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A small knoblike prominence or excrescence, whether natural or morbid; as, a tubercle on a plant; a tubercle on a bone; the tubercles appearing on the body in leprosy.

An obtuse or knoblike prominence; a protuberance.

Covered with knobby or wartlike prominences; knobbed.

An extensive division of Hydroidea; the tubularians; -- called also Athecata, Gymnoblastea, and Tubulariæ.

A nobleman, or person of quality, especially in the English universities; -- so called from the tuft, or gold tassel, on the cap worn by them. [Cant, Eng.] Several young tufts, and others of the faster men. T. Hughes.

A hanger-on to noblemen, or persons of quality, especially in English universities; a toady. See 1st Tuft, 3. [Cant, Eng.] Halliwell.

The practice of seeking after, and hanging on, noblemen, or persons of quality, especially in English universities. [Cant, Eng.]

others, or in due order; due chance; alternate or incidental occasion; appropriate time. "Nobleness and bounty . . . had their turns in his [the king's] nature." His turn will come to laugh at you again. Denham . Every one has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases. Collier.

ease for a time; to relax; as, to unbend the mind from study or care. You do unbend your noble strength. Shak.

Unobjectionable; unquestionably excellent; as, a person of undeniable connections. [Colloq.] G. Eliot.

To undertake; to engage in; to hazard. [Obs.] I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise. Shak.

Not liable to any exception or objection; unobjectionable; faultless; good; excellent; as, a man of most unexceptionable character. -- Un`ex*cep"tion*a*ble*ness, n. -- Un`ex*cep"tion*a*bly, adv.

Not generous; illiberal; ignoble; unkind; dishonorable. The victor never will impose on Cato Ungenerous terms. Addison.

Wanting noble or amiable qualities; dishonorable; illiberal; low; disingenuous; mean; indecorous; as, unhandsome conduct, treatment, or imputations. "Unhandsome pleasures." J. Fletcher.

repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit. Let later age that noble use envy. Spenser. How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! Shak.

frequently mentioned by writers of that period in describing the costly dresses of kings, nobles, and prelates. It is represented in heraldry by a series of small shields placed close together, and alternately white and blue. Fairholt. No vair or ermine decked his garment. Sir W. Scott. Counter vair (Her.), a fur resem…

ion, thoughts, emotions, or the like; a current; a course. He can open a vein of true and noble thinking. Swift.

ad, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a bowl, etc. [They drank] out of these noble vessels. Chaucer.

ly represented the bishops, but later erected their offices into fiefs, and became feudal nobles.

as a villain to his lord, his posterity also must do so, though accidentally they become noble. Jer. Taylor.