Metric length scale.
Acetone, a′sē-tōn,n.one of a class of carbon compounds in many respects similar to the aldehydes; also calledKetone. [FromAcetic.]
Acierate, as′i-ėr-āt,v.t.to turn into steel.—n.Ac′ierage, the process of electroplating a metal with iron or steel. [Fr.acier, steel, L.acies, edge.]
Adiabatic, ad-i-a-bat′ik,adj.(physics) neither losing nor gaining heat: impassable to heat. [Gr.a, not,dia, through,batos, passable.]
Aëroplane, ā′e-rō-plān,n.a form of flying-machine: a small plane for aerostatic experiments. [Gr.aēr, air, L.planus, plain.]
Agar-agar, äg′ar-äg′ar,n.a nutrient jelly prepared from certain seaweeds, and used in the artificial cultivation of bacteria.
Albuminuria, al-bū-min-ū′ri-a,n.the presence of albumin in the urine: the disease producing this.
Altiscope, al′ti-skōp,n.an instrument containing several lenses and mirrors, so arranged that an observer can see beyond intervening objects.
Barranca, bar-ran′ka,n.a deep gorge, with steep sides.—AlsoBarran′co. [Sp. Am.]
Carbohydrate, kär′bō-hī-drāt,n.a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the last two being in the proportion to form water. [CarbonandHydrate.]
Cirrhosis, si-rō′sis,n.a wasting of the proper tissue of an organ, accompanied by abnormal growth of connective tissue. [Gr.kirrhos, tawny.]
Electron, ē-lek′tron,n.a particle or corpuscle vastly more minute than anything heretofore contemplated by science—in mass about a thousandth part of that of a hydrogen atom; and identified with the charge of negative electricity with which it is indissolubly associated. [From the root ofElectric(q.v.).]
Formalin, form′al-in,n.a powerful antiseptic and germicide.—AlsoFormal′dehyde(seeAldehyde).
Limerick, lim′ėr-ik,n.'nonsense verse' in five-lined stanzas.
Litchi, lē′chē,n.a Chinese fruit: the tree on which it grows.
Mafficking, maf′fik-ing,n.noisy rejoicings of the mob. [From the scene in the streets of London when the news of the relief ofMafekingwas received (1900).]
Malnutrition, mal′nū-trish′un,n.imperfect nutrition.
Marconigram, mar-cō′ni-gram,n.a message transmitted by 'wireless' telegraphy. [FromMarconi, the inventor of the system, and Gr.gramma, that which is written.]
Mercerise, mėr′cėr-īz,v.t.to treat cotton so as to make it appear like silk. [FromMercer(1791-1866), the inventor of the process.]
Motor-garage, mō′tor-gär-äzh′,n.a depot where motor-cars are stored or repaired and provided with accessories. [Motorand Fr.garage—gare, dock, railway station; from the High German root found inAware(q.v.).]
Paraldehyde, pär-al′de-hīd,n.a colourless liquid, of disagreeable taste and smell, used to produce sleep (seeAldehyde).
Pogrom, pog-rom′,n.destruction: devastation: a lawless outburst involving injury to persons and property. [Russian.]
Producer-gas, pro-dū′sėr-gas,n.a mixture of hydrogen and carbon-monoxide diluted with nitrogen.
Radio-activity, rā′di-o-ak-tiv′i-ti,n.the power of producing photographic or electrical effects by a process identical with or analogous to radiation.
Radioscope, rā′di-o-skōp,n.an instrument for detecting radiation (seeRadiant).
Röntgenise, runt′gen-īz (g hard),v.t.to treat by the Röntgen rays (see atX-raysunderX).—ns.Röntgenog′raphy, photography by these rays;Röntgenol′ogy, the study of the rays;Röntgenos′copy, observation by means of them;Röntgenother′apy, healing by means of them.
Serendipity, sėr-en-dip′i-ti,n.a love for rare old books and other articles of virtu.—adj.appertaining to this. [Coined fromSerendib, a character in theArabian Nightswho went about picking up odds and ends and piecing them together.]
Spinthariscope, spin-thär′i-skōp,n.an instrument devised by Sir W. Crookes for observing the scintillations produced in zinc sulphide by a small fragment of a radium compound placed near it. [Gr.spintharis, a spark, andskopein, to see.]
Sulphonal, sul′fō-nal,n.a chemical compound used as a hypnotic and anæsthetic, and derived in part from potassium sulpho-hydrate.
Taximeter, tak-sim′e-tėr,n.an instrument attached to cabs for indicating the fare due for the distance travelled. Sometimes (but wrongly) calledTaxameter. [Fr.taxe, price, and Gr.metron, measure.]
Telegony, tel-eg′on-i,n.the transmitted influence of a male by whom a female has previously conceived upon her subsequent offspring by another male. [Gr.tēlē, at a distance,gonia, a begetting.]
Telescriptor, tel′e-skrip-tor,n.a machine for the purpose of sending messages over telegraph wires so that they appear in the handwriting of the sender when received. [Gr.tēlē, at a distance, L.scriptum,scribere, to write.]
Trional, trī′ō-nal,n.a drug used as a hypnotic, akin to sulphonal, but safer.
Veronal, ver′ō-nal,n.a drug used as a hypnotic, akin to trional.