Chapter 79

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. [Pref. aÏ + slant.] Toward one side; in a slanting direction; obliquely. [The shaft] drove through his neck aslant. Dryden. AÏslant¶, prep. In a slanting direction over; athwart. There is a willow grows aslant a brook. Shak. AÏsleep¶ , a. & adv. [Pref. aÏ + sleep.] 1. In a state of sleep; in sleep; dormant. Fast asleep the giant lay supine. Dryden. By whispering winds soon lulled asleep. Milton. 2. In the sleep of the grave; dead. Concerning them which are asleep... sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1 Thess. iv. 13. 3. Numbed, and, usually, tingling. Udall. Leaning long upon any part maketh it numb, and, as we call it, asleep. Bacon. AÏslope¶ (?), adv. & a. [Pref. aÏ + slope.] Slopingly; aslant; declining from an upright direction; sloping. ½Set them not upright, but aslope.¸ Bacon. AÏslug¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + slug to move slowly.] Sluggishly. [Obs.] Fotherby. AÏsmear¶ (?), a. [Pref. aÏ + smear.] Smeared over. Dickens. As·moÏne¶an (?), a. Of or pertaining to the patriotic Jewish family to which the Maccabees belonged; Maccabean; as, the Asmonean dynasty. [Written also Asmon‘an.] As·moÏne¶an, n. One of the ÷ family. The Asmoneans were leaders and rulers of the Jews from 168 to 35 b. c. AÏsoak¶ (?), a. [Pref. aÏ + soak.] Soaking. AÏso¶maÏtous (?), a. [L. asomatus, Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? body.] Without a material body; incorporeal. Todd. As¶oÏnant (?), a. [Pref. aÏ not + sonant.] Not sounding or sounded. [R.] C. C. Felton. Asp (?), n. (Bot.) Same as Aspen. ½Trembling poplar or asp.¸ Martyn. Asp (?), n. [L. aspis, fr. Gr. ?: cf. OF. aspe, F. aspic.] (Zo”l.) A small, hooded, poisonous serpent of Egypt and adjacent countries, whose bite is often fatal. It is the Naja haje. The name is also applied to other poisonous serpents, esp. to Vipera aspis of southern Europe. See Haje. Ø AsÏpal¶aÏthus (?), n. [L. aspalathus, Gr. ?.] (Bot.) (a) A thorny shrub yielding a fragrant oil. Ecclus. xxiv. 15. (b) A genus of plants of the natural order Leguminos‘. The species are chiefly natives of the Cape of Good Hope. AsÏpar¶aÏgine (?), n. [Cf. F. asparagine.] (Chem.) A white, nitrogenous, crystallizable substance, C4H8N2O3+H2O, found in many plants, and first obtained from asparagus It is believed to aid in the disposition of nitrogenous matter throughout the plant; Ð called also altheine. As·paÏrag¶iÏnous (?), a. Pertaining or allied to, or resembling, asparagus; having shoots which are eaten like asparagus; as, asparaginous vegetables. AsÏpar¶aÏgus (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, ?; cf. ? to swell with sap or juice, and Zend ?paregha prong, sprout, Pers. asparag, Lith. spurgas sprout, Skr. sphurj to swell. Perh. the Greek borrowed from the Persian. Cf. Sparrowgrass.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial plants belonging to the natural order Liliace‘, and having erect much branched stems, and very slender branchlets which are sometimes mistaken for leaves. Asparagus racemosus is a shrubby climbing plant with fragrant flowers. Specifically: The Asparagus officinalis, a species cultivated in gardens. 2. The young and tender shoots of A. officinalis, which form a valuable and wellÐknown article of food. µ This word was formerly pronounced sparrowgrass; but this pronunciation is now confined exclusively to uneducated people. ÷ beetle (Zo”l.), a small beetle (Crioceris asparagi) injurious to ~. AsÏpar¶tic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived, asparagine; as, aspartic acid. As¶pect (?), n. [L. aspectus, fr. aspicere, aspectum, to look at; ad + spicere, specere, to look, akin to E. spy.] 1. The act of looking; vision; gaze; glance. [R.] ½The basilisk killeth by aspect.¸ Bacon. His aspect was bent on the ground. Sir W. Scott. 2. Look, or particular appearance of the face; countenance; mien; air. ½Serious in aspect.¸ Dryden. [Craggs] with aspect open shall erect his head. Pope. 3. Appearance to the eye or the mind; look; view. ½The aspect of affairs.¸ Macaulay. The true aspect of a world lying in its rubbish. T. Burnet. 4. Position or situation with regard to seeing; that position which enables one to look in a particular direction; position in relation to the points of the compass; as, a house has a southern aspect, that is, a position which faces the south. 5. Prospect; outlook. [Obs.] This town affords a good aspect toward the hill from whence we descended. Evelyn. 6. (Astrol.) The situation of planets or stars with respect to one another, or the angle formed by the rays of light proceeding from them and meeting at the eye; the joint look of planets or stars upon each other or upon the earth. Milton. µ The aspects which two planets can assume are five; sextile, ?, when the planets are 600 apart; quartile, or quadrate, ?, when their distance is 900 or the quarter of a circle; trine, ?, when the distance is 1200; opposition, ?, when the distance is 1800, or half a circle; and conjunction, ?, when they are in the same degree. Astrology taught that the aspects of the planets exerted an influence on human affairs, in some situations for good and in others for evil. 7. (Astrol.) The influence of the stars for good or evil; as, an ill aspect. Shak. The astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects. Bacon. ÷ of a plane (Geom.), the direction of the plane. AsÏpect¶ (?), v. t. [L. aspectare, v. intens. of aspicere. See Aspect, n.] To behold; to look at. [Obs.] AsÏpect¶aÏble (?), a. [L. aspectabilis.] Capable of being; visible. ½The aspectable world.¸ Ray. ½Aspectable stars.¸ Mr. Browning. AsÏpect¶ant (?), a. (Her.) Facing each other. AsÏpect¶ed, a. Having an aspect. [Obs.] B. Jonson. AsÏpec¶tion (?), n. [L. aspectio, fr. aspicere to look at.] The act of viewing; a look. [Obs.] Asp¶en (?), Asp (?), } n. [AS. ‘sp, ‘ps; akin to OHG. aspa, Icel. ”sp, Dan. ‘sp, Sw. asp, D. esp, G. espe, „spe, aspe; cf. Lettish apsa, Lith. apuszis.] (Bot.) One of several species of poplar bearing this name, especially the Populus tremula, so called from the trembling of its leaves, which move with the slightest impulse of the air. Asp¶en (?), a. Of or pertaining to the ~, or resembling it; made of ~ wood. Nor aspen leaves confess the gentlest breeze. Gay. As¶per (?), a. [OE. aspre, OF. aspre, F. ƒpre, fr. L. asper rough.] Rough; rugged; harsh; bitter; stern; fierce. [Archaic] ½An asper sound.¸ Bacon. Ø As¶per (?), n. [L. spiritus asper rough breathing.] (Greek Gram.) The rough breathing; a mark (?) placed over an initial vowel sound or over ? to show that it is aspirated, that is, pronounced with h before it; thus ?, pronounced h?s, ?, pronounced hr¾¶t?r. Ø As¶per, n. [F. aspre or It. aspro, fr. MGr. ?, ?, white (prob. from the whiteness of new silver coins).] A Turkish money of account (formerly a coin), of little value; the 120th part of a piaster. As¶perÏate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Asperated; p. pr. & vb. n. Asperating.] [L. asperatus, p. p. of asperare, fr. asper rough.] To make rough or uneven. The asperated part of its surface. Boyle. As·perÏa¶tion (?), n. The act of asperating; a making or becoming rough. Bailey. Ø AsÏper¶ges (?), n. [L., Thou shalt sprinkle.] (R. C. Ch.) (a) The service or ceremony of sprinkling with holy water. (b) The brush or instrument used in sprinkling holy water; an aspergill. As¶perÏgill (?), Ø As·perÏgil¶lum (?), } n. [LL. aspergillum, fr. L. aspergere. See Asperse, v. t. 1. The brush used in the Roman Catholic church for sprinkling holy water on the people. [Also written aspergillus.] 2. (Zo”l.) See Wateringpot shell. As·perÏgil¶liÏform (?), a. [Aspergillum + Ïform.] (Bot.) Resembling the aspergillum in form; as, an aspergilliform stigma. Gray. As·perÏiÏfo¶liÏate (?), As·perÏiÏfo¶liÏous (?), } a. [L. asper rough + folium leaf.] (Bot.) Having rough leaves. µ By some applied to the natural order now called Boraginace‘ or borageworts. AsÏper¶iÏty (?), n.; pl. Asperities (?). [L. asperitas, fr. asper rough: cf. F. asp‚rit‚.] 1. Roughness of surface; unevenness; Ð opposed to smoothness. ½The asperities of dry bodies.¸ Boyle. 2. Roughness or harshness of sound; that quality which grates upon the ear; raucity. 3. Roughness to the taste; sourness; tartness. 4. Moral roughness; roughness of manner; severity; crabbedness; harshness; Ð opposed to mildness. ½Asperity of character.¸ Landor. It is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received. Johnson. 5. Sharpness; disagreeableness; difficulty. The acclivities and asperities of duty. Barrow. Syn. - Acrimony; moroseness; crabbedness; harshness; sourness; tartness. See Acrimony. AÏsper¶maÏtous (?), a. [Gr. ? priv. + ?, ?, seed.] (Bot.) Aspermous. AÏsper¶mous , a. [Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? seed.] (Bot.) Destitute of seeds; aspermatous. AÏsperne¶ (?), v. t. [L. aspernari; a (ab) + spernari.] To spurn; to despise. [Obs.] Sir T. More. As¶perÏous (?), a. [See Asper, a.] Rough; uneven. Boyle. AsÏperse¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aspersed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Aspersing.] [L. aspersus, p. p. of aspergere to scatter, sprinkle; ad + spargere to strew. See Sparse.] 1. To sprinkle, as water or dust, upon anybody or anything, or to besprinkle any one with a liquid or with dust. Heywood. 2. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name; to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his writings; to asperse a man's character. With blackest crimes aspersed. Cowper. Syn. - To slander; defame; detract from; calumniate; vilify. Ð To Asperse, Defame, Slander, Calumniate. These words have in common the idea of falsely assailing the character of another. To asperse is figuratively to cast upon a character hitherto unsullied the imputation of blemishes or faults which render it offensive or loathsome. To defame is to detract from a man's honor and reputation by charges calculated to load him with infamy. Slander (etymologically the same as scandal) and calumniate, from the Latin, have in common the sense of circulating reports to a man's injury from unworthy or malicious motives. Men asperse their neighbors by malignant insinuations; they defame by advancing charges to blacken or sully their fair fame; they slander or calumniate by spreading injurious reports which are false, or by magnifying slight faults into serious errors or crimes. AsÏpersed¶ (?), a. 1. (Her.) Having an indefinite number of small charges scattered or strewed over the surface. Cussans. 2. Bespattered; slandered; calumniated. Motley. AsÏpers¶er (?), n. One who asperses; especially, one who vilifies another. AsÏper¶sion (?), n. [L. aspersio, fr. aspergere: cf. F. aspersion.] 1. A sprinkling, as with water or dust, in a literal sense. Behold an immersion, not and aspersion. Jer. Taylor. 2. The spreading of calumniations reports or charges which tarnish reputation, like the bespattering of a body with foul water; calumny. Every candid critic would be ashamed to cast wholesale aspersions on the entire body of professional teachers. Grote. Who would by base aspersions blot thy virtue. Dryden. AsÏpers¶ive (?), a. Tending to asperse; defamatory; slanderous. Ð AsÏpers¶iveÏly, adv. Ø As·per·soir¶ (?), n. [F.] An aspergill. Ø As·perÏso¶riÏum (?), n.; pl. Aspersoria (?). [LL. See Asperse.] 1. The stoup, basin, or other vessel for holy water in Roman Catholic churches. 2. A brush for sprinkling holy water; an aspergill. As¶phalt (?), AsÏphal¶tum (?), } n. [Gr. ?, of eastern origin: cf. F. asphalte.] 1. Mineral pitch, Jews' pitch, or compact native bitumen. It is brittle, of a black or brown color and high luster on a surface of fracture; it melts and burns when heated, leaving no residue. It occurs on the surface and shores of the Dead Sea, which is therefore called Asphaltites, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in many parts of Asia, Europe, and America. See Bitumen. 2. A composition of bitumen, pitch, lime, and gravel, used for forming pavements, and as a waterÐproof cement for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc. Asphalt stone, Asphalt rock, a limestone found impregnated with asphalt. As¶phalt, v. t. To cover with ~; as, to asphalt a roof; asphalted streets. Ø As·phalte¶ (?), n. [F. See Asphalt.] Asphaltic mastic or cement. See Asphalt, 2. AsÏphal¶tic (?), a. Pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing, asphalt; bituminous. ½Asphaltic pool.¸ ½Asphaltic slime.¸ Milton. AsÏphal¶tite (?), a. Asphaltic. AsÏphal¶tite (?), a. Asphaltic. Bryant. Ø AsÏphal¶tus , n. See Asphalt. As¶phoÏdel (?), n. [L. asphodelus, Gr. ?. See Daffodil.] (Bot.) A general name for a plant of the genus Asphodelus. The asphodels are hardy perennial plants, several species of which are cultivated for the beauty of their flowers. µ The name is also popularly given to species of other genera. The asphodel of the early English and French poets was the daffodil. The asphodel of the Greek poets is supposed to be the Narcissus poeticus. Dr. Prior. Pansies, and violets, and asphodel. Milton. AsÏphyc¶tic (?), a. Pertaining to asphyxia. Ø AsÏphyx¶iÏa (?), AsÏphyx¶y (?), } n. [NL. asphyxia, fr. Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? to throb, beat.] (Med.) Apparent death, or suspended animation; the condition which results from interruption of respiration, as in suffocation or drowning, or the inhalation of irrespirable gases. AsÏphyx¶iÏal (?), a. Of or relating to asphyxia; as, asphyxial phenomena. AsÏphyx¶iÏate (?), v. t. To bring to a state of asphyxia; to suffocate. [Used commonly in the past pple.] AsÏphyx¶iÏa·ted (?), AsÏphyx¶ied (?), p. p. In a state of asphyxia; suffocated. AsÏphyx·iÏa¶tion (?), n. The act of causing asphyxia; a state of asphyxia. As¶pic (?), n. [F. See Asp.] 1. The venomous asp. [Chiefly poetic] Shak. Tennyson. 2. A piece of ordnance carrying a 12 pound shot. [Obs.] As¶pic, n. [F., a corrupt. of spic (OF. espi, F. ‚pi), L. spica (spicum, spicus), ear, spike. See Spike.] A European species of lavender (Lavandula spica), which produces a volatile oil. See Spike. As¶pic, n. [F., prob. fr. aspic an asp.] A savory meat jelly containing portions of fowl, game, fish, hard boiled eggs, etc. Thackeray. Ø As·piÏdoÏbran¶chiÏa (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, ?, shield + ? gills.] (Zo”l.) A group of Gastropoda, with limpetlike shells, including the abalone shells and keyhole limpets. AsÏpir¶ant (?; 277), a. [Cf. F. aspirant, p. pr. of aspirer. See Aspire.] Aspiring. AsÏpir¶ant, n. [Cf. F. aspirant.] One who aspires; one who eagerly seeks some high position or object of attainment. In consequence of the resignations... the way to greatness was left clear to a new set of aspirants. Macaulay. As¶piÏrate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aspirated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Aspirating (?).] [L. aspiratus, p. p. of aspirare to breathe toward or upon, to add the breathing h; ad + spirare to breathe, blow. Cf. Aspire.] To [pronounce with a breathing, an ~, or an h sound; as, we aspirate the words horse and house; to aspirate a vowel or a liquid consonant. As¶piÏrate (?), n. 1. A sound consisting of, or characterized by, a breath like the sound of h; the breathing h or a character representing such a sound; an aspirated sound.

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2. A mark of aspiration (?) used in Greek; the asper, or rough breathing. Bentley. 3. An elementary sound produced by the breath alone; a surd, or nonvocal consonant; as, f, th in thin, etc. As¶piÏrate (?), As¶piÏra¶ted (?), } a. [L. aspiratus, p. p.] Pronounced with the h sound or with audible breath. But yet they are not aspirate, i. e., with such an aspiration as h. Holder. As·piÏra¶tion (?), n. [L. aspiratio, fr. aspirare: cf. F. aspiration.] 1. The act of aspirating; the pronunciation of a letter with a full or strong emission of breath; an aspirated sound. If aspiration be defined to be an impetus of breathing. Wilkins. 2. The act of breathing; a breath; an inspiration. 3. The act of aspiring of a ardently desiring; strong wish; high desire. ½Aspirations after virtue.¸ Johnson. Vague aspiration after military renown. Prescott. As¶piÏra·tor (?), n. 1. (Chem.) An apparatus for passing air or gases through or over certain liquids or solids, or for exhausting a closed vessel, by means of suction. 2. (Med.) An instrument for the evacuation of the fluid contents of tumors or collections of blood. AsÏpir¶aÏtoÏry (?), a. Of or pertaining to breathing; suited to the inhaling of air AsÏpire¶ (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aspired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Aspiring.] [F. aspirer, L. aspirare. See Aspirate, v. t.] 1. To desire with eagerness; to seek to attain something high or great; to pant; to long; Ð followed by to or after, and rarely by at; as, to aspire to a crown; to aspire after immorality. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; Aspiring to be angels, men rebel. Pope. 2. To rise; to ascend; to tower; to soar. My own breath still foments the fire, Which flames as high as fancy can aspire. Waller. AsÏpire¶, v. t. To ~ to; to long for; to try to reach; to mount to. [Obs.] That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds. Shak. AsÏpire¶, n. Aspiration. [Obs.] Chapman. AsÏpire¶ment (?), n. Aspiration. [Obs.] AsÏpir¶er (?), n. One who aspires. AsÏpir¶ing, a. That aspires; as, an Aspiring mind. Ð AsÏpir¶ingÏly, adv. Ð AsÏpir¶ingÏness, n. Asp¶ish (?), a. Pertaining to, or like, an asp. As·porÏta¶tion (?), n. [L. asportatio, fr. asportare to carry away; abs = ab + portare to bear, carry.] (Law) The felonious removal of goods from the place where they were deposited. µ It is adjudged to be larceny, though the goods are not carried from the house or apartment. Blackstone. AÏsprawl¶ (?), adv. & a. Sprawling. AÏsquat¶ (?), adv. & a. Squatting. AÏsquint¶ (?), adv. [Cf. Askant, Squint.] With the eye directed to one side; not in the straight line of vision; obliquely; awry, so as to see distortedly; as, to look asquint. Ass (?), n. [OE. asse, AS. assa; akin to Icel. asni, W. asen, asyn, L. asinus, dim. aselus, Gr. ?; also to AS. esol, OHG. esil, G. esel, Goth. asilus, Dan. ‘sel, Lith. asilas, Bohem. osel, Pol. osiel. The word is prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. ath?n she ~. Cf. Ease.] 1. (Zo”l.) A quadruped of the genus Equus (E. asinus), smaller than the horse, and having a peculiarly harsh bray and long ears. The tame or domestic ~ is patient, slow, and sureÐfooted, and has become the type of obstinacy and stupidity. There are several species of wild asses which are swiftÐfooted. 2. A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt. Shak. Asses' Bridge. [L. pons asinorum.] The fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, ½The angles at the base of an isosceles triangle are equal to one another.¸ [Sportive] ½A schoolboy, stammering out his Asses' Bridge.¸ F. Harrison. Ð To make an ~ of one's self, to do or say something very foolish or absurd. As·saÏf?t¶iÏda (?), n. Same as Asafetida. As¶saÏgai (?), As¶seÏgai (?), n. [Pg. azagaia, Sp. azagaya, fr. a Berber word. Cf. Lancegay.] A spear used by tribes in South Africa as a missile and for stabbing, a kind of light javelin. Ø AsÏsa¶i (?). [It., fr. L. ad + satis enough. See Assets.] (Mus.) A direction equiv?lent to very; as, adagio assai, very slow. AsÏsail¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Assailing.] [OE. assailen, asailen, OF. asaillir, assailler, F. assaillir; ? (L. ad) + saillir to burst out, project, fr. L. salire to leap, spring; cf. L. assilire to leap or spring upon. See Sally.] 1. To attack with violence, or in a vehement and hostile manner; to assault; to molest; as, to assail ? man with blows; to assail a city with artillery. No rude noise mine ears assailing. Cowper. No storm can now assail The charm he wears within. Keble. 2. To encounter or meet purposely with the v??? of ??stering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like. The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail. Pope. 3. To attack morally, or with a view to produce ?anges in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like. The papal authority... assailed. Hallam. They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony.