ASSUME, as-s[=u]m', _v.t._ to adopt, take in: to take up, to take upon
one's self: to take for granted: to arrogate: to pretend to
possess.--_v.i._ to claim unduly: to be arrogant.--_adjs._ ASSUM'ABLE,
ASSUMP'TIVE, that may be assumed.--_adv._ ASSUM'ABLY, presumably.--_adj._
ASSUMED', appropriated, usurped: pretended: taken as the basis of
argument.--_advs._ ASSUM'EDLY, ASSUM'INGLY.--_adj._ ASSUM'ING, haughty:
arrogant. [L. _assum[)e]re_--_ad_, to, _sum[)e]re_, _sumptum_, to take.]
ASSUMPSIT, a-sump'sit, _n._ an action at law, wherein the plaintiff asserts
that the defendant undertook (L. _assumpsit_) to do a certain act and
failed to fulfil his promise: in the United States, the most common form of
action.
ASSUMPTION, as-sum'shun, _n._ act of assuming: a supposition: the thing
supposed, a proposition: (_logic_) the minor premise in a
syllogism.--ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN, a church festival kept on the 15th of
August, based on the notion that after the death of Mary, her soul and body
were preserved from corruption and taken up to heaven by Christ and His
angels.--DEED OF ASSUMPTION (_Scots law_), a deed executed by trustees
under a trust-deed assuming a new trustee or settlement. [L. See ASSUME.]
ASSURE, a-sh[=oo]r', _v.t._ to make sure or secure: to give confidence:
(_Shak._) to betroth: to tell positively: to insure.--_adj._
ASSUR'ABLE.--_n._ ASSUR'ANCE, confidence: feeling of certainty:
self-reliance: impudence: positive declaration: insurance, as applied to
lives: the securing of a title to property: (_theol._) subjective certainty
of one's salvation: a solemn declaration or promise, a certain proof:
surety, warrant.--_adj._ ASSURED', certain: without doubt: insured:
overbold.--_adv._ ASSUR'EDLY.--_ns._ ASSUR'EDNESS; ASSUR'ER, one who gives
assurance: an insurer or underwriter: one who insures his life. [O. Fr.
_aseürer_ (Fr. _assurer_)--Late L. _adsecur[=a]re_--_ad_, to, _securus_,
safe. See SURE.]
ASSURGENT, as-ur'jent, _adj._ rising, ascending: (_bot._) rising in a curve
to an erect position: (_her._) of a bearing depicted as rising from the
sea.--_n._ ASSUR'GENCY, the tendency to rise.
ASSWAGE. A form of ASSUAGE.
ASSYRIAN, as-sir'i-an, _adj._ belonging to Assyria.--_n._ an inhabitant of
Assyria: the language of Assyria.--_ns._ ASSYRIOL'OGIST; ASSYRIOL'OGY, the
science of Assyrian antiquities. [Gr. _Assurios_--_Assuria_, Assyria.]
ASTARE, a-st[=a]r', _adv. phrase_, staring.
ASTART, a-start', _v.i._ (_Spens._) to start up suddenly: to happen, fall
out.--_adv._ with a start, suddenly. [Pfx. _a-_, and START.]
ASTATIC, a-stat'ik, _adj._ having a tendency not to stand still: losing
polarity, as a magnetic needle. [Gr. neg., _astatos_--_a_, neg., _statos_,
verb. adj. of _histanai_, to stand.]
ASTAY, a-st[=a]', _adv._ applied to an anchor when, in lifting it, the
cable forms such an angle with the surface of the water as to appear in a
line with the stays of the ship. [Prep. _a_, on, and STAY.]
ASTER, as't[.e]r, _n._ a genus of plants of the natural order Compositæ,
with showy radiated flowers varying from white to lilac-blue or purple,
mostly perennial, flowering in late summer and autumn, hence often called
in England Michaelmas or Christmas daisies.--CHINA ASTER, the best-known
and most valued of the family, brought from China to France by a missionary
in the 18th century. [Gr. _ast[=e]r_, a star.]
ASTERIAS, as-t[=e]r'i-as, _n._ a genus of Echinoderms, containing the
common five-rayed starfish. [Gr. _ast[=e]rias_, a fish--_ast[=e]r_, a
star.]
ASTERISK, as't[.e]r-isk, _n._ a star, used in printing as a reference to a
note at the bottom or on the margin of the page, and sometimes as a mark of
the omission of words, thus *.--_n._ AS'TERISM, a group or collection of
small stars: a constellation: three asterisks placed to direct attention to
a passage: a property of some minerals which show a star-shaped luminous
figure when viewed by reflected light--e.g. the asteriated sapphire. [Gr.
_asteriskos_, dim. of _aster_, a star.]
ASTERN, a-st[.e]rn', _adv._ in the stern: towards the hinder part of a
ship: behind. [Prep. _a_, and STERN.]
ASTEROID, as't[.e]r-oid, _n._ one of the minor planetary bodies revolving
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.--_adj._ ASTEROID'AL. [Gr.
_ast[=e]r_, a star, _eidos_, form.]
ASTERT, a-st[.e]rt'. Same as ASTART.
ASTHENIA, as-th[=e]-n[=i]'a, _n._ debility, lack of strength.--_adj._
ASTHEN'IC [Gr. _a_, priv., and _sthenos_, strength.]
ASTHMA, ast'ma, _n._ a chronic disorder of the organs of respiration,
characterised by the occurrence of paroxysms in which the breathing becomes
difficult, and accompanied by wheezing and a distressing feeling of
tightness in the chest.--_adjs._ ASTHMAT'IC, -AL, pertaining to or affected
by asthma.--_adv._ ASTHMAT'ICALLY. [Gr. _asthma_, _asthmat-os_--_az-ein_,
to breathe hard, _a-ein_, to blow.]
ASTIGMATISM, a-stig'ma-tizm, _n._ a defective condition of the eye, in
which rays proceeding to the eye from one point are not correctly brought
to a focus at _one_ point.--_adj._ ASTIGMAT'IC. [Gr. _a_, neg., and
_stigma_, _stigmat-os_, a point.]
ASTIR, a-stir', _prep. phr._ or _adv._ on the move, out of bed, in motion
or excitement. [Prep. _a_, and STIR.]
ASTOMATOUS, as-tom'a-tus, _adj._ having no mouth, used of a division of the
protozoa.
ASTONISH, as-ton'ish, _v.t._ to impress with sudden surprise or wonder: to
amaze: (_Shak._) to stun--older form ASTON'Y, whence the _p.adj._
ASTON'IED, dazed, bewildered, greatly astonished.--ASTON', ASTUN',
ASTONED', ASTUNNED', are obsolete.--_p.adj._ ASTON'ISHED, amazed: (_obs._)
stunned.--_adj._ ASTON'ISHING, very wonderful, amazing.--_adv._
ASTON'ISHINGLY.--_n._ ASTON'ISHMENT, amazement: wonder: a cause for
astonishment. [From the earlier form, _Astone_; O. Fr. _estoner_; L.
_atton[=a]re_, to strike with a thunderbolt.]
ASTOUND, as-townd', _v.t._ to amaze, to strike dumb with
astonishment:--_pa.p._ astound'ed; _pr.p._ astound'ing.--_pa.p._ ASTOUND'
(_arch._).--_p.adj._ ASTOUND'ING. [ASTOUND (adj.) is developed from
ASTONED, hence the verb is a doublet of ASTONISH.]
ASTRADDLE, a-strad'dl, _adv._ sitting astride. [Prep. _a_, on, and
STRADDLE.]
[Illustration]
ASTRAGAL, as'tra-gal, _n._ (_archit._) a small semicircular moulding or
bead encircling a column: a round moulding near the mouth of a cannon: the
bars which hold the panes of a window. [Gr. _astragalos_, one of the
vertebræ, a moulding.]
ASTRAGALUS, as-trag'al-us, _n._ a bone of the foot, forming with the
leg-bones the hinge of the ankle-joint, by a convex upper surface and
smooth sides. [Gr.]
ASTRAKHAN, as'tra-kan, _n._ name given to lamb-skins with a curled wool
obtained from _Astrakhan_ on the Caspian Sea: a rough fabric made in
imitation of it.
ASTRAL, as'tral, _adj._ belonging to the stars: starry: in the science of
Theosophy, descriptive of a supersensible substance supposed to pervade all
space and enter into all bodies.--ASTRAL BODY, a living form composed of
astral fluid, a ghost or wraith; ASTRAL SPIRITS, pervading spirits supposed
to animate the heavenly bodies, forming, as it were, their souls--among the
most potent of demoniacal spirits in medieval demonology. [L. _astralis_,
_astrum_, a star.]