ALLURE, al-l[=u]r', _v.t._ to draw on as by a lure or bait: to
entice.--_n._ ALLURE'MENT.--_adj._ ALLUR'ING, enticing: seductive:
charming.--_adv._ ALLUR'INGLY. [O. Fr. _alurer_--_à_, to, _lurer_, to
LURE.]
ALLUVION, al-l[=u]'vi-un, _n._ land gained from the sea by the washing up
of sand and earth. [L. _alluvio_--_allu[)e]re_. See ALLUVIUM.]
ALLUVIUM, al-l[=u]'vi-um, _n._ the mass of water-borne matter deposited by
rivers on lower lands:--_pl._ ALL[=U]'VIA.--_adj._ ALL[=U]'VIAL.
[L.--_allu[)e]re_, to wash to or on--_ad_, and _lu[)e]re_ = _lav[=a]re_, to
wash.]
ALLY, al-l[=i]', _v.t._ to form a relation by marriage, friendship, treaty,
or resemblance.--_pa.p._ and _adj._ ALLIED'.--_n._ ALLY (al-l[=i]', or
al'l[=i]), a confederate: a prince or state united by treaty or
league:--_pl._ ALL[=I]ES', or AL'L[=I]ES. [O. Fr. _alier_--L.
_allig[=a]re_--_ad_, to, _lig[=a]re_, to bind.]
ALMA, ALMAH, al'ma, _n._ an Egyptian dancing-girl.--Also ALME, ALMEH. [Ar.
_`almah_, learned, _`alamah_, to know.]
ALMACANTAR, al-mak-an'tar, _n._ a name for circles of altitude parallel to
the horizon, and hence for an astronomical instrument for determining time
and latitude. [Ar. _almuqantar[=a]t_, _qantarah_, an arch.]
ALMAGEST, al'ma-jest, _n._ a collection of problems in geometry and
astronomy, drawn up by the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy (about 140 A.D.), so
named by the Arabs as the greatest and largest on the subject. [Ar. _al_,
the, and Gr. _megistos_, greatest.]
ALMAIN, al'm[=a]n, _n._ (_obs._) an inhabitant of Germany: a kind of dance
music in slow time. [Fr. _Allemand_--_Allemanni_, an ancient German tribe.]
ALMANAC, al'ma-nak, _n._ a register of the days, weeks, and months of the
year, &c.--_n._ ALMANOG'RAPHER, an almanac-maker. [Most prob. the original
of the word as in Fr., It., and Sp. was a Spanish-Arabic _al-man[=a]kh_.
Eusebius has _almenichiaka_, an Egyptian word, prob. sig. 'daily
observation of things,' but the history of the word has not been traced,
and it is hazardous without evidence to connect this with the Arabic word.]
ALMANDINE, al'man-d[=i]n, _n._ a red transparent variety of the
garnet.--Also AL'MANDIN. [Earlier ALABANDINE--Low L.
_alabandina_--_Alabanda_, a town in Caria, a province of Asia Minor, where
it was found.]
ALMIGHTY, awl-m[=i]t'i, _adj._ possessing all might or power: omnipotent:
very powerful generally: (_slang_) mighty, great.--Older form
ALMIGHT'.--_adv._ ALMIGHT'ILY.--_ns._ ALMIGHT'INESS, ALMIGHT'YSHIP.--THE
ALMIGHTY, God; THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, a phrase of Washington Irving's,
expressive of the greatness of the power of money. [A.S. _ælmeahtig_. See
ALL and MIGHTY.]
ALMNER, an old spelling of ALMONER.
ALMOND, ä'mund, _n._ the fruit of the almond-tree.--_n.pl._ ALMONDS
(ä'mundz), the tonsils or glands of the throat, so called from their
resemblance to the fruit of the almond-tree. [O. Fr. _almande_ (Fr.
_amande_)--L. _amygdalum_--Gr. _amygdal[=e]_.]
ALMONER, al'mun-[.e]r, _n._ a distributer of alms.--_n._ AL'MONRY, the
place where alms are distributed. [O. Fr. _aumoner_, _aumonier_ (Fr.
_aumônier_)--Low L. _eleemosynarius_ (adj.). See ALMS.]