conspicuity 
conspicuity (kon-spi-ku'i-ti), n. [< L. as if 
*i-<nixpiruiln(t-)x, < i-iiiix/iii-inix, cousjiieuous: see 
i-niixpii-Hoiix.] 1. Coiispieuousness. [Rare.] 
How inevitahl) it i modern religion] depresses all that 
ifl sweet, and modest, and nne\aeting in manners, and 
forces into ou< -/</< "<V</ w hat. SIM 'ver is forward, ungenerous, 
and dcs|H>tiu. '/. ./ami's, Suhs. and shad., p. 24. 
2f. Brightness; luminosity. 
Midnight ma\ vie in <"i,i/n'>-i'r with noon. 
gtatadU, seep. Bd. 
conspicuous (kon-spik'u-us), a. [= Sp. Pg. It. 
i'i>iin/iii'i/i>, < L. i-inixpii-Hiix, open to the view, 
attracting attention, distinguished, < rinixpi- 
i'i'i-i', look at, see, observe, < com-, together, + 
xfiiTi-ri', look, sue, = OIK1. X/M-IIOH. watch, >ult. 
I 1 !. */"/' s ee x/j/ r/r.v. xfiffffrrli', x/'l/, etc., and Cf. 
ln'iv/iii'iioiis.] 1. Open to the view; catching 
I he eye; easy to be seen; manifest. 
It was a rock 
Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds, 
Conspicuous far. Milton, P. L., iv. 64u. 
2. Obvious to the mind ; readily attracting or 
forcing itself upon the attention ; clearly or 
extensively known, perceived, or understood : 
striking. 
Even now it remains the most conspicuous fact about 
the Christian Church that the name of the world-state 
Rome is stamped upon the largest branch of It. 
J. It. Sffley, Nat. Religion, p. 181. 
Hence 3. Eminent; notable; distinguished: 
as, a man of conspicuous talents; a woman of 
mnxpinioiis virtues. 
The liberal education of youth passed almost entirely in- 
to their (the Jesuits') hands, aim was conducted by them 
with conspicuous ability. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. 
= Syn. 3. Illustrious, eminent, celebrated, remarkable, 
marked, notable. 
conspicuously (kon-spik'u-us-li), adv. In a 
conspicuous manner, (a) Obviously ; prominently ; 
in a manner to catch the eye or the attention. 
Among the Teutonic settlers in Britain, . . . Angles, 
Savons, and .lutes stand out conspicuously above all. 
E. A. Freeman, Amer. Lects., p. 30. 
(!>} Eminently ; remarkably. 
conspicuousness (kon-spik'u-us-nes), n. 1. 
Openness or exposure to the view ; a state of 
being clearly visible. 2. The property of be- 
ing clearly discernible by the mind ; obvious- 
ness. 3. Eminence; celebrity; renown. 
Their writings attract more readers by the author's con- 
n t j/i'iii:ii.in,:i.i. Boyle, Colours. 
conspiracy (kon-spir'a-si), n. ; pi. conspiracies 
(-siz). [< ME', consplracie, < OF. consniracie, 
eompiratie, < ML. as if *conspirati(i, < L. con- 
<l>iriire, pp. conspirittus, conspire: see conspire. 
Cf. couxpirntion.] 1. A combination of persons 
for an evil purpose ; an agreement between two 
or more persons to commit in concert some- 
thing reprehensible, injurious, or illegal ; par- 
ticularly, a combination to commit treason, or 
excite sedition or insurrection ; a plot ; concert- 
ed treason. In legal usage a conspiracy is a combina- 
tion of two or more persons, by some concerted action, to 
accomplish some enmin.il or unlawful purpose, or to ac- 
complish some purpose not in itself criminal or unlawful 
by criminal or unlawful means. The term was former- 
ly used in English law more specifically to designate an 
agreement between two or more persons falsely and mali- 
ciously to indict, or procure to be indicted, an Innocent 
person of felony. 
They were more than forty which had made this con- 
spiracy [to kill 1'aul]. Acts xxiii. I .:. 
I had forgot that foul conspiracy 
Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates, 
Against my life. Shak., Tempest, iv. 1. 
It is evident that on both sides they liegan with a league 
and elided with a e<i/<.v/mv(e/. 
Itryden, Post, to HUt. of League. 
Hence 2. Any concurrence in action; com- 
bination in bringing about a given result. 
When the time now came that misery was ripe for him, 
there was a conspiracy in all heavenly and earthly things 
... to lead him into' it. Sir P. Sidney. 
People seem to he in a '"/< .<i>ir>i,-n to impress us with 
their individuality. 0. H". Holmes. Old Vol. of Life, p. 18. 
-Syn. 1. Intrigue, eahal, machination. 
conspirant (kou-spir'ant), a. [< F. conspirant 
= Sp. Pg. It. "fonxpirnnte, < L. co>urpiran(t-)s, 
ppr. of conspirare, conspire : see conspire.] 
Conspiring; plotting; engaging in a conspiracy 
or plot. 
Thou art a traitor . . . 
Conspirant 'gainst this high illustrious prince. 
Shak, Lear, v. 3. 
conspiration (kou-spi-ra'shou), H. [< ME. eoii- 
xpirtK'itni , -citiitn, ( OF. conxpiracion, t'nii*/>ii'>i- 
tiini. F. I'oiixpiratiOH = Pr. cospiratio = Sp. eon- 
xpiracion = rg.i'iinxpinn l -<Jo = It. runspirazione, 
< L. ctixpirtttio(H-), < ciinxpiritn; pp. conxpirn- 
inx, conspire: see conspire.] 1. Conspiracy. 
[Ran'. ] 
1213 
As oon an It was day certaine Jews made a ennqriraeion. 
./. 1'ilall, On AcUxxlll. 
2. Concurrence ; mutual tendency in action. 
[Rare.] 
Rebellion is tnl> punished by l\te contpiratiunul hca\. n 
and earth, as it is hateful and contradictory hoth to <o<d 
and man. Jer. riial'n: Works (ed. I.S.T.), I. (13. 
In our natural body every part has a necessary sympa- 
thy with every other, and all together form, by their liar- 
monious C"ii*pirittiwt, a healthy whole. Sir It', llii/i/i/lim 
conspirator (kou-spir'ii-tor), n. [= F. conspi- 
rateur = Hp. Pg. ciiiixpiriiilor = It. conspiraton, 
< ML. conspirator, < L. conxpirarc, pp. nixpi- 
nitnx, conspire: see eonxpin:] One who con- 
spires or engages in a conspiracy or is concern- 
ed in a plot ; a joint plotter ; specifically, one 
who conspires with others to commit treason. 
Ahlthophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. 
2 Sam. xr. 31. 
Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; 
Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord. 
Shak., 1 Hen. VI., L 8. 
conspiratress (kon-spir'a-tres), n. [< conspira- 
tor + -ess; = F. conttjyiratrice, etc.] A female 
conspirator. E. D. 
conspire (kon-spir'), v. ; pret. and pp. conspired, 
ppr. conspiring. [< ME. conxpiren, < OF. con- 
spirer, F. conxpirer = Sp. Pg. eonspirar = It. 
conspirare, < L. eonxpirare, blow or breathe to- 
gether, accord, agree, combine, plot, conspire, 
< com-, together, + spirare, blow, breathe : see 
xpirit. Cf. aspire, expire, insjrire, perspire, re- 
spire, transpire.] I. intrans. 1. Literally, to 
breathe together (with): breathe in unison or 
accord, as in singing. [Rare.] [A modern use 
imitating the literal Latin sense.] 
The angelic choir 
In strains of joy before unknown conspire. 
Bynnn, Christmas Hymn. 
I dilate and conspire with the morning wind. 
Emerson, Nature. 
2. To agree by oath, covenant, or otherwise to 
commit a reprehensible or illegal act ; engage 
in a conspiracy; plot; especially, hatch treason. 
Then, when they were accorded from the fray, 
Against that Castles Lord they gan conspire. 
Spenser, F. Q., III. Ix. 17. 
The servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew 
the king in his own house. 2 Ki. xxi. 23. 
3. Figuratively, to concur to one end ; act in 
unison; contribute jointly to a certain'result : 
as, all things conspired to make him prosperous. 
All the world, 
I think, conspires to vex me. 
Fletcher (and another), Elder Brother, iv. 1. 
The very elements, though each he meant 
The minister of man, to serve his want-, 
Conspire against him. Confer, The Task, ii. 130. 
Nature is made to conspire with spirit to emancipate us. 
kmerson, Nature, p. 61. 
=Syn. 2. To intrigue. S. To combine, concur, unite, co- 
operate. 
II. trans. To plot; plan; devise; contrive; 
scheme for. 
I pray you all, tell me what they deserve 
[hat do conspire my death with devilish plots 
Of damned witchcraft. Shak., Rich. III., Hi. 4. 
Wicked men conspire their hurt. 
Milton, Apology for Smectymnuu.s. 
conspirer (kon-spir'er), . One who conspires 
or plots ; a conspirator. 
conspiringly (kon-spir 'ing- li), adv. In the 
manner 01 a conspiracy ; by conspiracy. 
con spirito (kon spe'ri-to). [It., with spirit: 
con, < L. cum, with; spirito, < L. spiritus, spirit : 
see cum- and spirit.] In music, with spirit ; in 
a spirited manner, 
conspissatet (kon-spis'at), p. t. [< L. conspis- 
xn lux, p. a., pressed together, < cow-, together, 
+ spissatus, pp. of spixsare, thicken, < spissws. 
thick.] To thicken; make thick or viscous; 
inspissate. 
For that which doth conspissate active Is. 
Dr. II. More, Infinity of Worlds, st 14. 
conspissationt (kon-spi-sa'shon), n. [< L. con- 
xpixxatio(ii-), a thickening, < conxpixsntiix, thick- 
ened : see conspissate.] The act of making 
thick or viscous ; inspissation. 
conspurcationt (kon-sper-ka'shpn), H. [< L. 
i-inixpureare, pp. conspurcatus, defile, < com- (in- 
tensive) + xpurrnre, defile.] The act of de- 
filing : defilement ; pollution. Bp. Ball. 
constable (kun'sta-bl), n. [Early mod. E. also 
1'iiiixtiihli-; < MK. ninxtiihle, cunstnbnl, contr. of 
conestable, cunestable, < OF. conextable, cunesta- 
bli; cniiiicxtiiblt', F. connetable = Pr. conestablc = 
Sp. condcstable = Pg. condestable, eondestarel = 
It. concxtiibilr, conestabole, contextubili; < ML. 
constablewick 
conestalrulun, connUtbitli/'i, ruin-xliihiilix, roiixltilii- 
lis, comixtiiliuliix, i-niitfxtiiliilis, comistabiili, a i'on- 
stable (in various uses), orig. CHHH-X xtulmli, lit. 
' count of the stable.' master of the horse : L. 
i-niiii'x, a follower, etc. ; staliuli, gen. of stabu- 
I n in, a stable: see count'* and stable^.] 1. An 
officer of high rank in several of the medieval 
monarchies. The /.w //iV/A <'">'"'' ".' /.'/'</ w 
the seventh olncer of tlie erown. He hail tin eate of the 
' Munuon peaee iii deeds of anus and matters of war, being 
a judge of the court of chivalry, or court of honor. To 
tliis oilieer, an. I to the earl marshal, belonged the eniriii- 
zance of contracts t/juehing deeds of arms without the 
realm, and c liata and blazonry within the realm. His 
power was so great, and was often used to >neh inipro|K-r 
ends, that it was abridged by the 13th Klelianl II., and was 
afterward forfeiteil in the person of Kdnard stattunl, Duke 
of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII. Ithas never 
been granted to any person since that time, except on a 
particular oeeasioii. The office of Lord lliffh Constable 
of Scotland is one of great antiquity and dignity. He had 
formerly the emnmand of the king's armies while in the 
Held, in the absence of the king. He was likewise judge 
of all crime* or offenses committed within four miles 
of the king's person, or within the same distance of the 
parliament or of the privy council, or of any general con- 
vention of the states of the kingdom. The office has 
heen hereditary since 1314 in the family of Hay, earls of 
Ki roll, ami is expressly reserved in the treaty of union. 
The Conntaulf of France was the first officer of the kings 
of Prance, and ultimately liecame commander-in-chief of 
the army and the highest judge in all questions of chivalry 
and honor. This omce was suppressed in 1827. Napoleon 
reestablished it during a few years, in favor of his brother 
Louis Bonaparte. The constable of a castle was the keeper 
or governor of a castle belonging to the king or a great 
noble. This office was often hereditary : thus, there were 
constables or hereditary keepers of the Tower, of Norman- 
dy, and of the castles of Windsor, Dover, etc. 
The constabill of gude Dunde, 
The vanguard led before them all. 
Battle of Harlaw (Child's Ballads, V1L 185). 
The Constables of France repeatedly shook or saved the 
French throne. Maine, Early Hist, of Institutions, p. 139. 
2. An officer chosen to aid in keeping the peace, 
and to serve legal process in cases of minor im- 
portance. In England cnnstaJAe* of hundreds, or high 
constables (now in many districts called chief constables), 
are appointed either at quarter-sessions or by the justices 
of the hundred out of sessions ; petty constables, or con- 
stables of rill* or tithing*, are annually sworn into the of- 
fice at quarter-sessions for each parish, upon presentment 
of the vestry, and are su)irdinat to the high or chief con- 
stables. In the United States the constable is an official 
of a town or village, elected with the other local officers, 
or, as a special constable, acting under a temporary ap- 
pointnient. The constable was formerly of much more 
consequence both in England and the colonies, being the 
chief executive officer of the parish or town. 
The constable was formerly the chief man in the parish, 
for then the parish was responsible for all robberies com- 
mitted within its limits if the thieves were not appre- 
hended. . . . But this state of things has long passed 
away ; . . . and although constable* arc In some few In- 
stances still appointed, their duties are almost entirely 
performed by the county police. And it was provided by 
an Act of 1872 that for the future no parish constable 
should lie appointed unless the County Quarter Session or 
the Vestry should determine it to lie necessary. 
A. Fonblanque, Jr., How we are Governed, p. 69. 
Chief constable, high constable, see aix>ve, 2. Par- 
ish constable, in England, a petty constable exercising 
his functions within a given parish. Special constable, 
a person sworn to aid the constituted authorities, mili- 
tary or civil, in maintaining the public peace on occasions 
of exigency, as to quell a riot. To outrun the con- 
stable, {a) To escape from the subject in dispute when 
one's arguments are exhausted. S. Butler, (b) To live l>e- 
yond one's means. In this latter sense also overrun the 
constable. [Colloq.] 
"Harkee, my girl, how far have you oremtn the con- 
stable'" I told him that the debt amounted to eleven 
pounds, besides the expence of the writ. 
Smollett, Roderick Random, xxlii. 
Poor man ! at th' election he threw, t'other day, 
All his victuals, and liquor, and money away ; 
And some people think with such haste he began, 
That soon he the constable greatly outran. 
C. Ansten, New Bath Guide, vi). 
constablery (kun'sta-bl-ri), . ; pi. coastaWme* 
(-riz). [< ME. congiabilrie, < OF. constablerie, 
conextablerie, < ML. mnstabttiaria, the office or 
jurisdiction of a constable, a company of sol- 
diers, prop. fern, of constabulariitx, pertaining 
to a constable: see constabulary.] 1. The dis- 
trict in charge of a constable ; specifically, a 
ward or division of a castle under the care of a 
constable. Horn, of the Soxe. 2. Same as con- 
stabulary. [Rare in both senses.] 
constabieship (kun'sta-bl-ship), i. [< constable 
+ -.</!/.] The office of a constable. 
constablesst, " [< OF. conestablesse ; as con- 
stable + -<-xx.~] A female constable; the wife 
of a constable. [Rare.] 
Dame Hermengild, constabUsse of that place. 
Chaucer, Man of Law's Tale, 1. 441. 
constablewick (kun'sta-bl-wik), H. [< constable 
+ trick as in bailiwick : see irio*' 3 .] The dis- 
trict to which a constable's power is limited. 
[Rare or obsolete.] 
