Search the Dictionary

A kind of whip for flogging criminals, formerly much used in Russia. The last is a tapering bundle of leather thongs twisted with wire and hardened, so that it mangles the flesh.

Rather narrow, tapering to a point at the apex, and sometimes at the base also; as, a lanceolate leaf.

vent their being weakened by fretting. Marline spike, Marling spike (Naut.), an iron tool tapering to a point, used to separate the strands of a rope in splicing and in marling. It has an eye in the thick end to which a lanyard is attached. See Fid. [Written also marlin spike] -- Marline-spike bird. Etym: [The name all…

ng two other fittings. Solder nipple, a short pipe, usually of brass, one end of which is tapered and adapted for attachment to the end of a lead pipe by soldering.

A short tube, usually tapering, forming the vent of a hose or pipe.

An upright, four-sided pillar, gradually tapering as it rises, and terminating in a pyramid called pyramidion. It is ordinarily monolithic. Egyptian obelisks are commonly covered with hieroglyphic writing from top to bottom.

Having a tapered tail, with the middle feathers longest; -- said of birds.

-- Moss pink. See under Moss. -- Pink needle, the pin grass; -- so called from the long, tapering points of the carpels. See Alfilaria. -- Sea pink. See Thrift.

A northern duck (Dafila acuta), native of both continents. The adult male has a long, tapering tail. Called also gray duck, piketail, piket-tail, spike-tail, split-tail, springtail, sea pheasant, and gray widgeon.

A high, tapering silk hat. [Slang, U.S.]

Anything which tapers to a sharp, well-defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.

A switch made up of a rail from each track, both rails being tapered far back and connected to throw alongside the through rail of either track.

One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned. Oxf. Gloss.

A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material, used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their natural hair. [Local, U.S.]

Like a rat's tale in form; as, a rat-tail file, which is round, slender, and tapering. See Illust. of File.

Having a long, tapering tail like that of a rat. Rat-tailed larva (Zoöl.), the larva of a fly of the genus Eristalis. See Eristalis. -- Rat-tailed serpent (Zoöl.), the fer-de-lance. -- Rat-tailed shrew (Zoöl.), the musk shrew.

e Round Table, under Knight. -- Round tower, one of certain lofty circular stone towers, tapering from the base upward, and usually having a conical cap or roof, which crowns the summit, -- found chiefly in Ireland. They are of great antiquity, and vary in heigh from thirty-five to one hundred and thiry feet. -- Roun…

ce which is to be united to another by a scarf joint, the part of the end or edge that is tapered off, rabbeted, or notched so as to be thinner than the rest of the piece.

lantern or cased support for a candle; hence, a fixed hanging or projecting candlestick. Tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-colored, oiled paper, that the wind might not annoy them. Evelyn. Golden sconces hang not on the walls. Dryden.

ity or state of shining; brightness; luster, gloss; polish; sheen. Now sits not girt with taper's holy shine. Milton. Fair opening to some court's propitious shine. Pope. The distant shine of the celestial city. Hawthorne.