v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Abstained p. pr. & vb. n. Abstaining. ] [ OE. absteynen, abstenen, OF. astenir, abstenir, F. abstenir, fr. L. abstinere, abstentum, v. t. & v. i., to keep from; ab, abs + tenere to hold. See Tenable. ] To hold one's self aloof; to forbear or refrain voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites; -- with from. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not a few abstained from voting. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To refrain; forbear; withhold; deny one's self; give up; relinquish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To hinder; to withhold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whether he abstain men from marrying. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who abstains; esp., one who abstains from the use of intoxicating liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. accostable. ] Approachable; affable. [ R. ] Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being adjusted. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Ajutage. ] Adjustment. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. aérostat, fr. Gr. &unr_; air + &unr_; placed. See Statics. ] 1. (Aëronautics) A balloon, especially a passive balloon; a balloon without motive power. Contrasted with aerodyne. [ 1913 Webster +Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A balloonist; an aëronaut. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Aëro- + Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. aérostatique. See Statical, Statics. ] 1. Of or pertaining to aërostatics; pneumatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Aëronautic; as, an aërostatic voyage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The science that treats of the equilibrium of elastic fluids, or that of bodies sustained in them. Hence it includes aëronautics. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. aérostation the art of using aërostats. ] 1. That part of aëronautics that deals with passive balloons; the art of raising and guiding balloons in the air. [ 1913 Webster +Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. The science of weighing air; aërostatics. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of converting into forest or woodland. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a mountainous country in central Asia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to Afghanis.
Syn. -- Afghani, Afghan, afghanistani [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan.
Syn. -- Afghan, Pashto, Pathan [ WordNet 1.5 ]

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

n. 1. 1 giant hyssop; Mexican hyssop.
Syn. -- genus Agastache. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ LL. ] See Agister. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A stake or pole projecting from, or set up before, an alehouse, as a sign; an alepole. At the end was commonly suspended a garland, a bunch of leaves, or a “bush.” [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of moths whose larvae are flour moths.
Syn. -- genus Anagasta. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. & n. [ Gr. 'anastaltiko`s fitted for checking, fr. 'ana` + ste`llein to send. ] (Med.) Styptic. [ Obs. ] Coxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'ana` up + ista`nai to make to stand. ] (Physiol.) One of a series of substances formed, in secreting cells, by constructive or anabolic processes, in the production of protoplasm; -- opposed to katastate. Foster. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'ana` up + ista`nai to make to stand: cf. statiko`s causing to stand. ] Pertaining to a process or a style of printing from characters in relief on zinc plates. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this process the letterpress, engraving, or design of any kind is transferred to a zinc plate; the parts not covered with ink are eaten out, leaving a facsimile in relief to be printed from. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of plants consisting of a single species, rose of Jericho (also called resurrection plant).
Syn. -- genus Anastatica. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. angustatus, p. p. of angustare to make narrow. ] Narrowed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of making narrow; a straitening or contacting. Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Fort.) A small intrenchment or work of palisades, or of sacks of earth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the doctrine or political position that opposes the withdrawal of state recognition of an established church; -- used especially concerning the Anglican Church in England. Opposed to disestablishmentarianism. [ PJC ]

a. (Med.) Opposed to, or checking motion; acting upward; -- applied to an inverted action of the intestinal tube. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. 'antiperi`stasis; 'anti` against + peri`stasis a standing around, fr. periista`nai to stand around; peri` around + "ista`nai to stand.] Opposition by which the quality opposed acquires strength; resistance or reaction roused by opposition or by the action of an opposite principle or quality. [1913 Webster]

a. Pertaining to antiperistasis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Apostasies [ OE. apostasie, F. apostasie, L. apostasia, fr. Gr. &unr_; a standing off from, a defection, fr. &unr_; to stand off, revolt; &unr_; from + &unr_; to stand. See Off and Stand. ] An abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; a total desertion of departure from one's faith, principles, or party; esp., the renunciation of a religious faith; as, Julian's apostasy from Christianity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. apostata, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_;. See Apostasy. ] 1. One who has forsaken the faith, principles, or party, to which he before adhered; esp., one who has forsaken his religion for another; a pervert; a renegade. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (R. C. Ch.) One who, after having received sacred orders, renounces his clerical profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or characterized by, apostasy; faithless to moral allegiance; renegade. [ 1913 Webster ]

So spake the apostate angel. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wretched and apostate state. Steele. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ L. apostatare. ] To apostatize. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We are not of them which apostate from Christ. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. apostaticus, Gr. &unr_;. ] Apostatical. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Apostate. [ 1913 Webster ]

An heretical and apostatical church. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Apostatized p. pr. & vb. n. Apostatizing. ] [ LL. apostatizare. ] To renounce totally a religious belief once professed; to forsake one's church, the faith or principles once held, or the party to which one has previously adhered. [ 1913 Webster ]

He apostatized from his old faith in facts, took to believing in &unr_;emblances. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of plants including the bearberry; manzanita.
Syn. -- genus Arctostaphylos. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ L. ] (Bot.) An awn. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Aristarchus, a Greek grammarian and critic, of Alexandria, about 200 b. c. ] A severe critic. Knowles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Severely critical. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Severely criticism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Severe criticism. [ Obs. ] Sir J. Harrington. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. aristatus, fr. arista. See Arista. ] 1. (Bot.) Having a pointed, beardlike process, as the glumes of wheat; awned. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Having a slender, sharp, or spinelike tip. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. arrestation, LL. arrestatio. ] Arrest. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The arrestation of the English resident in France was decreed by the National Convention. H. M. Williams. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. assistance. ] 1. The act of assisting; help; aid; furtherance; succor; support. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without the assistance of a mortal hand. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assistant or helper; a body of helpers. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Wat Tyler [ was ] killed by valiant Walworth, the lord mayor of London, and his assistance, . . . John Cavendish. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Persons present. [ Obs. or a Gallicism ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. assistant, p. pr. of assister. ] 1. Helping; lending aid or support; auxiliary. [ 1913 Webster ]

Genius and learning . . . are mutually and greatly assistant to each other. Beattie. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) Of the second grade in the staff of the army; as, an assistant surgeon. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the English army it designates the third grade in any particular branch of the staff. Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, assists; a helper; an auxiliary; a means of help. [ 1913 Webster ]

Four assistants who his labor share. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rhymes merely as assistants to memory. Mrs. Chapone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An attendant; one who is present. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to give aid. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the family including the crayfish.
Syn. -- Astacidae, family Astacidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]