axletree 
axletree (ak'sl-tre), n. [< ME. axel-tree, axil- 
trc, etc. (= Icel. oxul-tre), < axel + tree. Cf. ax- 
tree.} 1. A bar or beam fixed crosswise under 
the body of a carnage, having rounded axles at 
the ends for a pair of wheels to revolve on. 
Be hem tuniethe alle the firmament, right as clothe a 
wheel, that turneth be his axille tree. 
Maundemlle (eel. Halliwell), p. 182. 
2f. An axis. 
axle-yoke (ak'sl-yok), n. A plate beneath an 
axle through which the ends of the saddle-clip 
pass. It serves as a washer-plate for the nuts 
upon the ends of the saddle-clip. 
axman, axeman (aks'man), n. ; pi. axmen, axe- 
men (-men). 1. One who wields an ax ; one em- 
ployed in chopping ; a woodman. 
. 
Axemen were put to work getting out timber for bridges, 
nd cutting fuel for the locomotives when the road was 
completed. U. S. Grant, in The Century, XXXI. 136. 
2. Formerly, a soldier whose weapon was an ax. 
We hear nothing of any prisoners being taken, nothing 
of any of the axemf.n taking to flight. 
E. A. Freeman, Old Eng. Hist., p. 336. 
ax-master (aks'mas"ter), n. A name given in 
Honduras to a tree with very hard wood. Its 
genus is not known. 
Axminster carpet. See carpet. 
axoid (ak'soid), a. [< axis 1 + -aid.} Of or 
pertaining to the axis : used in anatomical terms, 
chiefly in composition: as, the occipito-axoid 
ligament. See axis 1 , 3. 
Axolotes (ak-so-16'tez), n. A Latinized form 
of axolotl, used as a generic name. See Sire- 
don. 
axolotl (ak'so-lotl), re. [Mex.] A urodele or 
tailed amphibian found in Mexico, which is 
supposed not to undergo metamorphosis, but 
Axolotl (Atnblystoma). 
to retain its gills throughout life, breeding in 
the larval state. From this circumstance the ani- 
mal was made the type of a distinct genus, Siredon, 
and was placed with Proteus, Siren, etc., in the family 
Proteidce, under the name of Siredon piscifonne. An- 
other species has been named Siredon lichenoides. Later 
observations, however, have shown that the axolotl, or 
siredon, is simply a prolonged, sometimes permanent, 
stage like that which all the species of salamandrines 
of the family Amblystomidte pass through, and that the 
animal is referable to the genus Amblystmna. Axolotls 
are common in lakes and lagoons in Mexico, like the vari- 
ous species of Amblystmna known in the United States 
as mud-puppies, water-dogs, etc. They have the appear- 
ance of gigantic tadpoles about to turn into frogs, being 
from 6 to 9 inches long, with a large compressed tail, 4 
legs, gill-tufts on each side of the neck, and obtuse flat- 
tened head. They are marketable in Mexico, where they 
are said to be deemed a luxury as an article of food. 
axometer (ak-som'e-ter), n. [< L. axis (Gr. 
afuv), axis, + metrum (Gr. /icrpov), measure.] 
An instrument used in adjusting the height of 
the bridge of a pair of spectacles, to bring the 
centers of the lenses in line horizontally with 
the centers of the pupils of the eyes. 
axqn (ak'son), . ; pi. axones (-ez). [< Gr. afwv, 
axis: see axis 2 , ax*.] In anat., the body-axis; 
the mesal, longitudinal, skeletal axis of the 
body, represented in Branchiostoma and em- 
bryos by a membrauogelatinous notochord, and 
in most adult vertebrates by the cartilaginous 
or osseous centra of the vertebra and the base 
of the skull. Wilder, N. Y. Med. Jour., Aug. 
2, 1884, p. 113. Also called axis. 
Axonia (ak-so'ni-a), n. pi. [NL., < Gr. auv, 
axis.] Organic forms, animal or vegetable, 
having definite axes : the opposite of Anaxonia. 
The Axonia are divided into Homaxonia, having all axes 
equal, as spherical and polyhedral forms, and Protaxonia, 
having one main axis about which other axes are arranged. 
The latter are again subdivided into Monaxonia and Stan- 
raxonia. See these words. 
axonometry (ak-so-nom'e-tri), n. [Irreg. < Gr. 
afuv, axis, + fterpov, measure.] The art of 
making a perspective representation of figures 
when the coordinates of points in them are 
given. Also written axinontetry. 
axqspermous ^ak-so-sper'mus), a. [< L. axis, 
axis, + Gr. c^tpfia, seed.] In bot., an epithet 
descriptive of compound fruits which have an 
axile placentation, the attachment of the seeds 
being toward the axis. 
axotomous (ak-sot'o-mus), a. [< L. axis (Gr. 
al-uv), axis, + Gr. TO^OC, < rifiveiv, ra/telv, cut.] 
In mineral., cleavable in a direction perpendic- 
ular to the axis. 
axseedt, . [< axi + seed.] Same as axfitch. 
404 
ax-shaped (aks'shapt), a. In bot., shaped like 
an ax or a hatchet; dolabriform. 
ax-stone (aks'ston), .. A mineral found chiefly 
in New Zealand and the South Sea islands, and 
used by the natives for axes and other cutting 
instruments, whence the name. Also called 
nephrite and jade. 
axtree (aks'tre), . [Sc., also aixtree, extree, < 
ME. axtre, extre, axtreo, < AS. *eaxtre6w, < eax, 
E. arc 2 , + treow, E. tree, beam. Cf. axletree.} 
An axletree. [Obsolete, except in Scotland.] 
A large pyn in maner of an extre. 
Chaucer, Astrolabe, p. 8. 
Thunder and earthquakes raging, and the rocks 
Tumbling from down their scyts like mighty blocks 
Rowl'd from huge mountains, such a noise they make, 
As though in sunder heav'ns huge axtree brake. 
Drayton, Poems (ed. Halliwell), p. 219. 
axunge (ak'sunj), . [< F. axunge, now axonge, 
< L. axungia, grease, fat, wagon-grease, < axis, 
axle, + imgere, grease: see unguent.} The in- 
ternal fat of the body, especially of pigs and 
geese ; fat ; lard. 
axungious (ak-sun'ji-us), a. [< axunge + -ious.} 
Lard-like ; fat ; greasy. Sir T. Browne. 
axvitcht, axwortt, Same as axfitch. 
ay 1 , aye 1 (a), adv. [< ME. ay, aye, ai.ei (in 
Ormulum agg), prop, a northern form (< Icel. ei, 
ey), the native form being ME. oo, o, earlier a, 
< AS. a (orig. *dw, with added adv. formative 
awa, awo) = OS. eo, io, gio = OFries. a-, e- (in 
comp.), = OHG. io, eo, MHG. ie, je, G. je = Icel. 
ei, ey (as above) = Goth. aiio=Gr. act, Ionic ale/, 
poet, or dial. aUf, aUv, ai$, aii, ai, aiv, airi, ai, 
alt, a'uv, aiv, t/i, orig. a'tFei, ever, always, prop, 
ace. (in Gr. locative) of a noun, AS. ai, cew (orig. 
*aw), existence, law, marriage, = OS. eo, law, = 
OFries. a, e, ewe, ewa, law, = OHG. ewa, MHG. 
ewe, e, eternity, law, marriage, = G. ehe, mar- 
riage, = Goth, aiws, an age, a long period, eter- 
nity, = L. atvum, OL. aevom (whence ult. E. age, 
eternal, q. v.) ; cf. Gr. aiitv, "alfuv (with unorig. 
formative v), an age, an eon (see eon) ; orig. 
appar. a going, a course, with formative -va, 
< I/ *i, Skt. i, Gr. l-evcu = L. i-re, go : see iter 
and go. This adv. was much used as a general- 
izing prefix (somewhat like the related suffix 
ever in whoever, whatever, etc.), and, fused with 
ge-, exists unrecognized in each, either. With 
the negative it exists in nay and wo 1 , which are 
related to each other as the simple ay and 
(obs.) o. The spelling ay, like nay, is histor- 
ically and analogically the proper one.] 1. 
Ever; always; for ever; continually; for an 
indefinite time. [Now only poetical and North. 
E. dial.] 
Care for the Conscience, & kepe it ai dene. 
The ABC of Aristotle (E. E. T. S., extra ser., VIII. i. 65). 
Let this pernicious hour 
Stand aye accursed in the calendar ! 
Shak., Macbeth, iv. 1. 
St. Ever: indefinitely, after if. 
Behold the man ! and tell me, Britomart, 
If ay more goodly creature thou didst see? 
Spenser, F. Q., III. ill. 32. 
For ay, for ever : sometimes strengthened by combination 
for ever and ay. 
The soul, though made in time, survives for ay; 
And though it hath beginning, sees no end. 
Sir J. Dames, Immortal, of Soul, xxix. 
ay 2 (a), interj. [Also aye, eigh (and, in this use, 
eh), < ME. ey, ei ; a mere interj., of no definite 
history, but it may be regarded, formally, as a 
variant of ME. a, E. ah,, oh. In the poetical 
ay me, prob. in imitation of OF. aymi, Sp. ay 
de mi, It. ahime; cf. F. ahi, ai, Sp. ay, It. ahi, 
ah: see ah, 0, oh, and cf. eh.} Ah! O! oh! 
an exclamation expressing surprise, interest, 
regret, etc., according to the manner of utter- 
ance. [North. Eng. and Scotch.] Ay me! ah 
me ! an expression of regret or sorrow. [Poetical.] 
Ay me ! that thankes so much should faile of meed. 
Spenser, Virgil's Gnat, 1. 353. 
ay 3 , adv. or interj. See ayeS. 
ay 3 , n. See aye*. 
ay 4 !, See eyl. 
Ay 5 (a), . A sparkling wine taking its name 
from the town of Ay in the department of 
Marne, France. See champagne. 
ay 6 . _ [(1) < ME. ay, ai, ey, ei, eg, etc., < AS. teg, 
eg, osg, eg, etc. ; (2) of other origin : see under 
ai.] A common English digraph (pron. a), 
formerly interchangeable in most instances 
with ai, but now the regular form when final 
occurring medially only in certain positions 
Historically it represents, (1) in words of Anglo-Saxon ori 
gin, a ()or e with an absorbed guttural, as in clai>, dayi 
layl, mayl, sayi,stayl, etc.; (2) in words of Scandinavian 
Romanic, Latin, or other origin, various diphthongs, ai 
ei, etc., as in ayi, nay, rayi, raj/2, stay'2, etc. In recent 
ayen 
words it is the ordinary representative of the sound a 
when final. See further under ai. 
ayah (ay'a), n. [Anglo-Ind., < Hind., etc., aya, 
aya, < Pg.' aia (= Sp. aya, = It. aja), nurse, gov- 
erness, fern, of aio (= Sp. ai/o = It. ajo), tutor; 
of uncertain origin.] In the East Indies, a 
native waiting-woman or lady's-maid; a nurse. 
ayapana (ii-ya-pa/na), n. [Braz.] The native 
name of Eupatorium triplinervc, a Brazilian 
plant, natural order Composite, at one time be- 
lieved to be a panacea. It is still considered 
to have some valuable medicinal properties. 
ayaya, . See aiaia. 
aye' (a), adv. See ayi. 
aye 2 (a), interj. See ay't. 
aye 3 , ay 3 (ai or i), adv. or interj. [Formerly also 
ai, ey, but at its first appearance, in the Eliza- 
bethan period, invariably printed / (often asso- 
ciated in puns with the pronoun 1). Earlier 
history unknown; possibly orig. a dial, form 
of ay, ever, always, worn down to a mere parti- 
cle of assent. Hardly, as commonly supposed, 
a corruption of yea. The spelling aye is pre- 
ferred, as making a distinction like that in eye 
from words in -ay, -ey with the reg. pron. a, as in 
bay, bey, gray, grey, etc.] 1. Yes; yea: a word 
expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to 
a question : opposed to no. It is common in dia- 
lectal and nautical language, and is the regular word used 
in voting *'yes" in Congress, the House of Commons, and 
other legislative bodies. In Congress the official terms, 
as in the Constitution, are yea and nay; but the more 
sonorous aye and 710 are preferred in making response. 
2. Yes; yea; even so; truly: indicating as- 
sent to what has been said, and introducing a 
further or stronger statement. 
What ! am I not your king? 
If ay, then am I not to be obey'd ? 
Beau, and Fl. , Philaster, iv. 2. 
The champions, ay, and exemplars too, of classical 
learning. Story, Speech, Cambridge, Aug. 31, 1826. 
3. Indeed : suggesting slight surprise, interro- 
gation, anger, or reproach, or simple atten- 
tion, according to the mode of pronunciation. 
Aye. aye, nauf. : (a) The phrase by which comprehen- 
sion of an order is expressed on board ship. (6) An answer 
to a sentry's hail or to a call. 
aye 3 , ay 3 (ai or i), n . [< aye ; adv. or in terj. ] An 
affirmative answer or vote in deliberative bod- 
ies. The ayes and noes, the yeas and nays, (a) The 
affirmative and negative votes. (6) Those who so vote. 
Hence The ayes have it, in deliberative bodies, the 
phrase employed by the presiding officer in declaring 
that the affirmative votes are in a majority. 
Another was the late Speaker Trevor, who had, from the 
chair, put the question, whether he was or was not a rogue, 
and had been forced to pronounce that the Ayes had it. 
lUacaulay, Hist. Eng., xxiii. 
aye 4 t, See eyi. 
aye-aye (i'i), n. [< F. aye-aye, < Malagasy aiay, 
also dial, ahay, haihay, prob. of imitative origin 
(cf. ai and ai-ai). Reduplication is characteris- 
tic of imitative names, particularly in native 
languages.] A name of a remarkable lemurine 
Aye-aye (Danbentonia tnadagascaricnsis). 
quadruped of Madagascar, of the suborder Pro- 
simia;, family Daubentoniidce (or ChiromyicUe), 
the Daubentonia (or Chiromys) madagascari- 
ensis, which combines a rodent-like dentition 
with the general characters of the lemurs. 
It was originally referred to the Radentia, and was de- 
scribed as a species of Scinrus, or squirrel. It is a small 
squirrel-like animal (so far as its long bushy tail, general 
configuration, and arboreal habits may warrant the com- 
parison), with large thin ears opening forward, great eyes 
looking forward, a very peculiar physiognomy, and an 
attenuated middle finger, which seems as if withered. 
The thumb is not apposable, in which respect it is unlike 
the inner digit of the foot. The animal is nocturnal, arbo- 
real, and peculiar to Madagascar. Its economy is still 
imperfectly known. The meaningless name aye-aye was 
in 1802 or 1803 made a barbarous generic name by Lace- 
pfede. The genus is usually called by the name Chiromys, 
given by Cuvier in, 1800, but this is antedated by Z>a- 
bentonia, applied by Etienne Geoffroy St. Hilaire in 1798. 
See Daubentonia. 
ayeint, *' and prep. An old form of again. 
ayelt, . See ayle. 
ayelp (a-yelp' ), prep. phr. as adv. [< 3 + yelp.} 
On the yelp; yelping. Browning. 
ayent, adv. and prep. An old form of again. 
