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The track or trail of any wild animal; as, the spoor of an elephant; -- used originally by travelers in South Africa.

as for passing from one story of a house to another; -- commonly used in the plural; but originally used in the singular only. "I a winding stair found." Chaucer's Dream. Below stairs, in the basement or lower part of a house, where the servants are. -- Flight of stairs, the stairs which make the whole ascent of a st…

A suffix denoting the agent (originally a woman), especially a person who does something with skill or as an occupation; as in spinster (originally, a woman who spins), songster, baxter (= bakester), youngster.

th cream added; -- so called from the village or parish of Stilton, England, where it was originally made. It is very rich in fat.

An ornamental covering for the breast, worn originally both by men and women. Those worn by women were often richly decorated. A stately lady in a diamond stomacher. Johnson.

Originally, a covered porch with seats, at a house door; the Dutch stoep as introduced by the Dutch into New York. Afterward, an out-of-door flight of stairs of from seven to fourteen steps, with platform and parapets, leading to an entrance door some distance above the street; the French perron. Hence, any porch, plat…

Originally, a paved way or road; a public highway; now commonly, a thoroughfare in a city or village, bordered by dwellings or business houses. He removed [the body of] Amasa from the street unto the field. Coverdale. At home or through the high street passing. Milton.

p. p. of Swear. Sworn brothers, originally, companions in arms who took an oath to share together good and bad fortune; hence, faithful friends. -- Sworn enemies, determined or irreconcilable enemies. -- Sworn friends, close friends.

The theory, plan, or practice of trade-union action (originally as advocated and practiced by the French Confédération Générale du Travail) which aims to abolish the present political and social system by means of the general strike (as distinguished from the local or sectional strike) and direct action of whatever kin…

Originally, a piece of wood on which notches or scores were cut, as the marks of number; later, one of two books, sheets of paper, etc., on which corresponding accounts were kept.

lis; also (Bot.), the plant itself. See Kat. -- Assam tea, tea grown in Assam, in India, originally brought there from China about the year 1850. -- Australian, or Botany Bay, tea (Bot.), a woody clambing plant (Smilax glycyphylla). -- Brazilian tea. (a) The dried leaves of Lantana pseodothea, used in Brazil as a su…

voice; the second of the four parts in the scale of sounds, reckoning from the base, and originally the air, to which the other parts were auxillary.

A dish or pan, originally of earthenware, such as those in which various dishes are cooked and served; esp., an earthenware jar containing some table delicacy and sold with its contents.

An old French silver coin, originally of the value of about eighteen pence, subsequently reduced to ninepence, and later to sixpence, sterling. Hence, in modern English slang, a sixpence; -- often contracted to tizzy. Called also teston. Shak.

of Christians established on the Malabar coast of India, which some suppose to have been originally founded by the Apostle Thomas.

A musical instrument of the flute kind, originally made of the leg bone of an animal.

, paper ribbons, or the like onto the parading group. The name comes form the ticker tape originally thrown onto the parade when it passed stockbrokers' offices in lower Manhattan, before stock tickers became obsolete.

A lunch, or slight repast between breakfast and dinner; -- originally, a Provincial English word, but introduced into India, and brought back to England in a special sense.

As sign of the infinitive, to had originally the use of last defined, governing the infinitive as a verbal noun, and connecting it as indirect object with a preceding verb or adjective; thus, ready to go, i.e., ready unto going; good to eat, i.e., good for eating; I do my utmost to lead my life pleasantly. But it has c…

A kind of war hatchet used by the American Indians. It was originally made of stone, but afterwards of iron.