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A contraction for Violoncello.

A series of muscular contractions due to sudden stretching of the muscle, -- a sign of certain neuropathies.

owel (Pron.), a vowel which is pronounced with a diminished aperture of the lips, or with contraction of the cavity of the mouth. -- Close to the wind (Naut.), directed as nearly to the point from which the wind blows as it is possible to sail; closehauled; -- said of a vessel.

bove. This structure is characteristic of certain igneous rocks, as basalt, and is due to contraction in cooling.

ings as constrict the fibers. Arbuthnot. Membranous organs inclosing a cavity which their contraction constrict. Todd & Bowman.

Capable of contraction. Small air bladders distable and contractible. Arbuthnot.

A state of permanent rigidity or contraction of the muscles, generally of the flexor muscles.

An unnatural, violent, and unvoluntary contraction of the muscular parts of an animal body.

To form or shape into wrinkles or folds, or alternate ridges and grooves, as by drawing, contraction, pressure, bending, or otherwise; to wrinkle; to purse up; as, to corrugate plates of iron; to corrugate the forehead. Corrugated iron, sheet iron bent into a series of alternate ridges and grooves in parallel lines, gi…

The act corrugating; contraction into wrinkles or alternate ridges and grooves.

A contraction of cousin. Shak.

A spasmodic and painful involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles, as of the leg. The cramp, divers nights, gripeth him in his legs. Sir T. More. Cramp bone, the patella of a sheep; -- formerly used as a charm for the cramp. Halliwell. "He could turn cramp bones into chess men." Dickens. -- Cramp ring, a ring for…

A contraction of two vowels (as the final and initial vowels of united words) into one long vowel, or into a dipthong; synæresis; as, cogo for coago.

A very slight convulsive or spasmodic contraction of certain muscles, external or internal. Few men can look down from a great height without creepings and crispations. O. W. Holmes.

ythmical expansion or dilatation of the heart and arteries; -- correlative to systole, or contraction.

A contraction for even. See Even. I have e'en done with you. L'Estrange.

A contraction for ever. See Ever.

A drug, as ergot, which by exciting uterine contractions promotes the expulsion of the contents of the uterus.

mal organism with a current of electricity, by noting the presence or absence of muscular contraction.

Pertaining the reaction (contraction) of the muscles under electricity, or their sensibility to it.