a. [ For earlier anormal, F. anormal, LL. anormalus for anomalus, Gr. &unr_;. Confused with L. abnormis. See Anomalous, Abnormous, Anormal. ] Not conformed to rule or system; deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular. “That deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular. ” Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an abnormal condition.
Syn. -- abnormality [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Abnormalities 1. The state or quality of being abnormal; variation; irregularity. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something abnormal. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an abnormal manner; irregularly. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Abnormities [ LL. abnormitas. See Abnormous. ] Departure from the ordinary type; irregularity; monstrosity. “An abnormity . . . like a calf born with two heads.” Mrs. Whitney. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abnormis; ab + norma rule. See Normal. ] Abnormal; irregular. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

A character of a more abnormous cast than his equally suspected coadjutor. State Trials. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 in some classifications an alternative name for the Falconiformes.
Syn. -- order Accipitriformes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. pl. [ F. accoutrement, earlier also accoustrement, earlier also accoustrement. See Accouter. ] Dress; trappings; equipment; specifically, the devices and equipments worn by soldiers. [ 1913 Webster ]

How gay with all the accouterments of war! [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acetabulum + -form. ] (Bot.) Shaped like a shallow cup; saucer-shaped; as, an acetabuliform calyx. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acicula needle + -form. ] Needle-shaped; acicular. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. yielding an acid in aqueous solution [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. acus needle + -form. ] Shaped like a needle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acinaces a short sword + -form: cf. F. acinaciforme. ] (Bot.) Scimeter-shaped; as, an acinaciform leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Acinetæ + -form. ] (Zool.) Resembling the Acinetæ. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acinus a grape, grapestone + -form: cf. F. acinoforme. ] 1. Having the form of a cluster of grapes; clustered like grapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Full of small kernels like a grape. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -form. ] Having a radiated form, like a sea anemone. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a prickle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Aden- + -form. ] Shaped like a gland; adenoid. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + dia` through + &unr_;heat. ] Not pervious to heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Adipocere + -form. ] Having the form or appearance of adipocere; as, an adipoceriform tumor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 huge extinct flightless birds: elephant birds.
Syn. -- order Aepyorniformes [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. aër air + -form: cf. F. aériforme. ] Having the form or nature of air, or of an elastic fluid; gaseous. Hence fig.: Unreal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. aforement. ] (Old Law) The act of affeering. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Affirmed p. pr. & vb. n. Affirming. ] [ OE. affermen, OF. afermer, F. affirmer, affermir, fr. L. affirmare; ad + firmare to make firm, firmus firm. See Firm. ] 1. To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; esp. (Law), to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true; -- opposed to deny. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesus, . . . whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Acts xxv. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) To declare, as a fact, solemnly, under judicial sanction. See Affirmation, 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To assert; aver; declare; asseverate; assure; pronounce; protest; avouch; confirm; establish; ratify. -- To Affirm, Asseverate, Aver, Protest. We affirm when we declare a thing as a fact or a proposition. We asseverate it in a peculiarly earnest manner, or with increased positiveness as what can not be disputed. We aver it, or formally declare it to be true, when we have positive knowledge of it. We protest in a more public manner and with the energy of perfect sincerity. People asseverate in order to produce a conviction of their veracity; they aver when they are peculiarly desirous to be believed; they protest when they wish to free themselves from imputations, or to produce a conviction of their innocence. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To declare or assert positively. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not that I so affirm, though so it seem
To thee, who hast thy dwelling here on earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) To make a solemn declaration, before an authorized magistrate or tribunal, under the penalties of perjury; to testify by affirmation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being affirmed, asserted, or declared; -- followed by of; as, an attribute affirmable of every just man. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. afermance. ] 1. Confirmation; ratification; confirmation of a voidable act. [ 1913 Webster ]

This statute . . . in affirmance of the common law. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A strong declaration; affirmation. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. affirmans, -antis, p. pr. See Affirm. ] 1. One who affirms or asserts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) One who affirms, instead of taking an oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. affirmatio: cf. F. affirmation. ] 1. Confirmation of anything established; ratification; as, the affirmation of a law. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of affirming or asserting as true; assertion; -- opposed to negation or denial. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is asserted; an assertion; a positive statement; an averment; as, an affirmation, by the vender, of title to property sold, or of its quality. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) A solemn declaration made under the penalties of perjury, by persons who conscientiously decline taking an oath, which declaration is in law equivalent to an oath. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. affirmativus: cf. F. affirmatif. ] 1. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common law. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That affirms; asserting that the fact is so; declaratory of what exists; answering “yes” to a question; -- opposed to negative; as, an affirmative answer; an affirmative vote. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Positive; dogmatic. [ Obs. ] J. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lysicles was a little by the affirmative air of Crito. Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Alg.) Positive; -- a term applied to quantities which are to be added, and opposed to negative, or such as are to be subtracted. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which affirms as opposed to that which denies; an affirmative proposition; that side of question which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to negative; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed the affirmative. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A word or phrase expressing affirmation or assent; as, yes, that is so, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a policy of making active efforts to improve the employment or educational opportunities available to members of minority groups or women; -- achieved by employers or schools by using various techniques, but excluding the use of simple quotas or outright discrimination against white males. affirmative action is required by law for certain employers in the United States. [ PJC ]

adv. In an affirmative manner; on the affirmative side of a question; in the affirmative; -- opposed to negatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Giving affirmation; assertive; affirmative. Massey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who affirms. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An affix. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ After + math. See Math. ] A second moving; the grass which grows after the first crop of hay in the same season; rowen. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. superl. [ OE. eftemest, AS. æftemest, akin to Gothic aftumist and aftuma, the last, orig. a superlative of of, with the superlative endings -te, -me, -st. ] 1. Hindmost; -- opposed to foremost. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) Nearest the stern; most aft. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or }, n. [ Zend Ahuramazda. ] (Zoroastrianism) The supreme deity, the embodiment of the principle of good, creator of the world, source of light, and guardian of mankind. He is the opponent of Ahriman, the spirit of evil, both being sprung from Eternity, or, according to another version, Ahriman being the offspring of a moment of doubt on the part of Ormazd. Ormazd is attended by angels and archangels. He is represented as a bearded man inclosed in a winged circle, a conception probably derived from the Assyrian representations of Ashur. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. A man who ascends or flies in an aircraft; an aviator; an airplane pilot. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. an enlisted man in the air force; there are several grades. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Art, skill, or ability in the practice of aerial navigation; aircraft piloting. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. [ F. alarme, It. all' arme to arms ! fr. L. arma, pl., arms. See Arms, and cf. Alarum. ] 1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arming to answer in a night alarm. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Joel ii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sudden attack; disturbance; broil. [ R. ] “These home alarms.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy palace fill with insults and alarms. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A mechanical contrivance for awaking persons from sleep, or rousing their attention; an alarum. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alarm bell, a bell that gives notice on danger. --
Alarm clock or
watch, a clock or watch which can be so set as to ring or strike loudly at a prearranged hour, to wake from sleep, or excite attention. --
Alarm gauge, a contrivance attached to a steam boiler for showing when the pressure of steam is too high, or the water in the boiler too low. --
Alarm post, a place to which troops are to repair in case of an alarm. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Fright; affright; terror; trepidation; apprehension; consternation; dismay; agitation; disquiet; disquietude. -- Alarm, Fright, Terror, Consternation. These words express different degrees of fear at the approach of danger. Fright is fear suddenly excited, producing confusion of the senses, and hence it is unreflecting. Alarm is the hurried agitation of feeling which springs from a sense of immediate and extreme exposure. Terror is agitating and excessive fear, which usually benumbs the faculties. Consternation is overwhelming fear, and carries a notion of powerlessness and amazement. Alarm agitates the feelings; terror disorders the understanding and affects the will; fright seizes on and confuses the sense; consternation takes possession of the soul, and subdues its faculties. See Apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Alarmed p. pr. & vb. n. Alarming. ] [ Alarm, n. Cf. F. alarmer. ] 1. To call to arms for defense; to give notice to (any one) of approaching danger; to rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To keep in excitement; to disturb. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alarmed by rumors of military preparation. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Easily alarmed or disturbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Aroused to vigilance; excited by fear of approaching danger; agitated; disturbed; as, an alarmed neighborhood; an alarmed modesty. [ 1913 Webster ]

The white pavilions rose and fell
On the alarmed air. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an alarmed manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Exciting, or calculated to excite, alarm; causing apprehension of danger; as, an alarming crisis or report. -- A*larm"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. the act of giving, or tendency to give, needless warnings. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. alarmiste. ] One prone to sound or excite alarms, especially, needless alarms. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Aldermen [ AS. aldormon, ealdorman; ealdor an elder + man. See Elder, n. ] 1. A senior or superior; a person of rank or dignity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The title was applied, among the Anglo-Saxons, to princes, dukes, earls, senators, and presiding magistrates; also to archbishops and bishops, implying superior wisdom or authority. Thus Ethelstan, duke of the East-Anglians, was called Alderman of all England; and there were aldermen of cities, counties, and castles, who had jurisdiction within their respective districts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One of a board or body of municipal officers next in order to the mayor and having a legislative function. They may, in some cases, individually exercise some magisterial and administrative functions. [ 1913 Webster ]