Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Curl, v. t. p. 325To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair. But curl their locks with bodkins and with braid. Gascoigne. 2. To twist or make into coils, as a serpent. Of his tortuous train, Curled many a…Curl, v. i. p. 325To contract or bend into curls or ringlets, as hair. Thou seest it [hair] will not curl by nature. Shak. 2. To move in curves, spirals, or undulations; to contract in curving outlines; to bend in a…Cŭrl, n. p. 325A ringlet, especially of hair, or any thing of a like form. Under a coronet, his flowing hair In curls on either cheek played. Milton. 2. An undulating or curving line in any substance, as wood…Cārl'ed-ness, n. p. 325State of being curled; curliness.Cŭrl'er, n. p. 325One who curls. 2. A player at the game called curling. [Scot.]Cur'lew, n. p. 325(Ornith.) An aquatic, wading bird of the genus Numenius (N. arquatus). ☞ It has a long bill, and its color is diversified with ash and black. It frequents the sea-shore in winter, and in summer…Cārl'i-ness, n. p. 325A state of being curly.Cūrl'ing, n. p. 325A game among the Scotch, which consists in propelling by the hand a heavy weight (as a large stone or mass of iron) along the surface of the ice, so as to strike another heavy weight and drive it in…Cûrl'ing-ī'rons, n. pl. p. 325An instrument for curling the hair;— called also curling-tongs.Cārl'ing-ly, adv. p. 325In a waving manner.Cŭrl'ing-tŏngs, n. pl. p. 325See CURLING-IRONS.Cŭrl'y, a. p. 325Having curls; tending to curl; full of ripples.Cur-mŭd'geon, n. p. 325An avaricious, churlish fellow; a miser; a niggard, a churl. “A gray-headed curmudgeon of a negro.” W. Irving.Cur-mŭd'geon-ly, a. p. 325In the manner of a curmudgeon; niggardly; churlish.Cur-mŭr'ring, a. p. 325Producing a rumbling or grumbling sound, as in the stomach. W. Scott.Cŭr'rant, n. p. 325The fruit of a well-known shrub belonging to the genus Ribes (R. rubrum), a genus also including the gooseberry and the black currant. 2. A small kind of dried grape, imported from the Levant…Cŭr'ren-cy, n. p. 325The state or quality of being current; a continual course or passing from person to person, or hand to hand; general acceptance; circulation. The currency of time to establish a custom ought to be…Cŭr'rent, a. p. 325Running or moving rapidly. Like the current fire, that renneth Upon a cord. Gower. To chase a creature that was current then In these wild woods, the hart with golden horns. Tennyson. 2. Now passing…Cŭr'rent, n. p. 325A flowing or passing; onward motion; hence, a stream, especially of a fluid; as, a current of water or of air; a current of electricity, of magnetism, &c. Two such silver currents, when they join, Do…Cŭr'rent-ly, adv. p. 325In a current manner; generally; commonly.Cŭr'rent-ness, n. p. 325The quality or condition of being current; currency; circulation; general reception. 2. Easiness of pronunciation; fluency. [Obs.] When currentness [combineth] with staidness, how can the language…Cŭr'ri-cle, n. p. 325A small or short course. [Obs.] Upon a curricle in this world depends a long course of the next. Browne. 2. A chaise with two wheels, drawn by two horses abreast.Cur-rĭc'-u-lŭm, n. p. 325A race-course; a place for running. 2. A course; particularly, a specified fixed course of study, as in a university.Cûr'rie, n. p. 325See CURRY.Cŭr'ried, p. a. p. 325Dressed by currying; dressed as leather; cleaned; prepared. 2. Prepared with curry; as, curried rice, fowl, &c.Cûr'ri-er, n. p. 325One who curries, dresses, and colors leather, after it is tanned.Cûr'rish, a. p. 325Having the qualities, or exhibiting the characteristics, of a cur; snarling; quarrelsome; intractable; churlish; hence, also, brutal; malignant. “Some currish plot,—some trick.” Lockhart. Thy currish…Cûr'rish-ly, adv. p. 325Like a cur; in a brutal manner.Cûr'rish-ness, n. p. 325Moroseness; churlishness.Cŭr'ry, v. t. p. 325To dress or prepare for use by a process of scraping, cleansing, beating, smoothing, and coloring;—said of leather. 2. To rub or cleanse the skin of; to scratch;—said of a horse. Your short horse is…Cŭr'ry, n. p. 325(Cookery.) A kind of sauce much used in India, containing red pepper and other strong spices. 2. A stew of fowl, fish, &c., cooked with curry-sauce.Cŭr'ry-cōmb, n. p. 325An instrument or comb for currying or rubbing and cleaning horses.Cŭr'ry-pow'der, n. p. 325(Cookery.) A condiment used for making curry, formed of various strong spices, as cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, &c.Cŭrse, v. t. p. 325To utter a wish of evil against; to invoke harm against; to imprecate evil upon; to call for mischief or injury to fall upon; to execrate. Thou shalt not . . . curse the ruler of thy people. Ex.…Curse, v. i. p. 325To utter imprecations, maledictions, or curses; to use profane language; to swear. Then began he to curse and to swear. Matt. xxvi. 74. His spirits hear me, And yet I needs must curse. Shak.Cúrse, n. p. 325The invocation of harm or injury; malediction; imprecation of evil upon another. Lady, you know no rule of charity Which renders good for bad, blessing for curses. Shak. 2. Evil, solemnly, or in…Cúrs'ed, a. p. 325Deserving a curse; execrable; hateful; detestable; abominable. Let us fly this cursed place. Milton. 2. Producing trouble or vexation. This cursed quarrel be no more renewed. Dryden.Cúrs'ed-ly, adv. p. 325In a cursed manner; miserably; in a manner to be cursed or detested; enormously. [Low.]Cúrs'ed-ness, n. p. 325The state of being under a curse, or of being doomed to execration or to evil.Cúrs'er, n. p. 325One who curses, or utters a curse.Cúr'ship, n. p. 325Dogship; meanness; ill-nature. [Rare.] How durst he, I say, oppose thy curship? Hudibras.Cūr'si-tor, n. p. 325(Eng. Law.) An officer or clerk in the Court of Chancery, whose business is to make out original writs. 2. A courier or runner. [Obs.] “Cursitors to and fro.” Holland.Cûr'sive, a. p. 325Running; flowing. Cursive hand, a running hand.Cūr'sor, n. p. 325Any part of a mathematical instrument that moves or slides backward and forward upon another part.Cûr'so-ra-ry, a. p. 325Cursory; hasty. [Obs.] “A cursory eye.” Shak.Cur-sō'ri-al, a. p. 325Adapted for running or walking, and not for prehension; as, the limbs of the horse are cursorial.Cûr'so-ri-ly, adv. p. 325In a running or hasty manner. 2. Without attention; slightly; hastily.Cŭr'so-ri-ness, n. p. 325Hasty or superficial view or attention.Cur-sō'ri-ŭs, n. p. 325(Ornith.) A genus of birds of the order Cursores; a kind of plover.Cúr'so-ry, a. p. 325Running about; not stationary. [Obs.] 2. Characterized by haste; hastily or superficially performed; lacking close and thorough attention; slight; superficial; careless. Events far too important to…Cŭrst, imp. & p. p. p. 325of curse.Cŭrst, a. p. 325Froward; vexatious; peevish; malignant; mischievous; malicious; snarling. [Obs.] His eldest sister is so curst and shrewd. Shak. Though his mind Be ne’er so curst, his tongue is kind. CrashawCúrst'fúl-ly, adv. p. 326Peevishly; vexatiously; detestably. [Obs.] “Curstfully mad.” Marston.Cŭrst'ness, n. p. 326Peevishness; malignity; frowardness; crabbedness; surliness. [Obs.] Shak.Cŭrt, a. p. 326Characterized by brevity; short; crusty. “The curt, yet comprehensive reply.” W. Irving.Cur-tāil', v. t. p. 326To cut off the end of; to shorten; to abridge; to diminish; — sometimes followed by of. I that am curtailed of all fair proportion, Deformed, unfinished. Shak. Perhaps this humor of speaking no more…Cûr'tail-dŏg, n. p. 326The dog of a person not qualified to course, which by the forest laws must have its tail cut short, partly as a mark, and partly from a notion that the tail of a dog is necessary to him in running.…Cur-tāil'er, n. p. 326One who cuts off any thing.Cŭr'tāil-stēp, n. p. 326(Arch.) The lowest step in a flight of stairs, ending, at its outer extremity, in a scroll.Cūr'tain, n. p. 326A cloth screen or covering intended to darken or conceal, and admitting of being drawn back or up, and reclosed at pleasure; a cloth hanging round a bed or at a window; in theaters, and like places…