‖n.; pl. Abattoirs [ F., fr. abattre to beat down. See Abate. ] A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) A medicine that diminishes or alleviates irritation. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

adj. (Med.) Diminishing or alleviating irritation Stedman. [ AS ]

v. t. [ Pref. ab- + irritate. ] (Med.) To diminish the sensibility to stimulation of. [ 1913 Webster+ AS ]

n. (Med.) A pathological condition opposite to that of irritation; debility; lack of strength; asthenia. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Med.) Characterized by abirritation or debility. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., a watering place. ] (Masonry) The joint or interstice between stones, to be filled with mortar. Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being acquirable; attainableness. [ R. ] Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being acquired. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Acquired p. pr. & vb. n. Acquiring ] [ L. acquirere, acquisitum; ad + quarere to seek for. In OE. was a verb aqueren, fr. the same, through OF. aquerre. See Quest.. ] To gain, usually by one's own exertions; to get as one's own; as, to acquire a title, riches, knowledge, skill, good or bad habits. [ 1913 Webster ]

No virtue is acquired in an instant, but step by step. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Descent is the title whereby a man, on the death of his ancestor, acquires his estate, by right of representation, as his heir at law. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To obtain; gain; attain; procure; win; earn; secure. See Obtain. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 (Biol.) gotten through environmental forces. Contrasted with inherited. acquired characteristics cannot be passed on noninheritable (vs. inheritable), nonheritable
Syn. -- nurtural [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The act of acquiring, or that which is acquired; attainment. “Rules for the acquirement of a taste.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

His acquirements by industry were . . . enriched and enlarged by many excellent endowments of nature. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Acquisition, Acquirement. Acquirement is used in opposition to a natural gift or talent; as, eloquence, and skill in music and painting, are acquirements; genius is the gift or endowment of nature. It denotes especially personal attainments, in opposition to material or external things gained, which are more usually called acquisitions; but this distinction is not always observed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who acquires. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Acquirement. [ Obs. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; + &unr_; anything twisted. ] (Bot.) The sprout at the end of a seed when it begins to germinate; the plumule in germination; -- so called from its spiral form. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To put forth the first sprout. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. admirabilitac. ] Admirableness. [ R. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. admirabilis: cf. F. admirable. ] 1. Fitted to excite wonder; wonderful; marvelous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In man there is nothing admirable but his ignorance and weakness. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having qualities to excite wonder united with approbation; deserving the highest praise; most excellent; -- used of persons or things. “An admirable machine.” “Admirable fortitude.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Wonderful; marvelous; surprising; excellent; delightful; praiseworthy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being admirable; wonderful excellence. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an admirable manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. amiral, admiral, OF. amiral, ultimately fr. Ar. amīr-al-bahr commander of the sea; Ar. amīr is commander, al is the Ar. article, and amīr-al, heard in different titles, was taken as one word. Early forms of the word show confusion with L. admirabilis admirable, fr. admirari to admire. It is said to have been introduced into Europe by the Genoese or Venetians, in the 12th or 13th century. Cf. Ameer, Emir. ] 1. A naval officer of the highest rank; a naval officer of high rank, of which there are different grades. The chief gradations in rank are admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral. The admiral is the commander in chief of a fleet or of fleets. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The ship which carries the admiral; also, the most considerable ship of a fleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like some mighty admiral, dark and terrible, bearing down upon his antagonist with all his canvas straining to the wind, and all his thunders roaring from his broadsides. E. Everett. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) A handsome butterfly (Pyrameis Atalanta) of Europe and America. The larva feeds on nettles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Admiral shell (Zool.), the popular name of an ornamental cone shell (Conus admiralis). [ 1913 Webster ]

Lord High Admiral, a great officer of state, who (when this rare dignity is conferred) is at the head of the naval administration of Great Britain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or position oaf an admiral; also, the naval skill of an admiral. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Admiralties [ F. amirauté, for an older amiralté, office of admiral, fr. LL. admiralitas. See Admiral. ] 1. The office or jurisdiction of an admiral. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The department or officers having authority over naval affairs generally. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The court which has jurisdiction of maritime questions and offenses. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, admiralty jurisdiction was formerly vested in the High Court of Admiralty, which was held before the Lord High Admiral, or his deputy, styled the Judge of the Admiralty; but admiralty jurisdiction is now vested in the probate, divorce, and admiralty division of the High Justice. In America, there are no admiralty courts distinct from others, but admiralty jurisdiction is vested in the district courts of the United States, subject to revision by the circuit courts and the Supreme Court of the United States. Admiralty jurisprudence has cognizance of maritime contracts and torts, collisions at sea, cases of prize in war, etc., and in America, admiralty jurisdiction is extended to such matters, arising out of the navigation of any of the public waters, as the Great Lakes and rivers. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The system of jurisprudence of admiralty courts. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The building in which the lords of the admiralty, in England, transact business. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. admirance. ] Admiration. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. admiratio. See Admire. ] 1. Wonder; astonishment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Season your admiration for a while. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wonder mingled with approbation or delight; an emotion excited by a person or thing possessed of wonderful or high excellence; as, admiration of a beautiful woman, of a landscape, of virtue. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Cause of admiration; something to excite wonder, or pleased surprise; a prodigy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now, good Lafeu, bring in the admiration. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Note of admiration, the mark (!), called also exclamation point. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Wonder; approval; appreciation; adoration; reverence; worship. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to or expressing admiration or wonder. [ R. ] Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Admired p. pr. & vb. n. Admiring ] [ F. admirer, fr. L. admirari; ad + mirari to wonder, for smirari, akin to Gr. &unr_; to smile, Skr. smi, and E. smile. ] 1. To regard with wonder or astonishment; to view with surprise; to marvel at. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Examples rather to be admired than imitated. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To regard with wonder and delight; to look upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure, as something which calls out approbation, esteem, love, or reverence; to estimate or prize highly; as, to admire a person of high moral worth, to admire a landscape. [ 1913 Webster ]

Admired as heroes and as gods obeyed. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Admire followed by the infinitive is obsolete or colloquial; as, I admire to see a man consistent in his conduct. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To esteem; approve; delight in. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To wonder; to marvel; to be affected with surprise; -- sometimes with at. [ 1913 Webster ]

To wonder at Pharaoh, and even admire at myself. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Regarded with wonder and delight; highly prized; as, an admired poem. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wonderful; also, admirable. [ Obs. ] “Admired disorder.” “ Admired Miranda.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who admires; one who esteems or loves greatly. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Expressing admiration; as, an admiring glance. -- Ad*mir"ing*ly, adv. Shak. [1913 Webster]

‖n. pl. [ Icel., pl. of āss god. ] In the old Norse mythology, the gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Frigg, and the others. Their home was called Asgard. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ OE. afere, affere, OF. afaire, F. affaire, fr. a faire to do; L.. ad + facere to do. See Fact, and cf. Ado. ] 1. That which is done or is to be done; matter; concern; as, a difficult affair to manage; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; -- often in the plural. “At the head of affairs.” Junius. “A talent for affairs.” Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any proceeding or action which it is wished to refer to or characterize vaguely; as, an affair of honor, i. e., a duel; an affair of love, i. e., an intrigue. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mil.) An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Action; endeavor. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And with his best affair
Obeyed the pleasure of the Sun. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A material object (vaguely designated). [ 1913 Webster ]

A certain affair of fine red cloth much worn and faded. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Affirmed p. pr. & vb. n. Affirming. ] [ OE. affermen, OF. afermer, F. affirmer, affermir, fr. L. affirmare; ad + firmare to make firm, firmus firm. See Firm. ] 1. To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; esp. (Law), to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true; -- opposed to deny. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesus, . . . whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Acts xxv. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) To declare, as a fact, solemnly, under judicial sanction. See Affirmation, 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To assert; aver; declare; asseverate; assure; pronounce; protest; avouch; confirm; establish; ratify. -- To Affirm, Asseverate, Aver, Protest. We affirm when we declare a thing as a fact or a proposition. We asseverate it in a peculiarly earnest manner, or with increased positiveness as what can not be disputed. We aver it, or formally declare it to be true, when we have positive knowledge of it. We protest in a more public manner and with the energy of perfect sincerity. People asseverate in order to produce a conviction of their veracity; they aver when they are peculiarly desirous to be believed; they protest when they wish to free themselves from imputations, or to produce a conviction of their innocence. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To declare or assert positively. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not that I so affirm, though so it seem
To thee, who hast thy dwelling here on earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) To make a solemn declaration, before an authorized magistrate or tribunal, under the penalties of perjury; to testify by affirmation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being affirmed, asserted, or declared; -- followed by of; as, an attribute affirmable of every just man. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. afermance. ] 1. Confirmation; ratification; confirmation of a voidable act. [ 1913 Webster ]

This statute . . . in affirmance of the common law. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A strong declaration; affirmation. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. affirmans, -antis, p. pr. See Affirm. ] 1. One who affirms or asserts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) One who affirms, instead of taking an oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. affirmatio: cf. F. affirmation. ] 1. Confirmation of anything established; ratification; as, the affirmation of a law. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of affirming or asserting as true; assertion; -- opposed to negation or denial. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is asserted; an assertion; a positive statement; an averment; as, an affirmation, by the vender, of title to property sold, or of its quality. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) A solemn declaration made under the penalties of perjury, by persons who conscientiously decline taking an oath, which declaration is in law equivalent to an oath. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. affirmativus: cf. F. affirmatif. ] 1. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common law. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That affirms; asserting that the fact is so; declaratory of what exists; answering “yes” to a question; -- opposed to negative; as, an affirmative answer; an affirmative vote. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Positive; dogmatic. [ Obs. ] J. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lysicles was a little by the affirmative air of Crito. Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Alg.) Positive; -- a term applied to quantities which are to be added, and opposed to negative, or such as are to be subtracted. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which affirms as opposed to that which denies; an affirmative proposition; that side of question which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to negative; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed the affirmative. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A word or phrase expressing affirmation or assent; as, yes, that is so, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a policy of making active efforts to improve the employment or educational opportunities available to members of minority groups or women; -- achieved by employers or schools by using various techniques, but excluding the use of simple quotas or outright discrimination against white males. affirmative action is required by law for certain employers in the United States. [ PJC ]

adv. In an affirmative manner; on the affirmative side of a question; in the affirmative; -- opposed to negatively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Giving affirmation; assertive; affirmative. Massey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who affirms. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + fire. ] On fire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) The placenta and membranes with which the fetus is connected, when they are expelled from the womb after delivery. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

n. [ OE. air, eir, F. air, L. aër, fr. Gr. 'ah`r, air, mist, for 'a&digamma_;hr, fr. root 'a&digamma_; to blow, breathe, probably akin to E. wind. In sense 10 the French has taking a meaning fr. It. aria atmosphere, air, fr. the same Latin word; and in senses 11, 12, 13 the French meaning is either fr. L. aria, or due to confusion with F. aire, in an older sense of origin, descent. Cf. Aëry, Debonair, Malaria, Wind. ] 1. The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ By the ancient philosophers, air was regarded as an element; but modern science has shown that it is essentially a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, with a small amount of carbon dioxide, the average proportions being, by volume: oxygen, 20.96 per cent.; nitrogen, 79.00 per cent.; carbon dioxide, 0.04 per cent. These proportions are subject to a very slight variability. Air also always contains some vapor of water. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile. “Charm ache with air.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was still all air and fire. [ Air and fire being the finer and quicker elements as opposed to earth and water. ] Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any aëriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Odoriferous or contaminated air. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. That which surrounds and influences. [ 1913 Webster ]

The keen, the wholesome air of poverty. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Utterance abroad; publicity; vent. [ 1913 Webster ]

You gave it air before me. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Intelligence; information. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Mus.) (a) A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria. (b) In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody -- in modern harmony usually the upper part -- is sometimes called the air. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air. “His very air.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was communicated with the air of a secret. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. pl. An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

14. (Paint.) (a) The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed. New Am. Cyc. (b) Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air. Fairholt. [ 1913 Webster ]

15. (Man.) The artificial motion or carriage of a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Air is much used adjectively or as the first part of a compound term. In most cases it might be written indifferently, as a separate limiting word, or as the first element of the compound term, with or without the hyphen; as, air bladder, air-bladder, or airbladder; air cell, air-cell, or aircell; air-pump, or airpump. [ 1913 Webster ]

Air balloon. See Balloon. --
Air bath. (a) An apparatus for the application of air to the body. (b) An arrangement for drying substances in air of any desired temperature. --
Air castle. See Castle in the air, under Castle. --
Air compressor, a machine for compressing air to be used as a motive power. --
Air crossing, a passage for air in a mine. --
Air cushion, an air-tight cushion which can be inflated; also, a device for arresting motion without shock by confined air. --
Air fountain, a contrivance for producing a jet of water by the force of compressed air. --
Air furnace, a furnace which depends on a natural draft and not on blast. --
Air line, a straight line; a bee line. Hence
Air-line, adj.; as, air-line road. --
Air lock (Hydr. Engin.), an intermediate chamber between the outer air and the compressed-air chamber of a pneumatic caisson. Knight. --
Air port (Nav.), a scuttle or porthole in a ship to admit air. --
Air spring, a spring in which the elasticity of air is utilized. --
Air thermometer, a form of thermometer in which the contraction and expansion of air is made to measure changes of temperature. --
Air threads, gossamer. --
Air trap, a contrivance for shutting off foul air or gas from drains, sewers, etc.; a stench trap. --
Air trunk, a pipe or shaft for conducting foul or heated air from a room. --
Air valve, a valve to regulate the admission or egress of air; esp. a valve which opens inwardly in a steam boiler and allows air to enter. --
Air way, a passage for a current of air; as the air way of an air pump; an air way in a mine. --
In the air. (a) Prevalent without traceable origin or authority, as rumors. (b) Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled. (c) (Mil.) Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank; as, the army had its wing in the air. --
on the air, currently transmitting; live; -- used of radio and television broadcasts, to indicate that the images and sounds being picked up by cameras and microphones are being broadcast at the present moment. In call-in programs where individuals outside a radio or television studio have telephoned into the station, when their voice is being directly broadcast, the host of the program commonly states “You're on the air.” as a warning that the conversation is not private. --
To take air, to be divulged; to be made public. --
To take the air, to go abroad; to walk or ride out. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Aired p. pr. & vb. n. Airing. ] [ See Air, n., and cf. Aërate. ] 1. To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. [ 1913 Webster ]

It were good wisdom . . . that the jail were aired. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Were you but riding forth to air yourself. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Airing a snowy hand and signet gem. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. (Basketball) A throw at the basket that completely misses, not even hitting the rim. Compare swoosh and nothing but net. [ PJC ]