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The important living portion of protoplasm, considered a chemical substance of the highest elaboration. Germ plasm and idioplasm are forms of plasmogen.

Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." Shak. They will hardly prove his point. Arbuthnot.

Composition in mutually related, equally important parts which share the melody among them; contrapuntal composition; -- opposed to homophony, in which the melody is given to one part only, the others filling out the harmony. See Counterpoint.

Important; momentous; forcible. "Your more ponderous and settled project." Shak.

An important genus of reef-building corals having small twelve- rayed calicles, and a very porous coral. Some species are branched, others grow in large massive or globular forms.

actice of a movement in both painting and sculpture which lays stress upon volume as the important attribute of objects and attempts its expression by the use of geometrical figures or solids only; and futurism, a theory or practice which attempts to place the observer within the picture and to represent simultaneousl…

specified office. -- Postal Union, a union for postal purposes entered into by the most important powers, or governments, which have agreed to transport mail matter through their several territories at a stipulated rate.

Figuratively: The quality of being heavy with important contents, issue, significance, etc.; unusual consequence or capacity; fertility. Fuller.

Heavy with important contents, significance, or issue; full of consequence or results; weighty; as, pregnant replies. " A pregnant argument." Prynne. " A pregnant brevity." E. Everett.

Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case. Wisdom is the principal thing. Prov. iv. 7.

ll animal fluids and make up the greater part of animal tissues and organs. They are also important constituents of vegetable tissues. See 2d Note under Food. -- Pro"te*id, a.

trix. This surface corresponds in non-Euclidian space to the sphere in ordinary space. An important property of the surface is that any figure drawn upon it can be displaced in any way without tearing it or altering in size any of its elements.

me required for the mind to transform a sensory impression into a motor impulse. It is an important part of physiological or reaction time. See under Reaction.

gitimate, peculiar powers) Must stand acknowledged, while the world shall stand, The most important and effectual guard, Support, and ornament of virtue's cause. Cowper.

Important; material. "Purposeful accounts." Tylor. -- Pur"pose*ful*ly, adv.

breathed; fat, short, and thick; swelled with pampering; as, pursy insolence. Shak. Pursy important he sat him down. Sir W. Scot.

The most powerful, and except the king the most important, piece in a set of chessmen.

esenting definite numbers. It was chiefly used for arithmetical purposes, and to register important facts and events. [Written also quipo.] Tylor. The mysterious science of the quipus . . . supplied the Peruvians with the means of communicating their ideas to one another, and of transmitting them to future generations.…

Specifically (Eccl. Hist.), the important religious movement commenced by Luther early in the sixteenth century, which resulted in the formation of the various Protestant churches.

ishes of the genus Sebastichthys, as the red rockfish (S. ruber). They are among the most important of California market fishes. Called also rock cod, and garrupa.