Chapter 85

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¶icÏalÏly, adv. ÷ clock. See under Clock. Ð ÷ day. See under Clock. Ð ÷ day. See under Day. Ð ÷ fractions, ÷ numbers. See under Sexagesimal. AsÏtron¶oÏmize , v. i. [Gr. ?.] To study or to talk astronomy. [R.] They astronomized in caves. Sir T. Browne. AsÏtron¶oÏmy (?), n. [OE. astronomie, F. astronomie, L. astronomia, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? astronomer; ? star + ? to distribute, regulate. See Star, and Nomad.] 1. Astrology. [Obs.] Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck; And yet methinks I have astronomy. Shak. 2. The science which treats of the celestial bodies, of their magnitudes, motions, distances, periods of revolution, eclipses, constitution, physical condition, and of the causes of their various phenomena. 3. A treatise on, or textÐbook of, the science. Physical ~. See under Physical. As¶troÏphel (?), n. See Astrofel.ÿ[Obs.] As·troÏphoÏtog¶raÏphy (?), n. [AstroÏ + photography.] The application of photography to the delineation of the sun, moon, and stars. As·troÏphys¶icÏal (?), a. Pertaining to the physics of astronomical science. Ø AsÏtroph¶yÏton (?), n. [AstroÏ + Gr. ? a plant.] (Zo”l.) A genus of ophiurans having the arms much branched. As¶troÏscope (?), n. [AstroÏ + scope.] An old astronomical instrument, formed of two cones, on whose surface the constellations were delineated. AsÏtros¶coÏpy (?), n. Observation of the stars. [Obs.] As·troÏtheÏol¶ÏoÏgy (?), n. [AstroÏ + theology.] Theology founded on observation or knowledge of the celestial bodies. Derham. AÏstruc¶tive (?), a. [L. astructus, p. p. of astruere to build up; ad + struere to build.] Building up; constructive; Ð opposed to destructive.ÿ[Obs.] AÏstrut¶ (?), a. & adv. 1. Sticking out, or puffed out; swelling; in a swelling manner. [Archaic] Inflated and astrut with selfÐconceit. Cowper. 2. In a strutting manner; with a strutting gait. AsÏtu¶cious (?), a. [F. astucieux. See Astute.] Subtle; cunning; astute. [R.] Sir W. Scott. Ð AsÏtu¶ciousÏly, adv. [R.] AsÏtu¶ciÏty (?), n. [See Astucious.] Craftiness; astuteness. [R.] Carlyle. AÏstun¶ (?), v. t. [See Astony, Stun.] To stun. [Obs.] ½Breathless and astunned.¸ Somerville. AsÏtu¶riÏan (?), a. Of or pertaining to Asturias in Spain. Ð n. A native of Asturias. AsÏtute¶ (?), a. [L. astutus, fr. astus craft, cunning; perh. cognate with E. acute.] Critically discerning; sagacious; shrewd; subtle; crafty. Syn. - Keen; eagleÐeyed; penetrating; skilled; discriminating; cunning; sagacious; subtle; wily; crafty. Ð AsÏtute¶ly, adv. Ð AsÏtute¶ness, n. AÏsty¶lar (?), a. [Gr. ? priv. + ? pillar.] (arch.) Without columns pr pilasters. Weale. AÏstyl¶len (?), n. (Mining) A small dam to prevent free passage of water in an adit or level. AÏsun¶der (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + sunder.] Apart; separate from each other; into parts; in two; separately; into or in different pieces or places. I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder. Zech. xi. 10. As wide asunder as pole and pole. Froude. Ø AÏsu¶ra (?), n. (Hind. Myth.) An enemy of the gods, esp. one of a race of demons and giants. Ø As¶wail (?), n. [Native name.] (Zo”l.) The sloth bear (Melursus labiatus) of India. AÏswewe¶ (?), v. t. [AS. aswebban; a + swebban. See Sweven.] To stupefy. [Obs.] Chaucer. AÏswing¶ (?), adv. In a state of swinging. AÏswoon¶ (?), adv. In a swoon. Chaucer. AÏswooned¶ (?), adv. In a swoon. AÏsy¶lum (?), n.; pl. E. Asylums (?), L. Asyla (?). [L. asylum, Gr. ?, fr. ? exempt from spoliation, inviolable; ? priv. + ? right of seizure.] 1. A sanctuary or place of refuge and protection, where criminals and debtors found shelter, and from which they could not be forcibly taken without sacrilege. So sacred was the church to some, that it had the right of an asylum or sanctuary. Ayliffe. µ The name was anciently given to temples, altars, statues of the gods, and the like. In later times Christian churches were regarded as asylums in the same sense. 2. Any place of retreat and security. Earth has no other asylum for them than its own cold bosom. Southey. 3. An institution for the protection or relief of some class of destitute, unfortunate, or afflicted persons; as, an asylum for the aged, for the blind, or for the insane; a lunatic asylum; an orphan asylum. AÏsym¶meÏtral (?), a. Incommensurable; also, unsymmetrical. [Obs.] D. H. More. As·ymÏmet¶ric (?), As·ymÏmet¶riÏcal (?), } a. [See Asymmetrous.] 1. Incommensurable. [Obs.] 2. Not symmetrical; wanting proportion; esp., not bilaterally symmetrical. Huxley. AÏsym¶meÏtrous (?), a. [Gr. ?.] Asymmetrical. [Obs.] Barrow. AÏsym¶meÏtry (?), n. [Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? symmetry.] 1. Want of symmetry, or proportion between the parts of a thing, esp. want of bilateral symmetry. 2. (Math.) Incommensurability. [Obs.] Barrow. As¶ympÏtote (?; 215), n. [Gr. ? not falling together; ? priv. + ? to fall together; ? with + ? to fall. Cf. Symptom.] (Math.) A line which approaches nearer to some curve than assignable distance, but, though infinitely extended, would never meet it. Asymptotes may be straight lines or curves. A rectilinear asymptote may be conceived as a tangent to the curve at an infinite distance. As·ympÏtot¶ic (?), As·ympÏtot¶icÏal (?), } a. Pertaining to, or partaking of the nature of, an asymptote; as, asymptotical lines, surfaces, or planes. Ð As·ympÏtot¶icÏly, adv. AÏsyn¶arÏtete· (?), a. [Gr. ? not united, disconnected; ? priv. + ? with + ? to fasten to.] Disconnected; not fitted or adjusted. Ð AÏsyn¶arÏtet¶ic (?), a. ÷ verse (Pros.), a verse of two members, having different rhythms; as when the first consists of iambuses and the second of trochees. As·ynÏdet¶ic (?), a. [See Asyndeton.] Characterized by the use of asyndeton; not connected by conjunctions. Ð As·ynÏdet¶icÏalÏly, adv. AÏsyn¶deÏton (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? unconnected; ? priv. + ? bound together, fr. ?; ? with + ? to bind.] (Rhet.) A figure which omits the connective; as, I came, I saw, I conquered. It stands opposed to polysyndeton. AÏsys¶toÏle (?)(?), n. [Pref. aÏ not + systole.] (Physiol.) A weakening or cessation of the contractile power of the heart. AÏsys¶toÏlism (?), n. The state or symptoms characteristic of asystole. At (?), prep. [AS. ‘t; akin to OHG. az, Goth., OS., & Icel. at, Sw. †t, Dan. & L. ad.] Primarily, this word expresses the relations of presence, nearness in place or time, or direction toward; as, at the ninth hour; at the house; to aim at a mark. It is less definite than in or on; at the house may be in or near the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of at. It expresses: Ð 1. A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; as, at the door; at your shop; at home; at school; at hand; at sea and on land. 2. The relation of some state or condition; as, at war; at peace; at ease; at your service; at fault; at liberty; at risk; at disadvantage. 3. The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; as, at engraving; at husbandry; at play; at work; at meat (eating); except at puns. 4. The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; as, with the thermometer at 800; goods sold at a cheap price; a country estimated at 10,000 square miles; life is short at the longest. 5. The relations of time, age, or order; as, at ten o'clock; at twentyÐone; at once; at first. 6. The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands. 7. Relation of direction toward an object or end; as, look at it; to point at one; to aim at a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh at any one. At all, At home, At large, At last, At length, At once, etc. See under All, Home, Large, Last (phrase and syn.), Length, Once, etc. Ð At it, busily or actively engaged. Ð At least. See Least and However. Ð At one. See At one, in the Vocabulary. Syn. - In, At. When reference to the interior of any place is made prominent in is used. It is used before the names of countries and cities (esp. large cities); as, we live in America, in New York, in the South. At is commonly employed before names of houses, institutions, villages, and small places; as, Milton was educated at Christ's College; money taken in at the Customhouse; I saw him at the jeweler's; we live at Beachville. At may be used before the name of a city when it is regarded as a mere point of locality. ½An English king was crowned at Paris.¸ Macaulay. ½Jean Jacques Rousseau was born at Geneva, June, 28, 1712.¸ J. Morley. In regard to time, we say at the hour, on the day, in the year; as, at 9 o'clock, on the morning of July 5th, in the year 1775. At¶aÏbal (?), n. [Sp. atabal, fr. Ar. atÐtabl the drum, tabala to beat the drum. Cf. Tymbal.] A kettledrum; a kind of tabor, used by the Moors. Croly. AÏtac¶aÏmite (?), n. [From the desert of Atacama, where found.] (Min.) An oxychloride of copper, usually in emeraldÐgreen prismatic crystals. At·aft¶er (?), prep. After. [Obs.] Chaucer. At¶aÏghan (?), n. See Yataghan. AÏtake¶ (?), v. t. To overtake. [Obs.] Chaucer. At¶aÏman (?), n. [Russ. ataman': cf. Pol. hetman, G. hauptmann headman, chieftain. Cf. Hetman.] A hetman, or chief of the Cossacks. Ø At·aÏrax¶iÏa (?), At¶aÏrax·y (?), } n. [NL. ataraxia, Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? disturbed, ? to disturb.] Perfect peace of mind, or calmness. AÏtaunt¶ (?), AÏtaunt¶o (?), } adv. [F. autant as much (as possible).] (Naut.) Fully rigged, as a vessel; with all sails set; set on end or set right. AÏtav¶ic (?), a. [Cf. F. atavique.] Pertaining to a remote ancestor, or to atavism. At¶aÏvism (?), n. [L. atavus an ancestor, fr. avus a grandfather.] (a) The recurrence, or a tendency to a recurrence, of the original type of a species in the progeny of its varieties; resemblance to remote rather than to near ancestors; reversion to the original form. (b) (Biol.) The recurrence of any peculiarity or disease of an ancestor in a subsequent generation, after an intermission for a generation or two. Now and then there occur cases of what physiologists call atavism, or reversion to an ancestral type of character. J. Fiske. Ø AÏtax¶iÏa (?), At¶axÏy (?), } n. [NL. ataxia, Gr. ?, fr. ? out of order; ? priv. + ? ordered, arranged, ? to put in order: cf. F. ataxie.] 1. Disorder; irregularity. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. 2. (Med.) (a) Irregularity in disease, or in the functions. (b) The state of disorder that characterizes nervous fevers and the nervous condition. Locomotor ataxia. See Locomotor. AÏtax¶ic (?), a. [Cf. F. ataxique. See Ataxia.] (Med.) Characterized by ataxy, that is, (a) by great irregularity of functions or symptoms, or (b) by a want of coordinating power in movements. ÷ fever, malignant typhus fever. Pinel. At·aÏzir¶ (?), n. [OF., fr. Ar. alÐtasÆr influence.] (Astron.) The influence of a star upon other stars or upon men. [Obs.] Chaucer. Ate (?; 277), the preterit of Eat. A¶te (?), n. [Gr. ?.] (Greek. Myth.) The goddess of mischievous folly; also, in later poets, the goddess of vengeance. Ïate (?). [From the L. suffix Ïatus, the past participle ending of verbs of the 1st conj.] 1. As an ending of participles or participial adjectives it is equivalent to Ïed; as, situate or situated; animate or animated. 2. As the ending of a verb, it means to make, to cause, to act, etc.; as, to propitiate (to make propitious); to animate (to give life to). 3. As a noun suffix, it marks the agent; as, curate, delegate. It also sometimes marks the office or dignity; as, tribunate. 4. In chemistry it is used to denote the salts formed from those acids whose names end Ïic (excepting binary or halogen acids); as, sulphate from sulphuric acid, nitrate from nitric acid, etc. It is also used in the case of certain basic salts. AÏtech¶nic (?), a. [Pref. aÏ not + technic.] Without technical or artistic knowledge. Difficult to convey to the atechnic reader. Etching & Engr. Ø At¶eÏles (?), n. [Gr. ? incomplete; ? priv. + ? completion.] (Zo”l.) A genus of American monkeys with prehensile tails, and having the thumb wanting or rudimentary. See Spider monkey, and Coaita. Ø A·teÏlier¶ (?)(?) n. [F.] A workshop; a studio. AÏtel¶lan (?), a. [L. Atellanus, fr. Atella, an ancient town of the Osci, in Campania.] Of or pertaining to Atella, in ancient Italy; as, Atellan plays; farcical; ribald. Ð n. A farcical drama performed at Atella. AÏthal¶aÏmous (?), a. [Gr. ? priv. + ? nuptial bed.] (Bot.) Not furnished with shields or beds for the spores, as the thallus of certain lichens. Ath¶aÏmaunt (?), n. Adamant. [Obs.] Written in the table of athamaunt. Chaucer. Ath·aÏna¶sian (?; 277), a. Of or pertaining to Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria in the 4th century. ÷ creed, a formulary, confession, or exposition of faith, formerly supposed to have been drawn up by Athanasius; but this opinion is now rejected, and the composition is ascribed by some to Hilary, bishop of Arles (5th century). It is a summary of what was called the orthodox faith. Ath¶aÏnor (?), n. [F., fr. Ar. atÏtann?r, fr. Heb. tann?r an oven or furnace.] A digesting furnace, formerly used by alchemists. It was so constructed as to maintain uniform and durable heat. Chambers. Ø Ath·eÏca¶ta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? priv. + ? chest, box.] (Zo”l.) A division of Hydroidea in which the zooids are naked, or not inclosed in a capsule. See Tubularian. At¶theÏism (?), n. [Cf. F. ath‚isme. See Atheist.] 1. The disbelief or denial of the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being. Atheism is a ferocious system, that leaves nothing above us to excite awe, nor around us to awaken tenderness. R. Hall. Atheism and pantheism are often wrongly confounded. Shipley. 2. Godlessness. A¶theÏist, n. [Gr. ? without god; ? priv. + ? god: cf. F. ath‚iste.] 1. One who disbelieves or denies the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being. 2. A godless person. [Obs.] Syn. - Infidel; unbeliever. See Infidel. A·theÏis¶tic (?), A·theÏis¶ticÏal (?), } a. 1. Pertaining to, implying, or containing, atheism; Ð applied to things; as, atheistic doctrines, opinions, or books. Atheistical explications of natural effects. Barrow. 2. Disbelieving the existence of a God; impious; godless; Ð applied to persons; as, an atheistic writer. Ð A·theÏis¶ticÏalÏly, adv. Ð A·theÏis¶ticÏalÏness, n. A¶theÏize (?), v. t. To render atheistic or godless. [R.] They endeavored to atheize one another. Berkeley. A¶theÏize, v. i. To discourse, argue, or act as an atheist. [R.] Ð A¶theÏi·zer (?), n. Cudworth.

<-- p. 96 -->