ABLUENT, ab'l[=oo]-ent, _adj._ washing or cleaning by a liquid.--_n._ a medicine which carries off impurities from the system. [L. _abluens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _ablu[)e]re_, to wash away--_ab_, from, away, and _lu[)e]re_ = _lav[=a]re_, to wash. See LAVE.]
ABLUTION, ab-l[=oo]'shun, _n._ act of washing, esp. the body, preparatory to religious rites: any ceremonial washing, symbolic of moral purification: the wine and water used to rinse the chalice, drunk by the officiating priest.--_adj._ ABLU'TIONARY. [L. _ablutio_--_ab_, away, _lu[)e]re_ = _lav[=a]re_, to wash.]
ABNEGATE, ab'ne-g[=a]t, _v.t._ to deny.--_ns._ ABNEG[=A]'TION, renunciation; AB'NEGATOR, one who abnegates or renounces. [L. _ab_, away, and _neg[=a]re_, to deny.]
ABNORMAL, ab-nor'mal, _adj._ not normal or according to rule: irregular--also ABNOR'MOUS.--_ns._ ABNORMAL'ITY, ABNOR'MITY.--_adv._ ABNOR'MALLY. [L. _ab_, away from, and NORMAL.]
ABOARD, a-b[=o]rd', _adv._ or _prep._ on board: in a ship, or in a train (_Amer._). [Prep. _a_, on, and BOARD.]
ABOCOCKE. See BYCOCKET.
ABODE, a-b[=o]d', _n._ a dwelling-place: stay. [See ABIDE.]
ABODE, a-b[=o]d', _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of ABIDE.
ABODEMENT, a-b[=o]d'ment, _n._ (_obs._) a foreboding: an omen. [From ABODE, with suff. _-ment_. See BODE, FOREBODE.]
ABOLISH, ab-ol'ish, _v.t._ to put an end to: to annul.--_adj._ ABOL'ISHABLE, capable of being abolished.--_ns._ ABOL'ISHMENT (_rare_); ABOLI'TION, the act of abolishing; ABOLI'TIONISM, advocacy of abolitionist principles; ABOLI'TIONIST, one who seeks to abolish anything, esp. slavery.
[Fr. _abolir_, _aboliss_--from L. _abol[=e]re_, _-itum_--_ab_, from, _ol[=e]re_, to grow. The prep. _ab_ here reverses the meaning of the simple verb.]
ABOMASUS, ab-[=o]-m[=a]'sus, _n._ the fourth stomach of ruminants, lying close to the omasum or third stomach.--Also ABOM[=A]'SUM. [L. _ab_, and _omasum_, paunch.]
ABOMINATE, ab-om'in-[=a]t, _v.t._ to abhor: to detest extremely.--_adj._ ABOM'INABLE, hateful: detestable, an old spelling is ABHOM'INABLE, to agree with a fancied etymology in Lat. _ab homine_.--_n._ ABOM'INABLENESS.--_adv._ ABOM'INABLY.--_n._ ABOMIN[=A]'TION, extreme aversion: anything disgusting or detestable. [L. _abomin[=a]ri_, _-[=a]tus_, to turn from as of bad omen. See OMEN.]
ABORD, a-b[=o]rd', _v.t._ (_arch._) to accost: (_Spens._) astray, at a loss.--_n._ (_Spens._) harbour: act of approaching: manner of approach.
[Fr. _aborder_, _a bord_. See ABOARD and BORDER.]
ABORIGINAL, ab-o-rij'in-al, _adj._ first, primitive, indigenous.--_adv._ ABORIG'INALLY.
ABORIGINES, ab-o-rij'in-[=e]z, _n.pl._ the original inhabitants of a country. [L. See ORIGIN.]
ABORT, ab-ort', _v.i._ to miscarry in birth: to remain in a rudimentary state.--_n._ ABOR'TION, premature delivery, or the procuring of such: anything that does not reach maturity: a mis-shapen being or monster.--_adj._ ABORT'IVE, born untimely: unsuccessful: producing nothing: brought forth in an imperfect condition: rudimentary.--_adv._ ABORT'IVELY.--_n._ ABORT'IVENESS. [L. _abor[=i]ri_, _abortus_--_ab_, from, away, _or[=i]ri_, to rise.]
ABOUND, ab-ownd', _v.i._ to overflow, be in great plenty: to possess in plenty (with _in_): to be filled with (used with _with_). [O. Fr.
_abunder_--L. _abund[=a]re_, to overflow, _ab_, from, _unda_, a wave.]
ABOUT, a-bowt', _prep._ round on the outside: around: here and there in: near to: concerning: engaged in.--_adv._ around: nearly: here and there.--BRING ABOUT, to cause to take place; COME ABOUT, to take place; GO ABOUT, to prepare to do; PUT ABOUT, disturbed; TO BE ABOUT, to be astir; TURN ABOUT, alternately. [A.S. _on butan_; _on_, in, _butan_, without, itself compounded of _be_, by, and _utan_, locative of _ut_, out.]
ABOVE, a-buv', _prep._ on the upside: higher than: more than.--_adv._ overhead: in a higher position, order, or power.--_adjs._ ABOVE'-BOARD, open, honourable; ABOVE'-GROUND, alive: not buried. [A.S. _abufan_--_a_, on, _bufan_, above, itself compounded of _be_, by, _ufan_, high, upwards, prop. the locative of _uf_, up.]
ABRACADABRA, ab-ra-ka-dab'ra, _n._ a cabbalistic word, written in successive lines, each shorter by a letter than the one above it, till the last letter A formed the apex of a triangle. It was worn as a charm for the cure of diseases. Now used generally for a spell or conjuring word: mere gibberish. [First found in 2d-cent. poem (_Praecepta de Medicina_) by Q.
Serenus Sammonicus; further origin unknown.]
ABRADE, ab-r[=a]d', _v.t._ to scrape or rub off: to wear down by friction.
[L. _ab_, off, _rad[)e]re_, _rasum_, to scrape.]
ABRAHAM-MAN, [=a]'bra-ham-man, _n._ originally a lunatic beggar from Bethlehem Hospital in London, marked by a special badge. Many sturdy beggars assumed this, hence the phrase TO SHAM ABRAHAM, to feign sickness, still used among sailors. [The wards in the old Bedlam are said to have been distinguished by the names of saints and patriarchs, as _Abraham_.
Some find the origin of the name in an allusion to the parable of the beggar Lazarus, who found his rest in _Abraham's_ bosom (Luke xvi.).]
ABRANCHIATE, a-brang'ki-[=a]t, _adj._ having no gills.--Also ABRAN'CHIAL.
[Gr. _a_, priv., and _brangchia_, gills.]
ABRASION, ab-r[=a]'zhun, _n._ the act of rubbing off.--_adj._ and _n._ ABR[=A]'SIVE. [See ABRADE.]
[Illustration]
ABRAXAS, a-braks'as, _n._ a mystic word, or an amulet, consisting of a gem engraved therewith on some part of it, often bearing a mystical figure of combined human and animal form, used as a charm. [Said to be coined by the Egyptian Gnostic Basilides in 2d century to express 365 in Greek letters; thus [Greek: abraxas] used as numerals = 1 + 2 + 100 + 1 + 60 + 1 + 200.
But Mr C. W. King finds its origin in Heb. _ha-b'r[=a]k[=a]h_, 'the blessing,' or 'sacred name,' used as the title of a Gnostic deity representing the 365 emanations of the Divine Pl[=e]r[=o]ma or fullness.]
ABRAY, a-br[=a]', ABRAYD, a-br[=a]d', _v.i._ (_Spens._) to start out of sleep: to awake.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ to arouse, startle.--The more correct form is _abraid_. [Made up of pfx. _a-_, and _abredan_. A.S. _breydan_, to twist. See BRAID.]
ABREAST, a-brest', _adv._ with fronts in a line: side by side: (_naut._) opposite to. [Prep. _a_, on, and BREAST.]
ABRICOCK. See APRICOT.
ABRIDGE, a-brij', _v.t._ to make brief or short: to shorten: to epitomise: to curtail, as privileges or authority.--_ns._ ABRIDG'MENT, ABRIDGE'MENT, contraction: shortening of time, labour or privileges: a compendium of a larger work: an epitome or synopsis: (_law_) the leaving out of certain portions Of a plaintiff's demand, the writ still holding good for the remainder. [O. Fr. _abregier_ (Fr. _abreger_)--L. _abbrevi[=a]re_. See ABBREVIATE.]
ABROACH, a-br[=o]ch', _adv._ broached: in a condition to let the liquor run out: in a state to be diffused, afloat: astir. [Prep. _a_, and BROACH.]
ABROAD, a-brawd', _adv._ on the broad or open space: out of doors: public: in another country. [Prep. _a_, and BROAD.]
ABROGATE, ab'ro-g[=a]t, _v.t._ to repeal (a law): to set aside.--_n._ ABROG[=A]'TION, act of repealing or setting aside.--_adj._ AB'ROGATIVE. [L.
_ab_, away, _rog[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, to ask or propose a law.]
ABROOK, a-brook', _v.t._ (_Shak._) to brook, bear, or endure. [Pfx. _a-_, and BROOK, _v._]
ABRUPT, ab-rupt', _adj._ the opposite of gradual, as if broken off: sudden: unexpected: precipitous: (_of style_) passing from one thought to another without transitions: (_of manners_) short, rude.--_n._ an abrupt place.--_n._ ABRUP'TION, a sudden breaking off: violent separation: (_Shak._) interruption, pause.--_adv._ ABRUPT'LY.--_n._ ABRUPT'NESS. [L.
_abruptus_--_ab_, off, _rump[)e]re_, _ruptum_, to break.]
ABSCESS, ab'ses, _n._ a collection of purulent matter within some tissue of the body. [L. _abscessus_--_abs_, away, _ced[)e]re_, _cessum_, to go, to retreat.]
ABSCIND, ab-sind', _v.t._ to cut off.--_n._ ABSCIS'SION, act of cutting off, or state of being cut off: (_rhet._) a figure of speech in which the words demanded by the sense are left unsaid, the speaker stopping short suddenly. [L. _abscindo_; _ab_, off, _scindo_, to cut.]
ABSCISS, ab'sis, ABSCISSA, ab-sis'sa, _n._ the straight line cut off or intercepted between the vertex of a curve and an ordinate, measured along the principal axis:--_pl._ ABSCISS'ES, ABSCISS'ae, ABSCISS'AS. [L.
_abscissus_, cut off, _pa.p._ of _abscind[)e]re_--_ab_, from, _scind[)e]re_, to cut.]
ABSCOND, abs-kond', _v.i._ to hide, or quit the country, in order to escape a legal process. [L. _abscond[)e]re_, _abs_, from or away, _cond[)e]re_, to hide.]
ABSENT, abs'ent, _adj._ being away: not present: inattentive--_v.t._ (abs-ent') to keep one's self away.--_ns._ ABS'ENCE, the state of being away or not present: want: inattention; ABSENTEE', one who is absent on any occasion: one who makes a habit of living away from his estate or his office; ABSENTEE'ISM, the practice of absenting one's self from duty or station, esp. of a landowner living away from his estate.--_adv._ AB'SENTLY. [L. _absent-_, pr.p. of _absum_--_ab_, away from, _sum_, _esse_, to be.]
ABSINTH, ABSINTHE, ab'sinth, _n._ spirit combined with extract of wormwood.--_adjs._ ABSINTH'IAN, ABSINTH'IATED, impregnated with absinth.
[Fr.--L. _absinthium_, wormwood--Gr.]
ABSOLUTE, ab'sol-[=u]t, _adj._ free from limits or conditions: complete: unlimited: free from mixture: considered without reference to other things: unconditioned, unalterable: unrestricted by constitutional checks (said of a government): (_gram._) not immediately dependent: (_phil._) existing in and by itself without necessary relation to any other being: capable of being conceived of as unconditioned. In the sense of being finished, perfect, it may be considered as opposed to the Infinite; but, in the sense of being freed from restriction or condition, it is evident the Infinite itself must be absolute. Opposite schools differ on the question whether the Absolute can be known under conditions of consciousness.--_adv._ AB'SOLUTELY, separately: unconditionally: positively: completely.--_ns._ AB'SOLUTENESS; ABSOL[=U]'TION, release from punishment: acquittal: remission of sins declared officially by a priest, or the formula by which such is expressed; AB'SOLUTISM, government where the ruler is without restriction; AB'SOLUTIST, a supporter of absolute government.--_adjs._ ABSOL'UTORY, ABSOLV'ATORY.--THE ABSOLUTE, that which is absolute, self-existent, uncaused. [L. _absolutus_, pa.p. of _absolv[)e]re_. See ABSOLVE.]
ABSOLVE, ab-zolv', _v.t._ to loose or set free: to pardon: to acquit: to discharge (with _from_).--_ns._ ABSOLV'ER, one who gives absolution or acquits; ABSOLV'ITOR, a decision favourable to a defender.--_v.t._ ASSOIL'ZIE, in Scots law, to absolve the accused on the grounds that the evidence disproves or does not establish the charge. [L. _ab_, from, _solv[)e]re_, _solutum_, to loose. See SOLVE.]
ABSONANT, ab'so-nant, _adj._ discordant: absurd: unnatural (with _to_ or _from_)--opp. to _Consonant_. [L. _ab_, from, _sonant-_, pr.p. of _son[=a]re_, to sound.]