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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.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.comWord [musk]

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musk

MUSK, n. [L. muscus; Gr.musk, and moss.] A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk [Moschus moschiferus,] an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe,the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen's egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk, one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal.

MUSK, n. Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower.

MUSK, v.t. To perfume with musk.




Evolution (or devolution) of this word [musk]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

MUSK, n. [L. muscus; Gr.musk, and moss.] A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk [Moschus moschiferus,] an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe,the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen's egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk, one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal.

MUSK, n. Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower.

MUSK, v.t. To perfume with musk.


MUSK, n.1 [L. muscus; Gr. μοσχος, musk, and moss; It. musco and muschio; Sp. musco; Fr. and Arm. musc; W. mwsg. The latter, Owen derives from mws, which as a noun signifies something that shoots out, effluvia, and as an adjective, of a strong scent. The Arabic word coinciding with these is found under مَسَكَ masaka, to hold or contain, and the name is interpreted to signify both the follicle containing the matter, and the substance contained.]

A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk, (Moschus moschiferus,) an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe, the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male, and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen's egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk, one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal. Encyc.


MUSK, n.2

Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower. Johnson.


MUSK, v.t.

To perfume with musk.


Musk
  1. A substance of a reddish brown color, and when fresh of the consistence of honey, obtained from a bag being behind the navel of the male musk deer. It has a slightly bitter taste, but is specially remarkable for its powerful and enduring odor. It is used in medicine as a stimulant antispasmodic. The term is also applied to secretions of various other animals, having a similar odor.
  2. To perfume with musk.
  3. The musk deer. See Musk deer (below).
  4. The perfume emitted by musk, or any perfume somewhat similar.
  5. The musk plant (Mimulus moschatus).

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Musk

MUSK, noun [Latin muscus; Gr.musk, and moss.] A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk [Moschus moschiferus, ] an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe, the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen's egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal.

MUSK, noun Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower.

MUSK, verb transitive To perfume with musk

MUSK'-APPLE, noun A particular kind of apple.

MUSK'-CAT, noun The musk which see.

MUSK'-CHERRY, noun A kind of cherry.

Why 1828?

Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

Random Word

unconsummate

UNCONSUM'MATE, a. Not consummated.

Noah's 1828 Dictionary

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Noah Webster, the Father of American Christian education, wrote the first American dictionary and established a system of rules to govern spelling, grammar, and reading. This master linguist understood the power of words, their definitions, and the need for precise word usage in communication to maintain independence. Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions.

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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary

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