a. [ L. cernuus with the face turned toward the earth. ] (Bot.) Inclining or nodding downward; pendulous; drooping; -- said of a bud, flower, fruit, or the capsule of a moss. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Concerned p. pr. & vb. n. Concerning. ] [ F. concerner, LL. concernere to regard, concern, fr. L. concernere to mix or mingle together, as in a sieve for separating; con- + cernere to separate, sift, distinguish by the senses, and especially by the eyes, to perceive, see. See Certain. ] 1. To relate or belong to; to have reference to or connection with; to affect the interest of; to be of importance to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts xxviii. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our wars with France have affected us in our most tender interests, and concerned us more than those with any other nation. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

It much concerns a preacher first to learn
The genius of his audience and their turn. Dodsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ignorant, so far as the usual instruction is concerned. J. F. Cooper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To engage by feeling or sentiment; to interest; as, a good prince concerns himself in the happiness of his subjects. [ 1913 Webster ]

They think themselves out the reach of Providence, and no longer concerned to solicit his favor. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be of importance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Which to deny concerns more than avails. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which relates or belongs to one; business; affair. [ 1913 Webster ]

The private concerns of fanilies. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which affects the welfare or happiness; interest; moment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mysterious secrets of a high concern. Roscommon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Interest in, or care for, any person or thing; regard; solicitude; anxiety. [ 1913 Webster ]

O Marcia, let me hope thy kind concerns
And gentle wishes follow me to battle. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Com.) Persons connected in business; a firm and its business; as, a banking concern. [ 1913 Webster ]

The whole concern, all connected with a particular affair or business.

Syn. -- Care; anxiety; solicitude; interest; regard; business; affair; matter; moment. See Care. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Concern, v. t., 2. ] Disturbed; troubled; solicitous; as, to be much concerned for the safety of a friend. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a concerned manner; solicitously; sympathetically. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. Pertaining to; regarding; having relation to; respecting; as regards. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have accepted thee concerning this thing. Gen. xix. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. Num. x. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Important. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So great and so concerning truth. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That in which one is concerned or interested; concern; affair; interest. “Our everlasting concernments.” I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

To mix with thy concernments I desist. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Importance; moment; consequence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let every action of concernment to begun with prayer. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Concern; participation; interposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

He married a daughter to the earl without any other approbation of her father or concernment in it, than suffering him and her come into his presence. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Emotion of mind; solicitude; anxiety. [ 1913 Webster ]

While they are so eager to destroy the fame of others, their ambition is manifest in their concernment. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. decernere. See Decree. ] 1. To perceive, discern, or decide. [ Obs. ] Granmer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Scots Law) To decree; to adjudge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Scots Law) A decree or sentence of a court. Stormonth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Discerned p. pr. & vb. n. Discerning. ] [ F. discerner, L. discernere, discretum; dis- + cernere to separate, distinguish. See Certain, and cf. Discreet. ] 1. To see and identify by noting a difference or differences; to note the distinctive character of; to discriminate; to distinguish. [ 1913 Webster ]

To discern such buds as are fit to produce blossoms. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

A counterfeit stone which thine eye can not discern from a right stone. Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To see by the eye or by the understanding; to perceive and recognize; as, to discern a difference. [ 1913 Webster ]

And [ I ] beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding. Prov. vii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our unassisted sight . . . is not acute enough to discern the minute texture of visible objects. Beattie. [ 1913 Webster ]

I wake, and I discern the truth. Tennyson.

Syn. -- To perceive; distinguish; discover; penetrate; discriminate; espy; descry; detect. See Perceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. [ 1913 Webster ]

More than sixscore thousand that cannot discern between their right hand their left. Jonah iv. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make cognizance. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Discernment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, discerns, distinguishes, perceives, or judges; as, a discerner of truth, of right and wrong. [ 1913 Webster ]

A great observer and discerner of men's natures. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discernibilis. ] Capable of being discerned by the eye or the understanding; as, a star is discernible by the eye; the identity of difference of ideas is discernible by the understanding. [ 1913 Webster ]

The effect of the privations and sufferings . . . was discernible to the last in his temper and deportment. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Perceptible; distinguishable; apparent; visible; evident; manifest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being discernible. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to be discerned; perceptibly; visibly. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Acute; shrewd; sagacious; sharp-sighted. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a discerning manner; with judgment; judiciously; acutely. Garth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. discernement. ] 1. The act of discerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power or faculty of the mind by which it distinguishes one thing from another; power of viewing differences in objects, and their relations and tendencies; penetrative and discriminate mental vision; acuteness; sagacity; insight; as, the errors of youth often proceed from the want of discernment.

Syn. -- Judgment; acuteness; discrimination; penetration; sagacity; insight. -- Discernment, Penetration, Discrimination. Discernment is keenness and accuracy of mental vision; penetration is the power of seeing deeply into a subject in spite of everything that intercepts the view; discrimination is a capacity of tracing out minute distinctions and the nicest shades of thought. A discerning man is not easily misled; one of a penetrating mind sees a multitude of things which escape others; a discriminating judgment detects the slightest differences. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. excernere. See Excrete. ] To excrete; to throw off through the pores; as, fluids are excerned in perspiration. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Excern. ] (Physiol.) Connected with, or pertaining to, excretion. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Unimportant; trifling. [ Obs. ] “Trifling and inconcerning matters.” Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + discernible: cf. F. indiscernable. ] Not to be discerned; imperceptible; not discoverable or visible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Secret and indiscernible ways. Jer. Taylor.

-- In`dis*cern"i*ble*ness, n. -- In`dis*cern"i*bly, adv.

n. [ Etymology uncertain. ] [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A sort of hunting dog; -- perhaps from Lucerne, in Switzerland. [ 1913 Webster ]

My lucerns, too, or dogs inured to hunt
Beasts of most rapine. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An animal whose fur was formerly much in request (by some supposed to be the lynx). [ Written also lusern and luzern. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The polecat, mastern, and the richskinned lucern
I know to chase. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. luzerne. ] (Bot.) A leguminous plant (Medicago sativa), having bluish purple cloverlike flowers, cultivated for fodder; -- called also alfalfa. [ Written also lucerne. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lucerna. ] A lamp. [ Obs. ] Lydgate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. lucerna a lamp. ] Of or pertaining to a lamp. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lucernal microscope, a form of the microscope in which the object is illuminated by means of a lamp, and its image is thrown upon a plate of ground glass connected with the instrument, or on a screen independent of it. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. L. lucerna a lamp. ] (Zool.) A genus of acalephs, having a bell-shaped body with eight groups of short tentacles around the margin. It attaches itself by a sucker at the base of the pedicel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Lucernarida. -- n. One of the Lucernarida. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Lucernaria. ] (Zool.) (a) A division of acalephs, including Lucernaria and allied genera; -- called also Calycozoa. (b) A more extensive group of acalephs, including both the true Lucernarida and the Discophora. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Lucern, the plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To discern; to perceive. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secerned p. pr. & vb. n. Secerning. ] [ L. secernere. See Secrete. ] 1. To separate; to distinguish. [ 1913 Webster ]

Averroes secerns a sense of titillation, and a sense of hunger and thirst. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Physiol.) To secrete; as, mucus secerned in the nose. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. secernens, p. pr. ] (Physiol.) Secreting; secretory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which promotes secretion. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A vessel in, or by means of, which the process of secretion takes place; a secreting vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physiol.) The act or process of secreting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Concern for one's self. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Want of concern; absence of anxiety; freedom from solicitude; indifference. [ 1913 Webster ]

A listless unconcern,
Cold, and averting from our neighbor's good. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not concerned; not anxious or solicitous; easy in mind; carelessly secure; indifferent; as, to be unconcerned at what has happened; to be unconcerned about the future. -- Un`con*cern"ed*ly adv. -- Un`con*cern"ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Happy mortals, unconcerned for more. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not interesting or affecting; insignificant; not belonging to one. [ Obs. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being unconcerned, or of having no share or concern; unconcernedness. [ Obs. ] South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Want of discernment. [ R. ] Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]