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Inclosing; encircling.

Inattentive to surrounding objects; absent in mind. "An abstracted scholar." Johnson.

The bone of the rump; also, the cut of beef surrounding this bone. [Spelt also edgebone.]

A thin membrane surrounding the embryos of mammals, birds, and reptiles.

A red or yellowish-red dyeing material, prepared from the pulp surrounding the seeds of a tree (Bixa orellana) belonging to the tropical regions of America. It is used for coloring cheese, butter, etc. [Written also Anatto, Anatta, Annatto, Annotta, etc.]

The architectural member surrounding the curved opening of an arch, corresponding to the architrave in the case of a square opening.

In a circuit; here and there within the surrounding space; all about; as, to travel around from town to town.

Profound debility of children due to lack of food and to unhygienic surroundings. --A*threp"tic (#), a.

The whole mass of aëriform fluid surrounding the earth; -- applied also to the gaseous envelope of any celestial orb, or other body; as, the atmosphere of Mars.

A coral island or islands, consisting of a belt of coral reef, partly submerged, surrounding a central lagoon or depression; a lagoon island.

tric ~, a supposed electric fluid, emanating from an electrified body, and forming a mass surrounding it, called the electric atmosphere. See Atmosphere, 2.

A circle of feathers surrounding the opening of the ear of birds.

A mound, pile, or ridge of earth, raised above the surrounding level; hence, anything shaped like a mound or ridge of earth; as, a bank of clouds; a bank of snow. They cast up a bank against the city. 2 Sam. xx. 15.

A border one fifth the width of the shield, surrounding the field. It is usually plain, but may be charged.

g bridle, an instrument formerly used for correcting scolding women. It was an iron frame surrounding the head and having a triangular piece entering the mouth of the scold.

bridge without arches is supported. Butment cheek (Carp.), the part of a mortised timber surrounding the mortise, and against which the shoulders of the tenon bear. Knight.

A detached low mountain, or high rising abruptly from the general level of the surrounding plain; -- applied to peculiar elevations in the Rocky Mountain region. The creek . . . passes by two remarkable buttes of red conglomerate. Ruxton.

of a capsula; hollow and fibrous. Capsular ligament (Anat.), a ligamentous bag or capsule surrounding many movable joints in the skeleton.

nn, in the East, where caravans rest at night, being a large, rude, unfurnished building, surrounding a court. [Written also caravanserai and caravansera.]

the bullet. Rim-fire cartridge, a cartridge in which the fulminate is contained in a rim surrounding its base. -- Cartridge bag, a bag of woolen cloth, to hold a charge for a cannon. -- Cartridge belt, a belt having pocket for cartridges. -- Cartridge box, a case, usually of leather, attached to a belt or strap, fo…