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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. Pro·dūc'tion, n.p. 1042The act or process of producing, bringing forth, or exhibiting to view. 2. That which is produced or made; product; fruit of labor; as, the productions of the earth, comprehending all vegetables and…
  2. Pro-dūc'tive, a.p. 1043Having the quality or power of producing; yielding or furnishing results; as, productive labor is that which increases the number or amount of products; — opposed to unproductive labor. 2. Bringing…
  3. Pro-dūc'tive-ly, adv.p. 1043By production; with abundant produce.
  4. Pro-dŭc'tive-ness, n.p. 1043The quality of being productive; as, the productiveness of land or labor.
  5. Prō-duc-tīv'i-ty, n.p. 1043The state or quality of being productive; productiveness; capacity to produce. “Not indeed as the product, but as the producing power, the productivity.” Coleridge.
  6. Pro-dūc'tress, n.p. 1043A female who produces.
  7. Prō'e-gū'mi-nal, a.p. 1043(Med.) Serving to predispose; predisposing; as, a proeguminal cause of disease.
  8. Prō'em, n.p. 1043Preface; introduction; preliminary observations; prelude. Thus much may serve by way of proem; Proceed we therefore to our poem. Swift.
  9. Prō'em, v. t.p. 1043To preface. [Obs.] South.
  10. Pro-ē'mi-al, a.p. 1043Introductory; prefatory; preliminary. [Rare.] Hammond.
  11. Prō'emp-tō'sis, n.p. 1043(Chron.) The lunar equation, or addition of a day, necessary to prevent the new moon from being reckoned as happening a day too soon. Brande.
  12. Prō'face, interj.p. 1043Much good may it do you! — a familiar salutation or welcome. [Obs.] Master Page, good Master Page, sit. proface. Shak.
  13. Prōf'a-nāte, v. t.p. 1043To profane. [Obs.]
  14. Prōf/a-nā'tion, n.p. 1043The act of violating sacred things, or of treating them with contempt or irreverence; irreverent or too familiar treatment of what is sacred; as, the profanation of the Sabbath; the profanation of a…
  15. Pro-fāne', a.p. 1043Not sacred or holy; unconsecrated; not possessing peculiar sanctity; hence, secular; relating to matters other than sacred; as, profane history; a profane place. After the whole procession had…
  16. Pro-fāne', v. t.p. 1043To violate, as any thing sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Sabbath; to profane the Scriptures or…
  17. Pro-fāne'ly, adv.p. 1043With irreverence to sacred things or names; with want of due respect. “The character of God profanely impeached.” Dwight. That proud scholar . . . speaks of Homer too profanely. Broome.
  18. Pro-fāne'ness, n.p. 1043The quality or character of being profane; scandalous irreverence; especially, the use of language which implies irreverence toward God; the taking of God's name in vain.
  19. Pro-fān'er, n.p. 1043One who treats sacred things with irreverence; one who uses profane language. 2. A polluter; a defiler; as, a profaner of the temple. Hooker.
  20. Prŏf'a-nism, n.p. 1043Profanity. [Obs.] Marston.
  21. Pro-făn'-i-ty, n.p. 1043The quality or character of being profane; profaneness; irreverence; especially, the use of profane language; blasphemy. 2. That which is profane; profane language. In a revel of debauchery, amid the…
  22. Pro-fĕc'tion, n.p. 1043A going forward; advance; progression. [Obs.] Browne.
  23. Prō-fee-tī'tious, a.p. 1043Proceeding from, as from a parent; derived, as from an ancestor. The threefold distinction of profectitious, adventitious, and professional was ascertained. Gibbon.
  24. Prō'fērt, n.p. 1043(Law.) The exhibition or production of a record or paper in open court.
  25. Pro-fĕss’, v. t.p. 1043To make open declaration of; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own freely. The best and wisest of them all professed To know this only, that he nothing knew. Milton. 2. To set up a…
  26. Pro-fĕss', v. i.p. 1043To take a profession upon one's self; to confess. Drayton. 2. To declare friendship. [Obs.] Shak.
  27. Pro-fĕssed', p. a.p. 1043Openly declared, avowed, or acknowledged; as, a professed foe; a professed tyrant; a professed Christian; a professed atheist.
  28. Pro-fĕss'ed ly, adv.p. 1043By profession; by open declaration or avowal. I could not grant too much to men . . . professedly my subjects. K. Charles. England I traveled over, professedly searching all places as I passed along.…
  29. Pro-fĕs'sion, n.p. 1043The act of professing; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship or sincerity; a profession of faith or religion. 2. That which one professes; a declaration; an…
  30. Pro-fĕs'sion-al, a.p. 1043Pertaining to a profession or to a calling; following a profession. His brain was almost turned by pride, not personal, but professional. Macaulay. 2. Professed; being by profession; avowed. Perfect…
  31. Pro-fĕs'sion-al-ist, n.p. 1043A professional person; one who practices in some profession. [Rare.]
  32. Pro-fĕs'sion-al-ly, adv.p. 1043In a professional manner or way; by profession or declaration; professedly; as, professionally a friend to religion. [Rare.] 2. By calling; as, one employed professionally.
  33. Pro-fess'or, n.p. 1043One who professes or makes open declaration of his sentiments or opinions; especially, one who makes a public avowal of his belief in the Scriptures and his faith in Christ, and thus unites himself…
  34. Prŏf'es-sō'ri-al, a.p. 1043Pertaining to a professor; as, the professorial chair.
  35. Prŏf'es-sō'ri-al-ism, n.p. 1043The character, manners, or habits of a professor. [Rare.]
  36. Prŏf'es-sō'ri-ate, n.p. 1043Professorship. [Rare.]
  37. Pro-fĕss'or-ship, n.p. 1043The office of a professor or public teacher. Walton.
  38. Pro-fes'so-ry, a.p. 1043Pertaining to a professor. [Obs.]
  39. Prŏf'fer, v. t.p. 1043To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of; as, to proffer a gift; to proffer services; to proffer friendship. 2. To essay or attempt of one's own accord; to undertake. [Rare.]…
  40. Prŏf'fer, n.p. 1043An offer made; something proposed for acceptance by another; as, proffers of peace or friendship. He made a proffer to lay down his commission of command in the army. Clarendon. 2. Essay; attempt.…
  41. Prŏf'fer-er, n.p. 1043One who offers any thing for acceptance.
  42. Pro-fi'cience or Pro-fi'cien-cy, n.p. 1043The state or quality of being proficient; advance in the acquisition of any art, science, or knowledge; improvement; progression in knowledge.
  43. Pro-fi'cient, a.p. 1043Well advanced in any branch of knowledge or skill; possessed of considerable acquirements; well-skilled; versed.
  44. Pro-fĭ'cient, n.p. 1043One who has made considerable advances in any business, art, science, or branch of learning; an expert; an adept; as, a proficient in a trade or occupation; a proficient in mathematics, in anatomy…
  45. Pro-fi'cient-ly, adv.p. 1043In a proficient manner; with proficiency.
  46. Pro-fic'u-ous, a.p. 1043Profitable; advantageous; useful. [Obs.] Harvey.
  47. Prŏ'file, n.p. 1043An outline or contour. 2. (Paint. & Sculp.) A head or portrait represented sidewise or in a side view; the side face or half face; as, to draw or appear in profile; the profile of Pope or Addison. 3.…
  48. Prō'file, v. t.p. 1043To draw the outline of; to draw in profile, as a building.
  49. Prō'file, n.p. 1043(Fort.) The act or process of setting up wooden profiles to guide workmen in throwing up a parapet.
  50. Prŏ'fil-ist, n.p. 1043One who takes profiles.
  51. Prŏf'it, n.p. 1043Acquisition beyond expenditure; excess of value received for keeping or selling, over cost; hence, in commerce, pecuniary gain in any transaction or occupation; emolument. Let no man anticipate…
  52. Prŏf'it, v. t.p. 1043To be of service to; to be good to; to help on; to benefit; to advantage. It is a great means of profiting yourself, to copy diligently excellent pieces and beautiful designs. Dryden.
  53. Prŏf'it, v. i.p. 1043To gain advantage; to make improvement; to improve; to gain; to advance. I profit not by thy talk. Shak. She has profited so well already by your counsel, that she can say her lesson. Dryden. 2. To…
  54. Prŏf'it-a-ble, a.p. 1044Yielding or bringing profit or gain; gainful; lucrative; useful; advantageous; as, a profitable trade; profitable business; a profitable study or profession. What was so profitable to the empire…
  55. Prŏf'it-a-ble-ness, n.p. 1044The quality of being profitable; gainfulness; usefulness; advantageousness.
  56. Prŏf'it-a-bly, adv.p. 1044In a profitable manner; gainfully; usefully; advantageously; with improvement: as, to be profitably occupied in reading.
  57. Prŏf'it-ing, n.p. 1044Gain; advantage; profit. “That thy profiting may appear to all.” 1 Tim. iv. 15.
  58. Prŏf'it-less, a.p. 1044Void of profit, gain, or advantage. Shak.
  59. Prŏf'li-ga-cy, n.p. 1044The condition or quality of being profligate; a profligate or very vicious course of life; a state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice.
  60. Prŏf'li-gate, a.p. 1044Overthrown; beaten; conquered. [Obs.] The foe is profligate, and run. Hudibras. 2. Abandoned to vice; lost to principle, virtue, or decency; openly and shamelessly immoral or vicious; as, a…