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Striking against; impinging; as, the appulsive influence of the planets. P. Cyc.

o Hick's Hall upon the article of my Lord Russell's trial, was said to have had no little influence on the jury and all the bench to his prejudice. Evelyn.

which rises above the horizon at the moment of one's birth; supposed to have a commanding influence on a person's life and fortune.

Governing or controlling influence; domination; power. An undisputed ascendency. Macaulay. Custom has an ascendency over the understanding. Watts.

The influence of the stars for good or evil; as, an ill aspect. Shak. The astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects. Bacon. Aspect of a plane (Geom.), the direction of the plane.

feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like. The papal authority . . . assailed. Hallam. They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony. Macaulay.…

s; 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.

The influence of a star upon other stars or upon men. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Any surrounding or pervading influence or condition. The chillest of social atmospheres. Hawthorne.

lic or hypohondriac; atrabilious; -- from the supposed predominance of black bile, to the influence of which the ancients attributed hypochondria, melancholy, and mania. Atrabiliary arteries, capsules, and veins (Anat.), those pertaining to the kidney; -- called also renal arteries, capsules, and veins.…

t of; to connect by ties of love or self-interest; to attract; to fasten or bind by moral influence; -- with to; as, attached to a friend; attaching others to us by wealth or flattery. Incapable of attaching a sensible man. Miss Austen. God . . . by various ties attaches man to man. Cowper.

An infecting influence. [R.] Shak.

To draw by influence of a moral or emotional kind; to engage or fix, as the mind, attention, etc.; to invite or allure; as, to attract admirers. Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze. Milton.

Attracting or drawing by moral influence or pleasurable emotion; alluring; inviting; pleasing. "Attractive graces." Milton. "Attractive eyes." Thackeray. Flowers of a livid yellow, or fleshy color, are most attractive to flies. Lubbock. -- At*tract"ive*ly, adv. -- At*tract"ive*ness, n.

The power derived from opinion, respect, or esteem; influence of character, office, or station, or mental or moral superiority, and the like; claim to be believed or obeyed; as, an historian of no authority; a magistrate of great authority.

The tendency of plant organs to grow in a straight line when uninfluenced by external stimuli.

To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. "Parliament would be backed by the people." Macaulay. Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments. South. The mate backed the captain manfully. Blackw. Mag.

vate; indirect; secret; intriguing; as if finding access by the back stairs. A backstairs influence. Burke. Female caprice and backstairs influence. Trevelyan.

Evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury. [Now chiefly poetic]

Full of deadly or pernicious influence; destructive. "Baleful enemies." Shak. Four infernal rivers that disgorge Into the burning lake their baleful streams. Milton.