Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.A-rā'ce', v. t. p. 70To tear up by the roots; to draw away. [Obs.] Wyatt.