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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



603 words match “ABLY”

MOUNT n.
A mass of earth, or earth and rock, rising considerably above the common surface of the surrounding land; a mountain; a high hill; -- used always instead of mountain, when put before a proper name; as, Mount Washington; otherwise, chiefly in poetry.
MUSA n.
, including the banana (Musa sapientum), the plantain (M. paradisiaca of Linnæus, but probably not a distinct species), the Abyssinian (M. Ensete), the Philippine Island (M. textilis, which yields Manila hemp), and about eighteen other species. See Illust. of Banana and Plantain.
N n.
The letter N came into English through the Latin and Greek from the Phoenician, which probably derived it from the Egyptian as the ultimate origin. It is etymologically most closely related to M. See M.
NAIL v.
etc., to detect and expose it, so as to put a stop to its currency; -- an expression probably derived from the former practice of shopkeepers, who were accustomed to nail bad or counterfeit pieces of money to the counter.
NAPHTHALIC a.
Formerly, designating an acid probably identical with phthalic acid.
NECESSARILY adv.
In a necessary manner; by necessity; unavoidably; indispensably.
NECESSITARIANISM n.
uses, and esp. that the will is not free, but that human actions and choices result inevitably from motives; deteminism. M. Arnold.
NEEDS adv.
Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; -- often with must, and equivalent to of need. A man must needs love mauger his head. Chaucer. And he must needs go through Samaria. John iv. 4. He would needs know the cause of his reulse. Sir J. Davies.
NEFARIOUS a.
Wicked in the extreme; abominable; iniquitous; atrociously villainous; execrable; detestably vile.
NEGLIGENT a.
to neglect; customarily neglectful; characterized by negligence; careless; heedless; culpably careless; showing lack of attention; as, disposed in negligent order. "Be thou negligent of fame." Swift. He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor. Rambler.
NITRUM n.
Niter. Nitrum flammans Etym: [L., flaming niter] (Old Chem.), ammonium nitrate; -- probably so called because it deflagerates when suddenly heated.
OBI n.
A species of sorcery, probably of African origin, practiced among the negroes of the West Indies. [Written also obe and obeah.] De Quincey. B. Edwards.
OBJECT n.
me to be abusively applied to denote motive, end, final cause.... This innovation was probably borrowed from the French. Sir. W. Hamilton. Let our object be, our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country. D. Webster.
OBSERVE v.
serve. Chaucer. Must I budge Must I observe you Shak. With solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovereign will. Milton.
OBVERSE n.
of two possible sides, or of two corresponding things. The fact that it [a belief] invariably exists being the obverse of the fact that there is no alternative belief. H. Spencer.
OFFICIOUS a.
[Archaic] Yet not to earth are those bright luminaries Officious. Milton. They were tolerably well bred, very officious, humane, and hospitable. Burke.
OLEONE n.
An oily liquid, obtained by distillation of calcium oleate, and probably consisting of the ketone of oleic acid.
ONYCHA n.
An ingredient of the Mosaic incense, probably the operculum of some kind of strombus. Ex. xxx. 34.
OPPONENT n.
efendant, who maintains it. How becomingly does Philopolis exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-practiced moderator! Dr. H. More.
OPPRESSIVE a.
Unreasonably burdensome; unjustly severe, rigorous, or harsh; as, oppressive taxes; oppressive exactions of service; an oppressive game law. Macaulay.
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