Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ĕp′i-stȳle, n. p. 458(Anc. Arch.) A massive piece of stone or wood laid immediately on the abacus of the capital of a column or pillar; — now called architrave. Gwill.Ĕp'i-tăph, n. p. 458An inscription on a monument, in honor or in memory of the dead. Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb. Shak. 2. A brief descriptive sentence, in prose or verse, formed as if to be inscribed on a…Ĕp'i-tā'phi-an or Ĕp'i-tăph'ic, a. p. 458Pertaining to, or having the nature of, an epitaph. Milton.Ĕp'i-tăph'ist, n. p. 458A writer of epitaphs.E-pĭt'a-sĭs, n. p. 458That part which embraces the main action of a play, poem, and the like, and leads on to the catastrophe; — opposed to protasis. See PROTASIS. 2. (Med.) The period of violence in a fever or disease…Ep-i-tha-lām'ic, a. p. 458Belonging to, or designed for, an epithalamium.Ep'i-tha-lā'mi-ăm or Ep'i-thāl'a-my p. 458n. [Gr. ἐπιθαλάμιον (sc. μέλος), from ἐπιθαλάμιος, belonging to a bridal, nuptial, from ἐπί and θάλαμος, bride-chamber, bridal bed, marriage; Lat. epithalamium, Fr. épithalame.] A nuptial song or…Ĕp'i-thē'lĭ-ŭm, n. p. 458(Anat.) The layer of minute cells or scales which forms the covering of many animal membranes. It enters also into the structure of glandular organs.Ep'i-them, n. p. 458(Med.) Any external topical application to the body, except ointments and plasters; lotion.Ĕp'i-thet, n. p. 458An adjective expressing some quality, attribute, or relation, that is properly or specially appropriate to a person or thing; as, a verdant lawn; a brilliant appearance; a just man; an accurate…Ĕp'ĭ-thĕt, v. t. p. 458To describe by epithets. [R.] Wotton.Ep'i-thĕt'ic, a. p. 458Pertaining to, consisting of, or abounding in, epithets. “Epithetic measured prose.” Lloyd.E-pĭth'e-ton, n. p. 458An epithet. [Obs.] Shak.Ep'i-thite, n. p. 458A lazy, worthless fellow; a vagrant. [Obs.] Mason.Ep-i-tith'i-dēs, n. p. 458(Arch.) The upper member of the cornice of an entablature.Ĕp'i-thu-mēt'ic or Ĕp'i-thu-mēt'ic-al, a. p. 458Inclined to lust; pertaining to the animal passion. [Obs.] Browne.E-pĭt'o-me, n. p. 458A compendium containing the substance or principal matters of a book; a brief summary; an abridgment. In general nothing is less attractive than an epitome. Macaulay. Syn.—Abridgment; compendium…E-pĭt'o-mĭst, n. p. 458One who makes an epitome; an epitomizer. Milton.E-pit'o-mize, v. t. p. 458To abstract, in a summary, the principal matters of; to shorten or abridge, as a writing or discourse; to contract into a narrower compass; as, to epitomize an author. 2. To diminish, as by cutting…E-pĭt'o-mīz'er, n. p. 458One who abridges; a writer of an epitome.Ĕp'i-trīte, n. p. 458(Gr. & Lat. Pros.) A foot consisting of three long syllables and one short one, and called first, second, third, and fourth epitrite, according as the short syllable stands as first, second, third…Ĕp'/i-trō'/choid, n. p. 458(Geom.) A kind of curve. See EPICYCLOID.E-pĭt'ro-pe, n. p. 458(Rhet.) A figure by which a permission, either seriously or ironically, is granted to an opponent, to do what he proposes to do; as, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still.” Rev. xxii. 11.Ep'i-zeu'-xis, n. p. 458(Rhet.) A figure by which a word is repeated with vehemence or emphasis, as in the following lines: — Alone, alone, all all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea. Coleridge.Ĕp′/i-zō′an, n. p. 458(Zoöl.) Same as EPIZOŌN.Ēp′i-zō′ōn, n. p. 458(Zoöl.) One of a class of parasitic insects or worms that live upon other animals, such as lice, acari, the parasitic crustaceans found on fishes and other water animals, and the like;—opposed to…Ĕp′i-zo-ōt′ic, a. p. 458Pertaining to the animals called epizoa. 2. (Geol.) Containing fossil remains;—said of rocks, formations, mountains, and the like. [Obs.] Epizootic mountains are of secondary formation. Kirwan. 3.…Epi-zo'ō-ty, n. p. 458A murrain or pestilence among brute animals.Ĕp'och or Ĕp'o-chē, n. p. 458A fixed point of time, from which succeeding years are numbered; a period of time, longer or shorter, remarkable for events of great subsequent influence. “An epoch in the history of astronomy.”…Ĕp'o-chal, a. p. 458Belonging to an epoch; of the nature of an epoch. “Epochal points.” Shedd.Ep'ōde, n. p. 458(Poet.) (a.) The third or last part of the ode; that which follows the strophe and antistrophe; the ancient ode being divided into strophe, antistrophe, and epode. (b.) A species of lyric poem…E-pŏd'ic, a. p. 458Pertaining to, or resembling, an epode.Ĕp'o-nym or Ĕp'o-nyme, n. p. 458A name, as of a people, country, and the like, derived from that of an individual.E-pŏn'y-mŏus, a. p. 458Giving one's name to a people, country, and the like. “The eponymous hero of a deme in Attica.” Grote. What becomes . . . of the Herakleid genealogy of the Spartan kings, when it is admitted that…Ĕp'o-pē'ia or Ep'o-pee', n. p. 458An epic poem. 2. The history, action, or fable which makes the subject of an epic poem.Ep'os, n. p. 458An epic poem, or its fable or subject; epopée.Ep'o-tā'tion, n. p. 458A drinking, or drinking out. [Obs.] Feltham.Éprouvette, n. p. 458(Gun.) A machine for testing or proving the strength of gunpowder. Brande.Ep'som Salt p. 458Sulphate of magnesia having cathartic qualities;— originally prepared by boiling down the mineral waters at Epsom, England, whence the name; now prepared from sea-water. Hoblyn.Ep'ū-la-ry, a. p. 458Pertaining to a feast or banquet. [Obs.] Scott.Ep’ū-lā’tĭon, n. p. 458A feasting or feast; a banquet. [Obs.] Browne.E-pō'lis, n. p. 458(Med.) A small tubercle on the gums. Brande.Ĕp'ū-lōse', a. p. 458Feasting to excess. [Obs.]Ĕp'ū-lŏs'i-ty, n. p. 458A feasting to excess. [Obs.]Ep/ū-lŏt'ic, a. p. 458Serving, or tending, to cicatrize or heal.Ep/ū-lŏt'ie, n. p. 458(Med.) A medicament or application which tends to dry, cicatrize, and heal wounds or ulcers.Ēp′ū-rā′tion, n. p. 458A purifying; purification.Épure, n. p. 458A plan of a building; a model.Ē'qua-bil'ity, n. p. 458The quality or condition of being equable; continued equality; evenness or uniformity; as, the equability of the temperature of the air; the equability of the mind. For the celestial bodies, the…E'qua-ble, a. p. 458Equal and uniform; continuing the same at different times:—said of motion and the like; uniform in surface; smooth; as, an equable plain or globe. Bentley. 2. Uniform in action or intensity; not…E'qua-ble-ness, n. p. 458The state of being equable.E'qua-bly, adv. p. 458In an equable manner; with continued uniformity; evenly; as, bodies moving equably in concentric circles. Cheyne.E'qual, a. p. 458Not disagreeing in quantity, degree, value, or the like; having the same magnitude, dimensions, the same value, the same degree, or the like; neither inferior nor superior, greater nor less, better…Ē'qual, n. p. 458One not inferior or superior to another; one having the same or a similar age, rank, station, office, talents, strength, or other quality or condition; an equal quantity. Those who were once his…Ē'qual, v. t. p. 459To be or become equal to; to have the same quantity, or value, or degree, or rank, or the like, with; to be commensurate with. One whose all not equals Edward's moiety. Shak. 2. To make equal return…E-qual/i-ty, n. p. 459The condition or quality of being equal; agreement in quantity or degree as compared; correspondence in bulk, value, rank, properties, or the like; as, the equality of two bodies in length or…Ē'qual-i-zā'tion, n. p. 459The act of equalizing, or state of being equalized.E'qual-īze, v. t. p. 459To make equal; to cause to correspond, or be like in amount or degree as compared; as, to equalize accounts, burdens, or taxes. One poor moment can suffice To equalize the lofty and the low.…E’qual-ly, adv. p. 459In an equal manner or degree; in equal shares or proportion; with equal and impartial justice; without difference; alike; evenly; justly; as, equally taxed, furnished, &c.E’qual-ness, n. p. 459The state of being equal; equality. Shak. 2. Evenness; uniformity; equableness; as, the equalness of a surface.