likelihood

Founding-era definition · Webster's 1828 American Dictionary

LI'KELIHOOD, noun [likely and hod.] 1. Probability; verisimilitude; appearance of truth or reality. There is little likelihood that an habitual drunkard will become temperate. There is little likelihood that an old offender will be reformed. Prudence directs us not to undertake a design, when there is little or no likelihood of success. 2. Appearance; show; resemblance. obsolete
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI

More founding-era words: liberty · virtue · republic · justice · providence · commerce · militia · arms · prudence · establishment · religion · usurpation · tyranny · citizen · unalienable · sovereign