Part 162

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 A box or vessel for holding odoriferous ointments, etc.; -- so called from the stone of which it was originally made.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

A*lack"a*day` (&?;), interj. [For alack the day. Cf. Lackaday.] An exclamation expressing sorrow.

Shakespeare has "alack the day" and "alack the heavy day." Compare "woe worth the day."

A*lac"ri*fy (&?;), v. t. [L. alacer, alacris, lively + -fly.] To rouse to action; to inspirit.

A*lac"ri*ous (&?;), a. [L. alacer, alacris.] Brisk; joyously active; lively.

'T were well if we were a little more alacrious. Hammond.

A*lac"ri*ous*ly, adv. With alacrity; briskly.

A*lac"ri*ous*ness, n. Alacrity. [Obs.] Hammond.

A*lac"ri*ty (&?;), n. [L. alacritas, fr. alacer lively, eager, prob. akin to Gr. &?; to drive, Goth. aljan zeal.] A cheerful readiness, willingness, or promptitude; joyous activity; briskness; sprightliness; as, the soldiers advanced with alacrity to meet the enemy.

I have not that alacrity of spirit, Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have. Shak.

A*lad"in*ist (&?;), n. [From Aladin, for Ala Eddin, i. e., height of religion, a learned divine under Mohammed II. and Bajazet II.] One of a sect of freethinkers among the Mohammedans.

Al`a*lon"ga (&?;), or Al`i*lon"ghi (&?;), n. (Zoöl.) The tunny. See Albicore.

||A`la*mi"re (&?;), n. [Compounded of a la mi re, names of notes in the musical scale.] The lowest note but one in Guido Aretino's scale of music.

Al`a*mo*dal"i*ty (&?;), n. The quality of being à la mode; conformity to the mode or fashion; fashionableness. [R.] Southey.

Al"a*mode` (&?;), adv. & a. [F. à la mode after the fashion.] According to the fashion or prevailing mode. "Alamode beef shops." Macaulay.

Al"a*mode`, n. A thin, black silk for hoods, scarfs, etc.; -- often called simply mode. Buchanan.

Al`a*mort" (&?;), a. [F. à la mort to the death. Cf. Amort.] To the death; mortally.

A*lan" (*ln"), n. [OF. alan, alant; cf. Sp. alano.] A wolfhound. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A*land" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + land.] On land; to the land; ashore. "Cast aland." Sir P. Sidney.

Al"a*nine (&?;), n. [Aldehyde + the ending -ine. The -n- is a euphonic insertion.] (Chem.) A white crystalline base, C3H7NO2, derived from aldehyde ammonia.

A*lan"tin (&?;), n. [G. alant elecampane, the Inula helenium of Linnæus.] (Chem.) See Inulin.

A"lar (&?;), a. [L. alarius, fr. ala wing: cf. F. alaire.] 1. Pertaining to, or having, wings.