STARTING a.
from Start, v. Starting bar (Steam Eng.), a hand lever for working the values in starting an engine. -- Starting hole, a loophole; evasion. [Obs.] -- Starting point, the point from which motion begins, or from which anything starts. -- Starting post, a post, stake, barrier, or place from which competitors in a race s…
BRACHYSTOCHRONE n.
A curve, in which a body, starting from a given point, and descending solely by the force of gravity, will reach another given point in a shorter time than it could by any other path. This curve of quickest descent, as it is sometimes called, is, in a vacuum, the same as the cycloid.
FERROCYANIDE n.
de (Chem.), yellow prussiate of potash; a tough, yellow, crystalline salt, K4(CN)6Fe, the starting point in the manufacture of almost all cyanogen compounds, and the basis of the ferric ferrocyanate, prussian blue. It is obtained by strongly heating together potash, scrap iron, and animal matter containing nitrogen, as…
FRICTION n.
on its shaft, is held by friction and can turn, by slipping, under excessive strain or in starting. -- Friction drop hammer, one in which the hammer is raised for striking by the friction of revolving rollers which nip the hammer rod. -- Friction gear. See Frictional gearing, under Frictional. -- Friction machine, a…
HANDICAP n.
An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race to the competitor possessing inferior advantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing superior advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success; as, the handicap was fi…