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p the skin from a beast; to strip the bark from a tree; to strip the clothes from a man's back; to strip away all disguisses. To strip bad habits from a corrupted heart, is stripping off the skin. Gilpin.

e cylindrical body, as the paston rod of a steam engine, or the plunger of a pump, slides back and forth, or in which a shaft turns. It usually consists of a box or chamber, made by an enlargement of part of the hole, forming a space around the rod or shaft for containing packing which is compressed and made to fill th…

e of effort. Men . . . that are like to do that, that is committed to them, and to report back again faithfully the success. Bacon. Perplexed and troubled at his bad success The tempter stood. Milton.

esinous appearance, obtained by pouring melted sulphur into water. On standing, it passes back into a brittle crystalline modification. -- Liver of sulphur. (Old Chem.) See Hepar. -- Sulphur acid. (Chem.) See Sulphacid. -- Sulphur alcohol. (Chem.) See Mercaptan. -- Sulphur auratum Etym: [L.] (Old Chem.), a golden y…

Carrying pack or burdens on the back; as, a sumpter horse; a sumpter mule. Bacon.

rides, with rein of travel slack, And, bending o'ev his saddle, leaves the sunrise at his back. Whittier.

A raised shelf or stand on the back of an altar, on which different objects can be placed; a predella or gradino.

Lying on the back, or with the face upward; -- opposed to prone.

To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the present administration. Wherefore, bold pleasant, Darest thou support a published traitor Shak.

A board or group of moldings running round a room on a level with the tops of the chair backs. Knight.

A belt, band, or girth which passes over a saddle, or over anything laid on a horse's back, to bind it fast.

To give back echoes; to reëcho. [Obs.] Chapman.

The black-backed gull (Larus marinus); -- called also swarbie. [Prov. Eng.]

To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp; as, reeds swayed by wind; judgment swayed by passion. As bowls run true by being made On purpose false, and to be swayed. Hudibras. Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest. Tillots…

Having the back hollow or sagged, whether naturally or as the result of injury or weakness; -- said of horses and other animals.

Bent down, and hollow in the back; sway-backed; -- said of a horse. Shak.

An injury caused by violent strains or by overloading; -- said of the backs of horses. Crabb.

To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward and forward, or from one side to the other. He swings his tail, and swiftly turns his round. Dryden. They get on ropes, as you must have seen the children, and are swung by their men visitants. Spectator.

m of switch contrived to prevent or lessen the danger of derailment of trains. -- Switch back (Railways), an arrangement of tracks whereby elevations otherwise insurmountable are passed. The track ascends by a series of zigzags, the engine running alternately forward and back, until the summit is reached. -- Switch b…

a measure, and continue it into the following accented part, so that the accent is driven back upon the weak part and the rhythm drags.