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One who, or that which, softens. [Written also, less properly, softner.]

signed to deceive. When a false argument puts on the appearance of a true one, then it is properly called a sophism, or "fallacy". I. Watts. Let us first rid ourselves of sophisms, those of depraved men, and those of heartless philosophers. I. Taylor.

A genus of grasses, properly limited to two species, Sorghum Halepense, the Arabian millet, or Johnson grass (see Johnson grass), and S. vulgare, the Indian millet (see Indian millet, under Indian).

A kick; a blow with the foot. [R.] What defence can properly be used in such a despicable encounter as this but either the slap or the spurn Milton.

Properly, the space in the after part of a vessel, under the cabin, but used generally to indicate any part of a vessel having the poorest accommodations and occupied by passengers paying the lowest rate of fare.

A place, properly secured from the weather, for containing dung.

To point, as a composition; to punctuate. [R.] If his sentences were properly stopped. Landor.

hich forms an obstruction to throwing the bolt, except when the gates of the tumblers are properly arranged, as by the key; a fence; also, a pin or projection in a lock to form a guide for a movable piece. Leg stump (Cricket), the stump nearest to the batsman. -- Off stump (Cricket), the stump farthest from the batsma…

ving a sweet taste and a hyacinthlike odor, obtained by the decomposition of styracin; -- properly called cinnamic, or styryl, alcohol.

dissolving indigo in sulphuric acid; -- formerly called also cerulic sulphuric acid, but properly called indigo-disulphonic acid.

alysis. Analysis and synthesis, though commonly treated as two different methods, are, if properly understood, only the two necessary parts of the same method. Each is the relative and correlative of the other. Sir W. Hamilton.

Less properly, phototelegraphy.

The Roman divinity who presided over boundaries, whose statue was properly a short pillar terminating in the bust of a man, woman, satyr, or the like, but often merely a post or stone stuck in the ground on a boundary line.

Carefully; properly; becomingly. [Obs.] A young clerk . . . in Latin thriftily them gret [greeted]. Chaucer.

Sometimes, but less properly, tolylene.

allant sparks." L'Estrange. Topgallant breeze, a breeze in which the topgallant sails may properly be carried.

Sir Robert Torrens (1814-84). Its essential feature is the guaranty by the government of properly registered titles. The system has been generally adopted in Australia and British Columbia, and in its original or a modified form in some other countries, including some States of the United States. Hence Torrens title,…

, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tossed (; (less properly Tost ); p. pr. & vb. n. Tossing.] Etym: [ W. tosiaw, tosio, to jerk, toss, snatch, tosa quick jerk, a toss, a snatch. ]

, or contract between two or more nations or sovereigns, formally signed by commissioners properly authorized, and solemnly ratified by the several sovereigns, or the supreme power of each state; an agreement between two or more independent states; as, a treaty of peace; a treaty of alliance.

plant of the genus Trifolium, which includes the white clover, red clover, etc.; -- less properly, applied also to the nonesuch, or black medic. See Clover, and Medic.