Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A-DUL'TER-Y, n. [L. adulterium. See Adulterate.]

1. Violation of the marriage bed; a crime, or a civil injury, which introduces, or may introduce, into a family, a spurious offspring. By the laws of Connecticut, the sexual intercourse of any man with a married woman, is the crime of adultery in both; such intercourse of a married man with an unmarried woman, is fornication in both, and adultery of the man, within the meaning of the law respecting divorce; but not a felonious adultery in either, or the crime of adultery at common law, or by statute. This latter offense is, in England, proceeded with only in the ecclesiastical courts. In common usage, adultery means the unfaithfulness of any married person to the marriage bed. In England, Parliament grant absolute divorces for infidelity to the marriage bed in either party; and the spiritual courts divorce a mensa et toro.
2. In a Scriptural sense, all manner of lewdness or unchastity, as in the seventh commandment.
3. In Scripture, idolatry, or apostasy from the true God. Jer. iii.
4. In old laws, the fine and penalty imposed for the offense of adultery.
5. In ecclesiastical affairs, the intrusion of a person into a bishopric, during the life of the bishop. Encyc.
6. Among ancient naturalists, the grafting of trees was called adultery, being considered as an unnatural union. Pliny.

A-DULT'NESS, n.

The state of being adult.

AD-UM'BRANT, a. [See Adumbrate.]

Giving a faint shadow, or slight resemblance.

AD-UM'BRATE, v.t. [L. adumbro, to shade, from umbra, a shade; Fr. ombre; Sp. sombra; It. ombra.]

To give a faint shadow, or slight likeness; to exhibit a faint resemblance, like a shadow.

AD-UM-BRA'TION, n.

1. The act of making a shadow or faint resemblance.
2. A faint sketch; an imperfect representation of a thing. Bacon.
3. In heraldry, the shadow only of a figure, outlined, and painted of a color darker than the field. Dict.

AD-U-NA'TION, n. [L. ad and unus, unio.]

The state of being united; union. [Not used.] Cranmer.

AD-UN'CI-TY, n. [L. aduncitas, hookedness, of ad and uncus, a hook.]

Hookedness; a bending in form of a hook. Arbuthnot.

AD-UN'COUS, a. [L. aduncus.]

Hooked; bent or made in the form of a hook. Bacon.

AD-UNQUE, a. adunk'.

Hooked. [Not used.] Bacon.

A-DURE', v.t. [L. aduro, ad and uro, to burn.]

To burn up. [Not used.] Bacon.

A-DUST', a. [L. adustus, burnt, the participle of aduro, to burn.]

Burnt; scorched; become dry by heat; hot and fiery.

A-DUST'ED, a.

Become hot and dry; burnt; scorched.

A-DUS'TION, n.

The act of burning, scorching, or heating to dryness; a state of being thus heated or dried.

AD-VAN'-AGE-GROUND, n.

Ground that gives advantage or superiority; a state that gives superior advantages for annoyance or resistance. Clarendon.

AD-VANCE', n.

1. A moving forward, or towards the front. Clarendon.
2. Gradual progression; improvement; as, an advance in religion or knowledge. Atterbury.
3. Advancement; promotion; preferment; as, an advance in rank or office.
4. First hint by way of invitation; first step towards an agreement; as, A made an advance towards a reconciliation with B. In this sense it is very frequently used in the plural. The amours of an empress require the plainest advances. Gibbon.
5. In trade, additional price; profit; as, an advance on the prime cost of goods.
6. A giving beforehand; a furnishing of something, on contract, before an equivalent is received, as money or goods, towards a capital or stock, or on loan; or the money or goods thus furnished; as, A made large advances to B.
7. A furnishing of money or goods for others, in expectation of reimbursement; or the property so furnished. I shall, with great pleasure, make the necessary advances. Jay. The account was made up with intent to show what advances had been made. Kent. In advance, in front; before; also beforehand; before an equivalent is received, or when one partner in trade has furnished more than his proportion; as, A is in advance to B a thousand dollars or pounds.

AD-VANCE', v.i.

1. To move or go forward; to proceed; as, the troops advanced.
2. To improve, or make progress; to grow better, greater, wiser or older; as, to advance in knowledge, in stature, in wisdom, or in years.
3. To rise in rank, office, or consequence; to be preferred, or promoted; as, to advance in political standing.

AD-VANCE', v.t. advans. [Fr. avancer; Sp. avanzar, to move forward; It. avanzare, to get or increase; Arm. avans, to advance. This word is formed on van, the front, which seems to be the Ch. and Heb. {foreign}, {foreign}, surface, face; whence Fr. avant; It. avanti, before.]

1. To bring forward; to move further in front. Hence,
2. To promote; to raise to a higher rank; as, to advance one from the bar to the bench.
3. To improve or make better, which is considered as a progression or moving forward; as, to advance one's true interests.
4. To forward; to accelerate growth; as, to advance the growth of plants.
5. To offer or propose; to bring to view or notice; as, to advance an opinion or an argument.
6. In commerce, to supply beforehand; to furnish on credit, or before goods are delivered, or work done; or to furnish as a part of a stock or fund; as, to advance money on loan or contract, or towards a purchase or establishment.
7. To furnish for others; to supply or pay for others, in expectation of reimbursement. They advanced the money out of their own funds, and took the sherif's deeds in their own name. Kent, Johnson's Rep.
8. To raise; to enhance; as, to advance the price of goods.

AD-VANC'ED, pp.

Moved forward; promoted; improved; furnished beforehand; situated in front, or before the rest; also old, having reached the decline of life; as, advanced in years; an advanced age.

AD-VANCE'MENT, n.

1. The act of moving forward or proceeding.
2. The state of being advanced; preferment; promotion, in rank or excellence; the act of promoting.
3. Settlement on a wife, or jointure.
4. Provision made by a parent for a child by gift of property, during his, the parent's life, to which the child would be entitled as heir, after his parent's death. R. M. Sherman.

AD-VANC'ER, n.

One who advances; a promoter. Among sportsmen, a start or branch of a buck's attire, between the back antler and the palm. Encyc.

AD-VANC'ING, ppr.

Moving forward; proceeding; promoting; raising to higher rank or excellence; improving; supplying beforehand, as on loan, or as stock in trade.

AD-VANC'IVE, a.

Tending to advance, or promote.

AD-VANT'AGE, n. [Fr. avantage, from avant, before; It. vantaggio; Sp. ventaja.]

1. Any state, condition, or circumstance, favorable to success, prosperity, interest, or reputation; as, the enemy had the advantage of elevated ground.
2. Benefit, gain, profit. What advantage will it be to thee? Job xxxv. There exists, in the economy and course of nature, an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness; between duty and advantage. Washington.
3. Means to an end; opportunity; convenience for obtaining benefit; as, students enjoy great advantages for improvement; the general took advantage of his enemy's negligence.
4. Favorable state or circumstances; as, jewels set to advantage.
5. Superiority, or prevalence over; with of or over. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us [or over us]. 2 Cor. ii.
6. Superiority, or that which gives it; as, the advantage of a good constitution.
7. Interest; increase; overplus. And with advantage means to pay thy love. [Obs.] Shak.
8. Additional circumstance to give preponderation.

AD-VANT'AGE, v.t.

1. To benefit; to yield profit or gain. What is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? Luke ix.
2. To promote; to advance the interest of.

AD-VANT'AGE-A-BLE, a.

Profitable; convenient; gainful. [Little used.].