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used in, a country; native; domestic; popular; common; -- said especially of the written characters employed by the common people of ancient Egypt, in distinction from the hieroglyphics. See Demotic.

(see Segmentation, and Illust. of Cell Division, under Division). This mode of growth is characteristic of many forms of cells, both animal and vegetable.

A quality or characteristic peculiar to the English. M. Arnold.

The act or art of producing upon hard material incised or raised patterns, characters, lines, and the like; especially, the art of producing such lines, etc., in the surface of metal plates or blocks of wood. Engraving is used for the decoration of the surface itself; also, for producing an original, from which a patte…

a large hand (en gross, i. e., in large); to write a fair copy of in distinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment. Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials. Hawthorne. Laws that may be engrossed on a finger na…

One who copies a writing in large, fair characters.

Expansion or extension, as of the powers of the mind; ennoblement, as of the feelings and character; as, an enlargement of views, of knowledge, of affection.

One of the orders of Nemertina, characterized by the presence of a peculiar armature of spines or plates in the proboscis.

To stamp; to mark as It is the motive . . . which enstamps the character. Gogan.

Tonic spasm; -- applied generically to denote any disease characterized by tonic spasms, as tetanus, trismus, etc.

Relating to any disease characterized by tonic spasms.

Having a disposition for enterprise; characterized by enterprise; resolute, active or prompt to attempt; as, an enterprising man or firm. -- En"ter*pri`sing*ly, adv.

Filled with enthusiasm; characterized by enthusiasm; zealous; as, an enthusiastic lover of art. "Enthusiastical raptures." Calamy. -- En*thu`si*as"tic*al*ly, adv. A young man . . . of a visionary and enthusiastic character. W. Irving.

Epic. -- Ep"ic*al*ly, adv. Poems which have an epical character. Brande & C. His [Wordsworth's] longer poems (miscalled epical). Lowell.

prise the reader with a witticism or ingenious turn of thought, and is often satirical in character. Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram Shak.

"falling sickness," so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground; a disease characterized by paroxysms (or fits) occurring at interval and attended by sudden loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles. Dunglison.

ertaining to the writing of letters; used in writing letters; epistolary. Epistolographic character or mode of writing, the same as Demotic character. See under Demotic.

A division of time characterized by the prevalence of similar conditions of the earth; commonly a minor division or part of a period. The long geological epoch which stored up the vast coal measures. J. C. Shairp.

Evenly balanced; not unduly inclining to either side; characterized by fairness; unbiased; impartial; equitable; just. Are not my ways equal Ezek. xviii. 29. Thee, O Jove, no equal judge I deem. Spenser. Nor think it equal to answer deliberate reason with sudden heat and noise. Milton.

of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected; as, his actions are equivocal. "Equivocal repentances." Milton.