Search the Dictionary

Happening at a solstice; esp. (with reference to the northern hemisphere), happening at the summer solstice, or midsummer. "Solstitial summer's heat." Milton.

f a legislature. -- Special statute, or Special law, an act of the legislature which has reference to a particular person, place, or interest; -- in distinction from a general law. -- Special verdict (Law), a special finding of the facts of the case, leaving to the court the application of the law to them. Wharton (L…

spaces, bands, or lines. -- Chemical spectrum, a spectrum of rays considered solely with reference to their chemical effects, as in photography. These, in the usual photogrophic methods, have their maximum influence at and beyond the violet rays, but are not limited to this region. -- Chromatic spectrum, the visible…

Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.

Of, pertaining to, or existing with reference to, a State of the American Union, as distinguished from the general government. [R.] I have no knowledge of any other kind of political citizenship, higher or lower, statal or national. Edward Bates.

Chemistry considered with reference to the space relations of atoms.

Antimonic; -- used with reference to certain compounds of antimony.

uperior figure, Superior letter (Print.), a figure or letter printed above the line, as a reference to a note or an index of a power, etc; as, in x2 + yn, 2 is a superior figure, n a superior letter. Cf. Inferior figure, under Inferior.

To come as something additional or extraneous; to occur with reference or relation to something else; to happen upon or after something else; to be added; to take place; to happen. Such a mutual gravitation can never supervene to matter unless impressed by divine power. Bentley. A tyrany immediately supervened. Burke.…

To examine with reference to condition, situation, value, etc.; to examine and ascertain the state of; as, to survey a building in order to determine its value and exposure to loss by fire.

Connecting; conjunctive; as, syndetic words or connectives; syndetic references in a dictionary. -- Syn*det"ic*al*ly, adv. With the syndetic juxtaposition of distinct members, the article is not often repeated. C. J. Grece (Trans. Maetzner's Gram.).

ngitudinal stress a substance can bear without tearing asunder, -- usually expressed with reference to a unit area of the cross section of the substance, as the number of pounds per square inch, or kilograms per square centimeter, necessary to produce rupture.

To become so warm as to melt ice and snow; -- said in reference to the weather, and used impersonally.

o theory and speculation; a speculatist. Cowper. The greatest theoretists have given the preference to such a government as that which obtains in this kingdom. Addison.

Performance or occurrence of an action or event, considered with reference to repetition; addition of a number to itself; repetition; as, to double cloth four times; four times four, or sixteen. Summers three times eight save one. Milton.

A color considered with reference to other very similar colors; as, red and blue are different colors, but two shades of scarlet are different tints.

General or prevailing character or style, as of morals, manners, or sentiment, in reference to a scale of high and low; as, a low tone of morals; a tone of elevated sentiment; a courtly tone of manners.

Personal reference or application. [Obs.] Speech of touch toward others should be sparingly used. Bacon.

With direction to, in a moral sense; with respect or reference to; regarding; concerning. His eye shall be evil toward his brother. Deut. xxviii. 54. Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men. Acts xxiv. 16.

The business done upon a railway, steamboat line, etc., with reference to the number of passengers or the amount of freight carried. Traffic return, a periodical statement of the receipts for goods and passengers, as on a railway line. -- Traffic taker, a computer of the returns of traffic on a railway, steamboat line…