A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers : to which are prefixed a history of the language, and an English grammar (Volume 1).

  • Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784.
Date:
1819
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers : to which are prefixed a history of the language, and an English grammar (Volume 1). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Still and contemplative in living arts. Shakspeare's Love's Labour Lost. 2. The place, where sciences are taught. Amongst the academies, which were composed by the rare genius of those great men, these four are reckoned as the principal; namely, the Athenian school, that of Sicyon, that of Rhodes, and that of Corinth. Dryden's Dufresnoy. 3. An university. 4. A place of education, in contradistinc- tion to the universitiesor puhlick schools. The thing, and therefore the name, is modern. ACA'NTHUS, a-kan'Mus.?04 n. s. [Lat.] The name of the herb Bear's-breech; remarkable, for being the model of the foliage on the Corinthian chapiter. On either side Acanthus, and each od'rous bushy shrub, Fenc'd up the verdant wall. Milt. Parad. Lost, b. iv. I. 696. Acatalk/ctic, a-kat-a-lek'tik. n. s. [ux.*- TxhwiiKos, Gr.] A verse, which has the complete number of syllables, without defect or superfluity. roACCE'DE^k-sede'.-y.n.^cce^Lat.] To be added to, to come to; generally used in political accounts; as, another power has acceded to the treaty; that is, has become a parly. To ACCELERATE, ak-seriur-ate. v. a. [accelero, Lat.] 2. To make quick, to hasten, to quicken motion; to give a continual impulse to motion, so as perpetually to increase. Take new beer, and put some quantity of stale beer into it; and see, whether it will not accelerate the clarification, by opening the body of the beer, whereby the grosser parts may fall down into lees. Bacon's Natural History, No. 307. By a skilful application of those notices, may be gained the accelerating and bettering of fruits, and the emptying of mines, at much more easy rates, than by the common methods. Glanville, Scepsis. If the rays endeavour to recede, from the densest part of the vibration; they may be alternately ac- celerated and retarded, by the vibrations overtaking them. Newton's Optics. Spices quicken the pulse, and accelerate the motion of the blood, and dissipate the fluids; from whence leanness, pains in the stomach, loathings, and fevers. Jlrbuthnot on Miments. Lo! from the dread immensity of space Returning, with accelerated course, The rushing comet to the sun descends. Thorns. Sum. I. 1690. 2. It is generally applied to matter, and used chiefly in philosophical language; but it is sometimes used on other occa- sions. In which council the king himself (whose continu- al vigilancy did suck-in sometimes causeless suspi- cions, which few else knew) inclined to the accelera- ting a battle. Bacon's Henry VII. Perhaps it may point out to a student now and then, what may employ the most useful labours of bis thoughts, and accelerate his diligence in the most momentous enquiries. Watts. Acceleration,ak-sdl-lur-a'shfin.fi6S n.s. [acc< leratio, Lat.] 1. The act of quickening motion. The law of the acceleration of falling bodies, dis- covered first by Galileo, is; that the velocities, ac- quired by falling, being as the time in which the body falls; the spaces, through which it passes, will be as the squares of the velocities; and the velocity and time taken together, as in a quadruplicate ratio of the spaces. 2. The state of the body accelerated, or quickened in its motion. The degrees of acceleration of motion, the gravi- tation of the air, the existence or non-existence of empty spaces, either coacervate or interspersed, and many the like, have taken up the thoughts and times of men in disputes concerning them. Hale's Origin of Mankind. 3. The act of hastening. Considering the languor ensuing that action in some, and the visible acceleration it maketh of age in most, we cannot but think, venery much abridgeth our days. Brown. To ACCE'ND, ak-send'. v. a, [accendo, Lat.] To kindle, to set on fire; a word very rarely used. Our devotion, if sufficiently accended, would (as theirs) burn up innumerable books of this sort. Decay of Piety. Acce'nsion, ak-sen'-shun. n. s. [accensio, Lat.] The act of kindling, or the state of being kindled. The fulminating damp will take fire, at a candle or other flame; and, upon its accension, gives a crack or report, like the discharge of a gun; and makes an explosion so forcible, as sometimes to kill the miners, shake the earth, and force bodies (of great weight and bulk) from the bottom of the pit or mine. Woodward's Nat. Hist. A'CCENT, ak'sent. n. s. 4S6 [accentus, Lat.] l.The manner of speaking or pronoun- cing with regard either to force or ele- gance. I know, Sir, I am no flatterer: he, that beguiled you in a plain accent, was a plain knave; which, for my part, I will not be. Shakspeare's King Lear. 2. The sound given to the syllable pro- nounced. Your accent is something finer, than you could purchase in so removed a dwelling. Shakspeare's Jls you like it. . In grammar, the marks made upon syl- lables, to regulate their pronunciation. decent, as in the Greek names and usage, seems to have regarded the tune of the voice; the acute accent, raising the voice in some certain syllables, to a higher, (i. e. more acute) pitch or tone; and the grave, depressing it lower; and both having some emphasis, i.e. more vigorous pronunciation. Holder. 4. Poetically, language or words. How many ages hence Shall this our lofty scene be acted o'er, In states unborn, and accents yet unknown. Shakspeare's Julius Cozsar. Winds! on your wings to heav'n her accents bear! Such words as heav'n alone is fit to hear. Dryden. 5. A modification cf the voice, expressive of the passions or sentiments. The tender accent of a woman's cry Will pass unheard, will unregarded die; When the rough seaman's louder shouts prevail, When fair occasion shews the springing gale. Prior. To A'coent, ak-sent./492v.a. [from accen- tus, Lat.] formerly elevated at the se- cond syllable, now at the first. 1, To pronounce, to speak words with particular regard to the grammatical marks or rules Having got somebody to mark the last syllable but one, where it is long, in words above two sylla- bles; which is enough, to regulate her pronuncia- tion, and accenting the words; let her read daily in the gospels, and avoid understanding them in Latin, if she can. Locke on Education, § 177. 2. In poetry; to pronounce or utter in ge- neral. 0 my unhappy lines! you, that before Have serv'd my youth, to vent some wanton crie5 And now, congeal'd with grief, can scarce implore Strength to accent, Here my Albertus lies! Wotton. 3. To write or note the accents. To Acce'ntuate, ak-sen'tshu-ate, v. a. [accentuer, Fr.] To place the proper ac- cents over the vowels. Accentua'tion, ak-s£n-tshu-a'shfin, n. s. [from accentuate^ 1. The act of placing the accent in pro- nunciation. 2. Marking the accent in writing. To ACCETT, ak-sept'. v\ a. [accifiio, Lat. accepter, Fr.] 1. To take with pleasure; to receive kind- ly; to admit with approbation. It is distinguished from receive, as sfiecifick from general; noting a particular man- ner of receiving. Neither do ye kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. Malachi, i. 10. God is no respecter of persons: but, in eveiy na- tion, he that feareth him, and worketh righteous- ness, is accepted with him. Acts, x. 34, 35. You have been graciously pleased, to accept this tender of my duty. Dryden's Dedication to his Fables. Charm by accepting, by submitting sway; Yet have your humour most when you obey. Pope. I. It is used in a kind of juridical sense-j as, to acce/it terms, accept a treaty. They slaughter'd many of the gentry; for whom no sex or age could be accepted for excuse. Sidney. His promise Palamon accepts; but pray'd To keep it better, than the first he made. Dryden's Fables. Those, who have defended the proceedings of our negociators at the treaty-of Gertruydenburgh, dwell upon their zeal and patience in endeavouring to work the French up to their demands, but say no- thing of the probability, that France would ever accept them. Swift. 3. In the language of the Bible, to accefit fiersons, is to act with personal and par- tial regard. He will surely reprove you if ye do secretly accept persons. j0b, xiii. 10. It is sometimes used with the particle of- I will appease him with the present, that goeth before me; and afterward I will see his face: per- adventure he will accept of me. Genesis, xxxii. 20. Acceptability, ak se'p-ta-bil'le-te. n. s. The quality of being acceptable. See Aoceptable. He hath given us his natural blood to be shed, for the remission of our sins, and for the obtaining the grace and acceptability of repentance. Taylor's Worthy Communicant. Acceptable, ak's£p-ta-bl, adj. [accepta- ble, Fr. from the Latin.] It is pronoun- ced by some, with the accent on the first syllable, as by Milton; by others, with the accent on the second, which is more analogical. 1. That which is likely to be accepted; grateful; pleasing. It is used with the particle to, before the person accenting. This woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help, And gav'stmeas thy perfect gift, so good, So fit, so acceptable, so divine, That from her hand I could expect no ill.