atterate 
373 
atteratet, atterationt. See ntti;rrate, atterra- attestive (.i-tcs'tivj, n. [<. utt<-st + -//<.] <;i\- 
tinii. ing attestation; attesting. [Rare.] 
attestor, . See iltlixlir. 
Atthis (at'this), n. [NL., < Gr. \\rlin , Attic. At- 
tica.] A genus of diminutive humming-birds. 
attercop (at'er-kop), . [=Sc. etterm/i ; < ME. 
iittfiTi>t>, altercoppe, < AS. dttercoppe (= Dan. 
edderkup), a spider, < dtor, poison (see alt< r ] ). 
+ ''copite, < cop, head, round lump, or m/i/>, 
a cup: see oofti, cobieeb, cop 1 , and cw;.] 1. A 
spider. [Old and prov. Eng.] 2. Figura- 
tively, a peevish, testy, ill-uatured person. 
[North. Eng.] 
atterlyt (at'er-li). n. [< ME. uttcrlirli, < AS. </- 
ttc (= OHO. eit'irlili), poisonous, < dim; poison, 
+ -lie: see ittterl and -/y 1 .] Poisonous; attery. 
atterminal, . Seo adterminal. 
atterrt, <. '. ( cr 2 . 
atterratet, atteratet (at'e-rat), r. . [< ML. 
utterrutiiK, pp. <> iilliri'iin , carry earth from 
one place to another: see otter 2 .] To fill up 
with earth, especially with alluvium. 
Allfnilfd l>.v bind lirmiuht down by floods. 
Ray, Diss. of World, v. 
atterrationt, atterationt (at-e-ra'shon), n. [< 
nit* rruti', <itti;rnte.~\ The process of filling up 
with earth ; especially, the formation of land 
by alluvial deposits. 
atteryt, attryt, a. [< ME. attri, < AS. iettriy, 
ivtrig, poisonous (=()ll(). < iliiriij), < n-ttnr, ator, 
poison: see atter 1 .] Poisonous; pernicious. 
Than rnmeth also of ire attry anger. 
Chaucer, Parson's Tale. 
attest (a-tesf), v. [= F. attestcr, OF. atester 
= Sp. atestar = Pg. attextar = It. attestare, < L. 
attestari, bear witness to, < ad, to, + testari. 
bear witness, < fes#, a witness: see testify.] 
1. Zraws. 1. To bear witness to; certify; affirm 
to be true or genuine ; declare the truth of in 
words or writing ; especially, affirm in an official 
capacity: as, to attest the truth of a writing; 
to attest a copy of a document. 
The most monstrous fables . . . attested with the ut- 
most solemnity. QoUxmtth, Citizen of the World, xvi. 
This sale of a tract, twelve miles square, was formally 
attested at Manhattan. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., II. 44. 
2. To make evident ; vouch for ; give proof or 
evidence of; manifest. 
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds 
Attest their Joy, that hill and valley rings. 
Jfflfon, P. L., ii. 495. 
The rancor of the disease attests the strength of the con* 
stitutlon. Emerson, Conduct of Life. 
3. To call to witness ; invoke as knowing or 
conscious. [Obsolete or archaic.] 
The sacred streams which heaven's Imperial state 
Attest* in oaths, and fears to violate. Dryden. 
4. To put upon oath ; swear in. 
If a proposed recruit, when taken before a Justice of the 
peace, . . . should change his mind, he is dismissed upon 
paying a fine of twenty shillings, popularly called smart 
money ; but If he does not, he is attested, and after that, 
should he abscond, he is considered and punished as a de- 
serter. A. Fonblanque, Jr. 
Attesting Witness, a person who signs his name to an 
instrument to prove it, and for the purpose of identifying 
the maker or makers. =Syn. 1. To confirm, corroborate, 
support, authenticate, prove. 
II. intrans. To bear witness ; make an at- 
testation : with to : as, to attest to a statement 
or a document. 
attest (a-tesf), n. [< attest, v.~\ Witness; tes- 
timony ; attestation. [Now chiefly used at the end 
of a document, as introductory to the name of one au- 
thenticating it by his signature.] 
There is a credence in my heart, 
An esperance so obstinately strong, 
That doth invert the attest of eyes and ears. 
SAo*., T. and C., v. 2. 
attestation (at-es-ta'shon), n. [< F. attesta- 
tion, < LL. attestatio(n-), < L. attestari, pp. at- 
testatus: see attest, .] 1. The act of attest- 
ing; a declaration, verbal or written, in sup- 
port of a fact ; evidence ; testimony. 
The applause of the crowd makes the head giddy, but 
the attestation of a reasonable man makes the heart glad. 
Steele, Spectator, No. 188. 
I would not willingly spare the attestation which they 
took pleasure in rendering to each other's characters. 
Everett, Orations, I. 146. 
2. The administration of an oath, as to a mili- 
tary recruit. See attest, 4 Attestation clause, 
a clause usually appended to wills, after the signature of 
the testator and before that of the witnesses, reciting the 
due performance of the formalities required by the law. 
attestative (a-tes'ta-tiv), a. [< L. attestatus, 
pp. of attestari (see attest, v.), + -ive.] Of the 
nature of attestation; corroborative: as, attes- 
tuliri" evidence. 
attestator (at'es-ta-tpr), . [= It. attestatore, 
< L. as if 'attestator, <! attestare, pp. attestatus: 
see attest, .] An attestor. 
attester, attestor (a-tes'ter, -tor), . One who 
attests or vouches for. [Attestor is the com- 
mon form in legal phraseology.] 
attire 
atticet, i: t. [Early tnod. E. also n/w. < ME. 
itlixi'H, illi/xru. < ']'. ulisirr, utiriir. nti.*-ir, mod. 
I', n Him r = 1'r. Sp. aticar = I'K- iiticur = It. 
iittiditre, < L. as if "nt/itiiiri', stir the lire, < ml, 
to, + titio(n-), a firebrand: <-t. ML. tUionari = 
F. tifiiiniii'f, stir the fire. (')'. r/iC/.] To insti- 
gate; allure; entice, 
atticementt, " Instigation; enlii'i'ini'iit. 
Atticise, c. See I' 
Atticism (at'i-sizm), . [< Gr. 'AmKiafior, a sid- 
ing with Athens, Attic nt\|e, < bmxlftev, At- 
ticize: see Atticize.] 1. A peculiarity of style 
or idiom belonging to the (iroek language a 
nsi'd by the Athenians; Attic elegance of dic- 
tion ; concise and elegant expression. 
They thought themselves gallant men. and I thought 
thi'in fciolK, tlu-y made sjwrt, anil I hiught, they mispro- 
nounc't and I mislik't, and T.I make up the atticism-, iln ,\ 
were out, and I hist. Hilton, Apology for .Smectyn.nuus. 
Attic lliiiiii!Mtit-.|>ird (Atlhit /t 
having the metallic scales of the throat pro- 
longed into a ruff, as in A. helmsa:, the Attic 
humming-bird of the southwestern United 
States. 
Attic 1 (at'ik), it. and . [= !'. . I Ifii/iif = Hp. Atl- 
co = Pg. It. Attieo, < L. Atticus, < Gr. 'ATTIKOC,, 
Attic, Athenian, < 'ATTIKJ/, Attica, a province of 
Greece ; supposed by some to stand for *atcrurfi, 
fern. adj. equiv. to aurata, on the coast, < aurii, 
coast, prop, headland, promontory ; 'A/mJ is the 
ancient name of the headland of the Piraeus. 
According to others, ATTOB? stands for "'Aarm/, 
< &OTV, city: see asteism.'] I. a. Pertaining to 
Attica, or to the city or state of Athens ; Athe- 
nian; marked by such qualities as were char- 
acteristic of the Athenians. Attic base, in arch., 
a base used properly with the Ionic order, consisting of 
an upper torus, a scotla, and a lower torus, separated by 
fillets. See cut under bane. Attic dialect, the dialect of 
Greek used by the ancient Athenians, and regarded as the 
standard of the language. It was a subdivision of the 
Ionic, but is often spoken of as a coordinate dialect ; 
it is distinguished from the Ionic by a more frequent 
retention of an original a (a) sound, and by Its avoid- 
ance of hiatus, especially through contraction. Its chief 
literature belongs to the fifth and fourth centuries B. C. 
As written during the greater part of the former cen- 
tury, it is known as old Attic; in its transition to the 
next century, as middle A Hie ; and during the greater part 
of the fourth century, as new Attic. It passed after this 
into the Koine or common dialect, the general Greek of 
the Alexandrine and Roman periods, departing more or 
less from its former classic standard. Attic faith, invio- 
lable faith. Attic hummer, a humming-bird of the ge- 
nus Atthis. Attic Salt, wit of a dry, delicate, and refined 
quality. Attic school, in art. See Hellenic art, under 
Hellenic. Attic Style, a pure, chaste, and elegant style. 
II. n. 1. A native or an inhabitant of Attica, 
the territory of the ancient Athenian state, 
now an eparchy of the kingdom of Greece ; an 
Athenian. 2. The Attic dialect ; Attic Greek. 
attic 2 (at'ik), n. [= F. attique = Sp. dtico = 
Pg. It. attico, an attic, < L. Atticus, Attic: see 
Attic of St. Peter's. Rome. 
A, attic of the main edifice ; ff, attic of the dome. 
Attic 1 , and extract below.] 1. In arch., a low 
story surmounting an entablature or the main 
cornice of a building. Also called attic story. 
The term [attic] appears to have been Introduced by the 
architects of the seventeenth century, with the Intention 
of conveying (falsely] the idea that the feature to which 
it alluded was constructed or designed in the Athenian 
manner. Audgley, Diet, of Architecture. 
2. A room in the uppermost part of a house, 
immediately beneath the roof or leads ; a garret. 
They stare not on the stars from out their attic*. 
Byron, Beppo, St. 78. 
Attic order, a name sometimes given to small pillars or 
pilasters decorating the exterior of an attic. 
Atticalt (at'i-kal), a. [< Attic* + -al.] Per- 
taining to Attica or Athens ; Attic ; pure ; clas- 
sical. Hammond. 
i lii>:h occurs Luke xiil. 9: "If it bear 
fruit, well." Abp. Kewcome, Eng. Biblical Trans., p. 27K. 
2. A siding with, or favoring the cause of, the 
Athenians. 
Put to death by I'ajdaritus for atlician. 
ll>,ii<ji-x, It. at Thucydkles, viii. :o*. 
Atticist (at'i-sist), n. One who affects Attii- 
style. 
Atticize (at'i-giz), t'. ; pret. and pp. Atticizett, 
ppr. Atticizing. [= L. Atticissare, < Gr. 'Arri- 
KI&IV, side with the Athenians, speak Attic, 
< 'ATTIKOS, Attic, Athenian : see Attic 1 .'] I. in- 
trans. 1. To use Atticisms or idioms peculiar 
to Attic Greek. 2. To favor or side with the 
Athenians. Dean Smith. 
II. trans. To make conformable to the lan- 
guage or idiom of Attica. 
Also spelled Atticise. 
attid (at id), n. A jumping-spider; a member 
of the family A ttida 1 . 
Attidae (at'i-<le), . pi. [NL., < Attus + -ida:.~} 
A family of saltigrade dipneumonous araneids 
with a short body, flattened cephalothorax, and 
eyes usually in three transverse rows; the 
jumping-spiders. Their chief characteristic is that the 
median foremost pair of eyes are much larger and the 
hindmost pair smaller than the others. They spin no 
webs, but capture their prey by leaping upon It. The 
species are very numerous. 
Attidian (a-tid'i-an), a. Of or pertaining to 
the ancient town of Attidium in Umbria At- 
tldlan Brethren, a corporation of twelve priests in 
ancient Umbria, who had authority over a considerable 
region, and who are known only from the Kugubine tables, 
the Umbrian inscriptions on which are records of their 
acts. See Eutrubina. 
attigUOUSt (a-tig'u-us), a. [< L. attiguus, 
touching, contiguous, < attigere, older form of 
attingere, touch: see attinge, a.n&zt. contiguous.'] 
Near; adjoining; contiguous. 
attiguousnesst (a-tig'u-us-nes), n. The quali- 
ty or state of being attiguous. Bailey. 
attihawmeg (at-i-ha'meg), n. [Amer. Ind.] 
A kind of whitefish, of the genus Curegonus 
and family Salmonida?, abundant in the great 
lakes of North America, and a delicious food- 
fish. 
Attila (at'i-la), . [NL., named from Attila, 
king of the Huns.] In ornith., a genus of 
South American tyrant flycatchers, family 
Tyrannida; sometimes giving name to a sub- 
family Attilina-. A. cinerea is the type, and 
about 12 other species are included in the 
genus. 
attinget (a-tinj'), v. t. [< L. attingere, older 
form attigere, touch, border upon, be near, < ad, 
to, + tangere, touch: see tangent.] To touch; 
come in contact with ; hence, affect ; influence. 
attire (a-tir'), r. t. ; pret. and pp. attired, ppr. 
attiring. [Also by apheresis tire (see tin*) ; 
< ME. atiren, atyren, < OF. atircr, earlier afirter 
(= Pr. atieirar), put in order, arrange, dress; 
< a tire (= Pr. a tieira), in order, in a row : a 
(< L. ad), to ; tire, tiere (= Pr. tieira, tiera = It. 
liera), order, row, file, dress: see tier 2 ."] To 
dress ; clothe ; array ; adorn. 
With the linen mitre shall he [Aaron] bv attired. 
Lev. xvi. 4. 
His shoulders large a mantle did attire, 
With rubies thick, and sparkling as the fire. 
Dryden, Pal. and Arc., 1. 1346. 
The woman who attired her head. 
Tennyson, Geralnt. 
attire (a-tir'), . [Also by apheresis tire (see 
tire*, n"); < ME. atire, atir, atyr, dress, equip- 
ment; from the verb.] 1. Dress; clothes; 
garb; apparel. 
Earth In her rich attire 
Consummate lovely smiled. 
Milton, P. L., vli. 601. 
