Inopinate In·op"i·nate adjective [ Latin inopinatus . See In- not, and Opine .] Not expected or looked for. [ Obsolete]

Inopportune In·op`por·tune" adjective [ Latin inopportunus : confer French inopportun . See In- not, and Opportune .] Not opportune; inconvenient; unseasonable; as, an inopportune occurrence, remark, etc.

No visit could have been more inopportune .

T. Hook.

Inopportunely In·op`por·tune"ly adverb Not opportunely; unseasonably; inconveniently.

Inopportunity In·op`por·tu"ni·ty noun Want of opportunity; unseasonableness; inconvenience. [ R.]

Inoppressive In`op·press"ive adjective Not oppressive or burdensome. O. Wolcott.

Inopulent In·op"u·lent adjective [ Prefix in- not + opulent : confer French inopulent .] Not opulent; not affluent or rich.

Inordinacy In·or"di·na·cy noun The state or quality of being inordinate; excessiveness; immoderateness; as, the inordinacy of love or desire. Jer. Taylor.

Inordinate In·or"di·nate adjective [ Latin inordinatus disordered. See In- not, and Ordinate .] Not limited to rules prescribed, or to usual bounds; irregular; excessive; immoderate; as, an inordinate love of the world. " Inordinate desires." Milton. " Inordinate vanity." Burke.

-- In*or"di*nate*ly , adverb -- In*or"di*nate*ness , noun

Inordination In·or`di·na"tion noun [ Latin inordinatio .] Deviation from custom, rule, or right; irregularity; inordinacy. [ Obsolete] South.

Every inordination of religion that is not in defect, is properly called superstition.

Jer. Taylor.

Inorganic In`or·gan"ic adjective [ Prefix in- not + organic : confer French inorganique .] Not organic; without the organs necessary for life; devoid of an organized structure; unorganized; lifeness; inanimate; as, all chemical compounds are inorganic substances.

» The term inorganic is used to denote any one the large series of substances (as minerals, metals, etc.), which are not directly connected with vital processes, either in origin or nature, and which are broadly and relatively contrasted with organic substances. See Organic .

Inorganic Chemistry . See under Chemistry .

Inorganical In`or·gan"ic·al adjective Inorganic. Locke.

Inorganically In`or·gan"ic·al·ly adverb In an inorganic manner.

Inorganity In`or·gan"i·ty noun Quality of being inorganic. [ Obsolete] "The inorganity of the soul." Sir T. Browne.

Inorganization In·or`gan·i·za"tion noun The state of being without organization.

Inorganized In·or"gan·ized adjective Not having organic structure; devoid of organs; inorganic.

Inorthography In`or·thog"ra·phy noun Deviation from correct orthography; bad spelling. [ Obsolete] Feltham.

Inosculate In·os"cu·late intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Inosculated ; present participle & verbal noun Inosculating .] [ Prefix in- in + osculate .] 1. To unite by apposition or contact, as two tubular vessels at their extremities; to anastomose.

2. To intercommunicate; to interjoin.

The several monthly divisions of the journal may inosculate , but not the several volumes.

De Quincey.

Inosculate In·os"cu·late transitive verb 1. To unite by apposition or contact, as two vessels in an animal body. Berkeley.

2. To unite intimately; to cause to become as one.

They were still together, grew
(For so they said themselves) inosculated .

Tennyson.

Inosculation In·os`cu·la"tion noun [ Confer French inosculation .] The junction or connection of vessels, channels, or passages, so that their contents pass from one to the other; union by mouths or ducts; anastomosis; intercommunication; as, inosculation of veins, etc. Ray.

Inosinic In`o·sin"ic adjective [ From Inosite .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or derived from, inosite; as, inosinic acid.

Inosite In"o·site noun [ Greek 'i`s , 'ino`s , strength, muscle.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white crystalline substance with a sweet taste, found in certain animal tissues and fluids, particularly in the muscles of the heart and lungs, also in some plants, as in unripe pease, beans, potato sprouts, etc. Called also phaseomannite .

» Chemically, it has the composition represented by the formula, C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₆ +H ₂ O, and was formerly regarded as a carbohydrate, isomeric with dextrose, but is now known to be an aromatic compound (a hexacid phenol derivative of benzene).

Inoxidizable In·ox"idi`za·ble adjective (Chemistry) Incapable of being oxidized; as, gold and platinum are inoxidizable in the air.

Inoxidize In·ox"i·dize intransitive verb To prevent or hinder oxidation, rust, or decay; as, inoxidizing oils or varnishes.

Inpatient In"pa`tient noun A patient who receives lodging and food, as well as treatment, in a hospital or an infirmary; -- distinguished from outpatient .

Inquartation In`quar·ta"tion noun Quartation.

Inquest In"quest noun [ Middle English enqueste , Old French enqueste , French enquête , Late Latin inquesta , for inquisita , from Latin inquisitus , past participle of inquirere . See Inquire .] 1. Inquiry; quest; search. [ R.] Spenser.

The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science.

South.

2. (Law) (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death. (b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matter, civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest . See under Grand . (c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry.

Coroner's inquest , an inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner . -- Inquest of office , an inquiry made, by authority or direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of the crown or of the state. Craig. Bouvier.

Inquiet In·qui"et transitive verb [ Latin inquietare : confer French inquieter . See Quiet .] To disquiet. [ Obsolete] Joye.

Inquietation In·qui`e·ta"tion noun [ Latin inquietatio : confer French inquielation .] Disturbance. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Elyot.

Inquietness In·qui"et·ness noun Unquietness. [ Obsolete] Joye.

Inquietude In·qui"e·tude noun [ Latin inquietudo : confer French inquietude .] Disturbed state; uneasiness either of body or mind; restlessness; disquietude. Sir H. Wotton.

Inquiline In"qui·line noun [ Latin inquilinus a tenant, lodger.] (Zoology) A gallfly which deposits its eggs in galls formed by other insects.

Inquinate In"qui·nate transitive verb [ Latin inquinatus , past participle of inquinare to defile.] To defile; to pollute; to contaminate; to befoul. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

Inquination In`qui·na"tion noun [ Latin inquinatio .] A defiling; pollution; stain. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Inquirable In·quir"a·ble adjective [ Confer Old French enquerable .] Capable of being inquired into; subject or liable to inquisition or inquest. Bacon.

Inquirance In·quir"ance noun Inquiry. [ Obsolete] Latimer.

Inquire In·quire" intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Inquired ; present participle & verbal noun Inquiring .] [ Middle English enqueren , inqueren , Old French enquerre , French enquérir , Latin inquirere , inquisitum ; prefix in- in + quarere to seek. See Quest a seeking, and confer Inquiry .] [ Written also enquire .] 1. To ask a question; to seek for truth or information by putting queries.

We will call the damsel, and inquire .

Gen. xxiv. 57.

Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him.

1 Sam. xxiii. 4.

2. To seek to learn anything by recourse to the proper means of knowledge; to make examination.

And inquire
Gladly into the ways of God with man.

Miltom.

» This word is followed by of before the person asked; as, to inquire of a neighbor. It is followed by concerning , after , or about , before the subject of inquiry; as, his friends inquired about or concerning his welfare. "Thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this." Eccl. vii. 10. It is followed by into when search is made for particular knowledge or information; as, to inquire into the cause of a sudden death. It is followed by for or after when a place or person is sought, or something is missing. " Inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus." Acts ix. 11.

Inquire In·quire" transitive verb 1. To ask about; to seek to know by asking; to make examination or inquiry respecting.

Having thus at length inquired the truth concerning law and dispense.

Milton.

And all obey and few inquire his will.

Byron.

2. To call or name. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Syn. -- To ask; question. See Question .

Inquirent In·quir"ent adjective [ Latin inquirens , present participle ] Making inquiry; inquiring; questioning. [ Obsolete] Shenstone.

Inquirer In·quir"er noun [ Written also enquirer .] One who inquires or examines; questioner; investigator. Locke.

Expert inquirers after truth.

Cowper.

Inquiring In·quir"ing adjective Given to inquiry; disposed to investigate causes; curious; as, an inquiring mind.

Inquiringly In·quir"ing·ly adverb In an inquiring manner.

Inquiry In·quir"y noun ; plural Inquiries . [ See Inquire .] [ Written also enquiry .] 1. The act of inquiring; a seeking for information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning.

He could no path nor track of foot descry,
Nor by inquiry learn, nor guess by aim.

Spenser.

The men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.

Acts x. 17.

2. Search for truth, information, or knowledge; examination into facts or principles; research; investigation; as, physical inquiries .

All that is wanting to the perfection of this art will undoubtedly be found, if able men . . . will make inquiry into it.

Dryden.

Court of inquiry . See under Court . -- Writ of inquiry , a writ issued in certain actions at law, where the defendant has suffered judgment to pass against him by default, in order to ascertain and assess the plaintiff's damages, where they can not readily be ascertained by mere calculation. Burrill.

Syn. -- Interrogation; interrogatory; question; query; scrutiny; investigation; research; examination.

Inquisible In·quis"i·ble adjective Admitting judicial inquiry. [ Obsolete] Sir M. Hale.

Inquisition In`qui·si"tion noun [ Latin inquisitio : confer French inquisition . See Inquire , and confer Inquest .] 1. The act of inquiring; inquiry; search; examination; inspection; investigation.

As I could learn through earnest inquisition .

Latimer.

Let not search and inquisition quail
To bring again these foolish runaways.

Shak.

2. (Law) (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination; inquest. (b) The finding of a jury, especially such a finding under a writ of inquiry. Bouvier.

The justices in eyre had it formerly in charge to make inquisition concerning them by a jury of the county.

Blackstone.

3. (R. C. Ch.) A court or tribunal for the examination and punishment of heretics, fully established by Pope Gregory IX. in 1235. Its operations were chiefly confined to Spain, Portugal, and their dependencies, and a part of Italy.

Inquisition In`qui·si"tion transitive verb To make inquisition concerning; to inquire into. [ Obsolete] Milton.

Inquisitional In`qui·si"tion·al adjective [ Late Latin inquisitionalis .] Relating to inquiry or inquisition; inquisitorial; also, of or pertaining to, or characteristic of, the Inquisition.

All the inquisitional rigor . . . executed upon books.

Milton.

Inquisitionary In`qui·si"tion·a·ry adjective [ Confer French inquisitionnaire .] [ R.] Inquisitional.

Inquisitive In·quis"i·tive adjective [ Middle English inquisitif , French inquisitif .] 1. Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer.

A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent.

Broome.

2. Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious.

A young, inquisitive , and sprightly genius.

I. Watts.

Syn. -- Inquiring; prying; curious; meddling; intrusive. - - Inquisitive , Curious , Prying . Curious denotes a feeling, and inquisitive a habit. We are curious when we desire to learn something new; we are inquisitive when we set ourselves to gain it by inquiry or research. Prying implies inquisitiveness , and is more commonly used in a bad sense, as indicating a desire to penetrate into the secrets of others.

[ We] curious are to hear,
What happens new.

Milton.

This folio of four pages [ a newspaper], happy work!
Which not even critics criticise; that holds
Inquisitive attention, while I read.

Cowper.

Nor need we with a prying eye survey
The distant skies, to find the Milky Way.

Creech.

Inquisitive In·quis"i·tive noun A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research. Sir W. Temple.

Inquisitively In·quis"i·tive·ly adverb In an inquisitive manner.

The occasion that made him afterwards so inquisitively apply himself to the study of physic.

Boyle.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter I > Page 65 of 105.
« Previous ¦57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 ¦ Next »