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A friar authorized to receive confessions and grant absolution in all places, independently of the local clergy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer. She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. Tennyson.

rst degree, when the expression which is equated to zero is regarded as a function of the dependent variable and its differential coefficients. -- Linear equation (Math.), an equation of the first degree between two variables; -- so called because every such equation may be considered as representing a right line. --…

to have, as an animal or a plant, the capacity of assimilating matter as food, and to be dependent on such assimilation for a continuance of existence; as, animals and plants that live to a great age are long in reaching maturity. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will . . . lay sinews upon you, and…

Subsistence or living, as dependent on some means of support; support of life; maintenance. The opportunities of gaining an honest livelihood. Addison. It is their profession and livelihood to get their living by practices for which they deserve to forfeit their lives. South.

ge is thrown upon a plate of ground glass connected with the instrument, or on a screen independent of it.

Pertaining to tidal movements dependent on the moon. Bache. Lunitidal interval. See Retard, n.

The appearance of the surface of a mineral as affected by, or dependent upon, peculiarities of its reflecting qualities.

Pertaining to, connected with, or dependent upon, both mechanics and chemistry; -- said especially of those sciences which treat of such phenomena as seem to depend on the laws both of mechanics and chemistry, as electricity and magnetism.

Hence, a part of a whole; an independent constituent of a body; as:

One of a class of independent, isolated cells found in the mesoderm, while the germ layers are undergoing differentiation.

An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.

An organization for worship and work, dependent on one or more churches.

A mass of two or more ingredients, the particles of which are separable, independent, and uncompounded with each other, no matter how thoroughly and finely commingled; -- contrasted with a compound; thus, gunpowder is a mechanical mixture of carbon, sulphur, and niter.

city to perceive what is right or wrong in moral conduct, and to approve or disapprove, independently of education or the knowledge of any positive rule or law. -- Moral theology, theology applied to morals; practical theology; casuistry.

The moral condition, or the condition in other respects, so far as it is affected by, or dependent upon, moral considerations, such as zeal, spirit, hope, and confidence; mental state, as of a body of men, an army, and the like.

ange of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint. Grove.

trusion of the mucous membrane of the lachrymal passages, or dropsy of the lachrymal sac, dependent upon catarrhal inflammation of the latter. Dunglison.

A bolter from the Republican party in the national election of 1884; an Independent. [Political Cant, U.S.]

The fault of improperly uniting in one bill distinct and independent matters, and thereby confounding them. Burrill.