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That which is washed off. [R.] Dwight.

The fourth or digestive stomach of a ruminant, which leads from the third stomach omasum. See Ruminantia.

That which is abominable; anything hateful, wicked, or shamefully vile; an object or state that excites disgust and hatred; a hateful or shameful vice; pollution. Antony, most large in his abominations. Shak.

Any fruit or produce that does not come to maturity, or anything which in its progress, before it is matured or perfect; a complete failure; as, his attempt. proved an abortiori.

That which is born or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. [Obs.] Shak.

To be in great plenty; to be very prevalent; to be plentiful. The wild boar which abounds in some parts of the continent of Europe. Chambers. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound. Rom. v. 20.

Absolute renunciation or repudiation. [Obs.] An abrenunciation of that truth which he so long had professed, and still believed. Fuller.

That which abridges or cuts short; hence, an entertainment that makes the time pass quickly. [Obs.] What abridgment have you for this evening What mask What music Shak.

Broached; in a condition for letting out or yielding liquor, as a cask which is tapped. Hogsheads of ale were set abroach. Sir W. Scott.

Having sudden transitions from one subject to another; unconnected. The abrupt style, which hath many breaches. B. Jonson.

One of the elements of reference by which a point, as of a curve, is referred to a system of fixed rectilineal coördinate axes.

who withdraw to avoid a legal process; as, an absconding debtor. That very homesickness which, in regular armies, drives so many recruits to abscond. Macaulay.

the little absences and distractions of mankind." Addison. To conquer that abstraction which is called absence. Landor.

er Ablative. Absolute curvature (Geom.), that curvature of a curve of double curvature, which is measured in the osculating plane of the curve. -- Absolute equation (Astron.), the sum of the optic and eccentric equations. -- Absolute space (Physics), space considered without relation to material limits or objects. -…

The exercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven.

o pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment. Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen. Macaulay.

gases. So heat, light, and electricity are absorbed or taken up in the substances into which they pass. Nichol. p. 8

(Paint.), a ground prepared for a picture, chiefly with distemper, or water colors, by which the oil is absorbed, and a brilliancy is imparted to the colors.

One who, or that which, absorbs.

In living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs.