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The days immediately preceding Ash Widnesday, especially the period between the evening before Quinguagesima Sunday and the morning of Ash Wednesday.

To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, or the like.

relative, A minor) by means of one or more sharps or flats at the beginning of the staff, immediately after the clef, affecting all notes of the same letter throughout the piece or movement. Each minor key has the same signature as its relative major.

Bad, soft coal, containing much earthy matter, found in the immediate locality of faults.

Commodities, as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery. [Broker's Cant] Crescent spot (Zoöl.), any butterfly of the family Melitæidæ having crescent-shaped white spots along the margins of the red or brown wings. -- Spot lens (Microscopy), a condensing lens in which the light is confined to an annular pen…

vate or secret intelligence regarding the enemy. -- Spy Wednesday (Eccl.), the Wednesday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; -- so called in allusion to the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.

One who applies for the allotment of shares in new projects, with a view to sell immediately at a premium, and not to hold the stock. [Cant]

To cease, as the flowing of blood. Immediately her issue of blood stanched. Luke viii. 44.

In a straight manner; directly; rightly; forthwith; immediately; as, the arrow went straight to the mark. "Floating straight." Shak. I know thy generous temper well; Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire, and mounts into a blaze. Addison. Everything was going on straight. W. Black.…

Immediately; without loss of time; without delay. He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi. . . . And straightway the damsel arose. Mark v. 41,42.

Situated immediately below the epidermis.

Subordinate tenancy; undertenancy. The widow is immediate tenant to the heir, by a kind of subinfeudation, or undertenancy. Blackstone.

To pass off in vapor, with immediate condensation; specifically, to evaporate or volatilize from the solid state without apparent melting; -- said of those substances, like arsenic, benzoic acid, etc., which do not exhibit a liquid form on heating, except under increased pressure.

The bed, or stratum, of earth which lies immediately beneath the surface soil. Subsoil plow, a plow having a share and standard but no moldboard. It follows in the furrow made by an ordinary plow, and loosens the soil to an additional depth without bringing it to the surface. Knight.

The seventh tone of the scale, or that immediately below the tonic; -- called also subsemitone.

An outlying part of a city or town; a smaller place immediately adjacent to a city; in the plural, the region which is on the confines of any city or large town; as, a house stands in the suburbs; a garden situated in the suburbs of Paris. "In the suburbs of a town." Chaucer. [London] could hardly have contained less t…

notice or with very brief notice; coming unexpectedly, or without the common preparation; immediate; instant; speedy. "O sudden wo!" Chaucer. "For fear of sudden death." Shak. Sudden fear troubleth thee. Job xxii. 10.

fragist. It is curious that . . . Louisa Castelefort should be obliged after her marriage immediately to open her doors and turn ultra liberal, or an universal suffragist. Miss Edgeworth.

Suggestion. [R.] They fancy that every thought must needs have an immediate outward suggestment. Hare.

Situated immediately above; as, superjacent rocks.