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stency; suitableness. The perfect consonancy of our persecuted church to the doctrines of Scripture and antiquity. Hammond. The optic nerve responds to the waves with which it is in consonance. Tyndall.

The part or parts of something written or printed, as of Scripture, which precede or follow a text or quoted sentence, or are so intimately associated with it as to throw light upon its meaning. According to all the light that the contexts afford. Sharp.

in an outer case (often called the envelope), on which was inscribed a duplicate of the inscription on the inclosed tablet.

t deeds. Milton. The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture. Whewell.

An imitation, transcript, or reproduction of an original work; as, a copy of a letter, an engraving, a painting, or a statue. I have not the vanity to think my copy equal to the original. Denham.

Abounding in errors; not genuine or correct; as, the text of the manuscript is corrupt.

A description of the world or of the universe; or the science which teaches the constitution of the whole system of worlds, or the figure, disposition, and relation of all its parts.

The theory or description of the universe, as a system displaying order and harmony. Humboldt.

s. Shak. The half-hidden, hallf-revealed wonders, that yet couch beneath the words of the Scripture. I. Taylor.

The promises of God as revealed in the Scriptures, conditioned on certain terms on the part of man, as obedience, repentance, faith, etc. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Gen. xvi…

ther sources than personal knowledge; belief; credit; confidence. To give credence to the Scripture miracles. Trench. An assertion which might easily find credence. Macualay.

ure Reason." I should as soon expect to see a critique on the poesy of a ring as on the inscription of a medal. Addison.

y applied to the wedge-shaped or arrowheaded characters of ancient Persian and Assyrian inscriptions. See Arrowheaded.

A manuscript, especially of the New Testament, written in small, connected characters or in a running hand; -- opposed to uncial. Shipley.

red as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See Usage, and Prescription.

The inscription of the engraver's name on a finger ring or gem.

That addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which specifies the time (as day, month, and year) when the writing or inscription was given, or executed, or made; as, the date of a letter, of a will, of a deed, of a coin. etc. And bonds without a date, they say, are void. Dryden.

A fatal wound or injury. (b) (Naut.) The springing of a fatal leak. -- Spiritual death (Scripture), the corruption and perversion of the soul by sin, with the loss of the favor of God. -- The gates of death, the grave. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee Job xxxviii. 17. -- The second death, condemnation t…

The act of defining; definition; description. [Obs.] Shak.

Act of ascertaining and explaining the signification; a description of a thing by its properties; an explanation of the meaning of a word or term; as, the definition of "circle;" the definition of "wit;" an exact definition; a loose definition. Definition being nothing but making another understand by words what the te…