Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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. Soft grey combustion residue; particles left after fire burns a combustible substance.
2. Remains; mortal elements; remnants of decomposition; corruptible body after death.

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.

Asiatic, proper adj. [see Asia, proper n.]

1. Profuse; torrential; flooding; monsoon; inundating; abundant; jungle-like; rain forest; [fig.] discouraging; impeding; hindering; obstructing.
2. Temperate; balmy; moderate; mellow; [fig.] Edenic; Buddhist; meditative; peaceful; hopeful; tranquil; restorative; springtime; paradisiacal; nirvana-like.

aside, adv. [OE an-, on + síde; see side, n.]

Away; apart; off; down; out of sight; separate from a person or person's attention.

ask (-ed, -eth, -ing, -s), v. [OE ascian.] (webplay: age, answer, ask and it shall be given you, ask guests to a wedding, beg, bread, claim, demand, favor, friend, God, house, inquire, more, name, obtain, pray, press, price, request, require, seek, silently, step, words).

1. Inquire; request knowledge of; seek to know.
2. Interrogate; question; inquire of.
3. Request; desire; hope; call for (see Matthew 7:7).
4. Pray; beseech God; implore Deity.
5. Require; demand.
6. Invite.
7. Seek permission.
8. Search; inquire about the presence or location of.
9. Phrase. “Ask for”: request; demand; require.

askew, adj. [origin unknown; possibly < Germanic schief.]

Lob-sided; awry; slanted; leaning in one direction; [fig.] oblique; obscure; circuitous; indirect; paradoxical; looking from two different angles; (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-43).