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A pike or spike; the sharp point fixed in the center of a buckler. [Obs.] "Take down my buckler . . . and grind the pick on 't." Beau. & Fl.

A pointed head or spike; esp., one in the center of a shield or target. Beau. & Fl.

The center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns. From pillar to post, hither and thither; to and fro; from one place or predicament to another; backward and forward. [Colloq.] -- Pillar saint. See Stylite. -- Pillars of the fauces. See Fauces, 1.

The bull's eye, or center, of a target; hence, the center. [Obs.] "The very pin of his heart cleft." Shak.

The distance from center to center of any two adjacent teeth of gearing, measured on the pitch line; -- called also circular pitch.

The soft spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees, especially those of the dicotyledonous or exogenous classes. It consists of cellular tissue.

ck used for forcing down the type in a form, and making the surface even. Hansard. Planer centers. See under Center.

to stop a hawse hole. -- Plug and feather. (Stone Working) See Feather, n., 7. -- Plug centerbit, a centerbit ending in a small cylinder instead of a point, so as to follow and enlarge a hole previously made, or to form a counterbore around it. -- Plug rod (Steam Eng.) , a rod attached to the beam for working the v…

ne. (a) The cord by which a plumb bob is suspended; a plummet. (b) A line directed to the center of gravity of the earth. -- Plumb rule, a narrow board with a plumb line, used by builders and carpenters.

parts of the ocean. The individuals are round and disk-shaped, with a large zooid in the center of the under side, surrounded by smaller nutritive and reproductive zooids, and by slender dactylozooids near the margin. The disk contains a central float, or pneumatocyst.

rce function. It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the distance from the center.

ight; to exceed in weight; to overbalance. An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes. Glanvill.

il.), the command in response to which the gun is carried perpendicularly in front of the center of the body, and held there with the left hand grasping it at the lower band, and the right hand grasping the small of the stock, in token of respect, as in saluting a superior officer; also, the position taken at such a co…

ncrease of pressure; as, pressor nerve fibers, stimulation of which excites the vasomotor center, thus causing a stronger contraction of the arteries and consequently an increase of the arterial blood pressure; -- opposed to depressor. Landois & Stirling.

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 steam which does not find free outlet. -- Fluid pressure,…

One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned. Oxf. Gloss.

ojected upon the surface of a cone tangent to the sphere, the point of sight being at the center of the sphere. -- Cylindric projection, a mode of representing the sphere, the spherical surface being projected upon the surface of a cylinder touching the sphere, the point of sight being at the center of the sphere. --…

In front of the auditory capsule; -- applied especially to a bone, or center of ossification, in the periotic capsule. -- n.

Toward or nearest, as to a body, or center of motion of dependence; proximate.

em (Astron.), the system maintained by Ptolemy, who supposed the earth to be fixed in the center of the universe, with the sun and stars revolving around it. This theory was received for ages, until superseded by the Copernican system.