Search the Dictionary

emnation. Jer. Taylor. The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett. The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation. Gibbon.

ir W. Scott. To set aside (Law), to annul or defeat the effect or operation of, by a subsequent decision of the same or of a superior tribunal; to declare of no authority; as, to set aside a verdict or a judgment.

To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; to solicit; - - often with of, in the sense of from, before the person addressed. Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God. Judg. xviii. 5. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John xv. 7.…

Sideways; obliquely; with a side glance; with disdain, envy, or suspicion. They dart away; they wheel askance. Beattie. My palfrey eyed them askance. Landor. Both . . . were viewed askance by authority. Gladstone.

Awry; askance; asquint; oblique or obliquely; -- sometimes indicating scorn, or contempt, or entry. Spenser.

The act of inquiring or requesting; a petition; solicitation. Longfellow.

Toward one side; in a slanting direction; obliquely. [The shaft] drove through his neck aslant. Dryden.

ne who aspires; one who eagerly seeks some high position or object of attainment. In consequence of the resignations . . . the way to greatness was left clear to a new set of aspirants. Macaulay.

With the eye directed to one side; not in the straight line of vision; obliquely; awry, so as to see distortedly; as, to look asquint.

The act or power of assailing; attack; assault. [R.] His most frequent assailment was the headache. Johnson.

A special kind of jury or inquest.

ected by habit or sympathy; as, associate motions, such as occur sympathetically, in consequence of preceding motions. E. Darwin.

hout proof; to suppose as a fact; to suppose or take arbitrarily or tentatively. The consequences of assumed principles. Whewell.

v. Assumptive arms (Her.), originally, arms which a person had a right to assume, in consequence of an exploit; now, those assumed without sanction of the Heralds' College. Percy Smith.

rising obliquely; curving upward. Gray.

A defect of the eye or of a lens, in consequence of which the rays derived from one point are not brought to a single focal point, thus causing imperfect images or indistictness of vision.

nification, the science of the stars; among the ancients, synonymous with astronomy; subsequently, the art of judging of the influences of the stars upon human affairs, and of foretelling events by their position and aspects.

A figure which omits the connective; as, I came, I saw, I conquered. It stands opposed to polysyndeton.

The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands.

1. Across, especially in an oblique direction; sidewise; obliquely. Sometimes athwart, sometimes he strook him straight. Spenser.