Chapter 70

Nothing more awry from the law of God and nature than that a woman should give laws to men. Milton.

Aw"some (&?;), a. Same as Awesome.

{ Ax, Axe, } (&?;), n. [OE. ax, axe, AS. eax, æx, acas; akin to D. akse, OS. accus, OHG. acchus, G. axt, Icel. öx, öxi, Sw. yxe, Dan. ökse, Goth. aqizi, Gr. &?;, L. ascia; not akin to E. acute.] A tool or instrument of steel, or of iron with a steel edge or blade, for felling trees, chopping and splitting wood, hewing timber, etc. It is wielded by a wooden helve or handle, so fixed in a socket or eye as to be in the same plane with the blade. The broadax, or carpenter's ax, is an ax for hewing timber, made heavier than the chopping ax, and with a broader and thinner blade and a shorter handle.

The ancient battle-ax had sometimes a double edge.

The word is used adjectively or in combination; as, axhead or ax head; ax helve; ax handle; ax shaft; ax-shaped; axlike.

This word was originally spelt with e, axe; and so also was nearly every corresponding word of one syllable: as, flaxe, taxe, waxe, sixe, mixe, pixe, oxe, fluxe, etc. This superfluous e is not dropped; so that, in more than a hundred words ending in x, no one thinks of retaining the e except in axe. Analogy requires its exclusion here.

"The spelling ax is better on every ground, of etymology, phonology, and analogy, than axe, which has of late become prevalent." New English Dict. (Murray).

Ax (&?;), v. t. & i. [OE. axien and asken. See Ask.] To ask; to inquire or inquire of.

This word is from Saxon, and is as old as the English language. Formerly it was in good use, but now is regarded as a vulgarism. It is still dialectic in England, and is sometimes heard among the uneducated in the United States. "And Pilate axide him, Art thou king of Jewis?" "Or if he axea fish." Wyclif. 'bdThe king axed after your Grace's welfare." Pegge.

Ax"al (&?;), a. [See Axial.] [R.]

{ Axe (&?;), Axe"man (&?;), etc.} See Ax, Axman.

Ax"i*al (&?;), a. 1. Of or pertaining to an axis; of the nature of, or resembling, an axis; around an axis.

To take on an axial, and not an equatorial, direction. Nichol.

2. (Anat.) Belonging to the axis of the body; as, the axial skeleton; or to the axis of any appendage or organ; as, the axial bones.

Axial line (Magnetism), the line taken by the magnetic force in passing from one pole of a horseshoe magnet to the other. Faraday.

Ax"i*al*ly (&?;), adv. In relation to, or in a line with, an axis; in the axial (magnetic) line.

Ax"il (&?;), n. [L. axilla. Cf. Axle.] (Bot.) The angle or point of divergence between the upper side of a branch, leaf, or petiole, and the stem or branch from which it springs. Gray.

Ax"ile (&?;), a. Situated in the axis of anything; as an embryo which lies in the axis of a seed. Gray.

||Ax*il"la (&?;), n.; pl. Axillae (&?;). [L.] (Anat.) The armpit, or the cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder.

2. (Bot.) An axil.

Ax"il*lar (&?;), a. Axillary.

{ Ax"il*la*ries (&?;), Ax"il*lars (&?;), } n. pl. (Zoöl.) Feathers connecting the under surface of the wing and the body, and concealed by the closed wing.

Ax"il*la*ry (&?;), a. [See Axil.] 1. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the axilla or armpit; as, axillary gland, artery, nerve.

2. (Bot.) Situated in, or rising from, an axil; of or pertaining to an axil. "Axillary buds." Gray.

Ax"i*nite (&?;), n. [Named in allusion to the form of the crystals, fr. Gr. &?; an ax.] (Min.) A borosilicate of alumina, iron, and lime, commonly found in glassy, brown crystals with acute edges.

Ax*in"o*man`cy (&?;), n. [L. axinomantia, Gr. &?; ax + -mancy.] A species of divination, by means of an ax or hatchet.

Ax"i*om (&?;), n. [L. axioma, Gr. &?; that which is thought worthy, that which is assumed, a basis of demonstration, a principle, fr. &?; to think worthy, fr. &?; worthy, weighing as much as; cf. &?; to lead, drive, also to weigh so much: cf F. axiome. See Agent, a.] 1. (Logic & Math.) A self-evident and necessary truth, or a proposition whose truth is so evident as first sight that no reasoning or demonstration can make it plainer; a proposition which it is necessary to take for granted; as, "The whole is greater than a part;" "A thing can not, at the same time, be and not be."

2. An established principle in some art or science, which, though not a necessary truth, is universally received; as, the axioms of political economy.

Syn. -- Axiom, Maxim, Aphorism, Adage. An axiom is a self-evident truth which is taken for granted as the basis of reasoning. A maxim is a guiding principle sanctioned by experience, and relating especially to the practical concerns of life. An aphorism is a short sentence pithily expressing some valuable and general truth or sentiment. An adage is a saying of long-established authority and of universal application.

{ Ax`i*o*mat"ic (&?;), Ax`i*o*mat"ic*al, } a. [Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to an axiom; having the nature of an axiom; self-evident; characterized by axioms. "Axiomatical truth." Johnson.

The stores of axiomatic wisdom. I. Taylor.

Ax`i*o*mat"ic*al*ly, adv. By the use of axioms; in the form of an axiom.

||Ax"is (&?;), n. [L.] (Zoöl.) The spotted deer (Cervus axis or Axis maculata) of India, where it is called hog deer and parrah (Moorish name).

Ax"is (&?;), n.; pl. Axes (&?;). [L. axis axis, axle. See Axle.] A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line passing through a body or system around which the parts are symmetrically arranged.

2. (Math.) A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged; as, the axis of a cylinder, i. e., the axis of a cone, that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the center of the base; the axis of a circle, any straight line passing through the center.

3. (Bot.) The stem; the central part, or longitudinal support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the central line of any body. Gray.

4. (Anat.) (a) The second vertebra of the neck, or vertebra dentata. (b) Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head to turn upon.

5. (Crystallog.) One of several imaginary lines, assumed in describing the position of the planes by which a crystal is bounded.

6. (Fine Arts) The primary or secondary central line of any design.

Anticlinal axis (Geol.), a line or ridge from which the strata slope downward on the two opposite sides. -- Synclinal axis, a line from which the strata slope upward in opposite directions, so as to form a valley. -- Axis cylinder (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; -- called also axis band, axial fiber, and cylinder axis. -- Axis in peritrochio, the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers. -- Axis of a curve (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords of a curve; called a principal axis, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two axes of the ellipse are the major axis and the minor axis, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the transverse axis and the conjugate axis. -- Axis of a lens, the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces. -- Axis of a telescope or microscope, the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it. -- Axes of coördinates in a plane, two straight lines intersecting each other, to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position: they are either rectangular or oblique. -- Axes of coördinates in space, the three straight lines in which the coördinate planes intersect each other. -- Axis of a balance, that line about which it turns. -- Axis of oscillation, of a pendulum, a right line passing through the center about which it vibrates, and perpendicular to the plane of vibration. -- Axis of polarization, the central line around which the prismatic rings or curves are arranged. Brewster. -- Axis of revolution (Descriptive Geom.), a straight line about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the several points of the line or plane shall describe circles with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution. -- Axis of symmetry (Geom.), any line in a plane figure which divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other part. -- Axis of the equator, ecliptic, horizon (or other circle considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies), the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the plane of the circle. Hutton. -- Axis of the Ionic capital (Arch.), a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute. - - Neutral axis (Mech.), the line of demarcation between the horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression, exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder. - - Optic axis of a crystal, the direction in which a ray of transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial or biaxial. -- Optic axis, Visual axis (Opt.), the straight line passing through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the surface of the eye. -- Radical axis of two circles (Geom.), the straight line perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles shall be equal to each other. -- Spiral axis (Arch.), the axis of a twisted column drawn spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without. - - Axis of abscissas and Axis of ordinates. See Abscissa.

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Ax"le (ks"'l), n. [OE. axel, exel, shoulder, AS. eaxl; akin to AS. eax axle, Sw. & Dan. axel shoulder, axle, G. achse axle, achsel shoulder, L. axis axle, Gr. 'a`xwn, Skr. aksha, L. axilla shoulder joint: cf. F. essieu, axle, OF. aissel, fr. dim. of L. axis. &radic;205. Cf. 2d Axis.] 1. The pin or spindle on which a wheel revolves, or which revolves with a wheel.

2. A transverse bar or shaft connecting the opposite wheels of a car or carriage; an axletree.

3. An axis; as, the sun's axle.

Had from her axle torn The steadfast earth. Milton.

Railway axles are called leading and trailing from their position in the front or in the rear of a car or truck respectively.

Ax"le box` (&?;). 1. A bushing in the hub of a wheel, through which the axle passes.

2. The journal box of a rotating axle, especially a railway axle.

In railway construction, the axle guard, or pedestal, with the superincumbent weight, rests on the top of the box (usually with a spring intervening), and holds it in place by flanges. The box rests upon the journal bearing and key, which intervene between the inner top of the box and the axle.

Ax"led (&?;), a. Having an axle; -- used in composition.

Merlin's agate-axled car. T. Warton.

Ax"le guard` (&?;). The part of the framing of a railway car or truck, by which an axle box is held laterally, and in which it may move vertically; -- also called a jaw in the United States, and a housing in England.

Ax"le*tree` (&?;), n. [Cf. Icel. öxultr&?;.] 1. A bar or beam of wood or iron, connecting the opposite wheels of a carriage, on the ends of which the wheels revolve.

2. A spindle or axle of a wheel. [Obs.]

Ax"man (&?;), n.; pl. Axmen (&?;). One who wields an ax.

Ax"min`ster (&?;), n. An Axminster carpet, an imitation Turkey carpet, noted for its thick and soft pile; -- so called from Axminster, Eng.

||Ax"o*lotl (&?;), n. [The native name.] (Zoöl.) An amphibian of the salamander tribe found in the elevated lakes of Mexico; the siredon.

When it breeds in captivity the young develop into true salamanders of the genus Amblystoma. This also occurs naturally under favorable conditions, in its native localities; although it commonly lives and breeds in a larval state, with persistent external gills. See Siredon.

Ax"stone` (&?;), n. (Min.) A variety of jade. It is used by some savages, particularly the natives of the South Sea Islands, for making axes or hatchets.

Ax"tree (&?;), n. Axle or axletree. [Obs.] Drayton.

Ax"unge (&?;), n. [F. axonge, L. axungia; axis wheel + ungere to grease.] Fat; grease; esp. the fat of pigs or geese; usually (Pharm.), lard prepared for medical use.

Ay (&?;), interj. Ah! alas! "Ay me! I fondly dream ‘Had ye been there.'" Milton.

Ay (&?;), adv. Same as Aye.

||A"yah (&?;), n. [Pg. aia, akin to Sp. aya a governess, ayo a tutor.] A native nurse for children; also, a lady's maid. [India]

{ Aye, Ay } (&?;), adv. [Perh. a modification of yea, or from the interjection of admiration or astonishment, OE. ei, ey, why, hey, ay, well, ah, ha. Cf. MHG. & G. ei, Dan. ej. Or perh. akin to aye ever.] Yes; yea; -- a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. It is much used in viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc.

This word is written I in the early editions of Shakespeare and other old writers.

Aye (&?;), n. An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, "To call for the ayes and noes;" "The ayes have it."

{ Aye, Ay } (&?;), adv. [Icel. ei, ey; akin to AS. , wa, always, Goth. aiws an age, Icel. æfi, OHG, &?;wa, L. aevum, Gr. &?; an age, &?;, &?;, ever, always, G. je, Skr. &?;va course. &?;, &?;. Cf. Age, v., Either, a., Or, conj.] Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time.

For his mercies aye endure. Milton.

For aye, always; forever; eternally.

Aye"-aye` (&?;), n. [From the native name, prob. from its cry.] (Zoöl.) A singular nocturnal quadruped, allied to the lemurs, found in Madagascar (Cheiromys Madagascariensis), remarkable for its long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.

Aye"green` (&?;), n. [Aye ever + green.] (Bot.) The houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum). Halliwell.

{ A*yen", A*yein" (&?;), A*yeins" (&?;) }, adv. & prep. [OE. &?;, &?;. See Again.] Again; back against. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A*yen"ward (&?;), adv. Backward. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ayle (&?;), n. [OE. ayel, aiel, OF. aiol, aiel, F. aïeul, a dim. of L. avus grandfather.] A grandfather. [Obs.]

Writ of Ayle, an ancient English writ which lay against a stranger who had dispossessed the demandant of land of which his grandfather died seized.

Ay"me` (&?;), n. [Cf. F. ahi interj.] The utterance of the ejaculation "Ay me !" [Obs.] See Ay, interj. "Aymees and hearty heigh-hoes." J. Fletcher.

A*yond" (&?;), prep. & adv. Beyond. [North of Eng.]

A*yont" (&?;), prep. & adv. Beyond. [Scot.]

{ A"y*rie, A"y*ry } (&?;), n. See Aerie. Drayton.

Ayr"shire (&?;), n. (Agric.) One of a superior breed of cattle from Ayrshire, Scotland. Ayrshires are notable for the quantity and quality of their milk.

||A*yun`ta*mi*en"to (&?;), n. [Sp., fr. OSp. ayuntar to join.] In Spain and Spanish America, a corporation or body of magistrates in cities and towns, corresponding to mayor and aldermen.

A*za"le*a (?; 97), n.; pl. Azaleas (&?;). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; dry, -- so called because supposed to grow best in dry ground.] (Bot.) A genus of showy flowering shrubs, mostly natives of China or of North America; false honeysuckle. The genus is scarcely distinct from Rhododendron.

Az"a*role (&?;), n. [F. azerole, the name of the fruit, fr. Ar. az-zo'r&?;r: cf. It. azzeruolo, Sp. acerolo.] (Bot.) The Neapolitan medlar (Cratægus azarolus), a shrub of southern Europe; also, its fruit.

A*zed"a*rach (&?;), n. [F. azédarac, Sp. acederaque, Pers. zddirakht noble tree.] 1. (Bot.) A handsome Asiatic tree (Melia azedarach), common in the southern United States; -- called also, Pride of India, Pride of China, and Bead tree.

2. (Med.) The bark of the roots of the azedarach, used as a cathartic and emetic.

Az"i*muth (&?;), n. [OE. azimut, F. azimut, fr. Ar. as-sum&?;t, pl. of as-samt a way, or perh., a point of the horizon and a circle extending to it from the zenith, as being the Arabic article: cf. It. azzimutto, Pg. azimuth, and Ar. samt-al-r's the vertex of the heaven. Cf. Zenith.] (Astron. & Geodesy) (a) The quadrant of an azimuth circle. (b) An arc of the horizon intercepted between the meridian of the place and a vertical circle passing through the center of any object; as, the azimuth of a star; the azimuth or bearing of a line surveying.

In trigonometrical surveying, it is customary to reckon the azimuth of a line from the south point of the horizon around by the west from 0° to 360°.

Azimuth circle, or Vertical circle, one of the great circles of the sphere intersecting each other in the zenith and nadir, and cutting the horizon at right angles. Hutton. -- Azimuth compass, a compass resembling the mariner's compass, but having the card divided into degrees instead of rhumbs, and having vertical sights; used for taking the magnetic azimuth of a heavenly body, in order to find, by comparison with the true azimuth, the variation of the needle. -- Azimuth dial, a dial whose stile or gnomon is at right angles to the plane of the horizon. Hutton. -- Magnetic azimuth, an arc of the horizon, intercepted between the vertical circle passing through any object and the magnetic meridian. This is found by observing the object with an azimuth compass.

Az"i*muth`al (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to the azimuth; in a horizontal circle.

Azimuthal error of a transit instrument, its deviation in azimuth from the plane of the meridian.

Az"o- (&?;). [See Azote.] (Chem.) A combining form of azote; (a) Applied loosely to compounds having nitrogen variously combined, as in cyanides, nitrates, etc. (b) Now especially applied to compounds containing a two atom nitrogen group uniting two hydrocarbon radicals, as in azobenzene, azobenzoic, etc. These compounds furnish many artificial dyes. See Diazo-.

Az`o*ben"zene (&?;), n. [Azo- + benzene.] (Chem.) A substance (C6H5.N2.C6H5) derived from nitrobenzene, forming orange red crystals which are easily fusible.

A*zo"ic (&?;), a. [Gr. 'a priv. + &?; life, from &?; to live.] Destitute of any vestige of organic life, or at least of animal life; anterior to the existence of animal life; formed when there was no animal life on the globe; as, the azoic. rocks.

Azoic age (Geol.), the age preceding the existence of animal life, or anterior to the paleozoic tome. Azoic is also used as a noun, age being understood. See Archæan, and Eozoic.

Az`o*le"ic (&?;), a. [Azo- + oleic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to an acid produced by treating oleic with nitric acid. [R.]

A*zon"ic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; zone, region.] Confined to no zone or region; not local.

A*zo"ri*an (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to the Azores. -- n. A native of the Azores.

Az"ote (?; 277), n. [F. azote, fr. Gr. 'a priv. + &?; life; -- so named by Lavoisier because it is incapable of supporting life.] Same as Nitrogen. [R.]

Az"oth (&?;), n. [LL. azoch, azoth, fr. Ar. az-zauq mercury.] (Alchemy) (a) The first principle of metals, i. e., mercury, which was formerly supposed to exist in all metals, and to be extractable from them. (b) The universal remedy of Paracelsus.

A*zot"ic (&?;), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to azote, or nitrogen; formed or consisting of azote; nitric; as, azotic gas; azotic acid. [R.] Carpenter.

Az"o*tite (&?;), n. (Chem.) A salt formed by the combination of azotous, or nitrous, acid with a base; a nitrite. [R.]

Az"o*tize (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Azotized (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Azotizing (&?;).] To impregnate with azote, or nitrogen; to nitrogenize.

Az`o*tom"e*ter (&?;), n. [Azote + - meter.] (Chem.) An apparatus for measuring or determining the proportion of nitrogen; a nitrometer.

A*zo"tous (&?;), a. Nitrous; as, azotous acid. [R.]

Az"tec (&?;), a. Of or relating to one of the early races in Mexico that inhabited the great plateau of that country at the time of the Spanish conquest in 1519. -- n. One of the Aztec race or people.

Az"ure (?; 277), a. [F. & OSp. azur, Sp. azul, through Ar. from Per. ljaward, or ljuward, lapis lazuli, a blue color, ljaward, ljuward, azure, cerulean, the initial l having been dropped, perhaps by the influence of the Ar. azr-aq azure, blue. Cf. G. lasur, lasurstein, azure color, azure stone, and NL. lapis lazuli.] Sky-blue; resembling the clear blue color of the unclouded sky; cerulean; also, cloudless.

Azure stone (Min.), the lapis lazuli; also, the lazulite.

Az"ure, n. 1. The lapis lazuli. [Obs.]

2. The clear blue color of the sky; also, a pigment or dye of this color. "In robes of azure." Wordsworth.

3. The blue vault above; the unclouded sky.

Not like those steps On heaven's azure. Milton.

4. (Her.) A blue color, represented in engraving by horizontal parallel lines.

Az"ure, v. t. To color blue.

Az"ured (&?;), a. Of an azure color; sky-blue. "The azured harebell." Shak.

A*zu"re*ous (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Of a fine blue color; azure.

Az"u*rine (&?;), a. [Cf. Azurn.] Azure.

Az"u*rine, n. (Zoöl.) The blue roach of Europe (Leuciscus cæruleus); -- so called from its color.

Az"u*rite (&?;), n. (Min.) Blue carbonate of copper; blue malachite.

Az"urn (&?;), a. [Cf. OF. azurin, asurin, LL. azurinus. See Azure, a.] Azure. [Obs.]

Thick set with agate, and the azurn sheen Of turkis blue, and emerald green. Milton.

Az"y*gous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; yoke.] Odd; having no fellow; not one of a pair; single; as, the azygous muscle of the uvula.

{ Az"ym, Az"yme } (&?;), n. [F. azyme unleavened, L. azymus, fr. Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; leaven.] Unleavened bread.

A*zym"ic (&?;), a. Azymous.

Az"y*mite (&?;), n. [Cf. F. azymite.] (Eccl. Hist.) One who administered the Eucharist with unleavened bread; -- a name of reproach given by those of the Greek church to the Latins.

Az"y*mous (&?;), a. [See Azym.] Unleavened; unfermented. "Azymous bread." Dunglison.

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B.

B (b) is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 196, 220.) It is etymologically related to p, v, f, w, and m, letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat. cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from the Greek B (Beta), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B.

In Music, B is the nominal of the seventh tone in the model major scale (the scale of C major), or of the second tone in its relative minor scale (that of A minor). B stands for B flat, the tone a half step , or semitone, lower than B. In German, B stands for our B, while our B natural is called H (pronounced hä).

Ba (bä), v. t. [Cf. OF. baer to open the mouth, F. bayer.] To kiss. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Baa (bä), v. i. [Cf. G. bäen; an imitative word.] To cry baa, or bleat as a sheep.

He treble baas for help, but none can get. Sir P. Sidney.

Baa (bä), n.; pl. Baas (bäz). [Cf. G. bä.] The cry or bleating of a sheep; a bleat.

Baa"ing, n. The bleating of a sheep. Marryat.

Ba"al (b"al), n.; Heb. pl. Baalim (-m). [Heb. ba'al lord.] 1. (Myth.) The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations.

The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined, answering to the different ideas of his character; ; as, Baal-berith (the Covenant Baal), Baal-zebub (Baal of the fly).

2. pl. The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied. Judges x. 6.

Ba"al*ism (-z'm), n. Worship of Baal; idolatry.

{ Ba"al*ist (&?;), Ba"al*ite (&?;), } n. A worshiper of Baal; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater.

||Ba"ba (&?;), n. [F.] A kind of plum cake.