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simple or plain; strange; rare. "Acurious tale" Shak. A multitude of curious analogies. Mocaulay. Many a quaint and curiousvolume of forgotten lore. E. A. Poe. Abstruse investigations in recondite branches of learning or sciense often bring to light curious results. C. J. Smith. Curious arts, magic. [Obs.] Many . . .…

An invocation of, or prayer for, harm or injury; malediction. Lady, you know no rules of charity, Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses. Shak.

t. See Brachystochrone. -- Curve tracing (Math.), the process of determining the shape, location, singular points, and other perculiarities of a curve from its equation. -- Plane curve (Geom.), a curve such that when a plane passes through three points of the curve, it passes through all the other points of the curve…

An apparatus to assist in locating the center of a cyclone.

A colorless, liquid, combustible hydrocarbon, CH3.C6H4.C3H7, of pleasant odor, obtained from oil of cumin, oil of caraway, carvacrol, camphor, etc.; -- called also paracymene, and formerly camphogen.

The fourth letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonent. The English letter is from Latin, which is from Greek, which took it from Phoenician, the probable ultimate origin being Egyptian. It is related most nearly to t and th; as, Eng. deep, G. tief; Eng. daughter, G. tochter, Gr. duhitr. See Guide to Pronunci…

A robe worn on state ocasions, as by English kings at their coronation.

To ocassion damage to the soudness, goodness, or value of; to hurt; to injure; to impair. He . . . came up to the English admiral and gave him a broadside, with which he killed many of his men and damaged the ship. Clarendon.

A kind of modified damask or blocade.

A day's work; also, a fixed amount of work, whether more or less than that of a day. [Local, Eng. & Scott]

An advocate of Darwinism.

A tropical aroid (of the genus Caladium, syn. Colocasia) having an edible farinaceous root. It is related to the taro and to the tanier, but is much superior to it in quality and is as easily cooked as the potato. It is a staple food plant of the tropics, being prepared like potatoes, and has been introduced into the S…

A genus of plants (Hemerocallis) closely resembling true lilies, but having tuberous rootstocks instead of bulbs. The common species have long narrow leaves and either yellow or tawny-orange flowers.

living; reduced to that state of a being in which the organs of motion and life have irrevocably ceased to perform their functions; as, a dead tree; a dead man. "The queen, my lord, is dead." Shak. The crew, all except himself, were dead of hunger. Arbuthnot. Seek him with candle, bring him dead or living. Shak.…

of an incorporation or barristers; specifically, the president of the incorporation of advocates in Edinburgh. -- Dean of guild, a magistrate of Scotch burghs, formerly, and still, in some burghs, chosen by the Guildry, whose duty is to superintend the erection of new buildings and see that they conform to the law. -…

A liquid hydrocarbon, C10H22, of the paraffin series, including several isomeric modifications.

One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H20, of the ethylene series.

Free from ambiguity; unequivocal; unmistakable; unquestionable; clear; evident; as, a decided advantage. "A more decided taste for science." Prescott.

One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H15, of the acetylene series; -- called also decenylene.

ntroversy; putting an end to contest or controversy; final; conclusive. "A decisive, irrevocable doom." Bates. "Decisive campaign." Macaulay. "Decisive proof." Hallam.