Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -- Volume AB

Al (?), a. All. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Al-. A prefix. (a) [AS. eal.] All; wholly; completely; as, almighty, almost. (b) [L. ad.] To; at; on; -- in OF. shortened to a-. See Ad-. (c) The Arabic definite article answering to the English the; as, Alkoran, the Koran or the Book; alchemy, the chemistry.

Al. conj. Although; if. [Obs.] See All, conj.

A"la (?), n.; pl. Alę (?). [L., a wing.] (Biol.) A winglike organ, or part.

Al`a·ba"ma pe"ri·od (?). (Geol.) A period in the American eocene, the lowest in the tertiary age except the lignitic.

Al"a·bas"ter (?), n. [L. alabaster, Gr. ?, said to be derived fr. Alabastron, the name of a town in Egypt, near which it was common: cf. OF. alabastre, F. albātre.]

1. (Min.) (a) A compact variety or sulphate of lime, or gypsum, of fine texture, and usually white and translucent, but sometimes yellow, red, or gray. It is carved into vases, mantel ornaments, etc. (b) A hard, compact variety of carbonate of lime, somewhat translucent, or of banded shades of color; stalagmite. The name is used in this sense by Pliny. It is sometimes distinguished as oriental alabaster.

2. A box or vessel for holding odoriferous ointments, etc.; -- so called from the stone of which it was originally made. Fosbroke.

Al`a·bas"tri·an (?), a. Alabastrine.

Al`a·bas"trine (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or like, alabaster; as alabastrine limbs.

Al`a·bas"trum (?), n.; pl. Alabastra (?). [NL.] (Bot.) A flower bud. Gray.

A·lack" (?), interj. [Prob. from ah! lack! OE. lak loss, failure, misfortune. See Lack.] An exclamation expressive of sorrow. [Archaic. or Poet.] Shak.