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An instrument for dividing lines, describing circles, etc., compasses. See Compasses.

sions; graduating. Dividing engine, a machine for graduating circles (as for astronomical instruments) or bars (as for scales); also, for spacing off and cutting teeth in wheels. -- Dividing sinker. (Knitting Mach.). See under Sinker.

do with, teaching. The word of God serveth no otherwise than in the nature of a doctrinal instrument. Hooker.

rt of anything else; -- in its most extended sense, including any writing, book, or other instrument conveying information in the case; any material substance on which the thoughts of men are represented by any species of conventional mark or symbol. Saint Luke . . . collected them from such documents and testimonies a…

A small point or spot, made with a pen or other pointed instrument; a speck, or small mark.

An instrument for augmenting a very small quantity of electricity, so as to render it manifest by sparks or the electroscope.

A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone.

end, or produce, as a line on any surface; hence, also, to form by marking; to make by an instrument of delineation; to produce, as a sketch, figure, or picture.

Any instrument used to gather or take by dragging; as: (a) A dragnet for taking up oysters, etc., from their beds. (b) A dredging machine. (c) An iron frame, with a fine net attached, used in collecting animals living at the bottom of the sea.

An instrument with an edged or pointed end used for making holes in hard substances; strictly, a tool that cuts with its end, by revolving, as in drilling metals, or by a succession of blows, as in drilling stone; also, a drill press.

That which falls in drops; the excrement or dung of animals. Dropping bottle, an instrument used to supply small quantities of a fluid to a test tube or other vessel. -- Dropping fire, a continued irregular discharge of firearms. -- Dropping tube, a tube for ejecting any liquid in drops.

An instrument for measuring the quantity of dew on the surface of a body in the open air. It consists of a balance, having a plate at one end to receive the dew, and at the other a weight protected from the deposit of dew.

An instrument of percussion, consisting either of a hollow cylinder, over each end of which is stretched a piece of skin or vellum, to be beaten with a stick; or of a metallic hemisphere (kettledrum) with a single piece of skin to be so beaten; the common instrument for marking time in martial music; one of the pair of…

An instrument for accurately determining the ductility of metals.

A composition for two performers, whether vocal or instrumental.

An instrument, having stretched metallic wires which are beaten with two light hammers held in the hands of the performer.

An original instrument repeated; a document which is the same as another in all essential particulars, and differing from a mere copy in having all the validity of an original. Burrill.

An instrument for measuring the degree of hardness; especially, an instrument for testing the relative hardness of steel rails and the like.

An instrument for measuring the intensity of the photogenic (light-producing) rays, and computing the power of object glasses.

An instrument for determining the magnifying power of telescopes, consisting usually of a doubleimage micrometer applied to the eye end of a telescope for measuring accurately the diameter of the image of the object glass there formed; which measurement, compared with the actual diameter of the glass, gives the magnify…