n. [ L. rota a wheel + -scope. ] Same as Gyroscope, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; topmost + &unr_; tarsus. ] (Zool.) The instep or front of the tarsus. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., he is sick. ] (Camb. Univ.) A medical certificate that a student is ill. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Aëro-; Taxis. ] (Bacteriology) The positive or negative stimulus exerted by oxygen on aërobic and anaërobic bacteria. -- A`ër*o*tac"tic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. 1. 1 a genus comprising the orange tortrix.
Syn. -- genus Argyrotaenia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 a genus having but one species; the New Caledonian yew.
Syn. -- genus Austrotaxus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. chevrotin, OF. chevrot little goat, roe, dim. of chevre goat. See Chevron. ] (Zool.) A small ruminant of the family Tragulidæ a allied to the musk deer. It inhabits Africa and the East Indies. See Kanchil. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ L. circumrotare; circum + rotare to turn round. ] To rotate about. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of rolling or revolving round, as a wheel; circumvolution; the state of being whirled round. J. Gregory. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Pref. circum- + rotary, rotatory. ] turning, rolling, or whirling round. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Circular motion in a direction contrary to some other circular motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any of several lichens of the genus Parmelia from which reddish brown or purple dyes are made.
Syn. -- crottle, crottal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ NL. See Crotalum. ] (Bot.) A genus of leguminous plants; rattlebox. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Crotalaria juncea furnishes the fiber called sunn or Bombay hemp. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Crotalus. ] (Zool.) Resembling, or pertaining to, the Crotalidae, or Rattlesnake family. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. A Turkish musical instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; rattle. ] (Mus.) A kind of castanet used by the Corybantes. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; rattle. ] (Zool.) A genus of poisonous serpents, including the rattlesnakes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; the side of the forehead. ] (Anat.) The temple or temporal fossa. Also used adjectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Anat.) Pertaining to the temple; temporal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus of lizards of the family Iguanidae, including the collared lizards.
Syn. -- genus Crotaphytus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Physics & Chem.) See Dextrotatory. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Dextro- + rotatory. ] (Chem. & Opt.) Turning, or causing to turn, toward the right hand; esp., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays toward the right hand; as, dextrorotatory crystals, sugars, etc. Cf. Levorotatory.

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_; a double beating. ] Dicrotic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Equi- + L. rota wheel. ] Having wheels of the same size or diameter; having equal rotation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Relating to, or characterized by, heterotaxy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hetero- + Gr. &unr_; an arrangement, fr. &unr_; to arrange. ] (Biol.) Variation in arrangement from that existing in a normal form; heterogenous arrangement or structure, as, in botany, the deviation in position of the organs of a plant, from the ordinary or typical arrangement.

a. (Physics) Not rotatory; passing from one point to another by a movement other than rotation; -- said of the movement of parts of a liquid or yielding mass. Sir W. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Same as Levorotatory. Cf. Dextrorotatory. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Levo- + rotary. ] (Chem. & Physics) Same as levorotatory. [ PJC ]

n. [ Written also lævorotation. ] [ Levo- + rotation. ] (Physics & Chem.) Rotation in the direction of an outgoing right-handed screw; counter-clockwise rotation; -- applied chiefly to the turning of the plane of polarization of light. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Levo- + rotatory. ] (Chem. & Physics) Turning or rotating the plane of polarization of light towards the left; -- applied to crystals and compounds exhibiting optical activity, such as levulose, left-handed quartz crystals, etc. Opposite of dextrorotatory. [ Written also lævorotatory. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. [ Micro- + tasimeter. ] (Physics) A tasimeter, especially when arranged for measuring very small extensions. See Tasimeter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. protaktiko`s placing or placed before, fr. prota`ssein to place in front; pro` before + ta`ssein to arrange. ] Giving a previous narrative or explanation, as of the plot or personages of a play; introductory. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The radioactive chemical element, of atomic number 91; Atomic symbol Pa; at. wt. of longest-lived isotope, 231 (T1/2 = 32, 500 yrs.) Also called brevium, Uranium X2 and UX2. [ PJC ]

n. [ Proto- + Gr. 'agw`n a contest. See. Protagonist. So called because it was the first definitely ascertained principle of the brain. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A nitrogenous phosphorized principle found in brain tissue. By decomposition it yields neurine, fatty acids, and other bodies. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. prwtagonisth`s; prw^tos first + 'agonisth`s an actor, combatant, fr. 'agw`n a contest. ] One who takes the leading part in a drama; hence, one who takes lead in some great scene, enterprise, conflict, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shakespeare, the protagonist on the great of modern poetry. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. prw^tos first. ] (Physiol. Chem.) An amorphous nitrogenous substance found in the spermatic fluid of salmon. It is soluble in water, which an alkaline reaction, and unites with acids and metallic bases. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Proto- + Gr. &unr_;, &unr_;, a man. ] (Zool.) Having male sexual organs while young, and female organs later in life. -- Pro*tan"trism n. [1913 Webster]

a. (Bot.) Proterandrous. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. pro`tasis, fr. protei`nein to stretch before, forward; pro` before + tei`nein to stretch. ] 1. A proposition; a maxim. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) The introductory or subordinate member of a sentence, generally of a conditional sentence; -- opposed to apodosis. See Apodosis. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The first part of a drama, of a poem, or the like; the introduction; opposed to epitasis. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. protatiko`s: cf. L. protaticus, F. protatique. ] Of or pertaining to the protasis of an ancient play; introductory. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pyro- + tartaric. ] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained as a white crystalline substance by the distillation of tartaric acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A salt of pyrotartaric acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. rota wheel. The name is said to allude to the design of the floor of the room in which the court used to sit, which was that of a wheel. See Rotary. ] 1. An ecclesiastical court of Rome, called also Rota Romana, that takes cognizance of suits by appeal. It consists of twelve members. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eng. Hist.) A short-lived political club established in 1659 by J.Harrington to inculcate the democratic doctrine of election of the principal officers of the state by ballot, and the annual retirement of a portion of Parliament. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mus.) A species of zither, played like a guitar, used in the Middle Ages in church music; -- written also rotta. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Rhotacism. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to wheels or to rotary motion; rotary. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. rota wheel + -lite. ] (Paleon.) Any fossil foraminifer of the genus Rotalia, abundant in the chalk formation. See Illust. under Rhizopod. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. rota a wheel. See Roll, v., and cf. barouche, Rodomontade, Roué, Round, a., Rowel. ] Turning, as a wheel on its axis; pertaining to, or resembling, the motion of a wheel on its axis; rotatory; as, rotary motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rotary engine, steam engine in which the continuous rotation of the shaft is produced by the direct action of the steam upon rotating devices which serve as pistons, instead of being derived from a reciprocating motion, as in the ordinary engine; a steam turbine; -- called also rotatory engine. --
Rotary pump, a pump in which the fluid is impelled by rotating devices which take the place of reciprocating buckets or pistons. --
Rotary shears, shears, as for cloth, metal, etc., in which revolving sharp-edged or sharp-cornered wheels do the cutting. --
Rotary valve, a valve acting by continuous or partial rotation, as in the four-way cock. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. rotatus, p. p. of rotare to turn round like a wheel, fr. rota wheel. See Rotary, and cf. Roue. ] Having the parts spreading out like a wheel; wheel-shaped; as, a rotate spicule or scale; a rotate corolla, i.e., a monopetalous corolla with a flattish border, and no tube or a very short one. [ 1913 Webster ]