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.
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.Com-mĕnçe', v. i. p. 256To have a first existence or origin; to begin; to originate. “That state that is to commence after this life.” Rogers. 2. To take the first degree in a university or college. I question whether the…Com-mēnçe′, v. t. p. 256To enter upon; to begin; to originate. Many a wooer doth commence his suit To her he thinks not worthy; yet he wooes. Shak. 2. To begin to be or to appear; to begin to act in the capacity of. When we…Com-mĕnçe'ment, n. p. 256The first existence of any thing; rise; origin; beginning. The time of Henry VII. . . . nearly coincides with the commencement of what is termed “modern history.” Hallam. 2. The day when degrees are…Com-mĕnd′, v. t. p. 256To commit, intrust, or give in charge for care or preservation. To thee I do commend my watchful soul, Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes. Shak. I commend unto you Phebe, our sister. Rom. xvi.…Com-mĕnd', n. p. 256Commendation. [Obs.] “Speak in his just commend.” Shak.Com-mĕnd'a-ble, a. p. 256(Formerly accented on the first syllable.) [Pr. & O. Sp. commendable, It. commendabile, Lat. commendabilis.] Capable or worthy of being commended or praised; deserving of approbation or praise…Com-mēnd'a-ble-ness, n. p. 256State of being commendable.Com-mĕnd'a-bly, adv. p. 256In a commendable or praiseworthy manner.