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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ac'tion-a-ble, a. p. 17Admitting a suit, or the bringing of an action at law which will lie; as, to call a man a thief is actionable.Ăc'tion-a-bly, adv. p. 17In an actionable manner; in a manner that may subject to legal process.Ac'tion-a-ry or Ac'tion-ist, n. p. 17(Com.) A proprietor of stock in a joint-stock company; one who owns actions or shares of stock.Ăc'tion-sĕr'mon, n. p. 17(Eccl.) A sermon preached immediately before the communion service in Scotland. McCheyne.Ăc'tion-tāk'ing, n. p. 17Bringing lawsuits. Shak.Ăc'ti-tā'tion, n. p. 17Quick and frequent action. [Obs.] Wright.Ăc'ti-vāte, v. t. p. 17To make active. [Obs.] Bacon.Ăct'ĭve, a. p. 17Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; —opposed to passive, that receives action; as, the active powers of the mind. 2. Constantly engaged in action…Ăct'ĭve-ly, adv. p. 17In an active manner; by action; nimbly; briskly. 2. (Gram.) In an active signification; as, a word is used actively.Act′ive-ness, n. p. 17The quality or state of being active; nimbleness; quickness of motions; activity.Ac-tĭv'i-ty, n. p. 17The state or quality of being active; the active faculty; nimbleness; agility. “The activity of toil.” Palfrey. Syn. — Agility; nimbleness; liveliness; briskness; quickness.Ăct'less, a. p. 17Without action or spirit. Southerne.Ăc'ton, n. p. 17A quilted leather jacket often worn under a coat of mail. [Spelled, also, Hacketon and Hacqueton.] Halliwell.Ăct'or, n. p. 17One who acts or performs; an agent; a doer; specifically, a theatrical performer; a stage-player. 2. (Law.) (a.) An advocate or proctor in civil courts or causes. Jacobs. (b.) One who institutes a…Act'ress, n. p. 17A female who acts or performs, and especially on the stage; a female actor. Dryden.Act'u-al, a. p. 17Existing in act, and truly and absolutely so; really acted or acting; carried out;—opposed to potential, possible, virtual, or theoretical. If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love, Either in…Actū-ăl′ĭ-ty, n. p. 17The state of being actual; as, the actuality of God's nature. South.Ăct/ŭ-al-i-zā'tion, n. p. 17A making actual or really existent. “He seeks the idea only in its actualization.” Schwegler.Ăct'ū-al-īze, v. t. p. 17To make actual. Coleridge.Ăct'ū-al-ly, adv. p. 17In act or in fact; really; in truth; positively. 2. Actively. [Obs.] “Neither actually . . . nor passively.” Fuller.Ăct'u-al-ness, n. p. 17The state or quality of being actual; actuality.Act′ū-a-ry, n. p. 17(Law.) A registrar or clerk;— a term of the civil law, and used originally in courts of civil law jurisdiction, but in Europe used for a clerk or registrar generally. 2. The manager of a joint-stock…Ăct'ū-ate, a. p. 17Put in action. [Obs.] South.Act'u-āte, v. t. p. 17To put into action; to move or incite to action; to influence actively;—used of persons, but formerly sometimes of things. Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the…Ăct/ū-ā'tion, n. p. 17The state of being actuated; a being put in action; effectual operation. So you must be positively and by actuation. Coleridge.Act′u-ā′tor, n. p. 17One who actuates, or puts in action. Melville.Act'ü-ōse, a. p. 17Having strong powers of action. [Obs.]Ac'tu-ōs'i-ty, n. p. 17Power of action. [Obs.] H. More.Ac'ture, n. p. 17Action. [Obs.] Shak.A-cū-āte, v. t. p. 17To sharpen; to make pungent or corrosive. “[To] acuate the blood.” [Rare.] Harvey.Ăcŭ-āte, a. p. 17Sharp; sharpened. [Obs.] “Acuate iron or steel.” Ashmole.Acū-i'tion, n. p. 17The sharpening of medicines to increase their effect.A-cū'i-ty, n. p. 17Sharpness. [Obs.]A-cū'le-āte, a. p. 17(Bot.) Having prickles, or sharp points; pointed;—used chiefly to denote prickles fixed in the bark, in distinction from thorns, which grow from the wood. Aculeate Stem. 2. (Zoöl.) Having a sting or…A-cū'le-ā'ted, a. p. 17Having a sharp point; prickly; aculeate. Hill.A·cū'le·o·late, a. p. 17(Bot.) Having small prickles or sharp points. Gray.A-cū'le-ōus, a. p. 17Having prickles; aculeate. Browne.A-cū'le-ŭs, n. p. 17(Bot. & Zoöl.) A prickle growing on the bark or skin. Buchanan.A-cū'men, n. p. 17Quickness of perception or discernment; penetration of mind; the faculty of nice discrimination. Selden. Syn.—Sagacity; keenness; sharpness.A-cū'mi-nāte, v. t. p. 17To render sharp or keen. [Rare.] “To acuminate despair.” Cowper.A-cū'mi-nāte, v. i. p. 17To end in, or come to, a sharp point. “Acuminating in a cone of prelacy.” Milton.A-cū'mi-nate, a. p. 17(Bot.) Having a long, projecting, and highly tapering point. Gray.A-cū'mi-nā'tion, n. p. 17A sharpening; termination in a sharp point. Pearson.A-cū'mi-nōse or A-cū'mi-nōus, a. p. 17Terminating in a flat, narrow end; sharp-pointed. Lindley.A·eū-pūnet·ū-rā'tion, n. p. 17See ACUPUNCTURE.A'cu-punc'ture, n. p. 17(Med.) The introduction of needles into the living tissues for remedial purposes.A-cūt-ăn′gu-lar, a. p. 17Having acute angles.A-cūte′, a. p. 17Sharp at the end; ending in a sharp point; pointed; — opposed to blunt or obtuse; as, an acute angle; an acute leaf. 2. Having nice discernment; perceiving or using minute distinctions; penetrating…A-cūte', v. t. p. 17To give an acute sound to; as, he acutes his rising inflection too much. Walker.A-cūte'ly, adv. p. 17In an acute manner; sharply; keenly; with nice discrimination.A-cūte'ness, n. p. 17The quality of being acute or pointed; sharpness; as, the acuteness of an angle. 2. The faculty of nice discernment or perception; acumen; — applied to the senses, or the understanding. By an…A-cū'ti-ā'tor, n. p. 17A person whose office it was to sharpen instruments. (Obs.)A·ēu'ti·fō'li·ate, a. p. 17(Bot.) Having sharp-pointed leaves. Gray.A-cū'ti-lō'bate, a. p. 17(Bot.) Having acute lobes like some leaves. Gray.Ad. p. 17A Latin preposition, signifying to. In composition, the last letter is usually changed into the first letter of the word to which it is prefixed. Thus for adclamo, the Romans wrote acclamo; for…Ad·ăct', v. t. p. 18To compel; to drive. [Obs.] Folkerby.A-dăc'tyl, a. p. 18(Zool.) Having no toes or fingers. [Written also adactyle.] Dana.Ăd'ăge, n. p. 18An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a wise observation handed down from antiquity. Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” Like the poor cat i’ the adage. Shak. Syn.— Axiom…A-dă'gi-al, a. p. 18Pertaining to the adage; proverbial. [Rare.] “Adagial verse.” Barrow.A·dă'gio, a. p. 18(Mus.) Slow; moving slowly, leisurely, and gracefully. When repeated, adagio, adagio, it directs the movement to be very slow.