Search the Dictionary

Pain of mind on account of something in the past; mental suffering arising from any cause, as misfortune, loss of friends, misconduct of one's self or others, etc.; sorrow; sadness. The mother was so afflicted at the loss of a fine boy, . . . that she died for grief of it. Addison.

To feel grief; to be in pain of mind on account of an evil; to sorrow; to mourn; -- often followed by at, for, or over. Do not you grieve at this. Shak.

A small silver coin and money of account of Germany, worth about two cents. It is not included in the new monetary system of the empire.

e genus Artocarpus (A. incisa, or breadfruit tree), sometimes used in making birdlime, on account of its glutinous quality.

One whose judgment and acts are affected by hallucinations; one who errs on account of his hallucinations. N. Brit. Rev.

iv. 14. To happen on, to meet with; to fall or light upon. "I have happened on some other accounts." Graunt. -- To happen in, to make a casual call. [Colloq.]

On account of the abuse of its powers it was abolished in 1641. -- High day (Script.), a holy or feast day. John xix. 31. -- High festival (Eccl.), a festival to be observed with full ceremonial. -- High German, or High Dutch. See under German. -- High jinks, an old Scottish pastime; hence, noisy revelry; wild spor…

A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; -- distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year…

To consider; to regard; to esteem; to account; to think; to judge. I hold him but a fool. Shak. I shall never hold that man my friend. Shak. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Ex. xx. 7.

that the ships are not gone out of the river." Pepys. -- On one's own hook, on one's own account or responsibility; by one's self. [Colloq. U.S.] Bartlett. -- To go off the hooks, to die. [Colloq.] Thackeray. -- Bid hook, a small boat hook. -- Chain hook. See under Chain. -- Deck hook, a horizontal knee or frame,…

An account of the hours. Chaucer.

An account of instruments that show the hour.

al division, or of equalizing the shares of all the children; the property advanced being accounted for at its value when given. Bouvier. Tomlins.

e point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain an overdue steamer. An hypothesis being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to hypotheses than those of the human imagination. J. S. Mill.…

onditional; assumed without proof, for the purpose of reasoning and deducing proof, or of accounting for some fact or phenomenon. Causes hypothetical at least, if not real, for the various phenomena of the existence of which our experience informs us. Sir W. Hamilton. Hypothetical baptism (Ch. of Eng.), baptism adminis…

Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren. "Deserts idle." Shak. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36. Down their idle weapons dropped. Milton. This idle story became important. Macaulay.

A calling to account; arraignment; especially, of a public officer for maladministration. The consequence of Coriolanus' impeachment had like to have been fatal to their state. Swift.

g imperfect; want of perfection; incompleteness; deficiency; fault or blemish. Sent to my account With all my imperfections on my head. Shak.

Troublesome; vexatious; persistent; urgent; hence, vexatious on account of untimely urgency or perinacious solicitation. [Obs.] And their importune fates all satisfied. Spenser. Of all other affections it [envy] is the most importune and continual. Bacon.

To use or employ to good purpose; to make productive; to turn to profitable account; to utilize; as, to improve one's time; to improve his means. Shak. We shall especially honor God by improving diligently the talents which God hath committed to us. Barrow. A hint that I do not remember to have seen opened and improved…