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.
Āpse, n. p. 69(Arch.) An apsis. See Apsis. The mosaic pavement in the apse, begun by Nicholas V., was completed by Paul II. Milman.Ăp'si-dal, a. p. 69(Astron.) Pertaining to the apsides. 2. (Arch.) Pertaining to the apsis of a church; as, the apsidal termination of the chancel.Āp'sis, n. p. 69See APSE. [Lat. apsis, absis, Gr. ἄψις, gen. ἁψῖδος, a tying, fastening, the hoop of a wheel, the wheel, a bow, arch, vault, from ἅπτειν, to fasten.] 1. (Astron.) One of the two points of an orbit…Apt, a. p. 69Fit; suitable. “They have not always apt instruments.” Burke. A river . . . apt to be forded by a lamb. Bp. Taylor. 2. Having a tendency; liable;—used of things; as, wheat on moist land is apt to…Ăpt, v. t. p. 69To fit; to suit. [Obs.] “That our speech be apted to necessary edification.” Bp. Taylor.Apt'a-ble, a. p. 69Capable of being adapted. [Obs.] Sherwood.Ap'tāte, v. t. p. 69To make fit. [Obs.] Bailey.Ap'ter-a or Ap'ter-ous, n. pl. p. 69(Entom.) Insects without wings, constituting the seventh order of insects in Linnæus’s system; and including also crustacea, spiders, centipeds, and even worms. But later zoologists have made a…Ăp'ter-al, a. p. 69Destitute of wings. 2. (Arch.) Without lateral columns;—applied to buildings which have no series of columns along their sides, but are either prostyle or amphiprostyle, and opposed to peripteral. P.…Āp'ter-an, n. p. 69(Entom.) One of the Aptera, an order of wingless insects.Āp'ter-ōus, a. p. 69(Entom.) Destitute of wings; apteral;—applied to insects of the order Aptera. 2. (Bot.) Destitute of membranous expansions, as a stem or petiole;—opposed to alate. Brande.Ap'ter-yx, n. p. 69(Ornith.) A bird of New Zealand of the ostrich or brevipennate family, with only short rudiments of wings, armed with a claw, and without a tail. Baird.Ăpt’i-tūde, n. p. 69A natural or acquired disposition for a particular purpose, or tendency to a particular action or effect; as, oil has an aptitude to burn; men acquire an aptitude to particular vices. 2. A general…Ăp'ti-tū'dī-nal, a. p. 69Containing aptitude. [Obs.]Ap'ti-tū'di-nal-ly, adv. p. 69In an aptitudinal manner.Apt'ly, adv. p. 69In an apt or suitable manner; fitly; properly; justly; pertinently; readily.Apt'ness, n. p. 69Fitness; suitableness; as, the aptness of things to their end. 2. Disposition of the mind; propensity; as, the aptness of men to follow example. 3. Quickness of apprehension; readiness in learning…Ăp'tōte, n. p. 69(Gram.) A noun which has no variation of termination or distinction of cases; an indeclinable noun.Ăp'y-rèt'ic, a. p. 69(Med.) Without fever;—applied to days when there is an intermission of fever. Dunglison.Ap'y-rēx'y, n. p. 69(Med.) The absence or intermission of fever.A-py′rōus or Ăp′y-rōus, a. p. 69Incombustible, or sustaining a strong heat without alteration of form or properties. ☞ Apyrous bodies differ from those simply refractory. Refractory bodies may be altered but not fused by heat.…A'quā, n. p. 69Water;—a word much used in pharmacy and the old chemistry, in various significations, determined by the word or words annexed. Aqua fortis (Chem.), same as nitric-acid.—Aqua marine, or aqua marina, a…A-quā′ri-an, n. p. 69(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Christians in the primitive church who consecrated water in the eucharist instead of wine; either under a pretense of abstinence, or because they thought it was…A·quā'rī·um, n. p. 69An artificial pond for rearing aquatic plants. 2. A globe or tank of glass for keeping alive aquatic animals, usually in connection with aquatic plants, rock-work, and shells. Gosse.A·quā'rĭ·ŭs, n. p. 69(Astron.) The Water-bearer; a sign in the zodiac which the sun enters about the 21st of January;—so called from the rains which prevail at that season in Italy and the East.A-quăt'ic or A-quăt'ic-al, a. p. 69Pertaining to or inhabiting water; as, aquatic animals and plants. 2. Frequenting water; as, aquatic fowls. ☞ Aquatical is rarely used.A-quāt'ie, n. p. 69A plant which grows in water, as the flag.Ăq'ua-tīle, a. p. 69Inhabiting the water. [Rare.] Browne.A'qua-tīnt or A'qua-tīn-tā, n. p. 69A method of engraving by the use of aqua fortis, by which an effect is produced resembling a drawing in water colors or Indian ink.A'quā To-fā'ni, n. p. 69A fluid containing arsenic, and used for secret poisoning, made by a woman named Tofana, who lived at Palermo in the middle of the 17th century, and is said to have poisoned more than 600 persons.…Aq'ue-dūct, n. p. 69A conductor, conduit, or artificial channel for conveying water, especially one for supplying large cities with water. ☞ The term is also applied to a structure, similar to the ancient aqueducts, for…A-quē'i-ty, n. p. 69The quality of being watery; wateriness; aquosity. [Obs.] B. Jonson.A'que-ōŭs, a. p. 69Partaking of the nature of water, or abounding with it; watery. “Aqueous moisture.” Ray. 2. Made by means of water. “An aqueous deposit.” Dana. Aqueous humor (Anat.), one of the humors of the eye; a…Ā'que-ŏŭs-ness, n. p. 69The quality of being watery; waterishness; wateriness.A-quif'er-oŭs, a. p. 69Conducting water or a watery fluid; as, aquiferous vessels; the aquiferous system.A’qui-fōrm, a. p. 69Having the form of water.Ăq'ui-lă, n. p. 69(Ornith.) The eagle, a genus of birds of prey. 2. (Astron.) A northern constellation above Capricornus and Aquarius. P. Cyc.Aq'ui-line, a. p. 69Belonging to the eagle. 2. Curving; hooked; prominent, like the beak of an eagle; — applied particularly to the nose. Terribly arched and aquiline his nose. Cowper.Aq'ui-lon, n. p. 69The north wind, so called from its swiftness. Shak.Aq'ui-tā'ni-an, a. p. 69(Geog.) Pertaining to Aquitania, one of the great divisions of Gaul, which, according to Cæsar, lay between the Garonne, the Pyrenees, and the ocean, and which is now called Gascony.A-quōse', a. p. 69Having the qualities of water; watery; aqueous. [Rare.] Bailey.A-quōs'i-ty, n. p. 69The condition of being wet or watery; wateriness. Tolhausen. Very little water or aquosity is found in their belly. Holland.Ă'ra, n. p. 69(Astron.) The Altar; a southern constellation, containing nine stars. Ogilvie.Ăr'ab, n. p. 69(Geog.) A native or an inhabitant of Arabia.Ăr'a-bĕsque, n. p. 69A species of ornament used for enriching flat surfaces, either painted, inlaid in mosaic, or carved in low relief. It consists of a fanciful and ideal mixture of all sorts of figures of men and…Ar'a-bĕsque, a. p. 70In the manner of the Arabians; relating to, or exhibiting, the style of ornament called arabesque; as, arabesque ornament.Ar'a-bèsqued, a. p. 70Ornamented in the style of arabesques.A-rā'bi-an, a. p. 70(Geog.) Pertaining to Arabia, or to its inhabitants. Herbert. Arabian bird, the phœnix. Shak.A-rāʹbi-an, n. p. 70(Geog.) A native of Arabia; an Arab.Ar'a-bĭc, a. p. 70Belonging to Arabia, or to the language of its inhabitants. Worthington.Ar'a-bĭc, n. p. 70The language of the Arabians.Arāb'ic-al, a. p. 70Relating to Arabia; Arabic.A-rāb'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 70In the Arabian manner.Ar'a-bine, n. p. 70(Chem.) Any gum which is easily dissolved in water, as gum-arabic. Brande.Ăr'a-bĭsm, n. p. 70An Arabic idiom or peculiarity of language. Stuart.Ar'a-bīst, n. p. 70One well versed in the Arabic language or literature.Ăr'a-ble, a. p. 70Fit for plowing or tillage; hence, often applied to land which has been plowed or tilled.Ar'a-bo Te-dēs'co, n. p. 70A style of art combining the Moorish, Roman, and German-Gothic. Gurlt.Ar'a-ca-nēse', n. sing. & pl. p. 70(Geog.) A native or an inhabitant of Aracan, or Arracan, a British province of Farther India.Ar'a-ca-nēse', a. p. 70(Geog.) Pertaining to Aracan, or to its inhabitants.