Chapter CCXXI: Foreword: Fore"word`, n (42)

Defn: Any animal of the genus Hyrax, of which about four species are known. They constitute the order Hyracoidea. The best known species are the daman (H. Syriacus) of Palestine, and the klipdas (H. capensis) of South Africa. Other species are H. arboreus and H. Sylvestris, the former from Southern, and the latter from Western, Africa. See Daman.

HYRCANIAN; HYRCAN Hyr*ca"ni*an, Hyr"can, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Hyrcania, an ancient country or province of Asia, southeast of the Caspian (which was also called the Hyracanian) Sea. "The Hyrcan tiger." "Hyracanian deserts." Shak.

HYRSE Hyrse, n. Etym: [G. hirse, OHG. hirsi.] (Bot.)

Defn: Millet.

HYRST Hyrst, n.

Defn: A wood. See Hurst.

HYSON Hy"son, n. Etym: [Chin. hi-tshun, lit., first crop, or blooming spring.]

Defn: A fragrant kind of green tea. Hyson skin, the light and inferior leaves separated from the hyson by a winnowing machine. M'Culloch.

HYSSOP Hys"sop, n. Etym: [OE. hysope, ysope, OF. ysope, F. hysope, hyssope, L. hysopum, hyssopum, hyssopus, Gr. esov.]

Defn: A plant (Hyssopus officinalis). The leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm, pungent taste.

Note: The hyssop of Scripture is supposed to be a species of caper (Capparis spinosa), but probably the name was used for several different plants.

HYSTERANTHOUS Hys`ter*an"thous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the leaves expand after the flowers have opened. Henslow.

HYSTERESIS Hys`te*re"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Physics)

Defn: A lagging or retardation of the effect, when the forces acting upon a body are changed, as if from velocity or internal friction; a temporary resistance to change from a condition previously invuced, observed in magnetism, thermoelectricity, etc., on reversal of polarity.

HYSTERETIC Hys`ter*et"ic, a. (Elec.)

Defn: Of or pert. to hysteresis. -- Hysteretic constant, the hysteretic loss in ergs per cubic centimeter per cycle.

HYSTERIA Hys*te"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL.: cf. F. hystérie. See Hysteric.] (Med.)

Defn: A nervous affection, occurring almost exclusively in women, in which the emotional and reflex excitability is exaggerated, and the will power correspondingly diminished, so that the patient loses control over the emotions, becomes the victim of imaginary sensations, and often falls into paroxism or fits.

Note: The chief symptoms are convulsive, tossing movements of the limbs and head, uncontrollable crying and laughing, and a choking sensation as if a ball were lodged in the throat. The affection presents the most varied symptoms, often simulating those of the gravest diseases, but generally curable by mental treatment alone.

HYSTERIC; HYSTERICAL Hys*ter"ic, Hys*ter"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. hystericus, Gr. utter, out.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to hysteria; affected, or troubled, with hysterics; convulsive, fitful. With no hysteric weakness or feverish excitement, they preserved their peace and patience. Bancroft.

HYSTERICS Hys*ter"ics, n. pl. (Med.)

Defn: Hysteria.

HYSTEROEPILEPSY Hys`ter*o*ep"i*lep`sy, n. Etym: [Hysteria + epilepsy.] (Med.)

Defn: A disease resembling hysteria in its nature, and characterized by the occurrence of epileptiform convulsions, which can often be controlled or excited by pressure on the ovaries, and upon other definite points in the body. -- Hys`ter*o*ep`i*lep"tic, a.

HYSTEROGENIC Hys`ter*o*gen"ic, a. Etym: [Hysteria + root of Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Producing hysteria; as, the hysterogenicpressure points on the surface of the body, pressure upon which is said both to produce and arrest an attack of hysteria. De Watteville.

HYSTEROLOGY Hys`ter*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. hystérologie.] (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which the ordinary course of thought is inverted in expression, and the last put first; -- called also hysteron proteron.

HYSTERON PROTERON Hys"te*ron prot"e*ron. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet.) (a) A figure in which the natural order of sense is reversed; hysterology; as, valet atque vivit, "he is well and lives." (b) An inversion of logical order, in which the conclusion is put before the premises, or the thing proved before the evidence.

HYSTEROPHYTE Hys*ter"o*phyte, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant, like the fungus, which lives on dead or living organic matter. -- Hys`ter*oph"y*tal, a.

HYSTEROTOMY Hys`ter*ot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. hystérotomie.] (Med.)

Defn: The Cæsarean section. See under Cæsarean.

HYSTRICINE Hys"tri*cine, a. Etym: [See Hystrix.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the porcupines.

HYSTRICOMORPHOUS Hys`tri*co*mor"phous, a. Etym: [Hystrix + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like, or allied to, the porcupines; -- said of a group (Hystricomorpha) of rodents.

HYSTRIX Hys"trix, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of rodents, including the porcupine.

HYTHE Hythe, n.

Defn: A small haven. See Hithe. [Obs.]

I

1. I, the ninth letter of the English alphabet, takes its form from the Phoenician, through the Latin and the Greek. The Phoenician letter was probably of Egyptian origin. Its original value was nearly the same as that of the Italian I, or long e as in mete. Etymologically I is most closely related to e, y, j, g; as in dint, dent, beverage, L. bibere; E. kin, AS. cynn; E. thin, AS. ynne; E. dominion, donjon, dungeon. In English I has two principal vowel sounds: the long sound, as in pine, ice; and the short sound, as in pîn. It has also three other sounds: (a) That of e in term, as in thirst. (b) That of e in mete (in words of foreign origin), as in machine, pique, regime. (c) That of consonant y (in many words in which it precedes another vowel), as in bunion, million, filial, Christian, etc. It enters into several digraphs, as in fail, field, seize, feign. friend; and with o often forms a proper diphtong, as in oil, join, coin.

See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 98-106.

Note: The dot which we place over the small or lower case i dates only from the 14th century. The sounds of I and J were originally represented by the same character, and even after the introduction of the form J into English dictionaries, words containing these letters were, till a comparatively recent time, classed together.

2. In our old authors, I was often used for ay (or aye), yes, which is pronounced nearly like it.

3. As a numeral, I stands for 1, II for 2, etc.

I- I-, prefix.

Defn: See Y-.

I I, pron. [poss. My or Mine (; object. Me. pl. nom. We (; poss. Our or Ours (; object. Us.] Etym: [OE. i, ich, ic, AS. ic; akin to OS. & D. ik, OHG. ih, G. ich, Icel. ek, Dan. jeg, Sw. jag, Goth. ik, OSlav. az', Russ. ia, W. i, L. ego, Gr. aham. sq. root179. Cf. Egoism.]

Defn: The nominative case of the pronoun of the first person; the word with which a speaker or writer denotes himself.

IAMATOLOGY I*am`a*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.] (Med.)

Defn: Materia Medica; that branch of therapeutics which treats of remedies.

IAMB I"amb, n. Etym: [Cf. F. iambe. See Lambus.]

Defn: An iambus or iambic. [R.]

IAMBIC I*am"bic, a. Etym: [L. iambicus, Gr. iambique.]

1. (Pros.)

Defn: Consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented; as, an iambic foot.

2. Pertaining to, or composed of, iambics; as, an iambic verse; iambic meter. See Lambus.

IAMBIC I*am"bic, n.

1. (Pros.) (a) An iambic foot; an iambus. (b) A verse composed of iambic feet.

Note: The following couplet consists of iambic verses. Thy gen- | ius calls | thee not | to pur- | chase fame In keen | iam- | bics, but | mild an- | agram. Dryden.

2. A satirical poem (such poems having been anciently written in iambic verse); a satire; a lampoon.

IAMBICAL I*am"bic*al, a.

Defn: Iambic. [Obs. or R.]

IAMBICALLY I*am"bic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a iambic manner; after the manner of iambics.

IAMBIZE I*am"bize, v. t. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: To satirize in iambics; to lampoon. [R.]

IAMBUS I*am"bus, n.; pl. L. Iambi, E. Iambuses. Etym: [L. iambus, Gr. jacere to throw. Cf. Jet a shooting forth.] (Pros.)

Defn: A foot consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, as in âmans, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one, as invent; an iambic. See the Couplet under Iambic, n.

IANTHINA I*an"thi*na, n.; pl. L. Ianthinæ, E. Ianthinas. Etym: [NL., fr. L. ianthinus violet-blue, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any gastropod of the genus Ianthina, of which various species are found living in mid ocean; -- called also purple shell, and violet snail. [Written also janthina.]

Note: It floats at the surface by means of a raft, which it constructs by forming and uniting together air bubbles of hardened mucus. The Tyrian purple of the ancients was obtained in part from mollusks of this genus.

IATRALIPTIC I*a`tra*lip"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. iatraliptique.]

Defn: Treating diseases by anointing and friction; as, the iatraliptic method. [Written also iatroleptic.]

IATRIC; IATRICAL I*at"ric, I*at"ric*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to medicine, or to medical men.

IATROCHEMICAL I*a`tro*chem"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to iatrochemistry, or to the iatrochemists.

IATROCHEMIST I*a`tro*chem"ist, n. Etym: [Gr. chemist.]

Defn: A physician who explained or treated diseases upon chemical principles; one who practiced iatrochemistry.

IATROCHEMISTRY I*a`tro*chem"is*try, n.

Defn: Chemistry applied to, or used in, medicine; -- used especially with reference to the doctrines in the school of physicians in Flanders, in the 17th century, who held that health depends upon the proper chemical relations of the fluids of the body, and who endeavored to explain the conditions of health or disease by chemical principles.

IATROMATHEMATICAL I*a`tro*math`e*mat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to iatromathematicians or their doctrine.

IATROMATHEMATICIAN I*a`tro*math`e*ma*ti"cian, n. Etym: [Gr. mathematician.] (Hist. Med.)

Defn: One of a school of physicians in Italy, about the middle of the 17th century, who tried to apply the laws of mechanics and mathematics to the human body, and hence were eager student of anatomy; -- opposed to the iatrochemists.

IBERIAN I*be"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Iberia.

IBEX I"bex, n.; pl. E. Ibexes, L. Ibices. Etym: [L., a kind of goat, the chamois.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of several species of wild goats having very large, recurved horns, transversely ridged in front; -- called also steinbok.

Note: The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is the best known. The Spanish, or Pyrenean, ibex (C. Hispanica) has smoother and more spreading horns.

IBIDEM I*bi"dem, adv. Etym: [L.]

Defn: In the same place; -- abbreviated ibid. or ib.

IBIS I"bis, n. Etym: [L. ibis, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any bird of the genus Ibis and several allied genera, of the family Ibidæ, inhabiting both the Old World and the New. Numerous species are known. They are large, wading birds, having a long, curved beak, and feed largely on reptiles.

Note: The sacred ibis of the ancient Egyptians (Ibis Æthiopica) has the head and neck black, without feathers. The plumage of the body and wings is white, except the tertiaries, which are lengthened and form a dark purple plume. In ancient times this bird was extensively domesticated in Egypt, but it is now seldom seen so far north. The glossy ibis (Plegadis autumnalis), which is widely distributed both in the Old World and the New, has the head and neck feathered, except between the eyes and bill; the scarlet ibis (Guara rubra) and the white ibis (G. alba) inhabit the West Indies and South America, and are rarely found in the United States. The wood ibis (Tantalus loculator) of America belongs to the Stork family (Ciconidæ). See Wood ibis.

-IBLE -i*ble

Defn: . See -able.

IBSENISM Ib"sen*ism, n.

Defn: The dramatic practice or purpose characteristic of the writings of Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906), Norwegian poet and dramatist, whose best-known plays deal with conventional hypocrisies, the story in each play thus developing a definite moral problem.

-IC -ic. Etym: [L. -icus, Gr. ique.]

1. A suffix signifying, in general, relating to, or characteristic of; as, historic, hygienic, telegraphic, etc.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: A suffix, denoting that the element indicated enters into certain compounds with its highest valence, or with a valence relatively higher than in compounds where the name of the element ends in -ous; as, ferric, sulphuric. It is also used in the general sense of pertaining to; as, hydric, sodic, calcic.

ICARIAN I*ca"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. Icarius, Gr.

Defn: Soaring too high for safety, like Icarus; adventurous in flight.

ICE Ice, n. Etym: [OE. is, iis, AS. is; aksin to D. ijs, G. eis, OHG. is, Icel. iss, Sw. is, Dan. iis, and perh. to E. iron.]

1. Water or other fluid frozen or reduced to the solid state by cold; frozen water. It is a white or transparent colorless substance, crystalline, brittle, and viscoidal. Its specific gravity (0.92, that of water at 4° C. being 1.0) being less than that of water, ice floats.

Note: Water freezes at 32° F. or 0° Cent., and ice melts at the same temperature. Ice owes its cooling properties to the large amount of heat required to melt it.

2. Concreted sugar. Johnson.

3. Water, cream, custard, etc., sweetened, flavored, and artificially frozen.

4. Any substance having the appearance of ice; as, camphor ice. Anchor ice, ice which sometimes forms about stones and other objects at the bottom of running or other water, and is thus attached or anchored to the ground. -- Bay ice, ice formed in bays, fiords, etc., often in extensive fields which drift out to sea. -- Ground ice, anchor ice. -- Ice age (Geol.), the glacial epoch or period. See under Glacial. -- Ice anchor (Naut.), a grapnel for mooring a vessel to a field of ice. Kane. -- Ice blink Etym: [Dan. iisblink], a streak of whiteness of the horizon, caused by the reflection of light from ice not yet in sight. -- Ice boat. (a) A boat fitted with skates or runners, and propelled on ice by sails; an ice yacht. (b) A strong steamboat for breaking a channel through ice. -- Ice box or chest, a box for holding ice; a box in which things are kept cool by means of ice; a refrigerator. -- Ice brook, a brook or stream as cold as ice. [Poetic] Shak. -- Ice cream Etym: [for iced cream], cream, milk, or custard, sweetened, flavored, and frozen. -- Ice field, an extensive sheet of ice. -- Ice float, Ice floe, a sheet of floating ice similar to an ice field, but smaller. -- Ice foot, shore ice in Arctic regions; an ice belt. Kane. -- Ice house, a close-covered pit or building for storing ice. -- Ice machine (Physics), a machine for making ice artificially, as by the production of a low temperature through the sudden expansion of a gas or vapor, or the rapid evaporation of a volatile liquid. -- Ice master. See Ice pilot (below). -- Ice pack, an irregular mass of broken and drifting ice. -- Ice paper, a transparent film of gelatin for copying or reproducing; papier glacé. -- Ice petrel (Zoöl.), a shearwater (Puffinus gelidus) of the Antarctic seas, abundant among floating ice. -- Ice pick, a sharp instrument for breaking ice into small pieces. -- Ice pilot, a pilot who has charge of a vessel where the course is obstructed by ice, as in polar seas; -- called also ice master. -- Ice pitcher, a pitcher adapted for ice water. -- Ice plow, a large tool for grooving and cutting ice. ice sculpture = a sculpture carved from a block of ice, often used for decorating restaurants. ice show an entertainment consisting of ice skaters performing figure-skating on a sheet of ice, usually in an arena, often accompanied by music. -- Ice sludge, bay ice broken small by the wind or waves; sludge. -- Ice spar (Min.), a variety of feldspar, the crystals of which are very clear like ice; rhyacolite. -- Ice tongs, large iron nippers for handling ice. -- Ice water. (a) Water cooled by ice. (b) Water formed by the melting of ice. -- Ice yacht. See Ice boat (above). -- To break the ice. See under Break. -- Water ice, a confection consisting of water sweetened, flavored, and frozen.

ICE Ice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Iced; p. pr. & vb. n. Icing.]

1. To cover with ice; to convert into ice, or into something resembling ice.

2. To cover with icing, or frosting made of sugar and milk or white of egg; to frost, as cakes, tarts, etc.

3. To chill or cool, as with ice; to freeze.

ICEBERG Ice"berg`, n. Etym: [Prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. iisbierg, Sw. isberg, properly, a mountain of ice. See Ice, and Berg.]

Defn: A large mass of ice, generally floating in the ocean.

Note: Icebergs are large detached portions of glaciers, which in cold regions often project into the sea.

ICEBIRD Ice"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An Arctic sea bird, as the Arctic fulmar.

ICEBOUND Ice"bound`, a.

Defn: Totally surrounded with ice, so as to be incapable of advancing; as, an icebound vessel; also, surrounded by or fringed with ice so as to hinder easy access; as, an icebound coast.

ICE-BUILT Ice"-built`, a.

1. Composed of ice.

2. Loaded with ice. "Ice-built mountains." Gray.

ICED Iced, a.

1. Covered with ice; chilled with ice; as, iced water.

2. Covered with something resembling ice, as sugar icing; frosted; as, iced cake. Iced cream. Same as Ice cream, under Ice.

ICEFALL Ice"fall`, n.

Defn: A frozen waterfall, or mass of ice resembling a frozen waterfall. Coleridge.

ICELANDER Ice"land*er, n.

Defn: A native, or one of the Scandinavian people, of Iceland.

ICELANDIC Ice*lan"dic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Iceland; relating to, or resembling, the Icelanders.

ICELANDIC Ice*lan"dic, n.

Defn: The language of the Icelanders. It is one of the Scandinavian group, and is more nearly allied to the Old Norse than any other language now spoken.

ICELAND MOSS Ice"land moss`. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of lichen (Cetraria Icelandica) found from the Arctic regions to the North Temperate zone. It furnishes a nutritious jelly and other forms of food, and is used in pulmonary complaints as a demulcent.

ICELAND SPAR Ice"land spar`. (Min.)

Defn: A transparent variety of calcite, the best of which is obtained in Iceland. It is used for the prisms of the polariscope, because of its strong double refraction. Cf. Calcite.

ICEMAN Ice"man, n.; pl. Icemen (.

1. A man who is skilled in traveling upon ice, as among glaciers.

2. One who deals in ice; one who retails or delivers ice.

ICE PLANT Ice" plant`. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), sprinkled with pellucid, watery vesicles, which glisten like ice. It is native along the Mediterranean, in the Canaries, and in South Africa. Its juice is said to be demulcent and diuretic; its ashes are used in Spain in making glass. Ice-skater = one who skates on ice wearing an ice skate; esp. an athlete who performs athletic or artistic movements on a sheet of ice, wearing ice skates; including speed skater and figure skater

ICEQUAKE Ice"quake`, n.

Defn: The crash or concussion attending the breaking up of masses of ice, -- often due to contraction from extreme cold.

ICH Ich, pron.

Defn: I. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Note: In the Southern dialect of Early English this is the regular form. Cf. Ik.

ICHNEUMON Ich*neu"mon, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any carnivorous mammal of the genus Herpestes, and family Viverridæ. Numerous species are found in Asia and Africa. The Egyptian species(H. ichneumon), which ranges to Spain and Palestine, is noted for destroying the eggs and young of the crocodile as well as various snakes and lizards, and hence was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. The common species of India (H. griseus), known as the mongoose, has similar habits and is often domesticated. It is noted for killing the cobra.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any hymenopterous insect of the family Ichneumonidæ, of which several thousand species are known, belonging to numerous genera.

Note: The female deposits her eggs upon, or in, the bodies of other insects, such as caterpillars, plant lice, etc. The larva lives upon the internal tissues of the insect in which it is parasitic, and finally kills it. Hence, many of the species are beneficial to agriculture by destroying noxious insects. Ichneumon fly. See Ichneumon, 2.

ICHNEUMONIDAN Ich`neu*mon"i*dan, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Ichneumonidæ, or ichneumon flies. -- n.

Defn: One of the Ichneumonidæ.

ICHNEUMONIDES Ich`neu*mon"i*des, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Ichneumon.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ichneumon flies.

ICHNITE Ich"nite, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A fossil footprint; as, the ichnites in the Triassic sandstone. Page.

ICHNOGRAPHIC; ICHNOGRAPHICAL Ich`no*graph"ic, Ich`no*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ichonographique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to ichonography; describing a ground plot.

ICHNOGRAPHY Ich*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. ichonographie.] (Drawing)

Defn: A horizontal section of a building or other object, showing its true dimensions according to a geometric scale; a ground plan; a map; also, the art of making such plans.

ICHNOLITE Ich"no*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.]

Defn: A fossil footprint; an ichnite.

ICHNOLITHOLOGY Ich`no*li*thol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -lith + -logy.]

Defn: Same as Ichnology. Hitchcock.

ICHNOLOGICAL Ich`no*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to ichnology.

ICHNOLOGY Ich*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.] (Geol.)

Defn: The branch of science which treats of fossil footprints.

ICHNOSCOPY Ich*nos"co*py, n. Etym: [Gr. -scopy.]

Defn: The search for the traces of anything. [R.]

ICHOR I"chor, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. ichor.]

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: An ethereal fluid that supplied the place of blood in the veins of the gods.

2. A thin, acrid, watery discharge from an ulcer, wound, etc.

ICHORHAEMIA I`chor*hæ"mi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Infection of the blood with ichorous or putrid substances.

ICHOROUS I"chor*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ichoreux.]

Defn: Of or like ichor; thin; watery; serous; sanious.

ICHTHIDIN Ich"thi*din, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A substance from the egg yolk of osseous fishes.

ICHTHIN Ich"thin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A nitrogenous substance resembling vitellin, present in the egg yolk of cartilaginous fishes.

ICHTHULIN Ich"thu*lin, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A substance from the yolk of salmon's egg.

ICHTHUS Ich"thus, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: In early Christian and eccesiastical art, an emblematic fish, or the Greek word for fish, which combined the initials of the Greek words

ICHTHYIC Ich"thy*ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like, or pertaining to, fishes.

ICHTHYOCOL; ICHTHYOCOLLA Ich"thy*o*col, Ich`thy*o*col"la, n. Etym: [L. ichthyocolla, Gr. ichthyocolle.]

Defn: Fish glue; isinglass; a glue prepared from the sounds of certain fishes.

ICHTHYOCOPROLITE Ich`thy*o*cop"ro*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. coprolite.] (Geol.)

Defn: Fossil dung of fishes.

ICHTHYODORULITE Ich`thy*o*dor"u*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the spiny plates foundon the back and tail of certain skates.

ICHTHYOGRAPHY Ich`thy*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. graphy: cf. F. ichthyographie.]

Defn: A treatise on fishes.

ICHTHYOID; ICHTHYOIDAL Ich"thy*oid, Ich`thy*oid"al, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Somewhat like a fish; having some of the characteristics of fishes; -- said of some amphibians.

ICHTHYOL Ich"thy*ol, n. [Gr. , , a fish + (prob.) L. oleum oil; but cf. Ichthyolite.] (Chem.)

Defn: An oily substance prepared by the dry distillation of a bituminous mineral containing fossil fishes. It is used in medicine as a remedy in some forms of skin diseases.

ICHTHYOLATRY Ich`thy*ol"a*try, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Worship of fishes, or of fish-shaped idols. Layard.

ICHTHYOLITE Ich"thy*o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil fish, or fragment of a fish.

ICHTHYOLOGIC; ICHTHYOLOGICAL Ich`thy*o*log"ic, Ich`thy*o*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. ichthyologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to ichthyology.

ICHTHYOLOGIST Ich`thy*ol"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ichthyologiste.]

Defn: One versed in, or who studies, ichthyology.

ICHTHYOLOGY Ich`thy*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. ichthyologie.]

Defn: The natural history of fishes; that branch of zoölogy which relates to fishes, including their structure, classification, and habits.

ICHTHYOMANCY Ich"thy*o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy: cf. F. ichthyomancie.]

Defn: Divination by the heads or the entrails of fishes.

ICHTHYOMORPHA Ich`thy*o*mor"pha, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Urodela.

ICHTHYOMORPHIC; ICHTHYOMORPHOUS Ich`thy*o*mor"phic, Ich`thy*o*mor"phous, a. Etym: [See Ichthyomorpha.]

Defn: Fish-shaped; as, the ichthyomorphic idols of ancient Assyria.

ICHTHYOPHAGIST Ich`thy*oph"a*gist, n. Etym: [See Ichthyophagous.]

Defn: One who eats, or subsists on, fish.

ICHTHYOPHAGOUS Ich`thy*oph"a*gous, a. Etym: [L. ichthyophagus, Gr.

Defn: Eating, or subsisting on, fish.

ICHTHYOPHAGY Ich`thy*oph"a*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. ichthyophagie.]

Defn: The practice of eating, or living upon, fish.

ICHTHYOPHTHALMITE Ich`thy*oph*thal"mite, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: See Apophyllite. [R.]

ICHTHYOPHTHIRA Ich`thy*oph*thi"ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of copepod crustaceans, including numerous species parasitic on fishes.

ICHTHYOPSIDA Ich`thy*op"si*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A grand division of the Vertebrata, including the Amphibia and Fishes.

ICHTHYOPTERYGIA Ich`thy*op`te*ryg"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Ichthyopterygium.] (Paleon.)

Defn: See Ichthyosauria.

ICHTHYOPTERYGIUM Ich`thy*op`te*ryg"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The typical limb, or lateral fin, of fishes.

ICHTHYORNIS Ich`thy*or"nis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of toothed birds found in the American Cretaceous formation. It is remarkable for having biconcave vertebræ, and sharp, conical teeth set in sockets. Its wings were well developed. It is the type of the order Odontotormæ.

ICHTHYOSAUR Ich"thy*o*saur, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ichthyosaure.] (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the Ichthyosaura.

ICHTHYOSAURIA Ich`thy*o*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Ichthyosaurus.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct order of marine reptiles, including Ichthyosaurus and allied forms; -- called also Ichthyopterygia. They have not been found later than the Cretaceous period.

ICHTHYOSAURIAN Ich`thy*o*sau"ri*an, a. (Paleon.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Ichthyosauria. -- n.

Defn: One of the Ichthyosauria.

ICHTHYOSAURUS Ich`thy*o*sau"rus, n.; pl. Ichthyosauri. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. 'ichqy`s, -y`os, a fish + say^ros a lizard.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of marine reptiles; -- so named from their short, biconcave vertebræ, resembling those of fishes. Several species, varying in length from ten to thirty feet, are known from the Liassic, Oölitic, and Cretaceous formations.

ICHTHYOSIS Ich`thy*o"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A disease in which the skin is thick, rough, and scaly; -- called also fishskin. -- Ich`thy*ot"ic, a.

ICHTHYOTOMIST Ich`thy*ot"o*mist, n.

Defn: One skilled in ichthyotomy.

ICHTHYOTOMY Ich`thy*ot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The anatomy or dissection of fishes. [R.]

ICHTHYS Ich"thys, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Same as Ichthus.

ICICLE I"ci*cle, n. Etym: [OE. isikel, AS. isgicel; is ice + gicel icicle; akin to Icel. jökull; cf. Gael. eigh ice, Ir. aigh.]

Defn: A pendent, and usually conical, mass of ice, formed by freezing of dripping water; as, the icicles on the eaves of a house.

ICICLED I"ci*cled, a.

Defn: Having icicles attached.

ICILY I"ci*ly, adv.

Defn: In an icy manner; coldly. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, Dead perfection, no more. Tennyson.

ICINESS I"ci*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being icy or very cold; frigidity.

ICING I"cing, n.

Defn: A coating or covering resembling ice, as of sugar and milk or white of egg; frosting.

ICKLE Ic"kle, n. Etym: [OE. ikil. See Icicle.]

Defn: An icicle. [Prov. Eng.]

ICON I"con, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: An image or representation; a portrait or pretended portrait. Netherlands whose names and icons are published. Hakewill.

ICONICAL I*con"ic*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or consisting of, images, pictures, or representations of any kind.

ICONISM I"con*ism, n. Etym: [L. iconismus, Gr. iconisme.]

Defn: The formation of a figure, representation, or semblance; a delineation or description. Some kind of apish imitations, counterfeit iconisms. Cudworth.

ICONIZE I"con*ize, v. t. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: To form an image or likeness of. [R.] Cudworth.

ICONOCLASM I*con"o*clasm, n. Etym: [Cf. F. iconoclasme. See Iconoclast.]

Defn: The doctrine or practice of the iconoclasts; image breaking.

ICONOCLAST I*con"o*clast, n. Etym: [Gr. iconoclaste.]

1. A breaker or destroyer of images or idols; a determined enemy of idol worship.

2. One who exposes or destroys impositions or shams; one who attacks cherished beliefs; a radical.

ICONOCLASTIC I*con`o*clas"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the iconoclasts, or to image breaking. Milman.

ICONODULE; ICONODULIST I*con"o*dule, I*con"o*du`list, n. Etym: [Gr. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One who serves images; -- opposed to an iconoclast. Schaff- Herzog Encyc.

ICONOGRAPH I*con"o*graph, n. [See Iconography.]

Defn: An engraving or other picture or illustration for a book.

ICONOGRAPHER I`co*nog"ra*pher, n.

Defn: A maker of images. Fairholt.

ICONOGRAPHIC I*con`o*graph"ic, a.

1. Of or pertaining to iconography.

2. Representing by means of pictures or diagrams; as, an icongraphic encyclopædia.

ICONOGRAPHY I`co*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. iconographie.]

1. The art or representation by pictures or images; the description or study of portraiture or representation, as of persons; as, the iconography of the ancients.

2. The study of representative art in general. Christian iconography, the study of the representations in art of the Deity, the persons of the Trinity, angels, saints, virtues, vices, etc.

ICONOLATER I`co*nol"a*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. iconolâtre.]

Defn: One who worships images.

ICONOLATRY I`co*nol"a*try, n. Etym: [See Iconolater.]

Defn: The worship of images as symbols; -- distinguished from idolatry, the worship of images themselves.

ICONOLOGY I`co*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. iconologie.]

Defn: The discussion or description of portraiture or of representative images. Cf. Iconography.

ICONOMACHY I`co*nom"a*chy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Hostility to images as objects of worship. [R.]

ICONOMANIA I`co*no*ma"ni*a, n. [NL. See Icon, and Mania.]

Defn: A mania or infatuation for icons, whether as objects of devotion, bric-a-brac, or curios.

ICONOMICAL I`co*nom"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Opposed to pictures or images as objects of worship. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

ICONOPHILIST I`co*noph"i*list, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A student, or lover of the study, of iconography.

ICOSAHEDRAL I`co*sa*he"dral, a. Etym: [See Icosahedron.] (Geom.)

Defn: Having twenty equal sides or faces.

ICOSAHEDRON I`co*sa*he"dron, n. Etym: [Gr. (Geom.)

Defn: A solid bounded by twenty sides or faces. Regular icosahedron, one of the five regular polyhedrons, bounded by twenty equilateral triangules. Five triangules meet to form each solid angle of the polyhedron.

ICOSANDRIA I`co*san"dri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. icosandrie.] (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants, having twenty or more stamens inserted in the calyx.

ICOSANDRIAN; ICOSANDROUS I`co*san"dri*an, I`co*san"drous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to the class Icosandria; having twenty or more stamens inserted in the calyx.

ICOSITETRAHEDRON I`co*si*tet`ra*he"dron, n. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: A twenty-four-sided solid; a tetragonal trisoctahedron or trapezohedron.

-ICS -ics

Defn: . A suffix used in forming the names of certain sciences, systems, etc., as acoustics, mathematics, dynamics, statistics, politics, athletics.

Note: The names sciences ending in ics, as mathematics, mechanics, metaphysics, optics, etc., are, with respect to their form, nouns in the plural number. The plural form was probably introduced to mark the complex nature of such sciences; and it may have been in imitation of the use of the Greek plurals ics were construed with a verb or a pronoun in the plural; but it is now generally considered preferable to treat them as singular. In Greman we have die Mathematik, die Mechanik, etc., and in French la metaphysique, la optique, etc., corresponding to our mathematics, mechanics, metaphysics, optics, etc. Mathematics have for their object the consideration of whatever is capable of being numbered or measured. John Davidson. The citations subjoined will serve as examples of the best present usage. Ethics is the sciences of the laws which govern our actions as moral agents. Sir W. Hamilton. All parts of knowledge have their origin in metaphysics, and finally, perhaps, revolve into it. De Quincey. Mechanics, like pure mathematics, may be geometrical, or may be analytical; that is, it may treat space either by a direct consideration of its properties, or by a symbolical representation. Whewell.

ICTERIC Ic*ter"ic, n.

Defn: A remedy for the jaundice.

ICTERIC; ICTERICAL Ic*ter"ic, Ic*ter"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. ictericus, Gr. ictérique.]

1. Pertaining to, or affected with, jaundice.

2. Good against the jaundice. Johnson.

ICTERITIOUS; ICTERITOUS Ic`ter*i"tious, Ic*ter"i*tous, a.

Defn: Yellow; of the color of the skin when it is affected by the jaundice.

ICTEROID Ic"ter*oid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.]

Defn: Of a tint resembling that produced by jaundice; yellow; as, an icteroid tint or complexion.

ICTERUS Ic"te*rus, n. Etym: [NL. See Icteric, a.] (Med.)

Defn: The jaundice.

ICTIC Ic"tic, a. Etym: [L. ictus blow.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or caused by, a blow; sudden; abrupt. [R.] H. Bushnell.

ICTUS Ic"tus, n. Etym: [L., fr. icere, ictum, to strike.]

1. (Pros.)

Defn: The stress of voice laid upon accented syllable of a word. Cf. Arsis.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A stroke or blow, as in a sunstroke, the sting of an insect, pulsation of an artery, etc.

ICY I"cy, a. [Compar. Icier; superl. Iciest.] Etym: [AS. isig. See Ice.]

1. Pertaining to, resembling, or abounding in, ice; cold; frosty. "Icy chains." Shak. "Icy region." Boyle. "Icy seas." Pope.

2. Characterized by coldness, as of manner, influence, etc.; chilling; frigid; cold. Icy was the deportment with which Philip received these demonstrations of affection. Motley.

ICY-PEARLED I"cy-pearl`ed, a.

Defn: Spangled with ice. Mounting up in icy-pearled car. Milton.

I'D I'd

Defn: . A contraction from I would or I had.

ID Id, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Leuciscus idus or Idus idus) of Europe. A domesticated variety, colored like the goldfish, is called orfe in Germany.

IDALIAN I*da"li*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Idalium, a mountain city in Cyprus, or to Venus, to whom it was sacred. "Idalian Aphrodité." Tennyson.

IDE Ide, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Id.

-IDE -ide. (Chem.)

Defn: A suffix used to denote: (a) The nonmetallic, or negative, element or radical in a binary compound; as, oxide, sulphide, chloride. (b) A compound which is an anhydride; as, glycolide, phthalide. (c) Any one of a series of derivatives; as, indogenide, glucoside, etc.

IDEA I*de"a, n.; pl. Ideas. Etym: [L. idea, Gr. wit: cf. F. idée. See Wit.]

1. The transcript, image, or picture of a visible object, that is formed by the mind; also, a similar image of any object whatever, whether sensible or spiritual. Her sweet idea wandered through his thoughts. Fairfax. Being the right idea of your father Both in your form and nobleness of mind. Shak. This representation or likeness of the object being transmitted from thence [the senses] to the imagination, and lodged there for the view and observation of the pure intellect, is aptly and properly called its idea. P. Browne.

2. A general notion, or a conception formed by generalization. Alice had not the slightest idea what latitude was. L. Caroll.

3. Hence: Any object apprehended, conceived, or thought of, by the mind; a notion, conception, or thought; the real object that is conceived or thought of. Whatsoever the mind perceives in itself, or as the immediate object of perception, thought, or undersanding, that I call idea. Locke.

4. A belief, option, or doctrine; a characteristic or controlling principle; as, an essential idea; the idea of development. That fellow seems to me to possess but one idea, and that is a wrong one. Johnson. What is now "idea" for us How infinite the fall of this word, since the time where Milton sang of the Creator contemplating his newly- created world, -"how it showed . . . Answering his great idea," -to its present use, when this person "has an idea that the train has started," and the other "had no idea that the dinner would be so bad!" Trench.

5. A plan or purpose of action; intention; design. I shortly afterwards set off for that capital, with an idea of undertaking while there the translation of the work. W. Irving.

6. A rational conception; the complete conception of an object when thought of in all its essential elements or constituents; the necessary metaphysical or constituent attributes and relations, when conceived in the abstract.

7. A fiction object or picture created by the imagination; the same when proposed as a pattern to be copied, or a standard to be reached; one of the archetypes or patterns of created things, conceived by the Platonists to have excited objectively from eternity in the mind of the Deity. Thence to behold this new-created world, The addition of his empire, how it showed In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, Answering his great idea. Milton.

Note: "In England, Locke may be said to have been the first who naturalized the term in its Cartesian universality. When, in common language, employed by Milton and Dryden, after Descartes, as before him by Sidney, Spenser, Shakespeare, Hooker, etc., the meaning is Platonic." Sir W. Hamilton. Abstract idea, Association of ideas, etc. See under Abstract, Association, etc.

Syn. -- Notion; conception; thought; sentiment; fancy; image; perception; impression; opinion; belief; observation; judgment; consideration; view; design; intention; purpose; plan; model; pattern. There is scarcely any other word which is subjected to such abusive treatment as is the word idea, in the very general and indiscriminative way in which it is employed, as it is used variously to signify almost any act, state, or content of thought.

IDEAL I*de"al, a. Etym: [L. idealis: cf. F. idéal.]

1. Existing in idea or thought; conceptional; intellectual; mental; as, ideal knowledge.

2. Reaching an imaginary standard of excellence; fit for a model; faultless; as, ideal beauty. Byron. There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence. Rambler.

3. Existing in fancy or imagination only; visionary; unreal. "Planning ideal common wealth." Southey.

4. Teaching the doctrine of idealism; as, the ideal theory or philosophy.

5. (Math.)

Defn: Imaginary.

Syn. -- Intellectual; mental; visionary; fanciful; imaginary; unreal; impracticable; utopian.

IDEAL I*de"al, n.

Defn: A mental conception regarded as a standard of perfection; a model of excellence, beauty, etc. The ideal is to be attained by selecting and assembling in one whole the beauties and perfections which are usually seen in different individuals, excluding everything defective or unseemly, so as to form a type or model of the species. Thus, the Apollo Belvedere is the ideal of the beauty and proportion of the human frame. Fleming. Beau ideal. See Beau ideal.

IDEALESS I*de"a*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of an idea.

IDEALISM I*de"al*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. idéalisme.]

1. The quality or state of being ideal.

2. Conception of the ideal; imagery.

3. (Philos.)

Defn: The system or theory that denies the existence of material bodies, and teaches that we have no rational grounds to believe in the reality of anything but ideas and their relations.

IDEALIST I*de"al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. idéaliste.]

1. One who idealizes; one who forms picturesque fancies; one given to romantic expectations.

2. One who holds the doctrine of idealism.

IDEALISTIC I*de`al*is"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to idealists or their theories.

IDEALITY I`de*al"i*ty, n.; pl. Idealities (.

1. The quality or state of being ideal.

2. The capacity to form ideals of beauty or perfection.

3. (Phren.)

Defn: The conceptive faculty.

IDEALIZATION I*de`al*i*za"tion, n.

1. The act or process of idealizing.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: The representation of natural objects, scenes, etc., in such a way as to show their most important characteristics; the study of the ideal.

IDEALIZE I*de"al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Idealized; p. pr. & vb. n. Idealizing.]

1. To make ideal; to give an ideal form or value to; to attribute ideal characteristics and excellences to; as, to idealize real life.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: To treat in an ideal manner. See Idealization, 2.

IDEALIZE I*de"al*ize, v. i. Etym: [Cf. F. idéaliser.]

Defn: To form ideals.

IDEALIZER I*de"al*i`zer, n.

Defn: An idealist.

IDEALLY I*de"al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ideal manner; by means of ideals; mentally.

IDEALOGIC I*de`a*log"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an idealogue, or to idealization.

IDEALOGUE I*de"a*logue, n. Etym: [Idea + -logue, as in theologue: cf. F. idéologue.]

Defn: One given to fanciful ideas or theories; a theorist; a spectator. [R.] Mrs. Browning.

IDEAT; IDEATE I*de"at, I*de"ate, n. Etym: [LL. ideatum. See Idea.] (Metaph.)

Defn: The actual existence supposed to correspond with an idea; the correlate in real existence to the idea as a thought or existence.

IDEATE I*de"ate, v. t.

1. To form in idea; to fancy. [R.] The ideated man . . . as he stood in the intellect of God. Sir T. Browne.

2. To apprehend in thought so as to fix and hold in the mind; to memorize. [R.]

IDEATION I`de*a"tion, n.

Defn: The faculty or capacity of the mind for forming ideas; the exercise of this capacity; the act of the mind by which objects of sense are apprehended and retained as objects of thought. The whole mass of residua which have been accumulated . . . all enter now into the process of ideation. J. D. Morell.

IDEATIONAL I`de*a"tion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, ideation. Certain sensational or ideational stimuli. Blackw. Mag.

IDEM I"dem, pron. or adj. Etym: [L.]

Defn: The same; the same as above; -- often abbreviated id.

IDENTIC I*den"tic, a.

Defn: Identical. [Obs.] Hudibras.

IDENTICAL I*den"tic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. identique. See Identity.]

1. The same; the selfsame; the very same; not different; as, the identical person or thing. I can not remember a thing that happened a year ago, without a conviction . . . that I, the same identical person who now remember that event, did then exist. Reid.

2. Uttering sameness or the same truth; expressing in the predicate what is given, or obviously implied, in the subject; tautological. When you say body is solid, I say that you make an identical proposition, because it is impossible to have the idea of body without that of solidity. Fleming. Identical equation (Alg.), an equation which is true for all values of the algebraic symbols which enter into it.

IDENTICALLY I*den"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an identical manner; with respect to identity. "Identically the same." Bp. Warburton. "Identically different." Ross.

IDENTICALNESS I*den"tic*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being identical; sameness.

IDENTIFIABLE I*den"ti*fi`a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being identified.

IDENTIFICATION I*den`ti*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. identification.]

Defn: The act of identifying, or proving to be the same; also, the state of being identified.

IDENTIFY I*den"ti*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Identified; p. pr. & vb. n. Identifying.] Etym: [Cf. F. identifier. See Identity, and -fy.]

1. To make to be the same; to unite or combine in such a manner as to make one; to treat as being one or having the same purpose or effect; to consider as the same in any relation. Every precaution is taken to identify the interests of the people and of the rulers. D. Ramsay. Let us identify, let us incorporate ourselves with the people. Burke.

2. To establish the identity of; to prove to be the same with something described, claimed, or asserted; as, to identify stolen property.

IDENTIFY I*den"ti*fy, v. i.

Defn: To become the same; to coalesce in interest, purpose, use, effect, etc. [Obs. or R.] An enlightened self-interest, which, when well understood, they tell us will identify with an interest more enlarged and public. Burke.

IDENTISM I*den"tism, n. Etym: [See Identity.] (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine taught by Schelling, that matter and mind, and subject and object, are identical in the Absolute; -- called also the system or doctrine of identity.

IDENTITY I*den"ti*ty, n.; pl. Identities. Etym: [F. identité, LL. identitas, fr. L. idem the same, from the root of is he, that; cf. Skr. idam this. Cf. Item.]

1. The state or quality of being identical, or the same; sameness. Identity is a relation between our cognitions of a thing, not between things themselves. Sir W. Hamilton.

2. The condition of being the same with something described or asserted, or of possessing a character claimed; as, to establish the identity of stolen goods.

3. (Math.)

Defn: An identical equation.

IDEO- I"de*o-

Defn: . A combining form from the Gr. idea.

IDEOGENICAL I`de*o*gen"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to ideology.

IDEOGENY I`de*og"e*ny, n. Etym: [Ideo- + -geny, from the same root as Gr. idéogénie.]

Defn: The science which treats of the origin of ideas.

IDEOGRAM I*de"o*gram, n. Etym: [Ideo- + -gram; cf. F. idéograme.]

1. An original, pictorial element of writing; a kind of hieroglyph expressing no sound, but only an idea. Ideograms may be defined to be pictures intended to represent either things or thoughts. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). You might even have a history without language written or spoken, by means of ideograms and gesture. J. Peile.

2. A symbol used for convenience, or for abbreviation; as, 1, 2, 3, +, -,

3. A phonetic symbol; a letter.

IDEOGRAPH I*de"o*graph, n.

Defn: Same as Ideogram.

IDEOGRAPHIC; IDEOGRAPHICAL I`de*o*graph"ic, I`de*o*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. idéographique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to an ideogram; representing ideas by symbols, independently of sounds; as, 9 represents not the word "nine," but the idea of the number itself. -- I`de*o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

IDEOGRAPHICS I`de*o*graph"ics, n.

Defn: The system of writing in ideographic characters; also, anything so written.

IDEOGRAPHY I`de*og"ra*phy, n.

Defn: The representation of ideas independently of sounds, or in an ideographic manner, as sometimes is done in shorthand writing, etc.

IDEOLOGICAL I`de*o*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. idéologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to ideology.

IDEOLOGIST I`de*ol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One who treats of ideas; one who theorizes or idealizes; one versed in the science of ideas, or who advocates the doctrines of ideology.

IDEOLOGY I`de*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Ideo- + -logy: cf. F. idéologie.]

1. The science of ideas. Stewart.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: A theory of the origin of ideas which derives them exclusively from sensation.

Note: By a double blunder in philosophy and Greek, idéologie . . . has in France become the name peculiarly distinctive of that philosophy of mind which exclusively derives our knowledge from sensation. Sir W. Hamilton.

IDEO-MOTION I`de*o-mo"tion, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: An ideo-motor movement.

IDEO-MOTOR I`de*o-mo"tor, a. Etym: [Ideo- + motor.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Applied to those actions, or muscular movements, which are automatic expressions of dominant ideas, rather than the result of distinct volitional efforts, as the act of expressing the thoughts in speech, or in writing, while the mind is occupied in the composition of the sentence. Carpenter.

IDES Ides, n. pl. Etym: [L. idus: cf. F. ides.] (Anc. Rom. Calendar)

Defn: The fifteenth day of March, May, July, and October, and the thirteenth day of the other months. The ides of March remember. Shak.

Note: Eight days in each month often pass by this name, but only one strictly receives it, the others being called respectively the day before the ides, and so on, backward, to the eightth from the ides.

IDIO- Id"i*o-

Defn: . A combining form from the Greek private, personal, peculiar, distinct.

IDIOBLAST Id"i*o*blast, n. Etym: [Ideo- + -blast.] (Bot.)

Defn: An individual cell, differing greatly from its neighbours in regard to size, structure, or contents.

IDIOCRASIS Id`i*o*cra"sis, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: Idiocracy.

IDIOCRASY Id`i*oc"ra*sy, n.; pl. Idiocrasies. Etym: [Idio- + Gr. idiocrasie.]

Defn: Peculiarity of constitution; that temperament, or state of constitution, which is peculiar to a person; idiosyncrasy.

IDIOCRATIC; IDIOCRATICAL Id`i*o*crat"ic, Id`i*o*crat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Peculiar in constitution or temperament; idiosyncratic.

IDIOCY Id"i*o*cy, n. Etym: [From idiot; cf. Gr. Idiot, and cf. Idiotcy.]

Defn: The condition or quality of being an idiot; absence, or marked deficiency, of sense and intelligence. I will undertake to convict a man of idiocy, if he can not see the proof that three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles. F. W. Robertson.

IDIOCYCLOPHANOUS Id`i*o*cy*cloph"a*nous, a. Etym: [Idio- + Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Same as Idiophanous.

IDIOELECTRIC Id`i*o*e*lec"tric, a. Etym: [Idio- + electric: cf. F. idioélectrique.] (Physics)

Defn: Electric by virtue of its own peculiar properties; capable of becoming electrified by friction; -- opposed to anelectric. -- n.

Defn: An idioelectric substance.

IDIOGRAPH Id"i*o*graph, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A mark or signature peculiar to an individual; a trade-mark.

IDIOGRAPHIC; IDIOGRAPHICAL Id`i*o*graph"ic, Id`i*o*graph"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to an idiograph.

IDIOLATRY Id`i*ol"a*try, n. Etym: [Idio- + Gr.

Defn: Self-worship; excessive self-esteem.

IDIOM Id"i*om, n. Etym: [F. idiome, L. idioma, fr. Gr. suus, and to E. so.]

1. The syntactical or structural form peculiar to any language; the genius or cast of a language. Idiom may be employed loosely and figuratively as a synonym of language or dialect, but in its proper sense it signifies the totality of the general rules of construction which characterize the syntax of a particular language and distinguish it from other tongues. G. P. Marsh. By idiom is meant the use of words which is peculiar to a particular language. J. H. Newman. He followed their language [the Latin], but did not comply with the idiom of ours. Dryden.

2. An expression conforming or appropriate to the peculiar structural form of a language; in extend use, an expression sanctioned by usage, having a sense peculiar to itself and not agreeing with the logical sense of its structural form; also, the phrase forms peculiar to a particular author. Some that with care true eloquence shall teach, And to just idioms fix our doubtful speech. Prior. Sometimes we identify the words with the object -- though be courtesy of idiom rather than in strict propriety of language. Coleridge. Every good writer has much idiom. Landor. It is not by means of rules that such idioms as the following are made current: "I can make nothing of it." "He treats his subject home." Dryden. "It is that within us that makes for righteousness." M.Arnold. Gostwick (Eng. Gram. )

3. Dialect; a variant form of a language.

Syn. -- Dialect. -- Idiom, Dialect. The idioms of a language belong to its very structure; its dialects are varieties of expression ingrafted upon it in different localities or by different professions. Each county of England has some peculiarities of dialect, and so have most of the professions, while the great idioms of the language are everywhere the same. See Language.

IDIOMATIC; IDIOMATICAL Id`i*o*mat"ic, Id`i*o*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or conforming to, the mode of expression peculiar to a language; as, an idiomatic meaning; an idiomatic phrase. -- Id`i*o*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.

IDIOMORPHIC Id`i*o*morph"ic, a.

Defn: Idiomorphous.

IDIOMORPHOUS Id`i*o*morph"ous, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Having a form of its own.

2. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Apperaing in distinct crystals; -- said of the mineral constituents of a rock.

IDIOMUSCULAR Id`i*o*mus"cu*lar, a. Etym: [Idio- + muscular.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Applied to a semipermanent contraction of a muscle, produced by a mechanical irritant.

IDIOPATHETIC Id`i*o*pa*thet"ic, a.

Defn: Idiopathic. [R.]

IDIOPATHIC; IDIOPATHICAL Id`i*o*path"ic, Id`i*o*path"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. idiopathique.] (Med.)

Defn: Pertaining to idiopathy; characterizing a disease arising primarily, and not in consequence of some other disease or injury; -- opposed to symptomatic, sympathetic, and traumatic. -- Id`i*o*path"ic*al*ly, adv.

IDIOPATHY Id`i*op"a*thy, n.; pl. Idiopathies. Etym: [Gr. idiopathie.]

1. A peculiar, or individual, characteristic or affection. All men are so full of their own fancies and idiopathies, that they scarce have the civility to interchange any words with a stranger. Dr. H. More.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A morbid state or condition not preceded or occasioned by any other disease; a primary disease.

IDIOPHANOUS Id`i*oph"a*nous, a. Etym: [Idio- + (Crystallog.)

Defn: Exhibiting interference figures without the aid of a polariscope, as certain crystals.

IDIOPLASM Id"i*o*plasm, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Same as Idioplasma.

IDIOPLASMA Id`i*o*plas"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: That portion of the cell protoplasm which is the seat of all active changes, and which carries on the function of hereditary transmission; -- distinguished from the other portion, which is termed nutritive plasma. See Hygroplasm.

IDIOREPULSIVE Id`i*o*re*pul"sive, a. Etym: [Idio- + repulsive.]

Defn: Repulsive by itself; as, the idiorepulsive power of heat.

IDIOSYNCRASY Id`i*o*syn"cra*sy, n.; pl. Idiosyncrasies. Etym: [Gr. idiosyncrasie. See Idiom, and Crasis.]

Defn: A peculiarity of physical or mental constitution or temperament; a characteristic belonging to, and distinguishing, an individual; characteristic susceptibility; idiocrasy; eccentricity. The individual mind . . . takes its tone from the idiosyncrasies of the body. I. Taylor.

IDIOSYNCRATIC; IDIOSYNCRATICAL Id`i*o*syn*crat"ic, Id`i*o*syn*crat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of peculiar temper or disposition; belonging to one's peculiar and individual character.

IDIOT Id"i*ot, n. Etym: [F. idiot, L. idiota an uneducated, ignorant, ill- informed person, Gr. Idiom.]

1. A man in private station, as distinguished from one holding a public office. [Obs.] St. Austin affirmed that the plain places of Scripture are sufficient to all laics, and all idiots or private persons. Jer. Taylor.

2. An unlearned, ignorant, or simple person, as distinguished from the educated; an ignoramus. [Obs.] Christ was received of idiots, of the vulgar people, and of the simpler sort, while he was rejected, despised, and persecuted even to death by the high priests, lawyers, scribes, doctors, and rabbis. C. Blount.

3. A human being destitute of the ordinary intellectual powers, whether congenital, developmental, or accidental; commonly, a person without understanding from birth; a natural fool; a natural; an innocent. Life . . . is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Shak.

4. A fool; a simpleton; -- a term of reproach. Weenest thou make an idiot of our dame Chaucer.

IDIOTCY Id"i*ot*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. Idiocy.]

Defn: Idiocy. [R.]

IDIOTED Id"i*ot*ed, a.

Defn: Rendered idiotic; befooled. [R.] Tennyson.

IDIOTHERMIC Id`i*o*ther"mic, a. Etym: [Idio- + thermic.]

Defn: Self-heating; warmed, as the body of animal, by process going on within itself.

IDIOTIC; IDIOTICAL Id`i*ot"ic, Id`i*ot"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. idioticus ignorant, Gr. idiotique. See Idiot.]

1. Common; simple. [Obs.] Blackwall.

2. Pertaining to, or like, an idiot; characterized by idiocy; foolish; fatuous; as, an idiotic person, speech, laugh, or action.

IDIOTICALLY Id`i*ot"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a idiotic manner.

IDIOTICON Id`i*ot"i*con, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Idiot.]

Defn: A dictionary of a peculiar dialect, or of the words and phrases peculiar to one part of a country; a glossary.

IDIOTISH Id"i*ot*ish, a.

Defn: Like an idiot; foolish.

IDIOTISM Id"i*ot*ism, n. Etym: [F. idiotisme, L. idiotismus the way of fashion of a private person, the common or vulgar manner of speaking, Gr. Idiot.]

1. An idiom; a form, mode of expression, or signification, peculiar to a language. Scholars sometimes give terminations and idiotisms, suitable to their native language, unto words newly invented. M. Hale.

2. Lack of knowledge or mental capacity; idiocy; foolishness. Worse than mere ignorance or idiotism. Shaftesbury. The running that adventure is the greatist idiotism. Hammond.

IDIOTIZE Id"i*ot*ize, v. i.

Defn: To become stupid. [R.]

IDIOTRY Id"i*ot*ry, n.

Defn: Idiocy. [R.] Bp. Warburton.

IDLE I"dle, a. [Compar. Idler; superl. Idlest.] Etym: [OE. idel, AS. idel vain, empty, useless; akin to OS. idal, D. ijdel, OHG. ital vain, empty, mere, G. eitel, Dan. & Sw. idel mere, pure, and prob. to Gr. Ether.]

1. Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren. "Deserts idle." Shak. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36. Down their idle weapons dropped. Milton. This idle story became important. Macaulay.