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.
Gēn'e-âl'o-gy, n. p. 563An account or history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor; enumeration of ancestors and their children in the natural order of succession; a pedigree. 2. Regular descent of a person…Gĕn'ĕr-ā, n. p. 563pl. of genus. See GENUS.Gĕn'er-a-ble, a. p. 563Capable of being generated or produced. Bentley.Gĕn'er-al, a. p. 563Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; belonging to a whole rather than to a part; as, a general law of the animal or vegetable economy. 2. Comprehending many species or…Gĕn'er-al, n. p. 563The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; opposed to a particular object or relation;—used in the plural, or in the singular with the definite article; as, in…Gĕn'er-al-īs'si-mo, n. p. 563The chief commander of an army or military force; especially, the commander in chief of an army which consists of two or more grand divisions under separate commanders.Gĕn'er-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 563The state of being general; the quality of including species or particulars. Hooker. 2. That which is general; that which lacks specificalness, practicalness, or application; a general or vague…Gĕn'er-al-iz'a-ble, a. p. 563Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule. Extreme cases are, ipso nomine, not generalizable. Coleridge.Gĕn'er-al-i-zā'tion, n. p. 563Act of generalizing, or of bringing individuals or particulars under genera or classes. Generalization is only the apprehension of the one in the many. Sir W. Hamilton.Gĕn'er-al-īze, v. t. p. 563To bring under a genus or under genera; to view in relation to a genus or to genera. Copernicus generalized the celestial motions by merely referring them to the moon's motion. Newton generalized…Gĕn'er-al-īze, v. i. p. 564To form classes or genera; to view objects in their relations to classes; to take general or comprehensive views.Gĕn'er-al-ly, adv. p. 564In general; commonly; extensively, though not universally; most frequently, but not without exceptions; as, a hot summer generally follows a cold winter. 2. In a general way, or in a general…Gĕn'er-al-ness, n. p. 564The condition or quality of being general; frequency; commonness. Sidney.Gĕn'er-al-ship, n. p. 564The office of a general. 2. The exercise of the functions of a general; as, the affair was carried on under his generalship. 3. The skill and conduct of a general officer; military skill in a…Gĕn'er-al-ty, n. p. 564The greater part, or generality; the whole; the totality. [Rare.] Hale.Gĕn'er-ant, n. p. 564That which generates. Glanville. 2. (Geom.) A line, surface, or solid, generated, or supposed to be generated, by the motion of a point, line, or surface, called the generatrix, according to…Gēn'er-āte, v. t. p. 564To beget; to procreate; to propagate; to produce a being similar to the parent; to engender; as, every animal generates its own species. 2. To cause to be; to bring into life. Milton. 3. To…Gēn'er-ā'tion, n. p. 564The act of generating or begetting; procreation, as of animals. 2. Origination by some process, mathematical, chemical, or vital; production; formation; as, the generation of sounds, of gases, of…Gĕn'er-a-tive, a. p. 564Having the power of generating, propagating, originating, or producing; prolific. “That generative particle.” Bentley.Gēn'er-ā'tor, n. p. 564One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces. 2. A vessel in which steam is generated. Perkins. 3. (Mus.) The principal sound or sounds by which others are produced; the fundamental…Gēn'er-ā'trix, n. p. 564(Geom.) That which generates; the point, or the mathematical magnitude, which, by its motion, generates another magnitude, as a line, surface, or solid.Ge-nēr'ic or Ge-nēr'ic-al, a. p. 564Pertaining to a genus or kind; relating to the genus, as distinct from species, or from another genus; as, a generic description; a generic difference; a generic name. 2. Very comprehensive…Ge-nēr'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 564With regard to a genus, or an extensive class; as, an animal generically distinct from another, or two animals generically allied.Ge-nēr'ic-al-ness, n. p. 564The quality of being generic.Ge-nĕr-i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 564The act or process of generalizing. Out of this the universal is elaborated by generification. Sir W. Hamilton.Gĕn'er-ŏs'i-ty, n. p. 564The quality of being generous; nobleness of birth or of soul; magnanimity. Generosity is in nothing more seen than in a candid estimation of other men's virtues and good qualities. Barrow. 2.…Gēn'er-ōus, a. p. 564Of honorable birth or origin; high-born. [Obs.] The generous and gravest citizens. Shak. 2. Exhibiting those qualities which are popularly regarded as belonging to high birth; noble; honorable…Gĕn'er-ōŭs-ly, adv. p. 564In a generous manner; honorably; nobly; magnanimously; liberally.Gĕn'er-ōus-ness, n. p. 564The quality of being generous; magnanimity; nobleness of mind. 2. Liberality; munificence; generosity.Gĕn'-e-sĭs, n. p. 564The act of producing, or giving birth or origin to any thing; the process of originating or being; production; formation; origination. “The origin and genesis of poor Sterling’s club.” Carlyle. 2. A…Gēn'et, n. p. 564A small-sized, well-proportioned, Spanish horse; a jennet. Shak. 2. [Fr. genette, Sp. gineta, Pg. geneta, gineta, N. Lat. genetta.] (Zool.) A carnivorous animal, allied to the civet (Genetta…Ge-nēt' or Ge-nēt'te', n. p. 564Cat-skin, when made into muffs and tippets, as if they were skins of the genet. Booth.Ge-nēth'li-āc, n. p. 564A birthday poem. Brande. 2. One skilled in genethliacs. [Obs.]Ge-nēth'li-ac or Gēn'eth-li'a-cal, a. p. 564Pertaining to nativities, as calculated by astrologers; showing the positions of the stars at the birth of any person. [Obs.] Howell.Ge-nĕth'li-ăcs, n. sing. p. 564The science of calculating nativities, or predicting the future events of life from the stars which preside at the birth of persons. [Obs.] [See Note under MATHEMATICS.] Johnson.Ge-nĕth'/li-ŏl'o-gy, n. p. 564Divination as to the destinies of one newly born; the act or art of casting nativities; astrology.Ge-nēth'li-ăt'ic, n. p. 564One who calculates nativities. [Obs.] Drummond.Ge-nē'tic or Ge-nē'tic-al, a. p. 564Pertaining or related to, concerned with, or determined by, the genesis of any thing, or its natural mode of production or development. This historical, genetical method of viewing prior systems of…Ge-nē'tie-al-ly, adv. p. 564In reference to origin.Ge-nē'vā, n. p. 564A strongly alcoholic, and powerfully stimulating, fermented liquor, obtained from the berries of juniper (Juniperus communis). ☞— This is often confounded with gin, to which it bears the same…Ge-nē'vā Bī'ble p. 564A copy of the Bible in English, printed at Geneva, first in 1560.Ge-nē'van, a. p. 564(Geog.) Pertaining to Geneva, in Switzerland; Genevese.Ge-nē'van, n. p. 564(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Geneva.Ge-nē'van-ism, n. p. 564Strict or genuine Calvinism. Mountagu.Gēn'e-vēse', a. p. 564(Geog.) Pertaining or belonging to Geneva, in Switzerland; Genevan.Gēn'e-vēse', n. sing. & pl. p. 564(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Geneva; also, used collectively, the inhabitants of Geneva; people of Geneva.Gēn'e-vois', n. pl. p. 564People of Geneva; the Genevese. Addison.Gē'nĭ-al, a. p. 564Contributing to, or concerned in, propagation or production; generative; productive. “The genial bed.” Milton. Creator Venus, genial power of love. Dryden. 2. Contributing to, and sympathizing with…Gē'ni-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 564The quality of being genial; gayety; sympathetic cheerfulness.Gē'ni-al-ly, adv. p. 564By genius or nature; naturally. [Obs.] Some men are genially disposed to some opinions. Glanville. 2. Gayly; cheerfully. Johnson.Gē'ni-al-ness, n. p. 564The quality of being genial.Gē'ni-an, a. p. 564(Anat.) Of, or pertaining to, the chin; as, the genian processes.Ge-nĭc'ū-lāte, v. t. p. 564To form joints or knots on. [Obs.] Cockeram.Ge-nĭc'ū-late or Ge-nĭc'ū-lā'ted, a. p. 564[Lat. geniculatus, from geniculum, a little knee, a knot or joint, diminutive of genu, knee; It. genicolato, Fr. géniculé. (Bot.) Bent abruptly at an angle, like the knee; as, a geniculate stem. Gray.Ge-nĭc-u-lā'tion, n. p. 564The state of being bent abruptly at an angle. 2. The act of kneeling. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Gē'nie, n. p. 564Individual or peculiar turn of mind; inclination; disposition; genius. [Obs.] Wood. 2. [See JINNEE.] One of a fabulous class of beings, regarded by the Arabians as intermediate between angels and…Gē'ni-o, n. p. 564A man of a particular turn of mind. [Obs.] Tatler.Ge-nĭs'tȧ, n. p. 564(Bot.) A genus of plants including the common broom.Gĕn'i-tal, a. p. 564Pertaining to generation, or the act of begetting.Gēn'i-tals, n. pl. p. 564The parts of an animal which are the immediate instruments of generation; the sexual organs; the privates.