Emily Dickinson Lexicon

assumption, adj. [see assume, v.]

Winged; designed for flight; devised for ascent to heaven; used for going up into the sky; [fig.] ceremonial; festive; miraculous; transforming; [word play] investiture; clothing taken upon oneself; [word play] consequential; important; significant; designed for graduation to a higher level.

assure (-d), v. [L. ad-, to + sēcūrus, safe; see secure, n. and sure, adj.] (webplay: conviction, persuasion; trusted).

1. Know; understand; be sure; be certain.
2. Confirm; guarantee; promise; pronounce; testify; witness; [word play] give confidence; provide a sure knowledge of one's salvation.
3. Comfort; encourage; hearten; give confidence.

assured, verbal adj. [see assure, v.]

Certain; not doubting that.

assuredly, adv. [see assure, v.]

Certainly; surely; undoubtably.

aster (-s), n. [Gk 'star'.] (webplay: little).

Flower with ray-like petals; kind of plant with many beautiful flowers.

asterisk (-s), n. [L. < Gk 'little star'.] (webplay: name, star).

Punctuation mark * ; star-like marker; typographical indicator; [often used in writing in place of an author's name.]

asteroid, n. [Gk 'star-like'.]

Shooting star; astral debris; pieces of old planets that appear as streaks of light in the earth's atmosphere.

astir, adv. [prothesis; see stir, v.]

1. Alive; living.
2. Awake; arisen; waking up from sleep.
3. Disturbed; upset; moved into chaos; excited.

astonish (-s), v. [Possibly < OFr estone-r, stun, stupify, shock, strike senseless.] (webplay: stop).

Confound; daze; surprise; fill with wonder.

astonished, verbal adj. [see astonish, v.]

Numb with amazement; overwhelmed with wonder.