Emily Dickinson Lexicon

I'CY-PEARL-ED, a.

Studded with spangles of ice. Milton.

ID, pron. [contracted from idem.]

I'D, v. [I'D.]

Contracted from I would, or I had.

IDE, n.

In England, the name of a fish, the Leusiscus idus.

I-DE'A, n. [L. idea; Fr. idée; Gr. ιδεα, from ειδω, to see, L. video.]

1. Literally, that which is seen; hence, form, image, model of any thing in the mind; that which is held or comprehended by the understanding or intellectual faculties. I have used the word idea, to express whatever is meant by phantasm, notion, species, or whatever it is which the mind can be employed about in thinking. Locke. Whatever the mind perceives in itself, or is the immediate object of perception, thought or understanding, that I call an idea. Locke. The attention of the understanding to the objects acting on it, by which it becomes sensible of the impressions they make, is called by logicians, perception; and the notices themselves as they exist in the mind, as the materials of thinking and knowledge, are distinguished by the name of ideas. Encyc. art. Logic. An idea is the reflex perception of objects, after the original perception or impression has been felt by the mind. Encyc. In popular language, idea signifies the same thing as conception, apprehension, notion. To have an idea of any thing is to conceive it. In philosophical use, it does not signify that act of the mind which we call thought or conception, but some object of thought. Reid. According to modern writers on mental philosophy, an idea is the object of thought, or the notice which the mind takes of its perceptions. Darwin uses idea for a notion of external things which our organs bring us acquainted with originally, and he defines it, a contraction, motion or configuration of the fibers which constitute the immediate organ of sense; synonymous with which he sometimes uses sensual motion, in contradistinction to muscular motion.
2. In popular use, idea signifies notion, conception, thought, opinion, and even purpose or intention. Burke.
3. Image in the mind. Her sweet idea wandered through his thoughts. Fairfax. [A bad use of the word.]
4. An opinion, a proposition. These decisions are incompatible with the idea, that the principles are derived from the civil law.

I-DE'AL, a.

1. Existing in idea; intellectual; mental; as, ideal knowledge. There will always be a wide interval between practical and ideal excellence. Rambler.
2. Visionary; existing in fancy or imagination only; as, ideal good.
3. That considers ideas as images, phantasms, or forms in the mind; as, the ideal theory or philosophy.

I-DE'A-LESS, a. [idea and less.]

Destitute of ideas. Allan.

I-DE'AL-ISM, n.

The system or theory that makes every thing to consist in ideas, and denies the existence of material bodies. Walsh.

I-DE'AL-IST, n.

One who holds the doctrine of idealism.

I-DE'AL-IZE, v.i.

To form ideas.

I-DE'AL-LY, adv.

Intellectually; mentally; in idea. Brown.

I-DE'ATE, v.t.

To form in idea; to fancy. [Not in use.] Donne.

I'DEM, n. [L.]

The same.

I-DEN'TIC, or I-DEN'TIC-AL, a. [Fr. identique; Sp. identico; from L. idem, the same.]

The same; not different; as, the identical person; the identical proposition. We found on the thief the identical goods that were lost.

I-DEN'TIC-AL-LY, adv.

With sameness.

I-DEN'TIC-AL-NESS, n.

Sameness.

I-DEN-TI-FI-CA'TION, n.

The act of making or proving to be the same.

I-DEN'TI-FI-ED, pp.

Ascertained or made to be the same.

I-DEN'TI-FY, v.i.

To become the same; to coalesce in interest, purpose, use, effect, &c. An enlightened self-interest, which, when well understood, they tell us will identify with an interest more enlarged and public. Burke.

I-DEN'TI-FY, v.t. [L. idem, the same, and facio, to make.]

1. To ascertain or prove to be the same. The owner of the goods found them in the possession of the thief, and identified them.
2. To make to be the same; to unite or combine in such a manner as to make one interest, purpose or intention; to treat as having the same use; to consider as the same in effect. Paul has identified the two ordinances, circumcision and baptism, and thus, by demonstrating that they have one and the same use and meaning, he has exhibited to our view the very same seal of God's covenant. J. M. Mason. That treaty in fact identified Spain with the republican government of France, by a virtual acknowledgment of unqualified vassalage, and by specific stipulations of unconditional defense. British Declaration, Jan. 1805. Every precaution is taken to identify the interests of the people, and of the rulers. Ramsay.

I-DEN'TI-FY-ING, ppr.

1. Ascertaining or proving to be the same.
2. Making the same in interest, purpose, use, efficacy, &c.

I-DEN'TI-TY, n. [Fr. identité.]

Sameness, as distinguished from similitude and diversity. We speak of the identity of goods found, the identity of persons, or of personal identity. Locke. South.

I-DE-O-GRAPH'IC, a. [idea and Gr. γραφω.]

Descriptive of ideas.

I-DE-O-LOG'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to ideology.

I-DE-OL'O-GIST, n.

One who treats of ideas.