n. [ F. caparaçon, fr. Sp. caparazon a cover for a saddle, coach, etc.; capa cloak, cover (fr. LL. capa, cf. LL. caparo also fr. capa) + the term. azon. See Cap. ] 1. An ornamental covering or housing for a horse; the harness or trappings of a horse, taken collectively, especially when decorative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their horses clothed with rich caparison. Drylen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Gay or rich clothing. [ 1913 Webster ]

My heart groans beneath the gay caparison. Smollett. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Caparisoned pos>p. pr. & vb. n. Caparisoning. ] [ Cf. F caparaçonner. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cover with housings, as a horse; to harness or fit out with decorative trappings, as a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

The steeds, caparisoned with purple, stand. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To adorn with rich dress; to dress. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am caparisoned like a man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. comparaison, L. comparatio. See 1st Compare. ] 1. The act of comparing; an examination of two or more objects with the view of discovering the resemblances or differences; relative estimate. [ 1913 Webster ]

As sharp legal practitioners, no class of human beings can bear comparison with them. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The miracles of our Lord and those of the Old Testament afford many interesting points of comparison. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being compared; a relative estimate; also, a state, quality, or relation, admitting of being compared; as, to bring a thing into comparison with another; there is no comparison between them. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That to which, or with which, a thing is compared, as being equal or like; illustration; similitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whereto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it? Mark iv. 30. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Gram.) The modification, by inflection or otherwise, which the adjective and adverb undergo to denote degrees of quality or quantity; as, little, less, least, are examples of comparison. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Rhet.) A figure by which one person or thing is compared to another, or the two are considered with regard to some property or quality, which is common to them both; e.g., the lake sparkled like a jewel. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Phren.) The faculty of the reflective group which is supposed to perceive resemblances and contrasts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beyond comparison, so far superior as to have no likeness, or so as to make comparison needless. --
In comparison of,
In comparison with, as compared with; in proportion to. [ Archaic ] “So miserably unpeopled in comparison of what it once was.” Addison. --
Comparison of hands (Law), a mode of proving or disproving the genuineness of a signature or writing by comparing it with another proved or admitted to be genuine, in order to ascertain whether both were written by the same person. Bouvier. Burrill.

[ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To compare. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. to compare prices for a given item from different vendors; -- usually for the purpose of finding the lowest price. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ See Fissiparous. ] (Biol.) Reproduction by spontaneous fission. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. impar unequal + E. syllabic: cf. F. imparisyllabique. ] (Gram.) Not consisting of an equal number of syllables; as, an imparisyllabic noun, one which has not the same number of syllables in all the cases; as, lapis, lapidis; mens, mentis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Mutual comparison of corresponding parts.

n. (Bot.) an orchid of the genus Liparis having few leaves and usually fairly small yellow-green or dull purple flowers in terminal racemes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Zool.) The type genus of the Liparididae, consisting of certain of the snailfishes.
Syn. -- genus Liparis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A parish lying without the walls of, or in a remote part of, a town. Graunt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Paris, the son of Priam. ] (Bot.) A plant common in Europe (Paris quadrifolia); herb Paris; truelove. It has been used as a narcotic. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It much resembles the American genus Trillium, but has usually four leaves and a tetramerous flower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The chief city of France. [ 1913 Webster ]

Paris green. See under Green, n. --
Paris white (Chem.), purified chalk used as a pigment; whiting; Spanish white. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial; as, a parish church; parish records; a parish priest; maintained by the parish; as, parish poor. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Parish clerk. (a) The clerk or recording officer of a parish. (b) A layman who leads in the responses and otherwise assists in the service of the Church of England. --
Parish court, in Louisiana, a court in each parish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. parishe, paresche, parosche, OF. paroisse, parosse, paroiche, F. paroisse, L. parochia, corrupted fr. paroecia, Gr. paroiki`a, fr. pa`roikos dwelling beside or near; para` beside + o'i^kos a house, dwelling; akin to L. vicus village. See Vicinity, and cf. Parochial. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Eccl. & Eng. Law) (a) That circuit of ground committed to the charge of one parson or vicar, or other minister having cure of souls therein. Cowell. (b) The same district, constituting a civil jurisdiction, with its own officers and regulations, as respects the poor, taxes, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Populous and extensive parishes are now divided, under various parliamentary acts, into smaller ecclesiastical districts for spiritual purposes. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by territorial limits, but composed of those persons who choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest, clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in which the members of a congregation live. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In Louisiana, a civil division corresponding to a county in other States. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A parishioner. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. paroissien, LL. parochianus. ] One who belongs to, or is connected with, a parish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. parisen. ] A native or inhabitant of Paris, the capital of France. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Paris. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] A female native or resident of Paris. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; almost equal, evenly balanced + -logy. ] The use of equivocal or ambiguous words. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Glassworking) An intermediate stage or shape of a glass object which is produced in more than one stage. [ PJC ]

{ } a. [ Pari- + syllabic, -ical: cf. F. parisyllabique. ] Having the same number of syllables in all its inflections. [ 1913 Webster ]