Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)

THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE WORDS.--Every word is given in its _alphabetical_ order, except in cases where, to save space, derivatives are given after and under the words from which...

NAPOLEON, na-p[=o]'l[=e]-on, _n._ a French gold coin worth 20 francs, or about 15s. 10½d.: a French modification of the game of euchre, each player receiving five cards and play...

NEBULA, neb'[=u]-la, _n._ a little cloud: a faint, misty appearance in the heavens produced either by a group of stars too distant to be seen singly, or by diffused gaseous matt...

NEPHRALGIA, ne-fral'ji-a, _n._ pain or disease of the kidneys--also NEPHRAL'GY.--_ns._ NEPH'RITE, a mineral usually called _Jade_, an old charm against kidney disease; NEPHRIT'I...

NIDIFICATION, nid-i-fi-k[=a]'shun, _n._ the act or art of building a nest, and the hatching and rearing of the young.--_adj._ NIDAMENT'AL, pertaining to nests or what protects e...

NOD, nod, _v.i._ to give a quick forward motion of the head: to bend the head in assent: to salute by a quick motion of the head: to let the head drop in weariness.--_v.t._ to i...

NORTH, north, _n._ the point opposite the sun at noon: one of the four cardinal points of the horizon: the side of a church to the left of one facing the principal altar: that p...

NULL, nul, _adj._ of no legal force: void: invalid: of no importance.--_n._ something of no value or meaning, a cipher: a bead-like raised work.--_v.t._ to annul, nullify.--_v.i...

OBJECT, ob-jekt', _v.t._ to place before the view: to throw in the way of: to offer in opposition: to oppose.--_v.i._ to oppose: to give a reason against.--_n._ OBJECTIFIC[=A]'T...

OCCUR, o-kur', _v.i._ to come or be presented to the mind: to happen: to appear: to be found here and there: to coincide in time:--_pr.p._ occur'ring; _pa.p._ occurred'.--_ns._...

OIL, oil, _n._ the juice from the fruit of the olive-tree: any greasy liquid.--_v.t._ to smear or anoint with oil.--_ns._ OIL'BAG, a bag or cyst in animals containing oil; OIL'C...

OÖLOGY, [=o]-ol'o-ji, _n._ the science or study of birds' eggs.--_n._ O'ÖGRAPH, a mechanical device for drawing the outline of a bird's egg.--_adjs._ OÖLOG'IC, -AL.--_adv._ OÖLO...

ORCHESTRA, or'kes-tra, _n._ in the Greek theatre, the place where the chorus danced: now the part of a theatre or concert-room in which the musicians are placed: the performers...

OSCAN, os'kan, _n._ and _adj._ one of an ancient Italic race in southern Italy: a language closely akin to Latin, being a ruder and more primitive form of the same central Itali...

OUTRAGE, owt'r[=a]j, _n._ violence beyond measure: excessive abuse: wanton mischief.--_v.t._ to treat with excessive abuse: to injure by violence, esp. to violate, to ravish.--_...

OVERHAUL, [=o]-v[.e]r-hawl', _v.t._ to haul or draw over: to turn over for examination: to examine: to re-examine: (_naut._) to overtake in a chase.--_n._ O'VERHAUL, a hauling o...

OX, oks, _n._ a well-known animal that chews the cud, the female of which supplies the chief part of the milk used as human food: the male of the cow, esp. when castrated:--_pl....

PAINT, p[=a]nt, _v.t._ to cover over with colour: to represent in a coloured picture: to describe in words: to adorn.--_v.i._ to practise painting: to lay colours on the face, t...

PAMPAS, pam'paz, _n.pl._ vast plains, without trees, in South America, south of the Amazon--north of that river they are called _llanos_.--_n._ PAM'PAS-GRASS, a tall, ornamental...

PANTOMIME, pan't[=o]-m[=i]m, _n._ one who expresses his meaning by action without speaking: a play or an entertainment in dumb show: an entertainment in a theatre, usually about...

PARAGRAPH, par'a-graf, _n._ a distinct part of a discourse or writing marked by ¶, or by being begun on a new line, at more than the usual distance from the margin: a short pass...

PARK, pärk, _n._ an enclosed piece of land for a special purpose, as for wild beasts: a grass field: a tract of land surrounding a mansion: a piece of ground enclosed for recrea...

PASSAGE, pas'[=a]j, _n._ act of passing: a moving from one place or state to another: a journey, as in a ship: course: time occupied in passing: means of passing in or out: a wa...

PATTER, pat'[.e]r, _v.i._ to repeat the Lord's Prayer: to pray: to repeat over and over again indistinctly, to mumble.--_v.t._ to repeat hurriedly, to mutter.--_n._ glib talk, c...

PECULIAR, p[=e]-k[=u]l'yar, _adj._ one's own: belonging to no other: appropriate: particular: odd, uncommon, strange.--_n._ (_obs._) private property: a parish or church exempt...

PENDANT, pen'dant, _n._ anything hanging, esp. for ornament: an earring: a lamp hanging from the roof: an ornament of wood or of stone hanging downwards from a roof: a long narr...

PEPSIN, PEPSINE, pep'sin, _n._ one of the essential constituents of the gastric juice: the active agent in fermenting food in the stomach--a hydrolytic ferment.--_adj._ PEP'TIC,...

PERIOD, p[=e]'ri-ud, _n._ the time in which anything is performed: (_astron._) the time occupied by one of the heavenly bodies in making its revolution: a stated interval of tim...

PERSPECTIVE, per-spek'tiv, _n._ a view or a vista: the art of drawing objects on a plane surface, so as to give the picture the same appearance to the eye as the objects themsel...

PHARMACY, fär'ma-si, _n._ a department of the medical art which consists in the collecting, preparing, preserving, and dispensing of medicines: the art of preparing and mixing m...

PHRASE, fr[=a]z, _n._ two or more words expressing a single idea by themselves, or showing the manner or style in which a person expresses himself: part of a sentence: a short p...

PICRIC, pik'rik, _adj._ carbazotic.--_n._ PIC'R[=A]TE, a salt of picric acid.--_adj._ PIC'R[=A]TED, mixed with a picrate as in a composition for a whistling rocket.--_ns._ PIC'R...

PINCH, pinsh, _v.t._ to grip hard: to squeeze between two hard or firm substances: to squeeze the flesh so as to give pain: to nip: to distress: to gripe.--_v.i._ to act with fo...

PITY, pit'i, _n._ a strong feeling for or with the sufferings of others: sympathy with distress: a cause or source of pity or grief.--_v.t._ to feel pity with: to sympathise wit...

PLASTRON, plas'tron, _n._ a breast-plate: a detachable part of a woman's dress hanging from the throat to the waist: a man's shirt-bosom: a fencer's wadded shield of leather wor...

PLOUGH, plow, _n._ an instrument for turning up the soil to prepare it for seed: tillage: a joiner's plane for making grooves.--_v.t._ to turn up with the plough: to make furrow...

POISE, poiz, _v.t._ to balance: to make of equal weight: to examine.--_v.i._ to hang in suspense.--_n._ weight: state of balance: equilibrium: a weight which balances another: a...

POLYP, POLYPE, pol'ip, _n._ a name usually applied to an animal like the fresh-water hydra, having a tubular body, and a wreath of many tentacles round the mouth: something with...

POROTYPE, p[=o]'r[=o]-t[=i]p, _n._ a copy of an engraved print made by placing it on chemically prepared paper and subjecting to the action of a gas. [Gr. _poros_, a pore, _typo...

POSTULATE, pos't[=u]-l[=a]t, _v.t._ to assume without proof: to take for granted or without positive consent: (_eccles._) to ask legitimate authority to admit a nominee by dispe...

PRATE, pr[=a]t, _v.i._ to talk idly: to tattle: to be loquacious.--_v.t._ to speak without meaning or purpose: to let out, as a secret.--_n._ trifling talk.--_n._ PR[=A]'TER, on...

PREFER, pr[=e]-f[.e]r', _v.t._ to esteem above another: to regard or hold in higher estimation: to choose or select before others: to promote: to exalt: to offer or present, as...

PRESIDE, pr[=e]-z[=i]d', _v.i._ to direct or control, esp. at a meeting: to superintend.--_ns._ PRES'IDENCY, the office of a president, or his dignity, term of office, jurisdict...

PRIMROSE, prim'r[=o]z, _n._ an early spring flower common in woods and meadows: a plant of the genus _Primula_: (_Spens._) the first or earliest flower, the first or choicest.--...

PROCONSUL, pr[=o]-kon'sul, _n._ a Roman official having the authority of a consul without his office: the governor of a province.--_adj._ PROCON'SULAR, pertaining to, or under t...

PROMINENT, prom'i-nent, _adj._ standing out beyond the line or surface of something: projecting: most easily seen: conspicuous: principal: eminent: distinguished.--_ns._ PROM'IN...

PROSCRIBE, pr[=o]-skr[=i]b', _v.t._ to publish the names of persons to be punished: to put beyond the protection of law: to banish: to prohibit: to denounce, as doctrine.--_ns._...

PROVINCE, prov'ins, _n._ a portion of an empire or a state marked off for purposes of government: a part of a country as distinguished from the capital: the district over which...

PUBLIC, pub'lik, _adj._ of or belonging to the people: pertaining to a community or a nation: general: common to or shared in by all: generally known.--_n._ the people: the gene...

PUNCTUM, pungk'tum, _n._ (_anat._) a point, dot.--_adjs._ PUNC'T[=U]LATE, -D.--_ns._ PUNCT[=U]L[=A]'TION; PUNC'T[=U]LE; PUNC'T[=U]LUM.--PUNCTUM CÆCUM, the point of the retina fr...

PUT, p[=oo]t, _v.t._ to push or thrust: to cast, throw: to drive into action: to throw suddenly, as a word: to set, lay, or deposit: to bring into any state or position: to offe...

PYTHON, p[=i]'thon, _n._ a genus of serpents of the boa family, all natives of the Old World, and differing from the true boas by having the plates on the under surface of the t...

QUARTER, kwor't[.e]r, _n._ a fourth part: the fourth part of a cwt.=28 lb. avoirdupois (abbrev. _qr._): 8 bushels, as a measure of capacity, for grain, &c.: the fourth part of a...

QUIEN SABE, kien sä'be, who knows? a common reply to a question in the south-western United States, meaning 'I do not know.' [Sp. _quien_, who--L. _quis_, who; _sabe_, 3d pers....

RABBET, rab'et, _n._ a groove cut in the edge of a plank so that another may fit into it.--_v.t._ to groove a plank thus.--_ns._ RABB'ETING-MACHINE', -PLANE, -SAW, for ploughing...

RAGMAN-ROLL, rag'man-r[=o]l, _n._ a parchment roll with pendent seals, any important document, esp. the collection of instruments by which the Scotch nobles subscribed allegianc...

RANGE, r[=a]nj, _v.t._ to rank or set in a row: to place in proper order: to rove or pass over: to sail in a direction parallel to.--_v.i._ to be placed in order: to lie in a pa...

RATTLE, rat'l, _v.i._ to clatter: to move along rapidly, with a clattering noise: to speak eagerly and noisily.--_v.t._ to cause to make a clatter: to stun with noise: to speak...

REBUFF, r[=e]-buf', _n._ a. beating back: sudden check: defeat: unexpected refusal.--_v.t._ to beat back: to check: to repel violently: to refuse. [O. Fr. _rebuffe_--It. _rebuff...

RECORD, rek'ord, _n._ a register: a formal writing of any fact or proceeding: a book of such writings: a witness, a memorial: memory, remembrance: anything entered in the rolls...

REDINTEGRATE, r[=e]-din't[=e]-gr[=a]t, _v.t._ to restore to integrity again: to renew:--_pr.p._ redin'tegr[=a]ting; _pa.p._ redin'tegr[=a]ted.--_n._ REDINTEGR[=A]'TION, restorat...

REFLUENT, ref'l[=oo]-ent, _adj._ flowing back: ebbing.--_ns._ REF'LUENCE, REF'LUENCY.--_adj._ R[=E]'FLUX, flowing or returning back: reflex.--_n._ a flowing back: ebb.--_n._ REF...

REGURGITATE, r[=e]-gur'ji-t[=a]t, _v.t._ to throw or pour back from a deep place.--_v.i._ to be thrown or poured back:--_pr.p._ regur'git[=a]ting; _pa.p._ regur'git[=a]ted.--_n....

REMEDY, rem'e-di, _n._ any medicine, appliance, or particular treatment that cures disease: that which counteracts any evil or repairs any loss--(_obs._) REM[=E]DE'.--_v.t._ to...

REPETITION, rep-[=e]-tish'un, _n._ act of repeating: recital from memory.--_ns._ REP'ETEND, that part of a repeating decimal which recurs continually: the burden of a song; REPE...

RESCUE, res'k[=u], _v.t._ to free from danger or violence: to deliver: to liberate:--_pr.p._ res'c[=u]ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ res'c[=u]ed.--_n._ the act of rescuing: deliveranc...

RESTITUTION, res-ti-t[=u]'shun, _n._ act of restoring what was lost or taken away: indemnification: making good: (_law_) the restoration of what a party had gained by a judgment...

RETROVERT, r[=e]'tr[=o]-v[.e]rt, _v.t._ to turn back.--_n._ one who returns to his original creed.--_n._ RETROVER'SION, a turning or falling back. [L. _retro_, backward, _vert[)...

RHACHIOMYELITIS, r[=a]-ki-[=o]-m[=i]-e-l[=i]'tis, _n._ inflammation of the spinal cord--_myelitis._--_ns._ RHACHIOT'OMY, incision into the spinal canal; RHACHIS'CHISIS, defectiv...

RHOMB, romb, _n._ a quadrilateral figure having its sides equal but its angles not right angles: (_crystal._) a rhombohedron: (_Milt._) a material circle--also RHOM'BUS.--_adj._...

RIDGE, rij, _n._ the back, or top of the back: anything like a back, as a long range of hills: an extended protuberance: a crest: the earth thrown up by the plough between the f...

RISE, r[=i]z, _v.i._ to move from a lower to a higher position: to stand up: to ascend: to grow upward: to swell in quantity or extent: to take an upright position: to leave the...

ROCKET, rok'et, _n._ a firework which is projected through the air, used for making signals in war, and for saving life at sea by conveying a line over a stranded vessel.--_v.i....

ROPE, r[=o]p, _n._ a thick twisted cord: a string consisting of a number of things united, as a rope of pearls: anything glutinous and stringy: a local lineal measure, 20 feet.-...

ROUND, rownd, _adj._ circular: globular: cylindrical: whole: complete: plump: large: not inconsiderable, as a sum: whole, unbroken: smooth-flowing, continuous, as a sound: full,...

RUDDER, rud'[.e]r, _n._ the instrument by which a ship is rowed or steered, its primitive form an oar working at the stern: that which guides anything: a bird's tail-feather.--_...

RUNE, r[=oo]n, _n._ one of the characters or letters used by the peoples of northern Europe down to the 16th century: (_pl._) the ancient Scandinavian alphabet or _futhorc_--fro...