Search the Dictionary

A portable machine variously constructed, for exerting great pressure, or lifting or moving a heavy body through a small distance. It consists of a lever, screw, rack and pinion, hydraulic press, or any simple combination of mechanical powers, working in a compact pedestal or support and operated by a lever, crank, cap…

A jack in which a screw is used for lifting, or exerting pressure. See Illust. of 2d Jack, n., 5.

Physical toil or bodily exertion, especially when fatiguing, irksome, or unavoidable, in distinction from sportive exercise; hard, muscular effort directed to some useful end, as agriculture, manufactures, and like; servile toil; exertion; work. God hath set Labor and rest, as day and night, to men Successive. Milton.…

Suffering pain or grief. Pope. Laboring oar, the oar which requires most strength and exertion; often used figuratively; as, to have, or pull, the laboring oar in some difficult undertaking.

Drooping or flagging from exhaustion; indisposed to exertion; without animation; weak; weary; heavy; dull. " Languid, powerless limbs. " Armstrong. Fire their languid souls with Cato's virtue. Addison.

or mind, when its voluntary functions are performed with difficulty, and only by a strong exertion of the will; languor; debility; weariness. The corporeal instruments of action being strained to a high pitch . . . will soon feel a lassitude. Barrow.

s a proposition or principle. -- To lay forth. (a) To extend at length; (reflexively) to exert one's self; to expatiate. [Obs.] (b) To lay out (as a corpse). [Obs.] Shak. -- To lay hands on, to seize. -- To lay hands on one's self, or To lay violent hands on one's self, to injure one's self; specif., to commit suici…

Disinclined to action or exertion; averse to labor; idle; shirking work. Bacon.

ifying force and motion. Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers,…

To try to raise something; to exert the strength for raising or bearing. Strained by lifting at a weight too heavy. Locke.

ght; not tending to be the center of gravity with force; not heavy. These weights did not exert their natural gravity . . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. Addison.

in force or efficiency; not strong; weak; slight; inconsiderable; as, little attention or exertion;little effort; little care or diligence. By sad experiment I know How little weight my words with thee can find. Milton.

o hand extended from the mouth, as the tongue of an ox or a log when heated with labor or exertion. The triple porter of the Stygian seat, With lolling tongue, lay fawning at thy feet. Dryden .

Having, employing, or exerting, a low degree of pressure. Low- pressure steam engine, a steam engine in which low steam is used; often applied to a condensing engine even when steam at high pressure is used. See Steam engine.

seem to be of loose texture; hence, a temperament lacking energy, inactive, indisposed to exertion or excitement. See Temperament.

orizontal. -- Magnetic field, or Field of magnetic force, any space through which magnet exerts its influence. -- Magnetic fluid, the hypothetical fluid whose existence was formerly assumed in the explanations of the phenomena of magnetism. -- Magnetic iron, or Magnetic iron ore. (Min.) Same as Magnetite. -- Magnet…

elf. See Mesmerism, Biology, Od, Hypnotism. -- Terrestrial magnetism, the magnetic force exerted by the earth, and recognized by its effect upon magnetized needles and bars.

force of gases, steam, etc., constructed usually on the principle of allowing the gas to exert its elastic force in raising a column of mercury in an open tube, or in compressing a portion of air or other gas in a closed tube with mercury or other liquid intervening, or in bending a metallic or other spring so as to s…

pirical. See the 2d Note under Geometric. Mechanical effect, effective power; useful work exerted, as by a machine, in a definite time. -- Mechanical engineering. See the Note under Engineering. -- Mechanical maneuvers (Mil.), the application of mechanical appliances to the mounting, dismounting, and moving of artill…

A measure of energy or work done; the power exerted in raising one gram through the distance of one meter against gravitation.