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.
Grāsp, v. t. p. 586To seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch; to take possession of. Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff. Shak.Grāsp, v. i. p. 586To effect a grasp; to gripe; to struggle; to strive. [Obs.] Dryden. To grasp at, to catch at; to try to seize; as, Alexander grasped at universal empire.Grăsp, n. p. 586The gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or infolding in the arms. 2. Reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; forcible possession. “The tyrant’s grasp.” Shak. 3.…Grásp'a-ble, a. p. 586Capable of being grasped.Grásp'er, n. p. 586One who grasps or seizes; one who catches or holds.Grăsp'ing, p. a. p. 586Seizing; embracing; catching. 2. Avaricious; greedy of gain; exacting; miserly; as, he is a grasping man.Grass, n. p. 586Herbage; the plants which constitute the food of cattle and other beasts. 2. (Bot.) An endogenous plant having simple leaves, a stem generally jointed and tubular, a husky calyx, called glume, and…Gràss, v. t. p. 586To cover with grass or with turf.Gràss, v. i. p. 586To breed grass; to be covered with grass. [Obs. or rare.] Tusser.Gras-sā'tion, n. p. 586A wandering about with evil intentions. [Obs.] Feltham.Gràss'-elōth, n. p. 586A fine, light quality of cloth, resembling linen, made from the Urtica nivea and other plants. S. W. Williams.Gràss'-green, a. p. 586Green with grass. Shenstone. 2. Dark-green, like the color of grass.Gràss'-green, n. p. 586The color of grass.Gràss'-grōwn, a. p. 586Overgrown with grass.Gràss'hŏp-per, n. p. 586(Entom.) A jumping orthopterous insect of the genus Gryllus, having four joints to each foot, and transparent wing-covers that drop down on each side, under which the wings are folded in plaits like…Grăss'i-ness, n. p. 586The state of abounding with grass; a grassy state.Gräss'less, a. p. 586Destitute of grass.Gräss'-mŏth, n. p. 586(Entom.) A minute moth of the genus Crambus, found on grass; the veneer moth.Grāss'-oil, n. p. 586An essential oil obtained from certain scented grasses in India. Simmonds.Gräss'-plŏt, n. p. 586A plot or space covered with grass; a lawn; also, a space consisting of beds of flowers with grass between them, instead of gravel.Grăss'-pōl'y, n. p. 586(Bot.) A species of willow-wort; Lythium hyssopifolium. Johnson.Gràss'-vētch, n. p. 586Bot. A plant of the genus Lathyrus.Gräss'-wräck, n. p. 586(Bot.) A marine plant (the Zostera marina), very much like sea-weed in appearance, and growing at the bottom of the sea in ordinary depths.Gràss'y, a. p. 586Covered with grass; abounding with grass. Spenser. 2. Resembling grass; green.Grāte, n. p. 586A work or frame, composed of parallel or cross bars, with interstices; a kind of lattice-work, such as is used in the windows of prisons and cloisters. “A secret grate of iron bars.” Shak. 2. A frame…Grāte, v. t. p. 586To furnish with grates; to make fast with cross-bars; as, to grate a window.Grāte, v. t. p. 586To rub roughly or harshly, as one body against another; to rub so as to produce a harsh sound; as, to grate the teeth. On their hinges grate Harsh thunder. Milton. 2. To wear away in small particles…Grāte, v. t. p. 586To rub hard, so as to offend; to offend by oppression or importunity. This grated harder upon the hearts of men. South. 2. To make a harsh sound by the friction of rough bodies. I had rather hear a…Grāte, a. p. 586Serving to gratify; agreeable. [Obs.] Herbert.Grāt'ed, a. p. 586Furnished with a grate; as, grated windows.Grāte'ful, a. p. 586Having a due sense of benefits; kindly disposed toward one from whom a favor has been received; willing to acknowledge and repay benefits; as, a grateful heart. A grateful mind, By owing, owes not…Grāte'ful-ly, adv. p. 586In a grateful or pleasing manner.Grāte'ful-ness, n. p. 586The quality of being grateful; gratitude; agreeableness to the mind or to the taste.Gră'te-lōup'ĭ-ā, n. p. 586(Paleon.) A genus of fossil conchifers;—so called after Dr. Grateloup.Grāt'er, n. p. 586He who, or that which, grates; especially, an instrument or utensil, with a rough, indented surface, for rubbing off small particles of a body; as, a grater for nutmegs.Gra-tiē/ū-lā'tion, n. p. 586The division of a design or draught into squares, for the purpose of reducing it to smaller dimensions. Guilt.Grāt'i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 586The act of gratifying, or pleasing, either the mind, the taste, or the appetite; as, the gratification of the palate, of the appetites, of the senses, of the desires, of the heart. 2. That which…Grāt'i-fied, p. a. p. 586Pleased; indulged according to desire. Syn.—Glad; pleased. See GLAD.Grāt'i-fi'er, n. p. 586One who gratifies or pleases.Grāt'i-fy, v. t. p. 586To please; to give pleasure to; to delight; to satisfy; to soothe; to indulge; as, to gratify the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, and the like. For who would die to gratify a…Grāt'ing, n. p. 586A harsh sound or rubbing. 2. A partition of parallel or cross bars; a lattice-work resembling a window-grate; as, the grating of a prison or convent. 3. (Naut.) An open cover for the hatches of a…Grāt'ing-ly, adv. p. 586In a grating manner; harshly; offensively.Grā'tis, adv. p. 586For nothing; without fee or recompense; freely; gratuitously.Grāt'i-tūde, n. p. 586The state of being grateful or thankful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received; thankfulness. The depth immense of endless gratitude. Milton.Gra-tū'i-toŭs, a. p. 587Given without an equivalent or recompense; granted without claim or merit; not required by justice. We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry. L'Estrange. 2.…Gra-tū'i-toŭs-ly, adv. p. 587In a gratuitous manner; without claim or merit; without an equivalent or compensation; without proof.Gra-tū'i-toŭs-ness, n. p. 587The quality of being gratuitous.Gra-tū'i-ty, n. p. 587Something given freely or without recompense; a free gift; a present; a donation.Grăt'ū-lāte, v. t. p. 587To salute with declarations of joy; to congratulate. “To gratulate the gentle princes there.” Shak.Grăt'ū-late, a. p. 587Worthy of joy or gratulation. There's more behind that is more gratulate. Shak.Grăt'ū-lā'tion, n. p. 587The act of congratulating or felicitating; an address or expression of joy to a person on account of some good received by him; congratulation. I shall turn my wishes into gratulations. South.Grăt'ū-la-to-ry, n. p. 587An address or expression of joy to a person on account of some good received by him; congratulation.Grăt'ū-la-to-ry, a. p. 587Expressing gratulation or joy; congratulatory.Grauwacke, n. p. 587See GRAYWACKE.Gra-vā'men, n. p. 587(Law.) The grievance complained of; the substantial cause of the action. Bouvier.Grāve p. 587a final syllable in the names of places, is a grove, A-S. gräf; or, it is a ruler, D. graaf, count, Ger. graf, M. H. Ger. grave, O. H. Ger. grâvo, L. Lat. gravio, grafio, graphio, from Gr. γράφειν…Grāve, v. t. p. 587To carve or cut, as letters or figures, on some hard substance; to engrave. Thou shalt take two onyx-stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel. Ex. xxviii. 9. 2. To carve out or…Grāve, v. i. p. 587To write or delineate on hard substances; to practice engraving.Grāve, n. p. 587An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; hence, also, any place of interment; tomb; sepulcher. Graves, yawn and yield your dead. Shak. 2. Death, or destruction; end of existence. Richard…Grāve, a. p. 587Characterized by weight; heavy; ponderous; — said of material. [Obs. and rare.] “His shield grave and great.” Chapman. 2. Of importance; momentous; weighty; influential; serious; — said of character…