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Abattoir

A public slaughterhouse for cattle, sheep, etc.

Abature

Grass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them.

Abatvoix

The sounding-board over a pulpit or rostrum.

Abay

Barking; baying of dogs upon their prey. See Bay.

Abb

Among weavers, yarn for the warp. Hence, abb wool is wool for the abb.

Abba

Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.

Abbacy

The dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot.

Abbatial

Belonging to an abbey; as, abbatial rights.

Abbe

The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.

Abbess

A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. See Abbey.

Abbey

A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic building or buildings.

Abbot

The superior or head of an abbey.

Abbreviatory

Serving or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.

Abdal

A religious devotee or dervish in Persia.

Abderian

Given to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.

Abderite

An inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace.

Abdest

Purification by washing the hands before prayer; -- a Muslim rite.

Abdicate

To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity.

Abdication

The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power, authority.

Abditory

A place for hiding or preserving articles of value.

Abdomen

The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis. Also, the cavity of the belly, which is lined by the peritoneum, and contains the stomach, bowels, and other viscera. In man, often restricted to the part between the diaphragm and the commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvic cavity.

Abdominales

A group including the greater part of fresh-water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals.

Abdominalia

A group of cirripeds having abdominal appendages.

abdominoscopy

Examination of the abdomen by means of a laparoscope to detect abdominal diseases.

Abdominous

Having a protuberant belly; pot-bellied.

Abduce

To draw or conduct away; to withdraw; to draw to a different part.

abducens

a small motor nerve supplying the lateral rectus muscle of the eye.

abducent

drawing away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part; -- especially of muscles

Abduct

To take away surreptitiously by force; to carry away (a human being) wrongfully and usually by violence; to kidnap.

abducting

drawing away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part; -- used especially of muscles

Abduction

The act of abducing or abducting; a drawing apart; a carrying away.

Abeam

On the beam, that is, on a line which forms a right angle with the ship's keel; opposite to the center of the ship's side.

Abecedarian

One who is learning the alphabet; hence, a tyro.

Abecedary

A primer; the first principle or rudiment of anything.

Abecedary Abecedarian

Pertaining to, or formed by, the letters of the alphabet; alphabetic; hence, rudimentary.

Abed

In bed, or on the bed.

Abele

The white poplar (Populus alba).

Abelmoschus

A genus of tropical coarse herbs having large lobed leaves and often yellow flowers.

Abelmosk

An evergreen shrub (Abelmoschus moschatus -- formerly Hibiscus moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes called musk mallow. The seeds produce ambrette-seed oil.

Abelonian Abelite Abelian

One of a sect in Africa (4th century), mentioned by St. Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence, after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel.

Aber-de-vine

The European siskin (Carduelis spinus), a small green and yellow finch, related to the goldfinch.

Aberr

To wander; to stray.

Aberrancy Aberrance

the state or condition of being aberrant; a wandering from the right way; deviation from truth, rectitude, etc.

Aberrant

Wandering; straying from the right way.

Aberration

The act of wandering; deviation, especially from truth or moral rectitude, from the natural state, or from a type.

Abet

Act of abetting; aid.

Abetment

The act of abetting; as, an abetment of treason, crime, etc.

Abeyance

Expectancy; condition of being undetermined.

Abeyant

Being in a state of abeyance.

Abhal

The berries of a species of cypress in the East Indies.

Abhor

To shrink back with horror, disgust, or dislike; to be contrary or averse; -- with

Abhorrence

Extreme hatred or detestation; the feeling of utter dislike.

Abhorrent

Abhorring; detesting; having or showing abhorrence; loathing; hence, strongly opposed to; as, abhorrent thoughts.

Abib

The first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, corresponding nearly to our April. After the Babylonish captivity this month was called Nisan.

Abidance

The state of abiding; abode; continuance; compliance (with).

Abide

To wait for; to be prepared for; to await; to watch for; as, I abide my time.

Abider

One who abides, or continues.

Abidjan

The capital city of Cote d'Ivoire. Population (2000) = 106,786.

Abies

A genus of coniferous trees, properly called Fir, as the balsam fir and the silver fir. The spruces are sometimes also referred to this genus.

Abietene

A volatile oil distilled from the resin or balsam of the nut pine (Pinus sabiniana) of California.

Abietic

Of or pertaining to the fir tree or its products; as, abietic acid, called also sylvic acid.

Abietine Abietin

A resinous obtained from Strasburg turpentine or Canada balsam. It is without taste or smell, is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol (especially at the boiling point), in strong acetic acid, and in ether.

Abietinic

Of or pertaining to abietin; as, abietinic acid.

Abietite

A substance resembling mannite, found in the needles of the common silver fir of Europe (Abies pectinata).

Ability

The quality or state of being able; power to perform, whether physical, moral, intellectual, conventional, or legal; capacity; skill or competence in doing; sufficiency of strength, skill, resources, etc.; -- in the plural, faculty, talent.

Abiogenesis

The supposed origination of living organisms from lifeless matter; such genesis as does not involve the action of living parents; spontaneous generation; -- called also abiogeny, and opposed to biogenesis.

Abiogenist

One who believes that life can be produced independently of antecedent.

Abiological

Pertaining to the study of inanimate things.

Abirritate

To diminish the sensibility to stimulation of.

Abirritation

A pathological condition opposite to that of irritation; debility; lack of strength; asthenia.

Abject

A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway.

Abjection

The act of bringing down or humbling.

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