Chapter 6

The evil abstracted stood from his own evil. Milton.

2. Separated from matter; abstract; ideal. [Obs.]

3. Abstract; abstruse; difficult. [Obs.] Johnson.

4. Inattentive to surrounding objects; absent in mind. "An abstracted scholar." Johnson.

Ab*stract"ed*ly, adv. In an abstracted manner; separately; with absence of mind.

Ab*stract"ed*ness, n. The state of being abstracted; abstract character.

Ab*stract"er (&?;), n. One who abstracts, or makes an abstract.

Ab*strac"tion (&?;), n. [Cf. F. abstraction. See Abstract, a.] 1. The act of abstracting, separating, or withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal.

A wrongful abstraction of wealth from certain members of the community. J. S. Mill.

2. (Metaph.) The act process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others; analysis. Thus, when the mind considers the form of a tree by itself, or the color of the leaves as separate from their size or figure, the act is called abstraction. So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.

Abstraction is necessary to classification, by which things are arranged in genera and species. We separate in idea the qualities of certain objects, which are of the same kind, from others which are different, in each, and arrange the objects having the same properties in a class, or collected body.

Abstraction is no positive act: it is simply the negative of attention. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. An idea or notion of an abstract, or theoretical nature; as, to fight for mere abstractions.

4. A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; as, a hermit's abstraction.

5. Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects.

6. The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining. [Modern]

7. (Chem.) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation. Nicholson.

Ab*strac"tion*al (&?;), a. Pertaining to abstraction.

Ab*strac"tion*ist, n. An idealist. Emerson.

Ab`strac*ti"tious (&?;), a. Obtained from plants by distillation. [Obs.] Crabb.

Ab*strac"tive (&?;), a. [Cf. F. abstractif.] Having the power of abstracting; of an abstracting nature. "The abstractive faculty." I. Taylor.

Ab*strac"tive*ly, adv. In a abstract manner; separately; in or by itself. Feltham.

Ab*strac"tive*ness, n. The quality of being abstractive; abstractive property.

Ab"stract`ly (#; 277), adv. In an abstract state or manner; separately; absolutely; by itself; as, matter abstractly considered.

Ab"stract`ness, n. The quality of being abstract. "The abstractness of the ideas." Locke.

Ab*stringe" (&?;), v. t. [L ab + stringere, strictum, to press together.] To unbind. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ab*strude" (&?;), v. t. [L. abstrudere. See Abstruse.] To thrust away. [Obs.] Johnson.

Ab*struse" (&?;), a. [L. abstrusus, p. p. of abstrudere to thrust away, conceal; ab, abs + trudere to thrust; cf. F. abstrus. See Threat.] 1. Concealed or hidden out of the way. [Obs.]

The eternal eye whose sight discerns Abstrusest thoughts. Milton.

2. Remote from apprehension; difficult to be comprehended or understood; recondite; as, abstruse learning.

Profound and abstruse topics. Milman.

Ab*struse"ly, adv. In an abstruse manner.

Ab*struse"ness, n. The quality of being abstruse; difficulty of apprehension. Boyle.

Ab*stru"sion (&?;), n. [L. abstrusio. See Abstruse.] The act of thrusting away. [R.] Ogilvie.

Ab*stru"si*ty (b*str"s*t), n. Abstruseness; that which is abstruse. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Ab*sume" (b*sm"), v. t. [L. absumere, absumptum; ab + sumere to take.] To consume gradually; to waste away. [Obs.] Boyle.

Ab*sump"tion (b*smp"shn; 215), n. [L. absumptio. See Absume.] Act of wasting away; a consuming; extinction. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Ab*surd" (b*sûrd"), a. [L. absurdus harsh-sounding; ab + (prob) a derivative fr. a root svar to sound; not connected with surd: cf. F. absurde. See Syringe.] Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; as, an absurd person, an absurd opinion; an absurd dream.

This proffer is absurd and reasonless. Shak.

'This phrase absurd to call a villain great. Pope. p. 9

Syn. -- Foolish; irrational; ridiculous; preposterous; inconsistent; incongruous. -- Absurd, Irrational, Foolish, Preposterous. Of these terms, irrational is the weakest, denoting that which is plainly inconsistent with the dictates of sound reason; as, an irrational course of life. Foolish rises higher, and implies either a perversion of that faculty, or an absolute weakness or fatuity of mind; as, foolish enterprises. Absurd rises still higher, denoting that which is plainly opposed to received notions of propriety and truth; as, an absurd man, project, opinion, story, argument, etc. Preposterous rises still higher, and supposes an absolute inversion in the order of things; or, in plain terms, a "putting of the cart before the horse;" as, a preposterous suggestion, preposterous conduct, a preposterous regulation or law.

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Ab*surd" (b*sûrd"), n. An absurdity. [Obs.] Pope.

Ab*surd"i*ty (-*t), n.; pl. Absurdities (-tz). [L. absurditas: cf. F. absurdite.] 1. The quality of being absurd or inconsistent with obvious truth, reason, or sound judgment. "The absurdity of the actual idea of an infinite number." Locke.

2. That which is absurd; an absurd action; a logical contradiction.

His travels were full of absurdities. Johnson.

Ab*surd"ly, adv. In an absurd manner.

Ab*surd"ness, n. Absurdity. [R.]

||A*bu"na (*b"n), n. [Eth. and Ar., our father.] The Patriarch, or head of the Abyssinian Church.

A*bun"dance (*bn"dans), n. [OE. (h)abundaunce, abundance, F. abondance, L. abundantia, fr. abundare. See Abound.] An overflowing fullness; ample sufficiency; great plenty; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; wealth: -- strictly applicable to quantity only, but sometimes used of number.

It is lamentable to remember what abundance of noble blood hath been shed with small benefit to the Christian state. Raleigh.

Syn. -- Exuberance; plenteousness; plenty; copiousness; overflow; riches; affluence; wealth. -- Abundance, Plenty, Exuberance. These words rise upon each other in expressing the idea of fullness. Plenty denotes a sufficiency to supply every want; as, plenty of food, plenty of money, etc. Abundance express more, and gives the idea of superfluity or excess; as, abundance of riches, an abundance of wit and humor; often, however, it only denotes plenty in a high degree. Exuberance rises still higher, and implies a bursting forth on every side, producing great superfluity or redundance; as, an exuberance of mirth, an exuberance of animal spirits, etc.

A*bun"dant (&?;), a. [OE. (h)abundant, aboundant, F. abondant, fr. L. abudans, p. pr. of abundare. See Abound.] Fully sufficient; plentiful; in copious supply; -- followed by in, rarely by with. "Abundant in goodness and truth." Exod. xxxiv. 6.

Abundant number (Math.), a number, the sum of whose aliquot parts exceeds the number itself. Thus, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, the aliquot parts of 12, make the number 16. This is opposed to a deficient number, as 14, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2, 7, the sum of which is 10; and to a perfect number, which is equal to the sum of its aliquot parts, as 6, whose aliquot parts are 1, 2., 3.

Syn. -- Ample; plentiful; copious; plenteous; exuberant; overflowing; rich; teeming; profuse; bountiful; liberal. See Ample.

A*bun"dant*ly, adv. In a sufficient degree; fully; amply; plentifully; in large measure.

A*burst" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + burst.] In a bursting condition.

A*bus"a*ble (&?;), a. That may be abused.

A*bus"age (&?;), n. Abuse. [Obs.] Whately (1634).

A*buse" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abused (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Abusing.] [F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See Use.] 1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority.

This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity. Froude.

2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience.

3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage.

The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay.

4. To dishonor. "Shall flight abuse your name?" Shak.

5. To violate; to ravish. Spenser.

6. To deceive; to impose on. [Obs.]

Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify; vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign.

A*buse" (&?;), n. [F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.] 1. Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language.

Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. Madison.

2. Physical ill treatment; injury. "Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff." Shak.

3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service.

Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay.

4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling.

The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay.

5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [Obs.]

Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? Shak.

Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer.

Syn. -- Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium. -- Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith.

A*buse"ful (&?;), a. Full of abuse; abusive. [R.] "Abuseful names." Bp. Barlow.

A*bus"er (&?;), n. One who abuses [in the various senses of the verb].

A*bu"sion (&?;), n. [OE. abusion, abusioun, OF. abusion, fr. L. abusio misuse of words, f. abuti. See Abuse, v. t.] Evil or corrupt usage; abuse; wrong; reproach; deception; cheat. Chaucer.

A*bu"sive (&?;), a. [Cf. F. abusif, fr. L. abusivus.] 1. Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied.

I am . . . necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. Fuller.

2. Given to misusing; also, full of abuses. [Archaic] "The abusive prerogatives of his see." Hallam.

3. Practicing abuse; prone to ill treat by coarse, insulting words or by other ill usage; as, an abusive author; an abusive fellow.

4. Containing abuse, or serving as the instrument of abuse; vituperative; reproachful; scurrilous. "An abusive lampoon." Johnson.

5. Tending to deceive; fraudulent; cheating. [Obs.] "An abusive treaty." Bacon.

Syn. -- Reproachful; scurrilous; opprobrious; insolent; insulting; injurious; offensive; reviling.

A*bu"sive*ly, adv. In an abusive manner; rudely; with abusive language.

A*bu"sive*ness, n. The quality of being abusive; rudeness of language, or violence to the person.

Pick out mirth, like stones out of thy ground, Profaneness, filthiness, abusiveness. Herbert.

A*but" (&?;), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Abutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Abutting.] [OF. abouter, aboter; cf. F. aboutir, and also abuter; a (L. ad) + OF. boter, buter, to push: cf. F. bout end, and but end, purpose.] To project; to terminate or border; to be contiguous; to meet; -- with on, upon, or against; as, his land abuts on the road.

A*bu"ti*lon (&?;), n. [Ar. aubtln.] (Bot.) A genus of malvaceous plants of many species, found in the torrid and temperate zones of both continents; -- called also Indian mallow.

A*but"ment (*bt"ment), n. 1. State of abutting.

2. That on or against which a body abuts or presses; as (a) (Arch.) The solid part of a pier or wall, etc., which receives the thrust or lateral pressure of an arch, vault, or strut. Gwilt. (b) (Mech.) A fixed point or surface from which resistance or reaction is obtained, as the cylinder head of a steam engine, the fulcrum of a lever, etc. (c) In breech-loading firearms, the block behind the barrel which receives the pressure due to recoil.

A*but"tal (&?;), n. The butting or boundary of land, particularly at the end; a headland. Spelman.

A*but"ter (&?;), n. One who, or that which, abuts. Specifically, the owner of a contiguous estate; as, the abutters on a street or a river.

A*buzz" (&?;), a. [Pref. a- + buzz.] In a buzz; buzzing. [Colloq.] Dickens.

{ A*by", A*bye" } (&?;), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Abought (&?;).] [AS. bycgan to pay for; pref. - (cf. Goth. us- , Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bycgan to buy. See Buy, and cf. Abide.] 1. To pay for; to suffer for; to atone for; to make amends for; to give satisfaction. [Obs.]

Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Shak.

2. To endure; to abide. [Obs.]

But nought that wanteth rest can long aby. Spenser.

A*bysm" (&?;), n. [OF. abisme; F. abime, LL. abyssimus, a superl. of L. abyssus; Gr. &?;. See Abyss.] An abyss; a gulf. "The abysm of hell." Shak.

A*bys"mal (&?;), a. Pertaining to, or resembling, an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound.

Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space. Carlyle.

A*bys"mal*ly, adv. To a fathomless depth; profoundly. "Abysmally ignorant." G. Eliot.

A*byss" (&?;), n. [L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr. &?; bottomless; 'a priv. + &?; depth, bottom.] 1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit.

Ye powers and spirits of this nethermost abyss. Milton.

The throne is darkness, in the abyss of light. Dryden.

2. Infinite time; a vast intellectual or moral depth.

The abysses of metaphysical theology. Macaulay.

In unfathomable abysses of disgrace. Burke.

3. (Her.) The center of an escutcheon.

This word, in its leading uses, is associated with the cosmological notions of the Hebrews, having reference to a supposed illimitable mass of waters from which our earth sprung, and beneath whose profound depths the wicked were punished. Encyc. Brit.

A*byss"al (&?;), a. [Cf. Abysmal.] Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable.

Abyssal zone (Phys. Geog.), one of the belts or zones into which Sir E. Forbes divides the bottom of the sea in describing its plants, animals, etc. It is the one furthest from the shore, embracing all beyond one hundred fathoms deep. Hence, abyssal animals, plants, etc.

Ab`ys*sin"i*an (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Abyssinia.

Abyssinian gold, an alloy of 90.74 parts of copper and 8.33 parts of zink. Ure.

Ab`ys*sin"i*an, n. 1. A native of Abyssinia.

2. A member of the Abyssinian Church.

A*ca"ci*a (&?;), n. (Antiq.) A roll or bag, filled with dust, borne by Byzantine emperors, as a memento of mortality. It is represented on medals.

A*ca"cia (&?;), n.; pl. E. Acacias (&?;), L. Acaciæ (&?;). [L. from Gr. &?;; orig. the name of a thorny tree found in Egypt; prob. fr. the root ak to be sharp. See Acute.] 1. A genus of leguminous trees and shrubs. Nearly 300 species are Australian or Polynesian, and have terete or vertically compressed leaf stalks, instead of the bipinnate leaves of the much fewer species of America, Africa, etc. Very few are found in temperate climates.

2. (Med.) The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; -- called also gum acacia, and gum arabic.

Ac"a*cin, Ac"a*cine (&?;), n. Gum arabic.

Ac`a*deme" (&?;), n. [L. academia. See Academy.] An academy. [Poetic] Shak.

Ac`a*de"mi*al (&?;), a. Academic. [R.]

Ac`a*de"mi*an (&?;), n. A member of an academy, university, or college.

{ Ac`a*dem"ic (&?;), Ac`a*dem"ic*al (&?;), } a. [L. academicus: cf. F. académigue. See Academy.] 1. Belonging to the school or philosophy of Plato; as, the Academic sect or philosophy.

2. Belonging to an academy or other higher institution of learning; scholarly; literary or classical, in distinction from scientific. "Academic courses." Warburton. "Academical study." Berkeley.

Ac`a*dem"ic, n. 1. One holding the philosophy of Socrates and Plato; a Platonist. Hume.

2. A member of an academy, college, or university; an academician.

Ac`a*dem`ic*al*ly, adv. In an academical manner.

Ac`a*dem"ic*als (&?;), n. pl. The articles of dress prescribed and worn at some colleges and universities.

Ac`a*de*mi"cian (#; 277), n. [F. académicien. See Academy.] 1. A member of an academy, or society for promoting science, art, or literature, as of the French Academy, or the Royal Academy of arts.

2. A collegian. [R.] Chesterfield.

Ac`a*dem"i*cism (&?;), n. 1. A tenet of the Academic philosophy.

2. A mannerism or mode peculiar to an academy.

A*cad"e*mism (&?;), n. The doctrines of the Academic philosophy. [Obs.] Baxter.

A*cad"e*mist (&?;), n. [F. academiste.] 1. An Academic philosopher.

2. An academician. [Obs.] Ray.

A*cad"e*my (&?;), n.; pl. Academies (&?;). [F. académie, L. academia. Cf. Academe.] 1. A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head.

2. An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.

3. A place of training; a school. "Academies of fanaticism." Hume.

4. A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.

5. A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music.

Academy figure (Paint.), a drawing usually half life-size, in crayon or pencil, after a nude model.

A*ca"di*an (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Acadie, or Nova Scotia. "Acadian farmers." Longfellow. -- n. A native of Acadie.

Acadian epoch (Geol.), an epoch at the beginning of the American paleozoic time, and including the oldest American rocks known to be fossiliferous. See Geology. -- Acadian owl (Zoöl.), a small North American owl (Nyctule Acadica); the saw-whet.

||Ac"a*jou (&?;), n. [F. See Cashew.] (Bot.) (a) The cashew tree; also, its fruit. See Cashew. (b) The mahogany tree; also, its timber.

{ Ac"a*leph (&?;), Ac`a*le"phan (&?;) } n.; pl. Acalephs (&?;), Acalephans (&?;). [See Acalephæ.] (Zoöl.) One of the Acalephæ.

||Ac`a*le"phæ (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?;, a nettle.] A group of Cœlenterata, including the Medusæ or jellyfishes, and hydroids; -- so called from the stinging power they possess. Sometimes called sea nettles.

Ac`ale"phoid (&?;), a. [Acaleph + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Belonging to or resembling the Acalephæ or jellyfishes.

A*cal"y*cine (&?;), Ac`a*lys`i*nous (&?;), a. [Gr. 'a priv. + &?; calyx.] (Bot.) Without a calyx, or outer floral envelope.

A*canth" (&?;), n. Same as Acanthus.

||A*can"tha (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; thorn, fr. &?; point. See Acute.] 1. (Bot.) A prickle.

2. (Zoöl.) A spine or prickly fin.

3. (Anat.) The vertebral column; the spinous process of a vertebra. Dunglison.

Ac"an*tha"ceous (&?;), a. 1. Armed with prickles, as a plant.

2. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the acanthus is the type.

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A*can"thine (&?;), a. [L. acanthinus, Gr. &?;, thorny, fr. &?;. See Acanthus.] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the plant acanthus.

A*can`tho*car"pous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; thorn + &?; fruit.] (Bot.) Having the fruit covered with spines.

||A*can`tho*ceph"a*la (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; a spine, thorn + &?; head.] (Zoöl.) A group of intestinal worms, having the proboscis armed with recurved spines.

A*can`tho*ceph"a*lous (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Having a spiny head, as one of the Acanthocephala.

Ac`an*thoph"o*rous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; spine + &?; to bear.] Spine-bearing. Gray.

A*can`tho*po"di*ous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; thorn + &?;, &?;, foot.] (Bot.) Having spinous petioles.

||Ac`an*thop"ter*i (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; thorn + &?; wing, fin.] (Zoöl.) A group of teleostean fishes having spiny fins. See Acanthopterygii.

Ac`an*thop"ter*ous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; spine + &?; wing.] 1. (Zoöl.) Spiny- winged.

2. (Zoöl.) Acanthopterygious.

Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*an (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the order of fishes having spinose fins, as the perch. -- n. A spiny-finned fish.

||Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*i (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; thorn + &?; fin, dim. fr. &?; wing.] (Zoöl.) An order of fishes having some of the rays of the dorsal, ventral, and anal fins unarticulated and spinelike, as the perch.

Ac`an*thop`ter*yg"i*ous (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Having fins in which the rays are hard and spinelike; spiny-finned.

A*can"thus (&?;), n.; pl. E. Acanthuses (&?;), L. Acanthi (&?;). [L., from Gr. &?;. Cf. Acantha.]

1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous prickly plants, found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; bear's- breech.

2. (Arch.) An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus (Acanthus spinosus); -- used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.

||A cap*pel"la (&?;). [It. See Chapel.] (Mus.) (a) In church or chapel style; -- said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal. (b) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.

A*cap"su*lar (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + capsular.] (Bot.) Having no capsule.

A*car"di*ac (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; heart.] Without a heart; as, an acardiac fetus.

A*car"i*dan (&?;), n. [See Acarus.] (Zoöl.) One of a group of arachnids, including the mites and ticks.

||Ac`a*ri"na (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; a mite.] (Zoöl.) The group of Arachnida which includes the mites and ticks. Many species are parasitic, and cause diseases like the itch and mange.

Ac"a*rine (&?;), a. (Med.) Of or caused by acari or mites; as, acarine diseases.

Ac"a*roid (&?;), a. [NL., acarus a mite + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Shaped like or resembling a mite.

Ac`ar*pel"lous (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + carpel.] (Bot.) Having no carpels.

A*car"pous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; fruit.] (Bot.) Not producing fruit; unfruitful.

||Ac"a*rus (&?;), n.; pl. Acari (&?;). [NL., from Gr. &?; the cheese mite, tick.] (Zoöl.) A genus including many species of small mites.

A*cat`a*lec"tic (&?;), a. [L. acatalecticus, Gr. &?;, not defective at the end; 'a priv. + &?; to cease.] (Pros.) Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse. -- n. A verse which has the complete number of feet and syllables.

A*cat"a*lep`sy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; to seize, comprehend.] Incomprehensibility of things; the doctrine held by the ancient Skeptic philosophers, that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability.

A*cat`a*lep"tic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;.] Incapable of being comprehended; incomprehensible.

A*ca"ter (&?;), n. See Caterer. [Obs.]

A*cates" (&?;), n. pl. See Cates. [Obs.]

A*cau"date (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + caudate.] Tailless.

Ac`au*les"cent (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + caulescent.] (Bot.) Having no stem or caulis, or only a very short one concealed in the ground. Gray.

A*cau"line (&?;), a. [Pref. a- not + cauline.] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent.

{ A*cau"lose (&?;), A*cau"lous (&?;), } a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; stalk or L. caulis stalk. See Cole.] (Bot.) Same as Acaulescent.