feb ron i an ism

[From Just in us Febronius, a nom de plume a umed by John Nicholas von Hontheim, Archbishop of Trèves.] Rom . Cath . Theol .: A system of doctrines antagonistic to the admitted claims of the pope, and a erting the independence of national churches, and the rights of bishops to unrestricted action in matters of discipline and church government, within their own dioceses. ( Ogilvie .) Fěbrû-a-rỹ, s. [Lat. Februarius =the month of expiation, from februa =Roman festival of expiation, held on the 15th of this month; februus cleansing: februo to cleanse; Fr. Février ; Sp. Febrero; Port. Fevereiro; Ital. Febbrajo .] The name of the second month of the year. It contains in ordinary years twenty-eight days, and in bi ex til is, or leap year, twenty-nine. "Many are of opinion that Numa added these two, January and February." -North: Plutarch, p. 60. By the calendar of Julius Cæsar, February had twenty-nine days except in bi extile or leap year, when it had thirty. But August us took a day from it, and added it to his own month, August, that it might not have a le number of days than July, dedicated to Julius Cæsar. Previously August had been called Sextilis, and consisted of thirty days only. *fěb rû ā-tion, s. [Lat. februatio , from februo =to cleanse, to expiate.] The act of cleansing, expiating, or purifying.