Part 357

Ar"is*tar`chy (&?;), n. Severe criticism. [Obs.] Sir J. Harrington.

A*ris"tate (&?;), a. [L. aristatus, fr. arista. See Arista.] 1. (Bot.) Having a pointed, beardlike process, as the glumes of wheat; awned. Gray.

2. (Zoöl.) Having a slender, sharp, or spinelike tip.

Ar`is*toc"ra*cy (&?;), n.; pl. Aristocracies (&?;). [Gr. &?;; &?; best + &?; to be strong, to rule, &?; strength; &?; is perh. from the same root as E. arm, and orig. meant fitting: cf. F. aristocratie. See Arm, and Create, which is related to Gr. &?;.] 1. Government by the best citizens.

2. A ruling body composed of the best citizens. [Obs.]

In the Senate Right not our quest in this, I will protest them To all the world, no aristocracy. B. Jonson.

3. A form a government, in which the supreme power is vested in the principal persons of a state, or in a privileged order; an oligarchy.

The aristocracy of Venice hath admitted so many abuses, trough the degeneracy of the nobles, that the period of its duration seems approach. Swift.

4. The nobles or chief persons in a state; a privileged class or patrician order; (in a popular use) those who are regarded as superior to the rest of the community, as in rank, fortune, or intellect.

A*ris"to*crat (?; 277), n. [F. aristocrate. See Aristocracy.] 1. One of the aristocracy or people of rank in a community; one of a ruling class; a noble.

2. One who is overbearing in his temper or habits; a proud or haughty person.

A born aristocrat, bred radical. Mrs. Browning.

3. One who favors an aristocracy as a form of government, or believes the aristocracy should govern.

His whole family are accused of being aristocrats. Romilly.

{ Ar`is*to*crat"ic (&?;), Ar`is*to*crat"ic*al (&?;), } a. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. aristocratique.] 1. Of or pertaining to an aristocracy; consisting in, or favoring, a government of nobles, or principal men; as, an aristocratic constitution.

2. Partaking of aristocracy; befitting aristocracy; characteristic of, or originating with, the aristocracy; as, an aristocratic measure; aristocratic pride or manners. - - Ar`is*to*crat"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Ar`is*to*crat"ic*al*ness, n.

Ar"is*to*crat`ism (&?;), n. 1. The principles of aristocrats. Romilly.

2. Aristocrats, collectively. [R.]

Ar`is*tol"o*gy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; dinner + -logy.] The science of dining. Quart. Rev.

Ar`is*to*phan"ic (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Aristophanes, the Athenian comic poet.

Ar`is*to*te"li*an (?; 277), a. Of or pertaining to Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher (384-322 b. c.). -- n. A follower of Aristotle; a Peripatetic. See Peripatetic.

Ar`is*to*te"li*an*ism (&?;). The philosophy of Aristotle, otherwise called the Peripatetic philosophy.

Ar`is*to*tel"ic (&?;), a. Pertaining to Aristotle or to his philosophy. "Aristotelic usage." Sir W. Hamilton.

Ar"is*to`tle's lan"tern (&?;). (Zoöl.) The five united jaws and accessory ossicles of certain sea urchins.

A*ris"tu*late (?; 135), a. [Dim. fr. arista.] (Bot.) Having a short beard or awn. Gray.

Ar"ith*man`cy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; number + -mancy.] Divination by means of numbers.

A*rith"me*tic (&?;), n. [OE. arsmetike, OF. arismetique, L. arithmetica, fr. Gr. &?; (sc. &?;), fr. &?; arithmetical, fr. &?; to number, fr. &?; number, prob. fr. same root as E. arm, the idea of counting coming from that of fitting, attaching. See Arm. The modern Eng. and French forms are accommodated to the Greek.] 1. The science of numbers; the art of computation by figures.

2. A book containing the principles of this science.