Part 382

As*bes"tic (&?;), a. Of, pertaining to, or resembling asbestus; inconsumable; asbestine.

As*bes"ti*form (&?;), a. [L. asbestus + -form.] Having the form or structure of asbestus.

As*bes"tine (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to asbestus, or partaking of its nature; incombustible; asbestic.

As*bes"tous (&?;), a. Asbestic.

{ As*bes"tus (&?;), As*bes"tos (?; 277), } n. [L. asbestos (NL. asbestus) a kind of mineral unaffected by fire, Gr. &?; (prop. an adj.) inextinguishable; 'a priv. + &?; to extinguish.] (Min.) A variety of amphibole or of pyroxene, occurring in long and delicate fibers, or in fibrous masses or seams, usually of a white, gray, or green-gray color. The name is also given to a similar variety of serpentine.

The finer varieties have been wrought into gloves and cloth which are incombustible. The cloth was formerly used as a shroud for dead bodies, and has been recommended for firemen's clothes. Asbestus in also employed in the manufacture of iron safes, for fireproof roofing, and for lampwicks. Some varieties are called amianthus. Dana.

As"bo*lin (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; soot.] (Chem.) A peculiar acrid and bitter oil, obtained from wood soot.

As"ca*rid (&?;), n.; pl. Ascarides (&?;) or Ascarids. [NL. ascaris, fr. Gr. &?;.] (Zoöl.) A parasitic nematoid worm, espec. the roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, often occurring in the human intestine, and allied species found in domestic animals; also commonly applied to the pinworm (Oxyuris), often troublesome to children and aged persons.

As*cend" (&?;), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ascended; p. pr. & vb. n. Ascending.] [L. ascendere; ad + scandere to climb, mount. See Scan.] 1. To move upward; to mount; to go up; to rise; -- opposed to descend.

Higher yet that star ascends. Bowring.

I ascend unto my father and your father. John xx. 17.

Formerly used with up.

The smoke of it ascended up to heaven. Addison.

2. To rise, in a figurative sense; to proceed from an inferior to a superior degree, from mean to noble objects, from particulars to generals, from modern to ancient times, from one note to another more acute, etc.; as, our inquiries ascend to the remotest antiquity; to ascend to our first progenitor.

Syn. -- To rise; mount; climb; scale; soar; tower.

As*cend", v. t. To go or move upward upon or along; to climb; to mount; to go up the top of; as, to ascend a hill, a ladder, a tree, a river, a throne.

As*cend"a*ble (&?;), a. Capable of being ascended.

{ As*cend"an*cy (&?;), As*cend"ance (&?;), } n. Same as Ascendency.

As*cend"ant (&?;), n. [F. ascendant, L. ascendens; p. pr. of ascendere.] 1. Ascent; height; elevation. [R.]

Sciences that were then in their highest ascendant. Temple.

2. (Astrol.) The horoscope, or that degree of the ecliptic which rises above the horizon at the moment of one's birth; supposed to have a commanding influence on a person's life and fortune.

Hence the phrases To be in the ascendant, to have commanding power or influence, and Lord of the ascendant, one who has possession of such power or influence; as, to rule, for a while, lord of the ascendant. Burke.

3. Superiority, or commanding influence; ascendency; as, one man has the ascendant over another.

Chievres had acquired over the mind of the young monarch the ascendant not only of a tutor, but of a parent. Robertson.

4. An ancestor, or one who precedes in genealogy or degrees of kindred; a relative in the ascending line; a progenitor; -- opposed to descendant. Ayliffe.

{ As*cend"ant (&?;), As*cend"ent (&?;), } a. 1. Rising toward the zenith; above the horizon.

The constellation . . . about that time ascendant. Browne.

2. Rising; ascending. Ruskin.