Dictionary
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.
A-can-thā'ceous, a. p. 9Armed with prickles, as a plant.A-căn’thīce, n. p. 9The sweet juice of ivy buds.A-căn’thīne, a. p. 9Pertaining to the plant Acanthus. The acanthine garments of the ancients were made of the down of thistles, or embroidered in imitation of the acanthus.A-cān’thi-on, n. p. 9A genus of rodent animals. Ogilvie.A-căn-thōph'er-ōŭs, a. p. 9Having, or producing, spines or prickles.Ăc'an-thŏp'te-ryg'i-an, n. p. 9One of an order of fishes having thorny fins.A·can·thŏp·te·rȳg'i·ous, a. p. 9(Zoöl.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spine-like;—a term used to describe an order of fishes. Dana.A·căn'thus, n. p. 9(Arch.) An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus;—used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders. 2. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south…a cap'ella p. 9(Mus.) In church or chapel style;—said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal.A·căr'i·dan, n. p. 9One of a group of small spiders, including the mite and the tick.A-càr'poüs, a. p. 9(Bot.) Not producing fruit; unfruitful.Ăc'a-rŭs, n. p. 9A genus of small spiders, embracing the mites and ticks. Baird.A-căt/a-lēc'tic, n. p. 9(Pros.) A verse which has the complete number of syllables without defect or superfluity. Johnson.A-căt/a-lēc'tic, a. p. 9(Pros.) Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse.A-căt'a-lep-sy, n. p. 9The doctrine held by the ancient Academics and Skeptics that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability. [Rare.] Bacon.A·căt'a·lĕp'tic, a. p. 9Incapable of being certainly comprehended or discovered.A-cā'ter, n. p. 9A caterer. [Obs.]A-cātes', n. pl. p. 9Food; viands. [Obs.]Ăc'a-thĭs'tus, n. p. 9A hymn of the ancient Greek church in honor of the Virgin.Ā'cau-lĕs'çent or A-cau'lĭne or A-cau'lōse or A-cau'loŭs, a. p. 9(Bot.) Having no stem or caulis, or only a very short one concealed under ground, as the Carline thistle. Gray.Ac-cēde′, v. i. p. 9To agree or assent, as to a proposition, or to terms proposed by another. Hence, to become a party, by agreeing to the terms of a treaty or convention. Another power has acceded to the treaty.…Ac-cel'e-rān'do, a. p. 9(Mus.) Gradually increasing in quickness.Ac-cĕl'er-āte, v. t. p. 9To cause to move faster; to hasten; to quicken the motion or action of; to add to the velocity of. 2. To add to the natural or ordinary progression of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, or the…Ae-cĕl'er-ā'tion, n. p. 9The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as, a falling body moves toward the earth with an acceleration of velocity. A period of social improvement…Ac-cĕl'er-a-tīve, a. p. 10Adding to velocity; quickening progression. Reid.Ae-cĕl'er-ā'tor, n. p. 10One who, or that which, accelerates; specifically, in English usage, a light van for carrying mails between the post-office and railway stations, &c.Ae-cĕl'er-a-to-ry, a. p. 10Serving to accelerate, or quicken motion; accelerative.Ac-cēnd', v. t. p. 10To set on fire; to kindle. [Obs.]Ac-cĕnd/i-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 10Capacity of being kindled, or of becoming inflamed.Ac-cēnd'i-ble, a. p. 10Capable of being inflamed or kindled. Ure.Ac-cĕn'sion, n. p. 10The act of kindling or setting on fire; or the state of being kindled. Locke.Ăc'cent, n. p. 10A superior force of voice or of articulative effort upon some particular syllable of a word, distinguishing it from the others. ☞ Many English words have two accents, the primary and the secondary…Ac-cĕnt', v. t. p. 10To express or note the accent of; to pronounce, utter, or mark with accent. Accented parts of a measure (Mus.), those parts of the measure on which the stress falls, as the first and third in…Ae-cĕnt’or, n. p. 10(Mus.) One that sings the leading part. [Obs.] 2. (Zool.) A genus of birds (so named from their sweet notes), including the hedge sparrow. Baird.Ac-cént'ū-al, a. p. 10Pertaining to accent.Ac-cĕnt'ū-āte, v. t. p. 10To mark or pronounce with an accent or accents.Ac-cĕnt/ū-ā′tion, n. p. 10The act of placing accents in writing, or of pronouncing them in speaking.Ae-cēpt', v. t. p. 10To take or receive with a consenting mind, as an offer or present. If you accept them, then their worth is great. Shak. 2. To receive with favor or approbation. The Lord accept thy burnt sacrifices.…Ac-cĕpt'a-ble, a. p. 10Capable, worthy, or sure of being accepted or received with pleasure; hence, pleasing to a receiver; gratifying; agreeable; welcome; as, an acceptable present. Formerly, and for a long time, this…Ac-cĕpt'a-ble-ness or Ac-cĕpt'a-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 10The quality of being acceptable or agreeable to a receiver, or to a person with whom one has intercourse.Ac-cēpt'a-bly, adv. p. 10In an acceptable manner; in a manner to please or give satisfaction.Ae-cēpt'ance, n. p. 10The act of accepting; a receiving with approbation or satisfaction; favorable reception; as, work done to acceptance. They shall come up with acceptance on my altar. Isa. lx. 7. 2. (Com.) (a.) An…Aĕ-cēpt'an-cy, n. p. 10Same as ACCEPTANCE. [Rare.] Here's a proof of gift, But here's no proof, sir, of acceptancy. E. B. Browning.Ac/cep-tā'tion, n. p. 10A receiving with favor or approbation; a state of being acceptable; favorable regard; kind reception. [Obs.] This is a saying worthy of all acceptation. 1 Tim. i. 15. Some things are of great dignity…Ac-cēpt'er, n. p. 10A person who accepts; specifically, who accepts or receives a bill of exchange so as to bind himself to pay it. See ACCEPTANCE.Ac-cep/ti-lā'tion, n. p. 10(Civil Law.) The verbal release of a debt by a creditor without receiving payment. Bouvier. 2. (Theol.) Acceptance without payment of full equivalent. Bp. Taylor.Ac-cēp'tion, n. p. 10Acceptation; the received sense of a word. [Obs.] Here the word “baron” is not to be taken in that restrictive sense to which the modern acception hath confined it. Fuller.Ac-cept'ĭve, a. p. 10Ready to accept. [Obs.]Ac-cept'or, n. p. 10One who accepts; specifically, in law, one who accepts an order or bill of exchange; an accepter.Ae-cĕss′ or Ăe′cess, n. p. 10A coming to, or near approach; admittance; admission; as, to gain access to a prince. I did repel his letters, and denied His access to me. Shak. 2. The means or way by which a thing may be…Ac-cĕs'sa-ri-ly, ad. p. 10In the manner of an accessory.Ac-ces'sa-ri-ness, n. p. 10The state of being accessory.Ac-cĕs'sa-ry, a. p. 10Additional; accessory. Amongst many secondary and accessory causes that support monarchy, these are not of least reckoning. Milton. 2. (Law.) Uniting in, or contributing to, a crime; as, he was…Ac-cēs'sa-ry, n. p. 10(Law.) He who is not the chief actor in the perpetration of an offense, nor present at its performance, but in some way accedes to or becomes concerned therein, either before or after the deed is…Ae-cĕss/i-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 10The quality of being accessible, or of admitting approach. Langhorne.A-e-cĕss'i-ble, a. p. 10Easy of access or approach; approachable; as, an accessible town or mountain. Their numbers must be few, and it is five to one that they may be accessible by a bold and sudden attack. W. Scott.Ac-cēs'si-bly, adv. p. 10In an accessible manner.Ac-çēs'sion, n. p. 10The act of acceding and becoming joined; as, a king's accession to a confederacy. 2. Increase by something added; that which is added; augmentation; as, an accession of wealth or territory. The only…Ac-ces'sion-al, a. p. 10Additional. [Rare.] The specific and accessional perfections which the human understanding derives from it. Coleridge.Ac·ces-sō'ri-al, a. p. 10Pertaining to an accessory; as, accessorial agency, accessorial guilt.