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.; pl. Apothecaries. [ OE. apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse, Gr. apo, fr. &unr_; to put away; &unr_; from + &unr_; to put: cf. F. apothicaire, OF. apotecaire. See Thesis. ] 1. One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for medicinal purposes; a druggist; a pharmacist. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England an apothecary is one of a privileged class of practitioners, licensed to prescribe medicine -- a kind of sub-physician. The surgeon apothecary is the ordinary family medical attendant. One who sells drugs and makes up prescriptions is now commonly called in England a druggist or a pharmaceutical chemist. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A drugstore; a store where medicines are sold. [ PJC ]

Apothecaries' weight, the system of weights by which medical prescriptions were formerly compounded. The pound and ounce are the same as in Troy weight; they differ only in the manner of subdivision. The ounce is divided into 8 drams, 24 scruples, 480 grains. See Troy weight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the planning that is disrupted when someone "upsets the applecart". [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a cart from which apples and other fruit are sold in the street. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. apprecari to pray to; ad + precari to pray, prex, precis, prayer. ] Earnest prayer; devout wish. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn apprecation of good success. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Praying or wishing good. [ Obs. ]“Apprecatory benedictions.” Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Canarese adiki: cf. Pg. & Sp. areca. ] (Bot.) A genus of palms, one species of which (Areca catechu) produces the areca nut, or betel nut, which is chewed in India and Southeast Asia with the leaf of the Piper Betle and lime. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; chest, box. ] (Zool.) A division of Hydroidea in which the zooids are naked, or not inclosed in a capsule. See Tubularian. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Becalmed (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Becalming. ] 1. To render calm or quiet; to calm; to still; to appease. [ 1913 Webster ]

Soft whispering airs . . . becalm the mind. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To keep from motion, or stop the progress of, by the stilling of the wind; as, the fleet was becalmed. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Become. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Zool.) A South American bird of the flycatcher family. (Tityra inquisetor). [ 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. [ L. See Bibliotheke. ] A library. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. bibliothecalis. See Bibliotheke. ] Belonging to a library. Byrom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. bibliothecarius: cf. F. bibliothécaire. ] A librarian. [ Obs. ] Evelin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Zool.) (a) The bluepoll. (b) The blue bonnet or blue titmouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A Scot; a Scotchman; -- so named from wearing a blue bonnet. [ Poetic ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a cap that seals a bottle. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Rich or highly ornamented cake, to be distributed to the guests at a wedding, or sent to friends after the wedding. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Pg. cabeça, F. cabesse. ] The finest kind of silk received from India. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. See Cæcum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of or pertaining to the cæcum, or blind gut. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having the form of a cæcum, or bag with one opening; baglike; as, the cæcal extremity of a duct. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. of, pertaining to, or like a cecum.
Syn. -- caecal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. Joseph Hall (1574 -- 1656), Bishop of Norwich, a divine eminent as a moralist. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a cake or sweet bread usually glazed after baking, and having added nuts and fruits; it is often served with coffee.
Syn. -- coffee cake. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ L. comprecatio, fr. comprecari to pray to. See Precarious. ] A praying together. [ Obs. ] Bp. Wilkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For co. secans, an abbrev. of L. complementi secans. ] (Trig.) The secant of the complement of an arc or angle. See Illust. of Functions. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. da`ktylos finger, toe + qh`kh case, box. ] (Zool.) The scaly covering of the toes, as in birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

pref. [ Cf. Ten. ] A prefix, from Gr. de`ka, signifying ten; specifically: (Metric System), a prefix signifying the weight or measure that is ten times the principal unit. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. de`ka ten + ke`ras a horn. ] (Zool.) The division of Cephalopoda which includes the squids, cuttlefishes, and others having ten arms or tentacles; -- called also Decapoda. [ Written also Decacera. ] See Dibranchiata.

{ } n. [ Gr. deka`chordos tenstringed; de`ka ten + chordh` a string. ] 1. An ancient Greek musical instrument of ten strings, resembling the harp. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something consisting of ten parts. W. Watson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. decacuminare to cut off the top. See Cacuminate. ] Having the point or top cut off. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A decade. [ 1913 Webster ]

Averill was a decad and a half his elder. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to ten; consisting of tens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. décade, L. decas, -adis, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. de`ka ten. See Ten. ] A group or division of ten; esp., a period of ten years; a decennium; as, a decade of years or days; a decade of soldiers; the second decade of Livy. [ Written also decad. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

During this notable decade of years. Gladstone.

{ } n. [ LL. decadentia; L. de- + cadere to fall: cf. F. décadence. See Decay. ] A falling away; decay; deterioration; declension. “The old castle, where the family lived in their decadence.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Decaying; deteriorating. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that is decadent, or deteriorating; esp., one characterized by, or exhibiting, the qualities of those who are degenerating to a lower type; -- specif. applied to a certain school of modern French writers.

The decadents and æsthetes, and certain types of realists. C. L. Dana.

The business men of a great State allow their State to be represented in Congress by “decadents”. The Century. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A writer of a book divided into decades; as, Livy was a decadist. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. deca- + Gr. &unr_; a corner or angle: cf. F. décagone. ] (Geom.) A plane figure having ten sides and ten angles; any figure having ten angles. A regular decagon is one that has all its sides and angles equal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to a decagon; having ten sides.

{ } n. [ F. décagramme; Gr. de`ka ten + F. gramme. See Gram. ] A mass in the metric system equal to ten grams, and equal to about 154.32 grains avoirdupois. See 3rd Gram. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. de`ka ten + gynh` a woman, a female. ] (Bot.) A Linnæan order of plants characterized by having ten styles.

a. Having ten sides. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Decahedrons L. Decahedra [ Pref. deca- + Gr. 'e`dra a seat, a base, fr. 'e`zesqai to sit: cf. F. décaèdre. ] (Geom.) A solid figure or body inclosed by ten plane surfaces. [ Written also, less correctly, decaedron. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The removal of calcareous matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decalcified p. pr. & vb. n. Decalcifying. ] To deprive of calcareous matter; thus, to decalcify bones is to remove the stony part, and leave only the gelatin.

{ } n. [ F. décalcomanie. ] The art or process of transferring pictures and designs to china, glass, marble, etc., and permanently fixing them thereto.

{ } n. [ F. décalitre; Gr. de`ka ten + F. litre. See Liter. ] A measure of capacity in the metric system; a cubic volume of ten liters, equal to about 610.24 cubic inches, that is, 2.642 wine gallons. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Decalogue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who explains the decalogue. J. Gregory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. décalogue, L. decalogus, fr. Gr. &unr_;; de`ka ten + &unr_; speech, &unr_; to speak, to say. See Ten. ] The Ten Commandments or precepts given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and originally written on two tables of stone. [ 1913 Webster ]