Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Utter?

\Ut"ter\, a. [OE. utter, originally the same word as outer. See {Out}, and cf. {Outer}, {Utmost}.] 1. Outer. ``Thine utter eyen.'' --Chaucer. [Obs.] ``By him a shirt and utter mantle laid.'' --Chapman. As doth an hidden moth The inner garment fret, not th' utter touch. --Spenser. 2. Situated on the outside, or extreme limit; remote from the center; outer. [Obs.] Through utter and through middle darkness borne. --Milton. The very utter part pf Saint Adelmes point is five miles from Sandwich. --Holinshed. 3. Complete; perfect; total; entire; absolute; as, utter ruin; utter darkness. They . . . are utter strangers to all those anxious thoughts which disquiet mankind. --Atterbury. 4. Peremptory; unconditional; unqualified; final; as, an utter refusal or denial. --Clarendon. {Utter bar} (Law), the whole body of junior barristers. See {Outer bar}, under 1st {Outer}. [Eng.] {Utter barrister} (Law), one recently admitted as barrister, who is accustomed to plead without, or outside, the bar, as distinguished from the benchers, who are sometimes permitted to plead within the bar. [Eng.] --Cowell.
\Ut"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Uttered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Uttering}.] [OE. outren, freq. of outen to utter, put out, AS. [=u]tian to put out, eject, fr. [=u]t out. [root]198. See {Out}, and cf. {Utter}, a.] 1. To put forth or out; to reach out. [Obs.] How bragly [proudly] it begins to bud, And utter his tender head. --Spenser. 2. To dispose of in trade; to sell or vend. [Obs.] Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua's law Is death to any he that utters them. --Shak. They bring it home, and utter it commonly by the name of Newfoundland fish. --Abp. Abbot. 3. hence, to put in circulation, as money; to put off, as currency; to cause to pass in trade; -- often used, specifically, of the issue of counterfeit notes or coins, forged or fraudulent documents, and the like; as, to utter coin or bank notes. The whole kingdom should continue in a firm resolution never to receive or utter this fatal coin. --Swift. 4. To give public expression to; to disclose; to publish; to speak; to pronounce. ``Sweet as from blest, uttering joy.'' --Milton. The words I utter Let none think flattery, for they 'll find 'em truth. --Shak. And the last words he uttered called me cruel. --Addison. Syn: To deliver; give forth; issue; liberate; discharge; pronounce. See {Deliver}.