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Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; -- opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, coceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion.

One who deals with or considers actually existing facts and conditions, rather than fancies or theories; -- opposed to idealist. J. Grote.

Having a sting; covered with prickles; sharp like a prickle.

A sting.

A mode of arresting hemorrhage resulting from wounds or surgical operations, by passing under the divided vessel a needle, the ends of which are left exposed externally on the cutaneous surface. Simpson.

The twisting of an artery with a needle to arrest hemorrhage.

To put in order; to regulate, or reduce to system. Adjusting the orthography. Johnson.

The act of adjusting, or condition of being adjusted; act of bringing into proper relations; regulation. Success depends on the nicest and minutest adjustment of the parts concerned. Paley.

Helping; helpful; assisting. [R.] "Adjuvant causes." Howell.

Acquiescence or concurrence in a statement made by another, and distinguishable from a confession in that an admission presupposes prior inquiry by another, but a confession may be made without such inquiry.

An Adonic verse. Adonic verse, a verse consisting of a dactyl and spondee.

To beautify; to dandify. I employed three good hours at least in adjusting and adonozing myself. Smollett.

An apparatus consisting chiefly of a closed vessel (as a globe or cylinder) with one or more projecting bent tubes, through which steam is made to pass from the vessel, causing it to revolve. [Written also eolipile.]

Eternal; everlasting. "Æonian hills." Tennyson.

A secondary respiratory tissue or modified periderm, found in many aquatic plants and distinguished by the large intercellular spaces.

Consisting of air; resembling, or partaking of the nature of air. Hence: Unsubstantial; unreal.

eagle or hawk; also a brood of such birds; eyrie. Shak. Also fig.: A human residence or resting place perched like an eagle's nest.

Divination from the state of the air or from atmospheric substances; also, forecasting changes in the weather.

sensation, by determining at how short a distance two impressions upon the skin can be distinguished, and thus to determine whether the condition of tactile sensibility is normal or altered.

An instrument consisting in part of a differential thermometer. It is used for measuring changes of temperature produced by different conditions of the sky, as when clear or clouded.