from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sensitive \Sen"si*tive\, a. [F. sensitif. See {Sense}.]
1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the
capacity of receiving impressions from external objects;
as, a sensitive soul.
[1913 Webster]
2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action
of external objects, or to impressions upon the mind and
feelings; highly susceptible; easily and acutely affected.
[1913 Webster]
She was too sensitive to abuse and calumny.
--Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
3.
(a) (Mech.) Having a capacity of being easily affected or
moved; as, a sensitive thermometer; sensitive scales.
(b) (Chem. & Photog.) Readily affected or changed by
certain appropriate agents; as, silver chloride or
bromide, when in contact with certain organic
substances, is extremely sensitive to actinic rays.
[1913 Webster]
4. Serving to affect the sense; sensible. [R.]
[1913 Webster]
A sensitive love of some sensitive objects.
--Hammond.
[1913 Webster]
5. Of or pertaining to sensation; depending on sensation; as,
sensitive motions; sensitive muscular motions excited by
irritation. --E. Darwin.
[1913 Webster]
{Sensitive fern} (Bot.), an American fern ({Onoclea
sensibilis}), the leaves of which, when plucked, show a
slight tendency to fold together.
{Sensitive flame} (Physics), a gas flame so arranged that
under a suitable adjustment of pressure it is exceedingly
sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or
become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight
sounds of the proper pitch.
{Sensitive joint vetch} (Bot.), an annual leguminous herb
({Aeschynomene hispida}), with sensitive foliage.
{Sensitive paper}, paper prepared for photographic purpose by
being rendered sensitive to the effect of light.
{Sensitive plant}. (Bot.)
(a) A leguminous plant ({Mimosa pudica}, or {Mimosa
sensitiva}, and other allied species), the leaves of
which close at the slightest touch.
(b) Any plant showing motions after irritation, as the
sensitive brier ({Schrankia}) of the Southern States,
two common American species of {Cassia} ({Cassia
nictitans}, and {Cassia Chamaecrista}), a kind of
sorrel ({Oxalis sensitiva}), etc.
[1913 Webster] -- {Sen"si*tive*ly}, adv. --
{Sen"si*tive*ness}, n.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Humble \Hum"ble\ (h[u^]m"b'l; 277), a. [Compar. {Humbler}
(h[u^]m"bl[~e]r); superl. {Humblest} (h[u^]m"bl[e^]st).] [F.,
fr. L. humilis on the ground, low, fr. humus the earth,
ground. See {Homage}, and cf. {Chameleon}, {Humiliate}.]
1. Near the ground; not high or lofty.
[1913 Webster]
Thy humble nest built on the ground. --Cowley.
[1913 Webster]
2. Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming;
modest; as, a humble cottage. Used to describe objects.
[1913 Webster]
3. Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's
self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; thinking one's
self ill-deserving or unworthy, when judged by the demands
of God; lowly; weak; modest. Used to describe people.
[1913 Webster]
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the
humble. --Jas. iv. 6.
[1913 Webster]
She should be humble who would please. --Prior.
[1913 Webster]
Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of
our . . . religion we can never hope to be a happy
nation. --Washington.
[1913 Webster]
{Humble plant} (Bot.), a species of sensitive plant, of the
genus {Mimosa} ({Mimosa sensitiva}).
{To eat humble pie}, to endure mortification; to submit or
apologize abjectly; to yield passively to insult or
humiliation; -- a phrase derived from a pie made of the
entrails or humbles of a deer, which was formerly served
to servants and retainers at a hunting feast. See
{Humbles}. --Halliwell. --Thackeray.
[1913 Webster]