*tractor*

n. [ L. ] One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do anything for another; specifically, one who contracts to perform work on a rather large scale, at a certain price or rate, as in building houses or making a railroad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. détracteur. ] One who detracts; a derogator; a defamer. [ 1913 Webster ]

His detractors were noisy and scurrilous. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Slanderer; calumniator; defamer; vilifier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Defamatory by denial of desert; derogatory; calumnious. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, extracts; as: (a) (Surg.) A forceps or instrument for extracting substances. (b) (Breech-loading Firearms) A device for withdrawing a cartridge or spent cartridge shell from the chamber of the barrel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A centrifugal drying machine. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. (Apiculture) A machine for clearing combs of honey; also, a device for rendering wax. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + extractor. ] An apparatus for drying anything, as yarn, cloth, sugar, etc., by centrifugal force; a centrifugal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, protracts, or causes protraction. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mathematical instrument for laying down and measuring angles on paper, used in drawing or in plotting. It is of various forms, semicircular, rectangular, or circular. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Surg.) An instrument formerly used in extracting foreign or offensive matter from a wound. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Anat.) A muscle which extends an organ or part; -- opposed to retractor. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An adjustable pattern used by tailors. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, retracts. Specifically: (a) In breech-loading firearms, a device for withdrawing a cartridge shell from the barrel. (b) (Surg.) An instrument for holding apart the edges of a wound during amputation. (c) (Surg.) A bandage to protect the soft parts from injury by the saw during amputation. (d) (Anat. & Zool.) A muscle serving to draw in any organ or part. See Illust. under Phylactolaemata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who takes a portion of a contract, as for work, from the principal contractor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who subtracts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A detractor; a slanderer. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., from L. trahere, tractum, to draw. ] 1. That which draws, or is used for drawing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. (Med.) Two small, pointed rods of metal, formerly used in the treatment called Perkinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a motor vehicle with a powerful engine and large wheels, used to pull farm equipment such as plows, harvesting machinery, etc., over farm land. Smaller forms of farm tractor are completely open, with only a seat for the driver. [ PJC ]

4. a motor vehicle with a driver's cab and a powerful engine, fitted with a coupling at the rear, and designed to pull a large trailer or semi-trailer on the open highway; -- called also truck tractor. The combination of such a tractor with its trailer is called a tractor-trailer, and is a common form of truck used for commercial shipping of freight. [ PJC ]

5. (Aviation) A propeller screw placed in front of the supporting planes of an aeroplane instead of behind them, so that it exerts a pull instead of a push; -- called also Tractor screw and Tractor propeller. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. (Aviation) An airplane having one or more tractor propellers; -- called also tractor airplane. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Aviation) An airplane having one or more tractor propellers; -- called also tractor. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. See Perkinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or }. (Aviation) A propeller screw placed in front of the supporting planes of an airplane instead of behind them, so that it exerts a pull instead of a push. Hence,
Tractor monoplane,
Tractor biplane, etc. This is the most common arrangement for propellers on modern airplanes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. a combination of a tractor{ 4 } hooked up to a trailer, forming a common type of truck{ 7 } used for carrying freight on highways. “Traffic was backed up for miles by a jackknifed tractor-trailer.” [ PJC ]