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.
Ĕl'e-mĕn'ta-ry, a. p. 435Having only one principle or constituent part; consisting of a single element; simple; uncombined; uncompounded; primarily constituent; as, an elementary substance; elementary particles. 2.…Ēl'e-men-tā'tion, n. p. 435Instruction in the elements or first principles. [Rare.]Ĕl'e-mĭ, n. p. 435A concrete resinous substance produced by several allied species of trees, chiefly in the tropics, among which are Amyris elemifera and A. (balsamodendron) zeilonica. It is used in ointments and…El'e-mīne, n. p. 435(Chem.) The crystallized and purified resin of elemi.E-lĕnch', n. p. 435(Logic.) (a.) That part of an argument on which its conclusiveness depends; that which convinces or refutes an antagonist; the refutation of an antagonist by argument. (b.) A vicious and fallacious…E-lēnch'us, n. p. 435Same as ELENCH.E-lēnch'ic-al, a. p. 435Pertaining to an elench.E-lēn'chic-al-ly, adv. p. 435By means of an elench.E-lēnch'ize, v. i. p. 435To dispute. [Obs.] B. Jonson.E-lēneh'tie-al, a. p. 435Serving to confute. [Obs.]El'e-phant, n. p. 435(Zoöl.) A quadruped of the tribe of pachyderms, of two living species, Elephas Indicus and E. Africanus, characterized by a proboscis or trunk, and two large ivory tusks proceeding from the extremity…Ĕl'e-phant-bee'tle, n. p. 435(Entom.) A large beetle of the Scarabaeus tribe (Goliathus giganteus, and G. cacicus), found in Guinea.Ĕl'e-phān’ti-ae, a. p. 435(Med.) Affected with elephantiasis; resembling or pertaining to elephantiasis.Ĕl'e-phan-tī'a-sis, n. p. 435(Med.) Any one of several distinct diseases of the skin, all of which are attended with either destruction or deformity of the part affected.Ĕl'e-phăn'-tīne, a. p. 435Pertaining to the elephant; huge; resembling an elephant; hence, huge, immense; as, of elephantine proportions. 2. (Antiq.) An appellation given to certain books in which the Romans registered the…Elephantine epoch p. 435that in which there was a preponderance of large pachyderms. Mantell.Ĕl'e-phan-toid' or Ĕl'e-phan-toid'al, a. p. 435Resembling an elephant in appearance or form; elephant-like.Ĕl'e-phant's-foot, n. p. 435(Bot.) (a.) A tropical plant of several species of the genus Elephantopus; — receiving its name from some resemblance between the radical leaves and an elephant's foot. (b.) A species of the genus…Ĕl'eū-sīn'i-an, a. p. 435Pertaining to Eleusis, in Greece, or to secret rites in honor of Ceres, there celebrated; as, Eleusinian mysteries or festivals.El'e-vāte, v. t. p. 435To bring up from a lower place; to lift to a higher place; to raise; to exalt; to lift up; as, to elevate a weight, a flag-staff, &c. 2. To raise to a higher station; to promote; as, to elevate to an…Ĕl'e-vāte, a. p. 436Elevated; raised aloft. Milton.Ĕl'e-vā'tion, n. p. 436The act of raising from a lower place to a higher; — said of material things, persons, the character, the voice, and the like; as, the elevation of grain or goods; elevation to a throne; elevation of…Ēl'e-vā'tor, n. p. 436One who, or that which, raises, lifts, or exalts; as, (a.) A mechanical contrivance for lifting grain, &c., to an upper floor; also, a building containing one or more elevators. (b.) (Anat.) A muscle…Ĕl'e-vā'to-ry, n. p. 436(Surg.) An elevator or instrument used for raising a depressed or fractured part of a bone. Dunglison.El'e-vā'to-ry, a. p. 436Tending to raise, or having power to elevate.Élève, n. p. 436One brought up or protected by another; a pupil.E-lĕv'en, a. p. 436Ten and one added; as, eleven men.E-lĕv'en, n. p. 436The sum of ten and one. 2. A symbol representing eleven units, as 11 or xi.E-lĕv'enth, a. p. 436Next in order after the tenth; as, the eleventh chapter. 2. Constituting one of eleven parts into which a thing is divided; as, the eleventh part of a thing. 3. (Mus.) Of, or pertaining to, the…E-lĕv'enth, n. p. 436The quotient of a unit divided by eleven; one of eleven equal parts. 2. (Mus.) The interval consisting of ten conjunct degrees; the interval made up of an octave and a fourth.Elf, n. p. 436An imaginary being, supposed to exert a mysterious power over man; a diminutive spirit, supposed to inhabit wild and desert places, and to delight in mischievous tricks. Every elf, and fairy sprite…Elf, v. t. p. 436To entangle in an intricate manner, as the hair. “Elf all my hair in knots.” Shak.Ĕlf'-ăr'rōw, n. p. 436A flint in the shape of an arrowhead, vulgarly supposed to be shot by fairies; — called also elf-bolt and elf-shot.Elf'-child, n. p. 436A child supposed to be left by elfs, in room of one they had stolen.Elf'-lŏck, n. p. 436Hair twisted into knots, as if the work of fairies.Elf'in, a. p. 436Relating or pertaining to elves.Elf'in, n. p. 436A little elf or urchin.Elf'ish, a. p. 436Elf-like; mischievous, as though caused by elves. “Elfish light.” Coleridge.E-Lĭç'it, v. t. p. 436To draw out; to bring to light; to bring out against the will; to make clear and convincing, by discussion or argument; as, to elicit truth by discussion.E-lic'it, a. p. 436Drawn out; made real; brought to light; open; evident. [Obs.] “An elicit act of equity.” Bp. Taylor.E-lĭc'i-tāte, v. t. p. 436To elicit. [Obs.]. Sir T. More.E-lic'i-tā'tion, n. p. 436The act of eliciting; the act of drawing out. [Obs.] Bp. Bramhall.E-līde′, v. t. p. 436To break or dash in pieces; to crush; as, to elide the force of an argument. [Obs.] Hooker. 2. (Gram.) To cut off or suppress, as a syllable.Ĕl/i-gi-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 436Capability of being elected or chosen to an office; legal qualification; as, the eligibility of a candidate. 2. Worthiness or fitness to be chosen; the state or quality of a thing which renders it…Ēl'i-gi-ble, a. p. 436Proper to be chosen; qualified to be elected; legally qualified; as, eligible to office. 2. Worthy to be chosen or selected; desirable; preferable; as, an eligible situation for a house. “The more…Ĕl'i-gi-ble-ness, n. p. 436Fitness to be chosen in preference to another; suitableness; desirableness.Ĕl'i-gi-bly, adv. p. 436In a manner to be worthy of choice; suitably.Ēl’i-māte or Ē-lĭ’māte, v. t. p. 436To render smooth; to polish. [Obs.]E-lĭm′ĭ-nant, n. p. 436(Math.) The result of eliminating n variables between n homogeneous equations of any degree;—called also resultant.E-lĭm’ĭ-nāte, v. t. p. 436To thrust out of doors; to expel; to discharge, or throw off; to set at liberty. [Obs.] Lovelace. 2. (Alg.) To cause to disappear from an equation; as, to eliminate an unknown quantity. 3. To set…E-lim'i-nā'tion, n. p. 436The act of expelling or throwing off; the act of discharging or secreting by the pores; as, the elimination of errors, or of humors. 2. (Alg.) The causing a quantity to disappear from an equation…Ē/lin-guā'tion, n. p. 436(O. Eng. Law.) The punishment of cutting out the tongue. Ogilvie.E-lĭn'guid, a. p. 436Tongue-tied; not having the power of speech. [Obs.]E-liq'ua-ment, n. p. 436A liquid obtained from fat, or fat fish, by pressure.Ĕl'i-quā'tion, n. p. 436(Metallurgy.) The operation by which a more fusible substance is separated from one that is less so, by means of a degree of heat sufficient to melt the one and not the other, as an alloy of copper…E-Lĭs'ion, n. p. 436Division; separation. [Obs.] Bacon. 2. (Gram.) The cutting off or suppression, for the sake of meter or euphony, of a vowel or syllable, especially a vowel at the end of a word standing before…E-lĭ'sor, n. p. 436(Eng. Law.) An elector or chooser; one of two persons appointed by the court to return a jury when the sheriff and the coroners are incompetent.Élite, n. p. 436A choice or select body; as, the élite of society.E-lĭx', v. t. p. 436To extract. [Obs.] “The purest elixed juice of rich conceit.” Marston.E-lix'āte, v. t. p. 436To boil; to seethe; hence, to extract by boiling or seething. [Obs.] Cockeram.