a. [ L. abstrusus, p. p. of abstrudere to thrust away, conceal; ab, abs + trudere to thrust; cf. F. abstrus. See Threat. ] 1. Concealed or hidden out of the way. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The eternal eye whose sight discerns
Abstrusest thoughts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Remote from apprehension; difficult to be comprehended or understood; recondite; as, abstruse learning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Profound and abstruse topics. Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an abstruse manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being abstruse; difficulty of apprehension. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. abus, L. abusus, fr. abuti. See Abuse, v. t. ] 1. Improper treatment or use; application to a wrong or bad purpose; misuse; as, an abuse of our natural powers; an abuse of civil rights, or of privileges or advantages; an abuse of language. [ 1913 Webster ]

Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty, as well as by the abuses of power. Madison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Physical ill treatment; injury. “Rejoice . . . at the abuse of Falstaff.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A corrupt practice or custom; offense; crime; fault; as, the abuses in the civil service. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abuse after disappeared without a struggle.. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two parties, after exchanging a good deal of abuse, came to blows. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abuse of distress (Law), a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Invective; contumely; reproach; scurrility; insult; opprobrium. -- Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions. Invective may be conveyed in refined language and dictated by indignation against what is blameworthy. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Abused p. pr. & vb. n. Abusing. ] [ F. abuser; L. abusus, p. p. of abuti to abuse, misuse; ab + uti to use. See Use. ] 1. To put to a wrong use; to misapply; to misuse; to put to a bad use; to use for a wrong purpose or end; to pervert; as, to abuse inherited gold; to make an excessive use of; as, to abuse one's authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

This principle (if one may so abuse the word) shoots rapidly into popularity. Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To use ill; to maltreat; to act injuriously to; to punish or to tax excessively; to hurt; as, to abuse prisoners, to abuse one's powers, one's patience. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To revile; to reproach coarsely; to disparage. [ 1913 Webster ]

The . . . tellers of news abused the general. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To dishonor. “Shall flight abuse your name?” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To violate; to ravish. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To deceive; to impose on. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Their eyes red and staring, cozened with a moist cloud, and abused by a double object. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To maltreat; injure; revile; reproach; vilify; vituperate; asperse; traduce; malign. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of abuse; abusive. [ R. ] “Abuseful names.” Bp. Barlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who abuses [ in the various senses of the verb ]. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F.., fem. of accoucher. ] A midwife. [ Recent ] Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Accusation. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Accused p. pr. & vb. n. Accusing. ] [ OF. acuser, F. accuser, L. accusare, to call to account, accuse; ad + causa cause, lawsuit. Cf. Cause. ] 1. To charge with, or declare to have committed, a crime or offense; (Law) to charge with an offense, judicially or by a public process; -- with of; as, to accuse one of a high crime or misdemeanor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. Acts xxiv. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

We are accused of having persuaded Austria and Sardinia to lay down their arms. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To charge with a fault; to blame; to censure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. Rom. ii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To betray; to show. [ R. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To charge; blame; censure; reproach; criminate; indict; impeach; arraign. -- To Accuse, Charge, Impeach, Arraign. These words agree in bringing home to a person the imputation of wrongdoing. To accuse is a somewhat formal act, and is applied usually (though not exclusively) to crimes; as, to accuse of treason. Charge is the most generic. It may refer to a crime, a dereliction of duty, a fault, etc.; more commonly it refers to moral delinquencies; as, to charge with dishonesty or falsehood. To arraign is to bring (a person) before a tribunal for trial; as, to arraign one before a court or at the bar public opinion. To impeach is officially to charge with misbehavior in office; as, to impeach a minister of high crimes. Both impeach and arraign convey the idea of peculiar dignity or impressiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Charged with offense; as, an accused person. [ 1913 Webster ]

Commonly used substantively; as, the accused, one charged with an offense; the defendant in a criminal case. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. acusement. See Accuse. ] Accusation. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. acuser, accusour; cf. OF. acuseor, fr. L. accusator, fr. accusare. ] One who accuses; one who brings a charge of crime or fault. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Affused p. pr. & vb. n. Affusing ] [ L. affusus, p. p. of affundere to pour to; ad + fundere. See Fuse. ] To pour out or upon. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I first affused water upon the compressed beans. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A house where ale is retailed; hence, a tippling house. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

v. t. [ OF. amenuisier. See Minute. ] To lessen. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amused p. pr. & vb. n. Amusing. ] [ F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, à (L. ad) + OF. muser. See Muse, v. ] 1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert. [ 1913 Webster ]

A group of children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [ of the cliff ], and watching as they plunged into the lake. Gilpin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude. [ 1913 Webster ]

He amused his followers with idle promises. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive; occupy. -- To Amuse, Divert, Entertain. We are amused by that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are entertained by that which brings our minds into agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a book. We are diverted by that which turns off our thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a laughable incident. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains usually awakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To muse; to mediate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Diverted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expressing amusement; as, an amused look. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. amusement. ] 1. Deep thought; muse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Here I . . . fell into a strong and deep amusement, revolving in my mind, with great perplexity, the amazing change of our affairs. Fleetwood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being amused; pleasurable excitement; that which amuses; diversion. [ 1913 Webster ]

His favorite amusements were architecture and gardening. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Diversion; entertainment; recreation; relaxation; pastime; sport. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who amuses. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] A light field cannon, or stocked gun mounted on a swivel. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A building comprising a number of lving units (apartments{ 4 }) designed for separate housekeeping tenements, but having conveniences, such as heat, light, elevator service, etc., furnished in common; contrasted to a detached dwelling. Sometimes distinguished in the United States from a flat house, in which each living unit comprises one entire floor, whereas in an apartment house a floor may be partitioned into any number of apartments{ 4 }. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. [ L. applaudere, applausum. See Applaud. ] The act of applauding; approbation and praise publicly expressed by clapping the hands, stamping or tapping with the feet, acclamation, huzzas, or other means; marked commendation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brave man seeks not popular applause. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Acclaim; acclamation; plaudit; commendation; approval. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Aroused p. pr. & vb. n. Arousing. ] [ Pref. a- + rouse. ] To excite to action from a state of rest; to stir, or put in motion or exertion; to rouse; to excite; as, to arouse one from sleep; to arouse the dormant faculties. [ 1913 Webster ]

Grasping his spear, forth issued to arouse
His brother, mighty sovereign on the host. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

No suspicion was aroused. Merivale. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. emotionally stimulated.
Syn. -- stimulated, stirred, stirred up. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. 1 brought to a state of great psychological tension.
Syn. -- wound up. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. 1 stimulated to a state of awareness and interest. the aroused opposition
Syn. -- awakened. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. sexually aroused; feeling a strong urge for sexual activity.
Syn. -- aflame, hot, turned on(predicate), horny. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

5. excessively affected by emotion; -- of persons.
Syn. -- emotional, excited. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. [ F. arquebuse, OF. harquebuse, fr. D. haak-bus; cf. G. hakenbüchse a gun with a hook. See Hagbut. ] A sort of hand gun or firearm a contrivance answering to a trigger, by which the burning match was applied. The musket was a later invention. [ Written also harquebus. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A place for children's dolls and dolls' furniture. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Back, a. + house. ] A building behind the main building. Specifically: A privy; an outhouse; a necessary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. bæchūs. See Bake, v. t., and House. ] A house for baking; a bakery. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., lit., a female sweeper. ] A protecting ruffle or frill, as of silk or lace, sewed close to the lower edge of a skirt on the inside. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

prop. n. A tribe of plants comprising the bamboos.
Syn. -- tribe Bambuseae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Zool.) An insect of the family Coccidæ, which infests the bark of trees and vines. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The wingless females assume the shape of scales. The bark louse of the vine is Pulvinaria innumerabilis; that of the pear is Lecanium pyri. See Orange scale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A cheap drinking and dancing establishment.
Syn. -- honky-tonk. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a building containing dressing rooms for bathers.
Syn. -- bathing machine. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a building containing public baths.
Syn. -- bagnio. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A house of prostitution; a house of ill fame; a brothel. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. beaucéant. ] The black and white standard of the Knights Templars. [ 1913 Webster ]

conj. [ OE. bycause; by + cause. ] 1. By or for the cause that; on this account that; for the reason that. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In order that; that. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace. Matt. xx. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Because of, by reason of, on account of. [ Prep. phrase. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Eph. v. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Because, For, Since, As, Inasmuch As. These particles are used, in certain connections, to assign the reason of a thing, or that “on account of” which it is or takes place. Because (by cause) is the strongest and most emphatic; as, I hid myself because I was afraid. For is not quite so strong; as, in Shakespeare, “I hate him, for he is a Christian.” Since is less formal and more incidental than because; as, I will do it since you request me. It more commonly begins a sentence; as, Since your decision is made, I will say no more. As is still more incidental than since, and points to some existing fact by way of assigning a reason. Thus we say, as I knew him to be out of town, I did not call. Inasmuch as seems to carry with it a kind of qualification which does not belong to the rest. Thus, if we say, I am ready to accept your proposal, inasmuch as I believe it is the best you can offer, we mean, it is only with this understanding that we can accept it. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ OE. bede prayer + E. house. See Bead, n. ] An almshouse for poor people who pray daily for their benefactors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Beadhouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A house for bees; an apiary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A house where malt liquors are sold; an alehouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To muddle, daze, or partially stupefy, as with liquor. [ 1913 Webster ]

A parson much bemused in beer. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] (Mus.) A vocal or instrumental composition of a soft tranquil character, having a lulling effect; a cradle song. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Same as Burnoose. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or or . A fuse used in blasting, consisting of a long cylinder of explosive material inclosed in a varnished wrapping of rope or hose. It burns from 2 to 4 feet a minute. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Law) A clause, as in a blanket mortgage or policy, that includes a group or class of things, rather than a number mentioned individually and having the burden, loss, or the like, apportioned among them. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Block + house: cf. G. blockhaus. ] 1. (Mil.) An edifice or structure of heavy timbers or logs for military defense, having its sides loopholed for musketry, and often an upper story projecting over the lower, or so placed upon it as to have its sides make an angle wit the sides of the lower story, thus enabling the defenders to fire downward, and in all directions; -- formerly much used in America and Germany. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A house of squared logs. [ West. & South. U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. blouse. Of unknown origin. ] A light, loose over-garment, like a smock frock, worn especially by workingmen in France; also, a loose coat of any material, as the undress uniform coat of the United States army. [ 1913 Webster ]