n. [ OE. amell, OF. esmail, F. émail, of German origin; cf. OHG. smelzi, G. schmelz. See Smelt, v. t. ] Enamel. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. amellen, OF. esmailler, F. émailler, OF. esmail, F. émail. ] To enamel. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Enlightened all with stars,
And richly ameled. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 a genus of North American deciduous trees or shrubs.
Syn. -- genus Amelanchier. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Ger. amelkorn: cf. MHG. amel, amer, spelt, and L. amylum starch, Gr. &unr_;. ] A variety of wheat from which starch is produced; -- called also French rice. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being ameliorated. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Ameliorated p. pr. & vb. n. Ameliorating. ] [ L. ad + meliorare to make better: cf. F. améliorer. See Meliorate. ] To make better; to improve; to meliorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his own condition. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grow better; to meliorate; as, wine ameliorates by age. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. prenom. [ p. pr. of ameliorate. ] causing improvement in or reducing the bad effects of an unfavorable condition.
Syn. -- ameliorative, amelioratory, meliorative [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. amélioration. ] The act of ameliorating, or the state of being ameliorated; making or becoming better; improvement; melioration. “Amelioration of human affairs.” J. S. Mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to ameliorate; producing amelioration or improvement; as, ameliorative remedies, efforts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who ameliorates. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. béchamel, named from its inventor, Louis de Béchamel. ] (Cookery) A rich, white sauce, prepared with butter and cream. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Pref. bi- + lamellate. ] (Bot.) Formed of two plates, as the stigma of the Mimulus; also, having two elevated ridges, as in the lip of certain flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from blame; without fault; innocent; guiltless; -- sometimes followed by of. [ 1913 Webster ]

A bishop then must be blameless. 1 Tim. iii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blameless still of arts that polish to deprave. Mallet. [ 1913 Webster ]

We will be blameless of this thine oath. Josh. ii. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Irreproachable; sinless; unblemished; inculpable. -- Blameless, Spotless, Faultless, Stainless. We speak of a thing as blameless when it is free from blame, or the just imputation of fault; as, a blameless life or character. The others are stronger. We speak of a thing as faultless, stainless, or spotless, only when we mean that it is absolutely without fault or blemish; as, a spotless or stainless reputation; a faultless course of conduct. The last three words apply only to the general character, while blameless may be used in reverence to particular points; as, in this transaction he was wholly blameless. We also apply faultless to personal appearance; as, a faultless figure; which can not be done in respect to any of the other words. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a blameless manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being blameless; innocence. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. camel, chamel, OF. camel, chamel, F. chameau L. camelus, fr. Gr. ka`mhlos; of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. gāmāl, Ar. jamal. Cf. As. camel, fr. L. camelus. ] 1. (Zool.) A large ruminant used in Asia and Africa for carrying burdens and for riding. The camel is remarkable for its ability to go a long time without drinking. Its hoofs are small, and situated at the extremities of the toes, and the weight of the animal rests on the callous. The dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one hump on the back, while the Bactrian camel (Camelus Bactrianus) has two. The llama, alpaca, and vicuña, of South America, belong to a related genus (Auchenia). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A water-tight structure (as a large box or boxes) used to assist a vessel in passing over a shoal or bar or in navigating shallow water. By admitting water, the camel or camels may be sunk and attached beneath or at the sides of a vessel, and when the water is pumped out the vessel is lifted. [ 1913 Webster ]

Camel bird (Zool.), the ostrich. --
Camel locust (Zool.), the mantis. --
Camel's thorn (Bot.), a low, leguminous shrub (Alhagi maurorum) of the Arabian desert, from which exudes a sweetish gum, which is one of the substances called manna. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a back like a camel; humpbacked. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n. a soft tan cloth made with the hair of a camel.
Syn. -- camel's hair. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. any of several shrubs or small evergreen trees having solitary white or pink or reddish flowers; the camellia.
Syn. -- camellia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family comprising the camels and llamas and vicunas.
Syn. -- family Camelidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a genus of annual and biennial herbs of Mediterranean to Central Asia.
Syn. -- genus Camelina. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ NL., after Georg Josef Kamel, or Camelli, a Jesuit who is said to have brought it from the East. ] 1. (Bot.) An Asiatic genus of small shrubs, often with shining leaves and showy flowers. Camellia Japonica is much cultivated for ornament, and Camellia Sassanqua and Camellia oleifera are grown in China for the oil which is pressed from their seeds. The tea plant is now referred to this genus under the name of Camellia Thea. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Hort.) An ornamental greenhouse shrub (Thea japonica) with glossy evergreen leaves and roselike red or white double flowers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ LL. camelopardus, L. camelopardalus, camelopardalis, fr. Gr. kamhlopa`rdalis; ka`mhlos a camel + pa`rdalis pard, leopard: cf. F. camélopard. The camelopard has a neck and head like a camel, and is spotted like a pard. See Camel, and Pard. ] (Zool.) An African ruminant; the giraffe. See Giraffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

prop. n. 1. The legendary site of King Arthur's court and castle. [ PJC ]

2. Hence, any place or time thought of as having idyllic peace, justice, and happiness. [ PJC ]

n. Troops that are mounted on camels. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Of camel's hair. [ 1913 Webster ]

Camel's-hair pencil, a small brush used by painters in water colors, made of camel's hair or similar materials. --
Camel's-hair shawl. A name often given to a cashmere shawl. See Cashmere shawl under Cashmere. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. caramel (cf. Sp. caramelo), LL. canna mellis, cannamella, canamella, calamellus mellitus, sugar cane, from or confused with L. canna reed + mel, mellis, honey. See Cane. ] 1. (Chem.) Burnt sugar; a brown or black porous substance obtained by heating sugar. It is soluble in water, and is used for coloring spirits, gravies, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of confectionery, usually a small cube or square of tenacious paste, or candy, of varying composition and flavor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. to to change into caramel, by the action of heat; as, The sugar caramelized quickly.
Syn. -- caramelize. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. to convert to caramel.
Syn. -- caramelize. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. 1 to to convert [ usu. sugar ] into caramel, by the action of heat.
Syn. -- caramelise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. Chamaeleon, Gr. chamaile`wn, lit., “ground lion;” chamai` on the ground + le`wn lion. See Humble, and Lion. ] (Zool.) 1. A lizardlike reptile of the genus Chamæleo, of several species, found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The skin is covered with fine granulations; it has eyes which can move separately, the tail is prehensile, and the body is much compressed laterally, giving it a high back. It is remarkable for its ability to change the color of its skin to blend with its surroundings. [ Also sometimes spelled chamaeleon. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ Its color changes more or less with the color of the objects about it, or with its temper when disturbed. In a cool, dark place it is nearly white, or grayish; on admitting the light, it changes to brown, bottle-green, or blood red, of various shades, and more or less mottled in arrangment. The American chameleons belong to Anolis and allied genera of the family Iguanidæ. They are more slender in form than the true chameleons, but have the same power of changing their colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a person who changes opinions, ideas, or behavior to suit the prevailing social climate; an opportunist. [ PJC ]

Chameleon mineral (Chem.), the compound called potassium permanganate, a dark violet, crystalline substance, KMnO4, which in formation passes through a peculiar succession of color from green to blue, purple, red, etc. See Potassium permanganate, under Potassium. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To change into various colors. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A white amorphous substance, regarded as a polymeric modification of isocyanic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem) A complex derivative of cyanogen, regarded as an acid, and known chiefly in its salts; -- called also hydromellonic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. en- + amel. See Amel, Smelt, v. t. ] 1. A variety of glass, used in ornament, to cover a surface, as of metal or pottery, and admitting of after decoration in color, or used itself for inlaying or application in varied colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Min.) A glassy, opaque bead obtained by the blowpipe. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is enameled; also, any smooth, glossy surface, resembling enamel, especially if variegated. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Anat.) The intensely hard calcified tissue entering into the composition of teeth. It merely covers the exposed parts of the teeth of man, but in many animals is intermixed in various ways with the dentine and cement. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Any one of various preparations for giving a smooth, glossy surface like that of enamel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. A cosmetic intended to give the appearance of a smooth and beautiful complexion. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Enamel painting, painting with enamel colors upon a ground of metal, porcelain, or the like, the colors being afterwards fixed by fire. --
Enamel paper, paper glazed a metallic coating. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Enameled r Enamelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Enameling or Enamelling. ] 1. To lay enamel upon; to decorate with enamel whether inlaid or painted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To variegate with colors as if with enamel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oft he [ the serpent ]bowed
His turret crest and sleek enameled neck. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To form a glossy surface like enamel upon; as, to enamel card paper; to enamel leather or cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To disguise with cosmetics, as a woman's complexion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To practice the art of enameling. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to the art of enameling; as, enamel painting. Tomlinson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Consisting of enamel; resembling enamel; smooth; glossy. [ R. ] Craig. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Coated or adorned with enamel; having a glossy or variegated surface; glazed. [ Written also enamelled. ]

{ } n. One who enamels; a workman or artist who applies enamels in ornamental work. [ Written also enameller, enamellist. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without fame or renown. -- Fame"less*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Destitute of flame. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Flame + -let. ] A small flame. [ 1913 Webster ]

The flamelets gleamed and flickered. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of game. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a plucky manner; spiritedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A natural family of plants comprising the genera Hamamelis; Corylopsis; Fothergilla; Liquidambar; Parrotia; and other small genera.
Syn. -- family Hamamelidaceae, witch-hazel family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a group of chiefly woody plants considered among the most primitive of angiosperms; they have a perianth poorly developed or lacking, and flowers often unisexual and often in catkins and often wind pollinated. The group contains 23 families including the Betulaceae and Fagaceae (includes the Amentiferae); sometimes it is classified as a superorder.
Syn. -- subclass Hamamelidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]