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In breech-loading firearms, the block behind the barrel which receives the pressure due to recoil.

Pertaining to, or resembling, an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound. Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space. Carlyle.

One holding the philosophy of Socrates and Plato; a Platonist. Hume.

her learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.

Acadian epoch (Geol.), an epoch at the beginning of the American paleozoic time, and including the oldest American rocks known to be fossiliferous. See Geology. -- Acadian owl (Zoöl.), a small North American owl (Nyctule Acadica); the saw-whet.

A group of Coelenterata, including the Medusæ or jellyfishes, and hydroids; -- so called from the stinging power they possess. Sometimes called sea nettles.

One of a group of arachnids, including the mites and ticks.

A genus including many species of small mites.

The act of acceding.

To quicken the natural or ordinary progression or process of; as, to accelerate the growth of a plant, the increase of wealth, etc.

ny place about three minutes fifty-six seconds of solar time earlier than on the day preceding. -- Acceleration of the planets, the increasing velocity of their motion, in proceeding from the apogee to the perigee of their orbits.

Relating to acceleration; adding to velocity; quickening. Reid.

The expressive emphasis and shading of a passage. J. S. Dwight.

One who sings the leading part; the director or leader. [Obs.]

and engagement by the person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn, to pay it when due according to the terms of the acceptance.

This is saying worthy of all acceptation. 1 Tim. i. 15. Some things . . . are notwithstanding of so great dignity and acceptation with God. Hooker.

Accompanying, as a subordinate; additional; accessory; esp., uniting in, or contributing to, a crime, but not as chief actor. See Accessory. To both their deaths thou shalt be accessary. Shak. Amongst many secondary and accessary causes that support monarchy, these are not of least reckoning. Milton.…

A coming to; the act of acceding and becoming joined; as, a king's accession to a confederacy.

The state of being accessory, or connected subordinately.

Accompanying as a subordinate; aiding in a secondary way; additional; connected as an incident or subordinate to a principal; contributing or contributory; said of persons and things, and, when of persons, usually in a bad sense; as, he was accessory to the riot; accessory sounds in music.