convert 
pork 
'Twas much wished by the holy Robinson that some of 
the poor heathen had been converted before any of them 
had been slaughtered. C. Mather, Mag. Chris., i. 3. 
No attempt was made to convert the Moslems. Prescott. 
6. To turn from one use or destination to an- 
other; divert from the proper or intended use; 
specifically, in law, of personal property, un- yourselves. 
lawfully to assume ownership of, or to assert 
a control over, inconsistent with that of the 
owner ; appropriate without right to one's own 
use, or intentionally deprive of its use the one 
having the right thereto. 
Which [lands and possessions] are nowe, and have bene 
of longe tyme, conuerted as well to dedes of charyte and to 
the comiuen-welth there, as hereafter shall appere. 
Enyliih Gilds (E. E. T. 8.), p. 248. 
When the Monks of Canterbury had displeased him about 
the election of their Archbishop, he seized upon all their 
Goods, and converted them to his own Use. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 
1244 convey 
Hr P.iil makes i difference between those he calls With the Deity right and expedient are doubtless con- 
neophytes that is.'iiewly grafted into Christianity and vertible terms. //. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 11. 
those that are brought up in the faith. But it should be remembered that this line [of eight syl- 
Bacon, Speech on the Union of Laws, lables] is at all times convertible with one of seven sylla- 
The pagan coterie who got hold of him [the Emperor bles. Generis and Exodus (E. E. T. S.), Pref., p. xxxvii. 
Julian] soon discovered the importance of their convert. Q j n ; 0< ,j c true, or asserted to be true, after 
Smith and Wace, Diet. Christ. Biog., III. 494. convel . si ^, n ' or the interchange of subject and 
predicate. See conversion, 2. 
He had need be well conducted that should design to 
make Axioms convertible, if he make them not withal cir- 
cular and non-promovent, or incurring into themselves. 
Bacon, Works (ed. Spedding), III. 407. 
Con vertible bonds. Seeiwndi. 
convertibleness (kon-ver'ti-bl-nes), n. Con- 
vertibility. 
convertibly (kon-ver'ti-bli), adr. Reciprocally ; 
with interchange of terms ; by conversion. 
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for yi 
compass sea and land to make one protdyte, and, when hi 
is made ve make him twofold more the child of hell than 
Mat. xxiii. 15. 
This is a creature, 
Would she begin a sect, might quench the zeal 
Of all professors else ; make proselytes 
Of who she but bid follow. Shah., W. T., v. 1. 
That notorious pervert, Henry of Navarre and France. 
Thackeray, Roundabout Papers, i. 
Hopeful looked after him, and espied on his back a pa 
ng their own p.,,.- 
were, renegades to nationality and patriotism. 
Ticknor, Span. Lit., I. 134. 
convertend (kon-ver-tend'), n. [= F. conver- 
7. In logic, to transform by conversion. See tente, < L. convertendus, gerundive of convertere, 
conversion, 2. 8f. To turn into or express in convert: see convert, r.] That which is to be 
another language ; translate. converted ; specifically, in logic, a proposition 
atullus more elegantly converted. which is or is to be transformed by conversion ; 
B. Jonson, Masque of Queens, the premise of the immediate inference ot con- 
Which story . 
Converting proposition, the conclusion of an inference 
of conversion. 
Il.t intrans. 1. To turn in course or direc- 
tion; turn about. 
I make hym soone to converte. 
Chaucer, Troilus, iv. 1412. 
I have spoken sufficiently, at least what I can, of this 
Nation in generall : now convert we to the Person and 
Court of this Sultan. Sandys, Travailes, p. 57. 
2. To be changed; undergo a change. 
The love of wicked friends converts to fear ; 
That fear, to hate. Shak., Rich. II., v. 1. 
3. To experience a change of heart ; change the 
current of one's life from worldliness or selfish- 
ness to love of God and man. 
We preach many long sermons, yet the people will not 
repent nor convert. Latimer, Sermon bef. Edw. VI., 1550. 
Lest they . . . understand with their heart, and eon- 
vert, and be healed. Isa. vi. 10. 
Whenever a man converts to God, in the same instant 
God turns to him. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 423. 
convert (kon'vert), n. [< convert, v."] 1. A 
person who is converted from one opinion or 
practice to another ; one who renounces one 
creed, religious system, or party, and embraces 
another: used particularly of those who change 
their religious opinions, but applicable to any 
change from one belief or practice to another. 
As some one has well said, the utmost that severity can 
do is to make hypocrites ; it can never make converts. 
II. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 203. 
2. In theol., one who has been changed, as to 
the purpose and direction of his life, from sin 
to holiness. 
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts 
with righteousness. Isa. i. 27. 
3. In monasteries, a lay friar or brother admit- 
ted to the service of the house, without orders, 
and not allowed to sing in the choir. Clinical 
convert. See clinical. =Syn. 1. Seophytf, Convert, Prose- 
lyte, Pervert, Apostate, Renegade. A neophyte is a convert 
who is still very new to the doctrine or duties of his re- 
ligion ; hence, figuratively, the word stands for a novice 
in any line ; it does not at all suggest the abandonment of 
any other faith for the present one. A convert may or may 
not be from some other faith ; the word expresses a radical 
change in convictions, feelings, purposes, and actions, and 
therefore suggests the sincerity of the subject ; it is rarely 
used with a sinister meaning, but it may mean only acqui- 
escence in a new faith proposed for nominal adherence : 
x rr . 1. One who con- 
verts ; one who makes converts. 
The zealous converters of souls and labourers in God's 
vineyard. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 135), I. i. 
The illustrious converter appealed to the Pope. 
National Baptist, XIX. 3. 
convert. [Obsolete or rare.] 
It was my breath that blew this tempest up, 
Upon your stubborn usage of the pope ; 
But, since you are a gentle conn 1 ii iff, 
My tongue shall hush again this storm of war. 
Shale., K. John, v. 1. 
Pardon him, lady, that is now a convertite, : 
Your beauty, like a saint, bath wrought this wonder. 
Beau, and Fl., Woman-Hater, iii. 1. 
I do not understand these half cbnrertites. Jews chris- 
tianizingChristians judaizing puzzle me. 
Lamb, Imperfect Sympathies. 
converter, n. See converter, 2. 
convex (kon'veks), a. and n. [= D. konveks = 
G. cocex = Dan. Sw. konvex, < F. coucexe= Sp. 
Pg. convexo = It. convesso, < L. con- 
rexux, vaulted, arched, rounded, con- 
_ ., , . i i vjt/u-^t vuuiudtf luvuvu* J.\J\A***J.^\*J \-v"- 
2. A vessel in which metals or other materials concave, prop. pp. (collateral to 
ni*ri AtivMkri r\n fif\-n iratrfnri fvrtin mi*a all SVriP OV ('Oil- a i -i _ ... 
are changed or con verted from one shape or con- 
dition to another. 
Specifically, in metal., 
an oval-shaped vessel 
or retort, hung on an 
axis, made of iron and 
lined with some refrac- 
tory material, in which 
molten pig-iron is con- 
verted by the Bessemer 
process into what is gen- 
erally called steel. See 
steel. Also spelled con- 
vertor. 
convertibility (kon- 
ver-ti-bil'i-ti), n. 
[= F. convertibility 
= Sp. convertibili- 
dad, < ML. converti- 
bilita(t-)s,<. LL. con- 
vertibilis, changeable: see convertible and -bil- 
ity.~\ The condition or quality of being con- 
vertible, (a) The capability of being converted, trans- 
muted, or transformed from one form or state to another, 
or exchanged for an equivalent : as, the convertibility of 
water into oxygen and hydrogen. 
The mutual convertibility of land into money and of 
money into land. Burke, Rev. ill France. 
Convex or 
Plano-con- 
vex Lens. 
Bessemer Converter. 
convectus) of convehcre, bring toge- 
ther: see convection.] I. a. 1. Curved, 
as a line or siirface, in the manner of 
a circle or sphere when viewed from 
some point without it; curved away 
from the point of view ; hence, bound- 
ed by such a line or surface : as, a convex mirror. 
A curved line or surface is regarded as convex when it falls 
between the point of view and a line joining any two of its 
points. See concave. 
Half the convex world intrudes between. 
Goldsmith, Des. ViL, 1. 342. 
Specifically 2. In ziiol. and anat., elevated 
and regula'rly rounded ; forming a segment of 
a sphere, or nearly so : distinguished from gib- 
bons, which is applied to a less regular eleva- 
tion. Convex lens, in optic*, a lens having either one 
or lioth sides convex. See lens. Convex mirror, in 
optics. See mirror. 
II. n. [< L. convexmn, prop. neut. of con- 
rejcus, adj.: see above.] A convex body or 
surface. 
Through the large Convex of the azure Sky . . . 
Fierce Meteors shoot their arbitrary Light. 
Prior, Carmen Seculare, st. 40. 
Half heaven's convex glitters with the flame. Tickell. 
I hold the immediate convertibility of bank notes into con Trexed (kon'vekst), a. K convex + -ed 2 .'] 
iccie to be an indispensable security to their retaining ^SKXTi^mmi nrotii hprant rh a snhprical form 
leir value. D. Webster, Speech, Senate, March 18, 1854. Made convex , protul 
rt.iTf*T/%vrtH ITT / b-i-vr> _-\mb- a nH_M 1 /I fin I Tl ft. f'OTlVAY 
spec! 
th. 
In a convex 
(6) Capability of being applied or turned to a new use. (o) COnVOXedly (kon-vek'sed-li), adv. 
Thequalityof being interchangeable: as, the convertibility lorm. 
of certain letters, (d) In loyic, capability of being trans- convexednCSS (kon-vek sed-nes), n. bame as 
formed by conversion. convexity, 1. 
convertible (kon-ver'ti-bl), . [= F. Pr. Sp. con yexity (kon-vek'si.-ti), n. [= D. kmveksi- 
converttble = Pg. convertirel = It. convertibile, < te f t _ D an . kotivexitet, < F. convexite = Sp. con- 
LL. convertibilis (also conversibilis : see cower- vex ifi (l fi _ p g . convexidade = It. eonvessita, < L. 
sible),< ii. convertere, turn, change: see convert, C onvexita(t-)s, < convex-its, convex: see convex, 
.] 1. Capable of being changed in form, sub- o j j rr,n e character or state of being con- 
stance, or condition; susceptible of change; vex; roundness; sphericity. Also sometimes 
convexness, convexedness. 
The very convexity of the earth. Bentley. 
2. The exterior surface or form of a convex 
transmutable ; transformable: as, iron is con- 
vertible into steel, and wood into charcoal. 
Also, by reason of the afflnitie which it hath with mylke, 
it is conuertiole into blonde and flesh. 
Sir T. Elyot, Castle of Health, ii. 
bodv. 
In a convex form : 
Same 
as, they were offered the choice of death or becoming con- ""^i '; vfi' t-k. ronvexo concave fkon-vek'so-kon'- 
* to the faith of the conqueror. A proselyte is gener- cally, in banking and com., capable of being con- cpnvexp-concaye ( ran- 
ally from some other faith or alliance, primarily in reli- 
gion, but also in partizanship of any kind : proselytism 
does not necessarily imply conviction ; the tendency is to 
use only convert in the good sense, and apply proselyte to 
one brought over by unworthy motives, and proselytizer to 
one who seeks recruits for his faith without being particu- 
lar as to their being converted to It. Pervert as a noun is 
new, and confined chiefly to England ; it is a paronomasia 
for convert, and a controversial word, stigmatizing one who 
abandons the Church of England, or one of the other Prot- 
estant churches, for the Roman Catholic Church. Apos- 
tate is a strong term for an utter, conspicuous, and presum- 
ably base renounce! 1 of the Christian religion, or of any 
denominational, political, or other faith and affiliation. A 
renegade is one who, presumably without conversion of 
mind or heart, and from sheer interest, goes over from 
one faith or party to another ; hence, a mere runaway or 
deserter. The term covers as much abhorrence and repro- 
bation as apostate, and more contempt. 
verted or changed into gold of similar amount 
at any time: applied to bank-notes and other 
forms of paper money: as, a convertible paper 
currency. 4. Capable of being applied or 
turned, as to a new use. 
He sees a thousand things, which, being ignorant of 
their uses, he cannot think convertible to any valuable 
kav), a. Having a convex opposite 
to a concave surface ; having a hol- 
low or incurvation on one side cor- 
responding to a convexity on the 
other : said of bodies Convexo-con- 
cave lens, a lens having a convex and a. concave surface, 
the radius of curvature of the former being less than that 
jf the latter. Also called w nitcux. 
Convexo-con- 
cave Lens. 
purpose. Goldsmith, Criticisms. co " nvex() -convex (kon-vek'so-kon'- 
The labour of the miner for example, consists of opera- ve fc s N . Convex on both sides, as 
tions for digging out of the earth substances convertible 
by industry into various articles fitted for human use. a lens : otherwise termed (loiiwe- 
J. S. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. ii. 3. convex. 
5. So constituted as to be interchangeable; COnvexo-plane (kon-vek'so-plan), 
equivalent in certain or all respects. 
Same as plano-convex. 
The law and the opinion of the judge are not always Convey (koii-va'), r. [X ML. con- 
i;:,nvrtMe terms. Blackstone, Com., I., Int., 3. veyen, conveien, < OI . conreifr, also 
Convexo-con- 
vex I.ens. 
