*acis*

n. [ LL abacista, fr. abacus. ] One who uses an abacus in casting accounts; a calculator. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖, n. Excessive or extended use of the b sound in speech, due to conversion of other sounds into it, as through inability to distinguish them from b, or because of difficulty in pronouncing them. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The state of being demoniac, or the practices of demoniacs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; the letter &unr_;, &unr_;. Cf. Itacism. ] (Greek Gram.) The pronunciation of the Greek η (eta) like the Italian e long, that is like a in the English word ate. See Itacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who favors etacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. glacis; -- so named from its smoothness. See Glacier. ] A gentle slope, or a smooth, gently sloping bank; especially (Fort.), that slope of earth which inclines from the covered way toward the exterior ground or country (see Illust. of Ravelin). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) Hypochondriasis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'iotakismo`s a laying too much stress upon the iota (ι): cf. F. iotacisme. See Iota. ] The frequent use of the sound of iota (that of English e in be), as among the modern Greeks; also, confusion from sounding ε, ι, η, υ, ει, etc., like ι. Littré. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. itacisme. See Etacism, and cf. Iotacism. ] (Greek Gram.) Pronunciation of η (eta) as the modern Greeks pronounce it, that is, like e in the English word be. This was the pronunciation advocated by Reuchlin and his followers, in opposition to the etacism of Erasmus. See Etacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all such questions between ε and αι the confusing element of itacism comes in. Alford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. itaciste. ] One who is in favor of itacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lambdacismus, Gr. &unr_;, fr. la`mbda the letter lambda (Λ). ] 1. A fault in speaking or in composition, which consists in too frequent use of the letter l, or in doubling it erroneously. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A defect in pronunciation of the letter l when doubled, which consists in giving it a sound as if followed by y, similar to that of the letters lli in billion. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The use of the sound of l for that of r in pronunciation; lallation; as, Amelican for American. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Malacissation. ] Softening; relaxing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. malacissare to make soft, Gr. malaki`zein. ] The act of making soft or supple. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. metacismus, Gr. &unr_; fondness for the letter μ. ] A defect in pronouncing the letter m, or a too frequent use of it. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Mytacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;. Cf. Metacism. ] Too frequent use of the letter m, or of the sound represented by it. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. Same as ostracize. [ Chiefly Brit. ] [ PJC ]

n. [ Gr. 'ostrakismo`s, fr. 'ostraki`zein to ostracize. See Ostracize. ] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) Banishment by popular vote, -- a means adopted at Athens to rid the city of a person whose talent and influence gave umbrage. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Banishment; exclusion; as, social ostracism. [ 1913 Webster ]

Public envy is as an ostracism, that eclipseth men when they grow too great. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sentenced to a perpetual ostracism from the . . . confidence, and honors, and emoluments of his country. A. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One skilled in pharmacy; a pharmaceutist; a druggist; an apothecary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. "rwtaki`zein to use the letter r (ρ) overmuch: cf. F. rhotacisme.] An oversounding, or a misuse, of the letter r; specifically (Phylol.), the tendency, exhibited in the Indo-European languages, to change s to r, as wese to were. [1913 Webster]

n. See Rhotacism. [ 1913 Webster ]