*strop*

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn to the opposite side; 'anti` against + &unr_; to turn. See Strophe. ] 1. In Greek choruses and dances, the returning of the chorus, exactly answering to a previous strophe or movement from right to left. Hence: The lines of this part of the choral song. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was customary, on some occasions, to dance round the altars whilst they sang the sacred hymns, which consisted of three stanzas or parts; the first of which, called strophe, was sung in turning from east to west; the other, named antistrophe, in returning from west to east; then they stood before the altar, and sang the epode, which was the last part of the song. Abp. Potter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Rhet.) (a) The repetition of words in an inverse order; as, the master of the servant and the servant of the master. (b) The retort or turning of an adversary's plea against him. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] Of or pertaining to an antistrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_; turned opposite ways. ] (Rhet.) An argument retorted on an opponent. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ (1) L., fr. Gr. &unr_; a turning away, fr. &unr_; to turn away; &unr_; from + &unr_; to turn. (2) F., fr. L. apostrophus apostrophe, the turning away or omitting of a letter, Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which the orator or writer suddenly breaks off from the previous method of his discourse, and addresses, in the second person, some person or thing, absent or present; as, Milton's apostrophe to Light at the beginning of the third book of “Paradise Lost.” [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) The contraction of a word by the omission of a letter or letters, which omission is marked by the character [ ' ] placed where the letter or letters would have been; as, call'd for called. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The mark [ ' ] used to denote that a word is contracted (as in ne'er for never, can't for can not), and as a sign of the possessive, singular and plural; as, a boy's hat, boys' hats. In the latter use it originally marked the omission of the letter e. [ 1913 Webster ]

The apostrophe is used to mark the plural of figures and letters; as, two 10's and three a's. It is also employed to mark the close of a quotation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to an apostrophe, grammatical or rhetorical. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t., [ imp. & p. p. Apostrophized p. pr. & vb. n. Apostrophizing. ] 1. To address by apostrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To contract by omitting a letter or letters; also, to mark with an apostrophe (') or apostrophes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To use the rhetorical figure called apostrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n. [ Astro- + photography. ] The application of photography to the delineation of the sun, moon, and stars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. astro- + photometer. ] (Astron.) A photometer for measuring the brightness of stars. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Astron.) The determination of the brightness of stars, and also of the sun, moon, and planets. -- As`tro*pho`to*met"ric*al a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

a. Pertaining to the physics of astronomical science. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an astronomer who studies the physical properties of celestial bodies. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Astro- + physics. ] (Astron.) The science treating of the physical characteristics of the stars and other heavenly bodies, their chemical constitution, light, heat, atmospheres, etc. It is a branch of astronomy. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Its observations were traditionally made with the spectroscope, bolometer, etc., usually in connection with the telescope. In modern times, radiotelescopes, infrared telescopes, X-ray and gamma ray detectors and neutrino detection equipment located deep underground are all put into service to observe and test theories about astronomical phenomena. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. 1. the concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Astro- + Gr. fyton a plant. ] (Zool.) A genus of ophiurans having the arms much branched. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_; turning like oxen in plowing; &unr_; to turn. ] An ancient mode of writing, in alternate directions, one line from left to right, and the next from right to left (as fields are plowed), as in early Greek and Hittite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to the boustrophedon made of writing. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; gill + E. gastropoda. ] (Zool.) Those Gastropoda that breathe by branchiæ, including the Prosobranchiata and Opisthobranchiata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Breastband. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. catastropha, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn up and down, to overturn; kata` down + &unr_; to turn. ] 1. An event producing a subversion of the order or system of things; a final event, usually of a calamitous or disastrous nature; hence, sudden calamity; great misfortune. [ 1913 Webster ]

The strange catastrophe of affairs now at London. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

The most horrible and portentous catastrophe that nature ever yet saw. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The final event in a romance or a dramatic piece; a denouement, as a death in a tragedy, or a marriage in a comedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Geol.) A violent and widely extended change in the surface of the earth, as, an elevation or subsidence of some part of it, effected by internal causes. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of a pertaining to a catastrophe. B. Powell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Geol.) The doctrine that the geological changes in the earth's crust have been caused by the sudden action of violent physical causes; -- opposed to the doctrine of uniformism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Geol.) One who holds the theory or catastrophism. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; a return, epanastrophe; 'epi` + &unr_; to return. ] (Rhet.) Same as Anadiplosis. Gibbs. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., from Gr. &unr_; a turning toward, return, fr. &unr_; to turn toward; 'epi` upon, to + &unr_; to turn. ] (Rhet.) A figure in which successive clauses end with the same word or affirmation; e. g., “Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I.” 2 Cor. xi. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; to turn inside out; &unr_; = &unr_; out + &unr_; to turn. ] (Med.) The eversion or turning out of any organ, or of its inner surface; as, exstrophy of the eyelid or of the bladder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gastro- + -phrenic. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the stomach and diaphragm; as, the gastrophrenic ligament. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gastro- + pneumatic. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the alimentary canal and air passages, and to the cavities connected with them; as, the gastropneumatic mucuos membranes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Gastropoda. [ Written also gasteropod. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl., [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, stomach + -poda. ] (Zool.) One of the classes of Mollusca, of great extent. It includes most of the marine spiral shells, and the land and fresh-water snails. They generally creep by means of a flat, muscular disk, or foot, on the ventral side of the body. The head usually bears one or two pairs of tentacles. See Mollusca. [ Written also Gasteropoda. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Gastropoda are divided into three subclasses; viz.: (a) The Streptoneura or Dioecia, including the Pectinibranchiata, Rhipidoglossa, Docoglossa, and Heteropoda. (b) The Euthyneura, including the Pulmonata and Opisthobranchia. (c) The Amphineura, including the Polyplacophora and Aplacophora. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Gastropoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn round or back; &unr_; under + &unr_; to turn. ] (Med.) (a) The act of a patient turning himself. (b) A relapse, or return of a disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. Gr. mono`strofos monostrophic. ] A metrical composition consisting of a single strophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. monostrofiko`s; mo`nos single + strofh` strophe. ] (Pros.) Having one strophe only; not varied in measure; written in unvaried measure. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. estrope, étrope, fr. L. struppus. See Strop a strap. ] (Naut.) A piece of rope spliced into a circular wreath, and put round a block for hanging it. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stropped p. pr. & vb. n. Stropping. ] To draw over, or rub upon, a strop with a view to sharpen; as, to strop a razor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Strap. ] A strap; specifically, same as Strap, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; a turning + &unr_; a flower. ] (Bot.) A genus of tropical apocynaceous shrubs having singularly twisted flowers. One species (Strophanthus hispidus) is used medicinally as a cardiac sedative and stimulant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Strophes [ NL., from Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to twist, to turn; perh. akin to E. strap. ] In Greek choruses and dances, the movement of the chorus while turning from the right to the left of the orchestra; hence, the strain, or part of the choral ode, sung during this movement. Also sometimes used of a stanza of modern verse. See the Note under Antistrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, containing, or consisting of, strophes. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. (Bot.) Furnished with a strophiole, or caruncle, or that which resembles it. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. strophiolum a little chaplet, dim. of strophium a band, Gr. &unr_;, dim. of &unr_; a twisted band: cf. F. strophiole. ] (Bot.) A crestlike excrescence about the hilum of certain seeds; a caruncle. [ 1913 Webster ]