alpine 
alpine (al'pin or -pin), a. and n. [= F. alpin, < 
L. alpinus, < alpes : see (p2.] J, <j. Of, per- 
taining to, or connected with the Alps (then 
written with a capital), or any lofty mountain; 
very high; elevated. Specifically applied to plants 
yrmviittx an, i animals living on mountains above the forest 
limits, that is, above the line where the climate becomes 
too cold for trees to grow. 
For past the Alpine summit- of great pain 
Lieth thine Italy. JL Terry Cuoke, Beyond. 
II. . A French fabric having a silk warp and 
merino-wool filling. 
alpinery (al'pin-ri), . [< alp ine + -ry : see 
-(*//, -ry.] A place in a garden or pleasure- 
ground specially adapted for the cultivation of 
alpine plants. 
alpinist (al'pin-ist), n. [= F. alpinists; < al- 
pine + -ist.] An alpine climber; an alpestrian. 
The disagreeable cffeets resulting from the rarefaction 
of the atmosphere at great heights, and which overtake 
alpinists in Switzerland. The American, VII. 75. 
alpist (al'pist), n. [< F. alpistc,< Sp. Pg. aljnste, 
Pg. also alpista; supposed to be derived from 
the language of the Guanches, the original in- 
habitants of the Canary islands.] 1. The seed 
of the canary-grass, Phalaris canariensis, used 
for feeding birds, especially canaries; canary- 
seed. 2. The seed of various species of Alo- 
peewus, or foxtail-grass, also used for feeding 
birds. 
Also called alpta. 
alquier (al'ker), . [F., < Pg. alqueire, a dry 
measure, < Ar. al, the, + ka yl, a measure, kaydJ, 
a, measurer, prop, of grain.] A dry as well as 
liquid measure used in Portugal, containing 
from 3 to 4 Winchester gallons. 
alquifore (al'ki-for), 11. Same as alquifou. 
alquifou (al'ki-fo), n. [< Fr. alquifoux, arqui- 
foux, < Sp. alquifol, Cat. alcofol, < Ar. al-kolfl, a 
fine powder: see alcohol."] A sort of lead ore 
found in Cornwall, England, used by potters to 
give a glazing to their wares, and called potter's 
ore. Other forms are alquifore, arquifoux. 
already (al-red'i), a. and adv. [< ME. al redy: al, 
adv., all, quite; redy, ready: see ready.] I.f a. 
1. [Predicate adj. in phr. all ready.] All pre- 
pared ; quite ready : regularly written all ready. 
2. Existing at the specified time; present. 
[Bare attributive use.] 
Lord Hobart and Lord Fitzwilliam are both to be earls 
to-morrow ; the former, of Buckingham, the latter by his 
already title. Walpolt, Letters (1748), I. 150. 
II. adv. By this (or that) time ; previously 
to or at some specified time, or the time pres- 
ent to thought ; thus early ; even then, or even 
now : as, he has done it already ; the house is 
full already. 
I have lost so much time already. 
Steele, Spectator, No. 140. 
The English ministers could not wish to see a war with 
Holland added to that in which they were already engaged 
with France. Macaulay, Lord Clive. 
al-root (al'rot), n. [< al 1 (< Hind, al, a name 
common to several plants, Morinda citrifolia 
and allied species) + roofl.] The root of Mo- 
rinda citrifolia, an East Indian plant, which 
furnishes a permanent red dye. 
alruna (al-ro'na), n. ; pi. alrunee (-ne). [ML., 
also alrauna, < OHG. alruna (MHG. alrune, G. 
alraun, alrun, mandrake (alraun-bilder, man- 
drake images), = D. alritin = Sw. alrun, alruna 
= Dan. alrune), mandrake; appar., as in popu- 
lar apprehension, < al- (= E. all) + runa, Goth. 
runa, etc., mystery, the mandrake being an ob- 
ject of superstition: see rune and mandrake.] 
1. A prophetess among the ancient Germans, 
regarded as similar to the druidess among the 
Gauls. 2. A small image carved from the root 
of a tree or from mandrakes, representing rudely 
the human figure, generally the female. Such 
images were venerated as household gods in the ancient 
religions of some northern peoples, the worship of them 
forming a special feature of certain superstitious rites. 
They arc supposed by some to represent female magi- 
cians or druidesses. Brande. 
alst, adv. and conj. An old form of also and as. 
Better is then the lowly playne, 
Ms for thy flocke and thee. 
. Spenser, Shep. Cal., July. 
Al longe as owre lyf lasteth lyue we togideres. 
Piers Plowman (B), iv. 195. 
Alsace gum. Same as dextrine. 
Alsatian (al-sa'shian), a. and . [< ML. Alsatia 
(> F. Alsace), < OHG. Alisaz, Elisaz (MHG. El- 
saz, Elsas, G. Elsass), a province between France 
and Germany, lit. foreign settlement, < el- (= 
AS. el-, (pi-, foreign, related to elite, q. v. ; ac- 
cording to another view, < Ell (Hel, Ella, Eteus, 
Also, Illus), now III, a river in Alsace) + saz, 
a seat, place, settlement (G. satz), < OHG. siz- 
158 
zen, MHG. G. sitzen = ~E. sit.] I. a. 1. Of or 
pertaining to the province of Alsace, taken from 
Germany by France in 1648, in greater part 
ceded to the new German empire in 1871, and 
now incorporated in the imperial territory of 
Klsnss-Lothringen. 2. Of or pertaining to Al- 
satia, formerly a cant name (from Alsace being 
a debatable ground or scene of frequent con- 
tests) for Whitefriars, a district in London be- 
tween the Thames and Fleet street, and ad- 
joining the Temple, which possessed certain 
privileges of sanctuary derived from the con- 
vent of the Carmelites, or White Friars, found- 
ed there in 1241. The locality became the resort of 
libertines and rascals of every description, whose abuses 
and outrages, and especially the riot in the reign of 
Charles II., led in 1697 to the abolition of the privilege 
and the dispersion of the Alsatians. The term Aluatia has 
in recent times been applied offensively to the English 
Stock Exchange, because of the supposed questionable 
character of some of its proceedings. 
II. n. 1. A native or an inhabitant of Alsace 
in Germany. 2. Formerly, an inhabitant of 
Alsatia or Whitefriars, a part of London ; hence, 
a Bohemian (in the slang sense) or adventurer. 
He spurr'd to London, and left a thousand curses be- 
hind him. Here he struck up with sharpers, scourers, 
and Alsatians. Gentleman Instructed, p. 491. 
al segno (al sa'nyo). [It., to the sign : al for a il, 
to the; segno, <L. signum, sign: see sign.] In 
music, to the sign : a direction to the performer 
that he must return to that portion of the piece 
marked with the sign W, and conclude with 
the first double bar which follows, or go on to 
the word Fine, or the pause '=>. 
alsinaceous (al-si-na'shius), a. [< Alsine, the 
name of a caryophyllaceous genus that is now 
combined with Arenaria, + -aceous.] Relating 
to or resembling the chickweed. 
also (al'so), adv. and conj. [< ME. also, al so, 
al swo, al swa, < AS. ealswa, eal sica, just so, like- 
wise (=G. also, thus) : eal, adv., all, just, quite ; 
mcd, so: see all and so. Doublet, as 1 , q. v.] 
1. odr. 1. Wholly so; quite so; so. 
Also he endede his lyfe. 
Early Eng. Poems (ed. Furnivall). 
2. In like manner; likewise. 
As the blame of ill-succeeding things 
Shall light on you, so light the harmes also. 
Old Play. 
Thus, also, do authors beget authors. 
Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 100. 
3. In addition; too; further. 
God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die. 
1 Sam. xiv. 44. 
In fact, Mr. Emerson himself, besides being a poet and 
a philosopher, was also a plain Concord citizen. 
0. W. llolmes, Emerson, iv. 
II. conj. As ; so. See as. 
This ye knowen also wel as I. 
Chaucer, Oen. Prol. to C. T., 1. 730. 
Also mote I thee [thrive]. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Merchant's Tale. 
Alsophila (al-sof 'i-lii), n. [< Gr. aAo-of, a grove, 
+ 0(/of, loving; from the habitat of the plant.] 
A genus of tropical arborescent ferns, often 
becoming magnificent trees, distinguished from 
allied genera (Cyathea, etc.) by having a single 
naked sorus on each veinlet. A. excelsa of 
Norfolk island rises to the height of 80 feet. 
Alstonia bark (al-sto'ni-a bark). [NL. Al- 
stonia, named after Dr. Alston of Edinburgh.] 
The bark of an apocynaceous tree, Alstonia 
scholaris, of tropical Asia, Africa, and Aus- 
tralia, a powerful bitter, recommended as a 
valuable antiperiodic and tonic. Also called 
dita. 
alstonite (al'ston-It). n. Same as bromlite. 
alswat, adv. A"Middle English form of also. 
alt (alt), a. [< It. alto (see alto) = Sp. Pg. alto 
= Pr. alt= OF. alt, halt, haut, mod. F. haut, high 
(see liaitght, haughty, hautboy), < L. altus, high, 
deep, lit. increased, grown (pp. of alere, grow), 
prot). ult. = AS. aid, eald, E. old: see old, and 
cf . all. Cf. haught.] In music, an abbreviation 
of alto, high: much used in compound words, 
as alt-horn, alt-clarinet in -alt, said of the notes 
comprised in the first octave above the treble staff: as, 
Q in alt, A in alt. The notes more than an octave above 
this start are said to be in oftwriino. To be In alt, to be 
haughty, dignified, etc. 
"Come, prithee be a little less in alt," cried Lionel, 
"and answer a man when he speaks to you." 
Miss Burney, Camilla, ii. 5. 
alt. An abbreviation of altitude. 
Altaian (al-ta'yan), a. Same as Altaic. 
Altaic (al-ta'ik), a. [< Altai, Russ. Altai, name 
of mountains in Asia, perhaps from Tatar altyn, 
gold (Mahn). Cf . altin.] Pertaining to the Al- 
tai, a vast range of mountains extending in an 
easterly direction through a considerable por- 
altar 
tion of Asia, and forming part of the boundary 
between the Russian and Chinese dominions. 
Altaic family of languages, a family of languages 
occupying portions of northern and eastern Europe, and 
nearly the whole of northern and central Asia, together 
with some other regions, and divided into five branches, 
the I'grian or Finno-Hungarian, Samoyed, Turkish, Mon- 
golian, and Tunguse. Also called Scythian, Ural-Altuir, 
Tnturif, and Turanian. 
altaite (al-ta'it), n. [< Altai (see Altaic) + 
-tte 2 .] A mineral found originally in the Altai 
mountains, and now also in California, Colo- 
rado, and Chili ; a telluride of lead. 
altambour (al-tam-bor'), n. [A modified spell- 
ing of OSp. atambor, prob. for *al-tambor, < Ar. 
al, the, + tambur, tambour: see tambour and 
talior.] A large Spanish or Moorish drum. 
altar (al'tar), . [The spelling has been 
changed to bring it nearer the L. ; < ME. alter, 
more commonly outer, < OF. alter, also outer 
(F. autel), < L. altare, an altar, lit. a high 
place, < altus, high: see alt.] 1. An elevated 
place < 
ject oi 
are offered or incense is burned to a deity. 
The earliest altars were turf mounds, Urge flat-topped 
stones, or other rude elevations, natural or artificial ; but 
when temples came to be built altars were generally made 
of hewn stone, marble, or metal, and became more and 
more ornate. Greek and Roman altars were round, trian- 
gular, or square in plan, often elaborately adorned with 
sculpture, and bearing inscriptions. Sometimes, as at 
Pergamon, the altar was a struc- 
ture of vast size and complex 
plan, and was in itself an art 
monument of the highest impor- 
tance. In the Jewish worship 
two altars were used: the altar 
of burnt-offering, which stood at 
the entrance to the tabernacle, 
and afterward occupied a corre- 
sponding position in the temple, 
and the altar of incense, which 
stood in the holy place. Both 
were made of shittim-wood, the 
former being overlaid with brass, 
the latter with gold. 
2. In most Chris- 
tian churches, 
the communion- 
table. In the 
primitive church it 
was of wood, sub- 
sequently of stone, G k Alu 
Z tf' r ! ,'h "i Z< h f th < st '< f TO""* A * s - "- 
sometimes With rich p i or ed by the Archaeological Institute of 
architectural orna- America m 1884. 
ments, sculptures, 
and painting. In the Roman Catholic Church the altar is 
the table, since the early ages of the church either of stone 
or including a block of stone (the altar-stone), upon which 
the priest consecrates the eucharist. The altar-stone is con- 
Ancient High Altar of Notre Dame, Paris, nth century. 
(Viollet-le-Duc's " Diet, de r Architecture.") 
secrated by the bishop or a specially licensed abbot, who 
anoints it with chrism, and often seals up certain relics 
in a small cavity made for the purpose ; the consecration 
remains in virtue until either the stone or the seal is broken. 
3. The steps at the sides of a graving-dock. 
Family altar, the practice or the place of family worshjp 
or devotions. High altar, the chief or principal altar in 
a cathedral or other church having more than one altar. 
It stands beyond the choir at the end of the sanctuary or 
chancel opposite the front or the main entrance, and usu- 
ally has behind it a screen, reredos. or dowel, so as to 
make it, even when there is an ambulatory with chapels 
or any other feature behind it, the chief object on which 
the eye rests on entering the church. Lesser or side altars 
often stand in chapels or against the pillars of the nave. 
See cut under coAedro. Privileged altar, in the Rom. 
Cath. Ch., an altar to which are attached certain indul- 
