Hypertext Webster Gateway: "arbiter"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Arbiter \Ar"bi*ter\, v. t.
To act as arbiter between. [Obs.]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Arbiter \Ar"bi*ter\, n. [L. arbiter; ar- (for ad) + the root of
betere to go; hence properly, one who comes up to look on.]
1. A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a
controversy between them.
Note: In modern usage, arbitrator is the technical word.
2. Any person who has the power of judging and determining,
or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding
and governing is not limited.
For Jove is arbiter of both to man. --Cowper.
Syn: Arbitrator; umpire; director; referee; controller;
ruler; governor.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
arbiter
n 1: someone with the power to settle matters at will; "she was
the final arbiter on all matters of fashion" [syn: {supreme
authority}]
2: someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue [syn: {arbitrator}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.