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.
Cŏm'et, n. p. 254(Astron.) One of those members of the solar system which usually move in very eccentric orbits, approaching very near to the sun in their perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at…Cŏm'et, n. p. 254A game at cards. Southerne.Cŏm'et-ē'ri-ūm, n. p. 254An astronomical instrument, intended to represent the revolution of a comet round the sun. Hutton.Côm'et-a-ry, a. p. 254Pertaining to a comet. Cheyne.Côm'et-find'er or Côm'et-seek'er, n. p. 254(Astron.) A telescope having a large field of view and low magnifying power, used for finding comets.Co-mēt'ic, a. p. 254Relating to a comet.Côm'et-ŏg'ra-pher, n. p. 254One who describes or writes about comets.Côm'et-ōg'ra-phy, n. p. 254A description of, or a treatise concerning, comets.Côm'fit or Côm'fit-ūre, n. p. 254A dry sweetmeat; any kind of fruit or root preserved with sugar and dried; a confect.Cŏm'fit, v. t. p. 255To preserve dry with sugar. The fruit which does so quickly waste, . . . Thou comfitest in sweets to make it last. Cowley.Cŏm'fort, v. t. p. 255To bring strength, support, or consolation to; to give vigor to the spirits of; to relieve from distress or pain; to cheer; to invigorate; to console. I am louted by a traitor villain. And can not…Cŏm'fort, n. p. 255Strength and relief received under affliction; support; solace; consolation. Her soul, heaven's queen, whose name she bears, In comfort of her mother's fears, Hath placed among her virgin train. B.…Còm'fort-a-ble, a. p. 255Affording, imparting, or enjoying comfort; as, a comfortable hope. Be comfortable to my mother, Your mistress, and make much of her. Shak. The lives of many miserable men were saved, and a…Cŏm'fort-a-ble, n. p. 255A heavy stuffed or quilted coverlet for a bed; a comforter; a comfort. [U. S.]Cŏm'fort-a-ble-ness, n. p. 255The state of being comfortable. Sidney.Cŏm'fort-a-bly, adv. p. 255In a manner to give comfort or consolation. Hammond.Cŏm'fort-er, n. p. 255One who administers comfort or consolation. Let no comforter delight mine ear But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Shak. 2. (Script.) The Holy Spirit, referring to his office of comforting…Cóm'fort-ful, a. p. 255Full of comfort. [Obs.]Cŏm'fort-less, a. p. 255Without comfort; without any thing to alleviate misfortune or distress. “Comfortless through tyranny or might.” Spenser. Syn. — Forlorn; desolate; inconsolable; wretched; miserable.Cŏm'fort-less-ly, adv. p. 255In a comfortless manner. When all is coldly, comfortlessly costly. Milton.Cŏm'fort-less-ness, n. p. 255State of being comfortless.Cōm'fort-ment, n. p. 255Act or process of administering comfort. [Obs.] “The gentle comfortment and entertainment of the said embassador.” Hackluyt.Còm'fort-ress, n. p. 255A female who affords comfort. [Rare.] “To be your comfortress and to preserve you.” B. Jonson.Cŏm'frey, n. p. 255(Bot.) A genus of plants, the Symphytum; especially the common species (S. officinale), which abounds in mucilage, and is used in medicine as an emollient. Loudon.Còm'ic, a. p. 255Relating to comedy, as distinct from tragedy. I can not for the stage a drama lay, Tragic or comic, but thou writ'st the play. B. Jonson. 2. Raising mirth; fitted to excite merriment. “Mirthful comic…Cŏm'ic-al, a. p. 255Relating to comedy. They deny it to be tragical because its catastrophe is a wedding, which hath ever been accounted comical. Gay. 2. Exciting mirth; diverting; sportive; droll. “Familiar style and…Côm'ic-āl'ī-ty, n. p. 255That which is comical or ludicrous.Com'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 255In a comical manner.Cōm'ic-al-ness, n. p. 255The quality of being comical.Cōm'ic-ry, n. p. 255The power of exciting mirth; comicalness. Cheerful comicry, which will not be satisfied with an elegant simper, but must have the loud and open laugh. H. Giles.Còm'ing-īn, n. p. 255Entrance; arrival. I know . . . thy going-out and thy coming-in. 2 Kings xix. 27. 2. That which comes as revenue; income. What are thy rents? what are thy coming-in? Shak. 3. The act of submitting…Co-mĭ'tĭ-ă, n. pl. p. 255(Rom. Antiq.) The assemblies of the people for electing officers and passing laws.Co-mī'tial, a. p. 255Relating to the comitia, or popular assemblies of the Romans for electing officers and passing laws. Middleton. 2. Of, or pertaining to, assemblies of the people.Cŏm'i-ty, n. p. 255Mildness and suavity of manners; courtesy between equals; the extension of civility to individuals or communities; civility; good-breeding; as, comity of manners; the comity of States. Syn.—Civility…Cŏm'mă, n. p. 255(Punct.) A character or point (,) marking the smallest division of a sentence in language, either written or printed, and the shortest pause in reading. 2. (Mus.) A small interval, theoretical rather…Com-mȧnd', v. t. p. 255To order with authority; to lay injunction upon; to direct; to bid; to summon. Go to your mistress, Say I command her come to me. Shak. Agricola, therefore, commanded home for doing too much of what…Com-mȧnd', v. i. p. 255To have or to exercise supreme authority; to possess the chief power; to govern.Com-mȧnd', n. p. 255An authoritative order; mandate; injunction. Warriors old, with ordered spear and shield, Awaiting what command their mighty chief Had to impose. Milton. 2. The application or exercise of authority.…Com-mȧnd'a-ble, a. p. 255Capable of being commanded.Côm'man-dânt', n. p. 255A commander; a commanding officer of a place, or of a body of forces. Smollett.Com-mand'a-to-ry, a. p. 255Having the force of a command; as, commandatory authority. [Obs.] Morton.Com-mānd'er, n. p. 255A chief; one who has supreme authority; a leader; the chief officer of an army, or of any division of it. Who sees an army all in rank advance, But deems a wise commander is in place, Which leadeth…Com-mänd'er-ship, n. p. 255The office of a commander.Com-mānd'er-y or Com-mānd'ry, n. p. 255A manor with lands and tenements appertaining thereto, belonging to an order of knights, and under the control of a member of the order, who was called a commander; he could dispose of the manor and…Com-mănd'ing, a. p. 255Fitted to impress or control. Syn.—Authoritative; imperative; imperious.Com-mánd'ing-ly, adv. p. 255In a commanding manner.Com-mānd'ment, n. p. 255An order or injunction given by authority; charge; precept. Seeing, then, that God alone is Lord of the soul and spirit, he alone can bind them by commandment. Mede. 2. (Script.) One of the ten laws…Com-mānd'ress, n. p. 255A woman invested with supreme authority. Hooker.Cōm'märk, n. p. 255The frontier of a country; confines. [Obs.] Shelton.Cŏm/ma-tē'ri-al, a. p. 255Consisting of the same matter with another thing. [Obs.] Bacon.Cōm'ma-tē'ri-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 255Participation of the same matter. [Obs.] Johnson.Com-măt'ic, a. p. 255Having short clauses or sentences; brief; concise.Cŏm'ma-tĭsm, n. p. 255Briefness; conciseness in writing. Bp. Horsley.Com-mēn'sur-a-ble, a. p. 255Having the same measure, or reducible to the same measure; commensurate. She being now removed by death, a commensurable grief took as full possession of him as joy had done. Walton.Com-mĕm'o-ra-ble, a. p. 255Worthy to be commemorated.Com-mĕm'o-rāte, v. t. p. 255To call to remembrance by a solemn act; to celebrate with honor and solemnity; to honor, as a person or event, by some act of respect or affection, intended to preserve the remembrance of that person…Com-mĕm'o-rā'tion, n. p. 255The act of calling to remembrance by some solemnity; the act of honoring the memory of some person or event by solemn celebration. “The elements which Christ had appointed as a commemoration of his…Com-mēm'o-ra-tive, a. p. 256Tending to preserve in remembrance. “A sacrifice commemorative of Christ’s offering up his body for us.” Hammond.Com-mēm'o-rā'tor, n. p. 256One who commemorates.Com-mēm'o-ra-to-ry, a. p. 256Serving to commemorate; commemorative. Hooper.