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'sig-nat', n. p. 84(Fr. Law.) The assignment of an annuity (rente) on an estate, by which the annuity is based on the security of the latter. 2. Paper currency, issued by the revolutionary government of France, based…As'sig-nā'tion, n. p. 84The act of assigning or allotting. “This order being taken in the senate, as touching the appointment and assignment of those provinces.” Holland. 2. An appointment of time and place for…As-sign-ee', n. p. 84(Law.) (a.) A person to whom an assignment is made; a person appointed or deputed by another to do some act, perform some business, or enjoy some right, privilege, or property; as, an assignee of a…As-sign'er, n. p. 84One who assigns or appoints.As-sign'ment, n. p. 84An allotting or an appointment to a particular person or use; or for a particular time, as of a cause or causes in court. 2. (Law.) (a.) A transfer of title or interest by writing, as of a lease…As-sign-ôr', n. p. 84(Law.) An assigner; a person who assigns or transfers an interest; as, the assignor of a debt or other chose in action.As-sim'i-la-bil'i-ty, n. p. 84The quality of being assimilable. [Rare.]As-sim'i-la-ble, a. p. 84Capable of being assimilated.As-sim′i-la-ble, n. p. 84That which is susceptible of assimilation. [Obs.] “Meeting no assimilables wherein to react their natures.” Browne.As-sim'i-lāte, v. t. p. 84To bring to a likeness; to cause to resemble. Fast falls a fleecy shower; the downy flakes Assimilate all objects. Cooper. 2. To convert into a like substance; as, food is assimilated by conversion…As-sim'i-lāte, v. i. p. 84To become similar. 2. To perform the act of converting food to the substance of the body. “Birds assimilate less . . . than beasts.” Bacon. 3. To be converted into the substance of the body; as…As-sim'/i-lā'tion, n. p. 84The act of assimilating or bringing to a resemblance, likeness, or identity; or a state of resemblance or identity. The pleasing illusions . . . which, by a bland assimilation, incorporated into…As-sim'i-la-tive, a. p. 84Having power of assimilating, or converting to a likeness, or to a like substance. “Assimulative . . . virtue.” Hakewill.As-sĭm′i-la-to-ry, a. p. 84Tending to assimilate, or produce assimilation; as, assimilatory organs.As-sim'ü-lāte, v. t. p. 84To feign; to counterfeit; to simulate. [Obs.] Blount.As-sĭm'ū-lā'tion, n. p. 84A counterfeiting; simulation. [Obs.]As'si-nê'go, n. p. 84An ass. Herbert.Ass'ish, a. p. 84Resembling an ass; asinine; stupid. “Such ... appear to be of the assish kind.” Udal. “An assish phrase.” Mrs. Cowden Clarke.As-sist’, v. t. p. 84To give support to in some undertaking or effort, or in time of distress; to succor. Assist me, knight; I am undone. Shak. Syn.—To help; aid; second; back; support; further; relieve; succor…As-sist', v. i. p. 84To lend aid; to help. With God not parted from him, as was feared, But favoring and assisting to the end. Milton. 2. To be present; to attend; as, to assist at a public meeting. [A Gallicism.]…As-sist'ance, n. p. 84Help; aid; furtherance; succor; a contribution of support in bodily strength or other means. “Without the assistance of a mortal hand.” Shak. 2. An assistant; a helper. [Obs. and rare.] Wat Tyler…As-sist’ant, a. p. 84Helping; lending aid or support; auxiliary. “Genius and learning . . . are mutually and greatly assistant to each other.” Beattie.As-sist'ant, n. p. 84One who aids, or who contributes his strength or other means to further, the designs or welfare of another; an auxiliary. “In one respect I'll thy assistant be.” Shak. 2. An attendant. [Rare.]…As-sist'ant-ly, adv. p. 84In a manner to give aid.As-sist'er, n. p. 84One that lends aid; a helper.As-size', n. p. 84Originally, an assembly of knights and other substantial men, with a bailiff or justice, in a certain place and at a certain time, for public business. 2. (Law.) (a.) A special kind of jury or…As-sīze′, v. t. p. 84To fix the weight, measure, or price of, by an ordinance or regulation of authority. 2. To fix the rate of; to assess, as taxes. Berners.As-sīze'ment, n. p. 85A legalized inspection of weights and measures, and affixing of the price of bread, &c., according to its quality and weight. Simmonds.As-sīz'er, n. p. 85An officer who has the care or inspection of weights and measures. Chambers.As-sīz'or, n. p. 85In Scotland, a juror. Bailey.As-sō'ber, v. t. p. 85To make or keep sober. [Obs.]As-sō'cia-bil'i-ty, n. p. 85The quality of being associable, or capable of association; associableness.As-sō'cia-ble, a. p. 85Capable of being associated or joined. 2. Sociable; companionable. 3. (Med.) Liable to be affected by sympathy, or to receive from other parts correspondent feelings and affections. “The stomach, the…As-sō'cia-ble-ness, n. p. 85Associability.As-sō'ci-āte, v. t. p. 85To join in company, as a friend, companion, partner, or confederate; as, to associate others with us in business, or in an enterprise. 2. To unite in the same mass; as, particles of matter associated…As-sō'ci-āte, v. i. p. 85To unite in company; to keep company, implying intimacy; as, congenial minds are disposed to associate. 2. To unite in action, or to be affected by the action of a different part of the body. Darwin.As-sō'ci-ate, a. p. 85Closely connected or joined with some other, as in interest, purpose, employment, or office; as, an associate judge. While I descend . . . to my associate powers. Milton. 2. (Med.) Connected by habit…As-sō'ci-ate, n. p. 85A companion; one frequently in company with another, implying intimacy or equality; a mate; a fellow. 2. A partner in interest, as in business; or a confederate in a league. 3. Any thing closely or…As-sō'ci-ate-shīp, n. p. 85The state or office of an associate.As-sō/ci-ā'tion, n. p. 85The act of associating, or state of being associated; union; connection, whether of persons or things. “Some . . . bond of association.” Hooker. Antiochus being put besides all hope of association…As-sō'ci-ā'tion-al, a. p. 85Pertaining to an association. [An Americanism.]As-sō'ci-a-tive, a. p. 85Having the quality of associating, or of being affected by sympathy; as, the associative faculty. Hugh Miller.As-sō'ci-ā'tor, n. p. 85A confederate; a partner; an associate. [Obs.] How Pennsylvania's air agrees with Quakers, And Carolina's with associators. Dryden.As-soil’, v. t. p. 85To free from difficulty, from guilt, or from the consequences of guilt; to solve; to absolve; to release; to acquit; to set at liberty. [Obs.] Any child might soon be able to assoil this riddle. Bp.…As-soil', v. t. p. 85To soil; to stain. [Obs. or poet.] Ne'er assoil my cobwebbed shield. Wordsworth.As-soil'ment, n. p. 85Act of assoiling; absolution. More.As-soil'zie, v. t. p. 85(Scots Law.) To pronounce innocent of; to acquit; to absolve. God assoilzie him for the sin of bloodshed. W. Scott.As'so-nance, n. p. 85Resemblance of sounds. “The disagreeable assonance of ‘sheath’ and ‘sheathed’.” Steevens. 2. (Pros.) A peculiar species of rhyme, consisting in the correspondence of the last accented vowel and of…Ăs'so-nant, a. p. 85Having a resemblance of sounds. 2. (Pros.) Pertaining to the peculiar species of rhyme called assonance; not consonant.As-sôrt', v. t. p. 85To separate and distribute into classes, as things of a like kind, nature, or quality, or which are suited to a like purpose; as, to assort goods. ☞ It is sometimes, though rarely, applied to persons…As-sôrt', v. i. p. 85To agree; to be in accordance; to be adapted; to suit. Mitford.As-sôrt'ment, n. p. 85The act of distributing into sorts, kinds, or classes, or of selecting and arranging things. 2. A mass or quantity distributed into kinds or sorts; or a number of things assorted. 3. A variety of…As-sŏt’, v. t. p. 85To infatuate; to besot; to beguile; to bewitch; to delude. [Obs.] “Some ecstasy assotted had his sense.” Spenser.As-söt’, a. p. 85Infatuated; foolish. [Obs.] “Willie, I ween thou be assot.” Spenser.As-suāge', v. t. p. 85To soften, in a figurative sense; to allay, mitigate, ease, or lessen, as pain or grief; to appease or pacify, as passion or tumult. “Refreshing winds the summer’s heat assuage.” Addison. “To assuage…As-suā'ge', v. i. p. 85To abate or subside. “The waters assuaged.” Gen. viii. 1.As-sua'ge-ment, n. p. 85Mitigation; abatement.As-suā'ger, n. p. 85One who assuages.As-suā'sive, a. p. 85Softening; mitigating; tranquilizing; persuasive. Music her soft assuasive voice applies. Pope.As-sŭb’ju-gāte, v. t. p. 85To bring into subjection. [Obs.]