Chapter XV: Front Matter (15)

AMENDE A`mende", n. Etym: [F. See Amend.]

Defn: A pecuniary punishment or fine; a reparation or recantation. Amende honorable(#). (Old French Law) A species of infamous punishment in which the offender, being led into court with a rope about his neck, and a lighted torch in his hand, begged pardon of his God, the court, etc. In popular language, the phrase now denotes a public apology or recantation, and reparation to an injured party, for improper language or treatment.

AMENDER A*mend"er, n.

Defn: One who amends.

AMENDFUL A*mend"ful, a.

Defn: Much improving. [Obs.]

AMENDMENT A*mend"ment, n. Etym: [F. amendement, LL. amendamentum.]

1. An alteration or change for the better; correction of a fault or of faults; reformation of life by quitting vices.

2. In public bodies; Any alternation made or proposed to be made in a bill or motion by adding, changing, substituting, or omitting.

3. (Law)

Defn: Correction of an error in a writ or process.

Syn. -- Improvement; reformation; emendation.

AMENDS A*mends", n. sing. & pl. Etym: [F. amendes, pl. of amende. Cf. Amende.]

Defn: Compensation for a loss or injury; recompense; reparation. [Now const. with sing. verb.] "An honorable amends." Addison. Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends. Shak.

AMENITY A*men"i*ty, n.; pl. Amenities. Etym: [F. aménité, L. amoenitas, fr. amoenus pleasant.]

Defn: The quality of being pleasant or agreeable, whether in respect to situation, climate, manners, or disposition; pleasantness; civility; suavity; gentleness. A sweetness and amenity of temper. Buckle. This climate has not seduced by its amenities. W. Howitt.

AMENORRHOEA A*men`or*rhoe"a, n. Etym: [Gr. aménorrhée.] (Med.)

Defn: Retention or suppression of the menstrual discharge.

AMENORRHOEAL A*men`or*rhoe"al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to amenorrhoea.

A MENSA ET THORO A men"sa et tho"ro. Etym: [L., from board and bed.] (Law)

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

AMENT Am"ent, n. Etym: [L. amentum thong or strap.] (Bot.)

Defn: A species of inflorescence; a catkin. The globular ament of a buttonwood. Coues.

AMENTACEOUS Am`en*ta"ceous, a. Etym: [LL. amentaceus.] (Bot.) (a) Resembling, or consisting of, an ament or aments; as, the chestnut has an amentaceous inflorescence. (b) Bearing aments; having flowers arranged in aments; as, amentaceous plants.

AMENTIA A*men"ti*a, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Imbecility; total want of understanding.

AMENTIFEROUS Am`en*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. amentum + -ferous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing catkins. Balfour.

AMENTIFORM A*men"ti*form, a. Etym: [L. amentum + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Shaped like a catkin.

AMENTUM A*men"tum, n.; pl. Amenta.

Defn: Same as Ament.

AMENUSE Am"e*nuse, v. t. Etym: [OF. amenuisier. See Minute.]

Defn: To lessen. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AMERCE A*merce", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amerced; p. pr. & vb. n. Amercing.] Etym: [OF. amercier, fr. a merci at the mercy of, liable to a punishment. See Mercy.]

1. To punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the amerced the criminal in the sum on the hundred dollars.

Note: The penalty of fine may be expressed without a preposition, or it may be introduced by in, with, or of.

2. To punish, in general; to mulct. Millions of spirits for his fault amerced Of Heaven. Milton. Shall by him be amerced with penance due. Spenser.

AMERCEABLE A*merce"a*ble, a.

Defn: Liable to be amerced.

AMERCEMENT A*merce"ment, n. Etym: [OF. amerciment.]

Defn: The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See Affeer.] Blackstone.

Note: This word, in old books, is written amerciament. Amercement royal, a penalty imposed on an officer for a misdemeanor in his office. Jacobs.

AMERCER A*mer"cer, n.

Defn: One who amerces.

AMERCIAMENT A*mer"cia*ment, n. Etym: [LL. amerciamentum.]

Defn: Same as Amercement. Mozley & W.

AMERICAN A*mer"i*can, a. Etym: [Named from Americus Vespucius.]

1. Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent: American Indians.

2. Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of the American navy." Lyell. American ivy. See Virginia creeper. -- American Party (U. S. Politics), a party, about 1854, which opposed the influence of foreign-born citizens, and those supposed to owe allegiance to a foreign power. -- Native american Party (U. S. Politics), a party of principles similar to those of the American party. It arose about 1843, but soon died out.

AMERICAN A*mer"i*can, n.

Defn: A native of America; -- originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States. The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism. Washington.

AMERICANISM A*mer"i*can*ism, n.

1. Attachment to the United States.

2. A custom peculiar to the United States or to America; an American characteristic or idea.

3. A word or phrase peculiar to the United States.

AMERICANIZATION A*mer`i*can*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The process of Americanizing.

AMERICANIZE A*mer"i*can*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Americanizer; p. pr. & vb. n. Americanizing.]

Defn: To render American; to assimilate to the Americans in customs, ideas, etc.; to stamp with American characteristics.

AMERICAN PLAN A*mer"i*can plan.

Defn: In hotels, aplan upon which guests pay for both room and board by the day, week, or other convenient period; -- contrasted with European plan.

AMERICAN PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION A*mer"i*can Pro*tect"ive As*so`ci*a"tion.

Defn: A secret organization in the United States, formed in Iowa in 1887, ostensibly for the protection of American institutions by keeping Roman Catholics out of public office. Abbrev. commonly to A. P .A.

AMES-ACE Ames"-ace, n.

Defn: Same as Ambs-ace.

AMESS Am"ess, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: Amice, a hood or cape. See 2d Amice.

AMETABOLA Am`e*tab"o*la, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of insects which do not undergo any metamorphosis. [Written also Ametabolia.]

AMETABOLIAN A*met`a*bo"li*an, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to insects that do undergo any metamorphosis.

AMETABOLIC; AMETABOLOUS A*met`a*bol"ic, Am`e*tab"o*lous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Not undergoing any metamorphosis; as, ametabolic insects.

AMETHODIST A*meth"o*dist, n. Etym: [Pref. a- not + methodist.]

Defn: One without method; a quack. [Obs.]

AMETHYST Am"e*thyst, Etym: [F. ametiste, amatiste, F. améthyste, L. amethystus, fr. Gr. Mead.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of crystallized quartz, of a purple or bluish violet color, of different shades. It is much used as a jeweler's stone. Oriental amethyst, the violet-blue variety of transparent crystallized corundum or sapphire.

2. (Her.)

Defn: A purple color in a nobleman's escutcheon, or coat of arms.

AMETHYSTINE Am`e*thys"tine, a. Etym: [L. amethystinus, Gr.

1. Resembling amethyst, especially in color; bluish violet.

2. Composed of, or containing, amethyst.

AMETROPIA Am`e*tro"pi*a, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Any abnormal condition of the refracting powers of the eye. -- Am`e*trop"ic, a.

AMHARIC Am*har"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Amhara, a division of Abyssinia; as, the Amharic language is closely allied to the Ethiopic. -- n.

Defn: The Amharic language (now the chief language of Abyssinia).

AMIA Am"i*a, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fresh-water ganoid fishes, exclusively confined to North America; called bowfin in Lake Champlain, dogfish in Lake Erie, and mudfish in South Carolina, etc. See Bowfin.

AMIABILITY A`mi*a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amiable; amiableness; sweetness of disposition. Every excellency is a degree of amiability. Jer. Taylor.

AMIABLE A"mi*a*ble, a. Etym: [F. amiable, L. amicabilis friendly, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. The meaning has been influenced by F. aimable, L. amabilis lovable, fr. amare to love. Cf. Amicable, Amorous, Amability.]

1. Lovable; lovely; pleasing. [Obs. or R.] So amiable a prospect. Sir T. Herbert.

2. Friendly; kindly; sweet; gracious; as, an amiable temper or mood; amiable ideas.

3. Possessing sweetness of disposition; having sweetness of temper, kind-heartedness, etc., which causes one to be liked; as, an amiable woman.

4. Done out of love. [Obs.] Lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife. Shak.

AMIABLENESS A`mi*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being amiable; amiability.

AMIABLY A"mi*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In an amiable manner.

AMIANTH Am"i*anth, n.

Defn: See Amianthus. [Poetic]

AMIANTHIFORM Am`i*an"thi*form, a. Etym: [Amianthus + -form.]

Defn: Resembling amianthus in form.

AMIANTHOID Am`i*an"thoid, a. Etym: [Amianthus + -oid: cf. F. amiantoïde.]

Defn: Resembling amianthus.

AMIANTHUS Am`i*an"thus, n. Etym: [L. amiantus, Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Earth flax, or mountain flax; a soft silky variety of asbestus.

AMIC Am"ic, a. Etym: [L. ammonia + -ic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Related to, or derived, ammonia; -- used chiefly as a suffix; as, amic acid; phosphamic acid. Amic acid (Chem.), one of a class of nitrogenized acids somewhat resembling amides.

AMICABILITY Am`i*ca*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amicable; friendliness; amicableness. Ash.

AMICABLE Am"i*ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. amicabilis, fr. amicus friend, fr. amare to love. See Amiable.]

Defn: Friendly; proceeding from, or exhibiting, friendliness; after the manner of friends; peaceable; as, an amicable disposition, or arrangement. That which was most remarkable in this contest was . . . the amicable manner in which it was managed. Prideoux. Amicable action (Law.), an action commenced and prosecuted by amicable consent of the parties, for the purpose of obtaining a decision of the court on some matter of law involved in it. Bouvier. Burrill. -- Amicable numbers (Math.), two numbers, each of which is equal to the sum of all the aliquot parts of the other.

Syn. -- Friendly; peaceable; kind; harmonious. -- Amicable, Friendly. Neither of these words denotes any great warmth of affection, since friendly has by no means the same strength as its noun friendship. It does, however, imply something of real cordiality; while amicable supposes very little more than that the parties referred to are not disposed to quarrel. Hence, we speak of amicable relations between two countries, an amicable adjustment of difficulties. "Those who entertain friendly feelings toward each other can live amicably together."

AMICABLENESS Am"i*ca*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being amicable; amicability.

AMICABLY Am"i*ca*bly, adv.

Defn: In an amicable manner.

AMICE Am"ice, n. Etym: [OE. amyse, prob. for amyt, OF. amit, ameit, fr. L. amictus cloak, the word being confused with amice, almuce, a hood or cape. See next word.]

Defn: A square of white linen worn at first on the head, but now about the neck and shoulders, by priests of the Roman Catholic Church while saying Mass.

AMICE Am"ice, n. Etym: [OE. amuce, amisse, OF. almuce, aumuce, F. aumusse, LL. almucium, almucia, aumucia: of unknown origin; cf. G. mütze cap, prob. of the same origin. Cf. Mozetta.] (Eccl.)

Defn: A hood, or cape with a hood, made of lined with gray fur, formerly worn by the clergy; -- written also amess, amyss, and almuce.

AMID A*mid", prep.

Defn: See Amidst.

AMIDE Am"ide, n. Etym: [Ammonia + -ide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound formed by the union of amidogen with an acid element or radical. It may also be regarded as ammonia in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by an acid atom or radical. Acid amide, a neutral compound formed by the substitution of the amido group for hydroxyl in an acid.

AMIDIN Am"i*din, n. Etym: [Cf. F. amidine, fr. amido starch, fr. L. amylum, Gr. Meal.] (Chem.)

Defn: Start modified by heat so as to become a transparent mass, like horn. It is soluble in cold water.

AMIDO A*mi"do, a. Etym: [From Amide.] (Chem.)

Defn: Containing, or derived from, amidogen. Amido acid, an acid in which a portion of the nonacid hydrogen has been replaced by the amido group. The amido acids are both basic and acid. -- Amido group, amidogen, NH2.

AMIDOGEN A*mid"o*gen, n. Etym: [Amide + -gen.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound radical, NH2, not yet obtained in a separate state, which may be regarded as ammonia from the molecule of which one of its hydrogen atoms has been removed; -- called also the amido group, and in composition represented by the form amido.

AMIDOL Am"i*dol, n. [Amide + -ol as in alcohol.] (Photog. & Chem.)

Defn: A salt of a diamino phenol, C6H3(OH)(NH2)2, used as a developer.

AMIDSHIPS A*mid"ships, adv. (Naut.)

Defn: In the middle of a ship, with regard to her length, and sometimes also her breadth. Totten.

AMIDST; AMID A*midst", A*mid", prep. Etym: [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a later addition, as in whilst, amongst, alongst. See Mid.]

Defn: In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. "This fair tree amidst the garden." "Unseen amid the throng." "Amidst thick clouds." Milton. "Amidst acclamations." "Amidst the splendor and festivity of a court." Macaulay. But rather famish them amid their plenty. Shak.

Syn. -- Amidst, Among. These words differ to some extent from each other, as will be seen from their etymology. Amidst denotes in the midst or middle of, and hence surrounded by; as, this work was written amidst many interruptions. Among denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects; as, "He fell among thieves." "Blessed art thou among women." Hence, we say, among the moderns, among the ancients, among the thickest of trees, among these considerations, among the reasons I have to offer. Amid and amidst are commonly used when the idea of separate or distinguishable objects is not prominent. Hence, we say, they kept on amidst the storm, amidst the gloom, he was sinking amidst the waves, he persevered amidst many difficulties; in none of which cases could among be used. In like manner, Milton speaks of Abdiel, -- The seraph Abdiel, faithful found; Among the faithless faithful only he, because he was then considered as one of the angels. But when the poet adds, -- From amidst them forth he passed, we have rather the idea of the angels as a collective body. Those squalid cabins and uncleared woods amidst which he was born. Macaulay.

AMIGO A*mi"go, n.; pl. Amigos (#). [Sp., fr. L. amicus.]

Defn: A friend; -- a Spanish term applied in the Philippine Islands to friendly natives.

AMINE Am"ine, n. Etym: [Ammonia + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of a class of strongly basic substances derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by a basic atom or radical.

AMINOL Am"i*nol, n. [From amine.] (Pharm.)

Defn: A colorless liquid prepared from herring brine and containing amines, used as a local antiseptic.

AMIOID Am"i*oid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the Amioidei. -- n.

Defn: One of the Amioidei.

AMIOIDEI Am`i*oi"de*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Amia + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of ganoid fishes of which Amis is type. See Bowfin and Ganoidei.

AMIR A*mir", n.

Defn: Same as Ameer.

AMISH Am"ish, n. pl. [Written also Omish.] (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: The Amish Mennonites.

AMISH Am"ish, a. [Written also Omish.] (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, the followers of Jacob Amman, a strict Mennonite of the 17th century, who even proscribed the use of buttons and shaving as "worldly conformity". There are several branches of Amish Mennonites in the United States.

AMISS A*miss", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + miss.]

Defn: Astray; faultily; improperly; wrongly; ill. What error drives our eyes and ears amiss Shak. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss. James iv. 3. To take (an act, thing) amiss, to impute a wrong motive to (an act or thing); to take offense at' to take unkindly; as, you must not take these questions amiss.

AMISS A*miss", a.

Defn: Wrong; faulty; out of order; improper; as, it may not be amiss to ask advice.

Note: [Used only in the predicate.] Dryden. His wisdom and virtue can not always rectify that which is amiss in himself or his circumstances. Wollaston.

AMISS A*miss", n.

Defn: A fault, wrong, or mistake. [Obs.] Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss. Shak.

AMISSIBILITY A*mis`si*bil"i*ty, Etym: [Cf. F. amissibilité. See Amit.]

Defn: The quality of being amissible; possibility of being lost. [R.] Notions of popular rights and the amissibility of sovereign power for misconduct were alternately broached by the two great religious parties of Europe. Hallam.

AMISSIBLE A*mis"si*ble, a. Etym: [L. amissibilis: cf. F. amissible.]

Defn: Liable to be lost. [R.]

AMISSION A*mis"sion, n. Etym: [L. amissio: cf. F. amission.]

Defn: Deprivation; loss. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

AMIT A*mit", v. t. Etym: [L. amittere, amissum, to lose; a (ab) + mittere to send. See Missile.]

Defn: To lose. [Obs.] A lodestone fired doth presently amit its proper virtue. Sir T. Browne.

AMITOSIS Am`i*to"sis, n. [NL. See A-not, and Mitosis.] (Biol.)

Defn: Cell division in which there is first a simple cleavage of the nucleus without change in its structure (such as the formation of chromosomes), followed by the division of the cytoplasm; direct cell division; -- opposed to mitosis. It is not the usual mode of division, and is believed by many to occur chiefly in highly specialized cells which are incapable of long-continued multiplication, in transitory structures, and in those in early stages of degeneration.

AMITOTIC Am`i*tot"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to amitosis; karyostenotic; -- opposed to mitotic.

AMITY Am"i*ty, n.; pl. Amities. Etym: [F. amitié, OF. amistié, amisté, fr. an assumed LL. amisitas, fr. L. amicus friendly, from amare to love. See Amiable.]

Defn: Friendship, in a general sense, between individuals, societies, or nations; friendly relations; good understanding; as, a treaty of amity and commerce; the amity of the Whigs and Tories. To live on terms of amity with vice. Cowper.

Syn. -- Harmony; friendliness; friendship; affection; good will; peace.

AMMA Am"ma, n. Etym: [LL. amma, prob. of interjectional or imitative origin: cf. Sp. ama, G. amme, nurse, Basque ama mother, Heb. , Ar. immun, ummun.]

Defn: An abbes or spiritual mother.

AMMETER Am"me*ter, n. (Physics)

Defn: A contraction of amperometer or ampèremeter.

AMMIRAL Am"mi*ral, n.

Defn: An obsolete form of admiral. "The mast of some great ammiral." Milton.

AMMITE Am"mite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Oölite or roestone; -- written also hammite. [Obs.]

AMMODYTE Am"mo*dyte, n. Etym: [L. ammodytes, Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) One of a genus of fishes; the sand eel. (b) A kind of viper in southern Europe. [Obs.]

AMMONAL Am"mo*nal`, n. [Ammonium + aluminium.]

Defn: An explosive consisting of a mixture of powdered aluminium and nitrate of ammonium.

AMMONIA Am*mo"ni*a, n. Etym: [From sal ammoniac, which was first obtaining near the temple of Jupiter Ammon, by burning camel's dung. See Ammoniac.] (Chem.)

Defn: A gaseous compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3, with a pungent smell and taste: -- often called volatile alkali, and spirits of hartshorn.

AMMONIAC; AMMONIACAL Am*mo"ni*ac, Am`mo*ni"a*cal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to ammonia, or possessing its properties; as, an ammoniac salt; ammoniacal gas. Ammoniacal engine, an engine in which the vapor of ammonia is used as the motive force. -- Sal ammoniac Etym: [L. sal ammoniacus], the salt usually called chloride of ammonium, and formerly muriate of ammonia.

AMMONIAC; GUM AMMONIAC Am*mo"ni*ac ([or] Gum` am*mo"ni*ac , n. Etym: [L. Ammoniacum, Gr. Ammon; cf. F. ammoniac. See Ammonite.] (Med.)

Defn: The concrete juice (gum resin) of an umbelliferous plant, the Dorema ammoniacum. It is brought chiefly from Persia in the form of yellowish tears, which occur singly, or are aggregated into masses. It has a peculiar smell, and a nauseous, sweet taste, followed by a bitter one. It is inflammable, partially soluble in water and in spirit of wine, and is used in medicine as an expectorant and resolvent, and for the formation of certain plasters.

AMMONIACAL FERMENTATION Am`mo*ni"a*cal fer`men*ta"tion.

Defn: Any fermentation process by which ammonia is formed, as that by which urea is converted into ammonium carbonate when urine is exposed to the air.

AMMONIATED Am*mo"ni*a`ted, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Combined or impregnated with ammonia.

AMMONIC Am*mo"nic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to ammonia.

AMMONITE Am"mon*ite, n. Etym: [L. cornu Ammonis born of Ammon; L. Ammon, Gr. Amun.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil cephalopod shell related to the nautilus. There are many genera and species, and all are extinct, the typical forms having existed only in the Mesozoic age, when they were exceedingly numerous. They differ from the nautili in having the margins of the septa very much lobed or plaited, and the siphuncle dorsal. Also called serpent stone, snake stone, and cornu Ammonis.

AMMONITIFEROUS Am`mon*i*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Ammonite + -ferous.]

Defn: Containing fossil ammonites.

AMMONITOIDEA Am*mon`i*toid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Ammonite + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive group of fossil cephalopods often very abundant in Mesozoic rocks. See Ammonite.

AMMONIUM Am*mo"ni*um, n. Etym: [See Ammonia.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound radical, NH4, having the chemical relations of a strongly basic element like the alkali metals.

AMMUNITION Am`mu*ni"tion, n. Etym: [F. amunition, for munition, prob. caused by taking la munition as l'amunition. See Munition.]

1. Military stores, or provisions of all kinds for attack or defense. [Obs.]

2. Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance of all kinds; as powder, balls, shot, shells, percussion caps, rockets, etc.

3. Any stock of missiles, literal or figurative. Ammunition bread, shoes, etc., such as are contracted for by government, and supplied to the soldiers. [Eng.]

AMMUNITION Am`mu*ni"tion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ammunitioned; p pr. & vb. n. Ammunitioning.]

Defn: To provide with ammunition.

AMNESIA Am*ne"si*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Forgetfulness; also, a defect of speech, from cerebral disease, in which the patient substitutes wrong words or names in the place of those he wishes to employ. Quian.

AMNESIC Am*ne"sic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to amnesia. "Amnesic or coördinate defects." Quian.

AMNESTIC Am*nes"tic, a.

Defn: Causing loss of memory.

AMNESTY Am"nes*ty, n. Etym: [L. amnestia, Gr. amnistie, earlier amnestie. See Mean, v.]

1. Forgetfulness; cessation of remembrance of wrong; oblivion.

2. An act of the sovereign power granting oblivion, or a general pardon, for a past offense, as to subjects concerned in an insurrection.

AMNESTY Am"nes*ty, v. t. [imp. p. p. Amnestied; p. pr. & vb. n. Amnestying.]

Defn: To grant amnesty to.

AMNICOLIST Am*nic"o*list, n. Etym: [L. amnicola, amnis a river + colere to dwell.]

Defn: One who lives near a river. [Obs.] Bailey.

AMNIGENOUS Am*nig"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. amnigena; amnis a river + root gen of gignere to beget.]

Defn: Born or bred in, of, or near a river. [Obs.] Bailey.

AMNION Am"ni*on, n. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: A thin membrane surrounding the embryos of mammals, birds, and reptiles.

AMNIOS Am"ni*os, n.

Defn: Same as Amnion.

AMNIOTA Am`ni*o"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Amnion.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: That group of vertebrates which develops in its embryonic life the envelope called the amnion. It comprises the reptiles, the birds, and the mammals.

AMNIOTIC Am`ni*ot"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. amniotique.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the amnion; characterized by an amnion; as, the amniotic fluid; the amniotic sac. Amniotic acid. (Chem.) [R.] See Allantoin.

AMOEBA A*moe"ba, n; pl. L. Amoebæ; E. Amoebas. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A rhizopod. common in fresh water, capable of undergoing many changes of form at will. See Rhizopoda.

AMOEBAEUM Am`oe*bæ"um, n. Etym: [L. amoebaeus, Gr. amoebaeum carmen, Gr.

Defn: A poem in which persons are represented at speaking alternately; as the third and seventh eclogues of Virgil.

AMOEBEA Am`oe*be"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: That division of the Rhizopoda which includes the amoeba and similar forms.

AMOEBEAN Am`oe*be"an, a.

Defn: Alternately answering.

AMOEBIAN A*moe"bi*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Amoebea.

AMOEBIFORM; AMOEBOID A*moe"bi*form, A*moe"boid, a. Etym: [Amoeba + -form or -oid.] (Biol.)

Defn: Resembling an amoeba; amoeba-shaped; changing in shape like an amoeba. Amoeboid movement, movement produced, as in the amoeba, by successive processes of prolongation and retraction.

AMOEBOUS A*moe"bous, a.

Defn: Like an amoeba in structure.

AMOLE A*mo"le, n. [Mex.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any detergent plant, or the part of it used as a detergent, as the roots of Agave Americana, Chlorogalum pomeridianum, etc. [Sp. Amer. & Mex.]

AMOLITION Am`o*li"tion, n. Etym: [L. amolitio, fr. amoliri to remove; a (ab) + moliri to put in motion.]

Defn: Removal; a putting away. [Obs.] Bp. Ward (1673).

AMOMUM A*mo"mum, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of aromatic plants. It includes species which bear cardamoms, and grains of paradise.

AMONESTE A*mon"este, v. t.

Defn: To admonish. [Obs.]

AMONG; AMONGST A*mong", A*mongst", prep. Etym: [OE. amongist, amonges, amonge, among, AS. onmang, ongemang, gemang, in a crowd or mixture. For the ending -st see Amidst. See Mingle.]

1. Mixed or mingled; surrounded by. They heard, And from his presence hid themselves among The thickest trees. Milton.

2. Conjoined, or associated with, or making part of the number of; in the number or class of. Blessed art thou among women. Luke i. 28.

3. Expressing a relation of dispersion, distribution, etc.; also, a relation of reciprocal action. What news among the merchants Shak. Human sacrifices were practiced among them. Hume. Divide that gold amongst you. Marlowe. Whether they quarreled among themselves, or with their neighbors. Addison.

Syn. -- Amidst; between. See Amidst, Between.

AMONTILLADO A*mon`til*la"do, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A dry kind of cherry, of a light color. Simmonds.

AMORET Am"o*ret, n. Etym: [OF. amorette, F. amourette, dim. of amour.]

1. An amorous girl or woman; a wanton. [Obs.] J. Warton.

2. A love knot, love token, or love song. (pl.) Love glances or love tricks. [Obs.]

3. A petty love affair or amour. [Obs.]

AMORETTE Am"o*rette", n.

Defn: An amoret. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

AMORIST Am"o*rist, n. Etym: [L. armor love. See Amorous.]

Defn: A lover; a gallant. [R.] Milton. It was the custom for an amorist to impress the name of his mistress in the dust, or upon the damp earth, with letters fixed upon his shoe. Southey.

A-MORNINGS A-morn"ings, adv. Etym: [See Amorwe. The -s is a genitival ending. See -wards.]

Defn: In the morning; every morning. [Obs.] And have such pleasant walks into the woods A-mornings. J. Fletcher.

AMOROSA Am`o*ro"sa, n. Etym: [It. amoroso, fem. amorosa.]

Defn: A wanton woman; a courtesan. Sir T. Herbert.

AMOROSITY Am`o*ros"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being amorous; lovingness. [R.] Galt.

AMOROSO Am`o*ro"so, n. Etym: [It. amoroso, LL. amorosus.]

Defn: A lover; a man enamored.

AMOROSO Am`o*ro"so, adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: In a soft, tender, amatory style.

AMOROUS Am"o*rous, a. Etym: [OF. amoros, F. amoreux, LL. amorosus, fr. L. amor love, fr. amare to love.]

1. Inclined to love; having a propensity to love, or to sexual enjoyment; loving; fond; affectionate; as, an amorous disposition.

2. Affected with love; in love; enamored; -- usually with of; formerly with on. Thy roses amorous of the moon. Keats. High nature amorous of the good. Tennyson. Sure my brother is amorous on Hero. Shak.

3. Of or relating to, or produced by, love. "Amorous delight." Milton. "Amorous airs." Waller.

Syn. -- Loving; fond; tender; passionate; affectionate; devoted; ardent.

AMOROUSLY Am"o*rous*ly, adv.

Defn: In an amorous manner; fondly.

AMOROUSNESS Am"o*rous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being amorous, or inclined to sexual love; lovingness.

AMORPHA A*mor"pha, n.; pl. Amorphas. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of leguminous shrubs, having long clusters of purple flowers; false or bastard indigo. Longfellow.

AMORPHISM A*mor"phism, n. Etym: [See Amorphous.]

Defn: A state of being amorphous; esp. a state of being without crystallization even in the minutest particles, as in glass, opal, etc.

Note: There are stony substances which, when fused, may cool as glass or as stone; the glass state is spoken of as a state of amorphism.

AMORPHOUS A*mor"phous, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Having no determinate form; of irregular; shapeless. Kirwan.

2. Without crystallization in the ultimate texture of a solid substance; uncrystallized.

3. Of no particular kind or character; anomalous. Scientific treatises . . . are not seldom rude and amorphous in style. Hare. -- A*mor"phous*ly, adv. -- A*mor"phous*ness, n.

AMORPHOZOA A*mor`pho*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Animals without a mouth or regular internal organs, as the sponges.

AMORPHOZOIC A*mor`pho*zo"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Amorphozoa.

AMORPHY A*mor"phy, n. Etym: [Gr. amorphie. See Amorphous.]

Defn: Shapelessness. [Obs.] Swift.

AMORT A*mort", a. Etym: [Pref. a- + F. mort death, dead; all amort is for alamort.]

Defn: As if dead; lifeless; spiritless; dejected; depressed. Shak.

AMORTISE; AMORTISATION; AMORTISABLE; AMORTISEMENT A*mor"tise, v., A*mor`ti*sa"tion, n., A*mor"tis*a*ble, a., A*mor"tise*ment, n.

Defn: Same as Amortize, Amortization, etc.

AMORTIZABLE A*mor"tiz*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. amortissable.]

Defn: Capable of being cleared off, as a debt.

AMORTIZATION A*mor`ti*za"tion, n. Etym: [LL. amortisatio, admortizatio. See Amortize, and cf. Admortization.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The act or right of alienating lands to a corporation, which was considered formerly as transferring them to dead hands, or in mortmain.

2. The extinction of a debt, usually by means of a sinking fund; also, the money thus paid. Simmonds.

AMORTIZE A*mor"tize, v. t. Etym: [OE. amortisen, LL. amortisare, admortizare, F. amortir to sell in mortmain, to extinguish; L. ad + mors death. See Mortmain].

1. To make as if dead; to destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. (Law)

Defn: To alienate in mortmain, that is, to convey to a corporation. See Mortmain.

3. To clear off or extinguish, as a debt, usually by means of a sinking fund.

AMORTIZEMENT A*mor"tize*ment, n. Etym: [F. amortissement.]

Defn: Same as Amortization.

AMORWE A*mor"we, adv. Etym: [Pref. a- on + OE. morwe. See Morrow.]

1. In the morning. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. On the following morning. [Obs.] Chaucer.

AMOTION A*mo"tion, n. Etym: [L. amotio. See Amove.]

1. Removal; ousting; especially, the removal of a corporate officer from his office.

2. Deprivation of possession.

AMOTUS A*mo"tus, a. Etym: [L., withdrawn (from it (Zoöl.)

Defn: Elevated, -- as a toe, when raised so high that the tip does not touch the ground.

AMOUNT A*mount", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Amounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Amounting.] Etym: [OF. amonter to increase, advance, ascend, fr. amont (equiv. to L. ad montem to the mountain) upward, F. amont up the river. See Mount, n.]

1. To go up; to ascend. [Obs.] So up he rose, and thence amounted straight. Spenser.

2. To rise or reach by an accumulation of particular sums or quantities; to come (to) in the aggregate or whole; -- with to or unto.

3. To rise, reach, or extend in effect, substance, or influence; to be equivalent; to come practically (to); as, the testimony amounts to very little.

AMOUNT A*mount", v. t.

Defn: To signify; to amount to. [Obs.]

AMOUNT A*mount", n.

1. The sum total of two or more sums or quantities; the aggregate; the whole quantity; a totality; as, the amount of 7 and 9 is 16; the amount of a bill; the amount of this year's revenue.

2. The effect, substance, value, significance, or result; the sum; as, the amount of the testimony is this. The whole amount of that enormous fame. Pope.

AMOUR A*mour", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. amor love.]

1. Love; affection. [Obs.]

2. Love making; a love affair; usually, an unlawful connection in love; a love intrigue; an illicit love affair. In amours with, in love with. [Obs.]

AMOUR PROPRE A"mour` pro"pre. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Self-love; self-esteem.

AMOVABILITY A*mov`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Liability to be removed or dismissed from office. [R.] T. Jefferson.

AMOVABLE A*mov"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. amovible.]

Defn: Removable.

AMOVE A*move", v. t. Etym: [L. amovere; a- (ab) + movere to move: cf. OF. amover.]

1. To remove, as a person or thing, from a position. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

2. (Law)

Defn: To dismiss from an office or station.

AMOVE A*move", v. t. & i. Etym: [OE. amovir, L. admovere to move to, to excite; ad + movere.]

Defn: To move or be moved; to excite. [Obs.] Spenser.

AMPELITE Am"pe*lite, n. Etym: [L. ampelitis, Gr. (Min.)

Defn: An earth abounding in pyrites, used by the ancients to kill insects, etc., on vines; -- applied by Brongniart to a carbonaceous alum schist.

AMPELOPSIS Am`pe*lop"sis (am`pe*lop"sis), n. [NL., fr. Gr. 'a`mpelos vine + 'o`psis appearance.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus formerly including the Virginia creeper.

AMPERAGE Am*per"age, n. (Elec.)

Defn: The strength of a current of electricity carried by a conductor or generated by a machine, measured in ampères.

AMPERE; AMPERE Am`père", Am*pere", n. Etym: [From the name of a French electrician.] (Elec.)

Defn: The unit of electric current; -- defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893 and by U. S. Statute as, one tenth of the unit of current of the C. G. S. system of electro-magnetic units, or the practical equivalent of the unvarying current which, when passed through a standard solution of nitrate of silver in water, deposits silver at the rate of 0.001118 grams per second. Called also the international ampère.

AMPERE FOOT Am`père" foot. (Elec.)

Defn: A unit, employed in calculating fall of pressure in distributing mains, equivalent to a current of one ampère flowing through one foot of conductor.

AMPERE HOUR; AMPERE MINUTE; AMPERE SECOND Ampère hour. (Elec.)

Defn: The quantity of electricity delivered in one hour by a current whose average strength is one ampère. It is used as a unit of quantity, and is equal to 3600 coulombs. The terms Ampère minute and Ampère second are sometimes similarly used.

AMPEREMETER; AMPEROMETER Am`père"me`ter, Am`pe*rom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Ampère + meter.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the strength of an electrical current in ampères.

AMPERE TURN Ampère turn. (Elec.)

Defn: A unit equal to the product of one complete convolution (of a coiled conductor) into one ampère of current; thus, a conductor having five convolutions and carrying a current of half an ampère is said to have 2½ ampère turns. The magnetizing effect of a coil is proportional to the number of its ampère turns.

AMPERSAND Am"per*sand, n. Etym: [A corruption of and, per se and, i. e., & by itself makes and.]

Defn: A word used to describe the character Halliwell.

AMPHI- Am*phi-. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A prefix in words of Greek origin, signifying both, of both kinds, on both sides, about, around.

AMPHIARTHRODIAL Am`phi*ar*thro"di*al, a. Etym: [Pref. amphi- + arthrodial.]

Defn: Characterized by amphiarthrosis.

AMPHIARTHROSIS Am`phi*ar*thro"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: A form of articulation in which the bones are connected by intervening substance admitting slight motion; symphysis.

AMPHIASTER Am"phi*as`ter, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The achromatic figure, formed in mitotic cell-division, consisting of two asters connected by a spindle-shaped bundle of rodlike fibers diverging from each aster, and called the spindle.

AMPHIBIA Am*phib"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [See Amphibium.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the classes of vertebrates.

Note: The Amphibia are distinguished by having usually no scales, by having eggs and embryos similar to those of fishes, and by undergoing a complete metamorphosis, the young having gills. There are three living orders: (1) The tailless, as the frogs (Anura); (2) The tailed (Urodela), as the salamanders, and the siren group (Sirenoidea), which retain the gills of the young state (hence called Perennibranchiata) through the adult state, among which are the siren, proteus, etc.; (3) The Coecilians, or serpentlike Amphibia (Ophiomorpha or Gymnophiona), with minute scales and without limbs. The extinct Labyrinthodonts also belonged to this class. The term is sometimes loosely applied to both reptiles and amphibians collectively.

AMPHIBIAL Am*phib"i*al (-al), a. & n.

Defn: Amphibian. [R.]

AMPHIBIAN Am*phib"i*an (-an), a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Amphibia; as, amphibian reptiles.

AMPHIBIAN Am*phib"i*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Amphibia.

AMPHIBIOLOGICAL Am*phib`i*o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to amphibiology.

AMPHIBIOLOGY Am*phib`i*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. amphibiologie.]

Defn: A treatise on amphibious animals; the department of natural history which treats of the Amphibia.

AMPHIBIOTICA Am*phib`i*ot"i*ca, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of insects having aquatic larvæ.

AMPHIBIOUS Am*phib"i*ous, a. Etym: [Gr. i. e., both on land in water;

1. Having the ability to live both on land and in water, as frogs, crocodiles, beavers, and some plants.

2. Pertaining to, adapted for, or connected with, both land and water. The amphibious character of the Greeks was already determined: they were to be lords of land and sea. Hare.

3. Of a mixed nature; partaking of two natures. Not in free and common socage, but in this amphibious subordinate class of villein socage. Blackstone.

AMPHIBIOUSLY Am*phib"i*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: Like an amphibious being.

AMPHIBIUM Am*phib"i*um, n.; pl. L. Amphibia; E. Amphibiums. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Amphibious.]

Defn: An amphibian.

AMPHIBLASTIC Am`phi*blas"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Segmenting unequally; -- said of telolecithal ova with complete segmentation.

AMPHIBOLE Am"phi*bole, n. Etym: [Gr. amphibole. Haüy so named the genus from the great variety of color and composition assumed by the mineral.] (Min.)

Defn: A common mineral embracing many varieties varying in color and in composition. It occurs in monoclinic crystals; also massive, generally with fibrous or columnar structure. The color varies from white to gray, green, brown, and black. It is a silicate of magnesium and calcium, with usually aluminium and iron. Some common varieties are tremolite, actinolite, asbestus, edenite, hornblende (the last name being also used as a general term for the whole species). Amphibole is a constituent of many crystalline rocks, as syenite, diorite, most varieties of trachyte, etc. See Hornblende.

AMPHIBOLIC Am`phi*bol"ic, a.

1. Of or pertaining to amphiboly; ambiguous; equivocal.

2. Of or resembling the mineral amphibole.

AMPHIBOLOGICAL Am*phib`o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of doubtful meaning; ambiguous. "Amphibological expressions." Jer. Taylor. -- Am*phib`o*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

AMPHIBOLOGY Am`phi*bol"o*gy, n.; pl. Amphibologies. Etym: [L. amphibologia, for amphibolia, fr. Gr. logia as if fr. Gr. amphibologie. See Amphiboly.]

Defn: A phrase, discourse, or proposition, susceptible of two interpretations; and hence, of uncertain meaning. It differs from equivocation, which arises from the twofold sense of a single term.

AMPHIBOLOUS Am*phib"o*lous, a. Etym: [L. amphibolus, Gr. Amphibole.]

1. Ambiguous; doubtful. [Obs.] Never was there such an amphibolous quarrel -- both parties declaring themselves for the king. Howell.

2. (Logic)

Defn: Capable of two meanings. An amphibolous sentence is one that is capable of two meanings, not from the double sense of any of the words, but from its admitting of a double construction; e. g., "The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose." Whately.

AMPHIBOLY Am*phib"o*ly, n.; pl. Amphibolies. Etym: [L. amphibolia, Gr. amphibolie. See Amphibolous.]

Defn: Ambiguous discourse; amphibology. If it oracle contrary to our interest or humor, we will create an amphiboly, a double meaning where there is none. Whitlock.

AMPHIBRACH Am"phi*brach, n. Etym: [L. (Anc. Pros.)

Defn: A foot of three syllables, the middle one long, the first and last short (as, h. In modern prosody the accented syllable takes the place of the long and the unaccented of the short; as, pro-phet''ic.

AMPHICARPIC; AMPHICARPOUS Am`phi*car"pic, Am`phi*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Producing fruit of two kinds, either as to form or time of ripening.

AMPHICHROIC Am`phi*chro"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Exhibiting or producing two colors, as substances which in the color test may change red litmus to blue and blue litmus to red.

AMPHICOELIAN; AMPHICOELOUS Am`phi*coe"li*an, Am`phi*coe"lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having both ends concave; biconcave; -- said of vertebræ.

AMPHICOME Am"phi*come, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A kind of figured stone, rugged and beset with eminences, anciently used in divination. [Obs.] Encyc. Brit.

AMPHICTYONIC Am*phic`ty*on"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Amphictyons or their League or Council; as, an Amphictyonic town or state; the Amphictyonic body. W. Smith.

AMPHICTYONS Am*phic"ty*ons, n. pl. Etym: [L. Amphictyones, Gr. (Grecian Hist.)

Defn: Deputies from the confederated states of ancient Greece to a congress or council. They considered both political and religious matters.

AMPHICTYONY Am*phic"ty*o*ny, n.; pl. Amphictyonies. Etym: [Gr. (Grecian Hist.)

Defn: A league of states of ancient Greece; esp. the celebrated confederation known as the Amphictyonic Council. Its object was to maintain the common interests of Greece.

AMPHID Am"phid, n. Etym: [Gr. amphide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of the class formed by the combination of an acid and a base, or by the union of two oxides, two sulphides, selenides, or tellurides, as distinguished from a haloid compound. [R.] Berzelius.

AMPHIDISC Am"phi*disc, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A peculiar small siliceous spicule having a denticulated wheel at each end; -- found in freshwater sponges.

AMPHIDROMICAL Am`phi*drom"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to an Attic festival at the naming of a child; -- so called because the friends of the parents carried the child around the hearth and then named it.

AMPHIGAMOUS Am*phig"a*mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a structure entirely cellular, and no distinct sexual organs; -- a term applied by De Candolle to the lowest order of plants.

AMPHIGEAN Am`phi*ge"an, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Extending over all the zones, from the tropics to the polar zones inclusive.

AMPHIGEN Am"phi*gen, n. Etym: [Gr. -gen: cf. F. amphigène.] (Chem.)

Defn: An element that in combination produces amphid salt; -- applied by Berzelius to oxygen, sulphur, selenium, and tellurium. [R.]

AMPHIGENE Am"phi*gene, n. (Min.)

Defn: Leucite.

AMPHIGENESIS Am`phi*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Sexual generation; amphigony.

AMPHIGENOUS Am*phig"e*nous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Increasing in size by growth on all sides, as the lichens.

AMPHIGONIC Am`phi*gon"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to amphigony; sexual; as, amphigonic propagation. [R.]

AMPHIGONOUS Am*phig"o*nous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Relating to both parents. [R.]

AMPHIGONY Am*phig"o*ny, n.

Defn: Sexual propagation. [R.]

AMPHIGORIC Am`phi*gor"ic, a. Etym: [See Amphigory.]

Defn: Nonsensical; absurd; pertaining to an amphigory.

AMPHIGORY Am"phi*go*ry, n. Etym: [F. amphigouri, of uncertain derivation; perh. fr. Gr.

Defn: A nonsense verse; a rigmarole, with apparent meaning, which on further attention proves to be meaningless. [Written also amphigouri.]

AMPHILOGISM; AMPHILOGY Am*phil"o*gism, Am*phil"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: Ambiguity of speech; equivocation. [R.]

AMPHIMACER Am*phim"a*cer, n. Etym: [L. amphimacru, Gr. (Anc. Pros.)

Defn: A foot of three syllables, the middle one short and the others long, as in cast. Andrews.

AMPHINEURA Am`phi*neu"ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Mollusca remarkable for the bilateral symmetry of the organs and the arrangement of the nerves.

AMPHIOXUS Am`phi*ox"us, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fishlike creature (Amphioxus lanceolatus), two or three inches long, found in temperature seas; -- also called the lancelet. Its body is pointed at both ends. It is the lowest and most generalized of the vertebrates, having neither brain, skull, vertebræ, nor red blood. It forms the type of the group Acrania, Leptocardia, etc.

AMPHIPNEUST Am*phip"neust, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a tribe of Amphibia, which have both lungs and gills at the same time, as the proteus and siren.

AMPHIPOD Am"phi*pod, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Amphipoda.

AMPHIPOD; AMPHIPODAN Am"phi*pod, Am*phip"o*dan, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Amphipoda.

AMPHIPODA Am*phip"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., FR. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A numerous group of fourteen -- footed Crustacea, inhabiting both fresh and salt water. The body is usually compressed laterally, and the anterior pairs or legs are directed downward and forward, but the posterior legs are usually turned upward and backward. The beach flea is an example. See Tetradecapoda and Arthrostraca.

AMPHIPODOUS Am*phip"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Amphipoda.

AMPHIPROSTYLE Am*phip"ro*style, a. Etym: [L. amphiprostylos, Gr. amphiprostyle. See Prostyle.] (Arch.)

Defn: Doubly prostyle; having columns at each end, but not at the sides. -- n.

Defn: An amphiprostyle temple or edifice.

AMPHIRHINA Am`phi*rhi"na, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A name applied to the elasmobranch fishes, because the nasal sac is double.

AMPHISBAENA Am`phis*bæ"na, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. A fabled serpent with a head at each end, moving either way. Milton.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of harmless lizards, serpentlike in form, without legs, and with both ends so much alike that they appear to have a head at each, and ability to move either way. See Illustration in Appendix.

Note: The Gordius aquaticus, or hairworm, has been called an amphisbæna; but it belongs among the worms.

AMPHISBAENOID Am`phis*bæ"noid, a. Etym: [NL., fr. L. amphisbaena + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the lizards of the genus Amphisbæna.

AMPHISCII; AMPHISCIANS Am*phis"ci*i, Am*phis"cians, n. pl. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The inhabitants of the tropic, whose shadows in one part of the year are cast to the north, and in the other to the south, according as the sun is south or north of their zenith.

AMPHISTOMOUS Am*phis"to*mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a sucker at each extremity, as certain entozoa, by means of which they adhere.

AMPHISTYLIC Am`phi*sty"lic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the mandibular arch articulated with the hyoid arch and the cranium, as in the cestraciont sharks; -- said of a skull.

AMPHITHEATER; AMPHITHEATRE Am`phi*the"a*ter, Am`phi*the"a*tre,, n. Etym: [L. amphitheatrum, fr. Gr. amphithé\'83tre. See Theater.]

1. An oval or circular building with rising tiers of seats about an open space called the arena.

Note: The Romans first constructed amphitheaters for combats of gladiators and wild beasts.

2. Anything resembling an amphitheater in form; as, a level surrounded by rising slopes or hills, or a rising gallery in a theater.

AMPHITHEATRAL Am`phi*the"a*tral, a. Etym: [L. amphitheatralis: cf. F. amphithé\'83tral.]

Defn: Amphitheatrical; resembling an amphitheater.

AMPHITHEATRIC; AMPHITHEATRICAL Am`phi*the*at"ric, Am`phi*the*at"ric*al, a. Etym: [L. amphitheatricus.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, exhibited in, or resembling, an amphitheater.

AMPHITHEATRICALLY Am`phi*the*at"ric*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the form or manner of an amphitheater.

AMPHITROCHA Am*phit"ro*cha, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A kind of annelid larva having both a dorsal and a ventral circle of special cilia.

AMPHITROPAL; AMPHITROPOUS Am*phit"ro*pal, Am*phit"ro*pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the ovule inverted, but with the attachment near the middle of one side; half anatropous.

AMPHIUMA Am`phi*u"ma, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of amphibians, inhabiting the Southern United States, having a serpentlike form, but with four minute limbs and two persistent gill openings; the Congo snake.

AMPHOPEPTONE Am`pho*pep"tone, n. Etym: [Gr. peptone.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A product of gastric digestion, a mixture of hemipeptone and antipeptone.

AMPHORA Am"pho*ra, n.; pl. Amophoræ. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Ampul.]

Defn: Among the ancients, a two-handled vessel, tapering at the bottom, used for holding wine, oil, etc.

AMPHORAL Am"pho*ral, a. Etym: [L. amphoralis.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, an amphora.

AMPHORIC Am*phor"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Produced by, or indicating, a cavity in the lungs, not filled, and giving a sound like that produced by blowing into an empty decanter; as, amphoric respiration or resonance.

AMPHOTERIC Am`pho*ter"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Partly one and partly the other; neither acid nor alkaline; neutral. [R.] Smart.

AMPLE Am"ple, a. Etym: [F. ample, L. amplus, prob. for ambiplus full on both sides, the last syllable akin to L. plenus full. See Full, and cf. Double.]

Defn: Large; great in size, extent, capacity, or bulk; spacious; roomy; widely extended. All the people in that ample house Did to that image bow their humble knees. Spenser.

2. Fully sufficient; abundant; liberal; copious; as, an ample fortune; ample justice.

3. Not contracted of brief; not concise; extended; diffusive; as, an ample narrative. Johnson.

Syn. -- Full; spacious; extensive; wide; capacious; abundant; plentiful; plenteous; copious; bountiful; rich; liberal; munificent. -- Ample, Copious, Abundant, Plenteous. These words agree in representing a thing as large, but under different relations, according to the image which is used. Ample implies largeness, producing a sufficiency or fullness of supply for every want; as, ample stores or resources, ample provision. Copious carries with it the idea of flow, or of collection at a single point; as, a copious supply of materials. "Copious matter of my song." Milton. Abundant and plenteous refer to largeness of quantity; as, abundant stores; plenteous harvests.

AMPLECTANT Am*plec"tant, a. Etym: [L. amplecti to embrace.] (Bot.)

Defn: Clasping a support; as, amplectant tendrils. Gray.

AMPLENESS Am"ple*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being ample; largeness; fullness; completeness.

AMPLEXATION Am`plex*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. amplexari to embrace.]

Defn: An embrace. [Obs.] An humble amplexation of those sacred feet. Bp. Hall.

AMPLEXICAUL Am*plex"i*caul, a. Etym: [L. amplexus, p. p. of amplecti to encircle, to embrace + caulis stem: cf. F. amplexicaule.] (Bot.)

Defn: Clasping or embracing a stem, as the base of some leaves. Gray.

AMPLIATE Am"pli*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. ampliatus, p. p. of ampliare to make wider, fr. amplus. See Ample.]

Defn: To enlarge. [R.] To maintain and ampliate the external possessions of your empire. Udall.

AMPLIATE Am"pli*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the outer edge prominent; said of the wings of insects.

AMPLIATION Am`pli*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. ampliatio: cf. F. ampliation.]

1. Enlargement; amplification. [R.]

2. (Civil Law)

Defn: A postponement of the decision of a cause, for further consideration or re-argument.

AMPLIATIVE Am"pli*a*tive, a. (Logic)

Defn: Enlarging a conception by adding to that which is already known or received. "All bodies possess power of attraction" is an ampliative judgment; because we can think of bodies without thinking of attraction as one of their immediate primary attribute. Abp. W. Thomson.

AMPLIFICATE Am*plif"i*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. amplificatus, p. p. of amplificare.]

Defn: To amplify. [Obs.] Bailey.

AMPLIFICATION Am`pli*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. amplificatio.]

1. The act of amplifying or enlarging in dimensions; enlargement; extension.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: The enlarging of a simple statement by particularity of description, the use of epithets, etc., for rhetorical effect; diffuse narrative or description, or a dilating upon all the particulars of a subject. Exaggeration is a species of amplification. Brande & C. I shall summarily, without any amplification at all, show in what manner defects have been supplied. Sir J. Davies.

3. The matter by which a statement is amplified; as, the subject was presented without amplifications.

AMPLIFICATIVE Am*plif"i*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Amplificatory.

AMPLIFICATORY Am*plif"i*ca*to*ry, a.

Defn: Serving to amplify or enlarge; amplificative. Morell.

AMPLIFIER Am"pli*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who or that which amplifies.

AMPLIFY Am"pli*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amplified; p. pr. & vb. n. Amplifying.] Etym: [F. amplifier, L. amplificare. See Ample, -fy.]

1. To render larger, more extended, or more intense, and the like; -- used especially of telescopes, microscopes, etc.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: To enlarge by addition or discussion; to treat copiously by adding particulars, illustrations, etc.; to expand; to make much of. Troilus and Cressida was written by a Lombard author, but much amplified by our English translator. Dryden.

AMPLIFY Am"pli*fy, v. i.

1. To become larger. [Obs.] Strait was the way at first, withouten light, But further in did further amplify. Fairfax.

2. To speak largely or copiously; to be diffuse in argument or description; to dilate; to expatiate; -- often with on or upon. Watts. He must often enlarge and amplify upon the subject he handles. South.

AMPLITUDE Am"pli*tude, n. Etym: [L. amplitudo, fr. amplus: cf. F. amplitude. See Ample.]

1. State of being ample; extent of surface or space; largeness of dimensions; size. The cathedral of Lincoln . . . is a magnificent structure, proportionable to the amplitude of the diocese. Fuller.

2. Largeness, in a figurative sense; breadth; abundance; fullness. (a) Of extent of capacity or intellectual powers. "Amplitude of mind." Milton. "Amplitude of comprehension." Macaulay. (b) Of extent of means or resources. "Amplitude of reward." Bacon.

3. (Astron.) (a) The arc of the horizon between the true east or west point and the center of the sun, or a star, at its rising or setting. At the rising, the amplitude is eastern or ortive: at the setting, it is western, occiduous, or occasive. It is also northern or southern, when north or south of the equator. (b) The arc of the horizon between the true east or west point and the foot of the vertical circle passing through any star or object.

4. (Gun.)

Defn: The horizontal line which measures the distance to which a projectile is thrown; the range.

5. (Physics)

Defn: The extent of a movement measured from the starting point or position of equilibrium; -- applied especially to vibratory movements.

6. (math.)

Defn: An angle upon which the value of some function depends; -- a term used more especially in connection with elliptic functions. Magnetic amplitude, the angular distance of a heavenly body, when on the horizon, from the magnetic east or west point as indicated by the compass. The difference between the magnetic and the true or astronomical amplitude (see 3 above) is the "variation of the compass."

AMPLY Am"ply, adv.

Defn: In an ample manner.

AMPUL Am"pul, n. Etym: [AS. ampella, ampolla, L. ampulla: cf. OF. ampolle, F. ampoule.]

Defn: Same as Ampulla, 2.

AMPULLA Am*pul"la, n.; pl. Ampullæ. Etym: [L. ]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A narrow-necked vessel having two handles and bellying out like a jug.

2. (Eccl.) (a) A cruet for the wine and water at Mass. (b) The vase in which the holy oil for chrism, unction, or coronation is kept. Shipley.

3. (Biol.)

Defn: Any membranous bag shaped like a leathern bottle, as the dilated end of a vessel or duct; especially the dilations of the semicircular canals of the ear.

AMPULLACEOUS Am`pul*la"ceous, a. Etym: [L. ampullaceus, fr. ampulla.]

Defn: Like a bottle or inflated bladder; bottle-shaped; swelling. Kirby. Ampullaceous sac (Zoöl.), one of the peculiar cavities in the tissues of sponges, containing the zooidal cells.

AMPULLAR; AMPULLARY Am"pul*lar, Am`pul*la*ry, a.

Defn: Resembling an ampulla.

AMPULLATE; AMPULLATED Am"pul*late, Am"pul*la`ted a.

Defn: Having an ampulla; flask-shaped; bellied.

AMPULLIFORM Am*pul"li*form, a. Etym: [Ampulla + -form.]

Defn: Flask-shaped; dilated.

AMPUTATE Am"pu*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amputated; p. pr. & vb. n. Amputating.] Etym: [L. amputatus, p. p. of amputare: amb- + putare to prune, putus clean, akin to E. pure. See Putative.]

1. To prune or lop off, as branches or tendrils.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: To cut off (a limb or projecting part (of the body). Wiseman.

AMPUTATION Am`pu*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. amputatio: cf. F. amputation.]

Defn: The act amputating; esp. the operation of cutting of a limb or projecting part of the body.

AMPUTATOR Am"pu*ta"tor, n.

Defn: One who amputates.

AMPYX Am"pyx, n. Etym: [Gr. (Greek Antiq.)

Defn: A woman's headband (sometimes of metal), for binding the front hair.

AMRITA Am*ri"ta, n. Etym: [Skr. amrita.] (Hind. Myth.)

Defn: Immorality; also, the nectar conferring immortality. -- a. Ambrosial; immortal.

AMSEL; AMZEL Am"sel, Am"zel, n. Etym: [Ger. See Ousel.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European ring ousel (Turdus torquatus).

AMT Amt, n.; pl. Amter (#), E. Amts (#). [Dan. & Norw., fr. G.]

Defn: An administrative territorial division in Denmark and Norway.