English Dictionary [antikvár]

A, a, n. the first letter of the English alphabet. A, a, n. an abbreviation. A, n. a Roman nximeral denoting 50 or 500; with a bar (a), 5,000. A (unstressed)j indef. art. one; any; some; each ; used before consonants; becomes an before vowels and h mute. A, prep, to, in, at, on, upon, etc., with various significations, as motion, position, state, condition, tane; implying movement. A- a common English prefix, having various values. A FLAT (flat), a musical tone half a step below A. A FLAT MAJOR (ma'jer), a major scale having a signature of four flats. A MAJOR, a major scale having a signature of three sharps. A IVilNOR (mi'ner), *a minor key relative to the natural or normal scale and having neither fiats nor sharps in its signature. Ai (a'wim), adj. superior j of the highest class. AARDVARK (ard'vark), n. an African mammal with a long, protrusile, slimy tongue. AARDWOLF (ard'woolf), n. a nocturnal carnivorous manunal of South Africa. AB (ab), M. the fiifth month of the Jewish year. ABACK (a-backOj adv. backward; against the mast; said of sails; by surprise. ABACUS (ab'a-kus), «, beads or baUs strung upon rods or wires j used for computation. ABAFT (a-baftO, adv. & prep, toward, or in the direction of, the stern of a ship; astern. ABANDON (a-ban'dun), n. surrender of one's self to a feeling; a giving up to natural impulses: v.t. to desert; forsake utterly. ABANDONED (a-ban'dund), adj. given up entirely. ABANDONMENT (a-ban'dun-ment), n. the act of abandoning; die state of being abandoned. A-BAS (a-ba')j [Fr.] down with. ABASE (a-bas'), v.t. to humble or degrade; dishonour. ABASH (a-bashO, v.t. to put to confusion; confound or make ashamed. ABATE (a-bat'), v.t. to lessen; suppress : v.i. to decrease; moderate; subside. ABATEMENT (a-bat'ment), n. the act of abating. ABATTOIR (a-bat-twar'), n. a public slaughter-house. ABB (ab), tt. the yam of the warp in weaving. ABBE (a-baO, n. a R.C. ecclesiastic; a curate. ABBESS (ab'es), «. the lady-superior of a convent or nuimery. ABBEY (ab'i), n. an establishment for religious devotees. ABBREVIATE (ab-bre'vi-at), v.t. to shorten, as by contraction of a word, or the omission of words. ABBREVIATION (ab-bre'vi-a'shun), n. the act of shortening; the state of being abbreviated. ABBREVIATOR (ab-bre'vi-a-ter), n. one who shortens or abbreviates. ABBREVIATURE (ab-bre'vi-a'tur), n. the sign used for contraction. ABDICATE (ab'di-kat), v.t. to give up or withdraw from. ABDICATION (ab-di-ka'shun), n. the act of relinquishment or resignation. ABDICATOR (ab'di-ka-ter), n. one who abdicates or resigns. ABDOJVIEN (ab-do'men), n. the cavity containing the digestive apparatus or viscera. ABDOMINAL (ab-dom'i-nal), adj. pertaining to the abdomen. ABDUCE (ab-dusO, v.t. to draw away by persuasion or argrunent. ABDUCT (ab-dukt'), v.t. to carry off by stealth or force; kidnap.