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public or private purpose. [Eng.] Apostolical brief, a letter of the pope written on fine parchment in modern characters, subscribed by the secretary of briefs, dated "a die Nativitatis," i. e., "from the day of the Nativity," and sealed with the ring of the fisherman. It differs from a bull, in its parchment, written…

ly; to become distorted; to bow; to curl; to kink. Buckled with the heat of the fire like parchment. Pepys.

A letter, edict, or respect, of the pope, written in Gothic characters on rough parchment, sealed with a bulla, and dated "a die Incarnationis," i. e., "from the day of the Incarnation." See Apostolical brief, under Brief. A fresh bull of Leo's had declared how inflexible the court of Rome was in the point of abuses. A…

. Burning with high hope. Byron. The groan still deepens, and the combat burns. Pope. The parching air Burns frore, and cold performs the effect of fire. Milton.

To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable. Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed. Sir W. Scott.

Material on which instruments, books, etc., are written; parchment or paper.

Resembling paper or parchment; of paper-like texture; papery.

Its nutritious seed, used in cookery, and especially, when roasted (parched pulse), as food for travelers in the Eastern deserts.

A writing which, reguiring a counterpart, was engrossed twice on the same piece of parchment, with a space between, in which was written the word chirographum, through which the parchment was cut, and one part given to each party. It answered to what is now called a charter party.

han a crystalline nature, and which diffuses itself through animal membranes or vegetable parchment more slowly than crystalloids do; -- opposed to crystalloid.

Stiff, like leather or parchment.

A sealed instrument in writing, on paper or parchment, duly executed and delivered, containing some transfer, bargain, or contract.

executed by only one party, and distinguished from an indenture by having the edge of the parchment or paper cut even, or polled as it was anciently termed, instead of being indented. Burrill.

An optical instrument, invented by Hipparchus, for taking altitudes, leveling, etc.

A small piece of paper or parchment, containing the heads of a writing; a summary or digest.

Characterized by drought; wanting rain; arid; adust. Droughty and parched countries. Ray.

The parchment or skin stretched over one end of a drum.

onate of zinc; -- a miner's term. -- Dry castor (Zoöl.) a kind of beaver; -- called also parchment beaver. -- Dry cupping. (Med.) See under Cupping. -- Dry dock. See under Dock. -- Dry fat. See Dry vat (below). -- Dry light, pure unobstructed light; hence, a clear, impartial view. Bacon. The scientific man must ke…

r copy of in distinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment. Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials. Hawthorne. Laws that may be engrossed on a finger nail. De Quincey.

A long strip or scroll resembling a ribbon or a band of parchment, or the like, anciently placed above the shield, and supporting the crest.