ague \a"gue\ ([=a]"g[-u]), n. [OE. agu, ague, OF. agu, F. aigu, sharp, OF. fem. ague, LL. (febris) acuta, a sharp, acute fever, fr. L. acutus sharp. See Acute.]

1. An acute fever. [Obs.]

"Brenning agues." --P. Plowman. [1913 Webster]

2. (Med.) A fever characterized by paroxysms of high fever and shaking chills. [1913 Webster + AS]

3. The cold fit or rigor of malaria or any other intermittent fever; as, fever and ague. [1913 Webster + AS]

4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold. --Dryden. AS [1913 Webster]

Ague cake, an enlargement of the spleen produced by ague.

Ague drop, a solution of the arsenite of potassa used for ague.

Ague fit, a fit of the ague. --Shak.

Ague spell, a spell or charm against ague. --Gay.

Ague tree, the sassafras, -- sometimes so called from the use of its root formerly, in cases of ague. [Obs.]

[1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Drop \Drop\ (dr[o^]p), n. [OE. drope, AS. dropa; akin to OS. dropo, D. drop, OHG. tropo, G. tropfen, Icel. dropi, Sw. droppe; and Fr. AS. dre['o]pan to drip, drop; akin to OS. driopan, D. druipen, OHG. triofan, G. triefen, Icel. drj[=u]pa. Cf. Drip, Droop.]

1. The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as, a drop of water. [1913 Webster]

With minute drops from off the eaves. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. -- Shak. [1913 Webster]

That drop of peace divine. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

2. That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid drop; as a hanging diamond ornament, an earring, a glass pendant on a chandelier, a sugarplum (sometimes medicated), or a kind of shot or slug. [1913 Webster]

3. (Arch.)
   (a) Same as Gutta.
   (b) Any small pendent ornament. [1913 Webster]

4. Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering something; as:
   (a) A door or platform opening downward; a trap door; that part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he is to be hanged; hence, the gallows itself.
   (b) A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages, coal wagons, etc., to a ship's deck.
   (c) A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas jet.
   (d) A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage of a theater, etc.
   (e) A drop press or drop hammer.
   (f) (Mach.) The distance of the axis of a shaft below the base of a hanger. [1913 Webster]

5. pl. Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops; as, lavender drops. [1913 Webster]

6. (Naut.) The depth of a square sail; -- generally applied to the courses only. --Ham. Nav. Encyc. [1913 Webster]

7. Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent. [1913 Webster]

Ague drop, Black drop. See under Ague, Black.

Drop by drop, in small successive quantities; in repeated portions. "Made to taste drop by drop more than the bitterness of death." --Burke.

Drop curtain. See Drop, n., 4.
   (d) .

Drop forging. (Mech.)
   (a) A forging made in dies by a drop hammer.
   (b) The process of making drop forgings.

Drop hammer (Mech.), a hammer for forging, striking up metal, etc., the weight being raised by a strap or similar device, and then released to drop on the metal resting on an anvil or die.

Drop kick (Football), a kick given to the ball as it rebounds after having been dropped from the hands.

Drop lake, a pigment obtained from Brazil wood. --Mollett.

Drop letter, a letter to be delivered from the same office where posted.

Drop press (Mech.), a drop hammer; sometimes, a dead-stroke hammer; -- also called drop.

Drop scene, a drop curtain on which a scene is painted. See Drop, n., 4.
   (d) .

Drop seed. (Bot.) See the List under Glass.

Drop serene. (Med.) See Amaurosis. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Ague \A"gue\, n. [OE. agu, ague, OF. agu, F. aigu, sharp, OF. fem. ague, LL. (febris) acuta, a sharp, acute fever, fr. L. acutus sharp. See Acute.]

1. An acute fever. [Obs.]

``Brenning agues.'' --P. Plowman.

2. (Med.) An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.

3. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague.

4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold. --Dryden.

Ague cake, an enlargement of the spleen produced by ague.

Ague drop, a solution of the arsenite of potassa used for ague.

Ague fit, a fit of the ague. --Shak.

Ague spell, a spell or charm against ague. --Gay.

Ague tree, the sassafras, -- sometimes so called from the use of its root formerly, in cases of ague. [Obs.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Drop \Drop\, n. [OE. drope, AS. dropa; akin to OS. dropo, D. drop, OHG. tropo, G. tropfen, Icel. dropi, Sw. droppe; and Fr. AS. dre['o]pan to drip, drop; akin to OS. driopan, D. druipen, OHG. triofan, G. triefen, Icel. drj?pa. Cf. Drip, Droop.]

1. The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as, a drop of water.

With minute drops from off the eaves. --Milton.

As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. -- Shak.

That drop of peace divine. --Keble.

2. That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid drop; as a hanging diamond ornament, an earring, a glass pendant on a chandelier, a sugarplum (sometimes medicated), or a kind of shot or slug.

3. (Arch.)
   (a) Same as Gutta.
   (b) Any small pendent ornament.

4. Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering something; as:
   (a) A door or platform opening downward; a trap door; that part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he is to be hanged; hence, the gallows itself.
   (b) A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages, coal wagons, etc., to a ship's deck.
   (c) A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas jet.
   (d) A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage of a theater, etc.
   (e) A drop press or drop hammer.
   (f) (Mach.) The distance of the axis of a shaft below the base of a hanger.

5. pl. Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops; as, lavender drops.

6. (Naut.) The depth of a square sail; -- generally applied to the courses only. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

7. Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent.

Ague drop, Black drop. See under Ague, Black.

Drop by drop, in small successive quantities; in repeated portions. ``Made to taste drop by drop more than the bitterness of death.'' --Burke.

Drop curtain. See Drop, n., 4.
   (d) .

Drop forging. (Mech.)
   (a) A forging made in dies by a drop hammer.
   (b) The process of making drop forgings.

Drop hammer (Mech.), a hammer for forging, striking up metal, etc., the weight being raised by a strap or similar device, and then released to drop on the metal resting on an anvil or die.

Drop kick (Football), a kick given to the ball as it rebounds after having been dropped from the hands.

Drop lake, a pigment obtained from Brazil wood. --Mollett.

Drop letter, a letter to be delivered from the same office where posted.

Drop press (Mech.), a drop hammer; sometimes, a dead-stroke hammer; -- also called drop.

Drop scene, a drop curtain on which a scene is painted. See Drop, n., 4.
   (d) .

Drop seed. (Bot.) See the List under Glass.

Drop serene. (Med.) See Amaurosis.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)