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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



238 words match “PROPERLY”

AVESTAN a.
The language of the Avesta; -- less properly called Zend.
BALDRIC n.
y ornamented, worn over one shoulder, across the breast, and under the opposite arm; less properly, any belt. [Also spelt bawdrick.] A radiant baldric o'er his shoulder tied Sustained the sword that glittered at his side. Pope.
BARB n.
for the kingfishes of the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States; -- also improperly called whiting.
BASKET n.
The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital. [Improperly so used.] Gwilt.
BATEAU n.
flat-bottomed, clumsy boat used on the Canadian lakes and rivers. [Written also, but less properly, batteau.] Bateau bridge, a floating bridge supported by bateaux.
BAYARD n.
Properly, a bay horse, but often any horse. Commonly in the phrase blind bayard, an old blind horse. Blind bayard moves the mill. Philips.
BEARING n. 2 definitions
Improperly, the unsupported span; as, the beam has twenty feet of bearing between its supports.
BELT n.
Same as Band, n., 2. A very broad band is more properly termed a belt.
BLADE n.
Properly, the leaf, or flat part of the leaf, of any plant, especially of gramineous plants. The term is sometimes applied to the spire of grasses. The crimson dulse . . . with its waving blade. Percival. First the blade, then ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark iv. 28.
BONING n.
a line or surface by sighting along the tops of two or more straight edges, or a range of properly spaced poles. See 3d Bone, v. t.
BORE n.
Less properly, a very high and rapid tidal flow, when not so abrupt, such as occurs at the Bay of Fundy and in the British Channel.
BOTCH n.
r; a clumsy performance; a piece of work, or a place in work, marred in the doing, or not properly finished; a bungle. To leave no rubs nor botches in the work. Shak.
BRAKE n.
almost all countries. It has solitary stems dividing into three principal branches. Less properly: Any fern.
BUNCH n.
A collection, cluster, or tuft, properly of things of the same kind, growing or fastened together; as, a bunch of grapes; a bunch of keys.
BUSH n.
A shrub or branch, properly, a branch of ivy (as sacred to Bacchus), hung out at vintners' doors, or as a tavern sign; hence, a tavern sign, and symbolically, the tavern itself. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 't is true that a good play needs no epilogue. Shak.
CALICULAR; CALICULATE a.
Relating to, or resembling, a cup; also improperly used for calycular, calyculate.
CALVARY n.
A cross, set upon three steps; -- more properly called cross calvary.
CANNON n.
cylindrical missiles are sometimes called bolts; hollow ones charged with explosives are properly called shells. -- Cannon bullet, a cannon ball. [Obs.] -- Cannon cracker, a fire cracker of large size. -- Cannon lock, a device for firing a cannon by a percussion primer. -- Cannon metal. See Gun Metal. -- Cannon pi…
CAPACITY n.
f the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of undestanding or feeling. Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere passive operations of the mind]; its primary signification, which is literally room for, as well as its employment, favars this; although it can not be dented that there are examples of its usag…
CAPSTAN n.
each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket. [Sometimes spelt Capstern, but improperly.] Capstan bar, one of the long bars or levers by which the capstan is worked; a handspike.. -- To pawl the capstan, to drop the pawls so that they will catch in the notches of the pawl ring, and prevent the capstan from…
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