Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Tĕr'gi-ver-sāte, v. i. p. 1365To shift; to practice evasion; to use subterfuges. [Rare.] Bailey.Tēr'gi-ver-sā'tion, n. p. 1365The act of tergiversating; a shifting; shift; subterfuge; evasion. Writing is to be preferred before verbal conferences, as being more free from passion and tergiversation. Bramhall. 2. Fickleness of…Tēr'gi-ver-sā'tor, n. p. 1365One who tergiversates; one who shuffles or evades.Tēr'gum, n. p. 1365(Entom.) The upper surface of the abdomen. Brande.Tē'rin, n. p. 1365A small singing-bird of a yellow color, with the head of an ash-color. Chaucer.Tērm, n. p. 1365A bound or boundary; the extremity of any thing; that which limits its extent; a limit. Corruption is a reciprocal to generation, and they two are as nature’s two terms or boundaries. Bacon. 2. The…Tērm, v. t. p. 1365To apply a term to; to name; to call; to denominate. Men term what is beyond the limits of the universe “imaginary space.” Locke.Tēr'ma-gan-cy, n. p. 1365The state or quality of being termagant; turbulence; tumultuousness; as, a violent termagancy of temper. Baker.Tĕr’ma-gant, a. p. 1365Tumultuous; turbulent; boisterous or furious; quarrelsome; scolding. The eldest was a termagant, imperious, prodigal, profligate wench. Arbuthnot.Tēr’ma-gant, n. p. 1365A vociferous, tumultuous deity. The lesser part on Christ believed well, On Termagant the more, and on Mahound. Fairfax. 2. A boisterous, brawling, turbulent woman;—formerly applied both to males and…Tēr’mā-gant-ly, adv. p. 1365In a termagant, turbulent, or scolding manner.Tĕrm'er, n. p. 1365One who travels to attend a law term, particularly in order to practice tricks. Spenser. 2. (Law.) One who has an estate for a term of years or for life.Tēr'mēz, n. p. 1365A neuropterous insect; a species of ant mostly found within the tropics, and which is very destructive to trees, wood-work, as of houses, and the like; white ant.Tĕrm'-fee, n. p. 1365(Law.) A fee by the term, chargeable to a suitor, or by law fixed and taxable in the costs of a cause, for each or any term it is in court.Tēr’mi-na-ble, a. p. 1365Capable of being bounded; limitable.Tēr’mi-na-ble-ness, n. p. 1365The state of being terminable.Tēr’mi-nal, a. p. 1365Pertaining to, or forming, the end or extremity; as, a terminal edge. 2. (Bot.) Growing at the end of a branch or stem; terminating; as, a terminal scape, flower, or spike. Terminal figure. See TERM…Tĕr′mi-nal, n. p. 1365That which terminates or ends; termination; extremity.Tĕr'mi-nā'li-ă, n. pl. p. 1365(Rom. Antiq.) Annual festivals held by the Romans in February in honor of Terminus, the god of boundaries.Tēr'mi-nāte, v. t. p. 1366To set a term or limit to; to set the extreme point or side of by bounds or limits; to bound; to limit; as, to terminate a surface by a line. 2. To put an end to; to end; as, to terminate a…Tēr′mi-nāte, v. i. p. 1366To be limited in space by a point, line, or surface; to stop short; to end; to cease; as, a line terminates at the equator; the torrid zone terminates at the tropics. 2. To come to a limit in time…Tēr′/mi-nā′/tion, n. p. 1366The act of terminating, or of limiting or setting bounds; the act of ending or concluding. 2. Limit in space or extent; bound; as, the termination of a line. 3. End in time or existence; as, the…Tēr'mi-nā'tion-al, a. p. 1366Of, pertaining to, or forming, a termination.Tér'mi-na-tive, a. p. 1366Tending or serving to terminate; terminating; determining; absolute; definitive. Bp. Rust.Tĕr'mi-na-tĭve-ly, adv. p. 1366In a terminative manner; absolutely. Bp. Taylor.Tēr'mi-nā'tor, n. p. 1366One who, or that which, terminates. 2. (Astron.) The dividing line between the enlightened and the unenlightened part of the moon.Tēr'mi-na-to-ry, a. p. 1366Terminating; limiting.Tēr'mīne, v. t. p. 1366To terminate. [Obs.]Tér'mi-ner, n. p. 1366A determining; as, in oyer and terminer. See OYER.Tĕr'mi-nĭsm, n. p. 1366The doctrine held by Terminists.Tĕr′/mi-nīst, n. p. 1366(Eccl.) One of a class of theologians who maintain that God has fixed a certain term for the probation of individual persons, during which period, and no longer, they have the offer of grace. Murdoch.Tēr'mi-nōl'o-gy, n. p. 1366The doctrine of terms; a treatise on terms; a theory of terms or appellations. 2. The terms actually used in any business, art, science, or the like; nomenclature; as, the terminology of chemistry.…Ter-mīn’thus, n. p. 1366(Med.) A tumor surmounted by a black pustule resembling the fruit of the turpentine-tree. [Obs.]Tĕr’mi-nŭs, n. p. 1366Literally, a boundary; a border. 2. (Myth.) The Roman divinity who presided over boundaries, whose statue was properly a short pillar terminating in the bust of a man, woman, satyr, and the like, but…Tēr'mite, n. p. 1366The white ant. See TERMES.Tĕrm'less, a. p. 1366Having no term or end; unlimited; boundless; unending; as, termless joys. [Rare.] Raleigh.Tĕrm'ly, a. p. 1366Occurring every term. [Rare.] Bacon.Tĕrm'ly, adv. p. 1366Term by term; every term. [Rare.] “Fees that are termly given.” Bacon.Tĕrm'o-nŏl'o-gy, n. p. 1366The same as TERMINOLOGY, q. v.Tērm'or, n. p. 1366(Law.) One who has an estate for a term of years or life; a termer. Blackstone.Tĕrn, n. p. 1366(Ornith.) A long-winged aquatic fowl of the genus Sterna of Linnæus, closely allied to the gulls; as, the great or common tern, or sea-swallow (S. hirundo), the black tern, the lesser tern, or hooded…Tērn, a. p. 1366Threefold; consisting of three. Tern flowers (Bot.), flowers growing three and three together. — Tern leaves, leaves arranged in threes, or three by three, or having three in each whorl or set. —…Tĕrn, n. p. 1366That which consists of, or pertains to, three things or numbers together; especially, a prize in a lottery resulting from the favorable combination of three numbers in the drawing; also, the three…Tēr'na-ry, a. p. 1366Proceeding by threes; consisting of three; as, the ternary number, in antiquity, was esteemed a symbol of perfection, and held in great veneration.Tēr'na-ry, n. p. 1366The number three; three things taken together; ternion. Holder.Tēr'nate, a. p. 1366Having an arrangement by threes, as three leaflets on a petiole, as in trefoil, strawberry, bramble, &c. Martyn.Tēr'nate-ly, adv. p. 1366In a ternate manner. Gray.Tēr'ni-on, n. p. 1366The number three; three things together; ternary.Terp-sich'o-re p. 1366(Gr. Myth.) The Muse who presided over the choral song and the dance.Tērp'sich-o-rē'an, a. p. 1366Relating to Terpsichore, the Muse who presided over dancing.Tēr'ra, n. p. 1366The earth; earth. Terra cotta. [It.] Baked clay; a kind of pottery made from fine clay hardened by heat, and used for statues, architectural decorations, figures, vases, and the like. — Terra filius.…Tĕr'race, n. p. 1366A raised level space or platform of earth, supported on one or more sides by a wall or bank of turf, or the like, whether designed for use or pleasure. 2. A balcony or open gallery. [Obs.] Fuller. 3.…Tĕr'race, v. t. p. 1366To form into, or furnish with, a terrace or terraces. “Clermont's terraced height.” Thomson.Tēr'ra-cült'ür-al, a. p. 1366Of, or pertaining to, terraculture; agricultural. [Rare.]Tĕr'ra-cŭlt'ŭre, n. p. 1366Cultivation of the earth; agriculture. [Rare.]Tĕr'ra-pēne, n. p. 1366A terrapin.Tĕr'ra-pĭn, n. p. 1366(Zoöl.) A large kind of turtle or tortoise of the genus Chelonia, living in sea-water, the flesh of which is highly valued, being a delicious article of food. Baird.Ter-rā'que-oüs, a. p. 1366Consisting of land and water, as the globe or earth. The grand terraqueous spectacle From center to circumference unveiled. Wordsworth.Těr'rar, n. p. 1366(O. Eng. Law.) A register of lands. [Obs.] Cowell.Tĕr'ras, n. p. 1366See T