Chapter 58

It was the custom for an amorist to impress the name of his mistress in the dust, or upon the damp earth, with letters fixed upon his shoe. Southey.

A-mornings <Xpage=49>

A-morn"ings (#) , adv. [See Amorwe . The - s is a genitival ending. See -wards .] In the morning; every morning. [Obs.]

And have such pleasant walks into the woods A - mornings . J. Fletcher.

Amorosa <Xpage=49>

Am`o*ro"sa (#) , n. [It. amoroso , fem. amorosa .] A wanton woman; a courtesan.

Sir T. Herbert.

Amorosity <Xpage=49>

Am`o*ros"i*ty (#) , n. The quality of being amorous; lovingness. [R.]

Galt.

Amoroso <Xpage=49>

Am`o*ro"so (#) , n. [It. amoroso , LL. amorosus .] A lover; a man enamored.

Amoroso <Xpage=49>

Am`o*ro"so , adv. [It.] (Mus.) In a soft, tender, amatory style.

Amorous <Xpage=49>

Am"o*rous (#) , a. [OF. amoros , F. amoreux , LL. amorosus , fr. L. amor love, fr. amare to love.] 1. Inclined to love; having a propensity to love, or to sexual enjoyment; loving; fond; affectionate; as, an amorous disposition .

2. Affected with love; in love; enamored; -- usually with of ; formerly with on .

Thy roses amorous of the moon. Keats.

High nature amorous of the good. Tennyson.

Sure my brother is amorous on Hero. Shak.

3. Of or relating to, or produced by, love. " Amorous delight." Milton . " Amorous airs." Waller .

Syn. -- Loving; fond; tender; passionate; affectionate; devoted; ardent.

Amorously <Xpage=49>

Am"o*rous*ly , adv. In an amorous manner; fondly.

Amorousness <Xpage=49>

Am"o*rous*ness , n. The quality of being amorous, or inclined to sexual love; lovingness.

Amorpha <Xpage=49>

A*mor"pha (#) , n. ; pl. Amorphas (#) . [Gr. <?/ shapeless.] (Bot.) A genus of leguminous shrubs, having long clusters of purple flowers; false or bastard indigo.

Longfellow.

Amorphism <Xpage=49>

A*mor"phism (#) , n. [See Amorphous .] A state of being amorphous; esp. a state of being without crystallization even in the minutest particles, as in glass, opal, etc. There are stony substances which, when fused, may cool as glass or as stone; the glass state is spoken of as a state of amorphism .

Amorphous <Xpage=49>

A*mor"phous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ priv. + <?/ form.] 1. Having no determinate form; of irregular; shapeless.

Kirwan.

2. Without crystallization in the ultimate texture of a solid substance; uncrystallized.

3. Of no particular kind or character; anomalous.

Scientific treatises . . . are not seldom rude and amorphous in style. Hare.

-- A*mor"phous*ly , adv. -- A*mor"phous*ness , n.

Amorphozoa <Xpage=49>

A*mor`pho*zo"a (#) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ shapeless; <?/ priv. + <?/ form + <?/ animal.] (Zo\'94l.) Animals without a mouth or regular internal organs, as the sponges.

Amorphozoic <Xpage=49>

A*mor`pho*zo"ic (#) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the Amorphozoa.

Amorphy <Xpage=49>

A*mor"phy (#) , n. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. amorphie . See Amorphous .] Shapelessness. [Obs.]

Swift.

Amort <Xpage=49>

A*mort" (#) , a. [Pref. a- + F. mort death, dead; all amort is for alamort .] As if dead; lifeless; spiritless; dejected; depressed.

Shak.

Amortise, v., Amortisation, n., Amortisable, a., Amortisement <Xpage=49>

A*mor"tise (#) , v. , A*mor`ti*sa"tion (#) , n. , A*mor"tis*a*ble (#) , a. , A*mor"tise*ment (#) , n. Same as Amortize , Amortization , etc.

Amortizable <Xpage=49>

A*mor"tiz*a*ble (#) , a. [Cf. F. amortissable .] Capable of being cleared off, as a debt.

Amortization <Xpage=49>

A*mor`ti*za"tion (#) , n. [LL. amortisatio , admortizatio . See Amortize , and cf. Admortization .] 1. (Law) The act or right of alienating lands to a corporation, which was considered formerly as transferring them to dead hands , or in mortmain.

2. The extinction of a debt, usually by means of a sinking fund; also, the money thus paid.

Simmonds.

Amortize <Xpage=49>

A*mor"tize (#) , v. t. [OE. amortisen , LL. amortisare , admortizare , F. amortir to sell in mortmain, to extinguish; L. ad + mors death. See Mortmain ] . 1. To make as if dead; to destroy. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

2. (Law) To alienate in mortmain, that is, to convey to a corporation. See Mortmain .

3. To clear off or extinguish, as a debt, usually by means of a sinking fund.

Amortizement <Xpage=49>

A*mor"tize*ment (#) , n. [F. amortissement .] Same as Amortization .

Amorwe <Xpage=49>

A*mor"we (#) , adv. [Pref. a- on + OE. morwe . See Morrow .] 1. In the morning. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

2. On the following morning. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Amotion <Xpage=49>

A*mo"tion (#) , n. [L. amotio . See Amove .] 1. Removal; ousting; especially, the removal of a corporate officer from his office.

2. Deprivation of possession.

Amotus <Xpage=49>

A*mo"tus (#) , a. [L., withdrawn (from it<?/place).] (Zo\'94l.) Elevated, -- as a toe, when raised so high that the tip does not touch the ground.

Amount <Xpage=49>

A*mount" (#) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Amounted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Amounting .] [OF. amonter to increase, advance, ascend, fr. amont (equiv. to L. ad montem to the mountain) upward, F. amont up the river. See Mount , n. ] 1. To go up; to ascend. [Obs.]

So up he rose, and thence amounted straight. Spenser.

2. To rise or reach by an accumulation of particular sums or quantities; to come ( to ) in the aggregate or whole; -- with to or unto .

3. To rise, reach, or extend in effect, substance, or influence; to be equivalent; to come practically ( to ); as, the testimony amounts to very little .

Amount <Xpage=49>

A*mount" , v. t. To signify; to amount to. [Obs.]

Amount <Xpage=49>

A*mount" , n. 1. The sum total of two or more sums or quantities; the aggregate; the whole quantity; a totality; as, the amount of 7 and 9 is 16; the amount of a bill; the amount of this year's revenue.

2. The effect, substance, value, significance, or result; the sum; as, the amount of the testimony is this .

The whole amount of that enormous fame. Pope.

Amour <Xpage=49>

A*mour" (#) , n. [F., fr. L. amor love.] 1. Love; affection. [Obs.]

2. Love making; a love affair; usually, an unlawful connection in love; a love intrigue; an illicit love affair.

In amours with , in love with. [Obs.]

<page="50"> Page 50

Amour propre <Xpage=50>

A"mour` pro"pre (#) . [F.] Self-love; self-esteem.

Amovability <Xpage=50>

A*mov`a*bil"i*ty (#) , n. Liability to be removed or dismissed from office. [R.]

T. Jefferson.

Amovable <Xpage=50>

A*mov"a*ble (#) , a. [Cf. F. amovible .] Removable.

Amove <Xpage=50>

A*move" (#) , v. t. [L. amovere ; a- ( ab ) + movere to move: cf. OF. amover .] 1. To remove, as a person or thing, from a position. [Obs.] Dr. H. More .

2. (Law) To dismiss from an office or station.

Amove <Xpage=50>

A*move" , v. t. & i. [OE. amovir , L. admovere to move to, to excite; ad + movere .] To move or be moved; to excite. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Ampelite <Xpage=50>

Am"pe*lite (#) , n. [L. ampelitis , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ vine.] (Min.) An earth abounding in pyrites, used by the ancients to kill insects, etc., on vines; -- applied by Brongniart to a carbonaceous alum schist.

Amp\'8are, Ampere <Xpage=50>

Am`p\'8are" (#) , Am*pere" (#) , n. [From the name of a French electrician.] (Elec.) The unit of electric current; -- defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893 and by U. S. Statute as, one tenth of the unit of current of the C. G. S. system of electro-magnetic units, or the practical equivalent of the unvarying current which, when passed through a standard solution of nitrate of silver in water, deposits silver at the rate of 0.001118 grams per second. Called also the international amp\'8are .

Amp\'8aremeter, Amperometer <Xpage=50>

Am`p\'8are"me`ter (#) , Am`pe*rom"e*ter (#) , n. [ Amp\'8are + meter .] (Physics) An instrument for measuring the strength of an electrical current in amp\'8ares.

Ampersand <Xpage=50>

Am"per*sand (#) , n. [A corruption of and , per se and , i. e., & by itself makes and .] A word used to describe the character <?/, <?/, or &.

Halliwell.

Amphi- <Xpage=50>

Am*phi- . [Gr. <?/.] A prefix in words of Greek origin, signifying both , of both kinds , on both sides , about , around .

Amphiarthrodial <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*ar*thro"di*al (#) , a. [Pref. amphi- + arthrodial .] Characterized by amphiarthrosis.

Amphiarthrosis <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*ar*thro"sis (#) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ + <?/ a joining, <?/ a joint.] (Anat.) A form of articulation in which the bones are connected by intervening substance admitting slight motion; symphysis.

Amphiaster <Xpage=50>

Am"phi*as`ter (#) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ + <?/ a star.] (Biol.) The achromatic figure, formed in mitotic cell-division, consisting of two asters connected by a spindle-shaped bundle of rodlike fibers diverging from each aster, and called the spindle .

Amphibia <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*a (#) , n. pl. [See Amphibium .] (Zo\'94l.) One of the classes of vertebrates.

&hand; The Amphibia are distinguished by having usually no scales, by having eggs and embryos similar to those of fishes, and by undergoing a complete metamorphosis, the young having gills. There are three living orders: (1) The tailless, as the frogs (Anura) ; (2) The tailed (Urodela) , as the salamanders, and the siren group (Sirenoidea) , which retain the gills of the young state (hence called Perennibranchiata ) through the adult state, among which are the siren, proteus, etc.; (3) The C\'d2cilians, or serpentlike Amphibia (Ophiomorpha or Gymnophiona) , with minute scales and without limbs. The extinct Labyrinthodonts also belonged to this class. The term is sometimes loosely applied to both reptiles and amphibians collectively.

Amphibial <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*al (-al) , a. & n. Amphibian. [R.]

Amphibian <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*an (-an) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the Amphibia; as, amphibian reptiles .

Amphibian <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*an , n. (Zo\'94l.) One of the Amphibia.

Amphibiological <Xpage=50>

Am*phib`i*o*log"ic*al (#) , a. Pertaining to amphibiology.

Amphibiology <Xpage=50>

Am*phib`i*ol"o*gy (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ amphibious + -logy : cf. F. amphibiologie .] A treatise on amphibious animals; the department of natural history which treats of the Amphibia.

Amphibiotica <Xpage=50>

Am*phib`i*ot"i*ca (#) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ + <?/ pertaining to life.] (Zo\'94l.) A division of insects having aquatic larv\'91.

Amphibious <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*ous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ living a double life, i . e ., both on land in water; <?/ + <?/ life.] 1. Having the ability to live both on land and in water, as frogs, crocodiles, beavers, and some plants.

2. Pertaining to, adapted for, or connected with, both land and water.

The amphibious character of the Greeks was already determined: they were to be lords of land and sea. Hare.

3. Of a mixed nature; partaking of two natures.

Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious subordinate class of villein socage. Blackstone.

Amphibiously <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*ous*ly , adv. Like an amphibious being.

Amphibium <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"i*um (#) , n. ; pl. L. Amphibia (#) ; E. Amphibiums (#) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ (sc. <?/ an animal). See Amphibious .] An amphibian.

Amphiblastic <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*blas"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ tending to sprout.] (Biol.) Segmenting unequally; -- said of telolecithal ova with complete segmentation.

Amphibole <Xpage=50>

Am"phi*bole (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ doubtful, equivocal, fr. <?/ to throw round, to doubt: cf. F. amphibole . Ha\'81y so named the genus from the great variety of color and composition assumed by the mineral.] (Min.) A common mineral embracing many varieties varying in color and in composition. It occurs in monoclinic crystals; also massive, generally with fibrous or columnar structure. The color varies from white to gray, green, brown, and black. It is a silicate of magnesium and calcium, with usually aluminium and iron. Some common varieties are tremolite , actinolite , asbestus , edenite , hornblende (the last name being also used as a general term for the whole species). Amphibole is a constituent of many crystalline rocks, as syenite, diorite, most varieties of trachyte, etc. See Hornblende .

Amphibolic <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*bol"ic (#) , a. 1. Of or pertaining to amphiboly; ambiguous; equivocal.

2. Of or resembling the mineral amphibole.

Amphibological <Xpage=50>

Am*phib`o*log"ic*al (#) , a. Of doubtful meaning; ambiguous. " Amphibological expressions."

Jer. Taylor.

-- Am*phib`o*log"ic*al*ly , adv.

Amphibology <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*bol"o*gy (#) , n. ; pl. Amphibologies (#) . [L. amphibologia , for amphibolia , fr. Gr. <?/, with the ending - logia as if fr. Gr. <?/ ambiguous + <?/ speech: cf. F. amphibologie . See Amphiboly .] A phrase, discourse, or proposition, susceptible of two interpretations; and hence, of uncertain meaning. It differs from equivocation , which arises from the twofold sense of a single term.

Amphibolous <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"o*lous (#) , a. [L. amphibolus , Gr. <?/ thrown about, doubtful. See Amphibole .]

1. Ambiguous; doubtful. [Obs.]

Never was there such an amphibolous quarrel -- both parties declaring themselves for the king. Howell.

2. (Logic) Capable of two meanings.

An amphibolous sentence is one that is capable of two meanings, not from the double sense of any of the words, but from its admitting of a double construction; e . g ., "The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose." Whately.

Amphiboly <Xpage=50>

Am*phib"o*ly (#) , n. ; pl. Amphibolies (#) . [L. amphibolia , Gr. <?/: cf. OE. amphibolie . See Amphibolous .] Ambiguous discourse; amphibology.

If it oracle contrary to our interest or humor, we will create an amphiboly , a double meaning where there is none. Whitlock.

Amphibranch <Xpage=50>

Am"phi*branch (#) , n. [L. <?/, Gr. <?/ short at both ends; <?/ + <?/ short.] (Anc. Pros.) A foot of three syllables, the middle one long, the first and last short (<?/ -- <?/); as, h<?/b\'c7r<?/ . In modern prosody the accented syllable takes the place of the long and the unaccented of the short; as, pro - phet \'b6 ic .

Amphicarpic, Amphicarpous <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*car"pic (#) , Am`phi*car"pous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) Producing fruit of two kinds, either as to form or time of ripening.

Amphichroic <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*chro"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ color.] (Chem.) Exhibiting or producing two colors, as substances which in the color test may change red litmus to blue and blue litmus to red.

Amphic</lian, Amphic</lous <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*c<?/"li*an (#) , Am`phi*c<?/"lous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ hollowed all round; <?/ + <?/ hollow.] (Zo\'94l.) Having both ends concave; biconcave; -- said of vertebr\'91.

Amphicome <Xpage=50>

Am"phi*come (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ with hair all round; <?/ + <?/ hair.] A kind of figured stone, rugged and beset with eminences, anciently used in divination. [Obs.]

Encyc. Brit.

Amphictyonic <Xpage=50>

Am*phic`ty*on"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/.] Of or pertaining to the Amphictyons or their League or Council; as, an Amphictyonic town or state; the Amphictyonic body.

W. Smith.

Amphictyons <Xpage=50>

Am*phic"ty*ons (#) , n. pl. [L. Amphictyones , Gr. <?/. Prob. the word was orig. <?/ dwellers around, neighbors.] (Grecian Hist.) Deputies from the confederated states of ancient Greece to a congress or council. They considered both political and religious matters.

Amphictyony <Xpage=50>

Am*phic"ty*o*ny (#) , n. ; pl. Amphictyonies (#) . [Gr. <?/.] (Grecian Hist.) A league of states of ancient Greece; esp. the celebrated confederation known as the Amphictyonic Council. Its object was to maintain the common interests of Greece.

Amphid <Xpage=50>

Am"phid (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ both: cf. F. amphide .] (Chem.) A salt of the class formed by the combination of an acid and a base, or by the union of two oxides, two sulphides, selenides, or tellurides, as distinguished from a haloid compound. [R.]

Berzelius.

Amphidisc <Xpage=50>

Am"phi*disc (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ a round plate.] (Zo\'94l.) A peculiar small siliceous spicule having a denticulated wheel at each end; -- found in freshwater sponges.

Amphidromical <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*drom"ic*al (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ running about or around.] Pertaining to an Attic festival at the naming of a child; -- so called because the friends of the parents carried the child around the hearth and then named it.

Amphigamous <Xpage=50>

Am*phig"a*mous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ marriage.] (Bot.) Having a structure entirely cellular, and no distinct sexual organs; -- a term applied by De Candolle to the lowest order of plants.

Amphigean <Xpage=50>

Am`phi*ge"an (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ + <?/, <?/, the earth.] Extending over all the zones, from the tropics to the polar zones inclusive.

Amphigen <Xpage=50>