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To strike; to slap; to strike, or strike together, with a quick motion, so, as to make a sharp noise; as, to clap one's hands; a clapping of wings. Then like a bird it sits and sings, And whets and claps its silver wings. Marvell.

Commotion; disturbance. "Those mighty feats which made such a clatter in story." Barrow.

, pawl, or ratchet, as that which catches the cogs of a ratchet wheel to prevent backward motion. See Illust. of Ratched wheel.

Like the motion of the hands of a clock; -- said of that direction of a rotation about an axis, or about a point in a plane, which is ordinarily reckoned negative.

That which hinders or impedes motion; hence, an encumbrance, restraint, or impediment, of any kind. All the ancient, honest, juridical principles and institutions of England are so many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and opression. Burke.

Having an irregular, convulsive motion. Dunglison. Clonic spasm. (Med.) See under Spasm.

Oppressive; without motion or ventilation; causing a feeling of lassitude; -- said of the air, weather, etc. If the rooms be low-roofed, or full of windows and doors, the one maketh the air close, . . . and the other maketh it exceeding unequal. Bacon.

An association of persons for the promotion of some common object, as literature, science, politics, good fellowship, etc.; esp. an association supported by equal assessments or contributions of the members. They talked At wine, in clubs, of art, of politics. Tennyson. He [Goldsmith] was one of the nine original member…

A device which is used for coupling shafting, etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be disengaged at pleasure.

th after a wetting. Cockling sea, waves dashing against each other with a short and quick motion. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

A tooth, cam, or catch for imparting or receiving motion, as on a gear wheel, or a lifter or wiper on a shaft; originally, a separate piece of wood set in a mortise in the face of a wheel.

A ring or round flange upon, surrounding, or against an object, and used for rastraining motion within given limits, or for holding something to its place, or for hibing an opening around an object; as, a collar on a shaft, used to prevent endwise motion of the shaft; a collar surrounding a stovepipe at the place where…

an astronomical instrument from the position it ought to have with respect to the axis of motion of the instrument. -- Line of collimation, the axial line of the telescope of an astronomical or geodetic instrument, or the line which passes through the optical center of the object glass and the intersection of the cros…

To put in motion; to disturb; to unsettle. [R.] Straight the sands, Commoved around, in gathering eddies play. Thomson.

To impart; to convey; as, to communicate a disease or a sensation; to communicate motion by means of a crank. Where God is worshiped, there he communicates his blessings and holy influences. Jer. Taylor.

Involving many parts; complicated; intricate. When the actual motions of the heavens are calculated in the best possible way, the process is difficult and complex. Whewell. Complex fraction. See Fraction. -- Complex number (Math.), in the theory of numbers, an expression of the form a + bsq. root-1, when a and b are o…

or leaflets on a common leafstalk. -- Compound microscope. See Microscope. -- Compound motion. See Motion. -- Compound number (Math.), one constructed according to a varying scale of denomination; as, 3 cwt., 1 qr., 5 lb.; -- called also denominate number. -- Compound pier (Arch.), a clustered column. -- Compound…

Emotion of mind; solicitude; anxiety. While they are so eager to destory the fame of others, their ambition is manifest in their concernment. Dryden.

d by sensation, sympathy, or reflex action, and not by conscious volition; as, consensual motions. Consensual contract (Law), a contract formed merely by consent, as a marriage contract.

Spreading or communicable from one to another; exciting similar emotions or conduct in others. His genius rendered his courage more contagious. Wirt. The spirit of imitation is contagious. Ames.