alec

n. [ /Ale + con, OE. cunnen to test, AS. cunnian to test. See Con. ] Orig., an officer appointed to look to the goodness of ale and beer; also, one of the officers chosen by the liverymen of London to inspect the measures used in public houses. But the office is a sinecure. [ Also called aletaster. ] [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ale + L. costus an aromatic plant: cf. Costmary. ] (Bot.) The plant costmary, which was formerly much used for flavoring ale. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a cock. ] (Zool.) A group of birds including the common fowl and the pheasants. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cock + &unr_; fight. ] Cockfighting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Alectryomancy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cock + &unr_; fight. ] Cockfighting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cock + -mancy. ] Divination by means of a cock and grains of corn placed on the letters of the alphabet, the letters being put together in the order in which the grains were eaten. Amer. Cyc. [ 1913 Webster ]