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t; not determined or fixed upon; not precise; uncertain; vague; confused; obscure; as, an indefinite time, plan, etc. It were to be wished that . . . men would leave off that indefinite way of vouching, "the chymists say this," or "the chymists affirm that." Boyle. The time of this last is left indefinite. Dryden.…

In an indefinite manner or degree; without any settled limitation; vaguely; not with certainty or exactness; as, to use a word indefinitely. If the world be indefinitely extended, that is, so far as no human intellect can fancy any bound of it. Ray.

The quality of being indefinite.

An adjective, commonly called the indefinite article, and signifying one or any, but less emphatically.

To put off or defer to another day, or indefinitely; to postpone; to close or suspend for the day; -- commonly said of the meeting, or the action, of convened body; as, to adjourn the meeting; to adjourn a debate. It is a common practice to adjourn the reformation of their lives to a further time. Barrow. 'Tis a needfu…

This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour," "once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d A, 2), it has a distributive force, and is…

(Psychol.) Not subject to conscious attention; having an indefinite, relatively passive, conscious being; characteristic of the "fringe" or "margin" of consciousness.

Any or some; any different person, indefinitely; any one else; some one else. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth. Prov. xxvii. 2. While I am coming, another steppeth down before me. John v. 7.

One indifferently, out of an indefinite number; one indefinitely, whosoever or whatsoever it may be.

Any one out of an indefinite number of persons; anyone; any person. His Majesty could not keep any secret from anybody. Macaulay.

Expressing an indefinite comparison; -- with as or like. [Colloq. or Lowx] I fear your girl will grow as proud as anything. Richardson.

Indefinite; pertaining to the aorist tense.

an, the, used before nouns to limit or define their application. A (or an) is called the indefinite article, the the definite article.

Having an indefinite number of small charges scattered or strewed over the surface. Cussans.

Always; ever; continually; for an indefinite time. For his mercies aye endure. Milton. For aye, always; forever; eternally.

An indefinite quantity of some substance, so shaped as to be long in proportion to its breadth and thickness; as, a bar of gold or of lead; a bar of soap.

A small bit of anything, of indefinite size or quantity; a short distance. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

A sharp-witted, dashing, wild, or reckless, fellow; -- a word of somewhat indefinite meaning. He saw a turnkey in a trice Fetter a troublesome blade. Coleridge.

An oxgang, or as much land as an ox can plow in a year; an ancient measure of land, of indefinite quantity, but usually estimated at fifteen acres.

One of the portions of a curve that extends outwards to an indefinitely great distance; as, the branches of an hyperbola.