SG Heritage Dictionary

Word of the Day: Catachrestical

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Ace [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. A unit; a single point on a card or die; or the card or die so marked.

2. A very small quantity; a particle; an atom; a trifle; as a creditor will not abate an ace of his demand.

Ace [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. A unit; a single point or spot on a card or die; the card or die so marked; as, the ace of diamonds.

2. Hence: A very small quantity or degree; a particle; an atom; a jot.

Ace Encyclopedia Britannica

ACE, the received name for the single point on cards or dice—the unit. Mr Fox Talbot has a speculation (English Etymologies, p. 262) that the Latins invented, if not the game of dice, at least the name for the single point, which they called unus. The Greeks corrupted this into ὂ voς , and at length the Germanic races, learning the game from the Greeks, translated the word into ass, which has now become ace. The fact, however, is, that the root of the word lies in the Latin as, the monetary unit, which is to be identified with the Greek ε i ς ; Doric, αἴς or ἃs.

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 92
[104 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Aceetate [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

In chimistry, a neutral salt formed by the union of the acetic acid, or radical vinegar, with any salifiable base, as with earths, metals, and alkalies; as the acetate of alumine, of lime, or of copper.

Aceldama [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

A field said to have laid south of Jerusalem, the same as the potters field, purchased with the bribe which Judas took for betraying his master, and therefore called the field of blood. It was appropriated to the interment of strangers.

Aceldama [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The potter's field, said to have lain south of Jerusalem, purchased with the bribe which Judas took for betraying his Master, and therefore called the field of blood. Fig.: A field of bloodshed.

Aceldama Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a piece of ground without the south wall of Jerusalem, on the other side of the brook Siloam. It was called the Potter’s Field, because an earth or clay was dug in it, of which pottery was made. It was likewise called the Fuller’s Field, because cloth was dried in it. But it having been afterward bought with the money by which the high priest and rulers of the Jews purchased the blood of Jesus, it was called Aceldama, or the Field of Blood.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
[84 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Acentric [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Not centered; without a center.

Acephal [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One of the Acephala.

Acephala [Noun plural] Webster's Dictionary 1913

That division of the Mollusca which includes the bivalve shells, like the clams and oysters; -- so called because they have no evident head. Formerly the group included the Tunicata, Brachiopoda, and sometimes the Bryozoa. See Mollusca.

Acephala Encyclopedia Britannica

ACEPHALA, a name sometimes given to a section of the molluscous animals, which are divided into encephala and acephala, according as they have or want a distinctly differentiated head. The Acephala, or Lamellibranchiata, as they are also called, are commonly known as bivalve shell-fish.

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 92
[45 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Acephalan [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Belonging to the Acephala.

Acephalan [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Same as Acephal.

Acephali [Noun plural] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. A fabulous people reported by ancient writers to have heads.

2. A Christian sect without a leader.

3. Bishops and certain clergymen not under regular diocesan control.

4. A class of levelers in the time of K. Henry I.

Acephali Encyclopedia Britannica

ACEPHALI (from ἀ privative, and κ ∈ φ αλ ή ), a head), a term applied to several sects as having no head or leader; and in particular to a sect that separated itself, in the end of the 5th century, from the rule of the patriarchs of Alexandria, and remained without king or bishop for more than 300 years (Gibbon, c. xlvii.)

Acephali was also the name given to the levellers in the reign of Henry I., who are said to have been so poor as to have no tenements, in virtue of which they might acknowledge a superior lord.

Acephali, or Acephalous Persons, fabulous monsters, described by some ancient naturalists and geographers as having no heads.

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 92
[111 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Acephalist [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One who acknowledges no head or superior.

Acephalocyst [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

A larval entozoon in the form of a subglobular or oval vesicle, or hydatid, filled with fluid, sometimes found in the tissues of man and the lower animals; -- so called from the absence of a head or visible organs on the vesicle. These cysts are the immature stages of certain tapeworms. Also applied to similar cysts of different origin.

Acephalocystic [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Pertaining to, or resembling, the acephalocysts.

Acephalous [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Without a head, headless. In history, the term Acephali, or Acephalites was given to several sects who refused to follow some noted leader, and to such bishops as were exempt from the jurisdiction and discipline of their patriarch. It was also given to certain levelers who acknowledged no head in the reign of Henry 1st. It was also applied to the Blemmyes, a pretended nation of Africa, and to other tribes in the East, whom ancient naturalists represented as having no head; their eyes and mouth being placed in other parts. Modern discoveries have dissipated these fictions. In English Laws, men who held lands of no particular lord, and clergymen who were under no bishop.

Acephalous [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Headless.

2. Without a distinct head; -- a term applied to bivalve mollusks.

3. Having the style spring from the base, instead of from the apex, as is the case in certain ovaries.

4. Without a leader or chief.

5. Wanting the beginning.

6. Deficient and the beginning, as a line of poetry.

Acephalus [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

an obsolete name of the taenia or tape worm, which was formerly supposed to have no head; an error now exploded. the term is also used to express a verse defective in the beginning.

Acer Encyclopedia Britannica

ACER. See Maple.

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 93
[3 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Acerate [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Acerose; needle-shaped.

Acerate [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

A combination of aceric acid with a salifiable base.

Acerb [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste; sour, with astringency or roughness; a quality of unripe fruits.

Acerb [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit; sharp and harsh.

Acerbate [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

To sour; to imbitter; to irritate.

Acerbi Encyclopedia Britannica

ACERBI, Giuseppe (Joseph), an Italian traveller, born at Castel-Goffredo, near Mantua, on the 3d May 1773, studied at Mantua, and devoted himself specially to natural science. In 1798 he undertook a journey through Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Lapland; and in the following year he reached the North Cape, which no Italian had previously visited. He was accompanied in the latter part of the journey by the Swedish colonel Skiöldebrand, an excellent landscape-painter. On his return Acerbi stayed for some time in England, and published his Travels through Sweden, &c. (London, 1802), which was translated into German (Weimar, 1803), and, under the author’s personal superintendence, into French (Paris, 1804). The French translation received numerous corrections, but even in this amended form the work contains many mistakes. Acerbi rendered a great service to Italian literature by starting the Biblioteca Italiana (1816), in which he opposed the pretensions of the Academy della Crusca. Being appointed Austrian consul-general to Egypt in 1826, he entrusted the management of the Biblioteca to Gironi, contributing to it afterwards a series of valuable articles on Egypt. While in the East he obtained for the museums of Vienna, Padua, Milan, and Pavia many objects of interest. He returned from Egypt in 1836, and took up his residence in his native place, where he occupied himself with his favourite study till his death in August 1846.

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 1, p. 93
[231 words — estimated reading time: 2 minutes]

Acerbic [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Sour or severe.

Acerbitude [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Sourness and harshness.

Smallness Roget’s Thesaurus §32

N. smallness, littleness, tenuity, paucity, fewness, meanness, insignificance (unimportance) 643, mediocrity, moderation, small quantity, modicum, trace, hint, minimum, vanishing point, material point, atom, particle, molecule, corpuscle, point, speck, dot, mote, jot, iota, ace, minutiae, details, look, thought, idea, soupcon, dab, dight, whit, tittle, shade, shadow, spark, scintilla, gleam, touch, cast, grain, scruple, granule, globule, minim, sup, sip, sop, spice, drop, droplet, sprinkling, dash, morceau, screed, smack, tinge, tincture, inch, patch, scantling, tatter, cantlet, flitter, gobbet, mite, bit, morsel, crumb, seed, fritter, shive, snip, snippet, snick, snack, snatch, slip, scrag, chip, chipping, shiver, sliver, driblet, clipping, paring, shaving, hair, nutshell, thimbleful, spoonful, handful, capful, mouthful, fragment, fraction, drop in the ocean, animalcule, trifle, mere nothing, next to nothing, hardly anything, just enough to swear by, the shadow of a shade, finiteness, finite quantity

V. be small, lie in a nutshell, diminish, (contract) 195

Adj. small, little, diminutive, minute, fine, inconsiderable, paltry, faint, slender, light, slight, scanty, scant, limited, meager, sparing, few, low, so-so, middling, tolerable, no great shakes, below par, under par, below the mark, at a low ebb, halfway, moderate, modest, tender, subtle, inappreciable, evanescent, infinitesimal, homeopathic, very small, atomic, corpuscular, microscopic, molecular, subatomic, mere, simple, sheer, stark, bare, near run, dull, petty, shallow, stolid, ungifted, unintelligent

Adv. to a small extent, on a small scale, a little bit, a wee bit, slightly, imperceptibly, miserably, wretchedly, insufficiently, imperfectly, faintly, passably, pretty well, well enough, partially, in part, in a certain degree, to a certain degree, to a certain extent, comparatively, some, rather in some degree, in some measure, something, somewhat, simply, only, purely, merely, at least, at the least, at most, at the most, ever so little, as little as may be, tant soit peu, in ever so small a degree, thus far, pro tanto, within bounds, in a manner, after a fashion, so to speak, almost, nearly, well-nigh, short of, not quite, all but, near upon, close upon, peu s'en faut, near the mark, within an ace of, within an inch of, on the brink of, scarcely, hardly, barely, only just, no more than, about, thereabouts, somewhere about, nearly, say, be the same, be little more or less, no ways, no way, no wise, not at all, not in the least, not a bit, not a bit of it, not a whit, not a jot, not a shadow, in no wise, in no respect, by no means, by no manner of means, on no account, at no hand

Phr. dare pondus idonea fumo, magno conatu magnas nugas, "small sands the mountain, moments make the year", quantity by comparison with a similar object

{opp. 100} Unity Roget’s Thesaurus §87

N. unity, oneness, individuality, solitude, isolation, unification, one, unit, ace, individual, none else, no other

V. be one, be alone, dine with duke humphrey, isolate, render one, unite, (combine) 48

Adj. one, sole, single, solitary, unitary, individual, apart, alone, kithless, unaccompanied, unattended, solus, single-handed, singular, odd, unique, unrepeated, azygous, first and last, isolated, insular, monospermous, unific, uniflorous, unifoliate, unigenital, uniliteral, unijocular, unimodal, unimodular, lone, lonely, lonesome, desolate, dreary, insecable|, inseverable, indiscerptible, compact, indivisible, atomic, irresolvable

Adv. singly, alone, by itself, per se, only, apart, in the singular number, in the abstract, one by one, one at a time, simply, one and a half, sesqui-

Phr. natura il fece, e poi roppe la stampa, du fort au faible, "two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one"

Amusement Roget’s Thesaurus §840

N. amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig*, skirtdance, stag dance, virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco|, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, sir roger de coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat*, bum*, bust*, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree*, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear *, turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, bank holiday, may day, derby day, saint monday, easter monday, whit monday, bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, arbor day, declaration day, independence day, labor day, memorial day, thanksgiving day, mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public) 737a, arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall-mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may i, french and english, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag &c. billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, american bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, pope joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty-one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, polish bank, earl of coventry, napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my-neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere &c. chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto &c. scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, "quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles", entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman

V. amuse, entertain, divert, enliven, tickle the fancy, titillate, raise a smile, put in good humor, cause laughter, create laughter, occasion laughter, raise laughter, excite laughter, produce laughter, convulse with laughter, set the table in a roar, be the death of one, recreate, solace, cheer, rejoice, please, interest, treat, regale, amuse oneself, game, play a game, play pranks, play tricks, sport, disport, toy, wanton, revel, junket, feast, carouse, banquet, make merry, drown care, drive dull care away, frolic, gambol, frisk, romp, caper, dance, keep up the ball, run a rig, sow one's wild oats, have one's fling, take one's pleasure, paint the town red*, see life, desipere in loco, play the fool, make holiday, keep holiday, go a maying, while away the time, beguile the time, kill time, dally, smile, simper, smirk, grin, grin like a cheshire cat, mock, laugh in one's sleeve, laugh, laugh outright, giggle, titter, snigger, crow, snicker, chuckle, cackle, burst out, burst into a fit of laughter, shout, split, roar, shake one's sides, split one's sides, hold both one's sides, roar with laughter, die with laughter

Adj. amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious|, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, "pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw", laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles

Adv. "on the light fantastic toe", at play, in sport

Int. vive la bagatelle, vogue la galere, phr, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, "(every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed with minstrelsy", misce stullitiam consiliis brevem