n. Same as Alkahest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. alchahest, F. alcahest, a word that has an Arabic appearance, but was probably arbitrarily formed by Paracelsus. ] The fabled “universal solvent” of the alchemists; a menstruum capable of dissolving all bodies. -- Al`ka*hes"tic a. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Perh. G. berg mountain + geist demon, or bär a bear + geist. ] A goblin, in the shape of a large dog, portending misfortune. [ Also written barguest. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To vow. [ Obs. ] Paston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. biheste promise, command, AS. beh&aemacr_;s promise; pref. be- + h&aemacr_;s command. See Hest, Hight. ] 1. That which is willed or ordered; a command; a mandate; an injunction. [ 1913 Webster ]

To do his master's high behest. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A vow; a promise. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest that I have made. Paston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. chest, chist, AS. cest, cist, cyst, L. cista, fr. Gr. ki`sth. Cf. Cist, Cistern. ] 1. A large box of wood, or other material, having, like a trunk, a lid, but no covering of skin, leather, or cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Heaps of money crowded in the chest. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A coffin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He is now dead and mailed in his cheste. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The part of the body inclosed by the ribs and breastbone; the thorax. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Com.) A case in which certain goods, as tea, opium, etc., are transported; hence, the quantity which such a case contains. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mech.) A tight receptacle or box, usually for holding gas, steam, liquids, etc.; as, the steam chest of an engine; the wind chest of an organ. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bomb chest, See under Bomb. --
Chest of drawers, a case or movable frame containing drawers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Chested. ] 1. To deposit in a chest; to hoard. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To place in a coffin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He dieth and is chested. Gen. 1. 26 (heading). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. ceást. ] Strife; contention; controversy. [ Obs. ] P. Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having (such) a chest; -- in composition; as, broad-chested; narrow-chested. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a davenport with upright armrests. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a fitted overcoat with a velvet collar. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ See -lite. ] A variety of feldspar found in crystals in the county of Chester, Pennsylvania. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The chestnut tree. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Wilwe, elm, plane, assch, box, chesteyn. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Far.) A rheumatic affection of the muscles of the breast and fore legs of a horse, affecting motion and respiration. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining of a chestnut; of a reddish brown color; as, chestnut curls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For chesten-nut; OE. chestein, chesten, chastein, chestnut, fr. AS. cisten in cistenbeám chestnut tree, influenced by OF. chastaigne, F. châtaigne, both the AS. and the F. words coming from L. castanea a chestnut, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; a city of Pontus, where chestnut trees grew in abundance, and whence they were introduced into Europe. Cf. Castanets. ] 1. (Bot.) The edible nut of a forest tree (Castanea vesce) of Europe and America. Commonly two or more of the nuts grow in a prickly bur. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The tree itself, or its light, coarse-grained timber, used for ornamental work, furniture, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A bright brown color, like that of the nut. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The horse chestnut (often so used in England). [ 1913 Webster ]

5. One of the round, or oval, horny plates on the inner sides of the legs of the horse, and allied animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An old joke or story. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Chestnut tree, a tree that bears chestnuts. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. marked by a large or well-developed chest.
Syn. -- big-chested. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride; as, chesty as a peacock.
Syn. -- arrogant, self-important. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ Cf. Inchest. ] To inclose in a chest. Vicars. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Superl. of far. [ See Farther and cf. Furthest ] Most distant or remote; as, the farthest degree. See Furthest. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. At or to the greatest distance. See Furthest. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. superl. Most remote; most in advance; farthest. See Further, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. At the greatest distance; farthest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. h&aemacr_;s, fr. hātan to call, bid. See Hight, and cf. Behest. ] Command; precept; injunction. [ Archaic ] See Behest. “At thy hest.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let him that yields obey the victor's hest. Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet I thy hest will all perform, at full. Tennyson.

{ } a. [ L. hesternus; akin to heri yesterday. ] Pertaining to yesterday. [ Obs. ] See Yester, a. Ld. Lytton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Bot.) The large nutlike seed of a species of Aesculus (Aesculus Hippocastanum), formerly ground, and fed to horses, whence the name. The seed is not considered edible by humans. [ wns=2 ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Bot.) The tree itself (Aesculus hippocastanum), which was brought from Constantinople in the beginning of the sixteenth century, and is now common in the temperate zones of both hemispheres; it has palmate leaves and large clusters of white to red flowers followed by brown shiny inedible seeds. The native American species is also called buckeye and conker. [ wns=1 ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To put into a chest. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. A mammal genus comprising the hare wallabies.
Syn. -- genus Lagorchestes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. A breed of short-haired black-and-tan terrier developed in Manchester England.
Syn. -- black-and-tan terrier. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. See Orchestra. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Gr. &unr_; a dancer. See Orchestra. ] (Zool.) Any species of amphipod crustacean of the genus Orchestia, or family Orchestidae. See Beach flea, under Beach. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. orchestra, Gr. &unr_;, orig., the place for the chorus of dancers, from &unr_; to dance: cf. F. orchestre. ] 1. The space in a theater between the stage and the audience; -- originally appropriated by the Greeks to the chorus and its evolutions, afterward by the Romans to persons of distinction, and by the moderns to a band of instrumental musicians. Now commonly called orchestra pit, to distinguish it from the section of the main floor occupied by spectators. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. The space in the main floor of a theater in which the audience sits; also, the forward spectator section of the main floor, in distinction from the parterre, which is the rear section of the main floor. [ PJC ]

3. The place in any public hall appropriated to a band of instrumental musicians. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) (a) Loosely: A band of instrumental musicians performing in a theater, concert hall, or other place of public amusement. (b) Strictly: A band suitable for the performance of symphonies, overtures, etc., as well as for the accompaniment of operas, oratorios, cantatas, masses, and the like, or of vocal and instrumental solos. (c) A band composed, for the largest part, of players of the various viol instruments, many of each kind, together with a proper complement of wind instruments of wood and brass; -- as distinguished from a military or street band of players on wind instruments, and from an assemblage of solo players for the rendering of concerted pieces, such as septets, octets, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) The instruments employed by a full band, collectively; as, an orchestra of forty stringed instruments, with proper complement of wind instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to an orchestra; suitable for, or performed in or by, an orchestra. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. to write an orchestra score for; -- of a musical composition. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. To be the chief coordinator of (an activity requiring action by more than one person); to organize and coordinate.
Syn. -- mastermind, engineer, direct, organize. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. Arranged for performance by an orchestra; -- of a musical composition. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Coordinated to achieve a maximal effect; -- of actions of a group. [ PJC ]

n. (Mus.) The arrangement of music for an orchestra; orchestral treatment of a composition; -- called also instrumentation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] See Orchestra. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Orchestral. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large music box imitating a variety of orchestral instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A stone for sharpening scythes; a whetstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) The fruit of Trapa natans and Trapa bicornis, Old World water plants bearing edible nutlike fruits armed with several hard and sharp points; also, the plant itself; -- called also water caltrop. [ 1913 Webster ]