Chapter 30

It is the oxide of the metal aluminium, the base of aluminous salts, a constituent of a large part of the earthy siliceous minerals, as the feldspars, micas, scapolites, etc., and the characterizing ingredient of common clay, in which it exists as an impure silicate with water, resulting from the decomposition of other aluminous minerals. In its natural state, it is the mineral corundum.

A*lu`mi*nate (&?;), n. (Chem.) A compound formed from the hydrate of aluminium by the substitution of a metal for the hydrogen.

A*lu"mi*na`ted (&?;). a. Combined with alumina.

Al"u*mine (l"*mn), n. [F.] Alumina. Davy.

Al`u*min"ic (l`*mn"l), a. Of or containing aluminium; as, aluminic phosphate.

A*lu`mi*nif"er*ous (&?;), a. [L. alumen alum + -ferous: cf. F. aluminifère.] Containing alum.

A*lu"mi*ni*form (&?;), a. [L. alumen + -form.] Having the form of alumina.

Al`u*min"i*um (l`*mn"*m), n. [L. alumen. See Alum.] (Chem.) The metallic base of alumina. This metal is white, but with a bluish tinge, and is remarkable for its resistance to oxidation, and for its lightness, having a specific gravity of about 2.6. Atomic weight 27.08. Symbol Al.

Aluminium bronze or gold, a pale gold-colored alloy of aluminium and copper, used for journal bearings, etc.

A*lu"mi*nize (*l*m*nz), v. t. To treat or impregnate with alum; to alum.

A*lu"mi*nous (*l*m*ns), a. [L. aluminosus, fr. alumen alum: cf. F. alumineux.] Pertaining to or containing alum, or alumina; as, aluminous minerals, aluminous solution.

A*lu"mi*num (*l*m*nm), n. See Aluminium.

Al"um*ish (&?;), a. Somewhat like alum.

||A*lum"na (&?;), n. fem.; pl. Alumnæ (&?;) . [L. See Alumnus.] A female pupil; especially, a graduate of a school or college.

||A*lum"nus (&?;), n.; pl. Alumni (&?;). [L., fr. alere to nourish.] A pupil; especially, a graduate of a college or other seminary of learning.

Al"um root` (&?;). (Bot.) A North American herb (Heuchera Americana) of the Saxifrage family, whose root has astringent properties.

{ Al"um schist" (&?;), Al"um shale" (&?;), } (Min.) A variety of shale or clay slate, containing iron pyrites, the decomposition of which leads to the formation of alum, which often effloresces on the rock.

Al"um stone` (&?;). (Min.) A subsulphate of alumina and potash; alunite.

Al"u*nite (&?;), n. (Min.) Alum stone.

A*lu"no*gen (&?;), n. [F. alun alum + -gen.] (Min.) A white fibrous mineral frequently found on the walls of mines and quarries, chiefly hydrous sulphate of alumina; -- also called feather alum, and hair salt.

Al"ure (&?;), n. [OF. alure, aleure, walk, gait, fr. aler (F. aller) to go.] A walk or passage; -- applied to passages of various kinds.

The sides of every street were covered with fresh alures of marble. T. Warton.

Al"u*ta"ceous (&?;), a. [L. alutacius, fr. aluta soft leather.] 1. Leathery.

2. Of a pale brown color; leather-yellow. Brande.

Al`u*ta"tion (&?;), n. [See Alutaceous.] The tanning or dressing of leather. [Obs.] Blount.

Al"ve*a*ry (&?;), n.; pl. Alvearies (&?;). [L. alvearium, alveare, beehive, fr. alveus a hollow vessel, beehive, from alvus belly, beehive.] 1. A beehive, or something resembling a beehive. Barret.

2. (Anat.) The hollow of the external ear. Quincy.

Al"ve*a`ted (&?;), a. [L. alveatus hollowed out.] Formed or vaulted like a beehive.

Al"ve*o*lar (?; 277), a. [L. alveolus a small hollow or cavity: cf. F. alvéolaire.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, alveoli or little cells, sacs, or sockets.

Alveolar processes, the processes of the maxillary bones, containing the sockets of the teeth.

Al"ve*o*la*ry (&?;), a. Alveolar. [R.]

Al"ve*o*late (&?;), a. [L. alveolatus, fr. alveolus.] (Bot.) Deeply pitted, like a honeycomb.

Al"ve*ole (&?;), n. Same as Alveolus.

Al*ve"o*li*form (l*v"*l*fôrm), a. [L. alveolus + -form.] Having the form of alveoli, or little sockets, cells, or cavities.

||Al*ve"o*lus (l*v"*ls), n.; pl. Alveoli (-l). [L., a small hollow or cavity, dim. of alveus: cf. F. alvéole. See Alveary.] 1. A cell in a honeycomb.

2. (Zoöl.) A small cavity in a coral, shell, or fossil

3. (Anat.) A small depression, sac, or vesicle, as the socket of a tooth, the air cells of the lungs, the ultimate saccules of glands, etc.

||Al"ve*us (&?;), n.; pl. Alvei (&?;). [L.] The channel of a river. Weate.

Al"vine (&?;), a. [L. alvus belly: cf. F. alvin.] Of, from, in, or pertaining to, the belly or the intestines; as, alvine discharges; alvine concretions.

Al"way (&?;), adv. Always. [Archaic or Poetic]

I would not live alway. Job vii. 16.

Al"ways (&?;), adv. [All + way. The s is an adverbial (orig. a genitive) ending.] 1. At all times; ever; perpetually; throughout all time; continually; as, God is always the same.

Even in Heaven his [Mammon's] looks and thoughts. Milton.

2. Constancy during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals; invariably; uniformly; -- opposed to sometimes or occasionally.

He always rides a black galloway. Bulwer.

||A*lys"sum (&?;), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, name of a plant, perh. fr. 'a priv. + &?; raging madness.] (Bot.) A genus of cruciferous plants; madwort. The sweet alyssum (A. maritimum), cultivated for bouquets, bears small, white, sweet-scented flowers.

Am (&?;). [AS. am, eom, akin to Gothic im, Icel. em, Olr. am, Lith. esmi, L. sum., Gr. &?;, Zend ahmi, Skr. asmi, fr. a root as to be. &?;. See Are, and cf. Be, Was.] The first person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mode, present tense. See Be.

God said unto Moses, I am that am. Exod. iii. 14.

Am`a*bil"i*ty (&?;), n. [L. amabilitas.] Lovableness. Jer. Taylor.

The New English Dictionary (Murray) says this word is "usefully distinct from Amiability."

Am`a*crat"ic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; together + &?; power.] (Photog.) Amasthenic. Sir J. Herschel.

||Am`a*da*vat" (&?;), n. [Indian name. From Ahmedabad, a city from which it was imported to Europe.] (Zoöl.) The strawberry finch, a small Indian song bird (Estrelda amandava), commonly caged and kept for fighting. The female is olive brown; the male, in summer, mostly crimson; -- called also red waxbill. [Written also amaduvad and avadavat.]

Am"a*dou (&?;), n. [F. amadou tinder, prop. lure, bait, fr. amadouer to allure, caress, perh. fr. Icel. mata to feed, which is akin to E. meat.] A spongy, combustible substance, prepared from fungus (Boletus and Polyporus) which grows on old trees; German tinder; punk. It has been employed as a styptic by surgeons, but its common use is as tinder, for which purpose it is prepared by soaking it in a strong solution of niter. Ure.

A*main" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + main. See 2d Main, n.] 1. With might; with full force; vigorously; violently; exceedingly.

They on the hill, which were not yet come to blows, perceiving the fewness of their enemies, came down amain. Milton.

That striping giant, ill-bred and scoffing, shouts amain. T. Parker.

2. At full speed; in great haste; also, at once. "They fled amain." Holinshed.

A*main", v. t. [F. amener. See Amenable.] (Naut.) To lower, as a sail, a yard, etc.

A*main", v. i. (Naut.) To lower the topsail, in token of surrender; to yield.

A*mal"gam (&?;), n. [F. amalgame, prob. fr. L. malagma, Gr. &?;, emollient, plaster, poultice, fr. &?; to make soft, fr. &?; soft.] 1. An alloy of mercury with another metal or metals; as, an amalgam of tin, bismuth, etc.

Medalists apply the term to soft alloys generally.

2. A mixture or compound of different things.

3. (Min.) A native compound of mercury and silver.

A*mal"gam, v. t. &?; i. [Cf. F. amalgamer] To amalgamate. Boyle. B. Jonson.

||A*mal"ga*ma (&?;), n. Same as Amalgam.

They divided this their amalgama into a number of incoherent republics. Burke.

A*mal"ga*mate (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amalgamated; p. pr. & vb. n. Amalgamating.] 1. To compound or mix, as quicksilver, with another metal; to unite, combine, or alloy with mercury.

2. To mix, so as to make a uniform compound; to unite or combine; as, to amalgamate two races; to amalgamate one race with another.

Ingratitude is indeed their four cardinal virtues compacted and amalgamated into one. Burke.

A*mal"ga*mate, v. i. 1. To unite in an amalgam; to blend with another metal, as quicksilver.

2. To coalesce, as a result of growth; to combine into a uniform whole; to blend; as, two organs or parts amalgamate.

{ A*mal"ga*mate (&?;), A*mal"ga*ma`ted (&?;), } a. Coalesced; united; combined.

A*mal`ga*ma"tion (&?;), n. [Cf. F. amalgamation.] 1. The act or operation of compounding mercury with another metal; -- applied particularly to the process of separating gold and silver from their ores by mixing them with mercury. Ure.

2. The mixing or blending of different elements, races, societies, etc.; also, the result of such combination or blending; a homogeneous union. Macaulay.

A*mal"ga*ma*tive (&?;), a. Characterized by amalgamation.

A*mal"ga*ma`tor (&?;), n. One who, or that which, amalgamates. Specifically: A machine for separating precious metals from earthy particles by bringing them in contact with a body of mercury with which they form an amalgam.

A*mal"ga*mize (&?;), v. t. To amalgamate. [R.]

A*man"dine (&?;), n. [F. amande almond. See Almond.] 1. The vegetable casein of almonds.

2. A kind of cold cream prepared from almonds, for chapped hands, etc.

A*man"i*tine (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; a sort of fungus.] The poisonous principle of some fungi.

A*man`u*en"sis (&?;), n.; pl. Amanuenses (&?;). [L., fr. a, ab + manus hand.] A person whose employment is to write what another dictates, or to copy what another has written.

||A*mar"a*cus (&?;), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;.] A fragrant flower. Tennyson.

Am"a*rant (&?;), n. Amaranth, 1. [Obs.] Milton.

Am`a*ran*ta"ceous (&?;), a. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the amaranth is the type.

Am"a*ranth (&?;), n. [L. amarantus, Gr. &?;, unfading, amaranth; 'a priv. + &?; to quench, cause to wither, fr. a root meaning to die, akin to E. mortal; -- so called because its flowers do not soon wither: cf. F. amarante. The spelling with th seems to be due to confusion with Gr. &?; flower.] 1. An imaginary flower supposed never to fade. [Poetic]

2. (Bot.) A genus of ornamental annual plants (Amaranthus) of many species, with green, purplish, or crimson flowers.

2. A color inclining to purple.

Am`a*ran"thine (&?;), a. 1. Of or pertaining to amaranth. "Amaranthine bowers." Pope.

<! p. 46 !>

2. Unfading, as the poetic amaranth; undying.

They only amaranthine flower on earth Is virtue. Cowper.

3. Of a purplish color. Buchanan.

{ Am`a*ran"thus (m`*rn"ths), ||Am`a*ran"tus (m`*rn"ts), } n. Same as Amaranth.

Am"a*rine (&?;), n. [L. amarus bitter.] (Chem.) A characteristic crystalline substance, obtained from oil of bitter almonds.

A*mar"i*tude (&?;), n. [L. amaritudo, fr. amarus bitter: cf. OF. amaritude.] Bitterness. [R.]

{ Am`a*ryl`li*da"ceous (&?;), Am`a*ryl*lid"e*ous (&?;), } a. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, an order of plants differing from the lily family chiefly in having the ovary below the petals. The narcissus and daffodil are members of this family.

||Am`a*ryl"lis (&?;), n. [L. Amaryllis, Gr. &?;, &?;, the name of a country girl in Theocritus and Virgil.] 1. A pastoral sweetheart.

To sport with Amaryllis in the shade. Milton.

2. (bot.) (a) A family of plants much esteemed for their beauty, including the narcissus, jonquil, daffodil, agave, and others. (b) A genus of the same family, including the Belladonna lily.

A*mass" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amassed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Amassing.] [F. ambusher, LL. amassare; L. ad + massa lump, mass. See Mass.] To collect into a mass or heap; to gather a great quantity of; to accumulate; as, to amass a treasure or a fortune; to amass words or phrases.

The life of Homer has been written by amassing all the traditions and hints the writers could meet with. Pope.

Syn. -- To accumulate; heap up; pile.

A*mass", n. [OF. amasse, fr. ambusher.] A mass; a heap. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

A*mass"a*ble (&?;), a. Capable of being amassed.

A*mass"er (&?;), n. One who amasses.

||A`mas`sette" (&?;), n. [F. See Amass.] An instrument of horn used for collecting painters' colors on the stone in the process of grinding.

A*mass"ment (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. amassement.] An amassing; a heap collected; a large quantity or number brought together; an accumulation.

An amassment of imaginary conceptions. Glanvill.

Am`as*then"ic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; together + &?; force.] (Photog.) Uniting the chemical rays of light into one focus, as a certain kind of lens; amacratic.

A*mate" (&?;), v. t. [OF. amater, amatir.] To dismay; to dishearten; to daunt. [Obs. or Archaic]

The Silures, to amate the new general, rumored the overthrow greater than was true. Milton.

A*mate", v. t. [Pref. a- + mate.] To be a mate to; to match. [Obs.] Spenser.

Am`a*teur" (&?;), n. [F., fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love.] A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; esp. one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.

Am`a*teur"ish, a. In the style of an amateur; superficial or defective like the work of an amateur. -- Am`a*teur"ish*ly, adv. -- Am`a*teur"ish*ness, n.

Am"a*teur*ism (&?;), n. The practice, habit, or work of an amateur.

Am"a*teur`ship, n. The quality or character of an amateur.

Am"a*tive (&?;), a. [L. amatus, p. p. of amare to love.] Full of love; amatory.

Am"a*tive*ness, n. (Phren.) The faculty supposed to influence sexual desire; propensity to love. Combe.

Am`a*to"ri*al (&?;), a. [See Amatorious.] Of or pertaining to a lover or to love making; amatory; as, amatorial verses.

Am`a*to"ri*al*ly, adv. In an amatorial manner.

Am`a*to"ri*an (&?;), a. Amatory. [R.] Johnson.

Am`a*to"ri*ous (&?;), a. [L. amatorius, fr. amare to love.] Amatory. [Obs.] "Amatorious poem." Milton.

Am"a*to*ry (&?;), a. Pertaining to, producing, or expressing, sexual love; as, amatory potions.

||Am`au*ro"sis (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; dark, dim.] (Med.) A loss or decay of sight, from loss of power in the optic nerve, without any perceptible external change in the eye; -- called also gutta serena, the "drop serene" of Milton.

Am`au*rot"ic (&?;), a. Affected with amaurosis; having the characteristics of amaurosis.

A*maze" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amazed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Amazing.] [Pref. a- + maze.] 1. To bewilder; to stupefy; to bring into a maze. [Obs.]

A labyrinth to amaze his foes. Shak.

2. To confound, as by fear, wonder, extreme surprise; to overwhelm with wonder; to astound; to astonish greatly. "Amazing Europe with her wit." Goldsmith.

And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? Matt. xii. 23.

Syn. -- To astonish; astound; confound; bewilder; perplex; surprise. -- Amaze, Astonish. Amazement includes the notion of bewilderment of difficulty accompanied by surprise. It expresses a state in which one does not know what to do, or to say, or to think. Hence we are amazed at what we can not in the least account for. Astonishment also implies surprise. It expresses a state in which one is stunned by the vastness or greatness of something, or struck with some degree of horror, as when one is overpowered by the &?;normity of an act, etc.

A*maze", v. i. To be astounded. [Archaic] B. Taylor.

A*maze", v. t. Bewilderment, arising from fear, surprise, or wonder; amazement. [Chiefly poetic]

The wild, bewildered Of one to stone converted by amaze. Byron.

A*maz"ed*ly (&?;), adv. In amazement; with confusion or astonishment. Shak.

A*maz"ed*ness, n. The state of being amazed, or confounded with fear, surprise, or wonder. Bp. Hall.

A*maze"ful (&?;), a. Full of amazement. [R.]

A*maze"ment (&?;), n. 1. The condition of being amazed; bewilderment [Obs.]; overwhelming wonder, as from surprise, sudden fear, horror, or admiration.

His words impression left Of much amazement. Milton.

2. Frenzy; madness. [Obs.] Webster (1661).

A*maz"ing (&?;), a. Causing amazement; very wonderful; as, amazing grace. -- A*maz"ing*ly, adv.

Am"a*zon (&?;), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;.] 1. One of a fabulous race of female warriors in Scythia; hence, a female warrior.

2. A tall, strong, masculine woman; a virago.

3. (Zoöl.) A name numerous species of South American parrots of the genus Chrysotis

Amazon ant (Zoöl.), a species of ant (Polyergus rufescens), of Europe and America. They seize by conquest the larvæ and nymphs of other species and make slaves of them in their own nests.

Am`a*zo"ni*an (&?;), a. 1. Pertaining to or resembling an Amazon; of masculine manners; warlike. Shak.

2. Of or pertaining to the river Amazon in South America, or to its valley.

{ Am"a*zon*ite (&?;), Am"a*zon stone` (&?;), } n. [Named from the river Amazon.] (Min.) A variety of feldspar, having a verdigris-green color.

Amb-, Am*bi-. [L. prefix ambi-, amb-, akin to Gr. &?;, Skr. abhi, AS. embe, emb, OHG. umbi, umpi, G. um, and also L. ambo both. Cf. Amphi-, Both, By.] A prefix meaning about, around; -- used in words derived from the Latin.

||Am*ba"ges (&?;), n. pl. [L. (usually in pl.); pref. ambi-, amb- + agere to drive: cf. F. ambage.] A circuit; a winding. Hence: Circuitous way or proceeding; quibble; circumlocution; indirect mode of speech.

After many ambages, perspicuously define what this melancholy is. Burton.

Am*bag"i*nous (&?;), a. Ambagious. [R.]

Am*ba"gious (&?;), a. [L. ambagiosus.] Circumlocutory; circuitous. [R.]

Am*bag"i*to*ry (&?;), a. Ambagious. [R.]

Am"bas*sade (&?;), Em"bas*sade (&?;), n. [F. ambassade. See Embassy.] 1. The mission of an ambassador. [Obs.] Carew.

2. An embassy. [Obs.] Strype.

Am*bas"sa*dor (&?;), Em*bas"sa*dor (&?;), n. [See Embassador.] 1. A minister of the highest rank sent to a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country.

Ambassadors are either ordinary [or resident] or extraordinary, that is, sent upon some special or unusual occasion or errand. Abbott.

2. An official messenger and representative.

Am*bas`sa*do"ri*al (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to an ambassador. H. Walpole.

Am*bas`sa*dor*ship (&?;), n. The state, office, or functions of an ambassador.

Am*bas"sa*dress (&?;), n. A female ambassador; also, the wife of an ambassador. Prescott.

Am"bas*sage (&?;), n. Same as Embassage. [Obs. or R.] Luke xiv. 32.

Am"bas*sy (&?;), n. See Embassy, the usual spelling. Helps.

Am"ber, n. [OE. aumbre, F. ambre, Sp. ámbar, and with the Ar. article, alámbar, fr. Ar. 'anbar ambergris.] 1. (Min.) A yellowish translucent resin resembling copal, found as a fossil in alluvial soils, with beds of lignite, or on the seashore in many places. It takes a fine polish, and is used for pipe mouthpieces, beads, etc., and as a basis for a fine varnish. By friction, it becomes strongly electric.

2. Amber color, or anything amber-colored; a clear light yellow; as, the amber of the sky.

3. Ambergris. [Obs.]

You that smell of amber at my charge. Beau. & Fl.

4. The balsam, liquidambar.

Black amber, and old and popular name for jet.

Am"ber, a. 1. Consisting of amber; made of amber. "Amber bracelets." Shak.

2. Resembling amber, especially in color; amber- colored. "The amber morn." Tennyson.

Am"ber, v. t. [p. p. & p. a. Ambered .] 1. To scent or flavor with ambergris; as, ambered wine.

2. To preserve in amber; as, an ambered fly.

Am"ber fish (&?;). (Zoöl.) A fish of the southern Atlantic coast (Seriola Carolinensis.)

Am"ber*grease (&?;), n. See Ambergris.

Am"ber*gris (&?;), n. [F. ambre gris, i. e., gray amber; F. gris gray, which is of German origin: cf. OS. grîs, G. greis, gray-haired. See Amber.] A substance of the consistence of wax, found floating in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the tropics, and also as a morbid secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), which is believed to be in all cases its true origin. In color it is white, ash- gray, yellow, or black, and often variegated like marble. The floating masses are sometimes from sixty to two hundred and twenty-five pounds in weight. It is wholly volatilized as a white vapor at 212° Fahrenheit, and is highly valued in perfumery. Dana.

Am"ber room A room formerly in the Czar's Summer Palace in Russia, which was richly decorated with walls and fixtures made from amber. The amber was removed by occupying German troops during the Second World War and has, as of 1997, never been recovered. The room is being recreated from old photographs by Russian artisans. PJC

Am"ber seed` (&?;). Seed of the Hibiscus abelmoschus, somewhat resembling millet, brought from Egypt and the West Indies, and having a flavor like that of musk; musk seed. Chambers.

Am"ber tree` (&?;). A species of Anthospermum, a shrub with evergreen leaves, which, when bruised, emit a fragrant odor.

Ambes"-as (&?;), n. Ambs-ace. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Am"bi*dex"ter (&?;), a. [LL., fr. L. ambo both + dexter right, dextra (sc. manus) the right hand.] Using both hands with equal ease. Smollett.

Am`bi*dex"ter, n. 1. A person who uses both hands with equal facility.

2. Hence: A double-dealer; one equally ready to act on either side in party disputes.

The rest are hypocrites, ambidexters, so many turning pictures -- a lion on one side, a lamb on the other. Burton.

3. (Law) A juror who takes money from both parties for giving his verdict. Cowell.

Am"bi*dex*ter"i*ty (&?;), n. 1. The quality of being ambidextrous; the faculty of using both hands with equal facility. Hence: Versatility; general readiness; as, ambidexterity of argumentation. Sterne.

Ignorant I was of the human frame, and of its latent powers, as regarded speed, force, and ambidexterity. De Quincey.

2. Double-dealing. (Law) A juror's taking of money from the both parties for a verdict.

Am`bi*dex"tral (&?;), a. Pertaining equally to the right-hand side and the left-hand side. Earle.

Am`bi*dex"trous (&?;), a. 1. Having the faculty of using both hands with equal ease. Sir T. Browne.

2. Practicing or siding with both parties.

All false, shuffling, and ambidextrous dealings. L'Estrange.

Am"bi*dex"trous*ly, adv. In an ambidextrous manner; cunningly.

Am`bi*dex"trous*ness (&?;), n. The quality of being ambidextrous; ambidexterity.

Am"bi*ent (&?;), a. [L. ambiens, p. pr. of ambire to go around; amb- + ire to go.] Encompassing on all sides; circumfused; investing. "Ambient air." Milton. "Ambient clouds." Pope.

Am"bi*ent, n. Something that surrounds or invests; as, air . . . being a perpetual ambient. Sir H. Wotton.

Am*big"e*nous (&?;), a. [L. ambo both + genus kind.] Of two kinds. (Bot.) Partaking of two natures, as the perianth of some endogenous plants, where the outer surface is calycine, and the inner petaloid.

Am"bi*gu (&?;), n. [F., fr. ambigu doubtful, L. ambiquus. See Ambiguous.] An entertainment at which a medley of dishes is set on at the same time.

Am`bi*gu"i*ty (&?;), n.; pl. Ambiguities (&?;). [L. ambiguitas, fr. ambiguus: cf. F. ambiguité.] The quality or state of being ambiguous; doubtfulness or uncertainty, particularly as to the signification of language, arising from its admitting of more than one meaning; an equivocal word or expression.

No shadow of ambiguity can rest upon the course to be pursued. I. Taylor.

The words are of single signification, without any ambiguity. South.

Am*big"u*ous (&?;), a. [L. ambiguus, fr. ambigere to wander about, waver; amb- + agere to drive.] Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression.

What have been thy answers? What but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding? Milton.

Syn. -- Doubtful; dubious; uncertain; unsettled; indistinct; indeterminate; indefinite. See Equivocal.

Am*big"u*ous*ly, adv. In an ambiguous manner; with doubtful meaning.

Am*big"u*ous*ness, n. Ambiguity.