*eba*

prop. n. [ Ar. al-debarān, fr. dabar to follow; so called because this star follows upon the Pleiades. ] (Astron.) A red star of the first magnitude, situated in the eye of Taurus; the Bull's Eye. It is the bright star in the group called the Hyades. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now when Aldebaran was mounted high
Above the shiny Cassiopeia's chair. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion. Same as amoeba. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to amoebae. Same as amoeban. [ Also spelled amoeban. ]
Syn. -- amoebic, amebic, amoeban, amoebous, amebous [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. Caused by amoebae; -- of diseases; the more common word is amoebic. Amoebic dysentry is caused by the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica.
Syn. -- amoebic, amebic [ PJC ]

n.; pl. L. Amœbæ E. Amœbas [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; change. ] (Zool.) A rhizopod common in fresh water, capable of undergoing many changes of form at will. Same as ameba. See Rhizopoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. amœbaeus, Gr. &unr_;, alternate; L. amoebaeum carmen, Gr. &unr_; &unr_;, a responsive song, fr. &unr_; change. ] A poem in which persons are represented at speaking alternately; as the third and seventh eclogues of Virgil. [ 1913 Webster ]

, n. (Microbiol.) A group of single-celled microorganisms including the methanogens and some halophiles and thermoacidophiles, recognized in the 1970's by C. R. Woese and his colleagues as being a distinct group on the basis of RNA sequences, cell walls, and coenzymes differing from those of other microbes. It is believed to be an ancient form of living organism that evolved separately from the eubacteria and blue-green algae. It is classified as a separate kingdom by some taxonomists. See also The Archaebacteria. [ PJC ]

adv. On the bare back of a horse, without using a saddle; as, to ride bareback. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the back uncovered; as, a barebacked horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A game of ball, so called from the bases or bounds (four in number) which designate the circuit which each player must endeavor to make after striking the ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The ball used in this game. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a perennial herb (Monarda fistulosa) of North America. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a perennial aromatic herb of eastern North America (Monarda didyma) having variously colored tubular flowers in dense showy heads.
Syn. -- bee balm, bergamot mint, oswego tea. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. a bushy perennial Old World mint, Melissa officinalis, having small white or yellowish flowers and fragrant lemon-flavored leaves; a garden escapee in northern Europe and North America.
Syn. -- lemon balm, garden balm, sweet balm, bee balm, Melissa officinalis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) (a) A trout (Salmo oquassa) inhabiting some of the lakes of Maine. (b) A salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) of the Columbia River and northward. (c) An American river herring (Clupea æstivalis), closely allied to the alewife. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Chebacco, the former name of Essex, a town in Massachusetts where such vessels were built. ] (Naut.) A narrow-sterned boat formerly much used in the Newfoundland fisheries; -- called also pinkstern and chebec. Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (MIcrobiol.) Any member of the genus Corynebacterium, consisting of gram-positive usually nonmotile irregularly rod-shaped bacteria, some of which are pathogenic or parasitic in humans and domestic animals, such as Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which causes diphtheria. [ PJC ]

v. i. [ L. debacchatus, p. p. of debacchari to rage; de- + bacchari to rage like a bacchant. ] To rave as a bacchanal. [ R. ] Cockeram. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. debacchatio. ] Wild raving or debauchery. [ R. ] Prynne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. débâcle, fr. débâcler to unbar, break loose; pref. dé- (prob. = L. dis) + bâcler to bolt, fr. L. baculum a stick. ] 1. (Geol.) A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward and disperses blocks of stone and other débris. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sudden breaking up or breaking loose; a violent dispersion or disruption; impetuous rush; outburst. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. a complete and ludicrous failure; a rout, as of an army; a great disaster; a fiasco. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Debarred p. pr. & vb. n. Debarring. ] [ Pref. de- + bar. ] To cut off from entrance, as if by a bar or barrier; to preclude; to hinder from approach, entry, or enjoyment; to shut out or exclude; to deny or refuse; -- with from, and sometimes with of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed
Labor, as to debar us when we need
Refreshment. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their wages were so low as to debar them, not only from the comforts but from the common decencies of civilized life. Buckle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. de- + L. barba beard. ] To deprive of the beard. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Debarked p. pr. & vb. n. Debarking. ] [ F. débarquer; pref. dé- (L. dis-) + barque. See Bark the vessel, and cf. Disbark. ] To go ashore from a ship or boat; to disembark; to put ashore. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Disembarkation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The debarkation, therefore, had to take place by small steamers. U. S. Grant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Hindrance from approach; exclusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. débarrasser. See Embarrass. ] To disembarrass; to relieve. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Debased p. pr. & vb. n. Debasing. ] [ Pref. de- + base. See Base, a., and cf. Abase. ] To reduce from a higher to a lower state or grade of worth, dignity, purity, station, etc.; to degrade; to lower; to deteriorate; to abase; as, to debase the character by crime; to debase the mind by frivolity; to debase style by vulgar words. [ 1913 Webster ]

The coin which was adulterated and debased. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is a kind of taking God's name in vain to debase religion with such frivolous disputes. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

And to debase the sons, exalts the sires. Pope.

Syn. -- To abase; degrade. See Abase. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Turned upside down from its proper position; inverted; reversed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of debasing or the state of being debased. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, debases. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to debase. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. OF. debatable. See Debate. ] Liable to be debated; disputable; subject to controversy or contention; open to question or dispute; as, a debatable question. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Debatable Land or
or Ground, a tract of land between the Esk and the Sark, claimed by both England and Scotland; the Batable Ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Debated; p. pr. & vb. n. Debating. ] [ OF. debatre, F. débattre; L. de + batuere to beat. See Batter, v. t., and cf. Abate. ] 1. To engage in combat for; to strive for. [ 1913 Webster ]

Volunteers . . . thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To contend for in words or arguments; to strive to maintain by reasoning; to dispute; to contest; to discuss; to argue for and against. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wise council . . . that did debate this business. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself. Prov. xxv. 9.

Syn. -- To argue; discuss; dispute; controvert. See Argue, and Discuss. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To engage in strife or combat; to fight. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Well could he tourney and in lists debate. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To contend in words; to dispute; hence, to deliberate; to consider; to discuss or examine different arguments in the mind; -- often followed by on or upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

He presents that great soul debating upon the subject of life and death with his intimate friends. Tatler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. débat, fr. débattre. See Debate, v. t. ] 1. A fight or fighting; contest; strife. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

On the day of the Trinity next ensuing was a great debate . . . and in that murder there were slain . . . fourscore. R. of Gloucester. [ 1913 Webster ]

But question fierce and proud reply
Gave signal soon of dire debate. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Contention in words or arguments; discussion for the purpose of elucidating truth or influencing action; strife in argument; controversy; as, the debates in Parliament or in Congress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Heard, noted, answer'd, as in full debate. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Subject of discussion. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Statutes and edicts concerning this debate. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full of contention; contentious; quarrelsome. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With contention. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. debatement a beating. ] Controversy; deliberation; debate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A serious question and debatement with myself. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who debates; one given to argument; a disputant; a controvertist. [ 1913 Webster ]

Debate where leisure serves with dull debaters. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of discussing or arguing; discussion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Debating society or
Debating club, a society or club for the purpose of debate and improvement in extemporaneous speaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the manner of a debate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Debauched p. pr. & vb. n. Debauching. ] [ F. débaucher, prob. originally, to entice away from the workshop; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) + OF. bauche, bauge, hut, cf. F. bauge lair of a wild boar; prob. from G. or Icel., cf. Icel. bālkr. See Balk, n. ] To lead away from purity or excellence; to corrupt in character or principles; to mar; to vitiate; to pollute; to seduce; as, to debauch one's self by intemperance; to debauch a woman; to debauch an army. [ 1913 Webster ]

Learning not debauched by ambition. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man must have got his conscience thoroughly debauched and hardened before he can arrive to the height of sin. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Her pride debauched her judgment and her eyes. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. débauche. ] 1. Excess in eating or drinking; intemperance; drunkenness; lewdness; debauchery. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first physicians by debauch were made. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An act or occasion of debauchery. [ 1913 Webster ]

Silenus, from his night's debauch,
Fatigued and sick. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Dissolute; dissipated. “A coarse and debauched look.” Ld. Lytton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a profligate manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being debauched; intemperance. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. débauché, n., properly p. p. of débaucher. See Debauch, v. t. ] One who is given to intemperance or bacchanalian excesses; a man habitually lewd; a libertine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who debauches or corrupts others; especially, a seducer to lewdness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Debaucheries 1. Corruption of fidelity; seduction from virtue, duty, or allegiance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The republic of Paris will endeavor to complete the debauchery of the army. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Excessive indulgence of the appetites; especially, excessive indulgence of lust; intemperance; sensuality; habitual lewdness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oppose . . . debauchery by temperance. Sprat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of corrupting; the act of seducing from virtue or duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Debauchedness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The ball or globe of the eye. [ 1913 Webster ]