An Etymological Dictionary of English Language
An Etymological Dictionary of English Language
An Etymological Dictionary of English Language
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SMITHSONIAN DEPOSIT
I
AN
ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARY
OF
PHILADELPHIA:
GRIGG, ELLIOT & CO.
No. 14, NORTH FOURTH STREET,
1848.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by
WILLIAM GRIMSHAW,
Court of the United States for the
in the clerk's office of the District
Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAS.
PRINTED BY T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS.
(2)
;
PKEFACE
xvx\^v^v\.v
PREFACE. Vll
Vlll PREFACE.
mode has been adopted with regard to foreign Nouns. These
generally come to us through their genitive case, whilst the
Verbs very frequently reach us in their participial form.
The present tense of the indicative mood, I consider as the
root of Greek and Latin verbs ; to which part, I have there-
fore referred, as the fountain head; though, in accordance
with academical usage, I have affixed to it the translation of
the infinitive. Thus, I write metreo, " to measure," whilst the
real meaning is " I measure ;" and facio, " to make," instead
of " I make." I have also substituted the Roman letters for
the Greek, as the best suited to the simplicity of my design
enabling the mere English scholar to produce the sound indi-
cated by the Greek characters, with sufficient accuracy
whilst the radicals are, notwithstanding, exhibited in such a
form, that a Greek scholar may easily find them in a lexicon.
The most philosophical treatise on the derivation of Eng-
lish words, is the Ertsa U-tsposvta, or Diversions of Purley, by
Home Tooke. Had embraced words derived from
his plan
the learned languages, no occasion had offered for so inferior
a philologist, as the author of the present work, to undertake
this task. My labour would have been only manual. There
would have been required only a judicious selection, and
alphabetical arrangement. But he has confined his research-
es, with some desultory exceptions, to that portion of the
PREFACE. IX
ABBREVIATIONS.
(10)
ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARY.
ABA—ABJ
ABA'SE. v. To lower one's-self in rank ; to perform an act of self-
humiliation. F. abaisser ; comp. of a, to, and bas, low. L. ad, to,
and basis, the lower part or base of a pillar.
ABA'TE. v. To beat down ; to pull down ; to lessen ; to diminish ; to
quash. F. abattre ; L. a, from, and batuo, to beat.
AB'BOT. s. The chief of a convent or fellowship of canons. From
the Syriac word, abba, father, used also in the Greek language..
ABBREVIATE, v. To shorten. L. abbrevio ; ab, from, and brevis,
short.
AB'DICATE. v. To relinquish ; to abandon ; to resign. L. abdico ;
ab, from, and dico, to declare.
AB'DITORY. s. A hiding place. L. abdo, to hide ; ab, from, and do,
to give.
ABDOMEN, s. The lower cavity of the body. L. abdomen ; from
abdo, to hide.
ABDU'CE. v. To draw away. L. abduco; comp. of ab, from, and duco,
to lead, or draw.
ABDU'CENT. A
term applied to those muscles which serve to
adj.
open or pull back certain parts of the body. L. abducens, part, of
abduco. Sse ABDUCE.
ABDUCTION, s. The act of drawing or carrying away; a particular
form of argument. L. abductio. See ABDUCE.
ABER'RANCE. s. Deviation. L. aberrans, part, of aberro; comp. of
ab, from, and erro, to wander.
ABERRA'TION. s. Act of deviating. L. aberratio. See ABER-
RANCE.
ABHOR', v. To detest ; to hate with acrimony. L. abhorreo ; comp. of
ab, from, and horreo, to tremble.
ABILTTY. s. Power ; mental efficiency. F. habilete ; L. habilitas .
ABL—ABS
ABLAC'TATE. v. To wean from the breast. L. ablacto; a6, from
lac, milk.
ABLAQUEA'TION. A laying
bare of the roots of trees, in order
s.
ABS— ACC
ABSO'NANT. adj. Not to the purpose; inconsistent. L. absonam
part, ofabsono; ab, from, and sono, to sound.
ABSORB', v. To draw in. L. absorbeo ; ab, from, and sorbeo, to
suck.
ABSTAIN', To forbear. L. abstineo ; ab, from, and teneo, to
v. hold.
ABSTE'MIOUS. adj. Temperate in diet, &c. L. abstemius. See
ABSTAIN.
ABSTERGENT, adj. Cleansing. L. abstergens, part, of abstergeo,
to wipe clean.
AB'STINENCE. s. Act of abstaining. L. See ABSTAIN.
ABSTRACT', v. To take from to separate. L. abstractum, ;
sup. of
abstraho ; abs, from, and traho, to draw.
ABSTRU'SE. adj. Hidden ; difficult. L. abstrusus, part, ofabstrudo,
to conceal ; abs, from, and trudo, to thrust.
ABSURD', adj. Contrary to reason. abs, from, and
L. absurdus
:
ACC—ACH
ACCOLADE, s. A ceremony, formerly used in conferring knight-
hood but whether an embrace or a blow, seems not to be settled.
;
15
ADD— ADM
ADD. v. To join ; to perform addition. L. addo ; from ad, to, and
do, to give.
ADDENDA. Things
to be added. L. addendvs, p. part of addo, to add.
ADDICT', v.devote commonly taken in a bad sense.
To ; L. addic-
tion, sup. of addico : from ad, to, and dico, to say, or dedicate.
ADDRESS', s. Dexterity; petition; courtship; manner of addressing
another. F. addresse: L. ad, to, and directus, p. part, of dirigo :
from di, signifying separation, and rego, to rule, or guide.
ADDUCE, v. To offer in argument. L. adduco ; from ad, to, and
duco, to bring.
ADDU'CENT. adj. A term applied to those muscles which draw to-
gether the parts of the body. L. adducens, part, of adduco : ad, to,
and duco, to draw.
ADEMP'TION. s. Taking away; privation. L. ademptio ; a, from,
and demptus, p. part, of demo, to take away.
ADEPT', s. One completely skilled in a particular art. L. adeptus,
part, of adipiscor, to obtain.
ADEQUATE, adj. Equal to: proportionate. L. adequatus ; from
ad, for, and quilum, sup. of queo, to be able.
ADME'RE. v. To stick to continue firmly fixed. L. adhareo ; from
;
ADM— ADV
ADMI'RE. To
regard with wonder, or pleasure. L. admirer ; from
v.
ADV—AFF
ADVERSE, adj. Opposing ; hostile. L. adversus ; from ad, against,
and versus, p. part, of verto, to turn.
ADVERT', v. To attend to; to speak of. L. adverio ; from ad, to,
and vc.rto, to turn.
ADVERTISE, To
inform to make public. L. ad, to, and verto,
v. ;
adviser ;) from ad, upon, and visum, (sup. of video) to see, or consi-
der.
ADVOCATE, s. One who pleads for another, or who speaks in favour
of any measure. L. advocatus ; from ad, for, and voco, to call out,
or speak.
ADVOLU'TION. s. The act of flying towards. L. advolo : ad, to,
and volo, to fly.
ADVOLU TION. s. The a.ct of rolling towards. L. advolutio ; from
ad, to, and volutus, p. part, of volvo, to roll.
ADVOW'SON. s. The right of presentation to a church, or ecclesias-
tical benefice. L. advocatio : ad, to, and voco, to call.
AERIFORM, adj. Gaseous; having the form of air. L. air, air, and
forma, shape.
2Ei ROLITE. s. A
solid substance, that has fallen out of the air, as a
meteoric stone, &c. G. air, air, and lithos, a stone.
AEROL'OGY. s. The doctrine of the atmosphere. G. aer, air, and
logos, a description.
AEROM'ETRY. s. The art of measuring the air. G. aer, air, and
metreo, to measure.
A'ERONAUT. s. One who ascends
in a balloon. L. air, the air, and
nauta, a sailor.G. aer, and nautes.
AEROSTATION, s. Aerial navigation; the science of guiding ma-
chines in the air. G. aer, air, and staios, sustaining istemi, to :
stand.
AFFABLE, adj. Aceostable; agreeable in discourse. F. affable; L.
ad, to, and fabulor, to speak; that is, an affable person is one who
may be spoken to.
AFFAIR', s. Business. F. affaire ; from faire, to do; L. facer e, infin.
of facio, to do.
AFFECT', v. To influence; to pretend. L. affectum, sup. of officio ;
sense is obsolete : —
to offer abuse to the face ; to insult, dare, or
brave openly. F. affronter ; L. ad, to, and frons, the front or face.
AFFU'SION. s. The act of pouring one thing upon another. L. affu-
sio ; affusus, p. part, ofaffundo: ad, upon, andfundo, to pour.
A FORTIORI. With stronger reason. L. a, with, fortiori, abl. of
fortior, stronger.
A'GENT. s. One who transacts business for another that which acts. ;
carry.
AGGLOMERATE, v. To come together, as a ball. L. agglomero ;
from ad, to, and glomus, a ball of yarn.
AGGLUTINATE, v. To
(used chiefly in medical language :)
join :
AIS— ALL
AISLE, s. The wing of a quire ; a walk in a church. F. axle, a wing
L. ala.
ALACRITY, Cheerful speed. L. alacritas ; from ala, a wing.
s.
al-i, a wing.
AL'BUMEN. s. That which forms the serum of the blood, the white
of egg.s, &c. L. alburn, the white of an egg.
AL'CHEMY. s. Formerly signified the most abstruse part of che-
mistry, as the attempt to transmute common metals into gold but ;
in another manner.
ALIBI. Means that the accused was absent when the crime was
committed. L. alibi, elsewhere.
A'LIEN. s. A
foreigner. L. alienus, from alius, another.
A'LIENATE. v. To transfer to another to withdraw the affections. ;
the more easily use their weapons. G. a, not, and mazos, a breast.
AMBASSADOR, s. A
person sent, in a public manner, from one
sovereign power to another. F. ambassadeur ; L. ambio, to go
about, or make interest for.
21
;
A MB— AMP
AMBIDEXTROUS, adj. Expert with both hands. L. ambidexter
from ambo, both, and dexter, right-handed.
AM'BIENT. adj. Surrounding encompassing. L. ambiens, part, of ;
to love.
AMTTY. s. Friendship peace. F. amitie L. amicitia amo, to love.
; ; :
AMP—ANE
AMTLIFY. v. To enlarge. F. amplifier ; L. ampins, large, and Jio,
to \e made.
AMPUTATE, v. To cut off. L. amputo, comp. of ab, from, and
puto, to lop.
AMULET, s. A
sort of charm, worn about the person. L. amu-
letum : probably, from amolior, to remove, or put away with diffi-
culty.
AMU'SE. To entertain; to deceive by artful management. F«
v.
amuser L. musa, a song, or poem.
;
ANO— ANT
ANON'YMOUS. adj. Without a name. L. anonymus : G. anonumos
a,without, and onuma, a name.
ANTAGONIST, s. An opponent. F. antagoniste : G. anti, against,
and agonizo, to contend.
ANTARCTIC, adj. A
term in astronomy. G. anti, opposite, and
arctic.
ANTECE'DENT. s. That which goes before. L. antecedens ; from
ante, before, and cedens, part, of cedo, to go.
ANTECES'SOR. s. One that goes before. L. See ANTECEDENT.
AN'TECHAMBER. s. A chamber that leads to the chief apartment.
L. ante, before, and chamber.
ANTEDATE, v. To date earlier than the proper time. L. ante, be-
fore, and date.
ANTEDILUVIAN, adj. Existing before the flood. L. ante, before,
and diluvium, a deluge.
ANTEMERIDIAN, or A. M. L. ante, before, meridies, noon.
ANTEMUN'DANE. L. ante,
adj. Before the creation of the world.
before, and mundus, the world.
ANTEN'NiE. s. In zoology, the horns or feelers of insects, projecting
from the head. L. antenna, a sail-yard.
AN'TEPENULT. s. The last syllable except two. L. antepenuHjma
ante, before, pene, almost, ultimus, the last.
ANTE'RIOR. adj. Going before; previous. L. anterior, the compar.
form of ante, before.
AN'THEM. s. A
hymn, sung in alternate parts any holy song. G. ;
ANT— APE
ANTI'PHONY. s. The answer of one
choir to another, when an an-
them or psalmsung by two choirs; alternate singing the words
is
1
given out at the beginning of a psalm, to which both the choirs are
to accommodate their singing. G. anti, against, and phone, voice.
ANTI'PHRASIS. s. An expression in which the words are used in a
sense opposite to their just meaning. G. anti, opposite to, and
phrasis, a form of speech.
ANTIP'ODES. s. People who live on opposite meridians, and in op-
posite latitudes. G. anti, opposite to, and podes, feet.
ANTIPOL'OMIST. s. One opposed to war. G. anti, against, and
polemos, war.
AN'TIQUARY. s. A searcher of ancient things. L. antiquarius
from ante, before, and qucero, to seek.
AN'TIQUATE. v. To make obsolete. L. antiquo. See ANTI-
QUARY.
ANTISCORBUTIC, adj. Efficacious against scurvy. G. anti, against,
and scorbutic.
ANTISEP'TIC. adj. Preventive of putrefaction. F. antiseptique : G.
anti, against, and sepo, to putrefy.
ANTISPASMODIC, adj. Efficacious against cramp. G. anti, against,
and spasmos, the cramp; spao, to draw.
ANTITH'ESIS. s. Contrast in words. G. antithesis; from anti,
against, and thesis, a position; tithemi, to place.
ANTIS'TASIS. s. In oratory, the defence of an action, from the con-
sideration that if it had been omitted, something worse would have
happened. G. anti, opposite, and stasis, station.
ANTISTROPHE'. s. In grammar, the changing of things mutually
depending on each other. Amongst the ancients, that part of a song
or dance, before the altar, which was performed by turning from
west to east, in opposition to the strophe. G. anti, opposite, and
strophe, a turning.
ANTITHETIC, adj. Placed in contrast. See ANTITHESIS.
ANTCE'CI. s. People who live in opposite latitudes, on the same me-
ridian. G. anti, opposite to, and oikeo, to dwell.
AN'TRILE. adj. Relating or belonging to a den or cavern. L. an-
trvm, a den.
ANXPETY. s. Trouble of mind, about a future event. L. anxietas ;
from angor, anguish ango, to strangle.
:
APPARATUS.
APPA'RENT. adj. Easily seen ; seeming, not real. L. apparens,
part, ofappareo; from ad, to, and pareo, to appear.
APPARITION, s. An L. appareo, to appear.
ideal spectre.
APPEAL', v. To remove a cause from a lower, to a higher tribunal;
to refer. L. apcllo, to applv to ad and pello. :
27
APP— APP
APPEAR', v. To come in view ; to be apparent. L. appareo, to ap-
pear ; ad and pareo.
APPE'ASE. v. To quiet. F. appetiser ; a, to, and paix, peace : L.
ad and pax.
APPEL'LATE. adj. Appellate jurisdiction is the power of hearing
appeals. See APPEAL.
APPELL A'TION. s. A name. L. appellatio ; appello, to call ; from
ad, to, and pello, to strike or effect : so as to draw attention.
APPEND', v. To hang or attach. L. appendo : ad, to, and pendo, to
hang.
APPEN'DIX. s. A
supplement. L. appendix. See APPEND.
APPERTAIN', v. To belong (with to.) F. appartenir ; L. ad, to,
and perteneo, to belong perteneo is from per, by, and teneo, to hold.
:
aqua, water.
A'QUILINE. adj. An aquiline nose resembles an eagle's beak. L.
aquilinus ; from aquila, an eagle.
A'RABLE. adj. Fit for cultivation. L. arabilis ; aro, to plough.
AR'BITER. s. Ajudge; one who has the power of direction. L.
arbiter, an arbitrator, or ruler.
ARBITRARY, adj. Despotic; independent of rules. L. arbitrarius.
See ARBITER.
AR'BITRATOR. s. A judg-e, chosen by mutual consent. L. arbitror,
to award. See ARBITER.
ARBORESCENT, adj. Growing in the form of a tree. L. arbore.
scens, part, of arboresco : arbor, a tree.
AR'BORIST. s. One who makes trees his study. L. arbor, a tree.
AR'BOUR. s. A bower. L. arbor, a tree.
ARC. s. Part of a circle. L. arcus, a bow or arch; because these de-
scribe only part of a circle.
ARCA'DE. s. A
continued arch a walk covered with an arched roof.
;
ARC— ARM
ARCHAIOL'OGY. s. A discourse on antiquity. G. archios, ancient,
and logos, a word.
ARCH'ER. s. One who uses a bow. L. arcus, a bow.
ARCHETYPE, s. The original. L. archetypus ; G. arche, the be.
ginning-, and tupos, a type. See TYPE.
ARCHIEPIS'COPAL, ARCHEPIS'COPAL. adj. Belonging to an
archbishop. G. archos, chief, and episkopos, an overseer. See
EPISCOPAL.
ARCHTTECT. s. A
professor of the art of building. L. architectus
G. archos, chief, and tekton, a builder.
ARCHTTRAVE. s. The moulding next above the capital of a column :
A'RIES. s. A
sign of the zodiac. L. aries, a ram.
ARISTOCRACY, s. A
government by nobles. G. aristos, best, or
most eminent, and krateo, to govern meaning, where the most :
—
Noah. L. area, a chest. The close rooms in which meal is kept in
some parts of Britain, and a species of vessels with which the people
of the United States descend their rivers, are called arks.
ARMIL'LARY. adj. Resembling a bracelet. L. armilla, a bracelet
— See Ferguson's description of the globes.
30
:
ARM-ASP
ARMISTICE, s. A cessation
of arms, for a short time, by conven-
tion; a truce. L. anna, arms, and sisto, to stand still.
AROMAT'IC. adj. Spicy fragrant. F. aromatique : L. aroma, spice,
;
ARSENAL, s. A
military workshop or magazine. F. arsenal: L.
ars, an art or trade.
AR'SON. s. The malicious burning of another's property: (used by
lawyers ;) arsum, sup. of ardeo, to burn.
A
AR'TERY. s. tube or canal which conveys the blood from the heart
to all parts of the body. G. arteria ; from airo, to take awaj'.
AR'TICLE. s. A
part of speech a particular part. L. articulus, a
;
joint.
ARTICULATE, v. To pronounce distinctly. L. articulo ; from ar-
ticulus, a joint, or point.
AR'TIFICE. Trick stratagem. F. artifice : L. artijicium ; from
s. ;
ASS— ATT
ASSUMP'SIT. An action of assumpsit lies against a builder, or any
other person, who has failed to perform^his contract. L. assumpsit,
(from assumo,) he undertook.
ASSURE, v. To give confidence ; to insure. F. assurer : L. ad, to,
and securus, safe.
AS'TERISK. s. A mark (*) used in printing. G. asteriskos, dim. of
aster, a star.
ASTEROI'D. s. Something partaking of the form of a star. G.
aster, a star, and oidos, form.
AST'HMA. s. A difficult, short respiration. G. asthma : from ao, to
blow.
ASTONTSH. v. To confound ; to amaze. F. etonner, (formerly eston-
ner) : L. ad, at, and tono, to thunder.
ASTOUND', v. To astonish, (a vulgarism.) F. etonner, (formerly
estonner.) See ASTONISH.
AS'TRAL. adj. Relating to the stars. L. astrum, a star.
ASTRIC'TION. s. Act of contracting, by medical applications. L.
astrictio ; from astrictus, p. part, of astringo, to tie or bind.
ASTRIN'GENT. adj. Contracting. L. astringens, part, of astringo
from ad, to, and stringo, to truss up, or bind.
AS'TROLABE. s. An instrument formerly used for ascertaining lati-
tudes. G. astron, a star,and lamhano, to take.
ASTROL'OGY. s. The pretended science of foretelling by the stars.
L. astrologia : G. astron, a star, and logos, a discourse.
ASTRON'OMY. s. Knowledge of the heavenly bodies. G. astrono-
mia ; from astron, a star, and nomos, a law or rule.
AS'TROSCOPE. s. An astronomical instrument, by means of which
the stars may easily be known. G. astron, a star, and skopeo, to
view.
ASTU'TE. ; cunning. L. astutus, from astus, craft.
adj. Subtle
ASYLUM, Place of safety. L. asylum : G. a, without, and sulon,
s.
part, of sulao, to plunder meaning, free from robbery, or hnrt.
:
AU'DIENCE. The
act of hearing ; hearers.
s. F. audience : L. au-
diens, part, of audio, to hear.
AUDIT, v. To review or examine the accounts of another. See
AUDITOR.
AU'DITOR. s. A hearer ; an examiner of public accounts. L. auditor ;
from audio, to hear.
AU FAIT. " He is quite au fait, in those things;" a French phrase,
implying a certain familiarity with, or mastery of a subject.
AUGMENT', v. To increase to become larger, or more. L. augmen,
;
See AUSPICE.
AUSTE'RE. adj. Harsh; of a distant manner. L. austerus : G.aus-
teros : from auo, to dry up.
AUS'TRAL. adj. Southern. L. australis ; from auster, the south.
AUTHEN'TIC. adj. Proceeding from sufficient authority. L. au-
thenticus : G. authentes, an author.
AUTH'OR. s. One who first effects, or produces any thing. L. auc-
tor ; from auctus, p. part, of augeo, to increase, or create.
AUTHOR'ITY. s. Testimony; influence; power. From author : be-
cause, authority, in its various significations, must proceed from its
—
proper source, the author.
AUTOBIOG'RAPHY. s. Memoirs of any person, written by himself.
G. autos, self, and BIOGRAPHY.
AU'TOCRAT. s. An absolute prince. G. autos, self, and kratos,
power.
AU'TOGRAPH. s. A
particular person's own handwriting or the
;
to serve.
A'VALANCHES. Prodigious snow-balls, that frequently roll down
s.
the mountains in Savoy. F. avalanches : avaler, to fall down.
AV ANT-COURIER, s. A
messenger, sent forward to announce the
approach of some great personage. F. avant, before, and courier.
AVARICE, s. Insatiable desire of wealth. L. avaritia ; from aveo,
to covet.
AVENGE', v. To punish in behalf of another. F. venger : L. vinco,
to conquer or subdue. Revenge is to punish in behalf of one's-self.
AVENUE, s. A way of approach. F. avenue L. ad, to, and venio,
:
to come.
AVER', v. To declare solemnly. F. averer : L. ad, to, and verum, the
truth.
AVERAGE, v. To
one degree of value on things of various quali-
fix
ties. L. averagium ad, to, verum, truth, and ago, to bring.
:
AVOIRDUPOI'S. adj. A
kind of weight, having sixteen ounces in a
pound. F. avoir du poids, to have just weight probably, the statute, :
B.
BAP— BEN
BAPTI'ZE. v. To administer baptism ; to christen. G. baptizo, to
wash, dip, or besprinkle.
BAR'BAROUS. L. barbarus : G. barbaros,
adj. Uncivilized ; cruel.
foreign. The Greeks and Romans
applied this term to denote want
of civilization, as we do at the present time.
BARB'ED. adj. Pointed as an arrow, or a fishing-hook. L. barba, a
beard.
BAR'BER. s. A
man who. shaves beards for hire. F. barbier : L.
barba, a beard.
BAROM'ETER. s. An instrument for ascertaining the pressure of the
atmosphere. G. baros, weight, and metreo, to measure.
BASE. s. The lower part, as of a column. See BASIS.
BASE. adj. Mean, dishonest. See ABASE.
BA'SILISK. s. A
kind of serpent, which is said to affright away by
hissing, and to kill by looking, G. basiliskos ; basileus, a king.
BAS'IS. s. The foundation ; first principle. G. and L. basis, the lower
part or base of a pillar.
BATCH'ELOR, BACHELOR, s. A man unmarried; a man who
takes his degrees, at a university ; a knight of the lowest order.
first
The etymology of this word is uncertain. " The second and most
numerous class of chivalric heroes, consisted of knights, who were
originally called bas-chevaliers, in contradistinction to the first class ;
but, in process of time, the word batchelor designated the esquire,
rather than the cavalier himself." Mills' Chivalry, 35.
BATH'OS. s. The art of sinking in poetry, or other literary composi-
tion. G. bathos, the bottom.
BATON, A s. marshal's staff. F. baton : L. batuo, to beat.
BATTERY, s. Act of battering; a number of cannon used for bat-
tering, or the frame upon which they are mounted ; a violent striking
or laying hold of any person. F. batterie : L. batuo, to 'strike.
BAWL. v. To cry aloud. L. balo, to bleat as a sheep.
BEAT. v. To strike, or conquer. L. batuo, to strike.
BEATIFY, v. To bless. L. beatifico; from beatus, happy, and facio,
to make : beo, to bless.
BEATITUDE, s. Superior degree of happiness. L. beatiludo ; from
beatus, happy : beo, to bless.
BE A U MONDE. The gay or fashionable world. F. beau, fine, and
monde, the world.
BEAUTY, s. An assemblage of graces, or an assemblage of proper-
ties in the form of the person or any other object which pleases the
eve. F. beaute : beau, handsome.
BEAUX ESPRITS. Men of wit. F. beaux, pi. of beau, pleasant,
and esprits, pi. of esprit, a spirit.
BEEF. s. Flesh of an ox, bull, or cow. F. boeuf: L. bovis, gen. of
bos, an ox, bull, or cow.
BELLES LETTRES. s. Polite Literature, (with the,) pronounced
bel-letter. F. les belles lettres, polite learning.
BELLI'GERENT. s. A party in a war. L. belligerans, part, of belli,
gero: bellum, war, and gero, to carry on.
BENEDICTION, s. A blessing. L. benedictio : bene, well, and dic-
tio, an expression : dico, to say.
o 37
BEN— BIS
BENEFACTOR, s. One who confers a benefit. L. bene, well, and
facio, to do.
BENEFICE, s. An ecclesiastical living. L. benejicium, an obliga- .
See BENEFACTOR.
BENEVOLENT, adj. Well-inclined; charitable. L. benevolens ; bene,
well, and volo, to wish.
BENIGNITY", s. Graciousness ;
goodness. L. benignitas ; from bene,
well, happily.
BES'TIAL. adj. Resembling a beast ; belonging to the class of beasts ;
it now
denotes the crime of having two wives, or of having two hus-
bands. G. bis, double, and gameo, to marry.
BI'NARY. adj. By couples. L. binus ; from bis, double.
BIOG RAPHY. s. Personal history. G. bios, life, and grapho, to write.
BI'PAROUS. adj. Having two at a birth. L. bis, double, and pario,
to bring forth.
BIPAR'TITE. adj. Having two parts. L. bipartitus, part, of bipar-
tior : bis, twice, and partior, to divide.
BITED. s. An animal having two feet. L. bipedis, gen. of bipes ; bis,
double, and pes, a foot.
BIPET'ALOUS. adj. Consisting of two flower leaves ; having two
petals. L. bis, twice, and petalon, a leaf.
BIS'CUIT. s. Hard bread. F. biscuit: L. bis, twice, and F. cuit, part
of cuire, to bake.
38
BIS— BRA
BISECT', v. To divide into two parts. L. binus, by couples, and seco,
to cut.
BISHOP, s. One who is placed over several churches. Derived,
through the Saxon, from L. episcopus : G. epi, over, and skopeo, to
look.
BISSEX'TILE. L. bis-
adj. Relating to every fourth, or leap year.
sextiles. In the Roman
Calendar, both the 24th and 25th of Febru-
ary were denominated sexto Kalendas Mar lias ; hence, the redupli-
cative term, bis, twice, is prefixed to sextilis, which relates to the
sixth of the Kalends of March. See Adams's Rom. Ant. 330, 331.
BITUMINOUS, adj. Having the qualities of bitumen pitchy. L. ;
BLAND.
BLANK, s. A space not written upon unproductive result of a lottery
;
chance. F. blanc, white that is, having the white paper visible.
:
BLANK'ET. s. A
woolen cloth used in a printing-press, or for cover-
ing a bed. F. blanchet : blanche, white.
BLASPHE'ME. v. To speak irreverently of religion. G. blasphemeo :
blax, impious, and phemi, to say.
BLEMISH, v. To mark with any deformity; to tarnish; to defame.
F. blemir : bleme, pale, wan.
BOIL. v. To be agitated by heat. F. bouillir : L. bullio ; from bulla,
a bubble.
BOIL. s. A
vulgar term for a bile. From the verb, to boil ; alluding
to the form of a bile, —
that of a bubble.
BO'LUS. s. A
large pill. L. bolus, a lump.
BOMB. s. A
hollow ball, filled with gunpowder. F. bombe : L. bom-
bus, a buzzing noise.
BOM'BAST. s. Inflated language. L. bombus, a buzzing noise.
BONA FIDE. Actually; really. The phrase is also used adjectively,
for actual, real. L. bona, (from bonus,) in good, and fide, (from
fides,) faith.
BON MOT. A witty expression. F. bon, good, and mot, a word, or
saying.
BONNE BOUCHE. A nice or sweet morsel. F. bonne, fern, of bon,
good, and bouche, the mouth.
BON VIVANT. A
luxurious person. F. bon, well, and vivant, part.
ofvivre, to live.
BOTANY, s. The science of plants. G. botane, an herb.
BOUNTY, s. Generosity pecuniary encouragement. F. bonte : L.
;
roaring noise.
BRUNETTE', s. A pretty female, with a brown complexion. F. bru-
nette, (dim. of brun, brown,) a little girl who is brown.
BRUTE, s. An animal without reason. L. brutus, insensible, irra-
tional G. barutes, heaviness baros, weight.
: ;
C.
CABTNET. s. A
a small room or retired apartment; the se-
closet,
lect or secret council of a prince or an executive government a ;
CAC—CAL
CAC'OCHYMY. s. An unhealthy state of the animal juices. G, kafco-
ness of an arrow.
CALCA'REOUS. adj. Of the nature of lime. See CALX.
CALCI'NE. v. To decompose by burning. F. calciner. See CALX.
CAL'CULATE. v. To numerate to conjecture. L. calculus, a pebble ;
;
CANK'ER. s. A
cancerous sore. L. cancer, a crab. See CANCER.
CANNIBAL, s. A
person who eats human flesh. L. canis, a doer.
CANNON, s. A
great-gun. F. canon, formerly cannon : L. canna,
a large tube.
CAN'ON. s. A
church law. G. kanon, a rule.
CAN'ONIZE. v. To declare any person a saint. From canon ; because
his name is placed in the canon for observing festivals.
CANOPY, s. A
covering over a throne or over a bed more gene- ; ;
CAR—CAS
CAR'BUNCLE. A
jewel which shines in the dark a red spot, or
s. ;
CARNIVAL, s. A
feast before Lent. F. carnaval : L. carnis, gen.
of caro, flesh, and valeo, to take leave, or bid farewell.
CARNIVOROUS, adj. Having a natural inclination to eat flesh. L.
carnivorus : carnis, gen. of caro, flesh, and voro, to devour
CARP. v. To cavil. L. carpo, to pluck, or find fault.
CAR'PENTER. s. An artificer in wood. F. charpentier : carpe.ns,
part, of carpo, to carve, separate, or divide.
CAR'RION. s. Flesh unfit for the food of man. F. charogne : from
carter, to rot.
CARTE-BLANCHE, s. An unlimited commission. F. carte, a card,
and blanche, white, or unwritten.
CARTEL', s. A
writing containing stipulations between enemies,
generally relating to an exchange of prisoners a vessel sailing ;
CAS—CAU
rattle in their hands. Spanish castanela ; from the L. castanea, a
chesnut, because of their resemblance to two chesnuts.
CAS'TIGATE. v. To chastise; to. punish. L. castigo ; from castus,
pure, and ago, to make.
CASTRAME TA'TION. s. Science of measuring and laying out the
ground for an encampment. L. castra, a camp, and G. metreo, to
measure.
CAS'UAL. chance; cado, to fall.
adj. Accidental. F. casuel: L. casus, a
CAS'UIST. s. One who by argument. F. casu-
justifies evil actions
iste : L. casus, an event, occasion, or emergency.
CATACHRE'SIS. s. Abuse of words. G. katachresis : from kata,
against, and chresis, use.
CATACOMBS, s. Places for the dead. L. catacumba : G. kata,
against, and kumbos, a hollow place alluding to the body being
:
to see.
CAU'DAL. adj. Relating or belonging to the tail.
L. cauda, a tail.
CAU'DLE. s. A
kind of warm drink, composed of wine and other
materials, prepared for the sick, and also given to the visiters of a
lady after her confinement.
CAUSE, s. That which effects; subject of litigation ;
party. L. causa,
a cause.
CAUSIDTCAL. adj. Relating to a suit at law, or to a lawyer. L. cau.
sidicus, a lawyer : causa, a cause, or law-suit, and dico, to speak.
45
;
CAU—CEN
CAUSTIC, Destroying the texture of any thing, by its hot, cor-
adj.
rosive nature. G. kauslikos : kaio, to burn.
CAU'TERY. s. An iron used by. surgeons for burning the flesh; a
caustic substance. F. cautere : G. kauter : kaio, to burn.
CAU'TION. s. Regard to, or notice of, danger prudence foresight. ;
;
leber, renowned.
CELERITY, despatch.
s. Swiftness
L. celcritas : celer, swift.
;
CEN'OTAPH. s. A
monument for a person buried at another place.
G. kenotaphion : kenos, empty, and taphos, a sepulchre.
CEN'SER. s. A vessel in which incense is burned. F. encensoir :
L. incensus, p. part, ofincendo, to burn.
CEN'SOR. s. A corrector an examiner. L. censor : censeo, to judge.
;
a hundred.
CEPHALTC. adj. Medicinal to the head. F. cephalique : G. kephale,
the head.
CE'RATE. s. An ointment composed chiefly of wax. L. ceratum :
cera, wax.
CERE'CLOTH. s. Cloth dipped in wax or gum. L. cera, wax, and
cloth.
CER'TAIN. adj. Determined; stated; regular; sure; indubitable.
L. certus ; from cerno, to or separate.
sift,
CERTIFY, v. To make a formal attestation. F. certifier : L. certus,
sure, and facio, to make.
CERTIORARI, s. A
writ to order the record of a cause to be brought
before a superior court. L. certiorari, to be made more certain.
CERU'LEAN. adj. Light blue. L. cceruleus : ccelum, the sky.
CER'UMEN. s. The wax formed in the ear. L. cerumen : cera, wax.
CESS. s. A
tax levied, by its own officers, on a county or a parish.
L. cessum, sup. ofcedo, to yield.
CESSA'TION. s. A
stop ; suspension of action. L. cessatio. See
CEASE.
CES'SION. s. Resignation ; assignment. L. cessio ; from cessum, sup.
of cedo, to vield.
CETACEOUS, adj. Of the whale kind. L. cctus : G.ketos, a whale.
CETOL'OGY. s. The doctrine or natural history of cetaceous animals
G. ketos, a whale, and logos, discourse.
CHAFE, v. To heat by rubbing; to make angry; to fret. F. chauf.
fer : L. calfacio : calidus, hot, and facio, to make.
CHALTCE. s. A sacramental cup. F. calice : L. calix : G. kulix, a
cup.
CHALYB'EATE. adj. Impregnated with iron or steel. L. chalybs :
G. clialvps, steel.
CHAMA'DE. s. The beat of a drum, indicating a desire for a parley. F.
CHAM'OIS. s. A kind of soft leather. F. chamois, a wild goat.
CHAMPAIGN', adj. Relating to a flat, open country. F. campagne ;
from champ : L. campus, a field.
47
CHA-CHA
CHAM'PION. s. A warrior
one who engages in single combat. F.
;
champion : champ
L. campus, a field.
:
CHA'OS. s. A
confused mass or mixture. G. chaos, signifying, pro-
perly, a vast chasm from chao, to gape.
:
took the name capella, a little hat, and the priest, who had the cus-
tody of the tent, was called capellanus, now chaplain,
CHAPERON, v. To attend on a lady, in a public assembly. F. cha-
peron, a hood or cap anciently worn by men, women, nobles, and the
populace.
CHAPLAIN, s. Originally, an ecclesiastic, who performs service in
a chapel. See CHAPEL.
CHAP'LET. s. A
garland or wreath for the head. F. chapelet : L.
caput, the head.
CHAP'TER. s. A
division of a book (an assembly of the clergy of a ;
printing representation
; reputation. L. character, a branding-,
;
E 49
CHO—CIR
CHOL'ERIC. adj. Bilious irascible.
; L. cholericus : G. chole, bile.
CHOL'IC. s. A painful disorder of the stomach or bowels. G. chole,
bile.
CHO'RAL. adj. Belonging to a choir. See CHOIR.
CHO'RUS. s. A band of singers part of a song in which the whole
;
See CIRCLE.
CIRCUMAG'GERATE. s. To heap around. L. circumaggero .- cir-
cum, around, and aggero, to heap.
CIRCUMAMBIENT, adj. Going around. L. circum, around, and
ambiens, part, of ambio, to go about.
CIR'CUMCISE. v. To cut the foreskin. L. circumcisum, sup. of cir-
cumcido: circum, around, and cado, to cut.
CIRCUM'FERENCE. s. Boundary of a circle. L. circumferens, part.
of circumfero: circum, around, and fero, to carry.
CIRCUMFEREN'TOR. s. An instrument used in surveying. L.
circum, around, and fero, to carry.
CIR'CUMFLEX. s. In grammar, an accent, serving to denote or dis.
tinguish a syllable of an intermediate sound between acute and
grave used in the Greek, bat not in the English language. L.
;
tuation.
CLAUS'TRAL. adj. Relating to a cloister or religious house. L.
claustrum, an inclosure. See CLOSE.
CLAVICLE, s. The collar-bone. L. clavicula, a little key or bolt:
clavis, a key or bolt.
CLEF. s. A
character in music, placed at the beginning of a stave.
F. clef ; L. clavis, a key.
CLEM'ENCY. s. Mercy ; humanity. L. dementia : clemens, quiet,
peaceable.
CLER'GY. s. The body of ecclesiastics, in distinction from the laity.
F. clerge. See CLERK.
CLERICAL, adj. ReLting or pertaining to the clergy. L. clericus ;
the same title is given to nearly all persons employed in any subor-
0-4
CLI—COG
dinate office, that requires a knowledge of writing or accounts. L.
clericus, a clergyman : G. kleros, a lot, or office.
CLIMACTERIC, CLIMACTRIC. s. or period of life, when some A
great change supposed to befall the body. F. climaterique ; L.
is
climactericus : G. klimakter, the step of a ladder. See CLIMAX.
CLI'MATE. s. A space measured from the equator to the p les a ;
remaining together.
COLLA'TION. s. Act of collating; a species of repast. L. collatio.
See COLLATE.
COL'LEAGUE. s. An associate, or partner. L. con, together, and
league.
COLLECT', v. To gather; to assemble. L. collectum, sup. ofcolligo:
con, together, and lego, to gather.
COL'LEGE. s. A public place of study; a state-assembly. L. coZZe-
sivm ; from colligo. See COLLECT.
COLLIGATION, s. The
act of binding together. L. colligatio : coU
ligatus, p. part, of colligo : con, together, and ligo, to bind.
54
;
COL—COM
COLLISION, The
act of striking together.
s. L. collisio ; from coU
lido : con, together, and lado,
to strike or hurt,
COLLOCA TION. The
act of placing things together.
s. L. collo.
catio : collocatus, p. part, of colloco : con, together, and loco, to
place.
COLLOQUIAL, adj. Relating or belonging to familiar discourse.
See COLLOQUY.
COL'LOQU Y„ s. Conversation ; conference. L. colloquium ; con, to-
gether, and loquor, to speak.
COLLU'DE. v. To play in concert, so as to cheat ; to conspire in a
fraud. L. colludo: con, together, and ludo, to play.
COLLUSION, s. Act of colluding; design of two or more persons to
lumns, disposed in a circle, and insulated on the inner side; any se-
ries or range of columns. See COLUMN.
COL'ONY. s. A
country planted by a foreign state the people inha- ;
columba, a pigeon.
COL'UMN. s. A round pillar, by which something is supported a ;
of a cock. L. coma, the hair the cavities in which bees lodge their
:
COM—COiVI
COMMUNICATE, v. To impart, or reveal. L. communico. See
COMMON.
COMMUNION, s. Intercourse; participation. L. communio. See
COMMON.
COMMUNITY, The state of being common
s. ;
people united into a
society, and having a common interest; that state which is opposed
to individuality L. communitas. See COiWMON.
of interest.
COMMUTE, v. To change; to put one thing in the place of another.
L. commuto ; from con, with, and muto, to change.
COM' PACT. s. An agreement. L. con, with, and partus, part, of
paciscor, to bargain.
COMPACT', adj. Firm ; close. L. compactus, p. part, of compingo :
con, together, and pango, to strike, or drive in.
COMPANION, s. An associate. F. compagnon: L. compago, a joint
con, together, and pango, to fix.
COMPAR'ATIVE. adj. Relating to comparison. See COMPARE.
COMPA'RE. v. To judge or estimate, relatively, things which have
some resemblance, or are of the same nature. L. comparo : con, to-
gether, and par, a pair.
COM'PASS. v. To encircle; to surround; to attain. See the noun.
COM'PASS. s. Circle ; round ; limits ; an instrument with which a
circle is drawn ; an instrument whereby mariners steer. L. con,
with, and passus, p. part, ofpando, to spread or extend.
COMPAS'SION. s. Pity. F. compassion : L. con, with, and passus,
part, ofpatior, to suffer.
COMPATIBLE, adj. Suitable ; consistent. F. compatible : L. con,
together, and patibilis ; patior, to receive, or suffer to be mixed
with.
COMPATRIOT, s. One of the same country a fellow-patriot. F.
;
COM—CON
menium, a filling up, or completion ; from compleo. See COM-
PLETE.
COMPLE'TE. adj. Perfect ; full. L. completus, part, of camplcor
con, with, and pleor, to be filled.
COMPLEX, adj. Of many
parts; entangled. L. complexus, part, of
complector : and plector, to be folded.
con, together,
COMPLEX'ION. s. Appearance, (all the colours, or all the circum-
stances, being seen in one view ;) colour of the face. F. complexion :
L. complexio. See COMPLEX.
COMPLICATE, adj. Involved difficult. L. complicatus, part, of
;
CON— CON
CON'CAVE. adj. Hollow ; opposed to convex. L. concavus ; from
cavea, a cave.
CONCEAL', v. To hide. L. concelo : celo, to hide.
CONCEDE, v. To yield, or grant. L. concedo: con, with, and cedo,
to yield.
CONCEIT', s. Thought; opinion; pride. F. concept: L. conceptus,
of concipio, to conceive.
p. part,
CONCEIVE', v. To form in the mind to comprehend to think to ; ; ;
and cresco.
59
CON—CON
CON'CUBINE. s. A
woman who cohabits with a man, without the
authority of a legal marriage ; the mistress of a married man. L.
concvbina : con, with, and cubo, to lie.
CONCUPISCENCE, s. Irregular desire; lust. L. concupiscentia :
concupisco, to covet incep. from con, and cvpio, to desire.
:
fero, to bring.
CONFESS', ik To acknowledge; to avow ; to hear the confession of a
penitent, as a priest. F. confesser : L. confiteor : con, with, andfateor,
to own or avow fatus, p. part, of for, to speak.
:
CON—CON
CONFL AGRA'TION. s. An extensive fire. F. conflagration : L. con,
tog-ether, and flagro, to burn.
CON'FLICT. s. A violent collision ; a combat. L. conflictus ; from
conjiigo : con, together, and fligo, to dash.
CONFLUENCE, s. Meeting of streams. L. confluens, part, of con-
fluo : con, together, arnd fluo, to flow.
CON' FLUX. s. Concourse ; crowd. L. confluxus, part, of confluo.
See CONFLUENCE.
CONFORM', v. To assimilate; to comply with. L. conformo: con,
with, and formo, to shape.
CONFOUND', v. To perplex, or amaze. L. confundo : con, together,
and fundo, to pour.
CONFRONT', v. To bring face to face. F. confronter : L. con, toge-
ther, and frons, the forehead, or front.
CONFU'SE. v. To mix or blend things, so that they cannot be distin-
guished to disorder, or perplex. L. confusus, p. part, of confundo.
;
See CONFOUND.
CONFU'TE. v. To convict of error, or falsehood. L. confuto ; from
con, and futo, to argue.
CONGEAL', v. To become solid, as ice. L. congelo : gelu, ice.
CONGE', s. Act of reverence bow courtesy leave farewell.
; ; ; ; F.
CONGE' D'ELIRE. s. Signifies, in England, the king's permission
to a dean and chapter, to choose a bishop. F. conge, a license,
d'elire, to elect.
CONGE'NI AL. adj. Of the same kind ; agreeable. L. con, with, and
genus, a sort.
CONGES'TION. s. A collection of humours, or an accumulation of
blood, in some part of an animal body. L. congestio : conjestus, p.
part, ofconjero: con, together, and gero, to bear.
CONGLOMERATE, v. To become round. L. conglomero : con, and
glomus, a ball of thread.
CONGLU'TINATE. v. To cement. L. conglutino : gluten, glue.
CONGRATULATE, v. To rejoice with a person on account of his
good fortune. L. congratulor : con, with, and gratus, thankful.
A
CONGREGA'TION. s. collection a religious assembly. L. congre- ;
CON— CON
CONJUNCTION, s. Act of conjoining; a connector of words. L.
conjunctio; from conjungo: con, together, and jungo, to join.
CONJURE', v. To call upon by a sacred name, or in a solemn man-
ner. L. conjuro : con, with, and juro, to swear.
CONJURE. (Pronounced kun'jur.) To practise the arts of a con-
jurer. See CONJURE.
CONNAS'CENCE. s. The common birth of two or more at the
same time. L. con, with, and nascor, to be born.
CONNATE', adj. Born with another united in origin; growing from ;
common-law courts.
CONSOLE, v. To comfort. L. consolor ; from con, with, and solor,
to cheer.
CONSOLIDATE, v. To make firm ; to unite. L. con, together, and
solidus, firm.
CONSO'NANT. adj. According with. L. consonans, part, of consono :
lot.
CONSPICUOUS, adj. Obvious to the sight; distinguished. L. con-
spicuus ; from conspicio, (con, and specio,) to discern.
CONSPI'RE. v. To plot ; to join. L. conspiro : con, together, and
spiro, to breathe.
CON'STABLE. officer was so called, because his duty was to
s. This
regulate all matters of chivalry, tilts, tournaments, and feats of arms,
that were performed on horseback. L. comes, an attendant or com-
panion, stabuli, (gen. of stabulum,) of the stable.
CONSTANT, adj. Perpetual; continent; assiduous. L. constans ;
from con, with, and stans, part, of sto, to stand.
CONSTELLATION, s. A cluster of stars. L. con, together, and
stella, pi. of Stella, a star.
CONSTERNATION, s. Amazement. L. consternatio : con, together,
and sterno, to spread, or throw down.
CON'STIPATE. v. To thicken ; to make costive. L. constipo : con,
together, and stipo, to stuff.
CONSTIT'UENT. s. A necessary part; one who appoints. L. con-
stituens. Soe CONSTITUTE.
CON'STITUTE. v. To form to appoint. ; L. constituo : con, together,
and statuo, to establish : sto, to stand.
CONSTITUTION, s. The act of constituting; established form of
government ; frame. L. consiitutio. See CONSTITUTE.
63
:::
CON— CON
CONSTRAIN', v. To compel to hinder by force. F. constraindre
;
pret to translate.
; L. constrvo. See CONSTRUCT.
CONSTRUCT', v. To frame to build to form in the mind. L.
; ;
into, or —
examine as, to consult an author. L. consulto, frequent.
of consulo : con, together, and salio, to leap signifying, to run or ;
act in accordance.
CONSU'ME. v. To spend to destroy. L. consumo : con, with, and
;
sumo, to take.
CON'SUMMATE. v. To complete. L. consummo from summus, the ;
top.
CONSUMMATE, adj. Complete; accomplished. L. consummalus.
See the verb.
CONSUMPTION, s. The act of consuming; wasting; state of being
CON—CON
CONTEST, t». To dispute. L. contestor : eon, together, and testor,
to aver, or call evidence.
CONTEXT, s. General connexion or body of a discourse. L. con-
textus, woven together,
CONTIGUOUS, adj. Meeting, so as to touch. L. contiguus ; from
contingo. See CONTACT.
CONTINENCE, s. Self-restraint; chastity, F. continence : L. conti.
nentia. See CONTINENT.
CONTINENT, adj. Unchangeable chaste. ; F. continent : L. conti.
nens, part, of contineo : con, together, and teneo, to hold.
CONTINENT, s. A
vast tract of land, not disjoined by the sea. F.
continent. See the adjective.
CONTIN'GENT. adj. Happening by chance ; accidental. L. contin.
gens, part, of contingo: con, together, and tango, to touch.
CONTINUE, v. To remain; to extend; to protract. L. continuo
con, together, and teneo, to hold.
CONTINUITY, s. Connexion ; continuation. F. continuile. See
CONTINUE.
CONTORTION, s. Twist; contraction. L, contortio ; from con, to-
gether, and tortus, p. part, of tor queo, to twist.
CONTRACT', v. To draw together ; to lessen in extent ; to bargain.
L. contractum, sup. of contraho : con, together, and traho, to draw.
CONTRACT, A s. bargain. See the verb.
CONTRACTION, a. The act of shortening. L. contractio. See
CONTRACT'.
CONTRADICT', To
deny, or oppose verbally. L. contradictum,
v.
sup. of contradico contra, against, and dico, to speak.
:
or opposite to.
CONTRAST, s. Opposition, in form, colours, &c. F. contraste : L.
contra, opposite to.
CONTRAVALLATION. A defence
erected parallel with another.
s.
L. contra, against, and vallum, a defence.
CONTRA VE'NE. v. To oppose ; to obstruct ; to baffle. L. contrave-
nio : contra, against, and venio, to come.
CONTRIB'UTE. v. To give aid, in conjunction with one or more
persons. L. contribuo : con, together, and tribuo, to give.
CONTRITE, adj. Penitent. L. contritus, p. part, of c outer o : con, to-
gether, and tritus, p. part, of tero, to rub, or break.
CONTRI'VE. v. To plan. F. controuver : comme, as or like, and
tr ouver, to find.
CONTROL', s. Check ; restraint. F. controle ; from contre, against,
and rolle, a list : meaning, a document capable of discovering the
errors of an account.
CONTROVERT', v. To dispute. L. controverto ; from contra, against,
and verto, to turn,
CONTUMACIOUS, adj. Haughty, disobedient, contemptuous. L.
contumax. See CONTUMELY.
CONTUMELY, s. Contempt; reproach. L. contumelia ; from con.
tra, against, against, and tumeo, to swell.
f* 65
CON—COO
CONTUSION, s. Bruise. L. contusio: con, together, and tusus, p,
part, oftundo, to beat.
CONVALES'CENT, adj. Recovering strength, L. convalescens, part.
of convalesco, to grow strong valeo, to be able. :
COO—COR
CO-OP'ERATE. v. To labour or act jointly. L. con, together, and
operate.
CO-OR'DINATE. Having the same
adj. L. con, together, and
rank.
ordinatus, of nrdino, to range.
p. part,
CO'PIOUS. adj. Plentiful. L. copiosus ; from copia, plenty.
COP'ULA. s. In logic, signifies the word which unites the subject and
predicate of a proposition. L. copula ; from copulo, to couple. See
COUPLE.
COP'ULATIVE, adj. A term in grammar and logic. L. copulalivus.
See COPULA.
COP'Y. s. Exact resemblance. F. copie : L. copia, fulness because, ;
the heart.
CORDON', s. An extensive line of soldiers, to prevent communication
between different places. F. cordon, a string.
CORE. s. The inner part, generally of vegetables. F. cceur : L. cor,
the heart.
COR'NEA. s. The horny coat of the eye. L. cornea ; from cornv, a horn.
COR'NEOUS. adj. Horny like horn. L. corneus : cornu, a horn.
;
corpus, a body.
CORPO'REAL. adj. Havinp- a body not spiritual. L. corporeus.
;
See CORPORAL.
CORPS, s. A body of soldiers a professional body.
; (Pronounced
core.) F. corps : L. corpus, a body.
67
COR—COS
CORPS DIPLOMATIQUE. The diplomatic body. F. corps, a
body, and diplomatique, diplomatic.
CORPSE, s. A
dead human body. L. corpus, a body.
COR'PULENT. adj. Large in flesh. L. corpulentus ; from corpus,
the body, and lentus, heavy.
CORPUS'CLE. s. A
particle of matter. L. corpusculum, a small
body dim. of corpus, a body.
;
CORTEGE, s. A
train or retinue of attendants or followers. F.
COR'TICATED. adj. Resembling the bark or rind of a tree. L. cor-
ticatus ; from cortex, bark.
CORUS'CANT. adj. Glittering. L. coruscans, part, of corusco, to
glitter.
COR YMBIF'E ROUS. adj. Producing corymbs ;bearing fruit, berries,
or flowers, in clusters. L. coryinbifer ; corymbus, a cluster of ivy
berries, and fero, to bear.
COSMETIC, adj. Beautifying. F. cosmetique: G. kosmetikos ; from
kosmeo, to adorn.
COSMOG'ONY. s. The formation of the world. G. kosmos, the world,
and gone, generation.
COSMOGRAPHY, s. A
description of the world or universe. G.
kosmographia kosmos, the world, and grapho, to write.
:
to lurk.
COVERT, adj. Sheltered having the legal privileges of a married
;
make.
CREAT'URE. s. Thing created. See CREATE.
CRE'DENCE. s. Belief. L. credens, part, of credo, to believe.
CREDEN'DA. Things to be believed ; articles of religious faith. L.
credenda ; to be believed : a part, of credo.
70
:
CRE—CRU
CREDENTIAL, s. That which authorizes belief. See CREDENCE.
CREDIBLE, adj. Worthy of belief. L. credibilis. See CREDENCE.
CRED'IT. s. Belief; trust ; respectability ; allowance. F. credit : L.
creditus, p. part, of credo, to believe.
CREDITOR, s. One to whom another is indebted. L. creditor. See
CREDIT.
CREDU'LITY. s. Incautious belief. F. credulite. See CREDIT.
CREED, s. Form of belief. L. credo, I believe; which is the first
word in the apostles' creed.
CREMA'TION. s. The act of burning. L. crematio cremo, to burn. :
CUI MA'LO. What mischief will result? L. cui, to what, malo, evil:
(dat. of quis and malus.)
CUI'RASS. s. A
breastplate. F. from cosur ; L. cor, the heart.
CU'LINARY. adj. Relating to a kitchen. L. culina, a kitchen.
CULL. v. To choose. F. cueillir, to gather.
CULLIBILTTY. s. Credulity easiness of belief. F. cueillir, to ga-
;
ther.
CULMIFEREOUS. adj. Producing stalks. L. culmus, a stalk, and
fero, to bear.
CUL'MINATE. v. To be vertical; to be in the meridian. L. culmen t
the top.
CUL'PABLE. adj. Blamable; criminal. L. culpabilis : culpa, a fault.
CUL'PRIT. s. One accused. L. culpa, a fault.
CUL'TIVATE. s. To improve ; to till. F. cultiver : L. cultum, sup.
of colo, to till.
CUM'BROUS. adj. Burthensome ; L. cumbo, to lie down.
oppressive.
CUM MULTIS ALUS. With many other persons, or things. L.
cum, with, multis, many, aliis, others (abl. pi. of mult us and alius.)
:
CUR— DAT
CU'RIOUS. adj. Inquisitive; worthy of notice. L» curiosus ; from
cur a, care, or concern.
CUR RENT. adj. Passing from one to another circulating-. L. cur- ;
DAC'TYLE. s. A
poetical foot, consisting of one long, and two short
syllables as numine.
; L. dactylus : G. daktulos, a finger : alluding
to the joints of a finger.
>
o 73
DAM— DEC
DAM'AGE. s. Injury, which lessens the value ; hurt. F. dommaget
damnum,
L. loss.
DAM' ASK. s. A
species of figured silk stuff, originally from Damas-
cus ; a kind of wrought- linen, in imitation of the damask silks; red
colours from the damask rose.
DAME. s. Literally, a mistress; hence, a lady a title of honour to a ;
damnum, injury.
DAM'SEL. s. A young gentlewoman; a country lass. F. damoiselle,
or demoiselle, dim. of dame, a lady.
DAMSON, s. A
species of small plum. Contracted from damascene,
the Damascus plum.
DATA. Things given, or premises, as grounds of argument. — Sing,
DA TUM. L. datus, p. part, of do, to give.
DATE. Period of time when an action is performed, or when an
s.
event happened. L. datus, p. part, of do, to give, or make.
DA'TIVE. adj. A
case in grammar, denoting to whom given. L. da-
trims: datus, p. part, of do, to give.
DAUNT, v. To intimidate. F. dumpier: L. domito, to tame.
DEA'CON. s. A person in the lowest degree of holy orders. L. dia-
conus ; G. konos: dia, through, and koneo, to serve.
DEAN. s. One of a certain order in the episcopal church the second ;
DECAGON, s. A
plain figure having ten sides and ten angles. G.
deka, ten, and gonia, a corner.
DECALOGUE, s. The Ten Commandments. G. dekalogos : deka,
ten, and logos, a word.
DECAL'VATE. v. To make bald. L. calms, bald.
74
::
DEC— DEC
DECAMP', v. To go from the site of a camp ; to depart. F. decamper
de, from, and camp, a camp.
DECANT', v. To pour off gently, by inclination. L. decanto ; de,
from, and canto, to sing, or repeat often the same thing.
DECAPTTATE. v. To behead. L. decapito : de, from, and caput,
the head.
DECAY', v. Tft become infirm ; to rot. F. dechoir : L. decado : de-
from, and cado, to fall.
DECEASE', s. Death. L. decessus : decedo, to depart de, from, and :
cedo, to go.
DEC E' DENT. s. In law, one who has died. L. decedens, part, of de.
cedo, to depart.
DECEIT', s. Fraud ; artifice. L. deceptio : from deceptus, p. part, of
decipio: de, from, and capio, to take.
DECEIVE', v. To use deceit. L. decipio. See DECEIT.
DECEMBER, s. The twelfth month ; but, formerly, the tenth, when
the year began in March. L. December ; from decern, ten.
DECEM'VIRATE. s. The office of the ten governors of Rome. L.
decemviratits : decern, ten, and viri, men.
DECEN'NARY. s. A
civil division, comprising, by a law of Alfred,
ten freeholders and their families. L. decern, ten.
DE'CENT. adj. Becoming ; modest. L. decens, part, of deceo, to be-
come.
DECEP'TION. s. The act of deceiving. This word conveys a less
immoral meaning than deceit ; though it is derived from the same
word. L. deceptio. See DECEIT.
DECERPT', adj. Cropped. L. decerptus, p. part, of decerpo : de, from,
and carpo, to pluck.
DECES'SION. s. A
departure act of going away. L. decessio : de.
;
cado, to cut.
DECIDUOUS, adj. Losing the foliage at the end of a season. L.
deciduus : decido : de, from, and cado, to fall.
DE'CIMAL. adj. Numbered by ten. L. decimus, the tenth decern, :
ten.
DE'CIMATE. v. To take the tenth part. L. decimo decern, ten. :
falx, a sickle.
DEFAME, v. To L. de, from, and fame.
injure in character.
DEFEA'SANCE. s. the written instru-
Act of annulling a contract ;
DEF— DEL
DEFINITE, adj. Limited ; certain. L. definitus. See DEFINE.
DEFINI'TION. s. Act of defining; precise description ; explanation.
L. dejinilio. See DEFINE.
DEFLECTION, or DEFLEXION, s. Deviation. L. defiexus, p.
part, ofdejieclo: de, from, and Jlecto, to bend.
DEFLUOUS. adj. Flowing downwards. L. defluus : de, from, and
fluo, to flow.
DEFLUXTON. s. In medical language, the flow of humours down-
wards. L. dejiuxio : dejluxus, part, of defiuo : de, from, and Jiao,
to flow.
DEFRAUD', v. To L. defraudo: fraus, (gen. fraudis) deceit.
cheat.
DEGEN ERATE. v. To become
inferior to a progenitor. L. degerte-
ro : de, from, and genus, a race; that is, to tall from its own kind.
DEGLUTl'TION. s. The act of swallowing. L.deglutio: de, from,
and glulio, to swallow.
DEGRA'DE. v. To lower in rank to disgrace. F. degrader: L. de,
;
dignus, worthy.
DEIN TEGRATE. v. To take from the whole to spoil. L. de, from, ;
delineo ; from
concerning, and linea, a line.
de,
DELINQUENT, s. One who commits a breach of trust. L. delin-
quens, part, of delinquo, to omit: linquo, to forsake.
DELIQUESCE', v. To become fluid. L. deliquesco: deliqueo, to melt.
DELIRIUM, s. An alienation of mind, connected with fever. L.
from deliro, to rave.
DELIVER, v. To release ; to relate to assign. F. delivrer : L. de,
;
of the classics.
DEL'TA. s. A
portion of land in the form of a triangle so called, ;
DEM— DEO
DEMOR'ALIZE. v. To destroy or corrupt the morals. L. de, from,
and moral.
DEMUL'CENT. adj. Softening; mollifying-; lenient. L. de mule ens,
pirt. of detnulceo : de, and mulceo, to stroke or soften.
DEMUR', To
delay a process in law, by some technical objection,
v.
F. demeurer L. demoror, to stop.
;
D£P—BEH.
diate instrument of the death of a rational creature, and for that
reason, given to God, that is, forfeited to the king, to be applied to
pious uses. Thus, if a cart runs over a man, and kills him, the
cart is forfeited, as a deodand. L. Deo, to God, and dandus, given.
DEPART', v. To go away. F. departir : L, de, from, and partio, to
divide.
DEPEND', v. To hang ; to be connected ; to rely. L. dependeo : de,
from, and pendeo, to hang.
DEPICT', v. To paint, to describe. L. depictum, sup. of depingo ; de,
from, and pingo, to paint.
DEPILATION. s. Act of stripping off the hair. L. de, from, and
pilus, a hair.
DEPLE'TION. s. The act of emptying. L. depletus, p. part, of de.
pleo, to empty.
DEPLO'RE. v. To lament. F. deploro ; from de, concerning, and
ploro, to bewail.
DEPLOY', v. A military term, signifying to display, or spread out.
F. deployer : L. dis, asunder, and plico, to fold.
DEPLU'ME. v. To strip of its feathers. L. de, from, and pluma, a
feather,
DEPO'NENT. s. One who deposes. L. deponens, part, of depono
de,concerning, and port o, to place or allege.
DEPOPULATE, v. To unpeople. L. depopulor : de, from, and po-
pulus, people.
DEPORT, v. To transport; to carry off. L. deporto: de, from, and
porto, to carry.
DEPORT' M EN T. s. Behaviour. F. deportement : L. porto, to
carry,
DEPO'SE. v. To remove, as a monarch from his throne; to attest.
L. depositum, sup. of depono : de, from, and pono, to place or de, ;
DER—DES
order ; to render insane. F. deranger : de, from, and rang, a row
or place.
DERELICTION, s. Desertion. L. dereliclio : de, from, and relictus,
p. part, of relinquo, to leave behind re, back, and linquo, to leave.
:
A
DESERT, s. wilderness. L. desertus, forsaken. See the verb.
DESERT'. s. That which is deserved merit. L. deservitus, part, of ;
DES—DET
DESPI'SE. v. To contemn ; to disrespect. Old F. despiser : L. des.
picio : de, from, and specio, to look.
DESPOIL', v. To strip; to plunder. L. dtspolio: de, from, and spolio,
to plunder.
DESPOND', v. To despair. L. despondeo : de, signifying privation,
and spondeo, to promise.
DES'POT. s. An absolute monarch a tyrant. G. despotes, a ruler
;
from the direct road. F. detour ; de, from, and tour, a journey.
82
DET— DIA
DETRACT', v. To take away ; to derogate. L. detractum, sup. of
detraho ; de, from, and traho, to draw.
DETRIMENT, s. Loss; damage. L. detrimentum ; from detero, to
bruise or beat out ; de, from, and tero, to rub.
DETRI'TION. The
act of wearing away.
s. L. detritus, popart, of
detero ; de, from, and tero, to rub.
DETRU'DE. v. To thrust out; to thrust down. L. detrudo ; de, from,
and trudo, to thrust.
DETRUNCATE, v. To lop off. L. detrunco ; de, from, and trunco,
to cut.
DETRU'SION. s. The act of detruding. L. detrusio ; from detrusus,
p. p.rt. of detrudo. See DETRUDE.
DEUCE, s. Two. F. dews; L. rf«o, two.
DEUTERONOMY, s. The second book or repetition of the law; fifth
DIA— DIC
DIADEM, s. A royal crown. L. diadema ; G. diadema ; dia, around,
and deo, to bind.
DJiE'RESIS. s. The disjunction of syllables; (••) as, in cooperate ; G.
DID— DIM
DIDACTIC, or DIDACTICAL, adj. Instructive; adapted to teach.
G. didalctikos ; didasko, to teach.
DIES NON. A day on which no legal proceedings can take place, or
on which public offices are shut. L. dies, a day, and non, not.
DI'ET. s. Food food regulated by a physician. F. diete. L. diosta.
;
In the middle ages, this word was used to denote the provision or
food for one day, and also for a journey of one day hence, it seems ;
and claim.
DISCLOSE', v. To uncover ; to discover ; to make known. L. dis,
asunder, and close.
DISCON'SOLATE. adj. Comfortless; sorrowful. L. dis, meaning
deprivation, and consolatus, part, of consolor, to comfort.
DIS'CORD. s. Disagreement. L. discordia : dis, asunder, and corda,
(pi.of cor,) hearts.
DISCOURSE', s. Conversation dissertation. F. discours ; from the ;
DIS-DIV
DISSUADE', v. To advise against. L. dissuadeo: dis, from, and
sundeo, to persuade.
DISS YL'L ABLE. s. A word of two syllables. G. dis, twofold, and
syllable.
DIS'TANCE. s. Intervening space remoteness
; ; respect ; reserve.
F. distorts : L. dislantia ; from dis asunder, and
}
starts, part, of sto,
to stand.
DISTEND', v. To
stretch out in breadth. L. distendo : dis, asunder,
and tendo, to spread.
DISTENTION, s. Act of distending ; breadth. L. distensio. See
DISTEND.
DISTICH, s. A couplet ; a couple of lines. L. distichon : G. dis,
twofold, and stichos, a verse.
DISTIL', v. To fall in drops; to make spirituous liquors. L. distillo
dis, asunder, and stillo, to drop or trickle down.
DISTINCT', adj. Having a marked and visible difference apart ;
DIV-DOM
DIVEST', v. See DEVEST; which is more conformable with the
derivation, and more generally used.
DIVIDE', v. To part or separate; to make partition. L. divido : di,
asunder, and iduo, that is, viduo, to part.
DIVIDE ETIMPERA. Divide and govern:— the maxim of nearly
all monarchal governments. L. divide, (imperative of divido,) di-
vide, et, and impera, (imperative of impero,) govern.
DIVIDEND, s. In arithmetic, the number to be divided a share as- ;
See DIVIDE.
DIVI'NE. adj. Partaking of the nature of God heavenly. L. divinus : ;
divi, the gods. The fables of poets (says Bossu) were originally em-
ployed in representing the Divine nature, according to the notion
then conceived of it. This sublime subject caused the first poets to
be called divines, and poetry the language of the gods.
DIVINE, v. To foretel, as by divine inspiration. See the adjective.
DIVINITY, s. The state of being divine a divine being. L. divini-
;
to teach.
DOCTOR, s. One who has received a collegiate diploma for his skill
in divinity, law, physic, &c. L. doctor, a teacher from doceo, to
;
teach.
DOCTRINE, s. That which taught. L. doctrina. See DOCTOR.
is
DOM— DUA
DOMINE'ER. To
command with insolence. F. dominer
v. rule, or
dominus, a master domus, a house.
L. dominor, to govern : ;
a master.
DONA'TION. s. A gift, for some general purpose. L. donatio: dono,
to give.
DO'NOR. s. A L. dono, to give.
giver.
DOR'MANT. Sleeping; inoperative; concealed. F. dormant,
adj.
part, of dormir, to sleep L. dormio, to sleep.
:
DUB-EBR
DU'BIOUS. adj. Doubtful; uncertain. L. dubius ; from dubium, &
doubtduo, two.
;
E.
bubble.
EC'CE HOMO. Behold the man. L. ecce, Lo homo, the man. !
the sign.
ECHELON', s. In military tactics, the position of an army in the form
E'CLAT. Publicity
s. lustre. F. eclat, a crack.
;
EDU— ELA
ED'UCATE. v. To instruct. L. educo ; e, out of, (meaning forward,)
and dnco, to lead.
EDUCE, v. To bring or draw out ; to extract. L. educo : e, from,
and duco, to lead.
EF'FABLE. adj. Expressive ; utterable. L. ex, out of, or from, and
fabulor, to speak.
EFFA'CE. v. To
F. effacer : L. ex, from, and fades, a face.
erase.
EFFECT', s. Consequence success ; design ; reality. L. effectus, p.
;
ELA— EMA
ELASTIC, adj. Having the power of a spring. F. elastique : G. elao,
to repel.
ELA'TE. adj. Elevated by success ;
joyful. L. elatus, p. part, of ef-
fero : ex, from, and fero, to carry.
ELECT', v. To choose. L. electum, sup. of eligo : e, from, and lego,
to choose.
ELECTRIC, adj. Relating to electricity ; having electric matter. L.
electrum, amber, (which is attractive;) G. elektron : elko, to draw.
ELECTROM'ETER. s. An instrument which indicates the strength
lift.
ELE'VE. s. A
one brought up, or protected by another. F.
disciple ;
leanness.
EM' AN ATE. v. To issue or flow from. L. emano : e, from, and
mono, to run in a small stream, to distil.
EMANCIPATE, v. To L. emancipo : e, from, and mancipo,
set free.
to give away ; manu, (abl. ofmanus,) from the hand, and capio, to take.
95
:
EMA-EMP
EMAS'CULATE. v. To deprive of virility to render effeminate. Low ;
EMINENCE, s. Height
a high place dignity. L. eminens, part.
; ;
to fall.
EMP— END
countries. F. emperevr : L. imperator, meaning originally a com-
mander or ruler from impero, to rule.
:
emporionemporos, a merchant.
:
to sing often.
ENCHASE, v. To enfix; to enclose in any body, so as to be held fast.
ENCLITICS, s. Particles which are closely united with other words,
and throw back the accent upon the foregoing syllable. G. enkli-
tica : en, in, or upon, and Iclino, to recline.
ENCLOSE, v. To envelop to surround. F. enclos, part, of enclorre,
;
i 97
END— ENS
ENDOW, v. To give a dower; to enrich by a gift. F. endouaire.
See DOWER.
ENDU'RE. v. To continue ; to sustain. F. endurer : L. in, in, and
duro, to continue.
ENEMY, s. A
foe ; an antagonist. F. ennemi : L. inimicus ; in, not,
and amicus, a friend.
ENERGY, s. Natural power ; force. G. energeia : en, in, and ergon,
work.
ENER'VATE. v. To weaken ; comp. of
to effeminate. L. enervo :
ENS-EPA
ENSUE, v. To follow as a consequence; to succeed in a train of
events, or course of time. F. ensuivre : L. insequor : in, upon, and
sequor, to follow.
ENTAIL', v. To settle and limit the inheritance of an estate, so that
it cannot, by any subsequent possessor, be disposed of at his pleasure.
See TAIL.
ENTANGLE, v. To involve ; to confuse. F. en, (used for the L. in,)
and L. tangor, to be beaten together.
ENTEROL'OGY. s. An anatomical description of the intestines. G.
enteron, an intestine, -and logos, a description.
EN'TERPRISE. s. Arduous attempt. F. enterprise : entreprendre,
to undertake.
ENTERTAIN', v. To amuse
to treat hospitably to cherish in the
; ;
ENTHUSIASM, s. A
vain belief of private revelation heat of ima- ;
joyment.
EPIDEMIC, adj. Generally prevailing. G. epidemos ; epi, through,
and demos, the people.
EPIDERMIS, s. In anatomy, the cuticle or scarf-skin of the body.
G. epidermis : epi, upon, and derma, a skin.
EPIGLOT'TIS. s. In anatomy, one of the cartilages of the larynx,
which covers the glottis. G. epiglottis : epi, over, and glotta, the
tongue.
EP IGRAM. s. A short poem, treating of only one subject, and ending
in some point of wit. G. epi, upon, and gramma, a letter.
EPIGRAPH, s. A title; an inscription. G. epi, upon, and grapho, to
write.
EP'ILEPSY. s. A convulsive fit. G. epilepsia ; epi, upon, and lam-
bano, to seize.
EP'ILGGUE. s. A poem or speech after the conclusion of a play. G.
epilogos ; epi, upon, or after, and logos, a word.
EPIPHANY, s. A church
festival on the twelfth day after Christmas.
G. epiphaneia ; upon, and phaino, to appear,
epi,
EPISCOPAL, adj. Relating or belonging to a bishop. L. episcopalis :
G. episkopos, an overseer : epi, over, and skopeo, to look.
EP'ISODE. A
digression in a
s. poem or fable. G. episodion : epi,
beside, and ode, a song.
EPIS'TLE. s. A solemn letter. G. epistole ; epi, upon, and stello, to
send.
EP'ISTYLE. s. In ancient architecture, a term used by the Greeks
for what is now called the architrave. G. epi, upon, and stulos, a
column.
EP'ITAPH. s. Inscription on a tomb. G. epitaphion ; epi, upon, and
taphos, a tomb.
EPITHALA'MIUM. s. A marriage song. G. epithalamion ; epi, upon,
and thalamos, a bridal chamber.
EP'ITHET. s. An adjective denoting any quality, good or bad. G.
epitheton ; epi, upon, tithemi, to place.
EPIT'OME'. s. An abridgment. G. epitome ; epi, into, and temno, to
cut.
100
EPO—ERE
EP'OCH, or EPOCH' A. s. The time
at which a new computation is
begun. L. epocha G. epoche ; epi, upon, and echo, to hold, or stop.
:
SeeEQUIP.
EQUIPOISE', Equilibrium; equality of weight, or of power. L.
s.
cequus, equal, and F. poids, weight.
EQUIPOLLENT, adj. Having equal power or force. L. cequus,
equal, and pollens, part, of polleo, to be able.
EQUIPON'DEROUS. adj. Equal in weight. L. cequus, equal, and
pondero, to weigh.
EQ'UITY. a. Justice mode of decision in a court of justice, accord-
;
ing rather to the spirit, than the letter, of the law. L. tequilas ; from
csquus, equal.
EQUIVALENT, adj. Of equal value, or power. L. eequus, equal, and
valens, part, of valeo, to avail.
EQUIVOCAL, adj. Capable of being construed in different senses;
uncertain. L. cequivocus ; aquus, equal, and vox, a voice.
EQUIVOROUS. adj. Feeding or subsisting on horse-flesh. L. equus,
a horse, and voro, to eat.
ERA'DIATE. v. To shoot as rays of light. L. c, from, and radio, to
beam.
ERADICATE, v. To pull up by the root; to destroy entirely. L.
eradico ; e, from, and radix, a root.
ERA'SE. v. To scrape out; to expunge. L. c, from, and rasum, sup.
of rado, to scrape.
ERECT', adj. Upright directed upwards. L. erectus
:
; p. part, of
erigo : e, from, and rego, to rule, or make straight,
i* 101
;;
ERE— ESQ
ER'EMITE. s. A hermit. See HERMIT.
EREP'TION. s. A taking away, by force. L. ereptio :
or snatching
ereptus, of eripio : e, from, and rapio, to take by violence.
p. part,
ERR. v. To deviate to mistake. L. erro, to wander.
;
ER'RAND. s. A
message something to be told or done by a messen-
;
ESS— EVA
ESSAY', s. To attempt. F. essayer, to attempt.
ES'SAY. s. An attempt ; a dissertation. See the vero.
ES'SENCE. s. Physical basis ; essential oil. F. essence : L. essentia,
the existence : esse, to be.
ESSENTIAL, adj. Having the essence ; indispensable. L. essentialis.
See ESSENCE.
ESTAB'LISH. v. To render stable ; to settle firmly to confirm ; to ;
ticket, upon which the forms of court ceremonies, &c. are written.
ETYMOL'OGY. s. The derivation of a word from its original that ;
taining the purity of atmospheric air. G. eu, good, dios, air, and
metron, measure.
EU'LOGY. s. Praise. G. euhgia ; comp. of eu, good, and logos, a
word.
EU'PHONY. s. Agreeable sound. G. euphonia ; eu, well, and phoneo,
to sound.
EVACUATE, v. To make empty : to retire from. L. evacuo ; vacuus,
empty.
EVA'DE. v. To elude, or avoid. L. evado ; e, from, and vado, to
march, or move.
EVANESCENT, adj. Vanishing imperceptible. L. evanescens, part
;
103
EVA— EXC
EVANGELIST, s. A writer of the history cf Christ. L, evangelus :
cedo, to depart.
104
;
EXC-EXE
EXCEL', v. To be eminent; to surpass. L. excello; ex, from, and
cello, to lift up.
EXCEPT', v. To leave out. L. exceptum, sup. of excipio ; ex, out of,
and capio, to take.
EXCEKP'TA. Extracts. L. excerpta ; from excerptus, part, of ex-
s.
ex, from, and cruce, abl. of crux, a cross ; alluding to the torments
of crucifixion.
EXCUL'PATE. v. To exonerate from a criminal charge. L. ex, from,
and culpa, blame.
EXCURSION, s. A ramble out of the prescribed path. L. excursio ;
ex, from, and curro, to run.
EXCUSE, v. To disengage from an obligation; to pardon. L. excuso
ex, from, and causa, a cause, or suit at law.
EXECRATE, v. To curse to detest. L. execror, or exsecror ; ex,
;
from, and sacrum, a holy rite meaning, to debar from the benefit :
of religious ceremonies.
EX'ECUTE. v. To perform to put to death. L. executus, part, of
;
105
EXE— EXO
EXERGUE, s. F. See EXERGUM.
EXER'GUM. The
circular space between the work and the edge of
s.
to leap.
EXIST', v. To be ; to have a being. L. existo : ex, out of, and sisto,
to stand still or continue.
EX'IT. A term used to mark the time at which a player leaves the
stag;e ; departure. L. exit, he (or she) goes out exeo. :
EXO— EXP
EXOTIC, adj. Foreign. G. exolikos ; exo, out of doors abroad. ;
examine closely. L. exploro : ex, out of, and ploro, to cry out, to
wail, to bawl.
EXPLO'SION. s. The act of exploding. L. explosio : explosvs, p.
part, of explodo. See EXPLODE.
EXPORT', v. To send out of a country, in the way of traffic. L. ex-
porto : ex, out of, and porto, to carry.
107
EXP—EXT
EXPO'SE. v. To lay open ; to put in danger. F. exposer : L. exposi-
tvm, sup. of expono : ex, out of, and pono, to place.
EX POST FACTO. Made or done after the act; retro-active, L.
EXPOS'TULATE. v. To reason earnestly with a person, on some
impropriety of his conduct, &c. L. expostulo : ex, from, and postulo,
to require.
EXPOUND', v. To explain. L. expono: ex, out of, and pono, to
place.
EX-PRESTDENT. s. One who has been a president. L. ex, out, and
president.
EXPRESS', v. To press out ; to represent ; to declare. L. expressum,
sup. ofexprimo: ex, from, and premo, to press.
EXPRESS', by an impression ;) expli-
adj. Exactly alike, (as if taken
cit ;
See the verb.
particularly declared.
EXPRESS', s. An extraordinary messenger. See the verb.
EXPUG'NABLE. adj. Possible to be taken or subdued by a siege, or
an assault. L. ex, out of, a.nd pugno, to fight.
EXPUL'SION. s. Act of expelling. L. expulsio ; from expello. See
EXPEL.
EXPUNGE', v. To erase. L. expungo ex, : from, and pungo, to prick.
EXPUR'GATE. v. To expunge to purge ; away. L. expurgo : ex,
from, and purgo, to cleanse.
EX'QUISITE. adj. Consummate; excellent. L. exquisitus, p. part.
of exquiro, searched out; ex, out of, and qucero, to seek.
EXSCIND', v. To cut from. L. ex, from, and scindo, to cut.
EXSICCATE, v. To dry. L. exsicco, to dry.
EX'TANT. adj. Before the public; now existing. L. exstans, part.
of exsto, to stand out: ex, from, and sto, to stand.
EX'TASY, or ECSTACY. s. Any emotion, by which the thoughts
are absorbed, and in which the mind is for a time lost; excessive
joy, or excessive grief. F. extase : G. ekstasis ; from ek, out, and
stasis, part, ofistemi, to stand.
EXTEM'PORE. adj. Without preparation. L. ex, from, and tempore,
abl. oi'tempus, time meaning the present time.
;
exiinguo, to extinguish.
EXTINGUISH, v. To quench to destroy. L. extinguo, to extin-
;
guish.
EXTIR'PATE. v. To take out the stem or stalk to eradicate to de- ; ;
EXT— FAC
EXTORT', v. To obtain by force, or by the passion of avarice. L.
extortum, sup. of extorqueo : ex, from, and torqueo, to twist.
EXTRA, adj. Additional. L. extra, besides.
EXTRACT', v. To draw from ; to take out a part. L. extractum,
sup. of extralio ; comp. of ex, from, and traho, to draw.
EXTRAJUDICIAL, adj. Out of the regular course of legal procedure.
L. extra, beyond, and judicial.
EXTRANEOUS, adj. Foreign; of a different kind. L. extraneus :
ex, out of, and terra, the land.
EXTRAORDINARY, adj. Uncommon unusual eminent. L.; ;
F.
K 109
FAC— FAS
FACTION, s. A party, active in opposing another. L. factio : facio,
to do.
FACTI'TIOUS. adj. Made by art, in distinction to what is produced
by nature ; L. factitius : facio, to
artificial. make.
FACTOR, s. An
agent, employed to buy or sell for another. L. fac-
tor ; from facio, to do, or make.
FACTORY, s. A
house, or district, inhabited by the foreign traders
of a particular nation, in. a distant country ; the traders themselves :
a manufactory. See FACTOR.
FACULTY, s. Power derived from nature; learned professors. L.
facultas : facio, to do, or make.
FACUN'DITY. s. Eloquence ; readiness of speech. L. facundilas,
probably from L. for, to speak, and undo, to flow.
FAIR. s. An annual or other stated meeting of buyers and sellers.
F. faire, to do.
FAITH, s. Belief; assent of the mind; fidelity, confidence ;
promise
given ; sincerity ; honesty. h.Jides: Jido, to trust.
FAL'LACY. s. Deceit; untruth. L. fallacia : j alio, to slip or slide;
to deceive.
FAL/LIBLE. adj. Liable to error, or to failure. ~L.fallo, to slip.
FALSE, adj. Not morally true; not physically true perfidious; not ;
iron.
FAS'CES. s. Rods, with an axe bound up in the middle, anciently
carried before the Roman consuls. L. fasces, pi. of fascis, a bundle
of twigs.
*
110
:
FAS— FEL
FAS'CINATE. To influence, as if by supernatural power to de-
v. ;
—
of for, to speak; alluding to the responses of the ancient oracles.
FATUT TY. s. Foolishness weakness of mind. F. fatuite : L. fa-
;
tuus, silly.
FAULT, s. Offence; slight crime; defect; difficulty. Y.faute: L.
falsus, of fallo, to slip, or deceive.
p. part,
FAUN. s. A
kind of rural deity. Faunus, (a son of Picus, an Italian
king,) whose attachment to agriculture induced his subjects to revere
him, after his death, as one of their country deities. See the heathen
mythology.
FAUX PAS. A false step; a deviation from rectitude. F. faux,
and pas, a step.
false,
FEALTY, s. Duty or fidelity to a superior lord ; loyalty. F. fide-
lite: L. fidelitas : fides, faith.
FEASIBLE, adj. Practicable. Y.faisible: faire, to do.
FEAST, s. An anniversary day of rejoicing; an entertainment of the
table, &c. Jj.fastus, lucky, lawful : from fas, piety, justice, right.
FEAT. s. Act; deed; exploit. F. fait, part, offaire, to do h.facio. :
FEA'TURE. 5. The make, form, or cast of any part of the face any ;
FEL—FIE
FE'LO DE
SE'. A
person of sound mind who commits suicide. L.
felo, a felon, de, of, se, himself.
FEMALE, s. Amongst animals, one of that sex which conceives and
brings forth young. F.femclle. See FEMININE.
FEMININE, adj. Relating or belonging to a female. L. femininus
femina, a woman.
FEMME COV'ERTE. In law, signifies a woman covered or pro-
tected, by marriage, from the payment of debt, and, in some cases,
from criminal prosecution. F.femme, a woman, couverte, covered.
FEMME SOLE. spinster A
an unmarried woman. F. femme, a
;
FIE—FLA
FIERI FACIAS. A judicial writ, directing a sheriff to levy the
amount of a debt, or of damages recovered. L. facias, you must
cause it, fieri, to be made : facio, and Jio.
FIG'MENT. s. A fiction* figmentum Jingo, to frame.
L. :
a scourge.
FLAGI'TIOUS. adj. Atrocious. L. fiagitius. See FLAGRANT.
FLA'GRANT. adj. Sometimes means flushed, but commonly, noto-
rious, or atrocious. L. fiagrans, part, of Jiagro, to be on fire.
FLAMBEAU, s. torch. A
F. Jiambeau: cornp. of Jlamme, flame,
and beau, handsome.
FLAiME. s. Light emitted from fire. L. Jlamma : G. phlegmo, to
burn.
FLAM'MABLE. adj. Capable of being set on fire. See FLAME.
FLAN'NEL.s, A soft, nappy woollen cloth, of loose texture. T.Jlan*
elle : L. lana, wool.
k* 113
FLA— FOR
FLATULENT, adj. Windy. L. flatulentus : flatus, a puff; flatus,
offlo, to blow.
p. part,
FLEXIBLE, adj. Possible to be bent; pliant. L. flexibilis : flexus,
p. part, of fleclo, to bend.
FLOCK, s, A
company, usually a company of birds or beasts. L.
fluctus, p. part, of fluo, to flow.
FLORID, adj. Bright in colour ; flushed with red; embellished. L.
floridus ; from floris, gen. of flos, a flower.
FLORIST, s. A cultivator* of flowers; a maker or vender of artifi-
cial flowers. L. floris, gen. of flos, a flower.
FLOUR'ISH. v. To have vigour ; to boast. L. floreo ; floris, gen. of
flos, a flower.
FLU' ATE. s. A weak salt, which, by means of strong sulphuric acid,
yields a vapour, and when condensed forms liquid fluoric acid. L.
fluo, to flow.
FLUCTUATE, v. To flow backwards and forwards; to vary often.
L. fluctuo : fluctus, a wave : fluo, to flow.
FLUE. s. A passage for smoke. L. fluo, to flow, or pass away.
FLU'ENT. adj. Flowing; having a ready command of words. L.
fluens, part, of fluo, to flow.
FLUID, adj. Liquid. L. fluidus : fluo, to flow.
FLUTE, s. A
tubated musical instrument. F. flute : L. fluto, to flow
gently fluo, to flow.
:
FO'LIO. A
book, the leaves of which are formed of sheets of paper
s.
FOR— FRA
FOR'EIGN. Not of this country not allied without relation.
adj. ; ;
mer.
FOR'FEIT. s. Something lost by the commission of a crime, and
thereby gone away, or departed from the owner ; a fine. F. forfait
f
L. foris, abroad, and actus, part, of Jio, to be made, or become.
FOR'MIDABLE. adj. Apt to excite fear terrible; tremendous. L. ;
L. fortis, strong.
FOR'TIFY. v. To strengthen. F. fortifier : L. fortis, strong, and
facto, to make.
FOR' TITER IN RE. With promptness and determination in the
execution of an affair. L. ; an expression opposed to suaviter in
modo.
FOR'TITUDE. s. Bravery in resisting, or in suffering. L. fortitudo :
* FRA— FUE
FRAGILE, adj. Easily broken ; uncertain. L. fragilis : frango, to
break.
FRAG'MENT. A
part broken off; an imperfect part, L. frag.
s.
phrenzy
FRIABLE, adj. Easily reduced to powder. F. friaole : L. friabilis :
frid, to crumble.
FRIAR, s. A brother of some religious order. F. frere : L. frater, a
brother.
FRICTION, s. The act of rubbing. L. frictio : frico, to rub.
FRIGID, adj. Cold; unfeeling; stiff; formal; lifeless. L. frigidus
from frigeo, to be or grow cold : rigeo, to be stiff or frozen.
FRIGORIF'IC. adj. Producing cold; or, in chemical language, de-
priving of heat. L. frigorijicus : comp. of fr igor, cold, and facio,
to make.
FRISEUR'. s. A F. friseur : friser, to curl.
hairdresser.
FRIT'TER. To
cut small to destroy gradually. F. friture, a piece
v. ;
G.
GAN-GEN
GAN'GRENE. s. A cancerous sore. L. gangrcena : G. gangraina t
a race.
GEN'ESIS. s. The first book of Moses, which describes the creation
of the world and the lives of the first patriarchs. G. genesis : from
genea, a generation. -V
GE'NIAL. adj. Contributing to propagation ; natural. L. genialis :
genus, a race.
GEN'ITALS. s. The members of generation. L. genitalis. See
GENIAL.
GENTTTVE. adj. A case in grammar, called by the Latins, genitivus
from gigno, to beget, because, it, in a manner, generates other cases
depending on it, and is chiefly used in the formation of compounded
words.
GE'NIUS. s. The protecting or ruling power of men, places, or things
:
:
GEN—GLA
mental power or faculties a man endowed with superior faculties.
;
tilis, of the same family, or one to whom the estate would descend
from gentis, gen. of gens, a nation, or family.
GENTILE, s. A term applied, by the Israelites and Christians, to
distinguish a foreigner, or one who knew not the true God. L. gen-
tilis ; from gentis, gen. of gens, a nation.
GENTLE, adj. Formerly meant well-born; hence, the term gentle-
man; but it now signifies mild. See GENTEEL.
GENUFLEXION, s. The act of bending the knee. L. genu, a knee,
and Jlectio, or flexio, a bending; from jtecto, to bend.
GENUINE, adj. Not spurious unmixed ; natural. L. genuinus ;;
to bend.
GIGANTIC, adj. Of very large stature. L. gigantis, gen. of gigas,
a giant.
GLACIERS, s. Huge masses of mountain ice. F. glaciers : glace,
ice : L. glacies.
GLA'CIS. s. In fortification, is a smooth, sloping fence. F. glacis
glace, ice : L. glacies.
119
:
GLA—GRA
GLAD'IATOR. s. A Roman prize-fighter, with or without a sword.
L. gladiator ; from gladius, a sword. y
GLAND, s. A term in anatomy. F. gland : L. glandula, a kernel in
the flesh.
GLAN'DERS. s. A
glandular disorder peculiar to horses, and creating
a purulent discharge from the nostrils. See GLAND.
GLEBE, s. Land; church-land. L. gleba, a lump of earth.
GLOBE, s. A round body the earth. L. globus, a ball.
;
a ship.
GRADA'TION. s. Regular progress from one degree to another. L.
gradatio from gradus, a step.
;
GRADE, s. Rank
class ; : —
a word used only in the United States.
L. gradus, a step. v. To reduce to a proper level, or rank.
GRADUAL, adj. Proceeding by degrees. F. graduel : L. gradus, a
step.
GRAD'UATE. v. To mark with degrees; to obtain a collegiate de-
gree. L. gradus, a step.
GRAMINEOUS, adj. Grassy. L. gramineus : gramen, grass.
GRAMINIVOROUS, adj. Grass-eating living ; on grass. L. gramen,
grass, and voro, to eat.
GRAMMAR, s. The art of using a language correctly a book which ;
GRA— GYR
GRAN'ARY. s. A store for corn. L. granarium ; from granum, a
grain of corn.
GRANDILOQUENCE, s. High, lofty, big speaking. L. grandis,
gre.it, and loquor, to speak.
GRAN 1TE. s. A sort of stone, formed of distinct grains or particles.
F. gravit : L. granum, a grain.
GRAN1V OROUS. adj. Living on grain. L. granum, a grain of corn,
and voro, to eat.
GRANT, To
assign with a warranty or assurance of title and quiet
v.
enjoyment; to concede; to admit; to allow. F. garantir, to war-
rant.
GRAN'ULATE. v. To form into grains. L. granum, a grain, and
latum, sup. offero, to bring.
GRA'PHIC adj. Relating to the art of delineating, or of engraving.
G. grapho, to write, or engrave.
GRATIFY, v. To indulge ; to please. L. gratificor : comp. of gra-
tus, agreeable, and facio,
make. to
GRATIS, s. Without requiring payment. L. gratis: gratus, wel-
come.
GRATTTUDE. s. Desire to repay benefits. Low L. gratitudo ; from
grator, to thank.
GRATUITOUS, adj. Voluntary as a gift. L. gratuitus. See GRA-
;
coarse.
GUARANTEE', s. One who insures the fulfilment of a contract. F.
from garantir, (formerly guarantir,) to warrant.
garantie :
H.
HEI— HER
HEIR, s, One to whom an estate or any property has descended. L.
hares : from hcereo, to stick or continue.
HELIOCEN'TRIC. adj. The heliocentric phce of a planet, is the
place of the ecliptic in which the pi met would appear, to a spectator,
at the centre of the sun. G. helios, the sun, and keatron, the
centre.
HE'LIOSCOPE. s. A kind of telescope, or glass, contrived to enable
one to look at the sun, without injury to the eye. G. helios, the sun,
and skopco, to view.
HELIOTROPE, s. The sun-flower; a flower which keeps its face
always towards the sun. G. helios, the sun, and trepho, to turn.
HELLEN'lAN. iadj. Pertaining to the Hellenes, or inhabitants oi
HELLEN'IC. \ Greece so called from Hellas, in Greece, or from
;
H'ER-HIE
HERMA'PHRODITE. s. An animal, or a plant, which unites the
eremift, a desert.
HER'NI A. s. A
corporeal rupture. L. hernia ; G. hernos, a sprout
alluding to protuberance.
its
HE'RO. s. A man eminent for bravery; chief personage in a poem or
drama. L. heros, a hero G. heros, a demigod. :
HER'PES. s. A
species of cutaneous inflammation. L. herpes : G.
herpo, to creep.
HERPETOL'OGY. s. A description of animals that creep. G. herpo,
to creep, and logos, a description.
HESTTATE. v. To pause. L. hasito : from hareo, to stick fast.
HESPE'RIAN. adj. Western ; situated at the west. L. hesperius ;
from hesperus ; vesper, the evening star G. hesperos. :
and half horse. The hippocentaur differed from the centaur, in this,
that the latter rode on an ox, the former en a horse, as the name
imports. G. hippokentauros : hippos, a horse; kenteo, to spur, and
tauros, a bull.
HIP'PODROME. s. Anciently, a circus, or place in which horse-
honour, respect.
HON'OUR. s. Dignity; reputation; nobleness of mind; reverence.
L. honor, honour.
HON'ORARY. adj. Done in honour; having honour without gain.
L. honorarius. See HONOUR.
HORIZON, s. The line which terminates the view. G. horizon :
horizo, to limit.
HORTZON'TAL. adj. Parallel to the. horizon ; level. See HORIZON.
HOROLOGTCAL. adj. Relating or pertaining to the hours. G. hora,
an hour, and logos, a word or descripiion.
HOROM'ETRY. s. The art or practice of measuring time by hours
and subordinate divisions. G. hora, an hour, and rnelreo, to measure.
HOROSCOPE, A
configuration of the planets, by an astrologer, at
s.
HOR—HYD
HOR'RID. adj. Hideous ; dreadful. L. horrid us ; horreo, to be' rough ;
to tremble through fear.
HORS DE COMBAT. A French term, denoting wounded, or ren-
dered, by some other accident, in battle, unfit for immediate service :
hors, out, df, of, combat, battle.
HORTATIVE, adj. Exhortive. L. hortativus : from hortor, to advise.
HORTICULTURE, s. The art of cultivating gardens. L. horti, gen.
of hortus, a garden, and culture.
HOSAN'NA. s." Exclamation of praise to God. G. hosavna ; from two
Hebrew words signifying, I pray salvation, I wish prosperity.
;
HOS'PITAL. s. A
place built for the reception of the sick, or poor.
L. hospitalis, belonging to strangers. See HOSPITABLE.
HOST. s. One who entertains in his own house the landlord of ah ;
inn. —
F. hoste : L. hospes, an entertainer. An army assembled for
—
war; a multitude: hoslis, an enemy. The consecrated wafer in the
Roman church hostia, a sacrifice lor having obtained a victory over
:
HYD-HYP
HYDROG'RAPHY. s. The art and practice of measuring and de-
1
scribing the sea, lakes, rivers, and other waters. G. hudor, water,
and grapho, to write.
HYDROM'ETER. s. An instrument for ascertaining the weight of
a song of praise.
HYMNOL'OGY. s. A collection of hymns. G. humnos, a song of
praise, and logos, a word.
A
HYPERBOLA, s. term in mathematics. G. huper, over, and ballo,
to throw.
HYPER'BOLE. A
rhetorical figure, by which any thing is in-
s.
A
HYPOTHESIS, s. supposition or a proposition or principle which
;
I.
in the mind.
IDEN'TITY. s. Sameness. L. identitas : idem, the same.
IDES. s. A term in the Roman kalendar, denoting the 13th day of
each month, except of March, May, July, and October, in which it
relates to the 15th. L. idus. The ides were generally about the
middle of the month and therefore we may derive the word from
;
IGN— IMM
a verdict of acquittal given by a grand jury.
L. ignoro, to be ignorant.
IG'NORANT. adj. Wanting knowledge; untauglit. F. ignorant : L.
ignorons, part, of ignoro, not to know in, not, and gnarus, skilful, :
IMM— IMP
IMMENSE', adj. Unlimited ; huge. L. immensus : in, not, and men-
sus, (part, of metior,) measured.
IMMERGE'. v. To immerse. L. immergo : in, within, and mergo, to
plunge.
IMMERSE', v. To din; to engage deeply. L. immersum, sup. of
immergo. See IMMERGE.
IM'MIGRATE. v. To migrate into; to enter as an emigrant. L.
immigro: in, into, and migro, to shift the habitation.
IM'MINENT. adj. Impending threatening. L. imminens
; : in, upon,
and minor, to threaten.
IMMISCIBLE, adj. Not capable of being mingled. L. in, not, and
miscible.
IMMOBILITY, s. Immovableness resistance to motion. ; F. immo-
bility : L. in, without, and mobilitas, mobility, or activity ; jnoveo, to
move.
IM'MOLATE. v. To sacrifice. L. immolo ; comp. of in, upon, and
mola, meal or flour, which was anciently mixed with salt, and sprin-
kled upon the head of the beast at the time of the sacrifice.
IMMOR'AL. adj. Against the laws of natural religion dishonest; ;
the verb.
IMPOR'TANT. adj. Momentous ; considerable. L. importans, part,
of imporlo ; in, into, and porto, to carry ; meaning, to carry some-
thing weighty or effective.
IMPORTU'NE. v. To tease to solicit unceasingly. L. importunitas,
;
ment. F
incantation : L. incanto, to enchant; in, into, and canto,
'.
—
gender, as, terra incognita, the unknown country the fair incog. :
INC—IND
INCORPO'REAL. adj. Not corporeal ; spiritual. L. in, not, and cor-
poreal.
INCORRIGIBLE, adj. Bad beyond amendment. L. in, not, and cor-
rigible.
IN'CREMENT. s. Increase; produce. L. incrementum ; from in-
cresco, to increase.
INCUBA'TION. s. Hatching L. incubatio ; incubo, to lie or sit on
-
. :
curro, to run.
INCUR'SION. s. Hasty and sudden invasion inroad. L. incursio ; ;
corous,
INDEFATIGABLE, adj. Not to be wearied. L. indefatigabilis ; in,
not, and defatigo, to weary.
INDEFEIS'IBLE. adj. Not to be annulled irrevocable. ; F. indefai-
sible ; in, signifying, not, and defaire, to undo.
INDEFINITE, adj. Unlimited; undetermined. L. in, not, and de-
finite.
INDELIBLE, adj. Not to be blotted out or effaced never to be for- ;
IND— INE
INDICT'MENT. s. (Pronounced indilement.) A written accusation,
preferred to, and presented on oath by, a grand jury. L. in, against,
and dico, to say.
INDIGENOUS, adj. Originally produced in a country not exotic. ;
below.
INFEST', v. To disturb ; to vex ; to harass. L. infeslo ; in, not, and
festus, joyous or happy.
IN'FIDEL. s. An unbeliever in regard to religious tenets. L. infidelis ;
finis, an end.
INFIRM', adj. Tottering; weak. L. in, not, and firm.
INFLA'ME. v. To kindle to provoke. L. infiammo ; in, into, and
;
flamrna, a flame.
INFLA'TE. v. To swell with wind to fill with the breath to make ; ;
turbid. L. infiatum, sup. of inflo ; from in, into, and fio, to blow.
INFLECTION, or INFLEXION, s. The act of bending variation ;
1NF-INN'
IN FORO CONSCIEN' TIM.
" In a court of conscience j" with a
clear conscience. L.
INFRACTION, s. Breach. L. infradio ; in, into, and fractus, p. part.
of frango, to break.
INFRANGIBLE, adj. Not possible to be broken. L. in, not, and
frangible.
INFRINGE', v. To violate. L. infringo ; from in, into, and frango,
to break,
INFURIATE, v. To enrage. L. in, into, and furia, a fury or fiend.
INFUSE, v. To pour into to ; extract without boiling.
F. infuser
L. infusum, sup. of infundo ; from in, into, and fundo, to pour.
INGENIOUS, adj. Having genius inventive. L. ingeniosus : inge-;
nium, capacity, wit in, in, and gigno, or ge.no, to beget. G. gennao.
:
INN— INS
IN'NOCENT. adj. Guiltless; innocuous. L. innocens ; from in, noi,
and nocens, part, of noceo, to hurt
INNOCUOUS, adj. Harmless in effect. L. innocuus : in, not, and
noceo, to hurt.
INNOVATE, v. To introduce something new or uncommon, (which
is thought inconvenient or dangerous.) L. innovo ; from in, into,
and novas, new.
INNOXIOUS, adj. Free from mischievous effects, or from crimes.
L. innoxius : in, not, and noceo, to hurt.
INNUEN'DO. s. Oblique hint. L. innuendo, by nodding abl. gerund ;
in, statu, abl. of status, the state, quo, abl. of qui, in which [it was.]
IN'STIGATE. v. To urge or incite [to a crime.] L. instigo : in,
into, and stigo, to goad.
INSTIL', v. To infuse by drops to insinuate imperceptibly. L. in- ;
See INSULAR.
INSULT', v. To treat with insolence or contempt scornfully to tri- ;
umph L. insulto
over. : in, against, and saltus, p. part, of salio, to
leap or dance.
INSUPERABLE, adj. Not to be overcome insurmountable. L. in-
;
superabilis : in, not, and supero, to climb over super, above, and eo,
:
to go.
IN'TEGER. s. A whole a whole number. L. integer, entire.
;
INT-INT
INTEG'RITY. s. State of being undivided ; honesty. L. integritas.
See INTEGER.
IN'TELLECT. s. The understanding. L. intellectus: iruelligo, to
understand ; intus, within, and lego, to gather.
INTEL'LIGIBLE. adj. Possible to be understood. L. intelligibilis :
intelligo, to understand.
INTEND', v. To purpose; to design. ; comp. of in, to-
L. intendo
wards, and tendo, to stretch.
INTEN'DANT. s. In France, means a superintending officer. F. in-
tendo nt. See INTEND.
INTENSE', adj. Denoting an extreme degree. L. intensus, p. part,
of intendo : in, into, and tendo, to stretch.
INTENT', adj. Anxiously attentive, or diligent. L. intentus, p. part.
of intendo. See INTENSE.
INTEN'TION. s. Purpose, or design. L. intentio. See INTEND.
INTER', v. To bury. F. erderrer : L. in, into, and terra, the earth.
INTERCALAR, or INTERCALARY, adj. Additional, to preserve
the equation of time as, the 29th of February, in a leap year.
; L.
intercalarius ; from intercalo, to insert.
INTERCE'DE. v. To mediate. L. intercedo, to come between.
INTERCEPT', v. To stop on the way. L. interceptum, sup. of inter-
cipio : between, and capio, to take.
inter,
INTERCESSION, s. Mediation. L. intercessio: intercessum, sup.
of. intercedo. See INTERCEDE.
INTERC1PTENT. adj. Intercepting. L. intercipiens, part, of inter-
cipio. See INTERCEPT.
INTERCOS'TAL. adj. Between the ribs. F. intercostal : L. inter,
between, and costa, a rib.
IN'TERCOURSE. s. Communication; commerce. F. entrecours : L.
inter, between, and carro, to run.
INTERDICT', v. To restrain pendente lite; to prohibit; to forbid.
L. inter dictum, sup. of interdico : inter, between, and dico, to say,
or object.
IN'TEREST. s. Concern; regard to private profit; advantage; parti-
cipation ; money paid for the use of money from inter sum, to be :
inter, between,
INTE'RIOR. adj. Internal; inner. L. comparative of intra, within
pos. intra; comp. interior ; sup. intimus.
INTERJACENT, adj. Lying between. L. interjacens, part, of inter-
jaceo : inter, between, and jaceo, to lie.
INT-INT
INTERLOCUTORY, adj. Consisting of dialogue ;
preparatory to a
final F. interlocutoire : L. inter, between, and locutus,
decision.
part, ofloquor, to speak.
IN'TERLUDE. s. An intervening entertainment. L. inter, between,
and ludus, an entertainment.
INTERMEDIATE, adj. Intervening; interposed. F. inter mediat ;
L. inter, between, and medius, the middle.
INTER' MINABLE. adj. Never ending; immense. L. in, not, and
terminable.
INTERMIS'SION. s. Act of intermitting; pause. L. intermissio
inlermissus, p. part, of intermilto. See INTERMIT.
INTERMIT, v. To stop, but not finally. L. intermitto ; comp. of
inter, between, and miito, to send.
INTER'NAL. adj. Interior. L. internus ; infra, within.
INTERNATIONAL, adj. Relating to the reciprocal intercourse or
commerce of one nation with another. L. inter, between, and na-
tional.
INTERPOLATE, v. To insert, with an evil design. L. interpolo;
inter, between, and make smooth meaning,
polio, to ; to remove, by
'
forgery, something which opposes our own designs.
INTERPOSE', v. To
place between; to interfere; to mediate. L.
interposit um, sup. of interpono ; inter, between, and pono, to place.
INTERPRET, v. To explain to translate. L. interprelor ; interpres,
;
INT— INV
IN'TIMATE. v. To hint to mention indirectly. Low L. intimo
;
A
INVENTORY, s. catalogue of moveable property, made by a judi-
cial officer, in pursuance of legal process; a list; an account. F.
intentoire : L. inventarium ; invent am, sup. of invenio, to find: in,
to, and venio, to come.
INVERSE', adj. Inverted. L. inversus, p. part, of inverto. See IN-
VERT.
INVERT', v. To reverse ; to place upside-down. L. inverto ; comp.
of in, opposite to, and verto, to turn.
INVEST', v. To dress ; to install to adorn ; to enclose, or surround.
;
look.
INVIG'ORATE. v. To strengthen, or enliven. L. in, into, and vigour.
INVINCIBLE, adj. Unconquerable; insuperable. F. invincible : L.
in, not, and vinco, to conquer.
INVIOLATE, or INVI'OLATED. adj. Uninjured ; unbroken. L.
inviolatus ; from in, not, and violatus, (p. part, of violo,) hurt.
INVISIBLE, adj. Imperceptible by the sight. L. in, not, and visible.
INVI'TE. v. To allure; to ask ; to intreat. L. invito ; in, to, and via,
a way.
INVOCATION, s. Supplication ; invitation. L. invocatio. See IN-
VOKE.
INVO'KE. v. To supplicate ; to invite. L. invoco ; comp. of in, to,
and voco, to call.
INVOL'UNTARY. adj. Not desired ; not intended. L. in, not, and
voluntary.
INVOLUTION, s. Inwrapment entanglement. L. involutio ; invo-
;
irremeabilis : from in, not,and reineo, to return re, back, and eo, :
to go.
IRRESISTIBLE, adj. Superior to opposition. L. in, not, and re-
sistible.
IR'RIGATE. To
overflow with water, as a means of fertilizing. L.
v.
irrigo : in, upon, and rigo, to water.
IRRIG'UOUS. adj. Moist. See IRRIGATE.
IR'RITATE. v. To excite anger to provoke. L. irrito. See IRE.
;
JAUNDICE, s. A
distemper which changes the skin and eyes to a
yellow colour. F. jaunisse : jaun, yellow.
JEJUNE, adj. Deficient in matter unaffecting. L. jejunus, bare, ;
hungry.
JEL'LY. s. A glutinous substance. F. gelee : geler, to freeze. L.
gelu, frost.
JET. s. A small rapid issue of any fluid. F. jet : from jetter, to throw.
144
JET—JUR
JET VEAU. s. An artificial water-spout. Y.jet, a spout, de, of, eau,
water.
JEU D' ESPRIT, s. A witticism. F. jeu, play, de, of, esprit, hu-
mour.
JOCO'SE. adj. Facetious merry.
L. jocosus : jocus, a jest.
;
See JOINT.
JOKE. s. A jest. L. jocus, a jest.
JOL'LY. adj. Cheerful agreeable. ; : L. jovialis.
F. joli See JOVIAL.
JOT. s. An iota the least quantity
; imaginable. Iota, (t) the smallest
letter in the Greek alphabet.
JOUR'NAL. s. A
diary ; a compendium from a merchant's daj'-book.
F. journal : jour, a day.
JOUR'NEY. s. Passage by land. F. journee, a day's work, or day's
travel : jour, a day.
JOUR'NEYMAN. s. Strictly, any man
hired to work by the day, but,
in fact, any mechanic who hired to work for another, whether by
is
the month, year, or other term. See JOURNEY.
JO' VIAL. adj. Merry. L. jovialis; from Jovis, gen. of Jupiter. See
the heathen mythology.
JU'BILEE. s. Amongst the Jews, every fiftieth year, at which time
all the slaves were liberated, &c. a season of great public joy and
;
n 145
:
JUR— LAC
JURISDICTION, s. Legal authority
limited extent of power.
; L.
jurisdictio from juris, gen. of jus, law, and dictio, a declaration.
;
JURISPRUDENCE, s. The science of law the knowledge of the ;
K.
moon, one of the inferior priests used to assemble the people, in the
capitol, and call over as many days as there were between that and
the nones and so from the old word cnlo, or the Greek kaleo, to call,
;
the first of these days had the name of kalend. KennetVs Rom. Ant.
107.
KIL'OGRAM. In the new system of French weights and measures,
s.
when the animal is masked, and before it has attained its winged or
perfect state. L. larva, a mask.
LARYNX, s. The windpipe or trachea. G. larunx, the throat.
LASCIVIOUS, adj. Lewd. L. lascivus : laxus, loose. See LAX.
LASSITUDE, s. Weariness. L. lassiludo ; from laxus, loose, un-
strung.
LATENT, adj. Concealed. L. latens, part, of latco, to lurk.
147
;
:
;
LAT—LEG
LAT'ERAL. adj. Relating to the side ; or to a motion from side to
side. L. lateralis; from laius, a side.
A LATE' RE. A
legate, a latere, is a pope's legate or envoy, so called
because sent from his side, from amongst his favourites and coun-
sellors.
LAT'INISM. s. A mode of speech peculiar to the Latin language.
LATITAT, s. A writ, issuing from the King's Bench, in England
which supposes the defendant to be concealed. L. latitat, (from la-
tito,) he lurks.
LATTTUDE. s. Breadth ; extensive range ; distance from the equa-
tor. L. latitudo ; from latus, broad : latus, (p. part, of fero,) borne,
or carried ; that is, extended.
LATITUDINA'RIAN. s. One who thinks or acts without restraining
LA'VER. s. A
vessel for washing ; a large bason. F. lavoir : laver,
to wash. L. lavo.
LAVISH, adj. Prodigal. L. lavo, to throw or shake off.
LAX. adj. Loose slack vague, s. ; looseness, or diarrhoea. L.
; A
laxus, loose.
LAXTTY. s. Looseness; slackness; want of precision. L. laxitas.
See LAX.
LAY. adj. Regarding the G. laos, the people.
laity.
LAYMAN, s. One who is not a clergyman. See LAY.
LEAGUE, s. A confederacy a combination, either of interest or
;
friendship. F. ligue
L. ligo, to bind. :
LEASE, s. A
contract, by which a temporary possession is granted,
of houses, lands, &c. F. laisser : L. laxo, to unloose, or set at
liberty.
LEAVEN, s. That which raises bread, and is usually called yeast or
to select, or to read. A
lecture, as distinguished from a sermon,
seems to denote selection : being explanatory of several passages of
Scripture, and not referring to a particular text. In general, the
term alludes to reading.
LEG' AC
Y. s. Chattel property bequeathed by a last will. L. legatum
from lego, (legare,) to send, to bequeath.
LE'GAL. adj. Lawful relating or belonging to law. L. legalis
;
LEG—LET
LEGATEE', s. One to whom a legacy has been willed. L. Icgatum,
a legacy. See LEGACY.
LE'GEND. s. A chronicle of the lives of saints ; any memorial or re-
lation ; nny inscription, particularly on coins and medals. L. le-
genda, [tiling-] to be read; from lego (legere.)
LEGERDEMAIN', s. Sleight of hand. F. legerete, nimbleness, de, of,
main, the hand.
LEGIBLE, adj. Such as can be read. L. legibilis ; from lego, to
read.
LE'GION. s. A Roman battalion, consisting of about five thousand
men. L. legio ; from lego, to collect.
LEGISLATOR, s. One who makes laws. L. legislator : leges, laws,
and latum, sup. offero, to carry, or propose.
LEGITIMATE, adj. Regular; proper; born in wedlock. L. legitu
mvs, lawful; from legis, gen. of lex, a law.
LEGU'MINOUS. adj. Of the pulse kind, as beans and peas such as ;
are not reaped, but gathered by the hand. L. legumen, pulse from ;
lego, to gather.
LEISURE, s. Freedom from business or hurry ; convenience of time.
F. loisir ; from the L. laxus, loose.
LENIENT, adj. Assuaging; mild; merciful. L. leniens, part, of
lenio, to assuage ; lenis, mild.
LENITIVE, s. Something
to ease pain. F. lenitif. See LENITY.
LENITY, s. Mildness
tenderness. L. lenitas : lenis, mild.
;
LEV— LIS
LEVA'RI FA' CI AS. A writ which commands the sheriff (o levy
the plaintiff's debt, whereby that officer may seize the real estate of
the defendant, and receive the rents and profits, till satisfaction be
made to the plaintiff. L.
LEVATOR, s. A
surgical instrument, for raising depressed parts of
the skull. L. levator : from levo, to lift.
LEVEE', s. An assemblage of persons at a court ; an artificial bank
of a river. F. levee : from lever, to raise.
LEV'EN. s. See — LEAVEN;
which is the most common, though not
the most correct, mode, of spelling the word.
LEVER, s. One of the mechanical powers. F. levier : L. levo, to lift.
LEVIGATE, s. To reduce to very fine powder ; to mix until a liquor
a tooth for a tooth." L. lex, a law, and talionis, gen. of talio, like
for like.
LIBATION, s. Wine poured upon
the ground, in honour of a hea-
then god. G. leibo, to pour out.
L. libatio :
to melt.
LIQ'UEFY. v. To become liquid ; to make liquid. L. liquefio : from
and ,/io, to become.
liquor, a fluid,
LIQUES'CENT. adj. Melting of a melting nature. ; L. liquescens,
part, of liquesco, to grow liquid : liquo, to melt.
LIQ'UID. adj. Melted; fluid; soft. L. tiquidus : liqueo, to melt.
LIQ'UIDATE. v. To lessen a debt by degrees. L. liqueo, to dissolve.
LIQ'UOR. s. Any thing fluid ; vulgarly, intoxicating drink. L. liquor.
See LIQUID.
LIT' ANY. s. A form of prayer. G. litaneia, a supplication.
LIT'ERAL. adj. Not figurative ; following the words precisely ; con-
sisting of letters. L. lit era, a letter.
LIT'ERARY. adj. Relating to letters, or learning. L. literarius : from
literal, letters, or learning : litera, a letter.
LIT'ERATE. adj. Learned; instructed in learning and science. L.
literatus : litera, a letter.
LITER A'TI. s. The learned. L. pi. of literatus, learned; from litera,
letters.
LITERATIM, s. Letter by letter. L. literatim : from litera,a letter.
151
:
LIT-LON
LITHOGRAPHY. The
art of engraving, or of tracing letters,
*.
loquor, to speak.
LOR'ICATED. adj. Plated over, in the manner of a crocodile. L.
lorica, a coat of mail.
LO'TION. s. A medicinal wash. L. lotio : from lotum, sup. of lavo, to
wash.
LOUIS-D'OR. s. A golden coin of France. F. Louis, (the king's
name,) de, of, or, gold.
LOYAL, adj. Obedient to a prince, or to the national laws ; faithful.
F. loyal : from loi, a law.
LUBRICITY, s. Slipperiness, or smoothness ; instability. F. lubricite :
L. lustro, to purify.
LUS'TRUM. s. The religious purgation or cleansing of Rome, every
fifth year ; hence, lustrum is used to denote a period of four years. L,
153
;
LUS— MAI
LU'SUS NATURAE. An irregular production of nature; as an ani-
mal born with five legs, instead of four. L. lusus, a play or freak,
natures, (from natura,) of nature.
LUTA'RIOUS. adj. Living in mud. L. lutarius : from lut urn, mud.
LU'TING. Clay, or a composition, with which the joints and aper-
s.
LYRE. s. A
harp. F. lyre : L. lyra : G. lura.
LYRTC. adj. Relating to poems intended for the harp; sentimental
pieces of music. L. lyricus. See LYRE.
M.
MACERATE, v. To make lean; to wear away. L. macero; from
macer, lean.
MACHINA'TION. s. Artifice; malicious design. L. machinatio;
from machina, an engine. See MACHINE.
MACHINE, s. An engine of complicated workmanship. F. machine:
vantage.
MACULA, A spot. L. (pi. macules.)
s.
MAGAZINE, s. A
store-house, generally for munitions of war ; a
miscellaneous pamphlet, (imagined as a literary store-house.) F.
magazin: G. magos, wise.
MA'GIC. s. Pretended sorcery or enchantment. L. magia : G. magos,
wise.
MAGISTE'RIAL. adj. Relating to or resembling a magistrate. See
MAGISTRATE.
MAGISTRATE, s. A man invested with legal authority. L. magis-
trates : from major, greater.
magister, a master :
MAI—MAN
MAIN. adj. Principal ; chief; leading. Old F. magne : L. magnus,
great.
MAIN. s. A continent, or great tract of land ; an ccean, or great sheet
ofw.iter. See the adjective.
MAIN'PRISE. s. Delivery into the custody of a friend, upon security
given for appearance bail. F. main, a hand, and prise, possession;
;
prendre, to take.
MAINTAIN', To
preserve; to keep; to support. F. maintenir
v.
main, a hand, (that is, in the hand,) and tenir, to hold L. manus, :
and teneo.
MAJES'TIC. August; grand; splendid. L. majestas, superior-
adj.
ity, majesty from major, compar. of magnus, great.
:
malleus, ahammer.
MALUM IN SE. Evil in itself, as murder. Some actions are evil
only when prohibited by law, as the killing of game, if unprivileged,
which is malum prohibitum. L. malum, (neuter of malus,) evil, in,
in, sp, itself.
MALVERSATION, s. Fraudulent conduct. F. malversation: L.
malum, evil, and verso, (freq. of verto,) to turn often.
MAN'ACLES. s. Handcuffs. F. manicles : L. manic<s : manus, a hand.
155
— ;
MAN—MAR
MAN' AGE. v. To conduct to make tractable. F. tnenager : main,
;
The slave was brought before the consul, and, in after times, before
the prsstor, by his master ; who, laying his hand upon his servant's
head, said, to the praetor, " hunc hominem, liberum esse volo ;" and
then let him go out of his hand which was termed e manu emitlere.
;
MED— MER
MED'ITATE. v. To contemplate. L. meditor : G. medeo, to govern,
or take care of.
ME'DIUM. s. Anything intervening; a middle degree ; means. L.
medium, the middle.
MEL'ANCHOLY. s. A
disease, arising from a heavy state of the
blood ; a gloomy, pensive temper. G. melanos, gen. of melas, black,
and chole, bile.
ME'LIORATE. v. To improve to ; ameliorate. L. melior, better.
MELLIF'EROUS. adj. Producing honey. L. mellifer : mel, honey,
and fero, to bring.
MELLIFLUOUS, adj. Sweetly flowing. L. mel, honey, and fluo, to
flow.
MEL'LOW. adj. Pleasingly ripe
soft. L. mel, honey. ;
north to south, and passing through all tho?e places which have noon
at the same time. F. meridien : L. meridies, noon probably, from
;
MET— MIL
METEOROLOGICAL, adj. Relating to the doctrine of meteors ; and
to the changes of weather. Meteor, and G. logos, a description.
METH'OD. s. The placing of several things, or performing several
METONYMY, s. A
rhetorical figure, founded on the several relations
of cause and effect, container and contained, sign and thing signi-
fied as, when we say, "he is reading Locke," the cause is put for
:
1
the effect : meaning, " the works of Locke. " G. metonumia : meta,
against, and onoma, a name.
ME'TRE, s. Language confined to a. certain number, and harmonic
disposition, of syllables; verse. G. metron, a measure.
METROL'OGY. s. A
discourse on measures or mensuration. G.
metron, measure, and logos, discourse.
METROP'OLIS. $. A
chief city. L. metropolis : G. meter, a mother,
and polls, a city.
METROPOLITAN, s. An archbishop. G. from metropolis : sup-
posing that the chief city was the principal see.
MEUM AND TUUM. Mine and yours: a technical expression, —
used to mark the distinction of property, as belonging to one person
or another. L.
MIAS'MA. s. Contagious effluvia, arising from distempered or poison-
ous bodies. G. miasma : from miaino, to infect.
MICOG'RAPHY. s. The description of objects too small to be discern-
ed without the aid of a microscope. G. mikros, small, and grapho, to
write.
MICROCOSM, s. Man is so called, from a fanciful
The little world.
analogy to the G. ?nikros, little, and kosmos, the world.
world itself.
MIL— MIS
MILLESIMAL, adj. Relating to, or containing a thousand. L. mil-
lesimus ; from
a thousand. mille,
MIL'LIGRAM. s. In the system of French weights and measures,
the thousandth part of a grain. L. mille, a thousand, and gramma,
a grain.
MILLIM'ETER. s. A
French lineal measure, containing the thou-
sandth part of a meter. L. mille, a thousand, and metrum, a measure.
MIM'IC. s. A
ludicrous, or servile imitator. L. mimicus : G. mimos,
an imitator.
MIN'ATORY. adj. Threatening. L. minor, to threaten.
MINCE, v. To cut or chop into very small pieces. L. minuo, to
lessen.
MINERAL'OGY. s. The science of minerals: coinp. of the Eng. mi-
neral, and G. logos, a description.
MIN'IATURE. s. A representation in a small compass. F. miniature.
This word, in accordance with the size of the painting, &c, appears
to come from the L. minvo, to lessen but, in relation to its ortho- ;
graphy, and to the mode of execution, the French word may have
been derived from miniatus, part, of the L. minio, to colour with
vermilion.
MINIMUM, s. The lowest rate; opposed to maximum. L. minimum,
(neuter of minimus,) the superl. of parvus, little compar. minor, ;
MI'NOR. s. One under the age when he can lawfully manage his own
affairs. L. minor, less, or younger.
MINOTAUR, s. A
monster imagined by the poets, half man and
half bull. L. Minotaurus : from Minos, a king of Crete, and taurus,
a bull. See Ovid's Metamorphoses.
MI'NUS. s. Less insufficient ; in electricity, opposed to plus.
; L.
minus, less.
MINUTE', adj. Small ;
precise. L. minutus, diminished ; from mi-
nuo, to lessen.
MINUTE, s. The sixtieth part of an hour. L. minutus. See MI-
NUTE'.
MINUTE, v. To record briefly. See MINUTE'.
MINU'TIiE. s. Minute parts ; trifles. L. pi. of minutia : minutus,^.
part, of minuo, to make less ; minor, less.
MIR'ACLE. s. A wonder; something above human power. F. mira-
cle L. miracuhim : from miror, to wonder.
:
MIR'ROR. s. A
looking-glass. F.miroir: L. miror, to admire.
MIS'ANTHROPE. s One disgusted with mankind. G. misanthropos
miseo, to hate, and antkropos, a man.
MISCELLANEOUS, adj. Various. L. miscellaneus ; from misceo,
to mix.
MIS'CIBLE. adj. Possible to be mingled. L. misceo, to mix.
182
MIS— MOL
MIS'CREANT. s. Now signifies a vile wretch it anciently denoted
:
MO' DUS. s. A
due proportion, neither more nor less measure lim- ; ;
its; rule. L.
MO DUS OPERANDI. The method or manner of operating. L.
,
See MOxMENT.
MON'ACHISM. s. State of a monk. F. See MONK.
MONAN'DRIA. s. A genus of plants, distinguished by one male sta-
mina. G. monos, single, and andria, virility.
MON' ARCH. s. An emperor, or a king. G. monarchos ; from monos,
alone, and arche, government.
MONASTERY, s. A
habitation for monks. L. monasterium G. :
monos, alone.
MONI'TION. s. Advice. L. monitio ; from moneo, to advise. G.
monos, alone that is, in private.
;
mors, death.
MORT'GAGE. s. Security on lands, &c, by the terms of which, the
land pledged for the repayment of money borrowed, is, in law, in
case of non-payment at the time limited, for ever dead and gone from
the mortgagor. F. mort, dead, and gage, a pledge.
MORTIF'EROUS. adj. Causing death. L. mortiferus : mortis, gen.
of mors, death.
MORTIFY, v. To destroy the vital principle to subdue inordinate ;
or cause.
MORT'MAIN. s. Such a state of possession as makes it unalienable ;
whence, it is said to be in a dead hand. F. morte, dead, and main,
a hand.
MORTUARY, s. A
sort of ecclesiastical heriot a burial-place. F. ;
MUL— MYT
MUL'TIPEDE. s. An insect with many feet. L. multipeda ; from
multus, many, and pedes, pi. of pes, a foot.
MUL'TIPLY. v. To increase; to find the product of arithmetical fac-
tor?. L. multiplico ; from multus, many, and plico, to fold.
MUL'TITUDE. s. A great number the vulgar. L. muitilvdo : mul-
;
tus, many.
MUL'TUM IN PAR'VO. Much in little space. L. multum, neuter
of multus, much, in, par vo, abl. of parvus, little.
in,
MUM'MERY. s. Masking, sport, farcical show. F. momerie : from
Mo?nus, the god of sport and ridicule.
MUN'DANE. adj. Belonging to the world. L. mundanus ; from
mundus, the world.
MUNICIPAL, adj. Belonging or relating to a corporation. L. muni-
cipalis ; from municipium, a privileged city, munus, a gift, and
capio, to hold.
MUNIFICENCE, s. Splendid liberality. L. munijicentia ; from mu-
nus, a gift, and facto, to make.
MUNI'TION. s. Ammunition; materials for war. L. muniiio ; from
munio, to strengthen.
MURAL, adj. Pertaining to a wall. L. muralis ; from murus, a wall.
MU'RIATES. s. Salts formed by the combination of any base with
muriatic acid. See MURIATIC.
MURIATTC. adj. Having a chemical basis of salt. L. muria, salt
water.
MUSETJM. s. A
repository of curiosities. L. museum : G. mouseion,
a place dedicated to the Muses from mousa, a Muse.
:
MYR'MIDON. s. A
ruffian a mercenary bravo. G. murmedon ; from
;
nary being, supposed to preside over the material and animal world.
L. natura ; from natus, part, of nascor, to be born.
NAUS'EOUS. adj. Loathsome. L. nauseosus : G. nausia, sea-sick-
ness from naus, a ship.
;
naus, a ship.
NAVAL, adj. Relating to ships ;
pertaining to a navy. L. navalis.
See NAVY.
NAVIGATE, v. To pass by water to steer. L. navigo ; from navis,
;
logos, a description.
NEUROT'OMY. s. The anatomy of the nerves. G. neuron, a nerve,
and temno, to cut.
NEU'TER. adj. Neutral; indifferent; neither masculine nor feminine.
„ L. neuter, neither.
NEU'TRAL. adj. Indifferent not concerned in a war between other
;
fore that day, the king's judges go into the sheriff's county, to deter-
mine causes. This intention may now be considered as a mere
fiction. L. nisi, unless, prius, before.
NI'TROGEN. s. The principle of nitre the chief ingredient of atmo-
;
quor.
NOMENCLATURE, s. Mode of giving names; a vocabulary. L.
nomenclatura nomen, a name.
:
the electric fluid, heat, sound, &c. L. non, not, and conductor.
NONCONFORMIST, s. dissenter. A
L. non, not, and conform.
A
NONEN'TITY. s. creature of the imagination. L. non, not, and
ens, a being.
NONES, s. Certain days of the Roman Kalendar,— the 7th day of
March, May, July, and October, and the 5th of the remaining
months. L. nonce novem, nine. The nones were so called, because
:
they reckoned nine days from the ides the ides were generally :
NOT—NUM
used instead of P. S. or postscript ; but a careful writer will avoid
this impropriety. L. nota, (imper. of noto,) mark, bene, well.
NOT' ABLE. adj. Remarkable. —
(vulgarly, careful.) L. nolabilis ;
from noto, to mark.
NO'TARY. s. An official recorder. L. notarius ; from mark.
noto, to
NOTATION, s. The art of recording or describing by scientific
marks, as in arithmetic and music. L. notaiio ; from noto, to
mark.
NOTE. v. To observe ; to record. L. noto, to mark.
NO'TIFY. v. To make known. L. notijico ; comp. of notus, known,
(p. part, of nosco,) and facio, to make.
NO'TION. s. Idea; conception of the mind sentiment; opinion. F. ;
vent, but has not yet taken the vow. F. novice : L. novus, new.
NOVI'TIATE. s. The state of a novice the time in which the rudi- ;
L. nucleus, a kernel.
NUDE. s. A
female who exposes her person by the lightness or scan-
tiness of her dress. L. nudus, naked.
NU'DITY. s. Nakedness. F. nudite : L. nudus, naked.
NUGATORY, adj. Trifling futile insignificant.
; L. nugatorius
;
NUN— OBL
NUNCU'PATIVE. adj. Verbally pronounced ; not written. L. nun-
cupates : from nuncio, to tell.
NUP'TIAL. adj. Relating to marriage. L. nuptialis ; from nubo, to
veil, because the Roman ladies were veiled at the time of mar-
riage.
NURSE, s. A woman that has the care of a child, or of a sick person ;
one who rears, educates, or protects. F. nourrice. See NOURISH.
NURTURE, v. To feed to bring to maturity ; to educate.
; F. nour-
riture, sustenance. See NURSE.
NUTATION, s. Act of nodding or inclining. L. nutatio ; nuto, to
nod.
NUTRIMENT, s. Food. L. nutrimentum
from nutrio, to nurse. ;
See OBEY.
OBEIS'ANCE. s. An act of submission, or reverence a bow, or ;
liquus ; from ob, against or, about and lictus, p. part, of linquo, to
leave, or forsake.
171
:;
OBL— OCC
OBLITERATE, v. To blot out to destroy. L. oblitero
; ; comp. of
ob, against, and litera, a letter.
OBLIVION, s. Forgetfulness amnesty. L. oblivio ; from
; oh, against,
and lavo, to wash.
OBLOQUY, s.Censure
slander; reproach. L. obloquor, to reproach;
;
hide.
OCCUPY, v. To hold. L. occupo ; comp. of ob, before, and capio, to
take.
172
:
OCC—OLI
OCCUR', u. To enter into the mind ; to happen. L. occurro ; from ob,
against, and curro, to run.
OC'ELLATED. Resembling the eye. L. ocellaius : oculus, an eye.
adj.
OCTAGON, s. A
figure containing eight sides and angles. G. okto,
eight, and gonia, a corner.
OCTANGULAR, adj. Having eight angles. L. octo, eight, and an-
gulus, an angle.
OCTAVE, s. In music, an eighth, or an interval of eight sounds. L.
octavus, eight.
OCTA'VO. A
book, each leaf of which is equal in size to the eighth
s.
OLY-OPP
OLYM'PIAD. s. A
period of four years, or that space of time which
elapsed between the periodical celebration of the Olympic games.
The first of these great celebrations, at Olympia, in Peloponnesus,
occurred 779 years before Christ, and 22 before the foundation of
Rome.
O'MEN. s. A prognostic. L. omen G. oimai, to consider, or suppose.
:
OPP— ORG
OPPORTUNITY, s.Convenient point of time convenience. ; L.
opportunitas ; from ob, in the way of, and porto, to carry.
OPPOSE', v. To stand in front to act against to obstruct; to hinder.
; ;
See OPTICS.
OP'TICS. s. The science of the laws of vision. G. ops, an eye.
OP'TUVySM. s. The doctrine that every thing is ordered for the best.
F. optimisme ; from the L. optimus, best.
OP'TION. s. Power of choosing ; choice. L. optio ; from opto, to
choose.
OP'ULENT. adj. Wealthy. L. opulens : opes, riches ; from opis,
power.
OR'ACLE. s. One who conveys information by supernatural wisdom
or by pretended supernatural wisdom, as the oracle at Delphos the ;
SeeOSTENSIVE.
OS'TRACISM. s. Public sentence inscribed, by each voter, upon a
shell. G. ostrakismos
from ostrakon, a shell. ;
P.
male and female; two of a sort. Y.paire: L. par; from the adjec-
tive par, even in number, two.
PAL'ACE. s. A
royal house a house eminently splendid. The Pala.
;
tinus Mons, or Mount Palatine, was the site upon which Romulus
laid the first foundation of Rome where also he kept his court as
; ;
did Augustus, and all the succeeding emperors of Rome from which :
circumstance, the word palatium, or palace, has, ever since, been ap-
plied to the residence of a monarch, or prince.
PALE. s. A rail or post; an enclosure; district. L. palus, a post.
PALTMPSEST. s. A
piece of parchment, twice prepared for writing,
first by rubbing* with pumice-stone, when in a state of manufacture,
and again by the same process, after the original writing had been
taken away. G. palimpsestos : palin, again, and psecho, to scrape
or rub.
PALTNDROME. s. A
word or sentence, which is the same, read
backward or forward, as " madam.'''' G. palindromia ; palin, again,
or backwards, and dromos, a running.
PALTNODE. s. A recantation. G. palinodia ; palin, again, and ode,
a song.
PALISADE, s. A defence made of pales. F. palisade : L. palus, a
post.
PALLA'DIUM. s. Properly, a statue of Pallas, (Minerva,) which, it
was said, fell from heaven, and on the preservation of which, it was
imagined, depended the safety of Troy it was accordingly stolen
:
trees.
PAR'ADOX. s. A position seemingly absurd, because contrary to
—
some received opinion, yet, true in fact. G. paradoxos ; para, con-
trary to, and doxos, an opinion.
PAR'AGOGE. s. A figure, by which a letter or syllable is affixed to a
word, without adding any thing to its sense. G. paragoge : parago,
to extend.
PAR' AGON. s. A model ; something extremely well formed. G. para,
from, and ago, to form.
PARAGRAPH, s. A distinct part of a discourse. G. paragraphe ;
from para, through, and grapho, to write : meaning, through the
subject.
PARALEP'SIS. ) s. In rhetoric, a pretended or apparent omission.
PARALEP'SY. \ G. paraleipsis : para, beyond or by, and leipo,
to leave.
PAR'ALLAX. s. The distance between the true and apparent place
of the sun, or any star, viewed from the earth. G. parallaxis, a
difference para, through, and allato, to change.
:
reason.
PAR'ALYSE. v. To effect by a paralysis to enfeeble by contention. ;
See PARALYSIS.
PARAL'YSIS. s. A palsy. G. paralusis ; from para, through, and luo,
to untie ; meaning the sinews, &c.
PARAMOUNT, adj. Superior. G. para, above, and F. monter, to
go up.
PAR' AMOUR, A
lover, or wooer; a mistress.
s. F. par, for, and
amour, a love intrigue.
love, or
PARAPHERNALIA, s. Goods in which a wife has a legal property,
PAR— PAR
PAR'CEL. s. A part ; a small bundle or package. F. parcelle : L.
pars, a part.
PAR'DON. v. To excuse an offender; to forgive a crime. F. par-
do nner ; from the L. per, by or through, and dono, to give.
PAREGOR'IC. s. An assuaging medicine. G. paregoreo, to miti-
gate.
PARENT; s. A father or mother. F. parent : L. parens ; from pario,
to beget, or bring forth.
PARENTHESIS, s. A word or sentence, so included within another
sentence, as that it may be omitted, without injuring the sense of
that which encloses it. Marked thus ( ). G. para, with, en, in, and
thesis, a position.
PAR EXCELLENCE. By way of eminence. F. par, by, and ex.
cellence, excellence.
PARHELION, s. A
mock sun, or contiguous resemblance of the
sun. G. para, near, and helios, the sun.
PARIETAL, adj. Relating to the parietes. See PARIETES.
PARI'ETES. s. In anatomy, a term used for the enclosures, or mem-
branes, which stop up or close the hollow parts of the body such as ;
A
PARTY, s. number of persons confederated in opposition to others ;
a faction one, of two or more litigants a select assembly, &c. F.
; :
PAST. adj. Neither present nor future gone through. See PASS. ;
PASTOR, s. A
shepherd a clergyman. L. pastor ; pasco, to feed.
; .
ters," are so called, because they are not sealed up, but exposed to
open view, with the great seal pendant at the bottom. From L.
PATER'NAL. adj. Relating or pertaining to a father. L. paternus ;
from pater, a father.
PAT'ER-NOSTER. s. The name of the Lord's Prayer, by the Ro-
man Catholic church; because, pater and nosier, (our father,) are
the first two words of that prayer. L. pater, a father, and nosier,
our.
PATHETTC. adj. Affecting the finer passions. G. pathetikos. See
PATHOS.
q 181
;;
PAT— PEC
PATHOL'OGY. s. That part of medical science which treats of the
s
as, Tidides, the son of Tydeus Neil, the son of Neil, Mac Gregor,
;
poor.
PAUSE, s. A stop ; cessation. F. pause : L. positus, p. part, of pono,
to place, or lay, or set down.
PEACE, s. Reconciliation of differences ; respite from war rest
;
PENCIL, s. A
small brush, used by painters for laying on co-
lours any instrument for writing without ink. L. penicillus. See
;
PAINT.
PEN'DANT. s. Something suspended; a small naval flag. F. pen-
dant : L. pendco, to hang.
PENDENT, adj. Hanging. L. pendens, part, of pendeo, to hang.
PENDENTE LITE. Whilst the suit or contest is pending and
undelermined. L. from pendeo, to hang, and lis, a dispute, or action
at law.
PENDING, adj. Remaining undecided; during. See PENDENT.
PENDULUM, s. Any weight suspended, so that it may perform os-
cillations of equal time ; the vibrating movement of a clock. L.
pendeo, to hang.
183
—
PEN— PER
PEN'ETRATE. v. To pierce ; to enter ; to reach the meaning. L.
penetro : penitus, within.
PENINSULA, s. A
tract of land almost surrounded by water. L.
pene, almost, insula, an island.
PENITENT, adj. Repentant. L. poenitens, part, of pasniteo ; from
poena, punishment, pain, remorse.
PEN'NATED. adj. Winged: pennated, in botanical language, refers
to those leaves which grow directly, one against another, on the
same rib or stalk. L. pennatus : penna, a feather, or wing.
PEN'SION. s. Pecuniary allowance, given at regular periods, as a
reward of service, or through charity. F. pension : L. pensus, p.
part, of pendo, to pay.
PENSIVE, adj. Sorrowfully thoughtful. Y.pensif; from penser, to
think. L. penso pendo, to weigh, or consider on.
:
PER DIEM. By the day for every day. L. per, by, and diem ac-
;
PER—PER
PER'JURE. v To swear falsely and corruptly. L. perjuro ; comp.
of per, through, or under pretence, and juro, to swear.
PER'MANENT. adj. Durable; lasting. L. permanens, part, of per-
maneo : per, through, and maneo, to remain.
PERMISSION, s. Leave allowance. F. permission ; L. pennissus,
;
recapitulate.
PERPENDICULAR, adj. Hanging or being in a direction towards
the centre of gravity ; placed so as to form right angles, h.perpen-
dicularis : per, by, and pendeo, to hang from.
PERTETRATE. v. To commit; thoroughly to effect; (always taken
in a criminal sense.) L. perpetro : per, through, and petro, to effect,
or bring about.
PERPET'UAL. adj. Never ceasing. L. perpetuus : perpetuo, to con-
tinue : from per, through, and peto, to seek.
PERPLEX', v. To puzzle ; to entangle. L. per, through, and plexus,
p. part, of plecto, to twist.
PERQUISITE, s. Something gained by a place or office, besides the
regular wages. L. perquisitus, p. part, of perquiro, to make diligent;
per, through, and qiuzro, to seek.
PER SAL' TUM. At a leap all at once without any intermediate
; ;
stage. L.
PER SE. By itself; by himself, or herself; by themselves. L. per,
by, se, itself, himself herself, or themselves.
PERSECUTE, v. To pursue with malignity; to tease. L. persecutus,
part, of persequor ; Worn per, through, and sequor, to follow.
PERSEVE'RE. v. To persist. L. persevero, from per, through, and
severus, serious, steady.
PERSIST', v. To persevere. L. persisto ; from per, through, and sisto,
to continue.
PERSPECTIVE, s. View ; the science by which objects are properly
delineated. F. perspectif : L. perspectus, p. part, of perspicio ; per,
through, and specio, to see.
PERSPICACITY, s. Quickness of sight. L. perspicax, quick-sighted;
from per, through, and specio, to see.
PERSPICUITY, s. Clearness of discourse or writing. L. perspi-
cuitas from per, through, and specio, to see.
;
PER-PHE
PERTINENT, adj. Suiting the purpose. L. pertinens. See PER-
TAIN.
PERTURB', v. To
disquiet; to disturb; to disorder. £,. perturbo
per, through, and turbo, to disorder : turba, a crowd.
PERTU'SED. adj. Pierced through ; pierced with holes. L. pertusus,
p. part, of perlundo : per, through, and tundo, to beat.
PERU SE. v. To read. L. from per, through, and usvs, part, of uior,
to use or be conversant with.
PERVA'DE. v. To extend throughout. L. pervado ; from per, through,
and vado, to march, or move.
PERVERSE', adj. Perverted ; stubborn. F. pervers. See PERVER-
SION.
PERVER'SION. The
act of perverting. F. perversion : ~L. perversus,
s.
mischief.
PESTER, v. To disturb to perplex. See PEST.;
PHI—PHY
PHILANTHROPY, s. Love of mankind. G. phileo, to love, and an*
thropos, man.
PHILIP'PIC. s. An
invective declamation —
from the speeches of
:
pilasters are set within a wall, projecting only one quarter of their
diameter. F. pilastre. See PILLAR.
PIL'LAR. s. Literally, a pile or heap hence, a kind of irregular co-
;
PLENIPOTENTIARY, s. A
negotiator invested with full power to
conclude a treaty. F. plenipotentiare : L. plenus, full, and potentia,
power.
PLENITUDE, s. Fulness ; completeness. F. plenitude : L. pleni-
tudo ; plenus, full.
PLENTY, s. Abundance; sufficiency. L. plenus, full.
PLEONASM, s. The using of more words than are necessary. L.
pleonasmus : G. pleonazo, to abound.
PLETH'ORA. s. Injurious abundance of the humours in the human
vessels. G. plethora ; from plethos, fulness.
PLEURISY, s. An inflammatory disorder near the breast. G. pleura,
a membrane which girds or surrounds the ribs.
PLI'ABLE. adj. Flexible. F. pliable ; from plier, to bend.
PLICATION, PLICATURE. s. Fold double. L. plico, to fold. ;
plinihos, a tile.
190
:
PLU—POL
PLU'VIAL, PLU'VIOUS. adj. Rainy ; relating to rain. L. pluvialis,
pluvius : pluvia, rain.
PLUVIOMETER, s. An instrument for showing the quantity of rain
that L. pluvia, rain, and G. metreo, to measure.
falls.
PNEUMATICS, s. The science of the density and pressure of the
atmosphere. G. pneuma, wind.
POACHER, s. One who steals game. F. poche, a pocket or bag.
POD'AGRAL. adj Afflicted with the gout. G. podagra, the gout
podos, gen. ofpous, the foot, and agra, a catching, or weakness.
PO'EM. s. The work of a poet; a metrical composition, h.po'ema:
G.poiema. See POET.
POET. s. An author of fiction, generally in measured verses or
rhyme. L. po'eta : G. poieo, to do, or invent.
POI'GNANT. adj. Sharp painful. F. poignant : L. pungo, to prick.
;
POL— POR
POLY'THEIST. s. One who believes in a plurality of gods. G.polus,
many, and tkeos, a god.
POM'ACE. s. The substance of apples or of similar fruit, crushed by
grinding-. L. pomum, an apple.
POMIF'EROUS. adj. Apple-bearing ; an epithet applied to plants
which bear the larger fruits. L. pomum, an apple, and fero, to
bear.
POMOL'OGY. s. A description of fruit ; the science of cultivating
fruit-trees. L. pomum, an apple, and G. logos, a description.
POMP. s. Splendour; pride. L. pompa : G. pompe; from pempo, to
send forth.
PON'DER. v. To consider. L. pondero, to weigh.
PONDEROUS, adj. Heavy. L. ponderosus : pondus, a load.
PON'TAGE. s. Duty paid for the reparation of bridges. L. pontes,
gen. of pons, a bridge.
PONTON', s. A
military bridge. F. ponton : L. pons, a bridge.
POP'ULACE. s. The common people. F. populace : L. populus, the
people.
POPULAR, adj. Suitable to the common people ; beloved by the peo-
ple. L. popularis ; from populus, the people.
POPULOUS, adj. Thickly inhabited. L. populosus ; from populus, a
people.
PORCELAIN, s. Fine earthen-ware. F. porcelaine ; from the Por-
tuguese, porcellana, a cup.
PORE. s. Spiracle of the skin passage of perspiration ; any narrow
;
—
charging merchandise. L. portus : (an aperture for cannon : porta,
a gate :) from porto, to carry.
PORTABLE, adj. That may be easily carried. F. portabilis ; from
porto, to carry.
PORT' AGE. Price of carriage land-road, between two navigable
s. ;
waters. F. portage
: L. porto, to carry.
PORTCUL'LIS. s. A
gate, in a fortified place, suspended in a groove.
F. portcoulisse : port, a gate, and coulisse, a groove couler, to glide. :
A
PORTER, s. common carrier. L. porto, to carry a gate-keeper :
;
divide.
PORT'LY. adj. Stately. L. porto, to carry ; meaning to carry or
hold the person erectly.
PORTMANTEAU, A bag for carrying clothes.
s. F. portmanteau :
POR—POS
PORTRAY', v, To describe by picture. F. portraire : pour, for, and
L. traho, to draw.
POSI'TION. s. Situation; posture; principle laid down. li.p)sitio;
from positus, p. part, of pono, to place.
POS'ITIVE. adj. Absolutely fixed; dogmatical. L. positivus ; from
pono. See POSITION.
POS SE. s. An attendant crowd a vulgar abbreviation of posse comi.
;
tatus,
POSSE COMITA' TUS. The power
of the inhabitants of a county ;
POSTLIMTNOUS. opposed
to preliminary.
( L. post, after, and ti-
men, a threshold or entrance.
POSTIL'LION. s. One who guides the leading horses of a post-chaise;
one who guides a post-chaise. F. postilion. See POST.
POSTMERIDIAN, or P. M. adj. After noon. L. post, after, and
meridian.
POST MORTEM. After death. L. post, after, mortem, accus. of
mors, death.
POST O BIT. A post-obit bond is that which promises payment of
money death of a certain person generally by his heir.
after the ;
PRE—PRE
PRECIPICE, s. A perpendicular declivity. L. pracipitium. See
PRECIPITATE.
PRECIPITATE, v. To throw head-foremost; to fall head-foremost
to hurry forward. L. pracipito : pra, before, and caput, the head.
PRECI'SE. adj. Exact; formal. L. pracisus, p. part, of pracido, to
pare off: pra, before, and cado, to cut.
PRECLUDE, v. To shut out, or hinder. L. pracludo ; from pra,
before, and claudo, to shut.
PRECLUSION, s. Act of precluding; state of being precluded. L.
praclusus, p. part, of pracludo. See PRECLUDE.
PRECOC ITY. s. Early maturity. L. pracox : from pro;, before, and
coquo, to boil, or ripen.
PRECOGNITION, s. Previous knowledge. L. pra, before, and cog-
nition.
PRECONCEIVE', v. To conceive previously. L. pra, before, and
conceive.
PRECURSOR, s. Forerunner. L. precursor ; from pra, before, and
curro, to run.
PRE' DAL. adj. Plundering. L. prada, plunder.
PREDATORY, adj. Plundering; ravenous. L. pradatorius ; from
prada, plunder.
PREDECESSOR, s. One that preceded another. F. predecesseur
L. pra, before, and decessus, part, of decedo, to depart.
PREDES'TINATE. v. To appoint beforehand. L. pra, before, and
destino, to design.
PREDETERMINE, v. To determine previously. L. pra, before, and
determine.
PRE'DIAL. adj. Consisting of farms; the produce of a farm. L. pra-
dium., a farm.
PREDICAMENT, s. In logic, a category ; a series or order of all
chase.
PRE-EXIST', v. To exist previously. L. pra, before, and exist.
PREF'ACE. Introductory discourse. L. prafatio
s. : from pra, before,
and fatus, part, of for, to speak.
PREFATORY, adj. Introductory. L. See PREFACE.
PREFECT, s. A a commander. L. prafectus : from pra-
governor ;
FRE— PRE
PREFER', To
regard more than another to advance. L. jprasfero
v. ;
PRE— PRE
PREPONDERATE, To outweigh
to overpower by superior in-
v. ;
and fades.
PRI'MATE. s. The chief bishop. L. pri?nas : from primus, first.
PRIME, adj. The first the best. L. primus, first.
;
PRIME, v. To put powder into the pan of a gun; to lay on the first
paint. Sec the adjective.
PRIM'ER. s. A child's school-book. L. primus, first.
PRIME'VAL. adj. Such as was at first. L. primavus : from primus,
first, and cevum, an a^e.
PHI— PRO
PRINCIPLE, s. Element ; constituent part ; rule ; moral guide. F,
principe : L. principium : principis, gen. of princeps, first, original
primus, and capio, to take.
first,
PRINT, v. To mark by pressing to use the art of typography, &c. ;
PRO—PRO
PROCTOR, s. A manager of another's affairs; an attorney of the
spiritual court; the magistrate of a university. L. procurator. See
PROCURE.
PROCURATION. 8. Power giyen to transact business for another.
L. procuratio. See PROCURE.
PROCURE, v. To obtain ; to cause. L. procuro ; from pro, for, and
euro, to take care of.
PROD IGAL. adj. Lavish. L. prodigus ; from prodigo, to drive forth :
pro, before, and ago, to drive or act.
PRODIGY, s. Something out of the ordinary course of nature. L.
—
prodigium. This word seems to have an affinity with prodigal.
PRODUCE, v. To exhibit; to bring forth. L. produco ; from pro,
signifying forward, and duco, to bring.
PRODUCE, s. That which any thing yields, of a material nature.
fundus : pro, before, or far off, and fundus, the bottom. Profound
may be applied to great learning, by supposing that a scholar has
examined deeply : and to humility, from the posture in bowing.
PROFUNDITY, s. Depth. See PROFOUND.
PROFU'SE. adj. Prodigal; exuberant. L. proj usus, part, of profundo y
to pour out.
PROGENITOR, s. A forefather; a person, either male or female,
from whom another has descended. L. progenitor ; from pro, before,
and genn, to beget.
PROG'ENY. s. Offspring. L. progenies : pro, forward, and genus, a
race.
PROGNOS'TIC. Something by which we may foretel an omen.
s. ;
200
PRO— PRO
PROHIB'IT. To v. to hinder.
forbidL. prohibeo ; from pro, before,
;
to walk ;
pro, signifying forward, and metier, to carry, or lead.
PROMTNENT. adj. Projecting ; conspicuous. L. prominens, part,
of promineo, to jut out.
PROMISCUOUS, adj. Mingled confused. L. promiscuus ; from pro, ;
sum ; from pro, before, and mitto, to send that is, to send out the :
PRO—PRO
PROPEN'SITY. s. Strong inclination; desire. L. propensio; from
propensus, part, of propendeo : pro, forward, and pendeo, to hang.
PROPER, adj. Peculiar; not common natural; suitable. F. proprc :
;
L. proprius, peculiar.
PROP'ERTY. s. Peculiar quality disposition ; thing possessed in
;
ward.See VERSE.
PROS'ECUTE. v. To pursue to continue. L. prosequor ; from pro,
;
PRO—PRO
PROS'ODY. s. That part of grammar which teaches the just sound
and quantity of syllables, and the measures of verse. G. prosodia
pros, for, and ode, a song.
PROSOPOPOEIA, s. Personification. G. prosopopoiia ; from prosopon,
a person, and poieo, to make.
PROSPECT, s. View of something distant. L. prospectus, part, of
prospicio ; from pro, forward, and specio, to see.
PROSPECTIVE, adj. Relating to a distant view. See PROSPECT.
PROSPECTUS, s. Plan, generally of a proposed literary work. L.
prospectus. See PROSPECT.
PROSPER, v. To favour; to render or be successful, h.prospero:
G. pros, towards, and phero, to bear.
PROSPI'CIENCE. s. The act of looking forward. L. prospiciens,
part, of prospicio : pro, forward, aud specio, to see.
PROSTERNA'TION. s. Act of overthrowing. L. pro, forward, and
sterno, to spread, or prostrate.
PROS'TITUTE. v. To expose to crime, or commit sin, for a reward.
L. prostituo from pro, forward, and statum, sup. of sto, to stand;
;
to praise in song, —
the harp being originally used for songs of praise ;
as by David.
PSAL'TER. s. The volume of psalms. G. psalterion : from psallo.
See PSALM.
PSEU'DO. adj. False counterfeit. G. pseudos, false.
;
PUR—QUA
PURULENT, adj. Consisting of corrupted matter. L. purulentus
from puris, gen. of pus, corruption.
PURVEYOR, s. One who collects provisions a procurer. F. pur- ;
taining the heat of ovens, furnaces, and intense fires. G. pur, fire,
and metreo, to measure.
PYROPH'ORI. s. Compound substances, which ignite on the admis-
sion of atmospheric air. G. pur,fire, and phero, to bear.
Q.
QUAD'RANGLE. s. A
square a surface with four right angles. L.
;
four.
206
QUA—QUA
QUAD'RATE. adj. Square ; divisible into four equal parts. L. quad.
ratus, part, of quadro, to square quatuor, four. :
tuor, four.
QUADRIPLICATE, v. To double twice ; to make fourfold. L.
quadrnplico quatuor, four, and plico, to fold.
:
QUA' RE IMPE'DIT. The name of a writ, which lies for the patron
of a church -living, against the person who has disturbed his right
of advowson. L. quare, wherefore, i/npedit, (from impedio,) he
hinders.
QUAR'ANTINE. Originally, the space of forty days, in which a
s.
207
QUA—QUI
QUART, s. The fourth part of a gallon. F. quart : L. quartus, the
fourthfrom quatuor, four.
;
QUART' AN. adj. A quartan ague occurs every fourth day. L. qvar-
tanus : quartus, the fourth : quatvor, four.
QUARTA'TION. s. A chemical operation, by which, three parts of
silver are fused with a fourth part of gold, in order to purify the
latter. L. quartus, the fourth.
QUART'ER. s. A fourth part a region of the skies, as denoted by ;
of qucero, to seek.
QUEST, s. Search. F. queste : L. qucesitus, p. part, of qucero, to
seek.
QUES'TION. s. Interrogatory; subject of inquiry or debate; doubt.
F. question : L. questio : qucesitus, p. part, of qucero, to seek.
QUID-NUNC. s. A news-hunter, or coffee-house politician. L. quid,
what, nunc, now.
QUIESCENT, adj. Not moving ; reposing. L. quiescens, part, of
quiesco, to be quiet.
QUIET, adj. Still ; free from disturbance ; inoffensive. L. quietus,
part, of quiesco, to be quiet.
QUIETUS, s. A cant word, denoting something to render a person
tame or submissive. L. quietus, p. part, of quiesco, to rest.
QUI'NARY. adj. Consisting of five. L. quinarius : quinque, five.
QUINQUAGES'IMA. adj. "Quinquagesima, or Shrove Sunday, is the
fiftieth day before Easter, reckoned by whole numbers. L. fern, of
quinquagesimus, the fiftieth.
QUINQUENNIAL, years; happening once in five
adj. Lasting five
years. L. quinquennis and annus, a year.
: quinque, five,
QUINTESSENCE, s. An imaginary fifth being of the old philoso-
phers an extract from any thing, containing all its virtues, in a
;
the tenant goes quit and free of all other services. See QUIT.
QUO' AD HOC. As far as this [point of the argument, &c] L.
quoad, as much as, or, as far as, hoe, this.
QUO AN'IMO. " With what mind," or with what design or intention.
L. abl. of qui, and animus.
QUO JURE, By what
right. L. abl. of qui, a.nd jus.
QUO MO' DO. In what manner. L. abl. of qui, and modus.
QUON'DAM. Having been formerly. L. quondam, in time past.
QUORUM, s. A term used to distinguish a magistrate of a certain
rank; a bench of magistrates a number of any members sufficient
;
to transact business. The term is thus used, from the words of the
—
commission, " quorum, A. B. unurn esse volumus,'''' {of whom, A. B.
we wish you to be one.) Where a commission is directed to seven
persons, or to any three of them, whereof A. B. and C. D. are to be
two in this case, they are said to be of the quorum {of whom ;) be-
;
cause, the rest cannot proceed to business without them so, " a ; —
justice of the peace and quorum," is one, without whom the rest of
the justices, in some cases, cannot proceed and a quorum of any
;
R.
RAB'BLE. A
tumultuous crowd the lowest of the populace. L.
s. ;
s* 209
RAG-RAT
RAGOUT', s. Meat stewed and highly seasoned. F. from gout, taste,
RAL'LY. v. To re-assemble and put in order dispersed forces. F.
rattier : re t again, and oilier, to join : —to tease by frequent attempts
of satire; railler, to jeer.
RAMBLE, v. To wander at large, without any fixed object in view.
L. re,back, or again, and ambulo, to go about.
RAMTFY. v. To separate into branches. F. ramijier : L. ramus, a
branch, and facio, to make.
RA'MOUS. adj. Branchy. L. ramus, a branch.
RAMTART. s. In fortification, an elevation of earth around a place,
violence.
RAPTD. adj. Swift. F. rapide : L. rapidus : raptus, p. part, of rapio,
to take by violence.
RA'PIER. s. A species of sword. F. rapiere : L. rapio, to take by
violence.
RAPTNE. Act of plundering; violence. F. rapine: L. rapina :
s.
rear, to suppose.
RATIFY, v. To confirm; to sanction. F. ratifier : L. ratus, (part.
ofreor,) established, and facio, to make.
RA'TIO. s. Rate proportion. L. from ratus, part, of reor, to suppose.
;
judge.
REAS'ONABLE. adj. Rational just moderate. F. raisonnable. See ;
;
REASON.
REASSU'ME. To resume to take again. L. re, again, and assume.
v. ;
clino, to bend.
RECLU'SE. adj. Secluded. F. rectus : L. re, back, and clausus, p.
part, of claudo, to shut.
RECOG'NISANCE. s. Acknowledgment bond of acknowledgment, ;
REC—RED
RECOUNT', v. To relate in detail ; to reckon again. F. recontre
re, again, and conter, to count, or reckon.
RECOURSE', s. Return; access. F. recours : L. recursus : from re-
curro : re, back, and curro, to run.
RECREANT, adj. Cowardly ; crying out for mercy recanting ;
cresco, to grow.
RECTANGLE, s. A
figure which has one angle or more, of ninety
degrees. L. rectus, straight, and angulus, an angle.
RECTIFY, v. To make right to correct to refine or strengthen by
; ;
RECTOR, s. A
governor a clergyman who receives higher tythes
;
REDUPLICATE, To
L. re, again, and duplicate.
v. double.
REFECTION, s. Refreshment.
F. refection: L. refectio : refectus,
p. part, ofreficio, to repair re, again, and facio, to make. :
See REFECTION.
REFER', v. To direct one person to another, or to some document,
for information or judgment; to direct the mind to, as the ultimate
object or end. L. refero : re, back, and fero, to carry.
REFINE, v. To make doubly fine to purify. L. re, again, and
;
fine.
REFLECT', v . To throw back to bend back to turn the thoughts ; ;
REL—REM
RELA'TE. To
tell; to recite; to have reference.
v. L. relatum, sup.
of refero: back, or again, and fero, to bring
re,
1
lease again. F. re, again, and laisser, to leave, let, or yield. L. laxo,
to loosen.
RELENT', v. To soften in temper ; to feel compassion. F. relenlir
L. re, again, and lenitus, p. part, of lenio, to soften.
REL'EVANT. adj. Relieving; aiding. F. part, of relever : L. relevo ;
com p. of re, again, and levo, to lift.
REL'IC, or RELIQLE. s. That which remains; (in the plural,
bodily remains ;) something retained in memory of a person, with a
religious, or superstitious veneration. F. relique : L. reliqucB : re-
liclus, (p. part, of relinquc,) left behind: re, back, and linquo, to
leave.
REL'ICT. s. A
woman left desolate by the death of her husband a ;
refer to abate.
; L. remitto ; com p. of re, back, and mitto, to send.
REM'NANT. s. Remainder. L. remanens, part, of remaneo. See
REMAIN.
REMON'STRATE. v. To show reasons, in strong terms, accompanied
by expressions indicating a sense of injury. L. remonsiro : re, back,
or again, and monstro, to show.
REMORSE', s. Pain, from guilt; sorrow, arising from a sense of
having injured. L. remorsus, part, of remordeo ; from re, b^ck, or
again, <ind mordeo, to bite.
REMOTE, adj. Far removed distant. L. remotus, p. part, of remo-;
to go.
RENUNCIATION, s. Act of renouncing. L. renuntiatio. See RE-
NOUNCE.
REPAIR', v. To amend ; to replace, or restore. L. reparo : re, again,
and paro, to make, or shape.
REP' ARABLE, adj. Capable of being repaired. L. reparabilis. See
REPAIR.
REP ARA'TION. s. Act of repairing amends. ; L. reparatio.
* See
REPAIR.
REPARTEE', s. Smart reply. F. repartie ; from repartir, to divide
again, or reply : L. re, and partio.
REPAST', s. A meal food
; refreshment.
; F. repas : L. re, again,
and pastus, p. part, of pasco, to feed.
t 217
:
REP—REP
REPEAL', v. To revoke ; to annul. F. rappeller : L. re, back, and
appello, to call.
REPEAT', v. To speak, use, or try, again to recite; to denote the ;
sorrow for something past; to change the mind. F. repentir : Li. re,
again, and penitus, within.
REPERCUS'SION. s. Rebound. L. repercussio : repercussus, p. part,
quatio, to shake.
A
REPERTORY, s. magazine a book in which information on cer- ;
See REPEAT.
REPLENISH, v. To refill. L. re, again, and plenus, full.
—
REPLE'TE. adj. Full, meaning in a high degree. F. replete : L.
repletus, p. part, ofrepleo: re, again, or in a high degree, and pleo,
to fill.
REPLY.
REPLY', v. To answer;
to make a return to an answer. L. replica,
to unfold, or reply: re, back, or again, and plico, to fold.
REPORT', To
carry back the result of any inquiry, from a com-
v.
mittee, to the whole assembly deliberating ; to make public to ru- ;
REP—RES
REPROACH. To eensure in opprobrious terms ; to upbraid. F.
0.
reprocher : again, and approcher, to come near.
re,
REPROBATE, v. To disallow, or reject; to censure; to think of
with feelings of much disapprobation. L. reprobo ; comp. of re, back,
and probo, to approve, or allow.
REPROVE', v. To blame, chide, or reprehend. F. reprouver : L. re-
probo : re, back, and probo, to approve, or allow.
REP'TILE. s. A
creeping animal. L. reptile ; from repo, to creep,
or crawl.
REPUB'LIC. s. A
commonwealth; a state in which the happiness
and advantage of all the people are considered and provided for; and
in which the people govern through their representatives. L. respub-
lica : res, an affair, or advantage, and publicus, public.
REPUDIATE, v. To divorce; to put away. L. repudio : re, back,
and G. pudarizo, to spurn.
REPUGNANT, adj. Contrary ; inconsistent. F. repugnant : L. re-
pugnans, part, of repugno : re, back, and pugno, to fight.
REPULSE', s. Act of repelling ; condition of being repelled, or de-
feated. F. repulse : L. repulsus, p. part, afrepello. See REPEL.
REP'UTABLE. adj. Honourable; respectable. See REPUTE.
REPU'TE. v. To esteem ; to account; to think. L. reputo : re, again,
and puto, to think, or consider.
REQUEST', s. Petition; entreaty; state of being desired. F. re-
quete : L. requisitus, p. part, of requiro. See REQUIRE.
REQUIEM, s. A
hymn, in which rest is implored for the dead. L.
comp. of re, again, and quies, rest.
REQUI'RE. v. To demand ; to ask as a right; to need. L. requiro
re, back, and quaro, to ask, or seek.
REQUISITE, adj. Required ; necessary. L. requisitus, p. part, of
requiro. See REQUIRE.
REQUITE, v. To repay; to retaliate. F. requiter : re, again, and
quitter, to quit, or part with.
RESCIND', v. To
cut off; to abrogate ; to repeal. L. rescindo : re,
again, and scindo, to cut.
RESCIS'SION. s. Act of rescinding. F. rescission; from L. rescissus,
p. part, of rescindo. See RESCIND.
RESCRI'BE. v. To write back ; to write over again. L. rescribo : re,
back, or again, and scribo, to write.
RE'SCRIPT. s. Edict, generally of a Roman emperor, or a pope.
When any doubt arose upon the construction of the Roman laws,
the usage was, to state the case to the emperor, in writing, and take
his opinion upon it. His answers were called rescripts ; which had,
in succeeding cases, the force of perpetual laws. L. rescriptum : re-
scriptus, p. part, of rescribo. See RESCRIBE.
RESCUE, v. To set free from any violence, danger, or confinement.
F. re, b.ick, or again, and escheoir, to avoid, or shun hence, the ob- :
RES— RES
RESERVE', v. To keep in store to retain ; ; to hold. L. feservo
comp. of re, back, and servo, to keep.
RESETTLE, v. To settle again. L. re, again, and settle.
RESIDE, v. To dwell; to be present. L. resideo, to sit down: re,
back, and sedeo, to sit, or stay.
RESIDENT, adj. Redding, or having abode. L. residens, p. part.
ofresideo. See RESIDE.
RESIDUARY, adj. A residuary legatee is a person to whom the re-
mainder of an estate is willed, — all that is left after paying the lega-
cies particularly specified. See RESIDUE.
RESIDUE, s. Remainder. F. residu : L. residuum. See RESIDE.
RESID UUM. s. That which subsides, or remains after the more valu-
able part has been drawn off. L. from resideo, to sit down re, back, :
that species of poetry, in which the last sound of one line corresponds
with the last sound or syllable of another but, the etymology of :
the word includes even what is called blank verse. See RHYTH-
MUS.
RHYTH'MTCAL. adj. Harmonical; having one sound proportioned
to another. See RHYTHMUS.
RHYTH'MUS. Metre harmonical succession of sounds, either in
s. ;
RIG-RUI
RIGTD. adj. Stiff; inflexible ; severe ; extremely strict. F. rigide :
RODOMONTA'DE. s. A
vain, noisy, bluster or boast; a rant. F.
rodomontade ; from a boasting, boisterous hero, of the Italian poet,
Ariosto, called Rodomonte.
ROGA'TION. s. Supplication ; church-litany, L. rogatio ; from rogo,
to entreat.
ROS'TRUM. s.from which the Roman orators ha-
The scaffold
rangued. When Camillus overcame Antium, the capital of the
Volsci, he carried the prows or beaks of their ships to Rome, and
placed them in the Forum, on a tribunal, thence called Rostrum, —
signifying the beak of a ship.
RO'TARY. adj. Moving around as a wheel. L. rota, a wheel.
ROTA TION. s. The act of turning round like a wheel succession, ;
so that when the last has completed a duty, the first will recom-
mence, and each will continue to repeat in his turn. L. rotatio
from rotatus, p. part, of roto, to turn round like a wheel rota, a :
wheel.
ROTUNDA, or ROTUN'DO. s. A circular building, such as the Pan-
theon of Rome. L. rotundus, round : rota, a wheel.
ROTUNDITY, s. Roundness. L. rotunditas ; rotundus, round; rota,
a wheel.
ROUGE, s. Red paint, for the face. F. rouge, red.
ROUND, adj. Circular ; spherical
; not precisely; sounding smoothly
expressed, but denoted, through convenience, chiefly by round num-
bers, or figures ; —
as, 5000, instead of 5123. F. rond : L. rotundus ;
from rota, a wheel.
ROUTE, s. Way; road; order, and direction for marching. F. route,
a way.
ROUTINE, s. Established mode, or practice. F. See ROUTE.
ROY'AL. adj. Kingly ; regal. F. from roi, (formerly roy,) a king.
RU'BRIC. s. Directions, printed in books of law, and in prayer-books;
originally distinguished by being in red ink. L. rubrica ; ruber, red.
RU'EY. s. A
precious stone, of a red colour. L. ruber, red.
RUDE. adj. Untaught; in a state of nature ; barbarous; of coarse
manners; uncivil; unpolished; boisterous. L. rudis, new, or fresh.
RUDIMENTS, s. First principles ; elements of science ; first parts
of education. L. rudimentum, the first rules rudis, new, or fresh. :
S.
SAL—SAN
SAL'ARY. s. annual or stated payment. F. salaire : L.
Stated hire ;
solarium ; from sal, salt because the Roman soldiers were origi-
;
SANCTOL'OGY. s. A
history of saints. L. sanctus, holy, and G.
logos, a word.
SANCTUARY, s. A sacred or holy place properly the most retired
;
SAN— SAT
SANE. adj. Healthy of sound mind. L. sanus, whole, or sound.
;
satio : G. burthen.
satto, to
SATFETY. Fulness, beyond desire or pleasure more than enough.
s. ;
See SATISFY.
227
SAT— SCH
SAT'ISFY. To content; to recompense; to appease by punish-
v.
ment ; from doubt, perplexity, or suspense to convince. L.
to free ;
L. scala, a ladder.
SCALE, s. Regular gradation regular series, rising like a ladder ; a
;
a small wooden house or tent. See Rollin's An. His. 1 vol. 89.
SCENT, v. To smell to perceive by the nose; to perfume. F. scentir ;
;
of scio, to know.
SCIENTIFIC, or SCIENTIFICAL. adj. Producing demonstrative
or certain knowledge; philosophical; not mechanical. F. scienti-
Jique: L. scientia, knowledge, and facio, to make. See SCIENCE.
SCIN'TILLA. s. A spark an iota. L. scintilla, a spark. ;
scribo, to write.
SCR— SEC
SCRU'TOIRE. s. A cabinet for writings. F. ecritoire, (formerly es.
criioire :) ecrire, to write.
SCULPTOR, A
carver; one who cuts wood or stone into images.
s.
cerno, to or separate.
sift,
nion different from the society from which they have separated. F.
secte : L. secta. See SECTION.
SECTION, s. A
part divided from the rest; a division, h.sectio:
sectus, p. part, of seco, to cut. ,
SECTOR, s. In geometry, a mathematical instrument, for describing
or -measuring angles. L. from sectus, p. part, of seco, to cut, or
divide.
SECULAR, adj. Relating to affairs of this world ; not spiritual : in —
the church of Rome, not bound by monastic rules. L. secularis :
seculum, an age or period of man's life secula, a scythe, (from seco,
:
SED—SEN
SEDA'TE. adj. Still ; calm ; serene ;
grave. L. sedatus, p. part, of
sedo, to allay : sedeo, to sit.
SEDU'CE. To
lead from duty, or allegiance; to allure; to betray;
v.
to dishonour. L. seduco : se, asunder, and duco, to lead.
SEDUCTION, s. Act of seducing. F. seduction: L. seductus, p. part.
L. similis, like.
SEM'I. A word which, used in composition, signifies half; as, semi-
diameter, half the diameter. L.
SEM'INAL. adj. Relating or pertaining to seed. L. seminalis : semi-
nis, gen. of semen, seed.
SEMTNARY. s. The ground in which seeds are sown, with a design
or by the mind.
felt The senses are five in number sight, touch, :
hearing, smell, and taste. But this term is applied more generally
in common discourse, though restricted, as here denned, by meta-
physicians. L. sensus ; from a part, of sentio, to discern by the
senses.
231
:;
SEN— SER
SEN'SIBLE. adj. Having the power of perceiving by the senses
perceptible by the senses; state of having perceived by the senses.
See SENSE.
SEN'SITIVE. adj. Having sense or perception, but not reason , af-
fected by contact, or the touch, as a sensitive plant. F. sensitif.
SeeSENSE.
SENSO'RIUM, or SENSORY, s. That part whence the senses
transmit their perceptions to the mind ; the seat of sense. L. See
SENSE.
SEN'SUAL. adj. Affecting or pertaining to the senses, but not to the
mind; carnal; luxurious; lewd. F. sensuel. See SENSE.
SEN'TENCE. s. Determination or decision, as of a judge; doom; so
many words as express a sentiment or occurrence iully, and accord-
ing to the rules of grammar. F. sentence : L. sententia ; from sen-
tio, to be sensible of' or think.
SIMILE, s. A
comparison, by which any thing is illustrated or made
more striking- to the understanding. L. similis, like.
SIMILTTUDE. s. Likeness; resemblance; comparison. L. simili.
tudo ; from similis, like.
SI'MONY. s. The crime of buying or selling church preferments, or
of corruptly ordaining or licensing any person for the church so ;
TER.
~SIN'UATED. adj. Bent in and out. L. sinuatus, p. part, of sinvo, to
wind sinus, a bosom, or bay.
:
SI'REN. s. A
goddess, (one of three,) who is fabulously related to have
enticed men by singing, and then devoured them any mischievous ;
SOI— SOL
SOI DISANT'. as, the soi-disant baronet.
Self-called ; F.
SOJOURN', To
dwell only for a time to live as from home. F.
v. ;
cumstance of life, they enjoy the same lot with them to whom they
have attached themselves in friendship. If any violence is done to
them, they either suffer the same misfortune, 01 devote themselves
to death for them : nor as yet, within the memory of man, has any
one been found, who, the person being slain, to whom he had devoted
himself in friendship, had refused to die."
SOLE. s. That part which touches the ground. L. solu?n, that which
sustains or bears any thing on it; the ground.
SOLE. adj. Single; only; (in law,) not married. Old F. sole: L.
solus, alone.
SOL'ECISM. s. Unfitness of one word to another; impropriety in
language. L. soloecismvs : G. soloikismos : Solas, a Grecian city of
Cilicia, in Asia Minor, the inhabitants of which degenerated, in lan-
guage, from the purity of the Attic dialect hence, the Athenians ;
L. solidus, substantial.
SOLIDUNG'ULOUS. adj. Whole-hoofed, not cloven. L. solidus, solid,
and uvgulus, a hoof.
236
SOL— SOR
SOLILOQUY, s. A discourse made by one, in private, to himself. F.
soliloque L. sgIus, alone, and loquor, to speak.
:
SOL'STICE. s. A
point in the ecliptic, beyond which the sun does not
go or, rather, beyond which the earth does not proceed, in its an-
;
nual motion around the sun. L. solstitium ; comp. of sol, the sun,
and status, part, of sto, to stand.
SOLSTITIAL, adj. Relating or pertaining to the solstice. L. solsti-
Halis. See SOLSTICE.
SOL'UBLE. adj. Capable of being dissolved. L. solubilis ; from solvo,
to loosen, or melt.
SOLUTION, s. Act of dissolving ; matter dissolved ; explanation. F.
solution : L. solutio ; solutus, p. part, of soho, to loosen, untie, or
melt.
SOLVE, v. To explain ; to make intelligible. L. solvo, to loosen, or
untie.
SOL'VENT. adj. Having the power of dissolving having the means ;
somnus, sleep.
SONATA, A tune. Italian
s. ; from the L. sono, to sound.
SON'NET. s. A short poem, or species of song. F. sonnet : L. sono,
to sound. .
SOPHISM, s. A
argument, ingeniously framed
fallacious an un- ;
SPACE.
SPARSE, adj. Scattered ; far apart. L. sparsus, p. part, of spargo,
to sprinkle.
SPASM, Convulsion
s. violent and involuntary
; contraction. G.
spasma from spao, to draw, or pluck.
;
TACLE.
SPECTRE, s. An apparition ; a phantasm. F. spectre : L. spectrum;
specio, to see.
SPECTRUM, s. An image a visible form. Ocular spectra are images
;
form on the outside or inside of which winding stairs are built any ;
filthy.
SQUAMOUS, adj. Scaly ; covered with scales. L. squameus : squama,
the scale of a fish, &c.
SQUIRE, s. This word, a contraction of Esquire, is used, by the pea-
santry of England, to denote a country gentleman and signifies, in; ;
to stand.
STA'BLE. s. A house for beasts. L. stabulum : sto, to stand.
STAG'NANT. adj. Motionless ; not flowing. L. stagnans, part, of
slagno, to stand still : sto, to stand.
STAGNATE, v. To become motionless ; to have no course or stream.
L. stagnatus, p. part, of stagno, to stand still.
STALACTITE, s. Spar, in the shape of an icicle, formed by water
dropping from the fissures of a rock. G. stalazo, to drop.
STAM'INA. s. First principles solids of the human body (in botany,)
; ;
or build.
STAMIN'EOUS. adj. In botany, consisting of stamina, or threads.
L. stamineus. See STAMINA.
STAN'NARY. s. The stannary courts, in Devonshire and Cornwall,
are for the administration of justice amongst persons working or
concerned in the tin mines. L. stannarius ; from stannium, tin.
STATE, s. Condition; circumstances of nature or fortune; degree;
240
:
STA— STI
ceremonious order, or position ; rank ;
grandeur nation or com-
;
STI— STR
STIGMATIZE, v. To brand, or distinguish by a mark of infamy.
STIG'MA.
See
STILL, s. A vessel used in distilling. See DISTIL.
STIM'ULATE. v. To excite forward; to influence by some pungent
motive ; to increase the animal spirits. L. stimulo, to prick G. :
stigme, a point.
STIPEND, s. Salary settled pay. L. stipendium ; from stipis, a
;
piece of money, with which the Roman soldiers were anciently paid,
by weight, and pernio, to pay.
STIPENDIARY, s. One who receives a stipend. See STIPEND.
STIP TIC. adj. See STYPTIC.
STIP'ULATE. v. To bargain to ; contract ; to settle terms. L. stipiu
lor ; from stipo, to fill up close.
STOTC. s. One who holds the doctrines of the heathen philosopher,
Zeno. L. stoicus : G. stoikos ; from stoa, a porch, in which Zeno
taught.
STOMACH, The ventricle in which food is digested ; appetite. L.
s.
stomachus G. stoma, a mouth, and echo, to have.
:
STRAIGHT, adj. Not crooked turning neither to the right nor left
;
houses; the houses which bound the way. Derived, through the
242
;;
STR—SUB
Saxon, from stratum ; which is from stratus, p. part, of sterno, to
spread.
STRENUOUS, adj. Active ; zealous ; ardently laborious. L. sirenuus,
brisk.
STRESS, s. Violence ; force ; importance imputed. L. strictus, p.
part, of stringo. See STRAIN.
STRI'tE. In natural history, the small grooves or channels in the
s.
shells of cockles, scallops, &c. L. pi. of stria, a groove.
STRI'ATE, or STRI'ATED. adj. Formed in stria. L. striatus, p.
part, of strio, to groove.
STRICT, adj. Exact accurate rigorously attentive to rules severe
; ; ;
Jio, to become.
STUPEFACTION, s. Act of stupefying state of being stupefied. ;
STYLE, s. A
pointed iron, used anciently in writing on tables of wax;
manner of writing, with regard to the language ; manner of execut-
ing, effecting, or acting, in general title appellation the pin of a ; ; ;
suavis, sweet.
SUB. A Latin preposition, signifying under, or in a subordinate de-
gree.
SUBAL'TERN. adj. Subordinate of rank below that of a captain. F.
;
sl ve to expose
; to make liable.
; See SUB'JECT.
SUB'JECT. s. One who lives under the dominion of another; that on
which any operation, either mental or material, is performed; that
in which any thing inheres or exists (in grammar,) the nominative
;
SUB—SUB
SUBMIT', v. To resign ; to leave to discretion ; to refer to judgment ;
scribo, to write,
SUBSCRIPTION, s. Act of subscribing ; amount, &c. subscribed ;
SUBSTANCE.
SUBSTANTIATE, v. To prove real ; to prove, as in giving evidence.
See SUBSTANCE.
SUB'STANTIVE. s. A noun ; the name of a person, or of a thing,
real or imaginary. L. subsiantivum. See SUBSTANCE.
SUBSTITUTE, s. One person acting in the place of another ; any
thing used instead of some other thing. L. subslitutus, p. part, of
subsiitio ; sub, under, and statuo, to set, or place.
SUBS IRUC'TURE. Foundation; that part of any building which
s.
tela, a web.
SUBTRACT', v. To withdraw a part from the rest; to diminish to ;
deduct, by arithmetic, a less sum from a greater, and place the re-
mainder underneath. L. subtractum, sup. of subtraho ; sub, under,
and traho, to draw.
SUB'URB. s. Building without the walls of a city precinct. L. sub. ;
SUF— SUF
SUFFER, v. To bear to undergo ; to feel, with sense of pain ; to
;
SUI GENERIS. Of its own kind ; not to be classed under any or-
dinary description. L. gen. of suus, and genus.
SUIT. s. setA a number of things corresponding one to another a
; ;
and ABLE.
SUITE, s. Series; retinue; (pronounced sweet.) See SUIT.
SUM. s. The whole many particulars conjoined, so as to form
; a total
the result of reasoning or computation; quantity of money ; comple-
tion ;height. L. summa : summus, highest.
SUMMARY, adj. Containing the chief heads ; short ; brief; last
immediate ; compendious. L. summarium, an abridgment. See SUM.
SUM'MON. v. To call with authority ; to admonish to appear to cite ; ;
fades, a face.
SUPERFI'NE. adj. Eminently fine. L. super, above, and fine.
SUPER'FLUOUS. adj. Exuberant more than enough unnecessary.
; ;
thing else that which is raised above the surface of the ground
; :
SUP— SUR
SUPERVTSE. To
oversee to examine the general conduct or ac-
v. ;
monter comp. of sur, above, and monter, to get up, or rise L. su-
; :
person has besides his Christian name. F. sur, (L. super,) over, and
name.
SUR'PLICE. s. The outer, or white gown, worn by some ministers
of religion, during a part of the church-service. F. surplis : sur,
over, and plisser, to fold L. super, and plico.
:
SUS-SYN
SUSTAIN', v. To
bear; to prop; to support; to endure; to suffer
without yielding. L. sustineo : sub, under, and teneo, to hold.
SUSTENANCE, s. Support; maintenance; food. F. soustenance
L. sustinens, part, of sustin-eo. See SUSTAIN.
A
SYCOPHANT, s. deceitful parasite a designing flatterer a mean,; ;
lambano, to take.
SYL'LOGISM. s. An argument composed of three propositions: as,
Everyman thinks; Henry is a man; therefore, Henry thinks. L.
syllogismus : sun, with, and logos, reason.
G. sullogis7nos :
in the same style, which is sung or played before or after the main
part, or in the intervals. L. symphonia : G. sun, with, and phone, a
sound.
SYM'PHYSIS. s. Act of growing together union of two bones ; a ;
SYN—TAB
SYNCHRONIC, or SYNCHRON'ICAL. adj. Happening at the same
time. G. sun, with, and chronos, time.
SYN'COPE. s. Fainting fit contraction of a word, by cutting off a
;
to draw.
SYS'TEM. s. Combination of many things acting together a scheme ;
T.
TAB'ERNACLE. s. A
temporary habitation a sacred place a place ; ;
tabula, a board.
TAB'ID. adj. Wasted by disease ; consumptive. L. tabidus ; tabeo,
to consume.
TA'BLE. s. Any flat or level surface ; a flatboard, stone, &c. used
for meals and other purposes a tablet ; ; a surface on which any
thing is written or engraved an index ; ; a catalogue ; a synopsis,
&,c. F. table : L. tabula, a board, or table.
TA'BLE D'HO' TE. A public table ; table of an inn. F. table, a
table, de, of, hote, an innkeeper.
252
::;
TAB—TAU
TAB'ULAR. adj. Delineated or described in the form of tables, or a
synopsis. L. labularis. See TABLE.
TAB'ULATED. adj. Tabular; having flat surfaces. See TABLE.
TACTT. adj. Silent implied not expressed by words. L. tacitus :
; ;
the substantive.
TAN'GENT. A
right line, perpendicularly raised on the extremity
s.
of tempos, time.
TEMTORARY. adj. Lasting or continuing only a limited time: op-
posed to permanent. L. temporarius ; temporis, gen. of tempus,
time.
TEMPT, v. To by presenting some pleasure or advantage to
incite, ;
TEN— TEP
TEN' ANT. s. One
that holds by the authority of another ; one that
has temporary possession of lands, &c. under a landlord. F. tenant:
L. tenens, part, ot'teneo, to hold.
TEND. v. To move towards ; to be directed to any end or purpose
to contribute ; to nurse, or guard. L. tendo, to stretch out.
TEN'DENCE, or TEN'DENCY. s. Motion or direction towards ; in-
clination towards. L. tendens, part, of tendo. See TEND.
TENDER, adj. Soft; easily impressed or injured ; delicate; sensitive;
compassionate ; gentle. F. tendre : L. tendo, to stretch out, spread,
or bend.
TEN'DER. v. To offer; to propose for acceptance, s. an offer, or pro-
posal. F. tendre : L. tendo, to stretch out.
TENDINOUS, adj. Sinewy ; containing tendons. L. tendinis. See
TENDON.
TEN'DON. s. ; A sinew
a ligature, by which the joints are stretched
out, or contracted. F. tendon : L. tendo, to stretch out.
TEN'DRIL. s. The clasp of a vine, or other climbing plant. F. ten-
drillon : L. tendo, to stretch out.
TEN'EBROUS. adj. Dark ; gloomy. L. tenebrosus ; tenelrce, dark-
ness.
TEN'EMENT. s. Any thing held by a tenant. F. tenement : L. tene-
mentum ; teneo, to hold.
TEN'ET. s. Principle
position. L. teneo, to hold.
;
four sides.)
TEST. s. Proof; trial, or examination. F. test : L. testis, a witness.
TESTA'CEOUS. adj. Consisting of shells ; composed of shells: having
continuous, not jointed shells. L. testaceus : testa, a shell-fish.
TESTAMENT, s. Evidence of a will, or intention, as to the disposal
ments, contained in the sacred volumes, called the Old and New
Testaments. F. testament: L. testamentum : testis, a witness.
TESTAMENTARY, adj. Given by testament or will ; contained in
a will. See TESTAMENT.
TESTATE, adj. Having made a will. L. testatus, part, of testor, to
bear witness from testis, a witness.
:
theoreo, to view.
r* 257
;
THE—TOP
THERAPEU'TIC. adj. Teaching the cure of diseases. G. therapeu>
tikos ; therapeuo, to heal.
THERMOMETER, s. An instrument for measuring degrees of heat.
G. and metreo, to measure.
ther?ne, heat,
THE'SIS. s. A position something laid down, either affirmatively or
;
timeo, to fear.
TIMOROUS, adj. Fearful; timid. L.timor, fear.
TINCTURE, s. Portion of extrinsic quality ; extract of some drug,
tumeo, to swell.
TOMETTCA. s. Medicines for opening the pores, and dispersing
viscous humours. G. temno, to cut.
TON. s. Fashion. F.
TON'SOR. s. A
barber. L. ionsor ; tonsus, p. part, of tondco, to clip.
TON'SURE. s. The act of clipping or shaving the hair ;the part
shaven. F. tonsure : L. tonsura ; tonsus, p. part, of tondeo, to clip.
TOP' ARCH. s. The chief man of a place ; a lord or governor of a
small country. G. topos, a place, and archos, a chief.
TOPTC. s. Subject of discourse ; a general head, to which other things
TOP—TRA
TOPOG'RAPHY. s. Description of particular places. F.iopograpkie
G. topos, a place, and grapho, to write.
TORNA'DO. s. A whirlwind; a hurricane. Spanish; from the L.
tornatus, p. part, of tomo, to turn as a wheel. G. torno-o.
TORPE'DO. s. A fish, which, when living, is said to communicate
numbness by an electric shock a submarine engine, invented by ;
See TRACK.
TRACK, s. Trace mark impressed on a road, by any thing drawn
;
TRA-TRA
TRACTION, s. Act of drawing
state of being drawn.
; L. tractuS,
p. pait.of traho, to draw.
TRADE, s. Traffic; mutual delivery or exchange of merchandise;
species of traffic. L. trado, to deliver comp. of trans, across, and
:
do, to give.
TRADl'TION. s. Delivery or oral communication of occurrences,
from one age to another an occurrence thus communicated. L.
;
A
TRAM'MEL. s. net; a kind of shackles, in which horses are taught
to pace; a human snare; an impediment or obstruction. F. tramail
L. trames, a cross way ; tramissus, p. part, of trarnitto, (for trans-
mitto :) trans, across, and mitto, to send.
TRANCE. See TRANSE.
TRANSACT', v. To negotiate ; to manage to perform
; to do.
; L.
transactum, sup. of transigo ; comp. of trans, across, or from one
place to another, and ago, to do.
TRANSCEND', v. To surpass to exceed, or excel
; ; to surmount. L.
transcendo : trans, beyond, and scando, to climb.
260
TRA—TRA
TRANSCRI'BE. v. To copy in writing. L. transcribo : trans, across,
or from one place to another, and scribo, to write.
TRANSCRIPT, A
s. written copy. L. transcriptus, p. part, of trans-
cribo. See TRANSCRIBE.
TRANSE. s. State of apparent death sleep, unusually prolonged. F. ;
to pour.
TRANSGRESS', v. To pass beyond to violate to offend, by violating; ;
TRE—TRI
TREAS'URY. s. A place in which money is deposited. F. tresorerie
L. thesaurus : G. thesauros ; comp. of thesis, a place, and awros,
riches.
TREAT, v. To negotiate ; to discourse on ; to use in any manner,
well or ill; to conduct; to manage; to entertain gratuitously. F.
trailer : L. tracto ; from tractum, sup. of traho, to draw, or stretch
out, lead, allure, or contract.
TREATISE, s. Written discourse tract. See TREAT. ;
TRENCHER, s. A
on which meat is cut at table. F.
wooden plate,
trenchoir : L. trunco, to cut into pieces.
trencher, to cut :
L. tribulo, to thresh.
TRIBU'NAL. s. The seat of a judge; a court of justice. L. tribunal.
See TRIBUNE.
263
;
TRI— TRI
TRIB'UNE. Originally, the chief officer of a Roman tribe ; after-
s.
264
TRI— TRU
TRIP'TOTE. s. A noun used only in three cases. L. triptoton : G.
treis, three, and ptosis, a case.
TRI'REME. s. A galley with three benches of oars. L. triremis ; from
tres, three, and remits, an oar.
TRISECT', v. To cut into three parts. L. tres, three, and seco, to
cut.
TRISYL'LABLE. s. A word consisting of three syllables. L. trisyU
laba ; tres, three, and syllaba, a syllable.
TRIT-33'US. s. The G. tritaios, tertian treis, three.
tertian ague. :
against another, who has found, (or has, by any means, in his pos-
session) any of the plaintiff's goods, and refuses to. deliver them. F.
trouver, to find.
TROY. adj. A
species of weight, of which there are 12 ounces in a
—
pound. The fair of Troyes, in Champaign, (says Adam Smith) was,
in the reign of Henry VIII. of England, (by whom this weight was
introduced into the mint,) frequented by all the nations of Europe,
and its weights and measures generally known and esteemed.
TRUCK, s. A
kind of carriage, with low wheels, for carrying heavy
weights. G. trochos, a wheel.
TRUCK'LE. s. A
small wheel the moveable part of a pulley. G.
;
trochos, a wheel.
TRUN'CATE. v. To lop to cut short to maim. L. trunco. See
; ;
TRUNK.
TRUN'CHEON. s. A
short staff; a cudgel a staff of command. F. ;
x 265
:;
TUB-TYP
veying fluids ; a species of chest ; the proboscis of an elephant. L.
truncus, cut short.
TU'BERCLE. s. A small swelling or excrescence a pimple. L. tu- ;
ber culum ; dim. of tuber, a puff, growing in the ground like a mush-
room.
TU'BEROUS. adj. Having prominent knots or excrescences. L. tu-
berosus : tuber, a puff growing in the ground like a mushroom.
TUBULAR, adj. Resembling a pipe; consisting of a pipe or pipes;
fistular. L. tubus, a conduit-pipe.
TU'BULE. s. A small pipe, or fistular body. L. tubulus, dim. of tubus,
a conduit-pipe.
TUI'TION. s. Guardianship care exercised by a guardian or tutor
;
See TUNIC.
TUR'BID. adj. Muddy. L. turbidus : turbo, a whirling round.
TURBULENCE, s. Tumult; confusion; disorder. L. turbulentia
turba, a crowd turbo, a whirling round.
:
TUR'RET. s. A
small eminence, or little tower, raised above the rest
of a building. L. turris, a tower.
TU'TELAGE. s. Guardianship state of being under a tutor or guard-
;
TY'PHUS. s. A
species of continued fever. G. tuphos, stupor, sense-
lessness.
266
TYP—UN
TYP'ICAL. adj. Emblematical figurative. L. typicus. See TYPE. ;
TY'RO. s. One not yet master of his art; a beginner. L. tyro, or tiro.
U.
rior, ultimus.
UL'TIMATE. adj. Intended as the last resort; last in a train of
consequences. L. ultimus, the last superl. of ultra, beyond. ;
capable.
267
UNA— URN
UNAN'IMOUS. Of one mind;
without any discordance. L. una-
adj.
ni?nus, or unanimis ; comp. of units, one, and animus, the mind.
UNCTION, s. Act of anointing; rite of anointing; ointment. L. unc-
tio : unctus, p. part, of ungo, or unguo, to smear.
UNCTUOUS, adj. Fat; clammy; oily. L. unctus. See UNCTION.
UN'DULARY. adj. Moving as waves; moving with intermission.
See UNDULATE.
UN'DULATE. v. To move as waves to move with intermission. L. ;
UNITY.
UNITARIAN, s. One who does not believe in the doctrine of the
trinity. L. unus, one.
UNI'TE. v. To make one; to act in con-
join two or more, so as to
cert ; cemented, &e. See UNITY.
to be
U'NITY. s. The state of being one concord conjunction ; uniform- ; ;
pitcher.
268
USA— VAG
U'SAGE. s. Custom ; long-continued practice ; treatment. F. usage :
L. vsus. See USE.
USE. s. Application to any purpose proper designation or instrumen-
;
of utor, to use.
USH'ER. s. One whose business is to introduce strangers, or walk
before persons of high rank ; an under-teacher, or one who intro-
duces young scholars to higher learning. F. huissier ; from huis, a
door.
USTULA'TION. s. The roasting of ores, to separate the arsenic and
sulphur from the metal. L. ustulaius, p. part, of ustulo, (from uro,)
to burn.
U'SUFRUCT. s. Temporary use
enjoyment of the profits, without
;
of taking interest. But the term usury, is now used only to denote
a higher rate of interest than is allowed by law, or the practice of
charging it. F. usure : L. usura ; from utor, to use.
UTENSIL, s. An instrument for use. F. utensile : L. utor, to use.
U'TERINE. adj. Relating or belonging to the womb. L. uterinus.
See UTERUS.
U'TERUS. s. The womb. L.
UTILE DUL'CI. The useful with the pleasant. L.
UTILTT Y. s. Usefulness ;
profit ; convenience. L. utilitas : utor, to
use.
U'TI POSSIDETIS. A
diplomatic phrase, used when two or more
states desire to make peace, on the terms that each shall retain the
possessions which it then holds: opposed to status quo ante bellum.
L. uli, as, possidetis, (from possideo,) you possess.
UXO'RIOUS. adj. Submissively fond of a wife ; infected with connu-
bial dotage. L. uxorius ; uxor, a wife.
V.
x» 261)
VAG— VAS
ways, now, considered in a reproachful sense.) F. vagabond: L.
vagabundus : vagor, to wander.
VAGARY, s. A freak ; a capricious frolic. L. vagor, to wander.
VA'GRANT. adj. Wandering ; unsettled vagabond. L. vagor, to
;
wander.
VAGUE, adj. Unfixed unsettled ; undetermined ; indefinite.
; F.
vague L. vagus : vagor, to wander.
:
valeo, to be strong.
VAL'LEY. s. A vale ; a hollow between hills. L. vallis : vallo, to
enclose.
VAL'OUR. s. Strength bravery. ; L. valor : valeo, to be strong.
VAL'UE. s. Price worth rate. ; ; F. value : valoir, to have worth : L.
valeo, to be strong.
VAN. s. The front division of an army or fleet. F. avant, before.
VANISH, v. To lose perceptible existence; to disappear; to pass
away. L. inceptive, vanesco ; from vanus, empty.
VAN'ITY. s. Emptiness ; fruitless endeavour vain pursuit presump-
; ;
rus, a spot.
VAS'CULAR. adj. Consisting of little vessels ; full of little vessels.
L. vasculum, dim. of vas, a vessel.
VASE. s. A
domestic vessel, rather for show than use. F. vase : L.
vas, a vessel (of any kind, for domestic use.)
270
VAS— VEN
VAS'SAL. s. One who holds of a superior lord a dependant
; one ;
VELOCIPEDE, s. A
small carriage, driven by the feet. L. velox,
(gen. velocis,) swift, and pes, (gen. pedis,) a foot.
VELOCITY, s. Speed swiftness. L. velocitas : velox, swift from
; :
VEN—VER
VENT. $. An aperture through which any thing comes out; emis.
sion passage, &c. L. ventum, sup. of venio, to come.
;
to induce a belief that the sound issues from any place to which he
directs the attention of his auditors. L. venter, the belly, and loquor,
to speak.
VEN'TURE. s. A
hazard ; an undertaking of chance and danger the ;
being the radical, from which is formed the greater portion of the
other parts of speech.
VER'BAL. adj. Spoken not written oral consisting of mere words
; ; ;
for word, and literatim, letter for letter verbum, a word, and litera, :
a letter.
VER'BERATE. v. To beat ; to strike. L. verbero ; from verber, a
whip.
VERBO'SE. adj. Exuberant in words tedious, by a multiplicity of ;
cision judgment.
;
Law L. veredictum ; L. verum, neuter ofverus,
true, and dictum, a saying.
VER'DURE. s. Green green colour. F. verdure. See VERDANT.
;
VERGE, s. A
rod, or something resembling it, carried as an emblem
of authority the mace of a dean. F. verge : L. virga, a rod.
;
VER— VER
VER'GER. s. He that carries the verge or mace before a dean. See
VERGE.
VERIFY, v. To confirm ; to prove true. F. verifier : L. verus, real,
or true, and facia, to make.
VERILY, adj. Truly ; with great confidence. See VERY.
certainly ;
trace.
VEST'MENT. s. Garment; part of dress. L. vestimentum : vestis, a
garment.
VESTRY, s. A room, belonging to a church, in which the sacerdotal
garments, &c, are deposited a parochial assembly, usually convened
;
VIC—VIN
VICINAGE, s. A neighbourhood ;
places adjoining. L. vicinia ; from
vicus, a village.
VICIN'ITY. s. Nearness; state of being near; neighbourhood. L.
vicinitas. See VICINAGE.
VICIS'SITUDE. s. Change ; L. vicissitudo ; comp. of
revolution.
vicis, change, stead, and ito, go frequently Hum, sup. of eo, to go.
to :
See VIGOUR.
VIGOUR, s. Strength ; health ; L. vigor ; from vigeo, to
energy.
flourish ; vi, (abl. of vis,) with strength, and agendo, abl. gerund of
ago, to do, or move.
VILE. adj. Worthless ; mean ; sordid ; base ; wicked. L. vilis, of no
value.
VILTFY. v. To debase ; to degrade ; to defame. L. vilis, of no value,
and/ado, to make.
VIL'LAGE. s. A
small collection of houses in the country, less than
a town. F. village : L. villa, a country-house.
VIL'LAIN. s. This word, according to the present popular meaning,
has almost entirely changed its signification. It formerly denoted
one who held lands on very dependent conditions, under the feudal
system one who was bound to do any sort of service for his supe-
;
hair.
VIMIN'EOUS. adj. Made of twigs. L. vimineus : vimen, a twig.
VIN'CIBLE. adj. Conquerable ; superable. L. vincibilis : vinco, to
conquer.
VINDICATE, v. To revenge to avenge to justify to support, or ; ; ;
275
;:
VIN— VIS
VINDICTIVE, adj. Revengeful. L. vindicta, vengeance. See VIN-
DICATE.
VIN'EGAR. s. Wine grown sour ; a vegetable acid, called acetous.
F. vinaigre : vin, wine, and aigre, sour L. vinum, and acer. :
crilege to deflower.
; L. violo, to force vi, abl. of vis, force. :
VI'PER. s. A
serpent of that species which brings forth its young
alive. L. vivus, alive, and pario, to bring forth.
VIRA'GO. s. A
blustering woman ; a woman with the qualities of a
man. L. vir, a man, and ago, to act.
VIRGO, s. One of the twelve signs of the zodiac. L. virgo, a
virgin.
VIRILITY, s. Manhood ; power of procreation. L. virilitas : vir, a
man.
VIR'TUAL. adj. Having the efficacy, without the material part hav- ;
of video,) seen.
VIS-A-VIS. s. A
species of carriage, in which the passengers sit oppo-
site to each other. F. vis a vis, over against visage, a face, a, :
place of, and comes, a count. The title of viscount, was first con-
ferred by Henry VI. without any office pertaining to it ; and now
signifies one of the order of nobility next below an earl. See COUNT.
VISIBLE, adj. Perceptible to the eye; apparent; open ; conspicuous.
L. visibilis. See VISION.
VIS INER'TIJE. In physics or mechanics, this is applied to the
power of a stationary body, resisting that which would set it in mo-
tion. In morals, it is a figurative application, and another name for
sluggishness, or indolence. L. vis, the power, inertia, (gen. of in-
ertia,) of lying still.
VISION, s. Sight ; the faculty of seeing a supernatural appearance ;
VIS— voc
events are represented as present. F. vision : L. visio : visus, p.
part, of video, to see.
VIS'IONARY. adj. Affected by phantoms disposed to receive im- ;
VO'CAL. adj. Uttered by the voice intended for the voice. L. vocalis
;
VOC—VOM
VOCA'TION. s. A calling
; the employment to which any one is called
to wish.
VOLU'TE. s. That part of the capital of a column which is supposed
to represent the bark of trees twisted into spiral lines, or, according
to others, the long twisted hair of a female. F. volute : L. volutus,
p. part, of volvo, to roll.
VOM' IT. v. the stomach ; to emit, as a volcano. L.
To throw up from
vomito, frequentative of vomo, to spew or cast up.
278
;
VOR—WID
VORA'CIOUS. adj. Greedy
to eat ravenous rapacious. L. vorax,
; ;
W.
WARD. v. To guard ; to fence off.
; s. guard ; act of guard-
to protect
ing district in a town custody that part of a lock, which, cor-
; ; ;
to guard.
WAR'RANT. v. To support or maintain ; to attest to authorize ; to ;
ZEA-ZOO
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