ASPIC, as'pik, _n._ a savoury meat-jelly containing fish, game, hard-boiled
eggs, &c. [Littré suggests its derivation from _aspic_, asp, because it is
'cold as an aspic,' a French proverb.]
ASPIRANT, as-p[=i]r'ant, or as'pir-ant, _n._ one who aspires (with _after_,
_for_): a candidate.--_adj._ ambitious: mounting up (_rare_ in both
senses). [See ASPIRE.]
ASPIRATE, as'pir-[=a]t, _v.t._ to pronounce with a full breathing, as the
letter _h_ in _house_.--_n._ a mark of aspiration, the rough breathing in
Greek (`): an aspirated letter.--_p.adj._ AS'PERATED, made harsh.--_ns._
ASPIR[=A]'TION, pronunciation of a letter with a full breathing: an
aspirated sound (like Gr. _ch_, _th_, &c.): drawing air in; ASPIR[=A]'TOR,
an apparatus for drawing air or other gases through bottles or other
vessels: (_med._) an instrument for removing fluids from the cavities of
the body.--_adj._ ASP[=I]R'ATORY, relating to breathing.--TO DROP ONE'S
ASPIRATES, not to pronounce _h_, a mark of imperfect education or humble
social standing. [See ASPIRE.]
ASPIRE, as-p[=i]r' (followed by _to_ or _after_ with the object, or by an
infinitive), _v.i._ to desire eagerly: to aim at high things: to tower
up.--_n._ ASPIR[=A]'TION, eager desire.--_adj._ ASP[=I]R'ING.--_adv._
ASP[=I]R'INGLY.--_n._ ASP[=I]R'INGNESS. [Fr.--L. _aspir[=a]re_,
_-[=a]tum_--_ad_, to, _spir[=a]re_, to breathe.]
ASPLENIUM, as-pl[=e]'ni-um, _n._ spleenwort, a genus of ferns, mostly
tropical, with long or linear _sori_, with _indusium_ arising laterally
from above a vein--including the lady-fern, black maiden-hair, &c. [Gr.
_aspl[=e]nion_.]
ASPORT, as-p[=o]rt', _v.t._ (_rare_) to carry away, esp. in a bad
sense.--_n._ ASPORT[=A]'TION, feloniously carrying away. [L.
_asport[=a]re_--_abs_, away, and _port[=a]re_, to carry.]
ASPOUT, a-spowt', _adv. phrase_, spouting.
ASPRAWL, a-sprawl', _adv. phrase_, sprawling.
ASPREAD, a-spred', _adv. phrase_, spread out.
ASPROUT, a-sprowt', _adv. phrase_, sprouting.
ASQUAT, a-skwät', _adv. phrase_, squatting.
ASQUINT, a-skwint', _adv._ and _adj._ towards the corner of the eye:
obliquely.
ASS, as, _n._ a well-known quadruped of the horse family: (_fig._) a dull,
stupid fellow.--ASSES' BRIDGE, or PONS ASINORUM, a humorous name for the
fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid. [A.S. _assa_, the earlier
Teutonic form being _esol_, _esil_ (Goth. _asilus_)--L. _asinus_; Gr.
_onos_, ass. Perh. ult. of Semitic origin, as in Heb. _[=a]th[=o]n_, a
she-ass.]
ASSAFETIDA. Same as ASAFOETIDA.
[Illustration]
ASSAGAI, ASSEGAI, as'sa-g[=i], _n._ a slender spear of hard wood, tipped
with iron, some for hurling, some for thrusting with--used by the South
African tribes, notably the war-like Zulus.--_v.t._ to kill or slay with an
assagai. [Through Fr. or Port. from Ar. _azzagh[=a]yah_, _az_ = _al_, the
_zagh[=a]yah_, a Berber word.]
ASSAIL, as-s[=a]l', _v.t._ to assault: to attack.--_adj._
ASSAIL'ABLE.--_ns._ ASSAIL'ANT, one who assails or attacks; ASSAIL'MENT.
[O. Fr. _asaillir_--L. _assil[=i]re_--_ad_, upon, and _sal[=i]re_, to
leap.]
ASSASSIN, as-as'in, _n._ one who, usually for a reward, kills by surprise
or secretly.--_v.t._ ASSAS'SINATE, to murder by surprise or secret assault:
(_Milton_) to maltreat: also figuratively, to destroy by treacherous means,
as a reputation.--_n._ (_obs._) one who assassinates.--_ns._
ASSASSIN[=A]'TION, secret murder; ASSAS'SINATOR. [Through Fr. or It. from
Ar. _hashsh[=a]sh[=i]n_, 'hashish-eaters,' a military and religious order
in Syria, of the 11th century, who became notorious for their secret
murders in obedience to the will of their chief, and fortified themselves
for their adventures by _hashish_, an intoxicating drug or drink made from
hemp.]
ASSAULT, as-sawlt', _n._ a sudden attack: a storming, as of a town: (_Eng.
law_) unlawful attempt to apply force to the person of another--when force
is actually applied, the act amounts to _battery_: an attack of any sort by
arguments, appeals, &c.--_v.t._ to make an assault or attack upon: (_law_)
to make an assault.--_n._ ASSAULT'ER.--ASSAULT AT ARMS, a display of attack
and defence in fencing. [O. Fr. _asaut_--L. _ad_, upon, _saltus_, a leap,
_sal[=i]re_, to leap. See ASSAIL.]
ASSAY, as-s[=a]', _v.t._ to determine the proportions of a metal in an ore
or alloy: endeavour (more usually _Essay_): (_Spens._) to affect or move:
(_Shak._) to put one to the proof, as to accost with a particular purpose,
to measure swords with another, &c.: (_poet._) put to proof, examine by
trial.--_v.i._ to attempt.--_n._ the determination of the quantity of metal
in an ore or alloy: the trial of anything, as in the ancient custom of
tasting the drink before handing it to a king or noble: an attempt or
endeavour: probation or trial: (_Spens._) ascertained purity.--_ns._
ASSAY'ER, one who assays, esp. metals; ASSAY'ING, the process of assaying
or determining the proportion of pure metal in an ore or alloy;
ASSAY'-MAS'TER, the officer who determines the amount of gold or silver in
coin or bullion. [O. Fr. _assayer_, n. _assai_. See ESSAY.]
ASSEGAI, ASSEGAY. Same as ASSAGAI.
ASSEMBLE, as-sem'bl, _v.t._ to call or bring together: to collect.--_v.i._
to meet together.--_ns._ ASSEM'BLAGE, a collection of persons or things;
ASSEM'BLANCE (_Spens._), an assembling: (_Shak._) semblance:
representation; ASSEM'BLY, the act of assembling: the company so assembled:
a gathering of persons for any purpose, as for religious worship or social
entertainment: specially applied to the lower house of the legislature in
some of the United States and British colonies: (_mil._) a drum-beat, esp.
that before a march, upon which the soldiers strike their tents;
ASSEM'BLY-ROOM, a room in which persons assemble, especially for
dancing.--GENERAL ASSEMBLY, in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States,
the highest court of the Presbyterian Church; LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, in many
of the British colonies, the title of the lower house of the legislature;
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, the first of the revolutionary assemblies in France,
which sat 1789-91--also called the _Constituent Assembly_, superseded in
1791 by the Legislative Assembly. [Fr. _assembler_--Late L.
_assimul[=a]re_, to bring together, _ad_, to, _similis_, like. See
ASSIMILATE.]
ASSENT, as-sent', _v.i._ to think or concur with, to admit as true (with
_to_).--_n._ an agreeing or acquiescence: compliance.--_adj._
ASSENT[=A]'NEOUS, ready to agree.--_ns._ ASSENT'ER, ASSENT'OR, one of the
eight voters who indorse the proposer and seconder's nomination of a
candidate for election to the parliament of the United Kingdom.--_adjs._
ASSEN'TIENT, ASSENT'IVE.--_adv._ ASSENT'INGLY.--_n._ ASSENT'IVENESS.--ROYAL
ASSENT, in England, the sovereign's formal acquiescence in a measure which
has passed the two Houses of Parliament. [O. Fr. _asenter_, assent--L.
_assent[=a]re_, _assent[=i]re_, L. _ad_, to, _sent[=i]re_, to think.]
ASSENTATION, as-sen-t[=a]'shun, _n._ obsequious assent, adulation.--_n._
AS'SENTATOR (_obs._).--_adv._ ASSENT'ATORILY (_obs._). [L. _assent[=a]ri_,
to flatter, freq. of _assent[=i]ri_, assent, agree.]
ASSERT, as-s[.e]rt', _v.t._ to vindicate or defend by arguments or measures
(now used only of the cause as object or reflexive): to declare strongly:
to lay claim to or insist upon anything: to affirm: (_rare_) to bear
evidence of.--_adj._ ASSERT'ABLE.--_ns._ ASSERT'ER, ASSERT'OR, a champion,
one who makes a positive statement; ASSER'TION, affirmation: the act of
claiming one's rights: averment.--_adj._ ASSERT'IVE, asserting or
confirming confidently: positive: dogmatic.--_adv._ ASSERT'IVELY.--_n._
ASSERT'IVENESS.--_adj._ ASSERT'ORY, affirmative.--TO ASSERT ONE'S SELF, to
defend one's rights or opinions, sometimes with unnecessary zeal, to thrust
one's self forward. [L. _asser[)e]re_ (superl. _assertum_), _aliquem manu
in libertatem_, to lay hands on a slave in token of manumission, hence to
protect, affirm, declare--_ad_, to, and _ser[)e]re_, to join. Cf. SERIES.]
ASSESS, as-ses', _v.t._ to fix the amount of, as a tax (with _upon_): to
tax or fine: to fix the value or profits of, for taxation (with _at_): to
estimate.--_adj._ ASSESS'ABLE.--_ns._ ASSESS'MENT, act of assessing: a
valuation for the purpose of taxation: a tax; ASSESS'OR, a legal adviser
who sits beside a magistrate: one who assesses taxes: one who shares
another's dignity.--_adj._ ASSESS[=O]'RIAL.--_n._ ASSESS'ORSHIP. [Fr.--L.
_assess[=a]re_, freq. of _assid[=e]re_, _assessum_, to sit by, esp. of
judges in a court, from _ad_, to, at, _sed[=e]re_, to sit.]
ASSETS, as'sets, _n.pl._ the property of a deceased or insolvent person,
considered as chargeable for all debts, &c.: the entire property of all
sorts belonging to a merchant or to a trading association. [From the
Anglo-Fr. law phrase _aver assetz_, to have sufficient, O. Fr. _asez_,
enough--L. _ad_, to, _satis_, enough.]
ASSEVERATE, as-sev'[.e]r-[=a]t, _v.t._ to declare solemnly--an earlier form
is ASSEV'ER.--_adv._ ASSEVERAT'INGLY.--_n._ ASSEVER[=A]'TION, any solemn
affirmation or confirmation. [L. _assever[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_ad_, to,
_severus_, serious. See SEVERE.]
ASSIDUITY, as-sid-[=u]'i-ti, _n._ constant application or diligence:
(_pl._) constant attentions, as to a lady.--_adj._ ASSID'UOUS, constant or
unwearied in application: diligent.--_adv._ ASSID'UOUSLY.--_n._
ASSID'UOUSNESS. [L. _assiduitas_--_assiduus_, sitting close at--_ad_, to,
at, _sed[=e]re_, to sit.]