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To take as one's own child; to adopt; hence, to assume as one's own work; to acknowledge one's self author of or responsible for (a statement, policy, etc.). Men of wit Often fathered what he writ. Swift.

the tenure. Fee estate (Eng. Law), land or tenements held in fee in consideration or some acknowledgment or service rendered to the lord. -- Fee farm (Law), land held of another in fee, in consideration of an annual rent, without homage, fealty, or any other service than that mentioned in the feoffment; an estate in f…

(Eccl.) To acknowledge as of good standing, or in communion according to standards of faith and practice; to admit to Christian fellowship.

f; to defray. [Obs.] The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied. Massinger.

reat. They gave back and came no farther. Bunyan. -- To give in, to yield; to succumb; to acknowledge one's self beaten; to cease opposition. The Scots battalion was enforced to give in. Hayward. This consideration may induce a translator to give in to those general phrases. Pope. -- To give off, to cease; to forbear.…

Having, or acknowledging, no God; without reverence for God; impious; wicked. -- God"less*ly, adv. -- God"less*ness, n.

fits received; kindly disposed toward one from whom a favor has been received; willing to acknowledge and repay, or give thanks for, benefits; as, a grateful heart. A grateful mind By owing, owes not, but still pays. Milton.

Something voluntarily given in return for a favor or service, as a recompense or acknowledgment.

n individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true God; a pagan; an idolater.

Contrary to, or differing from, some acknowledged standard, as the Bible, the creed of a church, the decree of a council, and the like; not orthodox; heretical; -- said of opinions, doctrines, books, etc., esp. upon theological subjects. Raw and indigested, heterodox, preaching. Strype.

A symbolical acknowledgment made by a feudal tenant to, and in the presence of, his lord, on receiving investiture of fee, or coming to it by succession, that he was his man, or vassal; profession of fealty to a sovereign.

Those books of the New Testament which were acknowledged as canonical by the early church; -- distinguished from antilegomena.

having on it these letters, with a sum named, and duly signed; -- in use in England as an acknowledgment of a debt, and taken as evidence thereof, but not amounting to a promissory note; a due bill. Wharton. Story.

nt of congruity; unsuitableness; inconsistency; impropriety. The fathers make use of this acknowledgment of the incongruity of images to the Deity, from thence to prove the incongruity of the worship of them. Bp. Stillingfleet.

One who does not acknowledge an obligation to support a party's candidate under all circumstances; one who exercises liberty in voting.

Felt inwardly; heartfelt. [R.] The baron stood afar off, or knelt in submissive, acknowledged, infelt inferiority. Milman.

ing from elevated station, excelence of character or intellect, wealth, etc.; reputation; acknowledged ascendency; as, he is a man of influence in the community. Such influence hath your excellency. Sir P. Sidney.

An oversight in pleading, or the acknowledgment of a mistake or oversight. Blackstone.

nimal. -- Kingdom of God. (a) The universe. (b) That spiritual realm of which God is the acknowledged sovereign. (c) The authority or dominion of God. -- Mineral kingdom. See under Mineral. -- United Kingdom. See under United. -- Vegetable kingdom. See under Vegetable.

knock off, to cease, as from work; to desist. -- To knock under, to yield; to submit; to acknowledge one's self conquered; -- an expression probably borrowed from the practice of knocking under the table with the knuckles, when conquered. "Colonel Esmond knocked under to his fate." Thackeray.