AHRIMAN (in the Zend, aiihro mainyus, i.e., the malignant, destroying spirit) is, according to the dualistic doctrine of Zoroaster, the personification of malignity, the orig inal source of all moral and physical evil, the chief of the devils and malignant spirits, the king of darkness and of death, and consequently the eternal enemy and opponent of Ormuz and of his kingdom of light. See ZOROASTER.
a maritime term, used to denote the position of a ship when all her sails are furled and her helm lashed on the lee-side; in such a position she 'lies nearly with her side to the wind, but with the head turned a little towards the direction of the wind.
It may be convenient to mention in this place that the phraseology adopted by British naval officers and seamen, whether belonging to the royal navy or to the mercantile marine, comprises a large number of words formed on a principle similar to that of ahead, with the vowel a (a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon preposition on, meaning on,- in, at) prefixed to a noun. Such are the following: Aback, abaft, aboard, abreast, a-coclebill,
adrift, afloat, afore, aground, ahead, a-hull, a-lee, aloft, aloof amain, amidships, an-end, speak, ashore, astern, at rip, avast, a-weather, a-weigh. Such of these terms as seem to require it, will be found briefly explained under their proper headings.
AI', a royal city of the Canaanites, 12 in. n. of Jerusalem. It existed in the time of Abraham, but is chiefly noted for its destruction by Joshua, who made it " a heap forever, even a desolation." A city which seems to have occupied the site is supposed to have been mentioned in Isaiah, and also after the captivity. Its ruins were said to exist in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, though none arc now to be found.