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The celebrated work of Ptolemy of Alexandria, which contains nearly all that is known of the astronomical observations and theories of the ancients. The name was extended to other similar works.

A fine, deep red ocher, somewhat purplish, found in Spain. It is the sil atticum of the ancients. Under the name of Indian red it is used for polishing glass and silver.

Great; extreme; terrible. [Slang] Poor Aroar can not live, and can not die, -- so that he is in an almighty fix. De Quincey. The Almighty, the omnipotent God. Rev. i. 8.

(Bot.), the tree bearing the almond. -- Almond willow (Bot.), a willow which has leaves that are of a light green on both sides; almond-leaved willow (Salix amygdalina). Shenstone.

y; -- applied to a person or thing. Alone on a wide, wide sea. Coleridge. It is not good that the man should be alone. Gen. ii. 18.

re; by this time; previously. "Joseph was in Egypt already." Exod. i. 5. I say unto you, that Elias is come already. Matt. xvii. 12.

In the proper position of an altar, that is, at the east of a church with its ends towards the north and south. Shipley.

all objects, but it alters none. Pope. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Ps. lxxxix. 34.

The act of altering or making different. Alteration, though it be from worse to better, hath in it incoveniences. Hooker.

That which alternates with something else; vicissitude. [R.] Grateful alternates of substantial. Prior.

of two things, one of which may be chosen, but not both; a choice between two things, so that if one is taken, the other must be left. There is something else than the mere alternative of absolute destruction or unreformed existence. Burke.

In the manner of alternatives, or that admits the choice of one out of two things.

Grant all this; be it that; supposing that; notwithstanding; though. Although all shall be offended, yet will no I. Mark xiv. 29.

An alto singer. Alto clef (Mus.) the counter-tenor clef, or the C clef, placed so that the two strokes include the middle line of the staff. Moore.

Nursers, -- a term applied to those birds whose young are hatched in a very immature and helpless condition, so as to require the care of their parents for some time; -- opposed to præcoces.

A double sulphate formed of aluminium and some other element (esp. an alkali metal) or of aluminium. It has twenty-four molecules of water of crystallization.

A subsulphate of alumina and potash; alunite.

Of or containing aluminium; as, aluminic phosphate.

Somewhat like alum.

fibrous mineral frequently found on the walls of mines and quarries, chiefly hydrous sulphate of alumina; -- also called feather alum, and hair salt.