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colors (Opt.), the seven colors into which light is resolved when passed through a prism; primary colors. See Primary colors, under Color. -- Prismatic compass (Surv.), a compass having a prism for viewing a distant object and the compass card at the same time. -- Prismatic spectrum (Opt.), the spectrum produced by t…

Pristine; primitive. [Obs.] "Pristinate idolatry." Holinshed.

Belonging to the earliest period or state; original; primitive; primeval; as, the pristine state of innocence; the pristine manners of a people; pristine vigor.

An ornamental European shrub (Ligustrum vulgare), much used in hedges; -- called also prim. Egyptian privet. See Lawsonia. -- Evergreen privet, a plant of the genus Rhamnus. See Alatern. -- Mock privet, any one of several evergreen shrubs of the genus Phillyrea. They are from the Mediterranean region, and have been m…

The primary growth from the spore in certain cryptogamous plants; as, the proembryo, or protonema, of mosses.

he platform adopted. Among the chief articles in the platform are those demanding direct primaries, preferential primaries for presidential nominations, direct election of United States senators, women's suffrage, and recall of judicial decisions in certain cases.

The act of falling down, or of bowing in humility or adoration; primarily, the act of falling on the face, but usually applied to kneeling or bowing in reverence and worship. A greater prostration of reason than of body. Shak.

ction of boiling dilute acids on proteids. Proteoses are divided into the two groups, the primary and secondary proteoses.

The minute primary growth from the spore of ferns and other Pteridophyta, which bears the true sexual organs; the oöphoric generation of ferns, etc.

A combining form prefix signifying first, primary, primordial; as, protomartyr, the first martyr; protomorphic, primitive in form; protoplast, a primordial organism; prototype, protozoan.

Having the most primitive character; in the earliest form; as, a protomorphic layer of tissue. H. Spencer.

The primary growth from the spore of a moss, usually consisting of branching confervoid filaments, on any part of which stem and leaf buds may be developed.

One of the primitive segments, or metameres, of an animal.

copied; the pattern of anything to be engraved, or otherwise copied, cast, or the like; a primary form; exemplar; archetype. They will turn their backs on it, like their great precursor and prototype. Burke.

One of the primitive masses, or segments, into which the mesoblast of the vertebrate embryo breaks up on either side of the anterior part of the notochord; a mesoblastic, or protovertebral, somite. See Illust. of Ectoderm.

One of the primary, or first-formed, segments of an embryonic arthropod.

In the United States, a free primary, grammar, or high school maintained by the local government.

A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue. Arraying with reflected purple and gold The clouds that on his western throne attend. Milton.

A division of the Primates comprising the apes and monkeys; -- so called because the hind foot is usually prehensile, and the great toe opposable somewhat like a thumb. Formerly the Quadrumana were considered an order distinct from the Bimana, which last included man alone.

They were called Quakers, originally, in derision. See Friend, n., 4. Fox's teaching was primarily a preaching of repentance . . . The trembling among the listening crowd caused or confirmed the name of Quakers given to the body; men and women sometimes fell down and lay struggling as if for life. Encyc. Brit.…