Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1st 100 Pages)

Chapter 75

Chapter 752,246 wordsPublic domain

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; the adaptation of things in the natural world to the uses of life; the application of knowledge or power to practical purposes. Blest with each grace of nature and of art. Pope. 2. A system of rules serving to facilitate the performance of certain actions; a system of principles and rules for attaining a desired end; method of doing well some special work; Ð often contradistinguished from science or speculative principles; as, the art of building or engraving; the art of war; the art of navigation. Science is systematized knowledge... Art is knowledge made efficient skill. J. F. Genung. 3. The systematic application of knowledge or skill in effecting a desired result. Also, an occupation or business requiring such knowledge or skill. The fishermen can't employ their art with so much success in so troubled a sea. Addison. 4. The application of skill to the production of the beautiful by imitation or design, or an occupation in which skill is so employed, as in painting and sculpture; one of the fine arts; as, he prefers art to literature. 5. pl. Those branches of learning which are taught in the academical course of colleges; as, master of arts. In fearless youth we tempt the heights of arts. Pope. Four years spent in the arts (as they are called in colleges) is, perhaps, laying too laborious a foundation. Goldsmith. 6. Learning; study; applied knowledge, science, or letters. [Archaic] So vast is art, so narrow human wit. Pope. 7. Skill, dexterity, or the power of performing certain actions, asquired by experience, study, or observation; knack; a, a man has the art of managing his business to advantage. 8. Skillful plan; device. They employed every art to soothe... the discontented warriors. Macaulay. 9. Cunning; artifice; craft. Madam, I swear I use no art at all. Shak. Animals practice art when opposed to their superiors in strength. Crabb. 10 To black art; magic. [Obs.] Shak. ÷ and part (Scots Law), share or concern by aiding and abetting a criminal in the perpetration of a crime, whether by advice or by assistance in the execution; complicity. µ The arts are divided into various classes. The useful, mechanical, or industrial arts are those in which the hands and body are concerned than the mind; as in making clothes and utensils. These are called trades. The fine arts are those which have primarily to do with imagination taste, and are applied to the production of what is beautiful. They include poetry, music, painting, engraving, sculpture, and architecture; but the term is often confined to painting, sculpture, and architecture. The liberal arts (artes liberales, the higher arts, which, among the Romans, only freemen were permitted to pursue) were, in the Middle Ages, these seven branches of learning, Ð grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. In modern times the liberal arts include the sciences, philosophy, history, etc., which compose the course of academical or collegiate education. Hence, degrees in the arts; master and bachelor of arts. In America, literature and the elegant arts must grow up side by side with the coarser plants of daily necessity. Irving. Syn. - Science; literature; aptitude; readiness; skill; dexterity; adroitness; contrivance; profession; business; trade; calling; cunning; artifice; duplicity. See Science. Ø ArÏte¶miÏa (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, a Greek goddess.] (Zo”l.) A genus of phyllopod Crustacea found in salt lakes and brines; the brine shrimp. See Brine shrimp. Ar·teÏmi¶siÏa (?), n. [L. Artemisia, Gr. ?.] (Bot.) A genus of plants including the plants called mugwort, southernwood, and wormwood. Of these A. absinthium, or common wormwood, is well known, and A. tridentata is the sage brush of the Rocky Mountain region. ArÏte¶riÏac (?), a. [L. arteriacus, Gr. ?. See Artery.] Of or pertaining to the windpipe. ArÏte¶riÏal (?), a. [Cf. F. art‚riel.] 1. Of or pertaining to an artery, or the arteries; as, arterial action; the arterial system. 2. Of or pertaining to a main channel (resembling an artery), as a river, canal, or railroad. ÷ blood, blood which has been changed and vitalized (arterialized) during passage through the lungs. ArÏte·riÏalÏiÏza¶tion (?), n. (Physiol.) The process of converting venous blood into arterial blood during its passage through the lungs, oxygen being absorbed and carbonic acid evolved; Ð called also a‰ration and hematosis. ArÏte¶riÏalÏize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Arterialized ; p. pr. & vb. n. Arterializing.] To transform, as the venous blood, into arterial blood by exposure to oxygen in the lungs; to make arterial. ArÏte·riÏog¶raÏphy , n. [Gr. ? + Ïgraphy.] A systematic description of the arteries. ArÏte¶riÏole (?), n. [NL. arteriola, dim. of L. arteria: cf. F. art‚riole.] A small artery. ArÏte·riÏol¶oÏgy (?), n. [Gr. ? + Ïlogy.] That part of anatomy which treats of arteries. ArÏte·riÏot¶oÏmy (?), n. [L. arteriotomia, Gr. ?; ? + ? a cutting.] 1. (Med.) The opening of an artery, esp. for bloodletting. 2. That part of anatomy which treats of the dissection of the arteries. Ø Ar·teÏri¶tis (?), n. [Artery + Ïetis.] Inflammation of an artery or arteries. Dunglison. Ar¶terÏy (?), n.; pl. Arteries (?). [L. arteria windpipe, artery, Gr. ?.] 1. The trachea or windpipe. [Obs.] ½Under the artery, or windpipe, is the mouth of the stomach.¸ Holland. 2. (Anat.) One of the vessels or tubes which carry either venous or arterial blood from the heart. They have tricker and more muscular walls than veins, and are connected with them by capillaries. µ In man and other mammals, the arteries which contain arterialized blood receive it from the left ventricle of the heart through the aorta. See Aorta. The pulmonary artery conveys the venous blood from the right ventricle to the lungs, whence the arterialized blood is returned through the pulmonary veins. 3. Hence: Any continuous or ramified channel of communication; as, arteries of trade or commerce. ArÏte¶sian (?), a. [F. art‚sien, fr. Artois in France, where many such wells have been made since the middle of the last century.] Of or pertaining to Artois (anciently called Artesium), in France. ÷ wells, wells made by boring into the earth till the instrument reaches water, which, from internal pressure, flows spontaneously like a fountain. They are usually of small diameter and often of great depth. Art¶ful (?), a. [From Art.] 1. Performed with, or characterized by, art or skill. [Archaic] ½Artful strains.¸ ½Artful terms.¸ Milton. 2. Artificial; imitative. Addison. 3. Using or exhibiting much art, skill, or contrivance; dexterous; skillful. He [was] too artful a writer to set down events in exact historical order. Dryden. 4. Cunning; disposed to cunning indirectness of dealing; crafty; as, an artful boy. [The usual sense.] Artful in speech, in action, and in mind. Pope. The artful revenge of various animals. Darwin. Syn. - Cunning; skillful; adroit; dexterous; crafty; tricky; deceitful; designing. See Cunning. Art¶fulÏly, adv. In an artful manner; with art or cunning; skillfully; dexterously; craftily. Art¶fulÏness, n. The quality of being artful; art; cunning; craft. Ar¶then (?), a. Same as Earthen. [Obs.] ½An arthen pot.¸ Holland. ArÏthrit¶ic (?), ArÏthrit¶icÏal (?), } a. [L. arthriticus, Gr. ?. See Arthritis.] 1. Pertaining to the joints. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. 2. Of or pertaining to arthritis; gouty. Cowper. Ø ArÏthri¶tis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ? (as if fem. of ? belonging to the joints, sc. ? disease) gout, fr. ? a joint.] (Med.) Any inflammation of the joints, particularly the gout. Ar¶throÏderm (?), n. [Gr. ? joint + 'derm.] (Zo”l.) The external covering of an Arthropod. Ø ArÏthro¶diÏa (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? well articulated; ? a joint + ? shape.] (Anat.) A form of diarthrodial articulation in which the articular surfaces are nearly flat, so that they form only an imperfect ball and socket. ArÏthro¶diÏal (?), ArÏthrod¶ic (?), } a. Of or pertaining to arthrodia. Ø Ar·throÏdyn¶iÏa (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + ?? pain.] (Med.) An affection characterized by pain in or about a joint, not dependent upon structural disease. Ar·throÏdyn¶ic , a. Pertaining to arthrodynia, or pain in the joints; rheumatic. Ø Ar·throÏgas¶tra (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + ? stomach.] (Zo”l.) A division of the Arachnida, having the abdomen annulated, including the scorpions, harvestmen, etc.; pedipalpi. ArÏthrog¶raÏphy (?), n. [Gr. ? joint + Ïgraphy.] The description of joints. ArÏthrol¶oÏgy , n. [Gr. ? joint + Ïlogy.] That part of anatomy which treats of joints. Ar¶throÏmere (?), n. [Gr. ? joint + Ïmere.] (Zo”l.) One of the body segments of Arthropods. See Arthrostraca. Packard. Ø Ar·throÏpleu¶ra (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + ? the side.] (Zo”l.) The side or limbÐbearing portion of an arthromere. Ar¶throÏpod (?), n (Zo”l.) One of the Arthropoda. Ø ArÏthrop¶oÏda (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + Ïpoda.] (Zo”l.) A large division of Articulata, embracing all those that have jointed legs. It includes Insects, Arachnida, Pychnogonida, and Crustacea. Ð ArÏthrop¶oÏdal (?), a. Ø Ar·throÏpom¶aÏta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + ? lid.] (Zo”l.) One of the orders of Branchiopoda. See Branchiopoda. Ø ArÏthro¶sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? joint.] (Anat.) Articulation. Ø ArÏthros¶traÏca , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? joint + ? a shell.] (Zo”l.) One of the larger divisions of Crustacea, so called because the thorax and abdomen are both segmented; Tetradecapoda. It includes the Amphipoda and Isopoda. Ar·throÏzo¶ic (?), a. [Gr. ? joint + ? animal, fr. ? an animal.] (Zo”l.) Of or pertaining to the Articulata; articulate. Ar¶tiÏad (?), a. [Gr. ? even, fr. ? exactly.] (Chem.) Even; not odd; Ð said of elementary substances and of radicals the valence of which is divisible by two without a remainder. Ar¶tiÏchoke (?), n. [It. articioc?o, perh. corrupted fr. the same word as carciofo; cf. older spellings archiciocco, archicioffo, carciocco, and Sp. alcachofa, Pg. alcachofra; prob. fr. Ar. alÐharshaf, alÐkharsh?f.] (Bot.) 1. The Cynara scolymus, a plant somewhat resembling a thistle, with a dilated, imbricated, and prickly involucre. The head (to which the name is also applied) is composed of numerous oval scales, inclosing the florets, sitting on a broad receptacle, which, with the fleshy base of the scales, is much esteemed as an article of food. 2. See Jerusalem artichoke. Ar¶tiÏcle (?), n. [F., fr. L. articulus, dim. of artus joint, akin to Gr. ?, fr. a root ar to join, fit. See Art, n.] 1. A distinct portion of an instrument, discourse, literary work, or any other writing, consisting of two or more particulars, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the Constitution. Hence: A clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a concise statement; as, articles of agreement. 2. A literary composition, forming an independent portion of a magazine, newspaper, or cyclopedia. 3. Subject; matter; concern; distinct. [Obs.] A very great revolution that happened in this article of good breeding. Addison. This last article will hardly be believed. De Foe. 4. A distinct part. ½Upon each article of human duty.¸ Paley. ½Each article of time.¸ Habington. The articles which compose the blood. E. Darwin. 5. A particular one of various things; as, an article of merchandise; salt is a necessary article. They would fight not for articles of faith, but for articles of food. Landor. 6. Precise point of time; moment. [Obs. or Archaic] This fatal news coming to Hick's Hall upon the article of my Lord Russell's trial, was said to have had no little influence on the jury and all the bench to his prejudice. Evelyn. 7. (Gram.) One of the three words, a, an, the, used before nouns to limit or define their application. A (or an) is called the indefinite article, the the definite article. 8. (Zo”l.) One of the segments of an articulated appendage. Articles of Confederation, the compact which was first made by the original thirteen States of the United States. They were adopted March 1, 1781, and remained the supreme law until March, 1789. Ð Articles of impeachment, an instrument which, in cases of impeachment, performs the same office which an indictment does in a common criminal case. Ð Articles of war, rules and regulations, fixed by law, for the better government of the army. Ð In the ~ of death [L. in articulo mortis], at the moment of death; in the dying struggle. Ð Lords of the articles (Scot. Hist.), a standing committee of the Scottish Parliament to whom was intrusted the drafting and preparation of the acts, or bills for laws. Ð The ThirtyÐnine Articles, statements (thirtyÐnine in number) of the tenets held by the Church of England. Ar¶tiÏcle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Articled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Articling (?).] [Cf. F. articuler, fr. L. articulare. See Article, n., Articulate.] 1. To formulate in articles; to set forth in distinct particulars. If all his errors and follies were articled against him, the man would seem vicious and miserable. Jer. Taylor. 2. To accuse or charge by an exhibition of articles. He shall be articled against in the high court of admiralty. Stat. 33 Geo. III. 3. To bind by articles of covenant or stipulation; as, to article an apprentice to a mechanic. Ar¶tiÏcle, v. i. To agree by articles; to stipulate; to bargain; to covenant. [R.] Then he articled with her that he should go away when he pleased. Selden. Ar¶tiÏcled (?), a. Bound by articles; apprenticed; as, an articled clerk. ArÏtic¶uÏlar (?), a. [L. articularis: cf. F. articulaire. See Article, n.] Of or pertaining to the joints; as, an articular disease; an articular process. ArÏtic¶uÏlar (?), ArÏtic¶uÏlaÏry (?), } n. (Anat.) A bone in the base of the lower jaw of many birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.

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