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English system of weights; -- so called because considered equal to the average of grains taken from the middle of the ears of wheat. 7,000 grains constitute the pound avoirdupois, and 5,760 grains the pound troy. A grain is equal to .0648 gram. See Gram.

re or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key; -- called also the hopper. Grove. Grasshopper engine, a steam engine having a working beam with its fulcrum at one end, the steam cylinder at the other end, and the connecting rod at an interme…

ty, the ratio of the weight of a body to the weight of an equal volume of some other body taken as the standard or unit. This standard is usually water for solids and liquids, and air for gases. Thus, 19, the specific gravity of gold, expresses the fact that, bulk for bulk, gold is nineteen times as heavy as water.…

hale (Zoöl.), a rather large and swift California whale (Rhachianectes glaucus), formerly taken in large numbers in the bays; -- called also grayback, devilfish, and hardhead.

der Common, n. -- In the gross, In gross, in the bulk, or the undivided whole; all parts taken together.

e me ground. Shak. --To lose ground, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the position taken; hence, to lose advantage; to lose credit or reputation; to decline. -- To stand one's ground, to stand firm; to resist attack or encroachment. Atterbury. -- To take the ground to touch bottom or become stranded; -- said o…

alled also pigfish, squirrel fish, and grunter; -- so called from the noise it makes when taken.

The sac of silk taken from a silkworm (when ready to spin its cocoon), for the purpose of drawing it out into a thread. This, when dry, is exceedingly strong, and is used as the snood of a fish line. Blind gut. See CÆcum, n. (b).

The pistils of a flower, taken collectively. See Illust. of Carpophore.

A cast taken in plaster of Paris, or in white lime.

A handle; that part of an instrument or vessel taken into the hand, and by which it is held and used; -- said chiefly of a knife, sword, or dagger; the hilt. This brandish'dagger I'll bury to the haft in her fair breast. Dryden.

arnest; as the first money received for the sale of goods in the morning, the first money taken at a shop newly opened, the first present sent to a young woman on her wedding day, etc. Their first good handsel of breath in this world. Fuller. Our present tears here, not our present laughter, Are but the handsels of our…

lantago Coronopus); -- called also duck's-horn. Booth. -- Hartshorn shavings, originally taken from the horns of harts, are now obtained chiefly by planing down the bones of calves. They afford a kind of jelly. Hebert. -- Salt of hartshorn (Chem.), an impure solid carbonate of ammonia, obtained by the destructive dis…

That which is caught, taken, or gained at once, as by hauling a net.

Of meats: The leg and loin taken together; as, a haunch of venison. Haunch bone. See Innominate bone, under Innominate. -- Haunches of an arch (Arch.), the parts on each side of the crown of an arch. (See Crown, n., 11.) Each haunch may be considered as from one half to two thirds of the half arch.

A picture taken by heliography; a photograph.

plied to that class of homologies which arise from similarity of structure, and which are taken as evidences of common ancestry.

ss snake of the Southern United States (Abaster erythrogrammus); -- so called from the mistaken notion that it curves itself into a hoop, taking its tail into its mouth, and rolls along with great velocity. -- Hoop tree (Bot.), a small West Indian tree (Melia sempervirens), of the Mahogany family.

A hair of a horse, especially one from the mane or tail; the hairs of the mane or tail taken collectively; a fabric or tuft made of such hairs. Horsehair worm (Zoöl.), the hair worm or gordius.

That which shelters or covers; houses, taken collectively. Fabyan.