{ } n. [ Chich + -ling. ] (Bot.) A leguminous plant (Lathyrus sativus), with broad flattened seeds which are sometimes used for food. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. See Drecche. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A mode of etching upon metals by electrolytic action. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A variant of Eddish. [ Obs. ] Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Etched p. pr. & vb. n. Etching. ] [ D. etsen, G. ätzen to feed, corrode, etch. MHG. etzen, causative of ezzen to eat, G. essen &unr_;&unr_;. See Eat. ] 1. To produce, as figures or designs, on mental, glass, or the like, by means of lines or strokes eaten in or corroded by means of some strong acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The plate is first covered with varnish, or some other ground capable of resisting the acid, and this is then scored or scratched with a needle, or similar instrument, so as to form the drawing; the plate is then covered with acid, which corrodes the metal in the lines thus laid bare. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To subject to etching; to draw upon and bite with acid, as a plate of metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was etching a plate at the beginning of 1875. Hamerton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To sketch; to delineate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

There are many empty terms to be found in some learned writes, to which they had recourse to etch out their system. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To practice etching; to make etchings. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Cut or impressed into a surface.
Syn. -- engraved, graven, incised. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Corroded so that the surface is matte and not fully transparent; -- of glass. [ PJC ]

n. One who etches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act, art, or practice of engraving by means of acid which eats away lines or surfaces left unprotected in metal, glass, or the like. See Etch, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A design carried out by means of the above process; a pattern on metal, glass, etc., produced by etching. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An impression on paper, parchment, or other material, taken in ink from an etched plate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Etching figures (Min.), markings produced on the face of a crystal by the action of an appropriate solvent. They have usually a definite form, and are important as revealing the molecular structure. --
Etching needle, a sharp-pointed steel instrument with which lines are drawn in the ground or varnish in etching. --
Etching stitch (Needlework), a stitch used outline embroidery. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Anything brought from far, or brought about with studious care; a deep strategem. [ Obs. ] “Politic farfetches.” Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Far + fetch. ] To bring from far; to seek out studiously. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To farfetch the name of Tartar from a Hebrew word. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Brought from far, or from a remote place. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every remedy contained a multitude of farfetched and heterogeneous ingredients. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Studiously sought; not easily or naturally deduced or introduced; forced; strained; hence, implausible or improbable. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Stretched beyond ordinary limits. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fetched 2; p. pr. & vb. n.. Fetching. ] [ OE. fecchen, AS. feccan, perh. the same word as fetian; or cf. facian to wish to get, OFries. faka to prepare. √77. Cf. Fet, v. t. ] 1. To bear toward the person speaking, or the person or thing from whose point of view the action is contemplated; to go and bring; to get. [ 1913 Webster ]

Time will run back and fetch the age of gold. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 1 Kings xvii. 11, 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To obtain as price or equivalent; to sell for. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our native horses were held in small esteem, and fetched low prices. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To recall from a swoon; to revive; -- sometimes with to; as, to fetch a man to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fetching men again when they swoon. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To reduce; to throw. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To bring to accomplishment; to achieve; to make; to perform, with certain objects; as, to fetch a compass; to fetch a leap; to fetch a sigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll fetch a turn about the garden. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He fetches his blow quick and sure. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To bring or get within reach by going; to reach; to arrive at; to attain; to reach by sailing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meantine flew our ships, and straight we fetched
The siren's isle. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To cause to come; to bring to a particular state. [ 1913 Webster ]

They could n't fetch the butter in the churn. W. Barnes. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fetch a compass (Naut.), to make a circuit; to take a circuitous route going to a place. --
To fetch a pump, to make it draw water by pouring water into the top and working the handle. --
To fetch headway or
To fetch sternway (Naut.), to move ahead or astern. --
To fetch out, to develop. “The skill of the polisher fetches out the colors [ of marble ]” Addison. --
To fetch up. (a) To overtake. [ Obs. ] “Says [ the hare ], I can fetch up the tortoise when I please.” L'Estrange. (b) To stop suddenly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A stratagem by which a thing is indirectly brought to pass, or by which one thing seems intended and another is done; a trick; an artifice. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every little fetch of wit and criticism. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The apparation of a living person; a wraith. [ 1913 Webster ]

The very fetch and ghost of Mrs. Gamp. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The unobstructed region of the ocean over which the wind blows to generate waves. [ RH ]

4. Hence: The length of such a region. [ RH ]

Fetch candle, a light seen at night, superstitiously believed to portend a person's death. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To bring one's self; to make headway; to veer; as, to fetch about; to fetch to windward. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fetch away (Naut.), to break loose; to roll or slide to leeward. --
To fetch and carry, to serve obsequiously, like a trained spaniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who fetches or brings. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. drawing favorable attention; as, a fetching new hat.
Syn. -- appealing, taking, winning. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fletched p. pr. & vb. n. Fletching. ] [ F. flèche arrow. ] To feather, as an arrow. Bp. Warburton. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Congress ] fletched their complaint, by adding: “America loved his brother.” Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. flechier. ] One who fletches or feathers arrows; a manufacturer of bows and arrows. [ Obs. ] Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Same as Hatchel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the straight segment of a racetrack leading to the finish line. [ wns=1 ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Hence: [ fig. ] The last or concluding part of any extended activity that has a definite conclusion; the final phase of any activity; as, the election was neck-and-neck in the homestretch. [ PJC ]

[ Perh. fr. Jack, the proper name + Prov. E. ketch a hangman, fr. ketch, for catch to seize; but see the citations below. ] A public executioner, or hangman. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The manor of Tyburn was formerly held by Richard Jaquett, where felons for a long time were executed; from whence we have Jack Ketch. Lloyd's MS., British Museum. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Monmouth ] then accosted John Ketch, the executioner, a wretch who had butchered many brave and noble victims, and whose name has, during a century and a half, been vulgarly given to all who have succeeded him in his odious office. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. corrupted fr. Turk. qāīq : cf. F. caiche. Cf. Caïque. ] (Naut.) 1. An almost obsolete form of sailing vessel, with a mainmast and a mizzenmast, -- usually from one hundred to two hundred and fifty tons burden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) In modern usage, a sailing vessel having two masts, with the main mast taller than the aftermost, or mizzen, mast. [ RH ]

Bomb ketch. See under Bomb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A hangman. See Jack Ketch. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Catch. ] To catch. [ Now obs. in spelling, and colloq. in pronunciation. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To ketch him at a vantage in his snares. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

pr>(?), n. [ Probably of East Indian origin, because it was originally a kind of East Indian pickles. Cf. also Malay k&ebreve_;chap fish sauce. MW10. ] A pureed table sauce made predominantly from tomatoes, flavored with onions, sugar, salt and spices; called also tomato ketchup. The term is also applied to pureed sauces containing mushrooms, walnuts, etc., being called in such cases mushroom ketchup, walnut ketchup, etc. [ Written also catsup and catchup. ] [ PJC ]

v. & n. See Leach. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Lech, Lecher. ] 1. Strong desire; passion; especially, lust. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Some people have a letch for unmasking impostors, or for avenging the wrongs of others. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A lecher. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

a. See Leachy. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A leguminous herb (Astragalus glycyphyllos) of Europe and Asia, supposed to increase the secretion of milk in goats. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The name is sometimes taken for the whole genus Astragalus, of which there are about two hundred species in North America, and even more elsewhere. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To stretch out. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Photo-etched p. pr. & vb. n. Photo-etching. ] [ Photo- + etch. ] To engrave, or make an engraving of, by any photomechanical process involving etching of the plate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A photo-engraving produced by any process involving the etching of the plate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Retched p. pr. & vb. n. Retching. ] [ AS. hræcan to clear the throat, hawk, fr. hraca throat; akin to G. rachen, and perhaps to E. rack neck. ] To make an effort to vomit; to strain, as in vomiting. [ Written also reach. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Beloved Julia, hear me still beseeching!
(Here he grew inarticulate with retching.) Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ See Reck. ] To care for; to heed; to reck. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Careless; reckless. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

--- Retch"less*ly, adv. -- Retch"less*ness, n. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D. schets, fr. It. schizzo a sketch, a splash (whence also F. esquisse; cf. Esquisse.); cf. It. schizzare to splash, to sketch. ] An outline or general delineation of anything; a first rough or incomplete draught or plan of any design; especially, in the fine arts, such a representation of an object or scene as serves the artist's purpose by recording its chief features; also, a preliminary study for an original work. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Outline; delineation; draught; plan; design. -- Sketch, Outline, Delineation. An outline gives only the bounding lines of some scene or picture. A sketch fills up the outline in part, giving broad touches, by which an imperfect idea may be conveyed. A delineation goes further, carrying out the more striking features of the picture, and going so much into detail as to furnish a clear conception of the whole. Figuratively, we may speak of the outlines of a plan, of a work, of a project, etc., which serve as a basis on which the subordinate parts are formed, or of sketches of countries, characters, manners, etc., which give us a general idea of the things described. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sketched p. pr. & vb. n. Sketching. ] [ Cf D. schetsen, It. schizzare. See Sketch, n. ] 1. To draw the outline or chief features of; to make a rought of. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To plan or describe by giving the principal points or ideas of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To delineate; design; draught; depict. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make sketches, as of landscapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A book of sketches or for sketches. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who sketches. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a sketchy or incomplete manner. “Sketchily descriptive.” Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being sketchy; lack of finish; incompleteness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Containing only an outline or rough form; being in the manner of a sketch; incomplete. [ 1913 Webster ]

The execution is sketchy throughout; the head, in particular, is left in the rough. J. S. Harford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Slush, Slutch. ] Mud or slime, such as that at the bottom of rivers. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. Parings and refuse of hides, skins, etc., from which glue is made. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stretched p. pr. & vb. n. Stretching. ] [ OE. strecchen, AS. streccan; akin to D. strekken, G. strecken, OHG. strecchen, Sw. sträcka, Dan. straekke; cf. AS. straeck, strec, strong, violent, G. strack straight; of uncertain origin, perhaps akin to E. strong. Cf. Straight. ] 1. To reach out; to extend; to put forth. [ 1913 Webster ]

And stretch forth his neck long and small. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I in conquest stretched mine arm. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To draw out to the full length; to cause to extend in a straight line; as, to stretch a cord or rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to extend in breadth; to spread; to expand; as, to stretch cloth; to stretch the wings. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make tense; to tighten; to distend forcibly. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To draw or pull out to greater length; to strain; as, to stretch a tendon or muscle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. Doddridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To exaggerate; to extend too far; as, to stretch the truth; to stretch one's credit. [ 1913 Webster ]

They take up, one day, the most violent and stretched prerogative. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be extended; to be drawn out in length or in breadth, or both; to spread; to reach; as, the iron road stretches across the continent; the lake stretches over fifty square miles. [ 1913 Webster ]

As far as stretcheth any ground. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To extend or spread one's self, or one's limbs; as, the lazy man yawns and stretches. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as elastic or ductile substances. [ 1913 Webster ]

The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch and yield, remained umbroken. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To strain the truth; to exaggerate; as, a man apt to stretch in his report of facts. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Naut.) To sail by the wind under press of canvas; as, the ship stretched to the eastward. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stretch out, an order to rowers to extend themselves forward in dipping the oar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Act of stretching, or state of being stretched; reach; effort; struggle; strain; as, a stretch of the limbs; a stretch of the imagination. [ 1913 Webster ]

By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those put a lawful authority upon the stretch, to the abuse of yower, under the color of prerogative. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A continuous line or surface; a continuous space of time; as, grassy stretches of land. [ 1913 Webster ]

A great stretch of cultivated country. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

But all of them left me a week at a stretch. E. Eggleston. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The extent to which anything may be stretched. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of mind. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is the utmost stretch that nature can. Granville. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut.) The reach or extent of a vessel's progress on one tack; a tack or board. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Course; direction; as, the stretch of seams of coal. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be on the stretch, to be obliged to use one's utmost powers. --
Home stretch. See under Home, a. [ 1913 Webster ]