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Not tyrants fierce that unrepenting dye, Not Cynthia when her manteau 's pinn'd awry, Ere felt such rage. Pope. 5. Not according to right reason; perversely.

All awry, and which wried it to the most wry course of all, wit abused, rather to feign reason why it should be amiss, than how it should be amended. Sidney. Much of the soul they talk, but all awry, And in themselves seek virtue, and to themselves

All glory arrogate, to God give none. Milton. AXE. n. s. [eax, acre, Sax. ascia, Lat.] An instrument consisting of a metal head, with a sharp edge, fixed in a helve or handle, to cut with.

No metal can,

No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keen

ness

Of thy sharp envy.

Shakspeare.

There stood a forest on the mountain's brow, Which overlook'd the shaded plains below;

No sounding axe presum'd these trees to bite, Coeval with the world, a venerable sight. Dryd. AXILLA. n. s. [axilla, Lat.] The cavity under the upper part of the arm, called the armpit. Quincy. AXILLAR. adj. [from axilla, Lat.] A'XILLARY. Belonging to the armpit. Axillary artery is distributed unto the hand; below the cubit, it divideth into two parts.

Brown.

AXIOM. n. s. [axioma, Lat. džiwpa, from αξιόω.]

1. A proposition evident at first sight, that cannot be made plainer by demonstration.

Axioms, or principles more general, are such as this, that the greater good is to be chosen before the lesser.

Hooker.

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And, though it hath beginning, sees no end.
Sir J. Davies.

Milton.

And hears the muses, in a ring,
Aye round about Jove's altars sing.
Th' astonish'd mariners aye ply the pump;
No stay, nor rest, till the wide breach is clos'd.
Plip's.
A'Y GREEN. n. s. The same with Louse-
leek.

2. An established principle to be granted ARY. n. s. The nest of the hawk.
without new proof.

The axioms of that law, whereby natural agents are guided, have their use in the moral, Hooker.

Their affirmations are no axioms; we esteem thereof as things unsaid, and account them but in list of nothing. Brown. Axis. n. s. [axis, Lat.] The line real or imaginary that passes through any thing, on which it may revolve.

But since they say our earth, from morn to

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Blackmore.

It might annually have compassed the sun, and yet never have once turned upon its axis. Bentley.

On their own axis as the planets run,
And make at once their circle round the sun;
So two consistent motions act the soul,
And one regards itself, and one the whole. Pope.
A'XLE.
I n. s. axis, Lat.] The
A'XLE-TREE. pin which passes through
the midst of the wheel, on which the
circumvolutions of the wheel are per
formed.

Venerable Nestor
Should with a bond of air, strong as the axle-tree
On which heav'n rides, knit all the Grecian

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Dict.

I should discourse on the brancher, the haggard, and then treat of their several ayries.

A'ZIMUTH. n. s. [Arab.]

Walton's Angler.

1. The azimuth of the sun, or of a star, ie
an arch between the meridian of the
place, and any given vertical line.
2. Magnetical Azimuth, is an arch of the
horizon contained between the sun's
azimuth circle and the magnetical me-
ridian; or it is the apparent distance of
the sun from the north or south point
of the compass.

3. Azimuth Compass, is an instrument used
at sea for finding the sun's magnetic

azimuth.

4. Azimuth Dial, is a dial whose stile or
gnomon is at right angles to the plane of
the horizon.

5. Azimuths, called also vertical circles,
are great circles intersecting each other
in the zenith and nadir, and cutting
the horizon at right angles, in all the
Chambers.
points thereof.
AZURE. adi. Vazur, Fr. azurro, Span.
lazur, Arab. from lazuli, a blue stone.]
Blue; faint blue.

Like pomels round of marble clear,
Where azar'd veins well mixt appear. Sidney.

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B. The second letter of the English

alphabet, is pronounced, as in most other European languages, by pressing the whole length of the lips together, and forcing them open with a strong breath. It has a near affinity with the other labial letters, and is confounded by the Germans with p, and by the Gascons with v; from which an epigrammatist remarks, that bibere and vivere are in Gascony the same. The Spaniards, in most words, use bor v indifferently.

BAA. n. s. [See the verb.] The cry of a sheep.

-Therefore thou art a sheep.

Such another proof would made me cry baa. Shakspeare. To BAA. v. n. [balo, Lat.] To cry like a sheep.

Or like a lamb whose dam away is fet, He treble baas for help, but none can get. Sidney. To BABBLE. V. n. [babbelen, Germ. babiller, Fr.]

1. To prattle like a child; to prate imperfectly.

My babbling praises I repeat no more, But hear, rejoice, stand silent, and adore. Prior. 2. To talk idly, or irrationally."

John had conned over a catalogue of hard words; these he used to babble indifferently in all companies. Arbuthnot.

Let the silent sanctuary show, What from the babbling schools we may not know.

Prior.

3. To talk thoughtlessly; to tell secrets. There is more danger in a reserved and silent friend, than in a noisy babbling enemy. L'Estr, 4. To talk much.

The babbling echo mocks the hounds, Replying shrilly to the well tun'd horns, As if a double hunt were heard at once. Shaks. And had I pow'r to give that knowledge birth, In all the speeches of the babbling earth. Prior. The babbling echo had descry'd his face; She who in others' words her silence breaks. Addison. BABBLE. n. s. [babil, Fr.] Idle talk; senseless prattle.

This babble shall not henceforth trouble me; Here is a coil with protestation.

Come, no more;

This is mere moral babble.

Shakspeare.

Milton.

With vollies of eternal babble, And clamour more unanswerable.

Hudibras.

B.

The babble, impertinence, and folly, I have taken notice of in disputes. Glanville. BABBLEMENT. n.s. [from babble.] Senseless prate; empty words.

Deluded all this while with ragged notions and babblements, while they expected worthy and delightful knowledge. Milton.

BA BBLER. n. s. (from babble.}

1. An idle talker; an irrational prattler. We hold our time too precious to be spent With such a babbler.

Shakspeare. The apostle had no sooner proposed it to the masters at Athens, but he himself was ridiculed as a babbler. Rogers.

2. A teller of secrets.

Utterers of secrets he from thence debarr'd; Babblers of folly, and blazers of crime. F. Queen. Great babblers, or talkers, are not fit for trust. L'Estrange. BABE. n. s. [baban, Welsh; baobaerd, Dutch; bambino, Italian.] An infant; a child of either sex.

Those that do teach your babes Do it with gentle means, and easy tasks: He might have chid me so; for, in good faith, I am a child to chiding. Shakspeare

Nor shall Sebastian's formidable name Be longer us'd to lull the crying babe. Dryden. The babe had all that infant care beguiles, And early knew his mother in her smiles. Dryd. BA'BERY. n. s. [from babe.] Finery to please a babe or child.

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So have I seen trim books in velvet dight, With golden leaves and painted babery Of seely boys, please unacquainted sight. Sidney. BA'BISH. adj. [from babe.] Childish.

If he be bashful, and will soon blush, they call him a babish and ill brought up thing. Ascham. BABOON. n. s. [babouin, Fr. It is supposed by Skinner to be the augmentation of babe, and to import a great babe.] A monkey of the largest kind.

You had looked through the grate like a geminy of baboons. Shakspeare. He cast every human feature out of his countenance, and became a baboon. Addison. BABY n. s. [See BABE.] I. A child; an infant.

The baby beats the nurse, and quiet athwart Goes all decorum.

Shakspeare.

The child must have sugar plums, rather than make the poor baby cry.

Locle.

Locke.

He must marry, and propagate: the father cannot stay for the portion, nor the mother for babes to play with. 2. A small image in imitation of a child, which girls play with.

The archduke saw that Perkin would prove a runagate; and it was the part of children to fall out about babies. Bacon.

Since no image can represent the great Creator, never think to honour him by your foolish puppets, and babies of dirt and clay.

Stilling fleet. BA'CCATED. adj. [baccatus, Lat.] Beset with pearls; having many berries. Dict. BACCHANA'LIAN. n. s. [from bacchana

lia, Lat.] A riotous person; a drunkard. BACCHANALS. n. s. [bacchanalia, Lat.] The drunken feasts and revels of Bac. chus, the god of wine.

Ha, my brave emperor, shall we dance now the Egyptian bacchanals, and celebrate our drink? Shakspeare. What wild fury was there in the heathen bacebanals, which we have not seen equalled? Decay of Piety.

Both extremes were banish'd from their walls; Carthusian fasts, and fulsome bacchanals. Pope. BA'CCHUS BOLE. n. s. A flower not tall, but very full and broad-leaved.

Mortimer.

BACCIFEROUS. adj. [from bacca, a berry, and fero, to bear, Lat.] Berry-bearing. Bacciferous trees are of four kinds. 1. Such as bear a caliculate or naked berry; the flower and calix both falling off together, and leaving the berry bare; as the sassafras trees. 2. Such as have a naked monospermous fruit, that is, containing in it only one seed; as the arbutes. 3. Such as have but polyspermous fruit, that is, containing two or more kernels or seeds within it; as the jesminum, ligustrum. 4. Such as have their fruit composed of many acini, or round soft balls set close together like a bunch of grapes; as the uva marina.

Ray.

BACCI'VOROUS. adj. [from bacca, aberry, and voro, to devour, Lat.] Devouring berries. Dict. BACHELOR. n. s. [A word of very uncertain etymology, it not being well known what was its original sense. Junius derives it from fix, foolish; Menage from bas chevalier, a knight of the lowest rank; Spelman, from baculus, a staff; Cujas, from buccella, an allowance of provision. The most probable derivation seems to be from bacca laurûs, the berry of a laurel or bay; bachelor's being young, are of good hopes, like laurels in the berry. Dr. Lawrence observed, that Menage's etymology is much confirmed by the practice in our universities of calling a Bachelor, Sir. In Latin, baccalaureus.] 1. A man unmarried.

Such separation Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. Shaks. The haunting of dissolute places, or resort to courtesans, are no more punished in married men than in bachelors. Bacon. A true painter naturally delights in the liberty which belongs to the bachelor's estate. Dryden. Let sinful bachelors their woes deplore; Full well they merit all they feel, and more.

Pope.

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I appear before your honour, in behalf of Martinus Scriblerus, bachelor of physic. Martinus Scriblerus. 3. A knight of the lowest order. This is a sense now little used. BACHELORSHIP. n. s. [from bachelor.] The condition of a bachelor.

Her mother, living yet, can testify She was the first fruit of my bachelorship. Shaks. BACK. n. s. [bac, bæc, Saxon; bach, German.]

1. The hinder part of the body, from the neck to the thighs.

2.

Part following enter, part remain without, And mount on others backs in hopes to share. Dryden. The outer part of the hand when it is shut: opposed to the palm.

Methought love pitying me, when he saw this, Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to

kiss.

Donne.

3. The outward part of the body; that which requires clothes: opposed to the belly.

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Those who, by their ancestors, have been set free from a constant drudgery to their backs and their bellies, should bestow some time on their heads. Locke.

4. The rear: opposed to the van. He might conclude, that Walter would be upon the king's back, as his majesty was upon his. Clarendon

5. The place behind.

6.

7.

As the voice goeth round, as well towards the back as towards the front of him that speaketh, so does the echo: for you have many back echoes to the place where you stand. Bacon.

Antheus, Sergestus grave, Cleanthus strong, And at their backs a mighty Trojan throng. Dryd. The part of any thing out of sight. Trees set upon the backs of chimnies do ripen fruit sooner. Bacon's Natural History. The thick part of any tool opposed to the edge; as the back of a knife or sword: whence backsword, or sword with a back; as,

Bull dreaded not old Lewis either at backsword single faulchion, or cudgel-play. Arbuthnot.

8. To turn the back on one; to forsake him, or neglect him.

9.

At the hour of death, all friendships of the world bid him adieu, and the whole creation turns its back upon him.

South

To turn the back; to go away; to be not within the reach of taking cogni

zance.

His back was no sooner turned, but they returned to their former rebellion. Sir J. Davies. BACK. adv. [from the noun.]

1. To the place from which one came. Back you shall not to the house, unless You undertake that with me. Shakspeare. He sent many to seek the ship Argo, threatening that if they brought not back Medea, they should suffer in her stead. Raleigh.

2.

Where they are, and why they came not back, Is now the labour of my thoughts. Milton. Back to thy native island might'st thou sail, And leave half-heard the melancholy tale. Pope Backward; as retreating from the present station.

I've been surpriz'd in an unguarded hour, But must not now go back; the love, that lay Half smother'd in my breast, has broke thro' all Its weak restraints. Addison

3. Behind; not coming forward.

I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but lo the Lord hath kept thee back from honour. Numbers. Constrain the glebe, keep back the hurtful weed. Blackmore.

Toward things past.

I had always a curiosity to look back unto the sources of things, and to view in my mind the be ginning and progress of a rising world. Burnet. 3. Again; in return.

The lady's mad; yet if 't were so, She could not sway her house, command her followers,

Take and give back affairs, and their dispatch, With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing. Shakspeare.

6. Again; a second time.

This Cæsar found, and that ungrateful age, With losing him, went back to blood and rage. Waller

The epistles being written from ladies forsaken by their lovers, many thoughts came back upon us in divers letters. Dryden.

To BACK. v. a. [from the noun.]
1. To mount on the back of a horse.
That roan shall be my throne.
Well, I will back him strait. O Esperance!
Bid Butler lead him forth into the park.

Shakspeare. 2. To break a horse; to train him to bear upon his back.

Direct us how to back the winged horse;
Favour his flight, and moderate his course.

3. To place upon the back.

Roscommon.

As I slept, methought

Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back'd, Appear'd to me.

Shakspeare.

4. To maintain; to strengthen; to support; to defend.

Belike he means,

Back'd by the pow'r of Warwick, that false peer, I aspire unto the crown. Shakspeare. You are strait enough in the shoulders, you care not who sees your back: call you that backing of your friends? a plague upon such backing! give me them that will face me. Shakspeare. These were seconded by certain demilaunces, and both backed by men at arms.

Hayward.

Did they not swear, in express words, To prop and back the house of lords? And after turn'd out the whole houseful.

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better than a penny in purse. Use his men well, Davy, for they are arrant knaves, and will backbite. Shakspeare. BACKBITER. n. s. [from backbite.] A privy calumniator; a censurer of the absent.

No body is bound to look upon his backbiter, or his underminer, his betrayer, or his oppressor, as his friend. South. BACKBONE. n. s. [from back and bone.] The bone of the back.

The backbone should be divided into many vertebres for commodious bending, and not to be one entire rigid bone. Ray. BACKCARRY. Having on the back.

Manwood, in his forest laws, noteth it for one of the four circumstances, or cases, wherein a forester may arrest an offender against vert or venison in the forest, viz. stable-stand, dogdraw, backcarry, and bloody-hand. BACKDOOR. n. s. [from back and door.] The door behind the house; privy passage.

Corvell

The procession durst not return by the way it came; but, after the devotion of the monks, passed out at a backdoor of the convent. Addis.

Popery, which is so far shut out as not to reenter openly, is stealing in by the backdoor of atheism. Atterbury. BACKED. adj. [from back.] Having a back.

Lofty-neck'd,

Sharp-headed, barrel-bellied, broadly back'd.

Dryden BACKFRIEND. . s. [from back and friend. A friend backward; that is, an enemy in secret.

Set the restless importunities of talebearers and backfriends against fairwords and professions. L'Estrange.

Far is our church from incroaching upon the civil power; as some, who are backfriends to South. both, would maliciously insinuate. BACKGAMMON. n. s. [from bach gammon, Welsh, a little battle.] A play or game at tables, with box and dice. In what esteem are you with the vicar of the parish? can you play with him at backgammen? Swift. BACKHOUSE. n. s. [from back and house.] The buildings behind the chief part of the house.

Their backhouses, of more necessary than cleanly service, as kitchens, stables, are climbed up unto by steps. Care.

BACK PIECE. n. s. [from back and piece.] The piece of armour which covers the back.

The morning that he was to join battle, his armourer put on his backpiece before, and his breastplate behind. Camden. BACKROOM. n. s. [from back and room.] A room behind; not in the front.

If you have a fair prospect backwards of gardens, it may be convenient to make backrooms the larger. Moxon's Mech. Exercises, BACKSIDE. n. s. [from back and side.] 1. The hinder part of any thing.

If the quicksilver were rubbed from the back side of the speculum, the glass would cause the same rings of colours, but more faint; the phanomena depend not upon the quicksilver, unless so far as it encreases the reflection of the backside of the glass.

2. The hind part of an animal.

Newton

A poor ant carries a grain of corn, climbing up a wall with her head downwards and her backside upwards. Addison.

3. The yard or ground behind a house. The wash of pastures, fields, commons, roads, streets, or backsides, are of great advantage to all Mortimer. sorts of land.

TO BACKSLIDE. v. n. [from back and slide.] To fall off; to apostatize : a word only used by divines.

Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? She is gone up upon every high mountain, and under every green tree.

Jeremiah. BACKSLIDER. N. s. [from backslide.] An apostate.

The backslider in heart shall be filled. Proverbs. BACKSTAFF. n. s. [from back and staff; because, in taking an observation, the observer's back is turned toward the sun.] An instrument useful in taking the sun's altitude at sea; invented by Captain Davies. BACKSTAIRS. n. 5. [from back and stairs.] The private stairs in the house.

Bacon.

I condemn the practice which hath lately crept into the court at the backstairs, that some pricked for sheriffs get out of the bill. BACKSTAYS. n. s. [from back and stay.] Ropes or stays which keep the masts of a ship from pitching forward or overboard. BACKSWORD. n.s.[from back and sword.] A sword with one sharp edge. Bull dreaded not old Lewis at backsword.

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4. Dull; not quick or apprehensive. It often falls out, that the backward learner makes amends another way. South.

5. Late; coming after something else: as, backward fruits; backward children: fruits long in ripening; children slow of growth. BACKWARD. n. s. The things or state behind or past: poetical.

What seest thou else

In the dark backward or abysm of time? Shaks. BACKWARDLY. adv. [from backward.] 1. Unwillingly; aversely; with the back forward.

Like Numid lions by the hunters chas'd, Though they do fly, yet backwardly do go With proud aspect, disdaining greater haste. Sidney,

2. Perversely; or with cold hope. I was the first man

That e'er received gift from him; And does he think so backwardly of me, That I'll requite it last? Shakspeare. BACKWARDNESS. », 5. [from backward.] 1. Dulness; unwillingness; sluggishness.

The thing by which we are apt to excuse our backwardness to good works, is the ill success that hath been observed to attend well designing charities. Atterbury.

2. Slowness of progression; tardiness. BA'CON. n. s. [probably from baken, that is, dried flesh.]

1. The flesh of a hog salted and dried.

High o'er the hearth a chine of bacen nung; Good oli Philemon seiz'd it with a prong, Then cut a slice. Dryden. 2. To save the bacon, is a phrase for preserving one's self from being hurt; borrowed from the care of house vives in the country, where they have seldom any other provision in the house than dried bacon, to secure it from the marching soldiers.

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