Chapter C · hap"ter, v. t. (continued 8)

Note: Come may properly be used (instead of go) in speaking of a movement hence, or away, when there is reference to an approach to the person addressed; as, I shall come home next week; he will come to your house to-day. It is used with other verbs almost as an auxiliary, indicative of approach to the action or state expressed by the verb; as, how came you to do it Come is used colloquially, with reference to a definite future time approaching, without an auxilliary; as, it will be two years, come next Christmas; i. e., when Christmas shall come. They were cried In meeting, come next Sunday. Lowell. Come, in the imperative, is used to excite attention, or to invite to motion or joint action; come, let us go. "This is the heir; come, let us kill him." Matt. xxi. 38. When repeated, it sometimes expresses haste, or impatience, and sometimes rebuke. "Come, come, no time for lamentation now." Milton. To come, yet to arrive, future. "In times to come." Dryden. "There's pippins and cheese to come." Shak. — To come about. (a) To come to pass; to arrive; to happen; to result; as, how did these things come about (b) To change; to come round; as, the ship comes about. "The wind is come about." Shak. On better thoughts, and my urged reasons, They are come about, and won to the true side. B. Jonson. — To come abroad. (a) To move or be away from one's home or country. "Am come abroad to see the world." Shak. (b) To become public or known. [Obs.] "Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad." Mark. iv. 22. — To come across, to meet; to find, esp. by chance or suddenly. "We come across more than one incidental mention of those wars." E. A. Freeman. "Wagner's was certainly one of the strongest and most independent natures I ever came across." H. R. Heweis. — To come after. (a) To follow. (b) To come to take or to obtain; as, to come after a book. — To come again, to return. "His spirit came again and he revived." Judges. xv. 19. — To come and go. (a) To appear and disappear; to change; to alternate. "The color of the king doth come and go." Shak. (b) (Mech.) To play backward and forward. — To come at. (a) To reach; to arrive within reach of; to gain; as, to come at a true knowledge of ourselves. (b) To come toward; to attack; as, he came at me with fury. — To come away, to part or depart. — To come between, to interverne; to separate; hence, to cause estrangement. — To come by. (a) To obtain, gain, acquire. "Examine how you came by all your state." Dryden. (b) To pass near or by way of. — To come down. (a) To descend. (b) To be humbled. — To come down upon, to call to account, to reprimand. [Colloq.] Dickens. — To come home. (a) To retuen to one's house or family. (b) To come close; to press closely; to touch the feelings, interest, or reason. (b) (Naut.) To be loosened from the ground; — said of an anchor. — To come in. (a) To enter, as a town, house, etc. "The thief cometh in." Hos. vii. 1. (b) To arrive; as, when my ship comes in. (c) To assume official station or duties; as, when Lincoln came in. (d) To comply; to yield; to surrender. "We need not fear his coming in" Massinger. (e) To be brought into use. "Silken garments did not come in till late." Arbuthnot. (f) To be added or inserted; to be or become a part of. (g) To accrue as gain from any business or investment. (h) To mature and yield a harvest; as, the crops come in well. (i) To have sexual intercourse; — with to or unto. Gen. xxxviii. 16. (j) To have young; to bring forth; as, the cow will come in next May. [U. S.] — To come in for, to claim or receive. "The rest came in for subsidies." Swift. — To come into, to join with; to take part in; to agree to; to comply with; as, to come into a party or scheme. — To come it ever, to hoodwink; to get the advantage of. [Colloq.] — To come near or nigh, to approach in place or quality to be equal to. "Nothing ancient or modern seems to come near it." Sir W. Temple. — To come of. (a) To descend or spring from. "Of Priam's royal race my mother came." Dryden. (b) To result or follow from. "This comes of judging by the eye." L'Estrange. — To come off. (a) To depart or pass off from. (b) To get free; to get away; to escape. (c) To be carried through; to pass off; as, it came off well. (d) To acquit one's self; to issue from (a contest, etc.); as, he came off with honor; hence, substantively, a come off, an escape; an excuse; an evasion. [Colloq.] (e) To pay over; to give. [Obs.] (f) To take place; to happen; as, when does the race come off (g) To be or become after some delay; as, the weather came off very fine. (h) To slip off or be taken off, as a garment; to separate. (i) To hurry away; to get through. Chaucer. — To come off by, to suffer. [Obs.] "To come off by the worst." Calamy. — To come off from, to leave. "To come off from these grave disquisitions." Felton. — To come on. (a) To advance; to make progress; to thrive. (b) To move forward; to approach; to supervene. — To come out. (a) To pass out or depart, as from a country, room, company, etc. "They shall come out with great substance." Gen. xv. 14. (b) To become public; to appear; to be published. "It is indeed come out at last." Bp. Stillingfleet. (c) To end; to result; to turn out; as, how will this affair come out he has come out well at last. (d) To be introduced into society; as, she came out two seasons ago. (e) To appear; to show itself; as, the sun came out. (f) To take sides; to take a stand; as, he came out against the tariff.(g) To publicly admit oneself to be homosexual. — To come out with, to give publicity to; to disclose. — To come over. (a) To pass from one side or place to another. "Perpetually teasing their friends to come over to them." Addison. (b) To rise and pass over, in distillation. — To come over to, to join. — To come round. (a) To recur in regular course. (b) To recover. [Colloq.] (c) To change, as the wind. (d) To relent. J. H. Newman. (e) To circumvent; to wheedle. [Colloq.] — To come short, to be deficient; to fail of attaining. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 23. — To come to. (a) To consent or yield. Swift. (b) (Naut.) (with the accent on to) To luff; to brin the ship's head nearer the wind; to anchor. (c) (with the accent on to) To recover, as from a swoon. (d) To arrive at; to reach. (e) To amount to; as, the taxes come to a large sum. (f) To fall to; to be received by, as an inheritance. Shak. — To come to blows. See under Blow. — To come to grief. See under Grief. — To come to a head. (a) To suppurate, as a boil. (b) To mature; to culminate; as a plot. — To come to one's self, to recover one's senses. — To come to pass, to happen; to fall out. — To come to the scratch. (a) (Prize Fighting) To step up to the scratch or mark made in the ring to be toed by the combatants in beginning a contest; hence: (b) To meet an antagonist or a difficulty bravely. [Colloq.] — To come to time. (a) (Prize Fighting) To come forward in order to resume the contest when the interval allowed for rest is over and "time" is called; hence: (b) To keep an appointment; to meet expectations. [Colloq.] — To come together. (a) To meet for business, worship, etc.; to assemble. Acts i. 6. (b) To live together as man and wife. Matt. i. 18. — To come true, to happen as predicated or expected. — To come under, to belong to, as an individual to a class. — To come up (a) to ascend; to rise. (b) To be brought up; to arise, as a question. (c) To spring; to shoot or rise above the earth, as a plant. (d) To come into use, as a fashion. — To come up the capstan (Naut.), to turn it the contrary way, so as to slacken the rope about it. — To come up the tackle fall (Naut.), to slacken the tackle gently. Totten. — To come up to, to rise to; to equal. — To come up with, to overtake or reach by pursuit. — To come upon. (a) To befall. (b) To attack or invade. (c) To have a claim upon; to become dependent upon for support; as, to come upon the town. (d) To light or chance upon; to find; as, to come upon hid treasure.

COME Come, v. t.

Defn: To carry through; to succeed in; as, you can't come any tricks here. [Slang] To come it, to succeed in a trick of any sort. [Slang]

COME Come, n.

Defn: Coming. Chaucer.

COME-ALONG Come"-a*long`, n.

Defn: A gripping device, as for stretching wire, etc., consisting of two jaws so attached to a ring that they are closed by pulling on the ring.

CO-MEDDLE Co-med"dle, v. t.

Defn: To mix; to mingle, to temper. [Obs.] Shak.

COMEDIAN Co*me"di*an, n. Etym: [Cf. F. comédien.]

1. An actor or player in comedy. "The famous comedian, Roscius." Middleton.

2. A writer of comedy. Milton.

COMEDIENNE Co*mé`di*enne", n. Etym: [F., fem. of com.]

Defn: A women who plays in comedy.

COMEDIETTA Co*me`di*et"ta, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A dramatic sketch; a brief comedy.

COMEDO Com"e*do, n.; pl. Comedones. Etym: [L., a glutton. See Comestible.] (Med.)

Defn: A small nodule or cystic tumor, common on the nose, etc., which on pressure allows the escape of a yellow wormlike mass of retained oily secretion, with a black head (dirt).

COMEDOWN Come"down`, n.

Defn: A downfall; an humillation. [Colloq.]

COMEDY Com"e*dy, n.; pl. Comedies. Etym: [F. comédie, L. comoedia, fr. Gr. home) + Home, and Ode.]

Defn: A dramatic composition, or representation of a bright and amusing character, based upon the foibles of individuals, the manners of society, or the ludicrous events or accidents of life; a play in which mirth predominates and the termination of the plot is happy; — opposed to tragedy. With all the vivacity if comedy. Macaulay. Are come to play a pleasant comedy. Shak.

COMELILY Come"li*ly, adv.

Defn: In a suitable or becoming manner. [R.] Sherwood.

COMELINESS Come"li*ness, n. Etym: [See Comely.]

Defn: The quality or state of being comely. Comeliness is a disposing fair Of things and actions in fit time and place. Sir J. Davies. Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit. Milton. Comeliness signifies something less forcible than beauty, less elegant than grace, and less light than prettiness. Johnson.

COMELY Come"ly, a. [Compar. Comelier; superl. Comeliest.] Etym: [OE. comeliche, AS. cymlic; cyme suitable (fr. cuman to come, become) + lic like.]

1. Pleasing or agreeable to the sight; well-proportioned; good- looking; handsome. He that is comely when old and decrepit, surely was very beautiful when he was young. South. Not once perceive their foul disfigurement But boast themselves more comely than before. Milton.

2. Suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable. This is a happier and more comely time Than when these fellows ran about the streets, Crying confusion. Shak. It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Ps. cxlvii. 1.

COMELY Come"ly, adv.

Defn: In a becoming manner. Ascham.

COME-OUTER Come-out"er, n.

Defn: One who comes out or withdraws from a religious or other organization; a radical reformer. [Colloq. U. S.]

COMER Com"er, n.

Defn: One who comes, or who has come; one who has arrived, and is present. All comers, all who come, or offer, to take part in a matter, especially in a contest or controversy. "To prove it against all comers." Bp. Stillingfleet.

COMES Co"mes, n. Etym: [L., a companion.] (Mus.)

Defn: The answer to the theme (dux) in a fugue.

COMESSATION Com`es*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. comissatio, comessatio.]

Defn: A reveling; a rioting. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

COMESTIBLE Co*mes"ti*ble, a. Etym: [F. comestible, fr. L. comesus, comestus, p. p. pf comedere to eat; com- + edere to eat.]

Defn: Suitable to be eaten; eatable; esculent. Some herbs are most comestible. Sir T. Elyot.

COMESTIBLE Co*mes"ti*ble, n.

Defn: Something suitable to be eaten; — commonly in the plural. Thackeray.

COMET Com"et, n. Etym: [L. cometes, cometa, from Gr. coma: cf. F. comète.] (Astron.)

Defn: A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix.

COMETARIUM Com`e*ta"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL.] (Astron.)

Defn: An instrument, intended to represent the revolution of a comet round the sun. Hutton.

COMETARY Com"et*a*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. cométaire.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, a comet. Cheyne.

COMET-FINDER; COMET-SEEKER Com"et-find`er, or Com"et-seek`er, n. (Astron.)

Defn: A telescope of low power, having a large field of view, used for finding comets.

COMETHER Co*meth"er, n. [Prob. dial. pron. of come hither, used in calling cows, etc.] [Dial. or Colloq., Brit.]

1.

Defn: Matter; affair.

2. Friendly communication or association.

To put the, or one's, comether on, to exercise persuasion upon; to get under one's influence; to beguile; to wheedle.

How does ut come about, sorr, that whin a man has put the comether on wan woman he's sure bound to put ut on another Kipling.

COMETIC Co*met"ic, a.

Defn: Relating to a comet.

COMETOGRAPHER Com`et*og"ra*pher, n.

Defn: One who describes or writes about comets.

COMETOGRAPHY Com`et*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Comet + -graphy: cf. F. cométographie.]

Defn: A description of, or a treatise concerning, comets.

COMETOLOGY Com`et*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Comet + -logy.]

Defn: The department of astronomy relating to comets.

COMFIT Com"fit, n. Etym: [F. confit, prop. a p. p., fr. confire to preserve, pickle, fr. L. conficere to prepare; con- + facere to make. See Fact, and cf. Confect.]

Defn: A dry sweetmeat; any kind of fruit, root, or seed preserved with sugar and dried; a confection.

COMFIT Com"fit, v. t.

Defn: To preserve dry with sugar. The fruit which does so quickly waste, . . . Thou comfitest in sweets to make it last. Cowley.

COMFITURE Com"fi*ture, n. Etym: [F. confiture; cf. LL. confecturae sweetmeats, confectura a preparing. See Comfit, and cf. Confiture.]

Defn: See Comfit, n.

COMFORT Com"fort, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Comforted; p. pr. & vb. n. Comforting.] Etym: [F. conforter, fr. L. confortare to strengthen much; con- + fortis strong. See Fort.]

1. To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate. [Obs.] Wyclif. God's own testimony . . . doth not a little comfort and confirm the same. Hooker.

2. To assist or help; to aid. [Obs.] I . . . can not help the noble chevalier: God comfort him in this necessity! Shak.

3. To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer, Light excelleth in comforting the spirits of men. Bacon. That we may be adle to comfort them that are in any affliction. 2 Cor. i. 4. (Rev. Ver. ). A perfect woman, nobly planned, To warn, to comfort, and command. Wordsworth.

Syn. — To cheer; solace; console; revive; encourage; enliven; invigorate; inspirit, gladden; recreate; exhilarate; refresh; animate; confirm; strengthen. — To Comfort, Console, Solace. These verbs all suppose some antecedent state of suffering or sorrow. Console in confined to the act giving sympathetic relief to the mind under affliction or sorrow, and points to some definite source of that relief; as, the presence of his friend consoled him; he was much consoled by this intelligence. The act of consoling commonly implies the inculcation of resignation. Comfort points to relief afforded by the communication of positive pleasure, hope, and strength, as well as by the diminution of pain; as, "They brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted." Acts xx. 12.

Note: Solace is from L. solacium, which means according to Dumesnil, consolation inwardly felt or applied to the case of the sufferer. Hence, the verb to solace denotes the using of things for the purpose of affording relief under sorrow or suffering; as, to solace one's self with reflections, with books, or with active employments.

COMFORT Com"fort, n. Etym: [OF. confort, fr. conforter.]

1. Assistance; relief; support. [Obs. except in the phrase "aid and comfort." See 5 below.] Shak.

2. Encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation. In comfort of her mother's fears. Shak. Cheer thy spirit with this comfort. Shak. Speaking words of endearment where words of comfort availed not. Longfellow.

3. A state of quiet enjoyment; freedom from pain, want, or anxiety; also, whatever contributes to such a condition. I had much joy and comfort in thy love. Phil. 7 (Rev. Ver. ). He had the means of living in comfort. Macaulay.

4. A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable. [U. S.]

5. (Law)

Defn: Unlawful support, countenance, or encouragement; as, to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

Syn. — Comfort, Consolation. Comfort has two meanings:

1. Strength and relief received under affliction;

2. Positive enjoyment, of a quiet, permanent nature, together with the sources thereof; as, the comfort of love; surrounded with comforts; but it is with the former only that the word consolation is brought into comparison. As thus compared, consolation points to some specific source of relief for the afflicted mind; as, the consolations of religion. Comfort supposes the relief to be afforded by imparting positive enjoyment, as well as a diminution of pain. "Consolation, or comfort, signifies some alleviation to that pain to which it is not in our power to afford the proper and adequate remedy; they imply rather an augmentation of the power of bearing, than a diminution of the burden." Johnson.

COMFORTABLE Com"fort*a*ble, a. Etym: [OF. confortable.]

1. Strong; vigorous; valiant. [Obs.] Wyclif. Thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers. For my sake be comfortable; hold death a while at the arm's end. Shak.

2. Serviceable; helpful. [Obs.] Be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her. Shak.

3. Affording or imparting comfort or consolation; able to comfort; cheering; as, a comfortable hope. "Kind words and comfortable." Cowper. A comfortable provision made for their subsistence. Dryden.

4. In a condition of comfort; having comforts; not suffering or anxious; hence, contented; cheerful; as, to lead a comfortable life. My lord leans wondrously to discontent; His comfortable temper has forsook him: He is much out of health. Shak.

5. Free, or comparatively free, from pain or distress; — used of a sick person. [U. S.]

COMFORTABLE Com"fort*a*ble, n.

Defn: A stuffed or quilted coverlet for a bed; a comforter; a comfort. [U. S.]

COMFORTABLENESS Com"fort*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: State of being comfortable or comforting manner. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. Is. xl. 2.

COMFORTABLY Com"fort*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a comfortable or comforting manner.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. Is. xl. 2.

COMFORTER Com"fort*er, n.

1. One who administers comfort or consolation. Let no comforter delight mine ear But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Shak.

2. (Script.)

Defn: The Holy Spirit, — reffering to his office of comforting believers. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. John xiv. 26.

3. A knit woolen tippet, long and narrow. [U. S.] The American schoolboy takes off his comforter and unbuttons his jacket before going in for a snowball fight. Pop. Sci. Monthly.

4. A wadded bedquilt; a comfortable. [U. S.] Job's comforter, a boil. [Colloq.]

COMFORTLESS Com"fort*less, a.

Defn: Without comfort or comforts; in want or distress; cheerless. Comfortless through turanny or might. Spenser.

Syn. — Forlorn; desolate; cheerless; inconsolable; disconsolate; wretched; miserable. — Com"fort*less*ly, adv. — Com"fort*less*ness, n. When all is coldly, comfortlessly costly. Milton.

COMFORTMENT Com"fort*ment, n.

Defn: Act or process of administering comfort. [Obs.] The gentle comfortment and entertainment of the said embassador. Hakluyt.

COMFORTRESS Com"fort*ress, n.

Defn: A woman who comforts. To be your comfortress, and to preserve you. B. Jonson.

COMFREY Com"frey, n. Etym: [Prob. from F. conferve, L. conferva, fr. confervere to boil together, in medical language, to heal, grow together. So called on account of its healing power, for which reason it was also called consolida.] (Bot.)

Defn: A rough, hairy, perennial plant of several species, of the genus Symphytum.

Note: A decoction of the mucilaginous root of the "common comfrey" (S. officinale) is used in cough mixtures, etc.; and the gigantic "prickly comfrey" (S. asperrimum) is somewhat cultivated as a forage plant.

COMIC Com"ic, a. Etym: [L. comicus pertaining to comedy, Gr. comique. See Comedy.]

1. Relating to comedy, as distinct from tragedy. I can not for the stage a drama lay, Tragic or comic, but thou writ'st the play. B. Jonson.

2. Causing mirth; ludicrous. "Comic shows." Shak.

COMIC Com"ic, n.

Defn: A comedian. [Obs.] Steele.

COMICAL Com"ic*al, a.

1. Relating to comedy. They deny it to be tragical because its catastrphe is a wedding, which hath ever been accounted comical. Gay.

2. Exciting mirth; droll; laughable; as, a comical story. "Comical adventures." Dryden.

Syn. — Humorous; laughable; funny. See Droll. — Com"ic*al*ly, adv. — Com"ic*al"ness, n.

COMICALITY Com`i*cal"i*ty, n.; pl. Comicalities.

Defn: The quality of being comical; something comical.

COMICRY Com"ic*ry, n.

Defn: The power of exciting mirth; comicalness. [R.] H. Giles.

COMING Com"ing, a.

1. Approaching; of the future, especially the near future; the next; as, the coming week or year; the coming exhibition. Welcome the coming, speed the parting, guest. Pope. Your coming days and years. Byron.

2. Ready to come; complaisant; fond. [Obs.] Pope.

COMING Com"ing, n.

1. Approach; advent; manifestation; as, the coming of the train.

2. Specifically: The Second Advent of Christ. Coming in. (a) Entrance; entrance way; manner of entering; beginning. "The goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof." Ezek. xliii. 11 (b) Income or revenue. "What are thy comings in" Shak.

COMITIA Co*mi"ti*a, n., pl. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A public assembly of the Roman people for electing officers or passing laws.

Note: There were three kinds of comitia: comitia curiata, or assembly of the patricians, who voted in curiæ; comitia centuriata, or assembly of the whole Roman people, who voted by centuries; and comitia tributa, or assembly of the plebeians according to their division into tribes.

COMITIAL Co*mi"tial, a. Etym: [L. comitialis.]

Defn: Relating to the comitia, or popular assembles of the Romans for electing officers and passing laws. Middleton.

COMITIVA Co`mi*ti"va, n. [It.]

Defn: A body of followers; — applied to the lawless or brigand bands in Italy and Sicily.

COMITY Com"i*ty, n.; pl. Comities. Etym: [L. comitas, fr. comis courteous, kind.]

Defn: Mildness and suavity of manners; courtesy between equals; friendly equals; friendly civility; as, comity of manners; the comity of States. Comity of nations (International Law), the courtesy by which nations recognize within their own territory, or in their courts, the peculiar institutions of another nation or the rights and privileges acquired by its citizens in their own land. By some authorities private international law rests on this comity, but the better opinion is that it is part of the common law of the land, and hence is obligatory as law.

Syn. — Civility; good breeding; courtesy; good will.

COMMA Com"ma, n. Etym: [L. comma part of a sentence, comma, Gr. Capon.]

1. A character or point [,] marking the smallest divisions of a sentence, written or printed.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A small interval (the difference beyween a major and minor half step), seldom used except by tuners. Comma bacillus (Physiol.), a variety of bacillus shaped like a comma, found in the intestines of patients suffering from cholera. It is considered by some as having a special relation to the disease; — called also cholera bacillus. — Comma butterfly (Zoöl.), an American butterfly (Grapta comma), having a white comma-shaped marking on the under side of the wings.

COMMAND Com*mand" (; 61), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Commanding.] Etym: [OE. comaunden, commanden, OF. comander, F. commander, fr. L. com- + mandare to commit to, to command. Cf. Commend, Mandate.]

1. To order with authority; to lay injunction upon; to direct; to bid; to charge. We are commanded to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends. Bacon. Go to your mistress: Say, I command her come to me. Shak.

2. To exercise direct authority over; to have control of; to have at one's disposal; to lead. Monmouth commanded the English auxiliaries. Macaulay. Such aid as I can spare you shall command. Shak.

3. To have within a sphere of control, influence, access, or vision; to dominate by position; to guard; to overlook. Bridges commanded by a fortified house. Motley. Up to the eastern tower, Whose height commands as subject all the vale. Shak. One side commands a view of the finest garden. Addison.

4. To have power or influence of the nature of authority over; to obtain as if by ordering; to reeceive as a due; to challenge; to claim; as, justice commands the respect and affections of the people; the best goods command the best price. 'Tis not in mortals to command success. Addison.

5. To direct to come; to bestow. [Obs.] I will command my blessing upon you. Lev. xxv. 21.

Syn. — To bid; order; direct; dictate; charge; govern; rule; overlook.

COMMAND Com*mand", v. i.

1. To have or to exercise direct authority; to govern; to sway; to influence; to give an order or orders. And reigned, commanding in his monarchy. Shak. For the king had so commanded concerning [Haman]. Esth. iii. 2.

2. To have a view, as from a superior position. Far and wide his eye commands. Milton.

COMMAND Com*mand", n.

1. An authoritative order requiring obedience; a mandate; an injunction. A waiting what command their mighty chief Had to impose. Milton.

2. The possession or exercise of authority. Command and force may often create, but can never cure, an aversion. Locke.

3. Authority; power or right of control; leadership; as, the forces under his command.

4. Power to dominate, command, or overlook by means of position; scope of vision; survey. Te steepy stand Which overlooks the vale with wide command. Dryden.

5. Control; power over something; sway; influence; as, to have command over one's temper or voice; the fort has command of the bridge. He assumed an absolute command over his readers. Druden.

6. A body of troops, or any naval or military force or post, or the whole territory under the authority or control of a particular officer.

Word of command (Mil.), a word or phrase of definite and established meaning, used in directing the movements of soldiers; as, aim; fire; shoulder arms, etc.

Syn. — Control; sway; power; authority; rule; dominion; sovereignty; mandate; order; injunction; charge; behest. See Direction.

COMMANDABLE Com*mand"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being commanded.

COMMANDANT Com`man*dant", n. Etym: [F., orig. p. pr. of commander.]

Defn: A commander; the commanding officer of a place, or of a body of men; as, the commandant of a navy-yard.

COMMANDATORY Com*mand"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Mandatory; as, commandatory authority. [Obs.]

COMMANDEER Com`man*deer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commandeered; p. pr. & vb. n. Commandeering.] [D. kommandeeren to command, in South Africa to commandeer, fr. F. commander to command. See Command.]

1. (Mil.)

Defn: To compel to perform military service; to seize for military purposes; — orig. used of the Boers.

2. To take arbitrary or forcible possession of. [Colloq.]

COMMANDER Com*mand"er, n. Etym: [Cf. F. commandeur. Cf. Commodore, Commender.]

1. A chief; one who has supreme authority; a leader; the chief officer of an army, or of any division of it. A leader and commander to the people. Is. lv. 4.

2. (Navy)

Defn: An officer who ranks next below a captain, — ranking with a lieutenant colonel in the army.

3. The chief officer of a commandery.

4. A heavy beetle or wooden mallet, used in paving, in sail lofts, etc. Commander in chief, the military title of the officer who has supreme command of the land or naval forces or the united forces of a nation or state; a generalissimo. The President is commander in chief of the army and navy of the United States.

Syn. — See Chief.

COMMANDERSHIP Com*mand"er*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a commander.

COMMANDERY Com*mand"er*y, n.; pl. Commanderies. Etym: [F. commanderie.]

1. The office or rank of a commander. [Obs.]

2. A district or a manor with lands and tenements appertaining thereto, under the control of a member of an order of knights who was called a commander; — called also a preceptory.

3. An assembly or lodge of Knights Templars (so called) among the Freemasons. [U. S.]

4. A district under the administration of a military commander or governor. [R.] Brougham.

COMMANDING Com*mand"ing, a.

1. Exercising authority; actually in command; as, a commanding officer.

2. Fitted to impress or control; as, a commanding look or presence.

3. Exalted; overlooking; having superior strategic advantages; as, a commanding position.

Syn. — Authoritative; imperative; imperious.

COMMANDINGLY Com*mand"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a commanding manner.

COMMANDMENT Com*mand"ment, n. Etym: [OF. commandement, F. commandement.]

1. An order or injunction given by authority; a command; a charge; a precept; a mandate. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. John xiii. 34.

2. (Script.)

Defn: One of the ten laws or precepts given by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

3. The act of commanding; exercise of authority. And therefore put I on the countenance Of stern commandment. Shak.

4. (Law)

Defn: The offense of commanding or inducing another to violate the law. The Commandments, The Ten Commandments, the Decalogue, or summary of God's commands, given to Moses at Mount Sinai. (Ex. xx.)

COMMANDO Com*man"do, n. [D. See Command, v. t.]

Defn: In South Africa, a military body or command; also, sometimes, an expedition or raid; as, a commando of a hundred Boers.

The war bands, called commandos, have played a great part in the . . . military history of the country. James Bryce.

COMMANDRESS Com*mand"ress, n.

Defn: A woman invested with authority to command. Hooker.

COMMANDRY Com*mand"ry, n.

Defn: See Commandery.

COMMARK Com"mark`, n. Etym: [Of. comarque, or LL. commarca, commarcha; com- + marcha, boundary. See March a confine.]

Defn: The frontier of a country; confines. [Obs.] Shelton.

COMMATERIAL Com`ma*te"ri*al, a.

Defn: Consisting of the same material. [Obs.] Bacon.

COMMATIC Com*mat"ic, a. Etym: [L. commaticus, Gr. Comma.]

Defn: Having short clauses or sentences; brief; concise.

COMMATISM Com"ma*tism, n. Etym: [See Commatic.]

Defn: Conciseness in writing. Bp. Horsley.

COMMEASURABLE Com*meas"ur*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. Commensurable.]

Defn: Having the same measure; commensurate; proportional. She being now removed by death, a commeasurable grief took as full possession of him as joy had one. I. Walton.

COMMEASURE Com*meas"ure, v. t.

Defn: To be commensurate with; to equal. Tennyson.

COMMEMORABLE Com*mem"o*ra"ble, a. Etym: [L. commemorabilis.]

Defn: Worthy to be commemorated.

COMMEMORATE Com*mem"o*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commemorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Commemorating.] Etym: [L. commemoratus, p. p. of commemorare to remember; com- + memorare to mention, fr. memor mindful. See Memory.]

Defn: To call to remembrance by a special act or observance; to celebrate with honor and solemnity; to honor, as a person or event, by some act of respect of affection, intended to preserve the remembrance of the person or event; as, to commemorate the sufferings and dying love of our Savior by the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; to commemorate the Declaration of Independence by the observance of the Fourth of July. We are called upon to commemorate a revolution. Atterbury.

Syn. — See Celebrate.

COMMEMORATION Com*mem`o*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. commemoratio.]

1. The act of commemorating; an observance or celebration designed to honor the memory of some person or event. This sacrament was designed to be a standing commemoration of the death and passion of our Lord. Abp. Tillotson. The commonwealth which . . . chooses the most flagrant act of murderous regicide treason for a feast of eternal commemoration. Burke.

2. Whatever serves the purpose of commemorating; a memorial. Commemoration day, at the University of Oxford, Eng., an annual observance or ceremony in honor of the benefactors of the University, at which time honorary degrees are conferred.

COMMEMORATIVE Com*mem"o*ra*tive, a.

Defn: Tending or intended to commemorate. "A sacrifice commemorative of Christ's offering up his body for us." Hammond. An inscription commemorative of his victory. Sir G. C. Lewis.

COMMEMORATOR Com*mem"o*ra`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who commemorates.

COMMEMORATORY Com*mem"o*ra*to*ry, a.

Defn: Serving to commemorate; commomerative. Bp. Hooper.

COMMENCE Com*mence", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Commenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Commencing.] Etym: [F. commencer, OF. commencier, fr. L. com- + initiare to begin. See Initiate.]

1. To have a beginning or origin; to originate; to start; to begin. Here the anthem doth commence. Shak. His heaven commences ere the world be past. Goldsmith.

2. To begin to be, or to act as. [Archaic] We commence judges ourselves. Coleridge.

3. To take a degree at a university. [Eng.] I question whether the formality of commencing was used in that age. Fuller.

COMMENCE Com*mence", v. t.

Defn: To enter upon; to begin; to perform the first act of. Many a wooer doth commence his suit. Shak.

Note: It is the practice of good writers to use the verbal noun (instead of the infinitive with to) after commence; as, he commenced studying, not he commenced to study.

COMMENCEMENT Com*mence"ment, n. Etym: [F. comencement.]

1. The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing; rise; origin; beginnig; start. The time of Henry VII . . . nearly coincides with the commencement of what is termed "modern history."

2. The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.

COMMEND Com*mend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commended; p. pr. & vb. n. Commending.] Etym: [L. commendare; com- + mandare to intrust to one's charge, enjoin, command. Cf. Command, Mandate.]

1. To commit, intrust, or give in charge for care or preservation. His eye commends the leading to his hand. Shak. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Luke xxiii. 46.

2. To recommend as worthy of confidence or regard; to present as worthy of notice or favorable attention. Among the objects of knowlwdge, two especially commend themselves to our contemplation. Sir M. Hale. I commend unto you Phebe our sister. Rom. xvi. 1.

3. To mention with approbation; to praise; as, to commend a person or an act. Historians commend Alexander for weeping when he read the actions of Achilles. Dryden.

4. To mention by way of courtesy, implying remembrance and good will. [Archaic] Commend me to my brother. Shak.

COMMEND Com*mend", n.

1. Commendation; praise. [Obs.] Speak in his just commend. Shak.

2. pl.

Defn: Compliments; greetings. [Obs.] Hearty commends and much endeared love to you. Howell.

COMMENDABLE Com*mend"a*ble, a.

Note: (Formerly accented on the first syllable.) Etym: [L. commendabilis.]

Defn: Worthy of being commended or praised; laudable; praiseworthy. Order and decent ceremonies in the church are not only comely but commendable. Bacon. — Com*mend"a*ble*ness, n. — Com*mend"a*bly, adv.

COMMENDAM Com*men"dam, n. Etym: [LL. dare in commendam to give into trust.] (Eng. Eccl. Law)

Defn: A vacant living or benefice commended to a cleric (usually a bishop) who enjoyed the revenue until a pastor was provided. A living so held was said to be held in commendam. The practice was abolished by law in 1836. There was [formerly] some sense for commendams. Selden. Partnership in commendam. See under Partnership.

COMMENDATARY Com*mend"a*ta*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. F. commendataire, LL. commendatarius.]

Defn: One who holds a living in commendam.

COMMENDATION Com`men*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. commendatio.]

1. The act of commending; praise; favorable representation in words; recommendation. Need we . . . epistles of commendatiom 2 Cor. iii. 1. By the commendation of the great officers. Bacon.

2. That which is the ground of approbation or praise. Good nature is the most godlike commendation of a man. Dryden.

3. pl.

Defn: A message of affection or respect; compliments; greeting. [Obs.] Hark you, Margaret; No princely commendations to my king Shak.

COMMENDATOR Com*mend"a*tor ( or ), n. Etym: [LL.]

Defn: One who holds a benefice in commendam; a commendatary. Chalmers.

COMMENDATORY Com*mend"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. commendatorius.]

1. Serving to commend; containing praise or commendation; commending; praising. "Commendatory verses." Pope.

2. Holding a benefice in commendam; as, a commendatory bishop. Burke. Commendatory prayer (Book of Common Prayer), a prayer read over the dying. "The commendatory prayer was said for him, and, as it ended, he [William III.] died." Bp. Burnet.

COMMENDATORY Com*mend"a*to*ry, n.

Defn: A commendation; eulogy. [R.] "Commendatories to our affection." Sharp.

COMMENDER Com*mend"er, n.

Defn: One who commends or praises.

COMMENSAL Com*men"sal, n. Etym: [LL. commensalis; L. com- + mensa table: cf. F. commensal. Cf. Mensal.]

1. One who eats at the same table. [Obs.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal, not truly parasitic, which lives in with, or on, another, partaking usually of the same food. Both species may be benefited by the association.

COMMENSAL Com*men"sal, a.

Defn: Having the character of a commensal.

COMMENSALISM Com*men"sal*ism, n.

Defn: The act of eating together; table fellowship.

COMMENSALITY Com`men*sal"i*ty, n.

Defn: Fellowship at table; the act or practice of eating at the same table. [Obs.] "Promiscuous commensality." Sir T. Browne.

COMMENSATION Com`men*sa"tion, n.

Defn: Commensality. [Obs.] Daniel . . . declined pagan commensation. Sir T. Browne.

COMMENSURABILITY Com*men`su*ra*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. commensurabilite.]

Defn: The quality of being commersurable. Sir T. Browne.

COMMENSURABLE Com*men"su*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. commensurabilis; pref. com- + mensurable. See Commensurate, and cf. Commeasurable.]

Defn: Having a common measure; capable of being exactly measured by the same number, quantity, or measure. — Com*men"su*ra*ble*ness, n. Commensurable numbers or quantities (Math.), those that can be exactly expressed by some common unit; thus a foot and yard are commensurable, since both can be expressed in terms of an inch, one being 12 inches, the other 36 inches. — Numbers, or Quantities, commensurable in power, those whose squares are commensurable.

COMMENSURABLY Com*men"su*ra*bly, adv.

Defn: In a commensurable manner; so as to be commensurable.

COMMENSURATE Com*men"su*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commensurated; p. pr. & vb. n. Commensurating.] Etym: [Pref. com- + mensurate.]

1. To reduce to a common measure. Sir T. Browne.

2. To proportionate; to adjust. T. Puller

COMMENSURATE Com*men"su*rate, a.

1. Having a common measure; commensurable; reducible to a common measure; as, commensurate quantities.

2. Equal in measure or extent; proportionate. Those who are persuaded that they shall continue forever, can not choose but aspire after a hapiness commensurate to their duration. Tillotson.

COMMENSURATELY Com*men"su*rate*ly, adv.

1. In a commensurate manner; so as to be equal or proportionate; adequately.

2. With equal measure or extent. Goodwin.

COMMENSURATENESS Com*men"su*rate*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being commensurate. Foster.

COMMENSURATION Com*men`su*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. commensuration.]

Defn: The act of commensurating; the state of being commensurate. All fitness lies in a particular commensuration, or proportion of one thing to another. South.

COMMENT Com"ment, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Commented; p. pr. & vb. n. Commenting.] Etym: [F. commenter, L. commentary to meditate upon, explain, v. intens, of comminisci, commentus, to reflect upon, invent; com- + the root of meminisse to remember, mens mind. See Mind.]

Defn: To make remarks, observations, or criticism; especially, to write notes on the works of an author, with a view to illustrate his meaning, or to explain particular passages; to write annotations; — often followed by on or upon. A physician to comment on your malady. Shak. Critics . . . proceed to comment on him. Dryden. I must translate and comment. Pope.

COMMENT Com"ment, v. t.

Defn: To comment on. [Archaic.] Fuller.

COMMENT Com"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. comment.]

1. A remark, observation, or criticism; gossip; discourse; talk. Their lavish comment when her name was named. Tennyson.

2. A note or observation intended to explain, illustrate, or criticise the meaning of a writing, book, etc.; explanation; annotation; exposition. All the volumes of philosophy, With all their comments. Prior.

COMMENTARY Com"men*ta*ry, n.; pl. Commentaries. Etym: [L. commentarius, commentarium, note book, commentary: cf. F. commentaire. See Comment, v. i.]

1. A series of comments or annotations; esp., a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of the Scriptures or of some other work. This letter . . . was published by him with a severe commentary. Hallam.

2. A brief account of transactions or events written hastily, as if for a memorandum; — usually in the plural; as, Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War.

COMMENTATE Com"men*tate, v. t. & i. Etym: [L. commentatus, p. p. of commentari to meditate.]

Defn: To write comments or notes upon; to make comments. [R.] Commentate upon it, and return it enriched. Lamb.

COMMENTATION Com`men*ta"tion, n.

1. The act or process of commenting or criticising; exposition. [R.] The spirit of commentation. Whewell.

2. The result of the labors of a commentator.

COMMENTATOR Com"men*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L. commentator: cf. F. commentateur.]

Defn: One who writes a commentary or comments; an expositor; an annotator. The commentator's professed object is to explain, to enforce, to illustrate doctrines claimed as true. Whewell.

COMMENTATORIAL Com`men*ta*to"ri*al ( or , a.

Defn: Pertaining to the making of commentaries. Whewell.

COMMENTATORSHIP Com"men*ta`tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office or occupation of a commentator.

COMMENTER Com"ment`er, n.

Defn: One who makes or writes comments; a commentator; an annotator.

COMMENTITIOUS Com`men*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. commentitius.]

Defn: Fictitious or imaginary; unreal; as, a commentitious system of religion. [Obs.] Warburton.

COMMERCE Com"merce, n.

Note: (Formerly accented on the second syllable.) Etym: [F. commerce, L. commercium; com- + merx, mercis, merchadise. See Merchant.]

1. The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; esp. the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between different places or communities; extended trade or traffic. The public becomes powerful in proportion to the opulence and extensive commerce of private men. Hume.

2. Social intercourse; the dealings of one person or class in society with another; familiarity. Fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce with the world had made him [Bunyan] wiser. Macaulay.

3. Sexual intercourse. W. Montagu.

4. A round game at cards, in which the cards are subject to exchange, barter, or trade. Hoyle. Chamber of commerce. See Chamber.

Syn. — Trade; traffic; dealings; intercourse; interchange; communion; communication.

COMMERCE Com*merce" ( or , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Commerced; p. pr. & vb. n. Commercing.] Etym: [Cf. F. commercer, fr. LL. commerciare.]

1. To carry on trade; to traffic. [Obs.] Beware you commerce not with bankrupts. B. Jonson.

2. To hold intercourse; to commune. Milton. Commercing with himself. Tennyson. Musicians . . . taught the people in angelic harmonies to commerce with heaven. Prof. Wilson.

COMMERCE DESTROYER Com"merce de*stroy"er. (Nav.)

Defn: A very fast, unarmored, lightly armed vessel designed to capture or destroy merchant vessels of an enemy. Not being intended to fight, they may be improvised from fast passenger steamers.

COMMERCIAL Com*mer"cial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. commercial.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to commerce; carrying on or occupied with commerce or trade; mercantile; as, commercial advantages; commercial relations. "Princely commercial houses." Macaulay. Commercial college, a school for giving instruction in commercial knowledge and business. — Commercial law. See under Law. — Commercial note paper, a small size of writing paper, usually about 5 by 7½ or 8 inches. — Commercial paper, negotiable paper given in due course of business. It includes bills of exchange, promissory notes, bank cheks, etc. — Commercial traveler, an agent of a wholesale house who travels from town to town to solicit orders.

Syn. — See Mercantile.

COMMERCIALISM Com*mer"cial*ism, n.

Defn: The commercial spirit or method. C. Kingsley.

COMMERCIALLY Com*mer"cial*ly, adv.

Defn: In a commercial manner.

COMMIGRATE Com"mi*grate, v. i. Etym: [L. commigrare, commigratum.]

Defn: To migrate together. [R.]

COMMIGRATION Com`mi*gra"tion, n. Etym: [L. commigratio.]

Defn: Migration together. [R.] Woodward.

COMMINATION Com`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. comminatio, from comminary to threaten; com- + minari to threaten: cf. F. commination.]

1. A threat or threatening; a denunciation of punishment or vengeance. With terrible comminations to all them that did resist. I. Taylor.

2. An office in the liturgy of the Church of England, used on Ash Wednesday, containing a recital of God's anger and judgments against sinners.

COMMINATORY Com*min"a*to"ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. comminatoire.]

Defn: Threatening or denouncing punishment; as, comminatory terms. B. Jonson.

COMMINGLE Com*min"gle, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Commingled; p. pr. & vb. n. Commingling.]

Defn: To mingle together; to mix in one mass, or intimately; to blend. Bacon.

COMMINGLER Com*min"gler, n.

Defn: One that commingles; specif., a device for noiseless heating of water by steam, in a vessel filled with a porous mass, as of pebbles.

COMMINUTE Com"mi*nute, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Comminuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Comminuting.] Etym: [L. comminutus, p. p. of comminuere to comminute; com- + minuere to lessen. See Minute.]

Defn: To reduce to minute particles, or to a fine powder; to pulverize; to triturate; to grind; as, to comminute chalk or bones; to comminute food with the teeth. Pennant. Comminuted fracture. See under Fracture.

COMMINUTION Com`mi*nu"tion, n.

1. The act of reducing to a fine powder or to small particles; pulverization; the state of being comminuted. Bentley.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: Fracture (of a bone) into a number of pieces. Dunglison.

3. Gradual diminution by the removal of small particles at a time; a lessening; a wearing away. Natural and necessary comminution of our lives. Johnson.

COMMISERABLE Com*mis"er*a*ble, a.

Defn: Pitiable. [Obs.] Bacon.

COMMISERATE Com*mis"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commiserated; p. pr. & vb. n. Commiserating.] Etym: [L. commiseratus, p. p. of commiserari to commiserate; com- + miserari to pity. See Miserable.]

Defn: To feel sorrow, pain, or regret for; to pity. Then must we those, who groan, beneath the weight Of age, disease, or want, commiserate. Denham. We should commiserate our mutual ignorance. Locke.

Syn. — To pity; compassionate; lament; condole.

COMMISERATION Com*mis`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [F. commis, fr. L. commiseratio a part of an oration intended to exite compassion.]

Defn: The act of commiserating; sorrow for the wants, afflictions, or distresses of another; pity; compassion. And pluck commiseration of his state From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint. Shak.

Syn. — See Sympathy.

COMMISERATIVE Com*mis"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Feeling or expressing commiseration. Todd.

COMMISERATOR Com*mis"er*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who pities.

COMMISSARIAL Com`mis*sa"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a commissary.

COMMISSARIAT Com`mis*sa"ri*at, n. Etym: [F. commissariat.] (Mil.) (a) The organized system by which armies and military posts are supplied with food and daily necessaries. (b) The body of officers charged with such service.

COMMISSARY Com"mis*sa*ry, n.; pl. Commissaries. Etym: [LL. commissarius, fr. L. commissus, p. p. of committere to commit, intrust to. See Commit.]

1. One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner. Great Destiny, the Commissary of God. Donne.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: An officer on the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop. Ayliffe.

3. (Mil.) (a) An officer having charge of a special sevice; as, the commissary of musters. (b) An officer whose business is to provide food for a body of troops or a military post; — officially called commissary of subsistence. [U. S.] Washington wrote to the President of Congress . . . urging the appointment of a commissary general, a quartermaster general, a commissary of musters, and a commissary of artillery. W. Irving Commissary general, an officer in charge of some special department of army service; as: (a) The officer in charge of the commissariat and transport department, or of the ordinace store department. [Eng.] (b) The commissary general of subsistence. [U. S.] — Commissary general of subsistence (Mil. U. S.), the head of the subsistence department, who has charge of the purchase and issue of provisions for the army.

COMMISSARYSHIP Com"mis*sa*ry*ship, n.

Defn: The office or employment of a commissary. Ayliffe.

COMMISSION Com*mis"sion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. commissio. See Commit.]

1. The act of committing, doing, or performing; the act of perpetrating. Every commission of sin introduces into the soul a certain degree of hardness. South.

2. The act of intrusting; a charge; instructions as to how a trust shall be executed.

3. The duty or employment intrusted to any person or persons; a trust; a charge.

4. A formal written warrant or authority, granting certain powers or privileges and authorizing or commanding the performance of certain duties. Let him see our commission. Shak.

5. A certificate conferring military or naval rank and authority; as, a colonel's commission.

6. A company of persons joined in the performance of some duty or the execution of some trust; as, the interstate commerce commission. A commission was at once appointed to examine into the matter. Prescott.

7. (Com.) (a) The acting under authority of, or on account of, another. (b) The thing to be done as agent for another; as, I have three commissions for the city. (c) The brokerage or allowance made to a factor or agent for transacting business for another; as, a commission of ten per cent on sales. See Del credere. Commission of array. (Eng. Hist.) See under Array. — Commission of bankrupty, a commission apointing and empowering certain persons to examine into the facts relative to an alleged bankrupty, and to secure the bankrupt's lands and effects for the creditors. — Commission of lunacy, a commission authoring and inquiry whether a person is a lunatic or not. — Commission merchant, one who buys or sells goods on commission, as the agent of others, receiving a rate per cent as his compensation. — Commission, or Commissioned, officer (Mil.), one who has a commission, in distingtion from a noncommossioned or warrant officer. — Commission of the peace, a commission under the great seal, constituting one or more persons justices of the peace. [Eng.] — To put a vessel into commission (Naut.), to equip and man a goverment vessel, and send it out on service after it has been laid up; esp., the formal act of tacking command of a vessel for service, hoisting the flag, reading the orders, etc. — To put a vessel out of commission (Naut.), to detach the officers and crew and retire it from active service, temporarily or permanently. — To put the great seal, or the Treasury, into commission, to place it in the hands of a commissioner or commissioners during the abeyance of the ordinary administration, as between the going out of one lord keeper and accession of another. [Eng.] — The United States Christians Commission, an organization among the people of the North, during the Civil War, which afforded material comforts to the Union soldiers, and performed services of a religious character in the field and in hospitals. — The United States Sanitary Commission, an organization formed by the people of the North to coöperate with and supplement the medical department of the Union armies during the Civil War.

Syn. — Charge; warrant; authority; mandate; office; trust; employment.

COMMISSION Com*mis"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commissioned; p. pr & vb. n. Commissioning.]

1. To give a commission to; to furnish with a commission; to empower or authorize; as, to commission persons to perform certain acts; to commission an officer.

2. To send out with a charge or commission. A chosen band He first commissions to the Latian land. Dryden.

Syn. — To appoint; depute; authorize; empower; delegate; constitute; ordain.

COMMISSIONAIRE Com*mis`sion*aire", n. [F. commissionnaire. Cf. Commissioner.]

1. One intrusted with a commission, now only a small commission, as an errand; esp., an attendant or subordinate employee in a public office, hotel, or the like. The commissionaire familiar to European travelers performs miscellaneous services as a light porter, messenger, solicitor for hotels, etc.

2. One of a corps of pensioned soldiers, as in London, employed as doorkeepers, messengers, etc.

COMMISSIONAL; COMMISSIONARY Com*mis"sion*al, Com*mis"sion*a*ry a.

Defn: Of pertaining to, or conferring, a commission; conferred by a commission or warrant. [R.] Delegate or commissionary authority. Bp. Hall.

COMMISSIONATE Com*mis"sion*ate, v. t.

Defn: To commission [Obs.]

COMMISSIONER Com*mis"sion*er, n.

1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some office, or execute some bussiness, for the goverment, corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner to take affidavits or to adjust claims. To another adress which requisted that a commission might be sent to examine into the state of things in Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and desired the Commons to name the commissioners. Macaulay.

2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of the public service. Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty. Macaulay. The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are subotdinates of the secretary of the interior. Bartlett. Commissioner of deeds, an officer having authority to take affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc., for use in the State by which he is appointed. [U. S.] — County commissioners, certain administrative officers in some of the States, invested by local laws with various powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial matters, etc., of the county. [U. S.]

COMMISSIONNAIRE Com*mis`sion*naire" (; F. ), n. Etym: [F., fr. L. commissio.]

1. An agent or factor; a commission merchant.

2. One of a class of attendants, in some European cities, who perform miscellaneous services for travelers.

COMMISSIONSHIP Com*mis"sion*ship, n.

Defn: The office of commissioner. Sir W. Scott.

COMMISSIVE Com*mis"sive, a.

Defn: Relating to commission; of the nature of, or involving, commission. [R.]

COMMISSURAL Com*mis"su*ral ( or ), a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a commissure.

COMMISSURE Com*mis"sure ( or ; 134-6), n. Etym: [L. commissura a joing together: cf. F. commissure. See Commit.]

1. A joint, seam, or closure; the place where two bodies, or parts of a body, meet and unite; an interstice, cleft, or juncture.

2. (Anat. & Zoöl.) (a) The point of union between two parts, as the angles of the lips or eyelids, the mandibles of a bird, etc. (b) A collection of fibers connecting parts of the brain or spinal marrow; a chiasma.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The line of junction or cohering face of two carpels, as in the parsnip, caraway, etc.

COMMIT Com*mit", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commited; p. pr. & vb. n. Commiting.] Etym: [L. committere, commissum, to connect, commit; com- + mittere to send. See Mission.]

1. To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to intrust; to consign; — used with to, unto. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Ps. xxxvii. 5. Bid him farewell, commit him to the grave. Shak.

2. To put in charge of a jailor; to imprison. These two were commited. Clarendon.

3. To do; to perperate, as a crime, sin, or fault. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Ex. xx. 14.

4. To join a contest; to match; — followed by with. [R.] Dr. H. More.

5. To pledge or bind; to compromise, expose, or endanger by some decisive act or preliminary step; — often used reflexively; as, to commit one's self to a certain course. You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship, without commiting the honor of your sovereign. Junius. Any sudden assent to the proposal . . . might possibly be considered as committing the faith of the United States. Marshall.

6. To confound. [An obsolete Latinism.] Committing short and long [quantities]. Milton. To commit a bill (Legislation), to refer or intrust it to a committee or others, to be considered and reported. — To commit to memory, or To commit, to learn by heart; to memorize.

Syn. — To Commit, Intrust, Consign. These words have in common the idea of transferring from one's self to the care and custody of another. Commit is the widest term, and may express only the general idea of delivering into the charge of another; as, to commit a lawsuit to the care of an attorney; or it may have the special sense of intrusting with or without limitations, as to a superior power, or to a careful servant, or of consigning, as to writing or paper, to the flames, or to prison. To intrust denotes the act of committing to the exercise of confidence or trust; as, to intrust a friend with the care of a child, or with a secret. To consign is a more formal act, and regards the thing transferred as placed chiefly or wholly out of one's immediate control; as, to consign a pupil to the charge of his instructor; to consign goods to an agent for sale; to consign a work to the press.

COMMIT Com"mit, v. i.

Defn: To sin; esp., to be incontinent. [Obs.] Commit not with man's sworn spouse. Shak.

COMMITMENT Com*mit"ment, n.

1. The act of commiting, or putting in charge, keeping, or trust; consigment; esp., the act of commiting to prison. They were glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower, whence he was within few days enlarged. Clarendon.

2. A warrant or order for the imprisonment of a person; — more frequently termed a mittimus.

3. The act of referring or intrusting to a committee for consideration and report; as, the commitment of a petition or a bill.

4. A doing, or preperation, in a bad sense, as of a crime or blunder; commission.

5. The act of pledging or engaging; the act of exposing, endangering, or compromising; also, the state of being pledged or engaged. Hamilton.

COMMITTABLE Com*mit"ta*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being committed.

COMMITTAL Com*mit"tal, n.

Defn: The act of commiting, or the state of being committed; commitment.

COMMITTEE Com*mit"tee, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. comité company, and LL. comitatus jurisdiction or territory of a count, county, assize, army. The word was apparently influenced by the verb commit, but not directly formed from it. Cf. County.]

Defn: One or more persons elected or appointed, to whom any matter or bussiness is referred, either by a legislative body, or by a court, or by any collective body of men acting together. Commitee of the whole [house], a committee, embracing all the members present, into which a legislative or deliberative body sometimes resolves itself, for the purpose of considering a particular measure under the operation of different rules from those governing the general legislative proceedings. The committee of the whole has its own chairman, and reports its action in the form of recommendations. — Standing committee. See under Standing.

COMMITTEE Com`mit*tee", n. Etym: [From Commit, v. t.] (Law)

Defn: One to whom the charge of the person or estate of another, as of a lunatic, is committed by suitable authority; a guardian.

COMMITTEEMAN Com*mit"tee*man, n.

Defn: A member of a committee.

COMMITTER Com*mit"ter, n.

1. One who commits; one who does or perpetrates. South.

2. A fornicator. [Obs.] T. Decker.

COMMITTIBLE Com*mit"ti*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being committed; liable to be committed. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

COMMIX Com*mix", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Commixed; p. pr. & vb. n. Commixing.] Etym: [Pref. com+ + mix: cf. L. commixtus, p. p.of commiscere. See Mix.]

Defn: To mix or mingle together; to blend. The commixed impressions of all the colors do stir up and beget a sensation of white. Sir I. Newton. To commix With winds that sailors rail at. Shak.

COMMIXION Com*mix"ion, n. Etym: [See Commix.]

Defn: Commixture. Shak.

COMMIXTION Com*mix"tion, n. Etym: [L. commixtio.]

Defn: Commixture; mingling. [R.] An exact commixtion of the ingredients. Boyle.

COMMIXTURE Com*mix"ture, n. Etym: [L. commixtura.]

1. The act or process of mixing; the state of being mingled; the blending of ingredients in one mass or compound. In the commixture of anything that is more oily or sweet, such bodies are least apt to putrefy. Bacon.

2. The mass formed by mingling different things; a compound; a mixture. Bacon.

COMMODATE Com"mo*date, n. Etym: [L. commodatum thing lent, loan.] (Scots Law)

Defn: A gratuitous loan.

COMMODE Com*mode", n. Etym: [F. commode, fr. commode convenient, L. commodus; com- + modus measure, mode. See Mode.]

1. A kind of headdress formerly worn by ladies, raising the hair and fore part of the cap to a great height. Or under high commodes, with looks erect. Granville.

2. A piece of furniture, so named according to temporary fashion; as: (a) A cheat of drawers or a bureau. (b) A night stand with a compartment for holding a chamber vessel. (c) A kind of close stool. (d) A movable sink for a wash bowl, with closet.

COMMODIOUS Com*mo"di*ous, a. Etym: [LL. commodiosus, fr. L. commodum convenience, fr. commodus. See Commode.]

Defn: Adapted to its use or purpose, or to wants and necessities; serviceable; spacious and convenient; roomy and comfortable; as, a commodious house. "A commodious drab." Shak. "Commodious gold." Pope. The haven was not commodious to winter in. Acts. xxvii. 12.

Syn. — Convenient; suitable; fit; proper; advantageous; serviceable; useful; spacious; comfortable.

COMMODIOUSLY Com*mo"di*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a commodious manner. To pass commodiously this life. Milton.

COMMODIOUSNESS Com*mo"di*ous*ness, n.

Defn: State of being commodious; suitableness for its purpose; convience; roominess. Of cities, the greatness and riches increase according to the commodiousness of their situation. Sir W. Temple. The commodiousness of the harbor. Johnson.

COMMODITY Com*mod"i*ty, n.; pl. Commodities. Etym: [F. commodit, fr. L. commoditas. See Commode.]

1. Convenience; accommodation; profit; benefit; advantage; interest; commodiousness. [Obs.] Drawn by the commodity of a footpath. B. Jonson. Men may seek their own commodity, yet if this were done with injury to others, it was not to be suffered. Hooker.

2. That which affords convenience, advantage, or profit, especially in commerce, including everything movable that is bought and sold (except animals), — goods, wares, merchandise, produce of land and manufactures, etc.

3. A parcel or quantity of goods. [Obs.] A commodity of brown paper and old ginger. Shak.

COMMODORE Com"mo*dore`, n. Etym: [Prob. a corruption of commander, or Sp. comendador a knight of a military order who holds a commandery; also a superior of a monastery;, fr. LL. commendare to command. Cf. Commend, Command, Commander.]

1. (U. S. Navy)

Defn: An officer who ranks next above a captain; sometimes, by courtesy, the senior captain of a squadron. The rank of commodore corresponds with that of brigadier general in the army.

2. (Brititsh Navy)

Defn: A captain commanding a squadron, or a division of a fleet, or having the temporary rank of rear admiral.

3. A title given courtesy to the senior captain of a line of merchant vessels, and also to the chief officer of a yachting or rowing club.

4. A familiar for the flagchip, or for the principal vessel of a squadron or fleet.

COMMON Com"mon, a. [Compar. Commoner; superl. Commonest.] Etym: [OE. commun, comon, OF. comun, F. commun, fr. L. communis; com- + munis ready to be of service; cf. Skr. mi to make fast, set up, build, Coth. gamains common, G. gemein, and E. mean low, common. Cf. Immunity, Commune, n. & v.]

1. Belonging or relating equally, or similary, to more than one; as, you and I have a common interest in the property. Though life and sense be common to men and brutes. Sir M. Hale.

2. Belonging to or shared by, affecting or serving, all the members of a class, consired together; general; public; as, propertis common to all plants; the common schools; the Book of Common Prayer. Such actions as the common good requereth. Hocker. The common enemy of man. Shak.

3. Often met with; usual; frequent; customary. Grief more than common grief. Shak.

4. Not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; — often in a depreciatory sense. The honest, heart-felt enjoyment of common life. W. Irving. This fact was infamous And ill beseeming any common man, Much more a knight, a captain and a leader. Shak. Above the vulgar flight of common souls. A. Murpphy.

5. Profane; polluted. [Obs.] What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Acts x. 15.

6. Given to habits of lewdness; prostitute. A dame who herself was common. L'Estrange. Common bar (Law) Same as Blank bar, under Blank. — Common barrator (Law), one who makes a business of instigating litigation. — Common Bench, a name sometimes given to the English Court of Common Pleas. — Common brawler (Law), one addicted to public brawling and quarreling. See Brawler. — Common carrier (Law), one who undertakes the office of carrying (goods or persons) for hire. Such a carrier is bound to carry in all cases when he has accommodation, and when his fixed price is tendered, and he is liable for all losses and injuries to the goods, except those which happen in consequence of the act of God, or of the enemies of the country, or of the owner of the property himself. — Common chord (Mus.), a chord consisting of the fundamental tone, with its third and fifth. — Common council, the representative (legislative) body, or the lower branch of the representative body, of a city or other munisipal corporation. — Common crier, the crier of a town or city. — Common divisor (Math.), a number or quantity that divides two or more numbers or quantities without a remainder; a common measure. — Common gender (Gram.), the gender comprising words that may be of either the masculine or the feminine gender. — Common law, a system of jurisprudence developing under the guidance of the courts so as to apply a consistent and reasonable rule to each litigated case. It may be superseded by statute, but unless superseded it controls. Wharton.

Note: It is by others defined as the unwritten law (especially of England), the law that receives its binding force from immemorial usage and universal reception, as ascertained and expressed in the judgments of the courts. This term is often used in contradistinction from statute law. Many use it to designate a law common to the whole country. It is also used to designate the whole body of English (or other) law, as distinguished from its subdivisions, local, civil, admiralty, equity, etc. See Law. — Common lawyer, one versed in common law. — Common lewdness (Law), the habitual performance of lewd acts in public. — Common multiple (Arith.) See under Multiple. — Common noun (Gram.), the name of any one of a class of objects, as distinguished from a proper noun (the name of a particular person or thing). — Common nuisance (Law), that which is deleterious to the health or comfort or sense of decency of the community at large. — Common pleas, one of the three superior courts of common law at Westminster, presided over by a chief justice and four puisne judges. Its jurisdiction is confined to civil matters. Courts bearing this title exist in several of the United States, having, however, in some cases, botth civil and criminal jurisdiction extending over the whole State. In other States the jurisdiction of the common pleas is limited to a county, and it is sometimes called a county court. Its powers are generally defined by statute. — Common prayer, the liturgy of the Church of England, or of the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, which all its clergy are enjoined use. It is contained in the Book of Common Prayer. — Common school, a school maintained at the public expense, and open to all. — Common scold (Law), a woman addicted to scolding indiscriminately, in public. — Common seal, a seal adopted and used by a corporation. — Common sense. (a) A supposed sense which was held to be the common bond of all the others. [Obs.] Trench. (b) Sound judgment. See under Sense. — Common time (Mus.), that variety of time in which the measure consists of two or of four equal portions. — In common, equally with another, or with others; owned, shared, or used, in community with others; affecting or affected equally. — Out of the common, uncommon; extraordinary. — Tenant in common, one holding real or personal property in common with others, having distinct but undivided interests. See Joint tenant, under Joint. — To make common cause with, to join or ally one's self with.

Syn. — General; public; popular; universal; frequent; ordinary; customary; usual; familiar; habitual; vulgar; mean; trite; stale; threadbare; commonplace. See Mutual, Ordinary, General.

COMMON Com"mon, n.

1. The people; the community. [Obs.] "The weal o' the common." Shak.

2. An inclosed or uninclosed tract of ground for pleasure, for pasturage, etc., the use of which belongs to the public; or to a number of persons.

3. (Law)

Defn: The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; — so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right. Common appendant, a right belonging to the owners or occupiers of arable land to put commonable beasts upon the waste land in the manor where they dwell. — Common appurtenant, a similar right applying to lands in other manors, or extending to other beasts, besides those which are generally commonable, as hogs. — Common because of vicinage or neighborhood, the right of the inhabitants of each of two townships, lying contiguous to each other, which have usually intercommoned with one another, to let their beasts stray into the other's fields. — Common in gross or at large, a common annexed to a man's person, being granted to him and his heirs by deed; or it may be claimed by prescriptive right, as by a parson of a church or other corporation sole. Blackstone. — Common of estovers, the right of taking wood from another's estate. — Common of pasture, the right of feeding beasts on the land of another. Burill. — Common of piscary, the right of fishing in waters belonging to another. — Common of turbary, the right of digging turf upon the ground of another.

COMMON Com"mon, v. i.

1. To converse together; to discourse; to confer. [Obs.] Embassadors were sent upon both parts, and divers means of entreaty were commoned of. Grafton.

2. To participate. [Obs.] Sir T. More.

3. To have a joint right with others in common ground. Johnson.

4. To board together; to eat at a table in common.

COMMONABLE Com"mon*a*ble, a.

1. Held in common. "Forests . . . and other commonable places." Bacon.

2. Allowed to pasture on public commons. Commonable beasts are either beasts of the plow, or such as manure the ground. Blackstone.

COMMONAGE Com"mon*age, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. communage.]

Defn: The right of pasturing on a common; the right of using anything in common with others. The claim of comonage . . . in most of the forests. Burke.

COMMONALTY Com"mon*al*ty, n.; pl. Commonalties. Etym: [Of. communalté; F. communauté, fr. communal. See Communal.]

1. The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons. The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees. Blackstone. The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only. Landon.

2. The majority or bulk of mankind. [Obs.] Hooker.

COMMONER Com"mon*er, n.

1. One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them [the peers] even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam.

2. A member of the House of Commons.

3. One who has a joint right in common ground. Much good land might be gained from forests . . . and from other commonable places, so as always there be a due care taken that the poor commoners have no injury. Bacon.

4. One sharing with another in anything. [Obs.] Fuller.

5. A student in the university of Oxford, Eng., who is not dependent on any foundation for support, but pays all university charges; — at Cambrige called a pensioner.

6. A prostitute. [Obs.] Shak.

COMMONISH Com"mon*ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat common; commonplace; vulgar.

COMMONITION Com`mo*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. commonitio. See Monition.]

Defn: Advice; warning; instruction. [Obs.] Bailey.

COMMONITIVE Com*mon"i*tive, a.

Defn: Monitory. [Obs.] Only commemorative and commonitive. Bp. Hall.

COMMONITORY Com*mon"i*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. commonitorius.]

Defn: Calling to mind; giving admonition. [Obs.] Foxe.

COMMONLY Com"mon*ly, adv.

1. Usually; generally; ordinarily; frequently; for the most part; as, confirmed habits commonly continue trough life.

2. In common; familiary. [Obs.] Spenser.

COMMONNESS Com"mon*ness, n.

1. State or quality of being common or usual; as, the commonness of sunlight.

2. Triteness; meanness.

COMMONPLACE Com"mon*place`, a.

Defn: Common; ordinary; trite; as, a commonplace person, or observation.

COMMONPLACE Com"mon*place`, n.

1. An idea or expression wanting originality or interest; a trite or customary remark; a platitude.

2. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to. Whatever, in my reading, occurs concerning this our fellow creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of commonplace. Swift. Commonplace book, a book in which records are made of things to be remembered.

COMMONPLACE Com"mon*place`, v. t.

Defn: To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads. Felton.

COMMONPLACE Com"mon*place`, v. i.

Defn: To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. [Obs.] Bacon.

COMMONPLACENESS Com"mon*place`ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being commonplace; commonness.

COMMONS Com"mons, n. pl.,

1. The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled chasses or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [Eng.] 'T is like the commons, rude unpolished hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign. Shak. The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank of peers. Blackstone.

2. The House of Commons, or lower house of the British Parliament, consisting of representatives elected by the qualified voters of counties, boroughs, and universities. It is agreed that the Commons were no part of the great council till some ages after the Conquest. Hume.

3. Provisions; food; fare, — as that provided at a common table in colleges and universities. Their commons, though but coarse, were nothing scant. Dryden.

4. A club or association for boarding at a common table, as in a college, the members sharing the expenses equally; as, to board in commons.

5. A common; public pasture ground. To shake his ears, and graze in commons. Shak. Doctors' Commons, a place near St. Paul's Chuchyard in London where the doctors of civil law used to common together, and where were the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts and offices having jurisdiction of marriage licenses, divorces, registration of wills, etc. — To be on short commons, to have small allowance of food. [Colloq.]

COMMON SENSE Com"mon sense".

Defn: See Common sense, under Sense.

COMMONTY Com"mon*ty, n. (Scots Law)

Defn: A common; a piece of land in which two or more persons have a common right. Bell.

COMMONWEAL Com"mon*weal", n. [Common + weal.]

Defn: Commonwealth. Such a prince, So kind a father of the commonweal. Shak.

COMMONWEALTH Com"mon*wealth`, n. Etym: [Common + wealth well-being.]

1. A state; a body politic consisting of a certain number of men, united, by compact or tacit agreement, under one form of government and system of laws. The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth. Milton.

Note: This term is applied to governments which are considered as free or popular, but rarely, or improperly, to an absolute government. The word signifies, strictly, the common well-being or happiness; and hence, a form of government in which the general welfare is regarded rather than the welfare of any class.

2. The whole body of people in a state; the public.

3. (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: Specifically, the form of government established on the death of Charles I., in 1649, which existed under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ending with the abdication of the latter in 1659.

Syn. — State; realm; republic.

COMMORANCE Com"mo*rance, n.

Defn: See Commorancy.

COMMORANCY Com"mo*ran*cy, n.

1. (Law)

Defn: A dwelling or ordinary residence in a place; habitation. Commorancy consists in usually lying there. Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law)

Defn: Residence temporarily, or for a short time.

COMMORANT Com"mo*rant, n. Etym: [L. commorans, p. pr. of commorari to abide; com- + morari to delay.]

1. (Law)

Defn: Ordinarily residing; inhabiting. All freeholders within the precinct . . . and all persons commorant therein. Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law)

Defn: Inhabiting or occupying temporarily.

COMMORANT Com"mo*rant, n.

Defn: A resident. Bp. Hacket.

COMMORATION Com`mo*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. commoratio.]

Defn: The act of staying or residing in a place. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

COMMORIENT Com*mo"ri*ent, a. Etym: [L. commoriens, p. pr. of commoriri.]

Defn: Dying together or at the same time. [R.] Sir G. Buck.

COMMORSE Com*morse", n. Etym: [L. commorsus, p. p. of commordere to bite sharply.]

Defn: Remorse. [Obs.] "With sad commorse." Daniel.

COMMOTE Com*mote", v. t. Etym: [See Commove.]

Defn: To commove; to disturb; to stir up. [R.] Society being more or less commoted and made uncomfortable. Hawthorne.

COMMOTION Com*mo"tion, n. Etym: [L. commotio: cf. F. commotion. See Motion.]

1. Disturbed or violent motion; agitation. [What] commotion in the winds! Shak.

2. A popular tumult; public disturbance; riot. When ye shall hear of wars and commotions. Luke xxi. 9.

3. Agitation, perturbation, or disorder, of mind; heat; excitement. "He could not debate anything without some commotion." Clarendon.

Syn. — Excitement; agitation; perturbation; disturbance; tumult; disorder; violence.

COMMOVE Com*move", v. t. [inp. & p. p. Commoved; p. pr. & vb. n. Commoving.] Etym: [L. commovere, commotum; com- + movere to move.]

1. To urge; to persuade; to incite. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To put in motion; to disturb; to unsettle. [R.] Straight the sands, Commoved around, in gathering eddies play. Thomson.

COMMUNAL Com"mu*nal ( or ), a. Etym: [Cf. F. communal.]

Defn: Pertaining to a commune.

COMMUNALISM Com"mu*nal*ism, n.

Defn: A French theory of government which holds that commune should be a kind of independent state, and the national government a confederation of such states, having only limited powers. It is advocated by advanced French republicans; but it should not be confounded with communism.

COMMUNALIST Com"mu*nal*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. communaliste.]

Defn: An advocate of communalism.

COMMUNALISTIC Com`mu*nal*is"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to communalism.

COMMUNE Com*mune", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Communed; p. pr. & vb. n. Communing.] Etym: [OF. communier, fr. L. communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Common, and cf. Communicate.]

1. To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel. I would commune with you of such things That want no ear but yours. Shak.

2. To receive the communion; to partake of the eucharist or Lord's supper. To commune under both kinds. Bp. Burnet. To commune with one's self or one's heart, to think; to reflect; to meditate.

COMMUNE Com"mune, n.

Defn: Communion; sympathetic intercourse or conversation between friends. For days of happy commune dead. Tennyson.

COMMUNE Com"mune, n. Etym: [F., fr. commun. See Common.]

1. The commonalty; the common people. [Obs.] Chaucer. In this struggle — to use the technical words of the time — of the "commune", the general mass of the inhabitants, against the "prudhommes" or "wiser" few. J. R. Green.

2. A small terrotorial district in France under the government of a mayor and municipal council; also, the inhabitants, or the government, of such a district. See Arrondissement.

3. Absolute municipal self-government. The Commune of Paris, or The Commune (a) The government established in Paris (1792-94) by a usurpation of supreme power on the part of representatives chosen by the communes; the period of its continuance is known as the "Reign of Terror." (b) The revolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

COMMUNICABILITY Com*mu`ni*ca*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. communicabilité.]

Defn: The quality of being communicable; capability of being imparted.

COMMUNICABLE Com*mu"ni*ca*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. communicable, LL. communicabilis.]

1. Capable of being communicated, or imparted; as, a communicable disease; communicable knowledge.

2. Communicative; free-speaking. [Obs.] B. Jonson. — Com*mu"ni*ca*ble*ness, n. — Com*mu"ni*ca"bly, adv.

COMMUNICANT Com*mu"ni*cant, n. Etym: [L. communicans, p. pr.]

1. One who partakes of, or is entitled to partake of, the sacrament of the Lord's supper; a church member. A never-failing monthly communicant. Atterbury.

2. One who communicates. Foxe.

COMMUNICANT Com*mu"ni*cant, a.

Defn: Communicating. [R.] Coleridge.

COMMUNICATE Com*mu"ni*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Communicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Communicating.] Etym: [L. communicatus, p. p. of communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Commune, v. i.]

1. To share in common; to participate in. [Obs.] To thousands that communicate our loss. B. Jonson

2. To impart; to convey; as, to communicate a disease or a sensation; to communicate motion by means of a crank. Where God is worshiped, there he communicates his blessings and holy influences. Jer. Taylor.

3. To make known; to recount; to give; to impart; as, to communicate information to any one.

4. To administer the communion to. [R.] She [the church] . . . may communicate him. Jer. Taylor.

Note: This verb was formerly followed by with before the person receiving, but now usually takes to after it. He communicated those thoughts only with the Lord Digby. Clarendon.

Syn. — To impart; bestow; confer; reveal; disclose; tell; announce; recount; make known. — To Communicate, Impart, Reveal. Communicate is the more general term, and denotes the allowing of others to partake or enjoy in common with ourselves. Impart is more specific. It is giving to others a part of what we had held as our own, or making them our partners; as, to impart our feelings; to impart of our property, etc. Hence there is something more intimate in imparting intelligence than in communicating it. To reveal is to disclose something hidden or concealed; as, to reveal a secret.

COMMUNICATE Com*mu"ni*cate, v. i.

1. To share or participate; to possess or enjoy in common; to have sympathy. Ye did communicate with my affliction. Philip. iv. 4.

2. To give alms, sympathy, or aid. To do good and to communicate forget not. Heb. xiii. 16.

3. To have intercourse or to be the means of intercourse; as, to communicate with another on business; to be connected; as, a communicating artery. Subjects suffered to communicate and to have intercourse of traffic. Hakluyt. The whole body is nothing but a system of such canals, which all communicate with one another. Arbutnot.

4. To partake of the Lord's supper; to commune. The primitive Christians communicated every day. Jer. Taylor.

COMMUNICATION Com*mu`ni*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. communicatio.]

1. The act or fact of communicating; as, communication of smallpox; communication of a secret.

2. Intercourse by words, letters, or messages; interchange of thoughts or opinions, by conference or other means; conference; correspondence. Argument . . . and friendly communication. Shak.

3. Association; company. Evil communications corrupt manners. 1 Cor. xv. 33.

4. Means of communicating; means of passing from place to place; a connecting passage; connection. The Euxine Sea is conveniently situated for trade, by the communication it has both with Asia and Europe. Arbuthnot.

5. That which is communicated or imparted; intelligence; news; a verbal or written message.

6. Participation in the Lord's supper. Bp. Pearson.

7. (Rhet.)

Defn: A trope, by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says we, instead of I or you. Beattie.

Syn. — Correspondence; conference; intercourse.

COMMUNICATIVE Com*mu"ni*ca*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. Communicatif, LL. communicativus.]

Defn: Inclined to communicate; ready to impart to others. Determine, for the future, to be less communicative. Swift.

COMMUNICATIVENESS Com*mu"ni*ca*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being communicative. Norris.

COMMUNICATOR Com*mu"ni*ca`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who communicates. Boyle.

COMMUNICATORY Com*mu"ni*ca"to*ry, a. Etym: [LL. communicatorius.]

Defn: Imparting knowledge or information. Canonical and communicatory letters. Barrow.

COMMUNION Com*mun"ion, n. Etym: [L. communio: cf. F. communion. See Common.]

1. The act of sharing; community; participation. "This communion of goods." Blackstone.

2. Intercourse between two or more persons; esp., intimate association and intercourse implying sympathy and confidence; interchange of thoughts, purposes, etc.; agreement; fellowship; as, the communion of saints. We are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others. Hooker. What communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. vi. 14. Bare communion with a good church can never alone make a good man. South.

3. A body of Christians having one common faith and discipline; as, the Presbyterian communion.

4. The sacrament of the eucharist; the celebration of the Lord's supper; the act of partaking of the sacrament; as, to go to communion; to partake of the communion. Close communion. See under Close, a. — Communion elements, the bread and wine used in the celebration of the Lord's supper. — Communion service, the celebration of the Lord's supper, or the office or service therefor. — Communion table, the table upon which the elements are placed at the celebration of the Lord's supper. — Communion in both kinds, participation in both the bread and wine by all communicants. — Communion in one kind, participation in but one element, as in the Roman Catholic Church, where the laity partake of the bread only.

Syn. — Share; participation; fellowship; converse; intercourse; unity; concord; agreement.

COMMUNISM Com"mu*nism, n. Etym: [F. communisme, fr. commun common.]

Defn: A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.

Note: At different times, and in different countries, various schemes pertaining to socialism in government and the conditions of domestic life, as well as in the distribution of wealth, have been called communism.

COMMUNIST Com"mu*nist, n. Etym: [F. communiste.]

1. An advocate for the theory or practice of communism.

2. A supporter of the commune of Paris.

COMMUNISTIC Com`mu*nis"tic, a.

1. Of or pertaining to communism or communists; as, communistic theories.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Living or having their nests in common, as certain birds.

COMMUNITY Com*mu"ni*ty, n.; pl. Communities. Etym: [L. communitas: cf. OF. communité. Cf. Commonalty, and see Common.]

1. Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods. The original community of all things. Locke. An unreserved community of thought and feeling. W. Irwing.

2. A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests. Creatures that in communities exist. Wordsworth.

3. Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general. Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community. Hallam.

Note: In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community.

4. Common character; likeness. [R.] The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth. H. Spencer.

5. Commonness; frequency. [Obs.] Eyes . . . sick and blunted with community. Shak.

COMMUTABILITY Com*mu`ta*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being commutable.

COMMUTABLE Com*mut"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. commutabilis.]

Defn: Capable of being commuted or interchanged. The predicate and subject are not commutable. Whately.

COMMUTABLENESS Com*mut"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being commutable; interchangeableness.

COMMUTATION Com`mu*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. commutatio: cf. F. commutation.]

1. A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation. [R.] So great is the commutation that the soul then hated only that which now only it loves. South.

2. The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange. [Obs.] The use of money is . . . that of saving the commutation of more bulky commodities. Arbuthnot.

3. (Law)

Defn: The change of a penalty or punishment by the pardoning power of the State; as, the commutation of a sentence of death to banishment or imprisonment. Suits are allowable in the spiritual courts for money agreed to be given as a commutation for penance. Blackstone.

4. A substitution, as of a less thing for a greater, esp. a substitution of one form of payment for another, or one payment for many, or a specific sum of money for conditional payments or allowances; as, commutation of tithes; commutation of fares; commutation of copyright; commutation of rations. Angle of commutation (Astron.), the difference of the geocentric longitudes of the sun and a planet. — Commutation of tithes, the substitution of a regular payment, chargeable to the land, for the annual tithes in kind. — Commutation ticket, a ticket, as for transportation, which is the evidence of a contract for service at a reduced rate. See 2d Commute, 2.

COMMUTATION TICKET Com`mu*ta"tion tick"et.

Defn: A ticket for transportation at a reduced rate in consideration of some special circumstance, as increase of travel; specif., a ticket for a certain number of, or for daily, trips between neighboring places at a reduced rate, such as are commonly used by those doing business in a city and living in a suburb. Commutation tickets are excepted from the prohibition against special rates contained in the Interstate Commerce Act of Feb. 4, 1887 (24 Stat. 379), and in 145 U. S. 263 it was held that party tickets were also excepted as being "obviously within the commuting principle."

COMMUTATIVE Com*mut"a*tive, a. Etym: [CF. F. commutatif.]

Defn: Relative to exchange; interchangeable; reciprocal. — Com*mut"a*tive"ly, adv. Rich traders, from their success, are presumed . . . to have cultivated an habitual regard to commutative justice. Burke.

COMMUTATOR Com"mu*ta`tor, n. (Elec.)

Defn: A piece of apparatus used for reversing the direction of an electrical current; an attachment to certain electrical machines, by means of which alternating currents are made to be continuous or to have the same direction.

COMMUTE Com*mute", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Commuting.] Etym: [L. commutare, -mutatum; com- + mutare to change. See Mutation.]

Defn: To exchange; to put or substitute something else in place of, as a smaller penalty, obligation, or payment, for a greater, or a single thing for an aggregate; hence; to lessen; to diminish; as, to commute a sentence of death to one of imprisonment for life; to commute tithes; to commute charges for fares. The sounds water and fire, being once annexed to those two elements, it was certainly more natural to call beings participating of the first "watery", and the last "fiery", than to commute the terms, and call them by the reverse. J. Harris The utmost that could be obtained was that her sentence should be commuted from burning to beheading. Macaulay.

COMMUTE Com*mute", v. i.

1. To obtain or bargain for exemption or substitution; to effect a commutation. He . . . thinks it unlawful to commute, and that he is bound to pay his vow in kind. Jer. Taylor.

2. To pay, or arrange to pay, in gross instead of part by part; as, to commute for a year's travel over a route.

COMMUTER Com*mut"er, n.

Defn: One who commutes; especially, one who commutes in traveling.

COMMUTUAL Com*mu"tu*al, a. Etym: [Pref. com- + mutual.]

Defn: Mutual; reciprocal; united. [R.] There, with commutual zeal, we both had strove. Pope.

COMOSE Co"mose ( or ), a. Etym: [L. comosus hairy, from coma hair.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing a tuft of soft hairs or down, as the seeds of milkweed. Gray.

COMPACT Com*pact", p. p. & a Etym: [L. compactus, p. p. of compingere to join or unite; com- + pangere to fasten, fix: cf. F. compacte. See Pact.]

1. Joined or held together; leagued; confederated. [Obs.] "Compact with her that's gone." Shak. A pipe of seven reeds, compact with wax together. Peacham.

2. Composed or made; — with of. [Poetic] A wandering fire, Compact of unctuous vapor. Milton.

3. Closely or firmly united, as the particles of solid bodies; firm; close; solid; dense. Glass, crystal, gems, and other compact bodies. Sir I. Newton.

4. Brief; close; pithy; not diffuse; not verbose; as, a compact discourse.

Syn. — Firm; close; solid; dense; pithy; sententious.

COMPACT Com*pact", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Compacted; p. pr. & vb. n. Compacting.]

1. To thrust, drive, or press closely together; to join firmly; to consolidate; to make close; — as the parts which compose a body. Now the bright sun compacts the precious stone. Blackstone.

2. To unite or connect firmly, as in a system. The whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth. Eph. iv. 16.

COMPACT Com"pact, n. Etym: [L. compactum, fr. compacisci, p. p. compactus, to make an agreement with; com- + pacisci to make an agreement. See Pact.]

Defn: An agreement between parties; a covenant or contract. The law of nations depends on mutual compacts, treaties, leagues, etc. Blackstone. Wedlock is described as the indissoluble compact. Macaulay. The federal constitution has been styled a compact between the States by which it was ratified. Wharton.

Syn. — See Covenant.

COMPACTED Com*pact"ed, a.

Defn: Compact; pressed close; concentrated; firmly united.

COMPACTEDLY Com*pact"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a compact manner.

COMPACTEDNESS Com*pact"ed*ness, n.

Defn: A state of being compact.

COMPACTER Com*pact"er, n.

Defn: One who makes a compact.

COMPACTIBLE Com*pact"i*ble, a.

Defn: That may be compacted.

COMPACTION Com*pac"tion, n. Etym: [L. compactio.]

Defn: The act of making compact, or the state of being compact. [Obs.] Bacon.

COMPACTLY Com*pact"ly, adv.

Defn: In a compact manner; with close union of parts; densely; tersely.

COMPACTNESS Com*pact"ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being compact; close union of parts; density.

COMPACTURE Com*pac"ture, n. Etym: [L. compactura.]

Defn: Close union or connection of parts; manner of joining; construction. [Obs.] "With comely compass and compacture strong." Spenser.

COMPAGES Com*pa"ges, n. sing & pl. Etym: [L., fr. compingere. See Compact, v. t.]

Defn: A system or structure of many parts united. A regular compages of pipes and vessels. Ray.

COMPAGINATE Com*pag"i*nate, v. t. Etym: [L. compaginare, compaginatum.]

Defn: To unite or hold together; as, the side pieces compaginate the frame. [Obs.] W. Montagu.

COMPAGINATION Com*pag`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. compaginatio.]

Defn: Union of parts; structure. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

COMPANABLE Com"pa*na*ble, a. Etym: [OF. compaignable.]

Defn: Companionable; sociable. [Obs.] Chaucer.

COMPANATOR Com"pa*na`tor, n. Etym: [LL. companatores, pl.] (Eccl.)

Defn: Same as Impanator.

COMPANIABLE Com*pan"i*a*ble, a.

Defn: Companionable; sociable. [Obs.] Bacon.

COMPANION Com*pan"ion, n. Etym: [F. compagnon, OF. compaing, fr. as assumed LL. companio (cf. companium fellowship, a mess), fr. L. com- + panis bread. See Pantry.]

1. One who accompanies or is in company with another for a longer or shorter period, either from choice or casually; one who is much in the company of, or is associated with, another or others; an associate; a comrade; a consort; a partner. The companions of his fall. Milton. The companion of fools shall smart for it. Prov. xiii. 20 (Rev. Ver. ) Here are your sons again; and I must lose Two of the sweetest companions in the world. Shak. A companion is one with whom we share our bread; a messmate. Trench.

2. A knight of the lowest rank in certain orders; as, a companion of the Bath.

3. A fellow; — in contempt. [Obs.] Shak.

4. Etym: [Cf. OSp. compaña an outhouse, office.] (Naut.) (a) A skylight on an upper deck with frames and sashes of various shapes, to admit light to a cabin or lower deck. (b) A wooden hood or penthouse covering the companion way; a companion hatch. Companion hatch (Naut.), a wooden porch over the entrance or staircase of the cabin. — Companion ladder (Naut.), the ladder by which officers ascend to, or descend from, the quarter-deck. Totten. — Companion way (Naut.), a staircase leading to the cabin. — Knights companions, in certain honorary orders, the members of the lowest grades as distinguished from knights commanders, knights grand cross, and the like.