Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
A-bòr'tive-ness, n. p. 5The state of being abortive; a failing in the progress to perfection or maturity. Ogilvie.A-bŏrt’ment, n. p. 5An untimely birth. [Obs.] Those deserted mineral riches must ever lie buried as lost abortments. Bacon.A-bound', v. i. p. 5[Lat. abūndāre, to overflow, abound, from ab and unda, wave, stream, crowd; Fr. abonder, Pr. abondar; abundar, Sp. abundar, It. abbondare. 1. To be in great plenty; to be very prevalent. Where sin…A-bout', prep. p. 5On the exterior part or surface of; on every side of; all over or around; in a circle surrounding; round. Bind them about thy neck. Prov. iii. 3. 2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over…A-bout′, adv. p. 6On all sides; around. And all about found desolate. Milton. 2. In circuit; around the outside; following or measuring the exterior surface or edge; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across. 3.…A-bout'-slĕdge, n. p. 6The largest hammer used by smiths. Weale.A-bôve', prep. p. 6Higher in place. The fowls that fly above the earth. Gen. i. 20. 2. Superior to in any respect; surpassing; beyond; as, things above comprehension; above mean actions. I saw in the way a light from…A-bōve', adv. p. 6In a higher place; overhead; in or from heaven; as, the clouds above. Every good gift . . . is from above. Jas. 1. 17. 2. Before in rank or order. “That was said above.” Dryden. 3. Higher in rank or…A-bŏve'-bōard, adv. p. 6Above the board or table; hence, in open sight; without trick, concealment, or deception. ☞ This expression is said by Johnson to be borrowed from gamesters, who, when they change their cards, put…A-bôve'-cit'ed, a. p. 6Cited before, in the preceding part of a book or writing.A-bôve'-dĕck, a. p. 6On deck; and hence, without artifice. Smart.A-bôve'-mên'tioned, a. p. 6Mentioned before.A-bôve'-said, a. p. 6Mentioned or recited before.A-bôve'-stâirs, adv. p. 6On the floor above.Ab'ra-ca-dâb'râ, n. p. 6A cabalistic word among the ancients. It was written in successive lines in the form of an inverted triangle, each line being shorter by a letter than the one above, till the last letter A formed the…A-brāde', v. t. p. 6To rub or wear off; to waste by friction. Hale.A-brāde', v. t. p. 6Same as ABRAID. Spenser.Ā'bra-hām'ic, a. p. 6Pertaining to Abraham, the patriarch; as, the Abrahamic covenant. Mason.Ā'bra-ham-ĭt'ic-al, a. p. 6Relating to Abraham. Ogilvie.Ā'bra-ham-măn, n. p. 6One of a set of impostors who wandered over England, after the dissolution of the religious houses, feigning lunacy for the sake of obtaining alms. Nares. To sham Abraham, to feign sickness.…A-brāid', v. t. p. 6To awake; to arouse. [Obs.] For fear lest her unwares she should abraid. Spenser.A-brăn'chi-an, n. p. 6(Zool.) One of an order of annelids, so called because the species composing it, including worms and leeches, have no external organs of respiration. Brande.A-brăn'chi-ate, a. p. 6(Zöol.) Having no gills. Owen.A-brāse', a. p. 6Made clean by rubbing. [Obs.] “An abrase table.” B. Jonson.Ab-rā'sion, n. p. 6The act of abrading, wearing, or rubbing off. 2. The substance rubbed off. Berkeley. 3. (Med.) A superficial excoriation, with loss of substance under the form of small shreds. Dunglison.A-brūm', n. p. 6A red ocher used to darken mahogany. Simmonds.A-brăx'as, n. p. 6A mystical word engraved on gems among the ancients. 2. A gem or stone thus engraved.A-brāy', v. i. p. 6To start up; to awaken. [Obs.] “He out of sleep abrayèd.” Spenser.Ăb'ra-zit'ic, a. p. 6(Min.) Not effervescing when melted before a blowpipe. Ogilvie.A-brĕast’, adv. p. 6Side by side, with breasts in a line; as, two men rode abreast. 2. (Naut.) Opposite to; off; over against; — with of; as, abreast of Montauk Point. 3. At the same time; simultaneously. [Obs.] Abreast…Ăb're-nounce', v. t. p. 6To renounce; to reject. [Obs.] They abrenounce and cast them off as though they hated them. Latimer.Ăb/re-nŭn'ci-ā'tion, n. p. 6Absolute renunciation or denial. [Obs.] An abrenunciation of that truth which he so long had professed, and still believed. Fuller.Ab-rép'tion, n. p. 6A carrying away; the state of being seized and carried away.A-breu-voir', n. p. 6A receptacle for water. Jodrell. 2. (Masonry.) The joint between stones, to be filled with mortar. Gwilt.Ă'brĭ-cock, n. p. 6See APRICOT.A-bridg'ed, v. t. p. 6To make shorter; to shorten. To what purpose serve these abridged cloaks? W. Scott. 2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense in substance; to epitomize; as, Justin…A-bridg'er, n. p. 6One who abridges.A-brĭd'g'ment, n. p. 6That which abridges or cuts short. [Obs.] “Look where my abridgment comes” [i. e., that which cuts short my speech]. Shak. 2. That which diminishes; a reduction or deprivation; as, an abridgment of…A-brōach', v. t. p. 6To let out, as liquor from a cask; to broach; to tap. [Obs.] Chaucer.A-brōach', adv. p. 6Broached; letting out or yielding liquor, or in a condition for letting out; as, a cask is abroach. Hogsheads of ale were set abroach. W. Scott. 2. Hence, in a state to be diffused or propagated.…A-broad', adv. p. 6At large; widely; without confinement within narrow limits; over a wide space; as, a tree spreads its branches abroad. “The fox roams far abroad.” Prior. Hence, 2. Beyond or out of a house, camp, or…Ab'ro-ga-ble, a. p. 6Capable of being abrogated.Ab'ro-gāte, v. t. p. 6To annul by an authoritative act; to abolish by the authority of the maker or his successor;—applied to the repeal of laws, decrees, ordinances, the abolition of established customs, &c. Let us see…Ab'ro-gate, a. p. 6Abrogated or annulled. [Obs.]Ăb'ro-gā'tion, n. p. 6The act of abrogating; repeal by authority. Hume.A-brōod’, adv. p. 6In the act of brooding. [Obs.] Sancroft.A-brōok', v. t. p. 6To brook; to endure. [Obs.] Shak.A-brŏt'a-nŭm, n. p. 6(Bot.) A species of artemisia (A. abrotanum), commonly called southernwood. London.Ab-rŭpt′, a. p. 6Broken, steep, craggy, as rocks, precipices, and the like; precipitous. “Tumbling through rocks abrupt.” Thomson. 2. Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden. “Your abrupt departure.”…Ab-rŭpt’, n. p. 6An abrupt place. [Rare.] “Over the vast abrupt.” Milton.Ab-rūpt', v. t. p. 6To tear off or asunder. [Obs.] “Till death abrupts them.” Browne.Ab-rŭp'tion, n. p. 6A sudden breaking off; a violent separation of bodies. Woodward.Ab-rŭpt'ly, adv. p. 6In an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly. Abruptly pinnate (Bot.), pinnate without an odd leaflet at the end. Gray.Ab-rúpt'ness, n. p. 6The state of being abrupt or broken; craggedness; steepness. 2. Suddenness; unceremonious haste or vehemence; as, abruptness of style or manner.Ăb'scess, n. p. 6(Med.) A collection of pus or purulent matter in an accidental cavity of the body.Ab-scĕs’sion, n. p. 6An abscess. [Obs.] Barrough.Ab-scĭnd′, v. t. p. 6To cut off. [Rare.] “Two syllables . . . abscinded from the rest.” Johnson.Ab'sciss, n. p. 6See ABSCISSA.Ab-sçis'să, n. p. 6(Geom.) One of the elements of reference by which a point, as of a curve, is referred to a system of fixed rectilineal coordinate axes. When referred to two intersecting axes, one of them called the…Ab-scis'sion, n. p. 6The act or process of cutting off. “Not to be cured without the abscission of a member.” Taylor. 2. The state of being cut off. Browne. 3. (Rhet.) A figure of speech, when, having begun to say a…