a. [ L. acutus, p. p. of acuere to sharpen, fr. a root ak to be sharp. Cf. Ague, Cute, Edge. ] 1. Sharp at the end; ending in a sharp point; pointed; -- opposed to blunt or obtuse; as, an acute angle; an acute leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having nice discernment; perceiving or using minute distinctions; penetrating; clever; shrewd; -- opposed to dull or stupid; as, an acute observer; acute remarks, or reasoning. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having nice or quick sensibility; susceptible to slight impressions; acting keenly on the senses; sharp; keen; intense; as, a man of acute eyesight, hearing, or feeling; acute pain or pleasure. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. High, or shrill, in respect to some other sound; -- opposed to grave or low; as, an acute tone or accent. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Med.) Attended with symptoms of some degree of severity, and coming speedily to a crisis; -- opposed to chronic; as, an acute disease. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

Acute angle (Geom.), an angle less than a right angle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Subtile; ingenious; sharp; keen; penetrating; sagacious; sharp-witted; shrewd; discerning; discriminating. See Subtile. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To give an acute sound to; as, he acutes his rising inflection too much. [ R. ] Walker. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having acute angles; as, an acute-angled triangle, a triangle with every one of its angles less than a right angle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an acute manner; sharply; keenly; with nice discrimination. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality of being acute or pointed; sharpness; as, the acuteness of an angle. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The faculty of nice discernment or perception; acumen; keenness; sharpness; sensitiveness; -- applied to the senses, or the understanding. By acuteness of feeling, we perceive small objects or slight impressions: by acuteness of intellect, we discern fine distinctions. [ 1913 Webster ]

Perhaps, also, he felt his professional acuteness interested in bringing it to a successful close. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Shrillness; high pitch; -- said of sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) Violence of a disease, which brings it speedily to a crisis. AS [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Penetration; sagacity; keenness; ingenuity; shrewdness; subtlety; sharp-wittedness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus off Eurasian herbs and small shrubs: buckler mustard.
Syn. -- genus Biscutella. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a delicatessen that specializes in dressed meats and meat dishes, particularly pork products. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. the items typically sold in a charcuterie{ 1 }. [ PJC ]

n. a resident of Connecticut. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To follow closely; to endeavor to overtake; to pursue. [ Obs. ] Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ An abbrev. of acute. ] 1. Clever; sharp; shrewd; ingenious; cunning. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pleasantly attractive, in a delicate way; -- said of children, young ladies, pet animals and some objects, but seldom of adults; as, a cute child; a cute kitten; a cute little house; a cute statue. [ PJC ]

3. smart-alecky or impertinent; as, a cute remark. [ PJC ]

4. affectedly clever. RHUD [ PJC ]

n. Acuteness; cunning. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a natural family of New World botflies.
Syn. -- family Cuterebridae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ F. ] The outward opening of a river, of a valley, or of a strait. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Electro- + cute in execute. ] To execute or put to death by electricity. -- E*lec`tro*cu"tion, n. [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Executed p. pr. & vb. n. Executing ] [ F. exécuter, L. executus, exsecutus, p. p. of exequi to follow to the end, pursue; ex out + sequi to follow. See Second, Sue to follow up, and cf. Exequy. ] 1. To follow out or through to the end; to carry out into complete effect; to complete; to finish; to effect; to perform. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why delays
His hand to execute what his decree
Fixed on this day? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To complete, as a legal instrument; to perform what is required to give validity to, as by signing and perhaps sealing and delivering; as, to execute a deed, lease, mortgage, will, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To give effect to; to do what is provided or required by; to perform the requirements or stipulations of; as, to execute a decree, judgment, writ, or process. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To infect capital punishment on; to put to death in conformity to a legal sentence; as, to execute a traitor. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To put to death illegally; to kill. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) To perform, as a piece of music or other feat of skill, whether on an instrument or with the voice, or in any other manner requiring physical activity; as, to execute a difficult part brilliantly; to execute a coup; to execute a double play.

Syn. -- To accomplish; effect; fulfill; achieve; consummate; finish; complete. See Accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To do one's work; to act one's part or purpose. [ R. ] Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To perform musically. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who performs or carries into effect. See Executor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. ex- + scutellate. ] (Zoöl.) Without, or apparently without, a scutellum; -- said of certain insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Incuse. ] To strike or stamp in. [ Obs. ] Becon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. peracutus. See Per-, and Acute. ] Very sharp; very violent; as, a peracute fever. [ R. ] Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Persecuted p. pr. & vb. n. Persecuting. ] [ F. persécueter, L. persequi, persecutus, to pursue, prosecute; per + sequi to follow, pursue. See Per-, and Second. ] 1. To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death, for adherence to a particular religious creed or mode of worship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Matt. v. 44. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To oppress; harass; distress; worry; annoy. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Same as oppressed.
Syn. -- downtrodden, oppressed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ F., fr. It. peduccio console, corbel. ] A pedestal of small size, used to support small objects, as busts, vases, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Post-, and Scutellum. ] (Zool.) The hindermost dorsal piece of a thoracic somite of an insect; the plate behind the scutellum. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prosecuted p. pr. & vb. n. Prosecuting. ] [ L. prosecutus, p. p. of prosequi to follow, pursue. See Pursue. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To follow or pursue with a view to reach, execute, or accomplish; to endeavor to obtain or complete; to carry on; to continue; as, to prosecute a scheme, hope, or claim. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am beloved Hermia;
Why should not I, then, prosecute my right ? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To seek to obtain by legal process; as, to prosecute a right or a claim in a court of law. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) To pursue with the intention of punishing; to accuse of some crime or breach of law, or to pursue for redress or punishment, before a legal tribunal; to proceed against judicially; as, to prosecute a man for trespass, or for a riot. [ 1913 Webster ]

To acquit themselves and prosecute their foes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To follow after. [ Obs. ] Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) To institute and carry on a legal prosecution; as, to prosecute for public offenses. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖n. m. ‖n. f. } [ F., p. p. of protéger. See Protect. ] One under the care and protection of another, especially one receiving counseling and assistance in career development. [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

‖n. [ F., orig. p.p. of réchauffer 8warm over. See Chafe, v. t. ] A dish of food that has been warmed again, hence, fig., something made up from old material; a rehash. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

It is merely a réchauffé of ancient philosophies. F. W. H. Myers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. scutum a shield, a buckler. See Scudo. ] 1. A small shield. [ Obs. ] Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An old French gold coin of the value of 3s. 4d. sterling, or about 80 cents. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) A bony scale of a reptile or fish; a large horny scale on the leg of a bird, or on the belly of a snake. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. See Scutellum. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ n.; pl. Scutellae [ NL., fem. dim. of L. scutum. ] (Zool.) See Scutellum, n., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. scutella a dish, salver. Cf. Scuttle a basket. ] 1. (Zool.) Formed like a plate or salver; composed of platelike surfaces; as, the scutellated bone of a sturgeon. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ See Scutellum. ] (Zool.) Having the tarsi covered with broad transverse scales, or scutella; -- said of certain birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The entire covering, or mode of arrangement, of scales, as on the legs and feet of a bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. scutella a dish + -form. ] 1. Scutellate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Having the form of a scutellum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. scutellus a shield + planta foot. ] (Zool.) Having broad scutella on the front, and small scales on the posterior side, of the tarsus; -- said of certain birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Scutella [ NL., neut. dim. of L. scutum a shield. ] 1. (Bot.) A rounded apothecium having an elevated rim formed of the proper thallus, the fructification of certain lichens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) The third of the four pieces forming the upper part of a thoracic segment of an insect. It follows the scutum, and is followed by the small postscutellum; a scutella. See Thorax. (b) One of the transverse scales on the tarsi and toes of birds; a scutella. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Moderalely acute. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. subsecutus, p. p. of subsequi. See Subsequent. ] To follow closely, or so as to overtake; to pursue. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To follow and detain him, if by any possibility he could be subsecuted and overtaken. E. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]