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
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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![Kfi/pia-ictoif of ctfitpt and arx.101 a shadow.] Those people dwelling in climates, wherein the shadows, at different times of the year, fall both ways; to the north pole, when the sun is in the southern signs; and to the south pole, when he is in the northern signs. These are the people who inhabit the torrid zone. Amfhithe'atre, am-fe-Me'a-tur.816 n.s [ot <zp.<pt6ixTgov, of af*4>i and 6i<io/xxi.^ A building in a circular or oval form, having its area encompassed with rows of seats one-above another; where spec- tators might behold spectacles, as stage-plays, or gladiators. The thea- tres of the ancients were built in the form of a semicircle only exceeding a just semicircle by one-lourth part ol the diameter; and the amphitheatre is two theatres joined together; so that the longest diameter of the amphithea- tre was to the shortest, as one and a half to one. Within, an amphitheatre appear'd Rais'd in degrees; to sixty paces rear'd, That when a man was plac'd in one degree, Height was allow'd for him above to see. Dryden. Conceive a man placed in the burning iron chair at Lyons, amid the insults and mockeries of a crowded amphitheatre, and still keeping his seat; or stretched upon a grate of iron, over coals of fire, and breath- ing out his soul among the exquisite sufferings of such a tedious execution, rather than renounce his religion, or blaspheme his Saviour. Mdison. A'MPLE, am'pl.408 adj. [_amplus, Lat.J 1. Large; wide; extended. Heav'n descends In universal bounty, shedding herbs, And fruits, and flowers, on Nature's ample lap. Thomson. 2. Great in bulk. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demon- stration of grief? She took 'm and read 'm in my presence, And now and then an ample tear trill'd down Her delicate cheeks. Shakspeare's King Lear. 3. Unlimited; without restriction. Have what you ask, your presents I receive; Land where and when you please, with ample leave Dryden. 4. Liberal; large; without parsimony. If we speak of strict justice, God could no way have been bound to require man's labours in so large and ample manner as human felicity doth im- port; in as much as the dignity of this exceedeth so far the other's value. Hooker. 5. Magnificent; splendid. To dispose the prince the more willingly to un- dertake his relief, the earl made ample promises, that within so many days after the siege should be raised, he would advance his highness's levies with two thousand men. Clarendon. 6. Diffusive; not contracted; as, an am/ile narrative, that is, not an epitome. Vmpleness, am'pl-ness. n. s. [from am- ple] The quality of being ample; large- ness; splendour Impossible it is for a person of my condition to produce any thing in proportion either to the ample- ness of the body you represent, or of the places you bear. South. To A'mpliate, am'ple-ate. v. a. [amplio, Lat.] To enlarge; to make greater; to extend. He should look upon it, not to traduce or extenu- ate, but to explain and elucidate, to add and ampli- ate. Brown. Amplia'tion, am-ple-a'shun. n. s. [from ampliate.] 1. Enlargement; exaggeration; extension. Odious matters admit not of an ampliation, but ought to be restrained and interpreted in the mild- est sense. Jlyliffe's Parergon. 2. Diffuseness; enlargement. The obscurity of the subject, and the prejudice and prepossession of most readers, may plead excuse for any ampliations or repetitions that may be found, whilst I labour to express myself plain and full. Holder. To Ampli'ficate, am-plif'e-kate. v. a. [ampli/ico, Lat.J To enlarge; to spread out; to amplify. Diet. Amplification, am-ple-fe-ka'shun. n. s. [amplification, Fr. amplification Lat.J 1. Enlargement; extension. 2. It is usually taken in a rhetorical sense, and implies exaggerated representation, or diffuse narrative; an image height- ened beyond reality; a narrative en- larged with many circumstances. I shall summarily, without any amplification at all, shew in what manner defects have been sup- plied. Davies. Things unknown seem greater than they are, and are usually received with amplifications above their nature. Brown's Vulgar Errours. Is the poet justifiable for relating such incredible amplifications? It may be answered, if he had put these extravagancies into the mouth of Ulysses, he had been unpardonable; but they suit well the cha- racter of Alcinous. Pope. A'mplifier, am'ple-fi-ur.98 n. s. [from To amplify^ One that enlarges any- thing; one that exaggerates; one that represents any thing with a large dis- play of the best circumstances; it be- ing usually taken in a good sense. Dorillaus could need no amplifiers mouth for the highest point of praise. Sidney. To A'mplify, am'ple-fi.183 v. a. [ampli- fier, Fr.] 1. To enlarge; to increase any material substance, or object of sense. So when a great monied man hath divided his chests, and coins, and bags, he seemeth to himself richer than he was: and therefore a way to amplify any thing, is to break it, and to make anatomy of it in several parts, and to examine it according to the several circumstances. Bacon. All concaves that proceed from more narrow to more broad, do amplify the sound at the coming out. Bacon. 2. To enlarge; or extend any thing incor- poreal. As the reputation of the Roman prelates grew up in these blind ages, so grew up in them withal a de- sire of amplifying their power, that they might be as great in temporal forces, as men's opinions have formed them in spiritual matters. Raleigh. 3. To exaggerate any thing; to enlarge it by the manner of representation. Thy general is my lover; I have been The book of his good acts; whence men have read His fame unparallel'd, hap'ly amplified. Shaksp. Since I have plainly laid open the negligence and errors of every age that is past, I would not willing- ly seem to flatter the present, by amplifying the di- ligence and true judgment of those servitours that have laboured in this vineyard. Davies 4. To enlarge; to improve by new addi- tions In paraphrase the author's words arc not strictly followed, his sense too is amplified but not altered as Waller's translation of Virgil. Dryden k2 ent to increase and amplify these remarks, to coii- firm and improve these rules, and to illuminate the several pages. Watts. To A'mplify, am'ple-fi.133 v. n. Fre- quently with the particle on. 1. To speak largely in many words; to lay one's self out in diffusion. When you affect to amplify on the former branches of a discourse, you will often lay a necessity upon yourself of contracting the latter, and prevent yourself in the most important part of your design. Watts's Logick. 2. To form large or pompous represen- tations. An excellent medicine for the stone might be conceived, by amplifying apprehensions able to break a diamond. Broum's Vulgar Eirours. I have sometimes been forced to amplify on others; but here, where the subject is so fruitful, that the harvest overcomes the reaper, I am shortened by my chain. Dryden. Homer amplifies, not invents; and as there was really a people called Cyclopeans, so they might be men of great stature, or giants. Pope's Odys. A'mplitude, am'ple-tude. n. s. [ampli- tude, Fr. amplitudo, Lat.J 1. Extent. Whatever I look upon, within the amplitude of heaven and earth, is evidence of human ignorance. Glanville. 2. Largeness; greatness. Men should learn how severe a thing the true in- quisition of nature is, and accustom themselves, by the light of particulars, to enlarge their minds to the amplitude of the world, and not reduce the world to the narrowness of their minds. Bacon. 3. Capacity; extent of intellectual facul- ties. With more than human gifts from heav'n adorn'd, Perfections absolute, graces divine, And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds. MUton. 4. Splendour; grandeur; dignity. In the great frame of kingdoms and common- wealths, it is in the power of princes, or estates, to add amplitude and greatness to their kingdoms. . Bacon's Essays. 5. Copiousness; abundance. You should say every thing which has a proper and direct tendency to this end; always proportioning the amplitude of your matter, and the fulness of your discourse, to your great design; the length of your time, to the convenience of your hearers. Watts's Logick. 6. Amplitude of the range of a projectile, denotes the horizontal line subtending the path in which it moved. 7. Amplitude, in astronomy, an arch of the horizon, intercepted between the true east and west point thereof, and the centre of the sun or star at its ris- ing or setting. It is eastern or ortive, when the star rises; and western or oc- ciduous when the star sets. The east- ern or western amplitude are also called northern or southern, as they fall in the northern or southern quarters of the ho- rizon. 8. Magnetical amplitude is an arch of the horizon, contained between the sun at his rising, and the east or west points of the compass; or it is the difference of the rising or setting of the sun, from the east or west parts of the compass. Chambers. A'mply, am'ple. adv. [ample, Lat.J](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21133803_0205.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
