Chapter 17

Ac"i*nus (#) , n. ; pl. Acini (#) . [L., grape, grapestone.] 1. (Bot.) (a) One of the small grains or drupelets which make up some kinds of fruit, as the blackberry, raspberry, etc. (b) A grapestone.

2. (Anat.) One of the granular masses which constitute a racemose or compound gland, as the pancreas; also, one of the saccular recesses in the lobules of a racemose gland.

Quain.

Acipenser <Xpage=16>

Ac`i*pen"ser (#) , n. [L., the name of a fish.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of ganoid fishes, including the sturgeons, having the body armed with bony scales, and the mouth on the under side of the head. See Sturgeon .

Aciurgy <Xpage=16>

Ac"i*ur`gy (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ a point + <?/ work.] Operative surgery.

Acknow <Xpage=16>

Ac*know" (#) , v. t. [Pref. a- + know ; AS. oncn\'bewan .] 1. To recognize. [Obs.] "You will not be acknown , sir."

B. Jonson.

2. To acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

To be acknown (often with of or on ), to acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.]

We say of a stubborn body that standeth still in the denying of his fault, This man will not acknowledge his fault, or, He will not be acknown of his fault. Sir T. More.

Acknowledge <Xpage=16>

Ac*knowl"edge (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Acknowledged (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Acknowledging (#) .] [Prob. fr. pref. a- + the verb knowledge . See Knowledge , and ci . Acknow .] 1. To of or admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a God .

I acknowledge my transgressions. Ps. li. 3.

For ends generally acknowledged to be good. Macaulay.

2. To own or recognize in a particular character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him. Prov. iii. 6.

By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee. Shak.

3. To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor, the receipt of a letter .

They his gifts acknowledged none. Milton.

4. To own as genuine; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledge a deed .

Syn. -- To avow; proclaim; recognize; own; admit; allow; concede; confess. -- Acknowledge , Recognize . Acknowledge is opposed to keep back , or conceal , and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong acknowledges his fault; and author acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we acknowledge our ignorance. Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we recognize a friend after a long absence. We recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually recognize the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. See also Confess .

Acknowledgedly <Xpage=16>

Ac*knowl"edged*ly (#) , adv. Confessedly.

Acknowledger <Xpage=16>

Ac*knowl"edg*er (#) , n. One who acknowledges.

Acknowledgment <Xpage=16>

Ac*knowl"edg*ment (#) , n. 1. The act of acknowledging; admission; avowal; owning; confession. "An acknowledgment of fault."

Froude.

2. The act of owning or recognized in a particular character or relationship; recognition as regards the existence, authority, truth, or genuineness.

Immediately upon the acknowledgment of the Christian faith, the eunuch was baptized by Philip. Hooker.

3. The owning of a benefit received; courteous recognition; expression of thanks.

Shak.

4. Something given or done in return for a favor, message, etc.

Smollett.

5. A declaration or avowal of one's own act, to give it legal validity; as, the acknowledgment of a deed before a proper officer . Also, the certificate of the officer attesting such declaration.

Acknowledgment money , in some parts of England, a sum paid by copyhold tenants, on the death of their landlords, as an acknowledgment of their new lords.

Cowell.

Syn. -- Confession; concession; recognition; admission; avowal; recognizance.

Aclinic <Xpage=16>

A*clin"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ to incline.] (Physics.) Without inclination or dipping; -- said the magnetic needle balances itself horizontally, having no dip. The aclinic line is also termed the magnetic equator .

Prof. August.

Acme <Xpage=16>

Ac"me (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ point, top.] 1. The top or highest point; the culmination.

The very acme and pitch of life for epic poetry. Pope.

The moment when a certain power reaches the acme of its supremacy. I. Taylor.

2. (Med.) The crisis or height of a disease.

3. Mature age; full bloom of life.

B. Jonson.

Acne <Xpage=16>

Ac"ne (#) , n. [NL., prob. a corruption of Gr. <?/] (Med.) A pustular affection of the skin, due to changes in the sebaceous glands.

Acnodal <Xpage=16>

Ac*no"dal (#) , a. Pertaining to acnodes.

Acnode <Xpage=16>

Ac"node (#) , n. [L. acus needle + E. node .] (Geom.) An isolated point not upon a curve, but whose co\'94rdinates satisfy the equation of the curve so that it is considered as belonging to the curve.

Acock <Xpage=16>

A*cock" (#) , adv. [Pref. a- + cock .] In a cocked or turned up fashion.

Acockbill <Xpage=16>

A*cock"bill` (#) , adv. [Prefix a- + cock + bill : with bills cocked up.] (Naut.) (a) Hanging at the cathead, ready to let go, as an anchor. (b) Topped up; having one yardarm higher than the other.

Acold <Xpage=16>

A*cold" (#) , a. [Prob. p. p. of OE. acolen to grow cold or cool, AS. \'bec\'d3lian to grow cold; pref. a- (cf. Goth. er- , orig. meaning out ) + c\'d3lian to cool. See Cool .] Cold. [Obs.] "Poor Tom's acold ."

Shak.

Acologic <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*log"ic (#) , a. Pertaining to acology.

Acology <Xpage=16>

A*col"o*gy (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ remedy + -logy .] Materia medica; the science of remedies.

Acolothist <Xpage=16>

A*col"o*thist (#) , n. See Acolythist .

Acolyctine <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*lyc"tine (#) , n. [From the name of the plant.] (Chem.) An organic base, in the form of a white powder, obtained from Aconitum lycoctonum .

Eng. Cyc.

Acolyte <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*lyte (#) , n. [LL. acolythus , acoluthus , Gr. <?/ following, attending: cf. F. acolyte .]

1. (Eccl.) One who has received the highest of the four minor orders in the Catholic church, being ordained to carry the wine and water and the lights at the Mass.

2. One who attends; an assistant. "With such chiefs, and with James and John as acolytes ."

Motley.

Acolyth <Xpage=16>

Ac"o*lyth (#) , n. Same as Acolyte .

Acolythist <Xpage=16>

A*col"y*thist (#) , n. An acolyte. [Obs.]

Aconddylose, Acondylous <Xpage=16>

A*cond"dy*lose` (#) , A*con"dy*lous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ joint.] (Nat. Hist.) Being without joints; jointless.

Aconital <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*ni"tal (#) , a. Of the nature of aconite.

Aconite <Xpage=16>

Ac"o*nite (#) , n. [L. aconitum , Gr. <?/: cf. F. aconit .] 1. (Bot.) The herb wolfsbane, or monkshood; -- applied to any plant of the genus Aconitum (tribe Hellebore ), all the species of which are poisonous.

2. An extract or tincture obtained from Aconitum napellus , used as a poison and medicinally.

Winter aconite , a plant (Eranthis hyemalis) allied to the aconites.

Aconitia <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*ni"ti*a (#) , n. (Chem.) Same as Aconitine .

Aconitic <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*nit"ic (#) , a. Of or pertaining to aconite.

Aconitine <Xpage=16>

A*con"i*tine (#) , n. (Chem.) An intensely poisonous alkaloid, extracted from aconite.

Aconitum <Xpage=16>

Ac`o*ni"tum (#) , n. [L. See Aconite .] The poisonous herb aconite; also, an extract from it.

Strong As aconitum or rash gunpowder. Shak.

Acontia <Xpage=16>

A*con"ti*a (#) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. <?/ a little dart.] (Zo\'94l.) Threadlike defensive organs, composed largely of nettling cells ( cnid\'91 ), thrown out of the mouth or special pores of certain Actini\'91 when irritated.

Acontias <Xpage=16>

A*con"ti*as (#) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/, fr. <?/, dim. <?/ dart.] (Zo\'94l.) Anciently, a snake, called dart snake ; now, one of a genus of reptiles closely allied to the lizards.

Acopic <Xpage=16>

A*cop"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ striking. weariness, <?/ to strike.] (Med.) Relieving weariness; restorative.

Acorn <Xpage=16>

A"corn (#) , n. [AS. \'91cern , fr. \'91cer field, acre; akin to D. aker acorn, Ger. ecker , Icel. akarn , Dan. agern , Goth. akran fruit, akrs field; -- orig. fruit of the field. See Acre .] 1. The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule.

2. (Naut.) A cone-shaped piece of wood on the point of the spindle above the vane, on the mast-head.

3. (Zo\'94l.) See Acorn-shell .

Acorn cup <Xpage=16>

A"corn cup (#) . The involucre or cup in which the acorn is fixed.

Acorned <Xpage=16>

A"corned (#) , a. 1. Furnished or loaded with acorns.

2. Fed or filled with acorns. [R.]

Shak.

Acorn-shell <Xpage=16>

A"corn-shell` (#) , n. (Zo\'94l.) One of the sessile cirripeds; a barnacle of the genus Balanus . See Barnacle .

Acosmism <Xpage=16>

A*cos"mism (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ world.] A denial of the existence of the universe as distinct from God.

Acosmist <Xpage=16>

A*cos"mist (#) , n. [See Acosmism .] One who denies the existence of the universe, or of a universe as distinct from God.

G. H. Lewes.

Acotyledon <Xpage=16>

A*cot`y*le"don (#; 277) , n. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ anything cup-shaped. See Cotyledon .] (Bot.) A plant which has no cotyledons, as the dodder and all flowerless plants.

Acotyledonous <Xpage=16>

A*cot`y*led"on*ous (#; 277) , a. Having no seed lobes, as the dodder; also applied to plants which have no true seeds, as ferns, mosses, etc.

Acouchy <Xpage=16>

A*cou"chy (#) , n. [F. acouchi , from the native name Guiana.] (Zo\'94l.) A small species of agouti (Dasyprocta acouchy) .

Acoumeter <Xpage=16>

A*cou"me*ter (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ to hear + -meter .] (Physics.) An instrument for measuring the acuteness of the sense of hearing.

Itard.

Acoumetry <Xpage=16>

A*cou"me*try (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ to hear + -metry .] The measuring of the power or extent of hearing.

Acoustic <Xpage=16>

A*cous"tic (#; 277) , a. [F. acoustique , Gr. <?/ relating to hearing, fr. <?/ to hear.] Pertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of hearing, or the science of sounds; auditory.

Acoustic duct , the auditory duct, or external passage of the ear. -- Acoustic telegraph , a telegraph making audible signals; a telephone. -- Acoustic vessels , brazen tubes or vessels, shaped like a bell, used in ancient theaters to propel the voices of the actors, so as to render them audible to a great distance.

Acoustic <Xpage=16>

A*cous"tic , n. A medicine or agent to assist hearing.

Acoustical <Xpage=16>

A*cous"tic*al (#) , a. Of or pertaining to acoustics.

Acoustically <Xpage=16>

A*cous"tic*al*ly (#) , adv. In relation to sound or to hearing.

Tyndall.

Acoustician <Xpage=16>

Ac`ous*ti"cian (#) , n. One versed in acoustics.

Tyndall.

Acoustics <Xpage=16>

A*cous"tics (#; 277) , n. [Names of sciences in -ics , as, acoustics , mathematics , etc., are usually treated as singular. See -ics .] (Physics.) The science of sounds, teaching their nature, phenomena, and laws.

Acoustics , then, or the science of sound, is a very considerable branch of physics. Sir J. Herschel.

&hand; The science is, by some writers, divided, into diacoustics , which explains the properties of sounds coming directly from the ear; and catacoustica , which treats of reflected sounds or echoes.

Acquaint <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint" (#) , a. [OF. acoint . See Acquaint , v. t. ] Acquainted. [Obs.]

Acquaint <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Acquainted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Acquainting .] [OE. aqueinten , acointen , OF. acointier , LL. adcognitare , fr. L. ad + cognitus , p. p. of cognoscere to know; con- + noscere to know. See Quaint , Know .] 1. To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) to know; to make familiar; -- followed by with .

Before a man can speak on any subject, it is necessary to be acquainted with it. Locke.

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isa. liii. 3.

2. To communicate notice to; to inform; to make cognizant; -- followed by with (formerly, also, by of ), or by that , introducing the intelligence; as, to acquaint a friend with the particulars of an act .

Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love. Shak.

I must acquaint you that I have received New dated letters from Northumberland. Shak.

3. To familiarize; to accustom. [Obs.]

Evelyn.

To be acquainted with , to be possessed of personal knowledge of; to be cognizant of; to be more or less familiar with; to be on terms of social intercourse with.

Syn. -- To inform; apprise; communicate; advise.

Acquaintable <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"a*ble (#) , a. [Cf. OF. acointable ] . Easy to be acquainted with; affable. [Obs.]

Rom. of R.

Acquaintance <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"ance (#) , n. [OE. aqueintance , OF. acointance , fr. acointier . See Acquaint .] 1. A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate, or more than slight or superficial, knowledge; personal knowledge gained by intercourse short of that of friendship or intimacy; as, I know the man; but have no acquaintance with him.

Contract no friendship, or even acquaintance , with a guileful man. Sir W. Jones.

2. A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.

Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson. Macaulay.

&hand; In this sense the collective term acquaintance was formerly both singular and plural, but it is now commonly singular, and has the regular plural acquaintances .

To be of acquaintance , to be intimate. -- To take acquaintance of or with , to make the acquaintance of. [Obs.]

Syn. -- Familiarity; intimacy; fellowship; knowledge. -- Acquaintance , Familiarity , Intimacy . These words mark different degrees of closeness in social intercourse. Acquaintance arises from occasional intercourse; as, our acquaintance has been a brief one. We can speak of a slight or an intimate acquaintance . Familiarity is the result of continued acquaintance . It springs from persons being frequently together, so as to wear off all restraint and reserve; as, the familiarity of old companions. Intimacy is the result of close connection, and the freest interchange of thought; as, the intimacy of established friendship.

Our admiration of a famous man lessens upon our nearer acquaintance with him. Addison.

We contract at last such a familiarity with them as makes it difficult and irksome for us to call off our minds. Atterbury.

It is in our power to confine our friendships and intimacies to men of virtue. Rogers.

Acquaintanceship <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"ance*ship , n. A state of being acquainted; acquaintance.

Southey.

Acquaintant <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"ant (#) , n. [Cf. F. acointant , p. pr.] An acquaintance. [R.]

Swift.

Acquainted <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"ed , a. Personally known; familiar. See To be acquainted with , under Acquaint , v. t.

Acquaintedness <Xpage=16>

Ac*quaint"ed*ness , n. State of being acquainted; degree of acquaintance. [R.]

Boyle.

Acquest <Xpage=16>

Ac*quest" (#), n. [OF. aquest , F. acqu\'88t , fr. LL. acquestum , acquis\'c6tum , for L. acquis\'c6tum , p. p. (used substantively) of acquirere to acquire. See Acquire .]

1. Acquisition; the thing gained. [R.]

Bacon.

2. (Law) Property acquired by purchase, gift, or otherwise than by inheritance.

Bouvier.

Acquiesce <Xpage=16>

Ac`qui*esce" (#) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Acquiesced (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Acquiescing (#) ] [L. acquiescere ; ad + quiescere to be quiet, fr. quies rest: cf. F. acquiescer . See Quiet .] 1. To rest satisfied, or apparently satisfied, or to rest without opposition and discontent (usually implying previous opposition or discontent); to accept or consent by silence or by omitting to object; -- followed by in , formerly also by with and to .

They were compelled to acquiesce in a government which they did not regard as just. De Quincey.

2. To concur upon conviction; as, to acquiesce in an opinion ; to assent to; usually, to concur, not heartily but so far as to forbear opposition.

Syn. -- To submit; comply; yield; assent; agree; consent; accede; concur; conform; accept tacitly.

Acquiescence <Xpage=16>

Ac`qui*es"cence (#) , n. [Cf. F. acquiescence .]

1. A silent or passive assent or submission, or a submission with apparent content; -- distinguished from avowed consent on the one hand, and on the other, from opposition or open discontent; quiet satisfaction.