Am`y*lo*ly"tic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; starch + &?; solvent; &?; to dissolve.] (Physiol.) Effecting the conversion of starch into soluble dextrin and sugar; as, an amylolytic ferment. Foster.
Am`y*lose" (&?;), n. (Chem.) One of the starch group (C6H10O5)n of the carbohydrates; as, starch, arabin, dextrin, cellulose, etc.
Am"y*ous (m"*s), a. [Gr. 'a`myos.] (Med.) Wanting in muscle; without flesh.
Am"yss (m"s), n. Same as Amice, a hood or cape.
An (n). [AS. n one, the same word as the numeral. See One, and cf. A.] This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour," "once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d A, 2), it has a distributive force, and is equivalent to each, every.
An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h sounded, when the accent of the word falls on the second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions. Anciently an was used before consonants as well as vowels.
An, conj. [Shortened fr. and, OE. an., and, sometimes and if, in introducing conditional clauses, like Icel. enda if, the same word as and. Prob. and was originally pleonastic before the conditional clause.] If; -- a word used by old English authors. Shak.
Nay, an thou dalliest, then I am thy foe.
B. Jonson.
An if, and if; if.
An"a-. [Gr. 'ana` on; in comp., on, up, upwards.] A prefix in words from the Greek, denoting up, upward, throughout, backward, back, again, anew.
A"na ("n), adv. [Gr. 'ana` (used distributively).] (Med.) Of each; an equal quantity; as, wine and honey, ana (or, contracted, aa), &?; ij., that is, of wine and honey, each, two ounces.
An apothecary with a . . . long bill of anas.
Dryden.
-a"na (&?;). [The neut. pl. ending of Latin adjectives in - anus.] A suffix to names of persons or places, used to denote a collection of notable sayings, literary gossip, anecdotes, etc. Thus, Scaligerana is a book containing the sayings of Scaliger, Johnsoniana of Johnson, etc.
Used also as a substantive; as, the French anas.
It has been said that the table-talk of Selden is worth all the ana of the Continent.
Hallam.
An`a*bap"tism (&?;), n. [L. anabaptismus, Gr. 'anabaptismo`s: cf. F. anabaptisme. See Anabaptize.] The doctrine of the Anabaptists.
An`a*bap"tist (&?;), n. [LL. anabaptista, fr. Gr. as if 'anabaptisth`s: cf. F. anabaptiste.] A name sometimes applied to a member of any sect holding that rebaptism is necessary for those baptized in infancy.
In church history, the name Anabaptists usually designates a sect of fanatics who greatly disturbed the peace of Germany, the Netherlands, etc., in the Reformation period. In more modern times the name has been applied to those who do not regard infant baptism as real and valid baptism.
{ An`a*bap*tis"tic (&?;), An`a*bap*tis"tic*al (&?;), } a. Relating or attributed to the Anabaptists, or their doctrines. Milton. Bp. Bull.
An`a*bap"tist*ry (&?;), n. The doctrine, system, or practice, of Anabaptists. [R.]
Thus died this imaginary king; and Anabaptistry was suppressed in Munster.
Pagitt.
An`a*bap*tize" (&?;), v. t. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; again + &?; to baptize. See Baptize.] To rebaptize; to rechristen; also, to rename. [R.] Whitlock.
||An"a*bas (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;, p. p. of &?; to advance.] (Zoöl.) A genus of fishes, remarkable for their power of living long out of water, and of making their way on land for considerable distances, and for climbing trees; the climbing fishes.
||A*nab"a*sis (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to go up; &?; up + &?; to go.] 1. A journey or expedition up from the coast, like that of the younger Cyrus into Central Asia, described by Xenophon in his work called "The Anabasis."
The anabasis of Napoleon.
De Quincey.