Search the Dictionary

(Voluta musica) found in the East Indies; -- so called because the color markings often resemble printed music. Sometimes applied to other shells similarly marked. -- To face the music, to meet any disagreeable necessity without flinching. [Colloq. or Slang]

A North American aquatic fur-bearing rodent (Fiber zibethicus). It resembles a rat in color and having a long scaly tail, but the tail is compressed, the bind feet are webbed, and the ears are concealed in the fur. It has scent glands which secrete a substance having a strong odor of musk. Called also musquash, musk be…

The sum total of an army when assembled for review and inspection; the whole number of effective men in an army. And the muster was thirty thousands of men. Wyclif. Ye publish the musters of your own bands, and proclaim them to amount of thousands. Hooker.

genera Acridotheres, Sturnopastor, Sturnia, Gracula, and allied genera. In habits they resemble the European starlings, and like them are often caged and taught to talk. See Hill myna, under Hill, and Mino bird. [Spelt also mynah.]

Having a head like that of a nail; formed so as to resemble the head of a nail. Nail-headed characters, arrowheaded or cuneiform characters. See under Arrowheaded. -- Nail-headed molding (Arch.), an ornament consisting of a series of low four-sided pyramids resembling the heads of large nails; -- called also nail-head…

Composed of successive short curves supposed to resemble a cloud; -- said of a heraldic line by which an ordinary or subordinary may be bounded.

degraded Papuan race, inhabiting Luzon and some of the other east Indian Islands. They resemble negroes, but are smaller in size. They are mostly nomads.

Resembling the negro or negroes; of or pertaining to those who resemble the negro.

f the Deluge. Noah's ark. (a) (Zoöl.) A marine bivalve shell (Arca Noæ), which somewhat resembles an ark, or ship, in form. (b) A child's toy, consisting of an ark-shaped box containing many different wooden animals.

Turned so as to resemble nulls. Nulled work (Cabinetwork), ornamental turned work resembling nulls or beads strung on a rod.

on human beings; hence, any frightful giant; a cruel monster. His schoolroom must have resembled an ogre's den. Maccaulay.

genus of tropical orchidaceous plants, the flower of one species of which (O. Papilio) resembles a butterfly.

A variety of brass made to resemble gold by the use of less zinc and more copper in its composition than ordinary brass contains. Its golden color is often heightened by means of lacquer of some sort, or by use of acids. Called also mosaic gold. Ormolu varnish, a varnish applied to metals, as brass, to give the appeara…

An extinct order of reptiles which stood erect on the hind legs, and resembled birds in the structure of the feet, pelvis, and other parts.

One of several species of East Indian birds of the genera Ortygis and Hemipodius. They resemble quails, but lack the hind toe. See Turnix.

lant of the genus Tragopogon (T. porrifolius), the root of which, when cooked, somewhat resembles the oyster in taste; salsify; -- called also vegetable oyster. (b) A plant found on the seacoast of Northern Europe, America and Asia (Mertensia maritima), the fresh leaves of which have a strong flavor of oysters. -- Oys…

Any one of several species of East Indian viverrine mammals of the genus Paguma. They resemble a weasel in form.

mers. In many anatomical characters they are allied to the Anseres, but they externally resemble the wading birds.

An extinct genus of herbivorous Tertiary mammals, once supposed to have resembled the tapir in form, but now known to have had a more slender form, with a long neck like that of a llama. [Written also Palæotherium.]

Spreading from the apex of a petiole, as the divisions of a leaf, or leaflets, so as to resemble the hand with outspread fingers. Gray.