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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



178 words match “CONTRIVANCE”

CHUCK n.
A contrivance or machine fixed to the mandrel of a lathe, for holding a tool or the material to be operated upon.
CLAPTRAP n.
A contrivance for clapping in theaters. [Obs.]
CLEPSYDRA n.
A water clock; a contrivance for measuring time by the graduated flow of a liquid, as of water, through a small aperture. See Illust. in Appendix.
CONSULT v.
To bring about by counsel or contrivance; to devise; to contrive. [Obs.] Thou hast consulted shame to thy Hab. ii. 10.
CONTRAPTION n.
A contrivance; a new-fangled device; -- used scornfully. [Colloq. or Dial.] -- Con*trap"tious (#), a.
CONTRIVEMENT n.
Contrivance; invention; arrangement; design; plan. [Obs.] Consider the admirable contrivement and artifice of this great fabric. Glanvill. Active to meet their contrivements. Sir G. Buck.
CONVEYOR n.
A contrivance for carrying objects from place to place; esp., one for conveying grain, coal, etc., -- as a spiral or screw turning in a pipe or trough, an endless belt with buckets, or a truck running along a rope.
COPYGRAPH n.
A contrivance for producing manifold copies of a writing or drawing.
COUNTER n.
A telltale; a contrivance attached to an engine, printing press, or other machine, for the purpose of counting the revolutions or the pulsations. Knight.
COUNTERCAST n.
A trick; a delusive contrivance. [Obs.] Spenser.
COUPLER n.
that which couples, as a link, ring, or shackle, to connect cars. Coupler of an organ, a contrivance by which any two or more of the ranks of keys, or keys and pedals, are connected so as to act together when the organ is played.
COUPLING n.
A device or contrivance which serves to couple or connect adjacent parts or objects; as, a belt coupling, which connects the ends of a belt; a car coupling, which connects the cars in a train; a shaft coupling, which connects the ends of shafts. Box coupling, Chain coupling. See under Box, Chain. -- Coupling box, a co…
CUMBERSOME a.
Not easily managed; as, a cumbersome contrivance or machine. He holds them in utter contempt, as lumbering, cumbersome, circuitous. I. Taylor. -- Cum"ber*some*ly, adv. -- Cum"ber*some*ness,n.
CURIOUSNESS n.
The state of being curious; exactness of workmanship; ingenuity of contrivance.
CYCLOMETER n.
A contrivance for recording the revolutions of a wheel, as of a bicycle.
CYCLOSTYLE n.
A contrivance for producing manifold copies of writing or drawing. The writing or drawing is done with a style carrying a small wheel at the end which makes minute punctures in the paper, thus converting it into a stencil. Copies are transferred with an inked roller.
DAMPER n.
other part of a stove, furnace, etc., used to check or regulate the draught of air. (b) A contrivance, as in a pianoforte, to deaden vibrations; or, as in other pieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time. Nor did Sabrina's presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities. W. Black…
DECEIT n. 2 definitions
artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud. Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit. Amos viii. 5. Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. Milton. Yet still we hug the dear…
DEVICE n. 2 definitions
That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. Jer. li. 11. Their recent device of demanding benevolences. Hallam. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. Job v. 12.…
DEXTEROUS a.
Skillful in contrivance; quick at inventing expedients; expert; as, a dexterous manager. Dexterous the craving, fawning crowd to quit. Pope.
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