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In an indefinite manner or degree; without any settled limitation; vaguely; not with certainty or exactness; as, to use a word indefinitely. If the world be indefinitely extended, that is, so far as no human intellect can fancy any bound of it. Ray.

Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. Paley. Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis which has for its object the solution of indeterminate problems. -- Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients arbitrarily assumed for convenience o…

A certain conic section supposed to be drawn in the tangent plane to any surface, and used to determine the accidents of curvature of the surface at the point of contact. The curve is similar to the intersection of the surface with a parallel to the tangent plane and indefinitely near it. It is an ellipse when the curv…

A writ of prohibition against proceeding in the spiritual court in certain cases, when the suit belongs to the common-law courts. Wharton (Law Dict. ).

In an indistinct manner; not clearly; confusedly; dimly; as, certain ideas are indistinctly comprehended. In its sides it was bounded distinctly, but on its ends confusedly an indistinctly. Sir I. Newton.

A rare metallic element, discovered in certain ores of zinc, by means of its characteristic spectrum of two indigo blue lines; hence, its name. In appearance it resembles zinc, being white or lead gray, soft, malleable and easily fusible, but in its chemical relation it resembles aluminium or gallium. Symbol In. Atomic…

A substance resembling indigo blue, obtained artificially from certain isatogen compounds.

blue dyestuffs, resembling indigo in appearance, and obtained by the action of phenol on certain nitrogenous derivatives of quinone. Simple indophenol proper has not yet been isolated.

Not dubious or doubtful; certain.

dubitable or doubtful; too evident to admit of doubt; unquestionable; evident; apparently certain; as, an indubitable conclusion. -- n.

unquestionably; in a manner to remove all doubt. Oracles indubitably clear and infallibly certain. Barrow.

Not questioned or doubtful; evident; certain. [Obs.] Bacon.

lars. Sir W. Hamilton. Induction is the process by which we conclude that what is true of certain individuals of a class, is true of the whole class, or that what is true at certain times will be true in similar circumstances at all times. J. S. Mill.

he stator, and the other rotating, called the rotor, these two members corresponding to a certain extent to the field and armature of a direct-current motor.

Facilitating induction; susceptible of being acted upon by induction; as certain substances have a great inductive capacity. Inductive embarrassment (Physics), the retardation in signaling on an electric wire, produced by lateral induction. -- Inductive philosophy or method. See Philosophical induction, under Inductio…

character, manner, sensibility, etc.; obduracy; stiffness; want of pliancy or feeling. A certain induration of character had arisen from long habits of business. Coleridge.

Of, pertaining to, or containing, the petrified cases of the larvæ of certain insects. Indusial limestone (Geol.), a fresh-water limestone, largely composed of the agglomerated cases of caddice worms, or larvæ of caddice flies (Phryganea). It is found in Miocene strata of Auvergne, France, and some other localities.…

A peculiar covering found in certain fungi.

Not evitable; incapable of being shunned; unavoidable; certain. "The inevitable hour." Gray. It was inevitable; it was necessary; it was planted in the nature of things. Burke.

The state of being unavoidable; certainty to happen. Prideaux.