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A contrivance or apparatus to prevent the explosion of steam boilers.

Intense publicity for a future event, performed in a showy or excessively dramatic manner suggesting an importance not justified by the event; as, the hype surrounding the superbowl is usually ludicrous. [PJC]

A vivid, picturesque description of scenes or events.

r ago, without a conviction . . . that I, the same identical person who now remember that event, did then exist. Reid.

Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity. Who can all sense of others' ills escape Is but a brute at best in human shape. Tate. That makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of. Shak.…

To hinder; to impede; to prevent. [Obs.] These ungracious practices of his sons did impeach his journey to the Holy Land. Sir J. Davies. A defluxion on my throat impeached my utterance. Howell.

land Have we marched on without impediment. Shak. Impediment in speech, a defect which prevents distinct utterance.

Having the property of preventing any other substance from occupying the same space at the same time.

document contains as its signification or intention or interpretation of a word, action, event, and the like.

or state of being improbable; unlikelihood; also, that which is improbable; an improbable event or result.

unlikely to be true; not to be expected under the circumstances or in the usual course of events; as, an improbable story or event. He . . . sent to Elutherius, then bishop of Rome, an improbable letter, as some of the contents discover. Milton. -- Im*prob"a*ble*ness, n. -- Im*prob"a*bly, adv.

A falling on or upon; an incident; an event. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

That which falls out or takes place; an event; casualty; occurrence.

Happening, as an occasional event, without regularity; coming without design; casual; accidental; hence, not of prime concern; subordinate; collateral; as, an incidental conversation; an incidental occurrence; incidental expenses. By some, religious duties . . . appear to be regarded . . . as an incidental business. Ro…

Any oppressive encumbrance or burden; anything that prevents the free use of the faculties. Debt and usury is the incubus which weighs most heavily on the agricultural resources of Turkey. J. L. Farley.

infecting. There was a strict order against coming to those pits, and that was only to prevent infection. De Foe.

act of attaching a ring, clasp, or frame, to the genital organs in such a manner as to prevent copulation.

initiation into a society, into business, literature, etc. "The initiation of coursers of events." Pope.

To prevent or hinder oxidation, rust, or decay; as, inoxidizing oils or varnishes.

or accounted for satisfactorily; obscure; incomprehensible; as, an inscrutable design or event. 'T is not in man To yield a reason for the will of Heaven Which is inscrutable. Beau. & Fl. Waiving a question so inscrutable as this. De Quincey.