n. The act of cutting away the knots of trees. [ R. ] Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. accommodatio, fr. accommodare: cf. F. accommodation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of fitting or adapting, or the state of being fitted or adapted; adaptation; adjustment; -- followed by to. “The organization of the body with accommodation to its functions.” Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Willingness to accommodate; obligingness. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Whatever supplies a want or affords ease, refreshment, or convenience; anything furnished which is desired or needful; -- often in the plural; as, the accommodations -- that is, lodgings and food -- at an inn. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An adjustment of differences; state of agreement; reconciliation; settlement. “To come to terms of accommodation.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The application of a writer's language, on the ground of analogy, to something not originally referred to or intended. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many of those quotations from the Old Testament were probably intended as nothing more than accommodations. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Com.) (a) A loan of money. (b) An accommodation bill or note. [ 1913 Webster ]

Accommodation bill, or
note (Com.), a bill of exchange which a person accepts, or a note which a person makes and delivers to another, not upon a consideration received, but for the purpose of raising money on credit. --
Accommodation coach, or
train, one running at moderate speed and stopping at all or nearly all stations. --
Accommodation ladder (Naut.), a light ladder hung over the side of a ship at the gangway, useful in ascending from, or descending to, small boats. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Auto- + fecundation. ] (Biol.) Self-impregnation. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Backward, v. t. + -ation. ] (Stock Exchange) The seller's postponement of delivery of stock or shares, with the consent of the buyer, upon payment of a premium to the latter; -- also, the premium so paid. See Contango. Biddle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. L. blanditia, blandities, fr. blandus. See Bland. ] Flattery. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. circum- + denudation. ] (Geol.) Denudation around or in the neighborhood of an object. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hills of circumdenudation, hills which have been produced by surface erosion; the elevations which have been left, after denudation of a mass of high ground. Jukes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. commendatio. ] 1. The act of commending; praise; favorable representation in words; recommendation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Need we . . . epistles of commendation? 2 Cor. iii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the commendation of the great officers. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is the ground of approbation or praise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Good nature is the most godlike commendation of a man. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. A message of affection or respect; compliments; greeting. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Hark you, Margaret;
No princely commendations to my king? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. consolidatio a confirming: cf. F. consolidation. ] 1. The act or process of consolidating, making firm, or uniting; the state of being consolidated; solidification; combination. [ 1913 Webster ]

The consolidation of the marble and of the stone did not fall out at random. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

The consolidation of the great European monarchies. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) To organic cohesion of different circled in a flower; adnation. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) The combination of several actions into one. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a decoration using cusps. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. defoedare, defoedatum, to defile; de- + foedare to foul, foedus foul. ] The act of making foul; pollution. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Defedation. [ Obs. ]

n. [ L. defraudatio: cf. F. défraudation. ] The act of defrauding; a taking by fraud. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F. dégradation. See Degrade. ] 1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop. [ 1913 Webster ]

He saw many removes and degradations in all the other offices of which he had been possessed. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement. [ 1913 Webster ]

The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Deplorable is the degradation of our nature. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moments there frequently must be, when a sinner is sensible of the degradation of his state. Blair. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration. [ 1913 Webster ]

The development and degradation of the alphabetic forms can be traced. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Geol.) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Biol.) The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration. [ 1913 Webster ]

The degradation of the species man is observed in some of its varieties. Dana. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Physiol.) Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole. [ 1913 Webster ]

Degradation of energy, or
Dissipation of energy (Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in which it is less available for doing work.

Syn. -- Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. denudatio: cf. F. dénudation. ] 1. The act of stripping off covering, or removing the surface; a making bare. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geol.) The laying bare of rocks by the washing away of the overlying earth, etc.; or the excavation and removal of them by the action of running water. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) The act or process of reducing from the state of an oxide. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. depraedatio: cf. F. déprédation. ] The act of depredating, or the state of being depredated; the act of despoiling or making inroads; as, the sea often makes depredation on the land. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. desudatio, fr. desudare to sweat greatly; de + sudare to sweat. ] (Med.) A sweating; a profuse or morbid sweating, often succeeded by an eruption of small pimples. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dilapidatio: cf. F. dilapidation. ] 1. The act of dilapidating, or the state of being dilapidated, reduced to decay, partially ruined, or squandered. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tell the people that are relived by the dilapidation of their public estate. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Ecclesiastical waste; impairing of church property by an incumbent, through neglect or by intention. [ 1913 Webster ]

The business of dilapidations came on between our bishop and the Archibishop of York. Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) The pulling down of a building, or suffering it to fall or be in a state of decay. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dilucidatio. ] The act of making clear. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A state of being unaccommodated or unsuited. [ R. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Blame; censure; reproach. [ R. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Scots Law) Degradation; a stripping of titles and honors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) Deoxidation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. elapidatus cleared from stones; e out + lapis stone. ] A clearing away of stones. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. élucidation. ] A making clear; the act of elucidating or that which elucidates, as an explanation, an exposition, an illustration; as, one example may serve for further elucidation of the subject. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. emendatio: cf. F. émendation. ] 1. The act of altering for the better, or correcting what is erroneous or faulty; correction; improvement. “He lies in his sin without repentance or emendation.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Alteration by editorial criticism, as of a text so as to give a better reading; removal of errors or corruptions from a document; as, the book might be improved by judicious emendations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. enodatio explanation, fr. enodare to free from knots. See Enode. ] The act or operation of clearing of knots, or of untying; hence, also, the solution of a difficulty. [ R. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., exheredatio: cf. F. exhérédation. ] A disinheriting; disherison. [ R. ]
Syn. -- exhereditation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Exudation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of exuding; sweating; a discharge of humors, moisture, juice, or gum, as through pores or incisions; also, the substance exuded. [ 1913 Webster ]

Resins, a class of proximate principles, existing in almost all plants and appearing on the external surface of many of them in the form of exudations. Am. Cyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. exundatio. ] An overflow, or overflowing abundance. [ R. ] Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fécondation. ] (Biol.) The act by which, either in animals or plants, material prepared by the generative organs the female organism is brought in contact with matter from the organs of the male, so that a new organism results; impregnation; fertilization. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The addition of a fluoride to the water supply (to prevent dental decay).
Syn. -- fluoridization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish. ] 1. The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone . . . a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. Is. xxviii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

The foundation of a free common wealth. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course (see Base course (a), under Base, n.) and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was entered on the foundation of Westminster. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity; as, the Ford Foundation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Against the canon laws of our foundation. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foundation course. See Base course, under Base, n. --
Foundation muslin, an open-worked gummed fabric used for stiffening dresses, bonnets, etc. --
Foundation school, in England, an endowed school. --
To be on a foundation, to be entitled to a support from the proceeds of an endowment, as a scholar or a fellow of a college. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who derives support from the funds or foundation of a college or school. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no foundation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. frondatio, from frons. See Frond. ] The act of stripping, as trees, of leaves or branches; a kind of pruning. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n., [ L. gradatio: cf. F. gradation. See Grade. ] 1. The act of progressing by regular steps or orderly arrangement; the state of being graded or arranged in ranks; as, the gradation of castes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act or process of bringing to a certain grade. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any degree or relative position in an order or series. [ 1913 Webster ]

The several gradations of the intelligent universe. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Fine Arts) A gradual passing from one tint to another or from a darker to a lighter shade, as in painting or drawing. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) A diatonic ascending or descending succession of chords. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To form with gradations. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. By regular steps or gradations; of or pertaining to gradation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Gravidity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being incommoded; inconvenience. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) See Infeudation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. infeudatio, fr. infeudare to enfeoff: cf. F. inféodation. See Feud a fief. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Law) The act of putting one in possession of an estate in fee. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The granting of tithes to laymen. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. infrigidatio. ] The act of chilling or causing to become cold; a chilling; coldness; congelation. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being pregnant or impregnated. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. intimidation. ] The act of making timid or fearful or of deterring by threats; the state of being intimidated; as, the voters were kept from the polls by intimidation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king carried his measures in Parliament by intimidation. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. inundatio: cf. F. inondation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of inundating, or the state of being inundated; an overflow; a flood; a rising and spreading of water over grounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

With inundation wide the deluge reigns,
Drowns the deep valleys, and o'erspreads the plains. Wilkie. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An overspreading of any kind; overflowing or superfluous abundance; a flood; a great influx; as, an inundation of tourists. [ 1913 Webster ]

To stop the inundation of her tears. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of inavlidating, or the state of being invalidated. [ 1913 Webster ]

So many invalidations of their right. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lapidatio: cf. F. lapidation. ] The act of stoning. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]