Attainder, at-tān′dėr, n. act of attainting: (law) loss of civil rights through conviction for high-treason.—v.t. Attaint′, to convict: to deprive of rights for being convicted of treason: to accuse of: disgrace, stain (from a fancied connection with taint).—n. (arch.) the act of touching, a hit (in tilting): (Shak.) infection: attainder: a stain, disgrace.—Older pa.p. Attaint′—(Shak.) corrupted, tainted.—ns. Attaint′ment, Attaint′ure, state of being attainted. [O. Fr. ataindre—L. atting-ĕre. See Attain.]
Attar, at′ar, n. a very fragrant essential oil made in Turkey and other Eastern lands, chiefly from the damask rose.—Also Otto. [Pers. atar.]
Attask, at-task′, v.t. to task. [Pfx. a-, and Task.]
Attemper, at-tem′pėr, v.t. to mix in due proportion: to modify or moderate: to adapt.—p.adj. Attem′pered, tempered, mild, regulated. [O. Fr. atemprer—L. attemperāre—ad, to, and temperāre. See Temper.]
Attempt, at-temt′, v.t. to try or endeavour: to try to obtain: tempt, entice: to make an effort or attack upon.—v.i. to make an attempt or trial.—n. a trial: endeavour or effort: a personal assault: (Milton) temptation: (law) any act which can fairly be described as one of a series which, if uninterrupted and successful, would constitute a crime.—n. Attemptabil′ity.—adj. Attempt′able, that may be attempted.—n. Attempt′er (Milton), a tempter. [O. Fr. atempter—L. attentāre—ad, and tem-pt, tentāre, to try—tendĕre, to stretch.]
Attend, at-tend′, v.t. to wait on or accompany: to be present at: to wait for: to give attention (with to).—v.i. to yield attention: to act as an attendant: to wait, be consequent (with to, on, upon).—ns. Attend′ance, act of attending: (B.) attention, careful regard: presence: the persons attending; Attend′ancy (obs.), attendance, a retinue: (obs.) relative position.—adj. Attend′ant, giving attendance: accompanying.—n. one who attends or accompanies: a servant: what accompanies or follows: (law) one who owes a duty or service to another.—ns. Attend′er, one who gives heed: a companion:—fem. Atten′dress; Attend′ment (Sir T. Browne), attention.—adj. Attent′ (Spens.), giving attention.—n. (Spens.) attention.—In attendance on, waiting upon, attending. [O. Fr. atendre—L. attendĕre—ad, to, tendĕre, to stretch.]
Attention, at-ten′shun, n. act of attending, as in to pay, give, call, or attract attention: steady application of the mind: heed: civility, courtesy: care.—interj. (mil.) a cautionary word used as a command to execute some manœuvre.—adj. Attent′ive, full of attention: courteous, mindful.—adv. Attent′ively.—n. Attenti′veness. [L. attention-em—attend-ĕre. See Attend.]
Attenuate, at-ten′ū-āt, v.t. to make thin or lean: to break down into finer parts: to reduce in density: reduce in strength or value, simplify.—v.i. to become thin or fine: to grow less.—n. Atten′uant, anything possessing this property.—adjs. Atten′uate, Atten′uated, made thin or slender: dilute, rarefied:—n. Attenuā′tion, process of making slender: reduction of intensity, density, or force: specially in homeopathy, the reduction of the active principles of medicines to minute doses. [L. attenuāre, -ātum—ad, to, tenuis, thin.]
Attest, at-test′, v.t. to testify or bear witness to: to affirm by signature or oath: to give proof of, to manifest: (obs.) to call to witness.—v.i. to bear witness.—n. (Shak.) witness, testimony.—adjs. Attest′able, Attest′ative.—ns. Attestā′tion, act of attesting: administration of an oath; Attest′or, Attest′er, one who attests or vouches for. [L. attestāri, ad, to, testis, a witness.]
Attic, at′ik, adj. pertaining to Attica or to Athens: chaste, refined, elegant like the Athenians.—v.t. Att′icise, to make conformable to the language or idiom of Attica.—v.i. to use the idioms of the Athenians: to side with the Athenians, to affect Attic or Greek style or manners.—n. At′ticism.—Attic salt, wit of a dry, delicate, and refined quality. [Gr. Attikos, Attic, Athenian, Attikē, Attica, perh. from aktē, headland, though connected by some with astu, city.]