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.
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…Ăv/a-rī'ciŏŭs-ly, adv. p. 96In an avaricious manner; covetously; with inordinate desire of gaining wealth. Goldsmith.Ăv/a-rĭ'cious-ness, n. p. 96The quality of being avaricious; an insatiable passion for property.Ăv'a-roŭs, a. p. 96Covetous; avaricious. [Obs.] Grover.A-vāst', interj. p. 96(Naut.) Cease; stop; stay. “Avast heaving.” Totten.Ăv'a-tār', n. p. 96The descent of a Hindoo deity in a visible form or incarnation.A-vant’, interj. p. 96Begone; depart;—a word of contempt or abhorrence, equivalent to the phrase “Get thee gone.”A-vaunt’, v. i. p. 96To advance. [Obs.] To whom avaunting in great bravery. Spenser.Ā'vē, n. p. 96An Ave Mary; a hailing. Their loud applause and aves vehement. Shak.A-vĕl', v. t. p. 96To pull away. [Obs.] “Yet are not these parts avelled.” Browne.Ā've Ma·rī·ā or Ā've Mā'ry p. 96An invocation to the Virgin Mary, a form of devotion in the Roman Catholic church, “To number Ave Marias on his beads.” Shak. 2. A particular time, in Italy about half an hour after sunset, and also…Av'e-nā'ceoŭs, a. p. 96Belonging to, or resembling, oats.Āv'e-nage, n. p. 96(O. Law.) A quantity of oats paid by a tenant to a landlord in lieu of rent. Jacobs.A-vēn'ge', v. t. p. 96To take satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on the wrong-doer. Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine…A-vĕnġe', n. p. 96Punishment; vengeance; revenge. [Obs.] Spenser.A-vĕnġe'ançe, n. p. 96Punishment; vengeance. [Obs.]A-vĕnġe'ful, a. p. 96Full of vengeance. [Obs.] “Jove’s avengeful threat.” Spenser.A-vĕnġe'ment, n. p. 96Punishment; satisfaction taken. [Rare.] “God's avengement of his repulse at Hull.” Milton.A-vĕn'ġer, n. p. 96One who avenges or vindicates.A-vĕn'ġer-ess, n. p. 96A female avenger. [Obs.] “That cruel . . . avengeress.” Spenser.Ăv'e-nôr, n. p. 96(Feud. Law.) An officer of the king’s stables whose duty it was to provide oats for the horses.Āv'ens, n. p. 96A plant of the genus Geum, especially the Geum urbanum, or herb bennet.Ăv'en-tāile, n. p. 96The movable part of a helmet in front; the ventail. Halliwell.Ăv'en-tīne, a. p. 96Pertaining to Mons Aventinus, one of the seven hills on which Rome stood. Bryant.Āv'en-tīne, n. p. 96A post of security or defense. [Obs.] Into the castle's tower, The only Aventine that now is left him. Beau. & Fl.A-vĕnt'ūre, n. p. 96(O. Law.) A mischance causing a person's death without felony, as by drowning, or falling from a house. Cowell.A-vĕnt'ūre, v. t. p. 96To send at a venture, as a spear or any missile weapon. [Obs.] Spenser.A-vĕnt'ū-rīne, n. p. 96(Min.) A variety of translucent quartz, spangled throughout with scales of yellow mica. Dana. 2. Brownish glass similarly spangled with copper filings.A-vĕnt'ū-rīne, a. p. 96Spangled or sparkling with minute yellowish or reddish particles or scales disseminated through a mineral; as, aventurine quartz, aventurine feldspar. Dana.