Search the Dictionary

Of or pertaining to the schoolmen and divines of the Middle Ages (see Schoolman); as, scholastic divinity or theology; scholastic philosophy. Locke.

of the seminaries for teaching logic, metaphysics, and theology, which were formed in the Middle Ages, and which were characterized by academical disputations and subtilties of reasoning. At Cambridge the philosophy of Descartes was still dominant in the schools. Macaulay.

the popular name of several dwarfish species of oak. The scrub oak of New England and the Middle States is Quercus ilicifolia, a scraggy shrub; that of the Southern States is a small tree (Q. Catesbæi); that of the Rocky Mountain region is Q. undulata, var. Gambelii. -- Scrub robin (Zoöl.), an Australian singing bird…

e (Art), that part of a picture between the foreground and the background; -- called also middle ground, or middle distance. [R.] -- Second estate (Eng.), the House of Peers. -- Second girl, a female house-servant who does the lighter work, as chamber work or waiting on table. -- Second intention. See under Intention…

ldren in which they are seated upon the opposite ends of a plank which is balanced in the middle, and move alternately up and down.

An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands. Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale. Milton. Phili…

In european geology, a name given to the middle division of the Upper Cretaceous formation.

An agent that sensitizes. The sensitizer should be poured on the middle of the sheet. Wilis & Clements (The Platinotype).

ice hat is of soft felt of khaki color, with broad brim and high crown, creased down the middle.

A humming bird (Thaumastura cora) having two of the tail feathers next to the middle ones very long in the male; -- called also cora humming bird.

The middle part of an anchor, or that part which is between the ring and the arms. See Illustr. of Anchor.

projection of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the middle line of the vessel. -- Sheer pole (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines. -- Sheer strake (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale on the top side. Totten. --…

The Japanese warrior gentry or middle class, formerly called samurai; also, any member of this class.

), posts in a truss, usually placed in pairs, each post set at the same distance from the middle of the truss, for supporting the principal rafters, hanging the tiebeam, etc. -- Side rod. (a) One of the rods which connect the piston-rod crosshead with the side levers, in a side-lever engine. (b) See Parallel rod, unde…

A short sleep taken about the middle of the day, or after dinner; a midday nap.

A work raised in the middle of a wide ditch, to defend it. Crabb.

ver fir (Bot.), a coniferous tree (Abies pectinata) found in mountainous districts in the middle and south of Europe, where it often grows to the height of 100 or 150 feet. It yields Burgundy pitch and Strasburg turpentine. -- Silver foil, foil made of silver. -- Silver fox (Zoöl.), a variety of the common fox (Vulpe…

ral and religious topics, and commonly satirical, -- often used by the troubadours of the Middle Ages.

issing his guards and retaining his power, committed a dangerous solecism in politics. C. Middleton. The idea of having committed the slightest solecism in politeness was agony to him. Sir W. Scott.

Thickest in the middle, and tapering to both ends; fusiform; -- applied chiefly to roots.