A
A – Aboding
Page 1 of 345
A
A is the first letter of the Alphabet in most of the known languages of the earth; in the Ethiopic, however it is the thirteenth, and in the Runic the tenth. It is naturally the first letter, because it represents the first vocal sound naturally formed by the human organs; being the sound uttered with a mere opening of the mouth without constraint, and without any effort to alter the natural position or configuration of the lips. The a has been proven to be the first natural vocal sound, and entitled to the first place in alphabets.
A has in English, three sounds; the long or slender, as in place, fate; the broad, as in wall, fall, which is shortened in salt, what; and the open, as in father, glass, which is shortened in rather, fancy. Its primitive sound was probably aw. a is also an abbreviation used before words beginning with an articulation; as a table, instead of an table, or one table. This is a modern change.
This letter serves as a prefix to many English words, as in asleep; awake; afoot; aground; agoing. In some cases, this is a contraction of Teutonic ge, as in asleep, aware, from the Saxon geslapan, to sleep, to beware. Sometimes it is a corruption of the Saxon on, as again from ongean , awake from onwacian to watch or wake. Before participles, it may be a contraction of the Celtic ag, the sign of the participle of the present tense; as, ag-radh, saying; a saying, a going. Or this may be a contraction of on, or what is equally probable, it may have proceeded from a mere accidental sound produced by negligent utterance. In some words, a may be a contraction of at, of, in, to, or an. In some words of Greek original, a is privative, giving to them a negative sense, as in anonymous.
Among the ancients, A was a numeral denoting 500, and with a dash a 5000. In the Julian Calendar, a is the first of the seven dominical letters.
Among logicians, A, as an abbreviation, stands for a universal affirmative proposition. a asserts; E denies. Thus in barbara, a thrice repeated denotes so many of the propositions to be universal.
The Romans used A to signify a negative or dissent in giving their votes; a standing for antiquo, I oppose or object to the proposed law. Opposed to this letter were U R, uti rogas, be it as you desire - the words used to express assent to a proposition. These letters were marked on wooden ballots, and each voter had an affirmative and a negative put into his hands, one of which at pleasure he gave as his vote, - In criminal trials, a stood for absolvo, I acquit, C for condemno, I condemn; and N L for non liquet, it is not evident; and the judges voted by ballots this marked. In inscriptions, A stands for Augustus; or for ager, aiunt, , aurum, argentum, etc.
A is also used for anno, or ante; as in Anno Domini, the year of our Lord; anno mundi, the year of the world; ante meridiem, before noon, and for arts, in artium magister, master of arts.
In algebra, a and first letters of the alphabet represent known quantities - the last letters are sometimes used to represent unknown quantities.
In music, A is the nominal of the sixth note in the natural diatonic scale - called by Guido la. It is also the name of one of the two natural moods; and it is the open note of the 2d string of the violin, by which the other strings are tuned and regulated.
In pharmacy, a or aa, abbreviations of the Greek ana, signify of each separately, or that the things mentioned should be taken in quantities of the same weight or measure.
In chimistry, a A a stand for amalgama, or amalgamation.
In commerce, A stands for accepted, as in case of a bill of exchange. Merchants also number their books by the letters - a B, C, instead of figures. Public officers number their exhibits in the same manner; as the document a or B.
Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, are used in Scripture for the beginning and end - representative of Christ.
In mathematics, letters are used as representatives of numbers, lines, angles and quantities. In arguments, letters are substituted for persons, in cases supposed, or stated for illustration, as a contracts with B to deliver property to D. - In the English phraseology 'a landlord as a hundred a year, ' ' the sum amounted to ten dollars a man, ' a is merely the adjective one, and this mode of expression is idiomatic; a hundred in a year; ten dollars to a man.
A-Posteriori
A-POSTERIORI, [Latin posterior, after.]
Arguments a posteriori, are drawn from effect, consequences or facts; in opposition to reasoning a priori, or from causes previously known.
A-Re
A-RE, noun The lowest note but one, in Guido Aretine's scale of music.
Aam
AAM, noun A measure of liquids among the Dutch equal to 288 English pints.
Aaronic
AARON'IC, adjective Pertaining to Aaron, the Jewish High Priest, or to the priesthood of which he was the head.
Ab
AB, In English names, is an abbreviation of Abbey or Abbot.
AB, a prefix to words of Latin origin, and a Latin preposition, as in abscond, written in ancient Latin af. It denotes from, separating or departure.
AB, The Hebrew name of Father.
AB, The eleventh month of the Jewish civil year, and fifth of the ecclesiastical year, answering to a part of July, and a part of August.
Abacist
AB'ACIST, noun One that casts accounts; a calculator.
Aback
ABACK, adverb [At, on or towards the back. See Back]
Towards the back; on the back part; backward. In seamen's language it signifies the situation of the sails, when pressed back against the mast by the wind.
Taken aback is when the sails are carried back suddenly by the wind.
Laid aback is when the sails are purposely placed in that situation to give the ship sternway.
Abacot
AB'ACOT, noun The cap of State, formerly used by English Kings, wrought into the figure of two crowns.
Abactor
ABAC'TOR, noun [Latin from abigo, ab and ago, to drive.]
In law, one that feloniously drives away or steals a herd or numbers of cattle at once, in distinction from one that steals a sheep or two.
Abacus
AB'ACUS, noun [Latin anything flat, as a cupboard, a bench, a slate, a table or board for games; Gr. Usually deduced from the Oriental, abak, dust, because the ancients used tables covered with dust for making figures and diagrams.]
1. Among the Romans, a cupboard or buffet.
2. An instrument to facilitate operations in arithmetic; on this are drawn lines; a counter on the lowest line, is one; on the next, ten; on the third, a hundred, _e. On the spaces, counters denote half the number of the line above. Other schemes are called by the same name. The name is also given to a table of numbers, cast up as an abacus of addition; and by analogy, to the art of numbering, as in Knighton's Chronicon.
3. In architecture, a table constituting the upper member or crowning of a column and its capital. It is usually square, but sometimes its sides are arched inwards. The name is also given to a concave molding on the capital of the Tuscan pedestal; and to the plinth above the boultin in the Tuscan and Doric orders.
AB'ACUS PYTHAGORICUS, The multiplication table, invented by Pythagoras.
ABACUS HARMONICUS, The structure and disposition of the keys of a musical instrument.
ABACUS MAJOR, A trough used in mines, to wash ore in.
Abada
AB'ADA, noun A wild animal of Africa, of the size of a steer, or half grown colt, having two horns on its forehead and a third on the nape of the neck. Its head and tail resemble those of an ox, but it has cloven feet, like the stag.
Abaddon
ABAD'DON, noun [Heb. Ch. Syr. Sam. to be lost, or destroyed, to perish.]
1. The destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit. .
2. The bottomless pit.
Abaft
AB'AFT, adverb or preposition [Sax. eft or aeft, again. Hence efter or aefter, after, subsequent; Sax. aeftan, behind in place; to which word be is prefixed - beaeftan, behind, and this word is corrupted into abaft ]
A sea-term signifying in or at the hinder part of a ship, or the parts which lie towards the stern; opposed to afore. Relatively it denotes further aft or towards the stern; as abaft the mainmast. abaft the beam, is in that arch of the horizon which is between a line drawn at right angles with the keel, and the point to which the stern is directed. It is often contracted into aft.
Abagun
AB'AGUN, noun The name of a fowl in Ethiopia, remarkable for its beauty and for a sort of horn, growing on its head. The word signifies stately Abbot.
Abaisance
ABAISANCE, [See Obeisance.]
Abalienation
ABALIENA'TION, noun The transferring of title to property. [See Alienation.]
Abandon
ABAN'DON, verb transitive [Fr. abandonner; Sp. and Port. abandonar; It. abbandonare; said to be from ban, and donner, to give over to the ban or proscription; or from a or ab and bandum, a flag or ensign.]
1. To forsake entirely; as to abandon a hopeless enterprize.
Wo to that generation by which the testimony of God shall be abandoned.
2. To renounce and forsake; to leave with a view never to return; to desert as lost or desperate; as to abandon a country; to abandon a cause or party.
3. To give up or resign without control, as when a person yields himself, without restraint, to a propensity; as to abandon one's self to intemperance. Abandoned over and abandoned of are obsolete.
4. To resign; to yield, relinquish, or give over entirely.
Verus abandoned the cares of empire to his wiser colleague.
5. In commerce, to relinquish to insurers all claim to a ship or goods insured, as a preliminary towards recovering for a total loss.
ABAN'DON, noun One who totally forsakes or deserts.
2. A relinquishment. [not used.]
Abandoned
ABAN'DONED, participle passive Wholly forsaken or deserted.
2. Given up, as to a vice; hence, extremely wicked, or sinning without restraint; irreclaimably wicked.
Abandoner
ABAN'DONER, noun One who abandons.
Abandoning
ABAN'DONING, participle present tense Forsaking or deserting wholly; renouncing; yielding one's self without restraint.
ABAN'DONING, noun A forsaking; total desertion
He hoped his past meritorious actions might outweigh his present abandoning the thought of future actions.
Abandonment
ABAN'DONMENT, noun
1. A total desertion; a state of being forsaken.
2. In commerce, the relinquishing to underwriters all the property saved from loss by shipwreck, capture or other peril stated in the policy. This abandonment must be made before the insured can demand indemnification for a total loss.
Abanga
ABAN'GA, noun The ady; a species of Palmtree. [See Ady.]
Abannition
ABANNI'TION, noun [Low Lat.]
A banishment for one or two years for manslaughter. [Not used.]
Abaptiston
ABAPTIS'TON, noun The perforating part of the trephine, an instrument used in trepanning.
Abare
ABA'RE, verb transitive [Sax abarian. See Bare.]
To make bare; to uncover. [Not in use.]
Abarticulation
ABARTICULA'TION, noun [See Articulate.]
In anatomy, that species of articulation or structure of joints, which admits of manifest or extensive motion; called also diarthrosis and dearticulation
Abas
ABAS', noun A weight in Persia used in weighing pearls, one eighth less than the European carat.
Abase
ABA'SE, verb transitive [Fr abaisser, from bas, low, or the bottom; W. bais; Latin and Gr. basis; Eng. base; It. Abbassare; Sp. bare, low. See Abash.]
1. The literal sense of abase is to lower or depress, to throw or cast down, as used by Bacon, 'to abase the eye.' But the word is seldom used in reference to material things.
2. To cast down; to reduce low; to depress; to humble; to degrade; applied to the passions, rank, office, and condition in life.
Those that walk in pride he is able to abase .
Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, . . .
Abased
ABA'SED, participle passive Reduced to a low state, humbled, degraded.
In heraldry, it is used of the wings of eagles, when the tops are turned downwards towards the point of the shield; or when the wings are shut, the natural way of bearing them being spread, with the top pointing to the chief of the angle.
Abasement
ABA'SEMENT, noun The act of humbling or bringing low; also a state of depression, degradation, or humiliation.
Abash
ABASH', verb transitive [Heb. and Ch. bosh, to be confounded, or ashamed.]
To make the spirits to fall; to cast down the countenance; to make ashamed; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, error, inferiority, _e.
They heard and were abashed.
Abashed
ABASH'ED, participle passive Confused with shame; confounded; put to silence; followed by at.
Abashing
ABASH'ING, participle present tense Putting to shame or confusion.
Abashment
ABASH'MENT, noun Confusion from shame. [Little used.]
Abasing
ABA'SING, participle present tense Humbling, depressing, bringing low.
Abassi
ABAS'SI, or ABAS'SIS, noun A silver coin of Persia, of the value of twenty cents, about ten pence sterling.
Abassis
ABAS'SI, or ABAS'SIS, noun A silver coin of Persia, of the value of twenty cents, about ten pence sterling.
Abatable
ABA'TABLE, adjective That may or can be abated; as an abatable writ or nuisance.
Abate
ABA'TE, verb transitive [Heb. Ch., to beat. The Saxon has the participle gebatod, abated. The prefix is sunk to a in abate and lost in beat. See Class Bd. No. 23, 33.]
1. To beat down; to pull down; to destroy in any manner; as to abate a nuisance.
2. To lessen; to diminish; to moderate; as to abate zeal; to abate pride; to abate a demand; to abate courage.
3. To lessen; to mitigate; as to abate pain or sorrow.
4. To overthrow; to cause to fail; to frustrate by judicial sentence; as to abate a writ.
5. To deject; to depress; as to abate the soul. obsolete
6. To deduct;
Nothing to add and nothing to abate
7. To cause to fail; to annul. By the English law, a legacy to a charity is abated by a deficiency of assets.
8. In Conneticut, to remit, as to abate a tax.
ABA'TE, verb intransitive To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as pain abates; a storm abates.
2. To fail; to be defeated, or come to naught; as a writ abates. By the civil law a legacy to a charity does not abate by deficiency of assets.
3. In law, to enter into a freehold after the death of the last occupant, and before the heir or devisee takes possession.
4. In horsemanship, to perform well a downward motion. A horse is said to abate or take down his curvets, when, working upon curvets, he puts both his hind legs to the ground at once, and observes the same exactness in all the times.
Abated
ABA'TED, participle passive Lessened; decreased; destroyed; mitigated; defeated; remitted; overthrown.
Abatement
ABA'TEMENT, noun
1. The act of abating; the state of being abated.
2. A reduction, removing, or pulling down as of a nuisance.
3. Diminution, decrease, or mitigation, as of grief or pain.
4. Deduction, sum withdraw, as from an account.
5. Overthrow, failure or defeat, as of a writ.
6. The entry of a stranger into a freehold after the death of the tenant, before the heir or devisee.
7. In heraldry, a mark of dishonor in a coat of arms, by which its dignity is debased for some stain on the character of the wearer.
Abater
ABA'TER, noun The person or thing that abates.
Abating
ABA'TING, participle present tense Pulling down, diminishing, defeating, remitting.
Abatis
AB'ATIS,
Rubbish. In fortification, piles of trees, or branches of trees sharpened, and laid with the points outward, in front of ramparts, to prevent assailants from mounting the walls.
Abator
ABA'TOR, noun A person who enters into a freehold on the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee
Abattis
AB'ATTIS, noun [from beating or pulling down.]
Abature
AB'ATURE, noun [from abate.] Grass beaten or trampled down by a stag in passing.
Abb
ABB, noun Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence abb-wool is wool for the abb
Abba
AB'BA, noun In the Chaldee and Syriac, a father, and figuratively a superior. appen.
In the Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopic churches, it is a title given to the Bishops, and the Bishops bestow the title, by way of distinction, on the Bishop of Alexandria. Hence the title Baba, or Papa, Pope or great father, which the Bishop of Alexandria bore, before the Bishop of Rome.
Abbacy
AB'BACY, noun [from abba, Low Lat, abbatia.] The dignity, rights and privileges of an abbot. It comprehends the government and revenues.
Abbatial
ABBA'TIAL, adjective Belonging to an abbey.
Abbatical
ABBAT'ICAL, adjective Belonging to an abbey.
Abbe
AB'BE, noun Ab'by, [from abba.]
In a monastic sense, the same as an abbot; but more generally, a title, in Catholic countries, without any determinate rang, office or rights. The abbes are numerous, and generally have some literary attainments; they dress as academics or scholars, and act as instructors, in colleges and private families; or as tutors to young gentlemen on their travels; and many of them become authors.
Abbess
AB'BESS, noun [from abba.]
A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the Monks. [See Abbey.]
Abbey
AB'BEY, noun plural abbeys, [from abba.]
A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion. The males are called monks, and governed by an abbot; the females are called nuns, and governed by an abbess. These institutions were suppressed in England by Henry VIII.; but they still exist in Catholic countries.
Abbey-Lubber
AB'BEY-LUBBER, noun A name given to monks, in contempt for their idleness.
Abbot
AB'BOT, noun [formerly abbat, from abba, latinized abbas, or from Heb. plural.]
The superior or governor of an abbey or monastery. Originally monasteries were founded in retired places, and the religious had no concern with secular affairs, being entirely subject to the prelates. But the abbots possessing most of the learning, in ages of ignorance, were called from their seclusion to aid the churches in opposing heresies; monasteries were founded in the vicinity of cities; the abbots became ambitious and set themselves to acquire wealth and honors; some of them assumed the miter, threw off their dependence on the bishops, and obtained seats in parliament. For many centuries, princes and noblemen bore the title of abbots. At present, in catholic countries, abbots are regular, or such as take the vow, and wear the habit of the order; and commendatory, such as are seculars, but obliged, when of suitable age, to take orders. The title is borne also by some persons, who have not the government of a monastery; as bishops, whose sees were formerly abbeys.
Abbotship
AB'BOTSHIP, noun The state of an abbot.
Abbreuvoir
ABBREUVOIR, noun [Fr. from abreuver, to water.]
Among masons, the joint between stones in a wall, to be filled with mortar. [I know not whether it is now used.]
Abbreviate
ABBRE'VIATE, verb transitive [from Latin abbrevio, brevio, from brevis, short]
1. To shorten; to make shorter by contracting the parts. [In this sense, not much used, nor often applied to material substances.]
2. To shorten; to abridge by the omission or defalcation of a part; to reduce to a smaller compass; as to abbreviate a writing.
3. In mathematics, to reduce fractions to the lowest terms.
Abbreviated
ABBRE'VIATED, participle passive
1. Shortened; reduced in length; abridged.
2. In botany an abbreviated perianth is shorter than the rube of the corol.
Abbreviating
ABBRE'VIATING, participle present tense Shortening; contracting in length or into a smaller compass.
Abbreviation
ABBREVIA'TION, noun
1. The act of shortening or contracting.
2. A letter or a few letters used for a word; as Gen. for Genesis; U.S.A. for United States of America.
3. The reduction of fractions to the lowest terms.
Abbreviator
ABBRE'VIATOR, noun One who abridges or reduces to a smaller compass.
Abbreviators
ABBRE'VIATORS, a college of seventy-two persons in the chancery of Rome, whose duty is to draw up the Pope's briefs, and reduce petitions, when granted, to a due form for bulls.
Abbreviatory
ABBRE'VIATORY, noun Shortening, contracting.
Abbreviature
ABBRE'VIATURE, noun A letter or character for shortening; an abridgment, a compend.
Abdals
AB'DALS, noun The name of certain fanatics in Persia, who, in excess of zeal, sometimes run into the streets, and attempt to kill all they meet who are of a different religion; and if they are slain for their madness, they think it meritorious to die, and by the vulgar are deemed martyrs.
Abderite
AB'DERITE, noun An inhabitant of Abdera, a maritime town in Thrace. Democritus is so called, from being a native of the place. As he was given to laughter, foolish or incessant laughter, is call abderian.
Abdicant
AB'DICANT, adjective [See Abdicate.] Abdicating; renouncing.
Abdicate
AB'DICATE, verb transitive [Latin abdica; ab and dico, to dedicate, to bestow, but the literal primary sense of dico is to send or thrust.]
1. In a general sense, to relinquish, renounce, or abandon.
2. To abandon an office or trust, without a formal resignation to those who conferred it, or without their consent; also to abandon a throne, without a formal surrender of the crown.
3. To relinquish an office before the expiration of the time of service.
4. To reject; to renounce; to abandon as a right.
5. To cast away; to renounce; as to abdicate our mental faculties [Unusual.]
6. In the civil law, to disclaim a son and expel him from the family, as a father; to disinherit during the life of the father.
AB'DICATE, verb intransitive To renounce; to abandon; to cast off; to relinquish, as a right, power, or trust.
Though a King may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for the monarchy.
Abdicated
AB'DICATED, participle passive Renounced; relinquished without a formal resignation; abandoned.
Abdicating
AB'DICATING, participle present tense Relinquishing without a formal resignation; abandoning.
Abdication
ABDICA'TION, noun
1. The act of abdicating; the abandoning of an office or trust, without a formal surrender, or before the usual or stated time of expiration.
2. A casting off; rejection.
Abdicative
AB'DICATIVE, adjective Causing or implying abdication. [Little used.]
Abditive
AB'DITIVE, adjective [Latin abdo, to hide; ab and do.] Having the power or quality of hiding. [Little used.]
Abditory
AB'DITORY, noun A place for secreting or preserving goods.
Abdomen
AB'DOMEN, or ABDO'MEN, noun [Latin perhaps abdo and omentum.]
1. The lower belly or that part of the body which lies between the thorax and the bottom of the pelvis. It is lined with a membrane called peritoneum, and contains the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, bladder and guts. It is separated from the breast internally by the diaphragm, and externally, by the extremities of the ribs. On its outer surface it is divided into four regions - the epigastric, the umbilical, the hypogastric and lumbar.
2. In insects, the lower part of the animal, united to the corslet by a thread. In some species, it is covered with wings, and a case. It is divided into segments and rings, on the sides of which are small spiracles by which the insect respires.
Abdominal
ABDOM'INAL, adjective Pertaining to the lower belly.
ABDOM'INAL, noun plural abdominals. In ichthyology the abdominals are a class of fish whose ventral fins are placed behind the pectoral, and which belong to the division of bony fish. The class contains nine genera - the loche, salmon, pike, argentine, atherine, mullet, flying fish, herring and carp.
ABDOM'INAL RING, or INGUINAL RING, an oblong tendinous ring in both groins through which pass the spermatic cord in men, and the round ligaments of the uterus in women.
Abdominous
ABDOM'INOUS, adjective Pertaining to the abdomen; having a large belly.
Abduce
ABDU'CE, verb transitive [Latin adduco, to lead away, of ab and duco, to lead. See Duke.]
To draw from; to withdraw, or draw to a different part; used chiefly in anatomy.
Abducent
ABDU'CENT, adjective Drawing from, pulling back; used of those muscles which pull back certain parts of the body, for separating, opening, or bending them. The abducent muscles, called abductors, are opposed to the adducent muscles or adductors.
Abduction
ABDUC'TION, noun
1. In a general sense, the act of drawing apart, or carrying away.
2. In surgery, a species of fracture, in which the broken parts recede from each other.
3. In logic, a kind of argumentation, called by the Greeks apagoge, in which the major is evident, but the minor is not so clear, as not to require farther proof. As in this syllogism, 'all whom God absolves are free from sin; God absolves all who are in Christ; therefore all who are in Christ are free from sin.'
4. In law, the taking and carrying away of a child, a ward, a wife, etc. either by fraud, persuasion, or open violence.
Abductor
ABDUC'TOR, noun In anatomy, a muscle which serves to withdraw, or pull back a certain part of the body; as the abductor oculi, which pulls the eye outwards.
Abear
ABEA'R, verb transitive abare, To bear; to behave. obsolete
Abearance
ABEA'RANCE, noun [from abear, now disused from bear, to carry.] Behavior, demeanor. [Little used.]
Abecedarian
ABECEDA'RIAN, noun [a word formed from the first four letters of the alphabet.] One who teaches the letters of the alphabet, or a learner of the letters.
Abecedary
ABECE'DARY, adjective Pertaining to, or formed by the letters of the alphabet.
Abed
ABED', adverb [See Bed.] On or in bed.
Abel-Tree
ABE'LE or ABEL-TREE noun An obsolete name of the while poplar. [See Poplar.]
Abele
ABE'LE or ABEL-TREE, noun An obsolete name of the while poplar. [See Poplar.]
Abelians
ABE'LIANS, ABELO'NIANS or A'BELITES, in Church history, a sect in Africa which arose in the reign of Areadius; they married, but lived in continence after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel, and attempted to maintain the sect by adopting the children of others.
Abelites
ABE'LIANS, ABELO'NIANS or A'BELITES, in Church history, a sect in Africa which arose in the reign of Areadius; they married, but lived in continence after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel, and attempted to maintain the sect by adopting the children of others.
Abelmosk
A'BELMOSK, noun A trivial name of a species of hibiscus, or Syrian mallow. The plant rises on a herbacceous stalk, three or four feet, sending out two or three side branches. The seeds have a musky odor, for which reason the Arabians mix them with coffee.
Abelonians
ABE'LIANS, ABELO'NIANS or A'BELITES, in Church history, a sect in Africa which arose in the reign of Areadius; they married, but lived in continence after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel, and attempted to maintain the sect by adopting the children of others.
Aberrance
ABER'RANCE, [Latin aberrans, aberro, to wander from; of ab and ABER'RANCY, erro, to wander.]
A wandering or deviating from the right way, but rarely used in a literal sense. In a figurative sense, a deviation from truth, error, mistake; and in morals, a fault, a deviation from rectitude.
Aberrant
ABER'RANT, adjective Wandering, straying from the right way. [Rarely used.]
Aberration
ABERRA'TION, noun [Latin aberratio.]
1. The act of wandering from the right way; deviation from truth or moral rectitude; deviation from a strait line.
2. In astronomy, a small apparent motion of the fixed stars, occasioned by the progressive motion of light and the earth's annual motion in its orbit. By this, they sometimes appear twenty seconds distant from their true situation.
3. In optics, a deviation in the rays of light when inflected by a lens or speculum, by which they are prevented from uniting in the same point. It is occasioned by the figure of the glass, or by the unequal refrangibility of the rays of light.
Crown of aberration a luminous circle surrounding the disk of the sun, depending on the aberration of its rays, by which its apparent diameter is enlarged.
Aberring
ABER'RING, part, adjective Wandering; going astray.
Aberruncate
ABERRUN'CATE, verb transitive [Latin averrunco.] To pull up by the roots; to extirpate utterly. [Not used.]
Abet
ABET' verb transitive [Sax. betan, gebatan; properly to push forward, to advance; hence to amend, to revive, to restore, to make better; and applied to fire, to increase the flame, to excite, to promote. Hence to aid by encouraging or instigating. Hence in Saxon, 'Na bete nan man that fyr.' Let no man bet, [better, excite] the fire, LL. Ina. 78.]
1. To encourage by aid or countenance, but now used chiefly in a bad sense. 'To abet an opinion, ' in the sense of support, is used by Bishop Cumberland; but this use is hardly allowable.
2. In law, to encourage, counsel, incite or assist in a criminal act.
ABET', noun The act of aiding or encouraging in a crime. [Not used.]
Abetment
ABET'MENT, noun The act of abetting.
Abetted
ABETTED, participle passive Incited, aided, encouraged to a crime.
Abetting
ABETTING, participle present tense Counselling, aiding or encouraging to a crime.
Abettor
ABETTOR, noun One who abets, or incites, aids or encourages another to commit a crime. In treason, there are no abettors; all persons concerned being principals.
Abevacuation
ABEVACUA'TION, noun [ab and evacuation.]
In medicine, a partial evacuation of morbid humors of the body, either by nature or art.
Abeyance
ABEY'ANCE, noun pronoun abayance. [Norm. abbaiaunce, or abaizance, in expectation; boyance, expectation. Qu. Fr. bayer, to gape, to look a long time with the mouth open; to stand looking in a silly manner. [See Bay]
In expectation or contemplation of law. The fee simple or inheritance of lands and tenements is in abeyance when there is no person in being in whom it can vest; so that it is in a state of expectancy or waiting until a proper person shall appear. Thus if land is leased to a man for life, remainder to another for years, the remainder for years is in abeyance till the death of the lessee, for life.
Abhor
ABHOR', verb transitive [L abhorreo, of ab and horreo, to set up bristles, shiver or shake; to look terrible.]
1. To hate extremely, or with contempt; to lothe, detest or abominate.
2. To despise or neglect. . .
3. To cast off or reject. Ps. lxxix. 38.
Abhorred
ABHOR'RED, participle passive Hated extremely, detested.
Abhorrence
ABHOR'RENCE, noun Extreme hatred, detestation, great aversion.
Abhorrency
ABHOR'RENCY, noun Extreme hatred, detestation, great aversion.
Abhorrent
ABHOR'RENT, adjective
1. Hating, detesting, struck with abhorrence.
2. Contrary, odious, inconsistent with, expressive of extreme opposition, as, 'Slander is abhorrent to all ideas of justice.' In this sense, it should be always followed by to - abhorrent from is not agreeable to the English idiom.
Abhorrently
ABHOR'RENTLY, adverb With abhorrence.
Abhorrer
ABHOR'RER, noun One who abhors.
Abhorring
ABHOR'RING, participle present tense Having great aversion, detesting. As a noun, it is used in Isaiah lxvi, for the object of hatred - 'An abhorring to all flesh.'
Abib
A'BIB, noun [Heb. swelling, protuberant. To produce the first or early fruit; a full grown ear of corn.]
The first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, called also Nisan. It begins at the spring equinox, and answers to the latter part of March and beginning of April. Its name is derived from the full growth of wheat in Egypt, which took place anciently, as it does now, at that season.
Abide
ABI'DE, verb intransitive pert. and part. abode.
abada, to be, or exist, to continue; W. bod, to be; to dwell, rest, continue, stand firm, or be stationary for anytime indefinitely. Class Bd. No 7.]
1. To rest, or dwell. .
2. To tarry or stay for a short time. .
3. To continue permanently or in the same state; to be firm and immovable. .
4. To remain, to continue. . .
ABI'DE, verb transitive
1. To wait for; to be prepared for; to await.
Bonds and afflictions abide me. .
[For is here understood.]
2. To endure or sustain.
To abide the indignation of the Lord. .
3. To bear or endure; to bear patiently. 'I cannot abide his impertinence.'
This verb when intransitive, is followed by in or at before the place, and with before the person. 'Abide with me - at Jerusalem or in this land.' Sometimes by on, the sword shall abide on his cities; and in the sense of wait, by far, abide for me. . Sometimes by by, abide by the crib. .
In general, abide by signifies to adhere to, maintain defend, or stand to, as to abide by a promise, or by a friend; or to suffer the consequences, as to abide by the event, that is, to be fixed or permanent in a particular condition.
Abider
ABI'DER, noun One who dwells or continues.
Abiding
ABI'DING, participle present tense Dwelling; remaining; continuing; enduring; awaiting.
ABI'DING, noun Continuance; fixed state; residence; an enduring.
Abidingly
ABI'DINGLY, adverb In a manner to continue; permanently.
Ability
ABIL'ITY, noun [Latin habilitas, ableness, fitness, from habeo, to have or hold.]
1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental; natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. ability is active power, or power to perform; as opposed to capacity, or power to receive. In the plural, abilities is much used in a like sense; and also for faculties of the mind, and acquired qualifications.
2. Riches, wealth, substance, which are the means, or which furnish the power, of doing certain acts.
They gave after their ability to the work. .
3. Moral power, depending on the will - a metaphysical and theological sense.
4. Civil or legal power, the power or right to do certain things, as an ability to transfer property or dispose of effects - ability to inherit. It is opposed to disability.
Abintestate
ABINTEST'ATE, adjective [Latin ab and intestatus - dying without a will, from in and tester, to bear witness; W. tyst; Arm. test, witness. See Test and Testify.]
In the civil law, inheriting the estate of one dying without a will.
Abject
ABJECT', verb transitive To throw away; to cast out. obsolete
AB'JECT, adjective [Latin abjectus, from abjicio, to throw away, from ab and jacio, to throw.]
1. Sunk to a low condition; applied to persons or things. Hence.
2. Worthless, mean, despicable, low in estimation, without hope or regard.
AB'JECT, noun A person in the lowest condition and despicable. .
Abjectedness
ABJECT'EDNESS, noun A very low or despicable condition. [Little used.]
Abjection
ABJEC'TION, noun A state of being cast away, hence a low state; meanness of spirit; baseness.
Abjectly
AB'JECTLY, adverb In a contemptible manner; meanly; servilely.
Abjectness
AB'JECTNESS, noun the state of being abject; meanness; servility.
Abjuration
ABJURA'TION, noun [See Abjure.]
1. The act of abjuring; a renunciation upon oath; as 'an abjuration of the realm, ' by which a person swears to leave the country, and never to return. It is used also for the oath of renunciation. Formerly in England, felons, taking refuge in a church, and confessing their guilt, could not be arrested and tried, but might save their lives by abjuring the realm; that is by taking an oath to quit the kingdom forever.
2. A rejection or denial with solemnity; a total abandonment; as 'an abjuration of heresy.'
Abjure
ABJU'RE, verb transitive [Latin abjuro, to deny upon oath, from ab and juro, to swear.]
1. To renounce upon oath; to abandon; as to abjure allegiance to a prince.
2. To renounce or reject with solemnity; to reject; as to abjure errors; abjure reason.
3. To recant or retract.
4. To banish. [Not used.]
Abjured
ABJU'RED, participle passive Renounced upon oath; solemnly recanted.
Abjurer
ABJU'RER, noun One who abjures.
Abjuring
ABJU'RING, participle present tense Renouncing upon oath; disclaiming with solemnity.
Abjurratory
ABJUR'RATORY, adjective Containing abjuration
Ablactate
ABLAC'TATE, verb transitive [Latin ablacto; from ab and lac, milk.] to wean from the breast. [Little used.]
Ablactation
ABLACTA'TION, noun [Latin ab and lae, milk. Lacto, to suckle.]
1. In medical authors, the weaning of a child from the breast.
2. Among ancient gardeners, a method of grafting in which the cion was not separated from the parent stock, till it was firmly united to that in which it was inserted. This is now called grafting by approach or inarching. [See Graft.]
Ablaqueation
ABLAQUEA'TION, [Latin ablaqueatio, from ab and laquear, a roof or covering.]
A laying bare the roots of trees to expose them to the air and water - a practice among gardeners.
Ablation
ABLA'TION, noun [Latin ab and latio, a carrying.]
A carrying away. In medicine, the taking from the body whatever is hurtful; evacuations in general. In chimistry, the removal of whatever is finished or no longer necessary.
Ablative
AB'LATIVE, adjective [Latin ablativus; Latin ablatus, from aufero, to carry away, of ab and fero.]
A word applied to the sixth case of nouns in the Latin language, in which case are used words when the actions of carrying away, or taking from, are signified.
Ablative absolute, is when a word in that case, is independent, in construction, of the rest of the sentence.
Able
ABLE, adjective a'bl. [Latin habitis]
1. Having physical power sufficient; having competent power or strength, bodily or mental; as a man able to perform military service - a child is not able to reason on abstract subjects.
2. Having strong or unusual powers of mind, or intellectual qualifications; as an able minister.
Provide out of all Israel able men. .
3. Having large or competent property; or simply have property, or means.
Every man shall give as he is able .
4. Having competent strength or fortitude.
He is not able to sustain such pain or affliction.
5. Having sufficient knowledge or skill.
He is able to speak French.
She is not able to play on the piano.
6. Having competent moral power or qualifications.
An illegitimate son is not able to take by inheritance.
Able-Bodied
A'BLE-BODIED, adjective Having a sound strong body, or a body of competent strength for service. In marine language, it denotes skill in seamanship.
Ablen
AB'LEN, or AB'LET, noun A small fresh water fish, the bleak.
Ableness
A'BLENESS, noun Ability of body or mind; force; vigor; capability.
Ablepsy
AB'LEPSY, noun Want of sight; blindness.
Abler
A'BLER, and A'BLEST, comparative and superlative of able.
Ablest
A'BLER, and A'BLEST, comparative and superlative of able.
Ablet
AB'LEN, or AB'LET, noun A small fresh water fish, the bleak.
Ablocate
AB'LOCATE, verb transitive [Latin abloco, ab and loco, to let our.] To let out; to lease.
Ablocation
ABLOCA'TION, noun A letter to hire.
Ablude
ABLU'DE, verb transitive [Latin abludo, ab and ludo, to play.]
To be unlike; to differ. [Not used.]
Abluent
AB'LUENT, adjective [Latin abluo, to wash away; ab and luo, or lavo, to wash.]
Washing clean; cleansing by water or liquids. [Little used except as a noun.]
AB'LUENT, noun In medicine, that which thins, purifies or sweetens the blood. [See diluent and Abstergent.]
Ablution
ABLU'TION, noun [Latin ablutio, from ab and luo or lavo to wash.]
1. In a general sense, the act of washing; a cleansing or purification by water.
2. Appropriately, the washing of the body as a preparation for religious duties, enjoined by Moses and still practiced in many countries.
3. In chimistry, the purification of bodies by the affusion of a proper liquor, as water to dissolve salts.
4. In medicine, the washing of the body externally as by baths; or internally, by diluting fluids.
5. Pope has used ablution for the water used in cleansing.
6. The cup given to the laity without consecration, in popish churches.
Ably
A'BLY, adverb In an able manner; with great ability.
Abnegate
AB'NEGATE, verb transitive To deny. [Not used.]
Abnegation
ABNEGA'TION, noun [Latin abnego, to deny, from ab and nego; Eng. nay; Latin nee, not.] A denial; a renunciation; self-denial.
Abnegator
AB'NEGATOR, noun One who denies, renounces, or opposes any thing.
Abnodation
ABNODA'TION, noun [Latin abnodo; ab and nodus, a knot.] The act of cutting away the knots of trees.
Abnormity
ABNORM'ITY, noun [Latin abnormis, irregular; ab and norma, a rule.] Irregularity; deformity. [Little used.]
Abnormous
ABNORM'OUS, adjective [Latin abnormis, supra.] Irregular; deformed. [Little used.]
Aboard
ABOARD, adverb [a and board. See Board.] Within a ship, vessel, or boat.
To go aboard to enter a ship, to embark.
To fall aboard to strike a ship's side.
ABOARD main tack, an order to draw a corner of the main-sail down to the chess-tree.
Abodance
ABO'DANCE, noun [from bode.] An omen. [Not used.]
Abode
ABO'DE, preterit tense of abide
ABO'DE, noun [See Abide.]
1. Stay; continuance in a place; residence for a longer or shorter time.
2. A place of continuance; a dwelling; a habitation.
3. To make abode to dwell or reside.
ABO'DE, verb transitive [See Bode.] To foreshow.
ABO'DE, verb intransitive To be an omen
Abodement
ABO'DEMENT, noun [from body.] A secret anticipation of something future.
Aboding
ABO'DING, noun Presentiment; prognostication.