]

1. A surname. [R.] Minsheu.

2. Paronomasia; also, alliteration; annomination.

AGNOSTIC Ag*nos"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Professing ignorance; involving no dogmatic; pertaining to or involving agnosticism. — Ag*nos"tic*al*ly, adv.

AGNOSTIC Ag*nos"tic, n.

Defn: One who professes ignorance, or denies that we have any knowledge, save of phenomena; one who supports agnosticism, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity, a future life, etc.

AGNOSTICISM Ag*nos"ti*cism, n.

Defn: That doctrine which, professing ignorance, neither asserts nor denies. Specifically: (Theol.)

Defn: The doctrine that the existence of a personal Deity, an unseen world, etc., can be neither proved nor disproved, because of the necessary limits of the human mind (as sometimes charged upon Hamilton and Mansel), or because of the insufficiency of the evidence furnished by physical and physical data, to warrant a positive conclusion (as taught by the school of Herbert Spencer); — opposed alike dogmatic skepticism and to dogmatic theism.

AGNUS Ag"nus, n.; pl. E. Agnuses; L. Agni. Etym: [L., a lamb.]

Defn: Agnus Dei.

AGNUS CASTUS Ag"nus cas"tus. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A species of Vitex (V. agnus castus); the chaste tree. Loudon. And wreaths of agnus castus others bore. Dryden.

AGNUS DEI Ag"nus De"i. Etym: [L., lamb of God.] (R. C. Ch.) (a) A figure of a lamb bearing a cross or flag. (b) A cake of wax stamped with such a figure. It is made from the remains of the paschal candles and blessed by the Pope. (c) A triple prayer in the sacrifice of the Mass, beginning with the words "Agnus Dei."

AGNUS SCYTHICUS Ag"nus Scyth"i*cus. [L., Scythian lamb.] (Bot.)

Defn: The Scythian lamb, a kind of woolly-skinned rootstock. See Barometz.

AGO A*go", a. & adv. Etym: [OE. ago, agon, p. p. of agon to go away, pass by, AS. agan to pass away; a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + gan to go. See Go.]

Defn: Past; gone by; since; as, ten years ago; gone long ago.

AGOG A*gog", a. & adv. Etym: [Cf. F. gogue fun, perhaps of Celtic origin.]

Defn: In eager desire; eager; astir. All agog to dash through thick and thin. Cowper.

AGOING A*go"ing, adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + p. pr. of go.]

Defn: In motion; in the act of going; as, to set a mill agoing.

AGON Ag"on, n.; pl. Agones. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A contest for a prize at the public games.

AGONE A*gone", a. & adv.

Defn: Ago. [Archaic. & Poet.] Three days agone I fell sick. 1 Sam. xxx. 13.

AGONE A"gone, n. Etym: [See Agonic.]

Defn: Agonic line.

AGONIC A*gon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Not forming an angle. Agonic line (Physics), an imaginary line on the earth's surface passing through those places where the magnetic needle points to the true north; the line of no magnetic variation. There is one such line in the Western hemisphere, and another in the Eastern hemisphere.

AGONISM Ag"o*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. Agon.]

Defn: Contention for a prize; a contest. [Obs.] Blount.

AGONIST Ag"o*nist, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: One who contends for the prize in public games. [R.]

AGONISTIC; AGONISTICAL Ag`o*nis"tic, Ag`o*nis"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. Agonism.]

Defn: Pertaining to violent contests, bodily or mental; pertaining to athletic or polemic feats; athletic; combative; hence, strained; unnatural. As a scholar, he [Dr. Parr] was brilliant, but he consumed his power in agonistic displays. De Quincey.

AGONISTICALLY Ag`o*nis"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agonistic manner.

AGONISTICS Ag`o*nis"tics, n.

Defn: The science of athletic combats, or contests in public games.

AGONIZE Ag"o*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Agonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Agonizing.] Etym: [F. agoniser, LL. agonizare, fr. Gr. Agony.]

1. To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish. To smart and agonize at every pore. Pope.

2. To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately.

AGONIZE Ag"o*nize, v. t.

Defn: To cause to suffer agony; to subject to extreme pain; to torture. He agonized his mother by his behavior. Thackeray.

AGONIZINGLY Ag"o*ni`zing*ly, adv.

Defn: With extreme anguish or desperate struggles.

AGONOTHETE Ag"o*no*thete`, n. Etym: [Gr. [Antiq.]

Defn: An officer who presided over the great public games in Greece.

AGONOTHETIC Ag`o*no*thet"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to the office of an agonothete.

AGONY Ag"o*ny, n.; pl. Agonies. Etym: [L. agonia, Gr. agonie. See Agon.]Etym:

1. Violent contest or striving. The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations. Macaulay.

2. Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly. Luke xxii. 44.

3. Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion. With cries and agonies of wild delight. Pope.

4. The last struggle of life; death struggle.

Syn. — Anguish; torment; throe; distress; pangs; suffering. — Agony, Anguish, Pang. These words agree in expressing extreme pain of body or mind. Agony denotes acute and permanent pain, usually of the whole system., and often producing contortions. Anguish denotes severe pressure, and, considered as bodily suffering, is more commonly local (as anguish of a wound), thus differing from agony. A pang is a paroxysm of excruciating pain. It is severe and transient. The agonies or pangs of remorse; the anguish of a wounded conscience. "Oh, sharp convulsive pangs of agonizing pride!" Dryden.

A-GOOD A-good(#), adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + good.]

Defn: In earnest; heartily. [Obs.] "I made her weep agood." Shak.

AGOOD A*good(a*good"), adv. [Pref. a-+ good.]

Defn: In earnest; heartily. [Obs.] "I made her weep agood." Shak.

AGORA Ag"o*ra, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An assembly; hence, the place of assembly, especially the market place, in an ancient Greek city.

AGOUARA A*gou"a*ra, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus), found in the tropical parts of America.

AGOUTA A*gou"ta, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small insectivorous mammal (Solenodon paradoxus), allied to the moles, found only in Hayti.

AGOUTI; AGOUTY A*gou"ti, A*gou"ty, n. Etym: [F. agouti, acouti, Sp. aguti, fr. native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A rodent of the genus Dasyprocta, about the size of a rabbit, peculiar to South America and the West Indies. The most common species is the Dasyprocta agouti.

AGRACE A*grace", n. & v.

Defn: See Aggrace. [Obs.]

AGRAFFE A*graffe", n. Etym: [F. agrafe, formerly agraffe, OF. agrappe. See Agrappes.]

1. A hook or clasp. The feather of an ostrich, fastened in her turban by an agraffe set with brilliants. Sir W. Scott.

2. A hook, eyelet, or other device by which a piano wire is so held as to limit the vibration.

AGRAMMATIST A*gram"ma*tist, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A illiterate person. [Obs.] Bailey.

AGRAPHIA A*graph"i*a, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The absence or loss of the power of expressing ideas by written signs. It is one form of aphasia.

AGRAPHIC A*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Characterized by agraphia.

AGRAPPES A*grappes", n. pl. Etym: [OF. agrappe, F. agrafe; a + grappe (see Grape) fr. OHG. krapfo hook.]

Defn: Hooks and eyes for armor, etc. Fairholt.

AGRARIAN A*gra"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. agrarius, fr. ager field.]

1. Pertaining to fields, or lands, or their tenure; esp., relating to am equal or equitable division of lands; as, the agrarian laws of Rome, which distributed the conquered and other public lands among citizens. His Grace's landed possessions are irresistibly inviting to an agrarian experiment. Burke.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Wild; — said of plants growing in the fields.

AGRARIAN A*gra"ri*an, n.

1. One in favor of an equal division of landed property.

2. An agrarian law. [R.] An equal agrarian is perpetual law. Harrington.

AGRARIANISM A*gra"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: An equal or equitable division of landed property; the principles or acts of those who favor a redistribution of land.

AGRARIANIZE A*gra"ri*an*ize, v. t.

Defn: To distribute according to, or to imbue with, the principles of agrarianism.

AGRE; AGREE A*gre", A*gree", adv. Etym: [F. à gré. See Agree.]

Defn: In good part; kindly. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

AGREE A*gree", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Agreed; p. pr. & vb. n. Agreeing.] Etym: [F. agréer to accept or receive kindly, fr. à gré; à (L. ad) + gré good will, consent, liking, fr. L. gratus pleasing, agreeable. See Grateful.]

1. To harmonize in opinion, statement, or action; to be in unison or concord; to be or become united or consistent; to concur; as, all parties agree in the expediency of the law. If music and sweet poetry agree. Shak. Their witness agreed not together. Mark xiv. 56. The more you agree together, the less hurt can your enemies do you. Sir T. Browne.

2. To yield assent; to accede; — followed by to; as, to agree to an offer, or to opinion.

3. To make a stipulation by way of settling differences or determining a price; to exchange promises; to come to terms or to a common resolve; to promise. Agree with thine adversary quickly. Matt. v. 25. Didst not thou agree with me for a penny Matt. xx. 13.

4. To be conformable; to resemble; to coincide; to correspond; as, the picture does not agree with the original; the two scales agree exactly.

5. To suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well; as, the same food does not agree with every constitution.

6. (Gram.)

Defn: To correspond in gender, number, case, or person.

Note: The auxiliary forms of to be are often employed with the participle agreed. "The jury were agreed." Macaulay. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed " Amos iii. 3. The principal intransitive uses were probably derived from the transitive verb used reflexively. "I agree me well to your desire." Ld. Berners.

Syn. — To assent; concur; consent; acquiesce; accede; engage; promise; stipulate; contract; bargain; correspond; harmonize; fit; tally; coincide; comport.

AGREE A*gree", v. t.

1. To make harmonious; to reconcile or make friends. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. To admit, or come to one mind concerning; to settle; to arrange; as, to agree the fact; to agree differences. [Obs.]

AGREEABILITY A*gree`a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [OF. agreablete.]

1. Easiness of disposition. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. The quality of being, or making one's self, agreeable; agreeableness. Thackeray.

AGREEABLE A*gree"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. agréable.]

1. Pleasing, either to the mind or senses; pleasant; grateful; as, agreeable manners or remarks; an agreeable person; fruit agreeable to the taste. A train of agreeable reveries. Goldsmith.

2. Willing; ready to agree or consent. [Colloq.] These Frenchmen give unto the said captain of Calais a great sum of money, so that he will be but content and agreeable that they may enter into the said town. Latimer.

3. Agreeing or suitable; conformable; correspondent; concordant; adapted; — followed by to, rarely by with. That which is agreeable to the nature of one thing, is many times contrary to the nature of another. L'Estrange.

4. In pursuance, conformity, or accordance; — in this sense used adverbially for agreeably; as, agreeable to the order of the day, the House took up the report.

Syn. — Pleasing; pleasant; welcome; charming; acceptable; amiable. See Pleasant.

AGREEABLENESS A*gree"a*ble*ness, n.

1. The quality of being agreeable or pleasing; that quality which gives satisfaction or moderate pleasure to the mind or senses. That author . . . has an agreeableness that charms us. Pope.

2. The quality of being agreeable or suitable; suitableness or conformity; consistency. The agreeableness of virtuous actions to human nature. Pearce.

3. Resemblance; concordance; harmony; — with to or between. [Obs.] The agreeableness between man and the other parts of the universe. Grew.

AGREEABLY A*gree"a*bly, adv.

1. In an agreeably manner; in a manner to give pleasure; pleasingly. "Agreeably entertained." Goldsmith.

2. In accordance; suitably; consistently; conformably; — followed by to and rarely by with. See Agreeable, 4. The effect of which is, that marriages grow less frequent, agreeably to the maxim above laid down. Paley.

3. Alike; similarly. [Obs.] Both clad in shepherds' weeds agreeably. Spenser.

AGREEINGLY A*gree"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agreeing manner (to); correspondingly; agreeably. [Obs.]

AGREEMENT A*gree"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agrément.]

1. State of agreeing; harmony of opinion, statement, action, or character; concurrence; concord; conformity; as, a good agreement subsists among the members of the council. What agreement hath the temple of God with idols 2 Cor. vi. 16. Expansion and duration have this further agreement. Locke.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: Concord or correspondence of one word with another in gender, number, case, or person.

3. (Law) (a) A concurrence in an engagement that something shall be done or omitted; an exchange of promises; mutual understanding, arrangement, or stipulation; a contract. (b) The language, oral or written, embodying reciprocal promises. Abbott. Brande & C.

Syn. — Bargain; contract; compact; stipulation.

AGREER A*gre"er, n.

Defn: One who agrees.

AGRESTIC A*gres"tic, a. Etym: [L. agrestis, fr. ager field.]

Defn: Pertaining to fields or the country, in opposition to the city; rural; rustic; unpolished; uncouth. "Agrestic behavior." Gregory.

AGRESTICAL A*gres"tic*al, a.

Defn: Agrestic. [Obs.]

AGRICOLATION A*gric`o*la"tion, n. Etym: [L., agricolatio.]

Defn: Agriculture. [Obs.] Bailey.

AGRICOLIST A*gric"o*list, n.

Defn: A cultivator of the soil; an agriculturist. Dodsley.

AGRICULTOR Ag"ri*cul`tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. ager field + cultor cultivator.]

Defn: An agriculturist; a farmer. [R.]

AGRICULTURAL Ag`ri*cul"tur*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to agriculture; connected with, or engaged in, tillage; as, the agricultural class; agricultural implements, wages, etc. — Ag`ri*cul"tur*al*ly, adv. Agricultural ant (Zoöl.), a species of ant which gathers and stores seeds of grasses, for food. The remarkable species (Myrmica barbata) found in Texas clears circular areas and carefully cultivates its favorite grain, known as ant rice.

AGRICULTURALIST Ag`ri*cul"tur*al*ist, n.

Defn: An agriculturist (which is the preferred form.)

AGRICULTURE Ag"ri*cul`ture, n. Etym: [L. agricultura; ager field + cultura cultivation: cf. F. agriculture. See Acre and Culture.]

Defn: The art or science of cultivating the ground, including the harvesting of crops, and the rearing and management of live stock; tillage; husbandry; farming.

AGRICULTURISM Ag`ri*cul"tur*ism, n.

Defn: Agriculture. [R.]

AGRICULTURIST Ag`ri*cul"tur*ist, n.

Defn: One engaged or skilled in agriculture; a husbandman. The farmer is always a practitioner, the agriculturist may be a mere theorist. Crabb.

AGRIEF A*grief", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + grief.]

Defn: In grief; amiss. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGRIMONY Ag"ri*mo*ny, n. Etym: [OE. agremoyne, OF. aigremoine, L. agrimonia for argemonia, fr. Gr. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants of the Rose family. (b) The name is also given to various other plants; as, hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum); water agrimony (Bidens).

Note: The Agrimonia eupatoria, or common agrimony, a perennial herb with a spike of yellow flowers, was once esteemed as a medical remedy, but is now seldom used.

AGRIN A*grin", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + grin.]

Defn: In the act of grinning. "His visage all agrin." Tennyson.

AGRIOLOGIST Ag`ri*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed or engaged in agriology.

AGRIOLOGY Ag`ri*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: Description or comparative study of the customs of savage or uncivilized tribes.

AGRISE A*grise", v. i. Etym: [AS. agrisan to dread; a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + grisan, for gr (only in comp.), akin to OHG. gr, G. grausen, to shudder. See Grisly.]

Defn: To shudder with terror; to tremble with fear. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGRISE A*grise", v. t.

1. To shudder at; to abhor; to dread; to loathe. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. To terrify; to affright. [Obs.] His manly face that did his foes agrise. Spenser.

AGROM A"grom, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Med.)

Defn: A disease occurring in Bengal and other parts of the East Indies, in which the tongue chaps and cleaves.

AGRONOMIC; AGRONOMICAL Ag`ro*nom"ic, Ag`ro*nom"ic*al, Etym: [Cf. F. agronomique.]

Defn: Pertaining to agronomy, of the management of farms.

AGRONOMICS Ag`ro*nom"ics, n.

Defn: The science of the distribution and management of land.

AGRONOMIST A*gron"o*mist, n.

Defn: One versed in agronomy; a student of agronomy.

AGRONOMY A*gron"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. agronomie.]

Defn: The management of land; rural economy; agriculture.

AGROPE A*grope", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + grope.]

Defn: In the act of groping. Mrs. Browning.

AGROSTIS A*gros"tis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: A genus of grasses, including species called in common language bent grass. Some of them, as redtop (Agrostis vulgaris), are valuable pasture grasses.

AGROSTOGRAPHIC; AGROSTOGRAPHICAL A*gros`to*graph"ic, A*gros`to*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agrostographique.]

Defn: Pertaining to agrostography.

AGROSTOGRAPHY Ag`ros*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: A description of the grasses.

AGROSTOLOGIC; AGROSTOLOGICAL A*gros`to*log"ic, A*gros`to*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to agrostology.

AGROSTOLOGIST Ag`ros*tol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One skilled in agrostology.

AGROSTOLOGY Ag`ros*tol"ogy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: That part of botany which treats of the grasses.

AGROTECHNY Ag"ro*tech`ny, n. [Gr. field, land + an art.]

Defn: That branch of agriculture dealing with the methods of conversion of agricultural products into manufactured articles; agricultural technology.

AGROUND A*ground", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + ground.]

Defn: On the ground; stranded; — a nautical term applied to a ship when its bottom lodges on the ground. Totten.

AGROUPMENT A*group"ment, n.

Defn: See Aggroupment.

AGRYPNOTIC Ag`ryp*not"ic, n. Etym: [Gr. agrypnotique.]

Defn: Anything which prevents sleep, or produces wakefulness, as strong tea or coffee.

AGUARDIENTE A`guar*di*en"te, n. Etym: [Sp., contr. of agua ardiente burning water (L. aqua water + ardens burning).]

1. A inferior brandy of Spain and Portugal.

2. A strong alcoholic drink, especially pulque. [Mexico and Spanish America.]

AGUE A"gue, n. Etym: [OE. agu, ague, OF. agu, F. aigu, sharp, OF. fem. ague, LL. (febris) acuta, a sharp, acute fever, fr. L. acutus sharp. See Acute.]

1. An acute fever. [Obs.] "Brenning agues." P. Plowman.

2. (Med.)

Defn: An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.

3. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague.

4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold. Dryden. Ague cake, an enlargement of the spleen produced by ague. — Ague drop, a solution of the arsenite of potassa used for ague. — Ague fit, a fit of the ague. Shak. — Ague spell, a spell or charm against ague. Gay. — Ague tree, the sassafras, — sometimes so called from the use of its root formerly, in cases of ague. [Obs.]

AGUE A"gue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agued.]

Defn: To strike with an ague, or with a cold fit. Heywood.

AGUILT A*guilt", v. t.

Defn: To be guilty of; to offend; to sin against; to wrong. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGUISE A*guise", n.

Defn: Dress. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

AGUISE A*guise", v. t. Etym: [Pref a- + guise.]

Defn: To dress; to attire; to adorn. [Obs.] Above all knights ye goodly seem aguised. Spenser.

AGUISH A"gu*ish, a.

1. Having the qualities of an ague; somewhat cold or shivering; chilly; shaky. Her aguish love now glows and burns. Granville.

2. Productive of, or affected by, ague; as, the aguish districts of England. T. Arnold. A"gu*ish*ness, n.

AGUSH A*gush", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + gush.]

Defn: In a gushing state. Hawthorne.

AGYNOUS Ag"y*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Without female organs; male.

AH Ah, interj. Etym: [OE. a: cf. OF. a, F. ah, L. ah, Gr. a, Icel. æ, OHG. a, Lith. á, á\'a0.]

Defn: An exclamation, expressive of surprise, pity, complaint, entreaty, contempt, threatening, delight, triumph, etc., according to the manner of utterance.

AHA A*ha", interj. Etym: [Ah, interj. + ha.]

Defn: An exclamation expressing, by different intonations, triumph, mixed with derision or irony, or simple surprise.

AHA A*ha", n.

Defn: A sunk fence. See Ha-ha. Mason.

AHEAD A*head", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + head.]

1. In or to the front; in advance; onward. The island bore but a little ahead of us. Fielding.

2. Headlong; without restraint. [Obs.] L'Estrange. To go ahead. (a) To go in advance. (b) To go on onward. (c) To push on in an enterprise. [Colloq] — To get ahead of. (a) To get in advance of. (b) To surpass; to get the better of. [Colloq.]

AHEAP A*heap", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + heap.]

Defn: In a heap; huddled together. Hood.

AHEIGHT A*height", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + height.]

Defn: Aloft; on high. [Obs.] "Look up aheight." Shak.

AHEM A*hem", interj.

Defn: An exclamation to call one's attention; hem.

AHEY A*hey", interj.

Defn: Hey; ho.

AHIGH A*high", adv.

Defn: On high. [Obs.] Shak.

AHOLD A*hold", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + hold.]

Defn: Near the wind; as, to lay a ship ahold. [Obs.] Shak.

AHORSEBACK A*horse"back, adv.

Defn: On horseback. Two suspicious fellows ahorseback. Smollet.

AHOY A*hoy", interj. Etym: [OE. a, interj. + hoy.] (Naut.)

Defn: A term used in hailing; as, "Ship ahoy."

AHRIMAN Ah"ri*man, n. Etym: [Per.]

Defn: The Evil Principle or Being of the ancient Persians; the Prince of Darkness as opposer to Ormuzd, the King of Light.

AHU A"hu, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Asiatic gazelle.

AHULL A*hull", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + hull.] (Naut.)

Defn: With the sails furled, and the helm lashed alee; — applied to ships in a storm. See Hull, n.

AHUNGERED A*hun"gered, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + hungered.]

Defn: Pinched with hunger; very hungry. C. Bronté.

AI A"i, n.; pl. Ais. Etym: [Braz. aï, haï, from the animal's cry: cf. F. aï.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of South America. See Sloth.

AIBLINS; ABLINS Ai"blins, A"blins, adv. Etym: [See Able.]

Defn: Perhaps; possibly. [Scotch] Burns.

AICH'S METAL Aich's met"al.

Defn: A kind of gun metal, containing copper, zinc, and iron, but no tin.

AID Aid, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aided; p. pr. & vb. n. Aiding.] Etym: [F. aider, OF. aidier, fr. L. adjutare to help, freq. of adjuvare to help; ad + juvare to help. Cf. Adjutant.]

Defn: To support, either by furnishing strength or means in coöperation to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist. You speedy helpers . . . Appear and aid me in this enterprise. Shak.

Syn. — To help; assist; support; sustain; succor; relieve; befriend; coöperate; promote. See Help.

AID Aid, n. Etym: [F. aide, OF. aïde, aïe, fr. the verb. See Aid, v. t.]

1. Help; succor; assistance; relief. An unconstitutional mode of obtaining aid. Hallam.

2. The person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; a helper; an assistant. It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself. Tobit viii. 6.

3. (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: A subsidy granted to the king by Parliament; also, an exchequer loan.

4. (Feudal Law)

Defn: A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his lord on special occasions. Blackstone.

5. An aid-de-camp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid. Aid prayer (Law), a proceeding by which a defendant beseeches and claims assistance from some one who has a further or more permanent interest in the matter in suit. — To pray in aid, to beseech and claim such assistance.

AIDANCE Aid"ance, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. aidance.]

Defn: Aid. [R.] Aidance 'gainst the enemy. Shak.

AIDANT Aid"ant, a. Etym: [Cf. F. aidant, p. pr. of aider to help.]

Defn: Helping; helpful; supplying aid. Shak.

AID-DE-CAMP Aid"-de-camp`, n.; pl. Aids-de-camp.. Etym: [F. aide de camp (literally) camp assistant.] (Mil.)

Defn: An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to assist or represent him in correspondence and in directing movements.

AIDER Aid"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, aids.

AIDFUL Aid"ful, a.

Defn: Helpful. [Archaic.] Bp. Hall.

AIDLESS Aid"less, a.

Defn: Helpless; without aid. Milton.

AID-MAJOR Aid"-ma`jor, n.

Defn: The adjutant of a regiment.

AIEL Ai"el, n.

Defn: See Ayle. [Obs.]

AIGLET Aig"let, n.

Defn: Same as Aglet.

AIGRE Ai"gre, a. Etym: [F. See Eager.]

Defn: Sour. [Obs.] Shak.

AIGREMORE Ai"gre*more, n. Etym: [F. origin unknown.]

Defn: Charcoal prepared for making powder.

AIGRET; AIGRETTE Ai"gret, Ai*grette, n. Etym: [F., a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The small white European heron. See Egret.

2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. Prescott.

3. A tuft like that of the egret. (Bot.)

Defn: A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.

AIGUILLE Ai`guille", n. Etym: [F., a needle. See Aglet.]

1. A needle-shaped peak.

2. An instrument for boring holes, used in blasting.

AIGUILLETTE Ai`guil*lette", n. Etym: [F. See Aglet.]

1. A point or tag at the end of a fringe or lace; an aglet.

2. One of the ornamental tags, cords, or loops on some military and naval uniforms.

AIGULET Ai"gu*let, n.

Defn: See Aglet. Spenser.

AIL Ail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ailing.] Etym: [OE. eilen, ailen, AS. eglan to trouble, pain; akin to Goth. us-agljan to distress, agls troublesome, irksome, aglo, aglitha, pain, and prob. to E. awe.

Defn: To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; — used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man I know not what ails him. What aileth thee, Hagar Gen. xxi. 17.

Note: It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him.

AIL Ail, v. i.

Defn: To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble. When he ails ever so little . . . he is so peevish. Richardson.

AIL Ail, n.

Defn: Indisposition or morbid affection. Pope.

AILANTHUS Ai*lan"thus, n.

Defn: Same as Ailantus.

AILANTUS Ai*lan"tus, n. Etym: [From aylanto, i. e., tree of heaven, the name of the tree in the Moluccas.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of beautiful trees, natives of the East Indies. The tree imperfectly di

AILERON Ai"le*ron, n. [F., dim. of aile wing.]

1.

Defn: A half gable, as at the end of a penthouse or of the aisle of a church.

2. (Aëronautics) A small plane or surface capable of being manipulated by the pilot of a flying machine to preserve or destroy lateral balance; a hinged wing tip; a lateral stabilizing or balancing plane.

AILETTE Ai*lette, n. Etym: [F. ailette, dim. of aile wing, L. ala.]

Defn: A small square shield, formerly worn on the shoulders of knights, — being the prototype of the modern epaulet. Fairholt.

AILMENT Ail"ment, n.

Defn: Indisposition; morbid affection of the body; — not applied ordinarily to acute diseases. "Little ailments." Landsdowne.

AILUROIDEA Ai`lu*roid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of the Carnivora, which includes the cats, civets, and hyenas.

AIM Aim, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Aiming.] Etym: [OE. amen, aimen, eimen, to guess at, to estimate, to aim, OF. esmer, asmer, fr. L. aestimare to estimate; or perh. fr. OF. aesmer; ad) + esmer. See Estimate.]

1. To point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target.

2. To direct the indention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor; — followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well. Aim'st thou at princes Pope.

3. To guess or conjecture. [Obs.] Shak.

AIM Aim, v. t.

Defn: To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice).

AIM Aim, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. esme estimation, fr. esmer. See Aim, v. i.]

1. The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it. Each at the head leveled his deadly aim. Milton.

2. The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected. To be the aim of every dangerous shot. Shak.

3. Intention; purpose; design; scheme. How oft ambitious aims are crossed! Pope.

4. Conjecture; guess. [Obs.] What you would work me to, I have some aim. Shak. To cry aim (Archery), to encourage. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. — End; object; scope; drift; design; purpose; intention; scheme; tendency; aspiration.

AIMER Aim"er, n.

Defn: One who aims, directs, or points.

AIMLESS Aim"less, a.

Defn: Without aim or purpose; as, an aimless life. — Aim"less*ly, adv. — Aim"less*ness, n.

AINO Ai"no, n. Etym: [Said to be the native name for man.]

Defn: One of a peculiar race inhabiting Yesso, the Kooril Islands etc., in the northern part of the empire of Japan, by some supposed to have been the progenitors of the Japanese. The Ainos are stout and short, with hairy bodies.

AIN'T Ain't.

Defn: A contraction for are not and am not; also used for is not. [Colloq. or llliterate speech]. See An't.

AIR Air, n. Etym: [OE. air, eir, F. air, L. aër, fr. Gr. wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria atmosphere, air, fr. the same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. aria, or due to confusion with F. aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. A, Debonair, Malaria, Wind.]

1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable.

Note: By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen, 20.96 per cent.; nitrogen, 79.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide, 0.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water.

2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. "Charm ache with air." Shak. He was still all air and fire. Macaulay . [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water.]

3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc.

4. Any aëriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. [Obs.]

5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play. Pope.

6. Odoriferous or contaminated air.

7. That which surrounds and influences. The keen, the wholesome air of poverty. Wordsworth.

8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. You gave it air before me. Dryden.

9. Intelligence; information. [Obs.] Bacon.

10. (Mus.) (a) A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. (b) In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody — in modern harmony usually the upper part — is sometimes called the air.

11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. "His very air." Shak.

12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. It was communicated with the air of a secret. Pope.

12. pl.

Defn: An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs. Thackeray.

14. (Paint.) (a) The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed. New Am. Cyc. (b) Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air. Fairholt.

15. (Man.)

Defn: The artificial motion or carriage of a horse.

Note: Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump. Air balloon. See Balloon. — Air bath. (a) An apparatus for the application of air to the body. (b) An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature. — Air castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. — Air compressor, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power. — Air crossing, a passage for air in a mine. — Air cushion, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air. — Air fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air. — Air furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. — Air line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence Air-line, adj.; as, air-line road. — Air lock (Hydr. Engin.), an intermediate chamber between the outer air and the compressed-air chamber of a pneumatic caisson. Knight. — Air port (Nav.), a scuttle or porthole in a ship to admit air. — Air spring, a spring in which the elasticity of air is utilized. — Air thermometer, a form of thermometer in which the contraction and expansion of air is made to measure changes of temperature. — Air threads, gossamer. — Air trap, a contrivance for shutting off foul air or gas from drains, sewers, etc.; a stench trap. — Air trunk, a pipe or shaft for conducting foul or heated air from a room. — Air valve, a valve to regulate the admission or egress of air; esp. a valve which opens inwardly in a steam boiler and allows air to enter. — Air way, a passage for a current of air; as the air way of an air pump; an air way in a mine. — In the air. (a) Prevalent without traceable origin or authority, as rumors. (b) Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled. (c) (Mil.) Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. — To take air, to be divulged; to be made public. — To take the air, to go abroad; to walk or ride out.

AIR Air, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aired; p. pr. & vb. n. Airing.] Etym: [See Air, n., and cf. A.]

1. To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. It were good wisdom . . . that the jail were aired. Bacon. Were you but riding forth to air yourself. Shak.

2. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion. Airing a snowy hand and signet gem. Tennyson.

3. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors.

AIR BED Air" bed`.

Defn: A sack or matters inflated with air, and used as a bed.

AIR BLADDER Air" blad`der.

1. (Anat.)

Defn: An air sac, sometimes double or variously lobed, in the visceral cavity of many fishes. It originates in the same way as the lungs of air-breathing vertebrates, and in the adult may retain a tubular connection with the pharynx or esophagus.

2. A sac or bladder full of air in an animal or plant; also an air hole in a casting.

AIR BRAKE Air" brake`. (Mach.)

Defn: A railway brake operated by condensed air. Knight.

AIR BRUSH Air brush.

Defn: A kind of atomizer for applying liquid coloring matter in a spray by compressed air.

AIR-BUILT Air"-built`, a.

Defn: Erected in the air; having no solid foundation; chimerical; as, an air-built castle.

AIR CELL Air" cell`.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A cavity in the cellular tissue of plants, containing air only.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A receptacle of air in various parts of the system; as, a cell or minute cavity in the walls of the air tubes of the lungs; the air sac of birds; a dilatation of the air vessels in insects.

AIR CHAMBER Air" cham`ber.

1. A chamber or cavity filled with air, in an animal or plant.

2. A cavity containing air to act as a spring for equalizing the flow of a liquid in a pump or other hydraulic machine.

AIR COCK Air" cock`.

Defn: A faucet to allow escape of air.

AIR COOLING Air cooling.

Defn: In gasoline-engine motor vehicles, the cooling of the cylinder by increasing its radiating surface by means of ribs or radiators, and placing it so that it is exposed to a current of air. Cf. Water cooling. — Air"-cooled`, a.

AIRCRAFT Air"craft`, n. sing. & pl.

Defn: Any device, as a balloon, aëroplane, etc., for floating in, or flying through, the air.

AIR-DRAWN Air"-drawn", a.

Defn: Drawn in air; imaginary. This is the air-drawn dagger. Shak.

AIR DRILL Air" drill`.

Defn: A drill driven by the elastic pressure of condensed air; a pneumatic drill. Knight.

AIR ENGINE Air" engine`.

Defn: An engine driven by heated or by compressed air. Knight.

AIRER Air"er, n.

1. One who exposes to the air.

2. A frame on which clothes are aired or dried.

AIR GAP Air gap. (Physics)

Defn: An air-filled gap in a magnetic or electric circuit; specif., in a dynamo or motor, the space between the field-magnet poles and the armature; clearance.

AIR GAS Air" gas`.

Defn: See under Gas.

AIR GUN Air" gun`.

Defn: A kind of gun in which the elastic force of condensed air is used to discharge the ball. The air is powerfully compressed into a reservoir attached to the gun, by a condensing pump, and is controlled by a valve actuated by the trigger.

AIR HOLE Air" hole`.

1. A hole to admit or discharge air; specifically, a spot in the ice not frozen over.

2. (Founding)

Defn: A fault in a casting, produced by a bubble of air; a blowhole.

AIRILY Air"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In an airy manner; lightly; gaily; jauntily; fippantly.

AIRINESS Air"i*ness, n.

1. The state or quality of being airy; openness or exposure to the air; as, the airiness of a country seat.

2. Lightness of spirits; gayety; levity; as, the airiness of young persons.

AIRING Air"ing, n.

1. A walk or a ride in the open air; a short excursion for health's sake.

2. An exposure to air, or to a fire, for warming, drying, etc.; as, the airing of linen, or of a room.

AIR JACKET Air" jack`et.

Defn: A jacket having air-tight cells, or cavities which can be filled with air, to render persons buoyant in swimming.

AIRLESS Air"less, a.

Defn: Not open to a free current of air; wanting fresh air, or communication with the open air.

AIR LEVEL Air" lev`el.

Defn: Spirit level. See Level.

AIRLIKE Air"like`, a.

Defn: Resembling air.

AIR LINE Air line.

Defn: A path through the air made easy for aërial navigation by steady winds.

AIRLING Air"ling, n.

Defn: A thoughtless, gay person. [Obs.] "Slight airlings." B. Jonson.

AIRMAN Air"man, n.

Defn: A man who ascends or flies in an aircraft; a flying machine pilot.

AIRMANSHIP Air"man*ship, n.

Defn: Art, skill, or ability in the practice of aërial navigation.

AIROL Air"ol, n. (Pharm.)

Defn: A grayish green antiseptic powder, consisting of a basic iodide and gallate of bismuth, sometimes used in place of iodoform. [A Trademark]

AIROMETER Air*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Air + -meter.]

Defn: A hollow cylinder to contain air. It is closed above and open below, and has its open end plunged into water.

AIR PIPE Air" pipe`.

Defn: A pipe for the passage of air; esp. a ventilating pipe.

AIR PLANT Air" plant`. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant deriving its sustenance from the air alone; an aërophyte.

Note: The "Florida moss" (Tillandsia), many tropical orchids, and most mosses and lichens are air plants. Those which are lodged upon trees, but not parasitic on them, are epiphytes.

AIR POISE Air" poise`. Etym: [See Poise.]

Defn: A

AIR PUMP Air" pump`.

1. (Physics)

Defn: A kind of pump for exhausting air from a vessel or closed space; also, a pump to condense air of force in into a closed space.

2. (Steam Engines)

Defn: A pump used to exhaust from a condenser the condensed steam, the water used for condensing, and any commingled air.

AIR SAC Air" sac`. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the spaces in different parts. of the bodies of birds, which are filled with air and connected with the air passages of the lungs; an air cell.

AIR SHAFT Air" shaft`.

Defn: A passage, usually vertical, for admitting fresh air into a mine or a tunnel.

AIRSICK Air`sick`, a.

Defn: Affected with aërial sickness. — Air"sick`ness, n.

AIR-SLACKED Air"-slacked`, a.

Defn: Slacked, or pulverized, by exposure to the air; as, air-slacked lime.

AIR STOVE Air" stove`.

Defn: A stove for heating a current of air which is directed against its surface by means of pipes, and then distributed through a building.

AIR-TIGHT Air"-tight`, a.

Defn: So tight as to be impermeable to air; as, an air-tight cylinder.

AIR-TIGHT Air"-tight`, n.

Defn: A stove the draft of which can be almost entirely shut off. [Colloq. U. S.]

AIR VESSEL Air" ves`sel.

Defn: A vessel, cell, duct, or tube containing or conducting air; as the air vessels of insects, birds, plants, etc.; the air vessel of a pump, engine, etc. For the latter, see Air chamber. The air vessels of insects are called tracheæ, of plants spiral vessels.

AIRWARD; AIRWARDS Air"ward, Air"wards, adv.

Defn: Toward the air; upward. [R.] Keats.

AIRWOMAN Air"wom`an, n.

Defn: A woman who ascends or flies in an aircraft.

AIRY Air"y, a.

1. Consisting of air; as, an airy substance; the airy parts of bodies.

2. Relating or belonging to air; high in air; aërial; as, an airy flight. "The airy region." Milton.

3. Open to a free current of air; exposed to the air; breezy; as, an airy situation.

4. Resembling air; thin; unsubstantial; not material; airlike. "An airy spirit." Shak.

5. Relating to the spirit or soul; delicate; graceful; as, airy music.

6. Without reality; having no solid foundation; empty; trifling; visionary. "Airy fame." Shak. Empty sound, and airy notions. Roscommon.

7. Light of heart; vivacious; sprightly; flippant; superficial. "Merry and airy." Jer. Taylor.

8. Having an affected manner; being in the habit of putting on airs; affectedly grand. [Colloq.]

9. (Paint.)

Defn: Having the light and aërial tints true to nature. Elmes.

AISLE Aisle, n. Etym: [OF. ele, F. aile, wing, wing of a building, L. ala, contr. fr. axilla.] (Arch.) (a) A lateral division of a building, separated from the middle part, called the nave, by a row of columns or piers, which support the roof or an upper wall containing windows, called the clearstory wall. (b) Improperly used also for the have; — as in the phrases, a church with three aisles, the middle aisle. (c) Also (perhaps from confusion with alley), a passage into which the pews of a church open.

AISLED Aisled, a.

Defn: Furnished with an aisle or aisles.

AISLESS Ais"less, a.

Defn: Without an aisle.

AIT Ait, n. Etym: [AS. ieg, ig, island. See Eyot.]

Defn: An islet, or little isle, in a river or lake; an eyot. The ait where the osiers grew. R. Hodges (1649). Among green aits and meadows. Dickens.

AIT Ait, n.

Defn: Oat. [Scot.] Burns.

AITCH Aitch, n.

Defn: The letter h or H.

AITCHBONE Aitch"bone`, n. Etym: [For nachebone. For loss of n, cf. Adder. See Natch.]

Defn: The bone of the rump; also, the cut of beef surrounding this bone. [Spelt also edgebone.]

AITIOLOGY Ai`ti*ol"o*gy, n.

Defn: See Ætiology.

AJAR A*jar", adv. Etym: [OE. on char ajar, on the turn; AS. cerr, cyrr, turn, akin to G. kehren to turn, and to D. akerre. See Char.]

Defn: Slightly turned or opened; as, the door was standing ajar.

AJAR A*jar", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + jar.]

Defn: In a state of discord; out of harmony; as, he is ajar with the world.

AJAVA Aj"a*va, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Ajouan.

AJOG A*jog", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + jog.]

Defn: On the jog.

AJOUAN; AJOWAN Aj"ou*an Aj"ow*an, n. [Written also ajwain.] [Prob. native name.] (Bot.)

Defn: The fruit of Ammi Copticum, syn. Carum Ajowan, used both as a medicine and as a condiment. An oil containing thymol is extracted from it. Called also Javanee seed, Javanese seed, and ajava.

AJUTAGE Aj"u*tage, n. Etym: [F. ajutage, for ajoutage, fr. ajouter to add, LL. adjuxtare, fr. L. ad + juxta near to, nigh. Cf. Adjutage, Adjustage, Adjust.]

Defn: A tube through which is water is discharged; an efflux tube; as, the ajutage of a fountain.

AKE Ake, n. & v.

Defn: See Ache.

AKENE A*kene", n. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Achene.

AKETON Ak"e*ton, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Acton.

AKIMBO A*kim"bo, a. Etym: [Etymology unknown. Cf. Kimbo.]

Defn: With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward. "With one arm akimbo." Irving.

AKIN A*kin", a. Etym: [Pref. a- (for of) + kin.]

1. Of the same kin; related by blood; — used of persons; as, the two families are near akin.

2. Allied by nature; partaking of the same properties; of the same kind. "A joy akin to rapture." Cowper. The literary character of the work is akin to its moral character. Jeffrey.

Note: This adjective is used only after the noun.

AKINESIA Ak`i*ne"si*a, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Paralysis of the motor nerves; loss of movement. Foster.

AKINESIC Ak`i*ne"sic, a. (med.)

Defn: Pertaining to akinesia.

AKNEE A*knee", adv.

Defn: On the knee. [R.] Southey.

AKNOW Ak*now".

Defn: Earlier form of Acknow. [Obs.] To be aknow, to acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.]

AL Al, a.

Defn: All. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AL- Al-. A prefix. (a) Etym: [AS. eal.]

Defn: All; wholly; completely; as, almighty,almost. (b) Etym: [L. ad.]

Defn: To; at; on; — in OF. shortened to a-. See Ad-. (c) The Arabic definite article answering to the English the; as, Alkoran, the Koran or the Book; alchemy, the chemistry.

AL Al. conj.

Defn: Although; if. [Obs.] See All, conj.

ALA A"la, n.; pl. Alæ. Etym: [L., a wing.] (Biol.)

Defn: A winglike organ, or part.

ALABAMA PERIOD Al`a*ba"ma pe"ri*od. (Geol.)

Defn: A period in the American eocene, the lowest in the tertiary age except the lignitic.

ALABASTER Al"a*bas"ter, n. Etym: [L. alabaster, Gr. Alabastron, the name of a town in Egypt, near which it was common: cf. OF. alabastre, F. albâtre.]

1. (Min.) (a) A compact variety or sulphate of lime, or gypsum, of fine texture, and usually white and translucent, but sometimes yellow, red, or gray. It is carved into vases, mantel ornaments, etc. (b) A hard, compact variety of carbonate of lime, somewhat translucent, or of banded shades of color; stalagmite. The name is used in this sense by Pliny. It is sometimes distinguished as oriental alabaster.

2. A box or vessel for holding odoriferous ointments, etc.; — so called from the stone of which it was originally made. Fosbroke.

ALABASTRIAN Al`a*bas"tri*an, a.

Defn: Alabastrine.

ALABASTRINE Al`a*bas"trine, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or like, alabaster; as alabastrine limbs.

ALABASTRUM Al`a*bas"trum, n.; pl. Alabastra. Etym: [NL.] (Bot.)

Defn: A flower bud. Gray.

ALACK A*lack", interj. Etym: [Prob. from ah! lack! OE. lak loss, failure, misfortune. See Lack.]

Defn: An exclamation expressive of sorrow. [Archaic. or Poet.] Shak.

ALACKADAY A*lack"a*day`, interj. Etym: [For alack the day. Cf. Lackaday.]

Defn: An exclamation expressing sorrow.

Note: Shakespeare has "alack the day" and "alack the heavy day." Compare "woe worth the day."

ALACRIFY A*lac"ri*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. alacer, alacris, lively + -fly.]

Defn: To rouse to action; to inspirit.

ALACRIOUS A*lac"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. alacer, alacris.]

Defn: Brisk; joyously active; lively. 'T were well if we were a little more alacrious. Hammond.

ALACRIOUSLY A*lac"ri*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: With alacrity; briskly.

ALACRIOUSNESS A*lac"ri*ous*ness, n.

Defn: Alacrity. [Obs.] Hammond.

ALACRITY A*lac"ri*ty, n. Etym: [L. alacritas, fr. alacer lively, eager, prob. akin to Gr. aljan zeal.]

Defn: A cheerful readiness, willingness, or promptitude; joyous activity; briskness; sprightliness; as, the soldiers advanced with alacrity to meet the enemy. I have not that alacrity of spirit, Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have. Shak.

ALADINIST A*lad"in*ist, n. Etym: [From Aladin, for Ala Eddin, i. e., height of religion, a learned divine under Mohammed II. and Bajazet II.]

Defn: One of a sect of freethinkers among the Mohammedans.

ALALIA A*la"li*a, n. [NL., fr. Gr. priv. + a talking; cf. speechless.] (Med.)

Defn: Inability to utter articulate sounds, due either to paralysis of the larynx or to that form of aphasia, called motor, or ataxis, aphasia, due to loss of control of the muscles of speech.

ALALONGA; ALILONGHI Al`a*lon"ga, or Al`i*lon"ghi, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The tunny. See Albicore.

ALAMIRE A`la*mi"re, n. Etym: [Compounded of a la mi re, names of notes in the musical scale.]

Defn: The lowest note but one in Guido Aretino's scale of music.

ALAMODALITY Al`a*mo*dal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being à la mode; conformity to the mode or fashion; fashionableness. [R.] Southey.

ALAMODE Al"a*mode`, adv. & a. Etym: [F. à la mode after the fashion.]

Defn: According to the fashion or prevailing mode. "Alamode beef shops." Macaulay.

ALAMODE Al"a*mode`, n.

Defn: A thin, black silk for hoods, scarfs, etc.; — often called simply mode. Buchanan.

ALAMORT Al`a*mort", a. Etym: [F. à la mort to the death. Cf. Amort.]

Defn: To the death; mortally.

ALAN A*lan", n. Etym: [OF. alan, alant; cf. Sp. alano.]

Defn: A wolfhound. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ALAND A*land", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + land.]

Defn: On land; to the land; ashore. "Cast aland." Sir P. Sidney.

ALANINE Al"a*nine, n. Etym: [Aldehyde + the ending -ine. The -n- is a euphonic insertion.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline base, C3H7NO2, derived from aldehyde ammonia.

ALANTIN A*lan"tin, n. Etym: [G. alant elecampane, the Inula helenium of Linnæus.] (Chem.)

Defn: See Inulin.

ALAR A"lar, a. Etym: [L. alarius, fr. ala wing: cf. F. alaire.]

1. Pertaining to, or having, wings.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Axillary; in the fork or axil. Gray.

ALARM A*larm", n. Etym: [F. alarme, It. all' arme to arms ! fr. L. arma, pl., arms. See Arms, and cf. Alarum.]

1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. Arming to answer in a night alarm. Shak.

2. Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warming sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger. Sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Joel ii. 1.

3. A sudden attack; disturbance; broil. [R.] "These home alarms." Shak. Thy palace fill with insults and alarms. Pope.

4. Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise. Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. Macaulay.

5. A mechanical contrivance for awaking persons from sleep, or rousing their attention; an alarum. Alarm bell, a bell that gives notice on danger. — Alarm clock or watch, a clock or watch which can be so set as to ring or strike loudly at a prearranged hour, to wake from sleep, or excite attention. — Alarm gauge, a contrivance attached to a steam boiler for showing when the pressure of steam is too high, or the water in the boiler too low. — Alarm post, a place to which troops are to repair in case of an alarm.

Syn. — Fright; affright; terror; trepidation; apprehension; consternation; dismay; agitation; disquiet; disquietude. — Alarm, Fright, Terror, Consternation. These words express different degrees of fear at the approach of danger. Fright is fear suddenly excited, producing confusion of the senses, and hence it is unreflecting. Alarm is the hurried agitation of feeling which springs from a sense of immediate and extreme exposure. Terror is agitating and excessive fear, which usually benumbs the faculties. Consternation is overwhelming fear, and carries a notion of powerlessness and amazement. Alarm agitates the feelings; terror disorders the understanding and affects the will; fright seizes on and confuses the sense; consternation takes possession of the soul, and subdues its faculties. See Apprehension.

ALARM A*larm", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alarmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Alarming.] Etym: [Alarm, n. Cf. F. alarmer.]

1. To call to arms for defense; to give notice to (any one) of approaching danger; to rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.

2. To keep in excitement; to disturb.

3. To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear. Alarmed by rumors of military preparation. Macaulay.

ALARMABLE A*larm"a*ble, a.

Defn: Easily alarmed or disturbed.

ALARMED A*larmed", a.

Defn: Aroused to vigilance; excited by fear of approaching danger; agitated; disturbed; as, an alarmed neighborhood; an alarmed modesty. The white pavilions rose and fell On the alarmed air. Longfellow.

ALARMEDLY A*larm"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In an alarmed manner.

ALARMING A*larm"ing, a.

Defn: Exciting, or calculated to excite, alarm; causing apprehension of danger; as, an alarming crisis or report. — A*larm"ing*ly, adv.

ALARMIST A*larm"ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alarmiste.]

Defn: One prone to sound or excite alarms, especially, needless alarms. Macaulay.

ALARUM A*lar"um, n. Etym: [OE. alarom, the same word as alarm, n.]

Defn: See Alarm. [Now Poetic]

Note: The variant form alarum is now commonly restricted to an alarm signal or the mechanism to sound an alarm (as in an alarm clock.)

ALARY Al"a*ry, a. Etym: [L. alarius, fr. ala wing.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to wings; also, wing-shaped. The alary system of insects. Wollaston.

ALAS A*las", interj. Etym: [OE. alas, allas, OF. alas, F. hélas; a interj. (L. ah.) + las wretched (that I am), L. lassus weary, akin to E. late. See Late.]

Defn: An exclamation expressive of sorrow, pity, or apprehension of evil; — in old writers, sometimes followed by day or white; alas the day, like alack a day, or alas the white.

ALATE A*late", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + late.]

Defn: Lately; of late. [Archaic] There hath been alate such tales spread abroad. Latimer.

ALATE; ALATED A"late, A"la*ted, a. Etym: [L. alatus, from ala wing.]

Defn: Winged; having wings, or side appendages like wings.

ALATERN; ALATERNUS Al"a*tern, Al`a*ter"nus, n. Etym: [L. ala wing + terni three each.] (Bot.)

Defn: An ornamental evergreen shrub (Rhamnus alaternus) belonging to the buckthorns.

ALATION A*la"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. alatus winged.]

Defn: The state of being winged.

ALAUNT A*launt", n.

Defn: See Alan. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ALB Alb, n. Etym: [OE. albe, LL. alba, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Album and Aube.]

Defn: A vestment of white linen, reaching to the feet, an enveloping the person; — in the Roman Catholic church, worn by those in holy orders when officiating at mass. It was formerly worn, at least by clerics, in daily life.

ALBACORE Al"ba*core, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Albicore.

ALBAN Al"ban, n. Etym: [L. albus white.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline resinous substance extracted from gutta- percha by the action of alcohol or ether.

ALBANIAN Al*ba"ni*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Albania, a province of Turkey. — n.

Defn: A native of Albania.

ALBATA Al*ba"ta, n. Etym: [L. albatus, p. p. of albare to make white, fr. albus white.]

Defn: A white metallic alloy; which is made into spoons, forks, teapots, etc. British plate or German silver. See German silver, under German.

ALBATROSS Al"ba*tross, n. Etym: [Corrupt. fr. Pg. alcatraz cormorant, albatross, or Sp. alcatraz a pelican: cf. Pg. alcatruz, Sp. arcaduz, a bucket, fr. Ar. al-qadus the bucket, fr. Gr. ka`dos, a water vessel. So an Arabic term for pelican is water-carrier, as a bird carrying water in its pouch.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A web-footed bird, of the genus Diomedea, of which there are several species. They are the largest of sea birds, capable of long- continued flight, and are often seen at great distances from the land. They are found chiefly in the southern hemisphere.

ALBE; ALBEE Al`be", Al`bee", conj. Etym: [See Albeit.]

Defn: Although; albeit. [Obs.] Albe Clarissa were their chiefest founderess. Spenser.

ALBEDO Al*be"do, n. Etym: [L., fr. albus white.]

Defn: Whiteness. Specifically: (Astron.) The ratio which the light reflected from an unpolished surface bears to the total light falling upon that surface.

ALBEIT Al`be"it, conj. Etym: [OE. al be although it be, where al is our all. Cf. Although.]

Defn: Even though; although; notwithstanding. Chaucer. Albeit so masked, Madam, I love the truth. Tennyson.

ALBERTITE Al"bert*ite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A bituminous mineral resembling asphaltum, found in the county of A.

ALBERT WARE Al"bert ware.

Defn: A soft ornamental terra-cotta pottery, sold in the biscuit state for decorating.

ALBERTYPE Al"ber*type, n. Etym: [From the name of the inventor, Albert, of Munich.]

Defn: A picture printed from a kind of gelatine plate produced by means of a photographic negative.

ALBESCENCE Al*bes"cence, n.

Defn: The act of becoming white; whitishness.

ALBESCENT Al*bes"cent, a. Etym: [L. albescens, p. pr. of albescere to grow white, fr. albus white.]

Defn: Becoming white or whitish; moderately white.

ALBICANT Al"bi*cant, a. Etym: [L. albicans, p. pr. of albicare, albicatum, to be white, fr. albus white.]

Defn: Growing or becoming white.

ALBICATION Al`bi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The process of becoming white, or developing white patches, or streaks.

ALBICORE Al"bi*core, n. Etym: [F. albicore (cf. Sp. albacora, Pg. albacor, albacora, albecora), fr. Ar. bakr, bekr, a young camel, young cow, heifer, and the article al: cf. Pg. bacoro a little pig.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A name applied to several large fishes of the Mackerel family, esp. Orcynus alalonga. One species (Orcynus thynnus), common in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, is called in New England the horse mackerel; the tunny. [Written also albacore.]

ALBIFICATION Al`bi*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. albification: L. albus white + ficare (only in comp.), facere, to make.]

Defn: The act or process of making white. [Obs.]

ALBIGENSES; ALBIGEOIS Al`bi*gen"ses, Al`bi`geois", n. pl. Etym: [From Albi and Albigeois, a town and its district in the south of France, in which the sect abounded.] (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A sect of reformers opposed to the church of Rome in the 12th centuries.

Note: The Albigenses were a branch of the Catharists (the pure). They were exterminated by crusades and the Inquisition. They were distinct from the Waldenses.

ALBIGENSIAN Al`bi*gen"sian, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Albigenses.

ALBINESS Al*bi"ness, n.

Defn: A female albino. Holmes.

ALBINISM Al"bi*nism, n.

Defn: The state or condition of being an albino: abinoism; leucopathy.

ALBINISTIC Al`bi*nis"tic, a.

Defn: Affected with albinism.

ALBINO Al*bi"no, n.; pl. Albinos. Etym: [Sp. or Pg. albino, orig. whitish, fr. albo white, L. albus.]

Defn: A person, whether negro, Indian, or white, in whom by some defect of organization the substance which gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes is deficient or in a morbid state. An albino has a skin of a milky hue, with hair of the same color, and eyes with deep red pupil and pink or blue iris. The term is also used of the lower animals, as white mice, elephants, etc.; and of plants in a whitish condition from the absence of chlorophyll. Amer. Cyc.

Note: The term was originally applied by the Portuguese to negroes met with on the coast of Africa, who were mottled with white spots.

ALBINOISM Al*bi"no*ism, n.

Defn: The state or condition of being an albino; albinism.

ALBINOTIC Al`bi*not"ic, a.

Defn: Affected with albinism.

ALBION Al"bi*on, n. Etym: [Prob. from the same root as Gael. alp a height or hill. "It may have been bestowed on the land lying behind the white cliffs visible from the coast of Gaul. Albany, the old name of Scotland, means probably the "hilly land." I. Taylor.]

Defn: An ancient name of England, still retained in poetry. In that nook-shotten isle of Albion. Shak.

ALBITE Al"bite, n. Etym: [L. albus white.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of the feldspar family, triclinic in crystallization, and in composition a silicate of alumina and soda. It is a common constituent of granite and of various igneous rocks. See Feldspar.

ALBOLITH Al"bo*lith, n. Etym: [L. albus white + -lith.]

Defn: A kind of plastic cement, or artificial stone, consisting chiefly of magnesia and silica; — called also albolite.

ALBORAK Al"bo*rak, n. Etym: [Ar. al-buraq, fr. baraqa to flash, shine.]

Defn: The imaginary milk-white animal on which Mohammed was said to have been carried up to heaven; a white mule.

ALB SUNDAY Alb Sunday. (Eccl.)

Defn: The first Sunday after Easter Sunday, properly Albless Sunday, because in the early church those who had been baptized on Easter eve laid aside on the following Saturday their white albs which had been put on after baptism.

ALBUGINEOUS Al`bu*gin"e*ous, a. Etym: [See Albugo.]

Defn: Of the nature of, or resembling, the white of the eye, or of an egg; albuminous; — a term applied to textures, humors, etc., which are perfectly white.

ALBUGO Al*bu"go, n.; pl. Albugines. Etym: [L., whiteness, fr. albus white.] (Med.)

Defn: Same as Leucoma.

ALBUM Al"bum, n. Etym: [L., neut. of albus white: cf. F. album. Cf. Alb.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A white tablet on which anything was inscribed, as a list of names, etc.

2. A register for visitors' names; a visitors' book.

3. A blank book, in which to insert autographs sketches, memorial writing of friends, photographs, etc.

ALBUMEN Al*bu"men, n. Etym: [L., fr. albus white.]

1. The white of an egg.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Nourishing matter stored up within the integuments of the seed in many plants, but not incorporated in the embryo. It is the floury part in corn, wheat, and like grains, the oily part in poppy seeds, the fleshy part in the cocoanut, etc.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Albumin.

ALBUMENIZE Al*bu"men*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Albumenized; p. pr. & vb. n. Albumenizing.]

Defn: To cover or saturate with albumen; to coat or treat with an albuminous solution; as, to albuminize paper.

ALBUM GRAECUM Al"bum Græ"cum. Etym: [L., Greek white.]

Defn: Dung of dogs or hyenas, which becomes white by exposure to air. It is used in dressing leather, and was formerly used in medicine.

ALBUMIN Al*bu"min, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A thick, viscous nitrogenous substance, which is the chief and characteristic constituent of white of eggs and of the serum of blood, and is found in other animal substances, both fluid and solid, also in many plants. It is soluble in water is coagulated by heat ad by certain chemical reagents. Acid albumin, a modification of albumin produced by the action of dilute acids. It is not coagulated by heat. — Alkali albumin, albumin as modified by the action of alkaline substances; — called also albuminate.

ALBUMINATE Al*bu"mi*nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance produced by the action of an alkali upon albumin, and resembling casein in its properties; also, a compound formed by the union of albumin with another substance.

ALBUMINIFEROUS Al*bu`mi*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. albumen + -ferous.]

Defn: Supplying albumen.

ALBUMINIMETER Al*bu`mi*nim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. albumen, albuminis + -meter: cf. F. albuminimètre.]

Defn: An instrument for ascertaining the quantity of albumen in a liquid.

ALBUMININ Al*bu"mi*nin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The substance of the cells which inclose the white of birds' eggs.

ALBUMINIPAROUS Al*bu`mi*nip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. albumen + parere to bear, bring forth.]

Defn: Producing albumin.

ALBUMINOID Al*bu"mi*noid, a. Etym: [L. albumen + -oid.] (Chem.)

Defn: Resembling albumin. — n.

Defn: One of a class of organic principles (called also proteids) which form the main part of organized tissues. Brunton.

ALBUMINOIDAL Al*bu`mi*noid"al, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of the nature of an albuminoid.

ALBUMINOSE Al*bu"mi*nose`, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A diffusible substance formed from albumin by the action of natural or artificial gastric juice. See Peptone.

ALBUMINOSIS Al*bu`mi*no"sis, n. [NL., fr. E. albumin.] (Med.)

Defn: A morbid condition due to excessive increase of albuminous elements in the blood.

ALBUMINOUS; ALBUMINOSE Al*bu"mi*nous, Al*bu"mi*nose`, a. Etym: [Cf. F. albumineux.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, albumen; having the properties of, or resembling, albumen or albumin. — Al*bu"mi*nous*ness, n.

ALBUMINURIA Al*bu`mi*nu"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. albumen + Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A morbid condition in which albumin is present in the urine.

ALBUMOSE Al"bu*mose`, n. Etym: [From albumin.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound or class of compounds formed from albumin by dilute acids or by an acid solution of pepsin. Used also in combination, as antialbumose, hemialbumose.

ALBURN Al"burn, n. Etym: [L. alburnus, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Auburn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bleak, a small European fish having scales of a peculiarly silvery color which are used in making artificial pearls.

ALBURNOUS Al*bur"nous, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to alburnum; of the alburnum; as, alburnous substances.

ALBURNUM Al*bur"num, n. Etym: [L., fr. albus white.] (Bot.)

Defn: The white and softer part of wood, between the inner bark and the hard wood or duramen; sapwood.

ALBYN Al"byn, n. Etym: [See Albion.]

Defn: Scotland; esp. the Highlands of Scotland. T. Cambell.

ALCADE Al*cade", n.

Defn: Same as Alcaid.

ALCAHEST Al"ca*hest, n.

Defn: Same as Alkahest.

ALCAIC Al*ca"ic, a. Etym: [L. Alcaïcus, Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to Alcæus, a lyric poet of Mitylene, about 6000 b. c. — n. A kind of verse, so called from Alcæus. One variety consists of five feet, a spondee or iambic, an iambic, a long syllable, and two dactyls.

ALCAID; ALCAYDE Al*caid", Al*cayde", n. Etym: [Sp. alcaide, fr. Ar. al-qa\'c6d governor, fr. qada to lead, govern.]

1. A commander of a castle or fortress among the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Moors.

2. The warden, or keeper of a jail.

ALCALDE Al*cal"de, n. Etym: [Sp. alcalde, fr. Ar. al-qadi judge, fr. qada to decide, judge. Hence, the cadi of the Turks. Cf. Cadi.]

Defn: A magistrate or judge in Spain and in Spanish America, etc. Prescott.

Note: Sometimes confounded with Alcaid.

ALCALDIA Al`cal*di"a, n. [Sp. Alcaldía.]

Defn: The jurisdiction or office of an alcalde; also, the building or chamber in which he conducts the business of his office.

ALCALIMETER Al`ca*lim"e*ter, n.

Defn: See Alkalimeter.

ALCANNA Al*can"na, n. Etym: [Sp. alcana, alhe, fr. Ar. al-hinna. See Henna, and cf. Alkanet.] (Bot.)

Defn: An oriental shrub (Lawsonia inermis) from which henna is obtained.

ALCARRAZA Al`car*ra"za, n.; pl. Alcarrazas. Etym: [Sp., from Ar. al-kurraz earthen vessel.]

Defn: A vessel of porous earthenware, used for cooling liquids by evaporation from the exterior surface.

ALCAYDE Al*cayde", n.

Defn: Same as Alcaid.

ALCAZAR Al*ca"zar, n. Etym: [ fr. Ar. al the + qacr (in pl.) a castle.]

Defn: A fortress; also, a royal palace. Prescott.

ALCEDO Al*ce"do, n. Etym: [L., equiv. to Gr. Halcyon.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of perching birds, including the European kingfisher (Alcedo ispida). See Halcyon.

ALCHEMIC; ALCHEMICAL Al*chem"ic, Al*chem"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alchimique.]

Defn: Of or relating to alchemy.

ALCHEMICALLY Al*chem"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of alchemy.

ALCHEMIST Al"che*mist, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. alquemiste, F. alchimiste.]

Defn: One who practices alchemy. You are alchemist; make gold. Shak.

ALCHEMISTIC; ALCHEMISTICAL Al`che*mis"tic, Al`che*mis"tic*al, a.

Defn: Relating to or practicing alchemy. Metaphysical and alchemistical legislators. Burke.

ALCHEMISTRY Al"che*mis*try, n.

Defn: Alchemy. [Obs.]

ALCHEMIZE Al"che*mize, v. t.

Defn: To change by alchemy; to transmute. Lovelace.

ALCHEMY Al"che*my, n. Etym: [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar. al- kimia, fr. late Gr. alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. fundere to pour, Goth. guitan, AS. geótan, to pour, and so to E. fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry.]

1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.

2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.] Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. Milton.

3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious. Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy. Shak.

ALCHYMIC; ALCHYMIST; ALCHYMISTIC; ALCHYMY Al*chym"ic, a., Al"chy*mist, n., Al`chy*mis"tic, a., Al"chy*my, n.

Defn: See Alchemic, Alchemist, Alchemistic, Alchemy.

ALCO Al"co, n.

Defn: A small South American dog, domesticated by the aborigines.

ALCOATE; ALCOHATE Al"co*ate, Al"co*hate, n.

Defn: Shortened forms of Alcoholate.

ALCOHOL Al"co*hol, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcool, formerly written alcohol, Sp. alcohol alcohol, antimony, galena, OSp. alcofol; all fr. Ar. al-kohl a powder of antimony or galena, to paint the eyebrows with. The name was afterwards applied, on account of the fineness of this powder, to highly rectified spirits, a signification unknown in Arabia. The Sp. word has bot meanings. Cf. Alquifou.]

1. An impalpable powder. [Obs.]

2. The fluid essence or pure spirit obtained by distillation. [Obs.] Boyle.

3. Pure spirit of wine; pure or highly rectified spirit (called also ethyl alcohol); the spirituous or intoxicating element of fermented or distilled liquors, or more loosely a liquid containing it in considerable quantity. It is extracted by simple distillation from various vegetable juices and infusions of a saccharine nature, which have undergone vinous fermentation.

Note: As used in the U. S. "Pharmacopoeia, alcohol contains 91 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 9 per cent of water; and diluted alcohol (proof spirit) contains 45.5 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 54.5 per cent of water.

4. (Organic Chem.)

Defn: A class of compounds analogous to vinic alcohol in constitution. Chemically speaking, they are hydroxides of certain organic radicals; as, the radical ethyl forms common or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH); methyl forms methyl alcohol (CH3.OH) or wood spirit; amyl forms amyl alcohol (C5H11.OH) or fusel oil, etc.