Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ac'i-nōse or Ac'i-noüs, a. p. 14Consisting of minute granular concretions. Kirwan.Ăç'i-nŭs, n. p. 14(Anat.) One of the granular masses, which, by their reunion, constitute certain glands, as the pancreas and the liver. 2. (Bot.) (a.) One of the small grains which make up some kinds of fruit, as the…Ăç'i-pĕn'ser, n. p. 14(Ichth.) A genus of cartilaginous fishes having the body armed with bony scales, and the mouth on the under surface. It includes the sturgeon. Dana.Ăç'i-ûr'ġy, n. p. 14Operative surgery.Ac-knōw', v. t. p. 14To know; to recognize. [Obs.] “You will not be acknown, sir.” B. Jonson. To be acknown of, or on, to acknowledge. [Obs.] Shak. We say of a stubborn body that standeth still in the denying of his…Acknowl'edge, v. t. p. 15To own, avow, admit, or confess a knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; as, to acknowledge the being of a God. I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Ps. li. 3. 2. To…Ac-knōw'ledg-er, n. p. 15One who acknowledges.Ae·knōwl’edg-ment, n. p. 15The act of acknowledging; avowal; owning; confession; as, the acknowledgment of a fault. 2. The act of owning or recognizing with particular regard, or in a particular character. Immediately upon the…A-clin'ic, a. p. 15Without inclination; — said of the magnetic equator, or the line near the earth's equator on which the magnetic needle is exactly horizontal, and has no dip. August.Ăc'me, n. p. 15The top or highest point; the summit. The very acme and pitch of life for epic poetry. Pope. The moment when a certain power reaches the acme of its supremacy. I. Taylor. 2. (Med.) The crisis of a…Æ'mite, n. p. 15A mineral of the augite family, occurring in long, pointed crystals, of a dark brownish color, and a bright and somewhat resinous luster. Dana.A'cne, n. p. 15A pustular affection of the skin.A-cock'bill, adv. p. 15(Naut.) Hanging at the cat-head ready for letting go, as an anchor. Totten.A-cōld, adv. p. 15Cold. “Poor Tom’s a-cold.” [Obs.] Shak.A-eōl'-o-gy, n. p. 15The doctrine of remedies, or the materia medica.Ae'o-lyte or Ae'o-lyth, n. p. 15One who attends or accompanies; a companion; an associate. “With such chiefs, and with James and John as acolytes.” Motley. 2. (Astron.) An attendant or companion star. 3. (Eccl. Hist.) An inferior…A-eòl'y-thist, n. p. 15An acolyte. [Obs.]Ae'o-nite, n. p. 15(Bot.) The herb wolf’s-bane, or monk’s-hood, a plant of the genus Aconitum, all the species of which are poisonous. It belongs to the Hellebore tribe. Shak.A-cōn'i-tine, n. p. 15(Chem.) A poisonous vegetable principle or alkaloid, extracted from the aconite;—called also aconita. Brande.A·côn′ti·as, n. p. 15Anciently, a snake, called dart-snake, which was said to coil itself on trees and dart down on persons passing by; now, a genus of reptiles closely allied to the lizards, one species of which (A.…A-côp', adv. p. 15Acontias meleagris. At the top. [Obs.] Johnson.A-cŏp'ic, a. p. 15(Med.) Remedying weariness. Buchanan.Ă'corn, n. p. 15The seed or fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a rough cup. 2. (Naut.) A small ornamental piece of wood, of a conical shape, fixed on the point of the spindle above the vane, on the mast…Ā'corned, a. p. 15Furnished or loaded with acorns; fed with acorns. “He beareth argent an oak acorned proper.” Shak.A-cŏs'mism, n. p. 15A denial of the existence of the world. Mansel.A-cös'mist, n. p. 15One who denies the existence of the world. Leves.A-cŏt'/y-lē'don, n. p. 15(Bot.) A plant in which the seed-lobes, or cotyledons, are not present. Gray.A-cŏt'y-lēd'o-noŭs, a. p. 15Having either no seed-lobes, or such as are indistinct, like the ferns, lichens, &c.A-cou'chy, n. p. 15(Zool.) A species of agouti of somewhat smaller size.A·cou'me·ter, n. p. 15An instrument for measuring the degree or extent of hearing. Hard.A·cous'tic, a. p. 15Pertaining to the ears, to the sense of hearing, or to the doctrine of sounds. Acoustic vessels, brazen tubes or vessels, shaped like a bell, used in ancient theaters to propel the voice of the…A-cous'tics, n. sing. p. 15The science of sounds, teaching their nature, phenomena, and laws. ☞— This science is, by some writers, divided into diacoustics, which explains the properties of sounds, coming directly from the…Ac-quāint′, v. t. p. 15[O. Fr. acointer, Pr. accointar, L. Lat. accognitare, adcognitare, to make known; It. accostarsi, to have a parley with one; Pr. coindar, to give to understand; O. Fr. cointe, cuinte; It. conto, one…Ae-quäint'a-ble, a. p. 15Easy to be acquainted with. [Obs. and rare.] Chaucer.Ac-quāint'ance, n. p. 15A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate or more than slight or superficial knowledge; familiar knowledge; as, I know the man, but have no acquaintance with him. Contract no friendship, or…Ac-quäint'ance-shĭp, n. p. 15A state of being acquainted; acquaintance. Chalmers.Ac-quäint’ant, n. p. 15An acquaintance. [Rare.] By the time that an author hath written out a book, he and his readers are become old acquaintants. Swift.Ac-quäint'ed-ness, n. p. 15State of being acquainted; acquaintance. Boyle.Ac-quèsť, n. p. 15Acquisition; the thing gained. Bacon. 2. pl. (Law.) Property acquired by purchase, gift, or otherwise than by inheritance. Bouvier.Ac'qui-ēsçe', v. i. p. 15To rest satisfied, or apparently satisfied, or to rest without opposition and discontent, usually implying previous opposition, uneasiness, or dislike, but ultimate compliance or submission. They…Ac/quī-ēs'cence, n. p. 15A silent assent or submission, or a submission with apparent content;— distinguished from avowed consent on the one hand, and on the other, from opposition or open discontent. “Certain indistinct…Ac-qui-ēs'cen-cy, n. p. 15Same as ACQUIESCENCE.Ac-quĭ-ĕs'çent, a. p. 15Resting satisfied; easy; submitting; disposed to submit. H. More.Ac-quĭ-ĕs'çent-ly, ad. p. 15In an acquiescent manner.Ac-quī'et, v. t. p. 15To quiet. [Obs.] Acquiet his mind from stirring you against your own peace. Sir A. Shirley.Ac-quīr'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 15State or quality of being acquirable. Paley.Ac-quīr'a-ble, a. p. 15Capable of being acquired.Ac-quire', v. t. p. 15To gain, usually by one's own labor or exertions. No virtue is acquired in an instant, but step by step. Barrow. Descent is the title whereby a man, on the death of his ancestor, acquires his estate…Ac-quīre'ment, n. p. 15The act of acquiring, or that which is acquired; attainment. [It is used in opposition to natural gifts; as, eloquence, and skill in music and painting, are acquirements; genius, the gift of nature.…Ac-quīr'er, n. p. 15A person who acquires.Ac-quīr'y, n. p. 15Acquirement. [Obs.] Barrow.Ac'qui-sīte, a. p. 15Acquired; gained. [Obs.] Barrow.Ac/qui-si'tion, n. p. 15The act of acquiring. “The acquisition or loss of a province.” Macaulay. 2. The thing acquired or gained; acquirement; attainment; as, learning is an acquisition. To make great acquisitions can…Ac-qui's'i-tive, a. p. 15Acquired. [Rare.] He died not in his acquisitive, but in his native soil. Wotton. 2. Disposed to make acquisitions; as, an acquisitive person or disposition.Ac-qui's'i-tive-ly, adv. p. 15In the way of acquisition.Ac-qui's'i-tive-ness, n. p. 15The state or quality of being acquisitive; desire of possession; propensity to acquire property. 2. (Phren.) The organ which is supposed to give rise to this desire. Combe.Ac-quis'i-tor, n. p. 16One who acquires, or makes acquisitions. C. Richardson.Ac-quist', n. p. 16Acquisition. [Obs.] “The acquist of virtues.” Bp. Taylor.Ae-quit′, v. t. p. 16To set free; to release or discharge, especially from an obligation, accusation, guilt, censure, suspicion, or whatever lies upon a person as a charge or duty; as, the jury acquitted the prisoner; we…Ae-quit'ment, n. p. 16The act of acquitting, or state of being acquitted; acquittal. [Obs.] Milton.