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One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.

.) in any affair; as, he embarked his fortune in trade. It was the reputation of the sect upon which St. Paul embarked his salvation. South.

ncertedness. The embarrassment which inexperienced minds have often to express themselves upon paper. W. Irving. The embarrassments tom commerce growing out of the late regulations. Bancroft.

art embossed Androgeo's death. Dryden. Exhibiting flowers in their natural color embossed upon a purple ground. Sir W. Scott.

A green compound used as a dyestuff, produced from aniline blue when acted upon by acid.

in which the rays of light are all brought accurately and without undue effort to a focus upon the retina; -- opposed to hypermetropia, myopia, an astigmatism.

A perfumed powder sprinkled upon the body to mask the odor of sweat.

peaking to one or more words whose signification the speaker intends to impress specially upon his audience. The province of emphasis is so much more important than accent, that the customary seat of the latter is changed, when the claims of emphasis require it. E. Porter.

One who follows an empirical method; one who relies upon practical experience.

Pertaining to, or founded upon, experiment or experience; depending upon the observation of phenomena; versed in experiments. In philosophical language, the term empirical means simply what belongs to or is the product of experience or observation. Sir W. Hamilton. The village carpenter . . . lays out his work by empir…

ervice; to cause to be engaged in doing something; -- often followed by in, about, on, or upon, and sometimes by to; as: (a) To make use of, as an instrument, a means, a material, etc., for a specific purpose; to apply; as, to employ the pen in writing, bricks in building, words and phrases in speaking; to employ the m…

e; as, to empty a vessel; to empty a well or a cistern. The clouds . . . empty themselves upon the earth. Eccl. xi. 3.

To make able (to do, or to be, something); to confer sufficient power upon; to furnish with means, opportunities, and the like; to render competent for; to empower; to endow. Temperance gives Nature her full play, and enables her to exert herself in all her force and vigor. Addison.

in various ways with the dentine and cement. Enamel painting, painting with enamel colors upon a ground of metal, porcelain, or the like, the colors being afterwards fixed by fire. -- Enamel paper, paper glazed a metallic coating.

An ulcer in the eye, upon the cornea, which causes the loss of the humors. Dunglison.

To offer incense to or upon; to burn incense. [Obs.] Chaucer.

To charge (with); to impose (a charge) upon. His countenance would express the spirit and the passion of the part he was encharged with. Jeffrey.

Affixed; subjoined; -- said of a word or particle which leans back upon the preceding word so as to become a part of it, and to lose its own independent accent, generally varying also the accent of the preceding word.

for a repetition or reappearance of; as, to encore a song or a singer. [Rebecca] insisted upon encoring one of the duets. Thackeray.

sessions or rights of another; to trespass; to intrude; to trench; -- commonly with on or upon; as, to encroach on a neighbor; to encroach on the highway. No sense, faculty, or member must encroach upon or interfere with the duty and office of another. South. Superstition, . . . a creeping and encroaching evil. Hooker.…