Chapter 56

Am"el , v. t. [OE. amellen , OF. esmailler , F. \'82mailler , OF. esmail , F. \'82mail .] To enamel. [Obs.]

Enlightened all with stars, And richly ameled . Chapman.

Amelcorn <Xpage=47>

Am"el*corn` (#) , n. [Ger. amelkorn : cf. MHG. amel , amer , spelt, and L. amylum starch, Gr. <?/.] A variety of wheat from which starch is produced; -- called also French rice .

Ameliorable <Xpage=47>

A*mel"io*ra*ble (#) , a. Capable of being ameliorated.

Ameliorate <Xpage=47>

A*mel"io*rate (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ameliorated (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ameliorating .] [L. ad + meliorare to make better: cf. F. am\'82liorer . See Meliorate .] To make better; to improve; to meliorate.

In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his own condition. Macaulay.

Ameliorate <Xpage=47>

A*mel"io*rate , v. i. To grow better; to meliorate; as, wine ameliorates by age .

Amelioration <Xpage=47>

A*mel`io*ra"tion (#) , n. [Cf. F. am\'82lioration .] The act of ameliorating, or the state of being ameliorated; making or becoming better; improvement; melioration. " Amelioration of human affairs."

J. S. Mill.

Ameliorative <Xpage=47>

A*mel"io*ra*tive (#) , a. Tending to ameliorate; producing amelioration or improvement; as, ameliorative remedies, efforts .

Ameliorator <Xpage=47>

A*mel"io*ra`tor (#) , n. One who ameliorates.

Amen <Xpage=47>

A`men" (?; 277) , interj. , adv. , & n. [L. amen , Gr. <?/, Heb. \'bem<?/n certainly, truly.] An expression used at the end of prayers, and meaning, So be it . At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. When it introduces a declaration, it is equivalent to truly , verily . It is used as a noun, to demote: (a) concurrence in belief, or in a statement; assent; (b) the final word or act; (c) Christ as being one who is true and faithful.

And let all the people say, Amen . Ps. cvi. 48.

Amen , amen , I say to thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. John ii. 3. Rhemish Trans.

To say amen to , to approve warmly; to concur in heartily or emphatically; to ratify; as, I say Amen to all.

Amen <Xpage=47>

A`men" , v. t. To say Amen to; to sanction fully.

Amenability <Xpage=47>

A*me`na*bil"i*ty (#) , n. The quality of being amenable; amenableness.

Coleridge.

Amenable <Xpage=47>

A*me"na*ble (#) , a. [F. amener to lead; <?/ (L. ad ) = mener to lead, fr. L. minare to drive animals (properly by threatening cries), in LL. to lead; L. minari , to threaten, minae threats. See Menace .] 1. (Old Law) Easy to be led; governable, as a woman by her husband. [Obs.]

Jacob.

2. Liable to be brought to account or punishment; answerable; responsible; accountable; as, amenable to law .

Nor is man too diminutive . . . to be amenable to the divine government. I. Taylor.

3. Liable to punishment, a charge, a claim, etc.

4. Willing to yield or submit; responsive; tractable.

Sterling . . . always was amenable enough to counsel. Carlyle.

Amenableness <Xpage=47>

A*me"na*ble*ness , n. The quality or state of being amenable; liability to answer charges; answerableness.

Amenably <Xpage=47>

A*me"na*bly , adv. In an amenable manner.

Amenage <Xpage=47>

Am"e*nage (#) , v. t. [OF. amesnagier . See Manage .] To manage. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Amenance <Xpage=47>

Am"e*nance (#) , n. [OF. See Amenable .] Behavior; bearing. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Amend <Xpage=47>

A*mend" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amended ; p. pr. & vb. n. Amending .] [F. amender , L. emendare ; e ( ex ) + mendum , menda , fault, akin to Skr. minda personal defect. Cf. Emend , Mend .] To change or modify in any way for the better ; as, (a) by simply removing what is erroneous, corrupt, superfluous, faulty, and the like; (b) by supplying deficiencies; (c) by substituting something else in the place of what is removed; to rectify.

Mar not the thing that can not be amended . Shak.

An instant emergency, granting no possibility for revision, or opening for amended thought. De Quincey.

We shall cheer her sorrows, and amend her blood, by wedding her to a Norman. Sir W. Scott.

To amend a bill , to make some change in the details or provisions of a bill or measure while on its passage, professedly for its improvement.

<-- p. 48 -->

Syn. -- To Amend , Emend , Correct , Reform , Rectify . These words agree in the idea of bringing things into a more perfect state. We correct (literally, make straight) when we conform things to some standard or rule; as, to correct proof sheets. We amend by removing blemishes, faults, or errors, and thus rendering a thing more a nearly perfect; as, to amend our ways, to amend a text, the draft of a bill, etc. Emend is only another form of amend , and is applied chiefly to editions of books, etc. To reform is literally to form over again, or put into a new and better form; as, to reform one's life. To rectify is to make right; as, to rectify a mistake, to rectify abuses, inadvertencies, etc.

Amend <Xpage=48>

A*mend" (#) , v. i. To grow better by rectifying something wrong in manners or morals; to improve. "My fortune . . . amends ."

Sir P. Sidney.

Amendable <Xpage=48>

A*mend"a*ble (#) , a. Capable of being amended; as, an amendable writ or error . -- A*mend"a*ble*ness , n.

Amendatory <Xpage=48>

A*mend"a*to*ry (#) , a. Supplying amendment; corrective; emendatory.

Bancroft.

Amende <Xpage=48>

A`mende" (#) , n. [F. See Amend .] A pecuniary punishment or fine; a reparation or recantation.

Amende honorable (#) . (Old French Law) A species of infamous punishment in which the offender, being led into court with a rope about his neck, and a lighted torch in his hand, begged pardon of his God, the court, etc. In popular language, the phrase now denotes a public apology or recantation, and reparation to an injured party, for improper language or treatment.

Amender <Xpage=48>

A*mend"er (#) , n. One who amends.

Amendful <Xpage=48>

A*mend"ful (#) , a. Much improving. [Obs.]

Amendment <Xpage=48>

A*mend"ment (#) , n. [F. amendement , LL. amendamentum .] 1. An alteration or change for the better; correction of a fault or of faults; reformation of life by quitting vices.

2. In public bodies; Any alternation made or proposed to be made in a bill or motion by adding, changing, substituting, or omitting.

3. (Law) Correction of an error in a writ or process.

Syn. -- Improvement; reformation; emendation.

Amends <Xpage=48>

A*mends" (#) , n. sing. & pl. [F. amendes , pl. of amende . Cf. Amende .] Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; reparation. [Now const. with sing. verb.] "An honorable amends ."

Addison.

Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends . Shak.

Amenity <Xpage=48>

A*men"i*ty (#) , n. ; pl. Amenities (#) . [F. am\'82nit\'82 , L. amoenitas , fr. amoenus pleasant.] The quality of being pleasant or agreeable, whether in respect to situation, climate, manners, or disposition; pleasantness; civility; suavity; gentleness.

A sweetness and amenity of temper. Buckle.

This climate has not seduced by its amenities . W. Howitt.

Amenorrh\'d2a <Xpage=48>

A*men`or*rh\'d2"a (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ month + <?/ to flow: cf. F. am\'82norrh\'82e .] (Med.) Retention or suppression of the menstrual discharge.

Amenorrh\'d2al <Xpage=48>

A*men`or*rh\'d2"al (#) , a. Pertaining to amenorrh\'d2a.

A mensa et thoro <Xpage=48>

A men"sa et tho"ro (#) . [L., from board and bed.] (Law) A kind of divorce which does not dissolve the marriage bond, but merely authorizes a separate life of the husband and wife.

Abbott.

Ament <Xpage=48>

Am"ent (#) , n. [L. amentum thong or strap.] (Bot.) A species of inflorescence; a catkin.

The globular ament of a buttonwood. Coues.

Amentaceous <Xpage=48>

Am`en*ta"ceous (#) , a. [LL. amentaceus .] (Bot.) (a) Resembling, or consisting of, an ament or aments; as, the chestnut has an amentaceous inflorescence . (b) Bearing aments; having flowers arranged in aments; as, amentaceous plants .

Amentia <Xpage=48>

A*men"ti*a (#) , n. [L.] (Med.) Imbecility; total want of understanding.

Amentiferous <Xpage=48>

Am`en*tif"er*ous (#) , a. [L. ament um + -ferous .] (Bot.) Bearing catkins.

Balfour.

Amentiform <Xpage=48>

A*men"ti*form (#) , a. [L. amen tum + -form .] (Bot.) Shaped like a catkin.

Amentum <Xpage=48>

A*men"tum (#) , n. ; pl. Amenta (#) . Same as Ament .

Amenuse <Xpage=48>

Am"e*nuse (#) , v. t. [OF. amenuisier . See Minute .] To lessen. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Amerce <Xpage=48>

A*merce" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amerced (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing .] [OF. amercier , fr. a merci at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See Mercy .] 1. To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the amerced the criminal in the sum on the hundred dollars .

&hand; The penalty of fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in , with , or of .

2. To punish, in general; to mulct.

Millions of spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven. Milton.

Shall by him be amerced with penance due. Spenser.

Amerceable <Xpage=48>

A*merce"a*ble (#) , a. Liable to be amerced.

Amercement <Xpage=48>

A*merce"ment (#) , n. [OF. amerciment .] The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a fine ,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See Affeer .]

Blackstone.

&hand; This word, in old books, is written amerciament .

Amercement royal , a penalty imposed on an officer for a misdemeanor in his office.

Jacobs.

Amercer <Xpage=48>

A*mer"cer (#) , n. One who amerces.

Amerciament <Xpage=48>

A*mer"cia*ment (#) , n. [LL. amerciamentum .] Same as Amercement .

Mozley & W.

American <Xpage=48>

A*mer"i*can (#) , a. [Named from Americus Vespucius.] 1. Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent: American Indians .

2. Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of the American navy."

Lyell.

American ivy . See Virginia creeper . -- American Party (U. S. Politics) , a party, about 1854, which opposed the influence of foreign-born citizens, and those supposed to owe allegiance to a foreign power. -- Native american Party (U. S. Politics) , a party of principles similar to those of the American party. It arose about 1843, but soon died out.

American <Xpage=48>

A*mer"i*can (#) , n. A native of America; -- originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States.

The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism. Washington.

Americanism <Xpage=48>

A*mer"i*can*ism (#) , n. 1. Attachment to the United States.

2. A custom peculiar to the United States or to America; an American characteristic or idea.

3. A word or phrase peculiar to the United States.

Americanization <Xpage=48>

A*mer`i*can*i*za"tion (#) , n. The process of Americanizing.

Americanize <Xpage=48>

A*mer"i*can*ize (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Americanizer (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Americanizing .] To render American; to assimilate to the Americans in customs, ideas, etc.; to stamp with American characteristics.

Ames-ace <Xpage=48>

Ames"-ace (#) , n. Same as Ambs-ace .

Amess <Xpage=48>

Am"ess (#) , n. (Eccl.) Amice, a hood or cape. See 2d Amice .

Ametabola <Xpage=48>

Am`e*tab"o*la (#) , n. pl. [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) A group of insects which do not undergo any metamorphosis. [Written also Ametabolia .]

Ametabolian <Xpage=48>

A*met`a*bo"li*an (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ unchangeable; <?/ priv. + <?/ changeable, <?/ to change.] (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to insects that do undergo any metamorphosis.

Ametabolic, Ametabolous <Xpage=48>

A*met`a*bol"ic (#) , Am`e*tab"o*lous , a. (Zo\'94l.) Not undergoing any metamorphosis; as, ametabolic insects .

Amethodist <Xpage=48>

A*meth"o*dist (#) , n. [Pref. a- not + methodist .] One without method; a quack. [Obs.]

Amethyst <Xpage=48>

Am"e*thyst (#) , [F. ametiste , amatiste , F. am\'82thyste , L. amethystus , fr. Gr. <?/ without drunkenness; as a noun, a remedy for drunkenness, the amethyst, supposed to have this power; <?/ priv. + <?/ to be drunken, <?/ strong drink, wine. See Mead .]

1. (Min.) A variety of crystallized quartz, of a purple or bluish violet color, of different shades. It is much used as a jeweler's stone.

Oriental amethyst , the violet-blue variety of transparent crystallized corundum or sapphire.

2. (Her.) A purple color in a nobleman's escutcheon, or coat of arms.

Amethystine <Xpage=48>

Am`e*thys"tine (#) , a. [L. amethystinus , Gr. <?/.] 1. Resembling amethyst, especially in color; bluish violet.

2. Composed of, or containing, amethyst.

Ametropia <Xpage=48>

Am`e*tro"pi*a (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ irregular + <?/, <?/, eye.] (Med.) Any abnormal condition of the refracting powers of the eye. -- Am`e*trop"ic (#) , a.

Amharic <Xpage=48>

Am*har"ic (#) , a. Of or pertaining to Amhara, a division of Abyssinia; as, the Amharic language is closely allied to the Ethiopic . -- n. The Amharic language (now the chief language of Abyssinia).

Amia <Xpage=48>

Am"i*a (#) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/ a kind of tunny.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of fresh-water ganoid fishes, exclusively confined to North America; called bowfin in Lake Champlain, dogfish in Lake Erie, and mudfish in South Carolina, etc. See Bowfin .

Amiability <Xpage=48>

A`mi*a*bil"i*ty (#) , n. The quality of being amiable; amiableness; sweetness of disposition.

Every excellency is a degree of amiability . Jer. Taylor.

Amiable <Xpage=48>

A"mi*a*ble (#) , a. [F. amiable , L. amicabilis friendly, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. The meaning has been influenced by F. aimable , L. amabilis lovable, fr. amare to love. Cf. Amicable , Amorous , Amability .] 1. Lovable; lovely; pleasing. [Obs. or R.]

So amiable a prospect. Sir T. Herbert.

2. Friendly; kindly; sweet; gracious; as, an amiable temper or mood; amiable ideas.

3. Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper, kind-heartedness, etc., which causes one to be liked; as, an amiable woman .

4. Done out of love. [Obs.]

Lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife. Shak.

Amiableness <Xpage=48>

A`mi*a*ble*ness , n. The quality of being amiable; amiability.

Amiably <Xpage=48>

A"mi*a*bly , adv. In an amiable manner.

Amianth <Xpage=48>

Am"i*anth (#) , n. See Amianthus . [Poetic]

Amianthiform <Xpage=48>

Am`i*an"thi*form (#) , a. [ Amianth us + -form .] Resembling amianthus in form.

Amianthoid <Xpage=48>

Am`i*an"thoid (#) , a. [ Amianth us + -oid : cf. F. amianto\'8bde .] Resembling amianthus.

Amianthus <Xpage=48>

Am`i*an"thus (#) , n. [L. amiantus , Gr. <?/ <?/ (lit., unsoiled stone) a greenish stone, like asbestus; <?/ priv. + <?/ to stain, to defile; so called from its incombustibility.] (Min.) Earth flax, or mountain flax; a soft silky variety of asbestus.

Amic <Xpage=48>

Am"ic (#) , a. [L. am monia + -ic .] (Chem.) Related to, or derived, ammonia; -- used chiefly as a suffix; as, amic acid; phosph amic acid.

Amic acid (Chem.) , one of a class of nitrogenized acids somewhat resembling amides.

Amicability <Xpage=48>

Am`i*ca*bil"i*ty (#) , n. The quality of being amicable; friendliness; amicableness.

Ash.

Amicable <Xpage=48>

Am"i*ca*ble (#) , a. [L. amicabilis , fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. See Amiable .] Friendly; proceeding from, or exhibiting, friendliness; after the manner of friends; peaceable; as, an amicable disposition, or arrangement .

That which was most remarkable in this contest was . . . the amicable manner in which it was managed. Prideoux.

Amicable action (Law.) , an action commenced and prosecuted by amicable consent of the parties, for the purpose of obtaining a decision of the court on some matter of law involved in it. Bouvier . Burrill . -- Amicable numbers (Math.) , two numbers, each of which is equal to the sum of all the aliquot parts of the other.