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a. & n. (Anat.) Same as Antorbital. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an extinct primitive toothed bird with a long feathered tail and three free clawed digits on each wing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 a subclass of primitive reptilelike fossil birds of the Jurassic or early Cretaceous.
Syn. -- subclass Archaeornithes [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Astro- + meteorology. ] The investigation of the relation between the sun, moon, and stars, and the weather. -- As`*tro*me`te*or`o*log"ic*al a. -- As`tro*me`te*or*ol"o*gist n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Astronomy, Cosmology) The theory that the known universe originated in an explosive event (the big bang) in which all of the matter and energy of the universe was contained in a single point and began to rapidly expand and evolve, starting as high-energy particles and radiation, and, as it cooled over time, evolving into ordinary subatomic particles, atoms, and then stars and galaxies. According to this theory, the four-dimensional space-time continuum which we perceive as our universe continues to expand to the present time, but it is unknown whether the expansion will continue indefinitely or eventually stop or even reverse, possibly leading to a contraction to a single point sometimes referred to as the “big crunch”. The competing “Steady-state Theory” gradually lost favor in the 1980's and 1990's. See also big bang. [ PJC ]

n. [ AS. See Churl, n. ] (O. Eng. Hist.) A freeman of the lowest class; one not a thane or of the servile classes; a churl. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; sheath + &unr_; root. ] A sheath in the embryo of grasses, inclosing the caulicle. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., I confess. See Confess. ] (R.C.Ch.) A form of prayer in which public confession of sins is made. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math., Engineering) That branch of Mathematics and Engineering which deals with the design, identification and analysis of systems with a view towards controlling them, i. e., to make them perform specific tasks or make them behave in a desired way. [ GG ]

n. Same as Deforciant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. deordinatio depraved morality. ] Disorder; dissoluteness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Excess of riot and deordination. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Philol.) The theory which maintains that the primitive elements of language are reflex expressions induced by sensory impressions; that is, as stated by Max Müller, the creative faculty gave to each general conception as it thrilled for the first time through the brain a phonetic expression; -- jocosely so called from the analogy of the sound of a bell induced by the stroke of the clapper. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. A political theory current in the 1960's, according to which the conversion of one country in South Asia to communism will start a sequential process causing all Asian countries to convert to Communism. The apparent assumption was that an Asian country politically aligned with the West was as politically unstable as a domino standing on edge. It was used by some as a justification for American involvement in the Vietnam war, 1964-1972. [ PJC ]

n. (Law) One guilty of embracery. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To ordain or appoint beforehand; to preordain; to predestinate; to predetermine. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To foreordain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Previous ordination or appointment; predetermination; predestination.

n. A branch of mathematics that deals with strategies for maximizing gains or minimizing losses in competitive situations having defined constraints and involving random factors. Game theory is used for modelling and analysis of various decision-making situations such as military strategy or business policy. The theoretical models study the interactions among opposing entities called "players," where different kinds of situation can arise, for which the probabilities of occurence are known. Also known is the set of decisions each player can take. When a player takes a decision he makes a gain or incurs a loss. Based on the available knowledge each player tries to adopt a "strategy" so as to maximize his gains. The entire procedure constitutes a game.
Syn. -- theory of games. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. ge`a, gh^, the earth + &unr_; sight, view, &unr_; to see, view: cf. F. géorama. ] A hollow globe on the inner surface of which a map of the world is depicted, to be examined by one standing inside. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A name given by miners to George Stephenson's safety lamp. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. [ F. George, or Georges, a proper name, fr. Gr. gewrgo`s husbandman, laborer; ge`a, gh^, the earth + 'e`rgein to work; akin to E. work. See Work. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A figure of St. George (the patron saint of England) on horseback, appended to the collar of the Order of the Garter. See Garter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of brown loaf. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any coin having an image of Saint George. [ Brit. slang ] [ PJC ]

[ So called from the image of St. George on it. ] A gold noble of the time of Henry VIII. See Noble, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to Georgia, a former Soviet republic, now an independent country in the Causcuses in Asia, or to Georgia, one of the United States. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or relating to the reigns of the four Georges, kings of Great Britan; as, the Georgian era. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A native of, or dweller in, Georgia. [ 1913 Webster ]

. British or British colonial architecture of the period of the four Georges, especially that of the period before 1800. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. georgicum (sc. carmen), and georgica, pl., Gr. bi`blion gewrgiko`n, and ta~ gewrgika`: cf. F. géorgiques, pl. See Georgic, a. ] A rural poem; a poetical composition on husbandry, containing rules for cultivating lands, etc.; as, the Georgics of Virgil.

{ } a. [ L. georgicus, Gr. gewrgiko`s, fr. gewrgi`a tillage, agriculture: cf. F. géorgique. See George. ] Relating to agriculture and rural affairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ NL., the star of George (III. of England). ] (Astron.) The planet Uranus, so named by its discoverer, Sir W. Herschel. [ 1913 Webster ]

. 1. (Biol.) The theory that living organisms can be produced only by the development of living germs. Cf. Biogenesis, Abiogenesis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Med.) The theory which attributes contagious and infectious diseases, suppurative lesions, etc., to the agency of germs, i.e. pathogenic microorganisms. The science of bacteriology was developed after this theory had been established. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. (Theoretical physics) Any of a class of physics theories that attempts to explain the electroweak forces, stong force, and gravitation within a single mathematical conceptual scheme. In the 1990's string theory and superstring theory were prominent examples. Abbreviated GUT, plural GUTs. [ PJC ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + meteor. ] A meteor or atmospheric phenomenon dependent upon the vapor of water; -- in the pl., a general term for the whole aqueous phenomena of the atmosphere, as rain, snow, hail, etc. Nichol. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to hydrometeorology, or to rain, clouds, storms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + meteorology. ] That branch of meteorology which relates to, or treats of, water in the atmosphere, or its phenomena, as rain, clouds, snow, hail, storms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math., Telecommunications) The science which studies the capacity of systems to contain, store, and transmit information{ 2 and 4 }, and the factors such as noise and channel capacity that may affect the rate or accuracy of information transmission and reception. [ PJC ]

n. Malthus' theory that population increase would outpace increases in the means of subsistence; Malthusianism. See Malthusian. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. météore, Gr. &unr_;, pl. &unr_; things in the air, fr. &unr_; high in air, raised off the ground; &unr_; beyond + &unr_;, &unr_;, a suspension or hovering in the air, fr. &unr_; to lift, raise up. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hail, an ordinary meteor. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region. [ 1913 Webster ]

The vaulty top of heaven
Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A mass of stone or other substance which sometimes falls to the earth from space beyond the moon, burning up from atomospheric friction and creating a brilliant but usually very brief trail of light in the atmosphere; also called a shooting star. [ PJC ]

☞ The term is especially applied to fireballs, and the masses of stone or other substances which sometimes fall to the earth; also to shooting stars and to ignes fatui. Meteors are often classed as: aerial meteors, winds, tornadoes, etc.; aqueous meteors, rain, hail, snow, dew, etc.; luminous meteors, rainbows, halos, etc.; and igneous meteors, lightning, shooting stars, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. météorique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a meteor, or to meteors; atmospheric, as, meteoric phenomena; meteoric stones. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Influenced by the weather; as, meteoric conditions. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Flashing; transient and brilliant, like a meteor{ 3 }; as, meteoric fame. “Meteoric politician.” Craik. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meteoric iron,
Meteoric stone. (Min.) See Meteorite. --
Meteoric paper, a substance of confervoid origin found floating in the air, and resembling bits of coarse paper; -- so called because formerly supposed to fall from meteors. --
Meteoric showers, periodical exhibitions of shooting stars, occuring about the 9th or 10th of August and 13th of November, more rarely in April and December, and also at some other periods. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Meteoric. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. météorite. ] (Min.) A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an aerolite. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanstätten figures. 2. Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron (meteoric stone, sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron (asiderite). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Gr. &unr_; to raise to a height. ] To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -graph. ] An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to meteorography. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -graphy. ] The registration of meteorological phenomena. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -oid. ] (Astron.) A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor. [ 1913 Webster ]

These bodies [ small, solid bodies ] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids. H. A. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -lite : cf. F. météorolithe. ] A meteoric stone; an aerolite; a meteorite. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. météorologique. ] Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meteorological table,
Meteorological register, a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]