CUR'FEW, n.

CUR'FEW, n. [Fr. couvre-feu, cover-fire.]

1. The ringing of a bell or bells at night, as a signal to the inhabitants to rake up their fires and retire to rest. This practice originated in England from an order of William the Conqueror, who directed that at the ringing of the bell, at eight o'clock, every one should put out his light and go to bed. This word is not used in America; although the practice of ringing a bell, at nine o'clock, continues in many places, and is considered in New England, as a signal for people to retire from company to their own abodes; and in general, the signal is obeyed.
2. A cover for a fire; a fire-plate. [Not used.] Bacon.

DIS-MEM'BER-MENT, n.

He pointed out the danger of a dismemberment of the republic. Hist. of Poland. Encyc.

SIMPLICITY citation

Simplicity in writing is the first of excellencies.
( from SIMPLICITY, n. Noah Webster, 1844)

SANCTIFY, et al.

SANC-TIF-IC-A'TION, n. [Fr. from Low L. sanctificatio, from sanctifico. See Sanctify.]
1. The act of making holy. In an evangelical sense, the act of God’s grace by which the affections of men are purified or alienated from sin and the world, and exalted to a supreme love to God.
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. 2 Thess. ii. 1 Pet. i.
2. The act of consecrating or of setting apart for a sacred purpose; consecration. Stillingfleet.
SANC'TI-FI-ED, pp.
1. Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.
2. Affectedly holy. Hume.
SANC'TI-FI-ER, n. He that sanctifies or makes holy. In theology, the Holy Spirit is, by way of eminence, denominated the Sanctifier.
SANC'TI-FY, v. t. [Fr. sanctifier; It. santificare; Sp. santificar; Low L. sanctifico; from sanctus, holy, and facio, to make.]
1. In a general sense, to cleanse, purify or make holy. Addison.
2. To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Gen. ii.
So under the Jewish dispensation, to sanctify the altar, the temple, the priests, &c.
3. To purify, to prepare for divine service, and for partaking of holy things. Exod. xix.
4. To separate, ordain and appoint to the work of redemption and the government of the church. John x.
5. To cleanse from corruption; to purify from sin; to make holy by detaching the affections from the world and its defilements, and exalting them to a supreme love to God.
Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. John xvii. Eph. v.
6. To make the means of holiness; to render productive of holiness or piety.
Those judgments of God are the more welcome, as a means which his mercy hath sanctified so to me, as to make me repent of that unjust act. K. Charles.
7. To make free from guilt.
That holy man, amaz’d at what he saw, / Made haste to sanctify the bliss by law. Dryden.
8. To secure from violation.
Truth guards the poet, sanctifies the line. Pope.
To sanctify God, to praise and celebrate him as a holy being; to acknowledge and honor his holy majesty, and to reverence his character and laws. Isa. viii.
God sanctifies himself or his name, by vindicating his honor from the reproaches of the wicked, and manifesting his glory. Ezek. xxxvi.
SANC'TI-FY-ING, ppr.
1. Making holy; purifying from the defilements of sin; separating to a holy use.
2. adj. Tending to sanctify; adapted to increase holiness.

Odious vulgarisms

"19. Ink, uncle, concord, concourse, concubine; are pronounced by Walker, ingk, ungkl, kongkord, kongkorse, kongkubine; and these odious vulgarisms are offered for our adoption. There can be no apology for such attempts to corrupt our language." Introduction, pg. lvii.

Jehovah

JE-HO'VAH, n.

The Scripture name of the Supreme Being, Heb {}. If, as is supposed, this name is from the Hebrew substantive verb, the word denotes the PERMANENT BEING, as the primary sense of the substantive verb in all languages, is to be fixed, to stand, to remain or abide. This is a name peculiarly appropriate to the eternal Spirit, the unchangeable God, who describes himself thus, I AM THAT I AM. Ex. iii.

I like the capitalization in this entry.

Jejune

JE-JUNE', a. [L. jejunus, empty, dry.]

1. Wanting; empty; vacant. Bacon.
2. Hungry; not saturated.
3. Dry barren; wanting interesting matter; as, a jejune narrative.

My dad has always said this word. I have never thought to look it up before! It made me laugh to find it.