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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



652 words match “ORIGINAL”

UNBORROWED a.
Not borrowed; being one's own; native; original.
UNIVERSAL n.
the general system of the universe; the universe. [Obs.] Plato calleth God the cause and original, the nature and reason, of the universal. Sir W. Raleigh.
UNIVERSITY n.
in the sciences and other branches of learning. The present universities of Europe were, originally, the greater part of them, ecclesiastical corporations, instituted for the education of churchmen . . . What was taught in the greater part of those universities was suitable to the end of their institutions, either the…
UPSET v.
To shorten (a tire) in the process of resetting, originally by cutting it and hammering on the ends.
UPSILON n.
The 20th letter (U, u) of the Greek alphabet, a vowel having originally the sound of oo as in room, becoming before the 4th century b. c. that French u or Ger. ü. Its equivalent in English is u or y.
VAISYA n.
The third of the four great original castes among the Hindoos, now either extinct or partially represented by the mercantile class of Banyas. See the Note under Caste, 1.
VANISHING n.
the form Math. Dict. -- Vanishing line (Persp.), the intersection of the parallel of any original plane and picture; one of the lines converging to the vanishing point. -- Vanishing point (Persp.), the point to which all parallel lines in the same plane tend in the representation. Gwilt. -- Vanishing stress (Phon.),…
VARIATION n.
of a musical thought in new and varied aspects, yet so that the essential features of the original shall still preserve their identity.
VELOCIPEDE n.
A light road carriage propelled by the feet of the rider. Originally it was propelled by striking the tips of the toes on the roadway, but commonly now by the action of the feet on a pedal or pedals connected with the axle of one or more of the wheels, and causing their revolution. They are made in many forms, with two…
VERGE v.
To tend downward; to bend; to slope; as, a hill verges to the north. Our soul, from original instinct, vergeth towards him as its center. Barrow. I find myself verging to that period of life which is to be labor and sorrow. Swift.
VERNER'S LAW n.
ist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-European k, t, p, became first in Teutonic h, th, f, and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced…
VIDAME n.
One of a class of temporal officers who originally represented the bishops, but later erected their offices into fiefs, and became feudal nobles.
VIGIL n.
Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast.
VIGNETTE n.
A decorative design, originally representing vine branches or tendrils, at the head of a chapter, of a manuscript or printed book, or in a similar position; hence, by extension, any small picture in a book; hence, also, as such pictures are often without a definite bounding line, any picture, as an engraving, a photogr…
VISION n.
spot (see under Yellow); also, vision by means of rays which are not deviated from their original direction. -- Field of vision, field of view. See under Field. -- Indirect vision (Opt.), vision when the rays of light from an object fall upon the peripheral parts of the retina. -- Reflected vision, or Refracted vis…
W n.
w, how. It takes its written form and its name from the repetition of a V, this being the original form of the Roman capital letter which we call U. Etymologically it is most related to v and u. See V, and U. Some of the uneducated classes in England, especially in London, confuse w and v, substituting the one for the…
WADDY n.
An aboriginal war club.
WAIF n.
Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice. Blackstone.
WAYWODE n.
Originally, the title of a military commander in various Slavonic countries; afterwards applied to governors of towns or provinces. It was assumed for a time by the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia, who were afterwards called hospodars, and has also been given to some inferior Turkish officers. [Written also vaivode, v…
WEATHERCOCK n.
A vane, or weather vane; -- so called because originally often in the figure of a cock, turning on the top of a spire with the wind, and showing its direction. "As a wedercok that turneth his face with every wind." Chaucer. Noisy weathercocks rattled and sang of mutation. Longfellow.
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