ACCOUPLEAc*cou"ple, v. t. Etym: [OF. acopler, F. accoupler. See Couple.]
Defn: To join; to couple. [R.]The Englishmen accoupled themselves with the Frenchmen. Hall.
ACCOUPLEMENTAc*cou"ple*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. accouplement.]
1. The act of coupling, or the state of being coupled; union. [R.] Caxton.
2. That which couples, as a tie or brace. [R.]
ACCOURAGEAc*cour"age, v. t. Etym: [OF. acoragier; à (L. ad) + corage. SeeCourage.]
Defn: To encourage. [Obs.]
ACCOURTAc*court", v. t. Etym: [Ac-, for L. ad. See Court.]
Defn: To treat courteously; to court. [Obs.] Spenser.
ACCOUTER; ACCOUTRE Ac*cou"ter, Ac*cou"tre, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accoutered or Accoutred; p. pr. & vb. n. Accoutering or Accoutring.] Etym: [F. accouter, OF. accoutrer, accoustrer; à (L. ad) + perh. LL. custor, for custos guardian, sacristan (cf. Custody), or perh. akin to E. guilt.]
Defn: To furnish with dress, or equipments, esp. those for militaryservice; to equip; to attire; to array.Bot accoutered like young men. Shak.For this, in rags accoutered are they seen. Dryden.Accoutered with his burden and his staff. Wordsworth.
ACCOUTERMENTS; ACCOUTREMENTSAc*cou"ter*ments, Ac*cou"tre*ments, n. pl. Etym: [F. accoutrement,earlier also accoustrement, earlier also accoustrement. SeeAccouter.]
Defn: Dress; trappings; equipment; specifically, the devices and equipments worn by soldiers. How gay with all the accouterments of war!
ACCOYAc*coy", v. t. Etym: [OF. acoyer; ac-, for L. ad. See Coy.]
1. To render quiet; to soothe. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To subdue; to tame; to daunt. [Obs.] Then is your careless courage accoyed. Spenser.
ACCREDITAc*cred"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accredited; p. pr. & vb. n.Accrediting.] Etym: [F. accréditer; à (L. ad) + crédit credit. SeeCredit.]
1. To put or bring into credit; to invest with credit or authority;to sanction.His censure will . . . accredit his praises. Cowper.These reasons . . . which accredit and fortify mine opinion. Shelton.
2. To send with letters credential, as an ambassador, envoy, or diplomatic agent; to authorize, as a messenger or delegate. Beton . . . was accredited to the Court of France. Froude.
3. To believe; to credit; to put trust in. The version of early Roman history which was accredited in the fifth century. Sir G. C. Lewis. He accredited and repeated stories of apparitions and witchcraft. Southey.
4. To credit; to vouch for or consider (some one) as doing something, or (something) as belonging to some one. To accredit (one) with (something), to attribute something to him; as, Mr. Clay was accredited with these views; they accredit him with a wise saying.
ACCREDITATIONAc*cred`i*ta"tion, n.
Defn: The act of accrediting; as, letters of accreditation.
ACCREMENTITIALAc`cre*men*ti"tial, a. (Physiol.)
Defn: Pertaining to accremention.
ACCREMENTITIONAc`cre*men*ti"tion, n. Etym: [See Accresce, Increment.] (Physiol.)
Defn: The process of generation by development of blastema, or fission of cells, in which the new formation is in all respect like the individual from which it proceeds.
ACCRESCEAc*cresce", v. i. Etym: [L. accrescere. See Accrue.]
1. To accrue. [R.]
2. To increase; to grow. [Obs.] Gillespie.
ACCRESCENCEAc*cres"cence, n. Etym: [LL. accrescentia.]
Defn: Continuous growth; an accretion. [R.] The silent accrescence of belief from the unwatched depositions of a general, never contradicted hearsy. Coleridge.
ACCRESCENT Ac*cres"cent, a. Etym: [L. accrescens, -entis, p. pr. of accrescere; ad + crescere to grow. See Crescent.]
1. Growing; increasing. Shuckford.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Growing larger after flowering. Gray.
ACCRETE Ac*crete", v. i. Etym: [From L. accretus, p. p. of accrescere to increase.]
1. To grow together.
2. To adhere; to grow (to); to be added; — with to.
ACCRETEAc*crete", v. t.
Defn: To make adhere; to add. Earle.
ACCRETEAc*crete", a.
1. Characterized by accretion; made up; as, accrete matter.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Grown together. Gray.
ACCRETIONAc*cre"tion, n. Etym: [L. accretio, fr. accrescere to increase. Cf.Crescent, Increase, Accrue.]
1. The act of increasing by natural growth; esp. the increase of organic bodies by the internal accession of parts; organic growth. Arbuthnot.
2. The act of increasing, or the matter added, by an accession of parts externally; an extraneous addition; as, an accretion of earth. A mineral . . . augments not by grown, but by accretion. Owen. To strip off all the subordinate parts of his as a later accretion. Sir G. C. Lewis.
3. Concretion; coherence of separate particles; as, the accretion of particles so as to form a solid mass.
4. A growing together of parts naturally separate, as of the fingers toes. Dana.
5. (Law) (a) The adhering of property to something else, by which the owner of one thing becomes possessed of a right to another; generally, gain of land by the washing up of sand or sail from the sea or a river, or by a gradual recession of the water from the usual watermark. (b) Gain to an heir or legatee, failure of a coheir to the same succession, or a co-legatee of the same thing, to take his share. Wharton. Kent.
ACCRETIVEAc*cre"tive, a.
Defn: Relating to accretion; increasing, or adding to, by growth.Glanvill.
ACCRIMINATEAc*crim"i*nate, v. t. Etym: [L. ac- (for ad to) + criminari.]
Defn: To accuse of a crime. [Obs.] — Ac*crim`i*na"tion, n. [Obs.]
ACCROACH Ac*croach", v. t. Etym: [OE. acrochen, accrochen, to obtain, OF. acrochier, F. accrocher; à (L. ad) + croc hook (E. crook).]
1. To hook, or draw to one's self as with a hook. [Obs.]
2. To usurp, as jurisdiction or royal prerogatives. They had attempted to accroach to themselves royal power. Stubbs.
ACCROACHMENTAc*croach"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. accrochement.]
Defn: An encroachment; usurpation. [Obs.] Bailey.
ACCRUALAc*cru"al, n.
Defn: Accrument. [R.]
ACCRUEAc*crue", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Accrued; p. pr. & vb. n. Accruing.]Etym: [See Accrue, n., and cf. Accresce, Accrete.]
1. To increase; to augment. And though power failed, her courage did accrue. Spenser.
2. To come to by way of increase; to arise or spring as a growth or result; to be added as increase, profit, or damage, especially as the produce of money lent. "Interest accrues to principal." Abbott. The great and essential advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press. Junius.
ACCRUEAc*crue", n. Etym: [F. accrû, OF. acreü, p. p. of accroitre, OF.acroistre to increase; L. ad + crescere to increase. Cf. Accretion,Crew. See Crescent.]
Defn: Something that accrues; advantage accruing. [Obs.]
ACCRUERAc*cru"er, n. (Law)
Defn: The act of accruing; accretion; as, title by accruer.
ACCRUMENTAc*cru"ment, n.
Defn: The process of accruing, or that which has accrued; increase.Jer. Taylor.
ACCUBATION Ac`cu*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. accubatio, for accubatio, fr. accubare to recline; ad + cubare to lie down. See Accumb.]
Defn: The act or posture of reclining on a couch, as practiced by the ancients at meals.
ACCUMB Ac*cumb", v. i. Etym: [L. accumbere; ad + cumbere (only in compounds) to lie down.]
Defn: To recline, as at table. [Obs.] Bailey.
ACCUMBENCYAc*cum"ben*cy, n.
Defn: The state of being accumbent or reclining. [R.]
ACCUMBENTAc*cum"bent, a.
1. Leaning or reclining, as the ancients did at their meals. The Roman.. accumbent posture in eating. Arbuthnot.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Lying against anything, as one part of a leaf against anotherleaf. Gray.Accumbent cotyledons have their edges placed against the caulicle.Eaton.
ACCUMBENTAc*cum"bent, n.
Defn: One who reclines at table.
ACCUMBERAc*cum"ber, v. t.
Defn: To encumber. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ACCUMULATEAc*cu"mu*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accumulated; p. pr. & vb. n.Accumulating.] Etym: [L. accumulatus, p. p. of accumulare; ad +cumulare to heap. See Cumulate.]
Defn: To heap up in a mass; to pile up; to collect or bring together; to amass; as, to accumulate a sum of money.
Syn. — To collect; pile up; store; amass; gather; aggregate; heap together; hoard.
ACCUMULATEAc*cu"mu*late, v. i.
Defn: To grow or increase in quantity or number; to increase greatly. Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay. Goldsmith.
ACCUMULATEAc*cu"mu*late, a. Etym: [L. accumulatus, p. p. of accumulare.]
Defn: Collected; accumulated. Bacon.
ACCUMULATIONAc*cu`mu*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. accumulatio; cf. F. accumulation.]
1. The act of accumulating, the state of being accumulated, or that which is accumulated; as, an accumulation of earth, of sand, of evils, of wealth, of honors.
2. (Law)
Defn: The concurrence of several titles to the same proof. Accumulation of energy or power, the storing of energy by means of weights lifted or masses put in motion; electricity stored. — An accumulation of degrees (Eng. Univ.), the taking of several together, or at smaller intervals than usual or than is allowed by the rules.
ACCUMULATIVEAc*cu"mu*la*tive, a.
Defn: Characterized by accumulation; serving to collect or amass;cumulative; additional.— Ac*cu"mu*la*tive*ly, adv.— Ac*cu"mu*la*tive*ness, n.
ACCUMULATORAc*cu"mu*la`tor, n. Etym: [L.]
1. One who, or that which, accumulates, collects, or amasses.
2. (Mech.)
Defn: An apparatus by means of which energy or power can be stored, such as the cylinder or tank for storing water for hydraulic elevators, the secondary or storage battery used for accumulating the energy of electrical charges, etc.
3. A system of elastic springs for relieving the strain upon a rope, as in deep-sea dredging.
ACCURACYAc"cu*ra*cy (#; 277), n. Etym: [See Accurate.]
Defn: The state of being accurate; freedom from mistakes, this exemption arising from carefulness; exact conformity to truth, or to a rule or model; precision; exactness; nicety; correctness; as, the value of testimony depends on its accuracy. The professed end [of logic] is to teach men to think, to judge, and to reason, with precision and accuracy. Reid. The accuracy with which the piston fits the sides. Lardner.
ACCURATE Ac"cu*rate, a. Etym: [L. accuratus, p. p. and a., fr. accurare to take care of; ad + curare to take care, cura care. See Cure.]
1. In exact or careful conformity to truth, or to some standard of requirement, the result of care or pains; free from failure, error, or defect; exact; as, an accurate calculator; an accurate measure; accurate expression, knowledge, etc.
2. Precisely fixed; executed with care; careful. [Obs.] Those conceive the celestial bodies have more accurate influences upon these things below. Bacon.
Syn. — Correct; exact; just; nice; particular. — Accurate, Correct, Exact, Precise. We speak of a thing as correct with reference to some rule or standard of comparison; as, a correct account, a correct likeness, a man of correct deportment. We speak of a thing as accurate with reference to the care bestowed upon its execution, and the increased correctness to be expected therefrom; as, an accurate statement, an accurate detail of particulars. We speak of a thing as exact with reference to that perfected state of a thing in which there is no defect and no redundance; as, an exact coincidence, the exact truth, an exact likeness. We speak of a thing as precise when we think of it as strictly conformed to some rule or model, as if cut down thereto; as a precise conformity instructions; precisely right; he was very precise in giving his directions.
ACCURATELYAc"cu*rate*ly, adv.
Defn: In an accurate manner; exactly; precisely; without error or defect.
ACCURATENESSAc"cu*rate*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being accurate; accuracy; exactness; nicety; precision.
ACCURSE Ac*curse", v. t. Etym: [OE. acursien, acorsien; pref. a + cursien to curse. See Curse.]
Defn: To devote to destruction; to imprecate misery or evil upon; tocurse; to execrate; to anathematize.And the city shall be accursed. Josh. vi. 17.Thro' you, my life will be accurst. Tennyson.
ACCURSED; ACCURSTAc*cursed", Ac*curst", p. p. & a.
Defn: Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; hence, bad enough to be under the curse; execrable; detestable; exceedingly hateful; — as, an accursed deed. Shak. — Ac*curs"ed*ly, adv. — Ac*curs"ed*ness, n.
ACCUSABLEAc*cus"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. accusabilis: cf. F. accusable.]
Defn: Liable to be accused or censured; chargeable with a crime or fault; blamable; — with of.
ACCUSALAc*cus"al, n.
Defn: Accusation. [R.] Byron.
ACCUSANT Ac*cus"ant, n. Etym: [L. accusans, p. pr. of accusare: cf. F. accusant.]
Defn: An accuser. Bp. Hall.
ACCUSATION Ac`cu*sa"tion, n. Etym: [OF. acusation, F. accusation, L. accusatio, fr. accusare. See Accuse.]
1. The act of accusing or charging with a crime or with a lighter offense. We come not by the way of accusation To taint that honor every good tongue blesses. Shak.
2. That of which one is accused; the charge of an offense or crime, or the declaration containing the charge. [They] set up over his head his accusation. Matt. xxvii. 37.
Syn.— Impeachment; crimination; censure; charge.
ACCUSATIVALAc*cu`sa*ti"val, a.
Defn: Pertaining to the accusative case.
ACCUSATIVE Ac*cu"sa*tive, a. Etym: [F. accusatif, L. accusativus (in sense 2), fr. accusare. See Accuse.]
1. Producing accusations; accusatory. "This hath been a very accusative age." Sir E. Dering.
2. (Gram.)
Defn: Applied to the case (as the fourth case of Latin and Greek nouns) which expresses the immediate object on which the action or influence of a transitive verb terminates, or the immediate object of motion or tendency to, expressed by a preposition. It corresponds to the objective case in English.
ACCUSATIVEAc*cu"sa*tive, n. (Gram.)
Defn: The accusative case.
ACCUSATIVELYAc*cu"sa*tive*ly, adv.
1. In an accusative manner.
2. In relation to the accusative case in grammar.
ACCUSATORIALAc*cu`sa*to"ri*al, a.
Defn: Accusatory.
ACCUSATORIALLYAc*cu`sa*to"ri*al*ly, adv.
Defn: By way accusation.
ACCUSATORYAc*cu"sa*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. accusatorius, fr. accusare.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, an accusation; as, an accusatory libel. Grote.
ACCUSEAc*cuse", n.
Defn: Accusation. [Obs.] Shak.
ACCUSEAc*cuse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accused; p. pr. & vb. n. Accusing.]Etym: [OF. acuser, F. accuser, L. accusare, to call to account,accuse; ad + causa cause, lawsuit. Cf. Cause.]
1. To charge with, or declare to have committed, a crime or offense; (Law)
Defn: to charge with an offense, judicially or by a public process; - - with of; as, to accuse one of a high crime or misdemeanor. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. Acts xxiv. 13. We are accused of having persuaded Austria and Sardinia to lay down their arms. Macaulay.
2. To charge with a fault; to blame; to censure. Their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. Rom. ii. 15.
3. To betray; to show. Etym: [L.] Sir P. Sidney.
Syn. — To charge; blame; censure; reproach; criminate; indict; impeach; arraign. — To Accuse, Charge, Impeach, Arraign. These words agree in bringing home to a person the imputation of wrongdoing. To accuse is a somewhat formal act, and is applied usually (though not exclusively) to crimes; as, to accuse of treason. Charge is the most generic. It may refer to a crime, a dereliction of duty, a fault, etc.; more commonly it refers to moral delinquencies; as, to charge with dishonesty or falsehood. To arraign is to bring (a person) before a tribunal for trial; as, to arraign one before a court or at the bar public opinion. To impeach is officially to charge with misbehavior in office; as, to impeach a minister of high crimes. Both impeach and arraign convey the idea of peculiar dignity or impressiveness.
ACCUSEDAc*cused", a.
Defn: Charged with offense; as, an accused person.
Note: Commonly used substantively; as, the accused, one charged with an offense; the defendant in a criminal case.
ACCUSEMENTAc*cuse"ment, n. Etym: [OF. acusement. See Accuse.]
Defn: Accusation. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ACCUSER Ac*cus"er, n. Etym: [OE. acuser, accusour; cf. OF. acuseor, fr. L. accusator, fr. accusare.]
Defn: One who accuses; one who brings a charge of crime or fault.
ACCUSINGLYAc*cus"ing*ly, adv.
Defn: In an accusing manner.
ACCUSTOMAc*cus"tom, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accustomed; p. pr. & vb. n.Accustoming.] Etym: [OF. acostumer, acustumer, F. accoutumer; à (L.ad) + OF. costume, F. coutume, custom. See Custom.]
Defn: To make familiar by use; to habituate, familiarize, or inure; -- with to.I shall always fear that he who accustoms himself to fraud in littlethings, wants only opportunity to practice it in greater. Adventurer.
Syn.— To habituate; inure; exercise; train.
ACCUSTOMAc*cus"tom, v. i.
1. To be wont. [Obs.] Carew.
2. To cohabit. [Obs.] We with the best men accustom openly; you with the basest commit private adulteries. Milton.
ACCUSTOMAc*cus"tom, n.
Defn: Custom. [Obs.] Milton.
ACCUSTOMABLEAc*cus"tom*a*ble, a.
Defn: Habitual; customary; wonted. "Accustomable goodness." Latimer.
ACCUSTOMABLYAc*cus"tom*a*bly, adv.
Defn: According to custom; ordinarily; customarily. Latimer.
ACCUSTOMANCEAc*cus"tom*ance, n. Etym: [OF. accoustumance, F. accoutumance.]
Defn: Custom; habitual use. [Obs.] Boyle.
ACCUSTOMARILYAc*cus"tom*a*ri*ly, adv.
Defn: Customarily. [Obs.]
ACCUSTOMARYAc*cus"tom*a*ry, a.
Defn: Usual; customary. [Archaic] Featley.
ACCUSTOMEDAc*cus"tomed, a.
1. Familiar through use; usual; customary. "An accustomed action." Shak.
2. Frequented by customers. [Obs.] "A well accustomed shop." Smollett.
ACCUSTOMEDNESSAc*cus"tomed*ness, n.
Defn: Habituation.Accustomedness to sin hardens the heart. Bp. Pearce.
ACE Ace, n.; pl. Aces. Etym: [OE. as, F. as, fr. L. as, assis, unity, copper coin, the unit of coinage. Cf. As.]
1. A unit; a single point or spot on a card or die; the card or die so marked; as, the ace of diamonds.
2. Hence: A very small quantity or degree; a particle; an atom; a jot. I 'll not wag an ace further. Dryden. To bate an ace, to make the least abatement. [Obs.] — Within an ace of, very near; on the point of. W. Irving.
ACELDAMAA*cel"da*ma, n. Etym: [Gr. okel damo the field of blood.]
Defn: The potter's field, said to have lain south of Jerusalem, purchased with the bribe which Judas took for betraying his Master, and therefore called the field of blood. Fig.: A field of bloodshed. The system of warfare . . . which had already converted immense tracts into one universal aceldama. De Quincey.
ACENTRICA*cen"tric, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Not centered; without a center.
ACEPHALAc"e*phal, n. Etym: [Gr. acéphale, LL. acephalus.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the Acephala.
ACEPHALAA*ceph"a*la, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Acephal.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: That division of the Mollusca which includes the bivalve shells, like the clams and oysters; — so called because they have no evident head. Formerly the group included the Tunicata, Brachiopoda, and sometimes the Bryozoa. See Mollusca.
ACEPHALANA*ceph"a*lan, n.
Defn: Same as Acephal.
ACEPHALANA*ceph"a*lan, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Belonging to the Acephala.
ACEPHALIA*ceph"a*li, n. pl. Etym: [LL., pl. of acephalus. See Acephal.]
1. A fabulous people reported by ancient writers to have heads.
2. (Eccl. Hist.) (a) A Christian sect without a leader. (b) Bishops and certain clergymen not under regular diocesan control.
3. A class of levelers in the time of K. Henry I.
ACEPHALISTA*ceph"a*list, n.
Defn: One who acknowledges no head or superior. Dr. Gauden.
ACEPHALOCYSTA*ceph"a*lo*cyst, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A larval entozoön in the form of a subglobular or oval vesicle, or hy datid, filled with fluid, sometimes found in the tissues of man and the lower animals; — so called from the absence of a head or visible organs on the vesicle. These cysts are the immature stages of certain tapeworms. Also applied to similar cysts of different origin.
ACEPHALOCYSTICA*ceph`a*lo*cys"tic, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, the acephalocysts.
ACEPHALOUSA*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [See Acephal.]
1. Headless.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Without a distinct head; — a term applied to bivalve mollusks.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: Having the style spring from the base, instead of from the apex, as is the case in certain ovaries.
4. Without a leader or chief.
5. Wanting the beginning. A false or acephalous structure of sentence. De Quincey.
6. (Pros.)
Defn: Deficient and the beginning, as a line of poetry. Brande.
ACEQUIAA*ce"qui*a, n. [Sp.]
Defn: A canal or trench for irrigating land. [Sp. Amer.]
ACERATEAc"er*ate, n. Etym: [See Aceric.] (Chem.)
Defn: A combination of aceric acid with a salifiable base.
ACERATEAc"er*ate, a.
Defn: Acerose; needle-shaped.
ACERBA*cerb", a. Etym: [L. acerbus, fr. acer sharp: cf. F. acerbe. SeeAcrid.]
Defn: Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit; sharp and harsh.
ACERBATE A*cerb"ate, v. t. Etym: [L. acerbatus, p. p. of acerbare, fr. acerbus.]
Defn: To sour; to imbitter; to irritate.
ACERBICA*cerb"ic, a.
Defn: Sour or severe.
ACERBITUDEA*cerb"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. acerbitudo, fr. acerbus.]
Defn: Sourness and harshness. [Obs.] Bailey.
ACERBITYA*cerb"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. acerbité, L. acerbitas, fr. acerbus. SeeAcerb.]
1. Sourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit.
2. Harshness, bitterness, or severity; as, acerbity of temper, of language, of pain. Barrow.
ACERICA*cer"ic, a. Etym: [L. acer maple.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or obtained from, the maple; as, aceric acid.Ure.
ACEROSE Ac"er*ose`, a. Etym: [(a) L. acerosus chaffy, fr. acus, gen. aceris, chaff; (b) as if fr. L. acus needle: cf. F. acéreux.] (Bot.) (a) Having the nature of chaff; chaffy. (b) Needle-shaped, having a sharp, rigid point, as the leaf of the pine.
ACEROUSAc"er*ous, a.
Defn: Same as Acerose.
ACEROUS Ac"er*ous, a. Etym: [Gr. &a; priv. + keras a horn.] (Zoöl.) (a) Destitute of tentacles, as certain mollusks. (b) Without antennæ, as some insects.
ACERVALA*cer"val, a. Etym: [L. acervalis, fr. acervus heap.]
Defn: Pertaining to a heap. [Obs.]
ACERVATE A*cer"vate, v. t. Etym: [L. acervatus, p. p. of acervare to heap up, fr. acervus heap.]
Defn: To heap up. [Obs.]
ACERVATEA*cer"vate, a.
Defn: Heaped, or growing in heaps, or closely compacted clusters.
ACERVATIONAc`er*va"tion, n. Etym: [L. acervatio.]
Defn: A heaping up; accumulation. [R.] Johnson.
ACERVATIVEA*cer"va*tive, a.
Defn: Heaped up; tending to heap up.
ACERVOSEA*cer"vose, a.
Defn: Full of heaps. [R.] Bailey.
ACERVULINEA*cer"vu*line, a.
Defn: Resembling little heaps.
ACESCENCE; ACESCENCYA*ces"cence, A*ces"cen*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. acescence. See Acescent.]
Defn: The quality of being acescent; the process of acetous fermentation; a moderate degree of sourness. Johnson.
ACESCENT A*ces"cent, a. Etym: [L. acescens, -entis, p. pr. of acescere to turn sour; inchoative of acere to be sour: cf. F. acescent. See Acid.]
Defn: Turning sour; readily becoming tart or acid; slightly sour.Faraday.
ACESCENTA*ces"cent, n.
Defn: A substance liable to become sour.
ACETABLEAc"e*ta*ble, n.
Defn: An acetabulum; or about one eighth of a pint. [Obs.] Holland.
ACETABULARAc`e*tab"u*lar, a.
Defn: Cup-shaped; saucer-shaped; acetabuliform.
ACETABULIFERAAc`e*tab`u*lif"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Acetabuliferous.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The division of Cephalopoda in which the arms are furnished with cup-shaped suckers, as the cuttlefishes, squids, and octopus; the Dibranchiata. See Cephalopoda.
ACETABULIFEROUS Ac`e*tab`u*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. acetablum a little cup + - ferous.]
Defn: Furnished with fleshy cups for adhering to bodies, as cuttlefish, etc.
ACETABULIFORMAc`e*tab"u*li*form, a. Etym: [L. acetabulum + -form.] (Bot.)
Defn: Shaped like a shallow; saucer-shaped; as, an acetabuliform calyx. Gray.
ACETABULUM Ac`e*tab"u*lum, n. Etym: [L., a little saucer for vinegar, fr. acetum vinegar, fr. acere to be sour.]
1. (Rom. Antiq.)
Defn: A vinegar cup; socket of the hip bone; a measure of about one eighth of a pint, etc.
2. (Anat.) (a) The bony cup which receives the head of the thigh bone. (b) The cavity in which the leg of an insect is inserted at its articulation with the body. (c) A sucker of the sepia or cuttlefish and related animals. (d) The large posterior sucker of the leeches. (e) One of the lobes of the placenta in ruminating animals.
ACETALAc"e*tal, n. Etym: [Acetic + alcohol.] (Chem.)
Defn: A limpid, colorless, inflammable liquid from the slow oxidation of alcohol under the influence of platinum black.
ACETALDEHYDEAc`et*al"de*hyde, n.
Defn: Acetic aldehyde. See Aldehyde.
ACETAMIDEAc`et*am"ide, n. Etym: [Acetyl + amide.] (Chem.)
Defn: A white crystalline solid, from ammonia by replacement of an equivalent of hydrogen by acetyl.
ACETANILIDEAc`et*an"i*lide, n. Etym: [Acetyl + anilide.] (Med.)
Defn: A compound of aniline with acetyl, used to allay fever or pain; — called also antifebrine.
ACETARIOUS Ac`e*ta"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. acetaria, n. pl., salad, fr. acetum vinegar, fr. acere to be sour.]
Defn: Used in salads; as, acetarious plants.
ACETARYAc"e*ta*ry, n. Etym: [L. acetaria salad plants.]
Defn: An acid pulp in certain fruits, as the pear. Grew.
ACETATEAc"e*tate, n. Etym: [L. acetum vinegar, fr. acere to be sour.](Chem.)
Defn: A salt formed by the union of acetic acid with a base or positive radical; as, acetate of lead, acetate of potash.
ACETATEDAc"e*ta`ted, a.
Defn: Combined with acetic acid.
ACETIC A*ce"tic (#; 277), a. Etym: [L. acetum vinegar, fr. acere to be sour.] (Chem.) (a) Of a pertaining to vinegar; producing vinegar; producing vinegar; as, acetic fermentation. (b) Pertaining to, containing, or derived from, acetyl, as acetic ether, acetic acid. The latter is the acid to which the sour taste of vinegar is due.
ACETIFICATIONA*cet`i*fi*ca"tion, n.
Defn: The act of making acetous or sour; the process of converting, or of becoming converted, into vinegar.
ACETIFIERA*cet"i*fi`er, n.
Defn: An apparatus for hastening acetification. Knight.
ACETIFYA*cet"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acetified; p. pr. & vb. n.Acetifying.] Etym: [L. acetum vinegar + -fly.]
Defn: To convert into acid or vinegar.
ACETIFYA*cet"i*fy, v. i.
Defn: To turn acid. Encyc. Dom. Econ.
ACETIMETER Ac`e*tim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. acetum vinegar + -meter: cf. F. acétimètre.]
Defn: An instrument for estimating the amount of acetic acid in vinegar or in any liquid containing acetic acid.
ACETIMETRYAc`e*tim"e*try, n.
Defn: The act or method of ascertaining the strength of vinegar, or the proportion of acetic acid contained in it. Ure.
ACETINAc"e*tin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A combination of acetic acid with glycerin. Brande & C.
ACETIZEAc"e*tize, v. i.
Defn: To acetify. [R.]
ACETOLAc"e*tol, n. [Acetic + -ol as in alcohol.] (Chem.)
Defn: Methyl ketol; also, any of various homologues of the same.
ACETOMETERAc`e*tom"e*ter, n.
Defn: Same as Acetimeter. Brande & C.
ACETONAEMIA; ACETONEMIAAc`e*to*næ"mi*a, Ac`e*to*ne"mi*a, n. [NL. See Acetone; Hæma-.] (Med.)
Defn: A morbid condition characterized by the presence of acetone in the blood, as in diabetes.
ACETONEAc"e*tone, n. Etym: [See Acetic.] (Chem.)
Defn: A volatile liquid consisting of three parts of carbon, six of hydrogen, and one of oxygen; pyroacetic spirit, — obtained by the distillation of certain acetates, or by the destructive distillation of citric acid, starch, sugar, or gum, with quicklime.
Note: The term in also applied to a number of bodies of similar constitution, more frequently called ketones. See Ketone.
ACETONICAc`e*ton"ic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to acetone; as, acetonic bodies.
ACETONURIAAc`e*to*nu"ri*a, n. [NL. See Acetone; Urine.] (Med.)
Defn: Excess of acetone in the urine, as in starvation or diabetes.
ACETOPHENONEAc`e*to*phe"none, n. [Acetic + phenyl + one.] (Chem.)
Defn: A crystalline ketone, CH3COC6H5, which may be obtained by the dry distillation of a mixture of the calcium salts of acetic and benzoic acids. It is used as a hypnotic under the name of hypnone.
ACETOSEAc"e*tose, a.
Defn: Sour like vinegar; acetous.
ACETOSITYAc`e*tos"i*ty, n. Etym: [LL. acetositas. See Acetous.]
Defn: The quality of being acetous; sourness.
ACETOUS A*ce"tous (#; 277), a. Etym: [L. acetum vinegar, fr. acere to be sour.]
1. Having a sour taste; sour; acid. "An acetous spirit." Boyle. "A liquid of an acetous kind." Bp. Lowth.
2. Causing, or connected with, acetification; as, acetous fermentation. Acetous acid, a name formerly given to vinegar.
ACETYLAc"e*tyl, n. Etym: [L. acetum vinegar + Gr. -yl.] (Chem.)
Defn: A complex, hypothetical radical, composed of two parts of carbon to three of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Its hydroxide is acetic acid.
ACETYLENEA*cet"y*lene, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A gaseous compound of carbon and hydrogen, in the proportion of two atoms of the former to two of the latter. It is a colorless gas, with a peculiar, unpleasant odor, and is produced for use as an illuminating gas in a number of ways, but chiefly by the action of water on calcium carbide. Its light is very brilliant. Watts.
ACH; ACHEAch, Ache, n. Etym: [F. ache, L. apium parsley.]
Defn: A name given to several species of plants; as, smallage, wild celery, parsley. [Obs.] Holland.
ACHAEAN; ACHAIANA*chæ"an, A*cha"ian a. Etym: [L. Achaeus, Achaius; Gr.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Achaia in Greece; also, Grecian.— n.
Defn: A native of Achaia; a Greek.
ACHARNEMENTA*char"ne*ment, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: Savage fierceness; ferocity.
ACHATEAch"ate, n.
Defn: An agate. [Obs.] Evelyn.
ACHATEA*chate", n. Etym: [F. achat purchase. See Cates.]
1. Purchase; bargaining. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. pl.
Defn: Provisions. Same as Cates. [Obs.] Spenser.
ACHATINAAch`a*ti"na, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of land snails, often large, common in the warm parts of America and Africa.
ACHATOURA*cha*tour", n. Etym: [See Cater.]
Defn: Purveyor; acater. [Obs.] Chaucer.
ACHE Ache, n. Etym: [OE. ache, AS. æce, ece, fr. acan to ache. See Ache, v. i.]
Defn: Continued pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain. "Such an ache in my bones." Shak.
Note: Often used in composition, as, a headache, an earache, a toothache.
ACHE Ache, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ached; p. pr. & vb. n. Aching.] Etym: [OE. aken, AS. acan, both strong verbs, AS. acan, imp. oc, p. p. acen, to ache; perh. orig. to drive, and akin to agent.]
Defn: To suffer pain; to have, or be in, pain, or in continued pain; to be distressed. "My old bones ache." Shak. The sins that in your conscience ache. Keble.
ACHEANA*che"an, a & n.
Defn: See Achæan, Achaian.
ACHENE; ACHENIUMA*chene", A*che"ni*um n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A small, dry, indehiscent fruit, containing a single seed, as in the buttercup; — called a naked seed by the earlier botanists. [Written also akene and achænium.]
ACHENIALA*che"ni*al, a.
Defn: Pertaining to an achene.
ACHERONAch"e*ron, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Myth.)
Defn: A river in the Nether World or infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf. Shak.
ACHERONTICAch`e*ron"tic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to Acheron; infernal; hence, dismal, gloomy; moribund.
A CHEVALA` che*val". [F., lit., on horseback.]
Defn: Astride; with a part on each side; — used specif. in designating the position of an army with the wings separated by some line of demarcation, as a river or road.
A position à cheval on a river is not one which a general willinglyassumes.Swinton.
ACHIEVABLEA*chiev"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being achieved. Barrow.
ACHIEVANCEA*chiev"ance, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. achevance.]
Defn: Achievement. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.
ACHIEVEA*chieve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Achieved; p. pr. & vb. n. Achieving.]Etym: [OE. acheven, OF. achever, achiever, F. achever, to finish; à(L. ad) + OF. chief, F. chef, end, head, fr. L. caput head. SeeChief.]
1. To carry on to a final close; to bring out into a perfected state; to accomplish; to perform; — as, to achieve a feat, an exploit, an enterprise. Supposing faculties and powers to be the same, far more may be achieved in any line by the aid of a capital, invigorating motive than without it. I. Taylor.
2. To obtain, or gain, as the result of exertion; to succeed ingaining; to win.Some are born great, some achieve greatness. Shak.Thou hast achieved our liberty. Milton.
Note: [[Obs]., with a material thing as the aim.]Show all the spoils by valiant kings achieved. Prior.He hath achieved a maid That paragons description. Shak.
3. To finish; to kill. [Obs.] Shak.
Syn. — To accomplish; effect; fulfill; complete; execute; perform; realize; obtain. See Accomplish.
ACHIEVEMENTA*chieve"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. achèvement, E. Hatchment.]
1. The act of achieving or performing; an obtaining by exertion; successful performance; accomplishment; as, the achievement of his object.
2. A great or heroic deed; something accomplished by valor, boldness, or praiseworthy exertion; a feat. [The exploits] of the ancient saints . . . do far surpass the most famous achievements of pagan heroes. Barrow. The highest achievements of the human intellect. Macaulay.
3. (Her.)
Defn: An escutcheon or ensign armorial; now generally applied to the funeral shield commonly called hatchment. Cussans.
ACHIEVERA*chiev"er, n.
Defn: One who achieves; a winner.
ACHILLEANAch`il*le"an, a.
Defn: Resembling Achilles, the hero of the Iliad; invincible.
ACHILLES' TENDONA*chil"les' ten"don, n. Etym: [L. Achillis tendo.] (Anat.)
Defn: The strong tendon formed of the united tendons of the large muscles in the calf of the leg, an inserted into the bone of the heel; — so called from the mythological account of Achilles being held by the heel when dipped in the River Styx.
ACHILOUSA*chi"lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Without a lip.
ACHINGAch"ing, a.
Defn: That aches; continuously painful. See Ache.— Ach"ing*ly, adv.The aching heart, the aching head. Longfellow.
ACHIOTEA`chi*o"te, n. Etym: [Sp. achiote, fr. Indian achiotl.]
Defn: Seeds of the annotto tree; also, the coloring matter, annotto.
ACHLAMYDATEA*chlam"y*date, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Not possessing a mantle; — said of certain gastropods.
ACHLAMYDEOUSAch`la*myd"e*ous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Naked; having no floral envelope, neither calyx nor corolla.
ACHOLIAA*cho"li*a, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Deficiency or want of bile.
ACHOLOUSAch"o*lous, a. (Med.)
Defn: Lacking bile.
ACHROMATICAch`ro*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. achromatique.]
1. (Opt.)
Defn: Free from color; transmitting light without decomposing it into its primary colors.
2. (Biol.)
Defn: Uncolored; not absorbing color from a fluid; — said of tissue. Achromatic lens (Opt.), a lens composed usually of two separate lenses, a convex and concave, of substances having different refractive and dispersive powers, as crown and flint glass, with the curvatures so adjusted that the chromatic aberration produced by the one is corrected by other, and light emerges from the compound lens undecomposed. — Achromatic prism. See Prism. — Achromatic telescope, or microscope, one in which the chromatic aberration is corrected, usually by means of a compound or achromatic object glass, and which gives images free from extraneous color.
ACHROMATICALLYAch`ro*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In an achromatic manner.
ACHROMATICITYAch`ro*ma*tic"i*ty, n.
Defn: Achromatism.
ACHROMATINA*chro"ma*tin, n. (Biol.)
Defn: Tissue which is not stained by fluid dyes. W. Flemming.
ACHROMATISMA*chro"ma*tism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. achromatisme.]
Defn: The state or quality of being achromatic; as, the achromatism of a lens; achromaticity. Nichol.
ACHROMATIZATIONA*chro`ma*ti*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. achromatisation.]
Defn: The act or process of achromatizing.
ACHROMATIZEA*chro"ma*tize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Achromatized; p. pr. & vb. n.Achromatizing.] Etym: [Gr.
Defn: To deprive of color; to make achromatic.
ACHROMATOPSYA*chro"ma*top"sy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Color blindness; inability to distinguish colors; Daltonism.
ACHROMATOUSA*chro"ma*tous, a. [See Ahromatic.]
Defn: Lacking, or deficient in, color; as, achromatous blood.
ACHROMICA*chro"mic, a. [Gr. colorless; priv. + color.]
Defn: Free from color; colorless; as, in Physiol. Chem., the achromic point of a starch solution acted upon by an amylolytic enzyme is the point at which it fails to give any color with iodine.
ACHRONICA*chron"ic, a.
Defn: See Acronyc.
ACHROODEXTRIN; ACHROOEDEXTRINAch`ro*ö*dex"trin, n. Etym: [Gr. dextrin.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: Dextrin not colorable by iodine. See Dextrin.
ACHROOUSAch"ro*ous, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Colorless; achromatic.
ACHYLOUSA*chy"lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)
Defn: Without chyle.
ACHYMOUSA*chy"mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)
Defn: Without chyme.
ACICULA A*cic"u*la, n.; pl. Aciculæ. Etym: [L., a small needle, dimin. of acus needle.] (Nat. Hist.)
Defn: One of the needlelike or bristlelike spines or prickles of some animals and plants; also, a needlelike crystal.
ACICULARA*cic"u*lar, a.
Defn: Needle-shaped; slender like a needle or bristle, as some leaves or crystals; also, having sharp points like needless. A*cic"u*lar*ly, adv.
ACICULATE; ACICULATED A*cic"u*late, A*cic"u*la"ted a. (Nat. Hist.) (a) Furnished with aciculæ. (b) Acicular. (c) Marked with fine irregular streaks as if scratched by a needle. Lindley.
ACICULIFORMA*cic"u*li*form, a. Etym: [L. acicula needle + -form.]
Defn: Needle-shaped; acicular.
ACICULITEA*cic"u*lite, n. (Min.)
Defn: Needle ore. Brande & C.
ACID Ac"id, a. Etym: [L. acidus sour, fr. the root ak to be sharp: cf. F. acide. Cf. Acute.]
1. Sour, sharp, or biting to the taste; tart; having the taste of vinegar: as, acid fruits or liquors. Also fig.: Sour-tempered. He was stern and his face as acid as ever. A. Trollope.
2. Of or pertaining to an acid; as, acid reaction.
ACIDAc"id, n.
1. A sour substance.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: One of a class of compounds, generally but not always distinguished by their sour taste, solubility in water, and reddening of vegetable blue or violet colors. They are also characterized by the power of destroying the distinctive properties of alkalies or bases, combining with them to form salts, at the same time losing their own peculiar properties. They all contain hydrogen, united with a more negative element or radical, either alone, or more generally with oxygen, and take their names from this negative element or radical. Those which contain no oxygen are sometimes called hydracids in distinction from the others which are called oxygen acids or oxacids.
Note: In certain cases, sulphur, selenium, or tellurium may take the place of oxygen, and the corresponding compounds are called respectively sulphur acids or sulphacids, selenium acids, or tellurium acids. When the hydrogen of an acid is replaced by a positive element or radical, a salt is formed, and hence acids are sometimes named as salts of hydrogen; as hydrogen nitrate for nitric acid, hydrogen sulphate for sulphuric acid, etc. In the old chemistry the name acid was applied to the oxides of the negative or nonmetallic elements, now sometimes called anhydrides.
ACIDICA*cid"ic, a. (Min.)
Defn: Containing a high percentage of silica; — opposed to basic. an acidic solution.
ACIDIFEROUSAc`id*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. acidus sour + -ferous.]
Defn: Containing or yielding an acid.
ACIDIFIABLEA*cid"i*fi`a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being acidified, or converted into an acid.
ACIDIFICAc`id*if"ic, a.
Defn: Producing acidity; converting into an acid. Dana.
ACIDIFICATIONA*cid`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. acidification.]
Defn: The act or process of acidifying, or changing into an acid.
ACIDIFIERA*cid"i*fi`er, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A simple or compound principle, whose presence is necessary to produce acidity, as oxygen, chlorine, bromine, iodine, etc.
ACIDIFYA*cid"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acidified; p. pr. & vb. n.Acidifying.] Etym: [L. acidus sour, acid + -fy: cf. F. acidifier.]
1. To make acid; to convert into an acid; as, to acidify sugar.
2. To sour; to imbitter. His thin existence all acidified into rage. Carlyle.
ACIDIMETERAc`id*im"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. acidus acid + -meter.] (Chem.)
Defn: An instrument for ascertaining the strength of acids. Ure.
ACIDIMETRYAc`id*im"e*try, n. Etym: [L. acidus acid + -metry.] (Chem.)
Defn: The measurement of the strength of acids, especially by a chemical process based on the law of chemical combinations, or the fact that, to produce a complete reaction, a certain definite weight of reagent is required. — Ac`id*i*met"ric*al, a.
ACIDITYA*cid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. acidites, fr. acidus: cf. F. acidité. SeeAcid.]
Defn: The quality of being sour; sourness; tartness; sharpness to the taste; as, the acidity of lemon juice.
ACIDLYAc"id*ly, adv.
Defn: Sourly; tartly.
ACIDNESSAc"id*ness, n.
Defn: Acidity; sourness.
ACID PROCESSAc"id proc"ess. (Iron Metal.)
Defn: That variety of either the Bessemer or the open-hearth process in which the converter or hearth is lined with acid, that is, highly siliceous, material. Opposed to basic process.
ACIDULATEA*cid"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acidulated; p. pr. & vb. n.Acidulating.] Etym: [Cf. F. aciduler. See Acidulous.]
Defn: To make sour or acid in a moderate degree; to sour somewhat.Arbuthnot.
ACIDULENTA*cid"u*lent, a.
Defn: Having an acid quality; sour; acidulous. "With anxious, acidulent face." Carlyle.
ACIDULOUSA*cid"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. acidulus, dim. of acidus. See Acid.]
Defn: Slightly sour; sub-acid; sourish; as, an acidulous tincture. E.Burke. Acidulous mineral waters, such as contain carbonic anhydride.
ACIERAGEAc`i*er*age, n. Etym: [F. aciérage, fr. acier steel.]
Defn: The process of coating the surface of a metal plate (as a stereotype plate) with steellike iron by means of voltaic electricity; steeling.
ACIFORMAc"i*form, a. Etym: [L. acus needle + -form.]
Defn: Shaped like a needle.
ACINACEOUSAc"i*na"ceous, a. Etym: [L. acinus a grape, grapestone.] (Bot.)
Defn: Containing seeds or stones of grapes, or grains like them.
ACINACESA*cin"a*ces, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Anc. Hist.)
Defn: A short sword or saber.
ACINACIFORM Ac`i*nac"i*form, a. Etym: [L. acinaces a short sword + -form: cf. F. acinaciforme.] (Bot.)
Defn: Scimeter-shaped; as, an acinaciform leaf.
ACINESIAAc`i*ne"si*a, n. (Med.)
Defn: Same as Akinesia.
ACINETAEAc`i*ne"tæ, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A group of suctorial Infusoria, which in the adult stage are stationary. See Suctoria.
ACINETIFORMAc`i*net"i*form, a. Etym: [Acinetæ + -form.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Resembling the Acinetæ.
ACINIFORM A*cin"i*form, a. Etym: [L. acinus a grape, grapestone + -form: cf. F. acinoforme.]
1. Having the form of a cluster of grapes; clustered like grapes.
2. Full of small kernels like a grape.
ACINOSE; ACINOUSAc"i*nose`, Ac"i*nous a. Etym: [L. acinosus, fr. acinus grapestone.]
Defn: Consisting of acini, or minute granular concretions; as, acinose or acinous glands. Kirwan.
ACINUSAc"i*nus, n.; pl. Acini. Etym: [L., grape, grapestone.]
1. (Bot.) (a) One of the small grains or drupelets which make up some kinds of fruit, as the blackberry, raspberry, etc. (b) A grapestone.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: One of the granular masses which constitute a racemose or compound gland, as the pancreas; also, one of the saccular recesses in the lobules of a racemose gland. Quain.
ACIPENSERAc`i*pen"ser, n. Etym: [L., the name of a fish.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of ganoid fishes, including the sturgeons, having the body armed with bony scales, and the mouth on the under side of the head. See Sturgeon.
ACIURGYAc"i*ur`gy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Operative surgery.
ACKNOWAc*know", v. t. Etym: [Pref. a- + know; AS. oncnawan.]
1. To recognize. [Obs.] "You will not be acknown, sir." B. Jonson.
2. To acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.] Chaucer. To be acknown (often with of or on), to acknowledge; to confess. [Obs.] We say of a stubborn body that standeth still in the denying of his fault, This man will not acknowledge his fault, or, He will not be acknown of his fault. Sir T. More.
ACKNOWLEDGEAc*knowl"edge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acknowledged; p. pr. & vb. n.Acknowledging.] Etym: [Prob. fr. pref. a- + the verb knowledge. SeeKnowledge, and ci. Acknow.]
1. To of or admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a God. I acknowledge my transgressions. Ps. li. 3. For ends generally acknowledged to be good. Macaulay.
2. To own or recognize in a particular character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to. In all thy ways acknowledge Him. Prov. iii. 6. By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee. Shak.
3. To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor, the receipt of a letter. They his gifts acknowledged none. Milton.
4. To own as genuine; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledgea deed.
Syn. — To avow; proclaim; recognize; own; admit; allow; concede; confess. — Acknowledge, Recognize. Acknowledge is opposed to keep back, or conceal, and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong acknowledges his fault; and author acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we acknowledge our ignorance. Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we recognize a friend after a long absence. We recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually recognize the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. See also Confess.
ACKNOWLEDGEDLYAc*knowl"edged*ly, adv.
Defn: Confessedly.
ACKNOWLEDGERAc*knowl"edg*er, n.
Defn: One who acknowledges.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTAc*knowl"edg*ment, n.
1. The act of acknowledging; admission; avowal; owning; confession. "An acknowledgment of fault." Froude.
2. The act of owning or recognized in a particular character or relationship; recognition as regards the existence, authority, truth, or genuineness. Immediately upon the acknowledgment of the Christian faith, the eunuch was baptized by Philip. Hooker.
3. The owning of a benefit received; courteous recognition; expression of thanks. Shak.
4. Something given or done in return for a favor, message, etc. Smollett.
5. A declaration or avowal of one's own act, to give it legal validity; as, the acknowledgment of a deed before a proper officer. Also, the certificate of the officer attesting such declaration. Acknowledgment money, in some parts of England, a sum paid by copyhold tenants, on the death of their landlords, as an acknowledgment of their new lords. Cowell.
Syn. — Confession; concession; recognition; admission; avowal; recognizance.
ACLINICA*clin"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physics.)
Defn: Without inclination or dipping; — said the magnetic needle balances itself horizontally, having no dip. The aclinic line is also termed the magnetic equator. Prof. August.
ACMEAc"me, n. Etym: [Gr.
1. The top or highest point; the culmination.The very acme and pitch of life for epic poetry. Pope.The moment when a certain power reaches the acme of its supremacy. I.Taylor.
2. (Med.)
Defn: The crisis or height of a disease.