v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Administered p. pr. & vb. n. Administering. ] [ OE. aministren, OF. aministrer, F. administer, fr. L. administrare; ad + ministrare to serve. See Minister. ] 1. To manage or conduct, as public affairs; to direct or superintend the execution, application, or conduct of; as, to administer the government or the state. [ 1913 Webster ]

For forms of government let fools contest:
Whate'er is best administered is best. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To dispense; to serve out; to supply; execute; as, to administer relief, to administer the sacrament. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Let zephyrs ] administer their tepid, genial airs. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

Justice was administered with an exactness and purity not before known. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To apply, as medicine or a remedy; to give, as a dose or something beneficial or suitable. Extended to a blow, a reproof, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

A noxious drug had been administered to him. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To tender, as an oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

Swear . . . to keep the oath that we administer. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) To settle, as the estate of one who dies without a will, or whose will fails of an executor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To manage; conduct; minister; supply; dispense; give out; distribute; furnish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To contribute; to bring aid or supplies; to conduce; to minister. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fountain . . . administers to the pleasure as well as the plenty of the place. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) To perform the office of administrator; to act officially; as, A administers upon the estate of B. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Administrator. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to administration, or to the executive part of government. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being administered; as, an administrable law. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., p. pr. of administrer. See Administer. ] Executive; acting; managing affairs. -- n. One who administers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. administratus, p. p. of administrare. ] To administer. [ R. ] Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. administracioun, L. administratio: cf. F. administration. ] 1. The act of administering; government of public affairs; the service rendered, or duties assumed, in conducting affairs; the conducting of any office or employment; direction; management. [ 1913 Webster ]

His financial administration was of a piece with his military administration. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The executive part of government; the persons collectively who are intrusted with the execution of laws and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his cabinet or council; or the council, or ministry, alone, as in Great Britain. [ 1913 Webster ]

A mild and popular administration. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The administration has been opposed in parliament. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of administering, or tendering something to another; dispensation; as, the administration of a medicine, of an oath, of justice, or of the sacrament. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) (a) The management and disposal, under legal authority, of the estate of an intestate, or of a testator having no competent executor. (b) The management of an estate of a deceased person by an executor, the strictly corresponding term execution not being in use. [ 1913 Webster ]

Administration with the will annexed, administration granted where the testator has appointed no executor, or where his appointment of an executor for any cause has failed, as by death, incompetency, refusal to act, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Conduct; management; direction; regulation; execution; dispensation; distribution. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. administrativus: cf. F. administratif. ] Pertaining to administration; administering; executive; as, an administrative body, ability, or energy. -- Ad*min"is*tra`tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. ] 1. One who administers affairs; one who directs, manages, executes, or dispenses, whether in civil, judicial, political, or ecclesiastical affairs; a manager. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A man who manages or settles the estate of an intestate, or of a testator when there is no competent executor; one to whom the right of administration has been committed by competent authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The position or office of an administrator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. ] A woman who administers; esp., one who administers the estate of an intestate, or to whom letters of administration have been granted; a female administrator. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Law) An administration subordinate to, and in aid of, the primary or principal administration of an estate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } n. The religion or system of doctrines of the Brahmans; the religion of Brahma. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. An adherent of the religion of the Brahmans. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Metaph.) The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives, preceding events, and natural laws. [ 1913 Webster ]

Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. F. P. Cobbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Metaph.) One who believes in determinism. Also adj.; as, determinist theories. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. of or pertaining to determinism; as, deterministic theories. [ PJC ]

2. causally determined and not subject to random chance. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Diminished p. pr. & vb. n. Diminishing. ] [ Pref. di- (= L. dis-) + minish: cf. L. diminuere, F. diminuer, OE. diminuen. See Dis-, and Minish. ] 1. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to augment or increase. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken. [ 1913 Webster ]

This doth nothing diminish their opinion. Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ]

I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezek. xxix. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars
Hide their diminished heads. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To take away; to subtract. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. Deut. iv. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than the lower. --
Diminished scale, or
Diminishing scale, a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the volute. Gwilt. --
Diminishing rule (Arch.), a board cut with a concave edge, for fixing the entasis and curvature of a shaft. --
Diminishing stile (Arch.), a stile which is narrower in one part than in another, as in many glazed doors.

Syn. -- To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See Decrease. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being diminished or lessened. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, diminishes anything. Clerke (1637). [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to diminish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Diminution. [ R. ] Cheke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. illuminisme. ] The principles of the Illuminati. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to illuminism, or the Illuminati. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Incapable of being diminished. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Mal- + administration. ] Bad administration; bad management of any business, especially of public affairs. [ Written also maleadministration. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Maladministration. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. menusen, F. menuiser to make small, cut small, fr. (assumed) LL. minutiare, for minutare, fr. L. minutus small. See Minute, a., and cf. Diminish, Minge. ] To diminish; to lessen. [ 1913 Webster ]

The living of poor men thereby minished. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ministre, F. ministre, fr. L. minister, orig. a double comparative from the root of minor less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st Minor, and cf. Master, Minstrel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

I chose
Camillo for the minister, to poison
My friend Polixenes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An officer of justice. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I cry out the on the ministres, quod he,
That shoulde keep and rule this cité. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. “The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, -- ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident.” Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ministered p. pr. & vb. n. Ministering. ] [ OE. ministren, OF. ministrer, fr. L. ministrare. See Minister, n. ] To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that ministereth seed to the sower. 2 Cor. ix. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

We minister to God reason to suspect us. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Matt. xx. 28. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies; as, to minister to the sick. Matt. xxv. 44. [ 1913 Webster ]

Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ministerialis: cf. F. ministériel. See Minister, and cf. Minstrel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of or pertaining to ministry or service; serving; attendant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the office of a minister or to the ministry as a body, whether civil or sacerdotal. “Ministerial offices.” Bacon. “A ministerial measure.” Junius. “Ministerial garments.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Tending to advance or promote; contributive. “Ministerial to intellectual culture.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ministerial benches, the benches in the House of Commons occupied by members of the cabinet and their supporters; -- also, the persons occupying them. “Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Official; priestly; sacerdotal; ecclesiastical. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A supporter of the ministers, or the party in power. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a ministerial manner; in the character or capacity of a minister. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Ministry. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Ministration. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Ministerial. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ministrans, -antis, of ministrare to minister. ] Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command; subordinate. “Princedoms and dominations ministrant.” Milton. -- n. One who ministers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ministratio, fr. ministrare. ] The act of ministering; service; ministry. “The days of his ministration.” Luke i. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Serving to aid; ministering. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. L. ministrix. ] A woman who ministers. Akenside. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Ministries [ L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. “With tender ministry.” Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

The wicked ministry of arms. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office of a minister. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Previous administration. Bp. Pearson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To diminish again. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. réminiscence, L. reminiscentia. ] 1. The act or power of recalling past experience; the state of being reminiscent; remembrance; memory. [ 1913 Webster ]

The other part of memory, called reminiscence, which is the retrieving of a thing at present forgot, or but confusedly remembered. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

I forgive your want of reminiscence, since it is long since I saw you. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is remembered, or recalled to mind; a statement or narration of remembered experience; a recollection; as, pleasing or painful reminiscences. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Remembrance; recollection. See Memory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Reminiscence. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]