Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
TERRE-VERTE — TETRIC
TERRE-VERTE, n. A species of green earth, used by painters. It is an indurated clay, found in the earth in large flat masses, imbedded in strata of other species of earth. It is of a fine regular structure, and of a smooth glossy surface. It is found in Cyprus, France and Italy.
TERREL, n. [from terra.] Little earth, a magnet of a just spherical figure, and so placed that its poles, equator, etc. correspond exactly to those of the world.
TERRENE, a. [L. terrenus, form terra.]
1. Pertaining to the earth; earthy; as terrene substance.
2. Earthly; terrestrial.
God set before him a mortal and immortal life, a nature celestial and terrene.
TERREOUS, a. [L. terreus, from terra, earth.] Earthy; consisting of earth; as terreous substances; terreous particles.
TERRESTRIAL, a. [L. terrestris, from terra, the earth.]
1. Pertaining to the earth; existing on the earth; as terrestrial animals; bodies terrestrial. 1 Corinthians 15:40.
2. Consisting of earth; as the terrestrial globe.
3. Pertaining to the world, or to the present state; sublunary. Death puts and end to all terrestrial scenes.
TERRESTRIALLY, adv. After an earthly manner.
TERRESTRIOUS, a. Earthy. [Little used.]
1. Pertaining to the earth; being or living on the earth; terrestrial.
TERRIBLE, a. [L. terribilis, from terreo, to frighten.]
1. Frightful; adapted to excite terror; dreadful; formidable.
Prudent in peace, and terrible in war.
The form of the image was terrible. Daniel 2:31.
2. Adapted to impress dread, terror or solemn awe and reverence.
The Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. Deuteronomy 7:21.
Let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy. Psalm 99:3.
He hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Deuteronomy 10:21.
3. adv. Severely; very; so as to give pain; as terrible cold; a colloquial phrase.
TERRIBLENESS, n. Dreadfulness; formidableness; the quality or state of being terrible; as the terribleness of a sight.
TERRIBLY, adv. Dreadfully; in a manner to excite terror or fright.
When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Isaiah 2:19.
1. Violently; very greatly.
The poor man squalled terribly.
TERRIER, n. A dog or little hound, that creeps into the ground after animals that burrow.
1. A lodge or hole where certain animals, as foxes, rabbits, badgers and the like, secure themselves.
2. Originally, a collection of acknowledgments of the vassals or tenants of a lordship, containing the rents and services they owed to the lord, etc.; at present, a book or roll in which the lands of private persons or corporations are described by their site, boundaries, number of acres, etc.
3. A wimble, auger or borer. [L. tero.]
TERRIFIC, a. [L. terrifieus, from terreo, terror, and facio.]
Dreadful; causing terror; adapted to excite great fear or dread; as a terrific form; terrific sight.
TERRIFIED, pp. Frightened; affrighted.
TERRIFY, v.t. [L. terror and facio, to make.]
To frighten; to alarm or shock with fear.
They were terrified and affrighted. Luke 24:37.
When ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified. Luke 21:9; Job 7:14.
TERRIFYING, ppr. Frightening; affrighting.
TERRIGENOUS, a. [L. terrigena, one born of the earth; terra and gigno.] Earthborn; produced by the earth.
TERRITORIAL, a. [from territory.] Pertaining to territory or land; as territorial limits; territorial jurisdiction.
1. Limited to a certain district. Rights may be personal or territorial.
TERRITORIALLY, adv. In regard to territory; by means of territory.
TERRITORY, n. [L. territorium, from terra, earth.]
1. The extent or compass of land within the bounds or belonging to the jurisdiction of any state, city or other body.
Linger not in my territories.
They erected a house within their own territory.
Arts and sciences took their rise and flourished only in those small territories where the people were free.
2. A tract of land belonging to and under the dominion of a prince or state, lying at a distance from the parent country or from the seat of government; as the territories of the East India Company; the territories of the United States; the territory of Michigan; Northwest Territory. These districts of country, when received into the union and acknowledged to be states, lose the appellation of territory.
TERROR, n. [L. terror, from terreo, to frighten.]
1. Extreme fear; violent dread; fright; fear that agitates the body and mind.
The sword without, and terror within. Deuteronomy 32:25.
The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. Job 6:4.
2. That which may excite dread; the cause of extreme fear.
Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Romans 13:3.
Those enormous terrors of the Nile.
3. In Scripture, the sudden judgments of God are called terrors. Psalm 73:19.
4. The threatenings of wicked men, or evil apprehended from them. 1 Peter 3:14.
5. Awful majesty, calculated to impress fear. 2 Corinthians 5:11.
6. Death is emphatically styled the king of terrors.
TERSE, a. ters. [L. tersus, from tergo, to wipe.]
Cleanly written; neat; elegant without pompousness; as terse language; a terse style.
Diffus’d, yet terse, poetical, though plain.
TERSELY, adv. ters’ly. Neatly.
TERSENESS, n. ters’ness. Neatness of style; smoothness of language.
TER-TENANT, n. The occupant of land.
TERTIALS, n. In ornithology, feathers near the junction of the wing with the body.
TERTIAN, a. [L. tertianus, from tertius, third.]
Occurring every other day; as a tertian fever.
TERTIAN, n. A disease or fever whose paroxysms return every other day; an intermittent occurring after intervals of about forty eight hours.
1. A measure of 84 gallons, the third part of a tun.
TERTIARY, a. Third; of the third formation. Tertiary mountains are such as result from the ruins of other mountains promiscuously heaped together.
Tertiary formation, in geology, a series of horizontal strata, more recent than chalk beds, consisting chiefly of sand and clay, and frequently embracing vast quantities of organic remains of the larger animals. It comprehends the alluvial formation, which embraces those deposits only which have resulted from causes still in operation; and the diluvial formation, which is constituted of such deposits as are supposed to have been produced by the deluge.
TERTIATE, v.t. [L. tertius, third; tertio, to do every third day.]
1. To do any thing the third time.
2. To examine the thickness of the metal at the muzzle of a gun; or in general, to examine the thickness to ascertain the strength of ordnance.
TESSELATE, v.t. [L. tessela, a little square stone.]
To form into squares or checkers; to lay with checkered work.
TESSELATED, pp. Checkered; formed in little squares or mosaic work; as a tesselated pavement.
1. In botany, spotted or checkered like a chess board; as a tesselated leaf.
TESSELATION, n. Mosaic work, or the operation of making it.
TESSARAIC, a. [L. tessera, a square thing.]
Diversified by squares; tesselated.
TEST, n. [L. testa, an earthen pot.]
1. In metallurgy, a large cupel, or a vessel in the nature of a cupel, formed of wood ashes and finely powdered brick dust, in which metals are melted for trial and refinement.
2. Trial; examination by the cupel; hence, any critical trial and examination.
Thy virtue, prince, has stood the test of fortune.
Like purest gold--
3. Means of trial.
Each test and every light her muse will bear.
4. That with which any thing is compared for proof of its genuineness; a standard.
--Life, force and beauty must of all impart,
At once the source, the end and test of art.
5. Discriminative characteristic; standard.
Our test excludes your tribe from benefit.
6. Judgment; distinction.
Who would excel, when few can make a test
Betwixt indifferent writing and the best?
7. In chimistry, a substance employed to detect any unknown constituent of a compound, by causing it to exhibit some known property. Thus ammonia is a test of copper, because it strikes a blue color with that metal, by which a minute quantity of it can be discovered when in combination with other substances.
TEST, n. [L. testis, a witness, properly one that affirms.]
In England, an oath and declaration against transubstantiation, which all officers, civil and military, are obliged to take within six months after their admission. They were formerly obliged also to receive the sacrament, according to the usage of the church of England. These requisitions are made by Stat. 25 Charles II. which is called the test act. The test of 7 Jac. 1. was removed in 1753.
TEST, v.t. To compare with a standard; to try; to prove the truth or genuineness of any thing by experiment or by some fixed principle or standard; as, to test the soundness of a principle; to test the validity of an argument.
The true way of testing its character, is to suppose it [the system] will be persevered in.
Experience is the surest standard by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution.
To test this position--
In order to test the correctness of this system--
This expedient has been already tested.
1. To attest and date; as a writing tested on such a day.
2. In metallurgy, to refine gold or silver by means of lead, in a test, by the destruction, vitrification or scarification of all extraneous matter.
TESTABLE, a. [L. testor. See Testament.]
That may be devised or given by will.
TESTACEOGRAPHY, n. [See Testaceology.]
TESTACEOLOGY, TESTALOGY, n. [L. testacea, or testa.] The science of testaceous vermes, or of those soft and simple animals which have a testaceous covering; a branch of vermeology. [Words thus formed of two languages are rather anomalous, and the first for its length is very objectionable.]
TESTACEOUS, a. [L. testaceus, from testa, a shell. The primary sense of testa, testis, testor, etc. is to thrust or drive; hence the sense of hardness, compactness, in testa and testis; and hence the sense of attest, context, detest, testator, testament, all implying a sending, driving, etc.]
Pertaining to shells; consisting of a hard shell, or having a hard continuous shell.
Testaceous animals are such as have a strong thick entire shell, as oysters and clams; and are thus distinguished from crustaceous animals, whose shells are more thin and soft, and consist of several pieces jointed, as lobsters.
Testaceous medicines, are all preparations of shells and like substances, as the powders of crabs’ claws, pearl, etc.
TESTAMENT, n. [L. testamentum, from testor, to make a will.]
1. A solemn authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his will as to the disposal of his estate and effects after his death. This is otherwise called a will. A testament, to be valid, must be made when the testator is of sound mind, and it must be subscribed, witnessed and published in such manner as the law prescribes.
A man in certain cases may make a valid will by words only, and such will is called nuncupative.
2. The name of each general division of the canonical books of the sacred Scriptures; as the Old Testament; the New Testament. The name is equivalent to covenant, and in our use of it, we apply it to the books which contain the old and new dispensations; that of Moses, and that of Jesus Christ.
TESTAMENTARY, a. Pertaining to a will or to wills; as testamentary causes in law.
1. Bequeathed by will; given by testament; as testamentary charities.
2. Done by testament or will.
Testamentary guardian of a minor, is one appointed by the deed or will of a father, until the child becomes of age.
TESTAMENTATION, n. The act or power of giving by will. [Little used.]
TESTATE, a. [L. testatus.] Having made and left a will; as, a person is said to die testate.
TESTATION, n. [L. testatio.] A witnessing or witness.
TESTATOR, n. [L.] A man who makes and leaves a will or testament at death.
TESTATRIX, n. A woman who makes and leaves a will at death.
TESTED, pp. Tried or approved by a test.
TESTER, n. The top covering of a bed, consisting of some species of cloth, supported by the bedstead.
TESTER, TESTON, n. A French coin, of the value of about six pence sterling.
TESTICLE, n. [L. testiculus; literally a hard mass, like testa, shell.] The testicles are male organs of generation, consisting of glandular substances, whose office is to secrete the fecundating fluid.
TESTICULATE, a. In botany, shaped like a testicle.
TESTIFICATION, n. [L. testificatio. See Testify.]
The act of testifying or giving testimony or evidence; as a direct testification of our homage to God.
TESTIFICATOR, n. One who gives witness or evidence.
TESTIFIED, pp. [from testify.] Given in evidence; witnessed; published; made known.
TESTIFIER, n. [from testify.] One who testifies; one who gives testimony or bears witness to prove any thing.
TESTIFY, v.i. [L. testificor; testis and facio.]
1. To make a solemn declaration, verbal or written, to establish some fact; to give testimony for the purpose of communicating to others a knowledge of something not known to them.
Jesus needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. John 2:25.
2. In judicial proceedings, to make a solemn declaration under oath, for the purpose of establishing or making proof of some act to a court; to give testimony in a cause depending before a tribunal.
One witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Numbers 35:30.
3. To declare a charge against one.
O Israel, I will testify against thee. Psalm 50:7.
4. To protest; to declare against.
I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. Nehemiah 13:15.
TESTIFY, v.t. To affirm or declare solemnly for the purpose of establishing a fact.
We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen. John 3:11.
1. In law, to affirm or declare under oath before tribunal, for the purpose of proving some fact.
2. To bear witness to; to support the truth of by testimony.
To testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24.
3. To publish and declare freely.
Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21.
TESTIFYING, ppr. Affirming solemnly or under oath, for the purpose of establishing a fact; giving testimony; bearing witness; declaring.
TESTILY, adv. [from testy.] Fretfully; peevishly; with petulance.
TESTIMONIAL, n. [L. testimonium.] A writing or certificate in favor of one’s character or good conduct. Testimonials are required on many occasions. A person must have testimonials of his learning and good conduct, before he can obtain license to preach. Testimonials are to be signed by persons of known respectability of character.
TESTIMONY, n. [L. testimonium.] A solemn declaration or affirmation made for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact. Such affirmation in judicial proceedings, may be verbal or written, but must be under oath. Testimony differs from evidence; testimony is the declaration of a witness, and evidence is the effect of that declaration on the mind, or the degree of light which it affords.
1. Affirmation; declaration. These doctrines are supported by the uniform testimony of the fathers. The belief of past facts must depend on the evidence of human testimony, or the testimony of historians.
2. Open attestation; profession.
Thou for the testimony of truth hast borne
Universal reproach.
3. Witness; evidence; proof of some fact.
Shake off the dust under your feet, for a testimony against them. Mark 6:11.
4. In Scripture, the two tables of the law.
Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. Exodus 25:16.
5. The book of the law.
He brought forth the king’s son--and gave him the testimony. 2 Kings 11:12.
6. The gospel, which testifies of Christ and declares the will of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1; 2 Timothy 1:8.
7. The ark. Exodus 16:34.
8. The word of God; the Scriptures.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple Psalm 19:7.
9. The laws or precepts of God. “I love thy testimonies.” “I have kept thy testimonies.”
10. That which is equivalent to a declaration; manifestation.
Sacrifices were appointed by God for a testimony of his hatred of sin.
11. Evidence suggested to the mind; as the testimony of conscience. 2 Corinthians 1:12.
12. Attestation; confirmation.
TESTIMONY, v.t. To witness. [Not in use.]
TESTINESS, n. [from testy.] Fretfulness; peevishness; petulance.
Testiness is a disposition or aptness to be angry.
TESTING, ppr. [from test.] Trying for proof; proving by a standard or by experiment.
A plan for testing alkalies--
TESTING, n. The act of trying for proof.
1. In metallurgy, the operation of refining large quantities of gold or silver by means of lead, in the vessel called a test. In this process, the extraneous matter is vitrified, scarified or destroyed, and the metal left pure. This operation is performed in the manner of cupellation.
TESTOON, n. A silver coin in Italy and Portugal. In Florence, the testoon is worth two lire or three paoli, about seventeen pence sterling, or thirty two cents. At Lisbon, the testoon, as a money of account, is valued at 100 rees, about seven pence sterling, or twelve and a half cents.
TEST-PAPER, n. A paper impregnated with a chimical re-agent, as litmus, etc.
TESTUDINAL, a. Pertaining to the tortoise, or resembling it.
TESTUDINATED, a. [L. testudo, a tortoise.] Roofed; arched.
TESTUDINEOUS, a. Resembling the shell of a tortoise.
TESTUDO, n. [L.] A tortoise. Among the Romans, a cover or screen which a body of troops formed with their shields or targets, by holding them over their heads when standing close to each other. This cover resembled the back of a tortoise, and served to shelter the men from darts, stones, and other missiles. A similar defense was sometimes formed of boards and moved on wheels.
1. In medicine, a broad soft tumor between the skull and the skin, called also talpa or mole, as resembling the subterraneous windings of the tortoise or mole.
TESTY, a. Fretful; peevish; petulant; easily irritated.
Pyrrbus cured his testy courtiers with a kick.
Must I stand and crouch under your testy humor?
TETANUS, n. [Gr. stretched.] A spasmodic contraction of the muscles of voluntary motion, particularly of those which shut the lower jaw; the locked jaw.
TETAUG, n. The name of a fish on the coast of New England; called also black fish.
TETCHINESS, TETCHY See Techiness, Techy. [corrupted from touchy, touchiness.] [Not in use.]
TETE, n. False hair; a kind of wig or cap of false hair.
Tete-a-tete, head to head; cheek by jowl; in private.
TETHER, n. [See Tedder.] A rope or chain by which a beast is confined for feeding within certain limits.
TETHER, v.t. To confine, as a beast, with a rope or chain for feeding within certain limits. [It would be well to write this word uniformly tedder.]
TETRACHORD, n. [Gr. four, and a chord.] In ancient music, a diatessaron; a series of four sounds, of which the extremes, or first and last, constituted a fourth. These extremes were immutable; the two middle sounds were changeable.
TETRAD, n. [Gr. the number four.] The number four; a collection of four things.
TETRADACTYLOUS, a. [Gr.] Having four toes.
TETRADIAPASON, n. [Gr. four, and diapason.] Quadruple diapason or octave; a musical chord, otherwise called a quadruple eighth or twenty ninth.
TETRADRACHMA, n. [Gr.] In ancient coinage, a silver coin worth four drachmas, 3s. sterling, or 66 2/3 cents; the drachma being estimated at 9d. sterling, or 16 2/3 cents.
TETRADYNAMIAN, n. [Gr. power, strength.] In botany, a plant having six stamens, four of which are longer than the others.
TETRADYNAMIAN, a. Having six stamens, four or which are uniformly longer than the others.
TETRAGON, n. [Gr. four, and an angle.]
1. In geometry, a figure having four angles; a quadrangle; as a square, a rhombus, etc.
2. In astrology, an aspect of two planets with regard to the earth, when they are distant from each other ninety degrees, or the fourth of a circle.
TETRAGONAL, a. Pertaining to a tetragon; having four angles or sides. Thus a square, a parallelogram, a rhombus, and a trapezium, are tetragonal figures.
1. In botany, having four prominent longitudinal angles, as a stem.
TETRAGONISM, n. The quadrature of the circle.
TETRAGYN, n. [Gr. four, and a female.] In botany, a plant having four pistils.
TETRAGYNIAN, a. Having four pistils.
TETRAHEDRAL, a. [See Tetrahedron.]
1. Having four equal triangles.
2. In botany, having four sides, as a pod or silique.
TETRAHEDRON, n. [Gr. four, and side.] In geometry, a figure comprehended under four equilateral and equal triangles; or one of the five regular Platonic bodies of that figure.
TETRAHEXAHEDRAL, a. [Gr. four, and hexahedral.] In crystallography, exhibiting four ranges of faces, one above another, each range containing six faces.
TETRAMETER, n. [Gr. four, and measure.] In ancient poetry, an iambic verse consisting of four feet, found in the comic poets.
A verse consisting of four measures or eight feet.
TETRANDER, n. [Gr. four and a male.] In botany, a plant having four stamens.
TETRANDRIAN, a. Having four stamens.
TETRAPETALOUS, a. [Gr. four, and leaf.] In botany, containing four distinct petals or flower leaves; as a tetrapetalous corol.
TETRAPHYLLOUS, a. [Gr. four and leaf.] In botany, having four leaves; consisting of four distinct leaves or leaflets; as a tetraphyllous calyx.
TETRAPTOTE, n. [Gr. four, and case.] In grammar, a noun that has four cases only. As L. astus, etc.
TETRARCH, n. [Gr. four, and rule.] A Roman governor of the fourth part of a province; a subordinate prince. In time, this word came to denote any petty king or sovereign.
TETRARCHATE, n. The fourth part of a province under a Roman tetrarch; or the office or jurisdiction of a tetrarch.
TETRARCHICAL, a. Pertaining to a tetrarchy.
TETRARCHY, n. The same as tetrarchate.
TETRASPERMOUS, n. [Gr. four, and seed.] In botany, containing four seeds.
A tetraspermous plant, is one which produces four seeds in each flower, as the rough-leaved or verticillate plants.