n. 1. 1 ratlike rodent of the Andes with soft fur and large ears.
Syn. -- chinchilla rat, rat chinchilla [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; with hair all round; 'amfi` + &unr_; hair. ] A kind of figured stone, rugged and beset with eminences, anciently used in divination. [ Obs. ] Encyc. Brit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. ancuman, oncuman, to come. ] A small ulcerous swelling, coming suddenly; also, a whitlow. [ Obs. ] Boucher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'a`nqrax coal, carbon + -meter. ] An instrument for measuring the amount of carbonic acid in a mixture. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to an anthracometer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An instrument for measuring the height of objects. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. apo- + Gr. &unr_; length + -metry. ] The art of measuring the distance of objects afar off. [ Obs. or R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. Became p. p. Become; p. pr. & vb. n. Becoming. ] [ OE. bicumen, becumen, AS. becuman to come to, to happen; akin to D. bekomen, OHG.a piquëman, Goth. biquiman to come upon, G. bekommen to get, suit. See Be-, and Come. ] 1. To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord God . . . breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen. ii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

That error now which is become my crime. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come; to get. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But, madam, where is Warwick then become! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To become of, to be the present state or place of; to be the fate of; to be the end of; to be the final or subsequent condition of. [ 1913 Webster ]

What is then become of so huge a multitude? Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To suit or be suitable to; to be congruous with; to befit; to accord with, in character or circumstances; to be worthy of, or proper for; to cause to appear well; -- said of persons and things. [ 1913 Webster ]

It becomes me so to speak of so excellent a poet. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have known persons so anxious to have their dress become them, as to convert it, at length, into their proper self, and thus actually to become the dress. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Proper; decorous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And gave him what becomed love I might. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Astron.) A periodic coment, discovered by Biela in 1826, which revolves around the sun in 6.6 years. The November meteors (Andromedes or Bielids) move in its orbit, and may be fragments of the comet. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Drama) a comedy that treats of morbid, tragic, gloomy, or grotesque situations as a major element of the plot. [ PJC ]

v. i. [ imp. Came p. p. Come p. pr & vb. n. Coming. ] [ OE. cumen, comen, AS. cuman; akin to OS.kuman, D. komen, OHG. queman, G. kommen, Icel. koma, Sw. komma, Dan. komme, Goth. giman, L. venire (gvenire), Gr. &unr_; to go, Skr. gam. √23. Cf. Base, n., Convene, Adventure. ] 1. To move hitherward; to draw near; to approach the speaker, or some place or person indicated; -- opposed to go. [ 1913 Webster ]

Look, who comes yonder? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I did not come to curse thee. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To complete a movement toward a place; to arrive. [ 1913 Webster ]

When we came to Rome. Acts xxviii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lately come from Italy. Acts xviii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To approach or arrive, as if by a journey or from a distance. “Thy kingdom come.” Matt. vi. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hour is coming, and now is. John. v. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]

So quick bright things come to confusion. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To approach or arrive, as the result of a cause, or of the act of another. [ 1913 Webster ]

From whence come wars? James iv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

Both riches and honor come of thee ! 1 Chron. xxix. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To arrive in sight; to be manifest; to appear. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then butter does refuse to come. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To get to be, as the result of change or progress; -- with a predicate; as, to come untied. [ 1913 Webster ]

How come you thus estranged? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

How come her eyes so bright? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Am come, is come, etc., are frequently used instead of have come, has come, etc., esp. in poetry. The verb to be gives a clearer adjectival significance to the participle as expressing a state or condition of the subject, while the auxiliary have expresses simply the completion of the action signified by the verb. [ 1913 Webster ]

Think not that I am come to destroy. Matt. v. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

We are come off like Romans. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The melancholy days are come, the saddest of the year. Bryant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Come may properly be used (instead of go) in speaking of a movement hence, or away, when there is reference to an approach to the person addressed; as, I shall come home next week; he will come to your house to-day. It is used with other verbs almost as an auxiliary, indicative of approach to the action or state expressed by the verb; as, how came you to do it? Come is used colloquially, with reference to a definite future time approaching, without an auxiliary; as, it will be two years, come next Christmas; i. e., when Christmas shall come. [ 1913 Webster ] They were cried
In meeting, come next Sunday. Lowell. Come, in the imperative, is used to excite attention, or to invite to motion or joint action; come, let us go. “This is the heir; come, let us kill him.” Matt. xxi. 38. When repeated, it sometimes expresses haste, or impatience, and sometimes rebuke. “Come, come, no time for lamentation now.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

To come, yet to arrive, future. “In times to come.” Dryden. “There's pippins and cheese to come.” Shak. --
To come about. (a) To come to pass; to arrive; to happen; to result; as, how did these things come about? (b) To change; to come round; as, the ship comes about. “The wind is come about.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] On better thoughts, and my urged reasons,
They are come about, and won to the true side. B. Jonson. --
To come abroad. (a) To move or be away from one's home or country. “Am come abroad to see the world.” Shak. (b) To become public or known. [ Obs. ] “Neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.” Mark. iv. 22. --
To come across, to meet; to find, esp. by chance or suddenly. “We come across more than one incidental mention of those wars.” E. A. Freeman. “Wagner's was certainly one of the strongest and most independent natures I ever came across.” H. R. Haweis. --
To come after. (a) To follow. (b) To come to take or to obtain; as, to come after a book. --
To come again, to return. “His spirit came again and he revived.” Judges. xv. 19. - -
To come and go. (a) To appear and disappear; to change; to alternate. “The color of the king doth come and go.” Shak. (b) (Mech.) To play backward and forward. --
To come at. (a) To reach; to arrive within reach of; to gain; as, to come at a true knowledge of ourselves. (b) To come toward; to attack; as, he came at me with fury. --
To come away, to part or depart. --
To come between, to intervene; to separate; hence, to cause estrangement. --
To come by. (a) To obtain, gain, acquire. “Examine how you came by all your state.” Dryden. (b) To pass near or by way of. --
To come down. (a) To descend. (b) To be humbled. --
To come down upon, to call to account, to reprimand. [ Colloq. ] Dickens. --
To come home. (a) To return to one's house or family. (b) To come close; to press closely; to touch the feelings, interest, or reason. (c) (Naut.) To be loosened from the ground; -- said of an anchor. --
To come in. (a) To enter, as a town, house, etc. “The thief cometh in.” Hos. vii. 1. (b) To arrive; as, when my ship comes in. (c) To assume official station or duties; as, when Lincoln came in. (d) To comply; to yield; to surrender. “We need not fear his coming in” Massinger. (e) To be brought into use. “Silken garments did not come in till late.” Arbuthnot. (f) To be added or inserted; to be or become a part of. (g) To accrue as gain from any business or investment. (h) To mature and yield a harvest; as, the crops come in well. (i) To have sexual intercourse; -- with to or unto. Gen. xxxviii. 16. (j) To have young; to bring forth; as, the cow will come in next May. [ U. S. ] --
To come in for, to claim or receive. “The rest came in for subsidies.” Swift. --
To come into, to join with; to take part in; to agree to; to comply with; as, to come into a party or scheme. --
To come it over, to hoodwink; to get the advantage of. [ Colloq. ] --
To come near or
To come nigh, to approach in place or quality; to be equal to. “Nothing ancient or modern seems to come near it.” Sir W. Temple. --
To come of. (a) To descend or spring from. “Of Priam's royal race my mother came.” Dryden. (b) To result or follow from. “This comes of judging by the eye.” L'Estrange. --
To come off. (a) To depart or pass off from. (b) To get free; to get away; to escape. (c) To be carried through; to pass off; as, it came off well. (d) To acquit one's self; to issue from (a contest, etc.); as, he came off with honor; hence, substantively, a come-off, an escape; an excuse; an evasion. [ Colloq. ] (e) To pay over; to give. [ Obs. ] (f) To take place; to happen; as, when does the race come off? (g) To be or become after some delay; as, the weather came off very fine. (h) To slip off or be taken off, as a garment; to separate. (i) To hurry away; to get through. Chaucer. --
To come off by, to suffer. [ Obs. ] “To come off by the worst.” Calamy. --
To come off from, to leave. “To come off from these grave disquisitions.” Felton. --
To come on. (a) To advance; to make progress; to thrive. (b) To move forward; to approach; to supervene. --
To come out. (a) To pass out or depart, as from a country, room, company, etc. “They shall come out with great substance.” Gen. xv. 14. (b) To become public; to appear; to be published. “It is indeed come out at last.” Bp. Stillingfleet. (c) To end; to result; to turn out; as, how will this affair come out? he has come out well at last. (d) To be introduced into society; as, she came out two seasons ago. (e) To appear; to show itself; as, the sun came out. (f) To take sides; to announce a position publicly; as, he came out against the tariff. (g) To publicly admit oneself to be homosexual. --
To come out with, to give publicity to; to disclose. --
To come over. (a) To pass from one side or place to another. “Perpetually teasing their friends to come over to them.” Addison. (b) To rise and pass over, in distillation. --
To come over to, to join. --
To come round. (a) To recur in regular course. (b) To recover. [ Colloq. ] (c) To change, as the wind. (d) To relent. J. H. Newman. (e) To circumvent; to wheedle. [ Colloq. ] --
To come short, to be deficient; to fail of attaining. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. iii. 23. --
To come to. (a) To consent or yield. Swift. (b) (Naut.) (with the accent on to) To luff; to bring the ship's head nearer the wind; to anchor. (c) (with the accent on to) To recover, as from a swoon. (d) To arrive at; to reach. (e) To amount to; as, the taxes come to a large sum. (f) To fall to; to be received by, as an inheritance. Shak. --
To come to blows. See under Blow. --
To come to grief. See under Grief. --
To come to a head. (a) To suppurate, as a boil. (b) To mature; to culminate; as a plot. --
To come to one's self, to recover one's senses. --
To come to pass, to happen; to fall out. --
To come to the scratch. (a) (Prize Fighting) To step up to the scratch or mark made in the ring to be toed by the combatants in beginning a contest; hence: (b) To meet an antagonist or a difficulty bravely. [ Colloq. ] --
To come to time. (a) (Prize Fighting) To come forward in order to resume the contest when the interval allowed for rest is over and “time” is called; hence: (b) To keep an appointment; to meet expectations. [ Colloq. ] --
To come together. (a) To meet for business, worship, etc.; to assemble. Acts i. 6. (b) To live together as man and wife. Matt. i. 18. --
To come true, to happen as predicted or expected. --
To come under, to belong to, as an individual to a class. --
To come up (a) to ascend; to rise. (b) To be brought up; to arise, as a question. (c) To spring; to shoot or rise above the earth, as a plant. (d) To come into use, as a fashion. --
To come up the capstan (Naut.), to turn it the contrary way, so as to slacken the rope about it. --
To come up the tackle fall (Naut.), to slacken the tackle gently. Totten. --
To come up to, to rise to; to equal. --
To come up with, to overtake or reach by pursuit. --
To come upon. (a) To befall. (b) To attack or invade. (c) To have a claim upon; to become dependent upon for support; as, to come upon the town. (d) To light or chance upon; to find; as, to come upon hid treasure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Coming. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To carry through; to succeed in; as, you can't come any tricks here. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To come it, to succeed in a trick of any sort. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A gripping device, as for stretching wire, etc., consisting of two jaws so attached to a ring that they are closed by pulling on the ring. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. F. comédien. ] 1. An actor or player in comedy. “The famous comedian, Roscius.” Middleton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A writer of comedy. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fem. of comédien. ] A women who plays in comedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It. ] A dramatic sketch; a brief comedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Comedones [ L., a glutton. See Comestible. ] (Med.) A small nodule or cystic tumor, common on the nose, etc., which on pressure allows the escape of a yellow wormlike mass of retained oily secretion, with a black head (dirt). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A downfall; an humiliation. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Comedies [ F. comédie, L. comoedia, fr. Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; a jovial festivity with music and dancing, a festal procession, an ode sung at this procession (perh. akin to &unr_; village, E. home) + &unr_; to sing; for comedy was originally of a lyric character. See Home, and Ode. ] A dramatic composition, or representation of a bright and amusing character, based upon the foibles of individuals, the manners of society, or the ludicrous events or accidents of life; a play in which mirth predominates and the termination of the plot is happy; -- opposed to tragedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

With all the vivacity of comedy. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Are come to play a pleasant comedy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a suitable or becoming manner. [ R. ] Sherwood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Comely. ] The quality or state of being comely. [ 1913 Webster ]

Comeliness is a disposing fair
Of things and actions in fit time and place. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

Strength, comeliness of shape, or amplest merit. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Comeliness signifies something less forcible than beauty, less elegant than grace, and less light than prettiness. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Comelier superl. Comeliest. ] [ OE. comeliche, AS. cymlīc; cyme suitable (fr. cuman to come, become) + līc like. ] 1. Pleasing or agreeable to the sight; well-proportioned; good-looking; handsome. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that is comely when old and decrepit, surely was very beautiful when he was young. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not once perceive their foul disfigurement
But boast themselves more comely than before. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is a happier and more comely time
Than when these fellows ran about the streets,
Crying confusion. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Ps. cxlvii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a becoming manner. Ascham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who comes out or withdraws from a religious or other organization; a radical reformer. [ Colloq. U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who comes, or who has come; one who has arrived, and is present. [ 1913 Webster ]

All comers, all who come, or offer, to take part in a matter, especially in a contest or controversy. “To prove it against all comers.” Bp. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., a companion. ] (Mus.) The answer to the theme (dux) in a fugue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. comissatio, comessatio. ] A reveling; a rioting. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. comestible, fr. L. comesus, comestus, p. p. of comedere to eat; com- + edere to eat. ] Suitable to be eaten; eatable; esculent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some herbs are most comestible. Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Something suitable to be eaten; -- commonly in the plural. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. cometes, cometa, from Gr. &unr_; comet, prop. long-haired, fr. &unr_; to wear long hair, fr. &unr_; hair, akin to L. coma: cf. F. comète. ] (Astron.) A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. ] (Astron.) An instrument, intended to represent the revolution of a comet round the sun. Hutton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. cométaire. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, a comet. Cheyne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. dial. pron. of come hither, used in calling cows, etc. ] [ Dial. or Colloq., Brit. ] 1. Matter; affair. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. Friendly communication or association.

To put the comether on or
To put one's comether on, to exercise persuasion upon; to get under one's influence; to beguile; to wheedle.

How does ut come about, sorr, that whin a man has put the comether on wan woman he's sure bound to put ut on another? Kipling. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Relating to a comet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who describes or writes about comets. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Comet + -graphy: cf. F. cométographie. ] A description of, or a treatise concerning, comets. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Comet + -logy. ] The branch of astronomy relating to comets. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or , n. (Astron.) A telescope of low power, having a large field of view, used for finding comets. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An unpleasant experience a person endures, which is viewed by others as a just retribution for bad behavior; just deserts; as, the Senator took bribes for years, and finally got his comeuppance when he was caught in a sting operation. [ PJC ]

v. t. To misbecome. [ Obs. ] Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Economics) that portion of income which is available for spending on discretionary purchases; for individuals, it is usually calculated as total income less taxes. National disposable income, which is the disposable income of all individuals and businesses, is calculated as total national income minus taxes plus transfer payments. Dornbusch and Fischer (Macroeconomics) [ PJC ]

n. 1. Sudden fall; downfall; overthrow. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Iron Manuf.) A pipe for leading combustible gases downward from the top of the blast furnace to the hot-blast stoves, boilers, etc., where they are burned. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A pipe to conduct something downwards; specif.: (a) (Iron Manuf.) A pipe for leading the hot gases from the top of a blast furnace downward to the regenerators, boilers, etc. (b) (Steam Engin.) In some water-tube boilers, a tube larger in diameter than the water tubes to conduct the water from each top drum to a bottom drum, thus completing the circulation. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adj. distributed in order to those who request it in person; not subject to reservation for later delivery. Contrasted with reservable. [ predicate ]
Syn. -- rush. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. See Gleucometer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; must + -meter: cf. F. gleucomètre. ] An instrument for measuring the specific gravity and ascertaining the quantity of sugar contained in must. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A coming in; entrance; admittance; ingress; infusion. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

More abundant incomes of light and strength from God. Bp. Rust. [ 1913 Webster ]

At mine income I louted low. Drant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is caused to enter; inspiration; influence; hence, courage or zeal imparted. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I would then make in and steep
My income in their blood. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That gain which proceeds from labor, business, property, or capital of any kind, as the produce of a farm, the rent of houses, the proceeds of professional business, the profits of commerce or of occupation, or the interest of money or stock in funds, etc.; revenue; receipts; salary; especially, the annual receipts of a private person, or a corporation, from property; as, a large income. [ 1913 Webster ]

No fields afford
So large an income to the village lord. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Physiol.) That which is taken into the body as food; the ingesta; -- sometimes restricted to the nutritive, or digestible, portion of the food. See Food. Opposed to output. [ 1913 Webster ]

Income bond, a bond issued on the income of the corporation or company issuing it, and the interest of which is to be paid from the earnings of the company before any dividends are made to stockholders; -- issued chiefly or exclusively by railroad companies. --
Income tax, a tax upon a person's incomes, emoluments, profits, etc., or upon the excess beyond a certain amount.

Syn. -- Gain; profit; proceeds; salary; revenue; receipts; interest; emolument; produce. [ 1913 Webster ]