Search the Dictionary

An intermeddling with the affairs of another, either on legal grounds or without authority.

the state of being inundated; an overflow; a flood; a rising and spreading of water over grounds. With inundation wide the deluge reigns, Drowns the deep valleys, and o'erspreads the plains. Wilkie.

The apparent enlargement of a bright object seen upon a dark ground, due to the fact that the portions of the retina around the image are stimulated by the intense light; as when a dark spot on a white ground appears smaller, or a white spot on a dark ground larger, than it really is, esp. when a little out of focus.…

gn of bas-relief by which the heads of human figures are kept at the same height from the ground, whether the personages are seated, standing, or mounted on horseback; -- called also isokephaleia.

Lawful or suitable to be issued; as, a writ issuable on these grounds. Issuable plea (Law), a plea to the merits, on which the adverse party may take issue and proceed to trial.

succulent stems, and fleshy, light-green leaves; a species of Senecio (S. scandens). -- Ground ivy. (Bot.) Gill (Nepeta Glechoma). -- Ivy bush. (Bot.) See Mountain laurel, under Mountain. -- Ivy owl (Zoöl.), the barn owl. -- Ivy tod (Bot.), the ivy plant. Tennyson. -- Japanese ivy (Bot.), a climbing plant (Ampelo…

States, a kind of plastered house or hut, usually made by planting poles or timber in the ground, filling in between them with screen work or wickerwork, and daubing one or both sides with mud or adobe mortar; also, this method of construction.

In a joint manner; together; unitedly; in concert; not separately. Then jointly to the ground their knees they bow. Shak.

To shake with short, abrupt risings and fallings, as a carriage moving on rough ground; as, the coach jolts.

To throw, dash, or knock. [Obs.] How the knave jowls it to the ground. Shak.

To spring free from the ground by the muscular action of the feet and legs; to project one's self through the air; to spring; to bound; to leap. Not the worst of the three but jumps twelve foot and a half by the square. Shak.

northern United States, about the first of June. The larvæ of the June beetles live under ground, and feed upon the roots of grasses and other plants. Called also May bug or May beetle. -- June grass (Bot.), a New England name for Kentucky blue grass. See Blue glass, and Illustration in Appendix.

A resinous product of the kauri, found in the form of yellow or brown lumps in the ground where the trees have grown. It is used for making varnish, and as a substitute for amber.

to keep one's house, room, bed, etc. ; hence, to haunt; to frequent. Shak. 'Tis hallowed ground; Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep. J. Fletcher.

Harmony or correspondence between the different parts of a work of art; as, the foreground of this painting is not in keeping. Keeping room, a family sitting room. [New Eng. & Prov. Eng.]

A protuberance; a swelling; a knob; a button; hence, rising ground; a summit. See Knob, and Knop. The highest part and knap of the same island. Holland.

ther in love. Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit. Shak. Come , knit hands, and beat the ground, In a light fantastic round. Milton. A link among the days, toknit The generations each to each. Tennyson.

A beating; a rap; a series of raps. The . . . repeated knockings of the head upon the ground by the Chinese worshiper. H. Spencer.

the edible part is a large, turnip-shaped swelling of the stem, above the surface of the ground.

d others to their superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the forehead on the ground. There are degrees in the rite, the highest being expressed by three knockings. [China]kowtow S. W. Williams.