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e into contact with each other; -- used in precise determinations of lengths and in the accurate graduation of instruments.

In a correct manner; exactly; acurately; without fault or error.

Pertaining to criticism or the critic's art; of the nature of a criticism; accurate; as, critical knowledge; a critical dissertation.

In a critical manner; with nice discernment; accurately; exactly. Critically to discern good writers from bad. Dryden.

The office or employment of a curate.

Spiritual charge; care of soul; the office of a parish priest or of a curate; hence, that which is committed to the charge of a parish priest or of a curate; a curacy; as, to resign a cure; to obtain a cure. The appropriator was the incumbent parson, and had the cure of the souls of the parishioners. Spelman.…

st in thy gilt and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity. Shak. A screen accurately cut in tapiary work . . . with great curiosity. Evelin.

To determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term. They define virtue to be life ordered according to nature. Robynson (More's Utopia).

The act of defining; determination of the limits; as, the telescope accurate in definition.

ation by means of lines, as distinguished from representation by means of tints shades; accurate and minute representation, as distinguished from art that is careless of details, or subordinates them excessively.

ted; immethodical; aimless; as, desultory minds. Atterbury. He [Goldsmith] knew nothing accurately; his reading had been desultory. Macaulay.

The act, process, or result of any accurate measurement, as of length, volume, weight, intensify, etc.; as, the determination of the ohm or of the wave length of light; the determination of the salt in sea water, or the oxygen in the air.

often takes his dinner away from home, or in company. A brilliant diner-out, though but a curate. Byron.

To make a difference or distinction; to distinguish accurately; as, in judging of evidence, we should be careful to discriminate between probability and slight presumption.

atter, with the arguments and facts bearing upon it; elaborate essay; dissertation. For accurate research or grave disquisition he was not well qualified. Macaulay.

One who discerns accurately the difference of things; a nice or judicious observer. Dryden.

A stupid person; a fool; a blockhead. Some will say, our curate is naught, an ass-head, a dodipoll. Latimer.

An instrument for accurately determining the ductility of metals.

usually of a doubleimage micrometer applied to the eye end of a telescope for measuring accurately the diameter of the image of the object glass there formed; which measurement, compared with the actual diameter of the glass, gives the magnifying power.

An instrument for obtaining an accurate record of the time at which any observed phenomenon occurs, or of its duration. It has an electro-magnetic register connected with a clock. See Chronograph.