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The ending of a word; a final syllable or letter; the part added to a stem in inflection.

A noun or verb, not modified by inflections; also, that part of a noun or verb which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) in declension or conjugation; stem.

The act of thinking; the exercise of the mind in any of its higher forms; reflection; cogitation. Thought can not be superadded to matter, so as in any sense to render it true that matter can become cogitative. Dr. T. Dwight.

Accent, or inflection or modulation of the voice, as adapted to express emotion or passion. Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes. Dryden.

d by the illumination of the earth's atmosphere by the direct rays of the sun and their reflection on the earth.

ct end of the telescope is placed at right angles to the eye end, with a prism of total reflection at the angle, and the eye end constitutes a portion of the horizontal axis of the instrument, having the eyepiece at the pivot and in the center of the altitude circle, so that the eye has convenient access to both at the…

Not indicating thought or reflection; thoughtless. With earnest eyes, and round unthinking face, He first the snuffbox opened, then the case. Pope. -- Un*think"ing*ly, adv. -- Un*think"ing*ness, n.

Empty of thought; thoughtless; not occupied with study or reflection; as, a vacant mind. The duke had a pleasant and vacant face. Sir H. Wotton. When on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood. Wordsworth.

-- Virtual focus (Opt.), the point from which rays, having been rendered divergent by reflection of refraction, appear to issue; the point at which converging rays would meet if not reflected or refracted before they reach it. -- Virtual image. (Optics) See under Image. -- Virtual moment (of a force) (Mech.), the p…

ome, one of such a form that sounds produced in certain parts of it are concentrated by reflection from the walls to another part, so that whispers or feeble sounds are audible at a much greater distance than under ordinary circumstances.

lvanometer, remains at, or is brought to, zero, as contrasted with methods in which the deflection is observed directly; -- called also null method. -- Zero point, the point indicating zero, or the commencement of a scale or reckoning.