a. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; a hook + &unr_; shape. ] Hook-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. concisus cut off, short, p. p. of concidere to cut to pieces; con- + caedere to cut; perh. akin to scindere to cleave, and to E. shed, v. t.; cf. F. concis. ] Expressing much in a few words; condensed; brief and compacted; -- used of style in writing or speaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

The concise style, which expresseth not enough, but leaves somewhat to be understood. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where the author is . . . too brief and concise, amplify a little. I. Watts.

Syn. -- Laconic; terse; brief; short; compendious; summary; succinct. See Laconic, and Terse. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a concise manner; briefly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being concise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. concisio: cf. F. concision. See Concise. ] A cutting off; a division; a schism; a faction. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Somewhat like a dunce. [ R. ]

-- Dun"cish*ness, n. [R.] [1913 Webster]

prop. n. Francis Bacon. A celebrated English philosopher, jurist, and statesman, son of Sir Nicholas Bacon. Born at York House, London, Jan. 22, 1561: died at Highgate, April 9, 1626, created Baron Verulam July 12, 1618, and Viscount St. Albans Jan. 27, 1621: commonly, but incorrectly, called Lord Bacon. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, April, 1573, to March, 1575, and at Gray's Inn 1575; became attached to the embassy of Sir Amias Paulet in France in 1576; was admitted to the bar in 1582; entered Parliament in 1584; was knighted in 1603; became solicitor-general in 1607, and attorney-general in 1613; was made a privy councilor in 1616, lord keeper in 1617, and lord chancellor in 1618; and was tried in 1621 for bribery, condemned, fined, and removed from office. A notable incident of his career was his connection with the Earl of Essex, which began in July, 1591, remained an intimate friendship until the fall of Essex (1600-01), and ended in Bacon's active efforts to secure the conviction of the earl for treason. (See Essex.) His great fame rests upon his services as a reformer of the methods of scientific investigation; and though his relation to the progress of knowledge has been exaggerated and misunderstood, his reputation as one of the chief founders of modern inductive science is well grounded. His chief works are the "Advancement of Learning," published in English as "The Two Books of Francis Bacon of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning Divine and Human," in 1605; the "Novum organum sive indicia vera de interpretatione naturae," published in Latin, 1620, as a "second part" of the (incomplete) "Instauratio magna"; the "De dignitate et augmentis scientiarum," published in Latin in 1623; "Historia Ventorum" (1622), "Historia Vitae et Mortis" (1623), "Historia Densi et Rari" (posthumously, 1658), "Sylva Sylvarum" (posthumously, 1627), "New Atlantis," "Essays" (1597, 1612, 1625), "De Sapientia Veterum" (1609), "Apothegms New and Old," "History of Henry VII." (1622). Works edited by Ellis, Spedding, and Heath (7 vols. 1857); Life by Spedding (7 vols. 1861, 2 vols. 1878). See Shakspere. Century Dict. 1906. [ PJC ]

a. [ LL. Franciscus Francis: cf. F. franciscain. ] (R. C. Ch.) Belonging to the Order of St. Francis of the Franciscans. [ 1913 Webster ]

Franciscan Brothers, pious laymen who devote themselves to useful works, such as manual labor schools, and other educational institutions; -- called also Brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis. --
Franciscan Nuns, nuns who follow the rule of St. Francis, esp. those of the Second Order of St. Francis, -- called also Poor Clares or Minoresses. --
Franciscan Tertiaries, the Third Order of St. Francis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (R.C.Ch.) A monk or friar of the Order of St. Francis, a large and zealous order of mendicant monks founded in 1209 by St. Francis of Assisi. They are called also Friars Minor; and in England, Gray Friars, because they wear a gray habit. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Incised p. pr. & vb. n. Incising. ] [ L. incisus, p. p. of incidere to incise: cf. F. inciser. See Incide. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cut in or into with a sharp instrument; to carve; to engrave. [ 1913 Webster ]

I on thy grave this epitaph incise. T. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cut, gash, or wound with a sharp instrument; to cut off. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Cut in; carved; engraved. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Having deep and sharp notches, as a leaf or a petal. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an incised manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. incisio: cf. F. incision. See Incise. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of incising, or cutting into a substance; specifically: (Med.) the cutting action made during surgery to gain access to the body parts under the skin. Milton. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. That which is produced by incising; the separation of the parts of any substance made by a cutting or pointed instrument; a cut; a gash; specifically (Med.) the cut in the skin made during surgery to gain access to the interior of the body. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. Separation or solution of viscid matter by medicines. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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

1. Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating, as with a sharp instrument; cutting; hence, sharp; acute; sarcastic; biting; trenchant. “An incisive, high voice.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

And her incisive smile accrediting
That treason of false witness in my blush. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the incisors; incisor; as, the incisive bones, the premaxillaries. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Clearly and succinctly stated, with penetrating insight into the issue at hand; as, an incisive comment. [ PJC ]

n. keenness and forcefulnelss of thought or expression or intellect.
Syn. -- trenchancy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Adapted for cutting; of or pertaining to the incisors; incisive; as, the incisor nerve; an incisor foramen; an incisor tooth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. ] (Anat.) One of the teeth in front of the canines in either jaw; an incisive tooth. See Tooth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the quality of cutting; incisor; incisive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. incisura: cf. F. incisure. ] A cut; an incision; a gash. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A romancer. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]