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Kind; gracious; favorable. -- Be*nig"nant*ly, adv.

r ability. At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; under the most favorable circumstances; as, life is at best very short. -- For best, finally. [Obs.] "Those constitutions . . . are now established for best, and not to be mended." Milton. -- To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whet…

e, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [Colloq.] To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. -- To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision.

Fig.: To whiten; to give a favorable appearance to; to whitewash; to palliate. Blanch over the blackest and most absurd things. Tillotson.

ntenance appeared distorted and ghastly, it was an ill omen; if fresh and healthy, it was favorable.

Judgment either favorable or unfavorable; opinion. [Obs.] Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Shak.

Dictated by kindness; favorable; lenient. By a charitable construction it may be a sermon. L. Andrews.

To recommend as worthy of confidence or regard; to present as worthy of notice or favorable attention. Among the objects of knowlwdge, two especially commend themselves to our contemplation. Sir M. Hale. I commend unto you Phebe our sister. Rom. xvi. 1.

The act of commending; praise; favorable representation in words; recommendation. Need we . . . epistles of commendatiom 2 Cor. iii. 1. By the commendation of the great officers. Bacon.

nceit with, in accord with; agreeing or conforming. -- Out of conceit with, not having a favorable opinion of; not pleased with; as, a man is out of conceit with his dress. -- To put [one] out conceit with, to make one indifferent to a thing, or in a degree displeased with it.

To lead or tend, esp. with reference to a favorable or desirable result; to contribute; -- usually followed by to or toward. He was sensible how much such a union would conduce to the happiness of both. Macaulay. The reasons you allege do more conduce To the hot passion of distemper'd blood. Shak.

ine or stroke across something, as across the letter t. -- Cross wind, a side wind; an unfavorable wind. -- Cross wires, fine wires made to traverse the field of view in a telescope, and moved by a screw with a graduated head, used for delicate astronomical observations; spider lines. Fixed cross wires are also used…

That which carries or conveys. Though air be the most favorable deferent of sounds. Bacon.

Deprivation of advantage; unfavorable or prejudicial quality, condition, circumstance, or the like; that which hinders success, or causes loss or injury. I was brought here under the disadvantage of being unknown by sight to any of you. Burke. Abandoned by their great patron, the faction henceforward acted at disadvant…

Attended with disadvantage; unfavorable to success or prosperity; inconvenient; prejudicial; -- opposed to advantageous; as, the situation of an army is disadvantageous for attack or defense. Even in the disadvantageous position in which he had been placed, he gave clear indications of future excellence. Prescott. -- D…

To pass unfavorable judgment upon; to condemn by an act of the judgment; to regard as wrong, unsuitable, or inexpedient; to censure; as, to disapprove the conduct of others.

Unfavorable aspect; unfriendly regard; cold treatment; disapprobation; whatever tends to check or discourage. He thought a little discountenance on those persons would suppress that spirit. Clarendon.

To examine in detail or by disputation; to reason upon by presenting favorable and adverse considerations; to debate; to sift; to investigate; to ventilate. "We sat and . . . discussed the farm . . . and the price of grain." Tennyson. "To discuss questions of taste." Macaulay.

Want of favor of favorable regard; disesteem; disregard. The people that deserved my disfavor. Is. x. 6 (1551). Sentiment of disfavor against its ally. Gladstone.

Unfavorable; not commendatory; -- opposed to eulogistic. There is no course of conduct for which dyslogistic or eulogistic epithets may be found. J. F. Stephen. The paternity of dyslogistic -- no bantling, but now almost a centenarian -- is adjudged to that genius of common sense, Jeremy Bentham. Fitzed. Hall.…