Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for AN-TIQ'UI-TY
AN-TI'QUE-NESSAN-TI-REV-O-LU'TION-A-RY
AN-TIQ'UI-TY, n. [L. antiquitas.]
- Ancient times; former ages; Times long since past; a very indefinite term; as, Cicero was the most eloquent orator of antiquity.
- The ancients; the people of ancient times; as, the fact is admitted by all antiquity. Meaning that mankind are inclined to verify the predictions of antiquity. – T. Dawes.
- Ancientness; great age; the quality of being ancient; as, a statue of remarkable antiquity; a family of great antiquity.
- Old age; a ludicrous sense used be Shakspeare.
- The remains of ancient times. In this sense it is usually or always plural. Antiquities comprehend all the remains of ancient times; all the monuments, coins, inscriptions, edifices, history and fragments of literature, offices, habiliments; weapons, manners, ceremonies: in short, whatever respects any of the ancient nations of the earth.
Return to page 143 of the letter “A”.