Part 1

Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they are listed at the end of the text.

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In this version [=e] signifies "e macron"; [)e] "e breve"; [.e] "e with dot above"; and so forth.

CHAMBERS'S TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

PRONOUNCING, EXPLANATORY, ETYMOLOGICAL, WITH COMPOUND PHRASES, TECHNICAL TERMS IN USE IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, COLLOQUIALISMS, FULL APPENDICES, AND COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED

EDITED BY REV. THOMAS DAVIDSON ASSISTANT-EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENCYCLOPÆDIA' EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENGLISH DICTIONARY'

LONDON: 47 Paternoster Row W. & R. CHAMBERS, LIMITED EDINBURGH: 339 High Street 1908

EXPLANATIONS TO THE STUDENT.

THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE WORDS.--Every word is given in its _alphabetical_ order, except in cases where, to save space, derivatives are given after and under the words from which they are derived. Each uncompounded verb has its participles, when irregular, placed after it. Exceptional plurals are also given. When a word stands after another, with no meaning given, its meanings can be at once formed from those of the latter, by adding the signification of the affix: thus the meanings of _Darkness_ are obtained by prefixing the meaning of _ness_, _state of being_, to those of _Dark_.

Many words from French and other tongues, current in English usage, but not yet fairly Anglicised, are inserted in the list of Foreign Phrases, &c., at the end, rather than in the body of the Dictionary.

THE PRONUNCIATION.--The Pronunciation is given immediately after each word, by the word being spelled anew. In this new spelling, every consonant used has its ordinary unvarying sound, _no consonant being employed that has more than one sound_. The same sounds are always represented by the same letters, no matter how varied their actual spelling in the language. No consonant used has any mark attached to it, with the one exception of _th_, which is printed in common letters when sounded as in _thick_, but in italics when sounded as in _th_en. _Unmarked vowels_ have always their short sounds, as in _lad_, _led_, _lid_, _lot_, _but_, _book_. The _marked vowels_ are shown in the following line, which is printed at the top of each page:--

f[=a]te, fär; m[=e], h[.e]r; m[=i]ne; m[=o]te; m[=u]te; m[=oo]n; _th_en.

The vowel _u_ when marked thus, _ü_, has the sound heard in Scotch _bluid_, _gude_, the French _du_, almost that of the German _ü_ in _Müller_. Where more than one pronunciation of a word is given, that which is placed first is more accepted.

THE SPELLING.--When more than one form of a word is given, that which is placed first is the spelling in current English use. Unfortunately our modern spelling does not represent the English we actually speak, but rather the language of the 16th century, up to which period, generally speaking, English spelling was mainly phonetic, like the present German. The fundamental principle of all rational spelling is no doubt the representation of every sound by an invariable symbol, but in modern English the usage of pronunciation has drifted far from the conventional forms established by a traditional orthography, with the result that the present spelling of our written speech is to a large extent a mere exercise of memory, full of confusing anomalies and imperfections, and involving an enormous and unnecessary strain on the faculties of learners. Spelling reform is indeed an imperative necessity, but it must proceed with a wise moderation, for, in the words of Mr Sweet, 'nothing can be done without unanimity, and until the majority of the community are convinced of the superiority of some one system unanimity is impossible.' The true path of progress should follow such wisely moderate counsels as those of Dr J. A. H. Murray:--the dropping of the final or inflexional silent _e_; the restoration of the historical _-t_ after breath consonants; uniformity in the employment of double consonants, as in _traveler_, &c.; the discarding of _ue_ in words like _demagogue_ and _catalogue_; the uniform levelling of the agent _-our_ into _-or_; the making of _ea = [)e]_ short into _e_ and the long _ie_ into _ee_; the restoration of _some_, _come_, _tongue_, to their old English forms, _sum_, _cum_, _tung_; a more extended use of _z_ in the body of words, as _chozen_, _praize_, _raize_; and the correction of the worst individual monstrosities, as _foreign_, _scent_, _scythe_, _ache_, _debt_, _people_, _parliament_, _court_, _would_, _sceptic_, _phthisis_, _queue_, _schedule_, _twopence-halfpenny_, _yeoman_, _sieve_, _gauge_, _barque_, _buoy_, _yacht_, &c.

Already in America a moderate degree of spelling reform may be said to be established in good usage, by the adoption of _-or_ for _-our_, as _color_, _labor_, &c.; of _-er_ for _-re_, as _center_, _meter_, &c.; _-ize_ for _-ise_, as _civilize_, &c.; the use of a uniform single consonant after an unaccented vowel, as _traveler_ for _traveller_; the adoption of _e_ for _oe_ or _æ_ in _hemorrhage_, _diarrhea_, &c.

THE MEANINGS.--The current and most important meaning of a word is usually given first. But in cases like _Clerk_, _Livery_, _Marshal_, where the force of the word can be made much clearer by tracing its history, the original meaning is also given, and the successive variations of its usage defined.

THE ETYMOLOGY.--The Etymology of each word is given after the meanings, within brackets. Where further information regarding a word is given elsewhere, it is so indicated by a reference. It must be noted under the etymology that whenever a word is printed thus, BAN, BASE, the student is referred to it; also that here the sign--is always to be read as meaning 'derived from.' Examples are generally given of words that are cognate or correspond to the English words; but it must be remembered that they are inserted merely for illustration. Such words are usually separated from the rest by a semicolon. For instance, when an English word is traced to its Anglo-Saxon form, and then a German word is given, no one should suppose that our English word is derived from the German. German and Anglo-Saxon are alike branches from a common Teutonic stem, and have seldom borrowed from each other. Under each word the force of the prefix is usually given, though not the affix. For fuller explanation in such cases the student is referred to the list of Prefixes and Suffixes in the Appendix.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DICTIONARY.

_aor._ aorist. _abbrev._ abbreviation. _abl._ ablative. _acc._ according. _accus._ accusative. _adj._ adjective. _adv._ adverb. _agri._ agriculture. _alg._ algebra. _anat._ anatomy. _app._ apparently. _arch._ archaic. _archit._ architecture. _arith._ arithmetic. _astrol._ astrology. _astron._ astronomy. _attrib._ attributive. _augm._ augmentative. _B._ Bible. _biol._ biology. _book-k._ book-keeping. _bot._ botany. _c._ (_circa_) about. _c._, _cent._ century. _carp._ carpentry. _cf._ compare. _chem._ chemistry. _cog._ cognate. _coll._, _colloq._ colloquially. _comp._ comparative. _conch._ conchology. _conj._ conjunction. _conn._ connected. _contr._ contracted. _cook._ cookery. _corr._ corruption. _crystal._ crystallography. _dat._ dative. _demons._ demonstrative. _der._ derivation. _dial._ dialect, dialectal. _Dict._ Dictionary. _dim._ diminutive. _dub._ doubtful. _eccles._ ecclesiastical history. _e.g._ for example. _elect._ electricity. _entom._ entomology. _esp._ especially. _ety._ etymology. _fem._ feminine. _fig._ figuratively. _fol._ followed; following. _fort._ fortification. _freq._ frequentative. _fut._ future. _gen._ genitive. _gener._ generally. _geog._ geography. _geol._ geology. _geom._ geometry. _ger._ gerundive. _gram._ grammar. _gun._ gunnery. _her._ heraldry. _hist._ history. _hort._ horticulture. _hum._ humorous. _i.e._ that is. _imit._ imitative. _imper._ imperative. _impers._ impersonal. _indic._ indicative. _infin._ infinitive. _inten._ intensive. _interj._ interjection. _interrog._ interrogative. _jew._ jewellery. _lit._ literally. _mach._ machinery. _masc._ masculine. _math._ mathematics. _mech._ mechanics. _med._ medicine. _metaph._ metaphysics. _mil._ military. _Milt._ Milton. _min._ mineralogy. _mod._ modern. _Mt._ Mount. _mus._ music. _myth._ mythology. _n._, _ns._ noun, nouns. _nat. hist._ natural history. _naut._ nautical. _neg._ negative. _neut._ neuter. _n.pl._ noun plural. _n.sing._ noun singular. _N.T._ New Testament. _obs._ obsolete. _opp._ opposed. _opt._ optics. _orig._ originally. _ornith._ ornithology. _O.S._ old style. _O.T._ Old Testament. _p._, _part._ participle. _p.adj._ participial adjective. _paint._ painting. _paleog._ paleography. _paleon._ paleontology. _palm._ palmistry. _pa.p._ past participle. _pass._ passive. _pa.t._ past tense. _path._ pathology. _perf._ perfect. _perh._ perhaps. _pers._ person. _pfx._ prefix. _phil._, _philos._ philosophy. _philol._ philology. _phon._ phonetics. _phot._ photography. _phrenol._ phrenology. _phys._ physics. _physiol._ physiology. _pl._ plural. _poet._ poetical. _pol. econ._ political economy. _poss._ possessive. _Pr.Bk._ Book of Common Prayer. _pr.p._ present participle. _prep._ preposition. _pres._ present. _print._ printing. _priv._ privative. _prob._ probably. _Prof._ Professor. _pron._ pronoun; pronounced; pronunciation. _prop._ properly. _pros._ prosody. _prov._ provincial. _q.v._ which see. _R.C._ Roman Catholic. _recip._ reciprocal. _redup._ reduplication. _refl._ reflexive. _rel._ related; relative. _rhet._ rhetoric. _sculp._ sculpture. _Shak._ Shakespeare. _sig._ signifying. _sing._ singular. _spec._ specifically. _Spens_. Spenser. _subj._ subjunctive. _suff._ suffix. _superl._ superlative. _surg._ surgery. _term._ termination. _teleg._ telegraphy. _Tenn._ Tennyson. _Test._ Testament. _theat._ theatre; theatricals. _theol._ theology. _trig._ trigonometry. _ult._ ultimately. _v.i._ verb intransitive. _voc._ vocative. _v.t._ verb transitive. _vul._ vulgar. _zool._ zoology.

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Amer. American. Ar. Arabic. A.S. Anglo-Saxon. Austr. Australian. Bav. Bavarian. Beng. Bengali. Bohem. Bohemian. Braz. Brazilian. Bret. Breton. Carib. Caribbean. Celt. Celtic. Chal. Chaldean. Chin. Chinese. Corn. Cornish. Dan. Danish. Dut. Dutch. Egypt. Egyptian. Eng. English. Finn. Finnish. Flem. Flemish. Fr. French. Fris. Frisian. Gael. Gaelic. Ger. German. Goth. Gothic. Gr. Greek. Heb. Hebrew. Hind. Hindustani. Hung. Hungarian. Ice. Icelandic. Ind. Indian. Ion. Ionic. Ir. Irish. It. Italian. Jap. Japanese. Jav. Javanese. L. Latin. Lith. Lithuanian. L. L. Low or Late Latin. M. E. Middle English. Mex. Mexican. Norm. Norman. Norw. Norwegian. O. Fr. Old French. Pers. Persian. Peruv. Peruvian. Pol. Polish. Port. Portuguese. Prov. Provençal. Rom. Romance. Russ. Russian Sans. Sanskrit. Scand. Scandinavian. Scot. Scottish. Singh. Singhalese. Slav. Slavonic. Sp. Spanish. Sw. Swedish. Teut. Teutonic. Turk. Turkish. U.S. United States. W. Welsh.

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CHAMBERS'S TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY.

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N the fourteenth letter and eleventh consonant of our alphabet, a nasal-dental: (_chem._) the symbol for nitrogen: (_math._) an indefinite constant whole number, esp. the degree of a quantic or an equation: as a numeral, formerly, N=90, and ([=N])=90,000.

NA, nä, a Scotch form of _no_.

NAB, nab, _v.t._ to seize suddenly:--_pr.p._ nab'bing; _pa.p._ nabbed. [Sw. _nappa_; Dan. _nappe_, to catch.]

NAB, nab, _n._ a hill-top: the projecting cavity fixed to the jamb of a door to receive the latch or bolt: (_obs._) a hat. [For _knab_=_knap_.]

NABATÆAN, nab-a-t[=e]'an, _adj._ of or pertaining to a once powerful Arab people who formerly dwelt on the east and south-east of Palestine, identified by some with the _Nebaioth_ of Isa. lx. 7, the _Nabathites_ of 1 Maccab. v. 25.--Also NABATH[=E]'AN.

NABK, nabk, _n._ one of the plants in the crown of thorns (_Zizyphus Spina-Christi_). [Prob. Ar.]

NABOB, n[=a]'bob, _n._ a deputy or governor under the Mogul Empire: a European who has enriched himself in the East: any man of great wealth. [Corr. of Hind. _nawwâb_, a deputy, from Ar. _naww[=a]b_, pl. (used as sing.) of _n[=a]ib_, a deputy.]

NACARAT, nak'a-rat, _n._ a light-red colour, scarlet: a fabric of this colour. [Fr.]

NACKET, nak'et, _n._ (_Scot._) a small cake, luncheon.

NACRE, n[=a]'kr, _n._ mother-of-pearl.--_adj._ iridescent.--_adj._ N[=A]'CREOUS, consisting of nacre: having a pearly lustre. [Fr.,--Ar. _nak[=i]r_, hollowed.]

NADIR, n[=a]'dir, _n._ the point of the heavens diametrically opposite to the zenith: the lowest point of anything. [Fr.,--Ar. _naz[=i]r_, from _nazara_, to be like.]

NÆVUS, n[=e]'vus, _n._ a birth-mark: a congenital growth strictly on a part of the skin, whether a _pigmentary nævus_ or mole, or a _vascular naevus_ or overgrowth of capillary blood-vessels--also _Mother-spot_ or _Birth-mark_--also NÆVE, NEVE:--_pl._ NÆ'V[=I].--_adjs._ NÆ'VOID, NÆ'VOUS, NÆ'VOSE. [L.]

NAG, nag, _n._ a horse, but particularly a small one--(_Scot._) NAIG: (_Shak._) a jade. [M. E. _nagge_--Mid. Dut. _negge_, _negghe_ (mod. Dut. _negge_); cf. _Neigh._]

NAG, nag, _v.t._ to worry or annoy continually: to tease or vex: to find fault with constantly:--_pr.p._ nag'ging; _pa.p._ nagged.--_n._ NAG'GER. [Cf. _Gnaw_.]

NAGA, nä'ga, _n._ the name of deified serpents in Hindu mythology.

NAGARI. See DEVA-NAGARI.

NAIAD, n[=a]'yad, _n._ a water-nymph or a goddess, presiding over rivers and springs:--_pl._ NAI'ADES. [L. and Gr. _naias_, _naiados_, from _naein_, to flow.]

NAIANT, n[=a]'yant, _adj._ floating: (_her._) swimming, as a fish placed horizontally across a shield. [L. _nans_, _nantis_, pr.p. of _nat[=a]re_, to swim.]

NAÏF, nä-[=e]f', NAÏVE, nä-[=e]v', _adj._ with natural or unaffected simplicity, esp. in thought, manners, or speech: artless: ingenuous.--_adv._ NAÏVE'LY.--_n._ NAÏVETÉ (nä-[=e]v-t[=a]'), natural simplicity and unreservedness of thought, manner, or speech. [Fr. _naïf_, fem, _naïve_--L. _nativus_, native--_nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NAIL, n[=a]l, _n._ one of the flattened, elastic, horny plates placed as protective coverings on the dorsal surface of the terminal phalanges of the fingers and toes: the claw of a bird or other animal: a thin pointed piece of metal for fastening wood: a measure of length (2¼ inches):--_v.t._ to fasten with nails: to make certain: to confirm, pin down, hold fast: to catch or secure through promptitude; to trip up or expose.--_ns._ NAIL'-BRUSH, a small brush for cleaning the nails; NAIL'ER, one whose trade is to make nails; NAIL'ERY, a place where nails are made.--_adj._ NAIL'-HEAD'ED, having a head like that of a nail: formed like nail-heads, said of ornamental marks on cloth and on certain kinds of mouldings (_dog-tooth_).--_n._ NAIL'-ROD, a strip cut from an iron plate to be made into nails: a trade name for a strong kind of manufactured tobacco.--NAIL TO THE COUNTER, to expose publicly as false, from the habit of nailing a counterfeit coin to a shop counter.--DRIVE A NAIL IN ONE'S COFFIN (see COFFIN); HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, to touch the exact point; ON THE NAIL, on the spot: immediately: without delay. [A.S. _nægel_; Ger. _nagel_.]

NAINSELL, n[=a]n'sel, _n._ own self--_Highland Scotch_.

NAINSOOK, n[=a]n's[=oo]k, _n._ a kind of muslin like jaconet, both plain and striped. [Hind.]

NAISSANT, n[=a]s'sant, _adj._ (_her._) rising or coming forth, as an animal newly born or about to be born. [Fr., pr.p. of _naître_--L. _nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NAÏVE. See NAÏF.

NAKED, n[=a]'ked, _adj._ without clothes: uncovered: open to view: unconcealed: evident: unarmed: defenceless: unprovided: without addition or ornament: simple: artless: (_bot._) without the usual covering.--_adv._ N[=A]'KEDLY.--_n._ N[=A]'KEDNESS.--NAKED EYE, the eye unassisted by glasses of any kind; NAKED LADY, the meadow-saffron.--STARK NAKED, entirely naked. [A.S. _nacod_; Ger. _nackt_.]

NAKER, n[=a]'ker, _n._ a kettledrum. [O. Fr.,--Ar.]

NAM, nam, _n._ an obsolete law term for distraint.--_n._ NAM[=A]'TION. [A.S. _niman_, pa.t. _nam_, to take.]

NAMBY-PAMBY, nam'bi-pam'bi, _n._ silly talking or writing.--_adj._ sentimental, affectedly pretty.--_v.t._ to coddle. [H. Carey's nickname for _Ambrose_ Philips (1671-1749), from his childish odes to children.]

NAME, n[=a]m, _n._ that by which a person or a thing is known or called: a designation: that which is said of a person: reputed character: reputation: fame: celebrity: remembrance: a race or family: appearance, not reality: authority: behalf: assumed character of another: (_gram._) a noun.--_v.t._ to give a name to: to designate: to speak of or to call by name: to mention for a post or office: to nominate: to mention formally by name a person in the House of Commons as guilty of disorderly conduct.--_adjs._ NAM'ABLE, NAME'ABLE; NAME'LESS, without a name: undistinguished: indescribable; NAME'WORTHY, distinguished.--_adv._ NAME'LESSLY.--_n._ NAME'LESSNESS.--_adv._ NAME'LY, by name: that is to say.--_ns._ NAME'-PLATE, a plate of metal having on it the name of a person, usually affixed to a door or a gate; NAM'ER; NAME'SAKE, one bearing the same name as another for his sake.--NAME THE DAY, to fix a day, esp. for a marriage.--CALL NAMES, to nickname; CHRISTIAN NAME (see CHRISTIAN); IN NAME OF, on behalf of: by the authority of; PROPER NAME, a name given to a particular person, place, or thing; TAKE A NAME IN VAIN, to use a name lightly or profanely. [A.S. _nama_; Ger. _name_; L. _nomen_.]

NANCY, nan'si, _n._ an effeminate young man, often a 'Miss Nancy.'--NANCY PRETTY, a corruption of _none so pretty_, the _Saxifraga umbrosa_.

NANDINE, nan'din, _n._ a small West African paradoxure, with spotted sides.

NANDU, NANDOO, nan'd[=oo], _n._ the South American ostrich.

NANISM, n[=a]'nizm, _n._ dwarfishness.--_n._ NANIS[=A]'TION, the artificial dwarfing of trees.--_adj._ N[=A]'NOID. [Fr.,--L.,--Gr. _nanos_, a dwarf.]

NANKEEN, nan-k[=e]n', _n._ a buff-coloured cotton cloth first made at _Nankin_ in China: (_pl._) clothes, esp. breeches, made of nankeen.--Also NANKIN'.

NANNY, nan'i, _n._ a female goat.--Also NANN'Y-GOAT.

NAP, nap, _n._ a short sleep.--_v.i._ to take a short sleep: to feel drowsy and secure:--_pr.p._ nap'ping; _pa.p._ napped.--CATCH NAPPING, to come upon unprepared. [A.S. _hnappian_; cf. Ger. _nicken_, to nod.]

NAP, nap, _n._ the woolly substance on the surface of cloth: the downy covering of plants.--_v.t._ to raise a nap on.--_ns._ NAP'-M[=E]'TER, a machine for testing the wearing strength of cloth; NAP'PINESS.--_adj._ NAP'PY. [M. E. _noppe_: the same as _knop_.]

NAP, nap, _n._ a game of cards--_Napoleon_ (q.v.).

NAP, nap, _v.t._ to seize, to take hold of, steal.

NAPE, n[=a]p, _n._ the back upper part of the neck, perhaps so called from the knob or projecting point of the neck behind. [_Knap_, _knob_.]

NAPERY, n[=a]'per-i, _n._ linen, esp. for the table: table-cloths, napkins, &c. [O. Fr.,--Low L. _naparia_--_napa, a cloth_--L. _mappa_, a napkin.]

NAPHTHA, naf'tha, or nap'tha, _n._ a clear, inflammable liquid distilled from petroleum, wood, coal-tar, &c.: rock-oil.--_n._ NAPH'THALENE, a grayish-white, inflammable substance obtained by the distillation of coal-tar.--_adj._ NAPHTHAL'IC, pertaining to, or derived from, naphthalene.--_v.t._ NAPH'THALISE.--_ns._ NAPH'THOL, NAPHTHYL'AMINE. [L.,--Gr.,--Ar. _naft_.]

NAPIERIAN, n[=a]-p[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ pertaining to John _Napier_ of Merchiston (1550-1617), the inventor of logarithms.--NAPIER'S BONES, or RODS, an invention of Napier's for performing mechanically the operations of multiplication and division, by means of sets of rods.

NAPIFORM, n[=a]p'i-form, _adj._ shaped like a turnip: large and round above and slender below.--_adj._ NAPIF[=O]'LIOUS, with leaves like the turnip. [L. _napus_, a turnip.]

NAPKIN, nap'kin, _n._ a cloth for wiping the hands: a handkerchief.--_n._ NAP'KIN-RING, a ring in which a table-napkin is rolled. [Dim. of Fr. _nappe_.]

NAPLESS, nap'les, _adj._ without nap: threadbare.

NAPLES-YELLOW, n[=a]'plz-yel'l[=o], _n._ a light-yellow pigment consisting of antimoniate of lead, originally made in Italy by a secret process.

NAPOLEON, na-p[=o]'l[=e]-on, _n._ a French gold coin worth 20 francs, or about 15s. 10½d.: a French modification of the game of euchre, each player receiving five cards and playing for himself: a kind of rich iced cake.--_adj._ NAPOLEON'IC, relating to _Napoleon I_. or _III_., the Great or the Little.--_ns._ NAP[=O]'LEONISM; NAP[=O]'LEONIST.--GO NAP, to declare all five tricks--success rewarded by double payment all round.

NAPPY, nap'i, _adj._ heady, strong: tipsy.--_n._ strong ale. [Prob. from _nap_, a sleep.]

NAPPY, nap'i, _adj._ (_Scot._) brittle. [Cf. _Knap._]

NAPRON, nap'ron, _n._ (_Spens._) an apron.

NARCISSUS, nar-sis'us, _n._ a genus of plants of the Amaryllis family, comprising the daffodils. [L.,--Gr. _narkissos_--_nark[=e]_, torpor.]

NARCOLEPSY, nar'k[=o]-lep-si, _n._ a nervous disorder marked by frequent short attacks of irresistible drowsiness.

NARCOTIC, nar-kot'ik, _adj._ having power to produce torpor, sleep, or deadness.--_n._ a medicine producing sleep or stupor.--_n._ NARC[=O]'SIS, the stupefying effect of a narcotic.--_adv._ NARCOT'ICALLY.--_n._ NAR'COTINE, one of the organic bases or alkaloids occurring in opium.--_v.t._ NAR'COTISE.--_n._ NAR'COTISM, the influence of narcotics, or the effects produced by their use. [Fr.,--Gr. _nark[=e]_, torpor.]

NARD, närd, _n._ an aromatic plant usually called _Spikenard_: an ointment prepared from it.--_adj._ NARD'INE. [Fr.,--L. _nardus_--Gr. _nardos_--Pers. _nard_--Sans. _nalada_, from Sans. _nal_, to smell.]

NARDOO, när-d[=oo]', _n._ an Australian cryptogamic plant whose spore-cases are eaten by the natives.

NARDUS, när'dus, _n._ a genus of grasses, having but one species, _Nardus stricta_, mat-grass.

NARGHILE, när'gi-le, _n._ an Eastern tobacco-pipe, in which the smoke is passed through water.--Also NAR'GILE, NAR'GILEH, NAR'GILI. [Pers.]

NARIS, n[=a]'ris, _n._ a nostril:--_pl._ N[=A]'RES.--_adjs._ NAR'IAL, NAR'INE.--_n._ NAR'ICORN, the horny nasal sheath of the beak of some birds.--_adj._ NAR'IFORM. [L.]

NARRATE, na-r[=a]t', or nar'-, _v.t._ to tell, to give an account of.--_adj._ NARR'ABLE, capable of being told.--_n._ NARR[=A]'TION, act of telling: that which is told: an orderly account of what has happened.--_adj._ NARR'ATIVE, narrating: giving an account of any occurrence: inclined to narration: story-telling.--_n._ that which is narrated: a continued account of any occurrence: story.--_adv._ NARR'ATIVELY.--_n._ NARR[=A]'TOR, one who narrates: one who tells or states facts, &c.--_adj._ NARR'ATORY, like narrative: consisting of narrative. [Fr.,--L. _narr[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_gn[=a]rus_, knowing.]

NARRE, när, _adj._ (_Spens._) an older form of _near_.

NARROW, nar'[=o], _adj._ of little breadth: of small extent from side to side: limited: contracted in mind: bigoted: not liberal: selfish: within a small distance: almost too small: close: accurate: careful.--_n._ (oftener used in the _pl._) a narrow passage, channel, or strait.--_v.t._ to make narrow: to contract or confine.--_v.i._ to become narrow: to reduce the number of stitches in knitting.--_adj._ NARR'OW-GAUGE, denoting a railroad of less width than 4 ft. 8½ in.--_n._ NARR'OWING, the act of making less in breadth: the state of being contracted: the part of anything which is made narrower.--_adv._ NARR'OWLY.--_adj._ NARR'OW-MIND'ED, of a narrow or illiberal mind.--_ns._ NARR'OW-MIND'EDNESS; NARR'OWNESS.--_adjs._ NARR'OW-PRY'ING (_Shak._), scrutinising closely, inquisitive; NARR'OW-SOULED, illiberal.--NARROW CLOTH, cloth, esp. woollen, of less than 54 inches in width; NARROW WORK, in mining, the making of passages, air-shafts, &c. [A.S. _nearu_; not conn. with _near_, but prob. with _nerve_, _snare_.]

NARTHEX, nar'theks, _n._ a former genus of umbelliferous plants, now included in _Ferula_: a portico or lobby in an early Christian or Oriental church or basilica. [L.,--Gr., _narth[=e]x_.]

NARWHAL, när'hwal, NARWAL, när'wal, _n._ the sea-unicorn, a mammal of the whale family with one large projecting tusk. [Dan. _narhval_--Ice. _náhvalr_, 'corpse-whale,' from the creature's pallid colour (Ice. _nár_, corpse).]

NARY, ner'i, a provincial corruption of _ne'er a_, _never a_.

NAS, nas, an obsolete corruption of _ne has_; of _ne was_.

NASAL, n[=a]'zal, _adj._ belonging to the nose: affected by, or sounded through, the nose.--_n._ a letter or sound uttered through the nose: the nose-piece in a helmet.--_n._ NASALIS[=A]'TION, the act of uttering with a nasal sound.--_v.i._ N[=A]'SALISE, to render nasal, as a sound: to insert a nasal letter into.--_n._ NASAL'ITY.--_adv._ N[=A]'SALLY, by or through the nose.--_adjs._ N[=A]'SICORN, having a horn on the nose, as a rhinoceros; N[=A]'SIFORM, nose-shaped.--_n._ N[=A]'SION, the median point of the naso-frontal suture.--_adjs._ NASOB[=A]'SAL, pertaining to the nose and base of the skull; NASOC'ULAR, pertaining to the nose and eye, nasorbital; NASOFRON'TAL, pertaining to the nasal bone and the frontal bone; NASOL[=A]'BIAL, pertaining to the nose and the upper lip; NASOLAC'RYMAL, pertaining to the nose and to tears, as the duct which carries tears from the eyes to the nose; NASOPAL'ATINE, pertaining to the nose and to the palate or palate-bones. [Fr.,--L. _nasus_, the nose.]

NASARD, naz'ard, _n._ a mutation-stop in organ-building.--Also NAS'ARDE.

NASCENT, nas'ent, _adj._ springing up: arising: beginning to exist or to grow.--_n._ NAS'CENCY, the beginning of production: birth or origin. [L. _nascens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NASEBERRY, n[=a]z'ber-i, _n._ an American tropical tree.--Also NEES'BERRY, NIS'BERRY. [Sp. _níspero_--L. _mespilus_, medlar.]

NASTURTIUM, nas-tur'shi-um, _n._ the water-cress. [L., _nasus_, the nose, _torqu[=e]re_, _tortum_, to twist.]

NASTY, nas'ti, _adj._ dirty: filthy: obscene: disagreeable to the taste or smell: difficult to deal with: ill-natured: nauseous.--_adv._ NAS'TILY.--_n._ NAS'TINESS. [Old form _nasky_, soft; cf. prov. Swed. _snaskig_, nasty, Low Ger. _nask_, nasty.]

NASUTE, n[=a]-s[=u]t', _adj._ having a long snout: keen-scented.

NATAL, n[=a]'tal, _adj._ pertaining to the nates or buttocks.--_n.pl._ N[=A]'TES, the buttocks.--_adj._ NAT'IFORM. [L. _natis_, the rump.]

NATAL, n[=a]'tal, _adj._ pertaining to birth: native: presiding over birthdays.--_adj._ NATALI'TIAL, pertaining to a birthday.--_n._ NATAL'ITY, birth-rate. [Fr.,--L. _natalis_--_nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]

NATANT, n[=a]'tant, _adj._ floating on the surface, as leaves of water-plants: (_her._) in a horizontal position, as if swimming.--_n._ NAT[=A]'TION, swimming.--_n.pl._ NATAT[=O]'RES, the swimming-birds.--_adj._ NATAT[=O]'RIAL, swimming: adapted to swim.--_n._ NATAT[=O]'RIUM, a swimming-school.--_adj._ N[=A]'TATORY, pertaining to swimming: having the habit of swimming. [L. _natans_, _-antis_, pr.p. of _nat[=a]re_, inten. of _n[=a]re_, to swim.]

NATCH, nach, _n._ (_prov._) the rump.

NATCH, nach, _n._ a provincial form of _notch_.

NATHLESS, nath'les, _adj._ not the less: nevertheless.--Also NATHE'LESS. [A.S. _ná thý læs_, not the less.]

NATHMORE, nath'm[=o]r, _adv._ (_Spens._) not or never the more.--Also NATH'MOE. [A.S. _ná thý mára_.]

NATION, n[=a]'shun, _n._ a body of people born of the same stock: the people inhabiting the same country, or under the same government: a race: a great number: a division of students in a university for voting purposes at Aberdeen and Glasgow. [Fr.,--L. _nation-em_,--_nasci_, _natus_, to be born.]