☞ (559). Fte (73), fr (77), fll (83), ft (81); m (93), mt (95); pne (105), pn (107); n (162), mve (164),
To Abscond, b-sknd′. v. a.
To hide one′s self.
Absconder, b-scn′dr. s.
The person that absconds.
Absence, b′snse. s.
The state of being absent, opposed to presence; inattention, heedlessness, neglect of the present object.
Absent, b′snt. a. (492)
Not present; absent in mind, inattentive.
To Absent, b-snt′. v. a.
To withdraw, to forbear to come into presence.
Absentee, b-sn-t′. s.
A word used commonly with regard to Irishmen living out of their country.
Absinthiated, b-sn′th--td. p.
Impregnated with wormwood.
To Absist, b-sst′. v. n.
To stand off, to leave off.
To Absolve, b-zlv′. v. a. (448)
To clear, to acquit of a crime in a judicial sense; to set free from an engagement or promise; to pronounce a sin remitted, in the ecclesiastical sense.
Absolute, b′s-lte. a. (448)
Complete, applied as well to persons as things; unconditional, as an absolute promise; not relative, as absolute space; not limited, as absolute power. — See Domestic.
Absolutely, b′s-lte-l. ad.
Completely, without restriction; without condition; peremptory, positively.
Absoluteness, b′s-lte-nss. s.
Completeness; freedom from dependence, or limits; despotism.
Absolution, b-s-l′shn. s.
Acquittal; the remission of sins, or of penance.
Absolutory, b-sl′-tr-r. a.
That which absolves.
☞ In the first edition of this Dictionary I followed the accentuation of Johnson and Ash in this word, and placed the stress upon the first syllable, contrary to what I had done some years before in the Rhyming Dictionary, where I had placed the accent on the second, and which was the accentuation adopted by Mr. Sheridan. Upon a nearer inspection of the analogies of the language, I find this the preferable mode of marking it, as words in this termination, though very irregular, generally follow the stress of the corresponding noun or verb; and, consequently, this word ought to have the same accent as absolve, which is the more immediate relation of the word in question, and not the accent of absolute, which is the most distant (512). Kenrick, W. Johnston, Entick, and Nares, have not inserted this word; and Mr. Perry very improperly accents it upon the third syllable.
Absonant, b′s-nnt. a. (544)
Contrary to reason.
Absonous, b′s-ns. a.
Absurd, contrary to reason.
To Absorb, b-srb′. v. a.
To swallow up; to suck up.
Absorbent, b-sr′bnt. s.
A medicine that sucks up humours.
Absorpt, b-srpt′. p.
Swallowed up.
Absorption, b-srp′shn. s.
The act of swallowing up.
To Abstain, b-stne′. v. n.
To forbear, to deny one′s self any gratification.
Abstemious, b-st′m-s. a.
Temperate, sober, abstinent.
Abstemiously, b-st′m-s-l. ad.
Temperately, soberly, without indulgence.
Abstemiousness, b-st′m-s-nss s. (534)
The quality of being abstemious.
Abstention, b-stn′shn. s.
The act of holding off
To Absterge, b-strje′. v. a.
To cleanse, by wiping.
Abstergent, b-str′jnt. a.
Cleansing; having a cleansing quality.
To Absterse, b-strse′. v. a.
To cleanse, to purify.
Abstertion, b-str′shn. s.
The act of cleansing.
Abstersive, b-str′sv. a. (428)
That has the quality of absterging or cleansing.
Abstinence, b′st-nnse. s.
Forbearance of any thing; fasting, or forbearance of necessary food.
Abstinent, b′st-nnt. a.
That uses abstinence.
To Abstract, b-strkt′. v. a.
To take one thing from another; to separate ideas; to reduce to an epitome.
Abstract, b-strkt′. a.
Separated from something else, generally used with relation to mental perceptions.
Abstract, b′strkt. s. (492)
A smaller quantity, containing the virtue or power of a greater; an epitome made by taking out the principal parts.
Abstracted, b-strk′td. p. a.
Separated; refined, abstruse; absent of mind.
Abstractedly, b-strk′td-l. ad.
With abstraction, simply, separate from all contingent circumstances.
Abstraction, b-strk′shn. s.
The act of abstracting; the state of being abstracted.
Abstractive, b-strk′tv. a.
Having the power or quality of abstracting.
Abstractly, b-strkt′l. ad.
In an abstract manner.
Abstruse, b-strse′. a. (427)
Hidden; difficult, remote from conception or apprehension.
Abstrusely, b-strse′l. ad.
Obscurely, not plainly, or obviously.
Abstruseness, b-strse′nss. s.
Difficulty, obscurity.
Abstrusity, b-str′s-t. s. (511)
Abstruseness; that which is abstruse.
To Absume, b-sme′. v. a.
To bring to an end by gradual waste.
Absurd, b-srd′. a.
Inconsistent; contrary to reason.
Absurdity, b-sr′d-t. s. (511)
The quality of being absurd; that which is absurd.
Absurdly, b-srd′l. ad.
Improperly, unreasonably.
Absurdness, b-srd′nss. s.
The quality of being absurd; injudiciousness, impropriety.
Abundance, -bn′dnse. s.
Plenty; great numbers; a great quantity; exuberance, more than enough.
Abundant, -bn′dnt. a.
Plentiful; exuberant; fully stored.
Abundantly, -bn′dnt-l. ad.
In plenty; amply, liberally, more than sufficiently.
To Abuse, -bze′. v. a. (437)
To make an ill use of; to deceive, to impose upon; to treat with rudeness.
Abuse, -bse′. s. (437)
The ill use of any thing; a corrupt practice, bad custom; seducement; unjust censure, rude reproach.
Abuser, -b′zr. s.
He that makes an ill use; he that deceives; he that reproaches with rudeness.
Abusive, -b′sv. a. (428)
Practising abuse; containing abuse; deceitful.
Abusively, -b′sv-l. ad.
Improperly, by a wrong use; reproachfully.
To Abut, -bt′. v. n. obsolete.
To end at, to border upon; to meet, or approach to.
Abutment, -bt′mnt. s.
That which abuts, or borders upon another.
Abyss, -bss′. s.
A depth without bottom; a great depth, a gulph.
Acacia, -k′sh-. s. (505)
A drug brought from Egypt.
Academial, k--d′m-l. a.
Relating to an academy.
Academian, k--d′m-n. s.
A scholar of an academy or university.
Academical, k--dm′m-kl. a.
Belonging to an university.
Academick, k--dm′k. s. (508)
A student of an university.
Academick, k-k-dm′k. a.
Relating to an university.
Academician, k-k-d-msh′n. s.
The member of an academy.
Academist, -cd′d-mst, or, k′-dm-st. s.
The member of an academy.
Academy, -kd′d-m, or, k′-dm-. s.
☞ Dr. Johnson tells us, that this word was anciently and properly accented on the first syllable, though now frequently on the second. That it was accented on the first syllable till within these few years, is pretty generally remembered; and if Shakespeare did not, by poetical license, violate the accentuation of his time, it was certainly pronounced so two centuries ago, as appears by Dr. Johnston′s quotation of him:
"Our court shall be a little academy,
Still and contemplative in living arts."
And in Ben Johnson′s New Inn we find the same accentuation:
An academy of honour, and those parts
But the accentuation of this word formerly, on the first syllable, is so generally acknowledged, as not to stand in need of poetic authority. The question is, whether this accentuation, or that which places the stress on the second syllable, is the most proper? To wave, therefore, the authority of custom, which precludes all reasoning on language, and reduces the dispute to a mere matter of fact, it may be presumed, that whatever is agreeable to the most general
