*item*

a. [ L. aequus equal + tempus, temporis, time. ] Contemporaneous. [ Obs. ] Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. [ Cf. OF. excitement, escitement. ] 1. The act of exciting, or the state of being roused into action, or of having increased action; impulsion; agitation; as, an excitement of the people. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which excites or rouses; that which moves, stirs, or induces action; a motive. [ 1913 Webster ]

The cares and excitements of a season of transition and struggle. Talfowrd. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Physiol.) A state of aroused or increased vital activity in an organism, or any of its organs or tissues. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. incitement. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of inciting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which incites the mind, or moves to action; motive; incentive; impulse. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

From the long records of a distant age,
Derive incitements to renew thy rage. Pope.

Syn. -- Motive; incentive; spur; stimulus; impulse; encouragement. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Indictment. ] The act of inditing. Craig. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Invitation. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Itemed p. pr. & vb. n. Iteming. ] To make a note or memorandum of. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have itemed it in my memory. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ L. See Iterate. ] Also; as an additional article. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Item, adv. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An article; a separate particular in an account; as, the items in a bill; he picked up four items at the drug store. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. A hint; an innuendo. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A secret item was given to some of the bishops . . . to absent themselves. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A short article in a newspaper; a paragraph; as, an item concerning the weather. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A topic or piece of information having the salacious character of gossip, especially a romantic relation between two people; as, I hear that the boss and his new secretary are an item. [ PJC ]

adj. considered one item at a time; -- contrasted with using general rules for groups of items considered by their class. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To state in items, or by particulars; to list each item in a collection under discussion; as, to itemize the cost of a railroad. [ Local, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. Excess of excitement; the state of being overexcited. [ 1913 Webster ]