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To search out by feeling in the dark; as, we groped our way at midnight.

d with one another; as, crimson Bowers on a white ground. See Background, Foreground, and Middle-ground.

.] Gay. -- Guinea fowl, Guinea hen (Zoöl.), an African gallinaceous bird, of the genus Numida, allied to the pheasants. The common domesticated species (N. meleagris), has a colored fleshy horn on each aide of the head, and is of a dark gray color, variegated with small white spots. The crested Guinea fowl (N. cristat…

One who forestalls a market; a middleman between producer and dealer in London vegetable markets.

The state or title of a hag. Middleton.

ral term for the Hebrew oral or traditional law; one of two branches of exposition in the Midrash. See Midrash.

pecies having omnivorous habits, as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia. Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be As halcyons brooding on a winter sea. Dryden.

inary time for work or attendance; as, the half-time system. -- Half tint (Fine Arts), a middle or intermediate tint, as in drawing or painting. See Demitint. -- Half truth, a statement only partially true, or which gives only a part of the truth. Mrs. Browning. -- Half year, the space of six moths; one term of a sc…

An intermediate or middle tone in a painting, engraving, photograph, etc.; a middle tint, neither very dark nor very light.

In the middle; at half the distance; imperfectly; partially; as, he halfway yielded. Temples proud to meet their gods halfway. Young.

tal united to a negative element or radical, and now chiefly applied to the chlorides, bromides, iodides, and sometimes also to the fluorides and cyanides. -- n.

Appearing as if one side, or one half, were cut away; dimidiate.

the genus Lepus, having long hind legs, a short tail, and a divided upper lip. It is a timid animal, moves swiftly by leaps, and is remarkable for its fecundity.

Timorous; timid; easily frightened. Ainsworth.

A coat of mail; especially, the long coat of mail of the European Middle Ages, as contrasted with the habergeon, which is shorter and sometimes sleeveless. By old writers it is often used synonymously with habergeon. See Habergeon. [Written variously hauberg, hauberque, hawberk, etc.] Chaucer. Helm, nor hawberk's twist…

A cap of defense; especially, an open one, as distinguished from the closed helmet of the Middle Ages.

The nearest the middle or center; the part most hidden and within; the inmost or most essential part of any body or system; the source of life and motion in any organization; the chief or vital portion; the center of activity, or of energetic or efficient action; as, the heart of a country, of a tree, etc. Exploits don…

A witch; a hag. Middleton.

A helve. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Helm amidships, when the tiller, rudder, and keel are in the same plane. -- Helm aport, when the tiller is borne over to the port side of the ship. -- Helm astarboard, when the tiller is borne to the starboard side. -- Helm alee, Helm aweather, when the tiller is borne over to the lee o…

heated for some time with dilute sulphuric acid. It is apparently identical with antialbumid and dyspeptone.