Part 781

Shak.

On height, aloud. [Obs.]

spake these same words, all on hight.

Chaucer.

Height"en (ht"'n), v. t. [Written also highten.] [imp. & p. p. Heightened (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Heightening.] 1. To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.

2. To carry forward; to advance; to increase; to augment; to aggravate; to intensify; to render more conspicuous; - - used of things, good or bad; as, to heighten beauty; to heighten a flavor or a tint. "To heighten our confusion." Addison.

An aspect of mystery which was easily heightened to the miraculous.

Hawthorne.

Height"en*er (?), n. [Written also hightener.] One who, or that which, heightens.

Hei"nous (h"ns), a. [OF. haÔnos hateful, F. haineux, fr. OF. haÔne hate, F. haine, fr. haÔr to hate; of German origin. See Hate.] Hateful; hatefully bad; flagrant; odious; atrocious; giving great offense; -- applied to deeds or to character.

It were most heinous and accursed sacrilege.

Hooker.

How heinous had the fact been, how deserving Contempt!

Milton.

Syn. -- Monstrous; flagrant; flagitious; atrocious.

-- Hei"nous*ly, adv. -- Hei"nous*ness, n.

Heir (?), n. [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L. heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.] 1. One who inherits, or is entitled to succeed to the possession of, any property after the death of its owner; one on whom the law bestows the title or property of another at the death of the latter.

I am my father's heir and only son.

Shak.

2. One who receives any endowment from an ancestor or relation; as, the heir of one's reputation or virtues.

And I his heir in misery alone.

Pope.

Heir apparent. (Law.) See under Apparent. -- Heir at law, one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate. Wharton (Law Dict.). -- Heir presumptive, one who, if the ancestor should die immediately, would be his heir, but whose right to the inheritance may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative, or by some other contingency.

Heir (?), v. t. To inherit; to succeed to. [R.]

One only daughter heired the royal state.

Dryden.

Heir"dom (?), n. The state of an heir; succession by inheritance. Burke.

Heir"ess, n. A female heir.