Almuce, an early form of Amice.
Almug, al′mug, n. the wood of a tree described in the Bible as brought from Ophir in the time of Solomon, for the house and temple at Jerusalem, and for musical instruments—probably the red sandalwood of India. [Heb. algummîm, almuggîm. The better form is Algum.]
Aloe, al′ō, n. a genus of plants of considerable medicinal importance, of the 200 species of which as many as 170 are indigenous to the Cape Colony.—The so-called American Aloe is a totally different plant (see Agave).—adj. Al′oed, planted or shaded with aloes.—The Aloes wood of the Bible was the heart-wood of Aquilaria ovata and Aquilaria Agallochum, large spreading trees. The wood contains a dark-coloured, fragrant, resinous substance, much prized for the odour it diffuses in burning. [The word was used erroneously in the Septuagint and New Testament as a translation of the Heb. ahālīm, ahālōth (Gr. agallochon), an aromatic resin or wood—called later in Gr. xylaloē, from which descend lignum aloes, lign-aloes, wood-aloes, and aloes-wood.—A.S. aluwan—L. aloē—Gr. aloē.]
Aloes, al′ōz, a purgative bitter drug, the inspissated juice of the leaves of several almost tree-like species of aloe. Used both as a sing. n., and as a pl. of Aloe.—n. and adj. Aloet′ic, a medicine containing a large proportion of aloes.
Aloft, a-loft′, adv. on high: overhead: at a great height: (naut.) above the deck, at the masthead: sometimes used as equivalent to aloof (Mad. D'Arblay). [Scand.; Icel. á lopt (pron. loft), expressing motion; á lopti, expressing position. Pfx. a- = Icel. á = A.S. on, in. See Loft.]
Alone, al-ōn′, adj. single: solitary: alone of its kind: of itself, or by themselves.—adv. singly, by one's self only.—n. Alone′ness [All and One.]
Along, a-long′, adv. by or through the length of: lengthwise: throughout: onward: (fol. by with) in company of.—prep. by the side of: near.—n.pl. Along′shore-men, labourers employed about the docks or wharves in the Thames and other rivers.—prep. Along′side, by the side, beside.—Along of, (arch. or dial.) owing to. [A.S. andlang—pfx. and-, against, and lang, Long.]
Alongst, a-longst′, prep. (obs. except dial.) along: by the length. [M. E. alongest, from along, with adv. gen. -es.]
Aloof, a-lōōf′, adv. at a distance: apart.—n. Aloof′ness, withdrawal from common action or sympathy. [Pfx. a- (—A.S. on), on, and Loof, prob. Dut. loef. See Luff.]
Alopecia, al-o-pē′si-a, n. baldness: a skin-disease producing this. [Gr. alopekia, fox-mange.]