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In its etymological signification, the science of the stars; among the ancients, synonymous with astronomy; subsequently, the art of judging of the influences of the stars upon human affairs, and of foretelling events by their position and aspects.

A line which approaches nearer to some curve than assignable distance, but, though infinitely extended, would never meet it. Asymptotes may be straight lines or curves. A rectilinear asymptote may be conceived as a tangent to the curve at an infinite distance.

The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands.

To connect; to place so as to belong; to assign by authority; to appoint; as, an officer is attached to a certain regiment, company, or ship.

y act as will apparently result, if not extrinsically hindered, in a crime which it was designed to effect. Wharton.

something) as due or appropriate (to); to refer, as an effect to a cause; to impute; to assign; to consider as belonging (to). We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it. Abp. Tillotson. The merit of service is seldom attributed to the true and exact performer. Shak.…

Attributing; pertaining to, expressing, or assigning an attribute; of the nature of an attribute.

The part of a church, theater, or other public building, assigned to the audience.

viner who foretold events by the singing, chattering, flight, and feeding of birds, or by signs or omens derived from celestial phenomena, certain appearances of quadrupeds, or unusual occurrences.

Of or pertaining to augurs or to augury; betokening; ominous; significant; as, an augural staff; augural books. "Portents augural." Cowper.

cation of the future; presage. From their flight strange auguries she drew. Drayton. He resigned himself . . . with a docility that gave little augury of his future greatness. Prescott.

omen; or with the stethoscope (mediate ~), in order to distinguish sounds recognized as a sign of health or of disease.

by observing birds; an omen as to an undertaking, drawn from birds; an augury; an omen or sign in general; an indication as to the future.

Southern; lying or being in the south; as, austral land; austral ocean. Austral signs (Astron.), the last six signs of the zodiac, or those south of the equator.

That which is written with one's own hand; an original manuscript; a person's own signature or handwriting.

The use of a word of common or general signification for the name of a particular thing; as, "He has gone to town," for, "He has gone to London."

ersected by the ecliptic, as the sun proceeds southward; the first point of Libra. -- ~= signs, the signs Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, through which the sun passes between the ~ equinox and winter solstice.

he suit; this scheme will not avail; medicines will not avail to check the disease. "What signs avail " Milton. Words avail very little with me, young man. Sir W. Scott.

ship, cargo, and freight at risk and saved by the sacrifice. Kent. -- Particular average signifies the damage or partial loss happening to the ship, or cargo, or freight, in consequence of some fortuitous or unavoidable accident; and it is borne by the individual owners of the articles damaged, or by their insurers.…

The act of averring, or that which is averred; affirmation; positive assertion. Signally has this averment received illustration in the course of recent events. I. Taylor.