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Superior; surpassing; ruling. An ascendant spirit over him. South. The ascendant community obtained a surplus of wealth. J. S. Mill. Without some power of persuading or confuting, of defending himself against accusations, . . . no man could possibly hold an ascendent position. Grote.

direct ascending. -- Ascending node having, that node of the moon or a planet wherein it passes the ecliptic to proceed northward. It is also called the northern node. Herschel. -- Ascending series. (Math.) (a) A series arranged according to the ascending powers of a quantity. (b) A series in which each term is great…

e time of the rising or setting of a body and six o'clock, or six hours from its meridian passage.

ables one to look in a particular direction; position in relation to the points of the compass; as, a house has a southern aspect, that is, a position which faces the south.

An apparatus for passing air or gases through or over certain liquids or solids, or for exhausting a closed vessel, by means of suction.

o apply. [Obs. or Archaic] To-night let us assay our plot. Shak. Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed. Milton.

tion. Macaulay. Royal assent, in England, the assent of the sovereign to a bill which has passed both houses of Parliament, after which it becomes law.

e; to allay, mitigate, ease, or lessen, as heat, pain, or grief; to appease or pacify, as passion or tumult; to satisfy, as appetite or desire. Refreshing winds the summer's heat assuage. Addison. To assuage the sorrows of a desolate old man Burke. The fount at which the panting mind assuages Her thirst of knowledge. B…

Three asterisks placed in this manner, *, to direct attention to a particular passage.

urprise greatly, as with something unaccountable; to confound with some sudden emotion or passion. Musidorus . . . had his wits astonished with sorrow. Sidney. I, Daniel . . . was astonished at the vision. Dan. viii. 27.

A small dam to prevent free passage of water in an adit or level.

To surpass in council. [Obs.] Men may the olde atrenne, but hat atrede. Chaucer.

Absence or closure of a natural passage or channel of the body; imperforation.

To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means Abp. Tillotson.

Capable of being attained or reached by efforts of the mind or body; capable of being compassed or accomplished by efforts directed to the object. The highest pitch of perfection attainable in this life. Addison.

He lived from all attainder of suspect. Shak. Bill of attainder, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence.

with moral contagion; to taint or corrupt. My tender youth was never yet attaint With any passion of inflaming love. Shak.

s.] The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not attend the unskillful words of the passenger. Sir P. Sidney.

The act of hearing or listening; hearing. Audition may be active or passive; hence the difference between listening and simple hearing. Dunglison.

ar finger, the little finger; so called because it can be readily introduced into the ear passage.