Aguardiente (a˙-gwär-dē-en′te), a popular spirituous beverage of Spain and Portugal, a kind of coarse brandy, made from red wine, from the refuse of the grapes left in the wine-press, &c., generally flavoured with anise; also a Mexican alcoholic drink distilled from the fermented juice of the agave.
Aguas Calientes (a˙g′wa˙s ka˙-lē-en′tās; lit. 'warm waters'), a town 270 miles N.W. of Mexico, capital of the State of its own name, named from the thermal springs near it; has manufactures of cottons and a considerable trade. Pop. 45,198.—Aguas Calientes State has an area of 2,968 sq. miles, and a pop. of 124,500.
Ague (ā′gū), a kind of fever, which may be followed by serious consequences, but generally is more troublesome than dangerous. According to the length of the interval between one febrile paroxysm and another, agues are denominated quotidian when they occur once in twenty-four hours, tertian when they come on every forty-eight hours, quartan when they visit the patient once in seventy-two hours. Ague arises from marsh miasmata, a temperature above 60° being, however, apparently required to produce it. To cure the disease and prevent the recurrence, quinine and various other bitter and astringent drugs are given with complete success in the majority of cases.
Ague-cake, a tumour caused by enlargement and hardening of the spleen, often the consequence of ague or intermittent fever.
Aguesseau (a˙-ges-ō), Henri François d', a distinguished French jurist and statesman, born at Limoges in 1668; was in 1690 advocate-general at Paris, and at the age of thirty-two procureur-général of the Parliament. He risked disgrace with Louis XIV by successfully opposing the famous papal bull Unigenitus. He was made chancellor in 1717, was deprived of his office in 1718 on account of his opposition to Law's system of finance, but had to be recalled in 1720. In 1722 he had to retire a second time; but was recalled in 1727 by Cardinal Fleury, and in 1737 again got the chancellorship, which he held till 1750. He died in 1751.
Aguilar (a˙-gē-lär′), a town of Spain, province of Cordova, in Andalusia, in a good wine-producing district, and with a trade in corn and wine. Pop. 12,635.
Aguilar (a-gi-lär′), Grace, an English writer, born at Hackney 1816, died at Frankfort 1847. Of Jewish parentage, she at first devoted herself to Jewish subjects, such as The Women of Israel, The Jewish Faith, &c.; but her fame rests on her novels, Home Influence, A Mother's Recompense, Home Scenes and Heart Studies, &c., most of which were published posthumously by her mother.
Aguilas (a˙-gē′la˙s), a flourishing seaport of Southern Spain, province of Murcia, with copper and lead smelting works. Pop. 15,967.
Agulhas (a˙-gu¨l′ya˙s), Cape, a promontory, forming the most southern extremity of Africa, about 90 miles south-east of the Cape of Good Hope, rising to 455 feet above the sea, with a lighthouse.
Agu′ti. See Agouti.