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.
As-săs′sin-ā′tor, n. p. 82An assassin.As-săs'sin-oŭs, a. p. 82Murderous. [Obs.] Milton.Ăs-sāʹtion, n. p. 82A roasting. [Obs.] Browne.As-sault', n. p. 82A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, &c.; as, to make an assault upon a man, a house, or a town. The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault. Prescott. 2. A violent…As-sault', v. t. p. 83To make an assault upon; to attack with great physical violence. Insnared, assaulted, overcome, led bound. Milton. 2. To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing moral effects; to attack…As-sault'a-ble, a. p. 83Capable of being assaulted; assailable. Williams.As-sault'er, n. p. 83One who assaults, or violently attacks; an assailant. Bp. Hall.As-sāy', n. p. 83Trial; attempt; essay. [Obs.] I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton. 2. An adventure or enterprise; experience. [Obs.] Through many…As-sāy', v. t. p. 83To subject, as an ore, alloy, or other metallic compound, to chemical examination, in order to determine the amount of a particular metal contained in it. 2. To apply; to try. [Obs.] “Soft words to…As-sāy’, v. i. p. 83To attempt, try, or endeavor. “She thrice assayed to speak.” Dryden. [In this sense essay is now used.]As-sāy'er, n. p. 83One who assays; specifically, one who examines metallic ores or compounds, for the purpose of determining the amount of any particular metal in the same, especially of gold or silver.As-sāy'-mās'ter, n. p. 83An assayer; an officer appointed to determine the amount of gold or silver in coin or bullion.Ăs/sec-tā'tion, n. p. 83Attendance or waiting upon. [Obs.] Bailey.As-se-cū'rance, n. p. 83Assurance. [Obs.] Sheldon.As'se-cu-rā'tion, n. p. 83Assurance; freedom from doubt; certainty. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.As-se-cūre', v. t. p. 83To make sure. [Obs.] Bullokar.As-se-cû'tion, n. p. 83An obtaining or acquiring. [Obs.] Ayliffe.As-sĕm'blage, n. p. 83The act of assembling, or the state of being assembled. [Rare.] “In sweet assemblage every blooming grace.” Fenton. 2. A collection of individuals, or of particular things; as, a political…As-sĕm'blance, n. p. 83Resemblance; likeness; representation. [Obs.] Care I for the . . . assemblance of a man? give me the spirit. Shak. 2. An assembling. [Obs.] “To weep the cause of their assemblance.” Spenser.As-sĕm'ble, v. t. p. 83To collect into one place or body; to bring or call together; to convene; to congregate. Thither he assembled all his train, Milton.As-sĕm'ble, v. i. p. 83To meet or come together; to convene, as a number of individuals. “The churls assemble.” Dryden.As-sĕm'ble, v. t. p. 83To liken; to compare. [Obs.] “Bibles may be assembled to pitch.” Latimer.As-sĕm'bler, n. p. 83One who assembles.As-sĕm’bly, n. p. 83A company of persons collected together in one place, and usually for some common purpose; as, religious, political, and social assemblies. 2. An assemblage. [Obs.] Howell. 3. (Mil.) A beat of the…As-sĕm'bly-rōom, n. p. 83A room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing.As-sĕnt', n. p. 83The act of assenting; the act of the mind in admitting or agreeing to any thing; consent; agreement. It received the assent, if not the approbation, of the prince. Prescott. Faith is the assent to…As-sĕnt', v. i. p. 83To admit a thing as true; to express an agreement, concurrence, or concession. The Jews also assented, saying that these things were so. Acts xxiv. 9. Syn.— To yield; agree; concede; concur; approve.Ăs'sen-tā'tion, n. p. 83Act of assenting; compliance with the opinion of another, from flattery or dissimulation. Cromwell, with all the assentations imaginable, seemed to rejoice that they had made so worthy a choice. Life…Ăs'sen-tā'tor, n. p. 83An obsequious person; a flatterer. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.As-sĕnt′a-to-ri-ly, adv. p. 83With adulation or obsequiousness. [Obs.] Bacon.As-sĕnt'er, n. p. 83One who assents.As-sēn'tient, a. p. 83Yielding assent.As-sēnt'ing-ly, adv. p. 83In a manner to express assent; by agreement; as, he nodded assentingly.As-sēnt'ive, a. p. 83Giving assent; complying. Savage.As-sēnt'ment, n. p. 83Assent; agreement. [Obs.] Their . . . argument subsists upon the charity of our as-sentments. Browne.As-sērt', v. t. p. 83To affirm positively; to declare with assurance; to aver; to asseverate. Nothing is more shameful . . . than to assert any thing to be done without a cause. Ray. 2. To maintain or defend by words or…As-sērt'er, n. p. 83One who asserts; one who avers or maintains; an assertor. “The inflexible asserter of the rights of the church.” Milman.As-sĕr'tion, n. p. 83The act of asserting, or affirming, or that which is asserted; positive declaration or averment; affirmation; position advanced. “There is a difference between assertion and demonstration.” Macaulay.…As-sēr'tion-al, a. p. 83Containing an assertion. Latham.As-sērt'ive, a. p. 83Positive; affirming confidently; peremptory. “Assertive of tradition.” Bp. Taylor.As-sĕrt'ive-ly, adv. p. 83Affirmatively. Bp. Bedell.As-sĕrt'or, n. p. 83One who asserts; one who maintains or vindicates a claim; an affirmer, supporter, or vindicator; an asserter. Faithful asserter of thy country's cause. Prior.As-sĕrt'o-ry, a. p. 83Affirming; maintaining. “The assertory oath.” Bp. Taylor. In Logic, judgments and propositions are assertory, i. e., declaratory, problematic, and apodeictic.As-sĕss', v. t. p. 83To set, fix, or charge a certain sum upon, as a tax; as, to assess each citizen in due proportion. 2. To value; to fix the value or profits of, for the purpose of taxation. 3. To determine, fix, or…As-sĕss’, n. p. 83Assessment. [Obs.]As-sĕss'a-ble, a. p. 83Liable to be assessed or taxed; as, assessable property.As-sēss'a-bly, adv. p. 83By assessment.As-sēs'sion, n. p. 83A sitting down by a person. [Obs.] Bailey.As-sēs'sion-a-ry, a. p. 83Of, or pertaining to, assessors. “At the assessionary court.” Carew.As-sēss'ment, n. p. 83The act of assessing; the act of determining the amount of damages by a jury. “To be subject to no assessment.” Howell. 2. A valuation of property or profits of business, for the purpose of taxation…As-sĕss'or, n. p. 83One who sits by another, as next in dignity, or as an assistant and adviser; an associate. Whence to his Son, The assessor of his throne, he thus began. Milton. To point out the supremacy of…Ăs'ses-sō'ri-al, a. p. 84Pertaining to assessors, or to a court of assessors. Coxe.Ăs'sets, n. pl. p. 84(Law.) (a.) Property of a deceased person, subject by law to the payment of his debts and legacies;—called assets because sufficient to render the executor or administrator liable to the creditors…As-sĕv'er, v. t. p. 84Same as ASSEVERATE. [Obs.]As-sĕv'er-âte, v. t. p. 84To affirm or aver positively, or with solemnity. Syn.—To affirm; aver; protest; declare. See AFFIRM.As-sĕv'er-ā'tion, n. p. 84Positive affirmation or assertion; solemn declaration. Another abuse of the tongue I might add,—vehement asseverations upon slight and trivial occasions. Ray.Ăs-si-dē'an, n. p. 84One of a body of zealous and devoted Jews, the adherents of Mattathias, the father of the Maccabees, in defense of the religion and liberties of their country. Kitto.Ăs'si-dent, a. p. 84(Med.) Usually attending a disease, but not always; as, assident signs, which are distinguished from pathognomic signs, or those that are inseparable from it.As-sĭd'ŭ-ate, a. p. 84Constant; continual; assiduous. [Obs.] Fabyan.Ăs'/si-dū'i-ty, n. p. 84Constant or close application or attention, particularly to some business or enterprise; diligence. I have, with much pains and assiduity, qualified myself for a nomenclator. Addison. ☞ Assiduities…