Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A-CHIEV-ANCE, n.

Performance. Elyot.

A-CHIEVE', v.t. [Fr. achever, to finish; Arm. acchui; old Fr. chever, to come to the end, from Fr. chef, the head or end; old Eng. cheve; Sp. and Port. acabar, from cabo, end, cape. See Chief.]

1. To perform, or execute; to accomplish; to finish, or carry on to a final close. It is appropriately used for the effect of efforts made by the hand or bodily exertion, as, deeds achieved by valor.
2. To gain or obtain, as the result of exertion. Show all the spoils by valiant kings achieved. Prior.

A-CHIEV'ED, pp.

Performed; obtained; accomplished.

A-CHIEVE-MENT, n.

1. The performance of an action.
2. A great or heroic deed; something accomplished by valor, or boldness.
3. An obtaining by exertion.
4. An escutcheon or ensigns armorial, granted for the performance of a great or honorable action. Encyc.

A-CHIEV'ER, n.

One who accomplishes a purpose, or obtains an object by his exertions.

A-CHIEV'ING, ppr.

Performing; executing; gaining.

A'CH-ING, n.

Pain; continued pain or distress.

A'CH-ING, ppr. [See Ache.]

Being in pain; suffering distress.

A'CHI-OTE, n.

The anotta, a tree, and a drug used for dyeing red. The bark of the tree makes good cordage, and the wood is used to excite fire by friction. [See Anotta.] Clavigero.

A-CHLAM-YD'E-OUS, a. [α neg. and Gr. {foreign}, a garment.]

In botany, naked, having no floral envelop. Lindley.

ACH'MITE, n.

Achmitic augite spar. Shepard.

A'CHOR, n. [Gr. {foreign}, sordes capitis.]

1. The scald head, a disease forming scaly eruptions, supposed to be a critical evacuation of acrimonious humors; a species of herpes. Hooper. Quincy.
2. In mythology, the god of flies, said to have been worshiped by the Cyreneans, to avoid being vexed by those insects. Encyc.

A-CHRO-MAT'IC, a. [Gr. {foreign} and {foreign}, color.]

Destitute of color. Achromatic telescopes are formed of a combination of lenses, which separate the variously colored rays of light to equal angles of divergence, at different angles of refraction of the mean ray. In this case, the rays being made to refract towards contrary parts, the whole ray is caused to deviate from its course, without being separated into colors, and the optical aberration arising from the various colors of light, is prevented. This telescope is an invention of Dollond. Nicholson.

ACH-RO-MA-TICI-TY, n.

State of being achromatic.

ACH-ROMA-TISM, n. [Gr. {foreign}. and {foreign}, color.]

The destruction of the primary colors, which accompany the image of an object seen through a prism or lens. Brande.

ACH'Y-RITE, n.

See Dioptase.

A-CICU-LAE, n. plur. [L. acicula.]

The prickles of some animals. Knowles.

A-CIC'U-LAR, a. [L. acicula, Priscian, a needle, from Gr. {foreign}, L. acics, a point. See Acid.]

In the shape of a needle; having sharp points like needles. Kirwan. Martyn. An acicular prism is when the crystals are slender and straight. Phillips.

A-CIC'U-LAR-LY, adv.

In the manner of needles, or prickles.

AC'ID, a. [L. acidus; Sax. æced, vinegar; from the root of acies, edge; Gr. {foreign}; W. awe, an edge or point. Set Edge.]

Sour, sharp or biting to the taste, having the taste of vinegar, as acid fruits or liquors.

AC'ID, n.

A compound capable of uniting with salifiable bases and thereby forming salts. An acid may be composed either of a simple or compound acidifiable base united with one or more acidifying principles. Those acids which were first recognized were sour to the taste (hence the name) and capable of reddening blue vegetable colors. Many acids are now known which have neither of these properties. An acid is always the electro-negative ingredient of a salt.

AC-I-DIF'ER-OUS, a. [Acid and L. fero.]

Containing acids, or an acid. Acidiferous minerals are such as consist of an earth combined with an acid; as carbonate of lime, aluminite, &c. Phillips.

A-CID'I-FI-A-BLE, a. [From Acidify.]

Capable of being converted into an acid, by union with an acidifying principle.

A-CID-I-FI-CA'TION, n.

The act or process of acidifying or changing into an acid.

A-CID'I-FI-ED, pp.

Made acid; converted into an acid.