n. [ L. aspectus, fr. aspicere, aspectum, to look at; ad + spicere, specere, to look, akin to E. spy. ] 1. The act of looking; vision; gaze; glance. [ R. ] “The basilisk killeth by aspect.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

His aspect was bent on the ground. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Look, or particular appearance of the face; countenance; mien; air. “Serious in aspect.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Craggs ] with aspect open shall erect his head. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Appearance to the eye or the mind; look; view. “The aspect of affairs.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The true aspect of a world lying in its rubbish. T. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Position or situation with regard to seeing; that position which enables one to look in a particular direction; position in relation to the points of the compass; as, a house has a southern aspect, that is, a position which faces the south. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Prospect; outlook. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This town affords a good aspect toward the hill from whence we descended. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Astrol.) The situation of planets or stars with respect to one another, or the angle formed by the rays of light proceeding from them and meeting at the eye; the joint look of planets or stars upon each other or upon the earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The aspects which two planets can assume are five; sextile, &unr_;, when the planets are 60° apart; quartile, or quadrate, &unr_;, when their distance is 90° or the quarter of a circle; trine, &unr_;, when the distance is 120°; opposition, &unr_;, when the distance is 180°, or half a circle; and conjunction, &unr_;, when they are in the same degree. Astrology taught that the aspects of the planets exerted an influence on human affairs, in some situations for good and in others for evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Astrol.) The influence of the stars for good or evil; as, an ill aspect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Aëronautics) A view of a plane from a given direction, usually from above; more exactly, the manner of presentation of a plane to a fluid through which it is moving or to a current. If an immersed plane meets a current of fluid long side foremost, or in broadside aspect, it sustains more pressure than when placed short side foremost. Hence, long narrow wings are more effective than short broad ones of the same area. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Aspect of a plane (Geom.), the direction of the plane. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. aspectare, v. intens. of aspicere. See Aspect, n. ] To behold; to look at. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. aspectabilis. ] Capable of being; visible. “The aspectable world.” Ray. “Aspectable stars.” Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Facing each other. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having an aspect. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. aspectio, fr. aspicere to look at. ] The act of viewing; a look. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Aëronautics) The ratio of the long to the short side of an aëroplane, aërocurve, or wing. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bespeckled p. pr. & vb. n. Bespeckling. ] To mark with speckles or spots. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or . [ Trans. of G. Brockengespenst. ] A mountain specter (which see), esp. that observed on the Brocken, in the Harz Mountains. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Private end or view; by-interest. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. circumspectus, p. p. of circumspicere to look about one's self, to observe; circum + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy. ] Attentive to all the circumstances of a case or the probable consequences of an action; cautious; prudent; wary.

Syn. -- See Cautious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. circumspectio. ] Attention to all the facts and circumstances of a case; caution; watchfulness. [ 1913 Webster ]

With silent circumspection, unespied. Milton.

Syn. -- Caution; prudence; watchfulness; deliberation; thoughtfulness; wariness; forecast. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Looking around every way; cautious; careful of consequences; watchful of danger. “Circumspective eyes.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Circumspectly. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a circumspect manner; cautiously; warily. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Vigilance in guarding against evil from every quarter; caution. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Travel ] forces circumspectness on those abroad, who at home are nursed in security. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the same species. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Conspectuities The faculty of seeing; sight; eye. [ A word of Menenius's making. Coriolanus ii. 1. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A general sketch or outline of a subject; a synopsis; an epitome. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. de- (intens.) + specificate. ] To discriminate; to separate according to specific signification or qualities; to specificate; to desynonymize. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Inaptitude and ineptitude have been usefully despecificated. Fitzed. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Discrimination. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. despectus, fr. despicere. See Despite, n. ] Contempt. [ R. ] Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. despectio. ] A looking down; a despising. [ R. ] W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Want of respect or reverence; disesteem; incivility; discourtesy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impatience of bearing the least affront or disrespect. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To show disrespect to. [ 1913 Webster ]

We have disrespected and slighted God. Comber. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lack of respectability. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not respectable; disreputable. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who disrespects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Wanting in respect; manifesting disesteem or lack of respect; uncivil; as, disrespectful behavior. -- Dis`re*spect"ful*ly, adv. -- Dis`re*spect"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Showing lack of respect; disrespectful. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. sing. & pl. A species of plant or animal that has declined in numbers to a point where further irreversible decline and extinction{ 3 } has a significant chance. Lists of endangered species are maintained by government agencies, and in many cases the killing of such species or destruction of their habitat is prohibited by law. In the U. S. in recent years, development of certain tracts of land has been prohibited due to the likelihood that it will cause a reduction in the numbers of an endangered species. In some cases environmental organizations have initiated litigation to cause the courts to rule that a certain development plan is illegal due to a threat to an endangered species. Laws protecting endangered species have become in some cases a contentious political issue. [ PJC ]

a. [ OF. especial, F. spécial, L. specialis, fr. species a particular sort, kind, or quality. See Species, and cf. Special. ] Distinguished among others of the same class or kind; special; concerning a species or a single object; principal; particular; as, in an especial manner or degree.

Syn. -- Peculiar; special; particular; uncommon; chief. See Peculiar. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an especial manner; chiefly; particularly; peculiarly; in an uncommon degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being especial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A speck or stain made by the excrement of a fly; hence, any insignificant dot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To soil with flyspecks. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + circumspect. ] Not circumspect; heedless; careless; reckless; impolitic. Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. incirconspection. ] Lack of circumspection. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Inspected; p. pr. & vb. n. Inspecting. ] [ L. inspectus, p. p. of inspicere to inspect; pref. in- in + specere to look at, to view: cf. F. inspecter, fr. L. inspectare, freq. fr. inspicere. See Spy. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To look upon; to view closely and critically, esp. in order to ascertain quality or condition, to detect errors, etc., to examine; to scrutinize; to investigate; as, to inspect conduct. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To view and examine officially, as troops, arms, goods offered, work done for the public, etc.; to oversee; to superintend. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. inspectus. See Inspect, v. t. ] Inspection. [ Obs. ] Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. inspectio: cf. F. inspection. ] 1. The act or process of inspecting or looking at carefully; a strict or prying examination; close or careful scrutiny; investigation. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

With narrow search, and with inspection deep,
Considered every creature. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of overseeing; official examination or superintendence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Trial by inspection (O. Eng. Law), a mode of trial in which the case was settled by the individual observation and decision of the judge upon the testimony of his own senses, without the intervention of a jury. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inspectivus. ] Engaged in inspection; inspecting; involving inspection. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. inspecteur. ] 1. One who inspects, views, or oversees; one to whom the supervision of any work is committed; one who makes an official view or examination, as a military or civil officer; a superintendent; a supervisor; an overseer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A police officer, typically holding a rank one below superintendent, and in some cases in charge of several precincts; as, inspector Clousseau is investigating the case. [ PJC ]

Inspector general (Mil.), a staff officer of an army, whose duties are those of inspection, and embrace everything relative to organization, recruiting, discharge, administration, accountability for money and property, instruction, police, and discipline. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Inspectorship. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to an inspector or to inspection. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The office of an inspector. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The district embraced by an inspector's jurisdiction. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female inspector. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. introspectus, p. p. introspicere to look into; intro within + specere to look. See Spy. ] To look into or within; to view the inside of. Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. introspection. ] A view of the inside or interior; a looking inward; specifically, the act or process of self-examination, or inspection of one's own thoughts and feelings; the cognition which the mind has of its own acts and states; self-consciousness; reflection. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was forced to make an introspection into my own mind. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Metaph.) One given to the introspective method of examining the phenomena of the soul. [ 1913 Webster ]