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To twist of natural or regular shape; to twist aside physically; as, to distort the limbs, or the body. Whose face was distorted with pain. Thackeray.

y by means of a telescope. Such stars may be only optically near to each other, or may be physically connected so that they revolve round their common center of gravity, and in the latter case are called also binary stars. -- Double time (Mil.). Same as Double-quick. -- Double window, a window having two sets of glaz…

Any exercise, physical or mental, enforced with regularity and by constant repetition; as, a severe drill in Latin grammar.

To be forced along; to be impelled; to be moved by any physical force or agent; to be driven. The hull drives on, though mast and sail be torn. Byron. The chaise drives to Mr. Draper's chambers. Thackeray.

To hang bending downward; to sink or hang down, as an animal, plant, etc., from physical inability or exhaustion, want of nourishment, or the like. "The purple flowers droop." "Above her drooped a lamp." Tennyson. I saw him ten days before he died, and observed he began very much to droop and languish. Swift.…

is influenced, whether by the unlawful restrain of his liberty or by actual or threatened physical violence, to incur a civil liability or to commit an offense.

Relating to physical forces, effects, or laws; as, dynamical geology. As natural science has become more dynamic, so has history. Prof. Shedd. Dynamical electricity. See under Electricity.

The moving moral, as well as physical, forces of any kind, or the laws which relate to them.

The unit of force, in the C. G. S. (Centimeter Gram Second) system of physical units; that is, the force which, acting on a gram for a second, generates a velocity of a centimeter per second.

An exertion of strength or power, whether physical or mental, in performing an act or aiming at an object; more or less strenuous endeavor; struggle directed to the accomplishment of an object; as, an effort to scale a wall. We prize the stronger effort of his power. Pope.

brought into action by any disturbance of molecular equilibrium, whether from a chemical, physical, or mechanical, cause.

That branch of physical science which treats of the phenomena of electricity and its properties.

That which embodies or is embodied; representation in a physical body; a completely organized system, like the body; as, the embodiment of courage, or of courtesy; the embodiment of true piety.

To give moral or physical power, faculties, or abilities to. "These eyes . . . empowered to gaze." Keble.

To exert physical or intellectual strength for the attainment of; to use efforts to effect; to strive to achieve or reach; to try; to attempt. It is our duty to endeavor the recovery of these beneficial subjects. Ld. Chatham. To endeavor one's self, to exert one's self strenuously to the fulfillment of a duty. [Obs.] "…

That branch of science which treats of the laws governing the physical or mechanical, in distinction from the vital, forces, and which comprehends the consideration and general investigation of the whole range of the forces concerned in physical phenomena. [R.]

A compound machine by which any physical power is applied to produce a given physical effect. Engine driver, one who manages an engine; specifically, the engineer of a locomotive. -- Engine lathe. (Mach.) See under Lathe. -- Engine tool, a machine tool. J. Whitworth. -- Engine turning (Fine Arts), a method of orname…

Exertion for the sake of training or improvement whether physical, intellectual, or moral; practice to acquire skill, knowledge, virtue, perfectness, grace, etc. "Desire of knightly exercise." Spenser. An exercise of the eyes and memory. Locke.

physical examination. "An exploration of doctrine." Bp. Hall.

Outwardly perceptible; visible; physical or corporeal, as distinguished from mental or moral. Her virtues graced with external gifts. Shak.