a. [ L. acatalecticus, Gr. &unr_;, not defective at the end; 'a priv. + &unr_; to cease. ] (Pros.) Not defective; complete; as, an acatalectic verse. -- n. A verse which has the complete number of feet and syllables. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; to seize, comprehend. ] Incomprehensibility of things; the doctrine held by the ancient Skeptic philosophers, that human knowledge never amounts to certainty, but only to probability. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] Incapable of being comprehended; incomprehensible. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 filamentous or rod-shaped bacteria.
Syn. -- order Actinomycetales [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. an order of fossil gymnospermous plans of the Carboniferous.
Syn. -- order Bennettitales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; brachy`s short + &unr_; to leave off; cf. &unr_; incomplete. ] (Gr. & Last. Pros.) A verse wanting two syllables at its termination. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cant an external angle + lever a supporter of the roof timber of a house. ] [ Written also cantaliver and cantilever. ] 1. (Arch.) A bracket to support a balcony, a cornice, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Engin.) A projecting beam, truss, or bridge unsupported at the outer end; one which overhangs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cantalever bridge, a bridge in which the principle of the cantalever is applied. It is usually a trussed bridge, composed of two portions reaching out from opposite banks, and supported near the middle of their own length on piers which they overhang, thus forming cantalevers which meet over the space to be spanned or sustain a third portion, to complete the connection. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A talebearer. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. catalecticus, Gr. &unr_; incomplete, fr. &unr_; to leave off; kata` down, wholly + lh`gein to stop. ] 1. (Pros.) Wanting a syllable at the end, or terminating in an imperfect foot; as, a catalectic verse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Photog. & Chem.) Incomplete; partial; not affecting the whole of a substance. Abney. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ } n. [ NL. catalepsis, fr. Gr. &unr_; a seizure, fr. &unr_; to seize upon; kata` down + &unr_; to take, seize. ] (Med.) A sudden suspension of sensation and volition, the body and limbs preserving the position that may be given them, while the action of the heart and lungs continues. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. katalhptiko`s. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, catalepsy; affected with catalepsy; as, a cataleptic fit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an order of extinct plants having tall arborescent trunks comparable to or more advanced than cycads; known from the Pennsylvanian; probably extinct since the Mesozoic.
Syn. -- order Cordaitales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a type of large-holed Swiss cheese.
Syn. -- Emmenthal, Emmental, Emmenthaler. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a story about magical or mythological creatures, such as fairies, elves, goblins, trolls, orcs, unicorns, wizards, dragons, etc., usually composed for the amusement of children; called also a fairy story. [ PJC ]

2. a false story intended to deceive or mislead, especially one involving unlikely events or situations; called also a fairy story. [ PJC ]

n. a tale circulated by word of mouth among the common folk, especially one forming part of the tradition of a culture. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ Written also hospitaller. ] [ F. hospitalier. See Hospital, and cf. Hostler. ] 1. One residing in a hospital, for the purpose of receiving the poor, the sick, and strangers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of an order of knights who built a hospital at Jerusalem for pilgrims, A. D. 1042. They were called Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and after the removal of the order to Malta, Knights of Malta. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. hypercatalecticus, hypercatalectus, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. hypercatalectique. See Hyper-, and Catalectic. ] (Pros.) Having a syllable or two beyond measure; as, a hypercatalectic verse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. See Malice, and Talent. ] Ill will; malice. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Metalepses [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_; participation, alteration, fr. &unr_; to partake, to take in exchange; &unr_; beyond + &unr_; to take. ] (Rhet.) The continuation of a trope in one word through a succession of significations, or the union of two or more tropes of a different kind in one word. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) Exchange; replacement; substitution; metathesis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; ] 1. Of or pertaining to a metalepsis. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Transverse; as, the metaleptic motion of a muscle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, concerned in, or occurring by, metalepsy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Metaleptic. -- Met`a*lep"tic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

prop. n. A natural order of trees and shrubs including the myrtle family, Myrtaceae; Combretaceae; Elaeagnaceae; Haloragidaceae; Melastomaceae; Lecythidaceae; Lythraceae; Rhizophoraceae; Onagraceae; Lecythidaceae; and Punicaceae.
Syn. -- order Myrtales, Thymelaeales, order Thymelaeales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. Icel. nāttarpel. ] Period of night; nighttime. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dim. of pantaloon. ] One of the legs of the loose drawers worn by children and women; a pant leg; particularly, the lower part of such a garment, coming below the knee, often made in a separate piece; -- chiefly in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Placed on, or supported by, a pedestal; figuratively, exalted. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pedestaled haply in a palace court. Keats. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Having petals; as, a petaled flower; -- opposed to apetalous, and much used in compounds; as, one-petaled, three-petaled, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The refuse from a grain distillery, used to fatten swine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Rake the instrument + stale a handle. ] The handle of a rake. [ 1913 Webster ]

That tale is not worth a rakestele. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Scot + ale. ] (O. Eng. Law) The keeping of an alehouse by an officer of a forest, and drawing people to spend their money for liquor, for fear of his displeasure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. stale, stele, AS. stael, stel; akin to LG. & D. steel, G. stiel; cf. L. stilus stake, stalk, stem, Gr. steleo`n a handle, and E. stall, stalk, n. ] The stock or handle of anything; as, the stale of a rake. [ Written also steal, stele, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But seeing the arrow's stale without, and that the head did go
No further than it might be seen. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Akin to stale urine, and to stall, n.; probably from Low German or Scandinavian. Cf. Stale, v. i. ] 1. Vapid or tasteless from age; having lost its life, spirit, and flavor, from being long kept; as, stale beer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not new; not freshly made; as, stale bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having lost the life or graces of youth; worn out; decayed. “A stale virgin.” Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Worn out by use or familiarity; having lost its novelty and power of pleasing; trite; common. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wit itself, if stale is less pleasing. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

How weary, stale flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stale affidavit (Law), an affidavit held above a year. Craig. --
Stale demand (Law), a claim or demand which has not been pressed or demanded for a long time. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Staled p. pr. & vb. n. Staling. ] To make vapid or tasteless; to destroy the life, beauty, or use of; to wear out. [ 1913 Webster ]

Age can not wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Akin to D. & G. stallen, Dan. stalle, Sw. stalla, and E. stall a stable. √ 163. See Stall, n., and cf. Stale, a. ] To make water; to discharge urine; -- said especially of horses and cattle. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Stale, a. & v. i. ] 1. That which is stale or worn out by long keeping, or by use. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A prostitute. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Urine, esp. that of beasts. “Stale of horses.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. estal place, position, abode, market, F. étal a butcher's stall, OHG. stal station, place, stable, G. stall (see Stall, n.); or from OE. stale theft, AS. stalu (see Steal, v. t.). ] 1. Something set, or offered to view, as an allurement to draw others to any place or purpose; a decoy; a stool pigeon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Still, as he went, he crafty stales did lay. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stalking-horse. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chess) A stalemate. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A laughingstock; a dupe. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a stale manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of old; long since. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chess) The position of the king when he can not move without being placed in check and there is no other piece which can be moved. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Chess) To subject to a stalemate; hence, to bring to a stand. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being stale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Tael. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. talu number, speech, narrative; akin to D. taal speech, language, G. zahl number, OHG. zala, Icel. tal, tala, number, speech, Sw. tal, Dan. tal number, tale speech, Goth. talzjan to instruct. Cf. Tell, v. t., Toll a tax, also Talk, v. i. ] 1. That which is told; an oral relation or recital; any rehearsal of what has occured; narrative; discourse; statement; history; story. “The tale of Troy divine.” Milton. “In such manner rime is Dante's tale.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

We spend our years as a tale that is told. Ps. xc. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A number told or counted off; a reckoning by count; an enumeration; a count, in distinction from measure or weight; a number reckoned or stated. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ignorant, . . . who measure by tale, and not by weight. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

And every shepherd tells his tale,
Under the hawthorn in the dale. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

In packing, they keep a just tale of the number. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) A count or declaration. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To tell tale of, to make account of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Therefore little tale hath he told
Of any dream, so holy was his heart. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Anecdote; story; fable; incident; memoir; relation; account; legend; narrative. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To tell stories. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who officiously tells tales; one who impertinently or maliciously communicates intelligence, scandal, etc., and makes mischief. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spies and talebearers, encouraged by her father, did their best to inflame her resentment. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of informing officiously; communication of secrets, scandal, etc., maliciously. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Telling tales officiously. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Jewish Antiq.) A kind of quadrangular piece of cloth put on by the Jews when repeating prayers in the synagogues. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of stories. [ R. ] Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖prop. n. [ NL. ] (Zool.) A genus of Australian birds which includes the brush turkey. See Brush turkey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. talentum a talent (in sense 1), Gr. ta`lanton a balance, anything weighed, a definite weight, a talent; akin to tlh^nai to bear, endure, tolma^n, L. tolerare, tollere, to lift up, sustain, endure. See Thole, v. t., Tolerate. ] 1. Among the ancient Greeks, a weight and a denomination of money equal to 60 minae or 6, 000 drachmae. The Attic talent, as a weight, was about 57 lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination of silver money, its value was £243 15s. sterling, or about $1, 180 (using 1900 values). [ 1913 Webster ]

Rowing vessel whose burden does not exceed five hundred talents. Jowett (Thucid.). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Among the Hebrews, a weight and denomination of money. For silver it was equivalent to 3, 000 shekels, and in weight was equal to about 933/4 lbs. avoirdupois; as a denomination of silver, it has been variously estimated at from £340 to £396 sterling, or about $1, 645 to $1, 916 (ca. 1900). For gold it was equal to 10, 000 gold shekels. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inclination; will; disposition; desire. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They rather counseled you to your talent than to your profit. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Intellectual ability, natural or acquired; mental endowment or capacity; skill in accomplishing; a special gift, particularly in business, art, or the like; faculty; a use of the word probably originating in the Scripture parable of the talents (Matt. xxv. 14-30). [ 1913 Webster ]

He is chiefly to be considered in his three different talents, as a critic, a satirist, and a writer of odes. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

His talents, his accomplishments, his graceful manners, made him generally popular. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Ability; faculty; gift; endowment. See Genius. [ 1913 Webster ]