*arb*

{ } n. [ OF. arbaleste, LL. arbalista, for L. arcuballista; arcus bow + ballista a military engine. See Ballista. ] (Antiq.) A crossbow, consisting of a steel bow set in a shaft of wood, furnished with a string and a trigger, and a mechanical device for bending the bow. It served to throw arrows, darts, bullets, etc. [ Written also arbalet and arblast. ] Fosbroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ OF. arblastere, OF. arbalestier. See Arbalest. ] A crossbowman. [ Obs. ] Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. arbiter; ar- (for ad) + the root of betere to go; hence properly, one who comes up to look on. ] 1. A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In modern usage, arbitrator is the technical word. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any person who has the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited. [ 1913 Webster ]

For Jove is arbiter of both to man. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Arbitrator; umpire; director; referee; controller; ruler; governor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To act as arbiter between. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. arbitrable, fr. L. arbitrari. See Arbitrate, v. t. ] Capable of being decided by arbitration; determinable. [ Archaic ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. arbiter to give judgment, L. arbitrari. ] 1. Judgment by an arbiter; authoritative determination. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Com.) A traffic in bills of exchange (see Arbitration of Exchange). [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Finance) the simultaneous or near simultaneous purchase and sale of the same or closely linked securities or commodities in different markets to make a profit on the (often small) differences in price. [ PJC ]

n. same as arbitrageur.
Syn. -- arb, arbitrageur [ PJC ]

n. someone who engages in arbitrage; i. e. one who purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential.
Syn. -- arb, arbitrager. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. arbitralis. ] Of or relating to an arbiter or an arbitration. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. arbitramentum. ] 1. Determination; decision; arbitration. [ 1913 Webster ]

The arbitrament of time. Everett. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gladly at this moment would MacIvor have put their quarrel to personal arbitrament. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The award of arbitrators. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an arbitrary manner; by will only; despotically; absolutely. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being arbitrary; despoticalness; tyranny. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. arbitrarius. See Arbitrary. ] Arbitrary; despotic. [ Obs. ] -- Ar`bi*tra"ri*ous*ly, adv. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. arbitrarius, fr. arbiter: cf. F. arbitraire. See Arbiter. ] 1. Depending on will or discretion; not governed by any fixed rules; as, an arbitrary decision; an arbitrary punishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was wholly arbitrary in them to do so. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rank pretends to fix the value of every one, and is the most arbitrary of all things. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exercised according to one's own will or caprice, and therefore conveying a notion of a tendency to abuse the possession of power. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused licentiousness. Washington. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Despotic; absolute in power; bound by no law; harsh and unforbearing; tyrannical; as, an arbitrary prince or government. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arbitrary constant,
Arbitrary function (Math.), a quantity of function that is introduced into the solution of a problem, and to which any value or form may at will be given, so that the solution may be made to meet special requirements. --
Arbitrary quantity (Math.), one to which any value can be assigned at pleasure. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Arbitrated p. pr. & vb. n. Arbitrating ] [ L. arbitratus, p. p. of arbitrari to be a hearer or beholder of something, to make a decision, to give judgment, fr. arbiter. See Arbiter. ] 1. To hear and decide, as arbitrators; as, to choose to arbitrate a disputed case. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To decide, or determine generally. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

There shall your swords and lances arbitrate
The swelling difference of your settled hate. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To decide; to determine. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To act as arbitrator or judge; as, to arbitrate upon several reports; to arbitrate in disputes among neighbors; to arbitrate between parties to a suit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. arbitration, L. arbitratio, fr. arbitrari. ] The hearing and determination of a cause between parties in controversy, by a person or persons chosen by the parties. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This may be done by one person; but it is usual to choose two or three called arbitrators; or for each party to choose one, and these to name a third, who is called the umpire. Their determination is called the award. Bouvier [ 1913 Webster ]

Arbitration bond, a bond which obliges one to abide by the award of an arbitration. --
Arbitration of Exchange, the operation of converting the currency of one country into that of another, or determining the rate of exchange between such countries or currencies. An arbitrated rate is one determined by such arbitration through the medium of one or more intervening currencies. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. relating to or resulting from arbitration. an arbitrational settlement
Syn. -- arbitral [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to arbitration; relating to or having the authority to arbitrate. an arbitrative board [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L., fr. arbitrari: cf. F. arbitrateur. ] 1. A person, or one of two or more persons, chosen by parties who have a controversy, to determine their differences. See Arbitration. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who has the power of deciding or prescribing without control; a ruler; a governor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Though Heaven be shut,
And Heaven's high Arbitrators sit secure. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Masters of their own terms and arbitrators of a peace. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Judge; umpire; referee; arbiter. See Judge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fem. of arbitrator. ] A female who arbitrates or judges. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Arbiter. ] A female arbiter; an arbitratrix. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A crossbow. See Arbalest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. herber, herbere, properly a garden of herbs, F. herbier, fr. L. herbarium. See Herb, and cf. Herbarium. ] A kind of latticework formed of, or covered with, vines, branches of trees, or other plants, for shade; a bower. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also arbour. ] [ L., a tree, a beam. ] 1. (Bot.) A tree, as distinguished from a shrub. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Cf. F. arbre. ] (Mech.) (a) An axle or spindle of a wheel or opinion. (b) A mandrel in lathe turning. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 abounding in trees. an arboraceous landscape
Syn. -- arboreous, woodsy, woody. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Arbor Day, a day appointed for planting trees and shrubs. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. arborarius, fr. arbor tree. ] Of or pertaining to trees; arboreal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. arbor tree. ] One who plants or who prunes trees. [ Obs. ] Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L., the tree of Diana, or silver. ] (Chem.) A precipitation of silver, in a beautiful arborescent form. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a tree, or to trees; of nature of trees. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Attached to, found in or upon, or frequenting, woods or trees; as, arboreal animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

Woodpeckers are eminently arboreal. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Furnished with an arbor; lined with trees. “An arboreal walk.” Pollok. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. arboreous, fr. arbor tree. ] 1. Having the form, constitution, or habits, of a proper tree, in distinction from a shrub. Loudon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to, or growing on, trees; as, arboreous moss. Quincy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being arborescent; the resemblance to a tree in minerals, or crystallizations, or groups of crystals in that form; as, the arborescence produced by precipitating silver. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. arborescens, p. pr. of arborescere to become a tree, fr. arbor tree. ] Resembling a tree; becoming woody in stalk; dendritic; having crystallizations disposed like the branches and twigs of a tree. “Arborescent hollyhocks.” Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. resembling a tree in form and branching structure.
Syn. -- arboreal, arboreous, arborescent, arboriform, dendriform, dendroid, dendroidal, treelike, tree-shaped. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OF. arboret, dim. of arbre tree, L. arbor ] A small tree or shrub. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Among thick-woven arborets, and flowers
Imbordered on each bank. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Arboreta [ L., a place grown with trees. ] A place in which a collection of rare trees and shrubs is cultivated for scientific or educational purposes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to trees. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. arbor + colere to inhabit. ] (Zool.) Tree-inhabiting; -- said of certain birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to arboriculture. Loudon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. arbor tree + cultura. See Culture. ] The cultivation of trees and shrubs, chiefly for timber or for ornamental purposes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who cultivates trees. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Treelike in shape. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. arboriste, fr. L. arbor tree. ] One who makes trees his study, or who is versed in the knowledge of trees. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. arborisation, fr. L. arbor tree. ] The appearance or figure of a tree or plant, as in minerals or fossils; a dendrite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a treelike appearance. “An arborized or moss agate.” Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Formed by trees. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

From under shady, arborous roof. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A species of bindweed. [ 1913 Webster ]