Chapter 60

Amusable <Xpage=51>

A*mus"a*ble (#) , a. [Cf. F. amusable .] Capable of being amused.

Amuse <Xpage=51>

A*muse" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amused (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Amusing .] [F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, <?/ (L. ad ) + OF. muser . See Muse , v .] 1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [Obs.]

Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold. Holland.

Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house. Fuller.

2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert.

A group children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as they plunged into the lake. Gilpin.

3. To keep in extraction; to beguile; to delude.

He amused his followers with idle promises. Johnson.

Syn. -- To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive; occupy. -- To Amuse , Divert , Entertain . We are amused by that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are entertained by that which brings our minds into agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a book. We are diverted by that which turns off our thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a laughable incident.

Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains usually a wakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. Crabb.

Amuse <Xpage=51>

A*muse" , v. i. To muse; to mediate. [Obs.]

Amused <Xpage=51>

A*mused" (#) , a. 1. Diverted.

2. Expressing amusement; as, an amused look .

Amusement <Xpage=51>

A*muse"ment (#) , n. [Cf. F. amusement .] 1. Deep thought; muse. [Obs.]

Here I . . . fell into a strong and deep amusement , revolving in my mind, with great perplexity, the amazing change of our affairs. Fleetwood.

2. The state of being amused; pleasurable excitement; that which amuses; diversion.

His favorite amusements were architecture and gardening. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Diversion; entertainment; recreation; relaxation; pastime; sport.

Amuser <Xpage=51>

A*mus"er (#) , n. One who amuses.

Amusette <Xpage=51>

Am`u*sette" (#) , n. [F.] A light field cannon, or stocked gun mounted on a swivel.

Amusing <Xpage=51>

A*mus"ing (#) , a. Giving amusement; diverting; as, an amusing story . -- A*mus"ing*ly , adv.

Amusive <Xpage=51>

A*mu"sive (?; 277) , a. Having power to amuse or entertain the mind; fitted to excite mirth. [R.] -- A*mu"sive*ly , adv. -- A*mu"sive*ness , n.

Amy <Xpage=51>

A*my" (#) , n. [F. ami , fr. L. amicus .] A friend. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Amyelous <Xpage=51>

A*my"e*lous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ without marrow.] (Med.) Wanting the spinal cord.

Amygdalaceous <Xpage=51>

A*myg`da*la"ceous (#) , a. (Bot.) Akin to, or derived from, the almond.

Amygdalate <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*late (#) , a. [L. amygdala , amygdalum , almond, Gr. <?/, <?/. See Almond .] Pertaining to, resembling, or made of, almonds.

Amygdalate <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*late , n. 1. (Med.) An emulsion made of almonds; milk of almonds.

Bailey. Coxe.

2. (Chem.) A salt amygdalic acid.

Amygdalic <Xpage=51>

Am`yg*dal"ic (#) , a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to almonds; derived from amygdalin; as, amygdalic acid .

Amygdaliferous <Xpage=51>

A*myg`da*lif"er*ous (#) , a. [L. amygdalum almond + -ferous .] Almond-bearing.

Amygdalin <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*lin (#) , n. (Chem.) A glucoside extracted from bitter almonds as a white, crystalline substance.

Amygdaline <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*line (#) , a. [L. amygdalinus .] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, almonds.

Amygdaloid <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*loid (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ almond + -oid : cf. F. amygdalo\'8bde .] (Min.) A variety of trap or basaltic rock, containing small cavities, occupied, wholly or in part, by nodules or geodes of different minerals, esp. agates, quartz, calcite, and the zeolites. When the imbedded minerals are detached or removed by decomposition, it is porous, like lava.

Amygdaloid, Amygdaloidal <Xpage=51>

A*myg"da*loid (#) , A*myg`da*loid"al (#) , a. 1. Almond-shaped.

2. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, the rock amygdaloid.

Amyl <Xpage=51>

Am"yl (#) , n. [L. am ylum starch + -yl . Cf. Amidin .] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon radical, C5H11 , of the paraffine series found in amyl alcohol or fusel oil, etc.

Amylaceous <Xpage=51>

Am`y*la"ceous (#) , a. [L. amylum starch, Gr. <?/. See Amidin .] Pertaining to starch; of the nature of starch; starchy.

Amylate <Xpage=51>

Am"y*late (#) , n. (Chem.) A compound of the radical amyl with oxygen and a positive atom or radical.

Amylene <Xpage=51>

Am"y*lene (#) , n. (Chem.) One of a group of metameric hydrocarbons, C5H10 , of the ethylene series. The colorless, volatile, mobile liquid commonly called amylene is a mixture of different members of the group.

Amylic <Xpage=51>

A*myl"ic (#) , a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, amyl; as, amylic ether .

Amylic alcohol (Chem.) , one of the series of alcohols, a transparent, colorless liquid, having a peculiar odor. It is the hydroxide of amyl. -- Amylic fermentation (Chem.) , a process of fermentation in starch or sugar in which amylic alcohol is produced.

Gregory.

Amylobacter <Xpage=51>

Am`y*lo*bac"ter , n. [L. amyl um starch + NL. bacter ium. See Bacterium .] (Biol.) A micro\'94rganism (Bacillus amylobacter) which develops in vegetable tissue during putrefaction.

Sternberg.

Amyloid, Amyloidal <Xpage=51>

Am"y*loid (#) , Am`y*loid"al (#) , a. [L. amylum starch + -oid .] Resembling or containing amyl; starchlike.

Amyloid degeneration (Med.) , a diseased condition of various organs of the body, produced by the deposit of an albuminous substance, giving a blue color with iodine and sulphuric acid; -- called also waxy &or; lardaceous degeneration .

<page="52"> Page 52

Amyloid <Xpage=52>

Am"y*loid (#) , n. 1. A non-nitrogenous starchy food; a starchlike substance.

2. (Med.) The substance deposited in the organs in amyloid degeneration.

Amylolytic <Xpage=52>

Am`y*lo*ly"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ starch + <?/ solvent; <?/ to dissolve.] (Physiol.) Effecting the conversion of starch into soluble dextrin and sugar; as, an amylolytic ferment .

Foster.

Amylose <Xpage=52>

Am`y*lose" (#) , n. (Chem.) One of the starch group (C6H10O5)n of the carbohydrates; as, starch, arabin, dextrin, cellulose, etc.

Amyous <Xpage=52>

Am"y*ous (#) , a. [Gr. <?/.] (Med.) Wanting in muscle; without flesh.

Amyss <Xpage=52>

Am"yss (#) , n. Same as Amice , a hood or cape.

An <Xpage=52>

An (#) . [AS. \'ben one, the same word as the numeral. See One , and cf. A .] This word is properly an adjective , but is commonly called the indefinite article . It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one , or any , but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour," "once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d A , 2 ), it has a distributive force, and is equivalent to each , every .

&hand; An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h sounded , when the accent of the word falls on the second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions. Anciently an was used before consonants as well as vowels.

An <Xpage=52>

An , conj. [Shortened fr. and , OE. an ., and , sometimes and if , in introducing conditional clauses, like Icel. enda if, the same word as and . Prob. and was originally pleonastic before the conditional clause.] If; -- a word used by old English authors.

Shak.

Nay, an thou dalliest, then I am thy foe. B. Jonson.

An if , and if; if.

Ana- <Xpage=52>

An"a- . [/Gr. <?/ on; in comp ., on, up, upwards.] A prefix in words from the Greek, denoting up , upward , throughout , backward , back , again , anew .

Ana <Xpage=52>

A"na (#) , adv. [Gr. <?/ (used distributively).] (Med.) Of each; an equal quantity; as, wine and honey, ana (or, contracted, aa ), <?/ ij ., that is, of wine and honey, each, two ounces.

An apothecary with a . . . long bill of anas . Dryden.

ana <Xpage=52>

*a"na (#) . [The neut. pl. ending of Latin adjectives in - anus .] A suffix to names of persons or places, used to denote a collection of notable sayings, literary gossip, anecdotes, etc. Thus, Scaligerana is a book containing the sayings of Scaliger, Johnsoniana of Johnson, etc.

Used also as a substantive; as, the French anas .

It has been said that the table-talk of Selden is worth all the ana of the Continent. Hallam.

Anabaptism <Xpage=52>

An`a*bap"tism (#) , n. [L. anabaptismus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. anabaptisme . See Anabaptize .] The doctrine of the Anabaptists.

Anabaptist <Xpage=52>

An`a*bap"tist (#) , n. [LL. anabaptista , fr. Gr. as if <?/ : cf . F . anabaptiste .] A name sometimes applied to a member of any sect holding that rebaptism is necessary for those baptized in infancy.

&hand; In church history, the name Anabaptists usually designates a sect of fanatics who greatly disturbed the peace of Germany, the Netherlands, etc., in the Reformation period. In more modern times the name has been applied to those who do not regard infant baptism as real and valid baptism.

Anabaptistic, Anabaptistical <Xpage=52>

An`a*bap*tis"tic (#) , An`a*bap*tis"tic*al (#) , a. Relating or attributed to the Anabaptists, or their doctrines.

Milton. Bp. Bull.

Anabaptistry <Xpage=52>

An`a*bap"tist*ry (#) , n. The doctrine, system, or practice, of Anabaptists. [R.]

Thus died this imaginary king; and Anabaptistry was suppressed in Munster. Pagitt.

Anabaptize <Xpage=52>

An`a*bap*tize" (#) , v. t. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ again + <?/ to baptize. See Baptize .] To rebaptize; to rechristen; also, to rename. [R.]

Whitlock.

Anabas <Xpage=52>

An"a*bas (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, p. p. of <?/ to advance.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of fishes, remarkable for their power of living long out of water, and of making their way on land for considerable distances, and for climbing trees; the climbing fishes.

Anabasis <Xpage=52>

A*nab"a*sis (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to go up; <?/ up + <?/ to go.] 1. A journey or expedition up from the coast, like that of the younger Cyrus into Central Asia, described by Xenophon in his work called "The Anabasis."

The anabasis of Napoleon. De Quincey.

2. (Med.) The first period, or increase, of a disease; augmentation. [Obs.]

Anabatic <Xpage=52>

An`a*bat"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/.] Pertaining to anabasis; as, an anabatic fever . [Obs.]

Anabolic <Xpage=52>

An`a*bol"ic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ something heaped up; <?/ + <?/ a stroke.] (Physiol.) Pertaining to anabolism; an anabolic changes, or processes, more or less constructive in their nature.

Anabolism <Xpage=52>

A*nab"o*lism (#) , n. (Physiol.) The constructive metabolism of the body, as distinguished from katabolism .

Anacamptic <Xpage=52>

An`a*camp"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ to bend back; <?/ back + <?/ to bend.] Reflecting of reflected; as, an anacamptic sound (and echo) .

&hand; The word was formerly applied to that part of optics which treats of reflection; the same as what is now called catoptric . See Catoptrics .

Anacamptically <Xpage=52>

An`a*camp"tic*al*ly (#) , adv. By reflection; as, echoes are sound produced anacamptically .

Hutton.

Anacamptics <Xpage=52>

An`a*camp"tics (#) , n. 1. The science of reflected light, now called catoptrics .

2. The science of reflected sounds.

Anacanthini, Anacanths <Xpage=52>

An`a*can"thi*ni (#) , An"a*canths (#) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ priv. + <?/ thorny, fr. <?/ thorn.] (Zo\'94l.) A group of teleostean fishes destitute of spiny fin-rays, as the cod.

Anacanthous <Xpage=52>

An`a*can"thous (#) , a. Spineless, as certain fishes.

Anacardiaceous <Xpage=52>

An`a*car"di*a"ceous (#) , a. (Bot.) Belonging to, or resembling, a family, or order, of plants of which the cashew tree is the type, and the species of sumac are well known examples.

Anacardic <Xpage=52>

An`a*car"dic (#) , a. Pertaining to, or derived from, the cashew nut; as, anacardic acid .

Anacardium <Xpage=52>

An`a*car"di*um (#) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ similar to + <?/ heart; -- the fruit of this plant being thought to resemble the heart of a bird.] (Bot.) A genus of plants including the cashew tree. See Cashew .

Anacathartic <Xpage=52>

An`a*ca*thar"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to cleanse upward, i . e ., by vomiting; <?/ + <?/. See Cathartic .] (Med.) Producing vomiting or expectoration. -- n. An anacatharic medicine; an expectorant or an emetic.

Anacharis <Xpage=52>

An*ach"a*ris (#) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ up + <?/ grace.] (Bot.) A fresh-water weed of the frog's-bit family ( Hydrocharidace\'91 ), native to America. Transferred to England it became an obstruction to navigation. Called also waterweed and water thyme .

Anachoret, n. Anachoretical <Xpage=52>

An*ach"o*ret (#) , n. An*ach`o*ret"ic*al (#) , a. See Anchoret , Anchoretic . [Obs.]

Anachorism <Xpage=52>

An*ach"o*rism (#) , n. [Gr. <?/ + <?/ place.] An error in regard to the place of an event or a thing; a referring something to a wrong place. [R.]

Anachronic, Anachronical <Xpage=52>

An`a*chron"ic (#) , An`a*chron"ic*al (#) , a. Characterized by, or involving, anachronism; anachronistic.

Anachronism <Xpage=52>

An*ach"ro*nism (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to refer to a wrong time, to confound times; <?/ + <?/ time: cf. F. anachronisme .] A misplacing or error in the order of time; an error in chronology by which events are misplaced in regard to each other, esp. one by which an event is placed too early; falsification of chronological relation.

Anachronistic <Xpage=52>

An*ach`ro*nis"tic (#) , a. Erroneous in date; containing an anachronism.

T. Warton.

Anachronize <Xpage=52>

An*ach"ro*nize (#) , v. t. [Gr. <?/.] To refer to, or put into, a wrong time. [R.]

Lowell.

Anachronous <Xpage=52>

An*ach"ro*nous (#) , a. Containing an anachronism; anachronistic. -- An*ach"ro*nous*ly , adv.

Anaclastic <Xpage=52>

An`a*clas"tic (#) , a. [Gr. <?/ to bend back and break; to reflect (light); <?/ + <?/ to break.] 1. (Opt.) Produced by the refraction of light, as seen through water; as, anaclastic curves .

2. Springing back, as the bottom of an anaclastic glass.

Anaclastic glass , a glass or phial, shaped like an inverted funnel, and with a very thin convex bottom. By sucking out a little air, the bottom springs into a concave form with a smart crack; and by breathing or blowing gently into the orifice, the bottom, with a like noise, springs into its former convex form.

Anaclastics <Xpage=52>

An`a*clas"tics (#) , n. (Opt.) That part of optics which treats of the refraction of light; -- commonly called dioptrics .

Encyc. Brit.

Anac\'d2nosis <Xpage=52>

An`a*c\'d2*no"sis (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/, to communicate; <?/ up + <?/ to make common, <?/ common.] (Rhet.) A figure by which a speaker appeals to his hearers or opponents for their opinion on the point in debate.

Walker.

Anacoluthic <Xpage=52>

An`a*co*lu"thic (#) , a. Lacking grammatical sequence. -- An`a*co*lu"thic*al*ly (#) , adv.

Anacoluthon <Xpage=52>

An`a*co*lu"thon (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, not following, wanting sequence; <?/ priv. + <?/ following.] (Gram.) A want of grammatical sequence or coherence in a sentence; an instance of a change of construction in a sentence so that the latter part does not syntactically correspond with the first part.

Anaconda <Xpage=52>

An`a*con"da (#) , n. [Of Ceylonese origin?] (Zo\'94l.) A large South American snake of the Boa family (Eunectes murinus) , which lives near rivers, and preys on birds and small mammals. The name is also applied to a similar large serpent (Python tigris) of Ceylon.

Anacreontic <Xpage=52>

A*nac`re*on"tic (#) , a. [L. Anacreonticus .] Pertaining to, after the manner of, or in the meter of, the Greek poet Anacreon; amatory and convivial.

De Quincey.

Anacreontic <Xpage=52>

A*nac`re*on"tic , n. A poem after the manner of Anacreon; a sprightly little poem in praise of love and wine.

Anacrotic <Xpage=52>

An`a*crot"ic (#) , a. (Physiol.) Pertaining to anachronism.

Anacrotism <Xpage=52>

A*nac"ro*tism (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, up, again + <?/ a stroke.] (Physiol.) A secondary notch in the pulse curve, obtained in a sphygmographic tracing.

Anacrusis <Xpage=52>

An`a*cru"sis (#) , n. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to push up or back; <?/ + <?/ to strike.] (Pros.) A prefix of one or two unaccented syllables to a verse properly beginning with an accented syllable.

Anadem <Xpage=52>

An"a*dem (#) , n. [L. anadema , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to wreathe; <?/ up + <?/ to bind.] A garland or fillet; a chaplet or wreath.

Drayton. Tennyson.