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An expression of assent to a bill or motion; an affirmate vote; also, a member who votes "Content.". Supposing the number of "Contents" and "Not contents" strictly equal in number and consequence.Burke.

A twisting; a writhing; wry motion; a twist; as, the contortion of the muscles of the face. Swift. All the contortions of the sibyl, without the inspiration. Burke.

Circular motion in a direction contrary to some other circular motion.

outhed, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds. Milton. The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture. Whewell.

Capable of being contrived, planned, invented, or devised. A perpetual motion may seem easily contrivable. Bp. Wilkins.

The act of rolling anything upon itself, or one thing upon another; a winding motion. O'er the calm sea, in convolution swift, The feathered eddy floats. Thomson.

ke with irregular spasms, as in excessive laughter, or in agony from grief or pain. With emotions which checked his voice and convulsed his powerful frame. Macaulay.

Any violent and irregular motion or agitation; a violent shaking; a tumult; a commotion. Those two massy pillars, With horrible convulsion, to and fro He tugged, he shook, till down they came. Milton. Times of violence and convulsion. Ames.

ly in the eighteenth century, who went into convulsions under the influence of religious emotion; as, the Convulsionists of St. Médard.

to allay, as passion of any kind; to calm; to moderate. We have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts. Shak. To cool the heels, to dance attendance; to wait, as for admission to a patron's house. [Colloq.] Dryden.

orpuscular philosophy, that which attempts to account for the phenomena of nature, by the motion, figure, rest, position, etc., of the minute particles of matter. -- Corpuscular theory (Opt.), the theory enunciated by Sir Isaac Newton, that light consists in the emission and rapid progression of minute particles or co…

em of creation, the elements of bodies, the modifications of material things, the laws of motion, and the order and course of nature.

Retaining fecal matter in the bowels; having too slow a motion of the bowels; constipated.

keep the countenance, to preserve a composed or natural look, undisturbed by passion or emotion. Swift.

A blow in an opposite direction; a stroke that stops motion or cause a recoil.

An intermediate shaft; esp., one which receives motion from a line shaft in a factory and transmits it to a machine.

A motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent, and raised from the floor, and with the other a forward motion is made. Chambers.

Motion, considered as to its general or resultant direction or to its goal; line progress or advance. A light by which the Argive squadron steers Their silent course to Ilium's well known shore. Dennham. Westward the course of empire takes its way. Berkeley.

A wedge, or brake, to check the motion of a machine or car; a chock. Knight.

A tool used in mezzotint engraving, which, by a rocking motion, raises burrs on the surface of the plate, so preparing the ground.