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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.

  1. Drĭft, n.p. 413That which is driven, forced, or urged along; a mass of any thing carried onward together; as, (a.) A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together into its present position; as, a…
  2. Drĭft, v. i.p. 413To float or be driven along by a current of water; as, the ship drifted astern; a raft drifted ashore. We drifted o’er the harbor bar, And I with sobs did pray. Coleridge. 2. To accumulate in heaps…
  3. Drift, v. t.p. 413To drive into heaps; as, a current of wind drifts snow or sand.
  4. Drīft, a.p. 413Movable by wind or currents; as, drift ice. Kane.
  5. Drĭft'-bōlt, n.p. 413A bolt used for driving out other bolts. Ogilvie.
  6. Drĭft'less, a.p. 413Having no drift; without aim; purposeless.
  7. Drīft'-sāil, n.p. 413(Naut.) A sail used under water during a storm, and serving to keep the head of a vessel right upon the sea, and prevent her driving too fast in a current. Ogilvie.
  8. Drift'-way, n.p. 413A common way for driving cattle in. Cowell. 2. (Mining & Naut.) The same as DRIFT.
  9. Drift'-wind, n.p. 413A driving wind; a wind that drives things into heaps. Beau. & Fl.
  10. Drĭft'-wood, n.p. 413Wood drifted or floated by water.
  11. Drift'y, a.p. 413Full of drifts; tending to form drifts, as snow, and the like.
  12. Drill, v. t.p. 413To pierce or bore with a drill; as, to drill a hole through a piece of metal. 2. To sow, as seeds, in rows, drills, or channels. 3. To draw through; to drain; as, waters drilled through a sandy…
  13. Swiftp. 413
  14. Drill, v. i.p. 413To sow in drills. 2. To flow gently; to trickle. Heywood. 3. To muster for exercise. Beau. & Fl.
  15. Drill, n.p. 413A pointed instrument, used for boring holes, particularly in metals and other hard substances; strictly, a boring tool that cuts with its beveled end by revolving; also, Drill. a drill-press. See…
  16. Cotter drillp. 413or traverse drill, a machine tool for boring slots.
  17. Drill'-bär'rōw, n.p. 413A contrivance mounted on wheels for the purpose of running a drill-furrow, depositing the seed therein, and covering it with earth. Gardner.
  18. Drill'-bōw, n.p. 413A small bow, whose string is used for the purpose of rapidly turning a drill.
  19. Drill'-bōx, n.p. 413A box containing seed for sowing.
  20. Drill'-hăr'rōw, n.p. 413A harrow used for smoothing ground between rows or drills.
  21. Drill'-hūs'band-ry, n.p. 413The practice of sowing seed in rows.
  22. Drill'ing, n.p. 413The act of piercing with a drill, or of using a drill in sowing seeds. 2. [Ger. drillich, L. Lat. trilex, drilex, from Ger. drei, Lat. tres, and licium, a thread of the warp. Cf. TWILL.] A coarse…
  23. Drill'-ma-chine', n.p. 413See DRILL-PRESS.
  24. Drill'-plow or Drill'-plough, n.p. 413A sort of plow for sowing grain in drills; a drill-harrow.
  25. Drill'-press, n.p. 413A machine-tool, embodying one or more drills for making holes in metal, and designated as a vertical, horizontal, or universal drill, a drill-press, or a drilling-machine. The work is fastened upon…
  26. Drill'-ser'geant, n.p. 413(Mil.) A non-commissioned officer, whose office it is to instruct soldiers as to their duties, and to train them to military evolutions.
  27. Drill'-stöck, n.p. 413(Mech.) A contrivance for holding and turning a drill. Francis.
  28. Drï'mys, n.p. 413(Bot.) A genus of plants. D. aromatica affords the winter-bark of commerce. Ogilvie.
  29. Drink, v. i.p. 413To swallow any thing liquid, for quenching thirst or other purpose; as, to drink from a brook. 2. To partake of enlivening or intoxicating liquors, in merriment, feasting, or the like; to carouse…
  30. Drĭnk, v. t.p. 414To swallow as liquids; to receive, as a fluid, into the stomach; to imbibe; as, to drink milk or water. There lies she with the blessed gods in bliss, There drinks the nectar with ambrosia mixed.…
  31. Drink, n.p. 414Liquor to be swallowed; any fluid to be taken into the stomach, for quenching thirst, or for medicinal purposes, as water, wine, beer, cider, decoctions, &c.
  32. Drink'a-ble, a.p. 414Capable of being drunk; fit or suitable for drink; potable.
  33. Drink'a-ble, n.p. 414A liquor that may be drunk. Steele.
  34. Drĭnk'a-ble-ness, n.p. 414State of being drinkable.
  35. Drink'er, n.p. 414One who drinks, particularly one who practices drinking spirituous liquors to excess; a drunkard; a tippler.
  36. Drink'er-mōth, n.p. 414(Entom.) A large British moth; Odonestis potatoria. Ogilvie.
  37. Drĭnk'less, a.p. 414Destitute of drink. Chaucer.
  38. Drink'-môn'ey, n.p. 414Money given to buy liquor for drinking one's health; a gratuity to one who has rendered a service; a douceur.
  39. Drink'-ōf'fer-ing, n.p. 414(Script.) A Jewish offering of wine, &c., in their religious services. Kitto.
  40. Drip, v. i.p. 414To fall in drops; as, water drips from eaves. 2. To let fall drops of moisture or liquid; as, a wet garment drips. The dark round of the dripping wheel. Tennyson.
  41. Drip, v. t.p. 414To let fall in drops. The thatch drips fast a shower of rain. Swift.
  42. Drĭp, n.p. 414A falling or letting fall in drops; a dripping; that which drips or falls in drops. On the ear Drops the light drip of the suspended ear. Byron. 2. (Arch.) The edge of a roof; the eaves; a large…
  43. Drĭp'ping, n.p. 414That which falls in drops, as fat from meat in roasting.
  44. Drip'ping-pān, n.p. 414A pan for receiving the fat which drips from meat in roasting.
  45. Drĭp'ple, a.p. 414Weak or rare. [Obs.]
  46. Drip'-stōne, n.p. 414(Arch.) A projecting tablet or molding over the head of door-ways or windows, &c., to throw off rain. 2. A filtering stone. Simmonds.
  47. Drīve, v. t.p. 414To impel or urge onward by force in a direction away from one, or along before one; to push forward; to compel to move on; as, to drive cattle; to drive a nail; the wind drives a ship along; smoke…
  48. Drīve, v. i.p. 414To rush and press with violence; to move furiously. Fierce Boreas drove against his flying sails. Dryden. Under cover of the night and a driving tempest. Prescott. 2. To be forced along; to be…
  49. Drīve, n.p. 414An excursion in a carriage, for exercise or pleasure; — distinguished from a ride, which is taken on horseback. 2. A place suitable or agreeable for driving; a road prepared for driving. Syn. — See…
  50. Drĭv'el, v. i.p. 414To slaver; to let spittle drop or flow from the mouth, like a child, idiot, or dotard. 2. To be weak or foolish; to dote; as, a driveling hero; driveling love. Shak. Dryden.
  51. Driv'el, n.p. 414Slaver; saliva flowing from the mouth. Dryden. 2. A driveler; a fool; an idiot. [Obs.] Sidney. 3. Inarticulate or unmeaning utterance; foolish talk; nonsense. 4. A servant; a drudge. [Obs.] Huloet.
  52. Drīv'el-er, n.p. 414A slaverer; a slabberer; an idiot; a fool. [Written also driveller.]
  53. Driv'en, n.p. 414(Mach.) The wheel or other part that is moved by a driver;—called also follower. Rankine.
  54. Driv'er, n.p. 414One who drives; the person or thing that urges or compels any thing else to move. 2. The person who drives beasts or a carriage; a coachman; a charioteer, &c.; hence, also, one who runs or regulates…
  55. Driv'er-ănt, n.p. 414A species of African ant; the Anomma arcens; — so called because they range about in vast armies, and drive every thing before them. Ogilvie.
  56. Driv'ing, p. a.p. 414Having great force of impulse; as, a driving wind or storm. 2. Communicating force; impelling.
  57. Drīv'ing-ăx'le, n.p. 414(Mach.) The axle of a driving-wheel.
  58. Drīv'ing-bōx, n.p. 414(Mach.) The journal-box of a driving-axle. [See Illust. of Locomotive.]
  59. Drīv'ing-nōte, n.p. 414(Mus.) One of two notes standing one at the end of one bar and the other at the beginning of the next, and connected by a tie, so as to form but one note.
  60. Drīv'ing-shāft, n.p. 414(Mach.) A shaft that communicates motion.