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A Chinese musical instrument, consisting of resonant stones or metal plates, arranged according to their tones in a frame of wood, and struck with a hammer.

An instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife, drawing knife, putty knife, pallet knife, pocketknife, penknife, chopping knife, etc.

One who, or that which, knocks; specifically, an instrument, or kind of hammer, fastened to a door, to be used in seeking for admittance. Shut, shut the door, good John ! fatigued, knocker; say I'm sick, I'm dead. Pope.

A reed instrument of music of the cornet kind, now obsolete (see Cornet, 1, a.)

(Mus.) A Turkish instrument of music, with a hollow body covered with skin, over which five strings are stretched. [Written also kussir.]

An instrument for measuring, and recording graphically, the pressure of the blood in any of the blood vessels of a living animal; -- called also kymographion.

An instrument for determining the amount of butter fat contained in a given sample of milk.

An instrument for estimating the purity or richness of milk, as a measuring glass, a specific gravity bulb, or other apparatus.

An instrument for estimating the amount of cream contained in milk by ascertaining its relative opacity.

An instrument for drawing the charge of a cannon.

A light-producing vessel, instrument or apparatus; especially, a vessel with a wick used for the combustion of oil or other inflammable liquid, for the purpose of producing artificial light.

An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.

A surgical instrument of various forms, commonly sharp-pointed and two-edged, used in venesection, and in opening abscesses, etc.

The expression of ideas by writing, or any other instrumentality.

An instrument for recording the larynx movements in speech.

An instrument, consisting of an arrangement of two mirrors, for reflecting light upon the larynx, and for examining its image.

An instrument for performing laryngotomy.

and only by a strong exertion of the will; languor; debility; weariness. The corporeal instruments of action being strained to a high pitch . . . will soon feel a lassitude. Barrow.

the people. -- Law Latin, that kind of late, or low, Latin, used in statutes and legal instruments; -- often barbarous.

A kind of hooked instrument for untwisting old cordage.