asomatous 
asomatous (a-so'ma-tus), a. (< <!r. " , 
without a body, < u- priv. + ir<j//a(r-), body.] 
Without a material body ; incorporeal. [Kare.] 
Asopia (a-s..' pi-it), H. [NL. ; cf. ./.w/-.v.] A 
genus of pymlid moths. A. furinalis i 
meal-moth. 
Asopin* (as-o-pi'ne), . pi. [NL., < Axopux - 
-inn:] A subfamily of hetcropten, us Insects, 
typitied by the genus .Ixopux. Also AtOpVM. 
AsopUS (u-so'pus), n. [NL., appar. < L. AtO- 
IIHX, dr. '\nu-ia;, name of several rivers and ot 
a river-god.] A genus of heteropterous in- 
sects, of the family I'entatomida. 
asor (as'or), . [Heb.J A ten-stringed musi- 
eal instrument of the Hebrews, played with a 
,,lcelriiiii, mid sii].]ioseil to liave borne some re- 
semblance to the neliel. N. A". SonMOOk Mils. 
/nxl.,]>. l!>. 
asp 1 (asp), n. [< MK. nxp, itspe, espe, < AS. 
n-x/i <(/, nx/u; rxjii; I nuisposed aipts, = D. esp = 
< 1 1 1 ( i'. nx/m, M I IG. aspe, G. espe = Icel. osp, asp, 
rx/ii, ,-ispen wood, = Dan. Hw. asp, asp; origin 
unknown. The E. form iisprit is prop, an adj. : 
sec- nxpi'ii.] A European tree of the poplarfam- 
ilv. I'li/illliix /ri-miiln. In America a similar species, 
P. trniiiiliiiiles. is known as the quaking asp, or aspen. 
The white poplar, P. alba, is also H -times called the 
ir/ni,' ,i.,,,. The form aspen is also common. 
asn" (asp), " [In ME - as L -> /; OF. o*pe = 
^.* x ,^ TT1 .' _ V T^ .' .1 . ,. \ ttn 
, . 
Pr. aspic (> P. o/>, > E. 
q. v.) = Sp. 
axpill. HSpide = 
Pg. It. aspidi: 
< L. asm. 1 * (x- 
pirf-), < Gr. <i<nriV 
(atjmrf-), an asp, 
Egyptian vi- 
per. J 1. A very 
venomous ser- 
pent of Egypt, 
celebrated in 
connection with 
the story of 
Cleopatra's sui- 
cide. It is identi- 
fied with greatest 
Asp (AV *!/) probability with 
tin- horned viper, of the genus Cerastes, a snake about IB 
inches long The name has also been commonly applied tc . 
the A'oia haje. a species attaining a length of 3 or 4 feet, 
related to and resembling the Indian cobra, Naja tnptt- 
dianx. It is of a mottled green 
and brown color, with the skin of 
the neck dilatable, though less 
so than that of the true cobra. 
This serpent is of frequent oc- 
currence along the Nile, and is 
the sacred serpent of ancient 
Egypt, represented commonly 
in art as a part of the head- 
dress of kings and divinities, 
and often connected with their 
emblems, as a symbol of royal 
power. In archioology it is 
usually known as the uneus. 
2. The common viper or 
adder of Europe, a feebly 
poisonous serpent, for- 
merly named Vipera com- 
ma nix. now Pclias ocrus, of 
the family Viperidai. See 
cut under adder. 3. A 
name of sundry other poi- 
sonous serpents. 
Aspic and aspick are obsolete or poetic forms. 
Aspalacidae (as-pa-las'i-de), n. pi. Same as 
Spalacida:. 
Aspalacinae (as-pal-a-si'ne), n. pi. Same as 
Asp, as an Egyptian royal 
symbol. Seti I., father of 
Ramcses II. 
. 
aspalathus (as-pal'a-thus), n. [L., < Gr. aaicd- 
/ after, a prickly shrub yielding a fragrant oil.] 
1. An unknown aromatic thorny shrub men- 
tioned in the Apocrypha and by some of the 
old herbalists. 
I nave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus. 
Ecclus. xxiv. IB. 
2. [cap.] The South African broom, a large 
genus of African plants, natural order Legumi- 
nosce, with small heath-like leaves, and gener- 
ally with yellow flowers. 
Aspalax (as'pa-laks). w. Same as Spalax. 
asparagi (as-par'a-ji), n. pi. [NL., pi. of as- 
piiriiiiti*.] In to?., scaly shoots from under 
ground, as in asparagus. Also called turions. 
asparagic (as-pa-raj y ik), a. [< asparagus + 
-ic.] Same as aspartic. 
asparagin, asparagine (as-par'a-jin), n. [< an- 
l>iirniiiix + -in 2 , -INC 2 .] A crystallized sub- 
stance (C4H 8 N 2 O 3 ) found in the juice of as- 
paragus, beets, and other vegetables, in the 
sprouts of cereals, and in leguminous seeds 
during germination. It is an amide of aspartic acid, 
and forms compounds with both acids and bases. Some- 
times called iilllfiii or n.-iiiimniiil. 
asparaglnoUS (as-pa-raj'i-nus), n. [< asjiarn- 
i/ii.i + -in- + -OW.J Belonging to asparagus; 
resembling asparagus ; specifically, having ten- 
der edible shoots like those nf asparagus: as. 
nx/iiiriiiiiniiiix plants. 
asparagus (as-par'a-gus), w. [< L. (ixptirnijiix, < 
Gr. iin-i'ifia',"':, Attic iim,wi/>;';. asparagus; said 
to Ixi of Pers. origin. In ML. by apheresis aN.i 
x)>nrn,/iit:. x/i /</!, > It. xiiarn;/in, OF. ix/irrni/i. 
> early mod. K. x/r//r, x/wi /.</<, sperach. The 
ML. form sparni/iix was in K. iilteredby popular 
etymology into s/Mirttgraxx and xpurroir-grasx 
(sometimes simply </rxx), which were until re- 
cently in good literary use.] 1. A plant of the 
HCIMIS .tx/iin-iii/iix, espeeial!\ .1. n^ii-iiinlix. 2. 
[cap.] A largo genus of plants of the old world, 
natural order Liliacca: That which is cultivated in 
gardens, the common asparagus, or Asparagus oMcinalu, 
has a mueh-braiiched stem rising from thick and matted 
perennial root-stocks, ami small greenish-yellow Dowers. 
The narrow thread-like so-called leaves are in reality 
bram-ldets growing in clusters in the axils of the true but 
scale-like leaves. The roots have a bitterish mnoUagmotu 
taste, and the stalk is in some degree aperient and deob 
struent, but not very efficacious. The part eaten is the 
tin-ion, or young shoot covered with scales in place of 
leaves The sprouts contain the crystalline substance 
called asparayin. - French or Prussian asparagus, a 
name in some parts of England for the fleshy spike of 
th-iiitlii"liiliini /''/'' ml ii- a III. 
asparagus-bean (as-par'a-gus-ben), . 
lira n 1 , 1. 
asparagus-beetle (as-par'a-gus-be'tl), n. A 
name given to two species of leaf-beetles ( Crio- 
cerida-) of the genus Orioceris, C. asparagi 
(Linnteus) and C. ditodecimpunctata (Lmna?- 
us), which prey upon the asparagus-plant. 
Both species were 
imported into 
the United States 
from Europe. 
Both the beetles 
and their larva) 
feed upon the 
asparagus - plant, 
but the damage 
is principally 
done by the lar- 
vse. C.asvaraffi-ia 
blackish beneath, 
the thorax being 
reddish above, 
and the elytra Asparagus-beetle (Crtoceris asfurHg.,. 
ornamented with ai b,d, and t, beetle, eggs, and larva:, natural 
yellowish spots of size ; c ami/", eggs and larva, enlarged. 
varying extent. C. 
duodeciinpunctata is nearly uniformly reddish, the elytra 
having twelve small black spots. The larvre of the two 
species resemble each other closely : they are nearly cylin- 
drical, tapering somewhat toward the head, shining, and 
of a dirty olive-green color. 
asparagus-stone (as-par'a-gus-ston), . A 
yellowish-green variety of the mineral apatite, 
occurring m Spain in small transparent crys- 
tals. 
asparamide (as-par'a-mid), n. [< aspar(agin) 
+ amide.] Same & asparagin . 
asparginic (as-par-jin'ik), a. [< aspar(a)gin + 
-if.] Same as aspartic. 
asparmate (as-par'mat), n. [< aspar(a)m(ide) 
+ -atfl.] Same as aspartate. 
aspartate(as-par'tat), . [< ajy>art(ic) + -ate*.] 
Any salt of aspartie acid. 
aspartic (as-par'tik), a. [< aspar(agin) + -t-ic.] 
Pertaining to or obtained from asparagin. Also 
asparagic, asparginic Aspartic add, C' 4 H 7 NO4, a 
crystalline acid derived from asparagin. 
aspet, n. An old spelling of ax;ii and asp- 1 . 
aspect (as'pekt, formerly as-pekt'), . [< ME. 
aspect, < L. aspcctus, seeing, look, appearance, 
countenance, < aspicere, look, behold, < ad, to, 
+ specere, look : see species and spy.] 1. The 
act of seeing, or of looking at anything ; view ; 
gaze; glance; look. [Archaic.] 
Some other mistress hath thy' sweet airpectn. 
Shak., C. of E., ii. 2. 
His aspect was bent on the ground. Sco. 
Meeting the cold aspect of Duty. 
O. H'. Holtim, Autocrat, xi. 
2. Countenance ; look or particular appearance 
of the face; mien; air: as, a mild or severe 
aspect. 
Wiser princes patron the arts, and carry an indulgent 
aspect unto scholars. Sir T. Broime, Religio Medici, ii. 8. 
Yet, had his aspect nothing of severe, 
But such a face as promis'd him sincere. 
Dryden, Character of Good Parson, i. 1" 
aspen 
What a eolli-.-inte <i*/-i-l has that tine- Kli/abetlian hall, 
where the fountain p!a>s '. Lnnil,. ul,| I'.rn.-bcre. 
4. One of the ways in which a thing maybe 
viewed or contemplated: as, to present an ob- 
ject or a subject in its true uxpi-rl ; in a double 
'iix/ii-rt ; a favorable nspi-rt. 
Something loftier, more adorm-d, 
Than is the emi m nxjiffl, daily garb, 
Of human life. WtrtHHTtk, I'lelu.le, i. 
Illdoubtedt.V e havi- a right to make lie" onU, as 
the> are DMded b> Hi.- fn-h MMeftmider which life pie 
lantl it-ell h.ie in the New World; and, indeed, wher- 
ever a language is alive, it grow*. 
/.-,//, Introd. t" Kirlow I'aper,. I t Her. 
5. Practical bearing or reference. [K:u-o. ] 
Tile .,/,-/ of atonement is obviollsh toward . reatlires. 
working ette.-ts on them, not on Hod. 
./. tUllu-fl. Christ. Atonement, p. 1117. (A. h. />.) 
6. View commanded ; prospect ; outlook. 
This town has a good a*i*cl toward the- hill from whence 
we de.*,-eml.-d. 
[ Now used in this sense mainly with reference to the jxdnts 
of the compass: as, a house has a southern ,<.,/"' or a 
posure.J 
7. In astral., the relative positions of the plat 
ets as they appear at any given time to an ob- 
server upon the earth ; the combined look of 
the heavenly bodies from the earth. The aspect* 
are nine in nnlnber; (1) semisextilc, a difference ,,i k>O<i 
tude of :! ; (2) scmisciuare, of 45' : (3) extlle, of )" ; (4) 
iiuintile of 72' ; (ft) square or (|iiartile, of i>0 ; (6) trine, of 
W (7) ses(|uii|uadrate, of 135 ; (8) biquintile, of 1- 
(U) opixisition, of 1WV. To these may be added conjunc- 
tion, which occura when the planeta have the name longl 
tude Good a*ixct* are the semisextilc, nextile, (luilltile, 
trine, and biquintile. Had asj.ct are the seniisqnare, 
square, sesqulquadrate, and opposition. Miimlnne a*- 
pect are such as are formed by the houses In horary as- 
trology and by the semiarcg of the planet* in nativities. 
The glorious planet, Sol, ... whose mcd'clnable eye 
Corrects the 111 aspects of planets evil. 
Shak., T. and C., i. 3. 
We, that behold the sad aspects of heaven, 
Leading sense-blinded men, feel grief enough 
To know, though not t<> speak, their miseries. 
Beau, and Fl., Thierry and Theodoret, Iii. 3. 
8. In her., the position of an animal with ref- 
erence to the spectator Ambulacral aspect. 
See ambulacral. Aspect of a plane, in math., the direc- 
tion of Its normal. In full aspect. Same as a/ronte, 2. 
In trlan aspect, in a position between a/rvnte and 
iMssant. -Mesial aspect. See mesial. 
aspectt (as-pekt'), v. t. [< L. aspectare, look at, 
view, freq. of aspicerc, look at : see aspect, n.] 
To behold ; look upon. 
Happy in their mistakes those people whom 
The northern pole aspects. 
Sir W. Temple, tr. of Lucan, in Heroic \ irtne. 
aspectable (as-pek'ta-bl), a. [< L. aspectabilis, 
that may be seen, < aspectare, see, look at : see 
aspect, r.] 1. Capable of being seen ; visible. 
What is In this aspectaUe world? Bay, Creation. 
2. Fair or fit to be seen. 
Via Vittoi-ia, the aspectable street 
Where he lived mainly. 
Bromiing, Ring and Book, I. 57. 
[Rare in both senses.] 
aspectant (as-pek'tant), a. [< L. aspectan(t-)s, 
ppr. of aspectare : see aspect, r.] In her., same 
as affronte, 2. 
aspected (as-pek'ted), p. a. "< aspect + -c&.] 
If. Looked at; viewed. 2. Having an aspect 
or look. [Rare.] 
Your lawyer's face, a contracted, a subtile, and intricate 
face, full of quirks and turnings, a labyrinthean face, now 
angularly, now circularly, every way aspected. 
B. Jonson, Cynthia s Revels, ii. 1. 
aspecting (as-pek'ting), ;>. a. [Ppr. of aspect.] 
Same as affronte, 2. 
aspectiont (as-pek'shon), . [< L. aspectio(n-), 
< aspicere, look at: see aspect, n.] The act of 
viewing or looking upon ; view. 
A Moorish queen, upon aspection of the picture of An- 
dromeda, conceived and brought forth a fair one. 
Sir T. Brotfiif. 
aspector (as-pek'tor), n. [< L. as if 'aspector, 
< aspicere, look at : "see aspect, n.] A beholder ; 
a spectator. J. Davies. [Rare 
, 
3. Appearance to the eye or mind; look: as, 
the physical aspect of the country. 
And then our arms, like to a muzzled hear, 
Save in aspect, have all offence seal'd up. 
Shak., K. John, ii. 1. 
How sweet, how fair, and lovely her aspects are ! 
Her eyes like bright Eoan flames, shoot through me. 
Fletcher (aiut another'!), Prophetess, iii. 3. 
The first-mentioned [galvanism] may contract a muscle, 
or relax the rigidity of an eye-lid, but it is the second 
[animal magnetism] that throws the diligent atpectiir into 
paroxysms. Jon Bee, Ess. on Samuel Foote. 
aspen (as'pen), a. and w. [< ME. aspen,<. AS. 
*a-spvn (not authenticated ; = OFries. espen = 
D. espen = G. cspen, a.), < *nw/>, a;spe, asp. + -en : 
see asp* and -eifl.] I. a. 1. Of or pertaining 
to the tree named asp. 
Nor aspen leaves confess the gentlest breeze. Gay. 
2. Tremulous, like an aspen-leaf ; quivering. 
U. ". [A mod. substantive use of the adj., 
prob. due to such phrases as aspen leaf, aspen 
tree, aspen wood, etc', regarded as compounds; 
cf. linden for lind.] Same as asp 1 . [Aspen is 
