Part 231

A*myg"da*line (&?;), a. [L. amygdalinus.] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, almonds.

A*myg"da*loid (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; almond + -oid: cf. F. amygdaloïde.] (Min.) A variety of trap or basaltic rock, containing small cavities, occupied, wholly or in part, by nodules or geodes of different minerals, esp. agates, quartz, calcite, and the zeolites. When the imbedded minerals are detached or removed by decomposition, it is porous, like lava.

{ A*myg"da*loid (&?;), A*myg`da*loid"al (&?;), } a. 1. Almond-shaped.

2. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, the rock amygdaloid.

Am"yl (&?;), n. [L. amylum starch + -yl. Cf. Amidin.] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon radical, C5H11, of the paraffine series found in amyl alcohol or fusel oil, etc.

Am`y*la"ceous (&?;), a. [L. amylum starch, Gr. &?;. See Amidin.] Pertaining to starch; of the nature of starch; starchy.

Am"y*late (&?;), n. (Chem.) A compound of the radical amyl with oxygen and a positive atom or radical.

Am"y*lene (&?;), n. (Chem.) One of a group of metameric hydrocarbons, C5H10, of the ethylene series. The colorless, volatile, mobile liquid commonly called amylene is a mixture of different members of the group.

A*myl"ic (&?;), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, amyl; as, amylic ether.

Amylic alcohol (Chem.), one of the series of alcohols, a transparent, colorless liquid, having a peculiar odor. It is the hydroxide of amyl. -- Amylic fermentation (Chem.), a process of fermentation in starch or sugar in which amylic alcohol is produced. Gregory.

Am`y*lo*bac"ter, n. [L. amylum starch + NL. bacterium. See Bacterium.] (Biol.) A microörganism (Bacillus amylobacter) which develops in vegetable tissue during putrefaction. Sternberg.

{ Am"y*loid (&?;), Am`y*loid"al (&?;), } a. [L. amylum starch + -oid.] Resembling or containing amyl; starchlike.

Amyloid degeneration (Med.), a diseased condition of various organs of the body, produced by the deposit of an albuminous substance, giving a blue color with iodine and sulphuric acid; - - called also waxy or lardaceous degeneration.

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Am"y*loid (m"*loid), n. 1. A non-nitrogenous starchy food; a starchlike substance.

2. (Med.) The substance deposited in the organs in amyloid degeneration.

Am`y*lo*ly"tic (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; starch + &?; solvent; &?; to dissolve.] (Physiol.) Effecting the conversion of starch into soluble dextrin and sugar; as, an amylolytic ferment. Foster.

Am`y*lose" (&?;), n. (Chem.) One of the starch group (C6H10O5)n of the carbohydrates; as, starch, arabin, dextrin, cellulose, etc.

Am"y*ous (m"*s), a. [Gr. 'a`myos.] (Med.) Wanting in muscle; without flesh.

Am"yss (m"s), n. Same as Amice, a hood or cape.

An (n). [AS. n one, the same word as the numeral. See One, and cf. A.] This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour," "once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d A, 2), it has a distributive force, and is equivalent to each, every.

An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h sounded, when the accent of the word falls on the second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions. Anciently an was used before consonants as well as vowels.

An, conj. [Shortened fr. and, OE. an., and, sometimes and if, in introducing conditional clauses, like Icel. enda if, the same word as and. Prob. and was originally pleonastic before the conditional clause.] If; -- a word used by old English authors. Shak.

Nay, an thou dalliest, then I am thy foe. B. Jonson.

An if, and if; if.

An"a-. [Gr. 'ana` on; in comp., on, up, upwards.] A prefix in words from the Greek, denoting up, upward, throughout, backward, back, again, anew.

A"na ("n), adv. [Gr. 'ana` (used distributively).] (Med.) Of each; an equal quantity; as, wine and honey, ana (or, contracted, aa), &?; ij., that is, of wine and honey, each, two ounces.

An apothecary with a . . . long bill of anas. Dryden.