A, the definite article, is a mere abbreviation of an, which was used before consonants as well as vowels, till a comparatively recent period. The obsolete modes of employing the article are not very numerous. It is sometimes repeated with adjectives, the substantive having gone before, in such phrases as, a tall man and a good." It is not unusually prefixed to many, as "a many princes." It is also frequently prefixed to numerals, as a ten, a twelve. And a grete hole therin, whereof the flame came oute of. And aftyre a vj. or vij. daves, it aroose north-est, and so bakkere and bakkere; and so enduryd exinj. nyghtes, fulle lytelle chaungynge, goyage from the north-este to the weste, and some tyme it wulde seme aquenchede oate, and sodanly it brent fervently ageyne. Warkworth's Chron. The Kynge and his counselle sent unto dyverse that were with the erle of Oxenforde prevely there pardones, and promysede to them grote veftes and landes and goodes, by the whiche dyverse of them were turned to the kynge ayens the erle; and so in conclusione the erle hade nogt passynge ane viij. or ix. menne that wolde holde withe hym; the whiche was the undoynge of the erle. Ib. A is very commonly used as an abbreviation of one, as "Thre B Α persones in a Godhede," (three persons in one Godhead). As Hir a schanke blake, hir other grave. Ballad of True Thomas. It is used often as a mere expletive, generally at the end of a line in songs and popular verse. A, for on, or at, before nouns; thus we have a place, at the place, a field, in the field. representing on, it is frequently prefixed to words in composition, sometimes apparently giving intensity to the meaning, but in general not perceptibly altering it. Thus we have constantly such forms as acold, for cold, adown, for down, aback, for back, aready, for ready. It appears sometimes, chiefly when used before verbs, to represent the French preposition à, and was then no doubt an adaptation from the Anglo-Norman. Thus ado seems to represent the Fr. à faire. The following are the principal meanings of a as a separate word. (1) Always; ever (from the A.-S.); still used in this sense in Cumberland. 4 the more I loke theron, (2) Yes (a contraction of aye). Somerset. (3) And. Somerset. It occurs in this sense not unfrequently in old MSS., perhaps an accidental abridgement. (4) An interrogative, equivalent to what? l'ar. Dial. (5) If. Suffolk. (6) He. It is often put into the mouths of ignorant or vulgar people in this sense by the old dramatists, and it is not uncommon in MSS. of an earlier date. (7) They. In the dialect of Shropshire. In the western counties it is used for she, and sometimes for it. (8) All. (9) Have. As in the common expression "a done," i. e. have done. (10) In. "A Latin," in Latin. "A Goddes name," in God's name. is born, because it is the initial of Adam, and a female e-e, as that of Eve. AAC, S. (A.-S.) An oak. North. AAINT, v. (4.-S.) To anoint. Suf. (2) inter. A contraction of anan! (3) adv. On. A form of the word used in a MS. of the 15th Century, in the Ashmolean Library. Do, cosyn, anon thyn armys aan. AANDE, 8. (Danish). Breath. A form of the word not uncommon in MSS. of the 15th Century. Hys mynde es schort when he oght thynkes, Hys nese oft droppes, hys aande stynkes. Hampole, MS. Bowes. AANDORN, S. (4.-S.) An after AADORN, noon's repast; the afternoon. Cumb. See Arndern. AANE, 8. (A.-S.) barley or awn. The beard of other grain, the And that we call the aane, which groweth out of the eare, like a long pricke or a dart, whereby the eare is defended from the danger of birds. Googe's Husbandry, 1577. AAR, prep. (A.-S. ær). Ere, before. This form occurs in the Romance of Kyng Alisaunder. AARM, 8. (4.-S.) The arm. Wvcliffe, Bodl. MS. Aarmed, for armed, occurs in Wyclyffe's version of the Testament. AARON, 8. (.4.-S.) The herb wakerobin. Cotgrave. AAS, 8. (d.-N.) Aces. AAT, 8. (A.-S.) Fine oatmeal, used Suff AB, 8. (4.-S.) The sap of a tree. Yet diverse have assaied to deale withcut okes to that end, but not with so good successe as they have hoped, biCause the ab or juice will not so soone be removed and cleane drawne out, which some attribute to want of time in the salt water. Harrison's Description of England. ABACK, adv. Backwards. North. They drew aback, as half with shame confound. Spens. Skep. Kal. June. 63. ABACK-A-BEHINT, adv. Behind; in the rear. North. ABACTED, part. p. (Lat. abactus). Driven away by violence. ABACTOR, 8. (Lat.) One that drives away herds of cattle by stealth or violence. ABADE,(1) past t. of abiden (4.-S.). Abode; remained. (2) 8. Delay. In MSS. of 14th For soone aftir that he was made, And unboxome y-be, Noult abaissed to agulte God and alle good men. Piers Pl., p. 518. The sodeyn chas the man astoneyd tho, ilat read he wax, abaischt, and al quakyng. Chencer, C. T., $192. I was abaischite, be oure Lorde, Of our beste bernes. Morte Arthure. ABAKWARD, adv. Backwards. ABALIENATE, . (Lat.) To alienate; to transfer property from one to another. ABANDE, v. To abandon; forsake. And Vortigern enforst the kingdom to chend. Spenser, Let us therefore both cruelty abande, And prudent secke both gods and men to please. Mirour for Magistrates. ABANDON, adv. (A.-N. à bandon, at discretion). Liberally; at discretion; freely, fully exposed. Aftir this swift gift tis but reason He give his gode too in abandon. Rom. of the Kuse, 2342. His ribbes and scholder fel adonn, ABANDUNE, U. (A.-N.) To subject; to abandon. Skelton. ABARCY, 8. (Med. Lat. abartia.) Insatiableness. ABARE, v. (4.-S. abarian). To make bare. ABARRE, v. (from A.-N. abarrer). To prevent. Reducynge to remembraunce the prysed nemeryes and perpetuall renowned factes of the famouse princes of Iscael, which did not only abarre ydolatrye and other ungodlynesse, but utterly abolished all occasyons of the same. ABARSTICK, 8. Monastic Letters, p. 209. Insatiableness. ABARSTIR, adj. More downcast. Towneley Mysteries. ABASE, v. (4.-N. abaisser). To cast down; to humble. Spenser. Among illiterate persons, it is still used in the sense of debase. “I wouldn't abase myself by descending to hold any conversation with lam." Oliver Twist, ui, 134. ABASHMENT, 8. (A.-N.) The state of being abashed. ABAST, part. p. Downcast. See Abaised. ABASTARDIZE, v. (A.-N. abastarder). To render illegitimate or base. ABASURE, S. (A.-N.) Abasement. ABASTICK, adj. Insatiable. ABATAYLMENT, 8. (A.-N.) Battle ment. Sir Gawayne, p. 30. ABATE, v. (A.-N.) (1) To subtract. Abatyn, subtraho. Prompt. Pare. It was the technical term for the operation in arithmetic. (2) To beat down, or overthrow. (3) To cast down, or depress the Is continaunce abated eny bost to make. (5) To contract, or cut short. Shakesp. (6) To lower, applied to banners. Common in this sense in the metrical romances. Alle the baners that Crysten founde Octovian Imp., 1743. (7) To flutter, or beat with the wings. A hawking term. An hawke that traveyleth upon the teyne, a man may knowe if he take hede, for suche is her maner that she wolde pante for abatyng then another doth, for in and if she shold fle a litell while almoste she wolde lose her breth, whether she be high or lowe. Reliq. Antiq., i, 300. (8) To reduce to a lower temper, applied to metal. (9) To disable a writ. A law term. ABATEMENT, s. (A.-N.) (1) "A mark added or annexed to a ABATY, v. (A.-N.) To abate. And that he for ys nevew wolde, for to abaty stryf, Do hey amendement, sawve lyme and lyf. Rob. Glouc. ABAUT, prep. About. North. ABAWE, ABAUE, ABAVE, v. (from A.-N. abaubir For, soche another, as I gesse, 1 was abawed for merveile. Rom. of the Rose, 3614. My mirth and melis is fasting, The Dreme, 614. Many men of his kynde sauh him so abaued. Langtoft's Chron., p. 210. (2) (A.-S.) To bow; to bend. Cambridge MS. of 15th Cent. ABAWT, prep. Without. Staffordsh. ABAYE, v. (from A.-N. abayer.) To bark. ABAY, 8. (A.-N.) The barking of dogs; at abay, at bay. And this doon, every man stond abrod Sir Degrecante, Line. MS. ABAY, V. To suffer a heavy penalty; to abie. This form is given by Skinner. ABAYSCHID, ABAYSSHETTE, See Abie. part. p. Abashed; Abaissed. frightened. See ABAYST, part. p. (A.-N.) Disappointed. And that when that they were travyst, And of herborow were abayst. Brit. Bibl., iv, 83. ABB, 8. (from A.-S. ab.) The yarn of a weaver's warp. ABBARAYED, past t. Started. And aftyr that he knonnyngly abbarayed, And to the kyng evyn thus he sayd. Lydgate's Minor Poems, p. 4. ABBAS, 8. An abbess. ABBAY, v. (4.-N. abbayer.) To bay; to bark. See Abay. ABBEN, v. To have. Glouc. Dif ferent parts of the verb in this form are found in Robert of Gloucester. Arture, Uter sone, of wan we tolde byvore, Ye abbyth y-hurd hou he was bygete and y-bore. ABBESS, 8. According to Grose, this is a vulgar name for the mistress of a disreputable establishment. ABBEY, S. (4.-N.) The great white poplar, a variety of the populus alba. Westm. Yorks. ABBEY-LUBBER, S. A term of reproach for idle persons. Somerset. Yorks. It is found in most of the early dictionaries. "Neither was I much unlike those abbeyInthers in my life, though farre unlike them in belief, who laboured till they were cold." Lyly's Euphues. The most of that which they did bestow was on the nehe, and not the poore in dede, as halt, lame, blinde, sicke, or impotent, but lither lubbers that might werke and would not. In so much that it came into a commen proverbe to call him an abbay-lubber, that was idle, wel fed, a long lewd lither loiterer, that might worke and would not. The Burayage of Paules Church, 1563. ABBIGGET, . To expiate: make amends for. See Abie. ABBOD, 8. (A.-S.) An abbot. Rob. of Glouc. ABBREVIATE, part. p. (Lat.) Decreased; shortened. ABBROCHMENT, 8. (A.-N.) Ingrossing of wares to sell by retail. Cock. ABEROCHE, V. (A.-N.) To broach a barrel. Prompt. Parv. ABBUT, conj. Aye but. Yorks. ABBYT, S. A habit. And chanones gode he dede therinne, Unther the abbyt of seynte Austynne. Wright's St. Patrick's Purgatory, p. 66. ABCE, 8. The alphabet. A not uncommon word in the 16th Cent. ABDEVENHAM, 8. An astrological term for the head of the twelfth house, in a scheme of the heavens. ABDUCE, v. (Lat. abduco.) To lead away. From the whych opinion I colde not abduce them with al my endevor. State Papers, temp. Hen. VIII. ABEAR, T. (from A.-S. aberan.) To deport; to conduct. So did the faerie knight himselfe abeare, And stomped oft his head from shame to shield. Spenser. Good abearing, or abearance, the proper and peaceful carriage of a loyal subject. A law phrase. Whereof eche one was pledge and suretie for others' good abearing. Lambarde's Peramb. of Kent, 1596. Abearance is still the technical word, in law, for such behaviour as the law deems unexceptionable. (2) To bear; to tolerate. A vulgarism. ABECE, 8. The alphabet; and, from this, the elements of a science. Found in writers of the 14th and 15th Cents. Clerc he was god ynou, and yut, as me teileth me, He was more than ten yer old ar he couthe ys abece. Rob Glouc., p 206. A place, as man may se, Quan a chyld to scoe xil set be, Naylyd on a brede of tre, Relig. Antiq., i, 63. Gower, MS. Soc. Ant. i. e. the abc, or elements, of arithmetic. ABECEDARIAN, 8. (Lat. abeceda. rius.) One who teaches or learns the alphabet. Minsheu. ABECEDARY, adj. Alphabetical. ABECHED, part. p. (4.-N.) Fed; satisfied. git schulde I sum delle been abeched, And for the tyme wel refreched. Gower, MS. Soc. Ant. ABED, adv. In bed. Var. dial. ABEDE, v. (A.-S.) To bid; to offer. In MSS. of 14th Cent. It also occurs as the past tense of abide. ABEER, v. To bear with; tolerate. Northampt. ABEGGE. See Abie. In the MS. of Gower, belonging to the Society of Antiquaries, we have abege, used as though the g were soft. He wolde don his sacrilege, That many a man it schulde abege. So in Urry, a passage from Chaucer's Cant. T. is printedThere durst no wight hand on him ledge, But he ne swore be shold abedge. ABEISAUNCE, S. (4.-N.) Obedience. |