ALMRY, äm'ri, _n._ Same as ALMONRY.
ALMS, ämz, _n._ relief given out of pity to the poor.--_ns._ ALMS'-DEED, a
charitable deed; ALMS'-DRINK (_Shak._), leavings of drink; ALMS'-FEE, an
annual tax of one penny on every hearth, formerly sent from England to
Rome, Peter's pence; ALMS'HOUSE, a house endowed for the support and
lodging of the poor; ALMS'-MAN, a man who lives by alms. [A.S. _ælmysse_,
through Late L., from Gr. _ele[=e]mosyn[=e]_--_eleos_, compassion. Dr
Murray notes the Scot. and North Country _almous_, _awmous_, as an
independent adoption of the cognate Norse _almusa_; and the legal ALMOIGN,
ALMOIN, perpetual tenure by free gift of charity, from O. Fr., perhaps due
to a confusion with _alimonium_.]
ALMUCE, an early form of AMICE.
ALMUG, al'mug, _n._ the wood of a tree described in the Bible as brought
from Ophir in the time of Solomon, for the house and temple at Jerusalem,
and for musical instruments--probably the red sandalwood of India. [Heb.
_algummîm_, _almuggîm_. The better form is ALGUM.]
ALOE, al'[=o], _n._ a genus of plants of considerable medicinal importance,
of the 200 species of which as many as 170 are indigenous to the Cape
Colony.--The so-called American Aloe is a totally different plant (see
AGAVE).--_adj._ AL'OED, planted or shaded with aloes.--The ALOES WOOD of
the Bible was the heart-wood of _Aquilaria ovata_ and _Aquilaria
Agallochum_, large spreading trees. The wood contains a dark-coloured,
fragrant, resinous substance, much prized for the odour it diffuses in
burning. [The word was used erroneously in the Septuagint and New Testament
as a translation of the Heb. _ah[=a]l[=i]m_, _ah[=a]l[=o]th_ (Gr.
_agallochon_), an aromatic resin or wood--called later in Gr. _xylalo[=e]_,
from which descend _lignum aloes_, _lign-aloes_, _wood-aloes_, and
_aloes-wood_.--A.S. _aluwan_--L. _alo[=e]_--Gr. _alo[=e]_.]
ALOES, al'[=o]z, a purgative bitter drug, the inspissated juice of the
leaves of several almost tree-like species of aloe. Used both as a _sing.
n._, and as a _pl._ of ALOE.--_n._ and _adj._ ALOET'IC, a medicine
containing a large proportion of aloes.
ALOFT, a-loft', _adv._ on high: overhead: at a great height: (_naut._)
above the deck, at the masthead: sometimes used as equivalent to _aloof_
(_Mad. D'Arblay_). [Scand.; Icel. _á lopt_ (pron. _loft_), expressing
motion; _á lopti_, expressing positio_n._ Pfx. _a-_ = Icel. _á_ = A.S.
_on_, in. See LOFT.]
ALONE, al-[=o]n', _adj._ single: solitary: alone of its kind: of itself, or
by themselves.--_adv._ singly, by one's self only.--_n._ ALONE'NESS [ALL
and ONE.]
ALONG, a-long', _adv._ by or through the length of: lengthwise: throughout:
onward: (fol. by _with_) in company of.--_prep._ by the side of:
near.--_n.pl._ ALONG'SHORE-MEN, labourers employed about the docks or
wharves in the Thames and other rivers.--_prep._ ALONG'SIDE, by the side,
beside.--ALONG OF, (_arch._ or _dial._) owing to. [A.S. _andlang_--pfx.
_and-_, against, and _lang_, LONG.]
ALONGST, a-longst', _prep._ (_obs._ except _dial._) along: by the length.
[M. E. _alongest_, from _along_, with adv. gen. _-es_.]
ALOOF, a-l[=oo]f', _adv._ at a distance: apart.--_n._ ALOOF'NESS,
withdrawal from common action or sympathy. [Pfx. _a-_ (--A.S. _on_), on,
and LOOF, prob. Dut. _loef._ See LUFF.]
ALOPECIA, al-o-p[=e]'si-a, _n._ baldness: a skin-disease producing this.
[Gr. _alopekia_, fox-mange.]
ALOUD, a-lowd', _adv._ with a loud voice: loudly. [Prep. _a_ (--A.S. _on_),
and _hlúd_, noise; Ger. _laut_.]
ALOW, a-l[=o]', _adv._ in a low place--opp. to _Aloft_.