words, most of which involve the idea of loathing or disgust. But in Prov. xxii. 14, 'he that is abhorred of the Lord' would be better rendered 'he with whom Jehovah is angry' (see Ps. vii. 11; Mal. i. 4), and ‘despised' would be better than abhorred in Deut. xxxii. 19 and 1 Sam. ii. 17. Abhorring, sb. (Is. lxvi. 24). An object of abhorrence. Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies Shakespeare, Ant. and Cl. v. 2. Abide, v.t. (Ps. xxxvii. 9, P. B.; Acts xx. 23). To wait for, await; from A. S. abidan. Mr Wedgwood (Dict. of Eng. Etym. s.v.) observes that in old English "the active sense of looking out for a thing was much more strongly felt in the word abide than it is now." He quotes in illustration of this Wiclif's version of 2 Pet. iii. 11, "What manner men behoveth you to be in holi livings abiding and highing unto the coming of the day of our Lord.” In the sense of awaiting it is used by Shakespeare : So also in Gower (Conf. Am. 1. p. 220); This Perseus as nought seende This mischef which that him abode. And Tyndal (Doctr. Treat. p. 37); While I abode a faithful companion, which hath now taken another voyage upon him. In Ps. xxxvii. 7, P. B. 'abide upon' is used in the sense of 'wait upon,' as in Gower (Conf. Am. 1. p. 71): She wolde in Ysis temple at eve From this idea to that of simple endurance the transition is easy (Num. xxxi. 23; Joel ii. 11). Compare Shakespeare, 3 Hen. VI. iv. 3: What fates impose, that men must needs abide. And Cymb. 1. 2; You must be gone, And I shall here abide the hourly shot Of angry eyes. This fear of death was the bitterest pain that ever he abode. Latimer, Serm. p. 223. Abject, sb. (Ps. xxxv. 15). From Lat. abjectus, cast aside; a worthless, despicable person or thing. Finallie, sturgion and pike, which fishe, as in times paste, it hathe ben taken for an abjecte, soe now thought verie precius emonge Englishemen. Pol. Vergil, Hist. Vol. I. p. 25. Yet farre I deem'd it better so to dye Then at my enmies foote an abject lie. Mirror for Magistrates, fol. rob. Yf hir majesty fayle with such suplye and maintenance as shalbe fytt, all she hath donn hetherto wylbe utterly lost and cast away, and wee hir pore subiectes no better than abiectes. Leycester Corresp. 5 Dec. 1585. Not for my selfe a sinfull wretch I pray, Fairfax's Tasso, XII. 27. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. Shakespeare, Rich. III. 1. 1. Abject' was formerly used as a verb, in the sense of 'reject.' Comyn wytte doothe full well electe Hawes, Pastime of Pleasure, cap. 8. Abroad, adv. (Judg. xii. 9; 1 Kings ii. 42; Lam. i. 20). Away from home, out of doors as opposed to indoors; not necessarily out of the country. It occurs in the forms abrod (Rob. of Glouc. p. 542), abrood (Wiclif, Matt. xxiii. 5), on brede (Chaucer, Rom. of the Rose), from A.S. on brædan. After a verb of motion it is used simply for 'out' or 'forth.' When any did send him rare fruites or fish from the countries neare the seaside he would send them abroad vnto his friendes. North's Plutarch, Alex. p. 729. To 'come abroad,' in the sense of 'get abroad,' 'become known,' is found in Mark iv. 22, Rom. xvi. 19. Abuse, v.t. (Judg. xix. 25; 1 Sam. xxxi. 4; i Chr. x. 4). To misuse, deceive, mock, as in the margin of the two last passages; from Fr. abuser, Lat. abuti. Sir T. More says of Jane Shore: But when the king had abused her, anon her husband...left her vp to him al togither. Works, p. 56 h. Whe'r thou beest he, or no, Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me. Shakespeare, Temp. v. I. That blind rascally boy, that abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out. Id. As You Like It, IV. 1. 'Misuse' is employed in the latter sense in Much Ado, II. 2; 'Proof enough to misuse the prince.' Accept, v.t. (Gen. xxxii. 20, &c.). From Lat. accipere, acceptus. In the sense of 'to approve, receive with favour,' the Biblical usage of this word corresponds with that of its Latin original, and still clings to the root in the common word 'acceptable.' The following are instances of its former use: What fruite is come of your long and great assemble? What one thing, that the people of England hath beene the better of an heare; or you your selues, either more accepted before God, or better discharged toward the people committed vnto your cure. Latimer, Serm. p. 45. Sweet prince, accept their suit. Shakespeare, Rich. III. IV. 7. Shall wee not think, that God above,...doth not discerne, that fraile men, in some of their contradictions, intend the same thing; and accepteth of both. Bacon, Ess. III. p. 11. And our request accept, we you beseche. Surrey, Virg. Acceptable, adj. (Deut. xxxiii. 24; Eccl. xii. 10). Used like the Lat. acceptabilis of that which is worthy of acceptance or approval, and then in the secondary sense of 'agreeable, delightful. It is employed in the N.T. frequently as the equivalent of the Gk. evapeoros, elsewhere rendered 'well-pleasing.' The following example from Holland's Pliny (XXXVII. 9) will illustrate the usage of the word. The Jacint also at the first sight is pleasant and acceptable. Access, sb. (Fr. accés, from Lat. accedere, accessum). Occurs in the sense of accession or increase in the heading of Isa. xviii. Besides infinite is the access of territory and empire by the same enterprise. Bacon, Adv. touching an Holy War. Halliwell (Arch. Dict. s. v.) quotes from Lambarde's Perambulation, 1596, p. 301: 'Brought thereunto more accesse of estimation and reverence than all that ever was done before or since.' Accurse, v.t. To curse. participle 'accursed' is now the occurs in the heading of Gal. i. This word of which the only part in common use, Hii mygte acors the fole quene, that Seynt Edward slou. Rob. Gloucester, p. 296. He acorsede alle thulke men, that he had uorth ibrougt. Drede is at the laste Ibid. p. 474. Piers Ploughman's Vis. 198. They decreed also, that all the religious priests and women should ban and accurse him. North's Plutarch, Alcib. p. 222. Acquaint, v. refl. (Job xxii. 21). To make oneself acquainted with, accustom oneself to. The etymology of the word is doubtful. There is an old French word accointer corresponding to the Prov. accoindar, the former being from coint = Lat. cognitus. On the other hand there is the Germ. kund, kundig akin to O. E. couth, ken, can. Most probably the word came to us through the former channel. Acqueinte the with charite, Gower, Conf. Am. 1. 277. Acquaint you with the perfect spy o' the time, Shakespeare, Macb. III. I. To bring them therefore by his example to acquaint themselves with hardnes, he tooke more paines in warres and in hunting. North's Plutarch, Alex. p. 743. Acquaintance, to take (Gen. xxix. c.). To become acquainted. So it befell upon a chaunce A yonge knight toke her acqueintaunce. Acquainted with (Is. liii. 3). Familiar with, accustomed to. For their purses being full, and they acquainted with finenes, were become so dull and lasie, that they could endure no paines nor hardnes of warres. North's Plutarch, Alex. p. 562. 'To acquaint with,' in the sense 'to accustom, make familiar,' is used by Bacon. The illiberalitie of parents, in allowance towards their children, is an harmefull errour; makes them base; acquaints them with shifts. Ess. VII, p. 24. Adamant, sb. (Ezek. iii. 9; Zech. vii. 12). From the Greek ádápas, 'the unconquerable.' The word has now assumed the form of 'diamond' (G. demant, Du. diamant), which is the hardest known stone. In the old writers, and in one instance in a modern work (the Arabian Nights' Entertainments), the word adamant is erroneously used to mean 'loadstone,' or 'magnet.' |