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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. Chāf'fer, v. i.p. 214To treat about a purchase; to bargain; to haggle; to negotiate. To chaffer for preferments with his gold. Dryden. 2. To talk much or idly. Trench.
  2. Chăf'fer, v. t.p. 214To make a purchase of; to buy. He chaffered chairs in which churchmen were set. Spencer. 2. To exchange. “[To] chaffer words.” Spencer.
  3. Chāf'fer, n.p. 214That which is chaffered; merchandise. [Obs.] “Cattle, chaffer, or merchandise.” Holinshed.
  4. Chäf'fer-er, n.p. 214One who chaffers; a bargainer; a buyer.
  5. Chäffern, n.p. 214A vessel for heating water. [Obs.]
  6. Chäf'fer-y, n.p. 214Traffic; buying and selling; bargaining. [Obs.] Spencer.
  7. Chäff'finch, n.p. 214(Or-nith.) A bird belonging to the Fringillidæ, or finch family (Fringilla cœlebs), said to delight in chaff, and having a very sweet note which is much admired. Baird.
  8. Chäff'ing, n.p. 214The use of light, frivolous language by way of fun or ridicule.
  9. Chäff'less, a.p. 214Without chaff. Shak.
  10. Chäff'-weed, n.p. 214(Bot.) (a.) A species of Gnaphalium; cudweed. (b.) A species of Centunculus. Muhlenberg.
  11. Chäff'y, a.p. 214Containing, resembling, or consisting of, chaff. “Chaffy snow.” Armstrong. “Chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail.” Coleridge. 2. Light or worthless as chaff. “Slight and chaffy opinion.”…
  12. Chāf'ing-dish, n.p. 214A dish or vessel to hold coals for heating any thing set on it; a portable grate for coals.
  13. Chāf'ing-gēar, n.p. 214(Naut.) Matting or other soft substance placed on rigging, spars, &c., to prevent chafing.
  14. Sha-green′, n.p. 214See SHAGREEN.
  15. Cha-grīn', n.p. 214Ill-humor; vexation; peevishness; fretfulness. Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin. Pope. Syn.—Vexation; mortification; peevishness; fretfulness; disgust; disquiet.—CHAGRIN, VEXATION…
  16. Cha-grīn′, v. t.p. 214To excite ill-humor in; to vex; to mortify. “He was not a little chagrined.” Cook.
  17. Chāin, n.p. 214A series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as of support, of restraint, of ornament, of connection, of the exertion and…
  18. Chāin, v. t.p. 214To fasten, bind, or connect with a chain; to fasten or bind with any thing in the manner of a chain. “Chained behind the hostile car.” Prior. 2. To keep in slavery; to enslave. And which more blest?…
  19. Chāin'-bōlt, n.p. 214(Naut.) A large bolt used to secure to a ship's side the links or dead-eyes through which the standing rigging is rove. Simmonds.
  20. Chāin'-bōnd, n.p. 214See BOND.
  21. Chāin'-brīdge, n.p. 214A bridge suspended on chains; a suspension bridge. Simmonds.
  22. Chāin'-cā'ble, n.p. 214A cable made of links of iron.
  23. Chāin'-găng, n.p. 214A gang or number of convicts chained together. Howitt.
  24. Chāin'less, a.p. 214Having no chain; not restrained or fettered. “The chainless mind.” Byron.
  25. Chāin'let, n.p. 214A small chain. The spurs and ringing chainlets sound. W. Scott.
  26. Chāin'-māil, n.p. 214A kind of armor made of interlaced rings, both flexible and strong. Fosbroke.
  27. Chāin'-mōld'ing or Chāin'-mōuld'ing, n.p. 214(Arch.) A form of molding in imitation of a chain; used in the Norman style. Gwilt.
  28. Chāin'-pŭmp, n.p. 214A pump consisting of an endless chain, equipped with a sufficient number of disks or buckets, passing upward through a wooden tube, and moving on two wheels, one above, the other below. It is moved…
  29. Chāin'-rūle, n.p. 214(Arith.) A theorem for solving numerical problems by composition of ratios, or compound proportion, by which, when several ratios of equality are given, the consequent of each being the same as the…
  30. Chāin'-shot, n.p. 214(Mil.) Two balls, or half balls, connected by a chain, and used to cut down masts, or cut away shrouds and rigging.
  31. Cháin'-stitch, n.p. 214A kind of stitch in sewing, made by interlocking threads, so as to leave open spaces, like the links of a chain. Simmonds.
  32. Chāin'-tīm'ber, n.p. 214(Arch.) See BOND.
  33. Chāin'-wāles, n. pl.p. 214(Naut.) Pieces of plank bolted to the sides of a ship to spread the lower rigging. See CHANNELS.
  34. Chain'-wheel, n.p. 214(Mech.) An inversion of the chain-pump, by which it becomes a recipient of power.
  35. Chain'-work, n.p. 214Work consisting of threads, cords, and the like, linked together in the form of a chain, as lineal chaining or tambour-work, reticulation or net-work, &c.
  36. Châir, n.p. 214A movable seat with a back, intended for one person. 2. An official seat, as of a chief magistrate, a judge, a professor; a pulpit; hence, the office itself. The chair of a philosophical school.…
  37. Châir, v. t.p. 214To carry publicly in a chair in triumph;—applied to a candidate for office who has gained his election. [Eng.]
  38. Châir'man, n.p. 214(Legislative Bodies.) The presiding officer or speaker of an assembly, association, or company; particularly of a legislative house; also, the president or senior member of a committee. 2. One whose…
  39. Châir'man-shĭp, n.p. 214The office of a chairman or presiding officer of a meeting.
  40. Chāise, n.p. 215A two-wheeled carriage for two persons, with a calash top and the body hung on leather straps, or thorough-braces. It
  41. Cha-lā's'ties, n.p. 215(Med.) A medicine proper for removing rigidity or stiffness of the parts of the body; an emollient. Dunglison.
  42. Cha-lā'zā or Cha-lā'ze', n.p. 215(Bot.) The place on a seed where its outer coats cohere with each other and the nucleus. Gray.
  43. Chāl'ce-dŏn'ic, a.p. 215Pertaining to chalcedony.
  44. Chal-cēd’o-ny or Chāl’çe-do-ny, n.p. 215(Min.) An uncrystallized, translucent variety of quartz, having usually a whitish color, and a luster nearly like wax. ☞ When chalcedony of different colors is arranged in stripes, or layers, it…
  45. Chal-cōg'ra-pher or Chal-cōg'ra-phist, n.p. 215An engraver on copper and brass.
  46. Chal-cōg'ra-phy, n.p. 215The act or art of engraving on copper or brass.
  47. Chal-dā'ic, a.p. 215Pertaining to Chaldea.
  48. Chal-dā'ic, n.p. 215The language or dialect of the Chaldeans.
  49. Chāl'da-īsm, n.p. 215An idiom or peculiarity in the Chaldee dialect. Parkhurst.
  50. Chal-dē'an, n.p. 215A native or an inhabitant of Chaldea.
  51. Chal-dē'an, a.p. 215Of, or pertaining to, Chaldea; as, Chaldean shepherds.
  52. Chăl'dee or Chal-dee', a.p. 215Pertaining to Chaldea; Chaldaic; as, the Chaldee paraphrase, or Targum.
  53. Chăl'dee or Chal-dee', n.p. 215The language or dialect of the Chaldeans.
  54. Chăl'der, n.p. 215A dry measure, containing nearly eight imperial quarters of wheat or flour; for other grain, fruit, potatoes, &c., eleven and a half quarters. Simmonds.
  55. Chal-dēse', v. a.p. 215To injure by trickery. [Obs.] Butler.
  56. Chăl'dron, n.p. 215A dry measure formerly used for most goods sold by this kind of measure, but now entirely confined to coals, containing at London thirty-six bushels, or twenty-five and a half hundred weight. It…
  57. Çha-let', n.p. 215A mountain hut. Chalets are summer huts for the Swiss herdsmen. Wordsworth.
  58. Chăl'ice, n.p. 215A cup or bowl; especially a communion-cup.
  59. Chāl'iced, a.p. 215Having a cell or cup. “Chaliced flowers.” Shak.
  60. Chalk, n.p. 215(Min.) A soft, earthy, well-known substance, consisting of carbonate of lime, and having the same composition as common limestone. It occurs in Europe in extensive strata. Chalk or cretaceous period…