Trunk steamer. A freight steamer having a high hatch coaming extending almost continuously fore and aft, but not of whaleback form at the sides.
Trust (?),n.1.An equitable right or interest in property distinct from the legal ownership thereof; a use (as it existed before the Statute of Uses); also, a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another. Trusts areactive, orspecial,express,implied,constructive, etc. In apassive trustthe trustee simply has title to the trust property, while its control and management are in the beneficiary.
2.A business organization or combination consisting of a number of firms or corporations operating, and often united, under an agreement creating a trust (in sense 1), esp. one formed mainly for the purpose of regulating the supply and price of commodities, etc.; often, opprobriously, a combination formed for the purpose of controlling or monopolizing a trade, industry, or business, by doing acts in restraint or trade; as, a sugartrust. A trust may take the form of a corporation or of a body of persons or corporations acting together by mutual arrangement, as under a contract or a so-called gentlemen's agreement. When it consists of corporations it may be effected by putting a majority of their stock either in the hands of a board of trustees (whence the nametrustfor the combination) or by transferring a majority to a holding company. The advantages of a trust are partly due to the economies made possible in carrying on a large business, as well as the doing away with competition. In the United States severe statutes against trusts have been passed by the Federal government and in many States, with elaborate statutory definitions.
Trust company. Any corporation formed for the purpose of acting as trustee. Such companies usually do more or less of a banking business.
Trus*tee" proc"ess.(Law)The process of attachment by garnishment. [U. S.]
Trustee stock.(Finance)High-grade stock in which trust funds may be legally invested. [Colloq.]
Try,n.In Rugby and Northern Union football, a score (counting three points) made by grounding the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line; -- so called because it entitles the side making it to a place kick for a goal (counting two points more if successful).
Try cock. A cock for withdrawing a small quantity of liquid, as for testing.
Try"out (?),n.(Sports)A test by which the fitness of a player or contestant to remain in a certain class is determined.
||Tsung"-li Ya"men (?). [Written alsoTsung-li- YamenorTsungli Yamen.] [Chin.] The board or department of foreign affairs in the Chinese government. See Yamen.
||Tsung" tu` (?). A viceroy or governor-general, the highest provincial official in China, with civil and military authority over one or more provinces.
Tu`a*ta"ra (?),n.[Maorituatàra;tuaon the farther side (the back) +taraspine.] A large iguanalike reptile (Sphenodon punctatum) formerly common in New Zealand, but now confined to certain islets near the coast. It reaches a length of two and a half feet, is dark olive-green with small white or yellowish specks on the sides, and has yellow spines along the back, except on the neck.
Tube (?),n.(Elec. Railways)A tunnel for a tube railway; also (Colloq.), a tube railway. [Chiefly Eng.]
Tu*ber"cu*lar*ize (?),v. t.[imp. & p. p.-ized (?);p. pr. & vb. n.i-zing (?).] [Tubercular+-ize.](Med.)To infect with tuberculosis. -- Tu*ber`cu*lar*i*za"tion (#),n.
Tu*ber"cu*lin test (?). The hypodermic injection of tuberculin, which has little or no effect with healthy cattle, but causes a marked rise in temperature in tuberculous animals.
Tu*ber"cu*lo*ci`din (?),n.[Tuberculum+ root of L.caedereto kill.](Physiol. Chem.)A special substance contained in tuberculin, supposed to be the active agent of the latter freed from various impurities.
Tu*ber"cu*loid (?),a.[Tuberculum+-oid.](Med.)Resembling a tubercle.
Tu*ber"cu*losed` (?),a.(Med.)Affected with tuberculosis.
Tu*ber"cu*lous (?),a.(Med.)Pertaining to, or affected with, a tuberculosis.
Tuck"er,n.[Cf. Tuck,n., 5.] Daily food; meals; also, food in general. [Slang or Colloq.]
Tobacco, matches, andtucker, the latter comprising almost anything within the province of food.
Tobacco, matches, andtucker, the latter comprising almost anything within the province of food.
C. L. Money.
Tuck pointing.(Masonry)The finishing of joints along the center lines with a narrow ridge of putty or fine lime mortar.
Tu`me*fa"cient (?),a.[L.tumefaciens,-entis, p. pr. oftumefacereto tumefy;tumereto swell +facereto make.] Producing swelling; tumefying.
Tu*mes"cence (?),n.[L.tumescens,-entis, p.pr. oftumescereto swell up, v. incho. fr.tumereto swell.] The act of becoming tumid; the state of being swollen; intumescence.
Tu*mes"cent (?),a.Slightly tumid; swollen, as certain moss capsules.
||Tun"dra (?),n.[Russ.] One of the level or undulating treeless plains characteristic of northern arctic regions in both hemispheres. The tundras mark the limit of arborescent vegetation; they consist of black mucky soil with a permanently frozen subsoil, but support a dense growth of mosses and lichens, and dwarf herbs and shrubs, often showy-flowered.
Tung"sten lamp. An electric glow lamp having filaments of metallic tungsten. Such lamps, owing to the refractory nature of the metal, may be maintained at a very high temperature and require an expenditure of only about 1.25 watts per candle power.
Tungsten steel.(Metal.)A steel containing a small amount of tungsten, noted for tenacity and hardness, even under a considerable degree of heat. Magnets made of it are said to be highly permanent. It often contains manganese.
Tun"nel stern. A design of motor-boat stern, for use in shallow waters, in which the propeller is housed in a tunnel and does not extend below the greatest draft.
Tu"pi (?),n.An Indian of the tribe from which the Tupian stock takes its name, dwelling, at the advent of the Portuguese, about the mouth of the Amazon. Also, their language, which is the basis of the Indian trade language of the Amazon.
Tu"pi*an (?),a.Designating, or pert. to, a linguistic stock of South American Indians comprising the most important Brazilian tribes. Agriculture, pottery, and stone working were practiced by them at the time of the conquest. The Tupi and the Guarani were originally the most powerful of the stock, which is hence also calledTupi-Guaranian.
Tuque (?),n.[Canadian F. See Toque.] A kind of warm cap winter wear, made from a knit bag with closed tapered ends by pushing one end within the other, thus making a conical cap of double thickness.
Picturesque fellow withtuques, red sashes, and fur coats.
Picturesque fellow withtuques, red sashes, and fur coats.
F. Remington.
Tur"bine (?),n.A form of steam engine analogous in construction and action to the water turbine. There are practically only two distinct kinds, and they are typified in the de Laval and the Parsons and Curtis turbines. Thede Laval turbineis an impulse turbine, in which steam impinges upon revolving blades from a flared nozzle. The flare of the nozzle causes expansion of the steam, and hence changes its pressure energy into kinetic energy. An enormous velocity (30,000 revolutions per minute in the 5 H. P. size) is requisite for high efficiency, and the machine has therefore to be geared down to be of practical use. Some recent development of this type include turbines formed of several de Laval elements compounded as in the ordinary expansion engine. TheParsons turbineis an impulse-and-reaction turbine, usually of the axial type. The steam is constrained to pass successively through alternate rows of fixed and moving blades, being expanded down to a condenser pressure of about 1 lb. per square inch absolute. TheCurtis turbineis somewhat simpler than the Parsons, and consists of elements each of which has at least two rows of moving blades and one row of stationary. The bucket velocity is lowered by fractional velocity reduction. Both the Parsons and Curtis turbines are suitable for driving dynamos and steamships directly. In efficiency, lightness, and bulk for a given power, they compare favorably with reciprocating engines.
Tur`bo*gen"er*a`tor (?),n.[See Turbine, and Generator.] An electric generator or dynamo which is combined on one frame with a turbomotor, by which it is driven.
Tur"key-trot` (?),n.An eccentric ragtime dance, danced with the feet well apart and with a characteristic rise on the ball of the foot, followed by a drop upon the heel. The original form, owning to the positions assumed by the dancers, is offensively suggestive. Similar dances are thebunny hugandgrizzly bear, so called in allusion to the movements and the positions assumed by the partners in dancing.
Turk"ism (?),n.A Turkish idiom or expression; also, in general, a Turkish mode or custom.
Tur`ko-I*ra"ni*an (?),a.(Ethnol.)Designating, or pert. to, a mixed racial type including the Afghans, and characterized chiefly by stature above mean, fair complexion, dark, or sometimes gray, eyes, brachycephaly, and very long, prominent, and moderately narrow nose.
Tur`ko-I*ra"ni*an,n.A member of any race of the Turko-Iranian type.
Turk's"-head`,n.1.(Naut.)A knot of turbanlike form worked on a rope with a piece of small line.
2.(a)The melon cactus. [West Indies](b)Any of several species ofEchinocactus. [California]
3.A long-handled, round-headed broom for sweeping ceilings, etc. [Colloq. or Dial.]
Turn (?),v. t.To make a turn about or around (something); to go or pass around by turning; as, toturna corner.
The ranges are not high or steep, and one canturna kopje instead of cutting or tunneling through it.
The ranges are not high or steep, and one canturna kopje instead of cutting or tunneling through it.
James Bryce.
To turn turtle, to capsize bottom upward; -- said of a vessel. [Naut. slang] --To turn under(Agric.), to put, as soil, manure, etc., underneath from the surface by plowing, digging, or the like.
Turn"down` (?),a.1.Capable of being turned down; specif.(Elec.), designating, or pertaining to, an incandescent lamp with a small additional filament which can be made incandescent when only a small amount of light is required.
2.Made to wear with the upper part turned down; as, aturndowncollar.
Tur"pen*tine State. North Carolina; -- a nickname alluding to its extensive production of turpentine.
Tur"ret deck. A narrow superstructure running from stem to stern on the upper deck of a steam cargo vessel having a rounded gunwale and sides curved inward convexly.
Tur"ret steam`er. A whaleback steamer with a hatch coaming, usually about seven feet high, extending almost continuously fore and aft.
Tur"tle*back` (?),n.1.(Archæol.)A rude stone celt of a form suggesting the back of a turtle.
2.(Naut.)A convex deck at the bow or stern of a vessel, so made to shed the seas quickly.
Tur"tle peg. A sharp steel spear attached to a cord, used in taking sea turtles. -- Turtle pegging.
{ ||Tusch"e (?),n.Also Tushe, Tousche, etc. }[G.tusche, fr. F.toucherto touch.] A lithographic drawing or painting material of the same nature as lithographic ink. It is also used as a resistant in the biting-in process.
Tusk"er,n.(Zoöl.)A large wild boar.
{ Tus"sah Tus"seh } (ts"s),n.[Alsotussa,tussar,tusser,tussur, etc.] [Prob. fr. Hind.tasara shuttle, Skr.tasara,trasara.] An undomesticated East Indian silkworn (Antheræa mylitta), that feeds on the leaves of the oak and other plants.
Tus"sal (?),a.[L.tussiscough.](Med.)Pertaining to, or manifested by, cough.
||Tus"sis (?),n.[L.](Med.)A cough.
Tus"sive (?),a.(Med.)Pertaining to a cough; caused by coughing.
Tut"ti-frut`ti (?),n.[It., lit., all fruits.] A confection of different kinds of preserved fruits. --a.Flavored with, or containing, various fruits.
||Tu"um (?),n.[L.] Lit., thine; that which is thine; -- used inmeum and tuum. See 2d Meum.
{ Tux*e"do coat`, or Tux*e"do } (?),n.A kind of black coat for evening dress made without skirts; -- so named after a fashionable country club atTuxedoPark, New York. [U. S.]
{ Twad"dell (?),n., Twad"dell's hy*drom"e*ter (?) }. [After oneTwaddell, its inventor.] A form of hydrometer for liquids heavier than water, graduated with an arbitrary scale such that the readings when multiplied by .005 and added to unity give the specific gravity.
Twee"dle*dum` and Twee"dle*dee` (?). Two things practically alike; -- a phrase coined by John Byrom (1692-1793) in his satire "On the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini."
Twist (?),n.1.Act of imparting a turning or twisting motion, as to a pitched ball; also, the motion thus imparted; as, thetwistof a billiard ball.
2.A strong individual tendency, or bent; a marked inclination; a bias; -- often implying a peculiar or unusual tendency; as, atwisttoward fanaticism.
Two"-cy`cle,n.(Thermodynamics)A two-stroke cycle for an internal-combustion engine. -- Two"-cy`cle,a.
Two"-name`,a.(Banking)Having or bearing two names; as,two-name paper, that is, negotiable paper on which at least two persons are severally liable as separate makers, or, usually, one as maker and one as indorser. [Colloq.]
Two"-phase` (?),a., Two"- phas`er (&?;),n.(Elec.)Same as Diphase, Diphaser.
Two"-port`,a.Having two ports; specif.: Designating a type of two-cycle internal-combustion engine in which the admission of the mixture to the crank case is through a suction valve.
Two"-speed`,a.Adapted for producing or for receiving either of two speeds; -- said of a power- transmitting device.
Two"-step` (?),n.A kind of round dance in march or polka time; also, a piece of music for this dance. [U. S.]
Two"-throw` (?),a.(Mach.)(a)Capable of being thrown or cranked in two directions, usually opposite to one another; as, atwo-throwcrank; atwo-throwswitch.(b)Having two crank set near together and opposite to one another; as, atwo-throwcrank shaft.
Two"-to-one",a.(Mach.)Designating, or pert. to, a gear for reducing or increasing a velocity ratio two to one.
Two"-way` (?),a.(Pipe Fitting)Serving to connect at will one pipe or channel with either of two others; as, atwo-waycock.
Ty"chism (?),n.[Gr. ty`chh fortune, chance +-ism.] Any theory which conceives chance as an objective reality; esp., a theory of evolution which considers that variation may be purely fortuitous.
Typ"i*fy (?),v. t.To embody the essential or salient characteristics of; to be the type of; as, the genusRosatypifiesthe familyRosaceæ, which in turntypifiesthe seriesRosales.
Typ"ist (?),n.A person who operates a typewriting machine; a typewriter.
Ty"po*graph (?),n.[Type+- graph.] A machine for setting type or for casting lines of type and setting them.
Ty`po*li*thog"ra*phy (?),n.[Gr. &?; type +lithography.] A branch of lithography in which impressions from printers' types are transferred to stone for reproduction. -- Ty`po*lith`o*graph"ic (#),a.
U.
U"dal (?),n. & a.U"dal*born`, U"dal*er, U"dal*man, etc. Vars. of Odal, etc. Obs. exc. in Shetland and the Orkney Islands, whereudaldesignates land held in fee simple without any charter and free of any feudal character.
||Uit"land`er (?),n.[D. Cf. Outlander.] A foreigner; an outlander. [South Africa]
||U`le*ma" (?),n.[Turk. & Ar.'ulamthe wise or learned men, pl. of'limwise, learned.](Mohammedanism)A college or body composed of the hierarchy (the imams, muftis, and cadis). That of Turkey alone now has political power; its head is the sheik ul Islam.
U"loid (?),a.[Written alsoouloid.] [Gr. &?; scar +-oid.](Med.)Resembling a scar; scarlike.
Ul`tra*gas"e*ous (?),a.[Pref.ultra + gaseous.](Physics)Having the properties exhibited by gases under very low pressures (one millionth of an atmosphere or less). Matter under this condition, which has been termedthe fourth state of matter, is sometimes calledradiant matter.
Un`as*sent"ed (?),a.Not assented; -- said specif. of stocks or bonds the holders of which refuse to deposit them by way of assent to an agreement altering their status, as in a readjustment.
Un"cle,n.An eldery man; -- used chiefly as a kindly or familiar appellation, esp. (Southern U. S.) for a worthy old negro; as, "UncleRemus." [Colloq.]
Plain olduncleas he [Socrates] was, with his great ears, -- an immense talker.
Plain olduncleas he [Socrates] was, with his great ears, -- an immense talker.
Emerson.
Un*cut" vel"vet. A fabric woven like velvet, but with the loops of the warp threads uncut.
Un"der*cut` (?),p.a.Cut away below.
Un"der*ground` in*sur"ance. Wildcat insurance.
Un"der*load start`er.(Elec.)A motor starter provided with an underload switch.
Underload switch.(Elec.)A switch which opens a circuit when the current falls below a certain predetermined value, used to protect certain types of motors from running at excessive speed upon decrease of load.
Un`der*plant" (?),v. t.[imp. & p. p.Underplanted;p. pr. & vb. n.Underplanting.] To plant under; specif.(Forestry), to plant (young trees) under an existing stand.
Un`der*run" (?),v. t.--To underrun a hose(Naut.), to lift it up at one end, then walk along shifting one hand after another so that the water will run out.
{ Un"der*slung` (?), Un"der*hung" (?) },a.Of an automobile body, suspended from the springs in such a manner that the frame of the chassis is below the axles, the object being to lower the center of gravity of the car.
Un`em*ploy"ment (?),n.Quality or state of being not employed; -- used esp. in economics, of the condition of various social classes when temporarily thrown out of employment, as those engaged for short periods, those whose trade is decaying, and those least competent.
U`ni*va"ri*ant (?),a.(Chem.)Having one degree of freedom or variability.
U`ni*ver"si*ty ex*ten"sion. The extension of the advantages of university instruction by means of lectures and classes at various centers.
Un*list"ed (?),a.Not listed; specif.(New York Stock Exchange), admitted to quotation in the unlisted department, that is, admitted to be dealt in on the floor, but not to the "regular list."
Un*par"don*a*ble (?),a.Not admitting of pardon or forgiveness; inexcusable.
Up"keep` (?),n.The act of keeping up, or maintaining; maintenance. "Horse artillery . . . expensive in theupkeep."Scribner's Mag.
Small outlays for repairs orupkeepof buildings.
Small outlays for repairs orupkeepof buildings.
A. R. Colquhoun.
Up"-o`ver,a.(Mining & Civil Eng.)Designating a method of shaft excavation by drifting to a point below, and then raising instead of sinking.
Up"right` (?),a.(Golf)Designating a club in which the head is approximately at a right angle with the shaft.
Up"right` (?),n.(Basketwork)A tool made from a flat strip of steel with chisel edges at both ends, bent into horseshoe, the opening between the cutting edges being adjustable, used for reducing splits to skeins. Called in fullupright shave.
Up*set",v. t.(Basketwork)To turn upwards the outer ends of (stakes) so as to make a foundation for the side of a basket or the like; also, to form (the side) in this manner.
Up*set"ting ther*mom"e*ter. A thermometer by merely inverting which the temperature may be registered. The column of mercury is broken and, as it remains until the instrument is reset, the reading may be made at leisure.
Up"si*lon (?),n.[Gr. 'y^ psilo`n bare, mere, simpley.] The 20th letter (, υ) of the Greek alphabet, a vowel having originally the sound of as inroom, becoming before the 4th century b. c. that Frenchuor Ger.ü.Its equivalent in English isuory.
Up`-to-date" (?),a.Extending to the present time; having style, manners, knowledge, or other qualities that are abreast of the times. "A generalup-to-datestyle of presentment."Nature.
I must prefer to translate the poet in a manner more congenial if lessup-to-date.
I must prefer to translate the poet in a manner more congenial if lessup-to-date.
Andrew Lang.
Up"-wind`,adv.Against the wind.
||U*ræ"us (?),n.[NL., fr. L.uraeuspertaining to a tail, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; tail.](Egypt. Archæol.)A serpent, or serpent's head and neck, represented on the front of the headdresses of divinities and sovereigns as an emblem of supreme power.
U*reth"ane (?),n.[F.uréthane. See Urea; Ether.](Org. Chem.)A white crystalline substance, NH2.COOC2H5, produced by the action of ammonia on ethyl carbonate or by heating urea nitrate and ethyl alcohol. It is used as a hypnotic, antipyretic, and antispasmodic. Hence, any ester of carbamic acid.
U"-shaped` (?),a.Having the form of the letter U; specif.(Phys. Geog.), of valleys, resembling a broad U in cross profile.
||U`vu*li"tis (?),n.[NL. See Uvula, and -itis.](Med.)Inflammation of the uvula.
V.
||Va*ca"tur (?),n.[NL., it is made void, fr. L.vacareto be empty. See Vacant.](Law)An order of court by which a proceeding is set aside or annulled.
Vac"cine point` (?).(Med.)See Point,n., 26.
Va`chette" clasp (?). [Cf. F.vachettecowhide leather used for ligatures.](Veter.)A piece of strong steel wire with the ends curved and pointed, used on toe or quarter cracks to bind the edges together and prevent motion. It is clasped into two notches, one on each side of the crack, burned into the wall with a cautery iron.
Vac`u*om"e*ter (?),n.[Vacuum+-meter.](Physics)(a)An instrument for the comparison of barometers.(b)An apparatus for the measurement of low pressures.
Vac"u*um clean"er. A machine for cleaning carpets, tapestry, upholstered work, etc., by suction.
Val`or*i*za"tion (?),n.[Pg.valorizacão.] Act or process of attempting to give an arbitrary market value or price to a commodity by governmental interference, as by maintaining a purchasing fund, making loans to producers to enable them to hold their products, etc.; -- used chiefly of such action by Brazil.
Val"ue (?),n.1.(a)That property of a color by which it is distinguished as bright or dark; luminosity.(b)Degree of lightness as conditioned by the presence of white or pale color, or their opposites.
2.(Math.)Any particular quantitative determination; as, a function'svaluefor some special value of its argument.
3.[pl.] The valuable ingredients to be obtained by treatment from any mass or compound; specif., the precious metals contained in rock, gravel, or the like; as, the vein carries goodvalues; thevalueson the hanging walls.
Val"ued pol"i*cy.(Fire Insurance)A policy in which the value of the goods, property, or interest insured is specified; -- opposed toopen policy.
Valued-policy law.(Fire Insurance)A law requiring insurance companies to pay to the insured, in case of total loss, the full amount of the insurance, regardless of the actual value of the property at the time of the loss.
{ Valv"al (?), Valv"ar (?) },a.(Biol.)Valvular.
Va*na"di*um bronze` (?).(Chem.)A yellow pigment consisting of a compound of vanadium.
Van*dyke" beard`. A trim, pointed beard, such as those often seen in pictures byVandyke.
Van"i*ty box. A small box, usually jeweled or of precious metal and worn on a chain, containing a mirror, powder puff, and other small toilet articles for a woman.
Van"tage game.(Lawn Tennis)The first game after the set is deuce. See Set,n., 9.
Vantage point. A point giving advantage; vantage ground.
Van't Hoff's law (?). [After J.H.van't Hoff, Dutch physical chemist.](Phys. Chem.)The generalization that: when a system is in equilibrium, of the two opposed interactions the endothermic is promoted by raising the temperature, the exothermic by lowering it.
Va"por gal"va*niz`ing.(Metal.)A process for coating metal (usually iron or steel) surfaces with zinc by exposing them to the vapor of zinc instead of, as in ordinary galvanizing, to molten zinc; -- called alsoSherardizing. Vapor galvanizing is accomplished by heating the articles to be galvanized together with zinc dust in an air tight receptacle to a temperature of about 600° F., which is 188° below the melting point of zinc, or by exposing the articles to vapor from molten zinc in a separate receptacle, using hydrogen or other reducing gas to prevent oxidation.
{ Vapor pressure or tension }.(Physics)The pressure or tension of a confined body of vapor. The pressure of a given saturated vapor is a function of the temperature only, and may be measured by introducing a small quantity of the substance into a barometer and noting the depression of the column of mercury.
Var*gue"no (vär*g"n),n.[Said to be fr.Vargas, name of a village in Spain.](Art)A decorative cabinet, of a form originating in Spain, the body being rectangular and supported on legs or an ornamental framework and the front opening downwards on hinges to serve as a writing desk.
||Var`i*cos"is (?),n.[NL. See Varix, and -osis.](Med.)The formation of varices; varicosity.
Var`i*cot"o*my (?),n.[See Varix; -tomy.](Surg.)Excision of a varicosity.
Va*ri"e*ty,n.(Theaters)Such entertainment as in given in variety shows; the production of, or performance in, variety shows. [Cant]
Variety show. A stage entertainment of successive separate performances, usually songs, dances, acrobatic feats, dramatic sketches, exhibitions of trained animals, or any specialties. Often loosely calledvaudeville show.
Va"ri*ole (?),n.[Cf. F.variolesmallpox. See Variola.]1.A foveola.
2.(Geol.)A spherule of a variolite.
Va`ri*om"e*ter (?),n.[L.variusvarious +-meter.](Elec.)An instrument for comparing magnetic forces, esp. in the earth's magnetic field.
Va*risse" (?),n.[Cf. F.varicevarix. Cf. Varix.](Far.)An imperfection on the inside of the hind leg in horses, different from a curb, but at the same height, and often growing to an unsightly size.
Var"si*ty (?),n.Colloq. contr. of University.
||Var`so`vienne" (?),n.[F., prop. fem. ofvarsovienpertaining to Warsaw, fr.VarsovieWarsaw, Pol.Warszawa.](a)A kind of Polish dance.(b)Music for such a dance or having its slow triple time characteristic strong accent beginning every second measure.
||Va"rus (?),n.[NL., fr. L., bent, grown inwards.](Med.)A deformity in which the foot is turned inward. See Talipes.
Vase clock.(Art)A clock whose decorative case has the general form of a vase, esp. one in which there is no ordinary dial, but in which a part of a vase revolves while a single stationary indicator serves as a hand.
Vas*ec"to*my (vs*k"t*m),n.[Vas+-ecmoty.](Surg.)Resection or excision of the vas deferens.
Vat"i*can Coun"cil.(R. C. Ch.)The council held under Pope Pius IX. in Vatican at Rome, in 1870, which promulgated the dogma of papal infallibility.
Vaude"ville,n.Loosely, and now commonly, variety (see above), as, to play invaudeville; avaudevilleactor.
||Ve"ga (?),n.[Sp.] An open tract of ground; a plain, esp. one which is moist and fertile, as those used for tobacco fields. [Sp. Amer. & Phil. Islands]
Veg"e*tism (?),n.Vegetal state or characteristic.
Ve"hi*cle (?),n.(Chem.)A liquid used to spread sensitive salts upon glass and paper for use in photography.
{ ||Vehm, ||Vehme } (?),n.; pl.Vehme(#). [See Vehmgericht.] A vehmic court.
||Vehm"ge*richt (?),n.; pl.Vehmgerichte(#). [G.vefm,fehmcriminal tribunal +gerichtecourt, judgment. Cf. Vehmic.] A vehmic court.
Veiled plate.(Photog.)A fogged plate.
Vein quartz. Quartz occurring as gangue in a vein.
Vein"stone` (?),n.(Mining)Valueless material surrounding the ore in a lode; gangue; matrix.
||Veldt (?),n.[D.veld. Cf. Field,n.] A region or tract of land; esp., the open field; grass country. [South Africa]
Veldt sore.(Med.)An infective sore mostly on the hands and feet, often contracted in walking on the veldt and apparently due to a specific microörganism.
{ ||Ve*lou`té" (?),n., or Sauce velouté (?) }. [F.velouté, lit., velvety.](Cookery)A white sauce or stock made by boiling down ham, veal, beef, fowl, bouillon, etc., then adding soup stock, seasoning, vegetables, and thickening, and again boiling and straining.
Vend"or's lien.(Law)An implied lien (that is, one not created by mortgage or other express agreement) given in equity to a vendor of lands for the unpaid purchase money.
Ve*ne"tian,n.1.pl.Galligaskins. [Obs.]
2.A Venetian blind. [Colloq.]
Ven"in (?),n.[L.venenumpoison.](Physiol. Chem.)A toxic substance contained in the venom of poisonous snakes; also, a (supposedly identical) toxic substance obtained by the cleavage of an albumose.
Ver*big"er*ate (?),v. i.[imp. & p. p.-ated (?);p. pr. & vb. n.-ating (?).] [L.verbigerate,-atum, to talk.]1.To talk; chat. [Obs.]
2.(Med.)To repeat a word or sentence, in speaking or writing, without wishing to do so or in spite of efforts to cease. -- Ver*big`er*a"tion (#),n.
||Ver*ein" (?),n.[G.] A union, association, or society; -- used in names of German organizations.
Ver"ner's law (?).(Philol.)A statement, propounded by the Danish philologist Karl Verner in 1875, which explains certain apparent exceptions to Grimm's law by the original position of the accent. Primitive Indo-Europeank,t,p, became first in Teutonich,th,f, and appear without further change in old Teutonic, if the accent rested on the preceding syllable; but these sounds became voiced and producedg,d,b, if the accent was originally on a different syllable. Similarlyseither remained unchanged, or it becamezand laterr. Example: Skt. sapt (accent on ultima), Gr. 'e`pta, Gothic sibun (seven). Examples in English aredeadby the side ofdeath, toriseand torear.
||Ver*ru"ca (?),n.; pl.Verrucæ(#). [L. Cf. Verrugas.]1.(Med.)A wart.
2.(Zoöl.)A wartlike elevation or roughness.
||Ver*ru"gas (?),n.[Sp., warts. Cf. Verruca.](Med.)An endemic disease occurring in the Andes in Peru, characterized by warty tumors which ulcerate and bleed. It is probably due to a special bacillus, and is often fatal.
{ Ver"y's, or Ver"y, night signals } (?). [After Lieut. Samuel W.Very, who invented the system in 1877.](Naut.)A system of signaling in which balls of red and green fire are fired from a pistol, the arrangement in groups denoting numbers having a code significance.
||Ve*sic`u*li"tis (?),n.[NL.;vesicula+-itis.] Inflammation of a vesicle.
Vest"ed school. In Ireland, a national school which has been built by the aid of grants from the board of Commissioners of National Education and is secured for educational purposes by leases to the commissioners themselves, or to the commissioners and the trustees.
Ves"ti*bule (?),v. t.To furnish with a vestibule or vestibules.Brander Matthews.
Vestibuled train.(Railroad)Same asVestibule train, under Vestibule.
Ves"tige,n.(Biol.)A small, degenerate, or imperfectly developed part or organ which has been more fully developed in some past generation.
Ve*su"vi*an (?),n.A kind of match or fusee for lighting cigars, etc.
Vi"bra*tor (?),n.One that vibrates, or causes vibration or oscillation of any kind; specif.(a)(Elec.)(1) A trembler, as of an electric bell. (2) A vibrating reed for transmitting or receiving pulsating currents in a harmonic telegraph system. (3) A device for vibrating the pen of a siphon recorder to diminish frictional resistance on the paper. (4) An oscillator.(b)An ink-distributing roller in a printing machine, having an additional vibratory motion.(a)(Music)A vibrating reed, esp. in a reed organ.(d)(Weaving)Any of various vibrating devices, as one for slackening the warp as a shed opens.(e)An attachment, usually pneumatic, in a molding machine to shake the pattern loose.
Vi"bro*graph (?),n.[Vibrate+-graph.] An instrument to observe and record vibrations.
Vick"ers' gun (?).(Ordnance)One of a system of guns manufactured by the firm of Vickers' Sons, at Sheffield, Eng. now included inVickers-Maxim guns.
Vick"ers-Max"im automatic machine gun. An automatic machine gun in which the mechanism is worked by the recoil, assisted by the pressure of gases from the muzzle, which expand in a gas chamber against a disk attached to the end of the barrel, thus moving the latter to the rear with increased recoil, and against the front wall of the gas chamber, checking the recoil of the system.
Vickers-Maxim gun.(Ordnance)One of a system of ordnance, including machine, quick-fire, coast, and field guns, of all calibers, manufactured by the combined firms of Vickers' Sons of Sheffield and Maxim of Birmingham and elsewhere, England.
Vic*to"ri*a (?),n.One of an American breed of medium-sized white hogs with a slightly dished face and very erect ears.
Victoria crape. A kind of cotton crape.
Vic*to"ri*um (?),n.[NL. So named afterVictoria, queen of Great Britain.](Chem.)A probable chemical element discovered by Sir William Crookes in 1898. Its nitrate is obtained byy practical decomposition and crystallization of yttrium nitrate. At. wt., about 117.
||Vier"kleur` (?),n.[D., fr.vierfour +kleurcolor, F.couleur.] The four-colored flag of the South African Republic, or Transvaal, -- red, white, blue, and green.
Vi*gnette" (?),n.A picture, illustration, or depiction in words, esp. one of a small or dainty kind.
Vi*gnett"er (?),n.1.A device used by photographers in printing vignettes, consisting of a screen of paper or glass with a central aperture the edges of which become opaque by intensible gradations.
2.A maker of vignettes.
Vin"e*gar fly. Any of several fruit flies, esp.Drosophila ampelopophila, which breed in imperfectly sealed preserves and in pickles.
Vin`e*gar*roon" (?),n.[Cf. Sp.vinagrevinegar.] A whip scorpion, esp. a large Mexican species (Thelyphonus giganteus) popularly supposed to be very venomous; -- from the odor that it emits when alarmed.
Vin`i*fi*ca"tion (?),n.[L.vinumwine + E.-fication.] The conversion of a fruit juice or other saccharine solution into alcohol by fermentation.
||Vi"num (?),n.; pl.Vina(#). [L. See Wine.] Wine, -- chiefly used inPharmacyin the name of solutions of some medicinal substance in wine; as:vina medicata, medicated wines;vinum opii, wine of opium.
Vi"o*let-ear`,n.Any tropical humming bird of the genusPetasophora, having violet or purplish ear tufts.
Vi"per*oid (?),a.[Viper+- oid.](Zoöl.)Like or pertaining to the vipers.
Vi*sa"yan (?),n.[Cf. Sp.Bisayoa Visayan.] A member of the most numerous of the native races of the Philippines, occupying the Visayan Islands and the northern coast Mindanao; also, their language. The Visayans possessed a native culture and alphabet.
Vis"i*ble speech".(Phon.)A system of characters invented by Prof. Alexander Melville Bell to represent all sounds that may be uttered by the speech organs, and intended to be suggestive of the position of the organs of speech in uttering them.
||Vis ma"jor. [L.majorgreater.](Law)A superior force which under certain circumstances is held to exempt from contract obligations; inevitable accident; -- a civil-law term used as nearly equivalent to, but broader than, the common-law termact of God(which see).
Vis"u*al*ize (?),v. i.To form a mental image of something not present before the eye at the time.
Vis"u*al*iz`er (?),n.One who visualizes or is proficient in visualization; esp.(Physiol.), one whose mental imagery is prevailingly visualization.
Vi"ta*scope (?),n.[L.vitalife +-scope.] A form of machine for exhibiting animated pictures.
Vit"rage (?),n.[F., prop., glazing, glass window.] A curtain of light and translucent material intended to be secured directly to the woodwork of a French casement window or a glazed door.
Vit"rics (?),n.[See Vitric.]1.The art or study of the manufacture and decoration of glassware.
2.pl.Articles of glassware, glassware in general.
Vit"rine (?),n.[F.] A glass show case for displaying fine wares, specimens, etc.
Vit"ri*ol (?),v. t.[imp. & p. p.-oled (?) or -olled;p. pr. & vb. n.-oling or -olling.] [From Vitriol,n.]1.(Metal.)To dip in dilute sulphuric acid; to pickle.
2.To vitriolize. [Colloq.]
Vit"ri*ol*ize (?),v. t.To injure (a person) with vitriol, or sulphuric acid, as by throwing it upon the face.
Vit"ro-di-tri"na (?),n.[It.vetro di trinaglass of lace.] A kind of Venetian glass or glassware in which white threads are embedded in transparent glass with a lacelike or netlike effect.
||Vi"va (?),interj.[It.] Lit., (long) live; -- an exclamation expressing good will, well wishing, etc. --n.The word viva, or a shout or sound made in uttering it.
A wilder burst of "vivas".
A wilder burst of "vivas".
R. H. Davis.
||Vi`van`dier" (?),n.[OF. & F.vivandier, fr. LL.vivanda,vivenda, provisions. Cf. Viand.] In Continental armies, esp. the French, a sutler.
||Vi`vant" (?),n.[F., p.pr., living.] In mort, bridge, and similar games, the partner of dummy.
||Vo*lan"te (?),n.[Sp., prop., flying.] A two-wheeled carriage formerly much used in Cuba. The body is in front of the axle; the driver rides on the horse.
Vol*can"ic neck.(Geol.)A column of igneous rock formed by congelation of lava in the conduit of a volcano and later exposed by the removal of surrounding rocks.
Volcanic wind.(Meteorol.)A wind associated with a volcanic outburst and due to the eruption or to convection currents over hot lava.
||Volks"raad` (?),n.[D.] A legislative assembly or parliament of any one of several countries colonized by the Dutch, esp. that of the South African Republic, or the Transvaal, and that of the Orange Free State.
Vol"ley ball. A game played by volleying a large inflated ball with the hands over a net 7 ft. 6 in. high.
Vo"lost (?),n.[Russ.volost'.] In the greater part of Russia, a division for local government consisting of a group of mirs, or village communities; a canton.
Vol"plane` (?),v. i.[F.vol planéact of volplaning;volflight +plané, p.p.; cf.planerto hover.](Aëronautics)To glide in a flying machine.
Volt*am"me`ter (?),n.A wattmeter.
Volt ampère.(Elec.)A unit of electric measurement equal to the product of a volt and an ampere. For direct current it is a measure of power and is the same as a watt; for alternating current it is a measure of apparent power.
Vo*lu"me*scope (?),n.[Volume+-scope.](Physics)An instrument consisting essentially of a glass tube provided with a graduated scale, for exhibiting to the eye the changes of volume of a gas or gaseous mixture resulting from chemical action, etc.
Vol"un*ta*rism (?),n.Any theory which conceives will to be the dominant factor in experience or in the constitution of the world; -- contrasted withintellectualism. Schopenhauer and Fichte are typical exponents of the two types of metaphysical voluntarism, Schopenhauer teaching that the evolution of the universe is the activity of a blind and irrational will, Fichte holding that the intelligent activity of the ego is the fundamental fact of reality.
Vol`un*teer" na"vy. A navy of vessels fitted out and manned by volunteers who sail under the flag of the regular navy and subject to naval discipline. Prussia in 1870, in the Franco-German war, organized such a navy, which was commanded by merchant seamen with temporary commissions, with the claim (in which England acquiesced) that it did not come within the meaning of the termprivateer.
Vol`un*teers" of America. A religious and philanthropic organization, similar to the Salvation Army, founded (1896) by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth.
Volunteer State. Tennessee; -- a nickname.
||Voor"trek`er (?),n.[D. (in South Africa).] One who treks before or first; a pioneer. [South Africa]
Vor"tex fil"a*ment. A vortex tube of infinitesimal cross section.
Vor"tex fringe. The region immediately surrounding a disk moving flatwise through air; -- so called because the air has a cyclic motion as in vortex ring.
Vortex line. A line, within a rotating fluid, whose tangent at every point is the instantaneous axis of rotation as that point of the fluid.
Vortex ring.(Physics)A ring-shaped mass of moving fluid which, by virtue of its motion of rotation around an axis disposed in circular form, attains a more or less distinct separation from the surrounding medium and has many of the properties of a solid.
Vortex theory.(Chem. & Physics)The theory, advanced by Thomson (Lord Kelvin) on the basis of investigation by Helmholtz, that the atoms are vortically moving ring-shaped masses (or masses of other forms having a similar internal motion) of a homogeneous, incompressible, frictionless fluid. Various properties of such atoms (vortex atoms) can be mathematically deduced.
Vortex tube.(Physics)An imaginary tube within a rotating fluid, formed by drawing the vortex lines through all points of a closed curve.
||Vox` an*gel"i*ca (?). [L.angelicaangelic.](Music)An organ stop of delicate stringlike quality, having for each finger key a pair of pipes, of which one is tuned slightly sharp to give a wavy effect to their joint tone.
Vul"can pow"der. A dynamite composed of nitroglycerin (30 parts), sodium nitrate (52.5), charcoal (10.5), and sulphur (7), used in mining and blasting.
W.
Wad"die (?),n. & v.See Waddy.
Wad"dy,n.;pl.Waddies(&?;). [Written alsowaddie,whaddie.] [Native name. Thought by some to be a corrup. of E.wood.] [Australia]1.An aboriginal war club.
2.A piece of wood; stick; peg; also, a walking stick.
Wad"dy,v. t.[imp. & p. p.Waddied (?);p. pr. & vb. n.Waddying.] To attack or beat with a waddy.
Wad"dy*wood` (?),n.An Australian tree (Pittosporum bicolor); also, its wood, used in making waddies.
Wa"ger (?),n.--Wagering, or gambling,contract. A contract which is of the nature of wager. Contracts of this nature include various common forms of valid commercial contracts, as contracts of insurance, contracts dealing in futures, options, etc. Other wagering contracts and bets are now generally made illegal by statute against betting and gambling, and wagering has in many cases been made a criminal offence.
Wa"ges (?),n. pl.(Theoretical Economics)The share of the annual product or national dividend which goes as a reward to labor, as distinct from the remuneration received by capital in its various forms. This economic or technical sense of the wordwagesis broader than the current sense, and includes not only amounts actually paid to laborers, but the remuneration obtained by those who sell the products of their own work, and thewages of superintendenceormanagement, which are earned by skill in directing the work of others.
Wag"gle (?),n.A waggling or wagging; specif.(Golf), the preliminary swinging of the club head back and forth over the ball in the line of the proposed stroke.
Wag*ne"ri*an (?),a.Of, pertaining to, or resembling the style of, RichardWagner, the German musical composer.
Wa*hoo" (?),n.Any of various American trees or shrubs; specif.:(a)A certain shrub (Evonymus atropurpureus) having purple capsules which in dehiscence expose the scarlet-ariled seeds; -- called alsoburning bush.(b)Cascara buckthorn.(c)Basswood.
Wa*hoo",n.A dark blue scombroid food fish (Acanthocibium solandri or petus) of Florida and the West Indies.
Wait"-a-bit`,n.Any of several plants bearing thorns or stiff hooked appendages, which catch and tear the clothing, as:(a)The greenbrier.(b)Any of various species of hawthorn.(c)In South Africa, one of numerous acacias and mimosas.(d)The grapple plant.(e)The prickly ash.
Wait"-a-while`,n.(a)One of the Australian wattle trees (Acacia colletioides), so called from the impenetrability of the thicket which it makes.(b)= Wait-a-bit.
||Wai Wu Pu (?). [Chinesewaiforeign +wuaffairs +puoffice.] The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Chinese government.
The Tsung-li Yamen, or Foreign Office, created by a decree of January 19, 1861, was in July, 1902, superseded by the formation of a new Foreign Office called theWai Wu Pu, . . . with precedence before all other boards.
The Tsung-li Yamen, or Foreign Office, created by a decree of January 19, 1861, was in July, 1902, superseded by the formation of a new Foreign Office called theWai Wu Pu, . . . with precedence before all other boards.
J. Scott Keltie.
Wakf (wkf),n.[Ar.waqf.](Moham. Law)The granting or dedication of property in trust for a pious purpose, that is, to some object that tends to the good of mankind, as to support a mosque or caravansary, to provide for support of one's family, kin, or neighbors, to benefit some particular person or persons and afterward the poor, etc.; also, the trust so created, or the property in trust.
Wa"kif (wä"kf),n.[Ar.wqif.](Moham. Law)The person creating a wakf.
Wal"er (?),n.[FromWales, i.e., New South Wales.] A horse imported from New South Wales; also, any Australian horse. [Colloq.]Kipling.
The term originated in India, whither many horses are exported from Australia (mostly from New South Wales), especially for the use of cavalry.
Walk (?),n.1.In coffee, coconut, and other plantations, the space between them.
2.(Sporting)(a)A place for keeping and training puppies.(b)An inclosed area of some extent to which a gamecock is confined to prepare him for fighting.
Walk,v. t.1.(Sporting)To put or keep (a puppy) in a walk; to train (puppies) in a walk. [Cant]
2.To move in a manner likened to walking. [Colloq.]
Shewalkeda spinning wheel into the house, making it use first one and then the other of its own spindling legs to achieve progression rather than lifting it by main force.
Shewalkeda spinning wheel into the house, making it use first one and then the other of its own spindling legs to achieve progression rather than lifting it by main force.
C. E. Craddock.
To walk one's chalks, to make off; take French leave.
Wal*la"chi*an (?),a.[AlsoWalachian,Wallach,Wallack,Vlach, etc.] Of or pertaining toWallachia, a former principality, now part of the kingdom, of Roumania. --n.An inhabitant of Wallachia; also, the language of the Wallachians; Roumanian.
Wal"lack (?),a. & n.See Wallachian.
Wall"flow`er,n.(Bot.)In Australia, the desert poison bush (Gastrolobium grandiflorum); -- called alsonative wallflower.
Wal"low (?),n.1.Act of wallowing.
2.A place to which an animal comes to wallow; also, the depression in the ground made by its wallowing; as, a buffalowallow.
Wall Street. A street towards the southern end of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, extending from Broadway to the East River; -- so called from the old wall which extended along it when the city belonged to the Dutch. It is the chief financial center of the United States, hence the name is often used for the money market and the financial interests of the country.
Wane,n.(Forestry)The natural curvature of a log or of the edge of a board sawed from a log.
Warp,v. t.(Aëronautics)To twist the end surfaces of (an aërocurve in an aëroplane) in order to restore or maintain equilibrium.
Warp knitting. A kind of knitting in which a number of threads are interchained each with one or more contiguous threads on either side.
Wart"y-back`,n.An American fresh- water mussel (Quadrula pustulosa). Its shell is used in making buttons.
Wash,v. t.1.To cause dephosphorisation of (molten pig iron) by adding substances containing iron oxide, and sometimes manganese oxide.
2.To pass (a gas or gaseous mixture) through or over a liquid for the purpose of purifying it, esp. by removing soluble constituents.
Wash,v. i.1.To use washes, as for the face or hair.
2.To move with a lapping or swashing sound, or the like; to lap; splash; as, to hear the waterwashing.
Wash,n.1.[Western U. S.](Geol.)(a)Gravel and other rock débris transported and deposited by running water; coarse alluvium.(b)An alluvial cone formed by a stream at the base of a mountain.
2.The dry bed of an intermittent stream, sometimes at the bottom of a cañon; as, the Amargosawash, Diamondwash; -- called alsodry wash. [Western U. S.]
3.(Arch.)The upper surface of a member or material when given a slope to shed water. Hence, a structure or receptacle shaped so as to receive and carry off water, as a carriagewashin a stable.
Wash drawing.(Art)In water-color painting, work in, or a work done chiefly in, washes, as distinguished from that done in stipple, in body color, etc.
Washed sale. Same as Wash sale.
Wash"ing,n.1.(Mining)Gold dust procured by washing; also, a place where this is done; a washery.
2.A thin covering or coat; as, awashingof silver.
3.(Stock Exchanges)The operation of simultaneously buying and selling the same stock for the purpose of manipulating the market. The transaction is fictitious, and is prohibited by stock-exchange rules.
4.(Pottery)The covering of a piece with an infusible powder, which prevents it from sticking to its supports, while receiving the glaze.
Wash"oe proc`ess (?). [From theWashoedistrict, Nevada.] The process of treating silver ores by grinding in pans or tubs with the addition of mercury, and sometimes of chemicals such as blue vitriol and salt.
Wash sale.(Stock Exchange)A sale made in washing. See Washing,n., 3, above.
Wash stand. In a stable or garage, a place in the floor prepared so that carriages or automobiles may be washed there and the water run off. [Cant]
Waste,n.(Phys. Geog.)Material derived by mechanical and chemical erosion from the land, carried by streams to the sea.
Watch meeting. A religious meeting held in the closing hours of the year.
Wa"ter*course` (?),n.(Shipbuilding)One of the holes in floor or other plates to permit water to flow through.
Water glass.1.A clepsydra.
2.An instrument consisting of an open box or tube with a glass bottom, used for examining objects in the water, as upon the sea bottom in shallow places.
3.A water gauge for a steam boiler.
Water grass.(a)A tall march perennial grass (Paspalum dilatatum) of the southern United States and the American tropics.(b)Manna grass.(c)The grassChloris elegans.(d)[Dial. Eng.] (1) Velvet grass. (2) The water cress. (3) One of various horsetails.
Water hammer. A metal hammer used when heated, as by dipping in hot water, to blister the skin, as for counterritation.
Wa"ter*man*ship`,n.1.The business or skill of a waterman.
2.Art of, or skill in, rowing; oarsmanship; specif., skill in managing the blade in the water, as distinguished from managing arms, body, etc., in the stroke.
Water monkey. A jar or bottle, as of porous earthenware, in which water is cooled by evaporation.
Water parting.(Phys. Geog.)A summit from the opposite sides of which rain waters flow to different streams; a line separating the drainage districts of two streams or coasts; a divide.
Water pocket. A water hole in the bed of an intermittent stream, esp. the bowl at the foot of a cliff over which the stream leaps when in the flood stage. [Western U. S.]
Water table.(Hydraulic Engin.)The upper limit of the portion of the ground wholly saturated with water. The water table may be within a few inches of the surface or many feet below it.
Water telescope.1.(Optics)A telescope in which the medium between the objective and the eye piece is water instead of air, used in some experiments in aberration.
2.A telescope devised for looking into a body of water.
Water tender.(Nav.)In the United States navy, a first-class petty officer in charge in a fireroom. He "tends" water to the boilers, sees that fires are properly cleaned and stoked, etc. There is also a rating ofchief water tender, who is a chief petty officer.
Water tower. A tower or standpipe used as a reservoir to deliver water at a required head, as to a fountain.
Water tube. Any tube for passing or holding water; specif., in some steam boilers, a tube in which water circulates and steam is generated.
Wat*teau" (?),a.(Art)Having the appearance of that which is seen in pictures by AntoineWatteau, a French painter of the eighteenth century; -- said esp. of women's garments; as, aWatteaubodice.
Watteau back. The back of a woman's gown in which one or more very broad folds are carried from the neck to the floor without being held in at the waist, while the front and sides of the gown are shaped to the person and have a belt or its equivalent.
Wat"tle (?),n.1.Material consisting of wattled twigs, withes, etc., used for walls, fences, and the like. "The pailsade ofwattle."Frances Macnab.
2.(Bot.)In Australasia, any tree of the genusAcacia; -- so called from thewattles, or hurdles, which the early settlers made of the long, pliable branches or of the split stems of the slender species.
Watt"less (?),a.(Elec.)Without any power (cf. Watt); -- said of an alternating current or component of current when it differs in phase by ninety degrees from the electromotive force which produces it, or of an electromotive force or component thereof when the current it produces differs from it in phase by 90 degrees.
Wave,n.Something resembling or likened to a water wave, as in rising unusually high, in being of unusual extent, or in progressive motion; a swelling or excitement, as of feeling or energy; a tide; flood; period of intensity, usual activity, or the like; as, awaveof enthusiasm.
Wax"works` (?),n. pl.An exhibition of wax figures, or the place of exhibition.
Weak (?),a.1.(Stock Exchange)Tending toward a lower price or lower prices; as, wheat isweak; aweakmarket.
2.(Card Playing)Lacking in good cards; deficient as to number or strength; as, a handweakin trumps.
3.(Photog.)Lacking contrast; as, aweaknegative.
Wealth (?),n.(Econ.)(a)In the private sense, all pooperty which has a money value.(b)In the public sense, all objects, esp. material objects, which have economic utility.(c)Specif. calledpersonal wealth. Those energies, faculties, and habits directly contributing to make people industrially efficient.
Wear,n.The result of wearing or use; consumption, diminution, or impairment due to use, friction, or the like; as, thewearof this coat has been good.
Weath"er map. A map or chart showing the principal meteorological elements at a given hour and over an extended region. Such maps usually show the height of the barometer, the temperature of the air, the relative humidity, the state of the weather, and the direction and velocity of the wind. Isobars and isotherms outline the general distribution of temperature and pressure, while shaded areas indicate the sections over which rain has just fallen. Other lines inclose areas where the temperature has fallen or risen markedly. In tabular form are shown changes of pressure and of temperature, maximum and minimum temperatures, and total rain for each weather station since the last issue, usually 12 hours.
Weather signal. Any signal giving information about the weather. The system used by the United States Weather Bureau includes temperature, cold or hot wave, rain or snow, wind direction, storm, and hurricane signals.