Emily Dickinson Lexicon

area, n. [L. ārea, vacant piece of level ground in a town.]

1. Size; geometric measurement of the total space within lines; [fig.] emotional capacity; ability to withstand stress.
2. Region; expanse; spread; range; scope.

argent, adj. [Fr. < L. argentum, white money, silver.]

Silvery; sparkling; glowing with light; [fig.] starlit; astral.

argue (-d, -s), v. [Fr. < L. argu-ěre, make clear, prove, assert, accuse, blame.] (webplay: belief, conclusions, controvertist, heads, known, man, proof, reasons, truth).

1. Discuss; assert; contend; debate; insist; refute; contradict; rebut; disagree verbally.
2. Prove to; show to; make clear to ; give evidence to.

argument, n. [see argue, v.] (webplay: arch, first, unknown).

1. Evidence; deposition; proof; statement; testimony; witness; [fig.] shining; silvery light; [NW] “In astronomy, an arch by which we seek another unknown arch.”
2. Copious phrase; profuse expression; [fig.] eloquence; silver-tongued melody.

arid, adj. [L. ārid-us, dry, parched with thirst.]

Dry; thirsty; scorched; barren; exhausted of moisture; parched with heat; [fig.] wry; ironic; warped; sardonic; [fig.] tedious; drab; dull; monotonous.

arise, v. [Germanic a, up, out, away + rise, ascend.] (webplay: assault, awake, death, getting up, God, head, hearts, leave, men, new, place, power, put, rise, scattered, sense, small, sun, up).

1. Depart from rest; begin to act; [word play] go up; fly upward.
2. Ascend; emanate; emerge; materialize; move to a higher place, like vapors.
3. Begin to sound; become audible; start up; issue forth.
4. Swell up; surge; begin to grow; start to intensify.
5. Activate; become animated; come to life.
6. Appear to go up, as the sun at dawn; move forward and upward from dawn to noon; [fig.] build up to a climax, as in a drama.
7. Occur; ensue; develop; unfold; transpire.
8. [Personification] get worn as a scarf; be placed upon the head.

aristocracy, n. [L. < Gk 'best rule'.]

Nobility; gentility; upper class; superiority; high level of living; [possible word play on “arise”] social climbing to a higher status.

aristocrat, n. [see aristocracy, n.]

Gentlewoman; patrician; privileged person; someone expecting to be treated as superior; [fig.] creature that arises rapidly, possibly a butterfly.

arithmetic, n. [OFr < L. < Gk 'number', 'art of measure, counting'.]

Computation; calculation; adding up; reckoning; estimation; appraisal; assessment; tallying; [fig.] awareness; esteem; appreciation; recognition.

ark (-s), n. [OE arc, probably < L. arca chest, box, coffer.]

Boat; vessel that Noah built to survive the Flood in Genesis 6-9; [fig.] sanctuary; haven; shelter; refuge.