‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr.
a. [ L. aquatilis: cf. F. aquatile. ] Inhabiting the water. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Having power to attract. [ 1913 Webster ]
The high bastiles . . . which overtopped the walls. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Destitute of beauty. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Divisible into two parts. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Pref. bi- + quintile: cf. F. biquintile. ] (Astron.) An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other by twice the fifth part of a great circle -- that is, twice 72 degrees. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ L. bissextilis annus, fr. bissextus (bis + sextus sixth, fr. sex six) the sixth of the calends of March, or twenty-fourth day of February, which was reckoned twice every fourth year, by the intercalation of a day. ] Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Pertaining to leap year. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. i. Same as Cantle, v. t. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. [ It. & L. ] (Mus.) See Cantabile. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Same as Cantalever. [ 1913 Webster ]
[ From
a. [ L. coctilis, fr. coguere. See Cook. ] Made by baking, or exposing to heat, as a brick. [ 1913 Webster ]
. A projectile constructed so as to take the grooves of a rifle by means of a soft copper band firmly attached near its base or, formerly, by means of an envelope of soft metal. In small arms the modern projectile, having a soft core and harder jacket, is subjected to compression throughout the entire cylindrical part. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
a. [ Cf. F. contractile. ] tending to contract; having the power or property of contracting, or of shrinking into shorter or smaller dimensions;
The heart's contractile force. H. Brooke. [ 1913 Webster ]
Each cilium seems to be composed of contractile substance. Hixley. [ 1913 Webster ]
Contractile vacuole (Zool.),
n. [ It., fr. corte court. ] An open internal courtyard inclosed by the walls of a large dwelling house or other large and stately building. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ LL. dentillus, for L. denticulus. See Dentil. ] (Zool.) A small tooth, like that of a saw. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. (Bot.) Tending or serving to draw apart. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A hollow tile used in making drains; -- called also
a. [ L. ductilis, fr. ducere to lead: cf. F. ductile. See Duct. ]
Forms their ductile minds
To human virtues. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]
Gold . . . is the softest and most ductile of all metals. Dryden.
--
a. [ Cf. F. érectile. ]
Erectile tissue (Anat.),
n. [ F., fr.Gr. &unr_; without + &unr_; feather, plumage. ] (Bot.) A name given by
a. (Biol.) Capable of being thrust out or protruded. J. Fleming. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. fertilis, fr. ferre to bear, produce: cf. F. fertile. See Bear to support. ]
Though he in a fertile climate dwell. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Henceforth, my early care . . .
Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease
Of thy full branches. Milton.
adv. In a fertile or fruitful manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Fertility. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. fictilis. See Fiction. ] Molded, or capable of being molded, into form by art; relating to pottery or to molding in any soft material. [ 1913 Webster ]
Fictile earth is more fragile than crude earth. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
The earliest specimens of Italian fictile art. C. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]
Fictile ware,
--
a. [ L. fluviatilis, fr. fluvius river: cf. F. fluviatile. ] Belonging to rivers or streams; existing in or about rivers; produced by river action; fluvial;
a. [ L. futilis that easily pours out, that easily lets loose, vain, worthless, from the root of fundere to pour out: cf. F. futile. See Fuse, v. t. ]
Talkers and futile persons. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
His reasoning . . . was singularly futile. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In a futile manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
a.
n. [ L. gentilis belonging to the same clan, stock, race, people, or nation; in opposition to
☞ The Hebrews included in the term gōyim, or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith, and were not circumcised. The Christians translated gōyim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name
n. (Zool.) See Falcon-gentil. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ OF. gentilesse, gentelise, F. gentillesse. See Gentle. a. ] Gentleness; courtesy; kindness; nobility. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. hasta a spear. ] (Bot.) Same as Hastate. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. hostilis, from hostis enemy: cf. F. hostile. See Host an army. ] Belonging or appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence, or a desire to thwart and injure; occupied by an enemy or enemies; inimical; unfriendly;
n. An enemy; esp., an American Indian in arms against the whites; -- commonly in the plural. [ Colloq. ] P. H. Sheridan. [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In a hostile manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Finance) the purchase of a controlling interest in a publicly-traded company against the wishes of the current management. A person who is the main principal in performing such a buyout is called a corporate raider.
a. [ Pref. in- not + ductile: cf. F. inductile. ] Not ductile; incapable of being drawn into threads, as a metal; inelastic; tough. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. infantilis: cf. F. infantile. See Infant. ] Of or pertaining to infancy, or to an infant; similar to, or characteristic of, an infant; childish;
. (Med.) An acute viral disease, affecting almost exclusively infants and young adults, characterized by inflammation of the anterior horns of the gray substance of the spinal cord. It is attended with febrile symptoms, motor paralysis, and muscular atrophy, often producing permanent deformities. Called also
a. [ L. infertilis: cf. F. infertile. See In- not, and Fertile. ] Not fertile; not productive; barren; sterile; unable to propagate its kind;
adv. In an infertile manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, insects. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Not tractile; incapable of being drawn out or extended. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. inutilis: cf. F. inutile. See In- not, Utile. ] Useless; unprofitable. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
a.
a. [ F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, -antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See Merchant. ] Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of commodities; commercial. [ 1913 Webster ]
The expedition of the Argonauts was partly mercantile, partly military. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]
Mercantile agency,
Mercantile marine,
Mercantile paper,