Chapter 9

Syn. -- Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description; explanation; rehearsal. -- Account, Narrative, Narration, Recital. These words are applied to different modes of rehearsing a series of events. Account turns attention not so much to the speaker as to the fact related, and more properly applies to the report of some single event, or a group of incidents taken as whole; as, an account of a battle, of a shipwreck, etc. A narrative is a continuous story of connected incidents, such as one friend might tell to another; as, a narrative of the events of a siege, a narrative of one's life, etc. Narration is usually the same as narrative, but is sometimes used to describe the mode of relating events; as, his powers of narration are uncommonly great. Recital denotes a series of events drawn out into minute particulars, usually expressing something which peculiarly interests the feelings of the speaker; as, the recital of one's wrongs, disappointments, sufferings, etc.

Ac*count" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Accounting.] [OE. acounten, accompten, OF. aconter, à (L. ad) + conter to count. F. conter to tell, compter to count, L. computare. See Count, v. t.]

1. To reckon; to compute; to count. [Obs.]

The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are accounted. Sir T. Browne.

2. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to assign; -- with to. [R.] Clarendon.

3. To value, estimate, or hold in opinion; to judge or consider; to deem.

Accounting that God was able to raise him up. Heb. xi. 19.

4. To recount; to relate. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ac*count", v. i. 1. To render or receive an account or relation of particulars; as, an officer must account with or to the treasurer for money received.

2. To render an account; to answer in judgment; -- with for; as, we must account for the use of our opportunities.

3. To give a satisfactory reason; to tell the cause of; to explain; -- with for; as, idleness accounts for poverty.

To account of, to esteem; to prize; to value. Now used only in the passive. "I account of her beauty." Shak.

Newer was preaching more accounted of than in the sixteenth century. Canon Robinson.

Ac*count`a*bil"i*ty (&?;), n. The state of being accountable; liability to be called on to render an account; accountableness. "The awful idea of accountability." R. Hall.

Ac*count"a*ble (&?;), a. 1. Liable to be called on to render an account; answerable; as, every man is accountable to God for his conduct.

2. Capable of being accounted for; explicable. [R.]

True religion . . . intelligible, rational, and accountable, -- not a burden but a privilege. B. Whichcote.

Syn. -- Amenable; responsible; liable; answerable.

Ac*count"a*ble ness, n. The quality or state of being accountable; accountability.

Ac*count"a*bly, adv. In an accountable manner.

Ac*count"an*cy (&?;), n. The art or employment of an accountant.

Ac*count"ant (&?;), n. [Cf. F. accomptant, OF. acontant, p. pr.] 1. One who renders account; one accountable.

2. A reckoner.

3. One who is skilled in, keeps, or adjusts, accounts; an officer in a public office, who has charge of the accounts.

Accountatn general, the head or superintending accountant in certain public offices. Also, formerly, an officer in the English court of chancery who received the moneys paid into the court, and deposited them in the Bank of England.

Ac*count"ant, a. Accountable. [Obs.] Shak.

Ac*count"ant*ship (&?;), n. [Accountant + -ship.] The office or employment of an accountant.

Ac*count" book` (&?;). A book in which accounts are kept. Swift.

Ac*cou"ple (&?;), v. t. [OF. acopler, F. accoupler. See Couple.] To join; to couple. [R.]

The Englishmen accoupled themselves with the Frenchmen. Hall.

Ac*cou"ple*ment (-kp"'l*ment), n. [Cf. F. accouplement.] 1. The act of coupling, or the state of being coupled; union. [R.] Caxton.

2. That which couples, as a tie or brace. [R.]

Ac*cour"age (&?;), v. t. [OF. acoragier; à (L. ad) + corage. See Courage.] To encourage. [Obs.]

Ac*court" (-krt"), v. t. [Ac-, for L. ad. See Court.] To treat courteously; to court. [Obs.] Spenser.

{ Ac*cou"ter, Ac*cou"tre } (k*k"tr), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accoutered or Accoutred (-trd); p. pr. & vb. n. Accoutering or Accoutring.] [F. accouter, OF. accoutrer, accoustrer; à (L. ad) + perh. LL. custor, for custos guardian, sacristan (cf. Custody), or perh. akin to E. guilt.] To furnish with dress, or equipments, esp. those for military service; to equip; to attire; to array.

Both accoutered like young men. Shak.

For this, in rags accoutered are they seen. Dryden.

Accoutered with his burden and his staff. Wordsworth.

{ Ac*cou"ter*ments, Ac*cou"tre*ments } (&?;), n. pl. [F. accoutrement, earlier also accoustrement, earlier also accoustrement. See Accouter.] Dress; trappings; equipment; specifically, the devices and equipments worn by soldiers.

How gay with all the accouterments of war! A. Philips.

Ac*coy" (k*koi"), v. t. [OF. acoyer; ac-, for L. ad. See Coy.] 1. To render quiet; to soothe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To subdue; to tame; to daunt. [Obs.]

Then is your careless courage accoyed. Spenser.

Ac*cred"it (k*krd"t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accredited; p. pr. & vb. n. Accrediting.] [F. accréditer; à (L. ad) + crédit credit. See Credit.] 1. To put or bring into credit; to invest with credit or authority; to sanction.

His censure will . . . accredit his praises. Cowper.

These reasons . . . which accredit and fortify mine opinion. Shelton.

2. To send with letters credential, as an ambassador, envoy, or diplomatic agent; to authorize, as a messenger or delegate.

Beton . . . was accredited to the Court of France. Froude.

3. To believe; to credit; to put trust in.

The version of early Roman history which was accredited in the fifth century. Sir G. C. Lewis.

He accredited and repeated stories of apparitions and witchcraft. Southey.

4. To credit; to vouch for or consider (some one) as doing something, or (something) as belonging to some one.

To accredit (one) with (something), to attribute something to him; as, Mr. Clay was accredited with these views; they accredit him with a wise saying.

Ac*cred`i*ta"tion (&?;), n. The act of accrediting; as, letters of accreditation.

Ac`cre*men*ti"tial (&?;), a. (Physiol.) Pertaining to accremention.

Ac`cre*men*ti"tion (&?;), n. [See Accresce, Increment.] (Physiol.) The process of generation by development of blastema, or fission of cells, in which the new formation is in all respect like the individual from which it proceeds.

Ac*cresce" (&?;), v. i. [L. accrescere. See Accrue.] 1. To accrue. [R.]

2. To increase; to grow. [Obs.] Gillespie.

Ac*cres"cence (&?;), n. [LL. accrescentia.] Continuous growth; an accretion. [R.]

The silent accrescence of belief from the unwatched depositions of a general, never contradicted hearsy. Coleridge.

Ac*cres"cent (&?;), a. [L. accrescens, -entis, p. pr. of accrescere; ad + crescere to grow. See Crescent.]

1. Growing; increasing. Shuckford.

2. (Bot.) Growing larger after flowering. Gray.

Ac*crete" (&?;), v. i. [From L. accretus, p. p. of accrescere to increase.] 1. To grow together.

2. To adhere; to grow (to); to be added; -- with to.

Ac*crete", v. t. To make adhere; to add. Earle.

Ac*crete", a. 1. Characterized by accretion; made up; as, accrete matter.

2. (Bot.) Grown together. Gray.

Ac*cre"tion (&?;), n. [L. accretio, fr. accrescere to increase. Cf. Crescent, Increase, Accrue.]

1. The act of increasing by natural growth; esp. the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth. Arbuthnot.

2. The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition; as, an accretion of earth.

A mineral . . . augments not by grown, but by accretion. Owen.

To strip off all the subordinate parts of his as a later accretion. Sir G. C. Lewis.

3. Concretion; coherence of separate particles; as, the accretion of particles so as to form a solid mass.

4. A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers toes. Dana.

5. (Law) (a) The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or sail from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark. (b) Gain to an heir or legatee, failure of a coheir to the same succession, or a co- legatee of the same thing, to take his share. Wharton. Kent.

Ac*cre"tive (&?;), a. Relating to accretion; increasing, or adding to, by growth. Glanvill.

Ac*crim"i*nate (&?;), v. t. [L. ac- (for ad to) + criminari.] To accuse of a crime. [Obs.] -- Ac*crim`i*na"tion (&?;), n. [Obs.]

Ac*croach" (&?;), v. t. [OE. acrochen, accrochen, to obtain, OF. acrochier, F. accrocher; à (L. ad) + croc hook (E. crook).] 1. To hook, or draw to one's self as with a hook. [Obs.]

2. To usurp, as jurisdiction or royal prerogatives.

They had attempted to accroach to themselves royal power. Stubbs.

Ac*croach"ment (-ment), n. [Cf. F. accrochement.] An encroachment; usurpation. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ac*cru"al (&?;), n. Accrument. [R.]

Ac*crue" (k*kr"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Accrued (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Accruing.] [See Accrue, n., and cf. Accresce, Accrete.] 1. To increase; to augment.

And though power failed, her courage did accrue. Spenser.

2. To come to by way of increase; to arise or spring as a growth or result; to be added as increase, profit, or damage, especially as the produce of money lent. "Interest accrues to principal." Abbott.

The great and essential advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press. Junius.

Ac*crue", n. [F. accrû, OF. acreü, p. p. of accroitre, OF. acroistre to increase; L. ad + crescere to increase. Cf. Accretion, Crew. See Crescent.] Something that accrues; advantage accruing. [Obs.]

Ac*cru"er (k*kr"r), n. (Law) The act of accruing; accretion; as, title by accruer.

Ac*cru"ment (-ment), n. The process of accruing, or that which has accrued; increase. Jer. Taylor.

Ac`cu*ba"tion (&?;), n. [L. accubatio, for accubitio, fr. accubare to recline; ad + cubare to lie down. See Accumb.] The act or posture of reclining on a couch, as practiced by the ancients at meals.

Ac*cumb" (k*kmb"), v. i. [L. accumbere; ad + cumbere (only in compounds) to lie down.] To recline, as at table. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ac*cum"ben*cy (k*km"ben*s), n. The state of being accumbent or reclining. [R.]

Ac*cum"bent (-bent), a. 1. Leaning or reclining, as the ancients did at their meals.

The Roman . . . accumbent posture in eating. Arbuthnot.

2. (Bot.) Lying against anything, as one part of a leaf against another leaf. Gray.

Accumbent cotyledons have their edges placed against the caulicle. Eaton.

Ac*cum"bent, n. One who reclines at table.

Ac*cum"ber (-br), v. t. To encumber. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ac*cu"mu*late (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accumulated (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Accumulating.] [L. accumulatus, p. p. of accumulare; ad + cumulare to heap. See Cumulate.] To heap up in a mass; to pile up; to collect or bring together; to amass; as, to accumulate a sum of money.

Syn. -- To collect; pile up; store; amass; gather; aggregate; heap together; hoard.

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Ac*cu"mu*late (k*k"m*lt), v. i. To grow or increase in quantity or number; to increase greatly.

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay. Goldsmith.

Ac*cu"mu*late (-lt), a. [L. accumulatus, p. p. of accumulare.] Collected; accumulated. Bacon.

Ac*cu`mu*la"tion (&?;), n. [L. accumulatio; cf. F. accumulation.] 1. The act of accumulating, the state of being accumulated, or that which is accumulated; as, an accumulation of earth, of sand, of evils, of wealth, of honors.

2. (Law) The concurrence of several titles to the same proof.

Accumulation of energy or power, the storing of energy by means of weights lifted or masses put in motion; electricity stored. -- An accumulation of degrees (Eng. Univ.), the taking of several together, or at smaller intervals than usual or than is allowed by the rules.

Ac*cu"mu*la*tive (&?;), a. Characterized by accumulation; serving to collect or amass; cumulative; additional. -- Ac*cu"mu*la*tive*ly, adv. -- Ac*cu"mu*la*tive*ness, n.

Ac*cu"mu*la`tor (&?;), n. [L.] 1. One who, or that which, accumulates, collects, or amasses.

2. (Mech.) An apparatus by means of which energy or power can be stored, such as the cylinder or tank for storing water for hydraulic elevators, the secondary or storage battery used for accumulating the energy of electrical charges, etc.

3. A system of elastic springs for relieving the strain upon a rope, as in deep-sea dredging.

Ac"cu*ra*cy (#; 277), n. [See Accurate.] The state of being accurate; freedom from mistakes, this exemption arising from carefulness; exact conformity to truth, or to a rule or model; precision; exactness; nicety; correctness; as, the value of testimony depends on its accuracy.

The professed end [of logic] is to teach men to think, to judge, and to reason, with precision and accuracy. Reid.

The accuracy with which the piston fits the sides. Lardner.

Ac"cu*rate (&?;), a. [L. accuratus, p. p. and a., fr. accurare to take care of; ad + curare to take care, cura care. See Cure.] 1. In exact or careful conformity to truth, or to some standard of requirement, the result of care or pains; free from failure, error, or defect; exact; as, an accurate calculator; an accurate measure; accurate expression, knowledge, etc.

2. Precisely fixed; executed with care; careful. [Obs.]

Those conceive the celestial bodies have more accurate influences upon these things below. Bacon.

Syn. -- Correct; exact; just; nice; particular. -- Accurate, Correct, Exact, Precise. We speak of a thing as correct with reference to some rule or standard of comparison; as, a correct account, a correct likeness, a man of correct deportment. We speak of a thing as accurate with reference to the care bestowed upon its execution, and the increased correctness to be expected therefrom; as, an accurate statement, an accurate detail of particulars. We speak of a thing as exact with reference to that perfected state of a thing in which there is no defect and no redundance; as, an exact coincidence, the exact truth, an exact likeness. We speak of a thing as precise when we think of it as strictly conformed to some rule or model, as if cut down thereto; as a precise conformity instructions; precisely right; he was very precise in giving his directions.

Ac"cu*rate*ly, adv. In an accurate manner; exactly; precisely; without error or defect.

Ac"cu*rate*ness, n. The state or quality of being accurate; accuracy; exactness; nicety; precision.

Ac*curse" (&?;), v. t. [OE. acursien, acorsien; pref. a + cursien to curse. See Curse.] To devote to destruction; to imprecate misery or evil upon; to curse; to execrate; to anathematize.

And the city shall be accursed. Josh. vi. 17.

Thro' you, my life will be accurst. Tennyson.

{ Ac*cursed" (&?;), Ac*curst" (&?;), } p. p. & a. Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; hence, bad enough to be under the curse; execrable; detestable; exceedingly hateful; - - as, an accursed deed. Shak. -- Ac*curs"ed*ly, adv. -- Ac*curs"ed*ness, n.

Ac*cus"a*ble (&?;), a. [L. accusabilis: cf. F. accusable.] Liable to be accused or censured; chargeable with a crime or fault; blamable; -- with of.

Ac*cus"al (&?;), n. Accusation. [R.] Byron.

Ac*cus"ant (&?;), n. [L. accusans, p. pr. of accusare: cf. F. accusant.] An accuser. Bp. Hall.

Ac`cu*sa"tion (&?;), n. [OF. acusation, F. accusation, L. accusatio, fr. accusare. See Accuse.]

1. The act of accusing or charging with a crime or with a lighter offense.

We come not by the way of accusation To taint that honor every good tongue blesses. Shak.

2. That of which one is accused; the charge of an offense or crime, or the declaration containing the charge.

[They] set up over his head his accusation. Matt. xxvii. 37.

Syn. -- Impeachment; crimination; censure; charge.

Ac*cu`sa*ti"val (&?;), a. Pertaining to the accusative case.

Ac*cu"sa*tive (&?;), a. [F. accusatif, L. accusativus (in sense 2), fr. accusare. See Accuse.]

1. Producing accusations; accusatory. "This hath been a very accusative age." Sir E. Dering.

2. (Gram.) Applied to the case (as the fourth case of Latin and Greek nouns) which expresses the immediate object on which the action or influence of a transitive verb terminates, or the immediate object of motion or tendency to, expressed by a preposition. It corresponds to the objective case in English.

Ac*cu"sa*tive, n. (Gram.) The accusative case.

Ac*cu"sa*tive*ly, adv. 1. In an accusative manner.

2. In relation to the accusative case in grammar.

Ac*cu`sa*to"ri*al (&?;), a. Accusatory.

Ac*cu`sa*to"ri*al*ly, adv. By way accusation.

Ac*cu"sa*to*ry (&?;), a. [L. accusatorius, fr. accusare.] Pertaining to, or containing, an accusation; as, an accusatory libel. Grote.

Ac*cuse" (&?;), n. Accusation. [Obs.] Shak.

Ac*cuse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accused (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Accusing.] [OF. acuser, F. accuser, L. accusare, to call to account, accuse; ad + causa cause, lawsuit. Cf. Cause.] 1. To charge with, or declare to have committed, a crime or offense; (Law) to charge with an offense, judicially or by a public process; -- with of; as, to accuse one of a high crime or misdemeanor.

Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. Acts xxiv. 13.

We are accused of having persuaded Austria and Sardinia to lay down their arms. Macaulay.

2. To charge with a fault; to blame; to censure.

Their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. Rom. ii. 15.

3. To betray; to show. [L.] Sir P. Sidney.

Syn. -- To charge; blame; censure; reproach; criminate; indict; impeach; arraign. -- To Accuse, Charge, Impeach, Arraign. These words agree in bringing home to a person the imputation of wrongdoing. To accuse is a somewhat formal act, and is applied usually (though not exclusively) to crimes; as, to accuse of treason. Charge is the most generic. It may refer to a crime, a dereliction of duty, a fault, etc.; more commonly it refers to moral delinquencies; as, to charge with dishonesty or falsehood. To arraign is to bring (a person) before a tribunal for trial; as, to arraign one before a court or at the bar public opinion. To impeach is officially to charge with misbehavior in office; as, to impeach a minister of high crimes. Both impeach and arraign convey the idea of peculiar dignity or impressiveness.

Ac*cused" (&?;), a. Charged with offense; as, an accused person.

Commonly used substantively; as, the accused, one charged with an offense; the defendant in a criminal case.

Ac*cuse"ment (-kz"ment), n. [OF. acusement. See Accuse.] Accusation. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ac*cus"er (&?;), n. [OE. acuser, accusour; cf. OF. acuseor, fr. L. accusator, fr. accusare.] One who accuses; one who brings a charge of crime or fault.

Ac*cus"ing*ly, adv. In an accusing manner.

Ac*cus"tom (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accustomed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Accustoming.] [OF. acostumer, acustumer, F. accoutumer; à (L. ad) + OF. costume, F. coutume, custom. See Custom.] To make familiar by use; to habituate, familiarize, or inure; -- with to.

I shall always fear that he who accustoms himself to fraud in little things, wants only opportunity to practice it in greater. Adventurer.

Syn. -- To habituate; inure; exercise; train.

Ac*cus"tom, v. i. 1. To be wont. [Obs.] Carew.

2. To cohabit. [Obs.]

We with the best men accustom openly; you with the basest commit private adulteries. Milton.

Ac*cus"tom, n. Custom. [Obs.] Milton.

Ac*cus"tom*a*ble (&?;), a. Habitual; customary; wonted. "Accustomable goodness." Latimer.

Ac*cus"tom*a*bly, adv. According to custom; ordinarily; customarily. Latimer.

Ac*cus"tom*ance (&?;), n. [OF. accoustumance, F. accoutumance.] Custom; habitual use. [Obs.] Boyle.

Ac*cus"tom*a*ri*ly (&?;), adv. Customarily. [Obs.]

Ac*cus"tom*a*ry (&?;), a. Usual; customary. [Archaic] Featley.

Ac*cus"tomed (&?;), a. 1. Familiar through use; usual; customary. "An accustomed action." Shak.

2. Frequented by customers. [Obs.] "A well accustomed shop." Smollett.

Ac*cus"tomed*ness, n. Habituation.

Accustomedness to sin hardens the heart. Bp. Pearce.

Ace (&?;), n.; pl. Aces (&?;). [OE. as, F. as, fr. L. as, assis, unity, copper coin, the unit of coinage. Cf. As.]

1. A unit; a single point or spot on a card or die; the card or die so marked; as, the ace of diamonds.

2. Hence: A very small quantity or degree; a particle; an atom; a jot.

I 'll not wag an ace further. Dryden.

To bate an ace, to make the least abatement. [Obs.] -- Within an ace of, very near; on the point of. W. Irving.

A*cel"da*ma (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. Syr. kl dam the field of blood.] The potter's field, said to have lain south of Jerusalem, purchased with the bribe which Judas took for betraying his Master, and therefore called the field of blood. Fig.: A field of bloodshed.

The system of warfare . . . which had already converted immense tracts into one universal aceldama. De Quincey.

A*cen"tric (&?;), a. [Gr. 'a priv. + &?; a point, a center.] Not centered; without a center.

Ac"e*phal (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; 'a priv. + &?; head: cf. F. acéphale, LL. acephalus.] (Zoöl.) One of the Acephala.

||A*ceph"a*la (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, adj. neut. pl., headless. See Acephal.] (Zoöl.) That division of the Mollusca which includes the bivalve shells, like the clams and oysters; -- so called because they have no evident head. Formerly the group included the Tunicata, Brachiopoda, and sometimes the Bryozoa. See Mollusca.

A*ceph"a*lan (&?;), n. Same as Acephal.

A*ceph"a*lan, a. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the Acephala.

||A*ceph"a*li (&?;), n. pl. [LL., pl. of acephalus. See Acephal.] 1. A fabulous people reported by ancient writers to have heads.

2. (Eccl. Hist.) (a) A Christian sect without a leader. (b) Bishops and certain clergymen not under regular diocesan control.

3. A class of levelers in the time of K. Henry I.

A*ceph"a*list (&?;), n. One who acknowledges no head or superior. Dr. Gauden.

A*ceph"a*lo*cyst (&?;), n. [Gr. 'ake`falos without a head + ky`stis bladder.] (Zoöl.) A larval entozoön in the form of a subglobular or oval vesicle, or hydatid, filled with fluid, sometimes found in the tissues of man and the lower animals; -- so called from the absence of a head or visible organs on the vesicle. These cysts are the immature stages of certain tapeworms. Also applied to similar cysts of different origin.

A*ceph`a*lo*cys"tic (&?;), a. Pertaining to, or resembling, the acephalocysts.

A*ceph"a*lous (&?;), a. [See Acephal.] 1. Headless.

2. (Zoöl.) Without a distinct head; -- a term applied to bivalve mollusks.

3. (Bot.) Having the style spring from the base, instead of from the apex, as is the case in certain ovaries.

4. Without a leader or chief.

5. Wanting the beginning.

A false or acephalous structure of sentence. De Quincey.

6. (Pros.) Deficient and the beginning, as a line of poetry. Brande.

Ac"er*ate (&?;), n. [See Aceric.] (Chem.) A combination of aceric acid with a salifiable base.

Ac"er*ate, a. Acerose; needle- shaped.

A*cerb" (&?;), a. [L. acerbus, fr. acer sharp: cf. F. acerbe. See Acrid.] Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit; sharp and harsh.

A*cerb"ate (&?;), v. t. [L. acerbatus, p. p. of acerbare, fr. acerbus.] To sour; to imbitter; to irritate.

A*cerb"ic (&?;), a. Sour or severe.

A*cerb"i*tude (&?;), n. [L. acerbitudo, fr. acerbus.] Sourness and harshness. [Obs.] Bailey.

A*cerb"i*ty (&?;), n. [F. acerbité, L. acerbitas, fr. acerbus. See Acerb.] 1. Sourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit.

2. Harshness, bitterness, or severity; as, acerbity of temper, of language, of pain. Barrow.