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.
Pŏss, v. t. p. 1016To dash or throw about; to push; to punch, to kick. [Prov. Eng.] Pegge.Pŏs'se Cŏm'i-tā'tus p. 1016(Law.) The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned to assist an officer in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. Blackstone. ☞ The word…Pos-sĕss', v. t. p. 1016Lit., to sit upon; hence, to occupy in person; to hold in one's own keeping; to have and to hold. 2. To have the legal title to; to have a just right to; to have a fair claim upon; to own. 3. To…Pos-sĕs'/sion, n. p. 1016The act of possessing. 2. (Law.) The having, holding, or detention of property in one's power or command; actual seizin or occupancy; ownership, whether rightful or wrongful. ⚒ Possession may be…Pos-sĕs'sion, v. t. p. 1016To invest with property. [Obs.] Carver.Pos-sĕs'sion-a-ry, a. p. 1016Pertaining to, or arising from, possession.Pos-sĕs'sion-er, n. p. 1016One who has possession of a thing, or power over it. [Obs.] “Having been of old freemen and possessioners.” Sidney.Pos-sĕss'ive, a. p. 1016Pertaining to possession; having possession. Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case, or case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership; as, John's book; or some relation of one thing…Pos-sĕss′īve-ly, adv. p. 1016In a manner denoting possession.Pos-sĕss'or, n. p. 1016One who possesses; one who owns or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; an occupant. Think of the happiness of the prophets and apostles…Pos-sĕss'o-ry, a. p. 1016Relating to a possessor, or to that which is possessed; having possession; as, a possessory lord. Howell. Possessory action or suit (Law.), an action or suit founded on possession or a right to it…Pŏs'set, n. p. 1016A beverage composed of milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, &c., much in favor formerly. I have drugged their posset. Shak.Pŏs'set, v. t. p. 1016To curdle; to turn, as milk with acids; as, to posset the blood. Shak.Pŏs'si-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1016The power of being or existing; the state of being possible. “All possibility of error.” Hooker. 2. That which is possible. “In the number of possibilities.” South. 3. (Law.) A contingency; a thing…Pŏs'si-ble, a. p. 1016Liable to happen or come to pass; capable of existing or of being conceived or thought of; capable of being done; not contrary to the nature of things. With God all things are possible. Matt. xix.…Pŏs'si-bly, adv. p. 1016By any power, moral or physical, really existing. Can we possibly his love desert? Milton. 2. Without involving impossibility or absurdity; perhaps. Arbitrary power tends to make a man a bad…Pŏs'sum, n. p. 1016The opossum. [Colloq. U. S.] To play possum, to act possum, to feign inactivity, indifference, or inattention, with the intent to deceive;—so applied in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which…Pŏst, a. p. 1016Hired to do what is wrong; suborned. [Obs.] Sandys.Pŏst, n. p. 1016A piece of timber, metal, or other solid substance, placed firmly in an upright position, especially as a stay or support to something else; a pillar; as, a cedar post; a granite post. Then by main…Pōst, v. i. p. 1017To travel with post-horses. 2. Hence, to travel with speed. “And post o’er land and ocean without rest.” Milton.Pōst, adv. p. 1017With post-horses; as, to travel post. 2. With great rapidity. “Sent from Media post to Egypt.” Milton.Pōst, v. t. p. 1017To attach to a sign-post or other usual place of affixing public notices; to advertise; as, to post a notice. 2. Especially, to hold up to public fame or reproach; to advertise opprobriously; as, to…Pōst p. 1017A Latin preposition, much used in composition as a prefix, signifying after.Pōst'a-ble, a. p. 1017Capable of being carried. [Obs.]Pōst'-āct, n. p. 1017An after-act; an act done afterward. Burrill.Pōst'a'ge, n. p. 1017The price established by law to be paid for the conveyance of a letter or other mailable matter by a public post. 2. A portage. [Obs.] Smollett.Postage-stamp p. 1017an adhesive government stamp of variable value, for affixing to articles sent by mail to pay the postal charge.Pōst'al, a. p. 1017Belonging to the post-office or mail service; as, postal arrangements.Pōst'am·ble, n. p. 1017A supplement; an addition. [Rare.] He liked not over-long preambles, or postambles, to short discourses. Brydges.Pōst'-bāg, n. p. 1017A mail-bag.Pōst'-bill, n. p. 1017A bill of letters mailed by a postmaster.Pōst'boy, n. p. 1017A boy that rides as post; a courier.Pōst'-cāp'tain, n. p. 1017A captain in the British navy;—so called unofficially in distinction from a commander, to whom the title of captain is often given by courtesy. Simmonds.Pōst'-chāise or Pōst'-cōach, n. p. 1017A carriage with four wheels, for the conveyance of travelers who travel with post-horses.Pōst'-dāte, v. t. p. 1017To date after the real time; as, to post-date a contract, that is, to date it after the real time when it was made. Of these [predictions] some were post-dated; cunningly made after the thing had…Pōst'-dāte, n. p. 1017A date put to a bill of exchange or other paper, later than the time when it is drawn.Pōst'-dāy, n. p. 1017A day on which the mail arrives or departs.Pōst'-dī-lū'vi-al or Pōst'-dī-lū'vi-an, a. p. 1017Being or happening posterior to the flood in Noah’s days. Woodward. Buckland.Pōst'-dĭ-lū'vi-an, n. p. 1017A person who lived after the flood. Grew.Pōst'-dis-sēi'zin, n. p. 1017(O. Eng. Law.) A subsequent disseizin committed by one of lands which the disseizee had before recovered of the same disseizor; a writ founded on such subsequent disseizin, now abolished. Burrill.…Pōst'-dis-sēi'zor, n. p. 1017(O. Eng. Law.) A person who disseizes another of lands which he had before recovered of the same person. Blackstone.Pōst'e-ă, n. p. 1017(Law.) The return of the judge before whom a cause was tried, after a verdict, of what was done in the cause, which is indorsed on the nisi prius record. Brande. Wharton.Pōst′-ēn′try, n. p. 1017A second or subsequent entry, at the custom-house, of goods which had been omitted by mistake. 2. (Book-keeping.) An additional or subsequent entry.Pōst'er, n. p. 1017One who posts; also, a courier; one who travels expeditiously. 2. A large bill posted for advertising.Pos-tē'ri-or, a. p. 1017Later, or subsequent, in time. Hesiod was posterior to Homer. Broome. 2. Later in the order of proceeding or moving; coming after. 3. Behind in position.Pōs'te-ri-ōr'i-ty, n. p. 1017The state of being later or subsequent; as, posteriority of time or of an event; — opposed to priority. Hale.Pos-tē'ri-or-ly, adv. p. 1017Subsequently in time.Pos-tē'ri-ors, n. pl. p. 1017The hinder parts of an animal's body. Swift.Pos-tĕr′i-ty, n. p. 1017The race that proceeds from a progenitor; offspring to the furthest generation; the aggregate number of persons who are descended from an ancestor or a generation; — contrasted with ancestry. In me…Pōs'tern, n. p. 1017Originally, a back door or gate; a private entrance; hence, any small door or gate. He by a privy postern took his flight. Spenser. 2. (Fort.) A subterraneous passage between the parade and the main…Pōs'tern, a. p. 1017Back; being behind; private. Dryden.Pōst'-ex-ist', v. i. p. 1017To exist after; to live subsequently. [Obs. and rare.] Cudworth.Pōst'-ex-ist'ence, n. p. 1017Subsequent or future existence. Addison.Pōst'-ex-ist'ent, a. p. 1017Existing or living after. [Rare.] Cudworth.Pōst'-fāct, a. p. 1017Relating to a fact that occurs after another.Pōst'-fāet, n. p. 1017A fact that occurs after another. “Confirmed upon the post-fact.” Fuller.Pōst'-fine, n. p. 1017(Eng. Law.) A fine due to the king by prerogative, after a leave to agree given in a fine of lands and tenements; — called also the king's silver. Blackstone.Pōst'fix, n. p. 1017(Gram.) A letter, syllable, or word, added to the end of another word; a suffix. Parkhurst.Pōst-fīx′, v. t. p. 1017(Gram.) To add or annex, as a letter, syllable, or word, to the end of another or principal word. Parkhurst.Pōst'-gĕn'it-ūre, n. p. 1017The condition of a child born after another in the same family. [Rare.] Of high spirit and honor, naturally a king, though fatally prevented by the harmless chance of post-geniture. Browne.