The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 765
Hyp*som"e*ter (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ height + -meter .] (Physics) An instrument for measuring heights by observation of barometric pressure; esp., one for determining heights by ascertaining the boiling point of water. It consists of a vessel for water, with a lamp for heating it, and an inclosed thermometer for showing the temperature of ebullition.
Hypsometric, Hypsometrical <Xpage=722>
Hyp`so*met"ric (?) , Hyp`so*met"ric*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to hypsometry.
Hypsometry <Xpage=722>
Hyp*som"e*try (?) , n. That branch of the science of geodesy which has to do with the measurement of heights, either absolutely with reference to the sea level, or relatively.
Hypural <Xpage=722>
Hy*pu"ral (?) , a. [Pref. hypo- + Gr. <?/ tail.] (Anat.) Under the tail; -- applied to the bones which support the caudal fin rays in most fishes.
Hyracoid <Xpage=722>
Hy"ra*coid (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the Hyracoidea. -- n. One of the Hyracoidea.
Hyracoidea <Xpage=722>
Hyr`a*coi"de*a (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Hyrax , and oid .] (Zo\'94l.) An order of small hoofed mammals, comprising the single living genus Hyrax .
Hyrax <Xpage=722>
Hy"rax (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ shrew mouse.] (Zo\'94l.) Any animal of the genus Hyrax , of which about four species are known. They constitute the order Hyracoidea. The best known species are the daman ( H. Syriacus ) of Palestine, and the klipdas ( H. capensis ) of South Africa. Other species are H. arboreus and H. Sylvestris , the former from Southern, and the latter from Western, Africa. See Daman .
Hyrcanian, Hyrcan <Xpage=722>
Hyr*ca"ni*an (?) , Hyr"can (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Hyrcania, an ancient country or province of Asia, southeast of the Caspian (which was also called the Hyracanian) Sea. "The Hyrcan tiger." " Hyracanian deserts."
Shak.
Hyrse <Xpage=722>
Hyrse (?) , n. [G. hirse , OHG. hirsi .] (Bot.) Millet.
Hyrst <Xpage=722>
Hyrst (?) , n. A wood. See Hurst .
Hyson <Xpage=722>
Hy"son (?) , n. [Chin. hi-tshun , lit., first crop, or blooming spring.] A fragrant kind of green tea.
Hyson skin , the light and inferior leaves separated from the hyson by a winnowing machine.
M'Culloch.
Hyssop <Xpage=722>
Hys"sop (?) , n. [OE. hysope , ysope , OF. ysope , F. hysope , hyssope , L. hysopum , hyssopum , hyssopus , Gr. <?/, <?/, an aromatic plant, fr. Heb. &emac;sov .] A plant ( Hyssopus officinalis ). The leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm, pungent taste.
&hand; The hyssop of Scripture is supposed to be a species of caper ( Capparis spinosa ), but probably the name was used for several different plants.
Hysteranthous <Xpage=722>
Hys`ter*an"thous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ after + <?/ flower.] (Bot.) Having the leaves expand after the flowers have opened.
Henslow.
Hysteresis <Xpage=722>
Hys`te*re"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ to be behind, to lag.] (Physics) A lagging or retardation of the effect, when the forces acting upon a body are changed, as if from velocity or internal friction; a temporary resistance to change from a condition previously invuced, observed in magnetism, thermoelectricity, etc., on reversal of polarity.
Hysteria <Xpage=722>
Hys*te"ri*a (?) , n. [NL.: cf. F. hyst\'82rie . See Hysteric .] (Med.) A nervous affection, occurring almost exclusively in women, in which the emotional and reflex excitability is exaggerated, and the will power correspondingly diminished, so that the patient loses control over the emotions, becomes the victim of imaginary sensations, and often falls into paroxism or fits.
&hand; The chief symptoms are convulsive, tossing movements of the limbs and head, uncontrollable crying and laughing, and a choking sensation as if a ball were lodged in the throat. The affection presents the most varied symptoms, often simulating those of the gravest diseases, but generally curable by mental treatment alone.
Hysteric, Hysterical <Xpage=722>
Hys*ter"ic (?) , Hys*ter"ic*al (?) , a. [L. hystericus , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ the womb; perh. akin to <?/ latter, later, and E. utter , out .] Of or pertaining to hysteria; affected, or troubled, with hysterics; convulsive, fitful.
With no hysteric weakness or feverish excitement, they preserved their peace and patience. Bancroft.
Hysterics <Xpage=722>
Hys*ter"ics (?) , n. pl. (Med.) Hysteria.
Hysteroepilepsy <Xpage=722>
Hys`ter*o*ep"i*lep`sy (?) , n. [ Hysteria + epilepsy .] (Med.) A disease resembling hysteria in its nature, and characterized by the occurrence of epileptiform convulsions, which can often be controlled or excited by pressure on the ovaries, and upon other definite points in the body. -- Hys`ter*o*ep`i*lep"tic (#) , a.
Hysterogenic <Xpage=722>
Hys`ter*o*gen"ic (?) , a. [ Hyste ria + root of Gr. <?/ to be born.] (Physiol.) Producing hysteria; as, the hysterogenic pressure points on the surface of the body, pressure upon which is said both to produce and arrest an attack of hysteria .
De Watteville.
Hysterology <Xpage=722>
Hys`ter*ol"o*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ the latter + <?/ discourse: cf. F. hyst\'82rologie .] (Rhet.) A figure by which the ordinary course of thought is inverted in expression, and the last put first; -- called also hysteron proteron .
Hysteron proteron <Xpage=722>
Hys"te*ron prot"e*ron (?) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ the latter, following + <?/ before, others, sooner.] (Rhet.) (a) A figure in which the natural order of sense is reversed; hysterology; as, valet atque vivit , "he is well and lives ." (b) An inversion of logical order, in which the conclusion is put before the premises, or the thing proved before the evidence.
Hysterophyte <Xpage=722>
Hys*ter"o*phyte (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ following + <?/ plant.] (Bot.) A plant, like the fungus, which lives on dead or living organic matter. -- Hys`ter*oph"y*tal (#) , a.
Hysterotomy <Xpage=722>
Hys`ter*ot"o*my (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ womb + <?/ to cut: cf. F. hyst\'82rotomie .] (Med.) The C\'91sarean section. See under C\'91sarean .
Hystricine <Xpage=722>
Hys"tri*cine (?) , a. [See Hystrix .] (Zo\'94l.) Like or pertaining to the porcupines.
Hystricomorphous <Xpage=722>
Hys`tri*co*mor"phous (?) , a. [ Hystrix + Gr. <?/ form.] (Zo\'94l.) Like, or allied to, the porcupines; -- said of a group ( Hystricomorpha ) of rodents.
Hystrix <Xpage=722>
Hys"trix (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ porcupine.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of rodents, including the porcupine.
Hythe <Xpage=722>
Hythe (?) , n. A small haven. See Hithe . [Obs.]
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I.
I <Xpage=723>
I (?) . 1. I, the ninth letter of the English alphabet, takes its form from the Ph\'d2nician, through the Latin and the Greek. The Ph\'d2nician letter was probably of Egyptian origin. Its original value was nearly the same as that of the Italian I, or long e as in mete . Etymologically I is most closely related to e , y , j , g ; as in d i nt, d e nt, b e verage, L. b i bere; E. k i n, AS. c y nn; E. th i n, AS. <?/ y nne; E. domin i on, don j on, dun g eon. In English I has two principal vowel sounds: the long sound, as in p\'c6ne , \'c6ce ; and the short sound, as in p&icr;n . It has also three other sounds: ( a ) That of e in term , as in thirst . ( b ) That of e in mete (in words of foreign origin), as in machine , pique , regime . ( c ) That of consonant y (in many words in which it precedes another vowel), as in bunion , million , filial , Christian , etc. It enters into several digraphs, as in fail , field , seize , feign . friend ; and with o often forms a proper diphtong, as in oil , join , coin .
See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 98-106.
The dot which we place over the small or lower case i dates only from the 14th century. The sounds of I and J were originally represented by the same character, and even after the introduction of the form J into English dictionaries, words containing these letters were, till a comparatively recent time, classed together.
2. In our old authors, I was often used for ay (or aye ), yes, which is pronounced nearly like it.
3. As a numeral, I stands for 1, II for 2, etc.
I- <Xpage=723>
I- (?) , prefix. See Y- .
I <Xpage=723>
I (?) , pron. [ poss. My (?) or Mine (<?/) ; object. Me (?) . pl. nom. We (<?/) ; poss. Our (?) or Ours (<?/) ; object. Us (?) . ] [OE. i , ich , ic , AS. ic ; akin to OS. & D. ik , OHG. ih , G. ich , Icel. ek , Dan. jeg , Sw. jag , Goth. ik , OSlav. az' , Russ. ia , W. i , L. ego , Gr. <?/, <?/, Skr. aham . &root;179. Cf. Egoism .] The nominative case of the pronoun of the first person; the word with which a speaker or writer denotes himself.
Iamatology <Xpage=723>
I*am`a*tol"o*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/, medicine + -logy .] (Med.) Materia Medica; that branch of therapeutics which treats of remedies.
Iamb <Xpage=723>
I"amb (?) , n. [Cf. F. iambe . See Lambus .] An iambus or iambic. [R.]
Iambic <Xpage=723>
I*am"bic (?) , a. [L. iambicus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. iambique .] 1. (Pros.) Consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented; as, an iambic foot .
2. Pertaining to, or composed of, iambics; as, an iambic verse; iambic meter. See Lambus .
Iambic <Xpage=723>
I*am"bic , n. 1. (Pros.) (a) An iambic foot; an iambus. (b) A verse composed of iambic feet.
&hand; The following couplet consists of iambic verses.
Thy gen- | ius calls | thee not | to pur- | chase fame In keen | iam- | bics , but | mild an- | agram. Dryden.
2. A satirical poem (such poems having been anciently written in iambic verse); a satire; a lampoon.
Iambical <Xpage=723>
I*am"bic*al (?) , a. Iambic. [Obs. or R.]
Iambically <Xpage=723>
I*am"bic*al*ly , adv. In a iambic manner; after the manner of iambics.
Iambize <Xpage=723>
I*am"bize (?) , v. t. [Gr. <?/.] To satirize in iambics; to lampoon. [R.]
Iambus <Xpage=723>
I*am"bus (?) , n. ; pl. L. Iambi (#) , E. Iambuses (#) . [L. iambus , Gr. <?/; prob. akin to <?/ to throw, assail (the iambus being first used in satiric poetry), and to L. jacere to throw. Cf. Jet a shooting forth.] (Pros.) A foot consisting of a short syllable followed by a long one, as in &acr;m\'bens , or of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one, as invent ; an iambic. See the Couplet under Iambic , n.
Ianthina <Xpage=723>
I*an"thi*na (?) , n. ; pl. L. Ianthin\'91 (#) , E. Ianthinas (#) . [NL., fr. L. ianthinus violet-blue, Gr. <?/; <?/ violet + <?/ flower.] (Zo\'94l.) Any gastropod of the genus Ianthina , of which various species are found living in mid ocean; -- called also purple shell , and violet snail . [Written also janthina .]
&hand; It floats at the surface by means of a raft, which it constructs by forming and uniting together air bubbles of hardened mucus. The Tyrian purple of the ancients was obtained in part from mollusks of this genus.
Iatraliptic <Xpage=723>
I*a`tra*lip"tic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/; <?/ physician + <?/ belonging to the <?/ or anointer, fr. <?/ to anoint: cf. F. iatraliptique .] Treating diseases by anointing and friction; as, the iatraliptic method . [Written also iatroleptic .]
Iatric, Iatrical <Xpage=723>
I*at"ric (?) , I*at"ric*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ healing, fr. <?/ physician, fr. <?/ to heal.] Of or pertaining to medicine, or to medical men.
Iatrochemical <Xpage=723>
I*a`tro*chem"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to iatrochemistry, or to the iatrochemists.
Iatrochemist <Xpage=723>
I*a`tro*chem"ist (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ physician + E. chemist .] A physician who explained or treated diseases upon chemical principles; one who practiced iatrochemistry.
Iatrochemistry <Xpage=723>
I*a`tro*chem"is*try (?) , n. Chemistry applied to, or used in, medicine; -- used especially with reference to the doctrines in the school of physicians in Flanders, in the 17th century, who held that health depends upon the proper chemical relations of the fluids of the body, and who endeavored to explain the conditions of health or disease by chemical principles.
Iatromathematical <Xpage=723>
I*a`tro*math`e*mat"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to iatromathematicians or their doctrine.
Iatromathematician <Xpage=723>
I*a`tro*math`e*ma*ti"cian (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ physician + E. mathematician .] (Hist. Med.) One of a school of physicians in Italy, about the middle of the 17th century, who tried to apply the laws of mechanics and mathematics to the human body, and hence were eager student of anatomy; -- opposed to the iatrochemists .
Iberian <Xpage=723>
I*be"ri*an (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Iberia.
Ibex <Xpage=723>
I"bex (?) , n. ; pl. E. Ibexes (#) , L. Ibices (#) . [L., a kind of goat, the chamois.] (Zo\'94l.) One of several species of wild goats having very large, recurved horns, transversely ridged in front; -- called also steinbok .
&hand; The Alpine ibex ( Capra ibex ) is the best known. The Spanish, or Pyrenean, ibex ( C. Hispanica ) has smoother and more spreading horns.
Ibidem <Xpage=723>
I*bi"dem (?) , adv. [L.] In the same place; -- abbreviated ibid. or ib.
Ibis <Xpage=723>
I"bis (?) , n. [L. ibis , Gr. <?/; of Egyptian origin.] (Zo\'94l.) Any bird of the genus Ibis and several allied genera, of the family Ibid\'91 , inhabiting both the Old World and the New. Numerous species are known. They are large, wading birds, having a long, curved beak, and feed largely on reptiles.
&hand; The sacred ibis of the ancient Egyptians ( Ibis \'92thiopica ) has the head and neck black, without feathers. The plumage of the body and wings is white, except the tertiaries, which are lengthened and form a dark purple plume. In ancient times this bird was extensively domesticated in Egypt, but it is now seldom seen so far north. The glossy ibis ( Plegadis autumnalis ), which is widely distributed both in the Old World and the New, has the head and neck feathered, except between the eyes and bill; the scarlet ibis ( Guara rubra ) and the white ibis ( G. alba ) inhabit the West Indies and South America, and are rarely found in the United States. The wood ibis ( Tantalus loculator ) of America belongs to the Stork family ( Ciconid\'91 ). See Wood ibis .
-ible <Xpage=723>
-i*ble (?) . See -able .
-ic <Xpage=723>
-ic (?) . [L. - icus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. - ique .] 1. A suffix signifying, in general, relating to , or characteristic of ; as, histor ic , hygien ic , telegraph ic , etc.
2. (Chem.) A suffix, denoting that the element indicated enters into certain compounds with its highest valence , or with a valence relatively higher than in compounds where the name of the element ends in - ous ; as, ferr ic , sulphur ic . It is also used in the general sense of pertaining to ; as, hydr ic , sod ic , calc ic .
Icarian <Xpage=723>
I*ca"ri*an (?) , a. [L. Icarius , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/, the mythic son of D\'91dalus, who, when flying from Crete on wings cemented with wax, mounted so high that the sun melted the wax, and he fell into the sea.] Soaring too high for safety, like Icarus; adventurous in flight.
Ice <Xpage=723>
Ice (?) , n. [OE. is , iis , AS. \'c6s ; aksin to D. ijs , G. eis , OHG. \'c6s , Icel. \'c6ss , Sw. is , Dan. iis , and perh. to E. iron .] 1. Water or other fluid frozen or reduced to the solid state by cold; frozen water. It is a white or transparent colorless substance, crystalline, brittle, and viscoidal. Its specific gravity (0.92, that of water at 4\'f8 C. being 1.0) being less than that of water, ice floats.
&hand; Water freezes at 32\'f8 F. or 0\'f8 Cent., and ice melts at the same temperature. Ice owes its cooling properties to the large amount of heat required to melt it.
2. Concreted sugar.
Johnson.
3. Water, cream, custard, etc., sweetened, flavored, and artificially frozen.
4. Any substance having the appearance of ice; as, camphor ice .