costa

n. The process by which miners seek to discover metallic lodes. It consist in sinking small pits through the superficial deposits to the solid rock, and then driving from one pit to another across the direction of the vein, in such manner as to cross all the veins between the two pits. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., rib. See Coast. ] 1. (Anat.) A rib of an animal or a human being. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A rib or vein of a leaf, especially the midrib. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) The anterior rib in the wing of an insect. (b) One of the riblike longitudinal ridges on the exterior of many corals. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. coustage. ] Expense; cost. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. costal. See Costa. ] 1. (Anat.) Pertaining to the ribs or the sides of the body; as, costal nerves. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot. & Zool.) Relating to a costa, or rib. [ 1913 Webster ]

Costal cartilage. See Cartilage, and Illust. of Thorax. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Having the nerves spring from the midrib. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. fr. OF. coste rib, side, F. côte, and meaning orig., a ribbed apple, from the ribs or angles on its sides. See Coast. ] 1. An apple, large and round like the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some [ apples ] consist more of air than water . . . ; others more of water than wind, as your costards and pomewaters. Muffett. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The head; -- used contemptuously. [ 1913 Webster ]

Try whether your costard or my bat be the harder. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A costermonger. [ 1913 Webster ]