adephagous (adefagus)

[NL. adepha gus, 71 arrive at, reach, attain, obtain, II. n. One who has attained proficiency; one fully skilled in anything; a proficient or master; specifically, in former times, a proficient in alchemy or magic; a master of oc cult science, or one who profe ed to have discovered "the great secret" (namely, of transmuting base metal into gold). Shakespeare, in the person Prospero, the prevalent notions of the judicial astrologer combined with the adept, whose white magic, as distinguished from the black or demon magic, holds an intercourse with purer I. D'Israeli, Amen. of Lit., II. 285. spirits. Howes was the true adept , seeking what spiritual ore phy. there might be among the dro of the hermetic philosoThe Persians were adepts in archery and horsemanship, Lowell , Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 269. and were distinguished by courtesy and high-breeding. N. A. Rev., CXL. 329. =Syn. Adept, Expert. An adept is one who po e es natural as well as acquired aptitude or skill in anything: as, lying, an cajolery, the whist-playing, governing; etc. An an adept expert, in on diplomacy, the other hand, is one whose skill and proficiency are more conspicuously the result of practice or experience, or of an intimate acquaintance with a subject. The term is mostly limited adhere a.] A making or being equal; an equivalence or equivalent. [Rare.] The principles of logic and natural reason tell us, that there must be a just proportion and adequation between the medium by which we prove, and the conclusion to be proved. Bp. Barlow , Remains, p. 125. It was the arme (not of King Henry) but King Edward the First, which is notoriously known to have been the adequation of a yard. [An erroneous statement.] Fuller, Worthies, Berks hire. adequative (ad'e-kwa-tiv), a. [