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State or character of a zany; buffoonery. Coleridge. H. Morley.

The first letter of the English and of many other alphabets. The capital A of the alphabets of Middle and Western Europe, as also the small letter (a), besides the forms in Italic, black letter, etc., are all descended from the old Latin A, which was borrowed from the Greek Alpha, of the same form; and this was made fr…

The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance. A B C book, a primer. Shak.

A prefix in many words of Latin origin. It signifies from, away , separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. See A- (6).

One to whom anything is legally abandoned.

Anything forfeited or confiscated.

A group including the greater part of fresh-water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals.

A primer; the first principle or rudiment of anything. [R.] Fuller.

Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; exceptional; abnormal. The more aberrant any form is, the greater must have been the number of connecting forms which, on my theory, have been exterminated. Darwin.

his wicked courses; to abet vice; to abet an insurrection. "The whole tribe abets the villany." South. Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed his wealth Gay.

le condition; a castaway. [Obs.] Shall these abjects, these victims, these outcasts, know any thing of pleasure I. Taylor.

Fit; adapted; suitable. [Obs.] A many man, to ben an abbot able. Chaucer.

One who abnegates, denies, or rejects anything. [R.]

A person who favors the abolition of any institution, especially negro slavery.

That which is abominable; anything hateful, wicked, or shamefully vile; an object or state that excites disgust and hatred; a hateful or shameful vice; pollution. Antony, most large in his abominations. Shak.

An original inhabitant of any land; one of the aborigines.

Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.

Figuratively, higher than; superior to in any respect; surpassing; beyond; higher in measure or degree than; as, things above comprehension; above mean actions; conduct above reproach. "Thy worth . . . is actions above my gifts." Marlowe. I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. Acts xxxvi.…

A red ocher used to darken mahogany and for making chloride of potassium.

udden transitions from one subject to another; unconnected. The abrupt style, which hath many breaches. B. Jonson.