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distance gradually from the shore, vessel, or other object. -- To edge down (Naut.), to approach by slow degrees, as when a sailing vessel approaches an object in an oblique direction from the windward. -- To edge in, to get in edgewise; to get in by degrees. -- To edge in with, as with a coast or vessel (Naut.), t…

ally; also, to begin; to take the first steps. "The year entering." Evelyn. No evil thing approach nor enter in. Milton. Truth is fallen in the street, and equity can not enter. Is. lix. 14. For we which have believed do enter into rest. Heb. iv. 3.

of a ridge; ground about a fortified place, cut away nearly vertically to prevent hostile approach. See Scarp.

A dike of piles in the sea, a river, etc., to check the approach of an enemy.

t, thoughts, heart, words, and the like. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life, When death's approach is seen so terrible. Shak.

Expiration. He had to leave at the expiry of the term. Lamb. The Parliament . . . now approaching the expiry of its legal term. J. Morley.

ity; the force by which all existence is determined and conditioned. Necessity and chance Approach not me; and what I will is fate. Milton. Beyond and above the Olympian gods lay the silent, brooding, everlasting fate of which victim and tyrant were alike the instruments. Froude.

To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach of by fear. z2 fera their people from doing evil. Robynsin (More's utopia). Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs. Shak.

riate to the service, in order to hinder, so far as possible, those who are unworthy from approaching the table. McCheyne.

A kind of cartilage with a fibrous matrix and approaching fibrous connective tissue in structure. -- Fi`bro*car`ti*lag"i*nous, a.

at which a volatile oil gives off vapor in sufficient quantity to burn, or flash, on the approach of a flame, used as a test of the comparative safety of oils, esp. kerosene; a flashing point of 100º F. is regarded as a fairly safe standard. The burning point of the oil is usually from ten to thirty degree above the f…

To reduce to an even surface or one approaching evenness; to make flat; to level; to make plane.

dily taking a static electric charge may be moved apart by acquisition of a charge, or by approach of a charged object. Such a property is called flyaway. Syn. -- fluttering. [WordNet 1.5]

s transparency. It differs from cloud only in being near the ground, and from mist in not approaching so nearly to fine rain. See Cloud.

e, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command; as, an impassable river forbids the approach of the army. A blaze of glory that forbids the sight. Dryden.

Repelling approach; repulsive; raising abhorrence, aversion, or dislike; disagreeable; prohibiting or interdicting; as, a forbidding aspect; a forbidding formality; a forbidding air.

To hinder; to fend off; to avert; to prevent the approach of; to forbid or prohibit. See Forfend. God forefend it should ever be recorded in our history. Landor. It would be a far better work . . . to forefend the cruelty. I. Taylor.

A messenger sent before to give notice of the approach of others; a harbinger; a sign foreshowing something; a prognostic; as, the forerunner of a fever. Whither the forerunner in for us entered, even Jesus. Heb. vi. 20. My elder brothers, my forerunners, came. Dryden.

Exciting fear or apprehension; impressing dread; adapted to excite fear and deter from approach, encounter, or undertaking; alarming. They seemed to fear the formodable sight. Dryden. I swell my preface into a volume, and make it formidable, when you see so many pages behind. Drydn.

Any violent agitation of the mind approaching to distraction; violent and temporary derangement of the mental faculties; madness; rage. All else is towering frenzy and distraction. Addison. The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling. Shak.