‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. cirrus curl + pes, pedis, foot. ] (Zool.) An order of Crustacea including the barnacles. When adult, they have a calcareous shell composed of several pieces. From the opening of the shell the animal throws out a group of curved legs, looking like a delicate curl, whence the name of the group. See Anatifa. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ NL., from Gr. ky`klos circle + paidei`a the bringing up of a child, education, erudition, fr. paidey`ein to bring up a child. See Cycle, and cf. Encyclopedia, Pedagogue. ] 1. The circle or compass of the arts and sciences (originally, of the seven so-called liberal arts and sciences); circle of human knowledge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: A work containing, in alphabetical order, information in all departments of knowledge, or on a particular department or branch; as, a cyclopedia of the physical sciences, or of mechanics; an encyclopedia. See Encyclopedia. [ PJC ]

a. Belonging to the circle of the sciences, or to a cyclopedia; of the nature of a cyclopedia; hence, of great range, extent, or amount; as, a man of cyclopedic knowledge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A maker of, or writer for, a cyclopedia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a plant or flower of the genus Cypripedium. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Cypris Venus + pes, pedis, foot. ] (Bot.) A genus of orchidaceous plants including the lady's slipper. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, for &unr_; &unr_;, instruction in the circle of arts and sciences: cf. F. encyclopédie. See Cyclopedia, and Encyclical. ] [ Formerly written encyclopædy and encyclopedy. ] The full circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Encyclopedic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Embracing the whole circle of learning, or a wide range of subjects.

{ } a. [ Cf. F. encyclopédique. ] Pertaining to, or of the nature of, an encyclopedia; broad in scope or content; embracing a wide range of subjects; as, a person having encyclopedic knowledge of a subject. [ Also spelled encyclopaedic. ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The art of writing or compiling encyclopedias; also, possession of the whole range of knowledge; encyclopedic learning. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. encyclopédiste. ] The compiler of an encyclopedia, or one who assists in such compilation; also, one whose knowledge embraces the whole range of the sciences. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Encyclopedists, the writers of the great French encyclopedia which appeared in 1751-1772. The editors were Diderot and D'Alembert. Among the contributors were Voltaire and Rousseau. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. expédier. See Expedite. ] To hasten; to expedite. [ Obs. ] “To expediate their business.” Sir E. Sandys.

{ }, n. 1. The quality of being expedient or advantageous; fitness or suitableness to effect a purpose intended; adaptedness to self-interest; desirableness; advantage; advisability; -- sometimes contradistinguished from moral rectitude or principle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divine wisdom discovers no expediency in vice. Cogan. [ 1913 Webster ]

To determine concerning the expedience of action. Sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

Much declamation may be heard in the present day against expediency, as if it were not the proper object of a deliberative assembly, and as if it were only pursued by the unprincipled. Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expedition; haste; dispatch. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Making hither with all due expedience. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An expedition; enterprise; adventure. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Forwarding this dear expedience. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>a. [ L. expediens, -entis, p. pr. of expedire to be expedient, release, extricate: cf. F. expédient. See Expedite. ] 1. Hastening or forward; hence, tending to further or promote a proposed object; fit or proper under the circumstances; conducive to self-interest; desirable; advisable; advantageous; -- sometimes contradistinguished from right or principled. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is expedient for you that I go away. John xvi. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing but the right can ever be expedient, since that can never be true expediency which would sacrifice a greater good to a less. Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Quick; expeditious. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His marches are expedient to this town. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which serves to promote or advance; suitable means to accomplish an end. [ 1913 Webster ]

What sure expedient than shall Juno find,
To calm her fears and ease her boding mind? Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Means devised in an exigency; shift.

Syn. -- Shift; contrivance; resource; substitute. [ 1913 Webster ]

Governed by expediency; seeking advantage; as an expediential policy. “Calculating, expediential understanding.” Hare. -- Ex*pe`di*en"tial*ly , adv. Fitzed. Hall [1913 Webster]

pos>adv. 1. In an expedient manner; fitly; suitably; conveniently. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With expedition; quickly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. An expedient. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A like expediment to remove discontent. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ LL. expeditatus, p. p. of expeditare to expeditate; ex out + pes, pedis, foot. ] (Eng. Forest Laws) To deprive of the claws or the balls of the fore feet; as, to expeditate a dog that he may not chase deer. See also declaw. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. expeditus, p. p. of expedire to free one caught by the foot, to extricate, set free, bring forward, make ready; ex out + pes, prdis, t. See Foot. ] 1. Free of impediment; unimpeded. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make the way plain and expedite. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expeditious; quick; speedily; prompt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nimble and expedite . . . in its operation. Tollotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Speech is a very short and expedite way of conveying their thoughts. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Expedited p. pr. & vb. n. Expediting ] 1. To relieve of impediments; to facilitate; to accelerate the process or progress of; to hasten; to quicken; as, to expedite the growth of plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

To expedite your glorious march. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To despatch; to send forth; to issue officially. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such charters be expedited of course. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In expedite manner; expeditiously. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being expedite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. expeditio: cf.F. expédition. ] 1. The quality of being expedite; efficient promptness; haste; dispatch; speed; quickness; as to carry the mail with expedition. [ 1913 Webster ]

With winged expedition [ 1913 Webster ]

Swift as the lightning glance. &unr_; [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sending forth or setting forth the execution of some object of consequence; progress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Putting it straight in expedition. &unr_; [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An important enterprise, implying a change of place; especially, a warlike enterprise; a march or a voyage with martial intentions; an excursion by a body of persons for a valuable end; as, a military, naval, exploring, or scientific expedition; also, the body of persons making such excursion. [ 1913 Webster ]

The expedition miserably failed. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Narrative of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains. J. C. Fremont. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to an expedition; as, an expeditionary force. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who goes upon an expedition. [ R ]. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Possessed of, or characterized by, expedition, or efficiency and rapidity in action; performed with, or acting with, expedition; quick; having celerity; speedily; as, an expeditious march or messenger. -- Ex`pe*di"tious*ly, adv. -- Ex`pe*di"tious*ness, n.

Syn. -- Prompt; ready; speedy; alert. See Prompt. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. expéditif. ] Performing with speed. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Pertaining to a part of the columella of the ear, which, in many animals, projects beyond the connection with the stapes. -- n. The extrastapedial part of columella. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An investigation searching for evidence of wrongdoing, with no credible evidence of such wrongdoing available at the outset of the investigation, and often without specifying in advance the wrongdoing to be proven. [ metaphorical ] [ PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. fissus (p. p. of findere to cleave) + pes, pedis, a foot. ] (Zool.) A division of the Carnivora, including the dogs, cats, and bears, in which the feet are not webbed; -- opposed to Pinnipedia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being impeded or hindered. [ R. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. impedimentum: cf. F. impediment. ] That which impedes or hinders progress, motion, activity, or effect. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we marched on without impediment. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impediment in speech, a defect which prevents distinct utterance.

Syn. -- Hindrance; obstruction; obstacle; difficulty; incumbrance. -- Impediment, Obstacle, Difficulty, Hindrance. An impediment literally strikes against our feet, checking our progress, and we remove it. An obstacle rises before us in our path, and we surmount or remove it. A difficulty sets before us something hard to be done, and we encounter it and overcome it. A hindrance holds us back for a time, but we break away from it. [ 1913 Webster ]

The eloquence of Demosthenes was to Philip of Macedon, a difficulty to be met with his best resources, an obstacle to his own ambition, and an impediment in his political career. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To impede. [ R. ] Bp. Reynolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ L. See Impediment, Impede. ] Things which impede or hinder progress; incumbrances; baggage; specif. (Mil.), the supply trains which must accompany an army.

On the plains they will have horses dragging travoises, dogs with travoises, women and children loaded with impedimenta. Julian Ralph. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Of the nature of an impediment; hindering; obstructing; impeditive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Things so impedimental to success. G. H. Lewes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. impeditus, p. p. See Impede. ] Hindered; obstructed. [ R. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To impede. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. impeditio. ] A hindering; a hindrance. [ Obs. ] Baxier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. impéditif. ] Causing hindrance; impeding. “Cumbersome, and impeditive of motion.” Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. The quality or state of being inexpedient; lack of fitness; unsuitableness to the end or object; impropriety; as, the inexpedience of some measures. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not the rigor but the inexpediency of laws and acts of authority which makes them tyrannical. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not expedient; not tending to promote a purpose; not tending to the end desired; inadvisable; unfit; improper; unsuitable to time and place; as, what is expedient at one time may be inexpedient at another. [ 1913 Webster ]

If it was not unlawful, yet it was highly inexpedient to use those ceremonies. Bp. Burnet.

Syn. -- Unwise; impolitic; imprudent; indiscreet; unprofitable; inadvisable; disadvantageous. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Not expediently; unfitly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Infra + stapedial. ] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to a part of the columella of the ear, which in many animals projects below the connection with the stapes. -- n. The infrastapedial part of the columella. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Pertaining to a part of the columella of the ear, between the stapes and the mediostapedial. -- n. The interstapedial part of the columella. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. medius middle + E. stapedial. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to that part of the columella of the ear which, in some animals, connects the stapes with the other parts of the columella. -- n. The mediostapedial part of the columella. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. (Med.) Of, pertaining to, or employed in, orthopedics; relating to the prevention or cure of deformities of children, or, in general, of the human body at any age; as, orthopedic surgery; an orthopedic hospital. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ortho- + Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a child. ] (Med.) The art or practice of correcting disorders or deformities of the spine and joints, or, by extension, any deformities of the human body.
Syn. -- orthopaedics, orthopedy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Med.) One who prevents, cures, or remedies deformities, esp. in children. [ 1913 Webster ]