Dictionary
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.
A-ground', adv. p. 31On the ground; stranded;—a nautical term applied to a ship when its bottom rests on the ground for want of sufficient depth of water. Totten.A-group'ment, n. p. 31(Fine Arts.) The arrangement of a group in a picture or in statuary; grouping.A'güe, n. p. 31Chilliness; a chill, or state of shaking with cold, though in ordinary health. Dryden. 2. (Med.) An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.A’güe, v. t. p. 31To strike with an ague, or as with an ague. Haywood.A’gue-cāke, n. p. 31An enlargement of the spleen produced by ague. “A mere ague-cake.” Milton.Ā'gue-drōp, n. p. 31A solution of the arsenite of potassa. Dunglison.A-guër'ry, v. t. p. 31To inure to the hardships of war; to instruct in the art of war. [Obs.] Lyttleton.A'gue-spĕll, n. p. 31A charm or spell to cure or prevent ague. Gay.Ā’gŭe-tree, n. p. 31The sassafras;— sometimes so called on account of its febrifuge qualities.A-guīse', v. t. p. 31To dress; to adorn. [Obs.] Wherewith above all knights ye goodly seem aguised. Spencer.A-guīse’, n. p. 31Dress. “Their brave aguise.” More.Ă'gu-ish, a. p. 31Having the qualities of an ague; somewhat cold or shivering; chilly. Her aguish love now glows and burns. Granville.A'gu-ish-ness, n. p. 31The quality of being aguish; chilliness.A'gul, n. p. 31(Bot.) A thorny shrub of Persia and Mesopotamia (the Hedysarum alhagi), which affords a kind of manna.Ăh, interj. p. 31An exclamation, expressive of surprise, pity, complaint, contempt, dislike, joy, exultation, &c., according to the manner of utterance.A-hā', interj. p. 31An exclamation expressing triumph, contempt, or simple surprise; but the senses are distinguished by very different modes of utterance, and different modifications of features. 2. A sunk fence, not…A-hĕad', adv. p. 31Farther forward; farther in front or in advance; onward. “The island bore but a little ahead of us.” Fielding. 2. Headlong; without restraint; precipitantly. They suffer them [children] to run ahead.…A-height', adv. p. 32Aloft; on high. [Obs.] “Look up aheight.” Shak.A-high', adv. p. 32On high. [Obs.]A-hōld', adv. p. 32Near the wind; as, to lay a ship ahold. [Obs.] Shak.A-hou'ai, n. p. 32(Bot.) A species of Cerbera, a tree found in Brazil, having thick leaves, full of milky juice. Its fruit is a drupe, or nut, whose kernels are a deadly poison. London.A-hoy', interj. p. 32(Naut.) A term used in hailing; as, “Ship ahoy.”Āh'rī-man, n. p. 32The evil genius or demon of the Persians;—opposed to Oromasdes, or Ormuzd, the good demon. Gibbon.A-hūll', adv. p. 32(Naut.) With the sails furled, and the helm lashed;—applied to ships in a storm. Totten.Ä'i, n. p. 32(Zoöl.) The common three-toed sloth; a species of Bradypus. Baird.Aid, v. t. p. 32To support, either by furnishing strength or means to effect a purpose, or to prevent or remove evil; to help; to assist; as, Heaven aids those who aid themselves. Syn.—To help; assist; support…Aid, n. p. 32Help; succor; support; assistance; relief. “An unconstitutional mode of obtaining aid.” Hallam. 2. The person or thing that aids or yields support; a helper; an auxiliary. Dryden. Let us make unto…Aid'ance, n. p. 32Aid. [Rare.] The means and aidances supplied by the Supreme Reason. Coleridge.Aid’ant, a. p. 32Helping; helpful; supplying aid. [Rare.] Shak.Aid'-de-camp, n. p. 32(Mil.) An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to represent him in correspondence and in directing movements.Āid'er, n. p. 32One who helps; an assistant or auxiliary.Āid'less, a. p. 32Helpless; without aid. Tennyson.Āid'-mā'jor, n. p. 32The adjutant of a regiment. [Obs.]Āi'gre, n. p. 32See EAGRE.Āi'gret or Āi-grĕtte', n. p. 32(Ornith.) The small white heron;—commonly called egret. 2. (Bot.) A feathery crown of seed. See EGRET. 3. A plume or an ornament for the head composed of feathers, or of precious stones, in the form…Aig'uil lĕtte', n. p. 32A point or tag at the end of a fringe or lace. 2. (Mil.) (a.) A tagged point hanging from the shoulder upon the breast, in some military uniforms in Europe. (b.) A braid or cord worn from one…Aig'u-let or Aig'let, n. p. 32A tag or point. “Golden aigulets.” Spenser.Aik'raw, n. p. 32A species of lichen, or moss.Ail, v. t. p. 32To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; to affect in any way;—used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what…Ail, v. i. p. 32To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be indisposed or in trouble; as, a person is ailing.Ai-lān’tus, n. p. 32(Bot.) A genus of beautiful trees, natives of the East. There are two kinds, one having an offensive odor, the other not. Loudon. ☞ Commonly, but improperly, spelt ailanthus.Ail-lĕtte', n. p. 32A small square shield on the shoulders of knights, being the prototype of the modern epaulet. Fairholt.Ail’ment, n. p. 32Indisposition; morbid affection of the body; — not applied ordinarily to acute diseases.Ăim, v. i. p. 32To point with a missive weapon; as, to aim at an enemy. 2. To direct the intention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; — followed by at; as, to aim at distinction. “Aim’st thou at…Ăim, v. t. p. 32To direct or point, as a weapon; to direct to a particular object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow; to aim a satire or a reflection at some person or vice.Aim, n. p. 32The pointing or direction of a missile weapon; the direction of any thing to a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it, as of a spear, a blow, a discourse, or remark. “Each at…Āim’er, n. p. 32One who aims, directs, or points.Āim'less, a. p. 32Without aim; as, an aimless life.Aim'less-ly, adv. p. 32Without aim, or purpose.Air (4), n. p. 32The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable. ☞ By the ancient philosophers, air…Air, v. t. p. 32To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, exhibiting, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. “It were good wisdom . . . that the jail were aired.” Bacon. Were you but…Air'a, n. p. 32(Bot.) A genus of grasses; hair-grass.Air'-bal-lōon, n. p. 32See BALLOON.Air'-bāth, n. p. 32An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature.Air'-bĕd, n. p. 32A case of india-rubber cloth, or other material, made air-tight, and inflated through tubes closed by stop-cocks. Simmonds.Air'-blād'der, n. p. 32A peculiar organ in some kinds of fishes, containing air, by which they are enabled to maintain their equilibrium in the water. Baird.Air'-built, a. p. 32Erected in the air; having no solid foundation; chimerical; as, an air-built castle.Air'-cās'ing, n. p. 32An air-tight casing around a pipe, &c., at a little distance from it, intended to secure the interposition of air as a non-conductor of heat or cold.Air'-cĕll, n. p. 32A cavity containing air. 2. (Bot.) A cavity in the cellular tissue of plants, containing air only. 3. (Physiol.) A receptacle of air in various parts of the system, as a cavity in the cellular tissue…Air'-chām'ber, n. p. 32A cavity containing air to act as a spring for equalizing the flow of a liquid in hydraulic machines. The cut is a section of a locomotive pump. The water is drawn by the action of the plunger in the…