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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,661 words match “WERE”

ADYTUM n.
The innermost sanctuary or shrine in ancient temples, whence oracles were given. Hence: A private chamber; a sanctum.
AEROCURVE n.
A modification of the aëroplane, having curved surfaces, the advantages of which were first demonstrated by Lilienthal.
AFFECTION n.
are affections of bodies. "The affections of quantity." Boyle. And, truly, waking dreams were, more or less, An old and strange affection of the house. Tennyson.
AFFEER v.
as an arbitrary penalty or amercement, to a certain and reasonable sum. Amercements . . . were affeered by the judges. Blackstone.
AFFIRMATIVE n.
which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to Ant: negative; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative. Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed the affirmative. Dryden.
AFFRONT v.
er face to face. [Obs.] All the sea-coasts do affront the Levant. Holland. That he, as 't were by accident, may here Affront Ophelia. Shak.
AGGRAVATE v.
To exasperate; to provoke; to irritate. [Colloq.] If both were to aggravate her parents, as my brother and sister do mine. Richardson (Clarissa).
AGLET; AIGLET n.
A tag of a lace or of the points, braids, or cords formerly used in dress. They were sometimes formed into small images. Hence, "aglet baby" (Shak.), an aglet image.
AIR v.
for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room. It were good wisdom . . . that the jail were aired. Bacon. Were you but riding forth to air yourself. Shak.
ALACRIOUS a.
Brisk; joyously active; lively. 'T were well if we were a little more alacrious. Hammond.
ALBE; ALBEE conj.
Although; albeit. [Obs.] Albe Clarissa were their chiefest founderess. Spenser.
ALECTRYOMANCY n.
letters of the alphabet, the letters being put together in the order in which the grains were eaten. Amer. Cyc.
ALIGHT a.
Lighted; lighted up; in a flame. "The lamps were alight." Dickens.
ALL adv. 2 definitions
fax. -- All but. (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] Shak. (b) Almost; nearly. "The fine arts were all but proscribed." Macaulay. -- All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all hollow. [Low] -- All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same thing. -- All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly;…
ALLOWANCE v.
d and limited quantity; as, the captain was obliged to allowance his crew; our provisions were allowanced.
ALLUDE v.
ent transaction. These speeches . . . do seem to allude unto such ministerial garments as were then in use. Hooker.
ALLY v.
endship, or love. These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied. Spenser. The virtue nearest to our vice allied. Pope.
ALURE n.
A walk or passage; -- applied to passages of various kinds. The sides of every street were covered with fresh alures of marble. T. Warton.
AMAIN adv.
With might; with full force; vigorously; violently; exceedingly. They on the hill, which were not yet come to blows, perceiving the fewness of their enemies, came down amain. Milton. That striping giant, ill-bred and scoffing, shouts amain. T. Parker.
AMAZE v.
stound; to astonish greatly. "Amazing Europe with her wit." Goldsmith. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David Matt. xii. 23.
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