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n, by others, of the liquids r, l, and the semivowels w, y; by others limited to f, v, th surd and sonant, and the sound of German ch, -- thus excluding the sibilants, as well as the nasals, liquids, and semivowels. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 197-208.

as an addition to something. Long custom of sinning superinduces upon the soul new and absurd desires. South.

One of the three surd mutes k, p, t; -- so called in relation to their respective middle letters, or medials, g, b, d, and their aspirates, x, f, th. The term is also applied to the corresponding letters and articulate elements in other languages.

absence of the condition or state expressed by them; as, -Unabolishable Unabsolvable Unabsurd Unabundant Unaccordant Unadoptable Unadventurous Unaffable Unaffectionate Unafraid Unalliable Unallowablew Unalterable Unambiguous Unambitious Unamendable Un-American Unamusive Unangular Unanxious Unapocryphal Unapostolic Una…

Want of reason; unreasonableness; absurdity. Abbot of Unreason. See Abbot of Misrule, under Abbot.

rge of possibility to invent a supposition favorable to it, the theory . . . implies an absurdity. J. S. Mill. But on the horizon's verge descried, Hangs, touched with light, one snowy sail. M. Arnold.

Spectacular; pleasing to the eye or the imagination. A government intent on showy absurdities and viewy enterprises rather than solid work. London Spectator.

Not sounded with voice; as, a voiceless consonant; surd. Voiceless stop (Phon.), a consonant made with no audible sound except in the transition to or from another sound; a surd mute, as p, t, k. -- Voice"less*ly, adv. -- Voice"less*ness, n.

ly! what eloquence! what courage! What a piece of work is man! Shak. O what a riddle of absurdity! Young.

mals. To avoid the error of anthropomorphism, we fall into the vastly greater, and more absurd, error of zoömorphism. Mivart.