Category: Definitions

(ǐmə•ɹd𝔷ĕnt). 1528. [a. L. emergentem; see EMERGENCE.]    A. adj. 1. Rising out of a surrounding medium, e.g. water; also fig. 1627.  2. That is in the process of issuing forth; also fig. 1619.  3. Casually or unexpectedly arising (arch.) 1593.  ⁋4. Used (improp.) for ‘urgent’, ‘pressing’ 1706. 1.fig. Hope, still e., still contemns the…

(æntīə•riər), a. 1611. [a. L., f. ante; cf. Fr. antérieur.] 1. Of place: Fore, more to the front; opp. to posterior. 2. Of time, etc.: Preceding, former, earlier 1794. Also with to. (Thus anterior is comparative in sense, but not in const.) 1728. Hence Anterio•rity, the quality of being a. Ante•riorly adv.

(kɒnsī•d), sb. ME. [f. conceive; after deceive, deceit etc.] †1. That which is conceived in the mind, a conception, notion, idea, thought; device -1823. †2. The faculty or action of conceiving; conception; apprehension -1805. †3. Personal opinion or judgement, usually ‘in a neutral sense’ (J.) -1759 4. Favourable opinion, esteem. Now dial.., exc. in out…

(i•diət), sb. ME. [a. F. idiot, ad. L. idiota, ad. Gr. ἰδιώτης private person, ‘layman’, f. Ἴδιος.] †1. An ignorant, uneducated man; a clown -1722. †b. spec. A layman -1660. †c. One not professionally learned; also, a private man -1663. 2. A person so deficient mentally as to be incapable of ordinary reasoning or rational…

1. In OE. and the cognate langs., chiefly forming gentile adjs. from national names; e.g. British (OE. Brittisc), English (OE. Englisc, Sc. †Inglis), Scottish, Scotch (OE. Scyttisc; Sc. †Scottis, later Scots), etc.   2. Added to other subs., with the sense ‘Of or belonging to a person or a thing, of the nature or character…