Part 128

6. (Spiritualism) A superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.

Af*firm" (f*frm"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affirmed (-frmd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Affirming.] [OE. affermen, OF. afermer, F. affirmer, affermir, fr. L. affirmare; ad + firmare to make firm, firmus firm. See Firm.] 1. To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; esp. (Law), to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review.

2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true; -- opposed to deny.

Jesus, . . . whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Acts xxv. 19.

3. (Law) To declare, as a fact, solemnly, under judicial sanction. See Affirmation, 4.

Syn. -- To assert; aver; declare; asseverate; assure; pronounce; protest; avouch; confirm; establish; ratify. -- To Affirm, Asseverate, Aver, Protest. We affirm when we declare a thing as a fact or a proposition. We asseverate it in a peculiarly earnest manner, or with increased positiveness as what can not be disputed. We aver it, or formally declare it to be true, when we have positive knowledge of it. We protest in a more public manner and with the energy of perfect sincerity. People asseverate in order to produce a conviction of their veracity; they aver when they are peculiarly desirous to be believed; they protest when they wish to free themselves from imputations, or to produce a conviction of their innocence.

Af*firm", v. i. 1. To declare or assert positively.

Not that I so affirm, though so it seem To thee, who hast thy dwelling here on earth. Milton.

2. (Law) To make a solemn declaration, before an authorized magistrate or tribunal, under the penalties of perjury; to testify by affirmation.

Af*firm"a*ble (&?;), a. Capable of being affirmed, asserted, or declared; -- followed by of; as, an attribute affirmable of every just man.

Af*firm"ance (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. afermance.] 1. Confirmation; ratification; confirmation of a voidable act.

This statute . . . in affirmance of the common law. Bacon.

2. A strong declaration; affirmation. Cowper.

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Af*firm"ant (f*frm"ant), n. [L. affirmans, -antis, p. pr. See Affirm.] 1. One who affirms or asserts.

2. (Law) One who affirms, instead of taking an oath.

Af`fir*ma"tion (&?;), n. [L. affirmatio: cf. F. affirmation.] 1. Confirmation of anything established; ratification; as, the affirmation of a law. Hooker.

2. The act of affirming or asserting as true; assertion; -- opposed to negation or denial.

3. That which is asserted; an assertion; a positive statement; an averment; as, an affirmation, by the vender, of title to property sold, or of its quality.

4. (Law) A solemn declaration made under the penalties of perjury, by persons who conscientiously decline taking an oath, which declaration is in law equivalent to an oath. Bouvier.

Af*firm"a*tive (&?;), a. [L. affirmativus: cf. F. affirmatif.] 1. Confirmative; ratifying; as, an act affirmative of common law.

2. That affirms; asserting that the fact is so; declaratory of what exists; answering "yes" to a question; -- opposed to negative; as, an affirmative answer; an affirmative vote.

3. Positive; dogmatic. [Obs.] J. Taylor.

Lysicles was a little by the affirmative air of Crito. Berkeley.

4. (logic) Expressing the agreement of the two terms of a proposition.

5. (Alg.) Positive; -- a term applied to quantities which are to be added, and opposed to negative, or such as are to be subtracted.

Af*firm"a*tive, n. 1. That which affirms as opposed to that which denies; an affirmative proposition; that side of question which affirms or maintains the proposition stated; -- opposed to negative; as, there were forty votes in the affirmative, and ten in the negative.

Whether there are such beings or not, 't is sufficient for my purpose that many have believed the affirmative. Dryden.