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A small piece of leather, usually round, having a string attached to the center, which, when saturated with water and pressed upon a stone or other body having a smooth surface, adheres, by reason of the atmospheric pressure, with such force as to enable a considerable weight to be thus lifted by the string; -- used by…

One of the old musical forms, before the time of the more compact sonata, consisting of a string or series of pieces all in the same key, mostly in various dance rhythms, with sometimes an elaborate prelude. Some composers of the present day affect the suite form.

To strike with a long stroke. Wake into voice each silent string, And sweep the sounding lyre. Pope.

To castrate, as a ram, by binding the testicles tightly with a string, so that they mortify and slough off. [Prov. Eng.]

A stringed instrument formerly in use, somewhat resembling the virginal. With harp and pipe and symphony. Chaucer.

The flap or latchet of a shoe fastened with a string or a buckle.

A metallic binding, tube, or point, at the end of a string, or lace, to stiffen it.

other material attached to the lower end of a violin or similar instrument, to which the strings are fastened.

(a) An acid obtained from nutgalls as a yellow amorphous substance, C14H10O9, having an astringent taste, and forming with ferric salts a bluish-black compound, which is the basis of common ink. Called also tannin, and gallotannic acid.

acetyl chloride or acetic anhydride or ordinary tannic acid. It is used as an intestinal astringent, and locally in rhinitis and pharyngitis.

A narrow fillet or band of cotton or linen; a narrow woven fabric used for strings and the like; as, curtains tied with tape.

Extended or drawn out; subjected to tension. "A highly tensioned string." Tyndall.

A game played with rackets and a ball suspended by a string from an upright pole, the object of each side being to wrap the string around the pole by striking the ball in a direction opposite to the other.

A rope or chain for towing a boat; also, a cord; a string. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

A poisonous alkaloid, C19H21NO3, found in opium in small quantities, having a sharp, astringent taste, and a tetanic action resembling that of strychnine.

e like large lute, but having two necks, with two sets of pegs, the lower set holding the strings governed by frets, while to the upper set were attached the long bass strings used as open notes.

To play rudely or monotonously on a stringed instrument with the fingers; to strum.

Pressing; stringent; not easy; firmly held; dear; -- said of money or the money market. Cf. Easy, 7.

A ribbon or string used to draw clothes closer. [Obs.]

es, and in the other with lines representing miles, and having diagonals (usually movable strings) representing the speed and position of various trains.