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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

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.

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  1. 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…
  2. Ax-ŏt'o-moŭs, a.p. 99(Min.) Having a cleavage perpendicular to the axis. Dana.
  3. 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…
  4. Ăx'tree, n.p. 99An axle, or axle-tree. [Obs.] Drayton.
  5. 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.
  6. A'yah, n.p. 99(India.) A native waiting-maid. Malcom.
  7. Äy̆e, n.p. 99An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, “To call for the ayes and noes;” “The ayes have it.”
  8. Āye, adv.p. 99Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. For his mercies aye endure. Milton. For aye, always; forever; eternally.
  9. 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…
  10. Aye'green, n.p. 99(Bot.) The house-leek (Sempervivum tectorum). Halliwell.
  11. 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.
  12. Äy̆ mē, interj.p. 99Used instead of ah me!
  13. Ā'y-ry, n.p. 99A hawk's nest. See AERIE.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. Ăz'a-rōle, n.p. 99(Bot.) The Cratægus azarolus, or Neapolitan medlar, a fruit-bearing shrub, allied to the white thorn.
  17. Azī-mūth, n.p. 99(Astron. & Geodesy.) An arc of the horizon intercepted between the meridian of the place and a vertical circle passing through the center of any object; as, the azimuth of a star; the azimuth or…
  18. Az'i-mūth-al, a.p. 99Pertaining to the azimuth. Loomis. Azimuthal error of a transit instrument, its deviation in azimuth from the plane of the meridian.
  19. A-zō'ic, a.p. 99Destitute of any vestige of organic life, or at least of animal life; anterior to the existence of animal life; formed when there was no animal life on the globe; as, the azoic rocks. Dana. Azoic age…
  20. A-zō′ri-an, n.p. 99(Geog.) A native or an inhabitant of the Azores.
  21. A-zō′ri-an, a.p. 99(Geog.) Pertaining to the Azores, or to their inhabitants.
  22. A-zōte', n.p. 99(Chem.) A kind of gas unfit for respiration; nitrogen.
  23. Āz'oth, n.p. 99(Alchemy.) The first principle of metals, i. e., mercury, which was formerly supposed to exist in all metals, and to be capable of being extracted from them. 2. The universal remedy of Paracelsus.
  24. A-zōt'ic, a.p. 99Pertaining to azote, or nitrogen; formed or consisting of azote; nitric; as, azotic gas; azotic acid. Carpenter.
  25. Az'o-tīte, n.p. 99(Chem.) A salt formed by the combination of azotous, or nitrous, acid with a base.
  26. Az'o-tīze, v. t.p. 99To impregnate with azote, or nitrogen; to nitrogenize.
  27. A-zō'tōus, a.p. 99Nitrous; as, azotous acid.
  28. Ăz'tec, a.p. 99Of, or belonging to, the Aztecs, one of the early races in Mexico, inhabiting the great plateau of that country at the time of the Spanish conquest. Prescott.
  29. Ăz'ure, a.p. 99Of a sky-blue; resembling the clear blue color of the sky; cerulean.
  30. Az'ure, n.p. 99The fine blue color of the sky. “In robes of azure.” Wordsworth. 2. The blue vault above. “Not like those steps on heaven’s azure.” Milton. 3. (Her.) A blue color in coats, represented in engraving…
  31. Az'ure, v. t.p. 99To color blue.
  32. Az'ure-stōne, n.p. 99The lapis lazuli, and also the lazulite.
  33. Ăz'ū-rīne, a.p. 99Azure. [Obs.] “A color which continueth dark azurine.” Hackluyt.
  34. Az'urn, a.p. 99Of a blue color; azure. [Obs.] Thick set with agate, and the azurn sheen Of turkis blue. Milton.
  35. Az'y-goŭs, a.p. 99(Anat.) Having no fellow; not one of one pair; single; as, the azygous muscle of the uvula.
  36. Ăz'yme, n.p. 99Unleavened bread. [Obs.]
  37. Az'y-mīte, n.p. 99(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of Christians who administered the Eucharist with unleavened bread. Hook.
  38. Az'y-mōŭs, a.p. 99Unleavened; unfermented. Dunglison.
  39. Bp. 100B is the second letter, and the first consonant, in the English language. (See Principles of Pronunciation, § 62.) It is etymologically convertible with m, p, f, v, and w, letters representing sounds…
  40. Bāa, n.p. 100The cry or bleating of sheep.
  41. Bāa, v. i.p. 100To cry or bleat as sheep. “He treble baas for help.” Sidney.
  42. Bā'al, n.p. 100(Myth.) The supreme male divinity of the Phenician and Canaanitish nations. ☞ The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined, answering to the…
  43. Bā'al-ism, n.p. 100Worship of Baal, or of idols; idolatry. [Rare.] His seven thousand whose knees were not supplied with the Baalism of that age. Fuller.
  44. Bāb'bitt-mēt'al, n.p. 100A soft alloy of copper, zinc, and tin, used for the bearings of journals, &c., to diminish the friction. It takes its name from the inventor.
  45. Bāb'ble, v. i.p. 100To utter words imperfectly or unintelligibly; as, a child babbles. 2. To talk thoughtlessly or irrationally; to prate. ‘A babbled of green fields. Shak. 3. To make a constant murmuring noise, as a…
  46. Băb'ble, v. t.p. 100To prate; to utter. These [words] he used to babble in all companies. Arbuthnot. 2. To fill with babbling. [Obs. and rare.] “A babbled fool.” Marston.
  47. Băb'ble, n.p. 100Idle talk; senseless prattle. “This is mere moral babble.” Milton.
  48. Băb'ble-ment, n.p. 100Idle talk; senseless prate; unmeaning words. [Rare.] Carlyle.
  49. Băb’bler, n.p. 100An idle talker; an irrational prattler; a teller of secrets. 2. (Ornith.) One of a group of long-tailed, thrush-like birds, remarkable for their singular chattering notes; the Timaliæ. Baird.
  50. Băb'blish-ly, adv.p. 100In a babbling, prating manner. [Obs.] Whitgift.
  51. Bābe, n.p. 100An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. 2. A doll for children. [Obs.] Spenser.
  52. Bābe'hōōd, n.p. 100Same as BABYHOOD. [Obs.] Udal.
  53. Bā'bel, n.p. 100The name of the city in the land of Shinar, where the confusion of languages took place. Gen. xi. 9. 2. A confused combination of sounds; confusion; disorder. “That babel of strange heathen…
  54. Bāb'er-y, n.p. 100Finery to please a child; any trifling toy for children. [Obs.] “Painted babery.” Sidney.
  55. Bā'bi-an or Bā'bi-on, n.p. 100A baboon. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
  56. Băb'i-rōus'să, n.p. 100(Zoöl.) A species of the family Suidæ, found in Asia, and called also the Indian or Abyssinian hog. Its upper canine teeth are enormously developed, ascending upward and curving back upon themselves.…
  57. Bāb'ish-ly, adv.p. 100Childishly. [Obs.]
  58. Bāb'ish-ness, n.p. 100Childishness. [Obs.]
  59. Bāb'lah, n.p. 100The rind or shell of the fruit of the Mimosa cineraria. It contains gallic acid and tannin, and has been used in dyeing drab. Ure.
  60. Bab-ōon', n.p. 100(Zool.) A division of the monkeys, belonging to the genus Cynocephalus. They have a long face, a broad, high muzzle, cheek pouches, dog-like tusks, or canine teeth, and naked callosities on the…