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The act or property of attracting; the effect of the power or operation of attraction. Newton.

The central mass of the aster in mitotic cell division; centrosphere.

The molecular attraction exerted between bodies in contact. See Cohesion.

Apt or tending to adhere; clinging. Thomson. Adhesive attraction. (Physics) See Attraction. -- Adhesive inflammation (Surg.), that kind of inflammation which terminates in the reunion of divided parts without suppuration. -- Adhesive plaster, a sticking; a plaster containing resin, wax, litharge, and olive oil.…

That attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.

eption by adding to that which is already known or received. "All bodies possess power of attraction" is an ampliative judgment; because we can think of bodies without thinking of attraction as one of their immediate primary attribute. Abp. W. Thomson.

Natural tendency; affinity; attraction; -- used of inanimate objects.

The substance from which attraction spheres develop in mitotic cell division, and of which they consist.

Degree of atomic attraction; equivalence; valence; also (a later use) the number of atoms in an elementary molecule. See Valence.

Attraction. [Obs.] Hudibras.

Capable of being attracted; subject to attraction. -- At*tract"a*ble*ness, n.

That which attracts or draws; an attraction; an allurement. Speaks nothing but attractives and invitation. South.

lance, with a poised beam, which indicates, by weights suspended from one arm, the mutual attraction of oppositely electrified surfaces. Knight. -- Balance fish. (Zoöl) See Hammerhead. -- Balance knife, a carving or table knife the handle of which overbalances the blade, and so keeps it from contact with the table.…

A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.

To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as, attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams. He bindeth the floods from overflowing. Job xxviii. 11. Whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years. Luke xiii. 16.

lazing torches. Sir W. Scott. Blazing star. (a) A comet. [Obs.] (b) A brilliant center of attraction. (c) (Bot.) A name given to several plants; as, to Chamælirium luteum of the Lily family; Liatris squarrosa; and Aletris farinosa, called also colicroot and star grass.

A unit of chemical attraction; as, oxygen has two bonds of affinity. It is often represented in graphic formulæ by a short line or dash. See Diagram of Benzene nucleus, and Valence. Arbitration bond. See under Arbitration. -- Bond crediter (Law), a creditor whose debt is secured by a bond. Blackstone. -- Bond debt (L…

is in contact with a solid (as in a capillary tube), is elevated or depressed; capillary attraction.

Pertaining to capillary tubes or vessels; as, capillary action. Capillary attraction, Capillary repulsion, the apparent attraction or repulsion between a soild and liquid caused bycapillarity. See Capillarity, and Attraction. -- Capillarity tubes. See the Note under Capillarity.

A courting of favor or applause, by flattery or address; a captivating quality; an attraction. [Obs.] Without any of those dresses, or popular captations, which some men use in their speeches. Eikon Basilike.