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One who dotes; a man whose understanding is enfeebled by age; a dotard. Burton.

Imperfectly baked; hence, not brought to perfection; unfinished; also, of weak or dull understanding. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

Slow of understanding; wanting readiness of apprehension; stupid; doltish; blockish. "Dull at classical learning." Thackeray. She is not bred so dull but she can learn. Shak.

See Erst. [Obs.] Spenser.

To make clear; to clear up what is obscure or not understood; to explain.

The clearing up of anything which is obscure or not easily understood; an explanation. The eclaircissement ended in the discovery of the informer. Clarendon.

rding to elements; literally; as, the words, "Take, eat; this is my body," elementally understood.

Omission; a figure of syntax, by which one or more words, which are obviously understood, are omitted; as, the virtues I admire, for, the virtues which I admire.

inors; the emancipation of a person from prejudices; the emancipation of the mind from superstition; the emancipation of a nation from tyranny or subjection.

In accord, harmony, or sympathy; having a mutual, esp. a private, understanding; of a hypnotic subject, being in such a mental state as to be especially subject to the influence of a particular person or persons.

A figure of speech by which what is to be understood affirmatively is stated negatively, and the contrary; affirmation by contraries.

or member must encroach upon or interfere with the duty and office of another. South. Superstition, . . . a creeping and encroaching evil. Hooker. Exclude the encroaching cattle from thy ground. Dryden.

The part of each apodeme derived from the intersternal membrane in Crustacea and insects.

upon; to furnish with increase of knowledge; to instruct; as, to enlighten the mind or understanding. The conscience enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God. Trench.

y kind of wealth; to render opulent; to increase the possessions of; as, to enrich the understanding with knowledge. Seeing, Lord, your great mercy Us hath enriched so openly. Chaucer's Dream.

The superstructure which lies horizontally upon the columns. See Illust. of Column, Cornice.

lliances." Washington. The difficulties that perplex men's thoughts and entangle their understandings. Locke. Allowing her to entangle herself with a person whose future was so uncertain. Froude.

nced by a peculiar; fervor of mind; an ardent and imaginative person. Enthusiasts soon understand each other. W. Irving.

In or of the country. [R.] Epichorial superstitions from every district of Europe. De Quincey.

Designed for, and understood by, the specially initiated alone; not communicated, or not intelligible, to the general body of followers; private; interior; acroamatic; -- said of the private and more recondite instructions and doctrines of philosophers. Opposed to exoteric. Enough if every age produce two or three crit…