The dictionary of science and technical terms used in philosophy, literature, professions, commerce, arts, and trades / by W.M. Buchanan ; with supplement ; edited by James A. Smith.

  • Buchanan, W. M.
Date:
1884
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The dictionary of science and technical terms used in philosophy, literature, professions, commerce, arts, and trades / by W.M. Buchanan ; with supplement ; edited by James A. Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Assc'iiANce, insurance ; a contract to make good a loss (See Insurance).— In law, legal evidence of tlie conveyance of property.—In theology, full confidence in possessing an actual interest in the divine favour. The root of this class of words is, Tr. sur, sure, certain As'taccs,clcrrroe.z,os. Cancer marinus(Plin. 9. .31). A gen us of Crustacea, constituting Cuvier’s family Macroura (long-tailed), and divided into four sections, each con- sisting of numerous sub-genera. In one cf these (the Pagurus) we find the Her- mit (Cancer Bernhardus, Lin.), which in- habits a univalve shell: it is common in the European seas. In another (the Asta- cus, Fab.) is the common lobster (A. mari- nus). The fresh-water species are known hy the name of Craiv-fish. Among these are also the shrimp (Crangon), and the prawn ! Paleemon). See Cancer. Astar'te, a Syrian goddess, probably corresponding to the Semele of the Greeks, the Astaroth of the Hebrews, and the Juno of the Homans. Astat'ic, from d.ara.'roi, balanced. The Astatic needle is a double magnetic needle, not affected by the earth’s magnetism. As'TEisM,from xtrruos, polite. In rhe- toric, “ polite irony,” “ genteel derision.” As'ter, a genus of syngenesious plants, of the order Poly, superflua, containing up- wards of loOspecies, mostly hardy peren- nials. The sea Starwort or Michaelmas- daisy (A. tripolium), found in salt-marshes, is a bad type, and the only one which in- habits Britain. Name, aster, a star, which the flowers resemble. Aste'ria, from aster, a star. 1. A va- riety of sapphire, not perfectly transpa- rent, and showing a star-like opalescence in thedirectionoftheaxis,ifcutround. It is sometimes called cat's eye and bastard opal. 2. The generic name of the star- fish or sea-star, so called because the body is divided into rays (usually five), in the centre of which, and underneath, is the mouth. The asterias have the power of reproducing the rays which have been removed, even if only the centre and one of the rays remain: for this reason their figure is often irregular. They are placed by Cuvier in the order Pcndicellata and class Echinodermata, of the radiated ani- mals or zoophytes. They inhabit the ocean, and are frequently found fos- silised. Astf.r'iamte, fossilised asterias or star- fish : , a star, and }J9a;, stone. Aste'rion and Chara (canes venatici), the greyhounds. A constellation occupy- ing the space between Bobtes and the hind legs of Ursa Major, particularly distin- guished by a star of the third magnitude (called Cor Caroli, in honour of Charles I.), As'TEniTE. j stur-stor.e, a.trrr^, a star, As'trite, -and A/ft>t, 6tone. 1. The As'troite, ' same with asteria. See As- teria, 1st def. 2. Used to denote de- tached articulations of encrites. This is especially the application of the French word astroite. Astern', in nautical language, towards the after-part of the ship, opposed to a- head (q v.>. As'teroids, from aiTT7]p, a star, and eloos, likeness The name given by Her- schel to the little planets between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, now called Plane- toids. q. *. Asthsnol'ogt, from arGlro;, weakness, and Xoytc, discussion. The doctrine of diseases arising from debility. As'theny, Lat. asthenia, debility; x, without, and erdtvo;, strength. As'thma (xirflua). A disease character ised by difficulty of breathing, recurring in paroxysms, accompanied with cough and a sense of constriction in the chest. As'tragal, in architecture, a small moulding, having a semicircular profile, usually surrounding the top or bottom of a column, and representing a ring, to prevent the splitting of the part which it binds.—The ring or moulding near the mouth of a canon.—In anatomy and bo- tany—See Astragalus. Astrag'alus, Gr of dirrexyaXc;, the ankle-bone. 1. That bone of the tarsus upon which the tibia moves, called popu- larly the sling-bone. 2. In botany, a genus of plants of which there are three British species, known by the popular name of the milk-vetch: perennials. Bia- delphia—Becandria. The seeds are sup- posed to bear some resemblance to the astragalus of the foot.—The gum traga- canth or gum dragon is derived from a Persian species, the goat’s horn (A. tern*). Astran'tia, the black-master-icort. A genus of hardy European perennials. Pentandria—Bigynia. Named from as- trum, a star, from the star-like shape of the flowers. Astrin'gent, Lat. astringens, binding. Applied to medicines, which when applied to the body, renders the solids denser, by contracting the fibres. Tire astringent principle of vegetable substances is tan- nin. As'trolabe, from xtr'r^or, a star, and Xctfiuv, to take. 1. An instrument for measuring angles, and formerly used for taking the altitude of the sun or stars. It consists of a circular plate with the de grees and minutes marked round the edge, and a moveable index, with a sight glass at each end. The instrument is
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