A dragon fly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Affluxion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. afflatus, p. p. of afflare to blow or breathe on; ad + flare to blow. ] A blowing or breathing on; inspiration. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. afflare. See Afflation. ] 1. A breath or blast of wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A divine impartation of knowledge; supernatural impulse; inspiration. [ 1913 Webster ]

A poet writing against his genius will be like a prophet without his afflatus. Spence. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Afflicted; p. pr. & vb. n. Afflicting. ] [ L. afflictus, p. p. of affigere to cast down, deject; ad + fligere to strike: cf. OF. aflit, afflict, p. p. Cf. Flagellate. ] 1. To strike or cast down; to overthrow. [ Obs. ] “Reassembling our afflicted powers.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To inflict some great injury or hurt upon, causing continued pain or mental distress; to trouble grievously; to torment. [ 1913 Webster ]

They did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. Exod. i. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

That which was the worst now least afflicts me. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make low or humble. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error before an afflicted truth. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To trouble; grieve; pain; distress; harass; torment; wound; hurt. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. & a. [ L. afflictus, p. p. ] Afflicted. [ Obs. ] Becon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being afflicted; affliction. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who afflicts. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Grievously painful; distressing; afflictive; as, an afflicting event. -- Af*flict"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ F. affliction, L. afflictio, fr. affligere. ] 1. The cause of continued pain of body or mind, as sickness, losses, etc.; an instance of grievous distress; a pain or grief. [ 1913 Webster ]

To repay that money will be a biting affliction. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being afflicted; a state of pain, distress, or grief. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some virtues are seen only in affliction. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Calamity; sorrow; distress; grief; pain; adversity; misery; wretchedness; misfortune; trouble; hardship. -- Affliction, Sorrow, Grief, Distress. Affliction and sorrow are terms of wide and general application; grief and distress have reference to particular cases. Affliction is the stronger term. The suffering lies deeper in the soul, and usually arises from some powerful cause, such as the loss of what is most dear -- friends, health, etc. We do not speak of mere sickness or pain as “an affliction, ” though one who suffers from either is said to be afflicted; but deprivations of every kind, such as deafness, blindness, loss of limbs, etc., are called afflictions, showing that term applies particularly to prolonged sources of suffering. Sorrow and grief are much alike in meaning, but grief is the stronger term of the two, usually denoting poignant mental suffering for some definite cause, as, grief for the death of a dear friend; sorrow is more reflective, and is tinged with regret, as, the misconduct of a child is looked upon with sorrow. Grief is often violent and demonstrative; sorrow deep and brooding. Distress implies extreme suffering, either bodily or mental. In its higher stages, it denotes pain of a restless, agitating kind, and almost always supposes some struggle of mind or body. Affliction is allayed, grief subsides, sorrow is soothed, distress is mitigated. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from affliction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. afflictif. ] Giving pain; causing continued or repeated pain or grief; distressing. “Jove's afflictive hand.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spreads slow disease, and darts afflictive pain. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an afflictive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. affluence, L. affluentia, fr. affluens, p. pr. of affluere to flow to; ad + fluere to flow. See Flux. ] 1. A flowing to or towards; a concourse; an influx. [ 1913 Webster ]

The affluence of young nobles from hence into Spain. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is an unusual affluence of strangers this year. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An abundant supply, as of thought, words, feelings, etc.; profusion; also, abundance of property; wealth. [ 1913 Webster ]

And old age of elegance, affluence, and ease. Coldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Abundance; riches; profusion; exuberance; plenty; wealth; opulence. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Affluence. [ Obs. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. affluent, L. affluens, -entis, p. pr. See Affluence. ] 1. Flowing to; flowing abundantly. “Affluent blood.” Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Abundant; copious; plenteous; hence, wealthy; abounding in goods or riches. [ 1913 Webster ]

Language . . . affluent in expression. H. Reed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Loaded and blest with all the affluent store,
Which human vows at smoking shrines implore. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; a tributary stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Abundantly; copiously. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Great plenty. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. affluxum, p. p. of affluere: cf. F. afflux. See Affluence. ] A flowing towards; that which flows to; as, an afflux of blood to the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of flowing towards; afflux. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ acronym. ] the American Football League.
Syn. -- A. F. L. [ PJC. ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flame. ] In flames; glowing with light or passion; ablaze. G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + flat. ] Level with the ground; flat. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flaunt. ] In a flaunting state or position. Copley. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ acronym. ] the combined organizations of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. [ PJC. ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flicker. ] In a flickering state. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + float. ] 1. Borne on the water; floating; on board ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

On such a full sea are we now afloat. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Moving; passing from place to place; in general circulation; as, a rumor is afloat. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Unfixed; moving without guide or control; adrift; as, our affairs are all afloat. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Covered with water bearing floating articles; flooded; as, the decks are afloat. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flow. ] Flowing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their founts aflow with tears. R. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flush, n. ] In a flushed or blushing state. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flush, a. ] On a level. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bank is . . . aflush with the sea. Swinburne. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flutter. ] In a flutter; agitated. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the flow of air. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. 1. Any of numerous dark-colored neuropterous insects of the genus Sialis or allied genera. They have predaceous aquatic larvæ, which are used for bait. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Angling) An artificial fly with brown mottled wings, body of peacock harl, and black legs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. A sterile plain, containing an excess of alkali, at the bottom of an undrained basin in an arid region; a playa. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. anomalus irregular + flos, floris, flower. ] (Bot.) Having anomalous flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) A displacement forward of an organ, esp. the uterus, in such manner that its axis is bent upon itself. T. G. Thomas. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Oriflamme. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. self induced fluorescence. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Baffled (-f'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Baffling ] [ Cf. Lowland Scotch bauchle to treat contemptuously, bauch tasteless, abashed, jaded, Icel. bāgr uneasy, poor, or bāgr, n., struggle, bægja to push, treat harshly, OF. beffler, beffer, to mock, deceive, dial. G. bäppe mouth, beffen to bark, chide. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cause to undergo a disgraceful punishment, as a recreant knight. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He by the heels him hung upon a tree,
And baffled so, that all which passed by
The picture of his punishment might see. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To check by shifts and turns; to elude; to foil. [ 1913 Webster ]

The art that baffles time's tyrannic claim. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To check by perplexing; to disconcert, frustrate, or defeat; to thwart. “A baffled purpose.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

A suitable scripture ready to repel and baffle them all. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Calculations so difficult as to have baffled, until within a . . . recent period, the most enlightened nations. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mere intricacy of a question should not baffle us. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Baffling wind (Naut.), one that frequently shifts from one point to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To balk; thwart; foil; frustrate; defeat. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To practice deceit. [ Obs. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To struggle against in vain; as, a ship baffles with the winds. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A defeat by artifice, shifts, and turns; discomfiture. [ R. ] “A baffle to philosophy.” South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Engin.) (a) A deflector, as a plate or wall, so arranged across a furnace or boiler flue as to mingle the hot gases and deflect them against the substance to be heated. (b) A grating or plate across a channel or pipe conveying water, gas, or the like, by which the flow is rendered more uniform in different parts of the cross section of the stream; -- used in measuring the rate of flow, as by means of a weir. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Coal Mining) A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine. [ Local, U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adj. not understanding.
Syn. -- uncomprehending. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. discouraged by failure to accomplish a goal and uncertain how to proceed; -- used especially of feelings of defeat and discouragement.
Syn. -- balked, discomfited, discouraged, frustrated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The process or act of baffling, or of being baffled; frustration; check.

n. One who, or that which, baffles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Frustrating; discomfiting; disconcerting; as, baffling currents, winds, tasks. -- Baff"ling*ly, adv. -- Baff"ling*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) An ornament resembling a ball placed in a circular flower, the petals of which form a cup round it, -- usually inserted in a hollow molding. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any dipterous insect of the family Bombyliidae, which eat nectar and in some cases resemble bees. Their larvae are parasitic on the larvae of bees and other insects. [ WordNet 1.5 + PJC ]

v. t. To flatter excessively. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To besprinkle or scatter over with, or as with, flowers. Hobbes. [ 1913 Webster ]