Search the Dictionary

A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance on the animal economy. Dunglison.

ngent; the power of contracting the parts of the body; that quality in medicines or other substances which causes contraction of the organic textures; as, the astringency of tannin.

A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood, mucus, etc. External astringents are called styptics. Dunglison.

ocess of separating mingled gases of unequal diffusibility by transmission through porous substances.

A substance which, by irritating the surface, excites action in the part to which it is applied, as a blister, an epispastic, a sinapism.

The act of rubbing together; friction; the act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion. Effected by attrition of the inward stomach. Arbuthnot.

Any subtile, invisible emanation, effluvium, or exhalation from a substance, as the aroma of flowers, the odor of the blood, a supposed fertilizing emanation from the pollen of flowers, etc.

Poisoning, or the state of being poisoned, from toxic substances produced within the body; autotoxæmia.

Self-catalysis; catalysis of a substance by one of its own products, as of silver oxide by the silver formed by reduction of a small portion of it. -- Au`to*cat`a*lyt"ic (#), a.

ns, so as to form a valley. -- Axis cylinder (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; -- called also axis band, axial fiber, and cylinder axis. -- Axis in peritrochio, the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers. -- Axis of a curve (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a system o…

A substance (C6H5.N2.C6H5) derived from nitrobenzene, forming orange red crystals which are easily fusible.

Excess of urea or other nitrogenous substances in the urine.

A sac, or dependent gland, in animal bodies, containing some fluid or other substance; as, the bag of poison in the mouth of some serpents; the bag of a cow.

Any substance, esp. food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, inclosure, or net.

A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc.

Any heavy substance, as stone, iron, etc., put into the hold to sink a vessel in the water to such a depth as to prevent capsizing.

Having the quality of balsam; containing balsam. "A balsamous substance." Sterne.

An indefinite quantity of some substance, so shaped as to be long in proportion to its breadth and thickness; as, a bar of gold or of lead; a bar of soap.

A white, crystalline substance,

Surface; body; substance. [R.] You have touched the very bare of naked truth. Marston.