Chapter 2

Syn. -- To subside; decrease; intermit; decline; diminish; lessen. -- To Abate, Subside. These words, as here compared, imply a coming down from some previously raised or excited state. Abate expresses this in respect to degrees, and implies a diminution of force or of intensity; as, the storm abates, the cold abates, the force of the wind abates; or, the wind abates, a fever abates. Subside (to settle down) has reference to a previous state of agitation or commotion; as, the waves subside after a storm, the wind subsides into a calm. When the words are used figuratively, the same distinction should be observed. If we conceive of a thing as having different degrees of intensity or strength, the word to be used is abate. Thus we say, a man's anger abates, the ardor of one's love abates, "Winter's rage abates". But if the image be that of a sinking down into quiet from preceding excitement or commotion, the word to be used is subside; as, the tumult of the people subsides, the public mind subsided into a calm. The same is the case with those emotions which are tumultuous in their nature; as, his passion subsides, his joy quickly subsided, his grief subsided into a pleasing melancholy. Yet if, in such cases, we were thinking of the degree of violence of the emotion, we might use abate; as, his joy will abate in the progress of time; and so in other instances.

A*bate (*bt"), n. Abatement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

A*bate"ment (-ment), n. [OF. abatement, F. abattement.] 1. The act of abating, or the state of being abated; a lessening, diminution, or reduction; removal or putting an end to; as, the abatement of a nuisance is the suppression thereof.

2. The amount abated; that which is taken away by way of reduction; deduction; decrease; a rebate or discount allowed.

3. (Her.) A mark of dishonor on an escutcheon.

4. (Law) The entry of a stranger, without right, into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee. Blackstone.

Defense in abatement, Plea in abatement, (Law), plea to the effect that from some formal defect (e.g. misnomer, want of jurisdiction) the proceedings should be abated.

A*bat"er (-r), n. One who, or that which, abates.

{ Ab"a*tis, Aba"t*tis, } (b"*ts; French `b`t") n. [F. abatis, abattis, mass of things beaten or cut down, fr. abattre. See Abate.] (Fort.) A means of defense formed by felled trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy.

Ab"a*tised (b"*tst), a. Provided with an abatis.

A*ba"tor (*bt"r), n. (Law) (a) One who abates a nuisance. (b) A person who, without right, enters into a freehold on the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee. Blackstone.

||A`bat`toir" (`bt`twär"), n.; pl. Abattoirs (- twärz"). [F., fr. abattre to beat down. See Abate.] A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.

Ab"a*ture (b"*tr; 135), n. [F. abatture, fr. abattre. See Abate.] Grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them. Crabb.

||A`bat`voix" (`b`vwä"), n. [F. abattre to beat down + voix voice.] The sounding- board over a pulpit or rostrum.

Ab*awed" (b*d"), p. p. [Perh. p. p. of a verb fr. OF. abaubir to frighten, disconcert, fr. L. ad + balbus stammering.] Astonished; abashed. [Obs.] Chaucer.

{ Ab*ax"i*al (b*ks"*al), Ab*ax"ile (b*ks"l),} a. [L. ab + axis axle.] (Bot.) Away from the axis or central line; eccentric. Balfour.

A*bay" (*b"), n. [OF. abay barking.] Barking; baying of dogs upon their prey. See Bay. [Obs.]

Abb (b), n. [AS. web, b; pref. a- + web. See Web.] Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, abb wool is wool for the abb.

Ab"ba (b"b), n. [Syriac abb father. See Abbot.] Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.

Ab"ba*cy (b"b*s), n.; pl. Abbacies (-sz). [L. abbatia, fr. abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbey.] The dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot.

Ab*ba"tial (b*b"shal), a. [LL. abbatialis : cf. F. abbatial.] Belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights.

Ab*bat"ic*al (b*bt"*kal), a. Abbatial. [Obs.]

||Ab"bé` (b"b`), n. [F. abbé. See Abbot.] The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.

After the 16th century, the name was given, in social parlance, to candidates for some priory or abbey in the gift of the crown. Many of these aspirants became well known in literary and fashionable life. By further extension, the name came to be applied to unbeneficed secular ecclesiastics generally. Littré.

Ab"bess (b"bs), n. [OF. abaesse, abeesse, F. abbesse, L. abbatissa, fem. of abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbot.] A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. See Abbey.

Ab"bey (b"b), n.; pl. Abbeys (-bz). [OF. abaïe, abbaïe, F. abbaye, L. abbatia, fr. abbas abbot. See Abbot.] 1. A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic building or buildings.

The men are called monks, and governed by an abbot; the women are called nuns, and governed by an abbess.

2. The church of a monastery.

In London, the Abbey means Westminster Abbey, and in Scotland, the precincts of the Abbey of Holyrood. The name is also retained for a private residence on the site of an abbey; as, Newstead Abbey, the residence of Lord Byron.

Syn. -- Monastery; convent; nunnery; priory; cloister. See Cloister.

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Ab"bot (&?;), n. [AS. abbod, abbad, L. abbas, abbatis, Gr. 'abba^s, fr. Syriac abb father. Cf. Abba, Abbé.]

1. The superior or head of an abbey.

2. One of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys. Encyc. Brit.

Abbot of the people. a title formerly given to one of the chief magistrates in Genoa. -- Abbot of Misrule (or Lord of Misrule), in mediæval times, the master of revels, as at Christmas; in Scotland called the Abbot of Unreason. Encyc. Brit.

Ab"bot*ship (&?;), n. [Abbot + - ship.] The state or office of an abbot.

Ab*bre"vi*ate (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abbreviated (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abbreviating.] [L. abbreviatus, p. p. of abbreviare; ad + breviare to shorten, fr. brevis short. See Abridge.] 1. To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written or spoken.

It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. Bacon.

2. (Math.) To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.

Ab*bre"vi*ate (&?;), a. [L. abbreviatus, p. p.] 1. Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [R.] "The abbreviate form." Earle.

2. (Biol.) Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.

Ab*bre"vi*ate, n. An abridgment. [Obs.] Elyot.

Ab*bre"vi*a`ted (&?;), a. Shortened; relatively short; abbreviate.

Ab*bre`vi*a"tion (&?;), n. [LL. abbreviatio: cf. F. abbréviation.] 1. The act of shortening, or reducing.

2. The result of abbreviating; an abridgment. Tylor.

3. The form to which a word or phrase is reduced by contraction and omission; a letter or letters, standing for a word or phrase of which they are a part; as, Gen. for Genesis; U.S.A. for United States of America.

4. (Mus.) One dash, or more, through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, or demi-semiquavers. Moore.

Ab*bre"vi*a`tor (&?;), n. [LL.: cf. F. abbréviateur.] 1. One who abbreviates or shortens.

2. One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose duty is to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into official form.

Ab*bre"vi*a*to*ry (&?;), a. Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.

Ab*bre"vi*a*ture (&?;), n. 1. An abbreviation; an abbreviated state or form. [Obs.]

2. An abridgment; a compendium or abstract.

This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Jer. Taylor.

Abb" wool (b" wl). See Abb.

A B C" ( b s"). 1. The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole alphabet.

2. A primer for teaching the alphabet and first elements of reading. [Obs.]

3. The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance.

A B C book, a primer. Shak.

||Ab"dal (&?;), n. [Ar. badl, pl. abdl, a substitute, a good, religious man, saint, fr. badala to change, substitute.] A religious devotee or dervish in Persia.

Ab*de"ri*an (&?;), a. [From Abdera, a town in Thrace, of which place Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher, was a native.] Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.

Ab*de"rite (&?;), n. [L. Abderita, Abderites, fr. Gr. 'Abdhri`ths.] An inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace.

The Abderite, Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher.

Ab"dest (&?;), n. [Per. bdast; ab water + dast hand.] Purification by washing the hands before prayer; -- a Mohammedan rite. Heyse.

Ab"di*ca*ble (&?;), a. Capable of being abdicated.

Ab"di*cant (&?;), a. [L. abdicans, p. pr. of abdicare.] Abdicating; renouncing; -- followed by of.

Monks abdicant of their orders. Whitlock.

Ab"di*cant, n. One who abdicates. Smart.

Ab"di*cate (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abdicated (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abdicating.] [L. abdicatus, p. p. of abdicare; ab + dicare to proclaim, akin to dicere to say. See Diction.] 1. To surrender or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station, dignity; as, to abdicate the throne, the crown, the papacy.

The word abdicate was held to mean, in the case of James II., to abandon without a formal surrender.

The cross-bearers abdicated their service. Gibbon.

2. To renounce; to relinquish; -- said of authority, a trust, duty, right, etc.

He abdicates all right to be his own governor. Burke.

The understanding abdicates its functions. Froude.

3. To reject; to cast off. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

4. (Civil Law) To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.

Syn. -- To give up; quit; vacate; relinquish; forsake; abandon; resign; renounce; desert. -- To Abdicate, Resign. Abdicate commonly expresses the act of a monarch in voluntary and formally yielding up sovereign authority; as, to abdicate the government. Resign is applied to the act of any person, high or low, who gives back an office or trust into the hands of him who conferred it. Thus, a minister resigns, a military officer resigns, a clerk resigns. The expression, "The king resigned his crown," sometimes occurs in our later literature, implying that he held it from his people. -- There are other senses of resign which are not here brought into view.

Ab"di*cate (&?;), v. i. To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity.

Though a king may abdicate for his own person, he cannot abdicate for the monarchy. Burke.

Ab`di*ca"tion (&?;), n. [L. abdicatio: cf. F. abdication.] The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power, authority.

Ab"di*ca*tive (&?;), a. [L. abdicativus.] Causing, or implying, abdication. [R.] Bailey.

Ab"di*ca`tor (&?;), n. One who abdicates.

Ab"di*tive (&?;), a. [L. abditivus, fr. abdere to hide.] Having the quality of hiding. [R.] Bailey.

Ab"di*to*ry (&?;), n. [L. abditorium.] A place for hiding or preserving articles of value. Cowell.

Ab*do"men (&?;), n. [L. abdomen (a word of uncertain etymol.): cf. F. abdomen.] 1. (Anat.) The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis. Also, the cavity of the belly, which is lined by the peritoneum, and contains the stomach, bowels, and other viscera. In man, often restricted to the part between the diaphragm and the commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvic cavity.

2. (Zoöl.) The posterior section of the body, behind the thorax, in insects, crustaceans, and other Arthropoda.

Ab*dom"i*nal (&?;), a. [Cf. F. abdominal.] 1. Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral; as, the abdominal regions, muscles, cavity.

2. (Zoöl.) Having abdominal fins; belonging to the Abdominales; as, abdominal fishes.

Abdominal ring (Anat.), a fancied ringlike opening on each side of the abdomen, external and superior to the pubes; -- called also inguinal ring.

Ab*dom"i*nal, n.; E. pl. Abdominals, L. pl. Abdominales. A fish of the group Abdominales.

||Ab*dom`i*na"les (&?;), n. pl. [NL., masc. pl.] (Zoöl.) A group including the greater part of fresh- water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals.

||Ab*dom`i*na"li*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL., neut. pl.] (Zoöl.) A group of cirripeds having abdominal appendages.

Ab*dom`i*nos"co*py (&?;), n. [L. abdomen + Gr. &?; to examine.] (Med.) Examination of the abdomen to detect abdominal disease.

Ab*dom`i*no*tho*rac"ic (&?;), a. Relating to the abdomen and the thorax, or chest.

Ab*dom"i*nous (&?;), a. Having a protuberant belly; pot-bellied.

Gorgonius sits, abdominous and wan, Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan. Cowper.

Ab*duce" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abduced (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abducing.] [L. abducere to lead away; ab + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf. Abduct.] To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part. [Obs.]

If we abduce the eye unto either corner, the object will not duplicate. Sir T. Browne.

Ab*duct" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abducted (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abducting.] [L. abductus, p. p. of abducere. See Abduce.] 1. To take away surreptitiously by force; to carry away (a human being) wrongfully and usually by violence; to kidnap.

2. To draw away, as a limb or other part, from its ordinary position.

Ab*duc"tion (&?;), n. [L. abductio: cf. F. abduction.] 1. The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; a carrying away. Roget.

2. (Physiol.) The movement which separates a limb or other part from the axis, or middle line, of the body.

3. (Law) The wrongful, and usually the forcible, carrying off of a human being; as, the abduction of a child, the abduction of an heiress.

4. (Logic) A syllogism or form of argument in which the major is evident, but the minor is only probable.

Ab*duc"tor (&?;), n. [NL.] 1. One who abducts.

2. (Anat.) A muscle which serves to draw a part out, or form the median line of the body; as, the abductor oculi, which draws the eye outward.

A*beam" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + beam.] (Naut.) On the beam, that is, on a line which forms a right angle with the ship's keel; opposite to the center of the ship's side.

A*bear" (&?;), v. t. [AS. beran; pref. - + beran to bear.] 1. To bear; to behave. [Obs.]

So did the faery knight himself abear. Spenser.

2. To put up with; to endure. [Prov.] Dickens.

A*bear"ance (&?;), n. Behavior. [Obs.] Blackstone.

A*bear"ing, n. Behavior. [Obs.] Sir. T. More.

A`be*ce*da"ri*an (&?;), n. [L. abecedarius. A word from the first four letters of the alphabet.] 1. One who is learning the alphabet; hence, a tyro.

2. One engaged in teaching the alphabet. Wood.

{ A`be*ce*da"ri*an, A`be*ce"da*ry (&?;), } a. Pertaining to, or formed by, the letters of the alphabet; alphabetic; hence, rudimentary.

Abecedarian psalms, hymns, etc., compositions in which (like the 119th psalm in Hebrew) distinct portions or verses commence with successive letters of the alphabet. Hook.

A`be*ce"da*ry (&?;), n. A primer; the first principle or rudiment of anything. [R.] Fuller.

A*bed" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- in, on + bed.] 1. In bed, or on the bed.

Not to be abed after midnight. Shak.

2. To childbed (in the phrase "brought abed," that is, delivered of a child). Shak.

A*beg"ge (&?;). Same as Aby. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A*bele" (&?;), n. [D. abeel (abeel- boom), OF. abel, aubel, fr. a dim. of L. albus white.] The white poplar (Populus alba).

Six abeles i' the churchyard grow. Mrs. Browning.

{ A*bel"i*an (&?;), A"bel*ite (&?;), A`bel*o"ni*an (&?;), } n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect in Africa (4th century), mentioned by St. Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence, after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel.

A"bel*mosk` (&?;), n. [NL. abelmoschus, fr. Ar. abu-l-misk father of musk, i. e., producing musk. See Musk.] (Bot.) An evergreen shrub (Hibiscus -- formerly Abelmoschus -- moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes called musk mallow.

Ab`er-de-vine" (#), n. (Zoöl.) The European siskin (Carduelis spinus), a small green and yellow finch, related to the goldfinch.

Ab*err" (&?;), v. i. [L. aberrare. See Aberrate.] To wander; to stray. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

{ Ab*er"rance (&?;), Ab*er"ran*cy (&?;), } n. State of being aberrant; a wandering from the right way; deviation from truth, rectitude, etc.

Aberrancy of curvature (Geom.), the deviation of a curve from a circular form.

Ab*er"rant (&?;), a. [L. aberrans, -rantis, p. pr. of aberrare. See Aberr.] 1. Wandering; straying from the right way.

2. (Biol.) Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal.

The more aberrant any form is, the greater must have been the number of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated. Darwin.

Ab"er*rate (&?;), v. i. [L. aberratus, p. pr. of aberrare; ab + errare to wander. See Err.] To go astray; to diverge. [R.]

Their own defective and aberrating vision. De Quincey.

Ab`er*ra"tion (&?;), n. [L. aberratio: cf. F. aberration. See Aberrate.] 1. The act of wandering; deviation, especially from truth or moral rectitude, from the natural state, or from a type. "The aberration of youth." Hall. "Aberrations from theory." Burke.

2. A partial alienation of reason. "Occasional aberrations of intellect." Lingard.

Whims, which at first are the aberrations of a single brain, pass with heat into epidemic form. I. Taylor.

3. (Astron.) A small periodical change of position in the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer; called annual aberration, when the observer's motion is that of the earth in its orbit, and daily or diurnal aberration, when of the earth on its axis; amounting when greatest, in the former case, to 20.4'', and in the latter, to 0.3''. Planetary aberration is that due to the motion of light and the motion of the planet relative to the earth.

4. (Opt.) The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; called spherical aberration, when due to the spherical form of the lens or mirror, such form giving different foci for central and marginal rays; and chromatic aberration, when due to different refrangibilities of the colored rays of the spectrum, those of each color having a distinct focus.

5. (Physiol.) The passage of blood or other fluid into parts not appropriate for it.

6. (Law) The producing of an unintended effect by the glancing of an instrument, as when a shot intended for A glances and strikes B.

Syn. -- Insanity; lunacy; madness; derangement; alienation; mania; dementia; hallucination; illusion; delusion. See Insanity.

Ab`er*ra"tion*al (&?;), a. Characterized by aberration.

Ab`e*run"cate (&?;), v. t. [L. aberuncare, for aberruncare. See Averruncate.] To weed out. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ab`e*run"ca*tor (&?;), n. A weeding machine.

A*bet" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abetted (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abetting.] [OF. abeter; a (L. ad) + beter to bait (as a bear), fr. Icel. beita to set dogs on, to feed, originally, to cause to bite, fr. Icel. bta to bite, hence to bait, to incite. See Bait, Bet.] 1. To instigate or encourage by aid or countenance; -- used in a bad sense of persons and acts; as, to abet an ill-doer; to abet one in his wicked courses; to abet vice; to abet an insurrection. "The whole tribe abets the villany." South.

Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed his wealth? Gay.

2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense. [Obs.].

Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted. Jer. Taylor.

3. (Law) To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the commission of an offense.

Syn. -- To incite; instigate; set on; egg on; foment; advocate; countenance; encourage; second; uphold; aid; assist; support; sustain; back; connive at.

A*bet" (&?;), n. [OF. abet, fr. abeter.] Act of abetting; aid. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A*bet"ment (-ment), n. The act of abetting; as, an abetment of treason, crime, etc.

A*bet"tal (&?;), n. Abetment. [R.]

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{ A*bet"ter, A*bet*tor } (&?;), n. One who abets; an instigator of an offense or an offender.

The form abettor is the legal term and also in general use.

Syn. -- Abettor, Accessory, Accomplice. These words denote different degrees of complicity in some deed or crime. An abettor is one who incites or encourages to the act, without sharing in its performance. An accessory supposes a principal offender. One who is neither the chief actor in an offense, nor present at its performance, but accedes to or becomes involved in its guilt, either by some previous or subsequent act, as of instigating, encouraging, aiding, or concealing, etc., is an accessory. An accomplice is one who participates in the commission of an offense, whether as principal or accessory. Thus in treason, there are no abettors or accessories, but all are held to be principals or accomplices.

Ab`e*vac"u*a"tion (&?;), n. [Pref. ab- + evacuation.] (Med.) A partial evacuation. Mayne.

A*bey"ance (&?;), n. [OF. abeance expectation, longing; a (L. ad) + baer, beer, to gape, to look with open mouth, to expect, F. bayer, LL. badare to gape.] 1. (Law) Expectancy; condition of being undetermined.

When there is no person in existence in whom an inheritance (or a dignity) can vest, it is said to be in abeyance, that is, in expectation; the law considering it as always potentially existing, and ready to vest whenever a proper owner appears. Blackstone.

2. Suspension; temporary suppression.

Keeping the sympathies of love and admiration in a dormant state, or state of abeyance. De Quincey.

A*bey"an*cy (&?;), n. Abeyance. [R.] Hawthorne.

A*bey"ant (&?;), a. Being in a state of abeyance.

||Ab"hal (&?;), n. The berries of a species of cypress in the East Indies.

Ab*hom"i*na*ble (&?;), a. Abominable. [A false orthography anciently used; h was foisted into various words; hence abholish, for abolish, etc.]

This is abhominable, which he [Don Armado] would call abominable. Shak. Love's Labor's Lost, v. 1.

Ab*hom`i*nal (&?;), a. [L. ab away from + homo, hominis, man.] Inhuman. [Obs.] Fuller.

Ab*hor" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abhorred (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abhorring.] [L. abhorrere; ab + horrere to bristle, shiver, shudder: cf. F. abhorrer. See Horrid.] 1. To shrink back with shuddering from; to regard with horror or detestation; to feel excessive repugnance toward; to detest to extremity; to loathe.

Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Rom. xii. 9.

2. To fill with horror or disgust. [Obs.]

It doth abhor me now I speak the word. Shak.

3. (Canon Law) To protest against; to reject solemnly. [Obs.]

I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul Refuse you for my judge. Shak.

Syn. -- To hate; detest; loathe; abominate. See Hate.

Ab*hor", v. i. To shrink back with horror, disgust, or dislike; to be contrary or averse; -- with from. [Obs.] "To abhor from those vices." Udall.

Which is utterly abhorring from the end of all law. Milton.

Ab*hor"rence (&?;), n. Extreme hatred or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike.

Ab*hor"ren*cy (&?;), n. Abhorrence. [Obs.] Locke.