a. [ From Abdera, a town in Thrace, of which place Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher, was a native. ] Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. Abderita, Abderites, fr. Gr. 'Abdhri`ths. ] An inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Abderite, Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who abides, or continues. [ Obs. ] “Speedy goers and strong abiders.” Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who dwells; a resident. Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. same as abortionist. [ PJC ]

n. One who absconds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who accedes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who accords, assents, or concedes. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Add. ] One who, or that which, adds; esp., a machine for adding numbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. nædre, adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger. natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. naðr, masc., naðra, fem.: cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water snake. An adder is for a nadder. ] 1. A serpent. [ Obs. ] “The eddre seide to the woman.” Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. ) [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) A small venomous serpent of the genus Vipera. The common European adder is the Vipera berus or Pelias berus. The puff adders of Africa are species of Clotho. (b) In America, the term is commonly applied to several harmless snakes, as the milk adder, puffing adder, etc. (c) Same as Sea Adder. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the sculptures the appellation is given to several venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper (Cerastles). [ 1913 Webster ]

A dragon fly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) A genus of ferns (Ophioglossum), whose seeds are produced on a spike resembling a serpent's tongue. (b) The yellow dogtooth violet. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The common bistort or snakeweed (Polygonum bistorta). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aëro- + siderite. ] (Meteor.) A mass of meteoric iron. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One born in Africa, the offspring of a white father and a “colored” mother. Also, and now commonly in Southern Africa, a native born of European settlers. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

1. (Anat.) An air sac, sometimes double or variously lobed, in the visceral cavity of many fishes. It originates in the same way as the lungs of air-breathing vertebrates, and in the adult may retain a tubular connection with the pharynx or esophagus. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sac or bladder full of air in an animal or plant; also an air hole in a casting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. aldir, aller, fr. AS. alr, aler, alor, akin to D. els, G. erle, Icel. erlir, erli, Swed. al, Dan. elle, el, L. alnus, and E. elm. ] (Bot.) A tree, usually growing in moist land, and belonging to the genus Alnus. The wood is used by turners, etc.; the bark by dyers and tanners. In the U. S. the species of alder are usually shrubs or small trees. [ 1913 Webster ]

Black alder. (a) A European shrub (Rhamnus frangula); Alder buckthorn. (b) An American species of holly (Ilex verticillata), bearing red berries. [ 1913 Webster ]

. 1. Any of numerous dark-colored neuropterous insects of the genus Sialis or allied genera. They have predaceous aquatic larvæ, which are used for bait. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Angling) An artificial fly with brown mottled wings, body of peacock harl, and black legs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ For allerliefest dearest of all. See Lief. ] Most beloved. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 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 ]

n. The office of an alderman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to, becoming to, or like, an alderman; characteristic of an alderman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Aldermen collectively; the body of aldermen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being an alderman. [ Jocular ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like or suited to an alderman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or like, an alderman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or like, an alderman. “An aldermanly discretion.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The district or ward of an alderman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The office or rank of an alderman. [ R. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition, position, or office of an alderman. Fabyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Made of alder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One of a breed of cattle raised in Alderney, one of the Channel Islands. Alderneys are of a dun or tawny color and are often called Jersey cattle. See Jersey, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a European herb (Smyrnium olusatrum) somewhat resembling celery widely naturalized in Britain coastal regions and often cultivated as a potherb.
Syn. -- Alexanders, black lovage, horse parsley [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. 1 the famous king of Macedon, son of Philip; conqueror of Greece and Egypt and Persia; founder of Alexandria -- (356-323 BC).
Syn. -- Alexander the Great [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. same as Alexander[ wn1 ]; Smyrnium olusatrum.
Syn. -- Alexander, black lovage, horse parsley, Smyrnium olusatrum [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. alisaundre, OF. alissandere, fr. Alexander or Alexandria. ] (Bot) A name given to two species of the genus Smyrnium, formerly cultivated and used as celery now is; -- called also horse parsely. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ From ealra, alra, gen. pl. of AS. eal. The d is excrescent. ] Of all; -- used in composition; as, alderbest, best of all, alderwisest, wisest of all. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a versatile person who is expert at many things. she's the best all-rounder they've seen in years
Syn. -- all arounder [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One who amends. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One of party opposed to a federative government; -- applied particularly to the party which opposed the adoption of the constitution of the United States. Pickering. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who applauds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who apprehends. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'a`rqron joint + 'derm. ] (Zool.) The external covering of an Arthropod. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + sunder. ] Apart; separate from each other; into parts; in two; separately; into or in different pieces or places. [ 1913 Webster ]

I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder. Zech. xi. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

As wide asunder as pole and pole. Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A blasting powder or dynamite composed of nitroglycerin, wood fiber, sodium nitrate, and magnesium carbonate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ OF. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse, convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to F. teindre tie stain. See Attaint, Attain. ] 1. The act of attainting, or the state of being attainted; the extinction of the civil rights and capacities of a person, consequent upon sentence of death or outlawry; as, an act of attainder. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly attainder was the inseparable consequence of a judicial or legislative sentence for treason or felony, and involved the forfeiture of all the real and personal property of the condemned person, and such “corruption of blood” that he could neither receive nor transmit by inheritance, nor could he sue or testify in any court, or claim any legal protection or rights. In England attainders are now abolished, and in the United States the Constitution provides that no bill of attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason (in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or condemnation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He lived from all attainder of suspect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bill of attainder, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n. 1. The person who carries anything away, or the vessel in which things are carried away. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who avoids, shuns, or escapes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who awards, or assigns by sentence or judicial determination; a judge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. azédarac, Sp. acederaque, Pers. āzāddirakht noble tree. ] 1. (Bot.) a handsome tree (Melia azedarach) of the mahogany family, native to Northern India and China, having long clusters of fragrant purple blossoms and small ornamental but inedible yellow fruits. It has been naturalized as a shade tree and is common in the southern United States; -- called also, chinaberry, China tree, Pride of India, Pride of China, and Bead tree.
Syn. -- chinaberry, chinaberry tree, China tree, Persian lilac, pride-of-India, azedarach, Melia azederach, Melia azedarach [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Med.) The bark of the roots of the azedarach, used as a cathartic and emetic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A backhanded blow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who backslides. [ 1913 Webster ]

compar. of Bad, a. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]