Datasets:

MAKILINGDING

/

english_dictionary

like 2

a

the first letter of the english and of many other alphabets. the capital a of the alphabets of middle and western europe, as also the small letter (a), besides the forms in italic, black letter, etc., are all descended from the old latin a, which was borrowed from the greek alpha, of the same form; and this was made from the first letter (/) of the phoenician alphabet, the equivalent of the hebrew aleph, and itself from the egyptian origin. the aleph was a consonant letter, with a guttural breath sound that was not an element of greek articulation; and the greeks took it to represent their vowel alpha with the a sound, the phoenician alphabet having no vowel symbols.-the name of the sixth tone in the model major scale (that in c), or the first tone of the minor scale, which is named after it the scale in a minor. the second string of the violin is tuned to the a in the treble staff. -- a sharp (a/) is the name of a musical tone intermediate between a and b. -- a flat (a/) is the name of a tone intermediate between a and g.-an adjective, commonly called the indefinite article, and signifying one or any, but less emphatically.-in each; to or for each; as, "twenty leagues a day", "a hundred pounds a year", "a dollar a yard", etc.-in; on; at; by.-in process of; in the act of; into; to; -- used with verbal substantives in -ing which begin with a consonant. this is a shortened form of the preposition an (which was used before the vowel sound); as in a hunting, a building, a begging.-of.-a barbarous corruption of have, of he, and sometimes of it and of they.-an expletive, void of sense, to fill up the meter

a 1

a registry mark given by underwriters (as at lloyd's) to ships in first-class condition. inferior grades are indicated by a 2 and a 3.

a b c

the first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole alphabet.-a primer for teaching the alphabet and first elements of reading.-the simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the a b c of finance.

a cappella

in church or chapel style; -- said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal.-a time indication, equivalent to alla breve.

a fortiori

with stronger reason.

a mensa et thoro

a kind of divorce which does not dissolve the marriage bond, but merely authorizes a separate life of the husband and wife.

a posteriori

characterizing that kind of reasoning which derives propositions from the observation of facts, or by generalizations from facts arrives at principles and definitions, or infers causes from effects. this is the reverse of a priori reasoning.-applied to knowledge which is based upon or derived from facts through induction or experiment; inductive or empirical.

a priori

characterizing that kind of reasoning which deduces consequences from definitions formed, or principles assumed, or which infers effects from causes previously known; deductive or deductively. the reverse of a posteriori.-applied to knowledge and conceptions assumed, or presupposed, as prior to experience, in order to make experience rational or possible.

a-

a, as a prefix to english words, is derived from various sources. (1) it frequently signifies on or in (from an, a forms of as. on), denoting a state, as in afoot, on foot, abed, amiss, asleep, aground, aloft, away (as. onweg), and analogically, ablaze, atremble, etc. (2) as. of off, from, as in adown (as. ofd/ne off the dun or hill). (3) as. a- (goth. us-, ur-, ger. er-), usually giving an intensive force, and sometimes the sense of away, on, back, as in arise, abide, ago. (4) old english y- or i- (corrupted from the as. inseparable particle ge-, cognate with ohg. ga-, gi-, goth. ga-), which, as a prefix, made no essential addition to the meaning, as in aware. (5) french a (l. ad to), as in abase, achieve. (6) l. a, ab, abs, from, as in avert. (7) greek insep. prefix / without, or privative, not, as in abyss, atheist; akin to e. un-.

a-mornings

in the morning; every morning.

a-sea

on the sea; at sea; toward the sea.

a-tiptoe

on tiptoe; eagerly expecting.

aam

a dutch and german measure of liquids, varying in different cities, being at amsterdam about 41 wine gallons, at antwerp 36 1/2, at hamburg 38 1/4.

aard-vark

an edentate mammal, of the genus orycteropus, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of southern africa. it burrows in the ground, and feeds entirely on ants, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.

aard-wolf

a carnivorous quadruped (proteles lalandii), of south africa, resembling the fox and hyena. see proteles.

aaron's rod

a rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing from the caduceus of mercury, which has two.-a plant with a tall flowering stem; esp. the great mullein, or hag-taper, and the golden-rod.

aaronic

alt. of aaronical

aaronical

pertaining to aaron, the first high priest of the jews.

ab

the fifth month of the jewish year according to the ecclesiastical reckoning, the eleventh by the civil computation, coinciding nearly with august.

ab-

a prefix in many words of latin origin. it signifies from, away , separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. see a-(6).

abaca

the manila-hemp plant (musa textilis); also, its fiber. see manila hemp under manila.

abaci

of abacus

abacinate

to blind by a red-hot metal plate held before the eyes.

abacination

the act of abacinating.

abaciscus

one of the tiles or squares of a tessellated pavement; an abaculus.

abacist

one who uses an abacus in casting accounts; a calculator.

aback

toward the back or rear; backward.-behind; in the rear.-backward against the mast; -- said of the sails when pressed by the wind.-an abacus.

abactinal

pertaining to the surface or end opposite to the mouth in a radiate animal; -- opposed to actinal.

abaction

stealing cattle on a large scale.

abactor

one who steals and drives away cattle or beasts by herds or droves.

abaculi

of abaculus

abaculus

a small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements.

abacus

a table or tray strewn with sand, anciently used for drawing, calculating, etc.-a calculating table or frame; an instrument for performing arithmetical calculations by balls sliding on wires, or counters in grooves, the lowest line representing units, the second line, tens, etc. it is still employed in china.-the uppermost member or division of the capital of a column, immediately under the architrave. see column.-a tablet, panel, or compartment in ornamented or mosaic work.-a board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments, for holding cups, bottles, or the like; a kind of cupboard, buffet, or sideboard.

abacuses

of abacus

abada

the rhinoceros.

abaddon

the destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit; -- the same as apollyon and asmodeus.-hell; the bottomless pit.

abaft

behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse.-toward the stern; aft; as, to go abaft.

abaisance

obeisance.

abaiser

ivory black or animal charcoal.

abaist

abashed; confounded; discomfited.

abalienate

to transfer the title of from one to another; to alienate.-to estrange; to withdraw.-to cause alienation of (mind).

abalienation

the act of abalienating; alienation; estrangement.

abalone

a univalve mollusk of the genus haliotis. the shell is lined with mother-of-pearl, and used for ornamental purposes; the sea-ear. several large species are found on the coast of california, clinging closely to the rocks.

aband

to abandon.-to banish; to expel.

abandon

to cast or drive out; to banish; to expel; to reject.-to give up absolutely; to forsake entirely ; to renounce utterly; to relinquish all connection with or concern on; to desert, as a person to whom one owes allegiance or fidelity; to quit; to surrender.-reflexively: to give (one's self) up without attempt at self-control; to yield (one's self) unrestrainedly; -- often in a bad sense.-to relinquish all claim to; -- used when an insured person gives up to underwriters all claim to the property covered by a policy, which may remain after loss or damage by a peril insured against.-abandonment; relinquishment.-a complete giving up to natural impulses; freedom from artificial constraint; careless freedom or ease.

abandoned

of abandon-forsaken, deserted.-self-abandoned, or given up to vice; extremely wicked, or sinning without restraint; irreclaimably wicked ; as, an abandoned villain.

abandonedly

unrestrainedly.

abandonee

one to whom anything is legally abandoned.

abandoner

one who abandons.

abandoning

of abandon

abandonment

the act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment.-the relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against.-the relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege, as to mill site, etc.-the voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband, or child; desertion.-careless freedom or ease; abandon.

abandum

anything forfeited or confiscated.

abanet

see abnet.

abanga

a west indian palm; also the fruit of this palm, the seeds of which are used as a remedy for diseases of the chest.

abannation

alt. of abannition

abannition

banishment.

abarticulation

articulation, usually that kind of articulation which admits of free motion in the joint; diarthrosis.

abase

to lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye.-to cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to degrade.

abased

of abase-lowered; humbled.-borne lower than usual, as a fess; also, having the ends of the wings turned downward towards the point of the shield.

abasedly

abjectly; downcastly.

abasement

the act of abasing, humbling, or bringing low; the state of being abased or humbled; humiliation.

abaser

he who, or that which, abases.

abash

to destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit.

abashed

of abash

abashedly

in an abashed manner.

abashing

of abash

abashment

the state of being abashed; confusion from shame.

abasing

of abase

abassi

alt. of abassis

abassis

a silver coin of persia, worth about twenty cents.

abatable

capable of being abated; as, an abatable writ or nuisance.

abate

to beat down; to overthrow.-to bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.-to deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.-to blunt.-to reduce in estimation; to deprive.-to bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ.-to diminish; to reduce. legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.-to decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates.-to be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates.-abatement.

abated

of abate

abatement

the act of abating, or the state of being abated; a lessening, diminution, or reduction; removal or putting an end to; as, the abatement of a nuisance is the suppression thereof.-the amount abated; that which is taken away by way of reduction; deduction; decrease; a rebate or discount allowed.-a mark of dishonor on an escutcheon.-the entry of a stranger, without right, into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee.

abater

one who, or that which, abates.

abating

of abate

abatis

alt. of abattis

abatised

provided with an abatis.

abator

one who abates a nuisance.-a person who, without right, enters into a freehold on the death of the last possessor, before the heir or devisee.

abattis

a means of defense formed by felled trees, the ends of whose branches are sharpened and directed outwards, or against the enemy.

abattoir

a public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.

abattoirs

of abattoir

abature

grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them.

abatvoix

the sounding-board over a pulpit or rostrum.

abawed

astonished; abashed.

abaxial

alt. of abaxile

abaxile

away from the axis or central line; eccentric.

abay

barking; baying of dogs upon their prey. see bay.

abb

among weavers, yarn for the warp. hence, abb wool is wool for the abb.

abb wool

see abb.

abba

father; religious superior; -- in the syriac, coptic, and ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.

abbacies

of abbacy

abbacy

the dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot.

abbatial

belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights.

abbatical

abbatial.

abbe

the french word answering to the english abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in france to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.

abbess

a female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. see abbey.

abbey

a monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic building or buildings.-the church of a monastery.

abbeys

of abbey

abbot

the superior or head of an abbey.-one of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys.