v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Abbreviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Abbreviating. ] [ L. abbreviatus, p. p. of abbreviare; ad + breviare to shorten, fr. brevis short. See Abridge. ] 1. To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written or spoken. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. abbreviatus, p. p. ] 1. Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [ R. ] “The abbreviate form.” Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An abridgment. [ Obs. ] Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shortened; relatively short; abbreviate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. abbreviatio: cf. F. abbréviation. ] 1. The act of shortening, or reducing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The result of abbreviating; an abridgment. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The form to which a word or phrase is reduced by contraction and omission; a letter or letters, standing for a word or phrase of which they are a part; as, Gen. for Genesis; U.S.A. for United States of America. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) One dash, or more, through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, or demi-semiquavers. Moore. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL.: cf. F. abbréviateur. ] 1. One who abbreviates or shortens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose duty is to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into official form. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An abbreviation; an abbreviated state or form. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An abridgment; a compendium or abstract. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. ab- + evacuation. ] (Med.) A partial evacuation. Mayne. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ F., lit., on horseback. ] Astride; with a part on each side; -- used specif. in designating the position of an army with the wings separated by some line of demarcation, as a river or road. [ 1913 Webster ]

A position à cheval on a river is not one which a general willingly assumes. Swinton. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. 1 the possibility of being achieved or accomplished; -- a property which may be possessed by a contemplated act.
Syn. -- attainability, attainableness [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Capable of being achieved. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. achevance. ] Achievement. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Achieved p. pr. & vb. n. Achieving ] [ OE. acheven, OF. achever, achiever, F. achever, to finish; à (L. ad) + OF. chief, F. chef, end, head, fr. L. caput head. See Chief. ] 1. To carry on to a final close; to bring out into a perfected state; to accomplish; to perform; -- as, to achieve a feat, an exploit, an enterprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

Supposing faculties and powers to be the same, far more may be achieved in any line by the aid of a capital, invigorating motive than without it. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To obtain, or gain, as the result of exertion; to succeed in gaining; to win. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some are born great, some achieve greatness. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou hast achieved our liberty. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ [ Obs ]., with a material thing as the aim. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Show all the spoils by valiant kings achieved. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

He hath achieved a maid
That paragons description. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To finish; to kill. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To accomplish; effect; fulfill; complete; execute; perform; realize; obtain. See Accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. achèvement, E. Hatchment. ] 1. The act of achieving or performing; an obtaining by exertion; successful performance; accomplishment; as, the achievement of his object. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A great or heroic deed; something accomplished by valor, boldness, or praiseworthy exertion; a feat. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ The exploits ] of the ancient saints . . . do far surpass the most famous achievements of pagan heroes. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

The highest achievements of the human intellect. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Her.) An escutcheon or ensign armorial; now generally applied to the funeral shield commonly called hatchment. Cussans. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who achieves; a winner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. North American orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) bearing a single leaf and yellowish-brown flowers.
Syn. -- puttyroot. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OF. agrevance, fr. agrever. See Aggrieve. ] Oppression; hardship; injury; grievance. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Aggrieved p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrieving ] [ OE. agreven, OF. agrever; a (L. ad) + grever to burden, injure, L. gravare to weigh down, fr. gravis heavy. See Grieve, and cf. Aggravate. ] To give pain or sorrow to; to afflict; hence, to oppress or injure in one's rights; to bear heavily upon; -- now commonly used in the passive TO be aggrieved. [ 1913 Webster ]

Aggrieved by oppression and extortion. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grieve; to lament. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 subjected to an injustice. the aggrieved mother.
Syn. -- injured, wronged. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Spirit level. See Level. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or }. (Med.) Same as Aden ulcer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. + AS ]

n. [ F. alevin, OF. alever to rear, fr. L. ad + levare to raise. ] Young fish; fry. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ It., according to the breve. ] (Old Church Music) With one breve, or four minims, to measure, and sung faster like four crotchets; in quick common time; -- indicated in the time signature by &unr_;. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. prenom. 1. both plant- and flesh-eating; -- said of animals. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Alleviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Alleviating. ] [ LL. alleviare, fr. L. ad + levis light. See Alegge, Levity. ] 1. To lighten or lessen the force or weight of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Should no others join capable to alleviate the expense. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those large bladders . . . conduce much to the alleviating of the body [ of flying birds ]. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lighten or lessen (physical or mental troubles); to mitigate, or make easier to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc. ; -- opposed to aggravate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To extenuate; to palliate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He alleviates his fault by an excuse. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To lessen; diminish; soften; mitigate; assuage; abate; relieve; nullify; allay. -- To Alleviate, Mitigate, Assuage, Allay. These words have in common the idea of relief from some painful state; and being all figurative, they differ in their application, according to the image under which this idea is presented. Alleviate supposes a load which is lightened or taken off; as, to alleviate one's cares. Mitigate supposes something fierce which is made mild; as, to mitigate one's anguish. Assuage supposes something violent which is quieted; as, to assuage one's sorrow. Allay supposes something previously excited, but now brought down; as, to allay one's suffering or one's thirst. To alleviate the distresses of life; to mitigate the fierceness of passion or the violence of grief; to assuage angry feeling; to allay wounded sensibility. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 made less severe or intense. unmitigated
Syn. -- eased, relieved, mitigated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ LL. alleviatio. ] 1. The act of alleviating; a lightening of weight or severity; mitigation; relief. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which mitigates, or makes more tolerable. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have not wanted such alleviations of life as friendship could supply. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to alleviate. -- n. That which alleviates. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, alleviates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Alleviative. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The evening before Allhallows. See Halloween. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Alto-rilievo. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Alto-rilievos [ It. ] (Sculp.) High relief; sculptured work in which the figures project more than half their thickness; as, this figure is an alto-rilievo or in alto-rilievo. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ When the figure stands only half out, it is called mezzo-rilievo, demi-rilievo, or medium relief; when its projection is less than one half, basso-rilievo, bas-relief, or low relief. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ambo both + laevus left. ] Left-handed on both sides; clumsy; -- opposed to ambidexter. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a resident of Anjou.
Syn. -- Angevine [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ F. Angevin. ] Of or pertaining to Anjou in France. -- n. A native of Anjou. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. ante- + L. vertere, versum, to turn. ] (Med.) A displacement of an organ, esp. of the uterus, in such manner that its whole axis is directed further forward than usual. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. antevertere; ante + vertere to turn. ] 1. To prevent. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) To displace by anteversion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. OF. asseverer, fr. L. asseverare. ] See Asseverate. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Asseverated p. pr. & vb. n. Asseverating ] [ L. asseveratus, p. p. of asseverare to assert seriously or earnestly; ad + severus. See Severe. ] To affirm or aver positively, or with solemnity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To affirm; aver; protest; declare. See Affirm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. asseveratio. ] The act of asseverating, or that which is asseverated; positive affirmation or assertion; solemn declaration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Another abuse of the tongue I might add, -- vehement asseverations upon slight and trivial occasions. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by asseveration; asserting positively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Asseverative. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ AS. aswebban; a + swebban. See Sweven. ] To stupefy. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ F., lit., to the seeing again. ] Good-by until we meet again. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ ‖ } n. [ It. basso-rilievo. ] Same as Bas-relief. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bedevilled (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bedeviling or Bedevilling. ] 1. To throw into utter disorder and confusion, as if by the agency of evil spirits; to bring under diabolical influence; to torment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bedeviled and used worse than St. Bartholomew. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To spoil; to corrupt. Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being bedeviled; bewildering confusion; vexatious trouble. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]