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uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination.

The act of uniting, or the state of being united; junction. [Obs.] Wiseman.

Concord; harmony; conjunction; agreement; uniformity; as, a unity of proofs; unity of doctrine. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ps. cxxxiii. 1.

cialized; specifically (Biol.), not adapted, or set apart, for any particular purpose or function; as, an unspecialized unicellular organism. W. K. Brooks.

To commit forcible seizure of place, power, functions, or the like, without right; to commit unjust encroachments; to be, or act as, a usurper. The parish churches on which the Presbyterians and fanatics had usurped. Evelyn. And now the Spirits of the Mind Are busy with poor Peter Bell; Upon the rights of visual sense…

ure or tension of a confined body of vapor. The pressure of a given saturated vapor is a function of the temperature only, and may be measured by introducing a small quantity of the substance into a barometer and noting the depression of the column of mercury.

es in their environment, thus possibly giving rise to ultimate variation of structure or function.

ges are supposed to be given to x, then x is the independent variable, and y is called a function of x. There may be two or more independent variables in an equation or problem. Cf. Dependent variable, under Dependent.

embers of this order of ecclesiastics frequently have charge of dioceses, with episcopal functions.

Of or pertaining to the vessels of animal and vegetable bodies; as, the vascular functions.

nlargement of the systems of nutrition, apart from the sensorial or distinctively animal functions; vegetal. -- Veg"e*ta*tive*ly, adv. -- Veg"e*ta*tive*ness, n.

Germany from the end of the 12th century to the middle of the 16th, usurping many of the functions of the government which were too weak to maintain law and order, and inspiring dread in all who came within their jurisdiction. Encyc. Brit.

Fig.: Any cavity, or hollow place, in which any function may be conceived of as operating. These [ideas] are begot on the ventricle of memory. Shak.

Turned. Versed sine. See under Sine, and Illust. of Functions.

One deputed or authorized to perform the functions of another; a substitute in office; a deputy. [R.]

Acting as a substitute; -- said of abnormal action which replaces a suppressed normal function; as, vicarious hemorrhage replacing menstruation.

onsul Etym: [cf. F. vice-consul], a subordinate officer, authorized to exercise consular functions in some particular part of a district controlled by a consul. -- Vice king, one who acts in the place of a king; a viceroy. -- Vice legate Etym: [cf. F. vice-légat], a legate second in rank to, or acting in place of, an…

A certain function relating to a system of forces and their points of application, -- first used by Clausius in the investigation of problems in molecular physics.

Belonging or relating to life, either animal or vegetable; as, vital energies; vital functions; vital actions.

The doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical and physical forces.