*agma*

n.; pl. Bagmen A commercial traveler; one employed to solicit orders for manufacturers and tradesmen. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tough old goose; hence, coarse, bad food of any kind. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; fracture, fr. &unr_; to break in places; kata` down + 'agny`nai to break: cf. F. catagmatique. ] (Med.) Having the quality of consolidating broken bones. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. diaphragmatique. ] Pertaining to a diaphragm; as, diaphragmatic respiration; the diaphragmatic arteries and nerves. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Dragmen A fisherman who uses a dragnet. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'e`ndon + fra`gma a fence. ] (Zoöl.) A chitinous structure above the nervous cord in the thorax of certain Crustacea. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the endophragma. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Flagmen One who makes signals with a flag. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to squeeze, knead. ] 1. Any crude mixture of mineral or organic matters in the state of a thin paste. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) (a) A thick residuum obtained from certain substances after the fluid parts are expressed from them; the grounds which remain after treating a substance with any menstruum, as water or alcohol. (b) A salve or confection of thick consistency. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Geol.) (a) The molten matter within the earth, the source of the material of lava flows, dikes of eruptive rocks, etc. (b) The glassy base of an eruptive rock. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Chem.) The amorphous or homogenous matrix or ground mass, as distinguished from well-defined crystals; as, the magma of porphyry. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Paraphragmata [ NL., fr. Gr. para` beside + &unr_;, &unr_;, an inclosure. ] (Zool.) One of the outer divisions of an endosternite of Crustacea. -- Par`a*phrag"mal a. [1913 Webster]

{ } a. [ Poly- + pragmatic, -ical. ] Overbusy; officious. [ R. ] Heywood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + Gr. &unr_; business. ] The state of being overbusy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One skilled in affairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

My attorney and solicitor too; a fine pragmatic. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A solemn public ordinance or decree. [ 1913 Webster ]

A royal pragmatic was accordingly passed. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. pragmaticus busy, active, skilled in business, especially in law and state affairs, systematic, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; a thing done, business, fr. &unr_; to do: cf. F. pragmatique. See Practical. ] 1. Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

The next day . . . I began to be very pragmatical. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

We can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel. Hare. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome. “Pragmatical officers of justice.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fellow grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the government of my whole family. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; -- said of literature. “Pragmatic history.” Sir W. Hamilton. “Pragmatic poetry.” M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pragmatic sanction, a solemn ordinance or decree issued by the head or legislature of a state upon weighty matters; -- a term derived from the Byzantine empire. In European history, two decrees under this name are particularly celebrated. One of these, issued by Charles VII. of France, A. D. 1438, was the foundation of the liberties of the Gallican church; the other, issued by Charles VI. of Germany, A. D. 1724, settled his hereditary dominions on his eldest daughter, the Archduchess Maria Theresa. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a pragmatical manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being pragmatical. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being pragmatic; in literature, the pragmatic, or philosophical, method. [ 1913 Webster ]

The narration of this apparently trifling circumstance belongs to the pragmatism of the history. A. Murphy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is pragmatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To consider, represent, or embody (something unreal) as fact; to materialize. [ R. ] “A pragmatized metaphor.” Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Prophragmata [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; before + &unr_;, &unr_;, fence, screen. ] (Zool.) An internal dorsal chitinous process between the first two divisions of the thorax of insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Ragman's roll. ] A document having many names or numerous seals, as a papal bull. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Ragmen A man who collects, or deals in, rags. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ For ragman roll a long list of names, the devil's roll or list; where ragman is of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. ragmenni a craven person, Sw. raggen the devil. Icel. ragmenni is fr. ragr cowardly (another form of argr, akin to AS. earg cowardly, vile, G. arg bad) + menni (in comp.) man, akin to E. man. See Roll, and cf. Rigmarole. ] The rolls of deeds on parchment in which the Scottish nobility and gentry subscribed allegiance to Edward I. of England, A. D. 1296. [ Also written ragman-roll. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A bushman carrying a swag and traveling on foot; -- called also swagsman, swagger, and swaggie. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Once a jolly swagman sat beside a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree.
And he sang as he sat and watched his billy boiling,
`Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?' [ Waltzing Matilda, an Australian tune. ] [ PJC ]