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{ } v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Abought ] [ AS. ābycgan to pay for; pref. ā- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bycgan to buy. See Buy, and cf. Abide. ] 1. To pay for; to suffer for; to atone for; to make amends for; to give satisfaction. [ Obs. ]
Syn. -- expiate [ 1913 Webster ]

Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To endure; to abide. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But nought that wanteth rest can long aby. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

or n. [ F. abîme. See Abysm. ] A abyss. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. abisme; F. abime, LL. abyssimus, a superl. of L. abyssus; Gr. &unr_;. See Abyss. ] An abyss; a gulf. “The abysm of hell.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or resembling, an abyss; bottomless; unending; profound. [ 1913 Webster ]

Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. To a fathomless depth; profoundly. “Abysmally ignorant.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. abyssus a bottomless gulf, fr. Gr. &unr_; bottomless; 'a priv. + &unr_; depth, bottom. ] 1. A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye powers and spirits of this nethermost abyss. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The throne is darkness, in the abyss of light. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Infinite time; a vast intellectual or moral depth. [ 1913 Webster ]

The abysses of metaphysical theology. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

In unfathomable abysses of disgrace. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Her.) The center of an escutcheon. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word, in its leading uses, is associated with the cosmological notions of the Hebrews, having reference to a supposed illimitable mass of waters from which our earth sprung, and beneath whose profound depths the wicked were punished. Encyc. Brit. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. Abysmal. ] Belonging to, or resembling, an abyss; unfathomable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abyssal zone (Phys. Geog.), one of the belts or zones into which Sir E. Forbes divides the bottom of the sea in describing its plants, animals, etc. It is the one furthest from the shore, embracing all beyond one hundred fathoms deep. Hence, abyssal animals, plants, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. same as Ethiopia.
Syn. -- Ethiopia, Yaltopya [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Of or pertaining to Abyssinia. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abyssinian gold, an alloy of 90.74 parts of copper and 8.33 parts of zink. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A native of Abyssinia. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A member of the Abyssinian Church. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The country of Arabia. [ Archaic & Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Babies [ Dim. of babe. ] An infant or young child of either sex; a babe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small image of an infant; a doll. [ 1913 Webster ]

Babies in the eyes, the minute reflection which one sees of one's self in the eyes of another. [ 1913 Webster ]

She clung about his neck, gave him ten kisses,
Toyed with his locks, looked babies in his eyes. Heywood. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans. “Baby figure” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Babied p. pr. & vb. n. Babying. ] To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle. Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. delicate California annual having blue flowers marked with dark spots.
Syn. -- baby blue-eyes, Nemophila menziesii [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. having a face resembling that of a baby [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A place where the nourishment and care of babies are offered for hire. [ 1913 Webster ]

One who keeps a baby farm. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The business of keeping a baby farm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or period of infancy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A place for children's dolls and dolls' furniture. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a baby; childish; puerile; simple. -- Ba"by*ish*ly, adv. -- Ba"by*ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of being a baby. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A babyish manner of acting or speaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

A hoop suspended by an elastic strap, in which a young child may be held secure while amusing itself by jumping on the floor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the real or to the mystical Babylon, or to the ancient kingdom of Babylonia; Chaldean. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. 1. An inhabitant of Babylonia (which included Chaldea); a Chaldean. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An astrologer; -- so called because the Chaldeans were remarkable for the study of astrology. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. 1. Pertaining to Babylon, or made there; as, Babylonic garments, carpets, or hangings. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tumultuous; disorderly. [ Obs. ] Sir J. Harrington. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to, or made in, Babylon or Babylonia. “A Babylonish garment.” Josh. vii. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to the Babylon of Revelation xiv. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Pertaining to Rome and papal power. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The . . . injurious nickname of Babylonish. Gage. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Confused; Babel-like. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ ‖ } n. (Zool.) See Babiroussa. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being a baby; the personality of an infant. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. act as a baby-sitter
Syn. -- babysit, sit [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A person engaged to care for children when the parents are not home.
Syn. -- sitter [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the work of a baby sitter; caring for children when their parents are not home. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a framework on small wheels or casters designed to support small children while they are learning to walk, and usually having a fabric support that permits the child to sit. Called also walker and go-cart.
Syn. -- walker, go-cart [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. 1. any of several agile long-tailed nocturnal African lemurlike primates of the genus Galago with dense woolly fur and large eyes and ears; -- called also galago. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Icel. gapi a rash, reckless man. Cf. Gafe. ] A simpleton; a dunce; a lout. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ar. qabīla. ] (Ethnol.) A Berber, as in Algiers or Tunis. See Berber. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A doll or image decorated with corn (grain) flowers, etc., carried in the festivals of a kern, or harvest-home. Called also harvest queen. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. labyrinthus, Gr. laby`rinthos: cf. F. labyrinthe. ] 1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and Cretan labyrinths. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Labyrinth of Classical Mythology was a vast maze constructed by Daedalus on the island of Crete, in order to confine the Minotaur; the task was done at the command of King Minos. One theory suggests that the myth had some basis in the structure of the palace of King Minos at Knossos, in Crete, it being a multistoried royal palace with labyrinthine passages between rooms. [ PJC ]

2. Hence: Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden, having high hedges separating confusingly convoluted passages. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature. [ 1913 Webster ]

The serpent . . . fast sleeping soon he found,
In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The labyrinth of the mind. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty. [ 1913 Webster ]

I' the maze and winding labyrinths o' the world. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Anat.) The internal ear. See Note under Ear. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Metal.) A series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Arch.) A pattern or design representing a maze, -- often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Maze; confusion; intricacy; windings. -- Labyrinth, Maze. Labyrinth, originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth. We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or resembling, a labyrinth; intricate; labyrinthian. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Intricately winding; like a labyrinth; perplexed; labyrinthal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Labyrinth, and Branchia. ] (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Labyrinthici. -- n. One of the Labyrinthici.

{ } a. [ L. labyrinthicus: cf. F. labyrinthique. ] Like or pertaining to a labyrinth. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Labyrinth. ] (Zool.) An order of teleostean fishes, including the Anabas, or climbing perch, and other allied fishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ They have, connected with the gill chamber, a special cavity in which a labyrinthiform membrane is arranged so as to retain water to supply the gills while the fish leaves the water and travels about on land, or even climbs trees. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Labyrinth + -form: cf. F. labyrinthiforme. ] Having the form of a labyrinth; intricate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or like, a labyrinth; labyrinthal; labyrinthian. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. laby`rinthos labyrinth + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth. ] (Paleon.) A genus of very large fossil amphibians, of the Triassic period, having bony plates on the under side of the body. It is the type of the order Labyrinthodonta. Called also Mastodonsaurus. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Paleon.) Of or pertaining to the Labyrinthodonta. -- n. One of the Labyrinthodonta. [ 1913 Webster ]