amburbial 
+ urbs, city: see urban.] Encompassing or 
surrounding a city. [Rare.] 
ambury (am'be-ri), n. Same as anbury. 
ambuscade (am-bus-kad'), n. [Formerly also 
imbuscadc (and, after Sp. or It., ambuscado, 
emboscata, imboscata), < F. embuscade, < It. im- 
boscata = 8f. Pg. emboscada = OF. embuchee, < 
ML. *imboscata, an ambush, prop. pp. fern, of 
imboscare, set in ambush : see ambush, 13.] 1. A 
lying in wait and concealment for the purpose 
of attacking by surprise ; an ambush. 
To draw you into the palpable ambuscade of his ready- 
made joke. 
Sheridan, quot by Whipple, Ess. and Rev., II. 317. 
Till the great plover's human whistle amazed 
Her heart, and glancing round the waste she fear'd 
In every wavering brake an ambuscade. 
Tennyson, Geraint. 
2. A secret station in which troops lie con- 
cealed with a view to attacking suddenly and 
by surprise; an ambush. 3. A body of troops 
lying in ambush. 
ambuscade (am-bus-kad'), v.; pret. and pp. 
ambuscaded, ppr. ambuscading. [< ambuscade, 
"] I. trans. To attack from a concealed posi- 
tion. 
H. intrans. To lie in ambush: as, "ambus- 
cading ways," Carlyle, Sart. Resart., ii. 4. 
ambuscado (am-bus-ka'do), n. [See ambuscade, 
n.] An ambuscade. 
They were adroit in executing a thousand stratagems, 
ambuncadoes, and evolutions. Irving, Granada, p. 446. 
ambuscadot (am-bus-ka'do), v. t. [< ambusca- 
do, n.] To post in ambush. Sir T. Herbert. 
ambush (am'bush), v. [Early mod. E. also 
embush, < ME. embusshen, enbusshen, enbuschen, 
enbussen (also abuschen, abussen, and by apher- 
esis busse, early mod. E. bush), < OF. enbuschcr, 
embuscher, embuissier, later embucher (mod. F. 
embusqiier, after Sp. or It.) = Sp. Pg. emboscar 
= It. imboscare, < ML. emboscare, prop, imbos- 
care, set in ambush, < L. in, in, + ML. boscus, 
wood, bush : see bush 1 , and cf . ambuscade.] I. 
trans. 1. To post or place in concealment for 
the purpose of attacking by surprise. 
The subtil Turk, having ambuxhed a thousand horse, 
. . . charged the Persians. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., p. 281. 
It seemed as if his placid old face were only a mask lie- 
hind which a merry Cupid had ambushed himself, peeping 
out all the while. Lowell, Fireside Travels, p. 85. 
2. To ambuscade; waylay; attack unexpected- 
ly and from a hidden position. 
The Tekke warriors outaide, however, got notice of the 
intended visit, and ambuxhed their Kuchan invaders so 
successfully that not a man escaped, sixty being killed 
aud forty made prisoners. O'Donovan, Merv, xiv. 
II. intrans. To lie in wait for the purpose of 
attacking by surprise. [Rare.] 
The . . . snake that amlnttih'd for his prey. 
John Truinbull, tr. of Georgics, iv. 
ambush (am'bush), n. [< late ME. ambuslie, 
enbusshe, < OF. embusche, embosche, F. embuche; 
from the verb.] 1. The act or state of lying 
concealed for the purpose of attacking by sur- 
prise ; a lying in wait ; the act of attacking un- 
expectedly from a concealed position. 
Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault, or siege, 
Or ambuth from the deep. Milton, P. L, ii. 344. 
An ambush is neither an " attack " nor a "surprise," in 
military language; it it* something more sudden and un- 
expected than either. Farrow, Mil. Encyc., p. 42. 
2. A secret or concealed station where troops 
lie in wait to attack unawares. 
The enemy, intending to draw the English further into 
their ambush, turned away at an easy pace. 
Sir J. Hay ward. 
3. The troops posted in a concealed place for 
attacking by surprise. [Rare.] 
And the ambiuh arose quickly out of their place. 
Josh. viii. 19. 
ambushment (am'bush-ment), n. [Early mod. 
E. also embushment and imbushment, < ME. 
embusshement, enbussement, < OF. embuschement 
(F. embuchement), < ML. imboscamentum, < im- 
boscare, y OF. embuscher, set in ambush : sec 
ambush and -ment.] An ambush, in any of its 
senses ; the act or method of forming an am- 
bush. 
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about be- 
hind them. 2 Chron. xiii. 13. 
For his opponents then to skulk, to lay ambushmentn. 
to keep a narrow bridge of licencing where the challenger 
should passe, though it be valour anough in souldiership, 
is but weaknes and cowardise in the wars of Truth. 
Milton, Areopagitica, p. 52. 
In ambushment lie 
Until I come or send for you myself. 
Greene, Alphousus, ii. 
172 
A wolf is a beast that is apt to hover about in Indian 
(iini>nshment, craving the offals of the deer the savages 
kill. Cooper, Last of the Mohicans, v. 
ambustiont (am-bus'tion), TO. [< L. ambus- 
lio(n-), a burn, < ambu'rcrc, pp. ambuntus, burn, 
consume, lit. burn around, scorch, < amb-, am- 
bi-, around (see ambi-), + urere, burn : see adiirt: 
Cf. combustion.] A burn or scald. Cockeram. 
ameba, amebean, etc. See amwba, etc. 
ameer, amir (a-mer'), n. [Also written, as a 
historical Saracen title, emir, q. v. ; Pers. Hind. 
amir, < Ar. amir, a commander, ruler, chief, no- 
bleman, prince, < amara = Chal. amar = Heb. 
amar, tell, order, command. The same word 
occurs in amiral, now admiral, q. v.] A prince, 
lord, or nobleman; a chief, governor, or one 
having command : specifically, the title of the 
dominant ruler of Afghanistan. 
ameership, amirship (a-mer'ship), n. [< ameer 
+ -ship.] The office or dignity of ameer. 
The faithful ally of England, owing his amirship to her 
armies. The American, IV. 277. 
Ameiva (a-mi'va), n. [NL., from a native 
name.] A genus of small, inoffensive lizards, 
the type of the family Ameividas, order Laeerti- 
lia. They are rather pretty animals, with a long whip-like 
tail, and peculiarly elongated toes on the hind feet. The 
tail is covered with a series of scales arranged in rings, 
the ventral shields are broad and smooth, the teeth are 
trilobate and compressed, and the feet are 5-toed. The 
general color is dark olive speckled with black on the 
nape of the neck ; on the sides are rows or bands of 
white spots edged with black. There are many species, 
occurring from Patagonia to California and Pennsylvania. 
The abundant A. dorialis of Jamaica is a characteristic 
example. 
Ameividas (a-mi'vi-de), n. pi. [NL., < Ameiva 
+ -ida".] A family of lizards, of the division 
Fissilinguia of the order Lacertilia, named from 
the genus Ameiva, peculiar to America. The old 
name Teida, or Teiidce, is an inexact synonym. The prin- 
cipal genera are Teius, Ameiva, and Crocodilurus. The 
teguexin monitor, Teiwt terrtiexin, is a characteristic and 
well-known species. 
amelt (am'el), . [Early mod. E. also ammel, 
ammell (rarely esmaylc, after MF.), < ME. ameli, 
amelle, amall, aumayl, < AF. *amal, *amail, OF. 
esmal, esmail, later entail, mod. F. e-mail = Pr. 
esmaut, esmalt = Sp. Pg. esmalte = It. smalto, < 
ML. smaltum, enamel, prob. < Teut. * smalt, any- 
thing melted, OHG. MHG. smalz, G. schmalz 
= OD. smalt, melted grease or butter, < Teut. 
"smeltan, OHG. smelzan, MHG. smelzcn, G. 
schmelzen = AS. *smtltan = Sw. smalta = Dan. 
smelte, melt, dissolve : see smeltl. In mod. use 
only in comp. enamel, q. v.] Enamel (which 
see). 
Heav'ns richest diamonds, set on aniniel white. 
P. Fletcher, Purple Island, x. 
Gardens of delight 
Whose ammell beds perfume the skie. 
W. Li*le, tr. of Du Bartas, i. 34. (N. E. D.) 
amelt (am'el), v. t. [Early mod. E. also am- 
mele, ammell, < ME. amelen, am Hen ; from the 
noun.] To enamel. 
I ammell as a goldesmythe dothe his worke. 
Paltarave, p. 425. (X. E. D.) 
amel-corn (am'el-korn), n. [Formerly also 
amell-corn, amil-corn; < G. amelkorn (or D. amel- 
koren), < MHG. amel, amer, OHG. amar, amel- 
corn (later associated, as in G. amelmehl, D. 
ameldonk, starch, with L. amylum, starch: see 
amyl 1 ), + korn = D. koren = E. corn 1 .] The 
seeds of a grass, Triticum dicoccum, resembling 
spelt, but bearing only two grains in the head, 
cultivated in Switzerland for the manufacture 
of starch. 
ameledt (am'eld), p. a. [Early mod. E. also 
ammeled, ammelled, < ME. ameled, amiled : pp. 
of amel, v.] Enameled. 
Achilles' arms, enlightened all with stars. 
And richly amell'd. Chapman, Iliad, xvi. 123. 
amelett, . [< OF. amelette, mod. omelette : see 
omelet.] A former spelling of omelet. 
ameli, n. Plural of amelus. 
amelia (a-mel'i-S), TO. [NL., < Gr. o- priv. + 
jUt/lof, a limb.] In teratol., absence of limbs. 
See amelus. 
ameliorable (a-me'lyo-ra-bl), a. [< ML. as if 
"ameliorabilis, < ameliorare: see ameliorate.] 
Capable of being ameliorated. 
ameliorate (a-me'lyo-rat), v.; pret. and pp. 
ameliorated, ppr. ameliorating. [< ML. amelio- 
ratus, pp. of ameliorare (> OF. ameillorer, F. 
ameliorer = Pr. amilorar = It. ammigliorare), 
become better, improve, < L. ad, to, + LL. me- 
liorare, make better, meliorate: see meliorate.] 
I. trans. To make better, or more tolerable, 
satisfactory, prosperous, etc. ; improve ; melio- 
rate. 
amen 
In every human being there is a wish to ameliorate his 
own condition. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. 
Let it be sufficient that you have in some slight degree 
ameliorated mankind, and do not think that amelioration 
u matter of small importance. 
Lecky, Europ. Morals, I. 266. 
= Syn. Amend, Improve, Better, etc. See amend. 
II. intrans. To grow better ; meliorate. 
[Man) may have been temporarily driven out of the 
country [southern England] by the returning cold periods, 
but wonld find his way back as the climate ameliorated. 
Geilcie, Geol. Sketches, p. 45. 
amelioration (a-me-lyo-ra'shon), n. [= F. 
amelioration; from the verb.] 1. The act of 
ameliorating, or the state of being ameliorated; 
a making or becoming better; improvement; 
melioration. 
Remark the unceasing effort throughout nature at 
somewhat better than the actual creatures : amelioration 
in nature, which alone permits and authorizes ameliora- 
tion in mankind. Emerson, Misc., p. 298. 
The October politician is so full of charity and good- 
nature, that he supposes that these very robbers and mur- 
derers themselves are in course of amelioration. 
Burke, A Regicide Peace. 
2. A thing wherein improvement is realized; 
an improvement. N. E. D. 
The buildings, drains, enclosures, and other ameliora- 
tions which they may either make or maintain. 
Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (ed. 1869), p. 248. 
ameliorative (a-me'lyo-ra-tiv), a. [< amelio- 
rate + -ie.] Producing, or having a tendency 
to produce, amelioration or amendment: as, 
ameliorative medicines. 
ameliorator (a-me'lyo-ra-tor), TO. [< amelio- 
rate + -or.] One who or that which amelio- 
rates. 
Our indefatigable naturalist [Darwin] says that this de- 
spised earth-worm is nothing less than an ameliorator on 
the surface of the globe. Pop. Sei. Mo., XX. 899. 
amelus (am'e-lus), n. ; pi. ameli (-Ii). [NL., < 
Gr. a- priv. + fie'Mf, a limb. Cf. amelia.] In 
teratol., a monster in which the limbs are en- 
tirely wanting, or are replaced by wart-like 
stumps. 
amen (a'men', in ritual speech often and in 
singing always a'men'), adv. or interj. and n. 
[< ME. amen, AS. amen = D. G. Sw. Dan. amen 
= F. Sp. Pg. amen = It. amen, ammenne, < LL. 
amen, Gr. a/jfyv, < Heb. amen, firm, true, faithful; 
as a noun, certainty, truth; as an adv., cer- 
tainly, verily, surely, in affirmation or approval 
of what has been said by another; < dman, 
strengthen, support, confirm; cf. Ar. tin/in, 
trusted, confided in.] I. adv. or interj. 1. 
Verily; truly: retained in the Bible from the 
original. 
All the promises of God in him [Christ] are yea, and in 
him Amen. 2 Cor. i. 20. 
The reader may see great reason why we also say Amen, 
Amen, and durst not translate it. 
Kheimi A'. T., John viii. 34, note. 
A men, Amen, I say to thee, Except a man be born again, 
he cannot see the kingdom of God. 
Rhe'iiii* X. T., John iii. 2. 
2. It is so; after a prayer or wish, be it so: a 
concluding formula used as a solemn expres- 
sion of concurrence in a formal statement or 
confession of faith, or in a prayer or wish. 
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church ; 
the communion of sainte ; the forgiveness of sins ; the res- 
urrection of the body ; and the life everlasting. A'men. 
Apostles' Creed. 
One cried "God blessus!"and "Amen," the other. . . . 
But wherefore could not I pronounce amen? 
I had most need of blessing, and amen 
Stuck in my throat. Shalt., Macbeth, ii. 2. 
3. A mere concluding formula. 
And were continually in the temple, praising and bless- 
ing God. Amen. Luke xxiv. 53 (end of the book). 
II. . 1. He who is true and faithful: re- 
tained in the Bible from the original, as a title 
of Christ. 
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true wit- 
ness. Rev. iii. 14. 
2. An expression of concurrence or assent ; an 
assertion of belief. 
False doctrine strangled by its own amen. 
Mrs. Broiening, Casa Guidi Windows, L 119. 
3. The concluding word or act ; end ; conclu- 
sion. 
That such an act as this should be the amen of my life. 
Bp. Hall, Contemplations, II. 95. 
amen (a'men'), t. t. [< amen, adv.] 1. To 
ratify solemnly ; say amen to ; approve. 
Is there a bishop on the bench that has not amen'd the 
humbug in his lawn sleeves, and called a blessing over the 
kneeling pair of perjurers? Thackeray, Newcomes, Ivii. 
