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Goodwife; -- a low term of civility or sport.

to glorify; hence, to do something to honor; to treat in a complimentary manner or with civility. Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighten to honor. Esther vi. 9. The name of Cassius honors this corruption. Shak.

on. All men are so full of their own fancies and idiopathies, that they scarce have the civility to interchange any words with a stranger. Dr. H. More.

nduct or language unbecoming the person, the society, or the circumstances; rudeness; incivility. We should avoid the vexation and impertinence of pedants who affect to talk in a language not to be understood. Swift.

; to cause to stoop or bow; as, to incline the head or the body in acts of reverence or civility. With due respect my body I inclined. Dryden.

Want of comity; incivility; rudeness. [R.]

priety of behavior; that in behavior or manners which violates the established rules of civility, custom, or etiquette; indecorousness.

im; an offense against personal dignity; unmerited contemptuous treatment; contumely; incivility or injury, accompanied with insult. How might a prince of my great hopes forget So great indignities you laid upon me Shak. A person of so great place and worth constrained to endure so foul indignities. Hooker.…

The quality or state of being mannerly; civility; complaisance. Sir M. Hale.

Manliness; dignity; comeliness; civility. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] -- Mense"ful, a. -- Mense"less, a.

The common title of civility in France in speaking to, or of, a man; Mr. or Sir. [Represented by the abbreviation M. or Mons. in the singular, and by MM. or Messrs. in the plural.]

Attention; respectful treatment; civility. To take notice of, to perceive especially; to observe or treat with particular attention.

. At dances These young folk kept their observances. Chaucer. Use all the observance of civility. Shak. Some represent to themselves the whole of religion as consisting in a few easy observances. Rogers. O I that wasted time to tend upon her, To compass her with sweet observances! Tennyson.

to keep; to heed; to obey; to comply with; as, to observe rules or commands; to observe civility. Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Ex. xii. 17. He wolde no such cursedness observe. Chaucer. Must I budge Must I observe you Shak. With solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovereign will. Milton.…

f anticipating another's wishes, desires, etc., in the way of favor or courtesy; hence, civility; obligingness. [Obs.] Sterne.

To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility; as, to retort the charge of vanity. And with retorted scorn his back he turned. Milton.

Hence, to seek for favor or advancement by low arts or groveling servility; to fawn servilely.

t condition of servitude. -- Your humble servant, or Your obedient servant, phrases of civility often used in closing a letter. Our betters tell us they are our humble servants, but understand us to be their slaves. Swift.

Quality of being servile; servility.

cask to pieces and pack the staves. -- To shake hands, to perform the customary act of civility by clasping and moving hands, as an expression of greeting, farewell, good will, agreement, etc. -- To shake out a reef (Naut.), to untile the reef points and spread more canvas. -- To shake the bells. See under Bell. --…