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.
Arts'-măn, n. p. 79A man skilled in an art or in arts. [Obs.] Bacon.Art-ūn'ion, n. p. 79An association for encouraging artists by the purchase of their works, which are usually distributed by lot to the members. Fairholt.A'rum, n. p. 79A name applied to certain plants growing in damp places, including the Calla, Taro, Indian turnip, &c. Gray.Ar·un·dēl'ian, a. p. 79Pertaining to Arundel; as, the Arundelian marbles, ancient stones, containing a chronological detail of the principal events of Greece, from Cecrops, who lived about 1582 years before Christ, to the…Ăr-un-dif'fer-oŭs, a. p. 79Producing reeds or canes. Blount.A-rŭn'/di-nā'ceoŭs, a. p. 79Pertaining to a reed; resembling the reed or cane.Ăr'/un dīn'e·oûs, a. p. 79Abounding with reeds.A-rŭs'pex, n. p. 79A soothsayer; an aruspice. Dryden.A-rŭs’pĭçe, n. p. 79A priest, in ancient Rome, whose business it was to inspect the entrails of victims killed in sacrifice, and by them to foretell future events or interpret the will of the gods.A-rŭs'pi·cy, n. p. 79Prognostication or divination by inspection of the entrails of beasts slain in sacrifice. The roguery Of old aruspicy and augury. Hudibras.Är'vel, n. p. 79A funeral. Grose.A-rȳt'e-noid, a. p. 79Shaped like a funnel or a ladle;—applied in anatomy to two small cartilages at the top of the larynx, and also to the glands, muscles, &c., connected with them. Dunglison.Ăs, conj. p. 79Like; similar to; of the same kind, or in the same manner, with; in the manner in which; as, ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil; you will reap as you sow; do as you are bidden. 2. That…Ăs, n. p. 80A Roman weight of twelve ounces, answering to the libra or pound, equivalent to about 5204 grains Troy. Anthon. 2. A Roman coin, originally of a pound weight; but reduced, after the first Punic war…Ăs'a, n. p. 80An ancient name of a gum. Encyc.As'a-dōl'cis, n. p. 80Benzoin.As'a-fet'i-dā or As'a-fœt'i-dā, n. p. 80A fetid inspissated sap, from Persia and the East Indies. It is the concrete juice of a large umbelliferous plant, the Ferula asafetida, and is much used in medicine as an antispasmodic.As'ar-a-bác'ca, n. p. 80(Bot.) The Asarum Europæum, the leaves and roots of which are emetic, and used in farriery. The powdered leaves form the basis of most cephalic snuffs. London.As'a-rōne, n. p. 80(Chem.) A crystallized substance, resembling camphor, obtained from the Asarum Europaeum;—now called camphor of asarum.As-bĕs'tic, a. p. 80Of, or belonging to, asbestos; inconsumable; asbestine.As-bĕs'ti-fōrm, a. p. 80Having the structure of asbestus.As-bēs'tine, a. p. 80Pertaining to asbestos, or partaking of its nature and qualities; incombustible; asbestic.As-bēs'tin-ite, n. p. 80(Min.) The actinolite or strahlstein. Kirwan.As-bĕs'toūs, a. p. 80Same as ASBESTIC.As-bēs'tus or As-bēs'tos, n. p. 80(Min.) A variety of hornblende and pyroxene, occurring in long, delicate fibers, or fibrous masses or seams, usually of a white or gray color, but sometimes greenish or reddish. The finer varieties…As'bo-line, n. p. 80(Chem.) A peculiar acrid and bitter principle obtained from wood soot. Eng. Cyc.As'ca-ris, n. p. 80(Zool.) A genus of intestinal worms, having a cylindrical body tapering at the ends.As-cĕnd', v. i. p. 80To move upward; to mount; to go up; to rise. Higher yet that star ascends. Bowring. 2. To rise, in a figurative sense; to proceed from an inferior to a superior degree, from mean to noble objects…As-cĕnd’, v. t. p. 80To go or move upward upon, to climb; as, to ascend a hill or ladder; to ascend a tree. “Ascend the rampart.” Cooper.As-cĕnd'an-cy, n. p. 80Same as ASCENDENCY, but a less common orthography.As-cēnd'ant, n. p. 80Superiority, or commanding influence; as, one man has the ascendant over another. Chievres had acquired over the mind of the young monarch the ascendant not only of a tutor, but of a parent.…As-cĕnd'ant, a. p. 80Above the horizon. The constellation . . . is about that time ascendant. Browne. 2. Superior; predominant; surpassing. “An ascendant spirit over him.” South.As-cĕnd'en-cy, n. p. 80Governing or controlling influence; power. “An undisputed ascendency.” Macaulay. Custom has an ascendency over the understanding. Watts. Syn.—Control; authority; influence; sway; dominion…As-cĕnd'i-ble, a. p. 80Capable of being ascended.As-cēnd'ing, p. a. p. 80Rising; moving upward. Ascending latitude (Astron.), the increasing latitude of a planet. Ferguson.—Ascending node (Astron.), that point of a planet's orbit wherein it passes the ecliptic to proceed…As-cĕn'sion, n. p. 80The act of ascending: a rising;—specifically, the visible elevation of our Savior to heaven. 2. The thing rising or ascending. “Vaporous ascensions.” Browne. Right ascension (Astron.), that degree of…As-cĕn'sion-al, a. p. 80Relating to ascension; belonging to, or connected with, ascent; ascensive; as, the ascensional power of a balloon. Ascensional difference (Astron.), the difference between oblique and right…As-cĕn’sion-dāy, n. p. 80The Thursday but one before Whitsuntide, the anniversary of our Savior’s ascension into heaven after his resurrection;—called also Holy Thursday.As-cĕn'sive, a. p. 80Rising; tending to rise, or causing to rise. 2. (Gram.) Increasing the force; augmentative; intensive. Ellicott.As-çent', n. p. 80The act of rising; motion upward; rise; a mounting upward; as, the ascent of vapors from the earth. To him with swift ascent he up returned. Milton. 2. The way by which one ascends; the means of…As-cer-tāin', v. t. p. 80To make certain; to establish with certainty or precision; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix. The divine law ascertains the truth. Hooker. The very deferring (of his…As-cer-tain'a-ble, a. p. 80Capable of being ascertained; capable of being made certain in fact, or certain to the mind; that may be certainly known, or reduced to a certainty. Kerr.As-cer-tāin'er, n. p. 80One who ascertains or makes certain.As·cer·tāin'ment, n. p. 80The act of ascertaining; a reducing to certainty; certainty; fixed rule. “The positive ascertainment of its limits.” Burke.As-cēs'san-cy or As-cēs'sant, n. p. 80As-cēs'sant, a. See ACESCENCY, ACESCENT.As-cēt'ic, a. p. 80Unduly rigid in devotions and mortifications; austere. The stern ascetic rigor of the Temple discipline. W. Scott.As-cĕt'ic, n. p. 80In the early church, one who retired from the customary business of life, and devoted himself to the duties of piety and devotion; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices undue rigor and…As-cĕt'i-cĭsm, n. p. 80The state or practice of ascetics. “Such are those which teach the sanctity of celibacy and asceticism.” Warburton.As'cī, n. pl. p. 80(Bot.) Small membranous bladders or tubes in which are inclosed the seed-like reproductive particles, or sporules of cryptogamous plants. London.As·cīd'i-ā, n. pl. p. 80As-cīd'i-ans p. 80A class of acephalous mollusks, having often a leathery exterior. See ANIMALS.As-cĭd'i-fôrm, a. p. 80Bottle-shaped; ascidia-like. Dana.As-cīg'er-oüs, a. p. 80(Bot.) Having asci. London.As'ci-i or As'cians, n. pl. p. 80Persons who, at certain times of the year, have no shadow at noon. Such only are the inhabitants of the torrid zone, who have, twice a year, a vertical sun.As'ci-tan, n. p. 80(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect or branch of Montanists, who appeared in the second century. They introduced into their assemblies certain bacchanals, who danced around a bag or skin distended with air…As·cī'tēs, n. p. 80(Med.) A collection of serous fluid in the abdomen; dropsy of the peritoneum. Dunglison.As-cīt'ie or As-cīt'ie-al, a. p. 80Belonging to ascites; dropsical; hydropical.Ăs-ci-ti'tious, a. p. 80Additional; added; supplemental; not inherent or original; adscititious. Homer has been reckoned an ascitious name. Pope.As-clē'pi-ad, n. p. 80(Anc. Pros.) A verse of four feet, a spondee, two choriambi, and an iambus; or a spondee, a dactyl, a long syllable followed by a cesura, after which are two dactyls; thus, Mæcē | nas, ātāvis ||…As-cle'pi-as, n. p. 80(Bot.) A genus of plants including the milkweed, swallow-wort, and some other species having medicinal properties.