Like [the Yankees] they were great roysterers, much given to revel on hoecake and bacon, mint-julep, and apple-toddy. — Knickerbocker, p. 247.

Applicant. One who applies himself closely to his studies. A sense of the word common in New England.

The English appear to use the word only in the sense of "one who applies for any thing," in which sense it is most commonly employed by us.

Appointable. That may be appointed or constituted; as officers are appointed by the Executive. - Federalist, Webster.

To appreciate, v. a. To raise the value of. Webster. This sense of the word is not in any English dictionary except Knowles's, which is quite a recent work.

Lest a sudden peace should appreciate the money, - Ramsay.

Also, v. n., to rise in value; as, "The currency of the country appreciates.' Webster. The common acceptation of the word, however, with us, as in England, is to estimate correctly; to put a thing at its right value.

Appreciation. A rising in value; increase of worth or value.

Webster. This noun, like the verb from which it is derived, is commonly used by us in its appropriate meaning of estimation, val- . uation; and this will hereafter be understood of all similar words where a peculiar meaning is assigned to them, unless an express statement is made to the contrary.

To approbate. (Lat. approbo, to approve.) This word was formerly much used at our colleges, instead of the old English word approve. The students used to speak of having their performances approbated by their instructors. It is now in common use with our clergy as a sort of technical term, to denote a person who is licensed to preach; they would say, such a one is approbated, that is, licensed to preach. It is also common in New England to say of a person who is licensed by the county courts to sell spirituous liquors, or to keep a public house, that he is approbated; and the term is adopted in the law of Massachusetts on this subject. — Pickering's Vocabulary.

Dr. Webster observes that this is a modern word, but in common use in America. Mr. Todd introduces it in his edition of Johnson, from Cockeram's old vocabulary, the definition of which is, "to allow, to like." Mr. Todd says it is obsolete.

All things contained in Scripture is approbate by the whole consent of all the clergie of Christendom. — Sir T. Elyot's Governor, fol. 226.

Arab.

"Street Arabs" is a term applied to ragamuffin boys, or what are in France called gamins.

To argufy. To argue; also to import, signify. This word has a place in several of the English glossaries. In this country it is only heard among the most illiterate.

Argufying. Arguing.

I listen to a preacher, and try to be better for his argufying. — Sam Slick, Human Nature.

Aristocratic. Strangely misapplied in those parts of the country where the population is not dense. The city, in the surrounding country towns, is deemed "aristocratic." The people in the villages consider the inhabitants of the towns "aristocratic," and so on. The term is not applied so much to those who make pretensions as to those who live in better style, and have more of the comforts and refinements of life about them; it is very common in small country newspapers and in political speeches in out-of-the-way places.

There have been more than one hundred steamboat arrivals here since our last issue. We believe that the aristocratic "Mayflower" was among them. — Illinois paper.

Ark. A large boat, employed on our rivers before the introduction of steamboats, to transport merchandise. These boats are first mentioned in “A Description of the Settlement of Genesee County, N. Y.," published in 1799. The writer says: "When the waters of the Susquehanna are high by the melting of the snow on the Alleghany Mountains, a species of boat may be made to descend the stream, that will carry from two hundred to five hundred barrels of flour." In a note, it is stated that these boats were invented by a Mr. Knyder, of Juniata River, who first tried the experiment, and reached Baltimore in safety. 66 They are made of plank, are broken up after discharging their cargo, and sold for lumber, with little or no loss. They are navigated by three or five men, and will float down at the rate of eighty miles a day; they are called Arks.” See also Doc. Hist. of New York, Vol. II. p. 668. See Flat-Boat. Arkansas Toothpick. A bowie-knife of a peculiar kind, the blade of which shuts up into the handle.

Straightway leaped the valiant Slingsby

Into armor of Seville,

With a strong Arkansas toothpick

Screwed in every joint of steel.

Bon Gaultier, American Ballads.

Armory. A place or building where fire-arms are manufactured; as,

the "Springfield Armory."

Around. About, near; as, "Sam is around in New York."

I was standing around when the fight took place. - Police Gazette.

A friend assures me he has heard a clergyman in his sermon say of one of the disciples that " he stood around the cross."

Arrastra. (Span., properly Arrastre.) The drag-stone mill for pulverizing or amalgamating ore.

Arriero. (Span.) A muleteer. The Mexicans, who are the most expert in this business, are invariably employed in Texas, and for all mule-trains used in the commerce of the prairies.

Arrow-Head. (Sagittaria variabilis.) A common and very variable aquatic plant, so called from the shape of its leaf.

Arrow-Wood. (Viburnum dentatum.) It is from the long and straight stems of this shrub that the Indians between the Mississippi and the Pacific make their arrows.

Arroyo. (Span.) 1. A small river; a rivulet.

2. The dry bed of a small stream; a deep ravine caused by the action of water. Common in New Mexico and California.

Down the arroyo, out across the mead,

By heath and hollow, sped the flying maid.

Bret Harte, Friar Pedro's Ride.

As, for that, which; as, "Nobody as I ever heard on." This vulgarism is confined to the illiterate. It is noticed in the Craven and Herefordshire Glossaries.

Ascotch. A name given by boys in New York to a small mass of wet gunpowder.

As good as. In the phrase, I'd as good's go to New York, instead of, "I might as well go to New York." Only heard among the illiterate.

As long as. Because, since. "We'll come, as long as it 's pleasant." New York.

Ash-Cake. A corn-cake baked in the ashes. Southern.

Ash-Cart. A cart that goes from door to door to collect ashes.

Ash-Hopper. A lye-cask, or an inverted pyramidal box to contain ashes, resembling a hopper in a mill. They are common in the country, where people make their own soap.

Ashlanders. A club of Baltimore rowdies, so named from Ashland Square, near which they lived.

Assemblyman. A member of the House of Representatives in New York, and in some of the New England States.

A small party of the members of the Legislature, both Senators and Assemblymen, accompanied the Commissioners.-N. Y. Tribune, Dec. 18, 1861. Assistant. A member of the Governor's Council. An officer both judicial and executive, next in rank to the Chief Magistrate. New England, 1621 to 1848. See Court of Assistants.

Associated Press. A number of newspaper establishments in New York and elsewhere, which have entered into a joint arrangement for procuring telegraphic and other news to be equally furnished to them all, have assumed the name of "The Associated Press." Association. In civil affairs, this word is much used at the present day, to denote the principle of uniting the producing classes in societies, for the purpose of obtaining for themselves a larger share of the fruits of their labor.

We do not claim that our rules are perfect, but we wish to make them so; being firmly convinced that the science taught by Fourier will ultimately lead us into true Association, if we follow it as a science, and that we must have some correct rules of progress to govern us during the transition period from civilization to Association. - N. Y. Tribune.

Associational. Pertaining to an association of clergymen. Webster.

In order to obtain a license, and afterwards to be admitted to ordination, they [the students in divinity] must, in each case, pass through the Associational or Presbyterian examination. Quarterly Review, 1815.

Associationist. One who advocates the Fourier doctrine of association.

At. Used as a verb; as, "I at him to do it." To demand; to require. We was a-layin' out to carry half a barrel of pork [to the donation party], and I made a big jar of butter, and sold it for five dollars, and I atted Josiah to sell the pork, and get the money for that. — Betsy Bobbet, p. 206.

At, for by. Used in the expression, "sales at auction."

The English say, "sales by auction," and this is in analogy with the expressions, "sales by inch of candle;" "sales by private contract." Pickering's Vocabulary.

At, for in.

The very common expressions "at the North,” “at the West," instead of "in the North," "in the West," offend an English ear.

At is often used superfluously in the South and West, as in the question, "Where is he at?"

Atajo. (Span., pron. atáho.) A drove of pack-mules.

Atamasco Lily. (Amaryllis atamasco.) A small one-flowered lily, held in like esteem, in Virginia and North Carolina, with the daisy in England.

Athens of America. A name sometimes given to Boston, Massachusetts. Also called Modern Athens and The Hub, which see.

Atlantic States. States bordering on the Atlantic.

Atolé. In the Spanish portions of North America, gruel, generally of corn-meal.

At that. A cant phrase, which has recently become popular. It is used to define more nearly or intensify something already said; as, "He's got a scolding wife, and an ugly one at that."

"Liquor up, gentlemen." We bowed. "Let me introduce you to some of the most highly esteemed of our citizens." We bowed again. "Now then, Mister," turning to the man at the bar, "drinks round, and cobblers at that.". Notes on the North-western States, Blackwood, Sept., 1855.

A-tremble. Trembling, quivering; deeply moved.

And beholding a noble and venerable tree, he says, "Oh, what majesty and glory! Five hundred years sit enthroned on the top of that monarch of the forest." And he feels himself all a-tremble. — The Independent, Aug. 14, 1862. Sermon by H. W. Beecher.

Attitudinize. To assume affected attitudes.

Worcester.

Authority. In Connecticut the justices of the peace are denominated the civil authority. — Webster.

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Mr. Pickering says: "This word is also used in some of the States in speaking collectively of the professors, &c., of our colleges, to whom the government of those institutions is intrusted."

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The authority required him to give bonds for his good behavior. Miss H. Adams's History of New England, p. 64.

Available. That may be used with success or advantage. -Worcester.

For some months past, a regular system of crying down Mr. Clay as unavailable has been prosecuted with indefatigable energy and adroitness throughout the Union. . . . . Mr. Clay is a great man — able statesman-all of us prefer him to anybody else if he could be elected, but I'm afraid he isn't available. Letter in N. Y. Tribune, May, 1848.

Availability. Quality of being available. Worcester. That qualification in a candidate which implies or supposes a strong probability of his success, apart from substantial merit, - a probability resulting from mere personal or accidental popularity. The thing has long existed in the papal government, where the advanced age of a candidate for the triple crown has often been the motive of his election; the idea being that he would soon die out of the way, and leave the chair vacant for a new trial of strength under more favorable auspices, perhaps, for some of the electing cardinals. Inoffensiveness - exemption from strong hostility in any quarter — is a frequent element of availability.-J. Inman.