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1. aam, n. View full entry a1400

...A Dutch and German liquid measure of varying capacity, ranging in different continental cities from 37 to 44 imperial gallons (168.2 to 200.2 litres) and used in Britain for Rhenish wine; (also)...

2. aaron, n.1 View full entry ?c1425

...The wild arum or cuckoo pint, Arum maculatum. Cf. arum...

3. abacus, n. View full entry a1387

...A board or tray strewn with sand in which numbers, letters, diagrams, etc., can be traced and erased. Cf. sandboard1, sand-table(a)sand2a. Now rare...

4. abaptiston, n. View full entry 1688

...Any of various types of trepan designed to prevent sudden penetration into the brain; (also) the crown of a trepan (see crown15)....

5. abate, v.1 View full entry c1300

...trans. To put an end to (a condition, state of affairs, etc.). Obs....

6. abate, v.2 View full entry c1436

...trans. (refl.). To take possession of land between the death of the owner and the accession of the heir, thereby keeping the legitimate heir out of possession....

7. abator, n.1 View full entry c1523

...A person who takes possession of land between the death of the owner and the accession of the legal heir. See abate...

8. abb, n. View full entry eOE

...Originally: the woof or weft in a web. Later also: the warp in a web. Freq. attrib., as abb thread, abb wool, etc....

9. abbas, n. View full entry 1550

...A religious or spiritual leader; spec. an abbot. Chiefly as a title of respect....

10. abbess, n. View full entry c1300

...A woman who is the head or superior of an abbey of nuns or (formerly) of a double abbey of nuns and monks. Also as a title. Cf. Mother Superiormother...

11. abbey, n. View full entry c1300

...Christian Church....

12. abbot, n. View full entry eOE

...A man who is the head or superior of an abbey of (Christian) monks. Also used as a title placed before (and in Old English also after) a name....

13. abbreviator, n. View full entry 1529

...A person who shortens or abridges something, esp. a text; a summarizer; a compiler. Also: a person given to the use of abbreviations....

14. abdicate, v. View full entry 1532

...trans. To proclaim or declare to be no longer one's own; to disown, cast off; esp. to disown or disinherit a child. Obs. (hist. in...

15. abdication, n. View full entry 1552

...The action or practice of formally disowning or casting off a person, esp. one's child. Chiefly hist., with reference to ancient Greek and Roman law....

16. Abdominales, n. View full entry 1771

...A (former) division of bony fishes comprising those with pelvic fins located on the belly, between the pectoral and anal fins; fishes of this division. Cf. abdominal3abdominal1....

17. Abdominalia, n. View full entry 1854

...With pl. concord. A former order of barnacles which bore into a variety of calcareous material, comprising typically small, shell-less forms having several pairs of cirri towards the end of...

18. abecedarian, n. and adj. View full entry 1603

...A person who is learning the alphabet or who is engaged in elementary education; spec. (U.S.) a member of the youngest group of children in a school (now...

19. abecedary, n.2 View full entry ?a1475

...= ABC4. Now chiefly hist....

20. aberemurder, n. View full entry 1647

...Deliberate, premeditated murder....

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