Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ascension, n. [see ascend, v.]

Act of rising; ability to go up; [fig.] resurrection.

ascertain (-ed), v. [see certain, adj.] (webplay: ascertain a majority in the House, certainty, fact, know, majority, mind, truth).

1. Witness; verify; certify; see firsthand; personally experience; gain direct knowledge of.
2. Understand; comprehend; discern; discover; read.
3. Define; examine; measure.
4. Examine; explore; scrutinize; investigate; inspect.
5. Perceive; realize; recognize.

ascetic, adj. [Gk 'monk', 'hermit', 'exercised, hardened'.]

Abstemious; austere; celibate; reclusive; rigorous; spare; engaged in devotions and mortifications; [fig.] colder and less colorful; less beautiful in nature.

ascribe, v. [OFr < L. ad, to + scrīb-ěre, write.]

Attribute; acknowledge; recognize; give credit to.

a'self, pron. [see self, n.]

True identity; own soul; inner being.

ashamed, adj. [see shame, n.] (webplay: bashfully, blush, conviction, pride).

1. Awkward; shy; modest; reticent; timid; vulnerable; lacking confidence; reluctant because of fear.
2. Abashed; chagrined; embarrassed; uncomfortable; uneasy; less worthy.
3. Phrase. “[Be] ashamed to”: degraded; disgraced; dishonored; embarrassed; humiliated; reluctant.
4. Phrase. “[Be] ashamed of”: embarrassed by; afraid to acknowledge; unwilling to associate with.

ashes, plural n. [OE asce.] (webplay: burnt, earthy, remain, whitish gray).

1. Remains; mortal elements; remnants of decomposition; corruptible body after death; (see Jeremiah 31:40).
2. Soft grey combustion residue; particles left after fire burns a combustible substance.

ashine, v. [see shine, v.]

Glowing with stars; adorned with light; [prothesis] shining; a'shining.

ashore, adv. [see shore, n.] (webplay: land).

Landing on the coast; coming to the beach; arriving at land from the sea; [lit.] on the shore; [fig.] in paradise; in heaven; achieving everlasting life.

Asia, proper n. [L. < Gk < Akkadian asu, 'to go out, to rise'; or Sanskrit ushas, land of the dawn.]

North-eastern hemisphere; large landmass east of Europe; continent of high mountains, world religions, and great natural resources; region including the Middle East, the Far East, the Indian peninsula, and the Malay peninsula; [historical] Asia Minor; cradle of civilization; place where Adam and Eve lived (see ED letters); [fig.] jungle; exotic identity; lush homeland; luxuriant native country; life-giving place of origin; domicile of tigers and other big cats.