ACQUEST, ak-kwest', _n._ an acquisition or thing acquired. [O. Fr.--L.
_acquisitus_, _acquir[)e]re_. See ACQUIRE.]
ACQUIESCE, ak-kwi-es', _v.i._ to rest satisfied or without making opposition: to assent (with _in_).--_n._ ACQUIES'CENCE, quiet assent or submission.--_adj._ ACQUIES'CENT, resting satisfied: easy: submissive.--_advs._ ACQUIES'CENTLY, ACQUIES'CINGLY. [L.
_acquiesc[)e]re_--_ad_, and _quies_, rest.]
ACQUIRE, ak-kw[=i]r', _v.t._ to gain: to attain to.--_n._ ACQUIRABIL'ITY.--_adj._ ACQUIR'ABLE, that may be acquired.--_ns._ ACQUIRE'MENT, something learned or got by effort, rather than a gift of nature; ACQUISI'TION, the act of acquiring: that which is acquired.--_adj._ ACQUIS'ITIVE, desirous to acquire.--_n._ ACQUIS'ITIVENESS, propensity to acquire--one of the phrenologists' so-called faculties, with its special organ. [O. Fr. _aquerre_--L. _acquir[)e]re_, _-quisitum_--_ad_, to, and _quaer[)e]re_, to seek.]
ACQUIST, ak-kwist', _n._ (_Milton_) a form of ACQUEST.
ACQUIT, ak-kwit', _v.t._ to free: to release: to settle, as a debt: to behave or conduct (one's self): to declare innocent (with _of_ before the thing of which acquitted):--_pr.p._ acquit'ting; _pa.p._ acquit'ted.--_ns._ ACQUIT'TAL, a judicial discharge from an accusation; ACQUIT'TANCE, a discharge from an obligation or debt: a receipt in evidence of such a discharge.--_v.t._ (_Shak._), to acquit, clear. [O. Fr. _acquiter_--L.
_ad_, to, _quiet[=a]re_, to give rest. See QUIT.]
ACRE, [=a]'k[.e]r, _n._ a measure of land containing 4840 sq. yards. The Scotch acre contains 6150.4 sq. yards (48 Scotch--61 imperial acres): the Irish, 7840 sq. yards (50 Irish--81 imperial acres): (_pl._) for lands, estates generally: (_fig._) large quantities of anything.--_n._ A'CREAGE, the number of acres in a piece of land.--_adj._ A'CRED, possessing acres or land. [A.S. _aecer_; Ger. _acker_, L. _ager_, Gr. _agros_, Sans. _ajras_, a plain.]
ACRID, ak'rid, _adj._ biting to the taste: pungent: bitter.--_ns._ ACRID'ITY, AC'RIDNESS, quality of being acrid: a sharp, bitter taste. [L.
_acer_, _acris_, sharp--root _ak_, sharp.]
ACRIMONY, ak'ri-mun-i, _n._ bitterness of feeling or language.--_adj._ ACRIM[=O]'NIOUS, sharp, bitter.--_n._ ACRIM[=O]'NIOUSNESS, the state or quality of being acrimonious: severity. [L. _acrimonia_--_acer_, sharp.]
ACRITOCHROMACY, a-krit-o-kr[=o]'ma-si, _n._ inability to distinguish between colours: colour-blindness. [From Gr. _akritos_, undistinguishable (--_a_, neg., and _krinein_, to separate), and _chr[=o]ma_, _-atos_, colour.]
ACRITUDE, ak'ri-t[=u]d, _n._ the quality of being acrid: a sharp bitter taste: bitterness of temper or language. [L. _acritudo_--_acer_, sharp.]
ACROAMATIC, -AL, ak-ro-a-mat'ik, -al, _adj._ oral, esoteric, secret--applied to the lectures of Aristotle delivered to a select circle of students as opposed to his more popular lectures. [Gr.
_akroamatikos_--_akroasthai_, to hear.]
ACROBAT, ak'ro-bat, _n._ a rope-dancer: a tumbler: a vaulter.--_adj._ ACROBAT'IC.--_n._ ACROBAT'ISM, the art of the acrobat. [Gr. _akrobatos_, walking on tiptoe; _akros_, point, _batos_--_bainein_, to go.]
ACROGEN, ak'ro-jen, _n._ a plant that grows at the top chiefly, as a tree-fern.--_adj._ ACROG'ENOUS. [Gr. _akros_, top, _gen[=e]s_, born.]
ACROLITH, ak'ro-lith, _n._ a statue of the earlier Greek artists having the trunk made of wood and the extremities of stone. [Gr.
_akrolithos_--_akros_, extreme, and _lithos_, stone.]
ACRONYCAL, a-kron'ik-al, _adj._ midnight, applied to stars that rise at sunset and set at sunrise, or opposite to the sun.--_adv._ ACRON'YCALLY.
[Gr. _akros_, summit, middle (of time), and _nyx_, _nyktos_, night.]
ACROPOLIS, a-kro'pol-is, _n._ a citadel, esp. that of Athens. [Gr.
_akropolis_--_akros_, the highest, _polis_, a city.]
ACROSPIRE, ak'ro-sp[=i]r, _n._ (_bot._) the first leaf that appears when corn sprouts. [Gr. _akros_, summit, end, _speira_, anything twisted round.]
ACROSS, a-kros', _prep._ or _adv._ crosswise: from side to side. [Prep.
_a_, and CROSS.]
ACROSTIC, a-kr[=o]'stik, _n._ a poem of which, if the first or the last letter of each line be taken in succession, they will spell a name or a sentence.--_adj._ ACR[=O]'STICAL.--_adv._ ACR[=O]'STICALLY.--_n._ ACR[=O]'STICISM, method of acrostics. [Gr. _akros_, extreme, and _stichos_, a line.]
ACT, akt, _v.i._ to exert force or influence: to produce an effect: to behave one's self: to feign.--_v.t._ to perform: to imitate or play the part of.--_n._ something done or doing: an exploit: the very process of doing something: a law or decision of a prince or legislative body: an instrument in writing for verification: (_theol._) something done once for all, in opposition to a work: a distinct section of a play: in universities, a public disputation or lecture maintained by a candidate for a degree.--_n._ ACT'ING, action: act of performing an assumed or a dramatic part: feigning.--_adj._ performing some duty temporarily, or for another.--_n._ ACT'OR, one who acts: a stage-player:--_fem._ ACT'RESS.--ACT OF GOD, a result of natural forces, unexpected and not preventable by human foresight.--IN ACT TO, on the very point of doing something.--TO ACT ON, to act in accordance with; TO ACT UP TO, to come up in practice to some expected standard: to fulfil. [L. _ag[)e]re_, _actum_; Gr. _agein_, to put in motion; Sans. _aj_, to drive.]
ACTA, ak'ta, _n.pl._ proceedings in a court civil or ecclesiastical, or the minutes of such.--ACTA MARTYRUM, the early accounts of the martyrs; ACTA SANCTORUM, a general name for collections of accounts of saints and martyrs, especially of the great collection of the Bollandists, begun in 1643, interrupted in 1794 at the fifty-third vol. (Oct. 6), but resumed in 1845.
ACTINIA, ak-tin'i-a, _n._ a genus of marine animals of the class Polypi, growing on rocks or shells, with numerous tentacles or rays like the petals of a flower, from which they are often called animal flowers or sea-anemones. [From Gr. _aktis_, _aktinos_, a ray.]
ACTINIFORM, ak-tin'i-form, _adj._ having a radiated form. [Gr. _aktis_, _aktinos_, ray, and FORM.]
ACTINISM, ak'tin-izm, _n._ the chemical force of the sun's rays, as distinct from light and heat.--_adj._ AC'TINIC. [Gr. _aktis_, _aktinos_, a ray.]
ACTINOLITE, ak-tin'[=o]-l[=i]t, _n._ a green variety of hornblende. [Gr.
_aktis_, _akt[=i]nos_, a ray, _lithos_, a stone.]
ACTINOMETER, ak-tin-om'e-t[.e]r, _n._ an instrument for measuring the heat-intensity of the sun's rays or the actinic effect of light-rays. [Gr.
_aktis_, _aktinos_, ray, and METER.]
ACTINOMYCES, ak-ti-no-m[=i]'sez, _n._ the tiny ray-fungus.--_n._ ACTINOMYC[=O]'SIS, an inflammatory disease in cattle, swine, and sometimes man, caused by that fungus. [Gr. _aktis_, _aktinos_, ray, and _myces_, mushroom.]
ACTINOZOA, ak'tin-[=o]-z[=o]'a, _n.pl._ one of the three classes of Coelenterata, including sea-anemones, dead-men's fingers, corals, &c. [Gr.
_aktis_, _-inos_, a ray; _z[=o]a_, animals.]
ACTION, ak'shun, _n._ a state of acting: activity in the abstract: a deed: operation: gesture: a battle: a lawsuit, or proceedings in a court: the movement of events in a drama, novel, &c.--_adj._ AC'TIONABLE, liable to a lawsuit.--_n._ AC'TION-TAK'ING (_Shak._), resenting an injury by a lawsuit instead of fighting it out like a man of honour.
ACTIVATE, ak'ti-v[=a]t, _v.t._ (_Bacon_) to make active:--_pr.p._ ac'tiv[=a]ting; _pa.p._ ac'tiv[=a]ted.
ACTIVE, akt'iv, _adj._ that acts: busy: nimble: practical, as opposed to speculative: effective: (_gram._) transitive.--_adv._ ACT'IVELY.--_ns._ ACTIV'ITY, ACT'IVENESS.
ACTON, ak'tun, _n._ a stuffed leather jacket which used to be worn under a coat of mail. [O. Fr. _auqueton_, through Sp. from Ar. _al-q[=u]tun_.]
ACTUAL, akt'[=u]-al, _adj._ real: existing in fact and now, as opp. to an imaginary or past state of things.--_v.t._ ACT'UALISE, to make actual: to realise in action.--_n._ ACTUAL'ITY.--_adv._ ACT'UALLY.
ACTUARY, akt'[=u]-ar-i, _n._ a registrar or clerk: one who makes the calculations connected with an insurance office.--_adj._ ACTUA'RIAL. [L.
_actuarius (scriba)_, an amanuensis, a clerk.]
ACTUATE, akt'[=u]-[=a]t, _v.t._ to put into or incite to action: to influence.--_n._ ACTU[=A]'TION. [L. _actus_, action. See ACT.]
ACULEATED, ak-[=u]l-e-[=a]t'ed, _p.adj._ pointed: (_fig._) pungent, incisive. [L. _aculeatus_, _aculeus_, dim. of _acus_, needle.]
ACUMEN, ak-[=u]'men, _n._ sharpness: quickness of perception: penetration.
[L. See ACUTE.]
ACUMINATE, a-k[=u]'min-[=a]t, _adj._ (_bot._) having a long tapering point--also AC[=U]'MINATED.--_v.t._ AC[=U]'MINATE, to sharpen: (_fig._) give point to.--_n._ ACCUMIN[=A]'TION. [L. _acuminatum_, pa.p. of _acumin[=a]re_, to make pointed--_acumen_, a point. See ACUMEN.]
ACUPRESSURE, ak-[=u]-presh'[=u]r, _n._ a mode of arresting hemorrhage from cut arteries, by inserting a needle into the flesh so as to press across the mouth of the artery. [L. _acus_, a needle, and PRESSURE.]
ACUPUNCTURE, ak-[=u]-pungkt'[=u]r, _n._ an operation for relieving pain by puncturing the flesh with needles. [L. _acus_, a needle, and PUNCTURE.]
ACUTE, ak-[=u]t', _adj._ sharp-pointed: keen: opp. of dull: shrewd: shrill: critical.--_adv._ ACUTE'LY.--_n._ ACUTE'NESS.--ACUTE ANGLE, an angle less than a right angle (see ANGLE); ACUTE DISEASE, one coming to a violent crisis, as opp. to _Chronic_. [L. _acutus_, pa.p. of _acu[)e]re_, to sharpen, from root _ak_, sharp.]
ADAGE, ad'[=a]j, _n._ an old saying: a proverb. [Fr.--L. _adagium_, from _ad_, to, and root of _aio_, I say.]
ADAGIO, a-d[=a]'g[=i]-o, _adv._ (_mus._) slowly.--_n._ a slow movement: a piece in adagio time. [It. _ad agio_, at ease.]