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The word, however, is used with a great variety of meaning, . . . even by economists and learned critics. The general tendency is to regard as socialistic any interference undertaken by society on behalf of the poor, . . . radical social reform which disturbs the present system of private property . . . The tendency o…

verb. "As soon as it might be." Chaucer. She finished, and the subtle fiend his lore Soon learned. Milton.

ommanding evil spirits; magic; necromancy; witchcraft; enchantment. Adder's wisdom I have learned, To fence my ear against thy sorceries. Milton.

To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study. [Obs.] Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew. Milton.

Abounding in spells, or charms. Here, while his eyes the learned leaves peruse, Each spellful mystery explained he views. Hoole.

to offend; to vex. [R.] Darius, spited at the Magi, endeavored to abolish not only their learning, but their language. Sir. W. Temple.

he steep. Shak. In refreshing dew to steep The little, trembling flowers. Wordsworth. The learned of the nation were steeped in Latin. Earle.

race or generation of progenitors. "All that are of noble stem." Milton. While I do pray, learn here thy stem And true descent. Herbert.

Constant; continual. [Obs.] By still practice learn to know thy meaning. Shak.

ive to atmospheric changes, indicating by a clouded appearance, rain, snow, etc., and by clearness, fair weather.

Reserved; distant in deportment. Shak. She may be strange and shy at first, but will soon learn to love thee. Hawthorne.

A person engaged in study; one who is devoted to learning; a learner; a pupil; a scholar; especially, one who attends a school, or who seeks knowledge from professional teachers or from books; as, the students of an academy, a college, or a university; a medical student; a hard student. Keep a gamester from the dice, a…

Well versed in any branch of learning; qualified by study; learned; as, a man well studied in geometry. I shrewdly suspect that he is little studied of a theory of moral proportions. Burke.

Any particular branch of learning that is studied; any object of attentive consideration. The Holy Scriptures, especially the New Testament, are her daily study. Law. The proper study of mankind is man. Pope.

o know the ways of captivating Nature, and making her subserve our purposes, than to have learned all the intrigues of policy. Glanvill.

Cunning; skill; craft. [Obs.] To learn a lewd man this subtility. Chaucer.

Something that is sly, crafty, or delusive. Unlearned in the world's false subtleties. Shak.

vious or apparent; not deep or profound; shallow; -- said especially in respect to study, learning, and the like; as, a superficial scholar; superficial knowledge. This superficial tale Is but a preface of her worthy praise. Shak. He is a presumptuous and superficial writer. Burke. That superficial judgment, which happ…

was not wrought by altering the form or position of the earth, as was surmised by a very learned man, but by dissolving it. Woodward.

e kind or phases of disease; as, the causes of disease often lie beyond our sight, but we learn their nature by the symptoms exhibited. Like the sick man, we are expiring with all sorts of good symptoms. Swift.