‖n. [ D., earth-pig. ] (Zool.) An edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus (Orycteropus afer), somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa. It is a nocturnal ungulate, burrows in the ground with its powerful claws, and feeds entirely on ants and termites, which it catches with its long, extensile, slimy tongue. It is the sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata. [ Spelled also Aard-vark. ]
Syn. --ant bear, anteater, Orycteropus afer, oryctere, orycterope [ 1913 Webster WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + back; AS. on bæc at, on, or toward the back. See Back. ] 1. Toward the back or rear; backward. “Therewith aback she started.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Behind; in the rear. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) Backward against the mast; -- said of the sails when pressed by the wind. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be taken aback. (a) To be driven backward against the mast; -- said of the sails, also of the ship when the sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An abacus. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. abelmoschus, fr. Ar. abu-l-misk father of musk, i. e., producing musk. See Musk. (or Ar. &hsdot_;abb-al-mosk, musk seed RHUD 1.3 ] (Bot.) An evergreen shrub (Abelmoschus moschatus -- formerly Hibiscus moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes called musk mallow. The seeds produce ambrette-seed oil. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. On deck; and hence, like aboveboard, without artifice. Smart. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Apricot. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. a- + brook, v. ] To brook; to endure. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An A-B-C book; a primer. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A book in which accounts are kept. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ from AA, meaning antiaircraft pronounced ack-ack by British signalmen. ] (Mil.) Artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes; antiaircraft artillery.
Syn. -- antiaircraft, antiaircraft gun, flak, pompom, pom-pom, ack-ack gun [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + cock. ] In a cocked or turned up fashion. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Crookedly. [ R. ] Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. On horseback. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two suspicious fellows ahorseback. Smollet. [ 1913 Webster ]

A faucet to allow escape of air. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a large building at an airport where aircraft can be stored and maintained.
Syn. -- hangar, repair shed [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Affected with air sickness or aërial sickness; feeling nauseous due to riding in an airplane. -- Air"sick`ness, n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

interj. [ Prob. from ah! lack! OE. lak loss, failure, misfortune. See Lack. ] An exclamation expressive of sorrow. [ Archaic. or Poet. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Ar. al-burāq, fr. baraqa to flash, shine. ] The imaginary milk-white animal on which Mohammed was said to have been carried up to heaven; a white mule. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + leak. ] In a leaking condition. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ala wing + truncus trunk. ] (Zool.) The segment of the body of an insect to which the wings are attached; the thorax. Kirby. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Domestic or other work of all kinds; as, a maid of allwork, that is, a general servant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Persons supported by alms; almsmen. [ Archaic ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ G.; Alp, gen. pl. Alpen + stock stick. ] A long staff, pointed with iron, used in climbing the Alps. Cheever. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & adv. [ Malay amoq furious. ] In a frenzied and reckless manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

To run amuck, to rush out in a state of frenzy, as the Malays sometimes do under the influence of “bhang, ” and attack every one that comes in the way; to assail recklessly and indiscriminately. [ 1913 Webster ]

Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet
To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. fld>(Med.) Shock resulting from anaphylaxis{ 2 }. It is a severe form of physiological shock, often having a fatal outcome, and is caused by an extreme immunological reaction to antigens. It is characterized by smooth muscle contraction and capillary dilation throughout the body, initiated by antibodies of the IgE class. It is usually seen when an antigen to which a person has become hypersensitized is injected intravenously or subcutaneously. It is also called generalyzed anaphylaxis or systemic anaphylaxis, and sometimes anaphylaxis. [ Stedman ] [ PJC + AS ]

v. t. & i. 1. to park (a road vehicle) at an angle to the curb; -- contrasted with parallel-park. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

[ From Angostura, in Venezuela. ] A bitter aromatic bark, obtained from a South American tree of the rue family (Galipea cusparia, or Galipea officinalis). It is used used as a tonic, in medicines, liqueurs and bitters. U. S. Disp. [ 1913 Webster WordNet 1.5 ]

See Angostura bark. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. discriminatory against black people; opposed to black people
Syn. -- racist [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An antimask. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A secondary mask, or grotesque interlude, between the parts of a serious mask. [ Written also antimasque. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + peak. Cf. F. à pic vertically. ] (Naut.) In a vertical line. The anchor in apeak, when the cable has been sufficiently hove in to bring the ship over it, and the ship is them said to be hove apeak. [ Spelt also apeek. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Apple brandy; a brandy distilled from cider. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Arrack. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wedge-shaped brick used in the building of an arch. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + reek. ] In a reeking condition. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ark, arke, arche, AS. arc, earc, earce, fr. L. arca, fr. arcere to inclose, keep off; akin to Gr. 'arkei^n to keep off. ] 1. A chest, or coffer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Bearing that precious relic in an ark. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Jewish Hist.) The oblong chest of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, which supported the mercy seat with its golden cherubs, and occupied the most sacred place in the sanctuary. In it Moses placed the two tables of stone containing the ten commandments. Called also the Ark of the Covenant. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The large, chestlike vessel in which Noah and his family were preserved during the Deluge. Gen. vi. Hence: Any place of refuge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A large flatboat used on Western American rivers to transport produce to market. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A frame, generally vertical, for holding small arms. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 proceeding without interruption for twenty four hours every day. around-the-clock nursing care
Syn. -- day-and-night, nonstop, round-the-clock, twenty four hours a day. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Ar. araq sweat, juice, spirituous liquor, fr. araqa to sweat. Cf. Rack arrack. ] A name in the East Indies and the Indian islands for all ardent spirits. Arrack is often distilled from a fermented mixture of rice, molasses, and palm wine of the cocoanut tree or the date palm, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Publishing) photographs, illustrations, or other visual representations other than the text, in a printed publication.
Syn. -- art, graphics, nontextual matter. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Asked p. pr. & vb. n. Asking. ] [ OE. asken, ashen, axien, AS. āscian, ācsian; akin to OS. ēscōn, OHG. eiscōn, Sw. āska, Dan. æske, D. eischen, G. heischen, Lith. jëskóti, OSlav. iskati to seek, Skr. ish to desire. √5. ] 1. To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; to solicit; -- often with of, in the sense of from, before the person addressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God. Judg. xviii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John xv. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity; as, what price do you ask? [ 1913 Webster ]

Ask me never so much dowry. Gen. xxxiv. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

To whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke xii. 48. [ 1913 Webster ]

An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To interrogate or inquire of or concerning; to put a question to or about; to question. [ 1913 Webster ]

He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. John ix. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

He asked the way to Chester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To invite; as, to ask one to an entertainment. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To publish in church for marriage; -- said of both the banns and the persons. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To beg; request; seek; petition; solicit; entreat; beseech; implore; crave; require; demand; claim; exhibit; inquire; interrogate. See Beg. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To request or petition; -- usually followed by for; as, to ask for bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ask, and it shall be given you. Matt. vii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make inquiry, or seek by request; -- sometimes followed by after. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wherefore . . . dost ask after my name? Gen. xxxii. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See 2d Asker. ] (Zool.) A water newt. [ Scot. & North of Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. a- + soak. ] Soaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. asteriscus, Gr. &unr_;, dim. of 'asth`r star. See Aster. ] The figure of a star, thus, &unr_;, used in printing and writing as a reference to a passage or note in the margin, to supply the omission of letters or words, or to mark a word or phrase as having a special character. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To repent; to displease; to disgust. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Attacked p. pr. & vb. n. Attacking. ] [ F. attaquer, orig. another form of attacher to attack: cf. It. attacare to fasten, attack. See Attach, Tack a small nail. ] 1. To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault. “Attack their lines.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hydrofluoric acid . . . attacks the glass. B. Stewart. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To Attack, Assail, Assault, Invade. These words all denote a violent onset; attack being the generic term, and the others specific forms of attack. To attack is to commence the onset; to assail is to make a sudden and violent attack, or to make repeated attacks; to assault (literally, to leap upon) is to attack physically by a had-to-hand approach or by unlawful and insulting violence; to invade is to enter by force on what belongs to another. Thus, a person may attack by offering violence of any kind; he may assail by means of missile weapons; he may assault by direct personal violence; a king may invade by marching an army into a country. Figuratively, we may say, men attack with argument or satire; they assail with abuse or reproaches; they may be assaulted by severe temptations; the rights of the people may be invaded by the encroachments of the crown. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make an onset or attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. attaque. ] 1. The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A setting to work upon some task, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An access of disease; a fit of sickness. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action, by a chemical agent. [ 1913 Webster ]