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To alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; as, to allay the severity of affliction or the bitterness of adversity. It would allay the burning quality of that fell poison. Shak.

To lighten or lessen (physical or mental troubles); to mitigate, or make easier to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc. ; -- opposed to aggravate. The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley.

That which mitigates, or makes more tolerable. I have not wanted such alleviations of life as friendship could supply. Johnson.

l cases its true origin. In color it is white, ash-gray, yellow, or black, and often variegated like marble. The floating masses are sometimes from sixty to two hundred and twenty-five pounds in weight. It is wholly volatilized as a white vapor at 212º Fahrenheit, and is highly valued in perfumery. Dana.…

ought chiefly from Persia in the form of yellowish tears, which occur singly, or are aggregated into masses. It has a peculiar smell, and a nauseous, sweet taste, followed by a bitter one. It is inflammable, partially soluble in water and in spirit of wine, and is used in medicine as an expectorant and resolvent, and f…

se or reach by an accumulation of particular sums or quantities; to come (to) in the aggregate or whole; -- with to or unto.

cavities, occupied, wholly or in part, by nodules or geodes of different minerals, esp. agates, quartz, calcite, and the zeolites. When the imbedded minerals are detached or removed by decomposition, it is porous, like lava.

ltative anaërobia when able to live either in the presence or absence of free oxygen; obligate, or obligatory, anaërobia when they thrive only in its absence.

An outwork of a strong, high wall, with turrets, in front gateway (as of an old castle), for defending the entrance.

An outer port, gate, or door.

e antique; to make old in such a degree as to put out of use; hence, to make void, or abrogate. Christianity might reasonably introduce new laws, and antiquate or abrogate old one. Sir M. Hale.

A delegate or deputy; especially, the pope's nuncio or legate at Constantinople.

A platform, or flooring of plank, at the entrance of a dock, against which the dock gates are shut.

Having a treelike appearance. "An arborized or moss agate." Wright.

of the showery arch." Milton. Triumphal arch, a monumental structure resembling an arched gateway, with one or more passages, erected to commemorate a triumph.

A species of shell (Cypræa argus), beautifully variegated with spots resembling those in a peacock's tail.

ship of war; steel-clad. This day will be launched . . . the first armor-plated steam frigate in the possession of Great Britain. Times (Dec. 29, 1860).

Notoriously or preëminently bad; thorough or downright, in a bad sense; shameless; unmitigated; as, an arrant rogue or coward. I discover an arrant laziness in my soul. Fuller.

To interrogate or inquire of or concerning; to put a question to or about; to question. He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. John ix. 21. He asked the way to Chester. Shak.

To mitigate; to moderate; to appease; to abate; to diminish. [Archaic] Chaucer.