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A chip off the old block
Chip Chip, n. 1. A piece of wood, stone, or other substance, separated by an ax, chisel, or cutting instrument. 2. A fragment or piece broken off; a small piece. 3. Wood or Cuban palm leaf split into slips, or straw plaited in a special manner, for making hats or bonnets. 4. Anything dried up, withered, or without flavor; -- used contemptuously. 5. One of the counters used in poker and other games. 6. (Naut.) The triangular piece of wood attached to the log line. Buffalo chips. See under Buffalo. Chip ax, a small ax for chipping timber into shape. Chip bonnet, Chip hat, a bonnet or a hat made of Chip. See Chip, n., 3. A chip off the old block, a child who resembles either of his parents. [Colloq.] --Milton. Potato chips, Saratoga chips, thin slices of raw potato fried crisp.
Abaft the beam
Abaft A*baft" ([.a]*b[.a]ft"), prep. [Pref. a- on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS. be[ae]ftan; be by + [ae]ftan behind. See After, Aft, By.] (Naut.) Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse. Abaft the beam. See under Beam.
Accessary after the fact
Accessary Ac*ces"sa*ry (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. [Cf. Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law) One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense. Accessary before the fact (Law), one who commands or counsels an offense, not being present at its commission. Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense, assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense. Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane, and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being either accessary or accessory.
Accessary before the fact
Accessary Ac*ces"sa*ry (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. [Cf. Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law) One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense. Accessary before the fact (Law), one who commands or counsels an offense, not being present at its commission. Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense, assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense. Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane, and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being either accessary or accessory.
Administration with the will annexed
4. (Law) (a) The management and disposal, under legal authority, of the estate of an intestate, or of a testator having no competent executor. (b) The management of an estate of a deceased person by an executor, the strictly corresponding term execution not being in use. Administration with the will annexed, administration granted where the testator has appointed no executor, or where his appointment of an executor for any cause has failed, as by death, incompetency, refusal to act, etc. Syn: Conduct; management; direction; regulation; execution; dispensation; distribution.
Afore the mast
--Milton. Note: The most common general names of masts are foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast, each of which may be made of separate spars. 2. (Mach.) The vertical post of a derrick or crane. Afore the mast, Before the mast. See under Afore, and Before. Mast coat. See under Coat. Mast hoop, one of a number of hoops attached to the fore edge of a boom sail, which slip on the mast as the sail is raised or lowered; also, one of the iron hoops used in making a made mast. See Made.
Against the sun
Against A*gainst" (?; 277), prep. [OE. agens, ageynes, AS. ongegn. The s is adverbial, orig. a genitive ending. See Again.] 1. Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards; as, against the mouth of a river; -- in this sense often preceded by over. Jacob saw the angels of God come against him. --Tyndale. 2. From an opposite direction so as to strike or come in contact with; in contact with; upon; as, hail beats against the roof. 3. In opposition to, whether the opposition is of sentiment or of action; on the other side; counter to; in contrariety to; hence, adverse to; as, against reason; against law; to run a race against time. The gate would have been shut against her. --Fielding. An argument against the use of steam. --Tyndale. 4. By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when. [Archaic or Dial.] Urijah the priest made it, against King Ahaz came from Damascus. --2 Kings xvi. 11. Against the sun, in a direction contrary to that in which the sun appears to move.
All in the wind
All All, n. The whole number, quantity, or amount; the entire thing; everything included or concerned; the aggregate; the whole; totality; everything or every person; as, our all is at stake. Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all. --Shak. All that thou seest is mine. --Gen. xxxi. 43. Note: All is used with of, like a partitive; as, all of a thing, all of us. After all, after considering everything to the contrary; nevertheless. All in all, a phrase which signifies all things to a person, or everything desired; (also adverbially) wholly; altogether. Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee, Forever. --Milton. Trust me not at all, or all in all. --Tennyson. All in the wind (Naut.), a phrase denoting that the sails are parallel with the course of the wind, so as to shake. All told, all counted; in all. And all, and the rest; and everything connected. ``Bring our crown and all.' --Shak. At all. (a) In every respect; wholly; thoroughly. [Obs.] ``She is a shrew at al(l).' --Chaucer. (b) A phrase much used by way of enforcement or emphasis, usually in negative or interrogative sentences, and signifying in any way or respect; in the least degree or to the least extent; in the least; under any circumstances; as, he has no ambition at all; has he any property at all? ``Nothing at all.' --Shak. ``If thy father at all miss me.' --1 Sam. xx. 6. Over all, everywhere. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Note: All is much used in composition to enlarge the meaning, or add force to a word. In some instances, it is completely incorporated into words, and its final consonant is dropped, as in almighty, already, always: but, in most instances, it is an adverb prefixed to adjectives or participles, but usually with a hyphen, as, all-bountiful, all-glorious, allimportant, all-surrounding, etc. In others it is an adjective; as, allpower, all-giver. Anciently many words, as, alabout, alaground, etc., were compounded with all, which are now written separately.
All the better
Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense or becomes intensive. 2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or Poet.] All as his straying flock he fed. --Spenser. A damsel lay deploring All on a rock reclined. --Gay. All to, or All-to. In such phrases as ``all to rent,' ``all to break,' ``all-to frozen,' etc., which are of frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb, equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether. But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all (as it does in ``all forlorn,' and similar expressions), and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus Wyclif says, ``The vail of the temple was to rent:' and of Judas, ``He was hanged and to-burst the middle:' i. e., burst in two, or asunder. All along. See under Along. All and some, individually and collectively, one and all. [Obs.] ``Displeased all and some.' --Fairfax. All but. (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] --Shak. (b) Almost; nearly. ``The fine arts were all but proscribed.' --Macaulay. All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all hollow. [Low] All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same thing. All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as, she is her mother all over. [Colloq.] All the better, wholly the better; that is, better by the whole difference. All the same, nevertheless. ``There they [certain phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we recognize them or not.' --J. C. Shairp. ``But Rugby is a very nice place all the same.' --T. Arnold. -- See also under All, n.
All the same
Note: In the ancient phrases, all too dear, all too much, all so long, etc., this word retains its appropriate sense or becomes intensive. 2. Even; just. (Often a mere intensive adjunct.) [Obs. or Poet.] All as his straying flock he fed. --Spenser. A damsel lay deploring All on a rock reclined. --Gay. All to, or All-to. In such phrases as ``all to rent,' ``all to break,' ``all-to frozen,' etc., which are of frequent occurrence in our old authors, the all and the to have commonly been regarded as forming a compound adverb, equivalent in meaning to entirely, completely, altogether. But the sense of entireness lies wholly in the word all (as it does in ``all forlorn,' and similar expressions), and the to properly belongs to the following word, being a kind of intensive prefix (orig. meaning asunder and answering to the LG. ter-, HG. zer-). It is frequently to be met with in old books, used without the all. Thus Wyclif says, ``The vail of the temple was to rent:' and of Judas, ``He was hanged and to-burst the middle:' i. e., burst in two, or asunder. All along. See under Along. All and some, individually and collectively, one and all. [Obs.] ``Displeased all and some.' --Fairfax. All but. (a) Scarcely; not even. [Obs.] --Shak. (b) Almost; nearly. ``The fine arts were all but proscribed.' --Macaulay. All hollow, entirely, completely; as, to beat any one all hollow. [Low] All one, the same thing in effect; that is, wholly the same thing. All over, over the whole extent; thoroughly; wholly; as, she is her mother all over. [Colloq.] All the better, wholly the better; that is, better by the whole difference. All the same, nevertheless. ``There they [certain phenomena] remain rooted all the same, whether we recognize them or not.' --J. C. Shairp. ``But Rugby is a very nice place all the same.' --T. Arnold. -- See also under All, n.
All the whole
All All, a. [OE. al, pl. alle, AS. eal, pl. ealle, Northumbrian alle, akin to D. & OHG. al, Ger. all, Icel. allr. Dan. al, Sw. all, Goth. alls; and perh. to Ir. and Gael. uile, W. oll.] 1. The whole quantity, extent, duration, amount, quality, or degree of; the whole; the whole number of; any whatever; every; as, all the wheat; all the land; all the year; all the strength; all happiness; all abundance; loss of all power; beyond all doubt; you will see us all (or all of us). Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. --1 Thess. v. 21. 2. Any. [Obs.] ``Without all remedy.' --Shak. Note: When the definite article ``the,' or a possessive or a demonstrative pronoun, is joined to the noun that all qualifies, all precedes the article or the pronoun; as, all the cattle; all my labor; all his wealth; all our families; all your citizens; all their property; all other joys. Note: This word, not only in popular language, but in the Scriptures, often signifies, indefinitely, a large portion or number, or a great part. Thus, all the cattle in Egypt died, all Judea and all the region round about Jordan, all men held John as a prophet, are not to be understood in a literal sense, but as including a large part, or very great numbers. 3. Only; alone; nothing but. I was born to speak all mirth and no matter. --Shak. All the whole, the whole (emphatically). [Obs.] ``All the whole army.' --Shak.
Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
Shrine Shrine, n. Short for Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a secret order professedly originated by one Kalif Alu, a son-in-law of Mohammed, at Mecca, in the year of the Hegira 25 (about 646 a. d.) In the modern order, established in the United States in 1872, only Knights Templars or thirty-second degree Masons are eligible for admission, though the order itself is not Masonic.
Ark of the Covenant
Ark Ark, n. [OE. ark, arke, arche, AS. arc, earc, earce, fr. L. arca, fr. arcere to inclose, keep off; akin to Gr. ? to keep off.] 1. A chest, or coffer. [Obs.] Bearing that precious relic in an ark. --Spenser. 2. (Jewish Hist.) The oblong chest of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, which supported the mercy seat with its golden cherubs, and occupied the most sacred place in the sanctuary. In it Moses placed the two tables of stone containing the ten commandments. Called also the Ark of the Covenant. 3. The large, chestlike vessel in which Noah and his family were preserved during the Deluge. --Gen. vi. Hence: Any place of refuge. 4. A large flatboat used on Western American rivers to transport produce to market.
As the crow flies
Crow Crow, n. [AS. cr?we a crow (in sense 1); akin to D. kraai, G. kr?e; cf. Icel. kr?ka crow. So named from its cry, from AS. cr?wan to crow. See Crow, v. i. ] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus, having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles. It has a harsh, croaking note. See Caw. Note: The common crow of Europe, or carrion crow, is C. corone. The common American crow is C. Americanus. See Carrion crow, and Illustr., under Carrion. 2. A bar of iron with a beak, crook, or claw; a bar of iron used as a lever; a crowbar. Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight Unto my cell. --Shak. 3. The cry of the cock. See Crow, v. i., 1. 4. The mesentery of a beast; -- so called by butchers. Carrion crow. See under Carrion. Crow blackbird (Zo["o]l.), an American bird (Quiscalus quiscula); -- called also purple grackle. Crow pheasant (Zo["o]l.), an Indian cuckoo; the common coucal. It is believed by the natives to give omens. See Coucal. Crow shrike (Zo["o]l.), any bird of the genera Gymnorhina, Craticus, or Strepera, mostly from Australia. Red-legged crow. See Crough. As the crow flies, in a direct line. To pick a crow, To pluck a crow, to state and adjust a difference or grievance (with any one).
At the countretaille
Countretaille Coun"tre*taille` (koun"t?r-t?l`), n. [F. contretaille; contre (L. contra) + taille cut. See Tally.] A counter tally; correspondence (in sound). [Obs.] At the countretaille, in return. --Chaucer.
At the downlying
Downlying Down"ly`ing, n. The time of retiring to rest; time of repose. --Cavendish. At the downlying, at the travail in childbirth. [Scot.]
At the elbow
Elbow El"bow, n. [AS. elboga, elnboga (akin to D. elleboga, OHG. elinbogo, G. ellbogen, ellenbogen, Icel. ?lnbogi; prop.; arm-bend); eln ell (orig., forearm) + boga a bending. See 1st Ell, and 4th Bow.] 1. The joint or bend of the arm; the outer curve in the middle of the arm when bent. Her arms to the elbows naked. --R. of Gloucester. 2. Any turn or bend like that of the elbow, in a wall, building, and the like; a sudden turn in a line of coast or course of a river; also, an angular or jointed part of any structure, as the raised arm of a chair or sofa, or a short pipe fitting, turning at an angle or bent. 3. (Arch.) A sharp angle in any surface of wainscoting or other woodwork; the upright sides which flank any paneled work, as the sides of windows, where the jamb makes an elbow with the window back. --Gwilt. Note: Elbow is used adjectively or as part of a compound, to denote something shaped like, or acting like, an elbow; as, elbow joint; elbow tongs or elbow-tongs; elbowroom, elbow-room, or elbow room. At the elbow, very near; at hand. Elbow grease, energetic application of force in manual labor. [Low] Elbow in the hawse (Naut.), the twisting together of two cables by which a vessel rides at anchor, caused by swinging completely round once. --Totten. Elbow scissors (Surg.), scissors bent in the blade or shank for convenience in cutting. --Knight. Out at elbow, with coat worn through at the elbows; shabby; in needy circumstances.
At the first
First First, adv. Before any other person or thing in time, space, rank, etc.; -- much used in composition with adjectives and participles. Adam was first formed, then Eve. --1 Tim. ii. 13. At first, At the first, at the beginning or origin. First or last, at one time or another; at the beginning or end. And all are fools and lovers first or last. --Dryden.
At the fore
Fore Fore, n. The front; hence, that which is in front; the future. At the fore (Naut.), at the fore royal masthead; -- said of a flag, so raised as a signal for sailing, etc. To the fore. (a) In advance; to the front; to a prominent position; in plain sight; in readiness for use. (b) In existence; alive; not worn out, lost, or spent, as money, etc. [Irish] ``While I am to the fore.' --W. Collins. ``How many captains in the regiment had two thousand pounds to the fore?' --Thackeray.
At the last gasp
Gasp Gasp, n. The act of opening the mouth convulsively to catch the breath; a labored respiration; a painful catching of the breath. At the last gasp, at the point of death. --Addison.
At the least
Least Least, a. [OE. last, lest, AS. l?sast, l?sest, superl. of l?ssa less. See Less, a.] [Used as the superlative of little.] Smallest, either in size or degree; shortest; lowest; most unimportant; as, the least insect; the least mercy; the least space. Note: Least is often used with the, as if a noun. I am the least of the apostles. --1 Cor. xv. 9. At least, or At the least, at the least estimate, consideration, chance, etc.; hence, at any rate; at all events; even. See However. He who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses The tempted with dishonor. --Milton. Upon the mast they saw a young man, at least if he were a man, who sat as on horseback. --Sir P. Sidney. In least, or In the least, in the least degree, manner, etc. ``He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.' --Luke xvi. 10. Least squares (Math.), a method of deducing from a number of carefully made yet slightly discordant observations of a phenomenon the most probable values of the unknown quantities. Note: It takes as its fundamental principle that the most probable values are those which make the sum of the squares of the residual errors of the observation a minimum.
Axis of the Ionic capital
Axis Ax"is, n.; pl. Axes. [L. axis axis, axle. See Axle.] A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line passing through a body or system around which the parts are symmetrically arranged. 2. (Math.) A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged; as, the axis of a cylinder, i. e., the axis of a cone, that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the center of the base; the axis of a circle, any straight line passing through the center. 3. (Bot.) The stem; the central part, or longitudinal support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the central line of any body. --Gray. 4. (Anat.) (a) The second vertebra of the neck, or vertebra dentata. (b) Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head to turn upon. 5. (Crystallog.) One of several imaginary lines, assumed in describing the position of the planes by which a crystal is bounded. 6. (Fine Arts) The primary or secondary central line of any design. Anticlinal axis (Geol.), a line or ridge from which the strata slope downward on the two opposite sides. Synclinal axis, a line from which the strata slope upward in opposite directions, so as to form a valley. Axis cylinder (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; -- called also axis band, axial fiber, and cylinder axis. Axis in peritrochio, the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers. Axis of a curve (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords of a curve; called a principal axis, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two axes of the ellipse are the major axis and the minor axis, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the transverse axis and the conjugate axis. Axis of a lens, the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces. Axis of a telescope or microscope, the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it. Axes of co["o]rdinates in a plane, two straight lines intersecting each other, to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position: they are either rectangular or oblique. Axes of co["o]rdinates in space, the three straight lines in which the co["o]rdinate planes intersect each other. Axis of a balance, that line about which it turns. Axis of oscillation, of a pendulum, a right line passing through the center about which it vibrates, and perpendicular to the plane of vibration. Axis of polarization, the central line around which the prismatic rings or curves are arranged. --Brewster. Axis of revolution (Descriptive Geom.), a straight line about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the several points of the line or plane shall describe circles with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution. Axis of symmetry (Geom.), any line in a plane figure which divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other part. Axis of the equator, ecliptic, horizon (or other circle considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies), the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the plane of the circle. --Hutton. Axis of the Ionic capital (Arch.), a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute. Neutral axis (Mech.), the line of demarcation between the horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression, exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder. Optic axis of a crystal, the direction in which a ray of transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial or biaxial. Optic axis, Visual axis (Opt.), the straight line passing through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the surface of the eye. Radical axis of two circles (Geom.), the straight line perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles shall be equal to each other. Spiral axis (Arch.), the axis of a twisted column drawn spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without. Axis of abscissas and Axis of ordinates. See Abscissa.
Baron of the Cinque Ports
Cinque Ports Cinque" Ports` [Cinque + port.] (Eng. Hist.) Five English ports, to which peculiar privileges were anciently accorded; -- viz., Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich; afterwards increased by the addition of Winchelsea, Rye, and some minor places. Baron of the Cinque Ports. See under Baron.
Barrel of the ear
4. A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is discharged. --Knight. 5. A jar. [Obs.] --1 Kings xvii. 12. 6. (Zo["o]l.) The hollow basal part of a feather. Barrel bulk (Com.), a measure equal to five cubic feet, used in estimating capacity, as of a vessel for freight. Barrel drain (Arch.), a drain in the form of a cylindrical tube. Barrel of a boiler, the cylindrical part of a boiler, containing the flues. Barrel of the ear (Anat.), the tympanum, or tympanic cavity. Barrel organ, an instrument for producing music by the action of a revolving cylinder. Barrel vault. See under Vault.
Before the footlights
Footlight Foot"light`, n. One of a row of lights in the front of the stage in a theater, etc., and on a level therewith. Before the footlights, upon the stage; -- hence, in the capacity of an actor.
Before the mast
--Milton. Note: The most common general names of masts are foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast, each of which may be made of separate spars. 2. (Mach.) The vertical post of a derrick or crane. Afore the mast, Before the mast. See under Afore, and Before. Mast coat. See under Coat. Mast hoop, one of a number of hoops attached to the fore edge of a boom sail, which slip on the mast as the sail is raised or lowered; also, one of the iron hoops used in making a made mast. See Made.
Before the mast
Before Be*fore", prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. be- + foran, fore, before. See Be-, and Fore.] 1. In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house. His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. --Milton. 2. Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that. Before Abraham was, I am. --John viii. 58. Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. --Swift. Note: Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. ``Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee.' --John i. 48. 3. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time. The golden age . . . is before us. --Carlyle. 4. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than. He that cometh after me is preferred before me. --John i. 15. The eldest son is before the younger in succession. --Johnson. 5. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing. Abraham bowed down himself before the people. --Gen. xxiii. 12. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? --Micah vi. 6. 6. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of. If a suit be begun before an archdeacon. --Ayliffe. 7. Open for; free of access to; in the power of. The world was all before them where to choose. --Milton. Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.
Before the wind
Before Be*fore", prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. be- + foran, fore, before. See Be-, and Fore.] 1. In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house. His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. --Milton. 2. Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that. Before Abraham was, I am. --John viii. 58. Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. --Swift. Note: Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. ``Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee.' --John i. 48. 3. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time. The golden age . . . is before us. --Carlyle. 4. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than. He that cometh after me is preferred before me. --John i. 15. The eldest son is before the younger in succession. --Johnson. 5. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing. Abraham bowed down himself before the people. --Gen. xxiii. 12. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? --Micah vi. 6. 6. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of. If a suit be begun before an archdeacon. --Ayliffe. 7. Open for; free of access to; in the power of. The world was all before them where to choose. --Milton. Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.
Behind the curtain
Curtain Cur"tain (k?r"t?n; 48), n. [OE. cortin, curtin,fr. OF. cortine, curtine, F. courtine, LL. cortina, curtian (in senses 1 and 2), also, small court, small inclosure surrounded by walls, from cortis court. See Court.] 1. A hanging screen intended to darken or conceal, and admitting of being drawn back or up, and reclosed at pleasure; esp., drapery of cloth or lace hanging round a bed or at a window; in theaters, and like places, a movable screen for concealing the stage. 2. (Fort.) That part of the rampart and parapet which is between two bastions or two gates. See Illustrations of Ravelin and Bastion. 3. (Arch.) That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc. 4. A flag; an ensign; -- in contempt. [Obs.] --Shak. Behind the curtain, in concealment; in secret. Curtain lecture, a querulous lecture given by a wife to her husband within the bed curtains, or in bed. --Jerrold. A curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering. --W. Irving. The curtain falls, the performance closes. The curtain rises, the performance begins. To draw the curtain, to close it over an object, or to remove it; hence: (a) To hide or to disclose an object. (b) To commence or close a performance. To drop the curtain, to end the tale, or close the performance.
Behind the scenes
Scene Scene, n. [L. scaena, scena, Gr. skhnh` a covered place, a tent, a stage.] 1. The structure on which a spectacle or play is exhibited; the part of a theater in which the acting is done, with its adjuncts and decorations; the stage. 2. The decorations and fittings of a stage, representing the place in which the action is supposed to go on; one of the slides, or other devices, used to give an appearance of reality to the action of a play; as, to paint scenes; to shift the scenes; to go behind the scenes. 3. So much of a play as passes without change of locality or time, or important change of character; hence, a subdivision of an act; a separate portion of a play, subordinate to the act, but differently determined in different plays; as, an act of four scenes. My dismal scene I needs must act alone. --Shak. 4. The place, time, circumstance, etc., in which anything occurs, or in which the action of a story, play, or the like, is laid; surroundings amid which anything is set before the imagination; place of occurrence, exhibition, or action. ``In Troy, there lies the scene.' --Shak. The world is a vast scene of strife. --J. M. Mason. 5. An assemblage of objects presented to the view at once; a series of actions and events exhibited in their connection; a spectacle; a show; an exhibition; a view. Through what new scenes and changes must we pass! --Addison. 6. A landscape, or part of a landscape; scenery. A sylvan scene with various greens was drawn, Shades on the sides, and in the midst a lawn. --Dryden. 7. An exhibition of passionate or strong feeling before others; often, an artifical or affected action, or course of action, done for effect; a theatrical display. Probably no lover of scenes would have had very long to wait for some explosions between parties, both equally ready to take offense, and careless of giving it. --De Quincey. Behind the scenes, behind the scenery of a theater; out of the view of the audience, but in sight of the actors, machinery, etc.; hence, conversant with the hidden motives and agencies of what appears to public view.

Meaning of The from wikipedia

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