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ion; involuntary; -- opposed to free; as, whether man is a necessary or a free agent is a question much discussed.

That side of a question which denies or refuses, or which is taken by an opposing or denying party; the relation or position of denial or opposition; as, the question was decided in the negative.

. Thou shalt not steal. Ex. xx. 15. Thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. Job vii. 8. The question is, may I do it, or may I not do it Bp. Sanderson. Not . . . but, or Not but, only. [Obs. or Colloq.] Chaucer.

bjurgate or chide; containing or expressing reproof; culpatory. Bancroft. The objurgatory question of the Pharisees. Paley.

Denoting opposition or negation. [Obs.] The questions no way touch upon puritanism, either off or on. Bp. Sanderson. From off, off from; off. "A live coal...taken with the tongs from off the altar." Is. vi. 6. -- Off and on. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) (Naut.) On different tacks,…

d or determined; not closed or withdrawn from consideration; as, an open account; an open question; to keep an offer or opportunity open.

ard; an open space; -- chiefly used in the phrase ins and outs; as, the ins and outs of a question. See under In.

parties or opinion, as in a parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a given question, or on issues of a party nature during a specified time; as, there were two pairs on the final vote. [Parliamentary Cant]

Inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a question, more then the other; baised; not indifferent; as, a judge should not be partial. Ye have been partial in the law. Mal. ii. 9.

The quality or state of being partial; inclination to favor one party, or one side of a question, more than the other; undue bias of mind.

t of a community or association; esp., one of the parts into which a people is divided on questions of public policy. Win the noble Brutus to our party. Shak. The peace both parties want is like to last. Dryden.

ll to its third reading was delayed. "The passage of the Stamp Act." D. Hosack. The final question was then put upon its passage. Cushing. In passage, in passing; cursorily. "These . . . have been studied but in passage." Bacon. -- Middle passage, Northeast passage, Northwest passage. See under Middle, Northeast, etc.…

ists of the sum of the miles traversed by all the passengers on the road in the period in question.

Chance; hap; hence, doubt; question; as, proved beyond peradventure. South.

Precluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal; positive; absolute; decisive; conclusive; final. Think of heaven with hearty purposes and peremptory designs to get thither. Jer. Taylor.

By way of begging the question; by an assumption. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point. Blackstone.

teadily, or with repeated acts; to press upon; to urge importunately; as, to ply one with questions, with solicitations, or with drink. And plies him with redoubled strokes Dryden. He plies the duke at morning and at night. Shak.

two men are talking politics, we often mean that they are wrangling about some mere party question. F. W. Robertson.

thrust away, or put off promptly; as, to pop one off with a denial. Locke. -- To pop the question, to make an offer of marriage to a lady. [Colloq.] Dickens.