Search the Dictionary

A kind of brass hammered into thin sheets, formerly much used for making church utensils, as candlesticks, crosses, etc.; -- called also latten brass. He had a cross of latoun full of stones. Chaucer.

It is coated with tin foil, within and without, nearly to its top, and is surmounted by a brass knob which communicates with the inner coating, for the purpose of charging it with electricity. It is so named from having been invented in Leyden, Holland.

permanent; to last; -- said of inanimate objects, ideas, etc. Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues We write in water. Shak.

A kind of brass made in imitation of gold. It contains eighty per cent of copper and twenty of zinc. Ure.

A mixture of metals resembling brass.

A kind of brass. See Maslin. [Obs.]

added. It is named from the inventor. -- Prince's metal (Old Chem.), an alloy resembling brass, consisting of three parts of copper to one of zinc; -- also called Prince Rupert's metal.

vered with a thin solution of lime, whiting, and size. When written upon with a pewter or brass pencil, the lines can hardly be effaced. -- Metallic tinking (Med.), a sound heard in the chest, when a cavity communicating with the air passages contains both air and liquid.

line bisecting the angle of junction, as by the beveled ends of two pieces of molding or brass rule, etc. The term is used especially when the pieces form a right angle. See Miter, 2. -- Miter shell (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of marine univalve shells of the genus Mitra. -- Miter square (Carp.), a bevel wi…

al; preserving memory. "Of pine, or monumental oak." Milton. A work outlasting monumental brass. Pope.

The name of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica (formerly Sinapis), as white mustard (B. alba), black mustard (B. Nigra), wild mustard or charlock (B. Sinapistrum).

A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument, in order to deaden or soften the tone.

A kind of small turnip, a variety of Brassica campestris. See Brassica. [Writen also naphew.]

A thing of brass; -- the name under which the Israelites worshiped the brazen serpent made by Moses. 2 Kings xviii. 4.

Shining sparks thrown off from melted brass.

d at each end, for connecting two other fittings. Solder nipple, a short pipe, usually of brass, one end of which is tapered and adapted for attachment to the end of a lead pipe by soldering.

he neither is omitted and implied by the use of nor. Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass, in your purses, nor scrip for your journey. Matt. x. 9, 10. Where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. Matt. vi. 20. I love him not, nor fear him. Shak. Where neither party is nor true, nor kind. Shak. Simois nor Xanthus sha…

ven would soar, And would not be obliged to God for more. Dryden. The gates before it are brass, and the whole much obliged to Pope Urban VIII. Evelyn. I shall be more obliged to you than I can express. Mrs. E. Montagu.

A large brass wind instrument, formerly used in the orchestra and in military bands, having a loud tone, deep pitch, and a compass of three octaves; -- now generally supplanted by bass and contrabass tubas. Moore (Encyc. of Music).

nts, many of each kind, together with a proper complement of wind instruments of wood and brass; -- as distinguished from a military or street band of players on wind instruments, and from an assemblage of solo players for the rendering of concerted pieces, such as septets, octets, and the like.