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exertions; to get as one's own; as, to acquire a title, riches, knowledge, skill, good or bad habits. No virtue is acquired in an instant, but step by step. Barrow. Descent is the title whereby a man, on the death of his ancestor, acquires his estate, by right of representation, as his heir at law. Blackstone.…

o have had the honor." Sheridan. -- To take advantage of, to profit by; (often used in a bad sense) to overreach, to outwit.

Double aces, the lowest throw of all at dice. Hence: Bad luck; anything of no account or value.

- a name used (Rev. ix. 11) for the angel of the bottomless pit, answering to the Hebrew Abaddon.

alpable and convincing argument of the existence of a Deity. Ray. Why, then, is it made a badge of wit and an argument of parts for a man to commence atheist, and to cast off all belief of providence, all awe and reverence for religion South.

Notoriously or preëminently bad; thorough or downright, in a bad sense; shameless; unmitigated; as, an arrant rogue or coward. I discover an arrant laziness in my soul. Fuller.

to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; as, to impute unworthy motives. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view. More than good-will to me attribute naught. Spenser. Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit. Pope. And fairly quit him o…

place for meeting or interview; -- used chiefly of love interviews, and now commonly in a bad sense. While nymphs take treats, or assignations give. Pope.

Frightful; exceedingly bad; great; -- applied intensively; as, an awful bonnet; an awful boaster. [Slang]

ting from looseness in fitting or from wear; also, the jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion.

A man of bad character. [Obs.] Holland.

A badgerlike animal of India (Arcionyx collaris).

wed between furrows, or at the end of a field; a piece missed by the plow slipping aside. Bad plowmen made balks of such ground. Fuller.

In bad taste; grotesque; odd.

A badger. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

To possess or carry, as a mark of authority or distinction; to wear; as, to bear a sword, badge, or name.

Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; mode of conducting one's self; conduct; deportment; carriage; -- used also of inanimate objects; as, the behavior of a ship in a storm; the behavior of the magnetic needle. A gentleman that is very singular in his behavior. Steele. To be upon one's good behavior, To be put upon…

A token or badge of knightly rank.

) To reduce to the least possible inconvenience; as, to make the best of ill fortune or a bad bargain.

ving greatness, fullness, importance, inflation, distention, etc., whether in a good or a bad sense; as, a big heart; a big voice; big looks; to look big. As applied to looks, it indicates haughtiness or pride. God hath not in heaven a bigger argument. Jer. Taylor.