Acidity A·cid"i·ty noun [ Latin
acidites , from
acidus : confer French
acidité . See
Acid .]
The quality of being sour; sourness; tartness; sharpness to the taste; as, the acidity of lemon juice.
Acidly Ac"id·ly adverb Sourly; tartly.
Acidness Ac"id·ness noun Acidity; sourness.
Acidulate A·cid"u·late transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Acidulated ;
present participle & verbal noun Acidulating ] [ Confer French
aciduler . See
Acidulous .]
To make sour or acid in a moderate degree; to sour somewhat. Arbuthnot.
Acidulent A·cid"u·lent adjective Having an acid quality; sour; acidulous. "With anxious,
acidulent face."
Carlyle.
Acidulous A·cid"u·lous adjective [ Latin
acidulus , dim. of
acidus . See Acid.]
Slightly sour; sub-acid; sourish; as, an acidulous tincture. E. Burke. Acidulous mineral waters ,
such as contain carbonic anhydride.
Acierage Ac`i·er·age noun [ French
aciérage , from
acier steel.]
The process of coating the surface of a metal plate (as a stereotype plate) with steellike iron by means of voltaic electricity; steeling.
Aciform Ac"i·form adjective [ Latin
acus needle +
-form .]
Shaped like a needle.
Acinaceous Ac"i·na"ceous adjective [ Latin
acinus a grape, grapestone.]
(Botany) Containing seeds or stones of grapes, or grains like them.
Acinaces A·cin"a·ces noun [ Latin , from Greek ....]
(Anc. Hist.) A short sword or saber.
Acinaciform Ac`i·nac"i·form (ăs`ĭ*năs"ĭ*fôrm)
adjective [ Latin
acinaces a short sword +
-form : confer French
acinaciforme .]
(Botany) Scimeter-shaped; as, an acinaciform leaf.
Acinesia Ac`i·ne"si·a (ăs`ĭ*nē"sĭ*ȧ)
noun (Medicine) Same as Akinesia .
Acinetiform Ac`i·net"i·form adjective [
Acinetæ +
-form .]
(Zoology) Resembling the Acinetæ.
Acinetæ Ac`i·ne"tæ (ăs`ĭ*nē"tē)
noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek
'akinhtos immovable.]
(Zoology) A group of suctorial Infusoria, which in the adult stage are stationary. See Suctoria .
Aciniform A·cin"i·form adjective [ Latin
acinus a grape, grapestone +
-form : confer French
acinoforme .]
1. Having the form of a cluster of grapes; clustered like grapes. 2. Full of small kernels like a grape.
Acinose, Acinous Ac"i·nose`, Ac"i·nous adjective [ Latin
acinosus , from acinus grapestone.]
Consisting of acini , or minute granular concretions; as, acinose or acinous glands. Kirwan.
Acinus Ac"i·nus noun ;
plural Acini [ Latin , grape, grapestone.]
1. (Botany) (a) One of the small grains or drupelets which make up some kinds of fruit, as the blackberry, raspberry, etc. (b) A grapestone. 2. (Anat.) One of the granular masses which constitute a racemose or compound gland, as the pancreas; also, one of the saccular recesses in the lobules of a racemose gland. Quain.
Acipenser Ac`i·pen"ser noun [ Latin , the name of a fish.]
(Zoology) A genus of ganoid fishes, including the sturgeons, having the body armed with bony scales, and the mouth on the under side of the head. See Sturgeon .
Aciurgy Ac"i·ur`gy noun [ Greek ... a point + ... work.]
Operative surgery.
Acknow Ac·know" transitive verb [ Prefix
a- +
know ; Anglo-Saxon
oncnāwan .]
1. To recognize. [ Obsolete] "You will not be
acknown , sir."
B. Jonson. 2. To acknowledge; to confess. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer. To be acknown (often with
of or
on ),
to acknowledge; to confess. [ Obsolete]
We say of a stubborn body that standeth still in the denying of his fault, This man will not acknowledge his fault, or, He will not be acknown of his fault.
Sir T. More.
Acknowledge Ac·knowl"edge transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Acknowledged ;
present participle & verbal noun Acknowledging ] [ Prob. from prefix
a- + the verb
knowledge . See
Knowledge , and confer
Acknow .]
1. To of or admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a God. I acknowledge my transgressions.
Ps. li. 3.
For ends generally acknowledged to be good.
Macaulay.
2. To own or recognize in a particular character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to. In all thy ways acknowledge Him.
Prov. iii. 6.
By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee.
Shak.
3. To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor, the receipt of a letter. They his gifts acknowledged none.
Milton.
4. To own as genuine; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledge a deed. Syn. -- To avow; proclaim; recognize; own; admit; allow; concede; confess. --
Acknowledge ,
Recognize .
Acknowledge is opposed to
keep back , or
conceal , and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man
acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong
acknowledges his fault; and author
acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we
acknowledge our ignorance.
Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we
recognize a friend after a long absence. We
recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually
recognize the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is
recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. See also
Confess .
Acknowledgedly Ac·knowl"edged·ly adverb Confessedly.
Acknowledger Ac·knowl"edg·er noun One who acknowledges.
Acknowledgment Ac·knowl"edg·ment (-m
e nt)
noun 1. The act of acknowledging; admission; avowal; owning; confession. "An
acknowledgment of fault."
Froude. 2. The act of owning or recognized in a particular character or relationship; recognition as regards the existence, authority, truth, or genuineness. Immediately upon the acknowledgment of the Christian faith, the eunuch was baptized by Philip.
Hooker.
3. The owning of a benefit received; courteous recognition; expression of thanks. Shak. 4. Something given or done in return for a favor, message, etc. Smollett. 5. A declaration or avowal of one's own act, to give it legal validity; as, the acknowledgment of a deed before a proper officer. Also, the certificate of the officer attesting such declaration. Acknowledgment money ,
in some parts of England, a sum paid by copyhold tenants, on the death of their landlords, as an acknowledgment of their new lords. Cowell. Syn. -- Confession; concession; recognition; admission; avowal; recognizance.
Aclinic A·clin"ic adjective [ Greek
'a priv. + ... to incline.]
(Physics.) Without inclination or dipping; - - said the magnetic needle balances itself horizontally, having no dip. The aclinic line is also termed the magnetic equator . Prof. August.
Acme Ac"me noun [ Greek ... point, top.]
1. The top or highest point; the culmination. The very acme and pitch of life for epic poetry.
Pope.
The moment when a certain power reaches the acme of its supremacy.
I. Taylor.
2. (Medicine) The crisis or height of a disease. 3. Mature age; full bloom of life. B. Jonson.
Acne Ac"ne noun [ New Latin , probably a corruption of Greek ...]
(Medicine) A pustular affection of the skin, due to changes in the sebaceous glands.
Acnodal Ac·no"dal adjective Pertaining to acnodes.
Acnode Ac"node noun [ Latin
acus needle + English
node .]
(Geom.) An isolated point not upon a curve, but whose coördinates satisfy the equation of the curve so that it is considered as belonging to the curve.
Acock A·cock" adverb [ Prefix
a- +
cock .]
In a cocked or turned up fashion.
Acockbill A·cock"bill` adverb [ Prefix
a- +
cock +
bill : with bills cocked up.]
(Nautical) (a) Hanging at the cathead, ready to let go, as an anchor. (b) Topped up; having one yardarm higher than the other.
Acold A·cold" adjective [ Prob. past participle of Middle English
acolen to grow cold or cool, Anglo-Saxon
ācōlian to grow cold; prefix
a- (cf. Goth.
er- , orig. meaning
out ) +
cōlian to cool. See
Cool .]
Cold. [ Obsolete] "Poor Tom's
acold ."
Shak.
Acologic Ac`o·log"ic adjective Pertaining to acology.
Acology A·col"o·gy noun [ Greek ... remedy +
- logy .]
Materia medica; the science of remedies.
Acolothist A·col"o·thist noun See Acolythist .
Acolyctine Ac`o·lyc"tine noun [ From the name of the plant.]
(Chemistry) An organic base, in the form of a white powder, obtained from Aconitum lycoctonum . Eng. Cyc.
Acolyte Ac`o·lyte noun [ Late Latin
acolythus ,
acoluthus , Greek ... following, attending: confer French
acolyte .]
1. (Eccl.) One who has received the highest of the four minor orders in the Catholic church, being ordained to carry the wine and water and the lights at the Mass. 2. One who attends; an assistant. "With such chiefs, and with James and John as
acolytes ."
Motley.
Acolyth Ac"o·lyth noun Same as Acolyte .
Acolythist A·col"y·thist noun An acolyte. [ Obsolete]
Aconddylose, Acondylous A·cond"dy·lose`, A·con"dy·lous adjective [ Greek
'a priv. + ... joint.]
(Nat. Hist.) Being without joints; jointless.
Aconital Ac`o·ni"tal adjective Of the nature of aconite.
Aconite Ac"o·nite noun [ Latin
aconitum , Greek ...: confer French
aconit .]
1. (Botany) The herb wolfsbane, or monkshood; -- applied to any plant of the genus Aconitum (tribe Hellebore ), all the species of which are poisonous. 2. An extract or tincture obtained from Aconitum napellus , used as a poison and medicinally. Winter aconite ,
a plant ( Eranthis hyemalis ) allied to the aconites.
Aconitia Ac`o·ni"ti·a noun (Chemistry) Same as Aconitine .
Aconitic Ac`o·nit"ic adjective Of or pertaining to aconite.
Aconitic Ac`o·nit"ic adjective (Chemistry) Pert. to or designating a crystalline tribasic acid, ..., obtained from aconite and other plants. It is a carboxyl derivative of itaconic acid.
Aconitine A·con"i·tine noun (Chemistry) An intensely poisonous alkaloid, extracted from aconite.
Aconitum Ac`o·ni"tum noun [ Latin See
Aconite .]
The poisonous herb aconite; also, an extract from it. Strong
As aconitum or rash gunpowder.
Shak.
Acontia A·con"ti·a noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek ... a little dart.]
(Zoology) Threadlike defensive organs, composed largely of nettling cells ( cnidæ ), thrown out of the mouth or special pores of certain Actiniæ when irritated.
Acontias A·con"ti·as noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ..., dim. ... dart.]
(Zoology) Anciently, a snake, called dart snake ; now, one of a genus of reptiles closely allied to the lizards.
Acopic A·cop"ic adjective [ Greek
... priv. + ... striking. weariness, ... to strike.]
(Medicine) Relieving weariness; restorative.