ATHANASIA, ath-a-n[=a]'si-a, _n._ deathlessness.--Also ATHAN'ASY. [Gr.;
_athanatos_, _a_, neg., _thanatos_, death.]
ATHANASIAN, ath-a-n[=a]z'yan, _adj._ relating to _Athanasius_ (296-373), or
to the creed erroneously attributed to him.
ATHANOR, ath'a-nor, _n._ a self-feeding digesting furnace, used by the
alchemists, in which a uniform heat was maintained. [Ar. _at-tannur_, _at_
= _al_, the _n[=u]r_, fire.]
ATHEISM, [=a]'the-izm, _n._ disbelief in the existence of God.--_v.i._ and
_v.t._ A'THEISE, to talk or write as an atheist.--_n._ A'THEIST, one who
disbelieves in the existence of God.--_adjs._ ATHEIST'IC, -AL.--_adv._
ATHEIST'ICALLY.--_adj._ A'THEOUS (_Milton_), atheistic. [Fr.
_athéisme_--Gr. _a_, neg., and _theos_, God.]
ATHELING, ath'el-ing, _n._ a member of a noble family, latterly a prince of
the blood royal, or the heir-apparent. [A.S. _ætheling_; Ger. _adel_.]
ATHENÆUM, ATHENEUM, ath-e-n[=e]'um, _n._ a temple of Ath[=e]na or Minerva
at Athens, in which scholars and poets read their works: a public
institution for lectures, reading, &c. [Gr. _Ath[=e]naion_--_Ath[=e]na_ or
_Ath[=e]n[=e]_, the goddess Minerva.]
ATHENIAN, a-th[=e]'ni-an, _adj._ relating to Athens, the capital of
Greece.--_n._ a native of Athens.
ATHEOLOGY, a-th[=e]-ol'oj-i, _n._ opposition to theology.--_adj._
ATHEOLOG'ICAL. [Gr. _atheos_, without God, _logia_, discourse.]
ATHERINE, ath'er-[=i]n, _n._ a genus of small fishes, allied to the Gray
Mullet family, abundant in the Mediterranean--one species (_Atherina
presbyter_), found on the south coast of England, is often sold as a smelt.
[Gr.]
ATHERMANCY, ath-er'man-si, _n._ the property of stopping radiant
heat.--_adj._ ATHER'MANOUS. [Gr. _a_, neg., _thermain-ein_, to heat.]
ATHEROMA, ath'er-[=o]-ma, _n._ a name formerly applied to cysts on the
scalp, with contents of the consistence of porridge, but now only used of a
common form of inflammation of arteries.--_adj._ ATHEROM'ATOUS. [Gr.;
_athar[=e]_, porridge.]
ATHIRST, a-th[.e]rst', _adj._ thirsty: eager for. [A.S. _of thyrst_. See
THIRST.]
ATHLETE, ath'l[=e]t, _n._ a contender for victory in feats of strength: one
vigorous in body or mind. The form ATHL[=E]'TA survived till the later half
of the 18th century.--_adj._ ATHLET'IC, relating to athletics: strong,
vigorous.--_adv._ ATHLET'ICALLY.--_n._ ATHLETICISM (ath-let'i-sizm), the
act of engaging in athletic exercises: devotion to athletics.--_n.pl._
ATHLET'ICS, the art of wrestling, running, &c.: athletic sports. [Gr.
_athl[=e]t[=e]s_--_athlos_, contest.]
ATHRILL, a-thril', _adv._ thrilling.
ATHROB, a-throb', _adv._ throbbing.
ATHWART, a-thwawrt', _prep._ across.--_adv._ sidewise: wrongly:
perplexingly. [Prep. _a_, on, and THWART.]
ATILT, a-tilt', _adv._ on tilt: as a tilter.
ATIMY, at'i-mi, _n._ loss of honour: in ancient Athens, loss of civil
rights, public disgrace. [Gr. _atimia_--_a_, neg., _tim[=e]_, honour.]
ATKINS. See TOMMY ATKINS.
ATLANTEAN, at-lan-t[=e]'an, _adj._ relating to or like _Atlas_, gigantic:
also relating to ATLAN'TIS, according to ancient tradition, a vast island
in the Atlantic Ocean, or to Bacon's ideal commonwealth of that name. [See
ATLAS.]
ATLANTES, at-lan't[=e]z, _n.pl._ figures of men used instead of columns.
[From ATLAS.]
ATLANTIC, at-lan'tik, _adj._ pertaining to Atlas, or to the Atlantic
Ocean.--_n._ the ocean between Europe, Africa, and America. [From Mount
_Atlas_, in the north-west of Africa, named from the Titan, Atlas.]
ATLAS, at'las, _n._ that piece of the human vertebral column which
articulates with the skull, so called because it supports the head: a
collection of maps. [Gr. _Atlas_, _Atlantis_, a Titan who bore the world on
his shoulders, and whose figure used to be given on the title-page of
atlases.]