*cra*

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; skull. ] 1. (Physiol.) Partial or total absence of the skull. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. (Zool.) The lowest group of Vertebrata, including the amphioxus, in which no skull exists. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wanting a skull. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_; border. ] (Zool.) A group of acalephs, including most of the larger jellyfishes; the Discophora. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ n. [ Gr. akrasia. ] Excess; intemperance. [ Obs. except in Med. ] Farindon. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. [ Pref. a- + crase; or cf. F. écraser to crush. See Crase, Craze. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To craze. [ Obs. ] Grafton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To impair; to destroy. [ Obs. ] Hacket. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ad + E. ambulacral. ] (Zool.) Next to the ambulacra; as, the adambulacral ossicles of the starfish. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, goat + &unr_;, n. pl., heads. ] (Arch.) Sculptured ornaments, used in classical architecture, representing rams' heads or skulls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. sing. & pl. Any vehicle, such as an airplane, helicopter, balloon, etc., for floating in, or flying through, the air. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. 1. 1 a noncommissioned officer in the British Royal Air Force. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; together + &unr_; power. ] (Photog.) Amasthenic. Sir J. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to ambulacra; avenuelike; as, the ambulacral ossicles, plates, spines, and suckers of echinoderms. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Away from the ambulacral region. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. designed for or used for defense against attack by aircraft; as, anti-aircraft cannon. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Aristocracies [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; best + &unr_; to be strong, to rule, &unr_; strength; &unr_; is perh. from the same root as E. arm, and orig. meant fitting: cf. F. aristocratie. See Arm, and Create, which is related to Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. Government by the best citizens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A ruling body composed of the best citizens. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In the Senate
Right not our quest in this, I will protest them
To all the world, no aristocracy. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A form a government, in which the supreme power is vested in the principal persons of a state, or in a privileged order; an oligarchy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The aristocracy of Venice hath admitted so many abuses, trough the degeneracy of the nobles, that the period of its duration seems approach. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The nobles or chief persons in a state; a privileged class or patrician order; (in a popular use) those who are regarded as superior to the rest of the community, as in rank, fortune, or intellect. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. aristocrate. See Aristocracy. ] 1. One of the aristocracy or people of rank in a community; one of a ruling class; a noble. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is overbearing in his temper or habits; a proud or haughty person. [ 1913 Webster ]

A born aristocrat, bred radical. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One who favors an aristocracy as a form of government, or believes the aristocracy should govern. [ 1913 Webster ]

His whole family are accused of being aristocrats. Romilly. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. aristocratique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to an aristocracy; consisting in, or favoring, a government of nobles, or principal men; as, an aristocratic constitution. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Partaking of aristocracy; befitting aristocracy; characteristic of, or originating with, the aristocracy; as, an aristocratic measure; aristocratic pride or manners. -- Ar`is*to*crat"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Ar`is*to*crat"ic*al*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The principles of aristocrats. Romilly. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Aristocrats, collectively. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. 1 pretentiously artistic; cloyingly charming.
Syn. -- arty-crafty, artsy, arty. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. pretentiously artistic; cloyingly charming
Syn. -- artsy-craftsy [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Autocracies. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. autocratie. See Autocrat. ] 1. Independent or self-derived power; absolute or controlling authority; supremacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

The divine will moves, not by the external impulse or inclination of objects, but determines itself by an absolute autocracy. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Supreme, uncontrolled, unlimited authority, or right of governing in a single person, as of an autocrat. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Political independence or absolute sovereignty (of a state); autonomy. Barlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) The action of the vital principle, or of the instinctive powers, toward the preservation of the individual; also, the vital principle. [ In this sense, written also autocrasy. ] Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; self + &unr_; strength, &unr_; strong: cf. F. autocrate. See Hard, a. ] 1. An absolute sovereign; a monarch who holds and exercises the powers of government by claim of absolute right, not subject to restriction; as, Autocrat of all the Russias (a title of the Czar). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who rules with undisputed sway in any company or relation; a despot. [ 1913 Webster ]

The autocrat of the breakfast table. Holmes. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Of or pertaining to autocracy or to an autocrat; absolute; holding independent and arbitrary powers of government. -- Au`to*crat"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] An autocrat. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to an autocrator; absolute. [ Obs. ] Bp. Pearson. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. ] A female sovereign who is independent and absolute; -- a title given to the empresses of Russia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or dignity of an autocrat. [ 1913 Webster ]

A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle, having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle. It is used in bell pulls and in changing the direction of bell wires at angles of rooms, etc., and also in machinery. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To tear with the nails; to cover with scratches. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cover with scrawls; to scribble over. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Authorship; literary skill. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. L. Bucrania [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_; ox head. ] A sculptured ornament, representing an ox skull adorned with wreaths, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bureau + Gr. &unr_; to be strong, to govern, &unr_; strength: cf. F. bureaucratie. ] 1. A system of carrying on the business of government by means of departments or bureaus, each under the control of a chief, in contradiction to a system in which the officers of government have an associated authority and responsibility; also, government conducted on this system. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Government officials, collectively; -- used especially of nonelected government officials. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. An official of a bureau; esp. an official confirmed in a narrow and arbitrary routine. C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the formal and often obscure style of writing characteristic of some government officials; officialese; -- it is characterized by euphemisms, circumlocutions, vague abstractions, and circumlocutions. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. bureaucratique. ] Of, relating to, or resembling, a bureaucracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. nonelective government officials; same as bureaucracy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An advocate for, or supporter of, bureaucracy. [ 1913 Webster ]

A soft, white or colored silk fabric, of a gauzy texture and wavy appearance, used for ladies' scarfs, shawls, bonnet trimmings, etc.; -- called also Oriental crape. De Colange. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. consceratus, p. p. of conscerare to conscerate; con- + sacrare to consecrate, sacer sacred. See Sacred. ] Consecrated; devoted; dedicated; sacred. [ 1913 Webster ]

They were assembled in that consecrate place. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Consecrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Consecrating. ] 1. To make, or declare to be, sacred; to appropriate to sacred uses; to set apart, dedicate, or devote, to the service or worship of God; as, to consecrate a church; to give (one's self) unreservedly, as to the service of God. [ 1913 Webster ]

One day in the week is . . . consecrated to a holy rest. Sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To set apart to a sacred office; as, to consecrate a bishop. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. Ex. xxix. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To canonize; to exalt to the rank of a saint; to enroll among the gods, as a Roman emperor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To render venerable or revered; to hallow; to dignify; as, rules or principles consecrated by time. Burke.

Syn. -- See Addict. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Consecrator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. consecratio: cf. F. consécration. ] The act or ceremony of consecrating; the state of being consecrated; dedication. [ 1913 Webster ]

Until the days of your consecration be at an end. Lev. viii. 33. [ 1913 Webster ]

Consecration makes not a place sacred, but only solemnly declares it so. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who consecrates; one who performs the rites by which a person or thing is devoted or dedicated to sacred purposes. [ Written also consecrater. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the act of consecration; dedicatory. [ 1913 Webster ]

The consecratory prayer. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A bird (Crex crex or Crex pratensis) which frequents grain fields; the European crake or land rail; -- called also corn bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The artifices, intrigues, and plottings, at courts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. crabba; akin to D. krab, G. krabbe, krebs, Icel. krabbi, Sw. krabba, Dan. krabbe, and perh. to E. cramp. Cf. Crawfish. ] 1. (Zool.) One of the brachyuran Crustacea. They are mostly marine, and usually have a broad, short body, covered with a strong shell or carapace. The abdomen is small and curled up beneath the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The name is applied to all the Brachyura, and to certain Anomura, as the hermit crabs. Formerly, it was sometimes applied to Crustacea in general. Many species are edible, the blue crab of the Atlantic coast being one of the most esteemed. The large European edible crab is Cancer padurus. Soft-shelled crabs are blue crabs that have recently cast their shells. See Cancer; also, Box crab, Fiddler crab, Hermit crab, Spider crab, etc., under Box, Fiddler. etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The zodiacal constellation Cancer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ See Crab, a. ] (Bot.) A crab apple; -- so named from its harsh taste. [ 1913 Webster ]

When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A cudgel made of the wood of the crab tree; a crabstick. [ Obs. ] Garrick. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mech.) (a) A movable winch or windlass with powerful gearing, used with derricks, etc. (b) A form of windlass, or geared capstan, for hauling ships into dock, etc. (c) A machine used in ropewalks to stretch the yarn. (d) A claw for anchoring a portable machine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Calling crab. (Zool.) See Fiddler., n., 2. --
Crab apple, a small, sour apple, of several kinds; also, the tree which bears it; as, the European crab apple (Pyrus Malus var. sylvestris); the Siberian crab apple (Pyrus baccata); and the American (Pyrus coronaria). --
Crab grass. (Bot.) (a) A grass (Digitaria sanguinalis syn. Panicum sanguinalis); -- called also finger grass. (b) A grass of the genus Eleusine (Eleusine Indica); -- called also dog's-tail grass, wire grass, etc. --
Crab louse (Zool.), a species of louse (Phthirius pubis), sometimes infesting the human body. --
Crab plover (Zool.), an Asiatic plover (Dromas ardeola). --
Crab's eyes, or
Crab's stones, masses of calcareous matter found, at certain seasons of the year, on either side of the stomach of the European crawfishes, and formerly used in medicine for absorbent and antacid purposes; the gastroliths. --
Crab spider (Zool.), one of a group of spiders (Laterigradæ); -- called because they can run backwards or sideways like a crab. --
Crab tree, the tree that bears crab applies. --
Crab wood, a light cabinet wood obtained in Guiana, which takes a high polish. McElrath. --
To catch a crab (Naut.), a phrase used of a rower: (a) when he fails to raise his oar clear of the water; (b) when he misses the water altogether in making a stroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To make sour or morose; to embitter. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Sickness sours or crabs our nature. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To beat with a crabstick. [ Obs. ] J. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]