v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Apprised; p. pr. & vb. n. Apprising. ] [ F. appris, fem. apprise, p. p. apprendre to learn, to teach, to inform. Cf. Apprehend, Apprentice. ] To give notice, verbal or written; to inform; -- followed by of; as, we will apprise the general of an intended attack; he apprised the commander of what he had done. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Notice; information. [ Obs. ] Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Comprised p. pr. & vb. n. Comprising. ] [ From F. compris, comprise, p. p. of comprendre, L. comprehendere. See Comprehend. ] To comprehend; to include. [ 1913 Webster ]

Comprise much matter in few words. Hocker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Friendship does two souls in one comprise. Roscommon.

Syn. -- To embrace; include; comprehend; contain; encircle; inclose; involve; imply. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. emprise, fr. emprendre to undertake; pref. em- (L. in) + F. prendre to take, L. prehendere, prendere; prae before + a verb akin to E. get. See Get, and cf. Enterprise, Impresa. ] [ Archaic ] 1. An enterprise; endeavor; adventure. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

In brave pursuit of chivalrous emprise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deeds of love and high emprise. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The qualifies which prompt one to undertake difficult and dangerous exploits. [ 1913 Webster ]

I love thy courage yet and bolt emprise;
But here thy sword can do thee little stead. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To undertake. [ Obs. ] Sackville. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. enterprise, fr. entreprendre to undertake; entre between (L. inter) + prendre to take. See Inter, and Emprise. ] 1. That which is undertaken; something attempted to be performed; a work projected which involves activity, courage, energy, and the like; a bold, arduous, or hazardous attempt; an undertaking; as, a manly enterprise; a warlike enterprise. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their hands can not perform their enterprise. Job v. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Willingness or eagerness to engage in labor which requires boldness, promptness, energy, and like qualities; as, a man of great enterprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To undertake; to begin and attempt to perform; to venture upon. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The business must be enterprised this night. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

What would I not renounce or enterprise for you! T. Otway. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To treat with hospitality; to entertain. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To undertake an enterprise, or something hazardous or difficult. [ R. ] Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who undertakes enterprises. Sir J. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an economic system having predominantly private ownership of the means of production, and relying chiefly on market forces to allocate goods and resources and to determine prices, and having a minimum of governmental interference in economic decisions; also, the political doctrine advocating such a system as the economic system of a country. [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- market economy, laissez-faire economy. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. The conduct of business according to the principles of the free enterprise doctrine; the conduct of economic activity without governmental interference. [ PJC ]

adj. Of or pertaining to the free enterprise system having private ownership of the means of production and competition between enterprises. [ prenominal ] [ Narrower terms: capitalistic, capitalist ] socialistic
Syn. -- competitive, private-enterprise(prenominal). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. main hand + prise a taking, fr. prendre, p. p. pris to take, fr. L. prehendere, prehensum. ] (Law) (a) A writ directed to the sheriff, commanding him to take sureties, called mainpernors, for the prisoner's appearance, and to let him go at large. This writ is now obsolete. Wharton. (b) Deliverance of a prisoner on security for his appearance at a day. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mainprised p. pr. & vb. n. Mainprising. ] (Law) To suffer to go at large, on his finding sureties, or mainpernors, for his appearance at a day; -- said of a prisoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. mespris, F. mépris. See Misprize. ] 1. Contempt; scorn. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Perh. for F. méprise mistake. Cf. Misprision. ] Misadventure; ill-success. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Misprize. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. mesprise mistake, F. méprise, fr. mespris, masc., mesprise, fem., p. p. of mesprendre to mistake; F. méprendre; pref. mes- amiss + prendre to take, L. prehendere. ] To mistake. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An enterprise. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & v. See Prize, n., 5. Also Prize, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See 1st Prizer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. pourpris, fr. pourprendre to take away entirely; pour for + prendre to take. ] A close or inclosure; the compass of a manor. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. reprise, fr. reprendre, repris, to take back, L. reprehendere. See Reprehend. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A taking by way of retaliation. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. (Law) Deductions and duties paid yearly out of a manor and lands, as rent charge, rent seck, pensions, annuities, and the like. [ Written also reprizes. ] Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A ship recaptured from an enemy or from a pirate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Written also reprize. ] 1. To take again; to retake. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To recompense; to pay. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To surprise. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. surprise, fr. surprendre, surpris; sur over + prendre to take, L. prehendere. See Sur-, and Prehensile. ] 1. The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal; as, the fort was taken by surprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pure surprise and fear
Made me to quit the house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything that causes such a state or emotion. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents. [ Obs. ] King. [ 1913 Webster ]

Surprise party, a party of persons who assemble by mutual agreement, and without invitation, at the house of a common friend. [ U.S. ] Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Wonder; astonishment; amazement. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Surprised p. pr. & vb. n. Surprising. ] [ From Surprise, n.: cf. F. surprendre, p. p. surpris. ] 1. To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Isa. xxxiii. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

The castle of Macduff I will surprise. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who can speak
The mingled passions that surprised his heart? Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound; as, his conduct surprised me. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am surprised with an uncouth fear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Up he starts,
Discovered and surprised. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; -- with into; as, to be surprised into an indiscretion; to be surprised into generosity. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To hold possession of; to hold. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Not with me,
That in my hands surprise the sovereignity. J. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Astonish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Surprisal. [ Obs. ] Daniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who surprises. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To rise; to get up; to appear from below the horizon. “Uprose the sun.” Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Uprose the virgin with the morning light. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To have an upward direction or inclination. [ 1913 Webster ]

Uprose the mystic mountain range. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of rising; appearance above the horizon; rising. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Did ever raven sing so like a lark,
That gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]