‖a. [ It. ] (Mus.) Gradually accelerating the movement. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Accelerated p. pr. & vb. n. Accelerating. ] [ L. acceleratus, p. p. of accelerare; ad + celerare to hasten; celer quick. See Celerity. ] 1. To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of; -- opposed to retard. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase of wealth, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To hasten, as the occurence of an event; as, to accelerate our departure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Accelerated motion (Mech.), motion with a continually increasing velocity. --
Accelerating force, the force which causes accelerated motion. Nichol. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To hasten; expedite; quicken; dispatch; forward; advance; further. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 caused to move faster
Syn. -- speeded up [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. 1 caused to be completed in a shorter than normal time period; speeded up, as of an academic course; He took an accelerated curriculum, and graduated in three years. Opposite of delayed.
Syn. -- expedited [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ L. acceleratio: cf. F. accélération. ] The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as, a falling body moves toward the earth with an acceleration of velocity; -- opposed to retardation. [ 1913 Webster ]

A period of social improvement, or of intellectual advancement, contains within itself a principle of acceleration. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Astr. & Physics.)
Acceleration of the moon, the increase of the moon's mean motion in its orbit, in consequence of which its period of revolution is now shorter than in ancient times. --
Acceleration and
retardation of the tides. See Priming of the tides, under Priming. --
Diurnal acceleration of the fixed stars, the amount by which their apparent diurnal motion exceeds that of the sun, in consequence of which they daily come to the meridian of any place about three minutes fifty-six seconds of solar time earlier than on the day preceding. --
Acceleration of the planets, the increasing velocity of their motion, in proceeding from the apogee to the perigee of their orbits. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to acceleration; adding to velocity; quickening. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, accelerates. Also as an adj.; as, accelerator nerves. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Accelerative. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Accelerate + -graph. ] (Mil.) An apparatus for studying the combustion of powder in guns, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Accelerate + -meter. ] An apparatus for measuring the velocity imparted by gunpowder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no benefice. “Beneficeless precisians.” Sheldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. bracelet, dim. of OF. bracel armlet, prop. little arm, dim. of bras arm, fr. L. bracchium. See Brace, n. ] 1. An ornamental band or ring, for the wrist or the arm; in modern times, an ornament encircling the wrist, worn by women or girls. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece of defensive armor for the arm. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; windpipe + &unr_; tumor. ] (Med.) See Goiter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. boubw`n groin + &unr_; tumor: cf. F. bubonocèle. ] (Med.) An inguinal hernia; esp. that incomplete variety in which the hernial pouch descends only as far as the groin, forming a swelling there like a bubo. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. (Falconry) The turn of a hawk upon the wing to recover herself, when she misses her aim in the stoop. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The fierce and eager hawks, down thrilling from the skies,
Make sundry canceliers ere they the fowl can reach. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. celebrans, p. pr. of celebrare. See Celebrate. ] One who performs a public religious rite; -- applied particularly to an officiating priest in the Roman Catholic Church, as distinguished from his assistants. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Celebrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Celebrating. ] [ L. celebratus, p. p. of celebrare to frequent, to celebrate, fr. celeber famous. ] 1. To extol or honor in a solemn manner; as, to celebrate the name of the Most High. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining from ordinary business; to observe duly; to keep; as, to celebrate a birthday. [ 1913 Webster ]

From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Lev. xxiii. 32. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To perform or participate in, as a sacrament or solemn rite; to solemnize; to perform with appropriate rites; as, to celebrate a marriage.

Syn. -- To commemorate; distinguish; honor. -- To Celebrate, Commemorate. We commemorate events which we desire to keep in remembrance, when we recall them by some special observace; as, to commemorate the death of our Savior. We celebrate by demonstrations of joy or solemnity or by appropriate ceremonies; as, to celebrate the birthday of our Independence. [ 1913 Webster ]

We are called upon to commemorate a revolution as surprising in its manner as happy in its consequences. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

Earth, water, air, and fire, with feeling glee,
Exult to celebrate thy festival. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having celebrity; distinguished; renowned. [ 1913 Webster ]

Celebrated for the politeness of his manners. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Distinguished; famous; noted; famed; renowned; illustrious. See Distinguished. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. celebratio. ] The act, process, or time of celebrating. [ 1913 Webster ]

His memory deserving a particular celebration. Clarendok. [ 1913 Webster ]

Celebration of Mass is equivalent to offering Mass Cath. Dict. [ 1913 Webster ]

To hasten the celebration of their marriage. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who celebrates; a praiser. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Famous. [ Obs. ] Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Celebrities [ L. celebritas: cf. F. célébrité. ] 1. Celebration; solemnization. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The celebrity of the marriage. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state or condition of being celebrated; fame; renown; as, the celebrity of Washington. [ 1913 Webster ]

An event of great celebrity in the history of astronomy. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A person of distinction or renown; -- usually in the plural; as, he is one of the celebrities of the place. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Turnip-rooted celery, a from of celery with a large globular root, which is used for food. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. celeritas, from celer swiftm speedy: sf. F. célérité. ] Rapidity of motion; quickness; swiftness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Time, with all its celerity, moves slowly to him whose whole employment is to watch its flight. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. céleri, cf. Prov. It. seleno, seler; fr. Gr. &unr_; parsley, in Lgr. & NGr. celery. Cf. Parsley. ] (Bot.) A plant of the Parsley family (Apium graveolens), of which the blanched leafstalks are used as a salad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mus.) a musical instrument consisting of graduated steel plates that are struck by hammers activated by a keyboard. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ OF. celestial, celestied, fr. L. caelestic, fr. caelum heaved. See Cell. ] 1. Belonging to the aërial regions, or visible heavens. “The twelve celestial signs.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the spiritual heaven; heavenly; divine. “Celestial spirits.” “Celestial light, ” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, the Chinese, or Celestial, Empire, of the Chinese people. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Celestial city, heaven; the heavenly Jerusalem. Bunyan. --
Celestial empire, China; -- so called from the Chinese words, tien chan, Heavenly Dynasty, as being the kingdom ruled over by the dynasty appointed by heaven. S. W. Williams. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An inhabitant of heaven. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A native of China; a Chinaman; a Chinese. [ Colloq. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To make celestial. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a celestial manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. caelestis heavenly + -fly. ] To make like heaven. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. (Eccl. Hist.) A monk of the austere branch of the Franciscan Order founded by Celestine V. in the 13th centry. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }, n. [ LL. caelestinus bine. ] (Min.) Native strontium sulphate, a mineral so named from its occasional delicate blue color. It occurs crystallized, also in compact massive and fibrous forms. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Cirsocele. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a dilated vein + &unr_; tumor. ] (Med.) The varicose dilatation of the spermatic vein. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. concelebratus, p. p. of concelebrare to concelebrate. ] To celebrate together. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without conscience; indifferent to conscience; unscrupulous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conscienceless and wicked patrons. Hookre. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; bladder + &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; tumor: cf. F. cystocele. ] (Med.) Hernia in which the urinary bladder protrudes; vesical hernia. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. 1 to reduce speed; as, The car decelerated. Opposite of accelerate.
Syn. -- slow, slow down, slow up, retard. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. to cause to reduce speed. Opposite of accelerate.
Syn. -- slow down. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a decrease in velocity. Opposite of acceleration
Syn. -- slowing, retardation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. same as defenseless; as, a defenceless child.
Syn. -- defenseless, helpless. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Incapable of being divorced or separated; free from divorce. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'egke`falos the brain + kh`lh tumor. ] (Med.) Hernia of the brain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'enterokh`lh; 'e`nteron an intestine + kh`lh tumor, hernia. ] (Med.) A hernial tumor whose contents are intestine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a fence; uninclosed; open; unguarded; defenseless. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a fleece. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having little or no force; feeble. [ 1913 Webster ]

These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without frounces. Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Wanting in grace or excellence; departed from, or deprived of, divine grace; hence, depraved; corrupt. “In a graceless age.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Unfortunate. Cf. Grace, n., 4. [ Obs. ] Chaucer.

-- Grace"less*ly, adv. -- Grace"less*ness, n.

n. [ Hemato- + Gr. &unr_; tumor: cf. F. hématocèle. ] (Med.) A tumor filled with blood. [ 1913 Webster ]