Chapter 24

Syn. -- Fright; affright; terror; trepidation; apprehension; consternation; dismay; agitation; disquiet; disquietude. -- Alarm, Fright, Terror, Consternation. These words express different degrees of fear at the approach of danger. Fright is fear suddenly excited, producing confusion of the senses, and hence it is unreflecting. Alarm is the hurried agitation of feeling which springs from a sense of immediate and extreme exposure. Terror is agitating and excessive fear, which usually benumbs the faculties. Consternation is overwhelming fear, and carries a notion of powerlessness and amazement. Alarm agitates the feelings; terror disorders the understanding and affects the will; fright seizes on and confuses the sense; consternation takes possession of the soul, and subdues its faculties. See Apprehension.

A*larm", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alarmed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Alarming.] [Alarm, n. Cf. F. alarmer.] 1. To call to arms for defense; to give notice to (any one) of approaching danger; to rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.

2. To keep in excitement; to disturb.

3. To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.

Alarmed by rumors of military preparation. Macaulay.

A*larm"a*ble (&?;), a. Easily alarmed or disturbed.

A*larmed" (&?;), a. Aroused to vigilance; excited by fear of approaching danger; agitated; disturbed; as, an alarmed neighborhood; an alarmed modesty.

The white pavilions rose and fell On the alarmed air. Longfellow.

A*larm"ed*ly (&?;), adv. In an alarmed manner.

A*larm"ing, a. Exciting, or calculated to excite, alarm; causing apprehension of danger; as, an alarming crisis or report. -- A*larm"ing*ly, adv.

A*larm"ist, n. [Cf. F. alarmiste.] One prone to sound or excite alarms, especially, needless alarms. Macaulay.

A*lar"um (?; 277), n. [OE. alarom, the same word as alarm, n.] See Alarm. [Now Poetic]

The variant form alarum is now commonly restricted to an alarm signal or the mechanism to sound an alarm (as in an alarm clock.)

Al"a*ry (&?;), a. [L. alarius, fr. ala wing.] Of or pertaining to wings; also, wing- shaped.

The alary system of insects. Wollaston.

A*las" (&?;), interj. [OE. alas, allas, OF. alas, F. hélas; a interj. (L. ah.) + las wretched (that I am), L. lassus weary, akin to E. late. See Late.] An exclamation expressive of sorrow, pity, or apprehension of evil; -- in old writers, sometimes followed by day or white; alas the day, like alack a day, or alas the white.

A*late" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + late.] Lately; of late. [Archaic]

There hath been alate such tales spread abroad. Latimer.

{ A"late (&?;), A"la*ted (&?;), } a. [L. alatus, from ala wing.] Winged; having wings, or side appendages like wings.

{ Al"a*tern (&?;), ||Al`a*ter"nus (&?;), } n. [L. ala wing + terni three each.] (Bot.) An ornamental evergreen shrub (Rhamnus alaternus) belonging to the buckthorns.

A*la"tion (&?;), n. [F., fr. L. alatus winged.] The state of being winged.

A*launt" (&?;), n. See Alan. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Alb (&?;), n. [OE. albe, LL. alba, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Album and Aube.] A vestment of white linen, reaching to the feet, an enveloping the person; -- in the Roman Catholic church, worn by those in holy orders when officiating at mass. It was formerly worn, at least by clerics, in daily life.

Al"ba*core (&?;), n. (Zoöl.) See Albicore.

Al"ban (&?;), n. [L. albus white.] (Chem.) A white crystalline resinous substance extracted from gutta-percha by the action of alcohol or ether.

Al*ba"ni*an (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Albania, a province of Turkey. -- n. A native of Albania.

||Al*ba"ta (&?;), n. [L. albatus, p. p. of albare to make white, fr. albus white.] A white metallic alloy; which is made into spoons, forks, teapots, etc. British plate or German silver. See German silver, under German.

Al"ba*tross (&?;), n. [Corrupt. fr. Pg. alcatraz cormorant, albatross, or Sp. alcatraz a pelican: cf. Pg. alcatruz, Sp. arcaduz, a bucket, fr. Ar. al- qdus the bucket, fr. Gr. ka`dos, a water vessel. So an Arabic term for pelican is water-carrier, as a bird carrying water in its pouch.] (Zoöl.) A web-footed bird, of the genus Diomedea, of which there are several species. They are the largest of sea birds, capable of long-continued flight, and are often seen at great distances from the land. They are found chiefly in the southern hemisphere.

{ Al`be", Al`bee" } (&?;), conj. [See Albeit.] Although; albeit. [Obs.]

Albe Clarissa were their chiefest founderess. Spenser.

||Al*be"do (&?;), n. [L., fr. albus white.] Whiteness. Specifically: (Astron.) The ratio which the light reflected from an unpolished surface bears to the total light falling upon that surface.

Al`be"it (&?;), conj. [OE. al be although it be, where al is our all. Cf. Although.] Even though; although; notwithstanding. Chaucer.

Albeit so masked, Madam, I love the truth. Tennyson.

Al"bert*ite (&?;), n. (Min.) A bituminous mineral resembling asphaltum, found in the county of A. &?;bert, New Brunswick.

Al"ber*type (&?;), n. [From the name of the inventor, Albert, of Munich.] A picture printed from a kind of gelatine plate produced by means of a photographic negative.

Al*bes"cence (&?;), n. The act of becoming white; whitishness.

Al*bes"cent (&?;), a. [L. albescens, p. pr. of albescere to grow white, fr. albus white.] Becoming white or whitish; moderately white.

Al"bi*cant (&?;), a. [L. albicans, p. pr. of albicare, albicatum, to be white, fr. albus white.] Growing or becoming white.

Al`bi*ca"tion (&?;), n. The process of becoming white, or developing white patches, or streaks.

Al"bi*core (&?;), n. [F. albicore (cf. Sp. albacora, Pg. albacor, albacora, albecora), fr. Ar. bakr, bekr, a young camel, young cow, heifer, and the article al: cf. Pg. bacoro a little pig.] (Zoöl.) A name applied to several large fishes of the Mackerel family, esp. Orcynus alalonga. One species (Orcynus thynnus), common in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, is called in New England the horse mackerel; the tunny. [Written also albacore.]

Al`bi*fi*ca"tion (&?;), n. [Cf. F. albification: L. albus white + ficare (only in comp.), facere, to make.] The act or process of making white. [Obs.]

{ Al`bi*gen"ses (&?;), ||Al`bi`geois" (&?;), } n. pl. [From Albi and Albigeois, a town and its district in the south of France, in which the sect abounded.] (Eccl. Hist.) A sect of reformers opposed to the church of Rome in the 12th centuries.

The Albigenses were a branch of the Catharists (the pure). They were exterminated by crusades and the Inquisition. They were distinct from the Waldenses.

Al`bi*gen"sian (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to the Albigenses.

Al*bi"ness (&?;), n. A female albino. Holmes.

Al"bi*nism (&?;), n. The state or condition of being an albino: abinoism; leucopathy.

Al`bi*nis"tic (&?;), a. Affected with albinism.

Al*bi"no (?; 277), n.; pl. Albinos (&?;). [Sp. or Pg. albino, orig. whitish, fr. albo white, L. albus.] A person, whether negro, Indian, or white, in whom by some defect of organization the substance which gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes is deficient or in a morbid state. An albino has a skin of a milky hue, with hair of the same color, and eyes with deep red pupil and pink or blue iris. The term is also used of the lower animals, as white mice, elephants, etc.; and of plants in a whitish condition from the absence of chlorophyll. Amer. Cyc.

The term was originally applied by the Portuguese to negroes met with on the coast of Africa, who were mottled with white spots.

Al*bi"no*ism (&?;), n. The state or condition of being an albino; albinism.

Al`bi*not"ic (&?;), a. Affected with albinism.

Al"bi*on (&?;), n. [Prob. from the same root as Gael. alp a height or hill. "It may have been bestowed on the land lying behind the white cliffs visible from the coast of Gaul. Albany, the old name of Scotland, means probably the "hilly land." I. Taylor.] An ancient name of England, still retained in poetry.

In that nook-shotten isle of Albion. Shak.

Al"bite (&?;), n. [L. albus white.] (Min.) A mineral of the feldspar family, triclinic in crystallization, and in composition a silicate of alumina and soda. It is a common constituent of granite and of various igneous rocks. See Feldspar.

Al"bo*lith (&?;), n. [L. albus white + -lith.] A kind of plastic cement, or artificial stone, consisting chiefly of magnesia and silica; -- called also albolite.

||Al"bo*rak (?; 277), n. [Ar. al- burq, fr. baraqa to flash, shine.] The imaginary milk-white animal on which Mohammed was said to have been carried up to heaven; a white mule.

Al`bu*gin"e*ous (&?;), a. [See Albugo.] Of the nature of, or resembling, the white of the eye, or of an egg; albuminous; -- a term applied to textures, humors, etc., which are perfectly white.

||Al*bu"go (&?;), n.; pl. Albugines (&?;). [L., whiteness, fr. albus white.] (Med.) Same as Leucoma.

Al"bum (&?;), n. [L., neut. of albus white: cf. F. album. Cf. Alb.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A white tablet on which anything was inscribed, as a list of names, etc.

2. A register for visitors' names; a visitors' book.

3. A blank book, in which to insert autographs sketches, memorial writing of friends, photographs, etc.

Al*bu"men (&?;), n. [L., fr. albus white.] 1. The white of an egg.

2. (Bot.) Nourishing matter stored up within the integuments of the seed in many plants, but not incorporated in the embryo. It is the floury part in corn, wheat, and like grains, the oily part in poppy seeds, the fleshy part in the cocoanut, etc.

3. (Chem.) Same as Albumin.

Al*bu"men*ize (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Albumenized (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Albumenizing.] To cover or saturate with albumen; to coat or treat with an albuminous solution; as, to albumenize paper.

||Al"bum Græ"cum (&?;). [L., Greek white.] Dung of dogs or hyenas, which becomes white by exposure to air. It is used in dressing leather, and was formerly used in medicine.

Al*bu"min (&?;), n. (Chem.) A thick, viscous nitrogenous substance, which is the chief and characteristic constituent of white of eggs and of the serum of blood, and is found in other animal substances, both fluid and solid, also in many plants. It is soluble in water and is coagulated by heat and by certain chemical reagents.

Acid albumin, a modification of albumin produced by the action of dilute acids. It is not coagulated by heat. -- Alkali albumin, albumin as modified by the action of alkaline substances; -- called also albuminate.

Al*bu"mi*nate (&?;), n. (Chem.) A substance produced by the action of an alkali upon albumin, and resembling casein in its properties; also, a compound formed by the union of albumin with another substance.

Al*bu`mi*nif"er*ous (&?;), a. [L. albumen + -ferous.] Supplying albumen.

Al*bu`mi*nim"e*ter (&?;), n. [L. albumen, albuminis + -meter: cf. F. albuminimètre.] An instrument for ascertaining the quantity of albumen in a liquid.

Al*bu"mi*nin (&?;), n. (Chem.) The substance of the cells which inclose the white of birds' eggs.

Al*bu`mi*nip"a*rous (&?;), a. [L. albumen + parere to bear, bring forth.] Producing albumin.

Al*bu"mi*noid (&?;), a. [L. albumen + -oid.] (Chem.) Resembling albumin. -- n. One of a class of organic principles (called also proteids) which form the main part of organized tissues. Brunton.

Al*bu`mi*noid"al (&?;), a. (Chem.) Of the nature of an albuminoid.

Al*bu"mi*nose` (&?;), n. (Chem.) A diffusible substance formed from albumin by the action of natural or artificial gastric juice. See Peptone.

{ Al*bu"mi*nous (&?;), Al*bu"mi*nose` (&?;), } a. [Cf. F. albumineux.] Pertaining to, or containing, albumen; having the properties of, or resembling, albumen or albumin. -- Al*bu"mi*nous*ness, n.

||Al*bu`mi*nu"ri*a (&?;), n. [NL., fr. L. albumen + Gr. &?; urine.] (Med.) A morbid condition in which albumin is present in the urine.

Al"bu*mose` (&?;), n. [From albumin.] (Chem.) A compound or class of compounds formed from albumin by dilute acids or by an acid solution of pepsin. Used also in combination, as antialbumose, hemialbumose.

Al"burn (&?;), n. [L. alburnus, fr. L. albus white. Cf. Auburn.] (Zoöl.) The bleak, a small European fish having scales of a peculiarly silvery color which are used in making artificial pearls.

Al*bur"nous (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to alburnum; of the alburnum; as, alburnous substances.

Al*bur"num (&?;), n. [L., fr. albus white.] (Bot.) The white and softer part of wood, between the inner bark and the hard wood or duramen; sapwood.

Al"byn (&?;), n. [See Albion.] Scotland; esp. the Highlands of Scotland. T. Cambell.

Al*cade" (k*kd"), n. Same as Alcaid.

Al"ca*hest (&?;), n. Same as Alkahest.

Al*ca"ic (&?;), a. [L. Alcaïcus, Gr. &?;.] Pertaining to Alcæus, a lyric poet of Mitylene, about 6000 b. c. -- n. A kind of verse, so called from Alcæus. One variety consists of five feet, a spondee or iambic, an iambic, a long syllable, and two dactyls.

||Al*caid", Al*cayde" (k*kd"; Sp. äl*kä*"d), n. [Sp. alcaide, fr. Ar. al-qd governor, fr. qda to lead, govern.] 1. A commander of a castle or fortress among the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Moors.

2. The warden, or keeper of a jail.

||Al*cal"de (&?;), n. [Sp. alcalde, fr. Ar. al-qd judge, fr. qada to decide, judge. Hence, the cadi of the Turks. Cf. Cadi.] A magistrate or judge in Spain and in Spanish America, etc. Prescott.

Sometimes confounded with Alcaid.

Al`ca*lim"e*ter, n. See Alkalimeter.

||Al*can"na (&?;), n. [Sp. alcana, alhe&?;a, fr. Ar. al-hinn. See Henna, and cf. Alkanet.] (Bot.) An oriental shrub (Lawsonia inermis) from which henna is obtained.

||Al`car*ra"za (&?;), n.; pl. Alcarrazas. (&?;) [Sp., from Ar. al-kurrz earthen vessel.] A vessel of porous earthenware, used for cooling liquids by evaporation from the exterior surface.

<! p. 37 !>

||Al*cayde" (l*kd"), n. Same as Alcaid.

||Al*ca"zar (&?;), n. [ fr. Ar. al the + qacr (in pl.) a castle.] A fortress; also, a royal palace. Prescott.

||Al*ce"do (&?;), n. [L., equiv. to Gr. &?;. See Halcyon.] (Zoöl.) A genus of perching birds, including the European kingfisher (Alcedo ispida). See Halcyon.

{ Al*chem"ic (&?;), Al*chem"ic*al (&?;), } a. [Cf. F. alchimique.] Of or relating to alchemy.

Al*chem"ic*al*ly, adv. In the manner of alchemy.

Al"che*mist (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. alquemiste, F. alchimiste.] One who practices alchemy.

You are alchemist; make gold. Shak.

{ Al`che*mis"tic (&?;), Al`che*mis"tic*al (&?;), } a. Relating to or practicing alchemy.

Metaphysical and alchemistical legislators. Burke.

Al"che*mis*try (&?;), n. Alchemy. [Obs.]

Al"che*mize (&?;), v. t. To change by alchemy; to transmute. Lovelace.

Al"che*my (&?;), n. [OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar. al-kma, fr. late Gr. &?;, for &?;, a mingling, infusion, &?; juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. &?; to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp. alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. &?; is prob. akin to L. fundere to pour, Goth. guitan, AS. geótan, to pour, and so to E. fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry.] 1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry.

2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [Obs.]

Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. Milton.

3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious.

Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy. Shak.

Al*chym"ic (&?;), a., Al"chy*mist (&?;), n., Al`chy*mis"tic (&?;), a., Al"chy*my (&?;), n. See Alchemic, Alchemist, Alchemistic, Alchemy.

||Al"co (&?;), n. A small South American dog, domesticated by the aborigines.

{ Al"co*ate (&?;), Al"co*hate (&?;), } n. Shortened forms of Alcoholate.

Al"co*hol (l"k*hl), n. [Cf. F. alcool, formerly written alcohol, Sp. alcohol alcohol, antimony, galena, OSp. alcofol; all fr. Ar. al-kohl a powder of antimony or galena, to paint the eyebrows with. The name was afterwards applied, on account of the fineness of this powder, to highly rectified spirits, a signification unknown in Arabia. The Sp. word has both meanings. Cf. Alquifou.] 1. An impalpable powder. [Obs.]

2. The fluid essence or pure spirit obtained by distillation. [Obs.] Boyle.

3. Pure spirit of wine; pure or highly rectified spirit (called also ethyl alcohol); the spirituous or intoxicating element of fermented or distilled liquors, or more loosely a liquid containing it in considerable quantity. It is extracted by simple distillation from various vegetable juices and infusions of a saccharine nature, which have undergone vinous fermentation.

As used in the U. S. "Pharmacopœia," alcohol contains 91 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 9 per cent of water; and diluted alcohol (proof spirit) contains 45.5 per cent by weight of ethyl alcohol and 54.5 per cent of water.

4. (Organic Chem.) A class of compounds analogous to vinic alcohol in constitution. Chemically speaking, they are hydroxides of certain organic radicals; as, the radical ethyl forms common or ethyl alcohol (C2H5.OH); methyl forms methyl alcohol (CH3.OH) or wood spirit; amyl forms amyl alcohol (C5H11.OH) or fusel oil, etc.

Al"co*hol*ate (&?;), n. [Cf. F. alcolaie.] (Chem.) A crystallizable compound of a salt with alcohol, in which the latter plays a part analogous to that of water of crystallization. Graham.

Al`co*hol"a*ture (&?;), n. [Cf. F. alcoolature.] (Med.) An alcoholic tincture prepared with fresh plants. New Eng. Dict.

Al`co*hol"ic (&?;), a. [Cf. F. alcolique.] Of or pertaining to alcohol, or partaking of its qualities; derived from, or caused by, alcohol; containing alcohol; as, alcoholic mixtures; alcoholic gastritis; alcoholic odor.

Al`co*hol"ic, n. 1. A person given to the use of alcoholic liquors.

2. pl. Alcoholic liquors.

Al"co*hol*ism (&?;), n. [Cf. F. alcoolisme.] (Med.) A diseased condition of the system, brought about by the continued use of alcoholic liquors.

Al`co*hol`i*za"tion (&?;), n. [Cf. F. alcoolisation.] 1. The act of reducing a substance to a fine or impalpable powder. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. The act rectifying spirit.

3. Saturation with alcohol; putting the animal system under the influence of alcoholic liquor.

Al"co*hol*ize (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Alcoholized (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Alcoholizing.] [Cf. F. alcooliser.] 1. To reduce to a fine powder. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. To convert into alcohol; to rectify; also, to saturate with alcohol.

{ Al`co*hol*om"e*ter (&?;), Al`co*hol"me*ter (&?;), } n. [Alcohol + -meter.] (Chem.) An instrument for determining the strength of spirits, with a scale graduated so as to indicate the percentage of pure alcohol, either by weight or volume. It is usually a form of hydrometer with a special scale.

Al`co*hol`o*met"ric (&?;), Al`co*hol`o*met"ric*al (&?;), Al`co*hol*met"ric*al (&?;), a. Relating to the alcoholometer or alcoholometry.

The alcoholometrical strength of spirituous liquors. Ure.

Al`co*hol"om"e*try (&?;), n. The process or method of ascertaining the proportion of pure alcohol which spirituous liquors contain.

Al`co*hom"e*ter (&?;), n., Al`co*ho*met"ric, a. Same as Alcoholometer, Alcoholometric.

Al`co*öm"e*try (&?;), n. See Alcoholometry.

The chemists say alcomètre, alcoomètrie, doubtless by the suppression of a syllable in order to avoid a disagreeable sequence of sounds. (Cf. Idolatry.) Littré.

Al"co*ran (?; 277), n. [alcoran, fr. Ar. al-qorn, orig. the reading, the book, fr. qaraa to read. Cf. Koran.] The Mohammedan Scriptures; the Koran (now the usual form). [Spelt also Alkoran.]

Al`co*ran"ic (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to the Koran.

Al`co*ran"ist, n. One who adheres to the letter of the Koran, rejecting all traditions.

Al"cove (?; 277), n. [F. alcôve, Sp. or Pg. alcoba, from Ar. al-quobbah arch, vault, tent.] 1. (Arch.) A recessed portion of a room, or a small room opening into a larger one; especially, a recess to contain a bed; a lateral recess in a library.

2. A small ornamental building with seats, or an arched seat, in a pleasure ground; a garden bower. Cowper.

3. Any natural recess analogous to an alcove or recess in an apartment.

The youthful wanderers found a wild alcove. Falconer.

Al"cy*on (&?;), n. See Halcyon.

||Al`cy*o*na"ce*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A group of soft-bodied Alcyonaria, of which Alcyonium is the type. See Illust. under Alcyonaria.

||Al`cy*o*na"ri*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) One of the orders of Anthozoa. It includes the Alcyonacea, Pennatulacea, and Gorgonacea.

||Al*cy"o*nes (&?;), n. pl. [L., pl. of Alcyon.] (Zoöl.) The kingfishers.

Al`cy*on"ic (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Alcyonaria.

||Al`cy*o"ni*um (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; a zoöphyte, so called from being like the halcyon's nest.] (Zoöl.) A genus of fleshy Alcyonaria, its polyps somewhat resembling flowers with eight fringed rays. The term was also formerly used for certain species of sponges.

Al"cy*o*noid (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the Alcyonaria. -- n. A zoöphyte of the order Alcyonaria.

Al"day (&?;), adv. Continually. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Al*deb"a*ran (&?;), n. [Ar. al- debarn, fr. dabar to follow; so called because this star follows upon the Pleiades.] (Astron.) A red star of the first magnitude, situated in the eye of Taurus; the Bull's Eye. It is the bright star in the group called the Hyades.

Now when Aldebaran was mounted high Above the shiny Cassiopeia's chair. Spenser.

Al"de*hyde (&?;), n. [Abbrev. fr. alcohol dehydrogenatum, alcohol deprived of its hydrogen.] (Chem.) A colorless, mobile, and very volatile liquid obtained from alcohol by certain processes of oxidation.

The aldehydes are intermediate between the alcohols and acids, and differ from the alcohols in having two less hydrogen atoms in the molecule, as common aldehyde (called also acetic aldehyde or ethyl aldehyde), C2H4O; methyl aldehyde, CH2O.

Aldehyde ammonia (Chem.), a compound formed by the union of aldehyde with ammonia.

Al`de*hy"dic (&?;), a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to aldehyde; as, aldehydic acid. Miller.

Al"der (l"dr), n. [OE. aldir, aller, fr. AS. alr, aler, alor, akin to D. els, G. erle, Icel. erlir, erli, Swed. al, Dan. elle, el, L. alnus, and E. elm.] (Bot.) A tree, usually growing in moist land, and belonging to the genus Alnus. The wood is used by turners, etc.; the bark by dyers and tanners. In the U. S. the species of alder are usually shrubs or small trees.

Black alder. (a) A European shrub (Rhamnus frangula); Alder buckthorn. (b) An American species of holly (Ilex verticillata), bearing red berries.

{ Al"der (l"dr), Al"ler (l"lr), } a. [From ealra, alra, gen. pl. of AS. eal. The d is excrescent.] Of all; -- used in composition; as, alderbest, best of all, alderwisest, wisest of all. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Al`der-lief"est (l`dr*lf"st), a. [For allerliefest dearest of all. See Lief.] Most beloved. [Obs.] Shak.

Al"der*man (l"dr*man), n.; pl. Aldermen (&?;). [AS. aldormon, ealdorman; ealdor an elder + man. See Elder, n.] 1. A senior or superior; a person of rank or dignity. [Obs.]

The title was applied, among the Anglo-Saxons, to princes, dukes, earls, senators, and presiding magistrates; also to archbishops and bishops, implying superior wisdom or authority. Thus Ethelstan, duke of the East-Anglians, was called Alderman of all England; and there were aldermen of cities, counties, and castles, who had jurisdiction within their respective districts.

3. One of a board or body of municipal officers next in order to the mayor and having a legislative function. They may, in some cases, individually exercise some magisterial and administrative functions.

Al"der*man*cy (&?;), n. The office of an alderman.

Al"der*man"ic (&?;), a. Relating to, becoming to, or like, an alderman; characteristic of an alderman.