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.
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.Prī'mum Mōb'i-le p. 1037(Astron.) In the Ptolemaic system, the outermost of the revolving spheres of the universe, which was supposed to give motion to all the others.Prim’y, a. p. 1037Blooming. [Obs.] “In the youth of primy nature.” Shak.Prince, n. p. 1037The one of highest rank; a person possessing highest place and authority; a sovereign; a monarch; — sometimes, but rarely, applied to a female sovereign. Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince.…Prīnce, v. i. p. 1037To play the prince; to take state. [Rare.] Shak.Prínce'dom, n. p. 1037The jurisdiction, sovereignty, rank, or estate, of a prince. Under thee, as head supreme, Thrones, princedoms, powers, dominions, I reduce. Milton.Prīnce'li-ness, n. p. 1037The quality of being princely; the state, manner, or dignity of a prince.Prince'ling, n. p. 1037A little or inferior prince.Prince'ly, a. p. 1037Of, or relating to, a prince; regal; royal; of highest rank or authority; as, princely birth, character, fortune, and the like. 2. Resembling or becoming a prince; grand; august; munificent; of great…Prìnce'ly, adv. p. 1037In a prince-like manner. Johnson.Prin'çe's-fēath'er, n. p. 1037(Bot.) An annual plant of the genus Amaranthus. London.Prīn'ce's-mēt'al, n. p. 1037An alloy composed of seventy-five parts of copper and twenty-five of zinc, in imitation of gold;—called also Prince Rupert's metal. Ure.Prin'cess, n. p. 1037A female prince; a female having the rank of a prince. Dryden. 2. The daughter of a king. Shak. 3. The consort of a prince; as, the princess of Wales. ☞ By the English sometimes accented on the last…Prin'cess-ly, a. p. 1037Having the manner of a prince. [Rare.] Byron.Prin-cē'tas, n. p. 1037A worsted fabric, which is sometimes made with a cotton warp. Simmonds.Prin'çi-pal, a. p. 1037Highest in rank, authority, character, or importance; most considerable; chief; as, the principal officers of a government; the principal men of a city, town, or state; the principal arguments in a…Prin'çi-pal, n. p. 1037A chief or head; one who takes the lead; as, the principal of a faction, an insurrection, or mutiny; hence, specifically, (a.) One who possesses or exercises chief authority; as, the principal of a…Prin'çi-päl'i-ty, n. p. 1037Sovereignty; supreme power. Sidney. 2. A prince; one invested with sovereignty. Milton. 3. The territory of a prince; or the country which gives title to a prince; as, the principality of Wales. 4.…Prin'çi-pal-ly, adv. p. 1037In a principal manner; above all; chiefly. They mistake the nature of criticism who think its business is principally to find fault. — Dryden. Syn.—Chiefly; mainly; essentially; especially…