agony (ag'o-ni), great pain. aid de camp (ad'de-kamp'; ad'de-kan'), an officer who assists a general in correspondence and in directing movements. Aidenn (a'den), paradise (from the Arabic word for Eden, used by Poe for the sake of the rhyme). Aix (aks), a city in Prussia, founded by the Romans and a favorite residence of Charlemagne. Aix-la-Chapelle (aks'la-sha'pel), is the French name and Aachen the German. akimbo (a-kim'bo), with hand on the hip and elbow turned outward. alacrity (a-lak'ri-ti), cheerful readiness. Aladdin (a-lad'in), in the "Arabian Nights' Entertainments," the possessor of a wonderful lamp with magic charms. alarum (a-lar'um), an old form for alarm. Albion (al'bi-un), an ancient name of England, Albyn (al'bin), Alexander (al'eg-zan'der), surnamed "the Great," was a famous conqueror who lived in the fourth century B. C.; founder of Alexandria in Egypt. alienate (al'yen-at), make strange; take away. all-absorbing (ol-ab-sorb'ing), taking up completely. Allah (al'la), in the Mohammedan faith, the name for God. Allahu (al-la'hoo), probably a Persian ejaculation. all-besetting (ol-be-set'ing), surrounding on all sides. allege (a-lej'), declare; affirm. allegiance (a-le-jans), loyalty. allegory (al'e-go-ri), description of one thing under the image of another; parable. alliance (a-li'ans), union of interests; league. alloy (a-loi'), a baser metal mixed with a finer. aloe (al'e), a fragrant plant growing in warm climates; the American aloe is the century plant. alteration (ol'ter-a'shun), making different; change. alternately (al-ter'nat-li) by turns. alternative (al-tur'na-tiv), a choice between two or more things. amain (a-man'), with full force. amaranth (am'a-ranth), an imaginary flower supposed never to fade. Ambaaren (am'ba-ar'en), ambassador (am-bas'a-der), a minister representing his ruler or country at a foreign court. ambition (am-bish'un), desire for honor or power. ambrosial (am-bro'zhi-al), pertaining to the fabled food of the gods, which immortalized them. amendment (a-mend'ment), a change for the better; a change in a bill or motion by adding or omitting. amiable (a'mi-a-b'l), lovable, goodnatured. amidships (a-mid'ships), in the middle of a ship. amorpha (a-mor'fa), a plant belonging to the pea family and having blue-violet flowers. amphitheatre (am'fi-the'a-ter), an oval or circular building with rising tiers of seats about an open space. ample (am'p'l), abundant; full. Amun (a'mon), an Egyptian deity generally represented as a ram. anchorite (an'ko-rit), one who renounces the world and secludes himself, a hermit. andirons (and'i'urnz), metallic stands to support wood in a fireplace. anecdote (an'ek-dot), a short narrative of some particular incident. Angel of Death. See Exodus, chapter 12 Angel of the backward look; memory Angelus (an'je-lus), the bell tolled in the morning, at noon, and in the evening to tell the faithful the time for prayer. Angus (an'gus),