*esm*

n. [ See Apotelesmatic. ] 1. The result or issue. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astrol.) The calculation and explanation of a nativity. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; effect of the stars on human destiny, fr. &unr_; to complete; &unr_; from + &unr_; to end, &unr_; end. ] 1. Relating to the casting of horoscopes. [ Archaic ] Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Relating to an issue of fulfillment. [ 1913 Webster ]

In this way a passage in the Old Testament may have, or rather comprise, an apotelesmatic sense, i. e., one of after or final accomplishment. M. Stuart. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Smartweed; water pepper. Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Beadsman. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n.; pl. -men A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for the soul of its founder; an almsman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto Almighty God. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Besmeared p. pr. & vb. n. Besmearing. ] To smear with any viscous, glutinous matter; to bedaub; to soil. [ 1913 Webster ]

Besmeared with precious balm. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that besmears. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Besmirched p. pr. & vb. n. Besmirching. ] To smirch or soil; to discolor; to obscure. Hence: To dishonor; to sully. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To foul with smoke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To harden or dry in smoke. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Besmutted; p. pr. & vb. n. Besmutting. ] [ Pref. be- + smut: cf. AS. besmītan, and also OE. besmotren. ] To blacken with smut; to foul with soot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sword cutler. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Bosjesmans. [ D. boschjesman. ] See Bushman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female friend who attends on a bride at her wedding. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Bridesmen A male friend who attends upon a bridegroom and bride at their marriage; the “best man.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. centesima. ] Hundredth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An associate or companion; a friend; a partner. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Misshapen time, copesmate of ugly Night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Dalesmen One living in a dale; -- a term applied particularly to the inhabitants of the valleys in the north of England, Norway, etc. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To relieve from mesmeric influence. See Mesmerize. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Sw. desman musk. ] (Zool.) An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia (Myogale moschata). It is allied to the moles, but is called muskrat by some English writers. [ Written also dæsman. ]

{ } n. [ Gr. desmo`s chain + e'i^dos form. ] (Bot.) A microscopic plant of the family Desmidiæ, a group of unicellular algæ in which the species have a greenish color, and the cells generally appear as if they consisted of two coalescing halves. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. de`smh, desmo`s, bundle, fr. dei^n to bind. ] (Min.) Same as Stilbite. It commonly occurs in bundles or tufts of crystals. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ Gr. desmo`s bond + E. bacteria. ] See Microbacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. desmo`s bond + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth. ] (Zool.) A member of a group of South American blood-sucking bats, of the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. See Vampire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a natural family comprisng the true vampire bats.
Syn. -- family Desmodontidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the type genus of the Desmodontidae, consisting of vampire bats.
Syn. -- genus Desmodus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. desmo`s bond + gna`qos jaw. ] (Zool.) Having the maxillo-palatine bones united; -- applied to a group of carinate birds (Desmognathæ), including various wading and swimming birds, as the ducks and herons, and also raptorial and other kinds. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. desmo`s ligament + -oid. ] (Anat.) Resembling, or having the characteristics of, a ligament; ligamentous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. desmo`s ligament + -logy. ] The science which treats of the ligaments. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; bond + &unr_; muscle. ] (Zool.) The division of Tunicata which includes the Salpæ. See Salpa. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Domesmen [ See Doom. ] A judge; an umpire. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the official (in tennis or soccer) who watches the lines. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a person who installs or repairs electrical or telephone lines.
Syn. -- electrician, lineman. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ , n. [ Load, lode + man. See Lode. ] A pilot. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Loadsman. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Lore learning + man. ] An instructor. [ Obs. ] Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An officer who ascertains meres or boundaries. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person subjected to mesmeric influence; one who is mesmerized. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. mesmérique. ] Of, pertaining to, or induced by, mesmerism; as, mesmeric sleep. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Mesmer, who first brought it into notice at Vienna, about 1775: cf. F. mesmérisme. ] An earlier name for hypnosis or hypnotism, the art of inducing an extraordinary or abnormal state of the nervous system, in which the actor claims to control the actions, and communicate directly with the mind, of the recipient. It is believed to be a state between sleep and wakefulness, in which a person is more susceptible to suggestion than when awake. See Animal magnetism, under Magnetism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices, or believes in, mesmerism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of mesmerizing; the state of being mesmerized. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mesmerized p. pr. & vb. n. Mesmerizing ] [ Also spelled mesmerise. ]1. To bring into a state of mesmeric sleep; to hypnotize. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To produce an intense fascination in; to spellbind. [ PJC ]

n. One who mesmerizes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A kind of cress, a pungent cruciferous plant, including several species of the genus Nasturtium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Salesmen [ Sale + man. ] One who sells anything; one whose occupation is to sell goods or merchandise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Sidesmen 1. A party man; a partisan. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assistant to the churchwarden; a questman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Spokesmen [ Speak, spoke + man. ] One who speaks for another. [ 1913 Webster ]

He shall be thy spokesman unto the people. Ex. iv. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Statesmen 1. A man versed in public affairs and in the principles and art of government; especially, one eminent for political abilities. [ 1913 Webster ]

The minds of some of our statesmen, like the pupil of the human eye, contract themselves the more, the stronger light there is shed upon them. Moore. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One occupied with the affairs of government, and influential in shaping its policy. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A small landholder. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the manner or wisdom of statesmen; becoming a statesman. [ 1913 Webster ]