Search the Dictionary

tiate; to appease. The rapacity of his father's administration had excited such universal discontent, that it was found expedient to conciliate the nation. Hallam.

nal harmony or fitness; mutual adaptation of parts; elegance; -- used chiefly of style of discourse. [R.] An exact concinnity and eveness of fancy. Howell.

movement of the voice, one which slides continuously up or down, as distinguished from a discrete movement, in which the voice leaps at once from one line of pitch to another. Rush.

To have discourse; to consult; to compare views; to deliberate. Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered. Acts xxv. 12. You shall hear us confer of this. Shak.

The act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views. Nor with such free and friendly conference As he hath used of old. Shak.

To disclose or reveal, as an effect discloses its cause; to prove; to attest. Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mold. Pope.

The act of disclosing sins or faults to a priest in order to obtain sacramental absolution. Auricular confession . . . or the private and special confession of sins to a priest for the purpose of obtaining his absolution. Hallam.

The political morality taught by Confucius and his disciples, which forms the basis of the Chinese jurisprudence and education. It can hardly be called a religion, as it does not inculcate the worship of any god. S. W. Williams.

To perplex; to disconcert; to abash; to cause to lose self- possession.

The state of being abashed or disconcerted; loss self-possession; perturbation; shame.

Intentional failure or forbearance to discover a fault or wrongdoing; voluntary oversight; passive consent or co

To close the eyes upon a fault; to wink (at); to fail or forbear by intention to discover an act; to permit a proceeding, as if not aware of it; -- usually followed by at. To connive at what it does not approve. Jer. Taylor. In many of these, the directors were heartily concurring; in most of them, they were encouragin…

sentence or clause) so as to exhibit the structure, arrangement, or connection of, or to discover the sense; to explain the construction of; to interpret; to translate.

To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue. The question which our author would contend for. Locke. Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial. Dr. H. More.

Rest or quietness of the mind in one's present condition; freedom from discontent; satisfaction; contentment; moderate happiness. Such is the fullness of my heart's content. Shak.

ntained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for. All men seem agreed what is to be done; the contention is how the subject is to be divided and defined. Bagehot. This was my original contention, and I still maintain that y…

Discontented; dissatisfied. [R.] Shak.

of actions; as, the army continued to advance. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. John viii. 31.

One who contributes, or is liable to be called upon to contribute, as toward the discharge of a common indebtedness. Abbott.

Contention; dispute; debate; discussion; agitation of contrary opinions. This left no room for controversy about the title. Locke. A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in writing. Johnson.