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One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner. Great Destiny, the Commissary of God. Donne.

group which is supposed to perceive resemblances and contrasts. Beyond comparison, so far superior as to have no likeness, or so as to make comparison needless. -- In comparison of, In comparison with, as compared with; in proportion to. [Archaic] "So miserably unpeopled in comparison of what it once was." Addison. -…

r is endeavoring to gain at the same time; common strife for the same objects; strife for superiority; emulous contest; rivalry, as for approbation, for a prize, or as where two or more persons are engaged in the same business and each seeking patronage; -- followed by for before the object sought, and with before the…

cension to others. Tillotson. Such a dignity and condescension . . . as are suitable to a superior nature. Addison.

A superior wine, white and red, from Constantia, in Cape Colony.

Earnest struggle for superiority, victory, defense, etc.; competition; emulation; strife in arms; conflict; combat; encounter. The late battle had, in effect, been a contest between one usurper and another. Hallam. It was fully expected that the contest there would be long and fierce. Macaulay.

(an instrument or writing); hence, to sign in addition to the signature of a principal or superior, in order to attest the authenticity of a writing.

rom social intercourse, as for ungentlemanly conduct. -- Coventry blue, blue thread of a superior dye, made at Coventry, England, and used for embroidery.

Of superior excellence; having qualities to be boasted of. [Colloq.] One of our crack speakers in the Commons. Dickens.

One skilled in his craft or trade; one of superior cunning. In cunning persuasion his craftsmaster. Holland.

A superior kind of violin, formerly made at Cremona, in Italy.

Land of superior quality, on which successive crops are raised. [Scot.] Jamieson.

ving an edible farinaceous root. It is related to the taro and to the tanier, but is much superior to it in quality and is as easily cooked as the potato. It is a staple food plant of the tropics, being prepared like potatoes, and has been introduced into the Southern United States.

f peculiars, a dean holding a preferment which has some peculiarity relative to spiritual superiors and the jurisdiction exercised in it. [Eng.] -- Rural dean, one having, under the bishop, the especial care and inspection of the clergy within certain parishes or districts of the diocese.

to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate. He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes. Tillotson. The escheators . . . defeated the right heir of his succession. Hallam. In one instance he defeated his own purpose. A. W. Ward.…

of type; as, the degenerationists hold that savagery is the result of degeneration from a superior state.

distinct course of life, action, study, or the like; appointed sphere or walk; province. Superior to Pope in Pope's own peculiar department of literature. Macaulay.

an absconding from military or naval service. Such a resignation would have seemed to his superior a desertion or a reproach. Bancroft.

ne that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives. Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. F. P. Cobbe.

ep red color. The small, longhorned variety, called North Devons, is distinguished by the superiority of its working oxen.