R » refinement › 1828-dictionary.com :: Making the First American Dictionary of the English Language Accessible

Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary

May 27, 2012

Project::Noah

In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.

Preface to 1828 Dictionary

SEARCH

(1) Word.

refinement

Words

Definitions

(1) Word.

refinement

Webster

KJV

To be ...

These Bibles or ...

... Completed

... Maybe you pick two (KJV vs Young's Literal) if logged in

R › refinement

1828 Definition

REFI'NEMENT, n.

1. The act of purifying by separating from a substance all extraneous matter; a clearing from dross, dregs or recrement; as the refinement of metals or liquors.

2. The state of being pure.

The more bodies are of a kin to spirit in subtilty and refinement, the more diffusive are they.

3. Polish of language; elegance; purity.

From the civil war to this time, I doubt whether the corruptions in our language have not equaled its refinements.

4. Polish of manners; elegance; nice observance of the civilities of social intercourse and of graceful decorum. Refinement of manners is often found in persons of corrupt morals.

5. Purity of taste; nice perception of beauty and propriety in literature and the arts.

6. Purity of mind and morals; nice perception and observance of rectitude in moral principles and practice.

7. Purity of heart; the state of the heart purified from sensual and evil affections. This refinement is the effect of christian principles.

8. Artificial practice; subtilty; as the refinements of cunning.

9. Affectation of nicety, or of elegant improvement; as the refinements of reasoning or philosophy.

1913 Definition

Refinement (refinement)
n.	(r?*f?n"ment)
Re*fine"ment
[Cf. F. raffinement.]

The act of refining, or the state of being refined; as, the refinement or metals; refinement of ideas.

The more bodies are of kin to spirit in subtilty and refinement, the more diffusive are they. Norris.

From the civil war to this time, I doubt whether the corruptions in our language have not equaled its refinements. Swift.

That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess; an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic.

"The refinements of irregular cunning." Rogers.

Syn. -- Purification; polish; politeness; gentility; elegance; cultivation; civilization.

Noah Says...

There are two powers only which are sufficient to control men, and secure the rights of individuals and a peaceable administration; these are the combined force of religion and law, and the force or fear of the bayonet.

Panama Vacations

Traveling to Panama for a all inclusive vacation is great fun for the family.

Browse
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Project::Noah

More info ...

The foundation for American Heritage Access [AHA] strives to capture the essence of American culture with an intent to make early American manuscripts accessible to modern society. We believe that the successful future of this country is dependent on honoring and respecting its past. In order to achieve this ideal, several projects will be introduced and executed. The first initiatives of Project::Noah will involve the accessibility of the 1828 American dictionary.

Vision::Reprint

More info ...

The first vision, Vision::Reprint, has an intent to make a modern printing of the first dictionary of the American language available to the public for under $25. The first task, Task::Access, involves the digitizing of the original 1828 dictionary. The dictionary is available in microfilm (American Culture Series, Reel 335.6-336.1, Michigan University Microfilms) at many universities. To digitize the microfilm as a batch process requires a special scanner.

Vision::Redesign

More info ...

The second vision, Vision::Redesign, has an intent to improve the current online accessibility to the 1828 dictionary. Beyond the Task::XML, other tasks related to this Vision::Redesign include identifying features and functionality for this new website. In addition, plugins will be discussed and created to make the dictionary accessible in other ways: iPhone, Google widget, Firefox Add-on, etc.

Vision::Recapture

More info ...

The third vision, Vision::Recapture, has an intent to evoke the importance of Noah Webster in our American Heritage. This vision will manifest itself in a commissioned painting of Noah Webster. The process involved will require the input from concerned Americans. The final commission painting will be derived from initial sketches and digital compositions. Feedback from the community is essential for this vision's success throughout the entire process.

May 27, 2012