Emily Dickinson Lexicon

I'DOL, n. [Fr. idole; It. and Sp. idolo; L. idolum; Gr. ειδωλον, from ειδος, form, or ειδω, to see.]

1. An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver gold. The gods of the nations are idols. Ps. xcvi.
2. An image. Nor ever idol seemed so much alive. Dryden.
3. A person loved and honored to adoration. The prince was the idol of the people.
4. Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John v. An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures. S. Miller.
5. A representation. [Not in use.] Spenser.

I-DOL'A-TER, n. [Fr. idolatre; L. idololatra; Gr. ειδωλολατρης. See Idolatry.]

1. A worshiper of idols; one who pays divine honors to images, statues, or representations of any thing made by hands; one who worships as a deity that which is not God; a pagan.
2. An adorer; a great admirer. Hurd.

I-DOL'A-TRESS, n.

A female worshiper of idols.

I-DOL'A-TRIZE, v.i.

To worship idols.

I-DOL'A-TRIZE, v.i.

To adore; to worship. Ainsworth.

I-DOL'A-TRIZ-ED, pp.

Worshiped; adored.

I-DOL'A-TRIZ-ING, ppr.

Adoring; worshiping.

I-DOL'A-TROUS, a.

1. Pertaining to idolatry; partaking of the nature of idolatry, or of the worship of false gods; consisting in the worship of idols; as, idolatrous worship.
2. Consisting in or partaking of an excessive attachment or reverence; as, an idolatrous veneration for antiquity.

I-DOL'A-TROUS-LY, adv.

In an idolatrous manner; with excessive reverence. Hooker.

I-DOL'A-TRY, n. [Fr. idolatrie; L. idololatria; Gr. ειδωλολατρεια; ειδωλον, idol, and λατρευω, to worship or serve.]

1. The worship of idols, images, or any thing made by hands, or which is not God. Idolatry is of two kinds; the worship of images, statues, pictures, &c. made by hands; and the worship of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals. Encyc.
2. Excessive attachment or veneration for any thing, or that which borders on adoration.

I'DOL-ISH, a.

Idolatrous. Milton.

I'DOL-ISM, n.

The worship of idols. [Little used.] Milton.

I'DOL-IST, n.

A worshiper of images; a poetical word. Milton.

I'DOL-IZE, v.t.

To love to excess; to love or reverence to adoration; as, to idolize gold or wealth; to idolize children; to idolize a virtuous magistrate or a hero.

I'DOL-IZ-ED, pp.

Loved or reverenced to adoration.

I'DOL-IZ-ER, n.

One who idolizes, or loves to reverence.

I'DOL-IZ-ING, ppr.

Loving or revering to an excess bordering on adoration.

I'DOL-OUS, a.

Idolatrous.

I-DO'NE-OUS, a. [L. idoneus; probably from the root of Gr. δυναμαι, to be strong, able or sufficient.]

Fit; suitable; proper; convenient; adequate. [Little used.] Boyle.

I'DYL, n. [L. idyllium; Gr. ειδυλλιον; supposed to be from ειδος, form.]

A short poem; properly, a short pastoral poem; as, the idyls of Theocritus.

IE, conj. [I.e.]

stands for L. id est, that is.

IE-LAND, n. [or rather I'LAND. G. and D. eiland; Sax. ealond, iegland; composed of ie, ea, water, Fr. eau, contracted from L. aqua, and land. This is the genuine English word, always used in discourse, but for which is used island, an absurd compound of Fr. isle and land, which signifies land in waterland, or rather ieland-land. Milford writes this word iland; and in the Bishop's Bible it is always written iland or yland.]

1. A portion of land surrounded by water; as, Bermuda, Barbadoes, Cuba, Great Britain, Borneo.
2. A large mass of floating ice.

IF, v.t.

1. Imperative, contracted from Sax. gif, from gifan, Goth. giban, to give. It introduces a conditional sentence. It is a verb, without a specified nominative. In like manner we use grant, admit, suppose. Regularly, if should be followed, as it was formerly, by the substitute or pronoun that, referring to the succeeding sentence or preposition. If that John shall arrive in season, I will send him with a message. But that is now omitted, and the subsequent sentence, proposition or affirmation, may be considered as the object of the verb. Give John shall arrive; grant, suppose, admit that he shall arrive, I will send him with a message. The sense of if, or give, in this use, is grant, admit, cause to be, let the fact be, let the thing take place. If then is equivalent to grant, allow, admit. “If thou wilt, thou canst make me whole,” that is, thou canst make me whole, give the fact, that thou wilt. If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Math. xiv.
2. Whether or not. Uncertain if by augury or chance. Dryden. So in French, soit que, let it be that.

IG'NE-OUS, a. [L. igneus, from ignis, fire, Sans. aghni or agnis, or agnih. Bengal. aag, ogin, Slav. ogn.]

1. Consisting of fire; as, igneous particles emitted from burning wood.
2. Containing fire; having the nature of fire.
3. Resembling fire; as, an igneous appearance.

IG-NES'CENT, a. [L. ignescens, ignesco, from ignis, fire.]

Emitting sparks of fire when struck with steel; scintillating; as, ignescent stones. Fourcroy.