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Full ofscrupules; inclined to scruple; nicely doubtful; hesitating to determine or to act, from a fear of offending or of doing wrong. Abusing their liberty, to the offense of their weak brethren which were scrupulous. Hooker.

To fix beforehand; to determine; hence, to make unyielding or obstinate; to render stiff, unpliant, or rigid; as, to set one's countenance. His eyes were set by reason of his age. 1 Kings xiv. 4. On these three objects his heart was set. Macaulay. Make my heart as a millstone, set my face as a flint. Tennyson.…

To determine, as something which is exposed to doubt or question; to free from unscertainty or wavering; to make sure, firm, or constant; to establish; to compose; to quiet; as, to settle the mind when agitated; to settle questions of law; to settle the succession to a throne; to settle an allowance. It will settle the…

Amount or extent of deficiency, as determined by some requirement or standard; as, a shortage in money accounts.

corrupt; as, sinister aims. Nimble and sinister tricks and shifts. Bacon. He scorns to undermine another's interest by any sinister or inferior arts. South. He read in their looks . . . sinister intentions directed particularly toward himself. Sir W. Scott.

An instrument or contrivance to size articles, or to determine their size by a standard, or to separate and distribute them according to size.

Anything unknown, undetermined, or not specifically designated; a certain indefinite thing; an indeterminate or unknown event; an unspecified task, work, or thing. There is something in the wind. Shak. The whole world has something to do, something to talk of, something to wish for, and something to be employed about.…

box, and divided into different lengths at pleasure by a bridge, the place of which is determined by a scale on the face of the box.

group of existing things or beings, associated according to attributes, or properties determined by scientific observation.

, or those produced by flames in which different substances are volatilized), so as to determine, from the position of the spectral lines, the composition of the substance.

A wet meter used to determine the breathing capacity of the lungs.

-- On, or Upon, the spot, immediately; before moving; without changing place. It was determined upon the spot. Swift.

ent expressing contempt or dislike. Sir W. Scott. -- To square the circle (Math.), to determine the exact contents of a circle in square measure. The solution of this famous problem is now generally admitted to be impossible.

To begin to doubt and waver in purposes; to become less confident or determined; to hesitate. He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. Rom. iv. 20.

The ermine in its summer pelage, when it is reddish brown, but with a black tip to the tail. The name is sometimes applied also to other brown weasels.

To overthrow, undermine, or force away, in order to get a substitute in place of. You never will supplant the received ideas of God. Landor.

One of that class of Calvinists who believed that God's decree of election determined that man should fall, in order that the opportunity might be furnished of securing the redemption of a part of the race, the decree of salvation being conceived of as formed before or beyond, and not after or following, the lapse, or…

lue, etc.; to examine and ascertain the state of; as, to survey a building in order to determine its value and exposure to loss by fire.

rveying, geodesy. -- Maritime, or Nautical, surveying, that branch of surveying which determines the forms of coasts and harbors, the entrances of rivers, with the position of islands, rocks, and shoals, the depth of water, etc. -- Plane surveying. See under Plane, a. -- Topographical surveying, that branch of surve…

To hold in an undetermined or undecided state; as, to suspend one's judgment or opinion. Locke.