{ } n. A kind of wine made at Bacharach on the Rhine. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., of uncertain origin. ] (Bot.) A genus of flowerless plants, having articulated stems and whorled branches. They flourish in wet places. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any freshwater fish of the family Characinidae; -- also called characin.
Syn. -- characin, characin fish. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family of tropical freshwater fishes of Africa and southern and central America.
Syn. -- family Characidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. any freshwater fish of the family Characinidae; -- also called characid.
Syn. -- characin fish, characid. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. former name of the family Characidae.
Syn. -- family Characinidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A distinctive mark; a character; a letter or sign. [ Obs. ] See Character. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., an instrument for marking, character, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to make sharp, to cut into furrows, to engrave: cf. F. caractère. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol. [ 1913 Webster ]

It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye. Holder. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character. [ 1913 Webster ]

You know the character to be your brother's? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

The character or that dominion. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Know well each Ancient's proper character;
His fable, subject, scope in every page;
Religion, Country, genius of his Age. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man of . . . thoroughly subservient character. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character. [ 1913 Webster ]

This subterraneous passage is much mended since Seneca gave so bad a character of it. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

9. A unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; Cæsar is a great historical character. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. One of the persons of a drama or novel. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ “It would be well if character and reputation were used distinctively. In truth, character is what a person is; reputation is what he is supposed to be. Character is in himself, reputation is in the minds of others. Character is injured by temptations, and by wrongdoing; reputation by slanders, and libels. Character endures throughout defamation in every form, but perishes when there is a voluntary transgression; reputation may last through numerous transgressions, but be destroyed by a single, and even an unfounded, accusation or aspersion.” Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Charactered ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To engrave; to inscribe. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

These trees shall be my books.
And in their barks my thoughts I 'll character. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize. [ R. ] Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a characterizing. ] A distinction of character; a characteristic. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. charactéristique. ] Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Characteristic clearness of temper. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

The characteristics of a true critic. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) The integral part (whether positive or negative) of a logarithm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characteristic. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a characteristic manner; in a way that characterizes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of characterizing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Characterized p. pr. & vb. n. Characterizing. ] [ LL. characterizare, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. charactériser. ] 1. To make distinct and recognizable by peculiar marks or traits; to make with distinctive features. [ 1913 Webster ]

European, Asiatic, Chinese, African, and Grecian faces are Characterized. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To engrave or imprint. [ Obs. ] Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To indicate the character of; to describe. [ 1913 Webster ]

Under the name of Tamerlane he intended to characterize King William. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To be a characteristic of; to make, or express the character of. [ 1913 Webster ]

The softness and effeminacy which characterize the men of rank in most countries. W. Irving.

5. (Chem.) to identify the structure or nature of; as, the antibiotic activity in the sample was characterized by HPLC, and proved to be erythromycin. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- To describe; distinguish; mark; designate; style; particularize; entitle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. stated precisely; -- of the meaning of words or concepts. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Destitute of any distinguishing quality; without character or force. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The art or means of characterizing; a system of signs or characters; symbolism; distinctive mark. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fairies use flowers for their charactery. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is charactered; the meaning. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I will construe to thee
All the charactery of my sad brows. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. charade, cf. Pr. charrada long chat, It ciarlare to chat, whence E. charlatan. ] A verbal or acted enigma based upon a word which has two or more significant syllables or parts, each of which, as well as the word itself, is to be guessed from the descriptions or representations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a natural family of birds comprising the plovers.
Syn. -- family Charadriidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. large diverse order of aquatic birds found along seacoasts and inland waters; shorebirds and coastal diving birds; most feed on animal life.
Syn. -- order Charadriiformes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the type genus of the Charadriidae; the plovers.
Syn. -- genus Charadrius. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a small order of macroscopic fresh and brackish water algae with a distinct axis; the stoneworts.
Syn. -- order Charales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. Cf. Cittern, Guitar. ] (Mus.) An ancient stringed musical instrument resembling the harp. [ Also spelled kithara. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a grate, a pan of coals. ] (Zoöl.) A genus of Bryozoa which produce delicate corals, often incrusting like lichens, but sometimes branched. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Jap., stomach cutting. ] A ritual form of suicide, by slashing the abdomen, formerly practiced in Japan, and commanded by the government in the cases of disgraced officials; disembowelment; -- also written, but incorrectly, hari-kari. W. E. Griffis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. harangue: cf. Sp. arenga, It. aringa; lit., a speech before a multitude or on the hustings, It. aringo arena, hustings, pulpit; all fr. OHG. hring ring, anything round, ring of people, G. ring. See Ring. ] A speech addressed to a large public assembly; a popular oration; a loud address to a multitude; in a bad sense, a noisy or pompous speech; declamation; ranting. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gray-headed men and grave, with warriors mixed,
Assemble, and harangues are heard. Milton.

Syn. -- Harangue, Speech, Oration. Speech is generic; an oration is an elaborate and rhetorical speech; an harangue is a vehement appeal to the passions, or a noisy, disputatious address. A general makes an harangue to his troops on the eve of a battle; a demagogue harangues the populace on the subject of their wrongs. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Harangued p. pr. & vb. n. Haranguing. ] [ Cf. F. haranguer, It. aringare. ] To make an harangue; to declaim. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To address by an harangue. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of harangue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who harangues, or is fond of haranguing; a declaimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

With them join'd all th' haranguers of the throng,
That thought to get preferment by the tongue. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Harassed p. pr. & vb. n. Harassing. ] [ F. harasser; cf. OF. harace a basket made of cords, harace, harasse, a very heavy and large shield; or harer to set (a dog) on. ] To fatigue; to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts; esp., to weary by importunity, teasing, or fretting; to cause to endure excessive burdens or anxieties; -- sometimes followed by out. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Troops ] harassed with a long and wearisome march. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nature oppressed and harass'd out with care. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vext with lawyers and harass'd with debt. Tennyson.

Syn. -- To weary; jade; tire; perplex; distress; tease; worry; disquiet; chafe; gall; annoy; irritate; plague; vex; molest; trouble; disturb; torment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Devastation; waste. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Worry; harassment. [ R. ] Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. troubled persistently, especially with petty annoyances; as, harassed working mothers.
Syn. -- annoyed, harried, pestered. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One who harasses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of harassing, or state of being harassed; worry; annoyance; anxiety. [ 1913 Webster ]

Little harassments which I am led to suspect do occasionally molest the most fortunate. Ld. Lytton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Native name. ] (Zool.) A wild goat (Capra Jemlaica) which inhabits the loftiest mountains of India. It has long, coarse hair, forming a thick mane on its head and neck. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. See Cithara. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Skr. mahābhārata. ] (Hinduism) A celebrated sacred epic poem of the Hindus, written in Sanskrit. It is of great length, and is chiefly devoted to a history, in many episodes, of a civil war between two dynasties of ancient India.
Syn. -- Mahabharatam, Mahabharatum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Skr. mahārāja; mahat great + rāja king. ] A sovereign prince in India; a Hindu prince or king in India ranking above a raja; -- a title given also to other persons of high rank. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A great rani; a princess in India or the wife of a maharaja. [ Also spelled maharanee. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. (Biol.) A character which obeys Mendel's law in regard to its hereditary transmission. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To characterize falsely or erroneously; to give a wrong character to. [ 1913 Webster ]

They totally mischaracterize the action. Eton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Heb. parōh; of Egyptian origin: cf. L. pharao, Gr. faraw`. Cf. Faro. ] 1. A title by which the sovereigns of ancient Egypt were designated. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. See Faro. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pharaoh's chicken (Zool.), the gier-eagle, or Egyptian vulture; -- so called because often sculpured on Egyptian monuments. It is nearly white in color. --
Pharaoh's rat (Zool.), the common ichneumon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Pharaoh, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. pharaonique. ] Of or pertaining to the Pharaohs, or kings of ancient Egypt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) (a) A salt of saccharic acid. (b) In a wider sense, a compound of saccharose, or any similar carbohydrate, with such bases as the oxides of calcium, barium, or lead; a sucrate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Zaffer. [ 1913 Webster ]