*oana*

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 ]

a. Such as can be lent; available for lending; as, loanable funds; -- used mostly in financial business and writings. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n. 1. A method or process of psychotherapeutic analysis and treatment pf psychoneuroses, based on the work of Dr. Sigmund Freud (1856- 1939) of Vienna. The method rests upon the theory that neurosis is characteristically due to repression of desires consciously rejected but subconsciously persistent; it consists in a close analysis of the patient's mental history, effort being made to bring unconsciuos and preconscious material to consciousness; the methods include analysis of transferance and resistance. In some variants, stress is laid upon the dream life, and of treatment by means of suggestion. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

2. The theory of human psychology which is the foundation for the psychoanalytic therapy, which explores the relation between conscious and unconscious mental processes in motivating human behavior and causing neuroses. [ PJC ]

3. An integrated set of theories of human personality development, motivation, and behavior based on a body of observations. [ Stedman ] [ PJC ]

4. One of several schools of psychotherapy, such as jungian psychoanalysis or freudian psychoanalysis. [ Stedman ] [ PJC ]

-- Psy`cho*an`a*lyt"ic, a.; Psych`o*an"al*ist n., etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

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