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.
Cā'pa-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 193The quality of being capable; capacity; capableness. A capability to take a thousand views of a subject is to be reconciled with distinctness . . . of judgment. H. Taylor.Cā'pa-ble, a. p. 193Possessing ability, qualification, or susceptibility; having capacity; adapted; suited; as, a room capable of holding a large number; a man capable of lifting heavy weights; a castle capable of…Cā'pa-ble-ness, n. p. 193The state or quality of being capable; capacity; power of understanding; knowledge. Killingbeck.Ca-păç'i-fy, v. t. p. 193To qualify. [Rare.] “The benefits he is capacified and designed for.” Barrow.Ca-pā'cioūs, a. p. 193Having capacity; able to contain; large; roomy; spacious; extended; broad; as, a capacious vessel, room, &c.; a capacious bay or harbor. In the capacious recesses of his mind. Bancroft. 2. Having…Ca-pā'ciōus-ly, adv. p. 193In a capacious manner or degree.Ca-pā'ciōüs-ness, n. p. 193The quality of being capacious, as of a vessel, a reservoir, a bay, a mind, &c.Ca-păc'i-tāte, v. t. p. 193To render capable; to qualify; to enable; as, to capacitate to observe errors; to capacitate for usefulness; to capacitate for a deanery. Watts. Wood.Ca-păc/i-tā'tion, n. p. 193Act of making capable. [R.]Ca-pāc'i-ty, n. p. 193The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power;—used in reference to physical things. Had our palace the capacity To camp this host. Shak. The capacity of the exhausted…Căp'-a-pie’ p. 193From head to foot; all over. He was armed cap-a-pie, and wore a suit of burnished steel. Prescott.Ca-pār'i-son, n. p. 193A cloth or covering laid over the saddle or harness of a horse; often rich and decorated; trappings. Their horses clothed with rich caparison. Dryden. 2. Gay or rich clothing. My heart groans beneath…Ca-păr'i-son, v. t. p. 193To cover with a caparison or decorated cloth, as a horse. The steeds, caparisoned with purple, stand. Dryden. 2. To adorn with rich dress; to dress. I am caparisoned like a man. Shak.Căp'-cāse, n. p. 193A small traveling case or band-box. A cap-case for your linen and your plate, With a strange lock that opens with amen. B. & Fl.Cāpe, n. p. 194A neck of land, extending some distance into the sea; a headland. 2. [Fr. cape. See CAP.] The part of a garment hanging from the neck behind and over the shoulders. “With a small compassed cape.”…Cāpe, v. i. p. 194(Naut.) To head or point; as, the ship capes southwest by south.Cā'pe, n. p. 194(Law.) A judicial writ touching a plea of land and tenements. It takes its name from its opening word. Bouvier.Cā'pel, n. p. 194(Mining.) A kind of stone composed of quartz, schorl, and hornblende.Căp'e-lān, n. p. 194Cāp'e-līn p. 194A small species of fish of the trout family (Mallotus villosus) found off the coasts of Greenland, Iceland, and Newfoundland; it is used as a bait for the cod. [Written also caplin.] Pennant.Căp'el-lāne, n. p. 194The curate of a chapel; a chaplain. [Obs.] Inform them of the dignities and duties of the preceptor, sacrist, sub-sacrist, capellane, ostiary. Fuller.Căp'el-lĕt, n. p. 194(Far.) A kind of swelling, like a wen, growing on the point of the elbow of a horse, probably occasioned by bruises in lying down. White.Cā'per, v. i. p. 194To leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to spring; to dance. He capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth. Shak.Cā'per, n. p. 194A frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump;—as in mirth or dancing. “Though he does not cut capers.” Addison. 2. (Naut.) A vessel formerly used by the Dutch, principally as a privateer. Wright.Cā'per, n. p. 194(Bot.) The flower-bud or unexpanded flower of the caper-bush (Capparis spinosa), much used for pickling. London.Cā'per-bush or Cā'per-tree, n. p. 194(Bot.) A genus of low shrubs (Capparis), some of which produce berries, and others pods; most of the species are very showy when in flower. London.Cā'per-cāll'sie, n. p. 194(Ornith.) A species of grouse (Tetrao urogallus) of large size and delicious flavor, of which the general color is black and green, with white marks on the wing and tail;—called also cock of the…Cā'per-claw, v. t. p. 194To treat with cruel playfulness, as a cat treats a mouse. [Obs.] He caperclaweth Beza very sore. Birch.Cā'per-cūt'ting, n. p. 194A leaping or dancing in a frolicsome manner. Beau. & Fl.Cā'per-er, n. p. 194One who capers, leaps, and skips about, or dances. The nimble caperer on the cord. Dryden.Cā'per-sauce, n. p. 194Sauce or catchup made of capers.Cā'per-tēa, n. p. 194A kind of black tea, of which the caper-congou and scented caper are two varieties. S. W. Williams.Cā'pi-as, n. p. 194(Law.) A writ or process commanding the officer to take the body of the person named in it, that is, to arrest him;—also called writ of capias. ☞ One principal kind of capias is a writ by which…Ca-pĭb'a-rá, n. p. 194The cabiai. See CABIAI.Cāp'il-lā'ceoŭs, a. p. 194Having long filaments; resembling a hair. See CAPILLARY.Cāp'il-lāire', n. p. 194A kind of sirup extracted from the maiden-hair. 2. Any simple sirup flavored with orange-flower water.Ca-pil'la-mēnt, n. p. 194(Bot.) A filament, or a small, fine thread, like a hair, that grows in the middle of a flower. 2. One of the fine fibers or filaments of which the nerves are composed. Berkeley.Cāp'il-lār'i-ty, n. p. 194The state or condition of being capillary.Cāp'il-la-ry or Ca-pil'la-ry, a. p. 194Resembling a hair; fine, minute, small in diameter; long and very slender; as, the capillary vessels of animals and plants. 2. Pertaining to capillary tubes or vessels; as, capillary action.…Căp'il-la-ry, n. p. 194A fine vessel or canal. 2. (pl.) (Anat.) The minute vessels in the circulating system, which connect the arteries and veins. Berkeley.Căp'il-lā'tion, n. p. 194A blood-vessel like a hair; a capillary. [Obs.] Browne.Ca-pil'la-tūre, n. p. 194A bush of hair; frizzling of the hair. Clarke.Ca-pil'li-form, a. p. 194In the shape or form of a hair, or of hairs.Căp'il-lōse', a. p. 194Having an abundance of hair; hairy. [Rare.] Ogilvie.Căp'i-tal, a. p. 194Pertaining to, or on, the head. [Obs.] “A capital bruise.” Milton. 2. Having reference to, or involving, the forfeiture of the head or life; affecting life; as, capital trials; capital punishment.…Capital letter p. 194a letter usually distinguished by its form and greater size from those in which the body of a page is printed;—so called because used at the head of a word or sentence. Capital letters are of two…Căp'i-tal, n. p. 194(Arch.) The head or uppermost part of a column, pilaster, &c. In classical architecture, the orders have each their respective capitals. Goth. Gloss. 2. [Fr. capitale, f., sc. ville.] (Geog.) The…Căp'i-tal-ist, n. p. 194A man who has a capital or stock in trade; usually a man of large property, which is or may be employed in business. “The expenditure of the capitalist.” Burke.Căp'i-tal-i-zā'tion, n. p. 194The act of converting money or stock into capital. 2. The use of capital letters in writing or printing.Căp'i-tal-īze, v. t. p. 194To convert into capital, as money or stock. 2. To print in capital letters.Căp'i-tal-ly, adv. p. 194In a way involving the forfeiture of the head or life; as, to punish capitally. 2. In the way of pre-eminence or excellence; chiefly; finely.Căp'i-tal-ness, n. p. 194The state or quality of being capital; pre-eminence. [Rare.]Căp'i-tān' Pa-sha' p. 194The chief admiral of the Turkish fleet.Căp'i-tāte, a. p. 194(Bot.) Growing in a head; — applied to a flower or stigma. London.Căp'i-tā'tion, n. p. 194Numeration by the head; a numbering of persons. Browne. 2. A tax upon each head or person; a poll-tax; — usually called capitation-tax.Căp'i-tē, n. p. 194(O. Eng. Law.) A tenure of land. Tenure in capite, a holding of land directly of the king as sovereign lord. Wharton. Burrill.Ca-pīt'el-late, a. p. 194(Bot.) Terminating in very small heads, as some stigmas. Gray.Căp'ĭ-tol, n. p. 194The temple of Jupiter, in Rome, on the Mons Capitolinus. Comes Cæsar to the Capitol to-morrow? Shak. 2. The edifice occupied by the congress of the United States in their deliberations. Also, in some…Căp'i-tō'li-an or Căp'i-tol-ine, a. p. 194Pertaining to the Capitol in Rome. Capitoline games (Antiq.), annual games originally instituted by Camillus in honor of Jupiter Capitolinus, and in commemoration of the preservation of the capitol…Ca-pīt'ū-lar, a. p. 194Belonging to a chapter; capitulary. The high aristocracy of the church, from the pope to the member of the capitolier body. Allison. 2. (Bot.) Growing in small heads, as the dandelion.