| A 1 |
| A registry mark given by underwriters (as at Lloyd's) to ships
in first-class condition. Inferior grades are indicated by A 2 and A 3. |
| Aam |
| A Dutch and German measure of liquids, varying in different
cities, being at Amsterdam about 41 wine gallons, at Antwerp 36 1/2, at
Hamburg 38 1/4. |
| Aard-vark |
| An edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus, somewhat
resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa. It burrows
in the ground, and feeds entirely on ants, which it catches with its
long, slimy tongue. |
| Aard-wolf |
| A carnivorous quadruped (Proteles Lalandii), of South
Africa, resembling the fox and hyena. See Proteles. |
| Aaronic |
| Alt. of Aaronical |
| Aaronical |
| Pertaining to Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews. |
| Aaron's rod |
| A rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing
from the caduceus of Mercury, which has two. |
| Aaron's rod |
| A plant with a tall flowering stem; esp. the great
mullein, or hag-taper, and the golden-rod. |
| Ab- |
| A prefix in many words of Latin origin. It signifies from, away
, separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. See A-(6). |
| Ab |
| The fifth month of the Jewish year according to the
ecclesiastical reckoning, the eleventh by the civil computation,
coinciding nearly with August. |