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toward which the north pole of the earth very nearly points, and which accordingly seems fixed and immovable in the sky. The star a (alpha) of the Little Bear, is our present north star, being distant from the pole about 1º 25', and from year to year approaching slowly nearer to it. It is called also Cynosura, polesta…

That which nourishes; nutriment. Fixed like a plant, on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot. Pope.

t by which the mind, or any of its activities, is directed; that on which the purpose are fixed as the end of action or effort; that which is sought for; end; aim; motive; final cause. Object, beside its proper signification, came to be abusively applied to denote motive, end, final cause.... This innovation was probab…

A fixedness in will, opinion, or resolution that can not be shaken at all, or only with great difficulty; firm and usually unreasonable adherence to an opinion, purpose, or system; unyielding disposition; stubborness; pertinacity; persistency; contumacy. You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contr…

tion extracted (as from capsicum, cubebs, or ginger) by means of ether, and consisting of fixed or volatile oil holding resin in solution. -- O`le*o*res"in*ous, a.

A termination indicating that the hydrocarbon to the name of which it is affixed belongs to the fourth series of hydrocarbons, or the third series of unsaturated hydrocarbonsl as, nonone.

all upon equal terms, esp. with reference to a nation whose policy is wholly or partially fixed by nations foreign to itself, or to territory newly acquired by a conquering nation. In this sense, often used adjectively, as, open-door system, open-door policy, etc.

ope with a diagonal eyepiece, suspended vertically in gimbals by the object end beneath a fixed diagonal plane mirror. It is used for delineating landscapes, by means of a pencil at the eye end which leaves the delineation on paper.

An image of external objects fixed on the retina by the photochemical action of light on the visual purple. See Optography.

A number of things or persons arranged in a fixed or suitable place, or relative position; a rank; a row; a grade; especially, a rank or class in society; a group or division of men in the same social or other position; also, a distinct character, kind, or sort; as, the higher or lower orders of society; talent of a hi…

A dining room or eating house where a meal is prepared for all comers, at a fixed price for the meal, in distinction from one where each dish is separately charged; a table d'hôte; hence, also, the meal furnished at such a dining room. Shak. All the odd words they have picked up in a coffeehouse, or a gaming ordinary,…

The point of attachment or end of a muscle which is fixed during contraction; -- in contradistinction to insertion. Origin of coördinate axes (Math.), the point where the axes intersect. See Note under Ordinate.

A band of rich embroidery, wholly or in part of gold, affixed to vestments, especially those of ecclesiastics. Pugin.

To vary or fluctuate between fixed limits; to act or move in a fickle or fluctuating manner; to change repeatedly, back and forth. The amount of superior families oscillates rather than changes, that is, it fluctuates within fixed limits. Dc Quincey.

ngine, a steam engine whose cylinder oscillates on trunnions instead of being permanently fixed in a perpendicular or other direction. Weale.

A suffix indicating that the substance to the name of wich it is affixed is a member of the carbohydrate group; as in cellulose, sucrose, dextrose, etc.

Pain in the bones; a violent fixed pain in any part of a bone. -- Os`te*o*cop"ic, a.

pse. Cassinian oval (Geom.), the locus of a point the product of whose distances from two fixed points is constant; -- so called from Cassini, who first investigated the curve. Thus, in the diagram, if P moves so that P A.P B is constant, the point P describes a Cassinian oval. The locus may consist of a single closed…

rick or stonework, and used for baking, heating, or drying; hence, any structure, whether fixed or portable, which may be heated for baking, drying, etc.; esp., now, a chamber in a stove, used for baking or roasting.

of goods are made, or where there are different departments in a business; -- called also fixed, establishment, or (in a manufacturing business) administration, selling, and distribution, charges, etc.