%amus%

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Amused p. pr. & vb. n. Amusing. ] [ F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, à (L. ad) + OF. muser. See Muse, v. ] 1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert. [ 1913 Webster ]

A group of children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [ of the cliff ], and watching as they plunged into the lake. Gilpin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude. [ 1913 Webster ]

He amused his followers with idle promises. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive; occupy. -- To Amuse, Divert, Entertain. We are amused by that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are entertained by that which brings our minds into agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a book. We are diverted by that which turns off our thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a laughable incident. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains usually awakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To muse; to mediate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Diverted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expressing amusement; as, an amused look. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. amusement. ] 1. Deep thought; muse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Here I . . . fell into a strong and deep amusement, revolving in my mind, with great perplexity, the amazing change of our affairs. Fleetwood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being amused; pleasurable excitement; that which amuses; diversion. [ 1913 Webster ]

His favorite amusements were architecture and gardening. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Diversion; entertainment; recreation; relaxation; pastime; sport. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who amuses. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] A light field cannon, or stocked gun mounted on a swivel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Giving amusement; diverting; as, an amusing story. -- A*mus"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Having power to amuse or entertain the mind; fitted to excite mirth. [ R. ] -- A*mu"sive*ly, adv. -- A*mu"sive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 the type genus of the Artamidae.
Syn. -- genus Artamus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Calami [ L., a reed. See Halm. ] 1. (Bot.) The indian cane, a plant of the Palm family. It furnishes the common rattan. See Rattan, and Dragon's blood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A species of Acorus (Acorus calamus), commonly called calamus, or sweet flag. The root has a pungent, aromatic taste, and is used in medicine as a stomachic; the leaves have an aromatic odor, and were formerly used instead of rushes to strew on floors. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) The horny basal portion of a feather; the barrel or quill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Camis. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. a genus of whale lice.
Syn. -- genus Cyamus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖ pr. n. [ L. ] The name of a Latin song originating in the thirteenth century, celebrating the joy of youth as students in a university, and suggesting that they take advantage of youth before they succomb to inevitable old age and death. It is still sung by students, often with verses altered to include themes pertinent to particular schools.



Gaudeamus igitur Let us rejoice therefore
Juvenes dum sumus While we are young.
Post jucundum juventutem After a pleasant youth
Post molestam senectutem After a troublesome old age
Nos habebit humus. The earth will have us.

Ubi sunt qui ante nos Where are they
In mundo fuere? Who were in the world before us?
Vadite ad superos You may cross over to heaven
Transite in inferos You may go to hell
Hos si vis videre. If you wish to see them.

Vita nostra brevis est Our life is brief
Brevi finietur. It will be finished shortly.
Venit mors velociter Death comes quickly
Rapit nos atrociter Atrociously, it snatches us away.
Nemini parcetur. No one is spared.

Vivat academia Long live the academy!
Vivant professores Long live the teachers!
Vivat membrum quodlibet Long live each male student!
Vivat membra quaelibet Long live each female student!
Semper sint in flore. May they always flourish!

Vivant omnes virgines Long live all maidens
Faciles, formosae. Easy and beautiful!
Vivant et mulieres Long live mature women also,
Tenerae amabiles Tender and loveable
Bonae laboriosae. And full of good labor.

Vivant et republica Long live the State
et qui illam regit. And the One who rules it!
Vivat nostra civitas, Long live our City
Maecenatum caritas And the charity of benefactors
Quae nos hic protegit. Which protects us here!

Pereat tristitia, Let sadness perish!
Pereant osores. Let haters perish!
Pereat diabolus, Let the devil perish!
Quivis antiburschius Let whoever is against our school
Atque irrisores. Who laughs at it, perish!

(Latin verses by C. W. Kindeleben 1781) [ PJC ]

n.; pl. E. Hippopotamuses L. Hippopotami [ L., from Gr.&unr_;; "i`ppos horse + &unr_; river. Cf. Equine.] (Zool.) A large, amphibious, herbivorous mammal (Hippopotamus amphibius), common in the rivers of tropical Africa. It is allied to the hogs, and has a very thick, naked skin, a thick and square head, a very large muzzle, small eyes and ears, thick and heavy body, and short legs. It is supposed to be the behemoth of the Bible. Called also zeekoe, and river horse. A smaller species (Hippopotamus Liberiencis) inhabits Western Africa. [1913 Webster]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; a sow, hog + &unr_; a bean. ] 1. (Bot.) A genus of poisonous plants of the Nightshade family; henbane. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) The leaves of the black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), used in neuralgic and pectorial troubles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., we are ignorant. See Ignore. ] 1. (Law) We are ignorant; we ignore; -- being the word formerly written on a bill of indictment by a grand jury when there was not sufficient evidence to warrant them in finding it a true bill. The phrase now used is, “No bill, ” “No true bill, ” or “Not found, ” though in some jurisdictions “Ignored” is still used. Wharton (Law Dict. ). Burn. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (pl. Ignoramuses ) A stupid, ignorant person; a vain pretender to knowledge; a dunce. [ 1913 Webster ]

An ignoramus in place and power. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'i`s, 'ino`s, a muscle + &unr_; an earthen vessel. ] (Paleon.) An extinct genus of large, fossil, bivalve shells, allied to the mussels. The genus is characteristic of the Cretaceous period. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., we command, fr. mandare to command. ] (Law) A writ issued by a superior court and directed to some inferior tribunal, or to some corporation or person exercising authority, commanding the performance of some specified duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Rami (Nat. Hist.) A branch; a projecting part or prominent process; a ramification. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ramusculus. ] (Nat. Hist.) A small ramus, or branch. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Thalami [ L. thalamus chamber, Gr. qa`lamos. ] 1. (Anat.) A mass of nervous matter on either side of the third ventricle of the brain; -- called also optic thalamus. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) (a) Same as Thallus. (b) The receptacle of a flower; a torus. [ 1913 Webster ]