Search the Dictionary

The apparent enlargement of a bright object seen upon a dark ground, due to the fact that the portions of the retina around the image are stimulated by the intense light; as when a dark spot on a white ground appears smaller, or a white spot on a dark ground larger, than it really is, esp. when a little out of focus.…

ischiatic. Ischial callosity (Zoöl.), one of the patches of thickened hairless, and often bright-colored skin, on the buttocks of many apes, as the drill.

S. Pseudo-capsicum and S. capsicastrum), cultivated as ornamental house plants. They bear bright red berries of about the size of cherries. -- Jerusalem oak (Bot.), an aromatic goosefoot (Chenopodium Botrys), common about houses and along roadsides. -- Jerusalem sage (Bot.), a perennial herb of the Mint family (Phlom…

A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached.

haracterized by mirth or jollity; as, a jovial youth; a jovial company; a jovial poem. Be bright and jovial among your guests. Shak. His odes are some of them panegyrical, others moral; the rest are jovial or bacchanalian. Dryden.

riumph; shouting with joy; triumphant; exulting. "The jubilant age." Coleridge. While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Milton.

tes, the title of two officers, one attached to the War Department and having the rank of brigadier general, the other attached to the Navy Department and having the rank of colonel of marines or captain in the navy. The first is chief of the Bureau of Military Justice of the army, the other performs a similar duty for…

One of the planets, being the brightest except Venus, and the largest of them all, its mean diameter being about 85,000 miles. It revolves about the sun in 4,332.6 days, at a mean distance of 5.2028 from the sun, the earth's mean distance being taken as unity. Jupiter's beard. (Bot.) (a) A South European herb, with cym…

-nosed monkey (Semnopithecus nasalis), native of Borneo. The general color of the body is bright chestnut, with the under parts, shoulders, and sides of the head, golden yellow, and the top of the head and upper part of the back brown. Called also proboscis monkey. [Written also kaha.]

or point; as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge. A bow he bare and arwes [arrows] bright and kene. Chaucer. That my keen knife see not the wound it makes. Shak.

th, with a white terminal band on the tail. The feathers on the head of the adults show a bright orange basal spot when erected. Called also bee bird, and bee martin. Several Southern and Western species of Tyrannus are also called king birds.

To come into view; to appear. [Scot.] It kythes bright . . . because all is dark around it. Sir W. Scott.

Wanting luster or brightness. "Lackluster eye." Shak.

Land boat, a vehicle on wheels propelled by sails. -- Land blink, a peculiar atmospheric brightness seen from sea over distant snow-covered land in arctic regions. See Ice blink. -- Land breeze. See under Breeze. -- Land chain. See Gunter's chain. -- Land crab (Zoöl.), any one of various species of crabs which live…

One of the elements, a heavy, pliable, inelastic metal, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished. It is both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity, and is used for tubes, sheets, bullets, etc. Its specific gravity is 11.37. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredie…

A northern constellation east of Cancer, containing the bright star Regulus at the end of the handle of the Sickle. Leo Minor, a small constellation between Leo and the Great Bear.

erflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.

Not so much; in a smaller or lower degree; as, less bright or loud; less beautiful.

The brightness of the eye or eyes. He seemed to find his way without his eyes; For out o'door he went without their helps, And, to the last, bended their light on me. Shak.

To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.