Ab′botsford, the country-seat of Sir Walter Scott, on the south bank of the Tweed, in Roxburghshire, 3 miles from Melrose, in the midst of picturesque scenery, forming an extensive and irregular pile in the Scottish baronial style of architecture.—Abbotsford Club, a club established at Edinburgh for printing works throwing light on matters of history or literature connected with the writings of Sir Walter Scott; issued 34 vols. 1835-64.
Ab′bott, Rev. Edwin, D.D., prolific writer on theological, educational, and other subjects, born in London, 1838, was educated at the City of London School and St. John's College, Cambridge, where he highly distinguished himself; he was head master of the City of London School from 1865 to 1889, when he retired. His Shakespearian Grammar (1870) is one of his best contributions to English philology. Among his theological and kindred writings are: Through Nature to Christ; Bible Lessons; Cambridge Sermons; Oxford Sermons; the elaborate article Gospels in the Encyclopædia Britannica (9th edition); From Letter to Spirit. Other works are: Philochristus and Onesimus, both romances on the history of the Early Christian Church; Francis Bacon, an Account of his Life and Works; St. Thomas of Canterbury, his Death and Miracles; The Anglican Career of Cardinal Newman (a very depreciatory estimate); Flatland, a Romance of Many Dimensions. He also wrote: Johannine Grammar (1906), The Message of the Son of Man (1909), The Fourfold Gospel (1913-7).
Ab′bott, Jacob, a popular American writer, especially of entertaining and instructive books for the young. He was born in 1803 and died in 1879. For a time he was a teacher and later a clergyman.
Ab′bott, Thomas Kingsmill, D.D., biblical scholar and writer on philosophic and other subjects, born at Dublin, 1829, died 18th Dec., 1913. He studied with distinction at Trinity College, and was successively professor in Dublin University of moral philosophy, 1867-72; of biblical Greek, 1875-88; and of Hebrew, 1879-1900; he was at one time librarian of the College. He has written Sight and Touch, directed against the Berkeleian theory of vision; Elements of Logic; Essays, chiefly on the Original Texts of the Old and New Testaments; Notes on some Epistles of St. Paul; Elementary Theory of the Tides; Translation of Kant's Theory of Ethics; Kant's Introduction to Logic; Commentary on Ephesians and Colossians; &c.
Abbrevia′tions, devices used in writing and printing to save time and space, consisting usually of curtailments effected in words and syllables by the removal of some letters, often of the whole of the letters except the first. The following is a list of the more important:—
A.B., artium baccalaureus, bachelor of arts (more commonly B.A.); also, able-bodied seaman. Abp., archbishop. A.C., ante Christum, before Christ. Ac., acre. Acc., A/c, or Acct., account. A.D., anno Domini, in the year of our Lord: used also as if equivalent to 'after Christ', or 'of the Christian era'. A.D.C., aide-de-camp. Ad lib., ad libitum, at pleasure. A.D.O.S., assistant director of ordnance stores. A.D.V.S., assistant director of veterinary services. Æt. or Ætat. ætatis (anno), in the year of his age. A.G., attorney-general, adjutant-general. A.H., anno Hegiræ, in the year of the Hegira. A.I.A., associate of the Institute of Actuaries. A.Inst.C.E., associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers. A.I.Mech.E., associate of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. A.M., ante meridiem, forenoon; anno mundi, in the year of the world; artium magister, master of arts. A.M.I.E.E., associate member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. A.M.I.Mech.E., associate member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. A.M.Inst.C.E., associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Anon., anonymous. A.P.D., army pay department. A.R.A., associate of Royal Academy (London). A.R.A.M., associate of the Royal Academy of Music. A.R.C.O., associate of the Royal College of Organists. A.R.I.B.A., associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. A.R.S.A., associate of the Royal Scottish Academy. A.U.C., ab urbe condita, from the building of Rome (753 B.C.). A.V., authorized version; artillery volunteers.
B.A., bachelor of arts. Bart, or Bt., baronet. B.C., before Christ. B.C.L., bachelor of civil law. B.D., bachelor of divinity. B.L., bachelor of law. B.M., bachelor of medicine. Bp., bishop. B.S., bachelor of surgery. B.Sc., bachelor of science. B.V.M., blessed Virgin Mary.
C., cap., or chap., chapter. C.A., chartered accountant. Cantab., Cantabrigiensis, of Cambridge. Cantuar., Cantuariensis, of Canterbury. C.B., companion of the Bath. C.B.E., commander of the British Empire. C.C., Catholic curate; county councillor. C.D.V., carte de visite. C.E., civil engineer. Cf., confer, compare. Ch.B., chirurgiæ baccalaureus, bachelor of surgery. C.I., order of the Crown of India. C.I.E., companion of the order of the Indian Empire. C.J., chief justice. C.M., chirurgiæ magister, master in surgery; common metre. C.M.G., companion of the order of St. Michael and St. George. C.M.S., Church Missionary Society. Co., company or county. C.O.D., cash on delivery. Col., colonel, colony. Coll., college. Cr., creditor. C.S., civil service; clerk to the signet. C.S.I., companion of the Star of India. C.T.C., Cyclists' Touring Club. Curt., current, the present month. C.V.O., commander of the Royal Victorian Order. Cwt., hundredweight.
d., denarius, penny or pence. D.C.L., doctor of civil law. D.C.M., Distinguished Conduct Medal. D.D., doctor of divinity. Del., delineavit, drew it. D.F., defender of the faith. D.G., Dei gratia, by the grace of God. D.L., deputy lieutenant. D.Lit., D.Litt., doctor litterarum, doctor of letters or literature. Do., ditto, the same. D.O.M., Deo Optimo Maximo, to God, the best and greatest. D.P.H., diploma in public health. D.Phil., doctor of philosophy. Dr., doctor, also debtor. D.Sc., doctor of science. D.S.O., Distinguished Service Order. D.V., Deo volente, God willing. Dwt., pennyweight.
E., east. Ebor., Eboracensis, of York. E.C., Established Church. E.C.U., English Church Union. E.E., errors excepted. e.g., exempli gratia, for example. Etc. or &c., et cetera, and the rest.
F. or Fahr., Fahrenheit's thermometer. F.A., Football Association. F.A.S., fellow of the Antiquarian Society. F.B.A., fellow of the British Academy. F.C., Free Church. F.C.P., fellow of the College of Preceptors. F.C.S., fellow of the Chemical Society. F.D., fidei defensor, defender of the faith. Fec., fecit, he made or did it. F.F.A., fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries. F.F.P.S., fellow of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons (Glasgow). F.G.S., fellow of the Geological Society. F.H.S., fellow of the Horticultural Society. F.I.A., fellow of the Institute of Actuaries. Fl., flourished. F.L.S., fellow of the Linnæan Society. F.M., field-marshal. F.O.B., free on board (goods delivered). F.R.A.S., fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. F.R.C.O., fellow of the Royal College of Organists. F.R.C.P., fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. F.R.C.S., fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. F.R.G.S., fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. F.R.I.B.A., fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. F.R.S., fellow of the Royal Society. F.R.S.E., fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. F.S.A., fellow of the Society of Arts or Antiquaries. F.S.S., fellow of the Statistical Society. Ft., foot or feet. F.Z.S., fellow of the Zoological Society.
Gal., gallon. G.B.E., (knight) grand cross of the British Empire. G.C.B., (knight) grand cross of the Bath. G.C.I.E., (knight) grand commander of the Indian Empire. G.C.M.G., (knight) grand cross of St. Michael and St. George. G.C.S.I., (knight) grand commander of the Star of India. G.C.V.O., (knight) grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order. G.R., Georgius Rex, King George. G.R.I., Georgius Rex Imperator; George, King and Emperor. G.P.O., general post office.
H.B.M., his or her Britannic majesty. H.E.I.C.S., honourable East India Company's service. Hhd., hogshead. H.I.H., his or her imperial highness. H.M.I.S., his majesty's inspector of schools. H.M.S., his or her majesty's ship. Hon., honourable. H.Q., Head-quarters. H.R.H., his (her) royal highness. H.S.H., his (her) serene highness.
Ib. or Ibid., ibīdem, in the same place. Id., idem, the same. i.e., id est, that is. +I.H.S., Jesus hominum salvator, Jesus the Saviour of men: originally it was ΙΗΣ, the first three letters of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (Iēsous), Greek for Jesus. Incog., incognito, unknown. Inf., infra, below. I.N.R.I., Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Inst., instant, or of this month; institute. Inv., invenit, designed, invented. I.O.G.T., Independent Order of Good Templars. I.O.U., I owe you. I.S.O., Imperial Service Order.
J.P., justice of the peace. Jr., junior. J.U.D., juris utriusque doctor, doctor both of the civil and the canon law.
K.B.E., knight commander of the British Empire. K.C., king's counsel. K.C.B., knight commander of the Bath. K.C.M.G., knight commander of St. Michael and St. George. K.C.I.E., knight commander of the Indian Empire. K.C.S.I., knight commander of the Star of India. K.C.V.O., knight commander of the Royal Victorian Order. K.G., knight of the Garter. K.P., knight of St. Patrick. K.T., knight of the Thistle. Kt. or Knt., knight.
L., l, or £, pounds sterling. L.A., literate in arts. L.A.S., licentiate of the Apothecaries' Society. Lat., latitude; Latin. Lb. or lb., libra, a pound (weight). L.C., loco citato, in the place cited. L.C.J., lord chief-justice. L.C.P., licentiate of the College of Preceptors. Ldp., lordship. L.D.S., licentiate in dental surgery. Litt.D., litterarum doctor, doctor of literature. L.L., Low Latin. L.L.A., lady literate in arts. LL.B., legum baccalaureus, bachelor of laws. LL.D., legum doctor, doctor of laws (that is, the civil and the canon law). LL.M., legum magister, master of laws. Lon. or long., longitude. Loq., loquitur, speaks. L.R.C.P., licentiate Royal College of Physicians (with E., of Edinburgh). L.R.C.S., licentiate Royal College of Surgeons (with E., of Edinburgh). L.R.C.V.S., licentiate of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. L.S., locus sigilli, the place of the seal (on documents). L.S.A., licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. L.S.D., libræ, solidi, denarii, pounds, shillings, pence.
M.A., master of arts. M.B., medicinæ baccalaureus, bachelor of medicine. M.B.E., member of the British Empire. M.D., medicinæ doctor, doctor of medicine. M.E., mining engineer. Messrs., messieurs, gentlemen. M.F.H., master of fox-hounds. M.Inst.C.E., member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. M.I.E.E., member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. M.I.M.E., member of the Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. M.I.Mech.E., member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Mlle., mademoiselle. Mme., madame. M.P., member of Parliament. M.R.C.S., member of the Royal College of Surgeons. M.R.C.V.S., member of the Royal College of Veterinary surgeons. M.R.I.A., member of the Royal Irish Academy. MS., manuscript; MSS., manuscripts. Mus.D., musicæ doctor, doctor of music. M.V.O., member of the Royal Victorian Order.
N., north. N.B., nota bene, take notice; also North Britain, New Brunswick. N.D., no date. Nem. con., nemine contradicente, no one contradicting, unanimously. No., numero, number. N.P., notary public. N.S., new style, Nova Scotia. N.S.W., New South Wales. N.T., New Testament. N.Y., New York. N.Z., New Zealand.
Ob., obiit, died. O.B.E., officer of the British Empire. Obs., obsolete. Obt., obedient. O.C., officer commanding. O.H.M.S., on his majesty's service. O.M., Order of Merit. O.P., out of print. Op. cit., opere citato, in the work quoted. O.S., old style. O.T., Old Testament. Oxon., Oxoniensis, of Oxford. Oz., ounce or ounces.
P., page; pp., pages. Par., paragraph. P.C., privy-councillor. P.E., Protestant Episcopal. Per cent., per centum, by the hundred. Ph.D., philosophiæ doctor, doctor of philosophy. Pinx., pinxit, painted (it). P.M., post meridiem, afternoon. P.O., post office. P.O.O., post office order. P.P., parish priest. P.P.C., pour prendre congé, to take leave. Prox., proximo (mense), next month. P.R.A., president of the Royal Academy. P.R.S.A., president of the Royal Scottish Academy. P.S., postscript. P.T.O., please turn over (the leaf).
Q., question, queen. Q.E.D., quod erat demonstrandum, which was to be demonstrated. Q.E.F., quod erat faciendum, which was to be done. Q.M., quarter-master. Q.M.G., quarter-master-general. Qu., query. Quant. suff., quantum sufficit, as much as is needful. Q.V., quod vide, which see.
R., rex, regina, king, queen. R.A., royal academician; Royal Artillery. R.A.M., Royal Academy of Music. R.A.M.C., Royal Army Medical Corps. R.A.O.D., Royal Army Ordnance Department. R.A.S.C., Royal Army Service Corps. R.C., Roman Catholic. R.C.P., Royal College of Physicians. R.C.S., Royal College of Surgeons. R.E., Royal Engineers. Rev., reverend. R.I.P., requiescat in pace, may he rest in peace. R.M., Royal Marines. R.N., Royal Navy. R.S.A., royal Scottish academician. R.S.E., Royal Society of Edinburgh. R.S.L., Royal Society of Literature. R.S.V.P., répondez s'il vous plaît, reply, if you please. Rt. Hon., right honourable. Rt. Wpful., right worshipful. R.V., revised version.
S., south. S. or St., saint. Sc., scilicet, namely, viz. S.J., Society of Jesus (Jesuits). S.P.C.A., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. S.P.C.C., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. S.P.C.K., Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. S.P.G., Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. S.P.Q.R., senatus populusque Romanus, the senate and people of Rome. S.S.C., solicitor before the supreme courts. S.S.M., Society of the Sacred Mission. St., saint, street. S.T.D., sacræ theologiæ doctor, doctor of divinity. S.T.P., sacræ theologiæ professor, an old-fashioned equivalent of D.D.
T.C.D., Trinity College, Dublin. T.O., telegraph office.
U.F.C., United Free Church. U.K., United Kingdom. Ult., ultimo, last (month). U.P., United Presbyterian. U.S., United States. U.S.A., United States of America. U.S.N., United States Navy.
V., vide, see; also versus, against. V.C., Victoria Cross. Viz., videlicet, to wit, or namely. V.P., vice-president. V.S., veterinary surgeon. W., west. W.I., West Indies. W.L.F., Women's Liberal Federation. W.O., War Office. W.S.P.U., Women's Social and Political Union. W.S. writer to the signet (Scotland).
Xmas, Christmas.
Y.M.C.A., Young Men's Christian Association. Y.W.C.A., Young Women's Christian Association.
In LL.D., LL.B., &c., the letter is doubled, according to the Roman system, to show that the abbreviation represents a plural noun.
Abd-el-Ka′der, an Arab chief, born in Algeria, 1807; died at Damascus, 1883. He was the chief opponent of the French in their
conquest of Algeria, but at last surrendered to them in 1847, and was imprisoned till set at liberty by Napoleon III in 1852. He afterwards resided chiefly at Damascus, but made various journeys, and visited the Paris exhibition of 1867. He wrote a religious philosophical work in Arabic which has been translated into French.
Abde′ra, an ancient Greek city on the Thracian coast, the birthplace of Democritus (the laughing philosopher), Anaxarchus, and Protagoras. Its inhabitants were proverbial for stupidity.
Abdica′tion, properly the voluntary, but sometimes also the involuntary, resignation of an office or dignity, and more especially that of sovereign power. Abdication does not necessarily require the execution of a formal deed, but may be presumed from facts and circumstances, as in the case of the English Revolution in 1688, when, after long debate, it was resolved by both Houses of Parliament that King James II, having endeavoured to subvert the constitution of the kingdom, had "abdicated the government, and that the throne is thereby vacant". Yet the sovereign of Great Britain cannot constitutionally abdicate without the consent of both Houses of Parliament. The principal abdications in recent years were: Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, 14th March, 1917; King Constantine of Greece, 11th June, 1917; King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, 6th Oct., 1918; Wilhelm II of Germany, 9th Nov., 1918; Karl I of Austria, 13th Nov., 1918; and Marie Adelaide, Grand-Duchess of Luxembourg, 15th Jan., 1919.