Part 3725

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; <as>as, the <ex>empire</ex> of mind or of reason</as>.</def> "Under the <i>empire</i> of facts."

<i>M. Arnold.</i>

<blockquote>Another force which, in the Middle Ages, shared with chivalry the <b>empire</b> over the minds of men. <i>A. W. Ward.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Celestial empire</col>. <cd>See under <er>Celestial</er>.</cd> -- <col>Empire City</col>, <cd>a common designation of the city of New York.</cd> -- <col>Empire State</col>, <cd>a common designation of the State of New York.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- Sway; dominion; rule; control; reign; sovereignty; government; kingdom; realm; state.</syn>

<h1>Empiric</h1> <Xpage=486>

<hw>Em*pir"ic</hw> <tt>(?; 277)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>empiricus</ets> an empiric, Gr. <?/ experienced, equiv. to <?/; <?/ in + <?/ a trial, experiment; akin to <?/ ford, way, and E. <ets>fare</ets>: cf. F. <ets>empirique</ets>. See <er>In</er>, and <er>Fare</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>One who follows an empirical method; one who relies upon practical experience.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>One who confines himself to applying the results of mere experience or his own observation; especially, in medicine, one who deviates from the rules of science and regular practice; an ignorant and unlicensed pretender; a quack; a charlatan.</def>

<blockquote>Among the Greek physicians, those who founded their practice on experience called themselves <b>empirics</b>. <i>Krauth-Fleming.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Swallow down opinions as silly people do <b>empirics</b>' pills. <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Empiric, Empirical</h1> <Xpage=486>

<hw><hw>Em*pir"ic</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Em*pir"ic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>a.</tt>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Pertaining to, or founded upon, experiment or experience; depending upon the observation of phenomena; versed in experiments.</def>

<blockquote>In philosophical language, the term <b>empirical</b> means simply what belongs to or is the product of experience or observation. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The village carpenter . . . lays out his work by <b>empirical</b> rules learnt in his apprenticeship. <i>H. Spencer.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Depending upon experience or observation alone, without due regard to science and theory; -- said especially of medical practice, remedies, etc.; wanting in science and deep insight; <as>as, <ex>empiric</ex> skill, remedies</as>.</def>

<cs><col>Empirical formula</col>. <fld>(Chem.)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Formula</er>.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- See <er>Transcendental</er>.</syn>

<h1>Empirically</h1> <Xpage=486>

<hw>Em*pir"ic*al*ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>By experiment or experience; without science; in the manner of quacks.</def>

<h1>Empiricism</h1> <Xpage=486>

<hw>Em*pir"i*cism</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>The method or practice of an empiric; pursuit of knowledge by observation and experiment.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Specifically, a practice of medicine founded on mere experience, without the aid of science or a knowledge of principles; ignorant and unscientific practice; charlatanry; quackery.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Metaph.)</fld> <def>The philosophical theory which attributes the origin of all our knowledge to experience.</def>

<h1>Empiricist</h1> <Xpage=486>

<hw>Em*pir"i*cist</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>An empiric.</def>