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on which tea furniture is set, or at which tea is drunk. -- Tea taster, one who tests or ascertains the quality of tea by tasting. -- Tea tree (Bot.), the tea plant of China. See Tea plant, above. -- Tea urn, a vessel generally in the form of an urn or vase, for supplying hot water for steeping, or infusing, tea.…

To discern so as to report; to ascertain by observing; to find out; to discover; as, I can not tell where one color ends and the other begins.

he muzzle of a gun; or, in general, to examine the thickness of, as ordnance, in order to ascertain its strength.

Made, or ascertained, by means of a thermometer; as, thermometrical observations.

To ascertain or record the time, duration, or rate of; as, to time the speed of horses, or hours for workmen.

A place where goods are weighed to ascertain the duties or toll. [Obs.] He saw Levy . . . sitting at the tollbooth. Wyclif (Mark ii. 14).

The transcending, or going beyond, empiricism, and ascertaining a priori the fundamental principles of human knowledge.

Any effort or exertion of strength for the purpose of ascertaining what can be done or effected. [I] defy thee to the trial of mortal fight. Milton.

An instrument to ascertain the degree of friction in rubbing surfaces. Brande & C.

vor. Let us try . . . to found a path. Milton. To try on. (a) To put on, as a garment, to ascertain whether it fits the person. (b) To attempt; to undertake. [Slang] Dickens.

hich, being struck, gives a certain fixed tone. It is used for tuning instruments, or for ascertaining the pitch of tunes.

Not liquidated; not exactly ascertained; not adjusted or settled. Unliquidated damages (Law), penalties or damages not ascertained in money. Burrill.

who visits, or enters on board, a vessel belonging to another nation, for the purpose of ascertaining her character and object, but without claiming or exercising a right of searching the vessel. It is, however, usually coupled with the right of search (see under Search), visitation being used for the purpose of searc…

ring him to speak the truth, or make true answers in reference to matters inquired of, to ascertain his competency to give evidence. Greenleaf. Ld. Abinger.

An instrument for measuring or ascertaining the depth or quantity of water, or for indicating the height of its surface, as in the boiler of a steam engine. See Gauge.

A thermometer filled with water instead of mercury, for ascertaining the precise temperature at which water attains its maximum density. This is about 39º Fahr., or 4º Centigrade; and from that point down to 32º Fahr., or 0º Centigrade, or the freezing point, it expands.

To examine by the balance; to ascertain the weight of, that is, the force with which a thing tends to the center of the earth; to determine the heaviness, or quantity of matter of; as, to weigh sugar; to weigh gold. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Dan. v. 27.

A definite mass of iron, lead, brass, or other metal, to be used for ascertaining the weight of other bodies; as, an ounce weight.

sses of which the Indian corn (Zea Mays) is the only species known. Its origin is not yet ascertained. See Maize.

An instrument for ascertaining the degree of fermentation occasioned by the mixture of different liquids, and the degree of heat which they acquire in fermentation.