Chapter CXCVIII: Foreword: Fore"word`, n (19)

GRANNAM Gran"nam, n.

Defn: A grandam. [Colloq.]

GRANNY Gran"ny, n.

Defn: A grandmother; a grandam; familiarly, an old woman. Granny's bend, or Granny's knot (Naut.), a kind of insecure knot or hitch; a reef knot crossed the wrong way.

GRANOLITHIC Gran`o*lith"ic, n. Etym: [L. granum a grain (or E. granite) + -lith + -ic.]

Defn: A kind of hard artificial stone, used for pavements.

GRANT Grant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Granted; p. pr. & vb. n. Granting.] Etym: [OE. graunten, granten, OF. graanter, craanter, creanter, to promise, yield, LL. creantare to promise, assure, for (assumed LL.) credentare to make believe, fr. L. credens, p. pr. of credere to believe. See Creed, Credit.]

1. To give over; to make conveyance of; to give the possession or title of; to convey; -- usually in answer to petition. Grant me the place of this threshing floor. 1 Chrcn. xxi. 22.

2. To bestow or confer, with or without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request; to give. Wherefore did God grant me my request. Milton.

3. To admit as true what is not yet satisfactorily proved; to yield belief to; to allow; to yield; to concede. Grant that the Fates have firmed by their decree. Dryden.

Syn.-- To give; confer; bestow; convey; transfer; admit; allow; concede. See Give.

GRANT Grant, v. i.

Defn: To assent; to consent. [Obs.] Chaucer.

GRANT Grant, n. Etym: [OE. grant, graunt, OF. graant, creant, promise, assurance. See Grant, v. t.]

1. The act of granting; a bestowing or conferring; concession; allowance; permission.

2. The yielding or admission of something in dispute.

3. The thing or property granted; a gift; a boon.

4. (Law)

Defn: A transfer of property by deed or writing; especially, au appropriation or conveyance made by the government; as, a grant of land or of money; also, the deed or writing by which the transfer is made.

Note: Formerly, in English law, the term was specifically applied to transfrrs of incorporeal hereditaments, expectant estates, and letters patent from government and such is its present application in some of the United States. But now, in England the usual mode of transferring realty is by grant; and so, in some of the United States, the term grant is applied to conveyances of every kind of real property. Bouvier. Burrill.

GRANTABLE Grant"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being granted.

GRANTEE Gran*tee", n. (Law)

Defn: The person to whom a grant or conveyance is made. His grace will not survive the poor grantee he despises. Burke.

GRANTER Grant"er, n.

Defn: One who grants.

GRANTOR Grant"or, n. (Law)

Defn: The person by whom a grant or conveyance is made.

GRANULAR Gran"u*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. granulaire. See Granule.]

Defn: Consisting of, or resembling, grains; as, a granular substance. Granular limestone, crystalline limestone, or marble, having a granular structure.

GRANULARLY Gran"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a granular form.

GRANULARY Gran"u*la*ry, a.

Defn: Granular.

GRANULATE Gran"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Granulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Granulating.] Etym: [See Granule.]

1. To form into grains or small masses; as, to granulate powder, sugar, or metal.

2. To raise in granules or small asperities; to make rough on the surface.

GRANULATE Gran"u*late, v. i.

Defn: To collect or be formed into grains; as, cane juice granulates into sugar.

GRANULATE; GRANULATED Gran"u*late, Gran"u*la`ted, a.

1. Consisting of, or resembling, grains; crystallized in grains; granular; as, granulated sugar.

2. Having numerous small elevations, as shagreen. Granulated steel, a variety of steel made by a particular process beginning with the granulation of pig iron.

GRANULATION Gran`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. granulation.]

1. The act or process of forming or crystallizing into grains; as, the granulation of powder and sugar.

2. The state of being granulated.

3. (Med.) (a) One of the small, red, grainlike prominences which form on a raw surface (that of wounds or ulcers), and are the efficient agents in the process of healing. (b) The act or process of the formation of such prominences.

GRANULE Gran"ule, n. Etym: [L. granulum, dim. of granum grain: cf. F. granule. See Grain a kernel.]

Defn: A little grain a small particle; a pellet.

GRANULIFEROUS Gran`u*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Granule + -ferous.]

Defn: Full of granulations.

GRANULIFORM Gra*nu"li*form, a. Etym: [Granule + -form.] (Min.)

Defn: Having a granular structure; granular; as, granuliform limestone.

GRANULITE Gran"u*lite, n. Etym: [From Granule.] (Geol.)

Defn: A whitish, granular rock, consisting of feldspar and quartz intimately mixed; -- sometimes called whitestone, and leptynite.

GRANULOSE Gran"u*lose`, n. Etym: [From Granule.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: The main constituent of the starch grain or granule, in distinction from the framework of cellulose. Unlike cellulose, it is colored blue by iodine, and is converted into dextrin and sugar by boiling acids and amylolytic ferments.

GRANULOUS Gran"u*lous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. granuleux.]

Defn: Full of grains; abounding with granular substances; granular.

GRAPE Grape, n. Etym: [OF. grape, crape, bunch or cluster of grapes, F. grappe, akin to F. grappin grapnel, hook; fr. OHG. chrapfo hook, G. krapfen, akin to E. cramp. The sense seems to have come from the idea of clutching. Cf. Agraffe, Cramp, Grapnel, Grapple.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A well-known edible berry growing in pendent clusters or bunches on the grapevine. The berries are smooth-skinned, have a juicy pulp, and are cultivated in great quantities for table use and for making wine and raisins.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The plant which bears this fruit; the grapevine.

3. (Man.)

Defn: A mangy tumor on the leg of a horse.

4. (Mil.)

Defn: Grapeshot. Grape borer. (Zoöl.) See Vine borer. -- Grape curculio (Zoöl.), a minute black weevil (Craponius inæqualis) which in the larval state eats the interior of grapes. -- Grape flower, or Grape hyacinth (Bot.), a liliaceous plant (Muscari racemosum) with small blue globular flowers in a dense raceme. -- Grape fungus (Bot.), a fungus (Oidium Tuckeri) on grapevines; vine mildew. -- Grape hopper (Zoöl.), a Small yellow and red hemipterous insect, often very injurious to the leaves of the grapevine. -- Grape moth (Zoöl.), a small moth (Eudemis botrana), which in the larval state eats the interior of grapes, and often binds them together with silk. -- Grape of a cannon, the cascabel or knob at the breech. -- Grape sugar. See Glucose. -- Grape worm (Zoöl.), the larva of the grape moth. -- Soar grapes, things which persons affect to despise because they can not possess them; -- in allusion to

GRAPE FRUIT Grape" fruit`.

Defn: The shaddock.

GRAPELESS Grape"less, a.

Defn: Wanting grapes or the flavor of grapes.

GRAPERY Grap"er*y, n.

Defn: A building or inclosure used for the cultivation of grapes.

GRAPESHOT Grape"shot`, n. (Mil.)

Defn: A cluster, usually nine in number, of small iron balls, put together by means of cast-iron circular plates at top and bottom, with two rings, and a central connecting rod, in order to be used as a charge for a cannon. Formerly grapeshot were inclosed in canvas bags.

GRAPESTONE Grape"stone`, n.

Defn: A seed of the grape.

GRAPEVINE Grape"vine`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A vine or climbing shrub, of the genus Vitis, having small green flowers and lobed leaves, and bearing the fruit called grapes.

Note: The common grapevine of the Old World is Vitis vinifera, and is a native of Central Asia. Another variety is that yielding small seedless grapes commonly called Zante currants. The northern Fox grape of the United States is the V. Labrusca, from which, by cultivation, has come the Isabella variety. The southern Fox grape, or Muscadine, is the V. vulpina. The Frost grape is V. cordifolia, which has very fragrant flowers, and ripens after the early frosts.

-GRAPH -graph ( Etym: [From Gr. gra`fein to write. See Graphic.]

Defn: A suffix signifying something written, a writing; also, a writer; as autograph, crystograph, telegraph, photograph.

GRAPHIC; GRAPHICAL Graph"ic, Graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. graphicus, Gr. graphique. See Graft.]

1. Of or pertaining to the arts of painting and drawing.

2. Of or pertaining to the art of writing.

3. Written or engraved; formed of letters or lines. The finger of God hath left an inscription upon all his works, not graphical, or composed of letters. Sir T. Browne.

4. Well delineated; clearly and vividly described.

5. Having the faculty of, or characterized by, clear and impressive description; vivid; as, a gruphic writer. Graphic algebra, a branch of algebra in which, the properties of equations are treated by the use of curves and straight lines. -- Graphic arts, a name given to those fine arts which pertain to the representation on a fiat surface of natural objects; as distinguished from music, etc., and also from sculpture. -- Graphic formula. (Chem.) See under Formula. -- Graphic granite. See under Granite. -- Graphic method, the method of scientific analysis or investigation, in which the relations or laws involved in tabular numbers are represented to the eye by means of curves or other figures; as the daily changes of weather by means of curves, the abscissas of which represent the hours of the day, and the ordinates the corresponding degrees of temperature. -- Graphical statics (Math.), a branch of statics, in which the magnitude, direction, and position of forces are represented by straight lines -- Graphic tellurium. See Sylvanite.

GRAPHICALLY Graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a graphic manner; vividly.

GRAPHICNESS; GRAPHICALNESS Graph"ic*ness, Graph"ic*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being graphic.

GRAPHICS Graph"ics, n.

Defn: The art or the science of drawing; esp. of drawing according to mathematical rules, as in perspective, projection, and the like.

GRAPHISCOPE Graph"i*scope, n.

Defn: See Graphoscope.

GRAPHITE Graph"ite, n. Etym: [Gr. graphite. See Graphic.] (Min.)

Defn: Native carbon in hexagonal crystals, also foliated or granular massive, of black color and metallic luster, and so soft as to leave a trace on paper. It is used for pencils (improperly called lead pencils), for crucibles, and as a lubricator, etc. Often called plumbago or black lead. Graphite battery (Elec.), a voltaic battery consisting of zinc and carbon in sulphuric acid, or other exciting liquid.

GRAPHITIC Gra*phit"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, containing, derived from, or resembling, graphite. Graphitic acid (Chem.), an organic acid, so called because obtained by the oxidation of graphite; -- usually called mellitic acid. -- Graphitic carbon, in iron or steel, that portion of the carbon which is present as graphite. Raymond.

GRAPHITOID; GRAPHITOIDAL Graph"i*toid, Graph"i*toid"al, a.

Defn: Resembling graphite or plumbago.

GRAPHOLITE Graph"o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite: cf. F. grapholithe.]

Defn: Any species of slate suitable to be written on.

GRAPHOLOGY Gra*phol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. graphologie.]

Defn: The art of judging of a person's character, disposition, and aptitude from his handwriting.

GRAPHOPHONE Graph"o*phone, n. [Gr. to write + -phone, as in telephone.]

Defn: A kind of photograph.

GRAPHOSCOPE Graph"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope.]

Defn: An optical instrument for magnifying engravings, photographs, etc., usually having one large lens and two smaller ones.

GRAPHOTYPE Graph"o*type, n. Etym: [Gr. -type.] (Engraving)

Defn: A process for producing a design upon a surface in relief so that it can be printed from. Prepared chalk or oxide of zinc is pressed upon a smooth plate by a hydraulic press, and the design is drawn upon this in a peculiar ink which hardens the surface wherever it is applied. The surface is then carefully rubbed or brushed, leaving the lines in relief.

-GRAPHY -gra*phy. Etym: [Gr. Graphic.]

Defn: A suffix denoting the art of writing or describing; also, the writing or description itself; a treatise; as, calligraphy, biography, geography.

GRAPNEL Grap"nel, n. Etym: [OE. grapenel, dim. fr. F. grappin the grapple of a ship; of German origin. See Grape.] (Naut.)

Defn: A small anchor, with four or five flukes or claws, used to hold boats or small vessels; hence, any instrument designed to grapple or hold; a grappling iron; a grab; -- written also grapline, and crapnel.

GRAPPLE Grap"ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grappled; p. pr. & vb. n. Grappling.] Etym: [F. grappiller, OF. graypil the grapple of a ship, fr. graper to pluck, prop., to seize, clutch; of German origin. See Grape.]

1. To seize; to lay fast hold of; to attack at close quarters: as, to grapple an antagonist.

2. To fasten, as with a grapple; to fix; to join indissolubly. The gallies were grappled to the Centurion. Hakluyt. Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel. Shak.

GRAPPLE Grap"ple, v. i.

Defn: To use a grapple; to contend in close fight; to attach one's self as if by a grapple, as in wrestling; to close; to seize one another. To grapple with, to enter into contest with, resolutely and courageously. And in my standard bear the arms of York, To grapple with the house of Lancaster. Shak.

GRAPPLE Grap"ple, n. Etym: [See Grapple, v. t., and cf. Crapple.]

1. A seizing or seizure; close hug in contest; the wrestler's hold. Milton.

2. (a) An instrument, usually with hinged claws, for seizing and holding fast to an object; a grab. (b) (Naut.)

Defn: A grappling iron. The iron hooks and grapples keen. Spenser. Grapple plant (Bot.), a South African herb (Herpagophytum leptocarpum) having the woody fruits armed with long hooked or barbed thorns by which they adhere to cattle, causing intense annoyance. -- Grapple shot (Life-saving Service), a projectile, to which are attached hinged claws to catch in a ship's rigging or to hold in the ground; -- called also anchor shot.

GRAPPLEMENT Grapple*ment, n.

Defn: A grappling; close fight or embrace. [Obs.] Spenser.

GRAPPLING Grap"pling, n.

1. A laying fast ho1d of; also, that by which anything is seized and held, a grapnel.

2. A grapple; a struggle. A match for yards in fight, in grappling for the bear. Dryden. Grappling iron, a hooked iron used for grappling and holding fast a vessel or other object. -- Grappling tongs, broad-mouthed tongs for gathering oysters.

GRAPSOID Grap"soid, a. Etym: [NL. Grapsus + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the genus Grapsus or the family Grapsidæ. -- n.

Defn: A grapsoid crab.

GRAPTOLITE Grap"to*lite, n. Etym: [NL, Graptolithus, from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of numerous species of slender and delicate fossils, of the genus Graptolites and allied genera, found in the Silurian rocks. They belong to an extinct group (Graptolithina) supposed to be hydroids.

GRAPTOLITIC Grap"to*lit`ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to graptolites; containing graptolites; as, a graptolitic slate.

GRAPY Grap"y, a.

Defn: Composed of, or resembling, grapes. The grapy clusters. Addison.

GRASP Grasp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grasper; p. pr. & vb. n. Qraspine.] Etym: [OE. graspen; prob. akin to LG. grupsen, or to E. grope. Cf. Grab, Grope.]

1. To seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch to take possession of. Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff. Shak.

2. To lay hold of with the mind; to become thoroughly acquainted or conversant with; to comprehend.

GRASP Grasp, v. i.

Defn: To effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to struggle; to strive. As one that grasped And tugged for life and was by strength subdued. Shak. To grasp at, to catch at; to try to seize; as, Alexander grasped at universal empire,

GRASP Grasp, n.

1. A gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or infolding in the arms. "The grasps of love." Shak.

2. Reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; as, it was beyond his grasp.

3. Forcible possession; hold. The whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp. Shak.

4. Wide-reaching power of intellect to comprehend subjects and hold them under survey. The foremost minds of the next . . . era were not, in power of grasp, equal to their predecessors. Z. Taylor.

5. The handle of a sword or of an oar.

GRASPABLE Grasp"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being grasped.

GRASPER Grasp"er, n.

Defn: One who grasps or seizes; one who catches or holds.

GRASPING Grasp"ing, a.

1. Seizing; embracing; catching.

2. Avaricious; greedy of gain; covetous; close; miserly; as, he is a grasping man. -- Grasp"ing*ly, adv. -- Grasp"ing*ness, n.

GRASPLESS Grasp"less, a.

Defn: Without a grasp; relaxed. From my graspless hand Drop friendship's precious pearls. Coleridge.

GRASS Grass, n. Etym: [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, qr, g; akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras, Dan. gr, Sw. gr, and prob. to Z. grcen, grow. Cf. Graze.]

1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the food of cattle and other beasts; pasture.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: An endogenous plant having simple leaves, a stem generally jointed and tubular, the husks or glumes in pairs, and the seed single.

Note: This definition includes wheat, rye, oats, barley, etc., and excludes clover and some other plants which are commonly called by the name of grass. The grasses form a numerous family of plants.

3. The season of fresh grass; spring. [Colloq.] Two years old next grass. Lathsm.

4. Metaphorically used for what is transitory. Surely the people is grass. Is. xl. 7.

Note: The following list includes most of the grasses of the United States of special interest, except cereals. Many of these terms will be found with definitions in the Vocabulary. See Illustrations in Appendix. Barnyard grass, for hay. South. Panicum Grus-galli. Bent, pasture and hay. Agrostis, several species. Bermuda grass, pasture. South. Cynodon Dactylon. Black bent. Same as Switch grass (below). Blue bent, hay. North and West. Andropogon provincialis. Blue grass, pasture. Poa compressa. Blue joint, hay. Northwest. Aqropyrum glaucum. Buffalo grass, grazing. Rocky Mts., etc. (a) Buchloë dectyloides. (b) Same as Grama grass (below). Bunch grass, grazing. Far West. Eriocoma, Festuca, Stips, etc. Chess, or Cheat, a weed. Bromus secalinus, etc. Couch grass. Same as Quick grass (below). Crab grass, (a) Hay, in South. A weed, in North. Panicum sanguinale. (b) Pasture and hay. South. Eleusine Indica. Darnel (a) Bearded, a noxious weed. Lolium temulentum. (b) Common. Same as Rye grass (below). Drop seed, fair for forage and hay. Muhlenbergia, several species. English grass. Same as Redtop (below). Fowl meadow grass. (a) Pasture and hay. Poa serotina. (b) Hay, on moist land. Gryceria nervata. Gama grass, cut fodder. South. Tripsacum dactyloides. Grama grass, grazing. West and Pacific slope. Bouteloua oligostachya, etc. Great bunch grass, pasture and hay. Far West. Festuca scabrella. Guinea grass, hay. South. Panicum jumentorum. Herd's grass, in New England Timothy, in Pennsylvania and South Redtop. Indian grass. Same as Wood grass (below). Italian rye grass, forage and hay. Lolium Italicum. Johnson grass, grazing aud hay. South and Southwest. Sorghum Halepense. Kentucky blue grass, pasture. Poa pratensis. Lyme grass, coarse hay. South. Elymus, several species. Manna grass, pasture and hay. Glyceria, several species. Meadow fescue, pasture and hay. Festuca elatior. Meadow foxtail, pasture, hay, lawn. North. Alopecurus pratensis. Meadow grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Poa, several species. Mesquite, or Muskit grass. Same as Grama grass (above). Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed. Muhlenbergia diffsa. Orchard grass, pasture and hay. Dactylis glomerata. Porcupine grass, troublesome to sheep. Northwest. Stipa spartea. Quaking grass, ornamental. Briza media and maxima. Quitch, or Quick, grass, etc., a weed. Agropyrum repens. Ray grass. Same as Rye grass (below). Redtop, pasture and hay. Agrostis vulgaris. Red-topped buffalo grass, forage. Northwest. Poa tenuifolia. Reed canary grass, of slight value. Phalaris arundinacea. Reed meadow grass, hay. North. Glyceria aquatica. Ribbon grass, a striped leaved form of Reed canary grass. Rye grass, pasture, hay. Lolium perenne, var. Seneca grass, fragrant basket work, etc. North. Hierochloa borealis. Sesame grass. Same as Gama grass (above). Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native in Northern Europe and Asia. Festuca ovina. Small reed grass, meadow pasture and hay. North. Deyeuxia Canadensis. Spear grass, Same as Meadow grass (above). Squirrel-tail grass, troublesome to animals. Seacoast and Northwest. Hordeum jubatum. Switch grass, hay, cut young. Panicum virgatum. Timothy, cut young, the best of hay. North. Phleum pratense. Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. Holcus lanatus. Vernal grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Anthoxanthum odoratum. Wire grass, valuable in pastures. Poa compressa. Wood grass, Indian grass, hay. Chrysopogon nutans.

Note: Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not true grasses botanically considered, such as black grass, goose grass, star grass, etc. Black grass, a kind of small rush (Juncus Gerardi), growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay. -- Grass of the Andes, an oat grass, the Arrhenatherum avenaceum of Europe.-- Grass of Parnassus, a plant of the genus Parnassia growing in wet ground. The European species is P. palustris; in the United States there are several species. -- Grass bass (Zoöl.), the calico bass. -- Grass bird, the dunlin. -- Grass cloth, a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the grass- cloth plant. -- Grass-cloth plant, a perennial herb of the Nettle family (Boehmeria nivea or Urtica nivea), which grows in Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and strong fibers suited for textile purposes. -- Grass finch. (Zoöl.) (a) A common American sparrow (Poöcætes gramineus); -- called also vesper sparrow and bay-winged bunting. (b) Any Australian finch, of the genus Poëphila, of which several species are known. -- Grass lamb, a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land and giving rich milk.-- Grass land, land kept in grass and not tilled. -- Grass moth (Zoöl.), one of many small moths of the genus Crambus, found in grass. -- Grass oil, a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in India from grasses of the genus Andropogon, etc.; -- used in perfumery under the name of citronella, ginger grass oil, lemon grass oil, essence of verbena etc. -- Grass owl (Zoöl.), a South African owl (Strix Capensis). -- Grass parrakeet (Zoöl.), any of several species of Australian parrots, of the genus Euphemia; -- also applied to the zebra parrakeet. -- Grass plover (Zoöl.), the upland or field plover. -- Grass poly (Bot.), a species of willowwort (Lythrum Hyssopifolia). Johnson. -- Crass quit (Zoöl.), one of several tropical American finches of the genus Euetheia. The males have most of the head and chest black and often marked with yellow.-- Grass snake. (Zoöl.) (a) The common English, or ringed, snake (Tropidonotus natrix). (b) The common green snake of the Northern United States. See Green snake, under Green. -- Grass snipe (Zoöl.), the pectoral sandpiper (Tringa maculata) -- called also jacksnipe in America. -- Grass spider (Zoöl.), a common spider (Agelena nævia), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous when covered with dew. -- Grass sponge (Zoöl.), an inferior kind of commercial sponge from Florida and the Bahamas. -- Grass table. (Arch.) See Earth table, under Earth. -- Grass vetch (Bot.), a vetch (Lathyrus Nissolia), with narrow grasslike leaves. -- Grass widow. Etym: [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G. strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gräsenka a grass widow.] (a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.] (b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her husband. [Slang.] -- Grass wrack (Bot.) eelgrass. -- To bring to grass (Mining.), to raise, as ore, to the surface of the ground. -- To put to grass, To put out to grass, to put out to graze a season, as cattle.

GRASS Grass, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grassed; p. pr. & vb. n. Grassing.]

1. To cover with grass or with turf.

2. To expose, as flax, on the grass for bleaching, etc.

3. To bring to the grass or ground; to land; as, to grass a fish. [Colloq.]

GRASS Grass, v. i.

Defn: To produce grass. [R.] Tusser.

GRASSATION Gras*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. grassatio, from grassari to go about.]

Defn: A wandering about with evil intentions; a rioting. [Obs. & R.] Feltham.

GRASS-GREEN Grass"-green`, a.

1. Green with grass.

2. Of the color of grass; clear and vivid green.

GRASS-GROWN Grass"-grown`, a.

Defn: Overgrown with grass; as, a grass-grown road.

GRASSHOPPER Grass"hop`per, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any jumping, orthopterous insect, of the families Acrididæ and Locustidæ. The species and genera are very numerous. The former family includes the Western grasshopper or locust (Caloptenus spretus), noted for the great extent of its ravages in the region beyond the Mississippi. In the Eastern United States the red-legged (Caloptenus femurrubrum and C. atlanis) are closely related species, but their ravages are less important. They are closely related to the migratory locusts of the Old World. See Locust.

Note: The meadow or green grasshoppers belong to the Locustidæ. They have long antennæ, large ovipositors, and stridulating organs at the base of the wings in the male. The European great green grasshopper (Locusta viridissima) belongs to this family. The common American green species mostly belong to Xiphidium, Orchelimum, and Conocephalus.

2. In ordinary square or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key; -- called also the hopper. Grove. Grasshopper engine, a steam engine having a working beam with its fulcrum at one end, the steam cylinder at the other end, and the connecting rod at an intermediate point. -- Grasshopper lobster (Zoöl.) a young lobster. [Local, U. S.] -- Grasshopper warbler (Zoöl.), cricket bird.

GRASSINESS Grass"i*ness, n. Etym: [From Grassy.]

Defn: The state of abounding with grass; a grassy state.

GRASSLESS Grass"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of grass.

GRASSPLOT Grass"plot`, n.

Defn: A plot or space covered with grass; a lawn. "Here on this grassplot." Shak.

GRASS TREE Grass" tree". (Bot.) (a) An Australian plant of the genus Xanthorrhoea, having a thick trunk crowned with a dense tuft of pendulous, grasslike leaves, from the center of which arises a long stem, bearing at its summit a dense flower spike looking somewhat like a large cat-tail. These plants are often called "blackboys" from the large trunks denuded and blackened by fire. They yield two kinds of fragrant resin, called Botany-bay gum, and Gum Acaroides. (b) A similar Australian plant (Kingia australis).

GRASSY Grass"y a.

1. Covered with grass; abounding with grass; as, a grassy lawn. Spenser.

2. Resembling grass; green.

GRATE Grate, a. Etym: [L. gratus agreeable, grateful: cf. It. & Sp. grato. See Grace, and cf. Agree.]

Defn: Serving to gratify; agreeable. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.

GRATE Grate, n. Etym: [LL.. grata, fr. L. crates hurdle; or It. grata, of the same origin. Sae Crate, Hurdle.]

1. A structure or frame containing parallel or crosed bars, with interstices; a kind of latticework, such as is used ia the windows of prisons and cloisters. "A secret grate of iron bars." Shak.

2. A frame or bed, or kind of basket, of iron bars, for holding fuel while burning. Grate surface (Steam, Boiler) the area of the surface of the grate upon which the fuel lies in the furnace.

GRATE Grate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grated; p. pr. &. vb. n. Grating.]

Defn: To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars; as, to grate a window.

GRATE Grate, v. t. Etym: [OF grater to scrape, scratch, F. gratter, LL. gratare, cratare; of German origin; cf. OHG. chrazzon G. kratzen, D. krassen, Sw. Kratta, and perh. E. scratch.]

1. To rub roughly or harshly, as one body against another, causing a harsh sound; as, to grate the teeth; to produce (a harsh sound) by rubbing. On their hinges grate Harsh thunder. Milton.

2. To reduce to small particles by rubbing with anything rough or indented; as, to grate a nutmeg.

3. To fret; to irritate; to offend. News, my good lord Rome . . . grates me. Shak.

GRATE Grate, v. i.

1. To make a harsh sound by friction. I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned, Or a dry wheel grate on the exletree. Shak.

2. To produce the effect of rubbing with a hard rough material; to cause wearing, tearing, or bruising. Hence; To produce exasperation, soreness, or grief; to offend by oppression or importunity. This grated harder upon the hearts of men. South.

GRATED Grat"ed, a. Etym: [From 2d Grate.]

Defn: Furnished with a grate or grating; as, grated windows.

GRATEFUL Grate"ful, a. Etym: [Grate, a. + full; cf. F. gré thanks, good will, fr. L. gratum, neut. of gratus agreeable, grateful. See Grate, a.]

1. Having a due sense of benefits received; kindly disposed toward one from whom a favor has been received; willing to acknowledge and repay, or give thanks for, benefits; as, a grateful heart. A grateful mind By owing, owes not, but still pays. Milton.

2. Affording pleasure; pleasing to the senses; gratifying; delicious; as, a grateful present; food grateful to the palate; grateful sleep. Now golden fruits on loaded branches shine, And grateful clusters swell. Pope.

Syn. -- Thankful; pleasing; acceptable; gratifying; agreeable; welcome; delightful; delicious. -- Grate"ful*ly, adv. -- Grate"ful*ness, n.

GRATER Grat"er, a. Etym: [From Qrate, v.]

Defn: One who, or that which, grates; especially, an instrument or utensil with a rough, indented surface, for rubbing off small particles of any substance; as a grater for nutmegs.

GRATICULATION Gra*tic"u*la"tion, n. Etym: [F. graticulation, craticulation, fr. graticuler, craticuler, to square, fr. graticule, craticule, graticule, L. craticula, dim. of crates wickerwork. See 2d Grate.]

Defn: The division of a design or draught into squares, in order the more easily to reproduce it in larger or smaller dimensions.

GRATICULE Grat"i*cule, n. Etym: [F. See Graticulation.]

Defn: A design or draught which has been divided into squares, in order to reproduce it in other dimensions.

GRATIFICATION Grat"i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. gratificatio: cf. F. gratification.]

1. The act of gratifying, or pleasing, either the mind, the taste, or the appetite; as, the gratification of the palate, of the appetites, of the senses, of the desires, of the heart.

2. That which affords pleasure; satisfaction; enjoyment; fruition: delight.

3. A reward; a recompense; a gratuity. Bp. Morton.

GRATIFIED Grat"i*fied, a.

Defn: Pleased; indulged according to desire.

Syn. -- Glad; pleased. See Glad.

GRATIFIER Grat"i*fi"er, n.

Defn: One who gratifies or pleases.

GRATIFY Grat"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gratified; p. pr. & vb. n. Gratifying.] Etym: [F. gratifier, L. gratificari; gratus pleasing + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]

1. To please; to give pleasure to; to satisfy; to soothe; to indulge; as, to gratify the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, etc. For who would die to gratify a foe Dryden.

2. To requite; to recompense. [Obs.] It remains . . . To gratify his noble service. Shak.

Syn. -- To indulge; humor please; delight; requite; recompense. -- To Gratify, Indulge, Humor. Gratify, is the generic term, and has reference simply to the pleasure communicated. To indulge a person implies that we concede something to his wishes or his weaknesses which he could not claim, and which had better, perhaps, be spared. To humor is to adapt ourselves to the varying moods, and, perhaps, caprices, of others. We gratify a child by showing him the sights of a large city; we indulge him in some extra expense on such an occasion; we humor him when he is tired and exacting.

GRATIN Gra`tin", n. [F.] (Cookery)

Defn: The brown crust formed upon a gratinated dish; also, dish itself, as crusts bread, game, or poultry.

GRATINATE Grat"i*nate, v. t. [F. gratiner, v.i., to form a crust.] (Cookery)

Defn: To cook, as macaroni, in a savory juice or sauce until juice is absorbed and a crisp surface forms.

GRATING Grat"ing, n. Etym: [See 2d Grate.]

1. A partition, covering, or frame of parallel or cross bars; a latticework resembling a window grate; as, the grating of a prison or convent.

2. (Optics) A system of close equidistant and parallel lines lines or bars, especially lines ruled on a polished surface, used for producing spectra by diffraction; -- called also diffraction grating.

3. pl. (Naut.) The strong wooden lattice used to cover a hatch, admitting light and air; also, a movable Lattice used for the flooring of boats.

GRATING Grat"ing, a. Etym: [See Grate to rub harshy.]

Defn: That grates; making a harsh sound; harsh. -- Grat"ing*ly, adv.

GRATING Grat"ing, n.

Defn: A harsh sound caused by attrition.

GRATIOLIN Gra*ti"o*lin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: One of the essential principles of the hedge hyssop (Gratiola officinalis).

GRATIS Gra"tis, adv. Etym: [L., contr. fr. gratiis out of favor or kindness, without recompense, for nothing, fr. gratia favor. See Grace.]

Defn: For nothing; without fee or recompense; freely; gratuitously.

GRATITUDE Grat"i*tude, n. Etym: [F. gratitude, LL. gratitudo, from gratus agreeable, grateful. See Grate, a.]

Defn: The state of being grateful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received; thankfulness. The debt immense of endless gratitude. Milton.

GRATUITOUS Gra*tu"i*tous a. Etym: [L. gratuitus, from gratus pleasing. See Grate, a., Gratis.]

1. Given without an equivalent or recompense; conferred without valuable consideration; granted without pay, or without claim or merit; not required by justice. We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry. L'Estrange.

2. Not called for by the circumstances; without reason, cause, or proof; adopted or asserted without any good ground; as, a gratuitous assumption. Acts of gratuitous self-humiliation. De Quincye. -- Gra*tu"i*tous*ly, adv. -- Gra*tu"i*tous*ness, n.

GRATUITY Gra*tu"i*ty, n.; pl. Gtratuities. Etym: [F. gratuité, or LL. gratuitas.]

1. Something given freely or without recompense; a free gift; a present. Swift.

2. Something voluntarily given in return for a favor or service, as a recompense or acknowledgment.

GRATULATE Grat"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grqatulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Gratulating.] Etym: [L. gratulatus, p. p. of gratulari to congratulate, fr. gratus pleasing, agreeable. See Grate, a.]

Defn: To salute with declaration of joy; to congratulate. [R.] Shak.

GRATULATE Grat"u*late, a.

Defn: Worthy of gratulation. [Obs.] There's more behind that is more gratulate. Shak.

GRATULATION Grat"u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. gratulatio.]

Defn: The act of gratulating or felicitating; congratulation. I shall turn my wishes into gratulations. South.

GRATULATORY Grat"u*la*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. gratulatorius.]

Defn: Expressing gratulation or joy; congratulatory. The usual groundwork of such gratulatory odes. Bp. Horsley.

GRAUNT Graunt, v. & n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Grant. Chaucer.

GRAUWACKE Grau"wack*e, n. Etym: [G.]

Defn: Graywacke.

GRAVAMEN Gra*va"men, n.; pl. L. Gravamina , E. Gravamens. Etym: [L., fr. gravare to load, burden, fr. gravis heavy, weighty. See Grave, a.] (Law)

Defn: The grievance complained of; the substantial cause of the action; also, in general, the ground or essence of a complaint. Bouvier.

-GRAVE -grave.

Defn: A final syllable signifying a ruler, as in landgrave, margrave. See Margrave.

GRAVE Grave, v. t.

Defn: (Naut.) To clean, as a vessel's bottom, of barnacles, grass, etc., and pay it over with pitch; -- so called because graves or greaves was formerly used for this purpose.

GRAVE Grave, a. [Compar. Graver (grav"er); superl. Gravest.] Etym: [F., fr. L. gravis heavy; cf. It. & Sp. grave heavy, grave. See Grief.]

1. Of great weight; heavy; ponderous. [Obs.] His shield grave and great. Chapman.

2. Of importance; momentous; weighty; influential; sedate; serious; - - said of character, relations, etc.; as, grave deportment, character, influence, etc. Most potent, grave, and reverend seigniors. Shak. A grave and prudent law, full of moral equity. Milton.

3. Not light or gay; solemn; sober; plain; as, a grave color; a grave face.

4. (Mus.) (a) Not acute or sharp; low; deep; -- said of sound; as, a grave note or key. The thicker the cord or string, the more grave is the note or tone. Moore (Encyc. of Music).

(b) Slow and solemn in movement. Grave accent. (Pron.) See the Note under Accent, n., 2.

Syn. -- Solemn; sober; serious; sage; staid; demure; thoughtful; sedate; weighty; momentous; important. -- Grave, Sober, Serious, Solemn. Sober supposes the absence of all exhilaration of spirits, and is opposed to gay or flighty; as, sober thought. Serious implies considerateness or reflection, and is opposed to jocose or sportive; as, serious and important concerns. Grave denotes a state of mind, appearance, etc., which results from the pressure of weighty interests, and is opposed to hilarity of feeling or vivacity of manner; as, a qrave remark; qrave attire. Solemn is applied to a case in which gravity is carried to its highest point; as, a solemn admonition; a solemn promise.

GRAVE Grave, v. t. [imp. Graved (gravd); p. p. Graven (grav"'n) or Graved; p. pr. & vb. n. Graving.] Etym: [AS. grafan to dig, grave, engrave; akin to OFries. greva, D. graven, G. graben, OHG. & Goth. graban, Dan. grabe, Sw. gräfva, Icel. grafa, but prob. not to Gr. gra`fein to write, E. graphic. Cf. Grave, n., Grove, n.]

1. To dig. [Obs.] Chaucer. He hath graven and digged up a pit. Ps. vii. 16 (Book of Common Prayer).

2. To carve or cut, as letters or figures, on some hard substance; to engrave. Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel. Ex. xxviii. 9.

3. To carve out or give shape to, by cutting with a chisel; to sculpture; as, to grave an image. With gold men may the hearte grave. Chaucer.

4. To impress deeply (on the mind); to fix indelibly. O! may they graven in thy heart remain. Prior.

5. To entomb; to bury. [Obs.] Chaucer. Lie full low, graved in the hollow ground. Shak.

GRAVE Grave, v. i.

Defn: To write or delineate on hard substances, by means of incised lines; to practice engraving.

GRAVE Grave, n. Etym: [AS. grf, fr. grafan to dig; akin to D. & OS. graf, G. grab, Icel. gröf, Russ. grob' grave, coffin. See Grave to carve.]

Defn: An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; also, any place of interment; a tomb; a sepulcher. Hence: Death; destruction. He bad lain in the grave four days. John xi. 17. Grave wax, adipocere.

GRAVECLOTHES Grave"clothes` (, n. pl.

Defn: The clothes or dress in which the dead are interred.

GRAVEDIGGER Grave"dig`ger, n.

1. A digger of graves.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Burying beetle, under Bury, v. t.

GRAVEL Grav"el, n. Etym: [OF. gravele, akin to F. grve a sandy shore, strand; of Celtic origin; cf. Armor. grouan gravel, W. gro coarse gravel, pebbles, and Skr. gravan stone.]

1. Small stones, or fragments of stone; very small pebbles, often intermixed with particles of sand.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A deposit of small calculous concretions in the kidneys and the urinary or gall bladder; also, the disease of which they are a symptom. Gravel powder, a coarse gunpowder; pebble powder.

GRAVEL Grav"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Graveled or Gravelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Graveling or Gravelling.]

1. To cover with gravel; as, to gravel a walk.

2. To run (as a ship) upon the gravel or beach; to run aground; to cause to stick fast in gravel or sand. When we were fallen into a place between two seas, they graveled the ship. Acts xxvii. 41 (Rhemish version). Willam the Conqueror . . . chanced as his arrival to be graveled; and one of his feet stuck so fast in the sand that he fell to the ground. Camden.

3. To check or stop; to embarrass; to perplex. [Colloq.] When you were graveled for lack of matter. Shak. The physician was so graveled and amazed withal, that he had not a word more to say. Sir T. North.

4. To hurt or lame (a horse) by gravel lodged between the shoe and foot.

GRAVELESS Grave"less, a.

Defn: Without a grave; unburied.

GRAVELING; GRAVELLING Grav"el*ing, or Grav"el*ling, n.

1. The act of covering with gravel.

2. A layer or coating of gravel (on a path, etc.).

GRAVELING; GRAVELLING Grav"el*ing, or Grav"el*ling, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A salmon one or two years old, before it has gone to sea.

GRAVELLINESS Grav"el*li*ness, n.

Defn: State of being gravelly.

GRAVELLY Grav"el*ly, a.

Defn: Abounding with gravel; consisting of gravel; as, a gravelly soil.

GRAVEL-STONE Grav"el-stone", n.

Defn: A pebble, or small fragment of stone; a calculus.

GRAVELY Grave"ly, adv.

Defn: In a grave manner.

GRAVEN Grav"en, p. p. of Grave, v. t.

Defn: Carved. Graven image, an idol; an object of worship carved from wood, stone, etc. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." Ex. xx. 4.

GRAVENESS Grave"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being grave. His sables and his weeds, Importing health and graveness. Shak.

GRAVENSTEIN Gra"ven*stein", n. Etym: [So called because it came from Gravenstein, a place in Schleswig. Downing.]

Defn: A kind of fall apple, marked with streaks of deep red and orange, and of excellent flavor and quality.

GRAVEOLENCE Gra*ve"o*lence, n. Etym: [L. graveolentia: cf. F. gravéolence. See Graveolent.]

Defn: A strong and offensive smell; rancidity. [R.] Bailey.

GRAVEOLENT Gra*ve"o*lent, a. Etym: [L. graveolens; gravis heavy + olere to smell.]

Defn: Having a rank smell. [R.] Boyle.

GRAVER Graver, n.

1. One who graves; an engraver or a sculptor; one whose occupation is te cut letters or figures in stone or other hard material.

2. An ergraving or cutting tool; a burin.

GRAVERY Grav"er*y, n.

Defn: The act, process, or art, of graving or carving; engraving. Either of picture or gravery and embossing. Holland.

GRAVES Graves, n. pl.

Defn: The sediment of melted tallow. Same as Greaves.

GRAVES' DISEASE Graves"' dis*ease". Etym: [So called after Dr. Graves, of Dublin.]

Defn: Same as Basedow's disease.

GRAVESTONE Grave"stone, n.

Defn: A stone laid over, or erected near, a grave, usually with an inscription, to preserve the memory of the dead; a tombstone.

GRAVEYARD Grave"yard", n.

Defn: A yard or inclosure for the interment of the dead; a cemetery.

GRAVIC Grav"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or causing, gravitation; as, gravic forces; gravic attraction. [R.]

GRAVID Grav"id, a. Etym: [L. gravidus, fr. gravis heavy, loaded. See Grave, a.]

Defn: Being with child; heavy with young; pregnant; fruitful; as, a gravid uterus; gravid piety. " His gravid associate." Sir T. Herbert.

GRAVIDATED Grav"i*da"ted, a. Etym: [L. gravidatus, p. p. of gravidare to load, impregnate. See Gravid.]

Defn: Made pregnant; big. [Obs.] Barrow.

GRAVIDATION Grav"i*da"tion, n.

Defn: Gravidity. [Obs.]

GRAVIDITY Gra*vid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. graviditas.]

Defn: The state of being gravidated; pregnancy. [R.]

GRAVIGRADE Grav"i*grade, a. Etym: [L. gravis heavy + gradus step.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Slow-paced. -- n.

Defn: One of the pachyderms.

GRAVIMETER Gra*vim"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. gravis heavy + -meter: cf. F. gravimètre.]

Defn: (Physics) An instrument for ascertaining the specific gravity of bodies.

GRAVIMETRIC Grav"i*met"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to measurement by weight; measured by weight. -- Grav"i*met"ric*al*ly, adv. Gravimetric analysis (Chem.), analysis in which the amounts of the coastituents are determined by weight; -- in distinction from volumetric analysis.

GRAVING Grav"ing, n. Etym: [From Grave to clean.]

Defn: The act of cleaning a ship's bottom. Graving dock. (Naut.) See under Dock.

GRAVING Grav"ing, n. Etym: [From Grave to dig.]

l.

Defn: The act or art of carving figures in hard substances, esp. by incision or in intaglio.

2. That which is graved or carved. [R.] Skillful to . . . grave any manner of graving. 2 Chron. ii. 14.

3. Impression, as upon the mind or heart. New gravings upon their souls. Eikon Basilike

GRAVITATE Grav"i*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gravitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Gravitating.] Etym: [Cf. F. graviter. See Gravity.]

Defn: To obey the law of gravitation; to exert a force Or pressure, or tend to move, under the influence of gravitation; to tend in any direction or toward any object. Why does this apple fall to the ground Because all bodies gravitate toward each other. Sir W. Hamilton. Politicians who naturally gravitate towards the stronger party. Macaulay.

GRAVITATION Grav"i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. gravitation. See Gravity.]

1. The act of gravitating.

2. (Pysics) That species of attraction or force by which all bodies or particles of matter in the universe tend toward each other; called also attraction of gravitation, universal gravitation, and universal gravity. See Attraction, and Weight. Law of gravitatian, that law in accordance with which gravitation acts, namely, that every two bodies or portions of matter in the universe attract each other with a force proportional directly to the quantity of matter they contain, and inversely to the squares of their distances.

GRAVITATIONAL Grav`i*tation*al, a. (Physics)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the force of gravity; as, gravitational units.

GRAVITATIVE Gravi*ta*tive, a.

Defn: Causing to gravitate; tending to a center. Coleridge.

GRAVITY Grav"i*ty, n.; pl. Gravities. Etym: [L. gravitas, fr. gravis heavy; cf. F. gravité. See Grave, a., Grief.]

1. The state of having weight; beaviness; as, the gravity of lead.

2. Sobriety of character or demeanor. "Men of gravity and learning."Shak.

3. Importance, significance, dignity, etc; hence, seriousness; enormity; as, the gravity of an offense. They derive an importance from . . . the gravity of the place where they were uttered. Burke.

4. (Physics)

Defn: The tendency of a mass of matter toward a center of attraction; esp., the tendency of a body toward the center of the earth; terrestrial gravitation.

5. (Mus.)

Defn: Lowness of tone; -- opposed to acuteness. Center of gravity See under Center. -- Gravity battery, See Battery, n., 4. -- Specific gravity, the ratio of the weight of a body to the weight of an equal volume of some other body taken as the standard or unit. This standard is usually water for solids and liquids, and air for gases. Thus, 19, the specific gravity of gold, expresses the fact that, bulk for bulk, gold is nineteen times as heavy as water.

GRAVY Gra"vy, n; pl. Gravies. Etym: [OE. greavie; prob. fr. greaves, graves, the sediment of melted tallow. See Greaves.]

1. The juice or other liquid matter that drips from flesh in cooking, made into a dressing for the food when served up.

2. Liquid dressing for meat, fish, vegetables, etc.

GRAY Gray, a. [Compar. Grayer (; superl. Grayest.] Etym: [OE. gray, grey, AS. grg, grg; akin to D. graauw OHG. gro, G. grau, Dan. graa, Dw. gr, Icel. grdr.] [Written also grey.]

1. White mixed with black, as the color of pepper and salt, or of ashes, or of hair whitened by age; sometimes, a dark mixed color; as, the soft gray eye of a dove. These gray and dun colors may be also produced by mixing whites and blacks. Sir I. Newton.

2. Gray-haired; gray-headed; of a gray color; hoary.

3. Old; mature; as, gray experience. Ames. Gray antimony (Min.), stibnite. -- Gray buck (Zoöl.), the chickara. -- Gray cobalt (Min.), smaltite. -- Gray copper (Min.), tetrahedrite. -- Gray duck (Zoöl.), the gadwall; also applied to the female mallard. -- Gray falcon (Zoöl.) the peregrine falcon. -- Gray Friar. See Franciscan, and Friar. -- Gray hen (Zoöl.), the female of the blackcock or black grouse. See Heath grouse. -- Gray mill or millet (Bot.), a name of several plants of the genus Lithospermum; gromwell. -- Gray mullet (Zoöl.) any one of the numerous species of the genus Mugil, or family Mugilidæ, found both in the Old World and America; as the European species (M. capito, and M. auratus), the American striped mullet (M. albula), and the white or silver mullet (M. Braziliensis). See Mullet. -- Gray owl (Zoöl.), the European tawny or brown owl (Syrnium aluco). The great gray owl (Ulula cinerea) inhabits arctic America. -- Gray parrot (Zoöl.), a parrot (Psittacus erithacus), very commonly domesticated, and noted for its aptness in learning to talk. -- Gray pike. (Zoöl.) See Sauger. -- Gray snapper (Zoöl.), a Florida fish; the sea lawyer. See Snapper. -- Gray snipe (Zoöl.), the dowitcher in winter plumage. -- Gray whale (Zoöl.), a rather large and swift California whale (Rhachianectes glaucus), formerly taken in large numbers in the bays; -- called also grayback, devilfish, and hardhead.

GRAY Gray, n.

1. A gray color; any mixture of white and black; also, a neutral or whitish tint.

2. An animal or thing of gray color, as a horse, a badger, or a kind of salmon. Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day. That coats thy life, my gallant gray. Sir W. Scott.

GRAYBACK Gray"back`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The California gray whale. (b) The redbreasted sandpiper or knot. (c) The dowitcher. (d) The body louse.

GRAYBEARD Gray"beard`, n.

Defn: An old man. Shak.

GRAYFLY Gray"fly`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The trumpet fly. Milton.

GRAYHOUND Gray"hound` (-hound`), n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Greyhound.

GRAYISH Gray"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat gray.

GRAYLAG Gray"lag`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The common wild gray goose (Anser anser) of Europe, believed to be the wild form of the domestic goose. See Illust. of Goose.

GRAYLING Gray"ling, n. Etym: [From Gray, a.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A European fish (Thymallus vulgaris), allied to the trout, but having a very broad dorsal fin; -- called also umber. It inhabits cold mountain streams, and is valued as a game fish. And here and there a lusty trout, And here and there a grayling. Tennyson.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American fish of the genus Thymallus, having similar habits to the above; one species (T. Ontariensis), inhabits several streams in Michigan; another (T. montanus), is found in the Yellowstone region.

GRAYNESS Gray"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being gray.

GRAYSTONE Gray"stone`, n. (Geol.)

Defn: A grayish or greenish compact rock, composed of feldspar and augite, and allied to basalt.

GRAYWACKE Gray"wacke`, n. Etym: [G. grauwacke; grau gray + wacke wacke. See Gray, and Wacke, and cf. Grauwacke.] (Geol.)

Defn: A conglomerate or grit rock, consisting of rounded pebbles sand firmly united together.

Note: This term, derved from the grauwacke of German miners, was formerly applied in geology to different grits and slates of the Silurian series; but it is now seldom used.

GRAZE Graze, v. t. Etym: [imp. & p. p. Grazed (p. pr. & vb. n. Grazing.] Etym: [OE. grasen, AS. grasian, fr. grs grass. See Grass.]

1. To feed or supply (cattle, sheep, etc.) with grass; to furnish pasture for. A field or two to graze his cows. Swift.

2. To feed on; to eat (growing herbage); to eat grass from (a pasture); to browse. The lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead. Pope.

3. To tend (cattle, etc.) while grazing. When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep. Shak.

4. To rub or touch lightly the surface of (a thing) in passing; as, the bullet grazed the wall.

GRAZE Graze, v. i.

1. To eat grass; to feed on growing herbage; as, cattle graze on the meadows.

2. To yield grass for grazing. The ground cortinueth the wet, whereby it will never graze to purpose. Bacon.

3. To touch something lightly in passing.

GRAZE Graze, n.

1. The act of grazing; the cropping of grass. [Colloq.] Turning him out for a grace on the common. T. Hughes.

2. A light touch; a slight scratch.

GRAZER Graz"er, n.

Defn: One that grazes; a creature which feeds on growing grass or herbage. The cackling goose, Close grazer, finds wherewith to ease her want. J. Philips.

GRAZIER Gra"zier, n.

Defn: One who pastures cattle, and rears them for market. The inhabitants be rather . . . graziers than plowmen. Stow.

GRAZING Graz"ing, n.

1. The act of one who, or that which, grazes.

2. A pasture; growing grass.

GRAZIOSO Gra"zi*o"so, adv. Etym: [It., adj. See Gracious.] (Mus.)

Defn: Gracefully; smoothly; elegantly.

GRE Gre, n.

Defn: See Gree, a step. [Obs.]

GRE Gre, n.

Defn: See Gree, good will. [Obs.]

GREASE Grease (gres), n. Etym: [OE. grese, grece, F. graisse; akin to gras fat, greasy, fr. LL. grassus thick, fat, gross, L. crassus. Cf. Crass.]

1. Animal fat, as tallow or lard, especially when in a soft state; oily or unctuous matter of any kind.

2. (Far.)

Defn: An inflammation of a horse's heels, suspending the ordinary greasy secretion of the part, and producing dryness and scurfiness, followed by cracks, ulceration, and fungous excrescences. Grease bush. (Bot.) Same as Grease wood (below). -- Grease moth (Zoöl.), a pyralid moth (Aglossa pinguinalis) whose larva eats greasy cloth, etc. -- Grease wood (Bot.), a scraggy, stunted, and somewhat prickly shrub (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) of the Spinach family, very abundant in alkaline valleys from the upper Missouri to California. The name is also applied to other plants of the same family, as several species of Atriplex and Obione.

GREASE Grease, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Greased (grezd or gresd); p. pr. & vb. n. Greasing.]

1. To smear, anoint, or daub, with grease or fat; to lubricate; as, to grease the wheels of a wagon.

2. To bribe; to corrupt with presents. The greased advocate that grinds the poor. Dryden.

3. To cheat or cozen; to overreach. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

4. (Ear.) To affect (a horse) with grease, the disease. To grease in the hand, to corrupt by bribes. Usher.

GREASE COCK; GREASE CUP Grease cock or cup . (Mach.)

Defn: A cock or cup containing grease, to serve as a lubricator.

GREASER Greas"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, greases; specifically, a person employed to lubricate the working parts of machinery, engines, carriages, etc.

2. A nickname sometimes applied in contempt to a Mexican of the lowest type. [Low, U. S.]

GREASILY Greas"i*ly

Defn: , adv.

1. In a greasy manner.

2. In a gross or indelicate manner. [Obs.] You talk greasily; your lips grow foul. Shak.

GREASINESS Greas"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being greasy, oiliness; unctuousness; grossness.

GREASY Greas"y, a. Etym: [Compar. Greasier (

1. Composed of, or characterized by, grease; oily; unctuous; as, a greasy dish.

2. Smeared or defiled with grease. With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers. Shak.

3. Like grease or oil; smooth; seemingly unctuous to the touch, as is mineral soapstone.

4. Fat of body; bulky. [R.] Shak.

5. Gross; indelicate; indecent. [Obs.] Marston.

6. (Far.)

Defn: Affected with the disease called grease; as, the heels of a horse. See Grease, n., 2.

GREAT Great, a. [Compar. Greater (; superl. Greatest.] Etym: [OE. gret, great, AS. gret; akin to OS. & LG. grt, D. groot, OHG. grz, G. gross. Cf. Groat the coin.]

1. Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; -- opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length.

2. Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.