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The influence, doctrines, principles, etc., of priests or the priesthood. [R.]

one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence; as, the principal of a faction, a school, a firm, etc.; -- distinguished from a subordinate, abettor, auxiliary, or assistant.

of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle. All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind. Law.…

That which propitiates; atonement or atoning sacrifice; specifically, the influence or effects of the death of Christ in appeasing the divine justice, and conciliating the divine favor. He [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins. 1 John ii. 2.

The quality or state of being next in time, place, causation, influence, etc.; immediate nearness, either in place, blood, or alliance. If he plead proximity of blood That empty title is with ease withstood. Dryden.

dent; discreet; sometimes, selfish or pecuniary as distinguished from higher motives or influences; as, prudential motives. " A prudential line of conduct." Sir W. Scott.

Something in one's favor in a comparison or a contest; an advantage; means of influencing; as, in weights the favorite had the pull. [Slang]

An instrument for measuring the intensity of heat radiating from a fire, or the cooling influence of bodies. It is a differential thermometer, having one bulb coated with gold or silver leaf. [R.]

of the year; hence, one on which any payment, especially rent, becomes due. In matters influenced by United States statutes, quarter days are the first days of January, April, July, and October. In New York and many other places, as between landlord and tenant, they are the first days of May, August, November, and Feb…

To move or influence by railing. [R.] Rail the seal from off my bond. Shak.

ally a private, understanding; in mesmerism, in that relation of sympathy which permits influence or communication.

Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as. If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine. Locke.

The influence of a coil of wire upon an alternating current passing through it, tending to choke or diminish the current, or the similar influence of a condenser; inductive resistance. Reactance is measured in ohms. The reactance of a circuit is equal to the component of the impressed electro-motive force at right angl…

Governed by reason; being under influence of reason; thinking, speaking or acting rationally, or according to the dictates of reason; agreeable to reason; just; rational; as, the measure must satisfy all reasonable men. By indubitable certainty, I mean that which doth not admit of any reasonable cause of doubting. Bp.…

A flowing back; refluence.

Of or pertaining to regeneration; tending to regenerate; as, regenerative influences. H. Bushnell. Regenerative furnace (Metal.), a furnace having a regenerator in which gas used for fuel, and air for supporting combustion, are heated; a Siemens furnace.

To bring under the influence of religion. [R.] Mallock.

rdation of the motion of a ship; -- opposed to Ant: acceleration. The retardations of our fluent motion. De Quinsey.

to appear in court, and the sheriff is to return the writ and his proceedings. -- Return flue, in a steam boiler, a flue which conducts flame or gases of combustion in a direction contrary to their previous movement in another flue. -- Return pipe (Steam Heating), a pipe by which water of condensation from a heater o…

Of the nature of reverberation; tending to reverberate; reflective. This reverberative influence is that which we have intended above, as the influence of the mass upon its centers. I. Taylor.