Dictionary
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.
Au'to-crat, n. p. 95An absolute prince or sovereign; a monarch who holds and exercises the powers of government by absolute right, not subject to restriction; — a title assumed by the emperors of Russia. 2. A person…Au'to-crăt'ic or Au'to-crăt'ic-al, a. p. 95Pertaining to autocracy; absolute; holding independent and unlimited powers of government. Eton.Au'to-crät'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 95In an autocratical manner.Au-tōc'ra-tor, n. p. 95An autocrat. [Rare.] Jeffrey.Au'to·cra-tōr'ic·al, a. p. 95Pertaining to an autocrat-or; absolute. [Obs.] Pearson.Au-tōe'ra-trice or Au-tōe'ra-trix, n. p. 95A female sovereign who is independent and absolute; — a title given to the empresses of Russia. Tooke.Au’to-crät-ship, n. p. 95The office of an autocrat; autocracy. Ogilvie.Au'to-dä-fé', n. p. 95(Eccl.) A judgment of the Inquisition condemning or acquitting persons accused of religious offenses. 2. An execution of such judgments, especially of those which condemned persons to the flames. It…Au-to-gē'ne-al or Au-tōg'e-noüs, a. p. 95Generating itself. 2. (Anal.) Developed from an independent center of ossification. The centrum and several of the apophyses of a vertebra are autogenous, while other apophyses are exogenous. Owen. ☞…Au'to-grāph, n. p. 95A person's own handwriting; an original manuscript or signature.Au’to-grāph, a. p. 95In one’s own handwriting; as, an autograph letter.Au-tŏg'ra-phal, a. p. 95Of the particular handwriting of an individual. [Obs.] Bennet.Au’to-grāph’ic or Au’to-grāph’ic-al, a. p. 95Pertaining to an autograph, or one’s own hand-writing. 2. Pertaining to, or used in, the process of autography.Au-tŏg'ra-phy, n. p. 95The science of autographs; a person's own handwriting; an autograph. 2. A process in lithography by which a writing or drawing is transferred from paper to stone. Ure.Au-tōm'a-tal, a. p. 95Automatic. [Rare.]Au'to-math, n. p. 95One who is self-taught. [Rare.] Young.Au'to-māt'ic or Au'to-māt'ic-al, a. p. 95Pertaining to, or performed by, an automaton; self-acting;—especially applied to machinery, in which certain movements commonly made by hand are made by the machine itself; as, automatic operations…Au-tòm′a-tĭṣm, n. p. 95The power of self-moving; automatic action; — a theory as to the activity of matter. Fleming.Au-tŏm'a-ton, n. p. 95A self moving machine, or one which has its moving power within itself;—applied chiefly to machines which imitate the motions of men or animals. Paley. The term is sometimes applied to any thing…Au-tōm'a-toŭs, a. p. 95Having in itself the power of motion; automatical. [Obs.] “Automatous organs.” Browne.Au-tŏm'o-līte, n. p. 95(Min.) A kind of spinel. See SPINEL.Au/to-nō'mi-an, a. p. 95Pertaining to autonomy. [Obs.]Au'to-nöm'ic, a. p. 95Having, or pertaining to, autonomy, or the power of governing one's self.Au-tŏn'o-mous, a. p. 95Independent in government; having the right or power of self-government. [Obs.]Au-tŏn'o-my, n. p. 95The power or right of self-government, whether in a city which elects its own magistrates, and makes its own laws, or in an individual who lives according to his own will. [Rare.] 2. (Phil.) The…Au-tōph'o-by, n. p. 95Fear of one's self; fear of being egotistical. [Rare.] Hare.Au-tŏp′si·cal, a. p. 95See AUTOPTICAL.Aŭ'top-sy, n. p. 95Personal observation or examination; ocular view. “By autopsy and experiment.” Cudworth. 2. (Med.) Dissection of a dead body, for the purpose of ascertaining the cause, seat, or nature of a disease…Au-tŏp'tic, a. p. 95Au-tŏp'tic-al, a. p. 95Seen with one's own eyes; belonging to, or connected with, personal observation; as, autoptic testimony. [Obs.]Au-tŏp'tic-al-ly, adv. p. 95By means of ocular view, or one's own observation. [Obs.] Browne.Au'to-sche'di-ăs'tic-al, a. p. 95Slight; hasty; perfunctory. [Obs.] Martin.Au'to-thē'ism, n. p. 95The doctrine of God's self-existence. [Rare.]Au'tumn, n. p. 95[Lat. auctumnus, autumnus, from auctus, p. p. of augere, to increase, to furnish abundantly, prop. the season of abundance; Fr. automne, Pr. auton. 1. The third season of the year, or the season…Au-tüm'nal, a. p. 95Belonging, or peculiar, to autumn; as, an autumnal tint; produced or gathered in autumn; as, autumnal fruits; flowering in autumn; as, an autumnal plant. Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the…Aux-ē'sis, n. p. 95(Rhet.) A figure by which any thing is magnified too much; an exornation, when, for amplification, a more grave and magnificent word is put for the proper word.Aux-ēt'ic, a. p. 95Amplifying; increasing. Hatch.Aux-il'iar or Aux-il'ia-ry, a. p. 95Conferring aid or help; helping; aiding; assisting; subsidiary; as, auxiliary troops. “To seek auxiliary force.” Pope. “An auxiliary verb.” Murray. Auxiliary scales (Mus.), the six keys or scales…Aux-il'iar, n. p. 95An auxiliary. [Obs.] Glover.Aux-il'iar-ly, adv. p. 95By way of help. Harris.Aux-il'ia-ry, n. p. 95A helper; an assistant; a confederate in some action, enterprise, or undertaking; specifically, in the plural, foreign troops in the service of a nation at war. 2. (Gram.) A verb which helps to form…Aux-il'ia-to-ry, a. p. 95Auxiliary; helping. [Obs.]A'va, n. p. 95A fermented drink of the South Sea islands made from the root of the long pepper (Macropiper methysticum). Johnston.A-vāil', v. t. p. 95To turn to the advantage of; to profit; to benefit;—used reflexively with of before the thing used; as, let him avail himself of his license. Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names.…A-vāil', v. i. p. 95To be of use or advantage; to answer the purpose; to have strength, force, or efficacy sufficient to accomplish the object; as, the plea in bar must avail, that is, be sufficient to defeat the suit…A-vāil’, n. p. 95Profit; advantage toward success; benefit; as, labor, without economy, is of little avail. The avail of a death-bed repentance. Bp. Taylor. 2. pl. Profits or proceeds; as, the avails of a sale at…A-vāil', v. i. p. 95To become lowered; to avale. See AVALE. [Obs.] Spenser.A-vāil'a-bil'i-ty, n. p. 95Availableness; the state of being available; the state of being suitable for the accomplishment of a given purpose. “Availability, not merit or qualifications, is the only requisite to secure a…A-vāil'a-ble, a. p. 95Capable of being availed of, or used to advantage; profitable; advantageous; having efficacy; as, a measure is more or less available: an available candidate; available funds. Struggling to redeem…A-vāil'a-ble-ness, n. p. 95Quality of being available; power or efficacy in promoting an end in view. Atterbury. 2. Competent power; legal force; validity; as, the availableness of a title.A-vāil'a-bly, adv. p. 95In an available manner; profitably; advantageously; validly; efficaciously.A-vāil'ment, n. p. 95Profit; efficacy; successful issue. [Obs.] Bailey.Ăv'a-lănche', n. p. 95A large mass or body of snow, earth, and ice, sliding or rolling down a mountain.A-vāle', v. t. p. 95To let down; to lower; to cause to descend. [Obs.] Phœbus 'gan avale His weary wain. Spenser. 2. To depress; to make abject. [Obs.] Wotton.A-vāle', v. i. p. 95To come from a higher to a lower position; to fall, as rain, or the tide; to become lowered or abased; to descend. [Obs.] “And from their sweaty coursers did avale.” Spenser.A-vānt', n. p. 95The front of an army. [Obs.] See VAN.A-vant'-e-cou'ri-er, n. p. 95A person dispatched before another person or company, to give notice of his or their approach.A-vănt'-guăr d, n. p. 95The van or advanced body of an army. See VANGUARD.Ăv'a-rĭce, n. p. 95An excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity. To desire money for its own sake, and in order to hoard it up, is avarice. Beattie.Ăv'a-rĭ'ciŏŭs, a. p. 95Actuated by avarice; greedy of gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property. Syn.—AVARICIOUS, COVETOUS, PARSIMONIOUS, PENURIOUS, MISERLY, NIGGARDLY. The avaricious eagerly desire wealth with…