2. (Bot.) Having prickles, or sharp points; beset with prickles. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Severe or stinging; incisive. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A sting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) An animal, invisible, or nearly so, to the naked eye. See Infusoria. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Many of the so-called animalcules have been shown to be plants, having locomotive powers something like those of animals. Among these are Volvox, the Desmidiacæ, and the siliceous Diatomaceæ. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spermatic animalcules. See Spermatozoa. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bascule bridge, a counterpoise or balanced drawbridge, which is opened by sinking the counterpoise and thus lifting the footway into the air. [ 1913 Webster ]

Esculent grain for food. Sir W. Jones. [ 1913 Webster ]

Esculent swallow (Zoöl.), the swallow which makes the edible bird's-nest. See Edible bird's-nest, under Edible. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is feculent; sediment; lees; dregs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Both his hands most filthy feculent. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) Specif.: A small particle of an insoluble substance formed in a liquid by the union of smaller particles. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Zool.) Applied to the down of newly hatched or unfledged birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) Having a structure like shredded wool, as some precipitates. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

1. Requiring the strength of Hercules; hence, very great, difficult, or dangerous; as, an Herculean task. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having extraordinary strength or size; as, Herculean limbs. “Herculean Samson.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astron.) A constellation in the northern hemisphere, near Lyra. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hercules' beetle (Zool.), any species of Dynastes, an American genus of very large lamellicorn beetles, esp. Dynastes hercules of South America, which grows to a length of six inches. --
Hercules powder, an explosive containing nitroglycerin; -- used for blasting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small, prickly, deciduous clump-forming tree or shrub (Aralia spinosa) of eastern U.S.; also called Angelica tree and prickly ash. [ wns=2 ]
Syn. -- American angelica tree, devil's walking stick, Aralia spinosa. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

3. A variety of the common gourd (Lagenaria vulgaris). Its fruit sometimes exceeds five feet in length. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Clear; evident; luminous. “ Most luculent testimonies.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Bright; shining in beauty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Most debonair and luculent lady. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Print.) A blur, or an appearance of a double impression, as when the paper slips a little; a mackle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Majuscule writing, writing composed wholly of capital letters, especially the style which prevailed in Europe from the third to the sixth century. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Any very small, minute object. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small Roman letter which is neither capital nor uncial; a manuscript written in such letters. [ 1913 Webster ]

These minuscule letters are cursive forms of the earlier uncials. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Physics) The smallest part of any substance which possesses the characteristic properties and qualities of that substance, and which can exist alone in a free state. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) A group of atoms so united and combined by chemical affinity that they form a complete, integrated whole, being the smallest portion of any particular compound that can exist in a free state; as, a molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Cf. Atom. [ 1913 Webster ]