Part 384

2. To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine. [Archaic]

The divine law . . . ascertaineth the truth. Hooker.

The very deferring [of his execution] shall increase and ascertain the condemnation. Jer. Taylor.

The ministry, in order to ascertain a majority . . . persuaded the queen to create twelve new peers. Smollett.

The mildness and precision of their laws ascertained the rule and measure of taxation. Gibbon.

3. To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal.

He was there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on England was practicable. Macaulay.

As`cer*tain"a*ble (&?;), a. That may be ascertained. -- As`cer*tain"a*ble*ness, n. -- As`cer*tain"a*bly, adv.

As`cer*tain"er (&?;), n. One who ascertains.

As`cer*tain"ment (&?;), n. The act of ascertaining; a reducing to certainty; a finding out by investigation; discovery.

The positive ascertainment of its limits. Burke.

As*ces"san*cy (&?;), n. As*ces"sant (&?;), a. See Acescency, Acescent. [Obs.]

As*cet"ic (&?;) a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to exercise, to practice gymnastics.] Extremely rigid in self-denial and devotions; austere; severe.

The stern ascetic rigor of the Temple discipline. Sir W. Scott.

As*cet"ic, n. In the early church, one who devoted himself to a solitary and contemplative life, characterized by devotion, extreme self-denial, and self-mortification; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices extreme rigor and self-denial in religious things.

I am far from commending those ascetics that take up their quarters in deserts. Norris.

Ascetic theology, the science which treats of the practice of the theological and moral virtues, and the counsels of perfection. Am. Cyc.

As*cet"i*cism (&?;), n. The condition, practice, or mode of life, of ascetics.

As"cham (&?;), n. [From Roger Ascham, who was a great lover of archery.] A sort of cupboard, or case, to contain bows and other implements of archery.

||As"ci, n. pl. See Ascus.

As"cian, n. One of the Ascii.

As*cid"i*an (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; bladder, pouch.] (Zoöl.) One of the Ascidioidea, or in a more general sense, one of the Tunicata. Also as an adj.

||As*cid`i*a"ri*um (&?;), n. [NL. See Ascidium.] (Zoöl.) The structure which unites together the ascidiozooids in a compound ascidian.

As*cid"i*form, a. [Gr. &?; a pouch + - form.] (Zoöl.) Shaped like an ascidian.

||As*cid`i*oid"e*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. ascidium + -oid. See Ascidium.] (Zoöl.) A group of Tunicata, often shaped like a two-necked bottle. The group includes, social, and compound species. The gill is a netlike structure within the oral aperture. The integument is usually leathery in texture. See Illustration in Appendix.

<! p. 88 !>

As*cid`i*o*zo"oid (s*sd`**z"oid), n. [Ascidium + zooid.] (Zoöl.) One of the individual members of a compound ascidian. See Ascidioidea.

||As*cid"i*um (s*sd"*m), n.; pl. Ascidia (-). [NL., fr. ascus. See Ascus.] 1. (Bot.) A pitcher-shaped, or flask-shaped, organ or appendage of a plant, as the leaves of the pitcher plant, or the little bladderlike traps of the bladderwort (Utricularia).