Dictionary definitions
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neuter
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Neuter \Neu"ter\, a. [L., fr. ne not + uter whether; akin to E. whether. See No, and Whether, and cf. Neither.] 1. Neither the one thing nor the other; on neither side; impartial; neutral. [Archaic] [1913 Webster] In all our undertakings God will be either our friend or our enemy; for Providence never stands neuter. --South. [1913 Webster] 2. (Gram.) (a) Having a form belonging more especially to words which are not appellations of males or females; expressing or designating that which is of neither sex; as, a neuter noun; a neuter termination; the neuter gender. (b) Intransitive; as, a neuter verb. [1913 Webster] 3. (Biol.) Having no generative organs, or imperfectly developed ones; sexless. See Neuter, n., 3. [1913 Webster] .
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
neuter \neu"ter\, v. t. To render incapable of sexual reproduction; to remove or alter the sexual organs so as to make infertile; to alter; to fix; to desex; -- in male animals, to castrate; in female animals, to spay. [PJC] .
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Neuter \Neu"ter\, n.
1. A person who takes no part in a contest; one who is either
indifferent to a cause or forbears to interfere; a
neutral.
[1913 Webster]
The world's no neuter; it will wound or save.
--Young.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Gram.)
(a) A noun of the neuter gender; any one of those words
which have the terminations usually found in neuter
words.
(b) An intransitive verb.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Biol.) An organism, either vegetable or animal, which at
its maturity has no generative organs, or but imperfectly
developed ones, as a plant without stamens or pistils, as
the garden Hydrangea; esp., one of the imperfectly
developed females of certain social insects, as of the ant
and the common honeybee, which perform the labors of the
community, and are called workers.
[1913 Webster]
