Search the Dictionary

a father or other predecessor; the right to enter upon the office, rank, position, etc., held ny another; also, the entrance into the office, station, or rank of a predecessor; specifically, the succeeding, or right of succeeding, to a throne. You have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark. Shak…

ence night; the central body round which the earth and planets revolve, by which they are held in their orbits, and from which they receive light and heat. Its mean distance from the earth is about 92,500,000 miles, and its diameter about 860,000.

s. Support arms (Mil.), a command in the manual of arms in responce to which the piece is held vertically at the shoulder, with the hammer resting on the left forearm, which is passed horizontally across the body in front; also, the position assumed in response to this command.

Held or lifted up; held or prevented from proceeding. [Obs.] [The great light of day] suspense in heaven. Milton.

Capable of being suspended; capable of being held from sinking.

Held up to a certain pitch, degree, or level; uniform; as, sustained pasion; a sustained style of writing; a sustained note in music.

A court held before the verders of the forest as judges, by the steward of the court, thrice every year, the swains, or freeholders, within the forest composing the jury. [Written also swanimote, and sweinmote.] Blackstone.

usic is produced by a receiving instrument similar or analogous to the telephone, but not held to the ear. The pitch corresponds with frequency of alternation of current.

Capable of being held, naintained, or defended, as against an assailant or objector, or againts attempts to take or process; as, a tenable fortress, a tenable argument. If you have hitherto concealed his sight, Let it be tenable in your silence still. Shak. I would be the last man in the world to give up his cause when…

ately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England are considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, who is styled lord paramount. Such tenants, however, are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession. Blackstone. -- Tenant in common. See under Common.…

That which is held of another by service; property which one holds of a lord or proprietor in consideration of some military or pecuniary service; fief; fee.

Of or pertaining to a tenement; capable of being held by tenants. Blackstone.

Capable of being leased; held by tenants. Spelman.

lute governments, men hold their rights by a precarious tenure. All that seems thine own, Held by the tenure of his will alone. Cowper. Tenure by fee alms. (Law) See Frankalmoigne.

The time in which a court is held or is open for the trial of causes. Bouvier.

The doctrine held by the Terminists.

sting of three; as, the ternary number was anciently esteemed a symbol of perfection, and held in great veneration.

A deity among the ancient Syrians, in honor of whom the Hebrew idolatresses held an annual lamentation. This deity has been conjectured to be the same with the Phoenician Adon, or Adonis. Milton.

hese there were two orders, the king's thanes, who attended the kings in their courts and held lands immediately of them, and the ordinary thanes, who were lords of manors and who had particular jurisdiction within their limits. After the Conquest, this title was disused, and baron took its place.

A censer of metal, for burning incense, having various forms, held in the hand or suspended by chains; -- used especially at mass, vespers, and other solemn services. Fairholt.