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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



96 words match “OPERATE”

COMPRESSED a.
Flattened lengthwise. Compessed air engine, an engine operated by the elastic force of compressed air.
CONTINUOUS a.
ous brake (Railroad), a brake which is attached to each car a train, and can be caused to operate in all the cars simultaneously from a point on any car or on the engine. -- Continuous impost. See Impost.
CROWN-SAW n.
A saw in the form of a hollow cylinder, with teeth on the end or edge, and operated by a rotative motion.
DETECTOR BAR n.
nce between any two consecutive wheels of a train (45 to 50 feet), laid inside a rail and operated by the wheels so that the switch cannot be thrown until all the train is past the switch.
DIAL n.
on them. These plates must be adjusted in a certain determined way before the lock can be operated. -- Dial plate, the plane or disk of a dial or timepiece on which lines and figures for indicating the time are placed.
DRAWBOY n.
A boy who operates the harness cords of a hand loom; also, a part of power loom that performs the same office.
DUPLEX a.
f, screwing, and surfacing, by means of two cutting tools, on opposite sides of the piece operated upon. -- Duplex pumping engine, a steam pump in which two steam cylinders are placed side by side, one operating the valves of the other. -- Duplex querela Etym: [L., double complaint] (Eccl. Law), a complaint in the na…
DYNAMOMETER n.
muscular effort of men or animals, or the power developed by a motor, or that required to operate machinery.
EARTHQUAKE n.
also earthdin, earthquave, and earthshock. Earthquake alarm, a bell signal constructed to operate on the theory that a few seconds before the occurrence of an earthquake the magnet temporarily loses its power.
ECRASEUR n.
An instrument intended to replace the knife in many operations, the parts operated on being severed by the crushing effect produced by the gradual tightening of a steel chain, so that hemorrhage rarely follows.
ENERGIZE v.
To use strength in action; to act or operate with force or vigor; to act in producing an effect. Of all men it is true that they feel and energize first, they reflect and judge afterwards. J. C. Shairp.
ETHER n.
he base; an ester. -- Ether engine (Mach.), a condensing engine like a steam engine, but operated by the vapor of ether instead of by steam.
EXPERIMENT v.
To make experiment; to operate by test or trial; -- often with on, upon, or in, referring to the subject of an experiment; with, referring to the instrument; and by, referring to the means; as, to experiment upon electricity; he experimented in plowing with ponies, or by steam power.
EXPOST FACTO; EXPOSTFACTO n.
erward; in consequence of a subsequent act; retrospective. Ex post facto law, a law which operates by after enactment. The phrase is popularly applied to any law, civil or criminal, which is enacted with a retrospective effect, and with intention to produce that effect; but in its true application, as employed in Ameri…
FANG n.
ter has gone out; hence: To fang a pump, to supply it with the water necessary to make it operate. [Scot.]
FASCINATE v.
To influence in an uncontrollable manner; to operate on by some powerful or irresistible charm; to bewitch; to enchant. It has been almost universally believed that . . . serpents can stupefy and fascinate the prey which they are desirous to obtain. Griffith (Cuvier).
FEED v. 2 definitions
To supply (the material to be operated upon) to a machine; as, to feed paper to a printing press.
FEEDER n.
An auxiliary part of a machine which supplies or leads along the material operated upon.
FLY n.
powder used to poison flies. -- Fly press, a screw press for punching, embossing, etc., operated by hand and having a heavy fly. -- Fly rail, a bracket which turns out to support the hinged leaf of a table. -- Fly rod, a light fishing rod used in angling with a fly. -- Fly sheet, a small loose advertising sheet; a…
FRAUD n.
g Ahab into fraud. Milton. Constructive fraud (Law), an act, statement, or omission which operates as a fraud, although perhaps not intended to be such. Mozley & W. -- Pious fraud (Ch. Hist.), a fraud contrived and executed to benefit the church or accomplish some good end, upon the theory that the end justified the m…
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