Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ab'bess, n. p. 3A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. See ABBEY.Ab'bey, n. p. 3A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy. ☞ The males are called monks, and governed by an abbot; the females are called nuns, and…Ab'bot, n. p. 3The superior or governor of an abbey. ☞ 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…Ăb'bot-ship, n. p. 3The state or office of an abbot.Ab-brē'vi-āte, v. t. p. 3To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission. It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. Bacon. 2. (Math.) To reduce to lower terms, as a…Ab-brĕ′vi-ate, n. p. 3An abridgment. [Obs.] Elyot.Aᵇ-brē'vi-ate, a. p. 3(Bot.) Having one part relatively shorter than another. London.Ab-brē'vi-ā'tion, n. p. 3The act of abbreviating, shortening, or reducing. 2. The form to which a word or phrase is reduced by contraction and omission; a letter or a combination of letters, standing for a word or phrase of…Ab-brē'vi-ā'tor, n. p. 3One who abbreviates or reduces to a smaller compass. Grafton. 2. One of a college of seventy-two persons in the chancery of Rome, whose duty is to draw up the pope's briefs, and reduce petitions…Ab-brē′vi-a-to-ry, a. p. 3Abbreviating; shortening; contracting. Todd.Ab-brē′vi-ā-tūre, n. p. 3An abbreviation. [Obs.] Written with characters and abbreviatures. Bp. Taylor. 2. An abridgment or compend. An excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Bp. Taylor.Abb'-wool, n. p. 3Wool for the abb or warp;—a term in use among weavers and clothiers.A, B, C p. 3The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole alphabet. A-B-C book, a little book for teaching the elements of reading. Shak.Ăb'dal, n. p. 3One of a class of religious devotees in Persia, corresponding to a dervise in Turkey.Ab-dē'ri-an, a. p. 3Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.Ab'de-rīte, n. p. 3An inhabitant of Abdera, a maritime town in Thrace. The Abderite, Democritus, the laughing philosopher, a native of Abdera.Ăb'dest, n. p. 3Purification by washing;—a Mohammedan rite. Heyse.Ab'di-cant, n. p. 3One who abdicates. Smart.Ab'di-cāte, v. t. p. 3To give up right or claim to; to forfeit by voluntary act; to withdraw definitively from filling or exercising, as an office or trust; to surrender formally, as a crown; to renounce; to relinquish.…Ab'di-cāte, v. i. p. 3To relinquish a right, power, or trust, and the like; to renounce; to cast off. Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he can not abdicate for the monarchy. Burke.Ab'di-cā'tion, n. p. 3The act of abdicating; the abandoning of an office, right, or trust, without a formal surrender, or before the usual or stated time of expiration; renunciation; relinquishment. The consequences drawn…Ab'di-cā'tive, a. p. 3Causing, or implying, abdication. Bailey.Āb'di-tīve, a. p. 3Having the power or quality of hiding. [Rare.] Bailey.Ab'di-to-ry, n. p. 3A place for secreting or preserving goods. Cowell.Ab-dō'men, n. p. 3(Anat.) The belly, or that part of the body between the diaphragm and the inner surface of the pelvis: it contains the stomach and other viscera. Also, often restricted to the part between the…Ab-dōm'i-nal, a. p. 3Pertaining to the abdomen.Ab-dŏm'i-nal, n. p. 3(Ichth.) One of a group of malacopterygious fishes, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals, as the parr. They comprehend the greater part of fresh water fishes.Ab-dŏm'ĭ-nŏs'co-py, n. p. 3(Med.) Examination of the abdomen in order to detect disease. Dunglison.Ab-dŏm′i-noŭs, a. p. 3Having a large belly; pursy. Gorgonius sits abdominous and wan, Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan. Cowper.Ab-dūçe', v. t. p. 3To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part. If we abduce the eye into either corner, the object will not duplicate. Browne.Ab-dū'cent, a. p. 3(Anat.) Drawing away or out; as, the abducent muscles, or abductors, which are opposed to the adducent muscles, called adductors.Ab-dūct’, v. t. p. 3To take away surreptitiously or by force; to withdraw illegally; as, the child was secretly abducted.Ab-dūc'tion, n. p. 3The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart, or carrying away. Roget. 2. (Surg.) (a.) The movement which separates a limb or other part from the axis of the body. (b.) A transverse fracture, in…Ab-dūc'tor, n. p. 3A person guilty of abduction. 2. (Anal.) A muscle which serves to draw a part out or from the median line of the body; as, the abductor oculi, which draws the eye outward.A-bēam', adv. p. 3(Naut.) On the beam, i. e., at right angles to the ship's keel.A-bear', v. t. p. 3To bear; to behave. [Obs.] So did the faery knight himself abear. Spenser.A-beâr'ançe, n. p. 3Behavior; demeanor. Blackstone.Ā'be-çe-dā'ri-an, n. p. 3One who teaches or learns the letters of the alphabet. Cockerman.Ā/be-çē'da-ry or Ā/be-çē-dā'ri-an, a. p. 3Pertaining to, or formed by, the letters of the alphabet. Abecedarian psalms, hymns, &c., compositions in which (like the 119th psalm) distinct portions have the verses commence with successive…A-bĕd’, adv. p. 3On, or in, bed. Spenser.A-bēle' or A'bel-tree, n. p. 3The white poplar (Populus alba). Loudon.A-bĕl'i-an or Āʹbel-ite or Ab'e-lō'ni-an, n. p. 3(Eccl. Hist.) One of a reputed temporary sect in Africa, mentioned only by Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence, after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel, and…A'bel-mōsk, n. p. 3(Bot.) The musk-mallow (Abelmoschus moschatus), or Syrian mallow, which produces seeds of a musky odor, often used in the East for giving flavor to coffee, and also in perfumery. Lindley.A-bĕr'de-vīne, n. p. 3(Ornith.) The European siskin (Carduelis spinus), a small green and yellow finch, belonging to the same sub-species as the goldfinch of England. Brande.Ab-ērr′, v. i. p. 3To wander; to stray; to err. [Obs.] Aberring several ways from the true and just compute. Browne.Ab-ěr'rance or Ab-ěr'ran-cy, n. p. 3A deviation from truth or from rectitude. Browne.Ab-ěr'rant, a. p. 3Wandering; straying from the right way. 2. Deviating widely from the type of a natural group; exceptional; abnormal; as, an aberrant animal, plant, and the like. Carpenter.Ăb'ěr-rāte, v. i. p. 3To wander; to deviate from the right way. [Rare.] The product of their own defective and aberrating vision. De Quincey.Ăb'er-rā'tion, n. p. 3The act of wandering; deviation, especially from truth or moral rectitude, or from the natural state. “The aberrations of youth.” Hall. “Aberrations from theory.” Burke. Whims, which at first are the…Ab'e-rūn'cāte, v. t. p. 4To pull up by the roots; to extirpate utterly. [Obs.] Bailey.Ăb'e-rūn'ea-tor, n. p. 4A weeding machine.A-bĕt', v. t. p. 4To encourage by aid or countenance;—formerly used in a good, but now chiefly in a bad sense. “The whole tribe abets the villainy.” South. Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed…A-bĕt', n. p. 4Act of abetting or aiding. [Obs.] Chaucer.A-bĕt'ment, n. p. 4The act of abetting; as, the abetment of friends.A-bĕt'tal, n. p. 4The act of abetting or encouraging. [Rare.] Bailey.A-bĕt'tor, n. p. 4One who abets, instigates, or incites, aids, or encourages another to commit a crime. See ACCESSORY. Bouvier. Syn. — ABETTOR, ACCESSORY, ACCOMPLICE. These words denote different degrees of complicity…Ăb'e-văc-ū-ā'tion, n. p. 4(Med.) (a.) An imperfect evacuation. (b.) An immoderate evacuation. Dunglison.A-be̱y'ançe, n. p. 4Expectation or contemplation of law. ☞ When there is no person in existence in whom an inheritance can vest, it is said to be in abeyance, that is, in expectation; the law always considering it…A-be̱y'ant, a. p. 4In a state of abeyance or suspension.Ăb'gre-gāte, v. t. p. 4To separate from a herd. [Obs.] Ash.