n. See Chaceleon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Astronomy) a small constellation in the southern skies between Hydrus and Musca.
Syn. -- Chameleon. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. Chamaeleon, Gr. chamaile`wn, lit., “ground lion;” chamai` on the ground + le`wn lion. ] (Zool.) a lizard of Africa and Madagascar able to change skin color and having a projectile tongue.
Syn. -- chameleon. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family comprising the Old World chameleons; in some classifications Rhiptoglossa is considered a superfamily of Sauria.
Syn. -- family Chamaeleontidae, family Chamaeleonidae, Rhiptoglossa, family Rhiptoglossa. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. Chamaeleon, Gr. chamaile`wn, lit., “ground lion;” chamai` on the ground + le`wn lion. See Humble, and Lion. ] (Zool.) 1. A lizardlike reptile of the genus Chamæleo, of several species, found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The skin is covered with fine granulations; it has eyes which can move separately, the tail is prehensile, and the body is much compressed laterally, giving it a high back. It is remarkable for its ability to change the color of its skin to blend with its surroundings. [ Also sometimes spelled chamaeleon. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ Its color changes more or less with the color of the objects about it, or with its temper when disturbed. In a cool, dark place it is nearly white, or grayish; on admitting the light, it changes to brown, bottle-green, or blood red, of various shades, and more or less mottled in arrangment. The American chameleons belong to Anolis and allied genera of the family Iguanidæ. They are more slender in form than the true chameleons, but have the same power of changing their colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a person who changes opinions, ideas, or behavior to suit the prevailing social climate; an opportunist. [ PJC ]

Chameleon mineral (Chem.), the compound called potassium permanganate, a dark violet, crystalline substance, KMnO4, which in formation passes through a peculiar succession of color from green to blue, purple, red, etc. See Potassium permanganate, under Potassium. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To change into various colors. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp. galeon, cf. F. galion; fr. LL. galeo, galio. See Galley. ] (Naut.) A sailing vessel of the 15th and following centuries, often having three or four decks, and used for war or commerce. The term is often rather indiscriminately applied to any large sailing vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

The galleons . . . were huge, round-stemmed, clumsy vessels, with bulwarks three or four feet thick, and built up at stem and stern, like castles. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Heracleon of Alexandria, a Judaizing Gnostic, in the early history of the Christian church. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A lion. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) See Lionced. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Leon, in Spain. -- n. sing. & pl. A native or natives of Leon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Leo: cf. F. léonides, pl. ] (Astron.) One of the shooting stars which constitute the star shower that recurs near the fourteenth of November at intervals of about thirty-three years; -- so called because these shooting stars appear on the heavens to move in lines directed from the constellation Leo. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. leoninus, fr. leo, leonis, lion: cf. F. léonin. See Lion. ] Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the lion; as, a leonine look; leonine rapacity. -- Le"o*nine*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

Leonine verse, a kind of verse, in which the end of the line rhymes with the middle; -- so named from Leo, or Leoninus, a Benedictine and canon of Paris in the twelfth century, who wrote largely in this measure, though he was not the inventor. The following line is an example: [1913 Webster]

Gloria factorum temere conceditur horum. [1913 Webster]

n. A small genus of tropical herbs and subshrubs of S Africa.
Syn. -- genus Leonotis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. A genus of marmosets including some of the tamarins. Called also Leontopithecus and Leontideus.
Syn. -- genus Leontocebus, genus Leontideus, genus Leontopithecus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. le`wn, le`ontos, lion + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth. Cf. Lion's-tooth, Dandelion. ] (Bot.) A genus of liguliflorous composite plants, including the fall dandelion (Leontodon autumnale), and formerly the true dandelion; -- called also lion's tooth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A genus of plants including the edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum).
Syn. -- genus Leontopodium. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A genus of stout Old World herbs having cut-lobed leaves and flowers in whorls.
Syn. -- genus Leonurus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; crumb of bread, fr. &unr_; to knead. ] (Med.) A medicine in the form of a roll, a esp. a roll of plaster. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. The type genus of the Myrmeleontidae, including the antlions.
Syn. -- genus Myrmeleon. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. A natural family of the order Neuroptera, including the antlions.
Syn. -- family Myrmeleontidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From the Emperor Napoleon 1. ] 1. A French gold coin of twenty francs, no longer minted or circulated. It bore the portrait of Napoleon I. or Napoleon III. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. (Card Playing) (a) A game in which each player holds five cards, the eldest hand stating the number of tricks he will bid to take, any subsequent player having the right to overbid him or a previous bidder, the highest bidder naming the trump and winning a number of points equal to his bid if he makes so many tricks, or losing the same number of points if he fails to make them. (b) A bid to take five tricks at napoleon. It is ordinarily the highest bid; but sometimes bids are allowed of wellington, or of blucher, to take five tricks, or pay double, or treble, if unsuccessful. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. A Napoleon gun. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. A kind of top boot of the middle of the 19th century. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

5. A shape and size of cigar. It is about seven inches long. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. a puff pastry confection, usually layered, with a filling of custard or cream, or sometimes jelly. [ PJC ]

def>Napoleon Bonaparte (or Buonaparte), Born at Ajaccio, Corsica, Aug. 15, 1766, or, according to some, at Corte, Jan. 7, 1768; died at Longwood, St. Helena, May 5, 1821. Emperor of the French 1804-14.

He was the son of Charles Marie Bonaparte and Laetitia Ramolino; studied at the military school of Brienne 1779-84, and at that of Paris 1784-85; and received a lieutenant's commission in the French army in 1785. He opposed the patriot movement under Paoli in Corsica in 1793; commanded the artillery in the attack on Toulon in the same year; served in the army in Italy in 1794; and, as second in command to Barras, subdued the revolt of the sections at Paris in Oct., 1795. He married Josephine de Beauharnais March 9, 1796. Toward the close of this month (March 27) he assumed command at Nice of the army in Italy, which he found opposed by the Austrians and the Sardinians. He began his campaign April 10, and, after defeating the Austrians at Montenotte (April 12), Millesimo (April 14), and Dego (April 15), turned (April 15) against the Sardinians, whom he defeated at Ceva (April 20) and Mondovi (April 22), forcing them to sign the separate convention of Cherasco (April 29). In the following month he began an invasion of Lombardy, and by a brilliant series of victories, including those of Lodi (May 10) and Arcole (Nov. 15-17), expelled the Austrians from their possessions in the north of Italy, receiving the capitulation of Mantua, their last stronghold, Feb. 2, 1797. Crossing the Alps, he penetrated Styria as far as Leoben, where he dictated preliminaries of peace April 18. The definitive peace of Campo-Formio followed (Oct 17). By the treaty of Campo-Formio northern Italy was reconstructed in the interest of France, which furthermore acquired the Austrian Netherlands, and received a guarantee of the left bank of the Rhine. Campo-Formio destroyed the coalition against France, and put an end to the Revolutionary war on the Continent. The only enemy that remained to France was England. At the instance of Bonaparte the Directory adopted the plan of attacking the English in India, which involved the conquest of Egypt. Placed at the head of an expedition of about 85, 000 men, he set sail from Toulon May 19, 1798; occupied Malta June 12; disembarked at Alexandria July 2; and defeated the Mamelukes in the decisive battle of the Pyramids July 21. He was master of Egypt, but the destruction of his fleet by Nelson in the battle of the Nile (Aug. 1) cut him off from France and doomed his expedition to failure. Nevertheless he undertook the subjugation of Syria, and stormed Jaffa March 7, 1799. Repulsed at Acre, the defense of which was supported by the English, he commenced a retreat to Egypt May 21. He inflicted a final defeat on the Turks at Abukir July 26; transferred the command in Egypt to Kléber Aug. 22; and, setting sail with two frigates, arrived in the harbor of Fréjus Oct. 9. During his absence a new coalition had been formed against France, and the Directory saw its armies defeated, both on the Rhine and in Italy. With the assistance of his brother Lucien and of Sieyès and Roger Ducos, he executed the coup d'etat of Brumaire, whereby he abolished the Directory and virtually made himself monarch under the title of first consul, holding office for a term of 10 years. He crossed the Great St. Bernard in May, 1800, and restored the French ascendancy in Italy by the victory of Marengo (June 14), which, with that won by Moreau at Hohenlinden (Dec. 8), brought about the peace of Lunéville (Feb. 9, 1801). The treaty of Lunéville, which was based on that of Campo-Formio, destroyed the coalition, and restored peace on the Continent. He concluded the peace of Amiens with England March 27, 1802. After the peace of Lunéville he commenced the legislative reconstruction of France, the public institutions of which had been either destroyed or thrown into confusion during the Revolution. To this period belong the restoration of the Roman Catholic Church bythe Concordat (concluded July 15, 1801), the restoration of higher education by the erection of the new university (May 1, 1802), and the establishment of the Legion of Honor (May 19, 1802): preparation had been previously made for the codification of the laws.
He was made consul for life Aug. 2, 1802; executed the Duc d'Enghien March 21, 1804; was proclaimed hereditary emperor of the French May 18, 1804 (the coronation ceremony took place Dec. 2, 1804); and was crowned king of Italy May 26, 1805. In the meantime England had been provoked into declaring war (May 18, 1803), and a coalition consisting of England, Russia, Austria, and Sweden was formed against France in 1806: Spain was allied with France. The victory of Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar (Oct. 21, 1805) followed the failure of the projected invasion of England. Breaking up his camp at Boulogne, he invaded Austria, occupied Vienna, and (Dec. 2, 1805) defeated the allied Russians and Austrians at Austerlitz. The Russians retired from the contest under a military Convention; the Austrians signed the peace of Presburg (Dec. 26, 1805); and the coalition was destroyed. His intervention in germany brought about the erection of the Confederation of the Rhine July 12, 1806. This confederation, which was placed under his protection, ultimately embraced nearly all the states of Germany except Austria and Prussia. Its erection, together with other provocation, caused Prnssia to mobilize its army in Aug., and Napoleon presently found himself opposed by a coalition with Prussia, Russia, and England as its principal members. He crushed the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstädt Oct. 14; entered Berlin Oct. 27; fought the Russians and Prussians in the drawn battle of Eylau Feb. 7-8, 1807; defeated the Russians at the battle of Friedland June 14; and compelled both Russia and Prussia to conclude peace at Tilsit July 7 and 9, 1807, respectively. Russia became the ally of France; Prussia was deprived of nearly half her territory. Napoleon was now, perhaps, at the height of his power. The imperial title was no empty form. He was the head of a great confederacy of states. He had surrounded the imperial throne with subordinate thrones occupied by members of his own family. His stepson Eugène de Beauharnais was viceroy of the kingdom of Italy in northern and central Italy; his brother Joseph was king of Naples in southern Italy; his brother Louis was king of Holland; his brother Jerome was king of Westphalia; his brother-in-law Murat was grandduke of Berg. The Confederation of the Rhine existed by virtue of his protection, and his troops occupied dismembered Prussia. He directed the policy of Europe.
England alone, mistress of the seas, appeared to stand between him and universal dominion. England was safe from invasion, but she was vulnerable through her commerce. Napoleon undertook to starve her by closing the ports of the Continent against her commerce. This policy, known as "the Continental system," was inaugurated by the Berlin decree in 1806, and was extended by the Milan decree in 1807. To further this policy he resolved to seize the maritime states of Portugal and Spain. His armies expelled the house of Braganza from Portugal, and Nov. 30, 1807, the French entered Lisbon. Under pretense of guarding the coast against the English, he quartered 80, 000 troops in Spain, then in 1808 enticed Ferdinand VII. and his father Charles IV. (who had recently abdicated) to Bayonne, extorted from both a renunciation of their claims, and placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne. An uprising of the Spaniards took place, followed by a popular insurrection in Portugal, movements which found response in Germany. The seizure of Spain and Portugal proved in the end a fatal error. The war which it kindled, known as the Peninsular war, drained him of his resources and placed an enemy in his rear when northern Europe rose against him in 1813. The English in 1808 landed an army in Portugal, whence they expelled the French, and penetrated into Spain. Napoleon, securing himself against Austria by a closer alliance with the czar Alexander at Erfurt (concluded Oct. 12, 1808), hastened in person to Spain. With 250, 000 men, drove out the English, and entered Madrid (Dec. 4, 1808). He was recalled by the threatening attitude of Austria, against which he precipitated war in April, 1809. He occupied Vienna (May 13), was defeated by the archduke Charles at Aspern and Essling (May 21-22), defeated the archduke at Wagram (July 5-6), and concluded the peace of Schönbrunn Oct. 14, 1809. He divorced Josephine Dec. 16, 1809, and married Maria Louisa of Austria March 11 (April 2), 1810. He annexed the Papal States in 1809 (the Pope being carried prisoner to France), and Holland in 1810. The refusal of Alexander to carry out strictly the Continental system, which Napoleon himself evaded by the sale of licenses, brought on war with Russia. He crossed the Niemen June 24, 1812; gained the victory of Borodino Sept. 7; and occupied Moscow Sept. 14. His proffer of truce was rejected by the Russians, and he was forced by the approach of winter to begin a retreat (Oct. 19). He was overtaken by the winter, and his army dwindled before the cold, hunger, and the enemy. He left the army in command of Murat Dec. 4, and hastened to Paris. Murat recrossed the Niemen Dec. 13, with 100, 000 men), the remnant of the Grand Army of 600, 000 veterans. The loss sustained by Napoleon in this campaign encouraged the defection of Prussia, which formed an alliance with Russia at Kalisch Feb. 28, 1813. Napoleon defeated the Russians and Prussians at Lützen May 2, and at Bautzen May 20-21. Austria declared war Aug. 12, and Napoleon presently found himself opposed by a coalition of Russia, England, Sweden, Prussia, and Austria, of which the first three had been united since the previous year. He won his last great victory at Dresden Aug. 26-27, and lost the decisive battles of Leipsic (Oct. 16, 18, and 19), Laon (March 9-10, 1814), and Arcis-sur-Aube (March 20-21). On March 31 the Allies entered Paris. He was compelled to abdicate at Fontainebleau April 11, but was allowed to retain the title of emperor, and received the island of Elba as a sovereign principality, and an aunual income of 2, 000, 000 francs. He arrived in Elba May 4. The Congress of Vienna convened in Sept., 1814, for the purpose of restoring and regulating the relations between the powers disturbed by Napoleon. Encouraged by the quarrels which arose at the Congress between the Allies, Napoleon left Elba Feb. 26, 1816; landed at Cannes March 1; and entered Paris March 20, the troops sent against him, including Ney with his corps, having joined his standard. At the return of Napoleon, the Allies again took the field. He was finally overthrown at Waterloo June 18, 1815, and the Allies entered Paris a second time July 7. After futile attempts to escape to America, he surrendered himself to the British admiral Hotham at Rochefort July 16. By a unanimous resolve of the Allies he was transported as prisoner of war to St. Helena, where he arrived on Oct. 16, 1815, and where he was detained the rest of his life.


The spelling Buonaparte was used by Napoleon's father, and by Napoleon himself down to 1796, although the spelling Bonaparte occurs in early Italian documents.

Aug. 15, 1769, is the commonly accepted date of Napoleon's birth, and Jan. 7, 1768 that of the birth of his brother Joseph. It has been said, but without good reason, that these dates were interchanged at the time of Napoleon's admission to the military school of Brienne in 1779, no candidate being eligible after 10 years of age.
Century Dict. 1906

a. Of or pertaining to Napoleon I., or his family; resembling, or having the qualities of, Napoleon I. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A supporter of the dynasty of the Napoleons. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physics) A neutron or proton, when contained within an atomic nucleus. [ PJC ]

n. The sum of the number of neutrons and protons in an atomic nucleus. Syn. -- mass number. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ L. oleum + -one, 1. ] (Chem.) An oily liquid, obtained by distillation of calcium oleate, and probably consisting of the ketone of oleic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the description of fossil remains. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Paleo- + Gr. 'o`nta existing things + -graphy. ] The description of fossil remains. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to paleontology. -- Pa`le*on`to*log"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Cf. F. paléontologiste. ] One versed in paleontology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Paleo- + Gr. 'o`nta existing things + -logy. Cf. Ontology. ] The science which treats of the ancient life of the earth, or of fossils which are the remains of such life. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. pleonasmus, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to be more than enough, to abound, fr.&unr_;, neut. of &unr_;, more, compar. of &unr_; much. See Full, a., and cf. Poly-, Plus. ] (Rhet.) Redundancy of language in speaking or writing; the use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; as, I saw it with my own eyes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is addicted to pleonasm. [ R. ] C. Reade. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr.&unr_; abundant, rich; cf. F. pléonaste. ] (Min.) A black variety of spinel. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. pléonastique. ] Of or pertaining to pleonasm; of the nature of pleonasm; redundant. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a pleonastic manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Pompelmous. [ 1913 Webster ]