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Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome. "Pragmatical officers of justice." Sir W. Scott. The fellow grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the government of my whole family. Arbuthnot.

Affirmative; positive. Bp. Hall.

ir connection; supposition of the truth or real existence of something, without direct or positive proof of the fact, but grounded on circumstantial or probable evidence which entitles it to belief. Burrill. Best. Wharton. -- Presumption of law (Law), a postulate applied in advance to all cases of a particular class;…

umstances which necessarily or usually attend a fact, as distinct from direct evidence or positive proof; indirect or circumstantial evidence. "Presumptive evidence of felony should be cautiously admitted." Blackstone. The distinction, however, between direct and presumptive (or circumstantial) evidence is now generall…

To take (a copy, a positive picture, etc.), from a negative, a transparent drawing, or the like, by the action of light upon a sensitized surface. Printed goods, textile fabrics printed in patterns, especially cotton cloths, or calicoes.

Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative. Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor.

Probable error (of an observation, or of the mean of a number), that within which, taken positively and negatively, there is an even chance that the real error shall lie. Thus, if 3" is the probable error in a given case, the chances that the real error is greater than 3" are equal to the chances that it is less. The…

A homogeneous algebraic function of two or more variables, in general containing only positive integral powers of the variables, and called quadric, cubic, quartic, etc., according as it is of the second, third, fourth, fifth, or a higher degree. These are further called binary, ternary, quaternary, etc., according as…

r or at, to make efforts to attain to or obtain. He would be in the mind reaching after a positive idea of infinity. Locke.

hich the transaction is founded; the statement of matter in pleading introductory to some positive allegation. Burn.

ur to the "punctum stans" of the schools, they will thereby very little help us to a more positive idea of infinite duration. Locke. Recurring decimal (Math.), a circulating decimal. See under Decimal. -- Recurring series (Math.), an algebraic series in which the coefficients of the several terms can be expressed by m…

crystals except those of the isometric system. A uniaxial crystal is said to be optically positive (like quartz), or optically negative (like calcite), or to have positive, or negative, double refraction, according as the optic axis is the axis of least or greatest elasticity for light; a biaxial crystal is similarly d…

ring or concern; to pertain; to refer; -- with to. All negative or privative words relate positive ideas. Locke.

Any positive or negative number that differs from a given number by a multiple of a given modulus; thus, if 7 is the modulus, and 9 the given number, the numbers -5, 2, 16, 23, etc., are residues.

Annulled and the contrary substituted; as, a reversed judgment or decree. Reversed positive or negative (Photog.), a picture corresponding with the original in light and shade, but reversed as to right and left. Abney.

Openess; plainess; boldness; positiveness; as, the roundness of an assertion.

To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to. But what it is, hard is to say. Milton.

he auxillary be emphasized, the command is made more imperative, the promise or that more positive and sure. It is also employed in the language of prophecy; as, "the day shall come when . . . , " since a promise or threat and an authoritative prophecy nearly coincide in significance. In shall with the first person, th…

stablished on philosophical grounds; critical investigation or inquiry, as opposed to the positive assumption or assertion of certain principles.

the legislature of a state or country, declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something; a positive law; the written will of the legislature expressed with all the requisite forms of legislation; -- used in distinction fraom common law. See Common law, under Common, a. Bouvier.