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An instrument for determining the magnifying power of telescopes, consisting usually of a doubleimage micrometer applied to the eye end of a telescope for measuring accurately the diameter of the image of the object glass there formed; which measurement, compared with the actual diameter of the glass, gives the magnify…

Seriousness; reality; fixed determination; eagerness; intentness. Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest. Sir P. Sidney. And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak. In earnest, serious; seriously; not in jest; earnestly.

An instrument for observing the boiling point of liquids, especially for determining the alcoholic strength of a mixture by the temperature at which it boils.

A graduated scale for measuring the duration of sounds, and determining their different, and the relation of their intervals. J. J. Rousseau.

The act or process of educating; the result of educating, as determined by the knowledge skill, or discipline of character, acquired; also, the act or process of training by a prescribed or customary course of study or discipline; as, an education for the bar or the pulpit; he has finished his education. To prepare us…

An apparatus for determining the amount of oil contained in any substance, or for ascertaining the degree of purity of oil.

A method of determining the presence or absence of life in an animal organism with a current of electricity, by noting the presence or absence of muscular contraction.

To bring down or lower, as in position, value, etc.; to debase; to degrade; to deteriorate. [Obs.] Embased the valleys, and embossed the hills. Sylvester. Alloy in coin of gold . . . may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it. Bacon. Such pitiful embellishments of speech as serve for nothing but to embase d…

Act of bringing down; depravation; deterioration. South.

Purpose; determination. [Obs.]

The act or condition of hanging in equipoise; not inclined or determined either way. South.

to give, to each man his due, according to reason, and the law of God to man; fairness in determination of conflicting claims; impartiality. Christianity secures both the private interests of men and the public peace, enforcing all justice and equity. Tillotson.

The degree of combining power as determined by relative weight. See Equivalent, n., 2. [R.]

ity by weight of an element which possesses the same chemical value as other elements, as determined by actual experiment and reference to the same standard. Specifically:

nstrument for the volumetric measurement of gases; -- so named because frequently used to determine the purity of the air.

The art or process of determining he constituents of a gaseous mixture by means of the eudiometer, or for ascertaining the purity of the air or the amount of oxygen in it.

for illustration of a rule or precept, especially a problem to be solved, or a case to be determined, as an exercise in the application of the rules of any study or branch of science; as, in trigonometry and grammar, the principles and rules are illustrated by examples.

tinguished from moral rectitude. Divine wisdom discovers no expediency in vice. Cogan. To determine concerning the expedience of action. Sharp. Much declamation may be heard in the present day against expediency, as if it were not the proper object of a deliberative assembly, and as if it were only pursued by the unpri…

l observation, made to confirm or disprove something doubtful; esp., one under conditions determined by the experimenter; an act or operation undertaken in order to discover some unknown principle or effect, or to test, establish, or illustrate some suggest or known truth; practical test; poof. A political experiment c…

To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails.