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'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.Ăb'gre-gā'tion, n. p. 4Separation from a herd or flock. [Obs.] Smart.Āb'hāl, n. p. 4An East Indian fruit obtained from a species of cypress. Dunglison.