Part 734

<h1>Asystole</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>A*sys"to*le</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>a-</ets> not + <ets>systole</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>A weakening or cessation of the contractile power of the heart.</def>

<h1>Asystolism</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>A*sys"to*lism</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state or symptoms characteristic of asystole.</def>

<h1>At</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>At</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>prep.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>\'91t</ets>; akin to OHG. <ets>az</ets>, Goth., OS., & Icel. <ets>at</ets>, Sw. <ets>\'86t</ets>, Dan. & L. <ets>ad</ets>.]</ety> <def>Primarily, this word expresses the relations of <i>presence</i>, <i>nearness in place or time</i>, or <i>direction toward</i>; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> the ninth hour; <ex>at</ex> the house; to aim <ex>at</ex> a mark. It is less definite than <it>in</it> or <it>on</it>; <ex>at</ex> the house may be <it>in</it> or <it>near</it> the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of <ex>at</ex>.</def> It expresses: -

<p><b>1.</b> <def>A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> the door; <ex>at</ex> your shop; <ex>at</ex> home; <ex>at</ex> school; <ex>at</ex> hand; <ex>at</ex> sea and on land.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The relation of some state or condition; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> war; <ex>at</ex> peace; <ex>at</ex> ease; <ex>at</ex> your service; <ex>at</ex> fault; <ex>at</ex> liberty; <ex>at</ex> risk; <ex>at</ex> disadvantage.</as></def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> engraving; <ex>at</ex> husbandry; <ex>at</ex> play; <ex>at</ex> work; <ex>at</ex> meat (eating); except <ex>at</ex> puns.</as></def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; <as>as, with the thermometer <ex>at</ex> 80&deg;; goods sold <ex>at</ex> a cheap price; a country estimated <ex>at</ex> 10,000 square miles; life is short <ex>at</ex> the longest.</as></def>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>The relations of time, age, or order; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> ten o'clock; <ex>at</ex> twenty-one; <ex>at</ex> once; <ex>at</ex> first.</as></def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; <as>as, <ex>at</ex> the sight; <ex>at</ex> this news; merry <ex>at</ex> anything; <ex>at</ex> this declaration; <ex>at</ex> his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure <ex>at</ex> your hands.</as></def>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>Relation of direction toward an object or end; <as>as, look <ex>at</ex> it; to point <ex>at</ex> one; to aim <ex>at</ex> a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh <ex>at</ex> any one.</as></def>

<cs><mcol><col>At all</col>, <col>At home</col>, <col>At large</col>, <col>At last</col>, <col>At length</col>, <col>At once</col>, etc.</mcol> <cd>See under <er>All</er>, <er>Home</er>, <er>Large</er>, <er>Last</er> (phrase and syn.), <er>Length</er>, <er>Once</er>, etc.</cd> -- <col>At it</col>, <cd>busily or actively engaged.</cd> -- <col>At least</col>. <cd>See <er>Least</er> and <er>However</er>.</cd> -- <col>At one</col>. <cd>See <er>At one</er>, in the Vocabulary.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- <er>In</er>, <er>At</er>.</syn> <usage> When reference to the <i>interior</i> of any place is made prominent <i>in</i> is used. It is used before the names of countries and cities (esp. large cities); as, we live <i>in</i> America, <i>in</i> New York, <i>in</i> the South. <i>At</i> is commonly employed before names of houses, institutions, villages, and small places; as, Milton was educated <i>at</i> Christ's College; money taken in <i>at</i> the Customhouse; I saw him <i>at</i> the jeweler's; we live <i>at</i> Beachville. <i>At</i> may be used before the name of a city when it is regarded as a mere point of locality. "An English king was crowned <i>at</i> Paris." <i>Macaulay</i>. "Jean Jacques Rousseau was born <i>at</i> Geneva, June, 28, 1712." <i>J. Morley</i>. In regard to time, we say <i>at</i> the hour, <i>on</i> the day, <i>in</i> the year; as, <i>at</i> 9 o'clock, <i>on</i> the morning of July 5th, <i>in</i> the year 1775.</usage>

<h1>Atabal</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>At"a*bal</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Sp. <ets>atabal</ets>, fr. Ar. <ets>at</ets>-<ets>tabl</ets> the drum, <ets>tabala</ets> to beat the drum. Cf. <er>Tymbal</er>.]</ety> <def>A kettledrum; a kind of tabor, used by the Moors.</def> <i>Croly</i>.

<h1>Atacamite</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>A*tac"a*mite</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[From the desert of <ets>Atacama</ets>, where found.]</ety> <fld>(Min.)</fld> <def>An oxychloride of copper, usually in emerald-green prismatic crystals.</def>

<h1>Atafter</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>At`aft"er</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>prep.</tt> <def>After.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Ataghan</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>At"a*ghan</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>See <er>Yataghan</er>.</def>

<h1>Atake</h1> <Xpage=95>

<hw>A*take"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To overtake.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Ataman</h1> <Xpage=95>