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the singing, chattering, flight, and feeding of birds, or by signs or omens derived from celestial phenomena, certain appearances of quadrupeds, or unusual occurrences.

A celestial crown or accidental glory added to the bliss of heaven, as a reward to those (as virgins, martyrs, preachers, etc.) who have overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.

To make happy; to bless with the completion of celestial enjoyment. "Beatified spirits." Dryden.

China; -- an old name for the Celestial Empire, said have been introduced by Marco Polo and to be a corruption of the Tartar name for North China (Khitai, the country of the Khitans.) Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay. Tennyson.

An instrument formerly used at sea for taking the altitudes of celestial bodies.

An imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens; one of the celestial spheres. Milton.

to twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar…

made on each course as found by log, with allowance for leeway, etc., without the aid of celestial observations. -- Dead rise, the transverse upward curvature of a vessel's floor. -- Dead rising, an elliptical line drawn on the sheer plan to determine the sweep of the floorheads throughout the ship's length. -- Dea…

The angular distance of any object from the celestial equator, either northward or southward.

The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon.

on. Oblique descension (Astron.), the degree or arc of the equator which descends, with a celestial object, below the horizon of an oblique sphere. -- Right descension, the degree or arc of the equator which descends below the horizon of a right sphere at the same time with the object. [Obs.]

from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; -- said of the motion of a celestial body. Direct action. (Mach.) See Direct-acting. -- Direct discourse (Gram.), the language of any one quoted without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;" -- correlative to indirect discourse, in which there…

The circular figure of a celestial body, as seen projected of the heavens.

or a star from rising to setting. -- Diurnal circle, the apparent circle described by a celestial body in consequence of the earth's rotation. -- Diurnal motion of the earth, the motion of the earth upon its axis which is described in twentyfour hours. -- Diurnal motion of a heavenly body, that apparent motion of t…

A celestial being, inferior to the supreme God, but superior to man. God . . . employing these subservient divinities. Cheyne.

A high order of angels in the celestial hierarchy; -- a meaning given by the schoolmen. Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers. Milton.

A great circle of the celestial sphere, making an angle with the equinoctial of about 23º 28'. It is the apparent path of the sun, or the real path of the earth as seen from the sun.

of filling with wind; a breathing or puffing out; a puff, as of wind. A soft efflation of celestial fire. Parnell.

The distance of a celestial object above the horizon, or the arc of a vertical circle intercepted between it and the horizon; altitude; as, the elevation of the pole, or of a star.

val to a distance; withdrawal; a being at a distance; distance. The distant points in the celestial expanse appear to the eye in so small a degree of elongation from one another, as bears no proportion to what is real. Glanvill.