Search the Dictionary

The general appearance or aspect of a thing, without reference to its scientific characteristics; as, the physiognomy of a plant, or of a meteor.

Having reference to the placenta; as, the placentary system of classification.

A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended; as, the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See Equi…

The management of a political party; the conduct and contests of parties with reference to political measures or the administration of public affairs; the advancement of candidates to office; in a bad sense, artful or dishonest management to secure the success of political candidates or parties; political trickery. Whe…

articularly to schools in which many branches of art and science are taught with especial reference to their practical application; also to exhibitions of machinery and industrial products.

To place after, behind, or below something, in respect to precedence, preference, value, or importance. All other considerations should give way and be postponed to this. Locke.

To place in a particular position or attitude; to dispose the parts of, with reference to a particular purpose; as, to posture one's self; to posture a model. Howell.

t an animal or person when at rest or within easy range, or fired simply to kill, without reference to the rules of sport; a shot needling no special skill.

A person or thing, so called with reference to a certain number of pounds in value, weight, capacity, etc.; as, a cannon carrying a twelve-pound ball is called a twelve pounder.

occupied without the motion of precession, and thus precedes that point continually with reference to the time of transit and motion.

A preliminary examination of a criminal case with reference to a prosecution. Erskine.

ge or prerogative formerly enjoyed by the king of buying provisions for his household in preference to others. [Eng.]

Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock.

In preference; by choice. To choose Plautus preferably to Terence. Dennis.

Giving, indicating, or having a preference or precedence; as, a preferential claim; preferential shares.

ing, as at primaries, in which the voters are allowed to indicate on their ballots their preference (usually their first and second choices) between two or more candidates for an office, so that if no candidate receives a majority of first choices the one receiving the greatest number of first and second choices togeth…

The act of choosing, or the state of being chosen; preference. [R.] Natural preferment of the one . . . before the other. Sir T. Browne.

In a prelatical manner; with reference to prelates. Milton. The last Georgic was a good prelude to the Æneis.

The setting of one above another; preference. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

orce; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the upon a unit's area. Atmospheric pressure, Center of pressure, etc. See under Atmospheric, Center, etc. -- Back pressure (Steam engine), pressure which resists the motion of the piston, as the pressure of exhaust…