Part 437

2. An Athenian; an Athenian author.

At"tic*al (&?;), a. Attic. [Obs.] Hammond.

At"ti*cism (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;.] 1. A favoring of, or attachment to, the Athenians.

2. The style and idiom of the Greek language, used by the Athenians; a concise and elegant expression.

At"ti*cize (&?;), v. t. [Gr. &?;.] To conform or make conformable to the language, customs, etc., of Attica.

At"ti*cize, v. i. 1. To side with the Athenians.

2. To use the Attic idiom or style; to conform to the customs or modes of thought of the Athenians.

At*tig"u*ous (&?;), a. [L. attiguus, fr. attingere to touch. See Attain.] Touching; bordering; contiguous. [Obs.]

-- At*tig"u*ous*ness, n. [Obs.]

At*tinge" (&?;), v. t. [L. attingere to touch. See Attain.] To touch lightly. [Obs.] Coles.

At*tire" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Attired (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Attiring.] [OE. atiren to array, dispose, arrange, OF. atirier; à (L. ad) + F. tire rank, order, row; of Ger. origin: cf. As. tier row, OHG. ziar, G. zier, ornament, zieren to adorn. Cf. Tire a headdress.] To dress; to array; to adorn; esp., to clothe with elegant or splendid garments.

Finely attired in a robe of white. Shak.

With the linen miter shall he be attired. Lev. xvi. 4.

At*tire", n. 1. Dress; clothes; headdress; anything which dresses or adorns; esp., ornamental clothing.

Earth in her rich attire. Milton.

I 'll put myself in poor and mean attire. Shak.

Can a maid forget her ornament, or a bride her attire? Jer. ii. 32.

2. The antlers, or antlers and scalp, of a stag or buck.

3. (Bot.) The internal parts of a flower, included within the calyx and the corolla. [Obs.] Johnson.

At*tired" (&?;), p. p. (Her.) Provided with antlers, as a stag.

At*tire"ment (&?;), n. Attire; adornment.

At*tir"er (&?;), n. One who attires.

At"ti*tude (&?;), n. [It. attitudine, LL. aptitudo, fr. L. aptus suited, fitted: cf. F. attitude. Cf. Aptitude.] 1. (Paint. & Sculp.) The posture, action, or disposition of a figure or a statue.

2. The posture or position of a person or an animal, or the manner in which the parts of his body are disposed; position assumed or studied to serve a purpose; as, a threatening attitude; an attitude of entreaty.

3. Fig.: Position as indicating action, feeling, or mood; as, in times of trouble let a nation preserve a firm attitude; one's mental attitude in respect to religion.

The attitude of the country was rapidly changing. J. R. Green.

To strike an attitude, to take an attitude for mere effect.

Syn. -- Attitude, Posture. Both of these words describe the visible disposition of the limbs. Posture relates to their position merely; attitude refers to their fitness for some specific object. The object of an attitude is to set forth exhibit some internal feeling; as, attitude of wonder, of admiration, of grief, etc. It is, therefore, essentially and designedly expressive. Its object is the same with that of gesture; viz., to hold forth and represent. Posture has no such design. If we speak of posture in prayer, or the posture of devotion, it is only the natural disposition of the limbs, without any intention to show forth or exhibit.