Aard-vark

||Aard”-vark` (ärd”värk`), n. [D., earth-pig.] (Zoöl.) An edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa. It burrows in the ground, and feeds entirely on ants, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.

Aback

Ab”ack (ăb”ak), n. An abacus. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

A*back” (ȧ*băk”), adv. [Pref. a- + back; AS. on bæc at, on, or toward the back. See Back.] 1.Toward the back or rear; backward. “Therewith aback she started.” Chaucer.

2. Behind; in the rear. Knolles.

3. (Naut.) Backward against the mast; — said of the sails when pressed by the wind. Totten.

To be taken aback. (a) To be driven backward against the mast; — said of the sails, also of the ship when the sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. Dickens.

Abaft

A*baft” (ȧ*bȧft”), prep. [Pref. a- on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS. beæftan; be by + æftanbehind. See After, Aft, By.] (Naut.) Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse.

Abaft the beam. See under Beam.

A*baft”, adv. (Naut.) Toward the stern; aft; as, to go abaft.

Abase

A*base” (ȧ*bās”), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abased (ȧ*bāst”); p. pr. & vb. n. Abasing.] [F. abaisser, LL. abassare, abbassare ; ad + bassare, fr. bassus low. See Base, a.] 1. To lower or depress; to throw or cast down; as, to abase the eye. [Archaic] Bacon.

Saying so, he abased his lance.

Shelton.

2. To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to degrade.

Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased.

Abash

A*bash” (ȧ*băsh”), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abashed (ȧ*băsht”); p. pr. & vb. n. Abashing.] [OE. abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, OF. esbahir, F. ébahir, to astonish, fr. L. ex + the interjection bah, expressing astonishment. In OE. somewhat confused with abase. Cf. Finish.] To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit.

Abashed, the devil stood,

And felt how awful goodness is.

Milton.

He was a man whom no check could abash.

Macaulay.

Satan stood

Awhile as mute, confounded what to say.

Abate

A*bate” (ȧ*bāt”), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abated, p. pr. & vb. n. Abating.] [OF. abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere, battere (popular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. Bate, Batter.] 1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.]

The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls.

Edw. Hall.

2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.

His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Deut. xxxiv. 7.

3. To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.

Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds.

Fuller.

4. To blunt. [Obs.]

To abate the edge of envy.

Bacon.

5. To reduce in estimation; to deprive. [Obs.]

She hath abated me of half my train.

Shak.

6. (Law) (a) To bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ. (b) (Eng. Law) To diminish; to reduce. Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.

To abate a tax, to remit it either wholly or in part.

A*bate” (ȧ*bāt”), v. i. [See Abate, v. t.] 1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates.

The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated.

Macaulay.

2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates.

To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4.

A*bate (ȧ*bāt”), n. Abatement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Milton.

Abate

A*bate” (ȧ*bāt”), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abated, p. pr. & vb. n. Abating.] [OF. abatre to beat down, F. abattre, LL. abatere; ab or ad + batere, battere (popular form for L. batuere to beat). Cf. Bate, Batter.] 1. To beat down; to overthrow. [Obs.]

The King of Scots . . . sore abated the walls.

Edw. Hall.

2. To bring down or reduce from a higher to a lower state, number, or degree; to lessen; to diminish; to contract; to moderate; to cut short; as, to abate a demand; to abate pride, zeal, hope.

His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Deut. xxxiv. 7.

3. To deduct; to omit; as, to abate something from a price.

Nine thousand parishes, abating the odd hundreds.

Fuller.

4. To blunt. [Obs.]

To abate the edge of envy.

Bacon.

5. To reduce in estimation; to deprive. [Obs.]

She hath abated me of half my train.

Shak.

6. (Law) (a) To bring entirely down or put an end to; to do away with; as, to abate a nuisance, to abate a writ. (b) (Eng. Law) To diminish; to reduce. Legacies are liable to be abated entirely or in proportion, upon a deficiency of assets.

To abate a tax, to remit it either wholly or in part.

A*bate” (ȧ*bāt”), v. i. [See Abate, v. t.] 1. To decrease, or become less in strength or violence; as, pain abates, a storm abates.

The fury of Glengarry . . . rapidly abated.

Macaulay.

2. To be defeated, or come to naught; to fall through; to fail; as, a writ abates.

To abate into a freehold, To abate in lands (Law), to enter into a freehold after the death of the last possessor, and before the heir takes possession. See Abatement, 4.

A*bate (ȧ*bāt”), n. Abatement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.