Dictionary: AM-BI-DEX-TER'I-TY, or AM-BI-DEX'TROUS-NESS – AM'BLING-LY

a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z |

1234567891011121314151617181920
2122232425262728293031323334353637383940
4142434445464748495051525354555657585960
6162636465666768697071727374757677787980
81828384858687888990919293949596979899100
101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140
141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160
161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180
181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200
201202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216217218219220
221222223224225226

AM-BI-DEX-TER'I-TY, or AM-BI-DEX'TROUS-NESS, n.

The faculty of using both hands with equal facility; double dealing; the taking of money from both parties for a verdict.

AM-BI-DEX'TROUS, a.

Having the faculty of using both hands with equal ease; practicing or siding with both parties.

AM'BI-ENT, a. [L. ambiens, from ambio, to go round, from amb, about, and eo, to go.]

Surrounding; encompassing on all sides; investing; applied to fluids or diffusible substances; as, the ambient air. – Milton.

AM-BIG'E-NAL, a. [L. ambo, both, and genu, a knee.]

An ambigenal hyperbola is one of the triple hyperbolas of the second order, having one of its infinite legs falling within an angle formed by the asymptotes, and the other without. – Encyc.

AM'BI-GU, n. [Fr. See Ambiguity.]

An entertainment or feast, consisting of a medley of dishes. – King.

AM-BI-GU'I-TY, n. [L. ambiguitas, from ambigo.]

Doubtfulness or uncertainty of signification, from a word's being susceptible of different meanings; double meaning; as, words should be used which admit of no ambiguity.

AM-BIG'U-OUS, a. [L. ambiguus.]

Having two or more meanings; doubtful; being of uncertain signification; susceptible of different interpretations; hence, obscure. It is applied to words and expressions; not to a dubious state of mind, though it may be to a person using words of doubtful signification; as, the ancient oracles were ambiguous, as were their answers.

AM-BIG'U-OUS-LY, adv.

In an ambiguous manner; with doubtful meaning.

AM-BIG'U-OUS-NESS, n.

The quality of being ambiguous; uncertainty of meaning; ambiguity; and hence, obscurity.

AM-BIL'E-VOUS, a. [L. ambo, both, and lævus, left.]

Left-handed on both sides. [Not in use.] – Brown.

AM-BIL'O-GY, n. [ambo, both, and λογος, speech.]

Talk or language of doubtful meaning.

AM-BIL'O-QUOUS, a. [ambo, both, and loquor, to speak.]

Using ambiguous expressions.

AM'BIT, n. [L. ambitus, a circuit, from ambio, to go about. See Ambient.]

The line that encompasses a thing; in geometry, the perimeter of a figure, or the surface of a body. The periphery or circumference of a circular body. – Johnson. Encyc.

AM-BI'TION, n. [L. ambitio, from ambio, to go about, or to seek by making interest, of amb, about, and eo, to go. See Ambages. This word had its origin in the practice of Roman candidates for office, who went about the city to solicit votes.]

A desire of preferment, or of honor; a desire of excellence or superiority. It is used in a good sense; as, emulation may spring from a laudable ambition. It denotes also an inordinate desire of power, or eminence, often accompanied with illegal means to obtain the object. It is sometimes followed by of; as, a man has an ambition of wit. Milton has used the word in the Latin sense of going about, or attempting; but this sense is hardly legitimate.

AM-BI'TION, v.t. [Fr. ambitioner.]

Ambitiously to seek after. [Little used.] – King.

AM-BI'TION-LESS, a.

Devoid of ambition. – Pollok.

AM-BI'TIOUS, a.

  1. Desirous of power, honor, office, superiority or excellence; aspiring; eager for fame; followed by of before a noun; as, ambitious of glory.
  2. Showy; adapted to command notice or praise; as, ambitious ornaments.
  3. Figuratively, eager to swell or rise higher; as, the ambitious ocean. – Shak.

AM-BI'TIOUS-LY, adv.

In an ambitious manner; with an eager desire after preferment, or superiority.

AM-BI'TIOUS-NESS, n.

The quality of being ambitious; ambition. Being nearly synonymous with ambition, it is not often used.

AM'BI-TUS, n. [L.]

  1. The circumference or exterior edge or border of a thing.
  2. In Roman history, a canvassing for votes by candidates for office.

AM'BLE, n.

A peculiar pace of a horse.

AM'BLE, v.i. [Fr. ambler, from L. ambulo, to walk; Qu. amb, about, and the root of Fr. aller.]

  1. To move with a certain peculiar pace, as a horse, first lifting his two legs on one side, and then changing to the other. – Edin. Encyc.
  2. To move easy, without hard shocks. Him time ambles withal. – Shak.
  3. In a ludicrous sense, to move with submission, or by direction, or to move affectedly. – Johnson.

AM'BLER, n.

A horse which ambles; a pacer.

AM'BLING, ppr. [or adj.]

Lifting the two legs on the some side at first going off, and then changing.

AM'BLING-LY, adv.

With an ambling gait.