*helm*

n. A tailor's assistant for repairing garments; -- called also busheler. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. dis- + helm helmet. ] To deprive of the helmet. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Lying stark,
Dishelmed and mute, and motionlessly pale. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ } n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; within + &unr_;, &unr_;, worm. ] (Zoöl.) Intestinal worms. See Helminthes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Haulm, straw. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. helme, AS. helma rudder; akin to D. & G. helm, Icel. hjālm, and perh. to E. helve. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Naut.) The apparatus by which a ship is steered, comprising rudder, tiller, wheel, etc.; -- commonly used of the tiller or wheel alone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The place or office of direction or administration. “The helm of the Commonwealth.” Melmoth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One at the place of direction or control; a steersman; hence, a guide; a director. [ 1913 Webster ]

The helms o' the State, who care for you like fathers. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ Cf. Helve. ] A helve. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Helm amidships, when the tiller, rudder, and keel are in the same plane. --
Helm aport, when the tiller is borne over to the port side of the ship. --
Helm astarboard, when the tiller is borne to the starboard side. --
Helm alee,
Helm aweather, when the tiller is borne over to the lee or to the weather side. --
Helm hard alee,
Helm hard aport,
Helm hard astarboard, etc., when the tiller is borne over to the extreme limit. --
Helm port, the round hole in a vessel's counter through which the rudderstock passes. --
Helm down, helm alee. --
Helm up, helm aweather. --
To ease the helm, to let the tiller come more amidships, so as to lessen the strain on the rudder. --
To feel the helm, to obey it. --
To right the helm, to put it amidships. --
To shift the helm, to bear the tiller over to the corresponding position on the opposite side of the vessel. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Helmed p. pr. & vb. n. Helming. ] To steer; to guide; to direct. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The business he hath helmed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wild wave . . . overbears the bark,
And him that helms it. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. See Helmet. ] 1. A helmet. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A heavy cloud lying on the brow of a mountain. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cover or furnish with a helm or helmet. [ Perh. used only as a past part. or part. adj. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She that helmed was in starke stours. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Guidance; direction. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Covered with a helmet. [ 1913 Webster ]

The helmed cherubim
Are seen in glittering ranks. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. helmet, a dim of helme, F. heaume; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. helm, akin to AS. & OS. helm, D. helm, helmet, Icel. hjālmr, Sw. hjelm, Dan. hielm, Goth. hilms; and prob. from the root of AS. helan to hide, to hele; cf. also Lith. szalmas, Russ. shleme, Skr. çarman protection. √17. Cf. Hele, Hell, Helm a helmet. ] 1. (Armor) A defensive covering for the head. See Casque, Headpiece, Morion, Sallet, and Illust. of Beaver. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) The representation of a helmet over shields or coats of arms, denoting gradations of rank by modifications of form. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A helmet-shaped hat, made of cork, felt, metal, or other suitable material, worn as part of the uniform of soldiers, firemen, etc., also worn in hot countries as a protection from the heat of the sun. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which resembles a helmet in form, position, etc.; as: (a) (Chem.) The upper part of a retort. Boyle. (b) (Bot.) The hood-formed upper sepal or petal of some flowers, as of the monkshood or the snapdragon. (c) (Zool.) A naked shield or protuberance on the top or fore part of the head of a bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

Helmet beetle (Zool.), a leaf-eating beetle of the family Chrysomelidae, having a short, broad, and flattened body. Many species are known. --
Helmet shell (Zool.), one of many species of tropical marine univalve shells belonging to Cassis and allied genera. Many of them are large and handsome; several are used for cutting as cameos, and hence are called cameo shells. See King conch. --
Helmet shrike (Zool.), an African wood shrike of the genus Prionodon, having a large crest. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wearing a helmet; furnished with or having a helmet or helmet-shaped part; galeate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shaped like a helmet; galeate. See Illust. of Galeate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm. ] (Zool.) An intestinal worm, or wormlike intestinal parasite; one of the Helminthes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; a worm + &unr_; to drive. ] (Med.) A vermifuge. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm. ] (Zool.) One of the grand divisions or branches of the animal kingdom. It is a large group including a vast number of species, most of which are parasitic. Called also Enthelminthes, Enthelmintha. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The following classes are included, with others of less importance: Cestoidea (tapeworms), Trematodea (flukes, etc.), Turbellaria (planarians), Acanthocephala (thornheads), Nematoidea (roundworms, trichina, gordius), Nemertina (nemerteans). See Plathelminthes, and Nemathelminthes. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; to suffer from worms, fr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm. ] (Med.) A disease in which worms are present in some part of the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. helminthique. ] Of or relating to worms, or Helminthes; expelling worms. -- n. A vermifuge; an anthelmintic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm. ] (Geol.) One of the sinuous tracks on the surfaces of many stones, and popularly considered as worm trails. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm + -oid. ] Wormlike; vermiform.

{ } a. [ Cf. F. helminthologique. ] Of or pertaining to helminthology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. helminthologiste. ] One versed in helminthology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a worm + -logy: cf. F. helminthologie. ] The natural history, or study, of worms, esp. parasitic worms. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Destitute of a helmet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Without a helm or rudder. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Helmsmen The man at the helm; a steersman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A wind attending or presaged by the cloud called helm. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖, prop. n. pl. [ NL. See Nemato-, and Helminthes. ] (Zool.) An order of helminths, including the Nematoidea and Gordiacea; the roundworms. [ Written also Nematelminthea. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Overwhelmed p. pr. & vb. n. Overwhelming. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cover over completely, as by a great wave; to overflow and bury beneath; to ingulf; hence, figuratively, to immerse and bear down; to overpower; to crush; to bury; to oppress, etc., overpoweringly. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sea overwhelmed their enemies. Ps. lxxviii. 53. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. Ps. lv. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foul deeds will rise,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gaza yet stands; but all her sons are fallen,
All in a moment overwhelmed and fallen. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To project or impend over threateningly. [ 1913 Webster ]

His louering brows o'erwhelming his fair sight. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to surround, to cover. Papin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of overwhelming. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. same as overpowered.
Syn. -- overcome, overpowered, swamped, engulfed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. defeated easily by a greatly superior opponent.
Syn. -- routed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Overpowering; irresistible. -- O`ver*whelm"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. (Zool.) A member of the Platyhelminthes. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) Same as Platyelminthes; -- an older term. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) Same as Platyelminthes. [ Written also Platyelmia. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To interest less than anticipated; to be dull to (a person). [ PJC ]

a. 1. Less interesting than expected; dull. [ PJC ]

2. Smaller than expected or hoped; as, an underwhelming response. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + helm. ] To deprive of the helm or helmet. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. [ Properly p. p. of unhelm. ] Divested or deprived of the helm or helmet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Pref. un- not + helm. ] Not wearing a helmet; without a helmet. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + helmet. ] To deprive of the helmet. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]