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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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
At-tāin'a-ble-ness, n. p. 89The quality of being attainable; attainability.At-tāin'der, n. p. 89A staining, corruption, or rendering impure. He lived from all attainder of suspect. Shak. 2. (Com. Law.) The stain, forfeiture, and corruption of blood which followed on being condemned for certain…At-tāin'ment, n. p. 89The act of attaining; the act of arriving at or reaching; hence, the act of obtaining by efforts. “The attainment of every desired object.” Sir W. Jones. 2. That which is attained to, or obtained by…At-tāint', v. t. p. 89To stain; to obscure; hence, to disgrace; to cloud with infamy. “Lest she with blame her honor should attaint.” Spenser. For so exceeding shone his glistening ray, That Phœbus’ golden face it did…At-tāint', n. p. 89A stain, spot, or taint. See TAINT. Shak. 2. (Law.) A writ which lies after judgment, to inquire whether a jury has given a false verdict in any court of record. Bouvier. 3. (Far.) A blow or wound on…At-tāint'ment, n. p. 89State of being attainted. Ashmole.At-tāint'ŭre, n. p. 89State of being attainted; attaintment. Speed.At'tal, n. p. 89Same as ATTLE.At-tăm'/i-nāte, v. t. p. 89To corrupt; to defile; to contaminate. [Obs.] Blount.Ăt'tar, n. p. 89A volatile and highly fragrant essential oil, obtained from the petals of roses. [More commonly called otto.]At-tāsk', v. t. p. 89To task; to tax. [Obs.] Shak.At-tāste’, v. t. p. 89To taste or cause to taste. [Obs.] Chaucer.At-tĕm’per, v. t. p. 89To reduce, modify, or moderate, by mixture, as, to attemper heat by a cooling mixture, or spirit by diluting it with water. 2. To soften, mollify, or moderate; as, to attemper rigid justice with…At-tēm'per-ance, n. p. 90Temperance. [Obs.] Chaucer.At-tēm'per-ate, a. p. 90Tempered; proportioned; suited; adapted. Hope must be proportioned and attemperate to the promise. Hammond.At-tĕm'per-āte, v. t. p. 90To attemper; to proportion; to regulate. [Obs.] Barrow.At-tĕm'per-ly, adv. p. 90Temperately. [Obs.] Chaucer.At-tĕm'per-ment, n. p. 90A tempering, or mixing in due proportion.At-tĕmpt', v. t. p. 90To make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor; to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight. It may with mine Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed. Milton. 2. To attack; to…At-tēmpt', v. i. p. 90To make an effort or endeavor, or an attack. I have been so hardy to attempt upon a name. Glanville.At-tĕmpt′, n. p. 90An essay, trial, or endeavor; an attack; or an effort to gain a point. By his blindness maimed for high attempts. Milton. Syn.—ATTEMPT, ENDEAVOR, EFFORT, EXERTION, TRIAL. These words agree in the…At-tĕmpt'a-ble, a. p. 90Capable of being attempted, tried, or attacked; liable to an attempt or attack. Shak.At-tēmpt'er, n. p. 90One who attempts.At-tĕmpt'ive, a. p. 90Disposed or ready to attempt; enterprising; adventurous. [Obs.] Attemptive, able, worthy, generous. Daniel.At-tēnd', v. t. p. 90To direct the attention to; to fix the mind upon; to give heed to; to regard; to consider. [Obs.] The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not attend the unskillful words of the passenger.…At-tēnd', v. i. p. 90To apply the mind, or pay attention, with a view to perceive, understand, or comply; to pay regard; to heed;—usually followed by to. Attend to the voice of my supplications. Ps. lxxxvi. 6. Man can…At-tĕnd’ance, n. p. 90The act of attending or being in waiting; service; ministry. “I dance attendance here.” Shak. 2. The persons attending; a train; a retinue. If your stray attendance be yet lodged. Milton. 3.…Hooker. p. 90At-tĕnd'an-cy, n. p. 90Attendance. [Obs.] Fuller.At-tĕnd’ant, a. p. 90Being present, or in the train. “Attendant on their Lord.” Milton. 2. Accompanying, connected with, or immediately following, as consequential; as, intemperance with all its attendant evils. The…At-tĕnd'ant, n. p. 90One who attends or accompanies in any character whatever, as a friend, companion, servant, agent, or suitor. “A train of attendants.” Hallam. 2. One who is present; as, an attendant at or upon a…At-tĕnd'er, n. p. 90One who attends; a companion; an associate. [Rare.]At-tĕnd'ment, n. p. 90An attendant circumstance. [Obs.] “The ... attendments of hell.” Browne. 2. Intention. [Obs.] Spenser.At-tĕnt', a. p. 90Attentive; heedful. [Obs.] “Let thine ears be attent.” 2 Chron. vi. 40.At-tĕnt', n. p. 90Attention; heed. [Obs.] “With . . . due attent.” Spenser.At-tĕn′/tates or At-tĕn′/tats, n. pl. p. 90(Law.) (a.) Proceedings in a court of judicature, after an inhibition is decreed. (b.) Things wrongly innovated or attempted in a suit by an inferior judge.At-tĕn’tion, n. p. 90The act of attending or heeding; the energetic application of the mind to any object, whether sensible or spiritual; exclusive or special consideration; earnest consideration, thought, or regard…At-tĕnt'ive, a. p. 90Heedful; intent; observant; regarding with care. It is applied to the senses of hearing and seeing, as, an attentive ear or eye; to the application of the mind, as in contemplation; or to the…At-tĕnt'ive-ly, adv. p. 90In an attentive manner; with fixed attention; heedfully; carefully. Attentively he heard us while we spoke. Dryden.At-tĕnt'ive-ness, n. p. 90The state of being attentive; heedfulness; attention.At-tĕnt'ly, adv. p. 90Attentively. [Obs.] Barrow.At-tĕn'ū-ant, a. p. 90Making thin, as fluids; diluting; rendering less dense and viscid; as, an attenuant medicine.At-tĕn'ū-ant, n. p. 90(Med.) A medicine that thins or dilutes the fluids; a diluent. Dunglison.At-tĕn’ū-āte, v. t. p. 90To make thin, or less consistent; to render less viscid; specifically, to subtilize, as the humors of the body, or to break them into finer parts. 2. To break or wear into finer or very minute parts…At-tēn'ū-āte, v. i. p. 90To become thin, slender, or fine; to grow less; to lessen. The attention attenuates as its sphere contracts. Coleridge.At-tĕn'ū-ate or At-tĕn'ū-ā'ted, a. p. 90Made thin, or less viscid; made slender. Bacon.At-tĕn/ū-ā'tion, n. p. 90The act of attenuating, or making thin, as fluids; as, the attenuation of the humors. 2. The act of making fine by comminution or attrition; pulverization. The action of the air facilitates the…At'ter, n. p. 90Poison; corrupt matter from sores. [Obs.] Holland.At'ter-āte or At'ter-rāte, v. t. p. 90To wear away, as earth by the action of water. Hence, 2. To form by the wearing and transporting action of water.At'ter-ā'tion or At'ter-rā'tion, n. p. 90The operation of forming land by the action of the sea in wearing away the earth in one place and depositing it in another. [Obs.] Ray.At-tĕst',, v. t. p. 90To bear witness to; to certify; to affirm to be true or genuine; as, to attest the truth of a writing; to attest a copy of record. Facts . . . attested by particular pagan authors. Addison. 2. To…At-tĕst’, n. p. 90Witness; testimony; attestation. [Rare.] “The attest of eyes and ears.” Shak.At'tes-tā'tion, n. p. 90Testimony; witness; a solemn or official declaration, verbal or written, in support of a fact; evidence. The truth appears from the attestation of witnesses, or of the proper officer. The…At-tĕst'ĕr, n. p. 90One who attests; an attestor.At-tĕst'ive, a. p. 90Attesting; furnishing evidence. [R.]At-tēst'or, n. p. 90One who attests.Ăt'tic, a. p. 90Pertaining to Attica, in Greece, or to its principal city, Athens; marked by such qualities as were characteristic of the Athenians. Thus, Attic wit, Attic salt, a poignant, delicate wit, peculiar to…At'tic, n. p. 90(Arch.) (a.) A story in the upper part of a house, with small windows either in or above the cornice; also, frequently applied to the garret. (b.) A low order, commonly used over a principal order…At'tic-al, a. p. 90Pertaining to Athens; pure; classical; refined; Attic. [Obs.] Hammond.Ăt'ti-cĭsm, n. p. 90The peculiar style and idiom of the Greek language, used by the Athenians; refined and elegant Greek; concise and elegant expression. 2. A particular attachment to the Athenians.