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A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common species of the southern United States, there are allied species in Sout…

A peculiar gait of a horse, in which both legs on the same side are moved at the same time, alternating with the legs on the other side. "A fine easy amble." B. Jonson.

A custom peculiar to the United States or to America; an American characteristic or idea.

the form of yellowish tears, which occur singly, or are aggregated into masses. It has a peculiar smell, and a nauseous, sweet taste, followed by a bitter one. It is inflammable, partially soluble in water and in spirit of wine, and is used in medicine as an expectorant and resolvent, and for the formation of certain…

A peculiar small siliceous spicule having a denticulated wheel at each end; -- found in freshwater sponges.

or inflated bladder; bottle-shaped; swelling. Kirby. Ampullaceous sac (Zoöl.), one of the peculiar cavities in the tissues of sponges, containing the zooidal cells.

mpounds, C5H11OH; ordinarily, a mixture of two of these forming a colorless liquid with a peculiar cough-exciting odor and burning taste, the chief constituent of fusel oil. It is used as a source of amyl compounds, such as amyl acetate, amyl nitrite, etc.

alcohol (Chem.), one of the series of alcohols, a transparent, colorless liquid, having a peculiar odor. It is the hydroxide of amyl. -- Amylic fermentation (Chem.), a process of fermentation in starch or sugar in which amylic alcohol is produced. Gregory.

inversion. Anallagmatic curves, a class of curves of the fourth degree which have certain peculiar relations to circles; -- sometimes called bicircular quartics. -- Anallagmatic surfaces, a certain class of surfaces of the fourth degree.

such as tends to produce suffocation, choking, or shortness of breath. Angina pectoris, a peculiarly painful disease, so named from a sense of suffocating contraction or tightening of the lower part of the chest; -- called also breast pang, spasm of the chest.

Europe and America, having a large, broad, and depressed head, with the mouth very large. Peculiar appendages on the head are said to be used to entice fishes within reach. Called also fishing frog, frogfish, toadfish, goosefish, allmouth, monkfish, etc.

An English idiom; a phrase or form language peculiar to the English. Dryden.

To destroy the form or peculiar distinctive properties of, so that the specific thing no longer exists; as, to annihilate a forest by cutting down the trees. "To annihilate the army." Macaulay.

Belonging to Apicius, a notorious Roman epicure; hence applied to whatever is peculiarly refined or dainty and expensive in cookery. H. Rogers.

Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times, or their peculiar spirit; as, an apostolical mission; the apostolic age.

pparition of the Spaniards. Prescott. The apparition of Lawyer Clippurse occasioned much speculation in that portion of the world. Sir W. Scott.

What is peculiarly one's own; peculiar qualification.[Obs.] If you can neglect Your own appropriaments. Ford.

Set apart for a particular use or person. Hence: Belonging peculiarly; peculiar; suitable; fit; proper. In its strict and appropriate meaning. Porteus. Appropriate acts of divine worship. Stillingfleet. It is not at all times easy to find words appropriate to express our ideas. Locke.

The state or quality of being appropriate; peculiar fitness. Froude.

to a particular action or effect; as, oil has an aptitude to burn. He seems to have had a peculiar aptitude for the management of irregular troops. Macaulay.