confederate 
of the southern Statrs of the American Union 
which formed the Confederate States of Ameri- 
ca, who participated in or ITmpathized with the 
attempt to dentroy the Union by secession and 
the prosecution of the civil war. 
Not Federals or ('<,< i.>i< ratt were WIT more impartial 
in the confiscation of neutral chicken*. 
Lowell, -i mly Windows, p. 9. 
= Syn. 1. l-'rifiiil, Cnui;xfMiuii, etc. (see autociate), accom- 
plice, accessory, ahettcr, fellow-conspirator. 
confederation (kon-fed-e-ra'shon), n. [= F. 
I'liiifi'-iii'riiiiini = !Sp. confederation = \'%. i'nn- 
federaySo = It. confedcrazione, < ML. co;///r- 
nilin(n-), LL. confasderatio(n-), < confn-di rm-i; 
unite in a league: see confederate.'] 1. The 
act of confederating, or the state of being con- 
federated ; a league ; a compact for mutual sup- 
port; alliance. 
The three princes enter Into a strict league and COM- 
federation. Karon. Ilict. Hen. VII. 
The Plciade, where miu of the seven hath almost no 
light or visibility, though knit in the same M^MfNritol 
\\illi those w hit li half the world do at one time see. 
Jer. Taylor. 
2. An aggregate or body of confederates, or 
of confederated states; the persons or states 
united by a league. 
Although it [the canton of Zug] is a free republic, it is 
rutlier a confederation of four or five republics, each of 
which has its monarchical, arlstocratical, anil democrat!- 
cat branches, than a simple democracy. 
J. Adatns, Works, IV. 821. 
A an\fe<leratiou is a union, more or less complete, of two 
or more states which before were independent. 
Wooltey, Introd. to Inter. Law, 104. 
Articles of Confederation, in u. /?. hi*t., the compact 
or constitution adopted by the Continental Congress in 
1777 and ratified by the separate colonies within the next 
four years. The government formed under this compact, 
which went Into effect on March 1st, 1781, was without 
an executive and judiciary, consisting simply of a con- 
gress of one house, in which each State had one vote ; It 
was empowered to declare war and peace, make treaties 
with foreign powers, direct the land and naval forces in 
time of war, make requisitions upon the separate states for 
their quota of the money necessary for national expenses, 
regulate the value of coin, control the postal service, etc. 
As it had no power to enforce its laws upon the States, it 
soon fell into contempt, and on March 4th, 1789, expired 
by limitation under the provisions of the present Consti- 
tution. New England Confederation, the union ef- 
fected by the colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, 
Connecticut, and New Haven in 1643, suggested by the 
need of a common defense against the Dutch and the 
Indians. It was discontinued in 1684. = SyiL Confedera- 
tion, Confederacy^ Federation. A confederation or con- 
federacy is sometimes distinguished from a federation as 
follows : Both designate a union of distinct states. In a 
federation, however, the essential sovereignty, as exer- 
cised toward foreign countries, is regarded as irrevocably 
deposited in the hands of the central government, and 
only a constitutionally limited autonomy in internal mat- 
ters is retained by the constituent territories; while in a 
confederation the sovereignty may be conceived as still 
existing in the constituents and exercised more or less ex- 
tensively by the general government as delegated agent : 
a confederacy is regarded as even less permanent than a 
confederation. Thus, the union of the thirteen colonies 
before 17S9 was a confederation, while the United States 
since that time have constituted a federation. The above 
distinction, however, is not strictly adhered to in the or- 
dinary use of these words. 
confederative (kqn-fed'er-a-tiv), a. [< confed- 
erate 4- -ice; = F\ confe'de'ratif, etc.] Of or be- 
longing to, or of the nature of, a confederation. 
confederatort (kou-fed'er-a-tor), n. [= F. con- 
federateur = Pg. "confederadof, < LL. as if "con- 
fcederator, < confwderare, unite in a league : see 
confederate, \] One who confederates ; aeon- 
federate. 
The King shall pay one hundred thousand crowns, 
whereof the one halfe the confederate shall and may 
employ when neede shall require. 
Grafton, Hen. VIII., an. 26. 
confer (kon-fer'), v.; pret. and pp. conferred, 
ppr. conferring. [Early mod. E. conferre ; = D. 
Konfereren = Q. conferircn = Dan. konferere. < 
OF. conferer, F. confercr = Sp. Pg. conferir = It. 
eonferire, < L. conferre (pp. collatus : see col- 
late), bring together, collect, compare, consult 
together, confer, < com-, together, + fcrre = E. 
bear 1 . Cf. defer, differ, infer, prefer, offer, refer, 
transfer.] I. trans. If. To bring together. 
And One Two Three make Six, in One conferd. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, II., The Columnes. 
2. To compare ; examine by comparison ; col- 
late. 
I have also translated it into Englishe, so that he may 
conferre theime both to-githers, whereof (as lerned men 
atftrme) cometh no smalle protect. -. 
Quoted in Rabeei Book (E. E. T. 8.), p. xxli. 
He shall behold all the delight* of the Hesperides . . . 
to be mere umbni 1 , anil imperfect figures, conferred with 
the most essential felicity ni your court. 
B. Jmttoii, I'.vc'ry Man out of his Humour, Iv. 6. 
If we confer these observations with others of the like 
nature. Koyle. 
1181 
[In this sense now obsolete except as used in the imperative 
in makinu' reference to Illiiktratiii \vunl-. MI pai-.-i 
which 11*1- jt ci.incides v\ ith, anil n usually Heated as, the 
Latin imperative confer (pron. kou'fer), and coimiiMiily ab- 
breviated cnnf. or cf. ] 
3. To bestow as a permanent gift ; settle as a 
possession: followed by on or UJHHI. 
And runfrr fair Milan, 
With all the honours, on my tirother. 
Shale., Tempest, I. I 
The sovereignty 
Prouil ami inip.TioiiH men usurp UJKHI us, 
Woeoitd . mi letters 
We fasten to our freedoms. 
/'Mi/i.v (a, id ini'iili,-!-). Sea Voyage, U. 2. 
Coronation, to a king, cotifers no royal authority upon 
him. South. 
The Duke on the lady a kiss conferred, 
As the courtly custom was of yore. 
Browning, The .Statue and the Bust. 
4f. To contribute; conduce. 
The closeness and compactness of the parts resting to- 
gether doth much confer to the strength of the union 
OlanmUe. 
- Syn. 3. Bestow, Grant, etc. See give. 
II. iii trans. To consult together on some 
special subject ; compare opinions ; carry on a 
discussion or deliberation. Formerly confer often 
meant simply to discourse, to talk, but it now implies con- 
versation on some serious or important subject, in distinc- 
tion from mere light talk or familiar conversation. 
When they had commanded them to go aside out of the 
council, they conferred among themselves. Acts iv. 16. 
If he [a man] confer little, he had need have a present 
wit. Bacon, Studies. 
We hare some secrets to confer about 
Shall., 1. O. of V., III. 1. 
His eyes and his raiment confer much together as he 
goes in the street. B. Jonton, Cynthia's Revels, U. 1. 
conferee (kon-fer-e'), n. [< confer + -ec 1 .] 1. 
One who is conferred with ; a member of a con- 
ference. 
Provision has been made for two additional confereet on 
the part of our government. Science, IV. 47. 
2. One on whom something is conferred, 
conference (kon'fe-rens), . [= D. konferentie 
= G. eonferenz ="Dan. Conference, < F. confe- 
rence = Sp. Pg. conferencia = It. confercnza, < 
ML. conferentia, < L. conferen(t-)g, ppr. of con- 
ferre, compare, confer: see confer.] If. Com- 
parison ; examination of things by comparison. 
The mutual conference of all men's collections and ob- 
servations. Hooker. 
2. The act of conferring or consulting toge- 
ther; a meeting for consult at ion. discussion, or 
instruction; an interview and comparison or 
interchange of Opinions. Specifically (o) In diplo- 
macy, a more or less informal meeting of the representa- 
tives of different foreign countries. 
It has become rather difficult to draw any certain line 
between a congress and a conference. In theory, how- 
ever, a congress has the power of deciding and conclud- 
ing, while a conference can only discuss and prepare. 
Thus the conferencet of Moerdyk and Oertruidcnberg sim- 
ply prepared the way for the treaties of Utrecht, while the 
congresses of Minister, Aix-la-Chapelle, Kastadt, Erfurt. 
Prague, Chatillon, Vienna, Laybach, and Verona were all 
more or less direct in their action and results. 
Blackwood's Mag. 
(')) In British and American parliamentary usage, a spe- 
cies of negotiation between the two houses of Parliament 
or of Congress, conducted by managers appointed on both 
sides, for the purpose of reconciling differences, (c) Ec- 
cles. : (1) The annual assembly of ministers of the Wes- 
leyan Methodist Church in England, for transacting busi- 
ness of an ecclesiastical nature. (2) In the Meth. Epis. 
Ch. of America, the title of four judicatories : (I.) An as- 
sembly, called the general conference, which meeU once 
every four years, Is composed of ministerial and lay dele- 
gates from the annual conferences, and is presided over 
by a general superintendent, (it.) One of a number (now 
over 100) of assemblies, called annual conference*, which 
meet annually, take cognizance of ecclesiastical matters, 
collect statistics relating to the church, and have charge 
of benevolent contributions, current expenses, etc. (Ill) 
An assembly of the itinerant and local preachers, the ex- 
horters, the stewards of a district, and a class-leader and 
Sunday-school superintendent from each pastoral charge, 
called the dittrict conference, meeting annually or semi 
annually. (Iv.) An assembly, termed the quarterly confer- 
ence, of all the Itinerant and local preachers, exhorters, 
stewards, class-leaders, trustees of churches, and first su- 
perintendents of Sunday-schools, in a circuit or station, 
under the presidency of a presiding elder. It hears com- 
plaints and appeals, examines Into the character of preach- 
ers, licenses ministers, tries those against whom charges 
are preferred, and makes appointments and removals. (S) 
In the Rom. Cath. Ch.: (I.) A voluntary local assembly of 
priests; a pastoral conference, (it) An assemblyof priests 
called by a college ; a chapter conference. (4) In some 
Protestant churches, as the Congregational, a local assem- 
bly of representatives from several neighboring churches. 
3. Discourse ; talk ; conversation. 
Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, 
and writing an exact man. Bacon, Studies. 
God save your grace, I do beseech your majesty, 
To have some conference with your grace alone. 
Shak., Rich. II., v. 3. 
Confervoideae 
At this Time the Duke of York, under pretence of mm 
Ing to the rarhament, i ome, on! ot Inland ; mid i.< 
don had prival itli .I'.hn, link- of Norfolk. 
Baker, clironiili *, p. ITJ 
4. A lecture. [Bare.] 
Muii-ii in Lin t, 1 in- \ aiidoi* clergyman, who had given 
eonfcrr nr, x on tin- hlititry ol tin \\aldcluet. 
' M|.l,||,inar.ll. II. 
Hampton Court Conference, 
by Jalm-i I., at Haniploii Court, in llM. 
di*|inte- I.etue. n llie fiiutali [.arty and the Hii:li-i Imri )i 
party in the! 'linn h of I airland. It wa^ . 'inln 
days (January llth. loth and IMh). and n -ultid In a r w 
alterations of the litur.->, lint en' 
object* sought tiv 
reti-ion ot i lied tin- Kma 
.lame-, or aiithori/e.l \er.-ion, which wa sugjd .-! .1 a! Unit 
tim. Savoy Conference, aeon i. m,, 
palweili I. "itdon, after the lest"i 11601), 
iM-IUCl II tUl lit > ..in- I,|,I T M|, ,; t 
of i'rcHliyterians, for tie- i inni: ccclefttutlcal 
unity. It utterly failed, leaving both partlm more bitterly 
iiM-ni. tii. in b 
Conferencing (kon'fe-reii-ning), n. [< confer- 
: in; + -in;/i.] The act of conferring together 
or holding a conference ; consultation. [Rare.] 
i e was of coarse long conferencing, long consultlni!. 
Carlyle, Frederick the (Treat, ill. 11. 
conferential (kon-fe-ren'shal), a. [< confer- 
MW (ML. riiitfrri-ntla) + -'/.] Of or relating 
to conference. [Rare.] 
conferment (kon-fer'ment), n. [< confer + 
-went.] The act of conferring, as a university 
degree or a church living. 
A kind of ecclesiastical communist, cherishing his con- 
nection for lie- chance It elves him of holding hU hand on 
the spigot of churchly conferment. 
New Princeton Rev., I. 40. 
conferrable (kon-fer 'a-bl), a. [< confer + 
-able."] Capable of being conferred or be- 
stowed. 
It qualifies a gentleman for any conferrable honour. 
Wati-rliouge, Arms and Armoury, p. d4. 
conferral (kon-fer'al), n. [< confer + -a/.] The 
act of conferring; "bestowment. [Bare.] 
conferrer (kon-fer'er), n. 1. One who confers 
or consults. 2. One who bestows. 
Several persons, as conferrert or receive, have found 
their account in it. Richarditon, Pamela, xxxii. 
conferrnminate, confer ruminated (kon-fe- 
ro'mi-nat, -na-ted), a. [< L. conferruminatus, 
pp. of confemtminare, solder together, < com-, 
together, + ferruminare, solder, < ferrumen 
(ferrumin-), solder, < ferrum, iron.] Soldered 
together; consolidated as if soldered together; 
specifically, in hot., closely adherent, so as to 
be separated with difficulty, as the cotyledons 
of the horse-chestnut. 
Conferva (kon-fer'vft), n. [NL., < L. conferva, 
a kind of water-plant, so called on account of 
its supposed healing power, < confervere, boil 
together, grow together, heal.] 1. A genus 
in which the older botanists placed many very 
heterogeneous species of filamentous crypto- 
gams. It has been much restricted by various authors, 
and is now limited to green algte composed of simple 
many celled filaments, not gelatinous, growing In fresh 
water. The species are very imperfectly known. 
2. [1. c. ; pi. conferva: (-ve).] The common name 
of plants of this genus. 
Confervacese (kon-fer-va'se-e), n. pi. [NL., < 
Coitfena + -acea;."] A name used by Harvey 
and some other algologists to include various 
green, filamentous, many-celled algse which are 
now placed among the Chlorosporca; of the order 
Zoosporea!. 
confervaceous (kon-fer-va'shius), a. Of or be- 
longing to the Confercaeeo! ; having the char- 
acters of the Cmiferraceo!. 
conferva, H. Plural of conferva, 2. 
conferva! (kon-fer'val), a. and n. [< Conferva 
+ -/.] I. a. Of or "related to the genus Con- 
ferva ; consisting of plants of the order Confer- 
vaceai : as, the conferral alliance. Lindley. 
II. n. A plant of the order Conferracea;. 
conferyite (kon-fer' vit), w. [< Conferva + -ite 2 .] 
A fossil plant, occurring chiefly in the Chalk 
formation, apparently allied to the aquatic 
species of Conferva. Page. 
confervogoniaiuin(kon-fer-v6-go-nid'i-um),n.; 
pi. conferrogonidia (-ft). [NL., < Conferva + 
gonidium.'] In lichenology, a gonidium resem- 
bling a confervoid alga. 
confervoid (kon-fer' void), a. and n. [< Conferva 
+ -oid.'] I. a. In bot., resembling a conferva ; 
consisting of slender green filaments. 
II. n. An alga of the group Cottfcrvoidea?. 
Confervoidese (kon-fer-voi'de-e), n. pi. [NL., < 
Conferva + -oidea-.~\ Same as Confervace<e, but 
according to some older authors including other 
related groups. 
