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Any particular occupation or employment engaged in for livelihood or gain, as agriculture, trade, art, or a profession. "The business of instruction." Prescott.

Engaged in some business; hard at work (either habitually or only for the time being); occupied with serious affairs; not idle nor at leisure; as, a busy merchant. Sir, my mistress sends you word THat she is busy, and she can not come. Shak.

The persons, collectively, engaged in any particular professions or employment. To impose celibacy on wholy callings. Hammond.

like flowers. Wordsworth. Sisters of Charity (R. C. Ch.), a sisterhood of religious women engaged in works of mercy, esp. in nursing the sick; -- a popular designation. There are various orders of the Sisters of Charity.

One who is engaged in chromolithography.

or the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters. His father . . . engaged him when he was very young to write all his letters to England in cipher. Bp. Burnet. Cipher key, a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.

which is used for coupling shafting, etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be disengaged at pleasure.

A vessel employed in sailing along a coast, or engaged in the coasting trade.

A collection, body, or society of persons engaged in common pursuits, or having common duties and interests, and sometimes, by charter, peculiar rights and privileges; as, a college of heralds; a college of electors; a college of bishops. The college of the cardinals. Shak. Then they made colleges of sufferers; persons…

One engaged in the business of digging mineral coal or making charcoal, or in transporting or dealing in coal.

An engagement of no great magnitude; or one in which the parties engaged are not armies. Single combat, one in which a single combatant meets a single opponent, as in the case of David and Goliath; also a duel.

g; the act of exposing, endangering, or compromising; also, the state of being pledged or engaged. Hamilton.

us contest; rivalry, as for approbation, for a prize, or as where two or more persons are engaged in the same business and each seeking patronage; -- followed by for before the object sought, and with before the person or thing competed with. Competition to the crown there is none, nor can be. Bacon. A portrait, with w…

s within which the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are continuously secluded while engaged in choosing a pope.

United in a league; allied by treaty; engaged in a confederacy; banded together; allied. All the swords In Italy, and her confederate arms, Could not have made this peace. Shak.

aid, or give something, to a common purpose; to have a share in any act or effect. We are engaged in war; the secretary of state calls upon the colonies to contribute. Burke.

he links of the cable tend to drop into hollows in the block, and thus hold fast until disengaged.

The amount paid, charged, or engaged to be paid, for anything bought or taken in barter; charge; expense; hence, whatever, as labor, self-denial, suffering, etc., is requisite to secure benefitt. One day shall crown the alliance on 't so please you, Here at my house, and at my proper cost. Shak. At less cost of life th…

One who gives advice, especially in legal matters; one professionally engaged in the trial or management of a cause in court; also, collectively, the legal advocates united in the management of a case; as, the defendant has able counsel. The King found his counsel as refractory as his judges. Macaulay.…

d to a former one, and restoring a former state of things. -- Counter revolutionist, one engaged in, or befriending, a counter revolution. -- Counter round (Mil.), a body of officers whose duty it is to visit and inspect the rounds and sentinels. -- Counter sea (Naut.), a sea running in an opposite direction from th…