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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,397 words match “INSTRUMENT”

FLUTE n.
A musical wind instrument, consisting of a hollow cylinder or pipe, with holes along its length, stopped by the fingers or by keys which are opened by the fingers. The modern flute is closed at the upper end, and blown with the mouth at a lateral hole. The breathing flute's soft notes are heard around. Pope.…
FLUVIOGRAPH n.
An instrument for measuring and recording automatically the rise and fall of a river.
FLUVIOMETER n.
An instrument for measuring the height of water in a river; a river gauge.
FOCIMETER n.
(Photog.) An assisting instrument for focusing an object in or before a camera. Knight.
FOLDER n.
One who, or that which, folds; esp., a flat, knifelike instrument used for folding paper.
FORCEPS n.
A pair of pinchers, or tongs; an instrument for grasping, holding firmly, or exerting traction upon, bodies which it would be inconvenient or impracticable to seize with the fingers, especially one for delicate operations, as those of watchmakers, surgeons, accoucheurs, dentists, etc.
FORCER n.
The solid piston of a force pump; the instrument by which water is forced in a pump.
FORESTAFF n.
An instrument formerly used at sea for taking the altitudes of heavenly bodies, now superseded by the sextant; -- called also cross- staff. Brande & C.
FORGERY n.
o be made by another; the false making or material alteration of or addition to a written instrument for the purpose of deceit and fraud; as, the forgery of a bond. Bouvier.
FORK n.
An instrument consisting consisting of a handle with a shank terminating in two or more prongs or tines, which are usually of metal, parallel and slightly curved; -- used from piercing, holding, taking up, or pitching anything.
FOURCHETTE n.
An instrument used to raise and support the tongue during the cutting of the frænum.
FREE-HAND a.
Done by the hand, without support, or the guidance of instruments; as, free-hand drawing. See under Drawing.
FRENCH a.
rum (H. coronarium); -- called also garland honeysuckle. -- French horn, a metallic wind instrument, consisting of a long tube twisted into circular folds and gradually expanding from the mouthpiece to the end at which the sound issues; -- called in France cor de chasse. -- French leave, an informal, hasty, or secret…
FRET n. 2 definitions
t piece of wire, or other material fixed across the finger board of a guitar or a similar instrument, to indicate where the finger is to be placed.
FRICTION n.
achine, an electrical machine, generating electricity by friction. -- Friction meter, an instrument for measuring friction, as in testing lubricants. -- Friction powder, Friction composition, a composition of chlorate of potassium, antimony, sulphide, etc, which readily ignites by friction. -- Friction primer, Frict…
FRIZ v.
To soften and make of even thickness by rubbing, as with pumice stone or a blunt instrument. Frizzing machine. (a) (Fabrics) A machine for frizzing the surface of cloth. (b) (Wood Working) A bench with a revolving cutter head slightly protruding above its surface, for dressing boards.
FROST n.
rn black, without the formation of hoarfrost. -- Frost bearer (Physics), a philosophical instrument illustrating the freezing of water in a vacuum; a cryophous. -- Frost grape (Bot.), an American grape, with very small, acid berries. -- Frost lamp, a lamp placed below the oil tube of an Argand lamp to keep the oil l…
FULL a.
ll, and lying as near the wind as poesible. -- Full band (Mus.), a band in which all the instruments are employed. -- Full binding, the binding of a book when made wholly of leather, as distinguished from half binding. -- Full bottom, a kind of wig full and large at the bottom. -- Full brother or sister, a brother…
GAD n.
A pointed or wedge-shaped instrument of metal, as a steel wedge used in mining, etc. I will go get a leaf of brass, And with a gad of steel will write these words. Shak.
GALACTOMETER n.
An instrument for ascertaining the quality of milk (i.e., its richness in cream) by determining its specific gravity; a lactometer.
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