*mos*

n. [ NL. abelmoschus, fr. Ar. abu-l-misk father of musk, i. e., producing musk. See Musk. (or Ar. &hsdot_;abb-al-mosk, musk seed RHUD 1.3 ] (Bot.) An evergreen shrub (Abelmoschus moschatus -- formerly Hibiscus moschatus), of the East and West Indies and Northern Africa, whose musky seeds are used in perfumery and to flavor coffee; -- sometimes called musk mallow. The seeds produce ambrette-seed oil. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. superl. [ OE. eftemest, AS. æftemest, akin to Gothic aftumist and aftuma, the last, orig. a superlative of of, with the superlative endings -te, -me, -st. ] 1. Hindmost; -- opposed to foremost. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) Nearest the stern; most aft. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Naut.) Nearest the stern. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From albumin. ] (Chem.) A compound or class of compounds formed from albumin by dilute acids or by an acid solution of pepsin. Used also in combination, as antialbumose, hemialbumose. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Alms. [ Obs. ] Cheke. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ AS. ealmæst, ælmæst, quite the most, almost all; eal (OE. al) all + m&unr_;st most. ] Nearly; well nigh; all but; for the greatest part. [ 1913 Webster ]

Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts xxvi. 28. [ 1913 Webster ]

Almost never, hardly ever; scarcely ever. --
Almost nothing, scarcely anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Anastomozed p. pr. & vb. n. Anastomosing. ] [ Cf. F. anastomoser, fr. anastomose. See Anastomosis. ] 1. (Anat. & Bot.) To inosculate; to intercommunicate by anastomosis, as the arteries and veins. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ribbing of the leaf, and the anastomosing network of its vessels. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of any channels or lines, to meet and unite or run into each other, as rivers; to coalesce; to interjoin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n.; pl. Anastomoses [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; opening, fr. &unr_; to furnish with a mouth or opening, to open; &unr_; + &unr_; mouth: cf. F. anastomose. ] (Anat. & Bot.) The inosculation of vessels, or intercommunication between two or more vessels or nerves, as the cross communication between arteries or veins. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; wind + -scope: cf. F. anémoscope. ] An instrument which shows the direction of the wind; a wind vane; a weathercock; -- usually applied to a contrivance consisting of a vane above, connected in the building with a dial or index with pointers to show the changes of the wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; wind. ] A condition in the wood of some trees in which the rings are separated, as some suppose, by the action of high winds upon the trunk; wind shake. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Vehemence of temper. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Animosities [ F. animosité, fr. L. animositas. See Animose, Animate, v. t. ] 1. Mere spiritedness or courage. [ Obs. ] Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such as give some proof of animosity, audacity, and execution, those she [ the crocodile ] loveth. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Violent hatred leading to active opposition; active enmity; energetic dislike. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Enmity; hatred; opposition. -- Animosity, Enmity. Enmity be dormant or concealed; animosity is active enmity, inflamed by collision and mutual injury between opposing parties. The animosities which were continually springing up among the clans in Scotland kept that kingdom in a state of turmoil and bloodshed for successive ages. The animosities which have been engendered among Christian sects have always been the reproach of the church. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such [ writings ] as naturally conduce to inflame hatreds and make enmities irreconcilable. Spectator. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ These ] factions . . . never suspended their animosities till they ruined that unhappy government. Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. animosus, fr. animus soul, spirit, courage. ] Full of spirit; hot; vehement; resolute. [ Obs. ] Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Being before the time of Moses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physiol.) See Albumose. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; vapor (akin to Skr. ātman breath, soul, G. athem breath) + &unr_; sphere: cf. F. atmosphère. See Sphere. ] 1. (Physics) (a) The whole mass of aëriform fluid surrounding the earth; -- applied also to the gaseous envelope of any celestial orb, or other body; as, the atmosphere of Mars. (b) Any gaseous envelope or medium. [ 1913 Webster ]

An atmosphere of cold oxygen. Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A supposed medium around various bodies; as, electrical atmosphere, a medium formerly supposed to surround electrical bodies. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The pressure or weight of the air at the sea level, on a unit of surface, or about 14.7 lbs. to the sq. inch. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hydrogen was liquefied under a pressure of 650 atmospheres. Lubbock. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any surrounding or pervading influence or condition. [ 1913 Webster ]

The chillest of social atmospheres. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The portion of air in any locality, or affected by a special physical or sanitary condition; as, the atmosphere of the room; a moist or noxious atmosphere. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. atmosphérique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the atmosphere; of the nature of, or resembling, the atmosphere; as, atmospheric air; the atmospheric envelope of the earth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Existing or occurring in the atmosphere. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lower atmospheric current. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Caused, or operated on, by the atmosphere; as, an atmospheric effect; an atmospheric engine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Dependent on the atmosphere. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In am so atmospherical a creature. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Atmospheric engine, a steam engine whose piston descends by the pressure of the atmosphere, when the steam which raised it is condensed within the cylinder. Tomlinson. --
Atmospheric line (Steam Engin.), the equilibrium line of an indicator card. Steam is expanded “down to the atmosphere” when its pressure is equal to that of the atmosphere. (See Indicator card.) --
Atmospheric pressure, the pressure exerted by the atmosphere, not merely downwards, but in every direction. In amounts to about 14.7 Ibs. on each square inch. --
Atmospheric railway, one in which pneumatic power, obtained from compressed air or the creation of a vacuum, is the propelling force. --
Atmospheric tides. See under Tide. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In relation to the atmosphere. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Atmosphere + -logy. ] The science or a treatise on the atmosphere. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Best. [ R. ] “The bettermost classes.” Brougham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a greenish gray or black silicate of iron and aluminum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a swelling of the cornea resembling a cockleshell, fr. &unr_; a gaping, hence a cockleshell. ] (Med.) Inflammatory swelling of the conjunctival tissue surrounding the cornea. -- Che*mot"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. [ Chemical + osmosis. ] Chemical action taking place through an intervening membrane. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or produced by, chemosmosis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. adsorption (especially when irreversible) by means of chemical instead of physical forces; as, chemosorption of gaseous nitrogen on iron catalysts.
Syn. -- chemisorption. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. having the capacity to adsorb by chemical as contrasted with physical forces. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Chemical + synthesis. ] (Plant Physiol.) Synthesis of organic compounds by energy derived from chemical changes or reactions. Chemosynthesis of carbohydrates occurs in the nitrite bacteria through the oxidation of ammonia to nitrous acid, and in the nitrate bacteria through the conversion of nitrous into nitric acid. -- Chem`o*syn*thet"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; color + &unr_; the body. ] (Biol.) One of the minute bodies into which the chromatin of the nucleus is resolved during mitotic cell division; the idant of Weismann. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; color + E. sphere. ] (Astron.) An atmosphere of rare matter, composed principally of incandescent hydrogen gas, surrounding the sun and enveloping the photosphere. Portions of the chromosphere are here and there thrown up into enormous tongues of flame. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the chromosphere. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) a primitive evergreen mosslike plant with spores in club-shaped strobiles, much used in winter decoration. The best known species is Lycopodium clavatum, but other Lycopodia are often called by this name. The spores form a highly inflammable powder.
Syn. -- club moss, lycopod. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. comosus hairy, from coma hair. ] (Bot.) Bearing a tuft of soft hairs or down, as the seeds of milkweed. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. ko`smos order, harmony, the world (from its perfect order and arrangement); akin to Skr. çad to distinguish one's self. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The universe or universality of created things; -- so called from the order and harmony displayed in it. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The theory or description of the universe, as a system displaying order and harmony. Humboldt. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Bot.) A genus of composite plants closely related to Bidens, usually with very showy flowers, some with yellow, others with red, scarlet, purple, white, or lilac rays. They are natives of the warmer parts of America, and many species are cultivated. Cosmos bipinnatus and Cosmos diversifolius are among the best-known species; Cosmos caudatus, of the West Indies, is widely naturalized. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Gr. ko`smos the world + E. sphere. ] An apparatus for showing the position of the earth, at any given time, with respect to the fixed stars. It consist of a hollow glass globe, on which are depicted the stars and constellations, and within which is a terrestrial globe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Crimson. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] See Crimson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A kind of lichen, of the genus Cladonia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; wave + -scope. ] (Elec.) Any device for detecting the presence of electric waves. The influence of electric waves on the resistance of a particular kind of electric circuit, on the magnetization of steel, on the polarization of an electrolytic cell, or on the electric condition of a vacuum has been applied in the various cymoscopes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } a. [ L. cymosus full of shoots: cf. FF. cymeux. See Cyme. ] (Bot.) Having the nature of a cyme, or derived from a cyme; bearing, or pertaining to, a cyme or cymes. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖, n. See Damsel. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prop., in sixteenth; fr. L. decimus tenth + sextus sixth. ] A book consisting of sheets, each of which is folded into sixteen leaves; hence, indicating, more or less definitely, a size of book; -- usually written 16mo or 16°. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having sixteen leaves to a sheet; as, a decimosexto form, book, leaf, size. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. a famous Grecian orator, born circa 385 BC, died circa 322 BC. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. Demosthenicus: cf. F. Démosthénique. ] Pertaining to, or in the style of, Demosthenes, the Grecian orator. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Derm + skeleton. ] (Anat.) See Exoskeleton. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; skin + &unr_; bone. ] (Physiol.) Ossification of the dermis. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. dumosus, fr. dumus a thornbush, a bramble. ] 1. Abounding with bushes and briers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Having a compact, bushy form. [ 1913 Webster ]