n. 1. an examination taken by 11 and 12 year old students to select suitable candidates for grammar school. [ formerly in England ]
Syn. -- eleven-plus [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An insoluble solid alcohol (C12H25OH) with an unbranched paraffin chain, used to make detergents, such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
Syn. -- lauryl alcohol [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. 1. a class mail comprising letters, postcards, and other mail sealed against inspection, having a higher priority than second, third, or fourth-class mail; -- it is the highest class of mail not handled in a special manner, as is registered or priority mail.
Syn. -- first-class, first-class mail, 1st-class mail [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ D, earth-wolf ] (Zool.) A carnivorous, striped, quadruped mammal (Proteles cristata, formerly Proteles Lalandii), of South Africa, resembling the fox and hyena. It feeds chiefly on insects. See Proteles. [ 1913 Webster WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } a. Pertaining to Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ab + E. actinal. ] (Zool.) Pertaining to the surface or end opposite to the mouth in a radiate animal; -- opposed to actinal. “The aboral or abactinal area.” L. Agassiz. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Abaculi [ L., dim. of abacus. ] (Arch.) A small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements. Fairholt. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. abalienatus, p. p. of abalienare; ab + alienus foreign, alien. See Alien. ] 1. (Civil Law) To transfer the title of from one to another; to alienate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To estrange; to withdraw. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause alienation of (mind). Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. abalienatio: cf. F. abaliénation. ] The act of abalienating; alienation; estrangement. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Zool.) A univalve mollusk of the genus Haliotis. The shell is lined with mother-of-pearl, and used for ornamental purposes; the sea-ear. Several large species are found on the coast of California, clinging closely to the rocks. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Unrestrainedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ab + E. articulation : cf. F. abarticulation. See Article. ] (Anat.) Articulation, usually that kind of articulation which admits of free motion in the joint; diarthrosis. Coxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Abjectly; downcastly. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an abashed manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being abated; as, an abatable writ or nuisance. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. ab + axis axle. ] (Bot.) Away from the axis or central line; eccentric. Balfour. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. abbatialis : cf. F. abbatial. ] Belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Abbatial. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

See Abb. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Ar. badīl, pl. abdāl, a substitute, a good, religious man, saint, fr. badala to change, substitute. ] A religious devotee or dervish in Persia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being abdicated. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; E. pl. Abdominals, L. pl. Abdominales. A fish of the group Abdominales. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. abdominal. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral; as, the abdominal regions, muscles, cavity. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Having abdominal fins; belonging to the Abdominales; as, abdominal fishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abdominal ring (Anat.), a fancied ringlike opening on each side of the abdomen, external and superior to the pubes; -- called also inguinal ring. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., masc. pl. ] (Zool.) A group including the greater part of fresh-water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., neut. pl. ] (Zool.) A group of cirripeds having abdominal appendages. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D. abeel (abeel-boom), OF. abel, aubel, fr. a dim. of L. albus white. ] The white poplar (Populus alba). [ 1913 Webster ]

Six abeles i' the churchyard grow. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. 1. 1 A genus of tropical coarse herbs having large lobed leaves and often yellow flowers.
Syn. -- genus Abelmoschus [ WordNet 1.5 ]

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 ]

{ } n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect in Africa (4th century), mentioned by St. Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence, after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by aberration. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Abetment. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. The berries of a species of cypress in the East Indies. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Abominable. [ A false orthography anciently used; h was foisted into various words; hence abholish, for abolish, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This is abhominable, which he [ Don Armado ] would call abominable. Shak. Love's Labor's Lost, v. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ab away from + homo, hominis, man. ] Inhuman. [ Obs. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With abhorrence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Detestable. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Permanently. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ The proper name used as an appellative. ] A lady's waiting-maid. Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]

Her abigail reported that Mrs. Gutheridge had a set of night curls for sleeping in. Leslie. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Habiliment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Abilities [ F. habileté, earlier spelling habilité (with silent h), L. habilitas aptitude, ability, fr. habilis apt. See Able. ] The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren. Acts xi. 29. [ 1913 Webster ]

Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The public men of England, with much of a peculiar kind of ability. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Capacity; talent; cleverness; faculty; capability; efficiency; aptitude; aptness; address; dexterity; skill. Ability, Capacity. These words come into comparison when applied to the higher intellectual powers. Ability has reference to the active exercise of our faculties. It implies not only native vigor of mind, but that ease and promptitude of execution which arise from mental training. Thus, we speak of the ability with which a book is written, an argument maintained, a negotiation carried on, etc. It always something to be done, and the power of doing it. Capacity has reference to the receptive powers. In its higher exercises it supposes great quickness of apprehension and breadth of intellect, with an uncommon aptitude for acquiring and retaining knowledge. Hence it carries with it the idea of resources and undeveloped power. Thus we speak of the extraordinary capacity of such men as Lord Bacon, Blaise Pascal, and Edmund Burke. “Capacity, ” says H. Taylor, “is requisite to devise, and ability to execute, a great enterprise.” The word abilities, in the plural, embraces both these qualities, and denotes high mental endowments. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + E. biological. ] Pertaining to the study of inanimate things. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Meanly; servilely. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. ablactatus, p. p. of ablactare; ab + lactare to suckle, fr. lac milk. ] To wean. [ R. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The weaning of a child from the breast, or of young beasts from their dam. Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Hort.) The process of grafting now called inarching, or grafting by approach. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. ablaqueatus, p. p. of. ablaqueare; fr. ab + laqueus a noose. ] To lay bare, as the roots of a tree. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ablaqueatio. ] The act or process of laying bare the roots of trees to expose them to the air and water. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; growth. ] (Biol.) Non-germinal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ablatio, fr. ablatus p. p. of auferre to carry away; ab + latus, p. p. of ferre carry: cf. F. ablation. See Tolerate. ] 1. A carrying or taking away; removal. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Extirpation. Dunglison. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) Removing or destroying of a body tissue, especially by a surgical procedure. Dorland. [ AS ]

4. (Geol.) Wearing away; superficial waste, as of glacial ice or snow. Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Aerospace) Wearing away of the outer layers of a protective shield or surface by the heat and aerodynamic forces caused by flying through the atmosphere at hypersonic speed, as during reentry from space; as, ablation of the heat shield during reentry. [ PJC ]

a. Diminishing; as, an ablatitious force. Sir J. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. ablatif, ablative, L. ablativus fr. ablatus. See Ablation. ] 1. Taking away or removing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Where the heart is forestalled with misopinion, ablative directions are found needful to unteach error, ere we can learn truth. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) Applied to one of the cases of the noun in Latin and some other languages, -- the fundamental meaning of the case being removal, separation, or taking away. [ 1913 Webster ]