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A pheasantlike bird of rich plumage and graceful form and movement, fabled to appear in the land on the accession of a sage to the throne, or when right principles are about to prevail. It is often represented on porcelains and other works of art.

Florid; figurative; involving passing discords by the freer melodic movement of one or more parts or voices in the harmony; as, figurate counterpoint or descant. Figurate counterpoint or descant (Mus.), that which is not simple, or in which the parts do not move together tone for tone, but in which freer movement of on…

Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer.

he manner of using the fingers in playing or striking the keys of an instrument of music; movement or management of the fingers in playing on a musical instrument, in typewriting, etc.

uely to an enemy's position, in order to turn it or to attack him on the flank. -- Flank movement, a change of march by an army, or portion of one, in order to turn one or both wings of the enemy, or to take up a new position. -- Flanks of a frontier, salient points in a national boundary, strengthened to protect the…

To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion. Impetuous spread The stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head. Pope.

A continuous movement of something abundant; as, a flow of words.

sed to solidity. It was this want of organization, this looseness and fluidity of the new movement, that made it penetrate through every class of society. J. R. Green.

brownish gray. -- Fly wheel (Mach.), a heavy wheel attached to machinery to equalize the movement (opposing any sudden acceleration by its inertia and any retardation by its momentum), and to accumulate or give out energy for a variable or intermitting resistance. See Fly, n., 9. -- On the fly (Baseball), still in th…

Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or rapidly; intended for rapid movement.

A movement or phase of post-impressionism (which see, below).

A round dance, often with a waltz movement, abounding in capriciosly involved figures.

t rest; to proced; to advance; to make progress; -- used, in various applications, of the movement of both animate and inanimate beings, by whatever means, and also of the movements of the mind; also figuratively applied.

ate of being gradual; regular progression or gradation; slowness. The gradualness of this movement. M. Arnold. The gradualness of growth is a characteristic which strikes the simplest observer. H. Drummond.

Slow and solemn in movement. Grave accent. (Pron.) See the Note under Accent, n., 2.

ry, which is broad at one end and nearly pointed at the other, or that used to direct the movements of a body of infantry, or to make signals at sea; also, the flag of a guild or fraternity. In the United States service, each company of cavalry has a guidon. The pendants and guidons were carried by the officer of the a…

An interrupter in which contact is broken by the movement of an automatically vibrating hammer between a contact piece and an electromagnet, or of a rapidly moving piece mechanically driven.

To press; to drive or urge forward; to push on; to precipitate; to accelerate the movement of; to expedite; to hurry. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm. Ps. lv. 8.

One who heads a movement, a party, or a mob; head; chief; leader. [R.]

A modified respiratory movement; a spasmodic inspiration, consisting of a sudden contraction of the diaphragm, accompanied with closure of the glottis, so that further entrance of air is prevented, while the impulse of the column of air entering and striking upon the closed glottis produces a sound, or hiccough. [Writt…