Chapter CDLXV: Prologue (116)

1. The act of touching, or the state of being touched; contact. Their touch affrights me as a serpent's sting. Shak.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The sense by which pressure or traction exerted on the skin is recognized; the sense by which the properties of bodies are determined by contact; the tactile sense. See Tactile sense, under Tactile. The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine. Pope.

Note: Pure tactile feelings are necessarily rare, since temperature sensations and muscular sensations are more or less combined with them. The organs of touch are found chiefly in the epidermis of the skin and certain underlying nervous structures.

3. Act or power of exciting emotion. Not alone The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches, Do strongly speak to us. Shak.

4. An emotion or affection. A true, natural, and a sensible touch of mercy. Hooker.

5. Personal reference or application. [Obs.] Speech of touch toward others should be sparingly used. Bacon.

6. A stroke; as, a touch of raillery; a satiric touch; hence, animadversion; censure; reproof. I never bare any touch of conscience with greater regret. Eikon Basilike.

7. A single stroke on a drawing or a picture. Never give the least touch with your pencil till you have well examined your design. Dryden.

8. Feature; lineament; trait. Of many faces, eyes, and hearts, To have the touches dearest prized. Shak.

9. The act of the hand on a musical instrument; bence, in the plural, musical notes. Soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. Shak.

10. A small quantity intermixed; a little; a dash. Eyes La touch of Sir Peter Lely in them. Hazlitt. Madam, I have a touch of your condition. Shak.

11. A hint; a suggestion; slight notice. A small touch will put him in mind of them. Bacon.

12. A slight and brief essay. [Colloq.] Print my preface in such form as, in the booksellers' phrase, will make a sixpenny touch. Swift.

13. A touchstone; hence, stone of the sort used for touchstone. [Obs.] " Now do I play the touch." Shak. A neat new monument of touch and alabaster. Fuller.

14. Hence, examination or trial by some decisive standard; test; proof; tried quality. Equity, the true touch of all laws. Carew. Friends of noble touch . Shak.

15. (Mus.)

Defn: The particular or characteristic mode of action, or the resistance of the keys of an instrument to the fingers; as, a heavy touch, or a light touch, also, the manner of touching, striking, or pressing the keys of a piano; as, a legato touch; a staccato touch.

16. (Shipbilding)

Defn: The broadest part of a plank worked top and but (see Top and but, under Top, n.), or of one worked anchor-stock fashion (that is, tapered from the middle to both ends); also, the angles of the stern timbers at the counters. J. Knowles.

17. (Football)

Defn: That part of the field which is beyond the line of flags on either side. Encyc. of Rural Sports.

18. A boys' game; tag. In touch (Football), outside of bounds. T. Hughes. -- To be in touch, to be in contact, or in sympathy. -- To keep touch. (a) To be true or punctual to a promise or engagement [Obs.]; hence, to fulfill duly a function. My mind and senses keep touch and time. Sir W. Scott. (b) To keep in contact; to maintain connection or sympathy;-with with or of. -- Touch and go, a phrase descriptive of a narrow escape. -- True as touch (i.e., touchstone), quite true. [Obs.]

TOUCHABLE Touch"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being touched; tangible. -- Touch"a*ble*ness, n.

TOUCHBACK Touch"back`, n. (G)

Defn: The act of touching the football down by a player behind his own goal line when it received its last impulse from an opponent; -- distinguished from safety touchdown.

TOUCH-BOX Touch"-box`, n.

Defn: A box containing lighted tinder, formerly carried by soldiers who used matchlocks, to kindle the match.

TOUCHDOWN Touch"down`, n. (Football)

Defn: The act of touching the football down behind the opponents' goal . Safety touchdown. See under Safety.

TOUCHHOLE Touch"hole`, n.

Defn: The vent of a cannot or other firearm, by which fire is communicateed to the powder of the charge.

TOUCHILY Touch"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a touchy manner.

TOUCHINESS Touch"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being touchy peevishness; irritability; irascibility.

TOUCHING Touch"ing, a.

Defn: Affecting; moving; pathetic; as, a touching tale. -- Touch"ing*ly, adv.

TOUCHING Touch"ing, prep.

Defn: Concerning; with respect to. Now, as touching things offered unto idols. 1 Cor. viii. 1.

TOUCHING Touch"ing, n.

Defn: The sense or act of feeling; touch.

TOUCH-ME-NOT Touch"-me-not`, n. (Bot.) (a) See Impatiens. (b) Squirting cucumber. See under Cucumber.

TOUCH-NEEDLE Touch"-nee`dle, n. (Metal.)

Defn: A small bar of gold and silver, either pure, or alloyed in some known proportion with copper, for trying the purity of articles of gold or silver by comparison of the streaks made by the article and the bar on a touchstone.

TOUCH-PAPER Touch"-pa`per, n.

Defn: Paper steeped in saltpeter, which burns slowly, and is used as a match for firing gunpowder, and the like.

TOUCHSTONE Touch"stone`, n.

1. (Min.)

Defn: Lydian stone; basanite; -- so called because used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak which is left upon the stone when it is rubbed by the metal. See Basanite.

2. Fig.:

Defn: Any test or criterion by which the qualities of a thing are tried. Hooker. The foregoing doctrine affords us also a touchstone for the trial of spirits. South. Irish touchstone (Min.), basalt, the stone which composes the Giant's Causeway.

TOUCHWOOD Touch"wood`, n. Etym: [Probably for tachwood; OE. tache tinder (of uncertain origin) + wood.]

1. Wood so decayed as to serve for tinder; spunk, or punk.

2. Dried fungi used as tinder; especially, the Polyporus igniarius.

TOUCHY Touch"y, a. Etym: [For techy, tetchy.]

Defn: Peevish; irritable; irascible; techy; apt to take fire. [Colloq.] It may be said of Dryden that he was at no time touchy about personal attacks. Saintsbury.

TOUGH Tough, a. [Compar. Tougher; superl. Toughest.] Etym: [OE. tough, AS. toh, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG. zahi, G. zähe, and also to AS. getenge near to, close to, oppressive, OS. bitengi.]

1. Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough. "Tough roots and stubs. " Milton.

2. Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews. Cowper. A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . . Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire. Dryden. The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose. J. A. Symonds.

3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.

4. Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow. So tough a frame she could not bend. Dryden.

5. Severe; violent; as, a tough storm. [Colloq.] " A tough debate. " Fuller. To make it tough, to make it a matter of difficulty; to make it a hard matter. [Obs.] Chaucer.

TOUGH-CAKE Tough"-cake`, n.

Defn: See Tough-pitch (b).

TOUGHEN Tough"en, v. i.&t. [imp. & p. p. Toughened; p. pr. & vb. n. Toughening.]

Defn: To grow or make tough, or tougher.

TOUGH-HEAD Tough"-head`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ruddy duck. [ Local U.S. ]

TOUGHISH Tough"ish, a.

Defn: Tough in a slight degree.

TOUGHLY Tough"ly, adv.

Defn: In a tough manner.

TOUGHNESS Tough"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being tough.

TOUGH-PITCH Tough"-pitch`, n. (Metal.) (a) The exact state or quality of texture and consistency of well reduced and refined copper. (b) Copper so reduced; -- called also tough-cake.

TOUITE Tou"ite, n.

Defn: The wood warbler. [Prov. Eng.]

TOUPEE; TOUPET Tou*pee", Tou*pet"(), n. Etym: [F. toupet, dim. of OF. top a tuft; of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. top. See Top apex, and cf. Topet.]

1. A little tuft; a curl or artificial lock of hair.

2. A small wig, or a toppiece of a wig. Her powdered hair is turned backward over a toupee. G. Eliot.

TOUPETTIT Tou"pet*tit, n. Etym: [See Topet, toupee.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The crested titmouse. [Prov. Eng.]

TOUR Tour, n. Etym: [F. tour. See Tower.]

Defn: A tower. [Obs.] Chaucer.

TOUR Tour, n. Etym: [F. tour. See Turn, v. t.]

1. A going round; a circuit; hence, a journey in a circuit; a prolonged circuitous journey; a comprehensive excursion; as, the tour of Europe; the tour of France or England. The bird of Jove stooped from his airy tour. Milton.

2. A turn; a revolution; as, the tours of the heavenly bodies. [Obs.] Blackmore.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: anything done successively, or by regular order; a turn; as, a tour of duty.

Syn. -- Journey; excursion. See Journey.

TOUR Tour, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Toured; p. pr. & vb. n. Touring.]

Defn: To make a tourm; as, to tour throught a country. T. Hughes.

TOURACO Tou*ra"co, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Turacou.

TOURBILLION Tour*bil"lion, n. Etym: [F. torbillion a whirlwind, tourbillion, fr. L. turbo, -inis, a whirl, whirlwind.]

Defn: An ornamental firework which turns round, when in the air, so as to form a scroll of fire. G. Francis.

TOURING CAR Tour"ing car.

Defn: An automobile designed for touring; specif., a roomy car, not a limousine, for five or more passengers.

TOURIST Tour"ist, n.

Defn: One who makes a tour, or performs a journey in a circuit.

TOURMALINE Tour"ma*line, n. Etym: [F. tourmaline, cf. It. turmalina, tormalina, NL. turmalina, turmalinus; all fr. tournamal, a name given to this stone in Ceylon.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring usually in three-sided or six-sided prisms terminated by rhombohedral or scalenohedral planes. Black tourmaline (schorl) is the most common variety, but there are also other varieties, as the blue (indicolite), red (rubellite), also green, brown, and white. The red and green varieties when transparent are valued as jewels. [Written also turmaline .]

Note: Crystals of tourmaline when heated exhibit electric polarity (see Pyroelectric, n.). Tourmaline is also used in the form of a polariscope called tourmaline tongs.

TOURN Tourn, n. Etym: [See Turn]

1. A spinning wheel. [Prov. Eng.]

2. (O.Eng.Law)

Defn: The sheriff's turn, or court.

TOURNAMENT Tour"na*ment, n. Etym: [OE. turnement, tornement, OF. torneiement, tornoiement, F. tournoiement a turning or wheeling round. See Tourney.]

1. A mock fight, or warlike game, formerly in great favor, in which a number of combatants were engaged, as an exhibition of their address and bravery; hence, figuratively, a real battle. "In battle and in tourneyment." Chaucer. With cruel tournament the squadrons join. Milton.

Note: It different from the joust, which was a trial of skill between one man and another.

2. Any contest of skill in which there are many contestents for championship; as, a chess tournament.

TOURNERY Tourn"er*y, n.

Defn: Work turned on a lathe; turnery.[Obs.] See Turnery. Evelyn.

TOURNEY Tour"ney, n. Etym: [OF. tornei, tornoi, F. tournoi, fr. OF. torneier, tornoier, tournoier, to tit, to tourney, F. tournoyer to turn round and round. See Turn, v. t.]

Defn: A tournament. Bacon. At tilt or tourney or like warlike game. Spenser. We hold a tourney here to-morrow morn, And there is scantly time for half the work. Tennyson.

TOURNEY Tour"ney, v. i. Etym: [Cf.OF. torneier. See Tourney, n. ]

Defn: To perform in tournaments; to tilt. Well could he tourney, and in lists debate. Spenser.

TOURNIQUET Tour"ni*quet, n. Etym: [F., fr. tourner to turn.] (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for arresting hemorrhage. It consists essentially of a pad or compress upon which pressure is made by a band which is tightened by a screw or other means.

TOURNOIS Tour`nois", n. Etym: [F., belonging to Tours in France.]

Defn: A former French money of account worth 20 sous, or a franc. It was thus called in distinction from the Paris livre, which contained 25 sous.

TOURNURE Tour*nure", n. Etym: [F., fr. tourner to turn.]

1. Turn; contour; figure.

2. Any device used by women to expand the skirt of a dress below the waist; a bustle.

TOUSE; TOUZE Touse, Touze, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Toused; p. pr. & vb. n. Tousing.] Etym: [OE. tosen sq. root64. See tease, and cf. Tose, Toze. ]

Defn: To pull; to haul; to tear; to worry. [Prov. Eng.] Shak. As a bear, whom angry curs have touzed. Spenser.

TOUSE Touse, n.

Defn: A pulling; a disturbance. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

TOUSEL Tous"el, v. t.

Defn: Same as Tousle. [Colloq.]

TOUSER Tous"er, n.

Defn: One who touses. [Prov. Eng.]

TOUSLE Tou"sle, v. t. Etym: [Freq. of touse. Cf.Tossle.]

Defn: To put into disorder; to tumble; to touse. [Colloq.]

TOUS-LES-MOIS Tous`-les`-mois", n. Etym: [F., all the months, i.e., every month.]

Defn: A kind of starch with very large, oval, flattened grains, often sold as arrowroot, and extensively used for adulterating cocoa. It is made from the rootstocks of a species of Canna, probably C. edulis, the tubers of which are edible every month in the year.

TOUSY Tou"sy, a. [See Touse, n. & v.]

Defn: Tousled; tangled; rough; shaggy. [Colloq.]

TOUT Tout, v. t. Etym: [See 1st Toot.]

1. To act as a tout. See 2d Tout. [Cant. Eng.]

2. To ply or seek for customers. [Prov. Eng.]

TOUT Tout, n.

Defn: One who secretly watches race horses which are in course of training, to get information about their capabilities, for use in betting. [Cant. Eng.]

TOUT Tout, v. t. Etym: [See 3d Toot. ]

Defn: To toot a horn.

TOUT Tout, n

Defn: The anus. [Obs.] Chaucer.

TOUT-ENSEMBLE Tout`-en`sem"ble, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: All together; hence, in costume, the fine arts, etc., the general effect of a work as a whole, without regard to the execution of the separate perts.

TOUTER Tout"er, n.

Defn: One who seeks customers, as for an inn, a public conveyance, shops, and the like: hence, an obtrusive candidate for office. [Colloq.] The prey of ring droppers, . . . duffers, touters, or any of those bloodless sharpers who are, perhaps, better known to the police. Dickens.

TOUZE Touze, v.t & i.

Defn: See Touse. [Prov. Eng.]

TOW Tow, n. Etym: [OE. tow, AS. tow, akin to OD. touw, Icel. taw, v.t.]

Defn: The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp, separated from the finer part by the hatchel or swingle.

TOW Tow, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Towed; p. pr. & vb. n. Towing.] Etym: [OE. towen, totoga to pull about, OHG. zogon, Icel. toga, AS. tohline a towline, and AS.teón to draw, p.p. getogen. See Tug]

Defn: To draw or pull through the water, as a vessel of any kind, by means of a rope.

TOW Tow, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel.taug a rope, from the same root as E.tow, v. t.]

1. A rope by which anything is towed; a towline, or towrope.

2. The act of towing, or the state of being towed;-chiefly used in the phrase, to take in tow, that is to tow.

3. That which is towed, or drawn by a towline, as a barge, raft, collection of boats, ect.

TOWAGE Tow"age, n. Etym: [From Tow, v..cf. F. touage.]

1. The act of towing.

2. The price paid for towing.

TOWALL Tow"all, n.

Defn: A towel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

TOWARD; TOWARDS To"ward, To"wards, prep.Etym: [AS. To, and -ward, wards.]

1. In the direction of; to. He set his face toward the wilderness. Num. xxiv. 1. The waves make towards'' the pebbled shore. Shak.

2. With direction to, in a moral sense; with respect or reference to; regarding; concerning. His eye shall be evil toward his brother. Deut. xxviii. 54. Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men. Acts xxiv. 16.

3. Tending to; in the direction of; in behalf of. This was the first alarm England received towards any trouble. Clarendom.

4. Near; about; approaching to. I am toward nine years older since I left you. Swift.

TOWARD; TOWARDS To"ward, To"wards adv.

Defn: Near; at hand; in state of preparation. Do you hear sught, sir, of a battle toward Shak. We have a trifling foolish banquet Towards. Shak.

TOWARD To"ward, a. Etym: [AS. Toward, prep.]

1. Approaching; coming near. "His toward peril." Spenser.

2. Readly to do or learn; compliant with duty; not froward; apt; docile; tractable; as, a toward youth.

3. Ready to act; forward; bold; valiant. Why, that is spoken like a toward prince. Shak.

TOWARDLINESS To"ward*li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being towardly; docility; tractableness. The beauty and towardliness of these children moved her brethren to envy. Sir W. Raleigh.

TOWARDLY To"ward*ly, a.

Defn: Same as Toward, a., 2. He's towardly and will come on apace. Dryden.

TOWARDNESS To"ward*ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being toward.

TOWARDS To"wards (, prep. & adv.

Defn: See Toward.

TOWBOAT Tow"boat`, n.

1. A vessel constructed for being towed, as a canal boat.

2. A steamer used for towing other vessels; a tug.

TOWEL Tow"el, n. Etym: [OE.towaille, towail, F. touaille, LL. toacula, of Teutonic origin; cf. OHG. dwahila, swahilla, G. zwehle, fr. OHG. dwahan to wash; akin to D. dwaal a towel, AS. þweán to wash, OS. thwahan, Icel. þva, Sw. två, Dan. toe, Goth. þwahan. Cf. Doily.]

Defn: A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, as the person after a bath. Towel gourd (Bot.), the fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant Luffa Ægyptiaca; also, the plant itself. The fruit is very fibrous, and, when separated from its rind and seeds, is used as a sponge or towel. Called also Egyptian bath sponge, and dishcloth.

TOWEL Tow"el, v. t.

Defn: To beat with a stick. [Prov. Eng.]

TOWELING Tow"el*ing, n.

Defn: Cloth for towels, especially such as is woven in long pieces to be cut at will, as distinguished from that woven in towel lengths with borders, etc. [Written also towelling.]

TOWER Tow"er, n. Etym: [OE. tour,tor,tur, F. tour, L. turris; akin to Gr. twr a tower, Ir. tor a castle, Gael. torr a tower, castle. Cf. Tor, Turret.]

1. (Arch.) (a) A mass of building standing alone and insulated, usually higher than its diameter, but when of great size not always of that proportion. (b) A projection from a line of wall, as a fortification, for purposes of defense, as a flanker, either or the same height as the curtain wall or higher. (c) A structure appended to a larger edifice for a special purpose, as for a belfry, and then usually high in proportion to its width and to the height of the rest of the edifice; as, a church tower.

2. A citadel; a fortress; hence, a defense. Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. Ps. lxi. 3.

3. A headdress of a high or towerlike form, fashionable about the end of the seventeenth century and until 1715; also, any high headdress. Lay trains of amorous intrigues In towers, and curls, and periwigs. Hudibras.

4. High flight; elevation. [Obs.] Johnson. Gay Lussac's tower (Chem.), a large tower or chamber used in the sulphuric acid process, to absorb (by means of concentrated acid) the spent nitrous fumes that they may be returned to the Glover's tower to be reemployed. See Sulphuric acid, under Sulphuric, and Glover's tower, below. -- Glover's tower (Chem.), a large tower or chamber used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, to condense the crude acid and to deliver concentrated acid charged with nitrous fumes. These fumes, as a catalytic, effect the conversion of sulphurous to sulphuric acid. See Sulphuric acid, under Sulphuric, and Gay Lussac's tower, above. -- Round tower. See under Round, a. -- Shot tower. See under Shot. -- Tower bastion (Fort.), a bastion of masonry, often with chambers beneath, built at an angle of the interior polygon of some works. -- Tower mustard (Bot.), the cruciferous plant Arabis perfoliata. -- Tower of London, a collection of buildings in the eastern part of London, formerly containing a state prison, and now used as an arsenal and repository of various objects of public interest.

TOWER Tow"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. towered; p. pr. & vb. n. towering.]

Defn: To rise and overtop other objects; to be lofty or very high; hence, to soar. On the other side an high rock towered still. Spenser. My lord protector's hawks do tower so well. Shak.

TOWER Tow"er, v. t.

Defn: To soar into. [Obs.] Milton.

TOWERED Tow"ered, a.

Defn: Adorned or defended by towers. Towered cities please us then. Milton.

TOWERING Tow"er*ing, a.

1. Very high; elevated; rising aloft; as, a towering height. Pope.

2. Hence, extreme; violent; surpassing. A man agitated by a towering passion. Sir W. Scott.

TOWERY Tow"er*y, a.

Defn: Having towers; adorned or defended by towers. [R.] "Towery cities." Pope.

TOW-HEAD Tow"-head`, n.

1. An urchin who has soft, whitish hair. [Colloq.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The hooded merganser. [ Local, U.S. ]

TOWHEE To*whee", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The chewink.

TOWILLY To*wil"ly, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The sanderling; -- so called from its cry. [Prov. Eng.]

TOWLINE Tow"line`, n. Etym: [AS. tohline. See Tow, v. t., and Line. ] (Naut.)

Defn: A line used to tow vessels; a towrope.

TOWN Town, n. Etym: [OE. toun, tun, AS. tun inclosure, fence, village, town; akin to D. tuin a garden, G. zaun a hadge, fence, OHG. zun, Icel. tun an inclosure, homestead, house, Ir. & Gael. dun a fortress, W. din. Cf. Down, adv. & prep., Dune, tine to inclose.]

1. Formerly: (a) An inclosure which surrounded the mere homestead or dwelling of the lord of the manor. [Obs.] (b) The whole of the land which constituted the domain. [Obs.] (c) A collection of houses inclosed by fences or walls. [Obs.] Palsgrave.

2. Any number or collection of houses to which belongs a regular market, and which is not a city or the see of a bishop. [Eng.] Johnson.

3. Any collection of houses larger than a village, and not incorporated as a city; also, loosely, any large, closely populated place, whether incorporated or not, in distinction from the country, or from rural communities. God made the country, and man made the town. Cowper.

4. The body of inhabitants resident in a town; as, the town voted to send two representatives to the legislature; the town voted to lay a tax for repairing the highways.

5. A township; the whole territory within certain limits, less than those of a country. [U.S.]

6. The court end of London;-commonly with the.

7. The metropolis or its inhabitants; as, in winter the gentleman lives in town; in summer, in the country. Always hankering after the diversions of the town. Addison. Stunned with his giddy larum half the town. Pope.

Note: The same form of expressions is used in regard to other populous towns.

8. A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard. [Prov. Eng.& Scot.]

Note: Town is often used adjectively or in combination with other words; as, town clerk, or town-clerk; town-crier, or town crier; townhall, town-hall, or town hall; townhouse, town house, or town- house.

Syn. -- Village; hamlet. See Village. Town clerk, an office who keeps the records of a town, and enters its official proceedings. See Clerk. -- Town cress (Bot.), the garden cress, or peppergrass. Dr. Prior. -- Town house. (a) A house in town, in distinction from a house in the country. (b) See Townhouse. -- Town meeting, a legal meeting of the inhabitants of a town entitled to vote, for the transaction of public bisiness. [U.S.] -- Town talk, the common talk of a place; the subject or topic of common conversation.

TOWN-CRIER Town"-cri`er, n.

Defn: A town officer who makes proclamations to the people; the public crier of a town.

TOWNED Towned, a.

Defn: Having towns; containing many towns. [Obs.] Hakluyt.

TOWNHALL Town"hall`, n.

Defn: A public hall or building, belonging to a town, where the public offices are established, the town council meets, the people assemble in town meeting, etc.

TOWNHOUSE Town"house`, n.

Defn: A building devoted to the public used of a town; a townhall.

TOWNISH Town"ish, a

Defn: Of or pertaining to the inhabitants of a town; like the town. [R.] Turbervile.

TOWNLESS Town"less, a.

Defn: Having no town. Howell.

TOWNLET Town"let, n.

Defn: A small town. North Brit. Rev.

TOWNSFOLK Towns"folk`, n.

Defn: The people of a town; especially, the inhabitants of a city, in distinction from country people; townspeople.

TOWNSHIP Town"ship, n.

1. The district or territory of a town.

Note: In the United States, many of the States are divided into townships of five, six, seven, or perhaps ten miles square, and the inhabitants of such townships are invested with certain powers for regulating their own affairs, such as repairing roads and providing for the poor. The township is subordinate to the county.

2. In surveys of the public land of the United States, a division of territory six miles square, containing 36 sections.

3. In Canada, one of the subdivisions of a county.

TOWNSMAN Towns"man, n.; pl. Townsmen (-men).

1. An inhabitant of a town; one of the same town with another. Pope.

2. A selectman, in New England. See Selectman.

TOWNSPEOPLE Towns"peo`ple, n.

Defn: The inhabitants of a town or city, especially in distinction from country people; townsfolk.

TOWNWARD; TOWNWARDS Town"ward, Town"wards,, adv.

Defn: Toward a town. Longfellow.

TOWPATH Tow"path`, n.

Defn: A path traveled by men or animals in towing boats; -- called also towing path.

TOWROPE Tow"rope`, n.

Defn: A rope used in towing vessels.

TOWSER Tow"ser, n. Etym: [See Touse to pull about. ]

Defn: A familiar name for a dog. [ Written also Towzer. ]

TOWY Tow"y, a.

Defn: Composed of, or like, tow.

TOXAEMIA; TOXEMIA Tox*ae"mi*a or Tox*e"mi*a, a. Etym: [NL.,fr.Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Blood poisoning. See under Blood.

TOXALBUMIN Tox`al*bu"min, n. [See Toxic; Albumin.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Any of a class of toxic substances of protein nature; a toxin.

TOXIC; TOXICAL Tox"ic, Tox"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. toxicum poison, originally, a poison in which arrows were dipped, Gr. Intoxicate.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to poison; poisonous; as, toxic medicines.

TOXICANT Tox"i*cant, n.

Defn: A poisonous agent or drug, as opium; an intoxicant.

TOXICATION Tox`i*ca"tion, n. [L. toxicum a poison: cf. toxicatus smeared with poison.]

Defn: Poisoning.

TOXICITY Tox*ic"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being toxic or poisonous; poisonousness.

TOXICOGENIC Tox`i*co*gen"ic, a. [See Toxic, and -genic.] (Physiol. & Med.)

Defn: Producing toxic products; as, toxicogenic germs or bacteria.

TOXICOLOGICAL Tox`i*co*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf.F. toxicologique. ]

Defn: Of or pertaining to toxicology. -- Tox`i*co*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

TOXICOLOGIST Tox`i*col"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in toxicology; the writer of a treatise on poisons.

TOXICOLOGY Tox`i*col"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr.toxicologie. See Toxic. ]

Defn: The science which treats of poisons, their effects, antidotes, and recignition; also, a discourse or treatise on the science.

TOXICOMANIA Tox`i*co*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [See. Toxic, and Mania.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: Toxiphobia. A. S. Taylor.

2. (Med.)

Defn: An insane desire for intoxicating or poisonous drugs, as alcohol or opium. B. W. Richardson.

TOXIFERA Tox*if"e*ra, n.pl. Etym: [NL.,fr.Gr.ferre to bear.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Toxoglossa.

TOXIN; TOXINE Tox"in, Tox"ine, n. Etym: [Gr.Toxic. ]

Defn: A poisonous product formed by pathogenic bacteria, as a toxic proteid or poisonous ptomaine.

TOXIPHOBIA Tox`i*pho"bi*a, n. Etym: [NL.,fr.Gr. (Med.)

Defn: An insane or greatly exaggerated dread of poisons.

TOXODON Tox"o*don, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A gigantic extinct herbivorous mammal from South America, having teeth bent like a bow. It is the type of the order Toxodonta.

TOXODONTA Tox`o*don"ta, n.pl. Etym: [NL.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct order of Mammalia found in the South American Tertiary formation. The incisor teeth were long and curved and provided with a persistent pulp. They are supposed to be related both to the rodents and ungulates. Called also Toxodontia.

TOXOGLOSSA Tox`o*glos"sa, n.pl. Etym: [NL.,fr.Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of marine gastropod mollusks in which the radula are converted into poison fangs. The cone shells (Conus), Pleurotoma, and Terebra, are examples. See Illust. of Cone, n., 4, Pleurotoma, and Terebra.

TOXOID Tox"oid, n. [Toxin + -oid.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: An altered form of a toxin, possessing little or no toxic power.

TOXOPHILITE Tox*oph"i*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. to`xon a bow + filei^n to love.]

Defn: A lover of archery; one devoted to archery.

TOXOTES Tox"o*tes, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fishes comprising the archer fishes. See Archer fish.

TOY Toy, n. Etym: [D. tuid tools, implements, stuff, trash, speeltuig playthings, toys; akin to G. zeug stuff, materials, MNG. zuic, Icel. tygi gear; all ultimately from the root of E. tug, v.t.; cf.G. zeugen to beget, MHG.ziugen to beget, make ready, procure. See Tug, v. t.]

1. A plaything for children; a bawble. Cowper.

2. A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of trade of little value; a trifle. They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys, great abundance of gold and pearl. Abr. Abbot.

3. A wild fancy; an odd conceit; idle sport; folly; trifling opinion. To fly about playing their wanton toys. Spenser. What if a toy take'em in the heels now, and they all run away. Beau. &Fl. Nor light and idle toys my lines may vainly swell. Drayton.

4. Amorous dalliance; play; sport; pastime. Milton. To dally thus with death is no fit toy. Spenser.

5. An old story; a silly tale. Shak.

6. Etym: [Probably the same word.]

Defn: A headdress of linen or woolen, that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by old women of the lower classes; -- called also toy mutch. [Scot.] "Having, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and scarlet plaid." Sir W. Scott.

TOY Toy, v. i. [imp. & p. p. toyed; p. pr. & vb. n. toying.]

Defn: To dally amorously; to trifle; to play. To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and jest. Shak.

TOY Toy, v. t.

Defn: To treat foolishly. [Obs.] E. Dering (1576).

TOYEAR To*year, adv. Etym: [To, prep. + year. ]

Defn: This year. [Obs.] Chaucer.

TOYER Toy"er, n.

Defn: One who toys; one who is full of trifling tricks; a trifler.

TOYFUL Toy"ful, a.

Defn: Full of trifling play. [Obs.] Donne.

TOYHOUSE Toy"house`, n.

Defn: A house for children to play in or to play with; a playhouse.

TOYINGLY Toy"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a toying manner.

TOYISH Toy"ish, a

1. Sportive; trifling; wanton.

2. Resembling a toy. --Toy"ish*ly, dv.-Toy"ish*ness, n.

TOYMAN Toy"man, n.

Defn: One who deals toys.

TOYSHOP Toy"shop`, n.

Defn: A shop where toys are sold.

TOYSOME Toy"some, a.

Defn: Disposed to toy; trifling; wanton. [R.] Ford.

TOZE Toze, v. t.

Defn: To pull violently; to touse. [Obs.]

TOZY To"zy, a. Etym: [See Toze ]

Defn: Soft, like wool that has been teased. -- To"zi*ness, n.

TRABEA Tra"be*a, n.; pl. Trabeæ. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A toga of purple, or ornamented with purple horizontal stripes. -- worn by kings, consuls, and augurs. Dr. W. Smith.

TRABEATED Tra"be*a`ted, a. (Arch.)

Defn: Furnished with an entablature.

TRABEATION Tra`be*a"tion, n. Etym: [L.trabs, trabis, a beam, a timber.] (Arch.)

Defn: Same as Entablature.

TRABECULA Tra*bec"u*la, n.; pl. Trabeculæ (-le). Etym: [L., a little beam.] (Anat.)

Defn: A small bar, rod, bundle of fibers, or septal membrane, in the framework of an organ part.

TRABECULAR Tra*bec"u*lar, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a trabecula or trabeculæ; composed of trabeculæ.

TRABECULATE Tra*bec"u*late, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Crossbarred, as the ducts in a banana stem.

TRABU Tra"bu, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Trubu.

TRACE Trace, n. Etym: [F.trais. pl. of trait. See Trait.]

Defn: One of two straps, chains, or ropes of a harness, extending from the collar or breastplate to a whiffletree attached to a vehicle or thing to be drawn; a tug.

TRACE Trace, n. Etym: [F. trace. See Trace, v. t. ]

1. A mark left by anything passing; a track; a path; a course; a footprint; a vestige; as, the trace of a carriage or sled; the trace of a deer; a sinuous trace. Milton.

2. (Chem.&Min.)

Defn: A very small quantity of an element or compound in a given substance, especially when so small that the amount is not quantitatively determined in an analysis;-hence, in stating an analysis, often contracted to tr.

3. A mark, impression, or visible appearance of anything left when the thing itself no longer exists; remains; token; vestige. The shady empire shall retain no trace Of war or blood, but in the sylvan chase. Pope.

4. (Descriptive Geom.&Persp.)

Defn: The intersection of a plane of projection, or an original plane, with a coordinate plane.

5. (Fort.)

Defn: The ground plan of a work or works. Syn.-Vestige; mark; token. See Vestige.

TRACE Trace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. traced; p. pr. & vb. n. tracing.] Etym: [OF. tracier, F. tracer, from (assumed) LL. tractiare, fr.L. tractus, p. p. of trahere to draw. Cf. Abstract, Attract, Contract, Portratt, Tract, Trail, Train, Treat. ]

1. To mark out; to draw or delineate with marks; especially, to copy, as a drawing or engraving, by following the lines and marking them on a sheet superimposed, through which they appear; as, to trace a figure or an outline; a traced drawing. Some faintly traced features or outline of the mother and the child, slowly lading into the twilight of the woods. Hawthorne.

2. To follow by some mark that has been left by a person or thing which has preceded; to follow by footsteps, tracks, or tokens. Cowper. You may trace the deluge quite round the globe. T. Burnet. I feel thy power . . . to trace the ways Of highest agents. Milton.

3. Hence, to follow the trace or track of. How all the way the prince on footpace traced. Spenser.

4. To copy; to imitate. That servile path thou nobly dost decline, Of tracing word, and line by line. Denham.

5. To walk over; to pass through; to traverse. We do tracethis alley up and down. Shak.

TRACE Trace, v. i.

Defn: To walk; to go; to travel. [Obs.] Not wont on foot with heavy arms to trace. Spenser.

TRACEABLE Trace"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being traced. -- Trace"a*ble*ness, n. -- Trace"a/bly, adv.

TRACER Tra"cer, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, traces.

TRACERY Tra"cery, n.; pl. Traceries ( (Arch.)

Defn: Ornamental work with rambled lines. Especially: -- (a) The decorative head of a Gothic window.

Note: Window tracery is of two sorts, plate tracery and bar tracery. Plate tracery, common in Italy, consists of a series of ornamental patterns cut through a flat plate of stone. Bar tracery is a decorative pattern formed by the curves and intersections of the molded bars of the mullions. Window tracery is imitated in many decorative objects, as panels of wood or metal either pierced or in relief. See also Stump tracery under Stump, and Fan tracery under Fan. (b) A similar decoration in some styles of vaulting, the ribs of the vault giving off the minor bars of which the tracery is composed.

TRACHEA Tra"che*a, n.; pl. Tracheæ. Etym: [NL.,from L. trachia, Gr. trachei^a (sc. trachée.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The windpipe. See Illust. of Lung.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the respiratory tubes of insects and arachnids.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the large cells in woody tissue which have spiral, annular, or other markings, and are connected longitudinally so as to form continuous ducts.

TRACHEAL Tra"che*al, a. Etym: [Cf.F.tracheal.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the trachea; like a trachea.

TRACHEARIA Tra`che*a"ri*a, n.pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Arachnida including those that breathe only by means of tracheæ. It includes the mites, ticks, false scorpions, and harvestmen.

TRACHEARY Tra"che*a*ry, a.

Defn: Tracheal; breathing by means of tracheæ. -- n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Trachearia.

TRACHEATA Tra`che*a"ta, n.pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive division of arthropods comprising all those which breathe by tracheæ, as distinguished from Crustacea, which breathe by means of branchiæ.

TRACHEATE Tra"che*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Breathing by means of tracheæ; of or pertaining to the Tracheata.

TRACHEATE Tra"che*ate, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any arthropod having tracheæ; one of the Tracheata.

TRACHEID Tra"che*id, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A wood cell with spiral or other markings and closed throughout, as in pine wood.

TRACHEITIS Tra`che*i"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Trachea, and -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the trachea, or windpipe.

TRACHELIDAN Tra*chel"i*dan, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of a tribe of beetles (Trachelides) which have the head supported on a pedicel. The oil beetles and the Cantharides are examples.

TRACHELIPOD Tra*chel"i*pod, n. Etym: [Gr.-pod:cf.F. trachelipode.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Trachelipoda.

TRACHELIPODA Tra`che*lip"o*da, n.pl. Etym: [NL. See Trachelipod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive artificial group of gastropods comprising all those which have a spiral shell and the foot attached to the base of the neck.

TRACHELIPODOUS Tra`che*lip"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the foot united with the neck; of or pertainingto the Trachelipoda.

TRACHELOBRANCHIATE Tra`che*lo*bran"chi*ate, a. Etym: [Gr.tranchiate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the gills situated upon the neck; -- said of certain mollusks.

TRACHELORRHAPHY Tra`che*lor"rha*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: The operation of sewing up a laceration of the neck of the uterus.

TRACHENCHYMA Tra*chen"chy*ma, n. Etym: [NL.,fr. trachea + -enchyma as in E.parenchyma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A vegetable tissue consisting of tracheæ.

TRACHEOBRANCHIA Tra`che*o*bran"chi*a, n.; pl. Tracheobranchlae. Etym: [NL. See Trachea, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the gill-like breathing organs of certain aquatic insect larvæ. They contain tracheal tubes somewhat similar to those of other insects.

TRACHEOBRONCHIAL Tra`che*o*bron"chi*al, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining both to the tracheal and bronchial tubes, or to their junction; -- said of the syrinx of certain birds.

TRACHEOCELE Tra"che*o*cele, n. Etym: [Gr. tracheocele. ] (Med.) (a) Goiter. (b) A tumor containing air and communicating with the trachea. Morell Mackenzie.

TRACHEOPHONAE Tra`che*oph"o*næ (, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from trachea + Gr. fonei^n to sound.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of passerine birds having the syrinx at the lower end of the trachea.

TRACHEOSCOPY Tra`che*os"co*py, n. Etym: [Trachea + -scopy.] (Med.)

Defn: Examination of the interior of the trachea by means of a mirror.

TRACHEOTOMY Tra`che*ot"o*my, n. Etym: [Trachea + Gr. tracheotomie.] (Surg.)

Defn: The operation of making an opening into the windpipe.

TRACHINOID Tra"chi*noid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or like, Trachinus, a genus of fishes which includes the weevers. See Weever.

TRACHITIS Tra*chi"tis, n. Etym: [NL.] (Med.)

Defn: Tracheitis.

TRACHOMA Tra*cho"ma, n. [NL., fr. Gr. roughness, fr. rough.] (Med.)

Defn: Granular conjunctivitis due to a specific micrococcus. -- Tra*chom"a*tous (#), a.

TRACHYCARPOUS Tra`chy*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Rough-fruited. Gray.

TRACHYMEDUSAE Tra`chy*me*du"sæ, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr.Gr. medusa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of acalephs in which the development is direct from the eggs, without a hydroid stage. Some of the species are parasitic on other medusæ.

TRACHYSPERMOUS Tra`chy*sper"mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Rough-seeded. Gray.

TRACHYSTOMATA Tra`chy*stom"a*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL.,fr.Gr. stoma.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of tailed aquatic amphibians, including Siren and Pseudobranchus. They have anterior legs only, are eel-like in form, and have no teeth except a small patch on the palate. The external gills are persistent through life.

TRACHYTE Tra"chyte, n. Etym: [Gr. trachyte.] (Geol.)

Defn: An igneous rock,usually light gray in color and breaking with a rough surface. It consists chiefly of orthoclase feldspar with sometimes hornblende and mica.

TRACHYTIC Tra*chyt"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. trachytique.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, trachyte.

TRACHYTOID Trach"y*toid, a. Etym: [Trachyte + -oid.] (Min.)

Defn: Resembling trachyte; -- used to define the structure of certain rocks.

TRACING Tra"cing, n.

1. The act of one who traces; especially, the act of copying by marking on thin paper, or other transparent substance, the lines of a pattern placed beneath; also, the copy thus producted.

2. A regular path or track; a course. Tracing cloth, Tracing paper, specially prepared transparent cloth or paper, which enables a drawing or print to be clearly seen through it, and so allows the use of a pen or pencil to produce a facsimile by following the lines of the original placed beneath.

TRACK Track, n. Etym: [OF.trac track of horses, mules, trace of animals; of Teutonic origin; cf.D.trek a drawing, trekken to draw, travel, march, MHG. trechen, pret. trach. Cf. Trick.]

1. A mark left by something that has passed along; as, the track, or wake, of a ship; the track of a meteor; the track of a sled or a wheel. The bright track of his fiery car. Shak.

2. A mark or impression left by the foot, either of man or beast; trace; vestige; footprint. Far from track of men. Milton.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The entire lower surface of the foot;-said of birds, ect.

4. A road; a beaten path. Behold Torquatus the same track pursue. Dryden.

5. Course; way; as, the track of a comet.

6. A path or course laid out for a race, for exercise, ect.

7. (Raolroad)

Defn: The permanent way; the rails.

8. Etym: [Perhaps a mistake for tract.]

Defn: A tract or area, as of land. [Obs.] "Small tracks of ground." Fuller. Track scale, a railway scale. See under Railway.

TRACK Track, v. t. [imp. & p. p. tracked; p. pr. & vb. n. tracking.]

Defn: To follow the tracks or traces of; to pursue by following the marks of the feet; to trace; to trail; as, to track a deer in the snow. It was often found impossible to track the robbers to their retreats among the hills and morasses. Macaulay.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To draw along continuously, as a vessel, by a line, men or animals on shore being the motive power; to tow.

TRACKAGE Track"age, n.

Defn: The act of tracking, or towing, as a boat; towage.

TRACKER Track"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, tracks or pursues, as a man or dog that follows game. And of the trackers of the deer Scarce half the lessening pack was near. Sir W. Scott.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: In the organ, a light strip of wood connecting (in path) a key and a pallet, to communicate motion by pulling.

TRACKLAYER Track"lay`er, n. (Railroads)

Defn: Any workman engaged in work involved in putting the track in place. [U. S. & Canada] -- Track"lay`ing, n.

TRACKLESS Track"less, a.

Defn: Having no track; marked by no footsteps; untrodden; as, a trackless desert. To climb the trackless mountain all unseen. Byron. -- Track"less*ly, adv.-Track"less*ness, n.

TRACKMAN Track"man, n.; pl. -men. (Railroads)

Defn: One employed on work on the track; specif., a trackwalker.

TRACKMASTER; ROADMASTER Track"mas`ter, Road"mas`ter, n. (Railroad)

Defn: One who has charge of the track; --called also roadmaster.

TRACK-ROAD Track"-road`, n.

Defn: A towing path.

TRACKSCOUT Track"scout, n.

Defn: See Trackschuyt.

TRACKWALKER Track"walk`er, n. (Railroads)

Defn: A person employed to walk over and inspect a section of tracks.

TRACKWAY Track"way`, n.

Defn: Any of two or more narrow paths, of steel, smooth stone, or the like, laid in a public roadway otherwise formed of an inferior pavement, as cobblestones, to provide an easy way for wheels.

TRACT Tract, n. Etym: [Abbrev.fr. tractate.]

Defn: A written discourse or dissertation, generally of short extent; a short treatise, especially on practical religion. The church clergy at that writ the best collection of tracts against popery that ever appeared. Swift. Tracts for the Times. See Tractarian.

TRACT Tract, n. Etym: [L. tractus a drawing, train, track, course, tract of land, from trahere tractum, to draw. Senses 4 and 5 are perhaps due to confusion with track. See Trace,v., and cf. Tratt.]

1. Something drawn out or extended; expanse. "The deep tract of hell." Milton.

2. A region or quantity of land or water, of indefinite extent; an area; as, an unexplored tract of sea. A very high mountain joined to the mainland by a narrowtract of earth. Addison.

3. Traits; features; lineaments. [Obs.] The discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance is a great weakness. Bacon.

4. The footprint of a wild beast. [Obs.] Dryden.

5. Track; trace. [Obs.] Efface all tract of its traduction. Sir T. Browne. But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forthon, Leaving no tract behind. Shak.

6. Treatment; exposition. [Obs.] Shak.

7. Continuity or extension of anything; as, the tract of speech. [Obs.] Older.

8. Continued or protracted duration; length; extent. "Improved by tract of time." Milton.

9. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: Verses of Scripture sung at Mass, instead of the Alleluia, from Septuagesima Sunday till the Saturday befor Easter;-so called because sung tractim,or without a break, by one voice, instead of by many as in the antiphons.

Syn. -- Region; district; quarter; essay; treatise; dissertation.

TRACT Tract, v. t.

Defn: To trace out; to track; also, to draw out; to protact. [Obs.] Spenser. B. Jonson.

TRACTABILITY Tract`a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. tractabilitas: cf.F. tractabilite.]

Defn: The quality or state of being tractable or docile; docility; tractableness.

TRACTABLE Tract"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. tractabilis, fr, tractare to draw violently, to handle, treat. See Treat, v. t.]

1. Capable of being easily led, taught, or managed; docile; manageable; governable; as, tractable children; a tractable learner. I shall find them tractable enough. Shak.

2. Capable of being handled; palpable; practicable; feasible; as, tractable measures. [Obs.] Holder. --Tract"a*ble*ness, n. -- Tract"a/bly, adv.

TRACTARIAN Trac*ta"ri*an, n. (Ch. of England)

Defn: One of the writers of the Oxford tracts, called "Tracts for the Times," issued during the period 1833-1841, in which series of papers the sacramental system and authority of the Church, and the value of tradition, were brought into prominence. Also, a member of the High Church party, holding generally the principles of the Tractarian writers; a Puseyite.

TRACTARIAN Trac*ta"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Tractarians, or their principles.

TRACTARIANISM Trac*ta"ri*an*ism, n. (Ch. of England)

Defn: The principles of the Tractarians, or of those persons accepting the teachings of the "Tracts for the Times."

TRACTATE Tract"ate, n. Etym: [L. tractatus a touching, handling, treatise. See Tractable, and Tract a treatise, Treaty.]

Defn: A treatise; a tract; an essay. Agreeing in substance with Augustin's, from whose fourteenth Tractate on St. John the words are translated. Hare.

TRACTATION Trac*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. tractatio.]

Defn: Treatment or handling of a subject; discussion. [Obs.] A full tractation of the points controverted. Bp. Hall.

TRACTATOR Trac*ta"tor, n. Etym: [L., a handler.]

Defn: One who writes tracts; specif., a Tractarian. [R.] C. Kingsley.

TRACTILE Tract"ile, a. Etym: [L. trahere, tractum, to draw.]

Defn: Capable of being drawn out in length; ductile. Bacon.

TRACTILITY Trac*til"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being tractile; ductility. Derham.

TRACTION Trac"tion, n. Etym: [L. trahere, tractum, to draw: cf. F. traction.]

1. The act of drawing, or the state of being drawn; as, the traction of a muscle.

2. Specifically, the act of drawing a body along a plane by motive power, as the drawing of a carriage by men or horses, the towing of a boat by a tug.

3. Attraction; a drawing toward. [R.]

4. The adhesive friction of a wheel on a rail, a rope on a pulley, or the like. Knight. Angle of traction (Mech.), the angle made with a given plane by the line of direction in which a tractive force acts. -- Traction engine, a locomotive for drawing vehicles on highways or in the fields.

TRACTIONAL Trac"tion*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to traction.

TRACTION WHEEL Traction wheel. (Mach.) (a) A locomotive driving wheel which acts by friction adhesion to a smooth track. (b) A smooth-rimmed friction wheel for giving motion to an endless link belt or the like.

TRACTITE Tract"ite, n.

Defn: A Tractarian.

TRACTITIOUS Trac*ti"tious, a. Etym: [See Tractate.]

Defn: Treating of; handling. [R.]

TRACTIVE Tract"ive, a.

Defn: Serving to draw; pulling; attracting; as, tractive power.

TRACTOR Tract"or, n. Etym: [NL., from L. trahere, tractum, to draw.]

1. That which draws, or is used for drawing.

2. pl. (Med.)

Defn: Two small, pointed rods of metal, formerly used in the treatment called Perkinism.

TRACTORATION Trac`to*ra"tion, n.

Defn: See Perkinism.

TRACTOR SCREW; TRACTOR PROPELLER Tractor screw or propeller. (Aviation)

Defn: A propeller screw placed in front of the supporting planes of an aëroplane instead of behind them, so that it exerts a pull instead of a push. Hence, Tractor monoplane, Tractor biplane, etc.

TRACTORY Tract"o*ry, n. Etym: [L. tractorius of drawing, fr. trahere, tractum, to draw.] (Geom.)

Defn: A tractrix.

TRACTRIX Tract"rix, n. Etym: [NL. See Tractor.] (Geom.)

Defn: A curve such that the part of the tangent between the point of tangency and a given straight line is constant; -- so called because it was conceived as described by the motion of one end of a tangent line as the other end was drawn along the given line.

TRAD Trad, obs.

Defn: imp. of Tread. Chaucer.

TRADE Trade, n. Etym: [Formerly, a path, OE. tred a footmark. See Tread, n. & v.]

1. A track; a trail; a way; a path; also, passage; travel; resort. [Obs.] A postern with a blind wicket there was, A common trade to pass through Priam's house. Surrey. Hath tracted forth some salvage beastes trade. Spenser. Or, I'll be buried in the king's highway, Some way of common trade, where subjects' feet May hourly trample on their sovereign's head. Shak.

2. Course; custom; practice; occupation; employment. [Obs.] "The right trade of religion." Udall. There those five sisters had continual trade. Spenser. Long did I love this lady, Long was my travel, long my trade to win her. Massinger. Thy sin's not accidental but a trade. Shak.

3. Business of any kind; matter of mutual consideration; affair; dealing. [Obs.] Have you any further trade with us Shak.

4. Specifically: The act or business of exchanging commodities by barter, or by buying and selling for money; commerce; traffic; barter.

Note: Trade comprehends every species of exchange or dealing, either in the produce of land, in manufactures, in bills, or in money; but it is chiefly used to denote the barter or purchase and sale of goods, wares, and merchandise, either by wholesale or retail. Trade is either foreign or domestic. Foreign trade consists in the exportation and importation of goods, or the exchange of the commodities of different countries. Domestic, or home, trade is the exchange, or buying and selling, of goods within a country. Trade is also by the wholesale, that is, by the package or in large quantities, generally to be sold again, or it is by retail, or in small parcels. The carrying trade is the business of transporting commodities from one country to another, or between places in the same country, by land or water.

5. The business which a person has learned, and which he engages in, for procuring subsistence, or for profit; occupation; especially, mechanical employment as distinguished from the liberal arts, the learned professions, and agriculture; as, we speak of the trade of a smith, of a carpenter, or mason, but not now of the trade of a farmer, or a lawyer, or a physician. Accursed usury was all his trade. Spenser. The homely, slighted, shepherd's trade. Milton. I will instruct thee in my trade. Shak.

6. Instruments of any occupation. [Obs.] The house and household goods, his trade of war. Dryden.

7. A company of men engaged in the same occupation; thus, booksellers and publishers speak of the customs of the trade, and are collectively designated as the trade.

8. pl.

Defn: The trade winds.

9. Refuse or rubbish from a mine. [Prov. Eng.]

Syn. -- Profession; occupation; office; calling; avocation; employment; commerce; dealing; traffic. Board of trade. See under Board. -- Trade dollar. See under Dollar. -- Trade price, the price at which goods are sold to members of the same trade, or by wholesale dealers to retailers. Trade sale, an auction by and for the trade, especially that of the booksellers. -- Trade wind, a wind in the torrid zone, and often a little beyond at, which blows from the same quarter throughout the year, except when affected by local causes; -- so called because of its usefulness to navigators, and hence to trade.

Note: The general direction of the trade winds is from N. E. to S. W. on the north side of the equator, and from S. E. to N. W. on the south side of the equator. They are produced by the joint effect of the rotation of the earth and the movement of the air from the polar toward the equatorial regions, to supply the vacancy caused by heating, rarefaction, and consequent ascent of the air in the latter regions. The trade winds are principally limited to two belts in the tropical regions, one on each side of the equator, and separated by a belt which is characterized by calms or variable weather.

TRADE Trade, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Traded; p. pr. & vb. n. Trading.]

1. To barter, or to buy and sell; to be engaged in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods, wares, merchandise, or anything else; to traffic; to bargain; to carry on commerce as a business. A free port, where nations . . . resorted with their goods and traded. Arbuthnot.

2. To buy and sell or exchange property in a single instance.

3. To have dealings; to be concerned or associated; -- usually followed by with. How did you dare to trade and traffic with Macbeth Shak.

TRADE Trade, v. t.

Defn: To sell or exchange in commerce; to barter. They traded the persons of men. Ezek. xxvii. 13. To dicker and to swop, to trade rifles and watches. Cooper.

TRADE Trade, obs.

Defn: imp. of Tread.

TRADED Trad"ed, a.

Defn: Professional; practiced. [Obs.] Shak.

TRADEFUL Trade"ful, a.

Defn: Full of trade; busy in traffic; commercial. Spenser.

TRADELESS Trade"less, a.

Defn: Having no trade or traffic. Young.

TRADE-MARK Trade"-mark`, n.

Defn: A peculiar distinguishing mark or device affixed by a manufacturer or a merchant to his goods, the exclusive right of using which is recognized by law.

TRADE NAME Trade name.