. A secret organization in the United States, formed in Iowa in 1887, ostensibly for the protection of American institutions by keeping Roman Catholics out of public office. Abbrev. commonly to
n.
The one [ idea ] no sooner comes into the understanding, than its associate appears with it. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
He succeeded in associating his name inseparably with some names which will last as long as our language. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]
Friends should associate friends in grief and woe. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. associatus, p. p. ]
While I descend . . . to my associate powers. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. i.
a. Joined as a companion; brought into association; accompanying; combined. [ 1913 Webster ]
Associated movements (Physiol.),
n.
n.
n. The state of an associate, as in Academy or an office. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Cf. F. association, LL. associatio, fr. L. associare. ]
Self-denial is a kind of holy association with God. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]
Words . . . must owe their powers association. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]
Why should . . . the holiest words, with all their venerable associations, be profaned? Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]
Association of ideas (Physiol.),
a.
n. (Philos.) The doctrine or theory held by associationists. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Philos.) One who explains the higher functions and relations of the soul by the association of ideas;
a. Having the quality of associating; tending or leading to association;
n. An associate; a confederate or partner in any scheme. [ 1913 Webster ]
How Pennsylvania's air agrees with Quakers,
And Carolina's with associators. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
prop. n. A federally chartered corporation that purchases and resells mortgages. [ acron. ]
v. i. (psychoanalysis) to express one's thoughts, ideas, impressions, etc. in an unplanned and unstructured way, allowing each thought or idea to prompt recollection of the next one. It is a process used in psychotherapy.
n. (psychoanalysis) The act or process of free-associating. It is a technique used in psychoanalysis and is supposed to allow the analyst access to the unconscious thoughts of the analysand. See free-associate. [ PJC ]
adj. not associative. Opposite of
v. t. & i. To associate again; to bring again into close relations. [ 1913 Webster ]
. An organization for promoting the spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical welfare of young men, founded, June 6, 1844, by George Williams (knighted therefor by Queen Victoria) in London. In 1851 it extended to the United States and Canada, and in 1855 representatives of similar organizations throughout Europe and America formed an international body. The movement has successfully expanded not only among young men in general, but also specifically among railroad men, in the army and navy, with provision for Indians and negroes, and a full duplication of all the various lines of oepration in the boys' departments. It currently (1998) maintains buildings which usually have both recreational facilities and dormitories for dwelling. It is usually called by its acronym
. An organization for promoting the spiritual, intellectual, social, and economic welfare of young women, originating in 1855 with Lady Kinnaird's home for young women, and Miss Emma Robert's prayer union for young women, in England, which were combined in the year 1884 as a national association. Now nearly all the civilized countries, and esp. the United States, have local, national, and international organizations. See also the similar organizations Young Men's Christian Association and YMHA. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]