Chapter X: Front Matter (10)

2. The office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one intrusted with the concerns of another.

3. The place of business of am agent.

Syn. -- Action; operation; efficiency; management.

AGEND A"gend, n.

Defn: See Agendum. [Obs.]

AGENDUM A*gen"dum, n.; pl. Agenda. Etym: [L., neut. of the gerundive of agere to act.]

1. Something to be done; in the pl., a memorandum book.

2. A church service; a ritual or liturgy. [In this sense, usually Agenda.]

AGENESIC Ag`e*nes"ic, a. Etym: [See Agensis.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Characterized by sterility; infecund.

AGENESIS A*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Any imperfect development of the body, or any anomaly of organization.

AGENNESIS Ag`en*ne"sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Impotence; sterility.

AGENT A"gent, a. Etym: [L. agens, agentis, p. pr. of agere to act; akin to Gr. aka to drive, Skr. aj.

Defn: Actingpatient, or sustaining, action. [Archaic] "The body agent." Bacon.

AGENT A"gent, n.

1. One who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor. Heaven made us agents, free to good or ill. Dryden.

2. One who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a substitute; a deputy; a factor.

3. An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect; as, a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent.

AGENTIAL A*gen"tial, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an agent or an agency. Fitzed. Hall.

AGENTSHIP A"gent*ship, n.

Defn: Agency. Beau. & Fl.

AGERATUM A*ger"a*tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants, one species of which (A. Mexicanum) has lavender-blue flowers in dense clusters.

AGGENERATION Ag*gen`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. aggenerare to beget in addition. See Generate.]

Defn: The act of producing in addition. [Obs.] T. Stanley.

AGGER Ag"ger, n. Etym: [L., a mound, fr. aggerere to bear to a place, heap up; ad + gerere to bear.]

Defn: An earthwork; a mound; a raised work. [Obs.] Hearne.

AGGERATE Ag"ger*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. aggeratus, p. p. of aggerare. See Agger.]

Defn: To heap up. [Obs.] Foxe.

AGGERATION Ag`ger*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. aggeratio.]

Defn: A heaping up; accumulation; as, aggerations of sand. [R.]

AGGEROSE Ag`ger*ose", a.

Defn: In heaps; full of heaps.

AGGEST Ag*gest", v. t. Etym: [L. aggestus, p. p. of aggerere. See Agger.]

Defn: To heap up. [Obs.] The violence of the waters aggested the earth. Fuller.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agglomerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agglomerating.] Etym: [L. agglomeratus, p. p. of agglomerare; ad + glomerare to form into a ball. See Glomerate.]

Defn: To wind or collect into a ball; hence, to gather into a mass or anything like a mass. Where he builds the agglomerated pile. Cowper.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, v. i.

Defn: To collect in a mass.

AGGLOMERATE Ag*glom"er*ate, n.

1. A collection or mass.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: A mass of angular volcanic fragments united by heat; -- distinguished from conglomerate.

AGGLOMERATE; AGGLOMERATED Ag*glom"er*ate, Ag*glom"er*a`ted, a.

1. Collected into a ball, heap, or mass.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Collected into a rounded head of flowers.

AGGLOMERATION Ag*glom`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agglomération.]

1. The act or process of collecting in a mass; a heaping together. An excessive agglomeration of turrets. Warton.

2. State of being collected in a mass; a mass; cluster.

AGGLOMERATIVE Ag*glom"er*a*tive, a.

Defn: Having a tendency to gather together, or to make collections. Taylor is eminently discursive, accumulative, and (to use one of his own words) agglomerative. Coleridge.

AGGLUTINANT Ag*glu"ti*nant, a. Etym: [L. agglutinans, -antis, p. pr. of agglutinare.]

Defn: Uniting, as glue; causing, or tending to cause, adhesion. -- n.

Defn: Any viscous substance which causes bodies or parts to adhere.

AGGLUTINATE Ag*glu"ti*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agglutinated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agglutinating.] Etym: [L. agglutinatus, p. p. of agglutinare to glue or cement to a thing; ad + glutinare to glue; gluten glue. See Glue.]

Defn: To unite, or cause to adhere, as with glue or other viscous substance; to unite by causing an adhesion of substances.

AGGLUTINATE Ag*glu"ti*nate, a.

1. United with glue or as with glue; cemented together.

2. (physiol.)

Defn: Consisting of root words combined but not materially altered as to form or meaning; as, agglutinate forms, languages, etc. See Agglutination, 2.

AGGLUTINATION Ag*glu`ti*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agglutination.]

1. The act of uniting by glue or other tenacious substance; the state of being thus united; adhesion of parts.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: Combination in which root words are united with little or no change of form or loss of meaning. See Agglutinative, 2.

AGGLUTINATIVE Ag*glu"ti*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agglutinatif.]

1. Pertaining to agglutination; tending to unite, or having power to cause adhesion; adhesive.

2. (Philol.)

Defn: Formed or characterized by agglutination, as a language or a compound. In agglutinative languages the union of words may be compared to mechanical compounds, in inflective languages to chemical compounds. R. Morris. Cf. man-kind, heir-loom, war-like, which are agglutinative compounds. The Finnish, Hungarian, Turkish, the Tamul, etc., are agglutinative languages. R. Morris. Agglutinative languages preserve the consciousness of their roots. Max Müller.

AGGRACE Ag*grace", v. t. Etym: [Pref. a- + grace: cf. It. aggraziare, LL. aggratiare. See Grace.]

Defn: To favor; to grace. [Obs.] "That knight so much aggraced." Spenser.

AGGRACE Ag*grace", n.

Defn: Grace; favor. [Obs.] Spenser.

AGGRADE Ag*grade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrading.] (Phys. Geog.)

Defn: To bring, or tend to bring, to a uniform grade, or slope, by addition of material; as, streams aggrade their beds by depositing sediment.

AGGRANDIZABLE Ag"gran*di"za*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being aggrandized.

AGGRANDIZATION Ag*gran`di*za"tion, n.

Defn: Aggrandizement. [Obs.] Waterhouse.

AGGRANDIZE Ag"gran*dize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrandized; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrandizing.] Etym: [F. agrandir; à (L. ad) + grandir to increase, L. grandire, fr. grandis great. See Grand, and cf. Finish.]

1. To make great; to enlarge; to increase; as, to aggrandize our conceptions, authority, distress.

2. To make great or greater in power, rank, honor, or wealth; -- applied to persons, countries, etc. His scheme for aggrandizing his son. Prescott.

3. To make appear great or greater; to exalt. Lamb.

Syn. -- To augment; exalt; promote; advance.

AGGRANDIZE Ag"gran*dize, v. i.

Defn: To increase or become great. [Obs.] Follies, continued till old age, do aggrandize. J. Hall.

AGGRANDIZEMENT Ag*gran"dize*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agrandissement.]

Defn: The act of aggrandizing, or the state of being aggrandized or exalted in power, rank, honor, or wealth; exaltation; enlargement; as, the emperor seeks only the aggrandizement of his own family.

Syn. -- Augmentation; exaltation; enlargement; advancement; promotion; preferment.

AGGRANDIZER Ag"gran*di`zer, n.

Defn: One who aggrandizes, or makes great.

AGGRATE Ag*grate", v. t. Etym: [It. aggratare, fr. L. ad + gratus pleasing. See Grate, a.]

Defn: To please. [Obs.] Each one sought his lady to aggrate. Spenser.

AGGRAVATE Ag"gra*vate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggravated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggravating.] Etym: [L. aggravatus, p. p. of aggravare. See Aggrieve.]

1. To make heavy or heavier; to add to; to increase. [Obs.] "To aggravate thy store." Shak.

2. To make worse, or more severe; to render less tolerable or less excusable; to make more offensive; to enhance; to intensify. "To aggravate my woes." Pope. To aggravate the horrors of the scene. Prescott. The defense made by the prisioner's counsel did rather aggravate than extenuate his crime. Addison.

3. To give coloring to in description; to exaggerate; as, to aggravate circumstances. Paley.

4. To exasperate; to provoke; to irritate. [Colloq.] If both were to aggravate her parents, as my brother and sister do mine. Richardson (Clarissa).

Syn. -- To heighten; intensify; increase; magnify; exaggerate; provoke; irritate; exasperate.

AGGRAVATING Ag"gra*va`ting, a.

1. Making worse or more heinous; as, aggravating circumstances.

2. Exasperating; provoking; irritating. [Colloq.] A thing at once ridiculous and aggravating. J. Ingelow.

AGGRAVATINGLY Ag"gra*va`ting*ly, adv.

Defn: In an aggravating manner.

AGGRAVATION Ag`gra*va"tion, n. Etym: [LL. aggravatio: cf. F. aggravation.]

1. The act of aggravating, or making worse; -- used of evils, natural or moral; the act of increasing in severity or heinousness; something additional to a crime or wrong and enhancing its guilt or injurious consequences.

2. Exaggerated representation. By a little aggravation of the features changed it into the Saracen's head. Addison.

3. An extrinsic circumstance or accident which increases the guilt of a crime or the misery of a calamity.

4. Provocation; irritation. [Colloq.] Dickens.

AGGRAVATIVE Ag"gra*va*tive, a.

Defn: Tending to aggravate. Ag*gres"sive*ly, adv. -- Ag*gres"sive*ness, n. No aggressive movement was made. Macaulay.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, a. [L. aggregatus, p. p.]

1. Formed by a collection of particulars into a whole mass or sum; collective.

The aggregate testimony of many hundreds. Sir T. Browne.

2. (Anat.) Formed into clusters or groups of lobules; as, aggregate glands.

3. (Bot.) Composed of several florets within a common involucre, as in the daisy; or of several carpels formed from one flower, as in the raspberry.

4. (Min. & Geol.) Having the several component parts adherent to each other only to such a degree as to be separable by mechanical means.

5. (Zoöl.) United into a common organized mass; -- said of certain compound animals.

Corporation aggregate. (Law) See under Corporation.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggregated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggregating.] [L. aggregatus, p. p. of aggregare to lead to a flock or herd; ad + gregare to collect into a flock, grex flock, herd. See Gregarious.]

1. To bring together; to collect into a mass or sum. "The aggregated soil." Milton.

2. To add or unite, as, a person, to an association.

It is many times hard to discern to which of the two sorts, the good or the bad, a man ought to be aggregated. Wollaston.

3. To amount in the aggregate to; as, ten loads, aggregating five hundred bushels. [Colloq.]

Syn. -- To heap up; accumulate; pile; collect.

AGGREGATE Ag"gre*gate, n.

1. A mass, assemblage, or sum of particulars; as, a house is an aggregate of stone, brick, timber, etc.

In an aggregate the particulars are less intimately mixed than in a compound.

2. (Physics) A mass formed by the union of homogeneous particles; -- in distinction from a compound, formed by the union of heterogeneous particles.

In the aggregate, collectively; together.

AGGREGATELY Ag"gre*gate*ly, adv.

Defn: Collectively; in mass.

AGGREGATION Ag`gre*ga"tion, n. [Cf. LL. aggregatio, F. agrégation.]

Defn: The act of aggregating, or the state of being aggregated; collection into a mass or sum; a collection of particulars; an aggregate.

Each genus is made up by aggregation of species. Carpenter.

A nation is not an idea only of local extent and individual momentary aggregation, but . . . of continuity, which extends in time as well as in numbers, and in space. Burke.

AGGREGATIVE Ag"gre*ga*tive, a. [Cf. Fr. agrégatif.]

1. Taken together; collective.

2. Gregarious; social. [R.] Carlyle.

AGGREGATOR Ag"gre*ga`tor, n.

Defn: One who aggregates.

AGGREGE Ag*grege", v. t. [OF. agreger. See Aggravate.]

Defn: To make heavy; to aggravate. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aggressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggressing.] [L. aggressus, p. p. of aggredi to go to, approach; ad + gradi to step, go, gradus step: cf. OF. aggresser. See Grade.]

Defn: To commit the first act of hostility or offense; to begin a quarrel or controversy; to make an attack; -- with on.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", n. [L. aggressus.]

Defn: Aggression. [Obs.]

Their military aggresses on others. Sir M. Hale.

AGGRESS Ag*gress", v. t.

Defn: To set upon; to attack. [R.]

AGGRESSION Ag*gres"sion, n. [L. aggressio, fr. aggredi: cf. F. agression.]

Defn: The first attack, or act of hostility; the first act of injury, or first act leading to a war or a controversy; unprovoked attack; assault; as, a war of aggression. "Aggressions of power." Hallam

Syn. -- Attack; offense; intrusion; provocation.

AGGRESSIVE Ag*gres"sive, a. [Cf. F. agressif.]

Defn: Tending or disposed to aggress; characterized by aggression; making assaults; unjustly attacking; as, an aggressive policy, war, person, nation. -- Ag*gres"sive*ly, adv. -- Ag*gres"sive*ness, n.

No aggressive movement was made. Macaulay.

AGGRESSOR Ag*gres"sor, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. agresseur.]

Defn: The person who first attacks or makes an aggression; he who begins hostility or a quarrel; an assailant. The insolence of the aggressor is usually proportioned to the tameness of the sufferer. Ames.

AGGRIEVANCE Ag*griev"ance, n. Etym: [OF. agrevance, fr. agrever. See Aggrieve.]

Defn: Oppression; hardship; injury; grievance. [Archaic]

AGGRIEVE Ag*grieve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrieved; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrieving.] Etym: [OE. agreven, OF. agrever; a (L. ad) + grever to burden, injure, L. gravare to weigh down, fr. gravis heavy. See Grieve, and cf. Aggravate.]

Defn: To give pain or sorrow to; to afflict; hence, to oppress or injure in one's rights; to bear heavily upon; -- now commonly used in the passive TO be aggrieved. Aggrieved by oppression and extortion. Macaulay.

AGGRIEVE Ag*grieve", v. i.

Defn: To grieve; to lament. [Obs.]

AGGROUP Ag*group", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggrouped; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrouping.] Etym: [F. agrouper; à (L. ad) + groupe group. See Group..]

Defn: To bring together in a group; to group. Dryden.

AGGROUPMENT Ag*group"ment, n.

Defn: Arrangement in a group or in groups; grouping.

AGGRY; AGGRI Ag"gry, Ag"gri, a.

Defn: Applied to a kind of variegated glass beads of ancient manufacture; as, aggry beads are found in Ashantee and Fantee in Africa.

AGHAST A*ghast", v. t.

Defn: See Agast, v. t. [Obs.]

AGHAST A*ghast", a & p. p. Etym: [OE. agast, agasted, p. p. of agasten to terrify, fr. AS. pref. a- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + g to terrify, torment: cf. Goth. usgaisjan to terrify, primitively to fix, to root to the spot with terror; akin to L. haerere to stick fast, cling. See Gaze, Hesitate.]

Defn: Terrified; struck with amazement; showing signs of terror or horror. Aghast he waked; and, starting from his bed, Cold sweat in clammy drops his limbs o'erspread. Dryden. The commissioners read and stood aghast. Macaulay.

AGIBLE Ag"i*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. agibilis, fr. L. agere to move, do.]

Defn: Possible to be done; practicable. [Obs.] "Fit for agible things." Sir A. Sherley.

AGILE Ag"ile, a. Etym: [F. agile, L. agilis, fr. agere to move. See Agent.]

Defn: Having the faculty of quick motion in the limbs; apt or ready to move; nimble; active; as, an agile boy; an agile tongue. Shaking it with agile hand. Cowper.

Syn. -- Active; alert; nimble; brisk; lively; quick.

AGILELY Ag"ile*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agile manner; nimbly.

AGILENESS Ag"ile*ness, n.

Defn: Agility; nimbleness. [R.]

AGILITY A*gil"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. agilié, L. agilitas, fr. agilis.]

1. The quality of being agile; the power of moving the limbs quickly and easily; nimbleness; activity; quickness of motion; as, strength and agility of body. They . . . trust to the agility of their wit. Bacon. Wheeling with the agility of a hawk. Sir W. Scott.

2. Activity; powerful agency. [Obs.] The agility of the sun's fiery heat. Holland.

AGIO Ag"i*o, n.; pl. Agios. Etym: [It. aggio exchange, discount, premium, the same word as agio ease. See Ease.] (Com.)

Defn: The premium or percentage on a better sort of money when it is given in exchange for an inferior sort. The premium or discount on foreign bills of exchange is sometimes called agio.

AGIOTAGE Ag"i*o*tage, n. Etym: [F. agiotage, fr. agioter to practice stockjobbing, fr. agio.]

Defn: Exchange business; also, stockjobbing; the maneuvers of speculators to raise or lower the price of stocks or public funds. Vanity and agiotage are to a Parisian the oxygen and hydrogen of life. Landor.

AGIST A*gist", v. t. Etym: [OF. agister; à (L. ad) + gister to assign a lodging, fr. giste lodging, abode, F. gîte, LL. gistum, gista, fr. L. jacitum, p. p. of jac to lie: cf. LL. agistare, adgistare. See Gist.] (Law)

Defn: To take to graze or pasture, at a certain sum; -- used originally of the feeding of cattle in the king's forests, and collecting the money for the same. Blackstone.

AGISTATOR Ag`is*ta"tor, n. Etym: [LL.]

Defn: See Agister.

AGISTER; AGISTOR A*gist"er, A*gist"or, n. Etym: [Anglo-Norman agistour.] (Law) (a) Formerly, an officer of the king's forest, who had the care of cattle agisted, and collected the money for the same; -- hence called gisttaker, which in England is corrupted into guest-taker. (b) Now, one who agists or takes in cattle to pasture at a certain rate; a pasturer. Mozley & W.

AGISTMENT A*gist"ment, n. Etym: [OF. agistement. See Agist.] (Law) (a) Formerly, the taking and feeding of other men's cattle in the king's forests. (b) The taking in by any one of other men's cattle to graze at a certain rate. Mozley & W. (c) The price paid for such feeding. (d) A charge or rate against lands; as, an agistment of sea banks, i. e., charge for banks or dikes.

AGITABLE Ag"i*ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. agitabilis: cf. F. agitable.]

Defn: Capable of being agitated, or easily moved. [R.]

AGITATE Ag"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Agitating.] Etym: [L. agitatus, p. p. of agitare to put in motion, fr. agere to move: cf. F. agiter. See Act, Agent.]

1. To move with a violent, irregular action; as, the wind agitates the sea; to agitate water in a vessel. "Winds . . . agitate the air." Cowper.

2. To move or actuate. [R.] Thomson.

3. To stir up; to disturb or excite; to perturb; as, he was greatly agitated. The mind of man is agitated by various passions. Johnson.

4. To discuss with great earnestness; to debate; as, a controversy hotly agitated. Boyle.

5. To revolve in the mind, or view in all its aspects; to contrive busily; to devise; to plot; as, politicians agitate desperate designs.

Syn. -- To move; shake; excite; rouse; disturb; distract; revolve; discuss; debate; canvass.

AGITATEDLY Ag"i*ta`ted*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agitated manner.

AGITATION Ag`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. agitatio: cf. F. agitation.]

1. The act of agitating, or the state of being agitated; the state of being moved with violence, or with irregular action; commotion; as, the sea after a storm is in agitation.

2. A stirring up or arousing; disturbance of tranquillity; disturbance of mind which shows itself by physical excitement; perturbation; as, to cause any one agitation.

3. Excitement of public feeling by discussion, appeals, etc.; as, the antislavery agitation; labor agitation. "Religious agitations." Prescott.

4. Examination or consideration of a subject in controversy, or of a plan proposed for adoption; earnest discussion; debate. A logical agitation of the matter. L'Estrange. The project now in agitation. Swift.

Syn. -- Emotion; commotion; excitement; trepidation; tremor; perturbation. See Emotion.

AGITATIVE Ag"i*ta*tive, a.

Defn: Tending to agitate.

AGITATO A`gi*ta"to, a. Etym: [It., agitated.] (Med.)

Defn: Sung or played in a restless, hurried, and spasmodic manner.

AGITATOR Ag"i*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. One who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others; as, political reformers and agitators.

2. (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: One of a body of men appointed by the army, in Cromwell's time, to look after their interests; -- called also adjutators. Clarendon.

3. An implement for shaking or mixing.

AGLEAM A*gleam", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + gleam.]

Defn: Gleaming; as, faces agleam. Lowell.

AGLET; AIGLET Ag"let, Aig"let, n. Etym: [F. aiguillette point, tagged point, dim. of aiguilee needle, fr. LL. acucula for acicula, dim. of L. acus needle, pinagleter to hook on. See Acute, and cf. Aiguillette.]

1. A tag of a lace or of the points, braids, or cords formerly used in dress. They were sometimes formed into small images. Hence, "aglet baby" (Shak.), an aglet image.

2. (Haberdashery)

Defn: A round white staylace. Beck.

AGLEY A*gley", adv.

Defn: Aside; askew. [Scotch] Burns.

AGLIMMER A*glim"mer, adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glimmer.]

Defn: In a glimmering state. Hawthorne.

AGLITTER A*glit"ter, adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glitter.]

Defn: Clittering; in a glitter.

AGLOSSAL A*glos"sal, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Without tongue; tongueless.

AGLOW A*glow", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + glow.]

Defn: In a glow; glowing; as, cheeks aglow; the landscape all aglow.

AGLUTITION Ag`lu*ti"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. a- not + L. glutire to swallow.] (Med.)

Defn: Inability to swallow.

AGMINAL Ag"mi*nal, a. Etym: [L. agminalis; agmen, agminis, a train.]

Defn: Pertaining to an army marching, or to a train. [R.]

AGMINATE; AGMINATED Ag"mi*nate, Ag"mi*na`ted, a. Etym: [L. agmen, agminis, a train, crowd.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Grouped together; as, the agminated glands of Peyer in the small intestine.

AGNAIL Ag"nail, n. Etym: [AS. angnægl; ange vexation, trouble + nægel nail. Cf. Hangnail.]

1. A corn on the toe or foot. [Obs.]

2. An inflammation or sore under or around the nail; also, a hangnail.

AGNATE Ag"nate, a. Etym: [L. agnatus, p. p. of agnasci to be born in addition to; ad + nasci (for gnasci) to be born. Cf. Adnate.]

1. Related or akin by the father's side; also, sprung from the same male ancestor.

2. Allied; akin. "Agnate words." Pownall. Assume more or less of a fictitious character, but congenial and agnate with the former. Landor.

AGNATE Ag"nate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agnat.] (Civil Law)

Defn: A relative whose relationship can be traced exclusively through males.

AGNATIC Ag*nat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agnatique.]

Defn: Pertaining to descent by the male line of ancestors. "The agnatic succession." Blackstone.

AGNATION Ag*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnatio: cf. F. agnation.]

1. (Civil Law)

Defn: Consanguinity by a line of males only, as distinguished from cognation. Bouvier.

AGNITION Ag*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnitio, fr. agnoscere. See Notion.]

Defn: Acknowledgment. [Obs.] Grafton.

AGNIZE Ag*nize", v. t. Etym: [Formed like recognize, fr. L. agnoscere.]

Defn: To recognize; to acknowledge. [Archaic] I do agnize a natural and prompt alacrity. Shak.

AGNOIOLOGY Ag`noi*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.] (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine concerning those things of which we are necessarily ignorant.

AGNOMEN Ag*no"men, n. Etym: [L.; ad + nomen name.]

1. An additional or fourth name given by the Romans, or account of some remarkable exploit or event; as, Publius Caius Scipio Africanus.

2. An additional name, or an epithet appended to a name; as, Aristides the Just.

AGNOMINATE Ag*nom"i*nate, v. t.

Defn: To name. [Obs.]

AGNOMINATION Ag*nom`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. agnominatio. See Agnomen.]

1. A surname. [R.] Minsheu.

2. Paronomasia; also, alliteration; annomination.

AGNOSTIC Ag*nos"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Professing ignorance; involving no dogmatic; pertaining to or involving agnosticism. -- Ag*nos"tic*al*ly, adv.

AGNOSTIC Ag*nos"tic, n.

Defn: One who professes ignorance, or denies that we have any knowledge, save of phenomena; one who supports agnosticism, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity, a future life, etc.

AGNOSTICISM Ag*nos"ti*cism, n.

Defn: That doctrine which, professing ignorance, neither asserts nor denies. Specifically: (Theol.)

Defn: The doctrine that the existence of a personal Deity, an unseen world, etc., can be neither proved nor disproved, because of the necessary limits of the human mind (as sometimes charged upon Hamilton and Mansel), or because of the insufficiency of the evidence furnished by physical and physical data, to warrant a positive conclusion (as taught by the school of Herbert Spencer); -- opposed alike dogmatic skepticism and to dogmatic theism.

AGNUS Ag"nus, n.; pl. E. Agnuses; L. Agni. Etym: [L., a lamb.]

Defn: Agnus Dei.

AGNUS CASTUS Ag"nus cas"tus. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A species of Vitex (V. agnus castus); the chaste tree. Loudon. And wreaths of agnus castus others bore. Dryden.

AGNUS DEI Ag"nus De"i. Etym: [L., lamb of God.] (R. C. Ch.) (a) A figure of a lamb bearing a cross or flag. (b) A cake of wax stamped with such a figure. It is made from the remains of the paschal candles and blessed by the Pope. (c) A triple prayer in the sacrifice of the Mass, beginning with the words "Agnus Dei."

AGNUS SCYTHICUS Ag"nus Scyth"i*cus. [L., Scythian lamb.] (Bot.)

Defn: The Scythian lamb, a kind of woolly-skinned rootstock. See Barometz.

AGO A*go", a. & adv. Etym: [OE. ago, agon, p. p. of agon to go away, pass by, AS. agan to pass away; a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + gan to go. See Go.]

Defn: Past; gone by; since; as, ten years ago; gone long ago.

AGOG A*gog", a. & adv. Etym: [Cf. F. gogue fun, perhaps of Celtic origin.]

Defn: In eager desire; eager; astir. All agog to dash through thick and thin. Cowper.

AGOING A*go"ing, adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + p. pr. of go.]

Defn: In motion; in the act of going; as, to set a mill agoing.

AGON Ag"on, n.; pl. Agones. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A contest for a prize at the public games.

AGONE A*gone", a. & adv.

Defn: Ago. [Archaic. & Poet.] Three days agone I fell sick. 1 Sam. xxx. 13.

AGONE A"gone, n. Etym: [See Agonic.]

Defn: Agonic line.

AGONIC A*gon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Not forming an angle. Agonic line (Physics), an imaginary line on the earth's surface passing through those places where the magnetic needle points to the true north; the line of no magnetic variation. There is one such line in the Western hemisphere, and another in the Eastern hemisphere.

AGONISM Ag"o*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. Agon.]

Defn: Contention for a prize; a contest. [Obs.] Blount.

AGONIST Ag"o*nist, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: One who contends for the prize in public games. [R.]

AGONISTIC; AGONISTICAL Ag`o*nis"tic, Ag`o*nis"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. Agonism.]

Defn: Pertaining to violent contests, bodily or mental; pertaining to athletic or polemic feats; athletic; combative; hence, strained; unnatural. As a scholar, he [Dr. Parr] was brilliant, but he consumed his power in agonistic displays. De Quincey.

AGONISTICALLY Ag`o*nis"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agonistic manner.

AGONISTICS Ag`o*nis"tics, n.

Defn: The science of athletic combats, or contests in public games.

AGONIZE Ag"o*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Agonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Agonizing.] Etym: [F. agoniser, LL. agonizare, fr. Gr. Agony.]

1. To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish. To smart and agonize at every pore. Pope.

2. To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately.

AGONIZE Ag"o*nize, v. t.

Defn: To cause to suffer agony; to subject to extreme pain; to torture. He agonized his mother by his behavior. Thackeray.

AGONIZINGLY Ag"o*ni`zing*ly, adv.

Defn: With extreme anguish or desperate struggles.

AGONOTHETE Ag"o*no*thete`, n. Etym: [Gr. [Antiq.]

Defn: An officer who presided over the great public games in Greece.

AGONOTHETIC Ag`o*no*thet"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to the office of an agonothete.

AGONY Ag"o*ny, n.; pl. Agonies. Etym: [L. agonia, Gr. agonie. See Agon.]Etym:

1. Violent contest or striving. The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations. Macaulay.

2. Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly. Luke xxii. 44.

3. Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion. With cries and agonies of wild delight. Pope.

4. The last struggle of life; death struggle.

Syn. -- Anguish; torment; throe; distress; pangs; suffering. -- Agony, Anguish, Pang. These words agree in expressing extreme pain of body or mind. Agony denotes acute and permanent pain, usually of the whole system., and often producing contortions. Anguish denotes severe pressure, and, considered as bodily suffering, is more commonly local (as anguish of a wound), thus differing from agony. A pang is a paroxysm of excruciating pain. It is severe and transient. The agonies or pangs of remorse; the anguish of a wounded conscience. "Oh, sharp convulsive pangs of agonizing pride!" Dryden.

A-GOOD A-good(#), adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + good.]

Defn: In earnest; heartily. [Obs.] "I made her weep agood." Shak.

AGOOD A*good(a*good"), adv. [Pref. a-+ good.]

Defn: In earnest; heartily. [Obs.] "I made her weep agood." Shak.

AGORA Ag"o*ra, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An assembly; hence, the place of assembly, especially the market place, in an ancient Greek city.

AGOUARA A*gou"a*ra, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus), found in the tropical parts of America.

AGOUTA A*gou"ta, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small insectivorous mammal (Solenodon paradoxus), allied to the moles, found only in Hayti.

AGOUTI; AGOUTY A*gou"ti, A*gou"ty, n. Etym: [F. agouti, acouti, Sp. aguti, fr. native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A rodent of the genus Dasyprocta, about the size of a rabbit, peculiar to South America and the West Indies. The most common species is the Dasyprocta agouti.

AGRACE A*grace", n. & v.

Defn: See Aggrace. [Obs.]

AGRAFFE A*graffe", n. Etym: [F. agrafe, formerly agraffe, OF. agrappe. See Agrappes.]

1. A hook or clasp. The feather of an ostrich, fastened in her turban by an agraffe set with brilliants. Sir W. Scott.

2. A hook, eyelet, or other device by which a piano wire is so held as to limit the vibration.

AGRAMMATIST A*gram"ma*tist, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A illiterate person. [Obs.] Bailey.

AGRAPHIA A*graph"i*a, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The absence or loss of the power of expressing ideas by written signs. It is one form of aphasia.

AGRAPHIC A*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Characterized by agraphia.

AGRAPPES A*grappes", n. pl. Etym: [OF. agrappe, F. agrafe; a + grappe (see Grape) fr. OHG. krapfo hook.]

Defn: Hooks and eyes for armor, etc. Fairholt.

AGRARIAN A*gra"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. agrarius, fr. ager field.]

1. Pertaining to fields, or lands, or their tenure; esp., relating to am equal or equitable division of lands; as, the agrarian laws of Rome, which distributed the conquered and other public lands among citizens. His Grace's landed possessions are irresistibly inviting to an agrarian experiment. Burke.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Wild; -- said of plants growing in the fields.

AGRARIAN A*gra"ri*an, n.

1. One in favor of an equal division of landed property.

2. An agrarian law. [R.] An equal agrarian is perpetual law. Harrington.

AGRARIANISM A*gra"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: An equal or equitable division of landed property; the principles or acts of those who favor a redistribution of land.

AGRARIANIZE A*gra"ri*an*ize, v. t.

Defn: To distribute according to, or to imbue with, the principles of agrarianism.

AGRE; AGREE A*gre", A*gree", adv. Etym: [F. à gré. See Agree.]

Defn: In good part; kindly. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

AGREE A*gree", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Agreed; p. pr. & vb. n. Agreeing.] Etym: [F. agréer to accept or receive kindly, fr. à gré; à (L. ad) + gré good will, consent, liking, fr. L. gratus pleasing, agreeable. See Grateful.]

1. To harmonize in opinion, statement, or action; to be in unison or concord; to be or become united or consistent; to concur; as, all parties agree in the expediency of the law. If music and sweet poetry agree. Shak. Their witness agreed not together. Mark xiv. 56. The more you agree together, the less hurt can your enemies do you. Sir T. Browne.

2. To yield assent; to accede; -- followed by to; as, to agree to an offer, or to opinion.

3. To make a stipulation by way of settling differences or determining a price; to exchange promises; to come to terms or to a common resolve; to promise. Agree with thine adversary quickly. Matt. v. 25. Didst not thou agree with me for a penny Matt. xx. 13.

4. To be conformable; to resemble; to coincide; to correspond; as, the picture does not agree with the original; the two scales agree exactly.

5. To suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well; as, the same food does not agree with every constitution.

6. (Gram.)

Defn: To correspond in gender, number, case, or person.

Note: The auxiliary forms of to be are often employed with the participle agreed. "The jury were agreed." Macaulay. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed " Amos iii. 3. The principal intransitive uses were probably derived from the transitive verb used reflexively. "I agree me well to your desire." Ld. Berners.

Syn. -- To assent; concur; consent; acquiesce; accede; engage; promise; stipulate; contract; bargain; correspond; harmonize; fit; tally; coincide; comport.

AGREE A*gree", v. t.

1. To make harmonious; to reconcile or make friends. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. To admit, or come to one mind concerning; to settle; to arrange; as, to agree the fact; to agree differences. [Obs.]

AGREEABILITY A*gree`a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [OF. agreablete.]

1. Easiness of disposition. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. The quality of being, or making one's self, agreeable; agreeableness. Thackeray.

AGREEABLE A*gree"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. agréable.]

1. Pleasing, either to the mind or senses; pleasant; grateful; as, agreeable manners or remarks; an agreeable person; fruit agreeable to the taste. A train of agreeable reveries. Goldsmith.

2. Willing; ready to agree or consent. [Colloq.] These Frenchmen give unto the said captain of Calais a great sum of money, so that he will be but content and agreeable that they may enter into the said town. Latimer.

3. Agreeing or suitable; conformable; correspondent; concordant; adapted; -- followed by to, rarely by with. That which is agreeable to the nature of one thing, is many times contrary to the nature of another. L'Estrange.

4. In pursuance, conformity, or accordance; -- in this sense used adverbially for agreeably; as, agreeable to the order of the day, the House took up the report.

Syn. -- Pleasing; pleasant; welcome; charming; acceptable; amiable. See Pleasant.

AGREEABLENESS A*gree"a*ble*ness, n.

1. The quality of being agreeable or pleasing; that quality which gives satisfaction or moderate pleasure to the mind or senses. That author . . . has an agreeableness that charms us. Pope.

2. The quality of being agreeable or suitable; suitableness or conformity; consistency. The agreeableness of virtuous actions to human nature. Pearce.

3. Resemblance; concordance; harmony; -- with to or between. [Obs.] The agreeableness between man and the other parts of the universe. Grew.

AGREEABLY A*gree"a*bly, adv.

1. In an agreeably manner; in a manner to give pleasure; pleasingly. "Agreeably entertained." Goldsmith.

2. In accordance; suitably; consistently; conformably; -- followed by to and rarely by with. See Agreeable, 4. The effect of which is, that marriages grow less frequent, agreeably to the maxim above laid down. Paley.

3. Alike; similarly. [Obs.] Both clad in shepherds' weeds agreeably. Spenser.

AGREEINGLY A*gree"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In an agreeing manner (to); correspondingly; agreeably. [Obs.]

AGREEMENT A*gree"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. agrément.]

1. State of agreeing; harmony of opinion, statement, action, or character; concurrence; concord; conformity; as, a good agreement subsists among the members of the council. What agreement hath the temple of God with idols 2 Cor. vi. 16. Expansion and duration have this further agreement. Locke.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: Concord or correspondence of one word with another in gender, number, case, or person.

3. (Law) (a) A concurrence in an engagement that something shall be done or omitted; an exchange of promises; mutual understanding, arrangement, or stipulation; a contract. (b) The language, oral or written, embodying reciprocal promises. Abbott. Brande & C.

Syn. -- Bargain; contract; compact; stipulation.

AGREER A*gre"er, n.

Defn: One who agrees.

AGRESTIC A*gres"tic, a. Etym: [L. agrestis, fr. ager field.]

Defn: Pertaining to fields or the country, in opposition to the city; rural; rustic; unpolished; uncouth. "Agrestic behavior." Gregory.

AGRESTICAL A*gres"tic*al, a.

Defn: Agrestic. [Obs.]

AGRICOLATION A*gric`o*la"tion, n. Etym: [L., agricolatio.]

Defn: Agriculture. [Obs.] Bailey.

AGRICOLIST A*gric"o*list, n.

Defn: A cultivator of the soil; an agriculturist. Dodsley.

AGRICULTOR Ag"ri*cul`tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. ager field + cultor cultivator.]

Defn: An agriculturist; a farmer. [R.]

AGRICULTURAL Ag`ri*cul"tur*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to agriculture; connected with, or engaged in, tillage; as, the agricultural class; agricultural implements, wages, etc. -- Ag`ri*cul"tur*al*ly, adv. Agricultural ant (Zoöl.), a species of ant which gathers and stores seeds of grasses, for food. The remarkable species (Myrmica barbata) found in Texas clears circular areas and carefully cultivates its favorite grain, known as ant rice.

AGRICULTURALIST Ag`ri*cul"tur*al*ist, n.

Defn: An agriculturist (which is the preferred form.)

AGRICULTURE Ag"ri*cul`ture, n. Etym: [L. agricultura; ager field + cultura cultivation: cf. F. agriculture. See Acre and Culture.]

Defn: The art or science of cultivating the ground, including the harvesting of crops, and the rearing and management of live stock; tillage; husbandry; farming.

AGRICULTURISM Ag`ri*cul"tur*ism, n.

Defn: Agriculture. [R.]

AGRICULTURIST Ag`ri*cul"tur*ist, n.

Defn: One engaged or skilled in agriculture; a husbandman. The farmer is always a practitioner, the agriculturist may be a mere theorist. Crabb.

AGRIEF A*grief", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + grief.]

Defn: In grief; amiss. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGRIMONY Ag"ri*mo*ny, n. Etym: [OE. agremoyne, OF. aigremoine, L. agrimonia for argemonia, fr. Gr. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants of the Rose family. (b) The name is also given to various other plants; as, hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum); water agrimony (Bidens).

Note: The Agrimonia eupatoria, or common agrimony, a perennial herb with a spike of yellow flowers, was once esteemed as a medical remedy, but is now seldom used.

AGRIN A*grin", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + grin.]

Defn: In the act of grinning. "His visage all agrin." Tennyson.

AGRIOLOGIST Ag`ri*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed or engaged in agriology.

AGRIOLOGY Ag`ri*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: Description or comparative study of the customs of savage or uncivilized tribes.

AGRISE A*grise", v. i. Etym: [AS. agrisan to dread; a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + grisan, for gr (only in comp.), akin to OHG. gr, G. grausen, to shudder. See Grisly.]

Defn: To shudder with terror; to tremble with fear. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGRISE A*grise", v. t.

1. To shudder at; to abhor; to dread; to loathe. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. To terrify; to affright. [Obs.] His manly face that did his foes agrise. Spenser.

AGROM A"grom, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Med.)

Defn: A disease occurring in Bengal and other parts of the East Indies, in which the tongue chaps and cleaves.

AGRONOMIC; AGRONOMICAL Ag`ro*nom"ic, Ag`ro*nom"ic*al, Etym: [Cf. F. agronomique.]

Defn: Pertaining to agronomy, of the management of farms.

AGRONOMICS Ag`ro*nom"ics, n.

Defn: The science of the distribution and management of land.

AGRONOMIST A*gron"o*mist, n.

Defn: One versed in agronomy; a student of agronomy.

AGRONOMY A*gron"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. agronomie.]

Defn: The management of land; rural economy; agriculture.

AGROPE A*grope", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + grope.]

Defn: In the act of groping. Mrs. Browning.

AGROSTIS A*gros"tis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: A genus of grasses, including species called in common language bent grass. Some of them, as redtop (Agrostis vulgaris), are valuable pasture grasses.

AGROSTOGRAPHIC; AGROSTOGRAPHICAL A*gros`to*graph"ic, A*gros`to*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. agrostographique.]

Defn: Pertaining to agrostography.

AGROSTOGRAPHY Ag`ros*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: A description of the grasses.

AGROSTOLOGIC; AGROSTOLOGICAL A*gros`to*log"ic, A*gros`to*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to agrostology.

AGROSTOLOGIST Ag`ros*tol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One skilled in agrostology.

AGROSTOLOGY Ag`ros*tol"ogy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: That part of botany which treats of the grasses.

AGROTECHNY Ag"ro*tech`ny, n. [Gr. field, land + an art.]

Defn: That branch of agriculture dealing with the methods of conversion of agricultural products into manufactured articles; agricultural technology.

AGROUND A*ground", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + ground.]

Defn: On the ground; stranded; -- a nautical term applied to a ship when its bottom lodges on the ground. Totten.

AGROUPMENT A*group"ment, n.

Defn: See Aggroupment.

AGRYPNOTIC Ag`ryp*not"ic, n. Etym: [Gr. agrypnotique.]

Defn: Anything which prevents sleep, or produces wakefulness, as strong tea or coffee.

AGUARDIENTE A`guar*di*en"te, n. Etym: [Sp., contr. of agua ardiente burning water (L. aqua water + ardens burning).]

1. A inferior brandy of Spain and Portugal.

2. A strong alcoholic drink, especially pulque. [Mexico and Spanish America.]

AGUE A"gue, n. Etym: [OE. agu, ague, OF. agu, F. aigu, sharp, OF. fem. ague, LL. (febris) acuta, a sharp, acute fever, fr. L. acutus sharp. See Acute.]

1. An acute fever. [Obs.] "Brenning agues." P. Plowman.

2. (Med.)

Defn: An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.

3. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague.

4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold. Dryden. Ague cake, an enlargement of the spleen produced by ague. -- Ague drop, a solution of the arsenite of potassa used for ague. -- Ague fit, a fit of the ague. Shak. -- Ague spell, a spell or charm against ague. Gay. -- Ague tree, the sassafras, -- sometimes so called from the use of its root formerly, in cases of ague. [Obs.]

AGUE A"gue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Agued.]

Defn: To strike with an ague, or with a cold fit. Heywood.

AGUILT A*guilt", v. t.

Defn: To be guilty of; to offend; to sin against; to wrong. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AGUISE A*guise", n.

Defn: Dress. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

AGUISE A*guise", v. t. Etym: [Pref a- + guise.]

Defn: To dress; to attire; to adorn. [Obs.] Above all knights ye goodly seem aguised. Spenser.

AGUISH A"gu*ish, a.

1. Having the qualities of an ague; somewhat cold or shivering; chilly; shaky. Her aguish love now glows and burns. Granville.

2. Productive of, or affected by, ague; as, the aguish districts of England. T. Arnold. A"gu*ish*ness, n.

AGUSH A*gush", adv. & a. Etym: [Pref. a- + gush.]

Defn: In a gushing state. Hawthorne.

AGYNOUS Ag"y*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Without female organs; male.

AH Ah, interj. Etym: [OE. a: cf. OF. a, F. ah, L. ah, Gr. a, Icel. æ, OHG. a, Lith. á, á\'a0.]

Defn: An exclamation, expressive of surprise, pity, complaint, entreaty, contempt, threatening, delight, triumph, etc., according to the manner of utterance.

AHA A*ha", interj. Etym: [Ah, interj. + ha.]

Defn: An exclamation expressing, by different intonations, triumph, mixed with derision or irony, or simple surprise.

AHA A*ha", n.

Defn: A sunk fence. See Ha-ha. Mason.

AHEAD A*head", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + head.]

1. In or to the front; in advance; onward. The island bore but a little ahead of us. Fielding.

2. Headlong; without restraint. [Obs.] L'Estrange. To go ahead. (a) To go in advance. (b) To go on onward. (c) To push on in an enterprise. [Colloq] -- To get ahead of. (a) To get in advance of. (b) To surpass; to get the better of. [Colloq.]

AHEAP A*heap", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + heap.]

Defn: In a heap; huddled together. Hood.

AHEIGHT A*height", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + height.]

Defn: Aloft; on high. [Obs.] "Look up aheight." Shak.

AHEM A*hem", interj.

Defn: An exclamation to call one's attention; hem.

AHEY A*hey", interj.

Defn: Hey; ho.

AHIGH A*high", adv.

Defn: On high. [Obs.] Shak.

AHOLD A*hold", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + hold.]

Defn: Near the wind; as, to lay a ship ahold. [Obs.] Shak.

AHORSEBACK A*horse"back, adv.

Defn: On horseback. Two suspicious fellows ahorseback. Smollet.

AHOY A*hoy", interj. Etym: [OE. a, interj. + hoy.] (Naut.)

Defn: A term used in hailing; as, "Ship ahoy."

AHRIMAN Ah"ri*man, n. Etym: [Per.]

Defn: The Evil Principle or Being of the ancient Persians; the Prince of Darkness as opposer to Ormuzd, the King of Light.

AHU A"hu, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Asiatic gazelle.

AHULL A*hull", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + hull.] (Naut.)

Defn: With the sails furled, and the helm lashed alee; -- applied to ships in a storm. See Hull, n.

AHUNGERED A*hun"gered, a. Etym: [Pref. a- + hungered.]

Defn: Pinched with hunger; very hungry. C. Bronté.

AI A"i, n.; pl. Ais. Etym: [Braz. aï, haï, from the animal's cry: cf. F. aï.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of South America. See Sloth.

AIBLINS; ABLINS Ai"blins, A"blins, adv. Etym: [See Able.]

Defn: Perhaps; possibly. [Scotch] Burns.

AICH'S METAL Aich's met"al.

Defn: A kind of gun metal, containing copper, zinc, and iron, but no tin.

AID Aid, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aided; p. pr. & vb. n. Aiding.] Etym: [F. aider, OF. aidier, fr. L. adjutare to help, freq. of adjuvare to help; ad + juvare to help. Cf. Adjutant.]

Defn: To support, either by furnishing strength or means in coöperation to effect a purpose, or to prevent or to remove evil; to help; to assist. You speedy helpers . . . Appear and aid me in this enterprise. Shak.

Syn. -- To help; assist; support; sustain; succor; relieve; befriend; coöperate; promote. See Help.

AID Aid, n. Etym: [F. aide, OF. aïde, aïe, fr. the verb. See Aid, v. t.]

1. Help; succor; assistance; relief. An unconstitutional mode of obtaining aid. Hallam.

2. The person or thing that promotes or helps in something done; a helper; an assistant. It is not good that man should be alone; let us make unto him an aid like unto himself. Tobit viii. 6.

3. (Eng. Hist.)

Defn: A subsidy granted to the king by Parliament; also, an exchequer loan.

4. (Feudal Law)

Defn: A pecuniary tribute paid by a vassal to his lord on special occasions. Blackstone.

5. An aid-de-camp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid. Aid prayer (Law), a proceeding by which a defendant beseeches and claims assistance from some one who has a further or more permanent interest in the matter in suit. -- To pray in aid, to beseech and claim such assistance.

AIDANCE Aid"ance, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. aidance.]

Defn: Aid. [R.] Aidance 'gainst the enemy. Shak.

AIDANT Aid"ant, a. Etym: [Cf. F. aidant, p. pr. of aider to help.]

Defn: Helping; helpful; supplying aid. Shak.

AID-DE-CAMP Aid"-de-camp`, n.; pl. Aids-de-camp.. Etym: [F. aide de camp (literally) camp assistant.] (Mil.)

Defn: An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to assist or represent him in correspondence and in directing movements.

AIDER Aid"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, aids.

AIDFUL Aid"ful, a.

Defn: Helpful. [Archaic.] Bp. Hall.

AIDLESS Aid"less, a.

Defn: Helpless; without aid. Milton.

AID-MAJOR Aid"-ma`jor, n.

Defn: The adjutant of a regiment.

AIEL Ai"el, n.

Defn: See Ayle. [Obs.]

AIGLET Aig"let, n.

Defn: Same as Aglet.

AIGRE Ai"gre, a. Etym: [F. See Eager.]

Defn: Sour. [Obs.] Shak.

AIGREMORE Ai"gre*more, n. Etym: [F. origin unknown.]

Defn: Charcoal prepared for making powder.

AIGRET; AIGRETTE Ai"gret, Ai*grette, n. Etym: [F., a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The small white European heron. See Egret.

2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. Prescott.

3. A tuft like that of the egret. (Bot.)

Defn: A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.

AIGUILLE Ai`guille", n. Etym: [F., a needle. See Aglet.]

1. A needle-shaped peak.

2. An instrument for boring holes, used in blasting.

AIGUILLETTE Ai`guil*lette", n. Etym: [F. See Aglet.]

1. A point or tag at the end of a fringe or lace; an aglet.

2. One of the ornamental tags, cords, or loops on some military and naval uniforms.

AIGULET Ai"gu*let, n.

Defn: See Aglet. Spenser.

AIL Ail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ailing.] Etym: [OE. eilen, ailen, AS. eglan to trouble, pain; akin to Goth. us-agljan to distress, agls troublesome, irksome, aglo, aglitha, pain, and prob. to E. awe.

Defn: To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; -- used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man I know not what ails him. What aileth thee, Hagar Gen. xxi. 17.

Note: It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him.

AIL Ail, v. i.

Defn: To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble. When he ails ever so little . . . he is so peevish. Richardson.

AIL Ail, n.

Defn: Indisposition or morbid affection. Pope.

AILANTHUS Ai*lan"thus, n.

Defn: Same as Ailantus.

AILANTUS Ai*lan"tus, n. Etym: [From aylanto, i. e., tree of heaven, the name of the tree in the Moluccas.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of beautiful trees, natives of the East Indies. The tree imperfectly di

AILERON Ai"le*ron, n. [F., dim. of aile wing.]

1.

Defn: A half gable, as at the end of a penthouse or of the aisle of a church.

2. (Aëronautics) A small plane or surface capable of being manipulated by the pilot of a flying machine to preserve or destroy lateral balance; a hinged wing tip; a lateral stabilizing or balancing plane.

AILETTE Ai*lette, n. Etym: [F. ailette, dim. of aile wing, L. ala.]

Defn: A small square shield, formerly worn on the shoulders of knights, -- being the prototype of the modern epaulet. Fairholt.

AILMENT Ail"ment, n.

Defn: Indisposition; morbid affection of the body; -- not applied ordinarily to acute diseases. "Little ailments." Landsdowne.

AILUROIDEA Ai`lu*roid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of the Carnivora, which includes the cats, civets, and hyenas.

AIM Aim, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Aimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Aiming.] Etym: [OE. amen, aimen, eimen, to guess at, to estimate, to aim, OF. esmer, asmer, fr. L. aestimare to estimate; or perh. fr. OF. aesmer; ad) + esmer. See Estimate.]

1. To point or direct a missile weapon, or a weapon which propels as missile, towards an object or spot with the intent of hitting it; as, to aim at a fox, or at a target.

2. To direct the indention or purpose; to attempt the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor; -- followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well. Aim'st thou at princes Pope.

3. To guess or conjecture. [Obs.] Shak.

AIM Aim, v. t.

Defn: To direct or point, as a weapon, at a particular object; to direct, as a missile, an act, or a proceeding, at, to, or against an object; as, to aim a musket or an arrow, the fist or a blow (at something); to aim a satire or a reflection (at some person or vice).

AIM Aim, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. esme estimation, fr. esmer. See Aim, v. i.]

1. The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it. Each at the head leveled his deadly aim. Milton.

2. The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected. To be the aim of every dangerous shot. Shak.

3. Intention; purpose; design; scheme. How oft ambitious aims are crossed! Pope.

4. Conjecture; guess. [Obs.] What you would work me to, I have some aim. Shak. To cry aim (Archery), to encourage. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn. -- End; object; scope; drift; design; purpose; intention; scheme; tendency; aspiration.

AIMER Aim"er, n.

Defn: One who aims, directs, or points.

AIMLESS Aim"less, a.

Defn: Without aim or purpose; as, an aimless life. -- Aim"less*ly, adv. -- Aim"less*ness, n.

AINO Ai"no, n. Etym: [Said to be the native name for man.]

Defn: One of a peculiar race inhabiting Yesso, the Kooril Islands etc., in the northern part of the empire of Japan, by some supposed to have been the progenitors of the Japanese. The Ainos are stout and short, with hairy bodies.

AIN'T Ain't.

Defn: A contraction for are not and am not; also used for is not. [Colloq. or llliterate speech]. See An't.

AIR Air, n. Etym: [OE. air, eir, F. air, L. aër, fr. Gr. wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria atmosphere, air, fr. the same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. aria, or due to confusion with F. aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. A, Debonair, Malaria, Wind.]

1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable.

Note: By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen, 20.96 per cent.; nitrogen, 79.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide, 0.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water.

2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. "Charm ache with air." Shak. He was still all air and fire. Macaulay . [Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water.]

3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc.

4. Any aëriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. [Obs.]

5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play. Pope.

6. Odoriferous or contaminated air.

7. That which surrounds and influences. The keen, the wholesome air of poverty. Wordsworth.

8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. You gave it air before me. Dryden.

9. Intelligence; information. [Obs.] Bacon.

10. (Mus.) (a) A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. (b) In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody -- in modern harmony usually the upper part -- is sometimes called the air.

11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. "His very air." Shak.

12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. It was communicated with the air of a secret. Pope.

12. pl.