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by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute; -- opposed to relative; as, the idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes individuals.

Cutting off; (Logic) exactly limiting by cutting off all that is not absolutely relative to the purpose; as, precisive censure; precisive abstraction. I. Watts.

nderancy of the greater grounds of probability. Locke. In a few weeks he had changed the relative position of all the states in Europe, and had restored the equilibrium which the preponderance of one power had destroyed. Macaulay.

The particular position of the child during labor relatively to the passage though which it is to be brought forth; -- specifically designated by the part which first appears at the mouth of the uterus; as, a breech presentation. Presentation copy, a copy of a book, engraving, etc., presented to some one by the author…

ar element; -- so called because these numbers were respectively reduced to their lowest relative terms on the fixed standard of hydrogen as 1. [Obs. or Archaic]

g them different refracting angles, so that, when placed together so as to have opposite relative positions, a ray of light passed through them is refracted or bent into a new position, but is free from color. -- Nicol's prism, Nicol prism. Etym: [So called from Wm. Nicol, of Edinburgh, who first proposed it.] (Opt.)…

In proportion; in due degree; adapted relatively; as, all parts of the building are proportionally large. Sir I. Newton.

Relative position of the front of a building or other structure; face; relative aspect. And their prospect was toward the south. Ezek. xl. 44.

ition of being of such and such a sort as distinguished from others; nature or character relatively considered, as of goods; character; sort; rank. We lived most joyful, obtaining acquaintance with many of the city not of the meanest quality. Bacon

r by its momentum under a given velocity. -- Quantity of motion (Mech.), in a body, the relative amount of its motion, as measured by its momentum, varying as the product of mass and velocity. -- Known quantities (Math.), quantities whose values are given. -- Unknown quantities (Math.), quantities whose values are s…

, as by cutting alternately from each face of a quarter, to secure lumber that will warp relatively little or show the grain advantageously.

The class of a merchant vessel for marine insurance, determined by its relative safety as a risk, as A1, A2, etc.

ive power, is secured largely from the germ or embryo and adjacent parts, and contains a relatively high percentage of protein. It is chiefly useful as feed for farm animals.

t. -- Differential refraction (Astron.), the change of the apparent place of one object relative to a second object near it, due to refraction; also, the correction required to be made to the observed relative places of the two bodies. -- Double refraction (Opt.), the refraction of light in two directions, which prod…

, the index of refraction of a substances when the ray passes into it from a vacuum. -- Relative refractive index (of two media) (Opt.), the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction for a ray passing out of one of the media into the other.

Same as Relative, 4.

ppertaining to a being or quality, by considering it in its bearing upon something else; relative quality or condition; the being such and such with regard or respect to some other thing; connection; as, the relation of experience to knowledge; the relation of master to servant. Any sort of connection which is perceive…

A relative; a relation. [Obs.]

The state of being relative; as, the relativity of a subject. Coleridge.

Looking towardl having reference to; relative, not absolute; as, the respective connections of society.