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Formerly, a measuring rod an ell long.

Half an em, that is, half of the unit of space in measuring printed matter. See Em.

An instrument for measuring the force or amount of endosmotic action.

them parallel to the axis of the earth, and each carrying a graduated circle, the one for measuring declination, and the other right ascension, or the hour angle, so that the telescope may be directed, even in the daytime, to any star or other object whose right ascension and declination are known. The motion in right…

An instrument for measuring energy in ergs.

An instrument for measuring and recording the work done by a single muscle or set of muscles, the rate of fatigue, etc. -- Er`go*graph"ic (#), a.

A device for measuring, or an instrument for indicating, energy expended or work done; a dynamometer. -- Er`go*met"ric (#), a.

An instrument for measuring the diameters of minute particles or fibers, from the size of the colored rings produced by the diffraction of the light in which the objects are viewed.

A valuing or rating by the mind, without actually measuring, weighing, or the like; rough or approximate calculation; as, an estimate of the cost of a building, or of the quantity of water in a pond. Weigh success in a moral balance, and our whole estimate is changed. J. C. Shairp.

An instrument for measuring the extension of a body, especially for measuring the elongation of bars of iron, steel, or other material, when subjected to a tensile force.

th, containing six feet; the space to which a man can extend his arms; -- used chiefly in measuring cables, cordage, and the depth of navigable water by soundings.

An instrument for measuring and recording automatically the rise and fall of a river.

An instrument for measuring the height of water in a river; a river gauge.

trical machine, generating electricity by friction. -- Friction meter, an instrument for measuring friction, as in testing lubricants. -- Friction powder, Friction composition, a composition of chlorate of potassium, antimony, sulphide, etc, which readily ignites by friction. -- Friction primer, Friction tube, a tub…

A rod or stick, as a fishing rod, a measuring rod, or a rod used to drive cattle with. [Prov. Eng. Local, U.S.] Halliwell. Bartlett. Upon the gad, upon the spur of the moment; hastily. [Obs.] "All this done upon the gad!" Shak.

An instrument or apparatus for measuring the intensity of an electric current, usually by the deflection of a magnetic needle. Differential galvanometer. See under Differental, a. -- Sine galvanometer, Cosine galvanometer, Tangent galvanometer (Elec.), a galvanometer in which the sine, cosine, or tangent respectively,…

The art or process of measuring the force of electric currents.

An apparatus for holding and measuring of gas; in gas works, a huge iron cylinder closed at one end and having the other end immersed in water, in which it is made to rise or fall, according to the volume of gas it contains, or the pressure required.

The art or practice of measuring gases; also, the science which treats of the nature and properties of these elastic fluids. Coxe.

Any instrument or apparatus for measuring the state of a phenomenon, or for ascertaining its numerical elements at any moment; -- usually applied to some particular instrument; as, a rain gauge; a steam gauge.