n. [ L. apprecari to pray to; ad + precari to pray, prex, precis, prayer. ] Earnest prayer; devout wish. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn apprecation of good success. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Praying or wishing good. [ Obs. ]“Apprecatory benedictions.” Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. appréciable. ] Capable of being appreciated or estimated; large enough to be estimated; perceptible; as, an appreciable quantity. -- Ap*pre"ci*a*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Appreciative. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Appreciated; p. pr. & vb. n. Appreciating. ] [ L. appretiatus, p. p. of appretiare to value at a price, appraise; ad + pretiare to prize, pretium price. Cf. Appraise. ] 1. To set a price or value on; to estimate justly; to value. [ 1913 Webster ]

To appreciate the motives of their enemies. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To raise the value of; to increase the market price of; -- opposed to depreciate. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Lest a sudden peace should appreciate the money. Ramsay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To be sensible of; to distinguish. [ 1913 Webster ]

To test the power of bees to appreciate color. Lubbock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To Appreciate, Estimate, Esteem. Estimate is an act of judgment; esteem is an act of valuing or prizing, and when applied to individuals, denotes a sentiment of moral approbation. See Estimate. Appreciate lies between the two. As compared with estimate, it supposes a union of sensibility with judgment, producing a nice and delicate perception. As compared with esteem, it denotes a valuation of things according to their appropriate and distinctive excellence, and not simply their moral worth. Thus, with reference to the former of these (delicate perception), an able writer says. “Women have a truer appreciation of character than men;” and another remarks, “It is difficult to appreciate the true force and distinctive sense of terms which we are every day using.” So, also, we speak of the difference between two things, as sometimes hardly appreciable. With reference to the latter of these (that of valuation as the result of a nice perception), we say, “It requires a peculiar cast of character to appreciate the poetry of Wordsworth;” “He who has no delicacy himself, can not appreciate it in others;” “The thought of death is salutary, because it leads us to appreciate worldly things aright.” Appreciate is much used in cases where something is in danger of being overlooked or undervalued; as when we speak of appreciating the difficulties of a subject, or the risk of an undertaking. So Lord Plunket, referring to an “ominous silence” which prevailed among the Irish peasantry, says, “If you knew how to appreciate that silence, it is more formidable than the most clamorous opposition.” In like manner, a person who asks some favor of another is apt to say, “I trust you will appreciate my motives in this request.” Here we have the key to a very frequent use of the word. It is hardly necessary to say that appreciate looks on the favorable side of things. we never speak of appreciating a man's faults, but his merits. This idea of regarding things favorably appears more fully in the word appreciative; as when we speak of an appreciative audience, or an appreciative review, meaning one that manifests a quick perception and a ready valuation of excellence. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To rise in value. [ See note under Rise, v. i. ] J. Morse. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an appreciating manner; with appreciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. appréciation. ] 1. A just valuation or estimate of merit, worth, weight, etc.; recognition of excellence. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Accurate perception; true estimation; as, an appreciation of the difficulties before us; an appreciation of colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

His foreboding showed his appreciation of Henry's character. J. R. Green. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A rise in value; -- opposed to depreciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having or showing a just or ready appreciation or perception; as, an appreciative audience. -- Ap*pre"ci*a*tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. The quality of being appreciative; quick recognition of excellence. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who appreciates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Showing appreciation; appreciative; as, appreciatory commendation. -- Ap*pre"ci*a*to*ri*ly adv. [1913 Webster]

v. i. 1. To think, believe, or be of opinion; to understand; to suppose. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be apprehensive; to fear. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is worse to apprehend than to suffer. Rowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Apprehended; p. pr. & vb. n. Apprehending. ] [ L. apprehendere; ad + prehendere to lay hold of, seize; prae before + -hendere (used only in comp.); akin to Gr. chanda`nein to hold, contain, and E. get: cf. F. appréhender. See Prehensile, Get. ] 1. To take or seize; to take hold of. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We have two hands to apprehend it. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: To take or seize (a person) by legal process; to arrest; as, to apprehend a criminal. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To take hold of with the understanding, that is, to conceive in the mind; to become cognizant of; to understand; to recognize; to consider. [ 1913 Webster ]

This suspicion of Earl Reimund, though at first but a buzz, soon got a sting in the king's head, and he violently apprehended it. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

The eternal laws, such as the heroic age apprehended them. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To know or learn with certainty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

G. You are too much distrustful of my truth.
E. Then you must give me leave to apprehend
The means and manner how. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To anticipate; esp., to anticipate with anxiety, dread, or fear; to fear. [ 1913 Webster ]

The opposition had more reason than the king to apprehend violence. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To catch; seize; arrest; detain; capture; conceive; understand; imagine; believe; fear; dread. -- To Apprehend, Comprehend. These words come into comparison as describing acts of the mind. Apprehend denotes the laying hold of a thing mentally, so as to understand it clearly, at least in part. Comprehend denotes the embracing or understanding it in all its compass and extent. We may apprehended many truths which we do not comprehend. The very idea of God supposes that he may be apprehended, though not comprehended, by rational beings. “We may apprehended much of Shakespeare's aim and intention in the character of Hamlet or King Lear; but few will claim that they have comprehended all that is embraced in these characters.” Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who apprehends. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being apprehensible. [ R. ] De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. apprehensibilis. See Apprehend. ] Capable of being apprehended or conceived. “Apprehensible by faith.” Bp. Hall. -- Ap`*pre*hen"si*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. apprehensio: cf. F. appréhension. See Apprehend. ] 1. The act of seizing or taking hold of; seizure; as, the hand is an organ of apprehension. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of seizing or taking by legal process; arrest; as, the felon, after his apprehension, escaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of grasping with the intellect; the contemplation of things, without affirming, denying, or passing any judgment; intellection; perception. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simple apprehension denotes no more than the soul's naked intellection of an object. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Opinion; conception; sentiment; idea. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense, the word often denotes a belief, founded on sufficient evidence to give preponderation to the mind, but insufficient to induce certainty; as, in our apprehension, the facts prove the issue. [ 1913 Webster ]

To false, and to be thought false, is all one in respect of men, who act not according to truth, but apprehension. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The faculty by which ideas are conceived; understanding; as, a man of dull apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Anticipation, mostly of things unfavorable; distrust or fear at the prospect of future evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

After the death of his nephew Caligula, Claudius was in no small apprehension for his own life. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Apprehension, Alarm. Apprehension springs from a sense of danger when somewhat remote, but approaching; alarm arises from danger when announced as near at hand. Apprehension is calmer and more permanent; alarm is more agitating and transient. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. appréhensif. See Apprehend. ] 1. Capable of apprehending, or quick to do so; apt; discerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

It may be pardonable to imagine that a friend, a kind and apprehensive . . . friend, is listening to our talk. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Knowing; conscious; cognizant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A man that has spent his younger years in vanity and folly, and is, by the grace of God, apprehensive of it. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relating to the faculty of apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Judgment . . . is implied in every apprehensive act. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anticipative of something unfavorable' fearful of what may be coming; in dread of possible harm; in expectation of evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not at all apprehensive of evils as a distance. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Reformers . . . apprehensive for their lives. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Sensible; feeling; perceptive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thoughts, my tormentors, armed with deadly stings,
Mangle my apprehensive, tenderest parts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an apprehensive manner; with apprehension of danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being apprehensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. apprentice, prentice, OF. aprentis, nom. of aprentif, fr. apprendare to learn, L. apprendere, equiv. to apprehendere, to take hold of (by the mind), to comprehend. See Apprehend, Prentice. ] 1. One who is bound by indentures or by legal agreement to serve a mechanic, or other person, for a certain time, with a view to learn the art, or trade, in which his master is bound to instruct him. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One not well versed in a subject; a tyro.
[ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Old law) A barrister, considered a learner of law till of sixteen years' standing, when he might be called to the rank of serjeant. [ Obs. ] Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Apprenticed; p. pr. & vb. n. Apprenticing. ] To bind to, or put under the care of, a master, for the purpose of instruction in a trade or business. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. apprentissage. ] Apprenticeship. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Apprenticeship. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The service or condition of an apprentice; the state in which a person is gaining instruction in a trade or art, under legal agreement. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The time an apprentice is serving (sometimes seven years, as from the age of fourteen to twenty-one). [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, a. [ p. p. appress, which is not in use. See Adpress. ] (Bot.) Pressed close to, or lying against, something for its whole length, as against a stem. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Appreciate. ] To undervalue; not to esteem. -- Dis`ap*pre`ci*a"tion n. [1913 Webster]

a. [ Pref. in- not + appreciable: cf. F. inappréciable. ] Not appreciable; too small to be perceived; incapable of being duly valued or estimated. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of appreciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inapprehensibilis: cf. F. inappréhensible. ] Not apprehensible; unintelligible; inconceivable. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not apprehensive; regardless; unconcerned. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Improperly appreciated. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A mistaking or mistake; wrong apprehension of one's meaning of a fact; misconception; misunderstanding. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By, or with, misapprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An apprehension or opinion formed before examination or knowledge. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]