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fective force in any undertaking or work; as, Clarkson was the prime mover in English antislavery agitation. -- Prime number (Arith.), a number which is exactly divisible by no number except itself or unity, as 5, 7, 11. -- Prime vertical (Astron.), the vertical circle which passes through the east and west points of…

Any food or victuals. Eat your pudding, slave, and hold your tongue. Prior.

nce, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a whiff. " To every puff of wind a slave." Flatman.

To set down, as in writing. [Obs.] "He's quoted for a most perfidious slave." Shak.

egret, or there to fear. Pope. In a few hours they [the Israelites] began to regret their slavery, and to murmur against their leader. Macaulay. Recruits who regretted the plow from which they had been violently taken. Macaulay.

A partition or distribution, especially of slaves; also, an assessment of taxes. W. Irving.

y a combination of voters from other parties for the purpose of opposing the extension of slavery, and in 1860 it elected Abraham Lincoln president.

A stickler for rules; a slave of rules [R.] Hare.

as a period of unrestrained license and merriment for all classes, extending even to the slaves.

intercourse with others. Let Eastern tyrants from the light of heaven Seclude their bosom slaves. Thomson.

A servant or slave employed in husbandry, and in some countries attached to the soil and transferred with it, as formerly in Russia. In England, at least from the reign of Henry II, one only, and that the inferior species [of villeins], existed . . . But by the customs of France and Germany, persons in this abject stat…

Serfage; slavery; servitude. [Obs.] Chaucer.

a letter. Our betters tell us they are our humble servants, but understand us to be their slaves. Swift.

enefit of; to do service for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic, serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship. God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. Rom. i. 9. Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rac…

the benefit of another, or at another's command; attendance of an inferior, hired helper. slave, etc., on a superior, employer, master, or the like; also, spiritual obedience and love. "O God . . . whose service is perfect freedom." Bk. of Com. Prayer. Madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchase with my d…

Of or pertaining to a servant or slave; befitting a servant or a slave; proceeding from dependence; hence, meanly submissive; slavish; mean; cringing; fawning; as, servile flattery; servile fear; servile obedience. She must bend the servile knee. Thomson. Fearing dying pays death servile breath. Shak.…

y or state of being servile; servileness. To be a queen in bondage is more vile Than is a slave in base servility. Shak.

lsory subjection to a master; the condition of being bound to service; the condition of a slave; slavery; bondage; hence, a state of slavish dependence. You would have sold your king to slaughter, His princes and his peers to servitude. Shak. A splendid servitude; . . . for he that rises up early, and goeSouth.…

To end; to terminate; to conclude. When the scene of life is shut up, the slave will be above his master if he has acted better. Collier.

me until now; as, he went a month ago, and I have not seen him since. We since become the slaves to one man's lust. B. Jonson.