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
Catalogue details

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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    They brought one Pinch, a hungry lean-fac'd vil- lain, A mere anatomy, a mountebank, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller, A needy, hollow-ey'd, sharp looking wretch, A living dead man. Shakspeare. A'natkon, u'na-trun. n. s. The scum which swims upon the molten glass in the furnace, which, when taken off. melts in the air, and then coagulates into com- mon salt. It is likewise that salt which gathers upon the walls of vaults. A'nbury, an'bu-re. n. s. See Ambury. A'NCESTOR,an'ses-tur.n8n.«. [ancestor, Lat. a?icestre, Fr.] One from whom a person descends, either by the father or the mother. It is distinguished from pre- decessor; which is not, like ancestor, a natural, but civil denomination. An he- reditary monarch succeeds to his ances- tors; an elective, to his /iredecessors. And she lies buried with her ancestors, O, in a tomb where never scandal slept, Save this of her's. Shakspeare Cham was the paternal ancestor of Ninus, the father of Chus, the grandfather of Nimrod; whose son was Belus, the father of Ninus. Raltigh. Obscure! why pr'ythee what am I? I know My father, gvandsire, and great grandsire too: If farther I derive my pedigree, I can but guess beyond the fourth degree. The rest of my forgotten ancestors Were sons of earth, like him, or sons of whore*. Dryden. A'ncestrel, an'ses-trel. adj. [from ances- tor.] Claimed from ancestors; relating to ancestors: a term of law. Limitation in actions, ancestrel, was anciently so here in England. Hale. A'ncestry, an'ses-tre. n. s. [from ances- tor] 1. Lineage; a series of ancestors, or pro- genitors; the persons who compose the lineage. Phedon I hight, quoth he; and do advance Mine ancestry from famous Coradin, Who first to rase our house to honour did begin. Spenser. A tenacious adherence to the rights and liberties transmitted from a wise and virtuous ancestry, pub- lic spirit, and a love of one's country, are the sup- port and ornaments of government. Jlddison. Say from what scepter'd ancestry ye claim, Recorded eminent in deathless fame? Pope. 2. The honour of descent; birth. Title and ancestry render a. good man more illus- trious, but an ill one more contemptible. Jlddison. A'nchentky, ane'tsh£n-tr£. n. s. [from an- cient, and therefore properly to be writ- ten ancientry.] Antiquity of a family; ancient dignity; appearance or proof of antiquity. Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque pace; the first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding mannerly modest, as a measure full of state and anchentry; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinque pace faster and faster, till he sinks into his grave. Sliaksp. A'NCHOR, ank'nr.aS3 *ld n. s. [anchora, Lat.] 1. A heavy iron, composed of a long shank, having a ring at one end to which the cable is fastened, and at the other branch- ing out into two arms or flooks, tending upward, with barbs or edges on each side. Its use is to hold the ship, by be- ing fixed to the ground. He said, and wept: then spread his sails before The winds, and reach'd at length the Cuman shore: Their anchors drop, his crew the vessels moor. Dryden. 2. It is used, by a metaphor, for any thing which confers stability or security. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Hebrews. 3. The forms of speech in which it is most commonly used, are, to cast anchor, to lie or ride at anchor. The Turkish general perceiving that the Rhodians would not be drawn forth to battle at sea, withdrew his fleet, when, casting anchor, and landing his men, he burnt the corn. Knolle's Hist, of the Turks. Ent'ring with the tide, He dropped his anchors, and his oars he ply'd: Furl'd every sail, and drawing down the mast, His vessel moor'd, and made with haulsers fast. Dryden. Far from your capital my ship resides At Reithrus, and secure at anchm rides. Pope. To A'nchor,ank'ur.106 v. n. [from anchor^] 1. To cast anchor; to lie at anchor. The fishermen that walk upon the beach Appear like mice; and yon tall anchoring bark Diminish'd to her cock. Shakspeare's King Lear. Near Calais the Spaniards anchored, expecting their land forces, which came not. Bacon. Or the strait course to rocky Chios plow, And anchor under Mimos' shaggy brow. Pope. 2. To stop at; to rest on. My intention, hearing not my tongue, Jlnchors on Isabel. Shaksp. To A'nchor, ank'ur.166 v. a. 1. To place at anchor; as, he anchored his ship. 2. To fix on. My tongue should to my ears not name my boys, Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes. Shuksp. A'nchor, an'kur. n. s. Shaksfieare seems to have used this word for anchoret, or an abstemious recluse person. To desperation turn my trust and hope! An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope! Shaksp. A'nchor-hold, ank'ur-hold. n. s. [from anchor and hold.] The hold or fastness of the anchor; and, figuratively, securi- ty- The old English could express most aptly all the conceits of the mind in their own tongue, without borrowing from any; as for example: the holy ser- vice of God, which the Latins called religion, be- cause it knitted the minds of men together, and most people of Europe have borrowed the same from them, they called most significantly ean-fastness, as the one and only assurance and fast anchor-hold of our soul's health. Camden. A'nchor-smith, an'kur-smiM. n. s. [from anchor and smith.] The maker or forger of anchors. Smithing comprehends all trades which use either forge or file, from the anchm--smith to the watch- maker; they all working by the same rules, though not with equal exactness; and all using the same tools, though of several sizes. Moxon. A'nchokage, ank'ur-adje.90 n. s. [from anchor.] 1. The hold of the anchor. Let me resolve whether there be indeed such effi- cacy in nurture and first production; for if that sup- posal should fail us, all our anchorage were loose, and we should but wander in a wild sea. Wotton. 2. The set of anchors belonging to a ship. The bark that hath discharg'd her freight, Returns with precious lading to the bay, From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage. Shaksp. 3. The duty paid for the liberty of anchor- age in a port. A'nchored, ank'ur-red.353 fiarticifi. adj. [from To anchor.] Held by the anchor. Like a well-twisted cable, holding fast The anchor'd vessel in the loudest blast. Waller. A'nchoret, ank'6-r£t.166 ) n. s. [contract- A'nchorite, ank'6-rite. $ from anacho- ret, xv<x.x,6>e;DTn<i^] A recluse, a hermit; one that retires to the more severe du- ties of religion. His poetry indeed he took along with him; but he made that an anchorite as well as himself. Sprat. You describe so well your hennetical state of life, that none of the ancient anchoiiles could go beyond you, for a cave in a rock, with a fine spring, or any of the accommodations that befit a solitary life. Pope. Ancho'vy, an-tsho've. n.s. [from anchova, Span, or anchioe, ltal. of the same sig- nification] A little sea-fish, much used by way ot sauce, or seasoning. Savary. We invent new sauces and pickles, which resem- ble the animal ferment in taste and virtue, as the falso-acid gravies of meat; the salt pickles offish, anchovies, oysters. Floyer. A'NCILNT, ane'tshent.6*2 adj. [ancien, Fr. antiyuns, Lat.] 1. Old; that happened long since; of old time; not modern. Ancient and old are distinguished; old relates to the dura- tion of the thing itself, as, an old coat, a coat much worn; and ancient, to time in general, as, an ancient dress, a habit used in former times. But this is not always observed, for we mention old customs; but though old be sometimes opposed to modem, ancient is seldom opposed to new, but when new means modern. Ancient tenure is that whereby all the manours belonging to the crown, in St. Edward's or Wil- liam the Conquerour's days, did hold. The num- ber and names of which manours, as all others be- longing to common persons, he caused to be written in a book, after a survey made of them, now remain- ing in the Exchequer, and called Doomsday Book; and such as by that book appeared to have belonged to the crown at that time, are called ancient de- mesnes. Cornell. 2. Old; that has been of long duration. With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding. Job, xii. 12. Thales affirms, that God comprehended all things, and that God was of all things the most ancient, be- cause he never had any beginning. Raleigh. Industry Gave the tall ancient forest to his axe. Thomson. 3. Past; former. I see thy fury: if I longer stay, We shall begin our ancient bickerings. Shaksp. A'ncient, ane'tshent. n. s. [from ancient, adj.] 1. Those that lived in old time were cal- led ancients, opposed to the moderns. And though the ancients thus their rules invade, As kings dispense with laws themselves have made; Moderns, beware! or if you must offend Against the precept, ne'er transgress its end. Pope. 2. Senior: not in use. He toucheth it as a special pre-eminence of Junius and Andronicus, that in Christianity they were his ancients- Hooker, A'ncient, ane'tshent. n. s.