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Either of two things or propositions offered to one's choice. Thus when two things offer a choice of one only, the two things are called alternatives. Having to choose between two alternatives, safety and war, you obstinately prefer the worse. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

A genus of ornamental annual plants (Amaranthus) of many species, with green, purplish, or crimson flowers.

recompense; reparation. [Now const. with sing. verb.] "An honorable amends." Addison. Yet thus far fortune maketh us amends. Shak.

The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See Affeer.] Blacksto…

See Amianthus. [Poetic]

Resembling amianthus in form.

Resembling amianthus.

The extinction of a debt, usually by means of a sinking fund; also, the money thus paid. Simmonds.

e product of one complete convolution (of a coiled conductor) into one ampère of current; thus, a conductor having five convolutions and carrying a current of half an ampère is said to have 2½ ampère turns. The magnetizing effect of a coil is proportional to the number of its ampère turns.

places, used to denote a collection of notable sayings, literary gossip, anecdotes, etc. Thus, Scaligerana is a book containing the sayings of Scaliger, Johnsoniana of Johnson, etc.

The doctrine, system, or practice, of Anabaptists. [R.] Thus died this imaginary king; and Anabaptistry was suppressed in Munster. Pagitt.

sense, the change or one word or phrase into another by the transposition of its letters. Thus Galenus becomes angelus; William Noy (attorney-general to Charles I., and a laborious man) may be turned into I moyl in law.

hings in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different. Thus, learning enlightens the mind, because it is to the mind what light is to the eye, enabling it to discover things before hidden.

or chain), and which, being cast overboard, lays hold of the earth by a fluke or hook and thus retains the ship in a particular station.

and the durra, or Indian millet. Several East Indian species, as A. nardus and A. schonanthus, yield fragrant oils, used in perfumery.

Not isotropic; having different properties in different directions; thus, crystals of the isometric system are optically isotropic, but all other crystals are anisotropic.

as if she knew his mind. Shak. So spake the apostate angel, though in pain: . . . And him thus answered soon his bold compeer. Milton.

the region near it, and applied especially to a circle, distant from the pole 23º 28min. Thus we say the antarctic pole, circle, ocean, region, current, etc.

To date before the true time; to assign to an earlier date; thus, to antedate a deed or a bond is to give it a date anterior to the true time of its execution.

ich rays of three or more colors are brought to the same focus, the degree of achromatism thus obtained being more complete than where two rays only are thus focused, as in the ordinary achromatic objective. --Ap`o*chro"ma*tism (#), n.