v. t. To absterge; to cleanse; to purge away. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. advers, OF. avers, advers, fr. L. adversus, p. p. advertere to turn to. See Advert. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Acting against, or in a contrary direction; opposed; contrary; opposite; conflicting; as, adverse winds; an adverse party; a spirit adverse to distinctions of caste. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Opposite. “Calpe's adverse height.” Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In hostile opposition to; unfavorable; unpropitious; contrary to one's wishes; unfortunate; calamitous; afflictive; hurtful; as, adverse fates, adverse circumstances, things adverse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Happy were it for us all if we bore prosperity as well and wisely as we endure an adverse fortune. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

Adverse possession (Law), a possession of real property avowedly contrary to some claim of title in another person. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Averse; reluctant; unwilling. See Averse. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. adversari: cf. OF. averser. ] To oppose; to resist. [ Obs. ] Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an adverse manner; inimically; unfortunately; contrariwise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being adverse; opposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Psychol.) A sensation or sense impression following the removal of a stimulus producing a primary sensation, and reproducing the primary sensation in positive, negative, or complementary form. The aftersensation may be continuous with the primary sensation or follow it after an interval. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. anni versus the turning of a year. ] Anniversary. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Aspersed p. pr. & vb. n. Aspersing. ] [ L. aspersus, p. p. of aspergere to scatter, sprinkle; ad + spargere to strew. See Sparse. ] 1. To sprinkle, as water or dust, upon anybody or anything, or to besprinkle any one with a liquid or with dust. Heywood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name; to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his writings; to asperse a man's character. [ 1913 Webster ]

With blackest crimes aspersed. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To slander; defame; detract from; calumniate; vilify. -- To Asperse, Defame, Slander, Calumniate. These words have in common the idea of falsely assailing the character of another. To asperse is figuratively to cast upon a character hitherto unsullied the imputation of blemishes or faults which render it offensive or loathsome. To defame is to detract from a man's honor and reputation by charges calculated to load him with infamy. Slander (etymologically the same as scandal) and calumniate, from the Latin, have in common the sense of circulating reports to a man's injury from unworthy or malicious motives. Men asperse their neighbors by malignant insinuations; they defame by advancing charges to blacken or sully their fair fame; they slander or calumniate by spreading injurious reports which are false, or by magnifying slight faults into serious errors or crimes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Her.) Having an indefinite number of small charges scattered or strewed over the surface. Cussans. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Bespattered; slandered; calumniated. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who asperses; especially, one who vilifies another. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. aversus, p. p. of avertere. See Avert. ] 1. Turned away or backward. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The tracks averse a lying notice gave,
And led the searcher backward from the cave. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having a repugnance or opposition of mind; disliking; disinclined; unwilling; reluctant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Averse alike to flatter, or offend. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men who were averse to the life of camps. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pass by securely as men averse from war. Micah ii. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The prevailing usage now is to employ to after averse and its derivatives rather than from, as was formerly the usage. In this the word is in agreement with its kindred terms, hatred, dislike, dissimilar, contrary, repugnant, etc., expressing a relation or an affection of the mind to an object. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Averse, Reluctant, Adverse. Averse expresses an habitual, though not of necessity a very strong, dislike; as, averse to active pursuits; averse to study. Reluctant, a term of the of the will, implies an internal struggle as to making some sacrifice of interest or feeling; as, reluctant to yield; reluctant to make the necessary arrangements; a reluctant will or consent. Adverse denotes active opposition or hostility; as, adverse interests; adverse feelings, plans, or movements; the adverse party. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To turn away. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Backward; in a backward direction; as, emitted aversely. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With repugnance or aversion; unwillingly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being averse; opposition of mind; unwillingness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ar. bershīm clover. ] An Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) extensively cultivated as a forage plant and soil-renewing crop in the alkaline soils of the Nile valley, and now introduced into the southwestern United States. It is more succulent than other clovers or than alfalfa. Called also Egyptian clover. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

pos>a. [ See berserk, n. ] frenzied; crazed; usually in predicate position. [ PJC ]

{ } n. [ Icel. berserkr. ] 1. (Scand. Myth.) One of a class of legendary heroes, who fought frenzied by intoxicating liquors, and naked, regardless of wounds. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who fights as if frenzied, like a Berserker. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. bouleverser to overthrow. ] Complete overthrow; disorder; a turning upside down. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. controverse. ] Controversy. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. controversari, fr. controversus turned against, disputed. ] To dispute; to controvert. [ Obs. ] “Controversed causes.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A disputant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Conversed p. pr. & vb. n. Conversing. ] [ F. converser, L. conversari to associate with; con- + versari to be turned, to live, remain, fr. versare to turn often, v. intens. of vertere to turn See Convert. ] 1. To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune; -- followed by with. [ 1913 Webster ]

To seek the distant hills, and there converse
With nature. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

But to converse with heaven -
This is not easy. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To engage in familiar colloquy; to interchange thoughts and opinions in a free, informal manner; to chat; -- followed by with before a person; by on, about, concerning, etc., before a thing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Companions
That do converse and waste the time together. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

We had conversed so often on that subject. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To have knowledge of, from long intercourse or study; -- said of things. [ 1913 Webster ]

According as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety. Locke.

Syn. -- To associate; commune; discourse; talk; chat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Frequent intercourse; familiar communion; intimate association. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T is but to hold
Converse with Nature's charms, and view her stores unrolled. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Familiar discourse; free interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat. [ 1913 Webster ]

Formed by thy converse happily to steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. conversus, p. p. of convertere. See Convert. ] Turned about; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal; as, a converse proposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Logic) A proposition which arises from interchanging the terms of another, as by putting the predicate for the subject, and the subject for the predicate; as, no virtue is vice, no vice is virtue. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ It should not (as is often done) be confounded with the contrary or opposite of a proposition, which is formed by introducing the negative not or no. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) A proposition in which, after a conclusion from something supposed has been drawn, the order is inverted, making the conclusion the supposition or premises, what was first supposed becoming now the conclusion or inference. Thus, if two sides of a sides of a triangle are equal, the angles opposite the sides are equal; and the converse is true, i.e., if these angles are equal, the two sides are equal. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a converse manner; with change of order or relation; reciprocally. J. S. Mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who engages in conversation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Countersealed p. pr. & vb. n. Countersealing. ] To seal or ratify with another or others. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To give additional security to or for. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Co- (=co- in co- sine) + versed sine. ] (Geom.) The versed sine of the complement of an arc or angle. See Illust. of Functions. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. demersus, p. p. of demergere. See Merge. ] To immerse. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Situated or growing under water, as leaves; submersed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dispersed p. pr. & vb. n. Dispersing. ] [ L. dispersus, p. p. of dispergere to strew, scatter. See Sparse. ] 1. To scatter abroad; to drive to different parts; to distribute; to diffuse; to spread; as, the Jews are dispersed among all nations. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge. Prov. xv. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two lions, in the still, dark night,
A herd of beeves disperse. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To scatter, so as to cause to vanish; to dissipate; as, to disperse vapors. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersed are the glories. Shak.

Syn. -- To scatter; dissipate; dispel; spread; diffuse; distribute; deal out; disseminate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To separate; to go or move into different parts; to vanish; as, the company dispersed at ten o'clock; the clouds disperse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To distribute wealth; to share one's abundance with others. [ 1913 Webster ]

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor. Ps. cxii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Scattered. -- Dis*pers"ed*ly adv. -- Dis*pers"ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersed harmony (Mus.), harmony in which the tones composing the chord are widely separated, as by an octave or more. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Dispersedness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that disperses. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ The same word as divers. See Divers. ] 1. Different; unlike; dissimilar; distinct; separate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The word . . . is used in a sense very diverse from its original import. J. Edwards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our roads are diverse: farewell, love! said she. R. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of various forms; multiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eloquence is a great and diverse thing. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In different directions; diversely. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To turn aside. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The redcross knight diverst, but forth rode Britomart. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In different ways; differently; variously. “Diversely interpreted.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

How diversely love doth his pageants play. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In different directions; to different points. [ 1913 Webster ]

On life's vast ocean diversely we sail. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

a. [ L. emersus, p. p. See Emerge. ] (Bot.) Standing out of, or rising above, water. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ A modification of Irish, OE. Irishe. ] A name sometimes given to that dialect of the Celtic which is spoken in the Highlands of Scotland; -- called, by the Highlanders, Gaelic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the Celtic race in the Highlands of Scotland, or to their language. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. eversus, p. p. of evertere to turn out, overthrow; e out + vertere to turn. Cf. Evert. ] To overthrow or subvert. [ Obs. ] Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. herse harrow, portcullis, OF. herce, LL. hercia, L. hirpex, gen. hirpicis, and irpex, gen. irpicis, harrow. The LL. hercia signifies also a kind of candlestick in the form of a harrow, having branches filled with lights, and placed at the head of graves or cenotaphs; whence herse came to be used for the grave, coffin, or chest containing the dead. Cf. Hearse. ] 1. (Fort.) A kind of gate or portcullis, having iron bars, like a harrow, studded with iron spikes. It is hung above gateways so that it may be quickly lowered, to impede the advance of an enemy. Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. See Hearse, a carriage for the dead. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A funeral ceremonial. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Same as Hearse, v. t. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

pron. 1. An emphasized form of the third person feminine pronoun; -- used as a subject with she; as, she herself will bear the blame; also used alone in the predicate, either in the nominative or objective case; as, it is herself; she blames herself. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Her own proper, true, or real character; hence, her right, or sane, mind; as, the woman was deranged, but she is now herself again; she has come to herself. [ 1913 Webster ]

By herself, alone; apart; unaccompanied. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) Morbid or excessive secretion, as in catarrh. [ 1913 Webster ]