Search the Dictionary

of things; invincible necessity; fate; a resistless power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual. But who can turn the stream of destiny Spenser. Fame comes only when deserved, and then is as inevitable as destiny, for it is destiny. Longfellow. The Destinies (Anc. Myt…

The act of determining, or the state of being determined.

.), tables presenting the specific character of minerals, plants, etc., to assist in determining the species to which a specimen belongs.

An instrument for examining the thermal resistance or heat- conducting power of liquids.

Small cubes used in gaming or in determining by chance; also, the game played with dice. See Die, n. Dice coal, a kind of coal easily splitting into cubical fragments. Brande & C.

An instrument for examining the dichroism of crystals.

ates to diet or food; rules for diet. To suppose that the whole of dietetics lies in determining whether or not bread is more nutritive than potatoes. H. Spencer.

ifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities. Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length ÷ time; the dimensions of wo…

An instrument for determining the time of apparent noon. It consists of two mirrors and a plane glass disposed in the form of a prism, so that, by the reflections of the sun's rays from their surfaces, two images are presented to the eye, moving in opposite directions, and coinciding at the instant the sun's center is…

The science of diplomas, or the art of deciphering ancient writings, and determining their age, authenticity, etc.; paleography.

In placer mining, earth, gravel, etc., before washing. Dirt bed (Geom.), a layer of clayey earth forming a stratum in a geological formation. Dirt beds are common among the coal measures. -- Dirt eating. (a) The use of certain kinds of clay for food, existing among some tribes of Indians; geophagism. Humboldt. (b) (Me…

Relating to disquisition; fond discussion or investigation; examining; inquisitive.

r the art of assaying metals; the art of separating metals from foreign matters, and determining the nature and quantity of metallic substances contained in any ore or mineral.

so drift sail, drag sheet, drag anchor, sea anchor, floating anchor, etc. -- Drag twist (Mining), a spiral hook at the end of a rod for cleaning drilled holes.

a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to dress ores, by sorting and separating them.

An instrument for accurately determining the ductility of metals.

- called also smut. -- Gold dust, fine particles of gold, such as are obtained in placer mining; -- often used as money, being transferred by weight. -- In dust and ashes. See under Ashes. -- To bite the dust. See under Bite, v. t. -- To raise, or kick up, dust, to make a commotion. [Colloq.] -- To throw dust in on…

An instrument for determining the magnifying power of telescopes, consisting usually of a doubleimage micrometer applied to the eye end of a telescope for measuring accurately the diameter of the image of the object glass there formed; which measurement, compared with the actual diameter of the glass, gives the magnify…

An instrument for observing the boiling point of liquids, especially for determining the alcoholic strength of a mixture by the temperature at which it boils.

A graduated scale for measuring the duration of sounds, and determining their different, and the relation of their intervals. J. J. Rousseau.