*trait*

‖a. [ F. See Distract. ] Absent-minded; lost in thought; abstracted. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Too straitly or strictly. [ Obs. ] Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., originally p. p. of portraire to portray. See Portray. ] 1. The likeness of a person, painted, drawn, or engraved; commonly, a representation of the human face painted from real life. [ 1913 Webster ]

In portraits, the grace, and, we may add, the likeness, consists more in the general air than in the exact similitude of every feature. Sir J. Reynolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The meaning of the word is sometimes extended so as to include a photographic likeness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, any graphic or vivid delineation or description of a person; as, a portrait in words. [ 1913 Webster ]

Portrait bust, or
Portrait statue, a bust or statue representing the actual features or person of an individual; -- in distinction from an ideal bust or statue. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To portray; to draw. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A portrait painter. [ R. ] Hamerton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. portraiture. ] 1. A portrait; a likeness; a painted resemblance; hence, that which is copied from some example or model. [ 1913 Webster ]

For, by the image of my cause, I see
The portraiture of his. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbors but the portraiture. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pictures, collectively; painting. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The art or practice of making portraits. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To represent by a portrait, or as by a portrait; to portray. [ R. ] Shaftesbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ It. ritratto, fr. ritrarre to draw back, draw, fr. L. retrahere. See Retract. ] A portrait; a likeness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose fair retrait I in my shield do bear. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. A variant of Straight. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Straiter superl. Straitest. ] [ OE. straight, streyt, streit, OF. estreit, estroit, F. étroit, from L. strictus drawn together, close, tight, p. p. of stringere to draw tight. See 2nd Strait, and cf. Strict. ] 1. Narrow; not broad. [ 1913 Webster ]

Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matt. vii. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

Too strait and low our cottage doors. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tight; close; closely fitting. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Close; intimate; near; familiar. [ Obs. ] “A strait degree of favor.” Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Strict; scrupulous; rigorous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some certain edicts and some strait decrees. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The straitest sect of our religion. Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.). [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Difficult; distressful; straited. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make your strait circumstances yet straiter. Secker. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Parsimonious; niggargly; mean. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I beg cold comfort, and you are so strait,
And so ingrateful, you deny me that. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Strictly; rigorously. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Straits [ OE. straight, streit, OF. estreit, estroit. See Strait, a. ] 1. A narrow pass or passage. [ 1913 Webster ]

He brought him through a darksome narrow strait
To a broad gate all built of beaten gold. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Honor travels in a strait so narrow
Where one but goes abreast. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: (Geog.) A (comparatively) narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water; -- often in the plural; as, the strait, or straits, of Gibraltar; the straits of Magellan; the strait, or straits, of Mackinaw. [ 1913 Webster ]

We steered directly through a large outlet which they call a strait, though it be fifteen miles broad. De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A neck of land; an isthmus. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A dark strait of barren land. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Fig.: A condition of narrowness or restriction; doubt; distress; difficulty; poverty; perplexity; -- sometimes in the plural; as, reduced to great straits. [ 1913 Webster ]

For I am in a strait betwixt two. Phil. i. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let no man, who owns a Providence, grow desperate under any calamity or strait whatsoever. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ulysses made use of the pretense of natural infirmity to conceal the straits he was in at that time in his thoughts. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To put to difficulties. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Straitened p. pr. & vb. n. Straitening. ] 1. To make strait; to make narrow; hence, to contract; to confine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Waters, when straitened, as at the falls of bridges, give a roaring noise. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

In narrow circuit, straitened by a foe. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make tense, or tight; to tighten. [ 1913 Webster ]

They straiten at each end the cord. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To restrict; to distress or embarrass in respect of means or conditions of life; -- used chiefly in the past participle; -- as, a man straitened in his circumstances. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Parsimonious; sparing; niggardly. [ R. ] -- Strait"-hand`ed*ness, n. [R.] [1913 Webster]

n. A dress of strong materials for restraining maniacs or those who are violently delirious. It has long sleeves, which are closed at the ends, confining the hands, and may be tied behind the back. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Bound with stays. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let nature have scope to fashion the body as she thinks best; we have few well-shaped that are strait-laced. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Restricted; stiff; constrained. [ R. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Rigid in opinion; strict in manners or morals. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a strait manner; narrowly; strictly; rigorously. Mark i. 43. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Closely; intimately. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or condition of being strait; especially, a pinched condition or situation caused by poverty; as, the straitnessof their circumstances. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Strait-jacket. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. tractus, fr. trahere to draw. See Trace, v., and cf. Tract a region, Trace a strap, Tret. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A stroke; a touch. [ 1913 Webster ]

By this single trait Homer makes an essential difference between the Iliad and Odyssey. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A distinguishing or marked feature; a peculiarity; as, a trait of character. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly pronounced trā, as in French, and still so pronounced to some extent in England. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] The keeper of an eating house, or restaurant; a restaurateur. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. traitour, OF. traïtor, traïteur, F. treître, L. traditor, fr. tradere, traditum, to deliver, to give up or surrender treacherously, to betray; trans across, over + dare to give. See Date time, and cf. Betray, Tradition, Traditor, Treason. ] 1. One who violates his allegiance and betrays his country; one guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers his country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place intrusted to his defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished; also, one who takes arms and levies war against his country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. See Treason. [ 1913 Webster ]

O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, one who betrays any confidence or trust; a betrayer. “This false traitor death.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Traitorous. [ R. ] Spenser. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To act the traitor toward; to betray; to deceive. [ Obs. ] “ But time, it traitors me.” Lithgow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A traitress. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a traitor; treacherous; traitorous. [ Obs. ] “Traitorly rascals.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. traîtreux. ] 1. Guilty of treason; treacherous; perfidious; faithless; as, a traitorous officer or subject. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting in treason; partaking of treason; implying breach of allegiance; as, a traitorous scheme. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Trai"tor*ous*ly, adv. -- Trai"tor*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Treachery. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]