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-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.Āv'er-run-cā'tor, n. p. 96(Hort.) An instrument for pruning trees, consisting of two blades fixed on the end of a rod, and so constructed as to operate like a pair of shears, one of the blades being worked by a cord.Ăv'er-sā'tion, n. p. 96A turning from with disgust or dislike; hatred; aversion. [Obs.] Some men have a natural aversation to some vices or virtues, and a natural affection to others. Bp. Taylor.A-vĕrse', a. p. 96Turned away or backward. [Obs.] The tracks averse a lying notice gave, And led the searcher backward from the cave. Dryden. 2. Disliking; unwilling; having a repugnance or opposition of mind. Averse…A-vĕrse′, v. t. & i. p. 96To turn away. [Obs.] B. Jonson.A-vĕrse'ly, adv. p. 96Backward; in a backward direction; as, emitted aversely. 2. With repugnance; unwillingly.A-vĕrse'ness, n. p. 96The quality of being averse; opposition of mind.A-vĕr'sion, n. p. 96Opposition or repugnance of mind; dislike; disinclination; reluctance; hatred. “Mutual aversion of races.” Prescott. It ought generally to be followed by to before the object. [See AVERSE.] Sometimes…A-vĕr'sĭve, a. p. 96Averse; reluctant. [Obs.] Those strong-bent humors which aversive grew. Daniel.A-vĕr'sive-ly, adv. p. 96With aversion; in a reverse or backward direction. Chapman.A-vĕrt’, v. t. p. 96To turn or cause to turn off, aside, or away; as, to avert the eyes from an object. “To avert his ire.” Milton. When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions…A-vĕrt’, v. i. p. 97To turn away. [Rare.] “Averting from our neighbor’s good.” Thomson.A-vẽrt'er, n. p. 97One who averts or turns away; that which turns away or averts. Burton.A-vẽr'ti-ment, n. p. 97Advertisement. [Obs.] Milton.Ăv'er-tin, n. p. 97A disease of the mind which renders the patient obstinate and furious. 2. A vertiginous disease in sheep in France.Ā'vi-a-ry, n. p. 97A house or inclosure for keeping birds confined; a place to keep birds in. Lincolnshire may be termed the aviary of England. Fuller.