32 A B S 
circumference of a circle, in whofe centre the earth is 
placed. It is manifeft, that if the fun moves uniformly 
in this circle, it muli appear to move uniformly to a fpec- 
tator on the earth, and in this cafe there will be no optic 
nor eccentric equation; but fuppofe the earth to be placed 
out of the centre of the circle, and then, though the fun’s 
motion mould be really uniform, it would not appear to be 
fo, being feen from the earth; and in this cafe there would 
be an optic equation, without an eccentric one. Imagine 
farther, the fun’s orbit to be not circular, but elliptic, 
and the earth in its focus; it will be as evident that the fun 
cannot appear to have an uniform motion in fuch ellipfe: 
fo that his motion will then be fubject to two equations, 
the optic and the eccentric. 
Absolute Number, in algebra, is any pure number 
handing in any equation without the conjunction of literal 
characters; as 2.V-I-36—+8; where 36 and 48 are abfolute 
numbers, but 2 is not, as being joined by the letter x. 
ABSOLUTELY, adv. Completely, without reftriftion. 
Without relation: in a hate unconnected. Without limits 
or dependance. Without condition. Peremptorily, pofi- 
tively: 
Being as I am, why didh not thou 
Command me abfoLutcly not to go, 
Going into fuch danger, as thou faid’ft? Milton. 
ABSOLUTENESS, f. Completenefs. Freedom from 
dependence, or limits.—There is nothing that can raife a 
man to that generous abfo'lutenefs of condition, as neither 
to cringe, to fawn, or to depend meanly; but that which 
gives him that happinefs within himfelf, for which men 
depend upon others. South.— Defpoticifm.—He kept a 
ftrait hand upon his nobility, and chofe rather to advance 
clergymen and lawyers, which were more obfequious to 
him, but had lei's intereft in the people ; which made for 
his abfolutenefs , but not for his fafety. Bacon. 
ABSOLUTION,/, [abfalutio, Lat.] Acquittal.— Abfo- 
lution, in the civil law, imports a full acquittal of a perfon 
by fome final fentence of law; alfo, a temporary difeharge 
of his farther attendance upon a mefne procefs, through a 
failure or defeft in pleading; as it does likewife in the ca¬ 
non lav/, where, and among divines, it likewife fignifies a 
relaxation of him from the obligation of fome fentence 
pronounced either in a court of law, or elfe in foro paeni- 
tentiali. Thus there is, in this kind of law, one kind of 
abfolulion , termed judicial, and another, ftyled a declara¬ 
tory or extrajudicial abfolution. Ayliffe. —The remillion of 
fins, or penance, declared by eccleiiaftical authority.—The 
Romanifts hold abfolution a part of the facrament of pe¬ 
nance : the council of Trent, felf. xiv. cap. iii. and that 
of Florence, in the decree ad Armenos, declare the form 
or elfence of the facrament to lie in the words of abfolution , 
“ I abfoive thee of thy fins.” T he formula of abfolution 
in the Romilh church, is abfolute: in the Greek church, 
it is deprecatory; and, in the churches of the reformed, 
declarative. 
ABSOLUTORY, -adj. \abfolutorius, Lat.] That which 
ablolves.—Though an abfolutory fentence fliould be pro¬ 
nounced in favour of the perfons, upon the account of 
nearnefs of blood; yet, it adultery fliall afterwards be 
truly proved, he may again be proceeded againlt as an 
adulterer. Ayliffe. 
ABSONANT, adj. Contrary to reafon, wide from the 
purpofe. 
ABSONOUS, adj. \_abfonus , Lat. ill-founding. ] Abfurd, 
contrary to reafon. It is not much in ufe, and it may be 
doubted whether it Ihould be followed by to ox from.. —To 
fuppofe an uniter of a middle conftitution, that Ihould 
partake of fome of the qualities of both, is unwarranted 
by any of our faculties ; yea, mod abfonous to our reafon. 
Glanville. 
To ABSORB, v. a. \_abforbco, Lat. preter. abforbed ; 
part. pret. abforbed, or abforptf To fwallow up.—Mofes 
imputed the deluge to the difruption of the abyfs; and St. 
Peter to the particular conftitution of that earth, which 
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A B S 
made it obnoxious to be abforpt in water. Burnet. —To 
fuck up.—While we perfpire, we abforb the outward air. 
Arbuthnot. 
ABSORBENT, f \_abforbens , Lat.] In general, any 
thing potrefling the faculty of abforbing, or fwallowing up 
another. 
Absorbent Medicines, adj. teftaceous powders, as 
chalk, crabs-eyes, &c. which are taken inwardly for dry¬ 
ing up or abforbing any acid or redundant humours in the 
ftomach or inteftines. They are likewife applied outward¬ 
ly to ulcers or fores with the fame intention. 
Absorbent Vessels, a name given promifeuoufly to 
the lafteal veflels, lymphatics, and inhalent arteries. See 
Anatomy. —Natiiralifts alio define (imilar abforbents in 
plants, the fibrous or hairy roots of which are as a kind 
of vafa abforbentia, which attradband imbibe the nutri- 
cious juices from the earth. See Plants. 
ABSORBING, part, the fwallowing up, fucking up, 
or imbibing, any tiling : thus black bodies are faid to ab¬ 
forb the rays of light; luxuriant branches, to abforb or 
wafte the nutricious juices which fliould feed the fruit of 
trees, &c. 
ABSORPT, part. Swallowed up ; ufed as well, in a fi¬ 
gurative fenfe, of perfons, as, in the primitive, of thino's. 
ABSORPTION, f. the aft of fwallowing up; and, in 
the animal ceconomy, is the power whereby the abforbent 
veflels imbibe the juices, &c. 
Absorptions of the Earth, / a term ufed by Kirch- 
er and others for the finking in of large trails of land by 
means of fubterranean commotions, and many other acci¬ 
dents. Pliny tells us, that in Iris time the mountain Cym- 
botus, with the town of Eurites, which flood on its fide, 
were wholly abforbed into the earth, fo that not the leaft 
trace of either remained; and lie records the like fate of 
the city Tantalis in Magnefia, and after it of the moun¬ 
tain Sypelus, both thus abforbed by a violent opening of 
the earth. Galanis and Garnatus, towns once famous in 
Phoenicia, are recorded to have met the fame fate; and 
the vaft promontory, called Phlegium, in Ethiopia, after 
a violent earthquake in the night-time, was not to be feen 
in the morning, the whole having difappeared, and the 
earth clofed over it. Tliefe and many other hiftories, at- 
tefted by authors of the greateft credit among the ancients, 
abundantly prove the fail in the earlier ages; and there 
have not been wanting too many inftances of more modern 
date. Kircher’s Mund. Subter. p. 77. See Earth and 
Earthquake. 
ABSORUS, Apsorus, Absyrtis, Absyrtides, 
Apsyrtides, Apsyrtis, and Absyrtium, (Strabo, 
Mela, Ptolomy;) iflands in the Adriatic, in the gulph of 
Carnero ; fo called from Abfyrtus, Medea’s brother, there 
flaiii. They are either one ifland or two, feparated by a 
narrow channel, and joined by a bridge; and are now call¬ 
ed Ckerfo and Ofero. 
To ABSTAIN, v. n. \_abfineo , Lat.] To forbear, to 
deny one’s felf any gratification ; with the particle from; 
If thou judge it hard and difficult, 
Converting, looking, loving, to abfain 
From love’s due rites, nuptial embraces fweet; 
And, with defires, to Ianguifli without hope. Milton. 
ABSTEINEN, a diftrift and village of Pruflia, in a 
mountainous and pleafant country, fo fertile in corn and 
cattle, that it is called the ftcrehoufe of Lithuania. 
ABSTEMII, in church-hiftory, a name given to fuch 
perfons as could not partake of the cup of the eucharift 
on account of their natural averiion to wine. Calvinifts 
allow thefe to communicate in the fpecies or bread only, 
touching the cup with their lip; which, on the other hand, 
is by the Lutherans deemed a profanation. 
ABSTEMIOUS, adj. [ abfemius , Lat.] Temperate, fo- 
ber, abftinent, refraining from excefs of pleafures. It is 
ufed of perfons; as, an abfianious hermit: and of things, 
as, an abftemious divAc. It is fpoken likewife of things that 
caufe temperance.—The Hiitory of Mr. Wood, in the 
Medic. 
