autumn (atum)

[Early mod. E. also au tome, from augere, increase, is not now accepted.] 1. The third season of the year, or the season between summer and winter: often called fall, as being the time of the falling of the leaves. Astronomically it begins at the autumnal equinox, about the 22d of September, when the sun enters Libra, and ends at the winter solstice, about the 21st of December, when the sun enters Capricorn. In popular language autumn is regarded in North America as comprising September, Oсtober, and November, but in Great Britain, August, September, and October. Figuratively-2. A period of maturity, or of incipient decay, abatement, or decline: as, the autumn of life. Dr. Preston was now entering into the autumn of the duke's favour. Fuller , autumnal (a-tum'nal), a . and n. [ autum nalis , auctumnalis , autumn us : see autumn and -al.] I. a. 1. Belonging to autumn; produced or gathered in autumn: as, autumnal fruits. The little stunted bushes, on the snow-streaked slopes, were all dyed with autumnal purples and crimsons. H. James, Jr., Trans. Sketches, p. 249. 391 or help. Cole ridge. avail Figuratively-2. Belonging to a period correauxiliarly (ag-zil'iär-li), adv. By means of aid sponding to autumn in the year; hence, past the middle stage of life: as, "an autumnal matron," Hawthorne. - Autumnal equinox, the time when the sun cro es the equator as he proceeds southward. This happens about the 22d of September. See Methinks already I grasp best part of the autumn i an ble ing. Middle ton , Michael mas Term, Ind. auxiliary (ag-zil'ia-ri), a. and n. [ conic sections, a circle having its center at the center of a conic, which it touches at the extremities of the transverse diameter. - Auxiliary quantity, in math., a quantity introduced to simplify or facilitate an operation, as may be done in equations or trigonometry.- Auxiliary scales, in music, the six keys or scales, consisting of any key major, with its relative minor, and the attendant keys of each. Auxiliary screw. See screw. - Auxiliary verb, a verb that a ists in the conjugation of other verbs. See II., 3. II. n.; pl. auxiliaries (-riz). [ auxilia rius, n.] 1. A helper; an a istant; a confed erate in some action, enterprise, or undertaking; an aid of any kind. Aquatint is seldom practiced by itself; it is rather an P. G. Hamerton . auxiliary to line-etching. Specifically-2. pl . Foreign troops in the service of a nation at war. The Eleians often engaged as auxiliaries in the wars of other states, on pretence of a erting the cause of religion. J. Adams , Works, IV. 512. 3. In gram., a verb used in forming, with the infinitive and participles of other verbs, phrases having the value of, or a value analogous to that of, modes and tenses: thus, I do love, I have loved, I shall love, I am loved.-4. In math., an auxiliary quantity (which see, under I.). auxiliatet liatet (ag-zil'iat), v. t. [L. auxiliatus, pp. of auxiliar i, help, He [Day] then fell into a disputation with Cranmer and Good rich, in which he repeated his former Scripture, and auxiliated it with another. R. W. Dixon , Hist. Church of Eng., xvii. [F., [Irreg. Yonne. auxesis (ak-sē'sis), n. [NL., crease, amplification, augere), increase, du wax1.] 1. In rhet., amplification; exaggera = E. wax : see auction and tion; n; hyperbole; the use of a more unusual and high-sounding word for the ordinary and proper word.-2. In math., the ratio in which the element of a figure has to be magnified to make it conform to the corresponding element of a conformable figure.