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The irritating action of various agents (stimuli) on muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity; irritation.…

her in the whole organism or in any of its parts; especially (Physiol.), any substance or agent capable of evoking the activity of a nerve or irritable muscle, or capable of producing an impression upon a sensory organ or more particularly upon its specific end organ.

tin ore found in alluvial ground; -- so called because a stream of water is the principal agent used in separating the ore from the sand and gravel. -- Stream works (Cornish Mining), a place where an alluvial deposit of tin ore is worked. Ure. -- To float with the stream, figuratively, to drift with the current of op…

One who, or that which, stupefies; a stupefying agent.

that substance or being which is conscious of its own operations; the mind; the thinking agent or principal; the ego. Cf. Object, n., 2. The philosophers of mind have, in a manner, usurped and appropriated this expression to themselves. Accordingly, in their hands, the phrases conscious or thinking subject, and subjec…

ubstantial life. Milton. If this atheist would have his chance to be real and substantial agent, he is more stupid than the vulgar. Bentley.

tuting or putting one person or thing in the place of another; as, the substitution of an agent, attorney, or representative to act for one in his absense; the substitution of bank notes for gold and silver as a circulating medium.

urning of sulphur. It is employed chiefly in the production of sulphuric acid, and as a reagent in bleaching; -- called also sulphurous anhydride, and formerly sulphurous acid. -- Sulphur ether (Chem.), a sulphide of hydrocarbon radicals, formed like the ordinary ethers, which are oxides, but with sulphur in the place…

ric and nitric acids, of soda, of bleaching powders, etc. It is also powerful dehydrating agent, having a strong affinity for water, and eating and corroding paper, wood, clothing, etc. It is thus used in the manufacture of ether, of imitation parchment, and of nitroglycerin. It is also used in etching iron, in removin…

An agent of a corporation, or of any body of men engaged in a business enterprise; an advocate or patron; an assignee.

An effect of the interaction of the actions of two agents such that the result of the combined action is greater than expected as a simple additive combination of the two agents acting separately. Also synergism.

bs, goats, and kids, for gloves, and the like, by imbuing them with alum, salt, and other agents, for softening and bleaching them.

One who governs by terrorism or intimidation; specifically, an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France. Burke.

stituent of a compound, as the production of some characteristic precipitate; also, the reagent employed to produce such reaction; thus, the ordinary test for sulphuric acid is the production of a white insoluble precipitate of barium sulphate by means of some soluble barium salt. Test act (Eng. Law), an act of the Eng…

pyretics; -- so called from the green color produced in its solution by certain oxidizing agents.

A poisonous agent or drug, as opium; an intoxicant.

uge quite round the globe. T. Burnet. I feel thy power . . . to trace the ways Of highest agents. Milton.

o do; perform; to manage; as, to transact commercial business; to transact business by an agent.

Passing over to an object; expressing an action which is not limited to the agent or subject, but which requires an object to complete the sense; as, a transitive verb, for example, he holds the book. -- Tran"si*tive*ly, adv. -- Tran"si*tive*ness, n.

A commercial agent who travels for the purpose of receiving orders for merchants, making collections, etc.