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To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in the matter of intent or meaning; as, to strain the law in order to convict an accused person. There can be no other meaning in this expression, however some may pretend to strain it. Swift.

Intent; inclined. [Obs.] Shak.

The act of taking one's own life voluntary and intentionally; self-murder; specifically (Law), the felonious killing of one's self; the deliberate and intentional destruction of one's own life by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind.

ught which holds on through a discourse; the general drift or course of thought; purport; intent; meaning; understanding. When it [the bond] is paid according to the tenor. Shak. Does not the whole tenor of the divine law positively require humility and meekness to all men Spart.

Intention; design. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

f stealing; specifically, the felonious taking and removing of personal property, with an intent to deprive the rightful owner of the same; larceny.

n's goods again from a thief, or a compensation for them, by way of composition, with the intent that the thief shall escape punishment.

s thought; an idea; a mental conception, whether an opinion, judgment, fancy, purpose, or intention. Thus Bethel spoke, who always speaks his thought. Pope. Why do you keep alone, . . . Using those thoughts which should indeed have died With them they think on Shak. Thoughts come crowding in so fast upon me, that my on…

The expression of an intention to inflict evil or injury on another; the declaration of an evil, loss, or pain to come; meance; threatening; denunciation. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats. Shak.

Thronged; crowded; also, much occupied; busy. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Bp. Sanderson. To the intent the sick . . . should not lie too throng. Robynson (More's Utopia).

knot in; as, to tie a cord to a tree; to knit; to knot. "We do not tie this knot with an intention to puzzle the argument." Bp. Burnet.

ghtly against; to extend the hand, foot, or the like, so as to reach or rest on. Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear Touched lightly. Milton.

n artifice or stratagem; a cunning contrivance; a sly procedure, usually with a dishonest intent; as, a trick in trade. tricks of the trade mean simply specialized knowledge, in a good or neutral sense. He comes to me for counsel, and I show him a trick. South. I know a trick worth two of that. Shak.…

e; water turns to ice; one color turns to another; to turn Mohammedan. I hope you have no intent to turn husband. Shak. Cygnets from gray turn white. Bacon.

To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or…

of it I undervalued all ensigns of authority. Atterbury. I write not this with the least intention to undervalue the other parts of poetry. Dryden.

the two kingdoms were incorporated into one, in 1707. -- Union by the first, or second, intention. (Surg.) See To heal by the first, or second, intention, under Intention. -- Union down (Naut.), a signal of distress at sea made by reversing the flag, or turning its union downward. -- Union jack. (Naut.) See Jack, n…

Not meant or intended; unintentional. Dryden.

That which is looked towards, or kept in sight, as object, aim, intention, purpose, design; as, he did it with a view of escaping. No man sets himself about anything but upon some view or other which serves him for a reason. Locke.

Spectacular; pleasing to the eye or the imagination. A government intent on showy absurdities and viewy enterprises rather than solid work. London Spectator.