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The property of crystallizing under two or more distinct fundamental forms, including dimorphism and trimorphism.

A plume or collection of ornamental feathers.

One who prepares or deals in ornamental plumes or feathers.

An ornamental tuft of feathers.

by the constitution or the legislature, and in the exercise of which the most local governmental organizations should participate as far as possible (Burgess). Under this limitation the police power, as affecting persons, is the power of the state to protect the public against the abuse of individual liberty, that is,…

A person who poses or attitudizes, esp. mentally.

lished conveyance for letters from one place or station to another; especially, the governmental system in any country for carrying and distributing letters and parcels; the post office; the mail; hence, the carriage by which the mail is transported. I send you the fair copy of the poem on dullness, which I should not…

Mental or moral ability to act; one of the faculties which are possessed by the mind or soul; as, the power of thinking, reasoning, judging, willing, fearing, hoping, etc. I. Watts. The guiltiness of my mind, the sudden surprise of my powers, drove the grossness . . . into a received belief. Shak.

cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce; -- used with by or with before the instrumental object. [R.] It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. Kent.

age; exceeding what is to be expected of one's years; too forward; -- used especially of mental forwardness; as, a precocious child; precocious talents.

or state of being precocious; untimely ripeness; premature development, especially of the mental powers; forwardness. Saucy precociousness in learning. Bp. Mannyngham. That precocity which sometimes distinguishes uncommon genius. Wirt.

Tending to obstruct or impair; hurtful; injurious; disadvantageous; detrimental. Hooker. His going away . . . was most prejudicial and most ruinous to the king's affairs. Clarendon. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ly, adv. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ness, n.

An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; -- used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise.…

An ornamental tray, dish, or the like, used as a salver.

Fitted for trial beforehand; experimental. [R.] Sir H. Wotton.

First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original. The church of Christ, in its primary institution. Bp. Pearson. These I call original, or primary, qualities of body. Locke.

s.), that chord, the lowest note of which is of the same literal denomination as the fundamental base of the harmony; -- opposed to derivative. Moore (Encyc. of Music). -- Primitive circle (Spherical Projection), the circle cut from the sphere to be projected, by the primitive plane. -- Primitive colors (Paint.), pri…

First born, made, or generated; original; primary; elemental; as, primogenial light. Glanvill.

A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous. Specifically:

First principles; fundamental beginnings; elements; as. Newton's Principia.