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.
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.Ăv'e-nūe, n. p. 96A way or opening for entrance into a place; any opening or passage by which a place may be entered. “The avenues of the city.” Clarendon. 2. An alley or walk in a park or garden, usually planted on…Ā'ver, n. p. 96A work-horse. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.A-vĕr', v. t. p. 96To affirm with confidence; to declare in a positive or peremptory manner, as in confidence of asserting the truth. Such things . . . I mean neither to aver nor disprove. Holland. 2. (Law.) To avouch…A'v'er-age, n. p. 96A mean proportion, medial sum or quantity, made out of unequal sums or quantities. Thus, if A loses 5 dollars, B 9, and C 16, the sum is 30, and the average 10. 2. Any medial estimate or general…A'v'er-age, a. p. 96Medial; containing a mean proportion; as, an average amount of rain. “An . . . average rate . . . of profit.” Smith. “Beings of the average stamp.” I. Taylor. 2. According to the laws of average; as…Ăv'er-age, v. t. p. 96To find the mean when sums or quantities are unequal; to reduce to a mean. 2. To divide among a number, according to a given proportion; as, to average a loss.Ăv'er-age, v. i. p. 96To form, or exist in, a mean or medial sum or quantity; as, the losses of the owners will average 25 dollars each. These spars average ten feet in length. Belknap.A'ver-cōrn, n. p. 96(Law.) A reserved rent in corn, formerly paid to religious houses by their tenants or farmers. Kennett. ☞ According to Skinner, the word means corn drawn to the granary of the lord of the manor by…A-vĕr'ment, n. p. 96The act of averring; affirmation; positive assertion. Signally has this averment received illustration in the course of recent events. I. Taylor. 2. Verification; establishment by evidence. Bacon. 3.…A-vĕr'ni-an, a. p. 96Pertaining to Avernus, a lake of Campania, in Italy, famous for its poisonous effluvium, which ancient writers fancied was so malignant as to kill fowls flying over it. Hence, it is said, the name…A'v'er-pĕn-ny, n. p. 96(O. Eng. Law.) Money paid toward the king's carriages by land, instead of service by the beasts in kind; or money paid in lieu of the service of average. Burn. Spelman.A-vĕr'ro-ist, n. p. 96One of a sect of peripatetic philosophers, who appeared in Italy before the restoration of learning; so denominated from Averroes, a celebrated Arabian philosopher. They held the soul to be mortal…A'v'er-rŭn'ēāte, v. t. p. 96To root up; to tear away by the roots; to eradicate. Hudibras.Āv'er-run-cā'tion, n. p. 96The act of tearing up or raking away the roots; eradication; extirpation. Richardson.