Search the Dictionary

ly or descendants by paternal right; -- usually applied to heads of families in ancient history, especially in Biblical and Jewish history to those who lived before the time of Moses.

An out-of-door flight of steps, as in a garden, leading to a terrace or to an upper story; -- usually applied to mediævel or later structures of some architectural pretensions.

A description, history, or explanation of phenomena. "The phenomenology of the mind." Sir W. Hamilton.

The history of genealogical development; the race history of an animal or vegetable type; the historic exolution of the phylon or tribe, in distinction from ontogeny, or the development of the individual organism, and from biogenesis, or life development generally.

Relating to phylogenesis, or the race history of a type of organism. -- Phy*lo*ge*net"ic*al*ly, adv.

The germ history of the functions, or the history of the development of vital activities, in the individual, being one of the branches of ontogeny. See Morphogeny. Haeckel.

The tribal history of the functions, or the history of the paleontological development of vital activities, -- being a branch of phylogeny. See Morphophyly. Haeckel.

In fiction, the story of a play, novel, romance, or poem, comprising a complication of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went bef…

) or support; -- often with up.plump up the pillows To plump up the hollowness of their history with improbable miracles. Fuller.

a particular; an item; a detail; as, the good or bad points of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc. He told him, point for point, in short and plain. Chaucer. In point of religion and in point of honor. Bacon. Shalt thou dispute With Him the points of liberty Milton.

ecially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct of ecclesiastical controversy.

ch is composite, or consists of two or more monogenetic ranges, each having had its own history of development. Dana.

er; so as to be generally favored or accepted by the people; commonly; currently; as, the story was popularity reported. The victor knight, Bareheaded, popularly low had bowed. Dryden.

effects, rather than with details and circumstances; -- said of literature. "Pragmatic history." Sir W. Hamilton. "Pragmatic poetry." M. Arnold. Pragmatic sanction, a solemn ordinance or decree issued by the head or legislature of a state upon weighty matters; -- a term derived from the Byzantine empire. In European h…

The narration of this apparently trifling circumstance belongs to the pragmatism of the history. A. Murphy.

Of or pertaining to a period before written history begins; as, the prehistoric ages; prehistoric man.

Relating to the time before Moses; as, premosaic history.

, The quality or state of being prescriptible. Story.

To pass from one point, topic, or stage, to another; as, to proceed with a story or argument.

of money, absolutely and at all events; -- frequently called a note of hand. Kent. Byles. Story.