*astr*

a. Alabastrine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of, pertaining to, or like, alabaster; as alabastrine limbs. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Alabastra [ NL. ] (Bot.) A flower bud. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn up or back; 'ana` + &unr_; to turn. ] (Rhet. & Gram.) An inversion of the natural order of words; as, echoed the hills, for, the hills echoed. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_; from + &unr_; star. ] (Astron.) That point in the orbit of a double star where the smaller star is farthest from its primary. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Sp. ] A rude apparatus for pulverizing ores, esp. those containing free gold. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'a`rqron joint + &unr_; stomach. ] (Zool.) A division of the Arachnida, having the abdomen annulated, including the scorpions, harvestmen, etc.; pedipalpi. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. See Astrakhan. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + straddle. ] In a straddling position; astride; bestriding; as, to sit astraddle a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; starry. ] (Zool.) Pertaining to the genus Astræa or the family Astræidæ. -- n. A coral of the family Astræidæ; a star coral. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. astragalus, Gr. &unr_; the ankle bone, a molding in the capital of the Ionic column. ] 1. (Arch.) A convex molding of rounded surface, generally from half to three quarters of a circle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gun.) A round molding encircling a cannon near the mouth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the astragalus. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Astragalus + -oid. ] (Anat.) Resembling the astragalus in form. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; ankle bone, die + -mancy. ] Divination by means of small bones or dice. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. See Astragal. ] 1. (Anat.) The ankle bone, or hock bone; the bone of the tarsus which articulates with the tibia at the ankle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A genus of papilionaceous plants, of the tribe Galegeæ, containing numerous species, two of which are called, in English, milk vetch and licorice vetch. Gum tragacanth is obtained from different oriental species, particularly the Astragalus gummifer and Astragalus verus. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) See Astragal, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Astrakhan in Russia or its products; made of an Astrakhan skin. -- n. The skin of stillborn or young lambs of that region, the curled wool of which resembles fur. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astralis, fr. astrum star, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. astral. See Star. ] 1. Pertaining to, coming from, or resembling, the stars; starry; starlike. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shines only with an astral luster. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some astral forms I must invoke by prayer. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an aster; as, astral rays; astral sphere. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. (Theosophy) Consisting of, belonging to, or designating, a kind of supersensible substance alleged to be next above the tangible world in refinement; as, astral spirits; astral bodies of persons; astral current; the astral plane. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

Astral lamp, an Argand lamp so constructed that no shadow is cast upon the table by the flattened ring-shaped reservoir in which the oil is contained. --
Astral spirits, spirits formerly supposed to live in the heavenly bodies or the aërial regions, and represented in the Middle Ages as fallen angels, spirits of the dead, or spirits originating in fire. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + strand. ] Stranded. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ See Estray, Stray. ] Out of the right, either in a literal or in a figurative sense; wandering; as, to lead one astray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye were as sheep going astray. 1 Pet. ii. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Astricted; p. pr. & vb. n. Astricting. ] [ L. astrictus, p. p. of astringere. See Astringe. ] 1. To bind up; to confine; to constrict; to contract. [ 1913 Webster ]

The solid parts were to be relaxed or astricted. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind; to constrain; to restrict; to limit. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The mind is astricted to certain necessary modes or forms of thought. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Scots Law) To restrict the tenure of; as, to astrict lands. See Astriction, 4. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Concise; contracted. [ Obs. ] Weever. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. astrictio. ] 1. The act of binding; restriction; also, obligation. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) (a) A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance on the animal economy. Dunglison. (b) Constipation. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Astringency. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Scots Law) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the owner paying a toll. Bell. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The lands were said to be astricted to the mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Binding; astringent. -- n. An astringent. -- As*tric"tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Astrictive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + stride. ] With one leg on each side, as a man when on horseback; with the legs stretched wide apart; astraddle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Placed astride upon the bars of the palisade. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Glasses with horn bows sat astride on his nose. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astrifer; astrum star + ferre to bear. ] Bearing stars. [ R. ] Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Astringed p. pr. & vb. n. Astringing ] [ L. astringere; ad + stringere to draw tight. Cf. Astrict, and see Strain, v. t. ] 1. To bind fast; to constrict; to contract; to cause parts to draw together; to compress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which contraction . . . astringeth the moisture of the brain and thereby sendeth tears into the eyes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind by moral or legal obligation. Wolsey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being astringent; the power of contracting the parts of the body; that quality in medicines or other substances which causes contraction of the organic textures; as, the astringency of tannin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astringens, p. pr. of astringere: cf. F. astringent. See Astringe. ] 1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; -- opposed to laxative; as, astringent medicines; a butter and astringent taste; astringent fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in the soft organic textures, and checks discharges of blood, mucus, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

External astringents are called styptics. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an astringent manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ostreger, OF. ostrucier, F. autoursier, fr. OF. austour, ostor, hawk, F. autour; cf. L. acceptor, for accipiter, hawk. ] A falconer who keeps a goshawk. [ Obs. ] Shak. Cowell. [ Written also austringer. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The combining form of the Greek word 'a`stron, meaning star. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. exobiology; -- not used technically.
Syn. -- exobiology. [ PJC ]

n. the branch of science involving astronomy and chemistry which studies the chemical composition, chemical reactions, and evolution of matter in outer space. -- as`tro*chem"ic*al a. -- as`tro*chem"ic*al*ly adv. [ PJC ]

n. a large star-shaped neuroglial cell in nervous tissue. [ PJC ]

n. a tumor of nervous tissue derived from interstitial cells, in which the cells are relatively well-differentiated and resemble astrocytes. The occur primarily in the crebrum and cerebellum. Stedman [ PJC ]

{ } n. A bitter herb, probably the same as aster, or starwort. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + Gr. &unr_; birth. ] The creation or evolution of the stars or the heavens. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + Gr. &unr_; knowledge. ] The science or knowledge of the stars, esp. the fixed stars. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Astrogeny. -- As`*tro*gon"ic a. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Astro'cf + -graphy. ] The art of describing or delineating the stars; a description or mapping of the heavens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. astroites: cf. F. astroite. ] A radiated stone or fossil; star-stone. [ Obs. ] [ Written also astrite and astrion. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. astrolabie, astrilabe, OF. astrelabe, F. astrolabe, LL. astrolabium, fr. Gr. 'astrola`bon; 'a`stron star + &unr_;, &unr_;, to take. ] 1. (Astron.) An instrument for observing or showing the positions of the stars. It is now disused. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Among the ancients, it was essentially the armillary sphere. A graduated circle with sights, for taking altitudes at sea, was called an astrolabe in the 18th century. It is now superseded by the quadrant and sextant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stereographic projection of the sphere on the plane of a great circle, as the equator, or a meridian; a planisphere. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A worshiper of the stars. Morley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + Gr. &unr_; service, worship: cf. F. astrolâtrie. ] The worship of the stars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + lithology. ] The science of aërolites. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Astrology. ] 1. One who studies the stars; an astronomer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who practices astrology; one who professes to foretell events by the aspects and situation of the stars. [ 1913 Webster ]