V. [`] The GRAVE ACCENT is used in opposition to the acute, to distinguish an open or long vowel; as, “Favour:”  (Murray:) or to denote the falling inflection of the voice; as, “Yes; it is he” It is sometimes placed over a vowel to show that it is not to be suppressed in pronunciation; as,

   “Let me, though in humble speech,
    Thy refined maxims teach.”—­Amer.  Review, May, 1848.

VI. [^] The CIRCUMFLEX generally denotes either the broad sound of a or an unusual sound given to some other vowel; as in all, heir, machine.  Some use it to mark a peculiar wave of the voice, and when occasion requires, reverse it; as, “If you said s=o, then I said so.”

VII. [[~]] The BREVE, or STENOTONE, is used to denote either the close, short, shut sound of a vowel, or a syllable of short quantity; as, l~ive, to have life,—­r~av’en, to devour,[468]—­c~al~am~us, a reed.

VIII. [=] The MACRON, or MACROTONE,[469] is used to denote either the open, long, primal sound of a vowel, or a syllable of long quantity; as, l=ive, having life,—­r=a’ven, a bird,—­_=e’qu=ine_, of a horse.

IX. [——­] or [* * * *] or [....] The ELLIPSIS, or SUPPRESSION, denotes the omission of some letters or words:  as, K—­g, for King; c****d, for coward; d....d, for damned.

X. [^] The CARET, used only in writing, shows where to insert words or letters that have been accidentally omitted.  XI [{}] The BRACE serves to unite a triplet; or, more frequently, to connect several terms with something to which they are all related.  XII. [Sec.] The SECTION marks the smaller divisions of a book or chapter; and, with the help of numbers, serves to abridge references.

XIII. [] The PARAGRAPH (chiefly used in the Bible) denotes the commencement of a new subject.  The parts of discourse which are called paragraphs, are, in general, sufficiently distinguished by beginning a new line, and carrying the first word a little forwards or backwards.  The paragraphs of books being in some instances numbered, this character may occasionally be used, in lieu of the word paragraph, to shorten references.

XIV. ["”] The GUILLEMETS, or QUOTATION POINTS, distinguish words that are exhibited as those of an other author or speaker.  A quotation within a quotation, is usually marked with single points; which, when both are employed, are placed within the others:  as, “And again he saith, ’Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.’”—­Rom., xv, 10.

XV. [[]] The CROTCHETS, or BRACKETS, generally inclose some correction or explanation, but sometimes the sign or subject to be explained; as, “He [Mr. Maurice] was of a different opinion.”—­Allen’s Gram., p. 213.

XVI. [Fist] The INDEX, or HAND, points out something remarkable, or what the reader should particularly observe.