n. An insoluble solid alcohol (C12H25OH) with an unbranched paraffin chain, used to make detergents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
Syn. -- lauryl alcohol [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ L. abdomen + Gr. skopei^n to examine. ] (Med.) Examination of the abdomen by means of a laparoscope to detect abdominal diseases. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

a. Relating to the abdomen and the thorax, or chest. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a protuberant belly; pot-bellied. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gorgonius sits, abdominous and wan,
Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 distension of the stomach area due to overweight.
Syn. -- paunchiness [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Biol.) Produced by spontaneous generation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. abnodatus, p. p. of abnodare; ab + nodus knot. ] To clear (tress) from knots. [ R. ] Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of cutting away the knots of trees. [ R. ] Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ For earlier anormal, F. anormal, LL. anormalus for anomalus, Gr. &unr_;. Confused with L. abnormis. See Anomalous, Abnormous, Anormal. ] Not conformed to rule or system; deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular. “That deviating from the type; anomalous; irregular. ” Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an abnormal condition.
Syn. -- abnormality [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Abnormalities 1. The state or quality of being abnormal; variation; irregularity. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something abnormal. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an abnormal manner; irregularly. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Abnormities [ LL. abnormitas. See Abnormous. ] Departure from the ordinary type; irregularity; monstrosity. “An abnormity . . . like a calf born with two heads.” Mrs. Whitney. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abnormis; ab + norma rule. See Normal. ] Abnormal; irregular. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

A character of a more abnormous cast than his equally suspected coadjutor. State Trials. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. abrenuntiare; ab + renuntiare. See Renounce. ] To renounce. [ Obs. ] “They abrenounce and cast them off.” Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. absonus; ab + sonus sound. ] Discordant; inharmonious; incongruous. [ Obs. ] “Absonous to our reason.” Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; calyx. ] (Bot.) Without a calyx, or outer floral envelope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a white crystalline compound (HO.C6H4.NH.CO.CH3) used as an analgesic and also as an antipyretic. It has molecular weight 151.16. It is the active ingredient in the commercial analgesics Tylenol and Datril.
Syn. -- p-hydroxyacetanilide, p-acetamidophenol, N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, paracetamol, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide It is sold under many trade names, and has been one of the most popular analgesics in the late 20th century. It is used in place of aspirin by people in whom aspirin causes undesirable side effects, such as stomach irritation or stomach bleeding. [ PJC ]

n. [ Acetic + phenyl + one. ] (Chem.) A crystalline ketone, CH3.CO.C6H5, which may be obtained by the dry distillation of a mixture of the calcium salts of acetic and benzoic acids. It is used as a hypnotic under the name of hypnone. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ a. [ L. acinosus, fr. acinus grapestone. ] Consisting of acini, or minute granular concretions; as, acinose or acinous glands. Kirwan. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. a- + know; AS. oncnāwan. ] 1. To recognize. [ Obs. ] “You will not be acknown, sir.” B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To acknowledge; to confess. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be acknown (often with of or on), to acknowledge; to confess. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We say of a stubborn body that standeth still in the denying of his fault, This man will not acknowledge his fault, or, He will not be acknown of his fault. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. acknowledged p. pr. & vb. n. acknowledging ] [ Prob. fr. pref. a- + the verb knowledge. See Knowledge, and cf. Acknow. ] 1. To own or admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a God. [ 1913 Webster ]

I acknowledge my transgressions. Ps. li. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

For ends generally acknowledged to be good. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To own or recognize in a particular character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all thy ways acknowledge Him. Prov. iii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor, the receipt of a letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

They his gifts acknowledged none. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To own as genuine; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledge a deed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To avow; proclaim; recognize; own; admit; allow; concede; confess. -- Acknowledge, Recognize. Acknowledge is opposed to keep back, or conceal, and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong acknowledges his fault; and author acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we acknowledge our ignorance. Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we recognize a friend after a long absence. We recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually recognize the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. See also Confess. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Capable of being acknowledged. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

pos>adj. Generally accepted or recognized as correct or reasonable. Opposite of unacknowledged. [ Narrower terms: given, granted; unquestionable (vs. questionable) ] Also See: known.
Syn. -- accepted, recognized [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adv. Confessedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

/mhw>, n. 1. The act of acknowledging; admission; avowal; owning; confession. “An acknowledgment of fault.” Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of owning or recognizing in a particular character or relationship; recognition as regards the existence, authority, truth, or genuineness; a statement acknowledging something or someone. [ 1913 Webster +WordNet 1.5 ]

Immediately upon the acknowledgment of the Christian faith, the eunuch was baptized by Philip. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The owning of a benefit received; courteous recognition; the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged; an expression of thanks. Shak.
Syn. -- recognition [ 1913 Webster +WordNet 1.5 ]

4. Something given or done in return for a favor, message, etc. Smollett. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A declaration or avowal of one's own act, to give it legal validity; as, the acknowledgment of a deed before a proper officer. Also, the certificate of the officer attesting such declaration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Acknowledgment money, in some parts of England, a sum paid by copyhold tenants, on the death of their landlords, as an acknowledgment of their new lords. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Confession; concession; recognition; admission; avowal; recognizance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who acknowledges. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to acnodes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. acus needle + E. node. ] (Geom.) An isolated point not upon a curve, but whose coördinates satisfy the equation of the curve so that it is considered as belonging to the curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no seed lobes, as the dodder; also applied to plants which have no true seeds, as ferns, mosses, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Increasing by growth from the extremity; as, an acrogenous plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a`kros extreme + &unr_; alone + &unr_; a letter. ] Having each verse begin with the same letter as that with which the preceding verse ends. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Chemistry in its relations to actinism. Draper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -gram. ] A record made by the actinograph.
[ Obsolescent ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -graph. ] An instrument for measuring and recording the variations in the actinic or chemical force of rays of light. Nichol. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -oid. ] Having the form of rays; radiated, as an actinia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -lite. ] (Min.) A bright green variety of amphibole occurring usually in fibrous or columnar masses. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Min.) Of the nature of, or containing, actinolite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -logy. ] The science which treats of rays of light, especially of the actinic or chemical rays. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + &unr_; part. ] (Zool.) One of the radial segments composing the body of one of the Cœlenterata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, ray + -meter ] (a) An instrument for measuring the direct heating power of the sun's rays. (b) An instrument for measuring the actinic effect of rays of light. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to the measurement of the intensity of the solar rays, either (a) heating, or (b) actinic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The measurement of the force of solar radiation. Maury. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The measurement of the chemical or actinic energy of light. Abney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 filamentous or rod-shaped bacteria.
Syn. -- order Actinomycetales [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. branched gram-positive bacteria, often found in soil, some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals. some species have been found to produce metabolites which are useful in medicine. Many species of these bacteria have been isolated and extensively screened by pharmaceutical companies and university research groups for production of useful therapeutic agents. Among the agent produced by actinomycetes are tetracyclines, streptomycin, avermectin, and thienamycin [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to actinomycetes.
Syn. -- actinomycetal [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From actinomyces, the genus of the organism in which they were first found. ] 1. any of various red antibiotics isolated from soil bacteria with a three-ring heterocyclic nucleus with an attached peptide chain. Actinomycin D is the most well-known and has been used to treat certain tumors. They act by binding to DNA and inhibiting the transcription of RNA. Their binding to DNA has been much studied.
Syn. -- actinomycin actinomycin C actinomycin F1 actinomycin D [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From actinomyces, the genus of the organism in which they were first found. ] The most well-known of the actinomycins (C62H86N12O16), a class of antibiotics which act by binding to DNA and inhibiting synthesis of RNA; they act agains gram-positive bacteria and many eukaryotic organisma. Actinomycin D has been used in human medicine to treat certain tumors.
Syn. -- dactinomycin, actinomycin IV, Cosmegen[ trade name ], actinomycin C1, actinomycin I1 [ PJC ]

n. [ NL. ] (Med.) A chronic infectious disease of cattle and man due to infection with actinomycetes, especially by Actinomyces bovis in cattle and by Actinomyces israeli or Arachnia propionica in man. It is characterized by hard swellings usually in the mouth and jaw. In man the disease may also affect the abdomen or thorax. In cattle it is called also lumpy jaw or big jaw. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. + AS ]

adj. (Med.) Of or pertaining to actinomycosis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]