Part 81

Ac`u*i"tion (&?;), n. [L. acutus, as if acuitus, p. p. of acuere to sharpen.] The act of sharpening. [Obs.]

A*cu"i*ty (&?;), n. [LL. acuitas: cf. F. acuité.] Sharpness or acuteness, as of a needle, wit, etc.

A*cu"le*ate (&?;), a. [L. aculeatus, fr. aculeus, dim. of acus needle.] 1. (Zoöl.) Having a sting; covered with prickles; sharp like a prickle.

2. (Bot.) Having prickles, or sharp points; beset with prickles.

3. Severe or stinging; incisive. [R.] Bacon.

A*cu"le*a`ted (&?;), a. Having a sharp point; armed with prickles; prickly; aculeate.

A*cu"le*i*form (&?;), a. Like a prickle.

A*cu"le*o*late (&?;), a. [L. aculeolus little needle.] (Bot.) Having small prickles or sharp points. Gray.

A*cu"le*ous (&?;), a. Aculeate. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

||A*cu"le*us (&?;), n.; pl. Aculei (&?;). [L., dim. of acus needle.] 1. (Bot.) A prickle growing on the bark, as in some brambles and roses. Lindley.

2. (Zoöl.) A sting.

A*cu"men (&?;), n. [L. acumen, fr. acuere to sharpen. Cf. Acute.] Quickness of perception or discernment; penetration of mind; the faculty of nice discrimination. Selden.

Syn. -- Sharpness; sagacity; keenness; shrewdness; acuteness.

A*cu"mi*nate (&?;), a. [L. acuminatus, p. p. of acuminare to sharpen, fr. acumen. See Acumen.] Tapering to a point; pointed; as, acuminate leaves, teeth, etc.

A*cu"mi*nate (&?;), v. t. To render sharp or keen. [R.] "To acuminate even despair." Cowper.

A*cu"mi*nate, v. i. To end in, or come to, a sharp point. "Acuminating in a cone of prelacy." Milton.

A*cu`mi*na"tion (&?;), n. A sharpening; termination in a sharp point; a tapering point. Bp. Pearson.

A*cu"mi*nose` (&?;), a. Terminating in a flat, narrow end. Lindley.

A*cu"mi*nous (&?;), a. Characterized by acumen; keen. Highmore.

Ac`u*pres"sure (&?;), n. [L. acus needle + premere, pressum, to press.] (Surg.) A mode of arresting hemorrhage resulting from wounds or surgical operations, by passing under the divided vessel a needle, the ends of which are left exposed externally on the cutaneous surface. Simpson.

Ac`u*punc`tu*ra"tion (&?;), n. See Acupuncture.

Ac`u*punc"ture (&?;), n. [L. acus needle + punctura a pricking, fr. pungere to prick: cf. F. acuponcture.] Pricking with a needle; a needle prick. Specifically (Med.): The insertion of needles into the living tissues for remedial purposes.

Ac`u*punc"ture (&?;), v. t. To treat with acupuncture.

A*cus"tum*aunce (&?;), n. See Accustomance. [Obs.]

A*cut"an`gu*lar (&?;), a. Acute- angled.

A*cute" (&?;), a. [L. acutus, p. p. of acuere to sharpen, fr. a root ak to be sharp. Cf. Ague, Cute, Edge.] 1. Sharp at the end; ending in a sharp point; pointed; -- opposed to blunt or obtuse; as, an acute angle; an acute leaf.

2. Having nice discernment; perceiving or using minute distinctions; penetrating; clever; shrewd; -- opposed to dull or stupid; as, an acute observer; acute remarks, or reasoning.

3. Having nice or quick sensibility; susceptible to slight impressions; acting keenly on the senses; sharp; keen; intense; as, a man of acute eyesight, hearing, or feeling; acute pain or pleasure.