2. A combination of two short rectangular glass prisms cemented together at their diagonal faces so as to form a cube; -- called also optical cube. It is used in one form of photometer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

A comprisal . . . and sum of all wickedness. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Comprise much matter in few words. Hocker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Friendship does two souls in one comprise. Roscommon.

Syn. -- To embrace; include; comprehend; contain; encircle; inclose; involve; imply. [ 1913 Webster ]

In brave pursuit of chivalrous emprise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

The deeds of love and high emprise. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The qualifies which prompt one to undertake difficult and dangerous exploits. [ 1913 Webster ]

I love thy courage yet and bolt emprise;
But here thy sword can do thee little stead. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The business must be enterprised this night. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

What would I not renounce or enterprise for you! T. Otway. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To treat with hospitality; to entertain. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their hands can not perform their enterprise. Job v. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Willingness or eagerness to engage in labor which requires boldness, promptness, energy, and like qualities; as, a man of great enterprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The conduct of business according to the principles of the free enterprise doctrine; the conduct of economic activity without governmental interference. [ PJC ]

He imprisoned was in chains remediless. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To limit, restrain, or confine in any way. [ 1913 Webster ]

Try to imprison the resistless wind. Dryden.

Syn. -- To incarcerate; confine; immure. [ 1913 Webster ]

His sinews waxen weak and raw
Through long imprisonment and hard constraint. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every confinement of the person is an imprisonment, whether it be in a common prison, or in a private house, or even by foreibly detaining one in the public streets. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

False imprisonment. (Law) See under False.

Syn. -- Incarceration; custody; confinement; durance; restraint. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Perh. for F. méprise mistake. Cf. Misprision. ] Misadventure; ill-success. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of misprising; misapprehension; misconception; mistake. [ Archaic ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

The misprision of this passage has aided in fostering the delusive notion. Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Neglect; undervaluing; contempt. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) A neglect, negligence, or contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In its larger and older sense it was used to signify “every considerable misdemeanor which has not a certain name given to it in the law.” Russell.

In a more modern sense it is applied exclusively to two offenses: --
1.
Misprision of treason, which is omission to notify the authorities of an act of treason by a person cognizant thereof. Stephen.
2.
Misprision of felony, which is a concealment of a felony by a person cognizant thereof. Stephen. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Prisms of different forms are often named from the figure of their bases; as, a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a rhombic prism, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Opt.) A transparent body, with usually three rectangular plane faces or sides, and two equal and parallel triangular ends or bases; -- used in experiments on refraction, dispersion, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Crystallog.) A form the planes of which are parallel to the vertical axis. See Form, n., 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

Achromatic prism (Opt.), a prism composed usually of two prisms of different transparent substances which have unequal dispersive powers, as two different kinds of glass, especially flint glass and crown glass, the difference of dispersive power being compensated by giving them different refracting angles, so that, when placed together so as to have opposite relative positions, a ray of light passed through them is refracted or bent into a new position, but is free from color. --
Nicol's prism,
Nicol prism. [ So called from Wm. Nicol, of Edinburgh, who first proposed it. ] (Opt.) An instrument for experiments in polarization, consisting of a rhomb of Iceland spar, which has been bisected obliquely at a certain angle, and the two parts again joined with transparent cement, so that the ordinary image produced by double refraction is thrown out of the field by total reflection from the internal cemented surface, and the extraordinary, or polarized, image alone is transmitted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Separated or distributed by a prism; formed by a prism; as, prismatic colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Crystallog.) Same as Orthorhombic. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prismatic borax (Chem.), borax crystallized in the form of oblique prisms, with ten molecules of water; -- distinguished from octahedral borax. --
Prismatic colors (Opt.), the seven colors into which light is resolved when passed through a prism; primary colors. See Primary colors, under Color. --
Prismatic compass (Surv.), a compass having a prism for viewing a distant object and the compass card at the same time. --
Prismatic spectrum (Opt.), the spectrum produced by the passage of light through a prism. [ 1913 Webster ]

The prisoned eagle dies for rage. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

His true respect will prison false desire. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind (together); to enchain. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Sir William Crispyn with the duke was led
Together prisoned. Robert of Brunne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name. Ps. cxlii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

The tyrant Aeolus, . . .
With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds,
And sounding tempests in dark prisons binds. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prison bars, or
Prison base. See Base, n., 24. --
Prison breach. (Law) See Note under 3d Escape, n., 4. --
Prison house, a prison. Shak. --
Prison ship (Naut.), a ship fitted up for the confinement of prisoners. --
Prison van, a carriage in which prisoners are conveyed to and from prison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person under arrest, or in custody, whether in prison or not; a person held in involuntary restraint; a captive; as, a prisoner at the bar of a court. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prisoner of Hope thou art, -- look up and sing. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prisoner's base. See Base, n., 24. [ 1913 Webster ]