Part 348

<h1>Alter</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Altered</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Altering</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[F. <ets>alt\'82rer</ets>, LL. <ets>alterare</ets>, fr. L. <ets>alter</ets> other, <ets>alius</ets> other. Cf. <er>Else</er>, <er>Other</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To make otherwise; to change in some respect, either partially or wholly; to vary; to modify.</def> "To <i>alter</i> the king's course." "To <i>alter</i> the condition of a man." "No power in Venice can <i>alter</i> a decree."

<i>Shak.</i>

<blockquote>It gilds all objects, but it <b>alters</b> none. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>My covenant will I not break, nor <b>alter</b> the thing that is gone out of my lips. <i>Ps. lxxxix. 34.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To agitate; to affect mentally.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Milton.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To geld.</def> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark>

<syn>Syn. -- <er>Change</er>, <er>Alter</er>.</syn> <usage> <i>Change</i> is generic and the stronger term. It may express a loss of identity, or the substitution of one thing in place of another; <i>alter</i> commonly expresses a partial change, or a change in form or details without destroying identity.</usage>

<h1>Alter</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To become, in some respects, different; to vary; to change; <as>as, the weather <ex>alters</ex> almost daily; rocks or minerals <ex>alter</ex> by exposure.</as></def> "The law of the Medes and Persians, which <i>altereth</i> not."

<i>Dan. vi. 8.</i>

<h1>Alterability</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al`ter*a*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alt\'82rabilit\'82</ets>.]</ety> <def>The quality of being alterable; alterableness.</def>

<h1>Alterable</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter*a*ble</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>alt\'82rable</ets>.]</ety> <def>Capable of being altered.</def>

<blockquote>Our condition in this world is mutable and uncertain, <b>alterable</b> by a thousand accidents. <i>Rogers.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Alterableness</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter*a*ble*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The quality of being alterable; variableness; alterability.</def>

<h1>Alterably</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter*a*bly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In an alterable manner.</def>

<h1>Alterant</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter*ant</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[LL. <ets>alterans</ets>, p. pr.: cf. F. <ets>alt\'82rant</ets>.]</ety> <def>Altering; gradually changing.</def>

<i>Bacon.</i>

<h1>Alterant</h1> <Xpage=44>

<hw>Al"ter*ant</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>An alterative.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Chambers.</i>

<h1>Alteration</h1> <Xpage=44>