AMARANTH, -US, am'ar-anth, -us, _n._ a genus of plants with richly-coloured
flowers, that last long without withering, as Love-lies-bleeding, early
employed as an emblem of immortality.--_adj._ AMARANTH'INE, pertaining to
amaranth: unfading. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. _amarantos_,
unfading--_a_, neg., and root _mar_, to waste away; allied to L. _mori_, to
die.]
AMARYLLIS, am-a-ril'is, _n._ a genus of bulbous-rooted plants, including
the narcissus, jonquil, &c. [_Amaryllis_, the name of a country girl in
Theocritus and Virgil.]
AMASS, a-mas', _v.t._ to gather in large quantity: to accumulate.--_adjs._
AMASS'ABLE.--_pa.p._ AMASSED'.--_n._ AMASS'MENT. [Fr. _amasser_--L. _ad_,
to, and _massa_, a mass.]
AMASTHENIC, am-as-then'ik, _adj._ uniting all the chemical rays of light
into one focus, applied to a lens perfect for photographic purposes. [Gr.
_hama_, together, _sthenos_, force.]
AMATE, a-m[=a]t', _v.t._ to accompany: (_Spens._) to match. [Pfx. _a-_, and
MATE.]
AMATE, a-m[=a]t', _v.t._ (_arch._) to subdue, to daunt, to stupefy. [O. Fr.
_amatir_, to subdue.]
AMATEUR, am'at-[=u]r, or am-at-[=a]r', _n._ one who cultivates a particular
study or art for the love of it, and not professionally: in general terms,
one who plays a game for pleasure, as distinguished from a professional who
plays for money--nearly every game has its special definition to meet its
own requirements.--_adjs._ AMATEUR; AMATEUR'ISH, imperfect and defective,
as the work of an amateur rather than a professional hand.--_adv._
AMATEUR'ISHLY.--_ns._ AMATEUR'ISHNESS; AMATEUR'ISM, AMATEUR'SHIP. [Fr.--L.
_amator_, a lover, _am[=a]re_, to love.]
AMATIVE, am'at-iv, _adj._ relating to love: amorous.--_n._ AM'ATIVENESS,
propensity to love or to sexuality. [From L. _am[=a]re_, -_[=a]tum_, to
love.]
AMATORY, am'at-or-i, _adj._ relating to or causing love:
affectionate.--_adjs._ AM'ATORY, AMAT[=O]'RIAL, AMAT[=O]'RIAN
(_obs._).--_adv._ AMAT[=O]'RIALLY.
AMAUROSIS, am-aw-r[=o]'sis, _n._ total blindness when no change can be seen
in the eye sufficient to account for it; _Amblyopia_ being partial loss of
sight under similar circumstances. The old name was _Gutta serena_--the
'drop serene' of _Paradise Lost_, iii. 25.--_adj._ AMAUR[=O]'TIC. [Gr.
_amaur[=o]sis_, _amauros_, dark.]
AMAZE, a-m[=a]z', _v.t._ to confound with surprise or wonder.--_n._
astonishment: perplexity (much less common than AMAZE'MENT).--_adv._
AMAZ'EDLY, with amazement or wonder.--_n._ AMAZE'MENT, AMAZ'EDNESS
(_rare_), surprise mingled with wonder: astonishment.--_p.adj._ AMAZE'ING,
causing amazement, astonishment: astonishing.--_adv._ AMAZ'INGLY. [Pfx.
_a-_, and MAZE.]
AMAZON, am'az-on, _n._ one of a fabled nation of female warriors: a
masculine woman: a virago.--_adj._ AMAZ[=O]'NIAN, of or like an Amazon: of
masculine manners: warlike. [Popular Gr. ety. from _a_, neg., _mazos_, a
breast--they being fabled to cut off the right breast that they might draw
the bow to its head (of course all this is idle); some have suggested an
original in the Circassian _maza_, the moon.]
AMBAGE, am'b[=a]j, _n._ roundabout phrases: circuitous paths, windings:
dark and mysterious courses:--_pl._ AM'BAGES.--_adj._ AMB[=A]'GIOUS,
circumlocutory: circuitous.--_adv._ AMB[=A]'GIOUSLY.--_n._
AMB[=A]'GIOUSNESS--_adj._ AMB[=A]'GITORY (_rare_).
AMBASSADOR, am-bas'a-dur, _n._ a diplomatic minister of the highest order
sent by one sovereign power to another:--_fem._ AMBASS'ADRESS.--_adj._
AMBASSAD[=O]'RIAL.--_n._ AMBASS'ADORSHIP.--_n._ AMBASS'AGE--now usually
EMBASSAGE, the position, or the business, of an ambassador: a number of men
despatched on an embassy or mission.--AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY, an
ambassador sent on a special occasion, as distinguished from the ordinary
or resident ambassador. [It. _ambasciadore_--L. _ambactus_, derived by
Grimm from Goth. _andbahts_, a servant, whence Ger. _amt_, office; by Zeuss
and others traced to a Celtic source, and identified with W. _amaeth_, a
husbandman.]
AMBE, am'b[=e], _n._ an old mechanical contrivance, ascribed to
Hippocrates, for reducing dislocations of the shoulder. [Gr. _amb[=e]_,
Ionic for _amb[=o]n_, a ridge.]
AMBER, am'b[.e]r, _n._ a yellowish fossil resin, used in making
ornaments.--_adjs._ AM'BERED (_obs._), flavoured with amber or ambergris;
AMB'ERY. [Fr.--Ar. _`anbar_, ambergris.]
AMBERGRIS, am'b[.e]r-gr[=e]s, _n._ a fragrant substance of an ash-gray
colour, found floating on the sea or on the seacoast of warm countries, and
in the intestines of the spermaceti whale. [Fr. _ambre gris_, gray amber.]
AMBERITE, am'be-r[=i]t, _n._ a smokeless powder.
AMBIDEXTER, am-bi-deks't[.e]r, _adj._ and _n._ able to use both hands with
equal facility: double-dealing, or a double-dealer.--_n._ AMBI'DEXTER'ITY,
superior cleverness or adaptability.--_adj._ AMBIDEX'TROUS. [L. _ambo_,
both, _dexter_, right hand.]
AMBIENT, am'bi-ent, _adj._ going round: surrounding: investing.--_n._ an
encompassing sphere: the air or sky. [L. _ambi_, about, _iens_, _ientis_,
pr.p. of _eo_, _[=i]re_, to go.]
AMBIGUOUS, am-big'[=u]-us, _adj._ of doubtful signification: indistinct:
wavering or uncertain: equivocal.--_n._ AMBIG[=U]'ITY, uncertainty or
dubiousness of meaning--also AMBIG'UOUSNESS.--_adv._ AMBIG'UOUSLY. [L.
_ambiguus_--_ambig[)e]re_, to go about--_ambi_, about, _ag[)e]re_, to
drive.]
AMBIT, am'bit, _n._ a circuit: a space surrounding a house or town: extent
of meaning of words, &c.
AMBITION, am-bish'un, _n._ the desire of power, honour, fame,
excellence.--_n._ AMBI'TIONIST (_Carlyle_), an ambitious man.--_adj._
AMBI'TIOUS, full of ambition (with _of_, formerly _for_): strongly desirous
of anything--esp. power: aspiring: indicating ambition: showy or
pretentious.--_adv._ AMBI'TIOUSLY.--_n._ AMBI'TIOUSNESS. [Fr.--L.
_ambition_-_em_, the going about--that is, the canvassing for votes
practised by candidates for office in Rome--_ambi_, about, and _[=i]re_,
_itum_, to go.]
AMBLE, am'bl, _v.i._ to move as a horse by lifting together both legs on
one side alternately with those on the other side: to move at an easy pace
affectedly.--_n._ a pace of a horse between a trot and a walk.--_n._
AM'BLER, a horse that ambles: one who ambles in walking or dancing.--_n._
and _adj._ AM'BLING. [Fr. _ambler_--L. _ambul[=a]-re_, to walk about.]
AMBLYGON, am'bli-gon, _adj._ obtuse-angled. [Gr. _amblus_, obtuse, _gonia_,
angle.]
AMBLYOPIA, am-bli-[=o]'pi-a, _n._ dullness of sight (see AMAUROSIS).--_n._
AMBLYOP'SIS, the bony fish found in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the
rudimentariness of whose eyes is due to darkness and consequent disuse.
[Gr.--_amblys_, dull, _[=o]ps_, eye.]
AMBLYSTOMA, am-blis't[=o]-ma, _n._ a genus of tailed amphibians in the
gill-less or salamandroid sub-order--the adult form of axolotl. [Gr.
_amblys_, blunt, _stoma_, mouth.]
AMBO, am'b[=o], _n._ a kind of reading-desk or pulpit, which in early
Christian churches was placed in the choir. The ambo had two ascents--one
from the east, and the other from the west. [Gr. _amb[=o]n_, a rising.]
AMBROSIA, am-br[=o]'zhi-a, _n._ the fabled food of the gods, which gave
immortal youth and beauty to those who ate it: the anointing oil of the
gods: any finely-flavoured beverage: something delightfully sweet and
pleasing.--_adj._ AMBR[=O]'SIAL, fragrant: delicious: immortal:
heavenly.--_adv._ AMBR[=O]'SIALLY.--_adj._ AMBR[=O]'SIAN, relating to
ambrosia: relating to St Ambrose, bishop of Milan in the 4th century.
[L.--Gr. _ambrosios_ = _ambrotos_, immortal--_a_, neg., and _brotos_,
mortal, for _mrotos_, Sans. _mrita_, dead--_mri_ (L. _mori_), to die.]
[Illustration]
AMBRY, am'bri, _n._ a niche in churches in which the sacred utensils were
kept: a cupboard for victuals. [O. Fr. _armarie_, a repository for arms
(Fr. _armoire_, a cupboard)--L. _armarium_, a chest for arms--_arma_,
arms.]
AMBS-ACE, [=a]mz'-[=a]s, _n._ double ace: the lowest possible throw at
dice: ill-luck: worthlessness. [O. Fr. _ambes as_--L. _ambas as_. See ACE.]
AMBULACRUM, am-b[=u]-l[=a]'krum, _n._ a row of pores in the shell of an
echinoderm, as a sea-urchin, through which the tube-feet protrude.--_adj._
AMBUL[=A]'CRAL. [L., a walk--_ambul[=a]re_, to walk.]
AMBULANCE, am'b[=u]l-ans, _n._ a carriage which follows an army and serves
as a movable hospital for the wounded--also used as an _adj._, as in
ambulance wagon.--_n._ AMBULAN'CIER, a man attached to an
ambulance.--_adj._ AM'BULANT, walking: moving from place to place: (_rare_)
unfixed.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ AM'BULATE (_rare_), to walk.--_p.adj._
AM'BULATING.--_n._ AMBUL[=A]'TION.--_adj._ AM'BULATORY, having the power or
faculty of walking: moving from place to place, not stationary:
mutable.--_n._ any part of a building intended for walking in, as the
aisles of a church, or the cloisters of a monastery: any kind of corridor.
[Fr.--L. _ambulans_, _-antis_, pr.p. of _ambul[=a]re_, to walk about.]
AMBUSCADE, am'busk-[=a]d, _n._ a hiding to attack by surprise: a body of
troops in concealment: the hidden place of ambush--used also as a
_verb_.--_n._ AMBUSC[=A]'DO, a now archaic form of AMBUSCADE (common in
17th century):--_pl._ AMBUSC[=A]'DOES. [Fr. _embuscade_. See AMBUSH.]
AMBUSH, am'boosh, _n._ and _v._ same meanings as AMBUSCADE.--_n._
AM'BUSHMENT (_B._), ambush. [O. Fr. _embusche_ (mod. _embûche_),
_embuscher_, Low L. _embosc[=a]re_--_in_-, in, and _boscus_, a bush.]
AMEER, or AMERE, a-m[=e]r', _n._ a title of honour, also of an independent
ruler in Mohammedan countries. [Ar. _am[=i]r_. See ADMIRAL.]
AMELIORATE, a-m[=e]l'yor-[=a]t, _v.t._ to make better: to improve.--_v.i._
to grow better.--_n._ AMELIOR[=A]'TION, the condition of being made better:
improvement or the means of such.--_adj._ AMEL'IORATIVE. [L. _ad_, to, and
_melior_, better.]
AMEN, [=a]'men', or ä'men', _interj._ so let it be!--_v.t._ to say amen to
anything, to ratify solemnly. [Gr.--Heb. _[=a]m[=e]n_, firm, true.]
AMENABLE, a-m[=e]n'a-bl, _adj._ easy to be led or governed: liable or
subject to.--_ns._ AMENABIL'ITY, AMEN'ABLENESS.--_adv._ AMEN'ABLY. [Fr.
_amener_, to lead--_a_ = L. _ad_, and _mener_, to lead--Low L. _min[=a]re_,
to lead, to drive (as cattle)--L. _min[=a]ri_, to threaten.]
AMENAGE, am'e-n[=a]j, _v.t._ (_Spens._) to manage. [O. Fr. _amenager_. See
MANAGE.]
AMENANCE, am'e-nans, _n._ (_Spens._) conduct, behaviour. [O. Fr.
_amenance_, from root of AMENABLE.]
AMEND, a-mend', _v.t._ to correct: to improve: to alter in detail, as a
bill before parliament, often so fundamentally as to overthrow entirely the
thing originally proposed.--_v.i._ to grow or become better.--_adjs._
AMEND'ABLE, AMEND'ATORY, corrective.--_n._ AMEND'MENT, correction:
improvement: an alteration proposed on a bill under consideration: a
counter-proposal put before a public meeting: a counter-motion.--_n.pl._
AMENDS', supply of a loss: compensation: reparation. [Fr. _amender_ for
_emender_--L. _emend[=a]re_, to remove a fault--_e_, _ex_, out of, and
_menda_, a fault.]
AMENDE, ä-mend', _n._ a fine, penalty.--AMENDE HONORABLE, a public
confession and apology made for any offence. [Fr. See AMEND.]
AMENITY, am-en'i-ti, _n._ pleasantness, as regards situation, climate,
manners, or disposition. [Fr. _aménité_--L. _amoenitas_--_amoenus_,
pleasant, from root of _am_-_[=a]re_, to love.]
AMENORRHOEA, AMENORRHEA, a-men-[=o]-r[=e]'a, _n._ absence of menstruation.
[From Gr. _a_, priv., _m[=e]n_, month, _roia_, a flowing.]
AMENTUM, a-men'tum, AMENT, am'ent, _n._ a scaly sort of spike, as of the
willow: a catkin:--_pl._ AMEN'TA.--_adjs._ AMENT[=A]'CEOUS, AMEN'TAL. [L.
_amentum_, thong.]
AMERCE, a-m[.e]rs', _v.t._ to punish by a fine: to deprive of anything, or
inflict loss upon.--_n._ AMERCE'MENT, a penalty inflicted--also
AMERC'IAMENT. [O. Fr. _amercier_, to impose a fine--L. _merces_, wages,
fine.]
AMERICAN, a-mer'ik-an, _adj._ pertaining to America, esp. to the United
States.--_n._ a native of America.--_v.t._ AMER'ICANISE, to render
American.--_n._ AMER'ICANISM, a custom, characteristic, word, phrase, or
idiom peculiar to Americans: condition of being an American citizen:
devotion to American institutions. [From _America_, so called unfairly from
_Amerigo_ Vespucci, a navigator who explored a small part of South America
seven years after the first voyage of Columbus.]
AMETHYST, a'meth-ist, _n._ a bluish-violet variety of quartz of which
drinking cups used to be made, which the ancients supposed prevented
drunkenness.--_adj._ AMETHYST'INE, [Gr. _amethystos_--_a_, neg.,
_methy-ein_, to be drunken--_meth[=u]_, wine, cog. with Eng. _mead_, Sans.
_madhu_, sweet.]
AMIABLE, [=a]m'i-a-bl, _adj._ lovable: worthy of love: of sweet
disposition.--_ns._ AMIABIL'ITY, AM'IABLENESS, quality of being amiable, or
of exciting love.--_adv._ AM'IABLY. [O. Fr. _amiable_, friendly--L.
_amicabilis_, from _amicus_, a friend; there is a confusion in meaning with
O. Fr. _amable_ (mod. Fr. _aimable_), lovable--L. _amabilis_--_am-[=a]re_,
to love.]
AMIANTUS, a-mi-ant'us, _n._ the finest fibrous variety of asbestos--it can
be made into cloth which when stained is readily cleansed by fire.--Also
AMIANTH'US. [Gr. _amiantos_, unpollutable--_a_, neg.,and _miain-ein_, to
soil.]
AMICABLE, am'ik-a-bl, _adj._ friendly.--_ns._ AMICABIL'ITY,
AM'ICABLENESS.--_adv._ AM'ICABLY. [L. _amicabilis_--_amicus_, a friend,
_am-[=a]re_, to love.]
AMICE, am'is, _n._ a flowing cloak formerly worn by priests and pilgrims: a
strip of fine linen, with a piece of embroidered cloth sewn upon it, worn
formerly on the head, now upon the shoulders, by Roman Catholic priests in
the service of the Mass. [O. Fr. _amit_--L. _amictus_, _amic-[)e]re_, to
wrap about--_amb_, about, and _jac-[)e]re_, to throw.]
AMICE, am'is, _n._ a furred hood with long ends hanging down in front,
originally a cap or covering for the head, afterwards a hood, or cape with
a hood, later a mere college hood. [O. Fr. _aumuce_, of doubtful origin;
but at any rate cog. with Ger. _mutse_, _mütze_, Scot. _mutch_.]
AMID, a-mid', AMIDST, a-midst', _prep._ in the middle or midst:
among.--_adv._ AMID'MOST (_W. Morris_), in the very middle of.--_adv._ and
_n._ AMID'SHIPS, half-way between the stem and stern of a ship, [_a_, on,
and MID.]
AMIDE, am'[=i]d, _n._ one of the compound ammonias derived from one or more
molecules of common ammonia, by exchanging one or more of the three
hydrogen atoms for acid radicals of equivalent acidity.
AMINE, am'[=i]n, _n._ one of the compound ammonias, in which one or more of
the three hydrogen atoms in ammonia are exchanged for alcohol or other
positive radicals, or for a metal.
AMILDAR, am'il-dar, _n._ a factor or manager in India: a collector of
revenue amongst the Mahrattas. [Hind. _`amald[=a]r_--Ar. _`amal_, work.]
AMIR, a-m[=e]r'. Same as AMEER.
AMISS, a-mis', _adj._ in error: wrong.--_adv._ in a faulty manner.--_n._
AMISS'IBILITY.--_adjs._ AMISS'IBLE; AMISS'ING, wanting, lost. [_a_, on, and
MISS, failure.]
AMITY, am'i-ti, _n._ friendship: good-will. [Fr. _amitié_--_ami_--L.
_amicitia_, friendship, _amicus_, a friend. See AMICABLE.]
AMMIRAL, an old spelling of ADMIRAL.
AMMONIA, am-m[=o]n'i-a, _n._ a pungent gas yielded by smelling-salts,
burning feathers, &c.: a solution of ammonia in water (properly _liquid
ammonia_): a name of a large series of compounds, analogous to ammonia,
including _amines_, _amides_, and _alkalamides_.--_adjs._ AMMON'IAC,
AMMON[=I]'ACAL, pertaining to, or having the properties of, ammonia.--_ns._
AMMON'IAC, AMMON[=I]'ACUM, a whitish gum resin of bitter taste and heavy
smell, the inspissated juice of a Persian umbelliferous plant--used in
medicine for its stimulant and expectorant qualities; AMMON'IAPHONE, an
instrument invented about 1880, said to improve the quality of the singing
and speaking voice, being an apparatus for inhaling peroxide of hydrogen
and free ammonia.--_adj._ AMM[=O]N'IATED, containing ammonia.--_n._
AMMON'IUM, the hypothetical base of ammonia. [From _sal-ammoniac_, or
smelling-salts, first obtained by heating camel's dung in Libya, near the
temple of Jupiter Ammon.]
AMMONITE, am'mon-[=i]t, _n._ the fossil shell of an extinct genus of
molluscs, so called because they resemble the horns on the statue of
Jupiter Ammon, worshipped as a ram.
AMMUNITION, am-m[=u]n-ish'un, _n._ anything used for munition or defence:
military stores, formerly of all kinds (as still in the word used
adjectively, as in ammunition wagon, &c.), now esp. powder, balls, bombs,
&c.--_v.t._ to supply with ammunition. [O. Fr. _amunition_. See MUNITION.]