A A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages). (continued 7)
Reading edition
ALCOHOLATE Al"co*hol*ate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcolaie.] (Chem.)
Defn: A crystallizable compound of a salt with alcohol, in which the latter plays a part analogous to that of water of crystallization. Graham.
ALCOHOLATURE Al`co*hol"a*ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcoolature.] (Med.)
Defn: An alcoholic tincture prepared with fresh plants. New Eng. Dict.
ALCOHOLIC Al`co*hol"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alcolique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to alcohol, or partaking of its qualities; derived from, or caused by, alcohol; containing alcohol; as, alcoholic mixtures; alcoholic gastritis; alcoholic odor.
ALCOHOLIC Al`co*hol"ic, n.
1. A person given to the use of alcoholic liquors.
2. pl.
Defn: Alcoholic liquors.
ALCOHOLISM Al"co*hol*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcoolisme.] (Med.)
Defn: A diseased condition of the system, brought about by the continued use of alcoholic liquors.
ALCOHOLIZATION Al`co*hol`i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcoolisation.]
1. The act of reducing a substance to a fine or impalpable powder. [Obs.] Johnson.
2. The act rectifying spirit.
3. Saturation with alcohol; putting the animal system under the influence of alcoholic liquor.
ALCOHOLIZE Al"co*hol*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alcoholized; p. pr. & vb. n. Alcoholizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. alcooliser.]
1. To reduce to a fine powder. [Obs.] Johnson.
2. To convert into alcohol; to rectify; also, to saturate with alcohol.
ALCOHOLOMETER; ALCOHOLMETER Al`co*hol*om"e*ter, Al`co*hol"me*ter, n. Etym: [Alcohol + -meter.] (Chem.)
Defn: An instrument for determining the strength of spirits, with a scale graduated so as to indicate the percentage of pure alcohol, either by weight or volume. It is usually a form of hydrometer with a special scale.
ALCOHOLOMETRIC; ALCOHOLOMETRICAL; ALCOHOLMETRICAL Al`co*hol`o*met"ric, Al`co*hol`o*met"ric*al, Al`co*hol*met"ric*al, a.
Defn: Relating to the alcoholometer or alcoholometry. The alcoholometrical strength of spirituous liquors. Ure.
ALCOHOLOMETRY Al`co*hol"om"e*try, n.
Defn: The process or method of ascertaining the proportion of pure alcohol which spirituous liquors contain.
ALCOHOMETER; ALCOHOMETRIC Al`co*hom"e*ter, n., Al`co*ho*met"ric, a.
Defn: Same as Alcoholometer, Alcoholometric.
ALCOOMETRY; ALCOOEMETRY Al`co*öm"e*try, n.
Defn: See Alcoholometry.
Note: The chemists say alcomètre, alcoomètrie, doubtless by the suppression of a syllable in order to avoid a disagreeable sequence of sounds. (Cf. Idolatry.) Littré.
ALCORAN Al"co*ran, n. Etym: [alcoran, fr. Ar. al-qoran, orig. the reading, the book, fr. qaraa to read. Cf. Koran.]
Defn: The Mohammedan Scriptures; the Koran (now the usual form). [Spelt also Alcoran.]
ALCORANIC Al`co*ran"ic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Koran.
ALCORANIST Al`co*ran"ist, n.
Defn: One who adheres to the letter of the Koran, rejecting all traditions.
ALCORNOQUE Al`cor*no"que, n. [Sp., cork tree.]
Defn: The bark of several trees, esp. of Bowdichia virgilioides of Brazil, used as a remedy for consumption; of Byrsonima crassifolia, used in tanning; of Alchornea latifolia, used medicinally; or of Quercus ilex, the cork tree.
ALCOVE Al"cove, n. Etym: [F. alcôve, Sp. or Pg. alcoba, from Ar. al-quobbah arch, vault, tent.]
1. (Arch.)
Defn: A recessed portion of a room, or a small room opening into a larger one; especially, a recess to contain a bed; a lateral recess in a library.
2. A small ornamental building with seats, or an arched seat, in a pleasure ground; a garden bower. Cowper.
3. Any natural recess analogous to an alcove or recess in an apartment. The youthful wanderers found a wild alcove. Falconer.
ALCYON Al"cy*on, n.
Defn: See Halcyon.
ALCYONACEA Al`cy*o*na"ce*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A group of soft-bodied Alcyonaria, of which Alcyonium is the type. See Illust. under Alcyonaria.
ALCYONARIA Al`cy*o*na"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the orders of Anthozoa. It includes the Alcyonacea, Pennatulacea, and Gorgonacea.
ALCYONES Al*cy"o*nes, n. pl. Etym: [L., pl. of Alcyon.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The kingfishers.
ALCYONIC Al`cy*on"ic, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Alcyonaria.
ALCYONIUM Al`cy*o"ni*um, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of fleshy Alcyonaria, its polyps somewhat resembling flowers with eight fringed rays. The term was also formerly used for certain species of sponges.
ALCYONOID Al"cy*o*noid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Like or pertaining to the Alcyonaria. — n.
Defn: A zoöphyte of the order Alcyonaria.
ALDAY Al"day, adv.
Defn: Continually. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALDEBARAN Al*deb"a*ran, n. Etym: [Ar. al-debaran, fr. dabar to follow; so called because this star follows upon the Pleiades.] (Astron.)
Defn: A red star of the first magnitude, situated in the eye of Taurus; the Bull's Eye. It is the bright star in the group called the Hyades. Now when Aldebaran was mounted high Above the shiny Cassiopeia's chair. Spenser.
ALDEHYDE Al"de*hyde, n. Etym: [Abbrev. fr. alcohol dehydrogenatum, alcohol deprived of its hydrogen.] (Chem.)
Defn: A colorless, mobile, and very volatile liquid obtained from alcohol by certain of oxidation.
Note: The aldehydes are intermediate between the alcohols and acids, and differ from the alcohols in having two less hydrogen atoms in the molecule, as common aldehyde (called also acetic aldehyde or ethyl aldehyde), C2H4O; methyl aldehyde, CH2O. Aldehyde ammonia (Chem.), a compound formed by the union of aldehyde with ammonia.
ALDEHYDIC Al`de*hy"dic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to aldehyde; as, aldehydic acid. Miller.
ALDER Al"der, n. Etym: [OE. aldir, aller, fr. AS. alr, aler, alor, akin to D. els, G. erle, Icel. erlir, erli, Swed. al, Dan. elle, el, L. alnus, and E. elm.] (Bot.)
Defn: A tree, usually growing in moist land, and belonging to the genus Alnus. The wood is used by turners, etc.; the bark by dyers and tanners. In the U. S. the species of alder are usually shrubs or small trees. Black alder. (a) A European shrub (Rhamnus frangula); Alder buckthorn. (b) An American species of holly (Ilex verticillata), bearing red berries.
ALDER; ALLER Al"der, Al"ler, a. Etym: [From ealra, alra, gen. pl. of AS. eal. The d is excrescent.]
Defn: Of all; — used in composition; as, alderbest, best of all, alderwisest, wisest of all. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALDER FLY Al"der fly.
1. Any of numerous neuropterous insects of the genus Sialis or allied genera. They have aquatic larvæ, which are used for bait.
2. (Angling) An artificial fly with brown mottled wings, body of peacock harl, and black legs.
ALDER-LIEFEST Al`der-lief"est, a. Etym: [For allerliefest dearest of all. See Lief.]
Defn: Most beloved. [Obs.] Shak.
ALDERMAN Al"der*man, n.; pl. Aldplwmen. Etym: [AS. aldormon, ealdorman; ealdor an elder + man. See Elder, n.]
1. A senior or superior; a person of rank or dignity. [Obs.]
Note: The title was applied, among the Anglo-Saxons, to princes, dukes, earls, senators, and presiding magistrates; also to archbishops and bishops, implying superior wisdom or authority. Thus Ethelstan, duke of the East-Anglians, was called Alderman of all England; and there were aldermen of cities, counties, and castles, who had jurisdiction within their respective districts.
3. One of a board or body of municipal officers next in order to the mayor and having a legislative function. They may, in some cases, individually exercise some magisterial and administrative functions.
ALDERMANCY Al"der*man*cy, n.
Defn: The office of an alderman.
ALDERMANIC Al"der*man"ic, a.
Defn: Relating to, becoming to, or like, an alderman; characteristic of an alderman.
ALDERMANITY Al`der*man"i*ty, n.
1. Aldermen collectively; the body of aldermen.
2. The state of being an alderman. [Jocular]
ALDERMANLIKE Al`der*man*like`, a.
Defn: Like or suited to an alderman.
ALDERMANLY Al"der*man*ly, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or like, an alderman.
ALDERMANLY Al"der*man*ly, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or like, an alderman. "An aldermanly discretion." Swift.
ALDERMANRY Al"der*man*ry, n.
1. The district or ward of an alderman.
2. The office or rank of an alderman. [R.] B. Jonson.
ALDERMANSHIP Al"der*man*ship, n.
Defn: The condition, position, or office of an alderman. Fabyan.
ALDERN Al"dern, a.
Defn: Made of alder.
ALDERNEY Al"der*ney, n.
Defn: One of a breed of cattle raised in Alderney, one of the Channel Islands. Alderneys are of a dun or tawny color and are often called Jersey cattle. See Jersey, 3.
ALDINE Al"dine, a. (Bibliog.)
Defn: An epithet applied to editions (chiefly of the classics) which proceeded from the press of Aldus Manitius, and his family, of Venice, for the most part in the 16th century and known by the sign of the anchor and the dolphin. The term has also been applied to certain elegant editions of English works.
ALDOL Al"dol, n. [Aldehyde + -ol as in alcohol.] (Chem.)
Defn: A colorless liquid, C4H8O2, obtained by condensation of two molecules of acetaldehyde: CH3CHO + CH3CHO = H3CH(OH)CH2CO; also, any of various derivatives of this. The same reaction has been applied, under the name of aldol condensation, to the production of many compounds.
ALE Ale, n. Etym: [AS. ealu, akin to Icel., Sw., and Dan. öl, Lith. alus a kind of beer, OSlav. ol beer. Cf. Ir. ol drink, drinking.]
1. An intoxicating liquor made from an infusion of malt by fermentation and the addition of a bitter, usually hops.
Note: The word ale, in England and the United States, usually designates a heavier kind of fermented liquor, and the word beer a lighter kind. The word beer is also in common use as the generic name for all malt liquors.
2. A festival in English country places, so called from the liquor drunk. "At wakes and ales." B. Jonson."On ember eves and holy ales." Shak.
ALEAK A*leak", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + leak.]
Defn: In a leaking condition.
ALEATORY A"le*a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. aleatorius, fr. alea chance, die.] (Law)
Defn: Depending on some uncertain contingency; as, an aleatory contract. Bouvier.
ALEBENCH Ale"bench`, n.
Defn: A bench in or before an alehouse. Bunyan.
ALEBERRY Ale"ber`ry, n. Etym: [OE. alebery, alebrey; ale + bre broth, fr. AS. briw pottage.]
Defn: A beverage, formerly made by boiling ale with spice, sugar, and sops of bread. Their aleberries, caudles, possets. Beau. & Fl.
ALECITHAL A*lec"i*thal, a. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)
Defn: Applied to those ova which segment uniformly, and which have little or no food yelk embedded in their protoplasm. Balfour.
ALECONNER Ale"con`ner, n. Etym: [/Ale + con, OE. cunnen to test, AS. cunnian to test. See Con.]
Defn: Orig., an officer appointed to look to the goodness of ale and beer; also, one of the officers chosen by the liverymen of London to inspect the measures used in public houses. But the office is a sinecure. [Also called aletaster.] [Eng.]
ALECOST Ale"cost`, n. Etym: [Ale + L. costus an aromatic plant: cf. Costmary.] (Bot.)
Defn: The plant costmary, which was formerly much used for flavoring ale.
ALECTORIDES Al`ec*tor"i*des, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A group of birds including the common fowl and the pheasants.
ALECTOROMACHY A*lec`to*rom"a*chy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Cockfighting.
ALECTOROMANCY A*lec"to*ro*man`cy, n.
Defn: See Alectryomancy.
ALECTRYOMACHY A*lec`try*oma*chy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Cockfighting.
ALECTRYOMANCY A*lec"try*o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]
Defn: Divination by means of a cock and grains of corn placed on the letters of the alphabet, the letters being put together in the order in which the grains were eaten. Amer. Cyc.
ALEE A*lee", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + lee.] (Naut.)
Defn: On or toward the lee, or the side away from the wind; the opposite of aweather. The helm of a ship is alee when pressed close to the lee side. Hard alee, or Luff alee, an order to put the helm to the lee side.
ALEGAR Al"e*gar, n. Etym: [Ale + eager sour, F. aigre. Cf. Vinegar.]
Defn: Sour ale; vinegar made of ale. Cecil.
ALEGER Al"e*ger, a. Etym: [F. allègre, earlier alègre, fr. L. alacer.]
Defn: Gay; cheerful; sprightly. [Obs.] Bacon.
ALEGGE A*legge", v. t. Etym: [OE. aleggen, alegen, OF. alegier, F. alléger, fr. LL. alleviare, for L. allevare to lighten; ad + levis light. Cf. Alleviate, Allay, Allege.]
Defn: To allay or alleviate; to lighten. [Obs.] That shall alegge this bitter blast. Spenser.
ALEHOOF Ale"hoof`, n. Etym: [AS. h ground ivy; the first part is perh. a corruption: cf. OE. heyhowe hedgehove,
ground ivy, "in old MSS. heyhowe, heyoue, haihoue, halehoue." [Prior].
Defn: Ground ivy (Nepeta Glechoma).
ALEHOUSE Ale"house`, n.
Defn: A house where ale is retailed; hence, a tippling house. Macaulay.
ALE-KNIGHT Ale"-knight`, n.
Defn: A pot companion. [Obs.]
ALEM Al"em, n. [Turk. 'alem, fr. Ar. 'alam.] (Mil.)
Defn: The imperial standard of the Turkish Empire.
ALEMANNIC Al`e*man"nic, a.
Defn: Belonging to the Alemanni, a confederacy of warlike German tribes.
ALEMANNIC Al`e*man"nic, n.
Defn: The language of the Alemanni. The Swabian dialect . . . is known as the Alemannic. Amer. Cyc.
ALEMBIC A*lem"bic, n. Etym: [F. alambic (cf. Sp. alambique), Ar. al-anbiq, fr. Gr. alembic proper. Cf. Limbec.]
Defn: An apparatus formerly used in distillation, usually made of glass or metal. It has mostly given place to the retort and worm still. Used also metaphorically. The alembic of a great poet's imagination. Brimley.
ALEMBROTH A*lem"broth, n. Etym: [Origin uncertain.]
Defn: The salt of wisdom of the alchemists, a double salt composed of the chlorides of ammonium and mercury. It was formerly used as a stimulant. Brande & C.
ALENCON LACE A`len`con" lace".
Defn: See under Lace.
ALENGTH A*length", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + length.]
Defn: At full length; lenghtwise. Chaucer.
ALEPIDOTE A*lep"i*dote, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Not having scales. — n.
Defn: A fish without scales.
ALEPOLE Ale"pole`, n.
Defn: A pole set up as the sign of an alehouse. [Obs.]
ALEPPO BOIL; ALEPPO BUTTON; ALEPPO EVIL A*lep"po boil, button, or evil. (Med.)
Defn: A chronic skin affection terminating in an ulcer, most commonly of the face. It is endemic along the Mediterranean, and is probably due to a specific bacillus. Called also Aleppo ulcer, Biskara boil, Delhi boil, Oriental sore, etc.
ALEPPO GRASS Aleppo grass. (Bot.)
Defn: One of the cultivated forms of Andropogon Halepensis (syn. Sorghum Halepense). See Andropogon, below.
ALERT A*lert", a. Etym: [F. alerte, earlier à l'erte on the watch, fr. It. all' erta on the watch, prop. (standing) on a height, where one can look around; erta a declivity, steep, erto steep, p. p. of ergere, erigere, to erect, raise, L. erigere. See Erect.]
1. Watchful; vigilant; active in vigilance.
2. Brisk; nimble; moving with celerity. An alert young fellow. Addison.
Syn. — Active; agile; lively; quick; prompt.
ALERT A*lert", n. (Mil.)
Defn: An alarm from a real or threatened attack; a sudden attack; also, a bugle sound to give warning. "We have had an alert." Farrow. On the alert, on the lookout or watch against attack or danger; ready to act.
ALERTLY A*lert"ly, adv.
Defn: In an alert manner; nimbly.
ALERTNESS A*lert"ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being alert or on the alert; briskness; nimbleness; activity.
ALE SILVER Ale" sil`ver.
Defn: A duty payable to the lord mayor of London by the sellers of ale within the city.
ALESTAKE Ale"stake, n.
Defn: A stake or pole projecting from, or set up before, an alehouse, as a sign; an alepole. At the end was commonly suspended a garland, a bunch of leaves, or a "bush." [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALETASTER Ale"tast`er, n.
Defn: See Aleconner. [Eng.]
ALETHIOLOGY A*le`thi*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]
Defn: The science which treats of the nature of truth and evidence. Sir W. Hamilton.
ALETHOSCOPE A*leth"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: An instrument for viewing pictures by means of a lens, so as to present them in their natural proportions and relations.
ALEUROMANCY A*leu"ro*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy: cf. F. aleuromancie.]
Defn: Divination by means of flour. Encyc. Brit.
ALEUROMETER Al`eu*rom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]
Defn: An instrument for determining the expansive properties, or quality, of gluten in flour. Knight.
ALEURONAT A*leu"ro*nat, n. [See Aleurone.]
Defn: Flour made of aleurone, used as a substitute for ordinary flour in preparing bread for diabetic persons.
ALEURONE A*leu"rone, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: An albuminoid substance which occurs in minute grains ("protein granules") in maturing seeds and tubers; — supposed to be a modification of protoplasm.
ALEURONIC Al`eu*ron"ic, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Having the nature of aleurone. D. C. Eaton.
ALEUTIAN; ALEUTIC A*leu"tian, A*leu"tic, a. Etym: [Said to be from the Russ. aleut a bold rock.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a chain of islands between Alaska and Kamtchatka; also, designating these islands.
ALEVIN Al"e*vin, n. Etym: [F. alevin, OF. alever to rear, fr. L. ad + levare to raise.]
Defn: Young fish; fry.
ALEW A*lew", n.
Defn: Halloo. [Obs.] Spenser.
ALEWIFE Ale"wife`, n.; pl. Alewives.
Defn: A woman who keeps an alehouse. Gay.
ALEWIFE Ale"wife`, n.; pl. Alewives. Etym: [This word is properly aloof, the Indian name of a fish. See Winthrop on the culture of maize in America, "Phil Trans." No. 142, p. 1065, and Baddam's "Memoirs," vol. ii. p. 131.]Etym: (Zoöl.)
Defn: A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring. The name is locally applied to other related species.
ALEXANDERS; ALISANDERS Al`ex*an"ders, Al`i*san"ders, n. Etym: [OE. alisaundre, OF. alissandere, fr. Alexander or Alexandria.] (Bot)
Defn: A name given to two species of the genus Smyrnium, formerly cultivated and used as celery now is; — called also horse parsely.
ALEXANDRIAN Al`ex*an"dri*an, a.
1. Of or pertaining to Alexandria in Egypt; as, the Alexandrian library.
2. Applied to a kind of heroic verse. See Alexandrine, n.
ALEXANDRINE Al`ex*an"drine, a.
Defn: Belonging to Alexandria; Alexandrian. Bancroft.
ALEXANDRINE Al`ex*an"drine, n. Etym: [F. alexandrin.]
Defn: A kind of verse consisting in English of twelve syllables. The needless Alexandrine ends the song, That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. Pope.
ALEXIA A*lex"i*a, n. [NL.; a- not + Gr. speech, fr. to speak, confused with L. legere to read.] (Med.) (a) As used by some, inability to read aloud, due to brain disease. (b) More commonly, inability, due to brain disease, to understand written or printed symbols although they can be seen, as in case of word blindness.
ALEXIPHARMAC; ALEXIPHARMACAL A*lex`i*phar"mac, A*lex`i*phar"ma*cal, a. & n. Etym: [See Alexipharmic.]
Defn: Alexipharmic. [Obs.]
ALEXIPHARMIC A*lex`i*phar"mic, n. (Med.)
Defn: An antidote against poison or infection; a counterpoison.
ALEXIPHARMIC; ALEXIPHARMICAL A*lex`i*phar"mic, A*lex`i*phar"mic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. alexipharmaque.] (Med.)
Defn: Expelling or counteracting poison; antidotal.
ALEXIPYRETIC A*lex`i*py*ret"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Serving to drive off fever; antifebrile. — n.
Defn: A febrifuge.
ALEXITERIC A*lex`i*ter"ic, n. Etym: [Gr. alexitère, LL. alexiterium.] (Med.)
Defn: A preservative against contagious and infectious diseases, and the effects of poison in general. Brande & C.
ALEXITERIC; ALEXITERICAL A*lex`i*ter"ic, A*lex`i*ter"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. alexitère.] (med.)
Defn: Resisting poison; obviating the effects of venom; alexipharmic.
ALFA ; ALFA GRASS Al"fa or Al"fa grass", n.
Defn: A plant (Macrochloa tenacissima) of North Africa; also, its fiber, used in paper making.
ALFALFA Al*fal"fa, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Bot.)
Defn: The lucern (Medicago sativa); — so called in California, Texas, etc.
ALFENIDE Al"fe*nide, n. (Metal.)
Defn: An alloy of nickel and silver electroplated with silver.
ALFERES Al*fe"res, n. Etym: [Sp., fr. Ar. al-fars knight.]
Defn: An ensign; a standard bearer. [Obs.] J. Fletcher.
ALFET Al"fet, n. Etym: [LL. alfetum, fr. AS. alfæt a pot to boil in; al burning + fæt vat.]
Defn: A caldron of boiling water into which an accused person plunged his forearm as a test of innocence or guilt.
ALFILARIA Al*fil`a*ri"a, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The pin grass (Erodium cicutarium), a weed in California.
ALFILERIA; ALFILERILLA Al*fil`e*ri"a, Al*fil`e*ril"la, n. [Mex. Sp., fr. Sp. alfiler pin.]
Defn: Same as Alfilaria.
ALFIONE Al`fi*o"ne, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: An edible marine fish of California (Rhacochilus toxotes).
ALFORJA Al*for"ja, n. [Also alfarga, alforge.] [Sp.]
Defn: A saddlebag. [Sp. Amer.]
ALFRESCO Al*fres"co, adv. & a. Etym: [It. al fresco in or on the fresh.]
Defn: In the open-air. Smollett.
ALGA Al"ga, n.; pl. Algæ. Etym: [L., seaweed.] (Bot.)
Defn: A kind of seaweed; pl. the class of cellular cryptogamic plants which includes the black, red, and green seaweeds, as kelp, dulse, sea lettuce, also marine and fresh water confervæ, etc.
ALGAL Al"gal, a., (Bot.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or like, algæ.
ALGAROBA Al`ga*ro"ba, n. Etym: [Sp. algarroba, fr. Ar. al-kharr. Cf. Carob.] (Bot.) (a) The Carob, a leguminous tree of the Mediterranean region; also, its edible beans or pods, called St. John's bread. (b) The Honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), a small tree found from California to Buenos Ayres; also, its sweet, pulpy pods. A valuable gum, resembling gum arabic, is collected from the tree in Texas and Mexico.
ALGAROT; ALGAROTH Al"ga*rot, Al"ga*roth, n. Etym: [F. algaroth, fr. the name of the inventor, Algarotti.] (Med.)
Defn: A term used for the Powder of Algaroth, a white powder which is a compound of trichloride and trioxide of antimony. It was formerly used in medicine as an emetic, purgative, and diaphoretic.
ALGAROVILLA Al`ga*ro*vil"la, n.
Defn: The agglutinated seeds and husks of the legumes of a South American tree (Inga Marthæ). It is valuable for tanning leather, and as a dye.
ALGATE; ALGATES Al"gate, Al"gates, adv. Etym: [All + gate way. The s is an adverbial ending. See Gate.]
1. Always; wholly; everywhere. [Obs.] Ulna now he algates must forego. Spenser.
Note: Still used in the north of England in the sense of "everywhere."
2. By any or means; at all events. [Obs.] Fairfax.
3. Notwithstanding; yet. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALGAZEL Al"ga*zel`, n. Etym: [Ar. al the + ghazal.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The true gazelle.
ALGEBRA Al"ge*bra, n. Etym: [LL. algebra, fr. Ar. al-jebr reduction of parts to a whole, or fractions to whole numbers, fr. jabara to bind together, consolidate; al-jebr w'almuqabalah reduction and comparison (by equations): cf. F. algèbre, It. & Sp. algebra.]
1. (Math.)
Defn: That branch of mathematics which treats of the relations and properties of quantity by means of letters and other symbols. It is applicable to those relations that are true of every kind of magnitude.
2. A treatise on this science.
ALGEBRAIC; ALGEBRAICAL Al`ge*bra"ic, Al`ge*bra"ic*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to algebra; containing an operation of algebra, or deduced from such operation; as, algebraic characters; algebraical writings. Algebraic curve, a curve such that the equation which expresses the relation between the coördinates of its points involves only the ordinary operations of algebra; — opposed to a transcendental curve.
ALGEBRAICALLY Al`ge*bra"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: By algebraic process.
ALGEBRAIST Al"ge*bra`ist, n.
Defn: One versed in algebra.
ALGEBRAIZE Al"ge*bra*ize, v. t.
Defn: To perform by algebra; to reduce to algebraic form.
ALGERIAN Al*ge"ri*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Algeria. — n.
Defn: A native of Algeria.
ALGERINE Al`ge*rine", a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Algiers or Algeria.
ALGERINE Al`ge*rine", n.
Defn: A native or one of the people of Algiers or Algeria. Also, a pirate.
ALGID Al"gid, a. Etym: [L. algidus cold, fr. algere to be cold: cf. F. algide.]
Defn: Cold; chilly. Bailey. Algid cholera (Med.), Asiatic cholera.
ALGIDITY Al*gid"i*ty, n.
Defn: Chilliness; coldness; especially (Med.),
Defn: coldness and collapse.
ALGIDNESS Al"gid*ness, n.
Defn: Algidity. [Obs.]
ALGIFIC Al*gif"ic, a. Etym: [L. algificus, fr. algus cold + facere to make.]
Defn: Producing cold.
ALGIN Al"gin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A nitrogenous substance resembling gelatin, obtained from certain algæ.
ALGOID Al"goid, a. Etym: [L. alga + -oid.]
Defn: Of the nature of, or resembling, an alga.
ALGOL Al"gol, n. Etym: [Ar. al-gh destruction, calamity, fr. ghala to take suddenly, destroy.] (Astron.)
Defn: A fixed star, in Medusa's head, in the constellation Perseus, remarkable for its periodic variation in brightness.
ALGOLOGICAL Al`go*log"ic*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to algology; as, algological specimens.
ALGOLOGIST Al*gol"o*gist, n.
Defn: One learned about algæ; a student of algology.
ALGOLOGY Al*gol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. alga seaweed + -logy.] (Bot.)
Defn: The study or science of algæ or seaweeds.
ALGOMETER Al*gom"e*ter, n. [Gr. pain + -meter.] (Psychol.)
Defn: An instrument for measuring sensations of pain due to pressure. It has a piston rod with a blunted tip which is pressed against the skin. — Al*gom"e*try (#), n. — Al`go*met"ric (#), *met"ric*al (#), a. —Al`go*met"ric*al*ly, adv.
ALGONKIAN Al*gon"ki*an, a.
1. Var. of Algonquian.
2. (Geol.) Pertaining to or designating a period or era recognized by the United States Geological Survey and some other authorities, between the Archæan and the Paleozoic, from both of which it is generally separated in the record by unconformities. Algonkian rocks are both sedimentary and igneous. Although fossils are rare, life certainly existed in this period. — n.
Defn: The Algonkian period or era, or system or group of systems.
ALGONQUIAN Al*gon"qui*an, a.
Defn: Pertaining to or designating the most extensive of the linguistic families of North American Indians, their territory formerly including practically all of Canada east of the 115th meridian and south of Hudson's Bay and the part of the United States east of the Mississippi and north of Tennessee and Virginia, with the exception of the territory occupied by the northern Iroquoian tribes. There are nearly 100,000 Indians of the Algonquian tribes, of which the strongest are the Ojibwas (Chippewas), Ottawas, Crees, Algonquins, Micmacs, and Blackfeet. — n.
Defn: An Algonquian Indian.
ALGONQUIN; ALGONKIN Al*gon"quin, Al*gon"kin, n.
Defn: One of a widely spread family of Indians, including many distinct tribes, which formerly occupied most of the northern and eastern part of North America. The name was originally applied to a group of Indian tribes north of the River St. Lawrence.
ALGOR Al"gor, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)
Defn: Cold; chilliness.
ALGORISM; ALGORITHM Al"go*rism, Al"go*rithm, n. Etym: [OE. algorism, algrim, augrim, OF. algorisme, F. algorithme (cf. Sp. algoritmo, OSp. alguarismo, LL. algorismus), fr. the Ar. al-Khowarezmi of Khowarezm, the modern Khiwa, surname of Abu Ja'far Mohammed ben Musa, author of a work on arithmetic early in the 9th century, which was translated into Latin, such books bearing the name algorismus. The spelling with th is due to a supposed connection with Gr.
1. The art of calculating by nine figures and zero.
2. The art of calculating with any species of notation; as, the algorithms of fractions, proportions, surds, etc.
ALGOUS Al"gous, a. Etym: [L. algosus, fr. alga seaweed.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the algæ, or seaweeds; abounding with, or like, seaweed.
ALGUAZIL Al`gua*zil", n. Etym: [Sp. alguacil, fr. Ar. alwazir the vizier. Cf. Vizier.]
Defn: An inferior officer of justice in Spain; a warrant officer; a constable. Prescott.
ALGUM Al"gum, n.
Defn: Same as Almug (and etymologically preferable). 2 Chron. ii. 8.
ALHAMBRA Al*ham"bra, n. Etym: [Ultimately fr. Ar. al the + hamra red; i. e., the red (sc. house).]
Defn: The palace of the Moorish kings at Granada.
ALHAMBRAIC; ALHAMBRESQUE Al`ham*bra"ic, Al`ham*bresque", a.
Defn: Made or decorated after the fanciful style of the ornamentation in the Alhambra, which affords an unusually fine exhibition of Saracenic or Arabesque architecture.
ALHENNA Al*hen"na, n.
Defn: See Henna.
ALIAS A"li*as, adv. Etym: [L., fr. alius. See Else.] (Law) (a) Otherwise; otherwise called; — a term used in legal proceedings to connect the different names of any one who has gone by two or more, and whose true name is for any cause doubtful; as, Smith, alias Simpson. (b) At another time.
ALIAS A"li*as, n.; pl. Aliases. Etym: [L., otherwise, at another time.]Etym: (Law) (a) A second or further writ which is issued after a first writ has expired without effect. (b) Another name; an assumed name.
ALIBI Al"i*bi, n. Etym: [L., elsewhere, at another place. See Alias.] (Law)
Defn: The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove that he was in another place when the alleged act was committed; as, to set up an alibi; to prove an alibi.
ALIBILITY Al`i*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: Quality of being alible.
ALIBLE Al"i*ble, a. Etym: [L. alibilis, fr. alere to nourish.]
Defn: Nutritive; nourishing.
ALICANT Al"i*cant, n.
Defn: A kind of wine, formerly much esteemed; — said to have been made near Alicant, in Spain. J. Fletcher.
ALIDADE Al"i*dade, n. Etym: [LL. alidada, alhidada, fr. Ar. al-'idada a sort of rule: cf. F. alidade.]
Defn: The portion of a graduated instrument, as a quadrant or astrolabe, carrying the sights or telescope, and showing the degrees cut off on the arc of the instrument Whewell.
ALIEN Al"ien, a. Etym: [OF. alien, L. alienus, fr. alius another; properly, therefore, belonging to another. See Else.]
1. Not belonging to the same country, land, or government, or to the citizens or subjects thereof; foreign; as, alien subjects, enemies, property, shores.
2. Wholly different in nature; foreign; adverse; inconsistent (with); incongruous; — followed by from or sometimes by to; as, principles alien from our religion. An alien sound of melancholy. Wordsworth. Alien enemy (Law), one who owes allegiance to a government at war with ours. Abbott.
ALIEN Al"ien, n.
1. A foreigner; one owing allegiance, or belonging, to another country; a foreign-born resident of a country in which he does not posses the privileges of a citizen. Hence, a stranger. See Alienage.
2. One excluded from certain privileges; one alienated or estranged; as, aliens from God's mercies. Aliens from the common wealth of Israel. Ephes. ii. 12.
ALIEN Al"ien, v. t. Etym: [F. aliéner, L. alienare.]
Defn: To alienate; to estrange; to transfer, as property or ownership. [R.] "It the son alien lands." Sir M. Hale. The prince was totally aliened from all thoughts of . . . the marriage. Clarendon.
ALIENABILITY Al`ien*a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: Capability of being alienated. "The alienability of the domain." Burke.
ALIENABLE Al"ien*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. aliénable.]
Defn: Capable of being alienated, sold, or transferred to another; as, land is alienable according to the laws of the state.
ALIENAGE Al"ien*age, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. aliénage.]
1. The state or legal condition of being an alien.
Note: The disabilities of alienage are removable by naturalization or by special license from the State of residence, and in some of the United States by declaration of intention of naturalization. Kent. Wharton. Estates forfeitable on account of alienage. Story.
2. The state of being alienated or transferred to another. Brougham.
ALIENATE Al"ien*ate, a. Etym: [L. alienatus, p. p. of alienare, fr. alienus. See Alien, and cf. Aliene.]
Defn: Estranged; withdrawn in affection; foreign; — with from. O alienate from God. Milton.
ALIENATE Al"ien*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alienated; p. pr. & vb. n. Alienating.]
1. To convey or transfer to another, as title, property, or right; to part voluntarily with ownership of.
2. To withdraw, as the affections; to make indifferent of averse, where love or friendship before subsisted; to estrange; to wean; — with from. The errors which . . . alienated a loyal gentry and priesthood from the House of Stuart. Macaulay. The recollection of his former life is a dream that only the more alienates him from the realities of the present. I. Taylor.
ALIENATE Al"ien*ate, n.
Defn: A stranger; an alien. [Obs.]
ALIENATION Al`ien*a"tion, n. Etym: [F. aliénation, L. alienatio, fr. alienare, fr. alienare. See Alienate.]
1. The act of alienating, or the state of being alienated.
2. (Law)
Defn: A transfer of title, or a legal conveyance of property to another.
3. A withdrawing or estrangement, as of the affections. The alienation of his heart from the king. Bacon.
4. Mental alienation; derangement of the mental faculties; insanity; as, alienation of mind.
Syn. — Insanity; lunacy; madness; derangement; aberration; mania; delirium; frenzy; dementia; monomania. See Insanity.
ALIENATOR Al"ien*a"tor, n.
Defn: One who alienates.
ALIENE Al*iene, v. t.
Defn: To alien or alienate; to transfer, as title or property; as, to aliene an estate.
ALIENEE Al"ien*ee", n. (Law)
Defn: One to whom the title of property is transferred; — opposed to alienor. It the alienee enters and keeps possession. Blackstone.
ALIENISM Al"ien*ism, n.
1. The status or legal condition of an alien; alienage. The law was very gentle in the construction of the disability of alienism. Kent.
2. The study or treatment of diseases of the mind.
ALIENIST Al"ien*ist, n. Etym: [F. aliéniste.]
Defn: One who treats diseases of the mind. Ed. Rev.
ALIENOR Al`ien*or", n. Etym: [OF. aliéneur.]
Defn: One who alienates or transfers property to another. Blackstone.
ALIETHMOID; ALIETHMOIDAL Al`i*eth"moid, Al`i*eth*moid"al, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + E. ethomoid.] (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to expansions of the ethmoid bone or
ALIFE A*life", adv. Etym: [Cf. lief dear.]
Defn: On my life; dearly. [Obs.] "I love that sport alife." Beau. & Fl.
ALIFEROUS A*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + -ferous.]
Defn: Having wings, winged; aligerous. [R.]
ALIFORM Al"i*form, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + -form.]
Defn: Wing-shaped; winglike.
ALIGEROUS A*lig"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. aliger; ala wing + gerere to carry.]
Defn: Having wings; winged. [R.]
ALIGHT A*light", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Alighted sometimes Alit; p. pr. & vb. n. Alighting.] Etym: [OE. alihten, fr. AS. alihtan; pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + lihtan, to alight, orig. to render light, to remove a burden from, fr. liht, leoht, light. See Light, v. i.]
1. To spring down, get down, or descend, as from on horseback or from a carriage; to dismount.
2. To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop; as, a flying bird alights on a tree; snow alights on a roof.
3. To come or chance (upon). [R.]
ALIGHT A*light", a. Etym: [Pref. a- + light.]
Defn: Lighted; lighted up; in a flame. "The lamps were alight." Dickens.
ALIGN A*lign", v. t. Etym: [F. aligner; à (L. ad) + ligne (L. linea) line. See Line, and cf. Allineate.]
Defn: To adjust or form to a line; to range or form in line; to bring into line; to aline.
ALIGN A*lign", v. t.
Defn: To form in line; to fall into line.
ALIGNMENT A*lign"ment, n. Etym: [F. alignement.]
1. The act of adjusting to a line; arrangement in a line or lines; the state of being so adjusted; a formation in a straight line; also, the line of adjustment; esp., an imaginary line to regulate the formation of troops or of a squadron.
2. (Engin.)
Defn: The ground-plan of a railway or other road, in distinction from the grades or profile.
ALIKE A*like", a. Etym: [AS. onlic, gelic; pref. a + like.]
Defn: Having resemblance or similitude; similar; without difference. [Now used only predicatively.] The darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Ps. cxxxix. 12.
ALIKE A*like", adv. Etym: [AS. gelice, onlice.]
Defn: In the same manner, form, or degree; in common; equally; as, we are all alike concerne.
ALIKE-MINDED A*like"-mind`ed, a.
Defn: Like-minded. [Obs.]
ALIMENT Al"i*ment, n. Etym: [L. alimentum, fr. alere to nourish; akin to Goth. alan to grow, Icel. ala to nourish: cf. F. aliment. See Old.]
1. That which nourishes; food; nutriment; anything which feeds or adds to a substance in natural growth. Hence: The necessaries of life generally: sustenance; means of support. Aliments of theiBacon.
2. An allowance for maintenance. [Scot.]
ALIMENT Al"i*ment, v. t.
1. To nourish; to support.
2. To provide for the maintenance of. [Scot.]
ALIMENTAL Al`i*men"tal, a.
Defn: Supplying food; having the quality of nourishing; furnishing the materials for natural growth; as, alimental sap.
ALIMENTALLY A`li*men"tal*ly, adv.
Defn: So as to serve for nourishment or food; nourishing quality. Sir T. Browne.
ALIMENTARINESS Al`i*men"ta*ri*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being alimentary; nourishing quality. [R.]
ALIMENTARY Al`i*men"ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. alimentarius, fr. alimentum: cf. F. alimentaire.]
Defn: Pertaining to aliment or food, or to the function of nutrition; nutritious; alimental; as, alimentary substances. Alimentary canal, the entire channel, extending from the mouth to the anus, by which aliments are conveyed through the body, and the useless parts ejected.
ALIMENTATION Al`i*men*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alimentation, LL. alimentatio.]
1. The act or process of affording nutriment; the function of the alimentary canal.
2. State or mode of being nourished. Bacon.
ALIMENTIVENESS Al`i*men"tive*ness, n.
Defn: The instinct or faculty of appetite for food. [Chiefly in Phrenol.]
ALIMONIOUS Al`i*mo"ni*ous, a.
Defn: Affording food; nourishing. [R.] "Alimonious humors." Harvey.
ALIMONY Al"i*mo*ny, n. Etym: [L. alimonia, alimonium, nourishment, sustenance, fr. alere to nourish.]
1. Maintenance; means of living.
2. (Law)
Defn: An allowance made to a wife out of her husband's estate or income for her support, upon her divorce or legal separation from him, or during a suit for the same. Wharton. Burrill.
ALINASAL Al`i*na"sal, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + E. nasal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to expansions of the nasal bone or cartilage.
ALINE A*line", v. t.
Defn: To range or place in a line; to bring into line; to align. Evelyn.
ALINEATION A*lin`e*a"tion, n.
Defn: See Allineation.
ALINEMENT A*line"ment, n.
Defn: Same as Alignment.
Note: [The Eng. form alinement is preferable to alignment, a bad spelling of the French]. New Eng. Dict. (Murray).
ALINER A*lin"er, n.
Defn: One who adjusts things to a line or lines or brings them into line. Evelyn.
ALIOTH Al"i*oth, n. Etym: [Ar. alyat the tail of a fat sheep.] (Astron.)
Defn: A star in the tail of the Great Bear, the one next the bowl in the Dipper.
ALIPED Al"i*ped, a. Etym: [L. alipes; ala wing + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. alipède.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Wing-footed, as the bat. — n.
Defn: An animal whose toes are connected by a membrane, serving for a wing, as the bat.
ALIPHATIC Al`i*phat"ic, a. [Gr. , , oil, fat.] (Org. Chem.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, fat; fatty; — applied to compounds having an openc-hain structure. The aliphatic compounds thus include not only the fatty acids and other derivatives of the paraffin hydrocarbons, but also unsaturated compounds, as the ethylene and acetylene series.
ALIQUANT Al"i*quant, a. Etym: [L. aliquantus some, moderate; alius other + quantus how great: cf. F. aliquante.] (Math.)
Defn: An aliquant part of a number or quantity is one which does not divide it without leaving a remainder; thus, 5 is an aliquant part of 16. Opposed to aliquot.
ALIQUOT Al"i*quot, a. Etym: [L. aliquot some, several; alius other + quot how many: cf. F. aliquote.] (Math.)
Defn: An aliquot part of a number or quantity is one which will divide it without a remainder; thus, 5 is an aliquot part of 15. Opposed to aliquant.
ALISEPTAL Al`i*sep"tal, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + E. septal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Relating to expansions of the nasal septum.
ALISH Al"ish, a.
Defn: Like ale; as, an alish taste.
ALISPHENOID Al`i*sphe"noid, n. (Anat.)
Defn: The alisphenoid bone.
ALISPHENOID; ALISPHENOIDAL Al`i*sphe"noid, Al`i*sphe*noid"al, a. Etym: [L. ala wing + E. sphenoid.] (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to or forming the wing of the sphenoid; relating to a bone in the base of the skull, which in the adult is often consolidated with the sphenoid; as, alisphenoid bone; alisphenoid canal.
ALITRUNK Al"i*trunk, n. Etym: [L. ala wing + truncus trunk.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The segment of the body of an insect to which the wings are attached; the thorax. Kirby.
ALITURGICAL Al`i*tur"gic*al, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + liturgical.] (Eccl.)
Defn: Applied to those days when the holy sacrifice is not offered. Shipley.
ALIUNDE A`li*un"de, adv. & a. Etym: [L.] (Law)
Defn: From another source; from elsewhere; as, a case proved aliunde; evidence aliunde.
ALIVE A*live", a. Etym: [OE. on live, AS. on life in life; life being dat. of lif life. See Life, and cf. Live, a.]
1. Having life, in opposition to dead; living; being in a state in which the organs perform their functions; as, an animal or a plant which is alive.
2. In a state of action; in force or operation; unextinguished; unexpired; existent; as, to keep the fire alive; to keep the affections alive.
3. Exhibiting the activity and motion of many living beings; swarming; thronged. The Boyne, for a quarter of a mile, was alive with muskets and green boughs. Macaulay.
4. Sprightly; lively; brisk. Richardson.
5. Having susceptibility; easily impressed; having lively feelings, as opposed to apathy; sensitive. Tremblingly alive to nature's laws. Falconer.
6. Of all living (by way of emphasis). Northumberland was the proudest man alive. Clarendon.
Note: Used colloquially as an intensive; as, man alive!
Note: Alive always follows the noun which it qualifies.
ALIZARI A`li*za"ri, n. Etym: [Perh. fr. Ar. 'a juice extracted from a plant, fr. 'a to press.] (Com.)
Defn: The madder of the Levant. Brande & C.
ALIZARIN A*liz"a*rin, n. Etym: [F. alizarine, fr. alizari.] (Chem.)
Defn: A coloring principle, C14H6O2(OH)2, found in madder, and now produced artificially from anthracene. It produces the Turkish reds.
ALKAHEST Al"ka*hest, n. Etym: [LL. alchahest, F. alcahest, a word that has an Arabic appearance, but was probably arbitrarily formed by Paracelsus.]
Defn: The fabled "universal solvent" of the alchemists; a menstruum capable of dissolving all bodies. — Al`ka*hes"tic, a.
ALKALAMIDE Al`kal*am"ide, n. Etym: [Alkali + amide.] (Chem.)
Defn: One of a series of compounds that may be regarded as ammonia in which a part of the hydrogen has been replaced by basic, and another part by acid, atoms or radicals.
ALKALESCENCE; ALKALESCENCY Al`ka*les`cence, Al`ka*les"cen*cy, n.
Defn: A tendency to become alkaline; or the state of a substance in which alkaline properties begin to be developed, or to predominant. Ure.
ALKALESCENT Al`ka*les"cent, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alcalescent.]
Defn: Tending to the properties of an alkali; slightly alkaline.
ALKALI Al"ka*li, n.; pl. Alkalis or Alkalies. Etym: [F. alcali, ultimately fr. Ar. alqali ashes of the plant saltwort, fr. qalay to roast in a pan, fry.]
1. Soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, ammoma, and lithia, whose distinguishing peculiarities are solubility in alcohol and water, uniting with oils and fats to form soap, neutralizing and forming salts with acids, turning to brown several vegetable yellows, and changing reddened litmus to blue. Fixed alkalies, potash and soda. — Vegetable alkalies. Same as Alkaloids. — Volatile alkali, ammonia, so called in distinction from the fixed alkalies.
ALKALIFIABLE Al"ka*li*fi`a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alcalifiable.]
Defn: Capable of being alkalified, or converted into an alkali.
ALKALI FLAT Alkali flat.
Defn: A sterile plain, containing an excess of alkali, at the bottom of an undrained basin in an arid region; a playa.
ALKALIFY Al"ka*li*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alkalified; p. pr. & vb. n. Alkalifying.] Etym: [Alkali + -fly: cf. F. alcalifier.]
Defn: To convert into an alkali; to give alkaline properties to.
ALKALIFY Al"ka*li*fy, v. i.
Defn: To become changed into an alkali.
ALKALIMETER Al`ka*lim"e*ter, n. Etym: [Alkali + -meter. cf. F. alcalimètre.]
Defn: An instrument to ascertain the strength of alkalies, or the quantity of alkali in a mixture.
ALKALIMETRIC; ALKALIMETRICAL Al`ka*li*met"ric, Al`ka*li*met"ric*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to alkalimetry.
ALKALIMETRY Al`ka*lim"e*try, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcalimètrie.] (Chem.)
Defn: The art or process of ascertaining the strength of alkalies, or the quantity present in alkaline mixtures.
ALKALINE Al"ka*line, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alcalin.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to an alkali or to alkalies; having the properties of an alkali. Alkaline earths, certain substances, as lime, baryta, strontia, and magnesia, possessing some of the qualities of alkalies. — Alkaline metals, potassium, sodium, cæsium, lithium, rubidium. — Alkaline reaction, a reaction indicating alkalinity, as by the action on limits, turmeric, etc.
ALKALINITY Al`ka*lin"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality which constitutes an alkali; alkaline property. Thomson.
ALKALIOUS Al*ka"li*ous, a.
Defn: Alkaline. [Obs.]
ALKALI SOIL Alkali soil.
Defn: Any one of various soils found in arid and semiarid regions, containing an unusual amount of soluble mineral salts which effloresce in the form of a powder or crust (usually white) in dry weather following rains or irrigation. The basis of these salts is mainly soda with a smaller amount of potash, and usually a little lime and magnesia. Two main classes of alkali are commonly distinguished: black alkali, which may be any alkaline carbonate, but which practically consists of sodium carbonate (sal soda), which is highly corrosive and destructive to vegetation; and white alkali, characterized by the presence of sodium sulphate (Glauber's salt), which is less injurious to vegetation. Black alkali is so called because water containing it dissolves humus, forming a dark-colored solution which, when it collects in puddles and evaporates, produces characteristic black spots.
ALKALI WASTE Alkali waste.
Defn: Waste material from the manufacture of alkali; specif., soda waste.
ALKALIZATE Al"ka*li*zate, a.
Defn: Alkaline. [Obs.] Boyle.
ALKALIZATE Al"ka*li**zate, v. t.
Defn: To alkalizate. [R.] Johnson.
ALKALIZATION Al`ka*li*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alcalisation.]
Defn: The act rendering alkaline by impregnating with an alkali; a conferring of alkaline qualities.
ALKALIZE Al"ka*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alkalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Alkalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. alcaliser.]
Defn: To render alkaline; to communicate the properties of an alkali to.
ALKALOID Al"ka*loid, n. (Chem.)
Defn: An organic base, especially one of a class of substances occurring ready formed in the tissues of plants and the bodies of animals.
Note: Alcaloids all contain nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen, and many of them also contain oxygen. They include many of the active principles in plants; thus, morphine and narcotine are alkaloids found in opium.
ALKALOID; ALKALOIDAL Al"ka*loid, Al`ka*loid"al, a. Etym: [Alkali + -oid: cf. F. alcaloïde.]
Defn: Pertaining to, resembling, or containing, alkali.
ALKANET Al"ka*net, n. Etym: [Dim. of Sp. alcana, alhe, in which al is the Ar. article. See Henna, and cf. Orchanet.]
1. (Chem.)
Defn: A dyeing matter extracted from the roots of Alkanna tinctoria, which gives a fine deep red color.
2. (Bot.) (a) A boraginaceous herb (Alkanna tinctoria) yielding the dye; orchanet. (b) The similar plant Anchusa officinalis; bugloss; also, the American puccoon.
ALKARGEN Al*kar"gen, n. Etym: [Alkarsin + oxygen.] (Chem.)
Defn: Same as Cacodylic acid.
ALKARSIN Al*kar"sin, n. Etym: [Alkali + arsenic + -in.] (Chem.)
Defn: A spontaneously inflammable liquid, having a repulsive odor, and consisting of cacodyl and its oxidation products; — called also Cadel's fuming liquid.
ALKAZAR Al*ka"zar.
Defn: See Alcazar.
ALKEKENGI Al`ke*ken"gi, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alkékenge, Sp. alquequenje, ultimately fr. Ar. al-kakanj a kind of resin from Herat.] (Bot.)
Defn: An herbaceous plant of the nightshade family (Physalis alkekengi) and its fruit, which is a well flavored berry, the size of a cherry, loosely inclosed in a enlarged leafy calyx; — also called winter cherry, ground cherry, and strawberry tomato. D. C. Eaton.
ALKERMES Al*ker"mes, n. Etym: [Ar. al-qirmiz kermes. See Kermes.] (Old Pharmacy)
Defn: A compound cordial, in the form of a confection, deriving its name from the kermes insect, its principal ingredient.
ALKORAN Al"ko*ran, n.
Defn: The Mohammedan Scriptures. Same as Alcoran and Koran.
ALKORANIC Al`ko*ran"ic, a.
Defn: Same as Alcoranic.
ALKORANIST Al`ko*ran"ist, n.
Defn: Same as Alcoranist.
ALL All, a. Etym: [OE. al, pl. alle, AS. eal, pl. ealle, Northumbrian alle, akin to D. & OHG. al, Ger. all, Icel. allr. Dan. al, Sw. all, Goth. alls; and perh. to Ir. and Gael. uile, W. oll.]
1. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or degree of; the whole; the whole number of; any whatever; every; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all the strength; all happiness; all abundance; loss of all power; beyond all doubt; you will see us all (or all of us). Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. v. 21.
2. Any. [Obs.] "Without all remedy." Shak.
Note: When the definite article "the," or a possessive or a demonstrative pronoun, is joined to the noun that all qualifies, all precedes the article or the pronoun; as, all the cattle; all my labor; all his wealth; all our families; all your citizens; all their property; all other joys.
Note: This word, not only in popular language, but in the Scriptures, often signifies, indefinitely, a large portion or number, or a great part. Thus, all the cattle in Egypt died, all Judea and all the region round about Jordan, all men held John as a prophet, are not to be understood in a literal sense, but as including a large part, or very great numbers.
3. Only; alone; nothing but. I was born to speak all mirth and no matter. Shak. All the whole, the whole (emphatically). [Obs.] "All the whole army." Shak.
ALL All, adv.
1. Wholly; completely; altogether; entirely; quite; very; as, all bedewed; my friend is all for amusement. "And cheeks all pale." Byron.
Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense or becomes intensive.
2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or Poet.] All as his straying flock he fed. Spenser. A damsel lay deploring All on a rock reclined. Gay. All to, or All-to. In such phrases as "all to rent," "all to break," "all-to frozen," etc., which are of frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb, equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether. But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all (as it does in "all forlorn," and similar expressions), and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer- ). It is frequently to be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus Wyclif says, "The vail of the temple was to rent:" and of Judas, "He was hanged and to-burst the middle:" i. e., burst in two, or asunder. — All along. See under Along. — All and some, individually and collectively, one and all. [Obs.] "Displeased all and some." Fairfax. — All but. (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] Shak. (b) Almost; nearly. "The fine arts were all but proscribed." Macaulay. — All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all hollow. [Low] — All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same thing. — All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as, she is her mother all over. [Colloq.] — All the better, wholly the better; that is, better by the whole difference. — All the same, nevertheless. "There they [certain phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we recognize them or not." J. C. Shairp. "But Rugby is a very nice place all the same." T. Arnold. — See also under All, n.
ALL All, n.
Defn: The whole number, quantity, or amount; the entire thing; everything included or concerned; the aggregate; the whole; totality; everything or every person; as, our all is at stake. Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. Shak. All that thou seest is mine. Gen. xxxi. 43.
Note: All is used with of, like a partitive; as, all of a thing, all of us. After all, after considering everything to the contrary; nevertheless. — All in all, a phrase which signifies all things to a person, or everything desired; (also adverbially) wholly; altogether. Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever. Milton. Trust me not at all, or all in all. Tennyson. — All in the wind (Naut.), a phrase denoting that the sails are parallel with the course of the wind, so as to shake. — All told, all counted; in all. — And all, and the rest; and everything connected. "Bring our crown and all." Shak. — At all. (a) In every respect; wholly; thoroughly. [Obs.] "She is a shrew at al(l)." Chaucer. (b) A phrase much used by way of enforcement or emphasis, usually in negative or interrogative sentences, and signifying in any way or respect; in the least degree or to the least extent; in the least; under any circumstances; as, he has no ambition at all; has he any property at all "Nothing at all. " Shak. "It thy father at all miss me." 1 Sam. xx. 6. — Over all, everywhere. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Note: All is much used in composition to enlarge the meaning, or add force to a word. In some instances, it is completely incorporated into words, and its final consonant is dropped, as in almighty, already, always: but, in most instances, it is an adverb prefixed to adjectives or participles, but usually with a hyphen, as, all- bountiful, all-glorious, allimportant, all-surrounding, etc. In others it is an adjective; as, allpower, all-giver. Anciently many words, as, alabout, alaground, etc., were compounded with all, which are now written separately.
ALL All, conj. Etym: [Orig. all, adv., wholly: used with though or if, which being dropped before the subjunctive left all as if in the sense although.]
Defn: Although; albeit. [Obs.] All they were wondrous loth. Spenser.
ALLA BREVE Al`la bre"ve. Etym: [It., according to the breve.] (Old Church Music)
Defn: With one breve, or four minims, to measure, and sung faster like four crotchets; in quick common time; — indicated in the time signature by
ALLAH Al"lah, n. Etym: [ contr. fr. the article al the + ilah God.]
Defn: The name of the Supreme Being, in use among the Arabs and the Mohammedans generally.
ALL-A-MORT All`-a-mort", a.
Defn: See Alamort.
ALLANITE Al"lan*ite, n. Etym: [From T. Allan, who first distinguished it as a species.] (min.)
Defn: A silicate containing a large amount of cerium. It is usually black in color, opaque, and is related to epidote in form and composition.
ALLANTOIC Al`lan*to"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. allantoïque.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or contained in, the allantois. Allantoic acid. (Chem.) See Allantoin.
ALLANTOID; ALLANTOIDAL Al*lan"toid, Al`lan*toid"al, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the allantois.
ALLANTOIDEA Al`lan*toid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The division of Vertebrata in which the embryo develops an allantois. It includes reptiles, birds, and mammals.
ALLANTOIN Al*lan"to*in, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A crystalline, transparent, colorless substance found in the allantoic liquid of the fetal calf; — formerly called allantoic acid and amniotic acid.
ALLANTOIS; ALLANTOID Al*lan"to*is, Al*lan"toid, } n.. (Anat.)
Defn: A membranous appendage of the embryos of mammals, birds, and reptiles, — in mammals serving to connect the fetus with the parent; the urinary vesicle.
ALLATRATE Al"la*trate, v. i. Etym: [L. allatrare. See Latrate.]
Defn: To bark as a dog. [Obs.] Stubbes.
ALLAY Al*lay", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Allaying.] Etym: [OE. alaien, aleggen, to lay down, put down, humble, put an end to, AS. alecgan; a- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + lecgan to lay; but confused with old forms of allege, alloy, alegge. See Lay.]
1. To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm; as, to allay popular excitement; to allay the tumult of the passions.
2. To alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; as, to allay the severity of affliction or the bitterness of adversity. It would allay the burning quality of that fell poison. Shak.
Syn. — To alleviate; check; repress; assuage; appease; abate; subdue; destroy; compose; soothe; calm; quiet. See Alleviate.
ALLAY Al*lay", v. t.
Defn: To diminish in strength; to abate; to subside. "When the rage allays." Shak.
ALLAY Al*lay", n.
Defn: Alleviation; abatement; check. [Obs.]
ALLAY Al*lay", n.
Defn: Alloy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALLAY Al*lay", v. t.
Defn: To mix (metals); to mix with a baser metal; to alloy; to deteriorate. [Archaic] Fuller.
ALLAYER Al*lay"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, allays.
ALLAYMENT Al*lay"ment, n.
Defn: An allaying; that which allays; mitigation. [Obs.] The like allayment could I give my grief. Shak.
ALLECRET Al"le*cret, n. Etym: [OF. alecret, halecret, hallecret.]
Defn: A kind of light armor used in the sixteenth century, esp. by the Swiss. Fairholt.
ALLECT Al*lect", v. t. Etym: [L. allectare, freq. of allicere, allectum.]
Defn: To allure; to entice. [Obs.]
ALLECTATION Al`lec*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. allectatio.]
Defn: Enticement; allurement. [Obs.] Bailey.
ALLECTIVE Al*lec"tive, a. Etym: [LL. allectivus.]
Defn: Alluring. [Obs.]
ALLECTIVE Al*lec"tive, n.
Defn: Allurement. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
ALLEDGE Al*ledge", v. t.
Defn: See Allege. [Obs.]
Note: This spelling, corresponding to abridge, was once the prevailing one.
ALLEGATION Al`le*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. allegatio, fr. allegare, allegatum, to send a message, cite; later, to free by giving reasons; ad + legare to send, commission. Cf. Allege and Adlegation.]
1. The act of alleging or positively asserting.
2. That which is alleged, asserted, or declared; positive assertion; formal averment I thought their allegation but reasonable. Steele.
3. (Law)
Defn: A statement by a party of what he undertakes to prove, — usually applied to each separate averment; the charge or matter undertaken to be proved.
ALLEGE Al*lege", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alleged; p. pr. & vb. n. Alleging.] Etym: [OE. aleggen to bring forward as evidence, OF. esligier to buy, prop. to free from legal difficulties, fr. an assumed LL. exlitigare; L. ex + litigare to quarrel, sue (see Litigate). The word was confused with L. allegare (see Allegation), and lex law. Cf. Allay.]
1. To bring forward with positiveness; to declare; to affirm; to assert; as, to allege a fact.
2. To cite or quote; as, to allege the authority of a judge. [Archaic]
3. To produce or urge as a reason, plea, or excuse; as, he refused to lend, alleging a resolution against lending.
Syn. — To bring forward; adduce; advance; assign; produce; declare; affirm; assert; aver; predicate.
ALLEGE Al*lege", v. t. Etym: [See Allay.]
Defn: To alleviate; to lighten, as a burden or a trouble. [Obs.] Wyclif.
ALLEGEABLE Al*lege"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being alleged or affirmed. The most authentic examples allegeable in the case. South.
ALLEGEANCE Al*lege"ance, n.
Defn: Allegation. [Obs.]
ALLEGEMENT Al*lege"ment, n.
Defn: Allegation. [Obs.] With many complaints and allegements. Bp. Sanderson.
ALLEGER Al*leg"er, n.
Defn: One who affirms or declares.
ALLEGGE Al*legge", v. t.
Defn: See Alegge and Allay. [Obs.]
ALLEGHENIAN; ALLEGHANIAN Al`le*ghe"ni*an, a. Also Al`le*gha"ni*an. (Biogeography)
Defn: Pertaining to or designating the humid division of the Transition zone extending across the northern United States from New England to eastern Dakota, and including also most of Pennsylvania and the mountainous region as far south as northern Georgia.
ALLEGHENY; ALLEGHANY Al"le*ghe`ny, a.
1. Of or pertaining to the Allegheny Mountains, or the region where they are situated. Also Al"le*gha`ny.
2. [From the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania.] (Geol.) Pertaining to or designating a subdivision of the Pennsylvanian coal measure.
ALLEGIANCE Al*le"giance, n. Etym: [OE. alegeaunce; pref. a- + OF. lige, liege. The meaning was influenced by L. ligare to bind, and even by lex, legis, law. See Liege, Ligeance.]
1. The tie or obligation, implied or expressed, which a subject owes to his sovereign or government; the duty of fidelity to one's king, government, or state.
2. Devotion; loyalty; as, allegiance to science.
Syn. — Loyalty; fealty. — Allegiance, Loyalty. These words agree in expressing the general idea of fidelity and attachment to the "powers that be." Allegiance is an obligation to a ruling power. Loyalty is a feeling or sentiment towards such power. Allegiance may exist under any form of government, and, in a republic, we generally speak of allegiance to the government, to the state, etc. In well conducted monarchies, loyalty is a warm-hearted feeling of fidelity and obedience to the sovereign. It is personal in its nature; and hence we speak of the loyalty of a wife to her husband, not of her allegiance. In cases where we personify, loyalty is more commonly the word used; as, loyalty to the constitution; loyalty to the cause of virtue; loyalty to truth and religion, etc. Hear me, recreant, on thine allegiance hear me! Shak. So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found, . . . Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified, His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal. Milton.
ALLEGIANT Al*le"giant, a.
Defn: Loyal. Shak.
ALLEGORIC; ALLEGORICAL Al`le*gor"ic, Al`le*gor"ic*al, a. Etym: [F. allégorique, L. allegorius, fr. Gr. Allegory.]
Defn: Belonging to, or consisting of, allegory; of the nature of an allegory; describing by resemblances; figurative. "An allegoric tale." Falconer. "An allegorical application." Pope. Allegorical being . . . that kind of language which says one thing, but means another. Max Miller. Al`le*gor"ic*al*ly, adv. — Al`le*gor"ic*al*ness, n.
ALLEGORIST Al"le*go*rist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. allegoriste.]
Defn: One who allegorizes; a writer of allegory. Hume.
ALLEGORIZATION Al`le*gor"i*za"tion, n.
Defn: The act of turning into allegory, or of understanding in an allegorical sense.
ALLEGORIZE Al"le*go*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allegorized; p. pr. & vb. n. Allegorizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. allégoriser, fr. L. allegorizare.]
1. To form or turn into allegory; as, to allegorize the history of a people.
2. To treat as allegorical; to understand in an allegorical sense; as, when a passage in a writer may understood literally or figuratively, he who gives it a figurative sense is said to allegorize it.
ALLEGORIZE Al"le*go*rize, v. t.
Defn: To use allegory. Holland.
ALLEGORIZER Al"le*go*ri`zer, n.
Defn: One who allegorizes, or turns things into allegory; an allegorist.
ALLEGORY Al"le*go*ry, n.; pl. Allegories. Etym: [L. allegoria, Gr. allégorie.]
1. A figurative sentence or discourse, in which the principal subject is described by another subject resembling it in its properties and circumstances. The real subject is thus kept out of view, and we are left to collect the intentions of the writer or speaker by the resemblance of the secondary to the primary subject.
2. Anything which represents by suggestive resemblance; an emblem.
3. (Paint. & Sculpt.)
Defn: A figure representation which has a meaning beyond notion directly conveyed by the object painted or sculptured.
Syn. — Metaphor; fable. — Allegory, Parable. "An allegory differs both from fable and parable, in that the properties of persons are fictitiously represented as attached to things, to which they are as it were transferred. . . . A figure of Peace and Victory crowning some historical personage is an allegory. "I am the Vine, ye are the branches" [John xv. 1-6] is a spoken allegory. In the parable there is no transference of properties. The parable of the sower [Matt. xiii. 3-23] represents all things as according to their proper nature. In the allegory quoted above the properties of the vine and the relation of the branches are transferred to the person of Christ and His apostles and disciples." C. J. Smith.
Note: An allegory is a prolonged metaphor. Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" and Spenser's "Faërie Queene" are celebrated examples of the allegory.
ALLEGRESSE Al`le`gresse", n. Etym: [F. allégresse, fr. L. alacer sprightly.]
Defn: Joy; gladsomeness.
ALLEGRETTO Al`le*gret"to, a. Etym: [It., dim. of allegro.] (Mus.)
Defn: Quicker than andante, but not so quick as allegro. — n.
Defn: A movement in this time.
ALLEGRO Al*le"gro, a. Etym: [It., merry, gay, fr. L. alacer lively. Cf. Aleger.] (Mus.)
Defn: Brisk, lively. — n.
Defn: An allegro movement; a quick, sprightly strain or piece.
ALLELOMORPH Al*le"lo*morph, n. [Gr. of one another + Gr. form.] (Biol.)
Defn: One of the pure unit characters commonly existing singly or in pairs in the germ cells of Mendelian hybrids, and exhibited in varying proportion among the organisms themselves. Allelomorphs which under certain circumstances are themselves compound are called hypallelomorphs. See Mendel's law. — Al*le`lo*mor"phic (#), a.
As we know that the several unit characters are of such a nature that any one of them is capable of independently displacing or being displaced by one or more alternative characters taken singly, we may recognize this fact by naming such characters allelomorphs. Bateson.
ALLELUIA; ALLELUIAH Al`le*lu"ia, Al`le*lu"iah, n. Etym: [L. alleluia, Gr. hall-yah. See Hallelujah.]
Defn: An exclamation signifying Praise ye Jehovah. Hence: A song of praise to God. See Hallelujah, the commoner form. I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia. Rev. xix. 1.
ALLEMANDE Al"le*mande", n. Etym: [F., fr. allemand German.]
1. (Mus.)
Defn: A dance in moderate twofold time, invented by the French in the reign of Louis XIV.; — now mostly found in suites of pieces, like those of Bach and Handel.
2. A figure in dancing.
ALLEMANNIC Al`le*man"nic, a.
Defn: See Alemannic.
ALLENARLY Al*len"ar*ly, adv. Etym: [All + anerly singly, fr. ane one.]
Defn: Solely; only. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
ALLER Al"ler, a. Etym: [For ealra, the AS. gen. pl. of eal all.]
Defn: Same as Alder, of all. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ALLERION Al*le"ri*on, n. Etym: [F. alérion, LL. alario a sort of eagle; of uncertain origin.] (Her.)
Defn: Am eagle without beak or feet, with expanded wings. Burke.
ALLEVIATE Al*le"vi*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alleviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Alleviating.] Etym: [LL. alleviare, fr. L. ad + levis light. See Alegge, Levity.]
1. To lighten or lessen the force or weight of. [Obs.] Should no others join capable to alleviate the expense. Evelyn. Those large bladders . . . conduce much to the alleviating of the body [of flying birds]. Ray.
2. To lighten or lessen (physical or mental troubles); to mitigate, or make easier to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc. ; — opposed to aggravate. The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley.
3. To extenuate; to palliate. [R.] He alleviates his fault by an excuse. Johnson.
Syn. — To lessen; diminish; soften; mitigate; assuage; abate; relieve; nullify; allay. — To Alleviate, Mitigate, Assuage, Allay. These words have in common the idea of relief from some painful state; and being all figurative, they differ in their application, according to the image under which this idea is presented. Alleviate supposes a load which is lightened or taken off; as, to alleviate one's cares. Mitigate supposes something fierce which is made mild; as, to mitigate one's anguish. Assuage supposes something violent which is quieted; as, to assuage one's sorrow. Allay supposes something previously excited, but now brought down; as, to allay one's suffering or one's thirst. To alleviate the distresses of life; to mitigate the fierceness of passion or the violence of grief; to assuage angry feeling; to allay wounded sensibility.
ALLEVIATION Al*le`vi*a"tion, n. Etym: [LL. alleviatio.]
1. The act of alleviating; a lightening of weight or severity; mitigation; relief.
2. That which mitigates, or makes more tolerable. I have not wanted such alleviations of life as friendship could supply. Johnson.
ALLEVIATIVE Al*le"vi*a*tive, a.
Defn: Tending to alleviate. — n.
Defn: That which alleviates.
ALLEVIATOR Al*le"vi*a`tor, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, alleviaties.
ALLEVIATORY Al*le"vi*a*to*ry, a.
Defn: Alleviative. Carlyle.
ALLEY Al"ley, n.; pl. Alleys. Etym: [OE. aley, alley, OF. alée, F. allée, a going, passage, fr. OE. aler, F. aller, to go; of uncertain origin: cf. Prov. anar, It. andare, Sp. andar.]
1. A narrow passage; especially a walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes; a bordered way. I know each lane and every alley green. Milton.
2. A narrow passage or way in a city, as distinct from a public street. Gay.
3. A passageway between rows of pews in a church.
4. (Persp.)
Defn: Any passage having the entrance represented as wider than the exit, so as to give the appearance of length.
5. The space between two rows of compositors' stands in a printing office.
ALLEY Al"ley, n.; pl. Alleys. Etym: [A contraction of alabaster, of which it was originally made.]
Defn: A choice taw or marble. Dickens.
ALLEYED Al"leyed, a.
Defn: Furnished with alleys; forming an alley. "An alleyed walk." Sir W. Scott.
ALLEYWAY Al"ley*way` n.
Defn: An alley.
ALL FOOLS' DAY All" Fools' Day`.
Defn: The first day of April, a day on which sportive impositions are practiced. The first of April, some do say, Is set apart for All Fools' Day. Poor Robin's Almanack (1760).
ALLFOURS All`fours". Etym: [All + four (cards).]
Defn: A game at cards, called "High, Low, Jack, and the Game."
ALL FOURS All` fours" Etym: [formerly, All` four".]
Defn: All four legs of a quadruped; or the two legs and two arms of a person. To be, go, or run, on all fours (Fig.), to be on the same footing; to correspond (with) exactly; to be alike in all the circumstances to be considered. "This example is on all fours with the other." "No simile can go on all fours." Macaulay.
ALL HAIL All` hail". Etym: [All + hail, interj.]
Defn: All health; — a phrase of salutation or welcome.
ALL-HAIL All`-hail", v. t.
Defn: To salute; to greet. [Poet.] Whiles I stood rapt in the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who all-hailed me "Thane of Cawdor." Shak.
ALLHALLOND All`hal"lond, n.
Defn: Allhallows. [Obs.] Shak.
ALLHALLOW All`hal"low.
Defn: The evening before Allhallows. See Halloween.
ALLHALLOW; ALLHALLOWS All`hal"low, All`hal"lows, n.
1. All the saints (in heaven). [Obs.]
2. All Saints' Day, November 1st. [Archaic]
ALLHALLOW EVE All`hal"low eve` (ev`).
Defn: The evening before Allhallows. See Halloween.
ALLHALLOWMAS All`hal"low*mas, n.
Defn: The feast of All Saints.
ALLHALLOWN All`hal"lown, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the time of Allhallows. [Obs.] "Allhallown summer." Shak. (i. e., late summer; "Indian Summer").
ALLHALLOWTIDE All`hal"low*tide`, n. Etym: [AS. tid time.]
Defn: The time at or near All Saints, or November 1st.
ALLHEAL All"heal, n.
Defn: A name popularly given to the officinal valerian, and to some other plants.
ALLIABLE Al*li"a*ble, a.
Defn: Able to enter into alliance.
ALLIACEOUS Al`li*a"ceous, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the genus Allium, or garlic, onions, leeks, etc.; having the smell or taste of garlic or onions.
ALLIANCE Al*li"ance, n. Etym: [OE. aliaunce, OF. aliance, F. alliance, fr. OF. alier, F. allier. See Ally, and cf. LL. alligantia.]
1. The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league; as, matrimonial alliances; an alliance between church and state; an alliance between France and England.
2. Any union resembling that of families or states; union by relationship in qualities; affinity. The alliance of the principles of the world with those of the gospel. C. J. Smith. The alliance . . . between logic and metaphysics. Mansel.
3. The persons or parties allied. Udall.
Syn. — Connection; affinity; union; confederacy; confederation; league; coalition.
ALLIANCE Al*li"ance, v. t.
Defn: To connect by alliance; to ally. [Obs.]
ALLIANT Al*li"ant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alliant, p. pr.]
Defn: An ally; a confederate. [Obs. & R.] Sir H. Wotton.
ALLICE; ALLIS Al"lice, Al"lis, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The European shad (Clupea vulgaris); allice shad. See Alose.
ALLICIENCY Al*li"cien*cy, n.
Defn: Attractive power; attractiveness. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
ALLICIENT Al*li"cient, a. Etym: [L. alliciens, p. pr. of allicere to allure; ad + lacere to entice.]
Defn: That attracts; attracting. — n.
Defn: That attracts. [Rare or Obs.]
ALLIED Al*lied", a.
Defn: United; joined; leagued; akin; related. See Ally.
ALLIGATE Al*li*gate, v. t. Etym: [L. alligatus, p. p. of alligare. See Ally.]
Defn: To tie; to unite by some tie. Instincts alligated to their nature. Sir M. Hale.
ALLIGATION Al`li*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. alligatio.]
1. The act of tying together or attaching by some bond, or the state of being attached. [R.]
2. (Arith.)
Defn: A rule relating to the solution of questions concerning the compounding or mixing of different ingredients, or ingredients of different qualities or values.
Note: The rule is named from the method of connecting together the terms by certain ligature-like signs. Alligation is of two kinds, medial and alternate; medial teaching the method of finding the price or quality of a mixture of several simple ingredients whose prices and qualities are known; alternate, teaching the amount of each of several simple ingredients whose prices or qualities are known, which will be required to make a mixture of given price or quality.
ALLIGATOR Al"li*ga`tor, n. Etym: [Sp. el lagarto the lizard (el lagarto de Indias, the cayman or American crocodile), fr. L. lacertus, lacerta, lizard. See Lizard.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common species of the southern United States, there are allied species in South America.
2. (Mech.)
Defn: Any machine with strong jaws, one of which opens like the movable jaw of an alligator; as, (a) (Metal Working)
Defn: a form of squeezer for the puddle ball; (b) (Mining) a rock breaker; (c) (Printing) a kind of job press, called also alligator press. Alligator apple (Bot.), the fruit of the Anona palustris, a West Indian tree. It is said to be narcotic in its properties. Loudon. — Alligator fish (Zoöl.), a marine fish of northwestern America (Podothecus acipenserinus). — Alligator gar (Zoöl.), one of the gar pikes (Lepidosteus spatula) found in the southern rivers of the United States. The name is also applied to other species of gar pikes. — Alligator pear (Bot.), a corruption of Avocado pear. See Avocado. — Alligator snapper, Alligator tortoise, Alligator turtle (Zoöl.), a very large and voracious turtle (Macrochelys lacertina) in habiting the rivers of the southern United States. It sometimes reaches the weight of two hundred pounds. Unlike the common snapping turtle, to which the name is sometimes erroneously applied, it has a scaly head and many small scales beneath the tail. This name is sometimes given to other turtles, as to species of Trionyx. — Alligator wood, the timber of a tree of the West Indies (Guarea Swartzii).
ALLIGATOR WRENCH Al"li*ga`tor wrench. (Mech.)
Defn: A kind of pipe wrench having a flaring jaw with teeth on one side.
ALLIGNMENT Al*lign"ment, n.
Defn: See Alignment.
ALLINEATE Al*lin"e*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. ad + lineatus, p. p. of lineare to draw a line.]
Defn: To align. [R.] Herschel.
ALLINEATION; ALINEEATION Al*lin`e*a"tion, A*line`e*a"tion, n.
Defn: Alignment; position in a straight line, as of two planets with the sun. Whewell. The allineation of the two planets. C. A. Young.
ALLISION Al*li"sion, n. Etym: [L. allisio, fr. allidere, to strike or dash against; ad + laedere to dash against.]
Defn: The act of dashing against, or striking upon. The boisterous allision of the sea. Woodward.
ALLITERAL Al*lit"er*al, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by alliteration.
ALLITERATE Al*lit"er*ate, v. t.
Defn: To employ or place so as to make alliteration. Skeat.
ALLITERATE Al*lit"er*ate, v. i.
Defn: To compose alliteratively; also, to constitute alliteration.
ALLITERATION Al*lit`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. ad + litera letter. See Letter.]
Defn: The repetition of the same letter at the beginning of two or more words immediately succeeding each other, or at short intervals; as in the following lines: - Behemoth, biggest born of earth, upheaved His vastness. Milton. Fly o'er waste fens and windy fields. Tennyson.
Note: The recurrence of the same letter in accented parts of words is also called alliteration. Anglo-Saxon poetry is characterized by alliterative meter of this sort. Later poets also employed it. In a somer seson whan soft was the sonne, I shope me in shroudes as I a shepe were. P. Plowman.
ALLITERATIVE Al*lit"er*a*tive, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, alliteration; as, alliterative poetry. — Al*lit"er*a*tive*ly, adv. — Al*lit"er*a*tive*ness, n.
ALLITERATOR Al*lit"er*a`tor, n.
Defn: One who alliterates.
ALLIUM Al"li*um, n. Etym: [L., garlic.] (bot.)
Defn: A genus of plants, including the onion, garlic, leek, chive, etc.
ALLMOUTH All"mouth`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The angler.
ALLNESS All"ness, n.
Defn: Totality; completeness. [R.] The allness of God, including his absolute spirituality, supremacy, and eternity. R. Turnbull.
ALLNIGHT All"night`, n.
Defn: Light, fuel, or food for the whole night. [Obs.] Bacon.
ALLOCATE Al"lo*cate, v. t. Etym: [LL. allocatus, p. p. of allocare, fr. L. ad + locare to place. See Allow.]
1. To distribute or assign; to allot. Burke.
2. To localize. [R.]
ALLOCATION Al`lo*ca"tion, n. Etym: [LL. allocatio: cf. F. allocation.]
1. The act of putting one thing to another; a placing; disposition; arrangement. Hallam.
2. An allotment or apportionment; as, an allocation of shares in a company. The allocation of the particular portions of Palestine to its successive inhabitants. A. R. Stanley.
3. The admission of an item in an account, or an allowance made upon an account; — a term used in the English exchequer.
ALLOCATUR Al`lo*ca"tur, n. Etym: [LL., it is allowed, fr. allocare to allow.] (Law)
Defn: "Allowed." The word allocatur expresses the allowance of a proceeding, writ, order, etc., by a court, judge, or judicial officer.
ALLOCHROIC Al`lo*chro"ic, a.
Defn: Changeable in color.
ALLOCHROITE Al*loch"ro*ite, n. (Min.)
Defn: See Garnet.
ALLOCHROOUS Al*loch"ro*ous, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Changing color.
ALLOCUTION Al`lo*cu"tion, n. Etym: [L. allocuto, fr. alloqui to speak to; ad + loqui to speak: cf. F. allocution.]
1. The act or manner of speaking to, or of addressing in words.
2. An address; a hortatory or authoritative address as of a pope to his clergy. Addison.
ALLOD Al"lod, n.
Defn: See Allodium.
ALLODIAL Al*lo"di*al, a. Etym: [LL. allodialis, fr. allodium: cf. F. allodial. See Allodium.] (Law)
Defn: Pertaining to allodium; freehold; free of rent or service; held independent of a lord paramount; — opposed to feudal; as, allodial lands; allodial system. Blackstone.
ALLODIAL Al*lo"di*al, a.
Defn: Anything held allodially. W. Coxe.
ALLODIALISM Al*lo"di*al*ism, n.
Defn: The allodial system.
ALLODIALIST Al*lo"di*al*ist, n.
Defn: One who holds allodial land.
ALLODIALLY Al*lo"di*al*ly, adv.
Defn: By allodial tenure.
ALLODIARY Al*lo"di*a*ry, n.
Defn: One who holds an allodium.
ALLODIUM Al*lo"di*um, n. Etym: [LL. allodium, alodium, alodis, alaudis, of Ger. origin; cf. OHG. al all, and (AS. ead) possession, property. It means, therefore, entirely one's property.] (Law)
Defn: Freehold estate; land which is the absolute property of the owner; real estate held in absolute independence, without being subject to any rent, service, or acknowledgment to a superior. It is thus opposed to feud. Blackstone. Bouvier.
ALLOGAMOUS Al*log"a*mous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Characterized by allogamy.
ALLOGAMY Al*log"a*my n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Fertilization of the pistil of a plant by pollen from another of the same species; cross-fertilization.
ALLOGENEOUS Al`lo*ge"ne*ous, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Different in nature or kind. [R.]
ALLOGRAPH Al"lo*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.]
Defn: A writing or signature made by some person other than any of the parties thereto; — opposed to autograph.
ALLOMERISM Al*lom"er*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)
Defn: Variability in chemical constitution without variation in crystalline form.
ALLOMEROUS Al*lom"er*ous, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Characterized by allomerism.
ALLOMORPH Al"lo*morph, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.) (a) Any one of two or more distinct crystalline forms of the same substance; or the substance having such forms; — as, carbonate of lime occurs in the allomorphs calcite and aragonite. (b) A variety of pseudomorph which has undergone partial or complete change or substitution of material; — thus limonite is frequently an allomorph after pyrite. G. H. Williams.
ALLOMORPHIC Al`lo*mor"phic, a. (Min.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to allomorphism.
ALLOMORPHISM Al`lo*mor"phism, n. (Min.)
Defn: The property which constitutes an allomorph; the change involved in becoming an allomorph.
ALLONGE Al*longe", n. Etym: [F. allonge, earlier alonge, a lengthening. See Allonge, v., and cf. Lunge.]
1. (Fencing)
Defn: A thrust or pass; a lunge.
2. A slip of paper attached to a bill of exchange for receiving indorsements, when the back of the bill itself is already full; a rider. [A French usage] Abbott.
ALLONGE Al*longe", v. i. Etym: [F. allonger; à (L. ad) + long (L. longus) long.]
Defn: To thrust with a sword; to lunge.
ALLONYM Al"lo*nym, n. Etym: [F. allonyme, fr. Gr.
1. The name of another person assumed by the author of a work.
2. A work published under the name of some one other than the author.
ALLONYMOUS Al*lon"y*mous, a.
Defn: Published under the name of some one other than the author.
ALLOO Al*loo", v. t. or i. Etym: [See Halloo.]
Defn: To incite dogs by a call; to halloo. [Obs.]
ALLOPATH Al"lo*path, n. Etym: [Cf. F. allopathe.]
Defn: An allopathist. Ed. Rev.
ALLOPATHIC Al`lo*path"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. allopathique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to allopathy.
ALLOPATHICALLY Al`lo*path"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a manner conformable to allopathy; by allopathic methods.
ALLOPATHIST Al*lop"a*thist, n.
Defn: One who practices allopathy; one who professes allopathy.
ALLOPATHY Al*lop"a*thy, n. Etym: [Gr. allopathie, F. allopathie. See Pathos.]
Defn: That system of medical practice which aims to combat disease by the use of remedies which produce effects different from those produced by the special disease treated; — a term invented by Hahnemann to designate the ordinary practice, as opposed to homeopathy.
ALLOPHYLIC; ALLOPHYLIAN Al`lo*phyl"ic, Al`lo*phyl"i*an, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Pertaining to a race or a language neither Aryan nor Semitic. J. Prichard.
ALLOQUY Al"lo*quy, n. Etym: [L. alloquim, fr. alloqui.]
Defn: A speaking to another; an address. [Obs.]
ALLOT Al*lot", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Allotting.] Etym: [OF. aloter, F. allotir; a (L. ad) + lot lot. See Lot.]
1. To distribute by lot.
2. To distribute, or parcel out in parts or portions; or to distribute to each individual concerned; to assign as a share or lot; to set apart as one's share; to bestow on; to grant; to appoint; as, let every man be contented with that which Providence allots him. Ten years I will allot to the attainment of knowledge. Johnson.
ALLOTHEISM Al"lo*the*ism, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: The worship of strange gods. Jer. Taylor.
ALLOTMENT Al*lot"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. alotement, F. allotement.]
1. The act of allotting; assignment.
2. That which is allotted; a share, part, or portion granted or distributed; that which is assigned by lot, or by the act of God; anything set apart for a special use or to a distinct party. The alloments of God and nature. L'Estrange. A vineyard and an allotment for olives and herbs. Broome.
3. (law)
Defn: The allowance of a specific amount of scrip or of a particular thing to a particular person. Cottage allotment, an allotment of a small portion of land to a country laborer for garden cultivation. [Eng.]
ALLOTRIOPHAGY Al`lo*tri*oph"a*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. allotriophagie.] (Med.)
Defn: A depraved appetite; a desire for improper food.
ALLOTROPHIC Al`lo*troph"ic, a. [Gr. other + trophic.] (a) (Physiol.) Changed or modified in nutritive power by the process of digestion. (b) (Plant Physiol.) Dependent upon other organisms for nutrition; heterotrophic; — said of plants unable to perform photosynthesis, as all saprophytes; — opposed to autotrophic.
ALLOTROPIC; ALLOTROPICAL Al`lo*trop"ic, Al`lo*trop"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. allotropique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to allotropism. — Al`lo*trop"ic*al*ly, adv. Allotropic state, the several conditions which occur in a case of allotropism.
ALLOTROPICITY Al*lot`ro*pic"i*ty, n.
Defn: Allotropic property or nature.
ALLOTROPISM; ALLOTROPY Al*lot"ro*pism, Al*lot"ro*py, n. Etym: [Gr. allotropie.] (Chem.)
Defn: The property of existing in two or more conditions which are distinct in their physical or chemical relations.
Note: Thus, carbon occurs crystallized in octahedrons and other related forms, in a state of extreme hardness, in the diamond; it occurs in hexagonal forms, and of little hardness, in black lead; and again occurs in a third form, with entire softness, in lampblack and charcoal. In some cases, one of these is peculiarly an active state, and the other a passive one. Thus, ozone is an active state of oxygen, and is distinct from ordinary oxygen, which is the element in its passive state.
ALLOTROPIZE Al*lot"ro*pize, v. t.
Defn: To change in physical properties but not in substance. [R.]
ALLOTTABLE Al*lot"ta*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being allotted.
ALLOTTEE Al*lot`tee", n.
Defn: One to whom anything is allotted; one to whom an allotment is made.
ALLOTTER Al*lot"ter, n.
Defn: One who allots.
ALLOTTERY Al*lot"ter*y, n.
Defn: Allotment. [Obs.] Shak.
ALLOW Al*low", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Allowing.] Etym: [OE. alouen, OF. alouer, aloer, aluer, F. allouer, fr. LL. allocare to admit as proved, to place, use; confused with OF. aloer, fr. L. allaudare to extol; ad + laudare to praise. See Local, and cf. Allocate, Laud.]
1. To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction. [Obs. or Archaic] Ye allow the deeds of your fathers. Luke xi. 48. We commend his pains, condemn his pride, allow his life, approve his learning. Fuller.
2. To like; to be suited or pleased with. [Obs.] How allow you the model of these clothes Massinger.
3. To sanction; to invest; to intrust. [Obs.] Thou shalt be . . . allowed with absolute power. Shak.
4. To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let one have; as, to allow a servant his liberty; to allow a free passage; to allow one day for rest. He was allowed about three hundred pounds a year. Macaulay.
5. To own or acknowledge; to accept as true; to concede; to accede to an opinion; as, to allow a right; to allow a claim; to allow the truth of a proposition. I allow, with Mrs. Grundy and most moralists, that Miss Newcome's conduct . . . was highly reprehensible. Thackeray.
6. To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; esp. to abate or deduct; as, to allow a sum for leakage.
7. To grant license to; to permit; to consent to; as, to allow a son to be absent.
Syn. — To allot; assign; bestow; concede; admit; permit; suffer; tolerate. See Permit.
ALLOW Al*low", v. i.
Defn: To admit; to concede; to make allowance or abatement. Allowing still for the different ways of making it. Addison. To allow of, to permit; to admit. Shak.
ALLOWABLE Al*low"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. allouable.]
1. Praiseworthy; laudable. [Obs.] Hacket.
2. Proper to be, or capable of being, allowed; permissible; admissible; not forbidden; not unlawful or improper; as, a certain degree of freedom is allowable among friends.
ALLOWABLENESS Al*low"a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being allowable; permissibleness; lawfulness; exemption from prohibition or impropriety. South.
ALLOWABLY Al*low"a*bly, adv.
Defn: In an allowable manner.
ALLOWANCE Al*low"ance, n. Etym: [OF. alouance.]
1. Approval; approbation. [Obs.] Crabbe.
2. The act of allowing, granting, conceding, or admitting; authorization; permission; sanction; tolerance. Without the king's will or the state's allowance. Shak.
3. Acknowledgment. The censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theater of others. Shak.
4. License; indulgence. [Obs.] Locke.
5. That which is allowed; a share or portion allotted or granted; a sum granted as a reimbursement, a bounty, or as appropriate for any purpose; a stated quantity, as of food or drink; hence, a limited quantity of meat and drink, when provisions fall short. I can give the boy a handsome allowance. Thackeray.
6. Abatement; deduction; the taking into account of mitigating circumstances; as, to make allowance for the inexperience of youth. After making the largest allowance for fraud. Macaulay.
7. (com.)
Defn: A customary deduction from the gross weight of goods, different in different countries, such as tare and tret.
ALLOWANCE Al*low"ance, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allowancing.] Etym: [See Allowance, n.]
Defn: To put upon a fixed allowance (esp. of provisions and drink); to supply in a fixed and limited quantity; as, the captain was obliged to allowance his crew; our provisions were allowanced.
ALLOWEDLY Al*low"ed*ly adv.
Defn: By allowance; admittedly. Shenstone.
ALLOWER Al*low"er, n.
1. An approver or abettor. [Obs.]
2. One who allows or permits.
ALLOXAN Al*lox"an, n. Etym: [Allantoin + oxalic, as containing the elements of allantion and oxalic acid.] (Chem.)
Defn: An oxidation product of uric acid. It is of a pale reddish color, readily soluble in water or alcohol.
ALLOXANATE Al*lox"a*nate, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A combination of alloxanic acid and a base or base or positive radical.
ALLOXANIC Al`lox*an"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to alloxan; — applied to an acid obtained by the action of soluble alkalies on alloxan.
ALLOXANTIN Al`lox*an"tin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A substance produced by acting upon uric with warm and very dilute nitric acid.
ALLOY Al*loy", n. Etym: [OE. alai, OF. alei, F. aloyer, to alloy, alier to ally. See Alloy, v. t.]
1. Any combination or compound of metals fused together; a mixture of metals; for example, brass, which is an alloy of copper and zinc. But when mercury is one of the metals, the compound is called an amalgam.
2. The quality, or comparative purity, of gold or silver; fineness.
3. A baser metal mixed with a finer. Fine silver is silver without the mixture of any baser metal. Alloy is baser metal mixed with it. Locke.
4. Admixture of anything which lessens the value or detracts from; as, no happiness is without alloy. "Pure English without Latin alloy." F. Harrison.
ALLOY Al*loy", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alloyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Alloying.] Etym: [F. aloyer, OF. alier, allier, later allayer, fr. L. aligare. See Alloy, n., Ally, v.t., and cf. Allay.]
1. To reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable substance; as, to alloy gold with silver or copper, or silver with copper.
2. To mix, as metals, so as to form a compound.
3. To abate, impair, or debase by mixture; to allay; as, to alloy pleasure with misfortunes.
ALLOY Al*loy", v. t.
Defn: To form a metallic compound. Gold and iron alloy with ease. Ure.
ALLOYAGE Al*loy"age, n. Etym: [F. aloyage.]
Defn: The act or art of alloying metals; also, the combination or alloy.
ALLOY STEEL Al"loy steel.
Defn: Any steel containing a notable quantity of some other metal alloyed with the iron, usually chromium, nickel, manganese, tungsten, or vanadium.
ALL-POSSESSED All`-pos*sessed", a.
Defn: Controlled by an evil spirit or by evil passions; wild. [Colloq.]
ALL SAINTS; ALL SAINTS' All" Saints`, All" Saints',
Defn: The first day of November, called, also, Allhallows or Hallowmas; a feast day kept in honor of all the saints; also, the season of this festival.
ALL SOULS' DAY All" Souls' Day`.
Defn: The second day of November; a feast day of the Roman Catholic church, on which supplications are made for the souls of the faithful dead.
ALLSPICE All"spice`, n.
Defn: The berry of the pimento (Eugenia pimenta), a tree of the West Indies; a spice of a mildly pungent taste, and agreeably aromatic; Jamaica pepper; pimento. It has been supposed to combine the flavor of cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves; and hence the name. The name is also given to other aromatic shrubs; as, the Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus); wild allspice (Lindera benzoin), called also spicebush, spicewood, and feverbush.
ALLTHING All`thing`, adv. Etym: [For in all (= every) thing.]
Defn: Altogether. [Obs.] Shak.
ALLUDE Al*lude", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Alluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Alluding.] Etym: [L. alludere to play with, to allude; ad + ludere to play.]
Defn: To refer to something indirectly or by suggestion; to have reference to a subject not specifically and plainly mentioned; — followed by to; as, the story alludes to a recent transaction. These speeches . . . do seem to allude unto such ministerial garments as were then in use. Hooker.
Syn. — To refer; point; indicate; hint; suggest; intimate; signify; insinuate; advert. See Refer.
ALLUDE Al*lude", v. t.
Defn: To compare allusively; to refer (something) as applicable. [Obs.] Wither.
ALLUMETTE Al`lu`mette, n. Etym: [F., from allumer to light.]
Defn: A match for lighting candles, lamps, etc.
ALLUMINOR Al*lu"mi*nor, n. Etym: [OF. alumineor, fr. L. ad + liminare. See Luminate.]
Defn: An illuminator of manuscripts and books; a limner. [Obs.] Cowell.
ALLURANCE Al*lur"ance, n.
Defn: Allurement. [R.]
ALLURE Al*lure", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Alluring.] Etym: [OF. aleurrer, alurer, fr. a (L. ad) + leurre lure. See Lure.]
Defn: To attempt to draw; to tempt by a lure or bait, that is, by the offer of some good, real or apparent; to invite by something flattering or acceptable; to entice; to attract. With promised joys allured them on. Falconer. The golden sun in splendor likest Heaven Allured his eye. Milton.
Syn. — To attract; entice; tempt; decoy; seduce. — To Allure, Entice, Decoy, Seduce. These words agree in the idea of acting upon the mind by some strong controlling influence, and differ according to the image under which is presented. They are all used in a bad sense, except allure, which has sometimes (though rarely) a good one. We are allured by the prospect or offer (usually deceptive) of some future good. We are commonly enticed into evil by appeals to our passions. We are decoyed into danger by false appearances or representations. We are seduced when drawn aside from the path of rectitude. What allures draws by gentle means; what entices leads us by promises and persuasions; what decoys betrays us, as it were, into a snare or net; what seduces deceives us by artful appeals to the passions.
ALLURE Al*lure", n.
Defn: Allurement. [R.] Hayward.
ALLURE Al`lure", n. Etym: [F.; aller to go.]
Defn: Gait; bearing. The swing, the gait, the pose, the allure of these men. Harper's Mag.
ALLUREMENT Al*lure"ment, n.
1. The act alluring; temptation; enticement. Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell. Milton.
2. That which allures; any real or apparent good held forth, or operating, as a motive to action; as, the allurements of pleasure, or of honor.
ALLURER Al*lur"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, allures.
ALLURING Al*lur"ing, a.
Defn: That allures; attracting; charming; tempting. — Al*lur"ing*ly, adv. — Al*lur"ing*ness, n.
ALLUSION Al*lu"sion, n. Etym: [L. allusio, fr. alludere to allude: cf. F. allusion.]
1. A figurative or symbolical reference. [Obs.]
2. A reference to something supposed to be known, but not explicitly mentioned; a covert indication; indirect reference; a hint.
ALLUSIVE Al*lu"sive, a.
1. Figurative; symbolical.
2. Having reference to something not fully expressed; containing an allusion.
ALLUSIVELY Al*lu"sive*ly, adv.
Defn: Figuratively [Obs.]; by way of allusion; by implication, suggestion, or insinuation.
ALLUSIVENESS Al*lu"sive*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being allusive.
ALLUSORY Al*lu"so*ry, a.
Defn: Allusive. [R.] Warburton.
ALLUVIAL Al*lu"vi*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alluvial. See Alluvion.]
Defn: Pertaining to, contained in, or composed of, alluvium; relating to the deposits made by flowing water; washed away from one place and deposited in another; as, alluvial soil, mud, accumulations, deposits.
ALLUVION Al*lu"vi*on, n. Etym: [F. alluvion, L. alluvio, fr. alluere to wash against; ad + luere, equiv. to lavare, to wash. See Lave.]
1. Wash or flow of water against the shore or bank.
2. An overflowing; an inundation; a flood. Lyell.
3. Matter deposited by an inundation or the action of flowing water; alluvium. The golden alluvions are there [in California and Australia] spread over a far wider space: they are found not only on the banks of rivers, and in their beds, but are scattered over the surface of vast plains. R. Cobden.
4. (Law)
Defn: An accession of land gradually washed to the shore or bank by the flowing of water. See Accretion.
ALLUVIOUS Al*lu"vi*ous, n. Etym: [L. alluvius. See Alluvion.]
Defn: Alluvial. [R.] Johnson.
ALLUVIUM Al*lu"vi*um, n.; pl. E. Alluviums, L. Alluvia. Etym: [L., neut. of alluvius. See Alluvious.] (Geol.)
Defn: Deposits of earth, sand, gravel, and other transported matter, made by rivers, floods, or other causes, upon land not permanently submerged beneath the waters of lakes or seas. Lyell.
ALLWHERE All"where`, adv.
Defn: Everywhere. [Archaic]
ALLWORK All"work`, n.
Defn: Domestic or other work of all kinds; as, a maid of allwork, that is, a general servant.
ALLY Al*ly", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allied; p. pr. & vb. n. Allying.] Etym: [OE. alien, OF. alier, F. alier, fr. L. alligare to bind to; ad + ligare to bind. Cf. Alligate, Alloy, Allay, Ligament.]
1. To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy; — often followed by to or with. O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied. Pope.
2. To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love. These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied. Spenser. The virtue nearest to our vice allied. Pope.
Note: Ally is generally used in the passive form or reflexively.
ALLY Al*ly", n.; pl. Allies. Etym: [See Ally, v.]
1. A relative; a kinsman. [Obs.] Shak.
2. One united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate. The English soldiers and their French allies. Macaulay.
3. Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary. Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally. Buckle.
4. Anything akin to another by structure, etc.
ALLY Al"ly, n.
Defn: See Alley, a marble or taw.
ALLYL Al"lyl, n. Etym: [L. allium garlic + -yl.] (Chem.)
Defn: An organic radical, C3H5, existing especially in oils of garlic and mustard.
ALLYLENE Al"ly*lene, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A gaseous hydrocarbon, C3H4, homologous with acetylene; propine. CH3.C.CH
ALMA; ALMAH Al"ma, Al"mah, n.
Defn: Same as Alme.
ALMACANTAR Al`ma*can"tar, n. (Astron.) (a) Same as Almucantar. (b) A recently invented instrument for observing the heavenly bodies as they cross a given almacantar circle. See Almucantar.
ALMADIA; ALMADIE Al`ma*di"a, Al"ma*die, n. Etym: [F. almadie (cf. Sp. & Pg. almadia), fr. Ar. alma'diyah a raft, float.] (Naut.) (a) A bark canoe used by the Africans. (b) A boat used at Calicut, in India, about eighty feet long, and six or seven broad.
ALMAGEST Al"ma*gest, n. Etym: [F. almageste, LL. almageste, Ar. al-majisti, fr. Gr.
Defn: The celebrated work of Ptolemy of Alexandria, which contains nearly all that is known of the astronomical observations and theories of the ancients. The name was extended to other similar works.
ALMAGRA Al*ma"gra, n. Etym: [Sp. almagra, almagre, fr. Ar. al-maghrah red clay or earth.]