n. [ F. innocence, L. innocentia. See Innocent. ] 1. The state or quality of being innocent; freedom from that which is harmful or infurious; harmlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state or quality of being morally free from guilt or sin; purity of heart; blamelessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The silence often of pure innocence
Persuades when speaking fails. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Banished from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence! Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The state or quality of being not chargeable for, or guilty of, a particular crime or offense; as, the innocence of the prisoner was clearly shown. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Simplicity or plainness, bordering on weakness or silliness; artlessness; ingenuousness. Chaucer. Shak.

Syn. -- Harmlessness; innocuousness; blamelessness; purity; sinlessness; guiltlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Innocence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. innocent, L. innocens, -entis; pref. in- not + nocens, p. pr. of nocere to harm, hurt. See Noxious. ] 1. Not harmful; free from that which can injure; innoxious; innocuous; harmless; as, an innocent medicine or remedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The spear
Sung innocent, and spent its force in air. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Morally free from guilt; guiltless; not tainted with sin; pure; upright. [ 1913 Webster ]

To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. Matt. xxvii. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

The aidless, innocent lady, his wished prey. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Free from the guilt of a particular crime or offense; as, a man is innocent of the crime charged. [ 1913 Webster ]

Innocent from the great transgression. Ps. xix. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Simple; artless; foolish. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Lawful; permitted; as, an innocent trade. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Not contraband; not subject to forfeiture; as, innocent goods carried to a belligerent nation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Innocent party (Law), a party who has not notice of a fact tainting a litigated transaction with illegality.

Syn. -- Harmless; innoxious; innoffensive; guiltless; spotless; immaculate; pure; unblamable; blameless; faultless; guileless; upright. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An innocent person; one free from, or unacquainted with, guilt or sin. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An unsophisticated person; hence, a child; a simpleton; an idiot. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

In Scotland a natural fool was called an innocent. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Innocents' day (Eccl.), Childermas day. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an innocent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Innocuousness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. innocuus; in- not + nocuus hurtful, fr. nocere to hurt. See Innocent. ] Harmless; producing no ill effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

A patient, innocuous, innocent man. Burton.

-- In*noc"u*ous*ly, adv. -- In*noc"u*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where the salt sea innocuously breaks. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Innodated p. pr. & vb. n. Innodating ] [ L. innodatus, p. p. of innodare; pref. in- in + nodus knot. ] To bind up, as in a knot; to include. [ Obs. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. innominabilis; pref. in- not + nominare to name: cf. F. innominable. ] Not to be named. [ R. ] Testament of Love. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. innominatus; pref. in- not + nominare to name. ] 1. Having no name; unnamed; as, an innominate person or place. [ R. ] Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A term used in designating many parts otherwise unnamed; as, the innominate artery, a great branch of the arch of the aorta; the innominate vein, a great branch of the superior vena cava. [ 1913 Webster ]

Innominate bone (Anat.), the great bone which makes a lateral half of the pelvis in mammals; hip bone; haunch bone; huckle bone. It is composed of three bones, ilium, ischium, and pubis, consolidated into one in the adult, though separate in the fetus, as also in many adult reptiles and amphibians. --
Innominate contracts (Law), in the Roman law, contracts without a specific name. [ 1913 Webster ]