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cord of a line of ancestors. Alterations of surnames . . . have obscured the truth of our pedigrees. Camden. His vanity labored to contrive us a pedigree. Milton. I am no herald to inquire of men's pedigrees. Sir P. Sidney. The Jews preserved the pedigrees of their tribes. Atterbury.

A clause sometimes inserted in contracts or specifications, requiring that a material of construction, as cement, must be of a brand that has stood the test of a specified number of years' use in an important public work. [Cant, U. S.]

Not distinguished by a pedigree. [R.] Pollok.

Of or pertaining to an uncle. In these rare instances, the law of pedigree, whether direct or avuncular, gives way. I. Taylor.

hak. -- Bred to arms. See under Arms. -- Well bred. (a) Of a good family; having a good pedigree. "A gentleman well bred and of good name." Shak. [Obs., except as applied to domestic animals.] (b) Well brought up, as shown in having good manners; cultivated; refined; polite.

Descent; pedigree; extraction. [Obs.] Honest gentlemen, I know not your breeding. Shak. Close breeding, In and in breeding, breeding from a male and female from the same parentage. -- Cross breeding, breeding from a male and female of different lineage. -- Good breeding, politeness; genteel deportment.…

to defend. [Obs.] Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right, Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree Shak.

unknown truths from principles already known. Locke. See what regard will be paid to the pedigree which deduces your descent from kings and conquerors. Sir W. Scott.

nd orders all great ceremonials, takes cognizance of matters relating to honor, arms, and pedigree, and directs the proclamation of peace and war. The court of chivalry was formerly under his jurisdiction, and he is still the head of the herald's office or college of arms.

cestor; enumeration of ancestors and their children in the natural order of succession; a pedigree.

A book containing the list and pedigrees of one or more herds of choice breeds of cattle; -- also called herd record, or herd register.

To inspect; to examine; to look over carefully or repeatedly. "Overlook this pedigree." Shak. The time and care that are required To overlook and file and polish well. Roscommon.

. They forget that they are in the statutes: . . . there they are tricked, they and their pedigrees. B. Jonson.