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.
Prī'mā-dōn'nā, n. p. 1036The first female singer in an opera.Prī'mā-fā'ci-ē p. 1036At first view or appearance. Prima facie evidence of a fact (Law), that evidence which is sufficient to establish the fact, unless rebutted. Bouvier.Prī'mage, n. p. 1036(Com.) A charge in addition to the freight; originally, a gratuity to the captain for his particular care of the goods, sometimes called hot-money; but now belonging to the owners or freighters of…Prī'mal, a. p. 1036First. “The primal city of the land.” Byron. It hath the primal, eldest curse upon it, A brother's murder. Shak. The primal duties shine aloft like stars. Wordsworth.Prī-măl'i-ty, n. p. 1036The state of being primal. [Obs.]Prī′ma-ri-ly, adv. p. 1036In a primary manner; in the first place; originally; in the first intention.Prĭ'ma-ri-ness, n. p. 1036The state of being first in time, in act, or intention. Norris.Prī'ma-ry, a. p. 1036First in order of time or development; original. The church of Christ, in its primary institution, was made .... to spread and extend itself. Pearson. These I call original, or primary, qualities of…Prī'ma-ry, n. p. 1036That which stands highest in rank or importance; a chief matter or thing. 2. (Ornith.) One of the large feathers on the last joint of a bird’s wing; — used only in the plural.Prī'mate, n. p. 1036The chief ecclesiastic in a national church; an archbishop. 2. (Zoöl.) One of a group of mammals, in the Linnæan system, characterized by pectoral mammæ, or breasts, and by having four incisors. The…Prí'mate-ship, n. p. 1036The office or dignity of a primate; primary.Prī-mā'tial, a. p. 1036Pertaining to a primate. D'Anville, Trans.Pri-mā'tiĕ-al, a. p. 1036Pertaining to a primate. Barrow.Prime, a. p. 1036First in order of time; original; primitive; primary. “Better to clear prime forests.” Tennyson. She was not the prime cause, but I myself. Shak. ☞ In this sense, the word is nearly superseded by…Prime, n. p. 1036The first part; earliest stage; beginning or opening, as of the day, the year, &c.; hence, the dawn; the spring. “The sweet hour of prime.” Milton. “In the very prime of the world.” Hooker. Early and…Prime, v. t. p. 1036To charge with the powder, percussion cap, or other device for communicating fire to the charge, as a fire-arm. 2. To lay the first color in painting upon; as, to prime a wall.Prime, v. i. p. 1036To be renewed; to be as at first. [Obs.] Night’s bashful empress, though she often wane, As oft repeats her darkness, primes again. Quarles. 2. To serve for the charge of a gun. Beau. & Fl. 3. To…Prime, v. t. p. 1036To trim or prune, as trees. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Prime'ly, adv. p. 1036At first; originally; primarily. 2. Most excellently.Prime'ness, n. p. 1036The state of being first. 2. Supreme excellence.Prīm'er, a. p. 1036First; original. [Obs. and rare.] Drayton.Prīm'er, n. p. 1036An instrument or device for priming.Prĭm'er, n. p. 1036Originally, a small prayer-book for church service, or an office of the Virgin Mary; also, a work of elementary religious instruction. 2. A small, elementary book for teaching children to read; a…Prīm'er-fīne, n. p. 1037(Eng. Law.) A fine due to the king, on the writ or commencement of a suit by fine. Blackstone.Prĭ-mē'ro, n. p. 1037A game at cards formerly in use, now obsolete;—supposed to be named from the rule of the game, that when the hands were shown, if the cards were of different suits, the highest number was called…Prĭm'ĕr-sĕi'zĭn, n. p. 1037(Feudal Law.) The right of the king, when a tenant in capite died seized of a knight's fee, to receive of the heir, if of full age, one year's profits of the land if in possession, and half a year's…Prĭ-mē'val, a. p. 1037Belonging to the first ages; pristine; original; primitive; as, the primeval innocence of man; primeval day. Blackmore.Prĭ-mē'voŭs, a. p. 1037Primeval. [Obs.]Prĭ'mĭ-gē'nĭ-al, a. p. 1037First born; original; primary. [Obs.] See PRIMOGENIAL.Prĭ-mĭ-gĕ'nĭ-oŭs or Prĭ-mĭg'e-noŭs, a. p. 1037First formed or generated; original; as, semi-primigenous strata. [Obs.] Kirwan.Prĭ'mĭne, n. p. 1037(Bot.) The outermost integument of an ovule; one of the sacs containing an ovule. Lindley.Prĭm'ing, n. p. 1037The powder, percussion cap, or other device used to communicate fire to the charge in a fire-arm. 2. (Paint.) The first color laid on canvas, or on a building, &c. 3. (Steam-eng.) The act of carrying…Priming p. 1037of the tides, the interval by which the time of high water occurs earlier than it otherwise would, in consequence of the relative positions and action of the sun and moon;—opposed to lag, or the…Prim'ing-tūbe, n. p. 1037A tube used in priming artillery.Prĭm'ing-wīre, n. p. 1037A pointed wire, used to penetrate the vent of a piece, for examining the powder of the charge, or for piercing the cartridge.Prī-mĭp′ĭ-lar, a. p. 1037Pertaining to the captain of the vanguard of a Roman army. [Rare.]Prī-mĭ′sh′-ă, n. p. 1037(Law.) The first fruit; the first year’s whole profit of a spiritual preferment. Blount. “The primitias of your parsonage.” Spenser. 2. (pl.) (Med.) The waters discharged before the extrusion of the…Prĭ-mĭ′tial, a. p. 1037Being of the first production; primitive; original; first. [Obs.] Ainsworth.Prĭm'ĭ-tĭve, a. p. 1037Pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; first; as, the primitive state of Adam; primitive innocence; the primitive church. 2. Formal; affectedly solemn; imitating the…Prim'i-tive, n. p. 1037An original word; a word not derived from another.Prim'i-tive-ly, adv. p. 1037Originally; at first. 2. Primarily; not derivatively. 3. According to the original rule or ancient practice. South.Prim'i-tive-ness, n. p. 1037The state of being primitive or original; antiquity; conformity to antiquity.Prim'i-ty, n. p. 1037The state of being original; primitiveness. [Obs.] Pearson.Prim'ly, adv. p. 1037In a prim or precise manner; neatly; precisely.Prim'ness, n. p. 1037Affected formality or niceness; stiffness; preciseness.Prī'mo, n. p. 1037(Mus.) The first or leading part.Pri'mo-gē'ni-al, a. p. 1037First born, made, or generated; original; primary; constituent; elemental; as, primogenial light; primogenial bodies. Boyle.Prī'mo-gĕn'i-tive, n. p. 1037Primogeniture. [Obs.] Shak.Pri′mo-gē′ni-tive, a. p. 1037Of, or pertaining to, primogeniture. [Rare.]Pri'mo-gĕn'i-tor, n. p. 1037The first father or forefather. Gayton.Pri'mo-gēn'i-tūre, n. p. 1037The state of being born first of the same parents; seniority by birth among children. 2. (Eng. Law.) The exclusive right of inheritance which belongs to the eldest son or daughter. Thus, in England…Pri'mo-gĕn'i-tūre-ship, n. p. 1037The state or privileges of one who is the first born.Pri-môr′di-al, a. p. 1037First in order; original; existing from the beginning; of earliest origin. “The primordial facts of our intelligent nature.” Sir W. Hamilton. 2. (Geol.) Of, or pertaining to, the lowest beds of the…Pri-môr'di-al, n. p. 1037First principle or element; origin. Henry More.Prī-mōr'di-al-ly, adv. p. 1037At the beginning; under the first order of things.Pri-mōr'di-an, n. p. 1037A kind of plum.Pri-môr'di-nate, a. p. 1037Existing from the first; original. [Rare.] Boyle.Primp, v. i. p. 1037To be formal or affected. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Prim'rōse, n. p. 1037(Bot.) An early flowering plant of the genus Primula (P. vulgaris), closely allied to the cowslip, of several varieties, as the white, the red, the yellow-flowered, &c. Evening primrose (Bot.), an…Prim'rōse, a. p. 1037Of, or pertaining to, the primrose; hence, gay; flowery; spring-like. He was still among the primrose paths. Motley.