n.; pl. Abscesses [ L. abscessus a going away, gathering of humors, abscess, fr. abscessus, p. p. of absedere to go away; ab, abs + cedere to go off, retire. See Cede. ] (Med.) A collection of pus or purulent matter in any tissue or organ of the body caused by infection. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

Cold abscess, (a) an abscess of slow formation, unattended with the pain and heat characteristic of ordinary abscesses, and lasting for years without exhibiting any tendency towards healing; a chronic abscess. AS (b) an abscess produced by tubercle bacilli, called also tuberculous abscess. AS [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

n. [ L. abscessio a separation; fr. absedere. See Abscess. ] A separating; removal; also, an abscess. [ Obs. ] Gauden. Barrough. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. absindere; ab + scindere to rend, cut. See Schism. ] To cut off. [ R. ] “Two syllables . . . abscinded from the rest.” Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. abscisio. ] See Abscission. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Abscisses See Abscissa. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; E. pl. Abscissas, L. pl. Abscissæ. [ L., fem. of abscissus, p. p. of absindere to cut of. See Abscind. ] (Geom.) One of the elements of reference by which a point, as of a curve, is referred to a system of fixed rectilineal coördinate axes. When referred to two intersecting axes, one of them called the axis of abscissas, or of X, and the other the axis of ordinates, or of Y, the abscissa of the point is the distance cut off from the axis of X by a line drawn through it and parallel to the axis of Y. When a point in space is referred to three axes having a common intersection, the abscissa may be the distance measured parallel to either of them, from the point to the plane of the other two axes. Abscissas and ordinates taken together are called coördinates. -- OX or PY is the abscissa of the point P of the curve, OY or PX its ordinate, the intersecting lines OX and OY being the axes of abscissas and ordinates respectively, and the point O their origin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. abscissio. See Abscind. ] 1. The act or process of cutting off. “Not to be cured without the abscission of a member.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being cut off. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Rhet.) A figure of speech employed when a speaker having begun to say a thing stops abruptly: thus, “He is a man of so much honor and candor, and of such generosity -- but I need say no more.” [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Absconded; p. pr. & vb. n. Absconding. ] [ L. abscondere to hide; ab, abs + condere to lay up; con + dăre (only in comp.) to put. Cf. Do. ] 1. To hide, withdraw, or be concealed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The marmot absconds all winter. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To depart clandestinely; to steal off and secrete one's self; -- used especially of persons who withdraw to avoid a legal process; as, an absconding debtor. [ 1913 Webster ]

That very homesickness which, in regular armies, drives so many recruits to abscond. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To hide; to conceal. [ Obs. ] Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Fugitive concealment; secret retirement; hiding. [ R. ] Phillips. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who absconds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 the act of running away sectretly (as to avoid arrest).
Syn. -- decampment [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖ [ LL. camera chamber + L. obscurus, obscura, dark. ] (Opt.) 1. An apparatus in which the images of external objects, formed by a convex lens or a concave mirror, are thrown on a paper or other white surface placed in the focus of the lens or mirror within a darkened chamber, or box, so that the outlines may be traced. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Photog.) An apparatus in which the image of an external object or objects is, by means of lenses, thrown upon a sensitized plate or surface placed at the back of an extensible darkened box or chamber variously modified; -- commonly called simply the camera. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. See Clare-obscure. ] See Chiaroscuro. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. clarus clear + obscurus obscure; cf. F. clair-obscur. Cf. Chiaroscuro. ] (Painting) See Chiaroscuro. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Chiaroscuro. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also lobscourse from which lobscouse is corrupted. ] [ Lob + course. ] (Naut.) A combination of meat with vegetables, bread, etc., usually stewed, sometimes baked; an olio. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. obscenus, obscaenus, obscoenus, ill looking, filthy, obscene: cf. F. obscéne. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Offensive to chastity or modesty; expressing or presenting to the mind or view something which delicacy, purity, and decency forbid to be exposed; impure; as, obscene language; obscene pictures. [ 1913 Webster ]

Words that were once chaste, by frequent use grew obscene and uncleanly. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Foul; fifthy; disgusting. [ 1913 Webster ]

A girdle foul with grease binds his obscene attire. Dryden (Aeneid, vi. 417). [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inauspicious; ill-omened. [ R. ] [ A Latinism ] [ 1913 Webster ]

At the cheerful light,
The groaning ghosts and birds obscene take flight. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Impure; immodest; indecent; unchaste; lewd. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Ob*scene"ly, adv. -- Ob*scene"ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Obscenities [ L. obscentias: cf. F. obscénité. ] That quality in words or things which presents what is offensive to chastity or purity of mind; obscene or impure lanquage or acts; moral impurity; lewdness; obsceneness; as, the obscenity of a speech, or a picture. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mr. Cowley asserts plainly, that obscenity has no place in wit. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

No pardon vile obscenity should find. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. obscurans, p. pr. of obscurare to obscure. ] One who obscures; one who prevents enlightenment or hinders the progress of knowledge and wisdom. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The system or the principles of the obscurants. C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Obscurant. Ed. Rev. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. obscurativ: cf. F. obscuration. See Obscure, v. t. ] The act or operation of obscuring; the state of being obscured; as, the obscuration of the moon in an eclipse. Sir J. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Obscurer superl. Obscurest. ] [ L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf. F. obscur. Cf. Sky. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. [ 1913 Webster ]

His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Prov. xx. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The obscure bird
Clamored the livelong night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The obscure corners of the earth. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. “O base and obscure vulgar.” Shak. “An obscure person.” Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or incomprehensible; as, an obscure passage or inscription. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Obscured p. pr. & vb. n. Obscuring. ] [ L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF. obscurer. See Obscure, a. ] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why, 't is an office of discovery, love,
And I should be obscured. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this. Wake. [ 1913 Webster ]

And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame? Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

How! There's bad news.
I must obscure, and hear it. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Obscurity. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an obscure manner. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of obscuring, or the state of being obscured; obscuration. Pomfret. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Obscurity. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, obscures. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. obscuritas: cf. F. obscurité. ] The quality or state of being obscure.
Syn. -- darkness; privacy; inconspicuousness; unintelligibleness; uncertainty. [ 1913 Webster ]

You are not for obscurity designed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

They were now brought forth from obscurity, to be contemplated by artists with admiration and despair. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Darkness; dimness; gloom. See Darkness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Somewhat obscurely or darkly. [ R. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. (Anat.) Situated beneath the scapula; infrascapular; as, the subscapular muscle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being subscribed. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Subscribed p. pr. & vb. n. Subscribing. ] [ L. subscribere, subscriptum; sub under + scribere to write: cf. F. souscrire. See Scribe. ] 1. To write underneath, as one's name; to sign (one's name) to a document. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ They ] subscribed their names under them. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To sign with one's own hand; to give consent to, as something written, or to bind one's self to the terms of, by writing one's name beneath; as, parties subscribe a covenant or contract; a man subscribes a bond. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the bishops subscribed the sentence. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To attest by writing one's name beneath; as, officers subscribe their official acts, and secretaries and clerks subscribe copies or records. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To promise to give, by writing one's name with the amount; as, each man subscribed ten dollars. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To sign away; to yield; to surrender. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To declare over one's signature; to publish. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Either or must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To sign one's name to a letter or other document. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give consent to something written, by signing one's name; hence, to assent; to agree. [ 1913 Webster ]

So spake, so wished, much humbled Eve; but Fate
Subscribed not. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To become surely; -- with for. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To yield; to admit one's self to be inferior or in the wrong. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I will subscribe, and say I wronged the duke. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To set one's name to a paper in token of promise to give a certain sum. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To enter one's name for a newspaper, a book, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who subscribes; one who contributes to an undertaking by subscribing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who enters his name for a paper, book, map, or the like. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. subscriptus, p. p. See Subscribe. ] Written below or underneath; as, iota subscript. (See under Iota.) Specifically (Math.), said of marks, figures, or letters (suffixes), written below and usually to the right of other letters to distinguish them; as, a, n, 2, in the symbols Xa, An, Y2. See Suffix, n., 2, and Subindex. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Anything written below. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. subscriptio: cf. F. souscription. ] 1. The act of subscribing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is subscribed. Specifically: (a) A paper to which a signature is attached. (b) The signature attached to a paper. (c) Consent or attestation by underwriting the name. (d) Sum subscribed; amount of sums subscribed; as, an individual subscription to a fund. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) The acceptance of articles, or other tests tending to promote uniformity; esp. (Ch. of Eng.), formal assent to the Thirty-nine Articles and the Book of Common Prayer, required before ordination. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Submission; obedience. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

You owe me no subscription. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Pharm.) That part of a prescription which contains the direction to the apothecary. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a subscription, or signature. “The subscriptive part.” Richardson. -- Sub*scrip"tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. 1. A screw having a flat-sided or knurled head, so that it may be turned by the thumb and forefinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An old instrument of torture for compressing the thumb by a screw; a thumbkin. [ 1913 Webster ]