Chapter 101

But yet they are not aspirate , i. e., with such an aspiration as h . Holder.

Aspiration <Xpage=90>

As`pi*ra"tion (#) , n. [L. aspiratio , fr. aspirare : cf. F. aspiration .] 1. The act of aspirating; the pronunciation of a letter with a full or strong emission of breath; an aspirated sound.

If aspiration be defined to be an impetus of breathing. Wilkins.

2. The act of breathing; a breath; an inspiration.

3. The act of aspiring of a ardently desiring; strong wish; high desire. " Aspirations after virtue."

Johnson.

Vague aspiration after military renown. Prescott.

Aspirator <Xpage=90>

As"pi*ra`tor (#) , n. 1. (Chem.) An apparatus for passing air or gases through or over certain liquids or solids, or for exhausting a closed vessel, by means of suction.

2. (Med.) An instrument for the evacuation of the fluid contents of tumors or collections of blood.

Aspiratory <Xpage=90>

As*pir"a*to*ry (#) , a. Of or pertaining to breathing; suited to the inhaling of air

Aspire <Xpage=90>

As*pire" (#) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Aspired (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Aspiring .] [F. aspirer , L. aspirare . See Aspirate , v. t. ] 1. To desire with eagerness; to seek to attain something high or great; to pant; to long; -- followed by to or after , and rarely by at ; as, to aspire to a crown; to aspire after immorality.

Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; Aspiring to be angels, men rebel. Pope.

2. To rise; to ascend; to tower; to soar.

My own breath still foments the fire, Which flames as high as fancy can aspire . Waller.

Aspire <Xpage=90>

As*pire" , v. t. To aspire to; to long for; to try to reach; to mount to. [Obs.]

That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. Shak.

Aspire <Xpage=90>

As*pire" , n. Aspiration. [Obs.]

Chapman.

Aspirement <Xpage=90>

As*pire"ment (#) , n. Aspiration. [Obs.]

Aspirer <Xpage=90>

As*pir"er (#) , n. One who aspires.

Aspiring <Xpage=90>

As*pir"ing , a. That aspires; as, an Aspiring mind . -- As*pir"ing*ly , adv. -- As*pir"ing*ness , n.

Aspish <Xpage=90>

Asp"ish (#) , a. Pertaining to, or like, an asp.

Asportation <Xpage=90>

As`por*ta"tion (#) , n. [L. asportatio , fr. asportare to carry away; abs = ab + portare to bear, carry.] (Law) The felonious removal of goods from the place where they were deposited.

&hand; It is adjudged to be larceny, though the goods are not carried from the house or apartment.

Blackstone.

Asprawl <Xpage=90>

A*sprawl" (#) , adv. & a. Sprawling.

Asquat <Xpage=90>

A*squat" (#) , adv. & a. Squatting.

Asquint <Xpage=90>

A*squint" (#) , adv. [Cf. Askant , Squint .] With the eye directed to one side; not in the straight line of vision; obliquely; awry, so as to see distortedly; as, to look asquint .

Ass <Xpage=90>

Ass (#) , n. [OE. asse , AS. assa ; akin to Icel. asni , W. asen , asyn , L. asinus , dim. aselus , Gr. <?/; also to AS. esol , OHG. esil , G. esel , Goth. asilus , Dan. \'91sel , Lith. asilas , Bohem. osel , Pol. osiel . The word is prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. ath<?/n she ass. Cf. Ease .] 1. (Zo\'94l.) A quadruped of the genus Equus (E. asinus) , smaller than the horse, and having a peculiarly harsh bray and long ears. The tame or domestic ass is patient, slow, and sure-footed, and has become the type of obstinacy and stupidity. There are several species of wild asses which are swift-footed.

2. A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt.

Shak.

Asses' Bridge . [L. pons asinorum .] The fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, "The angles at the base of an isosceles triangle are equal to one another." [Sportive] "A schoolboy, stammering out his Asses' Bridge ." F. Harrison . -- To make an ass of one's self , to do or say something very foolish or absurd.

Assaf&oe;tida <Xpage=90>

As`sa*f&oe;t"i*da (#) , n. Same as Asafetida .

Assagai, Assegai <Xpage=90>

As"sa*gai (#) , As"se*gai (#) , n. [Pg. azagaia , Sp. azagaya , fr. a Berber word. Cf. Lancegay .] A spear used by tribes in South Africa as a missile and for stabbing, a kind of light javelin.

Assai <Xpage=90>

As*sa"i (#) . [It., fr. L. ad + satis enough. See Assets .] (Mus.) A direction equivalent to very ; as, adagio assai , very slow .

Assail <Xpage=90>

As*sail" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assailed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assailing .] [OE. assailen , asailen , OF. asaillir , assailler , F. assaillir ; <?/ (L. ad ) + saillir to burst out, project, fr. L. salire to leap, spring; cf. L. assilire to leap or spring upon. See Sally .] 1. To attack with violence, or in a vehement and hostile manner; to assault; to molest; as, to assail a man with blows; to assail a city with artillery.

No rude noise mine ears assailing . Cowper.

No storm can now assail The charm he wears within. Keble.

2. To encounter or meet purposely with the view of mastering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like.

The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail . Pope.

3. To attack morally, or with a view to produce changes in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like .

The papal authority . . . assailed . Hallam.

They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony. Macaulay.

Syn. -- To attack; assault; invade; encounter; fall upon. See Attack .

Assailable <Xpage=90>

As*sail"a*ble (#) , a. Capable of being assailed.

Assailant <Xpage=90>

As*sail"ant (#) , a. [F. assaillant , p. pr. of assaillir .] Assailing; attacking.

Milton.

Assailant <Xpage=90>

As*sail"ant , n. [F. assaillant .] One who, or that which, assails, attacks, or assaults; an assailer.

An assailant of the church. Macaulay.

Assailer <Xpage=90>

As*sail"er (#) , n. One who assails.

Assailment <Xpage=90>

As*sail"ment (#) , n. The act or power of assailing; attack; assault. [R.]

His most frequent assailment was the headache. Johnson.

Assamar <Xpage=90>

As"sa*mar (#) , n. [L. assare to roast + amarus , bitter.] (Chem.) The peculiar bitter substance, soft or liquid, and of a yellow color, produced when meat, bread, gum, sugar, starch, and the like, are roasted till they turn brown.

Assamese <Xpage=90>

As`sam*ese" (#) , a. Of or pertaining to Assam, a province of British India, or to its inhabitants. -- n. sing. & pl. A native or natives of Assam.

Assapan, Assapanic <Xpage=90>

As`sa*pan" (#) , As`sa*pan"ic (#) , n. [Prob. Indian name.] (Zo\'94l.) The American flying squirrel ( Pteromys volucella ).

Assart <Xpage=90>

As*sart" , n. [OF. essart the grubbing up of trees, fr. essarter to grub up or clear ground of bushes, shrubs, trees, etc., fr. LL. exartum , exartare , for exsaritare ; L. ex + sarire , sarrire , saritum , to hoe, weed.] 1. (Old Law) The act or offense of grubbing up trees and bushes, and thus destroying the tickets or coverts of a forest.

Spelman. Cowell.

2. A piece of land cleared of trees and bushes, and fitted for cultivation; a clearing.

Ash.

Assart land , forest land cleared of woods and brush.

Assart <Xpage=90>

As*sart" , v. t. To grub up, as trees; to commit an assart upon; as, to assart land or trees .

Ashmole.

Assassin <Xpage=90>

As*sas"sin (#) , n. [F. (cf. It. assassino ), fr. Ar. <?/hashishin one who has drunk of the hashish . Under its influence the Assassins of the East, followers of the Shaikh al - Jabal (Old Man of the Mountain), were said to commit the murders required by their chief.] One who kills, or attempts to kill, by surprise or secret assault; one who treacherously murders any one unprepared for defense.

Assassin <Xpage=90>

As*sas"sin , v. t. To assassinate. [Obs.]

Stillingfleet.

Assassinate <Xpage=90>

As*sas"sin*ate (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assassinated (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assassinating (#) .] [LL. assassinatus , p. p. of assassinare .] 1. To kill by surprise or secret assault; to murder by treacherous violence.

Help, neighbors, my house is broken open by force, and I am ravished, and like to be assassinated . Dryden.

2. To assail with murderous intent; hence, by extended meaning, to maltreat exceedingly. [Archaic]

Your rhymes assassinate our fame. Dryden.

Such usage as your honorable lords Afford me, assassinated and betrayed. Milton.

Syn. -- To kill; murder; slay. See Kill .

Assassinate <Xpage=90>

As*sas"sin*ate (#) , n. [F. assassinat .] 1. An assassination, murder, or murderous assault. [Obs.]

If I had made an assassinate upon your father. B. Jonson.

2. An assassin. [Obs.]

Dryden.

Assassination <Xpage=90>

As*sas`si*na"tion (#) , n. The act of assassinating; a killing by treacherous violence.

Assassinator <Xpage=90>

As*sas"si*na`tor (#) , n. An assassin.

Assassinous <Xpage=90>

As*sas"sin*ous (#) , a. Murderous.

Milton.

Assastion <Xpage=90>

As*sas"tion (#) , n. [F., fr. LL. assatio , fr. L. assare to roast.] Roasting. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

Assault <Xpage=90>

As*sault" (#) , n. [OE. asaut , assaut , OF. assaut , asalt , F. assaut , LL. assaltus ; L. ad + saltus a leaping, a springing, salire to leap. See Assail .] 1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a house, or a town .

The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault . Prescott.

Unshaken bears the assault Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest. Wordsworth.

2. A violent onset or attack with moral weapons, as words, arguments, appeals, and the like; as, to make an assault on the prerogatives of a prince, or on the constitution of a government .

Clarendon.

3. (Law) An apparently violent attempt, or willful offer with force or violence, to do hurt to another; an attempt or offer to beat another, accompanied by a degree of violence, but without touching his person, as by lifting the fist, or a cane, in a threatening manner, or by striking at him, and missing him. If the blow aimed takes effect, it is a battery .

Blackstone. Wharton.

Practically, however, the word assault is used to include the battery. Mozley & W.

Syn. -- Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught; charge; storm.

Assault <Xpage=90>

As*sault" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assaulted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assaulting .] [From Assault , n. : cf. OF. assaulter , LL. assaltare .] 1. To make an assault upon, as by a sudden rush of armed men; to attack with unlawful or insulting physical violence or menaces.

Insnared, assaulted , overcome, led bound. Milton.

2. To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing moral effects; to attack by words, arguments, or unfriendly measures; to assail; as, to assault a reputation or an administration .

Before the gates, the cries of babes newborn, . . . Assault his ears. Dryden.

&hand; In the latter sense, assail is more common.

Syn. -- To attack; assail; invade; encounter; storm; charge. See Attack .

Assaultable <Xpage=90>

As*sault"a*ble (#) , a. Capable of being assaulted.

Assaulter <Xpage=90>

As*sault"er (#) , n. One who assaults, or violently attacks; an assailant.

E. Hall.

Assay <Xpage=90>

As*say" (#) , n. [OF. asai , essai , trial, F. essa . See Essay , n. ] 1. Trial; attempt; essay. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton.

2. Examination and determination; test; as, an assay of bread or wine . [Obs.]

This can not be, by no assay of reason. Shak.

3. Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried. [Obs.]

Through many hard assays which did betide. Spenser.

4. Tested purity or value. [Obs.]

With gold and pearl of rich assay . Spenser.

5. (Metallurgy) The act or process of ascertaining the proportion of a particular metal in an ore or alloy; especially, the determination of the proportion of gold or silver in bullion or coin.

6. The alloy or metal to be assayed.

Ure.

Assay and essay are radically the same word; but modern usage has appropriated assay chiefly to experiments in metallurgy, and essay to intellectual and bodily efforts. See Essay .]

&hand; Assay is used adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, assay balance, assay furnace.

Assay master , an officer who assays or tests gold or silver coin or bullion. -- Assay ton , a weight of 29.166\'a6 grams.

Assay <Xpage=90>

As*say" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assayed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assaying .] [OF. asaier , essaier , F. essayer , fr. essai . See Assay , n. , Essay , v .] 1. To try; to attempt; to apply. [Obs. or Archaic]

To-night let us assay our plot. Shak.

Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed . Milton.

2. To affect. [Obs.]

When the heart is ill assayed . Spenser.

3. To try tasting, as food or drink. [Obs.]

4. To subject, as an ore, alloy, or other metallic compound, to chemical or metallurgical examination, in order to determine the amount of a particular metal contained in it, or to ascertain its composition.

Assay <Xpage=90>

As*say" , v. i. To attempt, try, or endeavor. [Archaic. In this sense essay is now commonly used.]

She thrice assayed to speak. Dryden.

Assayable <Xpage=90>

As*say"a*ble (#) , a. That may be assayed.

Assayer <Xpage=90>

As*say"er , n. One who assays. Specifically: One who examines metallic ores or compounds, for the purpose of determining the amount of any particular metal in the same, especially of gold or silver.

Assaying <Xpage=90>

As*say"ing , n. The act or process of testing, esp. of analyzing or examining metals and ores, to determine the proportion of pure metal.

Asse <Xpage=90>

Asse (#) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A small foxlike animal ( Vulpes cama ) of South Africa, valued for its fur.

Assecuration <Xpage=90>

As`se*cu*ra"tion (#) , n. [LL. assecuratio , fr. assecurare .] Assurance; certainty. [Obs.]

Assecure <Xpage=90>

As`se*cure" (#) , v. t. [LL. assecurare .] To make sure or safe; to assure. [Obs.]

Hooker.

Assecution <Xpage=90>

As`se*cu"tion (#) , n. [F. ass\'82cution , fr. L. assequi to obtain; ad + sequi to follow.] An obtaining or acquiring. [Obs.]

Ayliffe.

Assegai <Xpage=90>

As"se*gai (#) , n. Same as Assagai .

Assemblage <Xpage=90>

As*sem"blage , n. [Cf. F. assemblage . See Assemble .] 1. The act of assembling, or the state o<?/ being; association.

In sweet assemblage every blooming grace. Fenton.

2. A collection of individuals, or of individuals, or of particular things; as, a political assemblage ; an assemblage of ideas.

Syn. -- Company; group; collection; concourse; gathering; meeting; convention. Assemblage , Assembly . An assembly consists only of persons; an assemblage may be composed of things as well as persons, as, an assemblage of incoherent objects . Nor is every assemblage of persons an assembly ; since the latter term denotes a body who have met, and are acting, in concert for some common end, such as to hear, to deliberate, to unite in music, dancing, etc. An assemblage of skaters on a lake, or of horse jockeys at a race course, is not an assembly , but might be turned into one by collecting into a body with a view to discuss and decide as to some object of common interest.

Assemblance <Xpage=90>

As*sem"blance , n. [Cf. OF. assemblance .] 1. Resemblance; likeness; appearance. [Obs.]

Care I for the . . . stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man <?/ Give me the spirit. Shak.

2. An assembling; assemblage. [Obs.]

To weete [know] the cause of their assemblance . Spenser.

Assemble <Xpage=90>

As*sem"ble (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assembled (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assembling (#) .] [F. assembler , fr. LL. assimulare to bring together to collect; L. ad + simul together; akin to similis like, Gr. <?/ at the same time, and E. same . Cf. Assimilate , Same .] To collect into one place or body; to bring or call together; to convene; to congregate.

Thither he assembled all his train. Milton.

All the men of Israel assembled themselves. 1 Kings viii. 2.

Assemble <Xpage=90>

As*sem"ble , v. i. To meet or come together, as a number of individuals; to convene; to congregate.

Dryden.

The Parliament assembled in November. W. Massey.

Assemble <Xpage=90>

As*sem"ble , v. i. To liken; to compare. [Obs.]