Part 23

3. Higher in rank or power; as, he appealed to the court above.

4. More than; as, above five hundred were present.

Above is often used elliptically as an adjective by omitting the word mentioned, quoted, or the like; as, the above observations, the above reference, the above articles. -- Above is also used substantively. "The waters that come down from above." Josh. iii. 13.

It is also used as the first part of a compound in the sense of before, previously; as, above-cited, above- described, above-mentioned, above-named, abovesaid, abovespecified, above-written, above-given.

A*bove"board` (&?;), adv. Above the board or table. Hence: in open sight; without trick, concealment, or deception. "Fair and aboveboard." Burke.

This expression is said by Johnson to have been borrowed from gamesters, who, when they change their cards, put their hands under the table.

A*bove"-cit`ed (&?;), a. Cited before, in the preceding part of a book or writing.

A*bove"deck` (&?;), a. On deck; and hence, like aboveboard, without artifice. Smart.

A*bove"-men`tioned (&?;), A*bove"-named`(&?;), a. Mentioned or named before; aforesaid.

A*bove"said` (&?;), a. Mentioned or recited before.

A*box" (&?;), adv. & a. (Naut.) Braced aback.

Ab`ra*ca*dab"ra (&?;), n. [L. Of unknown origin.] A mystical word or collocation of letters written as in the figure. Worn on an amulet it was supposed to ward off fever. At present the word is used chiefly in jest to denote something without meaning; jargon.

Ab*ra"dant (&?;), n. A material used for grinding, as emery, sand, powdered glass, etc.

Ab*rade" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Abrading.] [L. abradere, abrasum, to scrape off; ab + radere to scrape. See Rase, Raze.] To rub or wear off; to waste or wear away by friction; as, to abrade rocks. Lyell.

A*brade" (&?;), v. t. Same as Abraid. [Obs.]

A`bra*ham"ic (&?;), a. Pertaining to Abraham, the patriarch; as, the Abrachamic covenant.

A`bra*ham*it"ic, *ic*al(&?;), a. Relating to the patriarch Abraham.

A"bra*ham-man` (&?;) or A"bram-man`(&?;), n. [Possibly in allusion to the parable of the beggar Lazarus in Luke xvi. Murray (New Eng. Dict. ).] One of a set of vagabonds who formerly roamed through England, feigning lunacy for the sake of obtaining alms. Nares.

To sham Abraham, to feign sickness. Goldsmith.

A*braid" (&?;), v. t. & i. [OE. abraiden, to awake, draw (a sword), AS. bredgan to shake, draw; pref. - (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + bregdan to shake, throw. See Braid.] To awake; to arouse; to stir or start up; also, to shout out. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A*bran"chi*al (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Abranchiate.

||A*bran`chi*a"ta (&?;), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. 'a priv. + &?;, pl., the gills of fishes.] (Zoöl.) A group of annelids, so called because the species composing it have no special organs of respiration.

A*bran"chi*ate (&?;), a. (Zoöl.) Without gills.

Ab*rase" (&?;), a. [L. abrasus, p. p. of abradere. See Abrade.] Rubbed smooth. [Obs.] "An abrase table." B. Jonson.

Ab*ra"sion (&?;), n. [L. abrasio, fr. abradere. See Abrade.] 1. The act of abrading, wearing, or rubbing off; the wearing away by friction; as, the abrasion of coins.

2. The substance rubbed off. Berkeley.

3. (Med.) A superficial excoriation, with loss of substance under the form of small shreds. Dunglison.

Ab*ra"sive (&?;), a. Producing abrasion. Ure.