I (continued 11)
Reading edition
Syn. — List; register; schedule; catalogue. See List.
INVENTORY In"ven*to*ry, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inventoried; p. pr. & vb. n. Inventorying.] Etym: [Cf. F. inventorier.]
Defn: To make an inventory of; to make a list, catalogue, or schedule of; to insert or register in an account of goods; as, a merchant inventories his stock. I will give out divers schedules of my beauty; it shall be inventoried, and every particle and utensil labeled. Shak.
INVENTRESS In*vent"ress, n. Etym: [Cf. L. inventrix, F. inventrice.]
Defn: A woman who invents. Dryden.
INVERACITY In`ve*rac"i*ty, n.
Defn: Want of veracity.
INVERISIMILITUDE In*ver`i*si*mil"i*tude, n.
Defn: Want of verisimilitude or likelihood; improbability.
INVERNESS; INVERNESS CAPE In`ver*ness", n., or In`ver*ness" cape".
Defn: A kind of full sleeveless cape, fitting closely about the neck.
Robert's wind-blown head and tall form wrapped in an Inverness cape. Mrs. Humphry Ward.
INVERSE In*verse", a. Etym: [L. inversus, p. p. of invertere: cf. F. inverse. See Invert.]
1. Opposite in order, relation, or effect; reversed; inverted; reciprocal; — opposed to direct.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment the reverse of that which is usual.
3. (Math.)
Defn: Opposite in nature and effect; — said with reference to any two operations, which, when both are performed in succession upon any quantity, reproduce that quantity; as, multiplication is the inverse operation to division. The symbol of an inverse operation is the symbol of the direct operation with -1 as an index. Thus sin-1 x means the arc whose sine is x. Inverse figures (Geom.), two figures, such that each point of either figure is inverse to a corresponding point in the order figure. — Inverse points (Geom.), two points lying on a line drawn from the center of a fixed circle or sphere, and so related that the product of their distances from the center of the circle or sphere is equal to the square of the radius. — Inverse, or Reciprocal, ratio (Math.), the ratio of the reciprocals of two quantities. — Inverse, or Reciprocal, proportion, an equality between a direct ratio and a reciprocal ratio; thus, 4 : 2 : : , or 4 : 2 : : 3 : 6, inversely.
INVERSE In"verse, n.
Defn: That which is inverse. Thus the course of human study is the inverse of the course of things in nature. Tatham.
INVERSELY In*verse"ly, adv.
Defn: In an inverse order or manner; by inversion; — opposed to directly. Inversely proportional. See Directly proportional, under Directly, and Inversion, 4.
INVERSION In*ver"sion, n. Etym: [L. inversio: cf. F. inversion. See Invert.]
1. The act of inverting, or turning over or backward, or the state of being inverted.
2. A change by inverted order; a reversed position or arrangement of things; transposition. It is just the inversion of an act of Parliament; your lordship first signed it, and then it was passed among the Lords and Commons. Dryden.
3. (Mil.)
Defn: A movement in tactics by which the order of companies in line is inverted, the right being on the left, the left on the right, and so on.
4. (Math.)
Defn: A change in the order of the terms of a proportion, so that the second takes the place of the first, and the fourth of the third.
5. (Geom.)
Defn: A peculiar method of transformation, in which a figure is replaced by its inverse figure. Propositions that are true for the original figure thus furnish new propositions that are true in the inverse figure. See Inverse figures, under Inverse.
6. (Gram.)
Defn: A change of the usual order of words or phrases; as, "of all vices, impurity is one of the most detestable," instead of, "impurity is one of the most detestable of all vices."
7. (Rhet.)
Defn: A method of reasoning in which the orator shows that arguments advanced by his adversary in opposition to him are really favorable to his cause.
8. (Mus.) (a) Said of intervals, when the lower tone is placed an octave higher, so that fifths become fourths, thirds sixths, etc. (b) Said of a chord, when one of its notes, other than its root, is made the bass. (c) Said of a subject, or phrase, when the intervals of which it consists are repeated in the contrary direction, rising instead of falling, or vice versa. (d) Said of double counterpoint, when an upper and a lower part change places.
9. (Geol.)
Defn: The folding back of strata upon themselves, as by upheaval, in such a manner that the order of succession appears to be reversed.
10. (Chem.)
Defn: The act or process by which cane sugar (sucrose), under the action of heat and acids or ferments (as diastase), is broken or split up into grape sugar (dextrose), and fruit sugar (levulose); also, less properly, the process by which starch is converted into grape sugar (dextrose).
Note: The terms invert and inversion, in this sense, owe their meaning to the fact that the plane of polarization of light, which is rotated to the right by cane sugar, is turned toward the left by levulose.
INVERT In*vert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inverted; p. pr. & vb. n. Inverting.] Etym: [L. invertere, inversum; pref. in- in + vertere to turn. See Verse.]
1. To turn over; to put upside down; to upset; to place in a contrary order or direction; to reverse; as, to invert a cup, the order of words, rules of justice, etc. That doth invert the attest of eyes and ears, As if these organs had deceptious functions. Shak. Such reasoning falls like an inverted cone, Wanting its proper base to stand upon. Cowper.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: To change the position of; — said of tones which form a chord, or parts which compose harmony.
3. To divert; to convert to a wrong use. [Obs.] Knolles.
4. (Chem.)
Defn: To convert; to reverse; to decompose by, or subject to, inversion. See Inversion, n., 10.
INVERT In*vert", v. i. (Chem.)
Defn: To undergo inversion, as sugar.
INVERT In"vert, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Subjected to the process of inversion; inverted; converted; as, invert sugar. Invert sugar (Chem.), a variety of sugar, consisting of a mixture of dextrose and levulose, found naturally in fruits, and produced artificially by the inversion of cane sugar (sucrose); also, less properly, the grape sugar or dextrose obtained from starch. See Inversion, Dextrose, Levulose, and Sugar.
INVERT In"vert, n. (Masonry)
Defn: An inverted arch.
INVERTASE In*vert"ase, n. (Chem.) (a) An enzyme capable of effecting the inversion of cane suger, producing invert sugar. It is found in many plants and in the intestines of animals. (b) By extension, any enzyme which splits cane sugar, milk sugar, lactose, etc., into monosaccharides.
INVERTEBRAL In*ver"te*bral, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Invertebrate.
INVERTEBRATA In*ver`te*bra"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. in- not + vertebratus vertebrate.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A comprehensive division of the animal kingdom, including all except the Vertebrata.
INVERTEBRATE In*ver"te*brate, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Destitute of a backbone; having no vertebræ; of or pertaining to the Invertebrata. — n.
Defn: One of the Invertebrata. Age of invertebrates. See Age, and Silurian.
INVERTEBRATED In*ver"te*bra`ted, a.
Defn: Having no backbone; invertebrate.
INVERTED In*vert"ed, a.
1. Changed to a contrary or counterchanged order; reversed; characterized by inversion.
2. (Geol.)
Defn: Situated apparently in reverse order, as strata when folded back upon themselves by upheaval. Inverted arch (Arch.), an arch placed with crown downward; — much used in foundations.
INVERTEDLY In*vert"ed*ly, adv.
Defn: In an inverted order. Derham.
INVERTIBLE In*vert"i*ble, a. Etym: [From Invert.]
1. Capable of being inverted or turned.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: Capable of being changed or converted; as, invertible sugar.
INVERTIBLE In*vert"i*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. in- not + L. vertere to turn + -ible.]
Defn: Incapable of being turned or changed. An indurate and invertible conscience. Cranmer.
INVERTIN In*vert"in, n. (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: An unorganized ferment which causes cane sugar to take up a molecule of water and be converted into invert sugar.
INVEST In*vest", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invested; p. pr. & vb. n. Investing.] Etym: [L. investire, investitum; pref. in- in + vestire to clothe, fr. vestis clothing: cf. F. investir. See Vest.]
1. To put garments on; to clothe; to dress; to array; — opposed to divest. Usually followed by with, sometimes by in; as, to invest one with a robe.
2. To put on. [Obs.] Can not find one this girdle to invest. Spenser.
3. To clothe, as with office or authority; to place in possession of rank, dignity, or estate; to endow; to adorn; to grace; to bedeck; as, to invest with honor or glory; to invest with an estate. I do invest you jointly with my power. Shak.
4. To surround, accompany, or attend. Awe such as must always invest the spectacle of the guilt. Hawthorne.
5. To confer; to give. [R.] It investeth a right of government. Bacon.
6. (Mil.)
Defn: To inclose; to surround of hem in with troops, so as to intercept succors of men and provisions and prevent escape; to lay siege to; as, to invest a town.
7. To lay out (money or capital) in business with the as, to invest money in bank stock.
INVEST In*vest", v. i.
Defn: To make an investment; as, to invest in stocks; — usually followed by in.
INVESTIENT In*vest"ient, a. Etym: [L. investiens, p. pr. of investire.]
Defn: Covering; clothing. [R.] Woodward.
INVESTIGABLE In*ves"ti*ga*ble, a. Etym: [L. investigabilis. See Investigate.]
Defn: Capable or susceptible of being investigated; admitting research. Hooker.
INVESTIGABLE In*ves"ti*ga*ble, a. Etym: [L. investigabilis. See In- not, and Vestigate.]
Defn: Unsearchable; inscrutable. [Obs.] So unsearchable the judgment and so investigable the ways thereof. Bale.
INVESTIGATE In*ves"ti*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Investigated; p. pr. & vb. n. Investigating.] Etym: [L. investigatus, p. p. of investigare to investigate; pref. in- in + vestigare to track, trace. See Vestige.]
Defn: To follow up step by step by patient inquiry or observation; to trace or track mentally; to search into; to inquire and examine into with care and accuracy; to find out by careful inquisition; as, to investigate the causes of natural phenomena.
INVESTIGATE In*ves"ti*gate, v. i.
Defn: To pursue a course of investigation and study; to make investigation.
INVESTIGATION In*ves`ti*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. investigatio: cf. F. investigation.]
Defn: The act of investigating; the process of inquiring into or following up; research; study; inquiry, esp. patient or thorough inquiry or examination; as, the investigations of the philosopher and the mathematician; the investigations of the judge, the moralist.
INVESTIGATIVE In*ves"ti*ga*tive, a.
Defn: Given to investigation; inquisitive; curious; searching.
INVESTIGATOR In*ves"ti*ga`tor, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. investigateur.]
Defn: One who searches diligently into a subject.
INVESTITURE In*ves"ti*ture, n. Etym: [LL. investitura: cf. F. investiture.]
1. The act or ceremony of investing, or the of being invested, as with an office; a giving possession; also, the right of so investing. He had refused to yield up to the pope the investiture of bishops. Sir W. Raleigh.
2. (Feudal Law)
Defn: Livery of seizin. The grant of land or a feud was perfected by the ceremony oinvestiture, or open delivery of possession. Blackstone.
3. That with which anyone is invested or clothed; investment; clothing; covering. While we yet have on Our gross investiture of mortal weeds. Trench.
INVESTIVE In*vest"ive, a.
Defn: Investing. [R.] Mir. for Mag.
INVESTMENT In*vest"ment, n.
1. The act of investing, or the state of being invested.
2. That with which anyone is invested; a vestment. Whose white investments figure innocence. Shak.
3. (Mil.)
Defn: The act of surrounding, blocking up, or besieging by an armed force, or the state of being so surrounded. The capitulation was signed by the commander of the fort within six days after its investments. Marshall.
4. The laying out of money in the purchase of some species of property; the amount of money invested, or that in which money is invested. Before the investment could be made, a change of the market might render it ineligible. A. Hamilton. An investment in ink, paper, and steel pens. Hawthorne.
INVESTOR In*vest"or, n.
Defn: One who invests.
INVESTURE In*ves"ture, n.
Defn: Investiture; investment. [Obs.] Bp. Burnet.
INVESTURE In*ves"ture, v. t.
Defn: To clothe; to invest; to install. [Obs.] "Monks . . . investured in their copes." Fuller.
INVETERACY In*vet"er*a*cy, n. Etym: [From Inveterate.]
1. Firm establishment by long continuance; firmness or deep-rooted obstinacy of any quality or state acquired by time; as, the inveteracy of custom, habit, or disease; — usually in a bad sense; as, the inveteracy of prejudice or of error. An inveteracy of evil habits that will prompt him to contract more. A. Tucker.
2. Malignity; spitefulness; virulency. The rancor of pamphlets, the inveteracy of epigrams, an the mortification of lampoons. Guardian.
INVETERATE In*vet"er*ate, a. Etym: [L. inveteratus, p. p. of inveterare to render old; pref. in- in + vetus, veteris, old. See Veteran.]
1. Old; long-established. [Obs.] It is an inveterate and received opinion. Bacon.
2. Firmly established by long continuance; obstinate; deep-rooted; of long standing; as, an inveterate disease; an inveterate abuse. Heal the inveterate canker of one wound. Shak.
3. Having habits fixed by long continuance; confirmed; habitual; as, an inveterate idler or smoker.
4. Malignant; virulent; spiteful. H. Brooke.
INVETERATE In*vet"er*ate, v. t.
Defn: To fix and settle by long continuance. [Obs.] Bacon.
INVETERATELY In*vet"er*ate*ly, adv.
Defn: In an inveterate manner or degree. "Inveterately tough." Hawthorne.
INVETERATENESS In*vet"er*ate*ness, n.
Defn: Inveteracy. Sir T. Browne.
INVETERATION In*vet`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. inveteratio.]
Defn: The act of making inveterate. [R.] Bailey.
INVICT In*vict", a. Etym: [L. invictus. See In- not, and Victor.]
Defn: Invincible. [Obs.] Joye.
INVIDIOUS In*vid"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. invidiosus, fr. invidia envy. See Envy, and cf. Envious.]
1. Envious; malignant. [Obs.] Evelyn.
2. Worthy of envy; desirable; enviable. [Obs.] Such a person appeareth in a far more honorable and invidious state than any prosperous man. Barrow.
3. Likely to incur or produce ill will, or to provoke envy; hateful; as, invidious distinctions. Agamemnon found it an invidious affair to give the preference to any one of the Grecian heroes. Broome. — In*vid"i*ous*ly, adv. — In*vid"i*ous*ness, n.
INVIGILANCE; INVIGILANCY In*vig"i*lance, In*vig"i*lan*cy, n. Etym: [in- not + vigilance: cf. OF. invigilance.]
Defn: Want of vigilance; neglect of watching; carelessness.
INVIGOR In*vig"or, v. t.
Defn: To invigorate. [Obs.]
INVIGORATE In*vig"or*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invigorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Invigorating.] Etym: [Pref. in- in + vigor.]
Defn: To give vigor to; to strengthen; to animate; to give life and energy to. Christian graces and virtues they can not be, unless fed, invigorated, and animated by universal charity. Atterbury.
Syn. — To refresh; animate; exhilarate; stimulate.
INVIGORATION In*vig`or*a"tion, n.
Defn: The act of invigorating, or the state of being invigorated.
INVILE In*vile", v. t.
Defn: To render vile. [Obs.] Daniel.
INVILLAGED In*vil"laged (; 48), p. a.
Defn: Turned into, or reduced to, a village. [Obs.] W. Browne.
INVINCIBILITY In*vin`ci*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. invincibilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being invincible; invincibleness.
INVINCIBLE In*vin"ci*ble, a. Etym: [L. invincibilis: cf. F. invincible. See In- not, and Vincible.]
Defn: Incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued; unconquerable; insuperable; as, an invincible army, or obstacle. Lead forth to battle these my sons Invincible. Milton. — In*vin"ci*ble*ness, n. — In*vin"ci*bly, adv.
INVIOLABILITY In*vi`o*la*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. inviolabilitas: cf. F. inviolabilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being inviolable; inviolableness.
INVIOLABLE In*vi"o*la*ble, a. Etym: [L. inviolabilis: cf. F. inviolable. See Inviolate, a.]
1. Not violable; not susceptible of hurt, wound, or harm (used with respect to either physical or moral damage); not susceptible of being profaned or corrupted; sacred; holy; as, inviolable honor or chastity; an inviolable shrine. He tried a third, a tough, well-chosen spear, The inviolable body stood sincere. Dryden.
2. Unviolated; uninjured; undefiled; uncorrupted. For thou, be sure, shalt give account To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep This place inviolable, and these from harm. Milton.
3. Not capable of being broken or violated; as, an inviolable covenant, agreement, promise, or vow. Their almighty Maker first ordained And bound them with inviolable bands. Spenser. And keep our faiths firm and inviolable. Shak.
INVIOLABLENESS In*vi"o*la*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being inviolable; as, the inviolableness of divine justice.
INVIOLABLY In*vi"o*la*bly, adv.
Defn: Without violation.
INVIOLACY In*vi"o*la*cy, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being inviolate; as, the inviolacy of an oath.
INVIOLATE; INVIOLATED In*vi"o*late, In*vi"o*la`ted, a. Etym: [L. inviolatus. See In- not, and Violate.]
1. Not violated; uninjured; unhurt; unbroken. His fortune of arms was still inviolate. Bacon.
2. Not corrupted, defiled, or profaned; chaste; pure. "Inviolate truth." Denham. There chaste Alceste lives inviolate. Spenser.
INVIOLATELY In*vi"o*late*ly, adv.
Defn: In an inviolate manner.
INVIOLATENESS In*vi"o*late*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being inviolate.
INVIOUS In"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. invius; pref. in- not + via way.]
Defn: Untrodden. [R.] Hudibras. — In"vi*ous*ness, n. [R.]
INVIRILE In*vi"rile, a.
Defn: Deficient in manhood; unmanly; effeminate. Lowell.
INVIRILITY In`vi*ril"i*ty, n.
Defn: Absence of virility or manhood; effeminacy. Prynne.
INVISCATE In*vis"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inviscated; p. pr. & vb. n. Inviscating.] Etym: [L. inviscatus, p. p. of inviscare to birdlime; pref. in- in + viscum, viscus, the mistletoe, birdlime.]
Defn: To daub or catch with glue or birdlime; to entangle with glutinous matter. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
INVISCERATE In*vis"cer*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inviscerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Inviscerating.] Etym: [L. invisceratus, p. p. of inviscerare to put into the entrails. See Viscera.]
Defn: To breed; to nourish. [R.] W. Montagu.
INVISCERATE In*vis"cer*ate, a. Etym: [L. invisceratus, p. p.]
Defn: Deep-seated; internal. [R.] W. Montagu.
INVISIBILITY In*vis`i*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Invisibilities. Etym: [L. invisibilitas: cf. F. invisibilité.]
Defn: The state or quality of being invisible; also, that which is invisible. "Atoms and invisibilities." Landor.
INVISIBLE In*vis"i*ble, a. Etym: [F. invisible, L. invisibilis. See In- not, and Visible.]
Defn: Incapable of being seen; not perceptible by vision; not visible. To us invisible, or dimly seen In these thy lowest works. Milton. Invisible bird (Zoöl.), a small, shy singing bird (Myadestes sibilons), of St. Vincent Islands. — Invisible green, a very dark shade of green, approaching to black, and liable to be mistaken for it.
INVISIBLE In*vis"i*ble, n.
1. An invisible person or thing; specifically, God, the Supreme Being.
2. A Rosicrucian; — so called because avoiding declaration of his craft. [Obs.]
3. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of those (as in the 16th century) who denied the visibility of the church. Shipley.
INVISIBLENESS In*vis"i*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being invisible; invisibility.
INVISIBLY In*vis"i*bly, adv.
Defn: In an invisible manner, Denham.
INVISION In*vi"sion, n.
Defn: Want of vision or of the power of seeing. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
INVITATION In`vi*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. invitatio: cf. F. invitation. See Invite.]
1. The act of inviting; solicitation; the requesting of a person's company; as, an invitation to a party, to a dinner, or to visit a friend.
2. A document written or printed, or spoken words,
3. Allurement; enticement. [R.] She gives the leer of invitation. Shak.
INVITATORY In*vi"ta*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. invitatorius: cf. F. invitatoire.]
Defn: Using or containing invitations. The "Venite" [Psalm xcv.], which is also called the invitatory psalm. Hook.
INVITATORY In*vi"ta*to*ry, n.; pl. Invitatories. Etym: [LL. invitatorium: cf. F. invitatoire.]
Defn: That which invites; specifically, the invitatory psalm, or a part of it used in worship.
INVITE In*vite", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invited; p. pr. & vb. n. Inviting.] Etym: [L. invitare: cf. F. inviter. See Vie.]
1. To ask; to request; to bid; to summon; to ask to do some act, or go to some place; esp., to ask to an entertainment or visit; to request the company of; as, to invite to dinner, or a wedding, or an excursion. So many guests invite as here are writ. Shak. I invite his Grace of Castle Rackrent to reflect on this. Carlyle.
2. To allure; to draw to; to tempt to come; to induce by pleasure or hope; to attract. To inveigle and invite the unwary sense. Milton. Shady groves, that easy sleep invite. Dryden. There no delusive hope invites despair. Cowper.
3. To give occasion for; as, to invite criticism.
Syn. — To solicit; bid; call; ask; summon; allure; attract; entice; persuade.
INVITE In*vite", v. i.
Defn: To give invitation. Milton.
INVITEMENT In*vite"ment, n.
Defn: Invitation. [Obs.] Chapman.
INVITER In*vit"er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, invites.
INVITIATE In*vi"ti*ate, a.
Defn: Not vitiated. Lowell.
INVITING In*vit"ing, a.
Defn: Alluring; tempting; as, an inviting amusement or prospect. Nothing is so easy and inviting as the retort of abuse and sarcasm. W. Irving. — In*vit"ing*ly, adv. — In*vit"ing*ness, n. Jer. Taylor.
INVITRIFIABLE In*vit"ri*fi`a*ble, a.
Defn: Not admitting of being vitrified, or converted into glass. Kirwan.
INVOCATE In"vo*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invocated; p. pr. & vb. n. Invocating.] Etym: [L. invocatus, p. p. of invocare. See Invoke.]
Defn: To invoke; to call on, or for, in supplication; to implore. If Dagon be thy god, Go to his temple, invocate his aid. Milton.
INVOCATION In`vo*ca"tion, n. Etym: [F. invocation, L. invocatio.]
1. The act or form of calling for the assistance or presence of some superior being; earnest and solemn entreaty; esp., prayer offered to a divine being. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and pathetical! Shak. The whole poem is a prayer to Fortune, and the invocation is divided between the two deities. Addison.
2. (Law)
Defn: A call or summons; especially, a judicial call, demand, or order; as, the invocation of papers or evidence into court.
INVOCATORY In"vo*ca*to*ry, a.
Defn: Making or containing invocation; invoking.
INVOICE In"voice`, n. Etym: [F. envois things sent, goods forwarded, pl. of envoi a sending or things sent, fr. envoyer to send; cf. F. lettre d'envoi letter of advice of goods forwarded. See Envoy.]
1. (Com.)
Defn: A written account of the particulars of merchandise shipped or sent to a purchaser, consignee, factor, etc., with the value or prices and charges annexed. Wharton.
2. The lot or set of goods as shipped or received; as, the merchant receives a large invoice of goods.
INVOICE In"voice`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invoiced; p. pr. & vb. n. Invoicing.]
Defn: To make a written list or account of, as goods to be sent to a consignee; to insert in a priced list; to write or enter in an invoice. Goods, wares, and merchandise imported from Norway, and invoiced in the current dollar of Norway. Madison.
INVOKE In*voke", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Invoking.] Etym: [F. invoquer, L. invocare; pref. in- in, on + vocare to call, fr. vox voice. See Voice, and cf. Invocate.]
Defn: To call on for aid or protection; to invite earnestly or solemnly; to summon; to address in prayer; to solicit or demand by invocation; to implore; as, to invoke the Supreme Being, or to invoke His and blessing. Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, . . . Invoke his warlike spirit. Shak.
INVOLUCEL In*vol"u*cel, n. Etym: [Dim. of involucre, or involucrum: cf. F. involucelle.] (Bot.)
Defn: A partial, secondary, or small involucre. See Illust. of Involucre.
INVOLUCELLATE In`vo*lu"cel*late, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Furnished with involucels.
INVOLUCELLUM In`vo*lu*cel"lum, n.; pl. Involucella. Etym: [NL.]
Defn: See Involucel.
INVOLUCRAL In`vo*lu"cral, a. Etym: [Cf. F. involucral.]
Defn: Pertaining to, possessing, or like, an involucrum.
INVOLUCRATE; INVOLUCRATED In`vo*lu"crate, In`vo*lu"cra*ted, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Having an involucre; involucred.
INVOLUCRE In"vo*lu`cre, n. Etym: [L. involucrum a covering, wrapper, fr. involvere to wrap up, envelop: cf. F. involucre. See Involve.] (Bot.) (a) A whorl or set of bracts around a flower, umbel, or head. (b) A continuous marginal covering of sporangia, in certain ferns, as in the common brake, or the cup-shaped processes of the filmy ferns. (c) The peridium or volva of certain fungi. Called also involucrum.
INVOLUCRED In"vo*lu`cred, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Having an involucre, as umbels, heads, etc. Martyn.
INVOLUCRET In`vo*lu"cret, n. (Bot.)
Defn: An involucel.
INVOLUCRUM In`vo*lu"crum, n.; pl. L. Involucra, E. Involucrums. Etym: [L. See Involucre.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: See Involucre.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A sheath which surrounds the base of the lasso cells in the Siphonophora.
INVOLUNTARILY In*vol"un*ta*ri*ly, adv. Etym: [From Involuntary.]
Defn: In an involuntary manner; not voluntarily; not intentionally or willingly.
INVOLUNTARINESS In*vol"un*ta*ri*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being involuntary; unwillingness; automatism.
INVOLUNTARY In*vol"un*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. involuntarius. See In- not, and Voluntary.]
1. Not having will of the power of choice.
2. Not under the influence or control of the will; not voluntary; as, the involuntary movements of the body; involuntary muscle fibers.
3. Not proceeding from choice; done unwillingly; reluctant; compulsory; as, involuntary submission.
INVOLUTE; INVOLUTED In"vo*lute, In"vo*lu`ted, a. Etym: [L. involutus, p. p. of involvere. See Involve.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: Rolled inward from the edges; — said of leaves in vernation, or of the petals of flowers in æstivation. Gray.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) Turned inward at the margin, as the exterior lip of the Cyprea. (b) Rolled inward spirally.
INVOLUTE In"vo*lute, n. (Geom.)
Defn: A curve traced by the end of a string wound upon another curve, or unwound from it; — called also evolvent. See Evolute.
INVOLUTION In`vo*lu"tion, n. Etym: [L. involutio: cf. F. involution. See Involve.]
1. The act of involving or infolding.
2. The state of being entangled or involved; complication; entanglement. All things are mixed, and causes blended, by mutual involutions. Glanvill.
3. That in which anything is involved, folded, or wrapped; envelope. Sir T. Browne.
4. (Gram.)
Defn: The insertion of one or more clauses between the subject and the verb, in a way that involves or complicates the construction.
5. (Math.)
Defn: The act or process of raising a quantity to any power assigned; the multiplication of a quantity into itself a given number of times; — the reverse of evolution.
6. (Geom.)
Defn: The relation which exists between three or more sets of points, a.a', b.b', c.c', so related to a point O on the line, that the product Oa.Oa' = Ob.Ob' = Oc.Oc' is constant. Sets of lines or surfaces possessing corresponding properties may be in involution.
7. (Med.)
Defn: The return of an enlarged part or organ to its normal size, as of the uterus after pregnancy.
INVOLVE In*volve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Involved; p. pr. & vb. n. Involving.] Etym: [L. involvere, involutum, to roll about, wrap up; pref. in- in + volvere to roll: cf. OF. involver. See Voluble, and cf. Involute.]
1. To roll or fold up; to wind round; to entwine. Some of serpent kind . . . involved Their snaky folds. Milton.
2. To envelop completely; to surround; to cover; to hide; to involve in darkness or obscurity. And leave a singèd bottom all involved With stench and smoke. Milton.
3. To complicate or make intricate, as in grammatical structure. "Involved discourses." Locke.
4. To connect with something as a natural or logical consequence or effect; to include necessarily; to imply. He knows His end with mine involved. Milton. The contrary necessarily involves a contradiction. Tillotson.
5. To take in; to gather in; to mingle confusedly; to blend or merge. [R.] The gathering number, as it moves along, Involves a vast involuntary throng. Pope. Earth with hell To mingle and involve. Milton.
6. To envelop, infold, entangle, or embarrass; as, to involve a person in debt or misery.
7. To engage thoroughly; to occupy, employ, or absorb. "Involved in a deep study." Sir W. Scott.
8. (Math.)
Defn: To raise to any assigned power; to multiply, as a quantity, into itself a given number of times; as, a quantity involved to the third or fourth power.
Syn. — To imply; include; implicate; complicate; entangle; embarrass; overwhelm. — To Involve, Imply. Imply is opposed to express, or set forth; thus, an implied engagement is one fairly to be understood from the words used or the circumstances of the case, though not set forth in form. Involve goes beyond the mere interpretation of things into their necessary relations; and hence, if one thing involves another, it so contains it that the two must go together by an indissoluble connection. War, for example, involves wide spread misery and death; the premises of a syllogism involve the conclusion.
INVOLVED In*volved", a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Involute.
INVOLVEDNESS In*volv"ed*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being involved.
INVOLVEMENT In*volve"ment, n.
Defn: The act of involving, or the state of being involved. Lew Wallace.
INVULGAR In*vul"gar, v. t. Etym: [Pref. in- in + vulgar.]
Defn: To cause to become or appear vulgar. [Obs.] Daniel.
INVULGAR In*vul"gar, a. Etym: [Pref. in- not + vulgar.]
Defn: Not vulgar; refined; elegant. [Obs.] Drayton.
INVULNERABILITY In*vul"ner*a*bil`i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. invulnérabilité.]
Defn: Quality or state of being invulnerable.
INVULNERABLE In*vul"ner*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. invulnerabilis: cf. F. invulnérable. See In- not, and Vulnerable.]
1. Incapable of being wounded, or of receiving injury. Neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright arms. Milton.
2. Unanswerable; irrefutable; that can not be refuted or convinced; as, an invulnerable argument.
INVULNERABLENESS In*vul"ner*a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: Invulnerability.
INVULNERATE In*vul"ner*ate, a. Etym: [L. invulneratus unwounded.]
Defn: Invulnerable.
INWALL In*wall", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inwalled; p. pr. & vb. n. Inwalling.]
Defn: To inclose or fortify as with a wall. Spenser.
INWALL In"wall`, n.
Defn: An inner wall; specifically (Metal.), the inner wall, or lining, of a blast furnace.
INWARD In"ward, a. Etym: [AS. inweard, inneweard, innanweard, fr. innan, inne, within (fr. in in; see In) + the suffix -weard, E. -ward.]
1. Being or placed within; inner; interior; — opposed to outward. Milton.
2. Seated in the mind, heart, spirit, or soul. "Inward beauty." Shak.
3. Intimate; domestic; private. [Obs.] All my inward friends abhorred me. Job xix. 19. He had had occasion, by one very inward with him, to know in part the discourse of his life. Sir P. Sidney.
INWARD In"ward, n.
1. That which is inward or within; especially, in the plural, the inner parts or organs of the body; the viscera. Jer. Taylor. Then sacrificing, laid the inwards and their fat. Milton.
2. The mental faculties; — usually pl. [Obs.]
3. An intimate or familiar friend or acquaintance. [Obs.] "I was an inward of his." Shak.
INWARD; INWARDS In"ward, In"wards, adv. Etym: [AS. inweard. The ending -s is prop. a genitive ending. See Inward, a., -wards.]
1. Toward the inside; toward the center or interior; as, to bend a thing inward.
2. Into, or toward, the mind or thoughts; inwardly; as, to turn the attention inward. So much the rather, thou Celestial Light, Shine inward. Milton.
INWARDLY In"ward*ly, adv. Etym: [AS. inweardlice.]
1. In the inner parts; internally. Let Benedick, like covered fire, Consume away in sighs, waste inwardly. Shak.
2. Toward the center; inward; as, to curve inwardly.
3. In the heart or mind; mentally; privately; secretas, he inwardly repines.
4. Intimately; thoroughly. [Obs.] I shall desire to know him more inwardly. Beau. & Fl.
INWARDNESS In"ward*ness, n.
1. Internal or true state; essential nature; as, the inwardness of conduct. Sense can not arrive to the inwardness Of things. Dr. H. More.
2. Intimacy; familiarity. [Obs.] Shak.
3. Heartiness; earnestness. What was wanted was more inwardness, more feeling. M. Arnold.
INWARDS In"wards, adv.
Defn: See Inward.
INWEAVE In*weave", v. t.
Defn: To weave in or together; to intermix or intertwine by weaving; to interlace. Down they cast Their crowns, inwove with amaranth and gold. Milton.
INWHEEL In*wheel", v. t.
Defn: To encircle. [R.] Beau. & Fl.
INWIT In"wit, n.
Defn: Inward sense; mind; understanding; conscience. [Obs.] Wyclif.
INWITH In*with", prep.
Defn: Within. [Obs.] This purse hath she inwith her bosom hid. Chaucer.
INWORK In*work", v. t. & i. Etym: [Pref. in- + work. Cf. Inwrought.]
Defn: To work in or within.
INWORN In"worn`, p. a.
Defn: Worn, wrought, or stamped in. [R.] Milton.
INWRAP In*wrap", v. t. Etym: [Written also enwrap.]
1. To cover by wrapping; to involve; to infold; as, to inwrap in a cloak, in smoke, etc.
2. To involve, as in difficulty or perplexity; to perplex. [R.] Bp. Hall.
INWREATHE In*wreathe", v. t.
Defn: To surround or encompass as with a wreath. [Written also enwreathe.] Resplendent locks, inwreathed with beams. Milton.
INWROUGHT In*wrought", p. p. or a. Etym: [Pref. in- + wrought. Cf. Inwork.]
Defn: Wrought or worked in or among other things; worked into any fabric so as to from a part of its texture; wrought or adorned, as with figures. His mantle hairy, and his bonnet sedge, Inwrought with figures dim. Milton.
IO I"o, n.; pl. Ios. Etym: [L.; cf. Gr. "iw`.]
Defn: An exclamation of joy or triumph; — often interjectional.
IOD- I"od-. (Chem.)
Defn: See Iodo-.
IODAL I"o*dal, n. Etym: [Iod- + alcohol.] (Chem.)
Defn: An oily liquid, Cl3.CHO, analogous to chloral and bromal.
IODATE I"o*date, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of iodic acid.
IODHYDRIN I`od*hy"drin, n. Etym: [Iod- + chlorhydrin.] (Chem.)
Defn: One of a series of compounds containing iodine, and analogous to the chlorhydrins.
IODIC I*od"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. iodique. See Iodine.] (Chem.)
Defn: to, or containing, iodine; specif., denoting those compounds in which it has a relatively high valence; as, iodic acid. Iodic acid, a monobasic acid, consisting of iodine with three parts of oxygen and one of hydrogen.
IODIDE I"o*dide, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A binary compound of iodine, or one which may be regarded as binary; as, potassium iodide.
IODINE I"o*dine (; 104), n. Etym: [Gr. iode, iodine. The name was given from the violet color of its vapor. See Violet, Idyl.] (Chem.)
Defn: A nonmetallic element, of the halogen group, occurring always in combination, as in the iodides. When isolated it is in the form of dark gray metallic scales, resembling plumbago, soft but brittle, and emitting a chlorinelike odor. Symbol I. Atomic weight 126.5. If heated, iodine volatilizes in beautiful violet vapors.
Note: Iodine was formerly obtained from the ashes of seaweed (kelp or varec), but is now also extracted from certain natural brines. In the free state, iodine, even in very minute quantities, colors starch blue. Iodine and its compounds are largely used in medicine (as in liniments, antisyphilitics, etc.), in photography, in the preparation of aniline dyes, and as an indicator in titration. Iodine green, an artificial green dyestuff, consisting of an iodine derivative of rosaniline; — called also night green. — Iodine scarlet, a pigment of an intense scarlet color, consisting of mercuric iodide. — Iodine yellow, a brilliant yellow pigment, consisting of plumbic iodide.
IODISM I"o*dism, n. (Med.)
Defn: A morbid state produced by the use of iodine and its compounds, and characterized by palpitation, depression, and general emaciation, with a pustular eruption upon the skin.
IODIZE I"o*dize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Iodized; p. pr. & vb. n. Iodizing.]
Defn: To treat or impregnate with iodine or its compounds; as, to iodize a plate for photography. R. Hunt.
IODIZER I"o*di`zer, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, iodizes.
IODO-; IOD- I"o*do-, I"od-. (Chem.)
Defn: A prefix, or combining from, indicating iodine as an ingredient; as, iodoform.
IODOCRESOL I`o*do*cre"sol, n. [Iodo- + cresol.] (Org. Chem.)
Defn: Any of several isomeric iodine derivatives of the cresols, C6H3I(CH3)OH, esp. one, an odorless amorphous powder, used in medicine as a substitute for iodoform.
IODOFORM I*od"o*form, n. Etym: [Iodo- + formyl. See Formyl, and cf. Chloroform.] (Chem.)
Defn: A yellow, crystalline, volatile substance, CI3H, having an offensive odor and sweetish taste, and analogous to chloroform. It is used in medicine as a healing and antiseptic dressing for wounds and sores.
IODOFORMOGEN I`o*do*for"mo*gen, n. [Iodoform + -gen root of gi`gnesqai to be born.] (Pharm.)
Defn: A light powder used as a substitute for iodoform. It is a compound of iodoform and albumin.
IODOL I"o*dol, n. [Iodo- + pyrrol.] (Chem.)
Defn: A crystallized substance of the composition C4I4NH, technically tetra-iodo-pyrrol, used like iodoform.
IODOQUININE I`o*do*qui"nine, n. Etym: [Iodo- + quinine.] (Chem.)
Defn: A iodide of quinine obtained as a brown substance,. It is the base of herapathite. See Herapathite.
IODOTHYRIN I`o*do*thy"rin, n. [Iodo- + thyro- + -in.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: A peculiar substance obtained from the thyroid gland, containing from nine to ten per cent of iodine.
It is a very stable compound, and is believed to be active principle in thyroid extracts and in the internal secretion of the thyroid gland. It was originally called thyroiodin.
IODOUS I"o*dous, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, iodine. See -ous (chemical suffix). Iodous acid, a hypothetical acid, analogous to chlorous acid.
IODURET I*od"u*ret, n. (Chem.)
Defn: Iodide. [Obs.]
IODYRITE I*od"y*rite, n. Etym: [From Iodine.] (Min.)
Defn: Silver iodide, a mineral of a yellowish color.
IOLITE I"o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.] (Min.)
Defn: A silicate of alumina, iron, and magnesia, having a bright blue color and vitreous luster; cordierite. It is remarkable for its dichroism, and is also called dichroite.
IO MOTH I"o moth`. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large and handsome American moth (Hyperchiria Io), having a large, bright-colored spot on each hind wing, resembling the spots on the tail of a peacock. The larva is covered with prickly hairs, which sting like nettles.
-ION -ion. Etym: [L. -io, acc. -ionem: cf. F. -ion.]
Defn: A noun suffix denoting act, process, result of an act or a process, thing acted upon, state, or condition; as, revolution, the act or process of revolving; construction, the act or process of constructing; a thing constructed; dominion, territory ruled over; subjection, state of being subject; dejection; abstraction.
ION I"on, n. Etym: [Gr. (Elec. Chem.)
Defn: One of the elements which appear at the respective poles when a body is subjected to electro-chemical decomposition. Cf. Anion, Cation.
IONIAN I*o"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Ionius. See Ionic.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Ionia or the Ionians; Ionic. — n.
Defn: A native or citizen of Ionia.
IONIC I*on"ic, a. Etym: [L. Ionicus, Gr.
1. Of or pertaining to Ionia or the Ionians.
2. (Arch.)
Defn: Pertaining to the Ionic order of architecture, one of the three orders invented by the Greeks, and one of the five recognized by the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. Its distinguishing feature is a capital with spiral volutes. See Illust. of Capital. Ionic dialect (Gr. Gram.), a dialect of the Greek language, used in Ionia. The Homeric poems are written in what is designated old Ionic, as distinguished from new Ionic, or Attic, the dialect of all cultivated Greeks in the period of Athenian prosperity and glory. — Ionic foot. (Pros.) See Ionic, n., 1. — Ionic, or Ionian, mode (Mus.), an ancient mode, supposed to correspond with the modern major scale of C. — Ionic sect, a sect of philosophers founded by Thales of Miletus, in Ionia. Their distinguishing tenet was, that water is the original principle of all things. — Ionic type, a kind of heavy-faced type (as that of the following line).
Note: This is Nonpareil Ionic.
IONIC Ionic a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to an ion; composed of ions.
IONIC I*on"ic, n.
1. (Pros.) (a) A foot consisting of four syllables: either two long and two short, — that is, a spondee and a pyrrhic, in which case it is called the greater Ionic; or two short and two long, — that is, a pyrrhic and a spondee, in which case it is called the smaller Ionic. (b) A verse or meter composed or consisting of Ionic feet.
2. The Ionic dialect; as, the Homeric Ionic.
3. (Print.)
Defn: Ionic type.
IONIDIUM I`o*nid"i*um, n. Etym: [NL. Cf. Iodine.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of violaceous plants, chiefly found in tropical America, some species of which are used as substitutes for ipecacuanha.
IONIZE I"on*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ionized; p. pr. & vb. n. Ionizing.] (Elec. Chem.)
Defn: To separate (a compound) into ions, esp. by dissolving in water. —I`on*i*za"tion (#), n.
IOQUA SHELL I"o*qua shell`. Etym: [From the native name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The shell of a large Dentalium (D. pretiosum), formerly used as shell money, and for ornaments, by the Indians of the west coast of North America.
IOTA I*o"ta, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Jot.]
1. The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (i) corresponding with the English i.
2. A very small quantity or degree; a jot; a particle. They never depart an iota from the authentic formulas of tyranny and usurpation. Burke. Iota subscript (Gr. Gram.), iota written beneath a preceding vowel, as a,, h,, w,, — done when iota is silent.
IOTACISM I*o"ta*cism, n. Etym: [Gr. iotacisme. See Iota.]
Defn: The frequent use of the sound of iota (that of English e in be), as among the modern Greeks; also, confusion from sounding Littré.
I O U I O U. Etym: [i. e., I owe you.]
Defn: A paper having on it these letters, with a sum named, and duly signed; — in use in England as an acknowledgment of a debt, and taken as evidence thereof, but not amounting to a promissory note; a due bill. Wharton. Story.
IOWAS I"o*was, n. pl.
Defn: ; sing. Iowa. (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians which formerly occupied the region now included in the State of Iowa.
IPECAC Ip"e*cac, n.
Defn: An abbreviation of Ipecacuanha, and in more frequent use.
IPECACUANHA Ip`e*cac`u*an"ha, n. Etym: [Pg. ipecacuanha (cf. Sp. ipecacuana); fr. Braz. ipe-kaa-guena, prop., a creeping plant that causes vomiting.] (Med. & Bot.)
Defn: The root of a Brazilian rubiaceous herb (Cephaëlis Ipecacuanha), largely employed as an emetic; also, the plant itself; also, a medicinal extract of the root. Many other plants are used as a substitutes; among them are the black or Peruvian ipecac (Psychotria emetica), the white ipecac (Ionidium Ipecacuanha), the bastard or wild ipecac (Asclepias Curassavica), and the undulated ipecac (Richardsonia scabra).
IPOCRAS Ip"o*cras, n.
Defn: Hippocras. [Obs.] Chaucer.
IPOMOEA Ip`o*moe"a, n. Etym: [NL. "Named, according to Linnæus, from Gr. 'i`ps, 'ipo`s, a bindweed [which it is not]
Defn: , and Gray.] (Bot.) A genus of twining plants with showy monopetalous flowers, including the morning-glory, the sweet potato, and the cypress vine.
IPOMOEIC Ip`o*moe"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation of convolvulin (obtained from jalap, the tubers of Ipomoea purga), and identical in most of its properties with sebacic acid.
IR- Ir-
Defn: . A form of the prefix in-. See In-.
IRACUND I"ra*cund, a. Etym: [L. iracundus, fr. ira anger.]
Defn: Irascible; choleric. "Iracund people." Carlyle.
IRADE I*ra"de (e*rä"day), n. Etym: [Turk.]
Defn: A decree of the Sultan.
IRAN I`ran" (e`rän"), n. Etym: [Mod. Persian Iran. Cf. Aryan.]
Defn: The native name of Persia.
IRANIAN I*ra"ni*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Iran. — n.
Defn: A native of Iran; also, the Iranian or Persian language, a division of the Aryan family of languages.
IRANIC I*ran"ic, a.
Defn: Iranian.
IRASCIBILITY I*ras`ci*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irascibilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being irascible; irritability of temper; irascibleness.
IRASCIBLE I*ras"ci*ble, a. Etym: [L. irascibilis, fr. irasci to be angry, ira anger: cf. F. irascible. See Ire.]
Defn: Prone to anger; easily provoked or inflamed to anger; choleric; irritable; as, an irascible man; an irascible temper or mood. — I*ras"ci*ble*ness, n. — I*ras"ci*bly, adv.
IRATE I*rate", a. Etym: [L. iratus, fr. irasci to be angry. See Ire.]
Defn: Angry; incensed; enraged. [Recent] The irate colonel . . . stood speechless. Thackeray. Mr. Jaggers suddenly became most irate. Dickens.
IRE Ire, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. ira.]
Defn: Anger; wrath. [Poet.]
Syn. — Anger; passion; rage; fury. See Anger.
IREFUL Ire"ful, a.
Defn: Full of ire; angry; wroth. "The ireful bastard Orleans." Shak. — Ire"ful*ly, adv.
IREFULNESS Ire"ful*ness, n.
Defn: Wrathfulness. Wyclif.
IRENARCH I"re*narch, n. Etym: [L. irenarcha, irenarches, Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)
Defn: An officer in the Greek empire having functions corresponding to those of a justice of the peace. [Written also eirenarch.]
IRENIC; IRENICAL I*ren"ic, I*ren"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Fitted or designed to promote peace; pacific; conciliatory; peaceful. Bp. Hall.
IRENICON I*ren"i*con, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr.
Defn: A proposition or device for securing peace, especially in the church. South.
IRENICS I*ren"ics, n. (Eccl.)
Defn: That branch of Christian science which treats of the methods of securing unity among Christians or harmony and union among the churches; — called also Irenical theology. Schaff-Herzog.
IRESTONE Ire"stone`, n. (Mining)
Defn: Any very hard rock.
IRIAN I"ri*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the iris. "Irian nerves." Dunglison.
IRICISM I"ri*cism, n.
Defn: Irishism. [R.] Jeffrey.
IRIDACEOUS; IRIDEOUS Ir`i*da"ceous, I*rid"e*ous, a. Etym: [From NL. Iris, Iridis, the Iris.] (Bot.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, a large natural order of endogenous plants (Iridaceæ), which includes the genera Iris, Ixia, Crocus, Gladiolus, and many others.
IRIDAL I"ri*dal, a. Etym: [L. iris, iridis, rainbow. See Iris.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the iris or rainbow; prismatic; as, the iridal colors. Whewell.
IRIDECTOMY Ir`i*dec"to*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Surg.)
Defn: The act or process of cutting out a portion of the iris in order to form an artificial pupil.
IRIDESCENCE Ir`i*des"cence, n. Etym: [See Iridescent.]
Defn: Exhibition of colors like those of the rainbow; the quality or state of being iridescent; a prismatic play of color; as, the iridescence of mother-of-pearl.
IRIDESCENT Ir`i*des"cent, a. Etym: [L. iris, iridis, the rainbow: cf. F. iridescent.]
Defn: Having colors like the rainbow; exhibiting a play of changeable colors; nacreous; prismatic; as, iridescent glass.
IRIDIAN I*rid"i*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the iris or rainbow.
IRIDIATED I*rid"i*a`ted, a.
Defn: Iridescent.
IRIDIC I*rid"ic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the iris of the eye.
IRIDIC I*rid"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to iridium; — said specifically of those compounds in which iridium has a relatively high valence.
IRIDIOSCOPE I*rid"i*o*scope, n. Etym: [See Iris, and -scope.]
Defn: A kind of ophthalmoscope.
IRIDIOUS I*rid"i*ous, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to iridium; — applied specifically to compounds in which iridium has a low valence.
IRIDIUM I*rid"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. iris, iridis, the rainbow. So called from the iridescence of some of its solutions. See Iris.] (Chem.)
Defn: A rare metallic element, of the same group as platinum, which it much resembles, being silver-white, but harder, and brittle, and indifferent to most corrosive agents. With the exception of osmium, it is the heaviest substance known, its specific gravity being 22.4. Symbol Ir. Atomic weight 192.5.
Note: Iridium usually occurs as a native alloy with osmium (iridosmine or osmiridium), which may occur alone or with platinum. Iridium, as an alloy with platinum, is used in bushing the vents of heavy ordnance. It is also used for the points of gold pens, and in a finely powdered condition (iridium black), for painting porcelain black.
IRIDIZE Ir"i*dize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Iridized; p. pr. & vb. n. Iridizing.]
1. To point or tip with iridium, as a gold pen.
2. To make iridescent; as, to iridize glass.
IRIDOLINE I*rid"o*line, n. Etym: [Iridescent + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.)
Defn: A nitrogenous base C10H9N, extracted from coal-tar naphtha, as an oily liquid. It is a member of the quinoline series, and is probably identical with lepidine.
IRIDOSMINE; IRIDOSMIUM Ir`i*dos"mine, Ir`i*dos"mi*um, n. Etym: [Iridium + osmium.] (Min.)
Defn: The native compound of iridium and osmium. It is found in flattened metallic grains of extreme hardness, and is often used for pointing gold pens.
IRIS I"ris, n.; pl. E. Irises, L. Irides. Etym: [L. iris, iridis, the goddess, Gr. Orris.]
1. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: The goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods. Shak.
2. The rainbow. Sir T. Browne.
3. An appearance resembling the rainbow; a prismatic play of colors. Tennyson.
4. (Anat.)
Defn: The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, and forming the colored portion of the eye. See Eye.
5. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of plants having showy flowers and bulbous or tuberous roots, of which the flower-de-luce (fleur-de-lis), orris, and other species of flag are examples. See Illust. of Flower-de-luce.
6. (Her.)
Defn: See Fleur-de-lis, 2.
IRISATED I"ris*a`ted, a. Etym: [See Iris.]
Defn: Exhibiting the prismatic colors; irised; iridescent. W. Phillips.
IRISCOPE I"ri*scope, n. Etym: [Iris + -scope.]
Defn: A philosophical toy for exhibiting the prismatic tints by means of thin films.
IRIS DIAPHRAGM I"ris di"a*phragm.
Defn: An adjustable diaphragm, suggesting the iris of the eye in its action, for regulating the aperture of a lens, consisting of a number of thin pieces fastened to a ring. It is used in cameras and microscopes.
IRISED I"rised, a. Etym: [See Iris.]
Defn: Having colors like those of the rainbow; iridescent. Holmes.
IRISH I"rish, a. Etym: [AS. , fr. the Irish. Cf. Aryan, Erse.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Ireland or to its inhabitants; produced in Ireland. Irish elk. (Zoöl.) See under Elk. — Irish moss. (a) (Bot.) Carrageen. (b) A preparation of the same made into a blanc mange. — Irish poplin. See Poplin. — Irish potato, the ordinary white potato, so called because it is a favorite article of food in Ireland. — Irish reef, or Irishman's reef (Naut.), the head of a sail tied up. — Irish stew, meat, potatoes, and onions, cut in small pieces and stewed.
IRISH I*rish", n. sing. & pl.
1. pl.
Defn: The natives or inhabitants of Ireland, esp. the Celtic natives or their descendants.
2. The language of the Irish; the Hiberno-Celtic.
3. An old game resembling backgammon.
IRISH AMERICAN I"rish A*mer"i*can.
Defn: A native of Ireland who has become an American citizen; also, a child or descendant of such a person.
IRISHISM I*rish"*ism, n.
Defn: A mode of speaking peculiar to the Irish; an Hibernicism.
IRISHMAN I"rish*man, n.; pl. Irishmen (.
Defn: A man born in Ireland or of the Irish race; an Hibernian. Irishman's hurricane (Naut.), a dead calm. — Irishman's reef. (Naut.) See Irish reef, under Irish, a.
IRISHRY I"rish*ry, n.
Defn: The Celtic people of Ireland. "The whole Irishry of rebels." Milton.
IRITIS I*ri"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Iris, and -itis.] (Med.)
Defn: An inflammation of the iris of the eye.
IRK Irk, v. t. Etym: [OE. irken to tire, become tired; cf. Sw. yrka to urge, enforce, press, or G. ekel disgust, MHG. erklich disgusting; perh. akin to L. urgere to urge, E. urge.]
Defn: To weary; to give pain; to annoy; — used only impersonally at present. To see this sight, it irks my very soul. Shak. It irketh him to be here. M. Arnold.
IRKSOME Irk"some, a.
1. Wearisome; tedious; disagreeable or troublesome by reason of long continuance or repetition; as, irksome hours; irksome tasks. For not to irksome toil, but to delight, He made us. Milton.
2. Weary; vexed; uneasy. [Obs.] Let us therefore learn not to be irksome when God layeth his cross upon us. Latimer.
Syn. — Wearisome; tedious; tiresome; vexatious; burdensome. — Irksome, Wearisome, Tedious. These epithets describe things which give pain or disgust. Irksome is applied to something which disgusts by its nature or quality; as, an irksome task. Wearisome denotes that which wearies or wears us out by severe labor; as, wearisome employment. Tedious is applied to something which tires us out by the length of time occupied in its performance; as, a tedious speech. Wearisome nights are appointed to me. Job vii. 3. Pity only on fresh objects stays, But with the tedious sight of woes decays. Dryden. — Irk"some*ly, adv. — Irk"some*ness, n.
IRON I"ron, n. Etym: [OE. iren, AS. iren, isen, isern; akin to D. ijzer, OS. isarn, OHG. isarn, isan, G. eisen, Icel. isarn, jarn, Sw. & Dan. jern, and perh. to E. ice; cf. Ir. iarann, W. haiarn, Armor. houarn.]
1. (Chem.)
Defn: The most common and most useful metallic element, being of almost universal occurrence, usually in the form of an oxide (as hematite, magnetite, etc.), or a hydrous oxide (as limonite, turgite, etc.). It is reduced on an enormous scale in three principal forms; viz., cast iron, steel, and wrought iron. Iron usually appears dark brown, from oxidation or impurity, but when pure, or an fresh surface, is a gray or white metal. It is easily oxidized (rusted) by moisture, and is attacked by many corrosive agents. Symbol Fe (Latin Ferrum). Atomic weight 55.9. Specific gravity, pure iron, 7.86; cast iron, 7.1. In magnetic properties, it is superior to all other substances.
Note: The value of iron is largely due to the facility with which it can be worked. Thus, when heated it is malleable and ductile, and can be easily welded and forged at a high temperature. As cast iron, it is easily fusible; as steel, is very tough, and (when tempered) very hard and elastic. Chemically, iron is grouped with cobalt and nickel. Steel is a variety of iron containing more carbon than wrought iron, but less that cast iron. It is made either from wrought iron, by roasting in a packing of carbon (cementation) or from cast iron, by burning off the impurities in a Bessemer converter (then called Bessemer steel), or directly from the iron ore (as in the Siemens rotatory and generating furnace).
2. An instrument or utensil made of iron; — chiefly in composition; as, a flatiron, a smoothing iron, etc. My young soldier, put up your iron. Shak.
3. pl.
Defn: Fetters; chains; handcuffs; manacles. Four of the sufferers were left to rot in irons. Macaulay.
4. Strength; power; firmness; inflexibility; as, to rule with a rod of iron. Bar iron. See Wrought iron (below). — Bog iron, bog ore; limonite. See Bog ore, under Bog. — Cast iron (Metal.), an impure variety of iron, containing from three to six percent of carbon, part of which is united with a part of the iron, as a carbide, and the rest is uncombined, as graphite. It there is little free carbon, the product is white iron; if much of the carbon has separated as graphite, it is called gray iron. See also Cast iron, in the Vocabulary. — Fire irons. See under Fire, n. — Gray irons. See under Fire, n. — Gray iron. See Cast iron (above). — It irons (Naut.), said of a sailing vessel, when, in tacking, she comes up head to the wind and will not fill away on either tack. — Magnetic iron. See Magnetite. — Malleable iron (Metal.), iron sufficiently pure or soft to be capable of extension under the hammer; also, specif., a kind of iron produced by removing a portion of the carbon or other impurities from cast iron, rendering it less brittle, and to some extent malleable. — Meteoric iron (Chem.), iron forming a large, and often the chief, ingredient of meteorites. It invariably contains a small amount of nickel and cobalt. Cf. Meteorite. — Pig iron, the form in which cast iron is made at the blast furnace, being run into molds, called pigs. — Reduced iron. See under Reduced. — Specular iron. See Hematite. — Too many irons in the fire, too many objects requiring the attention at once. — White iron. See Cast iron (above). — Wrought iron (Metal.), the purest form of iron commonly known in the arts, containing only about half of one per cent of carbon. It is made either directly from the ore, as in the Catalan forge or bloomery, or by purifying (puddling) cast iron in a reverberatory furnace or refinery. It is tough, malleable, and ductile. When formed into bars, it is called bar iron.
IRON I"ron, a. Etym: [AS. iren, isen. See Iron, n.]
1. Of, or made of iron; consisting of iron; as, an iron bar, dust.
2. Resembling iron in color; as, iron blackness.
3. Like iron in hardness, strength, impenetrability, power of endurance, insensibility, etc.; as: (a) Rude; hard; harsh; severe. Iron years of wars and dangers. Rowe. Jove crushed the nations with an iron rod. Pope.
(b) Firm; robust; enduring; as, an iron constitution. (c) Inflexible; unrelenting; as, an iron will. (d) Not to be broken; holding or binding fast; tenacious. "Him death's iron sleep oppressed." Philips.
Note: Iron is often used in composition, denoting made of iron, relating to iron, of or with iron; producing iron, etc.; resembling iron, literally or figuratively, in some of its properties or characteristics; as, iron-shod, iron-sheathed, iron-fisted, iron- framed, iron-handed, iron-hearted, iron foundry or iron-foundry. Iron age. (a) (Myth.) The age following the golden, silver, and bronze ages, and characterized by a general degeneration of talent and virtue, and of literary excellence. In Roman literature the Iron Age is commonly regarded as beginning after the taking of Rome by the Goths, A. D. 410. (b) (Archæol.) That stage in the development of any people characterized by the use of iron implements in the place of the more cumbrous stone and bronze. — Iron cement, a cement for joints, composed of cast-iron borings or filings, sal ammoniac, etc. — Iron clay (Min.), a yellowish clay containing a large proportion of an ore of iron. — Iron cross, a Prussian order of military merit; also, the decoration of the order. — Iron crown, a golden crown set with jewels, belonging originally to the Lombard kings, and indicating the dominion of Italy. It was so called from containing a circle said to have been forged from one of the nails in the cross of Christ. — Iron flint (Min.), an opaque, flintlike, ferruginous variety of quartz. — Iron founder, a maker of iron castings. — Iron foundry, the place where iron castings are made. — Iron furnace, a furnace for reducing iron from the ore, or for melting iron for castings, etc.; a forge; a reverberatory; a bloomery. — Iron glance (Min.), hematite. — Iron hat, a headpiece of iron or steel, shaped like a hat with a broad brim, and used as armor during the Middle Ages. — Iron horse, a locomotive engine. [Colloq.] — Iron liquor, a solution of an iron salt, used as a mordant by dyers. — Iron man (Cotton Manuf.), a name for the self-acting spinning mule. — Iron mold or mould, a yellow spot on cloth stained by rusty iron. — Iron ore (Min.), any native compound of iron from which the metal may be profitably extracted. The principal ores are magnetite, hematite, siderite, limonite, Göthite, turgite, and the bog and clay iron ores. — Iron pyrites (Min.), common pyrites, or pyrite. See Pyrites. — Iron sand, an iron ore in grains, usually the magnetic iron ore, formerly used to sand paper after writing. — Iron scale, the thin film which on the surface of wrought iron in the process of forging. It consists essentially of the magnetic oxide of iron, Fe3O4. — Iron works, a furnace where iron is smelted, or a forge, rolling mill, or foundry, where it is made into heavy work, such as shafting, rails, cannon, merchant bar, etc.
IRON I"ron, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ironed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ironing.]
1. To smooth with an instrument of iron; especially, to smooth, as cloth, with a heated flatiron; — sometimes used with out.
2. To shackle with irons; to fetter or handcuff. "Ironed like a malefactor." Sir W. Scott.
3. To furnish or arm with iron; as, to iron a wagon.
IRONBARK TREE I"ron*bark` tree`. (Bot.)
Defn: The Australian Eucalyptus Sideroxylon, used largely by carpenters and shipbuilders; — called also ironwood.
IRONBOUND I"ron*bound`, a.
1. Bound as with iron; rugged; as, an ironbound coast.
2. Rigid; unyielding; as, ironbound traditions.
IRON-CASED I"ron-cased`, a.
Defn: Cased or covered with iron, as a vessel; ironclad.
IRONCLAD I"ron*clad`, a.
1. Clad in iron; protected or covered with iron, as a vessel for naval warfare.
2. Rigorous; severe; exacting; as, an ironclad oath or pledge. [Colloq.]
IRONCLAD I"ron*clad`, n.
Defn: A naval vessel having the parts above water covered and protected by iron or steel usually in large plates closely joined and made sufficiently thick and strong to resist heavy shot.
IRONER I"ron*er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, irons.
IRON-FISTED I"ron-fist`ed, a.
Defn: Closefisted; stingy; mean.
IRON-GRAY I"ron-gray`, a.
Defn: Of a gray color, somewhat resembling that of iron freshly broken. — n.
Defn: An iron-gray color; also, a horse of this color.
IRONHEADS I"ron*heads`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A European composite herb (Centaurea nigra); — so called from the resemblance of its knobbed head to an iron ball fixed on a long handle. Dr. Prior.
IRON-HEARTED I"ron-heart`ed, a.
Defn: Hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; as, an iron-hearted master. Cowper.
IRONIC I*ron"ic, a.
Defn: Ironical. Sir T. Herbert.
IRONICAL I*ron"ic*al, a. Etym: [LL. ironicus, Gr. ironique. See Irony.]
1. Pertaining to irony; containing, expressing, or characterized by, irony; as, an ironical remark.
2. Addicted to the use of irony; given to irony. — I*ron"ic*al*ly, adv. — I*ron"ic*al*ness, n.
IRONING I"ron*ing, n.
1. The act or process of smoothing, as clothes, with hot flatirons.
2. The clothes ironed. Ironing board, a flat board, upon which clothes are laid being ironed.
IRONISH I"ron*ish, a.
Defn: Resembling iron, as in taste. Wood.
IRONIST I"ron*ist, n.
Defn: One who uses irony.
IRONMASTER I"ron*mas`ter, n.
Defn: A manufacturer of iron, or large dealer therein. Bp. Hurd.
IRONMONGER I"ron*mon`ger, n.
Defn: A dealer in iron or hardware.
IRONMONGERY I"ron*mon`ger*y, n.
Defn: Hardware; a general name for all articles made of iron. Gwilt.
IRON-SICK I"ron-sick`, a. (Naut.)
Defn: Having the ironwork loose or corroded; — said of a ship when her bolts and nails are so eaten with rust that she has become leaky.
IRON-SIDED I"ron-sid`ed, a.
Defn: Having iron sides, or very firm sides.
IRONSIDES I"ron*sides", n.
Defn: A cuirassier or cuirassiers; also, hardy veteran soldiers; — applied specifically to Cromwell's cavalry.
IRONSMITH I"ron*smith`, n.
1. A worker in iron; one who makes and repairs utensils of iron; a blacksmith.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: An East Indian barbet (Megalaima faber), inhabiting the Island of Hainan. The name alludes to its note, which resembles the sounds made by a smith.
IRONSTONE I"ron*stone`, n.
Defn: A hard, earthy ore of iron. Clay ironstone. See under Clay. — Ironstone china, a hard white pottery, first made in England during the 18th century.
IRONWARE I"ron*ware`, n.
Defn: Articles made of iron, as household utensils, tools, and the like.
IRONWEED I"ron*weed`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A tall weed with purplish flowers (Vernonia Noveboracensis). The name is also applied to other plants of the same genus.
IRONWOOD I"ron*wood`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A tree unusually hard, strong, or heavy wood.
Note: In the United States, the hornbeam and the hop hornbeam are so called; also the Olneya Tesota, a small tree of Arizona; in the West Indies, the Erythroxylon areolatum, and several other unrelated trees; in China, the Metrosideros vera; in India, the Mesua ferrea, and two species of Inga; in Australia, the Eucalyptus Sideroxylon, and in many countries, species of Sideroxylon and Diospyros, and many other trees.
IRONWORK I"ron*work`, n.
Defn: Anything made of iron; — a general name of such parts or pieces of a building, vessel, carriage, etc., as consist of iron.
IRON WORKS I"ron works`
Defn: . See under Iron, a.
IRONWORT I"ron*wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: An herb of the Mint family (Sideritis), supposed to heal sword cuts; also, a species of Galeopsis.
IRONY I"ron*y, a. Etym: [From Iron.]
1. Made or consisting of iron; partaking of iron; iron; as, irony chains; irony particles. [R.] Woodward.
2. Resembling iron taste, hardness, or other physical property.
IRONY I"ron*y, n.Etym: [L. ironia, Gr. word: cf. F. ironie.]
1. Dissimulation; ignorance feigned for the purpose of confounding or provoking an antagonist.
2. A sort of humor, ridicule, or light sarcasm, which adopts a mode of speech the meaning of which is contrary to the literal sense of the words.
IROQUOIAN Ir`o*quoi"an (ir`o*kwoi"an), a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, one of the principal linguistic stocks of the North American Indians. The territory of the northern Iroquoian tribes, of whom the Five Nations, or Iroquois proper, were the chief, extended from the shores of the St. Lawrence and of Lakes Huron, Ontario, and Erie south, through eastern Pennsylvania, to Maryland; that of the southern tribes, of whom the Cherokees were chief, formed part of Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. All of the tribes were agricultural, and they were noted for large, communal houses, palisaded towns, and ability to organize, as well as for skill in war. —n.
Defn: An Indian of an Iroquoian tribe.
IROQUOIS Ir`o*quois", n. sing. & pl. Etym: [F.] (Ethnol.)
Defn: A powerful and warlike confederacy of Indian tribes, formerly inhabiting Central New York and constituting most of the Five Nations. Also, any Indian of the Iroquois tribes.
IROUS I"rous, a. Etym: [OF. iros, from ire. See Ire.]
Defn: Irascible; passionate. [Obs.] Chaucer.
IRP; IRPE Irp, Irpe, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]
Defn: A fantastic grimace or contortion of the body. [Obs.] Smirks and irps and all affected humors. B. Jonson .
IRP Irp, a.
Defn: Making irps. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
IRRADIANCE; IRRADIANCY Ir*ra"di*ance, Ir*ra"di*an*cy, n. Etym: [From Irradiant.]
1. The act of irradiating; emission of rays of light.
2. That which irradiates or is irradiated; luster; splendor; irradiation; brilliancy. Milton.
IRRADIANT Ir*ra"di*ant, a. Etym: [L. irradians, -antis, p. pr. See Irradiate.]
Defn: Irradiating or illuminating; as, the irradiant moon. Boyse.
IRRADIATE Ir*ra"di*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irradiated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irradiating.] Etym: [L. irradiatus, p. p. of irradiate. See In- in, and Radiate.]
1. To throw rays of light upon; to illuminate; to brighten; to adorn with luster. Thy smile irradiates yon blue fields. Sir W. Jones.
2. To enlighten intellectually; to illuminate; as, to irradiate the mind. Bp. Bull.
3. To animate by heat or light. Sir M. Hale.
4. To radiate, shed, or diffuse. A splendid fairradiating hospitality. H. James.
IRRADIATE Ir*ra"di*ate, v. i.
Defn: To emit rays; to shine.
IRRADIATE Ir*ra"di*ate, a. Etym: [L. irradiatus, p. p.]
Defn: Illuminated; irradiated. Mason.
IRRADIATION Ir*ra`di*a"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irradiation.]
1. Act of irradiating, or state of being irradiated.
2. Illumination; irradiance; brilliancy. Sir W. Scott.
3. Fig.: Mental light or illumination. Sir M. Hale.
4. (Opt.)
Defn: The apparent enlargement of a bright object seen upon a dark ground, due to the fact that the portions of the retina around the image are stimulated by the intense light; as when a dark spot on a white ground appears smaller, or a white spot on a dark ground larger, than it really is, esp. when a little out of focus.
IRRADICATE Ir*rad"i*cate, v. t.
Defn: To root deeply. [R.]
IRRATIONAL Ir*ra"tion*al, a. Etym: [L. irrationalis: cf. F. irrationnel. See In- not, and Rational.]
1. Not rational; void of reason or understanding; as, brutes are irrational animals.
2. Not according to reason; absurd; foolish. It seemed utterly irrational any longer to maintain it. I. Taylor.
3. (Math.)
Defn: Not capable of being exactly expressed by an integral number, or by a vulgar fraction; surd; — said especially of roots. See Surd.
Syn. — Absurd; foolish; preposterous; unreasonable; senseless. See Absurd.
IRRATIONALITY Ir*ra`tion*al"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrational. "Brutish irrationaliity." South.
IRRATIONALLY Ir*ra"tion*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In an irrational manner. Boyle.
IRRATIONALNESS Ir*ra"tion*al*ness, n.
Defn: Irrationality.
IRREBUTTABLE Ir`re*but"ta*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being rebutted. Coleridge.
IRRECEPTIVE Ir`re*cep"tive, a.
Defn: Not receiving; incapable of receiving.
IRRECLAIMABLE Ir`re*claim"a*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being reclaimed. Addison. — Ir`re*claim"a*bly, ad
IRRECOGNITION Ir*rec`og*ni"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. in- not + recognition.]
Defn: A failure to recognize; absence of recognition. Lamb.
IRRECOGNIZABLE Ir*rec"og*ni`za*ble, a.
Defn: Not recognizable. Carlyle.
IRRECONCILABILITY Ir*rec`on*ci`la*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irreconcilable; irreconcilableness.
IRRECONCILABLE Ir*rec"on*ci`la*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + reconcilable: cf. F. irréconciliable.]
Defn: Not reconcilable; implacable; incompatible; inconsistent; disagreeing; as, irreconcilable enemies, statements. — Ir*rec"on*ci`la*ble*ness, n. — Ir*rec"on*ci`la*bly, adv.
IRRECONCILE Ir*rec"on*cile`, v. t.
Defn: To prevent from being reconciled; to alienate or disaffect. [Obs.]
IRRECONCILEMENT Ir*rec"on*cile`ment, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being unreconciled; disagreement.
IRRECONCILIATION Ir*rec`on*cil`i*a"tion, n.
Defn: Want of reconciliation; disagreement.
IRRECORDABLE Ir`re*cord"a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir— not + record: cf. L. irrecordabilis not to be remembered.]
Defn: Not fit or possible to be recorded.
IRRECOVERABLE Ir`re*cov"er*a*ble, a.
Defn: Not capable of being recovered, regained, or remedied; irreparable; as, an irrecoverable loss, debt, or injury. That which is past is gone and irrecoverable. Bacon.
Syn. — Irreparable; irretrievable; irremediable; unalterable; incurable; hopeless. — Ir`re*cov"er*a*ble*ness, n. — Ir`re*cov"er*a*bly, adv.
IRRECUPERABLE Ir`re*cu"per*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. irrecuperabilis: cf. OF. irrecuperable. See In- not, and Recuperate.]
Defn: Irrecoverable. — Ir`re*cu"per*a*bly, adv.
IRRECURED Ir`re*cured", a.
Defn: Incurable. [Obs.]
IRRECUSABLE Ir`re*cu"sa*ble, a. Etym: [L. irrecusabilis; pref. ir— not + recusabilis that should be rejected, fr. recusare to reject: cf. F. irrécusable.]
Defn: Not liable to exception or rejection. Sir W. Hamilton.
IRREDEEMABILITY Ir`re*deem`a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irredeemable; irredeemableness.
IRREDEEMABLE Ir`re*deem"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not redeemable; that can not be redeemed; not payable in gold or silver, as a bond; — used especially of such government notes, issued as currency, as are not convertible into coin at the pleasure of the holder. — Ir`re*deem"a*ble*ness, adv.
IRREDUCIBILITY Ir`re*du`ci*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irreducible.
IRREDUCIBLE Ir`re*du"ci*ble, a.
1. Incapable of being reduced, or brought into a different state; incapable of restoration to its proper or normal condition; as, an irreducible hernia.
2. (Math.)
Defn: Incapable of being reduced to a simpler form of expression; as, an irreducible formula. Irreducible case (Alg.), a particular case in the solution of a cubic equation, in which the formula commonly employed contains an imaginary quantity, and therefore fails in its application. — Ir`re*du"ci*ble*ness, n. — — Ir`re*du"ci*bly, adv.
IRREFLECTION Ir`re*flec"tion, n.
Defn: Want of reflection.
IRREFLECTIVE Ir`re*flect"ive, a.
Defn: Not reflective. De Quincey.
IRREFORMABLE Ir`re*form"a*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being reformed; incorrigible. Joseph Cook.
IRREFRAGABILITY Ir*ref`ra*ga*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrefragable; incapability of being refuted.
IRREFRAGABLE Ir*ref"ra*ga*ble, a. Etym: [F. irréfragable, L. irrefragabilis. See Refragable.]
Defn: Not refragable; not to be gainsaid or denied; not to be refuted or overthrown; unanswerable; incontestable; undeniable; as, an irrefragable argument; irrefragable evidence. — Ir*ref"ra*ga*ble*ness, n. — Ir*ref"ra*ga*bly, adv.
Syn. — Incontrovertible; unanswerable; indisputable; unquestionable; incontestable; indubitable; undeniable; irrefutable.
IRREFRANGIBILITY Ir`re*fran`gi*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrefrangible; irrefrangibleness.
IRREFRANGIBLE Ir`re*fran"gi*ble, a.
Defn: Not refrangible; that can not be refracted in passing from one medium to another. — Ir`re*fran"gi*ble*ness, n.
IRREFUTABLE Ir`re*fut"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. irrefutabilis: cf. F. irréfutable. See Refute.]
Defn: Incapable of being refuted or disproved; indisputable. — Ir`re*fut"a*ble*ness, n. — Ir`re*fut"a*bly, adv.
IRREGENERACY Ir`re*gen"er*a*cy, n.
Defn: Unregeneracy.
IRREGENERATION Ir`re*gen`er*a"tion, n.
Defn: An unregenerate state. [Obs.]
IRREGULAR Ir*reg"u*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + regular: cf. F. irrégulier.]
Defn: Not regular; not conforming to a law, method, or usage recognized as the general rule; not according to common form; not conformable to nature, to the rules of moral rectitude, or to established principles; not normal; unnatural; immethodical; unsymmetrical; erratic; no straight; not uniform; as, an irregular line; an irregular figure; an irregular verse; an irregular physician; an irregular proceeding; irregular motion; irregular conduct, etc. Cf. Regular. Mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem. Milton. Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against the irregular and wild Glendower. Shak. A flowery meadow through which a clear stream murmured in many irregular meanders. Jones.
Syn. — Immethodical; unsystematic; abnormal; unnatural; anomalous; erratic; devious; crooked; eccentric; unsettled; uneven; variable; changeable; mutable; desultory; disorderly; wild; immoderate; intemperate; inordinate; vicious.
IRREGULAR Ir*reg"u*lar, n.
Defn: One who is not regular; especially, a soldier not in regular service.
IRREGULARIST Ir*reg"u*lar*ist, n.
Defn: One who is irregular. Baxter.
IRREGULARITY Ir*reg`u*lar"i*ty, n.; pl. Irregularities. Etym: [Cf. F. irrégularité.]
Defn: The state or quality of being irregular; that which is irregular.
IRREGULARLY Ir*reg"u*lar*ly, adv.
Defn: In an irregular manner.
IRREGULATE Ir*reg"u*late, v. t.
Defn: To make irregular; to disorder. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
IRREGULOUS Ir*reg"u*lous, a.
Defn: Lawless. [Obs.] Shak.
IRREJECTABLE Ir`re*ject"a*ble, a.
Defn: That can not be rejected; irresistible. Boyle.
IRRELAPSABLE Ir`re*laps"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not liable to relapse; secure. Dr. H. More.
IRRELATE Ir`re*late, a.
Defn: Ir
IRRELATION Ir`re*la"tion, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrelative; want of connection or relation.
IRRELATIVE Ir*rel"a*tive, a.
Defn: Not relative; without mutual relations; unconnected. — Ir*rel"a*tive*ly, adv. Irrelative chords (Mus.), those having no common tone. — Irrelative repetition (Biol.), the multiplication of parts that serve for a common purpose, but have no mutual dependence or connection. Owen.
IRRELAVANCE Ir*rel"a*vance, n.
Defn: Irrelevancy.
IRRELAVANCY Ir*rel"a*van*cy, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrelevant; as, the irrelevancy of an argument.
IRRELAVANT Ir*rel"a*vant, a.
Defn: Not relevant; not applicable or pertinent; not bearing upon or serving to support; foreign; extraneous; as, testimony or arguments irrelevant to a case. — Ir*rel"a*vant*ly, adv.
IRRELIEVABLE Ir`re*liev"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not admitting relief; incurable; hopeless.
IRRELIGION Ir`re*li"gion, n. Etym: [L. irreligio: cf. F. irréligion. See In- not, and Religion.]
Defn: The state of being irreligious; want of religion; impiety.
IRRELIGIONIST Ir`re*li"gion*ist, n.
Defn: One who is irreligious.
IRRELIGIOUS Ir`re*li"gious, a. Etym: [L. irreligiosus: cf. F. irréligieux.]
1. Destitute of religion; not controlled by religious motives or principles; ungodly. Cf. Impiou. Shame and reproach are generally the portion of the impious and irreligious. South.
2. Indicating a want of religion; profane; wicked; as, irreligious speech.
IRRELIGIOUSLY Ir`re*li"gious*ly, adv.
Defn: In an irreligious manner.
IRRELIGIOUSNESS Ir`re*li"gious*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irreligious; ungodliness.
IRREMEABLE Ir*re"me*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. irremeabilis; pref. ir- not + remeabilis returning, fr. remeare: cf. F. irréméable. See Remeant.]
Defn: Admitting no return; as, an irremeable way. [Obs.] Dryden.
IRREMEDIABLE Ir`re*me"di*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. irremediabilis: cf. F. irrémédiable. See In- not, and Remediable.]
Defn: Not to be remedied, corrected, or redressed; incurable; as, an irremediable disease or evil.
IRREMEDIABLENESS Ir`re*me"di*a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irremediable.
IRREMEDIABLY Ir`re*me"di*a*bly, adv.
Defn: In a manner, or to a degree, that precludes remedy, cure, or correction.
IRREMISSIBLE Ir`re*mis"si*ble, a. Etym: [L. irremissibilis: cf. F. irrémissible. See In- not, and Remissible.]
Defn: Not remissible; unpardonable; as, irremissible crimes. Burke. — Ir`re*mis"si*ble, n. — Ir`re*mis"si*bly, adv.
IRREMISSION Ir`re*mis"sion, n.
Defn: Refusal of pardon.
IRREMISSIVE Ir`re*mis"sive, a.
Defn: Not remitting; unforgiving.
IRREMITTABLE Ir`re*mit"ta*ble, a.
Defn: Not capable of being remitted; irremissible. Holinshed.
IRREMOVABILITY Ir`re*mov`a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irremovable; immovableness.
IRREMOVABLE Ir`re*mov"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not removable; immovable; inflexible. Shak. — Ir`re*mov"a*bly, adv.
IRREMOVAL Ir`re*mov"al, n.
Defn: Absence of removal.
IRREMUNERABLE Ir`re*mu"ner*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. irremunerabilis: cf. F. irrémunérable. See Remunerate.]
Defn: Not remunerable; not capable of remuneration.
IRRENOWNED Ir`re*nowned", a.
Defn: Not renowned. [Obs.]
IRREPARABILITY Ir*rep`a*ra*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irréparabilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being irreparable; irreparableness. Sterne.
IRREPARABLE Ir*rep"a*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. irreparabilis: cf. F. irréparable. See In- not, and Reparable.]
Defn: Not reparable; not capable of being repaired, recovered, regained, or remedied; irretrievable; irremediable; as, an irreparable breach; an irreparable loss. Shak.
IRREPARABLENESS Ir*rep"a*ra*ble*ness, n.
Defn: Quality of being irreparable.
IRREPARABLY Ir*rep"a*ra*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irreparable manner.
IRREPEALABILITY Ir`re*peal`a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irrepealable.
IRREPEALABLE Ir`re*peal"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not repealable; not capable of being repealed or revoked, as a law. — Ir`re*peal"a*ble*ness, n. — Ir`re*peal"a*bly, adv.
IRREPENTANCE Ir`re*pent"ance, n.
Defn: Want of repentance; impenitence. Bp. Montagu.
IRREPLEVIABLE; IRREPLEVISABLE Ir`re*plev"i*a*ble, Ir`re*plev"i*sa*ble, a. (Law)
Defn: Not capable of being replevied.
IRREPREHENSIBLE Ir*rep`re*hen"si*ble, a. Etym: [L. irreprehensibilis: cf. F. irrépréhensible. See Reprehensible.]
Defn: Not reprehensible; blameless; innocent. — Ir*rep`re*hen"si*ble*ness, n. — Ir*rep`re*hen"si*bly, adv.
IRREPRESENTABLE Ir*rep`re*sent"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not capable of being represented or portrayed.
IRREPRESSIBLE Ir`re*press"i*ble, a.
Defn: Not capable of being repressed, restrained, or controlled; as, irrepressible joy; an irrepressible conflict. W. H. Steward.
IRREPRESSIBLY Ir`re*press"i*bly, adv.
Defn: In a manner or to a degree that can not be repressed.
IRREPROACHABLE Ir`re*proach"a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + reproachable: cf. F. irréprochable.]
Defn: Not reproachable; above reproach; not deserving reproach; blameless. He [Berkely] erred, — and who is free from error — but his intentions were irreproachable. Beattie.
IRREPROACHABLENESS Ir`re*proach"a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irreproachable; integrity; innocence.
IRREPROACHABLY Ir`re*proach"a*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irreproachable manner; blamelessly.
IRREPROVABLE Ir`re*prov"a*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being justly reproved; irreproachable; blameless; upright. — Ir`re*prov"a*ble*ness, n. — Ir`re*prov"a*bly, adv.
IRREPTITIOUS Ir`rep*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. irrepere, irreptum, to creep in; pref. ir- in + repere to creep.]
Defn: Surreptitious; spurious. [Obs.] Dr. Castell (1673).
IRREPUTABLE Ir*rep"u*ta*ble, a.
Defn: Disreputable. [Obs.]
IRRESILIENT Ir`re*sil"i*ent, a.
Defn: Not resilient; not recoiling or rebounding; inelastic.
IRRESISTANCE Ir`re*sist"ance, n.
Defn: Nonresistance; passive submission.
IRRESISTIBILITY Ir`re*sist`i*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irrésistibilité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being irrestible, irresistibleness.
IRRESISTIBLE Ir`re*sist"i*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + resistible: cf. F. irrésistible.]
Defn: That can not be successfully resisted or opposed; superior to opposition; resistless; overpowering; as, an irresistible attraction. An irresistible law of our nature impels us to seek happiness. J. M. Mason.
IRRESISTIBLENESS Ir`re*sist"i*ble*ness, n.
Defn: Quality of being irrestible.
IRRESISTIBLY Ir`re*sist"i*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irrestible manner.
IRRESISTLESS Ir`re*sist"less, a.
Defn: Irresistible. [Obs.] Glanvill.
IRRESOLUBLE Ir*res"o*lu*ble, a. Etym: [L. irresolubilis: cf. F. irrésoluble. See Resoluble, and cf. Irresolvable.]
1. Incapable of being dissolved or resolved into parts; insoluble. Boyle.
2. Incapable of being relieved or assisted. [Obs.] The second is in the irresoluble condition of our souls after a known sin committed. Bp. Hall.
IRRESOLUBLENESS Ir*res"o*lu*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irresoluble; insolubility.
IRRESOLUTE Ir*res"o*lute, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + resolute: cf. F. irrésolu, L. irresolutus not loosened.]
Defn: Not resolute; not decided or determined; wavering; given to doubt or irresolution. Weak and irresolute is man. Cowper.
Syn. — Wavering; vacillating; undetermined; undecided; unsettled; fickle; changeable; inconstant. — Ir*res"o*lute*ly, adv. — Ir*res"o*lute*ness, n.
IRRESOLUTION Ir*res`o*lu"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irrésolution.]
Defn: Want of resolution; want of decision in purpose; a fluctuation of mind, as in doubt, or between hope and fear; irresoluteness; indecision; vacillation. Irresolution on the schemes of life which offer themselves to our choice, and inconstancy in pursuing them, are the greatest causes of all unhappiness. Addison.
IRRESOLVABILITY Ir`re*solv`a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality of being irresolvable; irresolvableness.
IRRESOLVABLE Ir`re*solv"a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + resolvable. Cf. Irresoluble.]
Defn: Incapable of being resolved; not separable into component parts. Irresolvable nebulæ (Astron.), nebulæ of a cloudlike appearance, which have not yet been resolved by the telescope into stars. Sir W. Herschel.
IRRESOLVABLENESS Ir`re*solv"a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being irresolvable; irresolvability.
IRRESOLVEDLY Ir`re*solv"ed*ly, adv.
Defn: Without settled determination; in a hesitating manner; doubtfully. [R.]
IRRESPECTIVE Ir`re*spec"tive, a.
1. Without regard for conditions, circumstances, or consequences; unbiased; independent; impartial; as, an irrespective judgment.
According to this doctrine, it must be resolved wholly into the absolute, irrespective will of God. Rogers.
2. Disrespectful. [Obs.] Sir C. Cornwallis. Irrespective of, regardless of; without regard to; as, irrespective of differences.
IRRESPECTIVELY Ir`re*spec"tive*ly, adv.
Defn: Without regard to conditions; not making circumstances into consideration. Prosperity, considered absolutely and irrespectively, is better and more desirable than adversity. South.
IRRESPIRABLE Ir*res"pi*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. irrespirabilis: cf. F. irrespirable. See Respirable.]
Defn: Unfit for respiration; not having the qualities necessary to support animal life; as, irrespirable air.
IRRESPONSIBILITY Ir`re*spon`si*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irresponsabilité.]
Defn: Want of, or freedom from, responsibility or accountability.
IRRESPONSIBLE Ir`re*spon"si*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + responsible: cf. F. irresponsable.]
1. Nor responsible; not liable or able to answer fro consequences; innocent.
2. Not to be trusted; unreliable.
IRRESPONSIBLY Ir`re*spon"si*bly, adv.
Defn: So as not to be responsible.
IRRESPONSIVE Ir`re*spon"sive, a.
Defn: Not responsive; not able, ready, or inclined to respond.
IRRESUSCITABLE Ir`re*sus"ci*ta*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being resuscitated or revived. — Ir`re*sus"ci*ta*bly, adv.
IRRETENTION Ir`re*ten"tion, n.
Defn: Want of retaining power; forgetfulness. De Quincey.
IRRETENTIVE Ir`re*ten"tive, a.
Defn: Not retentive; as, an irretentive memory.
IRRETRACEABLE Ir`re*trace"a*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being retraced; not retraceable.
IRRETRACTILE Ir`re*tract"ile, a.
1. Not retractile.
2. Not tractile or ductile. [R.] Sir W. Hamilton.
IRRETRIEVABLE Ir`re*triev"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not retrievable; irrecoverable; irreparable; as, an irretrievable loss.
Syn. — Irremediable; incurable; irrecoverable.
IRRETRIEVABLENESS Ir`re*triev"a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irretrievable.
IRRETRIEVABLY Ir`re*triev"a*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irretrievable manner.
IRRETURNABLE Ir`re*turn"a*ble, a.
Defn: Not to be returned.
IRREVEALABLE Ir`re*veal"a*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being revealed. — Ir`re*veal"a*bly, adv.
IRREVERENCE Ir*rev"er*ence, n. Etym: [L. irreverentia: cf. F. irrévérence.]
Defn: The state or quality of being irreverent; want of proper reverence; disregard of the authority and character of a superior.
IRREVEREND Ir*rev"er*end, a.
Defn: Irreverent. [Obs.] Immodest speech, or irreverend gesture. Strype.
IRREVERENT Ir*rev"er*ent, a. Etym: [L. irreverens, -entis: cf. F. irrévérent. See In- not, and Reverent.]
Defn: Not reverent; showing a want of reverence; expressive of a want of veneration; as, an irreverent babbler; an irreverent jest.
IRREVERENTLY Ir*rev"er*ent*ly, adv.
Defn: In an irreverent manner.
IRREVERSIBILITY Ir`re*vers`i*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irreversible; irreversibleness.
IRREVERSIBLE Ir`re*vers"i*ble, a.
1. Incapable of being reversed or turned about or back; incapable of being made to run backward; as, an irreversible engine.
2. Incapable of being reversed, recalled, repealed, or annulled; as, an irreversible sentence or decree. This rejection of the Jews, as it is not universal, so neither is it final and irreversible. Jortin.
Syn. — Irrevocable; irrepealable; unchangeable.
IRREVERSIBLENESS Ir`re*vers"i*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being irreversible.
IRREVERSIBLE STEERING GEAR Ir`re*vers"i*ble steering gear. (Mach.)
Defn: A steering gear, esp. for an automobile, not affected by the road wheels, as when they strike an obstacle side ways, but easily controlled by the hand wheel or steering lever.
IRREVERSIBLY Ir`re*vers"i*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irreversible manner.
IRREVOCABILITY Ir*rev`o*ca*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irrévocabilité.]
Defn: The state or quality of being irrevocable; irrevocableness.
IRREVOCABLE Ir*rev"o*ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. irrevocabilis: cf. F. irrévocable. See In- not, and Revoke, and cf. Irrevocable.]
Defn: Incapable of being recalled or revoked; unchangeable; irreversible; unalterable; as, an irrevocable promise or decree; irrevocable fate. Firm and irrevocable is my doom. Shak. — Ir*rev"o*ca*ble*ness, n. — Ir*rev"o*ca*bly, adv.
IRREVOKABLE Ir`re*vok"a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + revoke.]
Defn: Irrevocable. [R.]
IRREVOLUBLE Ir*rev"o*lu*ble, a.
Defn: That has no finite period of revolution; not revolving. [R.] The dateless and irrevocable circle of eternity. Milton.
IRRHETORICAL Ir`rhe*tor"ic*al, a.
Defn: Not rethorical.
IRRIGATE Ir"ri*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irrigated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irrigating.] Etym: [L. irrigatus, p. p. of irrigare to irrigate: ir- in + rigare to water; prob. akin to E. rain. See Rain.]
1. To water; to wet; to moisten with running or dropping water; to bedew.
2. (Agric.)
Defn: To water, as land, by causing a stream to flow upon, over, or through it, as in artificial channels.
IRRIGATION Ir`ri*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. irrigatio: cf. F. irrigation.]
Defn: The act or process of irrigating, or the state of being irrigated; especially, the operation of causing water to flow over lands, for nourishing plants.
IRRIGUOUS Ir*rig"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. irriguus. See Irrigate.]
1. Watered; watery; moist; dewy. [Obs.] The flowery lap Of some irriguous valley spreads her store. Milton.
2. Gently penetrating or pervading. [Obs.] J. Philips.
IRRISIBLE Ir*ris"i*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. ir- not + risible. See Irrision.]
Defn: Not risible. [R.]
IRRISION Ir*ri"sion, n. Etym: [L. irrisio, fr. irridere, irrisum. to laugh at; pref. ir- in + ridere to laugh: cf. F. irrision.]
Defn: The act of laughing at another; derision. This being spoken scepticè, or by way of irrision. Chapman.
IRRITABILITY Ir`ri*ta*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. irritabilitas: cf. F. irritabilité.]
1. The state or quality of being irritable; quick excitability; petulance; fretfulness; as, irritability of temper.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: A natural susceptibility, characteristic of all living organisms, tissues, and cells, to the influence of certain stimuli, response being manifested in a variety of ways, — as that quality in plants by which they exhibit motion under suitable stimulation; esp., the property which living muscle processes, of responding either to a direct stimulus of its substance, or to the stimulating influence of its nerve fibers, the response being indicated by a change of form, or contraction; contractility.
3. (Med.)
Defn: A condition of morbid excitability of an organ or part of the body; undue susceptibility to the influence of stimuli. See Irritation, n., 3.
IRRITABLE Ir"ri*ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. irritabilis: cf. F. irritable. See Irritate.]
1. Capable of being irriated.
2. Very susceptible of anger or passion; easily inflamed or exasperated; as, an irritable temper. Vicious, old, and irritable. Tennyson.
3. (Physiol.)
Defn: Endowed with irritability; susceptible of irritation; capable of being excited to action by the application of certain stimuli.
4. (Med.)
Defn: Susceptible of irritation; unduly sensitive to irritants or stimuli. See Irritation, n., 3.
Syn. — Excitable; irascible; touchy; fretful; peevish.
IRRITABLENESS Ir"ri*ta*ble*ness, n.
Defn: Irritability.
IRRITABLY Ir"ri*ta*bly, adv.
Defn: In an irritable manner.
IRRITANCY Ir"ri*tan*cy, n. Etym: [From 1st Irritant.] (Scots Law)
Defn: The state or quality of being null and void; invalidity; forfeiture. Burrill.
IRRITANCY Ir"ri*tan*cy, n. Etym: [From 2d Irritant.]
Defn: The state o quality of being irritant or irritating.
IRRITANT Ir"ri*tant, a. Etym: [LL. irritants, -antis, p. pr. of irritare to make null, fr. L. irritus void; pref. ir- not + ratus established.] (Scots Law)
Defn: Rendering null and void; conditionally invalidating. The states elected Harry, Duke of Anjou, for their king, with this clause irritant; that, if he did violate any part of his oath, the people should owe him no allegiance. Hayward.
IRRITANT Ir"ri*tant, a. Etym: [L. irritans, -antis, p. pr. of irritare: cf. F. irritant. See Irritate to excite.]
Defn: Irritating; producing irritation or inflammation.
IRRITANT Ir"ri*tant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irritant.]
1. That which irritates or excites.
2. (Physiol. & Med.)
Defn: Any agent by which irritation is produced; as, a chemical irritant; a mechanical or electrical irritant.
3. (Toxicology)
Defn: A poison that produces inflammation. Counter irritant. See under Counter. — Pure irritant (Toxicology), a poison that produces inflammation without any corrosive action upon the tissues.
IRRITATE Ir"ri*tate, v. t. Etym: [See 1 st Irritant.]
Defn: To render null and void. [R.] Abp. Bramhall.
IRRITATE Ir"ri*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irritated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irritating.] Etym: [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.]
1. To increase the action or violence of; to heighten excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate. Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth them. Bacon.
2. To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease; to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; as, the insolence of a tyrant irritates his subjects. Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god: Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. Pope.
3. (Physiol.)
Defn: To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2.
4. (Med.)
Defn: To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to fret; as, the skin is irritated by friction; to irritate a wound by a coarse bandage.
Syn. — To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex; exasperate; anger; incense; enrage. — To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes; whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and fiery people are soonest exasperated." Crabb.
IRRITATE Ir"ri*tate, a.
Defn: Excited; heightened. [Obs.]
IRRITATION Ir`ri*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. irritatio: cf. F. irritation.]
1. The act of irritating, or exciting, or the state of being irritated; excitement; stimulation, usually of an undue and uncomfortable kind; especially, excitement of anger or passion; provocation; annoyance; anger. The whole body of the arts and sciences composes one vast machinery for the irritation and development of the human intellect. De Quincey.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: The act of exciting, or the condition of being excited to action, by stimulation; — as, the condition of an organ of sense, when its nerve is affected by some external body; esp., the act of exciting muscle fibers to contraction, by artificial stimulation; as, the irritation of a motor nerve by electricity; also, the condition of a muscle and nerve, under such stimulation.
3. (Med.)
Defn: A condition of morbid excitability or oversensitiveness of an organ or part of the body; a state in which the application of ordinary stimuli produces pain or excessive or vitiated action.
IRRITATIVE Ir"ri*ta*tive, a.
1. Serving to excite or irritate; irritating; as, an irritative agent.
2. Accompanied with, or produced by, increased action or irritation; as, an irritative fever. E. Darwin.
IRRITATORY Ir"ri*ta*to*ry, a.
Defn: Exciting; producing irritation; irritating. [R.] Hales.
IRRORATE Ir"ro*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irrorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irrorating.] Etym: [L. irroratus, p. p. of irrorare to bedew; pref. ir- in + ros, roris, dew.]
Defn: To sprinkle or moisten with dew; to bedew. [Obs.]
IRRORATE Ir"ro*rate, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Covered with minute grains, appearing like fine sand.
IRRORATION Ir`ro*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. irroration.]
Defn: The act of bedewing; the state of being moistened with de [Obs.] Chambers.
IRROTATIONAL Ir`ro*ta"tion*al, a. (Physics)
Defn: Not rotatory; passing from one point to another by a movement other than rotation; — said of the movement of parts of a liquid or yielding mass. Sir W. Thomson.
IRRUBRICAL Ir*ru"bric*al, a.
Defn: Contrary to the rubric; not rubrical.
IRRUGATE Ir"ru*gate, v. t. Etym: [L. irrugatus, p. p. of irrugare to wrinkle.]
Defn: To wrinkle. [Obs.]
IRRUPTED Ir*rupt"ed, a. Etym: [L. irruptus, p. p. of irrumpere to break in; pref. ir- in + rumpere to break or burst. See Rupture.]
Defn: Broken with violence.
IRRUPTION Ir*rup"tion, n. Etym: [L. irruptio: cf. F. irruption. See Irrupted.]
1. A bursting in; a sudden, violent rushing into a place; as, irruptions of the sea. Lest evil tidings, with too rude irruption Hitting thy aged ear, should pierce too deep. Milton.
2. A sudden and violent inroad, or entrance of invaders; as, the irruptions of the Goths into Italy. Addison.
Syn. — Invasion; incursion; inroad. See Invasion.
IRRUPTIVE Ir*rup"tive, a.
Defn: Rushing in or upon.
IRVINGITE Ir"ving*ite, n. (Eccl.)
Defn: The common designation of one a sect founded by the Rev. Edward Irving (about 1830), who call themselves the Catholic Apostolic Church. They are highly ritualistic in worship, have an elaborate hierarchy of apostles, prophets, etc., and look for the speedy coming of Christ.
IS- Is-
Defn: . See Iso-.
IS Is, v. i. Etym: [AS. is; akin to G. & Goth. ist, L. est, Gr. asti. . Cf. Am, Entity, Essence, Absent.]
Defn: The third person singular of the substantive verb be, in the indicative mood, present tense; as, he is; he is a man. See Be.
Note: In some varieties of the Northern dialect of Old English, is was used for all persons of the singular. For thy is I come, and eke Alain. Chaucer. Aye is thou merry. Chaucer.
Note: The idiom of using the present for future events sure to happen is a relic of Old English in which the present and future had the same form; as, this year Christmas is on Friday. To-morrow is the new moon. 1 Sam. xx. 5.
ISABEL; ISABEL COLOR Is"a*bel, n., Is"a*bel col"or.Etym: [F. isabelle.]
Defn: See Isabella.
ISABELLA; ISABELLA COLOR Is`a*bel"la, n., Is`a*bel"la col"or. Etym: [Said to be named from the Spanish princess Isabella, daughter of king Philip II., in allusion to the color assumed by her shift, which she wore without change from 1601 to 1604, in consequence of a vow made by her.]
Defn: A brownish yellow color.
ISABELLA GRAPE Is`a*bel"la grape`. (Bot.)
Defn: A favorite sweet American grape of a purple color. See Fox grape, under Fox.
ISABELLA MOTH Is`a*bel"la moth`. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A common American moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), of an isabella color. The larva, called woolly bear and hedgehog caterpillar, is densely covered with hairs, which are black at each end of the body, and red in the middle part.
ISABELLINE Is`a*bel"line, a.
Defn: Of an isabel or isabella color.
ISAGELOUS; ISAGEL A. [Is- + Gr. Agelos Information.]
Defn: Containing the same information, as isagelous sentences. The coded message and the original, though appearing entirely unlike, are completely isagelous. Bacon The complementary strands have isagelous sequences. J. D. Watson. — Isagel I*sag"e*lous (i*sâg"ê*lûs), a. Etym: [Is- + Gr. a`gelos information.]
Defn: Containing the same information, as isagelous sentences. "The coded message and the original, though appearing entirely unlike, are completely isagelous." Bacon "The complementary strands have isagelous sequences." J. D. Watson. — Is"a*gel n.
Defn: One of two or more objects containing the same information.
ISAGOGE I"sa*goge, n. Etym: [L., fr. Fr.
Defn: An introduction. [Obs.] Harris.
ISAGOGIC; ISAGOGICAL I"sa*gog"ic, I"sa*gog"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. isagogicus, Gr.
Defn: Introductory; especially, introductory to the study of theology.
ISAGOGICS I"sa*gog"ics, n. (Theol.)
Defn: That part of theological science directly preliminary to actual exegesis, or interpretation of the Scriptures.
ISAGON I"sa*gon, n. Etym: [Gr. isagone, a.] (Math.)
Defn: A figure or polygon whose angles are equal.
ISAPOSTOLIC Is*ap`os*tol"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Having equal, or almost equal, authority with the apostles of their teachings.
ISATIC; ISATINIC I*sat"ic, I`sa*tin"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, isatin; as, isatic acid, which is also called trioxindol.
ISATIDE I"sa*tide, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A white crystalline substance obtained by the partial reduction of isatin. [Written also isatyde.]
ISATIN I"sa*tin, n. Etym: [See Isatis.] (Chem.)
Defn: An orange-red crystalline substance, C8H5NO2, obtained by the oxidation of indigo blue. It is also produced from certain derivatives of benzoic acid, and is one important source of artificial indigo. [Written also, less properly, isatine.]
ISATIS I"sa*tis, n. Etym: [L., a kind of plant, Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of herbs, some species of which, especially the Isatis tinctoria, yield a blue dye similar to indigo; woad.
ISATOGEN I*sat"o*gen, n. Etym: [Isatin + -gen.] (Chem.)
Defn: A complex nitrogenous radical, C8H4NO2, regarded as the essential residue of a series of compounds, related to isatin, which easily pass by reduction to indigo blue. — I*sat`o*gen"ic, a.
ISATROPIC I`sa*trop"ic, a. Etym: [Is- + atropine.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from atropine, and isomeric with cinnamic acid.
ISCHIAC Is"chi*ac, a. (Anat.)
Defn: See Ischial.
ISCHIADIC Is`chi*ad"ic, a. Etym: [L. ischiadicus, Gr. Sciatic.] (Anat.)
Defn: Ischial. [R.] Ischiadic passion or disease (Med.), a rheumatic or neuralgic affection of some part about the hip joint; — called also sciatica.
ISCHIAL Is"chi*al, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the ischium or hip; ischiac; ischiadic; ischiatic. Ischial callosity (Zoöl.), one of the patches of thickened hairless, and often bright-colored skin, on the buttocks of many apes, as the drill.
ISCHIATIC Is`chi*at"ic, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Same as Ishial.
ISCHIOCAPSULAR Is`chi*o*cap"su*lar a. Etym: [Ischium + capsular.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the ischium and the capsule of the hip joint; as, the ischiocapsular ligament.
ISCHIOCERITE Is`chi*o*ce"rite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The third joint or the antennæ of the Crustacea.
ISCHION; ISCHIUM Is"chi*on, Is"chi*um, n. Etym: [L., Gr.
1. (Anat.)
Defn: The ventral and posterior of the three principal bones composing either half of the pelvis; seat bone; the huckle bone.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the pleuræ of insects.
ISCHIOPODITE Is`chi*op"o*dite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The third joint of the typical appendages of Crustacea.
ISCHIORECTAL Is`chi*o*rec"tal, a. Etym: [Ischium + rectal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the region between the rectum and ishial tuberosity.
ISCHURETIC Is`chu*ret"ic, a.
Defn: Having the quality of relieving ischury. — n.
Defn: An ischuretic medicine.
ISCHURY Is"chu*ry, n. Etym: [L. ischuria, Gr. ischurie.] (Med.)
Defn: A retention or suppression of urine.
-ISE -ise
Defn: . See -ize.
ISENTROPIC I`sen*trop"ic, a. Etym: [Is- + entropy + -ic.] (Physics)
Defn: Having equal entropy. Isentropic lines, lines which pass through points having equal entropy.
ISETHIONIC I*seth`i*on"ic, a. Etym: [Is- + ethionic.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid, HO.C2H4.SO3H, obtained as an oily or crystalline substance, by the action of sulphur trioxide on alcohol or ether. It is derivative of sulphuric acid.
-ISH -ish. Etym: [AS. -isc; akin to G. -isch, OHG. -isc, Goth. & Dan. - isk, Gr. -esque.]
Defn: A suffix used to from adjectives from nouns and from adjectives. It denotes relation, resemblance, similarity, and sometimes has a diminutive force; as, selfish, boyish, brutish; whitish, somewhat white.
-ISH -ish. Etym: [OE. -issen, fr. F. -is, -iss- (found in the present particle, etc., of certain verbs, as finir to finish, fleurir to flourish), corresponding to L. -escere, an inchoative ending.]