Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Golf Groove

Golf, golf, n. a game played with a club and ball, in which he who drives the ball into a series of small holes in the ground with fewest strokes is the winner.—ns. '; '. [Dut. kolf, a club; cf. Ger. kolbe, Ice. kólfr.]

Golgotha, gol′go-tha, n. the scene of our Lord's crucifixion, near Jerusalem: a charnel-house. [Heb.]

Goliard, gol′yard, n. a medieval monk who amused his superiors at table by merry jests.—n. '.—adj. '.—n. , the title assumed by the authors of several medieval satirical poems—Walter Map makes 'Bishop Golias' the type of the ribald priest. [O. Fr.]

Goliath, gō-lī′ath, n. a giant.—v.i. to exaggerate extravagantly.—n. , a genus of tropical beetles of very large size, the male sometimes measuring about four inches. [From Goliath, the Philistine giant in 1 Sam. xvii.]

Gollar, gol′ar, v.i. (prov.) to scold or speak loudly.

Goloe-shoes. See Galosh.

Golomynka, gō-lō-ming′ka, n. a fish found only in Lake Baikal, resembling the gobies.

Golosh, go-losh′, n. Same as Galosh.

Gomarist, gō′mar-ist, n. a follower of Francis Gomarus (1563-1641), a vehement opponent of the Arminians, who mainly through his influence were expelled from the Reformed Church at the Synod of Dort in 1618.

Gombeenism, gom-bēn′izm, n. the practice of depending on money-lenders.—n. , a grasping and usurious money-lender in Ireland.

Gomeril, gom′ėr-il, n. (Scot.) a stupid fellow.

Gomphiasis, gom-fī′a-sis, n. looseness of the teeth, esp. the molars.—n. , a kind of synarthrosis or immovable articulation, as of the teeth in the jaw. [Gr., gomphios, a tooth.]

Gomuti, gō-mōō′ti, n. the sago-palm: the black fibre it yields.—Also . [Malay.]

Gonad, gon′ad, n. (biol.) a mass of undifferentiated generative tissue.

Gonagra, gon′a-gra, n. gout in the knee.—ns. ', any painful affection of the knee; ', inflammation of the knee-joint. [Gr. gony, knee, agra, a taking, algos, pain.]

Gondola, gon′do-la, n. a long, narrow boat (averaging 30 feet by 4) used chiefly on the canals of Venice—(Spens.) .—n. Gondolier one who rows a gondola. [It., a dim. of gonda—Gr. kondy—a drinking-vessel, said to be a Pers. word.]

Gone, gon, pa.p. of go, lost, passed beyond help: weak, faint, feeling a sinking sensation: wide of the mark, of an arrow: (slang) entirely given up to (with on).—ns. ', a sinking sensation; ' (slang), one ruined beyond recovery.

Gonfalon, gon′fa-lon, n. an ensign or standard with streamers—also '.—n. ', one who bears a gonfalon: the chief magistrate in many Italian cities because of his bearing this flag. [O. Fr. gonfanon—Mid. High Ger. gundfano—gund, battle, fano (Ger. fahne), a flag.]

Gong, gong, n. a Chinese instrument of percussion, made of a mixture of metals, and shaped into a basin-like form, flat and large, with a rim a few inches deep. [Malay.]

Gongorism, gong′gor-izm, n. a florid, inverted, and pedantic style of writing, introduced by the Spanish poet Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), some of whose distinctive features reappeared in Euphuism.

Gongylus, gon′ji-lus, n. a round deciduous body connected with the reproduction of certain seaweeds. [Gr., 'round.']

Goniatites, gō-ni-a-tī′tēz, n. a genus of fossil cephalopodous mollusca, kindred to the Ammonites. [Gr. gonia, an angle, lithos, a stone.]

Gonidia, gō-nid′i-a, n.pl. an old term in lichenology for the green cells (algal constituents) of the thallus:—sing. , a naked or membranous-coated propagative cell produced asexually. [Formed from Gr. gonē, generation, seed.]

Goniometer, gō-ni-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring solid angles, indispensable to the crystallographer. [Gōnia, an angle, metron, measure.]

Gonophore, gon′o-fōr, n. the ultimate generative zooid of a hydrozoan, originating directly the generative elements. [Gr. gonos, seed, pherein, to bear.]

Gonorrhea, gon-or-rē′a, n. a specific contagious inflammatory discharge of mucus from the membrane of the urethra or vagina. [Gr. gonorrhoia—gonos, seed, rheein, to flow.]

Good, good, adj. having qualities, whether physical or moral, desirable or suitable to the end proposed: promoting success, welfare, or happiness: virtuous: pious: kind: benevolent: proper: fit: competent: satisfactory: sufficient: valid: sound: serviceable: beneficial: real: serious, as in 'good earnest:' not small, considerable, as in 'good deal:' full, complete, as in 'good measure:' unblemished, honourable, as in 'good name:'—comp. superl. best.—n. that which promotes happiness, success, &c.—opp. to Evil: prosperity: welfare: advantage, temporal or spiritual: moral qualities: virtue: (B.) possessions: (pl.) household furniture: movable property: merchandise (in composition, the equivalent of U.S. freight).—interj. well! right!—adv. well.—ns. ', polite manners formed by a good breeding or education; ' (Scot.), a brother-in-law.—n. or interj. ', contracted from 'God be with you:' farewell, a form of address at parting.—adj. ', being in a good state.—ns. or interjs. ', a common salutation, a contraction of 'I wish you a good day;' ', a corruption of good-e'en; ', ', ', a salutation on meeting or parting in the evening.—adj. ' (Shak.), having a handsome face.—ns. ', a jolly or boon companion: a reveller; ', merry or pleasant company: conviviality.—n.pl. ', a euphemism for the fairies, of whom it is best to speak respectfully.—adj. ', worthless, useless.—n. an idle person.—ns. ', a fast in memory of our Lord's crucifixion, held on the Friday of Passion-week; ', a cheerful temper, from the old idea that temper depended on the humours of the body.—adj. '.—adv. '.—n. ', weak, priggish, or canting goodness.—adj. ', pretty good, of fair quality or quantity.—interj. ', an expression of surprise or pity—a variation of 'Good Lord,' under the influence of alack.—n. '.—adv. ' (Spens.), excellently, kindly.—adj. good-like: good-looking: fine: excellent:—comp. '; superl. '.—ns. ' (Spens.), goodness; ', grace; ' (B.), the man or master of the house—the correlative to it is '.—ns. and interjs. ', ', a salutation at meeting in the morning.—n. ', natural goodness and mildness of disposition.—adj. '.—adv. '.—n. ', virtue: excellence: benevolence: a term of emphasis, as in 'For goodness' sake;' 'Oh, goodness!'—n. and interj. ', a common salutation, a contraction of 'I wish you a good night.'—interj. ', an exclamation of wonder, surprise, or entreaty.—ns. ', an engine used for drawing goods-trains; ', sound judgment; ', a contraction of 'I wish you good speed;' ', a train of goods wagons.—adj. ', possessing a good temper.—ns. ', the mistress of a family; ', benevolence; well-wishing: the established custom or popularity of any business or trade—often appearing as one of its assets, with a marketable money value; ', good-wife: good-woman: probably formed from good-wife.—adj. ', mawkishly good: weakly benevolent or pious—also .—n. a sweetmeat.—Good for anything, ready for any kind of work; Goodman's croft, a strip of ground, or corner of a field, once left untilled in Scotland, to avert the malice of the devil from the crop.—Good Templar, a member of a temperance society founded in the United States in 1852, and introduced into England in 1868, its organisation modelled on that of the Freemasons, with lodges, passwords and grips, and insignia.—As good as, the same as, no less than; Be as good as one's word, to be depended on; For good, For good and all, finally, in conclusion, to end the whole matter; Make good, to fulfil, perform; Stand good, to be lastingly good: to remain; Think good, to be disposed, to be willing. [A.S. gód; closely akin to Dut. goed, Ger. gut, Ice. góðr, Goth. gods.]

Goorkha, gōōr′kä, n. one of the dominant race in Nepal, descended from Hindu immigrants, and claiming a Rajput origin, short, thick-set men, making excellent soldiers.

Gooroo. See Guru.

Goosander, gōōs-an′dėr, n. a web-footed bird in the duck family, in the same genus as the Mergansers, a native of the Arctic regions. [Formed from goose and gander.]

Goose, gōōs, n. (pl. Geese) a web-footed animal like a duck, but larger and stronger: a tailor's smoothing-iron, from the likeness of the handle to the neck of a goose: a stupid, silly person: a game of chance once common in England, in which the players moved counters forward from one compartment on a board to another, the right to a double move being secured when the card bearing the picture of a goose was reached.—v.t. (slang) to hiss off the stage.—ns. ', a silly person; ', a coarse rush; ', a zero, denoting a miss or failure to score at an athletic or other contest; ', a common name in America for the angler-fish (see Angler); ', a puckered condition of the skin, like that of a plucked goose, through cold, fear, &c.; ', pigweed; ', a species of Bedstraw (q.v.), a common weed in hedges and bushy places in Britain, Europe, and America; ', an iron swivel forming the fastening between a boom and a mast: a bent pipe or tube with a swivel-joint; ', one of the quills or large wing-feathers of a goose, used as pens; ', a place for keeping geese: stupidity; ', a kind of thin soft leather; ' (mil.), the marking of time by raising the feet alternately without making progress; ', one of the clews or lower corners of a ship's mainsail or foresail when the middle part is furled or tied up to the yard.—adj. ', having only one clew set: in fore-and-aft rigged vessels, having the mainsail on one side and the foresail on the other, so as to sail wing-and-wing.—n. , a goose: a blockhead. [A.S. gós; Ice. gás, Ger. gans, L. anser, Gr. chēn, Sans. hamsa.]

Gooseberry, gōōz′ber-i, n. the berry or fruit of a shrub of the same name.—Play gooseberry, to accompany lovers, &c., for propriety. [Prof. Skeat says goose- is for grose- or groise-, which appears in O. Fr. groisele, grosele, gooseberry, Scot. grossart, from the Mid. High Ger. krus (Ger. kraus), crisp, curled.]

Gooseberry-fool, n. See Fool (2).

Gopher, gō′fėr, n. a name in America applied to the prairie dog, the pouched rat, and to the land tortoise of the southern states.—v.i. to burrow, to mine in a small way. [Fr. gaufre.]

Gopher, gō′fėr, n. (B.) a kind of wood, generally supposed identical with cypress. [Heb.]

Gopura, gō′pōō-ra, n. in Southern India, a pyramidal tower over the gateway of a temple.

Goral, gō′ral, n. a Himalayan goat-antelope.

Goramy, gō′ra-mi, n. a fish found in the Eastern Archipelago, highly esteemed for the table, and used in Mauritius, the West Indies, &c.—Also .

Gor-bellied, gor′-bel-id, adj. (Shak.) big-bellied, gluttonous. [Obs. gore—A.S. gor, filth, and belly.]

Gorcock, gor′kok, n. the moorcock or red grouse:—fem. . [Gor-, from gorse, furze; or imit.]

Gorcrow, gor′krō, n. the carrion-crow. [A.S. gor, filth, carrion, and crow.]

Gordian, gord′yan, adj. intricate: difficult.—v.t. (Keats) to tie up, knot.—Cut the Gordian knot, to overcome a difficulty by violent measures—Alexander, unable to untie the fateful knot tied by Gordius, king of Phrygia, having cut it through with his sword.

Gordius, gor′di-us, n. a genus typical of Gordiidæ, a family of nematode worms with a hair-like body.

Gore, gōr, n. clotted blood: blood.—adv. ' (Tenn.), in a gory or bloody manner or state.—adj. ', covered with gore: bloody.—Gory dew, a dark-red slimy film sometimes seen on damp walls and in shady places. [A.S. gor, blood, dung; Sw. gorr, Ice. gor, gore.]

Gore, gōr, n. a triangular piece let into a garment to widen it: a triangular piece of land.—v.t. to shape like or furnish with gores: to pierce with anything pointed, as a spear or horns.—n. , a piece of cloth cut diagonally to increase its apparent width.—adj. cut gradually sloping, so as to be broader at the clew than at the earing—of a sail. [A.S. gára, a pointed triangular piece of land—gár, a spear with triangular blade.]

Gorge, gorj, n. the throat: a narrow pass among hills: (fort.) the entrance to an outwork.—v.t. to swallow greedily: to glut.—v.i. to feed.—adj. Gorged, having a gorge or throat: glutted: (her.) having a crown or coronet about the neck.—n. , a piece of armour for the throat: a military ornament round the neck (see Armour).—Have one's gorge rise, to be disgusted or irritated; Heave the gorge, to retch. [O. Fr.,—L. gurges, a whirlpool.]

Gorgeous, gor′jus, adj. showy: splendid: magnificent.—adv. '.—n. '. [O. Fr. gorgias, gaudy—gorgias, a ruff—gorge, the throat.]

Gorgon, gor′gun, n. one of three fabled female monsters (Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa), of horrible aspect, winged, with hissing serpents for hair—every one who looked on Medusa was turned to stone: anything very ugly.—adjs. ', ', ', ', like a gorgon: very ugly or terrific.—n. ', a mask of the gorgon.—v.t. ' (Tenn.), to turn to stone. [L. gorgon—Gr. gorgō—gorgos, grim.]

Gorgonzola, gor-gon-zō′la, n. a highly esteemed cheese.

Gorilla, gor-il′a, n. a great African ape, the largest known anthropoid, generally referred to the same genus with the chimpanzee. [African.]

Gormand, older form of gourmand.—v.i. ', to eat hastily or voraciously.—ns. '; ', the act or habit of eating voraciously; ', gluttony.

Gorse, gors, n. a prickly shrub growing on waste places, the furze or whin.—adj. . [A.S. gorst.]

Goshawk, gos′hawk, n. a short-winged hawk, once used for hunting wild-geese and other fowl, not having a toothed bill, like the falcons proper. [A.S. góshafoc—gós, goose, hafoc, hawk.]

Gosling, goz′ling, n. a young goose. [A.S. gós, goose, double dim. -l-ing.]

Gospel, gos′pel, n. the Christian revelation: the narrative of the life of Christ, as related by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John: the stated portion of these read at service: the teaching of Christ: a system of religious truth: absolute truth.—v.t. (Shak.) to instruct in the gospel.—n. ', a preacher: an evangelist.—v.t. ', to square with the gospel. [A.S. godspell; commonly derived from A.S. gód, good, and spell, story, and so a translation of Gr. eu-anggelion, good news; but more prob. from god, God, and spell, a narrative, God-story; so also the Ice. is guðspjall, God-story, and not góðspjall, good-story; and the Old High Ger. was gotspell, got (God) -spel, not guot (good) -spel.]

Goss, gos, n. (Shak.). See Gorse.

Gossamer, gos′a-mėr, n. very fine spider-threads which float in the air or form webs on bushes in fine weather: any thin material.—adj. light, flimsy.—adj. , like gossamer: flimsy. [M. E. gossomer; Prof Skeat thinks it is a corr. of 'goose-summer' or 'summer-goose,' from the downy appearance of the film. Ger. sommer-fäden, summer-threads, also mädchen-sommer, maiden-summer.]

Gossan, gos′an, n. (prov.) decomposed rock, usually ferruginous, forming the upper part of a metallic vein.—Also .

Gossip, gos′ip, n. one who runs about telling and hearing news: idle talk: a familiar acquaintance: a boon-companion.—v.i. to run about telling idle tales: to talk much: to chat: (Shak.) to stand godfather to.—n. ', the act or practice of one who gossips or tattles.—p.adj. having the character of one who gossips: tattling.—n. '.—adj. . [Orig. a sponsor in baptism, or one related in the service of God; M. E. gossib (earlier form, godsib)—God, and sib, related; cf. Ger. sippe, Ice. sif, affinity, Scot. sib, related.]

Gossoon, go-sōōn′, n. a boy-servant in Ireland. [From Fr. garçon, a boy.]

Gossypium, go-sip′i-um, n. a malvaceous genus of herbs and shrubs, native to the tropics, yielding the cotton of commerce. [L. gossypion.]

Got, Gotten. See under Get.

Goth, goth, n. one of an ancient Teutonic nation, originally settled on the southern coasts of the Baltic, which migrated to Dacia in the 3d century, and later founded kingdoms in Italy, southern France, and Spain: a rude or uncivilised person, a barbarian.—adj. , belonging to the Goths or their language: barbarous: romantic: denoting a style of architecture with high-pointed arches, clustered columns, &c. (applied in reproach at the time of the Renaissance).—v.t. ', to make Gothic: to bring back to barbarism.—n. ', a Gothic idiom or style of building: rudeness of manners. [The native names Gutans (sing. Guta) and Gutôs (sing. Guts), Gutthiuda, 'people of the Goths;' Latinised as Gothi, Gotthi.]

Gothamite, goth′a-mīt, Gothamist, n. a simpleton: a wiseacre. [From Gotham, a village of Nottinghamshire, with which name are connected many of the simpleton stories of immemorial antiquity. So of Gordon in Scotland, Kampan in Holland, the Schildburgers in Germany, &c.]

Gouache, gwash, n. a method of water-colour painting with opaque colours, mixed with water, honey, and gum, presenting a dead surface: work painted according to this method. [Fr.]

Gouda, gow′da, n. a kind of cheese from Gouda.

Gouge, gowj, or gōōj, n. a chisel, with a hollow blade, for cutting grooves or holes.—v.t. to scoop out, as with a gouge: to force out, as the eye with the thumb. [O. Fr.,—Low L. guvia, a kind of chisel.]

Goujeers, gōō′jērz, n. (Shak.) venereal disease.—Goujere, often Good year, used as a slight imprecation, as pox; cf. 2 Henry IV., II. iv. 64. [Perh. Fr. gouge, a prostitute, goujat, a blackguard.]

Goura, gow′ra, n. a genus of beautifully crested, ground-loving pigeons, native to New Guinea.

Gourami. See Goramy.

Gourd, gōrd, or gōōrd, n. a large fleshy fruit: rind of a gourd used as a drinking-cup: the gourd plant: (pl.) hollow dice used by cheating gamblers.—ns. '; ', a fluke or trematode worm, esp. the liver-fluke.—adj. , having the legs swollen—of a horse. [O. Fr. gourde, contr. from cougourde—L. cucurbita, a gourd.]

Gourmand, gōōr′mand, n. one who eats greedily: a glutton.—adj. voracious: gluttonous—also .—n. Gourmet or  an epicure, originally one with a delicate taste in wines. [Fr. gourmand, a glutton; origin unknown.]

Gousty, gows′ti, adj. dreary.—adj. , stormy: (Scot.) rude. [Same as Gusty.]

Gout, gowt, n. an acute inflammation of the smaller joints, and esp. of the great toe, in persons of luxurious habits and past middle life: (obs.) a drop.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', ', an umbelliferous European plant, long supposed to be good for gout.—adj. , relating to gout: diseased with or subject to gout. [O. Fr. goutte—L. gutta, a drop, the disease supposed to be caused by a defluxion of humours.]

Gout, gōō, n. taste: relish. [Fr.,—L. gustus, taste.]

Govern, guv′ėrn, v.t. to direct: to control: to rule with authority: (gram.) to determine the mood, tense, or case of.—v.i. to exercise authority: to administer the laws.—adj. '.—ns. ' (Spens.), government; ', government: control: direction: behaviour; Governante or  a governess (obs.); ', a lady who has charge of the instruction of young ladies: a tutoress (Daily-governess, one who goes every day to her pupils' house; Nursery-, having charge of young children only, tending as well as teaching them; Resident-, living in the family of her pupils).—v.i. to act as governess.—n. ', a light two-wheeled vehicle with two face-to-face seats at the sides only.—adj. ', having control.—n. ', a ruling or managing: control: system of governing: the body of persons authorised to administer the laws, or to govern a state: the territory over which sovereign power extends: (gram.) the power of one word in determining the form of another: (Shak.) conduct.—adj. of or pursued by government.—adj. ', pertaining to or sanctioned by government.—ns. ', a ruler: one invested with supreme authority: a tutor: (slang) a father or master: (mach.) a regulator, or contrivance for maintaining uniform velocity with a varying resistance: (B.) a pilot; ', the supreme governor in a country: a viceroy; .—Governmental theory (see Grotian). [O. Fr. governer—L. gubernāre—Gr. kybernan.]

Gowan, gow′an, n. (Scot.) the wild daisy. [Ir. and Gael. gugan, bud, daisy.]

Gowd, Scotch for gold.

Gowf, gowf, v.t. (Scot.) to strike, cuff. [A modification of golf.]

Gowk, Gouk, gowk, n. a stupid fellow, a fool.

Gowl, gowl, v.i. (Scot.) to cry or howl. [M. E. goulen—Scand., Ice. gaula, to bellow.]

Gown, gown, n. a woman's upper garment: a long loose robe worn officially by clergymen, lawyers, college lecturers, &c.—v.t. to invest with the gown.—adj. Gowned, dressed in a gown.—ns. ', ', one whose professional habit is a gown, as a divine or lawyer, and esp. a member of an English university. [M. E. goune—W. gwn, akin to gwnio, to stitch; Ir. gunn, Gael. gun.]

Gowpen, gowp′en, n. (Scot.) the hollow of the hand or of the two hands held together: a handful. [Scand.; Ice. gaupn, Sw. göpen, Dan. gövn; Low Ger. göpse, göpsch, Ger. dial. gauf, gaufel.]

Graafian, grä′fi-an, adj. pertaining to the follicle or little sac in the ovary in which an ovum matures—in mammals. [Named from the discoverer of these, Regnier de Graaf, 1641-73.]

Graal. Same as Grail, a dish.

Grab, grab, n. a vessel on the Malabar coast, having two or three masts.

Grab, grab, v.t. (coll.) to seize or grasp suddenly: to lay hands on:—pr.p. pa.p. grabbed.—n. a sudden grasp or catch, acquisition by violent or unjust means: that which is seized: a simple card game.—ns. ', a bag containing a variety of articles to be obtained by putting in the hand and seizing one, as at charity bazaars, &c.: any dishonest means of seizing such profit or spoil as comes handiest; ' [Scand.; Sw. grabba, to grasp; Ger. greifen, to seize.]

Grabble, grab′l, v.i. to grope. [Freq. of grab.]

Grace, grās, n. easy elegance in form or manner: what adorns and commends to favour: embellishment: favour: pardon: the undeserved mercy of God: divine influence: eternal life or salvation: a short prayer at meat: an act or decree of the governing body of an English university: a ceremonious title in addressing a duke or an archbishop: (pl.) favour, friendship (with good): (myth.) the three sister goddesses in whom beauty was deified (the Greek Charites), Euphrosyne, Aglaia, Thalia.—v.t. to mark with favour: to adorn.—n. ', a cup or health drunk at the last of the feast.—adjs. Graced (Shak.), virtuous, chaste; ', elegant and easy: marked by propriety or fitness, becoming.—adv. '.—n. '.—adjs. ', wanting grace or excellence: depraved: wicked.—adv. '.—n. '.—ns. ' (mus.), a note introduced as an embellishment, not being essential to the harmony or melody; ', a finishing stroke, coup de grâce; ', a clown in Spanish comedy, a favourite.—adj. ', abounding in grace or kindness: benevolent: proceeding from divine favour: acceptable.—adv. '.—ns. ', state or quality of being gracious, affability; ', the same, but usually in a bad sense, as implying duplicity.—Days of grace, three days allowed for the payment of a note or bill of exchange, after being due according to its date; Fall from grace, to backslide, to lapse from the state of grace and salvation—an impossibility according to Calvinists.—Good gracious, an exclamation of surprise.—In the good graces of, in the friendship of; Saving grace, divine grace so bestowed as to lead to salvation; Take heart of grace, to take courage from favour shown. [Fr.,—L. gratia, favour—gratus, agreeable; Gr. charis, grace.]

Gracile, gras′il, adj. slender, gracefully slight in form.—n. . [L. gracilis, slender.]

Grackle, grak′l, n. the common name of many birds of the starling family, all tropical or subtropical.—Also . [L. graculus, a jackdaw.]

Grade, grād, n. a degree or step in rank or dignity: the degree of slope on a road as compared with the horizontal: a class of animals produced by crossing a common breed with one purer—also adj.: a group of animals branching off from a common stem.—v.t. ', to cause to blend gradually from one tint of colour to another.—v.i. to effect gradation.—adv. ', gradually.—n. ', a rising step by step: progress from one degree or state to another: position attained: state of being arranged in ranks: (mus.) a diatonic succession of chords: (paint.) the gradual blending of tints.—adjs. '; ', formed by gradations or stages; ', proceeding step by step, adapted for walking or forward movement; ', gradually rising: rising with a regular slope.—n. the degree of slope on a road or railway: the difference in the height of the barometer between one place and another place at some distance: an incline.—ns. ', a surveyor's instrument for determining grades; ', ', one of a series of rising seats, as in an amphitheatre: a raised step or ledge behind an altar; ', a decoration for the gradin.—adj. ', advancing by grades or degrees: regular and slow.—n. in the Roman Church, the portion of the mass between the epistle and the gospel, formerly always sung from the steps of the altar: the book containing such anthems—also Grail.—ns. ', '.—adv. '.—v.t. ', to divide into regular intervals: to mark with degrees: to proportion.—v.i. to pass by grades or degrees: to pass through a university course and receive a degree.—n. one admitted to a degree in a college, university, or society.—p.adj. ', marked with degrees, as a thermometer.—ns. '; '; ', a mathematical instrument for graduating or dividing lines into regular intervals; ' (astron.), the division of circular arcs into degrees, minutes, &c.; ', a dictionary of Greek or Latin prosody—contraction of gradus ad Parnassum, a step or stair to Parnassus, the abode of the Muses.—Down, and Up, grade, a descending or ascending part, as of a road. [Fr.,—L. gradus, a step—gradi, to step.]

Gradely, grād′li, adv. (prov.) readily, speedily.—Also .

Gradgrind, gräd′grīnd, n. one who regulates all human things by rule and compass and the mechanical application of statistics, allowing nothing for sentiment, emotion, and individuality. [From Thomas Gradgrind in Dickens's Hard Times.]

Graf, gräf, n. a German title of dignity equivalent to Count:—fem. Gräfin.

Graff, graf, n. (Scot.) a grave. A variant of grave.

Graff, n. and v. (B.). Same as Graft.

Graffito, graf-fē′to, n. the name given to certain classes of mural inscriptions, such as the scribblings of schoolboys and idlers, found at Pompeii, Rome, and other ancient cities:—pl. Graffiti [It.—graffiare, to scratch—Low L. graphium, a style.]

Graft, graft, v.t. to make an incision in a tree or plant, and insert in it a small branch of another, so as to make a union of the two: to insert in something anything not belonging to it: to incorporate one thing with another: to transplant, as a piece of tissue, from one part to another.—v.i. to insert cuttings into a tree.—n. a small branch used in grafting.—ns. '; '. [O. Fr. graffe (Fr. greffe)—L. graphium—a style or pencil (which the inserted slip resembled)—Gr. graphein, to write.]

Grail, grāl, n. (Spens.) small particles of any kind, as sand. [O. Fr. graile (Fr. grêle), hail—L. gracilis, slender.]

Grail, See Gradual.

Grail, grāl, n. in medieval legend, the Holy Cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. [Orig. the San Greal, 'Holy Dish' (not Sang Real, 'Holy Blood'), in which it is said Joseph of Arimathea collected our Lord's blood; from O. Fr. graal or greal, a flat dish—Low L. gradale, a flat dish, app. a corr. of Low L. cratella, a dim. of crater, a bowl. Diez suggests as the origin a lost cratalis, from cratus, Low L. form of crater.]

Grain, grān, n. a single small hard seed: (coll.) the seeds of certain plants which form the chief food of man: corn, in general: a minute particle: a very small quantity: the smallest British weight, supposed to be the average weight of a seed or well-ripened ear of corn: the arrangement of the particles or fibres of anything, as stone or wood: texture, as of leather: the crimson dye made from cochineal insects, which, in the prepared state, resemble grains of seed—hence to dye in grain is to dye deeply, also to dye in the wool: innate quality or character of anything.—v.t. to form into grains, cause to granulate: to paint in imitation of wood, marble, &c.: in tanning, to take the hair off.—n. ', duties on grain.—adj. Grained, rough: furrowed.—ns. ', one who paints in imitation of the grain of wood; ', painting so as to imitate the grain of wood: a process in tanning in which the grain of the leather is raised.—adj. ', having grains or kernels.—Grains of Paradise, an aromatic and pungent seed imported from Guinea.—Against the grain, against the fibre of the wood—hence against the natural temper or inclination; With a grain of salt, with reservation, as of a story that cannot be admitted (L. cum grano salis). [Fr.,—L. granum, seed, akin to corn.]

Grain, grān, n. a prong, fork: a kind of harpoon.

Graining, grān′ing, n. a kind of dace found in the Mersey and in Swiss lakes: a small fish of the same genus, resembling the dace.

Graip, grāp, n. (Scot.) a three or four pronged fork used for lifting dung or digging potatoes. [A form of grope. Cf. Sw. grepe, Dan. greb.]

Graith, grāth, n. apparatus for work, travelling, &c., equipment.—v.t. (Scot.) to make ready, to dress.—adjs. Graith, Grāde, ready, free.—Lift one's graith, to collect one's tools and leave the mine. [Ice. greidhr, ready; cf. A.S. gerǽde, ready.]

Grakle. See Grackle.

Grallæ, gral′ē, Grallatores, n.pl. an old order of wading and running birds, including rails, snipes and curlews, cranes, herons and bitterns, storks, and numerous other families.—adjs. ', ', ', '. [L. grallator—grallæ, stilts, contr. of gradulæ, dim. of gradus, a step—gradi, to step.]

Gralloch, Grallock, gral′ok, v.t. to disembowel.

Gram, gram, n. (Rossetti) misery.—Also Grame. [A.S. grama, anger.]

Gram, gram, n. a word used in commerce for chick peas exported from British India. [Anglo-Ind., perh. from Port, grão—L. granum, a grain.]

Gram, Gramme, gram, n. the unit of mass in the metric system, equal to 15.432 troy grains. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. gramma, a letter, a small weight.]

Gramary, gram′a-ri, n. magic: enchantment.—Also . [M. E. gramery, skill in grammar, hence magic—O. Fr. gramaire, grammar.]

Gramercy, gra-mėr′si, interj. great thanks—an obsolete expression of obligation, with surprise. [O. Fr. grammerci, grantmerci, great thanks.]

Gramineæ, grā-min′ē-ē, n.pl. the order of grasses.—adjs. ', ', ', like or pertaining to grass: grassy; ', bearing leaves; , feeding or subsisting on grass and herbs. [L. gramen, graminis, grass, folium, a leaf, vorāre, to eat greedily.]

Grammar, gram′ar, n. the science of the right use of language: a book which teaches grammar: any elementary work.—ns. ', one versed in, or who teaches, grammar; ', a school in which grammar, esp. Latin grammar, is taught: a higher school, in which Latin and Greek are taught.—adjs. ', ', belonging to, or according to, the rules of grammar.—adv. '.—n. ', a piddling grammarian.—v.t. ', to make grammatical.—v.i. to act the grammarian.—ns. ', a point of grammar; , a grammarian. [O. Fr. gramaire; from Low L. gramma, a letter, with the termination -arius—Gr. gramma, a letter—graphein, to write.]

Gramme. See Gram.

Gramophone, gram′o-fōn, n. an instrument of the phonograph type for recording and reproducing articulate speech—invented by E. Berliner. [Gr. gramma, a letter, phōnē, sound.]

Grampus, gram′pus, n. a large voracious fish of the dolphin family, common in almost all seas. [A sailor's corr. of It. gran pesce, or Sp. gran pez, great fish—L. grandis piscis, great fish.]

Granadilla, gran-a-dil′a, n. the edible fruit of a species of passion-flower. [Sp.]

Granary, gran′ar-i, n. a storehouse for grain or threshed corn. [L. granaria—granum.]

Grand, grand, adj. of great size, extent, power, or dignity: splendid: illustrious: noble: sublime: chief: covering the whole field, or including all details: (mus.) containing all the parts proper to a given form of composition: of the second degree of parentage or descent, as a father or mother's father;  a son or daughter's child; so    &c.—ns. ', an old dame or woman: a grandmother; ', a title of sovereignty over a grand-duchy, first created by the Pope in 1569 for the rulers of Florence and Tuscany, assumed by certain German reigning princes and by the princes of the imperial family of Russia; ', since the 13th century the most highly privileged class of nobility in the kingdom of Castile, in which the members of the royal family were included: a man of high rank or station; '; Grandeur  vastness: splendour of appearance: loftiness of thought or deportment; '.—adj. ', speaking grandly or bombastically: pompous—(rare) '.—adv. '.—adj. ', grand or imposing: bombastic.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', member of a ', a special jury which decides whether there is sufficient evidence to put an accused person on trial.—adv. '.—ns. ', ', a grandmother; ', title of the head of the religious orders of knighthood (Hospitallers, Templars, and Teutonic Knights): the head, for the time being, of the Freemasons, &c.—adj. ', like a grandmother, over-anxious to direct the whole life of another.—ns. ', the grandson of a brother or sister; '; ', the granddaughter of a brother or sister; ', ', a grandfather; ', a grandfather or grandmother; ', a large kind of piano, of great compass and power; ', a grandfather: any ancestor; ', an elevated erection on a race-course, &c., affording a good view; ', the brother of a grandfather or grandmother—also .—Grand Seignior (see Seignior); Grand vizir (see Vizir). [Fr. grand—L. grandis, great.]

Grandisonian, gran-di-sō′ni-an, adj. like the novelist Richardson's hero, Sir Charles Grandison, polite and chivalrous to an extreme and tedious degree.

Grange, grānj, n. a farm-house with its stables and other buildings: (Milt.) a granary: (U.S.) a lodge of the order of 'Patrons of Husbandry.'—n. , a member of a farmer's grange.—adj. pertaining to such. [O. Fr. grange, barn—Low L. granea—L. granum, grain.]

Grangerism, grān′jer-izm, n. the practice of cutting plates and title-pages out of many books to illustrate one book.—v.t. , to practise grangerism. [From James Granger (1716-76), whose Biographical History of England (1769) gave an impetus to this.]

Graniferous, gran-if′ėr-us, adj. bearing seeds like grain.—adjs. ', formed or shaped like a grain or seed; ', eating grain: feeding on seeds. [L. granum, grain, ferre, to carry, forma, form, vorāre, to devour.]

Granite, gran′it, n. an igneous crystalline rock, composed of grains of quartz, feldspar, and mica, and of a whitish, grayish, or reddish colour.—adj. ', pertaining to, consisting of, or like granite.—n. '.—adjs. ', ', of the form of or resembling granite; , composed of cement formed of pounded granite. [It. granito, granite, lit. grained—L. granum, grain.]

Granny, gran′i, n. a grandmother: an old woman—also '.—n. ', a knot like a reef-knot, but having the second tie across, difficult to untie when jammed.

Grant, grant, v.t. to bestow or give over: to give possession of: to admit as true what is not yet proved: to concede.—v.i. (Shak.) to consent.—n. a bestowing: something bestowed, an allowance: a gift: (Eng. law) conveyance of property by deed.—adj. '.—ns. ' (law), the person to whom a grant, gift, or conveyance is made; ', ' (law), the person by whom a grant or conveyance is made.—Take for granted, to presuppose as certainly true. [O. Fr. graanter, craanter, creanter, to promise, as if from a Low L. credentāre—L. credĕre, to believe.]

Granule, gran′ūl, n. a little grain: a fine particle.—adjs. ', ', ', ', consisting of or like grains or granules.—adv. '.—v.t. ', to form or break into grains or small masses: to make rough on the surface.—v.i. to be formed into grains.—adj. granular: having the surface covered with small elevations.—n. ', act of forming into grains, esp. of metals by pouring them through a sieve into water while hot: (pl.) the materials of new texture as first formed in a wound or on an ulcerated surface.—adjs. '; '.—n. ', a schistose but sometimes massive aggregate of quartz and orthoclase with garnets. [L. granulum, dim. of granum, grain.]

Grape, grāp, v.i. a Scotch form of grope.

Grape, grāp, n. the fruit of the grape-vine, or of any of the many species of the genus Vitis: a mangy tumour on the legs of horses: grapeshot.—n. ', a genus of bulbous-rooted plants, nearly allied to the hyacinths.—adj. ', without the flavour of the grape, said of wine.—ns. ', a place where grapes are grown; ', shot or small iron balls clustered or piled on circular plates round an iron pin, which scatter on being fired; ', the stone or seed of the grape; ', dextrose; ', the vine that bears grapes.—adj. ', made of or like grapes.—Sour grapes, things despised because they cannot be attained (from Æsop's fable of the fox and the grapes). [O. Fr. grappe, a cluster of grapes; from Old High Ger. chrapho, a hook. It properly meant a hook, then clustered fruit, hooked on, attached to, a stem (Brachet).]

Graph, graf, n. a representation by means of lines, exhibiting the nature of the law according to which some phenomena vary: -graph is used as a terminal in many Greek compounds to denote an agent which writes, &c., as telegraph, seismograph, or the thing written, as in autograph, &c.—adjs. ', al, pertaining to writing, describing, or delineating: picturesquely described: vivid.—adv. '—ns. '; ', the science or art of writing or delineating, or a treatise thereon; ', a genus of lichens, remarkable for the resemblance which the fructification assumes to the forms of the letters of Oriental alphabets; ', a mineral, commonly called blacklead or plumbago (though containing no lead), largely used in making pencils.—adj. '.—ns. ', a stylus; , the science of estimating character, &c., from handwriting.—Graphic arts, painting, drawing, engraving, as opposed to music, sculpture, &c.; Graphic granite, a variety of granite with markings like Hebrew characters. [Gr. graphē, a writing—graphein, to write.]

Grapholite, graf′o-līt, n. a kind of slate for writing on.—n. ', an instrument used by surveyors for measuring angles.—adjs. ', ', pertaining to or determined by a graphometer.—ns. ', an instrument for recording sounds, based on the principle of the phonograph; , a process intended to supersede wood-engraving, but superseded by zincotype. [Gr. graphein, to write, lithos, a stone, metron, a measure, phonē, a sound, typos, an impression.]

Grapnel, grap′nel, n. a small anchor with several claws or arms: a grappling-iron. [Fr. grappin—grappe, a hook, with dim. suff. -el.]

Grapple, grap′l, v.t. to seize: to lay fast hold of.—v.i. to contend in close fight.—ns. ' (Spens.), a grappling, close fight; ', a large grapnel for seizing hostile ships in naval engagements. [O. Fr. grappil—grappe, a hook.]

Graptolite, grap′to-līt, n. one of a group of fossil hydrozoa, having simple or branched polyparies, usually strengthened by a horny-like rod—the 'solid axis.' [Gr. graptos—graphein, to write, lithos, a stone.]

Grasp, grasp, v.t. to seize and hold by clasping with the fingers or arms: to catch at: to comprehend.—v.i. to endeavour to seize: to catch (with at).—n. gripe of the hand: reach of the arms: power of seizing: mental power of apprehension.—adj. '.—n. '.—p.adj. ', seizing: avaricious: encroaching.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', feeble, relaxed. [M. E. graspen—grapsen, as clasp—M. E. claspen; allied to grope, grapple.]

Grass, gras, n. common herbage: an order of plants (Gramineæ), the most important in the whole vegetable kingdom, with long, narrow leaves and tubular stem, including wheat, rye, oats, rice, millet, and all those which supply food for nearly all graminivorous animals: short for asparagus—sparrow-grass: time of grass, spring or summer: the surface of a mine.—v.t. to cover with grass: to feed with grass: to bring to the grass or ground, as a bird or a fish—(various perennial fodder grasses are timothy, fox-tail, cock's-foot, and the fescue grasses, Italian rye-grass, &c.).—ns. ', a name applied to different kinds of coarse cloth, the fibre of which is rarely that of a grass, esp. to the Chinese summer-cloth made from Bœhmeria nivea, which is really a nettle; ', one of the attendants on an Indian army, whose work is to provide provender for the baggage-cattle; ', an extra or temporary worker in a printing-office.—adjs. ', green with grass: green as grass; ', grown over with grass.—ns. ', a saltatorial, orthopterous insect, nearly allied to locusts and crickets, keeping quiet during the day among vegetation, but noisy at night; '; ', the exposing of linen in fields to air and light for bleaching purposes; ', permanent pasture; ', a name under which several volatile oils derived from widely different plants are grouped; ', a plot of grassy ground; ', a genus of Australian plants, with shrubby stems, tufts of long wiry foliage at the summit, and a tall flower-stalk, with a dense cylindrical spike of small flowers; ', a wife temporarily separated from her husband, often also a divorced woman, or one deserted by her husband; ', the eel-grass growing abundantly on the sea-coast.—adj. , covered with or resembling grass, green.—Go to grass, to be turned out to pasture, esp. of a horse too old to work: to go into retirement, to rusticate: to fall violently (of a pugilist); Let the grass grow under one's feet, to loiter, linger.—Spanish grass (see Esparto). [A.S. gærs, græs; Ice., Ger., Dut., and Goth. gras; prob. allied to green and grow.]

Grassum, gräs′um, n. (Scots law) a lump sum paid by persons who take a lease of landed property—in England, 'premium' and 'fine.'

Grate, grāt, n. a framework composed of bars with interstices, esp. one of iron bars for holding coals while burning.—adj. ', having a grating.—ns. ', the division of a design into squares for convenience in making an enlarged or diminished copy; , the bars of a grate: a partition or frame of bars. [Low L. grata, a grate—L. crates, a hurdle. See Crate.]

Grate, grāt, v.t. to rub hard or wear away with anything rough: to make a harsh sound: to irritate or offend.—n. ', an instrument with a rough surface for grating down a body.—adj. ', rubbing hard on the feelings: harsh: irritating.—adv. . [O. Fr. grater, through Low L., from Old High Ger. chrazōn (Ger. kratzen), to scratch, akin to Sw. kratta.]

Grateful, grāt′fōōl, adj. causing pleasure: acceptable: delightful: thankful: having a due sense of benefits.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', a pleasing or indulging: that which gratifies: delight; '.—v.t. ', to do what is agreeable to: to please: to soothe; to indulge:—pa.p. —p.adj. '. [O. Fr. grat—L. gratus, pleasing, thankful, and suff. -ful.]

Gratillity, gra-til′i-ti, n. (Shak.) gratuity.

Gratis, grā′tis, adv. for nothing: without payment or recompense. [L., contr. of gratiis, abl. pl. of gratia, favour—gratus.]

Gratitude, grat′i-tūd, n. warm and friendly feeling towards a benefactor: thankfulness. [Fr.,—Low L. gratitudo— gratus.]

Gratuity, gra-tū′i-ti, n. a present: an acknowledgment of service, generally pecuniary.—adj. ', done or given for nothing: voluntary: without reason, ground, or proof.—adv. '. [Fr.,—Low L. gratuitatem—L. gratus.]

Gratulatory, grat′ū-la-tor-i, adj. congratulatory.—adj. ', congratulatory.—v.t. ', to congratulate.—n. , congratulation.

Gravamen, grav-ā′men, n. grievance: the substantial or chief ground of complaint or accusation: the name for the statement of abuses, grievances, &c. sent by the Lower to the Upper House of Convocation. [L.,—gravis, heavy.]

Grave, grāv, v.t. to carve or cut on a hard substance: to engrave.—v.i. to engrave:—pa.p. graved or —n. a pit graved or dug out, esp. one in which to bury the dead: any place of burial: the abode of the dead: (fig.) death: destruction.—n.pl. ', the clothes in which the dead are buried.—n. ', one who digs graves.—adj. ' (Shak.), without a grave, unburied.—ns. ' (Shak.), a grave-digger; ', a stone laid over, or placed at the head of, a grave as a memorial; ', a yard or enclosure used as a burial-ground.—With one foot in the grave, on the very borders of death. [A.S. grafan; Dut. graven, Ger. graben; Gr. graphein, to scratch, L. scribĕre, to write.]

Grave, grāv, v.t. to smear with graves or greaves, a mixture of tallow, rosin, &c. boiled together.—ns.pl. Graves, Greaves, tallow-drippings. [See Greaves.]

Grave, grāv, adj. of importance: serious: not gay or showy: sober: solemn; weighty: (mus.) not acute: low.—n. the grave accent, or its sign (`).—adv. '.—n. '. [Fr.,—L. gravis.]

Grave, grāv, n. a count, prefect, a person holding office, as in landgrave, margrave, burgrave, &c. [Dut. graaf, Ger. graf.]

Gravel, grav′el, n. small stones often intermixed with sand: small collections of gravelly matter in the kidneys or bladder.—v.t. to cover with gravel: to puzzle, perplex:—pr.p. pa.p. —adj. '.—ns. ', a pit from which gravel is dug; , a footpath covered with gravel. [O. Fr. gravele (Fr. gravier); prob. Celt., as in Bret. grouan, sand, W. gro, pebbles.]

Graven, grāv′n, pa.p. of grave, to carve, engrave.

Graveolent, grav′ē-o-lent, adj. giving forth an offensive smell.—n. .

Graver, grāv′ėr, n. an engraver: a tool for engraving on hard substances, a burin.

Gravid, grav′id, adj. heavy, esp. as being with child: pregnant. [L. gravidus—gravis, heavy.]

Gravigrade, grav′i-grād, adj. walking heavily.—n. an animal like the megatherium, &c.

Graving, grāv′ing, n. an act of graving or cutting out on hard substances: that which is graved or cut out: carved-work: act of cleaning a ship's bottom.—n. , a dock into which ships are taken to have their bottoms cleaned.

Gravity, grav′i-ti, n. weightiness: that attraction between bodies, or acceleration of one toward another, of which the fall of a body to the ground is an example: state of being grave or sober: relative importance: (mus.) lowness of a note.—n. ', an instrument for determining specific gravities.—v.i. ', to be acted on by gravity: to tend towards the earth: to be strongly attracted towards anything.—n. ', act of gravitating: the tendency of all bodies to attract each other.—adj. '.—Specific gravity (see Specific). [Fr. gravité—L. gravitat-em—gravis, heavy.]

Gravy, grāv′i, n. the juices from meat while cooking.—n. , a vessel for gravy or sauce. [Earlier greavy; prob. originally an adj. formed greaves, the dregs of tallow.]

Gray, Grey, grā, adj. of a white colour mixed with black: ash-coloured: (fig.) aged, gray-haired, mature.—n. a gray colour: an animal of a grayish colour, as a horse, &c.—v.t. to cause to become gray: to give a soft effect to a photograph by covering the negative while printing with a ground-glass plate: to depolish.—v.i. to grow or become gray.—n. ', one with a gray beard—hence an old man: a coarse earthenware vessel for holding liquors, a bellarmine.—adjs. ' (Shak.), having a gray coat; ' (Shak.), having gray eyes.—n. ' (Milt.), the trumpet or gad fly.—adjs. ', ', having gray hair.—n. ' (same as Greyhound).—adj. ', somewhat gray.—ns. ', the common gray or wild goose; ', a silvery gray fish of the salmon family, but with a smaller mouth and teeth, and larger scales.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', the common tawny owl; ', a grayish or greenish volcanic rock allied to basalt;  (see Greywether).—Gray mare (see Mare). [A.S. grǽg; allied to Ger. grau, and L. ravus, tawny.]

Graywacke, Greywacke, grä′wak-e, n. a kind of sandstone, consisting of rounded pebbles and sand firmly united together. [Ger. grauwacke—grau, gray, wacke, a flint.]

Graze, grāz, v.t. to eat or feed on grass: to feed or supply with grass: (obs.) to tend while grazing.—v.i. to eat grass: to supply grass.—ns. ', an animal which grazes; Grazier one who grazes or pastures cattle and rears them for the market; ', the act of feeding on grass: the feeding or raising of cattle. [From grass.]

Graze, grāz, v.t. to pass lightly along the surface. [Ety. dub.; perh. only a special use of graze above; perh. coined from rase (Fr. raser), the initial g due to the analogy of grate.]

Grease, grēs, n. soft thick animal fat: oily matter of any kind: an inflammation in the heels of a horse, marked by swelling, &c.—v.t. (sometimes pron. grēz) to smear with grease, to lubricate—also used figuratively, to cause to go easily: (obs.) to bribe—as in to 'grease the palm.'—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. , of or like grease or oil: smeared with grease: smooth: fat. [O. Fr. gresse, fatness, gras, fat—L. crassus, gross.]

Great, grāt, adj. large: long continued: superior: distinguished: highly gifted: noble: mighty: sublime: of high rank: chief: proud, arrogant: weighty: difficult: important: pregnant, teeming: indicating one degree more remote in the direct line of descent, as ', '.—adj. ' (Shak.), pregnant.—n. ', an overcoat.—v.t. ' (Browning), to make great.—v.i. to become great.—ns. ', the child of a grandchild; ', the mother of a grand-parent.—adj. ', having a great or noble heart: high-spirited: noble.—adv. '.—ns. '; ' (see Primer); Greats, the final examination in the Honours Schools at Oxford, &c.; ', usually grand-uncle, a grandfather's or grandmother's brother.—Great Dane, one of a breed of large close-haired dogs from Denmark, a boar-hound; Great Powers, the chief countries of Europe—France, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Austro-Hungary; Great schism, the division between the Latin and Greek Churches, begun in the 9th century, and culminating in 1054; Great Sea, the Mediterranean; Great unwashed, an absurd term sometimes applied to the working classes generally.—Greater Britain, the whole colonial empire of Great Britain.—The great, people of rank. [A.S. greát; Dut. groot, Ger. gross; perh. allied to grand, gross, grow.]

Greave, grēv, n. (Spens.) a groove, a grove.

Greave. See Greeve.

Greaves, grēvz, n.pl. the sediment of melted tallow pressed into cakes for dogs' food.—Also Graves. [Prov. Sw. grevar, tallow-leavings; cf. Ger. griebe.]

Greaves, grēvz, n.pl. ancient armour for the legs, of leather, &c. [O. Fr. greves—greve, shin-bone.]

Grebe, grēb, n. an aquatic bird, having a long conical beak, short wings, and no tail. [Fr. grèbe; from Celt., as in Bret. krib, a comb, W. crib, crest.]

Grecian, grē′shan, adj. pertaining to Greece.—n. a native of Greece: one well versed in the Greek language and literature: (B.) a Hellenising Jew, or Jew who spoke Greek: one of the senior boys of Christ's Hospital: (slang) an Irish labourer newly over.—v.t. ', to make Grecian: to translate into Greek.—v.i. to speak Greek.—n. ', an idiom of the Greek language.—adj. , of or pertaining to both Greece and Rome, esp. to the art cultivated by Greeks under Roman domination (see also Wrestling).—Grecian bend, a foolish mode of walking with a slight bend forward, at one time affected by a few women who fondly thought to imitate the pose of a figure like the Venus of Milo. [Fr. Grec—L. Græcus—Gr. Graikos.]

Grecque, grek, n. a vessel with a perforated bottom for making coffee without grounds: a Greek fret.

Gree, grē, n. (Spens.) good-will, favour: the prize of the day.—v.i. (Shak.) to agree. [O. Fr. gre—L. gratus, pleasing. See Agree.]

Gree, grē, n. degree, rank: a step:—pl. Grees, Grece, Grese, steps—in turn used as a sing. and spelt Greece, Greese, Griece, Grize, a flight of steps, a staircase, a degree (', ', and even  are obs. forms).—adj. Grieced, having steps. [O. Fr. gre—L. gradus. See Grade.]

Greedy, grēd′i, adj. having a voracious appetite: covetous: eagerly desirous.—n. Greed, an eager desire or longing: covetousness.—adv. '.—n. '. [A.S. grǽdig; Dut. gretig.]

Greek, grēk, adj. Grecian.—n. a Grecian: the language of Greece: (B.) a Greek by race, or more frequently a Gentile as opposed to a Jew, a Hellenising Jew, a Jew naturalised in foreign countries: a cunning rogue, a merry fellow: any language of which one is ignorant, jargon, anything unintelligible.—adj. .—Greek architecture, the orders developed in ancient Greece (Corinthian, Doric, Ionic); Greek Church, the church of those Christians who follow the ancient rite of the East and accept the first seven councils, rejecting all later innovations and papal supremacy—it is called Orthodox by reason of its vindications of dogma, and Eastern from its geographical distribution; Greek cross (see Cross); Greek fire, a composition, burning either in or under water, supposed to have been made of asphalt, nitre, and sulphur, long kept secret by the Greeks of the Byzantine empire for their exclusive use in war; Greek gift, a treacherous gift (from Virgil's Æneid, ii. 49).—At the Greek calends, never, the Greeks having no calends.

Green, grēn, adj. of the colour of growing plants: growing: vigorous: new: unripe: inexperienced, simple, raw, easily imposed on: young.—n. the colour of growing plants: a small green or grassy plat, esp. that common to a village or town for public or merely ornamental purposes: the plot of grass belonging to a house or group of houses, usually at the back: (golf) the whole links on which the game is played, the putting-ground round the individual holes, generally counted as 20 yards from the hole all round: (pl.) fresh leaves: wreaths: the leaves and stems of green vegetables for food, esp. plants of the cabbage kind, spinach, &c.: a political party at Constantinople, under Justinian, opposed to the Blues.—ns. ', popular name for the paper money first issued by the United States in 1862; ', a gaming-table: a department of the royal household, chiefly concerned with the commissariat—from the green cloth on the table round which its officials sat; ', a crop of green vegetables, as grasses, turnips, &c.; ', a mineral of a green colour and earthy character, used as a pigment by painters in water-colours; ', green plants: verdure.—adj. ', having green eyes: (fig.) jealous—Green-eyed monster, jealousy.—ns. ', Green linnet, a native bird of the finch family, of a green colour, slightly mixed with gray and brown; ', a grocer or dealer who retails greens, or fresh vegetables and fruits; ', an inferior sailor; ', or Bebeeru, a very hard variety of wood found in the West Indies and South America; ', a raw, inexperienced youth; ', a building, chiefly covered with glass and artificially heated, for the protection of exotic plants, or to quicken the cultivation of other plants or fruit; ' (Keats), a becoming green: a kind of apple green when ripe.—adj. ', somewhat green.—n. '.—adv. ', immaturely, unskilfully.—ns. '; ', the retiring-room of actors in a theatre, which originally had the walls coloured green; ', a sandstone in which green specks of iron occur; ', a bird of the snipe family, in the same genus as the redshank and some of the sandpipers; ', chlorosis (see under Chlorine); ', a harmless colubrine snake common in the southern United States; ', a rock term, now disused, for any dark-green basic crystalline (trap-rock); ', sward or turf green with grass; ' (see Tea); Greenth, greenness, verdure; ' (see Turtle); ' (see '); ', a name given to certain half-shrubby species of genista; ', a wood or collection of trees covered with leaves: wood newly cut—also used as an adj., as in 'the greenwood shade.'—adj. .—Green in my eye, in a colloquial question=Do I look credulous or easily imposed on?—Green, or Emerald, Isle, Ireland.—Greenstick fracture (see Fracture). [A.S. gréne; Ger. grün, Dut. groen, green, Ice. grænn, allied to grow.]

Greengage, grēn′gāj, n. a green and very sweet variety of plum. [Said to be named from Sir W. Gage of Hengrave Hall, near Bury, before 1725.]

Greese, Greesing. See Gree (2).

Greet, grēt, v.t. to salute or address with kind wishes: to send kind wishes to: to congratulate.—v.i. to meet and salute:—pr.p. pa.p. —n. , expression of kindness or joy: salutation. [A.S. grétan, to go to meet; Dut. groeten, Ger. grüssen, to salute.]

Greet, grēt, v.i. (Spens.) to cry, weep.—adj. , mournful.—n. weeping. [A.S. grǽtan; Goth. gretan.]

Greeve, grēv, n. (Scot.) a reeve, a steward.—Also Greave, Grieve. [Not like reeve from A.S. geréfa; but from Ice. greifi; cf. Ger. graf.]

Greffier, gref′ier, n. a registrar, a prothonotary. [Fr.]

Gregarious, gre-gā′ri-us, adj. associating or living in flocks and herds.—adj. '.—n. Gregā-rianism.—adv. '.—n. . [L. gregarius—grex, gregis, a flock.]

Gregorian, gre-gō′ri-an, adj. belonging to or established by Pope Gregory; as the Gregorian chant or tones, introduced by Gregory I. (6th century), and the calendar, reformed by Gregory XIII. (1582): one of an 18th-century English brotherhood.

Greit, grēt. Same as Greet (2).

Gremial, grē′mi-al, n. a piece of cloth laid on a bishop's knees to keep his vestments clean from oil at ordinations. [Fr.,—L. gremium, the lap.]

Grenade, gre-nād′, n. a small shell of iron or annealed glass, filled with powder and bits of iron, and thrown from the hand, or with a shovel over a parapet. [Fr.,—Sp. granada—L. granatus, full of seeds—granum, a grain, seed.]

Grenadier, gren-a-dēr′, n. (orig.) a soldier who threw grenades: then, a member of the first company of every battalion of foot: now only used as the title of the first three battalions of the foot-guards.

Grenadine, gren-a-dēn′, n. a thin kind of silk used for ladies' dresses, shawls, &c. [Fr.]

Gressorial, gres-ō′ri-al, adj. adapted for walking, belonging to the Gressoria, a sub-order of orthopterous insects with slender bodies and long legs. [L. gressus, pa.p. of gradi, to walk.]

Gretna, gret′na.—Gretna-green marriage, a runaway marriage across the Border to Gretna in Dumfriesshire.

Grève, grāv, n. the Tyburn of ancient Paris.

Greves, grēvz, n.pl. (Milt.) armour for the legs—a form of greaves.

Grew, grōō, pa.t. of grow.

Grey, grā. Same as Gray.—Grey Friars (see Friar); Grey hen, a stone bottle for holding liquor; Greys=Scots Greys (see Scot).

Greyhound, grā′hownd, n. a tall and slender dog, kept for the chase, with great powers of speed and great keenness of sight. [M. E. greihund; Ice. greyhundr—Ice. grey, a dog, hundr, a hound.]

Greywether, grā-weth′er, n. a large block of hard sandstone found sporadically over south and south-east England.—Also , but not Grayweather. [Gray and wether—i.e. 'gray ram.']

Grice, grīs, n. a little pig.—Also Grise. [Ice.]

Griddle, grid′l, n. a flat iron plate for baking cakes. [O. Fr. gredil, grëil—Low L. craticulum, dim. of cratis, a hurdle.]

Gride, grīd, v.t. to cut with a grating sound, to pierce harshly: to grate, jar upon:—pr.p. pa.p. —n. a harsh grating sound. [Gird.]

Gridelin, grid′e-lin, n. a kind of violet-gray colour. [Fr. gris de lin, gray of flax.]

Gridiron, grid′ī-urn, n. a frame of iron bars for broiling flesh or fish over the fire: a frame of wood or iron cross-beams to support a ship during repairs.—v.t. to cover with parallel bars or lines.—n. Grid, a grating of parallel bars: a gridiron: (elect.) a battery-plate somewhat like a grating, esp. a zinc plate in a primary battery, or a lead plate in a secondary or storage battery. [M. E. gredire, a griddle. From the same source as griddle; but the term. became confused with M. E. ire, iron.]

Griece. See Gree (2).

Grief, grēf, n. heaviness of heart: sorrow: regret: mourning: cause of sorrow: affliction: (B.) bodily as well as mental pain.—adjs. ' (Spens.), full of grief; ', sorrowless;  (Shak.), pierced with grief. [Fr.,—L. gravis, heavy.]

Grieve. See Greeve.

Grieve, grēv, v.t. to cause grief or pain of mind to: to make sorrowful: to vex: (B.) also to inflict bodily pain.—v.i. to feel grief: to mourn.—n. ', cause of grief: burden: hardship: injury: grief.—adv. ' (Shak.), in sorrow, sorrowfully.—adj. ', causing grief: burdensome: painful: atrocious: hurtful.—adv. ', in a grievous manner: (B.) severely.—n. . [O. Fr. grever—L. gravāre, gravis, heavy.]

Griffin, grif′in, Griffon, grif′un, n. an imaginary animal, with the body and legs of a lion, and the crooked beak and wings of an eagle: a new-comer in India, a novice: a watchful guardian, esp. over a young woman: a duenna.—adj. '.—n. '. [Fr. griffon—L. gryphus—Gr. gryps—grypos, hook-nosed.]

Grig, grig, n. a cricket, grasshopper: a small lively eel, the sand-eel. [Prob. a form of crick, in cricket.]

Grill, gril, v.t. to broil on a gridiron: to torment.—v.i. to undergo torment, to be in a broil.—n. a grated appliance for broiling meat, &c., a gridiron.—ns. ', anything grilled or broiled on a gridiron; ', a construction of cross-beams supporting an erection on marshy grounds.—adj. Grilled, embossed with small rectangular indentations.—n. , a restaurant, where beefsteaks, &c., are grilled to one's order. [Fr. griller—gril, a gridiron—L. craticula, dim. of cratis, a grate.]

Grille, gril, n. a lattice, or grating, or screen, or open-work of metal, generally used to enclose or protect a window, shrine, &c.: a grating in a convent or jail door. [Fr. See Grill.]

Grilse, grils, n. a young salmon on its first return from salt water. [Skeat suggests a corr. of Dan. graalax, Sw. grålax, 'gray salmon,' from Dan. graa, Sw. grå, gray; and Dan., Sw., Ice. lax, Ger. lachs, a salmon. Others suggest Ir. greal sach.]

Grim, grim, adj. of forbidding aspect: ferocious: ghastly: sullen: stern, unyielding.—adv. '.—n. '. [A.S. grim; Ger. grimmig—grimm, fury, Dut. grimmig, Ice. grimmr.]

Grimace, gri-mās′, n. a distortion of the face, in jest, &c.: a smirk.—v.i. to make grimaces.—adj. , with a grimace: distorted. [Fr.; of uncertain origin, perh. from Ice. gríma, a mask.]

Grimalkin, gri-mal′kin, n. an old cat, a cat generally. [Gray, and malkin, a dim. of Moll=Mary.]

Grime, grīm, n. ingrained dirt.—v.t. to soil deeply.—adv. '.—n. '.—adjs. ' (Shak.), having a grim or dismal aspect; ', foul, dirty. [From a Teut. root seen in Dan. grim, soot, Fris. grime, a dark spot on the face.]

Grimm's Law. See Law.

Grin, grin, v.i. to set the teeth together and withdraw the lips: to smile with some accompanying distortion of the features, expressive of derision, stupid admiration, &c.—v.t. to express by grinning:—pr.p. pa.p. grinned.—n. act of grinning: a forced or sardonic smile.—p.adj. , making grins. [A.S. grennian; Ice. grenja, Ger. greinen, Dut. grijnen, to grumble, Scot. girn; allied to Eng. groan, Fr. grogner.]

Grin, grin, n. a snare or trap. [A.S. grín.]

Grind, grīnd, v.t. to reduce to powder by friction: to wear down or sharpen by rubbing: to rub together: to oppress or harass: to set in motion by a crank.—v.i. to be moved or rubbed together: to drudge at any tedious task: to read hard:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. ground.—n. hard or distasteful work: laborious study for a special examination, &c.—ns. ', he who, or that which, grinds: a double or jaw tooth that grinds food: a coach or crammer of students for examination: a hard student; ', a place where knives, &c., are ground, or where they are sold: shoemakers' materials; ', act or process of reducing to powder.—p.adj. harassing.—n. ', a circular revolving stone for grinding or sharpening tools.—Keep one's nose to the grindstone, to subject one to severe continuous toil or punishment.—Take a grinder (Dickens), to put the left thumb to the nose, and to work a visionary coffee-mill round it with the right—a gesture of contempt. [A.S. grindan.]

Gringo, gring′gō, n. an Englishman or American among Spanish-speaking Americans. [Sp. 'gibberish,' prob. Griego, Greek.]

Grip, grip, n. a small ditch or trench, a drain.—Also Gripe. [M. E. grip, grippe; cf. Low Ger. gruppe.]

Grip, grip, n. grasp or firm hold with the hand, &c.: the handle or part by which anything is grasped: a mode of grasping, a particular mode of grasping hands for mutual recognition, as by Freemasons: a clutching device connecting a car with a moving traction-cable: oppression: pinching distress.—v.t. to take fast hold of, to grasp or gripe:—pr.p. pa.p. gripped, gript.—v.t. Grīpe, to grasp with the hand: to seize and hold fast: to squeeze: to give pain to the bowels.—n. fast hold, grasp: forcible retention: a griffin: a usurer: (pl.) severe spasmodic pain in the intestines.—n. '.—p.adj. ', avaricious: of a pain that catches or seizes acutely.—adv. ', in a griping or oppressive manner.—ns. Grippe, influenza or epidemic catarrh; ', one who, or that which, grips.—adj. ' (Spens.), griping, grasping: greedy.—n. a gripe.—n. ', a hand-satchel.—Lose one's grip, to lose hold or control. [A.S. grípan, grap, gripen; Ice. grípa, Ger. Dut. grijpen; allied to grab.]

Griqua, grek′wa, n. one of a mixed race in South Africa, descended from Boer fathers and Hottentot or Bush women.

Grisaille, grē-zāl′, n. a style of decorative painting in grayish tints in imitation of bas-reliefs: a stained-glass window in this style. [Fr.,—gris, gray.]

Gris-amber, gris′-am′bėr, n. (Milt.)—ambergris.

Grise, Grize. See Gree (2).

Griselda, gris-el′da, n. a woman of exemplary gentleness and patience, from the name of the heroine of a tale retold by Boccaccio, Petrarch, and Chaucer (Clerkes Tale).

Griseous, gris′ē-us, adj. bluish-gray.

Grisette, gri-zet′, n. a gay young Frenchwoman of the lower class. [Fr. grisette, a gray gown, which used to be worn by that class—gris, gray.]

Griskin, gris′kin, n. (prov.) the spine of a hog. [Obs. gris, grice, a pig—Ice. griss, a young pig.]

Grisled, griz′ld. Same as Grizzled.

Grisly, griz′li, adj. frightful: hideous.—n. . [A.S. gryslíc, ágrísan, to dread; Ger. grässlich.]

Grist, grist, n. corn for grinding at one time: supply: profit.—n. , a mill for grinding grain.—Bring grist to the mill, to be a source of profit. [A.S. grist, gerst, a grinding; from root of grind.]

Gristle, gris′l, n. a soft elastic substance in animal bodies—also called Cartilage.—n. '.—adj. '. [A.S. gristle—grist, grinding.]

Grit, grit, n. the coarse part of meal: gravel: a kind of hard sandstone: firmness of character, spirit: (pl.) oats coarsely ground, groats.—ns. '; '.—adj. , having hard particles: sandy: determined, plucky. [A.S. greót; Dut. grut, groats, Ger. gries, gravel.]

Grit, grit, a Scotch form of great.

Grize. See Gree (2).

Grizzle, griz′l, n. a gray colour.—adjs. ', gray, or mixed with gray; ', of a gray colour.—n. the grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis) of the Rocky Mountains. [M. E. grisel—Fr. gris, gray—Mid. High Ger. grís, gray, Ger. greis.]

Groan, grōn, v.i. to utter a moaning sound in distress: (fig.) to be afflicted: to express disapprobation of a speaker by means of audible groans or similar sounds.—n. a deep moaning sound as of distress: a sound of disapprobation.—adj. ' (Spens.), sad, agonising.—n. ', a deep moan as of pain: any low rumbling sound. [A.S. gránian.]

Groat, grawt, or grōt, n. an English silver coin, worth fourpence—only coined after 1662 as Maundy money—the silver fourpenny-piece, coined from 1836-56, was not called a groat: a very small sum, proverbially. [Old Low Ger. grote, a coin of Bremen—orig. grote sware, 'great pennies,' as compared with the smaller copper coins, five to the groat.]

Groats, grōts, n.pl. the grain of oats deprived of the husks. [M. E. grotes, prob. Ice. grautr, barley; cog. with A.S. grút, coarse meal.]

Grobian, grō′bi-an, n. a boorish rude fellow. [Ger. grob, coarse; cf. gruff—Dut. grof.]

Grocer, grōs′ėr, n. a dealer in tea, sugar, &c.—n.  (generally used in pl.), articles sold by grocers. [Earlier grosser or engrosser, a wholesale dealer; O. Fr. grossier—gros, great.]

Grog, grog, n. a mixture of spirits and cold water, without sugar.—ns. ', a redness of the nose due to drinking; ' (U.S.), a low public-house; ', state of being groggy; ', extracting the spirit from the wood of empty spirit-casks with water.—adj. ', affected by grog, partially intoxicated: (boxing) weak and staggering from blows: applied to a horse that bears wholly on his heels in trotting.—n. ', a dram-shop. [From 'Old Grog,' the nickname of Admiral Vernon, who introduced it about 1745—from his grogram breeches.]

Grogram, grog′ram, n. a kind of coarse cloth of silk and mohair. [O. Fr. grosgrain.]

Groin, groin, n. the part of the body on either side of the belly where the thigh joins the trunk: (archit.) the angular curve formed by the crossing of two arches.—v.t. to form into groins, to build in groins.—n. ', the centring of timber during construction.—adj. Groined, having angular curves made by the intersection of two arches.—n. '.—Underpitch groining, a kind of vaulting used when the main vault of a groined roof is higher than the transverse intersecting vault, as in St George's Chapel, Windsor—sometimes called Welsh groining. [Ice. grein, division, branch—greina, to divide; Sw. gren, branch, space between the legs; Scot. graine, grane, the branch of a tree or river.]

Groin, groin, v.i. (obs.) to grunt, to growl. [O. Fr. grogner—L. grunnīre, to grunt.]

Grolier, grō′lye, n. a book or a binding from the library of the French bibliophile, Jean Grolier (1479-1565).—adj. , after the style of Grolier's bindings, with geometrical or arabesque figures and leaf-sprays in gold lines.

Grommet, grom′et, n. a ring formed of a single strand of rope, laid in three times round, fastening the upper edge of a sail to its stay: a ship-boy. [O. Fr.]

Gromwell, grom′wel, n. a herb of the borage family. [O. Fr. grumel—L. grumulus, a hillock.]

Groom, grōōm, n. one who has the charge of horses: a title of several officers of the royal household: a bridegroom.—v.t. to tend, as a horse.—n. , the attendant on a bridegroom at his marriage. [Prob. from A.S. guma (in bridegroom), a man, Goth. guma, Ice. gumi, L. homo.]

Groove, grōōv, n. a furrow, or long hollow, such as is cut with a tool.—v.t. to grave or cut a groove or furrow in. [Prob. Dut. groef, groeve, a furrow; cog. with Ger. grube, a pit, Ice. gróf, Eng. grave.]