Monism - Monocular

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Monism (mŏnĭz'm or mōnĭz'm), n. [From Gr. monos single.] 1. (Metaph.) That doctrine which refers all phenomena to a single ultimate constituent or agent; -- the opposite of dualism.
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☞ The doctrine has been held in three generic forms: matter and its phenomena have been explained as a modification of mind, involving an idealistic monism; or mind has been explained by and resolved into matter, giving a materialistic monism; or, thirdly, matter, mind, and their phenomena have been held to be manifestations or modifications of some one substance, like the substance of Spinoza, or a supposed unknown something of some evolutionists, which is capable of an objective and subjective aspect.
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2. (Biol.) See , 1.
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3. The doctrine that the universe is an organized unitary being or total self-inclusive structure.

Monism means that the whole of reality, i.e., everything that is, constitutes one inseparable and indivisible entirety. Monism accordingly is a unitary conception of the world. It always bears in mind that our words are abstracts representing parts or features of the One and All, and not separate existences. Not only are matter and mind, soul and body, abstracts, but also such scientific terms as atoms and molecules, and also religious terms such as God and world. Paul Carus.
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Monist, n. A believer in monism.
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Monistic (?), a. Of, pertaining to, or involving, monism.
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Monition (?), n. [F., fr. L. monitio, from monere to warn, bring to mind; akin to E. mind. See , and cf. , , .] 1. Instruction or advice given by way of caution; an admonition; a warning; a caution.
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Sage monitions from his friends. Swift.
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2. Information; indication; notice; advice.
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We have no visible monition of . . . other periods, such as we have of the day by successive light and darkness. Holder.
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3. (Admiralty Practice) A process in the nature of a summons to appear and answer.
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4. (Eccl. Law) An order monishing a party complained against to obey under pain of the law. Shipley.
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Monitive (?), a. Conveying admonition; admonitory. Barrow.
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Monitor (?), n. [L., fr. monere. See , and cf. .] 1. One who admonishes; one who warns of faults, informs of duty, or gives advice and instruction by way of reproof or caution.
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You need not be a monitor to the king. Bacon.
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2. Hence, specifically, a pupil selected to look to the school in the absence of the instructor, to notice the absence or faults of the scholars, or to instruct a division or class.
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3. (Zoöl.) Any large Old World lizard of the genus Varanus; esp., the Egyptian species (Varanus Niloticus), which is useful because it devours the eggs and young of the crocodile. It is sometimes five or six feet long.
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4. [So called from the name given by Captain Ericson, its designer, to the first ship of the kind.] An ironclad war vessel, very low in the water, and having one or more heavily-armored revolving turrets, carrying heavy guns.
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5. (Mach.) A tool holder, as for a lathe, shaped like a low turret, and capable of being revolved on a vertical pivot so as to bring successively the several tools in holds into proper position for cutting.
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6. A monitor nozzle.
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Coloq. Monitor top , the raised central portion, or clearstory, of a car roof, having low windows along its sides.
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Monitorial (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a monitor or monitors.
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2. Done or performed by a monitor; as, monitorial work; conducted or taught by monitors; as, a monitorial school; monitorial instruction.
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Monitorially, adv. In a monitorial manner.
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Monitor nozzle. A nozzle capable of turning completely round in a horizontal plane and having a limited play in a vertical plane, used in hydraulic mining, fire-extinguishing apparatus, etc.
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Monitorship (?), n. The post or office of a monitor.
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Monitory (?), a. [L. monitorius.] Giving admonition; instructing by way of caution; warning.
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Losses, miscarriages, and disappointments, are monitory and instructive. L'Estrange.
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Monitory, n. Admonition; warning; especially, a monition proceeding from an ecclesiastical court, but not addressed to any one person.
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{ Monitress (?), Monitrix (?), } n. A female monitor.
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Monk (?), n. [AS. munuc, munec, munc, L. monachus, Gr. �, fr. monos alone. Cf. .] 1. A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a religious community of men inhabiting a monastery, and bound by vows to a life of chastity, obedience, and poverty. “A monk out of his cloister.” Chaucer.
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Monks in some respects agree with regulars, as in the substantial vows of religion; but in other respects monks and regulars differ; for that regulars, vows excepted, are not tied up to so strict a rule of life as monks are. Ayliffe.
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2. (Print.) A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused by the ink not being properly distributed. It is distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a deficiency of ink.
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3. A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine.
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4. (Zoöl.) (a) A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus. (b) The European bullfinch.
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Coloq. Monk bat (Zoöl.), a South American and West Indian bat (Molossus nasutus); -- so called because the males live in communities by themselves. -- Coloq. Monk bird (Zoöl.), the friar bird. -- Coloq. Monk seal (Zoöl.), a species of seal (Monachus albiventer) inhabiting the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic. -- Coloq. Monk's rhubarb (Bot.), a kind of dock; -- also called patience (Rumex Patientia).
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Monkery (?), n.; pl. Monkeries (�). 1. The life of monks; monastic life; monastic usage or customs; -- now usually applied by way of reproach.
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Miters, and wretched dead mediæval monkeries. Carlyle.
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2. A collective body of monks. [Obs.]
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Though he have a whole monkery to sing for him. Latimer.
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Monkey (?), n.; pl. Monkeys (#). [Cf. OIt. monicchio, It. monnino, dim. of monna an ape, also dame, mistress, contr. fr. madonna. See .] 1. (Zoöl.) (a) In the most general sense, any one of the Quadrumana, including apes, baboons, and lemurs. (b) Any species of Quadrumana, except the lemurs. (c) Any one of numerous species of Quadrumana (esp. such as have a long tail and prehensile feet) exclusive of apes and baboons.
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☞ The monkeys are often divided into three groups: (a) Catarrhines, or Simidæ. These have an oblong head, with the oblique flat nostrils near together. Some have no tail, as the apes. All these are natives of the Old World. (b) Platyrhines, or Cebidæ. These have a round head, with a broad nasal septum, so that the nostrils are wide apart and directed downward. The tail is often prehensile, and the thumb is short and not opposable. These are natives of the New World. (c) Strepsorhines, or Lemuroidea. These have a pointed head with curved nostrils. They are natives of Southern Asia, Africa, and Madagascar.
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2. A term of disapproval, ridicule, or contempt, as for a mischievous child.
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This is the monkey's own giving out; she is persuaded I will marry her. Shak.
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3. The weight or hammer of a pile driver, that is, a very heavy mass of iron, which, being raised on high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging.
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4. A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.
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Coloq. Monkey boat . (Naut.) (a) A small boat used in docks. (b) A half-decked boat used on the River Thames. -- Coloq. Monkey block (Naut.), a small single block strapped with a swivel. R. H. Dana, Jr. -- Coloq. Monkey flower (Bot.), a plant of the genus Mimulus; -- so called from the appearance of its gaping corolla. Gray. -- Coloq. Monkey gaff (Naut.), a light gaff attached to the topmast for the better display of signals at sea. -- Coloq. Monkey jacket , a short closely fitting jacket, worn by sailors. -- Coloq. Monkey rail (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship. -- Coloq. Monkey shine , monkey trick. [Slang, U.S.] -- Coloq. Monkey trick , a mischievous prank. Saintsbury. -- Coloq. Monkey wheel . See Gin block, under 5th .
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Monkey, v. t. & i. To act or treat as a monkey does; to ape; to act in a grotesque or meddlesome manner.
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Coloq. To monkey with , Coloq. To monkey around with , to handle in a meddlesome manner. [Colloq.]
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Monkey-bread (?), n. (Bot.) The fruit of the Adansonia digitata; also, the tree. See .
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Monkey-cup (?), n. (Bot.) See .
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monkeypod, monkey pod n. large ornamental tropical American tree (Albizia saman) with bipinnate leaves and globose clusters of flowers with crimson stamens and sweet-pulp seed pods eaten by cattle.
Syn. -- rain tree, saman, zaman, zamang, Albizia saman.
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Monkey-pot (?), n. (Zoöl.) The fruit of two South American trees (Lecythis Ollaria, and Lecythis Zabucajo), which have for their fruit large, pot-shaped, woody capsules containing delicious nuts, and opening almost explosively by a circular lid at the top. Vases and pots are made of this capsule.
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Monkey's puzzle (?). (Bot.) A lofty coniferous Chilian tree (Araucaria araucana, formerly Araucaria imbricata), the branches of which are so crowded and intertwisted “as to puzzle a monkey to climb.” It is also called monkey puzzle and monkey puzzle tree. The edible nuts are over an inch long, and are called piñon by the Chilians.
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Monkeytail (?), n. (Naut.) A short, round iron bar or lever used in naval gunnery. Totten.
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monkeywrench, monkey wrench n. A wrench or spanner which has one fixed and one adjustable jaw.
Syn. -- monkey wrench.
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Monkfish (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The angel fish (Squatina). (b) The angler (Lophius), esp. the goosefishes Lophius Americanus in America and Lophius piscatorius in Europe, used for food. [MW10]
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Monkflower (?), n. (Bot.) A name of certain curious orchids which bear three kinds of flowers formerly referred to three genera, but now ascertained to be sexually different forms of the same genus (Catasetum tridentatum, etc.).
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Monkhood (?), n. [Monk + -hood.] 1. The character or condition of a monk. Atterbury.
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2. Monks, regarded collectively. Longfellow.
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Monking, a. Monkish. [R.] Coleridge.
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Monkish, a. Like a monk, or pertaining to monks; monastic; as, monkish manners; monkish dress; monkish solitude. -- Monkishness, n.
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Monkly, a. Like, or suitable to, a monk. [R.]
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Monkshood (?), n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Aconitum; aconite. See .
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Monk's seam (?). (Naut.) An extra middle seam made at the junction of two breadths of canvas, ordinarily joined by only two rows of stitches.
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{ Mono- (?), Mon- (?) }. [Gr. �.] A prefix signifying one, single, alone; as, monocarp, monopoly; (Chem.) indicating that a compound contains one atom, one radical, or one group of that to the name of which it is united; as, monoxide, monosulphide, monatomic, etc.
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Mono (?), n. [Sp.] (Zoöl.) The black howler (Mycetes villosus), a monkey of Central America.
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Monobasic (?), a. [Mono- + basic.] (Chem.) Capable of being neutralized by a univalent base or basic radical; having but one acid hydrogen atom to be replaced; -- said of acids; as, acetic, nitric, and hydrochloric acids are monobasic.
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monocarbonic, monocarboxylic (?), a. [Mono- + carbonic.] (Chem.) Containing one carboxyl group; as, acetic acid is a monocarbonic acid. The more common term is monocarboxylic. Contrasted with dicarboxylic, tricarboxylic, etc.
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Monocardian (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. � heart.] (Zoöl.) Having a single heart, as fishes and amphibians. -- n. An animal having a single heart.
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Monocarp (?), n. (Bot.) A monocarpic plant.
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Monocarpellary (?), a. [Mono- + carpellary.] (Bot.) Consisting of a single carpel, as the fruit of the pea, cherry, and almond.
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{ Monocarpic (?), Monocarpous (?), } a. [Mono- + Gr. � fruit: cf. F. monocarpe.] (Bot.) Bearing fruit but once, and dying after fructification, as beans, maize, mustard, etc.
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☞ Annual and biennual herbs are monocarpic, so also some plants of longer duration, as the century plant.
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Monocephalous (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. kefalh head.] (Bot.) Having a solitary head; -- said of unbranched composite plants.
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Monoceros (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. �; monos alone, single + keras horn.] 1. A one-horned creature; a unicorn; a sea monster with one horn.
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Mighty monoceroses with immeasured tails. Spenser.
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2. (Astron.) The Unicorn, a constellation situated to the east Orion.
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Monochlamydeous (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. �, �, cloak: cf. F. monochlamydé.] (Bot.) Having a single floral envelope, that is, a calyx without a corolla, or, possibly, in rare cases, a corolla without a calyx.
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Monochord (?), n. [L. monochordon, Gr. �, fr. � with but one string; � only, single + � string: cf. F. monocorde. See , and cf. .] (Mus.) An instrument for experimenting upon the mathematical relations of musical sounds. It consists of a single string stretched between two bridges, one or both of which are movable, and which stand upon a graduated rule for the purpose of readily changing and measuring the length of the part of the string between them.
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Monochromatic (?), a. [Cf. F. monochromatique. See .] Consisting of one color, or presenting rays of light of one color only.
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Coloq. Monochromatic lamp (Opt.),a lamp whose flame yields rays of some one homogenous light. It is of great importance in optical experiments.
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Monochrome (?), n. [Gr. � of one color; monos single + � color: cf. F. monochrome.] A painting or drawing in a single color; a picture made with a single color.
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Monochromic (?), a. Made, or done, with a single color; as, a monochromic picture. Called also, monochromatic and monochrome.
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Monochromy (?), n. The art of painting or drawing in monochrome.
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Monochronic (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. � time.] Existing at the same time; contemporaneous.
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Monociliated (?), a. [Mono- + ciliated.] (Biol.) Having but one cilium.
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Monocle (?), n. [F. See .] An eyeglass for one eye. Simmonds.
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Monoclinal (?), a. [See .] (Geol.) Having one oblique inclination; -- applied to strata that dip in only one direction from the axis of elevation.
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Monocline (?), n. (Geol.) A monoclinal fold.
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Monoclinic (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. � to incline.] (Crystallog.) Having one oblique intersection; -- said of that system of crystallization in which the vertical axis is inclined to one, but at right angles to the other, lateral axis. See .
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Monoclinous (?), a. [Mono- + Gr. � couch, fr. � to lie down: cf. F. monocline.] (Bot.) Hermaphrodite, or having both stamens and pistils in every flower.
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Monocondyla (?), n. pl. [NL. See , and .] (Zoöl.) A group of vertebrates, including the birds and reptiles, or those that have only one occipital condyle; the Sauropsida.
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Monocotyl (?), n. (Bot.) Any monocotyledonous plant.
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Monocotyle (?), a. [Cf. F. monocotyle.] (Bot.) Monocotyledonous.
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Monocotyledon (?), n. [Mono- + cotyledon: cf. F. monocotylédone.] (Bot.) A plant with only one cotyledon, or seed lobe; a member of the Monocotyledonae.
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☞ The plural, monocotyledons, is used as the name of a large class of plants (the Monocotyledones, or Monocotyledonae), and is generally understood to be equivalent to the term endogens.
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Monocotyledonae, Monocotyledones prop. n. A class of plants comprising seed plants that produce an embryo with a single cotyledon and parallel-veined leaves: grasses; lilies; palms; and orchids. It is divided into four subclasses or superorders: Alismatidae; Arecidae; Commelinidae; and Liliidae.
Syn. -- class Monocotyledones, Monocotyledonae, class Monocotyledonae, Liliopsida, class Liliopsida.
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Monocotyledonous (?), a. [Cf. F. monocotylédoné.] (Bot.) Having only one cotyledon, seed lobe, or seminal leaf. Lindley.
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Monocracy (?), n. [Mono- + -cracy, as in democracy.] Government by a single person; undivided rule. Sydney Smith.
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Monocrat (?), n. [Cf. Gr. � ruling alone.] One who governs alone.
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Monocrotic (?), a. (Physiol.) Of, pertaining to, or showing, monocrotism; as, a monocrotic pulse; a pulse of the monocrotic type.
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Monocrotism (?), n. [Gr. monos alone + � a beating.] (Physiol.) That condition of the pulse in which the pulse curve or sphygmogram shows but a single crest, the dicrotic elevation entirely disappearing.
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Monocular (?), a. [L. monoculus; Gr. monos single + L. oculus eye: cf. F. monoculaire.] 1. Having only one eye; with one eye only; as, monocular vision.
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2. Adapted to be used with only one eye at a time; as, a monocular microscope.
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