Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IN-CES'SANT-LY, adv.

Without ceasing; continually. Spenser.

IN'CEST, n. [Fr. inceste; L. incestum; in and castus, chaste.]

The crime of cohabitation or sexual commerce between persons related within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by the law of a country. Spiritual incest, is a like crime committed between persons who have a spiritual alliance by means of baptism or confirmation. It is also understood of a vicar or other beneficiary, who holds two benefices, the one depending on the collation of the other. Encyc.

IN-CEST'U-OUS, a.

1. Guilty of incest; as, an incestuous person.
2. Involving the crime of incest; as, an incestuous connection.

IN-CEST'U-OUS-LY, adv.

In an incestuous manner; in a manner to involve the crime of incest.

IN-CEST'U-OUS-NESS, n.

The state or quality of being incestuous. Bp. Hall.

INCH, n. [Sax. ince; L. uncia, the twelfth part; Gr. ουγγια, but said to be from the Latin.]

1. A lineal measure in Great Britain and the United States, being the twelfth part of a foot, and equal to the length of three barley corns.
2. Proverbially, a small quantity or degree; as, to die by inches; to gain ground by inches.
3. A precise point of time. Beldame, I think, we watch'd you at an inch. [Unusual.] Shak.

INCH, v.i.

To advance or retire by small degrees. [Little used.] Johnson. Inched, is added to words of number; as, four-inched. Shak. But in America the common practice is to add only inch; as, a seven-inch cable.

INCH, v.t.

1. To drive by inches or small degrees. [Little used.] Dryden.
2. To deal out by inches; to give sparingly. [Little used.] Ainsworth.

IN-CHAR'I-TA-BLE, a.

Uncharitable. [The latter is the word used.]

IN-CHAS'TI-TY, n. [in and chastity.]

Lewdness; impurity; unchastity. J. Edwards.

IN-CHEST', v.t.

To put into a chest. Sherwood.

IN-CHEST'ED, pp.

Put into a chest.

INCH'-MEAL, n. [inch and meal.]

A piece an inch long. Shak.

IN'CHO-ATE, a.

Begun; commenced. It is neither a substance perfect, nor a substance inchoate. Ralegh.

IN'CHO-ATE, v.i. [L. inchoo.]

To begin. [Little used.] More.

IN'CHO-ATE-LY, adv.

In an incipient degree.

IN-CHO-A'TION, n.

The act of beginning; commencement; inception. The setting on foot some of those arts in those parts, would be looked on as the first inchoation of them. [Little used.] Hale.

IN-CHO'A-TIVE, a.

Noting beginning; inceptive; as, an inchoative verb, otherwise called inceptive.

INCH'PIN, n.

Some part of the inwards of a deer.

IN-CIDE', v.t. [L. incido; in and cædo, to strike.]

To cut; to separate; as medicines. [Obs.] Quincy. Arbuthnot.

IN'CI-DENCE, n. [L. incidens; incido, to fall on; in and cado, to fall.]

1. Literally, a falling on; whence, an accident or casualty. Shak.
2. The manner of falling on, or the direction in which one body falls on or strikes another. The angle which the line of falling, or the direction of a moving body striking another, makes with the plane struck, is called the angle of incidence. When rays of light striking a body are reflected, the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are equal. In equal incidences there is a considerable inequality of refractions. Newton.

IN'CI-DENT, a.

1. Falling; casual; fortuitous; coming or happening occasionally, or not in the usual course of things, or not according to expectation or in connection with the main design. As the ordinary course of common affairs is disposed of by general laws, so man's rarer incident necessities and utilities should be with special equity considered. Hooker. A proposition introduced by who, which, whose, whom, & is called an incident proposition; as, Julius, whose surname was Cesar, overcame Pompey. Watts.
2. Happening; apt to happen; as, intemperate passions incident to human nature; diseases incident to a climate; misfortunes incident to the poor.
3. Appertaining to or following the chief or principal. A court baron is incident to a manor. Encyc.

IN'CI-DENT, n.

1. That which falls out; an event; casualty.
2. That which happens aside of the main design; an episode or subordinate action. No person, no incident in a play but must be of use to carry on the main design. Dryden.

IN-CI-DENT'AL, a.

1. Happening as an occasional event, without regularity; coming without design; casual; accidental; as, an incidental conversation; an incidental occurrence.
2. Not necessary to the chief purpose; occasional. By some persons, religious duties appear to be regarded as incidental business. Rogers.

IN-CI-DENT'AL, n.

An incident. [Little used.] Pope.