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A term used to denote all of the elements or factors which constitute vitality or vital energy. H. Spencer.

to part gold from silver. The liver minds his own affair, . . . And parts and strains the vital juices. Prior.

orrhage or dropsy, characterized by relaxation of the vessels and tissues, with deficient vitality and lack of reaction in the affected tissues. Passive congestion (Med.), congestion due to obstruction to the return of the blood from the affected part. -- Passive iron (Chem.), iron which has been subjected to the acti…

, such as wines, milk, etc., by exposure to a temperature of 140º F., thus destroying the vitality of the contained germs or ferments.

quality or state of being periodical, or regularly recurrent; as, the periodicity in the vital phenomena of plants. Henfrey.

See Vital force, under Vital.

a of life are to be explained upon purely chemical and physical principles; -- opposed to vitalist.

The germ history of the functions, or the history of the development of vital activities, in the individual, being one of the branches of ontogeny. See Morphogeny. Haeckel.

The tribal history of the functions, or the history of the paleontological development of vital activities, -- being a branch of phylogeny. See Morphophyly. Haeckel.

Hence: The which contains the strength of life; the vital or essential part; concentrated force; vigor; strength; importance; as, the speech lacked pith. Enterprises of great pith and moment. Shak. Pith paper. Same as Rice paper, under Rice.

A latent, not an exhausted, state of the vital energies; great oppression of natural strength and vigor.

The viscid and more or less granular material of vegetable and animal cells, possessed of vital properties by which the processes of nutrition, secretion, and growth go forward; the so-called " physical basis of life;" the original cell substance, cytoplasm, cytoblastema, bioplasm sarcode, etc.

The soul; the vital principle; the mind.

Any vital action or activity. Mivart.

The life; the mortal point; a vital part; a part susceptible of serious injury or keen feeling; the sensitive living flesh; the part of a finger or toe to which the nail is attached; the tender emotions; as, to cut a finger nail to the quick; to thrust a sword to the quick, to taunt one to the quick; -- used figurative…

To collect one's vital powers or forces; to regain health or consciousness; to recuperate.

An action included by vital resistance to some other action; depression or exhaustion of vital force consequent on overexertion or overstimulation; heightened activity and overaction succeeding depression or shock.

into the lungs, and exhale it from them, successively, for the purpose of maintaining the vitality of the blood.

g spore (Bot.), a spore in certain orders of algæ, which remains quiescent, retaining its vitality, for long periods of time. C. E. Bessey.

spend wastefully; as, to run through an estate. -- To run to seed, to expend or exhaust vitality in producing seed, as a plant; figuratively and colloquially, to cease growing; to lose vital force, as the body or mind. -- To run up, to rise; to swell; to grow; to increase; as, accounts of goods credited run up very…