so
is Osiris).
ADONIRAM PENN, the obstinate and well-to-do farmer in Mary E.
Wilkins's _Revolt of "Mother_". He persists in building a new barn
which the cattle do not need instead of the much-needed dwelling for
his family. In his absence, "Mother," who was wont to "stand before
her husband in the humble fashion of a Scripture woman," moves
household and furniture into the commodious barn.
"Adoniram was like a fortress whose walls had no active resistance,
and went down the instant the right besieging tools were used" (1890).
AD'ORAM, a seraph, who had charge of James the son of
Alphe'us.--Klopstock, _The Messiah_, iii. (1748).
ADOSINDA, daughter of the Gothic governor of Auria, in Spain. The
Moors having slaughtered her parents, husband, and child, preserved
her alive for the captain of Alcahman's regiment. She went to his tent
without the least resistance, but implored the captain to give her one
night to mourn the death of those so near and dear to her. To this he
complied, but during sleep she murdered him with his own scymitar.
Roderick, disguised as a monk, helped her to bury the dead bodies of
her house, and then she vowed to live for only one object, vengeance.
In the great battle, when the Moors were overthrown, she it was who
gave the word of attack, "Victory and Vengeance!"--Southey, _Roderick,
etc._, iii. (1814).
ADRAM'ELECH _(ch=k)_, one of the fallen angels. Milton makes him
overthrown by U'riel and Raphael (_Paradise Lost_, vi. 365). According
to Scripture, he was one of the idols of Sepharvaim, and Shalmane'ser
introduced his worship into Samaria. [The word means "the mighty
magnificent king."]
The Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adramelech.--2
_Kings_ xvii. 31.
Klopstock introduces him into _The Messiah_, and represents him as
surpassing Satan in malice and guile, ambition and mischief. He is
made to hate every one, even Satan, of whose rank he is jealous, and
whom he hoped to overthrow, that by putting an end to his servitude
he might become the supreme god of all the created worlds. At the
crucifixion he and Satan are both driven back to hell by Obad'don, the
angel of death.
ADRASTE' (_2 syl_.), a French gentleman, who inveigles a Greek slave
named Isidore from don Pedre. His plan is this: He gets introduced as
a portrait-painter, and thus imparts to Isidore his love, and obtains
her consent to elope with him. He then sends his slave Zaide (_2
syl_.) to don Pedre,
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