*alys*

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'a`lysson, name of a plant, perh. fr. 'a priv. + ly`ssa raging madness. ] (Bot.) A genus of cruciferous plants; madwort. The sweet alyssum (Alyssum maritimum), cultivated for bouquets, bears small, white, sweet-scented flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a person undergoing psychoanalysis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v., n., etc. Same as Analyze, Analyzer, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an instrument that performs analyses.
Syn. -- analyzer [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Analyses [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to unloose, to dissolve, to resolve into its elements; &unr_; up + &unr_; to loose. See Loose. ] 1. A resolution of anything, whether an object of the senses or of the intellect, into its constituent or original elements; an examination of the component parts of a subject, each separately, as the words which compose a sentence, the tones of a tune, or the simple propositions which enter into an argument. It is opposed to synthesis. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) The separation of a compound substance, by chemical processes, into its constituents, with a view to ascertain either (a) what elements it contains, or (b) how much of each element is present. The former is called qualitative, and the latter quantitative analysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Logic) The tracing of things to their source, and the resolving of knowledge into its original principles. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Math.) The resolving of problems by reducing the conditions that are in them to equations. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (a) A syllabus, or table of the principal heads of a discourse, disposed in their natural order. (b) A brief, methodical illustration of the principles of a science. In this sense it is nearly synonymous with synopsis. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Nat. Hist.) The process of ascertaining the name of a species, or its place in a system of classification, by means of an analytical table or key. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ultimate,
Proximate,
Qualitative,
Quantitative, and
Volumetric analysis. (Chem.) See under Ultimate, Proximate, Qualitative, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Statistics) a statistical technique by which the results of an observation or experiment are analyzed to determine the relative contributions of the different possible causative factors or variables to the outcome. Abbreviated ANOVA. [ PJC ]

n. [ F. analyste. See Analysis. ] One who analyzes; formerly, one skilled in algebraical geometry; now commonly, one skilled in chemical analysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Auto- + catalysis. ] (Chem.) Self-catalysis; catalysis of a substance by one of its own products, as of silver oxide by the silver formed by reduction of a small portion of it. -- Au`to*cat`a*lyt"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. a biochemical catalyst such as an enzyme. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a genus of climbing or scrambling herbs; bindweed.
Syn. -- genus Calystegia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ ML., fr. Gr. &unr_; dissolution, fr. &unr_; to destroy, dissolve; kata` down, wholly + &unr_; to loose. ] same as catalyze. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Catalyse. ety>[ ML., fr. Gr. &unr_; dissolution, fr. &unr_; to destroy, dissolve; kata` down, wholly + &unr_; to loose. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Dissolution; degeneration; decay. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Sad catalysis and declension of piety. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) (a) A process by which a chemical reaction is accelerated in the presence of certain agents which were formerly believed to exert an influence by mere contact. It is now believed that such reactions are attended with the formation of an intermediate compound or compounds, so that by alternate composition and decomposition the agent is apparenty left unchanged; as, the catalysis of making ether from alcohol by means of sulphuric acid; or catalysis in the action of enzymes (as diastase, or ptyalin) on starch. (b) The catalytic force. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. 1. (Chem.) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected; as, thousands of enzymes serve in concert as calaysts to produce the sequence of reactions we call “life”; the industrial production of cheap ammonia depended on finding a good catalyst. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. something that serves as a precipitating occasion for an event; as, the invasion acted as a catalyst to unite the country. A catalyst is never the main cause of an event, but may serve to hasten events for which the underlying causes are present prior to the appearance or occurrence of the catalyst. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

3. something or someone that causes events to happen with itself being changed. [ PJC ]

n. 1. the science which studies methods to discovering the secret meaning of encrypted messages for which one does not possess the secret decoding information (called the key). [ PJC ]

2. the methods and procedures used to discover the secret meaning hidden in encrypted messages. [ PJC ]

‖n.; pl. Dialyses [ L., separation, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to part asunder, dissolve; dia` through + &unr_; to loose. ] 1. (Gram.) Diæresis. See Diæresis, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Rhet.) Same as Asyndeton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) (a) Debility. (b) A solution of continuity; division; separation of parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Chem.) The separation of different substances in solution, as crystalloids and colloids, by means of their unequal diffusion, especially through natural or artificial membranes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art of judging of a person's character, disposition, and aptitude from his handwriting; also called graphology. As a discipline, the modern form was developed by Milton Newman Bunker in the period after 1915. Though its practitioners consider it a science, many commentators believe that its methodology is not scientific, and some consider it a pseudoscience, as is astrology. Some information about graphoanalysis and its methods can be found at the web site maintained by the International Graphoanalysis Society. [ PJC ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. "a`lysis a chain.] (Paleon.) A genus of Silurian fossil corals; the chain corals. See Chain coral, under Chain. [1913 Webster]

. (Med.) An acute viral disease, affecting almost exclusively infants and young adults, characterized by inflammation of the anterior horns of the gray substance of the spinal cord. It is attended with febrile symptoms, motor paralysis, and muscular atrophy, often producing permanent deformities. Called also acute anterior poliomyelitis, poliomyelitis and polio. It is caused by any one of three polioviruses, and by the end of the twentieth century had been almost completely eradicated in developed countries by a widespread campaign of immunization. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. [ Micro- + analysis. ] 1. Analysis of the structure of materials from careful observation of photomicrographs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Chem.) Chemical analysis of very small quantities of substances, requiring special apparatus to handle and weigh small amounts of materials. [ PJC ]

v. t. Same as Paralyze. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. Gr. para`lysis, fr. paraly`ein to loosen, dissolve, or disable at the side; para` beside + ly`ein to loosen. See Para-, and Loose, and cf. Palsy. ] (Med.) Abolition of function, whether complete or partial; esp., the loss of the power of voluntary motion, with or without that of sensation, in any part of the body; palsy. See Hemiplegia, and Paraplegia. Also used figuratively; as, paralysis of the will. “Utter paralysis of memory.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mischievous practices arising out of the paralysis of the powers of ownership. Duke of Argyll (1887). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Psycho- + analysis. ] same as psychoanalysis; -- an older term now obsolete. -- Psy*chan`a*lyt"ic a. -- Psy`cha*nal"y*sist n. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To investigate or subject to treatment by psychoanalysis.
Syn. -- analyze, analyse, psychoanalyze. [ WordNet 1.5 ]