AS EXHIBITED IN THIS VOLUME. 1 "erminations in our changed into or. Such words as favor, labor, &c., formerly ending in our, drop the u. One word, however, is here given in both ways, viz., Savior, Saviour. 2. Terminations in ck changed into c.-Words of more than one syllable, ending in ic or iac, which formerly ended in k, have dropped the k, as in music, maniac, &c. Add to these almanac, sandarac, limbec (from alembic); also havoc. The k is retained (1) in a few derivatives, as colicky, trafficker, mimicking, &c., to prevent an erroneous pronunciation; (2) in all monosyllables, as sick, stick, &c., and hence in their compounds, as candlestick, &c.; (3) in all other terminations except ic and iac, as in arrack, &c 3. Terminations in re changed into er. Such words as centre, metre, &c., with their, compounds, have the re changed into er, as center, meter, &c. Some hundreds of words like chamber, cider, diametes, &c., have already undergone this change, which is here extended to about twenty more, to complete the analogy. Acre, massacre, and lucre are necessarily excepted, because the change would lead to an erroneous pronunciation. The above words, however, are here given in both modes of spelling. 4. Words in which the Final Consonant is not doubled in adding such Formatives as ing, ed, er, &c.It is a rule extending to many hundreds of cases, that, in adding to a word such formatives as ing, ed, er, &c., a single consonant at the end of a word is doubled when the accent falls on the last syllable, as in forgetting, beginning; but is not doubled when the accent falls on any preceding syllable, as in benefiting, gardener, &c. This rule has been violated in the case of about fifty words ending in 1, whose derivatives have had the i doubled, as traveller, &c. These words are here restored to their true analogous spelling, as recommended by Walker, Lowth, Perry, and others, as in traveling, canceled, leveler, counselor, duelist, marvelous, &c. On the same principle, woolen is spelled with a single l. It does not interfere with this rule that chancellor, and the derivatives of metal and crystal, as metalline, metallurgy, crystalline, crystallize, &c., have the I doubled, since they come directly from the Latin cancellarius and metallum, and the Greek κρύσταλλος. The above rule is also applied to the derivatives of worship and bias, making them worshiping, worshiped, worshiper, biasing, biased. Bigoted has already taken its true spelling with but one t, and such should be the spelling of carbureted, sulphureted, &c. 5. Distinction between Verbs in ize and ise. -Verbs from the Greek ιζω, and others formed in analogy with them, have the termination ize, as baptize, legalize, &c. Catechise and exorcise are exceptions. Verbs, and also some nouns, derived directly from the French, with a few from other sources, end in ise, as advertise, advise, affranchise, amortise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, criticise, demise, despise, devise, disfranchise, disguise, divertise, emprise, enfranchise, enterprise, exercise, manumise, merchandise, misprise (to mistake), premise, reprise (to take again), revise, supervise, surmise, surprise. 6. Terminations in able.-Able, when incorporated into words ending with silent e, cuts it off, as in blamable, except after c or g, as in noticeable, changcable. 7. Compounds of Words ending in 11.-Such compounds as befall, miscall, install, forestall, inthrall, enroll, retain the double l, to prevent a false pronunciation, befal, enrol, &c. For the same reason, double I should be retained in the nouns installment, inthrallment, thralldom, and enrollment. 8. Defense, offense, and pretense. In these words, s is substituted for c, because s is used in the derivatives, as defensive, offensive, pretension. The words expense, recompense, and license have, on this ground, undergone the same alteration within comparatively a short period, and a change in the three mentioned above, would complete the analogy. These words are here given in both forms of spelling. 9. Foretell, distill, instill, fulfill. These words retain ll of their primitives, for it must be retained in the participles and other derivatives, as foretelling, distiller, &c. In this case it is only necessary to remember the rule, that the spelling of the original words tell, still, fill, is retained in all the derivatives. 10. Connection, deflection, inflection, reflection. These follow the spelling of their verbs connect, &c. 11. Derivatives of dull, skill, will, and full. These retain the ll, viz., dullness, fullness, skillful, willful, to prevent the inconvenience of exceptions to a general rule. Walker says, there is no reason why we should not write dullness, fullness, skillful, and willful, as well as stiffness, gruffness, and crossness. 12. Derivatives of villain. The derivatives of villain ought to retain the i, as in villainous, villainy, &c. This is the case in all similar words when the ain is not under the accent, as mountainous from mountain, captaincy from captain, &c. Both modes of spelling, however, are given in the volume. 13. Mould and moult.-These words should be written mold and molt, like gold, bold, fold, colt, &c., in which the u has been dropped or was never introduced; but they are here given in both ways. 14. Terms in Chemistry. The orthography oxyd (from ὀξύς) is considered preferable to oxide, because in all other derivatives the Greek v is represented by the English y, as in oxygen, hydrogen, &c. In such terminations as chlorid, ammid, &c., the final e is not used, because they are formed in analogy with acid, and the e is unnecessary, and might lead to the error of giving a long sound to the preceding i. Such words as salicin, cerin, veratrin, &c., also omit the final e in most cases, because it is unnecessary, though it is retained in bromine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, and a very few others. The spelling of the last class of words has the authority of Brande, the Penny Cyclopedia, and some others. 15. Woe. This word takes the final e, like doe, foe, hoe, sloe, toe, and all similar nouns of one syllable. The termination in o belongs among monosyllables to the other parts of speech, as go, so, and to nouns of more than one syllable, a as motto, potato, tomato, &c. 16. Practice, as a Verb. -This verb should be spelled like the noun, with a c, as in notice, apprentice, and all similar words in which the accent precedes the last syllable. The distinction of spelling between the noun and verb belongs properly to words accented on the last syllable, as device, n., devise (pronounced de-vize'), v. To apply the distinction here, and spell the verb practise, tends to give it the same pronunciation (practize), as we often find in uneducated persons; but as this spelling, though in opposition to the regular analogy, is more prevalent, the verb is here given in both ways. 17. Drouth is given as spelled by Spenser, Bacon, &c., and as still extensively pronounced; and hight as spelled by Milton, and derived from high. They are, however, placed under drought and *** Compound words, which in ordinary writing have the parts separated by a hyphen, are arranged directly after the word which forms their first part. Those compounds which are written as simple words, without a hyphen, will be found in alphabetical order after the regular compounds spoken of above. If, then, a compound word is not found in the first mentioned place, it should be sought in its strictly alphabetical order. 1. Improper Diphthongs. In these, the vowel which is sounded is alone marked, as in äi, ea, or ea, or ea, õu, &c. 2. Double Accent ("). -This is used in two cases: (1) When in such words as an"ger (pronounced ang'ger), the & is, as it were, drawn back to the preceding syllable, forming with n the sound of ng, while it is also retained with its proper hard sound in its own syllable. Thus the distinction is marked between such words as lon"ger, of greater length, and longer, one who longs. (2) When, in the case of e or i followed by ci or ti, the sound of sh is drawn back to the preceding syllable, as in special, discretion, addition, vi"cious (pronounced spesh'al, diskresh'un, addish'un, vish'us). The double accent is also used when the sound of zh is drawn back, as in transition, vision (pronounced transizh' un, vizh'un); but this peculiarity is also indicated either by respelling or by the marked s. When the single accent (') and double accent (") both occur on the same word, the former is to be considered the primary and the latter the sесondary accent, as in cheese'mon"ger. 3. Vowels in Italics. Vowels which are italicized are not sounded, as the a in metal, the e in used, hazel, burden, the i in evil, cousin, the o in beckon, &c. 4. Accented Syllables. When an accented syllable ends in a consonant, the vowel which it contains has its regular short or shut sound, unless otherwise denoted according to the key. 5. Unaccented Syllables. When an unaccented syllable ends in a vowel other than e mute, this vowel has an obscure or faint sound, unless otherwise marked. The obscure a is usually the short Italian a, as in America. The obscure e, i, and y have the open sound of e shortened, as in event, labial, duty; and hence, in respelling for pronunciation, the e is used to denote these sounds. The obscure o and u have their regular open sounds, but somewhat shortened, as in monopoly, educate. When the unaccented syllable ends in a consonant, the vowel which it contains, if single, has its regular short or shut sound, as in assign, explain, furnish, connective, calumny. But a in monarchy and such words, is the faint ä. In neither of these cases should the sound of the other vowels (a, e, i, o, y) run into that of u in tub. 6. Long a before r. The long sound of a before in the same syllable, as heard in fare, pair, parent, bear, &c., is nearly the same as in fate; or, more exactly, it begins with the latter sound, and ends with the faint sound of e or a. In this case, however, the a should never be made a distinct syllable, fä'er, pāy'rent, but fare, &c. So prayer, though spelled in two syllables, should be pronounced in one, as prase. By many, however, the first part of this compound sound is entirely omitted, and the a in fare, &c., is pronounced like the a in fat, but much lengthened in quantity. This, according to Smart and all the later orthoepists, as 7. Italian a. The sound of a in far, daunt, &c., and its sound in fast, pant, &c., being radically the same, is represented by the same character, ä. Yet, in words like fast, clasp, ask, pass, waft, path, pant, &c., the sound is not so much prolonged as in far; and in such words as dance, advantage, it is shortened still more, and by some is changed into the sound of a in fat. 8. Broad a. The distinction between the broad a (a) or aw and the same sound shortened (a), as in what, is readily perceived. In some words, however, as salt, cobalt, &c., the a is not so broad as in all, nor so short as in what; but in respect to this nicer distinction the ear must decide. 9. Short e before r. The sound of short e beforer at the end of a word, or followed by another consonant than r, as in confer, perform, herd, earth, &c., is nearly the same as that of short u before r; but some, particularly in England, attempt in this case to give the e its regular short sound, as heard in herald, herring. The same remarks may be made respecting ir, to which some attempt, in such words as virgin, mirth, &c., to give the regular sound of short e and r. 10. Short o. The shut sound of o before in the same syllable, as in nor, being unavoidably the same as that of a, is not marked with any distinctive character. A sound intermediate in length between that of a in all and of o in not is heard in such words as off, soft, song, cloth, loss, frost, &c. Here, however, a drawl is carefully to be avoided. 11. Long u. -The long or open sound of u has been considered by many as a diphthong composed of e or y and oo. Dr. Webster regarded it, in most cases, as a peculiar vowel sound nearly resembling e and oo, but so much closer as to be hardly a diphthong; and considered it as sounded yoo only when it begins a syllable, or when it is heard in certain terminations, as in ure, &c. There is a strong tendency, which. ought to be carefully avoided, to change this sound into co after d, 1, 1, n, and s, as doo'ty for dü'ty, &c.; but in avoiding this, as Smart remarks, the u must be kept very close, and not run into dyuty or de-uty. Walker sounds u like oo afterr; but even here, the best speakers, in Dr. Webster's view, give a slight softening between the vowel and the consonant, pronouncing rude in a less broad and open manner than rood, i. e., giving the u its distinctive sound. 12. Respelling for Pronunciation.-(1) In respelling the French en, on, &c., the letters ng are designed simply to mark the vowel as nasal, and are not to be pronounced themselves. (2) The respelling of a word, when a number of related words follow, applies to all of them down to some other word which is respelled. (3) Compound words, which are not respelled or otherwise marked, are to be pronounced like the simple words of which they are composed: but of and with at the end of compounds, as hereof, herewits AN AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ABA is the first letter of the alphabet in most of the known AB-ALIEN-A-TING, ppr. At first threat the Ethiopic, however, it is the thirteenth, and in the Runic the tenth. It is naturally the first letter, because it represents the first vocal sound naturally formed by the human organs; being the sound uttered with a mere opening of the mouth, without constraint, and without any effort to alter the natural position or configuration of the lips. ▲ has, in English, four sounds: the long or slender, as in place, fate; the broad, as in wall, fall, which is shortened in squad, what; the open, or Italian, as in father, which is shortened in China; and the short, as in cat, carry. Its primitive sound was probably aw. A is also an abbreviation of the Saxon en or ane, one, used before words beginning with a consonant; as, a table, instead of an table, or one table. This is a modern change; for, in Saxon, an was used before consonants as well as vowels; as, an tid, a time; an gear, a year. See ΑΝ. This letter serves as a prefix to many English words; as in asleep, awake, afoot, aground, agoing. A is also used for anno, or ante; as in anno Domini, the year of our Lord; anno mundi, the year of the world; ante meridiem, before noon; and for arts, in artium magister, master of arts. Among the Romans, A. U. C. stood for anao urbis condita, in the year from the building of the city, or Rome. Chor אמא.( A Dutch measure of liquids, AB, a prefix to words of Latin origin, and a Latin preposi- It de AB, n. The Hebrew name of father. See Aвва. the square compartments of Mosaic pavements. calculator. A-BACK', adv. Toward the back; on the back part; backward. In seamen's language, it signifies the situation of the sails, when pressed back against the mast by the wind. ΑΒΑ-ΕΟΤ, Π. The cap of state, formerly used by English kings. AB-ACTOR, . [L.] In law, one that feloniously drives away or steals a herd or numbers of cattle at once, in distinction from one that steals a sheep or two. ABA-CUS, n. [L.] 1. Among the Romans, a cupboard or buffet. 2. An instrument to facilitate operations in arithmetic. 3. In architecture, a table constituting the upper member or crowning of a column and its capital.-Abacus harmonicus, the structure and disposition of the keys of a musical instrument.-Abacus major, a trough in mines to wash ore in-Abacus Pythagoricus, the multiplication table. A-BADDON, nb 1.אבד. The destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit. 2. The bottomless pit.-Milton. A-BAFT, adv. or prep. [Sax. eftan.) A sea term, signifying in or at the hinder part of a ship, or the parts which lie toward the stern; opposed to afore. Relatively, it denotes further aft, or toward the stern: often contracted into aft. A-BAISANCF.. See OBEISANCE. AB-ALIEN-ATE (ab-ale'yen-ate), v. t. To transfer the title of property from one to another: a term of the civil law. AB-ALTEN-A-TED, pp. Transferred from one to another. other. ABA Transferring from one to an AB-AL-IEN-ATION (ab-ale-yen-a'shun), n. The transferring A-BANDON, v. t. [Fr. abandonner.] 1. To forsake entirely; A-BANDONED, pp. or a. 1. Wholly forsaken or deserted, 2. Given up, as to a vice; extremely wicked.-SYN. Forsaken; deserted; destitute; abject; forlorn; profligate; corrupt; vicious; depraved; reprobate; wicked; heinous; criminal; vile; odious; detestable. A-BAN-DON-EE', n. In law, one to whom any thing is abandoned. A-BANDON-ER, n. One who abandons. A-BANDON-ING, ppr. Forsaking or deserting wholly, surers. A-BANDUM, n. In old law, any thing forfeited or confis cated. AB-AN-NITION, n. A banishment for one or two years for A-BAP-TISTON, n. The perforating part of the old treph- A-BAS', n. A weight in Persia, one eighth less than a carat, A-BASE', v. t. [Fr. abaisser.] To cast down; to reduce low; A-BASED (a-baste), pp. Reduced to a low state; humbled; degraded. In heraldry, it is used of the wings of eagles, when the tops are turned downward toward the point of the shield, or when the wings are shut. A-BASEMENT, п. The act of humbling or bringing low; A-BASH', v. t. (Heb. בוש. To make the spirits to fail; to A-BATA-BLE, a. That may or can be abated. *See Synopsis. A, E, I, &c., long. -A, E, I, &c., short. -FÄR, FALL, WHẠT;-PREY;-MARINE, BIRD; † Obsolete. A 2. To lessen; to diminish; to moderate; as, to abate a de- | AB-BRE VI-A-TURE, n. A letter or character for shortenmand. 3. To lessen; to mitigate; as, to abate pain or misery.-Addison. 4. To overthrow; to cause to fail; to frustrate by judicial sentence; as, to abate a writ. 5. Το deject; to depress; as, to abate the soul, [obs.] 6. To deduct.-Pope. 7. To cause to fail; to annul. 8. To remit; as, to abate a man's taxes. ing; an abridgment; a compend. A, B, C. The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the Α-ΒΑΤΕ ́, ο. ί. 1. To decrease, or become less in strength or or devisee.-7. In heraldry, a mark of dishonor in a coat of A-BĀTER, n. The person or thing that abates. A-BATOR, n. A person who enters into a freehold on the A-BAT-TOIR (a-bat-wor'), n. [Fr.) A place for slaughtering †ABA-TUDE, n. Any thing diminished. A-BAUM', n. A species of red clay. [Not in use.] AB'BA, n. In the Chaldee and Syriac, a father, and figura- }a. Belonging to an abbey. AB'BA-CY, n. [Low Lat. abbatia.] The dignity, rights, and ABBEY (abby), n.; pl. ABBEYS. [from abba.) A monastery ABBEY-LUB-BER, n. A name given to monks, in contempt for their idleness. ABBOT, n. [formerly abbat, from abba, Latinized abbas.] The superior, or governor, of an abbey or monastery.-Encyc. ABBOT-SHIP. n. The state of an abbot. AB-BRE'VI-ATE, v. t. [It. abbreviare.] 1. To shorten; to make shorter by contracting the parts. 2. To shorten; to abridge by the omission or defalcation of a part; to reduce to a smaller compass; as, to abbreviate a writing. 3. In mathematics, to reduce fractions to lower terms. AB-BRE VI-ATE, n. An abridgment.-Elyot. AB-BRE'VI-A-TED, pp. or a. Shortened; reduced to lower terms; abridged. AB-BRE'VI-A-TING, ppr. Shortening; contracting in length; reducing to lower terms, AB-BRE-VI-ATION, n. 1. The act of shortening or con- AB-BREVI-A-TOR, n. One who abridges or reduces to a AB-BRE VI-A-TO-RY, a. Shortening; contracting. ABDALS, n. pl. Religious fanatics, in some Mohammedan ABDE-RITE, n. An inhabitant of Abdera-Whitaker. ABDI-CATE, v. i. To renounce; to abandon; to cast off; AB-DI-CATION, n. 1. The act of abdicating; the abandon- * ABDI-CA-TIVE, AB-DICA-TIVE, }a. a. Causing or implying abdication. ABDI-TIVE, a. [L. abdo.] Having the power or quality of hiding. [Little used.] ABDI-TO-RY, n. A place for secreting or preserving goods. * AB-DO'MEN, or ABDO-MEN, n. [L. perhaps abdo and omentum.] 1. The lower belly, or that part of the body which lies between the thorax and the bottom of the pelvis.-2. In insects, the part of the body posterior to the corselet. AB-DOMIN-AL, a. Pertaining to the lower belly. AB-DOMIN-AL RING, In. An oblong, tendinous ring in each groin. AB-DOMIN-OUS, a. Pertaining to the abdomen; having a AB-DUCE', v. t. [L. abduco.] To draw from; to withdraw, arating, opening, or bending them. AB-DUCT, v. t. To take away surreptitiously and by force. AB-DUCTION, n. 1. In a general sense, the act of drawing apart, or carrying away.-2. In surgery, a species of fracture, in which the broken parts recede from each other.3. In logic, a kind of argumentation, called by the Greeks apagoge, in which the major is evident, but the minor is not so clear as not to require further proof. 4. In law, the taking and carrying away of a child, a ward, a wife, &c, either by fraud, persuasion, or open violence. AB-DUCTOR, n. 1. In anatomy, a muscle which serves to withdraw or pull back a certain part of the body. 2. A person guilty of abduction. †A-BEAR' (a-bare), v. t. [Sax. abaran.] To bear; to be A-BEARANCE, n. [from abear.] Behavior; demeanor. A-BELE', ABEL-TREE,n. A name of the white poplar. A-BELIANS, n. pl. In church history, a sect of pre A'BEL-MOSK, п. A trivial name of a species of hibiscus, or ABER, n. In Celtic, the mouth of a river. AB-ERRANCE, n. [L. aberrans.) A wandering or devi- sioned by the progressive motion of light and the earth's | AB-JU-DI-CA'TION, n. Rejection. annual motion in its orbit-3. In optics, a deviation in the AB-ERRING, part. a. Wandering; going astray. A-BET, .. [Sax. betan, gebetan.] 1. To give encourage- A-BET,. The act of aiding in a crime. A-BETTED, pp. Incited, aided, or encouraged to a crime. crime. A-BETTOR, R. One who abets, or incites, aids, or encourages another to commit a crime. AB-E-VAC-U-ITION, n. [ab and evacuation.) In medicine, a partial evacuation of morbid humors of the body, either by nature or art. A-BEYANCE (a-bayance), n. [Norm. abbaiaunce, or abaizance.] 1. In expectation or contemplation of law. The fee simple or inheritance of lands and tenements is in abeyaace when there is no person in being in whom it can vest, though ready to vest when the owner shall appear. 2. The term is also used in a wider sense, to denote a state of suspension or temporary extinction. -Eclectic Rev. ABGRE-GATE, D. 2. To separate from a herd or flock. AB-GRE-GATION, R. A separation from a herd or flock. AB-HOR', . L. (L. abhorreo.] 1. To hate extremely, or with contempt; to loathe, detest, or abominate. 2. To despise or neglect. 3. To cast off or reject. AB-HORRED (ab-hord'), pp. ora. Hated extremely; detested. AB-HOR'RENCE, . Extreme hatred; detestation; great AB-HORREN-CY, aversion. AB-HORRENT, a. 1. Hating; detesting; struck with abhorrence. 2. Contrary; odious; inconsistent with; expressive of extreme opposition; followed by to, not from. AB-HORRENT-LY, ade. With abhorrence. AB-HOR'RER, One who abhors. AB HOR'RING, ppr. Having great aversion; detesting. As a noun, it is used in Isaiah, Ixvi., for the object of hatred; as, "An abhorring to all flesh." BIB. Heb. אב. The first month of the Jewish ecclesi astical year, called also Nisan. It begins at the spring equinox, and answers to the latter part of March and beginning of April A-BIDE', c.i; pret, and pp. abode. [Sax. bidan, abidan.] 1. To rest or dwell. 2. To stay for a time; to reside. 3. To continue permanently, or in the same state; to be firm and immovable. 4. To remain; to continue. A-BIDE, . t. 1. To wait for; to be prepared for; to await; as, afflictions abide me. 2. To endure or sustain; as, to abide the anger of the Lord. 3. To bear or endure; to bear patiently. A-BIMER, n. One who dwells or continues; a resident. A-BIDING, ppr. 1. Dwelling; remaining; continuing; enduring; awaiting. 2. a. Permanent. A-BIDING, n. Continuance; fixed state; residence; an enduring. A-BIDING-LY, adv. In a manner to continue; permanently. + A-BILT-MENT, 12. Formerly used for ability. A-BIL1-TY, n. [Fr. habileté.] 1. Physical power, whether bodily or mental, natural or acquired; force of understanding; skill in arts or science. In the plural, abilities is much used for the faculties of the mind. 2. Riches; wealth; substance. 3. Moral power, depending on the will-a metaphysical and theological sense. 4. Civil or legal power; the power or right to do certain things. It is opposed to disability. Cyc.-SYN. Capacity; talent; faculty; capability; efficiency; aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity: skill. AB IN-PTI-O (ab in-ish'e-o). [L.] From the beginning. AB-IN-TESTATE, a. [L. ab and intestatus.) In the civil law, inheriting the estate of one dying without a will. AB-JECT, .t. To throw away; to cast down.-Spenser. ABJECT, a. [L. abjectus.] 1. Sunk to a low condition. 2. Low in estimation; without hope or regard.-SYN. Mean; base: worthless; low; groveling; debased; despicable. ABJECT, n. A person in the lowest condition, and despicable; a wretch-Ps. xxxv. AB-JECTED-NESS, n. A low or despicable condition. AB-JECTION, n. A state of being cast away; hence, a low state; meanness of spirit; baseness. ABJECT-LY, adv. In a contemptible manner; meanly; servilely; basely. ABJECT-NESS, n. The state of being abject; meanness; servility. AB-JODI-CA-TED, pp. or a. Given by judgment from one to another.-Knowles. AB-JU-RATION, n. 1. The act of abjuring; a renunciation upon oath. 2. A rejection or denial with solemnity; a solemn renunciation. AB-JU'RA-TO-RY, a. Containing abjuration. AB-JŪRE', v. t. [L. abjuro.] 1. To renounce upon oath; to abandon. 2. To renounce or reject with solemnity; to reject. 3. To banish, [not used.] -SYN. To forswear; renounce; retract; recall; recant; revoke. † AB-JŪRE', v. i. To abjure the realm.-Burnet. AB-JŪR'ED (ab-jürd'), pp. Renounced upon oath; solemnly recanted. † AB-JŪREMENT, n. Renunciation.-J. Hall. AB-JŪR'ER, n. One who abjures. AB-JŪRING, ppr. Renouncing upon oath; disclaiming with solemnity. AB-LACTATE, v. t. [L. ablacto.] To wean from the breast. AB-LAC-TATION, n. 1. In medical authors, the weaning of a child from the breast.-2. Among ancient gardeners, a method of grafting, now called grafting by approach, or inarching. AB-LAQ-UE-ITION, n. [L. ablaqueatio.] A laying bare the roots of trees to expose them to the air and water. AB-LATION, n. [L. ab and latio.] 1. A carrying away.-2. In medicine, the taking from the body whatever is hurtful; evacuations in general.-3. In chemistry, the removal of whatever is finished, or no longer necessary AB'LA-TIVE, a. or n. [L. ablativus.] A word applied to the sixth case of nouns in the Latin language. A-BLAZE', adv. On fire; in a blaze. Milman. A'BLE, a. [L. habilis; Norm. ablez.] 1. Having physical power sufficient; having competent power or strength, bodily or mental. 2. Having strong or unusual powers of mind, or intellectual qualifications; as, an able minister. 3. Having large or competent property; or simply having property, or means. 4. Having competent strength or fortitude. 5. Having sufficient knowledge or skill; as, able to instruct. 6. Having competent legal power; as, a foreigner is not able to hold real estate. SYN. Capable; competent; powerful; strong; efficient; effective; skillful; qualified; clever. ABLE, v. t. To enable. "I'll able them."-Shak. A'BLE-BOD-IED, a. Having a sound, strong body. An ablebodied seaman is one who has skill as well as strength. ABLE-GATE, v. t. [L. ablego.] To send abroad. † AB-LE-GATION, n. The act of sending abroad. AB'LEN, ABLET, n. A small fresh-water fish, the bleak. AB'LO-CATE, v. t. [L. abloco.] To let out; to lease. AB'LU-ENT, n. In medicine, that which thins, purifies, or sweetens the blood.-Quincy. AB-LUTION, n. [L. ablutio.] 1. In a general sense, the act of washing; a cleansing or purification by water. 2. Appropriately, the washing of the body as a preparation for religious duties.-3. In chemistry, the purification of bodies by the affusion of a proper liquor, as water to dissolve salts.-4. In medicine, the washing of the body externally, as by baths; or internally, by diluting fluids.-5. Pope has used ablution for the water used in cleansing. 6. In the Roman Catholic Church, a small quantity of wine and water. which is used to wash the chalice and the priest's fingers after communion, and is then drunk by the priest. AB-LŪVI-ON, n. [L. abluo.] That which is washed off. A'BLY, adv. In an able manner; with great ability. ABNE-GATE, v. t. To deny. AB-NE-GATION, n. [L. abnego.] A denial; a renunciation, self-denial. AB'NE-GA-TOR, n. One who denies, renounces, or opposes any thing.-Sandys. ABNET, n. The girdle of a Jewish priest. AB-NORMAL, a. [L. abnormis.] 1. Not conformed to AB-NORMOUS, 3 rule; irregular; deformed.-2. In botany, when the organs of a plant have a greater or less number of parts than the regular number, they are said to be abnorma-Brande. AB-NORMI-TY, n. Irregularity; deformity. A-BOARD, adv. [a for on, and board.] Within a ship, vessel, or boat. To go aboard, to enter a ship; to embark.-To fall aboard, to strike a ship's side. A-BOARD', prep. On board; in; with. † A-BODANCE, n. An omen. |