v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Abstained p. pr. & vb. n. Abstaining. ] [ OE. absteynen, abstenen, OF. astenir, abstenir, F. abstenir, fr. L. abstinere, abstentum, v. t. & v. i., to keep from; ab, abs + tenere to hold. See Tenable. ] To hold one's self aloof; to forbear or refrain voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites; -- with from. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not a few abstained from voting. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To refrain; forbear; withhold; deny one's self; give up; relinquish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To hinder; to withhold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whether he abstain men from marrying. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who abstains; esp., one who abstains from the use of intoxicating liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OF. acoint. See Acquaint, v. t. ] Acquainted. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Acquainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Acquainting. ] [ OE. aqueinten, acointen, OF. acointier, LL. adcognitare, fr. L. ad + cognitus, p. p. of cognoscere to know; con- + noscere to know. See Quaint, Know. ] 1. To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) to know; to make familiar; -- followed by with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Before a man can speak on any subject, it is necessary to be acquainted with it. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isa. liii. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To communicate notice to; to inform; to make cognizant; -- followed by with (formerly, also, by of), or by that, introducing the intelligence; as, to acquaint a friend with the particulars of an act. [ 1913 Webster ]

Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must acquaint you that I have received
New dated letters from Northumberland. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To familiarize; to accustom. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be acquainted with, to be possessed of personal knowledge of; to be cognizant of; to be more or less familiar with; to be on terms of social intercourse with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To inform; apprise; communicate; advise. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. OF. acointable ]. Easy to be acquainted with; affable. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. aqueintance, OF. acointance, fr. acointier. See Acquaint. ] 1. A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate, or more than slight or superficial, knowledge; personal knowledge gained by intercourse short of that of friendship or intimacy; as, I know the man; but have no acquaintance with him. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contract no friendship, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man. Sir W. Jones. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person or persons with whom one is acquainted. [ 1913 Webster ]

Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense the collective term acquaintance was formerly both singular and plural, but it is now commonly singular, and has the regular plural acquaintances. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be of acquaintance, to be intimate. --
To take acquaintance of or
with, to make the acquaintance of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Familiarity; intimacy; fellowship; knowledge. -- Acquaintance, Familiarity, Intimacy. These words mark different degrees of closeness in social intercourse. Acquaintance arises from occasional intercourse; as, our acquaintance has been a brief one. We can speak of a slight or an intimate acquaintance. Familiarity is the result of continued acquaintance. It springs from persons being frequently together, so as to wear off all restraint and reserve; as, the familiarity of old companions. Intimacy is the result of close connection, and the freest interchange of thought; as, the intimacy of established friendship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our admiration of a famous man lessens upon our nearer acquaintance with him. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

We contract at last such a familiarity with them as makes it difficult and irksome for us to call off our minds. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is in our power to confine our friendships and intimacies to men of virtue. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A state of being acquainted; acquaintance. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. acointant, p. pr. ] An acquaintance. [ R. ] Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Personally known; familiar. See To be acquainted with, under Acquaint, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being acquainted; degree of acquaintance. [ R. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A foolish or dull-witted fellow. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Dull-witted; stupid. “The addle-brained Oberstein.” Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dull and addle-pated. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. (Med.) The pains which succeed childbirth, as in expelling the afterbirth. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ OE. agein, agayn, AS. ongegn, ongeán, against, again; on + geán, akin to Ger. gegewn against, Icel. gegn. Cf. Gainsay. ] 1. In return, back; as, bring us word again. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Another time; once more; anew. [ 1913 Webster ]

If a man die, shall he live again? Job xiv. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Once repeated; -- of quantity; as, as large again, half as much again. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. In any other place. [ Archaic ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. On the other hand. “The one is my sovereign . . . the other again is my kinsman.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Moreover; besides; further. [ 1913 Webster ]

Again, it is of great consequence to avoid, etc. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Again and again, more than once; often; repeatedly. --
Now and again, now and then; occasionally. --
To and again, to and fro. [ Obs. ] De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Again was formerly used in many verbal combinations, as, again-witness, to witness against; again-ride, to ride against; again-come, to come against, to encounter; again-bring, to bring back, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To redeem. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } prep. Against; also, towards (in order to meet). [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Albeit that it is again his kind. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To gainsay. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. [ OE. agens, ageynes, AS. ongegn. The s is adverbial, orig. a genitive ending. See Again. ] 1. Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards; as, against the mouth of a river; -- in this sense often preceded by over. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jacob saw the angels of God come against him. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. From an opposite direction so as to strike or come in contact with; in contact with; upon; as, hail beats against the roof. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In opposition to, whether the opposition is of sentiment or of action; on the other side; counter to; in contrariety to; hence, adverse to; as, against reason; against law; to run a race against time. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gate would have been shut against her. Fielding. [ 1913 Webster ]

An argument against the use of steam. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when. [ Archaic or Dial. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Urijah the priest made it, against King Ahaz came from Damascus. 2 Kings xvi. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

Against the sun, in a direction contrary to that in which the sun appears to move. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To withstand. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Back again. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. belonging to or on behalf of a specified person especially one's self; preceded by a possessive. `my ain' is Scottish
Syn. -- own(prenominal). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Said to be the native name for man. ] same as Ainu. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

A contraction for are not and am not; also used for is not. [ Colloq. or illiterate speech ]. See An't. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Said to be the native name for man. ] One of a peculiar race found primarily in Hokkaido, in the northern part of the empire of Japan, the Kurile Islands, and nearby. They are believed to be the native inhabitants of the Japanese islands. The Ainus are stout and short, with hairy bodies. Also called Aino and hairy Ainu. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

adj. prenom. 1. adaptable to all voltages; -- of a radio receiver. [ British ] For power supplies, the term "switching" is used to designate ability to use more than one voltage as a power source. Typically, it is used for the ability to use both 110 and 220 volt AC sources. an all-mains set [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } The first day of November, called, also, Allhallows or Hallowmas; a feast day kept in honor of all the saints; also, the season of this festival. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ OF. Aleman, F. Allemand, fr. L. Alemanni, ancient Ger. tribes. ] [ Obs. ] 1. A German. Also adj., German. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The German language. J. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A kind of dance. See Allemande. [ 1913 Webster ]

Almain rivets,
Almayne rivets, or
Alman rivets, a sort of light armor from Germany, characterized by overlapping plates, arranged to slide on rivets, and thus afford great flexibility. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + main. See 2d Main, n. ] 1. With might; with full force; vigorously; violently; exceedingly. [ 1913 Webster ]

They on the hill, which were not yet come to blows, perceiving the fewness of their enemies, came down amain. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

That striping giant, ill-bred and scoffing, shouts amain. T. Parker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. At full speed; in great haste; also, at once. “They fled amain.” Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ F. amener. See Amenable. ] (Naut.) To lower, as a sail, a yard, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Naut.) To lower the topsail, in token of surrender; to yield. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Corrupted fr. another-gates. ] Of another kind. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Appertained p. pr. & vb. n. Appertaining. ] [ OE. apperteinen, apertenen, OF. apartenir, F. appartenir, fr. L. appertinere; ad + pertinere to reach to, belong. See Pertain. ] To belong or pertain, whether by right, nature, appointment, or custom; to relate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Things appertaining to this life. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Give it unto him to whom it appertaineth. Lev. vi. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which appertains to a person; an appurtenance. [ Obs. or R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. G. erzkämmerer. See Arch-, pref. ] A chief chamberlain; -- an officer of the old German empire, whose office was similar to that of the great chamberlain in England. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ascertained p. pr. & vb. n. Ascertaining. ] [ OF. acertener; a (L. ad) + certain. See Certain. ] 1. To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When the blessed Virgin was so ascertained. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and that the Almighty had in a dream ascertained him of its effects. Robertson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

The very deferring [ of his execution ] shall increase and ascertain the condemnation. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on England was practicable. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be ascertained. -- As`cer*tain"a*ble*ness, n. -- As`cer*tain"a*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who ascertains. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of ascertaining; a reducing to certainty; a finding out by investigation; discovery. [ 1913 Webster ]

The positive ascertainment of its limits. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Attained p. pr. & vb. n. Attaining. ] [ Of. atteinen, atteignen, atainen, OF. ateindre, ataindre, F. atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See Tangent, and cf. Attinge, Attaint. ] 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. [ 1913 Webster ]

Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means? Abp. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire. [ Obs. with a material object. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Not well attaining his meaning. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at. “Canaan he now attains.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To overtake. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To reach in excellence or degree; to equal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To Attain, Obtain, Procure. Attain always implies an effort toward an object. Hence it is not synonymous with obtain and procure, which do not necessarily imply such effort or motion. We procure or obtain a thing by purchase or loan, and we obtain by inheritance, but we do not attain it by such means. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach. [ 1913 Webster ]

If by any means they might attain to Phenice. Acts xxvii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor nearer might the dogs attain. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this. J. R. Green. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come or arrive, by an effort of mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it. Ps. cxxxix. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Attainment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being attainable; attainableness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Capable of being attained or reached by efforts of the mind or body; capable of being compassed or accomplished by efforts directed to the object. [ 1913 Webster ]

The highest pitch of perfection attainable in this life. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Obtainable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

General Howe would not permit the purchase of those articles [ clothes and blankets ] in Philadelphia, and they were not attainable in the country. Marshall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being attainable; attainability. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse, convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to F. teindre tie stain. See Attaint, Attain. ] 1. The act of attainting, or the state of being attainted; the extinction of the civil rights and capacities of a person, consequent upon sentence of death or outlawry; as, an act of attainder. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly attainder was the inseparable consequence of a judicial or legislative sentence for treason or felony, and involved the forfeiture of all the real and personal property of the condemned person, and such “corruption of blood” that he could neither receive nor transmit by inheritance, nor could he sue or testify in any court, or claim any legal protection or rights. In England attainders are now abolished, and in the United States the Constitution provides that no bill of attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason (in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or condemnation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He lived from all attainder of suspect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bill of attainder, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of attaining; the act of arriving at or reaching; hence, the act of obtaining by efforts. [ 1913 Webster ]

The attainment of every desired object. Sir W. Jones. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is attained to, or obtained by exertion; acquirement; acquisition; (pl.), mental acquirements; knowledge; as, literary and scientific attainments. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Attainted; p. pr. & vb. n. Attainting. ] [ OE. atteynten to convict, fr. atteynt, OF. ateint, p. p. of ateindre, ataindre. The meanings 3, 4, 5, and 6 were influenced by a supposed connection with taint. See Attain, Attainder. ] 1. To attain; to get act; to hit. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Old Law) To find guilty; to convict; -- said esp. of a jury on trial for giving a false verdict. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon sufficient proof attainted of some open act by men of his own condition. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) To subject (a person) to the legal condition formerly resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry, pronounced in respect of treason or felony; to affect by attainder. [ 1913 Webster ]

No person shall be attainted of high treason where corruption of blood is incurred, but by the oath of two witnesses. Stat. 7 & 8 Wm. III. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To accuse; to charge with a crime or a dishonorable act. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To affect or infect, as with physical or mental disease or with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt. [ 1913 Webster ]

My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To stain; to obscure; to sully; to disgrace; to cloud with infamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,
That Ph&unr_;bus' golden face it did attaint. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lest she with blame her honor should attaint. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. p. Attainted; corrupted. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. attainte. See Attaint, v. ] 1. A touch or hit. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Far.) A blow or wound on the leg of a horse, made by overreaching. White. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) A writ which lies after judgment, to inquire whether a jury has given a false verdict in any court of record; also, the convicting of the jury so tried. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A stain or taint; disgrace. See Taint. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An infecting influence. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]