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155 definitions found

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) : [ foldoc ]


  N
       
          /N/ quant. 1. A large and indeterminate number of objects:
          "There were N bugs in that crock!"  Also used in its
          original sense of a variable name: "This crock has N bugs,
          as N goes to infinity."  (The true number of bugs is always
          at least N + 1; see Lubarsky's Law of Cybernetic
          Entomology.)
       
          2. A variable whose value is inherited from the current
          context.  For example, when a meal is being ordered at a
          restaurant, N may be understood to mean however many people
          there are at the table.  From the remark "We'd like to order N
          wonton soups and a family dinner for N - 1" you can deduce
          that one person at the table wants to eat only soup, even
          though you don't know how many people there are.
       
          3. "Nth": The ordinal counterpart of N, senses 1 and 2.  "Now
          for the Nth and last time..." In the specific context
          "Nth-year grad student", N is generally assumed to be at least
          4, and is usually 5 or more (see tenured graduate student).
          See also random numbers, two-to-the-N.
       
          [{Jargon File]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  N \N\, n. (Print.)
     A measure of space equal to half an M (or em); an en.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  N \N\ ([e^]n),
     the fourteenth letter of English alphabet, is a vocal
     consonent, and, in allusion to its mode of formation, is
     called the dentinasal or linguanasal consonent. Its commoner
     sound is that heard in ran, done; but when immediately
     followed in the same word by the sound of g hard or k (as in
     single, sink, conquer), it usually represents the same sound
     as the digraph ng in sing, bring, etc. This is a simple but
     related sound, and is called the gutturo-nasal consonent. See
     Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 243-246.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The letter N came into English through the Latin and
           Greek from the Ph[oe]nician, which probably derived it
           from the Egyptian as the ultimate origin. It is
           etymologically most closely related to M. See M.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Uxorious \Ux*o"ri*ous\, a. [L. uxorius, fr. uxor a wife.]
     Excessively fond of, or submissive to, a wife; being a
     dependent husband. ``Uxorious magistrates.'' --Milton.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           How wouldst thou insult,
           When I must live uxorious to thy will
           In perfect thraldom!                     --Milton.
     [1913 Webster] -- Uxo*o"ri*ous*ly, adv. --
     Ux*o"ri*ous*ness, n.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Valiant \Val"iant\, a. [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant,
     valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L.
     valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail,
     Convalesce, Equivalent, Prevail, Valid.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer.
        [Obs.] --Walton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Intrepid in danger; courageous; brave.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A valiant and most expert gentleman.  --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And Saul said to David . . . be thou valiant for me,
              and fight the Lord's battles.         --1 Sam.
                                                    xviii. 17.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Performed with valor or bravery; heroic. ``Thou bearest
        the highest name for valiant acts.'' --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              [The saints] have made such valiant confessions.
                                                    --J. H.
                                                    Newman.
        [1913 Webster] -- Val"iant*ly, adv. -- Val"iant*ness,
        n.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  York use \York" use`\ (Eccl.)
     The one of the three printed uses of England which was
     followed in the north. It was based on the Sarum use. See
     Use, n., 6. --Shipley.
     [1913 Webster]

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) : [ jargon ]


  N /N/ quant. 1. A large and indeterminate number of objects: "There
     were N bugs in that crock!" Also used in its original sense of a
     variable name: "This crock has N bugs, as N goes to infinity." (The true
     number of bugs is always at least N + 1; see Lubarsky's Law of
     Cybernetic Entomology.) 2. A variable whose value is inherited from the
     current context. For example, when a meal is being ordered at a
     restaurant, N may be understood to mean however many people there are at
     the table. From the remark "We'd like to order N wonton soups and a
     family dinner for N - 1" you can deduce that one person at the table
     wants to eat only soup, even though you don't know how many people there
     are (see great-wall). 3. `Nth': adj. The ordinal counterpart of N,
     senses 1 and 2. "Now for the Nth and last time..." In the specific
     context "Nth-year grad student", N is generally assumed to be at least
     4, and is usually 5 or more (see tenured graduate student). See also
     {random+numbers" rel="nofollow">{random numbers, two-to-the-N.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  York use \York" use`\ (Eccl.)
     The one of the three printed uses of England which was
     followed in the north. It was based on the Sarum use. See
     Use, n., 6. --Shipley.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  N \N\ ([e^]n),
     the fourteenth letter of English alphabet, is a vocal
     consonent, and, in allusion to its mode of formation, is
     called the dentinasal or linguanasal consonent. Its commoner
     sound is that heard in ran, done; but when immediately
     followed in the same word by the sound of g hard or k (as in
     single, sink, conquer), it usually represents the same sound
     as the digraph ng in sing, bring, etc. This is a simple but
     related sound, and is called the gutturo-nasal consonent. See
     Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 243-246.
  
     Note: The letter N came into English through the Latin and
           Greek from the Ph[oe]nician, which probably derived it
           from the Egyptian as the ultimate origin. It is
           etymologically most closely related to M. See M.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  N \N\, n. (Print.)
     A measure of space equal to half an M (or em); an en.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  Uxorious \Ux*o"ri*ous\, a. [L. uxorius, fr. uxor a wife.]
     Excessively fond of, or submissive to, a wife; being a
     dependent husband. ``Uxorious magistrates.'' --Milton.
  
           How wouldst thou insult, When I must live uxorious to
           thy will In perfect thraldom!            --Milton.
     -- Uxo*o"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Ux*o"ri*ous*ness, n.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  Valiant \Val"iant\, a. [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant,
     valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L.
     valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail,
     Convalesce, Equivalent, Prevail, Valid.]
     1. Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer.
        [Obs.] --Walton.
  
     2. Intrepid in danger; courageous; brave.
  
              A valiant and most expert gentleman.  --Shak.
  
              And Saul said to David . . . be thou valiant for me,
              and fight the Lord's battles.         --1 Sam.
                                                    xviii. 17.
  
     3. Performed with valor or bravery; heroic. ``Thou bearest
        the highest name for valiant acts.'' --Milton.
  
              [The saints] have made such valiant confessions.
                                                    --J. H.
                                                    Newman.
        -- Val"iant*ly, adv. -- Val"iant*ness, n.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 : [ wn ]


  N
       n 1: (of a solution) concentration expressed in gram equivalents
            of solute per liter [syn: normality]
       2: a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless
          odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78
          percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all
          living tissues [syn: nitrogen, atomic number 7]
       3: the cardinal compass point that is at 0 or 360 degrees [syn:
           north, due north]
       4: a unit of force equal to the force that imparts an
          acceleration of 1 m/sec/sec to a mass of 1 kilogram; equal
          to 100,000 dynes [syn: newton]
       5: the 14th letter of the Roman alphabet