*gnat*

n. [ Cf. F. agnat. ] (Civil Law) A relative whose relationship can be traced exclusively through males. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a class of eel-shaped chordates with a cartilaginous skeleton lacking jaws, scales, and pelvic fins. Among these are the lampreys and hagfishes. There are some extinct forms.
Syn. -- class Agnatha. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. an eel-shaped vertebrate without jaws or paired appendages; a member of the Agnatha. The group includes the cyclostomes and some extinct forms.
Syn. -- jawless vertebrate, jawless fish [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Cf. F. agnatique. ] Pertaining to descent by the male line of ancestors. “The agnatic succession.” Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. agnatio: cf. F. agnation. ] 1. (Civil Law) Consanguinity by a line of males only, as distinguished from cognation. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. assignat, fr. L. assignatus, p. p. of assignare. ] One of the notes, bills, or bonds, issued as currency by the revolutionary government of France (1790-1796), and based on the security of the lands of the church and of nobles which had been appropriated by the state. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. assignatio, fr. assignare: cf. F. assignation. ] 1. The act of assigning or allotting; apportionment. [ 1913 Webster ]

This order being taken in the senate, as touching the appointment and assignation of those provinces. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An appointment of time and place for meeting or interview; -- used chiefly of love interviews, and now commonly in a bad sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

While nymphs take treats, or assignations give. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A making over by transfer of title; assignment. [ 1913 Webster ]

House of assignation, a house in which appointments for sexual intercourse are fulfilled. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Chætognatha. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any worm of the Chaetognatha; transparent marine worm with horizontal lateral and caudal fins and a row of movable curved spines at each side of the mouth.
Syn. -- arrowworm. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖ n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; hair + &unr_; jaw. ] (Zool) a phylum consisting of the arrowworms, a group of small active transparent free-swimming marine worms, of which the genus Sagitta is the type. They have groups of curved spines on each side of the head.
Syn. -- phylum Chaetognatha. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. of or pertaining to the Chaetognatha. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) A myriapod of the order Chilognatha. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; lip + gna`qos Jaw. ] (Zool.) One of the two principal orders of myriapods. They have numerous segments, each bearing two pairs of small, slender legs, which are attached ventrally, near together. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. cognatus; co- + gnatus, natus, p. p. of nasci, anciently gnasci, to be born. See Nation, and cf. Connate. ] 1. Allied by blood; kindred by birth; specifically (Law), related on the mother's side. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of the same or a similar nature; of the same family; proceeding from the same stock or root; allied; kindred; as, a cognate language. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Law) One who is related to another on the female side. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of a number of things allied in origin or nature; as, certain letters are cognates. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being cognate. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ L. ] (Law) Relatives by the mother's side. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. cognatio. ] 1. Relationship by blood; descent from the same original; kindred. [ 1913 Webster ]

As by our cognation to the body of the first Adam. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Participation of the same nature. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

A like temper and cognation. Sir K. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) That tie of consanguinity which exists between persons descended from the same mother; -- used in distinction from agnation. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., a kinsman. ] (Law) A person connected through cognation. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. kompo`s elegant, pretty + gna`qos jaw. ] (Zool.) A genus of carnivorous Dinosauria found in the Jurassic formation with a slender body, and remarkable for having several birdlike features. It reached a length of 30 inches when adult. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. [ Cf. Consignitary. ] A consignee. [ Obs. ] Jenkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. consignatio written proof, document: cf. F. consignation comsignation. ] 1. The act of consigning; the act of delivering or committing to another person, place, or state. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So is despair a certain consignation to eternal ruin. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of ratifying or establishing, as if by signing; confirmation; ratification. [ 1913 Webster ]

A direct consignation of pardon. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A stamp; an indication; a sign. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The most certain consignations of an excellent virtue. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Consignitary. ] One of several that jointly sign a written instrument, as a treaty. Fallows. [ 1913 Webster ]

135), n. Joint signature. [ R. ] Colgrave. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. contignatio, fr. contignare to join with beams; con- + tignum beam. ] 1. The act or process of framing together, or uniting, as beams in a fabric. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A framework or fabric, as of beams. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a second confirming signature endorsing a document already signed.
Syn. -- countersign. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Delignated p. pr. & vb. n. Delignating. ] [ Pref. de- + L. lignum wood. ] 1. To clear or strip of wood (by cutting down trees). [ R. ] Fuller. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. To strip or remove the wood from; as, to delignate ramie, in the preparation of ribbons of the fiber for further working. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ L. designatus, p. p. of designare. See Design, v. t. ] Designated; appointed; chosen. [ R. ] Sir G. Buck. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Designated; p. pr. & vb. n. Designating. ] 1. To mark out and make known; to point out; to name; to indicate; to show; to distinguish by marks or description; to specify; as, to designate the boundaries of a country; to designate the rioters who are to be arrested. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To call by a distinctive title; to name. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty; -- with to or for; as, to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.

Syn. -- To name; denominate; style; entitle; characterize; describe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. designatio: cf. F. désignation. ] 1. The act of designating; a pointing out or showing; indication. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Selection and appointment for a purpose; allotment; direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which designates; a distinguishing mark or name; distinctive title; appellation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The usual designation of the days of the week. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Use or application; import; intention; signification, as of a word or phrase. [ 1913 Webster ]

Finite and infinite seem . . . to be attributed primarily, in their first designation, only to those things which have parts. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. désignatif. ] Serving to designate or indicate; pointing out. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) An officer who assigned to each his rank and place in public shows and ceremonies. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who designates. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Serving to designate; designative; indicating. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. desmo`s bond + gna`qos jaw. ] (Zool.) Having the maxillo-palatine bones united; -- applied to a group of carinate birds (Desmognathæ), including various wading and swimming birds, as the ducks and herons, and also raptorial and other kinds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dignatio. ] The act of thinking worthy; honor. [ Obs. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ NL. dromaius emu + Gr. gna`qos jaw. ] (Zool.) Having the structure of the palate like that of the ostrich and emu. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To remove. [ Obs. ] Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Endo- + Gr. gna`qos the jaw. ] (Zoöl.) The inner or principal branch of the oral appendages of Crustacea. See Maxilla. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to the endognath. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Epi- + Gr. gna`qos the jaw. ] (Zoöl.) Hook-billed; having the upper mandible longer than the lower. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus including the bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus.
Syn. -- genus Erignathus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Dr. e'y^ well + &unr_; within gna`qos the jaw. ] (Zoöl.) An order of fishes including a vast number of freshwater species such as the carp, loach, chub, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. expugnatio. ] The act of taking by assault; conquest. [ R. ] Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. gnæt. ] 1. (Zool.) A blood-sucking dipterous fly, of the genus Culex, undergoing a metamorphosis in water. The females have a proboscis armed with needlelike organs for penetrating the skin of animals. These are wanting in the males. In America they are generally called mosquitoes. See Mosquito. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any fly resembling a Culex in form or habits; esp., in America, a small biting fly of the genus Simulium and allies, as the buffalo gnat, the black fly, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gnat catcher (Zool.), one of several species of small American singing birds, of the genus Polioptila, allied to the kinglets. --
Gnat flower, the bee flower. --
Gnat hawk (Zool.), the European goatsucker; -- called also gnat owl. --
Gnat snapper (Zool.), a bird that catches gnats. --
Gnat strainer, a person ostentatiously punctilious about trifles. Cf. Matt. xxiii. 24. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. gna`qos the jaw. ] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the jaw. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gnathic index, in a skull, the ratio of the distance from the middle of the nasofrontal suture to the basion (taken equal to 100), to the distance from the basion to the middle of the front edge of the upper jaw; -- called also alveolar index. [ 1913 Webster ]

Skulls with the gnathic index below 98 are orthognathous, from 98 to 103 mesognathous, and above 103 are prognathous. Flower. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Gnathidia [ NL., fr. Gr. gna`qos the jaw. ] (Zool.) The ramus of the lower jaw of a bird as far as it is naked; -- commonly used in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. gna`qos the jaw. ] (Zool.) Any one of the mouth appendages of the Arthropoda. They are known as mandibles, maxillæ, and maxillipeds.

{ } a. [ L. Gnatho, name of a parasite in the “Eunuchus” of Terence, Gr. &unr_;; hence, a parasite in general. ] Flattering; deceitful. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]