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.
Kă'land, n. p. 734A lay fraternity established in Germany in the thirteenth century, the object of the society being to pay honor to deceased persons. It was abolished on account of its excesses.Kāle, n. p. 734A kind of cabbage, having the leaves generally curled or wrinkled, but not formed into a close, round head. [Written also kail.] 2. A pottage of cabbage or other greens. W. Scott.Ka-leï'do-phōne, n. p. 734A contrivance invented by Professor Wheatstone, consisting of a reflecting knob at the end of a vibrating rod or thin plate, for making visible, in the motion of a point of light reflected from the…Ka-leï'do-scōpe, n. p. 734An instrument invented by Sir David Brewster, which, by an arrangement of reflecting surfaces, exhibits its contents in an endless variety of beautiful colors and symmetrical forms. It has been much…Ka-leī/do-scōp'ic or Ka-leī/do-scōp'ic-al, a. p. 734Pertaining to, or formed by, a kaleidoscope; variegated in appearance.Kāl'en-dar, n. p. 734See CALENDAR.Kāl'en-dā'ri-al, a. p. 734Of, or pertaining to, a kalendar.Kā'l'en-der, n. p. 734A sort of dervis. See CALENDAR.Kāl'ends, n. p. 734See CALENDS.Kāle'-yārd, n. p. 734A kitchen garden. [Scot.]Kā'lī, n. p. 734(Bot.) A species of Salsola, or glasswort, the ashes of which are used in making glass. See ALKALI. London.Kā'lif, n. p. 734The same as CALIF, or CALIPH, q. v.Kā'li-fōrm, a. p. 734Formed like kali, or glasswort.Kā'li-ŏm, n. p. 734(Chem.) Potassium; — so called by the German chemists.Kāl'/lif-thôr'/gan, n. p. 734(Mus.) An instrument played as a piano, and producing an effect equivalent to that of a violin, tenor, violoncello, and double bass in concert. Buchanan.Kāl'mī-ā, n. p. 734An evergreen shrub, native to North America, having coriaceous leaves, and corymbs of showy flowers; — sometimes called laurel, ivy-bush, and also calico-bush, &c.Ka-loy'er, n. p. 734See CALOYER.Kāl′so-mīne, n. p. 734See CALCIMINE.Kām, a. p. 734Crooked; awry. [Obs.] “The wrong way, clean contrary, quite kam.” Cotgrave.Kām'a-chī, n. p. 734(Ornith.) A rasorial or gallinaceous bird of the genus Palamedea (P. cornuta), having a long, slender, sharp-pointed horn projecting from its forehead.Kām'sin, n. p. 734A hot southerly wind in Egypt; the simoom.Kăn, v. t. p. 734To know; to ken. [Obs.] See KEN.Kān or Kǎn, n. p. 734See KHAN.Ka-näek'ä or Ka-näk'ä, n. p. 734A native of the Sandwich Islands.Kăn'-ga-rōo', n. p. 734(Zoöl.) A ruminating, marsupial animal of the genus Macropus, found in Australia and the neighboring islands. M. giganteus, or the great kangaroo, is nearly as tall as a man, and moves by leaps. The…Kănt′i-an, a. p. 734Relating to the doctrines or philosophy of Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, in whose system time and space are not outward things, but laws of the mind; and the understanding, which forms in time…Kănt'i-an, n. p. 734A follower of Kant; a Kantist.Kănt'ĭsm, n. p. 734The doctrines or theory of Kant, the German metaphysician.Kânt'ist, n. p. 734A disciple or follower of Kant.Kān′try, n. p. 734The division of a county in Wales; a hundred. Wharton. Blount.Kā'o-lĭn or Kā'o-līne, n. p. 734(Min.) A variety of clay used for making porcelain, proceeding from the decomposition of the mineral feldspar. This, in making porcelain, is mingled with a fusible earthy matter called petunse. Dana.Kāp'no-mār, n. p. 734See CAPNOMOR.Kār'a-gane, n. p. 734(Zoöl.) A species of gray fox found in the Russian empire.Kā'ra-īte, n. p. 734(Eccl. Hist.) A sect of Jews who, rejecting the oral law, and allowing the Talmud no binding authority, hold by the written law, and endeavor to find its meaning, not from traditional sources, but…Ka-rās'ki-er, n. p. 734A chief officer of justice residing at Constantinople, and forming part of the Ulema. [Turkey.]Ka-rā'tas, n. p. 734(Bot.) A West Indian plant, of the genus Bromelia (B. karatas); a species of pineapple.Kar-mā'thi-an, n. p. 734One of a Mohammedan sect founded by Karmatia, who maintained bloody wars with the Caliphs in the ninth century.Kärn, n. p. 734(Mining.) A pile of rocks; sometimes, the solid rock. See CAIRN. Ure.Kā'rob, n. p. 734With goldsmiths, the twenty-fourth part of a grain.Kär'pho-lite, n. p. 734(Min.) A fibrous mineral occurring in tufts of a straw-yellow color, and consisting of silica, alumina, and oxide of manganese, with eleven per cent. of water. Dana.Kär'pho-sid'er-ite, n. p. 734(Min.) A yellow mineral consisting chiefly of the hydrous phosphate of iron.Kär’sten-īte, n. p. 734(Min.) An anhydrous sulphate of lime;—called also anhydrite.Kär'vel, n. p. 734The same as CARAVEL, q. v.Kāth'/e-tōm'/e-ter, n. p. 734See CATHETOMETER.Kăt'ti-măn'dōo, n. p. 734A substance resembling caoutchouc, obtained from the Euphorbia antiquorum of Roxburgh. It is used for joining metal, fastening knife-handles, and for similar purposes.Kā'ty-did, n. p. 734(Entom.) An insect of a pale-green color (Plataphyllum concavum), closely allied to the grasshoppers. The katydids are abundant in the United States during the autumn, and at night the males, by…Kaun, n. p. 734See KHAN.Kā'vă, n. p. 734A species of Macropiper (M. methysticum), the long pepper, from the root of which an intoxicating beverage is made by the Sandwich Islanders and others; also, the beverage itself. [Written also ava…Ka-vāss', n. p. 734An armed constable; also, a government servant or courier. [Turkey.] Curzon.Kaw, v. i. p. 734See CAW.Kāwn, n. p. 734An inn. [Turkey.] See KHAN.Kāy'ak, n. p. 734(Naut.) A light boat used by fishermen in Greenland, made of seal-skins stretched upon a frame, and coming close round the body of the oarsman. Kane.Kāy'ak-er, n. p. 734One who uses the kayak in fishing, &c.Kāyle, n. p. 734A nine-pin; a kettle-pin. 2. A kind of play in Scotland, in which nine holes, ranged in threes, are made in the ground, and an iron ball rolled in among them.Kay'nard, n. p. 735A lazy or cowardly person; a good-for-nothing fellow; a rascal. [Obs.] Chaucer.Kāz'zard-ly, a. p. 735Unlucky. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Kĕb'lah, n. p. 735The point toward which Mohammedans turn their faces in prayer, being the direction of the temple at Mecca. [Written also kiblah.]Kĕck, v. i. p. 735To heave the stomach; to retch, as in an effort to vomit. The faction (is it not notorious?) Keck at the memory of the glorious. Swift.Kĕck, n. p. 735A reaching or heaving of the stomach; an effort to vomit; queasiness. [Written also keckle.] Cheyne.