aspect

n. [ L. aspectus, fr. aspicere, aspectum, to look at; ad + spicere, specere, to look, akin to E. spy. ] 1. The act of looking; vision; gaze; glance. [ R. ] “The basilisk killeth by aspect.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

His aspect was bent on the ground. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Look, or particular appearance of the face; countenance; mien; air. “Serious in aspect.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Craggs ] with aspect open shall erect his head. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Appearance to the eye or the mind; look; view. “The aspect of affairs.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The true aspect of a world lying in its rubbish. T. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Position or situation with regard to seeing; that position which enables one to look in a particular direction; position in relation to the points of the compass; as, a house has a southern aspect, that is, a position which faces the south. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Prospect; outlook. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This town affords a good aspect toward the hill from whence we descended. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Astrol.) The situation of planets or stars with respect to one another, or the angle formed by the rays of light proceeding from them and meeting at the eye; the joint look of planets or stars upon each other or upon the earth. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The aspects which two planets can assume are five; sextile, &unr_;, when the planets are 60° apart; quartile, or quadrate, &unr_;, when their distance is 90° or the quarter of a circle; trine, &unr_;, when the distance is 120°; opposition, &unr_;, when the distance is 180°, or half a circle; and conjunction, &unr_;, when they are in the same degree. Astrology taught that the aspects of the planets exerted an influence on human affairs, in some situations for good and in others for evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Astrol.) The influence of the stars for good or evil; as, an ill aspect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Aëronautics) A view of a plane from a given direction, usually from above; more exactly, the manner of presentation of a plane to a fluid through which it is moving or to a current. If an immersed plane meets a current of fluid long side foremost, or in broadside aspect, it sustains more pressure than when placed short side foremost. Hence, long narrow wings are more effective than short broad ones of the same area. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Aspect of a plane (Geom.), the direction of the plane. [ 1913 Webster ]