Search the Dictionary

Lamentation; threnody; a dirge. Shak. The threns . . . of the prophet Jeremiah. Jer. Taylor.

A song of lamentation; a threnode. Sir T. Herbert.

To twist two or more filaments of, as silk, so as to form one thread; to twist together, as singles, in a direction contrary to the twist of the singles themselves; -- sometimes applied to the whole class of operations by which silk is prepared for the weaver. Tomlinson. To throw away. (a) To lose by neglect or folly;…

That part of a torsion balance from which the wire or filament is suspended.

Asia, and other species of Astragalus. It comes in hard whitish or yellowish flakes or filaments, and is nearly insoluble in water, but slowly swells into a mucilaginous mass, which is used as a substitute for gum arabic in medicine and the arts. Called also gum tragacanth.

Having stamens joined by filaments into three bundles. See Illust. under Adelphous.

The gill of a crustacean in which the branchial filaments are slender and cylindrical, as in the crawfishes.

An electric glow lamp having filaments of metallic tungsten. Such lamps, owing to the refractory nature of the metal, may be maintained at a very high temperature and require an expenditure of only about 1.25 watts per candle power.

f. (Elec.), designating, or pertaining to, an incandescent lamp with a small additional filament which can be made incandescent when only a small amount of light is required.

A twisted filament; a thread. [Obs.] Locke.

To form into a thread from many fine filaments; as, to twist wool or cotton.

Not deplored or bewailed; unlamented. [Obs.] Spenser.

Not sorrowed for; unlamented. Beau. & Fl.

of turning; freely movable; as, a versatile anther, which is fixed at one point to the filament, and hence is very easily turned around; a versatile toe of a bird. -- Ver"sa*tile*ly, adv. -- -- Ver"sa*tile*ness, n.

the horizon. -- Vertical anthers (Bot.), such anthers as stand erect at the top of the filaments. -- Vertical circle (Astron.), an azimuth circle. See under Azimuth. -- Vertical drill, an drill. See under Upright. -- Vertical fire (Mil.), the fire, as of mortars, at high angles of elevation. -- Vertical leaves (Bo…

A genus of motile bacteria characterized by short, slightly sinuous filaments and an undulatory motion; also, an individual of this genus.

To lament; to bewail; to grieve over; as, to wail one's death. Shak.

One who wails or laments.

Lamentation; loud weeping; wailing. [Obs.] Bp. Hacket.

A floating mass formed in pools by the entangled filaments of a European fresh-water alga (Cladophora crispata).