Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -- Volume ABAd·act" (?), v. t. [L. adactus, p. p. of adigere.] To compel; to drive. [Obs.] Fotherby. A·dac"tyl (?), A·dac"tyl·ous (?), a. [Gr. α priv. + ? finger.] (Zoöl.) (a) Without fingers or without toes. (b) Without claws on the feet (of crustaceous animals). Ad"age (?), n. [F. adage, fr. L. adagium; ad + the root of L. aio I say.] An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb. Letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would," Syn. -- Axiom; maxim; aphorism; proverb; saying; saw; apothegm. See Axiom. A·da"gi·al (?), a. Pertaining to an adage; proverbial. "Adagial verse." Barrow. A·da"gio (?), a. & adv. [It. adagio; ad (L. ad) at + agio convenience, leisure, ease. See Agio.] (Mus.) Slow; slowly, leisurely, and gracefully. When repeated, adagio, adagio, it directs the movement to be very slow. A·da"gio, n. A piece of music in adagio time; a slow movement; as, an adagio of Haydn. Ad"am (?), n. 1. The name given in the Bible to the first man, the progenitor of the human race. 2. (As a symbol) "Original sin;" human frailty. And whipped the offending Adam out of him. -- Adam's ale, water. [Coll.] -- Adam's apple. 1. (Bot.) (a) A species of banana (Musa paradisiaca). It attains a height of twenty feet or more. Paxton. (b) A species of lime (Citris limetta). 2. The projection formed by the thyroid cartilage in the neck. It is particularly prominent in males, and is so called from a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit (an apple) sticking in the throat of our first parent. |