Asper
(||As"per) n. [L. spiritus asper rough breathing.] (Greek Gram.) The rough breathing; a mark
(&asper) placed over an initial vowel sound or over &rho to show that it is aspirated, that is, pronounced
with h before it; thus "ws, pronounced hos, "rh`twr, pronounced hra"tor.
Asper
(||As"per), n. [F. aspre or It. aspro, fr. MGr. 'a`spron, 'a`spros, white ] A Turkish money of
account of little value; the 120th part of a piaster.
Asperate
(As"per*ate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Asperated; p. pr. & vb. n. Asperating.] [L. asperatus, p.
p. of asperare, fr. asper rough.] To make rough or uneven.
The asperated part of its surface.
Boyle.
Asperation
(As`per*a"tion) n. The act of asperating; a making or becoming rough. Bailey.
Asperges
(||As*per"ges) n. [L., Thou shalt sprinkle.] (R. C. Ch.) (a) The service or ceremony of sprinkling
with holy water. (b) The brush or instrument used in sprinkling holy water; an aspergill.
Aspergill
(As"per*gill ||As`per*gil"lum) n. [LL. aspergillum, fr. L. aspergere. See Asperse, v. t.]
1. The brush used in the Roman Catholic church for sprinkling holy water on the people. [Also written
aspergillus.]
2. (Zoöl.) See Wateringpot shell.
Aspergilliform
(As`per*gil"li*form) a. [Aspergillum + -form.] (Bot.) Resembling the aspergillum in form; as,
an aspergilliform stigma. Gray.
Asperifoliate
(As`per*i*fo"li*ate As`per*i*fo"li*ous) a. [L. asper rough + folium leaf.] (Bot.) Having
rough leaves.
By some applied to the natural order now called Boraginaceæ or borageworts.
Asperity
(As*per"i*ty) n.; pl. Asperities [L. asperitas, fr. asper rough: cf. F. aspérité.]
1. Roughness of surface; unevenness; — opposed to smoothness. "The asperities of dry bodies." Boyle.
2. Roughness or harshness of sound; that quality which grates upon the ear; raucity.
3. Roughness to the taste; sourness; tartness.
4. Moral roughness; roughness of manner; severity; crabbedness; harshness; — opposed to mildness.
"Asperity of character." Landor.
It is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received.
Johnson.
5. Sharpness; disagreeableness; difficulty.
The acclivities and asperities of duty.
Barrow.
Syn. — Acrimony; moroseness; crabbedness; harshness; sourness; tartness. See Acrimony.
Aspermatous
(A*sper"ma*tous) a. [Gr. 'a priv. + seed.] (Bot.) Aspermous.
Aspermous
(A*sper"mous), a. [Gr. 'a priv. + seed.] (Bot.) Destitute of seeds; aspermatous.
Asperne
(A*sperne") v. t. [L. aspernari; a (ab) + spernari.] To spurn; to despise. [Obs.] Sir T. More.
