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A composition, in prose or poetry, accommodated to action, and intended to exhibit a picture of human life, or to depict a series of grave or humorous actions of more than ordinary interest, tending toward some striking result. It is commonly designed to be spoken and represented by actors on the stage. A divine pastor…

ange; specifically: (a) To prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mini…

The tendency of an act, argument, course of conduct, or the like; object aimed at or intended; intention; hence, also, import or meaning of a sentence or discourse; aim. He has made the drift of the whole poem a compliment on his country in general. Addison. Now thou knowest my drift. Sir W. Scott.

t men. Milton. Philip's dwelling fronted on the street. Tennyson. Dwelling house, a house intended to be occupied as a residence, in distinction from a store, office, or other building. -- Dwelling place, place of residence.

An instrument intended to replace the knife in many operations, the parts operated on being severed by the crushing effect produced by the gradual tightening of a steel chain, so that hemorrhage rarely follows.

. -- Edge stone, a curbstone. -- Edge tool. (a) Any tool instrument having a sharp edge intended for cutting. (b) A tool for forming or dressing an edge; an edging tool. -- To be on edge, to be eager, impatient, or anxious. -- To set the teeth on edge, to cause a disagreeable tingling sensation in the teeth, as by…

Consequence intended; purpose; meaning; general intent; -- with to. They spake to her to that effect. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22.

Producing, or having adequate power or force to produce, an intended effect; adequate; efficient; operative; decisive. Shak. Effectual steps for the suppression of the rebellion. Macaulay. Effectual calling (Theol.), a doctrine concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in producing conviction of sin and acceptance of salv…

sessing the quality of being effective; productive of, or powerful to produce, the effect intended; as, an efficacious law.

er to produce effects; operation or energy of an agent or force; production of the effect intended; as, the efficacy of medicine in counteracting disease; the efficacy of prayer. "Of noxious efficacy." Milton.

Relating to charity, alms, or almsgiving; intended for the distribution of charity; as, an eleemosynary corporation.

An intended parapet; a battlement.

A picture accompanied with a motto, a set of verse, or the like, intended as a moral lesson or meditation.

Sent to many persons or places; intended for many, or for a whole order of men; general; circular; as, an encyclical letter of a council, of a bishop, or the pope.

Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; -- opposed to mixed. [R.]

An artificial language, intended to be universal, devised by Dr. Zamenhof, a Russian, who adopted the pseudonym "Dr. Esperanto" in publishing his first pamphlet regarding it in 1887. The vocabulary is very largely based upon words common to the chief European languages, and sounds peculiar to any one language are elimi…

A composition in the fine arts which is intended, or may serve, for a study.

Language intended to incite and encourage; advice; counsel; admonition. I'll end my exhortation after dinner. Shak.

e quality of being expedient or advantageous; fitness or suitableness to effect a purpose intended; adaptedness to self- interest; desirableness; advantage; advisability; -- sometimes contradistinguished from moral rectitude. Divine wisdom discovers no expediency in vice. Cogan. To determine concerning the expedience o…

Having power, or intended, to make expiation; atoning; as, an expiatory sacrifice.