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ermitted to me to make my commendations equal to your merit. Dryden. Whose voice an equal messenger Conveyed thy meaning mild. Emerson.

A special business intrusted to a messenger; something to be told or done by one sent somewhere for the purpose; often, a verbal message; a commission; as, the servant was sent on an errand; to do an errand. Also, one's purpose in going anywhere. I have a secret errand to thee, O king. Judg. iii. 19. I will not eat til…

atmosphere; celestial; as, ethereal space; ethereal regions. Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger. Milton.

or acting with, expedition; quick; having celerity; speedily; as, an expeditious march or messenger. -- Ex`pe*di"tious*ly, adv. -- Ex`pe*di"tious*ness, n.

to an express; sent on a particular errand; dispatched with special speed; as, an express messenger or train. Also used adverbially. A messenger sent express from the other world. Atterbury. Express color. (Law) See the Note under Color, n., 8.

A messenger sent before to give notice of the approach of others; a harbinger; a sign foreshowing something; a prognostic; as, the forerunner of a fever. Whither the forerunner in for us entered, even Jesus. Heb. vi. 20. My elder brothers, my forerunners, came. Dryden.

skirt with gold was fretted all about. Spenser. Yon gray lines, That fret the clouds, are messengers of day. Shak.

An Indian who serves as a messenger.

A forerunner; a precursor; a messenger. I knew by these harbingers who were coming. Landor.

Any messenger. "My herald is returned." Shak. Heralds' College, in England, an ancient corporation, dependent upon the crown, instituted or perhaps recognized by Richard III. in 1483, consisting of the three Kings-at-Arms and the Chester, Lancaster, Richmond, Somerset, Windsor, and York Heralds, together with the Earl…

ening the mouth, or articulating; to mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone. The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums. Shak.

In India, a running footman; a messenger. [Written also hurkaroo.]

unicative; not free or apt to impart to others in conversation; reserved; silent; as, the messenger was incommunicative; hence, not disposed to hold fellowship or intercourse with others; exclusive. The Chinese . . . an incommunicative nation. C. Buchanan. -- In`com*mu"ni*ca*tive*ly, adv. -- In`com*mu"ni*ca*tive*ness,…

One who, or that which, sends or conveys intelligence or news; a messenger. All the intriguers in foreign politics, all the spies, and all the intelligencers . . . acted solely upon that principle. Burke.

A female messenger. [R.]

A messenger between two parties. Johnson.

The goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods. Shak.

tin god of commerce and gain; -- treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence.

Hence, specifically, an official communication, not made in person, but delivered by a messenger; as, the President's message. Message shell. See Shell.

A messenger. [Obs.]