n. The act of kindling or the state of being kindled; ignition. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the Albigenses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Amanuenses [ L., fr. a, ab + manus hand. ] A person whose employment is to write what another dictates, or to copy what another has written. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of appending. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being apprehensible. [ R. ] De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. apprehensibilis. See Apprehend. ] Capable of being apprehended or conceived. “Apprehensible by faith.” Bp. Hall. -- Ap`*pre*hen"si*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. apprehensio: cf. F. appréhension. See Apprehend. ] 1. The act of seizing or taking hold of; seizure; as, the hand is an organ of apprehension. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of seizing or taking by legal process; arrest; as, the felon, after his apprehension, escaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of grasping with the intellect; the contemplation of things, without affirming, denying, or passing any judgment; intellection; perception. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simple apprehension denotes no more than the soul's naked intellection of an object. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Opinion; conception; sentiment; idea. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense, the word often denotes a belief, founded on sufficient evidence to give preponderation to the mind, but insufficient to induce certainty; as, in our apprehension, the facts prove the issue. [ 1913 Webster ]

To false, and to be thought false, is all one in respect of men, who act not according to truth, but apprehension. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The faculty by which ideas are conceived; understanding; as, a man of dull apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Anticipation, mostly of things unfavorable; distrust or fear at the prospect of future evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

After the death of his nephew Caligula, Claudius was in no small apprehension for his own life. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Apprehension, Alarm. Apprehension springs from a sense of danger when somewhat remote, but approaching; alarm arises from danger when announced as near at hand. Apprehension is calmer and more permanent; alarm is more agitating and transient. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. appréhensif. See Apprehend. ] 1. Capable of apprehending, or quick to do so; apt; discerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

It may be pardonable to imagine that a friend, a kind and apprehensive . . . friend, is listening to our talk. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Knowing; conscious; cognizant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A man that has spent his younger years in vanity and folly, and is, by the grace of God, apprehensive of it. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relating to the faculty of apprehension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Judgment . . . is implied in every apprehensive act. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anticipative of something unfavorable' fearful of what may be coming; in dread of possible harm; in expectation of evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not at all apprehensive of evils as a distance. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Reformers . . . apprehensive for their lives. Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Sensible; feeling; perceptive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thoughts, my tormentors, armed with deadly stings,
Mangle my apprehensive, tenderest parts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an apprehensive manner; with apprehension of danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being apprehensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ascension, L. ascensio, fr. ascendere. See Ascend. ] 1. The act of ascending; a rising; ascent. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: The visible ascent of our Savior on the fortieth day after his resurrection. (Acts i. 9.) Also, Ascension Day. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An ascending or arising, as in distillation; also that which arises, as from distillation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vaporous ascensions from the stomach. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ascension Day, the Thursday but one before Whitsuntide, the day on which commemorated our Savior's ascension into heaven after his resurrection; -- called also Holy Thursday. --
Right ascension (Astron.), that degree of the equinoctial, counted from the beginning of Aries, which rises with a star, or other celestial body, in a right sphere; or the arc of the equator intercepted between the first point of Aries and that point of the equator that comes to the meridian with the star; -- expressed either in degrees or in time. --
Oblique ascension (Astron.), an arc of the equator, intercepted between the first point of Aries and that point of the equator which rises together with a star, in an oblique sphere; or the arc of the equator intercepted between the first point of Aries and that point of the equator that comes to the horizon with a star. It is little used in modern astronomy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to ascension; connected with ascent; ascensive; tending upward; as, the ascensional power of a balloon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ascensional difference (Astron.), the difference between oblique and right ascension; -- used chiefly as expressing the difference between the time of the rising or setting of a body and six o'clock, or six hours from its meridian passage. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Ascend. ] 1. Rising; tending to rise, or causing to rise. Owen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) Augmentative; intensive. Ellicott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. castrensis, fr. castra camp. ] Belonging to a camp. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Castrensial. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. Circensis, ludi Circenses, the games in the Circus Maximus. ] Of or pertaining to, or held in, the Circus, In Rome. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pleasure of the Circensian shows. Holyday. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Cluniac. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of extending equally, or the state of being equally extended. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Equally extensive; having equal extent; as, consciousness and knowledge are coextensive. Sir W. Hamilton. -- Co`ex*ten"sive*ly, adv. -- Co`ex*ten"sive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition of being of equal in intensity; -- applied to relations; as, 3:6 and 6:12 are relations of cointension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cointension . . . is chosen indicate the equality of relations in respect of the contrast between their terms. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Complutum (now Alcala de Henares) a city near Madrid; as, the Complutensian Bible. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being comprehensible; capability of being understood. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. comprehensibilis: cf. F. compreéhensible. ] 1. Capable of being comprehended, included, or comprised. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lest this part of knowledge should seem to any not comprehensible by axiom, we will set down some heads of it. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of being understood; intelligible; conceivable by the mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

The horizon sets the bounds . . . between what is and what is not comprehensible by us. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being comprehensible; comprehensibility. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. With great extent of signification; comprehensively. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Intelligibly; in a manner to be comprehended or understood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. comprehensio: cf. F. compréhension. ] 1. The act of comprehending, containing, or comprising; inclusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the Old Testament there is a close comprehension of the New; in the New, an open discovery of the Old. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is comprehended or inclosed within narrow limits; a summary; an epitome. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Though not a catalogue of fundamentals, yet . . . a comprehension of them. Chillingworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The capacity of the mind to perceive and understand; the power, act, or process of grasping with the intellect; perception; understanding; as, a comprehension of abstract principles. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Logic) The complement of attributes which make up the notion signified by a general term. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Rhet.) A figure by which the name of a whole is put for a part, or that of a part for a whole, or a definite number for an indefinite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. compréhensif. ] 1. Including much; comprising many things; having a wide scope or a full view. [ 1913 Webster ]

A very comprehensive definition. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Large and comprehensive idea. Channing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having the power to comprehend or understand many things. “His comprehensive head.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Possessing peculiarities that are characteristic of several diverse groups. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term is applied chiefly to early fossil groups which have a combination of structures that appear in more fully developed or specialized forms in later groups. Synthetic, as used by Agassiz, is nearly synonymous.

Syn. -- Extensive; wide; large; full; compendious. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a comprehensive manner; with great extent of scope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being comprehensive; extensiveness of scope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Compare the beauty and comprehensiveness of legends on ancient coins. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being condensed; as, a gas condensible to a liquid by cold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. condescensio. ] The act of condescending; voluntary descent from one's rank or dignity in intercourse with an inferior; courtesy toward inferiors. [ 1913 Webster ]

It forbids pride . . . and commands humility, modesty, and condescension to others. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such a dignity and condescension . . . as are suitable to a superior nature. Addison.

Syn. -- Complaisance; courtesy; affability. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. consensio. ] Agreement; accord. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Apparently corrupted fr. F. déclinaison, fr. L. declinatio, fr. declinare. See Decline, and cf. Declination. ] 1. The act or the state of declining; declination; descent; slope. [ 1913 Webster ]

The declension of the land from that place to the sea. T. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A falling off towards a worse state; a downward tendency; deterioration; decay; as, the declension of virtue, of science, of a state, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Seduced the pitch and height of all his thoughts
To base declension. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Act of courteously refusing; act of declining; a declinature; refusal; as, the declension of a nomination. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Gram.) (a) Inflection of nouns, adjectives, etc., according to the grammatical cases. (b) The form of the inflection of a word declined by cases; as, the first or the second declension of nouns, adjectives, etc. (c) Rehearsing a word as declined. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The nominative was held to be the primary and original form, and was likened to a perpendicular line; the variations, or oblique cases, were regarded as fallings (hence called casus, cases, or fallings) from the nominative or perpendicular; and an enumerating of the various forms, being a sort of progressive descent from the noun's upright form, was called a declension. Harris. [ 1913 Webster ]

Declension of the needle, declination of the needle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Belonging to declension. [ 1913 Webster ]

Declensional and syntactical forms. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being defended. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. défensable, LL. defensabilis, defensibilis. See Defense, and cf. Defendable. ] 1. Capable of being defended; as, a defensible city, or a defensible cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of offering defense. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being defended; defensibility. Priestley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. défensif. ] 1. Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor. [ 1913 Webster ]

A moat defensive to a house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In a state or posture of defense. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which defends; a safeguard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be on the defensive,
To stand on the defensive, to be or stand in a state or posture of defense or resistance, in opposition to aggression or attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. On the defensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an increase in the density of something.
Syn. -- compaction, compression, concretion. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. densus dense + -meter: cf. F. densimètre. ] An instrument for ascertaining the specific gravity or density of a substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an instrument for determining optical or photographic density. A variety capable of measuring optical density of a sample at a number of different wavelengths, is called a spectrophotometer. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. same as densimeter. [ PJC ]

n. measuring the optical density of a substance by shining light through it and measuring the intensity of the transmitted light. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. densitas; cf. F. densité. ] 1. The quality of being dense, close, or thick; compactness; -- opposed to rarity. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Physics) The ratio of mass, or quantity of matter, to bulk or volume, esp. as compared with the mass and volume of a portion of some substance used as a standard. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ For gases the standard substance is hydrogen, at a temperature of 0° Centigrade and a pressure of 760 millimeters. For liquids and solids the standard is water at a temperature of 4° Centigrade. The density of solids and liquids is usually called specific gravity, and the same is true of gases when referred to air as a standard. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Photog.) Depth of shade. Abney. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be caught or discovered; apprehensible. [ Obs. ] Petty.

-- Dep`re*hen"si*ble*ness, n. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. deprehensio. ] A catching; discovery. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. descension, L. descensio. See Descent. ] The act of going downward; descent; falling or sinking; declension; degradation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oblique descension (Astron.), the degree or arc of the equator which descends, with a celestial object, below the horizon of an oblique sphere. --
Right descension, the degree or arc of the equator which descends below the horizon of a right sphere at the same time with the object. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to descension. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to descend; tending downwards; descending. Smart. [ 1913 Webster ]