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Intermediate in excellence of any kind. According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly. Milton.

lood, or by which they transform their cell protoplasm into simpler substances, which are fitted either for excretion or for some special purpose, as in the manufacture of the digestive ferments. Hence, metabolism may be either constructive (anabolism), or destructive (katabolism).

Pertaining, or suited, to the audition of small sounds; fitted to assist hearing.

The act or the state of fitting badly; as, a misfit in making a coat; a ludicrous misfit.

A breech-loading machine gun consisting of a number of barrels fitted together, so arranged that the barrels can be fired simultaneously, or successively, and rapidly.

A closely fitting knit sleeve; also, a legging of knitted material. [Scot.]

the topmast for the better display of signals at sea. -- Monkey jacket, a short closely fitting jacket, worn by sailors. -- Monkey rail (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship. -- Monkey shine, monkey trick. [Slang, U.S.] -- Monkey trick, a mischievous prank. Sain…

e, an occurrence, an experience, etc.; the practical lesson which anything is designed or fitted to teach; the doctrine meant to be inculcated by a fiction; a maxim. Thus may we gather honey from the weed, And make a moral of the devil himself. Shak. To point a moral, or adorn a tale. Johnson. We protest against the pr…

A ring fitted upon the head of a lance to prevent wounding an adversary in titling.

A woman's glove with a long, loosely fitting wrist.

o designed selection in breeding plants and animals, and resulting in the survival of the fittest. The theory of natural selection supposes that this has been brought about mainly by gradual changes of environment which have led to corresponding changes of structure, and that those forms which have become so modified a…

Causing, or fitted to cause, nausea; sickening; loathsome; disgusting; exciting abhorrence; as, a nauseous drug or medicine. -- Nau"seous*ly, adv. -- Nau"seous*ness, n. The nauseousness of such company disgusts a reasonable man. Dryden.

A rope or chain fitted around the masthead to hold hanging blocks for jibs and stays.

Anything designed or fitted to entrap or catch; a snare; any device for catching and holding. A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. xxix. 5. In the church's net there are fishes good or bad. Jer. Taylor.

A long, closely fitting cloak.

A pipe fitting, consisting of a short piece of pipe, usually provided with a screw thread at each end, for connecting two other fittings. Solder nipple, a short pipe, usually of brass, one end of which is tapered and adapted for attachment to the end of a lead pipe by soldering.

A kind of loose-fitting plaited jacket, having a loose belt.

A building fitted with instruments for making systematic observations of any particular class or series of natural phenomena.

Fitted to excite hatred; hateful. [Obs.] Bale.

ormed, intended, or assigned to be done, by a particular thing, or that which anything is fitted to perform; a function; -- answering to duty in intelligent beings. They [the eyes] resign their office and their light. Shak. Hesperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the earth. Milton. In this experiment the sever…