PATCH n.
a rogue; a ninny; a fool. [Obs. or Colloq.] "Thou scurvy patch." Shak. Patch ice, ice in overlapping pieces in the sea. -- Soft patch, a patch for covering a crack in a metallic vessel, as a steam boiler, consisting of soft material, as putty, covered and held in place by a plate bolted or riveted fast.…
REED n.
eding. Egyptian reed (Bot.), the papyrus. -- Free reed (Mus.), a reed whose edges do not overlap the wind passage, -- used in the harmonium, concertina, etc. It is distinguished from the beating or striking reed of the organ and clarinet. -- Meadow reed grass (Bot.), the Glyceria aquatica, a tall grass found in wet p…
SCALE n.
ale (Zoöl.) See under Ganoid. -- Scale armor (Mil.), armor made of small metallic scales overlapping, and fastened upon leather or cloth. -- Scale beetle (Zoöl.), the tiger beetle. -- Scale carp (Zoöl.), a carp having normal scales. -- Scale insect (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small hemipterous insects b…
SHIFT n.
In building, the extent, or arrangement, of the overlapping of plank, brick, stones, etc., that are placed in courses so as to break joints.