n. [ L. Of uncertain origin: the first part of the word is perh. fr. L. avis bird, and the last syllable, gur, equiv. to the Skr. gar to call, akin to L. garrulus garrulous. ] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) An official diviner who foretold events by the singing, chattering, flight, and feeding of birds, or by signs or omens derived from celestial phenomena, certain appearances of quadrupeds, or unusual occurrences. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who foretells events by omens; a soothsayer; a diviner; a prophet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Augur of ill, whose tongue was never found
Without a priestly curse or boding sound. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Augured p. pr. & vb. n. Auguring. ] 1. To conjecture from signs or omens; to prognosticate; to foreshow. [ 1913 Webster ]

My auguring mind assures the same success. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To anticipate, to foretell, or to indicate a favorable or an unfavorable issue; as, to augur well or ill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To predict or foretell, as from signs or omens; to betoken; to presage; to infer. [ 1913 Webster ]

It seems to augur genius. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

I augur everything from the approbation the proposal has met with. J. F. W. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To predict; forebode; betoken; portend; presage; prognosticate; prophesy; forewarn. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. auguralis. ] Of or pertaining to augurs or to augury; betokening; ominous; significant; as, an augural staff; augural books. “Portents augural.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ L. auguratus, p. p. of augurari to augur. ] To make or take auguries; to augur; to predict. [ Obs. ] C. Middleton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office of an augur. Merivale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. auguratio. ] The practice of augury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An augur. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. augurialis. ] Relating to augurs or to augury. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An augur. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of augury; foreboding. [ Obs. ] “Augurous hearts.” Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office, or period of office, of an augur. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Auguries [ L. aucurium. ] 1. The art or practice of foretelling events by observing the actions of birds, etc.; divination. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An omen; prediction; prognostication; indication of the future; presage. [ 1913 Webster ]

From their flight strange auguries she drew. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He resigned himself . . . with a docility that gave little augury of his future greatness. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A rite, ceremony, or observation of an augur. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. exauguratus, p. p. of exaugurare to profane; ex out + augurari to act as an augur, fr. augur. ] To annul the consecration of; to secularize; to unhellow. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. exauguratio desecration. ] The act of exaugurating; desecration. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. inaugurer. See Inaugurate. ] To inaugurate. [ Obs. ] Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. inaugural. ] Pertaining to, or performed or pronounced at, an inauguration; as, an inaugural address; the inaugural exercises. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An inaugural address. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inauguratus, p. p. of inaugurare to take omens from the flight of birds (before entering upon any important undertaking); hence, to consecrate, inaugurate, or install, with such divination; pref. in- in + augurare, augurari, to augur. See Augur. ] Invested with office; inaugurated. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Inaugurated p. pr. & vb. n. Inaugurating ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To introduce or induct into an office with suitable ceremonies or solemnities; to invest with power or authority in a formal manner; to install; as, to inaugurate a president; to inaugurate a king. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to begin, esp. with formality or solemn ceremony; hence, to set in motion, action, or progress; to initiate; -- used especially of something of dignity or worth or public concern; as, to inaugurate a new era of things, new methods, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

As if kings did choose remarkable days to inaugurate their favors. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To celebrate the completion of, or the first public use of; to dedicate, as a statue. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To begin with good omens. [ Obs. ] Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. inauguratio a beginning: cf. F. inauguration. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of inuagurating, or inducting into office with solemnity; investiture by appropriate ceremonies. [ 1913 Webster ]

At his regal inauguration, his old father resigned the kingdom to him. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The formal beginning or initiation of any movement, course of action, etc.; as, the inauguration of a new system, a new condition, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The day on which the President of the United States is inaugurated, the 20th of January in every year next after a year divisible by four. Prior to the adoption of the twentieth amendment to the Constitution of the United States (ratified February 6, 1933) the date was the 4th of March. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. One who inaugurates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Suitable for, or pertaining to, inauguration. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To inaugurate anew. [ 1913 Webster ]