commercialism 
1129 
minuted, ppr. rumminiiting. [< L. 
pp. of comminucre (> It. cominiiniiri- = Pr. Pg. 
i-niiiinniinr = F. comminuer), make small, break 
into pieces, < com- (intensive) -I- minucre, pp. 
miiiutux, make small: see minute, minish, rfi- 
minixh.] To make small or fine ; reduce to mi- 
nute particles or to a fine powder by breaking, 
pounding, braying, rasping, or grinding; pul- 
verize; triturate; levigate. 
I.W./.,,,,,/A. Int. to llrookes's Nat. Hist. 
Itamiii, i oi ;il Kcefs, p. S. 
Tlmsc [ftshcBl that form this genus . . . feed chiefly on 
shell-turn, which they eoniniiinii:- wiili tln-ir ii-i-ih bvforc 
see the verb.] Divided into small parts; 
comminuted. comminute fracture, in tury., frac- 
ture of a bone into more than two piece*. 
2. The predominance of commercial pursuits comminute (kom'i-nut), r. t.; pret. and pp. 
and ideas in an age, a nation, or a community. 
commercially (ko-mer'shal-i), nrlr. In a i- 
mercial manner ;" as regards commerce ; from 
the business man's point of view: as, an arti- 
cle coiiiiHi-ri'iitlty valueless; copyright comiin-r- 
cialh/ considered. 
commerciatet (ko-mer'shiat), v. i. [< ML. cum- 
mereiatus, pp. of eommerciart, have commen-i' : 
see commerce, r.] To have commercial or so- 
cial intercourse ; associate. G.Cheyiic. [Rare.] 
commeret, - [= Sc. cummer, kimmrr, ij. v. ; < 
F. commere, a gossip, a godmother, = Pr. <- 
inn ire = Sp. Pg. comadre = It. comarc, < ML. 
commuter, godmother, < L. com-, with, 4- matrr 
(> F. mere, etc.) = E. mother.] A gossip; a 
goody ; a godmother. 
COmmevet, r. '. See common: 
commigrate (kom'i-grat), r. . ; pret. and pp. 
rnmmigrutnl, ppr. ^immigrating. [< L. coinini- 
gratus, pp. of conimigrarr, < cum-, together, + 
migrare, migrate: see migrate.] rr ~ ~ ! *" 
especially together or 
body from one country 
permanent residence. [Rare.] 
commigration (kom-i-gra'shgii),n. [< L. eoni- 
migriitiii(H-), < commigntre, pp. com migratus : 
see commigrate.] The act of migrating, espe- 
cially in numbers or in a body. [Rare.] 
Almost all do hold the fumno'irnlinii of soulcs Into the 
bodies of Beasts. I'lin-linn, Pilgrimage, p. 478. 
Commit/rations or removals of nation.-. 
Ilalteieill, Apology, p. 88. 
conimilitantt (ko-mil'i-tant), n. K LL. com- 
milititn(t-)s, ppr. of commilitare, < L. com-, to- 
gether, + mill tare, fight, be a soldier: see mili- 
tant.] A fellow-soldier ; a companion in arms. 
His martial compeer then, and brave contmllitant. 
Draytuu, Polyolbion, xvlii. 
comminatet (kom'i-nat), v. t. [< L. commina- 
tus, pp. of comminari, threaten (> Sp. conmi- 
nar = Pg. comminar = It. coinminare), < com- 
(intensive) + minari, threaten, menace: see 
minatory, menace.] To threaten ; denounce. 
G. Hardinge. 
comminatiou (kom-i-na'shon), . [=F. eomini- 
' > = Sp. conminacion = Pg. 
commissary -court 
We must ri'i*-at Hi. ..hvn rr| -.-iti <! saying, that It if m. 
worthy a rrliyiuus in. in t" Vl>'\\ :tn lilrli-lnil^ our rilln r 
uitli alarm "rati-rsiini ; nr "illi an} "tin r (ei-ling than re- 
gret, and hope, and brotherly rom/m "... i-nilnn. 
Koriign Rev., 1829. 
He had cniniitim-rntin iui'1 tr-j.. -rt 
In In 
.MI; and r....,k, II. 314. 
2. An expression of pity; condolence: as, I 
send you my OMMtiMTOttoM. ton, 
I'miii'tntti'it, i-tr. i tenderneu, 
concern. 
ITheir teeth] seem entirely designed for gathering and commiserative (ko-miz'e-ra-tiv), . [= It. <</;- 
.., ii,,-ir -impi.- food. _ ..., MiMratfw; u eoMMtorato + -MM.] Compas- 
sionate. Ji/1. Hall. [Rare.] 
""'.': iral -- - commiseratively (ko-'miz'e-Va-tiv-li), ad,-. In 
a compassionate manner; with compassion. 
.Sir /'. tii-erliury. [Rare.] 
they swallow tlu-ni. ' !' ,otanl, Brit. Zool., The (Jilt Head. COmmiserator (ko-mi/.'e-ra-tor),n. [=Pg.Coro- 
comminute (kom'i-nut,), a. [< L. comminutns, miscratlor = It. 0MMferaMW/ as i 
pp. 
+ -or.] One who commiserates or pitiee; one 
who has compassion, 
commissarial (kom-i-sa'ri-nl),a. [ 
iin./i-iitc.] To migrate, comminution (kom-i-nu'shon), n. [= F. com- sarialc; as cinnmixxary + -/.] Pert aining to a 
in a body; move in a minution, < L. as if *comatliMitto(*-), < commi- commissary. 
or place to another for nue re: see comminute, r.] 1. The act of com- commissariat (kom-i-sa'ri-at), H. and . [=D. 
minuting or reducing to fine particles or to a 
powder; pulverization. 
lit] is only wrought together, and fixed by sudden inter- 
mixture and comminution. 
Bacon, Physical Fables, xl., Expl. 
2. In surg., a comminute fracture. 3f. At- 
tenuation or diminution by small abstractions. 
Commiphora (ko-mif'o-ra), >i. [NL., < Or. KOU- 
/ti, gum, + -Qopof, < <j>i/>civ = E. bear*.] A genus 
of trees and shrubs, natural order Burseracea:, 
natives of Africa and the East Indies, and 
abounding in fragrant balsams and resins. 
Many of the species are imperfectly known. The princi- 
pal are : C. Myrrlta, yielding African myrrh ; C. Opobalta- 
mum, yielding Arabian myrrh and the balm of Gileid or 
balsam of Mecca ; C. Miikul, yielding African Mi-Ilium ; 
and the Indian species (C. Kataf, etc.) from which the res- 
in- called betabol and hodthai are obtained. 
commis (ko-me'), n. [F.. < ML. commissus, a 
deputy, commissioner, orig. pp. of L. commit- 
tere, commit: see commit. Equiv. to E. coi- 
mittee.] In French law, a person appointed by 
another to represent him in a transaction of any 
comminacao = It. comminatione, < L. commina- '^^^^S^^T^Si, "andTfl 
fif\ln-\ < ,',i,n i,i ,i/ti-i Tni-nnrmiT KPO rntnittinntf!. I "." . 
, < OF. commis, 
demise, demit, compromise, compromit.] To com- 
mit; perpetrate. 
The crysten man sayd verely thou hast commysed some 
omycide, for thou art all bespronge wyth the blood. 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. 8.), p. 165. 
tio(n-), < comminari, threaten : see comminate.] 
1. A threatening or denunciation ; a threat of 
punishment or vengeance. 
With terrible commiimWotts to all them that did resist. 
Foxe, Martyrs, p. 264. 
Those thunders of comminution which not unfrequently _ n _. 1 _i aal . a vi- ,t. n ,:-' - hn n 
roll from orthodox pulpits. 1>. Taylor. COmmiseraWe (KO-miz e-ra-bl), a. \_ _ It. cc 
miserabile, < L. as if *commmerabilts, < eommi- 
Specifically 2. In the Book of Common Pray- serari comm i se rate : see commiserate, v.] De- 
er of the Church of England, a penitential of- 
fice directed to be used after the Litany on Ash 
Wednesday and at other times appointed by 
the ordinary. It consists of a proclamation of God's 
anger and judgments against sinners In sentences taken 
from Deut. xxvii. and other passages of Scripture (to each 
of which the people are to respond Amen), an exhorta- 
tion to repentance, the 51st psalm, and penitential pray- commiserate (ko-miz'e-rat), V. t.; pret. and pp. 
ers. There is no office of commination In the American fn . am i al , rl ,i f ,^ nnr. mmmiXKrritinn. K I,,, coni- 
serving of commiseration or pity; pitiable; 
capable of exciting sympathy or sorrow. 
This noble and commiserobte person, Edward. 
Bacon, Hen. VII., p. 195. 
Acutely conscious what commiifrable objects I consent 
to be ranked with. F. Hall, Mod. Eng., p. 198, note. 
Prayer-Book, but the prayers contained In the English 
ofttce are ordered to be used at the end of the Litany on 
Ash Wednesday. 
comminatory (ko-min'a-to-ri), a. [= F. con?- 
miiiatoire = Sp. conmitiatorio = Pg. It. commi- 
natorio, < LL. as if *comminatorius, < commina- 
tor, a threatener, < L. comminari, threaten: see 
comminate.] 1. Menacing; threatening punish- 
ment. B. Jonson. 
A comminatory note of the powers demanding that 
Oreece should observe the wishes of the powers. 
Appleton's Ann. Cyc., 1886, p. 410. 
2. In law, coercive ; threatening ; imposing an 
unconscionable forfeiture or other hardship, in 
such sense as not to be enforcible in a court 
of justice. 
commingt, See coming. 
commingle (ko-ming'gl),^. t. ori.; pret. and pp. 
commingled, ppr. commingling. [< com- + min- 
gle. Cf. comingle.] To mix together; mingle 
in one mass or intimately ; blend. 
Dissolutions of gum tragacanth and oil of sweet almonds 
do not commingle. Bacon, Phys. and Med. Remains. 
Commingled with the gloom of imminent war. 
Tennyson, Ded. to Idylls of the King. 
comminuatet (ko-min'u-at), v. t. An improper 
form of comminute. 
comminuiblet (kom-i-nu'i-bl), a. [Irreg. < 
L. comminuerc, make small (see comminute), 4- 
-ible.] Reducible to powder ; capable of being 
crushed or ground to powder. 
For the best [diamonds] we have are eomminuiMf with- 
out it. .SiV T. Brownt, Vulg. Err., ii. B. 
commiserated, ppr. commiserating. ' [< L. com 
miseratus, pp. of commiserari (> It. commise- 
rare = Pg. commiserar), pity, compassionate, < 
com- (intensive) + miserari, pity, commiserate, 
< miser, wretched: see miser, miserable, etc.] 
1. To feel sorrow, regret, or compassion for, 
koinmissariaat = G. mmmifuariat = Dan. 
missariat, < F. commissariat = Sji. 
= Pg. I'oiiimixxuriiulo = It. i:oinniix3(iri(iti>, < ML. 
"commisaaruitus, < comniixnuntu, a commissary: 
see commissary and -ate 3 .] I. n. 1. That de- 
partment of an army the duties of which consist 
in supplying transport, provisions, forage, camp 
equipage, etc., to the troops ; also, the body of 
officers in that department, in the United states 
army these functions are divided Iwtween the quartennas- 
Ing, and camp and garrison equipage, and the subsistence 
department, under the control of a commissary-general, 
which provides the food supplies. In 1858 and 1859 the 
British commissariat was reorganized, and remained a 
war-office department, under a commissary-general-ln- 
chief, until 1870, when it was merged, with other supply 
departments, in the control department, which performed 
all the civil administrative duties of the army. Near the 
close of 1875 the control department was superseded by 
the commissariat and transport department. 
The circulatory system Is the eotniHtMarfat of the phys- 
iological army. Iluxlftj and Ywmam, Physiol., I SO. 
2. The office or employment of a commissary. 
3. In Scots laic, the jurisdiction of a commis- 
sary; the district of country over which the 
authority or jurisdiction of a commissary ex- 
tends. Bee extract. 
The Inferior CHmmimariati, which had usually been 
commensurate with the dioceses, had been abolished by a 
previous statute, each county being erected into a separate 
cutnniiisariat, of which the sheriff is commissary. 
Chambert't Encyc. 
H. a. Pertaining to or concerned in furnish- 
ing supplies: as, the commissariat department; 
commissariat arrangements. 
The commistariat department does great credit to the 
cooks and stewards. Latin Bransey, Voyage of Sunbeam, 1. 1. 
commissary (kom'i-sa-ri), n. ; pi. commissaries 
(-riz). [= F. commissaire (> G. commissar = 
Dan. kommiswr = Sw. kommissarie; cf. D. from- 
missaris) = Sp. comisario = Pg. commissario = 
It. commissario, commessario, < ML. commissa- 
rius, one to whom any trust or duty is dele- 
gated, < L. commissus, pp. of committere, com- 
mit: see commit. Cf. commissioner.] 1. In a 
general sense, one to whom some charge, duty, 
or office is committed by a superior power; one 
who is sent or delegated to execute some office 
through sympathy; compassionate; pity: ap- or duty in the place, or as the representative, 
_i:j t , ,5 a . .= ^ ,.....,.;......,/,. O f hjg gu p er i or ; a commissioner. 
Commissioners or commutarirs are frequently sent for 
the settlement of special questions, as, for Instance, in- 
demnities to be paid after a war for losses incurred, or 
boundary disputes. 
E. Schnyler, American Diplomacy, p. 119. 
2. Eccles., an officer who by delegation from the 
bishop exercises spiritual jurisdiction in remote 
parts of a diocese, or is intrusted with the per- 
formance of the bishop's duties in his absence. 
The cotnmitmry of the Bishop of London entertained 
suits exactly analogous to those of the trades unions of the 
present day. Stvkbs, Medieval and Modern Hist., p. S16. 
3. In Scots law, the judge in a commissary- 
court; in present practice, the sheriff of each 
county acting in the commissary-court. See 
commissary-court. 4. Milit., a name given to 
officers or officials of various grades, especially 
to officers of the commissariat department, in 
the British army a commissary -general ranks with a ma- 
jor-general, a deputy commissary-general with a colonel, 
a commissary with a major, a deputy commissary with a 
captain, an assistant commissary with a lieutenant. In 
the United States an officer whose duty is the furnishing 
of food for the army Is called a committary o/nibgittence, 
the commissary-general ranking as a brigadier-general. 
commissary-court (kom'i-sa-ri-kort), n. In 
Scots laur: (a) A supreme court established in 
plied to persons or things: as, to commiserate 
a person or his condition. 
Then must we those, who groan beneath the weight 
Of age, disease, or want, commiserate. 
Sir J. Dfnham, Justice. 
2. To regret; lament; deplore; be sorry for. 
We should com miseratc our ignorance and endeavour to 
remove it. Locke. 
3. To express pity for; condole with: as, he 
commiserated him on his misfortune. 
I commiserated him sincerely for having such a disagree- 
able wife. /;. Taylor, Lauds of the Saracen, p. 20. 
= Syn. To sympathize with, feel for, condole with. 
commiseration (ko-miz-e-ra'shon), n. [= F. 
commiseration = Sp. conmiseracion = Pg. com- 
miseraySo = It. commiserazione, < L. commisera- 
tio(n-), found only in the sense of 'a part of an 
oration intended to excite compassion,' < commi- 
serari, commiserate: see commiserate.] 1. The 
act of commiserating ; sympathetic suffering of 
pain or sorrow for the wants, afflictions, or dis- 
tresses of another ; pity ; compassion. 
Losses . . . 
Enough to press a royal merchant down, 
And pluck commiseration of his state 
From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint. 
Skat., M. of V., l. 1. 
