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An American Dictionary of the English Language

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

  1. Ăb'la-tīve, a.p. 4Taking away or removing. [Obs.] Where the heart is forestalled with misopinion, ablative directions are first necessary to unteach error, ere we can learn truth. Hall. 2. (Gram.) Applied to the sixth…
  2. Ăb'lă-tīve, n.p. 4(Gram.) The sixth case of Latin nouns, used to express the relations denoted in English by the words from, with, in, or by. Ablative absolute, a peculiar construction in Latin grammar, in which a…
  3. A-blāze', adv.p. 5On fire; in a blaze. Milman. 2. Hence, in a state of eagerness or ardent desire. The young Cambridge democrats were all ablaze to assist Torrijos. Carlyle.
  4. Ā'ble, a.p. 5Having ability or competency of any and every kind; possessing sufficient physical or mental power for the accomplishment of some object; having property, means, skill, dexterity, influence…
  5. Ā'ble, v. t.p. 5To enable. [Obs.] Chaucer. 2. To uphold or back up. “I'll able them.” Shak.
  6. Ā'ble-bōd'ied, a.p. 5Having a sound, strong body; robust.
  7. Ăb'le-gāte, v. t.p. 5To send abroad. [Obs.] Bailey.
  8. Ăb'le-gā'tion, n.p. 5The act of sending abroad. [Obs.] — H. More.
  9. Ab'len or Ab'let, n.p. 5A small fresh-water fish; the bleak; Leuciscus alburnus.
  10. Ā'ble-ness, n.p. 5Ability of body or mind; force; vigor. [Rare.]
  11. Ăb'lep-sy, n.p. 5Want of sight; blindness.
  12. Ā'blet, a.p. 5comp. of able.
  13. Ā'blest, a., superl.p. 5of able.
  14. Āb'li-gāte, v. t.p. 5To tie up so as to hinder from. [Obs.]
  15. Ăb'li-gā'tion, n.p. 5A tying up from. Smart.
  16. Ab-lĭg/ū-ri'tion, n.p. 5Prodigal expense for food. Johnson.
  17. Ăb'lo-cāte, v. t.p. 5To let out to hire; to lease. Calvin's Lex. Jur.
  18. Āb'lo-cā'tion, n.p. 5The act of leasing, or letting out to hire. Bailey.
  19. A·bloom', adv.p. 5In a blooming state. Masson.
  20. Ab-lūde', v. t.p. 5To be unlike; to differ from. [Obs.] Hall.
  21. Ăb'lu-ent, a.p. 5Washing clean; cleansing by water or other liquid.
  22. Ăb'lu·ent, n.p. 5(Med.) Something reputed to have the power of purifying the blood; a detergent.
  23. Ab-lū'tion, n.p. 5The act of washing; specifically, the washing of the body as a preparation for religious duties, practiced in many countries. 2. The water used in cleansing. “Cast the ablutions in the main.” Pope.…
  24. Ab-lū'tion-a-ry, a.p. 5Pertaining to ablution.
  25. Ab-lū'vi-on, n.p. 5That which is washed off. Dwight.
  26. Ā'bly, adv.p. 5In an able manner; with great ability.
  27. Ăb'ne-gāte, v. t.p. 5To deny and reject. Wm. H. Seward.
  28. Ăb'ne-gā'tion, n.p. 5A denial; a renunciation. With abnegation of God, of his honor, and of religion, they may retain the friendship of the court. Knox.
  29. Ăb'ne-gā'tive, a.p. 5Denying; renouncing; negative. [Rare.] Clarke.
  30. Ăb'ne-gā'tor, n.p. 5One who abnegates, denies, or rejects any thing. Syn. See
  31. Āb'net, n.p. 5The girdle of a Jewish priest. Kitto.
  32. Ăb'no-dāte, v. t.p. 5To cut knots from. Blount.
  33. Ăb'no-dā'tion, n.p. 5The act of cutting away the knots of trees. Bailey.
  34. Ab-nôr'mal, a.p. 5Not conformed to rule; contrary to any law or system; irregular. Trench.
  35. Ab-nôr'mi-ty, n.p. 5The state or quality of being abnormal; irregularity; deformity. Bailey.
  36. Ab-nôr'mous, a.p. 5Abnormal; irregular. [Obs.] A character of a more abnormous cast than his equally suspected coadjutor. State Trials.
  37. A-bōard', adv.p. 5Within a ship, vessel, or boat. To fall aboard (Naut.), to strike a ship’s side.—Aboard main tack, an order to draw a corner of the mainsail down to the chess-tree. Totten.
  38. A-bōard', prep.p. 5On board of; as, to go aboard a ship. 2. Across; athwart. [Obs. and rare.] Nor iron bands aboard The Pontic Sea by their huge navy cast. Spencer.
  39. A-bōd'ance, n.p. 5An omen. [Obs.]
  40. A-bōde', pret.p. 5of abide.
  41. A-bōde', n.p. 5Stay or continuance in a place for a longer or shorter time. And with her fled away without abode. Spencer. 2. A place of continuance; a dwelling; a habitation. We will come and make our abode with…
  42. A-bōde', v. t.p. 5To foreshow. Shak.
  43. A-bōde', v. i.p. 5To be an omen. Dryden.
  44. A-bōde'ment, n.p. 5An ominous presentiment. “Abodements must not now affright us.” Shak.
  45. A-bōd'ing, n.p. 5Presentiment; prognostication.
  46. Āb'o-lēte, a.p. 5Old; out of use. [Obs.]
  47. A-bŏl'ish, v. t.p. 5To put an end to; to terminate; to do away with; hence, to annul or destroy; to make void; to annihilate; as, to abolish laws, contracts, rites, and the like; to abolish slavery. His quick…
  48. A-bŏl'ish-a-ble, a.p. 5Capable of being abolished.
  49. A-bŏl'ish-er, n.p. 5One who abolishes.
  50. A-bŏl'ish-ment, n.p. 5The act of abolishing; abrogation; destruction. Hooker.
  51. Ăb'o-lĭ'tion, n.p. 5The act of abolishing, or the state of being abolished; an annulling; abrogation; utter destruction; as, the abolition of the slave-trade; the abolition of laws, decrees, ordinances, rites, customs…
  52. Ab'o-lĭ'tion-ism, n.p. 5The principles or measures of abolitionists. Wilberforce.
  53. Ab'o-lĭ'tion-ist, n.p. 5A person who favors the abolition of any institution, especially slavery.
  54. Ăb'o-lĭ'tion-ize, v. t.p. 5To imbue with the principles of abolitionism. Bartlett.
  55. A·bŏl'la, n.p. 5A military robe of thick woolen stuff in use among the ancient Greeks and Romans. Wm. Smith.
  56. A-bō'mā, n.p. 5A large serpent in the marshes of South America. Craig.
  57. Ăb'o-mā'sum, n.p. 5[N. Lat. abomasum, abomasus,
  58. Ab'o-mā'susp. 5(Anat.) The fourth stomach of a ruminant animal.
  59. A-bŏm'i-na-ble, a.p. 5Worthy of, or causing, imprecation or abhorrence; very hateful; detestable; loathsome; execrable; odious. All monstrous, all prodigious things, abominable. Milton. 2. Excellent; superior; excessive.…
  60. A-bŏm'i-na-ble-ness, n.p. 5The quality or state of being abominable; hatefulness.