Emily Dickinson Lexicon

alike, adv. [see alike, adj.] (webplay: darkness, fashioneth, light).

Equally; similarly; of both; in like manner; to the same degree; in the same way.

aliment, n. [Fr. < L. aliment-um, nourish.]

Food; nourishment; sustenance; life support; essential provisions.

alive, adv. or verbal adj. [OE a + lífe; see life, n.] (webplay: dead, feeling, friend, full, functions, keep, life, man, mind, motion).

1. Living; not dead; in life; having vital functions; able to move, act, feel, choose, perceive, communicate; [fig.] born again; regenerated.
2. Empowered; operating; not destroyed; not extinguished; remaining in full force; continuing in a state of action; having organs performing their functions to sustain existence.
3. Born; in mortality; existing as a human being.

all, adj. [Germanic all; origin uncertain.] (webplay: all along, all the cattle in Egypt died, all the just, all the land, all the years, all things, all thy goods, although, better, citizen, course, dear, degree, desired, difference, ended, entire, every, father, flock, forever, friend, great, heal, held, just, labor, land, large, long, love, moment, nest, number, parallel, part, perfect, person, qualify, safety, same, signification, shake, stake, sum, tree, wealth, whole, wind).

1. Every one of; the entire number of; the whole quantity of.
2. The entirety of (the); the whole of (the).
3. Every; each.
4. The embodiment of.
5. Phrase. “All the”: the only; the sole.
6. Phrase. “All the”: enough; sufficient; ample; adequate.
7. Phrase. “All the while”: the entire time.

all, adv. [see all, adj.] (webplay: all along, cattle, citizen, difference, disposition, entire, every, heal, held, land, long, love, nest, part, tree, wind).

1. Completely; entirely; fully; utterly.
2. The entire way; the whole length.
3. Only; solely; just.
4. Phrase. “All along”: continually; perpetually; constantly; always; throughout life; the entire time.
5. Phrase. “All around/abroad”: in every direction; on every side.
6. Phrase. “All but”: nearly; almost; well nigh; everything short of.
7. Phrase. “All the more”: even more; to a greater degree.
8. Phrase. “At all”: in any way; to any degree; in the least.
9. Phrase. “At all”: even; ever; in the first place.
10. Phrase. “At all”: whatever; whatsoever; of any kind.

all (-'s), n. [see all, adj.] (webplay: better, course, degree, desired, died, difference, ended, enlarge, entire, every, father, fed, forever, friend, great, held, just, land, large, long, love, moment, part, perfect, signification, stake, strength, sum, tree, wealth, whole, wind, year).

1. Everyone; each one; each living being; every person or creature.
2. Everything.
3. The entire amount; the grand total.
4. The only thing; the sole item; the whole issue.
5. The only creatures; the only ones.
6. Every other one.
7. [Fig.] eternity.
8. [Fig.] fortune; huge amount; high stakes; entire sum gambled for in a game of chance.
9. [Fig.] riches; wealth.
10. Phrase. “After all”: truly; actually; in reality; in the end; when everything is said and done.

alley (-s), n. [Fr. alee, walk, passage.]

Walkway; garden path; narrow passage; lane only wide enough for foot travel.

allot (-ed), v. [OFr à + loter, divide into portions; OE hlot.] (webplay: share).

Divide between; apportion to; grant to; allocate to; give to; bestow upon.

allow (-ed), v. [OFr < L. allaudā-re, praise and L. allocā-re, place, bestow.] (webplay: compensation, fathers, freedom allowable among friends, give, justify, limited, permit, truth).

1. Permit; let; give leave to; tolerate of.
2. Afford; concede; grant; yield.

alloy (-s), v. [Mod Fr. < L. alligā-re, combine.] (webplay: gold).

Mix; combine; blend; [irony] decrease or increase the quality of a less valuable substance by adding a more valuable one; [fig.] temper; modify; strengthen or weaken; [NW says: alloying reduces the purity of silver or gold by mixing it with a metal that is less valuable, but Dickinson reverses the meaning by implying that “our firmer moments” may also increase in value when alloyed with the “severest gold” of memories.]