*timi*

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Intimidated p. pr. & vb. n. Intimidating ] [ LL. intimidatus, p. p. of intimidare to frighten; pref. in- in + timidus fearful, timid: cf. F. intimider. See Timid. ] To make timid or fearful; to inspire of affect with fear; to deter, as by threats; to dishearten; to abash. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now guilt, once harbored in the conscious breast,
Intimidates the brave, degrades the great. Johnson.

Syn. -- To dishearten; dispirit; abash; deter; frighten; terrify; daunt; cow. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. made timid or fearful as by threats. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. frightened into submission or compliance.
Syn. -- browbeaten, bullied, cowed, hangdog. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. discouraging; inhibiting; deterring. Opposite of encouraging.
Syn. -- daunting. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. intimidation. ] The act of making timid or fearful or of deterring by threats; the state of being intimidated; as, the voters were kept from the polls by intimidation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king carried his measures in Parliament by intimidation. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending or serving to intimidate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Lactic + imide. ] (Chem.) A white, crystalline substance obtained as an anhydride of alanine, and regarded as an imido derivative of lactic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The principles or plans of legitimists. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. légitimiste. ] 1. One who supports legitimate authority; esp., one who believes in hereditary monarchy, as a divine right. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically, a supporter of the claims of the elder branch of the Bourbon dynasty to the crown of France. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Legitimized p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimizing. ] To legitimate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of assigning something to a time when it could not have existed or occurred.
Syn. -- anachronism, misdating. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

pos>v. t. Same as optimize. [ Chiefly Brit. ] [ PJC ]

n. [ L. optimus the best; akin to optio choice: cf. F. optimisme. See Option. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Metaph.) The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature, being the work of God, is ordered for the best, or that the ordering of things in the universe is such as to produce the highest good. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A habitual tendency or a present disposition to take the most hopeful view of future events, and to expect a favorable outcome even when unfavorable outcomes are possible; -- opposed to pessimism. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

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

1. (Metaph.) One who holds the opinion that all events are ordered for the best. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who looks on the bright side of things, or takes hopeful views; one who experiences optimism{ 2 }; -- opposed to pessimist. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Metaph.) Of or pertaining to optimism; tending, or conforming, to the opinion that all events are ordered for the best. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hopeful; sanguine; as, an optimistic view. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. optimitas, fr. optimus the best. ] The state of being best. [ R. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>v. t. [ imp. & p. p. optimized p. pr. & vb. n. optimizing ] 1. To make as useful, effective, or functional as possible; as, to optimize the speed of a computer program.
Syn. -- optimise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. To get the most out of; to use to the best effect; to exploit fully; as, to optimize one's return on investment.
Syn. -- make optimal, optimise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Sp., fr. repartir to divide. ] A partition or distribution, especially of slaves; also, an assessment of taxes. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. & v. t. See Stymie. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. timidus, fr. timere to fear; cf. Skr. tam to become breathless, to become stupefief: cf. F. timide. ] Wanting courage to meet danger; easily frightened; timorous; not bold; fearful; shy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Poor is the triumph o'er the timid hare. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Fearful; timorous; afraid; cowardly; pusillanimous; faint-hearted; shrinking; retiring. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Tim"id*ly, adv. -- Tim"id*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. timiditas: cf. F. timidité. ] The quality or state of being timid; timorousness; timidness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Timid. [ Obs. ] Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also timeist. ] 1. (Mus.) A performer who keeps good time. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A timeserver. [ Obs. ] Overbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. ultimitus extremity, fr. L. ultimus the last. ] The last stage or consequence; finality. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]