Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1st 100 Pages)
Chapter 31
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. [Colloq.] AÏheap¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + heap.] In a heap; huddled together. Hood. AÏheight¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + height.] Aloft; on high. [Obs.] ½Look up aheight.¸ Shak. AÏhem¶ (?), interj. An exclamation to call one's attention; hem. AÏhey¶ (?), interj. Hey; ho. AÏhigh¶ (?), adv. On high. [Obs.] Shak. AÏhold¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + hold.] Near the wind; as, to lay a ship ahold. [Obs.] Shak. AÏhorse¶back (?), adv. On horseback. Two suspicious fellows ahorseback. Smollet. AÏhoy¶ (?), interj. [OE. a, interj. + hoy.] (Naut.) A term used in hailing; as, ½Ship ahoy.¸ Ø Ah¶riÏman (?), n. [Per.] The Evil Principle or Being of the ancient Persians; the Prince of Darkness as opposer to Ormuzd, the King of Light. Ø A¶hu (?), n. [Native name.] (Zo”l.) The Asiatic gazelle. AÏhull¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ = hull.] (Naut.) With the sails furled, and the helm lashed alee; Ð applied to ships in a storm. See Hull, n. AÏhun¶gered (?), a. [Pref. aÏ + hungered.] Pinched with hunger; very hungry. C. Bront‚. A¶i (?), n.; pl. Ais (?). [Braz. a‹, ha‹, from the animal's cry: cf. F. a‹.] (Zo”l.) The threeÐtoed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of South America. See Sloth. Ø Ai¶blins, A¶blins (?), adv. [See Able.] Perhaps; possibly. [Scotch] Burns. Aich's met¶al (?). A kind of gun metal, containing copper, zinc, and iron, but no tin. Aid (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aided (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Aiding.] [F. aider, OF. aidier, fr. L. adjutare to help, freq. of adjuvare to help; ad + juvare to help. Cf. Adjutant.] To support, either by furnishing strength or means in co”peration to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist. You speedy helpers... Appear and aid me in this enterprise. Shak. Syn. - To help; assist; support; sustain; succor; relieve; befriend; co”perate; promote. See Help. Aid, n. [F. aide, OF. a‹de, a‹e, fr. the verb. See Aid, v. t.] 1. Help; succor; assistance; relief. An unconstitutional mode of obtaining aid. Hallam. 2. The person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; a helper; an assistant. It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself. Tobit viii. 6. 3. (Eng. Hist.) A subsidy granted to the king by Parliament; also, an exchequer loan. 4. (Feudal Law) A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his lord on special occasions. Blackstone. 5. An ~ÐdeÐcamp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid. ÷ prayer (Law), a proceeding by which a defendant beseeches and claims assistance from some one who has a further or more permanent interest in the matter in suit. Ð To pray in ~, to beseech and claim such assistance. Aid¶ance (?), n. [Cf. OF. aidance.] Aid. [R.] Aidance 'gainst the enemy. Shak. Aid¶ant (?), a. [Cf. F. aidant, p. pr. of aider to help.] Helping; helpful; supplying aid. Shak. Aid¶ÐdeÐcamp· (?), n.; pl. AidsÐdeÐcamp. (?). [F. aide de camp (literally) camp assistant.] (Mil.) An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to assist or represent him in correspondence and in directing movements. Aid¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, aids. Aid¶ful (?), a. Helpful. [Archaic.] Bp. Hall. Aid¶less, a. Helpless; without aid. Milton. Aid¶Ðma·jor (?), n. The adjutant of a regiment. Ai¶el (?), n. See Ayle. [Obs.] Aig¶let (?), n. Same as Aglet. Ai¶gre (?), a. [F. See Eager.] Sour. [Obs.] Shak. Ø Ai¶greÏmore (?), n. [F. origin unknown.] Charcoal prepared for making powder. Ai¶gret (?), AiÏgrette (?), } n. [F., a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.] 1. (Zo”l.) The small white European heron. See Egret. 2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. Prescott. 3. A tuft like that of the egret. (Bot.) A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle. Ø Ai·guille¶ (?), n. [F., a needle. See Aglet.] 1. A needleÐshaped peak. 2. An instrument for boring holes, used in blasting. Ai·guilÏlette¶ (?), n. [F. See Aglet.] 1. A point or tag at the end of a fringe or lace; an aglet. 2. One of the ornamental tags, cords, or loops on some military and naval uniforms. Ai¶guÏlet (?), n. See Aglet. Spenser. Ail (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Ailing.] [OE. eilen, ailen, AS. eglan to trouble, pain; akin to Goth. usÐagljan to distress, agls troublesome, irksome, aglo, aglitha, pain, and prob. to E. awe. ?.] To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; Ð used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man? I know not what ails him. What aileth thee, Hagar? Gen. xxi. 17. µ It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him. Ail, v. i. To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble. When he ails ever so little... he is so peevish. Richardson. Ail, n. Indisposition or morbid affection. Pope. AiÏlan¶thus (?), n. Same as Ailantus. AiÏlan¶tus (?), n. [From aylanto, i. e., tree of heaven, the name of the tree in the Moluccas.] (Bot.) A genus of beautiful trees, natives of the East Indies. The tree imperfectly di?cious, and the staminate or male plant is very offensive when blossom. AiÏlette (?), n. [F. ailette, dim. of aile wing, L. ala.] A small square shield, formerly worn on the shoulders of knights, Ð being the prototype of the modern epaulet. Fairholt. Ail¶ment (?), n. Indisposition; morbid affection of the body; Ð not applied ordinarily to acute diseases. ½Little ailments.¸ Landsdowne. Ø Ai·luÏroid¶eÏa (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? cat + Ïoid.] (Zo”l.) A group of the Carnivora, which includes the cats, civets, and hyenas. Aim (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aimed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Aiming.] [OE. amen, aimen, eimen, to guess at, to estimate, to aim, OF. esmer, asmer, fr. L. aestimare to estimate; or perh. fr. OF. aesmer; ? (L. ad) + esmer. See Estimate.] 1. To point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target. 2. To direct the indention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor; Ð followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well. Aim'st thou at princes? Pope. 3. To guess or conjecture. [Obs.] Shak. Aim, v. t. To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice). Aim, n. [Cf. OF. esme estimation, fr. esmer. See Aim, v. i.] 1. The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it. Each at the head leveled his deadly aim. Milton.
2. The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected. To be the aim of every dangerous shot. Shak. 3. Intention; purpose; design; scheme. How oft ambitious aims are crossed! Pope. 4. Conjecture; guess. [Obs.] What you would work me to, I have some aim. Shak. To cry ~ (Archery), to encourage. [Obs.] Shak. Syn. - End; object; scope; drift; design; purpose; intention; scheme; tendency; aspiration. Aim¶er (?), n. One who aims, directs, or points. Aim¶less, a. Without aim or purpose; as, an aimless life. Ð Aim¶lessÏly, adv. Ð Aim¶lessÏness, n. Ai¶no (?), n. [Said to be the native name for man.] One of a peculiar race inhabiting Yesso, the Kooril Islands etc., in the northern part of the empire of Japan, by some supposed to have been the progenitors of the Japanese. The Ainos are stout and short, with hairy bodies. Ain't (?). A contraction for are not and am not; also used for is not. [Colloq. or llliterate speech] See An't. Air (?), n. [OE. air, eir, F. air, L. a‰r, fr. Gr. ?, ~, mist, for ?, fr. root ? to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria atmosphere, ~, fr. the same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. aria, or due to confusion with F. aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. A?ry, Debonair, Malaria, Wind.] 1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable. µ By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen, 20.96 per cent.; nitrogen, 79.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide, 0.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. ÷ also always contains some vapor of water. 2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. ½Charm ache with air.¸ Shak. He was still all air and fire. Macaulay. [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water.] 3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc. 4. Any a‰riform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. [Obs.] 5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play. Pope. 6. Odoriferous or contaminated ~. 7. That which surrounds and influences. The keen, the wholesome air of poverty. Wordsworth. 8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. You gave it air before me. Dryden. 9. Intelligence; information. [Obs.] Bacon. 10. (Mus.) (a) A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. (b) In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody Ð in modern harmony usually the upper part Ð is sometimes called the air. 11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. ½His very air.¸ Shak. 12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. It was communicated with the air of a secret. Pope. 12. pl. An artificial or affected manner; show of
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pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs. Thackeray. 14. (Paint.) (a) The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed. New Am. Cyc. (b) Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air. Fairholt. 15. (Man.) The artificial motion or carriage of a horse. µ Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, airÐbladder, or airbladder; air cell, airÐcell, or aircell; airÐpump, or airpump. ÷ balloon. See Balloon. Ð ÷ bath. (a) An apparatus for the application of ~ to the body. (b) An arrangement for drying substances in ~ of any desired temperature. Ð ÷ castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. Ð ÷ compressor, a machine for compressing ~ to be used as a motive power. Ð ÷ crossing, a passage for ~ in a mine. Ð ÷ cushion, an ~Ðtight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined ~. Ð ÷ fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed ~. Ð ÷ furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. Ð ÷ line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence ÷Ðline, adj.; airÐline road. Ð ÷ lock (Hydr. Engin.), an intermediate chamber between the outer ~ and the compressedÐ~ chamber of a pneumatic caisson. Knight. Ð ÷ port (Nav.), a scuttle or porthole in a ship to admit ~. Ð ÷ spring, a spring in which the elasticity of ~ is utilized. Ð ÷ thermometer, a form of thermometer in which the contraction and expansion of ~ is made to measure changes of temperature. Ð ÷ threads, gossamer. Ð ~ trap, a contrivance for shutting off foul ~ or gas from drains, sewers, etc.; a stench trap. Ð ÷ trunk, a pipe or shaft for conducting foul or heated ~ from a room. Ð ÷ valve, a valve to regulate the admission or egress of ~; esp. a valve which opens inwardly in a steam boiler and allows ~ to enter. Ð ÷ way, a passage for a current of ~; as the air way of an ~ pump; an air way in a mine. Ð In the ~. (a) Prevalent without traceable origin or authority, as rumors. (b) Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled. (c) (Mil.) Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. Ð To take ~, to be divulged; to be made public. Ð To take the ~, to go abroad; to walk or ride out. Air (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Airing.] [See Air, n., and cf. A?rate.] 1. To expose to the ~ for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. It were good wisdom... that the jail were aired. Bacon. Were you but riding forth to air yourself. Shak. 2. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion. Airing a snowy hand and signet gem. Tennyson. 3. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors. Air¶ bed· (?). A sack or matters inflated with air, and used as a bed. Air¶ blad·der (?). 1. (Anat.) An air sac, sometimes double or variously lobed, in the visceral cavity of many fishes. It originates in the same way as the lungs of airÐbreathing vertebrates, and in the adult may retain a tubular connection with the pharynx or esophagus. 2. A sac or bladder full of air in an animal or plant; also an air hole in a casting. Air¶ brake· (?). (Mach.) A railway brake operated by condensed air. Knight. Air¶Ðbuilt· (?), a. Erected in the air; having no solid foundation; chimerical; as, an airÐbuilt castle. Air¶ cell· (?). 1. (Bot.) A cavity in the cellular tissue of plants, containing air only. 2. (Anat.) A receptacle of air in various parts of the system; as, a cell or minute cavity in the walls of the air tubes of the lungs; the air sac of birds; a dilatation of the air vessels in insects. Air¶ cham·ber (?). 1. A chamber or cavity filled with air, in an animal or plant. 2. A cavity containing air to act as a spring for equalizing the flow of a liquid in a pump or other hydraulic machine. Air¶ cock· (?). A faucet to allow escape of air. Air¶Ðdrawn¶ (?), a. Drawn in air; imaginary. This is the airÐdrawn dagger. Shak. Air¶ drill· (?). A drill driven by the elastic pressure of condensed air; a pneumatic drill. Knight. Air¶ engine· (?). An engine driven by heated or by compressed air. Knight. Air¶er (?), n. 1. One who exposes to the air. 2. A frame on which clothes are aired or dried. Air¶ gas· (?). See under Gas. Air¶ gun· (?). A kind of gun in which the elastic force of condensed air is used to discharge the ball. The air is powerfully compressed into a reservoir attached to the gun, by a condensing pump, and is controlled by a valve actuated by the trigger. Air¶ hole· (?). 1. A hole to admit or discharge air; specifically, a spot in the ice not frozen over. 2. (Founding) A fault in a casting, produced by a bubble of air; a blowhole. Air¶iÏly (?), adv. In an airy manner; lightly; gaily; jauntily; fippantly. Air¶iÏness, n. 1. The state or quality of being airy; openness or exposure to the air; as, the airiness of a country seat. 2. Lightness of spirits; gayety; levity; as, the airiness of young persons. Air¶ing (?), n. 1. A walk or a ride in the open air; a short excursion for health's sake. 2. An exposure to air, or to a fire, for warming, drying, etc.; as, the airing of linen, or of a room. Air¶ jack·et (?). A jacket having airÐtight cells, or cavities which can be filled with air, to render persons buoyant in swimming. Air¶less (?), a. Not open to a free current of air; wanting fresh air, or communication with the open air. Air¶ lev·el (?). Spirit level. See Level. Air¶like· (?), a. Resembling air. Air¶ling (?), n. A thoughtless, gay person. [Obs.] ½Slight airlings.¸ B. Jonson. AirÏom¶eÏter (?), n. [Air + Ïmeter.] A hollow cylinder to contain air. It is closed above and open below, and has its open end plunged into water. Air¶ pipe· (?). A pipe for the passage of air; esp. a ventilating pipe. Air¶ plant· (?). (Bot.) A plant deriving its sustenance from the air alone; an a‰rophyte. µ The ½Florida moss¸ (Tillandsia), many tropical orchids, and most mosses and lichens are air plants. Those which are lodged upon trees, but not parasitic on them, are epiphytes. Air¶ poise· (?). [See Poise.] A? ? measure the weight of air. Air¶ pump· (?). 1. (Physics) A kind of pump for exhausting air from a vessel or closed space; also, a pump to condense air of force in into a closed space. 2. (Steam Engines) A pump used to exhaust from a condenser the condensed steam, the water used for condensing, and any commingled air. Air¶ sac· (?). (Anat.) One of the spaces in different parts. of the bodies of birds, which are filled with air and connected with the air passages of the lungs; an air cell. Air¶ shaft· (?). A passage, usually vertical, for admitting fresh air into a mine or a tunnel. Air¶Ðslacked· (?), a. Slacked, or pulverized, by exposure to the air; as, airÐslacked lime. Air¶ stove· (?). A stove for heating a current of air which is directed against its surface by means of pipes, and then distributed through a building. Air¶Ðtight· (?), a. So tight as to be impermeable to air; as, an airÐtight cylinder. Air¶Ðtight·, n. A stove the draft of which can be almost entirely shut off. [Colloq. U. S.] Air¶ ves·sel (?). A vessel, cell, duct, or tube containing or conducting air; as the air vessels of insects, birds, plants, etc.; the air vessel of a pump, engine, etc. For the latter, see Air chamber. The air vessels of insects are called trache‘, of plants spiral vessels. Air¶ward (?), Air¶wards (?), } adv. Toward the air; upward. [R.] Keats. Air¶y (?), a. 1. Consisting of air; as, an airy substance; the airy parts of bodies. 2. Relating or belonging to air; high in air; a‰rial; as, an airy flight. ½The airy region.¸ Milton.
3. Open to a free current of air; exposed to the air; breezy; as, an airy situation. 4. Resembling air; thin; unsubstantial; not material; airlike. ½An airy spirit.¸ Shak. 5. Relating to the spirit or soul; delicate; graceful; as, airy music. 6. Without reality; having no solid foundation; empty; trifling; visionary. ½Airy fame.¸ Shak. Empty sound, and airy notions. Roscommon. 7. Light of heart; vivacious; sprightly; flippant; superficial. ½Merry and airy.¸ Jer. Taylor. 8. Having an affected manner; being in the habit of putting on airs; affectedly grand. [Colloq.] 9. (Paint.) Having the light and a‰rial tints true to nature. Elmes. Aisle (?), n. [OF. ele, F. aile, wing, wing of a building, L. ala, contr. fr. axilla.] (Arch.) (a) A lateral division of a building, separated from the middle part, called the nave, by a row of columns or piers, which support the roof or an upper wall containing windows, called the clearstory wall. (b) Improperly used also for the have; Ð as in the phrases, a church with three aisles, the middle aisle. (c) Also (perhaps from confusion with alley), a passage into which the pews of a church open. Aisled (?), a. Furnished with an aisle or aisles. Ais¶less (?), a. Without an aisle. Ait (?), n. [AS. ?, ?, perh. dim. of Æeg, Æg, island. See Eyot.] An islet, or little isle, in a river or lake; an eyot. The ait where the osiers grew. R. Hodges (1649). Among green aits and meadows. Dickens. Ait (?), n. Oat. [Scot.] Burns. Aitch (?), n. The letter h or H. Aitch¶bone· (?), n. [For nachebone. For loss of n, cf. Adder. See Natch.] The bone of the rump; also, the cut of beef surrounding this bone. [Spelt also edgebone.] Ai·tiÏol¶oÏgy (?), n. See ’tiology. AÏjar¶ (?), adv. [OE. on char ~, on the turn; AS. cerr, cyrr, turn, akin to G. kehren to turn, and to D. akerre. See Char.] Slightly turned or opened; as, the door was standing ajar. AÏjar¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + jar.] In a state of discord; out of harmony; as, he is ajar with the world. AÏjog¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + jog.] On the jog. Aj¶uÏtage (?), n. [F. ajutage, for ajoutage, fr. ajouter to add, LL. adjuxtare, fr. L. ad + juxta near to, nigh. Cf. Adjutage, Adjustage, Adjust.] A tube through which is water is discharged; an efflux tube; as, the ajutage of a fountain. Ake (?), n. & v. See Ache. AÏkene¶ (?), n. (Bot.) Same as Achene. Ak¶eÏton (?), n. [Obs.] See Acton. AÏkim¶bo (?), a. [Etymology unknown. Cf. Kimbo.] With a crook or bend; with the hand on the hip and elbow turned outward. ½With one arm akimbo.¸ Irving. AÏkin¶ (?), a. [Pref. aÏ (for of) + kin.] 1. Of the same kin; related by blood; Ð used of persons; as, the two families are near akin. 2. Allied by nature; partaking of the same properties; of the same kind. ½A joy akin to rapture.¸ Cowper. The literary character of the work is akin to its moral character. Jeffrey. µ This adjective is used only after the noun. Ø Ak·iÏne¶siÏa (?), n. [Gr. ? quiescence; ? priv. + ? motion.] (Med.) Paralysis of the motor nerves; loss of movement. Foster. Ak·iÏne¶sic (?), a. (med.) Pertaining to akinesia. AÏknee¶ (?), adv. On the knee. [R.] Southey. AkÏnow¶ (?). Earlier form of Acknow. [Obs.] To be ~, to acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.] Al (?), a. All. [Obs.] Chaucer.