from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Ancient \An"cient\, a. [OE. auncien, F. ancien, LL. antianus,
fr. L. ante before. See {Ante-}, pref.]
1. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at
a great distance of time; belonging to times long past;
specifically applied to the times before the fall of the
Roman empire; -- opposed to {modern}; as, ancient authors,
literature, history; ancient days.
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Witness those ancient empires of the earth.
--Milton.
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Gildas Albanius . . . much ancienter than his
namesake surnamed the Wise. --Fuller.
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2. Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of
great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle. "Our
ancient bickerings." --Shak.
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Remove not the ancient landmarks, which thy fathers
have set. --Prov. xxii.
28.
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An ancient man, strangely habited, asked for
quarters. --Scott.
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3. Known for a long time, or from early times; -- opposed to
{recent} or {new}; as, the ancient continent.
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A friend, perhaps, or an ancient acquaintance.
--Barrow.
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4. Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable.
[Archaic]
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He wrought but some few hours of the day, and then
would he seem very grave and ancient. --Holland.
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5. Experienced; versed. [Obs.]
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Though [he] was the youngest brother, yet he was the
most ancient in the business of the realm.
--Berners.
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6. Former; sometime. [Obs.]
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They mourned their ancient leader lost. --Pope.
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{Ancient demesne} (Eng. Law), a tenure by which all manors
belonging to the crown, in the reign of William the
Conqueror, were held. The numbers, names, etc., of these
were all entered in a book called Domesday Book.
{Ancient lights} (Law), windows and other openings which have
been enjoined without molestation for more than twenty
years. In England, and in some of the United States, they
acquire a prescriptive right.
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Syn: Old; primitive; pristine; antique; antiquated;
old-fashioned; obsolete.
Usage: {Ancient}, {Antiquated}, {Obsolete}, {Antique},
{Antic}, {Old}. -- Ancient is opposed to modern, and
has antiquity; as, an ancient family, ancient
landmarks, ancient institutions, systems of thought,
etc. Antiquated describes that which has gone out of
use or fashion; as, antiquated furniture, antiquated
laws, rules, etc. Obsolete is commonly used, instead
of antiquated, in reference to language, customs,
etc.; as, an obsolete word or phrase, an obsolete
expression. Antique is applied, in present usage,
either to that which has come down from the ancients;
as, an antique cameo, bust, etc.; or to that which is
made to imitate some ancient work of art; as, an
antique temple. In the days of Shakespeare, antique
was often used for ancient; as, "an antique song," "an
antique Roman;" and hence, from singularity often
attached to what is ancient, it was used in the sense
of grotesque; as, "an oak whose antique root peeps
out; " and hence came our present word antic, denoting
grotesque or ridiculous. We usually apply both ancient
and old to things subject to gradual decay. We say, an
old man, an ancient record; but never, the old stars,
an old river or mountain. In general, however, ancient
is opposed to modern, and old to new, fresh, or
recent. When we speak of a thing that existed
formerly, which has ceased to exist, we commonly use
ancient; as, ancient republics, ancient heroes; and
not old republics, old heroes. But when the thing
which began or existed in former times is still in
existence, we use either ancient or old; as, ancient
statues or paintings, or old statues or paintings;
ancient authors, or old authors, meaning books.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Demesne \De*mesne"\, n. [OE. demeine, demain, rule, demesne, OF.
demeine, demaine, demeigne, domaine, power, F. domaine
domain, fr. L. dominium property, right of ownership, fr.
dominus master, proprietor, owner. See {Dame}, and cf.
{Demain}, {Domain}, {Danger}, {Dungeon}.] (Law)
A lord's chief manor place, with that part of the lands
belonging thereto which has not been granted out in tenancy;
a house, and the land adjoining, kept for the proprietor's
own use. [Written also {demain}.] --Wharton's Law Dict.
Burrill.
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{Ancient demesne}. (Eng. Law) See under {Ancient}.
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