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.
Ăl'mond-tree, n. p. 39(Bot.) The tree bearing the almond, being of the genus Amygdalus, and much resembling the peach. London.Äl'mond-wíl'lōw, n. p. 39(Bot.) A willow which has leaves that are of a light green on both sides; Salix amygdalina. Shenstone.Al'mon-er, n. p. 39An officer in religious houses to whom belonged the distribution of the alms of the house. [Obs.] 2. One who distributes alms in behalf of another; as, the almoner of a prince.Ăl'mon-ry, n. p. 39The place where an almoner resides, or where alms are distributed, or stored for distribution. Wharton. 2. A closet or cupboard to keep choice articles in.Ăl'mo-ry, n. p. 39Same as ALMONRY. [Obs.] Fuller.Al'mōst, adv. p. 39Nearly; well nigh; for the greatest part.Alm'ry, n. p. 39See ALMONRY.Alms, n. pl. p. 39Any thing given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing; charity. Cornelius gave much alms to the people. Acts x. 2. Tenure by free alms, or frank-almoign, in England, is that…Alms'-deed, n. p. 39An act of charity; a charitable deed. Acts ix. 36.Älms'-drĭnk, n. p. 39That liquor of another's share which one's companion drinks to ease him. [Obs. and rare.] Shak.Ălms'-fōlk, n. p. 39Persons supported byAlms'house, n. p. 39A house appropriated for the use of the poor; a poorhouse.Ălms'-măn, n. p. 39A man who lives by alms. Shak. 2. A charitable person. [Rare.] Halliwell.Al'mu-căn’tar, n. p. 39(Astron.) A small circle of the sphere parallel to the horizon; a circle or parallel of altitude. Two stars which have the same almucantar have the same altitude. [Obs.]Almucantar staff p. 39an ancient instrument, having an arc of fifteen degrees, formerly used to take observations of the sun's amplitude at the time of its rising or setting, to find the variation of the compass. Hutton.Al'mûce or Au'mûce, n. p. 39A furred tippet worn by the clergy in the middle ages. [Fairholt.]Al-mūde′, n. p. 39A variable measure for liquids and grain in Spain and Portugal, ranging for liquids from three gallons and a half to five and a half, English measure, and for grain from three pints and a half to…Ăl'mug or Ăl'gum, n. p. 39(Script.) A tree or wood about which the learned are not agreed. Most writers at the present day follow Celsius, who takes it to be the red sandal-wood of China and the Indian archipelago. Wm. Smith.Āl'na-gar or Āl'na-ger, n. p. 39A measurer by the ell; formerly a sworn officer in England, whose duty was to inspect and measure woolen cloth, and fix upon it a seal. ☞ This office was abolished by statute 11 and 12 Will. III.Al'nage, n. p. 39A measuring by the ell. Blount.A'l'night, n. p. 39A cake of wax with the wick in the midst to burn all night. [Obs.] Bacon.Ăl′ōe, n. p. 39(Bot.) A genus of succulent plants, some classed as trees, others as shrubs, but the greater number having the habit and appearance of evergreen herbaceous plants; from some of which are prepared…Al'ôes-wood, n. p. 39See AGALLOCHUM.A·l'o·ët'ic, a. p. 40Āl'o-ēt'ic-al p. 40Pertaining to, or obtained from, the aloe or aloes. 2. Consisting chiefly of aloes; having aloes as a principal ingredient; as, an aloetic preparation.A-lo-ēt'ic, n. p. 40A medicine containing aloes.A-lŏft′, adv. p. 40On high; in the air; high above the ground. “He steers his flight aloft.” Milton. 2. (Naut.) In the top; at the mast head; or on the higher yards or rigging; above the deck.A-lōft′, prep. p. 40On the top or surface of. [Obs.] Fresh waters run aloft the sea. Holland.A-lō'gi-an, n. p. 40(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of ancient heretics, who denied Jesus Christ to be the Logos, and consequently rejected the Gospel of St. John. Buck.A·lō-gŏt'ro-phy, n. p. 40(Med.) A disproportionate nutrition of the parts of the body, especially in the case of rickety individuals. Dunglison.Ăl'o-gy, n. p. 40Unreasonableness; absurdity. [Obs.] Browne.Ăl'o-măn'cy, n. p. 40Divination by means of salt. Morin.A-lōne', a. p. 40Apart from, or exclusive of, others; single; solitary; — applied to a person or thing. Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide, wide sea. Coleridge. It is not good that man should be alone.…A-lōne′, adv. p. 40Separately; by itself.A-lōne'ly, adv. p. 40Only; merely; singly. [Obs.] This said spirit was not given alonely unto him, but unto all his heirs and posterity. Latimer.A-lōne'ly, a. p. 40Exclusive. [Obs.] The alonely rule of the land rested in the queen and Sir Roger [Mortimer]. Fulman.A-lōne'ness, n. p. 40A state of being alone, or without company. [Obs.] Montague.A-lŏng', adv. p. 40By the length; in a line with the length; lengthwise. Some laid along, on spokes of wheels are hung. Dryden. 2. In a line, or with a progressive motion; onward; forward. He struck with his o'ertaking…A-lŏng', prep. p. 40By the length of, as distinguished from across. “The kine . . . went along the highway.” 1 Sam. vi. 36. “Along the lowlands.” Dryden.A-lŏngst', prep. p. 40Along; through or by the length of. [Obs.] Knolles.A-lewife', n. p. 40See ALEWIFE.A-loof', adv. p. 40At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart. “Our palace stood aloof from streets.” Dryden. Love kept aloof, albeit not far remote. Byron. To take the Bible as from the hand…A-lo͞of', prep. p. 40At or to a distance from; away from. Rivetus . . . would fain work himself aloof these rocks and quicksands. Milton.A-lo͞of'ness, n. p. 40The keeping at a distance. Coleridge.Ăl'o-pē'çy, n. p. 40(Med.) A disease, called also the fox-evil or scurf, causing a falling off of the hair from any part of the body.A-loud', adv. p. 40With a loud voice, or great noise; loudly. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice. Isa. lviii. 1.A-lōw’, adv. p. 40In a low place, or a lower part. “Aloft, and then alow.” Dryden.Alp, n. p. 40A very high mountain;—specifically, in the plural, the elevated mountain ranges of Switzerland. Nor breath of vernal air from snowy alp. Milton. Hills peep o’er hills, and alps on alps arise. Pope.Al-pā'că, n. p. 40(Zoöl.) An animal of Peru, the Camelus paco of Linnæus, having long, fine, woolly hair, exceeding in length that of the cashmere goat, and equally fine; a species of the llama. 2. A thin kind of…Ăl'pen, a. p. 40Of or pertaining to the Alps. [Rare.] “The Alpen snow.” J. Fletcher.Al'pen-stöck, n. p. 40A long staff, pointed with iron, used in travelling among the Alps. Cheerer.Al-pĕs'trine, a. p. 40Pertaining to the Alps, or to any mountain elevation; as, Alpes-trine diseases, &c. Dana.Al'pha, n. p. 40The first letter in the Greek alphabet, answering to A, and hence used to denote first or beginning. “I am Alpha and Omega.” Rev. i. 8. ☞ It was formerly used also to denote chief; as, Plato was the…Ăl'pha-bet, n. p. 40The letters of a language arranged in the customary order; the series of letters which form the elements of written language.Al'pha-bet, v. t. p. 40To arrange in the order of an alphabet; to designate by the letters of the alphabet.Āl'pha-bet-ā'ri-an, n. p. 40A learner of the alphabet; an abecedarian. Abp. Sancroft.Ăl'pha-bĕt'ic or Ăl'pha-bĕt'ic-al, a. p. 40Pertaining to, furnished with, expressed by, or in the order of, the letters of the alphabet; as, alphabetical characters, alphabetical writing, an alphabetical language or arrangement. 2. Literal.…Ăl'pha-bĕt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 40In an alphabetical manner; in the customary order of the letters.Al-phēn'ie, n. p. 40(Med.) The crystallized juice of the sugar-cane; sugar-candy.Al-phĭt'o-măn'cy, n. p. 40Divination by means of barley-meal. Knowles.