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hich retroacts, by way of criminal punishment, upon that which was not a crime before its passage, or which raises the grade of an offense, or renders an act punishable in a more severe manner that it was when committed. Ex post facto laws are held to be contrary to the fundamental principles of a free government, and…

To take by selection; to choose out; to cite or quote, as a passage from a book. I have extracted out of that pamphlet a few notorious falsehoods. Swift. To extract the root (Math.), to ascertain the root of a number or quantity.

e extraction of a tooth, of a bone or an arrow from the body, of a stump from earth, of a passage from a book, of an essence or tincture.

Weak; insipid; tasteless; commonplace. [R.] "Passages that are somewhat fade." Jeffrey. His masculine taste gave him a sense of something fade and ludicrous. De Quincey.

rom obstacles or hindrances; unobstructed; unincumbered; open; direct; -- said of a road, passage, etc.; as, a fair mark; in fair sight; a fair view. The caliphs obtained a mighty empire, which was in a fair way to have enlarged. Sir W. Raleigh.

er or depart; the part of a harbor or channel ehich is kept open and unobstructed for the passage of vessels. Totten. the rough.

ntations respecting her cargo, destination, ect., for the purpose of deceiving. -- False passage (Surg.), an unnatural passage leading off from a natural canal, such as the urethra, and produced usually by the unskillful introduction of instruments. -- False personation (Law), the intentional false assumption of the…

A journey; a passage. [Obs.] That nought might stay his fare. Spenser.

The narrow passage from the mouth to the pharynx, situated between the soft palate and the base of the tongue; -- called also the isthmus of the fauces. On either side of the passage two membranous folds, called the pillars of the fauces, inclose the tonsils.

The price or fare to be paid for passage at a ferry.

A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical or motive; a florid embellishment.

the index mark [], used to direct special attention to the passage which follows. Hand over fist (Naut.), rapidly; hand over hand.

) A horizontal section, showing the thickness of the walls and partitions, arrangement of passages, apartments, and openings at the level of any floor of a house.

Flowery; ornamental; running in rapid melodic figures, divisions, or passages, as in variations; full of fioriture or little ornamentations.

A fantastic or decorative musical passage; a strain of triumph or bravado, not forming part of a regular musical composition; a cal; a fanfare. A flourish, trumpets! strike alarum, drums! Shak.

An inclosed passage way for establishing and directing a current of air, gases, etc.; an air passage; esp.:

A stream; especially, a passage channel, or conduit for the water that drives a mill wheel; or an artifical channel of water for hydraulic or placer mining; also, a chute for conveying logs or lumber down a declivity.

A passage for pedestrians only.

To obstruct or stop up, as a way; to stop the passage of on highway; to intercept on the road, as goods on the way to market. To forestall the market, to buy or contract for merchandise or provision on its way to market, with the intention of selling it again at a higher price; to dissuade persons from bringing their g…

A way; a passage or ford. [Obs.] Todd.