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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. At-trăct'a-bĭl'i-ty, n.p. 91The quality of being attractable, or of being subject to the law of attraction. Sir W. Jones.
  2. At-trāct'a-ble, a.p. 91Capable of being attracted; subject to attraction. Kerr.
  3. At-trăct'ic or At-trăct'ic-al, a.p. 91Having power of attraction; attractive. [Obs.] Ray.
  4. At-trăct'ĭle, a.p. 91Having power to attract. Med. Rep.
  5. At-trăct'ing-ly, adv.p. 91In an attracting manner.
  6. At-trăc'tion, n.p. 91(Physics.) An invisible power in a body by which it draws any thing to itself; the power in nature acting mutually between bodies or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together, or to produce…
  7. At-trăct'ive, a.p. 91Having the power or quality of attracting or drawing; as, the attractive force of bodies. Newton. 2. Attracting or drawing by moral influence; alluring; inviting; engaging. “Attractive graces.”…
  8. At-trăct'ive, n.p. 91That which attracts or incites. “An attractive of love.” Baxter. The gospel speaks nothing but attractives and invitation. South.
  9. At-trăct'ive-ly, adv.p. 91In an attractive manner; with the power of attracting.
  10. At-tract'ive-ness, n.p. 91The quality of being attractive or engaging. South.
  11. At-trāct'or, n.p. 91One who, or that which, attracts.
  12. At'tra-hent, a.p. 91Attracting; drawing; attractive.
  13. At’tra-hent, n.p. 91That which attracts or draws, as a magnet. The motion of the steel to its attrahent. Glanville. 2. (Med.) A substance formerly supposed to possess the property of drawing the humors to the part where…
  14. At-trāp', v. t.p. 91To clothe; to adorn with trappings; to array. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. [Fr. attraper, to catch.] To entrap; to insnare. [Obs.] Grafton.
  15. At'trec-tā'tion, n.p. 91Frequent handling; constant performance. [Obs.] Bp. Taylor.
  16. At-trib'ū-ta-ble, a.p. 91Capable of being attributed, ascribed, or imputed; ascribable; imputable; as, the fault is not attributable to the author.
  17. At-trib'ūte, v. t.p. 91To attach, in contemplation or as due; to impute; to assign; to ascribe; to consider as belonging. We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it. Tillotson. Syn.—See…
  18. Ăt'tri-būte, n.p. 91That which is attributed; that which is considered as belonging to, or inherent in, a person or thing; an essential or necessary property or characteristic. But mercy is above this sceptered sway; It…
  19. At'tri-bū'tion, n.p. 91The act of attributing, or the quality attributed; ascription; commendation.
  20. At-trib′ū-tive, a.p. 91Attributing; pertaining to, or expressing, an attribute. “Attributive justice.”
  21. At-trĭb'ū-tive, n.p. 91(Gram.) (a.) A word significant of an attribute, as an adjective, verb, or participle denoting the attribute of a substance, or an adverb denoting the attribute of an attribute. (b.) A modifying word…
  22. At-trib′ū-tive-ly, adv.p. 91(Gram.) In an attributive manner.
  23. At-trīte', a.p. 91Worn by rubbing or friction. Milton. 2. (Theol.) Repentant only from fear of punishment;—opposed to contrite.
  24. At-trîte'ness, n.p. 91State of being worn. Johnson.
  25. At-tri'tion, n.p. 91The act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion. The change of aliment is effected by attrition of the inward stomach. Arbuthnot. 2. The state of being worn. Johnson. 3.…
  26. At-tūne', v. t.p. 91To tune or put in tune; to adjust, as one sound to another; as, to attune the voice to a harp. 2. To arrange fitly; to make accordant. Wake to energy each social aim, Attuned spontaneous to the will…
  27. A-twāin’, adv.p. 91In twain; asunder. [Obs.] “Cuts atwain the knots.” Tennyson.
  28. A-tween', adv. or prep.p. 91Between. [Obs.] Spenser.
  29. A-twist', a.p. 91Twisted; distorted; awry. [Rare.] Halliwell.
  30. A-twĭxt’, adv.p. 91Betwixt; between. [Obs.] Spenser.
  31. A-two', adv.p. 91In two; in twain. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  32. A-tўp'ic, a.p. 91Devoid of typical characters; producing a loss of typical characters. Dana.
  33. Au-bāine', n.p. 91Inheritance of the property of a foreigner. Droit d'aubaine, the right formerly possessed by the king of France to all the personal property of which an alien died possessed. It was finally abolished…
  34. Aube, n.p. 91An alb. [Obs.] See ALB. Fuller.
  35. An-bèrge', n.p. 91An inn. [Obs.] B. & Fl.
  36. Au'ber-gist, n.p. 91One who keeps an inn, or tavern. [Rare.] “The aubergist at Terni.” Smollett.
  37. Aub'in, n.p. 91A broken kind of gait in a horse, between an amble and a gallop;—commonly called a Canterbury gallop.
  38. Au'burn, a.p. 91Reddish brown. His auburn locks on either shoulder flowed. Dryden.
  39. Auc'tion, n.p. 91A public sale of property to the highest bidder, and regularly, by a person licensed and authorized for the purpose; a vendue. 2. The things sold at auction. Ask you why Prynne the whole auction…
  40. Auc'tion, v. t.p. 92To sell by auction. [Rare.]
  41. Auc'tion-a-ry, a.p. 92Belonging to an auction. [Rare.] With auctionary hammer in thy hand. Dryden.
  42. Auc'tion-eer', n.p. 92A person who sells by auction; a person who disposes of goods or lands by public sale to the highest bidder.
  43. Auc'tion-eer', v. t.p. 92To sell by auction. “Estates . . . Advertised and auctioneered away.” Cooper.
  44. Au'cu-pā'tion, n.p. 92The act or practice of taking birds; fowling; bird-catching. [Obs.] Blount.
  45. Au-dā’cious, a.p. 92Of a daring, fearless spirit; adventurous; intrepid; bold. [Rare.] As in a cloudy chair ascending, rides Audacious. Milton. 2. Contemning the restraints of law, religion, or decorum; presumptuous…
  46. Au-dā'ciōus-ly, adv.p. 92In an audacious manner; with excess of boldness. Shak.
  47. Au-dā'ciōus-ness, n.p. 92The quality of being audacious; impudence; audacity.
  48. Au-dăç'i-ty, n.p. 92Daring spirit, resolution, or confidence; venturesomeness. The freedom and audacity necessary in the commerce of men. Tudor. 2. Audaciousness; presumptuous impudence; implying a contempt of law or…
  49. Aud'i-an-ism, n.p. 92(Eccl. Hist.) Anthropomorphism, or the doctrine of Audius, a Syrian of the fourth century, who maintained that God has a human shape; from Gen. i. 26. — Neander.
  50. Au'di-bil'i-ty, n.p. 92The quality of being audible; power of being heard. J. D. Forbes.
  51. Au'di-ble, a.p. 92Capable of being heard; loud enough to be heard; as, an audible voice or whisper.
  52. Au'di-ble, n.p. 92An object of hearing. [Obs.] Visibles are swiftlier carried to the sense than audibles. Bacon.
  53. Au'di-ble-ness, n.p. 92The quality of being audible.
  54. Au'di-bly, adv.p. 92In an audible manner; in a manner so as to be heard.
  55. Au'di-ençe, n.p. 92The act of hearing, or attending to sounds. Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. Milton. 2. Admittance to a hearing; reception to an interview, especially with a sovereign or the head of a…
  56. Court of audiencep. 92or audience court, a court held originally before an archbishop in person: that of the archbishop of Canterbury is now held by the dean of the arches as his official.
  57. Au'di-ent, a.p. 92Listening; paying attention. “Audient . . . souls.” E. B. Browning.
  58. Au'di-ent, n.p. 92A hearer. [Obs.] Shelton.
  59. Au'dit, n.p. 92Audience; hearing. [Obs.] With his orisons I meddle not, for he appeals to a high audit. Milton. 2. An examination in general; but specifically, an examination of an account or of accounts, with the…
  60. Au'dit, v. t.p. 92To examine and adjust, as an account or accounts; as, to audit the accounts of a treasurer, or of parties who have a suit depending in court.