crystal

n. [ OE. cristal, F. cristal, L. crystallum crystal, ice, fr. Gr. kry`stallos, fr. kry`os icy cold, frost; cf. AS. crystalla, fr. L. crystallum; prob. akin to E. crust. See Crust, Raw. ] 1. (Chem. & Min.) The regular form which a substance tends to assume in solidifying, through the inherent power of cohesive attraction. It is bounded by plane surfaces, symmetrically arranged, and each species of crystal has fixed axial ratios. See Crystallization. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The material of quartz, in crystallization transparent or nearly so, and either colorless or slightly tinged with gray, or the like; -- called also rock crystal. Ornamental vessels are made of it. Cf. Smoky quartz, Pebble; also Brazilian pebble, under Brazilian. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A species of glass, more perfect in its composition and manufacture than common glass, and often cut into ornamental forms. See Flint glass. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The glass over the dial of a watch case. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Anything resembling crystal, as clear water, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The blue crystal of the seas. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blood crystal. See under Blood. --
Compound crystal. See under Compound. --
Iceland crystal, a transparent variety of calcite, or crystallized calcium carbonate, brought from Iceland, and used in certain optical instruments, as the polariscope. --
Rock crystal, or
Mountain crystal, any transparent crystal of quartz, particularly of limpid or colorless quartz. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Consisting of, or like, crystal; clear; transparent; lucid; pellucid; crystalline. [ 1913 Webster ]

Through crystal walls each little mote will peep. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

By crystal streams that murmur through the meads. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The crystal pellets at the touch congeal,
And from the ground rebounds the ratting hail. H. Brooks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physiol. Chem.) See Gobulin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. crystallinus, from Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;: cf. F. cristallin. See Crystal. ] 1. Consisting, or made, of crystal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Formed by crystallization; like crystal in texture. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their crystalline structure. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Imperfectly crystallized; as, granite is only crystalline, while quartz crystal is perfectly crystallized. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Fig.: Resembling crystal; pure; transparent; pellucid. “The crystalline sky.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Crystalline heavens, or
Crystalline spheres, in the Ptolemaic system of astronomy, two transparent spheres imagined to exist between the region of the fixed stars and the primum mobile (or outer circle of the heavens, which by its motion was supposed to carry round all those within it), in order to explain certain movements of the heavenly bodies. --
Crystalline lens (Anat.), the capsular lenslike body in the eye, serving to focus the rays of light. It consists of rodlike cells derived from the external embryonic epithelium. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A crystalline substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. See Aniline. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Crystal. ] (Min.) A minute mineral form like those common in glassy volcanic rocks and some slags, not having a definite crystalline outline and not referable to any mineral species, but marking the first step in the crystallization process. According to their form crystallites are called trichites, belonites, globulites, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being crystallized; that may be formed into crystals. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. cristallization. ] 1. (Chem. & Min.) The act or process by which a substance in solidifying assumes the form and structure of a crystal, or becomes crystallized; the formation of crystals. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The body formed by crystallizing; as, silver on precipitation forms arborescent crystallizations. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The systems of crystallization are the several classes to which the forms are mathematically referable. They are most simply described according to the relative lengths and inclinations of certain assumed lines called axes; but the real distinction is the degree of symmetry characterizing them. 1. The Isometric system, or The Monometric system has the axes all equal, as in the cube, octahedron, etc. 2. The Tetragonal system, or The Dimetric system has a varying vertical axis, while the lateral are equal, as in the right square prism. 3. The Orthorhombic system, or The Trimetric system has the three axes unequal, as in the rectangular and rhombic prism. In this system, the lateral axes are called, respectively, macrodiagonal and brachydiagonal. -- The preceding are erect forms, the axes intersecting at right angles. The following are oblique. 4. The Monoclinic system, having one of the intersections oblique, as in the oblique rhombic prism. In this system, the lateral axes are called respectively, clinodiagonal and orthodiagonal. 5. The Triclinic system, having all the three intersections oblique, as in the oblique rhomboidal prism. There is also: 6. The Hexagonal system (one division of which is called Rhombohedral), in which there are three equal lateral axes, and a vertical axis of variable length, as in the hexagonal prism and the rhombohedron. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The Diclinic system, sometimes recognized, with two oblique intersections, is only a variety of the Triclinic. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Crystallized p. pr. & vb. n. Crystallizing. ] [ Cf. F. cristalliser. See Crystal. ] To cause to form crystals, or to assume the crystalline form. [ 1913 Webster ]