n.; pl. Abbacies [ L. abbatia, fr. abbas, abbatis, abbot. See Abbey. ] The dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Accurate. ] The state of being accurate; freedom from mistakes, this exemption arising from carefulness; exact conformity to truth, or to a rule or model; precision; exactness; nicety; correctness; as, the value of testimony depends on its accuracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The professed end [ of logic ] is to teach men to think, to judge, and to reason, with precision and accuracy. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

The accuracy with which the piston fits the sides. Lardner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; undistinguishable; 'a priv. + &unr_; to separate, distinguish + &unr_; color. ] Color blindness; achromatopsy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. a- not + cyclic. ] Not cyclic; not disposed in cycles or whorls; as: (a) (Bot.) Of a flower, having its parts inserted spirally on the receptacle. (b) (Org. Chem.) Having an open-chain structure; aliphatic. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Acid + -yl. ] (Org. Chem.) An acid radical, as acetyl, malonyl, or benzoyl. An acyl radical can be depicted as R-CO-, where -CO- is the carbonyl group, and R is the group that characterizes the acyl moiety. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. [ See Adequate. ] The state or quality of being adequate, proportionate, or sufficient; a sufficiency for a particular purpose; as, the adequacy of supply to the expenditure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. advocatie, LL. advocatia. See Advocate. ] The act of pleading for or supporting; work of advocating; intercession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Alternateness; alternation. [ R. ] Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. archi- + episcopacy. ] 1. That form of episcopacy in which the chief power is in the hands of archbishops. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state or dignity of an archbishop. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Aristocracies [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; best + &unr_; to be strong, to rule, &unr_; strength; &unr_; is perh. from the same root as E. arm, and orig. meant fitting: cf. F. aristocratie. See Arm, and Create, which is related to Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. Government by the best citizens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A ruling body composed of the best citizens. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In the Senate
Right not our quest in this, I will protest them
To all the world, no aristocracy. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A form a government, in which the supreme power is vested in the principal persons of a state, or in a privileged order; an oligarchy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The aristocracy of Venice hath admitted so many abuses, trough the degeneracy of the nobles, that the period of its duration seems approach. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The nobles or chief persons in a state; a privileged class or patrician order; (in a popular use) those who are regarded as superior to the rest of the community, as in rank, fortune, or intellect. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Autocracies. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. autocratie. See Autocrat. ] 1. Independent or self-derived power; absolute or controlling authority; supremacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The divine will moves, not by the external impulse or inclination of objects, but determines itself by an absolute autocracy. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Supreme, uncontrolled, unlimited authority, or right of governing in a single person, as of an autocrat. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Political independence or absolute sovereignty (of a state); autonomy. Barlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) The action of the vital principle, or of the instinctive powers, toward the preservation of the individual; also, the vital principle. [ In this sense, written also autocrasy. ] Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bureau + Gr. &unr_; to be strong, to govern, &unr_; strength: cf. F. bureaucratie. ] 1. A system of carrying on the business of government by means of departments or bureaus, each under the control of a chief, in contradiction to a system in which the officers of government have an associated authority and responsibility; also, government conducted on this system. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Government officials, collectively; -- used especially of nonelected government officials. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. The position of a candidate; state of being a candidate; candidateship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Celibate, n. ] The state of being unmarried; single life, esp. that of a bachelor, or of one bound by vows not to marry. “The celibacy of the clergy.” Hallom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a yellow crystalline antibacterial antibiotic used to treat certain bacterial and rickettsial diseases. Aureomycin is one common trademark for chlortetracycline.
Syn. -- Aureomycin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Joint efficacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A state of being complicate or intricate. Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The practice of concubinage. [ Obs. ] Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Confederacies [ From Confederate, a. ] 1. A league or compact between two or more persons, bodies of men, or states, for mutual support or common action; alliance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The friendships of the world are oft
Confederacies in vice or leagues of pleasure. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

He hath heard of our confederacy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Virginia promoted a confederacy. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The persons, bodies, states, or nations united by a league; a confederation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Grecian common wealth, . . . the most heroic confederacy that ever existed. Harris. [ 1913 Webster ]

Virgil has a whole confederacy against him. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) A combination of two or more persons to commit an unlawful act, or to do a lawful act by unlawful means. See Conspiracy.

Syn. -- League; compact; alliance; association; union; combination; confederation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Amer. Hist.) With the, the Confederate States of America. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Similarity of origin; affinity. [ Obs. ] Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Conspiracies [ See Conspiration. ] 1. A combination of people for an evil purpose; an agreement, between two or more persons, to commit a crime in concert, as treason; a plot. [ 1913 Webster ]

When shapen was all his conspiracy
From point to point. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

They made a conspiracy against [ Amaziah ]. 2 Kings xiv. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

I had forgot that foul conspiracy Of the beast Caliban and his confederates. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A concurence or general tendency, as of circumstances, to one event, as if by agreement. [ 1913 Webster ]

A conspiracy in all heavenly and earthly things. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) An agreement, manifesting itself in words or deeds, by which two or more persons confederate to do an unlawful act, or to use unlawful to do an act which is lawful; confederacy.

Syn. -- Combination; plot; cabal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Contumacies /plu>. [ L. contumacia, fr. contumax, -acis, insolent; prob. akin to contemnere to despise: cf. F. contumace. Cf. Contemn. ] 1. Stubborn perverseness; pertinacious resistance to authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bishop commanded him . . . to be thrust into the stocks for his manifest and manifold contumacy. Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A willful contempt of, and disobedience to, any lawful summons, or to the rules and orders of court, as a refusal to appear in court when legally summoned.

Syn. -- Stubbornness; perverseness; obstinacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Curacies [ See Cure, Curate. ] The office or employment of a curate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Degenerate, a. ] 1. The act of becoming degenerate; a growing worse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Willful degeneracy from goodness. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of having become degenerate; decline in good qualities; deterioration; meanness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Degeneracy of spirit in a state of slavery. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

To recover mankind out of their universal corruption and degeneracy. S. Clarke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Delegate, a. ] 1. The act of delegating, or state of being delegated; deputed power. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

By way of delegacy or grand commission. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A body of delegates or commissioners; a delegation. [ Obs. ] Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Delicacies [ From Delicate, a. ] 1. The state or condition of being delicate; agreeableness to the senses; delightfulness; as, delicacy of flavor, of odor, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

What choice to choose for delicacy best. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Nicety or fineness of form, texture, or constitution; softness; elegance; smoothness; tenderness; and hence, frailty or weakness; as, the delicacy of a fiber or a thread; delicacy of a hand or of the human form; delicacy of the skin; delicacy of frame. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Nice propriety of manners or conduct; susceptibility or tenderness of feeling; refinement; fastidiousness; and hence, in an exaggerated sense, effeminacy; as, great delicacy of behavior; delicacy in doing a kindness; delicacy of character that unfits for earnest action. [ 1913 Webster ]

You know your mother's delicacy in this point. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Addiction to pleasure; luxury; daintiness; indulgence; luxurious or voluptuous treatment. [ 1913 Webster ]

And to those dainty limbs which Nature lent
For gentle usage and soft delicacy? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Nice and refined perception and discrimination; critical niceness; fastidious accuracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

That Augustan delicacy of taste which is the boast of the great public schools of England. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The state of being affected by slight causes; sensitiveness; as, the delicacy of a chemist's balance. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. That which is alluring, delicate, or refined; a luxury or pleasure; something pleasant to the senses, especially to the sense of taste; a dainty; as, delicacies of the table. [ 1913 Webster ]

The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. Rev. xviii. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Pleasure; gratification; delight. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He Rome brent for his delicacie. Chaucer.

Syn. -- See Dainty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Delirate. ] Delirium. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Democracies [ F. démocratie, fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength. ] 1. Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by the people. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Government by popular representation; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but is indirectly exercised through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed; a constitutional representative government; a republic. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Collectively, the people, regarded as the source of government. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The principles and policy of the Democratic party, so called. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. dai`mwn demon + kra`tos strength: cf. F. démonocratie. ] The power or government of demons. [ 1913 Webster ]

A demonocracy of unclean spirits. H. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Depopulation; destruction of population. [ R. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Determinateness. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. diplomatie. This word, like supremacy, retains the accent of its original. See Diploma. ] 1. The art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations (particularly in securing treaties), including the methods and forms usually employed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dexterity or skill in securing advantages; tact. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The body of ministers or envoys resident at a court; the diplomatic body. [ R. ] Burke.

n. The state of being disconsolate. [ Obs. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; an assay, examination, fr. &unr_; to examine (Metals), fr. &unr_; assayed, tested, fr. &unr_; to take, approve: cf. F. docimasie. ] The art or practice of applying tests to ascertain the nature, quality, etc., of objects, as of metals or ores, of medicines, or of facts pertaining to physiology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. doy^los slave + kratei^n to rule. ] A government by slaves. [ Written also dulocracy. ] Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Doulocracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Effeminacies [ From Effeminate. ] Characteristic quality of a woman, such as softness, luxuriousness, delicacy, or weakness, which is unbecoming a man; womanish delicacy or softness; -- used reproachfully of men. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. efficacia, fr. efficax. See Efficacious. ] Power to produce effects; operation or energy of an agent or force; production of the effect intended; as, the efficacy of medicine in counteracting disease; the efficacy of prayer. “Of noxious efficacy.” Milton.
Syn. -- efficacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Virtue; force; energy; potency; efficiency. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Episcopate. ] Government of the church by bishops; church government by three distinct orders of ministers -- bishops, priests, and deacons -- of whom the bishops have an authority superior and of a different kind. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Equivocalness. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n.; pl. Fallacies [ OE. fallace, fallas, deception, F. fallace, fr. L. fallacia, fr. fallax deceitful, deceptive, fr. fallere to deceive. See Fail. ] 1. Deceptive or false appearance; deceitfulness; that which misleads the eye or the mind; deception. [ 1913 Webster ]

Winning by conquest what the first man lost,
By fallacy surprised. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Logic) An argument, or apparent argument, which professes to be decisive of the matter at issue, while in reality it is not; a sophism.

Syn. -- Deception; deceit; mistake. -- Fallacy, Sophistry. A fallacy is an argument which professes to be decisive, but in reality is not; sophistry is also false reasoning, but of so specious and subtle a kind as to render it difficult to expose its fallacy. Many fallacies are obvious, but the evil of sophistry lies in its consummate art. “Men are apt to suffer their minds to be misled by fallacies which gratify their passions. Many persons have obscured and confounded the nature of things by their wretched sophistry; though an act be never so sinful, they will strip it of its guilt.” South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. See Pharmacy. ] Medicine; pharmacy. [ Obs. ] Chaucer.

n. Banishment. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, an old man + &unr_; to rule. ] Government by old men. [ R. ] Gladstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Gyneocracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. gynaikokrati`a; gynh`, gynaiko`s, a woman + kratei^n to rule: cf. F. gynécocratie. Cf. Gynocracy. ] Government by a woman, female power; gyneocracy. Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Gynecocracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Gynecocracy. ] Female government; gynecocracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The aforesaid state has repeatedly changed from absolute despotism to republicanism, not forgetting the intermediate stages of oligarchy, limited monarchy, and even gynocracy; for I myself remember Alsatia governed for nearly nine months by an old fishwoman. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]