1. Of low birth or family; not noble; not illustrious; plebeian;common; humble.I was not ignoble of descent. Shak.Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants. Shak.
2. Not honorable, elevated, or generous; base.'T but a base, ignoble mind, That mounts no higher than a bird cansoar. Shak.Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife. Gray.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Not a true or noble falcon; — said of certain hawks, as the goshawk.
Syn. — Degenerate; degraded; mean; base; dishonorable; reproachful; disgraceful; shameful; scandalous; infamous.
IGNOBLEIg*no"ble, v. t.
Defn: To make ignoble. [Obs.] Bacon.
IGNOBLENESSIg*no"ble*ness, n.
Defn: State or quality of being ignoble.
IGNOBLYIg*no"bly, adv.
Defn: In an ignoble manner; basely.
IGNOMINIOUSIg`no*min"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. ignominiosus: cf. F. ignominieux.]
1. Marked with ignominy; in curring public disgrace; dishonorable;shameful.Then first with fear surprised and sense of pain, Fled ignominious.Milton.
2. Deserving ignominy; despicable. One single, obscure, ignominious projector. Swift.
3. Humiliating; degrading; as, an ignominious judgment or sentence. Macaulay.
IGNOMINIOUSLYIg`no*min"i*ous*ly, adv.
Defn: In an ignominious manner; disgracefully; shamefully; ingloriously.
IGNOMINY Ig"no*min*y, n.; pl. Ignominies. Etym: [L. ignominia ignominy (i.e., a deprivation of one's good name); in- not + nomen name: cf. F. ignominie. See In- not, and Name.]
1. Public disgrace or dishonor; reproach; infamy. Their generals have been received with honor after their defeat; yours with ignominy after conquest. Addison. Vice begins in mistake, and ends in ignominy. Rambler. Ignominy is the infliction of such evil as is made dishonorable, or the deprivation of such good as is made honorable by the Common wealth. Hobbes.
2. An act deserving disgrace; an infamous act.
Syn.— Opprobrium; reproach; dishonor.
IGNOMYIg"no*my, n.
Defn: Ignominy. [R. & Obs.]I blush to think upon this ignomy. Shak.
IGNORAMUSIg`no*ra"mus, n. Etym: [L., we are ignorant. See Ignore.]
1. (Law)
Defn: We are ignorant; we ignore; — being the word formerly written on a bill of indictment by a grand jury when there was not sufficient evidence to warrant them in finding it a true bill. The phrase now used is, "No bill," "No true bill," or "Not found," though in some jurisdictions "Ignored" is still used. Wharton (Law Dict. ). Burn.
2. (pl. Ignoramuses (.)
Defn: A stupid, ignorant person; a vain pretender to knowledge; adunce.An ignoramus in place and power. South.
IGNORANCEIg"no*rance, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. ignorantia.]
1. The condition of being ignorant; the want of knowledge in general, or in relation to a particular subject; the state of being uneducated or uninformed. Ignorance is the curse of God, Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Shak.
2. (Theol.)
Defn: A willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge which one may acquire and it is his duty to have. Book of Common Prayer. Invincible ignorance (Theol.), ignorance beyond the individual's control and for which, therefore, he is not responsible before God.
IGNORANT Ig"no*rant, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. ignorans, -antis, p.pr. of ignorare to be ignorant. See Ignore.]
1. Destitute of knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened. He that doth not know those things which are of use for him to know, is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know besides. Tillotson.
2. Unacquainted with; unconscious or unaware; — used with of. Ignorant of guilt, I fear not shame. Dryden.
3. Unknown; undiscovered. [Obs.] Ignorant concealment. Shak. Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed Shak.
4. Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly. His shipping, Poor ignorant baubles! — on our terrible seas, Like eggshells moved. Shak.
Syn. — Uninstructed; untaught; unenlightened; uninformed; unlearned; unlettered; illiterate. — Ignorant, Illiterate. Ignorant denotes want of knowledge, either as to single subject or information in general; illiterate refers to an ignorance of letters, or of knowledge acquired by reading and study. In the Middle Ages, a great proportion of the higher classes were illiterate, and yet were far from being ignorant, especially in regard to war and other active pursuits. In such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant More learned than the ears. Shak. In the first ages of Christianity, not only the learned and the wise, but the ignorant and illiterate, embraced torments and death. Tillotson.
IGNORANTIg"no*rant, n.
Defn: A person untaught or uninformed; one unlettered or unskilled;an ignoramous.Did I for this take pains to teach Our zealous ignorants to preachDenham.
IGNORANTISMIg"no*rant*ism, n.
Defn: The spirit of those who extol the advantage to ignorance; obscuriantism.
IGNORANTISTIg"no*rant*ist, n.
Defn: One opposed to the diffusion of knowledge; an obscuriantist.
IGNORANTLYIg"no*rant*ly, adv.
Defn: In a ignorant manner; without knowledge; inadvertently. Whom therefoer ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Acts xvii. 23.
IGNOREIg*nore", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ignored; p. pr. & vb. n. Ignoring.]Etym: [L. ignorare; pref. in- not + the root of gnarus knowing,noscere to become acquainted with. See Know, and cf. Narrate.]
1. To be ignorant of or not acquainted with. [Archaic] Philosophy would solidly be established, if men would more carefully distinguish those things that they know from those that they ignore. Boyle.
2. (Law)
Defn: To throw out or reject as false or ungrounded; — said of a bill rejected by a grand jury for want of evidence. See Ignoramus.
3. Hence: To refuse to take notice of; to shut the eyes to; not to recognize; to disregard willfully and causelessly; as, to ignore certain facts; to ignore the presence of an objectionable person. Ignoring Italy under our feet, And seeing things before, behind. Mrs. Browning.
IGNOSCIBLE Ig*nos"ci*ble, a. Etym: [L. ignoscibilis, fr. ignoscere to pardon, lit., not to wish to know; pref. in- not + gnoscere, noscere, to learn to know. See In- not, and Know.]
Defn: Pardonable. [Obs.] Bailey.
IGNOTE Ig*note", a. Etym: [L. ignotus; pref. in- not + gnotus, notus, known, p.p. of gnocere, nocere, to learn to know.]
Defn: Unknown. [Obs.] Sir E. Sandys. — n.
Defn: One who is unknown. Bp. Hacket.
IGUANAI*gua"na, n. Etym: [Sp. iguana, from the native name in Hayti. Cf.Guana.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any species of the genus Iguana, a genus of large American lizards of the family Iguanidæ. They are arboreal in their habits, usually green in color, and feed chiefly upon fruits.
Note: The common iguana (I. tuberculata) of the West Indies and South America is sometimes five feet long. Its flesh is highly prized as food. The horned iguana (I. cornuta) has a conical horn between the eyes.
IGUANIANI*gua"ni*an, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Resembling, or pertaining to, the iguana.
IGUANIDI*gua"nid, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Iguanoid.
IGUANODONI*gua"no*don, n. Etym: [Iguana + Gr. (Paleon.)
Defn: A genus of gigantic herbivorous dinosaurs having a birdlike pelvis and large hind legs with three-toed feet capable of supporting the entire body. Its teeth resemble those of the iguana, whence its name. Several species are known, mostly from the Wealden of England and Europe. See Illustration in Appendix.
IGUANODONTI*gua"no*dont, a. (Paleon.)
Defn: Like or pertaining to the genus Iguanodon.
IGUANOIDI*gua"noid, a. Etym: [Iguana + -oid.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Pertaining to the Iguanidæ.
IHLANG-IHLANGIh*lang`-ih*lang", n. Etym: [Malayan, flower of flowers.]
Defn: A rich, powerful, perfume, obtained from the volatile oil of the flowers of Canada odorata, an East Indian tree. [Also written ylang-ylang.]
IHRAMIh*ram", n.
Defn: The peculiar dress worn by pilgrims to Mecca.
IHVHIHVH. [Written also JHVH, YHVH.]
Defn: A transliteration of the four constants forming the Hebrew tetragrammaton or "incommunicable name" of the Supreme Being, which in latter Jewish tradition is not pronounced save with the vowels of adonai or elohim, so that the true pronunciation is lost.
Numerous attempts have been made to represent the supposed original form of the word, as Jahaveh, Jahvaj, Jahve, Jahveh, Yahve, Yahveh, Yahwe, Yahweh, etc.
IKIk, pron. Etym: [See I.]
Defn: I [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
Note: The Northern dialectic form of I, in Early English, corresponding to ich of the Southern.
IL-Il-
Defn: . A form of the prefix in-, not, and in-, among. See In-.
ILEIle, n. Etym: [AS. egl.]
Defn: Ear of corn. [Obs.] Ainsworth.
ILEIle, n. Etym: [See Aisle.]
Defn: An aisle. [Obs.] H. Swinburne.
ILEIle, n. Etym: [See Isle.]
Defn: An isle. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ILEACIl"e*ac, a. Etym: [See Ileum.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the ileum. [Written also iliac.]
2. See Iliac,
1. [R.] Ileac passion. (Med.) See Ileus.
ILEOCAECALIl`e*o*cæ"cal, a. Etym: [Ileum + cæcal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the ileum and cæcum.
ILEOCOLICIl`e*o*col"ic, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the ileum and colon; as, the ileocolic, or ileocæcal, valve, a valve where the ileum opens into the large intestine.
ILEUMIl"e*um, n. Etym: [L. ile, ileum, ilium, pl. ilia, groin, flank.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: The last, and usually the longest, division of the small intestine; the part between the jejunum and large intestine. [Written also ileon, and ilium.]
2. (Anat.)
Defn: See Ilium. [R.]
Note: Most modern writers restrict ileum to the division of the intestine and ilium to the pelvic bone.
ILEUSIl"e*us, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A morbid condition due to intestinal obstruction. It is characterized by complete constipation, with griping pains in the abdomen, which is greatly distended, and in the later stages by vomiting of fecal matter. Called also ileac, or iliac, passion.
ILEX I"lex, n. Etym: [L., holm oak.] (Bot.) (a) The holm oak (Quercus Ilex). (b) A genus of evergreen trees and shrubs, including the common holly.
ILIACIl"i*ac, a. Etym: [L. Iliacus, Gr. Iliad.]
Defn: Pertaining to ancient Ilium, or Troy. Gladstone.
ILIACIl"i*ac, a. Etym: [Cf. F. iliaque. See Ileum, and cf. Jade a stone.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or in the region of, the ilium, or dorsal bone of the pelvis; as, the iliac artery. [Written also ileac.]
2. See Ileac, 1. [R.] Iliac crest, the upper margin of the ilium.— Iliac passion. See Ileus.— Iliac region, a region of the abdomen, on either side of thehypogastric regions, and below the lumbar regions.
ILIACALI*li"a*cal, a.
Defn: Iliac. [R.]
ILIADIl"i*ad, n. Etym: [L. Ilias, -adis, Gr.
Defn: A celebrated Greek epic poem, in twenty-four books, on the destruction of Ilium, the ancient Troy. The Iliad is ascribed to Homer.
ILIALIl"i*al, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the ilium; iliac.
ILICHEI*liche", adv. Etym: [OE., fr. AS. gelic. Cf. Alike.]
Defn: Alike. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ILICICI*lic"ic, a. Etym: [L. ilex, ilicis, holm oak.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, the holly (Ilex), and allied plants; as, ilicic acid.
ILICINIl"i*cin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: The bitter principle of the holly.
ILIO-Il"i*o-. Etym: [From Ilium.]
Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to denote connection with, or relation to, the ilium; as, ilio-femoral, ilio-lumbar, ilio-psoas, etc.
ILIOFEMORALIl`i*o*fem"o*ral, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the ilium and femur; as, iliofemoral ligaments.
ILIOLUMBARIl`i*o*lum"bar, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Pertaining to the iliac and lumbar regions; as, the iliolumbar artery.
ILIOPSOASIl`i*o*pso"as, n. (Anat.)
Defn: The great flexor muscle of the hip joint, divisible into two parts, the iliac and great psoas, — often regarded as distinct muscles.
ILIUMIl"i*um, n. Etym: [See Ileum.] (Anat.)
Defn: The dorsal one of the three principal bones comprising either lateral half of the pelvis; the dorsal or upper part of the hip bone. See Innominate bone, under Innominate. [Written also ilion, and ileum.]
ILIXANTHINIl`ix*an"thin, n. Etym: [Ilex the genus including the holly + Gr.(Chem.)
Defn: A yellow dye obtained from the leaves of the holly.
ILKIlk, a. Etym: [Scot. ilk, OE. ilke the same, AS. ilca. Cf. Each.]
Defn: Same; each; every. [Archaic] Spenser. Of that ilk, denoting that a person's surname and the title of his estate are the same; as, Grant of that ilk, i.e., Grant of Grant. Jamieson.
ILKEIl"ke, a. Etym: [See Ilk.]
Defn: Same. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ILKON; ILKOONIl*kon", Il*koon", pron. Etym: [See Ilk, and One.]
Defn: Each one; every one. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ILL Ill, a. [The regular comparative and superlative are wanting, their places being supplied by worse ( and worst (, from another root.] Etym: [OE. ill, ille, Icel. illr; akin to Sw. illa, adv., Dan. ilde, adv.]
1. Contrary to good, in a physical sense; contrary or opposed to advantage, happiness, etc.; bad; evil; unfortunate; disagreeable; unfavorable. Neither is it ill air only that maketh an ill seat, but ill ways, ill markets, and ill neighbors. Bacon. There 's some ill planet reigns. Shak.
2. Contrary to good, in a moral sense; evil; wicked; wrong; iniquitious; naughtly; bad; improper. Of his own body he was ill, and gave The clergy ill example. Shak.
3. Sick; indisposed; unwell; diseased; disordered; as, ill of a fever. I am in health, I breathe, and see thee ill. Shak.
4. Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude;unpolished; inelegant.That 's an ill phrase. Shak.Ill at ease, uneasy; uncomfortable; anxious. "I am very ill at ease."Shak.— Ill blood, enmity; resentment.— Ill breeding, want of good breeding; rudeness.— Ill fame, ill or bad repute; as, a house of ill fame, a housewhere lewd persons meet for illicit intercourse.— Ill humor, a disagreeable mood; bad temper.— Ill nature, bad disposition or temperament; sullenness; esp., adisposition to cause unhappiness to others.— Ill temper, anger; moroseness; crossness.— Ill turn. (a) An unkind act. (b) A slight attack of illness.[Colloq. U.S.] — Ill will, unkindness; enmity; malevolence.
Syn.— Bad; evil; wrong; wicked; sick; unwell.
ILLIll, n.
1. Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity. Who can all sense of others' ills escape Is but a brute at best in human shape. Tate. That makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of. Shak.
2. Whatever is contrary to good, in a moral sense; wickedness; depravity; iniquity; wrong; evil. Strong virtue, like strong nature, struggles still, Exerts itself, and then throws off the ill. Dryden.
ILLIll, adv.
Defn: In a ill manner; badly; weakly.How ill this taper burns! Shak.Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealthaccumulates and men decay. Goldsmith.
Note: Ill, like above, well, and so, is used before many participal adjectives, in its usual adverbal sense. When the two words are used as an epithet preceding the noun qualified they are commonly hyphened; in other cases they are written separatively; as, an ill- educated man; he was ill educated; an ill-formed plan; the plan, however ill formed, was acceptable. Ao, also, the following: ill- affected or ill affected, ill-arranged or ill arranged, ill-assorted or ill assorted, ill-boding or ill boding, ill-bred or ill bred, ill- conditioned, ill-conducted, ill-considered, ill-devised, ill- disposed, ill-doing, ill-fairing, ill-fated, ill-favored, ill- featured, ill-formed, ill-gotten, ill-imagined, ill-judged, ill- looking, ill-mannered, ill-matched, ill-meaning, ill-minded, ill- natured, ill-omened, ill-proportioned, ill-provided, ill-required, ill-sorted, ill-starred, ill-tempered, ill-timed, ill-trained, ill- used, and the like.
I' LLI' ll
Defn: . Contraction for I will or I shall.I'll by a sign give notice to our friends. Shak.
ILLABILEIl*lab"ile, a.
Defn: Incapable of falling or erring; infalliable. [Obs.] —Il`la*bil"i*ty, n. [Obs.]
ILLACERABLEIl*lac"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. illacerabilis: cf. F. illacérable. SeeIn- not, and Lacerable.]
Defn: Not lacerable; incapable of being torn or rent. [Obs.]
ILLACRYMABLE Il*lac"ry*ma*ble, a. Etym: [L. illacrimabilis; pref. il- not + lacrimabilis worthy of tears.]
Defn: Incapable of weeping. [Obs.] Bailey.
ILLAPSABLEIl*laps"a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. il- not + lapsable.]
Defn: Incapable of slipping, or of error. [R.]Morally immutable and illapsable. Glanvill.
ILLAPSEIl*lapse", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Illapsed; p. pr. & vb. n. Illapsing.]Etym: [L. illapsus, p.p. of illabi; pref. il- in + labi to fall,slide.]
Defn: To fall or glide; to pass; — usually followed by into. Cheyne.
ILLAPSEIl*lapse", n. Etym: [L. illapsus. See Illapse, v. i.]
Defn: A gliding in; an immisson or entrance of one thing into another; also, a sudden descent or attack. Akenside. They sit silent . . . waiting for an illapse of the spirit. Jeffrey.
ILLAQUEABLEIl*la"que*a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being insnared or entrapped. [R.] Cudworth.
ILLAQUEATEIl*la"que*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illaqueated; p. pr. & vb. n.Illaqueating.] Etym: [L. illaqueatus, p.p. of illaqueare; pref. il-in + laqueare to insnare, fr. laqueus, noose, snare.]
Defn: To insnare; to entrap; to entangle; to catch.Let not the surpassing eloquence of Taylor dazzle you, nor hisscholastic retairy versatility of logic illaqueate your good sense.Coleridge.
ILLAQUEATIONIl*la`que*a"tion, n.
1. The act of catching or insnaring. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
2. A snare; a trap. Johnson.
ILLATION Il*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. illatio, fr. illatus, used as p.p. of inferre to carry or bring in, but from a different root: cf. F. illation. See 1st In-, and Tolerate, and cf. Infer.]
Defn: The act or process of inferring from premises or reasons; perception of the connection between ideas; that which is inferred; inference; deduction; conclusion. Fraudulent deductions or inconsequent illations from a false conception of things. Sir T. Browne.
ILLATIVEIl"la*tive, a. Etym: [L. illativus: cf. F. illatif.]
Defn: Relating to, dependent on, or denoting, illation; inferential; conclusive; as, an illative consequence or proposition; an illative word, as then, therefore, etc. Illative conversion (Logic), a converse or reverse statement of a proposition which in that form must be true because the original proposition is true. — Illative sense (Metaph.), the faculty of the mind by which it apprehends the conditions and determines upon the correctness of inferences.
ILLATIVEIl"la*tive, n.
Defn: An illative particle, as for, because.
ILLATIVELYIl"la*tive*ly, adv.
Defn: By inference; as an illative; in an illative manner.
ILLAUDABLEIl*laud"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. illaudabilis. See In- not, and Laudable.]
Defn: Not laudable; not praise-worthy; worthy of censure or disapprobation. Milton. — Il*laud"a*bly, adv. [Obs.] Broome.
ILL-BODINGIll`-bod"ing, a.
Defn: Boding evil; inauspicious; ill-omened. "Ill-boding stars."Shak.
ILL-BREDIll"-bred`, a.
Defn: Badly educated or brought up; impolite; incivil; rude. See Note under Ill, adv.
ILLECEBRATIONIl*lec`e*bra"tion, n. Etym: [See Illecebrous.]
Defn: Allurement. [R.] T. Brown.
ILLECEBROUS Il*lec"e*brous, a. Etym: [L. illecebrosus, fr. illecebra allurement, fr. illicere to allure.]
Defn: Alluring; attractive; enticing. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.
ILLEGALIl*le"gal, a. Etym: [Pref. il- not + legal: cf. F. illégal.]
Defn: Not according to, or authorized by, law; specif., contrary to, or in violation of, human law; unlawful; illicit; hence, immoral; as, an illegal act; illegal trade; illegal love. Bp. Burnet.
ILLEGALITYIl`le*gal"i*ty, n.; pl. Illegalities. Etym: [Cf. F. illégalité.]
Defn: The quality or condition of being illegal; unlawfulness; as, the illegality of trespass or of false imprisonment; also, an illegal act.
ILLEGALIZEIl*le"gal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illegalized; p. pr. & vb. n.Illegalizing.]
Defn: To make or declare illegal or unlawful.
ILLEGALLYIl*le"gal*ly, adv.
Defn: In a illegal manner; unlawfully.
ILLEGALNESSIl*le"gal*ness, n.
Defn: Illegality, unlawfulness.
ILLEGIBILITYIl*leg`i*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being illegible.
ILLEGIBLEIl*leg"i*ble, a.
Defn: Incapable of being read; not legible; as, illegiblehandwriting; an illegible inscription.— Il*leg"i*ble*ness, n.— Il*leg"i*bly, adv.
ILLEGITIMACYIl`le*git"i*ma*cy, n.
Defn: The state of being illegitimate. Blackstone.
ILLEGITIMATEIl`le*git"i*mate, a.
1. Not according to law; not regular or authorized; unlawful; improper.
2. Unlawfully begotten; born out of wedlock; bastard; as, an illegitimate child.
3. Not legitimately deduced or inferred; illogical; as, an illegitimate inference.
4. Not authorized by good usage; not genuine; spurious; as, an illegitimate word. Illegitimate fertilization, or Illegitimate union (Bot.), the fertilization of pistils by stamens not of their own length, in heterogonously dimorphic and trimorphic flowers. Darwin.
ILLEGITIMATEIl`le*git"i*mate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illegitimated; p. pr. & vb. n.Illegitimating.]
Defn: To render illegitimate; to declare or prove to be born out of wedlock; to bastardize; to illegitimatize. The marriage should only be dissolved for the future, without illegitimating the issue. Bp. Burnet.
ILLEGITIMATELYIl`le*git"i*mate*ly, adv.
Defn: In a illegitimate manner; unlawfully.
ILLEGITIMATIONIl`le*git`i*ma"tion, n.
1. The act of illegitimating; bastardizing.
2. The state of being illegitimate; illegitimacy. [Obs.] Gardiner had performed his promise to the queen of getting her illegitimation taken off. Bp. Burnet.
ILLEGITIMATIZEIl`le*git"i*ma*tize, v. t.
Defn: To render illegitimate; to bastardize.
ILLESIVEIl*le"sive, a. Etym: [Pref. il- not + L. laedere, laesum, to injure.]
Defn: Not injurious; harmless. [R.]
ILLEVIABLEIl*lev"i*a*ble, a.
Defn: Not leviable; incapable of being imposed, or collected. [R.]Sir M. Hale.
ILL-FAVOREDIll`-fa"vored, a.
Defn: Wanting beauty or attractiveness; deformed; ugly; ill-looking.Ill-favored and lean-fleshed. Gen. xli. 3.— Ill`-fa"vored*ly, adv.— Ill`-fa"vored*ness, n.
ILLIBERAL Il*lib"er*al, a. Etym: [L. illiberalis; pref. il- not + liberalis liberal: cf. F. illibéral.]
1. Not liberal; not free or generous; close; niggardly; mean; sordid. "A thrifty and illiberal hand." Mason.
2. Indicating a lack of breeding, culture, and the like; ignoble; rude; narrow-minded; disingenuous.
3. Not well authorized or elegant; as, illiberal words in Latin. [R.] Chesterfield.
ILLIBERALISMIl*lib"er*al*ism, n.
Defn: Illiberality. [R.]
ILLIBERALITYIl*lib`er*al"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. illiberalitas: cf. F. illibéralité.]
Defn: The state or quality of being illiberal; narrowness of mind; meanness; niggardliness. Bacon.
ILLIBERALIZEIl*lib"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illiberalized; p. pr. & vb. n.Illiberalizing.]
Defn: To make illiberal.
ILLIBERALLYIl*lib"er*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a illiberal manner, ungenerously; uncharitably; parsimoniously.
ILLIBERALNESSIl*lib"er*al*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being illiberal; illiberality.
ILLICITIl*lic"it, a. Etym: [L. illicitus; pref. il- not + licitus, p.p. oflicere to be allowed or permitted: cf. F. illicite. See In- not, andLicense.]
Defn: Not permitted or allowed; prohibited; unlawful; as, illicittrade; illicit intercourse; illicit pleasure.One illicit . . . transaction always leads to another. Burke.— Il*lic"it*ly, adv.— Il*lic"it*ness, n.
ILLICITOUSIl*lic"it*ous, a.
Defn: Illicit. [R.] Cotgrave.
ILLICIUM Il*li"ci*um, n. Etym: [So called, in allusion to its aroma, from L. illicium an allurement.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of Asiatic and American magnoliaceous trees, having star-shaped fruit; star anise. The fruit of Illicium anisatum is used as a spice in India, and its oil is largely used in Europe for flavoring cordials, being almost identical with true oil of anise.
ILLIGHTENIl*light"en, v. t.
Defn: To enlighten. [Obs.]
ILLIMITABLE Il*lim"it*a*ble, a. Etym: [Pref. il- not + limitable: cf. F. illimitable.]
Defn: Incapable of being limited or bounded; immeasurable; limitless; boundless; as, illimitable space. The wild, the irregular, the illimitable, and the luxuriant, have their appropriate force of beauty. De Quincey.
Syn.— Boundless; limitless; unlimited; unbounded; immeasurable;infinite; immense; vast.— Il*lim"it*a*ble*ness, n.— Il*lim"it*a*bly, adv.
ILLIMITATION Il*lim`it*a"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. il- not + limitation: cf. F. illimitation.]
Defn: State of being illimitable; want of, or freedom from, limitation. Bp. Hall.
ILLIMITEDIl*lim"it*ed, a.
Defn: Not limited; interminable. Bp. Hall.— Il*lim"it*ed*ness, n.The absoluteness and illimitedness of his commission was generallymuch spoken of. Clarendon.
ILLINITION Il`li*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. illinire, illinere, to besmear; pref. il- in, on + linire, linere, to smear.]
1. A smearing or rubbing in or on; also, that which is smeared or rubbed on, as ointment or liniment.
2. A thin crust of some extraneous substance formed on minerals. [R.] A thin crust or illinition of black manganese. Kirwan.
ILLINOISIl`li*nois", n.sing. & pl. (Ethnol.)
Defn: A tribe of North American Indians, which formerly occupied the region between the Wabash and Mississippi rivers.
ILLIQUATIONIl`li*qua"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. il- in + L. liquare to melt.]
Defn: The melting or dissolving of one thing into another.
ILLISHIll"ish, a.
Defn: Somewhat ill. [Obs.] Howell.
ILLISION Il*li"sion, n. Etym: [L. illisio, fr. illidere, illisum, to strike against; pref. il- in + laedere to strike.]
Defn: The act of dashing or striking against. Sir T. Browne.
ILLITERACYIl*lit"er*a*cy, n.; pl. Illiteracies. Etym: [From Illiterate.]
1. The state of being illiterate, or uneducated; want of learning, or knowledge; ignorance; specifically, inability to read and write; as, the illiteracy shown by the last census.
2. An instance of ignorance; a literary blunder. The many blunders and illiteracies of the first publishers of his [Shakespeare's] works. Pope.
ILLITERALIl*lit"er*al, a.
Defn: Not literal. [R.] B. Dawson.
ILLITERATE Il*lit"er*ate, a. Etym: [L. illiteratus: pref. il- not + literatus learned. See In- not, and Literal.]
Defn: Ignorant of letters or books; unlettered; uninstructed; uneducated; as, an illiterate man, or people.
Syn.— Ignorant; untaught; unlearned; unlettered; unscholary. SeeIgnorant.— Il*lit"er*ate*ly, adv.— Il*lit"er*ate*ness, n.
ILLITERATUREIl*lit"er*a*ture, n.
Defn: Want of learning; illiteracy. [R.] Ayliffe. Southey.
ILL-JUDGEDIll"-judged`, a.
Defn: Not well judged; unwise.
ILL-LIVEDIll"-lived`, a.
Defn: Leading a wicked life. [Obs.]
ILL-LOOKINGIll"-look`ing, a.
Defn: Having a bad look; threatening; ugly. See Note under Ill, adv.
ILL-MANNEREDIll`-man"nered, a.
Defn: Impolite; rude.
ILL-MINDEDIll"-mind`ed, a.
Defn: Ill-disposed. Byron.
ILL-NATUREDIll`-na"tured, a.
1. Of habitual bad temper; peevish; fractious; cross; crabbed; surly; as, an ill-natured person.
2. Dictated by, or indicating, ill nature; spiteful. "The ill-natured task refuse." Addison.
3. Intractable; not yielding to culture. [R.] "Ill-natured land." J.Philips.— Ill`-na"tured*ly, adv.— Ill`-na"tured*ness, n.
ILLNESSIll"ness, n. Etym: [From Ill.]
1. The condition of being ill, evil, or bad; badness; unfavorableness. [Obs.] "The illness of the weather." Locke.
2. Disease; indisposition; malady; disorder of health; sickness; as, a short or a severe illness.
3. Wrong moral conduct; wickedness. Shak.
Syn. — Malady; disease; indisposition; ailment. — Illness, Sickness. Within the present century, there has been a tendency in England to use illness in the sense of a continuous disease, disorder of health, or sickness, and to confine sickness more especially to a sense of nausea, or "sickness of the stomach."
ILL-NURTUREDIll"-nur`tured, a.
Defn: Ill-bred. Shak.
ILLOCALITYIl`lo*cal"i*ty, n.
Defn: Want of locality or place. [R.] Cudworth.
ILLOGICALIl*log"ic*al, a.
Defn: Ignorant or negligent of the rules of logic or correct reasoning; as, an illogical disputant; contrary of the rules of logic or sound reasoning; as, an illogical inference. — Il*log"ic*al*ly, adv. — Il*log"ic*al*ness, n.
ILL-OMENEDIll`-o"mened, a.
Defn: Having unlucky omens; inauspicious. See Note under Ill, adv.
ILL-STARREDIll"-starred`, a.
Defn: Fated to be unfortunate; unlucky; as, an ill-starred man or day.
ILL-TEMPEREDIll`-tem"pered, a.
1. Of bad temper; morose; crabbed; sour; peevish; fretful; quarrelsome.
2. Unhealthy; ill-conditioned. [Obs.] So ill-tempered I am grown, that I am afraid I shall catch cold, while all the world is afraid to melt away. Pepys.
ILL-TIMEDIll"-timed`, a.
Defn: Done, attempted, or said, at an unsuitable or unpropitious time.
ILLTREATIll`treat", v. t.
Defn: To treat cruelly or improperly; to ill use; to maltreat.
ILLUDEIl*lude", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illuded; p. pr. & vb. n. Illuding.]Etym: [L. illudere, illusum; pref. il- in + ludere to play: cf. OF.illuder. See Ludicrous.]
Defn: To play upon by artifice; to deceive; to mock; to excite and disappoint the hopes of.
ILLUMEIl*lume", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illumed; p. pr. & vb. n. Illuming.]Etym: [Cf. F. illuminer. See Illuminate.]
Defn: To throw or spread light upon; to make light or bright; to illuminate; to illumine. Shak. The mountain's brow, Illumed with fluid gold. Thomson.
ILLUMINABLEIl*lu"mi*na*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being illuminated.
ILLUMINANTIl*lu"mi*nant, n. Etym: [L. illuminans, -antis, p.pr. of illuminare.]
Defn: That which illuminates or affords light; as, gas and petroleum are illuminants. Boyle.
ILLUMINARYIl*lu"mi*na*ry, a.
Defn: Illuminative.
ILLUMINATEIl*lu"mi*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illuminated; p. pr. & vb. n.Illuminating.] Etym: [L. illuminatus, p.p. of illuminare; pref. il-in + luminare to enlighten, fr. lumen light. See Luminous, and cf.Illume, Illumine, Enlimn, Limn.]
1. To make light; to throw light on; to supply with light, literally or figuratively; to brighten.
2. To light up; to decorate with artificial lights, as a building or city, in token of rejoicing or respect.
3. To adorn, as a book or page with borders, initial letters, or miniature pictures in colors and gold, as was done in manuscripts of the Middle Ages.
4. To make plain or clear; to dispel the obscurity to by knowledge or reason; to explain; to elucidate; as, to illuminate a text, a problem, or a duty.
ILLUMINATEIl*lu"mi*nate, v. i.
Defn: To light up in token or rejoicing.
ILLUMINATEIl*lu"mi*nate, a. Etym: [L. illuminatus, p.p.]
Defn: Enlightened. Bp. Hall.
ILLUMINATEIl*lu"mi*nate, n.
Defn: One who enlightened; esp., a pretender to extraordinary light and knowledge.
ILLUMINATI Il*lu`mi*na"ti, n. pl. Etym: [L. illuminatus. See Illuminate, v. t., and cf. Illuminee.]
Defn: Literally, those who are enlightened; — variously applied as follows: -
1. (Eccl.)
Defn: Persons in the early church who had received baptism; in which ceremony a lighted taper was given them, as a symbol of the spiritual illumination they has received by that sacrament.
2. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: Members of a sect which sprung up in Spain about the year 1575. Their principal doctrine was, that, by means of prayer, they had attained to so perfect a state as to have no need of ordinances, sacraments, good works, etc.; — called also Alumbrados, Perfectibilists, etc.
3. (Mod. Hist.)
Defn: Members of certain associations in Modern Europe, who combined to promote social reforms, by which they expected to raise men and society to perfection, esp. of one originated in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, professor of canon law at Ingolstadt, which spread rapidly for a time, but ceased after a few years.
4. Also applied to: (a) An obscure sect of French Familists. (b) The Hesychasts, Mystics, and Quietists; (c) The Rosicrucians.
5. Any persons who profess special spiritual or intellectual enlightenment.
ILLUMINATINGIl*lu"mi*na`ting, a.
Defn: Giving or producing light; used for illumination. Illuminating gas. See Gas, n., 2 (a).
ILLUMINATIONIl*lu`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. illuminatio: cf. F. illumination.]
1. The act of illuminating, or supplying with light; the state of being illuminated.
2. Festive decoration of houses or buildings with lights.
3. Adornment of books and manuscripts with colored illustrations. See Illuminate, v. t., 3.
4. That which is illuminated, as a house; also, an ornamented book or manuscript.
5. That which illuminates or gives light; brightness; splendor; especially, intellectual light or knowledge. The illumination which a bright genius giveth to his work. Felton.
6. (Theol.)
Defn: The special communication of knowledge to the mind by God;inspiration.Hymns and psalms . . . are framed by meditation beforehand, or byprophetical illumination are inspired. Hooker.
ILLUMINATISMIl*lu"mi*na*tism, n.
Defn: Illuminism. [R.]
ILLUMINATIVEIl*lu"mi*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. illuminatif.]
Defn: Tending to illuminate or illustrate; throwing light; illustrative. "Illuminative reading." Carlyle.
ILLUMINATOR Il*lu"mi*na`tor, n. Etym: [L., an enlightener, LL. also, an illuminator of books.]
1. One whose occupation is to adorn books, especially manuscripts, with miniatures, borders, etc. See Illuminate, v. t., 3.
2. A condenser or reflector of light in optical apparatus; also, an illuminant.
ILLUMINEIl*lu"mine, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. illuminer. See Illuminate.]
Defn: To illuminate; to light up; to adorn.
ILLUMINEEIl*lu`mi*nee", n. Etym: [F. illuminé. Cf. Illuminati.]
Defn: One of the Illuminati.
ILLUMINERIl*lu"mi*ner, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, illuminates.
ILLUMINISMIl*lu"mi*nism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. illuminisme.]
Defn: The principles of the Illuminati.
ILLUMINISTICIl*lu`mi*nis"tic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to illuminism, or the Illuminati.
ILLUMINIZEIl*lu"mi*nize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illuminized; p. pr. & vb. n.Illuminizing.]
Defn: To initiate the doctrines or principles of the Illuminati.
ILLUMINOUSIl*lu"mi*nous, a.
Defn: Bright; clear. [R.] H. Taylor.
ILLUREIl*lure", v. t. Etym: [Pref. il- in + lure.]
Defn: To deceive; to entice; to lure. [Obs.] The devil insnareth the souls of many men, by illuring them with the muck and dung of this world. Fuller.
ILL-USEDIll`-used", a.
Defn: Misapplied; treated badly.
ILLUSION Il*lu"sion, n. Etym: [F. illusion, L. illusio, fr. illudere, illusum, to illude. See Illude.]
1. An unreal image presented to the bodily or mental vision; a deceptive appearance; a false show; mockery; hallucination. To cheat the eye with blear illusions. Milton.
2. Hence: Anything agreeably fascinating and charning; enchantment; witchery; glamour. Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise! Pope.
3. (Physiol.)
Defn: A sensation originated by some external object, but so modified as in any way to lead to an erroneous perception; as when the rolling of a wagon is mistaken for thunder.
Note: Some modern writers distinguish between an illusion and hallucination, regarding the former as originating with some external object, and the latter as having no objective occasion whatever.
4. A plain, delicate lace, usually of silk, used for veils, scarfs, dresses, etc.
Syn. — Delusion; mockery; deception; chimera; fallacy. See Delusion. Illusion, Delusion. Illusion refers particularly to errors of the sense; delusion to false hopes or deceptions of the mind. An optical deception is an illusion; a false opinion is a delusion. E. Edwards.
ILLUSIONABLEIl*lu"sion*a*ble, a.
Defn: Liable to illusion.
ILLUSIONISTIl*lu"sion*ist, n.
Defn: One given to illusion; a visionary dreamer.
ILLUSIVEIl*lu"sive, a. Etym: [See Illude.]
Defn: Deceiving by false show; deceitful; deceptive; false; illusory;unreal.Truth from illusive falsehood to command. Thomson.
ILLUSIVELYIl*lu"sive*ly, adv.
Defn: In a illusive manner; falsely.
ILLUSIVENESSIl*lu"sive*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being illusive; deceptiveness; false show.
ILLUSORYIl*lu"so*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. illusore.]
Defn: Deceiving, or tending of deceive; fallacious; illusive; as, illusory promises or hopes.
ILLUSTRABLEIl*lus"tra*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of illustration. Sir T. Browne.
ILLUSTRATEIl*lus"trate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Illustrated; p. pr. & vb. n.Illustrating.] Etym: [L. illustratus, p.p. of illustrare toillustrate, fr. illustris bright. See Illustrious.]
1. To make clear, bright, or luminous. Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky. Chapman.
2. To set in a clear light; to exhibit distinctly or conspicuously. Shak. To prove him, and illustrate his high worth. Milton.
3. To make clear, intelligible, or apprehensible; to elucidate, explain, or exemplify, as by means of figures, comparisons, and examples.
4. To adorn with pictures, as a book or a subject; to elucidate with pictures, as a history or a romance.
5. To give renown or honor to; to make illustrious; to glorify. [Obs.] Matter to me of glory, whom their hate Illustrates. Milton.
ILLUSTRATEIl*lus"trate, a. Etym: [L. illustratus, p.p.]
Defn: Illustrated; distinguished; illustrious. [Obs.]This most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman. Shak.
ILLUSTRATIONIl`lus*tra"tion, n. Etym: [L. illustratio: cf. F. illustration.]
1. The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct; education; also, the state of being illustrated, or of being made clear and distinct.
2. That which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove obscurity.
3. A picture designed to decorate a volume or elucidate a literary work.
ILLUSTRATIVEIl*lus"tra*tive, a.
1. Tending or designed to illustrate, exemplify, or elucidate.
2. Making illustrious. [Obs.]
ILLUSTRATIVELYIl*lus"tra*tive*ly, adv.
Defn: By way of illustration or elucidation. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
ILLUSTRATORIl*lus"tra*tor, n. Etym: [L.]
Defn: One who illustrates.
ILLUSTRATORYIl*lus"tra*to*ry, a.
Defn: Serving to illustrate.
ILLUSTRIOUS Il*lus"tri*ous, a. Etym: [L. illustris, prob. for illuxtris; fr. il- in + the root of lucidus bright: cf. F. illustre. See Lucid.]
1. Possessing luster or brightness; brilliant; luminous; splendid. Quench the light; thine eyes are guides illustrious. Beau. & Fl.
2. Characterized by greatness, nobleness, etc.; eminent; conspicuous; distinguished. Illustrious earls, renowened everywhere. Drayton.
3. Conferring luster or honor; renowned; as, illustrious deeds or titles.
Syn.— Distinguished; famous; remarkable; brilliant; conspicuous; noted;celebrated; signal; renowened; eminent; exalted; noble; glorious. SeeDistinguished, Famous.
ILLUSTRIOUSLYIl*lus"tri*ous*ly, adv.
Defn: In a illustrious manner; conspicuously; eminently; famously.Milton.
ILLUSTRIOUSNESSIl*lus"tri*ous*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being eminent; greatness; grandeur; glory; fame.
ILLUSTROUSIl*lus"trous, a. Etym: [Pref. il- not + lustrous.]
Defn: Without luster. [Obs. & R.]
ILLUTATION Il`lu*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. il- in + L. lutum mud: cf. F. illutation.]
Defn: The act or operation of smearing the body with mud, especially with the sediment from mineral springs; a mud bath.
ILLUXURIOUSIl`lux*u"ri*ous, a.
Defn: Not luxurious. [R.] Orrery.
ILL-WILLIll`-will"
Defn: . See under Ill, a.
ILL-WISHERIll`-wish"er, n.
Defn: One who wishes ill to another; an enemy.
ILLYIl"ly, adv.
Defn: Etym: [A word not fully approved, but sometimes used for the adverb ill.]
ILMENITEIl"men*ite, n. Etym: [So called from Ilmen, a branch of the UralMountains.] (Min.)
Defn: Titanic iron. See Menaccanite.
ILMENIUMIl*me"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Ilmenite.] (Chem.)
Defn: A supposed element claimed to have been discovered byR.Harmann.
ILVAITEIl"va*ite, n. Etym: [From L. Ilva, the island now called Elba.](Min.)
Defn: A silicate of iron and lime occurring in black prismatic crystals and columnar masses.
I'MI'm
Defn: . A contraction of I am.
IM-Im-
Defn: . A form of the prefix in- not, and in- in. See In-. Im- also occurs in composition with some words not of Latin origin; as, imbank, imbitter.
IMAGE Im"age, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. imago, imaginis, from the root of imitari to imitate. See Imitate, and cf. Imagine.]
1. An imitation, representation, or similitude of any person, thing, or act, sculptured, drawn, painted, or otherwise made perceptible to the sight; a visible presentation; a copy; a likeness; an effigy; a picture; a semblance. Even like a stony image, cold and numb. Shak. Whose is this image and superscription Matt. xxii. 20. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna. Shak. And God created man in his own image. Gen. i. 27.
2. Hence: The likeness of anything to which worship is paid; an idol. Chaucer. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, . . . thou shalt not bow down thyself to them. Ex. xx. 4, 5.
3. Show; appearance; cast. The face of things a frightful image bears. Dryden.
4. A representation of anything to the mind; a picture drawn by the fancy; a conception; an idea. Can we conceive Image of aught delightful, soft, or great Prior.
5. (Rhet.)
Defn: A picture, example, or illustration, often taken from sensible objects, and used to illustrate a subject; usually, an extended metaphor. Brande & C.
6. (Opt.)
Defn: The figure or picture of any object formed at the focus of a lens or mirror, by rays of light from the several points of the object symmetrically refracted or reflected to corresponding points in such focus; this may be received on a screen, a photographic plate, or the retina of the eye, and viewed directly by the eye, or with an eyeglass, as in the telescope and microscope; the likeness of an object formed by reflection; as, to see one's image in a mirror. Electrical image. See under Electrical. — Image breaker, one who destroys images; an iconoclast. — Image graver, Image maker, a sculptor. — Image worship, the worship of images as symbols; iconolatry distinguished from idolatry; the worship of images themselves. — Image Purkinje (Physics), the image of the retinal blood vessels projected in, not merely on, that membrane. — Virtual image (Optics), a point or system of points, on one side of a mirror or lens, which, if it existed, would emit the system of rays which actually exists on the other side of the mirror or lens. Clerk Maxwell.
IMAGEIm"age, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Imaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Imaging.]
1. To represent or form an image of; as, the still lake imaged the shore; the mirror imaged her figure. "Shrines of imaged saints." J. Warton.
2. To represent to the mental vision; to form a likeness of by the fancy or recollection; to imagine. Condemn'd whole years in absence to deplore, And image charms he must behold no more. Pope.
IMAGEABLEIm"age*a*ble, a.
Defn: That may be imaged. [R.]
IMAGELESSIm"age*less, a.
Defn: Having no image. Shelley.
IMAGERIm"a*ger, n.
Defn: One who images or forms likenesses; a sculptor. [Obs.]Praxiteles was ennobled for a rare imager. Holland.
IMAGERYIm"age*ry, n. Etym: [OE. imagerie, F. imagerie.]
1. The work of one who makes images or visible representation of objects; imitation work; images in general, or in mass. "Painted imagery." Shak. In those oratories might you see Rich carvings, portraitures, and imagery. Dryden.
2. Fig.: Unreal show; imitation; appearance. What can thy imagery of sorrow mean Prior.
3. The work of the imagination or fancy; false ideas; imaginary phantasms. The imagery of a melancholic fancy. Atterbury.
4. Rhetorical decoration in writing or speaking; vivid descriptions presenting or suggesting images of sensible objects; figures in discourse. I wish there may be in this poem any instance of good imagery. Dryden.
IMAGINABILITYIm*ag`i*na*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: Capacity for imagination. [R.] Coleridge.
IMAGINABLEIm*ag"i*na*ble, a. Etym: [L. imaginabilis: cf. F. imaginable.]
Defn: Capable of being imagined; conceivable.Men sunk into the greatest darkness imaginable. Tillotson.— Im*ag"i*na*ble*ness, n.— Im*ag"i*na*bly, adv.
IMAGINALIm*ag"i*nal, a. Etym: [L. imaginalis.]
1. Characterized by imagination; imaginative; also, given to the use or rhetorical figures or imagins.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to an imago. Imaginal disks (Zoöl.), masses of hypodermic cells, carried by the larvæ of some insects after leaving the egg, from which masses the wings and legs of the adult are subsequently formed.
IMAGINANT Im*ag"i*nant, a. Etym: [L. imaginans, p.pr. of imaginari: cf. F. imaginant.]
Defn: Imagining; conceiving. [Obs.] Bacon. — n.
Defn: An imaginer. [Obs.] Glanvill.
IMAGINARILYIm*ag"i*na*ri*ly, a.
Defn: In a imaginary manner; in imagination. B. Jonson.
IMAGINARINESSIm*ag"i*na*ri*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being imaginary; unreality.
IMAGINARYIm*ag"i*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. imaginarius: cf. F. imaginaire.]
Defn: Existing only in imagination or fancy; not real; fancied; visionary; ideal. Wilt thou add to all the griefs I suffer Imaginary ills and fancied tortures Addison. Imaginary calculus See under Calculus. — Imaginary expression or quantity (Alg.), an algebraic expression which involves the impossible operation of taking the square root of a negative quantity; as, sq. root-9, a + b sq. root-1. — Imaginary points, lines, surfaces, etc. (Geom.), points, lines, surfaces, etc., imagined to exist, although by reason of certain changes of a figure they have in fact ceased to have a real existence.
Syn. — Ideal; fanciful; chimerical; visionary; fancied; unreal; illusive.
IMAGINARYIm*ag"i*na*ry, n. (Alg.)
Defn: An imaginary expression or quantity.
IMAGINATEIm*ag"i*nate, a.
Defn: Imaginative. [Obs.] Holland.
IMAGINATION Im*ag`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [OE. imaginacionum, F. imagination, fr. L. imaginatio. See Imagine.]
1. The imagine-making power of the mind; the power to create or reproduce ideally an object of sense previously perceived; the power to call up mental imagines. Our simple apprehension of corporeal objects, if present, is sense; if absent, is imagination. Glanvill. Imagination is of three kinds: joined with belief of that which is to come; joined with memory of that which is past; and of things present, or as if they were present. Bacon.
2. The representative power; the power to reconstruct or recombine the materials furnished by direct apprehension; the complex faculty usually termed the plastic or creative power; the fancy. The imagination of common language — the productive imagination of philosophers — is nothing but the representative process plus the process to which I would give the name of the "comparative." Sir W. Hamilton. The power of the mind to decompose its conceptions, and to recombine the elements of them at its pleasure, is called its faculty of imagination. I. Taylor. The business of conception is to present us with an exact transcript of what we have felt or perceived. But we have moreover a power of modifying our conceptions, by combining the parts of different ones together, so as to form new wholes of our creation. I shall employ the word imagination to express this power. Stewart.
3. The power to recombine the materials furnished by experience or memory, for the accomplishment of an elevated purpose; the power of conceiving and expressing the ideal. The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination all compact . . . The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven, And as imagination bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name. Shak.
4. A mental image formed by the action of the imagination as a faculty; a conception; a notion. Shak.
Syn. — Conception; idea; conceit; fancy; device; origination; invention; scheme; design; purpose; contrivance. — Imagination, Fancy. These words have, to a great extent, been interchanged by our best writers, and considered as strictly synonymous. A distinction, however, is now made between them which more fully exhibits their nature. Properly speaking, they are different exercises of the same general power — the plastic or creative faculty. Imagination consists in taking parts of our conceptions and combining them into new forms and images more select, more striking, more delightful, more terrible, etc., than those of ordinary nature. It is the higher exercise of the two. It creates by laws more closely connected with the reason; it has strong emotion as its actuating and formative cause; it aims at results of a definite and weighty character. Milton's fiery lake, the debates of his Pandemonium, the exquisite scenes of his Paradise, are all products of the imagination. Fancy moves on a lighter wing; it is governed by laws of association which are more remote, and sometimes arbitrary or capricious. Hence the term fanciful, which exhibits fancy in its wilder flights. It has for its actuating spirit feelings of a lively, gay, and versatile character; it seeks to please by unexpected combinations of thought, startling contrasts, flashes of brilliant imagery, etc. Pope's Rape of the Lock is an exhibition of fancy which has scarcely its equal in the literature of any country. — "This, for instance, Wordworth did in respect of the words `imagination' and `fancy.' Before he wrote, it was, I suppose, obscurely felt by most that in `imagination' there was more of the earnest, in `fancy' of the play of the spirit; that the first was a loftier faculty and gift than the second; yet for all this words were continually, and not without loss, confounded. He first, in the preface to his Lyrical Ballads, rendered it henceforth impossible that any one, who had read and mastered what he has written on the two words, should remain unconscious any longer of the important difference between them." Trench. The same power, which we should call fancy if employed on a production of a light nature, would be dignified with the title of imagination if shown on a grander scale. C. J. Smith.