Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Work'-băg, n. p. 1525A bag for holding instruments or materials for work; especially, a bag for holding needle-work, and the like.Work'-bŏx, n. p. 1525A box for holding instruments or materials for work.Work'-dāy, n. & a. p. 1525The same as WORKING-DAY, q. v.Work'er, n. p. 1525One who, or that which, works; a laborer; a performer. “Professors of holiness, but workers of iniquity.” South. 2. One of the working bees. See NEUTER.Work'-fĕl/lōw, n. p. 1525One engaged in the same work with another.Work'-fōlk or Work'-fōlks, n. pl. p. 1525Persons that labor.Work'ful, a. p. 1525Full of work; diligent; industrious. [Rare.]Work'-house, n. p. 1525A house where any manufacture is carried on. 2. A house in which idle and vicious persons are confined to labor. 3. A house where the town poor are maintained at the public expense, and provided with…Work'ing, p. a. p. 1525Moving; operating; laboring; fermenting.Working class p. 1525the class of people who are engaged in manual labor, or are dependent upon it for support; laborers; operatives;—chiefly used in the plural.Work'ing-day, n. p. 1525A day on which work is performed, as distinguished from the Sabbath, festivals, &c.Work'ing-day, a. p. 1525Plodding; hard-working. “This working-day world.” Shak.Work'ing-draw'ing, n. p. 1525A drawing, as of the whole or part of a structure, machine, &c., made to a scale, and in such detail as to be the guide in its construction.Work'ing-house, n. p. 1525The same as WORK-HOUSE, q. v.Work'ing-point, n. p. 1525(Mach.) That part of a machine at which the effect required is produced.Work'less, a. p. 1525Without work; not laboring; also, not carried out in practice; not exemplified in fact. [Obs.]Work'man p. 1525n; pl. WORK/MEN (wŭrk'-men). [A-S. weoremann.] 1. A man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; a worker. 2. Hence, especially, a skillful artificer or laborer.Work'man-like, a. p. 1525Becoming a workman, especially a skillful one; skillful; well performed.Work'man-ly, a. p. 1525Becoming a skillful workman; skillful; well performed.Work'man-ly, adv. p. 1525In a skillful manner; in a manner becoming a skillful workman.Work'man-shĭp, n. p. 1525The art of working. [Obs.] 2. The skill of a workman; the execution or manner of making any thing. Due reward For her praiseworthy workmanship to yield. Spenser. Beauty is nature's brag, and must be…Work'-mās'ter, n. p. 1525The performer of any work; a workman. [Rare.] Spenser.Work'ship, n. p. 1525Workmanship. [R.] Scott.Work'shŏp, n. p. 1525A shop where any manufacture is carried on.Work'-tā'ble, n. p. 1525A table for holding work, and materials and implements for it; especially, a small table, containing drawers and other conveniences for ladies in respect to their needlework.Work'-wom'an, n. p. 1525Work'y-dāy, n. p. 1525A week day, as distinguished from Sunday or a holiday. [Obs. and vulgar.] Shak.World, n. p. 1525The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the sum of human affairs and interests. That forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe. Milton. 2. In a more…World'-hārd-ened, a. p. 1526Hardened by the love of worldly things.World'li-ness, n. p. 1526The quality of being worldly; a predominant passion for obtaining the good things of this life; covetousness; addictedness to gain and temporal enjoyments.World'ling, n. p. 1526A person whose soul is set upon gaining temporal possessions; one devoted to this world and its enjoyments. “A foutra for the world and worldlings base.” Shak. If we consider the expectations of…World'ly, a. p. 1526Relating to the world; human; common; as, worldly maxims; worldly actions. “I thus neglecting worldly ends.” Shak. Many years it hath continued, standing by no other worldly mean but that one only…World'ly, adv. p. 1526With relation to this life; in a worldly manner. Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise By simply meek. Milton.World'ly-mind'ed, a. p. 1526Devoted to worldly interests; mindful of the affairs of the present life, and forgetful of those of the future.World'ly-mind'ed-ness, n. p. 1526The state or quality of being worldly-minded; a predominating love and pursuit of this world's goods, to the exclusion of piety and attention to spiritual concerns.World'-wide, a. p. 1526Extended throughout the world; as, world-wide fame.Worm, n. p. 1526Originally, a creeping or a crawling animal of any kind or size; a serpent, caterpillar, snail, and the like. [Obs.] There came a viper out of the heat, and leaped upon his hand. When the men of the…Worm, v. i. p. 1526To work slowly, gradually, and secretly. When debates and fretting jealousy Did worm and work within you more and more, Your color faded. Herbert.Worm, v. t. p. 1526To effect, remove, drive, or the like, by slow and secret means;—often followed by out. They find themselves wormed out of all power. Swift. 2. To clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge…Wör'mal, n. p. 1526The same as WORNIL, q. v.Worm'-eät'en, a. p. 1526Gnawed by worms; as, worm-eaten boards, planks, or timber. “Concave as a covered goblet, or a worm-eaten nut.” Shak. 2. Hence, worm-out; decayed; old; worthless. [Rare.] Raleigh.Worm'-eat'en-ness, n. p. 1526The state of being worm-eaten, or corroded. [Rare.]Wormed, a. p. 1526Penetrated by worms; injured by worms; as, wormed timber.Worm'-fence, n. p. 1526A zigzag fence, made by placing the ends of the rails upon each other.Worm'-grass, n. p. 1526(Bot.) A plant of the genus Spigelia, used as a vermifuge.Worm'-hole, n. p. 1526A hole made by the gnawing of a worm.Worm'ling, n. p. 1526A little worm.Worm'-oil, n. p. 1526(Med.) An anthelmintic consisting of oil obtained from the seeds of Chenopodium anthelminticum.Worm'-pow'der, n. p. 1526(Med.) A powder used for expelling worms from the stomach and intestines.Worm'-seed, n. p. 1526A plant whose seed has the property of expelling worms from the stomach, bowels, and intestines, as Artemisia santonica and Chenopodium anthelminticum.Worm'-shāped, a. p. 1526(Bot.) Shaped like a worm; thick, and almost cylindrical, but bent in different places, as some roots, and the like.Worm'-tēa, n. p. 1526A decoction of some bitter plant, used as an anthelmintic.Worm'-tinct'üre, n. p. 1526(Med.) A tincture prepared from earth-worms dried, pulverized, and mixed with oil of tartar, spirit of wine, saffron, and castor.Wör'mul, n. p. 1526The same as WORNIL. Booth.Worm'-wheel, n. p. 1526A wheel having teeth formed to fit into the spiral spaces of a screw called a worm, so that the wheel may be turned by the screw;—called also tangent-wheel. Weale.Worm'wood, n. p. 1526(Bot.) A plant (the Artemisia absinthium), having a bitter, nauseous taste;—so called because formerly supposed to be fatal to worms. Tree-wormwood, a species of Artemisia, with woody…Worm'y, a. p. 1526Containing a worm; abounding with worms. “Wormy beds.” Shuk. 2. Like a worm; earthy; groveling.Wōrn, p. p. p. 1526of wear. See WEAR. Worn land, land that has become exhausted by tillage, or which, for any reason, has lost its fertility.Wōrn'-out, a. p. 1526Consumed or rendered useless by wearing.Wōr'mil, n. p. 1526A sore on the backs of cattle, produced by the larvæ of the gadfly; a warble. [Written also wormal and wormel.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.