tragacantha 
tragacantha (trag-ii-kan'tlijl), . [NL. : see 
triiiincniilli. ] Tin- oiiiciuiil nanir of tragacanth. 
tragacanthin (tra^-a-kaii'thin), n. [< triiijn- 
l-lllltli + -in-.] Sainr us hilsKiirill. Also /;- 
</ /i /// 1 n . 
tragal (tra'gul), rt. [< f/w/iw + -/.] Of or 
pertaining to the trains of the ear. 
tragalism (trag'ii-li/.iii), H. |< (ir. 77i}'0f, a 
goat, + -/ + -/.</. I ( ioatislnirss from high 
living; salaciousness ; sensuality. (>imr/i-i-/i/ 
Itn: [ KM re. | 
traganthin (tra-gan'thin), ii. Same as baa- 
sorin . 
tragedian (tra-jtVdi-an), ii. [< MIC. triii/fili/* n. 
< OF. inii/i-dii a, I '. Iriiiinlirn (cf. It. trayrdiante) ; 
as tragedy + -an.] 1. A writer of tragedies. 
A tragedytn that Is to Bcyn, a inakere of dltees that 
hyhtcn tragedies. Chaucer, Bocthius, 111. prose 6. 
Thence what the lofty grave tragedians taught 
In chorus or iambic, teaclicrs best 
Of moral prmlence. Milton, P. R., iv. 261. 
Admiration may or may not properly be excited by tra- 
gedy, and until I bis important question Is settled the name 
of Irni/fiUiiii may bo at pleasure given to or withheld from 
the author of "Rodogune" (CorneiUe). 
Q. Sainttbury, Encyc. Brit, VI. 420. 
2. An actor of tragedy ; by extension, an actor 
or player in general. 
Those you were wont to take delight In, the tragedian! 
of the city. Shak., Uanilet, 11. 2. 342. 
tragedienne (trii-je'di-en; F. pron. tra-zha- 
dien'), n. [< F. tragedienne, fern, of tragfdien, 
tragedian: sec trut/edian.] A female actor of 
tragedy; a tragic actress. 
tragedi'oust (tra-je'di-us), a. [< ME. tragedy- 
mis, < OF. 'tragedios (= Sp. tragedioso), < tra- 
gedie, tragedy : see tragedy?] Tragic ; tragical. 
Of whom tedyous ft Is to me to wryte the tragedymu 
hystory, except that I remembre that good It Is to wryte 
and put In remembraunce the punysshment of synners. 
Fabyaa, Chron. 
tragedy (traj'e-di), n.; pi. tragedies (-diz). [< 
ME. traijedie, tragedye, < OF. tragedie, F. tra- 
gtdie = Sp. Pg. It. tragedia, < L. tragcedia, ML. 
also tragetlia, tragedy, a tragedy, lofty style, a 
great commotion or disturbance, < Gr. rpayydi'u, 
a tragedy (see def.), serious poetry, an exag- 
gerated speech, a melancholy event, < rpa-y^Af 
(> L. tragoedus), a tragic actor or singer, lit. 
'a goat-singer,' < rpayos, a goat, he-goat (lit. 
'nibbler,' < rpuyetv, rpayelv, nibble), + ^Mdf, 
contr. of 00166$, a singer (cf. ifxH/, aoiir/, a song), 
< aeifeiv, giSciv, sing (see ode 1 ), and same termi- 
nation appears in comedy. The orig. reason of 
the name rpayyify, 'goat-singer,' is uncertain. 
(a) In one view, so called because a goat was 
the prize for the best performance. This would 
require rpayifiof to mean 'singer for a goat,' 
and would make the name for a distinctive char- 
acter or act depend on a subsequent fact, name- 
ly, the goat given at the end of the performance 
to only one of the performers. (6) In another 
view, so called because a goat was sacrificed at 
the singing of the song a goat as the spoiler of 
vines, if not on other accounts, being a fitting 
sacrifice at the feasts of Bacchus. But this 
again makes the name depend on a subsequent 
act, or an act not immediately concerned with 
the 'goat-singer' unless indeed the 'goat- 
singer' himself killed the goat, (c) It is much 
more probable that the rpanMf was lit. ' a goat- 
singer ' in the most literal sense, a singer or ac- 
tor dressed in a goatskin, to personate a satyr, 
hence later ' an actor in the satyric drama,' from 
which tragedy in the later sense was developed. 
Whatever the exact origin of the term, the ult. 
reference was no doubt to the satyrs, the com- 
panions of Bacchus, the clowns of the original 
drama. Cf. rpir) yiWf , a comic actor, similarly 
named from his disguise, namely, from the lees 
with which his face was smeared (< rprf (rpvy-), 
lees, 4- ycWf, singer).] 1. A dramatic poem or 
composition representing an important event or 
series of events in the life of some person or per- 
sons, in which the diction is grave and dignified, 
the movement impressive and stately, and the 
catastrophe unhappy ; that form of the drama 
which represents a somber or a pathetic char- 
acter involved in a situation of extremity or 
desperation by the force of an unhappy passion. 
Types of these characters an 1 found in Shakspere's Lady 
Macbeth ami Ophelia, liowe's Jane Shore, and Scott's 
Master of Ravetmwood. Tragedy originated among the 
Greeks in the worship of the gnd Dionysus or Bacchus. A 
Greek tragedy consisted of two parts the dialogue, which 
corresponded in its general features to the dramatic coin- 
positions of modern times; and the chorus, the torn- nf 
which was lyrical rather than dramatical, ami which was 
meant to be sung, while the dialogue was to be recited. 
6410 
Traijedie Ii for to seyn a ccrteyn itorie . . . 
i if him that stood In greet prosperltee, 
And is >(.iiii-i ..... t of liclKli degree 
Into tniserle, and endclh u i , , , In dlv. 
And thr\ i, ! , oiuoiinly 
I If six f'-i-l whirli iin-ri clip. < xanu-trown. 
In prose cek ben endyted many oon, 
And eck In nu-trc, in many a sundry wyie. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Monk's Tale, L 85. 
Life Is a tragedy, wherein we sit as spectators * while, 
and then act our own part In It. 
Swift, To Mrs. Moore, Dec. 27, 1727. 
Over what tragedy could Lady Jane Grey have wept, 
over what comedy could she have smiled? 
Macaulay, Lord Bacon. 
"The Bride of Lammermoor," which almost goes back 
to JJschylus for a counterpart as a painting of Kate, Icav 
Ing on every reader the Impression of the highest and pur- 
est tragedy. Kmcrton, Walter Scott 
2. [cap.] Tragedy personified, or the Muse of 
tragedy. See cut under Melpomene. 
Sometime let gorgeous Tragedy 
In sceptred pall come sweeping by. 
Milton, II Penseroso, L 07. 
3. A fatal event; a dreadful calamity. 
But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence, 
That they who brought me In my master's hate, 
I live to look upon their tragedy. 
Shall., Rich. III., 111. 2. 69. 
The day came on that was to do 
That dreadful tragedy. 
Sir Hugh le Blond (Child's Ballads, III. 258). 
Tragelaphinae (trS-jel-a-fi'ne), n. pi. [NL., < 
TrayelaphH.1 + -inie.] A former division of an- 
telopes, represented by the genus Tragelnjilmx. 
tragelaphine (tni-jpl'a-fin), a. Pertaining to 
the Tragrtapliinir, or having their characters. 
tragopan 
This man's brow, like to a title-leaf, 
r'nreU-lla the nature of a tragic volume. 
II n. IV., I. 1. SO. 
2. Olianu'trrislic nf tragrdy. 
And so It Is that wediscnvr tin- ti m- majesty of human 
nature Itself, in the traijic grandeur of Its disorders, no- 
where else. Biahneil, Sermons for New Life, p. 64. 
3. CciiiiiiTtril with or eliiii-aeieri/.e<| by great 
calamity, cruelty, or bloodshed; mournful; 
dreadful ; heart-reniliMj.'. 
Woe than Byron's woe more traffic far. 
M. Arnold, A Picture at Newstesd. 
All things grew more Irmjic and more strange. 
Tennyton, Princess, vl. 
4. Expressive of tragedy, death, or sorrow. 
I now must change 
Those note* to tragic, Hilton, P. L., Ix. 6. 
II. n. 1. A writer of tragedy; a tragedian. 
The Comicks are called JiW/taAoi, of the Greeks, no less 
tan the tragicla. B. Juntun, Discoveries. 
tragelaphus (tra-iel'a-fus), n. [< Gr. rpayO 
0of, 'goat-stag,' < rpojof, a goat, + tto^oo, 
deer.] 1. In myth., a fabulous animal, a sym- 
bol or attribute of Diana. See the quotation. 
Among the principal of these symbols [of Diana] la the 
deer, . . . which Is sometimes blended Into one figure 
with the goat so as to form a composite fictitious animal 
called a Tray-elaphiu. 
R. P. Knight, Anc. Art and Myth. (1876), p. 81. 
2. [cap.] [NL. (De Blainville).] In zodl., a 
genus of antelopes, including such as the bar- 
Boschbok (TrafelafftMS sylvatiftu). 
nessed antelope of Africa, T. ncriptug, and the 
boschbok of the same continent, T. sylraticus. 
tragett, tragetourt, etc. See treget, etc. 
tragi, w. Plural of tragus. 
Tragia (tra'ji-a), w. [NL. (Plumier, 1703), 
named after Hieronymus Bock (Latinized Tra- 
gus) (1498-1554), a celebrated German bota- 
nist.] A genus of apetalous plants, of the 
order Euphorbiacese, tribe Crotonea, and sub- 
tribe Flukenctiete. They are usually climbers with 
stinging hairs, having monoecious flowers in racemes, the 
stamlnate commonly above, the pistillate below, the for- 
mer with three stamens, the latter with imbricated sepals 
and the styles connate into a column but free at the apex. 
There are about .".o species, widely scattered through warm 
countries, extending beyond thetropics to South Africa and 
to the southern and central Tinted States. They are herba- 
ceous or shrubby perennials, usually either climbing or 
twining, and with alternate dentate leaves with a cordate 
and three- to five-nerved base. The fruit, composed of 
three two-valved carpels, is hispid or echlnate, and cov- 
ered with conspicuous stinging hairs. Two species of 
Virginia are usually erect ; T. macrncarpa is a twining 
vine. See cotrfiage, 2. 
tragic (traj'ik), . and 11. [= F. tragiquc = Sp. 
tragico = Pg. It. tragieo, < L. trngicus, < Gr. 
TpayusAf, < rpayof, pertaining to tragedy, etc., 
lit. 'pertaining to a goat,' a sense found first 
in later authors, the orig. use being prob. ' per- 
taining to a goat' or satyr as personated by 
a 'goat-singer,' or satyrie actor: see tngtdf, 
Tragic is thus used as the adj. of tragedy, as 
comic is the adj. of comedy, though etymologi- 
cnlly these adjectives belong only to the first 
elements of the nouns respectively.] I. a. 1. 
Pertaining or relating to tragedy ; of the nature 
of tragedy: as, a tragic poem ; the tragic drama. 
thi 
2. A tragedy; a tragic drama. Prior. (Imp. 
Diet.) 
tragical (traj'i-kal), a. [< tragic + -/.] Same 
as tragic. 
Hoping the consequence 
Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical. 
Shot., Klch. III., IT. 4. 7. 
tragically; (traj'i-kal-i), adv. 1. In a tragic 
manner; in a manner befitting tragedy. 
His [Juvenal's] own genius . . . was sharp and eager ; 
. . . and as his provocations were great, he has revenged 
them tragically. Dryden, Essay on Satire. 
2. Mournfully; sorrowfully. 
Many complain and cry out very tragically of the 
wretchedness of their hearts. South, Sermons, VI. xii. 
tragicalness (traj'i-kal-nes), n. Tragic char- 
acter or quality; mournf ulness ; sadness; fa- 
tality. 
We moralize the fable ... In the trayicalnea of the 
event. Decay nf ChritL Piety. 
tragici, . Plural of tragicug. 
tragiclyt (traj'ik-li), adr. [< tragic + -?y.] 
Tragically; sadly; mournfully. 
I shall sadly sing, too tragicHy Inclln'd. 
Slirlimj. Aurora, Elegy, HL 
tragicomedy (traj-i-kom'e-di), . [Early mod. 
E. tragycomedic ; < F. tragtcome'die = Sp. Pg. 
tragicomedia = It. tragicomedia, < ML. 'tragi- 
comcedia, a contraction of L. tragicocomadia, < 
Gr. *rpa',iKcmufuf6ia, < rpaymos, tragic, + nu/ji^ia, 
comedy : see tragic and comedy.] A dramatic 
composition in which serious and comic scenes 
are blended; a composition partaking of the 
nature of both tragedy and comedy, and of 
which the event is not unhappy, as Shakspere's 
"Measure for Measure." 
Neither the admiration and commiseration, nor the 
right sportfulnes, Is by their mungrell Trayy-camedie ob- 
tained. Sir P. Sidney, Apol. for Poetrie. 
Such act* and scenes hath this tragi-comedy of love. 
Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 526. 
tragicomic (traj-i-kom'ik), a. [< F. tragico- 
miquc = Sp. tragicomico = Pg. It. tragicomico, 
< L. as if 'tragicomicus, contr. of 'tragicocomi- 
cus; as tragic + comic. Cf. tragicomedy.] Per- 
taining to tragicomedy ; characterized by both 
serious and comic scenes. 
In viewing this monstrous tragicomic scene, the most 
opposite passions necessarily succeed. 
Burke, Rev. in France. 
Julian felt towards him that tragi-comic sensation which 
makes us pity the object which excites it, not the less that 
we arc somewhat Inclined to laugh amid our sympathy. 
Scott, Peveril of the Peak, xxxvi. 
They [Shelley and his wife| wandered vaguely about 
after this. In Scotland one time, in Wales the next, meet- 
ing with all kinds of tragi-ctrtnic adventures. 
Mr*. OUphant, Lit. Hist Eng., in. S8. 
tragicomical (traj-i-kom'i-kal), a. [< tragicom- 
ic. + -n/.] Same as tragicomic. Sir P.Sidney, 
Apol. for Poetry. 
tragicomically (traj-i-kom'i-kal-i), adv. In a 
tragicomic manner. 
tragicomipastoral (traj-i-kom-i-pas'tor-al), a. 
[Irreg. < tragicomi(c) + pastoral.] Partaking 
of the nature of tragedy, comedy, and pastoral 
poetry. [Rare.] 
The whole art of tragicomipaitaral farce lies In Inter- 
weaving of the several kinds of the drama with each other, 
so that they can not be distinguished or separated. 
day, What d'ye Call it (ed. 17U.), Pref. 
tragicns (traj'i-kus), n.; pi. tragiri (-si). [NL. 
(sc. muxciiliiK, muscle), < trayttx, q. v.] A mus- 
cle of the pinna of the car which actuates the 
tragus. In man it is rudimentary, practically function- 
less, and confined to the part named ; but its character In 
other mammals varies and may he very different. 
tragopan (trag'o-pan), u. [NL., < Gr. r^of, 
a goat, + n<ii', Pan. Cf. dtgipax.] 1. A pheas- 
