Part 156

5. An aid-de-camp, so called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid.

Aid prayer (Law), a proceeding by which a defendant beseeches and claims assistance from some one who has a further or more permanent interest in the matter in suit. -- To pray in aid, to beseech and claim such assistance.

Aid"ance (&?;), n. [Cf. OF. aidance.] Aid. [R.]

Aidance 'gainst the enemy. Shak.

Aid"ant (&?;), a. [Cf. F. aidant, p. pr. of aider to help.] Helping; helpful; supplying aid. Shak.

Aid"-de-camp` (&?;), n.; pl. Aids-de-camp. (&?;). [F. aide de camp (literally) camp assistant.] (Mil.) An officer selected by a general to carry orders, also to assist or represent him in correspondence and in directing movements.

Aid"er (&?;), n. One who, or that which, aids.

Aid"ful (&?;), a. Helpful. [Archaic.] Bp. Hall.

Aid"less, a. Helpless; without aid. Milton.

Aid"-ma`jor (&?;), n. The adjutant of a regiment.

Ai"el (&?;), n. See Ayle. [Obs.]

Aig"let (&?;), n. Same as Aglet.

Ai"gre (&?;), a. [F. See Eager.] Sour. [Obs.] Shak.

||Ai"gre*more (&?;), n. [F. origin unknown.] Charcoal prepared for making powder.

{ Ai"gret (&?;), Ai*grette (&?;), } n. [F., a sort of white heron, with a tuft of feathers on its head; a tuft of feathers; dim. of the same word as heron. See Heron, and cf. Egret, Egrette.] 1. (Zoöl.) The small white European heron. See Egret.

2. A plume or tuft for the head composed of feathers, or of gems, etc. Prescott.

3. A tuft like that of the egret. (Bot.) A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.

||Ai`guille" (&?;), n. [F., a needle. See Aglet.] 1. A needle-shaped peak.

2. An instrument for boring holes, used in blasting.

Ai`guil*lette" (&?;), n. [F. See Aglet.] 1. A point or tag at the end of a fringe or lace; an aglet.

2. One of the ornamental tags, cords, or loops on some military and naval uniforms.

Ai"gu*let (&?;), n. See Aglet. Spenser.

Ail (l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ailed (ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Ailing.] [OE. eilen, ailen, AS. eglan to trouble, pain; akin to Goth. us-agljan to distress, agls troublesome, irksome, aglo, aglitha, pain, and prob. to E. awe. √3.] To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; -- used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man? I know not what ails him.

What aileth thee, Hagar? Gen. xxi. 17.

It is never used to express a specific disease. We do not say, a fever ails him; but, something ails him.

Ail, v. i. To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble.

When he ails ever so little . . . he is so peevish. Richardson.

Ail, n. Indisposition or morbid affection. Pope.