n. The berry of the pimento (Eugenia pimenta), a tree of the West Indies; a spice of a mildly pungent taste, and agreeably aromatic; Jamaica pepper; pimento. It has been supposed to combine the flavor of cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves; and hence the name. The name is also given to other aromatic shrubs; as, the Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus); wild allspice (Lindera benzoin), called also spicebush, spicewood, and feverbush. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aruspex: cf. F. aruspice. Cf. Aruspex, Haruspice. ] A soothsayer of ancient Rome. Same as Aruspex. [ Written also haruspice. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aruspicium, haruspicium. ] Prognostication by inspection of the entrails of victims slain sacrifice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., prob. fr. aspic an asp. ] A savory meat jelly containing portions of fowl, game, fish, hard boiled eggs, etc. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. See Asp. ] 1. The venomous asp. [ Chiefly poetic ] Shak. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece of ordnance carrying a 12 pound shot. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., a corrupt. of spic (OF. espi, F. épi), L. spica (spicum, spicus), ear, spike. See Spike. ] A European species of lavender (Lavandula spica), which produces a volatile oil. See Spike. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. auspicatus, p. p. of auspicari to take auspices, fr. auspex a bird seer, an augur, a contr. of avispex; avis bird + specere, spicere, to view. See Aviary, Spy. ] Auspicious. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To foreshow; to foretoken. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give a favorable turn to in commencing; to inaugurate; -- a sense derived from the Roman practice of taking the auspicium, or inspection of birds, before undertaking any important business. [ 1913 Webster ]

They auspicate all their proceedings. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Auspices [ L. auspicium, fr. auspex: cf. F. auspice. See Auspicate, a. ] 1. A divining or taking of omens by observing birds; an omen as to an undertaking, drawn from birds; an augury; an omen or sign in general; an indication as to the future. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Protection; patronage and care; guidance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which by his auspice they will nobler make. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense the word is generally plural, auspices; as, under the auspices of the king. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to auspices; auspicious. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Auspice. ] 1. Having omens or tokens of a favorable issue; giving promise of success, prosperity, or happiness; predicting good; as, an auspicious beginning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Auspicious union of order and freedom. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Prosperous; fortunate; as, auspicious years. “Auspicious chief.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Favoring; favorable; propitious; -- applied to persons or things. “Thy auspicious mistress.” Shak. “Auspicious gales.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Propitious. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Aus*pi"cious*ly, adv. -- Aus*pi"cious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To season with spice, or with some spicy drug. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being clear or bright; brightness; conspicuousness. [ R. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. conspicuus, fr. conspicere to get sight of, to perceive; con- + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy ] 1. Open to the view; obvious to the eye; easy to be seen; plainly visible; manifest; attracting the eye. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was a rock
Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds,
Conspicious far. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conspicious by her veil and hood,
Signing the cross, the abbess stood. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Obvious to the mental eye; easily recognized; clearly defined; notable; prominent; eminent; distinguished; as, a conspicuous excellence, or fault. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man who holds a conspicuous place in the political, ecclesiastical, and literary history of England. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Distinguished; eminent; famous; illustrious; prominent; celebrated. See Distinguished.

-- Con*spic"u*ous*ly, adv. -- Con*spic"u*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Despicableness. [ R. ] Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. despicabilis, fr. despicari to despise; akin to despicere. See Despise. ] Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; as, a despicable man; despicable company; a despicable gift.

Syn. -- Contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; pitiful; paltry; sordid; low; base. See Contemptible. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. despicientia. See Despise. ] A looking down; despection. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. extispicium an inspection of the inwards for divination; extra the entrails + specer to look at. ] Relating to the inspection of entrails for prognostication. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Haruspicy. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. haruspex. ] A diviner of ancient Rome. Same as Aruspice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art or practices of haruspices. See Aruspicy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. hospitium hospitality, a place where strangers are entertained, fr. hospes stranger, guest. See Host a landlord. ] A convent or monastery which is also a place of refuge or entertainment for travelers on some difficult road or pass, as in the Alps; as, the Hospice of the Great St. Bernard. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of perspicuity or clearness; vagueness; ambiguity. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not perspicuous; not clear; obscure; vague; ambiguous. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inauspicatus; pref. in- not + auspicatus, p. p. auspicari. See Auspicate. ] Inauspicious. [ Obs. ] Sir G. Buck. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not auspicious; ill-omened; unfortunate; unlucky; unfavorable. “Inauspicious stars.” Shak. “Inauspicious love.” Dryden.

-- In`aus*pi"cious*ly, adv. -- In`aus*pi"cious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inconspicuus. See In- not, and Conspicuous. ] Not conspicuous or noticeable; hardly discernible. -- In`con*spic"u*ous*ly, adv. -- In`con*spic"u*ous*ness, n. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Transpicuous within or between. [ R. ] Shelley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ G. ] (Min.) Arsenical iron pyrites; arsenopyrite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. perspicabilis, fr. perspicere. ] Discernible. [ Obs. ] Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. perspicax, -acis, fr. perspicere to look through: cf. F. perspicace. See Perspective. ] 1. Having the power of seeing clearly; quick-sighted; sharp of sight. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Of acute discernment; keen. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Per`spi*ca"cious*ly, adv. -- Per`spi*ca"cious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. perspicacitas: cf. F. perspicacité. See Perspicacious. ] The state of being perspicacious; acuteness of sight or of intelligence; acute discernment. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Perspicacity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. perspicientia, fr. perspiciens, p. p. of perspicere. See Perspective. ] The act of looking sharply. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. perspicilla, fr. L. perspicere to look through. ] An optical glass; a telescope. [ Obs. ] Crashaw. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. perspicuitas: cf. F. perspicuité. ] 1. The quality or state of being transparent or translucent. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality of being perspicuous to the understanding; clearness of expression or thought. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Sagacity; perspicacity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Clearness; perspicuousness; plainness; distinctness; lucidity; transparency. See Clearness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. perspicuus, from perspicere to look through. See Perspective. ] 1. Capable of being through; transparent; translucent; not opaque. [ Obs. ] Peacham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Clear to the understanding; capable of being clearly understood; clear in thought or in expression; not obscure or ambiguous; as, a perspicuous writer; perspicuous statements. “The purpose is perspicuous.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Per*spic"u*ous*ly, adv. -- Per*spic"u*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. prospicientia, fr. prospiciens, p. pr. of prospicere. See Prospect. ] The act of looking forward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Suspicious or distrustful of one's self. Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Half transparent; imperfectly clear; semipellucid. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Spicae [ L., an ear, as of corn. ] 1. (Med.) A kind of bandage passing, by successive turns and crosses, from an extremity to the trunk; -- so called from its resemblance to a spike of a barley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astron.) A star of the first magnitude situated in the constellation Virgo. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. spicatus, p. p. of spicare furnish with spikes, or ears, fr. spica a spike, or ear. ] (Bot.) Having the form of a spike, or ear; arranged in a spike or spikes. Lee. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ It., p. p. of spicare to detach, to separate. ] (Mus.) Detached; separated; -- a term indicating that every note is to be performed in a distinct and pointed manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. spice, spece, spice, species, OF. espice, espece, F. épice spice, espèce species, fr. L. species particular sort or kind, a species, a sight, appearance, show, LL., spices, drugs, etc., of the same sort, fr. L. specere to look. See Spy, and cf. Species. ] 1. Species; kind. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The spices of penance ben three. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abstain you from all evil spice. Wyclif (1. Thess, v. 22). [ 1913 Webster ]

Justice, although it be but one entire virtue, yet is described in two kinds of spices. The one is named justice distributive, the other is called commutative. Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A vegetable production of many kinds, fragrant or aromatic and pungent to the taste, as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, ginger, cloves, etc., which are used in cookery and to flavor sauces, pickles, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hast thou aught in thy purse [ bag ] any hot spices? Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Figuratively, that which enriches or alters the quality of a thing in a small degree, as spice alters the taste of food; that which gives zest or pungency; a slight flavoring; a relish; hence, a small quantity or admixture; a sprinkling; as, a spice of mischief. [ 1913 Webster ]

So much of the will, with a spice of the willful. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spiced p. p. & vb. n. Spicing ] 1. To season with spice, or as with spice; to mix aromatic or pungent substances with; to flavor; to season; as, to spice wine; to spice one's words with wit. [ 1913 Webster ]

She 'll receive thee, but will spice thy bread
With flowery poisons. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fill or impregnate with the odor of spices. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the spiced Indian air, by night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To render nice or dainty; hence, to render scrupulous. [ Obs. ] “A spiced conscience.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Spicewood. [ 1913 Webster ]

A small crisp cake, highly spiced. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. espicier, F. épicier. ] 1. One who seasons with spice. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who deals in spice. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]