*poch*

a. (Med.) Counteractive of hypochondria. -- n. A remedy for hypochondria. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. apo- + chromatic. ] (Optics) Free from chromatic and spherical aberration; -- said esp. of a lens in which rays of three or more colors are brought to the same focus, the degree of achromatism thus obtained being more complete than where two rays only are thus focused, as in the ordinary achromatic objective. -- Ap`o*chro"ma*tism n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n.; pl. Capoches [ Cf. Sp. capucho, It. cappucio, F. Capuce, capuchon, LL. caputium, fr. capa cloak. See Cap. ] A hood; especially, the hood attached to the gown of a monk. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Capoched ] To cover with, or as with, a hood; hence, to hoodwink or blind. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Geol.) An epoch at the close of the Canadian period of the American Lower Silurian system; -- so named from a township in Clinton Co., New York. See the Diagram under Geology. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Geol.) An epoch at the close of the American lower Silurian system. The rocks are well developed near Cincinnati, Ohio. The group includes the Hudson River and Lorraine shales of New York. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. epocha, Gr. 'epochh` check, stop, an epoch of a star, an historical epoch, fr. 'epe`chein to hold on, check; 'epi` upon + 'e`chein to have, hold; akin to Skr. sah to overpower, Goth. sigis victory, AS. sigor, sige, G. sieg: cf. F. époque. See Scheme. ] 1. A fixed point of time, established in history by the occurrence of some grand or remarkable event; a point of time marked by an event of great subsequent influence; as, the epoch of the creation; the birth of Christ was the epoch which gave rise to the Christian era. [ 1913 Webster ]

In divers ages, . . . divers epochs of time were used. Usher. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great epochs and crises in the kingdom of God. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

The acquittal of the bishops was not the only event which makes the 30th of June, 1688, a great epoch in history. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Epochs mark the beginning of new historical periods, and dates are often numbered from them. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A period of time, longer or shorter, remarkable for events of great subsequent influence; a memorable period; as, the epoch of maritime discovery, or of the Reformation. “So vast an epoch of time.” F. Harrison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The influence of Chaucer continued to live even during the dreary interval which separates from one another two important epochs of our literary history. A. W. Ward. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Geol.) A division of time characterized by the prevalence of similar conditions of the earth; commonly a minor division or part of a period. [ 1913 Webster ]

The long geological epoch which stored up the vast coal measures. J. C. Shairp. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Astron.) (a) The date at which a planet or comet has a longitude or position. (b) An arbitrary fixed date, for which the elements used in computing the place of a planet, or other heavenly body, at any other date, are given; as, the epoch of Mars; lunar elements for the epoch March 1st, 1860.

Syn. -- Era; time; date; period; age. -- Epoch, Era. We speak of the era of the Reformation, when we think of it as a period, during which a new order of things prevailed; so also, the era of good feeling, etc. Had we been thinking of the time as marked by certain great events, or as a period in which great results were effected, we should have called the times when these events happened epochs, and the whole period an epoch. [ 1913 Webster ]

The capture of Constantinople is an epoch in the history of Mahometanism; but the flight of Mahomet is its era. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. ] See Epoch. J. Adams. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Belonging to an epoch; of the nature of an epoch. “Epochal points.” Shedd. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Geol.) The closing subdivision of the Hamilton period in the American Devonian system; -- so called because the formations of this period crop out in Genesee, New York. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A salt of hypochlorous acid; as, a calcium hypochloride. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. hypo- + chlorous. ] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, chlorine having a valence lower than in chlorous compounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hypochlorous acid (Chem.), an acid derived from chlorine, not known in a pure state, but forming various salts, called hypochlorites. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ F. hypocondres, formerly spely hypochondres. ] The hypochondriac regions. See Hypochondrium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. ] (Med.) An excessive concern about one's own health, particularly a morbid worry about illnesses which a person imagines are affecting him, often focusing on specific symptoms; also called hypochondriasis. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; affocated in the hypochondrium: cf. F. hypocondriaque, formerly spelt hypochondriaque. ] 1. Of or pertaining to hypochondria, or the hypochondriac regions. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Affected, characterized, or produced, by hypochondriasis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hypochondriac region (Anat.), a region on either side of the abdomen beneath the cartilages of the false ribs, beside the epigastric, and above the lumbar, region. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person affected with hypochondria. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had become an incurable hypochondriac. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Same as Hypochondriac, 2. -- Hy`po*chon"dri*a*cal*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. (Med.) Hypochondriasis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. So named because supposed to have its seat in the hypochondriac regions. See Hypochondriac, Hypochondrium, and cf. Hyp, 1st Hypo. ] (Med.) A mental disorder in which melancholy and gloomy views torment the affected person, particularly concerning his own health; a morbid and deluded belief that one is afflicted with disease.
Syn. -- hypochondria. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) Hypochondriasis. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. L. Hypochondria E. Hypochondriums [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, from &unr_; under the cartilage of the breastbone; &unr_; under + &unr_; cartilage. ] (Anat.) Either of the hypochondriac regions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Hypochondriasis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. li`pos fat + chro`a color. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A yellow coloring matter, soluble in ether, contained in the small round fat drops in the retinal epithelium cells. It is best obtained from the eyes of frogs. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ From Medina in New York. ] (Geol.) A subdivision of the Niagara period in the American upper Silurian, characterized by the formations known as the Oneida conglomerate, and the Medina sandstone. See the Chart of Geology. [ 1913 Webster ]