GAWKYGawk"y, a. [Compar. Gawkier; superl. Gawkiest.]
Defn: Foolish and awkward; clumsy; clownish; as, gawky behavior. — n. A fellow who is awkward from being overgrown, or from stupidity, a gawk.
GAWNGawn, n. Etym: [Corrupted fr. gallon.]
Defn: A small tub or lading vessel. [Prov. Eng.] Johnson.
GAWNTREEGawn"tree, n.
Defn: See Gauntree.
GAYGay, a. [Compar. Gayer; superl. Gayest.] Etym: [F. gai, perhaps fr.OHG. g swift, rapid, G. gäh, jäh, steep, hasty; or cf. OHG. wbeatiful, good. Cf. Jay.]
1. Excited with merriment; manifesting sportiveness or delight; inspiring delight; livery; merry. Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay. Pope. Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed. Gray.
2. Brilliant in colors; splendid; fine; richly dressed. Why is my neighbor's wife so gay Chaucer. A bevy of fair women, richly gay In gems and wanton dressMilton.
3. Loose; dissipated; lewd. [Colloq.]
Syn. — Merry; gleeful; blithe; airy; lively; sprightly, sportive; light- hearted; frolicsome; jolly; jovial; joyous; joyful; glad; showy; splendid; vivacious.
GAYGay, n.
Defn: An ornament [Obs.] L'Estrange.
GAYALGay"al, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A Southern Asiatic species of wild cattle (Bibos frontalis).
GAYDIANGGay"di*ang, n. (Naut.)
Defn: A vessel of Anam, with two or three masts, lofty triangular sails, and in construction somewhat resembling a Chinese junk.
GAYETY Gay"e*ty, n.; pl. Gayeties (. [Written also gaiety.] Etym: [F. gaieté. See Gay, a.]
1. The state of being gay; merriment; mirth; acts or entertainments prompted by, or inspiring, merry delight; — used often in the plural; as, the gayeties of the season.
2. Finery; show; as, the gayety of dress.
Syn. — Liveliness; mirth; animation; vivacity; glee; blithesomeness; sprightliness; jollity. See Liveliness.
GAYLEY PROCESSGay"ley proc"ess. (Med.)
Defn: The process of removing moisture from the blast of an iron blast furnace by reducing its temperature so far that it will not remain suspended as vapor in the blast current, but will be deposited as snow in the cooling apparatus. The resultant uniformly dehydrated blast effects great economy in fuel consumption, and promotes regularity of furnace operation, and certainty of furnace control.
GAYLUSSITEGay"lus*site`, n. Etym: [Named after Gay-Lussac, the French chemist.](Min.)
Defn: A yellowish white, translucent mineral, consisting of the carbonates of lime and soda, with water.
GAYLYGay"ly, adv.
1. With mirth and frolic; merrily; blithely; gleefully.
2. Finely; splendidly; showily; as, ladies gayly dressed; a flower gayly blooming. Pope.
GAYNEGayne, v. i. Etym: [See Gain.]
Defn: To avail. [Obs.]
GAYNESSGay"ness, n.
Defn: Gayety; finery. [R.]
GAYSOMEGay"some, a.
Defn: Full of gayety. Mir. for Mag.
GAYTREGay"tre, n. Etym: [See Gaitre.]
Defn: The dogwood tree. [Obs.] Chaucer.
GAZE Gaze, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Gazing.] Etym: [OE. gasen, akin to dial. Sw. gasa, cf. Goth. us-gaisjan to terrify, us- geisnan to be terrified. Cf. Aghast, Ghastly, Ghost, Hesitate.]
Defn: To fixx the eyes in a steady and earnest look; to look witheagerness or curiosity, as in admiration, astonishment, or withstudious attention.Why stand ye gazing up into heaven Acts i. 11.
Syn. — To gape; stare; look. — To Gaze, Gape, Stare. To gaze is to look with fixed and prolonged attention, awakened by excited interest or elevated emotion; to gape is to look fixedly, with open mouth and feelings of ignorant wonder; to stare is to look with the fixedness of insolence or of idiocy. The lover of nature gazes with delight on the beauties of the landscape; the rustic gapes with wonder at the strange sights of a large city; the idiot stares on those around with a vacant look.
GAZEGaze, v. t.
Defn: To view with attention; to gaze on . [R.]And gazed a while the ample sky. Milton.
GAZEGaze, n.
1. A fixed look; a look of eagerness, wonder, or admiration; a continued look of attention. With secret gaze Or open admiration him behold. Milton.
2. The object gazed on. Made of my enemies the scorn and gaze. Milton. At gaze (a) (Her.) With the face turned directly to the front; — said of the figures of the stag, hart, buck, or hind, when borne, in this position, upon an escutcheon. (b) In a position expressing sudden fear or surprise; — a term used in stag hunting to describe the manner of a stag when he first hears the hounds and gazes round in apprehension of some hidden danger; hence, standing agape; idly or stupidly gazing. I that rather held it better men should perish one by one, Than that earth should stand at gaze like Joshua's moon in Ajalon! Tennyson.
GAZEEBOGa*zee"bo, n. Etym: [Humorously formed from gaze.]
Defn: A summerhouse so situated as to command an extensive prospect.[Colloq.]
GAZEFULGaze"ful, a.
Defn: Gazing. [R.] Spenser.
GAZEHOUNDGaze"hound`, n.
Defn: A hound that pursues by the sight rather than by the scent. SirW. Scott.
GAZELGa"zel, n.
Defn: The black currant; also, the wild plum. [Prov. Eng.]
GAZELGa*zel", n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Gazelle.
GAZELLE Ga*zelle", n. Etym: [F. gazelle, OF. also, gazel; cf. Sp. gacela, Pr. gazella, It. gazella; all fr. Ar. ghaz a wild goat.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of several small, swift, elegantly formed species of antelope, of the genus Gazella, esp. G. dorcas; — called also algazel, corinne, korin, and kevel. The gazelles are celebrated for the luster and soft expression of their eyes. [Written also gazel.]
Note: The common species of Northern Africa (Gazella dorcas); the Arabian gazelle, or ariel (G. Arabica); the mohr of West Africa (G. mohr); the Indian (G. Bennetti); the ahu or Persian (G. subgutturosa); and the springbok or tsebe (G. euchore) of South Africa, are the best known.
GAZEMENTGaze"ment, n.
Defn: View. [Obs.] Spenser.
GAZERGaz"er, n.
Defn: One who gazes.
GAZET Ga*zet, n. Etym: [It.. gazeta, gazzetta, prob. dim. of L. gaza royal treasure.]
Defn: A Venetian coin, worth about three English farthings, or one and a half cents. [Obs.]
GAZETTE Ga*zette", n. Etym: [F. gazette, It. gazzetta, perh. from gazetta a Venetian coin (see Gazet), said to have been the price of the first newspaper published at Venice; or perh. dim. of gazza magpie, a name perh. applied to the first newspaper; cf. OHG. agalstra magpie, G. elster.]
Defn: A newspaper; a printed sheet published periodically; esp., the official journal published by the British government, and containing legal and state notices.
GAZETTEGa*zette", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gazetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Gazetting.]
Defn: To announce or publish in a gazette; to announce officially, as an appointment, or a case of bankruptcy.
GAZETTEERGaz`et*teer", n. Etym: [Cf. F. gazetier.]
1. A writer of news, or an officer appointed to publish news by authority. Johnson.
2. A newspaper; a gazette. [Obs.] Burke.
3. A geographical dictionary; a book giving the names and descriptions, etc., of many places.
4. An alphabetical descriptive list of anything.
GAZINGSTOCKGaz"ing*stock`, n.
Defn: A person or thing gazed at with scorn or abhorrence; an object of curiosity or contempt. Bp. Hall.
GAZOGENEGaz"o*gene, n. Etym: [F. gazogène; gaz gas + -gène, E. -gen.]
Defn: A portable apparatus for making soda water or aërated liquids on a small scale. Knight.
GAZONGa*zon", n. Etym: [F. gazon turf, fr. OHG. waso, G. wasen.] (Fort.)
Defn: One of the pieces of sod used to line or cover parapets and the faces of earthworks.
GE-Ge-.
Defn: An Anglo-Saxon prefix. See Y-.
GEALGeal, v. i. Etym: [F. geler, fr. L. gelare, fr. gelu. See Gelid.]
Defn: To congeal. [Obs. or Scot.]
GEAN Gean, n. Etym: [F. guigne the fruit of the gean; cf. OHG. wihsila, G. weichsel.] (Bot.)
Defn: A species of cherry tree common in Europe (Prunus avium); also, the fruit, which is usually small and dark in color.
GEANTICLINALGe`an*ti*cli"nal, n. Etym: [Gr. anticlinal.] (Geol.)
Defn: An upward bend or flexure of a considerable portion of the earth's crust, resulting in the formation of a class of mountain elevations called anticlinoria; — opposed to geosynclinal.
GEAR Gear, n. Etym: [OE. gere, ger, AS. gearwe clothing, adornment, armor, fr. gearo, gearu, ready, yare; akin to OHG. garawi, garwi ornament, dress. See Yare, and cf. Garb dress.]
1. Clothing; garments; ornaments. Array thyself in thy most gorgeous gear. Spenser.
2. Goods; property; household stuff. Chaucer. Homely gear and common ware. Robynson (More's Utopia)
3. Whatever is prepared for use or wear; manufactured stuff or material. Clad in a vesture of unknown gear. Spenser.
4. The harness of horses or cattle; trapping.
5. Warlike accouterments. [Scot.] Jamieson.
6. Manner; custom; behavior. [Obs.] Chaucer.
7. Business matters; affairs; concern. [Obs.] Thus go they both together to their gear. Spenser.
8. (Mech.) (a) A toothed wheel, or cogwheel; as, a spur gear, or a bevel gear; also, toothed wheels, collectively. (b) An apparatus for performing a special function; gearing; as, the feed gear of a lathe. (c) Engagement of parts with each other; as, in gear; out of gear.
9. pl. (Naut.)
Defn: See 1st Jeer (b).
10. Anything worthless; stuff; nonsense; rubbish. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Wright. That servant of his that confessed and uttered this gear was an honest man. Latimer. Bever gear. See Bevel gear. — Core gear, a mortise gear, or its skeleton. See Mortise wheel, under Mortise. — Expansion gear (Steam Engine), the arrangement of parts for cutting off steam at a certain part of the stroke, so as to leave it to act upon the piston expansively; the cut-off. See under Expansion. — Feed gear. See Feed motion, under Feed, n. — Gear cutter, a machine or tool for forming the teeth of gear wheels by cutting. — Gear wheel, any cogwheel. — Running gear. See under Running. — To throw in, or out of, gear (Mach.), to connect or disconnect (wheelwork or couplings, etc.); to put in, or out of, working relation.
GEARGear v. t. [imp. & p. p. Geared; p. pr. & vb. n. Gearing.]
1. To dress; to put gear on; to harness.
2. (Mach.)
Defn: To provide with gearing. Double geared, driven through twofold compound gearing, to increase the force or speed; — said of a machine.
GEARGear, v. i. (Mach.)
Defn: To be in, or come into, gear.
GEARINGGear"ing, n.
1. Harness.
2. (Mach.)
Defn: The parts by which motion imparted to one portion of an engine or machine is transmitted to another, considered collectively; as, the valve gearing of locomotive engine; belt gearing; esp., a train of wheels for transmitting and varying motion in machinery. Frictional gearing. See under Frictional. — Gearing chain, an endless chain transmitted motion from one sprocket wheel to another. See Illust. of Chain wheel. — Spur gearing, gearing in which the teeth or cogs are ranged round either the concave or the convex surface (properly the latter) of a cylindrical wheel; — for transmitting motion between parallel shafts, etc.
GEASON Gea"son, a. Etym: [OE. gesen, geson, rare, scanty, AS. g barren, wanting. Cf. Geest.]
Defn: Rare; wonderful. [Obs.] Spenser.
GEATGeat, n. Etym: [See Gate a door.] (Founding)
Defn: The channel or spout through which molten metal runs into a mold in casting. [Written also git, gate.]
GECARCINIANGe`car*cin"i*an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A land crab of the genus Gecarcinus, or of allied genera.
GECK Geck, n. Etym: [D. gek fool, fop; akin to G. geck; cf. Icel. gikkr a pert, rude person.]
1. Scorn, derision, or contempt. [Prov. Eng.]
2. An object of scorn; a dupe; a gull. [Obs.] To become the geck and scorn O'the other's villainy. Shak.
GECKGeck, v. t. Etym: [Cf. OD. ghecken, G. gecken. See Geck, n.]
1. To deride; to scorn; to mock. [Prov. Eng.]
2. To cheat; trick, or gull. [Obs.] Johnson.
GECKGeck, v. i.
Defn: To jeer; to show contempt. Sir W. Scott.
GECKO Geck"o, n.; pl. Geckoes. Etym: [Cf. F. & G. gecko; — so called from the sound which the animal utters.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any lizard of the family Geckonidæ. The geckoes are small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and vertical, elliptical pupils. Their toes are generally expanded, and furnished with adhesive disks, by which they can run over walls and ceilings. They are numerous in warm countries, and a few species are found in Europe and the United States. See Wall gecko, Fanfoot.
GECKOTIANGeck*o"tian, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A gecko.
GED; GEDDGed, Gedd (, n.
Defn: The European pike.
GEEGee, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Geed; p. pr. & vb. n. Geeing.]
1. To agree; to harmonize. [Colloq. or Prov. Eng.] Forby.
2. Etym: [Cf. G. jü, interj., used in calling to a horse, It. giò, F. dia, used to turn a horse to the left.]
Defn: To turn to the off side, or from the driver (i.e., in the United States, to the right side); — said of cattle, or a team; used most frequently in the imperative, often with off, by drivers of oxen, in directing their teams, and opposed to haw, or hoi. [Written also jee.]
Note: In England, the teamster walks on the right-hand side of the cattle; in the United States, on the left-hand side. In all cases, however, gee means to turn from the driver, and haw to turn toward him. Gee ho, or Gee whoa. Same as Gee.
GEEGee, v. t. Etym: [See Gee to turn.]
Defn: To cause (a team) to turn to the off side, or from the driver.[Written also jee.]
GEER; GEERINGGeer, Geer"ing. [Obs.]
Defn: See Gear, Gearing.
GEESEGeese, n.,
Defn: pl. of Goose.
GEEST Geest, n. Etym: [Cf. LG. geest, geestland, sandy, dry and, OFries. gest, gast, gestlond, gastlond, fr. Fries. gast barren. Cf. Geason.]
Defn: Alluvial matter on the surface of land, not of recent origin.R. Jameson.
GEETGeet, n. Etym: [See Jet.]
Defn: Jet. [Obs.] Chaucer.
GEEZGeez, n.
Defn: The original native name for the ancient Ethiopic language or people. See Ethiopic.
GEEZERGee"zer, n. [Dial. corrupt. of Guiser a mummer.]
Defn: A queer old fellow; an old chap; an old woman. [Contemptuous,Slang or Dial.]
GEHENNAGe*hen"na, n. Etym: [L. Gehenna, Gr. G.] (Jewish Hist.)
Defn: The valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, where some of the Israelites sacrificed their children to Moloch, which, on this account, was afterward regarded as a place of abomination, and made a receptacle for all the refuse of the city, perpetual fires being kept up in order to prevent pestilential effluvia. In the New Testament the name is transferred, by an easy metaphor, to Hell. The pleasant valley of Hinnom. Tophet thence And black Gehenna called, the type of Hell. Milton.
GEICGe"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, earthy or vegetable mold. Geic acid. (Chem.) See Humin.
GEINGe"in, n. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)
Defn: See Humin.
GEISHAGei"sha (ga"sha), n.; pl. Geisha (-sha), Geishas (-shaz). [Jap.]
Defn: A Japanese singing and dancing girl.
GEISSLER TUBEGeis"sler tube`. (Elec.)
Defn: A glass tube provided with platinum electrodes, and containing some gas under very low tension, which becomes luminous when an electrical discharge is passed through it; — so called from the name of a noted maker in germany. It is called also Plücker tube, from the German physicist who devised it.
GEITONOGAMYGei"to*nog"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Fertilization of flowers by pollen from other flowers on the same plant.
GELABLEGel"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. gelare to congeal: cf. F. gelable. See Geal.]
Defn: Capable of being congealed; capable of being converted into jelly.
GELADAGel"a*da, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A baboon (Gelada Ruppelli) of Abyssinia, remarkable for the length of the hair on the neck and shoulders of the adult male.
GELASTICGe*las"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Pertaining to laughter; used in laughing. "Gelastic muscles."Sir T. Browne.
GELATIFICATION Ge*lat"i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Gelatin + L. -ficare. (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: The formation of gelatin.
GELATIGENOUSGel`a*tig"e*nous, n. Etym: [Gelatin + -genous.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: Producing, or yielding, gelatin; gelatiniferous; as, the gelatigeneous tissues.
GELATIN; GELATINEGel"a*tin
Defn: , Gel"a*tine (, n. Etym: [F. gélatine, fr. L. gelare to congeal. See Geal.] (Chem.) Animal jelly; glutinous material obtained from animal tissues by prolonged boiling. Specifically (Physiol. Chem.), a nitrogeneous colloid, not existing as such in the animal body, but formed by the hydrating action of boiling water on the collagen of various kinds of connective tissue (as tendons, bones, ligaments, etc.). Its distinguishing character is that of dissolving in hot water, and forming a jelly on cooling. It is an important ingredient of calf's-foot jelly, isinglass, glue, etc. It is used as food, but its nutritious qualities are of a low order.
Note: Both spellings, gelatin and gelatine, are in good use, but the tendency of writers on physiological chemistry favors the form in - in, as in the United States Dispensatory, the United States Pharmacopoeia, Fownes' Watts' Chemistry, Brande & Cox's Dictionary. Blasting gelatin, an explosive, containing about ninety-five parts of nitroglycerin and five of collodion. — Gelatin process, a name applied to a number of processes in the arts, involving the use of gelatin. Especially: (a) (Photog.) A dry- plate process in which gelatin is used as a substitute for collodion as the sensitized material. This is the dry-plate process in general use, and plates of extreme sensitiveness are produced by it. (b) (Print.) A method of producing photographic copies of drawings, engravings, printed pages, etc., and also of photographic pictures, which can be printed from in a press with ink, or (in some applications of the process) which can be used as the molds of stereotype or electrotype plates. (c) (Print. or Copying) A method of producing facsimile copies of an original, written or drawn in aniline ink upon paper, thence transferred to a cake of gelatin softened with glycerin, from which impressions are taken upon ordinary paper. — Vegetable gelatin. See Gliadin.
GELATINATEGe*lat"i*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gelatinated; p. pr. & vb. n.Gelatinating.]
Defn: To convert into gelatin, or into a substance resembling jelly.
GELATINATEGe*lat"i*nate, v. i.
Defn: To be converted into gelatin, or into a substance like jelly. Lapis lazuli, if calcined, does not effervesce, but gelatinates with the mineral acids. Kirwan.
GELATINATIONGe*lat`i*na"tion, n.
Defn: The act of process of converting into gelatin, or a substance like jelly.
GELATINEGel"a*tine, n.
Defn: Same as Gelatin.
GELATINIFEROUSGel`a*tin*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Gelatin + -ferous.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: Yielding gelatin on boiling with water; capable of gelatination.
GELATINIFORMGel`a*tin"i*form, a.
Defn: Having the form of gelatin.
GELATINIZATIONGe*lat`i*ni*za"tion, n.
Defn: Same as Gelatination.
GELATINIZEGe*lat"i*nize, v. t.
1. To convert into gelatin or jelly. Same as Gelatinate, v. t.
2. (Photog.)
Defn: To coat, or otherwise treat, with gelatin.
GELATINIZEGe*lat"i*nize, v. i.
Defn: Same as Gelatinate, v. i.
GELATINOUSGe*lat"i*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. gélatineux.]
Defn: Of the nature and consistence of gelatin or the jelly; resembling jelly; viscous.
GELATIONGe*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. gelatio a freezing, fr. gelare to freeze.](Astron.)
Defn: The process of becoming solid by cooling; a cooling and solidifying.
GELD Geld, n. Etym: [AS. gild, gield, geld, tribute, payment, fr. gieldan to pay, render. See Yield.]
Defn: Money; tribute; compensation; ransom.[Obs.]
Note: This word occurs in old law books in composition, as in danegeld, or danegelt, a tax imposed by the Danes; weregeld, compensation for the life of a man, etc.
GELDGeld, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gelded or Gelt (p. pr. & vb. n. Gelding.]Etym: [Icel. gelda to castrate; akin to Dan. gilde, Sw. gälla, andcf. AS. gilte a young sow, OHG. galt dry, not giving milk, G. gelt,Goth. gilpa siclke.]
1. To castrate; to emasculate.
2. To deprive of anything essential. Bereft and gelded of his patrimony. Shak.
3. To deprive of anything exceptionable; as, to geld a book, or a story; to expurgate. [Obs.] Dryden.
GELDABLEGeld"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being gelded.
GELDABLEGeld"a*ble, a. Etym: [From Geld money.]
Defn: Liable to taxation. [Obs.] Burrill.
GELDERGeld"er, n.
Defn: One who gelds or castrates.
GELDER-ROSEGel"der-rose, n.
Defn: Same as Guelder-rose.
GELDING Geld"ing, n. Etym: [Icel. gelding a gelding, akin to geldingr wether, eunuch, Sw. gälling gelding, Dan. gilding eunuch. See Geld, v. t.]
Defn: A castrated animal; — usually applied to a horse, but formerlyused also of the human male.They went down both into the water, Philip and the gelding, andPhilip baptized him. Wyclif (Acts viii. 38).
GELDINGGeld"ing, p. pr. a. & vb. n..
Defn: from Geld, v. t.
GELID Gel"id, a. Etym: [L. gelidus, fr. gelun frost, cold. See Cold, and cf. Congeal, Gelatin, Jelly.]
Defn: Cold; very cold; frozen. "Gelid founts." Thompson.
GELIDITYGe*lid"i*ty, n.
Defn: The state of being gelid.
GELIDLYGel"id*ly, adv.
Defn: In a gelid manner; coldly.
GELIDNESSGel"id*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being gelid; gelidity.
GELLYGel"ly, n.
Defn: Jelly. [Obs.] Spenser.
GELOSCOPYGe*los"copy, n. Etym: [Gr. -scopy.]
Defn: Divination by means of laughter.
GELOSEGe*lose", n. Etym: [See Gelatin.] (Chem.)
Defn: An amorphous, gummy carbohydrate, found in Gelidium, agar-agar, and other seaweeds.
GELSEMICGel*se"mic, a.
Defn: Gelseminic.
GELSEMINEGel"se*mine, n. (Chem.)
Defn: An alkaloid obtained from the yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens), as a bitter white semicrystalline substance; — called also gelsemia.
GELSEMINICGel`se*min"ic, n. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, the yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens); as, gelseminic acid, a white crystalline substance resembling esculin.
GELSEMIUMGel*se"mium, n. Etym: [NL., fr. It. gelsomino jasmine.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of climbing plants. The yellow (false) jasmine(Gelsemium sempervirens) is a native of the Southern United States.It has showy and deliciously fragrant flowers.
2. (Med.)
Defn: The root of the yellow jasmine, used in malarial fevers, etc.
GELTGelt, n. Etym: [See 1st Geld.]
Defn: Trubute, tax. [Obs.] All these the king granted unto them . . . free from all gelts and payments, in a most full and ample manner. Fuller.
GELTGelt, n. Etym: [See Gelt, v. t.]
Defn: A gelding. [Obs.] Mortimer.
GELTGelt, n.
Defn: Gilding; tinsel. [Obs.] Spenser.
GEM Gem, n. Etym: [OE. gemme precious stone, F. gemme, fr. L. gemma a precious stone, bud.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A bud. From the joints of thy prolific stem A swelling knot is raised called a gem. Denham.
2. A precious stone of any kind, as the ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire, beryl, spinel, etc., especially when cut and polished for ornament; a jewel. Milton.
3. Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying. Artificial gem, an imitation of a gem, made of glass colored with metallic oxide. Cf. Paste, and Strass.
GEMGem v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gemmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Gemming]
1. To put forth in the form of buds. "Gemmed their blossoms." [R.] Milton.
2. To adorn with gems or precious stones.
3. To embellish or adorn, as with gems; as, a foliage gemmed with dewdrops. England is . . . gemmed with castles and palaces. W. Irving.
GEMARAGe*ma"ra, n. Etym: [Heb.] (Jewish Law)
Defn: The second part of the Talmud, or the commentary on the Mishna (which forms the first part or text).
GEMARICGe*mar"ic, a.
Defn: Pertaining to the Gemara.
GEMARISTGe*ma"rist, n.
Defn: One versed in the Gemara, or adhering to its teachings.
GEMEL Gem"el, a. Etym: [OF. gemel twin, F. jumeau, L. gemellus twin, doubled, dim. of geminus. See Gemini, and cf. Gimmal.] (Her.)
Defn: Coupled; paired. Bars gemel (Her.), two barrulets placed near and parallel to each other.
GEMELGem"el, n.
1. One of the twins. [Obs.] Wyclif.
2. (Heb.)
Defn: One of the barrulets placed parallel and closed to each other.Cf. Bars gemel, under Gemel, a.Two gemels silver between two griffins passant. Strype.Gemel hinge (Locksmithing), a hinge consisting of an eye or loop anda hook.— Gemel ring, a ring with two or more links; a gimbal. See Gimbal.— Gemel window, a window with two bays.
GEMELLIPA-ROUS Gem`el*lip"a-rous, a. Etym: [L. gemellipara, fem., gemellus twin + parere to bear, produce.]
Defn: Producing twins. [R.] Bailey.
GEMINALGem"i*nal, a. Etym: [L. geminus twin.]
Defn: A pair. [Obs.] Drayton.
GEMINATEGem"i*nate, a. Etym: [L. geminatus, p.p. of genimare to double. SeeGemini.] (Bot.)
Defn: In pairs or twains; two together; binate; twin; as, geminate flowers. Gray.
GEMINATEGem"i*nate, v. t.
Defn: To double. [R.] B. Jonson.
GEMINATIONGem`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. geminatio.]
Defn: A doubling; duplication; repetition. [R.] Boyle.
GEMINI Gem"i*ni, n. pl. Etym: [L., twins, pl. of geminus; cf. Skr. j related as brother or sister.] (Astron.)
Defn: A constellation of the zodiac, containing the two bright stars Castor and Pollux; also, the third sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about May 20th.
GEMINIFLOROUSGem`i*ni*flo"rous, a. Etym: [L. geminus twin + flos, floris, flower.](Bot.)
Defn: Having the flowers arranged in pairs.
GEMINOUSGem"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. geminus.]
Defn: Double; in pairs. Sir T. Browne.
GEMINYGemi*ny, n. Etym: [See Gemini.]
Defn: Twins; a pair; a couple. [Obs.] Shak.
GEMITORES Gem`i*to"res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. gemere, gemitum, to sign, moan.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A division of birds including the true pigeons.
GEMMAGem"ma, n.; pl. Gemmæ. Etym: [L., a bud.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A leaf bud, as distinguished from a flower bud.
2. (Biol.)
Defn: A bud spore; one of the small spores or buds in the reproduction of certain Protozoa, which separate one at a time from the parent cell.
GEMMACEOUSGem*ma"ceous, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to gems or to gemmæ; of the nature of, or resembling, gems or gemmæ.
GEMMARYGem"ma*ry, a. Etym: [L. gemmarius. See Gem.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to gems.
GEMMARYGem"ma*ry, n.
Defn: A receptacle for jewels or gems; a jewel house; jewels or gems, collectively.
GEMMATE Gem"mate, a. Etym: [L. gemmatus, p. p. of gemmare to put forth buds, fr. gemma bud.] (Bot.)
Defn: Having buds; reproducing by buds.
GEMMATEDGem"ma*ted, a.
Defn: Having buds; adorned with gems or jewels.
GEMMATIONGem*ma"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. gemmation.]
1. (Biol.)
Defn: The formation of a new individual, either animal or vegetable, by a process of budding; an asexual method of reproduction; gemmulation; gemmiparity. See Budding.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: The arrangement of buds on the stalk; also, of leaves in the bud.
GEMMEOUSGem"me*ous, a. Etym: [L. gemmeus. See Gem.]
Defn: Pertaining to gems; of the nature of gems; resembling gems.Pennant.
GEMMIFEROUSGem*mif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. gemma bud + -ferous: cf. F. gemmifère.]
Defn: Producing gems or buds; (Biol.)
Defn: multiplying by buds.
GEMMIFICATION Gem`mi*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. gemma bud + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] (Biol.)
Defn: The production of a bud or gem.
GEMMIFLORATEGem`mi*flo"rate, a. Etym: [L. gemma bud + flos, floris, flower.](Bot.)
Defn: Having flowers like buds.
GEMMINESSGem"mi*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being gemmy; spruceness; smartness.
GEMMIPARA; GEMMIPARES Gem*mip"a*ra Gem*mip"a*res n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. gemma bud + parere to produce.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Animals which increase by budding, as hydroids.
GEMMIPARITYGem`mi*par"i*ty, n. (Biol.)
Defn: Reproduction by budding; gemmation. See Budding.
GEMMIPAROUSGem*mip"a*rous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. gemmipare.] (Biol.)
Defn: Producing buds; reproducing by buds. See Gemmation, 1.
GEMMOSITYGem*mos"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. gemmosus set with jewels. See Gem.]
Defn: The quality or characteristics of a gem or jewel. [Obs.]Bailey.
GEMMULATIONGem`mu*la"tion, n. Etym: [From L. gemmula, dim. of gemma bud.](Biol.)
Defn: See Gemmation.
GEMMULEGem"mule, n. Etym: [L. gemmula, dim. of gemma: cf. F. gemmule. SeeGem.]
1. (Bot.) (a) A little leaf bud, as the plumule between the cotyledons. (b) One of the buds of mosses. (c) One of the reproductive spores of algæ. (d) An ovule.
2. (Biol.) (a) A bud produced in generation by gemmation. (b) One of the imaginary granules or atoms which, according to Darwin's hypothesis of pangenesis, are continually being thrown off from every cell or unit, and circulate freely throughout the system, and when supplied with proper nutriment multiply by self-division and ultimately develop into cells like those from which they were derived. They are supposed to be transmitted from the parent to the offspring, but are often transmitted in a dormant state during many generations and are then developed. See Pangenesis.
GEMMULIFEROUSGem`mu*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Gemmule + -ferous.]
Defn: Bearing or producing gemmules or buds.
GEMMYGem"my, a. Etym: [From Gem, n.]
1. Full of gems; bright; glittering like a gem. The gemmy bridle glittered free. Tennyson.
2. Spruce; smart. [Colloq. Eng.]
GEMOTEGe*mote", n. Etym: [As. gem an assembly. See Meet, v. t.] (AS. Hist.)
Defn: A meeting; — used in combination, as, Witenagemote, an assembly of the wise men.
GEMSGems, n. Etym: [G.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The chamois.
GEMSBOK Gems"bok, n. Etym: [D.; akin to G. gemsbock the male or buck of the chamois; gemse chamois, goat of the Alps + bock buck.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A South African antelope (Oryx Capensis), having long, sharp, nearly straight horns.
GEMS-HORNGems"-horn`, n. Etym: [G., prop., chamois horn.] (Mus.)
Defn: An organ stop with conical tin pipes.
GEMULGe*mul", n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small South American deer (Furcifer Chilensis), with simple forked horns. [Written also guemul.]
-GEN -gen. Etym: [(1) From Gr. -gen-, from the same root as ge`nos race, stock (see Genus). (2) From Gr. suffix -genh`s born. Cf. F. -gène.]
1. A suffix used in scientific words in the sense of producing, generating: as, amphigen, amidogen, halogen.
2. A suffix meaning produced, generated; as, exogen.
GENA Ge"na, Etym: [L., the cheek.] (Zoöl.) (a) The cheek; the feathered side of the under mandible of a bird. (b) The part of the head to which the jaws of an insect are attached.
GENAPPEGe*nappe", n. Etym: [From Genappe, in Belgium.]
Defn: A worsted yarn or cord of peculiar smoothness, used in the manufacture of braid, fringe, etc. Simmonds.
GENDARMEGen`darme", n.; pl. Gendarmes, or Gens d'armes. Etym: [F.]
1. (Mil.)
Defn: One of a body of heavy cavalry. [Obs.] [France]
2. An armed policeman in France. Thackeray.
GENDARMERYGen*darm"er*y, n. Etym: [F. gendarmerie.]
Defn: The body of gendarmes.
GENDER Gen"der, n. Etym: [OF. genre, gendre (with excrescent d.), F.genre, fr. L. genus, generis, birth, descent, race, kind, gender, fr. the root of genere, gignere, to beget, in pass., to be born, akin to E. kin. See Kin, and cf. Generate, Genre, Gentle, Genus.]
1. Kind; sort. [Obs.] "One gender of herbs." Shak.
2. Sex, male or female. [Obs. or Colloq.]
3. (Gram.)
Defn: A classification of nouns, primarily according to sex; and secondarily according to some fancied or imputed quality associated with sex. Gender is a grammatical distinction and applies to words only. Sex is natural distinction and applies to living objects. R. Morris.
Note: Adjectives and pronouns are said to vary in gender when the form is varied according to the gender of the words to which they refer.
GENDERGen"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gendered; p. pr. & vb. n. Gendering.]Etym: [OF. gendrer, fr. L. generare. See Gender, n.]
Defn: To beget; to engender.
GENDERGen"der, v. i.
Defn: To copulate; to breed. [R.] Shak.
GENDERLESSGen"der*less, a.
Defn: Having no gender.
GENEAGENESISGen`e*a*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. genesis.] (Biol.)
Defn: Alternate generation. See under Generation.
GENEALOGICGen`e*a*log"ic, a.
Defn: Genealogical.
GENEALOGICALGen`e*a*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. généalogique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to genealogy; as, a genealogical table;genealogical order.— Gen`e*a*log"ic*al*ly, adv. Genealogical tree, a family lineage orgenealogy drawn out under the form of a tree and its branches.
GENEALOGISTGen`e*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. généalogiste.]
Defn: One who traces genealogies or the descent of persons or families.
GENEALOGIZEGen`e*al"o*gize, v. i.
Defn: To investigate, or relate the history of, descents.
GENEALOGYGen`e*al"o*gy, n.; pl. Genealogies. Etym: [OE. genealogi, genelogie,OF. genelogie, F. généalogie, L. genealogia, fr. Gr. genus) +
1. An account or history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor; enumeration of ancestors and their children in the natural order of succession; a pedigree.
2. Regular descent of a person or family from a progenitor; pedigree; lineage.
GENEARCHGen"e*arch, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: The chief of a family or tribe.
GENERAGen"e*ra, n. pl.
Defn: See Genus.
GENERABILITYGen`er*a*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: Capability of being generated. Johnstone.
GENERABLEGen"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. generabilis.]
Defn: Capable of being generated or produced. Bentley.
GENERALGen"er*al, a. Etym: [F. général, fr. L. generalis. See Genus.]
1. Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.
2. Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.
3. Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.
4. Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom. This general applause and cheerful sShak.
5. Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire. Milton.
6. As a whole; in gross; for the most part. His general behavior vain, ridiculous. Shak.
7. Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.
Note: The word general, annexed to a name of office, usually denotes chief or superior; as, attorney-general; adjutant general; commissary general; quartermaster general; vicar-general, etc. General agent (Law), an agent whom a principal employs to transact all his business of a particular kind, or to act in his affairs generally. — General assembly. See the Note under Assembly. — General average, General Court. See under Average, Court. — General court-martial (Mil.), the highest military and naval judicial tribunal. — General dealer (Com.), a shopkeeper who deals in all articles in common use. — General demurrer (Law), a demurrer which objects to a pleading in general terms, as insufficient, without specifying the defects. Abbott. — General epistle, a canonical epistle. — General guides (Mil.), two sergeants (called the right, and the left, general guide) posted opposite the right and left flanks of an infantry battalion, to preserve accuracy in marching. Farrow. — General hospitals (Mil.), hospitals established to receive sick and wounded sent from the field hospitals. Farrow. General issue (Law), an issue made by a general plea, which traverses the whole declaration or indictment at once, without offering any special matter to evade it. Bouvier. Burrill. — General lien (Law), a right to detain a chattel, etc., until payment is made of any balance due on a general account. — General officer (Mil.), any officer having a rank above that of colonel. — General orders (Mil.), orders from headquarters published to the whole command. — General practitioner, in the United States, one who practices medicine in all its branches without confining himself to any specialty; in England, one who practices both as physician and as surgeon. — General ship, a ship not chartered or let to particular parties. — General term (Logic), a term which is the sign of a general conception or notion. — General verdict (Law), the ordinary comprehensive verdict in civil actions, "for the plaintiff" or "for the defendant". Burrill. — General warrant (Law), a warrant, now illegal, to apprehend suspected persons, without naming individuals.
Syn. General, Common, Universal. Common denotes primarily that in which many share; and hence, that which is often met with. General is stronger, denoting that which pertains to a majority of the individuals which compose a genus, or whole. Universal, that which pertains to all without exception. To be able to read and write is so common an attainment in the United States, that we may pronounce it general, though by no means universal.
Syn: Gen"er*al, n. Etym: [F. général. See General., a.]
1. The whole; the total; that which comprehends or relates to all, or the chief part; — opposed to particular. In particulars our knowledge begins, and so spreads itself by degrees to generals. Locke.
2. (Mil.)
Defn: One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army, of a body of men not less than a brigade. In European armies, the highest military rank next below field marshal.
Note: In the United States the office of General of the Army has been created by temporary laws, and has been held only by Generals U. S. Grant, W. T. Sherman, and P. H. Sheridan. Popularly, the title General is given to various general officers, as General, Lieutenant general, Major general, Brigadier general, Commissary general, etc. See Brigadier general, Lieutenant general, Major general, in the Vocabulary.
3. (Mil.)
Defn: The roll of the drum which calls the troops together; as, to beat the general.
4. (Eccl.)
Defn: The chief of an order of monks, or of all the houses or congregations under the same rule.
5. The public; the people; the vulgar. [Obs.] Shak. In general, in the main; for the most part.
GENERALIAGen`e*ra"li*a, n. pl. Etym: [Neut. pl., fr. L. generalis.]
Defn: Generalities; general terms. J. S. Mill.
GENERALISSIMOGen`er*al*is"si*mo, n. Etym: [It., superl. of generale general. SeeGeneral, a.]
Defn: The chief commander of an army; especially, the commander in chief of an army consisting of two or more grand divisions under separate commanders; — a title used in most foreign countries.
GENERALITY Gen`er*al"i*ty, n.; pl. Generalities. Etym: [L. generalitas: cf. F. généralité. Cf. Generalty.]
1. The state of being general; the quality of including species or particulars. Hooker.
2. That which is general; that which lacks specificalness, practicalness, or application; a general or vague statement or phrase. Let us descend from generalities to particulars. Landor. The glittering and sounding generalities of natural right which make up the Declaration of Independence. R. Choate.
3. The main body; the bulk; the greatest part; as, the generality of a nation, or of mankind.
GENERALIZABLEGen"er*al*i`za*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule. Extreme cases are . . . not generalizable. Coleridge
GENERALIZATIONGen`er*al*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. généralisation.]
1. The act or process of generalizing; the act of bringing individuals or particulars under a genus or class; deduction of a general principle from particulars. Generalization is only the apprehension of the one in the many. Sir W. Hamilton.
2. A general inference.
GENERALIZEGen"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Generalized; p. pr. & vb. n.Generalizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. généraliser.]
1. To bring under a genus or under genera; to view in relation to a genus or to genera. Copernicus generalized the celestial motions by merely referring them to the moon's motion. Newton generalized them still more by referring this last to the motion of a stone through the air. W. Nicholson.
2. To apply to other genera or classes; to use with a more extensive application; to extend so as to include all special cases; to make universal in application, as a formula or rule. When a fact is generalized, our discontent is quited, and we consider the generality itself as tantamount to an explanation. Sir W. Hamilton.
3. To derive or deduce (a general conception, or a general principle)from particulars.A mere conclusion generalized from a great multitude of facts.Coleridge.
GENERALIZEGen"er*al*ize, v. i.
Defn: To form into a genus; to view objects in their relations to a genus or class; to take general or comprehensive views.
GENERALIZEDGen"er*al*ized, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Comprising structural characters which are separated in more specialized forms; synthetic; as, a generalized type.
GENERALIZERGen"er*al*i`zer (, n.
Defn: One who takes general or comprehensive views. Tyndall.
GENERALLYGen"er*al*ly, adv.
1. In general; commonly; extensively, though not universally; most frequently.
2. In a general way, or in general relation; in the main; upon the whole; comprehensively. Generally speaking, they live very quietly. Addison.
3. Collectively; as a whole; without omissions. [Obs.] I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee. 2 Sam. xvii. ll.
GENERALNESSGen"er*al*ness, n.
Defn: The condition or quality of being general; frequency; commonness. Sir P. Sidney.
GENERALSHIPGen"er*al*ship, n.
1. The office of a general; the exercise of the functions of a general; — sometimes, with the possessive pronoun, the personality of a general. Your generalship puts me in mind of Prince Eugene. Goldsmith.
2. Military skill in a general officer or commander.
3. Fig.: Leadership; management. An artful stroke of generalship in Trim to raise a dust. Sterne.
GENERALTYGen"er*al*ty, n.
Defn: Generality. [R.] Sir M. Hale.
GENERANTGen"er*ant, a. Etym: [L. generans, p. pr. of generare.]
Defn: Generative; producing; esp. (Geom.),
Defn: acting as a generant.
GENERANTGen"er*ant, n.
1. That which generates. Glanvill.
2. (Geom.)
Defn: A generatrix.
GENERATEGen"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Generated; p. pr. & vb. n.Generating.] Etym: [L. generatus, p. p. of generare to generate, fr.genus. See Genus, Gender.]
1. To beget; to procreate; to propagate; to produce (a being similar to the parent); to engender; as, every animal generates its own species.
2. To cause to be; to bring into life. Milton.
3. To originate, especially by a vital or chemical process; to produce; to cause. Whatever generates a quantity of good chyle must likewise generate milk. Arbuthnot.
4. (Math.)
Defn: To trace out, as a line, figure, or solid, by the motion of a point or a magnitude of inferior order.
GENERATION Gen`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [OE. generacioun, F. génération, fr.L. generatio.]
1. The act of generating or begetting; procreation, as of animals.
2. Origination by some process, mathematical, chemical, or vital; production; formation; as, the generation of sounds, of gases, of curves, etc.
3. That which is generated or brought forth; progeny; offspiring.
4. A single step or stage in the succession of natural descent; a rank or remove in genealogy. Hence: The body of those who are of the same genealogical rank or remove from an ancestor; the mass of beings living at one period; also, the average lifetime of man, or the ordinary period of time at which one rank follows another, or father is succeeded by child, usually assumed to be one third of a century; an age. This is the book of the generations of Adam. Gen. v. 1. Ye shall remain there [in Babylon] many years, and for a long season, namely, seven generations. Baruch vi. 3. All generations and ages of the Christian church. Hooker.
5. Race; kind; family; breed; stock. Thy mother's of my generation; what's she, if I be a dog Shak.
6. (Geom.)
Defn: The formation or production of any geometrical magnitude, as a line, a surface, a solid, by the motion, in accordance with a mathematical law, of a point or a magnitude; as, the generation of a line or curve by the motion of a point, of a surface by a line, a sphere by a semicircle, etc.
7. (Biol.)
Defn: The aggregate of the functions and phenomene which attend reproduction.
Note: There are four modes of generation in the animal kingdom: scissiparity or by fissiparous generation, gemmiparity or by budding, germiparity or by germs, and oviparity or by ova. Alternate generation (Biol.), alternation of sexual with asexual generation, in which the products of one process differ from those of the other, — a form of reproduction common both to animal and vegetable organisms. In the simplest form, the organism arising from sexual generation produces offspiring unlike itself, agamogenetically. These, however, in time acquire reproductive organs, and from their impregnated germs the original parent form is reproduced. In more complicated cases, the first series of organisms produced agamogenetically may give rise to others by a like process, and these in turn to still other generations. Ultimately, however, a generation is formed which develops sexual organs, and the original form is reproduced. — Spontaneous generation (Biol.), the fancied production of living organisms without previously existing parents from inorganic matter, or from decomposing organic matter, a notion which at one time had many supporters; abiogenesis.
GENERATIVEGen"er*a*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. génératif.]
Defn: Having the power of generating, propagating, originating, or producing. "That generative particle." Bentley.
GENERATORGen"er*a`tor, n. Etym: [L.]
1. One who, or that which, generates, begets, causes, or produces.
2. An apparatus in which vapor or gas is formed from a liquid or solid by means of heat or chemical process, as a steam boiler, gas retort, or vessel for generating carbonic acid gas, etc.
3. (Mus.)
Defn: The principal sound or sounds by which others are produced; the fundamental note or root of the common chord; — called also generating tone.
GENERATRIXGen`er*a"trix, n.; pl. L. Generatrices, E. Generatrixes. Etym: [L.](Geom.)
Defn: That which generates; the point, or the mathematical magnitude, which, by its motion, generates another magnitude, as a line, surface, or solid; — called also describent.
GENERIC; GENERICALGe*ner"ic, Ge*ner"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. genus, generis, race, kind: cf.F. générique. See Gender.]
1. (Biol.)
Defn: Pertaining to a genus or kind; relating to a genus, as distinct from a species, or from another genus; as, a generic description; a generic difference; a generic name.
2. Very comprehensive; pertaining or appropriate to large classes or their characteristics; — opposed to Ant: specific.
GENERICALLYGe*ner"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: With regard to a genus, or an extensive class; as, an animal generically distinct from another, or two animals or plants generically allied.
GENERICALNESSGe*ner"ic*al*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being generic.
GENERIFICATION Ge*ner`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. genus kind, class + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]
Defn: The act or process of generalizing.Out of this the universal is elaborated by generification. Sir W.Hamilton.
GENEROSITYGen`er*os"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. generositas: cf. F. générosité.]
1. Noble birth. [Obs.] Harris (Voyages).
2. The quality of being noble; noble-mindedness. Generosity is in nothing more seen than in a candid estimation of other men's virtues and good qualities. Barrow.
3. Liberality in giving; munificence.
Syn.— Magnanimity; liberality.
GENEROUS Gen"er*ous, a. Etym: [F. généreux, fr. L. generous of noble birth, noble, excellent, magnanimous, fr. genus birth, race: cf. It. generoso. See 2d Gender.]
1. Of honorable birth or origin; highborn. [Obs.] The generous and gravest citizens. Shak.
2. Exhibiting those qualities which are popularly reregarded as belonging to high birth; noble; honorable; magnanimous; spirited; courageous. "The generous critic." Pope. "His generous spouse." Pope. "A generous pack [of hounds]." Addison.
3. Open-handed; free to give; not close or niggardly; munificent; as, a generous friend or father.
4. Characterized by generosity; abundant; overflowing; as, a generous table. Swift.
5. Full of spirit or strength; stimulating; exalting; as, generous wine.
Syn.— Magnanimous; bountiful. See Liberal.— Gen"er*ous*ly, adv.— Gen"er*ous*ness, n.
GENESEE EPOCHGen`e*see" ep"och. (Geol.)
Defn: The closing subdivision of the Hamilton period in the American Devonian system; — so called because the formations of this period crop out in Genesee, New York.
GENESIALGe*ne"sial, a.
Defn: Of or relating to generation.
GENESIOLGYGe*ne`si*ol"gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]
Defn: The doctrine or science of generation.
GENESISGen"e*sis, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. genus birth, race. See Gender.]
1. The act of producing, or giving birth or origin to anything; the process or mode of originating; production; formation; origination. The origin and genasis of poor Sterling's club. Carlyle.
2. The first book of the Old Testament; — so called by the Greek translators, from its containing the history of the creation of the world and of the human race.
3. (Geom.)
Defn: Same as Generation.
GENET; GENETTEGen"et, Ge*nette" (, n. Etym: [F. genette, Sp. gineta, fr. Ar. jarnei
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of several species of small Carnivora of the genus Genetta, allied to the civets, but having the scent glands less developed, and without a pouch.