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.
Aw'ful-ly, adv. p. 98In an awful manner; in a manner to fill with awe; fearfully; apprehensively.Aw'ful-ness, n. p. 98The quality of striking with awe, or with reverence; solemnity; as, the awful-ness of this sacred place. “The awfulness of grandeur.” Johnson. 2. The state of being struck with awe; a spirit of…A-whāpe', v. t. p. 98To strike; to confound; to terrify. [Obs.] Spenser.A-while', adv. p. 98A space of time; for some time; for a short time. “It walked the town awhile.” Milton.Awk, a. p. 98Odd; out of order. “Professors ringing as awk as the bells.” L’Estrange. 2. Wrong, or not commonly used; as, the awk end of a rod. Golding. 3. Clumsy in performance, or manners; unhandy; not…Awk'ward, a. p. 98Wanting dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments; unready; not dextrous; without skill; bungling; clumsy. “So true that he was awkward at a trick.” Dryden. 2. Ungraceful in manner…Awk'ward-ly, adv. p. 98In an awkward or bungling manner; inelegantly. “Bring on your story awkwardly, and it offends.” Gilpin.Awk'ward-ness, n. p. 98The quality of being awkward; clumsiness; ungracefulness in manners; want of dexterity.Awl, n. p. 98A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinet-makers, &c. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the…Aw'less, a. p. 98Wanting reverence; void of respectful fear. “Awless insolence.” Dryden. 2. Wanting the power of causing reverence; not exciting awe. “The aweless throne.” Shak.Awl'-shāped, a. p. 98Having the shape of an awl. 2. (Bot.) Subulate; slender, and tapering toward the extremity from a broadish base, as a leaf. Gray.Awl'wort, n. p. 98(Bot.) The Subularia aquatica:—so called from its awl-shaped leaves. London.Aum or Awm, n. p. 98(Com.) A liquid measure in use among the Dutch. See AAM.Awn, n. p. 98The bristle or beard of barley, oats, grasses, &c.; or any similar bristle-like appendage; arista. Gray.Awned, a. p. 98(Bot.) Furnished with an awn, or long, bristle-shaped tip. Gray.Awn'ing, n. p. 98A cover of canvas, to shelter from the sun’s rays. 2. (Naut.) That part of the poop-deck which is continued forward beyond the bulk-head of the cabin. Mar. Dict.Awn'less, a. p. 98Without awn or beard.Awn'y, a. p. 98Having awns; full of beard.Ă-wōke', imp. & p. p. p. 98of awake, q. v.A-work′, adv. p. 98At work; in, or into, a state of labor or action. Shak.A-work'ing, adv. p. 98At work; in, or into, a state of working or action. Spenser.A-wrēke′, v. i. p. 98To avenge. [Obs.] See WREAK.A-wrŏng', adv. p. 98In a wrong manner; wrongfully. [Obs.] Ford.A-wry', a. or adv. p. 98Turned or twisted toward one side; not in a straight or true direction, or position; asquint; with oblique vision; as, to glance a look awry; the lady's cap is awry. Blows them transverse ten…Ăx or Ăxe, n. p. 98An instrument, usually of iron, with a steel edge or blade, for hewing timber, chopping wood, &c. It consists of a head with an arching edge, and a wooden helve or handle. The broad-ax, or…Ăx, v. t. & i. p. 98To ask; to inquire or inquire of. ☞ This word is from the Saxon, and as old as the English language. It was formerly in good use, but is now regarded as a vulgarism. It is still heard among the…Ăx'al, a. p. 98Same as AXIAL. [Rare.]Ăxe, n. p. 98An axis. [Rare.] See AXIS. Eng. Cyc.Ăx'-fôrm or Ăx'-shāped, a. p. 98(Bot.) Having a resemblance to an ax or hatchet; dolabriform. Lindley.Ăx'i-al, a. p. 98Pertaining to an axis; having resemblance to an axis. “To take on an axial, and not an equatorial, direction.” Nichol.Ăx'i-al-ly, adv. p. 98In relation to, or in a line with, an axis.Ax-īf'er-ōus, a. p. 98(Bot.) Consisting exclusively of an axis, without leaves or other appendages. Brande.Āx'il or Ax-il'la, n. p. 98(Anat.) The armpit. 2. (Bot.) The angle or point of divergence between the upper side of a branch, leaf, or petiole, and a stem or branch. Gray.Āx′ile, a. p. 98Lying in, or occupying, the axis of any thing; as an embryo which lies in the axis of a seed. “Axile placentæ.” Gray.Ăx'il-lar or Ăx'il-la-ry, a. p. 98(Anat.) Pertaining to the axilla or armpit. “Axillary glands.” Dunglison. 2. (Bot.) Situated in, or rising from, the axilla formed by a branch with the stem, as a leaf, or by a leaf, or its petiole…Ăx'i-nīte, n. p. 98(Min.) A mineral occurring in brilliant glassy crystals, with thin and sharp edges, somewhat resembling an ax. It consists chiefly of silica, alumina, lime, and peroxide of iron. Dana.Ax-īn'o-mān'cy, n. p. 98(Antiq.) A species of divination, by means of an ax, or hatchet, performed by laying an agate-stone on a red-hot hatchet or by fixing a hatchet on a round stake, so as to be poised; then the names of…Ăx'i-om, n. p. 98(Math.) A self-evident and necessary truth, or a proposition whose truth is so evident at first sight, that no process of reasoning or demonstration can make it plainer; a proposition which it is…Āx'i-o-măt'ie or Āx'i-o-măt'ie-al, a. p. 99Pertaining to an axiom; having the nature of self-evident truths or received principles. “Axiomatical truth.” Johnson. “The stores of axiomatic wisdom.” I. Taylor.Ax'is, n. p. 99The straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve. 2. (Math.) A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude…Ăx'le, n. p. 99A transverse bar or shaft connecting the naves of the opposite wheels of a car or carriage; axle-tree. 2. An axis; as, the sun's axle. Had from her axle torn The steadfast earth. Milton. ☞ Railway…Ăx'le-bŏx, n. p. 99The journal-box of an axle, especially a railway axle. ☞ Section of a journal-box. The axle-guard, with the superincumbent weight, rests on the top of the box, and holds it in place by the flanges…Ăx'led, a. p. 99Having an axle;—used in composition. “Merlin's agate-axled car.” Wharton.Ăx'le-guärd, n. p. 99The part of the framing of a railway car or truck, by which an axle-box is held laterally, and in which it may move vertically; — also called a jaw in the U. S. and a housing in Eng.Ăx'le-tree, n. p. 99A fixed transverse bar of wood or iron supporting a carriage, on the rounded ends of which the opposite wheels revolve; an axle.Ăx'o-lotl, n. p. 99(Zoöl.) A reptile related to the salamanders or tailed Batrachia, but differing from the ordinary species in retaining the gills of the young state through life, like the proteus. It belongs to the…Ax-ŏt'o-moŭs, a. p. 99(Min.) Having a cleavage perpendicular to the axis. Dana.Ăx'stōne, n. p. 99(Min.) A light green or greenish-gray mineral, remarkable for its toughness; a variety of jade or nephrite. It is used by some savages, particularly the natives of the South Sea Isles, for making…Ăx'tree, n. p. 99An axle, or axle-tree. [Obs.] Drayton.Äy̆ or Äy̆e, adv. p. 99Yes; yea;—a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. ☞ This word is always written I in the early editions of Shakespeare and other old writers.A'yah, n. p. 99(India.) A native waiting-maid. Malcom.Äy̆e, n. p. 99An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, “To call for the ayes and noes;” “The ayes have it.”Āye, adv. p. 99Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. For his mercies aye endure. Milton. For aye, always; forever; eternally.Äy̆e'-äy̆e, n. p. 99(Zoöl.) A singular nocturnal quadruped found in Madagascar (Cheiromys Madagascariensis), resembling the sloth in its habits, but classed by some naturalists with the monkey tribe, from the hand-like…Aye'green, n. p. 99(Bot.) The house-leek (Sempervivum tectorum). Halliwell.Ayle, n. p. 99(O. Eng. Law.) A grandfather. See BESAYLE. Writ of Ayle, one which lay when an abatement happened on the death of the demandant’s grandfather.Äy̆ mē, interj. p. 99Used instead of ah me!Ā'y-ry, n. p. 99A hawk's nest. See AERIE.Ä-yun'tä-mï-ĕn'to, n. p. 99In Spain and Spanish America, a corporation or body of magistrates in cities and towns, corresponding to mayor and aldermen.A-zā'le-ȧ, n. p. 99(Bot.) A genus of flowering plants, mostly natives of China or North America. Beautiful species of the rhododendron are cultivated under this name.