Search the Dictionary

Either one of the Bears. See the Phrases below. Ursa Major Etym: [L.], the Great Bear, one of the most conspicuous of the northern constellations. It is situated near the pole, and contains the stars which form the Dipper, or Charles's Wain, two of which are the Pointers, or stars which point towards the North Star. -…

The condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.; as, a vacuum of 26 inches of mercury, or 13 pounds per square inch. Vacuum brake, a kind of continuous brake operated by exhausting the a…

ith zinc dust in an air tight receptacle to a temperature of about 600º F., which is 188º below the melting point of zinc, or by exposing the articles to vapor from molten zinc in a separate receptacle, using hydrogen or other reducing gas to prevent oxidation.

table alkali (Chem.), an alkaloid. -- Vegetable brimstone. (Bot.) See Vegetable sulphur, below. -- Vegetable butter (Bot.), a name of several kinds of concrete vegetable oil; as that produced by the Indian butter tree, the African shea tree, and the Pentadesma butyracea, a tree of the order Guttiferæ, also African. S…

al, or neural, cavity above the notochord or backbone, and a ventral, or visceral, cavity below it. The subdivisions or classes of Vertebrata are Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia, Pisces, Marsipobranchia, and Leptocardia.

tion, or altitude, when reckoned from the horizon upward, and of depression when downward below the horizon. -- Vertical anthers (Bot.), such anthers as stand erect at the top of the filaments. -- Vertical circle (Astron.), an azimuth circle. See under Azimuth. -- Vertical drill, an drill. See under Upright. -- Ver…

e consul, etc. Vice admiral. Etym: [Cf. F. vice-amiral.] (a) An officer holding rank next below an admiral. By the existing laws, the rank of admiral and vice admiral in the United States Navy will cease at the death of the present incumbents. (b) A civil officer, in Great Britain, appointed by the lords commissioners…

The largest instrument of the bass-viol kind, having strings tuned an octave below those of the violoncello; the contrabasso; -- called also double bass. [Written also violono.]

integrity of character; purity of soul; performance of duty. Virtue only makes our bliss below. Pope. If there's Power above us, And that there is all nature cries aloud Through all her works, he must delight in virtue. Addison.

A nobleman of the fourth rank, next in order below an earl and next above a baron; also, his degree or title of nobility. See Peer, n., 3. [Eng.] Chaucer.

stron.), the arc which measures the least distance from the sun at which, when the sun is below the horizon, a star or planet emerging from his rays becomes visible. -- Beatific vision (Theol.), the immediate sight of God in heaven. -- Direct vision (Opt.), vision when the image of the object falls directly on the ye…

That part of the human body which is immediately below the ribs or thorax; the small part of the body between the thorax and hips. Chaucer. I am in the waist two yards about. Shak.

e, a kind of traveling crane. See under Crane. -- Walking fern. (Bot.) See Walking leaf, below. -- Walking fish (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of Asiatic fishes of the genus Ophiocephalus, some of which, as O. marulius, become over four feet long. They have a special cavity over the gills lined with a membrane…

a case for holding a watch, or in which it is kept. -- Watch chain. Same as watch guard, below. -- Watch clock, a watchman's clock; see under Watchman. -- Watch fire, a fire lighted at night, as a signal, or for the use of a watch or guard. -- Watch glass. (a) A concavo-convex glass for covering the face, or dial,…

agidæ. These birds usually have a large and conspicuous wattle of naked skin hanging down below each ear. They are natives of Australia and adjacent islands.

Right of way. See below. By the way, in passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though connected with, the main object or subject of discourse. -- By way of, for the purpose of; as being; in character of. -- Covert way. (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered. -- In the family way. See under Family. -- In the way, so a…

ur, a short-tailed lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus). It is reddish brown above, grayish brown below, with the throat white.

inancially embarrassed. [Colloq. U. S.] Bartlett. -- Weather box. Same as Weather house, below. Thackeray. -- Weather breeder, a fine day which is supposed to presage foul weather. -- Weather bureau, a popular name for the signal service. See Signal service, under Signal, a. [U.S.] -- Weather cloth (Naut.), a long p…

of a wheel. "In no breathless whirl." J. H. Newman. The rapid . . . whirl of things here below interrupt not the inviolable rest and calmness of the noble beings above. South.

Same as Whittle shawl, below. Whittle shawl, a kind of fine woolen shawl, originally and especially a white one.