amid 
a clipped form of not id.] I.f adr. In the middle ; 
in the midst. 
Amid betweene the violent Robber . . . and the mtch- 
ing theefe . . . standeth the crafty cutpurse. 
Lombards, Eirenarcha, It. 274. (A'. E. />.) 
II. prep. In the midst or middle of; sur- 
rounded or encompassed by; mingled with; 
among. See amidst. 
Then answering from the sandy shore, 
Half-drowned amid the breakers' roar, 
According chorus rose. Scott, Marniion, ii. 11. 
= Syn. Amid, Among, etc. See among. 
amid-, ami do-. Combining forms of amide 
(which see). 
Amidse (am'i-de), n. pi. Same as Amiidai. C. 
L. Bonaparte. 
amidan (am'i-dan), n. [< Amid<e (for Amiidce) 
+ -an.] A fish of the family Amiidte; an amiid. 
Sir J. Richardson. 
amidated(am'i-da-ted), a. Containing an amide 
group or radical: as, amidated fatty acids. 
amide (am'id or -id), n. [< am(monia) + -ide 1 .] 
A chemical compound produced by the substi- 
tution for one or more of the hydrogen atoms of 
ammonia of an acid radical : as, acetamide, CH S 
CO.NHo, in which one hydrogen atom of am- 
monia, NH 3 , has been replaced by the acetic 
acid radical CH 3 CO. Amides are primary, secondary, 
or tertiary, according as one, two, or three hydrogen atoms 
have been so replaced. They are white crystalline solids, 
often capable of combining with both acids and bases. See 
amine. 
amidic (a-mid'ik), a. [< amide + -ic.] Inchem., 
relating to or derived from an amide or amides : 
as, amidic acid. 
amidiu, amidine (am'i-din), . [< amide + 
-w 2 .] The general name of a class of organic 
bodies containing the group C.NH.NH 2 . The 
amidins are mono-acid bases which are quite 
unstable in the free state. 
amido-. See amid-. 
amido-acid (am"i-d6-as'id), . An acid con- 
taining the amido-group NH 2 , as amido-oxalic 
or oxamio acid, NH 2 C 2 O 2 OH. 
amidogen (a-rnid'o-jen), . [< amide + -gen, 
producing: see -gen, -genous.] A hypothetical 
radical composed of two equivalents of hydro- 
gen and one of nitrogen, NH 2 . It has not been iso- 
lated, but may be traced in the compounds called amides 
and amines. Thus, acetamide is a compound of the radi- 
cal acetyl and amidogen, and potassamine of potassium 
and amidogen. 
amidships (a-mid'ships), prep. }>hr. as adv. [< 
amid + ship'j with adv. gen. suffix -s.] 1. In or 
toward the middle of a ship, or that part which 
is midway between the stem and the stern. 
In the whaler, the boat-steerers . . . keep by themselves 
in the waist, sleep amidships, and eat by themselves. 
Jt. II. Dana, Jr., Before the Mast, p. 37. 
2. In the middle line of a ship; over and in 
line with the keel : as, to put the helm amid- 
ships. 
amidst (a-midsf), prep. [Early mod. E. also 
amid'st, amidest, amiddest, an extended form 
(with excrescent -t as in amongst, against, etc.) 
of ME. amiddes, amyddes, amids (also imyddcs, 
emiddes, i myddes, in myddes), < amidde, E. amid, 
+ adv. gen. suffix -es, -s: see amid.] In the 
midst or center of ; among ; surrounded by ; in 
the course or progress of. See amid. 
Thou shall nourish in immortal youth, 
Unhurt amidst the wars of elements. Addison, Cato. 
How oft amidst 
Thick clouds and dark doth heaven's all-ruling Sire 
Choose to reside. Milton, P. L., ii. 2B3. 
Had James been brought up amidst the adulation and 
gayety of a court, we should never, in all probability, 
have had such a poem as the Quuir. 
Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 109. 
amidulin (a-mid'u-lm), n. [< F. amidon, 
starch, + dim. -ulc + -in 2 .] Starch rendered 
soluble by boiling. 
amidwardt (a-mid'ward), adv. and prep. [< 
amid + -ward.] Toward the center or middle 
line of, as of a ship. 
amiid (am'i-id), n. A fish of the family Ami- 
idae ; an amidan. 
Amiidae (a-mi'i-de), n. pi. [NL.,< Amia + -idee.] 
A family of cycloganoid fishes, typified by the 
Bowfin, or Mudfish (Amia calva). 
(From Report of U. S. Fish Commission, 1884.) 
genus Amia. The technical characters are an oblonj 
body, short rounded snout, numerous (10 to 12) branch! 
176 
ostegal rays, the development of a snblingual bone be- 
tween the rami of the lower jaw, the possession of cycloid 
scales, a long soft dorsal flu, the subequal extent of the 
abdominal and caudal parts of the vertebral column, and 
the absence of pseudobranchiie. It is an archaic type rep- 
resented now by a single living species, Amia calva, the 
bowfln or mudfish, inhabiting the fresh waters of North 
America. Also written Amiadat, Amidce, Amioidce. 
amil-cornt, . See amel-eorn. 
amildar (am'il-dar), n. See amaldar. 
amimia (a-mim'i-a), n. [NL., < Gr. a- priv. 4- 
P'pof, a mimic: see mime, mimic.] Loss of the 
power of pantomimic expression, due to a cere- 
bral lesion. 
amine (am'in), . [< am(monia) + -ine^.] A 
chemical compound produced by the substitu- 
tion of a basic atom or radical for one or more 
of the hydrogen atoms of ammonia, as potas- 
samine (NHoK), ethylamine (C 2 H 6 NH 2 ). The 
amines are all strongly basic in their character. 
See amide. 
aminisht, v. [Early mod. E. amynysshe, < ME. 
amynussnen, amcnyshe, earlier amenusen, ame- 
nuysett, < AF. amenvser, OF. amenuisier, amc- 
nuiscr, lessen, < a- (< L. ad, to) + menuisier, 
lessen: see minish, diminish.] I. trans. To 
make less ; lessen. 
II. intranx. To grow less; decrease. 
amioid (am'i-oid), a. and n. [< Amia + -aid.] 
I. a. Having the characters of the Amiidte. 
II. n. An amiid. 
Amioidae (am-i-oi'de), n.pl. Same as Ami/tin: 
amir, . See ameer. 
amiralt (am'i-ral), n. An old spelling of ad- 
miral. 
amirship, . See ameership. 
amist, . A former spelling of amice. 
amiss (a-mis'), prep. phr. as adv. and a. [< 
ME. amisse, amysse, a mysse, a mys, o mys, also 
on mys, of mys, earliest form a mis (= Icel. a 
mis, a miss) : a, o, on, E. a 3 ; mis, E. miss 1 , 
fault ; cf. ME. mis, adv., amiss. See miss 1 and 
mis- 1 .] I. adv. Away from the mark; out of 
the way ; out of the proper course or order ; in 
a faulty manner ; wrongly ; in a manner con- 
trary to propriety, truth, law, or morality. 
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss. Jas. iv. 3. 
We read amist, if we imagine that the fiery persecution 
which raged against Christ had burned itself out in the 
act of the crucifixion. De Quincey, E&senes, i. 
II. a. Improper; wrong; faulty: used only 
in the predicate : as, it may not be amiss to ask 
advice. 
There's somewhat in this world amiss 
Shall be unriddled by and by. 
Tennyson, Miller's Daughter. 
Much I find amiss, 
Blameworthy, punishable in this freak 
Of thine. Brouminy, Ring and Book, II. 202. 
There is something amiss in one who has to grope for 
his theme and cannot adjust himself to his period. 
Stedman, Viet. Poets, p. 301. 
Not amiss, passable or suitable ; fair ; not so bad after 
all : a phrase used to express approval, but not in a very 
emphatic way. [Colloq.] 
She's a miss, she is; and yet she an't amiss eh? 
Dickens. 
To come amiss, to be unwelcome ; be not wanted ; be 
out of the proper place or time. 
Neyther Religion cummeth amisse. 
Ascham, The Scholemaster. 
To take amiss, to be offended at. 
My brother was passionate, and had often beaten me, 
which I took extremely amiss. 
Franklin, Autobiog., p. 30. 
amisst (a-mis'), n. [< late ME. amisse, < miss 1 , 
n., q. v., by confusion with amiss, adv.] Fault ; 
wrong: as, "some great amiss," Shak., Hamlet, 
iv. 5. 
A woman laden with afflictions, 
Big with true sorrow, and religious penitence 
For her amiss. Chapman, Revenge for Honour, v. a. 
amissibility (a-mis-i-bil'i-ti), n. [<. amissible : 
see -bility.] The capability or possibility of 
being lost. [Rare.] 
Notions of popular rights, and the amissibility of sov- 
ereign power for misconduct, were broached. 
Hallam, Hist Lit (4th ed.), II. 620. 
amissible (a-mis'i-bl), a. [< LL. amissibilis, < 
amissus,'pp'. of amittere, lose: see amit?.] Ca- 
pable of being, or liable to be, lost. [Rare.] 
amissing (a-mis'ing), a. [Prop, a phr., a min- 
ing (3 and missing, verbal n. of miss 1 ) ; as if a 
ppr. of "amiss, v.] Missing; wanting. 
amissiont (a-mish'on), n. [< L. amissio(n-), < 
amissits, pp. of amittere, lose : see amit 2 .] Loss. 
Amigswn of their church membership. 
Dr. H, More, Seven Churches, iii. 
amit 1 !, n. An old form of amice 1 . 
amit 2 t (a-mif), v. t. or i. [< L. amittere, lose, 
let go, send away, < a for aft, from (see ab-), + 
Ammobium 
mittere, send. Cf. admit, commit, permit, remit, 
etc.] To lose : rarely with of. 
We desire no records of such enormities ; sins should be 
accounted new, that so they may be esteemed monstrous. 
They amit of monstrosity, as they fall from their rarity. 
Sir T. Browne. 
amity (am'i-ti), . [Early mod. E. amitie, < 
OF. iimitu , amistie, amisted, amistet = Sp. amis- 
tad=Fg. ami:adc = It. amista^ < ML. "amici- 
ta(t-)s, friendship, < L. amicus, friendly, a friend: 
see amiable.] Friendship, in a general sense; 
harmony; good understanding, especially be- 
tween nations ; political friendship: as, a treaty 
of amity and commerce. 
Great Britain was in league and amity with all the 
world. Sir J. Davies, Ireland. 
These appearances and sounds which imply amity or 
enmity in those around, become symbolic of happiness and 
miserj'. ti. Spencer, Prin. of Psychol., 520. 
I much prefer the company of ploughboys and tin-ped- 
dlers to the silken and perfumed amity which celebrates 
its days of encounter by a frivolous display. 
Emerson, Friendship. 
= Syn. Friendliness, kindness, good will, affection, har 
mony. 
Amiums (am-i-u'rus), n. [NL., not curtailed, 
i. e., with the tail not notched, having the tail 
even or square ; < Gr. a- priv. + ueiovpof, cur- 
tailed, curtal, < fieiuv, less (compar. of /"p6f, 
little), + mipa, tail.] A large genus of Siluridw, 
containing many of the commonest American 
species of catfishes, horned pouts or bullheads, 
such as A. nebulosus. There are some 15 species, 
among them A. niffricans, the great-lake cat, and A. pon- 
drrosus, the Mississippi cat, sometimes weighing upward 
of 100 pounds. Also written Ameiurus, as originally by 
Rannesque, 1820. See cut under catfish. 
Amizilis (am-i-zil'is), n. An erroneous form 
of Amazilia. B. P. Lesson. 
amlett, . An old form of omelet. 
ammaf (am'a), n. [ML., a spiritual mother, 
abbess, < Gr. "ap/ia, also a^af, a mother, esp. in 
a convent, prob. < Syriac ama, a mother ; in the 
general sense of 'mother' or 'nurse' are found 
ML. amma, Sp. Pg. ama (> Anglo-Ind. amah, 
q. v.), OHG. amma, ama, MHG. G. amme, Dan. 
amme, Sw. amma, nurse, Icel. amma, grand- 
mother ; supposed to be of infantile origin, like 
mamma, q. v.] In the Gr. and Syriac churches, 
an abbess or spiritual mother. 
amma a (am'a), n. [NL., prop. *hamma, < Gr. 
d/t/ja, a tie, 'knot, < O.-XTCIV, tie, fasten, bind.] 
A girdle or truss used in ruptures. 
amman (am'an), n. [< G. ammann, amtmann, 
< MHG. amman, ambtman, ambetman, < OHG. 
ambahtman (= OS. ambahtman = AS. ambiht- 
man, ONorth. cmbiht-, embeht-man, -mon), < am- 
linliii, ambaht. MHG. ambct, ammet, G. amt 
= Goth. andbahti, service, office (see emboss;/, 
ambassador, and amt), + OHG. MHG. man, G. 
iiiinni = E. man.] In several of the German 
cantons of Switzerland, an executive and judi- 
cial officer. This title is given to the chief official of 
a district or of a commune, but is being replaced by 
president. Also written ammant. 
Ammanite (am'an-it), n. [< Amman, a proper 
name (see amman), + -ite%.] A member of one 
of the two parties into which the Swiss Men- 
nonites separated in the seventeenth century. 
They were also called Upland Mennonites. See 
Mennonite. 
ammeter (am'e-ter), n. [Contr. of amperome- 
ter, < ampere + Gr. ncTpov, a measure.] An in- 
strument for measuring or estimating in am- 
peres the strength of electric currents ; an am- 
pere-meter. See cut under ampere-meter. 
Practically it is generally preferred to use galvanome- 
ters specially constructed for this purpose, and graduated 
beforehand in amperes by the maker ; such galvanometers 
are called amperemeters or ammeters. 
Quoted in O. B. Prescott's Dynam. Elect, p. 785. 
Amtni (am'i), w. [L., also ammium, < Gr. 
"/". an African plant, Carum Coptieum (Dios- 
corides); the name is prob. of Egypt, origin.] 
A genus of umbelliferous plants, natives of 
the Mediterranean region, and having the habit 
of the carrot, but with the outer petals of the 
umbel very large. It is sometimes called 
bishop' s-icecd. 
ammiralt, An old spelling of admiral. 
ammite (am'it), . [<Gr. a/i/iin?? or a/j/arif, 
sandstone, < a/i//of , also aft/toe,, sand, related to 
a/M0of, sand, and both prob. to iM/^of and 
ipa/iadof, sand.] An old mineralogical name for 
roestone or oolite, and for all those sandstones 
which, like oolite, are composed of rounded and 
loosely compacted grains. See oolite. Also 
written hammite. 
Ammobium (a-mo'bi-um), n. [NL., < Gr. ap/tof, 
sand, -t- {iioc,, life.] A small genus of composite 
