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being manifested in a variety of ways, -- as that quality in plants by which they exhibit motion under suitable stimulation; esp., the property which living muscle processes, of responding either to a direct stimulus of its substance, or to the stimulating influence of its nerve fibers, the response being indicated by…

exciting muscle fibers to contraction, by artificial stimulation; as, the irritation of a motor nerve by electricity; also, the condition of a muscle and nerve, under such stimulation.

A common American moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), of an isabella color. The larva, called woolly bear and hedgehog caterpillar, is densely covered with hairs, which are black at each end of the body, and red in the middle part.

The principal goddess worshiped by the Egyptians. She was regarded as the mother of Horus, and the sister and wife of Osiris. The Egyptians adored her as the goddess of fecundity, and as the great benefactress of their country, who instructed their ancestors in the art of agriculture.

To make, or tend to make (the motion of a moving body), uniform in rate of rotation, or in frequency of vibration.

To cause a short, tremulous motion of, to cause to tremble, as by a sudden shock or blow; to shake; to shock; as, to jar the earth; to jar one's faith.

A shaking; a tremulous motion; as, the jarring of a steamship, caused by its engines.

posed to suspect rivalry in matters of interest and affection; apprehensive regarding the motives of possible rivals, or the fidelity of friends; distrustful; having morbid fear of rivalry in love or preference given to another; painfully suspicious of the faithfulness of husband, wife, or lover. If the spirit of jealo…

lohist]. He is fuller and freer in his descriptions; more reflective in his assignment of motives and causes; more artificial in mode of narration. S. Davidson.

To throw with a quick and suddenly arrested motion of the hand; as, to jerk a stone.

rew; a court fool. This . . . was Yorick's skull, the king's jester. Shak. Dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear. Longfellow.

-- Jet pump, a device in which a small jet of steam, air, water, or other fluid, in rapid motion, lifts or otherwise moves, by its impulse, a larger quantity of the fluid with which it mingles.

horizontal table carrying a revolving mold, on which earthen vessels are shaped by rapid motion; a potter's wheel.

A jolting motion; a jogging pace.

A rub; a slight stop; an obstruction; hence, an irregularity in motion of from; a hitch; a break in the direction of a line or the surface of a plane. Glanvill. Jog trot, a slow, regular, jolting gait; hence, a routine habit or method, persistently adhered to. T. Hook.

A joining of two things or parts so as to admit of motion; an articulation, whether movable or not; a hinge; as, the knee joint; a node or joint of a stem; a ball and socket joint. See Articulation. A scaly gauntlet now, with joints of steel, Must glove this hand. Shak. To tear thee joint by joint. Milton.…

To cause to shake with a sudden up and down motion, as in a carriage going over rough ground, or on a high-trotting horse; as, the horse jolts the rider; fast driving jolts the carriage and the passengers.

of Jump, to leap. Jumping bean, a seed of a Mexican Euphorbia, containing the larva of a moth (Carpocapsa saltitans). The larva by its sudden movements causes the seed to roll to roll and jump about. -- Jumping deer (Zoöl.), a South African rodent (Pedetes Caffer), allied to the jerboa. -- Jumping jack, a toy figure…

; requital of desert; merited reward or punishment; that which is due to one's conduct or motives. This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. Shak.

a reflecting knob at the end of a vibrating rod or thin plate, for making visible, in the motion of a point of light reflected from the knob, the paths or curves corresponding with the musical notes produced by the vibrations.