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A contrivance attached to some elevated object for the purpose of showing which way the wind blows; a weathercock. It is usually a plate or strip of metal, or slip of wood, often cut into some fanciful form, and placed upon a perpendicular axis around which it moves freely. Aye undiscreet, and changing as a vane. Chauc…

Proceeding from, or showing, extreme depravity; suited to a villain; as, a villainous action.

orm of electricity; -- called also galvanism, from Galvani, on account of his experiments showing the remarkable influence of this agent on animals.

accounts, or to confirm and establish facts of any kind; also, any acquittance or receipt showing the payment of a debt; as, the merchant's books are his vouchers for the correctness of his accounts; notes, bonds, receipts, and other writings, are used as vouchers in proving facts.

er, pedometer, or perambulator. The waywiser to a coach, exactly measuring the miles, and showing them by an index. Evelyn.

A map or chart showing the principal meteorological elements at a given hour and over an extended region. Such maps usually show the height of the barometer, the temperature of the air, the relative humidity, the state of the weather, and the direction and velocity of the wind. Isobars and isotherms outline the general…

riginally often in the figure of a cock, turning on the top of a spire with the wind, and showing its direction. "As a wedercok that turneth his face with every wind." Chaucer. Noisy weathercocks rattled and sang of mutation. Longfellow.

Showing desire; as, wishful eyes. From Scotland am I stolen, even of pure love To greet mine own land with my wishful sight. Shak.

Pertaining to, or derived from, xanthoprotein; showing the characters of xanthoprotein; as, xanthoproteic acid; the xanthoproteic reaction for albumin.