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An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect; as, a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent.

ng up or arousing; disturbance of tranquillity; disturbance of mind which shows itself by physical excitement; perturbation; as, to cause any one agitation.

d upon Hamilton and Mansel), or because of the insufficiency of the evidence furnished by physical and physical data, to warrant a positive conclusion (as taught by the school of Herbert Spencer); -- opposed alike dogmatic skepticism and to dogmatic theism.

To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; -- used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man I know not what ails him. What aileth thee, Hagar Gen. xxi. 17.

Relating to or practicing alchemy. Metaphysical and alchemistical legislators. Burke.

To lighten or lessen (physical or mental troubles); to mitigate, or make easier to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc. ; -- opposed to aggravate. The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley.

The property of existing in two or more conditions which are distinct in their physical or chemical relations.

To change in physical properties but not in substance. [R.]

Trouble; vexation; also, physical pain or smart of a sore, etc. [Obs.] I made the experiment, setting the moxa where . . . the greatest anger and soreness still continued. Temple.

Physically. G. Eliot.

al, and political geography, and that part of ethnology which deals with distribution and physical environment. -- An`thro*po*ge*og"ra*pher (#), n. -- An`thro*po*ge`o*graph"ic*al (#), a.

the actual distribution of the human race in its different divisions, as distinguished by physical character, language, institutions, and customs, in contradistinction to ethnography, which treats historically of the origin and filiation of races and nations. P. Cyc.

An elementary substance, resembling a metal in its appearance and physical properties, but in its chemical relations belonging to the class of nonmetallic substances. Atomic weight, 120. Symbol, Sb.

Resort to physical means; recourse. Every milder method is to be tried, before a nation makes an appeal to arms. Kent.

lcite or carbonate of lime, but differing from it in its crystalline form and some of its physical characters.

Any seizure by power, physical or moral. The sad stories of fire from heaven, the burning of his sheep, etc., . . . were sad arrests to his troubled spirit. Jer. Taylor.

One of the elements, a solid substance resembling a metal in its physical properties, but in its chemical relations ranking with the nonmetals. It is of a steel-gray color and brilliant luster, though usually dull from tarnish. It is very brittle, and sublimes at 356º Fahrenheit. It is sometimes found native, but usual…

A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a house, or a town. The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault. Prescott. Unshaken bears the assault Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwe…

, of their magnitudes, motions, distances, periods of revolution, eclipses, constitution, physical condition, and of the causes of their various phenomena.

The science treating of the physical characteristics of the stars and other heavenly bodies, their chemical constitution, light, heat, atmospheres, etc.