n.; pl. Abscisses See Abscissa. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; E. pl. Abscissas, L. pl. Abscissæ. [ L., fem. of abscissus, p. p. of absindere to cut of. See Abscind. ] (Geom.) One of the elements of reference by which a point, as of a curve, is referred to a system of fixed rectilineal coördinate axes. When referred to two intersecting axes, one of them called the axis of abscissas, or of X, and the other the axis of ordinates, or of Y, the abscissa of the point is the distance cut off from the axis of X by a line drawn through it and parallel to the axis of Y. When a point in space is referred to three axes having a common intersection, the abscissa may be the distance measured parallel to either of them, from the point to the plane of the other two axes. Abscissas and ordinates taken together are called coördinates. -- OX or PY is the abscissa of the point P of the curve, OY or PX its ordinate, the intersecting lines OX and OY being the axes of abscissas and ordinates respectively, and the point O their origin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. abscissio. See Abscind. ] 1. The act or process of cutting off. “Not to be cured without the abscission of a member.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being cut off. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Rhet.) A figure of speech employed when a speaker having begun to say a thing stops abruptly: thus, “He is a man of so much honor and candor, and of such generosity -- but I need say no more.” [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. admissibilité. ] The quality of being admissible; admissibleness; as, the admissibility of evidence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. admissible, LL. admissibilis. See Admit. ] Entitled to be admitted, or worthy of being admitted; that may be allowed or conceded; allowable; as, the supposition is hardly admissible. -- Ad*mis"si*ble*ness, n. -- Ad*mis"si*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. admissio: cf. F. admission. See Admit. ] 1. The act or practice of admitting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Power or permission to enter; admittance; entrance; access; power to approach. [ 1913 Webster ]

What numbers groan for sad admission there! Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The granting of an argument or position not fully proved; the act of acknowledging something &unr_;serted; acknowledgment; concession. [ 1913 Webster ]

The too easy admission of doctrines. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) Acquiescence or concurrence in a statement made by another, and distinguishable from a confession in that an admission presupposes prior inquiry by another, but a confession may be made without such inquiry. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A fact, point, or statement admitted; as, admission made out of court are received in evidence. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Eng. Eccl. Law) Declaration of the bishop that he approves of the presentee as a fit person to serve the cure of the church to which he is presented. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Admittance; concession; acknowledgment; concurrence; allowance. See Admittance. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Implying an admission; tending to admit. [ R. ] Lamb. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to admission. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It.; superl. of alto. ] (Mus.) The part or notes situated above F in alt. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + miss. ] Astray; faultily; improperly; wrongly; ill. [ 1913 Webster ]

What error drives our eyes and ears amiss? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss. James iv. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

To take (an act, thing) amiss, to impute a wrong motive to (an act or thing); to take offense at; to take unkindly; as, you must not take these questions amiss. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wrong; faulty; out of order; improper; as, it may not be amiss to ask advice. [ Used only in the predicate. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

His wisdom and virtue can not always rectify that which is amiss in himself or his circumstances. Wollaston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fault, wrong, or mistake. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Cf. F. amissibilité. See Amit. ] The quality of being amissible; possibility of being lost. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Notions of popular rights and the amissibility of sovereign power for misconduct were alternately broached by the two great religious parties of Europe. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. amissibilis: cf. F. amissible. ] Liable to be lost. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. amissio: cf. F. amission. ] Deprivation; loss. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. arrondir to make round; ad + rond round, L. rotundus. ] A subdivision of a department. [ France ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The territory of France, since the revolution, has been divided into departments, those into arrondissements, those into cantons, and the latter into communes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A rocket-propelled missile of long range which is guided only during the powered portion of its flight, which usually takes only a small part of the total flight time; -- contrasted with guided missile. Ballistic missiles are sometimes referred to by their range, such as an
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or an
intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). [ PJC ]

prop. n. (Geography) The capital city of Guinea-Bissau. Population (2000) = 200, 000. [ PJC ]

A truck for railroad rolling stock, consisting of two ordinary axle boxes sliding in guides attached to a triangular frame; -- called also pony truck. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. bissextilis annus, fr. bissextus (bis + sextus sixth, fr. sex six) the sixth of the calends of March, or twenty-fourth day of February, which was reckoned twice every fourth year, by the intercalation of a day. ] Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to leap year. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. bisen, bisne, AS. bisen, prob. for bīs&unr_;ne; bi by + s&unr_;ne clear, akin to seón to see; clear when near, hence short-sighted. See See. ] Purblind; blinding. [ Obs. ] “Bisson rheum.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Blisses [ OE. blis, blisse, AS. blis, blīðs, fr. blīðe blithe. See Blithe. ] Orig., blithesomeness; gladness; now, the highest degree of happiness; blessedness; exalted felicity; heavenly joy. [ 1913 Webster ]

An then at last our bliss
Full and perfect is. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Blessedness; felicity; beatitude; happiness; joy; enjoyment. See Happiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of, characterized by, or causing, joy and felicity; happy in the highest degree. “Blissful solitude.” Milton. -- Bliss"ful*ly, adv. -- Bliss"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of bliss. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ For blithesome: but cf. also Icel. bl&unr_;sma of a goat at heat. ] To be lustful; to be lascivious. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Lascivious; also, in heat; -- said of ewes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus comprising the chinch bugs. See chinch, 2.
Syn. -- genus Blissus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F., fr. caisse, case, chest. See 1st Case. ] 1. (Mil.) (a) A chest to hold ammunition. (b) A four-wheeled carriage for conveying ammunition, consisting of two parts, a body and a limber. In light field batteries there is one caisson to each piece, having two ammunition boxes on the body, and one on the limber. Farrow. (c) A chest filled with explosive materials, to be laid in the way of an enemy and exploded on his approach. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) A water-tight box, of timber or iron within which work is carried on in building foundations or structures below the water level. (b) A hollow floating box, usually of iron, which serves to close the entrances of docks and basins. (c) A structure, usually with an air chamber, placed beneath a vessel to lift or float it. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) A sunk panel of ceilings or soffits. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pneumatic caisson (Engin.), a caisson, closed at the top but open at the bottom, and resting upon the ground under water. The pressure of air forced into the caisson keeps the water out. Men and materials are admitted to the interior through an air lock. See Lock. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Med.) A disease frequently induced by remaining for some time in an atmosphere of high pressure, as in caissons, diving bells, etc. It is characterized by neuralgic pains and paralytic symptoms. It is caused by the release of bubbles of gas, usually nitrogen, from bodily fluids into the blood and tissues, when a person, having been in an environment with high air pressure, moves to a lower pressure environment too rapidly for the excess dissolved gases to be released through normal breathing. It may be fatal, but can be reversed or alleviated by returning the affected person to a high air pressure, and then gradually decreasing the pressure to allow the gases to be released from the body fluids. It is a danger well known to divers. It is also called the bends and decompression sickness. It can be prevented in divers by a slow return to normal pressure, or by using a breathing mixture of oxygen combined with a gas having low solubility in water, such as helium. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. a shrub of the genus Carissa having fragrant white flowers and plumlike red to purple-black fruits. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. cimex, -icis, a bug. ] (Zool.) The bedbug. [ Obs. ] Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. circum- + scissle. ] (Bot.) Dehiscing or opening by a transverse fissure extending around (a capsule or pod). See Illust. of Pyxidium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; like ivy; &unr_; ivy + e'i^dos form. ] (Geom.) A curve invented by Diocles, for the purpose of solving two celebrated problems of the higher geometry; viz., to trisect a plane angle, and to construct two geometrical means between two given straight lines. [ 1913 Webster ]

. In the United States, a commission appointed by the President, consisting of three members, not more than two of whom may be adherents of the same party, which has the control, through examinations, of appointments and promotions in the classified civil service. It was created by act of Jan, 16, 1883 (22 Stat. 403). [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Of or pertaining to a commissary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. commissariat. ] (Mil.) (a) The organized system by which armies and military posts are supplied with food and daily necessaries. (b) The body of officers charged with such service. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Commissaries [ LL. commissarius, fr. L. commissus, p. p. of committere to commit, intrust to. See Commit. ] 1. One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great Destiny, the Commissary of God. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eccl.) An officer of the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mil.) (a) An officer having charge of a special service; as, the commissary of musters. (b) An officer whose business is to provide food for a body of troops or a military post; -- officially called commissary of subsistence. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Washington wrote to the President of Congress . . . urging the appointment of a commissary general, a quartermaster general, a commissary of musters, and a commissary of artillery. W. Irving [ 1913 Webster ]

Commissary general, an officer in charge of some special department of army service; as: (a) The officer in charge of the commissariat and transport department, or of the ordnance store department. [ Eng. ] (b) The commissary general of subsistence. [ U. S. ] --
Commissary general of subsistence (Mil. U. S.), the head of the subsistence department, who has charge of the purchase and issue of provisions for the army. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or employment of a commissary. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. commissio. See Commit. ] 1. The act of committing, doing, or performing; the act of perpetrating. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every commission of sin introduces into the soul a certain degree of hardness. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of intrusting; a charge; instructions as to how a trust shall be executed. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The duty or employment intrusted to any person or persons; a trust; a charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A formal written warrant or authority, granting certain powers or privileges and authorizing or commanding the performance of certain duties. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let him see our commission. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A certificate conferring military or naval rank and authority; as, a colonel's commission. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A company of persons joined in the performance of some duty or the execution of some trust; as, the interstate commerce commission. [ 1913 Webster ]

A commission was at once appointed to examine into the matter. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Com.) (a) The acting under authority of, or on account of, another. (b) The thing to be done as agent for another; as, I have three commissions for the city. (c) The brokerage or allowance made to a factor or agent for transacting business for another; as, a commission of ten per cent on sales. See Del credere. [ 1913 Webster ]

Commission of array. (Eng. Hist.) See under Array. --
Commission of bankruptcy, a commission appointing and empowering certain persons to examine into the facts relative to an alleged bankruptcy, and to secure the bankrupt's lands and effects for the creditors. --
Commission of lunacy, a commission authorizing an inquiry whether a person is a lunatic or not. --
Commission merchant, one who buys or sells goods on commission, as the agent of others, receiving a rate per cent as his compensation. --
Commission officer or
Commissioned officer, (Mil.), one who has a commission, in distinction from a noncommissioned or warrant officer. --
Commission of the peace, a commission under the great seal, constituting one or more persons justices of the peace. [ Eng. ] --
on commission, paid partly or completely by collecting as a commision a portion of the sales that one makes. --
out of commission, not operating properly; out of order. --
To put a vessel into commission (Naut.), to equip and man a government vessel, and send it out on service after it has been laid up; esp., the formal act of taking command of a vessel for service, hoisting the flag, reading the orders, etc. --
To put a vessel out of commission (Naut.), to detach the officers and crew and retire it from active service, temporarily or permanently. --
To put the great seal into commission or
To put the Treasury into commission, to place it in the hands of a commissioner or commissioners during the abeyance of the ordinary administration, as between the going out of one lord keeper and the accession of another. [ Eng. ] --
The United States Christian Commission, an organization among the people of the North, during the Civil War, which afforded material comforts to the Union soldiers, and performed services of a religious character in the field and in hospitals. --
The United States Sanitary Commission, an organization formed by the people of the North to cooperate with and supplement the medical department of the Union armies during the Civil War.

Syn. -- Charge; warrant; authority; mandate; office; trust; employment. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Commissioned p. pr & vb. n. Commissioning. ] 1. To give a commission to; to furnish with a commission; to empower or authorize; as, to commission persons to perform certain acts; to commission an officer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To send out with a charge or commission. [ 1913 Webster ]

A chosen band
He first commissions to the Latian land. Dryden.

Syn. -- To appoint; depute; authorize; empower; delegate; constitute; ordain.

n. [ F. commissionnaire. Cf. Commissioner. ] 1. One intrusted with a commission, now only a small commission, as an errand; esp., an attendant or subordinate employee in a public office, hotel, or the like. The commissionaire familiar to European travelers performs miscellaneous services as a light porter, messenger, solicitor for hotels, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. One of a corps of pensioned soldiers, as in London, employed as doorkeepers, messengers, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. a uniformed doorman. [ British ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ a. Of, pertaining to, or conferring, a commission; conferred by a commission or warrant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Delegate or commissionary authority. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To commission [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. (Mil.) holding by virtue of a commission a rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above; -- of military officers. Contrasts with noncommissioned. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. given official approval to act; as, commissioned broker.
Syn. -- accredited, licensed, licenced. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. created according to an order; as, a commissioned painting. [ PJC ]

n. 1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some office, or execute some business, for the government, corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner to take affidavits or to adjust claims. [ 1913 Webster ]

To another address which requested that a commission might be sent to examine into the state of things in Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and desired the Commons to name the commissioners. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of the public service. [ 1913 Webster ]

Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are subordinates of the secretary of the interior. Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

Commissioner of deeds, an officer having authority to take affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc., for use in the State by which he is appointed. [ U. S. ] --
County commissioners, certain administrative officers in some of the States, invested by local laws with various powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial matters, etc., of the county. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. L. commissio. ] 1. An agent or factor; a commission merchant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of a class of attendants, in some European cities, who perform miscellaneous services for travelers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office of commissioner. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to commission; of the nature of, or involving, commission. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a commissure. [ 1913 Webster ]