n. [ L. transitus, from transire to go over: cf. F. transit. See Transient. ] 1. The act of passing; passage through or over. [ 1913 Webster ]

In France you are now . . . in the transit from one form of government to another. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act or process of causing to pass; conveyance; as, the transit of goods through a country. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A line or route of passage or conveyance; as, the Nicaragua transit. E. G. Squier. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Astron.) (a) The passage of a heavenly body over the meridian of a place, or through the field of a telescope. (b) The passage of a smaller body across the disk of a larger, as of Venus across the sun's disk, or of a satellite or its shadow across the disk of its primary. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An instrument resembling a theodolite, used by surveyors and engineers; -- called also transit compass, and surveyor's transit. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The surveyor's transit differs from the theodolite in having the horizontal axis attached directly to the telescope which is not mounted in Y's and can be turned completely over about the axis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lower transit (Astron.), the passage of a heavenly body across that part of the meridian which is below the polar axis. --
Surveyor's transit. See Transit, 5, above. --
Transit circle (Astron.), a transit instrument with a graduated circle attached, used for observing the time of transit and the declination at one observation. See Circle, n., 3. --
Transit compass. See Transit, 5, above. --
Transit duty, a duty paid on goods that pass through a country. --
Transit instrument. (Astron.) (a) A telescope mounted at right angles to a horizontal axis, on which it revolves with its line of collimation in the plane of the meridian, -- used in connection with a clock for observing the time of transit of a heavenly body over the meridian of a place. (b) (Surv.) A surveyor's transit. See Transit, 5, above. --
Transit trade (Com.), the business conected with the passage of goods through a country to their destination. --
Upper transit (Astron.), the passage of a heavenly body across that part of the meridian which is above the polar axis. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Astron.) To pass over the disk of (a heavenly body). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. transitio: cf. F. transition. See Transient. ] 1. Passage from one place or state to another; charge; as, the transition of the weather from hot to cold. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is no death, what seems so is transition. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) A direct or indirect passing from one key to another; a modulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Rhet.) A passing from one subject to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ He ] with transition sweet, new speech resumes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Biol.) Change from one form to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is sometimes pronounced but according to Walker, Smart, and most other authorities, the customary and preferable pronunciation is although this latter mode violates analogy. Other authorities say [ 1913 Webster ]

Transition rocks (Geol.), a term formerly applied to the lowest uncrystalline stratified rocks (graywacke) supposed to contain no fossils, and so called because thought to have been formed when the earth was passing from an uninhabitable to a habitable state. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to transition; involving or denoting transition; as, transitional changes; transitional stage. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Transitional. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Biogeography) The zone lying between the Boreal and Sonoran zones of North America. It includes an eastern or humid subdivision and a western arid one of corresponding temperature comprising the northern Great Plains and the lower slopes of the mountains of the western United States and Mexico. Called also Neutral zone. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. transitivus: cf. F. transitif. See Transient. ] 1. Having the power of making a transit, or passage. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Effected by transference of signification. [ 1913 Webster ]

By far the greater part of the transitive or derivative applications of words depend on casual and unaccountable caprices of the feelings or the fancy. Stewart. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) Passing over to an object; expressing an action which is not limited to the agent or subject, but which requires an object to complete the sense; as, a transitive verb, for example, he holds the book. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Tran"si*tive*ly, adv. -- Tran"si*tive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a transitory manner; with brief continuance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being transitory; speedy passage or departure. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. transitorius: cf. F. transitoire. See Transient. ] Continuing only for a short time; not enduring; fleeting; evanescent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Comfort and succor all those who, in this transitory life, are in trouble. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was not the transitory light of a comet, which shines and glows for a wile, and then . . . vanishes into nothing. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Transitory action (Law), an action which may be brought in any county, as actions for debt, and the like; -- opposed to local action. Blackstone. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- transient; short-lived; brief. See Transient. [ 1913 Webster ]