ALT AM A

17 559 Fite 73, fur 77, fall 83, fit81—me 93, met 95—pine 105, pin 107—ni 102,m5vel(«,

ALTAR, al'lnr, a. 84,98. The place whereofferings to Heaven are laid ; the table inChristian chinches where the communion isadministered.

ALTARAGE, al'tur-Jije, s. 90. An emolu-ment from oblations at the altar.ALTAR-CLOTH , al'tur-cltfth, a, The cloth thrown over the altar in churches.

To ALTER, al'lnr, v. a. 41S. To change, to

make otherwise than it is.

To ALTER, al'lur, t\ n. To become otherwisetitan it wni, to be changed, to suffer change.ALTERABLE, al'tur-a-bl, a. That whichmav he altered or changed.ALTERA15LENESS, al'tQr-a-bl-ness, s.

The quality of being alterable.ALTERABLY, al'tur-a-ble, ad. In such amanner as may be altered.

ALTERANT, al'tur-ant, a. 555. That whichhas the power of producing changes.ALTERATION, al'tur-a'shun, s. The act ofaltering or changing ; the change made.ALTERATIVE, al'tur-u-tfv, a. Medicinescalled alterative are such as have no immedi-ate sensible operation, but gradually gain uponthe constitution.

ALTERCATION, iil-tur-k&'shun, s. Debate,controversy, 81.

fCt The first syllable of Uns word, and of the sixteenthat follow it, except although , are subject to a doublepronunciation, between which it is not very easy todecide. There is a general rule in the language, thatl, followed by another consonant, gives the precedinga its broad sound, as in sa.'t. This rule is subject toseveral exception?, IH; and if we take in these wordsinto liie exceptions, (here is some doubt of the ex-ceptions becoming the general rule. But the a inquestion is now so generally pronounced, as in the firstsyllable of alley, valley, &c. that wc should risk theimputation of inaccuracy to sound it otherwise. Mr.Sheridan, Dr. Kenriek, and Mr. Scott, are uniformlyfor this latter sound of a. Mr. Perry marks all inthe same manner, except altercate and aitcrcqtlon ,and W. Johnston has only the words altercation andalternative, which lie pronounces in the former man-ner. It is certain that the former was the true Anglo- Saxon sound, and it is highly probable that the latterhas only obtained within these few years, in wordsobviously derived from the Latin as these are; butthere seems to be a grossness in one sound, and aneatness in (he other, which has so decidedly givenone of them the preference.

ALTERN, ill-tern', a. 84,98. Actingby turns.ALTF.RNACY, ill-ter'nil-se, s. 84. Actionperformed bv turns.

ALTERNATE, M-ter'nite, a. 91. Being byturns, reciprocal.

To ALTERNATE, sll-ter'nite, e. a. 91. Toperform alternately ; to change one thing foranother reciprocally.

ALTERNATELY, al-tgr'n&te-le, ad. In re-ciprocal succession. ,

ALTERNATENESS, al-tMiate-nes, s . The

quality of being alternate.

ALTERNATION, 4l-tur-n2t'shun, s. Thereciprocal succession of things. 555.ALTERNATIVE, iil-ter mi-tiv, s. 158. Thechoice given of two things, so that, if one berejected, the other mus, be taken.

A LTERNATIVKLY, al-Un'na-dv-le, ad. Byturns, reciprocally.

ALTERNATIVENESS, ill-ter'nu-dv-nes, s.•-See Altercation. The quality or stale ofbeing alternative.

ALTERN1TY, 4l-tt*r'ne-te, s. 98. Reciprocalsuccession, vicissitude.

22

ALTHOUGH, hI-tho', conj. 84. Notwith-standing, however.

ALTILOQUKNCE>al-L 1 'lo-kwens*V- 1>on I"

pous language. 98.

ALTIMETRY, 4l-tlni'me-tre, .s. 518.The artof taking or measuring altitudes or heights.ALTISONANT, 41-ds'so-nant, a. 518. Highsounding, pompous in sound.

ALTITUDE, fll'tc-tude, s. Height of place,space measured upward ; the elevation of anyof the heavenly bodies above the horizon, situ-ation with regard to Iwwer things; height ofexcellence; highest point.

ALTOGETHER, al-ti-g2th'ur,a<i. Complete-ly, without restriction, without exception.ALUDEL, ttl'u-del, s. Aludcls arc sublim-ing pots used in chymistry, fitted into one an-other without luting.

ALUM, al'lum, s. A kind of mineral salt, ofan acid taste.

ALUM-STONE, aHum-stone, a. A stone orcalx used in surgery.

ALUMINOUS,sU-lu'me-nus, a. Relating toalum, or consisting of alum.

ALWAYS, al'w&ze, ad. 84. Perpetually,throughout all time ; constantly, without vari-ation.

AM, 4m, The first person of the verb To be.AMABILITY, am-A-bll'i-te, s. 511. Love-liness. 527.

AMADETTO, am-a-det'tA, s. A sort of pear.AMADOT, Am'A-dAt, s. 503. A sort of pear.AMAIN, a-mune', ad. With vehemence,with vigour.

AMALGAM , 4-m4l'g&m, }s. The mix-

AMALGAMA, d-inal'ga-nm, £ ture of me-tals procured by amalgamation. 84.AMALGAMATION, 4-mal-ga-ma'shun, s.84.—See Alteration. The act or practice ofamalgamating metals.

To AMALGAMATE, d-mill'ga-mate, v.n.

To unite metals with quicksilver.AMANDATION, ani-iln-da'shun, Theact of sending on n message. 527.

AMANUENSIS, 4-man-u-^n'sis, s. A per-son who writes what another dictates.AMARANTH, ilm';l-runf/i, s. The mime of aplant; ill poetry, an hmiginan (lower unfailing.AMARANTIHNE, am-a-nin't/iin, «. Con-sisting of amaranths, 150.

£3* Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Perry, pro-nounce the i in the last syllable of this word Hum l, asit is here marked.

AM ARITUDE,il-mar're-tude,s. 81.Bitterness.AMASMENT, 4-mAs'ment, s. A heap, anaccumulation.

£3* This word is speded with ones by Dr. Johnson,but undoubtedly ought to have double s as well ascessment, embossment, and embarrassment.

To AMASS, 4-mis', r. a . To collect togetherinto one heap or mass ; to add one thing toanother.

ToAMATE, 4-mate', t\ n. To terrify, tostrike with horror-

AMATORY, am'4-tur-rc, s. 512. Relatingto love. 555.

AMAUROSIS, am-au-rtVsls, s. 520. A dim-ness of sight, not from any visible defect in theeye, but from sonic dLtemperature in the innerparts, occasioning the representations of ilicsand dust floating before the eyes.

To AMAZE, A-m&zc', t\ a. To confuse with