Part 171

Ale"pole` (&?;), n. A pole set up as the sign of an alehouse. [Obs.]

A*lert" (*lrt"), a. [F. alerte, earlier à l'erte on the watch, fr. It. all' erta on the watch, prop. (standing) on a height, where one can look around; erta a declivity, steep, erto steep, p. p. of ergere, erigere, to erect, raise, L. erigere. See Erect.] 1. Watchful; vigilant; active in vigilance.

2. Brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.

An alert young fellow. Addison.

Syn. -- Active; agile; lively; quick; prompt.

A*lert", n. (Mil.) An alarm from a real or threatened attack; a sudden attack; also, a bugle sound to give warning. "We have had an alert." Farrow.

On the alert, on the lookout or watch against attack or danger; ready to act.

A*lert"ly, adv. In an alert manner; nimbly.

A*lert"ness, n. The quality of being alert or on the alert; briskness; nimbleness; activity.

Ale" sil`ver (&?;). A duty payable to the lord mayor of London by the sellers of ale within the city.

Ale"stake (&?;), n. A stake or pole projecting from, or set up before, an alehouse, as a sign; an alepole. At the end was commonly suspended a garland, a bunch of leaves, or a "bush." [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ale"tast`er (&?;), n. See Aleconner. [Eng.]

A*le`thi*ol"o*gy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; truth + -logy.] The science which treats of the nature of truth and evidence. Sir W. Hamilton.

A*leth"o*scope (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; true + &?; to view.] An instrument for viewing pictures by means of a lens, so as to present them in their natural proportions and relations.

A*leu"ro*man`cy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; wheaten flour + -mancy: cf. F. aleuromancie.] Divination by means of flour. Encyc. Brit.

Al`eu*rom"e*ter (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; flour + -meter.] An instrument for determining the expansive properties, or quality, of gluten in flour. Knight.

A*leu"rone (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; flour.] (Bot.) An albuminoid substance which occurs in minute grains ("protein granules") in maturing seeds and tubers; -- supposed to be a modification of protoplasm.

Al`eu*ron"ic (&?;), a. (Bot.) Having the nature of aleurone. D. C. Eaton.

{ A*leu"tian (&?;), A*leu"tic (&?;), } a. [Said to be from the Russ. aleut a bold rock.] Of or pertaining to a chain of islands between Alaska and Kamtchatka; also, designating these islands.

Al"e*vin (&?;), n. [F. alevin, OF. alever to rear, fr. L. ad + levare to raise.] Young fish; fry.

A*lew" (&?;), n. Halloo. [Obs.] Spenser.

Ale"wife` (&?;), n.; pl. Alewives (&?;). A woman who keeps an alehouse. Gay.

Ale"wife`, n.; pl. Alewives. [This word is properly aloof, the Indian name of a fish. See Winthrop on the culture of maize in America, "Phil Trans." No. 142, p. 1065, and Baddam's "Memoirs," vol. ii. p. 131.] (Zoöl.) A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring. The name is locally applied to other related species.

Al`ex*an"ders (&?;), Al`i*san"ders (&?;), n. [OE. alisaundre, OF. alissandere, fr. Alexander or Alexandria.] (Bot) A name given to two species of the genus Smyrnium, formerly cultivated and used as celery now is; -- called also horse parsely.

Al`ex*an"dri*an (&?;), a. 1. Of or pertaining to Alexandria in Egypt; as, the Alexandrian library.

2. Applied to a kind of heroic verse. See Alexandrine, n.

Al`ex*an"drine (?; 277), a. Belonging to Alexandria; Alexandrian. Bancroft.

Al`ex*an"drine (&?;), n. [F. alexandrin.] A kind of verse consisting in English of twelve syllables.