*volute*

a. 1. Having convolutions. [ 1913 Webster ]

beaks recurved and convoluted like a ram's horn. Pennant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Folded in tortuous windings. [ 1913 Webster ]

A highly convoluted brain. North Amer. Rev. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. devolutus, p. p. of devolvere. See Devolve. ] To devolve. [ Obs. ] Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. evolutus unrolled, p. p. of evolvere. See Evolve. ] (Geom.) A curve from which another curve, called the involute or evolvent, is described by the end of a thread gradually wound upon the former, or unwound from it. See Involute. It is the locus of the centers of all the circles which are osculatory to the given curve or evolvent. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Any curve may be an evolute, the term being applied to it only in its relation to the involute. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Geom.) A curve traced by the end of a string wound upon another curve, or unwound from it; -- called also evolvent. See Evolute. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. involutus, p. p. of involvere. See Involve. ] 1. (Bot.) Rolled inward from the edges; -- said of leaves in vernation, or of the petals of flowers in æstivation. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) Turned inward at the margin, as the exterior lip of the Cyprea. (b) Rolled inward spirally. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. obvolutus, p. p. of obvolvere to wrap round; ob (see Ob-) + volvere to roll. ] Overlapping; contorted; convolute; -- applied primarily, in botany, to two opposite leaves, each of which has one edge overlapping the nearest edge of the other, and secondarily to a circle of several leaves or petals which thus overlap. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. revolutus, p. p. of revolvere. See Revolve. ] (Bot. & Zool.) Rolled backward or downward. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A revolute leaf is coiled downwards, with the lower surface inside the coil. A leaf with revolute margins has the edges rolled under, as in the Andromeda polifilia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. supervolutus, p. p. of supervolvere to roll over; super over + volvere to roll. ] (Bot.) Having a plaited and convolute arrangement in the bud, as in the morning-glory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. volute (cf. It. voluta), L. voluta, from volvere, volutum, to roll. See Voluble. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Arch.) A spiral scroll which forms the chief feature of the Ionic capital, and which, on a much smaller scale, is a feature in the Corinthian and Composite capitals. See Illust. of Capital, also Helix, and Stale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A spiral turn, as in certain shells. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Any voluta. [ 1913 Webster ]

Volute spiring, a spring formed of a spiral scroll of plate, rod, or wire, extended or extensible in the direction of the axis of the coil, in which direction its elastic force is exerted and employed. [ 1913 Webster ]