Webster's Dictionary, 1913
Affix transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Affixed ;
present participle & verbal noun Affixing .] [ Late Latin
affixare , Latin
affixus , past participle of
affigere to fasten to;
ad +
figere to fasten: confer Middle English
affichen , French
afficher , ultimately from Latin
affigere . See
Fix .]
1. To subjoin, annex, or add at the close or end; to append to; to fix to any part of; as, to affix a syllable to a word; to affix a seal to an instrument; to affix one's name to a writing. 2. To fix or fasten in any way; to attach physically. Should they [ caterpillars] affix them to the leaves of a plant improper for their food.
Ray.
3. To attach, unite, or connect with; as, names affixed to ideas, or ideas affixed to things; to affix a stigma to a person; to affix ridicule or blame to any one. 4. To fix or fasten figuratively; -- with on or upon ; as, eyes affixed upon the ground. [ Obsolete]
Spenser. Syn. -- To attach; subjoin; connect; annex; unite.
Affix noun ;
plural Affixes . [ Latin
affixus , past participle of
affigere : confer French
affixe .]
That which is affixed; an appendage; esp. one or more letters or syllables added at the end of a word; a suffix; a postfix.
Affixion noun [ Latin affixio , from affigere .] Affixture. [ Obsolete] T. Adams.
Affixture noun The act of affixing, or the state of being affixed; attachment.
Afflation noun [ Latin afflatus , past participle of afflare to blow or breathe on; ad + flare to blow.] A blowing or breathing on; inspiration.
Afflatus noun [ Latin , from
afflare . See
Afflation .]
1. A breath or blast of wind. 2. A divine impartation of knowledge; supernatural impulse; inspiration. A poet writing against his genius will be like a prophet without his afflatus .
Spence.
Afflict transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Afflicted ;
present participle & verbal noun Afflicting .] [ Latin
afflictus , past participle of
affigere to cast down, deject;
ad +
fligere to strike: confer Old French
aflit ,
afflict , past participle Confer
Flagellate .]
1. To strike or cast down; to overthrow. [ Obsolete] "Reassembling our
afflicted powers."
Milton. 2. To inflict some great injury or hurt upon, causing continued pain or mental distress; to trouble grievously; to torment. They did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
Exod. i. 11.
That which was the worst now least afflicts me.
Milton.
3. To make low or humble. [ Obsolete]
Spenser. Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error before an afflicted truth.
Jer. Taylor.
Syn. -- To trouble; grieve; pain; distress; harass; torment; wound; hurt.
Afflict past participle & adjective [ Latin afflictus , past participle ] Afflicted. [ Obsolete] Becon.
Afflictedness noun The state of being afflicted; affliction. [ Obsolete] Bp. Hall.
Afflicter noun One who afflicts.
Afflicting adjective Grievously painful; distressing; afflictive; as, an afflicting event. -- Af*flict"ing*ly, adv .
Affliction noun [ French
affliction , Latin
afflictio , from
affligere .]
1. The cause of continued pain of body or mind, as sickness, losses, etc.; an instance of grievous distress; a pain or grief. To repay that money will be a biting affliction .
Shak.
2. The state of being afflicted; a state of pain, distress, or grief. Some virtues are seen only in affliction .
Addison.
Syn. -- Calamity; sorrow; distress; grief; pain; adversity; misery; wretchedness; misfortune; trouble; hardship. --
Affliction ,
Sorrow ,
Grief ,
Distress . Affliction and
sorrow are terms of wide and general application;
grief and
distress have reference to particular cases.
Affliction is the stronger term. The suffering lies deeper in the soul, and usually arises from some powerful cause, such as the loss of what is most dear -- friends, health, etc. We do not speak of mere sickness or pain as "an affliction," though one who suffers from either is said to be
afflicted ; but deprivations of every kind, such as deafness, blindness, loss of limbs, etc., are called
afflictions , showing that term applies particularly to prolonged sources of suffering.
Sorrow and
grief are much alike in meaning, but
grief is the stronger term of the two, usually denoting poignant mental suffering for some definite cause, as,
grief for the death of a dear friend;
sorrow is more reflective, and is tinged with regret, as, the misconduct of a child is looked upon with
sorrow .
Grief is often violent and demonstrative;
sorrow deep and brooding.
Distress implies extreme suffering, either bodily or mental. In its higher stages, it denotes pain of a restless, agitating kind, and almost always supposes some struggle of mind or body.
Affliction is allayed,
grief subsides,
sorrow is soothed,
distress is mitigated.
Afflictionless adjective Free from affliction.
Afflictive adjective [ Confer French
afflictif .]
Giving pain; causing continued or repeated pain or grief; distressing. "Jove's
afflictive hand."
Pope. Spreads slow disease, and darts afflictive pain.
Prior.
Afflictively adverb In an afflictive manner.
Affluence noun [ French
affluence , Latin
affluentia , from
affluens , present participle of
affluere to flow to;
ad +
fluere to flow. See
Flux .]
1. A flowing to or towards; a concourse; an influx. The affluence of young nobles from hence into Spain.
Wotton.
There is an unusual affluence of strangers this year.
Carlyle.
2. An abundant supply, as of thought, words, feelings, etc.; profusion; also, abundance of property; wealth. And old age of elegance, affluence , and ease.
Coldsmith.
Syn. -- Abundance; riches; profusion; exuberance; plenty; wealth; opulence.
Affluency noun Affluence. [ Obsolete] Addison.
Affluent adjective [ Confer French
affluent , Latin
affluens ,
-entis , present participle See
Affluence .]
1. Flowing to; flowing abundantly. "
Affluent blood."
Harvey. 2. Abundant; copious; plenteous; hence, wealthy; abounding in goods or riches. Language . . . affluent in expression.
H. Reed.
Loaded and blest with all the affluent store,
Which human vows at smoking shrines implore.
Prior.
Affluent noun A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; a tributary stream.
Affluently adverb Abundantly; copiously.
Affluentness noun Great plenty. [ R.]
Afflux noun [ Latin
affluxum , past participle of
affluere : confer French
afflux . See
Affluence .]
A flowing towards; that which flows to; as, an afflux of blood to the head.
Affluxion noun The act of flowing towards; afflux. Sir T. Browne.
Affodill noun Asphodel. [ Obsolete]
Afforce transitive verb [ Old French afforcier , Late Latin affortiare ; ad + fortiare , from Latin fortis strong.] To reënforce; to strengthen. Hallam.
Afforcement noun [ Old French ]
1. A fortress; a fortification for defense. [ Obsolete] Bailey. 2. A reënforcement; a strengthening. Hallam.
Afford (ăf*fōrd")
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Afforded ;
present participle & verbal noun Affording .] [ Middle English
aforthen , Anglo-Saxon
geforðian ,
forðian , to further, accomplish, afford, from
forð forth, forward. The prefix
ge- has no well defined sense. See
Forth .]
1. To give forth; to supply, yield, or produce as the natural result, fruit, or issue; as, grapes afford wine; olives afford oil; the earth affords fruit; the sea affords an abundant supply of fish. 2. To give, grant, or confer, with a remoter reference to its being the natural result; to provide; to furnish; as, a good life affords consolation in old age. His tuneful Muse affords the sweetest numbers.
Addison.
The quiet lanes . . . afford calmer retreats.
Gilpin.
3. To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting, expending, with profit, or without loss or too great injury; as, A affords his goods cheaper than B; a man can afford a sum yearly in charity. 4. To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; -- with an auxiliary, as can , could , might , etc.; to be able or rich enough. The merchant can afford to trade for smaller profits.
Hamilton.
He could afford to suffer
With those whom he saw suffer.
Wordsworth.
Affordable adjective That may be afforded.
Affordment noun Anything given as a help; bestowal. [ Obsolete]
Afforest transitive verb [ Late Latin
afforestare ;
ad +
forestare . See
Forest .]
To convert into a forest; as, to afforest a tract of country.
Afforestation noun The act of converting into forest or woodland. Blackstone.
Afformative noun An affix.
Affranchise transitive verb [ French
affranchir ;
... (L.
ad ) +
franc free. See
Franchise and
Frank .]
To make free; to enfranchise. Johnson.
Affranchisement noun [ Confer French affranchissement .] The act of making free; enfranchisement. [ R.]
Affrap transitive verb & i. [ Confer Italian
affrappare ,
frappare , to cut, mince, French
frapper to strike. See
Frap .]
To strike, or strike down. [ Obsolete]
Spenser.
Affray transitive verb [
past participle Affrayed .] [ Middle English
afraien ,
affraien , Old French
effreer ,
esfreer , French
effrayer , orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, from Latin
ex + Old High German
fridu peace (akin to English
free ). Confer
Afraid ,
Fray ,
Frith inclosure.] [ Archaic]
1. To startle from quiet; to alarm. Smale foules a great heap
That had afrayed [ affrayed] me out of my sleep.
Chaucer.
2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away. That voice doth us affray .
Shak.
Affray noun [ Middle English
afrai ,
affrai , Old French
esfrei , French
effroi , from Old French
esfreer . See
Affray ,
transitive verb ]
1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [ Obsolete]
2. Alarm; terror; fright. [ Obsolete]
Spenser. 3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the
affray ."
Motley. 4. (Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone. » A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an
affray .
Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance.
Affrayer noun One engaged in an affray.
Affrayment noun Affray. [ Obsolete] Spenser.
Affreight transitive verb [ Prefix
ad- +
freight : confer French
affréter . See
Freight .]
To hire, as a ship, for the transportation of goods or freight.
Affreighter noun One who hires or charters a ship to convey goods.
Affreightment noun [ Confer French affrétement .] The act of hiring, or the contract for the use of, a vessel, or some part of it, to convey cargo.
Affret noun [ Confer Italian affrettare to hasten, fretta haste.] A furious onset or attack. [ Obsolete] Spenser.
Affricate noun [ Latin affricatus , past participle of affricare to rub against; af- = ad- + fricare to rub.] (Phon.) A combination of a stop, or explosive, with an immediately following fricative or spirant of corresponding organic position, as pf in german Pfeffer , pepper, z ( = ts ) in German Zeit , time.
Affriction noun [ Latin
affricare to rub on. See
Friction .]
The act of rubbing against. [ Obsolete]
Affriended past participle Made friends; reconciled. [ Obsolete] "Deadly foes . . . affriended ." Spenser.
Affright transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Affrighted ;
present participle & verbal noun Affrighting .] [ Orig. past participle ; Middle English
afright , Anglo-Saxon
āfyrhtan to terrify;
ā- (cf. Goth.
us- , German
er- , orig. meaning
out ) +
fyrhto fright. See
Fright .]
To impress with sudden fear; to frighten; to alarm. Dreams affright our souls.
Shak.
A drear and dying sound
Affrights the flamens at their service quaint.
Milton.
Syn. -- To terrify; frighten; alarm; dismay; appall; scare; startle; daunt; intimidate.
Affright p. adjective Affrighted. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.
Affright noun 1. Sudden and great fear; terror. It expresses a stronger impression than fear , or apprehension , perhaps less than terror . He looks behind him with affright , and forward with despair.
Goldsmith.
2. The act of frightening; also, a cause of terror; an object of dread. B. Jonson.