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A piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction. Knife-edge file. See Illust. of File.

less decomposable than the mass of the rock, and forming knots in relief on the weathered surface; as, knotted rocks. Percival.

bbage, in which the edible part is a large, turnip-shaped swelling of the stem, above the surface of the ground.

The ceiling or under surface of any part, especially when it consists of compartments, sunk or hollowed without spaces or bands between the panels. Gwilt

Having a smooth surface, as if polished.

A large body of water contained in a depression of the earth's surface, and supplied from the drainage of a more or less extended area.

Playing on the surface; touching lightly; gliding over. "A lambent flame." Dryden. "A lambent style." Beaconsfield.

The solid part of the surface of the earth; -- opposed to water as constituting a part of such surface, especially to oceans and seas; as, to sight land after a long voyage. They turn their heads to sea, their sterns to land. Dryden.

with bacon; to dress or enrich with lard; esp., to insert lardons of bacon or pork in the surface of, before roasting; as, to lard poultry. And larded thighs on loaded altars laid. Dryden.

itude, etc. See under Ascending. Circle, etc. -- High latitude, that part of the earth's surface near either pole, esp. that part within either the arctic or the antarctic circle. -- Low latitude, that part of the earth's surface which is near the equator.

ows out in streams sometimes miles in length. It also issues from fissures in the earth's surface, and forms beds covering many square miles, as in the Northwestern United States.

To spread on a surface; as, to lay plaster or paint.

Something which is like a leaf in being wide and thin and having a flat surface, or in being attached to a larger body by one edge or end; as : (a) A part of a book or folded sheet containing two pages upon its opposite sides. (b) A side, division, or part, that slides or is hinged, as of window shutters, folding doors…

The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. Gwilt. [Written also ledgement, legement, and ligement.]

Rays emanating from the outer surface of a plate composed of any material permeable by cathode rays, as aluminium, which forms a portion of a wall of a vacuum tube, or which is mounted within the tube and exposed to radiation from the cathode. Lenard rays are similar in all their known properties to cathode rays. So ca…

A piece of glass, or other transparent substance, ground with two opposite regular surfaces, either both curved, or one curved and the other plane, and commonly used, either singly or combined, in optical instruments, for changing the direction of rays of light, and thus magnifying objects, or otherwise modifying visio…

To insert, or imbed, as a piece of wood, in a recess formed in a surface for the purpose. To let loose, to remove restraint from; to permit to wander at large. -- To let off (a) To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; to fire the charge of, as a gun. (b) To release, as from an engagement or obligation. [Colloq.] To let…

A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of still water; -- this is the true level, and is a curve or surface in which all points are equally distant from the center of the earth, or rather would be so if the ear…

l line, for ascertaining the differences of level between different points of the earth's surface included in a survey, for establishing grades, etc., as in finding the descent of a river, or locating a line of railroad. Leveling instrument. See Surveyor's level, under Level, n. -- Leveling staff, a graduated rod or s…

Technically, to make smooth by rubbing in a moist condition between hard surfaces, as in grinding pigments.