Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
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.
Con-vēne', v. i. p. 288To come together; to meet; to unite. [Rare.] In shortsighted men . . . the rays converge and convene in the eyes before they come at the bottom. Newton. 2. To come together; to meet in the same…Con-vēne', v. t. p. 288To cause to assemble; to call together; to convoke. And now the almighty father of the gods Convenes a council in the blest abodes. Pope. 2. To summon judicially to meet or appear. By the papal canon…Cŏn've-nee', n. p. 288One called or summoned with others. [Rare.]Con-vēn'er, n. p. 288One who convenes or meets with others. [Obs.] 2. One who calls an assembly together; hence, the chairman of an organized body, as a committee. [Scot.]Con-vēn'ience or Con-vēn'ien-cy, n. p. 288The state of being convenient; fitness or suitableness, as of place, time, &c.; adaptedness. I'll beat him, by my life, if I can meet him with any convenience. Shak. In things not commanded of God…Con-vēn'ient, a. p. 288Fit or adapted to an end; suitable; becoming; appropriate. “A convenient trick.” Atterbury. The rest was magnanimity to remit, If some convenient ransom were proposed. Milton. 2. Promotive of comfort…Con-vēn'ient-ly, adv. p. 288In a convenient or commodious manner.Cŏn'vent, n. p. 288A coming together; a meeting. [Obs.] “A usual ceremony at their [the witches] convents or meetings.” B. Jonson. 2. An association or community of recluses devoted to a religious life; a body of monks…Con-vént', v. t. p. 288To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene. [Obs.] He with his oath...will make up full clear Whenever he's convented. Shak.Con-vĕnt', v. i. p. 288To meet together; to concur. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Con-vēn'ti-cal, a. p. 288Of, or pertaining to, a convent. Conventical prior, the same as an abbot.Con-vĕnt’ĭ-cle, n. p. 288An assembly or gathering. They are commanded to abstain from all conventicles of men whatsoever. Ayliffe. 2. An assembly for religious worship; and opprobriously, such an assembly held by…Con-vĕnt'i-cle, v. i. p. 288To belong to a conventicle; to partake of the nature of a conventicle. [Obs.] “Conventiciling schools . . . set up and taught secretly by fanatics.” South.Con-vĕnt'i-cler, n. p. 288One who supports or frequents conventicles. Dryden.Con-vĕn'tion, n. p. 288The act of coming together, or assembling; union. The conventions or associations of several particles of matter into bodies. Boyle. 2. General agreement or concurrence; arbitrary custom; usage…Con-vĕn’tion-al, a. p. 288Formed by agreement or compact; stipulated. Conventional services reserved by tenures on grants, made out of the crown or knights’ service. Hale. 2. Growing out of, or depending on, custom or tacit…Con-vēn'-tion-al-ism, n. p. 288That which is received or established by convention or informal agreement. They gaze on all with dead, dim eyes,—wrapped in conventionalisms, . . . simulating feelings according to a received…Con-vĕnʹtion-al-ĭst, n. p. 288One who adheres to a convention or treaty. 2. One who is governed by conventionalism.Con-vĕnʹtion-ălʹĭ-ty, n. p. 288The state of being conventional; that which is established by conventional use; adherence to social formalities or usages.Con-vĕn’tion-al-ize, v. t. p. 288To make conventional.Con-vĕn′tion-al-ly, adv. p. 288In a conventional manner; by tacit agreement.Con-vĕnʹtion-a-ry, a. p. 288Acting under contract; settled by stipulation; conventional; as, conventionary tenants. Carew.Con-vĕn’tion-er, n. p. 288One who belongs to a convention or assembly.Con-vĕn’tion-ĭst, n. p. 288One who makes a contract.Con-vēn'tū-al, a. p. 288Belonging to a convent; monastic. “Conventual regularity.” Thackeray.Con-vĕnt'ū-al, n. p. 288One who lives in a convent; a monk or nun; a recluse. “The venerable conventual.” Addison.Con-věr'ge', v. i. p. 288To tend to one point; to incline and approach nearer together. Colors mingle, features join, And lines converge. Akenside. The mountains converge into a single ridge. Jefferson.Con-vĕr'gence or Con-vĕr'gen-cy, n. p. 289The quality of converging; tendency to one point. “The convergence or divergence of the rays falling on the pupil.” Berkeley.Con-vèr'gent, a. p. 289Tending to one point; approaching each other from different places; converging.Con-vĕr'ging, p. a. p. 289Tending to one point; approaching each other; convergent. “Converging directions.” Converging rays (Opt.), rays of light, which, proceeding from different points of an object, tend toward a single…Con-vèrs'a-ble, a. p. 289Qualified for conversation; disposed to converse; sociable; free in discourse. Swift.Con-vèrs'a-ble-ness, n. p. 289The quality of being conversable; disposition or readiness to converse; sociability.Con-vèrs'a-bly, adv. p. 289In a conversable manner.Cŏn'ver-sance or Cŏn'ver-san-cy, n. p. 289The act or condition of being conversant; habit of familiarity; familiar acquaintance.Cŏn'ver-sant, a. p. 289Having frequent or customary intercourse; familiarly associated; intimately acquainted. I have been conversant with the first persons of the age. Dryden. Never to be infected with delight, Nor…Con-vèrs'ant, n. p. 289One who converses; a converser. [Rare.]Cŏn'ver-sant-ly, adv. p. 289In a conversant or familiar manner.Cŏn'ver-sā'tion, n. p. 289General course of conduct; behavior; deportment. [Obs.] Let your conversation be as becometh the gospel. Phil. i. 27. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. 1 Pet. i. 15. 2. Familiar intercourse…Con'ver-sā'tion-al, a. p. 289Pertaining to conversation, or familiar and informal talk.Cŏn'ver-sā'tion-al-ist, n. p. 289One who excels in conversation; a conversationist; a converser.Cōn′ver-sā′tioned, a. p. 289Acquainted with the manner of acting in life. [Obs.] Till she be better conversationed, . . . I'll keep as far from her as the gallows. Beau. & Fl.Cŏn'ver-sā'tion-ism, n. p. 289A word or phrase originating, or used, in conversation.Con'ver-sā'tion-ist, n. p. 289One who excels in conversation; a conversationalist.Con-vēr'sa-tīve, a. p. 289Relating to an intercourse with men; social; — opposed to contemplative. She chose . . . to endue him with the conversative qualities of youth. Reliquiæ Wottonianæ.Cŏn'ver-sā-zī-ō'ne, n. p. 289A meeting for conversation, particularly on literary subjects. Gray.Con-vèrse', v. i. p. 289To keep company, or have familiarity; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune; — followed by with. Him who lonely loves To seek the distant hills, and there converse With nature. Thomson. Conversing…Cŏn'verse, n. p. 289Frequent or customary intercourse; familiarity; acquaintance. ’Tis but to hold Converse with Nature’s charms, and view her stores unrolled. Byron. 2. Familiar discourse or talk; free interchange of…Cŏn'verse, a. p. 289Turned about; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal; as, a converse proposition.Cŏn'verse-ly, adv. p. 289In a converse manner; with change of order or relation; reciprocally.Con-vĕrs'er, n. p. 289One who engages in conversation; a conversationalist.Con-vĕr'si-ble, a. p. 289Capable of being converted or reversed. “This conversible . . . sorites.” Hammond.Con-vĕr'sion, n. p. 289The act of turning or changing from one state or condition to another; transmutation. “The conversion of water into ice.” Bacon. “The conversion of the aliment into fat.” Arbuthnot. 2. A change from…Con-vĕrs'ive, a. p. 289Capable of being converted or changed. 2. Ready to converse; social. Feltham.Con-vĕrt’, v. t. p. 289To cause to turn; to turn. [Obs.] O, which way shall I convert myself? B. Jonson. 2. To change or turn from one state or condition to another; to alter in form or substance; to transform; to reduce…Con-vèrt’, v. i. p. 289To be turned or changed; to undergo a change. If Nebo had had the preaching that thou hast, they would have converted. Latimer. Be this the whetstone of your sword; let grief Convert to anger. Shak.Cŏn'vert, n. p. 289A person who is converted from one opinion or practice to another; a person who renounces one creed, religious system, or party, and embraces another; especially one who turns from the controlling…Con-vĕrt'er, n. p. 289One who converts; one who makes converts.Con-vĕrt'i-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 289The condition or quality of being convertible; convertibleness. The convertibility of land into money, and of money into land. Burke.Con-vèrt'i-ble, a. p. 289Capable of being converted; susceptible of change; transmutable; transformable. Minerals are not convertible into another species, though of the same genus. Harvey. 2. Capable of being exchanged or…Con-vĕrt'i-ble-ness, n. p. 289The state of being convertible; convertibility.