Chapter 41

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 (?), } n. Same as Amaranth. Am¶aÏrine (?), n. [L. amarus bitter.] (Chem.) A characteristic crystalline substance, obtained from oil of bitter almonds. AÏmar¶iÏtude (?), n. [L. amaritudo, fr. amarus bitter: cf. OF. amaritude.] Bitterness. [R.] { Am·aÏryl·liÏda¶ceous (?), Am·aÏrylÏlid¶eÏous (?), } a. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, an order of plants differing from the lily family chiefly in having the ovary below the ?etals. The narcissus and daffodil are members of this family. Ø Am·aÏryl¶lis (?), n. [L. Amaryllis, Gr. ?, ?, the name of a country girl in Theocritus and Virgil.] 1. A pastoral sweetheart. To sport with Amaryllis in the shade. Milton. 2. (bot.) (a) A family of plants much esteemed for their beauty, including the narcissus, jonquil, daffodil, agave, and others. (b) A genus of the same family, including the Belladonna lily. AÏmass¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amassed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Amassing.] [F. ambusher, LL. amassare; L. ad + massa lump, mass. See Mass.] To collect into a mass or heap; to gather a great quantity of; to accumulate; as, to amass a treasure or a fortune; to amass words or phrases. The life Homer has been written by amassing all the traditions and hints the writers could meet with. Pope. Syn. - To accumulate; heap up; pile. AÏmass¶, n. [OF. amasse, fr. ambusher.] A mass; a heap. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton. AÏmass¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being amassed. AÏmass¶er (?), n. One who amasses. Ø A·mas·sette¶ (?), n. [F. See Amass.] An instrument of horn used for collecting painters' colors on the stone in the process of grinding. AÏmass¶ment (?), n. [Cf. OF. amassement.] An amassing; a heap collected; a large quantity or number brought together; an accumulation. An amassment of imaginary conceptions. Glanvill. Am·asÏthen¶ic (?), a. [Gr. ? together + ? force.] (Photog.) Uniting the chemical rays of light into one focus, as a certain kind of lens; amacratic. AÏmate¶ (?), v. t. [OF. amater, amatir.] To dismay; to dishearten; to daunt. [Obs. or Archaic] The Silures, to amate the new general, rumored the overthrow greater than was true. Milton. AÏmate¶, v. t. [Pref. aÏ + mate.] To be a mate to; to match. [Obs.] Spenser. Am·aÏteur¶ (?), n. [F., fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love.] A person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science as to music or painting; esp. one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally. Am·aÏteur¶ish, a. In the style of an amateur; superficial or defective like the work of an amateur. Ð Am·aÏteur¶ishÏly, adv. Ð Am·aÏteur¶ishÏness, n. Am¶aÏteurÏism (?), n. The practice, habit, or work of an amateur. Am¶aÏteur·ship, n. The quality or character of an amateur. Am¶aÏtive (?), a. [L. amatus, p. p. of amare to love.] Full of love; amatory. Am¶aÏtiveÏness, n. (Phren.) The faculty supposed to influence sexual desire; propensity to love. Combe. Am·aÏto¶riÏal (?), a. [See Amatorious.] Of or pertaining to a lover or to love making; amatory; as, amatorial verses. Am·aÏto¶riÏalÏly, adv. In an amatorial manner. Am·aÏto¶riÏan (?), a. Amatory. [R.] Johnson. Am·aÏto¶riÏous (?), a. [L. amatorius, fr. amare to love.] Amatory. [Obs.] ½Amatorious poem.¸ Milton. Am¶aÏtoÏry (?), a. Pertaining to, producing, or expressing, sexual love; as, amatory potions. Ø Am·auÏro¶sis (?), n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? dark, dim.] (Med.) A loss or decay of sight, from loss of power in the optic nerve, without any perceptible external change in the eye; Ð called also gutta ?erena, the ½drop serene¸ of Milton. Am·auÏrot¶ic (?), a. Affected with amaurosis; having the characteristics of amaurosis. AÏmaze¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amazed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Amazing.] [Pref. aÏ + maze.] 1. To ??wilder; to stupefy; to bring into a maze. [Obs.] A labyrinth to amaze his foes. Shak. 2. To confound, as by fear, wonder, extreme surprise; to overwhelm with wonder; to astound; to astonish greatly. ½Amazing Europe with her wit.¸ Goldsmith. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? Matt. xii. 23. Syn. - To astonish; astound; confound; bewilder; perplex; surprise. Ð Amaze, Astonish. Amazement includes the notion of bewilderment of difficulty accompanied by surprise. It expresses a state in which one does not know what to do, or to say, or to think. Hence we are amazed at what we can not in the least account for. Astonishment also implies surprise. It expresses a state in which one is stunned by the vastness or greatness of something, or struck with some degree of horror, as when one is overpowered by the ?normity of an act, etc. AÏmaze¶, v. i. To be astounded. [Archaic] B. Taylor. AÏmaze¶, v. t. Bewilderment, arising from fear, surprise, or wonder; amazement. [Chiefly poetic] The wild, bewildered Of one to stone converted by amaze. Byron. AÏmaz¶edÏly (?), adv. In amazement; with confusion or astonishment. Shak. AÏmaz¶edÏness, n. The state of being amazed, or confounded with fear, surprise, or wonder. Bp. Hall. AÏmaze¶ful (?), a. Full of amazement. [R.] AÏmaze¶ment (?), n. 1. The condition of being amazed; bewilderment [Obs.]; overwhelming wonder, as from surprise, sudden fear, horror, or admiration. His words impression left Of much amazement. Milton. 2. Frenzy; madness. [Obs.] Webster (1661). AÏmaz¶ing (?), a. Causing amazement; very wonderful; ; as, amazing grace. Ð AÏmaz¶ingÏly, adv. Am¶aÏzon (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ?.] 1. One of a fabulous race of female warriors in Scythia; hence, a female warrior. 2. A tall, strong, masculine woman; a virago. 3. (Zo”l.) A name numerous species of South American parrots of the genus Chrysotis ÷ antÿ(Zo”l.), a species of ant (Polyergus rufescens), of Europe and America. They seize by conquest the larv‘ and nymphs other species and make slaves of them in their own nests. Am·aÏzo¶niÏan (?), a. 1. Pertaining to or resembling an Amazon; of masculine manners; warlike. Shak. 2. Of or pertaining to the river Amazon in South America, or to its valley. { Am¶aÏzonÏite (?), Am¶aÏzon stone· (?), } n. [Named from the river Amazon.] (Min.) A variety of feldspar, having a verdigrisÐgreen color. AmbÏ, AmÏbiÏ. [L. prefix ambiÏ, ambÏ, akin to Gr. ?, Skr. abhi, AS. embe, emb, OHG. umbi, umpi, G. um, and also L. ambo both. Cf. AmphiÏ, Both, By.] A prefix meaning about, around; Ð used in words derived from the Latin. Ø AmÏba¶ges (?), n. pl. [L. (usually in pl.); pref. ambiÏ, ambÏ + agere to drive: cf. F. ambage.] A circuit; a winding. Hence: Circuitous way or proceeding; quibble; circumlocution; indirect mode of speech. After many ambages, perspicuously define what this melancholy is. Burton. AmÏbag¶iÏnous (?), a. Ambagious. [R.] AmÏba¶gious (?), a. [L. ambagiosus.] Circumlocutory; circuitous. [R.] AmÏbag¶iÏtoÏry (?), a. Ambagious. [R.] Am¶basÏsade (?), Em¶basÏsade (?), n. [F. ambassade. See Embassy.] 1. The mission of an ambassador. [Obs.] Carew. 2. An embassy. [Obs.] Strype. AmÏbas¶saÏdor (?), EmÏbas¶saÏdor (?), n. [See Embassador.] 1. A minister of the highest rank sent a foreign court to represent there his sovereign or country. µ Ambassador are either ordinary [or resident] or extraordinary, that is, sent upon some special or unusual occasion or errand. Abbott. 2. An official messenger and representative. AmÏbas·saÏdo¶riÏal (?), a. Of or pertaining to an ambassador. H. Walpole. AmÏbas·saÏdorÏship (?), n. The state, office, or functions of an ambassador. AmÏbas¶saÏdress (?), n. A female ambassador; also, the wife of an ambassador. Prescott. Am¶basÏsage (?), n. Same as Embassage. [Obs. or R.] Luke xiv. 32. Am¶basÏsy (?), n. See Embassy, the usual spelling. Helps. Am¶ber , n. [OE. aumbre, F. ambre, Sp. mbar, and with the Ar. article, al mbar, fr. Ar. 'anbar ambergris.] 1. (Min.) A yellowish translucent resin resembling copal, found as a fossil in alluvial soils, with beds of lignite, or on the seashore in many places. It takes a fine polish, and is used for pipe mouthpieces, beads, etc., and as a basis for a fine varnish. By friction, it becomes strongly electric. 2. ÷ color, or anything ~Ðcolored; a clear light yellow; as, the amber of the sky. 3. Ambergris. [Obs.] You that smell of amber at my charge. Beau. & Fl. 4. The balsam, liquidambar. Black ~, and old and popular name for jet. Am¶ber, a. 1. Consisting of ~; made of ~. ½Amber bracelets.¸ Shak. 2. Resembling ~, especially in color; ~Ðcolored. ½The amber morn.¸ Tennyson. Am¶ber, v. t. [p. p. & p. a. Ambered .] 1. To scent or flavor with ambergris; as, ambered wine. 2. To preserve in ~; as, an ambered fly. Am¶ber fish (?). (Zo”l.) A fish of the southern Atlantic coast (Seriola Carolinensis.) Am¶berÏgrease (?), n. See Ambergris. Am¶berÏgris (?), n. [F. ambre gris, i. e., gray amber; F. gris gray, which is of German origin: cf. OS. grŒs, G. greis, grayÐhaired. See Amber.] A substance of the consistence of wax, found floating in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the tropics, and also as a morbid secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), which is believed to be in all cases its true origin. In color it is white, ashÐgray, yellow, or black, and often variegated like marble. The floating masses are sometimes from sixty to two hundred and twentyÐfive pounds in weight. It is wholly volatilized as a white vapor at 2120 Fahrenheit, and is highly valued in perfumery. Dana. Am¶ber seed· (?). Seed of the Hibiscus abelmoschus, somewhat resembling millet, brought from Egypt and the West Indies, and having a flavor like that of musk; musk seed. Chambers. Am¶ber tree· (?). A species of Anthospermum, a shrub with evergreen leaves, which, when bruised, emit a fragrant odor. Ambes¶Ðas (?), n. AmbsÐace. [Obs.] Chaucer. Am¶biÏdex¶ter (?), a. [LL., fr. L. ambo both + dexter right, dextra (sc. manus) the right hand.] Using both hands with equal ease. Smollett. Am·biÏdex¶ter, n. 1. A person who uses both hands with equal facility. 2. Hence; A doubleÐdealer; one equally ready to act on either side in party disputes. The rest are hypocrites, ambidexters, so ??any turning pictures Ð a lion on one side, a lamb on the other. Burton. 3. (Law) A juror who takes money from both parties for giving his verdict. Cowell. Am¶biÏdexÏter¶iÏty (?), n. 1. The quality of being ambidex?rous; the faculty of using both hands with equal facility. Hence: Versatility; general readiness; as, ambidexterity of argumentation. Sterne. Ignorant I was of the human frame, and of its latent powers, as regarded speed, force, and ambidexterity. De Quincey. 2. DoubleÐdealing. (Law) A juror's taking of money from the both parties for a verdict. Am·biÏdex¶tral (?), a. Pertaining equally to the rightÐhand side and the leftÐhand side. Earle. Am·biÏdex¶trous (?), a. 1. Pertaining the faculty of using both hands with equal ease. Sir T. Browne. 2. Practicing or siding with both parties. All false, shuffling, and ambidextrous dealings. L'Estrange. Am¶biÏdex¶trousÏly, adv. In an ambidextrous manner; cunningly. Am·biÏdex¶trousÏness (?), n. The quality of being ambidextrous; ambidexterity. Am¶biÏent (?), a. [L. ambiens, p. pr. of ambire to go around; ambÏ + ire to go.] Encompassing on all sides; circumfused; investing. ½Ambient air.¸ Milton. ½Ambient clouds.¸ Pope. Am¶biÏent, n. Something that surrounds or invests; as, air... being a perpetual ambient. Sir H. Wotton. AmÏbig¶eÏnous (?), a. [L. ambo both + genus kind.] Of two kinds. (bot.) Partaking of two natures, as the perianth of some endogenous plants, where the outer surface is calycine, and the inner petaloid. Am¶biÏgu (?), n. [F., fr. ambigu doubtful, L. ambiquus. See Ambiguous.] An entertainment at which a medley of dishes is set on at the same time. Am·biÏgu¶iÏty (?), n.; pl. Ambiguities (?). [L. ambiguitas, fr. ambiguus: cf. F. ambiguit‚.] The quality or state of being ambiguous; doubtfulness or uncertainty, particularly as to the signification of language, arising from its admitting of more than one meaning; an equivocal word or expression. No shadow of ambiguity can rest upon the course to be pursued. I. Taylor. The words are of single signification, without any ambiguity. South. AmÏbig¶uÏous (?), a. [L. ambiguus, fr. ambigere to wander about, waver; ambÏ + agere to drive.] Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression. What have been thy answers? What but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding? Milton. Syn. - Doubtful; dubious; uncertain; unsettled; indistinct; indeterminate; indefinite. See Equivocal. AmÏbig¶uÏousÏly, adv. In an ambiguous manner; with doubtful meaning. AmÏbig¶uÏousÏness, n. Ambiguity. Am·biÏle¶vous (?), a. [L. ambo both + laevus left.] LeftÐhanded on both sides; clumsy; Ð opposed to ambidexter. [R.] Sir T. Browne. AmÏbil¶oÏquy (?), n. Doubtful or ambiguous language. [Obs.] Bailey. AmÏbip¶aÏrous (?), a. [L. ambo both + parere to bring forth.] (Bot.) Characterized by containing the rudiments of both flowers and leaves; Ð applied to a bud. Am¶bit (?), n. [L. ambitus circuit, fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient.] Circuit or compass. His great parts did not live within a small ambit. Milward. AmÏbi¶tion (?), n. [F. ambition, L. ambitio a going around, especially of candidates for office is Rome, to solicit votes (hence, desire for office or honor? fr. ambire to go around. See Ambient, Issue.] 1. The act of going about to solicit or obtain an office, or any other object of desire; canvassing. [Obs.] [I] used no ambition to commend my deeds. Milton. 2. An eager, and sometimes an inordinate, desire for preferment, honor, superiority, power, or the attainment of something. Cromwell, I charge thee, fling a way ambition: By that sin fell the angels. Shak. The pitiful ambition of possessing five or six thousand more acres. Burke. AmÏbi¶tion, v. t. [Cf. F. ambitionner.] To seek after ambitiously or eagerly; to covet. [R.] Pausanias, ambitioning the sovereignty of Greece, bargains with Xerxes for his daughter in marriage. Trumbull. AmÏbi¶tionÏist, n. One excessively ambitious. [R.] AmÏbi¶tionÏless, a. Devoid of ambition. Pollok. AmÏbi¶tious (?), a. [L. ambitiosus: cf. F. ambitieux. See Ambition.] 1. Possessing, or controlled by, ambition; greatly or inordinately desirous of power, honor, office, superiority, or distinction. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man. Shak. 2. Strongly desirous; Ð followed by of or the infinitive; as, ambitious to be or to do something. I was not ambitious of seeing this ceremony. Evelyn. Studious of song, and yet ambitious not to sing in vain. Cowper. 3. Springing from, characterized by, or indicating, ambition; showy; aspiring; as, an ambitious style. A giant statue... Pushed by a wild and artless race, From off wide, ambitious base. Collins. AmÏbi¶tiousÏly, adv. In an ambitious manner.

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