| Amen | interj., adv., & n. [ L. amen, Gr. 'amh`n, Heb. āmēn certainly, truly. ] An expression used at the end of prayers, and meaning, So be it. At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. When it introduces a declaration, it is equivalent to truly, verily. It is used as a noun, to denote: (a) concurrence in belief, or in a statement; assent; (b) the final word or act; (c) Christ as being one who is true and faithful. [ 1913 Webster ] And let all the people say, Amen. Ps. cvi. 48. [ 1913 Webster ] Amen, amen, I say to thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. John ii. 3. Rhemish Trans. [ 1913 Webster ] To say amen to, to approve warmly; to concur in heartily or emphatically; to ratify; as, I say Amen to all. [ 1913 Webster ]
|
| Amenable | a. [ F. amener to lead; &unr_; (L. ad) = mener to lead, fr. L. minare to drive animals (properly by threatening cries), in LL. to lead; L. minari, to threaten, minae threats. See Menace. ] 1. (Old Law) Easy to be led; governable, as a woman by her husband. [ Obs. ] Jacob. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Liable to be brought to account or punishment; answerable; responsible; accountable; as, amenable to law. [ 1913 Webster ] Nor is man too diminutive . . . to be amenable to the divine government. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Liable to punishment, a charge, a claim, etc. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Willing to yield or submit; responsive; tractable. [ 1913 Webster ] Sterling . . . always was amenable enough to counsel. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Amend | v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amended; p. pr. & vb. n. Amending. ] [ F. amender, L. emendare; e (ex) + mendum, menda, fault, akin to Skr. minda personal defect. Cf. Emend, Mend. ] To change or modify in any way for the better; as, (a) by simply removing what is erroneous, corrupt, superfluous, faulty, and the like; (b) by supplying deficiencies; (c) by substituting something else in the place of what is removed; to rectify. [ 1913 Webster ] Mar not the thing that can not be amended. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] An instant emergency, granting no possibility for revision, or opening for amended thought. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ] We shall cheer her sorrows, and amend her blood, by wedding her to a Norman. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ] To amend a bill, to make some change in the details or provisions of a bill or measure while on its passage, professedly for its improvement. [ 1913 Webster ] Syn. -- To Amend, Emend, Correct, Reform, Rectify. These words agree in the idea of bringing things into a more perfect state. We correct (literally, make straight) when we conform things to some standard or rule; as, to correct proof sheets. We amend by removing blemishes, faults, or errors, and thus rendering a thing more a nearly perfect; as, to amend our ways, to amend a text, the draft of a bill, etc. Emend is only another form of amend, and is applied chiefly to editions of books, etc. To reform is literally to form over again, or put into a new and better form; as, to reform one's life. To rectify is to make right; as, to rectify a mistake, to rectify abuses, inadvertencies, etc. [ 1913 Webster ] |