*lib*

n. [ L., elsewhere, at another place. See Alias. ] (Law) The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove that he was in another place when the alleged act was committed; as, to set up an alibi; to prove an alibi. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being alible. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. alibilis, fr. alere to nourish. ] Nutritive; nourishing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A balancing; equipoise. [ R. ] De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Libel, v. t. ] To libel or traduce; to calumniate. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. belle et bonne, beautiful and good. ] A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To ascertain the caliber of, as of a thermometer tube; also, more generally, to determine or rectify the graduation of, as of the various standards or graduated instruments. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The process of estimating the caliber a tube, as of a thermometer tube, in order to graduate it to a scale of degrees; also, more generally, the determination of the true value of the spaces in any graduated instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. calibre, perh. fr. L. qualibra of what pound, of what weight; hence, of what size, applied first to a ball or bullet; cf. also Ar. qālib model, mold. Cf. Calipers, Calivere. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Gunnery) The diameter of the bore, as a cannon or other firearm, or of any tube; or the weight or size of the projectile which a firearm will carry; as, an 8 inch gun, a 12-pounder, a 44 caliber. [ 1913 Webster ]

The caliber of empty tubes. Reid. [ 1913 Webster ]

A battery composed of three guns of small caliber. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The caliber of firearms is expressed in various ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a solid spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces of ordnance that project shell or hollow shot are designated by the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch shell gun; small arms are designated by hundredths of an inch expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The diameter of round or cylindrical body, as of a bullet or column. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Caliber compasses. See Calipers. --
Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely. --
A ship's caliber, the weight of her armament. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Celibate, n. ] The state of being unmarried; single life, esp. that of a bachelor, or of one bound by vows not to marry. “The celibacy of the clergy.” Hallom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aelibatus, fr. caelebs unmarried, single. ] 1. Celibate state; celibacy. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . preferreth holy celibate before the estate of marriage. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is unmarried, esp. a bachelor, or one bound by vows not to marry. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Unmarried; single; as, a celibate state. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who lives unmarried. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a person having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From cully to trick, cheat. ] Gullibility. [ R. ] Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Easily deceived; gullible. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. delibatus, p. p. of delibare to taste; de- + libare to taste. ] To taste; to take a sip of; to dabble in. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. delibatio: cf. F. délibation. ] Act of tasting; a slight trial. [ Obs. ] Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To deliberate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. deliberatus, p. p. of deliberare to deliberate; de- + librare to weigh. See Librate. ] 1. Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; circumspect; slow in determining; -- applied to persons; as, a deliberate judge or counselor. “These deliberate fools.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Formed with deliberation; well-advised; carefully considered; not sudden or rash; as, a deliberate opinion; a deliberate measure or result. [ 1913 Webster ]

Settled visage and deliberate word. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not hasty or sudden; slow. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

His enunciation was so deliberate. W. Wirt.

4. having awareness of the likely consequences; intentional. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deliberated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deliberating. ] To weigh in the mind; to consider the reasons for and against; to consider maturely; to reflect upon; to ponder; as, to deliberate a question. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To take counsel with one's self; to weigh the arguments for and against a proposed course of action; to reflect; to consider; to hesitate in deciding; -- sometimes with on, upon, about, concerning. [ 1913 Webster ]

The woman that deliberates is lost. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With careful consideration, or deliberation; circumspectly; warily; not hastily or rashly; slowly; as, a purpose deliberately formed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being deliberate; calm consideration; circumspection. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. deliberatio: cf. F. délibération. ] 1. The act of deliberating, or of weighing and examining the reasons for and against a choice or measure; careful consideration; mature reflection. [ 1913 Webster ]

Choosing the fairest way with a calm deliberation. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Careful discussion and examination of the reasons for and against a measure; as, the deliberations of a legislative body or council. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A discourse in which a question is discussed, or weighed and examined. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of rhetoric employed in proving a thing and convincing others of its truth, in order to persuade them to adopt it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. deliberativus: cf. F. délibératif. ] Pertaining to deliberation; proceeding or acting by deliberation, or by discussion and examination; deliberating; as, a deliberative body. [ 1913 Webster ]

A consummate work of deliberative wisdom. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

The court of jurisdiction is to be distinguished from the deliberative body, the advisers of the crown. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a deliberative manner; circumspectly; considerately. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who deliberates. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Delibrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Delibrating. ] [ L. delibratus, p. p. of delibrare to delibrate; de from + liber bark. ] To strip off the bark; to peel. [ Obs. ] Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of stripping off the bark. [ Obs. ] Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Equilibrated p. pr. & vb. n. Equilibrating ] [ L. aequilibratus in equilibrium; aequus equal + libra balance. See Equilibrium. ] To balance two scales, sides, or ends; to keep even with equal weight on each side; to keep in equipoise. H. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Act of keeping a balance, or state of being balanced; equipoise. [ 1913 Webster ]

In . . . running, leaping, and dancing, nature's laws of equilibration are observed. J. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) The process by which animal and vegetable organisms preserve a physiological balance. H. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Evenly poised; balanced. Dr. H. More. -- E`qui*lib"ri*ous*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. One who balances himself in unnatural positions and hazardous movements; a balancer. [ 1913 Webster ]

When the equilibrist balances a rod upon his finger. Stewart. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aequilibritas equal distribution. See Equilibrium. ] The state of being balanced; equality of weight. [ R. ] J. Gregory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Equilibriums L. Equilibria [ L. aequilibrium, fr. aequilibris in equilibrium, level; aequus equal + libra balance. See Equal, and Librate. ] 1. Equality of weight or force; an equipoise or a state of rest produced by the mutual counteraction of two or more forces. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A level position; a just poise or balance in respect to an object, so that it remains firm; equipoise; as, to preserve the equilibrium of the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

Health consists in the equilibrium between those two powers. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A balancing of the mind between motives or reasons, with consequent indecision and doubt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Equilibrium valve (Steam Engine), a balanced valve. See under Valve. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The name of King Arthur's mythical sword. [ Written also Excalibar, Excalibor, Escalibar, and Caliburn. ] Tennyson.

‖ [ L. ex from + libris books. ] An inscription, label, or the like, in a book indicating its ownership; esp., a bookplate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The state of being fallible; liability to deceive or to be deceived; as, the fallibity of an argument or of an adviser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. fallibilis, fr. L. fallere to deceive: cf. F. faillible. See Fail. ] Liable to fail, mistake, or err; liable to deceive or to be deceived; as, all men are fallible; our opinions and hopes are fallible. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a fallible manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gael. feileadhbeag, i. e., little kilt; feileadh kilt + beag little, small; cf. filleadh a plait, fold. ] Same as Kilt. [ Written also philibeg. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Sp. flibuster, flibustero, corrupted fr. E. freebooter. See Freebooter. ] A lawless military adventurer, especially one in quest of plunder; a freebooter; -- originally applied to buccaneers infesting the Spanish American coasts, but introduced into common English to designate the followers of Lopez in his expedition to Cuba in 1851, and those of Walker in his expedition to Nicaragua, in 1855. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fillibustered p. pr. & vb. n. Filibustering. ] 1. To act as a filibuster, or military freebooter. Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To delay legislation, by dilatory motions or other artifices. [ political cant or slang, U.S. ] Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The characteristics or practices of a filibuster. Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A kilt. See Filibeg. [ 1913 Webster ]