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That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess; an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic. "The refinements of irregular cunning." Rogers.

To affect reformation; to pretend to correctness. [R.]

ue, estimable qualities, or anything that excites admiration; respect; esteem; reverence; affection; as, to have a high regard for a person; -- often in the plural. He has rendered himself worthy of their most favorable regards. A. Smith. Save the long-sought regards of woman, nothing is sweeter than those marks of chi…

rn anew; to cause to become a Christian; to convert from sin to holiness; to implant holy affections in the heart of.

iritual life; the act of becoming, or of being made, Christian; that change by which holy affectations and purposes are substituted for the opposite motives in the heart. He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Chost. Tit. iii. 5.

The inward impulses; the affections and passions; -- so called because formerly supposed to have their seat in the part of the body where the kidneys are. My reins rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Prov. xxiii. 16. I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts. Rev. ii. 23. Reins of a vault (Arch.), the parts b…

e manner; in relation or respect to something else; not absolutely. Consider the absolute affections of any being as it is in itself, before you consider it relatively. I. Watts.

Affectation or pretense of religion.

thoughtful of; to preserve fresh in the memory; to attend to; to think of with gratitude, affection, respect, or any other emotion. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Ex. xx. 8. That they may have their wages duly paid 'em, And something over to remember me by. Shak. Remember what I warn thee; shun to taste. Mi…

epay an injury. Benefits which can not be repaid . . . are not commonly found to increase affection. Rambler.

in benefices. Mental reservation, the withholding, or failing to disclose, something that affects a statement, promise, etc., and which, if disclosed, would materially change its import.

luing on the back; the state of being resupinate, or reversed. Our Vitruvius calleth this affection in the eye a resupination of the figure. Sir H. Wotton.

Fitted or designed to retroact; operating by returned action; affecting what is past; retrospective. Beddoes. Retroactive law or statute (Law), one which operates to make criminal or punishable, or in any way expressly to affect, acts done prior to the passing of the law.

To look backward; hence, to affect or concern what is past. It may be useful to retrospect to an early period. A. Hamilton.

Having reference to what is past; affecting things past; retroactive; as, a retrospective law. Inflicting death by a retrospective enactment. Macaulay.

ow back; as, to return the lie. If you are a malicious reader, you return upon me, that I affect to be thought more impartial than I am. Dryden.

To regard with reverence, or profound respect and affection, mingled with awe or fear; to venerate; to reverence; to honor in estimation. Marcus Aurelius, whom he rather revered as his father than treated as his partner in the empire. Addison.

Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration. If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence. Chaucer. Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear. Coleridge. When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously…

Worthy of reverence; entitled to respect mingled with fear and affection; venerable. A reverend sire among them came. Milton. They must give good example and reverend deportment in the face of their children. Jer. Taylor.

call. One that saw the people bent for the revocation of Calvin, gave him notice of their affection. Hooker.