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The reach or distance to which a gun will shoot; gunshot.

The distance to which shot can be thrown from a gun, so as to be effective; the reach or range of a gun. Those who are come over to the royal party are supposed to be out of gunshot. Dryden.

univalve shell. Center of gyration. (Mech.) See under Center. -- Radius of gyration the distance between the axis of a rotating body and its center of gyration. Rankine.

Any very small distance, or degree; a hairbreadth.

The diameter or breadth of a hair; a very small distance; sometimes, definitely, the forty-eighth part of an inch. Every one could sling stones at an hairbreadth and not miss. Judg. xx. 16

A point some distance below the top of a mast or staff; as, a flag a half-mast (a token of mourning, etc.).

A straight line considered as drawn from a center to an indefinite distance in one direction, the complete ray being the whole line drawn to an indefinite distance in both directions.

In the middle; at half the distance; imperfectly; partially; as, he halfway yielded. Temples proud to meet their gods halfway. Young.

An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race to the competitor possessing inferior advantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing superior advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success; as, the handicap was fi…

ratios, proportions, points, lines. motions, and the like. Harmonic interval (Mus.), the distance between two notes of a chord, or two consonant notes. -- Harmonical mean (Arith. & Alg.), certain relations of numbers and quantities, which bear an analogy to musical consonances. -- Harmonic motion, the motion of the…

Transportation by hauling; the distance through which anything is hauled, as freight in a railroad car; as, a long haul or short haul.

The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend; as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse.

The distance to which anything rises above its foot, above that on which in stands, above the earth, or above the level of the sea; altitude; the measure upward from a surface, as the floor or the ground, of animal, especially of a man; stature. Bacon. [Goliath's] height was six cubits and a span. 1 Sam. xvii. 4.…

ally for measuring the diameter of the sun; now employed for delicate measurements of the distance and relative direction of two stars too far apart to be easily measured in the field of view of an ordinary telescope.

The apart or practice of measuring the diameters of heavenly bodies, their relative distances, etc. See Heliometer.

An instrument for making signals to an observer at a distance, by means of the sun's rays thrown from a mirror.

A distance lime brawn across the rink or course between the middle line and the tee. [Scot.]

ld in play, to keep under control; to dally with. Macaulay. -- To hold off, to keep at a distance. -- To hold on, to hold in being, continuance or position; as, to hold a rider on. -- To hold one's day, to keep one's appointment. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- To hold one's own. (a) To keep good one's present condition absolut…

A carrier pigeon remarkable for its ability to return home from a distance.

iginally bound with hoops, like a barrel. Also, a portion of the contents measured by the distance between the hoops. [Obs.]