Anatomist A·nat"o·mist noun [ Confer French anatomiste .] One who is skilled in the art of anatomy, or dissection.

Anatomization A·nat`o·mi·za"tion noun The act of anatomizing.

Anatomize A·nat"o·mize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Anatomized ; present participle & verbal noun Anatomizing .] [ Confer French anatomiser .] 1. To dissect; to cut in pieces, as an animal vegetable body, for the purpose of displaying or examining the structure and use of the several parts.

2. To discriminate minutely or carefully; to analyze.

If we anatomize all other reasonings of this nature, we shall find that they are founded on the relation of cause and effect.
Hume.

Anatomizer A·nat"o·mi`zer noun A dissector.

Anatomy A·nat"o·my noun ; plural Anatomies [ French anatomie , Latin anatomia , Greek ... dissection, from ... to cut up; ... + ... to cut.] 1. The art of dissecting, or artificially separating the different parts of any organized body, to discover their situation, structure, and economy; dissection.

2. The science which treats of the structure of organic bodies; anatomical structure or organization.

Let the muscles be well inserted and bound together, according to the knowledge of them which is given us by anatomy .
Dryden.

» "Animal anatomy" is sometimes called zomy ; "vegetable anatomy," phytotomy ; "human anatomy," anthropotomy .

Comparative anatomy compares the structure of different kinds and classes of animals.

3. A treatise or book on anatomy.

4. The act of dividing anything, corporeal or intellectual, for the purpose of examining its parts; analysis; as, the anatomy of a discourse.

5. A skeleton; anything anatomized or dissected, or which has the appearance of being so.

The anatomy of a little child, representing all parts thereof, is accounted a greater rarity than the skeleton of a man in full stature.
Fuller.

They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced villain,
A mere anatomy .
Shak.

Anatreptic An`a·trep"tic adjective [ overturning, from ... to turn up or over; ... + ... too turn.] Overthrowing; defeating; -- applied to Plato's refutative dialogues. Enfield.

Anatron An"a·tron noun [ French anatron , natron , Spanish anatron , natron , from Arabic al- natrūn . See Natron , Niter .] [ Obsolete] 1. Native carbonate of soda; natron.

2. Glass gall or sandiver.

3. Saltpeter. Coxe. Johnson.

Anatropal, Anatropous A·nat"ro·pal, A·nat"ro·pous adjective [ Greek ... up + ... to turn.] (Botany) Having the ovule inverted at an early period in its development, so that the chalaza is as the apparent apex; -- opposed to orthotropous . Gray.

Anatto A·nat"to noun Same as Annotto .

Anbury, Ambury An"bur·y, Am"bur·y noun [ Anglo-Saxon ampre , ompre , a crooked swelling vein: confer Prov. English amper a tumor with inflammation. Confer the first syllable in agnail , and berry a fruit.] 1. (Far.) A soft tumor or bloody wart on horses or oxen.

2. A disease of the roots of turnips, etc.; -- called also fingers and toes .

Ancestor An"ces·tor noun [ Middle English ancestre , auncestre , also ancessour ; the first forms from Old French ancestre , French ancêtre , from the Latin nom. antessor one who goes before; the last form from Old French ancessor , from Latin acc. antecessorem , from antecedere to go before; ante before + cedere to go. See Cede , and confer Antecessor .] 1. One from whom a person is descended, whether on the father's or mother's side, at any distance of time; a progenitor; a fore father.

2. (Biol.) An earlier type; a progenitor; as, this fossil animal is regarded as the ancestor of the horse.

3. (Law) One from whom an estate has descended; -- the correlative of heir .

Ancestorial An`ces·to"ri·al adjective Ancestral. Grote.

Ancestorially An`ces·to"ri·al·ly adverb With regard to ancestors.

Ancestral An·ces"tral adjective Of, pertaining to, derived from, or possessed by, an ancestor or ancestors; as, an ancestral estate. " Ancestral trees." Hemans.

Ancestress An"ces·tress noun A female ancestor.

Ancestry An"ces·try noun [ Confer Old French ancesserie . See Ancestor .] 1. Condition as to ancestors; ancestral lineage; hence, birth or honorable descent.

Title and ancestry render a good man more illustrious, but an ill one more contemptible.
Addison.

2. A series of ancestors or progenitors; lineage, or those who compose the line of natural descent.

Anchor An"chor (ăn"kẽr) noun [ Middle English anker , Anglo-Saxon ancor , oncer , Latin ancora , sometimes spelt anchora , from Greek 'a`gkyra , akin to English angle : confer French ancre . See Angle , noun ] 1. A iron instrument which is attached to a ship by a cable (rope or chain), and which, being cast overboard, lays hold of the earth by a fluke or hook and thus retains the ship in a particular station.

» The common anchor consists of a straight bar called a shank , having at one end a transverse bar called a stock , above which is a ring for the cable, and at the other end the crown , from which branch out two or more arms with flukes , forming with the shank a suitable angle to enter the ground.

Formerly the largest and strongest anchor was the sheet anchor (hence, Fig., best hope or last refuge), called also waist anchor . Now the bower and the sheet anchor are usually alike. Then came the best bower and the small bower (so called from being carried on the bows). The stream anchor is one fourth the weight of the bower anchor. Kedges or kedge anchors are light anchors used in warping.

2. Any instrument or contrivance serving a purpose like that of a ship's anchor, as an arrangement of timber to hold a dam fast; a contrivance to hold the end of a bridge cable, or other similar part; a contrivance used by founders to hold the core of a mold in place.

3. Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety.

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul.
Hebrew vi. 19.

4. (Her.) An emblem of hope.

5. (Architecture) (a) A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together. (b) Carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor or arrowhead; -- a part of the ornaments of certain moldings. It is seen in the echinus, or egg-and- anchor (called also egg-and-dart , egg-and-tongue ) ornament.

6. (Zoology) One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges; also, one of the calcareous spinules of certain Holothurians, as in species of Synapta .

Anchor ice . See under Ice . -- Anchor ring . (Math.) Same as Annulus , 2 (b). -- Anchor stock (Nautical) , the crossbar at the top of the shank at right angles to the arms. -- The anchor comes home , when it drags over the bottom as the ship drifts. -- Foul anchor , the anchor when it hooks, or is entangled with, another anchor, or with a cable or wreck, or when the slack cable entangled. -- The anchor is acockbill , when it is suspended perpendicularly from the cathead, ready to be let go. -- The anchor is apeak , when the cable is drawn in do tight as to bring to ship directly over it. -- The anchor is atrip , or aweigh , when it is lifted out of the ground. -- The anchor is awash , when it is hove up to the surface of the water. -- At anchor , anchored. -- To back an anchor , to increase the holding power by laying down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides, with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to prevent its coming home. -- To cast anchor , to drop or let go an anchor to keep a ship at rest. -- To cat the anchor , to hoist the anchor to the cathead and pass the ring- stopper. -- To fish the anchor , to hoist the flukes to their resting place (called the bill-boards), and pass the shank painter. -- To weigh anchor , to heave or raise the anchor so as to sail away.

Anchor An"chor transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Anchored ; present participle & verbal noun Anchoring .] [ Confer French ancrer .] 1. To place at anchor; to secure by an anchor; as, to anchor a ship.

2. To fix or fasten; to fix in a stable condition; as, to anchor the cables of a suspension bridge.

Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes.
Shak.

Anchor An"chor intransitive verb 1. To cast anchor; to come to anchor; as, our ship (or the captain) anchored in the stream.

2. To stop; to fix or rest.

My invention . . . anchors on Isabel.
Shak.

Anchor An"chor noun [ Middle English anker , ancre , Anglo-Saxon ancra , from Latin anachoreta . See Anchoret .] An anchoret. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Anchor escapement An"chor es·cape"ment (Horol.) (a) The common recoil escapement. (b) A variety of the lever escapement with a wide impulse pin.

Anchor light Anchor light (Nautical) The lantern shown at night by a vessel at anchor. International rules of the road require vessels at anchor to carry from sunset to sunrise a single white light forward if under 150 feet in length, and if longer, two such lights, one near the stern and one forward.

Anchor shot Anchor shot (Billiards) A shot made with the object balls in an anchor space.

Anchor space Anchor space (Billiards) In the balk-line game, any of eight spaces, 7 inches by 3½, lying along a cushion and bisected transversely by a balk line. Object balls in an anchor space are treated as in balk.

Anchor watch Anchor watch (Nautical) A detail of one or more men who keep watch on deck at night when a vessel is at anchor.

Anchor-hold An"chor-hold` noun 1. The hold or grip of an anchor, or that to which it holds.

2. Hence: Firm hold: security.

Anchorable An"chor·a·ble adjective Fit for anchorage.

Anchorage An"chor·age noun 1. The act of anchoring, or the condition of lying at anchor.

2. A place suitable for anchoring or where ships anchor; a hold for an anchor.

3. The set of anchors belonging to a ship.

4. Something which holds like an anchor; a hold; as, the anchorages of the Brooklyn Bridge.

5. Something on which one may depend for security; ground of trust.

6. A toll for anchoring; anchorage duties. Johnson.

Anchorage An"cho·rage noun Abode of an anchoret.

Anchorate An"chor·ate adjective Anchor- shaped.

Anchored An"chored adjective 1. Held by an anchor; at anchor; held safely; as, an anchored bark; also, shaped like an anchor; forked; as, an anchored tongue.

2. (Her.) Having the extremities turned back, like the flukes of an anchor; as, an anchored cross. [ Sometimes spelt ancred .]

Anchoress An"cho·ress noun A female anchoret.

And there, a saintly anchoress , she dwelt.
Wordsworth.

Anchoret, Anchorite An"cho·ret, An"cho·rite noun [ French anachorète , Latin anachoreta , from Greek ..., from ... to go back, retire; ... + ... to give place, retire, ... place; perhaps akin to Sanskrit hā to leave. Confer Anchor a hermit.] One who renounces the world and secludes himself, usually for religious reasons; a hermit; a recluse. [ Written by some authors anachoret .]

Our Savior himself . . . did not choose an anchorite's or a monastic life, but a social and affable way of conversing with mortals.
Boyle.

Anchoretic, Anchoretical An`cho·ret"ic, An`cho·ret"ic·al adjective [ Confer Greek ....] Pertaining to an anchoret or hermit; after the manner of an anchoret.

Anchoretish An"cho·ret`ish adjective Hermitlike.

Anchoretism An"cho·ret·ism noun The practice or mode of life of an anchoret.

Anchorite An"cho·rite noun Same as Anchoret .

Anchoritess An"cho·ri`tess noun An anchoress. [ R.]

Anchorless An"chor·less adjective Without an anchor or stay. Hence: Drifting; unsettled.

Anchovy An·cho"vy (ăn*chō"vȳ) noun [ Spanish anchoa , anchova , or Portuguese anchova , probably of Iberian origin, and lit. a dried or pickled fish, from Bisc. antzua dry: confer Dutch anchovis , French anchois .] (Zoology) A small fish, about three inches in length, of the Herring family ( Engraulis encrasicholus ), caught in vast numbers in the Mediterranean, and pickled for exportation. The name is also applied to several allied species.

Anchovy pear An·cho"vy pear` (ăn*chō"vȳ pâr`). (Botany) A West Indian fruit like the mango in taste, sometimes pickled; also, the tree ( Grias cauliflora ) bearing this fruit.

Anchusin An"chu·sin noun [ Latin anchusa the plant alkanet, Greek ....] (Chemistry) A resinoid coloring matter obtained from alkanet root.

Anchylose An"chy·lose transitive verb & i. [ imperfect & past participle Anchylosed ; present participle & verbal noun Anchylosing .] [ Confer French ankyloser .] To affect or be affected with anchylosis; to unite or consolidate so as to make a stiff joint; to grow together into one. [ Spelt also ankylose .] Owen.

Anchylosis, Ankylosis An`chy·lo"sis, An`ky·lo"sis noun [ New Latin , from Greek ..., from ..., from ... to crook, stiffen, from ... crooked: confer French ankylose .] 1. (Medicine) Stiffness or fixation of a joint; formation of a stiff joint. Dunglison.

2. (Anat.) The union of two or more separate bones to from a single bone; the close union of bones or other structures in various animals.

Anchylotic An`chy·lot"ic adjective Of or pertaining to anchylosis.

Ancient An"cient adjective [ Middle English auncien , French ancien , Late Latin antianus , from Latin ante before. See Ante- , pref .] 1. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times before the fall of the Roman empire; -- opposed to modern ; as, ancient authors, literature, history; ancient days.

Witness those ancient empires of the earth.
Milton.

Gildas Albanius . . . much ancienter than his namesake surnamed the Wise.
Fuller.

2. Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle. "Our ancient bickerings." Shak.

Remove not the ancient landmarks, which thy fathers have set.
Prov. xxii. 28.

An ancient man, strangely habited, asked for quarters.
Scott.

3. Known for a long time, or from early times; -- opposed to recent or new ; as, the ancient continent.

A friend, perhaps, or an ancient acquaintance.
Barrow.

4. Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable. [ Archaic]

He wrought but some few hours of the day, and then would he seem very grave and ancient .
Holland.

5. Experienced; versed. [ Obsolete]

Though [ he] was the youngest brother, yet he was the most ancient in the business of the realm.
Berners.

6. Former; sometime. [ Obsolete]

They mourned their ancient leader lost.
Pope.

Ancient demesne (Eng. Law) , a tenure by which all manors belonging to the crown, in the reign of William the Conqueror, were held. The numbers, names, etc., of these were all entered in a book called Domesday Book . -- Ancient lights (Law) , windows and other openings which have been enjoined without molestation for more than twenty years. In England, and in some of the United States, they acquire a prescriptive right.

Syn. -- Old; primitive; pristine; antique; antiquated; old- fashioned; obsolete. -- Ancient , Antiquated , Obsolete , Antique , Antic , Old . -- Ancient is opposed to modern , and has antiquity; as, an ancient family, ancient landmarks, ancient institutions, systems of thought, etc. Antiquated describes that which has gone out of use or fashion; as, antiquated furniture, antiquated laws, rules, etc. Obsolete is commonly used, instead of antiquated , in reference to language, customs, etc.; as, an obsolete word or phrase, an obsolete expression. Antique is applied, in present usage, either to that which has come down from the ancients; as, an antique cameo, bust, etc. ; or to that which is made to imitate some ancient work of art; as, an antique temple. In the days of Shakespeare, antique was often used for ancient ; as, "an antique song," "an antique Roman;" and hence, from singularity often attached to what is ancient, it was used in the sense of grotesque; as, "an oak whose antique root peeps out; " and hence came our present word antic , denoting grotesque or ridiculous. We usually apply both ancient and old to things subject to gradual decay. We say, an old man, an ancient record; but never, the old stars, an old river or mountain. In general, however, ancient is opposed to modern , and old to new , fresh , or recent . When we speak of a thing that existed formerly, which has ceased to exist, we commonly use ancient ; as, ancient republics, ancient heroes; and not old republics, old heroes. But when the thing which began or existed in former times is still in existence, we use either ancient or old ; as, ancient statues or paintings, or old statues or paintings; ancient authors, or old authors, meaning books.

Ancient An"cient noun 1. plural Those who lived in former ages, as opposed to the moderns .

2. An aged man; a patriarch. Hence: A governor; a ruler; a person of influence.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof.
Isa. iii. 14.

3. A senior; an elder; a predecessor. [ Obsolete]

Junius and Andronicus . . . in Christianity . . . were his ancients .
Hooker.

4. plural (Eng. Law) One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.

Council of Ancients (French Hist.) , one of the two assemblies composing the legislative bodies in 1795. Brande.

Ancient An"cient noun [ Corrupted from ensign .] 1. An ensign or flag. [ Obsolete]

More dishonorable ragged than an old-faced ancient .
Shak.

2. The bearer of a flag; an ensign. [ Obsolete]

This is Othello's ancient , as I take it.
Shak.

Anciently An"cient·ly adverb 1. In ancient times.

2. In an ancient manner. [ R.]

Ancientness An"cient·ness noun The quality of being ancient; antiquity; existence from old times.

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