Columbę Co·lum"bę noun plural ; [ Latin
columba pigeon.]
(Zoology) An order of birds, including the pigeons.
Columella Col`u·mel"la noun [ Latin , dim. of
columen column. See
Column .]
1. (Botany) (a) An axis to which a carpel of a compound pistil may be attached, as in the case of the geranium; or which is left when a pod opens. (b) A columnlike axis in the capsules of mosses. 2. (Anat.) A term applied to various columnlike parts; as, the columella , or epipterygoid bone, in the skull of many lizards; the columella of the ear, the bony or cartilaginous rod connecting the tympanic membrane with the internal ear. 3. (Zoology) (a) The upright pillar in the axis of most univalve shells. (b) The central pillar or axis of the calicles of certain corals.
Columelliform Col`u·mel"li·form adjective [
Columella +
-form .]
Shaped like a little column, or columella.
Column Col"umn noun [ Latin
columna , from
columen ,
culmen , from
cellere (used only in comp.), akin to English
excel , and probably to
holm .
See Holm , and confer
Colonel .]
1. (Architecture) A kind of pillar; a cylindrical or polygonal support for a roof, ceiling, statue, etc., somewhat ornamented, and usually composed of base, shaft, and capital. See Order . 2. Anything resembling, in form or position, a column in architecture; an upright body or mass; a shaft or obelisk; as, a column of air, of water, of mercury, etc.; the Column Vendōme; the spinal column . 3. (Mil.) (a) A body of troops formed in ranks, one behind the other; -- contradistinguished from line . Compare Ploy , and Deploy . (b) A small army. 4. (Nautical) A number of ships so arranged as to follow one another in single or double file or in squadrons; -- in distinction from "line", where they are side by side. 5. (Print.) A perpendicular set of lines, not extending across the page, and separated from other matter by a rule or blank space; as, a column in a newspaper. 6. (Arith.) A perpendicular line of figures. 7. (Botany) The body formed by the union of the stamens in the Mallow family, or of the stamens and pistil in the orchids. Attached column .
See under Attach , transitive verb --
Clustered column .
See under Cluster , transitive verb --
Column rule ,
a thin strip of brass separating columns of type in the form, and making a line between them in printing.
Columnar Co·lum"·nar adjective [ Latin
columnaris , from
columna .]
Formed in columns; having the form of a column or columns; like the shaft of a column. Columnar epithelium (Anat.) ,
epithelium in which the cells are prismatic in form, and set upright on the surface they cover. --
Columnar structure (Geol.) ,
a structure consisting of more or less regular columns, usually six-sided, but sometimes with eight or more sides. The columns are often fractured transversely, with a cup joint, showing a concave surface above. This structure is characteristic of certain igneous rocks, as basalt, and is due to contraction in cooling.
Columnarity Col`um·nar"i·ty noun The state or quality of being columnar.
Columnated Co·lum"na·ted adjective Having columns; as, columnated temples.
Columned Col"umned adjective Having columns. Troas and Ilion's columned citadel.
Tennyson.
Columniation Co·lum`ni·a"tion noun The employment or arrangement of columns in a structure. Gwilt.
Colure Co·lure" noun ;
plural Colures . [ French
colure , Latin
coluri , plural, from Greek
ko`loyros dock-tailed,
a"i ko`loyroi (sc.
grammai` lines) the colures; from
ko`los docked, stunted +
o'yra` tail. So named because a part is always beneath the horizon.]
(Astron. & Geology) One of two great circles intersecting at right angles in the poles of the equator. One of them passes through the equinoctial points, and hence is denominated the equinoctial colure; the other intersects the equator at the distance of 90Ā° from the former, and is called the solstitial colure. Thrice the equinoctial line
He circled; four times crossed the car of night
From pole to pole, traversing each colure .
Milton.
Coly Co"ly noun ;
plural Colies . [ New Latin
colius , probably from Greek ... a kind of woodpecker.]
Any bird of the genus Colius and allied genera. They inhabit Africa.
Colza Col"za noun [ French, from Dutch
koolzaad , prop., cabbage seed;
kool (akin to English
cole ) +
zaad , akin to English
seed .]
(Botany) A variety of cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ), cultivated for its seeds, which yield an oil valued for illuminating and lubricating purposes; summer rape.
Com- Com- A prefix from the Latin preposition cum , signifying with , together , in conjunction , very , etc. It is used in the form com- before b , m , p , and sometimes f , and by assimilation becomes col- before l , cor- before r , and con- before any consonant except b , h , l , m , p , r , and w . Before a vowel com- becomes co- ; also before h , w , and sometimes before other consonants.
Coma Co"ma (kō"mȧ)
noun [ New Latin , from Greek
kw^ma lethargy, from
koima^n to put to sleep. See
Cemetery .]
A state of profound insensibility from which it is difficult or impossible to rouse a person. See Carus .
Coma Co"ma noun [ Latin , hair, from Greek
ko`mh .]
1. (Astron.) The envelope of a comet; a nebulous covering, which surrounds the nucleus or body of a comet. 2. (Botany) A tuft or bunch, -- as the assemblage of branches forming the head of a tree; or a cluster of bracts when empty and terminating the inflorescence of a plant; or a tuft of long hairs on certain seeds. Coma Berenices [ Latin ]
(Astron.) ,
a small constellation north of Virgo; -- called also Berenice's Hair .
Comanches Co·man"ches noun plural ;
sing. Comanche (? or ?).
(Ethnol.) A warlike, savage, and nomadic tribe of the Shoshone family of Indians, inhabiting Mexico and the adjacent parts of the United States; -- called also Paducahs . They are noted for plundering and cruelty.
Comart Co"mart` noun A covenant. [ Obsolete]
Shak.
Comate Co"mate adjective [ Latin
comatus , from
comare to clothe with hair, from
coma hair.]
Encompassed with a coma, or bushy appearance, like hair; hairy.
Comatose Co"ma·tose` adjective [ From
Coma lethargy.]
Relating to, or resembling, coma; drowsy; lethargic; as, comatose sleep; comatose fever.
Comatous Co"ma·tous adjective Comatose.
Comatula Co·mat"u·la noun [ New Latin , from Latin
comatulus having hair neatly curled, dim. from
coma hair.]
(Zoology) A crinoid of the genus Antedon and related genera. When young they are fixed by a stem. When adult they become detached and cling to seaweeds, etc., by their dorsal cirri; -- called also feather stars .
Comatulid Co·mat"u·lid noun (Zoology) Any crinoid of the genus Antedon or allied genera.
Comb Comb noun [ Anglo-Saxon
camb ; akin to Swedish , Dan., & Dutch
kam , Icelandic
kambr , German
kamm , Greek ... a grinder tooth, Sanskrit
jambha tooth.]
1. An instrument with teeth, for straightening, cleansing, and adjusting the hair, or for keeping it in place. 2. An instrument for currying hairy animals, or cleansing and smoothing their coats; a currycomb. 3. (Manuf. & Mech.) (a) A toothed instrument used for separating and cleansing wool, flax, hair, etc. (b) The serrated vibratory doffing knife of a carding machine. (c) A former, commonly cone-shaped, used in hat manufacturing for hardening the soft fiber into a bat. (d) A tool with teeth, used for chasing screws on work in a lathe; a chaser. (e) The notched scale of a wire micrometer. (f) The collector of an electrical machine, usually resembling a comb. 4. (Zoology) (a) The naked fleshy crest or caruncle on the upper part of the bill or hood of a cock or other bird. It is usually red. (b) One of a pair of peculiar organs on the base of the abdomen of scorpions. 5. The curling crest of a wave. 6. The waxen framework forming the walls of the cells in which bees store their honey, eggs, etc.; honeycomb. "A
comb of honey."
Wyclif. When the bee doth leave her comb .
Shak.
7. The thumbpiece of the hammer of a gunlock, by which it may be cocked.
Comb Comb transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Combed ;
present participle & verbal noun Combing .]
To disentangle, cleanse, or adjust, with a comb; to lay smooth and straight with, or as with, a comb; as, to comb hair or wool. See under Combing . Comb down his hair; look, look! it stands upright.
Shak.
Comb Comb intransitive verb [ See
Comb ,
noun , 5.]
(Nautical) To roll over, as the top or crest of a wave; to break with a white foam, as waves.
Comb Comb noun A dry measure. See Coomb .
Comb-shaped Comb"-shaped` adjective (Botany) Pectinate.
Comb, Combe Comb, Combe noun [ Anglo-Saxon
comb , probably of Celtic origin; confer W.
cwm a dale, valley.]
That unwatered portion of a valley which forms its continuation beyond and above the most elevated spring that issues into it. [ Written also
coombe .]
Buckland. A gradual rise the shelving combe
Displayed.
Southey.
Combat Com"bat intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Combated ;
present participle & verbal noun Combating .] [ French
combattre ; prefix
com- +
battre to beat, from Latin
battuere to strike. See
Batter .]
To struggle or contend, as with an opposing force; to fight. To combat with a blind man I disdain.
Milton.
After the fall of the republic, the Romans combated only for the choice of masters.
Gibbon.
Combat Com"bat transitive verb To fight with; to oppose by force, argument, etc.; to contend against; to resist. When he the ambitious Norway combated .
Shak.
And combated in silence all these reasons.
Milton.
Minds combat minds, repelling and repelled.
Goldsmith.
Syn. -- To fight against; resist; oppose; withstand; oppugn; antagonize; repel; resent.
Combat Com"bat noun [ Confer French
combat .]
1. A fight; a contest of violence; a struggle for supremacy. My courage try by combat , if thou dar'st.
Shak.
The noble combat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought in Paulina.
Shak.
2. (Mil.) An engagement of no great magnitude; or one in which the parties engaged are not armies. Single combat ,
one in which a single combatant meets a single opponent, as in the case of David and Goliath; also, a duel. Syn. -- A battle; engagement; conflict; contest; contention; struggle; fight, strife. See
Battle ,
Contest .
Combatable Com"bat·a·ble adjective [ Confer French
combattable .]
Such as can be, or is liable to be, combated; as, combatable foes, evils, or arguments.
Combatant Com"bat·ant adjective [ French
combattant , present participle]
Contending; disposed to contend. B. Jonson.
Combatant Com"bat·ant noun [ French
combattant .]
One who engages in combat. "The mighty
combatants ."
Milton. A controversy which long survived the original combatants .
Macaulay
Combater Com"bat·er noun One who combats. Sherwood.
Combative Com"bat·ive adjective Disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.
Combativeness Com"bat·ive·ness noun 1. The quality of being combative; propensity to contend or to quarrel. 2. (Phren.) A cranial development supposed to indicate a combative disposition.
Combattant Com`bat`tant" adjective [ French]
(Her.) In the position of fighting; -- said of two lions set face to face, each rampant.
Combbroach Comb"broach` noun A tooth of a wool comb. [ Written also
combrouch .]
Combe Combe noun See Comb .
Comber Comb"er noun 1. One who combs; one whose occupation it is to comb wool, flax, etc. Also, a machine for combing wool, flax, etc. 2. A long, curling wave.
Comber Com"ber transitive verb To cumber. [ Obsolete]
Spenser.
Comber Com"ber noun Encumbrance. [ Obsolete]
Comber Com"ber noun (Zoology) The cabrilla. Also, a name applied to a species of wrasse. [ Prov. Eng.]
Combinable Com·bin"a·ble adjective [ Confer French
combinable .]
Capable of combining; consistent with. [ R.]
M. Arnold. --
Com*bin"a*ble*ness ,
noun
Combinate Com"bi·nate adjective [ Late Latin
combinatus , past participle ]
United; joined; betrothed. [ R.]
Combination Com`bi·na"tion noun [ Late Latin
combinatio . See
Combine .]
1. The act or process of combining or uniting persons and things. Making new compounds by new combinations .
Boyle.
A solemn combination shall be made
Of our dear souls.
Shak.
2. The result of combining or uniting; union of persons or things; esp. a union or alliance of persons or states to effect some purpose; -- usually in a bad sense. A combination of the most powerful men in Rome who had conspired my ruin.
Melmoth.
3. (Chemistry) The act or process of uniting by chemical affinity, by which substances unite with each other in definite proportions by weight to form distinct compounds. 4. plural (Math.) The different arrangements of a number of objects, as letters, into groups. » In
combinations no regard is paid to the order in which the objects are arranged in each group, while in
variations and
permutations this order is respected.
Brande & C. Combination car ,
a railroad car containing two or more compartments used for different purposes. [ U. S.] --
Combination lock ,
a lock in which the mechanism is controlled by means of a movable dial (sometimes by several dials or rings) inscribed with letters or other characters. The bolt of the lock can not be operated until after the dial has been so turned as to combine the characters in a certain order or succession. --
Combination room ,
in the University of Cambridge, Eng., a room into which the fellows withdraw after dinner, for wine, dessert, and conversation. --
Combination by volume (Chemistry) ,
the act, process, or ratio by which gaseous elements and compounds unite in definite proportions by volume to form distinct compounds. --
Combination by weight (Chemistry) ,
the act, process, or ratio, in which substances unite in proportions by weight, relatively fixed and exact, to form distinct compounds. See Law of definite proportions , under Definite . Syn. -- Cabal; alliance; association; league; union; confederacy; coalition; conspiracy. See
Cabal .
Combine Com·bine" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Combined ;
present participle & verbal noun Combining .] [ Late Latin
combinare ,
combinatum ; Latin
com- +
binus , plural
bini , two and two, double: confer French
combiner . See
Binary .]
1. To unite or join; to link closely together; to bring into harmonious union; to cause or unite so as to form a homogeneous substance, as by chemical union. So fitly them in pairs thou hast combined .
Milton.
Friendship is the cement which really combines mankind.
Dr. H. More.
And all combined , save what thou must combine
By holy marriage.
Shak.
Earthly sounds, though sweet and well combined .
Cowper.
2. To bind; to hold by a moral tie. [ Obsolete]
I am combined by a sacred vow.
Shak.
Combine Com·bine" intransitive verb 1. To form a union; to agree; to coalesce; to confederate. You with your foes combine ,
And seem your own destruction to design
Dryden.
So sweet did harp and voice combine .
Sir W. Scott.
2. To unite by affinity or natural attraction; as, two substances, which will not combine of themselves, may be made to combine by the intervention of a third. 3. (Card Playing) In the game of casino, to play a card which will take two or more cards whose aggregate number of pips equals those of the card played. Combining weight (Chemistry) ,
that proportional weight, usually referred to hydrogen as a standard, and for each element fixed and exact, by which an element unites with another to form a distinct compound. The combining weights either are identical with, or are multiples or submultiples of, the atomic weight. See Atomic weight , under Atomic , adjective
Combined Com·bined" adjective United closely; confederated; chemically united.
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