Dictionary: U – UL'CER-A-TED

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U,

is the twenty-first letter and the fifth vowel in the English Alphabet. Its true primary sound in Anglo-Saxon, was the sound which it still retains in most of the languages of Europe; that of oo in cool, tool, answering to the French ou, in tour. This sound was changed, probably under the Norman kings, by the attempt made to introduce the Norman French language into common use. However this fact may be, the first, or long and proper sound of u, in English, is now not perfectly simple, and it can not be strictly called a vowel. The sound seems to be nearly that of eu, shortened and blended. This sound however is not precisely that of eu or yu, except in a few words, as in unite, union, uniform; the sound does not begin with the distinct sound of e, nor end in the distinct sound of oo, unless when prolonged. It can not be well expressed in letters. This sound is heard in the unaffected pronunciation of annuity, numerate, brute, mute, dispute, duke, true, truth, rule, prudence, opportunity, infusion. Some modern writers make a distinction between the sound of u, when it follows r, as in rude, truth, and its sound when it follows other letters, as in mute, duke; making the former sound equivalent to oo; rood, trooth; and the latter a diphthong equivalent to eu or yu. This is a mischievous innovation, and not authorized by any general usage either in England or the United States. The difference, very nice indeed, between the sound of u in mute, and in rude, is owing entirely to the articulation which precedes that letter. For example, when a labial, as m or p, precedes u, we enter on its sound with the lips closed, and in opening them to the position required for uttering u, there is almost necessarily a slight sound of e formed before we arrive at the proper sound of u. When r precedes u, the mouth is open before the sound of u is commenced. But in both cases, u is to be considered as having the same sound. In some words, as in bull, full, pull, the sound of u is that of the Italian u, the French ou, but shortened. This is a vowel. U has another short sound, as in tun, ran, sun, turn, rub. This also is a vowel.

U'BER-OUS, a. [L. uber.]

Fruitful; copious. [Little used.]

U'BER-TY, n. [L. ubertas, from uber, fruitful or copious.]

Abundance; fruitfulness. [Little used.]

U-BI-CA'TION, or U-BI'E-TY, n. [L. ubi, where.]

The state of being in a place; local relation. [Not much used.] Glanville.

U'BI-QUIST, or U-BIQ-UI-TA'RI-AN, n.

In church history, the Ubiquists were a school of Lutheran divines, so called from their tenet that the body of Christ is present in the Eucharist, in virtue of his omnipresence. – Brande.

U-BIQ'UI-TA-RI-NESS, n.

Existence every where. [Little used.] Fuller.

U-BIQ'UI-TA-RY, a. [L. ubique, from ubi, where.]

Existing every where, or in all places. Howell.

U-BIQ'UITA-RY, n. [supra.]

One that exists every where. Hall.

U-BIQ'UI-TOUS, a.

Existing or being every where.

U-BIQ'UI-TY, n. [L. ubique, every where.]

Existence in all places or every where at the same time; omnipresence. The ubiquity of God is not disputed by those who admit his existence. South.

UBI-SUPRA, [Ubi supra; L.]

In the place above mentioned; noting reference to some passage or page before named.

U'DAL, n.

A freehold in the Shetland isles.

U'DAL-ER, n.

A freeholder in the Shetland isles.

UD'DER, n. [Sax. uder; G. euter; D. uyer; Gr. ουθαρ.]

The breast of a female; but the word is applied chiefly or wholly to the glandular organ of female breasts, in which the milk is secreted and retained for the nourishment of their young, commonly called the bag, in cows and other quadrupeds.

UD'DER-ED, a.

Furnished with udders. Gay.

U-DOM'E-TER, n. [Gr. υδωρ and μετρον.]

An instrument for measuring the quantity of water which falls in a rain-gauge.

UG'LI-LY, adv.

In an ugly manner; with deformity.

UG'LI-NESS, n. [from ugly.]

  1. Total want of beauty; deformity of person; as, old age and ugliness. Dryden.
  2. Turpitude of mind; moral depravity; lothesomeness. Their dull ribaldry must be offensive to any one who does not, for the sake of the sin, pardon the ugliness of its circumstances. South.

UG'LY, a. [W. hag, a cut or gash; hagyr, ugly, rough. See Hack.]

Deformed; offensive to the sight; contrary to beauty; hateful; as, an ugly person; an ugly face. O‚ I have pass'd a miserable night, So full of ugly sights, of ghastly dreams. Shak. Fellow, begone; I can not bear thy sight; This news hath made thee a most ugly man. Shak.

U-KASE, n.

In Russia, a proclamation or imperial order published.

U'LANS, n.

Militia among the Tartars.

UL'CER, n. [Fr. ulcere; It. ulcera; L. ulcus; Gr. ελκος.]

A sore; a solution of continuity in any of the soft parts of the body, either open to the surface or to some natural cavity, and attended with a secretion of pus or some kind of discharge. Cooper.

UL'CER-ATE, v.i.

To be formed into an ulcer; to become ulcerous.

UL'CER-ATE, v.t. [Fr. ulcerer; L. ulcero.]

To affect with an ulcer or with ulcers. Harvey.

UL'CER-A-TED, pp.

Affected with ulcers.