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ng the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed. Abbott. Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text. Parsons. Construction of an equation (Math.), the drawing of such li…

A progressive wasting away of the body; esp., that form of wasting, attendant upon pulmonary phthisis and associated with cough, spitting of blood, hectic fever, etc.; pulmonary phthisis; -- called also pulmonary consumption. Consumption of the bowels (Med.), inflammation and ulceration of the intestines from tubercula…

A train of attendants; a procession.

An attendant on travelers, whose business it is to make arrangements for their convenience at hotels and on the way.

One of the attendants of a prince or noble, permanently charged with the performance of this office for his master. "I was the king's cupbearer." Neh. i. 11.

to darken; to dull; to obscure; to eclipse. A king among his courtiers, who dims all his attendants. Dryden. Now set the sun, and twilight dimmed the ways. Cowper.

A young squire, or knight's attendant; a page. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

Surroundings; specif., collectively, one's attendants or associates.

ction for the sake of affording safety when on a journey; one who conducts some one as an attendant; a guard, as of prisoners on a march; also, a body of persons, attending as a mark of respect or honor; -- applied to movements on land, as convoy is to movements at sea. The troops of my escort marched at the ordinary r…

Originally, a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below knight and above gentleman; also, a title of office and courtesy; -- often shortened to squire.

An attendant demon or evil spirit. Shak.

A familiar spirit; a witch's attendant. [Obs.] A trifling fly, none of your great familiars. B. Jonson.

1. One who follows; a pursuer; an attendant; a disciple; a dependent associate; a retainer.

A page; an attendant in livery; a lackey. Shak.

A boy or young man; a manservant; a male attendant, in the Scottish Highlands. Sir W. Scott.

Graceful and beautiful females, sister goddesses, represented by ancient writers as the attendants sometimes of Apollo but oftener of Venus. They were commonly mentioned as three in number; namely, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia, and were regarded as the inspirers of the qualities which give attractiveness to wisdom, l…

A male attendant of a bridegroom at his wedding; -- the correlative of bridesmaid.

merly, a mercenary foot soldier in Hungary, now, a halberdier of a Hungarian noble, or an attendant in German or Hungarian courts. [Written also hayduck, heiduc, heiduck, and heyduk.]

A maid that waits at hand; a female servant or attendant.

A small board, with a handle on the under side, to hold mortar. Hawk boy, an attendant on a plasterer to supply him with mortar.