idyl 
"Cottar's Saturday Night": applied also to 
longer poems of a descriptive and narrative 
character, as Tennyson's "Idylls of the King," 
and to prose compositions of similar purport 
treated in a poetic stylo. 
I heard her turn the page ; she found a small 
Sweet ldyl t and once more, as low, she read. 
Teitnyeon, Princess, vii. 
[Tennyson spells the word in both ways, as here given.] 
2. Ail episode, or a series of events or circum- 
stances of pastoral or rural simplicity, fit for an 
idyl. 3. In music, a composition, usually in- 
strumental, of a pastoral or sentimental char- 
acter. 
idylist, idyllist (i'dil-ist), n. [< idyl + -ist.] 
A writer of idyls ; an idyllic poet or writer; one 
who depicts idyllic or pastoral subjects, as a 
painter. 
The work of Mrs. Thaxter, Piatt, and other recent idtil- 
lixtK, ... is natural, sympathetic in short, thoroughly 
American. Sledman, Poets of America, p. 47. 
idyllic (i-dil'ik), a. [= P. idyllique (cf. D. 6. 
idyllisch = Dan. Sw. idyllisk); as idyl + -ic.] 
1. Of or belonging to descriptive or pastoral 
poetry; having the form or sentiment of an 
idyl. 2. In sympathy with what is rural or 
pastoral; suitable for an idyl; fit to be related 
or described in an idyl : as, an idyllic custom ; 
an idyllic experience. 
idyllical (I-dil'i-kal), a. [<. idyllic + -al.] Same 
as idyllic. 
idyllist, n. See idylist. 
ie. A common English digraph, of various ori- 
gin, (a) It occurs medially with the original power of 
long t. namely e, in bifid, field, wield, yield, belief, believe, 
bier, lief, and some other words of Anglo-Saxon origin, 
where it takes the place of early modern English ee , Anglo- 
Saxon , v, e, y, eit, a. In sieve it represents an English 
and Anglo-Saxon short i. It also occurs medially with the 
sound e in brief, chief, grief, niece, piece, relief, relieve, re- 
prieve, retrieve, aiege, mien, and other words of French and 
other non-English origin, representing in most of these an 
early modern English er, but an original French if. (b) It 
occurs terminally with the present sound of long t, name- 
ly i, in hie, liel, lie-, tie (and in drie, rie, etc., obsolete 
spellings of dry, ri/e, etc.), and other words of Anglo-Saxon 
origin, and also inpiel, pie'2, vie (and in cric,frie, etc., ob- 
solete spellings of cry, 'fry, etc.), and other words of French 
and other non-English origin ; also terminally, with the 
short sound of i, in familie, amitie, etc. , and other obsolete 
spellings, where now -y is used (familu, amity, etc.), the 
plurals (.families, etc.), however, retaining the original ie. 
The digraph occurs also in other words of different origin. 
-ie 1 . See -yi. 
See -!/2. 
See -j3. 
An abbreviation of id est. 
Inphilol., an abbreviation of Indo-Euro- 
-ie 2 . 
U*. 
i.e. 
I.E. 
pean. 
ieldt, !> t. An obsolete form of yield. 
-ier 1 . [Also -yer; < ME. -ier, -yer, -iere, being 
the suffix -er 1 preceded by -i-, formative of weak 
verbs in AS. -ian, ME. -ien, -en: see -e/i 1 .] A 
suffix denoting the agent, the same as -er 1 with 
an original verb-formative preceding, it appears 
in brazier*, grazier, hellier = hilher, and, spelled -yer, in 
hillyer, another spelling of hillier, and locyer, an obsolete 
or dialectal variant of lover. In bowyer, lawyer, sairyer, 
the suffix -yef is slightly different See -yer. 
-ier 2 (-er'). [< F. -ier, ult. < L. -arius: see -er 2 
and -eer.] Another form of the suffix -eer, re- 
taining the French spelling, and occurring in 
more recent words from the French, as in brig- 
adier, halberdier, etc. See -eer, -er 2 . 
ier-oe (er-6'), n. [Sc., < Gael, iar-ogha, a great- 
grandchild, < iar, = Ir. iar, after, + ogka = Ir. 
ua, a grandchild: see 08 and oe.] A great- 
grandchild. [Scotch.] 
Till his wee curlie John's ier-oe, 
When ebbing life nae mair shall flow, 
The last sad mournful rites bestow. 
Hunm, Dedication to Gavin Hamilton. 
if (if), conj. [= Sc. gif, < ME. if, ef, yef, S if, gef, 
North, gif, gef, < AS. gif = OS. ef, of = OFries. 
gef, ief, ef, of, if = D. of, or, if, whether, but, = 
OHG. ibu, oba, ube, upa, upi, MHG. obe, ob, 
ZG. ob, if, whether, = Icel. if, ef, if, = Goth. 
, ibai, whether, perhaps; with negative, niba. 
nibai, if not, unless, in comp. jabai (< jah, and, 
also, + ibai, the contraction of jah with the 
radical i explaining the other Teut. forms with 
initial o or u), if; orig. the dat. or instr. case 
( ' on the condition ') of a noun represented by 
OHG. iba, condition, stipulation, doubt, = Icel. 
if, ef, neut., ifi, efi, m., doubt, hesitation, > ifa, 
efa, v., doubt, = Sw. jdf, an exception, chal- 
lenge, > jiifva, make an exception against, chal- 
lenge. The notion to which Home Tooke gave 
currency, that if, AS. gif, was orig. the impv. 
of the verb give (AS. gif an, impv. gif), in the 
assumed sense of 'grant, suppose,' has no foun- 
dation in fact.] 1. In case that; granting, al- 
2980 
lowing, or supposing that; on condition that: 
used in introducing a conditional sentence or 
clause : as, I will go if you do ; if he is there, I 
shall see him. In logic that which the conditional prop- 
osition expresses is such knowledge that the additional 
knowledge of the fact expressed in the clause introduced by 
if would give us the knowledge of the fact expressed in 
the other clause. " If A happens, B happens," implies not 
only that whenever A happens 1! happens, in the actual 
circumstances, but that ft would do so under a certain 
variation of circumstances from those which actually 
occur. Thus, if I were to throw my inkstand on the 
floor, I should spoil the carpet," and "if the result of 
throwing the inkstand on the floor would be to spoil the 
carpet, I shall not throw it on the floor," may both be true 
at once, although in logical form the propositions appear 
to conflict. 
"We mote," he seyde, "be hardy, and stalworthe, and wyse, 
Gef we wol habbe oure lyf, and holde onre franchise." 
Hob. of Gloucester, p. 155. 
// he had pes at enen, he had non at inorow. 
Rub. of Brunne, p. 40. 
Wherfore I preye to alle the Rederes and Hereres of 
this Boke, zif it plese hem, that thei wolde preyen to God 
for me. Mandemlle, Travels, p. 310. 
Yefe eny brother or sister falle in pouert, or in mischief, 
euery brother or sister shal payen an halpeny in ye woke 
to ye officers. English Gilds (E. E. T. S.\ p. 20. 
// thou be the Son of Ood, command that these stones 
be made bread. Mat. iv. 3. 
[If was formerly often followed by that. 
For certes, snche a maladie 
As I now haue, and long haue hadde. 
It might make a wise man madde 
If that it shulde louge endure. 
Gower, Conf. Amant, L) 
2. Whether: used in introducing an object 
clause. 
The Duke is expected over immediately ; I don't know 
if to stay, or why he comes. Walpole, Letters, II. 110. 
She'll not tell me if she love me. Tennyson, Lilian. 
He knows at last if Life or Death be best 
Lowell, Agassiz, vi. 2. 
I know not if to pray 
Still to be what I am, or yield, and be 
Like all the other men I see. 
M. Arnold, A Summer Night 
3. Although; notwithstanding that: as, I am 
honest, if I am poor; he is strong, if he is little. 
If, like and, tntt, and other conjunctions, is sometimes used 
as a noun, with reference to sentences so beginning. 
What, quod the protectour, thou seruest me I wene W 
i/et & with andes, I tel the thei haue so done, & that I 
will make good on thy body traituor. 
Sir T. More, Works (1577), p. 55. 
Your if Is the only peace-maker ; much virtue in if. 
Shak., As you Like it, v. 4. 
Where the frail hair breadth of an if 
Is all that sunders life and death. 
Louvll, To Happiness. 
As If. See <Ml. 
You look 
As if you held a brow of much distraction : 
Are you mov d, my lord ? Shale., W. T., L 2. 
If anything. See anything, adv. 
if-allt, conj. [ME. if alle; cf. all-be, albeit, al- 
though.] Even if; although. 
If-alle the knyghte were kene and thro, 
Those owtlawes wanne the child hym fro. 
MS. Lincoln, A. L 17, f. 102. (HalliweU.) 
ife, H. [< OF. (and F.) if, yew, of Teut. origin, 
= AS. tic = D. iif, etc. : see yew.] The yew. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
ifeckst (i-feks'), interj. A corrupt form of in 
faith. 
Ifecka, yon are a pretty little damsel. 
Sheridan, The Duenna, ill. 7. 
i-feret, adr. [ME., also ifeere, yfere, etc.: see 
in fere, under /eer 1 .] Together: sameastn/ere 
(which see, under /eer 1 ). 
Thau ferde thei alle forth i-fere fayn of here Hues. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2817. 
And save hire browes joyneden ifeere, 
Ther was no lakke in oght I kan espien. 
Chaucer, Troilus, v. 813. 
-i-ferous. See -ferous. 
i-fett. A Middle English past participle offet 1 . 
-i-form. See -form. 
ifrit (if-rif), n. Same as afrit. 
-i-fy. See-/y. 
i'gad (i-gad'), interj. Same as egad. 
They refus'd it, / gad, the silly Rogues. 
Buckingham, The Rehearsal, ii. 3. 
If that be all, said I, e'en burn your Play ; 
J'yad I we know all that as well as they. 
Prior, Epilogue to Phajdra. 
Igdrasil, See Ygdrasil. 
ighet, n. A Middle English variant of eye 1 . 
ightt. A Middle English form of ought, obso- 
lete preterit of owe. 
igloo (ig'16), n. [Eskimo.] 1 . Among the Es- 
kimos, a dome-shaped hut, usually built of 
ignify 
shaped blocks of hard snow, with a window 
made of a slab of ice. In some cases the entrance 
is protected by means of a smaller hut, called a xtvrtu 
iylvo. 
An igl:>n is usually built of snow. The word, however, 
means house, and as their [Eskimos'] houses consist of a 
single room, it also means room. .Sometimes, at points 
that are regularly occupied during the winter months, 
iglot'S are built of stones, and moss piled up around and 
over them, so that when covered by the winter snows they 
make very comfortable dwellings. 
H'. II. Odder, Schwatka's Search, p. 256. 
Hence 2. The excavation which a seal makes 
in the snow over its breathing-hole. 
ignarot (ig-nii'ro), n. [It., = Sp. Pg. ignaro, 
ignorant, < L. ignams, not knowing, ignorant, < 
I'M-, not, + *gnarus, knowing, acquainted: see 
ignorant, ignore.] An ignorant fellow ; a block- 
head. 
This was the auncient keeper of that place, 
And foster father of the Oyaunt dead ; 
His name Ignaro did his nature right aread. 
Spenser, F. (}., I. viii. 31. 
H was intolerable insolence in such ignaroes to chal- 
lenge this for Popery, which they understood not 
Bp. Mountagu, Appeal to Caesar, xxxl. 
Ignatian (ig-na'shan), a. [< L. Ignatius (see 
def.) + -an.] Of or pertaining to St. Igna- 
tius, bishop of Antioch, one of the apostolic 
fathers, martyred at Borne under Trajan about 
A. D. 107 Ignatian epistles, epistles under the 
name of St Ignatius, existing in three different forms or 
recensions : the first, extant only in a Syriac version, con* 
tains but three epistles, to Polycarp, to the Ephesians, and 
to the Romans; the second, or shorter (jreek form (found 
also in Latin, Armenian, Syriac, and Coptic translations), 
consists of the same three epistles in a fuller text, with ad- 
dition of four others, to the Smyrnteans, Magnesians, I hila- 
delphians, and Trallians ; the third, or longer Greek recen- 
sion (also existing in Latin), presents In a still longer form 
all seven epistles already named, together with six others. 
The second form was known In the Eastern Church from 
early times, and continued in circulation side by side with 
the third form after the latter made its appearance. In the 
Western Church the third form was the only one known 
for many centuries. The strong assertions of these epistles 
in favor of episcopacy caused continental Protestants In 
the sixteenth century to regard them with suspicion, and 
in the first half of the seventeenth century a vehement con- 
troversy was kept up between Episcopalians and Presby- 
terians, especially in England, as to their genuineness. The 
controversy was revived again in the present century, when 
the first or Syriac form of the epistles became known. 
Ignatius' bean (ig-na'shus ben). See St. Igna- 
tiits 1 beans, under bean 1 . 
ignavus (ig-na'vus), n. [NL., < L. ignavug (> 
It. Pg. ignavo), inactive, lazy, < in-, not, + *gna- 
vus, watJws,busy,diligent.] 1. The specific name 
of the eagle-owl. Bubo ignavus. 2. [cap.'] A 
genus of mammals. Klein. 
igneo-aqueous (ig'ne-6-a'kwe-us), a. [< L. ig- 
nevs, of fire, + aqua, water: see aqueous.] In 
geol., formed by the joint action of fire and wa- 
ter: thus, ashes thrown from a volcano into 
water and there deposited in a stratified form 
might properly be said to be of igneo-aqiteous 
origin. 
igneous (ig'ne-us), a. [= F. ign6= Sp. igneo = 
Pg. It. igneo, '<. L. igncus, of fire, fiery, burning, < 
i<7i, fire, = Skt. agni, fire.] 1. Pertaining to, 
consisting of, having the nature of, or resem- 
bling fire: as, igneous particles ; igneous appear- 
ances. 2. Produced through the agency of 
fire, or as the result of volcanic and eruptive 
forces : used in geology in contradistinction to 
aqueous. A rock ha an igneous origin when it has been 
discharged from a volcano : it has an aqueous origin when 
deposited from water. All aqueous rocks are made up of 
the debris of igneous ones, with the exception of such as 
are the result of organic agencies that is. such as have 
been formed through the agency of plants or animals. 
Some rocks, however, are at the same time of both aqueous 
and igneous origin, as when volcanic ashes are thrown 
Into water, and deposited in a stratified form. Igneous 
fusion. See futrion. 
ignescent (ig-nes'ent), a. and n. [< L. ignes- 
cen(t-)s, ppr. of ignescere, take fire, kindle, burn, 
< ignis, fire : see igneous.'] I. a. Taking or 
giving out fire ; emitting sparks of fire when 
struck, as with steel; scintillating: as, ignescent 
stones. [Bare.] 
II. n. Anything that emits sparks; specifi- 
cally, a stone or mineral that gives out sparks 
when struck with steel or iron. [Rare.] 
Many other stones, besides this class of ignescents, pro- 
duce a real scintillation when struck against steel. 
trans.). 
. 
ignes fatui. Plural of ignis fatuvs. 
ignicolist (ig-nik'6-list), n. [< L. ignis, fire, + 
fo/ere, worship, + E. -ist.] A worshiper of fire. 
[Rare.] 
In whatever region of the Earth this infatuated race of 
Ignicolistg took up their abode, the sacred fire immedi- 
ately began to burn. Maurice, Ruins of Babylon, ii. 26. 
ignifyt (-ig'ui-fi), . t. [< L. iynis, fire, + -ficare, 
<f(icere, make : see -fy.] To make into fire. 
