Search the Dictionary

A horizontal vane revolving over the surface of wort in a cooler, to produce a circular current in the liquor. Knight.

ixed radially to the rim of an undershot water wheel or of a steamer's paddle wheel; -- a vane. -- Float case (Naut.), a caisson used for lifting a ship. -- Float copper or gold (Mining), fine particles of metallic copper or of gold suspended in water, and thus liable to be lost. -- Float ore, water-worn particles o…

The part of a vane pointing the direction from which the wind blows.

Not fixed; not durable; liable to disappear or fall away; volatile; uncertain; evanescent; liable to fade; -- applied to material and immaterial things; as, fugitive colors; a fugitive idea. The me more tender and fugitive parts, the leaves . . . of vegatables. Woodward. Fugitive compositions, Such as are short and occ…

The quality or condition of being fugitive; evanescence; volatility; fugacity; instability.

the dimensions of, or to test the accuracy of the form of, as of a part of a gunlock. The vanes nicely gauged on each side. Derham.

A thin plate or scale; specif., one of the thin, flat processes composing the vane of a feather.

A small European bird of the Plover family (Vanellus cristatus, or V. vanellus). It has long and broad wings, and is noted for its rapid, irregular fight, upwards, downwards, and in circles. Its back is coppery or greenish bronze. Its eggs are the "plover's eggs" of the London market, esteemed a delicacy. It is called…

Long practiced; hence, skilled; experienced; cunning; as, an old offender; old in vice. Vane, young in years, but in sage counsel old. Milton.

e painted turtle; painted bunting. Painted beauty (Zoöl.), a handsome American butterfly (Vanessa Huntera), having a variety of bright colors, -- Painted cup (Bot.), any plant of an American genus of herbs (Castilleia) in which the bracts are usually bright-colored and more showy than the flowers. Castilleia coccinea h…

so called from the resemblance of its movements to those of the peacock. [Written also pavane, paven, pavian, and pavin.]

rument similar to a mariner's compass, but without magnetic needles, and having two sight vanes by which bearings are taken, esp. such as cannot be taken by the compass.

An American butterfly (Polygonia, or Vanessa, Progne). It is orange and black above, grayish beneath, with an L-shaped silver mark on the hind wings. Called also gray comma.

ies. It furnishes a perfume resembling that of the civet, which is highly prized by the Javanese. Called also Malacca weasel, and lesser civet.

A slender rod or pin on which anything turns; an axis; as, the spindle of a vane. Specifically: --(a) (Mach.)

ng the velocity of running water in a river or canal, consisting of a wheel with inclined vanes, which is turned by the current. The rotations of the wheel are recorded by clockwork.

The sliding crosspiece, or vane, on a leveling staff.

The South American lapwing (Vanellus Cayennensis). Its wings are furnished with short spurs. Called also Cayenne lapwing.

under Goldfinch. -- Thistle butterfly (Zoöl.), a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady. -- Thistle cock (Zoöl.), the corn bunting (Emberiza militaria). [Prov. Eng.] -- Thistle crown, a gold coin of England of the reign of James I., worth f…

Continuing only for a short time; not enduring; fleeting; evanescent. Comfort and succor all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble. Bk. of Com. Prayer. It was not the transitory light of a comet, which shines and glows for a wile, and then . . . vanishes into nothing. South. Transitory action (Law), an act…