n. [ L. artificium, fr. artifex artificer; ars, artis, art + facere to make: cf. F. artifice. ] 1. A handicraft; a trade; art of making. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Workmanship; a skillfully contrived work. [ 1913 Webster ]

The material universe . . . in the artifice of God, the artifice of the best Mechanist. Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Artful or skillful contrivance. [ 1913 Webster ]

His [ Congreve's ] plots were constructed without much artifice. Craik. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Crafty device; an artful, ingenious, or elaborate trick. [ Now the usual meaning. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Those who were conscious of guilt employed numerous artifices for the purpose of averting inquiry. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. artificier, fr. LL. artificiarius. ] 1. An artistic worker; a mechanic or manufacturer; one whose occupation requires skill or knowledge of a particular kind, as a silversmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who makes or contrives; a deviser, inventor, or framer. “Artificer of fraud.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The great Artificer of all that moves. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A cunning or artful fellow. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mil.) A military mechanic, as a blacksmith, carpenter, etc.; also, one who prepares the shells, fuses, grenades, etc., in a military laboratory. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Artisan; artist. See Artisan. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. bénéfice, L. beneficium, a kindness , in LL. a grant of an estate, fr. L. beneficus beneficent; bene well + facere to do. See Benefit. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A favor or benefit. [ Obs. ] Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Feudal Law) An estate in lands; a fief. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Such an estate was granted at first for life only, and held on the mere good pleasure of the donor; but afterward, becoming hereditary, it received the appellation of fief, and the term benefice became appropriated to church livings. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An ecclesiastical living and church preferment, as in the Church of England; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service. See Advowson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But, ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, archdeaconries, and prebendaryships; benefice to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beneficed. ] To endow with a benefice. [ Commonly in the past participle. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Possessed of a benefice or church preferment. “Beneficed clergymen.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no benefice. “Beneficeless precisians.” Sheldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. beneficentia, fr. beneficus: cf. F. bénéficence. See Benefice. ] The practice of doing good; active goodness, kindness, or charity; bounty springing from purity and goodness. [ 1913 Webster ]

And whose beneficence no charge exhausts. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Benevolence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Doing or producing good; performing acts of kindness and charity; characterized by beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

The beneficent fruits of Christianity. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Benevolent. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a beneficent manner; with beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An office where passengers, baggage, etc., are registered for conveyance, as by railway or steamship. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An office where passage tickets are sold. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Cf. G. bofist, AS. wulfes fist puffball, E. fizz, foist. ] (Bot.) A kind of fungus. See Puffball. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Eng. Law) The criminal branch of the Court of King's or Queen's Bench, commonly called the crown side of the court, which takes cognizance of all criminal cases. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aedificium, fr. aedificare: cf. F. édifice. See Edify. ] A building; a structure; an architectural fabric; -- chiefly applied to elegant houses, and other large buildings; as, a palace, a church, a statehouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A small dog; -- written also fise, fyce, fiste, etc. [ Southern U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lanificium: cf. OF. lanifice. ] Anything made of wool. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. magnificence, L. magnificentia. See Magnific. ] The act of doing what is magnificent; the state or quality of being magnificent. Acts xix. 27. “Then cometh magnificence.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

And, for the heaven's wide circuit, let it speak
The Maker's high magnificence, who built
so spacious. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The noblest monuments of Roman magnificence. Eustace. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Magnificence. ] 1. Doing grand things; admirable in action; displaying great power or opulence, especially in building, way of living, and munificence. [ 1913 Webster ]

A prince is never so magnificent
As when he's sparing to enrich a few
With the injuries of many. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Grand in appearance; exhibiting grandeur or splendor; splendid; pompous. [ 1913 Webster ]

When Rome's exalted beauties I descry
Magnificent in piles of ruin lie. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Glorious; majestic; sublime. See Grand. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a Magnificent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise,
Syn. -- headquarters, central office, home office. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. maleficium: cf. F. maléfice. See Malefactor. ] An evil deed; artifice; enchantment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. maleficentia. Cf. Malfeasance. ] Evil doing, esp. to others. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Malefic. ] Doing evil to others; harmful; mischievous. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wonderful. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. L. munire to fortify. ] Means of defense; fortification. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. munificentia: cf. F. munificence. ] The quality or state of being munificent; a giving or bestowing with extraordinary liberality; generous bounty; lavish generosity.
Syn. -- Benevolence; beneficence; liberality; generosity; bounty; bounteousness. See Benevolence. [ 1913 Webster ]

The virtues of liberality and munificence. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. munificus; munus service, gift + -ficare (in comp.) to make. Cf. Immunity, -fy. ] Very liberal in giving or bestowing; lavish; as, a munificent benefactor. -- Mu*nif"i*cent*ly, adv.
Syn. -- Bounteous; bountiful; liberal; generous. [1913 Webster]

n. [ F., fr. L. officium, for opificium; ops ability, wealth, help + facere to do or make. See Opulent, Fact. ] 1. That which a person does, either voluntarily or by appointment, for, or with reference to, others; customary duty, or a duty that arises from the relations of man to man; as, kind offices, pious offices. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would I could do a good office between you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A special duty, trust, charge, or position, conferred by authority and for a public purpose; a position of trust or authority; as, an executive or judical office; a municipal office. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A charge or trust, of a sacred nature, conferred by God himself; as, the office of a priest under the old dispensation, and that of the apostles in the new. [ 1913 Webster ]

Inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office. Rom. xi. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which is performed, intended, or assigned to be done, by a particular thing, or that which anything is fitted to perform; a function; -- answering to duty in intelligent beings. [ 1913 Webster ]

They [ the eyes ] resign their office and their light. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hesperus, whose office is to bring
Twilight upon the earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this experiment the several intervals of the teeth of the comb do the office of so many prisms. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The place where any kind of business or service for others is transacted; a building, suite of rooms, or room in which public officers or workers in any organization transact business; as, the register's office; a lawyer's office; the doctor's office; the Mayor's office. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

6. The company or corporation, or persons collectively, whose place of business is in an office; as, I have notified the office. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. pl. The apartments or outhouses in which the domestics discharge the duties attached to the service of a house, as kitchens, pantries, stables, etc. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

As for the offices, let them stand at distance. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Eccl.) Any service other than that of ordination and the Mass; any prescribed religious service. [ 1913 Webster ]

This morning was read in the church, after the office was done, the declaration setting forth the late conspiracy against the king's person. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Holy office. Same as Inquisition, n., 3. --
Houses of office. Same as def. 7 above. Chaucer. --
Little office (R. C. Ch.), an office recited in honor of the Virgin Mary. --
Office bearer, an officer; one who has a specific office or duty to perform. --
Office copy (Law), an authenticated or certified copy of a record, from the proper office. See Certified copies, under Copy. Abbott. --
Office-found (Law), the finding of an inquest of office. See under Inquest. --
Office holder. See Officeholder in the Vocabulary --
Office hours. the hours of the day during which business is transacted at an office{ 5 }. --
Office seeker. a person who is attempting to get elected to an elected office, or to get an appointment to an appointive public office. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. To perform, as the duties of an office; to discharge. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who holds an office; an officeholder. [ Chiefly British ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One who holds an office; an officer, particularly one in the civil service; a placeman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. officier. See Office, and cf. Official, n. ] 1. One who holds an office; a person lawfully invested with an office, whether civil, military, or ecclesiastical; as, a church officer; a police officer; a staff officer. “I am an officer of state.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (U. S. Mil.) Specifically, a commissioned officer, in distinction from a warrant officer or an enlisted man. [ 1913 Webster ]

Field officer,
General officer, etc. See under Field, General. etc. --
Officer of the day (Mil.), the officer who, on a given day, has charge for that day of the guard, prisoners, and police of the post or camp; abbreviated O. D., OD, or O. O. D. --
Officer of the deck, or
Officer of the watch (Naut.), the officer temporarily in charge on the deck of a vessel, esp. a war vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Officered p. pr. & vb. n. Officering. ] 1. To furnish with officers; to appoint officers over. Marshall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To command as an officer; as, veterans from old regiments officered the recruits. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Elec.) Copper wire with a strong but light insulation, used in wiring houses, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. opificium, fr. opifex workman. See Office. ] Workmanship. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An artificer; a workman. [ Obs. ] “The almighty opificer.” Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., from L. orificium; os, oris, a mouth + facere to make. See Oral, and Fact. ] A mouth or aperture, as of a tube, pipe, etc.; an opening; as, the orifice of an artery or vein; the orifice of a wound. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Etna was bored through the top with a monstrous orifice. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To domineer over by virtue of office. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. pons, pontis, a bridge + facere to make. Cf. Pontiff. ] Bridgework; structure or edifice of a bridge. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See under 4th Post. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. sacrifise, sacrifice, F. sacrifice, fr. L. sacrificium; sacer sacred + facere to make. See Sacred, and Fact. ] 1. The offering of anything to God, or to a god; consecratory rite. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great pomp, and sacrifice, and praises loud,
To Dagon. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything consecrated and offered to God, or to a divinity; an immolated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid upon an altar, or otherwise presented in the way of religious thanksgiving, atonement, or conciliation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood
Of human sacrifice. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

My life, if thou preserv'st my life,
Thy sacrifice shall be. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Destruction or surrender of anything for the sake of something else; devotion of some desirable object in behalf of a higher object, or to a claim deemed more pressing; hence, also, the thing so devoted or given up; as, the sacrifice of interest to pleasure, or of pleasure to interest. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sale at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [ Tradesmen's Cant ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Burnt sacrifice. See Burnt offering, under Burnt. --
Sacrifice hit (Baseball), in batting, a hit of such a kind that the batter loses his chance of tallying, but enables one or more who are on bases to get home or gain a base. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sacrificed p. pr. & vb. n. Sacrificing ] [ From Sacrifice, n.: cf. F. sacrifier, L. sacrificare; sacer sacred, holy + -ficare (only in comp.) to make. See -fy. ] 1. To make an offering of; to consecrate or present to a divinity by way of expiation or propitiation, or as a token acknowledgment or thanksgiving; to immolate on the altar of God, in order to atone for sin, to procure favor, or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice an ox or a sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to destroy, surrender, or suffer to be lost, for the sake of obtaining something; to give up in favor of a higher or more imperative object or duty; to devote, with loss or suffering. [ 1913 Webster ]

Condemned to sacrifice his childish years
To babbling ignorance, and to empty fears. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Baronet had sacrificed a large sum . . . for the sake of . . . making this boy his heir. G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To destroy; to kill. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To sell at a price less than the cost or the actual value. [ Tradesmen's Cant ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make offerings to God, or to a deity, of things consumed on the altar; to offer sacrifice. [ 1913 Webster ]

O teacher, some great mischief hath befallen
To that meek man, who well had sacrificed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who sacrifices. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of sacrificing one's self, or one's interest, for others; self-devotion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. sub + officer: cf. F. sous-officer. ] An under or subordinate officer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sufficed p. pr. & vb. n. Sufficing ] [ OE. suffisen, OF. soufire, F. suffire (cf. suffisant, p. pr.), L. sufficere to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice; sub under + facere to make. See Fact. ] To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

To recount almighty works,
What words or tongue of seraph can suffice? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To satisfy; to content; to be equal to the wants or demands of. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Deut. iii. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To furnish; to supply adequately. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The power appeased, with winds sufficed the sail. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A superficies. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A subordinate officer. [ 1913 Webster ]