Tetanic - Tetrandrian

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Tetanic (?), n. (Physiol. & Med.) A substance (notably nux vomica, strychnine, and brucine) which, either as a remedy or a poison, acts primarily on the spinal cord, and which, when taken in comparatively large quantity, produces tetanic spasms or convulsions.
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Tetanin (?), n. (Physiol. Chem.) A poisonous base (ptomaine) formed in meat broth through the agency of a peculiar microbe from the wound of a person who has died of tetanus; -- so called because it produces tetanus as one of its prominent effects.
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Tetanization (?), n. (Physiol.) The production or condition of tetanus.
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Tetanize (?), v. t. (Physiol.) To throw, as a muscle, into a state of permanent contraction; to cause tetanus in. See , n., 2.
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Tetanoid (?), a. [Tetanus + -oid.] (Med. & Physiol.) Resembling tetanus.
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Tetanomotor (?), n. (Physiol.) An instrument from tetanizing a muscle by irritating its nerve by successive mechanical shocks.
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Tetanus (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. �, fr. � stretched, � to stretch.] 1. (Med.) A painful and usually fatal disease, resulting generally from a wound, and having as its principal symptom persistent spasm of the voluntary muscles. When the muscles of the lower jaw are affected, it is called locked-jaw, or lickjaw, and it takes various names from the various incurvations of the body resulting from the spasm.
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2. (Physiol.) That condition of a muscle in which it is in a state of continued vibratory contraction, as when stimulated by a series of induction shocks.
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Tetany (?), n. (Med.) A morbid condition resembling tetanus, but distinguished from it by being less severe and having intermittent spasms.
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Tetard (?), n. (Zoöl.) A gobioid fish (Eleotris gyrinus) of the Southern United States; -- called also sleeper.
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Tetartohedral (?), a. [Gr. � fourth + � base.] (Crystallog.) Having one fourth the number of planes which are requisite to complete symmetry. -- Tetartohedrally, adv.
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Tetartohedrism (?), n. (Crystallog.) The property of being tetartohedral.
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Tetaug (?), n. (Zoöl.) See . [R.]
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Tetchiness, n. See .
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Tetchy (?), a. See . Shak.
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Tête (?), n. [F., the head. See a covering.] A kind of wig; false hair.
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Tête-à-tête (tātȧtāt), n. [F., head to head. See a covering, a cupel.] 1. Private conversation; familiar interview or conference of two persons.
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2. A short sofa intended to accomodate two persons.
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Tête-à-tête, a. Private; confidential; familiar.
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She avoided tête-à-tête walks with him. C. Kingsley.
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Tête-à-tête, adv. Face to face; privately or confidentially; familiarly. Prior.
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Tête-de-pont (tātd�pôN), n.; pl. Têtes-de-pont (#). [F., head of a bridge.] (Mil.) A work thrown up at the end of a bridge nearest the enemy, for covering the communications across a river; a bridgehead.
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Tetel (?), n. (Zoöl.) A large African antelope (Alcelaphus tora). It has widely divergent, strongly ringed horns.
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Tether (?), n. [Formerly tedder, OE. tedir; akin to LG. tider, tier, Icel. tjō�r, Dan. töir. √64.] A long rope or chain by which an animal is fastened, as to a stake, so that it can range or feed only within certain limits.
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Tether, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tethered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tethering.] To confine, as an animal, with a long rope or chain, as for feeding within certain limits.
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And by a slender cord was tethered to a stone. Wordsworth.
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Tether-ball, n. A game played with rackets and a ball suspended by a string from an upright pole, the object of each side being to wrap the string around the pole by striking the ball in a direction opposite to the other.
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Tethydan (?), n. [See .] (Zoöl.) A tunicate.
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Tethyodea (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Tethys + Gr. e'i^dos form.] (Zoöl.) A division of Tunicata including the common attached ascidians, both simple and compound. Called also Tethioidea.
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Tethys (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � an oyster, or � a kind of ascidian.] (Zoöl.) A genus of a large naked mollusks having a very large, broad, fringed cephalic disk, and branched dorsal gills. Some of the species become a foot long and are brilliantly colored.
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Tetra- (?). [Gr. tetra-, from tesares, tettares, four. See .] 1. A combining form or prefix signifying four, as in tetrabasic, tetrapetalous.
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2. (Chem.) A combining form (also used adjectively) denoting four proportional or combining parts of the substance or ingredient denoted by the term to which it is prefixed, as in tetra-chloride, tetroxide.
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Tetrabasic (?), a. [Tetra- + basic.] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing four molecules of a monacid base; having four hydrogen atoms capable of replacement by bases; quadribasic; -- said of certain acids; thus, normal silicic acid, Si(OH)4, is a tetrabasic acid.
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Tetraboric (?), a. [Tetra- + boric.] (Chem.) Same as .
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Tetrabranchiata (?), n. pl. [NL. See , and .] (Zoöl.) An order of Cephalopoda having four gills. Among living species it includes only the pearly nautilus. Numerous genera and species are found in the fossil state, such as Ammonites, Baculites, Orthoceras, etc.
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Tetrabranchiate (?), a. [Tetra + branchiate.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Tetrabranchiata. -- n. One of the Tetrabranchiata.
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Tetracarpel (?), a. [Tetra- + carpellary.] (Bot.) Composed of four carpels.
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Tetrachord (?), n. [L. tetrachordon, Gr. �, from � four-stringed; tetra- (see ) + � a chord: cf. F. tétrachorde.] (Anc. Mus.) A scale series of four sounds, of which the extremes, or first and last, constituted a fourth. These extremes were immutable; the two middle sounds were changeable.
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Tetrachotomous (?), a. [Gr. tetracha in four parts + temnein to cut.] (Bot.) Having a division by fours; separated into four parts or series, or into series of fours.
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Tetracid (?), a. [Tetra + acid.] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing four molecules of a monobasic acid; having four hydrogen atoms capable of replacement ba acids or acid atoms; -- said of certain bases; thus, erythrine, C4H6(OH)4, is a tetracid alcohol.
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Tetracoccous (?), a. [See , and .] (Bot.) Having four cocci, or carpels.
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Tetracolon (?), n. [Gr. � with four members; tetra- (see ) + � limb, member.] (Pros.) A stanza or division in lyric poetry, consisting of four verses or lines. Crabb.
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Tetracoralla (?), n. pl. [NL. See , and .] (Paleon.) Same as .
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Tetractinellid (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of sponge of the division Tetractinellida. Also used adjectively.
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Tetractinellida (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. tetra- tetra- + �, �, ray, spoke.] (Zoöl.) A division of Spongiæ in which the spicules are siliceous and have four branches diverging at right angles. Called also Tetractinellinæ.
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Tetrad (?), n. [L. tetras, -adis, Gr. �, �: cf. F. tétrade.] 1. The number four; a collection of four things; a quaternion.
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2. (Chem.) A tetravalent or quadrivalent atom or radical; as, carbon is a tetrad.
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{ Tetradactyl, Tetradactyle } (?), a. [Cf. F. tétradactyle.] (Zoöl.) Tetradactylous.
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Tetradactylous (?), a. [Gr. �; tetra- (see ) + � finger, toe.] (Zoöl.) Having, or characterized by, four digits to the foot or hand.
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Tetradecane (?), n. [Tetra- + Gr. � ten.] (Chem.) A light oily hydrocarbon, C14H30, of the marsh-gas series; -- so called from the fourteen carbon atoms in the molecule.
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Tetradecapoda (?), n. pl. [NL. See , and .] (Zoöl.) Same as .
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Tetradic (?), a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to a tetrad; possessing or having the characteristics of a tetrad; as, a carbon is a tetradic element.
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Tetradite (?), n. [See .] A person in some way remarkable with regard to the number four, as one born on the fourth day of the month, or one who reverenced four persons in the Godhead. Smart.
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Tetradon (?), n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Tetradont (?), a. & n. (Zoöl.) See .
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{ Tetradrachm (?), Tetradrachma (?), } n. [NL. tetradrachma, fr. Gr. tetradrachmon; tetra- (see ) + drachmh drachm, drachma.] A silver coin among the ancient Greeks, of the value of four drachms. The Attic tetradrachm was equal to 3s. 3d. sterling, or about 76 cents.
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Tetradymite (?), n. [Gr. tetradymos fourfold. So named from its occurrence in compound twin crystals, or fourlings.] (Min.) A telluride of bismuth. It is of a pale steel-gray color and metallic luster, and usually occurs in foliated masses. Called also telluric bismuth.
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Tetradynamia (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. tetra- (see ) + � power.] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of plants having six stamens, four of which are longer than the others.
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Tetradynamian (?), n. (Bot.) A plant of the order Tetradynamia.
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{ Tetradynamian (?), Tetradynamous (?), } a. (Bot.) Belonging to the order Tetradynamia; having six stamens, four of which are uniformly longer than the others.
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Tetragon (?), n. [L. tetragonum, Gr. tetragwnon; tetra- (see ) + gwnia corner, angle: cf. F. tétragone.] 1. (Geom.) A plane figure having four sides and angles; a quadrangle, as a square, a rhombus, etc.
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2. (Astrol.) An aspect of two planets with regard to the earth when they are distant from each other ninety degrees, or the fourth of a circle. Hutton.
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Tetragonal (?), a. 1. (Geom.) Of or pertaining to a tetragon; having four angles or sides; thus, the square, the parallelogram, the rhombus, and the trapezium are tetragonal fingers.
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2. (Bot.) Having four prominent longitudinal angles.
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3. (Crystallog.) Designating, or belonging to, a certain system of crystallization; dimetric. See Tetragonal system, under .
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Tetragrammaton (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. �; tetra- (see ) + � a letter.] The mystic number four, which was often symbolized to represent the Deity, whose name was expressed by four letters among some ancient nations; as, the Hebrew JeHoVaH, Greek qeos, Latin deus, etc.
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Tetragynia (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. tetra- (see ) + gynh a woman, female.] (Bot.) A Linnæan order of plants having four styles.
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{ Tetragynian (?), Tetragynous (?), } a. (Bot.) Belonging to the order Tetragynia; having four styles.
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Tetrahedral (?), a. [See .] 1. Having, or composed of, four sides.
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2. (Crystallog.) (a) Having the form of the regular tetrahedron. (b) Pertaining or related to a tetrahedron, or to the system of hemihedral forms to which the tetrahedron belongs.
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Coloq. Tetrahedral angle (Geom.), a solid angle bounded or inclosed by four plane angles.
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Tetrahedrally, adv. In a tetrahedral manner.
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Tetrahedrite (?), n. [So called because the crystals of the species are commonly tetrahedrons.] (Min.) A sulphide of antimony and copper, with small quantities of other metals. It is a very common ore of copper, and some varieties yield a considerable presentage of silver. Called also gray copper ore, fahlore, and panabase.
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Tetrahedron (?), n. [Tetra- + Gr. � seat, base, fr. � to sit.] (Geom.) A solid figure inclosed or bounded by four triangles.
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☞ In crystallography, the regular tetrahedron is regarded as the hemihedral form of the regular octahedron.
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Coloq. Regular tetrahedron (Geom.), a solid bounded by four equal equilateral triangles; one of the five regular solids.
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Tetrahexahedral (?), a. (Crystallog.) Pertaining to a tetrahexahedron.
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Tetrahexahedron (?), n. [Tetra- + hexahedron.] (Crystallog.) A solid in the isometric system, bounded by twenty-four equal triangular faces, four corresponding to each face of the cube.
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tetrahydrocannabinol (tĕtrȧhīdr�kănnăbĭn�l), n. (Chem. & Med.) A chemical substance (C21H20O2) which is produced by the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), and is the physiologically active agent of dried preparations of that plant, called variously marijuana, hashish, ganja, hemp, etc.; also called THC. It causes the euphoric effect for which the preparations are smoked or chewed. It is used in medicine in a purified form as an antiemetic (an antinausea agent), especially in conjunction with chemotherapy of cancer. It occurs primarily as the Δ¹-3,4-trans isomer, also called Δ⁹-THC, with small amounts of the Δ⁶-3,4-trans isomer detectable at about 1%. It is a controlled substance, classified as a hallucinogen, and its possession or distribution is illegal in almost all states of the United States. MI11
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Tetrakishexahedron (?), n. [Gr. � four times + E. hexahedron.] (Crystallog.) A tetrahexahedron.
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Tetrakosane (?), n. [Tetra- + Gr. � twenty.] (Chem.) A hydrocarbon, C24H50, resembling paraffin, and like it belonging to the marsh-gas series; -- so called from having twenty-four atoms of carbon in the molecule.
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Tetralogy (?), n. [Gr. �; tetra- (see ) + � a speech, discourse: cf. F. tétralogie.] (Gr. Drama) A group or series of four dramatic pieces, three tragedies and one satyric, or comic, piece (or sometimes four tragedies), represented consequently on the Attic stage at the Dionysiac festival.
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☞ A group or series of three tragedies, exhibited together without a fourth piese, was called a trilogy.
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Tetramera (?), n. pl. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) A division of Coleoptera having, apparently, only four tarsal joints, one joint being rudimentary.
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Tetramerous (?), a. [Tetra- + Gr. � part.] 1. (Bot.) Having the parts arranged in sets of four; as, a tetramerous flower.
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2. (Zoöl.) Having four joints in each of the tarsi; -- said of certain insects.
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Tetrameter (?), n. [L. tetrametrus, Gr. �; tetra- (see ) + � a measure: cf. F. tétramètre.] (GR. & Latin Pros.) A verse or line consisting of four measures, that is, in iambic, trochaic, and anapestic verse, of eight feet; in other kinds of verse, of four feet.
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Tetramethylene (?), n. [Tetra- + methylene.] (Chem.) (a) A hypothetical hydrocarbon, C4H8, analogous to trimethylene, and regarded as the base of well-known series or derivatives. (b) Sometimes, an isomeric radical used to designate certain compounds which are really related to butylene.
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Tetramorph (?), n. [Tetra- + Gr. morfh form, figure: cf. Gr. � fourfold.] (Christian Art) The union of the four attributes of the Evangelists in one figure, which is represented as winged, and standing on winged fiery wheels, the wings being covered with eyes. The representations of it are evidently suggested by the vision of Ezekiel (ch. i.)
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Tetrandria (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. tetra- (see ) + �, �, a man, male.] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of plants having four stamens.
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{ Tetrandrian (?), Tetrandrous (?), } a. (Bot.) Belonging to the class Tetrandria.
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