Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1st 100 Pages)

A (named ? in the English, and most commonly „ in other languages). The first letter of the English and of many other alphabets. The capital A of the alphabets of Middle and Wes...

AÏbaist¶ (?), p.p. Abashed; confounded; discomfited. [Obs.] Chaucer. AbÏal¶ienÏate (?), v.t. [L. abalienatus, p.p. of abalienare; ab + alienus foreign, alien. See Alien.] 1. (Ci...

Ab¶botÏship (?), n. [Abbot + Ïship.] The state or office of an abbot. AbÏbre¶viÏate (?), v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abbreviated (?); p.pr. & vb.n. Abbreviating.] [L. abbreviatus, p.p. of...

AÏbet¶ter, AÏbetÏtor } (#), n. One who abets; an instigator of an offense or an offender. µ The form abettor is the legal term and also in general use. Syn. Ð Abettor, Accessory...

AÏblaze¶ (#), adv. & a. [Pref. aÏ + blaze.] 1. On fire; in a blaze, gleaming. Milman. All ablaze with crimson and gold. Longfellow. 2. In a state of glowing excitement or ardent...

2. The immature product of an untimely birth. 3. (Biol.) Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed. 4. Any fruit or produce th...

4. (Bot.) Suddenly terminating, as if cut off. Gray. Syn. Ð Sudden; unexpected; hasty; rough; curt; unceremonious; rugged; blunt; disconnected; broken. AbÏrupt¶ (#), n. [L. abru...

Syn. Ð To Absorb, Engross, Swallow up, Engulf. These words agree in one general idea, that of completely taking up. They are chiefly used in a figurative sense and may be distin...

Syn. Ð Foolish; irrational; ridiculous; preposterous; inconsistent; incongruous. Ð Absurd, Irrational, Foolish, Preposterous. Of these terms, irrational is the weakest, denoting...

AÏcan¶thine (#), a. [L. acanthinus, Gr. ?, thorny, fr. ?. See Acanthus.] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the plant acanthus. AÏcan·thoÏcar¶pous (#), a. [Gr. ? thorn + ? fruit....

µ In modern law, proposal and acceptance are the constituent elements into which all contracts are resolved. Acceptance of a bill of exchange, check, draft, or order, is an enga...

AcÏcli¶maÏtiÏza¶tion (#), n. The act of acclimatizing; the process of inuring to a new climate, or the state of being so inured. Darwin. AcÏcli¶maÏtize (#), v. t. [imp. & p. p....

AcÏcord¶ing (#), adv. Accordingly; correspondingly. [Obs.] Shak. AcÏcord¶ingÏly, adv. 1. Agreeably; correspondingly; suitably; in a manner conformable. Behold, and so proceed ac...

AcÏcus¶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. AcÏcus¶tom, n....

Ø Ac¶iÏnus (#), n.; pl. Acini (#). [L., grape, grapestone.] 1. (Bot.) (a) One of the small grains or drupelets which make up some kinds of fruit, as the blackberry, raspberry, e...

Ac·quiÏes¶cenÏcy (#), n. The quality of being acquiescent; acquiescence. Ac· quiÏes¶cent (#), a. [L. acquiescens, Ï?entis; p. pr.] Resting satisfied or submissive; disposed taci...

Ac·roÏteÏleu¶tic (#), n. [Gr. ? extreme + ? end.] (Eccles.) The end of a verse or psalm, or something added thereto, to be sung by the people, by way of a response. Ac¶roÏter (#...

Ad¶age (#), n. [F. adage, fr. L. adagium; ad + the root of L. aio I say.] An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb. Letting ½I dare not¸ wait upon ½I woul...

Ad¶eÏquaÏcy (?), n. [See Adequate.] The state or quality of being adequate, proportionate, or sufficient; a sufficiency for a particular purpose; as, the adequacy of supply to t...

Ad·leÏga¶tion (?), n. [L. adlegatio, allegatio, a sending away; fr. adlegare, allegare, to send away with a commission; ad in addition + legare to send as ambassador. Cf. Allega...

Ad·oÏles¶cent (?), a. [L. adolescens, p. pr. of adolescere to grow up to; ad + the inchoative olescere to grow: cf. F. adolescent. See Adult.] Growing; advancing from childhood...

µ It is adultery on the part of the married wrongdoer. The word has also been used to characterize the act of an unmarried participator, the other being married. In the United S...

or resist them; a member of an opposing or hostile party; an opponent; an antagonist; an enemy; a foe. His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries. Shak. Agree with thine adversar...

volume of sound, etc., by forcing a stream of air upon the strings. Moore. Ð ’olian harp, ’olian lyre, a musical instrument consisting of a box, on or in which are stretched str...

Af¶faÏbrous (?), a. [L. affaber workmanlike; ad + faber.] Executed in a workmanlike manner; ingeniously made. [R.] Bailey. AfÏfair¶ (?), n. [OE. afere, affere, OF. afaire, F. af...

AfÏfirm¶ant (?), n. [L. affirmans, Ïantis, p. pr. See Affirm.] 1. One who affirms or asserts. 2. (Law) One who affirms of taking an oath. Af·firÏma¶tion (?), n. [L. affirmatio:...

AfÏfront¶iveÏness (?), n. The quality that gives an affront or offense. [R.] Bailey. AfÏfuse¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Affusing (?).] [L. affusus, p...

Ø Ag·aÏlac¶tiÏa (?), Ag¶aÏlax·y (?), } n. [Gr. ?; ? priv. + ?, ?, milk.] (Med.) Failure of the due secretion of milk after childbirth. Ag·aÏlac¶tous (?), a. Lacking milk to suck...

AgÏgrace¶ (?), n. Grace; favor. [Obs.] Spenser. Ag¶granÏdi¶zaÏble (?), a. Capable of being aggrandized. AgÏgran·diÏza¶tion (?), n. Aggrandizement. [Obs.] Waterhouse. Ag¶granÏdiz...

2. Relationship; kinship by descent; as, an agnation between the Latin language and the German. AgÏni¶tion (?), n. [L. agnitio, fr. agnoscere. See Notion.] Acknowledgment. [Obs....

To go ~. (a) To go in advance. (b) To go on onward. (c) To push on in an enterprise. [Colloq.] Ð To get ~ of. (a) To get in advance of. (b) To surpass; to get the better of. [Co...

AlÏ. A prefix. (a) [AS. eal.] All; wholly; completely; as, almighty,almost. (b) [L. ad.] To; at; on; Ð in OF. shortened to aÏ. See AdÏ. (c) The Arabic definite article answering...

Ø AlÏcayde¶ (?), n. Same as Alcaid. Ø AlÏca¶zar (?), n. [Sp., fr. Ar. al the + qacr (in pl.) a castle.] A fortress; also, a royal palace. Prescott. Ø AlÏce¶do (?), n. [L., equiv...

Al¶gaÏzel· (?), n. [Ar. al the + ghaz¾l.] (Zo”l.) The true gazelle. Al¶geÏbra (?), n. [LL. algebra, fr. Ar. alÐjebr reduction of parts to a whole, or fractions to whole numbers,...

µ In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense or becomes intensive. 2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adj...

2. A narrow passage or way in a city, as distinct from a public street. Gay. 3. A passageway between rows of pews in a church. 4. (Persp.) Any passage having the entrance repres...

Al·loÏtriÏoph¶aÏgy (?), n. [Gr. ? strange + ? to eat: cf. F. allotriophagie.] (Med.) A depraved appetite; a desire for improper food. { Al·loÏtrop¶ic (?), Al·loÏtrop¶icÏal (?),...

Tenure by free alms. See Frankalmoign. Blackstone. µ This word alms is singular in its form (almesse), and is sometimes so used; as, ½asked am alms.¸ Acts iii. 3.½Received an al...

AlÏphon¶sine (?), a. Of or relating to Alphonso X., the Wise, King of Castile (1252Ð1284). Alphonsine tables, astronomical tables prepared under the patronage of Alphonso the Wi...

<-- p. 45 --> which enables a person to see an object in spite of interning. AlÏtis¶oÏnant (?), a. [L. altus high + ?onans, p. pr. of sonare to sound.] HighÐsounding; lofty or p...

2. Unfading, as the poetic amaranth; undying. They only amaranthine flower on earth Is virtue. Cowper. 3. Of a purplish color. Buchanan. { Am·aÏran¶thus (?), Ø Am·aÏran¶tus (?),...

AmÏbi¶tiousÏness (?), n. The quality of being ambitious; ambition; pretentiousness. Ø Am¶biÏtus (?), n. [L. See Ambit, Ambition.] 1. The exterior edge or border of a thing, as t...

Shall by him be amerced with penance due. Spenser. AÏmerce¶aÏble (?), a. Liable to be amerced. AÏmerce¶ment (?), n. [OF. amerciment.] The infliction of a penalty at the discreti...

2. Conjoined, or associated with, or making part of the number of; in the number or class of. Blessed art thou among women. Luke i. 28. 3. Expressing a relation of dispersion, d...

ovule inverted, but with the attachment near the middle of one side; half anatropous. Ø Am·phiÏu¶ma (?), n. (Zo”l.) A genus of amphibians, inhabiting the Southern United States,...

Am¶yÏloid (?), n. 1. A non-nitrogenous starchy food; a starchlike substance. 2. (Med.) The substance deposited in the organs in ~ degeneration. Am·yÏloÏly¶tic (?), a. [Gr. ? sta...

sun dial, fr. ? to take up; ? + ? to take.] 1. (Chem.) An orthographic projection of the sphere on the plane of the meridian, the eye being supposed at an infinite distance, and...

fitted for checking, fr. ? + ? to send.] (Med.) Styptic. [Obs.] Coxe. An¶aÏstate (?), n. [Gr. ? up + ? to make to stand.] (Physiol.) One of a series of substances formed, in sec...

AnÏcho¶vy pear· (?). (Bot.) A West Indian fruit like the mango in taste, sometimes pickled; also, the tree (Grias cauliflora) bearing this fruit. An¶chuÏsin (?), n. [L. anchusa...

AnÏfrac¶tuÏose· (?; 135), a. [See Anfractuous.] Anfractuous; as, anfractuose anthers. AnÏfrac·tuÏos¶iÏty (?), n.; pl. Anfractuosities (?). [Cf. F. anfractuosit‚.] 1. A state of...

hook, G. angel, and F. anchor.] 1. The inclosed space near the point where two lines; a corner; a nook. Into the utmost angle of the world. Spenser. To search the tenderest angl...

{ AnÏgus·tiÏfo¶liÏate (?), AnÏgus·tiÏfo¶liÏous (?), } a. [L. angustus narrow (see Anguish) + folium leaf.] (Bot.) Having narrow leaves. Wright. An·gusÏtu¶ra bark· (?). See Angos...

An electroÐnegative element, or the element which, in electroÐchemical decompositions, is evolved at the anode; Ð opposed to cation. Faraday. An¶ise (?), n. [OE. anys, F. anis,...

He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. John ix. 6. 2. To apply oil to or to pour oil upon, etc., as a sacred rite, especially for consecration. Then shalt thou tak...

AntÏam·buÏla¶cral (?), a. (Zo”l.) Away from the ambulacral region. Ø Ant·anÏaÏcla¶sis (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? + ? a bending back and breaking. See Anaclastic.] (Rhet.) (a) A figure wh...

Ant¶heÏlix (?), n. (Anat.) Same as Antihelix. An¶thelÏmin¶tic (?), a. [Pref. antiÏ + Gr. ?, ?, worm, esp. a tapeworm, or mawworm..] (Med.) Good against intestinal worms. Ð n. An...

An¶throÏpoph¶uÏism (?), n. [Gr. ? of man's nature; ? a man + ? nature.] Human nature. [R.] Gladstone. An·throÏpos¶coÏpy (?), n. [Gr. ? man + Ïscopy.] The art of discovering or j...

An·tiÏloi¶mic (?), n. (Med.) A remedy against the plague. Brande & C. AnÏtil¶oÏpine (?), a. Of or relating to the antelope. AnÏtil¶oÏquist (?), n. A contradicter. [Obs.] AnÏtil¶...

2. Old, as respects the present age, or a modern period of time; of old fashion; antiquated; as, an antique robe. ½Antique words.¸ Spenser. 3. Made in imitation of antiquity; as...

Ap·aÏla¶chiÏan , a. See Appalachian. Ap¶anÏage , n. Same as Appanage. AÏpan¶throÏpy (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? from + ? man.] An aversion to the company of men; a love of solitude. Ø A¶p...

AÏpoc·aÏlyp¶tic (?), AÏpoc·aÏlyp¶tist, n. The writer of the Apocalypse. AÏpoc·aÏlyp¶ticÏalÏly (?), adv. By revelation; in an apocalyptic manner. Ap·oÏcar¶pous , a. [Pref. apoÏ +...

Ap¶oÏplex·y (?), n. [OE. poplexye, LL. poplexia, apoplexia, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to cripple by a stroke; ? from + ? to strike: cf. F. apoplexie. See Plague.] (Med.) Sudden diminutio...

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes That shapes this monstrous apparition. Shak. 4. (Astron.) The first appearance of a star or other luminary after having been invisible or...

Ap¶peÏtence (?), n. [Cf. F. app‚tence. See Appetency.] A longing; a desire; especially an ardent desire; appetite; appetency. Ap¶peÏtenÏcy (?), n.; pl. Appetencies (?). [L. appe...

5. Hence, in specific uses: (a) That part of a sermon or discourse in which the principles before laid down and illustrated are applied to practical uses; the ½moral¸ of a fable...

Syn. - To catch; seize; arrest; detain; capture; conceive; understand; imagine; believe; fear; dread. Ð To Apprehend, Comprehend. These words come into comparison as describing...

Ap¶roÏsos· (?), a. & adv. [F. ? propos; ? (L. ad) + propos purpose, L. proposium plan, purpose, fr. proponere to propose. See Propound.] 1. Opportunely or opportune; seasonably...

÷ constant, ÷ function (Math.), a quantity of function that is introduced into the solution of a problem, and to which any value or form may at will be given, so that the soluti...

Ø ArÏchip·teÏryg¶iÏum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. pref. ? (E. archÏ) + ? wing, fin.] (Anat.) The primitive form of fin, like that of Ceratodus. Ar¶chiÏtect (?), n. [L. architectus, ar...

Ar·eÏna¶tion (?), n. [L. arenatio, fr. arena sand.] (Med.) A sand bath; application of hot sand to the body. Dunglison. Ø Ar·enÏda¶tor (?), n. [LL. arendator, arrendator, fr. ar...

Foreign Quart. Rev. Ø A·riÏo¶so (?), adv. & a. [It.] (Mus.) In the smooth and melodious style of an air; ariose. AÏrise¶ (?), v. i. [ imp. Arose (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Arising; p....

ArÏma¶da (?), n. [Sp. armada, L. as if armata (sc. classic fleet), fr. armatus, p. p. of armare. See Arm, v. t. Army.] A fleet of armed ships; a squadron. Specifically, the Span...

ArÏraign¶ (?), v. t. [From OF. aramier, fr. LL. adhramire.] (Old Eng. Law) To appeal to; to demand; as, to arraign an assize of novel disseizin. ArÏraign¶er (?), n. One who arra...

ArÏrest¶ing (?), a. Striking; attracting attention; impressive. This most solemn and arresting occurrence. J. H. Newman. ArÏrest¶ive (?), a. Tending to arrest. McCosh. ArÏrest¶m...

Art (?), n. [F. art, L. ars, artis, orig., skill in joining or fitting; prob. akin to E. arm, aristocrat, article.] 1. The employment of means to accomplish some desired end; th...

ArÏtic¶uÏlarÏly , adv. In an articular or an articulate manner. Ø ArÏtic·uÏla¶ta (?), n. pl. [Neut. pl. from L. articulatus furnished with joints, distinct, p. p. of articulare....

As... as. See So... as, under So. Ð As far as, to the extent or degree. ½As far as can be ascertained.¸ Macaulay. Ð As far forth as, as far as. [Obs.] Chaucer. Ð As for, or As t...

AsÏcid·iÏoÏzo¶oid (?), n. [Ascidium + zooid.] (Zo”l.) One of the individual members of a compound ascidian. See Ascidioidea. Ø AsÏcid¶iÏum (?), n.; pl. Ascidia (?). [NL., fr. as...

AÏslake¶ (?), v. t. & i. [AS. ¾slacian, slacian, to slacken. Cf. Slake.] To mitigate; to moderate; to appease; to abate; to diminish. [Archaic] Chaucer. AÏslant¶ (?), adv. & a....

Macaulay. Syn. - To attack; assault; invade; encounter; fall upon. See Attack. AsÏsail¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being assailed. AsÏsail¶ant (?), a. [F. assaillant, p. pr. of ass...

Assembly room, a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing. Ð Unlawful assembly (Law), a meeting of three or more persons on a common plan, in such a way as to caus...

AsÏsign¶er (?), n. One who assigns, appoints, allots, or apportions. AsÏsign¶ment (?), n. [LL. assignamentum: cf. OF. assenement.] 1. An allotting or an appointment to a particu...

AsÏsort¶ed (?), a. Selected; culled. AsÏsort¶ment (?), n. [Cf. F. assortiment.] 1. Act of assorting, or distributing into sorts, kinds, or classes. 2. A collection or quantity o...

As·terÏoph¶ylÏlite (?), n. [Gr. ? star + ? leaf.] (Paleon.) A fossil plant from the coal formations of Europe and America, now regarded as the branchlets and foliage of calamite...

As·troÏnom¶icÏal (?), a. [L. astronomicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. astronomique.] Of or pertaining to astronomy; in accordance with the methods or principles of astronomy. Ð As·troÏnom¶ic...

Ath¶elÏing (?), n. [AS. ‘?eling noble, fr. ‘?ele noble, akin to G. adel nobility, edel noble. The word ‘?el, E. ethel, is in many AS. proper names, as Ethelwolf, noble wolf; Eth...

At¶omÏi·zer , n. One who, or that which, atomizes; esp., an instrument for reducing a liquid to spray for disinfecting, cooling, or perfuming. At·omÏol¶oÏgy (?), n. [Atom + Ïlog...

At¶taÏghan (?), n. See Yataghan. AtÏtain¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining.] [Of. atteinen, atteignen, ?tainen, OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. attein...

They say the tongues of dying men Enforce attention like deep harmony. Shak. µ Attention is consciousness and something more. It is consciousness voluntarily applied, under its...