(no subject)
pleurisy: (n) 1. In Medicine: In early use: an abscess of the ribs or inner surface of the chest; pain in the chest or the side, especially when stabbing in nature and exacerbated by inspiration or coughing; an instance of this; any disease resulting in such pain. In later use: specifically inflammation of the pleura; pleuritis; an instance of this.
2. An overabundance or excess (often of something).
pleura: (n) 1. In Anatomy and Zoology: The serous membrane lining each half of the thoracic cavity and covering the lung. Occasionally also: the serous membrane enclosing the lungs of vertebrates other than mammals.
2. In Zoology and Palaeontology: A lateral part in various invertebrate structures; specifically (a) a pleuron or pleurite of an arthropod, especially a trilobite; (b) either of the regions on each side of the central tooth of the radula of a mollusc (now rare).
pleuron/pleurum, plural pleura: (n) The lateral part of the body-wall, the side of the body; specifically (a) either of the lateral regions of each segment of the body of an arthropod, which are situated between the sternum and the tergum and are usually sclerotized; (b) each of the ribs comprising the lateral lobes of a trilobite.
tergum: (n) the Latin word for ‘back’ (synonymous with DORSUM): in special scientific uses. a. The back, or upper surface or portion, of an arthropod or other articulated animal; more usually, the upper plate of each somite or segment of such an animal (= tergite): opposed to sternum. b. Each of the two upper plates of the shell in cirripeds.
somite: (n) One or other of the more or less distinct segments into which the bodies of many animals are divided.
cirriped: (n) A member of the Cirripedia or Cirripeda, a class of marine animals of the Sub-kingdom Annulosa, closely related to the Crustacea, but in the adult state much less developed; enclosed in a shell consisting of many valves which is cemented, sessile or attached by a flexible stalk, to other bodies. They include the barnacles and acorn-shells. The name refers to the appearance of the legs, which can be protruded like a curled lock of hair from between the valves.
dorsum: (n) 1. In Zoology and Anatomy: The back of an animal.
2. The upper, outer, or convex surface of a limb or organ, as the hand, nose, tongue;
3. In Conchology the outer surface of a shell opposite to the opening.
4. in Botany The outer surface of an organ or part (e.g. a seed), i.e. that directed away from the axis.
5. A ridge of hill or high ground.
sclerotized: (adj) In Zoology: Hardened by conversion into sclerotin.
sclerotin: (n) In Biology: Any of a class of structural proteins which form the exocuticles of insects and harden and darken by a natural tanning process in which protein chains become cross-linked by quinone groups.
quinone: (n) benzoquinone. In later use also: any of a series of aromatic compounds derived from benzene and its homologues in which two methene (CH) groups are replaced by two ketone (CO) groups.
Quinones are cyclohexadienones.
pleurite: (n) Each of the lateral sections of the exoskeleton of an arthropod; a pleural sclerite.
sclerite: (n) In the anatomy of invertebrates, each of the definite component portions into which the hard portion of the substance of certain animals is divided.
cohosh: (n) The name of several North American plants which have been used medicinally. black cohosh, Cimicifuga racemosa; blue cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides; red cohosh, Actæa spicata, variant rubra; white cohosh, Actæa alba.
pintle: (n) 1. The penis of a man or a male animal.
2. A pin or bolt, esp. one on which another part in a mechanism turns;
3. In Nautical use: A pin forming part of the hinge of a rudder, usually fixed on the rudder and fitting into a ring on the sternpost.
4. In Gunnery: (a) An iron pin lessening or controlling the recoil of a cannon; (b) the vertical bolt on which a gun carriage or gun mount revolves; (c) the pin on the axle-tree of a limber to which the trail-plate eye is attached.
5. The pin inside a hinge; the bolt of an axle.
tarse: (n) The penis. (which term lends itself admirably to the bawdy rhyme of 'tarse' with 'arse')
merkin: (n) 1. An artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women. Also: an artificial vagina.
2. slang in later use. The female genitals.
anthracite: (n) 1. A stone described by Pliny, supposed to be hydrophane.
2. The non-bituminous variety of coal called also glance coal, blind coal, and stone coal.
hydrophane: (n) A variety of opaque or partly translucent opal which absorbs water upon immersion and becomes transparent.
zaftig: (adj) Of a woman: plump, curvaceous, ‘sexy’.
gunsel: (n) 1. A (naïve) youth; a tramp's young companion, male lover; a homosexual youth.
2. An informer, a criminal, a gunman.
spinel: (n) 1. A gem or precious stone of a red or scarlet colour, closely resembling the true ruby, now classed as belonging to the typical species of the spinel group of minerals.
2. The typical species of a group of minerals (the spinel group), which are compounds of sesquioxides with protoxides, and crystallize in the isometric system. The formula of the typical species is MgAl(2)O(4).
3. One or other of the various minerals belonging to this group. The general formula of the minerals is A2+B23+O4, spec. where B is Al. The name is also applied to any of a large number of artificial minerals having similar structures.
impasto: (n) 1. In Painting: The laying on of colour thickly; impasting, as a characteristic of style.
2. In Ceramics: clay or enamel colours laid so thickly on to the ware as to stand up in relief from its surface.
suffume: (n) 1. The action of suffumigating or fumigating from below; an instance of this; chiefly concr. (usually plural): fumes or vapours generated by burning herbs, incense, etc.; also occasionally, a substance used for this purpose.
2. In Medicine: used to produce a therapeutic effect by penetration of the body.
3. used in incantations, in the offering of sacrifices, and in witchcraft to excite evil spirits.
4. Generally, a fume, vapour.
strangury: (n) 1. A disease of the urinary organs characterized by slow and painful emission of urine; also the condition of slow and painful urination.
2. By erroneous etymological association with STRANGLE, the word has sometimes been supposed to mean a disease due to strangling or choking.
3. In Botany: a disease produced on plants by tight ligatures.
sempstress: (n) A woman who seams or sews; a needlewoman whose occupation is plain sewing as distinguished from dress or mantle-making, decorative embroidery, etc.
fumerole: (n) A hole or vent through which vapour issues from a volcano; a smoke-hole.
samphire: (n) 1. The plant Crithmum maritimum (growing on rocks by the sea), the aromatic saline fleshy leaves of which are used in pickles. Also called rock samphire.
2. As a name for various other maritime plants, especially the glasswort (Salicornia).
3. In Cookery: The leaves of samphire, used chiefly as a pickle.
terebinth: (n) 1. A tree of moderate size, Pistacia Terebinthus, N.O. Anacardiaceæ, a native of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, the source of Chian turpentine, and a common object of veneration; also called turpentine tree, and Algerine or Barbary mastic-tree.
2. The resin of this tree; = TURPENTINE.
costmary: (n) An aromatic perennial plant, Chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum, Tanacetum) Balsamita, otherwise Balsamita vulgaris, family Compositæ, a native of the orient region, naturalized in the south of Europe, and cultivated in English gardens since the 16th c. as a flavouring herb; formerly used in medicine and to give a flavour to ale, whence also called ALECOST;
serail: (n) 1. =SERAGLIO; The part of a Muslim dwelling-house (esp. of the palace of a sovereign or great noble) in which the women are secluded; the apartments reserved for wives and concubines; a harem.
2. A Turkish palace, esp. the palace of the Sultan at Constantinople.
3. A barrack for Turkish soldiers;
2. An overabundance or excess (often of something).
pleura: (n) 1. In Anatomy and Zoology: The serous membrane lining each half of the thoracic cavity and covering the lung. Occasionally also: the serous membrane enclosing the lungs of vertebrates other than mammals.
2. In Zoology and Palaeontology: A lateral part in various invertebrate structures; specifically (a) a pleuron or pleurite of an arthropod, especially a trilobite; (b) either of the regions on each side of the central tooth of the radula of a mollusc (now rare).
pleuron/pleurum, plural pleura: (n) The lateral part of the body-wall, the side of the body; specifically (a) either of the lateral regions of each segment of the body of an arthropod, which are situated between the sternum and the tergum and are usually sclerotized; (b) each of the ribs comprising the lateral lobes of a trilobite.
tergum: (n) the Latin word for ‘back’ (synonymous with DORSUM): in special scientific uses. a. The back, or upper surface or portion, of an arthropod or other articulated animal; more usually, the upper plate of each somite or segment of such an animal (= tergite): opposed to sternum. b. Each of the two upper plates of the shell in cirripeds.
somite: (n) One or other of the more or less distinct segments into which the bodies of many animals are divided.
cirriped: (n) A member of the Cirripedia or Cirripeda, a class of marine animals of the Sub-kingdom Annulosa, closely related to the Crustacea, but in the adult state much less developed; enclosed in a shell consisting of many valves which is cemented, sessile or attached by a flexible stalk, to other bodies. They include the barnacles and acorn-shells. The name refers to the appearance of the legs, which can be protruded like a curled lock of hair from between the valves.
dorsum: (n) 1. In Zoology and Anatomy: The back of an animal.
2. The upper, outer, or convex surface of a limb or organ, as the hand, nose, tongue;
3. In Conchology the outer surface of a shell opposite to the opening.
4. in Botany The outer surface of an organ or part (e.g. a seed), i.e. that directed away from the axis.
5. A ridge of hill or high ground.
sclerotized: (adj) In Zoology: Hardened by conversion into sclerotin.
sclerotin: (n) In Biology: Any of a class of structural proteins which form the exocuticles of insects and harden and darken by a natural tanning process in which protein chains become cross-linked by quinone groups.
quinone: (n) benzoquinone. In later use also: any of a series of aromatic compounds derived from benzene and its homologues in which two methene (CH) groups are replaced by two ketone (CO) groups.
Quinones are cyclohexadienones.
pleurite: (n) Each of the lateral sections of the exoskeleton of an arthropod; a pleural sclerite.
sclerite: (n) In the anatomy of invertebrates, each of the definite component portions into which the hard portion of the substance of certain animals is divided.
cohosh: (n) The name of several North American plants which have been used medicinally. black cohosh, Cimicifuga racemosa; blue cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides; red cohosh, Actæa spicata, variant rubra; white cohosh, Actæa alba.
pintle: (n) 1. The penis of a man or a male animal.
2. A pin or bolt, esp. one on which another part in a mechanism turns;
3. In Nautical use: A pin forming part of the hinge of a rudder, usually fixed on the rudder and fitting into a ring on the sternpost.
4. In Gunnery: (a) An iron pin lessening or controlling the recoil of a cannon; (b) the vertical bolt on which a gun carriage or gun mount revolves; (c) the pin on the axle-tree of a limber to which the trail-plate eye is attached.
5. The pin inside a hinge; the bolt of an axle.
tarse: (n) The penis. (which term lends itself admirably to the bawdy rhyme of 'tarse' with 'arse')
merkin: (n) 1. An artificial covering of hair for the female pubic region; a pubic wig for women. Also: an artificial vagina.
2. slang in later use. The female genitals.
anthracite: (n) 1. A stone described by Pliny, supposed to be hydrophane.
2. The non-bituminous variety of coal called also glance coal, blind coal, and stone coal.
hydrophane: (n) A variety of opaque or partly translucent opal which absorbs water upon immersion and becomes transparent.
zaftig: (adj) Of a woman: plump, curvaceous, ‘sexy’.
gunsel: (n) 1. A (naïve) youth; a tramp's young companion, male lover; a homosexual youth.
2. An informer, a criminal, a gunman.
spinel: (n) 1. A gem or precious stone of a red or scarlet colour, closely resembling the true ruby, now classed as belonging to the typical species of the spinel group of minerals.
2. The typical species of a group of minerals (the spinel group), which are compounds of sesquioxides with protoxides, and crystallize in the isometric system. The formula of the typical species is MgAl(2)O(4).
3. One or other of the various minerals belonging to this group. The general formula of the minerals is A2+B23+O4, spec. where B is Al. The name is also applied to any of a large number of artificial minerals having similar structures.
impasto: (n) 1. In Painting: The laying on of colour thickly; impasting, as a characteristic of style.
2. In Ceramics: clay or enamel colours laid so thickly on to the ware as to stand up in relief from its surface.
suffume: (n) 1. The action of suffumigating or fumigating from below; an instance of this; chiefly concr. (usually plural): fumes or vapours generated by burning herbs, incense, etc.; also occasionally, a substance used for this purpose.
2. In Medicine: used to produce a therapeutic effect by penetration of the body.
3. used in incantations, in the offering of sacrifices, and in witchcraft to excite evil spirits.
4. Generally, a fume, vapour.
strangury: (n) 1. A disease of the urinary organs characterized by slow and painful emission of urine; also the condition of slow and painful urination.
2. By erroneous etymological association with STRANGLE, the word has sometimes been supposed to mean a disease due to strangling or choking.
3. In Botany: a disease produced on plants by tight ligatures.
sempstress: (n) A woman who seams or sews; a needlewoman whose occupation is plain sewing as distinguished from dress or mantle-making, decorative embroidery, etc.
fumerole: (n) A hole or vent through which vapour issues from a volcano; a smoke-hole.
samphire: (n) 1. The plant Crithmum maritimum (growing on rocks by the sea), the aromatic saline fleshy leaves of which are used in pickles. Also called rock samphire.
2. As a name for various other maritime plants, especially the glasswort (Salicornia).
3. In Cookery: The leaves of samphire, used chiefly as a pickle.
terebinth: (n) 1. A tree of moderate size, Pistacia Terebinthus, N.O. Anacardiaceæ, a native of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, the source of Chian turpentine, and a common object of veneration; also called turpentine tree, and Algerine or Barbary mastic-tree.
2. The resin of this tree; = TURPENTINE.
costmary: (n) An aromatic perennial plant, Chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum, Tanacetum) Balsamita, otherwise Balsamita vulgaris, family Compositæ, a native of the orient region, naturalized in the south of Europe, and cultivated in English gardens since the 16th c. as a flavouring herb; formerly used in medicine and to give a flavour to ale, whence also called ALECOST;
serail: (n) 1. =SERAGLIO; The part of a Muslim dwelling-house (esp. of the palace of a sovereign or great noble) in which the women are secluded; the apartments reserved for wives and concubines; a harem.
2. A Turkish palace, esp. the palace of the Sultan at Constantinople.
3. A barrack for Turkish soldiers;