-a 
nent. pi., 3d declension ; lost in AS. and K., as 
in lii'/i/l, ili-ir, xhrep, etc., pi., without suffix. J 
A suflix, I he nominative neuter plural ending of 
nouns and adjectives of tlie second and tliird 
declensions in Greek or Latin, some of which 
have been adopted in English without change 
of ending. Kxamples are : (a) in Greek, pheiuim.-im. 
plurill of /'ItriK'ini'lHiii, ti/ifi*iitlltn, plural <pf miaxmay-), 
etc. : (/*) in Liilin, xtrata. plural of xtnttuni. iluta, plural 
<t ,l,//ni,i, iK'ui'i-ii , jilural of 'K'liun, etc. SOUR- of these 
words have also an Knjrlish plural, as aitt<nnatnn t cri- 
trriim*. ilniiiii'tx, ii,'-iii<ii'if inlii in*, in* <li u a/*, besides the 
(Jrcek or Latin plurals, aiitniualn, r,-it.',-in, ilinimntn, 
iKt'iuni'ioidii , uii'tlin, ete. This siilli\ is common in New 
Latin names ol classes of animals, as in Mammalia, Am- 
philiiii, fnixtdfi-it, /VO/ICIKI. etc., these beini; properly 
adjeetives, agreeing with aitiinatiit understood. 
-a 3 . [Sometimes written, and treated in dic- 
tionaries, as a separate syllable, but prop. 
written as a suffix, being prob. a relic of the 
ME. inflexive -e, which in poetry was pro- 
nounced (e. g., ME. xtil-e, mil-c: see quot. ) 
whenever the meter required it, long after it 
had c.eased to be pronounced in prose.] An 
unmeaning syllable, used in old ballads and 
songs to fill out a line. 
.!i>li on, jog on, the footpath way, 
And merrily hent the stile-a ; 
A merry heart goes all the day, 
Yiur sail tires in a mile-rt. 
Quoted by Ska/c., W. T., iv. 2. 
aam (am), H. [< 1). aam, a liquid measure, 
= G. akin, also ohm (see ohm), = Icel. dma, 
< ML. ama, a tub, tierce, < L. hama, ama, < Gr. 
ii/uii a water-bucket, pail.] A measure of 
liquids used, especially for wine and oil, 
in Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Livonia, 
Esthonia, Denmark, and Sweden: a tierce. 
Its value differs in different localities : thus, in Amsterdam 
an aam of wine = 41 gallons, and an aam of oil = 37| gal- 
lons ; while in Brunswick an aam of oil = 39J gallons. 
Also written aum, aume, aiem, awme. 
Aardvark (Otycttropus cafensis}. 
aardvark (ard'vark), n. [D., < aardc, = K. 
earth, + rark, used only in dim. form varkeu, 
a pig, = E. farrow* and E. tiork, q. v.] The 
ground-hog or earth-pig of South Africa. See 
Aaronitic (ar-on-it'ik), n. [(Annum, f- -,y.] 
Of or pertaining to the Aaronites. 
The assumption that the representations in iv-:in! t<. 
I!M origin of the A'ti-in/irif ]i icsthood arc essentially false 
i annot well he sustained, unless it can hi- pruvrd that 
III bivw literatureilid ii"t arise until about Ilir ciahth cen- 
tury n. c., as the critics claim. 
Sclmf-lle.rzi*i, Bncyc., p. lll-ii. 
Aaron's-beard (ar'pnz- or a'ronz-berd), n. 
[See Ps. cxxxiii. 2.] 1. A dwarf evergreen 
shrub, HyjirriciiHi ni/i/ciiiiun, with large flowers 
(the largest of the genus) and numerous 
stamens, a native of southeastern Europe, 
and sometimes found in cultivation ; St.-Jolm's- 
wort: so called from the conspicuous hair-like 
stamens. 2. The smoke-tree, Rhus Cotinus. 
3. A species of saxifrage (Saxifraga sarmeit- 
tosu) found in cultivation; Chinese saxifrage. 
Aaron's-rod (ar'onz- or a'ronz-rod), w. [See 
Ex. vii. 10; Num. xvii. 8.] 1. In arch., an orna- 
ment consisting of a straight rod from which 
pointed leaves sprout on either side. The term 
is also applied to an ornament consisting of a rod with 
one serpent entwined ahout it, as distinguished from a 
caduceux, which has two serpents. 
2. A popular name of several plants with tall 
flowering stems, as the goldenrod, the hag-ta- 
per, etc. 
Ab(ab), . [Heb. Cf. Heb. eft, verdure. ] The 
eleventh month of the Jewish civil year, and 
the fifth of the ecclesiastical year, answering 
to a part of July and a part of August. In the 
Syriac calendar Ab is the last summer month. 
ab-. [L. ab-, prep, ab, older form ap = Etrur. 
av = Gr. air6 = Skt. aj>a = Goth. o/= OHG. aba, 
MHG. G. ab = AS. of (rarely, as a prefix, of-), 
E. of, off: see of, off, apo, and -l3, a- 1 *.] A 
prefix of Latin origin, denoting disjunction, 
separation, or departure, off, from, away, ete., 
as in abduct, abjure, etc. Before c and (, ab becomes 
(in Latin, and so in English, etc.) abn, as in abtcoiid, ab- 
stain, etc. ; before and m, it becomes a, as in avert, 
attviitw, etc. In abbacinat? and abbreviate, the prefix 
(reduced to - in abridge, which see) is rather an assimi- 
lation of ad-, 
A. B. 1. An abbreviation of the Middle and 
New Latin Artium Jiaccalaureus, Bachelor of 
Arts. In England it is more commonly written 
B. A. See bachelor. 2. An abbreviation of 
able-bodied, placed after the name of a seaman 
on a ship's papers. 
aba 1 (ab a), n. [< Ar. 'aba.] 1. A coarse woolen 
stuff, woven of goats' or camels' or other hair or 
wool in Syria, Arabia, and neighboring coun- 
tries. It is generally striped, sometimes in plain bars of 
black and white or bine and white, sometimes in more 
elaborate patterns. 
2. (a) An outer garment made of the above, 
very simple in form, worn by the Arabs of the 
desert. The illustration shows such an aba, made of 
two breadths of stuff sewed together to make an oblong 
about four by nine feet. This is then folded at the lines 
a It. a h, the top edges are sewed together at a c, a c, and 
armholes are cut at a /, a /. A little simple embroidery in 
& 
Aardwolf (Prattles lalandi). 
[D., < aarde, = E. 
The earth-wolf of 
aardwolf (ard'wiilf), n. 
> urtli, + icolf=E. wolf.] 
South Africa. See I'roteles. 
aaron (ar'on or a'rou), . [A corrupt spelling 
of aron (Gr. a/xn>), a form of Arum, in simula- 
tion of Aaron, a proper name.] The plant 
Arum macitlatiiin. See Arum. 
Aaronic(a-ron'ik), . [<LL. Aaron, <Gr. 'Aap&v, 
< Heb. 'Aharon, perhaps, says Gesenius, the same 
with lii'iron, a mountaineer, < liaram, be high.] 
1. Pertaining to Aaron, the brother of Moses, 
or to the Jewish priestly order, of which he 
was the first high priest: as, the Aaronic priest- 
hood ; Aarouic vestments. 2. In the Mormon 
hierarchy, of or pertaining to the second or 
lesser order of priests. Sec /ii'ii-xtliooit and 
Mormon. 
Aaronical (a-ron'i-kal), a. [<Arin>iiic + -al.] 
Pertaining to or resembling the Aaronu- 
priesthood. 
Aaronite (ar'on-it or a'ron-it), n. [< Aaron + 
-itel.] A descendant of Aaron, the brother of 
Moses. The Aaronites were hereditary priests in the 
Jewish church, and next to the high priest in dignity. 
colored wool on the two sides of the breast completes the 
garment. A e is the seam between the two breadths of 
stuff, and this is covered by a piece of colored material. 
(6) A garment of similar shape worn in the 
towns, made of finer material. 
Over the Kamis is thrown a long-skirted ami short- 
sleeved cloak of camel's hair, called an Aba. It is made 
in many patterns, and of all materials, from pure silk to 
coarse sheep's wool. R. F. Burton, El-.Medfoah, p. 150. 
Also spelled ablm. 
aba 2 (ab'ii), . [From the name of the in- 
ventor.] An altazimuth instrument, designed 
by Antoine d'Abbadie, for determining latitude 
on land without the use of an artificial hori- 
zon. 2f. E. D. 
abaca (ab'a-ka), H. The native Philippine name 
of the plant '.!/./ ii-stillx, which yields manila 
hemp. Also spelled abtika. 
abacay (ab'a-ka), . [Native name.] A kind 
of white parrot ; a calangay. 
abacus 
abacinate, abacination. s> 
Inn-nitl li<ni . 
abaciscus cib-H-sis'kus . .: pi. <///<-i.vn <-] . 
[ML., <(!). i -mall stone for inlay 
inc;, dim. of u/faf : sec iiliiifiix.'} In <//</<., a di- 
minutive of iiluinix in its various senses. Also 
called iiliiii-iilii.i. 
abacist (ali'a-8ist),n. [=It. itltni-liixtii, an aritli 
tactician. OIL. ntiin-inln. < L. iihnriix : see ului- 
(*. _.] One who uses an abacus in casting 
accounts ; a calculator. 
aback 1 (a-bak'), adr. [< ME. abak, u link, mi link, 
< AS. o Ixfc, on or to the back, backward. = 
Icel. bki, aback : see and back 1 .] 1. To- 
ward the back or rear ; backward ; rearward ; 
regressively. 
They drewe almrti; as halfc with shame ( found. 
,s>'v. Shop. Cal. (June). 
2. On or at the back ; behind ; from behind. 
His gallic . . . being set upon both before and ntim-lo-. 
Kiinllr*, Hist, of Turks, fol. 879 A. 
3. Away; aloof. [Scotch.] 
Oh, would they stay abnrlc frae court*, 
And please themsel's wi' country sporU. 
Buriu, The Twa Dogs. 
4. Ago: as, "eight days aback," BOSK. [Prov. 
Eng.] 5. Naut., in or into the condition of re- 
ceiving the wind from ahead j with the wind 
acting on the forward side : said of a ship or of 
her sails Laid aback <<.), said of sails (or of 
vessels) when they are placed in the same position as when 
taken aback, in oriler to effect an immediate retreat, or 
to give the ship sternway, so as to avoid some danger dis- 
covered before her. Taken aback, (a) Xattt., said of a 
vessel's sails when caught by the wind in such a way as 
to press them aft against the mast. Hence (6) Figura- 
tively, suddenly or unexpectedly checked, confounded, or 
disappointed: as, he was quite taken aback when he was 
refused admittance. To brace aback (;ia(.), to swing 
(the yards) round by means of the braces, so that the 
sails may he aback, in order to check a ship's progress or 
give her sternway. 
aback 2 t (ab'ak), i. [<L. abacus: see abacus. ] 
An abacus, or something resembling one, as a 
flat, square stone, or a square compartment. 
abacot (ab'a-kot), . Like abocock, etc., an erro- 
neous book-form of bycocket (which see). 
abactinal (ab-ak'ti-nal), a. [< L. ab, from,+ E. 
actinal.] In zoiil., remote from the actinal or 
oral area; hence, devoid of rays; aboral. The 
abactinal surface may be either the upper or lower surface, 
according to the position of the mouth. 
abactinally (ab-ak'ti-nal-i), adv. In an abac- 
tinal direction or position. 
The ambulacral plates have the IMH-CH directly super- 
posed abactiiHillft. /'. M, lltincan, (leol. Mag., II. 492. 
abactio (ab-ak'shi-6), . [NL., < L. abigere, 
drive away : see abactor.] In med., an abor- 
tion produced by art. 
abaction (ab-ak'shon), w. [<NL. al>actio(n-) : 
see abactio.] In law, the stealing of a number 
of cattle at one time. 
abactor(ab-ak'tpr), n. [L.,< abactim, pp. of abi- 
gere, drive off, < ab, off, + agere, drive.] In lair, 
one who feloniously drives away or steals a 
herd or numbers of cattle at once, in distinction 
from one who steals a single beast or a few. 
abaculus(ab-ak'u-lus), .; pi. almculi (-11). [L.. 
dim. of 6ffc.s'. i Literally, a small abacus. 
Specifically, one of the little cubes or slabs of colored 
glass, enamel, stone, or other material employed in mo- 
saic work or in marquetry. Also called ahacitcug. 
abacus (ab'a-kus), ii. ; pi. abaci (-si). [L., a 
sideboard, counting-table, etc., < L. abax, < Gr. 
a/faf, a reckoning-board, sideboard, etc. ; said 
to be from Phen. abak, sand strewn on a sur- 
face for writing, because the ancients used 
tables covered with sand on which to make 
figures and diagrams.] 1. A tray strewn with 
dust or sand, used 
in ancient times for | 
calculating. 2. A 
contrivance for cal- 
culating, consisting 
of beads or balls 
strung on wires or 
rods set in a frame. 
The abacus Was Used, With Chinese Abacus, for calculating:. 
some variations in form, 
by the Greeks and Romans, and i still in every -day ue in 
many eastern countries, from Russia to Japan, for even 
the most complex calculations. The sand-strewn tray U 
supposed to have been introduced from Babylon into 
(Jivi-ce by Pythagoras, who taught both arithmetic and 
jlcotnetry upon it; hence this form is sometimes railed 
aiWMI PyUO^orimu, In the form with movable balls, 
these are' used simply as counters to record the suc- 
cessive stages of a mental operation. The sum shown 
in the annexed cm:r:ivmi: of a Chinese abacus (called 
tn^niftan, or "reckoning board") is 5,196,301. 
3. In arch.: (a) The slab or plinth which 
forms the upper member of the capital of a 
column or pillar, and upon which rests, in 
