Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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…Ab-scŏnd', v. i. p. 7To retire from public view; to secrete one's self; — used especially of persons who withdraw to avoid a legal process; as, an absconding debtor. 2. To hide, withdraw, or be concealed. The marmot…Ab-scŏnd', v. t. p. 7To hide or conceal. [Rare.] Bentley.Ab-scŏnd'ançe, n. p. 7Concealment. Phillips.Ab-scŏnd'er, n. p. 7One who absconds.Ab'sence, n. p. 7A state of being absent or withdrawn from a place or from companionship. The advantage of his absence took the king. Shak. 2. Want; destitution. “In the absence of conventional law.” Kent. 3.…Ab'sent, a. p. 7Withdrawn from, or not present in, a place. “Expecting absent friends.” Shak. 2. Inattentive to what is passing; heedless. What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a…Ab-sēnt′, v. t. p. 7To take or withdraw to such a distance as to prevent intercourse; — used with the reciprocal pronoun. If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined. Addison. 2. To cause the…Ăb'sen-tā'ne-oūs, a. p. 7Pertaining to absence; habitually absent. Bailey.Ăb'sen-tā'tion, n. p. 7The act of absenting one's self. Wakefield.Ăb'sen-teē', n. p. 7One who absents himself from his country, office, post, or duty, and the like; especially a landholder who lives at a distance from his estate; as, an Irish absentee. Edgeworth.Ab'sen-tee'ism, n. p. 7The state or habit of an absentee; absence from duty or station; the practice of living at a distance from one's estate.Ab-sĕnt'er, n. p. 7One who absents himself.Ab-sĕnt'ment, n. p. 7A state of being absent. Barrow.Ab-sĭnthe', n. p. 7A cordial of brandy flavored with wormwood. Bescherelle.Ab-sĭn'thi-an, a. p. 7Of the nature of wormwood. Randolph.Ab-sin'thi-âte, v. t. p. 7To impregnate with wormwood. Ogilvie.Ab-sin’thi-ā’ted, p. a. p. 7Impregnated with wormwood.Ab-sĭnth'ine, n. p. 7(Chem.) The bitter principle of wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium. Gregory.Ab-sĭn'thi-ŭm, n. p. 7(Bot.) The common wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a bitter plant, used as a tonic.Ab'sis, n. p. 7See Apsis.Ab-sĭst', v. i. p. 7To stand or leave off; to relinquish. [Obs.] Bailey.Ab-sĭst'ençe, n. p. 7A standing off.Ăb'so-lūte, a. p. 7Completed, or regarded as complete; finished; perfect; total; as, absolute perfection, absolute beauty. So absolute she seems, And in herself complete. Milton. 2. Freed or loosed from any limitation…Ăb'so-lūte-ly, adv. p. 7In an absolute, independent, or unconditional manner; wholly; positively.Ab'so-lūte-ness, n. p. 7The quality of being absolute; independence of every thing extraneous; completeness; positiveness. Wright.Ab'so-lū'tion, n. p. 7(Civ. Law.) An acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent. 2. (Rom. Cath. Church.) A remission of sin pronounced in favor of one who makes due confession thereof. Hook. ❧…Ab'so-lū'tiṣm, n. p. 7State of being absolute, or principles of absolute government. The element of absolutism and prelacy was controlling. Palfrey. 2. Doctrine of absolute decrees. Ash.Ab'so-lū'tist, n. p. 7One who is in favor of an absolute government.Ab'so-lū-tist'ic, a. p. 7Pertaining to absolutism.Ab-sōl'ū-to-ry, a. p. 7Absolving; that absolves. “An absolutory sentence.” Ayliffe.Ab-sōlv'a-ble, a. p. 7That may be absolved.Ab-sŏlv'a-to-ry, a. p. 7Containing absolution, pardon, or release; having power to absolve. Cotgrave.Ab-sŏlve', v. t. p. 7To set free or release from, as from some obligation, debt, or responsibility, or from that which subjects a person to a burden or penalty; as, to absolve a person from a promise; to absolve an…Ab-sōl'ver, n. p. 7One who absolves.Ab'so-nant, a. p. 7Discordant; contrary; opposed to consonant. “Absonant to nature.” Quarles.Āb'so-nāte, v. t. p. 7To avoid. [Obs.] Ash.Ăb'so-noŭs, a. p. 7Untunable, unmusical. Fotherby. 2. Opposed; contrary. “Absonous to our reason.” Glanville.Ab-sōrb', v. t. p. 7To drink in; to suck up; to imbibe; as a sponge, or as the lacteals of the body. Bacon. 2. Hence, to swallow up, or overwhelm; to engross or engage wholly; as, absorbed in study or the pursuit of…Ab-sôrb'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 7A state or quality of being absorbable.Ab-sôrb'a-ble, a. p. 7Capable of being imbibed or swallowed. Kerr.Ab-sörb'ent, a. p. 7Imbibing; swallowing. Absorbent ground (Paint.), a ground prepared for a picture, chiefly with distemper, or water colors, by which the oil is immediately absorbed, and thus the work hastened. Brande.Ab-sŏrb'ent, n. p. 7(Med.) Any substance which absorbs liquids, as sponge, &c.; or which absorbs the acidity of the stomach, as magnesia, chalk, &c.; or which serves to dry up humors, &c. Dunglison. 2. (Physiol.) One of…Ăb'sor-bĭ'tion, n. p. 7Absorption. [Obs.] Ogilvie.Ab-sôrp't, p. p. p. 7Same as ABSORBED. “Absorpt in care.” Pope.Ab-sôrp'tion, n. p. 7The act or process of being absorbed and made to disappear by mechanical means; as, the absorption of bodies in a whirlpool. Nichol. 2. The process or act of being made passively to disappear in some…Ab-sôrp'tive, a. p. 7Having power to absorb or imbibe. Darwin.Ăb'sorp-tīv'i-ty, n. p. 7The power or capacity of absorption; as, the absorptivity inherent in organic beings. Dana.Abs'que hŏc p. 7(Law.) The technical words of denial used in traversing what has been alleged, and is repeated.Ab-stain′, v. i. p. 7To forbear, or refrain, voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites. Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? Shak. Syn.—To refrain; forbear; withhold; deny one's…Ab-stāin'er, n. p. 7One who abstains.Ab-stē'mi-ous, a. p. 7Sparing in diet; refraining from a free use of food and strong drinks; temperate, abstinent. Instances of longevity are chiefly among the abstemious. Arbuthnot. 2. Sparingly used, or used with…Ab-stē'mi-ŏŏs-ly, adv. p. 8In an abstemious manner; temperately.