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The turnings and windings of a trench or mine. Return ball, a ball held by an elastic string so that it returns to the hand from which it is thrown, -- used as a plaything. -- Return bend, a pipe fitting for connecting the contiguous ends of two nearly parallel pipes lying alongside or one above another. -- Return da…

(Neobalæna marginata) which is only about sixteen feet long. It produces short, but very elastic and tough, whalebone.

An elastic band partly or wholly encircling the spore cases of ferns. See Illust. of Sporangium.

An overshoe made of India rubber. [Colloq.] Antimony rubber, an elastic durable variety of vulcanized caoutchouc of a red color. It contains antimony sulphide as an important constituent. -- Hard rubber, a kind of vulcanized caoutchouc which nearly resembles horn in texture, rigidity, etc. -- India rubber, caoutchouc…

Fig.: To lose firmness or elasticity; to sink; to droop; to flag; to bend; to yield, as the mind or spirits, under the pressure of care, trouble, doubt, or the like; to be unsettled or unbalanced. [R.] the mind I sway by, and the heart I bear, Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear. Shak.

et, and is remarkable for the prolongation of the nose of the adult male into an erectile elastic proboscis, about a foot in length. Another species of smaller size (M. angustirostris) occurs on the coast of Lower California, but is now nearly extinct.

A strain, or change of shape, of an elastic body, consisting of an extension in one direction, an equal compression in a perpendicular direction, with an unchanged magnitude in the third direction. Shear blade, one of the blades of shears or a shearing machine. -- Shear hulk. See under Hulk. -- Shear steel, a steel s…

it. -- Sheep shears, shears in which the blades form the two ends of a steel bow, by the elasticity of which they open as often as pressed together by the hand in cutting; -- so called because used to cut off the wool of sheep. -- Sheep sorrel. (Bot.), a prerennial herb (Rumex Acetosella) growing naturally on poor, d…

sion sound to a percipient if present with unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound.

column is cleft at its lower portion, and the membranes of the spinal cord project as an elastic swelling from the gap thus formed.

The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongiæ (keratosa), used for many purposes, especially the varieties of the genus Spongia. The most valuable sponges are found in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and on the coasts of Florida and the West Indies.

To fly back; as, a bow, when bent, springs back by its elastic power.

A variety of steel, elastic, strong, and tough, rolled for springs, etc.

An elastic board, secured at the ends, or at one end, often by elastic supports, used in performing feats of agility or in exercising.

A noose fastened to an elastic body, and drawn close with a sudden spring, whereby it catches a bird or other animal; a gin; a snare. As a woodcock to mine own springe. Shak.

umerous species of small apterous insects belonging to the order Thysanura. They have two elastic caudal stylets which can be bent under the abdomen and then suddenly extended like a spring, thus enabling them to leap to a considerable distance. See Collembola, and Podura.

Resembling, having the qualities of, or pertaining to, a spring; elastic; as, springy steel; a springy step. Though her little frame was slight, it was firm and springy. Sir W. Scott.

The elastic, aëriform fluid into which water is converted when heated to the boiling points; water in the state of vapor.

An elastic textile fabric imitating knitting, of which stockings, under-garments, etc., are made.

To be extended, or to bear extension, without breaking, as elastic or ductile substances. The inner membrane . . . because it would stretch and yield, remained umbroken. Boyle.