Search the Dictionary

Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



21 words match “ELUSIVE”

ELUSIVE a.
arts or deception to escape; adroitly escaping or evading; eluding the grasp; fallacious. Elusive of the bridal day, she gives Fond hopes to all, and all with hopes deceives. Pope. -- E*lu"sive*ly, adv. -- E*lu"sive*ness, n.
DELUSIVE a.
pt or fitted to delude; tending to mislead the mind; deceptive; beguiling; delusory; as, delusive arts; a delusive dream. Delusive and unsubstantial ideas. Whewell. -- De*lu"sive*ly, adv. -- De*lu"sive*ness, n.
PRELUSIVE a.
ure of a prelude; introductory; indicating that something of a like kind is to follow. "Prelusive drops." Thomson. -- Pre*lu"sive*ly, adv.
BUBBLE n.
ss or solidity; that which is more specious than real; a false show; a cheat or fraud; a delusive scheme; an empty project; a dishonest speculation; as, the South Sea bubble. Then a soldier . . . Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. Shak.
COUNTERCAST n.
A trick; a delusive contrivance. [Obs.] Spenser.
DECEPTIOUS a.
Tending deceive; delusive. [R.] As if those organs had deceptious functions. Shak.
DELUSION n.
That which is falsely or delusively believed or propagated; false belief; error in belief. And fondly mourned the dear delusion gone. Prior.
DELUSORY a.
Delusive; fallacious. Glanvill.
EVASIVE a.
Tending to evade, or marked by evasion; elusive; shuffling; avoiding by artifice. Thus he, though conscious of the ethereal guest, Answered evasive of the sly request. Pope. Stammered out a few evasive phrases. Macaulay. -- E*va"sive*ly , adv. -- E*va"sive*ness, n.
FAITHLESS a.
Serving to disappoint or deceive; delusive; unsatisfying. "Yonder faithless phantom." Goldsmith. -- Faith"less*ly, adv.Faith"less*ness, n.
FALLACIOUS a.
Embodying or pertaining to a fallacy; illogical; fitted to deceive; misleading; delusive; as, fallacious arguments or reasoning. -- Fal*la"cious*ly, adv. -Fal*la"cious*ness, n.
GLAMOUR n.
Any artificial interest in, or association with, an object, through which it appears delusively magnified or glorified. Glamour gift, Glamour might, the gift or power of producing a glamour. The former is used figuratively, of the gift of fascination peculiar to women. It had much of glamour might To make a lady seem a…
INVITE v.
invite the unwary sense. Milton. Shady groves, that easy sleep invite. Dryden. There no delusive hope invites despair. Cowper.
MASK n.
ing or other diversions, where all wear masks; a masquerade; hence, a revel; a frolic; a delusive show. Bacon. This thought might lead me through the world's vain mask. Milton.
MISLEADING a.
Leading astray; delusive.
MISPRISION n.
on; mistake. [Archaic] Fuller. The misprision of this passage has aided in fostering the delusive notion. Hare.
PRELUSORY a.
Introductory; prelusive. Bacon.
SUBTLE a.
lect; a subtle imagination; a subtle process of thought; also, difficult of apprehension; elusive. Things remote from use, obscure and subtle. Milton.
SUBTLETY n.
Something that is sly, crafty, or delusive. Unlearned in the world's false subtleties. Shak.
SUBTLY adv.
Deceitfully; delusively. [Obs.] Shak.
← Previous Page 1 of 2 Next →