Dictionary: Z – ZE-MIN'DAR-Y

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Z,

THE last letter of the English Alphabet, is a sibilant articulation, and is merely a vocal S. It bears the same relation to s, as v does to f. With us it has not a compound sound, nor is it a double consonant, as in the Italian and German. It is as simple in its sound as S. As a numeral, Z stands for 2000, and with a dash over it, Z̅, for 2,000,000. It is pronounced zee.

ZA'BA-ISM, n. [See SABIANISM.]

ZAC'CHO, n.

The lowest part of the pedestal of a column.

ZAF'FER, n.

Impure oxyd of cobalt. The residuum of cobalt, after the sulphur, arsenic and other volatile matters have been expelled by calcination; so that it is a gray or dark gray oxyd of cobalt, mixed with a portion of silex. – Cyc.

ZA'NY, n. [It. zanni, a buffoon.]

A merry-andrew; a buffoon. – Pope.

ZA'NY, v.t.

To mimic. – Beaum.

ZAPH'A-RA, n.

A mineral used by potters to produce a sky color in their wares.

ZAP'OTE, n.

In Mexico, the general name of fruits which are roundish and contain a hard stone.

ZAR'NICH, n. [See Arsenic.]

The name of a genus of fossils, which are inflammable, of a plain uniform structure, not flexible or elastic, soluble in oil, and burning with a whitish flame and noxious smell like garlic. This substance is supposed to be sulphureted arsenic. Of this genus there are four species; one the real sandarach; another is sold under the name of orpiment. – Cyc.

ZAX, n.

An instrument for cutting slate.

ZEA, n.

In natural history, the generic name of maiz. Two species only of Zea are known, viz. Zea Mays and Zea Caragua. The former is common Indian-corn; the latter is quite different as respects the ear and seeds.

ZEAL, n. [Gr. ζηλος; L. zelus.]

Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. Excessive zeal may rise to enthusiasm. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause. Zeal, the blind conductor of the will. – Dryden. They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Rom. x. A zeal for liberty is sometimes an eagerness to subvert, with little care what shall be established. – Johnson.

ZEAL-LESS, a.

Wanting zeal. – Hammond.

ZEAL-OT, n. [zel'ot.]

One who engages warmly in any cause, and pursues his object with earnestness and ardor. It is generally used in dispraise, or applied to one whose ardor is intemperate and censurable. The fury of zealots was one cause of the destruction of Jerusalem. – K. Charles.

ZEAL-OT'IC-AL, a.

Ardently zealous. [Little used.] – Strype.

ZEAL-OUS, a. [zel'us.]

Warmly engaged or ardent in the pursuit of an object. Being thus saved himself, he may be zealous in the salvation of souls. – Law.

ZEAL-OUS-LY, adv. [zel'usly.]

With passionate ardor; with eagerness. It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing. – Gal. iv.

ZEAL-OUS-NESS, n. [zel'usness.]

The quality of being zealous; zeal.

ZE'BRA, n.

A pachydermatous mammal, the Equus Zebra, a quadruped of Southern Africa, nearly as large as a horse, white, with numerous brownish-black bands of greater or less intensity, and lighter down the middle of each band. It is one of the six species which constitute the genus to which the horse belongs.

ZE'BU, n.

A ruminant mammal of the bovid tribe, the Taurus Indicus or Bos Indicus of the naturalists. This bovine quadruped varies in size, from a large mastif dog, to a full grown European bull. It is ordinarily furnished with a fatty excrescence or hump on the shoulders, which has been said sometimes to reach the weight of fifty pounds. It is found extensively in India, and also in Northern Africa. It is often called the Indian bull or ox, and cow.

ZE'CHIN, n.

A Venetian gold coin; usually written Sequin, – which see. If named from Zecha, the place where minted, this is the correct orthography.

ZED'O-A-RY, n.

A medicinal root, belonging to Curcuma Zedoaria, a plant growing in the East Indies, whose leaves resemble those of ginger, only they are longer and broader. It comes in oblong pieces, about the thickness of the little finger, and two or three inches in length. It is a warm stomachic. – Cyc.

ZEIN, n.

The gluten of maiz; a substance of a yellowish color, soft, insipid, and elastic, procured from the seeds of the Zea Mays or Indian corn. It is said to differ essentially from the gluten of wheat. – Gorham.

ZE-MIN'DAR, n. [from zem, zemin, land.]

In India, a feudatory or landholder who governs a district of country and collects taxes. He underlets lands to tenants and these to others. – Asiat. Res.

ZE-MIN'DAR-Y, n.

The jurisdiction of a zemindar.