n. sing. & pl. [ OE. almes, almesse, AS. ælmysse, fr. L. eleemosyna, Gr. 'elehmosy`nh mercy, charity, alms, fr. 'eleei^n to pity. Cf. Almonry, Eleemosynary. ] Anything given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing; a gift of charity. [ 1913 Webster ]

A devout man . . . which gave much alms to the people. Acts x. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alms are but the vehicles of prayer. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tenure by free alms. See Frankalmoign. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word alms is singular in its form (almesse), and is sometimes so used; as, “asked an alms.” Acts iii. 3. “Received an alms.” Shak. It is now, however, commonly a collective or plural noun. It is much used in composition, as almsgiver, almsgiving, alms bag, alms chest, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An act of charity. Acts ix. 36. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Persons supported by alms; almsmen. [ Archaic ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A giver of alms. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The giving of alms. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A house appropriated for the use of the poor; a poorhouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; fem. Almswoman. 1. A recipient of alms. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A giver of alms. [ R. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of herbs and subshrubs with milky juice and showy bluish flowers; native from Europe to Asia Minor to Japan and North America.
Syn. -- genus Amsonia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. (Geography) A large city which is an industrial center and the official capital of The Netherlands. Population (2000) = 724, 096.
Syn. -- Dutch capital, capital of The Netherlands [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ Ger. See Ousel. ] (Zool.) The European ring ousel (Turdus torquatus). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ OE. armes, F. arme, pl. armes, fr. L. arma, pl., arms, orig. fittings, akin to armus shoulder, and E. arm. See Arm, n. ] 1. Instruments or weapons of offense or defense. [ 1913 Webster ]

He lays down his arms, but not his wiles. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Three horses and three goodly suits of arms. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The deeds or exploits of war; military service or science. “Arms and the man I sing.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) Anything which a man takes in his hand in anger, to strike or assault another with; an aggressive weapon. Cowell. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Her.) The ensigns armorial of a family, consisting of figures and colors borne in shields, banners, etc., as marks of dignity and distinction, and descending from father to son. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Falconry) The legs of a hawk from the thigh to the foot. Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bred to arms, educated to the profession of a soldier. --
In arms, armed for war; in a state of hostility. --
Small arms, portable firearms known as muskets, rifles, carbines, pistols, etc. --
A stand of arms, a complete set for one soldier, as a musket, bayonet, cartridge box and belt; frequently, the musket and bayonet alone. --
To arms! a summons to war or battle. --
Under arms, armed and equipped and in readiness for battle, or for a military parade. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arm's end,
Arm's length,
Arm's reach. See under Arm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a knight of the lowest order; he was permitted to display only a pennon.
Syn. -- knight bachelor, bachelor [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. trousers with legs that flare; commonly worn as part of a sailor's uniform; -- such absurdly wide hems were also fashionable in the 1960s.
Syn. -- bellbottom trousers. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ D. boom tree + slang snake. ] (Zool.) A large South African tree snake (Bucephalus Capensis). Although considered venomous by natives, it has no poison fangs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a famous German composer, b. 1833, d. 1897.
Syn. -- Johannes Brahms. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. the music composed by Brahms; as, the program consisted mostly of Brahms. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. brimston, bremston, bernston, brenston; cf. Icel. brennistein. See Burn, v. t., and Stone. ] Sulphur; See Sulphur. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Made of, or pertaining to, brimstone; as, brimstone matches. [ 1913 Webster ]

From his brimstone bed at break of day
A-walking the devil has gone. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Containing or resembling brimstone; sulphurous. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A broomstick. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A stick used as a handle of a broom. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Gael. carn a cairn + gorm azure. ] (Min.) A smoky yellow or brown variety of rock crystal, or crystallized quartz, found especially, in the mountain of Cairngorm, in Scotland.
Syn. -- smoky quartz. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a shaft that has cams attached to it, forming part of a mechanical device. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ F. ] See Kamsin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. circum- + scissle. ] (Bot.) Dehiscing or opening by a transverse fissure extending around (a capsule or pod). See Illust. of Pyxidium. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being circumscribed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Circumscribed p. pr. & vb. n. Circumscribing. ] [ L. circumscribere, -scriptum; circum + scribere to write, draw. See Soribe. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. to write or engrave around. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thereon is circumscribed this epitaph. Ashmole. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To inclose within a certain limit; to hem in; to surround; to bound; to confine; to restrain. [ 1913 Webster ]

To circumscribe royal power. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Geom.) To draw a line around so as to touch at certain points without cutting. See Inscribe, 5.

Syn. -- To bound; limit; restrict; confine; abridge; restrain; environ; encircle; inclose; encompass. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

a. Capable of being circumscribed or limited by bounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. circumscriptio. See Circumscribe. ] 1. An inscription written around anything. [ R. ] Ashmole. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The exterior line which determines the form or magnitude of a body; outline; periphery. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of limiting, or the state of being limited, by conditions or restraints; bound; confinement; limit. [ 1913 Webster ]

The circumscriptions of terrestrial nature. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would not my unhoused, free condition
Put into circumscription and confine. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Circumscribing or tending to circumscribe; marcing the limits or form of. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a limited manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a literal, limited, or narrow manner. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. circumspectus, p. p. of circumspicere to look about one's self, to observe; circum + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy. ] Attentive to all the circumstances of a case or the probable consequences of an action; cautious; prudent; wary.

Syn. -- See Cautious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. circumspectio. ] Attention to all the facts and circumstances of a case; caution; watchfulness. [ 1913 Webster ]

With silent circumspection, unespied. Milton.

Syn. -- Caution; prudence; watchfulness; deliberation; thoughtfulness; wariness; forecast. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Looking around every way; cautious; careful of consequences; watchful of danger. “Circumspective eyes.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Circumspectly. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a circumspect manner; cautiously; warily. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vigilance in guarding against evil from every quarter; caution. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Travel ] forces circumspectness on those abroad, who at home are nursed in security. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To place in a particular situation; to supply relative incidents. [ 1913 Webster ]

The poet took the matters of fact as they came down to him and circumstanced them, after his own manner. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. circumstantia, fr. circumstans, -antis, p. pr. of circumstare to stand around; circum + stare to stand. See Stand. ] 1. That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things. [ 1913 Webster ]

The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An event; a fact; a particular incident. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sculptor had in his thoughts the conqueror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Circumlocution; detail. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So without more circumstance at all
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. pl. Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings. [ 1913 Webster ]

When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not a circumstance, of no account. [ Colloq. ] --
Under the circumstances, taking all things into consideration.

Syn. -- Event; occurrence; incident; situation; condition; position; fact; detail; item. See Event. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. a. 1. Placed in a particular position or condition; situated. [ 1913 Webster ]

The proposition is, that two bodies so circumstanced will balance each other. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Governed by events or circumstances. [ Poetic & R. ] “I must be circumstanced.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. circumstans. See Circumstance. ] Standing or placed around; surrounding. [ R. ] “Circumstant bodies.” Sir K. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>a. Capable of being circumstantiated. [ Obs. ] Jer Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Something incidental to the main subject, but of less importance; opposed to an essential; -- generally in the plural; as, the circumstantials of religion. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. circonstanciel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Consisting in, or pertaining to, circumstances or particular incidents. [ 1913 Webster ]

The usual character of human testimony is substantial truth under circumstantial variety. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Incidental; relating to, but not essential. [ 1913 Webster ]

We must therefore distinguish between the essentials in religious worship . . . and what is merely circumstantial. Sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abounding with circumstances; detailing or exhibiting all the circumstances; minute; particular. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tedious and circumstantial recitals. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Circumstantial evidence (Law), evidence obtained from circumstances, which necessarily or usually attend facts of a particular nature, from which arises presumption. According to some authorities circumstantial is distinguished from positive evidence in that the latter is the testimony of eyewitnesses to a fact or the admission of a party; but the prevalent opinion now is that all such testimony is dependent on circumstances for its support. All testimony is more or less circumstantial. Wharton.

Syn. -- See Minute. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state, characteristic, or quality of being circumstantial; particularity or minuteness of detail. “I will endeavor to describe with sufficient circumstantiality.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In respect to circumstances; not essentially; accidentally. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of the fancy and intellect, the powers are only circumstantially different. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In every circumstance or particular; minutely. [ 1913 Webster ]

To set down somewhat circumstantially, not only the events, but the manner of my trials. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Circumstantiated p. pr. & vb. n. Circumstantiating ] [ See Circumstantiating (&unr_;). ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To place in particular circumstances; to invest with particular accidents or adjuncts. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If the act were otherwise circumstantiated, it might will that freely which now it wills reluctantly. Bramhall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prove or confirm by circumstances; to enter into details concerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither will time permint to circumstantiate these particulars, which I have only touched in the general. State Trials (1661). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the shell of a clam. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a dredging bucket with hinges like the shell of a clam.
Syn. -- grapple. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In a clumsy manner; awkwardly; as, to walk clumsily. [ 1913 Webster ]