v. t. [ L ab + stringere, strictum, to press together. ] To unbind. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Astringent. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Astringed p. pr. & vb. n. Astringing ] [ L. astringere; ad + stringere to draw tight. Cf. Astrict, and see Strain, v. t. ] 1. To bind fast; to constrict; to contract; to cause parts to draw together; to compress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which contraction . . . astringeth the moisture of the brain and thereby sendeth tears into the eyes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind by moral or legal obligation. Wolsey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being astringent; the power of contracting the parts of the body; that quality in medicines or other substances which causes contraction of the organic textures; as, the astringency of tannin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astringens, p. pr. of astringere: cf. F. astringent. See Astringe. ] 1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; -- opposed to laxative; as, astringent medicines; a butter and astringent taste; astringent fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood, mucus, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

External astringents are called styptics. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an astringent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ostreger, OF. ostrucier, F. autoursier, fr. OF. austour, ostor, hawk, F. autour; cf. L. acceptor, for accipiter, hawk. ] A falconer who keeps a goshawk. [ Obs. ] Shak. Cowell. [ Written also austringer. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. attingere to touch. See Attain. ] To touch lightly. [ Obs. ] Coles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Furnished with an awning. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To furnish with a fringe; to form a fringe upon; to adorn as with fringe. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a person who rings church bells (as for summoning the congregation).
Syn. -- toller. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. someone who plays musical handbells. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

p. a. 1. Furnished with bowstring. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Put to death with a bowstring; strangled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who brings. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet the first bringer of unwelcome news
Hath but a losing office. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bringer in, one who, or that which, introduces. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Apt to let things fall, or to let them slip away; not skillful in using the hands; slippery; careless.
Syn. -- bumbling, bungling, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. someone who drops things (especially one who cannot catch a ball); a person who is butter-fingered. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

See 1st Butt, 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. compingere. ] To compress; to shut up. [ Obs. ] Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Constringed p. pr. & vb. n. Constringing. ] [ L. constringere. See onstrain. ] To dawn together; to contract; to force to contract itself; to constrict; to cause to shrink. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Strong liquors . . . intoxicate, constringe, harden the fibers, and coagulate the fluids. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. constringens, p. pr. ] Having the quality of contracting, binding, or compressing. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Contingency. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Contingencies /plu>. [ Cf. F. contingence. ] 1. Union or connection; the state of touching or contact. “Point of contingency.” J. Gregory. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality or state of being contingent or casual; the possibility of coming to pass. [ 1913 Webster ]

Aristotle says we are not to build certain rules on the contingency of human actions. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An event which may or may not occur; that which is possible or probable; a fortuitous event; a chance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The remarkable position of the queen rendering her death a most important contingency. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An adjunct or accessory. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) A certain possible event that may or may not happen, by which, when happening, some particular title may be affected.

Syn. -- Casualty; accident; chance. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. contingens, -entis, p. pr. of contingere to touch on all sides, to happen; con- + tangere to touch: cf. F. contingent. See Tangent, Tact. ] 1. Possible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; incidental; casual. [ 1913 Webster ]

Weighing so much actual crime against so much contingent advantage. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dependent on that which is undetermined or unknown; as, the success of his undertaking is contingent upon events which he can not control. “Uncertain and contingent causes.” Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) Dependent for effect on something that may or may not occur; as, a contingent estate. [ 1913 Webster ]

If a contingent legacy be left to any one when he attains, or if he attains, the age of twenty-one. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency. [ 1913 Webster ]

His understanding could almost pierce into future contingents. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share; proportion; esp., a quota of troops. [ 1913 Webster ]

From the Alps to the border of Flanders, contingents were required . . . 200, 000 men were in arms. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a contingent manner; without design or foresight; accidentally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being contingent; fortuitousness. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Cringed p. pr. & vb. n. Cringing. ] [ As. crincgan, cringan, crincan, to jield, fall; akin to E. crank. ] To draw one's self together as in fear or servility; to bend or crouch with base humility; to wince; hence, to make court in a degrading manner; to fawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

When they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid of the lions. Bunyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sly hypocrite, . . . who more than thou
Once fawned and cringed, and servilely adored
Heaven's awful monarch? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Flatterers . . . are always bowing and cringing. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Till like a boy you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear or servility. “With cringe and shrug, and bow obsequious.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who cringes meanly; a fawner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who cringes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) One of the ribs in a groined arch, springing from the corners in a diagonal direction. [ See Illustr. of Groined vault. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From the American inventor. ] A kind of short-barreled pocket pistol, of very large caliber, often carrying a half-ounce ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, n. [ Bengalee dingi. ] 1. a small boat propelled by oars or sails, used in the East Indies, in sheltered waters. [ Written also dinghey. ] Malcom. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a small boat intended to be used as a tender or lifeboat, carried or towed by a ship. It may be propelled by oars, sail, or a motor. [ PJC ]

3. a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled.
Syn. -- dory, rowboat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Disingenuousness. [ Obs. ] Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not noble; unbecoming true honor or dignity; mean; unworthy; as, disingenuous conduct or schemes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not ingenuous; wanting in noble candor or frankness; not frank or open; uncandid; unworthily or meanly artful. [ 1913 Webster ]

So disingenuous as not to confess them [ faults ]. Pope.

-- Dis`in*gen"u*ous*ly, adv. T. Warton. -- Dis`in*gen"u*ous*ness, n. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the wings of an eagle; swift, or soaring high, like an eagle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ a., n }. See Elenge, Elengeness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Per. Farangī, or Ar. Firanjī, properly, a Frank. ] The name given to Europeans by the Hindus. [ Written also Feringhee. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. finger; akin to D. vinger, OS. & OHG. fingar, G. finger, Icel. fingr, Sw. & Dan. finger, Goth. figgrs; of unknown origin; perh. akin to E. fang. ] 1. One of the five terminating members of the hand; a digit; esp., one of the four extremities of the hand, other than the thumb. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything that does the work of a finger; as, the pointer of a clock, watch, or other registering machine; especially (Mech.) a small projecting rod, wire, or piece, which is brought into contact with an object to effect, direct, or restrain a motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The breadth of a finger, or the fourth part of the hand; a measure of nearly an inch; also, the length of finger, a measure in domestic use in the United States, of about four and a half inches or one eighth of a yard. [ 1913 Webster ]

A piece of steel three fingers thick. Bp. Wilkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Skill in the use of the fingers, as in playing upon a musical instrument. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She has a good finger. Busby. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ear finger, the little finger. --
Finger alphabet. See Dactylology. --
Finger bar, the horizontal bar, carrying slotted spikes, or fingers, through which the vibratory knives of mowing and reaping machines play. --
Finger board (Mus.), the part of a stringed instrument against which the fingers press the strings to vary the tone; the keyboard of a piano, organ, etc.; manual. --
Finger bowl
Finger glass, a bowl or glass to hold water for rinsing the fingers at table. --
Finger flower (Bot.), the foxglove. --
Finger grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Panicum sanguinale) with slender radiating spikes; common crab grass. See Crab grass, under Crab. --
Finger nut, a fly nut or thumb nut. --
Finger plate, a strip of metal, glass, etc., to protect a painted or polished door from finger marks. --
Finger post, a guide post bearing an index finger. --
Finger reading, reading printed in relief so as to be sensible to the touch; -- so made for the blind. --
Finger shell (Zool.), a marine shell (Pholas dactylus) resembling a finger in form. --
Finger sponge (Zool.), a sponge having finger-shaped lobes, or branches. --
Finger stall, a cover or shield for a finger. --
Finger steel, a steel instrument for whetting a currier's knife. [ 1913 Webster ]

To burn one's fingers. See under Burn. --
To have a finger in, to be concerned in. [ Colloq. ] --
To have at one's fingers' ends, to be thoroughly familiar with. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fingered p. pr. & vb. n. Fingering. ] 1. To touch with the fingers; to handle; to meddle with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let the papers lie;
You would be fingering them to anger me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To touch lightly; to toy with. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) (a) To perform on an instrument of music. (b) To mark the notes of (a piece of music) so as to guide the fingers in playing. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To take thievishly; to pilfer; to purloin. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To execute, as any delicate work. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Mus.) To use the fingers in playing on an instrument. Busby. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a guidepost resembling a hand with a pointing index finger.
Syn. -- fingerpost. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a bank of keys on a musical instrument.
Syn. -- piano keyboard, clavier. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. a narrow strip of wood on the neck of some stringed instruments (violin or cello or guitar etc) where the strings are held against the wood with the fingers. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the length or breadth of a finger used as a linear measure.
Syn. -- finger, finger's breadth, digit. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a close-fitting sheath worn at the end of a finger, for protection of the finger or to avoid soiling the object touched.
Syn. -- fingerstall, cot{ 3 }. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

a. 1. Having fingers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Having leaflets like fingers; digitate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) Marked with figures designating which finger should be used for each note. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who fingers; a pilferer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act or process of handling or touching with the fingers. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mere sight and fingering of money. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The manner of using the fingers in playing or striking the keys of an instrument of music; movement or management of the fingers in playing on a musical instrument, in typewriting, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The marking of the notes of a piece of music to guide or regulate the action or use of the fingers. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Delicate work made with the fingers. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Finger + -ling. ] (Zool.) A young salmon. See Parr. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & t. To paint{ 1 } with fingerpaint.
Syn. -- use fingerpaint. [ WordNet 1.5 ]