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An order of free-swimming marine worms, of which the genus Sagitta is the type. They have groups of curved spines on each side of the head.

defense of a suit, whether by furnishing money or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concern therein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, in the event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit. See Maintenance.…

ale descendant, in the first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; -- in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and plants.

peculiar to China. Chinese paper. See India paper, under India. -- Chinese wax, a snowy-wgite, waxlike substance brought from China. It is the bleached secretion of certain insects of the family Coccidæ especially Coccus Sinensis.

to keep time with great accuracy for use an astronomical observations, in determining longitude, etc.

A vessel in which milk or cream is stirred, beaten, or otherwise agitated (as by a plunging or revolving dasher) in order to separete the oily globules from the other parts, and obtain butter.

ber of persons. -- Circular numbers (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose squares are 25 and 36. Bailey. Barlow. -- Circular points at infinity (Geom.), two imaginary points at infinite distance through which every circle in the plane is, in the theory of…

s and works of a like character in any language. In is once raised him to the rank of a legitimate English classic. Macaulay.

A plant or weed that grows among grain; the corn rose (Luchnis Githage).

A yellowish beetle (Doryphora decemlineata), with ten longitudinal, black, dorsal stripes. It has migrated eastwards from its original habitat in Colorado, and is very destructive to the potato plant; -- called also potato beetle and potato bug. See Potato beetle.

Violent agitation; confusion; tumult. [Obs.] There [were] great combustions and divisions among the heads of the university. Mede. But say from whence this new combustion springs. Dryden.

Disturbed or violent motion; agitation. [What] commotion in the winds! Shak.

mmutation of rations. Angle of commutation (Astron.), the difference of the geocentric longitudes of the sun and a planet. -- Commutation of tithes, the substitution of a regular payment, chargeable to the land, for the annual tithes in kind. -- Commutation ticket, a ticket, as for transportation, which is the eviden…

To free from agitation or disturbance; to tranquilize; to soothe; to calm; to quiet. Compose thy mind; Nor frauds are here contrived, nor force designed. Dryden.

Free from agitation; calm; sedate; quiet; tranquil; self- possessed. The Mantuan there in sober triumph sate, Composed his posture, and his look sedate. Pope. -- Com*pos"ed*ly (, adv. -- Com*pos"ed*ness, n.

A pericarp, opening longitudinally on one side and having the seeds loose in it; a follicle; a double follicle or pair of follicles.

The act of stirring up, exciting, or agitating. [Obs.] "The concitation of humors." Sir T. Browne.

To shake or agitate. "Concussed with uncertainty." Daniel.

A violent shock or agitation. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

A shaking or agitation; a shock; caused by the collision of two bodies. It is believed that great ringing of bells, in populous cities, hath dissipated pestilent air; which may be from the concussion of the air. Bacon.