Compound words whose meaning can very easily be learned from the simple word together with the prefix or suffix, have been omitted, the import of such prefixes and suffixes being carefully given. Thus, the authors have aimed to furnish, in a small compass, a kind of First Book in the acquisition of the meaning of the English language, to be used in schools and families; which, with fidelity on the part of teacher and pupil, will, they trust, not only aid in accomplishing this great object, but in forming, also, accuracy of thought, propriety of diction, correctness of taste, and soundness of moral principle. MARKS AND ABBREVIATIONS. The long vowels are marked thus; hāte, here, mine, globe, cube, rhyme. The short vowels are marked thus; hăt, pěn, pin, not, nŭt, hymn. The figure 1 over a, denotes the sound of a, as in bår. The figure 2 denotes the sound of u, as in båsh.. The figure 6 denotes the sound of o, ş sounds like z; as in roșe. as in bird. as in move. A dot under the t, in th, denotes that th sounds as in the, thine. The accented syllable is denoted by the figure, or the mark of a long or short vowel, placed over it; as bår gain, căp tive, de plōre;-except in a few cases, where the accent (') is used for this purpose, as com pound'. Where no illustration is added to a definition, it is separated from the succeeding definition by a period and a dash. Unless otherwise designated, ai sounds as in pain; ay, as in play; ea, as in heat; ēē, as in tree; ēi, as in de ceit; õa, as in board; oi, as in point; oy, as in boy; ou, as in pound; ow, as in cow. Silent letters are printed in italics; as in chasm, dearth, course. viii MARKS AND ABBREVIATIONS. In such words as chance, grant, and disaster, the sound of a, as in many other dictionaries, is denoted by the figure 1, as in bår, although the true sound lies between this and the sound of a as in măn. The sound of a as in căre, and of a as in fate, as in most other dictionaries, is denoted by the same mark, although there is a difference between them. To attempt to distinguish accurately these and other similar variations of vowel sounds in an elementary work, might serve only to perplex the learner, and the living voice will prove his best guide. n. stands for noun. a. for adjective. v. a. for verb active. v. n. for verb neuter. p. for participle. ad. for adverb. THE SCHOOL AND FAMILY DICTIONARY. АВА A ban don, v. a. to quit or forsake, intending never to return to, or take care of. The crew abandoned the sinking ship. A wicked man abandoned his family. Avoid bad habits; their abandonment is difficult. A bǎn doned, p. wholly given up to wickedness. We should try to do good, even to a very abandoned man. A base, v. a. to cast down, to make low. A scholar behaved badly. The master took him from the highest class, and placed him in the lowest. He abased him. His abasement made him feel ashamed. We should be humble, and abase ourselves before God. A băsh, v. a. to make ashamed, to confuse. A boy was stealing apples. The owner detected him. He looked red, and did not know what to say or do. He was abashed. A bāte, v. a. to make less. A man asked six cents for an orange. A ABH boy offered him five; but he would not abate the price. v. n. to become less. It rained hard. It rained less and less. The storm abated. His fever continued a week, without any abatement. Ab brē vi ate, v. a. to shorten, [usually applied to words.] We abbreviate January by writing it Jan. U. S. is an abbreviation for United States. A bět, v. a. to encourage or help a person, [usually in doing wrong.] John promised to watch, while Charles was stealing water-melons. He abetted Charles. Never be an abettor of others in wickedness. Ăb di cate, v. a. to give up forever an office, or place of power. The king determined to be king no longer. He abdicated his throne. After his abdication, his son became king. Ab hõr, v. a. to start back from with strong dislike. Almost every body abhors a snake. A good child has an abhorrence of bad words To abuse animals should be abhorrent to our feelings. A bīde, v. n. to stay in a place. The young birds abide in their nest. to continue the same. The truth of God abideth forever. v. a. to wait for. "Bonds abide me," said Paul,-that is, he expected to be bound. to bear or endure. The slothful man must abide the evils of poverty, that is, he must bear them. A bil i ty, n. I can do it, that is, I have the ability to do it. James can walk. He has the ability to walk. William is deaf and dumb. He has not the ability to speak. Eliza has the ability to write a good letter. We should be glad to have the ability of doing good to others. Ab ject, a. low, mean, despised. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, became like a beast, and was a miserable, abject man. Drunkards often become very abject. Ab jūre, v. a. to give up something with an oath, or in a solemn man ner. A Hindoo became a Christian, and abjured idolatry. A man left his country, solemnly declaring he would never return to it. He abjured his country. A ble, a. I can do it,—that is, I am able to do it. Robert is able to swim. Sarah is able to read. A board, ad. in a ship. A school-master abolished an old rule, and made a new one. The abolition of the custom of war, would be a great blessing. A bom i nate, v. a. to hate a thing, and turn away from it with great dislike. We abominate the base conduct of Judas when he betrayed Christ. "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord." Nero, a Roman emperor, was abominable for his cruelty. Ab o rig'i nes, (ab o rīj ́e nēz,) n. the earliest people in a country. The Indians are the aborigines, or aboriginal inhabitants, of America. A bor tive, a. failing, because it takes place before the proper time, or because all was not done that ought to be done. A A The woman tried to bake the bread before the oven was made hot enough, but the attempt was an abortive one. She had to heat the oven over again. bound', v. n. to be full of, to have a great deal of. The trees abound with cherries. There is an abundance of oranges in Cuba. "The Lord is abundant in goodness and truth." bridge, v. a. to make shorter or less. His letter was too long. He wrote it over again, saying the same things in much fewer words. He abridged it. This small Geography is an abridgment. to deprive of. A boy came late to school so often, that the master abridged him of his play-hours. A bōde, n. the place where one lives: Ab rupt, a. broken short and rough, The abode of an Arab is his tent. continuance in a place. He made but a short abode in London. A bõl ish, v. a. to unmake, to put an end to. sudden. The road at first was level. All at once, we began to go down a steep descent. It was abrupt and dangerous. He told John of the death of his father with great abruptness. |