America. After Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine adventurer, who chanced to be at Seville when Columbus was preparing for his second voyage to the West. With Ojeda, Vespucci embarked upon an independent expedition. Subsequently he made further voyages in Portuguese ships, and discovered the Bay of All Saints. His remaining days were spent in the service of the King of Spain, preparing charts and prescribed routes to the New World. Although these official publications bore his signature, Vespucci never claimed to have discovered the great Western Continent. A wonderful narrative of his voyages, however, purporting to have been written by Vespucci, found its way into the hands of Martin Waldseemuller of Freiburg, Baden. This he translated, and caused it to be published by a bookseller at St Die in Lorraine in 1507. In his preface to the work Waldseemuller suggested that the newly discovered country should be called America, after the author, who had visited it. Hence the name really originated in Germany.
American Indians. See “[Indians].”
Americanism. A coined word or phrase in the United States which, freely repeated, tickles the popular ear and soon becomes engrafted upon the national vocabulary. Many Americanisms are now as common in England as in the land of their origin. The term may also be applied to such American deviations from British custom, as the substitution of “Depot” for Railway Station, “News-stand” for Bookstall, “On the street” for “In the street,” etc. etc.
Amiens. From the Latin ambiens, surrounded by water. Three branches of the River Somme run through the city.
Ammonites. The descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. xxix. 38).
Among the Gods. At the time when the expression first came into use, the ceiling of Drury Lane Theatre was embellished with classical deities disporting themselves among the clouds in an azure sky.
Among the Missing. An Americanism for an absentee. When a person wishes to be “out” to a visitor, he tells the servant that he prefers to be “among the missing.”
Amorica. The country of the Armorici, “dwellers on the sea.”
Ampthill Square. From Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, one of the seats of the ground landlord, the Duke of Bedford.
Amsterdam. The town built on the dam of the Amstel.