Affinities

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Affinity \Af*fin"i*ty\, n.; pl. {Affinities}. [OF. afinit['e],
     F. affinit['e], L. affinites, fr. affinis. See {Affined}.]
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     1. Relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his
        wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her
        husband's blood relations); -- in contradistinction to


        consanguinity, or relationship by blood; -- followed by
        with, to, or between.
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              Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh.   --1 Kings iii.
                                                    1.
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     2. Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity;
        resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of
        colors, or of languages.
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              There is a close affinity between imposture and
              credulity.                            --Sir G. C.
                                                    Lewis.
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     2. Companionship; acquaintance. [Obs.]
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              About forty years past, I began a happy affinity
              with William Cranmer.                 --Burton.
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     4. (Chem.) That attraction which takes place, at an
        insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles
        of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds;
        chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.
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     5. (Nat. Hist.) A relation between species or higher groups
        dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure,
        and indicating community of origin.
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     6. (Spiritualism) A superior spiritual relationship or
        attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp.
        persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who
        exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.
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