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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



17 words match “ABORTIVE”

ABORTIVE a. 10 definitions
Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as, an abortive child. [R.]
ABORTIVELY adv.
In an abortive or untimely manner; immaturely; fruitlessly.
ABORTIVENESS n.
The quality of being abortive.
ABORSIVE a.
Abortive. [Obs.] Fuller.
ABORTED a.
Rendered abortive or sterile; undeveloped; checked in normal development at a very early stage; as, spines are aborted branches. The eyes of the cirripeds are more or less aborted in their mature state. Owen.
ABORTIONAL a.
Pertaining to abortion; miscarrying; abortive. Carlyle.
ATROPHY v.
To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.
BLIND a.
Abortive; failing to produce flowers or fruit; as, blind buds; blind flowers. Blind alley, an alley closed at one end; a cul-de-sac. -- Blind axle, an axle which turns but does not communicate motion. Knight. -- Blind beetle, one of the insects apt to fly against people, esp. at night. -- Blind cat (Zoöl.), a specie…
COUNTERPLOT v.
by plotting; to attempt to frustrate, as a stratagem, by stratagem. Every wile had proved abortive, every plot had been counterplotted. De Quinsey.
CRESTFALLEN a.
hence, dispirited; dejected; cowed. Let it make thee crestfullen; Ay, and allay this thy abortive pride. Shak.
FIZZLE n.
A failure or abortive effort. [Colloq.]
GO v.
; -- said of a hunted fox. (b) To fall in battle. -- To go to naught (Colloq.), to prove abortive, or unavailling. -- To go under. (a) To set; -- said of the sun. (b) To be known or recognized by (a name, title, etc.). (c) To be overwhelmed, submerged, or defeated; to perish; to succumb. -- To go up, to come to noth…
HORN n.
es of Great Britain and Virginia; -- called also horned poppy. Gray. -- Horn pox (Med.), abortive smallpox with an eruption like that of chicken pox. -- Horn quicksilver (Min.), native calomel, or bichloride of mercury. -- Horn shell (Zoöl.), any long, sharp, spiral, gastropod shell, of the genus Cerithium, and alli…
OBSOLETE a.
Not very distinct; obscure; rudimental; imperfectly developed; abortive.
SOOTERKIN n.
Dutch women from sitting over their stoves; also, an abortion, in a figurative sense; an abortive scheme. Fruits of dull heat, and sooterkins of wit. Pope.
STAMINODIUM n.
An abortive stamen, or any organ modified from an abortive stamen.
STILLBORN a.
Fig.: Abortive; as, a stillborn poem. Swift.