At·omÏol¶oÏgy (?), n. [Atom + Ïlogy.] The doctrine of atoms.
Cudworth.
At¶omÏy (?), n. An atom; a mite; a pigmy.
At¶oÏmy (?), n. [For anatomy, taken as an atomy.] A skeleton. [Ludicrous]
Shak.
AÏton¶aÏble (?), a. Admitting an atonement; capable of being atoned for; expiable.
At one¶ (?). [OE. at on, atone, atoon, attone.] 1. In concord or friendship; in agreement (with each other); as, to be, bring, make, or set, at one, i. e., to be or bring in or to a state of agreement or reconciliation.
If gentil men, or othere of hir contree
Were wrothe, she wolde bringen hem atoon.
Chaucer.
2. Of the same opinion; agreed; as, on these points we are at one.
3. Together. [Obs.]
Spenser.
AÏtone¶ (?), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Atoned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Atoning.] [From at one, i. e., to be, or cause to be, at one. See At one.] 1. To agree; to be in accordance; to accord. [Obs.]
He and Aufidius can no more atone
Than violentest contrariety.
Shak.
2. To stand as an equivalent; to make reparation, compensation, or amends, for an offense or a crime.
The murderer fell, and blood atoned for blood.
Pope.
The ministry not atoning for their former conduct by any wise or popular measure.
Junius.
AÏtone¶, v. t. 1. To set at one; to reduce to concord; to reconcile, as parties at variance; to appease. [Obs.]
I would do much
To atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio.
Shak.
2. To unite in making. [Obs. & R.]
The four elements... have atoned
A noble league.
Ford.
3. To make satisfaction for; to expiate.
Or each atone his guilty love with life.
Pope.
AÏtone¶ment (?), n. 1. (Literally, a setting at one.) Reconciliation; restoration of friendly relations; agreement; concord. [Archaic]
By whom we have now received the atonement.
Rom. v. 11.
He desires to make atonement
Betwixt the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers.
Shak.
2. Satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing of suffering that which will be received in satisfaction for an offense or injury; expiation; amends; Ð with for. Specifically, in theology: The expiation of sin made by the obedience, personal suffering, and death of Christ.
When a man has been guilty of any vice, the best atonement be can make for it is, to warn others.
Spectator.
The Phocians behaved with, so much gallantry, that they were thought to have made a sufficient atonement for their former offense.
Potter.
AÏton¶er (?), n. One who makes atonement.
AtÏones (?), adv. [See At one.] [Obs.]
Down he fell atones as a stone.
Chaucer.
AÏton¶ic (?), a. [Cf. F. atonique. See Atony.] 1. (Med.) Characterized by atony, or want of vital energy; as, an atonic disease.
2. (Gram.) Unaccented; as, an atonic syllable.
3. Destitute of tone vocality; surd.
Rush.
AÏton¶ic, n. 1. (Gram.) A word that has no accent.
2. An element of speech entirely destitute of vocality, or produced by the breath alone' a nonvocal or surd consonant; a breathing.
Rush.
3. (Med.) A remedy capable of allaying organic excitement or irritation.
Dunglison.
At¶oÏny (?), n. [Gr. ? slackness; ? priv. + ? tone, strength, ? to stretch: cf. F. atonie.] (Med.) Want of tone; weakness of the system, or of any organ, especially of such as are contractile.
AÏtop¶ (?), adv. On or at the top.
Milton.
At·raÏbiÏla¶riÏan (?), At·raÏbiÏla¶riÏous (?), } a. [LL. atrabilarius, fr. L. atra bilis black bile: cf. F. atrabilaire, fr. atrabile.] Affected with melancholy; atrabilious.
Arbuthnot.
At·raÏbiÏla¶riÏan, n. A person much given to melancholy; a hypochondriac.
I. Disraeli.
At·raÏbil¶iar (?), a. Melancholy; atrabilious.
At·raÏbil¶iaÏry (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to atra bilis or black bile, a fluid formerly supposed to be produced by the kidneys.
2. Melancholic or hypohondriac; atrabilious; Ð from the supposed predominance of black bile, to the influence of which the ancients attributed hypochondria, melancholy, and mania.
÷ arteries, capsules, and veins (Anat.), those pertaining to the kidney; Ð called also renal arteries, capsules, and veins.
At·raÏbil¶ious (?), a. Melancholic or hypochondriac; atrabiliary.
Dunglision.
A hardÐfaced, atrabilious, earnestÐeyed race.
Lowell.
He was constitutionally atrabilious and scornful.
Froude.
At·raÏmenÏta¶ceous (?), a. [L. atramentum ink, fr. ater black.] Black, like ink; inky; atramental. [Obs.]
Derham.
At·raÏmen¶tal (?), At·raÏmen¶tous (?), } a. Of or pertaining to ink; inky; black, like ink; as, atramental galls; atramentous spots.
At·raÏmenÏta¶riÏous (?), a. [Cf. F. atramentaire. See Atramentaceous.] Like ink; suitable for making ink. Sulphate of iron (copperas, green vitriol) is called atramentarious, as being used in making ink.
AtÏrede (?), v. t. [OE. at (AS. ‘t) out + rede.] To surpass in council. [Obs.]
Men may the olde atrenne, but hat atrede.
Chaucer.
AtÏrenne¶ (?), v. t. [OE. at + renne to run.] To outrun. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Ø AÏtre¶siÏa (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? not perforated.] (Med.) Absence or closure of a natural passage or channel of the body; imperforation.
A¶triÏal , a. Of or pertaining to an atrium.
AÏtrip¶ (?), adv. [Pref. aÏ + trip.] (Naut.) (a) Just hove clear of the ground; Ðsaid of the anchor. (b) Sheeted home, hoisted taut up and ready for trimming; Ð said of sails. (c) Hoisted up and ready to be swayed across; Ð said of yards.
Ø A¶triÏum (?), n.; pl. Atria (?). [L., the fore court of a Roman house.] 1. (Arch.) (a) A square hall lighted from above, into which rooms open at one or more levels. (b) An open court with a porch or gallery around three or more sides; especially at the entrance of a basilica or other church. The name was extended in the Middle Ages to the open churchyard or cemetery.
2.ÿ(Anat.) The main part of either auricle of the heart as distinct from the auricular appendix. Also, the whole articular portion of the heart.
3.ÿ(Zo”l.) A cavity in ascidians into which the intestine and generative ducts open, and which also receives the water from the gills. See Ascidioidea.
Ø At·roÏcha (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? priv. + ? a circle.] (Zo”l.) A kind of ch‘topod larva in which no circles of cilia are developed.
AÏtro¶cious (?), a. [L. atrox, atrocis, cruel, fierce: cf. F. atroce.] 1. Extremely heinous; full of enormous wickedness; as, atrocious quilt or deeds.
2. Characterized by, or expressing, great atrocity, great atrocity.
Revelations... so atrocious that nothing in history approaches them.
De Quincey.
3. Very grievous or violent; terrible; as, atrocious distempers. [Obs.]
Cheyne.
Syn. - Atrocious, Flagitious, Flagrant. Flagitious points to an act as grossly wicked and vile; as, a flagitious proposal. Flagrant marks the vivid impression made upon the mind by something strikingly wrong or erroneous; as, a flagrant misrepresentation; a flagrant violation of duty. Atrocious represents the act as springing from a violent and savage spirit. If Lord Chatham, instead of saying ½the atrocious crime of being a young man,¸ had used either of the other two words, his irony would have lost all its point, in his celebrated reply to Sir Robert Walpole, as reported by Dr. Johnson.
Ð AÏtro¶ciousÏly, adv. Ð AÏtro¶ciousÏness, n.
AÏtroc¶iÏty (?), n.; pl. Atrocities (?). [F. atrocit‚, L. atrocitas, fr. atrox, atrocis, cruel.] 1. Enormous wickedness; extreme heinousness or cruelty.
2. An atrocious or extremely cruel deed.
The atrocities which attend a victory.
Macaulay.
AÏtroph¶ic , a. Relating to atrophy.
At¶roÏphied (?), p. a. Affected with atrophy, as a tissue or organ; arrested in development at a very early stage; rudimentary.
At¶roÏphy (?), n. [L. atrophia, Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? to nourish: cf. F. atrophie.] A wasting away from of nourishment; diminution in bull or slow emaciation of the body or of any part.
Milton.
At¶roÏphy, v. t. [p. p. Atrophied (?).] To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.
At¶roÏphy, v. i. To waste away; to dwindle.
AÏtro¶piÏa (?), n. Same as Atropine.
At¶roÏpine (?), n. [Gr. ? inflexible; hence ? ?, one of the three Parc‘; ? priv. + ? to turn.] (Chem.) A poisonous, white, crystallizable alkaloid, extracted from the Atropa belladonna, or deadly nightshade, and the Datura Stramonium, or thorn apple. It is remarkable for its power in dilating the pupil of the eye. Called also daturine.
At¶roÏpism (?), n. (Med.) A condition of the system produced by long use of belladonna.
At¶roÏpous (?), a. [Gr. ?; ? priv. + ? to turn.] (Bot.) Not inverted; orthotropous.
A¶trous (?), a. [L. ater.] CoalÐblack; very black.
Ø AÏtry¶pa (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? priv. + ? a hole.] (Paleon.) A extinct genus of Branchiopoda, very common in Silurian limestones.
At¶taÏbal (?), n. See Atabal.
Ø AtÏtac¶ca (?). [It., fr. attaccare to tie, bind. See Attach.] (Mus.) Attack at once; Ð a direction at the end of a movement to show that the next is to follow immediately, without any pause.
AtÏtach¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attached (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Attaching.] [OF. atachier, F. attacher, to tie or fasten: cf. Celt. tac, tach, nail, E. tack a small nail, tack to fasten. Cf. Attack, and see Tack.] 1. To bind, fasten, tie, or connect; to make fast or join; as, to attach one thing to another by a string, by glue, or the like.
The shoulder blade is... attached only to the muscles.
Paley.
A huge stone to which the cable was attached.
Macaulay.
2. To connect; to place so as to belong; to assign by authority; to appoint; as, an officer is attached to a certain regiment, company, or ship.
3. To win the heart of; to connect by ties of love or selfÐinterest; to attract; to fasten or bind by moral influence; Ð with to; as, attached to a friend; attaching others to us by wealth or flattery.
Incapable of attaching a sensible man.
Miss Austen.
God... by various ties attaches man to man.
Cowper.
4. To connect, in a figurative sense; to ascribe or attribute; to affix; Ð with to; as, to attach great importance to a particular circumstance.
Top this treasure a curse is attached.
Bayard Taylor.
5. To take, seize, or lay hold of. [Obs.]
Shak.
6. To take by legal authority: (a) To arrest by writ, and bring before a court, as to answer for a debt, or a contempt; Ð applied to a taking of the person by a civil process; being now rarely used for the arrest of a criminal. (b) To seize or take (goods or real estate) by virtue of a writ or precept to hold the same to satisfy a judgment which may be rendered in the suit. See Attachment, 4.
The earl marshal attached Gloucester for high treason.
Miss Yonge.
Attached column (Arch.), a column engaged in a wall, so that only a part of its circumference projects from it.
Syn. - To affix; bind; tie; fasten; connect; conjoin; subjoin; annex; append; win; gain over; conciliate.
AtÏtach¶ (?), v. i. 1. To adhere; to be attached.
The great interest which attaches to the mere knowledge of these facts cannot be doubted.
Brougham.
2. To come into legal operation in connection with anything; to vest; as, dower will attach.
Cooley.
AtÏtach¶, n. An attachment. [Obs.]
Pope.
AtÏtach¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being attached; esp., liable to be taken by writ or precept.
Ø At·taÏch‚¶ (?), n. [F., p. p. of attacher. See Attach, v. t.] One attached to another person or thing, as a part of a suite or staff. Specifically: One attached to an embassy.
AtÏtach¶ment (?), n. [F. attachment.] 1. The act attaching, or state of being attached; close adherence or affection; fidelity; regard; an? passion of affection that binds a person; as, an attachment to a friend, or to a party.
2. That by which one thing is attached to another; connection; as, to cut the attachments of a muscle.
The human mind... has exhausted its forces in the endeavor to rend the supernatural from its attachment to this history.
I. Taylor.
3 Something attached; some adjunct attached to an instrument, machine, or other object; as, a sewing machine attachment (i. e., a device attached to a sewing machine to enable it to do special work, as tucking, etc.).
4. (Giv. Law) (a) A seizure or taking into custody by virtue of a legal process. (b) The writ or percept commanding such seizure or taking.
µ The term is applied to a seizure or taking either of persons or property. In the serving of process in a civil suit, it is most generally applied to the taking of property, whether at common law, as a species of distress, to compel defendant's appearance, or under local statutes, to satisfy the judgment the plaintiff may recover in the action. The terms attachment and arrest are both applied to the taking or apprehension of a defendant to compel an appearance in a civil action. Attachment are issued at common law and is chancery, against persons for contempt of court. In England, attachment is employed in some cases where capias is with us, as against a witness who fails to appear on summons. In some of the New England States a writ of attachment is a species of mesne process upon which the property of a defendant may be saized at the commencement of a suit and before summons to him, and may be held to satisfy the judgment the plaintiff may recover. In other States this writ can issue only against absconding debtors and those who conceal themselves. See Foreign, Garnishment, Truster process.
Bouvier. Burrill. Blackstone.
Syn. - Attachment, Affection. The leading idea of affection is that of warmth and tenderness; the leading idea of attachment is that of being bound to some object by strong and lasting ties. There is more of sentiment (and sometimes of romance) in affection, and more of principle in preserving attachment. We speak of the ardor of the one, and the fidelity of the other. There is another distinction in the use and application of these words. The term attachment is applied to a wider range of objects than affection. A man may have a strong attachment to his country, to his profession, to his principles, and even to favorite places; in respect to none of these could we use the word affection.
AtÏtack¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attacked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Attacking.] [F. attaquer, orig. another form of attacher to ~: cf. It. attacare to fasten, ~. See Attach, Tack a small nail.] 1. To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault. ½Attack their lines.¸
Dryden.
2. To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet.
3. To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation.
4. To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever.
Macaulay.
Hydrofluoric acid... attacks the glass.
B. Stewart.
Syn. - To Attack, Assail, Assault, Invade. These words all denote a violent onset; attack being the generic term, and the others specific forms of attack. To attack is to commence the onset; to assail is to make a sudden and violent ~, or to make repeated attacks; to assault (literally, to leap upon) is to ~ physically by a hadÐtoÐhand approach or by unlawful and insulting violence; to invade is to enter by force on what belongs to another. Thus, a person may attack by offering violence of any kind; he may assail by means of missile weapons; he may assault by direct personal violence; a king may invade by marching an army into a country. Figuratively, we may say, men attack with argument or satire; they assail with abuse or reproaches; they may be assaulted by severe temptations; the rights of the people may be invaded by the encroachments of the crown.
AtÏtack¶, v. i. To make an onset or ~.
AtÏtack¶, n. [Cf. F. attaque.] 1. The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; Ð opposed to defense.
2. An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words.
3. A setting to work upon some task, etc.
4. An access of disease; a fit of sickness.
5. The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action, by a chemical agent.
AtÏtack¶aÏble (?), a. Capable of being attacked.
AtÏtack¶er (?), n. One who attacks.
At¶taÏgas (?), At¶taÏgen (?), } n. [L. attagen a kind of bird, Gr. ?, ?.] (Zo”l.) A species of sand grouse (Syrrghaptes Pallasii) found in Asia and rarely in southern Europe.
<-- p. 98 -->
At¶taÏghan (?), n. See Yataghan.
AtÏtain¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attained (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining.] [Of. atteinen, atteignen, ?tainen, OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See Tangent, and cf. Attinge, Attaint.] 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest.
Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?
Abp. Tillotson.
2. To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. [Obs. with a material object.]
Chaucer.
3. To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. [Obs.]
Not well attaining his meaning.
Fuller.
4. To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. ½Canaan he now attains.¸
Milton.
5. To overtake. [Obs.]
Bacon.
6. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.
Syn. - To Attain, Obtain, Procure. Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort or motion. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means.
AtÏtain¶, v. i. 1. To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.
If by any means they might attain to Phenice.
Acts xxvii. 12.
Nor nearer might the dogs attain.
Sir W. Scott.
To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber.
Cowper.
Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this.
J. R. Green.
2. To come or arrive, by an effort of mind.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it.
Ps. cxxxix. 6.
AtÏtain¶, n. Attainment. [Obs.]
AtÏtain·aÏbil¶iÏty (?), n. The quality of being attainable; attainbleness.
AtÏtain¶aÏble (?), a. 1. Capable of being attained or reached by efforts of the mind or body; capable of being compassed or accomplished by efforts directed to the object.
The highest pitch of perfection attainable in this life.
Addison.
2. Obtainable. [Obs.]
General Howe would not permit the purchase of those articles [clothes and blankets] in Philadelphia, and they were not attainable in the country.
Marshall.
AtÏtain¶aÏbleÏness, n. The quality of being attainable; attainability.
AtÏtain¶der (?), n. [OF. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse, convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to F. teindre tie stain. See Attaint, Attain.] 1. The act of attainting, or the state of being attainted; the extinction of the civil rights and capacities of a person, consequent upon sentence of death or outlawry; as, an act of attainder.
Abbott.
µ Formerly attainder was the inseparable consequence of a judicial or legislative sentence for treason or felony, and involved the forfeiture of all the real and personal property of the condemned person, and such ½corruption of blood¸ that he could neither receive nor transmit by inheritance, nor could he sue or testify in any court, or claim any legal protection or rights. In England attainders are now abolished, and in the United States the Constitution provides that no bill of attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason (in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted.
2. A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or condemnation. [Obs.]
He lived from all attainder of suspect.
Shak.
Bill of ~, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and ~, without judicial sentence.
AtÏtain¶ment (?), n. 1. The act of attaining; the act of arriving at or reaching; hence, the act of obtaining by efforts.
The attainment of every desired object.
Sir W. Jones.
2. That which is attained to, or obtained by exertion; acquirement; acquisition; (pl.), mental acquirements; knowledge; as, literary and scientific attainments.
AtÏtaint¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attainting.] [OE. atteynten to convict, fr. atteynt, OF. ateint, p. p. of ateindre, ataindre. The meanings 3, 4, 5, and 6 were influenced by a supposed connection with taint. See Attain, Attainder.] 1. To attain; to get act; to hit. [Obs.]
2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; Ð said esp. of a jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [Obs.]
Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by men of his own condition.
Blackstone.
3. (Law) To subject (a person) to the legal condition formerly resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry, pronounced in respect of treason or felony; to affect by attainder.
No person shall be attainted of high treason where corruption of blood is incurred, but by the oath of two witnesses.
Stat. 7 & 8 Wm. III.
4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act. [Archaic]
5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt.
My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love.
Shak.
6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with infamy.
For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
That Ph?bus' golden face it did attaint.
Spenser.
Lest she with blame her honor should attaint.
Spenser.
AtÏtaint¶, p. p. Attainted; corrupted. [Obs.]
Shak.
AtÏtaint¶, n. [OF. attainte. See Attaint, v.] 1. A touch or hit.
Sir W. Scott.
2. (Far.) A blow or wound on the leg of a horse, made by overreaching.
White.
3. (Law) A writ which lies after judgment, to inquire whether a jury has given a false verdict in any court of record; also, the convicting of the jury so tried.
Bouvier.
4. A stain or taint; disgrace. See Taint.
Shak.
5. An infecting influence. [R.]
Shak.
AtÏtain¶ment (?), n. Attainder; attainture; conviction.
AtÏtain¶ture (?), n. Attainder; disgrace.
At¶tal (?), n. Same as Attle.
AtÏtame¶ (?), v. t. [OF. atamer, from Latin. See Attaminate.] 1. To pierce; to attack. [Obs.]
2. To broach; to begin.
And right anon his tale he hath attamed.
Chaucer.
AtÏtam¶iÏnate (?), v. t. [L. attaminare; ad + root of tangere. See Contaminate.] To corrupt; to defile; to contaminate. [Obs.]
Blount.
At¶tar (?), n. [Per. 'atar perfume, essence, Ar. 'itr, fr. 'atara to smell sweet. Cf. Otto.] A fragrant essential oil; esp., a volatile and highly fragrant essential oil obtained from the petals of roses. [Also written otto and ottar.]
AtÏtask¶ (?), v. t. [Pref. aÏ + task.] To take to task; to blame.
Shak.
AtÏtaste (?), v. t. [Pref. aÏ + taste.] To taste or cause to taste. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
At¶te (?). At the. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
AtÏtem¶per (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attempered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Attempering.] [OF. atemprer, fr. L. attemperare; ad + temperare to soften, temper. See Temper, and cf. Attemperate.] 1. To reduce, modify, or moderate, by mixture; to temper; to regulate, as temperature.
If sweet with bitter... were not attempered still.
Trench.
2. To soften, mollify, or moderate; to soothe; to temper; as, to attemper rigid justice with clemency.
3. To mix in just proportion; to regulate; as, a mind well attempered with kindness and justice.
4. To accommodate; to make suitable; to adapt.
Arts... attempered to the lyre.
Pope.
µ This word is now not much used, the verb temper taking its place.
AtÏtem¶perÏaÏment (?), n. [OF. attemprement.] A tempering, or mixing in due proportion.
AtÏtem¶perÏance (?), n. [Cf. OF. atemprance.] Temperance; attemperament. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
AtÏtem¶perÏate (?), a. [L. attemperatus, p. p. of attemperare. See Attemper.] Tempered; proportioned; properly adapted.
Hope must be... attemperate to the promise.
Hammond.
AtÏtem¶perÏate (?), v. t. To attemper. [Archaic]
AtÏtem·perÏa¶tion (?), n. The act of attempering or regulating. [Archaic]
Bacon.
AtÏtem¶perÏly, adv. Temperately. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
AtÏtem¶perÏment (?), n. Attemperament.
AtÏtempt¶ (?; 215), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attempted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attempting.] [OF. atenter, also spelt atempter, F. attenter, fr. L. attentare to ~; ad + tentare, temptare, to touch, try, v. intens. of tendere to stretch. See Tempt, and cf. Attend.] 1. To make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor to do or perform (some action); to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight.
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Longfellow.
2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt. [Obs. or Archaic]]
It made the laughter of an afternoon
That Vivien should attempt the blameless king.
Thackeray.
3. To try to win, subdue, or overcome; as, one who attempts the virtue of a woman.
Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further:
Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute.
Shak.
4. To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force; as, to attempt the enemy's camp.
Without attempting his adversary's life.
Motley.
Syn. - See Try.
AtÐtempt¶, v. i. To make an ~; Ð with upon. [Obs.]
Sir T. Browne.
AtÏtempt¶, n. A essay, trial, or endeavor; an undertaking; an attack, or an effort to gain a point; esp. an unsuccessful, as contrasted with a successful, effort.
By his blindness maimed for high attempts.
Milton.
Attempt to commit a crime (Law), such an intentional preparatory act as will apparently result, if not extrinsically hindered, in a crime which it was designed to effect.
Wharton.
Syn. - Attempt, Endeavor, Effort, Exertion, Trial. These words agree in the idea of calling forth our powers into action. Trial is the generic term; it denotes a putting forth of one's powers with a view to determine what they can accomplish; as, to make trial of one's strength. An attempt is always directed to some definite and specific object; as, ½The attempt, and not the deed, confounds us.¸ Shak. Am endeavor is a continued ~; as, ½His high endeavor and his glad success.¸ Cowper. Effort is a specific putting forth of strength in order to carry out an ~. Exertion is the putting forth or active exercise of any faculty or power. ½It admits of all degrees of effort and even natural action without effort.¸ C. J. Smith. See Try.
AtÏtemp¶aÏble (?), a.ÿCapable of being attempted, tried, or attacked.
Shak.
AtÏtemp¶er (?; 215), n. 1. One who attempts; one who essays anything.
2. An assailant; also, a temper. [Obs.]
AtÏtempt¶ive (?), a. Disposed to attempt; adventurous. [Obs.]
Daniel.
AtÏtend¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attended; p. pr. & vb. n. Attending.] [OE. atenden, OF. atendre, F. attendre, to expect, to wait, fr. L. attendre to stretch, (sc. animum), to apply the mind to; ad + tendere to stretch. See Tend.] 1. To direct the attention to; to fix the mind upon; to give heed to; to regard. [Obs.]
The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not attend the unskillful words of the passenger.
Sir P. Sidney.
2. To care for; to look after; to take charge of; to watch over.
3. To go or stay with, as a companion, nurse, or servant; to visit professionally, as a physician; to accompany or follow in order to do service; to escort; to wait on; to serve.
The fifth had charge sick persons to attend.
Spenser.
Attends the emperor in his royal court.
Shak.
With a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prepared to attend William thither.
Macaulay.
4. To be present with; to accompany; to be united or consequent to; as, a measure attended with ill effects.
What cares must then attend the toiling swain.
Dryden.
5. To be present at; as, to attend church, school, a concert, a business meeting.
6. To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be in store for. [Obs.]
The state that attends all men after this.
Locke.
Three days I promised to attend my doom.
Dryden.
Syn. - To Attend, Mind, Regard, Heed, Notice. Attend is generic, the rest are specific terms. To mind is to ~ so that it may not be forgotten; to regard is to look on a thing as of importance; to heed is to ~ to a thing from a principle of caution; to notice is to think on that which strikes the senses. Crabb. See Accompany.
AtÏtend¶ (?), v. i. 1. To apply the mind, or pay attention, with a view to perceive, understand, or comply; to pay regard; to heed; to listen; Ð usually followed by to.
Attend to the voice of my supplications.
Ps. lxxxvi. 6.
Man can not at the same time attend to two objects.
Jer. Taylor.
2. To accompany or be present or near at hand, in pursuance of duty; to be ready for service; to wait or be in waiting; Ð often followed by on or upon.
He was required to attend upon the committee.
Clarendon.
3. (with to) To take charge of; to look after; as, to attend to a matter of business.
4. To wait; to stay; to delay. [Obs.]
For this perfection she must yet attend,
Till to her Maker she espoused be.
Sir J. Davies.
Syn. - To Attend, Listen, Hearken. We attend with a view to hear and learn; we listen with fixed attention, in order to hear correctly, or to consider what has been said; we hearken when we listen with a willing mind, and in reference to obeying.
AtÏtend¶ance (?), n. [OE. attendance, OF. atendance, fr. atendre, F. attendre. See Attend, v. t.] 1. Attention; regard; careful application. [Obs.]
Till I come, give attendance to reading.
1 Tim. iv. 13.
2. The act of attending; state of being in waiting; service; ministry; the fact of being present; presence.
Constant attendance at church three times a day.
Fielding.
3. Waiting for; expectation. [Obs.]
Languishing attendance and expectation of death.
Hooker.
4. The persons attending; a retinue; attendants.
If your stray attendance by yet lodged.
Milton.
AtÏtend¶anÏcy (?), n. The quality of attending or accompanying; attendance; an attendant. [Obs.]
AtÏtend¶ant (?), a. [F. attendant, p. pr. of attendre. See Attend, v. t.] 1. Being present, or in the train; accompanying; in waiting.
From the attendant flotilla rang notes triumph.
Sir W. Scott.
Cherub and Seraph... attendant on their Lord.
Milton.
2. Accompanying, connected with, or immediately following, as consequential; consequent; as, intemperance with all its attendant evils.
The natural melancholy attendant upon his situation added to the gloom of the owner of the mansion.
Sir W. Scott.
3. (Law) Depending on, or owing duty or service to; as, the widow attendant to the heir.
Cowell.
Attendant keys (Mus.), the keys or scales most nearly related to, or having most in common with, the principal key; those, namely, of its fifth above, or dominant, its fifth below (fourth above), or subdominant, and its relative minor or major.
AtÏtend¶ant, n. 1. One who attends or accompanies in any character whatever, as a friend, companion, servant, agent, or suitor. ½A train of attendants.¸
Hallam.
2. One who is present and takes part in the proceedings; as, an attendant at a meeting.
3. That which accompanies; a concomitant.
[A] sense of fame, the attendant of noble spirits.
Pope.
4. (Law) One who owes duty or service to, or depends on, another.
Cowell.
AtÏtend¶eÏment (?), n. Intent. [Obs.]
Spenser.
AtÏtend¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, attends.
AtÏtend¶ment (?), n. [Cf. OF. atendement.] An attendant circumstance. [Obs.]
The uncomfortable attendments of hell.
Sir T. Browne.
AtÏtent¶ (?), a. [L. attentus, p. p. of attendere. See Attend, v. t.] Attentive; heedful. [Archaic]
Let thine ears be attent unto the prayer.
2 Chron. vi. 40.
AtÏtent¶, n. Attention; heed. [Obs.]
Spenser.
AtÏten¶tate (?), AtÏten¶tat (?), } n. [L. attentatum, pl. attentata, fr. attentare to attempt: cf. F. attentat criminal attempt. See Attempt.] 1. An attempt; an assault. [Obs.]
Bacon.
2. (Law) (a) A proceeding in a court of judicature, after an inhibition is decreed. (b) Any step wrongly innovated or attempted in a suit by an inferior judge.
AtÏten¶tion (?), n. [L. attentio: cf. F. attention.] 1. The act or state of attending or heeding; the application of the mind to any object of sense, representation, or thought; notice; exclusive or special consideration; earnest consideration, thought, or regard; obedient or affectionate heed; the supposed power or faculty of attending.
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