A A (named a in the English, and most commonly ä in other languages). (continued 8)

Defn: A fine, deep red ocher, somewhat purplish, found in Spain. It is the sil atticum of the ancients. Under the name of Indian red it is used for polishing glass and silver.

ALMAIN; ALMAYNE; ALMAN Al"main, Al"mayne, Al"man, n. Etym: [OF. Aleman, F. Allemand, fr. L. Alemanni, ancient Ger. tribes.] [Obs.]

1. A German. Also adj.,

Defn: German. Shak.

2. The German language. J. Foxe.

3. A kind of dance. See Allemande. Almain rivets, Almayne rivets, or Alman rivets, a sort of light armor from Germany, characterized by overlapping plates, arranged to slide on rivets, and thus afford great flexibility.

ALMA MATER Al"ma Ma"ter. Etym: [L., fostering mother.]

Defn: A college or seminary where one is educated.

ALMANAC Al"ma*nac, n. Etym: [LL. almanac, almanach: cf. F. almanach, Sp. almanaque, It. almanacco, all of uncertain origin.]

Defn: A book or table, containing a calendar of days, and months, to which astronomical data and various statistics are often added, such as the times of the rising and setting of the sun and moon, eclipses, hours of full tide, stated festivals of churches, terms of courts, etc. Nautical almanac, an almanac, or year book, containing astronomical calculations (lunar, stellar, etc.), and other information useful to mariners.

ALMANDINE Al"man*dine, n. Etym: [LL. almandina, alamandina, for L. alabandina a precious stone, named after Alabanda, a town in Caria, where it was first and chiefly found: cf. F. almandine.] (Min.)

Defn: The common red variety of garnet.

ALME; ALMEH Al"me, Al"meh, n. Etym: [Ar. 'almah (fem.) learned, fr. 'alama to know: cf. F. almée.]

Defn: An Egyptian dancing girl; an Alma. The Almehs lift their arms in dance. Bayard Taylor.

ALMENDRON Al`men*dron", n. Etym: [Sp., fr. almendra almond.]

Defn: The lofty Brazil-nut tree.

ALMERY Al"mer*y, n.

Defn: See Ambry. [Obs.]

ALMESSE Alm"esse, n.

Defn: See Alms. [Obs.]

ALMIGHTFUL; ALMIGHTIFUL Al*might"ful, Al*might"i*ful, a.

Defn: All-powerful; almighty. [Obs.] Udall.

ALMIGHTILY Al*might"i*ly, adv.

Defn: With almighty power.

ALMIGHTINESS Al*might"i*ness, n.

Defn: Omnipotence; infinite or boundless power; unlimited might. Jer. Taylor.

ALMIGHTY Al*might"y, a. Etym: [AS. ealmihtig, ælmihtig; eal (OE. al) ail + mihtig mighty.]

1. Unlimited in might; omnipotent; all-powerful; irresistible. I am the Almighty God. Gen. xvii. 1.

2. Great; extreme; terrible. [Slang] Poor Aroar can not live, and can not die, — so that he is in an almighty fix. De Quincey. The Almighty, the omnipotent God. Rev. i. 8.

ALMNER Alm"ner, n.

Defn: An almoner. [Obs.] Spenser.

ALMOND Alm"ond, n. Etym: [OE. almande, almaunde, alemaunde, F. amande, L. amygdala, fr. Gr. almendra. Cf. Amygdalate.]

1. The fruit of the almond tree.

Note: The different kinds, as bitter, sweet, thin-shelled, thick- shelled almonds, and Jordan almonds, are the products of different varieties of the one species, Amygdalus communis, a native of the Mediterranean region and western Asia.

2. The tree bears the fruit; almond tree.

3. Anything shaped like an almond. Specifically: (Anat.)

Defn: One of the tonsils. Almond oil, fixed oil expressed from sweet or bitter almonds. — Oil of bitter almonds, a poisonous volatile oil obtained from bitter almonds by maceration and distillation; benzoic aldehyde. — Imitation oil of bitter almonds, nitrobenzene. — Almond tree (Bot.), the tree bearing the almond. — Almond willow (Bot.), a willow which has leaves that are of a light green on both sides; almond-leaved willow (Salix amygdalina). Shenstone.

ALMOND FURNACE Al"mond fur`nace. Etym: [Prob. a corruption of Almain furnace, i. e., German furnace. See Almain.]

Defn: A kind of furnace used in refining, to separate the metal from cinders and other foreign matter. Chambers.

ALMONDINE Al"mon*dine, n.

Defn: See Almandine

ALMONER Al"mon*er, n. Etym: [OE. aumener, aulmener, OF. almosnier, aumosnier, F. aumônier, fr. OF. almosne, alms, L. eleemosyna. See Alms.]

Defn: One who distributes alms, esp. the doles and alms of religious houses, almshouses, etc.; also, one who dispenses alms for another, as the almoner of a prince, bishop, etc.

ALMONERSHIP Al"mon*er*ship, n.

Defn: The office of an almoner.

ALMONRY Al"mon*ry, n.; pl. Almonries. Etym: [OF. aumosnerie, F. aumônerie, fr. OF. aumosnier. See Almoner.]

Defn: The place where an almoner resides, or where alms are distributed.

ALMOSE Al"mose, n.

Defn: Alms. [Obs.] Cheke.

ALMOST Al"most, adv. Etym: [AS. ealmæst, ælmæst, quite the most, almost all; eal (OE. al) all + m most.]

Defn: Nearly; well nigh; all but; for the greatest part. Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts xxvi. 28. Almost never, scarcely ever. — Almost nothing, scarcely anything.

ALMRY Alm"ry, n.

Defn: See Almonry. [Obs.]

ALMS Alms, n. sing. & pl. Etym: [OE. almes, almesse, AS. ælmysse, fr. L. eleemosyna, Gr. Almonry, Eleemosynary.]

Defn: Anything given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing; a gift of charity. A devout man . . . which gave much alms to the people. Acts x. 2. Alms are but the vehicles of prayer. Dryden. Tenure by free alms. See Frankalmoign. Blackstone.

Note: This word alms is singular in its form (almesse), and is sometimes so used; as, "asked an alms." Acts iii. 3."Received an alms." Shak. It is now, however, commonly a collective or plural noun. It is much used in composition, as almsgiver, almsgiving, alms bag, alms chest, etc.

ALMSDEED Alms"deed`, n.

Defn: An act of charity. Acts ix. 36.

ALMSFOLK Alms"folk`, n.

Defn: Persons supported by alms; almsmen. [Archaic] Holinshed.

ALMSGIVER Alms"giv`er, n.

Defn: A giver of alms.

ALMSGIVING Alms"giv`ing, n.

Defn: The giving of alms.

ALMSHOUSE Alms"house`, n.

Defn: A house appropriated for the use of the poor; a poorhouse.

ALMSMAN Alms"man, n.; fem. Almswoman.

1. A recipient of alms. Shak.

2. A giver of alms. [R.] Halliwell.

ALMUCANTAR Al`mu*can"tar, n. Etym: [F. almucantarat, almicantarat, ultimately fr. Ar. al-muqantarat, pl., fr. qantara to bend, arch.] (Astron.)

Defn: A small circle of the sphere parallel to the horizon; a circle or parallel of altitude. Two stars which have the same almucantar have the same altitude. See Almacantar. [Archaic] Almucanter staff, an ancient instrument, having an arc of fifteen degrees, formerly used at sea to take observations of the sun's amplitude at the time of its rising or setting, to find the variation of the compass.

ALMUCE Al"muce, n.

Defn: Same as Amice, a hood or cape.

ALMUDE Al*mude", n. Etym: [Pg. almude, or Sp. almud, a measure of grain or dry fruit, fr. Ar. al-mudd a dry measure.]

Defn: A measure for liquids in several countries. In Portugal the Lisbon almude is about 4.4, and the Oporto almude about 6.6, gallons U. S. measure. In Turkey the "almud" is about 1.4 gallons.

ALMUG; ALGUM Al"mug, Al"gum, n. Etym: [Heb., perh. borrowed fr. Skr. valguka sandalwood.] (Script.)

Defn: A tree or wood of the Bible (2 Chron. ii. 8; 1 K. x. 11).

Note: Most writers at the present day follow Celsius, who takes it to be the red sandalwood of China and the Indian Archipelago. W. Smith.

ALNAGE Al"nage, n., Etym: [OF. alnage, aulnage, F. aunage, fr. OF. alne ell, of Ger. origin: cf. OHG. elina, Goth. aleina, cubit. See Ell.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: Measurement (of cloth) by the ell; also, a duty for such measurement.

ALNAGER Al"na*ger, n. Etym: [See Alnage.]

Defn: A measure by the ell; formerly a sworn officer in England, whose duty was to inspect act measure woolen cloth, and fix upon it a seal.

ALOE Al"oe, n.; pl. Aloes. Etym: [L. aloë, Gr. aloe, F. aloès.]

1. pl.

Defn: The wood of the agalloch. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of succulent plants, some classed as trees, others as shrubs, but the greater number having the habit and appearance of evergreen herbaceous plants; from some of which are prepared articles for medicine and the arts. They are natives of warm countries.

3. pl. (Med.)

Defn: The inspissated juice of several species of aloe, used as a purgative. [Plural in form but syntactically singular.] American aloe, Century aloe, the agave. See Agave.

ALOES WOOD Al"oes wood`.

Defn: See Agalloch.

ALOETIC Al`o*et"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. aloétique.]

Defn: Consisting chiefly of aloes; of the nature of aloes.

ALOETIC Al`o*et"ic, n.

Defn: A medicine containing chiefly aloes.

ALOFT A*loft", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + loft, which properly meant air. See Loft.]

1. On high; in the air; high above the ground. "He steers his flight aloft." Milton.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: In the top; at the mast head, or on the higher yards or rigging; overhead; hence (Fig. and Colloq.), in or to heaven.

ALOFT A*loft", prep.

Defn: Above; on top of. [Obs.] Fresh waters run aloft the sea. Holland.

ALOGIAN A*lo"gi*an, n. Etym: [LL. Alogiani, Alogii, fr. Gr. (Eccl.)

Defn: One of an ancient sect who rejected St. John's Gospel and the Apocalypse, which speak of Christ as the Logos. Shipley.

ALOGY Al"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. alogia, Gr.

Defn: Unreasonableness; absurdity. [Obs.]

ALOIN Al"o*in, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A bitter purgative principle in aloes.

ALOMANCY Al"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy: cf. F. alomancie, halomancie.]

Defn: Divination by means of salt. [Spelt also halomancy.] Morin.

ALONE A*lone", a. Etym: [All + one. OE. al one all allone, AS. an one, alone. See All, One, Lone.]

1. Quite by one's self; apart from, or exclusive of, others; single; solitary; — applied to a person or thing. Alone on a wide, wide sea. Coleridge. It is not good that the man should be alone. Gen. ii. 18.

2. Of or by itself; by themselves; without any thing more or any one else; without a sharer; only. Man shall not live by bread alone. Luke iv. 4. The citizens alone should be at the expense. Franklin.

3. Sole; only; exclusive. [R.] God, by whose alone power and conversation we all live, and move, and have our being. Bentley.

4. Hence; Unique; rare; matchless. Shak.

Note: The adjective alone commonly follows its noun. To let or leave alone, to abstain from interfering with or molesting; to suffer to remain in its present state.

ALONE A*lone", adv.

Defn: Solely; simply; exclusively.

ALONELY A*lone"ly, adv.

Defn: Only; merely; singly. [Obs.] This said spirit was not given alonely unto him, but unto all his heirs and posterity. Latimer.

ALONELY A*lone"ly, a.

Defn: Exclusive. [Obs.] Fabyan.

ALONENESS A*lone"ness, n.

Defn: A state of being alone, or without company; solitariness. [R.] Bp. Montagu.

ALONG A*long", adv. Etym: [OE. along, anlong, AS. andlang, along; pref. and- (akin to OFris. ond-, OHG. ant-, Ger. ent-, Goth. and-, anda-, L. ante, Gr. anti, over against) + lang long. See Long.]

1. By the length; in a line with the length; lengthwise. Some laid along . . . on spokes of wheels are hung. Dryden.

2. In a line, or with a progressive motion; onward; forward. We will go along by the king's highway. Numb. xxi. 22. He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along. Coleridge.

3. In company; together. He to England shall along with you. Shak. All along, all trough the course of; during the whole time; throughout. "I have all along declared this to be a neutral paper." Addison. — To get along, to get on; to make progress, as in business. "She 'll get along in heaven better than you or I." Mrs. Stowe.

ALONG A*long", prep.

Defn: By the length of, as distinguished from across. "Along the lowly lands." Dryden. The kine . . . went along the highway. 1 Sam. vi. 12.

ALONG A*long". Etym: [AS. gelang owing to.]

Defn: (Now heard only in the prep. phrase along of.) Along of, Along on, often shortened to Long of, prep. phr., owing to; on account of. [Obs. or Low. Eng.] "On me is not along thin evil fare." Chaucer. "And all this is long of you." Shak. "This increase of price is all along of the foreigners." London Punch.

ALONGSHORE A*long"shore`, adv.

Defn: Along the shore or coast.

ALONGSHOREMAN A*long"shore`man, n.

Defn: See Longshoreman.

ALONGSIDE A*long"side`, adv.

Defn: Along or by the side; side by side with; — often with of; as, bring the boat alongside; alongside of him; alongside of the tree.

ALONGST A*longst", prep. & adv. Etym: [Formed fr. along, like amongst fr. among.]

Defn: Along. [Obs.]

ALOOF A*loof", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Alewife.

ALOOF A*loof", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + loof, fr. D. loef luff, and so meaning, as a nautical word, to the windward. See Loof, Luff.]

1. At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away. Our palace stood aloof from streets. Dryden.

2. Without sympathy; unfavorably. To make the Bible as from the hand of God, and then to look at it aloof and with caution, is the worst of all impieties. I. Taylor.

ALOOF A*loof", prep.

Defn: Away from; clear from. [Obs.] Rivetus . . . would fain work himself aloof these rocks and quicksands. Milton.

ALOOFNESS A*loof"ness, n.

Defn: State of being aloof. Rogers (1642). The . . . aloofness of his dim forest life. Thoreau.

ALOPECIA; ALOPECY Al`o*pe"ci*a, A*lop"e*cy, n. Etym: [L. alopecia, Gr. (med.)

Defn: Loss of the hair; baldness.

ALOPECIST A*lop"e*cist, n.

Defn: A practitioner who tries to prevent or cure baldness.

ALOSE A*lose", v. t. Etym: [OE. aloser.]

Defn: To praise. [Obs.]

ALOSE A"lose, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. alosa or alausa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European shad (Clupea alosa); — called also allice shad or allis shad. The name is sometimes applied to the American shad (Clupea sapidissima). See Shad.

ALOUATTE Al`ou*atte", n. Etym: [Of uncertain origin.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the several species of howling monkeys of South America. See Howler, 2.

ALOUD A*loud", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + loud.]

Defn: With a loud voice, or great noise; loudly; audibly. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice. Isa. lviii. 1.

ALOW A*low", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + low.]

Defn: Below; in a lower part. "Aloft, and then alow." Dryden.

ALP Alp, n. Etym: [L. Alpes the Alps, said to be of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. alp a high mountain, Ir. ailp any huge mass or lump: cf. F. Alpes.]

1. A very high mountain. Specifically, in the plural, the highest chain of mountains in Europe, containing the lofty mountains of Switzerland, etc. Nor breath of vernal air from snowy alp. Milton. Hills peep o'er hills, and alps on alps arise. Pope.

2. Fig.: Something lofty, or massive, or very hard to be surmounted.

Note: The plural form Alps is sometimes used as a singular. "The Alps doth spit." Shak.

ALP Alp, n.

Defn: A bullfinch. Rom. of R.

ALPACA Al*pac"a, n. Etym: [Sp. alpaca, fr. the original Peruvian name of the animal. Cf. Paco.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal of Peru (Lama paco), having long, fine, wooly hair, supposed by some to be a domesticated variety of the llama.

2. Wool of the alpaca.

3. A thin kind of cloth made of the wooly hair of the alpaca, often mixed with silk or with cotton.

ALPEN Al"pen, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Alps. [R.] "The Alpen snow." J. Fletcher.

ALPENGLOW Al"pen*glow`, n.

Defn: A reddish glow seen near sunset or sunrise on the summits of mountains; specif., a reillumination sometimes observed after the summits have passed into shadow, supposed to be due to a curving downward (refraction) of the light rays from the west resulting from the cooling of the air.

ALPENHORN; ALPHORN { Al"pen*horn`, Alp"horn` }, n. [G. Alpenhorn.]

Defn: A curved wooden horn about three feet long, with a cupped mouthpiece and a bell, used by the Swiss to sound the ranz des vaches and other melodies. Its notes are open harmonics of the tube.

ALPENSTOCK Al"pen*stock`, n. Etym: [G.; Alp, gen. pl. Alpen + stock stick.]

Defn: A long staff, pointed with iron, used in climbing the Alps. Cheever.

ALPESTRINE Al*pes"trine, a. Etym: [L. Alpestris.]

Defn: Pertaining to the Alps, or other high mountains; as, Alpestrine diseases, etc.

ALPHA Al"pha, n. Etym: [L. alpha, Gr. 'a`lfa, from Heb. aleph, name of the first letter in the alphabet, also meaning ox.]

Defn: The first letter in the Greek alphabet, answering to A, and hence used to denote the beginning. In am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Rev. xxii. 13.

Note: Formerly used also denote the chief; as, Plato was the alpha of the wits.

Note: In cataloguing stars, the brightest star of a constellation in designated by Alpha (a); as, a Lyræ.

ALPHABET Al"pha*bet, n. Etym: [L. alphabetum, fr. Gr. aleph and beth: cf. F. alphabet.]

1. The letters of a language arranged in the customary order; the series of letters or signs which form the elements of written language.

2. The simplest rudiments; elements. The very alphabet of our law. Macaulay. Deaf and dumb alphabet. See Dactylology.

ALPHABET Al"pha*bet, v. t.

Defn: To designate by the letters of the alphabet; to arrange alphabetically. [R.]

ALPHABETARIAN Al`pha*bet*a"ri*an, n.

Defn: A learner of the alphabet; an abecedarian. Abp. Sancroft.

ALPHABETIC; ALPHABETICAL Al`pha*bet"ic, Al`pha*bet"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alphabétique.]

1. Pertaining to, furnished with, expressed by, or in the order of, the letters of the alphabet; as, alphabetic characters, writing, languages, arrangement.

2. Literal. [Obs.] "Alphabetical servility." Milton.

ALPHABETICALLY Al`pha*bet"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an alphabetic manner; in the customary order of the letters.

ALPHABETICS Al`pha*bet"ics, n.

Defn: The science of representing spoken sounds by letters.

ALPHABETISM Al"pha*bet*ism, n.

Defn: The expression of spoken sounds by an alphabet. Encyc. Brit.

ALPHABETIZE Al"pha*bet*ize, v. t.

1. To arrange alphabetically; as, to alphabetize a list of words.

2. To furnish with an alphabet.

ALPHA PAPER Al"pha pa"per. (Photog.)

Defn: A sensitized paper for obtaining positives by artificial light. It is coated with gelatin containing silver bromide and chloride. [Eng.]

ALPHA RAYS Alpha rays. (Physics & Chem.)

Defn: Rays of relatively low penetrating power emitted by radium and other radioactive substances, and shown to consist of positively charged particles (perhaps particles of helium) having enormous velocities but small masses. They are slightly deflected by a strong magnetic or electric field.

AL-PHITOMANCY Al-phit"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. mancy: cf. F. alphitomancie.]

Defn: Divination by means of barley meal. Knowles.

ALPHOL Al"phol, n. [Alpha- + -ol as in alcohol.] (Pharm.)

Defn: A crystalline derivative of salicylic acid, used as an antiseptic and antirheumatic.

ALPHONSINE Al*phon"sine, a.

Defn: Of or relating to Alphonso X., the Wise, King of Castile (1252- 1284). Alphonsine tables, astronomical tables prepared under the patronage of Alphonso the Wise. Whewell.

ALPIGENE Al"pi*gene, a. Etym: [L. Alpes Alps + -gen.]

Defn: Growing in Alpine regions.

ALPINE Al"pine, a. Etym: [L. Alpinus, fr. Alpes the Alps: cf. F. Alpin.]

1. Of or pertaining to the Alps, or to any lofty mountain; as, Alpine snows; Alpine plants.

2. Like the Alps; lofty. "Gazing up an Alpine height." Tennyson.

ALPINIST Al"pin*ist, n.

Defn: A climber of the Alps.

ALPIST; ALPIA Al"pist, Al"pi*a, n. Etym: [F.: cf. Sp. & Pg. alpiste.]

Defn: The seed of canary grass (Phalaris Canariensis), used for feeding cage birds.

ALQUIFOU Al"qui*fou, n. Etym: [Equiv. to arquifoux, F. alquifoux, Sp. alquifól, fr. the same Arabic word as alcohol. See Alcohol.]

Defn: A lead ore found in Cornwall, England, and used by potters to give a green glaze to their wares; potter's ore.

ALREADY Al*read"y, adv. Etym: [All (OE. al) + ready.]

Defn: Prior to some specified time, either past, present, or future; by this time; previously. "Joseph was in Egypt already." Exod. i. 5. I say unto you, that Elias is come already. Matt. xvii. 12.

Note: It has reference to past time, but may be used for a future past; as, when you shall arrive, the business will be already completed, or will have been already completed.

ALS Als, adv.

1. Also. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. As. [Obs.] Chaucer.

ALSATIAN Al*sa"tian, a.

Defn: Pertaining to Alsatia.

ALSATIAN Al*sa"tian, n.

Defn: An inhabitant of Alsatia or Alsace in Germany, or of Alsatia or White Friars (a resort of debtors and criminals) in London.

AL SEGNO Al` se"gno. Etym: [It., to the mark or sign.](Mus.)

Defn: A direction for the performer to return and recommence from the sign

ALSIKE Al"sike, n. Etym: [From Alsike, in Sweden.]

Defn: A species of clover with pinkish or white flowers; Trifolium hybridum.

ALSO Al"so, adv. & conj. Etym: [All + so. OE. al so, AS. ealswa, alsw, ælswæ; eal, al, æl, all + swa so. See All, So, As.]

1. In like manner; likewise. [Obs.]

2. In addition; besides; as well; further; too. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt. vi. 20.

3. Even as; as; so. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Syn. — Also, Likewise, Too. These words are used by way of transition, in leaving one thought and passing to another. Also is the widest term. It denotes that what follows is all so, or entirely like that which preceded, or may be affirmed with the same truth; as, "If you were there, I was there also;" "If our situation has some discomforts, it has also many sources of enjoyment." Too is simply less formal and pointed than also; it marks the transition with a lighter touch; as, "I was there too;" "a courtier yet a patriot too." Pope. Likewise denotes literally "in like manner," and hence has been thought by some to be more specific than also. "It implies," says Whately, "some connection or agreement between the words it unites. We may say, ` He is a poet, and likewise a musician; ' but we should not say, ` He is a prince, and likewise a musician,' because there is no natural connection between these qualities." This distinction, however, is often disregarded.

ALT Alt, a. & n. Etym: [See Alto.] (Mus.)

Defn: The higher part of the scale. See Alto. To be in alt, to be in an exalted state of mind.

ALTAIAN; ALTAIC Al*ta"ian, Al*ta"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. altaïque.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Altai, a mountain chain in Central Asia.

ALTAR Al"tar, n. Etym: [OE. alter, auter, autier, fr. L. altare, pl. altaria, altar, prob. fr. altus high: cf. OF. alter, autier, F. autel. Cf. Altitude.]

1. A raised structure (as a square or oblong erection of stone or wood) on which sacrifices are offered or incense burned to a deity. Noah builded an altar unto the Lord. Gen. viii. 20.

2. In the Christian church, a construction of stone, wood, or other material for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the communion table.

Note: Altar is much used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound; as, altar bread or altar-bread. Altar cloth or Altar-cloth, the cover for an altar in a Christian church, usually richly embroidered. — Altar cushion, a cushion laid upon the altar in a Christian church to support the service book. — Altar frontal. See Frontal. — Altar rail, the railing in front of the altar or communion table. — Altar screen, a wall or partition built behind an altar to protect it from approach in the rear. — Altar tomb, a tomb resembling an altar in shape, etc. — Family altar, place of family devotions. — To lead (as a bride) to the altar, to marry; — said of a woman.

ALTARAGE Al"tar*age, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. auterage, autelage.]

1. The offerings made upon the altar, or to a church.

2. The profit which accrues to the priest, by reason of the altar, from the small tithes. Shipley.

ALTARIST Al"tar*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. altarista, F. altariste.] (Old Law) (a) A chaplain. (b) A vicar of a church.

ALTARPIECE Al"tar*piece`, n.

Defn: The painting or piece of sculpture above and behind the altar; reredos.

ALTARWISE Al"tar*wise`, adv.

Defn: In the proper position of an altar, that is, at the east of a church with its ends towards the north and south. Shipley.

ALTAZIMUTH Alt*az"i*muth, n. Etym: [Alltude + azimuth.] (Astron.)

Defn: An instrument for taking azimuths and altitudes simultaneously.

ALTER Al"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Altered; p. pr. & vb. n. Altering.] Etym: [F. altérer, LL. alterare, fr. L. alter other, alius other. Cf. Else, Other.]

1. To make otherwise; to change in some respect, either partially or wholly; to vary; to modify. "To alter the king's course." "To alter the condition of a man." "No power in Venice can alter a decree." Shak. It gilds all objects, but it alters none. Pope. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Ps. lxxxix. 34.

2. To agitate; to affect mentally. [Obs.] Milton.

3. To geld. [Colloq.]

Syn. — Change, Alter. Change is generic and the stronger term. It may express a loss of identity, or the substitution of one thing in place of another; alter commonly expresses a partial change, or a change in form or details without destroying identity.

ALTER Al"ter, v. i.

Defn: To become, in some respects, different; to vary; to change; as, the weather alters almost daily; rocks or minerals alter by exposure. "The law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not." Dan. vi. 8.

ALTERABILITY Al`ter*a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. altérabilité.]

Defn: The quality of being alterable; alterableness.

ALTERABLE Al"ter*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. altérable.]

Defn: Capable of being altered. Our condition in this world is mutable and uncertain, alterable by a thousand accidents. Rogers.

ALTERABLENESS Al"ter*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being alterable; variableness; alterability.

ALTERABLY Al"ter*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In an alterable manner.

ALTERANT Al"ter*ant, a. Etym: [LL. alterans, p. pr.: cf. F. altérant.]

Defn: Altering; gradually changing. Bacon.

ALTERANT Al"ter*ant, n.

Defn: An alterative. [R.] Chambers.

ALTERATION Al`ter*a"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. altération.]

1. The act of altering or making different. Alteration, though it be from worse to better, hath in it incoveniences. Hooker.

2. The state of being altered; a change made in the form or nature of a thing; changed condition. Ere long might perceive Strange alteration in me. Milton. Appius Claudius admitted to the senate the sons of those who had been slaves; by which, and succeeding alterations, that council degenerated into a most corrupt. Swift.

ALTERATIVE Al"ter*a*tive, a. Etym: [L. alterativus: cf. F. altératif.]

Defn: Causing ateration. Specifically:

Defn: Gradually changing, or tending to change, a morbid state of the functions into one of health. Burton.

ALTERATIVE Al"ter*a*tive, n.

Defn: A medicine or treatment which gradually induces a change, and restores healthy functions without sensible evacuations.

ALTERCATE Al"ter*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Altercated; p. pr. & vb. n. Altercating.] Etym: [L. altercatus, p. p. of altercare, altercari, fr. alter another. See Alter.]

Defn: The contend in words; to dispute with zeal, heat, or anger; to wrangle.

ALTERCATION Al`ter*ca"tion, n. Etym: [F. altercation, fr. L. altercatio.]

Defn: Warm contention in words; dispute carried on with heat or anger; controversy; wrangle; wordy contest. "Stormy altercations." Macaulay.

Syn. — Altercation, Dispute, Wrangle. The term dispute is in most cases, but not necessarily, applied to a verbal contest; as, a dispute on the lawfulness of war. An altercation is an angry dispute between two parties, involving an interchange of severe language. A wrangle is a confused and noisy altercation. Their whole life was little else than a perpetual wrangling and altercation. Hakewill.

ALTERCATIVE Al"ter*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Characterized by wrangling; scolding. [R.] Fielding.

ALTERITY Al*ter"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. altérité.]

Defn: The state or quality of being other; a being otherwise. [R.] For outness is but the feeling of otherness (alterity) rendered intuitive, or alterity visually represented. Coleridge.

ALTERN Al"tern, a. Etym: [L. alternus, fr. alter another: cf. F. alterne.]

Defn: Acting by turns; alternate. Milton. Altern base (Trig.), a second side made base, in distinction from a side previously regarded as base.

ALTERNACY Al*ter"na*cy, n.

Defn: Alternateness; alternation. [R.] Mitford.

ALTERNANT Al*ter"nant, a. Etym: [L. alternans, p. pr.: cf. F. alternant. See Alternate, v. t.] (Geol.)

Defn: Composed of alternate layers, as some rocks.

ALTERNAT Al`ter`nat", n. [F.]

Defn: A usage, among diplomats, of rotation in precedence among representatives of equal rank, sometimes determined by lot and at other times in regular order. The practice obtains in the signing of treaties and conventions between nations.

ALTERNATE Al*ter"nate, a. Etym: [L. alternatus, p. p. of alternate, fr. alternus. See Altern, Alter.]

1. Being or succeeding by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; by turns first one and then the other; hence, reciprocal. And bid alternate passions fall and rise. Pope.

2. Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second; as, the alternate members 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. ; read every alternate line.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: Distributed, as leaves, singly at different heights of the stem, and at equal intervals as respects angular divergence. Gray. Alternate alligation. See Alligation. — Alternate angles (Geom.), the internal and angles made by two lines with a third, on opposite sides of it. It the parallels AB, CD, are cut by the line EF, the angles AGH, GHD, as also the angles BGH and GHC, are called alternate angles. — Alternate generation. (Biol.) See under Generation.

ALTERNATE Al*ter"nate, n.

1. That which alternates with something else; vicissitude. [R.] Grateful alternates of substantial. Prior.

2. A substitute; one designated to take the place of another, if necessary, in performing some duty.

3. (Math.)

Defn: A proportion derived from another proportion by interchanging the means.

ALTERNATE Al"ter*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alternated; p. pr. & vb. n. Alternating.] Etym: [L. alternatus, p. p. of alternare. See Altern.]

Defn: To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly. The most high God, in all things appertaining unto this life, for sundry wise ends alternates the disposition of good and evil. Grew.

ALTERNATE Al"ter*nate, v. i.

1. To happen, succeed, or act by turns; to follow reciprocally in place or time; — followed by with; as, the flood and ebb tides alternate with each other. Rage, shame, and grief alternate in his breast. J. Philips. Different species alternating with each other. Kirwan.

2. To vary by turns; as, the land alternates between rocky hills and sandy plains.

ALTERNATELY Al*ter"nate*ly, adv.

1. In reciprocal succession; succeeding by turns; in alternate order.

2. (Math.)

Defn: By alternation; when, in a proportion, the antecedent term is compared with antecedent, and consequent.

ALTERNATENESS Al*ter"nate*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being alternate, or of following by turns.

ALTERNATING CURRENT Al"ter*nat`ing cur"rent. (Elec.)

Defn: A current which periodically changes or reverses its direction of flow.

ALTERNATION Al`ter*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. alternatio: cf. F. alternation.]

1. The reciprocal succession of things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence; as, the alternation of day and night, cold and heat, summer and winter, hope and fear.

2. (Math.)

Defn: Permutation.

3. The response of the congregation speaking alternately with the minister. Mason. Alternation of generation. See under Generation.

ALTERNATIVE Al*ter"na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. alternatif.]

1. Offering a choice of two things.

2. Disjunctive; as, an alternative conjunction.

3. Alternate; reciprocal. [Obs.] Holland.

ALTERNATIVE Al*ter"na*tive, n. Etym: [Cf. F. alternative, LL. alternativa.]

1. An offer of two things, one of which may be chosen, but not both; a choice between two things, so that if one is taken, the other must be left. There is something else than the mere alternative of absolute destruction or unreformed existence. Burke.

2. Either of two things or propositions offered to one's choice. Thus when two things offer a choice of one only, the two things are called alternatives. Having to choose between two alternatives, safety and war, you obstinately prefer the worse. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

3. The course of action or the thing offered in place of another. If this demand is refused the alternative is war. Lewis. With no alternative but death. Longfellow.

4. A choice between more than two things; one of several things offered to choose among. My decided preference is for the fourth and last of thalternatives. Gladstone.

ALTERNATIVELY Al*ter"na*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of alternatives, or that admits the choice of one out of two things.

ALTERNATIVENESS Al*ter"na*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being alternative, or of offering a choice between two.

ALTERNATOR Al"ter*na`tor, n. (Elec.)

Defn: An electric generator or dynamo for producing alternating currents.

ALTERNITY Al*ter"ni*ty, n. Etym: [LL. alternitas.]

Defn: Succession by turns; alternation. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

ALTHAEA; ALTHEA Al*thæ"a, Al*the"a, n. Etym: [althaea, Gr. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants of the Mallow family. It includes the officinal marsh mallow, and the garden hollyhocks. (b) An ornamental shrub (Hibiscus Syriacus) of the Mallow family.

ALTHEINE Al*the"ine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: Asparagine.

ALTHING Al"thing, n. [Icel. (modern) alping, earlier alpingi; allr all + ping assembly. See All, and Thing.]

Defn: The national assembly or parliament of Iceland. See Thing, n., 8.

ALTHO Al*tho", conj.

Defn: Although. [Reformed spelling] Alt"horn`, n. Etym: [Alt + horn.] (Mus.)

Defn: An instrument of the saxhorn family, used exclusively in military music, often replacing the French horn. Grove.

ALTHORN Alt"horn`, n. [Alt + horn.] (Mus.)

Defn: An instrument of the saxhorn family, used exclusively in military music, often replacing the French horn. Grove.

ALTHOUGH Al*though", conj. Etym: [All + though; OE. al thagh.]

Defn: Grant all this; be it that; supposing that; notwithstanding; though. Although all shall be offended, yet will no I. Mark xiv. 29.

Syn. — Although, Though. Although, which originally was perhaps more emphatic than though, is now interchangeable with it in the sense given above. Euphonic consideration determines the choice.

ALTILOQUENCE Al*til"o*quence, n.

Defn: Lofty speech; pompous language. [R.] Bailey.

ALTILOQUENT Al*til"o*quent, a. Etym: [L. altus (adv. alte) high + loquens, p. pr. of loqui to speak.]

Defn: High-sounding; pompous in speech. [R.] Bailey.

ALTIMETER Al*tim"e*ter, n. Etym: [LL. altimeter; altus high + metrum, Gr. altimètre.]

Defn: An instrument for taking altitudes, as a quadrant, sextant, etc. Knight.

ALTIMETRY Al*tim"e*try, n. Etym: [Cf. F. altimétrie.]

Defn: The art of measuring altitudes, or heights.

ALTINCAR Al*tin"car, n.

Defn: See Tincal.

ALTISCOPE Al"ti*scope, n. Etym: [L. altus high + Gr.

Defn: An arrangement of lenses and mirrors which enables a person to see an object in spite of intervening objects.

ALTISONANT Al*tis"o*nant, a. Etym: [L. altus high + sonans, p. pr. of sonare to sound.]

Defn: High-sounding; lofty or pompous. Skelton.

ALTISONOUS Al*tis"o*nous, a. Etym: [L. altisonus.]

Defn: Altisonant.

ALTISSIMO Al*tis"si*mo, n. Etym: [It.; superl. of alto.] (Mus.)

Defn: The part or notes situated above F in alt.

ALTITUDE Al"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. altitudo, fr. altus high. Cf. Altar, Haughty, Enhance.]

1. Space extended upward; height; the perpendicular elevation of an object above its foundation, above the ground, or above a given level, or of one object above another; as, the altitude of a mountain, or of a bird above the top of a tree.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: The elevation of a point, or star, or other celestial object, above the horizon, measured by the arc of a vertical circle intercepted between such point and the horizon. It is either true or apparent; true when measured from the rational or real horizon, apparent when from the sensible or apparent horizon.

3. (Geom.)

Defn: The perpendicular distance from the base of a figure to the summit, or to the side parallel to the base; as, the altitude of a triangle, pyramid, parallelogram, frustum, etc.

4. Height of degree; highest point or degree. He is [proud] even to the altitude of his virtue. Shak.

5. Height of rank or excellence; superiority. Swift.

6. pl.

Defn: Elevation of spirits; heroics; haughty airs. [Colloq.] Richardson. The man of law began to get into his altitude. Sir W. Scott. Meridian altitude, an arc of the meridian intercepted between the south point on the horizon and any point on the meridian. See Meridian, 3.

ALTITUDINAL Al`ti*tu"di*nal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to height; as, altitudinal measurements.

ALTITUDINARIAN Al`ti*tu`di*na"ri*an, a.

Defn: Lofty in doctrine, aims, etc. [R.] Coleridge.

ALTIVOLANT Al*tiv"o*lant, a. Etym: [L. altivolans. See Volant.]

Defn: Flying high. [Obs.] Blount.

ALTO Al"to, n.; pl. Altos. Etym: [It. alto high, fr. L. altus. Cf. Alt.]

1. (Mus.)

Defn: Formerly the part sung by the highest male, or counter-tenor, voices; now the part sung by the lowest female, or contralto, voices, between in tenor and soprano. In instrumental music it now signifies the tenor.

2. An alto singer. Alto clef (Mus.) the counter-tenor clef, or the C clef, placed so that the two strokes include the middle line of the staff. Moore.

ALTO-CUMULUS Al`to-cu"mu*lus, n. [L. altus high + L. & E. cumulus.] (Meteor.)

Defn: A fleecy cloud formation consisting of large whitish or grayish globular cloudlets with shaded portions, often grouped in flocks or rows.

ALTOGETHER Al`to*geth"er, adv. Etym: [OE. altogedere; al all + togedere together. See Together.]

1. All together; conjointly. [Obs.] Altogether they wenChaucer.

2. Without exception; wholly; completely. Every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Ps. xxxix. 5.

ALTOMETER Al*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. altus high + -meter.]

Defn: A theodolite. Knight.

ALTO-RELIEVO Al"to-re*lie"vo, n.

Defn: Alto-rilievo.

ALTO-RILIEVO Al"to-ri*lie*vo, n.; pl. Alto-rilievos. Etym: [It.] (Sculp.)

Defn: High relief; sculptured work in which the figures project more than half their thickness; as, this figure is an alto-rilievo or in alto-rilievo.

Note: When the figure stands only half out, it is called mezzo- rilievo, demi-rilievo, or medium relief; when its projection is less than one half, basso-rilievo, bas-relief, or low relief.

ALTO-STRATUS Al`to-stra"tus, n. [L. altus high + L. & E. stratus.] (Meteor.)

Defn: A cloud formation similar to cirro-stratus, but heavier and at a lower level.

ALTRICAL Al"tri*cal, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like the articles.

ALTRICES Al*tri"ces, n. pl. Etym: [L., nourishes, pl. of altrix.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Nursers, — a term applied to those birds whose young are hatched in a very immature and helpless condition, so as to require the care of their parents for some time; — opposed to præcoces.

ALTRUISM Al"tru*ism, n. Etym: [F. altruisme (a word of Comte's), It. altrui of or to others, fr. L. alter another.]

Defn: Regard for others, both natural and moral; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness; — opposed to egoism or selfishness. [Recent] J. S. Mill.

ALTRUIST Al"tru*ist, n.

Defn: One imbued with altruism; — opposed to egoist.

ALTRUISTIC Al`tru*is"tic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. altruiste, a. See Altruism..]

Defn: Regardful of others; beneficent; unselfish; — opposed to Ant: egoistic or Ant: selfish. Bain. — Al`tru*is"tic*al*ly, adv.

ALUDEL Al"u*del, n. Etym: [F. & Sp. aludel, fr. Ar. aluthal.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of the pear-shaped pots open at both ends, and so formed as to be fitted together, the neck of one into the bottom of another in succession; — used in the process of sublimation. Ure.

ALULA Al"u*la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. ala a wing.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A false or bastard wing. See under Bastard.

ALULAR Al"u*lar, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the alula.

ALUM Al"um, n. Etym: [OE. alum, alom, OF. alum, F. alun, fr. L. alumen alum.] (Chem.)

Defn: A double sulphate formed of aluminium and some other element (esp. an alkali metal) or of aluminium. It has twenty-four molecules of water of crystallization.

Note: Common alum is the double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. It is white, transparent, very astringent, and crystallizes easily in octahedrons. The term is extended so as to include other double sulphates similar to alum in formula.

ALUM Al"um, v. t.

Defn: To steep in, or otherwise impregnate with, a solution of alum; to treat with alum. Ure.

ALUMEN A*lu"men, n. Etym: [L.] (Chem.)

Defn: Alum.

ALUMINA A*lu"mi*na, n. Etym: [L. alumen, aluminis. See Alum.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of the earths, consisting of two parts of aluminium and three of oxygen, Al2O3.

Note: It is the oxide of the metal aluminium, the base of aluminous salts, a constituent of a large part of the earthy siliceous minerals, as the feldspars, micas, scapolites, etc., and the characterizing ingredient of common clay, in which it exists as an impure silicate with water, resulting from the decomposition of other aluminous minerals. In its natural state, it is the mineral corundum.

ALUMINATE A*lu`mi*nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A compound formed from the hydrate of aluminium by the substitution of a metal for the hydrogen.

ALUMINATED A*lu"mi*na`ted. a.

Defn: Combined with alumina.

ALUMINE Al"u*mine, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Alumina. Davy.

ALUMINIC Al`u*min"ic, a.

Defn: Of or containing aluminium; as, aluminic phosphate.

ALUMINIFEROUS A*lu`mi*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. alumen alum + -ferous: cf. F. aluminifère.]

Defn: Containing alum.

ALUMINIFORM A*lu"mi*ni*form, a. Etym: [L. alumen + -form.]

Defn: pertaining the form of alumina.

ALUMINIUM Al`u*min"i*um, n. Etym: [L. alumen. See Alum.] (Chem.)

Defn: The metallic base of alumina. This metal is white, but with a bluish tinge, and is remarkable for its resistance to oxidation, and for its lightness, pertaining a specific gravity of about 2.6. Atomic weight 27.08. Symbol Al. Aluminium bronze or gold, a pale gold- colored alloy of aluminium and copper, used for journal bearings, etc.

ALUMINIZE A*lu"mi*nize, v. t.

Defn: To treat impregnate with alum; to alum.

ALUMINOGRAPHY A*lu`mi*nog"ra*phy, n. [Alumin-ium + -graphy.]

Defn: Art or process of producing, and printing from, aluminium plates, after the manner of ordinary lithography. — A*lu`mi*no*graph"ic (#), a.

ALUMINOUS A*lu"mi*nous, a. Etym: [L. aluminosus, fr. alumen alum: cf. F. alumineux.]

Defn: Pertaining to or containing alum, or alumina; as, aluminous minerals, aluminous solution.

ALUMINUM A*lu"mi*num, n.

Defn: See Aluminium.

ALUMISH Al"um*ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat like alum.

ALUMNA A*lum"na, n. fem.; pl. Alumnæ . Etym: [L. See Alumnus.]

Defn: A female pupil; especially, a graduate of a school or college.

ALUMNUS A*lum"nus, n.; pl. Alumni. Etym: [L., fr. alere to nourish.]

Defn: A pupil; especially, a graduate of a college or other seminary of learning.

ALUM ROOT Al"um root`. (Bot.)

Defn: A North American herb (Heuchera Americana) of the Saxifrage family, whose root has astringent properties.

ALUM SCHIST; ALUM SHALE Al"um schist", Al"um shale", (Min.)

Defn: A variety of shale or clay slate, containing iron pyrites, the decomposition of which leads to the formation of alum, which often effloresces on the rock.

ALUM STONE Al"um stone`. (Min.)

Defn: A subsulphate of alumina and potash; alunite.

ALUNITE Al"u*nite, n. (Min.)

Defn: Alum stone.

ALUNOGEN A*lu"no*gen, n. Etym: [F. alun alum + -gen.] (Min.)

Defn: A white fibrous mineral frequently found on the walls of mines and quarries, chiefly hydrous sulphate of alumina; — also called feather alum, and hair salt.

ALURE Al"ure, n. Etym: [OF. alure, aleure, walk, gait, fr. aler (F. aller) to go.]

Defn: A walk or passage; — applied to passages of various kinds. The sides of every street were covered with fresh alures of marble. T. Warton.

ALUTACEOUS Al"u*ta"ceous, a. Etym: [L. alutacius, fr. aluta soft leather.]

1. Leathery.

2. Of a pale brown color; leather-yellow. Brande.

ALUTATION Al`u*ta"tion, n. Etym: [See Alutaceous.]

Defn: The tanning or dressing of leather. [Obs.] Blount.

ALVEARY Al"ve*a*ry, n.; pl. Alvearies. Etym: [L. alvearium, alveare, beehive, fr. alveus a hollow vessel, beehive, from alvus belly, beehive.]

1. A beehive, or something resembling a beehive. Barret.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The hollow of the external ear. Quincy.

ALVEATED Al"ve*a`ted, a. Etym: [L. alveatus hollowed out.]

Defn: Formed or vaulted like a beehive.

ALVEOLAR Al"ve*o*lar, a. Etym: [L. alveolus a small hollow or cavity: cf. F. alvéolaire.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, alveoli or little cells, sacs, or sockets. Alveolar processes, the processes of the maxillary bones, containing the sockets of the teeth.

ALVEOLARY Al"ve*o*la*ry, a.

Defn: Alveolar. [R.]

ALVEOLATE Al"ve*o*late, a. Etym: [L. alveolatus, fr. alveolus.] (Bot.)

Defn: Deeply pitted, like a honeycomb.

ALVEOLE Al"ve*ole, n.

Defn: Same as Alveolus.

ALVEOLIFORM Al*ve"o*li*form, a. Etym: [L. alvelous + -form.]

Defn: Having the form of alveoli, or little sockets, cells, or cavities.

ALVEOLUS Al*ve"o*lus, n.; pl. Alveoli. Etym: [L., a small hollow or cavity, dim. of alveus: cf. F. alvéole. See Alveary.]

1. A cell in a honeycomb.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small cavity in a coral, shell, or fossil

3. (Anat.)

Defn: A small depression, sac, or vesicle, as the socket of a tooth, the air cells of the lungs, the ultimate saccules of glands, etc.

ALVEUS Al"ve*us, n.; pl. Alvei. Etym: [L.]

Defn: The channel of a river. Weate.

ALVINE Al"vine, a. Etym: [L. alvus belly: cf. F. alvin.]

Defn: Of, from, in, or pertaining to, the belly or the intestines; as, alvine discharges; alvine concretions.

ALWAY Al"way, adv.

Defn: Always. [Archaic or Poetic] I would not live alway. Job vii. 16.

ALWAYS Al"ways, adv. Etym: [All + way. The s is an adverbial (orig. a genitive) ending.]

1. At all times; ever; perpetually; throughout all time; continually; as, God is always the same. Even in Heaven his [Mammon's] looks and thoughts. Milton.

2. Constancy during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals; invariably; uniformly; — opposed to sometimes or occasionally. He always rides a black galloway. Bulwer.

ALYSSUM A*lys"sum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of cruciferous plants; madwort. The sweet alyssum (A. maritimum), cultivated for bouquets, bears small, white, sweet- scented flowers.

AM Am. Etym: [AS. am, eom, akin to Gothic im, Icel. em, Olr. am, Lith. esmi, L. sum., Gr. ahmi, Skr. asmi, fr. a root as to be. Are, and cf. Be, Was.]

Defn: The first person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mode, present tense. See Be. God said unto Moses, I am that am. Exod. iii. 14.

AMABILITY Am`a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. amabilitas.]

Defn: Lovableness. Jer. Taylor.

Note: The New English Dictionary (Murray) says this word is "usefully distinct from Amiability."

AMACRATIC Am`a*crat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Photog.)

Defn: Amasthenic. Sir J. Herschel.

AMADAVAT Am`a*da*vat", n. Etym: [Indian name. From Ahmedabad, a city from which it was imported to Europe.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The strawberry finch, a small Indian song bird (Estrelda amandava), commonly caged and kept for fighting. The female is olive brown; the male, in summer, mostly crimson; — called also red waxbill. [Written also amaduvad and avadavat.]

AMADOU Am"a*dou, n. Etym: [F. amadou tinder, prop. lure, bait, fr. amadouer to allure, caress, perh. fr. Icel. mata to feed, which is akin to E. meat.]

Defn: A spongy, combustible substance, prepared from fungus (Boletus and Polyporus) which grows on old trees; German tinder; punk. It has been employed as a styptic by surgeons, but its common use is as tinder, for which purpose it is prepared by soaking it in a strong solution of niter. Ure.

AMAIN A*main", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + main. See 2d Main, n.]

1. With might; with full force; vigorously; violently; exceedingly. They on the hill, which were not yet come to blows, perceiving the fewness of their enemies, came down amain. Milton. That striping giant, ill-bred and scoffing, shouts amain. T. Parker.

2. At full speed; in great haste; also, at once. "They fled amain." Holinshed.

AMAIN A*main", v. t. Etym: [F. amener. See Amenable.] (Naut.)

Defn: To lower, as a sail, a yard, etc.

AMAIN A*main", v. i. (Naut.)

Defn: To lower the topsail, in token of surrender; to yield.

AMALGAM A*mal"gam, n. Etym: [F. amalgame, prob. fr. L. malagma, Gr.

1. An alloy of mercury with another metal or metals; as, an amalgam of tin, bismuth, etc.

Note: Medalists apply the term to soft alloys generally.

2. A mixture or compound of different things.

3. (Min.)

Defn: A native compound of mercury and silver.

AMALGAM A*mal"gam, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. amalgamer]

Defn: To amalgamate. Boyle. B. Jonson.

AMALGAMA A*mal"ga*ma, n.

Defn: Same as Amalgam. They divided this their amalgama into a number of incoherent republics. Burke.

AMALGAMATE A*mal"ga*mate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amalgamated; p. pr. & vb. n. Amalgamating.]

1. To compound or mix, as quicksilver, with another metal; to unite, combine, or alloy with mercury.

2. To mix, so as to make a uniform compound; to unite or combine; as, to amalgamate two races; to amalgamate one race with another. Ingratitude is indeed their four cardinal virtues compacted and amalgamated into one. Burke.

AMALGAMATE A*mal"ga*mate, v. i.

1. To unite in an amalgam; to blend with another metal, as quicksilver.

2. To coalesce, as a result of growth; to combine into a uniform whole; to blend; as, two organs or parts amalgamate.

AMALGAMATE; AMALGAMATED A*mal"ga*mate, A*mal"ga*ma`ted, a.

Defn: Coalesced; united; combined.

AMALGAMATION A*mal`ga*ma"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. amalgamation.]

1. The act or operation of compounding mercury with another metal; — applied particularly to the process of separating gold and silver from their ores by mixing them with mercury. Ure.

2. The mixing or blending of different elements, races, societies, etc.; also, the result of such combination or blending; a homogeneous union. Macaulay.

AMALGAMATIVE A*mal"ga*ma*tive, a.

Defn: Characterized by amalgamation.

AMALGAMATOR A*mal"ga*ma`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, amalgamates. Specifically: A machine for separating precious metals from earthy particles by bringing them in contact with a body of mercury with which they form an amalgam.

AMALGAMIZE A*mal"ga*mize, v. t.

Defn: To amalgamate. [R.]

AMANDINE A*man"dine, n. Etym: [F. amande almond. See Almond.]

1. The vegetable casein of almonds.

2. A kind of cold cream prepared from almonds, for chapped hands, etc.

AMANITA Am`a*ni"ta, n. [NL. See Amanitine.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of poisonous fungi of the family Agaricaceæ, characterized by having a volva, an annulus, and white spores. The species resemble edible mushrooms, and are frequently mistaken for them. Amanita muscaria, syn. Agaricus muscarius, is the fly amanita, or fly agaric; and A. phalloides is the death cup.

AMANITINE A*man"i*tine, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The poisonous principle of some fungi.

AMANUENSIS A*man`u*en"sis, n.; pl. Amanuenses. Etym: [L., fr. a, ab + manus hand.]

Defn: A person whose employment is to write what another dictates, or to copy what another has written.

AMARACUS A*mar"a*cus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: A fragrant flower. Tennyson.

AMARANT Am"a*rant, n.

Defn: Amaranth, 1. [Obs.] Milton.

AMARANTACEOUS Am`a*ran*ta"ceous, a. (Bot.)

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

AMARANTH Am"a*ranth, n. Etym: [L. amarantus, Gr. mortal; — so called because its flowers do not soon wither: cf. F. amarante. The spelling with th seems to be due to confusion with Gr.

1. An imaginary flower supposed never to fade. [Poetic]

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of ornamental annual plants (Amaranthus) of many species, with green, purplish, or crimson flowers.

2. A color inclining to purple.

AMARANTHINE Am`a*ran"thine, a.

1. Of or pertaining to amaranth. "Amaranthine bowers." Pope.

2. Unfading, as the poetic amaranth; undying. They only amaranthine flower on earth Is virtue. Cowper.

3. Of a purplish color. Buchanan.

AMARANTHUS; AMARANTUS Am`a*ran"thus, Am`a*ran"tus, n.

Defn: Same as Amaranth.

AMARINE Am"a*rine, n. Etym: [L. amarus bitter.] (Chem.)

Defn: A characteristic crystalline substance, obtained from oil of bitter almonds.

AMARITUDE A*mar"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. amaritudo, fr. amarus bitter: cf. OF. amaritude.]

Defn: Bitterness. [R.]

AMARYLLIDACEOUS; AMARYLLIDEOUS Am`a*ryl`li*da"ceous, Am`a*ryl*lid"e*ous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, an order of plants differing from the lily family chiefly in having the ovary below the

AMARYLLIS Am`a*ryl"lis, n. Etym: [L. Amaryllis, Gr.

1. A pastoral sweetheart. To sport with Amaryllis in the shade. Milton.

2. (bot.) (a) A family of plants much esteemed for their beauty, including the narcissus, jonquil, daffodil, agave, and others. (b) A genus of the same family, including the Belladonna lily.

AMASS A*mass", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amassed; p. pr. & vb. n. Amassing.] Etym: [F. ambusher, LL. amassare; L. ad + massa lump, mass. See Mass.]

Defn: To collect into a mass or heap; to gather a great quantity of; to accumulate; as, to amass a treasure or a fortune; to amass words or phrases. The life Homer has been written by amassing all the traditions and hints the writers could meet with. Pope.

Syn. — To accumulate; heap up; pile.

AMASS A*mass", n. Etym: [OF. amasse, fr. ambusher.]

Defn: A mass; a heap. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

AMASSABLE A*mass"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being amassed.

AMASSER A*mass"er, n.

Defn: One who amasses.

AMASSETTE A`mas`sette", n. Etym: [F. See Amass.]

Defn: An instrument of horn used for collecting painters' colors on the stone in the process of grinding.

AMASSMENT A*mass"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. amassement.]

Defn: An amassing; a heap collected; a large quantity or number brought together; an accumulation. An amassment of imaginary conceptions. Glanvill.

AMASTHENIC Am`as*then"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Photog.)

Defn: Uniting the chemical rays of light into one focus, as a certain kind of lens; amacratic.

AMATE A*mate", v. t. Etym: [OF. amater, amatir.]

Defn: To dismay; to dishearten; to daunt. [Obs. or Archaic] The Silures, to amate the new general, rumored the overthrow greater than was true. Milton.

AMATE A*mate", v. t. Etym: [Pref. a- + mate.]

Defn: To be a mate to; to match. [Obs.] Spenser.

AMATEUR Am`a*teur", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love.]

Defn: A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; esp. one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.

AMATEURISH Am`a*teur"ish, a.

Defn: In the style of an amateur; superficial or defective like the work of an amateur. — Am`a*teur"ish*ly, adv. — Am`a*teur"ish*ness, n.

AMATEURISM Am"a*teur*ism, n.

Defn: The practice, habit, or work of an amateur.

AMATEURSHIP Am"a*teur`ship, n.

Defn: The quality or character of an amateur.

AMATIVE Am"a*tive, a. Etym: [L. amatus, p. p. of amare to love.]

Defn: Full of love; amatory.

AMATIVENESS Am"a*tive*ness, n. (Phren.)

Defn: The faculty supposed to influence sexual desire; propensity to love. Combe.

AMATORIAL Am`a*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [See Amatorious.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a lover or to love making; amatory; as, amatorial verses.

AMATORIALLY Am`a*to"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an amatorial manner.

AMATORIAN Am`a*to"ri*an, a.

Defn: Amatory. [R.] Johnson.

AMATORIOUS Am`a*to"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. amatorius, fr. amare to love.]

Defn: Amatory. [Obs.] "Amatorious poem." Milton.

AMATORY Am"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, producing, or expressing, sexual love; as, amatory potions.

AMAUROSIS Am`au*ro"sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A loss or decay of sight, from loss of power in the optic nerve, without any perceptible external change in the eye; — called also gutta serena, the "drop serene" of Milton.

AMAUROTIC Am`au*rot"ic, a.

Defn: Affected with amaurosis; having the characteristics of amaurosis.

AMAZE A*maze", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Amazing.] Etym: [Pref. a- + maze.]

1. To bewilder; to stupefy; to bring into a maze. [Obs.] A labyrinth to amaze his foes. Shak.

2. To confound, as by fear, wonder, extreme surprise; to overwhelm with wonder; to astound; to astonish greatly. "Amazing Europe with her wit." Goldsmith. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David Matt. xii. 23.

Syn. — To astonish; astound; confound; bewilder; perplex; surprise. — Amaze, Astonish. Amazement includes the notion of bewilderment of difficulty accompanied by surprise. It expresses a state in which one does not know what to do, or to say, or to think. Hence we are amazed at what we can not in the least account for. Astonishment also implies surprise. It expresses a state in which one is stunned by the vastness or greatness of something, or struck with some degree of horror, as when one is overpowered by the

AMAZE A*maze", v. i.

Defn: To be astounded. [Archaic] B. Taylor.

AMAZE A*maze", v. t.

Defn: Bewilderment, arising from fear, surprise, or wonder; amazement. [Chiefly poetic] The wild, bewildered Of one to stone converted by amaze. Byron.

AMAZEDLY A*maz"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In amazement; with confusion or astonishment. Shak.

AMAZEDNESS A*maz"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being amazed, or confounded with fear, surprise, or wonder. Bp. Hall.

AMAZEFUL A*maze"ful, a.

Defn: Full of amazement. [R.]

AMAZEMENT A*maze"ment, n.

1. The condition of being amazed; bewilderment [Obs.]; overwhelming wonder, as from surprise, sudden fear, horror, or admiration. His words impression left Of much amazement. Milton.

2. Frenzy; madness. [Obs.] Webster (1661).

AMAZING A*maz"ing, a.

Defn: Causing amazement; very wonderful; as, amazing grace. — A*maz"ing*ly, adv.

AMAZON Am"a*zon, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. One of a fabulous race of female warriors in Scythia; hence, a female warrior.

2. A tall, strong, masculine woman; a virago.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A name numerous species of South American parrots of the genus Chrysotis Amazon ant (Zoöl.), a species of ant (Polyergus rufescens), of Europe and America. They seize by conquest the larvæ and nymphs other species and make slaves of them in their own nests.

AMAZONIAN Am`a*zo"ni*an, a.

1. Pertaining to or resembling an Amazon; of masculine manners; warlike. Shak.

2. Of or pertaining to the river Amazon in South America, or to its valley.

AMAZONITE; AMAZON STONE Am"a*zon*ite, Am"a*zon stone`, n. Etym: [Named from the river Amazon.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of feldspar, having a verdigris-green color.

AMB-; AMBI- Amb-, Am*bi-. Etym: [L. prefix ambi-, amb-, akin to Gr. abhi, AS. embe, emb, OHG. umbi, umpi, G. um, and also L. ambo both. Cf. Amphi-, Both, By.]

Defn: A prefix meaning about, around; — used in words derived from the Latin.

AMBAGES Am*ba"ges, n. pl. Etym: [L. (usually in pl.); pref. ambi-, amb- + agere to drive: cf. F. ambage.]

Defn: A circuit; a winding. Hence: Circuitous way or proceeding; quibble; circumlocution; indirect mode of speech. After many ambages, perspicuously define what this melancholy is. Burton.

AMBAGINOUS Am*bag"i*nous, a.

Defn: Ambagious. [R.]

AMBAGIOUS Am*ba"gious, a. Etym: [L. ambagiosus.]

Defn: Circumlocutory; circuitous. [R.]

AMBAGITORY Am*bag"i*to*ry, a.

Defn: Ambagious. [R.]

AMBARY; AMBARY HEMP Am*ba"ry, n., or Ambary hemp. [Hind. ambara, ambari.]

Defn: A valuable East Indian fiber plant (Hibiscus cannabinus), or its fiber, which is used throughout India for making ropes, cordage, and a coarse canvas and sackcloth; —called also brown Indian hemp.

AMBASSADE; EMBASSADE Am"bas*sade, Em"bas*sade, n. Etym: [F. ambassade. See Embassy.]

1. The mission of an ambassador. [Obs.] Carew.

2. An embassy. [Obs.] Strype.

AMBASSADOR; EMBASSADOR Am*bas"sa*dor, Em*bas"sa*dor, n. Etym: [See Embassador.]

1. A minister of the highest rank sent a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country.

Note: Ambassador are either ordinary [or resident] or extraordinary, that is, sent upon some special or unusual occasion or errand. Abbott.

2. An official messenger and representative.

AMBASSADORIAL Am*bas`sa*do"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an ambassador. H. Walpole.

AMBASSADORSHIP Am*bas`sa*dor*ship, n.

Defn: The state, office, or functions of an ambassador.

AMBASSADRESS Am*bas"sa*dress, n.

Defn: A female ambassador; also, the wife of an ambassador. Prescott.

AMBASSAGE Am"bas*sage, n.

Defn: Same as Embassage. [Obs. or R.] Luke xiv. 32.

AMBASSY Am"bas*sy, n.

Defn: See Embassy, the usual spelling. Helps.

AMBER Am"ber, n. Etym: [OE. aumbre, F. ambre, Sp. ámbar, and with the Ar. article, alámbar, fr. Ar. 'anbar ambergris.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: A yellowish translucent resin resembling copal, found as a fossil in alluvial soils, with beds of lignite, or on the seashore in many places. It takes a fine polish, and is used for pipe mouthpieces, beads, etc., and as a basis for a fine varnish. By friction, it becomes strongly electric.

2. Amber color, or anything amber-colored; a clear light yellow; as, the amber of the sky.

3. Ambergris. [Obs.] You that smell of amber at my charge. Beau. & Fl.

4. The balsam, liquidambar. Black amber, and old and popular name for jet.

AMBER Am"ber, a.

1. Consisting of amber; made of amber. "Amber bracelets." Shak.

2. Resembling amber, especially in color; amber-colored. "The amber morn." Tennyson.

AMBER Am"ber, v. t. [p. p. & p. a. Ambered .]

1. To scent or flavor with ambergris; as, ambered wine.

2. To preserve in amber; as, an ambered fly.

AMBER FISH Am"ber fish. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fish of the southern Atlantic coast (Seriola Carolinensis.)

AMBERGREASE Am"ber*grease, n.

Defn: See Ambergris.

AMBERGRIS Am"ber*gris, n. Etym: [F. ambre gris, i. e., gray amber; F. gris gray, which is of German origin: cf. OS. grîs, G. greis, gray-haired. See Amber.]

Defn: A substance of the consistence of wax, found floating in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the tropics, and also as a morbid secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), which is believed to be in all cases its true origin. In color it is white, ash-gray, yellow, or black, and often variegated like marble. The floating masses are sometimes from sixty to two hundred and twenty-five pounds in weight. It is wholly volatilized as a white vapor at 212º Fahrenheit, and is highly valued in perfumery. Dana.

AMBER ROOM Am"ber room

Defn: A room formerly in the Czar's Summer Palace in Russia, which was richly decorated with walls and fixtures made from amber. The amber was removed by occupying German troops during the Second World War and has, as of 1997, never been recovered. The room is being recreated from old photographs by Russian artisans. PJC

AMBER SEED Am"ber seed`.

Defn: Seed of the Hibiscus abelmoschus, somewhat resembling millet, brought from Egypt and the West Indies, and having a flavor like that of musk; musk seed. Chambers.

AMBER TREE Am"ber tree`.

Defn: A species of Anthospermum, a shrub with evergreen leaves, which, when bruised, emit a fragrant odor.

AMBES-AS Ambes"-as, n.

Defn: Ambs-ace. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AMBIDEXTER Am"bi*dex"ter, a. Etym: [LL., fr. L. ambo both + dexter right, dextra (sc. manus) the right hand.]

Defn: Using both hands with equal ease. Smollett.

AMBIDEXTER Am`bi*dex"ter, n.

1. A person who uses both hands with equal facility.

2. Hence; A double-dealer; one equally ready to act on either side in party disputes. The rest are hypocrites, ambidexters, so many turning pictures — a lion on one side, a lamb on the other. Burton.

3. (Law)

Defn: A juror who takes money from both parties for giving his verdict. Cowell.

AMBIDEXTERITY Am"bi*dex*ter"i*ty, n.

1. The quality of being ambidexas, ambidexterity of argumentation. Sterne. Ignorant I was of the human frame, and of its latent powers, as regarded speed, force, and ambidexterity. De Quincey.

2. Double-dealing. (Law)

Defn: A juror's taking of money from the both parties for a verdict.

AMBIDEXTRAL Am`bi*dex"tral, a.

Defn: Pertaining equally to the right-hand side and the left-hand side. Earle.

AMBIDEXTROUS Am`bi*dex"trous, a.

1. Pertaining the faculty of using both hands with equal ease. Sir T. Browne.

2. Practicing or siding with both parties. All false, shuffling, and ambidextrous dealings. L'Estrange.

AMBIDEXTROUSLY Am"bi*dex"trous*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ambidextrous manner; cunningly.

AMBIDEXTROUSNESS Am`bi*dex"trous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being ambidextrous; ambidexterity.

AMBIENT Am"bi*ent, a. Etym: [L. ambiens, p. pr. of ambire to go around; amb- + ire to go.]

Defn: Encompassing on all sides; circumfused; investing. "Ambient air." Milton. "Ambient clouds." Pope.

AMBIENT Am"bi*ent, n.

Defn: Something that surrounds or invests; as, air . . . being a perpetual ambient. Sir H. Wotton.

AMBIGENOUS Am*big"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. ambo both + genus kind.]

Defn: Of two kinds. (Bot.)

Defn: Partaking of two natures, as the perianth of some endogenous plants, where the outer surface is calycine, and the inner petaloid.

AMBIGU Am"bi*gu, n. Etym: [F., fr. ambigu doubtful, L. ambiquus. See Ambiguous.]

Defn: An entertainment at which a medley of dishes is set on at the same time.

AMBIGUITY Am`bi*gu"i*ty, n.; pl. Ambiguities. Etym: [L. ambiguitas, fr. ambiguus: cf. F. ambiguité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being ambiguous; doubtfulness or uncertainty, particularly as to the signification of language, arising from its admitting of more than one meaning; an equivocal word or expression. No shadow of ambiguity can rest upon the course to be pursued. I. Taylor. The words are of single signification, without any ambiguity. South.

AMBIGUOUS Am*big"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. ambiguus, fr. ambigere to wander about, waver; amb- + agere to drive.]

Defn: Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression. What have been thy answers What but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding Milton.

Syn. — Doubtful; dubious; uncertain; unsettled; indistinct; indeterminate; indefinite. See Equivocal.

AMBIGUOUSLY Am*big"u*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ambiguous manner; with doubtful meaning.

AMBIGUOUSNESS Am*big"u*ous*ness, n.

Defn: Ambiguity.

AMBILEVOUS Am`bi*le"vous, a. Etym: [L. ambo both + laevus left.]

Defn: Left-handed on both sides; clumsy; — opposed to ambidexter. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

AMBILOQUY Am*bil"o*quy, n.

Defn: Doubtful or ambiguous language. [Obs.] Bailey.

AMBIPAROUS Am*bip"a*rous, a. Etym: [L. ambo both + parere to bring forth.] (Bot.)

Defn: Characterized by containing the rudiments of both flowers and leaves; — applied to a bud.

AMBIT Am"bit, n. Etym: [L. ambitus circuit, fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient.]

Defn: Circuit or compass. His great parts did not live within a small ambit. Milward.

AMBITION Am*bi"tion, n. Etym: [F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honorambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue.]

1. The act of going about to solicit or obtain an office, or any other object of desire; canvassing. [Obs.] [I] used no ambition to commend my deeds. Milton.

2. An eager, and sometimes an inordinate, desire for preferment, honor, superiority, power, or the attainment of something. Cromwell, I charge thee, fling a way ambition: By that sin fell the angels. Shak. The pitiful ambition of possessing five or six thousand more acres. Burke.

AMBITION Am*bi"tion, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. ambitionner.]

Defn: To seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet. [R.] Pausanias, ambitioning the sovereignty of Greece, bargains with Xerxes for his daughter in marriage. Trumbull.

AMBITIONIST Am*bi"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One excessively ambitious. [R.]

AMBITIONLESS Am*bi"tion*less, a.

Defn: Devoid of ambition. Pollok.

AMBITIOUS Am*bi"tious, a. Etym: [L. ambitiosus: cf. F. ambitieux. See Ambition.]

1. Possessing, or controlled by, ambition; greatly or inordinately desirous of power, honor, office, superiority, or distinction. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man. Shak.

2. Strongly desirous; — followed by of or the infinitive; as, ambitious to be or to do something. I was not ambitious of seeing this ceremony. Evelyn. Studious of song, and yet ambitious not to sing in vain. Cowper.

3. Springing from, characterized by, or indicating, ambition; showy; aspiring; as, an ambitious style. A giant statue . . . Pushed by a wild and artless race, From off wide, ambitious base. Collins.

AMBITIOUSLY Am*bi"tious*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ambitious manner.

AMBITIOUSNESS Am*bi"tious*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being ambitious; ambition; pretentiousness.

AMBITUS Am"bi*tus, n. Etym: [L. See Ambit, Ambition.]

1. The exterior edge or border of a thing, as the border of a leaf, or the outline of a bivalve shell.

2. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A canvassing for votes.

AMBLE Am"ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ambled; p. pr. & vb. n. Ambling.] Etym: [F. ambler to amble, fr. L. ambulare to walk, in LL., to amble, perh. fr. amb-, ambi-, and a root meaning to go: cf. Gr. base. Cf. Ambulate.]

1. To go at the easy gait called an amble; — applied to the horse or to its rider.

2. To move somewhat like an ambling horse; to go easily or without hard shocks. The skipping king, he ambled up and down. Shak. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. Shak.

AMBLE Am"ble, n.

1. A peculiar gait of a horse, in which both legs on the same side are moved at the same time, alternating with the legs on the other side. "A fine easy amble." B. Jonson.

2. A movement like the amble of a horse.

AMBLER Am"bler, n.

Defn: A horse or a person that ambles.

AMBLINGLY Am"bling*ly, adv.

Defn: With an ambling gait.

AMBLOTIC Am*blot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Tending to cause abortion.

AMBLYGON Am"bly*gon, n. Etym: [Gr. amblygone.] (Geom.)

Defn: An obtuse-angled figure, esp. and obtuse-angled triangle. [Obs.]

AMBLYGONAL Am*blyg"o*nal, a.

Defn: Obtuse-angled. [Obs.] Hutton.

AMBLYOPIA; AMBLYOPY Am`bly*o"pi*a, Am"bly*o`py, n. Etym: [Gr. amblyopie.] (Med.)

Defn: Weakness of sight, without and opacity of the cornea, or of the interior of the eye; the first degree of amaurosis.

AMBLYOPIC Am"bly*op"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to amblyopy. Quain.

AMBLYPODA Am*blyp"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A group of large, extinct, herbivorous mammals, common in the Tertiary formation of the United States.

AMBO Am"bo, n.; pl. Ambos. Etym: [LL. ambo, Gr. ambon.]

Defn: A large pulpit or reading desk, in the early Christian churches. Gwilt.

AMBON Am"bon, n.

Defn: Same as Ambo.

AMBOYNA BUTTON Am*boy"na but"ton. (Med.)

Defn: A chronic contagious affection of the skin, prevalent in the tropics.

AMBOYNA PINE Amboyna pine. (Bot.)

Defn: The resiniferous tree Agathis Dammara, of the Moluccas.

AMBOYNA WOOD Am*boy"na wood.

Defn: A beautiful mottled and curled wood, used in cabinetwork. It is obtained from the Pterocarpus Indicus of Amboyna, Borneo, etc.

AMBREATE Am"bre*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt formed by the combination of ambreic acid with a base or positive radical.

AMBREIC Am*bre"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to ambrein; — said of a certain acid produced by digesting ambrein in nitric acid.

AMBREIN Am"bre*in, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ambréine. See Amber.] (Chem.)

Defn: A fragrant substance which is the chief constituent of ambergris.

AMBRITE Am"brite, n. Etym: [From amber.]

Defn: A fossil resin occurring in large masses in New Zealand.

AMBROSE Am"brose, n.

Defn: A sweet-scented herb; ambrosia. See Ambrosia, 3. Turner.

AMBROSIA Am*bro"sia, n. Etym: [L. ambrosia, Gr. mrita, L. mortuus, dead, and to E. mortal.]

1. (Myth.) (a) The fabled food of the gods (as nectar was their drink), which conferred immortality upon those who partook of it. (b) An unguent of the gods. His dewy locks distilled ambrosia. Milton.

2. A perfumed unguent, salve, or draught; something very pleasing to the taste or smell. Spenser.

3. Formerly, a kind of fragrant plant; now (Bot.), a genus of plants, including some coarse and worthless weeds, called ragweed, hogweed, etc.

AMBROSIA BEETLE Ambrosia beetle. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bark beetle that feeds on ambrosia.

AMBROSIAC Am"bro"si*ac, a. Etym: [L. ambrosiacus: cf. F. ambrosiaque.]

Defn: Having the qualities of ambrosia; delicious. [R.]"Ambrosiac odors." B. Jonson.

AMBROSIAL Am*bro"sial, a. Etym: [L. ambrosius, Gr.

1. Consisting of, or partaking of the nature of, ambrosia; delighting the taste or smell; delicious. "Ambrosial food." "Ambrosial fragrance." Milton.

2. Divinely excellent or beautiful. "Shakes his ambrosial curls." Pope.

AMBROSIALLY Am*bro"sial*ly, adv.

Defn: After the manner of ambrosia; delightfully. "Smelt ambrosially." Tennyson.

AMBROSIAN Am*bro"sian, a.

Defn: Ambrosial. [R.] . Jonson.

AMBROSIAN Am*bro"sian, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to St. Ambrose; as, the Ambrosian office, or ritual, a formula of worship in the church of Milan, instituted by St. Ambrose. Ambrosian chant, the mode of signing or chanting introduced by St. Ambrose in the 4th century.

AMBROSIN Am"bro*sin, n. Etym: [LL. Ambrosinus nummus.]

Defn: An early coin struck by the dukes of Milan, and bearing the figure of St. Ambrose on horseback.

AMBROTYPE Am"bro*type, n. Etym: [Gr. -type.] (Photog.)

Defn: A picture taken on a place of prepared glass, in which the lights are represented in silver, and the shades are produced by a dark background visible through the unsilvered portions of the glass.

AMBRY Am"bry, n.; pl. Ambries. Etym: [OE. aumbry, almery, OF. almarie, armarie, aumaire, F. armoire, LL. armarium chest, cupboard, orig. a repository for arms, fr. L. arama arms. The word has been confused with almonry. See Armory.]

1. In churches, a kind of closet, niche, cupboard, or locker for utensils, vestments, etc.

2. A store closet, as a pantry, cupboard, etc.

3. Almonry. [Improperly so used]

AMBS-ACE Ambs"-ace, n. Etym: [OF. ambesas; ambes both (fr. L. ambo) + as ace. See Ace.]

Defn: Double aces, the lowest throw of all at dice. Hence: Bad luck; anything of no account or value.

AMBULACRAL Am`bu*la"cral, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to ambulacra; avenuelike; as, the ambulacral ossicles, plates, spines, and suckers of echinoderms.

AMBULACRIFORM Am`bu*la"cri*form, a. Etym: [Ambulacrum + -form] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the form of ambulacra.

AMBULACRUM Am`bu*la"crum, n.; pl. Ambulacra. Etym: [L., an alley or covered way.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the radical zones of echinoderms, along which run the principal nerves, blood vessels, and water tubes. These zones usually bear rows of locomotive suckers or tentacles, which protrude from regular pores. In star fishes they occupy the grooves along the under side of the rays. (b) One of the suckers on the feet of mites.

AMBULANCE Am"bu*lance, n. Etym: [F. ambulance, hôpital ambulant, fr. L. ambulare to walk. See Amble.] (Mil.) (a) A field hospital, so organized as to follow an army in its movements, and intended to succor the wounded as soon as possible. Often used adjectively; as, an ambulance wagon; ambulance stretcher; ambulance corps. (b) An ambulance wagon or cart for conveying the wounded from the field, or to a hospital.

AMBULANT Am"bu*lant, a. Etym: [L. ambulans, p. pr. of ambulare to walk: cf. F. ambulant.]

Defn: Walking; moving from place to place. Gayton.

AMBULATE Am"bu*late, v. i. Etym: [L. ambulare to walk. See Amble.]

Defn: To walk; to move about. [R.] Southey.

AMBULATION Am`bu*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. ambulatio.]

Defn: The act of walking. Sir T. Browne.

AMBULATIVE Am"bu*la*tive, a.

Defn: Walking. [R.]

AMBULATOR Am"bu*la`tor, n.

1. One who walks about; a walker.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) A beetle of the genus Lamia. (b) A genus of birds, or one of this genus.

3. An instrument for measuring distances; — called also perambulator. Knight.

AMBULATORIAL Am`bu*la*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Ambulatory; fitted for walking. Verrill.

AMBULATORY Am"bu*la*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. ambulatorius.]

1. Of or pertaining to walking; having the faculty of walking; formed or fitted for walking; as, an ambulatory animal.

2. Accustomed to move from place to place; not stationary; movable; as, an ambulatory court, which exercises its jurisdiction in different places. The priesthood . . . before was very ambulatory, and dispersed into all families. Jer. Taylor.

3. Pertaining to a walk. [R.] The princess of whom his majesty had an ambulatory view in his travels. Sir H. Wotton.

4. (Law)

Defn: Not yet fixed legally, or settled past alteration; alterable; as, the dispositions of a will are ambulatory until the death of the testator.

AMBULATORY Am"bu*la*to*ry, n.; pl. Ambulatories. Etym: [Cf. LL. ambulatorium.] (Arch.)

Defn: A place to walk in, whether in the open air, as the gallery of a cloister, or within a building.

AMBURRY Am"bur*ry, n.

Defn: Same as Anbury.

AMBUSCADE Am`bus*cade", n. Etym: [F. embuscade, fr. It. imboscata, or Sp. emboscada, fr. emboscar to ambush, fr. LL. imboscare. See Ambush, v. t.]

1. A lying in a wood, concealed, for the purpose of attacking an enemy by surprise. Hence: A lying in wait, and concealed in any situation, for a like purpose; a snare laid for an enemy; an ambush.

2. A place in which troops lie hid, to attack an enemy unexpectedly. [R.] Dryden.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: The body of troops lying in ambush.

AMBUSCADE Am`bus*cade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ambuscaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Ambuscading.]

1. To post or conceal in ambush; to ambush.

2. To lie in wait for, or to attack from a covert or lurking place; to waylay.

AMBUSCADE Am`bus*cade", v. i.

Defn: To lie in ambush.

AMBUSCADO Am`bus*ca"do, n.

Defn: Ambuscade. [Obs.] Shak.

AMBUSCADOED Am`bus*ca"doed, p. p.

Defn: Posted in ambush; ambuscaded. [Obs.]

AMBUSH Am"bush, n. Etym: [F. embûche, fr. the verb. See Ambush, v. t.]

1. A disposition or arrangement of troops for attacking an enemy unexpectedly from a concealed station. Hence: Unseen peril; a device to entrap; a snare. Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege Or ambush from the deep. Milton.

2. A concealed station, where troops or enemies lie in wait to attack by surprise. Bold in close ambush, base in open field. Dryden.

3. The troops posted in a concealed place, for attacking by surprise; liers in wait. [Obs.] The ambush arose quickly out of their place. Josh. viii. 19. To lay an ambush, to post a force in ambush.

AMBUSH Am"bush, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ambushed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ambushing.] Etym: [OE. enbussen, enbushen, OF. embushier, embuissier, F. embûcher, embusquer, fr. LL. imboscare; in + LL. boscus, buscus, a wood; akin to G. bush, E. bush. See Ambuscade, Bu.]

1. To station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy. By ambushed men behind their temple Dryden.

2. To attack by ambush; to waylay.

AMBUSH Am"bush, v. i.

Defn: To lie in wait, for the purpose of attacking by surprise; to lurk. Nor saw the snake that ambushed for his prey. Trumbull.

AMBUSHER Am"bush*er, n.

Defn: One lying in ambush.

AMBUSHMENT Am"bush*ment, n. Etym: [OF. embuschement. See Ambush, v. t.]

Defn: An ambush. [Obs.] 2 Chron. xiii. 13.

AMBUSTION Am*bus"tion, n. Etym: [L. ambustio.] (Med.)

Defn: A burn or scald. Blount.

AMEBEAN Am`e*be"an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Am.

AMEER; AMIR A*meer", A*mir", n. Etym: [See Emir.]

1. Emir. [Obs.]

2. One of the Mohammedan nobility of Afghanistan and Scinde.

AMEL Am"el, n. Etym: [OE. amell, OF. esmail, F. émail, of German origin; cf. OHG. smelzi, G. schmelz. See Smelt, v. t.]

Defn: Enamel. [Obs.] Boyle.

AMEL Am"el, v. t. Etym: [OE. amellen, OF. esmailler, F. émailler, OF. esmail, F. émail.]

Defn: To enamel. [Obs.] Enlightened all with stars, And richly ameled. Chapman.

AMELCORN Am"el*corn`, n. Etym: [Ger. amelkorn: cf. MHG. amel, amer, spelt, and L. amylum starch, Gr.

Defn: A variety of wheat from which starch is produced; — called also French rice.

AMELIORABLE A*mel"io*ra*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being ameliorated.

AMELIORATE A*mel"io*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ameliorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Ameliorating.] Etym: [L. ad + meliorare to make better: cf. F. améliorer. See Meliorate.]

Defn: To make better; to improve; to meliorate. In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his own condition. Macaulay.

AMELIORATE A*mel"io*rate, v. i.

Defn: To grow better; to meliorate; as, wine ameliorates by age.

AMELIORATION A*mel`io*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. amélioration.]

Defn: The act of ameliorating, or the state of being ameliorated; making or becoming better; improvement; melioration. "Amelioration of human affairs." J. S. Mill.

AMELIORATIVE A*mel"io*ra*tive, a.

Defn: Tending to ameliorate; producing amelioration or improvement; as, ameliorative remedies, efforts.

AMELIORATOR A*mel"io*ra`tor, n.

Defn: One who ameliorates.

AMEN A`men", interj., adv., & n. Etym: [L. amen, Gr. am certainly, truly.]

Defn: An expression used at the end of prayers, and meaning, So be it. At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. When it introduces a declaration, it is equivalent to truly, verily. It is used as a noun, to demote: (a) concurrence in belief, or in a statement; assent; (b) the final word or act; (c) Christ as being one who is true and faithful. And let all the people say, Amen. Ps. cvi. 48. Amen, amen, I say to thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. John ii. 3. Rhemish Trans. To say amen to, to approve warmly; to concur in heartily or emphatically; to ratify; as, I say Amen to all.

AMEN A`men", v. t.

Defn: To say Amen to; to sanction fully.

AMENABILITY A*me`na*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amenable; amenableness. Coleridge.

AMENABLE A*me"na*ble, a. Etym: [F. amener to lead; ad) = mener to lead, fr. L. minare to drive animals (properly by threatening cries), in LL. to lead; L. minari, to threaten, minae threats. See Menace.]

1. (Old Law)

Defn: Easy to be led; governable, as a woman by her husband. [Obs.] Jacob.

2. Liable to be brought to account or punishment; answerable; responsible; accountable; as, amenable to law. Nor is man too diminutive . . . to be amenable to the divine government. I. Taylor.

3. Liable to punishment, a charge, a claim, etc.

4. Willing to yield or submit; responsive; tractable. Sterling . . . always was amenable enough to counsel. Carlyle.

AMENABLENESS A*me"na*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being amenable; liability to answer charges; answerableness.

AMENABLY A*me"na*bly, adv.

Defn: In an amenable manner.

AMENAGE Am"e*nage, v. t. Etym: [OF. amesnagier. See Manage.]

Defn: To manage. [Obs.] Spenser.

AMENANCE Am"e*nance, n. Etym: [OF. See Amenable.]

Defn: Behavior; bearing. [Obs.] Spenser.

AMEND A*mend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amended; p. pr. & vb. n. Amending.] Etym: [F. amender, L. emendare; e(ex) + mendum, menda, fault, akin to Skr. minda personal defect. Cf. Emend, Mend.]

Defn: To change or modify in any way for the better; as, (a) by simply removing what is erroneous, corrupt, superfluous, faulty, and the like; (b) by supplying deficiencies; (c) by substituting something else in the place of what is removed; to rectify. Mar not the thing that can not be amended. Shak. An instant emergency, granting no possibility for revision, or opening for amended thought. De Quincey. We shall cheer her sorrows, and amend her blood, by wedding her to a Norman. Sir W. Scott. To amend a bill, to make some change in the details or provisions of a bill or measure while on its passage, professedly for its improvement.

Syn. — To Amend, Emend, Correct, Reform, Rectify. These words agree in the idea of bringing things into a more perfect state. We correct (literally, make straight) when we conform things to some standard or rule; as, to correct proof sheets. We amend by removing blemishes, faults, or errors, and thus rendering a thing more a nearly perfect; as, to amend our ways, to amend a text, the draft of a bill, etc. Emend is only another form of amend, and is applied chiefly to editions of books, etc. To reform is literally to form over again, or put into a new and better form; as, to reform one's life. To rectify is to make right; as, to rectify a mistake, to rectify abuses, inadvertencies, etc.

AMEND A*mend", v. i.

Defn: To grow better by rectifying something wrong in manners or morals; to improve. "My fortune . . . amends." Sir P. Sidney.

AMENDABLE A*mend"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being amended; as, an amendable writ or error. — A*mend"a*ble*ness, n.

AMENDATORY A*mend"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Supplying amendment; corrective; emendatory. Bancroft.

AMENDE A`mende", n. Etym: [F. See Amend.]

Defn: A pecuniary punishment or fine; a reparation or recantation. Amende honorable(#). (Old French Law) A species of infamous punishment in which the offender, being led into court with a rope about his neck, and a lighted torch in his hand, begged pardon of his God, the court, etc. In popular language, the phrase now denotes a public apology or recantation, and reparation to an injured party, for improper language or treatment.

AMENDER A*mend"er, n.

Defn: One who amends.

AMENDFUL A*mend"ful, a.

Defn: Much improving. [Obs.]

AMENDMENT A*mend"ment, n. Etym: [F. amendement, LL. amendamentum.]

1. An alteration or change for the better; correction of a fault or of faults; reformation of life by quitting vices.

2. In public bodies; Any alternation made or proposed to be made in a bill or motion by adding, changing, substituting, or omitting.

3. (Law)

Defn: Correction of an error in a writ or process.

Syn. — Improvement; reformation; emendation.

AMENDS A*mends", n. sing. & pl. Etym: [F. amendes, pl. of amende. Cf. Amende.]

Defn: Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; reparation. [Now const. with sing. verb.] "An honorable amends." Addison. Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends. Shak.

AMENITY A*men"i*ty, n.; pl. Amenities. Etym: [F. aménité, L. amoenitas, fr. amoenus pleasant.]

Defn: The quality of being pleasant or agreeable, whether in respect to situation, climate, manners, or disposition; pleasantness; civility; suavity; gentleness. A sweetness and amenity of temper. Buckle. This climate has not seduced by its amenities. W. Howitt.

AMENORRHOEA A*men`or*rhoe"a, n. Etym: [Gr. aménorrhée.] (Med.)

Defn: Retention or suppression of the menstrual discharge.

AMENORRHOEAL A*men`or*rhoe"al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to amenorrhoea.

A MENSA ET THORO A men"sa et tho"ro. Etym: [L., from board and bed.] (Law)

Defn: A kind of divorce which does not dissolve the marriage bond, but merely authorizes a separate life of the husband and wife. Abbott.

AMENT Am"ent, n. Etym: [L. amentum thong or strap.] (Bot.)

Defn: A species of inflorescence; a catkin. The globular ament of a buttonwood. Coues.

AMENTACEOUS Am`en*ta"ceous, a. Etym: [LL. amentaceus.] (Bot.) (a) Resembling, or consisting of, an ament or aments; as, the chestnut has an amentaceous inflorescence. (b) Bearing aments; having flowers arranged in aments; as, amentaceous plants.

AMENTIA A*men"ti*a, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Imbecility; total want of understanding.

AMENTIFEROUS Am`en*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. amentum + -ferous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing catkins. Balfour.

AMENTIFORM A*men"ti*form, a. Etym: [L. amentum + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Shaped like a catkin.

AMENTUM A*men"tum, n.; pl. Amenta.

Defn: Same as Ament.

AMENUSE Am"e*nuse, v. t. Etym: [OF. amenuisier. See Minute.]

Defn: To lessen. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AMERCE A*merce", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amerced; p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing.] Etym: [OF. amercier, fr. a merci at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See Mercy.]

1. To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the amerced the criminal in the sum on the hundred dollars.

Note: The penalty of fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in, with, or of.

2. To punish, in general; to mulct. Millions of spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven. Milton. Shall by him be amerced with penance due. Spenser.

AMERCEABLE A*merce"a*ble, a.

Defn: Liable to be amerced.

AMERCEMENT A*merce"ment, n. Etym: [OF. amerciment.]

Defn: The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See Affeer.] Blackstone.

Note: This word, in old books, is written amerciament. Amercement royal, a penalty imposed on an officer for a misdemeanor in his office. Jacobs.

AMERCER A*mer"cer, n.

Defn: One who amerces.

AMERCIAMENT A*mer"cia*ment, n. Etym: [LL. amerciamentum.]

Defn: Same as Amercement. Mozley & W.

AMERICAN A*mer"i*can, a. Etym: [Named from Americus Vespucius.]

1. Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent: American Indians.

2. Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of the American navy." Lyell. American ivy. See Virginia creeper. — American Party (U. S. Politics), a party, about 1854, which opposed the influence of foreign-born citizens, and those supposed to owe allegiance to a foreign power. — Native american Party (U. S. Politics), a party of principles similar to those of the American party. It arose about 1843, but soon died out.

AMERICAN A*mer"i*can, n.

Defn: A native of America; — originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States. The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism. Washington.

AMERICANISM A*mer"i*can*ism, n.

1. Attachment to the United States.

2. A custom peculiar to the United States or to America; an American characteristic or idea.

3. A word or phrase peculiar to the United States.

AMERICANIZATION A*mer`i*can*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The process of Americanizing.

AMERICANIZE A*mer"i*can*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Americanizer; p. pr. & vb. n. Americanizing.]

Defn: To render American; to assimilate to the Americans in customs, ideas, etc.; to stamp with American characteristics.

AMERICAN PLAN A*mer"i*can plan.

Defn: In hotels, aplan upon which guests pay for both room and board by the day, week, or other convenient period; — contrasted with European plan.

AMERICAN PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION A*mer"i*can Pro*tect"ive As*so`ci*a"tion.

Defn: A secret organization in the United States, formed in Iowa in 1887, ostensibly for the protection of American institutions by keeping Roman Catholics out of public office. Abbrev. commonly to A. P .A.

AMES-ACE Ames"-ace, n.

Defn: Same as Ambs-ace.

AMESS Am"ess, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: Amice, a hood or cape. See 2d Amice.

AMETABOLA Am`e*tab"o*la, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of insects which do not undergo any metamorphosis. [Written also Ametabolia.]

AMETABOLIAN A*met`a*bo"li*an, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to insects that do undergo any metamorphosis.

AMETABOLIC; AMETABOLOUS A*met`a*bol"ic, Am`e*tab"o*lous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Not undergoing any metamorphosis; as, ametabolic insects.

AMETHODIST A*meth"o*dist, n. Etym: [Pref. a- not + methodist.]

Defn: One without method; a quack. [Obs.]

AMETHYST Am"e*thyst, Etym: [F. ametiste, amatiste, F. améthyste, L. amethystus, fr. Gr. Mead.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of crystallized quartz, of a purple or bluish violet color, of different shades. It is much used as a jeweler's stone. Oriental amethyst, the violet-blue variety of transparent crystallized corundum or sapphire.

2. (Her.)

Defn: A purple color in a nobleman's escutcheon, or coat of arms.

AMETHYSTINE Am`e*thys"tine, a. Etym: [L. amethystinus, Gr.

1. Resembling amethyst, especially in color; bluish violet.

2. Composed of, or containing, amethyst.

AMETROPIA Am`e*tro"pi*a, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Any abnormal condition of the refracting powers of the eye. — Am`e*trop"ic, a.

AMHARIC Am*har"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Amhara, a division of Abyssinia; as, the Amharic language is closely allied to the Ethiopic. — n.

Defn: The Amharic language (now the chief language of Abyssinia).

AMIA Am"i*a, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fresh-water ganoid fishes, exclusively confined to North America; called bowfin in Lake Champlain, dogfish in Lake Erie, and mudfish in South Carolina, etc. See Bowfin.

AMIABILITY A`mi*a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amiable; amiableness; sweetness of disposition. Every excellency is a degree of amiability. Jer. Taylor.

AMIABLE A"mi*a*ble, a. Etym: [F. amiable, L. amicabilis friendly, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. The meaning has been influenced by F. aimable, L. amabilis lovable, fr. amare to love. Cf. Amicable, Amorous, Amability.]

1. Lovable; lovely; pleasing. [Obs. or R.] So amiable a prospect. Sir T. Herbert.

2. Friendly; kindly; sweet; gracious; as, an amiable temper or mood; amiable ideas.

3. Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper, kind-heartedness, etc., which causes one to be liked; as, an amiable woman.

4. Done out of love. [Obs.] Lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife. Shak.

AMIABLENESS A`mi*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being amiable; amiability.

AMIABLY A"mi*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In an amiable manner.

AMIANTH Am"i*anth, n.

Defn: See Amianthus. [Poetic]

AMIANTHIFORM Am`i*an"thi*form, a. Etym: [Amianthus + -form.]

Defn: Resembling amianthus in form.

AMIANTHOID Am`i*an"thoid, a. Etym: [Amianthus + -oid: cf. F. amiantoïde.]

Defn: Resembling amianthus.

AMIANTHUS Am`i*an"thus, n. Etym: [L. amiantus, Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Earth flax, or mountain flax; a soft silky variety of asbestus.

AMIC Am"ic, a. Etym: [L. ammonia + -ic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Related to, or derived, ammonia; — used chiefly as a suffix; as, amic acid; phosphamic acid. Amic acid (Chem.), one of a class of nitrogenized acids somewhat resembling amides.

AMICABILITY Am`i*ca*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amicable; friendliness; amicableness. Ash.

AMICABLE Am"i*ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. amicabilis, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. See Amiable.]

Defn: Friendly; proceeding from, or exhibiting, friendliness; after the manner of friends; peaceable; as, an amicable disposition, or arrangement. That which was most remarkable in this contest was . . . the amicable manner in which it was managed. Prideoux. Amicable action (Law.), an action commenced and prosecuted by amicable consent of the parties, for the purpose of obtaining a decision of the court on some matter of law involved in it. Bouvier. Burrill. — Amicable numbers (Math.), two numbers, each of which is equal to the sum of all the aliquot parts of the other.

Syn. — Friendly; peaceable; kind; harmonious. — Amicable, Friendly. Neither of these words denotes any great warmth of affection, since friendly has by no means the same strength as its noun friendship. It does, however, imply something of real cordiality; while amicable supposes very little more than that the parties referred to are not disposed to quarrel. Hence, we speak of amicable relations between two countries, an amicable adjustment of difficulties. "Those who entertain friendly feelings toward each other can live amicably together."

AMICABLENESS Am"i*ca*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being amicable; amicability.

AMICABLY Am"i*ca*bly, adv.

Defn: In an amicable manner.

AMICE Am"ice, n. Etym: [OE. amyse, prob. for amyt, OF. amit, ameit, fr. L. amictus cloak, the word being confused with amice, almuce, a hood or cape. See next word.]

Defn: A square of white linen worn at first on the head, but now about the neck and shoulders, by priests of the Roman Catholic Church while saying Mass.

AMICE Am"ice, n. Etym: [OE. amuce, amisse, OF. almuce, aumuce, F. aumusse, LL. almucium, almucia, aumucia: of unknown origin; cf. G. mütze cap, prob. of the same origin. Cf. Mozetta.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A hood, or cape with a hood, made of lined with gray fur, formerly worn by the clergy; — written also amess, amyss, and almuce.

AMID A*mid", prep.

Defn: See Amidst.

AMIDE Am"ide, n. Etym: [Ammonia + -ide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound formed by the union of amidogen with an acid element or radical. It may also be regarded as ammonia in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by an acid atom or radical. Acid amide, a neutral compound formed by the substitution of the amido group for hydroxyl in an acid.

AMIDIN Am"i*din, n. Etym: [Cf. F. amidine, fr. amido starch, fr. L. amylum, Gr. Meal.] (Chem.)

Defn: Start modified by heat so as to become a transparent mass, like horn. It is soluble in cold water.

AMIDO A*mi"do, a. Etym: [From Amide.] (Chem.)

Defn: Containing, or derived from, amidogen. Amido acid, an acid in which a portion of the nonacid hydrogen has been replaced by the amido group. The amido acids are both basic and acid. — Amido group, amidogen, NH2.

AMIDOGEN A*mid"o*gen, n. Etym: [Amide + -gen.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound radical, NH2, not yet obtained in a separate state, which may be regarded as ammonia from the molecule of which one of its hydrogen atoms has been removed; — called also the amido group, and in composition represented by the form amido.

AMIDOL Am"i*dol, n. [Amide + -ol as in alcohol.] (Photog. & Chem.)

Defn: A salt of a diamino phenol, C6H3(OH)(NH2)2, used as a developer.

AMIDSHIPS A*mid"ships, adv. (Naut.)

Defn: In the middle of a ship, with regard to her length, and sometimes also her breadth. Totten.

AMIDST; AMID A*midst", A*mid", prep. Etym: [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a later addition, as in whilst, amongst, alongst. See Mid.]

Defn: In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. "This fair tree amidst the garden." "Unseen amid the throng." "Amidst thick clouds." Milton. "Amidst acclamations." "Amidst the splendor and festivity of a court." Macaulay. But rather famish them amid their plenty. Shak.

Syn. — Amidst, Among. These words differ to some extent from each other, as will be seen from their etymology. Amidst denotes in the midst or middle of, and hence surrounded by; as, this work was written amidst many interruptions. Among denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects; as, "He fell among thieves." "Blessed art thou among women." Hence, we say, among the moderns, among the ancients, among the thickest of trees, among these considerations, among the reasons I have to offer. Amid and amidst are commonly used when the idea of separate or distinguishable objects is not prominent. Hence, we say, they kept on amidst the storm, amidst the gloom, he was sinking amidst the waves, he persevered amidst many difficulties; in none of which cases could among be used. In like manner, Milton speaks of Abdiel, — The seraph Abdiel, faithful found; Among the faithless faithful only he, because he was then considered as one of the angels. But when the poet adds, — From amidst them forth he passed, we have rather the idea of the angels as a collective body. Those squalid cabins and uncleared woods amidst which he was born. Macaulay.

AMIGO A*mi"go, n.; pl. Amigos (#). [Sp., fr. L. amicus.]

Defn: A friend; — a Spanish term applied in the Philippine Islands to friendly natives.

AMINE Am"ine, n. Etym: [Ammonia + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of a class of strongly basic substances derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by a basic atom or radical.

AMINOL Am"i*nol, n. [From amine.] (Pharm.)