Part 415

2. (Bot.) A genus of papilionaceous plants, of the tribe Galegeæ, containing numerous species, two of which are called, in English, milk vetch and licorice vetch. Gum tragacanth is obtained from different oriental species, particularly the A. gummifer and A. verus.

3. (Arch.) See Astragal, 1.

As`tra*khan" (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Astrakhan in Russia or its products; made of an Astrakhan skin. - - n. The skin of stillborn or young lambs of that region, the curled wool of which resembles fur.

As"tral (&?;), a. [L. astralis, fr. astrum star, Gr. &?;: cf. F. astral. See Star.] Pertaining to, coming from, or resembling, the stars; starry; starlike.

Shines only with an astral luster. I. Taylor.

Some astral forms I must invoke by prayer. Dryden.

Astral lamp, an Argand lamp so constructed that no shadow is cast upon the table by the flattened ring-shaped reservoir in which the oil is contained. -- Astral spirits, spirits formerly supposed to live in the heavenly bodies or the aërial regions, and represented in the Middle Ages as fallen angels, spirits of the dead, or spirits originating in fire.

A*strand" (&?;), adv. & a. [Pref. a- + strand.] Stranded. Sir W. Scott.

A*stray" (&?;), adv. & a. [See Estray, Stray.] Out of the right, either in a literal or in a figurative sense; wandering; as, to lead one astray.

Ye were as sheep going astray. 1 Pet. ii. 25.

As*trict" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Astricted; p. pr. & vb. n. Astricting.] [L. astrictus, p. p. of astringere. See Astringe.] 1. To bind up; to confine; to constrict; to contract.

The solid parts were to be relaxed or astricted. Arbuthnot.

2. To bind; to constrain; to restrict; to limit. [R.]

The mind is astricted to certain necessary modes or forms of thought. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Scots Law) To restrict the tenure of; as, to astrict lands. See Astriction, 4. Burrill.

As*trict", a. Concise; contracted. [Obs.] Weever.

As*tric"tion (&?;), n. [L. astrictio.] 1. The act of binding; restriction; also, obligation. Milton.

2. (Med.) (a) A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance on the animal economy. Dunglison. (b) Constipation. Arbuthnot.

3. Astringency. [Obs.] Bacon.

4. (Scots Law) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the owner paying a toll. Bell.

The lands were said to be astricted to the mill.

As*tric"tive (&?;), a. Binding; astringent. -- n. An astringent. -- As*tric"tive*ly, adv.

As*tric"to*ry (&?;), a. Astrictive. [R.]

A*stride" (&?;), adv. [Pref. a- + stride.] With one leg on each side, as a man when on horseback; with the legs stretched wide apart; astraddle.

Placed astride upon the bars of the palisade. Sir W. Scott.

Glasses with horn bows sat astride on his nose. Longfellow.

As*trif"er*ous (acr/s*trf"r*s), a. [L. astrifer; astrum star + ferre to bear.] Bearing stars. [R.] Blount.

As*tringe" (s*trnj"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Astringed (-trnjd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Astringing (-jng).] [L. astringere; ad + stringere to draw tight. Cf. Astrict, and see Strain, v. t.] 1. To bind fast; to constrict; to contract; to cause parts to draw together; to compress.