456 Mr. Pickering on the present state of the English language 
the clergy as a sort of technical term, to denote a person who is licensed to 
jrreach ; they would say, sucha one is afprobated, that is; licensed to 
“freach, Yt is also common in New England to say of a person} who’ is |i- 
~-eensed by the county courts to sell spirituous liquors, or to‘keep a’ public 
house, that he is apipirobated ; and the term is adopted in the» law - Mas- 
- sachusetts on this’ ‘subject. 
To ATTAIN. The use of this verb, without the preposition fo, has been said by 
some to be peculiar to American writers; but this is not the case. Dr. 
“Campbell (Philos. of Riet. B. ii, ch. 2. p. 207. Boston ed.) ranks this verb 
among those “ which are used either with or without a preposition indis- 
criminately.” , 
ASSOCIATION. «A convention of clergymen: New England.” ‘Webst. See 
Consociation. . 
AUTHORITY. « In Connecticut, the Magistracy, or body of Justices.” Webst. 
Used also, at some of our colleges, (as I am informed nt a Ay mag in speak- 
ing of the officers of the institution collectively. ; 
AVAILED. Dr. vero notices, among his “ 47: ag nisms,” a mode 
_ of using this p a 4 The ‘mem s ofa F ie lar g ’ ment t should 
de availed of thé’: etaston and nate or every, soos a The author of 
this did not know,” he adds, “ that avaid is neither an active nor passive, but 
a reciprocal verb ; a man is said to avail himself of any thing, but not to 
avail others, or be availed by them.” Druid, No.7. I think I have obsery- 
ed this idiom in one or two instances in conversation ; but no American 
would, at this day, use it in writing. 
AVAILS. « Proceeds of property sold, produce. Connecticut.” Webst. 
To AVERAGE. “ To reduce to a mean.” Webst. It is also used as a neuter 
verb. “ The work will be comprised in fifteen or sixteen yolumes, averag- 
ing from four to five hundred pages each.” A friend has suggested a 
doubt whether this is a legitimate English vers. I do not recollect seeing 
it in any English publications, 
AWFUL; ugly, disagreeable. _ Many of the people of New England would call 
a disagreeable medicine, awful; they would call an ugly woman, an awful- 
éooking woman ; an ill natured child would be said to behave awfully, if he 
