AID, [=a]d, _v.t._ to help, assist.--_n._ help: assistance, as in defending
an action: an auxiliary: subsidy or money grant to the king.--_n._
AID'ANCE, aid, help, support.--_adj._ AID'ANT, (_arch._) aiding,
helping.--_n._ AID'ER, one who brings aid: a helper.--_adjs._ AID'FUL;
AID'LESS.--COURT OF AIDS, the court that supervised the customs duties. [O.
Fr. _aider_--L. _adjut[=a]re_--_ad_, and _juv[=a]re_, _jutum_, to help.]
AIDE-DE-CAMP, [=a]d'-de-kong, _n._ an officer who carries the orders of a
general on the field, and brings him intelligence:--_pl._ AIDES'-DE-CAMP.
[Fr., assistant on the field.]
AIERY, a variant of AERIE.
AIGRETTE, [=a]'gret, _n._ (_zool._) a small white heron: (_bot._) the down
attached to vegetable seeds, as in the thistle: a plume composed of
feathers, or of precious stones, like a heron's crest. [Fr. _aigrette_.]
AIGUILLE, [=a]-gw[=e]l', _n._ a sharp, needle-like peak of rock, applied
esp. to many of the peaks near Mont Blanc: a slender boring-drill for
blasting. [Fr. See AGLET.]
AIGUILLETTE. See AGLET.
AIL, [=a]l, _v.i._ to feel pain: to be in trouble.--_v.t._ to trouble,
afflict--_obs._ except in impers. phrase 'What ails you?'--_n._ trouble:
indisposition.--_n._ AIL'MENT, pain: indisposition: disease. [A.S. _eglan_,
to pain. See AWE.]
AILANTO, [=e]l-an'to, _n._ a lofty and beautiful tree, native to
South-eastern Asia, but grown to shade public walks in France and Italy.
Its leaves give food to a species of silkworm--it is sometimes called the
Vernis du Japon, or Japan Varnish, apparently by confusion with certain
species of Rhus.--Also AILAN'TUS. [Native Amboyna name, meaning 'tree of
the gods.']
AILETTE, [=a]l-let', _n._ an iron plate once worn by men-at-arms for
defence on the shoulder. [Fr., dim. of _aille_--L. _ala_, a wing.]
AIM, [=a]m, _v.i._ to point at with a weapon: to direct the intention or
endeavour (_at_): (_obs._) to conjecture.--_v.t._ to point, as a weapon or
firearm.--_n._ the pointing of a weapon: the thing pointed at: design:
intention.--_adj._ AIM'LESS, without aim.--_adv._ AIM'LESSLY.--_n._
AIM'WORTHINESS, good aim.--TO CRY AIM, in old writers, to encourage archers
when shooting by crying 'aim,' hence to applaud or encourage. [O. Fr.
_esmer_, to reckon--L. _æstim[=a]re_, to estimate. See ESTIMATE.]
AIN'T, [=a]nt, a colloquial contracted form of _are not_--also AN'T =
_aren't_, _are not_.--AN'T (_Shak._) occurs as a variant of _on't_ = _on
it_, _of it_.
AIR, [=a]r, _n._ the fluid we breathe: the atmosphere: any special
condition of atmosphere, as in 'the night-_air_,' 'to take the air:' a
light breeze: publicity: the bearing of a person: outward appearance,
manner, look: an assumed or affected manner: (_mus._) a rhythmical melody:
a song, also specially a sprightly song: the soprano part in a harmonised
composition, being that which gives it its character: (_pl._)
affectation.--_v.t._ to expose to the air: to dry: to expose to warm air:
(_obs._) to take an airing.--_ns._ AIR'-BATH, an arrangement for drying
substances in air of any desired temperature; AIR'-BED, a bed for the sick,
inflated with air; AIR'-BLAD'DER, in some fishes, an organ containing air,
by which they maintain their equilibrium in the water; AIR'-BRAKE, a
railway brake worked by compressed air.--_adj._ AIR'-BUILT, built in air:
having no solid foundation.--_ns._ AIR'-CELL, a cavity containing air;
AIR'-CUSH'ION, an air-tight cushion, which can be inflated; AIR'-DRAIN, an
ample space at the foot of foundation walls, for the sake of
dryness.--_adj._ AIR'DRAWN, drawn in air: visionary: (_Shak._)
imaginary.--_ns._ AIR'-EN'GINE, an engine put in motion by air expanded by
heat; AIR'-GAS, illuminating gas made by charging atmospheric air with
vapour of petroleum or other hydrocarbon; AIR'-GUN, a gun which discharges
bullets by means of compressed air.--_adv._ AIR'ILY, gaily.--_ns._
AIR'INESS, state of being airy; openness: liveliness; AIR'ING, exposure to
the air or fire: a short excursion in the open air; AIR'-JACK'ET, a jacket
with air-tight cavities, which being inflated renders a person buoyant in
water.--_adj._ AIR'LESS, void of air: not having free communication with
the open air.--_ns._ AIR'-LOCK, a small chamber for the entrance and exit
of men and materials, at the top of the caisson or hollow cylinder used for
founding the piers of bridges under water; AIR'-PUMP, an instrument for
pumping the air out of a vessel; AIR'-SAC, an air-cell or air-space, esp.
in the bones of birds; AIR'-SHAFT, a passage for air into a mine;
AIR'-SHIP, a navigable balloon; AIR'-SPACE, the cubic content of a room,
hospital-ward, or the like, with reference to the respirable air contained
in it.--_adj._ AIR'-TIGHT, so tight as not to admit air.--_n._
AIR'-VES'SEL, a vessel or tube containing air.--_adv._ AIR'WARDS, up in the
air.--_adj._ AIR'Y, consisting of or relating to air: open to the air: like
air: unsubstantial: light of heart: sprightly.--TO TAKE AIR, to get wind,
to become publicly known. [Fr.--L. _aër_--Gr.]
AIRLING, [=a]r'ling, _n._ (_obs._) a thoughtless, gay person.
AIRT, [=a]rt, _n._ (_Scot._) direction, quarter. [Gael. _aird_, _àrd_; Ir.
_ard_.]
AISLE, [=i]l, _n._ any lateral division of any part of a church, whether of
nave, choir, or transept. The word is often erroneously applied to the
passage in a church between the pews or seats.--_adj._ AISLED, ([=i]ld),
having aisles. [O. Fr. _ele_, _aisle_ (Fr. _aile_)--L. _axilla_, _ala_, a
wing.]
AIT, [=a]t, _n._ a small island in a river or lake. [A.S. forms, _íget_,
_ígeoth_, supply the key to the word, but its history is obscure.]
AITCHBONE, [=a]ch'b[=o]n, _n._ the bone of the rump: the cut of beef over
this bone. [Orig. _nache-_ or _nage_bone; O. Fr. _nache_, _nage_--L.
_nates_, buttock; _a nache_ became _aitch_, and erroneously _edge_-bone.]