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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Ad-vănce', v. t.p. 23To bring forward; to move farther in front. Advance your standards, draw your willing swords. Shak. 2. Hence, to promote, or to raise to a higher rank. Ahasuerus ... advanced him above all the…
  2. Ad-vănçe', v. i.p. 23To move or go forward; to proceed. The youth advanced — in open sight. Parnell. 2. To increase or make progress in any respect; as, to advance in knowledge, in stature, in wisdom, or in years. 3. To…
  3. Ad-vănçe', n.p. 23The act of advancing or moving forward; progress; approach. “The indecent advances she made.” Pope. 2. Improvement or progression, physically, mentally, morally, or socially; as, an advance in…
  4. Ad-văn'çe, a.p. 23Before in place, or beforehand in time;—used for advanced; as, an advance-guard, or that before the main guard or body of an army; advance-payment, or that made before it is due.
  5. Ad-vănçe'ment, n.p. 23The act of advancing or the state of being advanced; progression; improvement; furtherance; preferment; promotion. In heaven, . . . every one rejoiceth in each other's advancement. Sir T. More. True…
  6. Ad-văn'cer, n.p. 23One who advances; a promoter. 2. Among sportsmen, the second branch of a buck's horn. Howell.
  7. Ad-văn'çive, a.p. 23Tending to advance. [Rare.]
  8. Ad-văn′tage, n.p. 23Any state, condition, circumstance, opportunity, or means, particularly favorable to success, prosperity, interest, or reputation, or to any desired end; as, the enemy had the advantage of a more…
  9. Ad-văn’tage, v. t.p. 23To give an advantage to; hence, to benefit; to profit. The truth is, the archbishop’s own stiffness and averseness to comply with the court designs, advantaged his adversaries against him. Fuller.…
  10. Ad-vănʹtage-a-ble, a.p. 23Profitable; convenient; gainful. Hayward.
  11. Ad-vănʹtage-ground, n.p. 23Ground that gives advantage or superiority; vantage-ground. Clarendon.
  12. Ad-van-tā'geous, a.p. 23Being of advantage; furnishing advantage, convenience, or opportunity to gain benefit; gainful; profitable; useful; beneficial; as, an advantageous position of troops; trade is advantageous to a…
  13. Ad-van-tā'geōüs-ly, adv.p. 23In an advantageous manner; profitably; conveniently.
  14. Ad-van-tā'geōüs-ness, n.p. 23The quality or state of being advantageous; profitableness; usefulness.
  15. Ad'vec-ti'tiōus, a.p. 23Brought from another place; foreign. [Obs.]
  16. Ad-vēne', v. i.p. 23To accede, or come to; to be added to, or become a part of, though not essential. [Rare.] Even where no act of the will advenes us a co-efficient. Coleridge.
  17. Ad-vēn'ient, a.p. 23Coming from outward causes; superadded. [Obs.] Glanville.
  18. Ad'vent, n.p. 23A coming; approach; visitation. “Death's dreadful advent.” Young. Specifically, the first or the second coming of Christ. 2. A season of devotion including four Sundays before Christmas. Hook.
  19. Ad-vĕn'tine, a.p. 23Adventitious. [Obs.] “Adventine heat.” Bacon.
  20. Ad'ven-tī'tious, a.p. 23Added extrinsically; not essentially inherent; accidental; casual; additional; supervenient; foreign. To things of great dimensions, if we annex an adventitious idea of terror, they become without…
  21. Ăd'-ven-tī'tioüs-ly, adv.p. 23Accidentally.
  22. Ad'ven-tĭ'tiŏüs-ness, n.p. 23The state of being adventitious, or not essentially inherent.
  23. Ad-vent'ive, a.p. 23Accidental; adventitious;—little used in a general sense, but applied in botany to foreign plants accidentally or sparingly spontaneous in a country, yet hardly to be called native. Gray.
  24. Ad-vĕnt′ive, n.p. 23A thing or person coming from without. [Rare.] Bacon.
  25. Ad-vĕnt'ū-al, a.p. 23Relating to the season of advent. Saunderson.
  26. Ad-vēnt'ūre, n.p. 23That of which one has no direction; hazard; risk; chance; venture. Nay, a far less good to man it will be found, if she must, at all adventures, be fastened upon him individually. Milton. 2. An…
  27. Ad-vĕnt'ŭre, v. t.p. 24To risk, or hazard; to jeopard; to venture. Certain of . . . his friends sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theater. Acts xix. 31. 2. To venture upon; to run the…
  28. Ad-vĕnt'ûre, v. i.p. 24To dare; to try the chance. I would adventure for such merchandise. Shak.
  29. Ad-vĕnt'ŭre-ful, a.p. 24Given to adventure; full of enterprise. Bentham.
  30. Ad-vĕnt'ûr-er, n.p. 24One who adventures; one who seeks occasions of chance, or attempts bold, novel, or extraordinary enterprises; one who puts something at risk.
  31. Ad-vĕnt'ûre-sōme, a.p. 24Bold; daring; incurring hazard; venturesome.
  32. Ad-vĕnt'ŭre-sōme-ness, n.p. 24The quality of being bold and venturesome.
  33. Ad-vĕnt'ūr-ess, n.p. 24A female adventurer. Bulwer.
  34. Ad-vēnt'ūr-oūs, a.p. 24Inclined or willing to adventure or incur hazard; bold to encounter danger; daring; courageous; enterprising; — applied to persons. Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve. Milton. 2. Full of…
  35. Ad-vĕnt'ŭr-oŭs-ly, adv.p. 24In an adventurous manner; boldly; daringly.
  36. Ad-vĕnt'ûr-ous-ness, n.p. 24The act or quality of being adventurous.
  37. Ăd'vĕrb, n.p. 24(Gram.) A word used to modify the sense of a verb, participle, adjective, or other adverb, and usually placed near it; as, he writes well; paper extremely white.
  38. Ad-vĕrb'i-al, a.p. 24Pertaining to an adverb.
  39. Ad-vĕrb'i-al-ly, adv.p. 24In the manner of an adverb.
  40. Ăd'ver-sā'ri-a, n. pl.p. 24Books in which all matters are temporarily entered as they occur. Andrews. 2. (Lit.) (a.) A miscellaneous collection of notes, remarks, or selections; hence, a common-place book. (b.) A title for…
  41. Ăd'ver-sā'ri-oŭs, a.p. 24Adversary. [Rare.] Southey.
  42. Ăd'ver-sa-ry, n.p. 24One who is turned against another or others with a design to oppose or resist them; a member of an opposing or hostile party; an opponent; an antagonist; an enemy; a foe. “His ancient knot of…
  43. Ăd'ver-sa-ry, a.p. 24Opposed; opposite; adverse; antagonistic. 2. (Law.) Having an opposing party; in distinction from an application, in law or equity, to which no opposition is made; as, an adversary suit.
  44. Ăd'ver-sā'tion, n.p. 24The state of being adverse; opposition. [Rare.] Hardyng.
  45. Ad-vĕr'sa-tĭve, a.p. 24Expressing contrariety, opposition, or antithesis between two connected propositions; — applied to the conjunctions but, however, yet, &c.; as, John is an honest man, but not wise.
  46. Ad-vĕr'sa-tĭve, n.p. 24A word denoting contrariety or opposition; an adversative word. Harris.
  47. Ăd'vĕrse, a.p. 24Acting against or in a contrary direction; conflicting; counteracting; as, adverse winds; an adverse party. 2. Opposing desire; contrary to the wishes, or to supposed good; hence, unfortunate…
  48. Ad-vērse′, v. t.p. 24To oppose; to resist. [Obs.] Gower.
  49. Ād'vērse-ly, adv.p. 24In an adverse manner; unfortunately.
  50. Ad-vēr'si-fō'li-ate or Ad-vēr'si-fō'li-ous, a.p. 24(Bot.) Having opposite leaves, as plants, where the leaves are so arranged on the stem.
  51. Ād'vērse-ness, n.p. 24State or quality of being adverse; opposition.
  52. Ad-vĕr'si-ty, n.p. 24That which is contrary or opposed; contrariety. [Obs.] “Well said, adversity.” Shak. 2. That which opposes success or desire; an event or series of events attended with severe trials or misfortunes…
  53. Ad-vērt', v. i.p. 24To turn the mind or attention; to regard, observe, or notice; — with to; as, he adverted to what was said, or to a circumstance that occurred. Now to the universal whole advert. Blackmore. Syn.—To…
  54. Ad-vĕrt'ence or Ad-vĕrt'en-cy, n.p. 24A direction of the mind; attention; notice; regard. To this difference it is right that advertence should be had in regulating taxation. J. S. Mill.
  55. Ad-vĕrt'ent, a.p. 24Attentive; heedful. “An advertent connexing of consequences.” Hale.
  56. Ad-vĕrt'ent-ly, adv.p. 24In an advertent manner.
  57. Ăd'ver-tīze', v. t.p. 24To give notice, advice, or intelligence to; to inform or apprise; — followed by of before the object of information; as, to advertise a man of his loss. I will advertise thee what this people will…
  58. Ad-vēr'tise-ment or Ād/ver-tīse'ment, n.p. 24The act of informing or notifying, or making known. “An advertisement of danger.” Bp. Burnet. 2. Moral admonition. [Rare.] “My griefs cry louder than advertisement,” [i. e., than to admit of being…
  59. Ăd'ver-tī'zer, n.p. 24One who advertises.
  60. Ad-vés'per-āte, v. i.p. 24To grow or draw toward evening. [Obs.] Bailey.