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The ratio of useful work to energy expended. Rankine. Efficiency of a heat engine, the ratio of the work done an engine, to the work due to the heat supplied to it.

is; actively operative; not inactive, slack, or incapable; characterized by energetic and useful activity; as, an efficient officer, power. The efficient cause is the working cause. Wilson.

extended sense, the art and science by which the mechanical properties of matter are made useful to man in structures and machines; the occupation and work of an engineer.

Furniture or outfit, whether useful or ornamental; especially, the furniture and supplies of a vessel, fitting her for a voyage or for warlike purposes, or the furniture and necessaries of an army, a body of troops, or a single soldier, including whatever is necessary for efficient service; equipments; accouterments; h…

To utilize; to make available; to get the value or usefulness out of; as, to exploit a mine or agricultural lands; to exploit public opinion. [Recent]

To enlarge; to widen; to carry out further; as, to extend the capacities, the sphere of usefulness, or commerce; to extend power or influence; to continue, as time; to lengthen; to prolong; as, to extend the time of payment or a season of trail.

y or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note under Apologue. Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldest extant. Addison .

expansion separates the fibers. -- Fiber plants (Bot.), plants capable of yielding fiber useful in the arts, as hemp, flax, ramie, agave, etc.

es or flows; a basin built and constantly supplied with pure water for drinking and other useful purposes, or for ornament.

t. Francis of the Franciscans. Franciscan Brothers, pious laymen who devote themselves to useful works, such as manual labor schools, and other educational institutions; -- called also Brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis. -- Franciscan Nuns, nuns who follow the rule of t. Francis, esp. those of the Second Order…

To supply with anything necessary, useful, or appropriate; to provide; to equip; to fit out, or fit up; to adorn; as, to furnish a family with provisions; to furnish one with arms for defense; to furnish a Cable; to furnish the mind with ideas; to furnish one with knowledge or principles; to furnish an expedition or en…

Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain; worthless. "Futile theories." I. Taylor. His reasoning . . . was singularly futile. Macaulay.

l, to equalize chances by conceding a certain advantage; to allow a handicap. (b) To give useful suggestions. [Colloq.] -- To give rein. See under Rein, n. -- To give the sack . Same as To give the bag. -- To give and take. (a) To average gains and losses. (b) To exchange freely, as blows, sarcasms, etc. -- To give…

dapted to answer the end designed; promoting success, welfare, or happiness; serviceable; useful; fit; excellent; admirable; commendable; not bad, corrupt, evil, noxious, offensive, or troublesome, etc. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Gen. i. 31. Good company, good wine, good welc…

Furnishing help; giving aid; assistant; useful; salutary. Heavens make our presence and our practices Pleasant and helpful to him! Shak. -- Help"ful*ly, adv. -- Help"ful*ness, n. Milton.

To impar the value, usefulness, beauty, or pleasure of; to damage; to injure; to harm. Virtue may be assailed, but never hurt. Milton.

being imitated or copied. The characters of man placed in lower stations of life are more usefull, as being imitable by great numbers. Atterbury.

Designed to imitate another species of animal, or a plant, or inanimate object, for some useful purpose, such as protection from enemies; having resamblance to something else; as, imitative colors; imitative habits; dendritic and mammillary forms of minerals are imitative. -- Im"i*ta*tive*ly, adv. -- Im"i*ta*tive*nes…

anced; to rise in value; as, the price of cotton improves. To improve on or upon, to make useful additions or amendments to, or changes in; to bring nearer to perfection; as, to improve on the mode of tillage.

A useful addition to, or modification of, a machine, manufacture, or composition. Kent.