ATTEMPER, at-tem'p[.e]r, _v.t._ to mix in due proportion: to modify or
moderate: to adapt.--_p.adj._ ATTEM'PERED, tempered, mild, regulated. [O.
Fr. _atemprer_--L. _attemper[=a]re_--_ad_, to, and _temper[=a]re_. See
TEMPER.]
ATTEMPT, at-temt', _v.t._ to try or endeavour: to try to obtain: tempt,
entice: to make an effort or attack upon.--_v.i._ to make an attempt or
trial.--_n._ a trial: endeavour or effort: a personal assault: (_Milton_)
temptation: (_law_) any act which can fairly be described as one of a
series which, if uninterrupted and successful, would constitute a
crime.--_n._ ATTEMPTABIL'ITY.--_adj._ ATTEMPT'ABLE, that may be
attempted.--_n._ ATTEMPT'ER (_Milton_), a tempter. [O. Fr. _atempter_--L.
_attent[=a]re_--_ad_, and _tem-pt_, _tent[=a]re_, to try--_tend[)e]re_, to
stretch.]
ATTEND, at-tend', _v.t._ to wait on or accompany: to be present at: to wait
for: to give attention (with _to_).--_v.i._ to yield attention: to act as
an attendant: to wait, be consequent (with _to_, _on_, _upon_).--_ns._
ATTEND'ANCE, act of attending: (_B_.) attention, careful regard: presence:
the persons attending; ATTEND'ANCY (_obs._), attendance, a retinue:
(_obs._) relative position.--_adj._ ATTEND'ANT, giving attendance:
accompanying.--_n._ one who attends or accompanies: a servant: what
accompanies or follows: (_law_) one who owes a duty or service to
another.--_ns._ ATTEND'ER, one who gives heed: a companion:--_fem._
ATTEN'DRESS; ATTEND'MENT (_Sir T. Browne_), attention.--_adj._ ATTENT'
(_Spens._), giving attention.--_n._ (_Spens._) attention.--IN ATTENDANCE
ON, waiting upon, attending. [O. Fr. _atendre_--L. _attend[)e]re_--_ad_,
to, _tend[)e]re_, to stretch.]
ATTENTION, at-ten'shun, _n._ act of attending, as in to pay, give, call, or
attract attention: steady application of the mind: heed: civility,
courtesy: care.--_interj._ (_mil._) a cautionary word used as a command to
execute some manoeuvre.--_adj._ ATTENT'IVE, full of attention: courteous,
mindful.--_adv._ ATTENT'IVELY.--_n._ ATTENTI'VENESS. [L.
_attention-em_--_attend-[)e]re_. See ATTEND.]
ATTENUATE, at-ten'[=u]-[=a]t, _v.t._ to make thin or lean: to break down
into finer parts: to reduce in density: reduce in strength or value,
simplify.--_v.i._ to become thin or fine: to grow less.--_n._ ATTEN'UANT,
anything possessing this property.--_adjs._ ATTEN'UATE, ATTEN'UATED, made
thin or slender: dilute, rarefied:--_n._ ATTENU[=A]'TION, process of making
slender: reduction of intensity, density, or force: specially in
homeopathy, the reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute
doses. [L. _attenu[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_ad_, to, _tenuis_, thin.]
ATTEST, at-test', _v.t._ to testify or bear witness to: to affirm by
signature or oath: to give proof of, to manifest: (_obs._) to call to
witness.--_v.i._ to bear witness.--_n._ (_Shak._) witness,
testimony.--_adjs._ ATTEST'ABLE, ATTEST'ATIVE.--_ns._ ATTEST[=A]'TION, act
of attesting: administration of an oath; ATTEST'OR, ATTEST'ER, one who
attests or vouches for. [L. _attest[=a]ri_, _ad_, to, _testis_, a witness.]
ATTIC, at'ik, _adj._ pertaining to Attica or to Athens: chaste, refined,
elegant like the Athenians.--_v.t._ ATT'ICISE, to make conformable to the
language or idiom of Attica.--_v.i._ to use the idioms of the Athenians: to
side with the Athenians, to affect Attic or Greek style or manners.--_n._
AT'TICISM.--ATTIC SALT, wit of a dry, delicate, and refined quality. [Gr.
_Attikos_, Attic, Athenian, _Attik[=e]_, Attica, perh. from _akt[=e]_,
headland, though connected by some with _astu_, city.]
ATTIC, at'ik, _n._ (_archit._) a low story above the cornice that
terminates the main part of an elevation: a room in the roof of a house.
[Introduced in architecture from the idea that the feature to which it
alluded was constructed in the Athenian manner.]
ATTIRE, at-t[=i]r', _v.t._ to dress, array, or adorn: to prepare.--_n._
dress: any kind of covering, even the plants that clothe the soil:
(_Shak._) a dress or costume.--_ns._ ATTIRE'MENT, ATTIR'ING. [O. Fr.
_atirer_, put in order--_à tire_, in a row--_à_ (L. _ad_), to, and _tire_,
_tiere_, order, dress. See TIER.]
ATTITUDE, at'ti-t[=u]d, _n._ posture, or position: gesture: any condition
of things or relation of persons viewed as expressing some thought,
feeling, &c.--_adj._ ATTITUD'INAL.--_n._ ATTITUDIN[=A]'RIAN, one who
studies attitudes.--_v.i._ ATTITUD'INISE, to assume affected
attitudes.--_n._ ATTITUDIN[=I]'SER.--TO STRIKE AN ATTITUDE, to assume a
position or figure to indicate a feeling or emotion not really felt. [Fr.
or It. from L. _aptitudin-em_, _aptus_, fit.]
ATTOLLENT, at-tol'lent, _adj._ lifting up, raising.--_n._ a muscle with
this function. [L. _attollens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _attoll[)e]re_, to lift
up--_ad_, to, _toll[)e]re_, to lift.]
ATTORNEY, at-tur'ni, _n._ one legally authorised to act for another--hence
the sense of the phrases 'in person' and 'by attorney:' one legally
qualified to manage cases in a court of law: a solicitor--a solicitor or
attorney prepares cases and does general law business, while a barrister
pleads before the courts: (_pl._) ATTOR'NEYS.--_v.t._ ATTOR'NEY (_Shak._),
to perform by proxy, to employ as a proxy.--_ns._ ATTOR'NEY-GEN'ERAL, the
first ministerial law-officer of the Crown in England and Ireland: the
title of the king's attorney in the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and
the county palatine of Durham: in the United States, one of the seven
officials who constitute the president's cabinet, the head of the
department of Justice; ATTOR'NEYSHIP, ATTOR'NEYISM,
ATTOR'NEYDOM.--ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, or PUBLIC ATTORNEY, a professional and duly
qualified legal agent; ATTORNEY IN FACT, or PRIVATE ATTORNEY, one duly
appointed by _letter_ or _power of attorney_ to act for another in matters
of contract, money payments, and the like.--LETTER WARRANT, or POWER OF
ATTORNEY, the formal instrument by one person authorising another to
perform certain acts for him. [O. Fr. _atorne_--Low L.
_attornatus_--_atorn[=a]re_, to commit business to another. See TURN.]
ATTRACT, at-trakt', _v.t._ to draw to or cause to approach: to allure: to
entice: to draw forth.--_adj._ ATTRACT'ABLE, that may be attracted.--_n._
ATTRAC'TION, act of attracting: the force which draws or tends to draw
bodies or their particles to each other: that which attracts.--_adj._
ATTRACT'IVE, having the power of attracting: alluring.--_advs._
ATTRACT'IVELY, ATTRACT'INGLY.--_ns._ ATTRACT'IVENESS, ATTRACTABIL'ITY;
ATTRACT'OR, ATTRACT'ER, an agent of attraction. [L. _attrah[)e]re_,
_attractus_--_ad_, to, _trah[)e]re_, to draw.]
ATTRAHENT, at'tra-hent, _adj._ attracting or drawing.--_n._ that which
attracts. [L. _attrahens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _attrah[)e]re_. See ATTRACT.]
ATTRAP, at-trap', _v.t._ (_Spens._) to adorn with trappings: to dress or
array. [L. _ad_, to, and TRAP.]
ATTRIBUTE, at-trib'[=u]t, _v.t._ to ascribe, assign, or consider as
belonging.--_adj._ ATTRIB'UTABLE.--_ns._ AT'TRIBUTE, that which is
attributed: that which is inherent in, or inseparable from, anything: that
which can be predicated of anything: a quality or property;
ATTRIB[=U]'TION, act of attributing: that which is attributed:
commendation.--_adj._ ATTRIB'UTIVE, expressing an attribute.--_n._ a word
denoting an attribute. [L. _attribu[)e]re_, -_tributum_--_ad_, to,
_tribu_-_[)e]re_, to give.]
ATTRIST, at-trist', _v.t._ (_obs._) to sadden. [Fr.--L. _ad_, to,
_tristis_, sad.]
ATTRITE, at-tr[=i]t', _adj._ worn by rubbing or friction: (_theol._)
repentant through fear of punishment, not yet from the love of God.--_n._
ATTRI'TION, the rubbing of one thing against another: a wearing by
friction: (_theol._) a defective or imperfect sorrow for sin. [L.
_attritus_--_atter_-_[)e]re_--_ad_, and _ter[)e]re_, _tritum_, to rub.]
ATTUNE, at-t[=u]n', _v.t._ to put in tune: to make one sound accord with
another: to arrange fitly: to make musical.--_n._ ATTUNE'MENT. [L. _ad_,
to, and TUNE.]
ATWAIN, a-tw[=a]n', _adv._ in twain: (_arch._) asunder. [Prep. _a_, and
TWAIN.]