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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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Em-bāle', v. t. p. 438To make up into a bale, bundle, or package; to pack. Johnson. 2. To bind up; to inclose. Legs ... embaled in golden buskins. Spenser.Em-ball', v. t. p. 438To encircle or embrace. [Obs.] Spenser.Em-bälm', v. t. p. 438To anoint with balm; especially, to preserve from decay by means of balm or other aromatic oils, or spices; to keep from putrefaction, as a dead body. Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians…Em-bălm'er, n. p. 438One who embalms for preservation.Em-bălm'ment, n. p. 438The act of embalming. [Rare.] Malone.Em-bănk', v. t. p. 438To inclose with a bank; to defend by banks, mounds, or dikes; to bank up.Em-bănk'ment, n. p. 438The act of surrounding or defending with a bank. 2. A mound or bank raised for any purpose, as for protecting against inundations, for the passage of a railroad, &c.Em-bär', v. t. p. 438To shut, close, or fasten with a bar. 2. To inclose so as to hinder egress or escape. Where fast embarred in mighty brazen wall. Spenser. 3. To stop; to shut from entering; to hinder; to block up. He…Ĕm'bar-eā'tion, n. p. 438The same as EMBARKATION.Em-băr'go, n. p. 438A prohibition to sail; an order of the government prohibiting the departure of ships or goods from some or all of the ports within its dominions; a detention of vessels in port. Arnould.Em-bär'go, v. t. p. 438To hinder or prevent from sailing out of port, by some law or edict of sovereign authority, for a limited time; — said of ships. 2. To hinder from going forward, by an embargo; — said of commerce…Em-bärk', v. t. p. 438To put or cause to go on board a vessel or boat; as, to embark troops. 2. To engage, enlist, or invest in any affair; as, to embark friends or money in an enterprise. It was the reputation of the…Em-bärk', v. t. p. 438To go on board of a ship, boat, or vessel; as, the troops embarked for Lisbon. 2. To engage in any business; to enlist; as, to embark in a wild speculation.Ĕm'/bar-kā'tion, n. p. 438The act of putting or going on board of a vessel; as, the embarkation of troops. 2. That which is embarked; as, an embarkation of Jesuits. Smollett.Em-bärk'ment, n. p. 438The act of embarking; embarkation. [Obs.] Shak.Em-băr'rass, n. p. 438Embarrassment. [Obs.] Warburton.Em-băr'rass, v. t. p. 438To hinder through perplexity; to entangle; to render intricate; to confuse; to confound; to disconcert;—applied, properly, to the mind; as, he was greatly embarrassed; hence, also, to the…Em-băr'rass-ing-ly, adv. p. 438In an embarrassing manner; so as to embarrass.Em-băr'rass-ment, n. p. 438A state of perplexity, entanglement, or confusion, as of mind, manners, public affairs, and the like; disconcertedness; abashment; intricacy; difficulty. The embarrassment which inexperienced minds…Em-bāse', v. t. p. 438To bring down or lower, as in position, value, &c.; to debase; to degrade; to deprave. [Obs.] Embased the valleys, and embossed the hills. Sylvester. To please the best, and the evil to embase.…Em-bāse'ment, n. p. 439Act of bringing down; depravation; deterioration. South. 2. (Med.) A vessel containing warm water for bathing; an embasis.Ĕm'ba-sis, n. p. 439(Med.) A bathing-tub, or vessel containing warm water.Ĕm'bas-sāde', n. p. 439An embassy. [Obs.] Spenser.Em-băs'sa-dor or Am-băs'sa-dor, n. p. 439[Fr. embassadeur, ambassadeur, It. ambasciadore, Sp. & Pg. embaxador, Norm. Fr. ambaxeur, L. Lat. ambassiator, ambasciator, ambaxiator; Goth. and-bahts, servant, messenger, Lat. ambactus, vassal, a…Em-băs'sa-dŏ'ri-al, a. p. 439Belonging or relating to an embassador.Em-băs'sa-dress, n. p. 439The consort of an embassador. 2. A woman sent on an embassy.Em-băs'sa-dry, n. p. 439Embassy. [Obs.] Leland.Ĕm’bas-sage, n. p. 439An embassy. [Rare.] Speaking looks that close embassage bore. Spencer.Em'bas-sy, n. p. 439The public function of an embassador; the charge or business intrusted to a diplomatic officer; as, to send on an embassy. 2. The person or persons sent as embassadors; as, the embassy consisted of…Em-băs'tard-ize, v. t. p. 439To declare or render illegitimate; to bastardize. [Obs.] Milton.Em-bāthe', v. t. p. 439To wash or wet, as in a bath; to imbathe.Em-băt'tle, v. t. p. 439To arrange in order of battle; to draw up in array, as troops for battle; also, to prepare or arm for battle. One in bright arms embattled full strong. Spenser. On their embattled ranks the waves…Em-băt'tle, v. i. p. 439To be ranged in order of battle. Shak.Em-băt'tled, p. a. p. 439(Her.) Having the outline resembling a battlement, as an ordinary. 2. Having been the place of battle; as, an embattled plain or field.Em-băt'tle-ment, n. p. 439An indented parapet; battlement.Em-bāy', v. t. p. 439To inclose in a bay or inlet; to landlock; to inclose between capes or promontories; as, an embayed ship or fleet. 2. [Fr. baigner.] To bathe; to wash; hence, to soothe or lull. [Obs.] While every…Em-bāy'ment, n. p. 439A portion of the ocean or a sea inclosed and sheltered by capes or promontories; a bay. The embayment which is terminated by the land of North Berwick. W. Scott.Em-bēam′, v. t. p. 439To make brilliant, as with beams of light; to give luster to. [Obs.]Em-bĕd′, v. t. p. 439To lay as in a bed; to lay in surrounding matter; to bed; as, to embed a thing in clay or in sand.Em-bĕd'ment, n. p. 439The act of embedding, or the state of being embedded.Em-bĕl'lish, v. t. p. 439To make beautiful or elegant by ornaments; as, to embellish the person with rich apparel, a garden with shrubs and flowers, or style with metaphors. Syn.—To adorn; beautify; deck; decorate; enrich…Em-bĕl'ish-er, n. p. 439One who embellishes.Em-bĕl'ish-ing-ly, adv. p. 439So as to embellish.Em-bĕl'ish-ment, n. p. 439The act of adorning, or the state of being adorned. The selection of their ground, and the embellishment of it. Prescott. 2. That which adds beauty or elegance; ornament; decoration. The graces and…Ĕm'ber, n. p. 439A lighted coal, smouldering amid ashes;—used chiefly in the plural, to signify mingled coals and ashes; the smouldering remains of a fire; cinders. He takes a lighted ember out of the covered vessel.…Ember-days p. 439certain days set apart for fasting and prayer in each of the four seasons of the year. These are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, the feast of Whitsuntide, the 14th…Ĕm’ber-gōose, n. p. 439(Ornith.) A web-footed bird of the genus Colymbus (C. glacialis);—called also the great northern diver, or loon. It is found about Iceland, the Orkneys, and arctic America.Ĕm'ber-ing, n. p. 439The ember-days. [Obs.] Tusser.Ĕm'ber-ī'ză, n. p. 439(Ornith.) A genus of passerine birds, including the several species of bunting.Em'ber-week, n. p. 439See EMBER.Em-bĕt'ter, v. t. p. 439To cause to be, or grow, better; to meliorate. [Obs.] Daniel.Em-bĕz'le, v. t. p. 439To appropriate fraudulently to one's own use, as that intrusted to one's care; to apply to one's private uses by a breach of trust; as, to embezzle public money. 2. To misappropriate; to dissipate in…Em-bĕz'le-ment, n. p. 439The act of fraudulently appropriating to one's own use what is intrusted to one's care and management; as, the embezzlement by a clerk of his employer's money, or public funds by the public officer…Em-bĕz'zler, n. p. 439One who embezzles.Em-bĭl'lōw, v. i. p. 439To swell or heave like a wave of the sea. [Rare.] Lisle.Em-bĭt'ter, v. t. p. 439To make bitter. See IMBITTER.Em-bit'ter-ment, n. p. 439The act of embittering.Em-blāze′, v. t. p. 439To adorn with glittering embellishments. No weeping orphan saw his father's stores Our shrines irradiate, or emblaze the floors. Pope. 2. To paint or adorn with armorial figures; to blazon, or…Em-blā'zon, v. t. p. 439To deck in glaring colors; to set off with ornament; to decorate. The walls were . . . emblazoned with legends in commemoration of the illustrious pair. Prescott. 2. To adorn with figures of…Em-blā'zōn-er, n. p. 439One who emblazons; a blazoner. 2. One who publishes and displays any thing with pomp.